Andrew set down the empty shot glass and stared, bleary-eyed, at the bartender. The bartender stared back. Andrew then realized he was staring at a stool.
"Can I help you, buddy?" The real bartender's gruff voice was just a drone in Andrew's ears. '"You been here for an hour and a half, and I don't think you can get yourself home in one piece"' just became gibberish. The bartender picked up the phone and dialed a number. Andrew leaned back on his stool and stood up.
The bartender saw Andrew's state and went over to help him up. "You've been drinking really often lately, buddy. Whassa matter?" Andrew was slow to respond, due to all of the alcohol in his system.
"I...I...I.." Andrew was almost too drunk to speak. "I lostmy job and I'm back in rehab,and i have no money, so I don't quite see a reason to keep on livin' he stuttered. "so I drink. So there. Also, my wife has been cheating on me, so there's really nothing I can do about this crappy life." he sighed. "I'm just depressed."
The bartender gave Andrew a sympathetic look. Andrew stared back. This went on until a horn honked outside, breaking the silence. "That's your ride." The bartender said kindly to Andrew. "Hope you feel better." He looked at Andrew expectantly, waiting for him to respond. When he didn't, the bartender turned away and began to clean the many shot glasses that Andrew had powered through. Since Andrew was his only customer that night, the bartender didn't have anyone else to attend to.
As Andrew stumbled out of the door to the bar, he noticed the taxi that was giving him a ride home. He slouched across the street, closing his eyes for a brief second. He needed some cocaine... again. He was becoming addicted quickly, but he didn't care. Anything to escape the painful waste that was his life, even if it was only for a few minutes. He was not going home that night.
Andrew saw a homeless person as he trudged down the street. The grimy man peered up at him and cracked a grin. "Money for some food, bro?" Andrew glared at the man. He had some coins, but he didn't want to share. He kicked the man, sending him sprawling. Just then, the cab drove up. Andrew opened the door and climbed inside the car. He grimaced. The entire car smelled like smoke.
As the driver drove away, Andrew, still buzzing from the liquor, walked over to the trailer home. He knocked twice, then paused, then knocked again. he had been coming here often now, so the secret knock was familiar to him.
Wow. His life was horrible. Andrew had been thinking like this ever since he had begun taking drugs, but this was the first time that the thought had crossed. His brain. He began to wonder what suicide was like. Any way, it appealed to Andrew. Anything to escape his horrible life.
"Andy! So good ta see ya!" Donnie was Andrew's main drug supplier, the one who had enabled tons of people yet never got caught. He was tall, with a Bronx accent, and he always had a smile on, revealing teeth black from decades of smoking. He was always enthusiastic in his work, considering he was responsible for the deaths of dozens of people.
Andrew hated Donnie. The only reason he had began to come to this annoying man is that his last dealer, Rahim, had killed himself rather than face charges for drug abuse.
"So," Donnie said quickly, that nasty grin of his never leaving his face. "The Usual?" 15 grams of cocaine.
"No." Andrew spoke through gritted teeth. "Just need enough for an hour." Donnie's face fell. Andrew was one of his biggest buyers on a daily basis. He handed Andrew a bag filled with the toxic drug. Outside of the trailer home, Andrew pulled the metal straw out of his pocket and set it in the cocaine, inhaling deeply. The effect of the coke was almost instantaneous, but it was not the high he usually got. This one was different. He was fading into black now, and the last thing he heard was one word: Ponies.
****************************************************************************************************************************************************
Andrew was floating. That was the first thing that had registered in his drug-addled brain. But he could think. All effects of the cocaine were gone.
He felt that someone was watching him. He turned around to see that he was in total darkness. There was absolutely nothing in this confined space. Begining
Suddenly, a voice floated out of the nothing. "Human. Do you know why you are here?" The voice was commanding, but also motherly at the same time, like the speaker really cared about him.
Andrew was clueless. He honestly had no idea why this was different from his normal highs. He looked around nervously. "Are you the police?" He asked the presence. He winced. Even the idea of it sounded ridiculous. Who would trick a person into believing that he was talking to a deity?
The voice, slightly taken aback by the question, replied. "No, I am not the police, but I am someone who cares about you.
My name is Princess Celestia. I can help you."
Andrew was perplexed. Why would a princess help him, of all people? Celestia continued on. "I oversee not only my world of Equestria, but other worlds on this plane of reality. You have stood out, human, but not on a good way. You have not learned the true values of friendship. You are not kind to others. You are not generous, nor loyal, nor honest. Your life is devoid of laughter. You must learn these values in order to have a happier life.
Andrew was pissed off. No one told him what to do. Not even a omniscient voice. "And what if I don't?" He refused to believe that friendship, of all things, could save him from his misery.
Celestia was curt and firm. "You die." Andrew was immediately taken aback. Celestia tone of voice softened. "Look through this window." Andrew did as he was told. Immediately, he gasped in horror.
The view in the window was that of a hospital. A man was in the hospital emergency room, being kept from death by a few IVs in his body. He was encircled in a wreath of tubes and syringes. The man I'm the bed was in terrible condition, and the doctors rushed around him furiously. There was talk of pumping his stomach, and other medical talk, but one thing stood out to Andrew. It was the talk of drugs. How drugs had made the incapacitated man this way.
Andrew had a shocking revelation. The man in the bed was HIM. The drugs he had taken were destroying him, and the fact that he had an addiction made this even worse.
Andrew collasped into tears. Even Celestia was worried.
"If you do not learn how friendship can make your life better," she repeated, "Then you will perish."
"Oh yeah? How am I supposed to learn about goddamn friendship when I'm stuck in goddamn bed?" He was extremely irate with everything, and Celestia could do nothing to curb his anger.
"Six ponies will appear to you likewise to me." Celestia's voice was quickly fading, and Andrew had to strain his ears to listen to what she had to say.
"Their names are Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, and Fluttershy.
"They will be your mentors..."