A Brony's Guide to Equestriaby BlizzardzChaptersChapter 1: Every Brony's DreamChapter 2: Questions and AnswersChapter 3: My New Life Starts TodayChapter 4: Humans (According To Lukas)Chapter 5: A Great and Powerful PicnicChapter 6: As Easy as Pinkie PieChapter 7: Party For a HumanChapter 8: Generosity Is a RarityChapter 1: Every Brony's Dream"My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic" Any time I said those six fateful words in front of anybody in my class, they would nearly always begin laughing and teasing me for liking a show aimed at young girls, even though I've tried telling them it's not just a show for girls, they wouldn't listen and would continue teasing me constantly, especially this kid named Jake. He would bully me every chance he got and I was getting tired of it to say the least, but I was too shy to defend myself because he would probably just keep going anyway. Today at school was no different. Throughout the day, whenever Jake and I crossed paths, he would call me "pony boy" (really creative name there) I tried telling the teachers on multiple occasions, but they wouldn't do anything about it. Later that day, I was in my last class of the day, math class, and while we were waiting for the teacher to come in, I was drawing a picture of Pinkie Pie, my favourite My Little Pony character, when suddenly, I saw a familiar figure approaching me. "Hey Pony Boy." Jake snickered as he approached me. "Whatcha up to?" "None of your business, Jake." I replied sternly, trying to cover up my drawing. "Oh come on, let me take a look." Jake sneered, before he snatched the piece of paper. "Hey, give that back!" I exclaimed, but he wouldn't listen." Jake glanced at my picture and laughed hysterically. "Aww, how cute, you're drawing ponies." "Jake, seriously, give that back!" I exclaimed again, but Jake just laughed harder. "Or what, Pony Boy? You'll use the magic of friendship on me?" He asked, going into another laughing fit, before he started waving the picture around. "Hey everyone, check out Pony Boy's cute little drawing." Soon, some of the students were laughing along with Jake. That was it for me, it was the last straw, Jake had teased me for long enough, and that was the moment when something inside me snapped. "Give...that...BACK!" Before Jake had a chance to react, I quickly punched him right in the face, knocking him back and sending him crashing into a nearby desk, as it, along with him, clattered on the floor. At that moment, everyone stopped laughing and were silent. "Lukas! What on earth is going on here!" That was a voice I knew all too well, and all sense of anger left my body and was replaced by fear. I turned around and saw the teacher at the doorway, staring at me in both shock and anger. Needless to say, I had a lot of explaining to do. That night, I was just over at my friend Aaron's house doing what teenagers like us did best, playing video games, and as we were playing a good old game of Call of Duty, Aaron turned to me. "So Lukas, heard about your little outburst in Math class today." I paused the game and turned to him. "How did you hear about that?" "Word gets around. What happened this time?" He asked me. "Nothing, just Jake being himself." I replied, rolling my eyes. "Oh, was he making fun of you for liking MLP again?" "Yeah, and then I punched him, and then the teacher walked in, now I'm expelled for a week, and Jake's parents are mad at me as well." I explained. "Jesus, you're a beast!" Aaron said, slightly taken aback by my explanation. "Thanks Aaron, but I don't really feel like a beast, I feel more embarrassed." I replied honestly. "Come on, man. I mean, Jake's been bullying you for a few months, and you finally showed him who's boss." Aaron encouraged. "I guess you're right, I'm kinda glad I stood up for myself." I admitted, before I sighed heavily. "But I don't know why Jake has to tease me so much." "Dude, screw him, you like something, who cares what he thinks?" Aaron said. "Thanks Aaron, I really needed that." Suddenly, I looked up at the time on Aaron's wall, realizing it was way past my curfew. "Oh shoot, I should probably head back home, Aaron." "Already?" Aaron asked, before shrugging. "Alright Lukas, see ya tomorrow." After grabbing my backpack, I made my way out of Aaron's house and into the night, it was really quiet, aside from the sounds of distant traffic and the occasional aeroplane that flew past. But suddenly, as I was walking down the sidewalk, I saw a purple flash of light coming from somewhere behind the houses, I stood there for a moment, unsure if what I saw actually happened or if I was just seeing things from being too close to the TV. But just then, I saw another purple flash of light, this one seemed a lot brighter than the last one. Even though I was way past my curfew, I couldn't help but wonder what was causing this strange purple glow. After a moment of consideration, I decided to go investigate, even if that meant getting a stern talking to from my parents for missing curfew. I climbed over the fence, where it led me to a huge field, where I thought the light had come from. As I was looking around, I saw the purple glow again, it seemed to be coming from a nearby forest, so I quickly pulled out my phone to use it as a flashlight. Soon, I arrived at the forest where the glow came from, I waved my phone in each and every direction, but I was unable to find the source of the glow. Suddenly, my phone abruptly turned off, I tried turning it back on, but then it flashed the red battery symbol, much to my frustration. "Great, the one time I forget to charge my phone." I whispered angrily to myself. Now I was in complete darkness, but not for long as the purple glow came back. Quickly, I ran in the direction it came from, I didn't even care that I couldn't really see anything in front of me, and after what seemed like an eternity of running through the darkness, I had finally arrived at the source of the light, and my mouth hung open at what I saw. Less than a few feet away from me, was some kind of purple portal, right there, in front of me. I stared at the portal for what felt like hours, I just couldn't believe my eyes. But before I could start walking away, I suddenly felt something pulling me closer to the portal, like a magnetic force. As I got closer, everything started shaking around me, I tried to escape, but I couldn't move. Soon enough, a big flash of white light enveloped my vision, and after that, everything went black. Once I had started to regain consciousness, the first thing I felt was a strong headache as I put a hand to my throbbing head. As I opened my eyes, I was met with a bright light, causing me to shut them immediately. I felt a warm sensation on my body, like I was in the middle of a field on a sunny day. It turned out that assumption was true, as I opened my eyes much more slowly to adjust to the brightness and I looked around, I saw that I was indeed lying in the middle of a huge grassy field, with nearby flower blooming and birds flying past me. However, I couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity with my new surroundings, like I had seen it somewhere before, the question is, where? Then suddenly, it hit me, like a wall of bricks, but I didn't want to believe it. "Am I... in Equestria?" There was no way that was true, this had to have been a dream or a hallucination. However, when I pinched myself, I didn't wake up, and I don't recall taking anything that may cause me to have hallucinations, it took a moment for my brain to process what was actually happening. "No way, there's just no way!" I said frantically. "I'm in Equestria. I'M IN EQUESTRIA!" I just couldn't believe it, I was actually here, in the land of literally every brony's dream, and I felt like I was going to die from a happiness attack as I couldn't stop grinning. The scenery around me was just like the show, birds flying, bunnies hopping, the smells of various flowers blooming in the field. "This... this feels so unreal." I said to myself, my cheeks started to hurt from how much I was smiling. "I'm actually here, in Equestria!" Slowly, I stood up, trying to gather my composure to keep me from passing out from the fact that I was in the place that bronies only dream of visiting. After breathing in and out, I felt a little more calmer as I looked around, in hopes of finding Ponyville, and sure enough, there it was in the distance, in all its glory. Even though it looked like a long walk, it was going to be worth it. As I made my way over there, I couldn't help but be reminded of that season one episode where Zecora visited Ponyville and caused everypony to freak out and hide from her, hopefully I don't provoke the same reaction. That got me thinking, what season of the show had I been transported to? Hopefully it's season eight because the school of friendship and the fact that everyone was more welcoming of different creatures. I walked for maybe a few minutes, until I had finally reached Ponyville, where I saw a huge wooden sign which read "Welcome to Ponyville." As I stared at the village in front of me, I mentally prepared myself for what I was about to get myself into. If I caused the ponies to freak out and run away, I had a speech ready about how I was harmless, but hopefully it didn't come to that. Slowly, I made my way towards the village, my heart still beating as I felt like it was about to jump out of my chest, and as I entered the village, I looked around, it was just like the show, ponies of all sorts of sizes and colors were all walking around, minding their own business, and they didn't seem to pay much attention to me, a human, being here, maybe they were more accepting of different creatures. But as I continued walking, I noticed that I had gained the attention of a few nearby ponies. However, instead of screaming and running around trying to hide, the ponies all just stared at me in awe, some of them were whispering to each other. Soon enough, there was a small crowd of ponies all gathered around me, I recognized a few of them as background ponies. Feeling a little nervous, I decided to introduce myself. "Hey everypony." I began, quickly getting used to their terminology. "My name's Lukas. I'm what's known as a human, I mean no harm to you, I promise." The crowd of ponies all "ooed" in amazement as they continued observing my appearance, I felt a little flustered with all the ponies looking at me, some of them were getting really close, so I quickly walked away, and that was that. Not bad for a first impression. But I was curious, where was the Mane Six, where was Starlight? Spike? The CMC's? I guess there was only one way to find out. I continued on my walk through Ponyville, a bit surprised by how quickly I had gained the ponies' trust, when I suddenly noticed a certain building in the distance, it was Twilight's crystal castle, and without thinking, I ran towards it, before I stopped myself, realizing that Twilight can get a bit... freaked out, and if she sees a creature like me, she would probably be so freaked out, she'd probably pass out. I thought for a moment, worried about how I should approach this, until I decided to just shoot my shot and talk to Twilight, I mean, I'm pretty sure she's had to deal with worse things than an unknown creature, like becoming a ruler of Equestria in Season 9 or having Chrysalis impersonate Cadence in A Canterlot Wedding, and probably much more. So I walked up the castle steps, and I looked up, realizing just how big Twilight's castle was up close. I hesitated for a moment, unsure how Twilight would react, that is, if Twilight even answered the door, it could be Starlight or Spike who answers it. Then I mustered up the courage and knocked on the doors, and as I wondered what I would even say to whoever answered, the door swung open and I saw that it was indeed Twilight. "Oh, uh, hello there." She said nervously, clearly not expecting to see a creature like me. "What can I do for you?" After a small exhale of air, I began. "Uh, hey, uh, Twilight, right?" "Yeah, that's me." Twilight replied, a little confused. "But how did you know my name? What even are you?" "It's a... long story." I replied hesitatingly. "Anyway, my name is Lukas, and I'm a human." "A human?" Twilight echoed, raising her eyebrows. "Well, what are you doing here, Lukas?" "Well, uh, I just wanted to..." "Hey Twi, who's at the door?" Before I could finish my sentence, a voice called from inside, and judging by how boyish it sounded, I had an idea on who it could be. Just then, a certain small purple dragon appeared beside Twilight, it was Spike, looking at him, I saw that he had wings, which led me to believe I was in the events of season eight. "Uh, what's that?" He asked Twilight, pointing at me. "It's something called a human." Twilight replied, like I wasn't there. "He says his name is Lukas." "Huh, he sure does look weird." Spike said, looking at me from head to toe. "Spike!" Twilight scolded, before turning back to me. "I'm sorry about him, why don't you come inside, Lukas? You can explain everything." "Okay." I replied, realizing that talking outside was a bit awkward. To Be Continued... Chapter 2: Questions and AnswersAs I stepped inside Twilight's castle, I noticed just how spacious it really looked, when I watched the show, I couldn't really get a good idea on how big the castle actually was, but now, I was here, in her castle. However, as I followed Twilight to what I could only assume was the library, I couldn't help wondering to myself, where was Starlight? Since Spike had wings when I saw him, that meant Starlight had to be here. As it turns out, I didn't have to wait long to get my answer as I heard a familiar voice call out; "Twilight, there you are." Twilight and I both looked over, and sure enough, Starlight herself was approaching us, or more specifically Twilight, she looked like she wanted to tell her something, but before she could, her eyes fell on me and she let out a small yelp in surprise. "Uh, Twilight, what is... that?" She asked nervously, stepping back slightly. "Oh, this is Lukas." Twilight replied. "He's a human." "A what-now?" Starlight said, clearly not familiar with that word. "A human." I repeated for her. "But don't worry, I'm friendly." "Oh, well, if you say so." Starlight replied, before extending a hoof towards me. "I'm Starlight Glimmer." I stared at her extended hoof, not sure of how to approach this, until I just shook her hoof, which was kind of weird for me to do, but Starlight didn't seem to mind. "Well, nice to meet you, Starlight." I said casually. "So, where did he come from?" Starlight asked Twilight. "That's just it, Starlight, I'm not sure yet." Twilight replied, putting a hoof on her chin. "I was hoping he could explain that for us." Twilight, Starlight, and now Spike, all turned and looked at me, the looks on their faces told me that they demanded to know about my sudden arrival. "Oh, well, um, you see..." I said worriedly, not knowing how to explain this. I didn't want to tell them I came from a different world, because then they might plan on sending me back, and I didn't want to leave Equestria just yet, but I also didn't want to lie in front of them, one of the elements of harmony is honesty after all. "You might not believe this, but I'm not actually from around here." "Really? I couldn't tell." Spike said jokingly, earning an annoyed look from Twilight. "Yeah, I'm actually..." I paused for a moment, worried about how they were going to react to what I was about to tell them. "From another world." "WHAT?!" Twilight, Starlight and Spike all exclaimed in unison. "Yep, you heard me right, I'm from another world." I explained, rubbing the back of my neck. "How did you end up in Equestria then?" Twilight asked, her voice trembling. "Well." I began, trying my best to remember. "I was walking late at night, and I saw this purple glow coming from nearby, so I went into the forest to investigate and I saw this portal, and it sucked me in, and the next thing I knew, I ended up here." "Wow." Was all Starlight could say. "Yeah, I know it sounds crazy, but it's all true." I assured them. "Well, since you're probably going to be here for a while, we may as well get you acquainted in Ponyville." Twilight thought. "Just wait 'til the others hear about this." Spike chuckled. "The others?" I said confusingly, acting like I didn't know who he was referring to, even though I probably did. "Oh, I should introduce you to my friends." Twilight exclaimed excitedly. "I'm sure they'd love to meet a..." She paused, momentarily forgetting what I was. "A human." "Right, a human." Twilight finished with a sheepish smile. After following Twilight, Starlight and Spike into the castle throne room, where the cutie map was, she had Spike write an urgent summon to her friends, telling them to meet her in the castle throne room immediately. Even though the situation wasn't that serious, at least I'd meet the rest of the mane six quicker, hopefully Rainbow Dash wouldn't try to tackle me, or Fluttershy wouldn't hide at the sight of me. While we waited for them to arrive, Spike approached me with a curious facial expression. "So, Lukas, what's it like in your world?" "Oh, well, it's... not the best, but it's relatively great." I explained in the best way I could. "It's got vehicles, technology, and a lot more." "Wow, sounds pretty cool." Spike said, his eyes twinkling. "What is a "vee-cule?" Starlight said, trying to pronounce the word. "Oh, right." I said in realization. "A vehicle is what we humans use to get around, and what we use to take us to places more quickly, there are all sorts of vehicles, like cars, boats, planes, trains, buses, and so much more." "Well, we have trains." Twilight added, referring to The Friendship Express. "And in case you're wondering, technology is what humans use pretty much every day in our lives, devices like phones, computers and tablets lets us play games, talk to people, and entertain ourselves." I explained, feeling like such an expert with all this knowledge I was providing them. "Interesting." Twilight said, leaning forward. "Would you be able to show us?" "I wish I could, but..." I began, before I remembered something. "Actually, I could." I then reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone, and even though it was dead, I could at least show them what it looked like. Also, if I turned it on, they would see my Pinkie Pie wallpaper and I would have to explain a few things. "This is a phone." I announced, showing it to them. "Wow, it looks... small." Starlight pointed out. "And shiny." Spike added, drooling a little bit. "Is it made out of gems?" He asked hopefully. I chuckled, moving the phone away from Spike to avoid having it covered in saliva. "No, it's made of metal, glass and plastic." "Oh." Spike groaned, wiping off his drool. Just then, the door to the throne room burst open and in came the rest of the mane six, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, all of them had worried looks on their faces, clearly because of how urgent the letter sounded. "Twilight, we came as soon as we could." Applejack exclaimed. "What's the emergency, darling?" Rarity asked. "This better be important, Twilight." Pinkie said sternly. "I had to leave in the middle of my newest baking masterpiece, Lemon Cupcake Surprise!" "Yeah, what's the deal, Twi?" Rainbow asked, flying up to her. "You interrupted me in the middle of reading the newest Daring Do book, and I really want to know how she managed to escape The Tomb of Doom." "Um... what's that?" Fluttershy whispered, seemingly being the only one to notice me. Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie and Rainbow all looked at me with wide eyes. Honestly, I was surprised that none of them noticed me until now, I guess they were all so focused on the reason for the urgent summon. "What in tarnation is that?" Applejack asked, raising her eyebrows. "Girls, this is Lukas, he's a human." Twilight replied. "A...human?" Fluttershy said nervously. "Never heard of that creature before." "Yeah, I figured you haven't." I chuckled. "Wow, a new creature? That's so exciting!" Pinkie exclaimed. "And totally crazy." Rainbow Dash added while crossing her hooves. "Well, I think he looks like a charming little darling." Rarity commented, fluttering her eyelashes. "Oh, uh, thank you." I stuttered, before I saw Spike glaring at me intently. "So, what's your deal here anyway, huh?" Rainbow asked, flying right up in my face. "Where did you even come from?" "Yeah, no offense, but you don't exactly look like you're from around these parts." Applejack added. "Well, Lukas is actually from another world." Starlight replied. "WHAT?!" The rest of the mane six exclaimed in unison. "Yep, she speaks the truth, everyone." I said, having already gone through this with Twilight, Starlight and Spike. "And before any of you guys ask, I came here from a portal." "Wow, I knew you said it was an urgent summon, Twi, but I didn't expect this." Applejack said, leaning towards Twilight. "Look girls." Twilight began. "I know Lukas may be a little different from us." "A little?" Rainbow interjected. Twilight glared at Rainbow before continuing. "But I know that if we work together, we'll be able to get him settled here in Ponyville." "Wait, wait, wait." Pinkie said frantically. "Are you saying that..." "Yes Pinkie, until we can find a way to send him back home, he'll be staying here." Twilight replied. Pinkie's eyes widened with pure joy as I knew immediately what she was planning. "Oh my gosh, a new creature living in Ponyville, you know what that means? A Welcome to Ponyville party!" Pinkie then pulled her party cannon out of nowhere and it blasted confetti everywhere. "Alright Pinkie, simmer down, we don't wanna startle Lukas." Applejack advised. "Now Lukas, this is Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Fluttershy." Twilight said, pointing towards each of them as they greeted me individually. "Hello!" "Howdy, sugarcube." "Sup?" "Hello Lukas, darling." "Um, hello." "Nice to meet you girls." I said, a bit surprised by how calm they acted. When the rest of the mane six left later that day, I took a moment to reflect over today's events, I, a brony, had found some otherworldly portal that somehow transported me to the land of every brony's dream, and as far as I knew, there was no way back, I was stuck here in Equestria, and needless to say, I couldn't be any more happier. That evening, Twilight was showing me around the castle since I was going to be resonating in it for the time being, something I wasn't too salty about, as long as I had a place to stay here, I'd be good. As Twilight showed me around, I realized just how big it really was, I guess Starlight's line from The Crystalling was accurate, this castle did look smaller from the outside. After the castle tour, Twilight led me to a certain pair of doors, and signalled for me to open them, so I did and once I looked inside, I saw what I could assume was one of the guest rooms of the castle. "This will be your room, I know it's not much, but it gets the job done." Twilight said as we both walked inside. "Wow, not bad." I nodded, just happy to have a room here. Just then, Spike appeared in the doorway, holding a scroll in his claws. "Hey Twilight, just got done arranging your class schedule for tomorrow." "Thanks Spike." Twilight turned to him, before turning back to me. "Sorry Lukas, I have a really important class to prepare for tomorrow. See you in the morning." Twilight then followed Spike, closing the doors behind her with her magic. It took me a moment to realize what she said, I looked out a nearby window, and even though it was kind of difficult to make out in the dark, I could faintly see the School of Friendship. How had I not noticed that when I was approaching the castle? I guess I was just so focused on talking to Twilight that I didn't pay much attention to it. Although, in hindsight, I probably should've known that the School of Friendship was here since Spike had wings. Deciding to no longer be concerned about what timeline of the show I was in, I made my way into bed. The mattress and pillows were soft and delicate, and the blanket immediately filled my body with warmth. I know I haven't technically spent a full day here yet, I think it's safe to say that I'm going to have a new, exciting, interesting, and probably temporary life here in Equestria. To Be Continued... Chapter 3: My New Life Starts TodayThat morning, I woke up and found out that I was still in my guest room in the castle, meaning that all of this wasn't actually a dream and I was really here in Equestria. I mean, everything felt real up to this point, but it just seemed too good to be true, but now I was convinced that this was actually happening to me. I wondered what time it was, but since there were no clocks in the room, it was a bit difficult for me to figure that out. So I just assumed, judging from the sunlight beaming through the curtains, that it was somewhere around nine o'clock. I then got out of bed, put on my shoes and stretched for a moment, that sleep was probably the best I've ever had, the mattress was soft and the room had the perfect temperature. After stretching, I noticed that there was a mirror in the room, much like Twilight and Starlight had in their rooms, I approached it, looking at my messy, unkempt hair. I thought I at least had to look presentable for my first day in Equestria, so I started searching in the drawers, until I saw a hairbrush, Twilight really did think of everything. When I was done brushing my hair, I walked out of my room in hopes of finding Twilight around somewhere, but the castle hallways seemed to be bigger and more spacious than ever. Just then, I saw Spike walking by, I called out to him. "Morning Spike." Spike turned to me and smiled. "Oh, morning Lukas, how did you sleep?" "Pretty good, actually. Uh, hey, do you know where Twilight is?" I asked him "Oh, she and Starlight went to work at the School of Friendship." Spike replied. "The School of Friendship?" I said confusingly, pretending like I didn't know what that was. "Yep, it's a school where different kinds of creatures learn about friendship." Spike explained. "Twilight is a headmare and teacher there, while Starlight is the guidance counselor. Usually I'd be helping Twilight with teaching, but she said she could handle her class on her own, which I kinda doubt." "Why's that?" I asked. "Well, you may not know this." Spike said while leaning closer towards me. "But Twilight tends to get a bit... well... freaked out." "Well, isn't that the understatement of the day." I thought to myself. "And if she doesn't have her faithful dragon assistant by her side, who knows what could happen?" Spike continued. "Yeah, I can imagine." I chuckled, before my stomach rumbled, reminding me that I haven't eaten anything in a while. "Oh, sounds like you're hungry." Spike said jokingly. "You know, I've got some gems I've been saving up." "Uh, thanks Spike, but I think I'll pass." I replied, while wondering to myself what gems actually tasted like. "Eh, more for me then." Spike shrugged, before he ran off, presumably to go chow down on his gems. It took me longer than I thought it would, but I finally managed to find the kitchen. As I entered and looked around for something to eat, I noticed that there were a stack of pancakes on the table in the middle of the room, since Twilight and Starlight had already left and Spike was probably snacking on some gems, I assumed that Twilight made these for me. After eating my pancakes, which were really good by the way, I wondered what I should do for my first day here, there were just so many possibilities, I could go visit Sugarcube Corner or Sweet Apple Acres, but given that the rest of the mane six only met me yesterday, I wasn't too sure if they'd be fine with me visiting them since they were probably still getting used to me. Pinkie seemed excited about meeting me, so maybe she'd be fine with me visiting her, but then again, she was probably busy preparing for my Welcome to Ponyville party and I didn't want to bother her. I left the castle, the sunlight beaming down on me as I walked down the steps. I stood there for a moment, taking in all the sounds around me, the birds chirping as they flew above, the distant chatter of ponies, the sound of a nearby flowing river, I still couldn't believe I was actually here, but I should just forget about the impossibilities and just fulfill my new life here in the magical land of Equestria. Looking over to my left, I saw the School of Friendship, a lot more clearer this time. Since Spike had mentioned to me that Twilight was on her own teaching, I thought I would just check up on her and see if she was freaking out or feeling overwhelmed. With that in mind, I began walking towards the school. I walked up the pathway that led towards the entrance, the sound of the waterfall flowing nearby filled my ears as I got closer towards the doors. I took in a big breath, before I opened the doors and was met with an array of ponies all walking around the hallways to get to class, this got me thinking, where were the student six? I assumed that they were already in their classes. "Whoa, uh, what are you supposed to be?" A tomboyish voice called out from behind me. I turned around and saw Smolder flying in front of me with a confused look on her face. "Oh, hey, uh, I'm a human." I replied, surprised by her appearance. "A human? Huh, weird." She shrugged. "Oh well, I guess this place is for every creature after all." "Oh, I'm not actually enrolling here, I just decided to visit." I explained, before extending a hand. "I'm Lukas, by the way." "Smolder." She replied, shaking my hand with her claw, which was kind of sharp, but I didn't say anything. "So, where are you off to?" I asked, wondering what class she had. "Oh, I was just heading to the library to study with my friends." Smolder replied, before her face lit up, she seemed to have an idea. "Hey, wanna meet my friends?" "Sure, I'm up for that." I followed Smolder to the school library, and on the way, she asked me where I was from, since I didn't want to worry her about me being from another world, I told her I was from another town and she believed it, I just hope she doesn't find out the truth. When we arrived at the library, the first thing I noticed was how big it was, even my school library wasn't this big. Smolder then led me towards a table, where the rest of the student six, Sandbar, Ocellus, Gallus, Silverstream and Yona, were sitting at, books and paper scattered all around them. I wish me and my friends were this dedicated about studying, maybe then we wouldn't have failed that Geometry test. "There you are, Smolder." Silverstream exclaimed excitedly. "We were beginning to think you wouldn't show up." "Yeah, sorry 'bout that, guys." Smolder said sheepishly, giving a nervous laugh. "Uh, Smolder, what is... that thing?" Sandbar asked, pointing at me. "Oh right." Smolder said in realization. "Guys, this is Lukas, he's a..." She paused, before turning to me. "Uh, what are you again?" "A human." I replied. "Right, he's a human." Smolder finished. The rest of the student six just stared at me silently, unsure of what to think of me. Eventually, Ocellus broke the silence. "A human?" She said nervously. "Yeah, I'm a human." I repeated, stepping closer towards the group. "Nice to meet you all." Just then, Silverstream jumped up from her seat as she flew up to me, before she shook my hand vigorously yet friendly. "Hiya Lukas, I'm Silverstream, it's sooooo nice to meet you too, I can tell we're gonna be great friends." "I swear, Silverstream's energy could rival Pinkie's" I thought to myself. "Whoa, whoa, slow down, Silverstream." Smolder said. "You only just met him." "Whoops, sorry Lukas." Silverstream apologized. "It's okay, Silverstream." I assured her. "You were just excited, that's all." "Anyways, Lukas, this is Sandbar, Ocellus, Gallus and Yona." Smolder said, gesturing towards each of them, like Twilight did when introducing me to her friends. "So, what are you guys studying for?" I asked. "It's this exam about the ancient artifacts of Equestria and their importance in Equestria history." Ocellus replied, pulling out a book, with pictures of various artifacts. "Wow, sounds like a lot of work." I chuckled. "Tell me about it." Gallus groaned sarcastically, resting his head on his talon. "Yeah, test too hard." Yona said in agreement. "Yona stuck." "I can relate." I sighed, feeling just the same way as they did when it came to studying. "So Lukas." Sandbar said, getting my attention. "I'm curious, what are you doing here?" "Oh, I was just visiting to check on Twilight." I replied, before I remembered the whole reason why I came here. "Oh, that reminds me, I gotta go check on her. Well it was fun talking to all of you." I called out as I began to leave. To Be Continued... Chapter 4: Humans (According To Lukas)I was so caught up with talking with the student six that I forgot the reason why I came here in the first place, to check on Twilight. But as soon as I left the library, I was soon met with a problem; I had no idea where Twilight's class was, and this school was pretty big, at least from what I've seen in the show. Eventually, I decided that it would be best for me to ask someone for directions, but then again, the only ones I've met so far are the Mane Six, Spike, Starlight, and the Student Six, I don't think anyone else would be willing to talk to a creature like me, but I'd never know until I tried. So after mustering up a little courage, I approached the nearest pony, a mint green colored pegasus with an orange mane and tail and a purple bow in her mane. "Uh, excuse me." I said, trying my best not to startle her. She turned towards me, and as soon as she saw me, her eyes widened in surprise as she let out a small gasp. "Oh, uh, hello there, can I help you?" "Yes, do you know where Twilight's class is?" I asked hopefully. "Oh, sure." The mare then pointed towards a nearby hallway. "Down that hallway, first door to the right." "Thanks." I replied, before making my way over there. It didn't take long for me to arrive at the door the mare had directed me to, as I leaned in, I could faintly hear Twilight's voice from inside as she went on about magical artifacts. I then knocked on the door. "Oh, just a minute, class." I heard Twilight say. I heard hoofsteps approaching the door, before Twilight opened it with her magic, she looked surprised to see me. "Oh, hey Lukas, what brings you here?" "Hey Twilight, I just thought I'd stop by to see how your class is going." I replied. "Well, come on in, the students would love to meet you." Twilight said, before stepping aside, allowing me to enter. As I made my way to the front of the class, I noticed that the ponies were all looking at me with wide eyes, clearly interested in the sight of me. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Lukas." Twilight announced to the class. "He's a human, he's new here in Equestria and will be staying here for a while." "Hey everyone, nice to meet you." I said, a hint of nervousness in my voice. The students all "ooed" in interest, leaning forward in their desks. Then, one of the students raised a hoof up before asking; "Uh.. what's a... human?" "Oh, a human is a type of living creature that walks upright on two legs. We have hands with thumbs that help us grab things, and we're really good at talking and understanding each other." I explained, the students listened intently as I continued. "Now, humans don't have any magical abilities, but we're still capable of doing amazing things." "Like what?" Another student asked. "Like inventing new things, making art, driving vehicles, and so many more." I replied as the students all collectively let out another "oooh," clearly interested by the concept of humans. Twilight then stepped forward. "Now, on the surface, Lukas seems very different from the rest of us, but we shouldn't judge someone based on how they look. Lukas may seem a bit... unusual on the outside." "Uh, I'm right here, you know?" I pointed out. "Anyway, my point is." Twilight continued. "Just because someone looks different on the outside, doesn't mean that they're any different on the inside, it's not just looks that make up someone, it's also their feelings and attributes that truly matter." The students eagerly took down notes, seemingly thirsting for more knowledge. I couldn't help but appreciate what Twilight was doing, despite the fact that we had only met each other yesterday, and the fact I just suddenly showed up at her front door, she was talking about me like we had known each other for much longer than that. Even though I was a complete alien to them, she was willing to make friends with me, I guess they don't call her The Princess of Friendship for nothing. As the class continued, the students kept on asking questions about humans and their culture, I answered every question to the best of my ability despite my limited knowledge on human culture. Some students seemed very curious about the fact that I was going to be resonating here for a while, others however, seemed to be a bit skeptical about the idea of an unknown creature living with them. Soon enough, I heard the bell ring, signalling the end of class. Honestly, I was pretty exhausted from answering everyone's questions, some of them I didn't even know the answer to. As the students all left in a hurry, Twilight walked up to me with a smile. "Well, the students seem very interested in you, Lukas." She said thoughtfully. "Yeah, I guess they were." I replied. "Lukas, is something wrong?" Twilight asked worriedly, noticing the tone of my response. "Were the students overwhelming you too much?" "N-No, it's not that." I assured her. "It's just that... some of the students seemed skeptical of me, I mean, can you really blame them? Some unknown creature just shows up out of nowhere and they're expected to just get used to it?" "Lukas, I understand your worries." Twilight said considerably. "But trust me, everyone will warm up to you eventually." "I don't know, Twi." I replied hesitantly, my nerves coming back to me. "What if they exclude me? What if they see me as a freak?" "That'll never happen." Twilight assured me, putting a comforting hoof on my shoulder. "Like I said, you may be different from the rest of us, but no one should judge you based on your appearance." I let Twilight's words sank in, she was always known for giving great advice in the show, so I feel like I should trust her on this. Slowly, I felt my nerves melt away as I felt calm once again. "Thanks Twi." I said gratefully. "I guess you're right." Twilight only smiled in response. To Be Continued... Author's Note Sorry if this chapter seems a bit shorter than my other chapters, but I hope you enjoyed it nevertheless Chapter 5: A Great and Powerful PicnicAs I walked through the hallways of the School of Friendship, I wondered what I should do now. I looked around as students walked around me, some of them stopped in their paths to stare at me in either wonder or skepticism, before continuing to walk. I didn't really mind it, I mean, if some random creature showed up at my school, I would probably stare at it as well. It was then I remembered Starlight, who worked here as a guidance counselor, she had always seemed like the kind of pony I would want to talk to, so I looked around for her office, which was harder than I thought since pretty much all the doors here looked the same. Just when I was about to guess where it was, I suddenly saw a student walk out of a nearby room, followed by Starlight's voice calling out. "Thanks for seeing me, Azure Moon. My door is always open!" As the student walked away, I approached the doors and looked inside the room, where I saw Starlight herself behind her desk, looking up at me as I entered. "Uh, hey Starlight." I said nervously. "I'm not interrupting, am I?" "Oh, hey Lukas." Starlight replied, waving at me. "No, I just got done with another student, what's up?" I sat down on the green couch in front of her desk, feeling a bit nervous to be so close to her. "Uh, I just, wanted to come in here and, talk with you." "Oh, well, sure." Starlight said as she cleared her throat. "Go ahead, I'm all ears." "Well." I began, feeling a slight lump in my throat. "It's just that..." Before I could get my sentence out, there was a knock at the door, which sounded urgent. "Hold that thought, Lukas." Starlight told me, before calling out. "Come in!" Just then, the doors swung open to reveal Trixie, with a rather worried look on her face as she ran into the room and approached Starlight, completely ignoring me sitting there. "Starlight, come quick, I need you for something of the utmost importance!" Trixie exclaimed. Starlight rolled her eyes. "Trixie, if this is another one of your "emergency picnics." "What?" Trixie asked in an over-exaggerated way. "No, of course not." But judging from the look on her face, she was lying, and Starlight could see right through it. "Trixie, you know I love our picnics, if you would've just asked me, I would've gone with you." "But I thought if I made it sound urgent, you would come quicker." Trixie protested as Starlight sighed before getting out of her desk. "Alright Trix, let's have this picnic." She said reluctantly. "I'm sure I could get someone to cover for me while we're gone." "Yay!" Trixie squealed in excitement. I couldn't help but smile at this. I always enjoyed the two's dynamic in the show, even though I wasn't much of a shipper, I had to admit that these two had a certain charm whenever they were together. "Actually Trix." Starlight said, as if she had just remembered something. "Before we go, I want to introduce you to a new friend of mine." Taking that as my cue, I got off of the couch and approached Starlight as she gestured to me. "Trixie, I'd like you to meet Lukas." "Hi Trixie." I said politely, extending out a hand. "Nice to meet you." Trixie, however, gave me a rather condescending look as she stared at my hand, then at me, then at Starlight. "You're friends... with that?" She asked. "Trixie! Be nice!" Starlight scolded. "Lukas is a human, he's new here in Equestria and will be staying here for a while." "Fine." Trixie rolled her eyes, before she extended out her hoof, which I shook. "Hello Lukas, pleasure to make your acquaintance." "You too, Trixie." I replied. "I've heard quite a bit about you." "I'm not surprised." Trixie chuckled. "I am The Great and Powerful Trixie after all." "Alright Trix, let's head to the picnic." Starlight exclaimed. As the two of them walked out, I got their attention. "Wait!" I called out as they turned to face me. "Uh, could I come?" "Oh, of course Lukas." Starlight replied with a smile. "What?!" Trixie gasped in disbelief. "But Starlight, this is supposed to be our picnic and..." Trixie couldn't even finish her sentence before Starlight quickly covered her mouth with her hoof and looked back at me with a sheepish smile. "We'd love to have you." Starlight then turned to Trixie. "Right, Trixie?" She asked through clenched teeth. Trixie just nodded in response. I followed Starlight and Trixie out of the school and through Ponyville, and as the two of them conversed with each other, I looked around at some of the ponies nearby, hoping that they would at least give me a friendly smile, but instead, I was met with a lot of unsure glances, it seemed like the ponies were still trying to get used to me, but I thought it wouldn't take them too long to accept me as a citizen here for the time being. "I just love our weekly picnics, Starlight." Trixie sighed with content. "Me too, Trix." Starlight said in agreement. Soon enough, we had reached the picnic around the outskirts of Ponyville, which was filled with the usual picnic items, a red checkered blanket, baskets of food, teacups and teapots, and a few flowers spread around the blanket. "Ta-da!" Trixie proclaimed grandly. "Wow Trixie." Starlight gasped. "This is amazing, you've really outdone yourself this time." "Aw shucks, it's nothing much." Trixie said modestly. As Starlight. Trixie and I sat down on the blanket, the two ponies quickly helped themselves to some sandwiches and tea. Trixie then floated the teapot over to me using her magic. "Care for a cup of tea, Lukas?" She asked, with a flicker of her eyelashes. Even though I wasn't much of a tea enthusiast, I couldn't help but wonder what Equestrian tea tasted like. I picked up a nearby cup and held it out. "Sure." I replied. Trixie wasted no time pouring the tea into my cup as I smelt it, the flavours instantly hitting my nose. Eventually, I took a small, almost hesitant sip, I could taste all kinds of different herbs and flavours as I savoured every droplet of the tea. "So Trix, any plans for your next performance?" Starlight asked her friend. "Hmm." Trixie pondered, putting a hoof on her chin. "Well, now that you've mentioned it, I have been practising some new magic tricks that I'd be more than happy to demonstrate." Trixie then ran off towards her wagon, which was parked nearby. When she was inside, I heard a lot of things being moved around, suddenly, one of her smoke bombs went off, causing smoke to come out of an open window as I could hear Trixie coughing, before she stuck her head out the window. "Note-to-self." She said weakly, before she coughed again. "Never use smoke bombs as alarm clocks." While Trixie was getting herself organized, Starlight turned to me. "So Lukas, how are you enjoying Equestria so far." "Oh, it's been great." I replied. "I've made some new friends, explored the school, and Pinkie's throwing me a Welcome to Ponyville party, so that's exciting." Starlight chuckled. "Well, sounds like you've been enjoying it here so far." Just then, Trixie emerged from the wagon, now donning her magician's outfit. "Fillies and gentlecolts." She announced with a flourish of her mane. "Watch in awe, as the Great and Powerful Trixie performs her newest, jaw-dropping magic tricks." With that introduction, Trixie then proceeded to perform one magic trick after another. Some of them were standard, like making a bouquet of flowers from a magic wand, and the classic handkerchief trick, while others seemed more advanced, like when she made a bird appear out of thin air, before she transformed it into a bunny, then back into a bird right before my eyes. Needless to say, I was impressed. Sure Trixie could be a bit of a show-off at times, but she still remains one of my favourite characters from the show. Although now that I'm actually here in Equestria, I shouldn't be referring to them as characters now. As she continued with her magic show, I turned to Starlight, who was watching intently. "How long does she usually do this for?" "Not sure." Starlight replied with a knowing smile. "But she might be here for a while." Starlight then levitated a plate of tea cakes towards me, they looked like the tea cakes she was baking in the episode All Bottled Up. "Tea cake?" She asked me. "Sure." I replied, before grabbing one of the tea cakes as I began eating it. Finally, with one last magic trick, Trixie turned towards us with a smug smile. "Goodnight, fillies and gentlecolts!" She exclaimed. She then pulled out a smoke bomb and threw it on the ground, causing a big puff of smoke to appear. When the smoke cleared, she was nowhere to be seen, but then I looked over and saw Trixie struggling to open her wagon door, she turned to us and gave us a sheepish grin. "Wow Trixie, that was so cool." I said excitedly. "Cool? It was more than just "cool." One could say that it was great and powerful." Trixie proclaimed. Starlight rolled her eyes as she chuckled. "Alright Trix, no need to show off in front of Lukas." "Well, you know it's true." Trixie defended, and I couldn't help but agree. Then suddenly, a familiar voice called out. "Lukas!" I looked over and saw Pinkie running straight towards us, or more specifically, me. She ran up in front of me with a mix of excitement and nervousness on her face. (nervous-cited?) "Lukas, there you are. I need your help!" Pinkie exclaimed, a matter of urgency in her tone. "Oh, sure Pinkie, what's up?" I asked, slightly taken aback by her sudden appearance. "Ya see, I was baking for your Welcome to Ponyville party soon, when I suddenly realized something, I have no idea what kind of cupcakes you like, so I need you to come with me to Sugarcube Corner and help me because I want the party to be filled of your favourite treats and..." "Alright, alright Pinkie, I get it." I said to her, I guess I should be used to Pinkie's fast-paced talking by now. "Sure, I'll come help you out." "Great, now come on, we have no time to lose." Before I could even reply, Pinkie suddenly grabbed my arm and rushed off, practically dragging me behind her. At least I had time to say bye to Starlight and Trixie before I left abruptly. To Be Continued... Chapter 6: As Easy as Pinkie PieI followed Pinkie as best I could, but she seemed to be faster than I thought. Then again, she did manage to catch up to Rainbow when she ran away from her in Griffon the Brush Off, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. "Pinkie, slow down!" I called out to her. Pinkie then proceeded to trot backwards, without even looking back, as she stopped next to me. "Sorry Lukey, I'm just so excited." "Oh god, here comes the nickname calling." I thought to myself with slight embarrassment. "It's fine, Pinkie." I assured her, being completely used to her energetic self. "Honestly, I'm actually excited myself. I've been excited since I arrived here." Pinkie's smile grew wider, which I didn't even think was possible, until her face suddenly had a curious expression. "Y'know Lukas, you seem to be very interested in Equestria, why's that?" Pinkie asked as she leaned in towards me. I thought for a moment about how to respond to that question. A part of me wanted to tell her about me being a brony, but I wasn't sure how she'd react to that, so I decided to reword my answer a bit differently. "Well." I began. "Equestria seems like a really... nice place to live." "You got that right." Pinkie said proudly, before she suddenly stopped in her tracks as she pointed a hoof out. "Look, we're here!" I looked over and saw Sugarcube Corner in front of me, the smell of cotton candy and various other sweets hitting me like a bullet train. "Welcome to Sugarcube Corner!" Pinkie announced. "Wow." I said in awe at the sight. Pinkie then made her way towards the building, gesturing for me to follow her. "Come on in, I'll introduce you to The Cakes." I followed Pinkie inside, the sound of the bell above the door rang as we entered. Inside, I was met with an array of pastries all proudly displayed, some were on tables, while others were in the display case. Pinkie then made her way to the kitchen, before looking back at me. "Wait here a sec, Lukas." She said, before she disappeared into the kitchen. As I waited for Pinkie to return, I took a look around and saw a good number of ponies nearby helping themselves to the various treats around the bakery. It was then that I noticed a certain grey pegasus with a blonde mane and tail and a slightly cross-eyed expression, it was Derpy. She was eyeing a plate of muffins on a table, drooling a little bit, which I couldn't help but chuckle at. Eventually, Pinkie came out of the kitchen, practically pushing Mr and Mrs Cake out as they approached me. "Pinkie, what's the big idea?" Mrs Cake asked, clearly not appreciating Pinkie's roughness. "Mr and Mrs Cake." Pinkie said grandly. "I'd like you to meet Lukas, he's new here in Equestria and I'm throwing him a Welcome to Ponyville party tomorrow." "It's nice to meet you both." I said as I walked up to them. "Oh." Mrs Cake gasped in slight surprise at the sight of me, but she quickly contained herself. "Well, the pleasure's all ours, dearie. Pinkie has spoken quite highly of you." "Indeed." Mr Cake added in agreement. "She just kept going on and on about there being a new creature living here." "Oh really?" I asked as I looked at Pinkie, who just gave a huge smile. "Uh, Lukas, dearie." Mrs Cake said, getting my attention. "If you don't mind me asking, what exactly are you?" "Yeah, and how exactly did you end up in Equestria?" Mr Cake added while tilting his head. "Ooh, ooh, I can answer that!" Pinkie called out eagerly as she raised her hoof up as if she was in school. I rolled my eyes. "Go ahead, Pinkie." "Y'see, Lukas is something called a human, tall, fleshy, two legged creatures who have no wings, no horn, or any magical abilities. As to how he got here, he said it was from a portal." Pinkie explained rather quickly, yet somehow, Mr and Mrs Cake were able to absorb the answer given to them. "Wow." Mr Cake said in amazement. "Seems like you've had quite the adventure so far, Lukas." "Oh you don't know the half of it, Mr Cake." I chuckled. Just then, I heard the sound of crying coming from upstairs, it sounded like babies crying, which gave me a pretty good idea as to who it was. "Oh no, the twins are crying!" Pinkie exclaimed as she quickly turned to me. "Come on, Lukas, baking can wait!" With that, I followed Pinkie upstairs and into a room, which turned out to be Pound and Pumpkin Cake's room. We raced over to their crib, and there they were, crying their eyes out. I covered my ears as I turned to Pinkie. "How do we get them to stop?" I asked, raising my voice a little. "Don't worry, Lukas, Auntie Pinkie Pie is on it!" She proclaimed. Pinkie tried to calm the twins down by making a bunch of funny faces and sticking her tongue out. Pound and Pumpkin paused for a moment, before going right back to crying. Pinkie then tried shaking the crib, but that didn't work in the slightest. Next, Pinkie tried playing peek-a-boo with them, hiding her face behind her hooves, before exclaiming "boo!" The twins both stayed silent again, before continuing to cry. It was then that Pumpkin's horn began to glow, her magic enveloped the toy chest as toys scattered all around the floor, some were flying around the room as Pinkie and I dodged the flying trajectory. But as I walked over to the toy chest to try and clean up the toys on the floor, I suddenly tripped on a particular stuffed rabbit, which caused me to fall over and collide with the toy box, making all the toys inside spill all over me. As I recovered from the fall, I could hear the twins stop crying. At first, I thought they would just go right back to crying again, but after a few moments, I suddenly heard them laughing. I got up off the floor and, sure enough, I saw that Pound and Pumpkin were now laughing, all matter of sadness completely dissipated. "Well, I should've known that was gonna work." I groaned, being reminded of the episode Baby Cakes. After dealing with the twins, Pinkie and I soon found ourselves in the kitchen, where Pinkie had prepared for us to bake the cupcakes which would be at my Welcome to Ponyville party tomorrow. "Alright Lukas, are you ready to get your baking on?!" Pinkie exclaimed as if she was a DJ at a rave. "I guess so." I replied a bit hesitantly. "Don't worry, Lukas." Pinkie said, seemingly noticing the hesitation in my voice. "With my help, you'll become a baking pro in no time. I'm sure Gummy could help you out as well." Pinkie then looked over at the counter, as if expecting to see Gummy there. However, there was no sign of a small alligator anywhere." "Huh, where'd he go?" Pinkie asked, looking around. "He was just here a moment ago." "Well, knowing him, he probably wouldn't have gone too far." I thought. "I'm sure we could-OW!" Before I could finish my sentence, I suddenly felt something clamp onto my leg, making me wince in pain. I looked down and there was Gummy, his toothless jaws gripping my leg. Even though he had no teeth, his bite still kind of hurt. "There you are!" Pinkie said as she bent down and struggled to get Gummy to let go of my leg. I almost lost my balance as she pulled my leg up. "Careful, Pinkie!" I exclaimed, holding onto the counter for support. "Just...hold...still...Lukas." She groaned. Eventually, Pinkie had finally pried Gummy off of my leg, but she ended up stumbling backwards as she crashed into a nearby cabinet, pots and pans clanged on the floor as Pinkie fell on her back. I rushed over to her as she recovered from her fall. "Pinkie, are you okay?" I asked nervously. Suddenly, Pinkie stood right back up, as if nothing ever happened. "Oh yeah, I'm fine." She assured me with a smile as Gummy held onto her tail. "I've had worse mishaps than that. Now, let's get back to baking." As Pinkie and I began baking, she taught me all the instructions necessary, which I couldn't help but appreciate the fact that she could make an activity I had little to no experience on seem engaging and easy to understand. Back on Earth, the only real experience I've had with baking was my cooking class in school, and even then, I was nowhere near a baking master. However, with Pinkie's guidance, I was able to flow through the recipe with ease, we were making my favorite cupcakes, chocolate, call me unoriginal if you want, but it's a classic and something that you can't go wrong with. "And then Trixie had the audacity to say that the cupcakes weren't good enough." She said, recalling the time Trixie had asked her to bake cupcakes for her and Starlight's picnic. "Can you believe that?" I laughed, both at the story, and Pinkie's delivery. "No, I can't." I replied. As we kept a good conversation going, we flied through the recipe without any major problems, but every now and then, Pinkie would tell me I wasn't doing something right, like I wasn't mixing the batter fast enough, and I wasn't adding enough flour. She was surprisingly stern, but then again, this is Pinkie, she takes baking very seriously. Eventually, the time had come to put the cupcakes in the oven, and after I did that and set the timer, I let out a sigh of relief as I wiped some sweat from my brow. "Man, who knew baking could be this tiring." I said jokingly. Pinkie chuckled. "Well, you did pretty good, Lukas." "Thanks Pinkie." I replied, feeling a bit flattered by her compliment. "Ooh, I just can't wait for your welcome party tomorrow." Pinkie exclaimed in her usual boundless energy. "It's gonna be so fun, there's gonna be cake, games, and ice cream, and who knows, you might make some new friends." Pinkie added while giggling to herself. "But I've already met your friends." I pointed out, earning another laugh from Pinkie. "No, silly, I mean the ponies of Ponyville, including my sister Maud!" Pinkie replied, getting more excited when she mentioned Maud. "I just hope she isn't too busy with her rock studies." I couldn't help but smile at this, Pinkie had always been my favourite character from the show, and now here I was, spending time with her, laughing, and I was soon about to experience one of her iconic parties. Needless to say, my first day here in Equestria was going well so far. To Be Continued... Chapter 7: Party For a HumanAuthor's Note Sorry I haven't made a chapter in almost two months, I was just struggling to come up with story ideas Anyways, enjoy! Chapter 7: Party For a Human As I sat up in bed, my mind was swirling with thoughts. Today was the day. My very own "Welcome to Ponyville" party, hosted by none other than Pinkie Pie. As a brony, I had always dreamed of attending one of her famous parties, but now that it was actually happening, I couldn’t shake the nervous feeling building inside me. I rarely got invited to parties back home, and the idea of being the center of attention in a town full of ponies, well, it felt a bit overwhelming. Just then, I heard a soft knock on the door, followed by the door opening as Starlight poked her head in with a warm smile. "Good morning, Lukas!" I managed a small smile back. "Good morning, Starlight." She stepped inside, immediately noticing my nervous expression. Her smile faded slightly as concern crept into her voice. "Hey, are you okay? You seem a little… off." I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Yeah, I guess I’m just a bit nervous about today. The party, I mean." Starlight tilted her head. "Nervous? About Pinkie’s party? I thought you were excited about it." "I am," I admitted, "but at the same time, it’s… a lot. I don’t usually go to parties, and being the only human here—well, I guess I’m just feeling out of place." Starlight gave me a sympathetic look. "I get it. It can be intimidating, especially when you're the new one in town, and all eyes are on you. But believe me, Lukas, Pinkie throws these parties because she wants you to feel welcomed, not overwhelmed. Everypony there is excited to meet you because they want to make you feel like part of the community." Her words were reassuring, but I still couldn’t shake the butterflies in my stomach. "I don’t know, Starlight. What if I say something awkward or mess up somehow? I’ve never really been good at these kinds of social things." Starlight chuckled softly. "Trust me, Lukas, I’ve been there. When I first came to Ponyville, I was worried about fitting in, too. But you know what? Everypony here is so friendly, and they won’t judge you for being a little nervous. They’re just curious to meet you and get to know you." I nodded, feeling a bit of the tension ease away. "I guess that makes sense." "And you won’t be alone," Starlight added. "I’ll be there, along with Twilight, Spike, and the others. We’ve all got your back." Hearing that helped a lot. "Thanks, Starlight. I think I just needed to hear that." She smiled and gave me a light pat on the back. "No problem. And hey, just focus on having fun. Pinkie’s parties are all about enjoying yourself. If you need a break, just come find me, okay?" "Okay," I said, feeling a little more confident now. As Starlight stood up and headed for the door, she glanced back with a playful grin. "Besides, once you try one of Pinkie’s famous cupcakes, I bet all your worries will disappear." I laughed softly. "I’ll hold you to that." After Starlight left, I took a deep breath, feeling more ready to face the day. Pinkie’s party was going to be something I’d never forget, and maybe, just maybe, it wouldn’t be as scary as I thought. Later in the day, as the time for my party drew closer, I still couldn’t shake the nervousness building up inside me. Starlight’s words had definitely helped, but I felt like I needed some more reassurance—and who better to ask than Applejack, the most honest pony in Ponyville? There was just one small problem: I had no idea where Sweet Apple Acres was. As I wandered through Ponyville, I spotted Fluttershy nearby, gently talking to a couple of birds perched on a tree branch. I quickly made my way over to her, hoping she could help. “Hey, Fluttershy,” I said, trying to sound casual despite my nerves. She looked over and smiled warmly. “Oh, hello, Lukas. How are you?” “I’m… okay. Actually, I was wondering if you could help me with something. I was trying to find Sweet Apple Acres, but, uh… I’m kind of lost.” Fluttershy giggled softly. “Sweet Apple Acres isn’t too far from here. You just head down that road," she pointed with a hoof, "and when you see the big red barn, you’ll know you’re there.” I nodded, feeling relieved. “Thanks, Fluttershy. I appreciate it.” “You’re very welcome,” she said softly. “Are you visiting Applejack for something special?” “Yeah, sort of,” I replied. “Just looking for some advice.” Fluttershy gave me a knowing smile but didn’t pry. “Applejack’s always good for that. I’m sure she’ll be happy to help.” With her directions clear in my mind, I thanked her again and headed down the road toward Sweet Apple Acres. It didn’t take long before I saw the iconic red barn and rows of apple trees sprawling out across the landscape. As I approached, I spotted Applejack near the barn, hauling a cart of apples. She noticed me right away and waved. “Well, howdy, Lukas! What brings ya out here?” I took a deep breath, feeling a little silly for still being so anxious. “Hey, Applejack. I just… wanted to talk to you. Get some advice, if that’s alright.” She raised an eyebrow but smiled. “Course it is. Come on over here and spill what’s on yer mind.” I walked over and hesitated for a moment, trying to gather my thoughts. “So, Pinkie’s throwing me a ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party today. I’m excited, but also… kind of nervous. I don’t usually go to parties, and being the only human here, I’m worried I’ll stick out too much. I was hoping you could give me some honest advice. What should I expect?” Applejack nodded as she listened, leaning against the cart. “Well, sugarcube, I reckon it’s natural to feel a bit nervous. Pinkie’s parties can be a mite overwhelming, what with all the energy she puts into ‘em. But here’s the truth: nopony’s gonna think any less of ya for feelin’ outta place. We all know you’re still adjustin’ to life in Equestria.” That was comforting to hear, but I still felt a bit unsure. “So… you think it’ll be okay? I won’t embarrass myself or anything?” Applejack chuckled. “Lukas, you ain’t got nothin’ to worry about. Ponies around here are real friendly-like, and they’re just excited to meet ya. My honest advice? Just be yourself. Don’t go worryin’ about what anypony else thinks. Pinkie’s throwin’ that party so you can have fun, not stress out.” She placed a reassuring hoof on my shoulder. “And if things get a bit too much, you can always come find me or any of our friends. We’ll be there for ya.” I smiled, feeling a lot better. “Thanks, Applejack. I really needed to hear that.” “Anytime, partner,” That afternoon, the moment had arrived, the moment I've been anticipating for a while, my Welcome to Ponyville party. As I made my way to Sugarcube Corner, I tried to remain positive, Starlight and Applejack's words repeated over and over again in my mind, but despite their reassurance, I still couldn't help but feel uneasy. I kept thinking to myself "I'm gonna ruin this somehow" No matter how hard I tried to assure myself that it's unlikely that would happen, the thought was still burned in my mind. Soon enough, there it was, Sugarcube Corner, and as I got closer, I could faintly hear voices inside. Seems like some guests had already arrived, kinda ironic that I was late to a party specifically for me. With one big sigh, I approached the door and gave a loud knock so it could be heard through the commotion going on inside. It wasn't long before the door swung open to reveal Pinkie, who grinned from ear to ear upon seeing me. "Lukas, you made it!" She exclaimed, before she wrapped her front hooves around me in a tight hug. "Of course I'm here, Pinkie." I replied, my voice straining a bit from being constricted. "You threw this party for me after all." "Come on in, the party just started." Pinkie said as she released me from the hug and allowed me to step in. I slowly stepped inside to see the party in full swing, ponies and other creatures were gathered around, music was blaring, decorations hung from the ceiling, and there was a table decked out with various sweets and pastries, including the chocolate cupcakes I had helped Pinkie make yesterday. I even noticed that there was a huge cake in the middle of the table with the words "Welcome Lukas" written in frosting. "Sooooo, whaddaya think?" Pinkie asked me in a sing-song voice. "It... it's nice, Pinkie." I replied, feeling a bit overwhelmed. "Nice?!" Pinkie exclaimed with slight offense. "It should be more than just "nice" It should be the most fun-errific party ever!" "Yeah, it is." I assured her. "It's just that... I don't get invited to parties a lot. "Oh, don't worry 'bout that, Lukey." Pinkie said dismissively. "You're gonna love it!" I groaned to myself about "Lukey" becoming my nickname. Regardless, I decided to try and strike up a conversation with some of the ponies here, but before I could, I felt someone tap me on the shoulder, it was Pinkie, who was seemingly trying to get me to look at someone, so I looked over and saw that Pinkie was pointing at a certain grey mare with a stoic expression on her face, it was Maud Pie. "Maud, over here!" Pinkie called out to her. Maud noticed us and slowly began approaching us. "Hello Pinkie." She said in her usual monotone voice. "Really dig this party, like how I dig for rocks." Pinkie laughed as she wiped a tear. "Oh Maud, you're always full of jokes. Maud then noticed me as her expression remained unchanged. "Who's this?" "Maud, I'd like you to meet Lukas, he's a human." Pinkie replied. "Hey Maud, nice to meet you." I said as I held a hand out "Likewise, Lukas." Maud responded as she shook my hand, before she fell silent. The situation felt a little awkward as none of us said anything for a while. I then looked at Pinkie, who signalled for me to talk to Maud, which I did. "So... uh... Maud." I began, getting her attention. "Come up with any new rock poems recently?" "Yes." Maud replied blankly. "Would you like to hear one?" I sighed, knowing this could take a while. "Sure, I guess." Maud then cleared her throat as she began reciting her poem. "Rocks are hard. Rocks are strong. They last a long time. Like the foundation of the earth. Steadfast. Immovable. A rock." "Wow, that was... good." I said, trying to make a good first impression. "Thanks." Maud replied, before going silent again. "I think she likes you already." Pinkie whispered to me, giggling a bit. "Maud, there you are." An equally monotone voice called out. I looked over to see a stallion with a light brown coat and a dark brown mane and tail approaching us as he stood beside Maud, it was Mudbriar, Maud's boyfriend, or stallion-friend? "Oh, you must be Mudbriar." I said. "Maud's boyfriend, right?" "That is correct." Mudbriar replied as he gave me a once-over. "And just who might you be?" "I'm Lukas, I'm new around here, nice to meet you, Mudbriar." I responded. "The pleasure's all mine, Lukas." Mudbriar said modestly, before looking at me closely. "Uh, is something wrong?" I asked, feeling a bit uncomfortable. "Technically, there is, as I don't think I've ever seen a... creature like you before." Mudbriar replied, raising his eyebrows. "Oh, I'm a human." I explained. Mudbriar hummed in thought, putting a hoof on his chin. "I see, well, I'll let you be. Come on, Maud." As Maud and Mudbriar turned and walked away, I looked back at Pinkie who was still grinning. "So, how was that?" "That was great, Lukas, you're fitting in here already." Pinkie replied with a chuckle, I couldn't help but laugh myself, Pinkie had always had such a contagious laugh. The rest of the party went by without any major events, I made my way around acquainting myself with some of the guests, some of them were recognizable background ponies, while others were different creatures, like the Young Six. Throughout it all, Pinkie was right by my side, encouraging me along the way and getting me to try her various treats she had made. That night, the party had finally come to an end and it was time for everyone to leave, and as the guests left, they offered me some words of encouragement and welcomed me to Equestria. I sat down on the grass as I watched the guests leave as I sighed to myself, relieved that the party went by so well, I guess I had nothing to worry about after all. "Looks like you're party pooped, Lukas!" Pinkie chuckled as she sat next to me. "Yeah, I am." I replied. "Thanks again, Pinkie. I really had a good time" "That's good to hear, Lukey." Pinkie exclaimed excitedly. "Pinkie." I groaned with embarrassment. "Can you stop calling me that?" "No promises." Pinkie chuckled again as she winked at me as I rolled my eyes, knowing that Pinkie was just being Pinkie. Chapter 8: Generosity Is a RaritySomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
Chapter 1: Every Brony's Dream"My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic" Any time I said those six fateful words in front of anybody in my class, they would nearly always begin laughing and teasing me for liking a show aimed at young girls, even though I've tried telling them it's not just a show for girls, they wouldn't listen and would continue teasing me constantly, especially this kid named Jake. He would bully me every chance he got and I was getting tired of it to say the least, but I was too shy to defend myself because he would probably just keep going anyway. Today at school was no different. Throughout the day, whenever Jake and I crossed paths, he would call me "pony boy" (really creative name there) I tried telling the teachers on multiple occasions, but they wouldn't do anything about it. Later that day, I was in my last class of the day, math class, and while we were waiting for the teacher to come in, I was drawing a picture of Pinkie Pie, my favourite My Little Pony character, when suddenly, I saw a familiar figure approaching me. "Hey Pony Boy." Jake snickered as he approached me. "Whatcha up to?" "None of your business, Jake." I replied sternly, trying to cover up my drawing. "Oh come on, let me take a look." Jake sneered, before he snatched the piece of paper. "Hey, give that back!" I exclaimed, but he wouldn't listen." Jake glanced at my picture and laughed hysterically. "Aww, how cute, you're drawing ponies." "Jake, seriously, give that back!" I exclaimed again, but Jake just laughed harder. "Or what, Pony Boy? You'll use the magic of friendship on me?" He asked, going into another laughing fit, before he started waving the picture around. "Hey everyone, check out Pony Boy's cute little drawing." Soon, some of the students were laughing along with Jake. That was it for me, it was the last straw, Jake had teased me for long enough, and that was the moment when something inside me snapped. "Give...that...BACK!" Before Jake had a chance to react, I quickly punched him right in the face, knocking him back and sending him crashing into a nearby desk, as it, along with him, clattered on the floor. At that moment, everyone stopped laughing and were silent. "Lukas! What on earth is going on here!" That was a voice I knew all too well, and all sense of anger left my body and was replaced by fear. I turned around and saw the teacher at the doorway, staring at me in both shock and anger. Needless to say, I had a lot of explaining to do. That night, I was just over at my friend Aaron's house doing what teenagers like us did best, playing video games, and as we were playing a good old game of Call of Duty, Aaron turned to me. "So Lukas, heard about your little outburst in Math class today." I paused the game and turned to him. "How did you hear about that?" "Word gets around. What happened this time?" He asked me. "Nothing, just Jake being himself." I replied, rolling my eyes. "Oh, was he making fun of you for liking MLP again?" "Yeah, and then I punched him, and then the teacher walked in, now I'm expelled for a week, and Jake's parents are mad at me as well." I explained. "Jesus, you're a beast!" Aaron said, slightly taken aback by my explanation. "Thanks Aaron, but I don't really feel like a beast, I feel more embarrassed." I replied honestly. "Come on, man. I mean, Jake's been bullying you for a few months, and you finally showed him who's boss." Aaron encouraged. "I guess you're right, I'm kinda glad I stood up for myself." I admitted, before I sighed heavily. "But I don't know why Jake has to tease me so much." "Dude, screw him, you like something, who cares what he thinks?" Aaron said. "Thanks Aaron, I really needed that." Suddenly, I looked up at the time on Aaron's wall, realizing it was way past my curfew. "Oh shoot, I should probably head back home, Aaron." "Already?" Aaron asked, before shrugging. "Alright Lukas, see ya tomorrow." After grabbing my backpack, I made my way out of Aaron's house and into the night, it was really quiet, aside from the sounds of distant traffic and the occasional aeroplane that flew past. But suddenly, as I was walking down the sidewalk, I saw a purple flash of light coming from somewhere behind the houses, I stood there for a moment, unsure if what I saw actually happened or if I was just seeing things from being too close to the TV. But just then, I saw another purple flash of light, this one seemed a lot brighter than the last one. Even though I was way past my curfew, I couldn't help but wonder what was causing this strange purple glow. After a moment of consideration, I decided to go investigate, even if that meant getting a stern talking to from my parents for missing curfew. I climbed over the fence, where it led me to a huge field, where I thought the light had come from. As I was looking around, I saw the purple glow again, it seemed to be coming from a nearby forest, so I quickly pulled out my phone to use it as a flashlight. Soon, I arrived at the forest where the glow came from, I waved my phone in each and every direction, but I was unable to find the source of the glow. Suddenly, my phone abruptly turned off, I tried turning it back on, but then it flashed the red battery symbol, much to my frustration. "Great, the one time I forget to charge my phone." I whispered angrily to myself. Now I was in complete darkness, but not for long as the purple glow came back. Quickly, I ran in the direction it came from, I didn't even care that I couldn't really see anything in front of me, and after what seemed like an eternity of running through the darkness, I had finally arrived at the source of the light, and my mouth hung open at what I saw. Less than a few feet away from me, was some kind of purple portal, right there, in front of me. I stared at the portal for what felt like hours, I just couldn't believe my eyes. But before I could start walking away, I suddenly felt something pulling me closer to the portal, like a magnetic force. As I got closer, everything started shaking around me, I tried to escape, but I couldn't move. Soon enough, a big flash of white light enveloped my vision, and after that, everything went black. Once I had started to regain consciousness, the first thing I felt was a strong headache as I put a hand to my throbbing head. As I opened my eyes, I was met with a bright light, causing me to shut them immediately. I felt a warm sensation on my body, like I was in the middle of a field on a sunny day. It turned out that assumption was true, as I opened my eyes much more slowly to adjust to the brightness and I looked around, I saw that I was indeed lying in the middle of a huge grassy field, with nearby flower blooming and birds flying past me. However, I couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity with my new surroundings, like I had seen it somewhere before, the question is, where? Then suddenly, it hit me, like a wall of bricks, but I didn't want to believe it. "Am I... in Equestria?" There was no way that was true, this had to have been a dream or a hallucination. However, when I pinched myself, I didn't wake up, and I don't recall taking anything that may cause me to have hallucinations, it took a moment for my brain to process what was actually happening. "No way, there's just no way!" I said frantically. "I'm in Equestria. I'M IN EQUESTRIA!" I just couldn't believe it, I was actually here, in the land of literally every brony's dream, and I felt like I was going to die from a happiness attack as I couldn't stop grinning. The scenery around me was just like the show, birds flying, bunnies hopping, the smells of various flowers blooming in the field. "This... this feels so unreal." I said to myself, my cheeks started to hurt from how much I was smiling. "I'm actually here, in Equestria!" Slowly, I stood up, trying to gather my composure to keep me from passing out from the fact that I was in the place that bronies only dream of visiting. After breathing in and out, I felt a little more calmer as I looked around, in hopes of finding Ponyville, and sure enough, there it was in the distance, in all its glory. Even though it looked like a long walk, it was going to be worth it. As I made my way over there, I couldn't help but be reminded of that season one episode where Zecora visited Ponyville and caused everypony to freak out and hide from her, hopefully I don't provoke the same reaction. That got me thinking, what season of the show had I been transported to? Hopefully it's season eight because the school of friendship and the fact that everyone was more welcoming of different creatures. I walked for maybe a few minutes, until I had finally reached Ponyville, where I saw a huge wooden sign which read "Welcome to Ponyville." As I stared at the village in front of me, I mentally prepared myself for what I was about to get myself into. If I caused the ponies to freak out and run away, I had a speech ready about how I was harmless, but hopefully it didn't come to that. Slowly, I made my way towards the village, my heart still beating as I felt like it was about to jump out of my chest, and as I entered the village, I looked around, it was just like the show, ponies of all sorts of sizes and colors were all walking around, minding their own business, and they didn't seem to pay much attention to me, a human, being here, maybe they were more accepting of different creatures. But as I continued walking, I noticed that I had gained the attention of a few nearby ponies. However, instead of screaming and running around trying to hide, the ponies all just stared at me in awe, some of them were whispering to each other. Soon enough, there was a small crowd of ponies all gathered around me, I recognized a few of them as background ponies. Feeling a little nervous, I decided to introduce myself. "Hey everypony." I began, quickly getting used to their terminology. "My name's Lukas. I'm what's known as a human, I mean no harm to you, I promise." The crowd of ponies all "ooed" in amazement as they continued observing my appearance, I felt a little flustered with all the ponies looking at me, some of them were getting really close, so I quickly walked away, and that was that. Not bad for a first impression. But I was curious, where was the Mane Six, where was Starlight? Spike? The CMC's? I guess there was only one way to find out. I continued on my walk through Ponyville, a bit surprised by how quickly I had gained the ponies' trust, when I suddenly noticed a certain building in the distance, it was Twilight's crystal castle, and without thinking, I ran towards it, before I stopped myself, realizing that Twilight can get a bit... freaked out, and if she sees a creature like me, she would probably be so freaked out, she'd probably pass out. I thought for a moment, worried about how I should approach this, until I decided to just shoot my shot and talk to Twilight, I mean, I'm pretty sure she's had to deal with worse things than an unknown creature, like becoming a ruler of Equestria in Season 9 or having Chrysalis impersonate Cadence in A Canterlot Wedding, and probably much more. So I walked up the castle steps, and I looked up, realizing just how big Twilight's castle was up close. I hesitated for a moment, unsure how Twilight would react, that is, if Twilight even answered the door, it could be Starlight or Spike who answers it. Then I mustered up the courage and knocked on the doors, and as I wondered what I would even say to whoever answered, the door swung open and I saw that it was indeed Twilight. "Oh, uh, hello there." She said nervously, clearly not expecting to see a creature like me. "What can I do for you?" After a small exhale of air, I began. "Uh, hey, uh, Twilight, right?" "Yeah, that's me." Twilight replied, a little confused. "But how did you know my name? What even are you?" "It's a... long story." I replied hesitatingly. "Anyway, my name is Lukas, and I'm a human." "A human?" Twilight echoed, raising her eyebrows. "Well, what are you doing here, Lukas?" "Well, uh, I just wanted to..." "Hey Twi, who's at the door?" Before I could finish my sentence, a voice called from inside, and judging by how boyish it sounded, I had an idea on who it could be. Just then, a certain small purple dragon appeared beside Twilight, it was Spike, looking at him, I saw that he had wings, which led me to believe I was in the events of season eight. "Uh, what's that?" He asked Twilight, pointing at me. "It's something called a human." Twilight replied, like I wasn't there. "He says his name is Lukas." "Huh, he sure does look weird." Spike said, looking at me from head to toe. "Spike!" Twilight scolded, before turning back to me. "I'm sorry about him, why don't you come inside, Lukas? You can explain everything." "Okay." I replied, realizing that talking outside was a bit awkward. To Be Continued...
Chapter 2: Questions and AnswersAs I stepped inside Twilight's castle, I noticed just how spacious it really looked, when I watched the show, I couldn't really get a good idea on how big the castle actually was, but now, I was here, in her castle. However, as I followed Twilight to what I could only assume was the library, I couldn't help wondering to myself, where was Starlight? Since Spike had wings when I saw him, that meant Starlight had to be here. As it turns out, I didn't have to wait long to get my answer as I heard a familiar voice call out; "Twilight, there you are." Twilight and I both looked over, and sure enough, Starlight herself was approaching us, or more specifically Twilight, she looked like she wanted to tell her something, but before she could, her eyes fell on me and she let out a small yelp in surprise. "Uh, Twilight, what is... that?" She asked nervously, stepping back slightly. "Oh, this is Lukas." Twilight replied. "He's a human." "A what-now?" Starlight said, clearly not familiar with that word. "A human." I repeated for her. "But don't worry, I'm friendly." "Oh, well, if you say so." Starlight replied, before extending a hoof towards me. "I'm Starlight Glimmer." I stared at her extended hoof, not sure of how to approach this, until I just shook her hoof, which was kind of weird for me to do, but Starlight didn't seem to mind. "Well, nice to meet you, Starlight." I said casually. "So, where did he come from?" Starlight asked Twilight. "That's just it, Starlight, I'm not sure yet." Twilight replied, putting a hoof on her chin. "I was hoping he could explain that for us." Twilight, Starlight, and now Spike, all turned and looked at me, the looks on their faces told me that they demanded to know about my sudden arrival. "Oh, well, um, you see..." I said worriedly, not knowing how to explain this. I didn't want to tell them I came from a different world, because then they might plan on sending me back, and I didn't want to leave Equestria just yet, but I also didn't want to lie in front of them, one of the elements of harmony is honesty after all. "You might not believe this, but I'm not actually from around here." "Really? I couldn't tell." Spike said jokingly, earning an annoyed look from Twilight. "Yeah, I'm actually..." I paused for a moment, worried about how they were going to react to what I was about to tell them. "From another world." "WHAT?!" Twilight, Starlight and Spike all exclaimed in unison. "Yep, you heard me right, I'm from another world." I explained, rubbing the back of my neck. "How did you end up in Equestria then?" Twilight asked, her voice trembling. "Well." I began, trying my best to remember. "I was walking late at night, and I saw this purple glow coming from nearby, so I went into the forest to investigate and I saw this portal, and it sucked me in, and the next thing I knew, I ended up here." "Wow." Was all Starlight could say. "Yeah, I know it sounds crazy, but it's all true." I assured them. "Well, since you're probably going to be here for a while, we may as well get you acquainted in Ponyville." Twilight thought. "Just wait 'til the others hear about this." Spike chuckled. "The others?" I said confusingly, acting like I didn't know who he was referring to, even though I probably did. "Oh, I should introduce you to my friends." Twilight exclaimed excitedly. "I'm sure they'd love to meet a..." She paused, momentarily forgetting what I was. "A human." "Right, a human." Twilight finished with a sheepish smile. After following Twilight, Starlight and Spike into the castle throne room, where the cutie map was, she had Spike write an urgent summon to her friends, telling them to meet her in the castle throne room immediately. Even though the situation wasn't that serious, at least I'd meet the rest of the mane six quicker, hopefully Rainbow Dash wouldn't try to tackle me, or Fluttershy wouldn't hide at the sight of me. While we waited for them to arrive, Spike approached me with a curious facial expression. "So, Lukas, what's it like in your world?" "Oh, well, it's... not the best, but it's relatively great." I explained in the best way I could. "It's got vehicles, technology, and a lot more." "Wow, sounds pretty cool." Spike said, his eyes twinkling. "What is a "vee-cule?" Starlight said, trying to pronounce the word. "Oh, right." I said in realization. "A vehicle is what we humans use to get around, and what we use to take us to places more quickly, there are all sorts of vehicles, like cars, boats, planes, trains, buses, and so much more." "Well, we have trains." Twilight added, referring to The Friendship Express. "And in case you're wondering, technology is what humans use pretty much every day in our lives, devices like phones, computers and tablets lets us play games, talk to people, and entertain ourselves." I explained, feeling like such an expert with all this knowledge I was providing them. "Interesting." Twilight said, leaning forward. "Would you be able to show us?" "I wish I could, but..." I began, before I remembered something. "Actually, I could." I then reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone, and even though it was dead, I could at least show them what it looked like. Also, if I turned it on, they would see my Pinkie Pie wallpaper and I would have to explain a few things. "This is a phone." I announced, showing it to them. "Wow, it looks... small." Starlight pointed out. "And shiny." Spike added, drooling a little bit. "Is it made out of gems?" He asked hopefully. I chuckled, moving the phone away from Spike to avoid having it covered in saliva. "No, it's made of metal, glass and plastic." "Oh." Spike groaned, wiping off his drool. Just then, the door to the throne room burst open and in came the rest of the mane six, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, all of them had worried looks on their faces, clearly because of how urgent the letter sounded. "Twilight, we came as soon as we could." Applejack exclaimed. "What's the emergency, darling?" Rarity asked. "This better be important, Twilight." Pinkie said sternly. "I had to leave in the middle of my newest baking masterpiece, Lemon Cupcake Surprise!" "Yeah, what's the deal, Twi?" Rainbow asked, flying up to her. "You interrupted me in the middle of reading the newest Daring Do book, and I really want to know how she managed to escape The Tomb of Doom." "Um... what's that?" Fluttershy whispered, seemingly being the only one to notice me. Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie and Rainbow all looked at me with wide eyes. Honestly, I was surprised that none of them noticed me until now, I guess they were all so focused on the reason for the urgent summon. "What in tarnation is that?" Applejack asked, raising her eyebrows. "Girls, this is Lukas, he's a human." Twilight replied. "A...human?" Fluttershy said nervously. "Never heard of that creature before." "Yeah, I figured you haven't." I chuckled. "Wow, a new creature? That's so exciting!" Pinkie exclaimed. "And totally crazy." Rainbow Dash added while crossing her hooves. "Well, I think he looks like a charming little darling." Rarity commented, fluttering her eyelashes. "Oh, uh, thank you." I stuttered, before I saw Spike glaring at me intently. "So, what's your deal here anyway, huh?" Rainbow asked, flying right up in my face. "Where did you even come from?" "Yeah, no offense, but you don't exactly look like you're from around these parts." Applejack added. "Well, Lukas is actually from another world." Starlight replied. "WHAT?!" The rest of the mane six exclaimed in unison. "Yep, she speaks the truth, everyone." I said, having already gone through this with Twilight, Starlight and Spike. "And before any of you guys ask, I came here from a portal." "Wow, I knew you said it was an urgent summon, Twi, but I didn't expect this." Applejack said, leaning towards Twilight. "Look girls." Twilight began. "I know Lukas may be a little different from us." "A little?" Rainbow interjected. Twilight glared at Rainbow before continuing. "But I know that if we work together, we'll be able to get him settled here in Ponyville." "Wait, wait, wait." Pinkie said frantically. "Are you saying that..." "Yes Pinkie, until we can find a way to send him back home, he'll be staying here." Twilight replied. Pinkie's eyes widened with pure joy as I knew immediately what she was planning. "Oh my gosh, a new creature living in Ponyville, you know what that means? A Welcome to Ponyville party!" Pinkie then pulled her party cannon out of nowhere and it blasted confetti everywhere. "Alright Pinkie, simmer down, we don't wanna startle Lukas." Applejack advised. "Now Lukas, this is Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Fluttershy." Twilight said, pointing towards each of them as they greeted me individually. "Hello!" "Howdy, sugarcube." "Sup?" "Hello Lukas, darling." "Um, hello." "Nice to meet you girls." I said, a bit surprised by how calm they acted. When the rest of the mane six left later that day, I took a moment to reflect over today's events, I, a brony, had found some otherworldly portal that somehow transported me to the land of every brony's dream, and as far as I knew, there was no way back, I was stuck here in Equestria, and needless to say, I couldn't be any more happier. That evening, Twilight was showing me around the castle since I was going to be resonating in it for the time being, something I wasn't too salty about, as long as I had a place to stay here, I'd be good. As Twilight showed me around, I realized just how big it really was, I guess Starlight's line from The Crystalling was accurate, this castle did look smaller from the outside. After the castle tour, Twilight led me to a certain pair of doors, and signalled for me to open them, so I did and once I looked inside, I saw what I could assume was one of the guest rooms of the castle. "This will be your room, I know it's not much, but it gets the job done." Twilight said as we both walked inside. "Wow, not bad." I nodded, just happy to have a room here. Just then, Spike appeared in the doorway, holding a scroll in his claws. "Hey Twilight, just got done arranging your class schedule for tomorrow." "Thanks Spike." Twilight turned to him, before turning back to me. "Sorry Lukas, I have a really important class to prepare for tomorrow. See you in the morning." Twilight then followed Spike, closing the doors behind her with her magic. It took me a moment to realize what she said, I looked out a nearby window, and even though it was kind of difficult to make out in the dark, I could faintly see the School of Friendship. How had I not noticed that when I was approaching the castle? I guess I was just so focused on talking to Twilight that I didn't pay much attention to it. Although, in hindsight, I probably should've known that the School of Friendship was here since Spike had wings. Deciding to no longer be concerned about what timeline of the show I was in, I made my way into bed. The mattress and pillows were soft and delicate, and the blanket immediately filled my body with warmth. I know I haven't technically spent a full day here yet, I think it's safe to say that I'm going to have a new, exciting, interesting, and probably temporary life here in Equestria. To Be Continued...
Chapter 3: My New Life Starts TodayThat morning, I woke up and found out that I was still in my guest room in the castle, meaning that all of this wasn't actually a dream and I was really here in Equestria. I mean, everything felt real up to this point, but it just seemed too good to be true, but now I was convinced that this was actually happening to me. I wondered what time it was, but since there were no clocks in the room, it was a bit difficult for me to figure that out. So I just assumed, judging from the sunlight beaming through the curtains, that it was somewhere around nine o'clock. I then got out of bed, put on my shoes and stretched for a moment, that sleep was probably the best I've ever had, the mattress was soft and the room had the perfect temperature. After stretching, I noticed that there was a mirror in the room, much like Twilight and Starlight had in their rooms, I approached it, looking at my messy, unkempt hair. I thought I at least had to look presentable for my first day in Equestria, so I started searching in the drawers, until I saw a hairbrush, Twilight really did think of everything. When I was done brushing my hair, I walked out of my room in hopes of finding Twilight around somewhere, but the castle hallways seemed to be bigger and more spacious than ever. Just then, I saw Spike walking by, I called out to him. "Morning Spike." Spike turned to me and smiled. "Oh, morning Lukas, how did you sleep?" "Pretty good, actually. Uh, hey, do you know where Twilight is?" I asked him "Oh, she and Starlight went to work at the School of Friendship." Spike replied. "The School of Friendship?" I said confusingly, pretending like I didn't know what that was. "Yep, it's a school where different kinds of creatures learn about friendship." Spike explained. "Twilight is a headmare and teacher there, while Starlight is the guidance counselor. Usually I'd be helping Twilight with teaching, but she said she could handle her class on her own, which I kinda doubt." "Why's that?" I asked. "Well, you may not know this." Spike said while leaning closer towards me. "But Twilight tends to get a bit... well... freaked out." "Well, isn't that the understatement of the day." I thought to myself. "And if she doesn't have her faithful dragon assistant by her side, who knows what could happen?" Spike continued. "Yeah, I can imagine." I chuckled, before my stomach rumbled, reminding me that I haven't eaten anything in a while. "Oh, sounds like you're hungry." Spike said jokingly. "You know, I've got some gems I've been saving up." "Uh, thanks Spike, but I think I'll pass." I replied, while wondering to myself what gems actually tasted like. "Eh, more for me then." Spike shrugged, before he ran off, presumably to go chow down on his gems. It took me longer than I thought it would, but I finally managed to find the kitchen. As I entered and looked around for something to eat, I noticed that there were a stack of pancakes on the table in the middle of the room, since Twilight and Starlight had already left and Spike was probably snacking on some gems, I assumed that Twilight made these for me. After eating my pancakes, which were really good by the way, I wondered what I should do for my first day here, there were just so many possibilities, I could go visit Sugarcube Corner or Sweet Apple Acres, but given that the rest of the mane six only met me yesterday, I wasn't too sure if they'd be fine with me visiting them since they were probably still getting used to me. Pinkie seemed excited about meeting me, so maybe she'd be fine with me visiting her, but then again, she was probably busy preparing for my Welcome to Ponyville party and I didn't want to bother her. I left the castle, the sunlight beaming down on me as I walked down the steps. I stood there for a moment, taking in all the sounds around me, the birds chirping as they flew above, the distant chatter of ponies, the sound of a nearby flowing river, I still couldn't believe I was actually here, but I should just forget about the impossibilities and just fulfill my new life here in the magical land of Equestria. Looking over to my left, I saw the School of Friendship, a lot more clearer this time. Since Spike had mentioned to me that Twilight was on her own teaching, I thought I would just check up on her and see if she was freaking out or feeling overwhelmed. With that in mind, I began walking towards the school. I walked up the pathway that led towards the entrance, the sound of the waterfall flowing nearby filled my ears as I got closer towards the doors. I took in a big breath, before I opened the doors and was met with an array of ponies all walking around the hallways to get to class, this got me thinking, where were the student six? I assumed that they were already in their classes. "Whoa, uh, what are you supposed to be?" A tomboyish voice called out from behind me. I turned around and saw Smolder flying in front of me with a confused look on her face. "Oh, hey, uh, I'm a human." I replied, surprised by her appearance. "A human? Huh, weird." She shrugged. "Oh well, I guess this place is for every creature after all." "Oh, I'm not actually enrolling here, I just decided to visit." I explained, before extending a hand. "I'm Lukas, by the way." "Smolder." She replied, shaking my hand with her claw, which was kind of sharp, but I didn't say anything. "So, where are you off to?" I asked, wondering what class she had. "Oh, I was just heading to the library to study with my friends." Smolder replied, before her face lit up, she seemed to have an idea. "Hey, wanna meet my friends?" "Sure, I'm up for that." I followed Smolder to the school library, and on the way, she asked me where I was from, since I didn't want to worry her about me being from another world, I told her I was from another town and she believed it, I just hope she doesn't find out the truth. When we arrived at the library, the first thing I noticed was how big it was, even my school library wasn't this big. Smolder then led me towards a table, where the rest of the student six, Sandbar, Ocellus, Gallus, Silverstream and Yona, were sitting at, books and paper scattered all around them. I wish me and my friends were this dedicated about studying, maybe then we wouldn't have failed that Geometry test. "There you are, Smolder." Silverstream exclaimed excitedly. "We were beginning to think you wouldn't show up." "Yeah, sorry 'bout that, guys." Smolder said sheepishly, giving a nervous laugh. "Uh, Smolder, what is... that thing?" Sandbar asked, pointing at me. "Oh right." Smolder said in realization. "Guys, this is Lukas, he's a..." She paused, before turning to me. "Uh, what are you again?" "A human." I replied. "Right, he's a human." Smolder finished. The rest of the student six just stared at me silently, unsure of what to think of me. Eventually, Ocellus broke the silence. "A human?" She said nervously. "Yeah, I'm a human." I repeated, stepping closer towards the group. "Nice to meet you all." Just then, Silverstream jumped up from her seat as she flew up to me, before she shook my hand vigorously yet friendly. "Hiya Lukas, I'm Silverstream, it's sooooo nice to meet you too, I can tell we're gonna be great friends." "I swear, Silverstream's energy could rival Pinkie's" I thought to myself. "Whoa, whoa, slow down, Silverstream." Smolder said. "You only just met him." "Whoops, sorry Lukas." Silverstream apologized. "It's okay, Silverstream." I assured her. "You were just excited, that's all." "Anyways, Lukas, this is Sandbar, Ocellus, Gallus and Yona." Smolder said, gesturing towards each of them, like Twilight did when introducing me to her friends. "So, what are you guys studying for?" I asked. "It's this exam about the ancient artifacts of Equestria and their importance in Equestria history." Ocellus replied, pulling out a book, with pictures of various artifacts. "Wow, sounds like a lot of work." I chuckled. "Tell me about it." Gallus groaned sarcastically, resting his head on his talon. "Yeah, test too hard." Yona said in agreement. "Yona stuck." "I can relate." I sighed, feeling just the same way as they did when it came to studying. "So Lukas." Sandbar said, getting my attention. "I'm curious, what are you doing here?" "Oh, I was just visiting to check on Twilight." I replied, before I remembered the whole reason why I came here. "Oh, that reminds me, I gotta go check on her. Well it was fun talking to all of you." I called out as I began to leave. To Be Continued...
Chapter 4: Humans (According To Lukas)I was so caught up with talking with the student six that I forgot the reason why I came here in the first place, to check on Twilight. But as soon as I left the library, I was soon met with a problem; I had no idea where Twilight's class was, and this school was pretty big, at least from what I've seen in the show. Eventually, I decided that it would be best for me to ask someone for directions, but then again, the only ones I've met so far are the Mane Six, Spike, Starlight, and the Student Six, I don't think anyone else would be willing to talk to a creature like me, but I'd never know until I tried. So after mustering up a little courage, I approached the nearest pony, a mint green colored pegasus with an orange mane and tail and a purple bow in her mane. "Uh, excuse me." I said, trying my best not to startle her. She turned towards me, and as soon as she saw me, her eyes widened in surprise as she let out a small gasp. "Oh, uh, hello there, can I help you?" "Yes, do you know where Twilight's class is?" I asked hopefully. "Oh, sure." The mare then pointed towards a nearby hallway. "Down that hallway, first door to the right." "Thanks." I replied, before making my way over there. It didn't take long for me to arrive at the door the mare had directed me to, as I leaned in, I could faintly hear Twilight's voice from inside as she went on about magical artifacts. I then knocked on the door. "Oh, just a minute, class." I heard Twilight say. I heard hoofsteps approaching the door, before Twilight opened it with her magic, she looked surprised to see me. "Oh, hey Lukas, what brings you here?" "Hey Twilight, I just thought I'd stop by to see how your class is going." I replied. "Well, come on in, the students would love to meet you." Twilight said, before stepping aside, allowing me to enter. As I made my way to the front of the class, I noticed that the ponies were all looking at me with wide eyes, clearly interested in the sight of me. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Lukas." Twilight announced to the class. "He's a human, he's new here in Equestria and will be staying here for a while." "Hey everyone, nice to meet you." I said, a hint of nervousness in my voice. The students all "ooed" in interest, leaning forward in their desks. Then, one of the students raised a hoof up before asking; "Uh.. what's a... human?" "Oh, a human is a type of living creature that walks upright on two legs. We have hands with thumbs that help us grab things, and we're really good at talking and understanding each other." I explained, the students listened intently as I continued. "Now, humans don't have any magical abilities, but we're still capable of doing amazing things." "Like what?" Another student asked. "Like inventing new things, making art, driving vehicles, and so many more." I replied as the students all collectively let out another "oooh," clearly interested by the concept of humans. Twilight then stepped forward. "Now, on the surface, Lukas seems very different from the rest of us, but we shouldn't judge someone based on how they look. Lukas may seem a bit... unusual on the outside." "Uh, I'm right here, you know?" I pointed out. "Anyway, my point is." Twilight continued. "Just because someone looks different on the outside, doesn't mean that they're any different on the inside, it's not just looks that make up someone, it's also their feelings and attributes that truly matter." The students eagerly took down notes, seemingly thirsting for more knowledge. I couldn't help but appreciate what Twilight was doing, despite the fact that we had only met each other yesterday, and the fact I just suddenly showed up at her front door, she was talking about me like we had known each other for much longer than that. Even though I was a complete alien to them, she was willing to make friends with me, I guess they don't call her The Princess of Friendship for nothing. As the class continued, the students kept on asking questions about humans and their culture, I answered every question to the best of my ability despite my limited knowledge on human culture. Some students seemed very curious about the fact that I was going to be resonating here for a while, others however, seemed to be a bit skeptical about the idea of an unknown creature living with them. Soon enough, I heard the bell ring, signalling the end of class. Honestly, I was pretty exhausted from answering everyone's questions, some of them I didn't even know the answer to. As the students all left in a hurry, Twilight walked up to me with a smile. "Well, the students seem very interested in you, Lukas." She said thoughtfully. "Yeah, I guess they were." I replied. "Lukas, is something wrong?" Twilight asked worriedly, noticing the tone of my response. "Were the students overwhelming you too much?" "N-No, it's not that." I assured her. "It's just that... some of the students seemed skeptical of me, I mean, can you really blame them? Some unknown creature just shows up out of nowhere and they're expected to just get used to it?" "Lukas, I understand your worries." Twilight said considerably. "But trust me, everyone will warm up to you eventually." "I don't know, Twi." I replied hesitantly, my nerves coming back to me. "What if they exclude me? What if they see me as a freak?" "That'll never happen." Twilight assured me, putting a comforting hoof on my shoulder. "Like I said, you may be different from the rest of us, but no one should judge you based on your appearance." I let Twilight's words sank in, she was always known for giving great advice in the show, so I feel like I should trust her on this. Slowly, I felt my nerves melt away as I felt calm once again. "Thanks Twi." I said gratefully. "I guess you're right." Twilight only smiled in response. To Be Continued... Author's Note Sorry if this chapter seems a bit shorter than my other chapters, but I hope you enjoyed it nevertheless
Chapter 5: A Great and Powerful PicnicAs I walked through the hallways of the School of Friendship, I wondered what I should do now. I looked around as students walked around me, some of them stopped in their paths to stare at me in either wonder or skepticism, before continuing to walk. I didn't really mind it, I mean, if some random creature showed up at my school, I would probably stare at it as well. It was then I remembered Starlight, who worked here as a guidance counselor, she had always seemed like the kind of pony I would want to talk to, so I looked around for her office, which was harder than I thought since pretty much all the doors here looked the same. Just when I was about to guess where it was, I suddenly saw a student walk out of a nearby room, followed by Starlight's voice calling out. "Thanks for seeing me, Azure Moon. My door is always open!" As the student walked away, I approached the doors and looked inside the room, where I saw Starlight herself behind her desk, looking up at me as I entered. "Uh, hey Starlight." I said nervously. "I'm not interrupting, am I?" "Oh, hey Lukas." Starlight replied, waving at me. "No, I just got done with another student, what's up?" I sat down on the green couch in front of her desk, feeling a bit nervous to be so close to her. "Uh, I just, wanted to come in here and, talk with you." "Oh, well, sure." Starlight said as she cleared her throat. "Go ahead, I'm all ears." "Well." I began, feeling a slight lump in my throat. "It's just that..." Before I could get my sentence out, there was a knock at the door, which sounded urgent. "Hold that thought, Lukas." Starlight told me, before calling out. "Come in!" Just then, the doors swung open to reveal Trixie, with a rather worried look on her face as she ran into the room and approached Starlight, completely ignoring me sitting there. "Starlight, come quick, I need you for something of the utmost importance!" Trixie exclaimed. Starlight rolled her eyes. "Trixie, if this is another one of your "emergency picnics." "What?" Trixie asked in an over-exaggerated way. "No, of course not." But judging from the look on her face, she was lying, and Starlight could see right through it. "Trixie, you know I love our picnics, if you would've just asked me, I would've gone with you." "But I thought if I made it sound urgent, you would come quicker." Trixie protested as Starlight sighed before getting out of her desk. "Alright Trix, let's have this picnic." She said reluctantly. "I'm sure I could get someone to cover for me while we're gone." "Yay!" Trixie squealed in excitement. I couldn't help but smile at this. I always enjoyed the two's dynamic in the show, even though I wasn't much of a shipper, I had to admit that these two had a certain charm whenever they were together. "Actually Trix." Starlight said, as if she had just remembered something. "Before we go, I want to introduce you to a new friend of mine." Taking that as my cue, I got off of the couch and approached Starlight as she gestured to me. "Trixie, I'd like you to meet Lukas." "Hi Trixie." I said politely, extending out a hand. "Nice to meet you." Trixie, however, gave me a rather condescending look as she stared at my hand, then at me, then at Starlight. "You're friends... with that?" She asked. "Trixie! Be nice!" Starlight scolded. "Lukas is a human, he's new here in Equestria and will be staying here for a while." "Fine." Trixie rolled her eyes, before she extended out her hoof, which I shook. "Hello Lukas, pleasure to make your acquaintance." "You too, Trixie." I replied. "I've heard quite a bit about you." "I'm not surprised." Trixie chuckled. "I am The Great and Powerful Trixie after all." "Alright Trix, let's head to the picnic." Starlight exclaimed. As the two of them walked out, I got their attention. "Wait!" I called out as they turned to face me. "Uh, could I come?" "Oh, of course Lukas." Starlight replied with a smile. "What?!" Trixie gasped in disbelief. "But Starlight, this is supposed to be our picnic and..." Trixie couldn't even finish her sentence before Starlight quickly covered her mouth with her hoof and looked back at me with a sheepish smile. "We'd love to have you." Starlight then turned to Trixie. "Right, Trixie?" She asked through clenched teeth. Trixie just nodded in response. I followed Starlight and Trixie out of the school and through Ponyville, and as the two of them conversed with each other, I looked around at some of the ponies nearby, hoping that they would at least give me a friendly smile, but instead, I was met with a lot of unsure glances, it seemed like the ponies were still trying to get used to me, but I thought it wouldn't take them too long to accept me as a citizen here for the time being. "I just love our weekly picnics, Starlight." Trixie sighed with content. "Me too, Trix." Starlight said in agreement. Soon enough, we had reached the picnic around the outskirts of Ponyville, which was filled with the usual picnic items, a red checkered blanket, baskets of food, teacups and teapots, and a few flowers spread around the blanket. "Ta-da!" Trixie proclaimed grandly. "Wow Trixie." Starlight gasped. "This is amazing, you've really outdone yourself this time." "Aw shucks, it's nothing much." Trixie said modestly. As Starlight. Trixie and I sat down on the blanket, the two ponies quickly helped themselves to some sandwiches and tea. Trixie then floated the teapot over to me using her magic. "Care for a cup of tea, Lukas?" She asked, with a flicker of her eyelashes. Even though I wasn't much of a tea enthusiast, I couldn't help but wonder what Equestrian tea tasted like. I picked up a nearby cup and held it out. "Sure." I replied. Trixie wasted no time pouring the tea into my cup as I smelt it, the flavours instantly hitting my nose. Eventually, I took a small, almost hesitant sip, I could taste all kinds of different herbs and flavours as I savoured every droplet of the tea. "So Trix, any plans for your next performance?" Starlight asked her friend. "Hmm." Trixie pondered, putting a hoof on her chin. "Well, now that you've mentioned it, I have been practising some new magic tricks that I'd be more than happy to demonstrate." Trixie then ran off towards her wagon, which was parked nearby. When she was inside, I heard a lot of things being moved around, suddenly, one of her smoke bombs went off, causing smoke to come out of an open window as I could hear Trixie coughing, before she stuck her head out the window. "Note-to-self." She said weakly, before she coughed again. "Never use smoke bombs as alarm clocks." While Trixie was getting herself organized, Starlight turned to me. "So Lukas, how are you enjoying Equestria so far." "Oh, it's been great." I replied. "I've made some new friends, explored the school, and Pinkie's throwing me a Welcome to Ponyville party, so that's exciting." Starlight chuckled. "Well, sounds like you've been enjoying it here so far." Just then, Trixie emerged from the wagon, now donning her magician's outfit. "Fillies and gentlecolts." She announced with a flourish of her mane. "Watch in awe, as the Great and Powerful Trixie performs her newest, jaw-dropping magic tricks." With that introduction, Trixie then proceeded to perform one magic trick after another. Some of them were standard, like making a bouquet of flowers from a magic wand, and the classic handkerchief trick, while others seemed more advanced, like when she made a bird appear out of thin air, before she transformed it into a bunny, then back into a bird right before my eyes. Needless to say, I was impressed. Sure Trixie could be a bit of a show-off at times, but she still remains one of my favourite characters from the show. Although now that I'm actually here in Equestria, I shouldn't be referring to them as characters now. As she continued with her magic show, I turned to Starlight, who was watching intently. "How long does she usually do this for?" "Not sure." Starlight replied with a knowing smile. "But she might be here for a while." Starlight then levitated a plate of tea cakes towards me, they looked like the tea cakes she was baking in the episode All Bottled Up. "Tea cake?" She asked me. "Sure." I replied, before grabbing one of the tea cakes as I began eating it. Finally, with one last magic trick, Trixie turned towards us with a smug smile. "Goodnight, fillies and gentlecolts!" She exclaimed. She then pulled out a smoke bomb and threw it on the ground, causing a big puff of smoke to appear. When the smoke cleared, she was nowhere to be seen, but then I looked over and saw Trixie struggling to open her wagon door, she turned to us and gave us a sheepish grin. "Wow Trixie, that was so cool." I said excitedly. "Cool? It was more than just "cool." One could say that it was great and powerful." Trixie proclaimed. Starlight rolled her eyes as she chuckled. "Alright Trix, no need to show off in front of Lukas." "Well, you know it's true." Trixie defended, and I couldn't help but agree. Then suddenly, a familiar voice called out. "Lukas!" I looked over and saw Pinkie running straight towards us, or more specifically, me. She ran up in front of me with a mix of excitement and nervousness on her face. (nervous-cited?) "Lukas, there you are. I need your help!" Pinkie exclaimed, a matter of urgency in her tone. "Oh, sure Pinkie, what's up?" I asked, slightly taken aback by her sudden appearance. "Ya see, I was baking for your Welcome to Ponyville party soon, when I suddenly realized something, I have no idea what kind of cupcakes you like, so I need you to come with me to Sugarcube Corner and help me because I want the party to be filled of your favourite treats and..." "Alright, alright Pinkie, I get it." I said to her, I guess I should be used to Pinkie's fast-paced talking by now. "Sure, I'll come help you out." "Great, now come on, we have no time to lose." Before I could even reply, Pinkie suddenly grabbed my arm and rushed off, practically dragging me behind her. At least I had time to say bye to Starlight and Trixie before I left abruptly. To Be Continued...
Chapter 6: As Easy as Pinkie PieI followed Pinkie as best I could, but she seemed to be faster than I thought. Then again, she did manage to catch up to Rainbow when she ran away from her in Griffon the Brush Off, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. "Pinkie, slow down!" I called out to her. Pinkie then proceeded to trot backwards, without even looking back, as she stopped next to me. "Sorry Lukey, I'm just so excited." "Oh god, here comes the nickname calling." I thought to myself with slight embarrassment. "It's fine, Pinkie." I assured her, being completely used to her energetic self. "Honestly, I'm actually excited myself. I've been excited since I arrived here." Pinkie's smile grew wider, which I didn't even think was possible, until her face suddenly had a curious expression. "Y'know Lukas, you seem to be very interested in Equestria, why's that?" Pinkie asked as she leaned in towards me. I thought for a moment about how to respond to that question. A part of me wanted to tell her about me being a brony, but I wasn't sure how she'd react to that, so I decided to reword my answer a bit differently. "Well." I began. "Equestria seems like a really... nice place to live." "You got that right." Pinkie said proudly, before she suddenly stopped in her tracks as she pointed a hoof out. "Look, we're here!" I looked over and saw Sugarcube Corner in front of me, the smell of cotton candy and various other sweets hitting me like a bullet train. "Welcome to Sugarcube Corner!" Pinkie announced. "Wow." I said in awe at the sight. Pinkie then made her way towards the building, gesturing for me to follow her. "Come on in, I'll introduce you to The Cakes." I followed Pinkie inside, the sound of the bell above the door rang as we entered. Inside, I was met with an array of pastries all proudly displayed, some were on tables, while others were in the display case. Pinkie then made her way to the kitchen, before looking back at me. "Wait here a sec, Lukas." She said, before she disappeared into the kitchen. As I waited for Pinkie to return, I took a look around and saw a good number of ponies nearby helping themselves to the various treats around the bakery. It was then that I noticed a certain grey pegasus with a blonde mane and tail and a slightly cross-eyed expression, it was Derpy. She was eyeing a plate of muffins on a table, drooling a little bit, which I couldn't help but chuckle at. Eventually, Pinkie came out of the kitchen, practically pushing Mr and Mrs Cake out as they approached me. "Pinkie, what's the big idea?" Mrs Cake asked, clearly not appreciating Pinkie's roughness. "Mr and Mrs Cake." Pinkie said grandly. "I'd like you to meet Lukas, he's new here in Equestria and I'm throwing him a Welcome to Ponyville party tomorrow." "It's nice to meet you both." I said as I walked up to them. "Oh." Mrs Cake gasped in slight surprise at the sight of me, but she quickly contained herself. "Well, the pleasure's all ours, dearie. Pinkie has spoken quite highly of you." "Indeed." Mr Cake added in agreement. "She just kept going on and on about there being a new creature living here." "Oh really?" I asked as I looked at Pinkie, who just gave a huge smile. "Uh, Lukas, dearie." Mrs Cake said, getting my attention. "If you don't mind me asking, what exactly are you?" "Yeah, and how exactly did you end up in Equestria?" Mr Cake added while tilting his head. "Ooh, ooh, I can answer that!" Pinkie called out eagerly as she raised her hoof up as if she was in school. I rolled my eyes. "Go ahead, Pinkie." "Y'see, Lukas is something called a human, tall, fleshy, two legged creatures who have no wings, no horn, or any magical abilities. As to how he got here, he said it was from a portal." Pinkie explained rather quickly, yet somehow, Mr and Mrs Cake were able to absorb the answer given to them. "Wow." Mr Cake said in amazement. "Seems like you've had quite the adventure so far, Lukas." "Oh you don't know the half of it, Mr Cake." I chuckled. Just then, I heard the sound of crying coming from upstairs, it sounded like babies crying, which gave me a pretty good idea as to who it was. "Oh no, the twins are crying!" Pinkie exclaimed as she quickly turned to me. "Come on, Lukas, baking can wait!" With that, I followed Pinkie upstairs and into a room, which turned out to be Pound and Pumpkin Cake's room. We raced over to their crib, and there they were, crying their eyes out. I covered my ears as I turned to Pinkie. "How do we get them to stop?" I asked, raising my voice a little. "Don't worry, Lukas, Auntie Pinkie Pie is on it!" She proclaimed. Pinkie tried to calm the twins down by making a bunch of funny faces and sticking her tongue out. Pound and Pumpkin paused for a moment, before going right back to crying. Pinkie then tried shaking the crib, but that didn't work in the slightest. Next, Pinkie tried playing peek-a-boo with them, hiding her face behind her hooves, before exclaiming "boo!" The twins both stayed silent again, before continuing to cry. It was then that Pumpkin's horn began to glow, her magic enveloped the toy chest as toys scattered all around the floor, some were flying around the room as Pinkie and I dodged the flying trajectory. But as I walked over to the toy chest to try and clean up the toys on the floor, I suddenly tripped on a particular stuffed rabbit, which caused me to fall over and collide with the toy box, making all the toys inside spill all over me. As I recovered from the fall, I could hear the twins stop crying. At first, I thought they would just go right back to crying again, but after a few moments, I suddenly heard them laughing. I got up off the floor and, sure enough, I saw that Pound and Pumpkin were now laughing, all matter of sadness completely dissipated. "Well, I should've known that was gonna work." I groaned, being reminded of the episode Baby Cakes. After dealing with the twins, Pinkie and I soon found ourselves in the kitchen, where Pinkie had prepared for us to bake the cupcakes which would be at my Welcome to Ponyville party tomorrow. "Alright Lukas, are you ready to get your baking on?!" Pinkie exclaimed as if she was a DJ at a rave. "I guess so." I replied a bit hesitantly. "Don't worry, Lukas." Pinkie said, seemingly noticing the hesitation in my voice. "With my help, you'll become a baking pro in no time. I'm sure Gummy could help you out as well." Pinkie then looked over at the counter, as if expecting to see Gummy there. However, there was no sign of a small alligator anywhere." "Huh, where'd he go?" Pinkie asked, looking around. "He was just here a moment ago." "Well, knowing him, he probably wouldn't have gone too far." I thought. "I'm sure we could-OW!" Before I could finish my sentence, I suddenly felt something clamp onto my leg, making me wince in pain. I looked down and there was Gummy, his toothless jaws gripping my leg. Even though he had no teeth, his bite still kind of hurt. "There you are!" Pinkie said as she bent down and struggled to get Gummy to let go of my leg. I almost lost my balance as she pulled my leg up. "Careful, Pinkie!" I exclaimed, holding onto the counter for support. "Just...hold...still...Lukas." She groaned. Eventually, Pinkie had finally pried Gummy off of my leg, but she ended up stumbling backwards as she crashed into a nearby cabinet, pots and pans clanged on the floor as Pinkie fell on her back. I rushed over to her as she recovered from her fall. "Pinkie, are you okay?" I asked nervously. Suddenly, Pinkie stood right back up, as if nothing ever happened. "Oh yeah, I'm fine." She assured me with a smile as Gummy held onto her tail. "I've had worse mishaps than that. Now, let's get back to baking." As Pinkie and I began baking, she taught me all the instructions necessary, which I couldn't help but appreciate the fact that she could make an activity I had little to no experience on seem engaging and easy to understand. Back on Earth, the only real experience I've had with baking was my cooking class in school, and even then, I was nowhere near a baking master. However, with Pinkie's guidance, I was able to flow through the recipe with ease, we were making my favorite cupcakes, chocolate, call me unoriginal if you want, but it's a classic and something that you can't go wrong with. "And then Trixie had the audacity to say that the cupcakes weren't good enough." She said, recalling the time Trixie had asked her to bake cupcakes for her and Starlight's picnic. "Can you believe that?" I laughed, both at the story, and Pinkie's delivery. "No, I can't." I replied. As we kept a good conversation going, we flied through the recipe without any major problems, but every now and then, Pinkie would tell me I wasn't doing something right, like I wasn't mixing the batter fast enough, and I wasn't adding enough flour. She was surprisingly stern, but then again, this is Pinkie, she takes baking very seriously. Eventually, the time had come to put the cupcakes in the oven, and after I did that and set the timer, I let out a sigh of relief as I wiped some sweat from my brow. "Man, who knew baking could be this tiring." I said jokingly. Pinkie chuckled. "Well, you did pretty good, Lukas." "Thanks Pinkie." I replied, feeling a bit flattered by her compliment. "Ooh, I just can't wait for your welcome party tomorrow." Pinkie exclaimed in her usual boundless energy. "It's gonna be so fun, there's gonna be cake, games, and ice cream, and who knows, you might make some new friends." Pinkie added while giggling to herself. "But I've already met your friends." I pointed out, earning another laugh from Pinkie. "No, silly, I mean the ponies of Ponyville, including my sister Maud!" Pinkie replied, getting more excited when she mentioned Maud. "I just hope she isn't too busy with her rock studies." I couldn't help but smile at this, Pinkie had always been my favourite character from the show, and now here I was, spending time with her, laughing, and I was soon about to experience one of her iconic parties. Needless to say, my first day here in Equestria was going well so far. To Be Continued...
Chapter 7: Party For a HumanAuthor's Note Sorry I haven't made a chapter in almost two months, I was just struggling to come up with story ideas Anyways, enjoy! Chapter 7: Party For a Human As I sat up in bed, my mind was swirling with thoughts. Today was the day. My very own "Welcome to Ponyville" party, hosted by none other than Pinkie Pie. As a brony, I had always dreamed of attending one of her famous parties, but now that it was actually happening, I couldn’t shake the nervous feeling building inside me. I rarely got invited to parties back home, and the idea of being the center of attention in a town full of ponies, well, it felt a bit overwhelming. Just then, I heard a soft knock on the door, followed by the door opening as Starlight poked her head in with a warm smile. "Good morning, Lukas!" I managed a small smile back. "Good morning, Starlight." She stepped inside, immediately noticing my nervous expression. Her smile faded slightly as concern crept into her voice. "Hey, are you okay? You seem a little… off." I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Yeah, I guess I’m just a bit nervous about today. The party, I mean." Starlight tilted her head. "Nervous? About Pinkie’s party? I thought you were excited about it." "I am," I admitted, "but at the same time, it’s… a lot. I don’t usually go to parties, and being the only human here—well, I guess I’m just feeling out of place." Starlight gave me a sympathetic look. "I get it. It can be intimidating, especially when you're the new one in town, and all eyes are on you. But believe me, Lukas, Pinkie throws these parties because she wants you to feel welcomed, not overwhelmed. Everypony there is excited to meet you because they want to make you feel like part of the community." Her words were reassuring, but I still couldn’t shake the butterflies in my stomach. "I don’t know, Starlight. What if I say something awkward or mess up somehow? I’ve never really been good at these kinds of social things." Starlight chuckled softly. "Trust me, Lukas, I’ve been there. When I first came to Ponyville, I was worried about fitting in, too. But you know what? Everypony here is so friendly, and they won’t judge you for being a little nervous. They’re just curious to meet you and get to know you." I nodded, feeling a bit of the tension ease away. "I guess that makes sense." "And you won’t be alone," Starlight added. "I’ll be there, along with Twilight, Spike, and the others. We’ve all got your back." Hearing that helped a lot. "Thanks, Starlight. I think I just needed to hear that." She smiled and gave me a light pat on the back. "No problem. And hey, just focus on having fun. Pinkie’s parties are all about enjoying yourself. If you need a break, just come find me, okay?" "Okay," I said, feeling a little more confident now. As Starlight stood up and headed for the door, she glanced back with a playful grin. "Besides, once you try one of Pinkie’s famous cupcakes, I bet all your worries will disappear." I laughed softly. "I’ll hold you to that." After Starlight left, I took a deep breath, feeling more ready to face the day. Pinkie’s party was going to be something I’d never forget, and maybe, just maybe, it wouldn’t be as scary as I thought. Later in the day, as the time for my party drew closer, I still couldn’t shake the nervousness building up inside me. Starlight’s words had definitely helped, but I felt like I needed some more reassurance—and who better to ask than Applejack, the most honest pony in Ponyville? There was just one small problem: I had no idea where Sweet Apple Acres was. As I wandered through Ponyville, I spotted Fluttershy nearby, gently talking to a couple of birds perched on a tree branch. I quickly made my way over to her, hoping she could help. “Hey, Fluttershy,” I said, trying to sound casual despite my nerves. She looked over and smiled warmly. “Oh, hello, Lukas. How are you?” “I’m… okay. Actually, I was wondering if you could help me with something. I was trying to find Sweet Apple Acres, but, uh… I’m kind of lost.” Fluttershy giggled softly. “Sweet Apple Acres isn’t too far from here. You just head down that road," she pointed with a hoof, "and when you see the big red barn, you’ll know you’re there.” I nodded, feeling relieved. “Thanks, Fluttershy. I appreciate it.” “You’re very welcome,” she said softly. “Are you visiting Applejack for something special?” “Yeah, sort of,” I replied. “Just looking for some advice.” Fluttershy gave me a knowing smile but didn’t pry. “Applejack’s always good for that. I’m sure she’ll be happy to help.” With her directions clear in my mind, I thanked her again and headed down the road toward Sweet Apple Acres. It didn’t take long before I saw the iconic red barn and rows of apple trees sprawling out across the landscape. As I approached, I spotted Applejack near the barn, hauling a cart of apples. She noticed me right away and waved. “Well, howdy, Lukas! What brings ya out here?” I took a deep breath, feeling a little silly for still being so anxious. “Hey, Applejack. I just… wanted to talk to you. Get some advice, if that’s alright.” She raised an eyebrow but smiled. “Course it is. Come on over here and spill what’s on yer mind.” I walked over and hesitated for a moment, trying to gather my thoughts. “So, Pinkie’s throwing me a ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party today. I’m excited, but also… kind of nervous. I don’t usually go to parties, and being the only human here, I’m worried I’ll stick out too much. I was hoping you could give me some honest advice. What should I expect?” Applejack nodded as she listened, leaning against the cart. “Well, sugarcube, I reckon it’s natural to feel a bit nervous. Pinkie’s parties can be a mite overwhelming, what with all the energy she puts into ‘em. But here’s the truth: nopony’s gonna think any less of ya for feelin’ outta place. We all know you’re still adjustin’ to life in Equestria.” That was comforting to hear, but I still felt a bit unsure. “So… you think it’ll be okay? I won’t embarrass myself or anything?” Applejack chuckled. “Lukas, you ain’t got nothin’ to worry about. Ponies around here are real friendly-like, and they’re just excited to meet ya. My honest advice? Just be yourself. Don’t go worryin’ about what anypony else thinks. Pinkie’s throwin’ that party so you can have fun, not stress out.” She placed a reassuring hoof on my shoulder. “And if things get a bit too much, you can always come find me or any of our friends. We’ll be there for ya.” I smiled, feeling a lot better. “Thanks, Applejack. I really needed to hear that.” “Anytime, partner,” That afternoon, the moment had arrived, the moment I've been anticipating for a while, my Welcome to Ponyville party. As I made my way to Sugarcube Corner, I tried to remain positive, Starlight and Applejack's words repeated over and over again in my mind, but despite their reassurance, I still couldn't help but feel uneasy. I kept thinking to myself "I'm gonna ruin this somehow" No matter how hard I tried to assure myself that it's unlikely that would happen, the thought was still burned in my mind. Soon enough, there it was, Sugarcube Corner, and as I got closer, I could faintly hear voices inside. Seems like some guests had already arrived, kinda ironic that I was late to a party specifically for me. With one big sigh, I approached the door and gave a loud knock so it could be heard through the commotion going on inside. It wasn't long before the door swung open to reveal Pinkie, who grinned from ear to ear upon seeing me. "Lukas, you made it!" She exclaimed, before she wrapped her front hooves around me in a tight hug. "Of course I'm here, Pinkie." I replied, my voice straining a bit from being constricted. "You threw this party for me after all." "Come on in, the party just started." Pinkie said as she released me from the hug and allowed me to step in. I slowly stepped inside to see the party in full swing, ponies and other creatures were gathered around, music was blaring, decorations hung from the ceiling, and there was a table decked out with various sweets and pastries, including the chocolate cupcakes I had helped Pinkie make yesterday. I even noticed that there was a huge cake in the middle of the table with the words "Welcome Lukas" written in frosting. "Sooooo, whaddaya think?" Pinkie asked me in a sing-song voice. "It... it's nice, Pinkie." I replied, feeling a bit overwhelmed. "Nice?!" Pinkie exclaimed with slight offense. "It should be more than just "nice" It should be the most fun-errific party ever!" "Yeah, it is." I assured her. "It's just that... I don't get invited to parties a lot. "Oh, don't worry 'bout that, Lukey." Pinkie said dismissively. "You're gonna love it!" I groaned to myself about "Lukey" becoming my nickname. Regardless, I decided to try and strike up a conversation with some of the ponies here, but before I could, I felt someone tap me on the shoulder, it was Pinkie, who was seemingly trying to get me to look at someone, so I looked over and saw that Pinkie was pointing at a certain grey mare with a stoic expression on her face, it was Maud Pie. "Maud, over here!" Pinkie called out to her. Maud noticed us and slowly began approaching us. "Hello Pinkie." She said in her usual monotone voice. "Really dig this party, like how I dig for rocks." Pinkie laughed as she wiped a tear. "Oh Maud, you're always full of jokes. Maud then noticed me as her expression remained unchanged. "Who's this?" "Maud, I'd like you to meet Lukas, he's a human." Pinkie replied. "Hey Maud, nice to meet you." I said as I held a hand out "Likewise, Lukas." Maud responded as she shook my hand, before she fell silent. The situation felt a little awkward as none of us said anything for a while. I then looked at Pinkie, who signalled for me to talk to Maud, which I did. "So... uh... Maud." I began, getting her attention. "Come up with any new rock poems recently?" "Yes." Maud replied blankly. "Would you like to hear one?" I sighed, knowing this could take a while. "Sure, I guess." Maud then cleared her throat as she began reciting her poem. "Rocks are hard. Rocks are strong. They last a long time. Like the foundation of the earth. Steadfast. Immovable. A rock." "Wow, that was... good." I said, trying to make a good first impression. "Thanks." Maud replied, before going silent again. "I think she likes you already." Pinkie whispered to me, giggling a bit. "Maud, there you are." An equally monotone voice called out. I looked over to see a stallion with a light brown coat and a dark brown mane and tail approaching us as he stood beside Maud, it was Mudbriar, Maud's boyfriend, or stallion-friend? "Oh, you must be Mudbriar." I said. "Maud's boyfriend, right?" "That is correct." Mudbriar replied as he gave me a once-over. "And just who might you be?" "I'm Lukas, I'm new around here, nice to meet you, Mudbriar." I responded. "The pleasure's all mine, Lukas." Mudbriar said modestly, before looking at me closely. "Uh, is something wrong?" I asked, feeling a bit uncomfortable. "Technically, there is, as I don't think I've ever seen a... creature like you before." Mudbriar replied, raising his eyebrows. "Oh, I'm a human." I explained. Mudbriar hummed in thought, putting a hoof on his chin. "I see, well, I'll let you be. Come on, Maud." As Maud and Mudbriar turned and walked away, I looked back at Pinkie who was still grinning. "So, how was that?" "That was great, Lukas, you're fitting in here already." Pinkie replied with a chuckle, I couldn't help but laugh myself, Pinkie had always had such a contagious laugh. The rest of the party went by without any major events, I made my way around acquainting myself with some of the guests, some of them were recognizable background ponies, while others were different creatures, like the Young Six. Throughout it all, Pinkie was right by my side, encouraging me along the way and getting me to try her various treats she had made. That night, the party had finally come to an end and it was time for everyone to leave, and as the guests left, they offered me some words of encouragement and welcomed me to Equestria. I sat down on the grass as I watched the guests leave as I sighed to myself, relieved that the party went by so well, I guess I had nothing to worry about after all. "Looks like you're party pooped, Lukas!" Pinkie chuckled as she sat next to me. "Yeah, I am." I replied. "Thanks again, Pinkie. I really had a good time" "That's good to hear, Lukey." Pinkie exclaimed excitedly. "Pinkie." I groaned with embarrassment. "Can you stop calling me that?" "No promises." Pinkie chuckled again as she winked at me as I rolled my eyes, knowing that Pinkie was just being Pinkie.
Chapter 8: Generosity Is a RaritySomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.