//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Hey, Have you met my Friend Gravity? // Story: Stranger than Animated Fiction // by Citpo //------------------------------// You opened your eyes as the light invades your vision. As you look around you realise that the world was no longer a vibrant, pastel colour. It was the grunge colour of life that you grew accustomed to for the past four years. You throw the blankets off your body as you climb out of your bed and trudge towards the bathroom to clean yourself up. Turning both hot and cold taps on, you start to dress down when you hear a knock at your door. "Come in," You shout as you flick to the right song, "I'm in the bathroom." Rather depressing song, isn't it? Tough shit, brother. You are greeted with a surprise as you see someone you'd never expect to see for a very long time. You stand there awkwardly with no shirt on as your guest walks into the bathroom. "What are y-" You start to say before being pulled into a tight and warm embrace from your ex-girlfriend. Your feelings you thought you dismissed a year ago suddenly rekindles itself as you pull her closer. She nuzzles the side of your face with her cheek as you follow with burying your face in her hair. She pulls away slightly, revealing her dark coloured skin, only to lock gazes with you with her dreamy, brown eyes. She smiles slightly as she moves in slowly with her eyes closed. You hesitate for a moment before you return the gesture, inching closer and closer until you can feel her breath tickle your lips. You awake with a sudden jolt as you realise it was all a dream. You run your hand through your hair, successfully knocking your headphones onto your shoulders as they hug your neck comfortably. You sit up and straighten up against the hay bale you were leaning on beforehand. You start to recollect your thoughts and put yourself into a more neutral state of mind. Well that dream huh... I agree. It's been quite some time since the last one huh? I thought we got over her... After what she did... Hey, let's not go back to that place. But she knew we were there. She was aware of they way we felt about her. God damnit. Snap the fuck out of it. All this bittersweet reminiscing is not going to help you! Your train of thought is thankfully broken as Applejack walks into the barn, holding a tray of assorted foods in her mouth. She places them down on a hay bale behind you as she gestures for you to come and join her. "You best eat up now mister," she first starts off, "tha food ain't gettin' no warmer." "T-That's quite the assortment of foods," you stutter as you finally snap out of your previous thought train, "Judging by the quantity I assume you'll be joining me in this meal." "Well yea, I assume ya wanted company." She replies. "You assume right Miss... Applejack," You say as you turn off your device in order to conserve battery usage, "I thank you for joining a foreign devil in a meal whilst temporarily imhabiting a very vibrant colour-schemed world." "Y-Yer a demon?!" She says in shock. "No, I'm not," You say with a chuckle as you try to reassure her, "It's an old term that the Chinese used to describe the European settlers." "Tha who an' the what now?" "Human history, don't worry yourself over it." That was the last word you said before you examined the meal before you. You spot two red apples sitting on the tray and help yourself to one. You bite into it, where you are hit with a refreshing wave of fresh and sweet as your chew the crisp apple slowly. A small grin spreads across your face as you enjoy your fruit. Applejack follows suit as she somehow grasps the apple between her hooves and brings it to her mouth. You two sit there in silence as you enjoy each other's company, simply being happy to be there. You soon move onto the other items on the tray, such as the pancakes smeared in cinnamon and apple sauce which contained diced apples in it and slices of toast with apple jam, followed by a refreshing cup of apple juice. "Thank you very much for the meal Applejack." You say as you finish your meal. "Shucks, it ain't nothin' sugarcube," replies Applejack, "jus' shown' a lil' bit a Apple Acres hospitality." The friendly mood was suddenly broken by an all too familiar voice that was awkwardly close by. And by close, the voice was near the barn doors. -Outside the Barn- "It's around here somewhere," says Rainbow Dash, "You gotta believe me!" "Alright R.D we believe you," says a purple unicorn in exasperation, "But we have been searching all morning and I missed my breakfast." "Rainbow Dash darling you must simply calm down," adds in a fashionista posh voice, "All this behaviour is un-lady like." Rainbow Dash glares at the white pony "Lady schmady Rarity, I know what I saw." The purple unicorn dives in to defuse the situation, "Alright you two break it up, we'll check the barn it's the only place besides the house that we haven't checked." "Grr... Alright Twilight." Rainbow Dash says reluctantly as they walk closer and closer to the barn doors. -Inside the Barn- "Shit," you whisper coarsely, "Things are gonna end badly if they find us like this. Tell me where's the closest exit." "Tha floor above," she starts off, "There's a window that's propped open. About a ten foot drop to tha ground." "Thank you for your hospitality and your help," you say, "I hope we meet in future. Stall them while I get out please?" "S-Stall?" She utters, "I can't lie to th-" You were too busy climbing up a nearby ladder to pay attention to her rambling. You approach the window and perch yourself in a comfortable position as you wait for Applejack's cue. She approaches the five mares at the barn doors and proceeds to stall the group as you put the headphones onto your head. -Applejack's POV- You approach your friends in an attempt to stall your new-found alien friend. You can't believe you were doing this. You were the Element of Honesty for Celestia's sake. There was no way you could lie to your friends about what may be the only extra-terrestial being of its kind in Equestria let alone do it successfully. You swallow nervously as you drag a cart of hay outside in a means to intercept your friends. "Outta mah way ya'll" you start, avoiding eye contact and feigning heavy strain, "Nnnrg... Heavy load comin' through." "Hey A.J," Rainbow Dash says, "You haven't seen that thing around, have you?" "N-Nope, haven't seen a darn thang after ye flew off," You stammer as you pull harder, "He just up an' left." "He?" Rainbow Dash says with intrigue, "How do you know it's a he?" "A-Ah never said he was a he," You say as your eyes dart around, "An' Ah haven't seen him still R.D" "R.D?" Rainbow Dash says as she continues to drill into you, "You never call me R.D unless.. You're nervous. She's hiding something everypony." "She's the Element of Honesty R.D," says Twilight Sparkle, "Why would she even lie?" "Yes I must admit Twilight makes quite the point darling," says Rarity as she flicks her mane to the side. "Oh yea?" retaliates Rainbow Dash, "then why is she so nervous?" "Maybe she's just sick," says a very energetic pink pony as she leaps into the scene, "Like how when she ate ALL those apples?" "Or maybe she's being controlled by that beast," says Rainbow Dash in a brash conclusion. "umm girls..." mutters a shy, yellow pegasus. "W-What?" You say in defense as your pulling comes to a halt, "That is THE most stupidest thing ah have ever heard." "You're in denial," Rainbow Dash says aggresively as she pokes your face with her hoof, "That's the first sign you're being mind controlled. Am I right Twilight?" "That doesn't even make sense Rainbow Dash," Twilight says in exasperation, "Stop jumping to conclusions." "umm girls..." "Rainbow Dash, you're getting awfully worked up about something so trivial." "I know that... thing exists!" Rainbow Dash says desperately, "I just know it!" "Ah agree with Rarity sugarcube," you say with a mental sigh of relief, "Yer gettin' all worked up over something small." "Small?!" Rainbow Dash says as she butts heads with yours, "It might as well be a national threat to Equestria!" "GIRLS!" shouts the timid pegasus, "I'm terribly sorry for interrupting, but what is that thing hanging out of Applejack's barn window?" You look up along with your friends to see your mysterious guest standing up and falling rather ungracefully. -Human POV- Hey, Brain Yea, what's up? We're falling aren't we? Depends. Have you met my friend Gravity? Well... Embrace for impact in five? Make that three.... You stop thinking abruptly as you fail to cover your head in time and instead of coming in contact with the cart of hay, your precise aim rather prefers a comfortable spot in the dirt. "Owwwwww," you manage to mumble out before you slowly lose consciousness. The last thing you see is six mismatched colour blurs run at you as your headphones fall off and block out the last sliver of vision you have.