//------------------------------// // Part 2 // Story: Misplaced // by Platen Rhyme //------------------------------// I dropped the book as it hit the floor with a thud. I covered my mouth with my hoof. The book lay flat on the floor open, on the page lay a mystery only a pony would have known. My own fan fics. I accounted for every single one. Each book wasn't a book of spells and knowledge, but an encyclopedia of ever fan fic ever written by writers around the earth. My eyes scanned the shelves as I read the names of many Bronies and Pegasisters. I reached down to pick up the book that contained my stories but only to drop it again as the door flung open and collided with a stool by the wall. Standing in the doorway was Twilight Sparkle. Dark shades covered her eyes and the expression on her face was more than just serious. I didn't need to see her eyes to sense that she was glaring at me through the black tinted lenses. Behind her, Applejack and Rarity walked in, same shades, same expressions. I backed away only to encounter Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash hovering behind me. I could only assume Rarity was keeping watch outside. I took a step closer to Twilight, my intention to ask what I had stumbled upon, but I was greeted with the loop of Applejack's lasso as it fell around my legs and tightened, tripping me and holding my legs in place. My head hit the floor with a thud, I was sure it was hard enough to make the books in the shelves fall but I was wrong. I looked up, head in pain, as Twilight Sparkle approached me. She removed her shades and glared down at me as the others kept their stature. “Wha- What is all this?” I asked. “What you have stumbled upon is an old data bank full of all the humans that have written stories of us, our daily lives. What you humans don’t know is that what you call virtual, is very much reality. You see, we ponies aren't all about friendship and cuteness, we are very intellectual-“ “Except spike” Rainbow added, trying to hide it behind a cough. Twilight glared up at Rainbow Dash, but then back down at me. “You see, you aren't the first to cross universes young human. We ponies have been to yours many times. We have seen what you culture is like. We have seen what your daily life consists of. Then when our scientists discovered what you humans call the Internet, we found a website called FimFiction dot net. We couldn't read all of them so we spent years building a device that let us access your internet across out different dimensions. A lot of the stories you humans make are dreadful and lack what we ponies truly are. Don’t even get me started on Alicorn OC stories....” Twilight lectured to me. They all shook their heads in disagreement to the thought of Alicorn OC’s. “I would ask why you humans watch us ponies live our lives and where you even discovered us, but i’d just be wastinbg my time.” Twilight added. I lifted my head a bit to look Twilight in the eyes. “L-Laura Faust.” Twilight looked down at me. “What?” she questioned. “Laura Faust, she created you, you ponies are just a cartoon created by a genius.” Twilight’s face went from serious, to furious. “That bitch...” I looked up at Twilight as her voice drifted off. “Laura Faust was a human we encountered by accident on one of our visits there. We told her our presence needed to be kept a secret and I guess she couldn't keep her flap shut...” Twilight explained. “Now listen” I added. “She may have broken a promise that opened your existence, but why hold me here? I won’t tell.” “I’m sorry, we can’t risk another human to know of our secret. Fluttershy, you know what to do.” Fluttershy landed in front of me gentle as an angel. She slowly lifted her shades and peered down at me. She held her eyes closed and prepared for what she had to do next. Her eye snapped open as she gave me, the stare. My eyes widened, my pupils dilated, and my vision whitened. I couldn't help but think, man, this is it. I knew my life would end someday but who knew it would be from my beloved ponies. I guess I could accept my fate. My head shot up, almost pulling every muscle. I was breathing heavily and sweat dripped down my forehead. I lifted my arm to wipe it off and to my satisfaction my hand was back. No hoof, no Technicolor, just plain fleshy skin. I glanced over at the clock. To my surprise, only twenty three minutes had gone by. I looked back at my laptop screen, the black line still flashing on an unfinished document. But in my head I knew how to change that. I opened a new blank document and started typing. “It had been some time, but I finally got myself to finish what I had started....”