Prologue
“I hate you all.” Adrian slammed his hand down, revealing a measly pair of sevens. Greg smiled as he slid the pot right over his three aces.
“Hate the game not the playah!” Greg said, in a rather annoying ‘black’ accent. A blaccent, if you would.
Emma sighed. “The line is ‘don’t hate the player, hate the game’, Gregory.” Emma brushed her brown hair out of her face.
Greg shrugged.
“So… another round?” Zoe asked, taking another handful of chips.
“Not an earth pony’s chance in Cloudsdale.” The group laughed at the thought of a certain pink pony plummeting hundreds of feet. Despite all four of them loving the show, none of them were huge fans of Pinkie Pie from My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. Glancing at his watch, Adrian caught a look at the time: 3:48 AM. “Well, as much as I love losing money to you guys, I gotta get to bed. Some of us have real jobs- cough-Greg-cough.”
“It is so a real job!” Greg defended; taking insult that anyone would dare think his job as a YouTuber wasn’t a real one. 1,045,078,097 views (and he checked every hour on the hour) was as real a job as Greg could think of.
“Can I crash here? Rather face the BM with a few hours of sleep.” Zoe asked, stretching. Zoe had never really liked Brandon Malchol, which makes their four year relationship that much more complicated. Frankly, it amazed Emma (who despite not being the worst girl in town had never even held hands with a guy) that they were still faithfully, or hopefully faithfully, together.
“I don’t care, as long as you guys actually let me sleep.” Adrian crumpled up the several empty snack bags on the card table, and stuffed them into an empty plastic cup.
“Don’t worry Adrian, I’ll stay and make sure she catches a wink or two.” Emma smiled. Emma had always had feelings for Adrian, and had even told him of them a few years back. Despite Adrians (rather nice) let down, Emma still had a place in her shy heart for him.
“You’re the best, Emmy.” Adrian took his collected trash and deposited it into his overflowing trashcan.
Greg whined. “Well now I just got to stay here. I couldn’t dream of being away from my dearest three pals.” Greg made a move for his back pocket.
“No filming, Gregory.” Emma scolded, not wanting her sleep murmurs to earn another million views, and weeks of teasing by complete strangers.
“Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiine, mother.” Greg put the camera back into his pocket, “Dibs on the good couch!” Diving from his seat at the card table, Greg was barely able to touch the ‘good’ couch before someone else could steal it.
“No you- Dammit! You asshat! You always take the good couch.” Zoe protested, sinking into Adrians other couch, which was only considered the bad couch because of a hole in one of the cushions.
“Settle down children.” Adrian and Emma said at the same time, getting a giggle from each of them. Despite Zoe being the oldest one of the group, Adrian felt he and Emma were the only ones who acted their age.
“Good night everypony.” Adrian said, turning into his room.
“Wait!” Zoe shouted, making Adrian turn back around, “Emma has to sing the song for any of us to fall asleep.”
Blushing, Emma said, “Aren’t you old enough to fall asleep without a lullaby?”
“Nope!” Greg said, shifting in his spot. Adrian sighed.
“You know they’ll win Emma.” Adrian smiled as he leaned on the door way. Ever since the episode had aired, it had been a ritual that Emma had to sing Hush Now Quite Now if any of them were sleeping at the same place.
“Fine.” Emma begrudgingly began:
Hush now, Quite now,
It’s time to lay you sleepy heads
Hush now, Quiet now
It's time to lay your sleepy head.
Said hush now, Quiet now,
It's time to go to bed.
Drifting off to sleep,
The exciting day behind you,
Drifting off to sleep,
Let the joy of dream land find you.
Hush now, Quiet now,
Lay your sleepy head,
Hush now, Quiet now,
It's time to go to bed.
Adrian looked around the room: Greg and Zoe, as always, had drifted off from the song, and Emma was almost asleep to. Adrian grinned. “G’night Emma.” Adrian whispered.
“Good night.” Emma shut her eyes and pulled her arms around her.
Adrian turned and went to bed.
“Ugh…” Adrian yawned as he awoke himself. What time is it, Adrian thought as he turned to look at his alarm clock. Must be early, damn thing didn’t wake me up, Adrian was never one to wake up on his own accord, he always needed an alarm. But it seemed like it was a little bright out for it to be before his alarm went. And why did his back hurt so much? Turning, Adrian didn’t see his alarm clock. Huh? Adrian rubbed his eyes. Still no alarm clock.
Adrian shot ramrod straight in his bed. Panicked, he looked down: no bed, no blanket, and no nothing. He was just lying on grass. WHAT IN EQUESTRIA IS HAPPENING! Adrian almost shouted. Really freaking out, he looked around: trees, sky, and three lumps. Wait…
“GUYS!” Adrian yelled at the top of his lungs, waking his three friends to varying degrees.
“What?” Zoe snapped awake, always able to go from zero to 100 in one second flat.
“Hmm?” Greg mumbled, stirring to just the brink of awake.
“No oatmeal!” Emma said, jerking her head up, “What?”
Adrian, endorphins pumping, ran to his nearest friend. “We aren’t in my apartment! Something happened!” Adrian was in no way a morning person, but danger had a special way of dumping you straight into reality.
“Wha- Oh my god, where are we?” Zoe looked past Adrian to the tree line, trying to get a grip on everything that was happening.
“I don’t know, that’s the problem.” Adrian took a closer look at his tomboy friend: Zoe didn’t seems to have a scratch on her, except maybe a bad case of couch hair, and still had the jeans, jacket, and t-shirt she had on the night before.
Emma stood up, “Alright, is everyone okay?” Adrian and Zoe nodded. Greg was still lying in a patch of dirt mutely looking around, “Al-alright, what do we do?” Emma was always the most rational one of them, but it was Greg that gave her an answer.
“We walk three miles.” Adrian, Zoe, and Emma turned.
“What?” Zoe asked. Greg pointed to a wooden sign none of them had seen:
Ponyville 3 miles