A Wish Come True

Right when Twilight opens the door, it bursts open the rest of the way, flattening Twilight against the wall. From behind the door, Twilight mumbles something. "And not a Pinkie Sense to be seen." She slips out from behind the door and shakes her head, making her mane fluff. "What happened now?"

"Twilight, you gotta help me!"

Joseph steps back at the blue blur that just rushed to the door. He looks over the pony that just flew in. She was a cyan blue pegasus, and Joseph could tell it was a mare by her voice. Her eyes were red, her mane and tail were a mash of colors that looked like a rainbow, and her wings were fluttering wildly.

"What is it Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asks while smoothing out her mane.

"I don't know! That's it, I don't know! I feel hot, and my head is filled these thoughts! Get one of your books! I need help..."

"Dash, listen, we've had this conversation before. Spike, go upstairs."

Spike put his hands on his tail, which was next to his feet. "Why? I've already heard this before, and I know everything already. I'm not a baby anymore, you know. I'm...well, okay so I'm a few years old, I know this already."

"Spike..."

"Fine." Spike spins around and heads upstairs.

Joseph rubs the back of his head. "...Um, what talk?"

Rainbow Dash turns around in the air and looks at Joseph. She looks him up from head to toe. "...Twilight, who's your friend?"

"This is Joseph, Joseph King," Twilight says, finally getting her mane back to normal. "He's a human."

"...A human, huh?" She get a look in her eyes that sends chills down Joseph's spine.

Twilight grabs her friend's face with her front legs and turns her head to look her in the eye. "Dash, listen, we've had this talk before. You're in heat, you can't think straight, and when this happens you rush to my house in a panic. Just go home and stay home for a few days, and it'll be over for another season."

"But-"

Twilight pulls her down to the ground. "Dash! Just go home...get a nice drink with one of those fruity umbrellas you have in your kitchen, sit down somewhere...and try to calm down."

Dash looks down at the floor. "But...it feels...so unusual."

"I know, I know. Just...try to ignore it." She pats Rainbow's back and nudges her out the door. "Go on now. Go...watch some clouds, or feed Tank, just do something." Dash nods and flies off out of sight rather quickly. Twilight sighs and then recovers with a smile. "Sorry about that. That was one of my friends, Rainbow Dash. She's a bit of a scatterbrain when she's...ready...Okay, she's always a bit of a scatterbrain..." Twilight tries to keep her smile up, but the redness around her cheeks is starting to block it out. "Well then, shall we?"

Joseph stands there for a few seconds. He then points up at himself. "You can't tell, but my eyes are filled with embarrassment and terror."

Twilight leans to one side, but she recovers. "...Maybe we should get you a haircut."

Joseph always liked his hair long, and he did have the knowledge to cut his own hair. his sister would make him help her with trimming and such, and he practices on his own head, but...being where he was, this was a new chance for him. "...I...don't know...lead the way and I'll think about it."

Twilight nods and walks out the door. Joseph swallows the lump in his throat and follows. When he stepped outside, a blast of warm air hit him. He moves his hair out of way and looks around. The buildings were made of wooden frames, sheet windows, and straw ceilings. They were a mesh of colors, varying from eggshell white to hot pink. The straw on the roofs added a nice yellow to the town.

Twilight stamps her hoof to get his attention. "Let me be the first to show you around our happy town of Ponyville!"

"Ponyville?" Joseph slaps his hand to his face. "Holy crap, I'm in a little girl's fantasy world." He brings his hand down and looks at Twilight, who's staring at him strangely. Joseph coughs into his fist. "Sorry, please...lead on." Twilight turns back around and starts walking. Joseph starts after her. "...Maybe I should have agreed to go on vacation with Mom. I wouldn't have been killed in Las Vegas...except by the possible gambling dept."

Twilight flicks her tail. "Sorry to say, but Las Pegasus is quite far away. You'll need a train ticket to get there."

"Las Pegasus? Oh Lord..."

Twilight clears her throat. "So, over there you can see Sugarcube Corner, the bakery and home to the Cake family...Over there it the road leading to Apple Acres and my friend Applejack's farm. Don't worry Joseph, as soon as a certain pony hears a new face is in town, namely you," Twilight inhales deeply, "then you'll know everypony's names...Speaking of which, you might want to sit down."

"Sit down?" Joseph looks at his feet. "...Why?"

"So you don't get knocked down," Twilight replies while stepping back.

"What do you mea-oof!" Joseph is slammed to the dirt by a pinkish blur. He lifts his head from the ground and looks at the culprit. "Hey, what's your deal?" It was another pony, although this one was pink all over. It's mane and tail looks like they got caught in a cotton candy spinner, and it's eyes were a light blue. It too had a symbol on it's flanks, a few balloons.

"My deal?" she asks. "My deal! Who's deal? Did you make a deal with somepony? I didn't know anything about a deal. Should I have? Do I want to? Oh well. Hi! You're new here! I haven't seen you around! Wow, you have really pretty eyes!" The pink pony leans closer.

"Hey, come on! Get off me!"

"Oops, sorry!" She lets Joseph roll over onto his knees and then stands. He brushes himself off. "I saw you hanging around with Twilight, so I knew you were her friend! And all friends need more friends! I'm Pinkie Pie! What's your name? You don't look like a pony? What are you? Oh, it doesn't matter, all that matters is that we know what really matters! You know what really matters? Friends!"

"Holy shit, talk about a sugar rush," Joseph says, trying to understand what just happened. "...Ugh, you're Pinkie Pie?" The pink pony nods happily, getting a noise that sounds like a cat toy from her head. "...Nice to meet you...I guess. My name is Joseph King. I'm a human."

"Wow, you sound like you belong in the Canterlot Palace! King, what kind of name is that? Where did it come from? It sounds cool, like really real party material! Hey, you're new! You know what that means...a super duper special Pinkie welcoming party!" Pinkie starts bouncing around like a jackrabbit. "Oh, it'll be sooooooo much fun! I'll invite the whole town!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. No way," Joseph crosses his arms. "I don't do parties. Sorry, but no."

"Awe, don't be such a party-pooper. Everypony loves a good party!"

Joseph put his arms down and kicks at the ground. "...Not me. Sorry, but I just can't do parties."

Pinkie Pie tilts her head to the right. "Why not?"

"...Well...I just never had any friends to talk to when I went to parties, so I stopped going entirely." Joseph rubs his right arm. "Plus i always get picked on for being...a techno-nerd."

"Well, don't worry!" Pinkie says with a smile big enough for two. "You'll make friends at the party! See you there!" Pinkie rushes to Twilight's side and keeps her voice down so Joseph can't hear her. "Twilight, the party will be at your place, that okay?"

Twilight looks over at Joseph. "What's a techno-nerd?"

Joseph looks at his feet. "Its a really smart person with no time on their hands to do anything but invent technology, dismantle computers, and work with electronics."

Twilight nods slowly. "...Pinkie, that's fine. Just keep the party small so we don't overwhelm Joseph, okay? Let the others know and we'll start from there, but leave Rainbow Dash at home."

"Will do!" Pinkie dashes off faster than Joseph could see.

"...Wait, what did you just rope me into?" he asks.

Twilight walks up to him. "You're having a small welcoming party. Sorry, but it's...kinda mandatory by Pinkie's standards."

"...Eh...it's okay...I guess. Just as long as it's small."

"That's what I said. Come on, I'll show you to the barber."

Joseph shrugs. "Alright." They both start walking again and pass multiple buildings. Each one looked the same and there were more of the town's residents come out to see Joseph. Everywhere he looked, Joseph saw ponies of all shapes, kinds, sizes, and colors staring at him. He leans forward and cups his hand to the side of his mouth for a whisper. "...Twilight, why is everyone staring at me?

"You mean everypony, right?" she corrects.

"...Why is everypony staring at me?"

"You're the first human to ever be seen in Equestria. I'm surprised that I myself am not more stunned by your arrival."

Joseph looks around. "...Are all of these ponies your friends?"

Twilight flicks her tail again, and the crowds of ponies seem to resume what they were doing before. Twilight nods. "Most of them, but my best friends, the one that'll be at your party, I've got five. You've already met Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rarity will probably be there too, but I hope Rainbow's okay. She normally isn't this bad, but she'll be fine in a few days. If she knows what's good for her," Twilight turns into a large building, "then she'll say no to Pinkie's possibly invitation and won't show for the fiasco."

Joseph tilts his head a bit. "You're the brainy cute one of the group, aren't you?"

Twilight blushes a bit. "I guess you can say that...We're here."

"What?" Joseph looks around and observe the inside of the structure. He was surprised that the ceiling was high enough for him to stand under. There were four red reclining chairs bolted to the the floor in front of a large mirror that covered the whole wall. Under the mirror was a counter with a few sinks. The floor was red and white tile and the ceiling was a regular white.

There was a doorway in the back, through which another pony steps through. Joseph could tell it was a guy by the way his shoulders were set. The pony walks up to Twilight and nods, making his moustache bounce. He's a few inches taller than her. "G'morning to ya Miss Sparkle. Are ya 'ere for a trim?"

"No," she says politely. "But my friend here is."

The pony looks up at Joseph and he looks the pony over. He was actually a unicorn, his thick brown horn was basically yelling that. His coat was a light brown, and his mane and tail were both a deep oak brown, as well as the thick moustache he held on his face. His eyes were a bright yellow and he was wearing a light blue and red stripped shirt with a black comb in the front pocket. His flanks had symbols of cutting tools. He squints his eyes at Joseph. "...This one 'ere? Kinda big. Strange one too, never seen something like 'im before, what with all those clothes and that 'ieght. Boy, he's a tall one, he is!"

"Yes Rudy, this one here," Twilight says with a smile. "This is Joseph. Joseph, this is Rudy, the barber."

Rudy smiles, showing off his big white teeth. "Top o' the mornin' to ya."

"Nice to meet you," Joseph replies. "...Twilight here says I need a haircut."

"...Hmm, I'd say so, laddie. I can't see your bloomin' eyes. Ya blind under all that hair?"

Joseph rubs the back of his neck. "No, but I guess I need a trim."

Rudy nods. "Well then, take a seat and I'll be with ya in a moment. I'll be havin' for you ta remove that red coat o' yours."

"Oh, sure, yeah." Joseph reaches up and unzips his jacket. He pulls out his arms and hangs his hoodie and a nearby coat rack. Joseph scratches the chest of his gray T-shirt. He walks over and and sits down in one of the chairs, finding that is was a bit snug on his hips and the back didn't come up high enough for him to be comfortable.

Rudy comes through the back doorway again with two pairs of scissors and his black comb floating beside him in a yellow aura. His horn is glowing the same color. "So, what style did ya want?" He walks over to Joseph's side and snips his scissors.

"Um...surprise me?"

"Alrighty." A large cloth flies out from another room and settles on Joseph's chest. It ties itself around his neck. "Now, ya might wanna close your eyes, laddie. Don't want any hair fallin' into your lookin' globes."

"How much is this gonna cost?" Joseph says out of the blue.

"Don't worry," Twilight says, "it's on me."

"...Thanks Twilight." Joseph closes his eyes and the air is filled with the sound of snipping. Every once in a while his head would be pulled back slightly as Rudy ran his comb through Joseph brown hair. "...So Rudy, how long have you been cutting hair?" he asks, trying to pass the time.

"Oh, 'bout twenty seven years."

"That's a good career."

"Yeh, I suppose so. Unfortunately, I''ll be retiring in abou a mouth er so." Another tug on his scalp and a few snips later, Joseph hears water start to run. "Ya best be keepin' them peepers shut, else yeah be wantin' a washin'." Wetness sprinkles itself over his head. Rudy starts working his comb and his hooves into Joseph's head. A bit more tugging and forming and Rudy backs off. "...Eh, there."

Joseph opens his eyes as Rudy pulls the sheet from his neck. He looks himself over in the mirror. His hair was still a bit long, but it formed pyramids on his head all over, like thick spikes. "Wow, I look like the red-headed kid in Pokémon: Gale of Darkness." Joseph looks back over at Rudy. "Thanks Rudy."

"No problem." A few small red stones float in front of him, then slide into his pocket. "Thank you miss Twilight. You two 'ave a good day now."

"Thanks Rudy," Twilight says, "you too. Come on Joseph, I'll finish taking you around town."

"Alright." Joseph stands and walks toward the open door, but stops and waits for Twilight to exit first. He waves to Rudy before following her out, grabbing his hoodie on the way. Twilight turns back onto the dirt road and motions forward. They start walking again.

Twilight looks back at Joseph. "Joseph, I think you look a lot better now that I can see your eyes. They're very pretty, by the way."

Joseph looks down at her. "Uh...thanks." He looks around and zips the bottom of his hoodie halfway.

Twilight lowers her gaze to his hands. "Joseph, don't you get hot wearing that?"

"A little, but I'm used to it." Joseph stops and bends over a bit. "Oh, ouch."

Twilight hears him grunt and turns around completely. "Joseph, are you okay?"

"Chm...yeah, just a hunger pain."

Twilight walks over to his side and puts a hoof to his kneecap. "If you're hungry, there a restaurant down the road a ways. It's the best in town," she says with a smile. "...It's also the only one in town, hehe...My treat."

Joseph lets a smile grow on his face. "Okay, thanks." Twilight nods, and Joseph nods back, then they both begin to walk further down the dirt road. Occasionally they would get a stare or two, but seeing Joseph near Twilight's side, they left them be. Joseph puts a hand to his smiling face.'Let's see,' he thinks to himself, 'I was killed in my world and got sent to this one filled with magical talking ponies. It seems...ludicrous, but...I don't know. Twilight seems nice enough, maybe I'll see what happens.' Joseph nods to himself and speeds up a bit to Twilight's side.