//------------------------------// // Look At Me, I'm an Outcast! // Story: Help Me! My Parents Are Bronies! // by Enfield //------------------------------// "Ponyville?" Douglas repeated, "I feel as if I've heard that name before." "Ponyville's one of Equestria's most famous places!" Apple Bloom said. "Equestria, Ponyville. Where have I heard these names?" Douglas said as he rubbed the side of his head. "Time's wastin', we've gotta go see Twilight," Applejack said. "Fine by me," Douglas said, "I need to walk off that nut shot anyway." Applejack led the six down a path and to a road that left the farm. The day had gone from calm and slightly foggy to bright and sunny. Douglas was amazed with the temperature, it wasn't too hot nor was it too cold. He wondered how he got here, all that did come o his mind was a bright green light and a loud explosion, he also could hear what sounded like a evil laugh, something that made him think about the time he heard the Banshee when he was a boy. He shuddered as he remembered that night, all he heard was the scream, a laugh and the next day his mother told him that his great grandfather has died. Douglas from then on knew all too well about the legend of the Banshee and he always prayed that he would never hear her again. But that's when something much more disturbing hit him, where were his parents? Babs looked back at him and saw his expression. "You okay Douglas? You look kind of worried." "I've just remembered that my family is out somewhere," Douglas said. "We'll find them later once Twilight evaluates you," Applejack said. "So where did you come from?" Scootaloo asked. "I don't remember much," Douglas said, "But from what I do know is that I did come from a country named Ireland. A lovely place, my whole family is back there. I wonder how they are doing?" "Where's Ireland?" Apple Bloom asked. "Next to Great Britain, a much bigger island and just as nice." Douglas said. "I've never heard of those places," Sweetie Belle said. "Well I don't know where I am right now so we at least have something in common," Douglas said. The six passed a pair of other ponies, both of whom stopped dead and then looked back to Douglas. They looked at each other and ran to catch up. "Whoa, never seen anything like this before," the first pony said. "What is it?" the second asked. Douglas glanced at them for a second so he could note their appearance. One of the ponies was, under close inspection, a unicorn. Douglas couldn't see the horn under it's wild and messy looking mane, the other was a faint cream colored with what looked like a sort of tattoo on it's flank, the tattoo looked like a trio of carefully wrapped sweets. The unicorn had a harp or a lyre on it's flanks. As Douglas looked back to Bic Mac and Applejack he could see that they too had funny tattoos on their sides, he also saw that the fillies didn't have these markings but he knew that they might be too young. "Eww, its coat is all muddy," the unicorn said. "It's called a jacket," Douglas said. The two recoiled in surprise. "It-it can talk!" the pony said. "Not again," Douglas muttered as he took hold of his air rifle by the handle, the unicorn looked at his hand in amazement. "Wow, it's got a mutant hoof." "It's not bloody mutant," Douglas angrily said as he shook his fist, "I'm not a bloody abomination, I'm a human. Ever heard of us?" The two newcomers shook their heads. Douglas sighed, he had no clue what was going on but he chose to go with it incase he was dead or in a coma. "I'm sorry for my attitude a few seconds ago," he said, "I'm just trying to improve border relations, my name's Douglas by the way." "I'm Lyra," the unicorn said. "Bon Bon," the pony said. "Lyra. Bon Bon. Where have I heard those names?" Douglas thought as he shouldered his air rifle. The two newcomers stuck by Douglas' side, eager to find out more about him. Douglas mostly answered with 'yes', 'no' or 'what the bloody hell's that meant to mean?'. Douglas, mind wandering, saw a single apple sitting on a fence post and decided to see if his marksman skills were any good. "Hey guys, check this out." He fired a pellet and the apple exploded into two pieces. The fillies cheered and chanted for more. "Later maybe," Applejack said, Douglas nodded and held the rifle under one arm. "Yeah, I don't want to waste all my shots on fruits. I wanna pheasant." "What's a pheasant?" Scootaloo asked. "A bird." "Maybe we could find one for Douglas, he wants one for something," Babs suggested. "Kill, clean, cook and eat is all I want," Douglas said. "What? You eat birds?" Sweetie Belle asked. Douglas nodded as he eyed a small finch. "Yeah, where I come from pheasant is a something of a delicacy." "Okay, now we really need to see Twilight," Applejack said harshly, "You make me sick, eatin' birds." "What's wrong with that?" Douglas asked, "I like a bit of pigeon every now and then. Only if I haven't blown them up with my granddad's shotgun that is." "What do you mean 'blown up'?" Scootaloo asked. Douglas shrugged and kept his eyes forward. He was indeed being taken into a town, he just didn't know what was going to happen afterwards when he arrived. "Sometimes the pellets can rip a bird in half, I've had entrails rain down on me a few times." The fillies suddenly turned green and ran off behind a bush, followed by Lyra and Bon Bon. Douglas shook his head and disbelief and walked into Applejack. "What?" "Ah'm gonna have to ask if you'll stay quiet until we get to Twilight's." "Fair enough," Douglas said. Douglas remained quiet as Applejack led him over a bridge and into a town. Big Mac gave him a rather hard shove, Douglas pulled on his jacket and kept pace with Applejack. Out of the corner of his eyes Douglas saw various ponies came out of houses and leaned out of opened windows to stare at him, Douglas wanted to wave to them but he kept his hands in his pockets. He turned around on the spot and then was greeted by a massive pair of blue eyes. "Hi!" "Feckin' shite muffins!" Douglas yelled as he fell over onto his back. Douglas had his rifle in one hand and was pushing himself backwards with the other. A pink, grinning pony stood in front of him. "Ooooooh, a thing," the pink pony said. Douglas kept his air rifle aimed at the pony who didn't seem to register the weapon as a threat. "What the bloody hell's your idea? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" "It's talks funny, did you find it like this Applejack." "Ya'll might want to stay away from him, he's a real freak,"Applejack said. "Aw come on AJ," the pink pony said as she helped Douglas up and dusted him off, "It's probably very nice and misunderstood." "I'm not misunderstood, I'm misplaced," Douglas said, "Thanks for helping me." "No problem, my name's Pinkie Pie, what's yours?" "Douglas O'Riley." "Nice to meet ya, Doug, Douggie. Can I call you Douggie? I like it." "Just Douglas." "Oh, okay then," Pinkie said, she then turned to Applejack, "So where are you taking him?" "To Twilight, he's real messed up." "Just because I eat birds," Douglas said. "Eeeyuck," Big Mac said. "Be quiet," Douglas said. "I've got a million questions to ask you but I really want you to meet the other creatures that Fluttershy found," Pinkie exclaimed. "What other creatures?" Applejack asked. "Follow me!" Pinkie said as she bounded off. Douglas, Applejack and Big Mac all sprinted after Pinkie. Douglas was so amazed by what was happening he stumbled a few times but he managed to stop when he came to a massive house tree in the center of the village. In front of the house tree was a table, and sitting on it were four ponies and two humans. One looked up and smiled at Douglas. "There he is," the person said, "There's my boy." Douglas was taken aback. "Holy feck. Dad?"