Wish Gone Awry. Enter Equestria! Enter New Life!

After playing a few rounds of Buffalo Style Poker while enjoying the freshly made chips, Julius stood up to stretch.

"Well, as much as I'd love to laze around, I should at least try to do something today," Julius sighed as he stretched. "Maybe see if Pinkie Pie can get those ingredients. The sooner the fermentation starts, the better," Julius absentmindedly said as he got a look from Fluttershy.

"Fermentation? Making wine?" Fluttershy quizzically asked. "I have family who can help with that," Fluttershy told Julius.

"Yes, Syrahshy, Twilight told me about her. It's not a wine that I'm making, more like fermented liquid bread," Julius awkwardly said. "It's a popular drink, trust me," Julius assured. "Who knows, maybe I'll run into Luna on the way. Get that nightmarish task started," Julius said with a shudder.

"What nightmarish task?" Applejack asked as she helped Fluttershy clean up.

"Basically, I plan on doing something obscenely stupid, with nearly no hope of succeeding, but having a load of unjustified confidence that I'll succeed," Julius explained, making Fluttershy laugh.

"How is Rainbow Dash involved?" Applejack sighed while shaking her head.

"She isn't; why would you think," Julius started to say. "Right, obvious, my bad," Julius laughed. "Still, it's something I have to do. If nothing else to move things along, and maybe get somecreature the help they need," Julius sighed. "Worst to worst, it'll help restore somecreatures to good standing, maybe, hopefully," Julius said, starting to sound unsure. "Well, at least there aren't any vampire ponies or anything like that; they'd complicate things," Julius laughed.

"Well, there are stories of vampire ponies," Applejack flatly said.

"Of course they exist," Julius sighed in exasperation. "Why wouldn't they exist. Tell me about them," Julius said as he sat back down.

"Well, they're a foal's tale. There's a lot of different stories about them, but they all have some things in common. They look like pegasi, only more slender and fluffier. The sun burns them, so they only come out at night. They live in dark, remote places, like caves and the like. They don't eat food, but instead, they drink the blood of ponies. The stories are told to foals, mostly to keep them away from such places and to keep them inside at night," Applejack explained as Julius wrapped his arms around his mouth in a strange kind of self hug. "What are you doing?" Applejack asked as Julius fell to the floor.

"AHHHHH!" Julius yelled into his arms. "Oh, God fucking damn it!" Julius exclaimed as he moved his hands to cover his face. "Nothing. Nothing can ever be easy," Julius continued as he rubbed his temples. "How? How did the thestrals become vampires? They were a part of Equestrian society! Ah, my brain, my brain hurts, ow," Julius groaned as he stood up. "I have so many questions," Julius sighed as he shook his head.

"What was that about, and what are thestrals?" Applejack asked as she looked oddly at Julius.

"That, Applejack. That was reality hitting me like I owed it money. As for thestrals, they're a people? Creatures? Sentients? Sentient. Let's go with sentient," Julius nodded. "They're sentients to whom an injustice was done," Julius explained. "Like seriously. How do things get that bad? Honestly, does Equestrian society live in stasis or what?" Julius asked as he walked to the kitchen.

"Well, Equestria was founded on harmony," Applejack said as Julius ran his head under a stream of cold water.

"Ah," Julius said as he dried his head. "Equestria took harmony to an extreme and became locked in stasis, got it."

"Now, hold on a moment," Applejack said as she walked up to Julius. "Just what exactly do you mean by that?" Applejack asked as she looked sternly at Julius.

"I mean that Equestria has chosen to forget its history and or rewrite parts of it in the name of harmony. The fact that the thestrals are being called vampire ponies is proof enough," Julius confidently said.

"That's just one example, the lone exception," Applejack brushed off, "nothing more."

"Oh really, so nothing bad is happening in Equestria, or has happened in recent memory?" Julius asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"I never said that," Applejack firmly said. "Nightmare Moon appeared a few months ago. Then there's the whole buffalo problem around Appaloosa," Applejack firmly told Julius.

"Only two things," Julius sighed. "Interesting, and Equestria is responsible for none of that?" Julius asked. "Look, all I'm saying is that there's information that's being suppressed to keep the status quo. And while it might be well-intentioned, it's also locked the country in stasis. Who knows what else has been suppressed? Maybe there's a powerful prisoner in a castle somewhere. A prisoner whose being is opposed to harmony but is critical to existence," Julius said as he heard a laugh.

"You have no idea, my dear human. But leave that for now and return to the matter at hand. Worry not; we shall meet soon enough. My coming shall be heralded by chocolate rain; this time, ponies won't turn their heads the other way," a masculine voice laughed as Julius looked around.

"Did, did either of you hear anything just now?" Julius asked as he looked around Fluttershy's cottage.

"All I heard was you," Applejack said as she looked oddly at Julius, who was in the middle of looking under the couch. "Are you OK?" Applejack asked as Julius looked under the cushions.

"I'm fine; I must have imagined it," Julius chuckled as he shook his head. "I must have looked silly."

"A little bit, yes," Applejack and Fluttershy laughed.

"I'm sure there are things that we're not told," Fluttershy started to say. "But it's kept Equestria safe and peaceful for a long time. And that's good for us ponies," Fluttershy told Julius.

"Fair, but still, it feels like something is missing," Julius said. "That may just be the jaded criticism of my government coming through," Julius sighed. "Feel free to ignore it. I'd imagine that applying stuff like that here probably isn't necessary. I mean, I'll still do it, but feel free to ignore it," Julius laughed.

"OK, I'm sure your world isn't that bad," Applejack laughed as she looked at Julius.

"You'd think, but the last time I checked, we were like, a hundred seconds to midnight," Julius said as the two ponies looked oddly at him.

"What does time have to do with anything?" Applejack asked.

"Nevermind, just ignore that. Just know that the governments in my world can be divided between ones that'll stab you in your back while smiling at you and ones that'll stab you in your front while smiling. And that's why I'm like this about these things," Julius explained as he went back to the kitchen. "Hey Fluttershy, I'm taking a few chips with me, OK?" Julius asked as he put some chips into a bag.

"Oh, sure, go ahead," Fluttershy smiled as Julius filled a bag with chips.

"Thanks, I'm sure Pinkie Pie will love them," Julius smiled as he took the filled bag.

"Those chips are very good; she'll love them," Fluttershy smiled as Julius opened the door. "I'll see you later," Fluttershy smiled as she waved at Julius and Applejack.

"Yup, I'll see you later, probably tonight," Julius smiled as he waved back.

"See ya around, Fluttershy," Applejack waved as Julius shut the door.

"So, thinking about bringing over a drink from your world? How do you make liquid bread?" Applejack asked as she and Julius started to walk back to Ponyville.

"Well, that's just one possible nickname for it. Really, it's a grain-heavy drink. Think of it like wine, only made from grains instead of grapes and berries," Julius told Applejack. "Honestly, I would like to start making mead and rum too. Hah, that'd be nice, starting a brewery," Julius laughed. "A good business, a nice synergy with what you all have going on, a possible future for our children," Julius started to go on.

"Heh, well, it's nice that you're thinking of the future like that; you're missing a few things," Applejack laughed. "First, all Apples work on one of the Apple's farms. Second, who said anything about us being together?" Applejack asked as she poked Julius with a hoof.

"Look, I'll be honest," Julius said as he took a deep breath. "I'm going after you and all your friends, Zecora, Luna, Celestia, and screw it, Lyra too, and I guess any other willing creature I can breed," Julius told a stunned Applejack. "OK? OK. Glad we came to an understanding," Julius smiled as they continued walking.

"Quite a herd you have in mind," Applejack lightly laughed. "How exactly do you expect to get Princess Celestia in it?" Applejack asked almost mockingly.

"No idea. But, I am a human. If nothing else, I have a stupid amount of willpower. Hell, my younger brother and I beat Battletoads on co-op. If I can do that, then I can do anything," Julius assured Applejack. "Seriously, have you any idea how many times we lost? That was the embodiment of a million failures than success is a success," Julius laughed.

"You don't really talk much about yourself or your family. So you have a younger brother? How old is he?" Applejack asked at hearing something about Julius.

"Alex is three years younger than me. I also have a twin sister, Julia," Julius told Applejack. "Would have had more siblings if my father had his way, but my mother went behind his back, got her tubes tied, and pissed off his family," Julius lightly laughed.

"What does that mean? And why would it make your father's family mad?" Applejack asked as the two walked into Ponyville.

"She made it so she can't have children anymore," Julius started to explain. "As for making my father's family mad, his parents are Irish Catholic, 'nuff said there. Honestly, his parents didn't care much for my mother," Julius said as he looked at Applejack. "Before you ask, her parents are English and Protestant. A lot of bad blood there. So trust me, I'm used to family drama," Julius laughed as they walked to Sugarcube Corner.

"Can't be as bad as the Apples and the Pears," Applejack lightheartedly laughed.

"I don't know about that. There's at least a hundred years of war there, and that's just on the country level. Get's worse when you include religion," Julius laughed as they walked up to the Sugarcube Corner. "So, I take it we just walk in, with it being a shop and all," Julius said as Applejack opened the door, a bell lightly jiggling. "That answers that," Julius said as he followed after.

"Welcome to Sugarcube Corner," a blue mare happily said. "Oh, Applejack, and Julius. What brings you two here today?" The mare asked as she stood behind the counter. "Here to learn more about your mother?"

"No, not today Mrs. Cake," Applejack said as she looked around the store. "We're here to see Pinkie Pie. Is she around?"

"Sorry, Applejack, you just missed her. She should be at Sweet Apple Acres with Big Mac doing, well, you know," Mrs. Cake giggled.

"I didn't think Big Mac had an appointment with Pinkie Pie today," Applejack laughed. "So, we can either go back to the farm or do something else," Applejack said as she looked at Julius.

"I'm not about to blue ball Big Mac; besides, I think I can work with Mrs. Cake," Julius said as he looked at the mare.

"Thanks for the offer, deary, but I'm happily herded," Mrs. Cake laughed as Applejack laughed and Julius rolled his eyes.

"I didn't mean like that, though, I suppose, to be fair, I would be willing," Julius admitted. "Here, try these," Julius said as he placed the bag of chips on the counter. Taking a chip out, Mrs. Cake ate it.

"Oh, oh my. That is good," Mrs. Cake happily said. "Honey, come here. There's something you have to try," Mrs. Cake happily said as she ate another chip.

"What is it, honey?" A stallion asked as he entered the room. Saying nothing, Mrs. Cake slid the bag of chips to the stallion and ushered him to try them. Seeing Mrs. Cake eating the odd-looking food, the stallion tried one. "Oh, that is good," he happily said as he ate a chip. "What are they?" He asked as he ate a few more.

"They're called potato chips," Julius said as he too ate a chip. "A snack from my world. Fortunately, they can easily be made here. If you want, I'll sell you the recipe for, let's say, a five percent post-cost royalty," Julius offered.

"Now, hold on a moment," Applejack interjected. "Why do you need bits? You live cost-free with Zecora and the other mares. Also, this is a bakery; those were fried," Applejack firmly stated.

"Correct, but having some cash of my own would be nice. Besides, if possible, I should at least try to contribute more than just my body. I mean, sure, being a glorified boytoy sounds pretty nice, but there's more to me, or at least I'd like to think there is," Julius laughed. "True, they're fried, but you can make chips by baking. If it really is that much of a problem," Julius said as he looked at the two other ponies. "I can see you're a little worried about them selling, so if you want, we can have a trial sale of them next week. All you have to do is provide the ingredients; sound good?" Julius offered.

"Hmmm," Mrs. Cake hummed. "Your offer is tempting. And you're not asking for anything unreasonable," Mrs. Cake continued to hum. Taking a brief look at the stallion, Mrs. Cake smiled. "Alright, tell you what. You get me and Mr.Cake tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala, and we'll try selling them there. If they do well, then you have yourself a deal," Mrs. Cake offered.

"Ummm, what's that? And how do I get tickets for it?" Julius asked. "It sounds like a fancy event, so I'd imagine that they'd be pricy, and I have no money. Am I going to have to pimp myself out to get the money for the tickets?" Julius sighed as the ponies laughed.

"No, you won't," Applejack laughed as she gently patted Julius's back. "The tickets come from the Princesses, so just as Princess Luna, or Princess Celestia. You should be able to get tickets from them," Applejack told a chuckling Julius.

"So, yes, but just to ponies that I've already done it for then, perfect," Julius jokingly said. "You got yourself a deal," Julius said as he held his hand out. As the ponies looked oddly at Julius, Julius sighed and pulled his hand back. "Right, of course, no hands, that probably makes handshakes difficult," Julius said as he looked at the ponies. "So, what do you have in place of it?"

"I think the closest we have to a 'handshake' is a hoofbump," Applejack told Julius. "Well, that and maybe a neck hug if you're very close."

"Ah, OK. Either way, it's a deal, though, right?" Julius asked as he looked at the Cakes.

"Yes, it is a deal," Mrs. Cake smiled as she nodded her head.

"Great!" Julius happily chirped. "Keep the chips. Oh, and when you see Pinkie Pie, tell her that I want to see her," Julius said as he started to leave the store.

"Will do, though; she said she needed to pick up some things while she was out," Mrs. Cake told Julius. "If I remember, she said she needed yeast, hops, barley, corn oats, rye, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, demerara sugar, butter, and eggs," Mrs. Cake told a very facepalmed Julius. "Odd list of things, I wonder what she'll be making," Mrs. Cake excitedly said.

"Of course, Pinkie Pie knows," Julius said into his hands. "I swear, that mare sees the matrix or something," Julius sighed as he looked up. "It's a drink. I know, it sounds weird, but trust me, it's a drink. I would question how Pinkie Pie knows what I want to make, but it's not worth the migraine, so I'll just accept it," Julius sighed as Applejack laughed.

"Still wanting to question Pinkie Pie? You just can't seem to let that go, can you?" Applejack joked as she walked to the door.

"The logical side of me has to know. But the practical side of me knows that knowing would melt my brain," Julius said as he rubbed his temples. "It was nice meeting you two; good day," Julius waved goodbye as he exited the store.

"It was good seeing you two. I'll be back another day. Both for some baked goods and for more stories about my mother," Applejack said as she too left the store. After walking for a few steps, Applejack turned to go back to Sweet Apple Acres. "I have to go back to the farm," Applejack told Julius. "As much as I'm sure that you'd love to have me shadow you all day, there's farm business I need to take care of. And then I need to talk with Pinkie Pie about hiring my brother behind my back. I'll see you tomorrow," Applejack told Julius as she walked back towards the farm while mumbling. "Friends don't hire their friend's brother without talking to them first," Julius could hear Applejack mumbling as she walked off.

"Hah, to be fair to Applejack, I think that breaks the girl code or something like that," Julius thought out loud. "Now, let's see. Zecora should be back at her house by now," Julius continued to think as he started to walk towards the Everfree Forest. "So I guess that I'll go there first," Julius sighed as he made his way back to Zecora's house.