"Yawn, I'm definitely not sleeping tonight," I mumbled while rubbing my eyes.

The drowsiness of waking up made me shake my head. There was some bright light blinding me, I assumed it to be my monitor's screen. It took a few blinks. But I managed to make my eyes adapt to the incoming light. I had to squint my eyes a bit to identify what I was looking at.

Leaves? Why am I looking at a bunch of leaves? I mused while staring at the foliage that had just about enough room to let light peek through at my face. And what is up with this magenta wig in front of my eyes? I inquired while trying to wipe the strands away. That was when I saw it.

My hand looked like a dark gray hoof. Moreover, the dark gray hoof moved as I commanded. Looking at the rest of my body, I saw a thin barrel with long legs and a magenta tail. Imagining myself rolling around, I had my belly on the ground while I kept staring at my chest. There was grass underneath me. Picturing myself standing on all fours, I rose from the ground while keeping my eyes to the dirt. I could feel the dirt beneath my hooves. And there was a sharp pain at the base of my neck. I had felt something similar when I cut my fingers before.

"Ok, I feel stuff. So, I am awake," I mumbled before raising my head and looking at the tree trunk in front of me. "The data thing was true," I whispered while the information processed in my head. Like an egg clock, there was a sudden click, followed by an alarm, and something finally came out of my mouth. "WHAT DO I DO NOW!?"

"Hey there, calm down now. Everything is ok," A somewhat familiar voice said from behind me.

Looking behind me, I could see a gigantic mess of colorful blurs behind two ponies I could see clearly. One of them was Applejack, and the other was Big Machintosh. It didn't take long for me to put two and two together.

I'm in the Apple Family Farm. WHY AM I HERE?! And why can't I see?! Did I lose my glasses? Why am I still short-sighted? Isn't the whole point of another body to throw away that kind of stuff?

"Listen, we found you on the road. You were out cold. So, we picked you up and brought you here to the farm," Applejack said while taking off her hat. "We were going to take you off the cart slowly. But the wheel broke, and we lost control of the cart. Then, you went flying and hit a tree. We are mighty sorry about that," She explained while her brother kept nodding.

"Ye-ep."

I didn't answer since I was too busy with bringing myself to calm down. One minute home, the next in the middle of a dirt road in another world. That was not normal. THAT WAS NOT NORMAL. I felt something rolling down my neck. With a glance, I saw a small red stream rolling down my chest. The two brothers must have noticed it too. Because Aj came quickly to check on it while Big Mac ran into the house only to come back in a rush with a box that had the first aid symbol on it.

"Stand still there partner. We'll clean that up and have you patched up in no time," Aj said while picking up the bandages and bottle of hydrogen peroxide from the box. She splashed the back of my neck with that stuff. This caused me to wince at the sharp sting as the wound got cleaned. Then, Aj wrapped the bandages around my neck before tying them tightly. "There, all better."

"T-Thank you," I said as the sudden sting cleared my mind enough for me to speak.

"Right! You had some things on you!" Aj said while rushing to the cart. She returned with a pair of glasses and a necklace that looked familiar. After putting them on her hoof, Aj offered them to me. "Ah, don't know why you carry such a weird necklace. But here ya go."

It took some effort, but I managed to put the glasses on as well as the necklace. And just as one would have expected, the rest of the blurs behind them were the other members of the Apple Family. I felt disappointed with the fact that my bad eyesight followed me back to a new world and body. As for the necklace, it was the same one as the picture I had received from my brainstormer. A pendant with a slid pupil and blue and green iris hanging from a regular chain. Luckily, it was smaller than the picture.

"Thank you. And sorry about the scare," I said while running my hoof over the bandages. "Thank you for the bandages. My name is," I paused for a brief moment while bringing my hoof to my head. That was when I noticed the lack of a horn, and since I had no wings on my barrel when I first looked at it, I concluded I was an earth pony. I could not express my disappointment as I finally managed to reach a world with magic and lacked the means to cast it. The no-flying thing was also a big let-down. Seeing as my coat reminded me of coal a bit, and my mane was between magenta and red, I decided on my name. "Velvet Coal. Sorry about that, my head is a bit hazy."

Aj looked worried for a moment before putting on a smile. "I'm Applejack. But almost everyone calls me Aj. This one here is Big Machintosh. We call him Big Mac for short. And back there we have," And thus, began a complete listing of all their relatives present at the time. Like in the show, they had about enough ponies to create a small settlement. But, my little brain got stuck over a stupid detail that shouldn't bother me as much as it did.

She keeps mentioning "everyone" and "no one" without using the word "pony" at the end of those terms. I blame these thoughts on my OCD. Everything up that point was a copy-paste thing straight from the show. So, I thought that detail would also appear.

"And this here is Apple Bloom," Aj said as she presented her little sister. Realizing that the presentation was over, I turned my attention to the size of the little filly. Emphasis on little, there was no way of putting it lightly, I was tall. About as tall as Big Mac, but nowhere near as burly.

"Hello!" Apple Bloom said while waving her little hoof.

"H-hi," I said while waving back. Apple Bloom smiled before hopping back to the group of ponies composed mainly of mares. "So, is this the famous Sweet Apple Acres?"

"Famous? Ah, wouldn't call it that," Aj said while scratching the back of her neck. "Ah, mean it's a big piece of land. But, nothing much to talk about."

"But, isn't the Apple family the biggest provider of Apple products in Equestria?" I added with a tilt of my head.

I remember Aj boasting about their products and such. Why would she be humble about it?

"Now you're just being nice," Aj said while waving a hoof as Big Mac smirked at the reaction she had.

"Ok. Um, I guess I should head to town. And look for a place to...right. I am broke," I mumbled while tapping my hoof against my chin. "I don't suppose you know of a place I can pass the night, do you?" I inquired.

"We have a guest room. The rest of the family usually sleeps in their traveling carts," Aj suggested while Big Mac seemed to be very entertained by the conversation.

"I can't impose. Sorry, but I'll look somewhere else. You already have a lot of ponies here to handle. So, thank you for the offer, but I'll look for another place to stay without being a hindrance. Thank you," I replied while looking at the road. "But would you be so kind as to?"

"You can help us with cooking. We have a lot of dishes to prepare for a big party. That way you pay for your stay, sounds fair?" Aj persisted with a stern tone.

I can make basic sweets. But other than that, my food is pretty bland. I don't think that's a good idea. Wait, big party? When did I land? Nevermind, first things first. Do not get this mare angry.

"Do you think it's a good idea? My cooking skills are mediocre, at best," I mumbled before Aj walked up to me.

"You're not going to wander off alone without a place to stay. We injured you and you were unconscious on the road. So, you're helping us," Aj argued while poking my chest with her hoof. Her glare made me recoil a bit as she seemed ready to throw a jab at me if I tried to argue again. And I was well aware of how strong earth ponies were. A jab from her would probably break my sternum.

"Ok," I said with a defeated sigh as my ears dropped.

"Good. Ah, am not leaving an injured pony walking around when we could help. Ain't that right folks?" Aj asked the rest of the family. Their response was an honest collective nod. With a satisfied look on her face, Aj trotted towards the group before speaking again. "Now, let's start working everyone!"

"YEAH!" The group replied collectively before they started kicking the trees and picking up utensils in their wagons.

I stood there in confusion as the rest of the ponies went on to their maddening, organized mess. I can say with certainty that I was overwhelmed by how things progressed at that point. I woke up in a different world and body. Met with one out of six heroes that will basically save this said world. Got refuge in the new world. Moreover, I was in the middle of a HUGE family reunion. Moreover, I was underwhelmed by my body and features. I didn't feel stronger, I didn't feel smarter, I didn't feel magical. I felt, normal. I felt like I always been, the background character that does things on his own. I felt someone poking my shoulder and looked at the bulking pile of muscles that was Big Mac.

"H-hi," I said while shrinking in my tiny frame. If that thing decided to poke me with a tad bit of force, I'm sure he would snap my spine in two while turning my bones into dust.

"Hello. I have a question, are you a mare or a stallion?" He inquired while taking a seat at a decent distance from me.

OH, GOD, NO. Oh, it's down there. What is this about? It's visible. Is he pranking me or something?

"I'm a stallion. But, why do you ask? Can't you see?" I asked while tilting my head and pointing at the space between my legs.

"I don't go around looking at the stuff between other pony's legs," Big Mac answered with a frown.

"Oh, so that's impolite" I whispered while holding my chin. "Sorry about that. I thought you two would have seen it considering you two lifted me and carried me in the wagon."

"We can't see those parts unless we are trying to see them. That's common sense, did you hit your head before we found you?" Big Mac shot back while pointing his hoof at me.

I think I might have. WHY DO YOU TALK SO MUCH!? Also, how does that hiding thing work?

"Not that I know of?" I replied with uncertainty.

"Well, it's good to run into another stallion in these parts," Big Mac said in almost a whisper. "Be careful. If those mares over there hear about it, they might make a move on you," He warned while paying attention if anyone was around.

Oh, no. Is this a reverse gender role or something? I don't want to end up as someone's little pet. My self-esteem is bad enough as it is.

"Thanks for the warning," I said while letting out a sigh.

"Be mindful of some stallions too. Don't get me wrong. But it's kinda hard to tell if you're he or she," Big Mac said with a bit more concern. "There are some stallions like that. And sometimes they get into trouble because of it."

Do I really look like a mare?

"Um, ok," I said while looking at my body and then at his. The difference in our frames was ridiculous. But then, another difference struck me, my voice. "What about my voice? Can't you tell if it is from a stallion?"

"I wouldn't bet on that. Some mares have voices as deep as mine. And some stallions with voices as soft as Fluttershy," Big Mac replied with a strange look on his face.

Oh, my god. What the hell is up with this place? Wait, did he just assume I know Fluttershy or something? Nah, he probably threw a random example without thinking much.

"So, what do I do now?" I asked while turning my attention to the ponies moving around and setting up cooking stations. Glancing at Big Mac, he had a smirk on his face as he chuckled.

"You should really be careful. Look at the other stallions. Like those two over there," Big Mac said while pointing at two ponies that I knew about. Twins that I wanted to plant my hooves on their faces repeatedly until their faces were on the back of their skulls. I called them "bacon brothers" since their manes remembered me of cartoon bacon.

"They're...peeling apples. Wait, why are they eating them? Isn't it for a recipe?" I asked while screaming at myself a much more important question. HOW ARE YOU HOLDING A KNIFE?! There is no aura around your horns!

"Those are the types that just sit back. Then we have Braeburn over there," Big Mac said while pointing at the pony with a leather vest and a cowboy hat.

"He is beating up the dough," I said bluntly.

"That's an active stallion. Most stallions are between those two extremes and act as commanded. Therefore, not completely laid back, but not exactly active. The ones like those two are not very well received or treated. While the ones like Braeburn tend to pull the spotlight to them. You should see the line of mares trying to get him," Big Mac explained before getting up. "Just try to see where you fit. And think of how it will draw attention to you."

"Um, Thanks?" I mumbled while watching the ponies working hard.

Is that supposed to discourage me from trying to help or something? I mused while my gaze drifted to a large bucket full of apples. With gears grinding in my brain, I trotted up to it. I could still remember how ponies would lift those things using their muzzles and toss them to their backs. Pushing my nuzzle underneath the bucket, I ended up tilting the bucket and spilling the apples on the ground.

"Damn it," I mumbled while using my hoof to put the bucket back in the right position. Then using both my front hooves, I picked the apples and tossed the apples back in.

"What are you doing?" Apple Bloom asked while I continued my chore.

"Um, picking the apples I dropped. I tilted the bucket while trying to get it on my back," I explained while placing the final apple back in.

"Why didn't you bite the stem to throw them back? It would have been easier than picking one by one with your hooves," Apple Bloom said before doing what she suggested to an apple I missed.

"Oh, I thought that touching the apples with my mouth would be anti-hygienic," I retorted while blinking a few times at the "what are you talking about" face Apple Bloom had on her.

"We don't use the stems. So, they are free game. And, does that word mean dirty or something like that?" Apple Bloom asked before I planted my forehead on my hoof for using a complicated word with a child.

"Yeah," I said before staring at the bucket. I decided to bite one of the handles and then lift it. That thing was heavy and I felt my cut stinging while I tried to lift the thing. I felt my neck getting strained a bit before managing to put it on my back. "Wow! You're strong, Mister!"

I froze in place while staring at Apple Bloom for a second. "You know I'm a he?"

"Well," Apple Bloom said before stopping and looking over her shoulder. "Big Mac wouldn't have sat and talked to you for very long if you were a mare."

"Why?" I asked tilting my head. Her response was covering her mouth before letting out a nervous giggle and trotting away. "Ok. Don't let that bother you," I mumbled while trotting towards the cooking stations. "It's going to bother me for the rest of the day now," I muttered under my breath before approaching Granny Smith. "Um, do you know where I should drop these?"

"O-oh, WHat?! Oh, Hello there, dear. Are you a friend of Applejack? You look so thin, little filly," Granny said almost screaming at me.

I should have seen that coming.

"Sorry to disturb you! I'll see if anyone needs these apples! You can go back t sleep!" I said loudly as Granny nodded before laying back on her rocking chair and falling asleep.

I started trotting around and asking if they needed some apples. Everyone seemed to have what they needed, and they were very polite to decline them. That is until I got to where Applejack was rolling the dough.

"Hey there, Vel," Aj greeted while keeping her work running. I frowned at the nickname, but I don't think she noticed it. "Are you carrying those for someone else?" WHERE IS THE "PONY" PART?!

"No. I'm checking who needed the apples."

"Can you peel them for me? Three apples should do the trick," Aj asked as I gulped while looking at the apples. "What is it?"

"Um, where do I get myself a knife?" I replied before grabbing the basket and putting it back down.

"You're not a unicorn to try and use a knife to peel an apple," Aj said with a worried tone. "Just put the apple on that peeler over there, I'll show you how to use it."

Nodding, I picked three apples and placed them on the table Aj was working on. Meanwhile, Aj brought an apparatus that had three parts. One of which was a rotating table with a nail at the center and a curved blade the right shape for the apples. The second was a pair of pedals that had a poley system that connected to the rotating plate. And the third part looked like a box filled with blades.

"Ok. Now, you get one of those and stick it to the nail. Make sure the core is aligned with it. Great, now, you gently hit the sides of the apple to make the apple stick there. Good, now you sit over here and start pumping the pedals while pressing the blade towards the apple to adjust to the apple's size. Once you're done, push the box down, and it will slice the apples," Aj said while guiding me step by step before returning to the dough.

That's a handy tool. Good to know they have some tools for messing around with food and other stuff.

I did mess up a bit on the first two apples. Applying a tad too much pressure, I removed a piece of the apples. The third apple was the only one to lose a chunk of its body. And I became very afraid of how sharp the blades in the box were. They sliced the apples like they a knife on hot butter. I didn't even feel the resistance when I sliced them.

"Good partner!" Aj exclaimed while I fell backward and had to roll around to get back up. "Where were you at? Visiting the mare in the Moon?"

"Oh, no. Just focused, I guess," I replied while brushing off the dirt from the bandages.

"Well, get that focus of yours and beat up this dough, and then roll it. The last one got too frail. It would ruin the pie," Aj said while pushing a bowl to me. "Ah, will tell you when to stop."

"Ok," I replied automatically before sitting in front of the bowl and beginning the task.

As I beat the dough to a pulp with my hooves, I began to think.

I went from being a human to a pony. I woke up in a body that has no similarities to my own. I got wounded. I have a place to stay, for now. But I won't have shelter for long. I have a cut on my back I don't know how long it will take to heal. The stuff I was studying is useless in this place. Anatomy lessons went out of the window. I'm broke. I don't even know if I can read things here.

Right, so, let's try to think here about more pressing matters. I don't know if this is permanent, or just a temporary issue. In either case, I need to think that I'm in this for the long run. And in that case, priorities. First, getting a job. Getting a job will give me the means to secure temporary lodging and necessities. Anything will do as long as it's basic. Don't try to bite more than you can chew. Second, Verify the language in which things are written here. Knowing if I am illiterate will allow me to seek proper education and stop me from signing things I can't read.

Third, securing permanent lodging. This one is self-explanatory. But it is definitely the last item to be done. Lodging implies in furniture and other basic things to even live in one, which means more expenses. So, I'll need to save up on things. Or I can start with a rental room or house. And, is this going to work like the dream? Because if it does, I just have to wait it out until we reach the Tirek fight. Then I'll be back. Although, I don't think that is going to happen. Oh, well, It's not like it's all bad. Aside from the eventual bad guy, this place is probably safer than my world.

"Thanks for the help, partner!" Aj said snapping me out of the trance. "Ah'll just put this on the oven and we will see if the recipe came out alright. Got to make sure everything we prepare for the party is just right."

"Understood," I replied in a monotone voice while staring at the table.

I sometimes forget that the screws on my head are a bit loose. Why don't I feel anything? I should be crying. I should be scared. I should be worried about my family getting the news on my disappearance in a locked room crime. But here I am, thinking of the steps to rebuild. Why can I disconnect so easily from others?

"You're ok there partner?" I responded with a nod. "You don't look so good."

"Ah, don't worry," I said while staring at the peeler's blade. "Just thinking about stuff. What do we do now?"

"Well, we wait, the pie is baking," Aj said as I turned my attention to the table.

"Right," I said while staring at the patterns in the wood. "Thanks again for the help. And the lodging."

A brief moment of silence between us. Only the sound of tools, fire crackling, and ongoing conversations around us made me think that time hadn't halted. In my head, I began to make images form on the patterns of the wood. Then, I started to imagine songs in the back of my head as the background noise slowly faded into nothing. I felt as if I was in complete silence. My vision slowly lost color as only the area I had my focus on gained vibrant colors, and it started to move as if it was made of liquid.

"Hey, HEY!" Applejack said while waving her hoof in front of my eyes. Shaking my head sideways, I turned my attention to her before tilting my head inquisitively. "You are really out of it. Do you need to rest?"

Well, it's comforting to know everyone is as kind as in the show. I mused with a soft smile.

"Nah, if I go to sleep now," I said before making a brief pause to look at the sky. Based on the color, it looked like we were reaching the end of the afternoon. "I won't be able to sleep at night. I might even wake up in the middle of the night."

"Say, why were you in the middle of the road?" Aj asked after a brief pause.

"I'm pretty sure I was dumped there by something," I replied bluntly. Coming up with an excuse for that would get worse the more the others started to ask. "One minute I'm in my home, the next hello tree."

"What? Were you kidnapped or something?" Aj asked while I tapped the table rhythmically.

"You can say that. I was taken from one place to another against my will," I said while tracing the patterns on the wood.

"Why, we need to tell the guards! Where do you live?" Aj asked while I waved dismissively.

"I doubt anyone can do anything. You can say that where I came from doesn't exist."

"Are you for real?" I nodded. "You're not from an asylum, are you?" I shook my head sideways. "Do you want to talk about it?" Aj pressed as I simply shook my head. "Ok."

"Thanks for understanding. I don't think it matters anyway," I said while putting on a smile. "Not like I can say I miss the place."

"Bad memories?" Aj asked as I chuckled.

"Everyone has bad memories now and then. But I can say without much thought that the good outweighs the bad. Plus, I kinda wanted to travel to somewhere new anyway," I replied before we heard the bell from the pie ring.

The conversation died there as we went on to eat the pie and pretty much every dish they had prepared for the night. It was quite the feast, and the food tasted good. The Apple family really knew their stuff when it came to cooking. But, it wasn't like the sort of thing I would read on the stories. I didn't have a moment of ascension because of how good the stuff was. I didn't feel as if I would never be able to eat food from my world again.

It was tasty food. That's about it. Reality is a thing, but you got to enjoy it. Even if it isn't what you build up in your head.

Aj didn't speak much to me either after that little chat. She led me to my room and went away. The bed was soft and warm. And it had a scent of apples and pears. It took me a while, but I managed to sleep after an hour or two. But not before staring at the moon and determining when I arrived.

Hello there, Nightmare Moon.

Opening my eyes, I could see something familiar. A scene from the show played out with enough realism to make me think I had jumped back in time now. Except, it was bloodier. I watched things from a distance, and couldn't hear the events clearly. But, I felt my chest get tighter. Especially when I saw what looked like a coffin. I knew that there was no coffin in the show. Because that was not how things played out.

Celestia was supposed to get up. She was supposed to get up and bring the elements out of their vault. My vision felt hazy. I felt something creeping up on my chest while I watched that. It hurt, it hurt more than getting stranded. It hurt. I don't know how or why, but I knew that the one behind that stary mane was hurting.

I looked down. The floor around me looked normal. I could see the stones and a carpet. But, something was lurking between the stones. It looked like the hazy mist from Nightmare Moon's fog form. A glance to the side and I could see her standing there. But she didn't seem to notice me. Her gaze was locked on the coffin and the one that had to be Luna. I felt pain again.

I tried to speak, but no sound came out. I tried it, again. Nothing came forth. I stretched my hoof towards her, and as I did, the thing on the floor pulled me away. But before I disappeared, Nightmare Moon's gaze seemed to soften a bit.

Opening my eyes, I felt as if my head was touching something wet. Rubbing my eyes, I got up and looked back on the pillow. It was soaked with tears.

Cry in your dreams since no one will remember seeing the tears. I mused before hearing knocking on my door.

"Hey! Vel! Breakfast is, are you ok?" Aj asked after opening the door and taking one look at me.

"Just fine," I said while getting up and putting on my glasses. "My eyes get teary whenever I stay without my glasses for too long. And I woke up earlier than I should. In short, my bad," I replied while trotting towards the door.

"Sure," Aj said with a frown.

"What's on schedule today?" I asked while walking past her.

"Today? Um, nothing really. We worked hard yesterday, so, today is a leisure day. Ah, was planning on heading to town for a stroll. Want to come?" Aj offered while I entered the bathroom to alleviate myself and clean my teeth. They had a liquid thingie that did that for you instead of a toothbrush. So, it didn't take long. On a side note, my eyes are purple now, I saw them before going to sleep on the previous night.

"It might be a good idea," I said while exiting the bathroom. "Getting acquainted with the town can't harm."

"Ok! We'll head there after breakfast. We have bread, a few apples, some juice, and some left-over cake," Aj said while walking towards the stairs.

"Hey, there Mr. Coal!" Apple Bloom shouted as soon as I appeared in the living room.

Aj glanced over to me before raising a brow. "A stallion?" I nodded. Aj replied to my response with a frown. "Ah, was wrong then," She mumbled before trotting to the kitchen.

That was a rather tame reaction. Good to know she is the calm type.

"How's the cut?" Big Mac asked while I took a seat by Apple Bloom.

"I can't feel it anymore. I think I'm ok."

"We can check it in the afternoon. The bandages are clean. So, there shouldn't be anything left there. As long as you don't push yourself and the wound should be ok," Big Mac replied before taking a sip of his coffee.

"Aren't we a chatter-box today?" Granny said while pouring me a glass of juice. "Did this filly over here get you all talkative?"

"I am a stallion, Granny Smith!" I said in her ear.

"Oh! So, you got a friend! That's good to hear!" Granny replied with a broad smile.

It seems this part of the family is pretty chill. Maybe the issue is with the rest of the family?

Breakfast went on quietly. I couldn't hear anyone outside. So, I assumed Aj's relatives were asleep. With our bellies full, Aj and I went outside. As I presumed, the family was fast asleep in their wagons.

They probably feel like a vacation. Well, I always felt like sleeping in when I went to travel. I mused as we gained the road to the city. The road was made of dirt. And there wasn't much to see besides the apple trees to our right, while the Everfree forest stood to our left. Aj kept humming while we trotted towards the town. As we grew closer to the town, the number of trees reduced little by little until all we could see were bushes and grass.

"Welcome to Ponyville," Aj said while we approached the sign naming the town.

"Friendliest place in Equestria, right?" I quipped as Aj replied with a nod.

"Once we get to Town Square, we can reach just about any place in town," Aj said as we approached the fountain with a pony standing on a pedestal. "That big building over there is Town Hall. That cupcake building over there, that's Sugar Cube Corner. Over there, you see Carousel Boutique," Aj said the last one while rolling her eyes.

"Something wrong with Carousel Boutique?" I asked while noticing Rarity flipping the sign in front of the store.

"No, the store is fine. It's Rarity. She isn't a bad pony, but she has a nasty habit of throwing things for free if someone throws her a sappy story," Aj said with a frown. She even crossed her arms and let out a huff while staring at the store. "She won't be able to hold her store if she gives things whenever someone asks with puppy eyes."

She did get swindled in Manehattan by that wannabe seamstress. No one mentioned anything about her being swindled before tough.

"I guess that her generosity is rivaled by her naivitée then? Why don't you call her out on it?" I offered as Aj let out a sigh in response. "Already tried, huh?" Aj nodded. "Does she have many clients?"

"Not really. Most of her income comes from custom orders from Berry Rich's wife, Spoiled Rich," Aj said while leaning back.

"Well, you warned her. Sometimes bad things need to happen to make someone change," I said while staring at Rarity clean the windows.

"Ah, just wish she didn't have to deal with that," Aj replied while leaning back.

"How about I do something stupid?" I said while getting up and bitting my bandages off.

"What are you doing?" Aj asked while going wide-eyed at the wound that was starting to heal.

"Something stupid," I said before throwing myself in a puddle of mud that was near us.

After that, I got up and forced a limp, and went towards the Carousel Boutique. I knocked on the door getting mud all over it, and then I fell in front of it.

"Hello? Oh, my STARS! Are you ok, darling?!" Rarity asked while I feigned difficulty breathing.

"Please, help," I said with a wheeze and coughing. A little fact about myself, I like to act. And I was part of the drama club. Never managed to be part of a play, since the club disbanded due to issues with the scheduled meetings.

"Of course, darling! Please, let me help you?!" Rarity said before letting out an eep as I stood straight up with a poker face and walked into the store without a limp. That caused the floors to get marked with mud and hoof marks. "Um, can I help?"

"Sure!" I said happily while rapidly raising my hoof, launching mud over her table. "I'm a baroness that got kidnapped from Canterlot, tossed in the road nearby, and got a cut on my neck after being hurt by a being slung at a tree. I need new clothes. But I also lost all of my money due to the kidnapping," I explained while showing the wound covered in mud that disguised the mid-healing process. The trashing in the mud opened it a bit allowing the blood to drip a bit.

Rarity looked ready to throw a bucket on my head. But when she saw the wound on my neck, she looked desperate. She quickly started to dash around and collect some clothes to match my mane and coat. She didn't even question me claiming to be a mare.

"Here! Take these for free! they should be more than enough to?!" I cut her midsentence while getting mud on her coat. "Why you!?"

"Ok. I got you annoyed enough," I said while getting up and walking to the door. "I was kidnapped. But I am not from Canterlot. I got wounded. But I'm ok, I opened this wound myself. I am broke. But I don't need to take things you made for free. I am a male. I am not of noble birth. I couldn't more of a peasant if I wanted to. I heard from someone that if you threw a sad story at your face you would give things for free. And it seems they were right. You should really watch out for the next pony that throws you a sad story to your face. I'll throw myself in the river and get this mud off. Then I'll be back to clean up this mess," I said before receiving a bucket filled with water to the face.

"Out of my boutique, now!" Rarity exclaimed while I nodded and trotted away.

"You are insane," Aj, who, based on her look, had watched the entire thing, said while I shook myself getting a bit of water on her. "You got off easy considering you hit her coat with mud."

"Not crazy. Stupid," I replied while tossing the water away from my hooves. "I doubt it will make much of a difference. But someone telling them they lied straight to her face should make her think twice before accepting all the sappy stories she hears," I added before looking over my shoulder. "Hope I didn't make an enemy with her right away."

"Just wait for her to cool off. Then both of us can go so you can make peace with her," Aj said while glancing at my shoulder. "We better get you to Red Heart. She will get that cleaned up and patch that cut in no time," I simply gestured her to lead the way.

Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to talk to Red Heart. She seemed stressed and worried about something and was quick to treat me and get us out of the hospital. Red didn't even put it on record. As far as the hospital was concerned, some bandages and sterilizing material just disappeared. I'm not sure why they spend entire bottles of peroxide on small cuts like this. Unless, infections are something deadly in this world, in that case, I would ask them to pour three bottles of that thing on it.

However, as soon as we exited the hospital I met with the third out of six ponies that would make this already safe world, safer. And what announced their arrival wasn't anything less than an explosion of confetti to my face.

"Hello! And welcome to Ponyville! Were you surprise?! Were you?! Were you?!" Pinkie pie asked while doing her bouncing thing.

"Very surprised. I appreciate the gesture," I said before a brief pause to take some of the confetti off my mouth. "But you should be more careful with that. If you do that to someone with a weak heart, they might have a heart attack," I added with a smile before shaking the confetti off my head.

"Silly! I would never use this unless I knew they could take it!" Pinkie said with her weirdness showing off.

"Well, good to know you have your research being that thorough. Keep it up!" I replied with a smile. Pinkie stopped and stared me in the eye for a few seconds.

"You're not going to ask how would I get that information?" Pinkie asked with a frown.

"That's your business and your business alone. Besides, you're not hurting anyone with it, so, what's the problem?" I answered while tilting my head.

Pinkie stared at me for a couple more seconds before chuckling. "You're weird. I like that! See you at the celebration tomorrow!" She said before zipping away leaving a puff of smoke with her shape behind her. I simply chuckled at the antiques.

"You adapted pretty quickly to Pinkie," Aj said while shaking the confetti from her hat. "Aren't you weirded out by her in the least?"

"Can you mention a single pony without anything weird about them?" I replied while brushing confetti out of a spot Aj missed on her head.

"Ah, am not weird at all," Aj said while I rolled my eyes at the memory of her talking a tree to sleep.

"And that is your perspective on the matter," I replied while trotting towards the town.

"Hey!" Aj shot back as I broke into a sprint. This led to me rolling downhill due to me tangling my legs and faceplanting on the road. "You get what you deserve!" Aj shouted before helping me get up.

"This is official Canterlot business. Please, stand clear of the security crew," An unfamiliar voice said while I got up.

A strange unicorn with a broken horn stood in the middle of the streets. Her coat was colored like wine and she had bright blue eyes. She wore a ring around her horn that created a spectral-looking horn. There was a scar over her right eye, and she wore a piece of armor that didn't match the usual brand of the Royal Guard. Her armor was deep blue with the only golden area being the symbol of the sun over her chest.

That's right. Twilight had a magical lighting rod in the library. Huh, Nightmare Moon's return must be close if they are preparing things for her.

"Good day, officer?" I said while brushing off the dust.

"My name is Tempest Shadow. Move aside civilian, I have a business to attend to," Tempest said while walking past us with a crew that was carrying a metal rod.

"She seems nice," I said while Aj kept staring at the unicorn. "Something wrong?"

"Just wondering what would have caused a wound like that," Aj replied before turning back to me. "Unicorn horns are very durable. They shouldn't snap like that."

"Well, she is a soldier, right? Maybe it's something she got during the line of duty. But does that matter?" I said while looking towards the library.

"Ah guess it doesn't matter."

And like that, we spend the rest of the day out and about. Ponyville didn't have too much in terms of sight-seeing. But I did have a chance to memorize some locales such as the spa, Quills and Sofas, Cheerilee's school, and the Flower Stands. Most ponies seemed to be out and about on their business to pay us any mind. Although, I did receive some curious glances from ponies crossing paths with us.

The day went on without much effort. For my grand adventure in a new world, that was probably the most underwhelming start I never imagined happening. But you won't see me complaining about a nice and peaceful start to get my bearings. As for my wound, I had them removed, and I wouldn't have to wear them anymore unless I did something stupid, again.

Little did I know though, that night I would be overwhelmed by a single question and an affirmation.

"Will you come to the Summer Sunset Celebration? Princess Celestia will be there to raise the sun for us this year!"

WHAT!? No. No-no-no-no-no! I don't have time to plan anything!!! Can I even help here? Should I help? The elements are all here but, WHAT THE HELL DO I DO?! I can't use magic. I don't know if things will work like in the show. Damn it! Why is all this happening all at once? Give me some time! I need more time!!!!

Author's Note

Ok.

Let's see how things evolve from here. Let me know what you think in the comments!!

Thanks for reading! Have a nice day!!!