A Pony Out of Place

by Robobrony

Life on The Farm

A Pony out of Place

Chapter 1: Life on The Farm

Our story begins on a farm in Austin Texas, it was a small farm with cows and chickens and such, but there was only one pony on the farm. The farm was run by a kind man named Bill with a young daughter named Emily, Emily was fourteen years old, she had long brown hair that she would wear in a ponytail. She and her dad lived on the farm while her father’s ranch hands lived in their own houses nearby. This story is about the pony I mentioned. His name was Shadow, he had a dark grey coat with a black mane, tail, and hooves. Shadow was given to Emily on her birthday when she turned twelve. Emily and shadow became fast friends, she loved Shadow very much.

Some nights she would sneak out to the barn where Shadow stayed at night to read stories to him and tell her all about her day, some days when she didn’t have school, she would play with him and run all over the farm. There were days when she wasn’t there and shadow did have to help around the farm by carrying things around the farm or help plow fields. Shadow didn’t mind though, he had a good life on the farm, the two humans took good care of him, but none more than Emily. She would brush his coat and mane and help her dad trim his hooves. She even helped her dad clean out his stall.

Today was a Saturday so Emily had a free day to hang out with her favorite pony. She was wearing a red plaid shirt, a pair of blue jeans, and white tennis shoes. After breakfast, Emily went up to her room on the second floor of the house and grabbed one of her favorite fantasy stories about a world with pegasai and unicorns. Even though Shadow couldn’t read, he could understand Emily while she read stories to him and talked to him. She made her way back downstairs and out the door to the barn. It was a small green barn that was just for Shadow, the other animals had their own pen or barn to stay in. The green barn also had a few farming tools stored in it as well, such as pitchforks, ropes and a bucket or two.

Emily came to the door of the barn and found Shadow inside eating a pile of hay Bill had left for him for breakfast. She smiled at him as he saw her, Shadow let out a joyful neigh upon seeing his best friend. “Hey shadow, It’s Saturday, you know what that means right?” Shadow let out another neigh in response. “That’s right, you and me get to spend the whole day together again, but first, as usual, we start off with a story, it’s one of my favorites, I’m sure you know which one it is.”

Shadow just breathed out through his lips causing them to vibrate and make a kind of flapping noise as if to say, ‘yeah I know which one it is’. Emily took a seat on another bale of hay that was next to the door in the barn. Shadow made his way over and lay down on his belly to hear Emily read the story. Because of these stories, he knew that such creatures as flying or magical horses didn’t exist. It was a nice fantasy though. He just laid there and listen to Emily read him her favorite story for the millionth time, but he didn’t care, he liked the story too.

Emily finally reached the end of the story and it was now time to play. “So Shadow, you ready to play your favorite game?” Shadow got up and gave another joyful neigh. “All right then.” She placed the book on the hay bale where she was sitting, walked up to him and touched her finger to his nose. “TAG, you’re it!” She then ran out the barn with shadow hot on her trail. They ran all around the field, chasing each other down, Shadow would tag her with his nose while she would tag him with her hand. They played for a while until they were both good and tired. They lay on the grass and looked up at the sky to rest, Emily was on her back while shadow lay down on his belly with his hooves tucked under him.

As they lay in the grass to rest, Emily heard her dad call out to her. “Emily, it’s time for our trip to the flea market!” Bill was wearing overalls over a blue plaid shirt and a cowboy hat and boots, he was on the chubby side.

Emily quickly got up and looked in the direction of her father. “Oh, right, I forgot we were going today. Sorry shadow, I’ll be sure to bring something special back for you to make up for not being with you for the whole day like I promised.” They both got up, Emily wrapped her arms around shadow as he nuzzled against her. “I’ll be back later, I promise!” She shouted as she waved and ran to her father.

Bill looked down to his daughter. “You ready to go Emily?”

She answered back. “Yes, but could we get something special for Shadow while were there, I promised to get him something to make up for not being with him for the whole day.”

“Really, now Emily-“

She cut her dad off. “PLEASE dad, you know how he gets when I’m not around, besides, I already promised him I would!”

Bill let out a light chuckle at Emily’s enthusiasm. “All right, well get something special for shadow.”

Emily put on a big smile at her dad. “Thank you daddy, I just know we can find something nice for him.” The two then climbed into an old red pickup truck that looked rather dusty that was parked in front of the house. Shadow just watched from behind the fence as his friend and boss drove off into town for their shopping.

Shadow made his way to another part of the farm to hang out with the other animals while Emily was gone.
(In this part of the story, the animals will be talking, but not English, this will be a translation from animal to English.)

Shadow came to the barn where the other animals were gathered, it was a big red barn, all the cows and chickens and pigs were gathered together just chatting up a storm. One of the pigs saw shadow come in. “Hey shadow what’s up, let me guess, Emily and Bill went somewhere right?”

Shadow looked to the pig and answered. “How’d you guess?”

The rooster then spoke up. “Because you never really hang out with us unless Emily isn’t around.”

Shadow then looked to the rooster to respond. “Sorry guys, there’s nothing wrong with you all, your all great friends, it’s just that Emily and me are best friends.”

One of the cows then spoke up. “We know, you and her spend practically every minute together. You two might as well be siblings.”

The whole barn then erupted in laughter at that. Even shadow shared in the laugh. “Yeah, I guess so, anyway, I do like you all, you’re all great friends too.”

One of the hens then spoke up. “You’re not so bad yourself….for a pony.”

Shadow gave her a playful very funny look.

Back with Emily and Bill, they were going through the flea market to get fresh food. Emily was keeping a sharp eye out for something for Shadow. As the father and daughter made their way, something caught Emily’s eye at one of the stands. She quickly rushed over with her father behind her.

On the stand was a beautiful silver necklace with the side of a hoarse head with a small white diamond for an eye. She looked at it with admiration. “Dad, can we get this for Shadow, I just know he’ll love it.”
Bill looked at her and the necklace with uncertainty on his face. “I don’t know honey, a necklace for a pony? Pony’s don’t need jewelry dear.”

Emily wasn’t about to give up without a fight. She put on the saddest face she could. “PLEEEEEASE dad, I promised Shadow. This would be perfect for him.”

Bill didn’t stand a chance against his daughters pleading stare, he caved in. “All right, we’ll get the necklace for Shadow.”

Emily smiled so big at her father. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She jumped forward and hugged her dad.
He turned to the vendor at the stand. “How much for the necklace?” With the necklace paid for, the two left the market and headed home.

Emily quickly got out of the truck and ran to find Shadow to give him the necklace she and her dad got him.
Shadow heard the truck pull into the driveway, as did all the other animals. The rooster spoke up. “Well, sounds like Emily and Bill are back. You might as well go greet her.”

Shadow looked to the rooster and responded. “Are you sure, I don’t mind hanging with you all while she’s here, besides, she’ll probably be busy helping Bill with the groceries.”

One of the cows then spoke up. “Just go, she’s probably looking for you right now.”
Shadow gave an appreciative smile. “Thanks guys, you’re the best.” Shadow then ran out of the barn to find Emily. They soon found each other and Emily gave shadow a hug.

“Hey shadow, I’m back, and I got you something neat too, just like I promised.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out the necklace. Shadow looked at it and gave out an appreciative neigh at the gift. “I knew you’d like it.” She then put it around Shadow’s neck. Shadow gave another appreciative neigh at the gift. “You’re welcome Shadow.” Emily hugged Shadow again as he nuzzled against her.

A week went by and it was Saturday again. Shadow still wore the necklace Emily gave him, he was in the barn waiting for Emily to come. It was very cloudy out today though, the wind was blowing very fiercely. Bill had seen on the weather report that their area was going to get hit with a big storm.

“I’m sorry Emily, but the storm could start up at any minute, you’re going to have to stay inside today.” Bill had just told Emily that she couldn’t go out to play with Shadow today because of the storm that was here.

“But dad, Shadow will get scared, can’t I just stay in the barn with him.” She was trying very hard to get her dad to let her spend some time with Shadow.

Bill would not budge on this issue. “I’m sorry Emily but the answer is no. He’ll be fine, his barn is very sturdy, I promise he’ll be safe.”

Emily finally gave up after realizing how adamant her father was about her not going outside. “All right, I’ll stay inside.”

Shadow was still waiting for Emily to come as he lay in his stall with the barn door closed. He didn’t know about the storm outside though. After an hour of waiting Shadow was starting to get worried, but before he could make for the door, the whole barn started to shake violently. It seemed to sway back and forth, making it difficult for Shadow to stay on his hooves. Outside the barn, a tornado had appeared and struck the farm. Shadow’s barn was right in the tornado’s path, it shook the barn greatly until finally lifting it up and carried it away from Shadow’s home.

Author's Note:

This first chapter is to inform you of the close relationship between the human and the pony involved. No this is not a human in Equestria fan fic.