Chapter 2 - The Locals

I woke to birds chirping and the sun out and about. I checked the time. About 6AM. I yawned and got out to stretch. When I turned to get in the front seat of the car, I noticed something. There appeared to have been an apple orchard entrance about 100 yards away. I got into my car and turned the key, I checked the fuel gauge, just under a full tank. I then remembered I had 3 Things of Gas in the trunk as well… after I ran out that one time in the middle of nowhere I decided not to risk it. Turning into the orchard I accidentally clipped and knocked over the sign, it fell with a loud change and I cringed. I quickly stopped and walked over to see if it was badly broken, it wasn't thankfully, and I picked it up to put it upright, I read it out loud.
“Sweet Apple Acres…” I realized something. “Wait a minute, Where am I? There isn't a apple orchard anywhere near where i live”
“WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY SIGN?!!”
Startled by the southern voice I whipped around and looked for the source only seeing a orange tiny horse or something in a hat I called out,
“UM SORRY JUST TRYING TO FIND DIRECTIONS TO A TOWN”
“You don't have to yell”
I had to do a double take, the source of the voice was the tiny horse… weird...
“D-did you just talk…”
“Yeah I just talked… something wrong with that?”
“But you're a horse”
“Pony”
“What”
“I'm a Pony, now what are you?”
“I’m a human, you know the guys who builds houses and stuff”
“Nope we do that.”
“So there are no people here”
“Yes only us Pony-folk”
“oh Cock… Than I’m really lost”
“What?”
“I was driving last night in the rain when I lost control in my car and I woke up on a dirt road”
“Right… well anyway,” She walked up to me “that doesn't answer my question. WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY SIGN!!”
“I clipped it with my car”
“Right… well it doesn't look too badly damaged i guess i can forgive you…”
“Alright, um do you think you could give me directions on how to get to the town maybe i can find a map or something”
“I was heading there anyway i can show you its about a 45 minute walk”
“We can drive”
“Drive?”
I pointed to the Mustang.
“Hop in the passenger side”
She gave me a confused look. I pointed to the side opposite of the drivers
“You just get in.”
She walked over to it and tried but quickly found a problem
“My hoof cant open it”
I facepalmed for my own stupidity
“Right, sorry.” i opened the door for her and she was able to close it
“So how does this work? What do I do?”
“You? Just sit back, relax and um… put on your seat belt just in case.” She gave me another confused look.
“What in tarnation is a seat belt?”
“This,” I showed her mine
She looked and after a couple seconds of struggle was able to buckle up after I showed her. I put the mustang into reverse and backed out making sure not to clip the sign again. I then turned onto the road putting it into first as we drove along the road slowly turned into a hill going down. I decided to make small talk.
“So… um… what's uh… your name” Stupid question but essential.
“Applejack”
“Applejack… cool name,” I turned to her but something caught my eye on her flank. I believe “what's with the tattoo?”
“That's not a Tattoo, It's a cutie mark”
“Cutie mark” I gave her a confused look
“It's when a foal discovers their special talent and they get a mark resembling it, mines apples because I run an apple farm and I love it, what's yours?”
“Don't got one, we don't get those…”
“Oh, so what's your name?”
“Names Xander”
“Huh. Xander… that sounds familiar but I can't reme- HEY LOOK OUT!!!”
I looked up just in time to see the road turn sharply right at the bottom of the hill which had steepened to avoid a ravine. I went faster,
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”
“We'll never stop in time so I have to oversteer to make it!”
“IF YOU KILL ME I'LL KILL YOU!”
The cliff edge neared, I took my foot off the gas, turned the wheel and floored it, the mustang’s rear slid out from behind us and I made slight adjustments as we went around the corner, I then was able to regain a straight line. I stopped the car to make sure I did not damage anything. I turned to Applejack and she was gasping for breath...
“You alright?”
“Yeah, Yeah, I'm fine just tell me something Xander”
“Yeah”
“How often do you do that?”
“Not often, that was my first one on dirt, I usually do that on a road course with asphalt... Like rocks but stronger”
“I swear I'm going to kill you, just get me to Ponyville”
“Ponyville?”
“The Town”
“Oh”

We drove in silence after that, I tried the radio to no avail only getting static so I switched it off. Roughly 10 minutes later we drove into the town, she was right no people just lots of ponies.. With wings and horns as well but I noticed that they all had one or the other or none at all. The town drew nearer, as we drove down the road.