MLP - Pony Dream 1

The placement agency had sent me to Dodge Junction to work at the cherry orchards ... just because I spent my summers working at my uncle's orchard. When I was growing up.

Well, my skills as an auto mechanic won't be needed for at least the next 100 years. That is if the ponies even want the blasted cars.

Oh, who am I you ask. Well, my name is Scott... Scott Jensen.

A year ago I had a small auto shop in smoggy LA. Things where going pretty good: my busy business had quite the great rep, my crew was great, and, most importantly, I had customers that paid their bills!

Everything changed one day when a hole opened up in the sky. Just like a grade B movie. But it was real. One moment it was there... the next... gone... along with bits of buildings, lawn furniture, plants, animals, and 251 people.

Why did this have happen when I was fixing the roof? God forbid that it rains in a citified desert!

By now you know the drill: confusion, anger, sadness, crying, and no cellphone coverage. Yah, I know, sick humor, but that's how I kept my sanity thru all of this. I mean really, a world of intelligent ponies, griffins, and cows... COWS! I love steak. How can I have a friendly chat with a Holstein one day, then eat her the next.

Now get your mind out of gutter. First of all... she's a COW! Secondly I'm gay. Not the type that pretends that they gay so that they can get that special Federal funding to start a business (well... it did help), but the real deal. As long as I can remember, I've been gay. And being gay in the "modern" US of A was a lot better than the "dark ages" of recent past.

But this not the USA... hell, it's not even Earth!

So here I am, stuck on a small planet, somewhere in some galaxy, with about 2 million intelligent, talking animals, and 251 people. That's 250 straight people. Hey, straight people are ok, little kinky, but ok... many of my friends are straight, and I have friends that are gay... on EARTH! Wherever that blue marble is. Hell... the stars in the night sky don't even match up with any of my star charts (What? Why do you think I was repairing the roof! I've got big feet!).

And don't talk to me about their moon... it shows up like every freaking night! What up with that? I can barely see the stars with that beaming orb bathing everything in a quiet blue light.

Well, it is a lovely orb.

But I digress. Here I am. In Dodge City. Dealing with cherry trees.

Now I'm beefy, but I am NOT going to spend my summer days "bucking" cherry trees... that's just silly. But it works for them. And anybody... err... anypony society that is willing to help complete strangers, even strange-looking strangers, well then, who am I to complain. I just offer suggestions. Like pruning techniques, fertilizing (they have got a lot of that!), and a few other things my uncle taught me. And in exchange I get a few bits. Now isn't that quaint.. oh wait, didn't Earth's modern cashless society invent the Bitcoin? Or was it the other way around. The parallels between earth and Equis are truly amazing.

Things are going well. I have a nice little house (not on the prairie) nestled near the outskirts of town. The town is ok... like right out of a Hollywood Western movie set. But a town with good food (veggies! veggies! and more veggies! Yea!). Great peop... err... ponies. And the weather... well... from LA to Dodge Junction... not much difference.

I have a good consulting job. Made a few friends... pony friends. There are even a couple of humans here as well: Twenty-two year old Jennifer, and forty something Kathy. They're good people. In the beginning we met almost every day. Crying sessions they were. With them being the better criers. But as the days turned into months we all seem to adjust to being lost I space. In part because we humans, no matter how bad it gets, eventually we put on our adult underwear and move on with our lives. And so...

~~~~~~>>><<<~~~~~~

And so another hot, dry day almost ends. As I flop on the couch I remember the cup of cool, cool, water... on the kitchen table! Oh well, I get up when it's nice and warm. It just feels so nice just to lay down. Why do I need to quench my thirst. I can wait.

Knock knock knock

Really? I just laid down.

"It's me!" the flowery voice sang.

"Please, don't act like a stranger and come on in."

The door swings open and Starburst bounces in and leans over and kisses my forehead.

What is it with these ponies? They are SO affectionate.

But, she makes me smile every time I see her.

"Want to share a pie? I made your faaaavoorite."

"Peach?"

"Of course it's peach, just for my special human."

Yes, I like peach... in the land of cherries and prairies.

With creeks and pops I slowly rise off the couch. "Please sit down and I'll go in the kitchen get a couple plates and some forks."

With genteel grace Starburst wiggles comfortably on the left side of the couch. I recently noticed that she sits differently from the other ponies: Where they tend to sit on a chair or couch much like a canine would, she sits upright. Her hind legs touching the floor, and her forelegs rest on her rear thighs. In position she's almost the same level to me when I am sitting down (perhaps it is to make me feel more comfortable when we are together).

"Wwould you like anything to drink."

"Yes please, some water."

Living on the Prairie makes water a special commodity. Offering it to guests is a sign of heartfelt generosity.

And with two plates, two forks, one serving knife, and two glasses of water, I managed to swagger back in to the main room.

"Oh Scott, you're such a gentleman."

"Only the best for the fairest in the West."

Actually The town is on the east side of the continent, but old habits die hard.

"Soooo... why do I have the pleasure of your company AND peach pie?

Starburst fidgets with her fore hooves, and moves her from side to side. Helt, I know it must be something seriously bothering her.

I place a hand on her shoulder, And in the most comforting voice: "It's OK, you know you can talk to me about anything."

"As your counselor I've always tried my best to make sure that you have made as smooth as a transition as..."

"Did I mess up somewhere... with some pony?"

Starburst is taken aback: "oh no harm, you've done extremely well. From the reports I get from other counselors you've adjusted a lot easier than most of the humans."

Feeling a little relieved I shrug my shoulders. "Well, I'm intelligent fellow. Back on Earth we had trained gorillas to use sign language, and we have whales and dolphins that were practically the equal of us in intelligence. The major stumbling block was communication."

Smiling I continued : "And your magic translating spells help break an important barrier. Without that I'm sure we would all perished from fright."

In between bites Starburst says: "I'm glad that it worked out for all of us."

Then there is that pregnant pause. I know there something bothering her; and it's something about me.

"Sooo Starburst. tell me what's wrong... what's bothering you?"

"I'm worried about you. You seem happy on the surface, but I sense a certain amount of sadness deep inside you. What's wrong? You know you can tell me anything: I'm more than your cultural counselor... I'm your friend. Please, please tell me."

The look in her eyes causes me to melt. And with the heavy sigh "OK Starry, it's spring time. And I've noticed there is a certain something special in the air." Shifting a little bit I nervously continue: "Mares are prancing around, with stallions watching... eyes bulging out." "Amongst other things bulging out." I murmur.

Her cheeks blush, but her eyes remain cooly steady.

"Well" she stammers "Springtime is when mayors get in... heat, and…"

She fidgets even more. This must be very uncomfortable for her to talk about.

I Interrupt her: "I figured as much. Back on Earth much the same thing happens." After a deep sigh I continue: "it's rather pleasant to see, sometimes humorous, but the less pleasant."

There is a pregnant pause between the both of us. I know she wants me to continue, but the way she's blushing I'm sure that her face will burst out in flames.

"OK Starry. All this is going on all around me and… and I'm a little lonely."

"Oh." Is her soft reply "You know I would help you in anyway I can."

"I know, but it's not your problem."

"But you're my friend. And I don't like to see you like this."

"But I can't see... I don't know how you could be help me. It's not like there is a dating service. Besides, the other humans are... normal."

She gasped at that last statement: "don't say things like that. From what you have said about your world it's ok for women to have a relationship with other women and vice a versa for men."

Now it's my turn to blush.

"ok, ok, ok. You got me on that one."

She continued: "our culture has long been excepting in these matters. With none of the stigmas that your society had."

"Have you considered dating a stallion?"

"Well… sort of. In my world cavorting with animals is frowned upon, and some places illegal." The floor she could retort I continued: "but this is not Earth. Living here with intelligent beings: working and playing along side... just plain talking to you'all... I no longer view you as ponies... err... I mean..."

Now it's her turn to to put a hoof around my shoulder.

"I sort of understand." She said. "We react the same way: when we talk to the cows are the buffaloes… The way we relate to them is different animals." She continued "our mindsets probably makes it easier for interspecies relationships."

"Very interesting. I never really thought about it that way. But, I don't know any stallions that.... their door swings the other way."

Then her face lit up with bubbly excitement: "What about your next-door neighbor?"

I spat out the water I was drinking. "WHAT!!!"

"Yes your neighbor. Why don't you ask your neighbor out for a date?"

"You mean Silver Streak? I barely know him. I mean, I see him occasionally, and we just talk light stuff: like hello. Nice weather we're having. You know stuff like that. Besides, is already in a relationship with... with.. I think his name is Thor.

Starburst just looks at me with a slight smirk on her face.
"Well him and I frequent the same after-hours bar. I have overheard several conversations he's had with his friends. He's always asking them about you - and it's not about how well you work... if you know what I mean." She said with a twinkle in her eye.

"He has? Well... I... don't know what to say."

"Don't say... do."

I swear she has somehow seen the Star Wars movies. She always stresses a point by quoting Yoda. How DOES she do that!

And before I can blather out anymore incoherent sentences, she stands up: "Well search your feelings and think about it. It does you no good to pretend you're always happy."

I escort her to the door: "Starry, i'm sorry if I made you a little uncomfortable. Thank you for being there."

She gives me a warm hug. "Think about what I said.
You can talk to me any time... except for tonight. I have a date!" she beamed.

I wiggle my eyebrows "Well, well, well. Could he be the one that you are always swooning over?"

Starburst's face reddens as see flashes me a steely look.

"You go girl! Now I will give you some 'inside' info...

I lean over and whisper in her ear: "he has the hots for you."

She squeals with delight, then dashes off in a light cloud of dust... her rump a sway'n and ah juggle'n

Don't talk to tonight? I think to myself. Hell, I expect to see for next few DAYS!

And with that I close the door, clean the low table, put the dishes in the sink, and...

and...

I'm pondering.

I go to the bedroom, take off my clothes, slip in to bed, and...

I'm pondering.

So MISTER Lightning asks about me...

He asks about me?

Silver... might...

like me?

Author's Note

The Good, the Bad, and the the Ugly... all comments and suggestions are welcome.