That bright flash... Wow, I had no clue what was happ'nin... After that flash, it was like everything blinked off, then back on. And when everything blinked back on... It was dead quiet. Well, I realized right away I was about 4 feet up in the air, and that I started to fall. I just got ready, and landed ok. I have found myself up in apple trees higher than that, but don't ask... It was ok. Well, my hat was gone too; maybe it blew away or somethin', I don't know. And I landed on mid-summer, partially dry oats. Wasn't sure where I was though, and a quick scan for the spire of the Castle showed no evidence. I was near some small ponytown however; I recognized that much. It looked to be the same time o' day, a bit before noon in the summer. And the sun was where I'd expect. Ok, it was clear to me I had no clue where I was. Well, I wasn't in the Equestria Girls world, that was for sure. That place is so busy, and noisy -- houses crammed one right next to the other, streets with those noisy car things roaring constantly by... Wouldn't mind having one of them tractor things though. Well, I trusted Summer. I had no idea what she had just done to me.
Dredging from my memories, I did see what I thought might be a familiar... well, landmark -- the outline of a very special large tree. It was, well it used to be Princess Twilights... well then it was just a Library, but so much... happened... there... I walked quickly towards it; it was on the outskirts of that town, not a long walk. And the closer I got... It was kinda' like a dream with memories floodin' past. Wow, lookin' at it from the front especially took my breath away... just like it used to be... After some delay, I walked in the door, inside. There, standin' in front of an old desk, an older Unicorn mare, readin' a book... she slowly tilted her head down to look at me over her glasses; she looked me over briefly. "Hello, can I help you?"
I wanted to laugh, to cry all at once... I just said quietly "Ok, so this is where the Library is."
The mare behind the desk smiled, then said quietly "Yes, but there can be an extra fee for cleaning up books after non-Unicorn use."
That again... Oh well... "Thank you." That was all I could say as I turned a little too quickly and left... Must'a been the wrong Library. I sighed, then I turned, then wandered slowly towards the clump of buildings closer now, that looked like any ordinary ponytown. I wasn't hungry yet, but I was thirsty. Gettin' closer to the town, I did notice some sort of fountain or somethin', so I headed that way. I passed ponies of course, and said "Hay" to a few, but I didn't recognize absolutely anypony. I walked slowly through town to that fountain, up to it, and took a drink. Wow, it tasted just like the fountain in Ponyville, and my drink wasn't short. Then I looked up...
The Mayors office was directly in front of me. Mearl's old barn, lookin' not so old, was at the end of town to my right. That would mean the Cakes should be... That building I easily recognized, turnin' ag'in, then... Rarity's Boutique... By then I was shakin' my head back and forth in disbelief. How in the world... Well, at this point, findin' anypony I knew would be... I walked slowly towards Rarity's first, and walked in right as another mare walked out.
Right away I heard "Hello dear, how would you like your mane done today?"
Well, ok, they could leave my mane alone. I asked slowly "I am looking for Rarity, is she here?"
The mare looked down in thought briefly, then shook her head slowly side to side, then said almost apologetically "I... My family has worked this salon for generations, and I know of nomare with that name..." Then she smiled. "But we can spruce up your mane if you like!"
I smiled back, thanked her, then turned and walked back out. Giving myself way too little time to think, I walked over to the Cakes, another building that is... a Ponyville landmark of sorts. All I had to do was look carefully through one of the front windows. Pinkie would not even be there, it was a barn supply store, sellin' stuff for houses, barns and such. There were no cup-cakes... Then I noticed through one of the windows in the upstairs, it must have been for storage. This was all very unsettling. As I shook off a few tears, I thought to myself "How could this be Ponyville, but without everypony that I have come to love so much?" I had to shake off even more tears as I walked slowly out to Fluttershy's cottage, well, where Fluttershy's cottage used to be, was supposed to be. Walkin' slowly up that hill, the big tree was there, I saw that right away, but maybe it was a bit smaller. I did however, notice a bunch of young ponies workin' on somethin' or other next to that tree, and one of them did look like Applebloom, from far away anyway. I walked slowly up, and tried to sound calmer than I felt. "How y'all doin' young-uns?"
They all stopped what they were doing right away, turned and stared at me. I reckon they weren't too happy I was there. And it wasn't Applebloom. One of the other colts said loudly "This is our fort, and no big ponies are allowed here. And if you tell anypony else about our fort, we will... uhm, we will..."
I smiled while wantin' to cry, then turned, walked slowly off, back down the hill. "Summer, what did you do to me?" I said this quietly, not really expectin' an answer. But I did realize after that... there really was only one more place for me to go, to try... Sweetapple... I looked over towards the Sun, and realized that I would probably get to the farm near sun-down. I guess I didn't think I had any more alternatives, so I headed there. It was a nice warm day, probably a warm night too, so I was not too worried about where I would sleep. It is just that... what? Why? I walked slowly because I really wasn't in a hurry... I was quickly deep in thought as I walked through this town that mysteriously looked like... oblivious to...
"Hello miss, are you new to our town?" an older mare had been walkin' next to me, and she asked that.
Honestly, I didn't know what to say. But this is what came out anyway. "Yeah... AJ is the name, and I just got here."
She continued. "Well, this is a nice quiet town, I think you will like it here. You may need to spend a few nights in the oats, but soon enough you will find your niche in our pleasant little town. I have a tiny goodies shop hidden behind Mearl's, but I have my eye on Bernie's Barn Stuff. Rumor has it he is ready to retire, and return to Manehatten. His building is where I want my goodie shop to be, smack dab in the middle of town. And I can rent the upstairs."
This came out slowly. "Ma'am, I didn't catch your name."
"Isabelle Cake, been here about a year. If you can't find a place, let me know, and I will see what I can do. That's what Mearl did for me. We depend on each other in this little town!"
She turned around and started to walk back into town. But I just had to know. "Ma'am, what is the name of this town?"
"Why, Ponyville, dear. I like that name, actually. Some of the other names in the kingdom are just... silly." There was a brief delay, then she added "Remember, I am next to Mearl's if you need anything."
I was glad she was walkin' away, because the look on my face... I was stunned... I am not the shiny-est apple in the basket, but I realized this much... I was in Ponyville, but, what, backwards in time, I guess is the way to say it. Summer had sent me back in time... Ok... But when? Why? I just kept walkin', tryin' to avoid cryin', yet realizin' I had few, well no ideas left... Most of the ponies I knew, and cherished in Ponyville, they were evidently not even here yet...
I was shakin' a lot of tears away as I started up the gentle hill to Sweetapple, only there was no sign out front that said that... or anything for that matter... And the closer I got... The barn was there, lookin' nicer than I had ever seen it... The corral, the fences close to the barn, gates were right where they should be. The house looked... The corner room looked like a brand new addition... I... just... couldn't take it... I ran through the lower gate, out into the orchard... Well, it was just one stand of fairly small apple trees... I walked to the edge of that small clump of trees, expectin' to see acres more trees... I plopped down right there in endless oats, and... Yes, I cried... for a while... "Summer, what..." Well, I didn't cry for too long. It was a clear night, and warm, so I watched for shooting stars a bit, saw none, then fell asleep.