• Published 26th Sep 2012
  • 70,334 Views, 4,624 Comments

No, I Am Not A Brony, Get Me Outta Equestria! - BronyWriter



A non-brony is transported to Equestria

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Lord I was Born A Ramblin' Man

"So wait, what exactly is your job title again?" asks Apple Bloom.

I finish tying a hook to a piece of string and reach for a large stick before I answer. "Twilight got me a job working for the city. Basically, I'm an all-around worker: it's my job to make sure Ponyville looks nice, while, at the same time, I help out the townsponies that need a hand. For example, if Quills and Sofas is slammed one day, they call me and I help them out until the rush dies down. Stuff like that."

"Gotcha," she says as she watches me begin tying the string to the stick. "So what are ya doin' right now?"

"I am catching food." I finish tying the rope job and proudly present my makeshift fishing pole.

Apple Bloom looks at it, confused. "How are ya supposed to catch fish with that?"

"Well, I'm going to put these worms here on this hook, and then I'm going to put the hook in the water and wait for the fish to go after the worms. When they eat the worms they'll be snagged, and I'll finally have some meat to eat."

As soon as I found out there were fish at the lake we’re in, I ran to get a fishing permit. Finally, after two weeks, something fleshy to munch on! Apple Bloom, being the herbivore her species is, turns a little green at the idea of eating another living thing. I just roll my eyes at her and put a worm on the hook. "I'm not going to eat veggies for the rest of my time here," I say.

"Can't ya try?"

I put the line in the water and lean back on a nearby tree. "No can do. I love meat too much to go full-on vegetarian, plus I need it to balance my diet."

"Are ya sure you know how to catch fish?"

"My dad used to take me fishing all the time," I say with a slight smile. "He was way better than I was at it. It was always him that brought back the real catch: three or four of the biggest fish you could ever lay eyes on. Meanwhile, my older sister and I would be tagging along with pathetic little things that wouldn't make a good meal for any adult human. I remember I caught a bigger one than him once. Man, he was so proud of me that day. He kept talking about it like I had won some kind of grand fishing prize and all. My mom cooked it up for dinner and it fed three of us easily. It was the best tasting fish I've ever had."

I adjust my position on the ground and keep talking. "Once I actually tried to say a 'Hail Mary' before casting out my line in the hopes that I would catch a big fish just like my dad always did."

"Did it work?"

A small smirk creeps up on my face with that question. "That was the one time I caught nothing. I prefer chalking it up to coincidence, though."

The lake is dead silent for a few moments while Apple Bloom and I wait for the fish to bite. I can tell she's getting a bit bored; I personally find the silence relaxing, but it tends to have that effect on some people. "So," I begin, wanting to break the silence for her sake, "how was crusading today?"

"We didn't get our cutie marks," she says sadly. "And Ah really thought today would be the day!"

"When do the kids around here normally get theirs?"

"Most of the fillies and colts at our school already have theirs! It's just me, Scoots, and Sweetie Belle now."

"Must be tough," I sympathize. The filly nods.

After a while, she asks, "Do you have anythin' like that back in your world?"

"Nothing quite like that. Sure, there is some stuff like driver’s licenses, academic degrees, stuff that shows our accomplishments, but something that indicates our special talent? Not a chance. So take solace in the fact that, no matter how late you get yours, you'll still get yours before I do."

Apple Bloom giggles and gives me a playful nudge. "But that's because you can't get one!"

"Exactly! That means you'll definitely get one before me."

"Ah guess…"

"Let me guess," I say as I pull the line in a bit. "You've gotten a metric ton of advice on your cutie mark already."

"Have Ah ever!" she answers with another vigorous nod. "Everypony keeps telling me that it'll come with time and Ah should just be patient."

"I imagine they're right, but hey, what I do I know, I'm just a human from another dimension who won't get one himself."

The pony nods slowly, and the lake is graced with silence once more. "TD," she asks some time later.

"Hmm?"

"Do ya really hate mah sister and her friends?"

I frown slightly and let out a bit more line. "It's... complicated."

"That's what all grownups say!" she groans in frustration.

"Well, yeah," I say. "Well I don't hate them in the full sense of the word, but saying we’re in good terms is a bit of a stretch."

"Even Fluttershy?"

I smirk at this. "Nah, Fluttershy is cool enough. She didn't do anything bad. She's kinda like the kids at your school in that she didn't wrong me, and she actually likes me for me – you know, she cares about what I'm feeling and going through. All that just makes her impossible to dislike on any level."

"But the others, they did bad stuff to ya?"

"Well, let's see.” I stretch a finger. “Pinkie Pie tricked me into watching the Cake twins as part of an elaborate plan to set me on fire.” I stretch another. “Rarity put me under a freezing spell just because we disagreed on my clothing, then she used me as a mannequin.”

The third finger goes up. “Twilight, Rainbow, and Applejack figured I’d be a good training dummy just because I threw a half-excuse of a punch at Celestia."

The last part is new to Apple Bloom, and her eyes widen at the info. "So y’all did hit the Princess in the face!"

I nod proudly. "Despite the fallout, I'd probably do it again if I had the chance."

Apple Bloom gasps. "Would ya really?"

Her calling me out on my boast causes me to deflate slightly and I scratch the back of my head a bit and sigh. "No, no I don't actually think that I would. I mean, the three of them would have killed me if Celestia hadn't stepped in. Even if she wasn't the sun goddess, It was still wrong of me to do." I switch arms holding the fishing pole and move the recently freed one to loosen it up a bit. "I still think she's worse than the other five put together, though."

Apple Bloom cocks her head slightly. "Why do ya say that?"

"I just can't shake the feeling that she thinks I’m free to be used like a chess piece. When I first saw her, she said she wanted to figure out how I got here, why, things like that. Plus, I don't think she feels even the remotest bit of sorrow or regret for what she did. She just keeps smiling and assuring everyone that everything is gonna be alright."

"Well, we gotta remember that she's been alive for thousands of years, so she doesn't see the world the same way that we do. And since she has to rule Equestria, she has to think about the effects of events, not just here and now, but also what effect they'll have in the future, and who they will affect."

My mouth drops open and I turn to look at Apple Bloom. Surprisingly, she looks a bit sheepish. "Uh, Twilight told me that once," she deflects.

"Ah," I respond. "That makes sense."

"What do ya mean?"

"That's just something I can imagine Twilight saying is all."

She is about to respond when there’s a tug on my line. I immediately spring into action, pulling the string back as fast as I can. "Hold that thought and throw another shrimp on the barbie, Apple Bloom, I think I got something!" Apple Bloom jumps up and down excitedly next to me, cheering me on. Seconds later, I have my fish.

I pick the flopping animal up and hold it up excitedly almost like I expect my mom to be there to snap a picture and my dad to pat me on the back for a job well done. For a second, I pretend that’s exactly what’s going to happen.

Apple Bloom notices. "What's with the pose there?"

I snap back to reality and put the fish in a nearby cooler. "Never mind me," I mumble.

"Is that all you're gonna get?" she asks. "How long can you survive just eatin' that one fish?"

"Not very long," I say with a chuckle as I sit back down and throw the line again. "I'll have one meal with that fish."

"Just one?"

"We eat a lot."

I lean back against the tree and Apple Bloom sits down next to me. We both share a moment, looking out at the water.

"TD."

"Yeah?"

"Do ya like it here?"

I sigh and put a hand on her head. "I don't know yet."

* * * *

"And would you like a wafer thin mint for dessert, sir?"

"NO! I'm full."

"Very well, sir."

I stand back up – turns out you have to squat down until you’re almost sitting if you want to get at eye level with a sitting pony – and turn back to my current boss. "Is that it for the lunch rush?" The pony in question nods, and I tear off my ill-fitting apron. I’m glad to be free from that particular job. I hate that one the most of all. Seriously, even Ponyville’s “high class” ponies are snobs.

I am about to go back to my house to get some cleaning supplies when I see a familiar purple shape from across the street. She flashes me a big grin when she sees me looking at her, and it doesn't take too long for her to walk over. "Hello, TD," says the happy unicorn.

"’Sup, Twilight," I greet her without as much enthusiasm.

"How has your day been going?" she asks.

I shrug and continue walking to my house. "It goes,” I answer without looking at her. “I just got off of the lunch rush at that restaurant back there. Now I'm gonna go get some stuff to clean the windows of town hall."

"Oh, well, do you mind if I walk with you then? I've been meaning to talk with you for the past few weeks."

I nod and she falls in pace beside me.

"So, how's your arm?" she asks.

"I'll say one thing, magic healing does wonders for me. It's back at 100%."

"Congratulations!" she exclaims. "I expect Pinkie Pie will want to throw a party for that."

"Yeah? Well, have a good one, then.”

Twilight looks up at my face with a frown. "Don't tell me you're still mad at her."

"Okay, I won’t tell, but there’s a little voice whispering in my ear that you're going to come to that conclusion independently."

"Why?" she asks simply, losing her cool.

"She lit me up like a matchstick!"

"She also apologized and bought you a house!" says the exasperated unicorn.

"Yeah, and I admit that did help a lot," I say as the building in question comes into view. It’s a simple house: one story, box shape, dull brown colors, and one tiny window that looks out towards the town. Still, it’s my home, and I kinda like it. "And don't get me wrong, I won't be mad at her forever, at least I don’t think so. But getting over the trauma of being the victim of a pyromaniac is a bit of a hard hurdle to jump over."

"She didn't do it to be cruel, you know. It was just a prank."

I pull the key out of my pocket. "That doesn't make it any less cruel than it was."

I open the door. "You don't have much, do you?" she observes as I stand aside to give her room to pass.

It’s true, I don't have much. A bed a bit too small for my size, a comforter and pillow set that Rarity made for me – I’m proud to say that I paid for it –, a small fridge with a few basics inside, mostly my fish and some fruit, and finally, there’s the small table where my laptop, cellphone, computer bag and scooter reside. "What you see is what you get."

"Are you sure you don't want us to help you furnish the place?" asked Twilight. "I'm sure it's no trouble at-"

"I know it would be no trouble for you," I cut her off, "but it sure is for me. I really don't want to accept more charity than I have to to get on my feet."

"But-"

"Were you in my shoes, would you accept everyone making and buying your stuff for you?"

Twilight is silent for a moment before she shakes her head.

"Precisely.”

She walks over to the table while I open up the closet I keep the cleaning supplies in. "It's too bad your objects broke," she says sadly. "We could have gotten a lot of data about your culture if they were working."

"Eh, they're not broken," I say as I grab some window cleaner. "They're just out of juice."

"Not sure what that means…"

"They have a power source that needs recharging." I grab a rag and sling it over my shoulder.

I stand up to see Twilight staring at my electronics with interest. "What?" I ask.

"They’re electric, right? I think I may have a spell to recharge them."

My eyes widen and I move up next to her. "You do?!"

She nods. I can’t move my computer bag away from the rest fast enough. "Like, in a sort of 'you could get them to work again' kind of way?"

She nods again, cheerfully. "If you want me to try, I can!"

"Heck yeah!" I miss my music and movies!

"Okay then, here it goes!" Her horn fires up with the purple glow that I've come to associate with her magic, and she spends a few moments charging it up before she fires a beam that hits the laptop directly.

The whole machine glows bright purple for a second before the glow fades and I rush up to my precious computer. After checking for possible damage, of which there isn’t any, I flip it open, and to my sheer delight, I see the spell worked like a charm. I instantly become lost in the crystal clear sound that is the opening guitar riff of Smoke on the Water.

All of a sudden, Twilight is hidden from sight by two arms wrapped around her. "Thank you so much, Twilight! Thank you!"

The unicorn smiles at me and looks at my cellphone. "I can try that one, too.”

"Yeah!" I say eagerly. That way I can listen to my music while I work! “Do it!”

Twilight nods and her horn begins powering up once more. I watch expectantly as the beam of magic hits the cellphone, expecting to see it enveloped in a magical glow like my computer was.

Instead, I get a loud *POP*, the kind of noise that an electronic like a cellphone makes when someone tries to charge it at the wrong voltage. Twilight and I can only stare open mouthed at the wreckage that was once my precious cell phone, which now looks like someone put a lit firecracker in it.

Twilight manages to speak up after a few moments of awkward silence. "Maybe if I-"

"No," I say as I hold up my hand to stop her. "It’s too soon."

"Sorry," she mumbles with her head down. I can’t get mad with her, seeing how disheartened she is, but losing my phone is still a big sting.

"... thanks for recharging my computer. You can have the cellphone if you want to study it or something like that."

"Uh..."

I put the cleaning supplies in my computer bag and begin walking out the door. "See ya later."

* * * *

"Dang it, dang, it, dang, it! Of all of the lame brained, miserable things she could’ve done, she had to overload my phone?!"

I squirt copious amounts of cleaner on the window in front of me before I attack it with the rag I have in my hand. I growl in frustration, and the window becomes steadily neater.

"I mean, I know it's not her fault and all since she didn’t know it was a different voltage, but GRAFFRABALFHERIBA!!!"

Yeah, that about sums up my feelings right now.

I remove the rag from the window to see my thoroughly irritated face staring back at me from where I stand.

Have you ever looked into a mirror and used it to reflect about yourself as a person, like you're seeing yourself from a different perspective? Well, that's what I'm doing right now. I stare at this person, who has been sucked into an alternate dimension filled with cartoon talking ponies, who is currently working for the local pony government, washing windows and serving fat ponies wafer thin mints, when the lunch rush is too busy for the normal staff while all powerful sun goddesses plot his fate and her unicorn lapdog makes his stuff into bombs!

Gosh. Freaking. Darn. It.

I climb down from the step ladder I was previously perched on and examine my work. The windows of town hall look much more sparkly than when I arrived. At least I can get some sense of accomplishment from my work.

"Hey, TD," says a young voice from behind me.

I turn around to see Cheerilee and the Crusaders standing behind me, watching me work. "Hey guys," I say as I put my cleaning supplies back in my bag. "How's it hangin'?"

"We were just out crusading for our cutie marks! Ms. Cheerilee was watching us!"

"Cool. Any successes?"

The Crusaders shake their heads.

"No dice, huh?"

"No dice," Sweetie Belle repeats.

"Hey, TD,” Cheerilee pipes in, “while I have you here, would you like to come and guest lecture at school tomorrow? I know the children would just love to have you around again!"

I actually perk up slightly at this. I really did have a good time with the kids the last time around, so why not? "I'd love to."
The Crusaders look up at me with wide grins of their own.

"Ya mean it?" Apple Bloom asks.

"Sure I do. I like you guys."

"Cool!" Scootaloo says. "I can't wait to tell Rainbow Dash!”

"Speaking of which," says yet another familiar voice to my right. I turn to see the mare in question leaning casually against the podium next to town hall.

Scootaloo rushes up to her idol and Rainbow affectionately pats her head. "Rainbow Dash!"

"Hey squirt. I'm just here to tell TD that Twilight wants the six of us and you to meet in the library. She says it's important."

"Oh goody," I grumble as I put my computer bag over my shoulder. "I'm coming."

"Cool, see ya in a few."

With that, she flies up in the air and zooms off.

"Well, I guess I'll see you four tomorrow for school then," I say.

"Very well," says Cheerilee. "I'll see you tomorrow.”

"Bye, TD!" the three fillies say.

"See ya."

I wave goodbye to the only four ponies that I legitimately like in this whole crazy town, then I turn to go towards the abode of one of the ponies that I tolerate at best. It’s a short walk to the library, a matter of minutes.

When I open the door, there are six elated ponies bouncing around happily inside. I admit that I'm a little off put by all of their energy and excitement, something that is unfortunately turned in my direction when I walk in.

Pinkie Pie is the first to approach. "TD, TD, TD, you'll never guess what Princess Celestia just told us!"

"You're right, I can’t guess so you might as well tell me."

"We're going to organize the Grand Galloping Gala!" all six of them say in unison, looking at me with gigantic grins, as if they expect me to understand what that means.

I feel the confused frown on my face, and it causes their smiles to falter ever so slightly. "Uh...cool. What's the Grand Galloping Gala anyway?"

"Oh, it is simply the biggest high society event of the year!" explains Rarity. "Everypony who is important goes to the Gala."

I fail to see the appeal. "So, it's just a giant party for a bunch of snobby rich people?"

“Well, that's what it was last year when we went," Applejack agrees a little reluctantly.

"And why are you so excited this time?"

Rainbow Dash answered that. "Now that we're going to be organizing it, it's going to be a heck of a lot more awesome!"

"I guess.” Time for the million dollar question. “And what does that have to do with me?"

I was dreading the answer even before I say the last word.

"Princess Celestia invited you to go as well!" Twilight fires up her horn and places a large golden ticket in my hand. I look at it and sure enough, it is a ticket to this Gala thing of theirs.

Why do I get the feeling that this is going to be more like that one Hellraiser sequel with Lance Henriksen than Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? If Celestia is going to be there then... wait...Celestia will be there? As in, the one pony who can get me out of here?

“TD?” I look back at Twilight, who is staring at me uneasily. I must have spent some time staring at that ticket, enough to unnerve them at the very least.

“Yeah, sounds good.”

It really didn’t, but maybe I could get at least some answers out of tall-white-and-mighty.