I seem to be making friends pretty quickly. That's seven so far. Redheart and I hit it off pretty well, we were talking about a lot of stuff during my test but that could just be a 'friendly nurse' act. 'What am I doing? I can't be making friends. Any attachment I get here, will only make it harder when I leave. I need to stay focused and find a way back as soon as possible.'

One of these ponies is supposed to be looking after me. Gotta thank my lucky stars on this one, didn't really want to be sleeping in a gutter. I have to be careful, though, too many people knowing me could be a bad thing if I have to rely on old habits. Speaking of which, there is attention on me I'd rather not have. The princesses of this country want to meet me... It doesn't make sense to me, why should royalty be concerned about a random dude that's showed up out of no where? Although, having friends in high places could be useful. 'I'll have to find out how much sway they have in how this world runs.'

"So, Alex. You can stay with Applejack, Rarity, or myself... Alex?" Too worried about meeting royalty, I failed to hear Twilight talking to me. "Alex!"

"Huh! What? Sorry, lost in thought. Um... I really don't know." There's so much on my mind right now, I just can't make any proper decisions.

"We understand you've been through the wringer, but we don' want yah staying somewhere yah ain't comfortable." Applejack stated, not helping.

"Fine then, I'd like to be somewhere quiet and out of the way. At least until I can figure things out." I said, starting to give in to the stress. "If that's okay." I added, fearing I came off a bit harsh.

"How does staying with me at the farm sound? It's on the outskirts of town and if yer any trouble, Big Mac can sort yah out." I wasn't sure how I felt about this 'Big Mac' if she's using him as a contingency plan.

"Um, how far away is your farm? Just on a not-so-relevant topic."

"It's just a few short minutes walkin' from here, Sugarcube." I guess it could be worse. I released a deep sigh and receded back into thought.

"Are you okay, darling? You look worried." Rarity inquired. 'How do I play this off?'

I reached up and rubbed the back of my head "Well, I kinda just think im gonna attract lots of attention that I dont think i can deal with at the moment." I threw on a convincing smile. 'I want to keep my cards close to my chest, for now.'

"I think that's reasonable." Twilight started. "If it's okay with you, I do know an illusion spell we can use. It should make you look like a stallion."

"I'm sensing a 'but' here." I added, my words floating on suspicion.

She gave me short nod. "There is. If what I've heard from the doctors that treated your injuries is true, There's no telling how the spell will effect you. That's if it works at all." It did unnerve me a little to hear that.

"Hmm. Well, nothing gained from nothing tried. Might as well give it a go." I said, somewhat hesitantly.

"Alright, don't move. This shouldn't hurt." 'Because that helps.' Twilight's horn started to glow with a magenta colour, her hands following suit, as she placed them on my shoulders. There was a very weird, tingling, sensation that went down my spine. At first it was just foreign, then it became uncomfortable, then it started to hurt. I didn't say anything to Twilight or the others, I just clenched my jaw and pushed through.

After a good minute or two, the numbing pain faded away and Twilight let go of my shoulders. I let out a deep sigh of content, glad it was over. "Did it work?" I asked eagerly.

There was a pause in the mares as they looked me over. "It seems to have worked. You look like a stallion now. How do you feel?" Twilight asked.

"I don't feel too different. Oddly energised." I answered.

"Look like a stallion to me." Spike said with a shrug. He seemed pretty indifferent about it.

"Yup, just like a stallion." Applejack said while seemingly finding the ground very interesting.

"Alright then. We should get going, cant be standing around all day." There was a round of nods and we headed for Applejacks place. When the double glass doors slid back, my eyes were assaulted by light. After they adjusted I saw a quaint town with old styled buildings, but what really caught my attention was the sky. It was so amazing i just had to stare at it. The seven around me understood why I was so fixated since I'd explained how my world build cities under big domes to filter the carbon saturated air and that excessive burning of fossil fuel led to distaster. They were really fascinated by my world, Twilight more than any.

"Unfortunatly I have to bid farewell here, I cant afford to fall behind with my work." Everyone said goodbye to Rarity as she gave out quick hugs. "Do look after yourself, darling." She added, giving me a short wave.

"I gotta go as well, see ya." Everyone, again, said goodbye to rainbow before she flew off. I watched in awe at the speed she left with.

"I should get back to sugar cube corner, those cakes aren't going to bake themselves." Pinkie sang, bouncing on the spot before disappearing, leaving a dust cloud in her wake, for the second time today.

"Is that normal for this world?" I was ready to accept any answer they would give me because of what I've encountered so far: bipedal ponies, magic, a dragon, apparently gryphons, and Pinkie Pie.

"That's just Pinkie being Pinkie." Spike made it sound like it was easy to ignore.

"Yah just gotta let it go." I did as told and just ignored it, but I noticed Twilight having a harder time doing so.

The three mares remaining started the walk with me and spike following, giving us a chance to get to know each other better. I asked him about his life but when he proudly explained his life as Twilight's assistant I started to question things. "Not trying to sound rude or anything, but is that all?" I asked.

He looked at me with confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I mean your a dragon, a beast of power. They're practically worshiped where I'm from." Spike looked a little hurt from my words.

"I don't know, I'm pretty happy with my life and Twilight has looked after me since I hatched. I guess it helps me have purpose. I don't know what I'd do on my own." His words carried a hint of sadness.

After that, I felt a little guilty, having downplayed Spike's life like that was pretty rude. We continued walking in a semi-awkward silence.

My focus was split when I noticed something on spikes back, wings. "You have wings."

"Yeah, I haven't had them long, maybe a couple months, so I'm not the best at flying. Rainbow's been teaching me how to use them."

"Man, I'm so jealous. I've always wanted to fly... Well by myself at least."

"What do mean by yourself"

"Well, back home we have planes."

"What's a Plane?"

"Hmm, think of a giant metal bird that can't flap its wings."

"Wow, that sounds cool. Wait, I thought you couldn't leave your city."

"Not without the right equipment. The planes are sealed and basically clean the air so we can breath it."

We were walking for about ten minutes when Fluttershy split off to another direction towards her home. I have to admit that I like Fluttershy, she just seems so easy to be around.

A few more minutes of walking and we came across a few apple trees behind a wooden fence. The fruit on the tree were incredibly red and shiny, they almost looked like Christmas decorations. Applejack noticed me staring at the ripe fruit and stood next to me also looking at the apples.

"Mighty fine aren't they. Yah wanna try one?" She wasn't wrong they were very fine, but it looks like someone owns them with the small fence.

"I really would, but I think that fence is there for a reason."

"Ha, sure is. It goes most o' the way round mah farm."

Applejack climbed over the small fence and walked over to one of the many, many, many trees. She didn't do anything straight away which started to confuse me, until she lifted on foot and slammed it into the truck. She held out her two hands where four apples fell perfectly into her grasp. To say I was impressed was an understatement.

"Yah might wanna close that mouth. Don't want to catch any flies, do you?" Applejack threw an apple each to Twilight and Spike while I snapped out my stupor just in time to catch mine.

"I'm not sure if you were just showing off, or you have some serious talent. I'm going to guess that's it's a mix of both." I think I got that one right on the nail because she gave me this big smile that said everything.

"That was pretty awesome, AJ." Spike agreed before his tongue flew from his mouth, wrapped around his apple and pulled the whole thing into his mouth.

"Thanks, Spike. You know I've had plenty of practice." Applejack replied.

I bit into my apple, and it was the best tasting apple I have ever had the pleasure of eating. It was so crisp and juicy with lots of flavour, but not overwhelmingly so. Applejack said the house was just up ahead. Not two minutes later we came to a lovely looking, double storey farm house with a bright red barn standing next to it. It was quite a beautiful scene, if only I had my sketch book. The thought of losing everything was pretty upsetting, but it ignited a desire, a need to find a way back. 'But where do I start? I guess these princesses are my only lead...' I gave a sigh at the thought of having to meet important poeple. What a hassle. 'there's no helping it, ill just have to meet them.' My stature slumped and my head hung low. I lazily set my hands in my pockets where my right hand hit something thin and hard.

"YES!" I exclaimed with excitement, throwing my head back and fist pumping. The other three shot me glances of concern for my sudden out burst. "Fuck yeah."

Spike POV

Alex was acting strange. First he looked depressed out of nowhere, then just as fast as it came it was replaced with what I guess where cheers of victory. "Are you okay?"

"I am wonderful now, Spike."

"Mind tellin' us what yer hollerin' fer." Alex pulled his right hand out of his pocket and a small piece of... Glass?

"Why do have glass in your pocket?" Twilight was thinking the same thing as me, and I assume so was Applejack.

"This piece of glass is what's known as a mobile phone." He twisted the device around a couple times. It was like a two-way mirror, transparent on one side and silver on the other with two thicker parts at each end, one of which had a pair of earphones plugged in. "I can do all sorts of things with it: talk to people over long distances, check the time, listen to music, watch videos, take photos. It's onr of the newest of its kind."

"So it's like telepathy but in your hand?" I asked.

"Um. Yeah, I guess it is. I never thought of it that way." Alex replied.

"How does it work? Without magic the only way I can think of it working would be transmition through vibrations or waves." Twlilight started to babble about sience stuff.

"know-it-all" I muttered under my breath, Celestia knows what she'd do if she heard that

"What was that, Spike?" 'Oh buck.'

"Uh. n-nothing, twilight." I stammered, shaking my hands in font of me defensively.

"I totally forgot I had it with me..." Alex was inspecting his phone like he was trying to remember something. "... I just had a crazy thought. Before I went out for the... Uh, before I came here I was contemplating if I should leave my phone."

"An' how is that a crazy thought, exactly?"

"Well, Applejack. It's a crazy thought because I was this close to not having this on me right now, there's so much stuff from my world I wouldn't be able to show you, I can only tell so much."

"Almost like the butterfly effect." 'know it all.'

"Yeah, like the butterfly effect." 'Somethings up with Twilight. She's on a roll with all this know-it-all science stuff.'

Alex POV

We finished our twenty minute walk, that felt like hours, and went inside. As soon as I walked through the front door, my nostrils were bombarded by the smell of delicious apple pie. We were also greeted by a female voice, not unlike Applejack's, shout from the stairs.

"Hey, sis. How's that stallion you found in the everfree?" Is that concern for me? Down the stairs came a young mare in a cream coloured t-shirt and denim blue jeans. In her pinky, red mane was a large, bright red bow. Her fur was a light yellow, maybe a bit darker than fluttershy's. Upon her face was a big caring smile, the kind you give to someone you love. That smile slowly faded when her sunset coloured eyes fell upon me.

"Speaking of. Applebloom this is Alex, Alex this is mah sister Applebloom." I could see the resemblence. 'Hmm. Applebloom, Applejack, apple farm. Im starting see a pattern here. "Alex, here, isn't actually a stallion." We shook hands. Like her sister, a good grip. There couldn't have been much of an age difference between her and Applejack. She stepped back with a quizzical look after Applejack's latest words.

"He's a mare?"

This sent the Applejack, Twilight, and Spike into a giggling fit. "No, I'm very much a he, unless something happened since the last time I checked." Applebloom cracked a smile at that.

Applejack regained her composure enough to explain to Applebloom "hoo. What ah mean is, Alex is from another world."

"Yah sure? He looks like a stallion t'me." Oh right the spell.

Twlight got the same hint I did "Oh, that's right, the spell. Are you comfortable enough for me to remove it?"

"Yeah, do your thing... And thanks for the disguise." Twilight's horn glowed like earlier, followed by her hands. She, again, placed them on my shoulders. This time, however, it was much shorter and there was only a numbing sensation, no pain. Good.

I turned back to Applebloom, she had an expression of realisation adorning her face. "Now he looks more like an alien."

"Hey, Bloom. Where's Big Mac?" Applejack asked. Ah yes, the guy that's supposed to 'sort me out' if I cause any trouble.

"He's out with his friends, said he ain't gonna be back till late."

Me with my infinite wisdom chose the perfect time to be an ass. "if I were gonna cause trouble, now would be the time I'd do it." Applejack gave me a look that sent a chill down my spine. "buuut. I'm not going to, because I don't cause trouble... On purpose." She dropped the look and gave a small chuckle. Worth it.

"Alex'll be staying with us fer a bit, can you please show 'em to the guest room?" Applejack asked, looking to her sister.

"Sure. This way, Alex." She led me upstairs. As we were heading up, I found my eyes drifting towards her plump, round, juicy rear. Something about farm work must be a good workout for your legs, coz dayum they were a fine shape. Re-directing my line of sight just in time, she turned around to make sure I was following. "keep it PG please, Alex. You don't want anything going wrong now that you've got somewhere to sleep.' Applebloom lead me down the hall to one of the dark wooden doors, surrounded by pink and cream wallpaper. She opened the door to show a small, but cozy room with a large bed, a full-body mirror in the right corner, a set of draws beside it, and a desk and chair under a window on the left.

"Here's yer room, bathroom is just there" She said, pointing towards a door a couple feet back down the hall.

"Thank you, Applebloom. It's been a long day so I think I'm gonna catch some shut eye."

"Oh, a'right then. Have a good sleep, Alex."

"Goodnight." Applebloom shut the door as she left. I sat down on the end of the bed looking out the window. The sun wasn't too far off setting, so It didnt seem wrong to go to sleep now. The events of today replayed in my mind, I thought of waking up in the hospital, seeing things I didn't think possible and the friends I've made so quickly: Applejack, Twilight, Spike, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Redheart, and Pinkie Pie. Come to think of it, they were really attractive and im not sure if I was okay with that, with them being ponies and such, but I wasn't going to lie and say I couldn't see myself living here for some time, but I did need to get back to my world and my brother. Anything could've happened.

'I really hope i can figure a way home. Or better yet, bring James here. He'd have a better shot here than anywhere on Earth.' Those were the last thoughts crossing my mind before I slung my clothes on the ground and fell into slumber under the soft covers of the bed.

Author's Note

Quick note for those that don't know, the italics text is for what the current caracter POV is thinking to themselves

But another chapter down, another to come.

Oh and I don't re-read the chapters before I publish them so if there's a mistake, my bad.