Faithful Forever

Chapters

Wishing Well
An Unexpected Find
Taken
A New Start?
Defying Logic
Acceptance
A Friend Indeed
INTERMISSION
Where There's a will there's a way
EQ's and Equine DJ's
Equal to Opposite Reactions
An Introduction

Wishing Well

Chapter 2: wishing well

I have for a long time watched My Little Pony, after a draining day and another argument it just is an escape hatch to another world far away that never has any issues, a land that lives in harmony, that needs no economy to live, it has no foreign lands to worry about, they live peacefully and with each other under a light blue sky that reflects the personalities of each pony who lives in Ponyville.

I dream of my life being that simple, of a day when I could just transform and leave this world to live with those who would always look out for me and party with me at even the most random of times, I dream of working for fun with Apple Jack and the rest of the apple family.

I sigh heavily as I look out of my window, thinking of all that I have, that I am saying I would want to give up. Really? Could it be that easy? To just walk away?

I begin to feel sad at this point so standing up and walking out of my room sleepily I take my jacket and put it on, the plush interior of it warming me through and through as I walk down the stairs towards the door. Mum and Dad are out so I opt to take a house key with me. It’s not often I go for a walk but somehow I feel like I want to. I continue out of the house towards the Springs which is the local river in My village of Ashwell, it may not be big, but it has been the home of many childish dreams over the years, some say it holds the village’s youthful spirit within it. I myself remember the summers I played down here in the water looking for small shrimps to catch.

This time is different, I go to the little concrete steps among the tall trees that stand either side, and indeed all along the sides of the river, I sit on the bank and stare into the water, looking at a solemn reflection staring straight back at me, the silence is deathly, I am all alone, the fog that has been hanging around only isolates me more from the rest of the world around me.

I clear my mind and think of Ponyville, the happy expressions of the citizens there and of the mane six standing by me and embracing me like they do in the opening credits for the show. I close my eyes and let go. For a moment while I am thinking of all this, it becomes real, for that snippet of time, I am there alongside them, sitting at a picnic cloth in the main park in Ponyville chatting, laughing, playing with them and indeed their pets, like Wynonna, gummy, owlicious and tank. I run around for hours throwing the stick for them to fetch, taking it in turns with AJ and Rainbow Dash, and then when I’m tired sitting next to pinkie and exchanging my best and worst jokes while she laughs no matter how bad they are in reality.

I open my eyes and look around, coming down from my high place, watching the dream fall back in amongst the fog and sighing. It’s getting dark, and the fog is a little thicker than before, I begin to shudder as the cold of the winter begins to pierce my very soul and chill me, I stand up and walk slowly back to the steps to go back up to the street level, as I look back at the spot I was sat in, I feel a tear roll down my cheek and then with one last sigh, I walk home and with every step I wish a wish that felt as though it would never come true.

An Unexpected Find

Chapter 3: an unexpected Find

As I walked I passed the church with its gloomy surroundings and orange luminescent lights coming from inside, which selfishly wouldn't warm me in this weather, I pass by the streets that lie empty, and the street lights flicker as they wake up to resume their night watch over the village, the light comforts me in this dark street, it guides me as I walk to the main road.

I decided this time to take a short cut through a field to get home, so I slowly approach the gate and check for any cows inside it. As I suspected it was abandoned and overgrowing, so I vaulted over the gate and continued my walk, hands deep inside my pockets, trying hard to find the warmth that escaped me from this jacket, that clung to me, betraying its own characteristics, the cold still was piercing me and now it crept into my shoes as well, to find my toes wriggling as I strolled.

Through the mist I could make out a shape, one I don’t think I have ever spotted before in this field, it was low to the ground but maybe about 2 feet high at most and looked square, however I quickly realized I was wrong. It was built of bricks, or was it? i couldn't see until i got close enough. As I drew nearer to it, it became apparent that this was a well, an old abandoned well.

Well’s don’t just appear, who built it when, how and why did it look so old? on the well was a small plaque, I normally would have ignored it but I read it anyway, I wasn't in a rush to get home so I read it firstly with disinterest, but then I read it again and it caught me and held on to me, something inside me had just softened.

The plaque read “for the dreams that children dream, for the saving of the adult thoughts, dare to dream again and wish well”. I smiled a gentle smile and dug into my pockets and retrieved a two pence coin. I looked at it and begged that what I was about to do would work. I tossed the coin into the well and listened as best as I could for the "plop” at the bottom of this seemingly bottomless pit. There it was! The splash at the bottom of the hole, I thought about the wish I had just made, how they always say be careful what you wish for and subsequently felt nervous. I had wished for a miracle, and I knew it.

Still smiling I stood up and walked the rest of the way home with a new found spring in my step, Ignoring all the other people that may have been watching from their high street homes, I continued in a floppy, slow but manageable skip right up to my front door. I put the key in the lock and went inside, chucking my coat on the banister as I went upstairs to watch another episode of My Little Pony. Watching with intent and a grin pasted to my face that i hoped would never leave me, I sat with my laptop for a few hours in bed, before surrendering to the waves of sleep that drifted over me, shutting down my computer, turning off the light and falling sound asleep.

Taken

Chapter 4: Taken

It was Friday and almost a week since I had stood by that wishing well. I had forgotten all about my wish and had eventually just boiled the event down to nothing more than just a freak moment and a childish hope. I wasn't concentrating, I sat in the middle of my economics class looking at the notes on the board about Economies of scale with complete disinterest, thankfully no one had noticed but I was more focused on doing a doodle of Twilight Sparkle, it was Infantile and had no real likeness to her but it was nice to see a friendly face looking at me, comforting me.

I rolled my eyes and stared at my watch, when was this lesson ever going to end, I was bored out of my brains yet he lectured on, I thought to myself “now I know how Rainbow Dash feels when Twilight lectures her!”, the thought was enough to provoke a smirk across my face, when finally the bell went and the lesson ended.

As I was leaving the classroom my teacher pulled me aside and said to me, “Jack are you ok? You seem not to be concentrating in class anymore, this is important for you, so listen ok?” admittedly he was right, I used to listen more, and now I had a void of empty space in my brain that should have been dedicated to my studies. I looked him in the eye and sternly said “I’m Just fine thanks, I’m listening, and I promise I’ll keep up with your work ok?”, this oddly seemed to be enough for him as he raised an eyebrow, shrugged and let me go. As I left the room he called after me “I’ll hold you to that!”

Once I was home I flung my coat on the banister in the usual manner, and stormed up the stairs towards my study to get on with my various homework assignments, but unsurprisingly found myself to be far too easily tempted by procrastination, and within half an hour I was watching My Little Pony once again, those vibrant colours and gleaming faces as they all laughed and played together. I was watching Pinkie Pie singing her “Smile” song, it brought a beam across my face (Pinkie would be proud!) and brought back the child in me, for the entire time I watched that episode I felt more content with myself than I had been that entire week.

All of a sudden, something funny started happening. The screen of my computer started to wiggle, and the cooling fans started to work over time, then something that scared me out of my skin happened, an event that I shall never forget so long as I live. Pinkie’s bright and chirpy face looked straight at me, and stared at me, at first, as you can imagine I assumed that the still image meant that my laptop was buffering. But no matter how I moved, the face followed me, all the while becoming more 3D, bursting through the barrier of my monitor, into my room where she finally said in her usual giggling voice “What’cha doing there scaredy pants?”, it was obvious, I was terrified, I reeled back in my chair watching her every move as she did mine.

“Well aren't you going to say something?” she asked, clearly becoming more hesitant sensing the awkwardness of the situation that was now arising.

I had to start somewhere, so I said in a feeble voice, “um…h…hi there Pinkie”, as I said this a wave of joy started to come over me as I realized something.

“Are you headed to Sugar Cube Corner?” I asked intrigued by the sight of my beloved Pink pony staring into my eyes as if she was analyzing my every thought.

She giggled, “well of course I am silly billy!”, “do you want to come too?” she added.

It finally clicked, this was it, that coin I tossed down the well almost a week ago, it had worked, it had brought to me the most unique of situations, I was going away to a distant and calm world far away from this retched place. I had to fight back the explosion of excitement that was building into unsustainable levels inside me, I battled it back realizing that there was plenty of time to celebrate once in their world, across the border.

“Are you sure I can come, I mean is it safe for me?” I asked nervously

“Yes according to my research, alternate dimension crossing is as safe as walking through a door”, said a new slightly muffled voice, I didn't need to second guess who it was, her deep purple coat resonated with rich colour that surprisingly I could see being affected by the winds from my realm.

“How do I enter?” I asked tentatively.

“Grab my hoof” Twilight said “but hurry the Portal will close any minute so come on”.

I dashed to my room to grab the items that were closest to my heart (seeing as I had no intentions of ever returning) my favorite teddy, and a picture of my mum and dad before I rapidly returned, I grabbed Twilight's soft hoof and looked around me one last time at the dull and meaningless surroundings that were finally releasing me, to be free. A tear ran down my face, so many emotions were racing through my veins, sadness, joy, confusion, they all mixed together in such a powerful brew at that moment that all I could do was cry.

“Goodbye” I sobbed as I leapt through the portal and into my new life

A New Start?

Chapter 5: A new start?

Leaping through a portal was a weird experience; I felt the world around me shaking and breaking up as a godly white light consumed me. As I stared into the light, I thought I saw princess Celestia, her large, majestic, broad wings spread wide like she does when she raises the sun. Her head was tilted towards the sky and as I watched she started to pulsate, growing, filling my field of view, the power radiating off of her, both scared me and brought me to awe at the Princess’ abilities. The bright light now started to fade. Faster and faster, I began to feel as if I were falling, my eyes darted around wildly to find some kind of light left and then I was free falling in the darkness, at this point I blacked out.

I awoke again to find myself warm, dry, smiling under my covers. I thought to myself almost disappointed, had I dreamt that? It was too incredible an event for me to be able to prove to myself without looking, so I braced myself, as I slowly raised a hand up to my sheets so that I could pull them back, and see the world, or new world surrounding me. I quivered as I reached closer to the duvet getting closer to the moment of truth, always hoping, always begging for it not to be a dream.

I slid the duvet down, and dared a peek out, into my room…It wasn't my room it didn’t nearly resemble anything like my room. It had dark green curtains, and a small fire place at the side and on the mantel piece was the picture of my parents I had brought with me. The bed I slept on was a rosy red colour, and obviously made of some kind of timber. The duvet was white and red chequered and very well stitched. I looked towards the wall opposite me to find that the stairs were right there in front of me, going down into a place that as yet I had not explored.

It was as it appeared to be mid-morning, leaving the question in my mind. How long had I been out for? I went to rub my eye and stopped abruptly. What was with my hand? It wasn't normal at all. I raced over to a mirror in the far corner of where I had been, and with each pace noticing a new sound as I moved. I peered into the mirror in disbelief, my hand had transformed, the usual five fingers I was used to were gone and in its place was a firm, round hoof, the same colour as my old skin, but slightly darker. I scanned myself further from the ground up. My now legs were enveloped in a coat that concealed my body, I was now a gleaming white colour similar to Rarity’s, except it appeared to be much more coarse, my hair had now extended, into a mane that fell naturally to my left, it was scruffy and looked a little like Rainbow Dash’s mane but lacked the range of colour and fell loose over my forehead. It could not have been any longer than Big Macintosh’s’ but it was a thick brown colour, and bounced as I moved. I even now had an elegant flowing tail that curved slightly, and ended neatly, in a twist towards the tip of it.

I had been transformed, how why? It was impossible, my frazzled mind could not possibly depict what was going on around me, I knew that this was what I wanted but still I wondered what was wrong with my old form? All these questions turned into panic as I started to breathe heavily, erratically and I quaked all over, not knowing what to do.

No I told myself, this was no time to be shocked, it was simply time to get on with making a new start. With a sigh I went over to my bed and made it straight, just like I used to do at home, by tucking the edges neatly under the mattress and folding the leading edge over, then finally flattening it all out with my hand, before wandering nervously downstairs.

In an instant I recognized a sweet humming that rang throughout the house, a humming that was gentle and alluring to the ears, I followed the sound into the kitchen where I found Fluttershy tending to Angel her pet. Looking closer I realized she was feeding him his breakfast, “Funny” I thought “breakfast was ages ago wasn't it?”

By this time I had advanced into the kitchen and up to about a meter away from an unknowing Fluttershy when I tripped and made a loud sound on the floor, if she didn’t know I was there before she did now.

Fluttershy yelped in surprise and sprang around, to see me staring straight at her; I should have known she’d be startled, so I backed off giving her space while she calmed down.

Without hesitating I apologized “I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry…” she cut me off short by putting a hoof to my mouth and ushered a nervous smile. “You startled me” she began.

“I know I’m so sorry I didn’t m…” I started but she cut me off once again.

“It’s alright but you should know better than to go about scaring ponies like that” she said with a surprisingly more firm tone this time.

I nodded in agreement and looked at the floor hoping she might say something first to move the conversation on wards. This was still uncharted territory for me and so I didn’t know what to say, so I figured letting someone else start was a better option.

“I see you are up at last” she said warmly

I looked up at her and allowed a smile to spread across my face. I nodded in agreement at her statement.

“Are you hungry?” Fluttershy asked politely

“Starving” I whispered slightly shocked at something but not letting it on.

“Are you not surprised to see me here?” I quizzed raising an eyebrow.

“Well… no… um… Princess Celestia asked me to look after you when you passed out, we all brought you here and got you to bed as quick as possible”.

I rapidly raised my head, in surprise. So I had seen Princess Celestia it wasn't a dream at all! I only had one last question on my mind left for the shy Pegasus Pony.

“Why am I now like this? in this body?” I asked rather forcing it upon Fluttershy a little unfairly and it showed, I had taken her by complete surprise by asking that question.

After a Brief Pause she finally made sense of what I had said and replied “Oh… Um I don’t really know… Ask Twilight she might be able to tell you… I’m no good with magic”. She could clearly see that I was concerned, so offered a comforting smile.

I had already been thinking that Twilight may have had something to do with this. I became excited of knowing the truth, and started shuffling around nervously i headed to the door.

"Are you sure you Don't want something?" Fluttershy asked

"No Thanks Fluttershy", I said over my shoulder before I raced out the door to go and see a particularly magical unicorn.

Defying Logic

Chapter 6: Defying Logic

I ran as fast as I could manage. It felt weird running on all fours, I had never done it before and on a couple of occasions tried running on two legs to see if I could balance like the old me, but to no avail, I just ended up hitting the ground face first after the first few paces, so giving up I continued on all fours again. I had to catch Twilight and ask her about what had happened to me, I had to know, I couldn’t escape that thought it cycled around in my mind around and around without ever giving me a break.

On a few instances along the way I got lost and had to ask directions to the Library, I admit that I thought having seen the show so many times that I would be able to navigate without any difficulty, but seeing the streets and running through them was a whole other story in itself, they were winding, confusing and had many back routes and four way crossings that ended up in a game of blind roulette. There was no way I could do this without some help.

I came to the end of another dirt road to find myself in the town centre near the town hall, and to my amazement I spotted Sweetie Belle across the street, without hesitating I raced over. As I ran I remembered the fact that I was new to Ponyville and therefore she would have no idea who I was and where I came from, it wasn’t worth scaring a young filly as a stranger so I slowed down and trotted over, trying to put on a friendly smile.

“Excuse me, are you Sweetie Belle?” I asked a little impatiently, I had been running in circles for ages and was hoping to get to the Library soon.

The Filly was a little taken aback, she looked at me curiously, and raised an eyebrow slightly before shyly replying “yes”.

“Oh great, you see I’m a little lost, can you help me find the Library” I said my smile widening.

“Um…Ok” she uttered “follow me”.

I obediently did so and walked behind her letting her lead the way. As we walked I thought it a civil idea to talk to her, get to know her a little more than I already did, though it was never going to be an easy thing to do seeing as that meant I had to pretend to know nothing about her at all.

“So… Um… Sweetie Belle… is it far from here to the library?” I asked nervously.

“Not really, you were quite close the first time” she said over her shoulder.

“Oh right, I’m glad you see I’m trying to find Twilight, I have to talk to her about how…”

I stopped dead in my tracks, I knew that I had almost said too much, it would have been the wrong thing to say and until I could explain myself to the young filly more clearly, and had been properly introduced, I figured it was best not to say about my current affairs.

“Talk to her about what?” asked a now curious Sweetie Belle

I had to think on my feet to detract her attention from what I had almost said so I made something up.

“I have to talk to her about how many Daring Do novels she has left, you know in case Rainbow Dash still has them all” I lied

It didn’t feel right lying to her like that but it was for the best for now.

My thoughts were soon distracted from my lie to the tall tree that now stood in front of me. Sweetie Belle had obviously been true to her word, we had been close before, and now we were here and I was finally getting close to finding out what happened.

I thanked Sweetie a thousand times before racing up to the door and knocking on it as if it were a drum.

“Come in!” shouted Twilight from inside.

I didn’t hesitate and entered into the tree house for get some answers.

Twilight turned around to face me, she had been studying and seemed a little annoyed to be distracted from her precious books. She looked at me as if she was trying to remember something for a moment, then her eyes lit up and she said “Jack!! Good to see you’re up and about, what can I do for you?”

“Twilight, I’m so confused, what happened to me, why am I like this now?, how come my old form was somehow invalid in this world?”

Twilight seemed to understand what I was saying, she offered a comforting smile and replied “well you see Jack, when you crossed through; this change had to happen to ensure the security of our world as well as yours".

I blinked in bewilderment as the thought of unbalancing a world felt a little extreme for me to believe. Twilight seemed to have expected this and added “When two different worlds meet or connect such as ours briefly did such things like weather patterns and time differences all begin to change as the two worlds intertwine. To prevent this we had to remove any evidence of you being from another universe, therefore we transformed you to cover up your old identity”.

I couldn't believe my ears, I twitched as the gravity of the words she spoke hit me like a sledge hammer, It hit me hard enough to send me to the floor in shock.

So I had seen Celestia, I couldn't have dreamed it only some pony as powerful as her could possibly, have pulled off such an incredible feat of alteration. I looked over my Pony body and felt even more shocked at how well she had achieved this super natural change, though the more I thought about it the more sick I felt.

“I know this is hard for you to take in, but we had no choice”, Twilight said apologetically, “Is there anything that I can do that would help you feel, better?”

“No” I whispered, getting up slowly, though I wanted to fight back and let her know how I really felt, but I could see that what she was saying made sense to me, though only really in the same way that Twilight understood the pinkie Sense’s.

“I think I just need a little time to get used to all this”, I said sighing heavily.

My mind was blown and now I was not only having a new start but was now living as a new person, or pony for that matter, even with Twilight's Words of comfort, I just wanted to be able to digest what had been said.

This event had truly defied my grasp of logic, then again I believed everything I saw in front of me without question, the fact that I was talking to Twilight face to face already had me both, amazed and excited to be doing so in the first place. I looked around the room I now stood in at the colours of each item and the texture I perceived them to be. It seemed as though they had changed, their bright colours were now a little bolder and the texture came through much more clearly, Things like the books, I could see a more real material covering them. It looked like leather, and twine binding, the floor had a more ridged feel and the boards had deep grooves in them as if they had dried out over many hundreds of years.

I decided to put the tremendous day I had had behind me. I took a deep breath and slowly the shock began to fade and my mind wandered back to its original calmer state.

I looked at Twilight with a slightly forced smile and said “do you have any Daring Do books I can read? I’d love to have something to help me distract my head for a bit”

Twilight sweetly smiled back at me and trotted over to the book shelves labelled “D”.

“Rainbow Dash, originally took them but she has returned a few, If you like you can start with this one”, her horn began to glow as she picked up a well-thumbed, or more accurately, well hoofed book off the shelf.

It had a little dust on it and I recognized the pale green cover and the jungle styled picture on the front with a heroic looking Daring Do, swinging on the vines of a tropical jungle.

“Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Statue!” I exclaimed with excitement, “I hear that’s Rainbow’s favorite book I can’t wait to read it”.

“Well then you’d better take it”, Twilight giggled

I smiled back at her feeling released from the worries of my day. The extra-terrestrial change to myself had been silenced, and all I could now think about was getting somewhere where I could read in peace. I didn’t want to damage the book so I balanced it on my head, which oddly was a lot easier than I thought it would be.

Once I was satisfied that I could hold it on my head without dropping it I gave a word of thanks to the purple mare and turned to leave, a new found comfort leaving with me. Once out of the grand maroon painted door of Twilight’s library, I galloped off back to Fluttershy’s cottage with hopes that I wouldn't get so lost on the way back.

Acceptance

Chapter 7: Acceptance

The walk back to Fluttershy’s cottage was a long one, I had so much to think about that I hardly paid attention to where I was going, so as I’m sure you can imagine I got lost…A lot. People kept asking me if I needed a helping hand, but I tended not to hear them. It wasn't because I didn’t want to talk; I just was so focused on the transformation that I had gone through to be here, that I had blanked out the world around me, almost as if I was lost on the moon.

I took many wrong turns along the way, ending up at sugar cube corner, the park and even near the Ever free forest. I’m not really sure how, but I eventually found my way back, I recognized the bridge and began to trot, towards it.

I trotted because I was done thinking about what had been said between me and Twilight, I had concluded that I was still who I was, so wouldn't change my opinion of those who did this to me because of it, I had to accept that I was different and had decided I could learn to live by it. After all it was what I wished for. I now understood why they warned me to be careful. Besides I had a new book to read, I looked forward to reading it, especially after seeing Rainbow’s reaction to it when she was hospitalized after crashing back to earth, (Clearly a trick too much for the energetic Pegasus).

Without pausing, I continued up to the door of the cottage, I knocked on the door hoping to see Fluttershy’s childlike gaze when she opened the door. She never came to the door, so I tried it, to find it was open. I cautiously walked into the living room to find Angel Bunny looking at me, with a very good poker face on, I could not tell what was going through his mind at all, and those coal black eyes were blank like a brand new canvas. He pointed towards the table in the middle of the room, where there appeared to be a note, I looked around, wondering what was going on, so I curiously sauntered over and picked it up to read it.

The note seemed to be from Fluttershy, it read:

Dear Jack

Please don’t be upset with me for not being home right now, I have gone over to Carousel Boutique to see Opel for her weekly brush up. I hope you found what you were looking for when you went to see Twilight; I hope you manage to take your mind off of things when you finally read this letter.

Much Love

Fluttershy

It was a simple note, and I was glad to have found it, I had been very worried when she hadn't been there and felt relieved that something hadn't happened to the vulnerable Pegasus.

I returned my thoughts back to my book, the cover looked very enticing. I stood there for a further few moments and then continued up the stairs into my room, each step taking an age as my excitement grew. I slowly approached my bed and laid on it, the mattress flexing a little as I did so. Finally relaxing after a stressful day, I sighed and rubbed my eyes before picking up the book and turning to the first page to start.

*****

About an hour passed and I had just managed to reach the third chapter, when I heard the front door open, and the clopping of hooves enter. I groaned as I put down the book and went, to go and see who it was. Sure enough there was the yellow Pegasus pony her long flowing pink mane falling around her face like a painting. She seemed to have some groceries in some paper bags that she placed in the kitchen before returning back and attending to Angel Bunny.

Before blurting out a greeting, I decided to be more careful so as not to startle her like I had this morning. I slowly walked around her until I was in front of her where she acknowledged me and smiled.

“You seem to be in a good mood” she said.

“Yeah I feel a lot better, Twilight told me everything I needed to know”, I said issuing a reassuring smile.

“So how was Opel?” I asked.

“Oh… she was fine, she just needed a little perking up, and she is so naturally lovely and such a good temperament”, Fluttershy said almost giggling as she thought of her day out.

“Good” I said. I knew what I really thought of that vicious cat, but decided not to say anything because I fully knew that annoying Fluttershy would not end well.

“Got everything you wanted from the market?”, I asked peering at the paper bags curiously trying to see what she had actually bought.

“I just picked up some things to help feed Angel” she said as she got them out one by one.

She had bought what appeared to be Celery, Parsley, Lettuce, Tomato and a couple of oranges, it was quite a bundle, and I assumed it would feed angel for a week, but suddenly I could see that Fluttershy had started Panicking.

“Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no” she exclaimed, racing into the kitchen and over to the Fridge, in her state she ripped the contents of the fridge out, chucking everything all over the place including the eggs that smashed rather comically against the window on the other side of the room.

“Fluttershy! You need to calm down, what are you looking for?” I asked, in slight shock.

“Oh… I forgot to get a set of Cherries for Angel’s Dinner! He won’t eat it unless I make it just right! I can’t see him starve!”,

She stopped running around after tearing the Kitchen inside out, and finally with much flailing of her forelegs, she collapsed into the ground and wept covering her face, so that no pony could see her crying.

My heart exploded, this mare needed help and when I thought about it, I realized that I was in the middle of the land of love and tolerance. I beamed down at her with an affectionate smile and crouched down to her level.

I delicately whispered into her ear “I’ll go to the town and get them for you”.

She slowly began to look up at me her red eyes glistening and her cheeks rubbed red as if she was blushing.

“You…You’d do…th…that for me?”, she whimpered, struggling to make her sentence’s flow.

“Of course I would!” I cried beaming at her “I’d do anything for someone in need and it seems you need me now”.

“I still think she’s over reacting”, said one half of my mind almost mocking her, only to be silenced by other side of me that said,

“No, she needs me and if it makes her happy then this is well worth the time”.

“Just one thing if I may” I said slowly.

“What is it?” replied Fluttershy, beginning to cheer up a little.

“Can I borrow some money, I’m broke” I replied slightly ashamed of asking in the first place.

“Um… Sure there’s 2 bits on the side in the Kitchen” she said holding back a petite sniffle “you can use that, it should do” she began to smile, which warmed my heart in that short moment. I trotted into the Kitchen and picked up the money. I know it sounds weird but it actually tasted weird as if it wasn't made of metal as I had expected, instead it felt like something else but I couldn't tell what, perhaps some kind of gem? It did have a mineral like taste.

I put the thought to the back of my mind as I looked back at Fluttershy and gave her a reassuring Smile before leaving.

*****

The trip into Ponyville market was short, I felt like I was finally starting to get a hang of the navigation, even though in truth I followed my nose, the market was still busy but perhaps in the final closing hour or so, ponies were running left right and center trying to get their last minute purchases before Princess Luna raised the moon to bring forward her usual, beautiful night time.

The smell was delicious Apple Pies, Apple Fritters, Pancakes, cotton Candy, Cupcakes, if you can name it, it was there I had never seen such a variety of stalls including one set up by even Zecora, who was selling remedies to those in need of help.

“Wow that’s really nice of her” I thought.

Time suddenly hit me as I became aware that standing around and admiring everything wouldn't get me those cherries, I walked over to the stall and got in the que.

While I was standing there I noticed that every-pony was looking at me funny. Like there was something wrong, I couldn't think what though, it was baffling me, so I tried to ignore them, but a few were whispering, even looking as if they were giggling. I started to feel a bead of sweat drip down my face, as I grew ever more conscious that something was up. I was getting close to the front of the que, but time had slowed down and the repressing looks I was getting had me scared, the pressure of it building on me the whole time.

“Excuse me?” said a young magenta filly

“What?” I said twitching slightly my nerves were frail and I didn’t want to talk at that moment.

The filly was surprised by my reaction, but was stubborn enough to stand there and raise her nose to me and reply

“Where are you From, I couldn't help noticing you are still a blank flank” she said, giving me a taunting look her eyes narrower than before and an evil grin across her face.

Looking closer at this filly, at the Tiara balanced on her head, I realized that this was not just any filly this was Diamond Tiara, the one tormentor of the Cutie mark crusaders.

I started to breathe heavily as I looked at the other ponies witnessing the confrontation.

“I…I…I don’t come from around here” I said quickly, my words almost lost in my throat.

“Figures” said the filly “so then is your talent being talent less?” she mocked.

“Urrrrrrmmmm… well…you see…it’s just that”.

“Spit it out!” she exclaimed, getting more annoyed at me for not giving her what she wanted.

I backed up trying to get away.

“Hey buddy, are you buying or what?” a lower more growling voice of the stall seller asked.

Without hesitating I spun around, placed the Bits on the counter, grabbed the cherries and Fled as fast as I could, trying not to look at anyone who watched me as I sprinted back to Fluttershy’s cottage.

Is this what I have to face now? Criticism over my non-existent cutie mark? “It’s not fair”, I thought as I ran, my eyes welling up and toying with my vision.

As I ran I realized how foolish I had been to believe that I could escape to a perfect world, no one is perfect, nowhere is perfect, I felt as if I was being condemned to live with some kind of tormenting, which had to follow me everywhere I went. It was the saddest I had felt since I had come here.

A Friend Indeed

Chapter 8: A friend indeed

I hid my face as I ran I refused to let anyone see me as the tears stung my face and made my eyes red and sore. My breathing was erratic and got harder the further I went. Diamonds Tiara’s harsh words stayed in my mind running amok like a pack of rats.

It took forever as time had slowed down, but I finally managed to gallop back to Fluttershy’s cottage without getting lost; just as well because I did not want to see anyone at this moment in time.

I burst through the door, sending a rather unaware squirrel soaring across the room which luckily landed on the sofa in the living room while I dumped the god forsaken cherries on the side in the kitchen. The squirrel rubbed its head in pain and shook its fist at me as I bolted up the stairs and dove onto my bed, burying my head in my hooves. As I went to do so I stopped and stared at them, realising what I had become, I was never going to be who I had been before, I had become a whole new form, and it took all that palaver to make me realise it? Finally the gravity of what I had given up to be here finally struck me. In that moment I was so confused, I had a mix of feelings ranging from anger to shame.

“No” I told myself through the salty tears I cried, “I have to prove that I wished for the right thing,”

“I can’t just hide away from this.”

The thought suddenly hit me “why don’t I have my cutie mark? I mean I know what I was good at when I was in my world, I was a musician I wrote my own songs that generally people seemed to like, I got offered an opportunity to be a DJ for a night once.” The thought had me pondering the same confusing conclusion each time, eventually it got to me.

I raced over to my window “For fucks sake why don’t I have my cutie mark?” I shouted into the clouds begging that my cries could be heard, I didn’t know who by but it made me feel better.

“Forget it you need to find someone to help you,” I obediently agreed with myself and came back into the middle of my room, wiping my cheeks, staring at the floor. Then I stopped and remembered, no Pony in Ponyville knew who I was and I certainly couldn't just approach people as a complete stranger, which would only separate me more from the community that had decided to battle it out with me. So who could help me? my situation seemed to be getting more and more desperate, all I had was what I knew myself to be good at.

What if no pony liked my music? I’d be left with truly nothing, I’d never get my cutie mark, I’d never find the right of passage that would separate me from the foals who I knew would mock me for the rest of my life. I groaned heavily as I once again ended up putting myself down.

With a Rainbow Dash-esque determination suddenly coming over me, I stomped my hoof on the floor and said still frustrated “I have to find someone who can help me.”

I crept down the stairs to see where Fluttershy was, She was Lying on the sofa watching TV and cuddling angel bunny in her arms, her eyes were a little wet as well, and judging by what I could hear she was watching a Drama show, clearly it was a more emotional show because the characters talking were really getting sappy.

“Oh Star Eye” said Star Eye’s mare friend “promise me you will never leave me again, my love for you feels empty if I never see you.”

“Don’t worry Lustitania, I could never leave you not after what I've been through,” He said.

The cringe worthiness was growing every second, so I decided to just go out to find someone who could help me find a place in Equestria I felt like an outsider thrown into place by an outspoken Filly, whose words hurt that much more being a mature example of a blank flank.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs Fluttershy spotted me and jumped up in what seemed to be surprise at first, but what actually became apparent to be Joy, which was so unlike her that it made me jump back in surprise as she flung her forelegs around me and embraced me.

“Oh Jack I never saw you come home, I got worried about you, I thought you’d run off somewhere and gotten lost or scared or worse!”

She hugged me tighter as I decided to hug her back, allowing myself to feel the kind of love that I only knew my own mother to give. We slowly released each other me more surprised than her.

“Oh…um…I…I, I, I’m so sorry,” she whispered suddenly realising what she had done.

Being the element of kindness I decided to boil her reaction down to her simply being concerned as I was sure she would have been in the same situation with one of her precious animals, they were her children in a way, so I guessed it was almost a type of maternal reaction.

I looked into her eyes and felt a warm comforting feeling run through me. This shy little Pony had touched me in that moment.

“I came home earlier I was upstairs reading,” I uttered slightly bashfully.

“Oh…um…ok… it’s just that well, I didn’t know where you had gone and…thanks for the cherries,” she muttered before looking at the ground as if embarrassed.

She paused, looking closer at me, still holding that gentle face, it faded as she noticed the fading red marks on my face and the scruffiness of my twisted and mangled mane from all the tossing about I had done on my bed.

“Are you alright?” she asked raising an eyebrow, “You didn’t get upset did you?” although from the look on her features I was assured that she knew the answer to that.

“Oh you poor dear!” she exclaimed “who would be so unpleasant to do that.”

“I doesn't matter,” I replied solemnly “I have to find someone to help me find my cutie mark, it’s the only way I can have any peace of mind, I need to know that I’m not being judged as I walk through town,” I started to head for the door only to be blocked by the now assertive Fluttershy.

“Don’t go out now, it’s late, you should just sit and talk to me about it, you can tell me anything I promise,” she said looking at me with a reassuring look and a kind smile.

I looked from her to out the window and back to her again, I could clearly see that the sun was indeed setting and Luna was beginning to raise the moon. I looked out the window again before looking back at Fluttershy and saying, “are you sure? You as well as every pony know how important this is.”

At this moment her eye’s slightly closed, she took a deep breath before sighing, opening her eyes to present me with the widest gaze I have ever seen in my life.

I gave up on leaving, clearly she wasn't going to let me so I rolled my eyes, chuckled a little and said, “Ok Fluttershy you win, I’ll stay.”

With that she hugged me again and I felt he warmth radiate through me with the intent to melt my heart… which it did, I clung on to her absorbing the heat that she laid into me and began to feel something change in me I didn’t know what it was, but something changed.

“It’ll be nice to get to know her better and who knows she just might be able to help me with my problem or suggest something that may help me out” though as I thought who I really needed to see it sprang upon me like a panther, it consumed me, gave me inner joy, which is why I hugged Fluttershy even tighter than before.

INTERMISSION

For the Weary

While Celestia’s sun beam’s down, I stand and wonder

Why do I have bad days, how do they happen?

I see myself like Fluttershy, I give in to stress

I often worry about what they think of how I dress

Am I a bad person for being a little meek?

Clearly not, but honestly It happens every week.

Why should I listen to what Iron will say’s?

To become a monster like the others is simply naïve

I need to be better than them, borrow Twilight’s pages

Sort myself out and ignore their stupid rages,

Because they give in to trying too hard like Tixie

Fighting to put other’s down like me

But we don’t need groups to stand on our own two feet

We have self-respect and friendly faces to meet

While they mock us for what we do

Mock us for what we choose

Life goes on and we have Pinkie Pie for when we loose.

No, to be like them makes us tools

And that, defeats the point of a world filled with school’s

My Little Pony gives me a Kick

Whenever I end up getting all that Shtick

Well I don’t conform to their pathetic tribes

I live a life that is filled with good vibes

And when they end up being classed as common bum’s

Luna’s night comforts them unknowing

We see the kindness is showing

showing them a link

a hand of help that will make them think

learning something new (and as Zecora says)

turning you into a better you.

To be loyal makes you like Rainbow Dash

Won’t get you much cash

But it beat’s being loud, obnoxious and rash.

How I stand right now matter’s not

I am tall, braced and proud (quite a lot)

Of the fact that yeah school sucks for all the weary

But I can communicate with other’s who may be teary

Give them comfort; give them a part of my heart

That can forever keep them strong right from the start.

This intermission came about from a bad day i had, it is actually to kind of express the feeling's i had when i decided to write this story in the first place.

(next chapter coming soon)

Hope you like this! (crossing my finger's!)

Rainbow Jacker

Where There's a will there's a way

Chapter 9: Training

After an interesting evening with Fluttershy on the sofa talking out the events of the day, I had gone to bed, however I woke up the next morning feeling refreshed, I knew my mission, today was a day to target the mission, complete it, no matter what. I felt hyped up, excited and my body twitched with excitement, as I straightened my mane, cleaned my teeth and headed steadily down the stairs being careful not to tread on a sleeping hedgehog halfway down, that clearly must have been late to bed to be sleeping now. Seeing it sleeping there made me giggle a little as I went past it and continued to the bottom of the stairs.

My stomach growled. I stopped and thought,

“I could really go for a bacon sandwich right now.”

I was about to call to see it Fluttershy had any bacon, but then realized what in her eyes I would actually be saying, and remembered where I was. This In mind, I decided to just see what was available quickly before I went off.

“I can’t work on an empty stomach.”

After a brief fridge raid I found a granola bar and ate that for good measure, I just hoped that Fluttershy hadn't been saving it, because she wouldn't be able to get it back now.

With a Brief pause to think about if I had forgotten anything, I left the cottage in high spirits. Despite that however I still had question’s running through my head such as “where could she be at this hour?”, “Will she even want to help me?”, “should I try again tomorrow?”.

That last question made me giggle; I really was starting to sound like Fluttershy.

I continued on into the still sleepy town of Ponyville, the market was just starting to set up and the shops were beginning to place out their very inviting Welcome mats outside their stores. Occasionally as I walked I came across the odd pony walking with a friend going about their business, I even caught a glimpse of Rarity going into the Spa “typical Rarity”, I thought as I rolled my eyes and continued on.

Eventually I found myself at Sugar Cube corner, where I hoped to get a little information from the Pony version of Wikipedia, Pinkie Pie herself. As I waltzed into the foyer of Sugar Cube corner I was hit by the warm, creamy smell of fresh melted chocolate, there was instantly a tingling in the back of my throat from the powdered sugar looming in the air. I was so entranced in the inviting atmosphere that i didn't notice the bright and a bouncing Pink Pony racing to greet me as I entered, totally in a daze and unaware of her presence until that first-

“ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh HELLO!!”

I jumped in shock at first before realizing who had startled me and looked back at her with an inquisitive eye.

I slapped a smile on as quickly as I could, not wanting to be rude to this Pony who was being so welcoming.

How was she so bouncy all the time? God only knew but if I remembered correctly the only way to describe it was “it’s just Pinkie Pie”.

“Hey Pinkie” I replied with a grin “have you seen Vinyl Scratch lately I really need to talk to her about something."

Pinkie’s grin began to grow larger and larger until I thought the edges of her mouth would meet at the top of her head.

“well sure!,” she giggled “she’s with Octavia back at home, you looking for a music course?” she winked at me with a knowing eye, making my eyebrow twitch in suspicion of what she knew that I potentially didn't. so once again shrugging my shoulder’s (which to do I had to stand on the tips of my hooves and somehow find balance that used to come so naturally but now felt strange and uneasy, if almost a little clumsy).

“Any thoughts on how to get there?” I asked

“Sure!” she cried jumping up and down on the spot as she did so “just follow the music, the source will always be Vinyl or Octavia, or both because they often collaborate,” she lowered her voice “I hear they’re really, really good”… “Like, Literally.” “I heard them the other day; I couldn't stop banging my head!”

I rolled my eyes a little but smiled and laughed nonetheless, taking her advice in its simplest form is the best way to go about conversation with her or else be standing around for an hour while she monologues with enough energy to make a power plant jealous.

“Thanks Pinkie,” I thought with an eagerness to be getting on “talk soon OK?”

“See ya’ later alligator.” She said waving as I walked out the door.

Once clear of the shop I began to trot listening out for something other than the birds chirping and the other ponies around me going about their business with vibrancy close enough to resembling color. The houses from the windows seemed to be calm and empty as I walked by, I needed a sign of anything that could get me closer to where I needed to be other than just having “follow the music” as a reference.

I eventually found myself in the middle of the town square with my ears darting forward, sideways and backwards scanning for the slightest sound of beats banging in the background. I began to get frustrated and growled slightly.

“Why can’t I find her?”

Out of the five directions I could go I chose one at random and decided to go that way in the hope that I could find a way to find Vinyl or Octavia for that matter.

Time passed and I was getting increasingly distracted, I had already wasted some time at a donut stall staring at the donuts inside with a childish glaze over my eyes, bumped into Twilight and gotten nowhere for 15 minutes until she decided to bolt off mumbling something about a mail order that had gone AWOL (like I didn't know the cause of that palaver).

So there I was sitting back in the town square again, listening. it was nearly noon now and I was starting to get hungry, but ignored it, I was trying to get to my destination my destiny depended on me!

...

“What was that?”

“Is that?”

"It couldn't be!”

“After all this time?”

I spun my head around to face the direction of the strange sound, it was pulsing, fast paced, mixed to perfection. my head and body began to move without my permission, the best I could do to resist was to tap my foot… no wait hoof.

The dive-bombing bass line attacked my ears and filled me with a passion to come up with a way to either harmonize or remix it with my own flair, the thought had me mixing with ideas.

The sound appeared to be coming from an alleyway I hadn't come across before.

Without hesitating I began to sprint…dammit no, gallop… gallop to the source of the noise, the rich playful sound intensifying as I drew nearer, bounding at me from the beats, reaching every nerve in my body that only wanted to become one with the music.

I skidded to a halt at a crossroads and darted left being careful not to barge into someone else’s home, I could see the lights flashing in the windows of the cottage that appeared to be bouncing on it’s very establishing’s to the music.

With barely contained excitement I knocked on the door, and waited for something to happen.

“Will she even have heard my knock with the bass going that loud?”

I decided that knocking was daft due to Vinyl clearly having far too much fun to hear me so I gingerly creaked the door open and peeked inside.

Upon opening the door the sound exploded in my face and is was drowned in a luscious beat so strong it tore away my sense of reality… again.

“That would make it twice this week,” I thought as I looked down at my hooves again for a moment.

Putting on a stern face I pushed into the living room resisting the shock waves hitting me. I did giggle at how all the furniture shook and moved around the room as I pushed through to the staircase, passing what looked like Octavia curled up in a corner with a pillow wrapped around her head. My hooves on the floorboards must have been drowned out by the overpowering sounds reverberating through the house so she can’t have heard me.

“I guess she really doesn't like this music then, so why does she live here?”

I tossed away that thought as I continued onward; I knew I needed to be somewhat fast otherwise my hearing would disappear altogether.

I tensed up with nerves as I realized what I was about to do and hoped I didn't startle her as I went in. So with a gulp I nudged the door and walked in.

“HEY! VINYL? CAN YOU HEAR ME?” I shouted over the racquet beating me into a pulp.

“WHAT?” came the imminent reply.

“I WAS HOPING YOU COULD HELP ME!” I cried.

“No needs to shout I’m right here, now then what were you saying?”

I blushed as I realized the music had stopped, and that my voice alone had been dominating the atmosphere in the room… which now turned kind of awkward.

EQ's and Equine DJ's

Vinyl had been particularly hospitable to me after I had explained why I needed help (leaving out I was actually a human) despite this reaction however she was inquisitive of me, having never seen me before in Ponyville, which was expected. She seemed to notice my need as a sort of emergency, so had agreed to help me out, on the condition that I “try to keep up with her”. My guess was that she meant to take “no prisoners” on this endeavor.

With a wince at those words I had just nodded my head, and decided to get on with what was needed of me… And so it began.

At first it was a clumsy effort, my still new hooves thrashing around the room, flailing to get control of the many dials and switches in front of me, which weren't that easy to see considering the flashing lights that pumped up my nerves to get my body pulsing with energy, but still slightly disorientating my vision.

With the base, pounding my chest, penetrating my being, while the melodies rang in my ears and caused my arms to involuntarily punch the air, I could feel the beat shaking my leg to stomp the ground below me. I may have only just started to regain control, but that didn't mean that I didn't still slip up every now and again, each time I did I’d get either a bonk on the head from Vinyl or she’d get wound up and blurt out stuff like :

“Hey, Jack, you gotta, feel it man!”

And…

“Dude I’m not wubbing it!”

For a whole day, we went through everything from, cutting and EQ mixing, to beat matching and custom vocals. My ears ringing with pain from the intensity of the sound we had been producing together had me feeling like it had all been worth the hard effort I put into finding my place.

We took a short break and had a cup of coffee in the kitchen with Octavia later that day, and discussed the progress…

“Jack, you got skills, but you gotta home them in, keep coming by and we can get ya up to date, there’s no reason why you can’t make this yo destiny, but ya get too excited over it, level out, chill, feel it and wub on alright?”

I cocked an eyebrow looking at Vinyl with intent to store away everything she said; I leant back on my chair and stared at the worn dirty wooden cupboards behind Vinyl and the stack of dishes that still had yet to be done. Then leaning back forward again I stared at the Black and white checked floor, trying to compose a response while fumbling with the mug in my hoof.

“I understand what you mean, but how do you control yourself? I mean I almost can’t help it, I hear it and I just take off, I love it so much”.

“Yeah I hear ya” She Replied “But ya just gotta reign it in a little bit before you can master this, Personally I cool it, by stepping back while I play one song all the way through, no mixing, then I just get straight back to it”.

At this point Octavia swirled her mug and stared into the blackness of her coffee with sunken eyes that clearly hadn't slept properly for a while. Finding nothing more than her own reflection she said “To be Honest with you both, It was a Valiant effort you made today, your structuring and sense of direction in the music, helps you, but Vinyl is right, just don’t get too wrapped up in your idea’s.

She paused and giggled slightly looking at Vinyl with a knowing look briefly before looking back at me with her deep, Violet eyes.

“This one time I became so enthused with a solo that I had been honored with at the Canterlot Symphony arena that I actually ended up carrying on through the main verse and on-wards to the second solo all without stopping,” she giggled again and continued with “The funniest part was that I didn't even realize until the conductor came over to me at the end to give me a ticking of, and I almost laughed in his face while he ranted on”. She wiggled in her chair from the delight of such a memory, “ah that was a good time dear Jack, one of the best”.

I couldn’t help but applaud her, for such a level headed pony she really knew how to have a good time, it I could tell from the way she spoke so jokingly about her past experiences.

CLANK!

Vinyl placed her mug back on the kitchen table after knocking back the remnants of the Coffee and belched slightly, trying to cover her mouth with a hoof, for a moment I thought I saw her blush, with I wouldn't have expected from her.

“Look it’s been nice hanging with ya tonight Jack man, but I gotta’ scram to a gig I got over in the EvaRockin’ Club on the other side of town, and Pinkie Pie will have my ass, if I’m late”

I was going to say goodbye and leave, but a thought hit me.

“Hey do you reckon I could squeeze in on this?”

“Are you sure about that?”

She looked at me with a wonky unsure grin.

“Well yeah” I fired back “I could do with watching you a little more, and learning from it, and besides it’d be nice to mingle with the ponies in this town, get to know who’s who, and maybe make some friends”.

“Whatever Man,” Vinyl Shrugged

“You wanna have a good time then get ready, because I party hard” She grinned evilly at me and I smirked back at her as if to say “Bring it on”.

It was just starting to get dark and the blue sky of Celestia’s day had turned into an Orange and pink hue to signify that it was soon to be night where Luna would raise the moon. Recently I had begun to really admire the night time and sometimes would just stand and stare at the stars in the night sky with wonderment of what I was beholding.

I walked with Vinyl to the club she had been talking about, with a rather heavy flight case on my back, but holding back the fact that I was actually struggling a little bit (curse my weak legs).

Vinyl didn’t tell me what it was I was carrying but she said it would add an extra explosiveness to the sounds she’d be “Pumping”.

The lights in the near distance seemed to glow a bright assortment of various colours of Red, Blue, Green, Orange and was outlined by pink. (My guess by now was that pinkie must have owned the club, because the large circular building in front of me had a high conical roof with that appeared to be a Cupcake with a guitar shaped layer of frosting onto of it and lit up in glittery Pink lights.

Ponies from all over the town and indeed other towns were beginning to gather outside the place, in the queue to get into the club “Must be really popular place” I thought.

Vinyl as she walked began to drift off to the left hand side of the building, circulating around it until we were at the back entrance, at which point we went to enter.

SLAM!

In a blur of blue, a flurry of stars for a brief moment and a gargantuan amount of bright fluffy pink, Pinkie appeared in the doorway, making me leap back a few hoof paces in terror… annoyingly Vinyl didn’t flinch and just turned her head and smirked at me.

Pinkie on the other hand must have been in a good mood, because she continued this scene with…

“Hey There again, oh my gosh and you brought a friend, you’re really good at making friends, in fact just as good as me, well apart from the time when I was young, I didn’t have many friends at the time, but hey that was partially to do with how I got my cutie mark, I’ll tell you it sometime if you want, and we can sit around a camp fire and sing and dance and oh my gosh oh my gosh I could bring balloons with me and we could have a forest party, I bet even the timber wolves would wanna see that don’t cha think?”

Taking a moment to catch her breath, I took my opportunity.

“Hey Pinkie, you sca--- I mean you made me lose my focus”.

The pink mare laughed merrily and replied

“Aw I’m sorry, you OK now then?”

“Yeah I’m fine, I’m here to have a bit of fun, watch Vinyl, get some experience and make friends while I’m here”

“Hehehehehehehe well that sounds supersplendidolicious Jack, I’m sure you’ll have a great time”.

She winked at me and turned back to vinyl.

“Thanks for being early this time, we need some banging tunes tonight”.

Vinyl grinned again

“It’s always banging, Pinkie”.

“Good well then let’s get inside and get setup then.”

Pinkie led on and I followed her into the dimly lit room ahead of me.

The club was amazing to behold, it was a circular layout with predominantly a polished wooden dance floor in the center taking up most of the space, while around the edges of the room, there were red padded bench seats which were tucked up against the walls and cir-cum navigated the room, until they reached the slightly raised up stage area on my left as we walked in. It was incredible with large Sennhorser speakers stacked on top of each-other and suspended slightly high and on either side of the stage, then there was a neon green outlined desk in the middle made of a see through material that made the mixing setup look like it was floating. Looking closer I spotted Vinyl’s cutie mark in the middle of the desk, made of glass and lit up in blue (the colour of her aura).

At present the lights were flashing and a pre-set up playlist was booming throughout the room, whilst the strobes did their best to make the illusion of looking at a black and white artists flip book of a dance scene.

I could feel the sound beating in my chest, and offered no hesitation in allowing it to consume me.

Vinyl and I made our way around to the back of the stage under the cover of the darker lit area’s so as we could avoid being noticed. Once we were around the back, I dumped the heavy flight case that was on my back, onto the floor with a thud and groaned from having the weight lifted off of me.

A few swears and a couple of cable tangle’s later, I finally managed to get everything set up, with (what I eventually found out to be) Vinyl’s Bass Cannon, placed just to the left of her computer and mixing desk.

Now was the time for the party to get really heated. All around the Circular club, I could see ponies, dancing in the most intricate way’s some were by themselves others were with their special some pony, and some were with large groups, I even managed to spot Twilight dancing to no beat whatsoever with a weird squinting face as other ponies backed away and tried to ignore her random movements. The most prominent thing I noticed though was how the room was packed!

The volume was now cranked up to 11 and the floor felt like an earthquake, as the pace of the party in motion started to grow with every song that Vinyl placed on the decks.

As the party went on, Time seemed to slow for a moment as I began to stare at Vinyl, fascinated by the power she held in those two hooves, with every mix she made, and every track she played, I admired how the sweat was dripping off of her, showing just how much effort she was putting down just so that everyone else would have a great time. Something inside me at that moment pinged, something I couldn't put my hand-turned-hoof on. But whatever it was it felt amazing.

All of a sudden I was thrown from my trance, by a sudden frantic shake. Vinyl was staring at me grinning like a pony possessed.

“Yo Jack; get up here with me man”

“Are you serious?” I replied cocking an eyebrow and indeed my head to one side, highly curious as to why she would ask me such a question, seeing as my training with her was only pretty new.

“Yeah man, you gotta get experience somewhere right, heck you wanted this so go get it” she said placing a hoof on my shoulder.

Without another word, she suddenly pushed me hard up to the desk where here decks were playing towards the end of a playlist, for the next set.

Squinting as the lights on the stage blinded me briefly; I looked at the Pear Laptop in front of me and briefly wondered why most items had brand names that were like bad puns of brands back home. Shaking that thought away, I looked back up at the crowd who now were beginning to notice me on the stage and started looking with expectation of me. I almost panicked to get Vinyl back where I now was, but she just waved a hoof as if to say “Well go on, get on with it” which didn't help my confidence, by now the last song of the playlist began to draw to a close so I knew I had to act fast. I felt my ears flop and, my nerves tense up as the pressure began to build up.

Vinyl mercifully stepped up at this point, but instead of taking the reins (no pun intended) she grabbed the mic and began to introduce me.

“Hey what’s going on every pony, Hoping you’re having an awesome time, this is my very special guest tonight…”

She whispered into my ear “What’s your stage name?”

“I don’t have a stage name” I replied frantically shaking my head with a mixture of confusion and frustration

“Come on hurry up, I can’t keep them waiting”

“OK, OK… Um… DJ…D-Drak3?” I said tentatively

“That’ll do” She replied

Turning back to her audience, she went on again.

“Introducing for the first time, DJ Drak3”, she cried as she slowly began to back off the stage leaving me by myself again.

I gulped hard, I knew this was it; I looked back to the laptop to see a pair of pre-loaded tracks.

“Vinyl must have been planning this” I thought to myself.

With a quivering hoof, and hoping for the best…

I pressed the play button.

Equal to Opposite Reactions

Luna’s Night time descended over Ponyville long ago by this point, the stars winked one by one, painting a picture of scenes that not even a romance novel could challenge. The moon shone its soft silvery glow to envelop the town, keeping watch over it as the Citizens slept soundly in their beds, while comforting those who couldn't.

As it turned out Luna would have been a very busy dream walker that night if she had been alerted to the commotion soon enough that was about to happen to the town.

***********

The Creamy yellow walls of Pinkie’s bedroom creaked a little as the breeze moved around from outside, but this was nothing compared to the snoring that reverberated around the room, which was partially why Twilight had sound proofed the room once after a rather dazed, Mrs. Cake had turned up at the Library practically begging for help.

Pinkie on the other hand slept soundly with her hair done up tightly, thanks to the very useful hair tie known as Gummy, who currently had his head resting on the pillow and his body lying across pinkies face with his tail dangling off of her snout, Which somehow didn’t wake Pinkie up.

This Quiet mood however was soon to be interrupted, as the wind began to grow ever louder, causing the rafters to begin to rock ever so slightly, and the various pictures hung on the walls to jiggle, in the same way they would have if Vinyl Scratch had turned up with her bass cannon during one of Pinkies signature parties.

The pink mare however stubbornly snored away, oblivious to her changing surroundings. The room by now was shaking and the furniture starting its own barn dance, as it twirled and slid across the green painted floor.

By this point Gummy stirred with a fright and opened his Purple Snake like eyes wider than he had ever before, he was disorientated, confused… and upside down with his head dragging along the ground, while his tail clung onto the bed sheets for dear life. All the while of course Pinkie continued to sleep soundly, her snoring only adding to the noise and drama of what was going on around her.

A sound that roared like thunder began to pound its way furiously around the deafening, and recently re arranged room, before with a great tearing sound a white light began to shine in the room, the source of which was a tear, one which stared blindly into a new and unknown abyss.

At this point Pinkie Stirred, before staring angrily at the abyss and pointing an accusing hoof at it.

“Urrrgh, you know I was trying to ignore the frackus, but it’s nearly impossible when you’re tearing a hole in the space time continuum, can’t you let a pony sleep?”

The abyss blankly stared back as if it had raised an eyebrow at her sudden outburst, yet it remained silent and unmoving.

Pinkie huffed before trying to roll back over again, but something stopped her, she froze; her groans of annoyance being silenced, her limbs went still, and stiffened, almost mechanically, her eyes changed to a fluorescent green and her expression relaxed to become totally neutral.

Slowly she began to sit back up again with her hooves pointing to the ground, a little like Lyra did on frequent occasions. Pausing for only a moment, she slowly slid off of the side of her bed and got up and (stumbling slightly) rose onto her hind legs, stiff transfixed by whatever was controlling her mind, and oblivious to the potential danger she was in.

Steadily yet shakily placing one hoof in front of the other she began to walk forward into the light of the abyss that stared blankly back at her.

Pinkie’s mind reeling, why couldn’t she move herself? What was going on? Where was this abyss taking her? What did it have in store for her? Was this her end?

All these questions firing at the rate of a blind panic, but still no matter how hard she tried to resist, Pinkie could only feel her legs moving on their own, her stance, was alien to her and she questioned why the abyss had decided to take her like this.

Her uneasiness increased with every step, until when she eventually got to the mouth of the whiteness in front of her you could just make out a tear rolling down her cheek as she took another step, was surrounded by the nothingness, and vanished. With a loud clap of lightning and thunder, she was gone and the Abyss with her.

A confused Gummy flipped himself upright, blinked his left eye then his right eye, while flicking his tail in annoyance, where was his owner? A question he could not find an answer, no matter how well he knew Pinkie, even she didn’t know how to do what he had just witnessed.

“Oh well” he thought “She’ll be back in the morning”. And with that he curled up into a ball and wept himself to sleep.

****************

“PINKIE!”

I screamed as I woke up in a cold sweat, breathing heavily, I stared at the opposite wall hoping for some comfort, I whisked my head quickly to the left to look at the clock on the mantel piece above the fire place, It read Midnight on the dot.

I couldn’t figure out what I had just had a vision of, it was whacky to say the least, and one hell of a nightmare if it ever came true. I tried to calm myself down, and remember that it was only a dream. But there was an issue, it had felt so real. I saw her, I heard her.

So how come I’m still in my bed at Fluttershy’s cottage?

I went to grab my water glass with one hand, only to find myself staring at my hoof. Rolling my eyes and sighing, I took it in both hooves and slowly brought it to my lips, It felt good to feel the water loosening my stiffened jaw, and the way it soothed my throat as it slid down.

Furrowing my brow a little, I laid back and stared at the rafters above me until Luna caught up with me and I fell asleep

An Introduction

Chapter One: an introduction

I have in my brief life always been given the best of things, I have a loving and caring family to hold me up in the worst of times, they correct me when I’m wrong and always have my best interests at heart, as I do for them, without even asking they take me places they teach and encourage my hobbies, help me make friends and show generosity beyond what I thought was possible for a person.

Looking around my room I see my guitar which I haven’t played as much as I should have, I see my collection of fingerboard ramps, I Pod Speakers and all the formal pictures that hang on my wall around my room and thank my parents for them all in turn.

When I think about it I am not as grateful as I should be, it is sad that I take it all for granted, having been to a less fortunate country I have seen their suffering and know what life could be like, but I prefer to live in the future. It helps me forget my young past.

You see even though it seems I am fortunate and I have lived a happy life so far, it cannot be said the same for the other side of the coin. The tales side.

So far I get up I go to school, work, come home work some more, eat dinner and hear about my mother and fathers high expectations of me, how I need to succeed in my life and how I must work harder. Then after feeling sorry for myself about not living up to my brainy sister’s standards, to my parent’s expectations, it hurts me to feel I have let others down, I sometimes hate myself over not being a better person, I hurt for the friends I had and then demolished by my own retched faults, I remember the times I was bullied the times when I was mistreated and let down by those in charge who were supposed to look out for me but in the end never gave a shit, finally I hurt because I feel as though I have nothing to make me a stronger person, I cry a little before I go to bed and try to forget, to be positive in the face of doubt and to spit in the direction of people who make me feel insignificant. But Like Fluttershy has always said “I need to believe in myself”.

My outlets for my frustration? I have always had my Xbox to mess around on Modern Warfare 2, somehow by killing those virtual beings on my TV screen is a release and makes me feel better like I’m taking control and getting back at those people who ever made me sad, but I just get more frustrated from being such a rubbish gamer. I so far have found that there is one thing that re kindles my smile when I’m down, one thing that comforts me whether I’m sad or blue if you want, this release is My Little Pony.