Brenda's Big Adventure

"Twilight, I remembered that I have to go to work today," I said, some worry creeping into my voice.

"Brenda, Princess Celestia said she would be arriving shortly, I'm sure we can get you back home in time," Twilight said with calm assurance. "If not, perhaps your boss will understand."

"My supervisors are a real pain to work for," I said, contempt finding its way into my voice. "They don't like me very much, even though I'm one of their best employees."

"If you don't mind my asking, Brenda, is every human on your world as dark-skinned as you?"

"No, my husband is white as are most of the people where I come from. Some people have darker skin than others, we all come in different skin colors."

"That's very interesting. How white is he? Like the Princess?"

I have to laugh at her question. "No, his skin is a little on the pinkish side," I said, chuckling a little. "Kind of tan, too."

A knocking was heard at the front door. "Let's head downstairs, that might be the Princess," Twilight stated optimistically. I followed Twilight and Spike downstairs to the main room. Lots of books on shelves which looked like they had been carved into a tree? This place had a very organic look to it. Spike opened the door.

"Princess Celestia! What a pleasant surprise!" Spike beamed.

"I came as soon as I read your letter, Twilight. Where is this human?"

"She's inside, Princess. Please come in!"

I had seen Princess Celestia earlier, but even so, I was a little surprised to see how regal she appeared and how much taller she was than Twilight. I had to look up to meet her eyes. She ducked under the doorway with her wings folded in.

"So you are Brenda Walker. Pleasure to meet you. Twilight mentioned your husband in her letter -- where is he? She wrote a glowing endorsement of him."

"He's still on Earth, as far as I know. I imagine he's probably worried sick about me -- knowing him, I'll bet he's probably trying to find a way to get here to find me."

"Just how resourceful is he?" Celestia asked.

"Brenda said he dispatched Nightmare Moon single-hoofedly!" Twilight said with a tinge of excitement.

"I would have to meet him face to face to assess the veracity of that statement, Twilight. Brenda, is this true?"

"You must be different from another Princess Celestia who met me at my home on Earth and told me of Mike's accomplishments -- she told me that he had freed you from your imprisonment in the ... Sun?"

Now it was Celestia's turn for a jaw drop and wide-eyed look of surprise. "How did he manage to do THAT?"

"Something about a "shimmer" spell of some sort or other," I said flatly. "I must be in a different universe if you're unaware of what he managed to do while in Twilight's body."

"Um, Brenda, would it be possible for us to meet him? It sounds as though he's able to do the seemingly impossible," Twilight stated with quite a bit of surprise.

"Knowing him, I wouldn't be surprised if he manages to get here before you send me back home," I said. "I've never known him to be so determined about things of this sort ever since he took an interest in My Little Pony." I saw puzzled looks on their faces. "That's a children's TV show on Earth, and he seems obsessed with it, especially with Twilight -- I had no idea it was like that until he woke up in Twilight's body a few days ago. He said her magic is really strong." Twilight beamed at this statement.

"I am curious to see this TV show you mention. Your husband's resourcefulness sounds utterly amazing -- perhaps you should stay here and meet everypony -- if he's as determined as you say, he will find a way to get here and take you home."

"I don't want to lose my job, even though I dislike the people I work for -- my husband doesn't make enough money to pay all the bills with what he makes at his job. I was supposed to go to work today -- and I'm probably going to get written up for missing a day."

"Perhaps you will be able to find employment elsewhere, however, I must return to the castle as there are important matters of business for me to attend to. I suggest you wait for your husband to come, as the possibility of my sending you home will coincide with his attempt to locate you here."

"Okay, I guess I'll wait for him. I'm still worried about my job and I need a cigarette right now." The stress was starting to get to me, and I needed a smoke. I don't know if these ponies smoke or not, but I needed one badly right now.

"You smoke? We don't encourage that activity," Twilight said flatly. "Don't look at me! I don't smoke!"

"Smoking causes lung cancer, Brenda -- it also pollutes the air. I must be off now," the Princess stated as she climbed aboard her chariot and then left for the castle.

"See you soon, Princess!" Twilight called after her. "Brenda, why do you smoke?"

"It relieves stress for me. The nicotine has a calming effect." Twilight made a note of this.

"Okay, so how long have you been smoking?"

"About 30 years or so, why?"

"I can sense you breathing with some effort -- you may have emphysema," Twilight mused.

"I can't stop smoking -- I need it --"

"A chemical dependency? Not good."

"Do you know where I can get a smoke?"

"Hmm. Maybe Zecora?" Spike asked.

"Who is Zecora?" I asked. I had never heard this name before.

"She is a Zebrican who lives in the Everfree Forest," Twilight stated.

"Do you think she might have something to help me?" I asked.

"I suppose we can go meet her -- but we have to stop by Sugarcube Corner, as I have an order of cupcakes for a slumber party tonight to pick up."

"That's where Pinkie Pie stays, if Mike told me correctly," I said. "I'd like one of those cupcakes as well, since I'm kind of hungry." At the mention of her name, a bouncing pink earth pony showed up, her darker pink mane and tail bunched up like cotton candy.

"Did somepony mention my name?" Pinkie asked, and then she saw me. She gasped, and took off running back to her place.

"Why did she do that?" I asked.

"You're new here, so she's going to throw you a welcome party," Twilight chuckled.

"Well, I'm still hungry, so shouldn't we be going?"

"Might as well, I still need to get those cupcakes! Spike, you coming with us?"

"Sure thing, Twi." He hopped on her back as she trotted along the path leading to Sugarcube Corner. I felt out of place, especially with all these ponies staring at me, some of them whispering to each other. As I heard their whispers, I would glare at them in disapproval and watch them turn their heads quickly away from my gaze. It was going to take awhile before I would come to be accepted, if at all. I walked behind Twilight as I was unfamiliar with the layout of the town. After about what seemed like fifteen minutes of walking, we made it to the bakery, which looked like a giant ginger-bread house. I chuckled at the sight.

"Okay, if you want, you may come in with me. My order should be ready for pickup, but maybe you might want to meet Pinkie Pie as well."

I saw Pinkie Pie peek her head from around the corner of the shop and laughed as she gasped and retreated inside once again. "Pinkie Pie! I'm not gonna hurt you!" I shouted at her.

"You're gonna ruin the surprise! Why are you here anyway?"

"I'm with Twilight, we're here to pick up an order of cupcakes," I said.

"Okie-dokie-lokie!" she chimed cheerfully.

"Twilight, what's with her?"

"Just Pinkie being Pinkie. I still don't understand everything about her as she finds ways to surprise me even after knowing her all this time," Twilight mused.

"Okay, Twilight, here's your order," Mr. Cake announced. She put several small coins on the counter and held the box of cupcakes with her magenta aura.

"They look like they have sprinkles on them," I observed.

"Hay sprinkles, yes," Twilight smiled.

"I have allergies," I said with disappointment. "Are there any that don't have hay of some sort mixed in?"

"We ponies need our cellulose -- it helps in our digestion. I'll see what I can do for you."

Pinkie Pie popped up out of nowhere and handed me a cupcake. "Here, you can have this one!" she chuckled and disappeared again.

"Uh, thanks?" I said to the spot where she had popped in and out from.

"Don't mention it!" came her voice from seemingly out of nowhere. The cupcake was very tasty.

We walked back to the giant tree-house that Twilight called her home and she took the box of cupcakes inside and returned shortly with her saddlebags packed with some supplies.

"Zecora lives in the Everfree, so we have to be prepared. We can stop by Fluttershy's place and you can meet her, though she'll probably be scared of you since you're so big."

"I was only here for a short while last time around, so these ponies you're mentioning will be new to me. I know of Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash, but none of the others. The ones whispering behind my back are making me upset, especially this light green one that's been stalking us ever since we left Sugarcube Corner."

"Lyra! You stop scaring my friend here!" Twilight shouted. A very embarrassed light green unicorn came forward -- she appeared to be quite bashful -- she seemed to be staring at my hands.

"Um, uh ... who are you?"

"My name is Brenda Walker. Who are you?"

"I'm Lyra Heartstrings -- can I take a look at your hands?"

"You seem to be staring at them."

"I mean, can I hold one of them?"

"I guess." I offered my left hand which she took into her hooves -- she seemed to examine it very closely, holding it for what seemed like way too long. I pulled my hand back. "That's enough!" I shouted at her. She meeped and retreated behind a tree.

"Sorry about that, Brenda -- she's been obsessed like that for a long time."