The Work Horse (Working Title)

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A/N: I decided to write this story after it started putting itself together in my head without my accord. The title will probably change, since it's only a working one, and the categories might change, too, depending on where the story goes. Haven't decided on a cover yet, but I'll work on that. In the mean time, please enjoy this story!

Please note; I AM NOT a rancher. I don't know how they actually herd their cattle. This is how they do it in my story.

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Chapter 1

The Die Is Cast

       Sara Jenkins sat perched on the back on a blue roan stallion, reins looped loosely around her hand, as she gazed out over the herd she was watching with her family. The cows mulled peacefully along the grass, those that weren't asleep. Sara was on second watch and only had another half hour before she could wake her brother and get some rest. The night was quiet and there wasn't a sound except for her Papa's snoring. The man was loud enough to wake the dead, but the cows and horses were used to his ruckus.

       Abruptly, Toola, Sara's stallion, tossed his slender head and got real antsy. A strong wind blew over the plain and in it Sara could smell lightning and rain. "Shoot," she muttered to herself. Storms never spelled good news on these runs. Only ever trouble. Scowling, she turned to stallion towards camp. It was her job to wake the others if anything were to happen, like a stampede or a storm. The other night watch, Cole, was busily moving to his position to keep the cows in their huddle. They were going to need to drive the herd towards a clearing in the woods, where they would be relatively safe from the winds, if not the lightning.

       As soon as the others were awake, Sara turned Toola back and raced to her position along the side of the herd. Just as everyone was in place, a lightning strike nearby startled the herd awake. Soon, everyone was in a frenzy keeping the herd together and getting them to the trees. Just as the last cow was herded into the woods, Sara herd Cole shout. "There's a calf back there!" Cursing to herself, Sara whirled Toola around and raced out for the calf, pulling a rope from a hook on her saddle and twirling it lightly over her head. Tossing the twined fibers through the air, the loop easily landed around the calfs neck and tightened. Sara again turned her stallion and headed back for the trees. As she and the calf got underneath the canopy, she dismounted and headed back to the edge, looking out with Cole to see if there were any other cattle they had missed. Cole quietly pointed something out. Sara, unable to see it, stepped out from beneath the safety of the trees.

       "Just a bush," she called, turning to head back. The buzz hit her just as Cole's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to shout. Sara looked up to see the brilliant flash of a lightening bolt strike her. Funny, she had always wondered what it was like to be struck. And now she knew. It was kinda warm and fuzzy, like being in a blanket that itched. She blacked out.

--

       "What is it?" asked a low, country voice. It's accent was like Cole's, who was from Tennesse.

       "An alien," said a second, more girly voice that dragged out the word.

       "Well, I'm not sure, but I think I may have seen a picture kinda like it in one of my books." This voice sounded inquisitive.

       "What if it's one of Discords minions?" This voice was gravely, the the owner spent most of their time shouting at the top of their lungs.

       "It's not one of Discords." This was the curious one again, sounding annoyed the the gravely voice would even suggest such a thing. "Discords creations are a mash-up of different things. Whatever this thing is, it's all of one thing."

       "Well, whatever it is, it's fashion sense is atrocious." This voice was uppity and made Sara wanna spit to the side in disdain. Anyone who thought fashion was a priority was an idiot, in her book.

       "Is-is it safe?" This voice was quiet and shy. Sara shifted and lifted a hand to her head. "Eep!" the soft one squeaked and there was a rustle of feathers. Sara carefully sat up and opened her eyes. The first thing they rested on was her blue-gray Stetson her father had gotten her for her birthday that year. Picking it up, she settled the hat on her golden-red curls and looked around. Her blue-green eyes went wide.

       "Oh, no. No no no no no. This canNOT be happening." Surrounding her were the six mane characters from that TV show her younger sister and older brother were obsessed with and which she knew about by association. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbowdash, Rarity, and...wait, where was she? Oh, there she was, hiding behind Rarity; Fluttershy. Taking her hat off again, she shoved her hand through the long, red-gold curls, and plopped the hat back down. "I have to be dreaming." She pinched herself on the arm, hard. "Ow! Well, that rules dreams out."

       "Hi!" Pinkie Pie was suddenly in her face. "We'vebeensortawonderingsinceyouappearedoutofnowhereifyoucouldtelluswhatexactly

youarecausewedon'tknowandwe'dliketooandIthinkyou'reanalienbutTwilightdoesn'tagreewith

meandRainbowdashthoughtthatmaybeyoubelongedtoDiscordbutTwilightdoesn'tthinkthat

eithersocouldyoutellus WHAT ARE YOU!?"

       "Um...I got like half of that," Sara said, blinking at the pink pony.

       "Oh, my gosh! Guys, she talks like Applejack!"

       Startled, I scowled and snapped, "I do not! I'm from Texas, not Tennessee!"

       "Um, what?"

       Rolling her eyes, Sara said, "Her accent is like a Tennesseean. I'm a Texan. Completely different."

       "Um, I still don't get it."

       "Ugh, if I sounded like Applejack, I'd talk like this," Sara said, imitating Applejack's accent. "Not like I normally do," she added in her regular voice.

       "Oh! You still sound like Applejack!"

       "I- Oh, forget it! I don't even know why I'm arguing with something that shouldn't even exist!"

       "What do you mean I shouldn't exist? I'm right here, silly!" She poked me with a hoof to prove her point. Sara pursed her lips at the brightly colored pony, eyes narrowing.

       "Wait, wait, wait," Twilight Sparkle held a hoof up for silence and nudged Pinkie Pie aside. "What do you mean we shouldn't exist? If anything, it's you who shouldn't exist."

       "Right, cause candy colored ponies that talk, fly, and do magic make so much sense then a regular human being."

       "Human? Is that what you are?"

       "No, I'm a cutesy little bunny rabbit," Sara snapped, sarcastically. Twilight gave her an incredulous look. Rolling her eyes, Sara bit out, "Yes, I'm human."

       "What in the hay is a human?" asked Applejack. "And I do not talk like that."

       "Newsflash, yes you do."

       "Why, I have a mind to-" Twilight shoved a hoof in Applejack's mouth.

       "Quiet, Applejack. Now isn't the time." Taking her hoof from her friends mouth, Twilight looked up at the significantly taller Sara and said, "I've read about humans in my books. But they all disappeared a long time ago."

       "That's right, Twilight, they did," said a kind, benevolent voice from above. Everyone, including Sara, looked up to see Princess Celestia descending from the heavens like a goddess. All the ponies bowed to their Princess/Goddess. Sara blinked, covered her eyes with a hand, and groaned aloud.

       "What in hells bells is going on?!" Sara cried out.

       "My dear, it appears that something happened to cause you to be pulled from your world into ours," Celestia said. When Sara looked up, she saw that she stood eye to eye with the Alicorn.

       "Damn," the cowgirl muttered. "You are small."

       "What are you talking about?" asked Pinkie Pie, giggling. "The Princess and her sisters are the biggest ponies in all of Equestria!"

       "Yeah, Equestria, maybe," Sara said, glancing down at the pink cotton fluff. "But back home, my horse is twice her size, easily, and he isn't even that big." She looked back at Celestia. "A Fresian would crush you beneath his hooves if he didn't watch where he was going."

       "Whoa! A land of giant ponies! That sounds AWESOME!" Pinkie Pie started bouncing around with more excitement then usual.

       "No, it doesn't," Fluttershy whispered. "It sounds scary."

       "Why would a pony need to be that big?" asked Rainbowdash.

       "So the Mountain Lions don't eat it. Or at least have a harder time of it."

       "M-m-m-Mountain Lions? EEEE!" Fluttershy ducked close to the ground and flipped her wings over her head. "Wait...what's a Mountain Lion?"

       "A giant, powerfully strong cat that can eat a pony like Big Macintosh for breakfast," Sara replied.

       "Aaaaah!" all the ponies screamed.

       "Be calm, my little ponies," Celestia said. "There are no Mountain Lions in Equestria." She gave Sara a stern look.

       "Lady, that doesn't work when my mother does it. What makes you think it'll work if you do it."

       Celestia ignored the remark and said, "You really shouldn't frighten these ponies. After all, they're just might become your new friends."

        Sara started. "Say what now?"

        "The rip between our world and yours is still open. The only way to close it is to sever the bond between you and your world. And that bond is your humanity. You must become a pony."

        "Can't you just send me back?" Sara asked, her voice rising in panic.

        "Unfortunately, my power does not extend into your world. And I'm afraid that if I were to try, you might get hurt or worse," Celestia replied, her voice and expression saddened. "So you have a choice. Either you become a pony or you let the tear between worlds worsen until both our home and yours is destroyed. Make your decision."