Learning To Live, Volume 1

by Nekron Smauzog

Rating: teen
Tags: Twilight Sparkle, Main 6, Profanity, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Death, Alternate Universe, Human, Nightmare Moon, Romance, Original Character, Fluttershy, Adventure, Violence
Length: 15644

A brony with a gift he considers a curse is killed on Earth, and is sent to Equestria where there is more to him than even he seems to expect and what is planned for him in the long run.

Your average brony on Earth is chased down by a clan of bikers who want him dead after an accident he didn't mean to do to their leader's motorcycle, and on top of that, he's in debt over that. Seconds from dying, the force of a princess has saved him from the pain that was given to him and sends him to her own world: Equestria. Now departed from his home, he will have to adjust quickly to being new and welcomed in Equestria.
With friendship by his side, he begins his new life. But why did that specific princess pick him out of millions of others on Earth? Why is he part of a divine plan he has no knowledge of?

Published 2018-11-18 15:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2018-11-24 22:31:36 UTC

Vigil

Author's Note

Hello there to all those who follow me from FanFiction or haven't heard of me before. Welcome.

Just thought I'd start bringing over this story to FIMFiction since it seems to be a good time to do so, to introduce readers to the world of LTL.

Please do enjoy. :)

Vigil

Gather around young and old, please do take a seat and listen. For of all legendary stories known in Equestria, not many know of this tale due to the limited information left over the years, having been lost to the times. But it is a tale important to know.

Long ago, in the beginnings of Equus and all of time here, the sacred items responsible for the foundations of Equestria were made and born from the heavens, all in the grace of the First Alicorn herself. We know of the tales behind the items such as the Scroll of Wisdom, the Bell of Tambelon and the Two Stones of Dream Valley, but none of you know the tale of the Five Songs.

"We've never heard of a thing, it's all just stories that little fillies dream of." Yes, but no. They were all real in the time.

There had been originally Four Songs in the creation, each with their own magic element. Save your groan though, for they were different from the Elements of Harmony that the heroes in Ponyville had used to stop the threats of Nightmare Moon and Discord, before his own reformation.

The four were quite clear on what their power was: Aqua, Nature, Earth and Flames. The fifth one had not been created until a later time, which was sent by the prophecy from the heavens above to a lost race of beings that the First Alicorn had created in her own image, many years before the formation of Equestria. This fifth Song was one that would unite the other songs in times of strife and join together to stop the darkness that threatened the old Equus. This Song took the form of a weapon, a claymore, and it in itself was the power: Order.

Not much else is known of this, but in the later writings in stone after the formation of Order, the Song of Flames was not present. A betrayal is one that was suggested by those in the studies for where the lost lands were before Equestria had been founded many years later, or the Song had become corrupted with what it sought to destroy.

But one other thing is that nopony was ever able to wield the Songs themselves, except for one race. A race that lives far beyond our world, buried in the stars. For these few had the blood of Equestrian in them. They have not been active for years, and the Songs remain forever lost, hidden in the shadows until the power of their next masters can take their mantle and use it for good.

Who will the next masters be? Will they be protectors for Equus should the Elements of Harmony fail us?

All I know is what I've told you all now for the information on the Songs. I, like all of you, must know more about them. It's only a matter of time now until one of them steps out and is exposed under the sun for all of the new Equus to witness again.

- Starswirl, A Study on Lost and Forgotten Equus Artifacts, pg. 306 - 307

1:24am
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
In a distant city on Earth...

The sound of motorcycles could be heard rushing down the busy street of twin-based houses through the open window of my home. I just listen to the rustic engines roar loudly from the motorcycles when going down my street that was busy. My neighbourhood was peaceful, and got along well with the noise that would pass by.

The night was clear outside with a small fogged cloud by the white glowing moon in the evening sky. I could see the entire neighbourhood from my own window of my own room. But I only looked at the sky during my time in my personal bedroom. There had never been a beautiful night like this that I've ever seen in my lifetime. There had been various other nights that were beautiful before, but this one was no different from them.

I look away from my window and towards the bright light of my TV in my room. They're showing an episode of "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" on the Hub. It was a replay of the episode "A Canterlot Wedding" and it was the part when Queen Chrysalis defeats Princess Celestia, leaving the Mane Six to go running for the elements. This show happened to be one of my favorite shows that I watched, and when there wasn't a time when I had been busy I'd catch up on an episode. The finale is just in a few days, so it should be interesting.

I lay on my soft bed in the left corner of the room with the door to and from my room to the right. On my desk is my laptop and pieces of paper with a bowl full of sharpened pencils. I considered myself to be a fanfiction writer and would write down my ideas on any stories that came to me. On the bowl of pencils, was also my name Brayden. A 20 year old, who liked to write stories based on my favorite show. But that was not the only thing I loved doing, in the corner opposite from my bedroom door were two stands: one with an electric guitar and the other, a bass guitar. I occasionally played guitar myself in a punk band, but we had gotten nowhere to record anything. Sure the members' musical differences were different from mine, but I found myself to take metal to my liking. Particular styles of metal I enjoyed were: Progressive, Power and Symphonic. I did have some respect for alternative rock though.

My stomach starts to rumble giving the signal that I was hungry for a late-night snack. Most of the food in my fridge would really satisfy me, so choosing the lazy choice; I made the decision to go to one of those fast food restaurants like I always do whenever there isn't any food that come to mind.

I get up off my soft bed, and reach for the remote of the television and pressing the power button to turn it off. I then walk towards the door of my room and close it behind me when walking downstairs into the main floor. Kitchen's quiet, check. I pace across the floor towards the garage door. I place my hand onto its silver handle and push down on it, pulling it open. Once open, I turn on the light.

My motorcycle could be seen there on its stand with the flaming purple color applied to it. I walk over to take the motorcycle off of the stand. I push the cycle right next to me lightly, keeping a gentle hold on it while walking to the garage door. I reach for the handle below and pull the large door open. Once I had gone outside, I close the garage door behind me and get up onto my motorcycle. I ignite the engine and the clear engine sound of my cycle could be cleanly heard through my ears.

"Good, it still works. Most times, I have to bring it down to the shop for a new engine." I thought to myself, pulling back a bit on the cycle's handles. It began moving forward from the parkway, onto the street. I then turn the cycle to the left, bringing it onto the road. Driving with the single light on, I looked about the road, there were various buildings that would still be open. Even barbershops and disco clubs were open this late at night. It would seem like a peaceful drive with few cars on the road.

Once reaching a stoplight, I dug into my pocket and got out some earphones. I then took out the iPod touch 3rd generation in my pocket and randomly select an artist. It was another one of those bands I listened to that had done some metal operas, another type I liked because each album/song told a story that went along with the flow. I randomly select a song and put the iPod back into my pocket. The street light shines green and I start moving again, with music coming through my earphones, blending into the environment.

The traffic didn't seem to be this bad at night, minus all of the huge trucks coming in with packages behind them attached. I did get to drive by some of the cool cars, even though I wasn't really into that stuff. I was just wanting to be an ordinary guy at his extra last semester at school. And I know what you're thinking... I don't have the new-generation iPod touch yet. That's because I don't have the money on me. But if I did, I would get it in some time when the price drops.

The ocean itself was quite beautiful at night especially with the moon's reflection hanging out on the waters, giving out its shine. It's a full moon tonight, so aside from a few clouds to pass by and block out its light on occasion, the stars in the sky will be quite a sight on the mountain for those living up there.

I could see the park come into my view on the left side. There were a couple of people still out, taking walks around the park or spending time with their dog if they kept barking into the night. One man throws a frisbee for his golden retriever, and the dog runs across the field to go and get it and return it to its owner. On the right far up close, I could see the restaurant of destination that I had planned for when I stepped out just a few street stops down. It wasn't famous like Mickey D's or all that stuff, but it'll do. It was called "Big Burgers", a restaurant that was open about 24/7 with different employees by each few hours.

Another green light, and I step on the gas, riding closer towards the restaurant. More cars pass by when I am riding right next to them, passing by to get a lot closer. At the stop before Big Burgers, I make a smart quick turn towards the side of the road, squeezing through a tight spot. One old lady walking with her cane looks at me as I passed with the expression that I was a maniac for making that move.

Closer with a turn into the parking lot, I noticed that something was completely off about it, and by that time: the solo on the song I was listening to just ended. It seemed rather eerily silent this late at night and even so, there normally was crime around this part of town, as news reports on the TV would tell of hijacking and shootings. So it was quite normal in this part, even when it all came to light, making a turn into the parking lot.

There were a bunch of bikers with dangerous looking motorcycles that would put my own to shame, and they seemed to be ready at any moment to resort to violence. By the looks on their faces, they didn't look very happy about my presence. I take off my earphones and take out my iPod to pause the song. I then put it away into my right pocket and looked at the threatening bikers, stopping my motorcycle and turning off the engine. One of them, looking really tough with the strong-looking muscles leans off from his bike and looks at me.

I had recognized the leader of this biker gang from before, for I had heard in high school that he was not to be messed with big time. I however had unfortunately crossed paths by complete accident, and was now in debt to him for quite the price. Having seen him lean off from his bike, taking the nearby baseball bat of brown wood, proceeding to walk towards me with an intention.

"Ah, we've been waiting for you." The leader of the gang said to me with his southern accent, holding the baseball bat in his hand and gently smacking it in his other hand. The other bikers carried pistols in their pockets, ready to fire at me if I made any funny moves. "You owe us for destroying a bit of our property and you'll pay it right this instant."

"Please, Khaln. That destruction was just a small mistake that accidentally happened." I said, with my heart starting to beat faster by each step that he took towards me. It wasn't entirely my fault that I accidentally hit his precious motorcycle that caused it to fall onto the hill and skid down the dirt road of his home, causing his motorcycle to get dirty and a scratch no doubt. "I'm only trying to have a late night snack. So can we shake the debt off until another time? I don't have the money I owe you at the moment."

Khaln finally swung his bat at me and knocked me off my motorcycle. My body makes a hard impact onto the cement ground and the sound of my cycle hitting the side. I groan when on the ground and Khaln looks over at me, placing his baseball bat onto my left knee.

"Well, Brayden you don't have the money with you. So it looks like by each beating you get from my precious bat, Brown Bear… the owing disappears... unless you are hiding the money, so this should be enough to scare you into doing it." Khaln said, swinging his bat and hitting my left knee really hard.

I grunt in pain and begin looking for a way to escape while he is beating me up with his baseball bat. Scanning the ground close by, I put an eye on the empty beer bottle that lay right onto the street next to me. My hand moves closer to the fragile bottle and grips it tight, but not too tight. When the timing was right and Khaln had his bat in the air ready to pound it at my own heart, I throw it straight at Khaln's right shoulder. The reaction causes Khaln to drop his bat and start checking for a bloody scratch.

"Agh…" Khaln sees the blood on his hands from the injury that I have given him, the glass in his shoulder as I get up off the street ground. He looks at his shoulder, and then me. "You little shit!"

He throws a punch at me to knock me back, I did not relent though as he was looking for a fight which is something I wanted to avoid. I jump forward, pushing Khaln with my two bare hands onto the ground and throw myself towards my bike, picking it up off the ground, igniting the engine and making a quick turn to drive off out of the parking lot in hopes of escape.

"Get him and the money!" I could hear Khaln yell from the lot as I go right onto the road, full throttle. He is getting up off from the ground. "I'll be right behind all of you! As far as I'm concerned, I want that cowardly bastard alive or dead!"

I could hear the many sounds of their engines igniting when I reached the streets. Passing by a few cars is when I started to realize that Khaln's men have started to shoot their pistols at me by the whipping sounds of bullets starting to fly at me from behind. I manage to miss the first few shots, but one of them hits me in the back of my left shoulder and it starts to stir me off course towards a garbage chute. Finally, I get a grip onto it and wheel myself back onto the road. In my mind, I realize that as soon as I escape, I should head straight for home to patch myself up and remove the bullet wound. In my left pocket, my cell phone is ringing. I don't have time to answer it.

I took my chances to look behind and see that the entire Khaln clan bikers were after me and were ready to kill me. I just dove straight into the park on the motorcycle, even carelessly driving by people, trying not to accidentally hit them and yelling sorry to them. The bullets continued to go. My motorcycle moved up the hill and towards the cliff where I usually make a mistake and it was also an escape route for me just in case. "This problem never happens in Equestria!" I shout to myself and speeding forward with Khaln and his bikers getting closer.

Khaln and his gang soon started to slow down and I look behind him and stick my tongue out followed by a raspberry at not just him but all of them, saying "You can't even catch me slowpokes!" When I turned around, the edge of the cliff could be seen and I ditched my motorcycle, causing it to fall off of the cliff and into the ocean. My body was dragging on the ground by the gravity from how fast I was going, giving me quite a burn on the chest until I felt weightless, falling off of the cliff. I was just lucky enough to grab onto the nearby branch that had been sticking out of the edge.

I take a look down at the crashing waters below. I witness my cycle fall into the water and disappear. Well, I don't have to worry since I have two spare ones. One at home and the other at my cottage up far south from here. I climb up from the branch and place my hands onto the cliff. The sound of hard boots grab my attention. The ringleader Khaln moved up into my sight and was carrying his combat pistol in his right hand. I try to react quickly enough, but he fires at my left hand causing it to bleed. I tried to use that shot hand to grip onto the cliff again, but the pain is overwhelming. I find myself dangling over the edge, taking a look into Khaln's dangerous and angry eyes.

"Well, Brayden. It looks like you're going to be washed away by this fall. You should've given me the money, but you chose the other path. So consider this... your permanent goodbye." He says.

"You don't have to do this! Just let me go!" I said to him, breathing a bit, the pain from the gunshots in my hand and left shoulder feeling heated with each breath I took. "I'll get the money in a few days, and this'll all be over!"

"Too late for that," He tells me. "It's just my view of business."

I try to get right back up onto the cliff, but he sees me trying to escape again and reacts much more quickly with his pistol, shooting my right hand. The instant pain in my right hand causes me to let go. The wind blows into my face as I descend straight into the sea, landing in the rough waters. The rough waves against the cliff bash me underwater into some sharp rocks. I try to swim upwards to the surface but find myself unable to do that.

The waves continue to bash me towards the sharp rocks until of them impales my weak flesh. I could see the blood start to flow throughout the water, spreading like wildfire. Blackness starts to fade onto me for unconsciousness with the air I had running out. I tried to force myself to stay alive for this, but the air I held in was already released by the bubbles from being unable to hold in any longer and gone and I could find myself sinking to the sand floor with the waves repeatedly bashing me over and over,. Above the water, I can see Khaln and his buddies laughing at my own demise bound to happen in the moments ahead. It isn't long until the sound of water fades softly into the nothing, going gone and silent, and the last image of Khaln laughing above my watery grave starts changing. The colors grow distorted and then everything slowly goes to black.

This is it... this is the end for me. Where I go, there will be nothing for me. I never even got to say goodbye to my own friends before this happened.

In the silence, I could hear a voice talking softly to me before I had faded into a permanent deathly sleep.

"Do not worry Brayden. You'll be safe now."

Shudder Before the Beautiful

Equestria
Near the Everfree Forest...

Fluttershy's POV

A really long day seems to have gone by since I had left the cottage this morning to go and see my friends Twilight and Applejack. Having to help out with the loading of apple crates can be very exhausting, but I am quite content that all of us treated ourselves to lunch at the Sugarcube Corner after all of that.

It was that time again as I saw Princess Celestia's sun setting slowly towards the western horizon, and I can hear the sound of the stomachs of all of my animal friends grumbling. Dinner time for them, and I was already eager with such a bright smile to feed them.

"Alright everypony, it's time for eat." I said to them as I turned away from the view of the window.

I flap the both of my wings, lifting myself up from the wooden planks and grabbing the nearby bag of bird seeds to start with the birds who all had their attention at me since I had the food. I flew up to their birdhouse close to the ceiling, pouring the seeds into the feeder near them.

The birds chirp happily at the sound of the food filling into their feeders afterwards, giving me a happy response when I had stopped, seeing of their approval. A smile came onto my face when one of the cardinals chirps and begins to peck at the birdseed.

"You're quite welcome." I responded back to their gleeful chirp, flying down to bring the squirrels, mice and other ground critters their acorns and nuts.

I placed their food down onto the clean, wooden floor by the rug, watching as they come and gather them to munch on. I even leave a couple of the salad leaves that I sometimes keep leftover in the fridge, as I know they really love that after having their main course. Their dessert of course, and they know the rules that their meal comes first before the salad.

Now where is that bunny rabbit, Angel? Probably hiding from all of that healthy food again, but he always has his carrot with him that he gets from the garden in the back. I'm sure he'll pop up eventually, but I should really bring out the beehive full of honey for the bear, Harry.

I trot towards the beehive that the honey bees in the nearby tree were happy to give to me in exchange for having Harry no longer pick any honey out from their hive, picking it up and carrying it underneath my right front hoof. I move to the front door, opening up and going outside. I close the door right behind me, approaching the lazy Harry who looks happy to see me.

"Good evening Harry," I greeted him happily, opening up the hive which had released a small flow of the large amount of honey that was inside of it. "I brought you your favorite meal as I always do. I hope you do enjoy it as usual." I giggled as Harry was already eager enough to begin his dinner immediately, beginning to dig into the sweetness.

My head turns towards the western horizon once again, and my thoughts begin to come in once again. I had been thinking about something for a bit of a while, and this moment in time when there was nothing much else left on the list to do.

I was thinking about something in regards to my best friends. The five of them were very nice to get to know me, and I am happy to have known them for a long time. The one thing on my mind is that, even though I had them or my animal friends I could trust, talk to and express how I was feeling in case I was under some stress or just wanted to get something off my mind, I felt like something in the equation was missing.

Like a close friend, that I could also do the same for as well. It didn't have to be a pony or anything else... just somepony that I could talk to. Somepony aside from their differences in appearance that could be so much appreciative of me and my friendships, as well as being quite a contribution to Equestria's society.

Something slapped me behind the head, interrupting my thoughts and snapping me back into reality. It didn't really hurt, but it caught me by surprise. I turn to the ground, looking to see if it was something that had fallen from the sky... nope. Didn't think it would be Rainbow Dash trying to prank me with Pinkie Pie. Especially not at this time. It was just a carrot, half eaten, lying on the ground there. I already know who it is by the thumping of the foot behind me.

"Angel," I turned around to see the bunny stomping his foot impatiently for me to look at him. "What did I tell you about throwing things at me or the other animals?"

Angel proceeded to do some sort of dance or something as if he is trying to tell me something. "Are you trying to tell me something?" I asked him as he begins to make different movements. One looks like he is doing jazz foots with what he used to carry his food with. "You're saying that you had a really good dance... no, something that shines!" He nodded, making other movements until I had given it my best guess. "Wait, you saw something shiny... at the lake?"

The little bunny slapped his forehead, and just signals me to follow him somewhere. I seem reluctant as he goes hopping off to somewhere past the side of the cottage. I wasn't exactly sure about where he would bring me to and what he had wanted to show me, but I have to make sure that Angel is okay in case of danger. I look at Harry who was wondering what the hay Angel was up to.

"I guess I could use some protection... in case he is going somewhere." I said to him, watching him wipe the golden honey off from around his mouth.

Harry doesn't refuse at all, since he does want to make sure that I am okay as well by the direction that Angel was going in. I follow right behind the bunny who leads me and Harry past the cottage and out to the north-west direction away from home.

I just didn't expect that the bunny rabbit would bring us out to the edge of the Everfree Forest...

"You... you want us to go with you in there?!" I sound a little panicked when I spoke to Angel at the front of the forest, off the trail. "It's too dangerous! What if there's a timberwolf ready to pounce at us from around the corner? Maybe there's a rabbit eating plant in there that wants to eat you, or something even worse! What if there is a Rocodile, waiting to chew on our bones when its finished eating us?!"

The small bunny shoots me an annoyed glance, turning back around to face the forest, hopping straight into it. I follow along nervously with Harry right behind me, roaring with a bit of intimidation to let the area around me know that he is there to give me the protection that I need.

I remain nervous though as I trot into the forest, some light shining in from what remains of the day with the blue sky now an orange color above. The sun was starting to go down, and I knew that Angel would have to hurry to get there before it got dark. If it did, I would be in trouble because timberwolves were usually wandering the forest at that time of night when Luna's moon rose to the east.

My moderate cyan eyes look a little frightened around the forest as the dead trees' branches gave off a bit of a creepy appearance. Reminds me of when me and my friends were going to the Castle of the Two Sisters for the first time when Nightmare Moon had returned from her thousand year banishment. The only difference I was in the more dangerous parts of the forest that haven't been mapped. With that, there is no trail so I have to trace my hoofsteps.

Angel stopped by one of the tree roots, hopping up onto it and turning around to look at me. He motions for me to come over to him to look and see what he had found. I slowly make my approach, hoping that it wasn't anything dangerous. I don't know what he found, but it could be anything... a lost baby timberwolf? A lonely filly that had run away from home and was found by chance?

Oh... oh my!

There was a figure lying right there on the ground when I had put my hooves up onto the large root, peeking up to see what it was. I stayed where I was to watch and observe it for a moment, even as Harry joined beside me with a bit of curiosity on his face as to what this figure was.

It was a creature, but not some creature that I have ever seen before. It was tall, but I can't really tell how tall unless I turned my head to its side. I can only assume that if I do, the creature is up to 'Princess Celestia's head' tall. It seems look quite thin, but I am surprised to see that it is wearing clothes. Something I didn't expect because clothing is Rarity's usual thing. His hair is short but has the color of dark brown.

I was a little afraid at first, but I moved around the roots of the tree and approached the creature lying there. Its chest moved up and down, signalling to me that it was alive. I had thought for a moment that it was dead. If it was, I'd never know what exactly it was, if it spoke my language.

Its hands though... they looked quite a little bit bloody with injuries that look like holes. Though they aren't completely holes, because if it was, I'd be able to see the grass it was lying on. Its shoulder looks injured too, as well as its chest which looks like it had been bleeding. I'm not sure what this creature had gone through, but I could tell that it had been through a lot.

It was getting dark, and Celestia forbid that the timberwolves found its unconscious body lying here... they'd end up eating it! I just couldn't allow that since I was certain that it would have ran afraid at the first sight of timberwolves if it woke up at that time. I had to bring it back to the cottage with me, so I could keep this creature safe from that danger that lurked in the forest.

"We can't leave it here! It'd be timberwolf food if we let it stay here!" I turned around, a bit concerned when I looked at Harry who in turned looked at me to listen to what I was saying. "We've got to give it a lift back to the cottage."

The bear nodded his head, moving to one side of the creature's unconscious body, lifting it upwards from that side. I move to the other side of the creature, lifting the other half. I move it onto the top of Harry, who nods to let me know when the creature is secure on his back, going back in the direction we came in the Everfree forest.

I follow right behind Harry, thinking about this creature that I have seen. When we get back to the cottage, I will bring it up to the guest room and let it lie peacefully and comfortably in the bed that I have set up for guests who come for sleepovers... well, ponies that I can trust like my friends. I will keep an eye on it for a bit to see if it does wake up tonight, if not... maybe sometime in the morning or afternoon.

Hmmm, its head does feel a little feverish. Maybe a cold cloth on the head a few times for tonight before bed and more the next day will maybe wake it up. If he does, I'll have to ask a little more about it, maybe see if Twilight can look into it if I cannot.

Brayden's POV
The next day, in afternoon...

The sound of birds chirping and wild animals could be heard outside when I was waking up, and I kept my eyes closed. I could also hear the gentle sound of water from a small bucket close by and someone drying out a wet cloth a bit to put on my face. I groaned, thinking it was all a bad dream and that it was my mother just tending to me when I felt ill with a flu, even a cold to suffice.

"Mom… is that you?" I asked.

Someone gently shushs me. "There there now. Just relax…" A gentle and soft, yet timid voice told me, placing the warm, damp cloth onto my own head. "You've been asleep for almost nine hours now."

"I… I had a horrible nightmare. I dreamt that there were these bikers trying to kill me… it was terrible." I said, letting the cloth rub back and forth on my forehead.

That gentle voice said "Awww, well it was all a bad dream… but don't you worry now. You are safe and sound now, here in my cottage and away from all danger."

That's when I had realized that this was a change. "Your cottage?" I asked with complete surprise.

I opened up my eyes really fast and noticed that I was inside a different room that wasn't my own room, it seemed more like another environment, with birds on the window chirping away and watching me. I turned my head to my left and was surprised to see who was there and had been speaking to me. I thought I recognized that pale yellow coat and pink mane standing there before me holding that wet cloth she had been putting on my head with one hoof.

It was Fluttershy.

The look on my face gives Fluttershy a look of concern. "Um… are you all right? And I don't think I've seen you or your species in Equestria before." She said, with her gentle voice remaining the same.

I let out a sigh to calm myself down and looked at her, and said "I don't know. I have no idea how you found me though."

Fluttershy put down the cloth she was holding and gently put the bucket to the side. "Well, when I was feeding the animals here at the cottage yesterday evening, Angel found you and told me to follow him to you. Poor you was being left out in the Everfree Forest as timberwolf food. There, I managed by both myself and Harry to come take you to my cottage." Fluttershy explained, putting a gentle smile on her own face.

I moved the sheets off of me and started to get out of bed. "Thank you for taking me here. I could have possibly been eaten by anything wild in that forest. But timberwolves? Not a chance since I'd run for my life upon hearing them." I said to Fluttershy. I realized that I didn't want to say her name right there because if I did, she'd asked how I knew her name. And if I told her the truth about her and the entire show, everything could possibly go wrong and would result in one of the towns calling the princesses to banish me to the moon. Again, it probably won't happen as the princesses would never be that cruel to do such a thing to anypony regardless if they are a pony or not, for they would only show disappointment in them if they did something bad.

I looked at the yellow Pegasus and she just looked shyly towards me at this point, losing her kind smile and hiding a bit behind her long pink mane. I basically knew what was happening when she would meet new ponies, so I decided to play cool with her. "My name is Brayden. What is your name, miss?" I asked, keeping a careful and gentle smile.

Fluttershy quietly says "I'm… I'm Fluttershy..."

I leaned a little closer to her to hear what she said. "My… my name is… Fluttershy…" I could hear her say again this time.

"You said that your name was Fluttershy?" I had asked with a calm voice, not raising my voice a little higher in fear of scaring her.

Fluttershy just kept looking at me, staying quiet and looking at me with a shy look. I thought that it was quite a quick conversation there, so I just look away from her and my sight towards the open window and said "Well, I guess it seems like a bright and beautiful day outside. I think I'll take a stretch out there." I move away from the bed and have my eyes set onto the door when I hear her hooves moving fast beside me.

"Wait! Don't leave so soon Brayden," Fluttershy said, with her gentle and fuzzy hoof touching my hand for a brief moment. I turn and look at Fluttershy. "You just got up. Why would you want to leave now?"

I turn my eyes off of her and onto another direction, walking over to the open windows where I could hear nature outside, trying to insure myself that this wasn't a dream to me that I could be having. For crying out loud, I am probably at the hospital getting the lake water pumped out of my lungs with oxygen and carbon dioxide to allow me some life in right about now, plus there's those stitches I'm probably getting for the collisions I had with those lake rocks. But these hands of mine placed upon the smooth feeling of maple carven wood... this feels all too real for this to be a dream.

"I don't really know..." I said quietly, but a volume where she could hear my voice. "It's all but a mystery to me on how I would end up here in your cottage in the first place. I don't even exactly remember how I ended up on the forest floor in the Everfree, so any answer I could answer myself on that... I wouldn't be able to."

"I... I'm not even sure how you'd even have got there in the first place," I can hear Fluttershy right behind me. There is the sound of her hooves getting closer to my right side. "But I think I am grateful to have found you yesterday before anything there bad happened. I mean, it's practically still the afternoon but the evening will come to a close in the quick hours."

"And the others you know?" I questioned myself to her. I don't sound even worried as of yet but of concern as I am not a pony among them but more solely a human. There would always be judgements on me. "They could react differently if there was something among them tall, and they would probably be thinking I was dangerous as of right now. But me? No, I wouldn't hurt anything."

I turn my head to her. I can tell by the look on her face and eyes that she was showing big concern for me. "You shouldn't fear them. They're really nice, sure only a few in town will feel a bit unwary of you in the presence of their town for some time, but they're understanding and will get used to you being new in town. You might not be a pony, but anypony can fit in no matter their difference," She says to me with a smile on her face that was telling me to keep confident while here in Equestria. Those cyan eyes of hers... even they look too real for me. "Why don't you give it a try? I'm sure that nopony is going to call you a monster when you step into town. You'll be with me anyway."

"You want me to come with you?" I asked.

Fluttershy nods to me. "Of course Brayden," She responded to me. "I would like to introduce you to my best friends. I'm not sure how they'll react to you being with me, but they will understand and take the time to understand you for what you... what are you again?"

"I am a human, a boy to be exact." I stated to her, giving her a bit of information helpful if she needed it.

"I see," She just said to me. "But even I can see that you aren't hostile. You seem rather calm, but yet a little confused. Getting to know my other friends can help you out to be a little more comfortable in their presence. I can't forget my animal friends here at the cottage as well, So I wouldn't rush to show you my friends in town immediately."

I just smile and nod with understand, moving away from the window with her right behind me, and forward I go towards that door and opening it with my right hand. I hold it open there for Fluttershy. "Thank you Brayden." She said, coming through before me and her left the bedroom.

I make my way to the right and towards the top of the steps. The first thing I see coming up the stairs nearby is a large serpent-pony like creature that I remember when watching the show. There was no doubt I recall that familiar shape with different body parts of animals he would be having.

It was Discord, the master- I mean, post-master of chaos. Though I swear others still call him the master of chaos. Ever since he was redeemed by Fluttershy herself, I still had that feeling he could turn on anypony if it wasn't too obvious.

Fluttershy trots up beside Discord in the middle of the steps and says "Discord, I want to introduce you to Brayden. I found him outside the forest last night and I brought him home. Poor him would have become timberwolf food if it wasn't for Angel finding him on the forest grounds. I'll be introducing him to every one of my friends to pass the time to relieve him of his confusion." She puts her soft, fuzzy hoof onto that lion paw of his while she is introducing him to me.

Discord disappeared in a flash of light and appeared right behind me which I didn't expect at first. His head curled from around under my arm and he looked at me. "Ah, so you 'are' the new species that Fluttershy brought in. Now, you might think I'm weird, but we all are in our different way by how we look. But just look at me! I've got various parts while being half-pony." He said, extending his eagle claw from under my arm and giving my right hand a shake. "It is quite honoring to meet something new!"

"My name is Brayden." I state my name to him, while looking a bit nervous.

The jolly draconequus laughed once again. "I'm sure Fluttershy probably told you my name already. But I will do the honor of introducing myself. For I am Discord," He showed no backing out while still shaking my right hand with that eagle claw of his. "It is quite the pleasure."

"It's a good pleasure to meet you as well, Discord." I respond back to him. I was nervous about him being right near me because he could try to possibly change me into another self that is the opposite of what I would be today. Fluttershy trots back up the stairs, put her hoof gently on my shoulder and gave me a reassuring smile that could tell that he had been truly reformed.

"Now, if you must excuse me Brayden and Fluttershy, I must have my bath. I honestly wish I could stay and make friendship with him but we all need that good hygiene." The draconequus said, before snapping his finger and disappearing in a flash of light.

Well after that, Fluttershy guides me downstairs after that rather quick introduction into the living room where most of her animals could be seen, and the animals including a bear even looked at me. Fluttershy proceeded to name each small critter that was living like each bird, squirrel, chipmunk... you name it. Her bunny rabbit Angel is among all of them, looking rather annoyed. Everything seems good for now, until I set my eyes onto the bear staring back at me.

When I first saw the bear, I began to shake a little as I knew that bears were very aggressive. I even took a step back with even the bear illuminating a kind noise. Fluttershy who is behind me seems to notice my fear of this kind of aggressive animal and trots forward towards me after having given a hug to one of her squirrel friends. I can feel her hoof gently touch my back, but I don't look back at her.

"Don't you worry one bit Brayden, Harry is a very nice bear and he won't hurt you." Fluttershy said with an assuring voice.

I moved forward towards Harry slowly, with those eyes of the mammal looking at me and taking out his paw for me as an offer to give him a gentle rub on the fur of his. "Go on Brayden; give his fur a gentle rub." Fluttershy convinced me again, keeping a kind smile on her face.

I carefully move my hand across the bear's fur and he makes a happy sound. Harry moves his other paw to my head and gave me a pat on the head with that, the fear inside dwindling only a small bit. It would definitely take time for me to get used to him. But as of now, it wouldn't really be that good of a time as the fear of a bear attacking me would still be at high risk.

"Aw, you see? He likes you Brayden." Fluttershy said, trotting over forward to me.

She touches the top of my right hand and those cyan eyes stare right at me. I stare right back, having my attention brought to her. "Now, we'll meet the rest of my animal friends later. If it's alright with you, I want to introduce you to my best friends in Ponyville." She says to me.

I think for those few moments about if I wanted to go or not at the moment. All I could do really was shrug the both of my arms, having separated my hand from her hoof touching the top of my right hand. "Sure, why not?" I said to her. In response, she smiles and trots over to the front door, opening it and leaving it open for me to follow when ready.

I follow her out the door, close the front door behind her and walk beside her down the hillside trail. She almost forgets something and turns back to the cottage. "Angel!" She calls out.

The little bunny rabbit pokes his head by the window in her sight. "Momma's going to be back later! Keep an eye on the cottage while I'm out!" Fluttershy continued. Angel nods in response and hops out from sight inside of the cottage. Fluttershy turns back around and we resume on our way to Ponyville.

I look at her and wonder where she'll take me first in regards to meeting her best friends. If by chance she does take me to the Golden Oaks Library first, I'll be able to meet my favorite pony Princess Twilight Sparkle. The strange thing is, I also happened to have a crush on her since I saw the second part of the series premiere for the first time and have had a crush on her ever since. This seemed rather different though... as if I could be living in Equestria right before my own eyes, a new stranger to their world... would Twilight accept my presence?

"Well Brayden, the first pony I want you to meet is a really nice friend of mine. Her name is Rarity." Fluttershy says, not hearing the obvious annoyed groan that came from me after she had finished mentioning one of her best friend's names.

Rarity was obviously one of my least favorite ponies, but Prince Blueblood is the last on the list since he was a humongous jerk to her and insulted Applejack's treats during the Grand Galloping Gala. But for the sake of Fluttershy, I do tolerate Rarity and would like to befriend her in the end. But really, I don't really want to get caught up with drama that starts up with her though, even when she is one who starts it in the first place.

Me and Fluttershy continue down the dirt trail towards Ponyville, passing a sign that gave the right direction there. I could see that familiar pink pony, Pinkie Pie coming down the path opposite towards us. Pinkie trots right up to us in the steady speed she had been going like always.

All three of us stop and I can tell she is the first to engage in conversation. "Hello Fluttershy! Wonderful day, isn't it?"

"Oh, it's a clear day with no clouds in the sky, Pinkie. Rainbow Dash and the weather team have done a really good job clearing this morning." Fluttershy said.

At this point Pinkie Pie turns and looks at me. A smile of joy came right upon her face. "Hello there!" She says to me, zipped right up to my face rather quickly. I don't feel uncomfortable with this, but I am still so confused as she's the second pony I've now officially met face-to-face besides Fluttershy. "Are you new here to Ponyville?! I love meeting new ponies or anything not even looking like a pony!" She gasped loudly as if she finally realized something important. "OHMIGOODNESS I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT IT!" She had shouted that in a rather surprising way before she took off like a bullet back into town in the upcoming close distance.

After a few awkward moments of silence, Fluttershy turns and looks at me saying "That was Pinkie Pie. Every time somepony new comes into town, she sets up a party for them at the Sugarcube Corner."

I smile and say "I know that parties are great. Pinkie seems to be the most happiest and I'm sure she knows how to party like a... party pony." Fluttershy smiles innocently at me and both of us continue down the path, and crossing the stone bridge into the town of Ponyville.

The town was bustled with the ponies walking about and chatting with their friends. I could see familiar faces like Minuette talking with Time Turner about the recent dentist patients that she had to deal with, from what my human ears could pick up from a distance as I won't be able to hear all. I could even swear that 'somepony' was following me from behind with a HUGE smile on her face. I knew so much about this pony's obsession with humans and their culture. I turn around to see that unicorn I suspected about, Lyra Heartstrings trotting up toward me rather excitedly and giddy.

I just look at her in those golden eyes and offer a handshake, even though she had hooves. "Why hello there." I said to Lyra, but her eyes aren't looking at me, but more rather she just looks straight at my hands. She seemed so nervicited and finally her eyes turn upward to look back at me. Those eyes could just express how she felt; rather joyed to be looking at the very brown eyes of mine, a human male right before her and in the flesh no doubt about that.

"Hi. Can- can I touch your hands?" She said, nervously and happily.

I get an awkward look on my face and with little to no choice, all I could say in return was "Uh… sure."

I let my hands go out and she moves the both of her front hooves go onto the both of my open hands. She held onto them for a few minutes before galloping off giggling and laughing, joining up with her friend Bon Bon who had been watching the whole thing the entire time, probably giving a look that could tell to Lyra that she shouldn't be bugging me while I was new here. I still have that completely awkward look on my face after she left and I am thinking to myself "What the hay just happened?"

Fluttershy giggles after watching this awkward situation, having given no comment during it. "Oh that was Lyra. She's really obsessed with your kind, I can tell." She told me, a warm smile spread upon her mouth. My eyes are set upon Lyra for the last time to see her chatting with Bon Bon excitedly. Her friend is just rolling her eyes to the conversation, seemingly in that way for her not to get too excited about seeing the first human in Equestria most likely. "Seems like you've already become friends with somepony."

I turn and look back at Fluttershy and say "Uh, weren't we going to see your friend Rarity?"

Fluttershy had a thought snap into her mind at the moment on Rarity. "Oopsy, I almost forgot about that. Thank you for reminding me." She says.

"No problem." I have responded to her and continue walking beside her, joining her for what should await over at the Carousel Boutique with Rarity for the first introduction.

But please, I don't really need to be put into suits if that is the case of her bringing me there or rather... Rarity persuading me to do so. The second she is going to try and place me into the type of fashion or put me in something to make me more 'fabulous', I'm already going to see myself walking out of the Boutique door by myself, saying have a good day. I don't know if I should do that though, especially with Fluttershy right in front of me. Not only would I be embarrassing myself, but I would probably get scolded by either her or Rarity.

Well, got no choice, so I'll just hope nothing resorts to that.

I could see the Carousel Boutique close by and on approach and am ready to be nervous of how Rarity will judge me by appearance. Fluttershy knocks on the door of Rarity's home and we are both waiting patiently. The door opens and I could see that young crusader, Sweetie Belle opening the door with a smile on her face.

"Hello Fluttershy!" Sweetie Belle greets her, happy as can be.

"Hello to you too Sweetie Belle. How are you today?" She said to her, a bright smile on her face.

I'm doing good, I was just going out to see my friends Apple Bloom and Scoota...loo," She extended the name of her friend by a delay when she looked at me. "Say, who's that with you and why does he look different?" Sweetie Belle doesn't hesitate to ask.

Fluttershy turns to look at me for a moment, then turns back to look at the young unicorn filly that have already began looking curious about me and why I don't look like the rest of them. "Um, I'd like to talk to your sister about 'him', Sweetie Belle if that's okay. It's kind of a manner between me and her, but if you want to listen in that is fine too."

Sweetie Belle nods and said "I'll go and call down Rarity from upstairs, she's probably there in her 'inspiration' room making a dress for a customer as far as Las Pegasus. But come on in, in the meantime!"

Sweetie Belle gallops to the stairs while both Fluttershy and I come into the Boutique, closing the door behind me. Wow, everything being well-fashioned and with dresses of many attires left and right to be sold to many, I could tell that if I really needed to get a suit, I could come here determined if Rarity isn't going to be quite a bother and whine... no offense to her. Still, Sweetie Belle should be quite fun to introduce myself to as well, as I suppose I could say that she is my favorite in the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

"RARITY! FLUTTERSHY IS HERE TO SEE YOU, AND SHE BROUGHT A NEW GUEST ALONG!" I can hear the filly shout up the stairs in that squeaky voice to inform her sister. And I'm pretty sure I heard crashing from upstairs as if Rarity was on a tight situation from up there on what she could be making.

"Coming darling!" I could hear Rarity calling and the sound of her hooves trotting down the stairs. She took only a couple of moments to get from the second floor, considering how spiral the steps can be, and soon comes into my view. Her eyes are currently to Fluttershy, glad to see one of her best friends visiting. "Greetings Fluttershy, how do you do?"

Fluttershy giggled almost silently, saying "Oh, I'm doing fine Rarity. It's a good day, but I have quite the story to tell you."

The elegant unicorn mare nods her head with a 'mmhm', until she sets her eyes upon me. Both of the iris's in those eyes shrink only a bit and I am left there, false fear inside me just telling me that she'll probably begin a quick rant about the clothing that I am wearing as of right now and that I had been wearing before I came here. But it is strange as I can recall them being drenched and wet after having fallen into a lakeload of water.

She trots over to me and starts examining me from arms to legs with those naked eyes of hers. That is when the horn of hers channels lightly with a glow, bringing measuring tape over to her. She stretches some measuring tape. "Tell me darling, what size are you?" She asked in no time possible, having finished measuring the leg and arm length. I did tell her my size since I am more rather in-between as many others are tall than me, but I could say that I am of the average human height. She examines more of my human body with measuring tape to my chest and back, and of course my head. "And what might your name be?" She asks again, wanting to know more.

"My… my name is Brayden." I said, feeling uncomfortable at Rarity as she examined me from all over.

After Rarity was all done examining me, she said "Well don't you worry. I'll be sure to make you a spectacular suit that will absolutely blow your mind, my friend!"

"Um," Fluttershy says, getting both mine and Rarity's attention. "Rarity, this is who I brought along to show you and tell you all about him."

Rarity trots away from me, going forward towards Fluttershy. "You want to tell me about him?" She asked. "But first off, Brayden here looks a little different, and I don't think I've ever seen such a creature like him before. What exactly is he and where did you find such a creature like him?"

The yellow Pegasus began to explain to her. "Well, it all started yesterday evening. I was just feeding dinner to my animal friends outside of the cottage, and I had already fed the birds and squirrels, as well as Harry. It all seemed normal until Angel threw something to notify me to look at him. I thought he just wanted my attention and I was going to give him another lecture about throwing his food at me or the other animals. He was trying to tell me to follow him, so I did without knowing what to expect until he brought me to the edge of the Everfree Forest," She takes a brief sigh of air before continuing. "I wondered why Angel would want to go of all places here to the Everfree especially at that time of the day, I continued to follow him inside and I stumbled upon Brayden lying there asleep on the forest floor. I waste no time and having asked Harry the Bear to come with me beforehoof, he helped me take him to my cottage so I could help him out. I kept an eye on him that night until it was time for bed and he didn't wake up yet, so this morning, I grabbed a bucket of water and placed a damp cloth on his head, until he woke up this afternoon."

"But what exactly is he?" Rarity asks.

Fluttershy has a confused look on her face. "A human, that's what he told me," She says. "He doesn't seem to look like he'll bring us harm though. He's been rather calm, and really friendly especially to Lyra when we came into town."

At this point Rarity began to converse on to other topics with Fluttershy on the other plans that she probably has for me in those suits laid out in the blueprints of her own mind. Oh Celestia herself, I don't obviously want to be a fashion model for the stallions or rare creatures alike living there among the others. It's just not in that kind of my blood as my talent is a bit more... different from fashion.

I could feel somepony small pulling a bit on my denim jeans to get my attention. I turn down to see the bright and curious face of Rarity's younger sister Sweetie Belle, one that I do not have a problem with whatsoever when she wanted to talk to me, now that I have her attention.

"Excuse me Mr. Brayden. Could you tell me why you look a bit different from the rest of us?" Sweetie Belle asked. She turn and hops onto a small cushion and taking a seat on it to listen for what I was going to tell. "I mean you do look a little bit taller than us."

"Sweetie Belle, please be kind to Brayden!" Rarity mildly scolds at her sister with a bit of a warning in the tone of her voice.

"Don't worry, she didn't offend me in any way," I said to Rarity at first with both of my open hands up to assure her that I was completely fine with her commenting on my height. I turn back to look at the eager filly, putting the both of my hands back down. "Well Sweetie Belle, I am what most other probably don't really know, a human. It's hard to explain where I come from though, but you could just say it is somewhere here in this world, but it could take forever for me to find it again." I say, bending down on one knee, to look a little less threatening in case I am scary as this height.

"Oh, wait... Yes, you must be one of those species that Lyra is crazy about. I bet Princess Twilight could help understand a little more about you and your species. Maybe even Cheerilee!" Sweetie Belle says, like she had been suggesting something.

"You mean like a show and tell?" I asked.

Sweetie Belle did nod in response to my question and was about to say something else in regards to that, but the Carousel Boutique door opened up, causing me to turn around and see who was there.

At the door, I could see Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Rainbow Dash coming in, looking rather surprised to see me right there before their own eyes. Well, except Pinkie. She already saw me back on the dirt trail before, so she just kept that smile upon her face. Applejack had her green eyes set at me at first, looking surprised and rather like she was studying me to see if I may or may not be a threat to Ponyville. But with all due respect, I couldn't even hurt anyone back on Earth as I see myself as one for peace, not one for war.

Applejack took her eyes off of me, trotted forward towards Fluttershy and in that recognizable southern accent spoke out "Fluttershy, there ya are! We've been lookin' all over for ya! What in tarnation is this strange creature ya brought into Ponyville?"

Fluttershy giggled and said "Applejack, you don't have anything to worry about Brayden right here. He's not going to hurt us by the look of it. So don't put yourself up on alarm that he will try to bring any harm to us."

Pinkie Pie approached me via zipping right over to me excitedly and spoke out in a hyper-happy tone. "And Fluttershy is right! You are new here, and for every new pony or species, I always have to host a party for them because I know everypony and everypony here in Ponyville and a few places in all of Equestria know me as the best party-planning pony there is! Well, there is also Cheese Sandwich, but me and him are good friends now and share the roles equally!"

I tapped the pink earth pony on the shoulder to grab her attention. She had an innocent and friendly smile on her face with excited pupils widened on her eyes when she had stopped to hear what I had to say. "Um, to be honest I rather the party should wait a bit." I said to her in a calm, yet respective tone in my voice.

Pinkie Pie smiled and said "Okie dokie lokie!" and with that, she trots off happily to both Fluttershy and Rarity, probably to talk about me at the most.

Rainbow Dash, is second after having Pinkie approach me to say hello again. She trotted over to me and I could tell that was a cool look on her face when she saw me, and I am surprised she hasn't made any kind of suspicious stuff at me like as if I were a danger to the town or something. This must be something new as seeing that I have been probably the talk of the town right by now, silently judging me on if I could be a danger or not. But again, Pinkie will invite all of the townsfolk to the party, so... I can't really comment.

"So… you must be the new creature that's all the deal in Ponyville. I'm Rainbow Dash, the fastest flyer in all of Equestria. Or at least, that's what I tell myself. And it is nice to meet you Brayden." She said, offering a hoofshake. But knowing that I didn't have hooves as the others, I just use my own right hand, wrapped my fingers around her cyan hoof and gave it a gentle shake. "Don't worry, your name was already said by Fluttershy so I know it now."

"It's nice to meet you, Rainbow Dash." I said.

Rainbow Dash noticed how gentle I was shaking her hoof for those few moments. When we finally let go of the hoofshake, she let out a chuckle and used her right elbow to poke my own left shoulder and says "I think I'm starting to like you already. I think you and I are going to get along well as friends."

Applejack approaches both me and her, by the sound of her hooves moving closer and then to a stop. "Alright Rainbow, ya had yer turn talkin' to Brayden. Can Ah have a chance to talk to Brayden?"

Rainbow Dash just crossed her hooves and said "Well, alright. Just when things were getting that interesting…" She trots backwards for a second and turns to join up with Fluttershy and Rarity over there. Sweetie Belle is still there, just listening in on her friend's older sister greeting me.

Applejack then approached me and said "Now, Ah reckon that ya must be that human that Lyra went crazy about in town, and now yer the talk of the town. And yer name was Brayden right? Ah'm Applejack and Ah work at Sweet Apple Acres near Ponyville." I just look into her light green eyes and could see that she was the honest one as the show was telling me, and the real AJ before me in the flesh.

"Well… I'll admit that apples are one of my favorite fruits." I said to her, to which she then took my right hand with her right front hoof and began shaking it like crazy.

"Well, then Ah think yer a friendly folk just like everypony else and ya can bet that ya'll of us enjoy friendly folk a lot!" Applejack said, finally letting go of my hand from the hoofshake after those few moments. We are silent for a few moments as Applejack is turning her head around the boutique as if she was looking for something.

"What is it? You missing something?" I asked.

"Don't worry sugarcube," She says to me. "Ah'm not missin' anythin'. Ah was just wonderin' wherever Twilight could be. At this point if she were here, she'd have so many questions to ask ya."

"She's probably at her library with Spike. You know how she is with books, whether she's not out with any of us or around town or meeting with the princess in Canterlot, she is most likely there reading a good book." Rainbow Dash said, confirming her location at the Golden Oaks Library, her home.

"Could we go and see her?" I asked, sounding a bit desperate to see my favorite pony.

Applejack let out a bit of a laugh and said "Ah, yer excited. Well sugarcube, ya'll have to wait a bit. Ah want to introduce ya to the other members of the Apple family."

Sweetie Belle jumped up and down with a large grin on her mouth saying "I have to go there anyway as a meeting with me, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom will start soon. But I'm looking forward to see Brayden and Apple Bloom be introduced to each other!"

I ultimately surrendered to their ideas of introducing me to the rest of the Apple family. "Alright, you guys come first… and then I'll meet Twilight, right?" I ask. Both Applejack and Sweetie Belle nod in agreement. I get up onto my two feet and start following Applejack and Sweetie Belle out of the Boutique.

"See you later Brayden. If I don't see you at Sweet Apple Acres later, I'll see if you're at Twilight's library." Fluttershy says to me. I wave back to her, heading on my way with the earth pony and young filly.

On the way there and following both the crusader and AJ, Sweetie Belle was explaining everything to me about how she and the rest of her friends keep trying to earn their cutie marks, but keep on failing. I just kept on telling her that she and them were rushing straight to the point and that they need to be more patient and keep waiting until she finds something interesting. But of course, she'd ignore my advice as well as any of her other friends.

"There it is Brayden." Applejack says, pointing her hoof towards her home. I turn my head from Sweetie Belle whilst talking to her and take a look.

Sweet Apple Acres was in my own view when I came walking up the dirt road, standing proud and tall over lands of clean and fresh shortgrass and tall apple trees in various rows upon rows. I walk under the wooden arch that has the sign of an apple onto the lot of the Apple family. In my sight, I can also see an old earth pony sleeping on a rocking chair. I recognized her as Granny Smith, the elderly mare of the family, when she's not around town or in the house, or doing business with clients from town or out of it.

"Granny Smith! We've got a visitor!" Applejack calls to her the closer we got, waking her up.

"Wha- visitor? Oh, hello there," Granny Smith said to me. She got up off her rocking chair and trotted over towards me and both Sweetie and AJ, her younger relative. "Ya must be new to Ponyville, ya can bet that ya'll enjoy the humble town of Ponyville. Ah'm Granny Smith, and Ah sure don't know what ya are, but ya seem like friend material in my eyes."

Two other ponies came into the greeting from the acres of apple trees almost ready for tree-picking, and it was Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom, Applejack's brother and younger sister, and crusader of the CMC. "Hello Granny Smith, hey big sister! Whoa, who is this? An' what exactly is he? I ain't never seen a creature like him before." Apple Bloom asked, looking at me, standing tall before her.

Sweetie Belle hops beside me and says "This is Brayden, Apple Bloom. He seems to be a new sort of creature that we've never seen before, he is really nice though."

"It is good to meet you Apple Bloom." I said to her, a warm smile abroad my mouth, glad to see one of my favorite ponies.

Big Macintosh just stares at me for a few moments and then says "Eeyup."

I look back at the red stallion before me, giving me a rather blank stare that he would usually have on his face. "Eeyep." I return to him with no others thoughts on my mind, still holding the smile.

"It's good to meet ya." Big Macintosh says to me, still giving a blank look on his face. Even by the blank face, I can tell that he looks rather welcoming from the sight of me in front of him.

"Good to meet you too Big Mac," I said, acknowledging his name by a nickname. "The name is Brayden."

"Oh gee, look who's flying down to Sweet Apple Acres. It's Twilight." Applejack said, looking at the sky with one hoof covering a part of her forehead to shadow the eyes so the sun doesn't get in her eyes.

I turn and look to see a mulberry coat colored blur coming into sight from the blue skies of Equestria. I felt like having the need to run and hide because I wanted to meet her later as planned, and if you know how I am, I usually make it a surprise myself. I find myself turning and looking for a place to hide, but see that I am lucky for there to be a nearby open barrel for just once in my luck. I dash straight to the barrel while nopony is looking or paying attention and open it, diving straight into the empty barrel and closing the lid on top of me. Next time, it won't be so easy to find a hiding spot.

Ugh... luck always comes at a bad time sometimes in regards to people arriving without my knowledge until the last second.

I look into a small hole in the side of the barrel so I could see the conversation between Twilight and the rest of the family. Twilight was in my sight, landing on her four hooves and begin chatting away with Applejack and the rest of her family who I could also see from out of that small hole. I take a lean backwards and could feel somepony right behind me. All I had to do was simply turn around and see that it was Pinkie Pie hiding in the same barrel with me, and I didn't even see her there.

"Oh! Hello Brayden, are you playing the 'hide from everypony and listen in on them' game? I love that game! It's so much fun to-" Pinkie Pie said loudly, causing me to put my hand on her mouth. She continues to talk a lot while her mouth is muffled and I kept trying to signal her to be quiet with one hand which isn't helping too much.

"Pinkie Pie, you're going to blow my cover! I'm trying to meet Twilight later as I planned." I whispered loudly, trying not to get my cover blown.

The conversation between Twilight and Applejack went on for two minutes while I try my best to keep Pinkie quiet, though she is still talking and muffled by my hand on her mouth. Twilight did look around for a bit, and Applejack did so as well, probably wondering where I went off to. After the conversation was done, Twilight spread her wings and took herself to the air, disappearing out of sight. After a few seconds when the coast had been clear, I release my hand from Pinkie's mouth and opened the lid of the barrel from the top, hearing it land on the dirt ground and start climbing out. After all, if I opened the barrel lid right as she took off, she'd probably would've noticed me there anyway especially with Pinkie trying to blow my cover for fun, though she probably wouldn't do it on purpose.

Applejack turns to see me coming out and approaches me helping me to climb out of the barrel and taking my hoof to help me out with that, saying "There ya are! Why'd ya hide from us? Could've met Twilight right there." A light jolly laugh comes from her mouth afterwards, letting go of my hand with her hoof after having helped me.

I had to think of an excuse to get away from this, but I then of course remembered that Applejack would look straight through my lie and downright say I was lying, so I decided to be honest with my answer at this last second. "Well… you see Applejack, I'm trying to save my visit to Twilight because they're something about her that I like." Still, I can tell Applejack will see through that as a lie I am telling.

Applejack just gives me a funny, yet amused look on her face and Apple Bloom is chuckling behind her. The youngest Apple turns to her family and Sweetie, and is teasing me in a good way "Looks like Brayden might have a crush on Princess Twilight!"

I am trying not to reveal the truth about me having a crush on Twilight, so I start hiding my blush on a part of my leather jacket and I say "No Apple Bloom, I'm just wanting to meet her. No way I'd have a crush on a princess, especially since I am an outsider. It's not normally allowed in society."

"Sugarcube, ya don't have to hide anythin' from us or lie to us. We know by how desperate by the sound of yer voice when ya were back at Rarity's, and ya were probably nervous about meetin' her for the first time, so ya hid in the barrel to hide." Applejack said, still giving me the look on her face.

I lowered my head, revealing my blush on both of my cheeks and said, revealing all honesty this time as the first attempt seconds ago failed. "Well, you figured it all out. And yes, I do have a crush on her." The blush on my face brought many giggles to Applejack and the rest of her family, even Sweetie Belle was giggling that I revealed my own secret to them. "But please promise that you won't tell anypony." I said to them.

Applejack placed a hoof on my shoulder and said "Don't ya worry. We pinkie promise not to tell anypony until ya confessed yer feelings to Twilight. After all, ya are already a friend and Ah don't want to lose a new friend already."

"FOREVER!" Pinkie shouts, rising her head out of the barrel. All of us turn to look at her, with that rather stern look upon her face. A few moments pass and she goes back into the barrel, even her hoof reaching out from inside of it, grabbing the lid and slamming it on top of the barrel. I turn back to look at Applejack, while they look back at me, not even mentioning once or again how in the wide world of Equestria that Pinkie got into the barrel. Talk about a big lipped alligator moment, you could say.

"I would love to say to talk to all of you, but I can't keep Twilight waiting in regards to meeting me. I have to go and see her, but if there is a time where you guys want me to join along, I would be happy to do so." I said to them.

"Alright Brayden, Ah understand the rush. Ya take care and we'll see ya later." She says to me, bidding me farewell when I turned around to leave. I turn my head and wave back for a few moments at AJ who is waving her hoof. I made my way out of Sweet Apple Acres and back into Ponyville, where I could be eagerly waiting to see Twilight.

I could see the recognizable tree-house in Ponyville and I could also recognize it as Twilight's home. In the skies, the sun has already began to make its set to the western horizon. No other direct thoughts are on my mind, so I walk right up to the front door of the library and turn the knob, entering into the treehouse. The steps from my leather boots could be heard on the wooden floor below and by my own sight, I could see Spike sorting out the last book on the A shelf.

When I close the door behind, he turned to look and see me and then said "Oh, are you? Yes, you must be that new creature in Ponyville that everypony is talking about since this late afternoon. I don't think you seem like a threat to them."

"Indeed they have been, plus I wouldn't even think of harming a single soul here or in this world. Anyway, I was hoping to find out if your friend Twilight was here." I said, hoping to persuade Spike into letting me meet her. "Apparently, I am introducing myself to everypony in town, and would like to have the honor of meeting her."

Spike hopped down off of the ladder onto the tree's wooden floor. "Well, she has been looking for you. She could talk to you for a minute, because you know her... reading books. Want me to call her down?" I nod up and down, with a smile on my face. "TWILIGHT! The new creature's here to see you!" He called upstairs, kind of reminding me of Sweetie Belle calling down Rarity from this afternoon.

The sound of trotting came down the stairs from upstairs and I could see the alicorn Twilight after she came into view from up the stairs. My heart skipped a beat as soon as I saw her and hearts appeared in my eyes, though they are hidden to both Spike and her. Twilight stepped off from down the steps, not taking her eyes off of me and trotting forward with a smile upon her face.

"Hello there! I've wanted to meet you like all afternoon when Fluttershy brought you into town, and when somepony told me you were at Sweet Apple Acres, I flew there to see if you were there but Applejack said you disappeared on her. But I'm so honored to meet you." Twilight said, approaching me and my heart beating faster with her step she took.

I was so nervous. I didn't know what to say to her, other than a shy "H-Hello" from my mouth.

She just giggles and says "Good to see you. My name is Princess Twilight Sparkle. But you can just call me Twilight if you want or Princess Twilight, though I do prefer just Twilight. I can also see you've met my number one assistant Spike."

There is a couple of seconds of silence with me and Twilight just looking at each other, I had the nervous look and she was keeping that beautiful smile on her face. After those seconds passed, Twilight has that look that nothing has really progressed, just simply saying "Okay then." Twilight turns, trotting over to Spike and I could hear her speak to him as if it were a whisper in volume. "Well, that was a short conversation between me and him. He looks so nervous to meet me, but I didn't quite get his name."

In response to that since I could hear that, I walk forward towards the two and whisper to her left ear "Twilight, my name is Brayden."

Her response was being satisfied to hear what my name actually was. She giggled for a brief moment and turns to look at me, taking my left hand with her right front hoof and giving me a hoofshake. Her hoof felt soft like a warm blanket covering me during a winter night and I was feeling comforted on the inside.

After both me and her shook hooves or well… me shaking her hoof in introduction, we both do not realize that she continued to have her hoof on my hand and my own hand holding her hoof gently and we're both gazing into each other's eyes. The warming moment doesn't last forever though as Spike taps both me and her on our shoulders with one small and non-sharp claw-finger and says "Um, can he at least get introduced to me as well?"

Twilight's hoof came off of my hand and she says "Of course Spike. Feel free." Spike opens his right clawed hand and I give it a shake with a smile at her dragon friend.

"It is nice to meet you Brayden, my name's Spike. Twilight's best friend and assistant." He says to me, feeling very proud to introduce himself to somepony new.

I smile and respond "It is nice to meet you too Spike."

Spike was about to ask something by the looks of his own curious face, probably about me in regards to being human, but the sound of the library door opening catches me, Twilight and his attention. So by that, he'll probably forget what he was going to ask me soon enough. But in regards to who was at the front door of Twilight's library, it was Fluttershy at the door, only taking a few steps inside.

"There you are Brayden- Oh my, um, I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Fluttershy said, with a tone of voice to seem like she wanted to tell me something, but stopped when she saw that we seemed to be in conversation.

"You're not interrupting anything Fluttershy. Is there something you needed?" Twilight turned her head to ask one of her best friends.

Fluttershy looks at Twilight and says "I just realized that Brayden here hasn't had dinner yet and he has to eat." The growling stomach of mine gave away how hungry I was.

Twilight says "Of course Fluttershy, you can take him to the nearby restaurant or in the very least Sugarcube Corner. I'll just be here studying away at what species he is. He seems to be really nice!" I hid my blush when she told me I was nice by what she has seen from me.

Fluttershy flaps her wings, lifting into the air a bit, rubbing the top of my head lightly and says "He certainly is a real gentlecolt, isn't he?"

"Certainly." She responded, turning to look at me again. "We should talk sometime soon. I'm hoping that I will be able to get a little more out on what you are."

"Agreed, and I probably won't be as nervous the next time around." I said to her.

Twilight of course understands and waves goodbye to me, I wave back to her on the way out of the library with Fluttershy. I made sure to close the door behind me.

Seeing the sunset over the west horizon, I take a look at Fluttershy and say "I know that it'll be cold in the night, so do you know where I might be sleeping, Fluttershy? Well, I mean I don't have the bits on me to spend at one of the motels around here in Ponyville."

Fluttershy just puts her left front hoof on the top of my right hand and says "Don't you worry Brayden. The guest room at my cottage that you woke up in, you can sleep there. I'd never leave you or anypony else out in the cold."

I smile at Fluttershy and then she flies up over my head and covers my eyes. I was wondering what she was up to, but she tells me "Don't peek Brayden, or you'll ruin your own surprise." I nod in understanding while my eyes are covered and I continue walking in different directions.

I could feel myself coming up small tiled stairs and when I've finally heard myself on a wooden floor, Fluttershy whispers "Are you ready for your surprise?" I nod and smile, finally uncovering my eyes to see that I was at Sugarcube Corner and without anything to be expected...

"SURPRISE!"

Everypony I met today in Ponyville was there with the residents of the town being there as well as the mayor herself, with balloons that said "Welcome to Ponyville" and had a chocolate cake that even said the same thing and had my name at the bottom of that message on it.

Pinkie Pie who I suspect was the one who started this party jumped over to me, with those bouncing sounds and said "Surprise Brayden! You said you wanted your party later and I was like 'okie dokie lokie'! So I waited until sunset and convinced your new friend Fluttershy to come take you here for your party where there's lots of food and dancing as well!" She proceeded to wrap her pink hooves around me and to give me a big friendly yet squeezing hug. "I'm so glad to be friends with you and you'll have lots of them in no time!"

Her hugging was making it hard for me to breath, but I manage to let out "Pinkie! Can't… breathe…" Pinkie lets go of the hug and giggles before taking my hoof and saying "Come on now, it's your special party and everypony's waiting to celebrate with you."

Pinkie Pie guides me to a table with a chair that is shaped just like a throne fit for a prince, or possibly a king (but again its a party, so it might be a decorated chair). I take my seat on the throne that had a soft cushion on the seat. My eyes set to look to my left and then to my right, it seemed that Fluttershy and Lyra wanted to sit next to me, so I give a smile to both of them.

There was a quick flash of light, and Discord appeared right there with a giant silver platter covered at the top, a grown out chef-like mustache above his mouth. "Brayden, allow me to give you… your dinner." Discord said, opening up the platter to reveal a really mouth-watering cheese pizza with apple crisp made from Sweet Apple Acres on the side. He sets it down onto the table, snapping his fingers and disappearing with a re-appearance next to Spike from across the room to the baby dragon's annoyance.

I smile and grab my first slice of the pizza and take a bite. It tastes super delicious and just how I love it. By this point, I can already tell that I'll be living a new life in Equestria. (Again, I'm surprised to see that Discord wasn't pulling anything funny during this, as he is reformed though some can argue here in Equestria that he still isn't, and is planning to attack again. I don't believe that though.)

"Come on, don't get all distracted by its cheesy goodness. It'll go cold, and nopony likes a cold pizza." Pinkie Pie says, coming from behind me out of nowhere, patting my head. I just laugh with Pinkie Pie and get right along to eating my supper after she hops away to serve more food or cake to the guests.

I can already tell this will be the new start, to a brand new life given to me. I don't know who saved my life, but whoever did so... thank you.