Chapter 1: Awake to the Day
Darkness. I feel my body falling through endless void, as the borders of me and the void continue to skew and mix. Then, as suddenly and abrupt as the transition was, it was over. As conscious thought and reality slowly ebbed back into being, I could feel soft grass and earth beneath me, the suns blazing radiance casting its warm embrace on me and my eyelids.
In a moment of clarity my still-more-or-less-asleep mind was running at 200% capacity as the gravity of the situation became apparent: this was neither my bed nor my house. As I braced for harsh reality, I slowly sat up and opened my eyes. “Definitely not my bed...” I muttered under my breath, taking in the sights to see. I was sitting on a small grassy hill, an enormous forest sprawling behind me, and before me lay a small-ish town. As my gaze drifted onwards and outwards, towards a towering mountain that dominated the view if front of me, I felt my blood freeze and suddenly knew (impossibilities aside) exactly where I ended up. For perched on the side of the mountain was a castle whose spires and walls demanded no imitation: Canterlot.
I stood up, brushing my jeans free of loose grass, and adjusted my glasses farther up on the bridge of my nose. To think, of all places to end up, I just had to be sent to the one where human influence could cause corruption on a scale unheard of anywhere else. Well, there are worse places to end up I suppose, and at least I know the locals to an extent. The problem will lie in eating habits, as eating meat would be akin to cannibalism. last thing I need is to be driven out of somewhere I could probably find free lodging and clean water by everypony in town for eating a family friend or neighbor on accident.
there was a trail running along the far edge of the field that I could see farther on joined up with the road to Ponyville and set off towards it. The sun was just being put to rest as I came upon the merging point I noticed a wagon parked off to the side of the road, a real rickety gypsy-esque deal, and a small campfire burning steadily nearby. Cocking my head to one side, I strained for a look inside the wagon, but found the door tightly latched instead. I began to approach the wagon with slow deliberate steps in an attempt to advance as quietly as I could, but as soon as I got to the campfire the door swung open, and a teal unicorn dressed in a starry cloak stepped out, with an unlabeled bottle gripped with magic floating beside her.
As she stumbled down the steps from the wagon it didn’t take long to recognize that gait, regardless of species, as the telltale signs of inebriation, and from what I could tell it was not her first bottle that night. Suddenly she became aware of me, pupils shrinking down to marbles as she said “wha-who-what the hay are you doing here?". I shrugged my shoulders, and said “wish i knew, on moment i was asleep, the next im in a field here.". Sensing some mistrust, I ask “look, I don’t want problems with you, but could you help me out with a meal of some sort? Haven’t eaten since yesterday afternoon and at this point I would eat almost anything, excluding ponies of course. I am Dante the Human, at your service." and took a small bow in her direction.
“and I am The Great and Powerful Trixie, most talented unicorn in all of Equestria!" she proclaimed standing on her hind legs amidst a showering display of illusionary fireworks. Unfortunately she began to wobble precariously, falling backwards in a heap of fabric and fur to the grass. A small chuckle escaped me as she began to pick herself off the ground, tripping on her cloak and falling once more to the hard earth, and I began to walk towards her. I crouched to set us eye to eye and asked “you want some help?” a wide grin on my face. Trixie gave an indignant 'hmph' and started to say " The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn't need he-" but was cut off with a squeak as I picked her up and cradled her in my arms. I looked in Trixie’s eyes and said “come now, drop the act. You can fool anybody on stage, but backstage you can only fool yourself for so long." " why don’t you tell me what the matter is, hmm?"
As I awoke to the sounds of the world and began my morning stretch, memories of the previous night began to surface. Ye gods Trixie was long winded, talking about Twilight Sparkle this and Ponyville that. That pony just can’t seem to not want to bitch about something, but at least a floor spot and some blankets made the wagon a suitable place of slumber. No food yet, as Trixie just finished her dinner when we met, using the last of her rations to cook it. So with my stomach growling angrily at me for the abuse, I set off down the road to the hometown of six of the most powerful ponies in the land. What a day this is going to be...
I had been walking for about half an hour before the town of Ponyville came into view as I crested a large hillock, and I decided I should rest for a bit and sip from the canteen I 'borrowed' from Trixie. I marveled at the peace and quiet that existed in this land before me, but the silence was short lived as a familiar buzzing sound reached my ears. I stood up, and looking down the road saw an orange, white and yellow blur rapidly approaching me. maybe I could enlist the CMC for an errand I needed done I thought to myself, and stepped out to the side of the road as the filly caravan came to a halt a few feet from where I was standing, passengers and motor gawking open-mouthed at me and my immense height difference.
Applebloom was the first to break her stupor and shakily asked "h-howdy m-mister, what’s your name?" with a weak smile and cautious eyes. I crouched down to the filly's eye-level, and said with a smile "why hello there little one, my name is Dante. I'm rather lost, and I need some help. Will you help me?” It was Scootaloo's turn to speak, “What do need Mr. Dante? And, what are you anyway?" she said, her demeanor brightening a bit. “oh my gosh Scootaloo, you can't just ask people what they are like that!" Sweetie Belle reprimanded with a narrowing of her eyes. “Why not? Have YOU seen somepony as tall as him? Or anything LIKES him?" Scootaloo retorted rolling her eyes. "Now girls, there’s no need for hostilities. I'm a human, and I need you to bring me a purple unicorn that lives in the town down there, twilight something I think was her name. Can you do that for me?" I said. "Oh, you mean Twilight Sparkle! Sure, my sister's a close friend of hers. We’ll go get her for you!" sweetie belle said with a grin. "Thank you young ones, now off you go, great haste must be used. “I said. With a nod the 3 fillies got back on the scooter and wagon and sped off down the road back to ponyville.