//------------------------------//
// Waking up(side down) 
// Story: The Story of Ian Camron 
// by Swordoath 
//------------------------------//

	“Excuse me…” I heard a voice call.
“S’cused…” I mumbled half conscious. 
“Are you okay?” The same voice asked.
“I’m fine, please leave me alone…” I replied, irritated at the person interrupting my sleep.
“You sure? ‘Cause you’re kinda hanging upside-down in a tree.” 
That woke me up. I snapped open my eyes and looked down, or rather, up, at my lower half. For some reason I was covered in blue fur and had… hooves? The shock enough was enough to make me jump, and in doing so, fall from the tree I was indeed hanging from by a hoof. 
“Ow.” I said simply. It was only about a three foot fall, so I’d be fine. Aside from the fact I was a blue pony.
“Oh! Are you hurt?” The person asked me.
“No, I’m fine, just unused to waking up in t-t-t…” I looked at the speaker, and it was a mint green unicorn. “Trees…”
“Okay then… what were you doing up there anyway?” She asked.
“I don’t even know what I’m doing HERE. Where are we?”
“The park.”
“I mean town-wise.”
“Ponyville, of course.”
I sighed, and looked down at my red-colored hooves. I noticed I still had on my sweatshirt, but my t-shirt and jeans were gone. I checked the pocket, found twelve weird gold coins, and… My cellphone!
“What’s that?” The mint pony asked me.
“Hopefully my answer to where I am…” I turned it on, and went to the GPS app. No signal. 
“Ah, dammit!” I swore softly. 
“You’re kinda weird. Where are you trying to go? Are you from out of town or something?” She asked me.
“One, I know I’m weird, but you’re weird to me, unicorn.” I started. “And two, I’m beginning to doubt you know of where I’m from.”
“Okay first of all, you’re a unicorn too, and second, if you didn’t want help, just say so.” She began walking away.
“No, wait! I’m just a little shocked. Not used to my surroundings. I’m sorry if I insulted you, or us, or myself, or whatever.”
She turned back and said “Well, I forgive you. I did call you weird first, anyways. So, where are you from?”
“The United States, Maine.”
“Uhm… I’ve never heard of a United States…” She replied uncertainly. 
Right about then I felt like punching something, but I lacked fists. This was getting me nowhere. I had no idea where I was in relation to home, I was a freaking unicorn, and I had no idea whatsoever as to how I got into that tree.
“Hey, maybe Twilight knows about that United States place! She’s one of the smartest people I know.” The unicorn said. 
“Well, about anything is better than this useless conversation. Oh, by the way, didn’t catch your name…” 
“Really? Oh, sorry. I’m Lyra Heartstrings, Nice to meet you… Name?”
“Right, where are my manners. I’m Ian Camron.”
“That’s… an unusual name. But nice to meet you Ian.” She held out her hoof.
I did some kind of awkward handshake (Hoofshake?) with her, and followed her to a huge tree-house. A literal home inside a carved out tree. It was pretty cool. Lyra knocked at the door, and yet another unicorn came and opened up. This one was purple with different shades of it for her mane. 
“Oh, hello Lyra. Nice to see you again. What’s up?” She asked.
“Nice to see you too, Twighlight. My new friend Ian here needs to look up something, he’s kinda lost. Where did you say you’re from, Ian?” Lyra said.
“The United States. Also, nice to meet you, miss.” I said, properly greeting the purple unicorn. 
“Hm… I’ve never heard of a United States. Come in, it will be easier if we all check the maps and books.” She walked back inside, Lyra and I following her in.
“Wow… You have quite a few books.” I said, marveling at the numerous shelves.
“Well, this is the library.” She said.
She and lyra both took down books with some kind of glowing-aura-magic power thing. I climbed up a ladder and manually grabbed one. I’d only check the first few pages before realizing that none of them had a North American continent, let alone the U.S. 
“Hey, Ian, what were some of the neighboring places? Some other countries?” Twilight asked me.
“… I don’t think we’ll be able to find it in these books.” I said slowly.
“Why not? Is it a really small place or something?” Lyra asked.
“Because I don’t think it’s on your world, that’s why.” I responded, much to their confusion.
“So you’re saying you’re from another world?” Twilight asked, and I confirmed with a nod. 
“Have either of you two heard of Humans?” I asked.
“Oh!” Lyra lit up. “I’ve done more than hear about humans! I saw them!”
“In her dreams. They aren’t real.” Twilight said.
I sighed, and said “Well, I think they are, seeing as I was one.”
At this, Lyra nearly exploded.
“Ohmygoshyou’reahuman?What’syou’reworldlike?Doyouallreallyhavehands?Howdoyouhave-“ Twilight cut her off by plugging Lyra’s mouth with her hoof.
“If you’re a human, then why do you look like any other pony I met?” She asked.
“Heck if I know. I don’t even know how I got you your realm, or world, or whatever.” I replied.
“Hm… If you’re a human, say something true about your race. Our only source of human based information is Lyra, so she can confirm or deny it.” Twilight said. 
“Alright… It’s true that humans have hands, only have hair on their head for most of their life, are bipeds, are sentient minds-“ I began.
“That’s all stuff I saw!” Lyra shouted excitedly. 
I looked at twilight. “Need I say more?”
“Wow, I… Hm… “She puzzled, rubbing her chin with the back of her hoof. “I should contact the Princess, maybe she’ll have some Idea of how you got here. Or if you’re lying. “
“Fine with me, but, how long will that take?”
“Only a couple hours.”
“Hours? It takes that long to get a phone call?”
“Phone call?” Twilight stared at me like I was some kind of alien, which I suppose I am.
“Nevermind.” I sighed.
“In the meantime, maybe you could answer some of my questions?”  Lyra asked me. 
“Well… I don’t see why not. But I don’t know everything, I’m still only a teenager. Still going to school, y’know.”
“You’re still in school? But school is for fillies, and younger kids… were you held back?”
“No, Humans have tons to learn, so we have to go a longer time.”

About half an hour later someone walked in the door. It was a little purple-and-green lizard boy thing, and I’ll admit, he freaked me out at first. But I kept my cool on the outside.
“Twilight, I got that extra parchment you needed!” He called up the stairs to where she was. 
“Aaaaand holy crap.” I interjected in my own sentence as the little dragon walked in.
“Who are you?” He asked me. 
“Ian. And uh, who and what are you?”
“I’m a dragon!” He harrumphed. “And my name is Spike.”
“Right, uh, nice to meet you Spike.”
As soon as he went upstairs, I asked Lyra “Why is he working for Twilight?” 
“Something like he’s a little brother or something,” She said, adding “Not by blood, of course.” after seeing the look on my face.
“Let’s get back to the questions.”

Twilight came back down not long after that. She was levitating a scroll in front of her, which she… hoofed over to me. She nodded for me to read it, and this is what it said.

Dear Twilight,
I believe I may know how this ‘Ian’ got here. Discord was having one of his more rebellious moments, and decided to open a random gateway over ponyville. Ian likely fell through the portal. As for why he’s a pony now, that could be for a number of reasons. Discord may have unintentionally turned him into one with his chaotic magic. Or perhaps because the universe had no ‘template’ for humans, so he was turned into something it did have one for. Whatever the case, we have no surefire way to send him back, at least, not at the moment. If you can, please bring him up to Canterlot. We’d like to ask him some questions about his realm. 

Princess Celestia 

“So I’m here by accident because of this Discord guy?” I was really quite mad right then. “That stupid pony or whatever just decided to create some chaos by randomly bringing me in? That son of a-” The vase on a table next to me shattered. I didn’t remember touching it. 
“Ian! Calm down!” Lyra said, a hint of fear in her voice. 
I did my best to calm down, taking a deep breath and clearing my mind. 
“Ian… I think that you have magical potential. I was wondering why you weren’t levitating the book down earlier. You obviously haven’t learned to use your magic.” Twilight elaborated. 
“You don’t say? There’s not exactly magic school, or even real magic in my world. Of course I wouldn’t know it.” I replied snappishly. 
“I did kinda gather that from how you talked about you’re world. Must be terrible, no magic.” Lyra said.
“We get along without it.” I said, calming down again. I didn’t want to make anything else explode.
“In any case, I’ll have to take you to Canterlot. The last train of the day already left, so I guess we’ll go tomorrow,” Twilight said. “You’ll need a place to sleep for the night…”
“If you have a tent, I can pitch that up somewhere.” I said. I was rather uncomfortable with what I knew they’d both say next.
“Oh no, you can stay here.” Twilight said, at the same time as Lyra saying “You can stay at my home.”
“I really don’t want to impose… doesn’t this place have an Inn or something?”
“Nope.” Lyra said. 
“Ah… fine. I’ll stay with one of you.” I resigned. 
“Which one?” The inevitable question came up.
I don’t want to choose. I thought. I hate making choices like this. 
“Uh… I don’t know.” I replied. Greatest. Answer. Ever. 
“Well, I don’t mind if you go with Lyra. I’ll pick you up for the train in the morning though.” Twilight said.
“Then you’re coming with me!” Lyra said excitedly. 
“Okay then. I’ll see you around ten tomorrow. Bye now!” Twilight called as Lyra pulled me out the door.
“Lyra, stop pulling! I’m not totally surefooted like thi-” I got a face full of dirt. “Peh! Nasty!”
“Sorry, I just wanted you to see town and I’m so excited and-” 
“And tend to use run on sentences when excited. You don’t have to drag me all the way, I’ll just walk.” I said, a little miffed. 
“R-right, sorry. Let’s go.”
We walked together through the town, which seemed nice, considering that it was built by hoof. I at first had thought the only population was unicorns, but there are pegasai and normal ponies too. They all seemed friendly enough. I saw a grey Pegasus with a yellow mane flying in a zigzagging non-pattern. She didn’t seem steady, right up to the moment where she hit the wall to our left. I couldn’t help but wince.
“Are you okay? I asked her. “You hit that wall pretty hard.”
“I’m okay.” She said. Her eyes were crossed, but she seemed fine otherwise. “It happens pretty often.” She took off again like nothing had happened.
“Who was that?” I asked Lyra as I rejoined her. 
“Derpy. She’s not the best flyer. Lives with Carrot Top. ” She replied.
I decided not to bring up the whole ‘Derp’ meme, as that would lead into a long pointless discussion about the internet.
We continued to a different part of town, and we arrived at Lyra’s home. She pulled a key out of nowhere and opened the door. It was a nice place, hardwood floors and such, with a couch and stairs to the second floor. 
“Nice place. You got it all to yourself?” I asked.
“No, Bon-Bon and I share rent.” Lyra said.
“Will she be okay with…?”
“I’m sure she will. She’s nice like that.”
“So I’ll sleep on the couch?” I asked. I didn’t mind, I’d do that when my brother was snoring too loudly at my house. I slept on the couch most nights.
“If you want. I was going to offer my bed, but-”
“That’s fine. I prefer the couch anyway.” The Idea of sleeping in someone else’s bed was weird, even in the best of circumstances. 
“Right then. Would you like something to eat?” She went into what I guess was the kitchen.
“No thanks, I’m fi-” My stomach growled. “… Traitor.” I mumbled.
Lyra giggled, and returned with an apple. She handed- I mean, hoofed it to me. (God, that’s annoying.)
“Thanks.” I said, and then took a bite out of the apple. It was… pretty good, though apples were never my favorite fruit.
“Sorry, but we haven’t gone food shopping in a while.” Lyra apologized. 
“It’s fine, really. I don’t mind apples.” I assured her.
We made some awkward small talk, the only part worth mentioning was this:
“So, what’s you’re cutie mark?” Lyra asked.
“My… what?”
“Y’know, the mark that signifies your special talent. Like my lyre cutie mark.” She pointed to it with her hoof. I’d thought it was a tattoo. I suppose it ment she was a mucisian, or something like that. 
“Uh… I don’t think I have one.” I pulled up my sweatshirt and checked. Nothing there but more dark blue fur.
“So you don’t know your talent?” She asked.
“Not especially, no. Why? Is that weird?” 
“Well, most ponies find it when they’re small, so yeah, it’s kinda strange.”
“Hm. Well, It’s hidden by my sweatshirt, so I doubt anyone will notice.”  I reasoned.
“I guess so.” She said.

Later, the door opened and Bon-Bon came in. She was a cream colored unicorn mare (Why do I keep meeting unicorns?), with a blue-and-purple mane and tail. Her cutie mark was a piece of candy, so I assumed she made candy and sweets. 
“Hi Bon-Bon.” Lyra greeted her.
I gave her an awkward little wave, then introduced myself. “Hello, my name is Ian. Pleasure to meet you.”
“Um, hi there, Ian. I’m Bon-Bon.” She greeted me. 
“Bon-Bon, Can he stay here for the night? He doesn’t have anywhere to stay, he’s not from around here.” Lyra pleaded. 
Honestly, I really hate when people do things for me. It’s not that I hate them; it’s that I feel I have to pay them back. My pride is my hubris. I can’t help but feel like a… like a wuss whenever things are done for me.
“Sure he can. As long as he’s okay with sleeping on the couch.”
“I’m totally fine with that. Thank you both.”
The night was pretty uneventful from then on. I explained to Bon Bon about the whole ‘I-came-from-another-world-isn’t-that-weird’ thing.  Could have sworn I saw her hand Lyra some of those gold coins. 
Later in the night we all went to sleep in our respective rooms. That couch was better than the one at my house. I couldn’t help but wonder what that Celestia pony wanted with me. I also wondered if I could tame my magic powers, or at least stop them from blowing up things. Mainly, I thought about how crazy today was, and how crazy tomorrow would likely be. Hopefully I won’t end up strapped to a table, or tossed in the white room in a strait-jacket. Whatever happened, I just hoped I’d get home.