"...I shall accept your terms on this condition: pledge your service to me and become one of my Stars..."

Alright. I'm on a wharf, behind a coil of old rope which is probably used to tie off boats if or when they make berth, looking at a boardwalk which is somewhat parallel to the beach left to right, and facing a row of buildings -some of which are made of stone but mostly of wood- which seem to be a part of a city or large town. The buildings are not all attached. A few alleys and streets are scattered around and show possible avenues I might be able to take into the city for a little ways.

Who knows if they're all dead-ends or mazes beyond what I can see, though?

This wharf and that boardwalk look old and worn but not dilapidated -just well-used and exposed to the sun and salt air. I do see ponies out and about but not many. The small bit of hoof-traffic seems to have thinned out a little while I have been up here, looking around, ruminating, panicking, and hiding behind this coil of rope.

There are a few other objects sparsely lining the boardwalk: benches, trash cans, a few trash bags next to the cans probably awaiting pickup, lamp posts, and a couple other little things. No one -nopony- hehe. Pony puns. Nopony is looking my way or at me. They're all just doing whatever they're doing. Business as usual.

Goo~d. That's goo~d.

Nearest object is the first goal to my master plan of 'Navigating the World without Anypony Knowing'... I'll have to workshop that title later.

I'm going to get over to that first little 'hiding spot' by the nearest bench. Nice and easy. Quiet. Shh~ with the clippidy cloppidy, Hooves, so be cooperative. Okay? Hooves? Hyoo~vz, hehe. Shh~! Quiet.

There we go. Nopony needs to look. Nothing to see here. Quieter now. A little bit quieter now...

"Hn!" Ow, my face! Uneven boards jumping up out of nowhere-

-Oh, up! Get up! Dang it, Hooves. Cooperate.

That's better. Okay. Move. Duck behind it.

Breathe.
In. Out. Slow my heart. Wow, that thing beats fast. Woo!
In. Out.
Anyone notice? Doesn't seem like it. Good.

Behind a bench. I feel a little exposed here. It's not raised on legs. Seems like a strange design. No back to it. It's just like a long, low, flat, block of wood on top of the boardwalk. No arm rails either. Does that make it a bench? Or would that be more like a 'sitting platform?'

I assume it's a bench and that it's for sitting. There's a pony sitting on one over there a little ways down the way on one. Looks like it's having a snack.

*gurgle*

What was that?

Um~ it's coming from me, I think. Below my chest. Stomach? Oh! Ri~ght. I have one of those. Survival. Sustenance. I don't think I'm good enough a flier yet to zip over, swoop down, and snatch that snack and get away with it... I'd probably just crash after one flap. I'm not that good at sneaking with my hooves yet either.

My lip smarts from face planting back there. Hooves, that was all your fault. You'll have to make up for it later.

Falling on the sand felt way better than the wharf's deck.

I bet clouds feel amazing. That's going to be so awesome. I wonder how many I could snatch before they notice some are missing... Depends on just how regulated that industry is, I suppose.

Like, how do they keep track of the clouds? Are they numbered? Is there a unit of measurement? And do they reuse them? What happens to the remaining moisture when a pegasus disperses the cloud?

Another pony runs up to the one on the bench down the way from around a corner. They exchange some words. Can't make any of it out from here. The one who was eating the snack gets up, tosses the snack in a receptacle next to the bench, and they both retreat back around that corner to parts unknown. Must be something important. Is anypony looking? No? Looks clear.

Imma get the rest of that snack.

Let's think this through real quick. Running. I haven't tried that yet. Quadrupeds have a different way to do it. The back ones do the bulk of the propulsion, right? Maybe? One speed would use alternate diagonals, possibly.

Can't be rocket science.

They have different ways to the steps... Gaits! That's the word. Another speed should alternate front and back, I think... I have no idea how any of that would work.

The only image in my head is that of a deer or gazelle doing some spring-loaded hippidy-hop, but that uses all four legs at the same time. Sh!t...

Well, beggars can't be choosers. On three. One, get ready hooves. Two, get ready legs. Three, push!

Woo! Okay. Well, it works. Can't argue with results, I guess. Faster than slinking around. Ha! This is kind of fun. Makes a neat noise: *p-da, p-da* which is noticeably different from the *clip-clop* of walking. Making good time, it feels like. Still no eyes on me yet -oop- almost lost it. Eyes on the road, pal.

Sweet. Destination incoming.

Hooves? Destination: the bench. It's right there. Getting bigger fast. You can stop anyti- oh! I don't know how to st- "Hrk!" Sunnova... ow~

In. Out. Slowly.
In. Out. Slower.
In. Out.

Need to practice stopping without my face... or my knees... Moving that up the priorities list.

A little blood on the bench. It's the right color to be blood, anyway. That's comforting for some reason. Tastes a little different; that's less comforting.

I have maybe one hour in this world, and I don't need to be bleeding all over the place just yet -hopefully at all.

*gurgle* Oh, yeah! Hungry. No ponies around? Good. Up on the bench. Waste bin isn't too tall, luckily. Can't reach the food inside from here, though. Doesn't smell terrible the bench. The bag isn't plastic. Feels akin to burlap or sackcloth but thinner while still sturdy. A dense flax perhaps? Either way, I think that’s good: no suffocation hazard.

Gentle hop with the wings a~nd alley-oop. "Oof."

Okay. In the can. Let’s see what we have for dinner.

Thing on top is a half-eaten pastry. Looks like it was fried like a fast food apple pie. Mm~ I don't know if the filing is apple, but it tastes apple-like.

Who knows if apples here taste like apples from Before? Maybe apples here actually taste like oranges from Before and bananas from Before taste like fish here?

I'll have to compare new memories with new taste buds to old memories without the use of my old taste buds... eventually. As long as it doesn’t turn into one of those disgusting jelly bean contests, this could be fun. I might have to keep a journal or something just for flavors. So many things on my to-do list already.

It doesn't sting my lip too much -not too tart or citrusy on my split lip. Nice and mushy, too. Feels like I seem to have some trouble with the harder bits. Hm~ I do have some teeth but how many is a pony supposed to have? Jaw doesn't feel particularly powerful: more evidence that I am likely a foal.

Note to self: try to focus on soft foods if possible.

Little bit of his drink left. Must have been from a food stall nearby of something. Definitely a juice of some type. Not entirely sure what fruit made it. Nice after taste, though. A little tingly. Reminds me of something... Mmm~ whatever it is, I could go for more of that.

“Urp.” Excuse me.

This is the coolest thing ever: coming to Equus. Everything's jus~t great!

So great... Everypony’s just amazing!

…

“Wha-?” Oh, must’ve napped for a minute. It’s okay. That juice was delicious. I need to keep my eyes open for that stuff.

Well, I think I have everything this rubbish bin can give me. Time to get out and... Huh. Not enough room to open my wings. Rim is high up. Not tall enough to crawl out. Okay~ don't panic...

...I might be panicking a little bit... Keep breathing.
In. Out.
In. Out. Maybe close my eyes -nope! That makes it worse.
In. Out.
In. Out. Think. Focus. Think.

I don't feel like getting bagged and tossed into a garbage -uh- cart? I haven't seen evidence of trucks. So, I'm assuming things are pulled on carts.

...Guess I'm tippin' it? Rock it?

Back and forth. Come on. Really give it to 'er! Little more. Keep breathing. Keep pushing. Little more! "Hr~!" Ugh! The~re!

Who's the best can-tipper? Me. Oh, yeah! Brand new record holder right here. Champion.

That wasn't so bad. Probably a bit tougher than I think it should have been, but I still did it.

Covered with just a little bit of garbage. Lots of salt water over there; that should be good to clean me. Sort of. Maybe? I actually don't know if that's good for pony fur or skin.

Oh, look: an apple... Or what I would perceive as most of an apple. Could be called something completely different. Maybe what I used to call 'apples' are called 'donuts' here. Who knows? Not this guy.

Must've been at the bottom of the can. It's kind of soft... That's perfect for me! Definitely doesn't taste fresh; but I can eat it like this, and that's just fine. Doesn't taste bad either. Pretty good for an old apple.

I must be the greatest Equestrian survivalist of all time. Take that!... whoever it is that sets up -um- difficulties in life... I don't think that's Harmony's job... I really hope that's not Harmony's job...

Maybe that's Discord's job, but he might locked up in stone right now depending on when I am... Ugh, that makes my thinker sore.

Mm~ I wonder if there's an apple-based restaurant around here. I could just hang around the back of it and-

-Two ponies are on the beach staring at me. What.

Swallow. Okay. Maybe if I stay still they won't see me anymore? That's a thing with herbivorous herd animals, right?... Right? I seem to remember that from somewhere.

Both are earth-ponies. One is slightly larger than the other. I'm next to the bench on the boardwalk just above the wooden tide-wall.

Can't tell for sure from this angle, but the farther one looks like it is a male. He has a tanish coat, brownish mane and tail, and… two irises on each side? A ring of green on the inner and brown on the outer. Overall, his colors are more muted than hers; he even has some top-shading with some lighter gradients on his underside. He has thicker fur in certain places: down by his hooves, belly area, and the sides of his face and neck. His whole frame is wider and angular.

I'd guess the closest one to be female. From this distance, her lashes are longer, face less angular, body curvier and more subtle but not less muscular. Her coat is a creamy peach, rose and pink mane and tail, blue eyes with a darker outline to her irises. Her colors are slightly more vibrant than his. She has some fur tufts in different places: fluffy on her chest, some flares along the backs of her forelegs and along the back of her flanks. I can see her cutie mark: two cherries slightly off center of a yellow-silver circle.

Both have a noticeable roundness to the hinge on their mandibles -very equine-like shape.

Their noses -muzzles- are not as large as the equine animal counterparts from Before; I'd equate their ratio akin to that of a middle to short-muzzled dog -small and cute while big enough to increase one’s sinus sensitivity- though his is a bit bigger in size than hers. Herbivores do also need some extra attention to chewing certain foods like hay; perhaps the extra dental space is for such?

Oh. Does that mean I’ll have to eat hay? D@mn. That sounds dry… and gross.

His irises have been slowly relaxing while hers have been constricting. Both their nostrils flair slightly with each breath. They look so real. Alive- they are alive

The fur covering their bodies does not all flow in just one direction the way a cartoon image would ever bother to depict because of how much it would cost to produce such detail; the colors of each hair is not uniform, but my eyes can blend them if I don't focus on that.

Their coats are not very long. Can ponies get shaggy? Instead, their coats look so short and soft that I could barely tell they’re covered in fur in some places -except for the tufted spots. Maybe that’s specifically because they’re earth-ponies and unicorns and pegasi have different fur patterns? I suppose pegasi could probably have some high altitude characteristics but also some to reduce drag and dry water quickly… I should get an anatomy book.

Either way, the two do not look like cartoons or 3-D models. They look like flesh-and-blood creatures. Their chests rise and fall when they breathe. The muscles on their backs twitch the way equines would from Before. They have muscle bulges around their shoulders and hips and lean lines along their necks and backs.

Eyes are open, and ears are pointed right at me.

I can see strands of mane and tail flutter with the light breeze off the water. Their eyes are not as caricatured huge as I expected -neither overly large as those drawings from Before but bigger than the equine creatures I once knew. Neither are they fully forward-facing or wholly on the sides. They appear well proportioned… Now that I think about it, my field of vision does seem quite large. More than two-hundred degrees, I think; and if I were to tilt my head just slightly, I could look directly behind me.

And there is a light in their eyes. Life. They’re full of life.

They do not look like animated characters but instead are flesh, blood, and fur without appearing as amalgamated horrors -not like a freaky blue hedgehog... Why is that a thing I make a comparison to?

They look plausible... and incredibly adorable.

Are they friends? Or are they on a date, I wonder? Courtship could be completely different here from what I knew Before.

At least, they weren't facing off for a duel... Well... I think I can rule that out, but who knows. Dueling could be a standard mating ritual for all I know. One of them might have to show their prowess or something -capable of protecting or providing for the other. It could just as likely be a divorce proceeding, or there may be no dueling allowed whatsoever.

Or maybe it's just a regular date as I understand a date to be. Or maybe they were just walking the same direction around the same time, and I'm jumping to conclusions?

I literally have no frame of reference for any of this.

They're not that far away. This is the closest I've ever been to any other ponies.

The slightly smaller one -the one I assume is female- slowly raises one of her forehooves and starts to direct it towards me.

Sh!t! She saw me! How the buck did she do that!? Run away~!

Ru~n, run, run! Ah my knee~ I hope that doesn't start clicking later. Don't think about it.

Sh!t! Just go fast. Help me out here, Wings. Flap, flap, flap! Come on~ Up and over. Don't let me fa~a~ll! Window! D@mnit. Breathe. Jump! Hit the ground running. More of that deer hopping. Have to move. Keep breathing. Turn. Go. Alley. Turn. Keep going. Go, go, go.

Ah, my legs burn. Can't keep-

-Buck~! Slippery goop. Stupid wall. Trippin' me with your slimey- wait- did that thing have eyes!? Nope. Ignoring that. Don't stop. Don't look back. Keep going. Turn. Run, run, ru~n! Alley. Turn.

There's a thing-pile! Is there anything else? Seriously? Nothing? Okay. I'm going in. Get in. Ew~ it's squishy. Whatever. Just have to wriggle deeper.

Okay.
In. Out. Breathe.
In. Out. Breathe, damnit.
In. Out. Calm. Quiet. Be still.
In the nose. Out the nose.
In. Out. Breathe. Be quiet.
Okay.

I don't hear anything.

Okay... That feels better. It's dark here. *yawn* Wings are warm.

*yawn*
That was nice.

It's still dark? Oh, right. I'm in something. A pile of stuff. Let's get out of this.

Yup. Just a pile of gunk and junk in an alley. If I didn't have to make space between me and the beach, I'd be willing to come back to this later. But I won’t. Have to get away from that compromised location. Sky is becoming kind of gray. Is that evening twilight or morning twilight? Is there a different word for either?

…

What's that feeling? ...Oh. Have some 'nature' calling. I haven't done that in this body yet. Huh... how am I supposed to? Maybe if I stand up on my rear hooves and use the wall to balance? Yeah~ a little hip thrust and Imma gonna arc that like a boss!

“Ha, ha, ha." Awesome.

Champion survivor, right here. I’m really good at this.

Next time, I'm going to lift my leg like a dog. Always wanted to try that.

I suppose you think that's a normal thing, eh? Modeling your morning rituals after animals?
Brain, if you've got any better ideas, I'm open to suggestions.
Of course, I've got better ideas. I'm a brain. Why would there be any question about that?
Your track record so far isn't exactly stellar.
That's just because you're dealing with other things right now. As for myself, I'm also quite busy.
Busy with what?
That's none of your business.
But you're my brain. How is it that any business you do- oh, speaking of business...
I'm not sticking around for this.
Fine. Go. I can figure this other one out without you... Hey, Tail, you want to lift up for a sec? Nice.

At least, someone listens!

Hm~ no paper is this alley. Don't think it'll do any good to wipe my 'boom boom' booty with the alley wall. There is a little tuft of grass, though. Dogs do it. Just need a little scoot on there and- "Hruh."

Phew! Nice and clean.

A dog in my memory used to do that all over the place. Not sure I have the muscles for long-distance scooting like that right now, though.

*gurgle* Ugh. I'm going to have trouble figuring out when and where I am if I have to keep diverting my attention to survival foraging.

Nothing I can do about that, though. Tiny stomach fills quickly; tiny stomach empties quickly. That's how those things work, I guess. Can't just make hunger and thirst go away by sheer act of will.

Don't really see anything that looks like it would have fresh anything in this alley. What is beyond?

Just have to stay close to the wall. Be small. Be unseen.

Sky is getting bluer. That means it should be early morning. Might be a good time to move about the area. I don’t expect much traffic in early mornings. Otherwise, I might have to hunker down somewhere until- oh.

What do we have here? An earth-pony with an applesaucey-colored coat and a light orange mane is pulling what I assume is a modest to small-ish cart. White hat, small brim. White uniform. Something going on with her belly; I don't know what to make of that.

Cart looks like it has bottles. Oh! Milk. Is this a milkman -nope. Milkpony? Milkmare? Cart does not look super full. Maybe half the jars seem empty. Must be towards the last portion of her route. Is that a she? I think it's a she. Voice sounds feminine -what I perceive as feminine.

She's humming a tune.

Okay. This could be fortuitous. What better place for a foal to hide than amongst foal food?... Foals drink milk, right?...

Pretty sure ponies are mammalian; so, it can't be bad for me, anyway.

She stops near me. Nice. Detaches herself from the cart. Gets a couple jars from the back. There are some empty jars near that doorway. Milkmare approaches the swap point with the fresh product. Door opens. Another pony emerges from the building. Now's my chance.

Quickly now. To the cart. Careful. Quiet. Wings. Hop. Flap. Nailed it! Duck down in back.

Woo! That was a rush. I'm getting better at this. Knees and face are safe this time. Okay. Breathe.
In.
Out. Love that breathing stuff!
Oh, they're talking. Could be smalltalk. Sounds like… whinnying? Whinnies and knickers.

Oh?

Oh~ no~

The Equish of Equestria isn't like my language. Or is it? Am I thinking in a language or is this something else? Instinct? Emotion? Hm~ I mean, I think I’m using words... Maybe I can recognize something they're saying?

...

Nope. It's not even a halfway Mr. Ed-sounding word-salad. That's straight up horse-speak. D@mnation.

Well, maybe my brain is young enough to still be developing language centers. I'll have to ask Brain next time it shows up. Maybe I can pick this up sooner than I think.

Reading, though. That could be a problem if their letters are something other, too. Can't learn spells for this horn if I can't read, and I will need at least some spells to forage beyond the city and fend for myself.

I don't think there's going to be any Derring Do survival courses for wayward foals or how-to books for young fillies and colts to start camp fires and filter water with their bare hooves.

Ascertaining when I am will be tougher, too; if I can't figure out how to read a calendar or a history book or a newspaper -assuming they have those things- then I will have some serious sh!t to wade through.

Bunch of bottles back here. Some have a picture of a cow. Some have a picture of... that might be a pony. Kind of yellow, wavy blue mane, freckles on her muzzle. Huh. I wonder if that's a specialty product. Maybe it's specific for mothers with foals? Like baby formula?

Alright. I'll cover up with this cloth here. Lucky that's back here. Maybe it's here for in case it rains? The bottle lids do seem to have paper-like woody caps? No plastics. The trash bags in those public cans weren't plastic either. I don't know exactly what they were. Some kind of cloth.

*gurgle* Quiet, Stomach.

Okay. Make myself small and still. She should bring her delivery cart back to her house or wherever she refills these bottles -a warehouse maybe? Glorious.

Another survival skill point goes to me. Just going to hunker down under this tarp. Close my eyes for a bit. Thank you, Harmony.

*yawn*

Magnificent. I’m the… best… surviv…

*gurgle* Oh. Harmony, d@mnit. Getting hungrier. Really hungry. Thirsty, too. How long was I out? Cart is moving. How long has it been?

*yawn*

Sun's up. More empty bottles than there were before. That means the milkmare hasn't noticed me yet. Good.

Little ear flickage. Did she hear my stomach growling? Does that mean something? Are ear flicks only automatic? The bottles clinking are louder than my stomach right now; maybe it’s standard practice for when a pony walks around. I should be okay.

And she's humming still -what I assume is humming- and the cart's wheels aren't quiet either. It’s a nice tune -if a little sad.

With as few full bottles of milk as there are left, we must be nearing the end of her route. This was a good idea and a good hiding spot.

*gurgle*

Okay, Stomach, I hear you! Let's try one of these. Bottle comes to my eye level while I sit on my tush. Haunches? Flank? Dang, I'm small! I'm as big as a bottle. Maybe these are big bottles?

Eh. Probably not.

*sigh* That'll work itself out eventually. I hope. What kind of cap is on this thing? Looks like a pop top. Please, Harmony, let me be strong enough for that.

“Hurr,” Ah, this is on there. Maybe if I try my teeth?

Nope. Doubt there's a little opener around this cart. Maybe if I lift it and use the rim of the side of the cart? "Guh." Nope.

Stupid stumpy little baby arms. If only I had something for grabbing. All I have are hooves. Hm~ but I have been gripping with my hooves. Like that super awesome juice from before. Hooves. Baby hooves. Hyoo~vz. Hehehe.

Hey! Focus: food. Maybe if I change my angle? No. Maybe if I change its angle? Tilt it? Nope. Wrap my hind legs around the base? Yeah~ then I can push down from the bottom and push up from at the bottle top? Bet I look really stupid right now.

Come o~n, d@mn you! *POP*

*splash*

“Oh! Sh~" Sugar Honey Iced Tea! Spilled.

I'll deal with my furry pony coat later. Time to enjoy the comforts of my victory over this bottle of milk… Wow. That sounds so underwhelming when I put it like that. Whatever. Get in my belly.

This tastes pretty good. I'll have to see which kind I got after. Just have to lick up this mess before the milk... mare... It's quiet. Did the cart stop?

Sh- she's looking right at me. Okay. Stay still. Seemed to help last time.
In. Gently.
Out. Subtly.

What do I do? Harmony? I'm trying to avoid causing international incidents and wars, here. Therefore, you have a stake in this, too. Come on, don't do me like this, Harmony. Do I go back to the milk and just ignore the fact that I'm stealing some of her livelihood right now? Do I run away?

Hooves? Tail? Wings? ... Stomach? ...

Brain?
Okay, why am I the last one you ask? Deal with this yourself. @ss.
...

She's wa~y closer than the ponies from yesterday. There's no tide wall between us here. No, she could totally run me down if she wanted to. I'm almost of full on milk, too. What did they call that lethargy for babies? 'Milk drunk?' Sh!t. I won't get far if I run with a gut full of liquid baby food sloshing around my innards. Probably end up losing it if I shake it too much. There would go all the effort I just spent.

"Nyeigh-keh? Quee-poeli hyay-myay nem? Meh hray hay-da!"

She's looking around. Squealing and whinnying a bit. Is she confused? Looking for whoever is supposed to be my adult? Whatever. Use this. Drink the rest; drink it fast.

... *slurp, slurp, slurp* ... don’t forget some of the spilled bits…

"Mhreh rhenher brmehehheh-keh?"

Horse noises… Wha- Woah! She's close now.

She came around to the side of the cart. Looking straight at me. Very close. How do they keep seeing through my perfect camouflage of stillness? … Color. That must be it. My green stands out. D@mn.

I feel really small and helpless right now. Like, I think my whole self is as big as her head.

"Meh heh bireh'dim? Deus reryh hr haiy-keh?" She nickered gently.

What's that look she's giving me? Sadness? Pity? Please don't be like that, lady. I successfully pilfered this all on my own. I'm a high-functioning master milk-taker! Come on, with that.

"Hray breigh hrm-eh nhren ya, Hy-beh." She said just above a whisper -a volume I would expect to be used around a small child.

... Alright. Well, I'm just gonna go back to the milk here -woah! Is that my- you're lifting me by my scruff? I have a scruff? Huh. How about that. Doesn't really hurt but it pulls everything taught. Not a lot of moving I can do. This is a strange sensation.

Bringing me back to the tarp? Oh, you fluffed it, Miss Milkmare Lady? That was nice of you. It's shaped like a nest or donut now.

*yawn*

Okay~ oh, yeah. That lethargy struck. I'm totally milk drunk alright. Your hat? I guess it does fit over the top of me. Doesn't smell bad either. That's nice. Warm, too. *yawn* Too... sleepy to... deal with this... now...

Author's Note

The idea for the 'tingly beverage' in the garbage can came from a recipe called 'Frontier Beer' or Spruce Beer that was included as a military ration during the American Colonial era which could be brewed, fermented, and distributed by the quartermasters in 12-48 hours. It was not a very strong beer but served as a way to provide a clean, disinfected beverage before the advent of refrigeration.

So, my guy was thinking about this style of 'pronking' when he was envisioning a faster-than-walking mode of movement without having the coordination for a gallop.

'Mr. Ed' is a reference to the old TV show Mr. Ed. There are a few other references.

The slimey thing with eyes is a low-level creature... or was before the colt slipped on it and checked it into a wall-splatter. I have some Ponyfinder books and got some of the IDW comic omnibuses to put together a bestiary for this fic that will get some more attention when the colt isn't fleeing and can focus on such things.

I have 100-150 vocabulary words for this but am pretty sure my Equish conjugation is a bit off. Making up words for a fictional language is easy; making grammar for a fictional one is not. I’m not Tolkien. Sorry.

For the double-iris thing, I’ve noticed an oddity with some AI generated images where this happens. Most of the examples I found are on the saucy side, but this one from Deviant Art, posted by Turamarth14 is safe. Zoom in to look at Twilight’s eyes and you’ll see the double-irises. Here is another posted by Background Pony. Idk, it seemed like a neat and alien little detail.