A Second Chance

Josh awoke to a sharp pain in his head, sharply contrasted to the rather pleasant warmth he felt around him. Opening his eyes he felt the pain slowly fade away as the brightness of the sun overtook him. He didn't know where he was but it was beautiful, the grass was far greener than what he had seen before, and the sky was so clear. Wherever he was, it's like it had never seen a single factory, "Okay this is not the worst thing to ever happen to me, at least it's clean"

Josh looked around and noticed he was surrounded by apple trees, "Well food won't be a problem and I could really go for something to eat it's almost......" Wait, what time was it? How long was he out for? reaching for his phone he checked the time, he looked, confused as it read: 4:55 am. "Impossible, it's daylight out! What time zone am I even in?" this thought was pushed aside as a rumble in his stomach got him back to thinking about the apple trees, "I'm no expert, but they look good enough to eat, I'm sure the owner won't mind considering the circumstances"

Reassuring himself he walked over to the closest tree and began climbing, after some time he managed to pull himself onto a sturdy branch and began to eat. The apples were the sweetest he had ever eaten. He lost himself in the enjoyment and tossing the cores towards the ground, he paid no mind to cover his tracks.

[20 minutes earlier]

Applejack was fanning herself off with her hat, she had just finished fixing up the barn door so it'll stop opening in the middle of the night letting any animal come and take as they pleased. she was just about to start feeding the pigs when Twilight and Spike approached the farm, Spike was carrying a box that had to have some books and notes but what where they coming here for?

"Hey Twilight, what can I do for yah?" Applejack asked her good friend.

"Hey Applejack, I was just coming to ask if you noticed anything odd around the farm, I have been tracking magical spikes and a huge one was detected near sweet apple acres."

"Well sugarcube, I haven't seen nothing out of the ordinary" The Apple-farmer replied, but just then her trustful dog Winona ran towards her barking, "What's wrong Winona? Is Apple Bloom in trouble?" Just then Winona ran a short distance away before turning and barking at the two mares.

"What's the matter?" Twilight asked rather concerned.

"I don't know, I ain't ever seen Winona act like this unless something wrong" Applejack said with a nervous tone, "Whatever it is, we should go"

[35 minutes later]

Josh's eating was interrupted by the barking of a dog, it sounded like it was getting closer and Josh decided getting caught wouldn't be a good thing as he had now eaten much of the low hanging apples, he climbed higher to hide in the brush of the tree. sitting on a smaller branch he watched as the small dog ran towards the tree and began barking, "Great, lets just hope they don't look for me"

Just then, he heard what sounded like two horses approaching, hearing a female voice with a hint of a southern-american accent, "What is it girl? ya found the vermin?" as the sounds got closer he realized his mistake, "Great i'm about to get beat on by a country girl, maybe I can out run her?" Just then two small horses one a violet purple, and the other orange with a cowboy hat walked into view.

Josh had to shove a fist in his mouth in order to stop him from letting out a confused scream. What the hell was he looking at? who talked? The answer would come when the same voice came from the orange horse, "Must be some colts thinking it's cool to take mah families apples" Josh was dumbstruck, did that horse just talk? Where the hell was he? Did someone drug him while he slept in that park? Whatever it was they knew he was up there, or thought he was a "colt"? Are horses the dominant species? Shifting in his spot he felt a sudden jolt, followed by apples falling.

"Oh shi-!" Josh yelled out as the branch broke and he was sent plummeting towards the ground, he heard two female gasp as he hit the ground with a loud THUD He opened his eyes, his vision shaky as the two mares stood above him, both looking shocked beyond belief. Reaching out to them, he tried to ask for help but ended up collapsing, his vision beginning to fade, he could see the two arguing before everything went black.

"Twilight you mind telling me what in tarnation that.....Thing is?" Applejack asked her friend, pointing at the strange monkey-like creature.

"I don't know Applejack, it's not like anything I have ever seen before" Twilight told her friend, just as confused at what was currently laying in front of her. It really was nothing like she had ever seen, it looked like a primate but none she had ever seen. "It reminds me of a primate but it's a completely undocumented, no book I have ever read had anything even similar to this creature" Twilight scanned the beast, it was wearing a shirt, something that some high-class ponies wore but never for long, it was white but had holes in it. Most-likely from that fall, along with this he had what seemed to be a form of pants, something she had seen many high-class ponies wear at things like the Grand Galloping Gala.

"Twilight!"-Applejack yelled to her friend deep in thought-"What do we do? Is it dangerous?"

"I'm not sure Applejack, but it looks hurt" Twilight said, looking at the poor creature who had seemingly passed out"I think we should take it back to Sweet Apple Acres. I don't know if he is dangerous but I could of sworn I heard him speak, this is not an opportunity we should pass-up"

Applejack looked at her friend and sighed, "Alright, you wait here and I'll go get a cart and Big Mac, I don't think we can carry it all the way back" Applejack turned and called for Winona, after getting her attention they began heading back as Twilight pulled out a notebook from a saddle bag she had been carrying around and began writing notes.

"Lets see, one large clump of hair on-top of their head, possible capability of speech, understanding of clothing" Twilight paid no mind to the fact she was talking out loud, or the fact she had still not found the source of the magical spike. "I wonder if they can use magic?"

[45 minutes later]

Josh could hear some muffled chatter around him, his eyes were shut and he had no idea what had happened. "Did I fall asleep in class again?" He thought to himself, he felt a sharp pain in his right leg as he shuffled in place. He could feel himself laying on what felt like hay, slowly opening his eyes he saw four horses seemingly talking among themselves while he laid in what seemed to be the back of an open cart on top of hay. Letting out a groan he shifted to sit straight up, getting the attention of the four horses and causing them all to turn and look at him. He was like a deer in headlights, he didn't know if this was a dream, the pain was real enough but what now?

As the quiet staring contest between the human and horses grew longer, Josh decided that talking could help. Taking a deep-breath, he raised his hand in a hello wave and said, "uhhh, hey can you guys talk?" He felt like an idiot, he just asked a group of coloured horses if they could talk. The four horses looked at each other before the violet one walked up and looked at him.

"My name is Twilight Sparkle, it's nice to meet you...." Twilight awkwardly stopped herself realizing she didn't know the things name.

"Josh, names Josh" The boy exhaled heavily, relieved that he could communicate with the horses "Do you guys know where I am? I'm a bit lost if you couldn't tell."

"Well you are currently at Sweet Apple Acres, just west of Ponyville." Twilight was more than happy to gain the trust of this unknown creature, it could be an entirely new undiscovered sapient species!

"Thanks for the answer but I meant more like the continent, you know like North-American, Europe." Josh asked despite knowing this was most-likely a dream.

Twilight gave the stranger a confused look, "I have never heard of those places but what I do know is that you are in Equestria!" Twilight tried to stay enthusiastic but it's not something she had mastered yet.

"Equestria? Never heard of it." Josh felt like an idiot talking as if this was real, I mean it couldn't be right? I mean, talking horses, Equestria? He had to pat himself on the back for coming up with that one.

"You never heard of Equestria? But you live here don't you?" Twilight asked with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Nope I live in Canada, this is all just some foolish dream and soon enough I'll wake up and go back to my mundane life." Josh laid back looking at the sky as the sun began to set, "Yep I'll sleep and then wake up back home in my bed." He closed his eyes with a smirk on his face.

"You're going to sleep outside?" Applejack spoke up, confused to high heaven, "You should at least sleep in the barn" She said before she even thought of what she said. She didn't even know this thing but she just offered up her barn to it.

"Eh, why not." Josh got up staggering at first "It won't matter but I appreciate the offer miss." He began walking towards the barn moving past the group of horses.

"Don't you want a blanket or something?" Applejack asked even more confused.

"Nah I'm good" Josh said, reaching the Barn and walking inside, "See you in the morning!" Josh said with no attempt to hide the sarcasm in his voice.

Applejack turned to Twilight, "You should head home, come tomorrow and you can take it and find out what they are."

"I think it's a he." Twilight replied as she began walking home, "See you tomorrow Applejack!"

Waving goodbye, Twilight began walking home, thinking about this stranger. "Could he be the cause of the magic spike?" she thought to herself as she continued on her way.

Three fillies sat on the top level of the Sweet Apple Acres barn, one of them holding binoculars, Watching the strange creature standing on two legs. The filly was yellow and had a red mane with a large bow-tie, on her right to her was a filly with a purple mane and an orange coat, but she also had a small set of wings. And on her left was a white filly with a duel violet and pink mane and unicorn horn.

"What's it doing now Apple Bloom?" The orange filly asked the yellow one.

"I don't know, but it looks like it's coming this way." Apple Boom said to her friend, her eyes still glued to the binoculars watching as the creature walked towards the barn.

Josh made it to the barn door, opening it and stepping inside being surprised at how clean it was for a barn, "Well, guess i'll make myself comfortable." Josh said to himself not noticing the three fillies had moved to look at him from above in curiosity and a hint of fear.

Apple Bloom turned to her friends, "You think it's friendly?" she said in a whisper, not wanting to call attention to them.

"I don't know, but if Applejack is letting them stay in the barn, how bad could they be?" The White unicorn said, "Scootaloo what do you think?" She looked at the orange Pegasus.

"Well if Rainbow Dash was here, she wouldn't be scared so we shouldn't be either!" Scootaloo said with confidence but not so much with a quiet tone, causing the human to look up to where the noise was coming from.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" Josh looked toward the upper level of the barn "You can come out, I won't hurt you." He said in a calming tone, while looking around seeing a ladder leading up to the second level. Walking towards it and wondering how a horse could even climb it in the first place, he placed his hand on the first rung. "I'm going to come up, don't be scared." Josh began to climb up, finding it difficult with a pain in his right leg but nevertheless making it to the top.

The three fillies had hidden behind a stack of boxes looking at the creature from behind the boxes not making a sound, they were not terrified but something was stopping them from going up to the creature.

"My name is Josh, what's yours?" Josh slowly walked around the top level, he didn't know why but he felt compelled to find out who was here with him.

"Apple Bloom what do we do now?" The white unicorn asked her friend in a whisper.

"I don't know Sweetie Belle." Apple Bloom turned to her friend then looked back at Josh "Maybe I should talk to them they clearly can speak."

"Are you insane? What if they eat ponies?" Scootaloo said with a hint of fear in her voice.

"Well they didn't attack Applejack, Twilight, Big Mac or Granny Smith" Apple Bloom replied "And they don't look that dangerous"

"Maybe it only eats fillies?" Sweetie Belle replied sharing the same hint of fear in her voice.

"What other options do we have, jump out the window?" Apple Bloom jokingly replied, still looking at Josh who had sat down just in-front of the boxes, "I'm going to talk to them." Her two friends looked as Apple Bloom walked from behind the box and went face to face with Josh, now realizing that he was a lot bigger. Knowing it was too late to go back into cover she said with a shaky voice, "H-hey, I'm Apple Bloom."

Josh looked at the young horse, she was clearly frightened of him, an understandable reaction, "Well hey Apple Bloom, I hope I didn't scare you I understand that my appearance is a bit unnerving and frightening, but I assure you I mean no harm." Josh said, giving a friendly smile "What are you doing up here by yourself?"

"Well.....I'm not really by-myself." Apple Bloom looked back at the boxes "You can come out girls, he's friendly!"

Josh watched as two more young horses walked out with some hesitation, walking up next to their friend. "So what are your names?" Josh asked doing his best to look non-threatening.

"I'm Scootaloo, the best scooter-riding pony in all of Ponyville!" Scootaloo said, trying to look cool in-front of this new creature, the frightfulness fading as she talked.

"And I'm Sweetie Belle, nice to meet you" Sweetie Belle said also not trying to sound scared.

"Well it's nice to meet you three ponies, i'm sure it must have been scary when I first came up here but I hope you realize that I truly mean no harm" Josh reassured the three ponies "So guessing your a trio of friends?" He asked trying to ease any remaining tension.

"Yes sir! We are!" Apple Bloom said before turning to Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, each of them nodding before standing next to each other.

"THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!" The three ponies cheered in unison loudly and proudly.

"Well cutie mark crusaders, it's nice to meet you." Josh said a smile now plastered on his face "I hope you don't mind but I actually came here to sleep"

"Oh no problem we were just about to get going, It was nice to meet you!" Apple Bloom said with a smile looking at her friends.

With that the CMC would begin walking away as Josh would rest himself against the boxes looking out a window as the sun began to set, the orange glow of the sky being a beautiful sight as he began drifting to sleep. "Shame this dream needs to end, It was a nice break from reality, and it's so nice here." Josh said his eyes closing as he finally fell asleep.

Josh seemingly awoke, still in the barn but only now there was a dark-blue mist lingering around him. Was he dreaming in a dream? And what could it mean? He was confused and searched the room for the source of the mist, but it was as if it had no source and just existed, but just then he saw an outline of a large pony walking towards him, from what he could tell it had a horn like a unicorn but it also seemingly had wings. It was also a lot taller than any of the ponies he had seen so far, it might even be as tall as him standing up. As it got closer he couldn't help but be paralyzed in place as a chill ran up his back.

"Who art thou?" He heard a voice call out as the shadow loomed ever closer, he was unable to speak and the figure loomed ever closer he could now make out what seemed to be a crown atop the figures head, and soon enough the figure soon was standing right in-front of him looking down on him. The moon then appeared from behind the clouds illuminating him and the figure, who seemed to be a princess, she had a mane that looked like it was made from the night-sky itself, she was a dark blue color and wore what seemed to be a chest-plating that had a moon on it.

"Well? Are you going to remain silent?" The pony stood firm, looking down at him.

Josh deeply inhaled and exhaled mustering the courage to answer, "M-my names Josh, wha-what's yours?" He asked the fear in his voice ever present.

The pony looked upon the boy and sighed, "Forgive me, I didn't intend to frighten you but I had to be safe and make sure you were no threat to me." The Ponies horn glowed and Josh found himself now standing in a field, "My name is Princess Luna, I travel into the dreams of my subjects and offer them guidance" Luna gave a smile in-order to try and calm the young boy "But I have never seen you before, and from what I can see you are clearly not of this realm, correct?"

Josh was confused, of-course he wasn't "This realm" but does this mean Equestria wasn't a dream? No that's impossible, how could he be in a universe of talking horses?

"I can feel your struggle, I can tell you are conflicted. But I can assure you that you are indeed in Equestria." Luna was trying to explain the situation but she knew that Josh was beyond confused, "I understand you are not of this realm, but I can tell you are of no danger. However I cannot allow you to wonder as you please, I cannot spend much more time here but expect a visit from me and my sister when you wake" Luna said her horn began to glow.

"Wait I still have questions!" Josh said as the world began to be enveloped in white.

"I know but right now I cannot answer them, so goodnight young one" And with that the world was taken over by white light and Josh was back laying down in the barn. Leaving him with more questions than answers, as he slowly drifted back to sleep.