The DESTINY Exploration

Chapter 2: Confidant

My decision was to mask as much of the truth about my origin as possible. I need a place of refuge for the time being; if I told them too much, they might mark me as a lunatic, and kick me out into the streets. It is for the best.

“Well, the spaceship was an invention of mine, and while I was looking for it, I fell to the ground unconscious. It can’t fly, but I believe someday it will!”

Applejack gave me a look of disbelief, matched by no one else in the room. Did she not believe what I said? She began to barrage me with a flurry of various questions.

“You mentioned somepony named Jonah. Who might that be, huh?”

I frantically thought of an explanation for ‘that’. “Well, Jonah is a dear, dear friend of mine that was searching for the spaceship with me. But he must have got lost out here and forgot where I went.”

“Hon, this whole pasture is pretty open. I reckon nopony would get lost out here unless you were blind.”

What she said was the truth; the dirt path could be seen a mile any direction where she found me. What could I say in my defense there? The web of half-truths kept on getting more complex each second.

“Well, we aren’t exactly…from here.”

Big Mac, at once, interjected with a question of his own. “Then where are you from?”

My palms, err, ‘hooves’ got clammy in an instant. I had no idea what planet I was on, or where I was at all! I couldn’t name any countries, cities, oceans, anything to escape from this one. I had to make a bold claim right then and there.

“I’m actually from the mountains.”

Applejack turned her face to me, visibly surprised by my claim. “The mountains, sugarcube? That’s a mighty far distance tuh travel if’un ya lost a precious item here! Are you sure you’re from there?”

Next was how I got here. I had to deceive them further, which didn’t feel great, considering how hospitable they have been to me. But I had to find Jonah, repair the ship, and leave as soon as possible.

“Well we didn’t exactly ‘walk’ to get here, you know! That would have been exhausting in itself.”

“Well, shoot, then you must have taken the train! I should have thought of that sooner!”

THE TRAIN. Thank goodness this mare filled in the blank for me. The train would be a viable way of explaining my presence in this part of the world.

“Yes! Thank you for understanding, we would never, in our condition, even fathom walking down here from up there!”

The whole apple family breathed a heavy sigh, finally satisfied with my answers. All but Applejack, who, for some reason, held a differing expression the other ponies didn’t regard. Somehow, I had not fully convinced her of who I am and where I was from; hopefully, I can get her to trust me soon.

After we concluded our dessert, it was time for me to ascend the towering set of stairs leading to my bed. The staircase presented a menacing, blank stare only stairs could give. The nailed boards grimaced with every hoof I planted, taunting my efforts at every step. The last step was accomplished, but I still needed to walk to the bed.

I recall earlier today when I fell incessantly on the floor, face first. A chilled fear crept down my spine as I began to walk. The first step. the second…*thud*

…the third step-*SLAM*

“OUUUUCH!” My back left hoof caught my front left leg, and assisted in my descent to the floor. I thought I left an outline of my face there, so that future generations could look upon it and say: “Here Lies Tom; Master of the Face Plant”.

I began to stand up and attempt to maintain my balance. At first, my legs shook like when I watched the sunset before dessert. But after a while, the quivering legs stood upright and unmoving. Taking the first few steps with trepidation, I slowly sneaked over to the bed. I couldn’t manage to flawlessly trot like I instinctively did before. I needed to learn how to move, and my mind simply couldn’t grasp it.

By moving one leg at a time, my 10-foot trek across the room, took 4 minutes, as I wobbled off-balance every other step. Finally, reaching the edge of my bed, I climbed in, and flung my legs outward, relaxing on the twin mattress.

Jonah, I hope you’re intact and safe. I need you to help me get off this world.

My thoughts were eclipsed by another set of potential problems. Even if I found Jonah, how would we get home? When I tried figuring out where we were, there was absolutely zero landmarks in the stars. No Orion’s Belt, no Alpha Centauri, nothing, zero, nada.

Constant worry haunted my sleep. There was not even an escape in my dreams; I kept replaying the Schwartzchild Wormhole event over and over, only remembering the crushing darkness and scream of the ship’s alarms…

The sunrise caught my eyelids, and tore me from my slumber. This is the second full day I’ve had on this world, and no more comforting knowing that I’m stranded, probably for an immeasurable amount of time.

Yesterday’s conversation with the Apples lingered in my brain, trying to recall all the half-truths and lies that I had told. Did I feel bad about not telling them the entire truth of my existence here? Sure, but did I feel it was necessary to get home? Absolutely. My main priority is to rescue Jonah and leave. Whatever it takes.

*clink clink clink clang* “Souuuup’s on! Come and git it!”

I could hear Applejack’s shout as if she were standing up to my ear; what a loudmouth. But soup? For breakfast? I guess the strange meal choice fits, considering how they are talking ponies who harvest apples for a living.

Regardless, the very same troubles from last night plagued my walk to the stairs: couldn’t coordinate my legs correctly. Each step felt like an eternity, but this time, I wasn’t off balance like before. At least there was some progress there. Making my way downstairs, I looked at the table to see what soup was prepared.

Or maybe “Souuuuup’s on!” is a figure of speech; french toast, eggs over easy, cow’s milk, fruit salads, and apple pie lined the table within everyone’s reach. I took my spot at the table from the previous night, collected a portion of everything, and took my time. Applebloom took the chair next to mine, and nibbled on her slice of apple pie before Granny Smith flung a critique her way.

“Now deary! Finish yer breakfast before ya cram that pie in yer gullet!”

“But Granny Smith!”

Big Mac chimed in as well. “Don’t argue with yer grandma, now. Finish yer eggs.”

It was refreshing to see the family atmosphere I missed for so long. Living in the void of space for half a year allowed me to appreciate details of life like this one. Which made me feel all the more sick knowing I couldn’t say a word about my mission. I’m a programmer who is posing as an astronaut, who made small talk with a computer’s artificial intelligence for 6 months, and I have no idea how to get home.

I motioned to Applejack so she could hear me. “Listen, is there anything I can do to help pay off my debt to you all for helping me get well?”

“Don’t you even fear nothin’ about payin’ us back. It’s a pleasure tuh lend ponies a hoof! Don’t you want to hurry on home and find Jonah?”

“Yes, but-“

“Then by golly, let’s git ya tuh the train station!”

The rush and scramble to the station left me lost for any words of protest. They must have known I was missing home, but the problem isn’t the missing it, but the where. Waiting at the gate was a large carriage made for a family of 6 ponies; our ride. The family trotted with ease to the carriage, and I was left on the patio motionless.

Applejack came back over and helped me walk towards the carriage, showing me how to alternate my legs in unison, making the journey less precarious. Hopping into the carriage, we made our way into the town nearby. It was around midday, bustling with activity that I had not witnessed before.

A mail courier flew by the carriage and up into the clouds, carrying a saddle bag bursting with envelopes. There were multiple businesses sprawled across the plaza: a quaint, pink and cream bakery, an impressive, carousel-shaped fashion boutique, various vendors selling fruit and vegetables, and an odd store that sold quills and sofas. My vision caught a library shaped like an old oak tree, and the city hall, standing in the center of town.

We approached the station, and it read “PONYVILLE STATION – CENTRAL”. On the departure list, I saw three other station names with ‘mountains’ in their names: Smokey Mountains, Foal Mountains, and Crystal Mountains.

Reading over them, my gut directed me to hover over the ticket booth that read ‘Crystal Mountains’. My slow approach towards the ticket lines reminded me of how uncoordinated I was, and my zig-zagging movements alerted Applejack to that fact. As I approached the booth, she stepped in front of me and confronted my decision.

“The Crystal Mountains? You can’t go there unless…wait, do you live in the Crystal Empire?! But you aren’t even a crystal pony!” Applejack cut right to the quick on that one; I don’t live there. But where else was I going to start? Might as well start there.

“I don’t live there, but I have to find Jonah.”

Her eyes produced the sternest look I’ve received these past two days. She must have figured something out! Then she asked the question I hoped she’d never ask.

“You aren’t from any mountains, are ya?”

“…no. I am not.” That answer completely destroyed all my credibility in a matter of seconds. The whole family was visibly distraught, knowing I was a liar and a fraud. I didn’t know what do except fall down and ruminate over my failure.

“Why did you lie to us about all that stuff, Tom? You didn’t need to do that.”

I had to rectify my words somehow, but I couldn’t speak about Jonah in too much detail, or… “I didn’t lie about everything. The spaceship search was true.”

Applebloom shouted a mocking laugh. “Spaceship? You must be silly to think we’d believe something so crazy!”

I sat there for what felt like hours not saying a word. How could I expect them to trust any words that came out of my mouth when I knowingly deceived them?

“I’m…sorry I lied. I wanted to hide the whole truth because I didn’t think that you all would believe it. What I have to say, you would consider insanity. I have trampled on your hospitality and your kindness, and I’m deeply sorry about that. But I have no idea where to start looking for him, yet I need to find him.”

Applejack’s stare quickly melted into concern, as did the rest of the family.

“Why do ya need tuh find this ‘Jonah’ so desperately? Please, just tell us the honest truth, ok?”

That was the beginning of what I thought would be the most difficult retelling of the events prior to our crash. The tale began just after the AEA Council recruited me to program for their space program. I wound up describing my role in the project as chief programming officer, volunteering myself to be the guinea pig they sent into space, soon after regretting that I took the job.

After that, I described how me and Jonah traversed nearly a day through the Kuiper Belt, describing what exactly it was: a ring of asteroids that surrounded our system of planets. The family nodded their heads, but I could tell most of those details soared past their heads. I recounted the Schwartzchild anomaly, the collision with the singularity, and our imminent crash landing in Equestria.

All of them stared with amazement at the fable I conjured up; the problem was it was all truth this time. How would they react to the uncut version of what I went through for 6 months?

“Well, golly, that’s quite a mouthful to chew on- wait a minute! Are you sayin’ yer…from space? From up beyond the clouds? That’s impossible!”

I knew they couldn’t handle hearing what I had to say, but what else could I have done? I have nobody to confide this information, and these apple ponies are the only folk I can reasonably trust. She continued to give me a menacing stare. I had to tell her something else extraordinary.

“I’m a human being, Applejack. I’m not from this world.”

She looked even more perplexed than she was previously. “A what? What’s a human being? I ain’t ever heard of them before.”

Never heard of us before? That’s a surprise. I continued pressing that I wasn’t from Equestria, or this world.

“Applejack, you definitely don’t understand this, but I am not from this world. That crash landing I told you about was my ship, with me and Jonah in it. I have to find him, I don’t even know if he’s oper-…if he’s alive! Don’t you see; it’s urgent!”

Applejack turned and spoke with her family in quiet off to the side. They were pointing hooves at each other, and at me, likely discussing how to handle me and my crazy, space fantasy novella. Intermittently, I received a few crazed looks from Applebloom and Granny Smith, though both returned to the Apple huddle each time they did.

Eventually, I was greeted with smiles and hoof pats on the back.

Applejack spoke first. “Alright, we talked fer a bit, and we know that you mean well, and your story is a bit farfetched-“

“IT’S INSANE!” Applebloom exclaimed, causing the booth ponies to peer over their desks at us.

Applejack rose her hoof at Applebloom. “But how can we trust ya after all that you said that wasn’t true?”

“I can’t promise you anything more, it wouldn’t mean anything. As far as you are concerned, you should just do away with me. You all the only confidants I have in this world, and I can’t abandon my friend. Please believe me. I can’t ask anything more.”

Applejack then proceeded to mull my words over, and responded. “It is really hard to trust ya after all that you said. You covered up the truth, and for that, I’m extremely disappointed!”

My whole body sank into a pit of its own guilt. It bubbled hot in my stomach. This was probably the worst feeling I’ve ever felt. They were so kind to me, and I returned it with deception. I was done for…

“…but how can I ignore a pony in need? You were finally genuine and true with us this time ‘round. How can I tell? I can just sense honest folk a mile away. We believe ya.”

Hearing those words produced elation in every inch of my pony body. I grinned as wide as I possibly could, and openly wept. To be able to say all that I could say, and find people…ponies willing to listen and believe it all; it was jubilance to my ears.

“HOWEVER. We will take ya up on yer offer tuh pay us back for our hospitality. You’ll need a place to stay while you go searchin’ for yer pal.”

I had no choice but to accept. “Y-yes, I will gladly help you out!”

Granny Smith looked pleased with my response. “Then git yer caboose tuh the carriage, and work them thighs! Hee-YA!” She violently head butted me into the carriage that was to take us back to Sweet Apple Acres.

[…….]

[…….]

[EMERGENCY POWER ONLINE, SCANNING CRASH SITE]

[CAPTAIN’S VITAL READING UNDETECTED, LAUNCHING PLANETARY SURVEILLANCE]

[SIX PROBES LAUNCHED IN ORBIT AROUND PLANET]

[---SLEEP MODE ACTIVATED]

[…….]

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