CYOA: Lost Pony

by David Silver

Rating: everyone
Tags: Adventure, Human, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Second Person
Length: 4193

You are on the way to work/school/etc when you see a pony. What do you do? This is a choose your own adventure of the true variety, with all the choices laid out and waiting for you to finish.

You are on the way to work/school/etc when you see a pony. What do you do? This is a choose your own adventure of the true variety, with all the choices laid out and waiting for you to finish.

Published 2017-07-16 03:50:06 UTC
Last updated 2017-07-16 03:50:06 UTC

1

You take chase after the pony, your shoes striking the pavement almost as hard as you hear the pounding of the pony's hooves up ahead. It takes a sudden turn and vanishes into some bushes and you scramble after it, getting some sharp thorns digging into your flesh, but you don't lose them. You burst through someone's backyard and thankfully they don't notice as you barrel straight through, following the trail of destruction the pony's leaving behind in its wild flight. Fortunately, its presence also makes it easier to follow.

While some things try to slow you down, the worst of it had to be dealt with by the pony first, giving you the edge. You have to catch up to it, you just have to! How many other chances are you ever going to get to see a real pony. That purple fur, that red splash on the tail. It was a magical pony, you're sure of it. You didn't get a chance to see its cutie mark beyond that it definitely had one.

You burst through a fence and almost tumble down a small ditch that leads to a small river. The pony is there, shaking and looking around wildly. You are the one it keeps looking at. Now's your chance!

If you make your move to capture it, proceed to chapter 1A
If you try talking to it, proceed to chapter 1B

1A

The purple and red pony gives a flip of her—you're pretty sure it's a her—trichromatic mane, a blue bang moving to reveal its pointed horn to view. It's a unicorn? You scarcely have time to take in that face when the horn begins to glow and a powerful beam strikes you at center mass and your entire body lights up with a pain you have never felt before and would care to never experience again.

As you collapse to a knee, the mare rises to her own hooves. "Bad... whatever you are! You'll learn what it's like to be chased and hounded! I hope you like it!" Her eyes dart away and back to you. "Sorry..."

If you try to resist the magic, proceed to chapter 1A1
If you try apologizing, proceed to chapter 1A2

2B

This is the moment you've been waiting for! You grab all the hunting gear you have around the house. Nets, caps, backpacks, anything you have that could, in theory, help with a hunt, you grab. Garbed and prepared for battle, you step outside and start marching down the road, eyes darting back and forth in quick scanning motions in case the pony should make itself clear to you again. That would be nice.

Sadly, what does appear is not a pony at all. It's a police officer. He clearly sees you. He even calls out to you. If he catches up with you, you have little doubt that he'll send you home, at best, and get right in the way of pony hunting. What's left to do?

You could run away, proceeding to chapter 2B1
You could explain yourself, proceeding to chapter 2B2

1B

You explain you're not there to hurt the pony. She let out a little squeak. "Are you sure?"

You hold up your hands and take a step back.

The gesture seems to sit well with her and she lets out a thunderous sigh. "Why did you chase me like that!"

You explain that ponies are not a common sight, and you wanted to meet her.

Her cheeks warm a little. "Me? Well... hi!" She waves a hoof at you. "Nice to meet you..." You give your name. "I'm Starfire, and now that we've swapped introductions, you can stop chasing me around town?"

You assure her that talking to her is better than chasing her around. You ask her what she's doing.

"Being lost, and chased..." She scuffs a hoof on the ground, kicking a rock into the little stream. "Look, you seem... nice. Maybe you could help? I need to get home, or at least a safe place. Can you help me?" She gives a smile as big as a pony could give, which is pretty big. "I'd be ever so grateful."

You want to help her, of course. It sounds like others have noticed her, with the distant noises of sirens and other activity. She couldn't just stay there, and wandering around sure seemed like a bad idea.

Perhaps you could take her home and proceed to Chapter 1B1
Or you could take out your phone/laptop and show the wonders of MLP to hopefully explain where she's may have come from,
head to chapter 1B2

2A

There must be a way to draw a pony to your home. You think about it, trying to be rational about it. The pony must be scared, and tired, and... hungry. Yes, hungry! If you put out something tasty for them, they might stop to eat, then you'd have them where you want them, without having to deal with anyone else.

You start digging apart your fridge and pantry, getting all the bits of a salad you can get, including whatever nuts and even some sweet things on top. Ponies like sweet things, right? It works in the show, so you hope it works in the real world too. Anything to make it look extra yummy to a tired pony on the run. You set it all on a bright pastel plate that matches what you hope the aesthetics of a pony might be. Your masterpiece complete, you hurry to the back door and set it a small distance outside, waiting for a curious equine visitor to find it.

At first, you wonder if you picked the wrong meal, or maybe you were just too hopeful. I mean, really, there are countless backyards for the pony to happen upon. Why yours? You're starting to feel the weight of disappointment, considering going out there and getting your plate, when you hear an odd noise. It was a single clop.

A rustle comes from the bushes between your house and the next and a pony emerges, its sides heaving with effort. A little sniffle comes from her as she takes slow steps forward. Thinking fast, you duck down just as she comes close enough to potentially see you. Thankfully the interior of your house is darker than the outside at the moment, making the windows reflective.

She, you feel sure it's a she, spots the plate and her expression brightens. Her eyes dart about suspiciously, looking for the ambush, and you don't even breathe a moment until she lowers her snout down to the plate and takes a big bite of the offered treat. She starts to eat, looking lost in the act of refilling her reserves.

You could just watch her eat, if so head to Chapter 2A1
You could jump her while she's busy, if so head to chapter 2A2

1A1

Your bones ache and throb, but more than that, they give out a chorus of snaps, each with a blinding flash of pain. You collapse under the pony's power as it only grows worse by the moment. Try as you might, the magic refuses to be cast aside. Your hands ball in fists as hooves form over them. You can feel your bones reshaping under the hardening cap, but it hardly matters, you don't have hands anymore. You scramble at the ground, trying to get at the pony, or get away. You're not sure which way you're trying to go at that point, the agony only growing worse.

A tail slips free of your bottom in a fresh stab of pain and you can't help but let out a call of pain. The mare's eyes dart off as footsteps are heard in the distance. "Sorry," she repeats, bowing her head, then scrambling away, but her magic remains, changing you.

Your hair begins spreading, becoming short fuzzy in a hail of little prin-pricks as you grow a pelt of your very own. Your legs become shorter, matching your arms an your torso begins to balloon out into a barrel, losing all other definition. You are becoming a horse rapidly, no, a pony. Even your sight, narrowed as it might be in pain, changes as your eyes expand to fill your altered face. Your fuzzy ears twitch, which is a new sensation, turning to home in on an incoming sound.

Someone is sliding down the same ditch you are in. It's a police officer. He has a gun out, and it's pointed at you. "Easy there, little horse. Let's not do anything rash."

Little horse? You look back at yourself and see that that is exactly what you've become. The pain is starting to ebb, but that is what you are. You are a pony, an exact duplicate of the pony that made you that way, in the torn remnants of your human clothing.

"I've got the target," spoke the police officer into his radio as he kept his gun trained on you.

It seemed you were about to find out what it was like to be a captured pony.

Would you like to try again?

1A2

The magic seems to be doing something to your insides. Everything hurts in a horrifying fashion. You apologize for chasing the pony and beg for forgiveness in weak tones, barely able to scrape the ground.

The pony glances off, ears swiveling away from you towards some sound perhaps. "That's... too cruel... Goodbye." She turns tail, literally, and dashes off, her hoofsteps receding into the distance.

Despite any desire to sit up or do much of anything else, your body aches and shifts uncomfortably. Whatever she did, it seems to be settling down. You hear something, steps, footsteps. "We have someone over here," comes a male voice. You hear boots sliding down the same valley you came down to just beside you.

The police have found you. They take you to the nearest hospital to be checked up on and, at least, you aren't given a huge bill for it. Alas, you don't get any ponies out of the deal at all, just painful memories.

Would you like to try again?

1B2

You mention My Little Pony and its land of magical ponies, much like her. Her eyes widen a little and she rolls a hoof for you to continue, so you do, explaining how they have cutie marks and a princess and pegasi and unicorns.

At the mention of unicorns, she reaches up and brushes her mane a little, revealing a short horn that was hidden under the fur. "Do you have pictures of this place? What did you call it?"

You explain more about the magical world of Equestria as you dig out your electronic device of choice and show her a picture of Ponyville you could produce quickly with a little Internet knowledge. Her expression brightens as if the sun had just come out and she reaches for your device. "May I?" You have little reason to stop her and she places her hoof against it, then through it.

You wince with worry, but she didn't smash anything. She passes right into it despite the size difference and appears right in the image. She dances in place, doing little circles and jumping from hoof to hoof, joyous beyond any easy measurement. She got home.

On one hand, that's great, but... That means she's not with you anymore, and that's a little annoying. You just met her!

She looks up and seems to see you. "Oh, don't be so sad," she speaks to you from another world. "This is a world for ponies, not humans..."

If you accept her word for what it is, she leaves as friends, and even visits you at times on your device, becoming a very long distance friend.

On the other hand, if that doesn't satisfy, and you claim you want to be with her, she points at you, no, the device from inside. "Then come in... but it's one way, and you won't be human anymore."

How could you say no? You ultimately don't, and join her, leaving nothing behind but the device for the police to find with a picture of a purple unicorn standing beside some other pony. Two random OCs of no meaning to them.

That's alright. You're in Equestria, living the pony life. It takes some getting used to, but you're ready for the challenge.

Would you like to try again?

2B1

You make a quick dash, cutting across yards and into a small patch of trees. You hear the cop chasing after you. However intent he had been before, your fleeing seems to have gotten him motivated. He calls for you to stop, which you don't. It could be called a small miracle that he doesn't catch up with you, but your semi-panicked shortcuts seem to have won out.

You dive into a thick set of bushes to escape sight from him in case he catches up and pant for breath, but your breath isn't the only one in that bush. There's a pony there, the same one you saw from earlier. She speaks with a clearly female voice, "Are you being chased too?"

That sounds like a lovely excuse and you agree that you were being chased as well.

"That's too bad. They don't stop... Maybe they'll be nicer to you, since you're one of them." Her expression was one of saddened determination, and a horn that hadn't been previously visible shone in the darkness of the bush. "I'm sorry."

She zaps you. A bolt of magic strikes and swept over your form as the entire world starts to get larger rapidly. You fell out of your clothes as you quickly becom e too small for them and catch yourself on furry paws as you hit the ground, tripped on your falling clothes. Paws? You hold up the white-furred paw and let out an inhuman squeal of terror.

"I'm sorry," she repeats, horn still glowing as you shrink smaller and smaller. "Even I know a hunter when I see one..."

You lose sight of her, your clothing covering your sight. You fight your way free and discover that you are no human anymore. You are a rabbit. Your little tail twitches back and forth and your powerful legs make you bounce when you try to move, just walking feeling awkward. She's gone, taken off while you were busy.

It seemed the hunt had not gone how you planned at all.

Would you like to try again?

2B2

You return the cop's wave and close with him, explaining how you plan to help catch the pony, and even start going into detail your various plan to catch the equine.

"We appreciate your spirit, but that horse has been declared dangerous at best. You should head home and let us handle it. We're armed and trained to handle this properly. You a local?"

You try to distract him away from the idea of taking you home, but he's quite set on it. He walks with you all the way back to your house. "This is why you pay taxes, so trained people can take care of it. Don't try to be a hero."

While the police officer does let you head inside without escort, another police car rolls up and parks in front of your house not long afterwards. You've drawn the wrong kind of attention and feel fairly certain your aspirations of hunting are over.

Would you like to try again?

2A1

Her snout rises and falls a little as she works on her meal, looking so very content about it. You can't bring yourself to disturb it, and just wait and watch her enjoy what you've provided. You feel nice knowing that you've brought some pleasure to the magical pony. Even if she ran off, at least you'd know that you were a nice part of an otherwise likely panicked day.

A clang makes you jump. While you were daydreaming, you knocked a fork off the counter and it hit the ground with what sounded like a bomb going off to your sensitive ears. The pony had sat on her haunches. She's looking at you directly. She isn't running.

You consider your options a moment before you raise a hand in a little wave. You ask if she liked the salad.

"I did, did you make it?"

You did, and you admit as much. You explain you were hoping she'd come and try it.

"It was... for me? That's good... I was worried I was eating some poor soul's dinner, but I was so hungry..." She puts a hoof to her belly. "Not anymore though... Thank you. I'm Starfire. What's your name?"

You give your name and ask if she's alright.

"No... no I really am not." She reaches out a hoof and taps at your door. "Look, I know we just met but... you seem nice. Could I... room with you? I'll help! I'm a unicorn, we're good at helping, honest." She brushes at her mane, revealing her short horn for you to see.

You have the door open in an instant, welcoming her inside.

She trots in with a smile. "I thought I'd have to offer more for that to work... I mean it though. I'll be the best roomie you ever had if it means I get a safe place to stop being chased and some food... I'd offer to get a job, but we both know how well that'd work."

Starfire was true to her word, becoming an affectionate and playful roommate. She kept the place clean and even helped make food. She eagerly explored the world she found herself in, but she also never stopped looking for a way to get home. "We'll go together," she promises each time. "It'll be your turn to be my roomie then. Won't that be fun?"

Would you like to try again?

First

You are a human. We have to assume this is a fact, or the rest of the story doesn't make sense. We apologize to any ponies reading this, who have to pretend they are human to proceed, but we must start with that assumption. You are a human, you have a thing you go to every day. It may be work or school or even a daily trip to the store for supplies. Whatever it might be, you're taking that walk. It's a nice enough day. The sun is shining, not too brightly.

You're about to come to an intersection when something darts out across the crosswalk ahead of you. The lights are with it, so that part isn't unusual, but the fact that it is a brightly colored pony galloping wildly, hooves pounding on the pavement in a clip-clop does capture your attention. It's in a blind panic and rushes right past your field of view in no time at all, leaving you little chance to react to it while it's there, but there's still a chance you could catch up with it, if you wanted, or perhaps you should get to where you planned to go. Sudden ponies is no excuse for tardiness, afterall.

If you follow the pony, proceed to chapter 1.
If you go on about your day, proceed to chapter 2.

Author's Note

CYOA! Let's do it! I actually planned this one out ahead of time, breaking my usual discovery writing ways.

2

You go on about your business. Just because magical ponies showed up doesn't get you off the hook for responsibilities, right? At least until you start getting news. Over your computer, or perhaps some people talking about it while you're trying to be productive. In either event, it becomes clearer by the passing hour that the pony was seen by more than just you. In fact, you hear everyone's looking for it, though the police are instructing people to stay inside and to not get involved.

Good thing you don't plan to follow that! Or maybe you do? If you do, the story ends here. You go on about life, and nothing magical occurs, except the normal magical things. But let's assume you're not, because that's far more fun.

You try to pay attention to what brought you outside of your house in the first place as best you can, but eventually you get to go home, and with it, the planning can begin in earnest. You have a pony to deal with, and you plan to be the one that wins where others are failing. But what will your winning strategy be? Flashing lights go past, alerting you to the fact that the cops are quite busy, which isn't that surprising.

If you try to lure the pony to your house, proceed to chapter 2A
If you set out on the hunt, proceed to chapter 2B

1B1

You escort Starfire home, avoiding the major roads and darting from cover to cover at time just to make sure nobody sees you doing it. Sneaking her inside, you both relax when the door is closed and locked behind you. You made it!

Starfire starts to look around almost instantly, poking her little cute snout into things. "Oh wow, are you super rich? You have a television!" She boops her nose against the power button and on it comes. "I never thought I'd get to see one of these..."

Ponies had television? You suppose they must, considering her reaction. You fish out the remote and show it to her and it starts to glow. She eagerly wields it in her magic and starts surfing with the best of them after only a few false starts. "Wow... This has like infinite channels! One for every star of the sky..."

Her happiness only seemed to swell when you got her something to eat. She likes vegetables and sweets and most of everything, but is not eager about most meats besides seafood. She becomes your roommate, and starts exerting control over your house. When you are away, it is time for her to start decorating, an act that seems to bring her joy, even when you make such odd faces to come home to see what she's done.

But when you watch her when she doesn't know she's being watched, she looks out windows, or up at the night sky. She sighs softly to herself and squirms restlessly. As much effort as you put into making your home into her home, it isn't Equestria and never will be, nor can she ever just go for a walk without causing a panic.

She follows the rules and tries to be a good friend, but that sadness never leaves her core of cores. "It could have been worse," she sighs to herself one quiet evening before she goes to the kitchen and tries her hoof at cooking for a change, an act she was getting better at.

Would you like to try again?

2A2

She's completely absorbed in eating. It's perfect... You slip slowly around and forward, your hands out and fingers flexing as if getting prepared for the action you have in mind. As you approach the door that would lead outside, you have a moment to wish you had been hiding in a bush instead, but maybe she would have seen you, or smelled you, or used some other sense a magical pony might have. In either event, being behind a door seemed like a far safer bet, but it was in the way of your pounce.

You have to make the best of it. You wrench the door open, charging at her in the same motion. Her eyes are already on you when the door opens. Did she hear the door open, or did she notice your approach from before them? Hard to say. She's midway through turning around, but you're coming in fast. You land on her back and wrap your arms around her barrel, grabbing her tight. "Hold it right there." You were going to hold your horse as literally as possible.

She squeals in terror and her little legs kick out, but she can't get a good angle on you as you hold on tight for dear life. A little horn pokes free of her mane, glowing brightly as magic engulfs your form. You barely notice it, far too busy keeping a grip as she bounced around, dragging you away from the door. Your entire life becomes keeping a good grip around her midsection. She's soft, warm, and nice. She's a good pony. You feel you could hold onto her forever and would be happy doing it.

Fortunate, because that was exactly what you'll do. Your senses never return in the same way, as you have become a saddle, strapped tightly to her, always hugging her close and keeping a good grip on her equine form. She runs off with you still attached, free of your attempt to capture her, and yet, she never discards you.

Would you like to try again?