A Dream Met...

by Jon bucker

In Equestria:

“Uggh...my head” I said as I woke up and sat up off the ground placing a hand of the side of my head

“What happened where...” I posed and started looking around, I was in some building. “Where am I...?”

As I continued to look around it felt strangely familiar. “What... I know this place...” It looked so familiar but I couldn’t put my finger on it, everything’s so colorful and vibrant, like something from a cartoon. And everything looked different, but feels the same. It was like I was in a video game and someone put in a different texture pack.
I stood up slowly and started dusting myself off, not taking my eyes away from the room. It wasn’t till I stood up that I realized that there was something around my neck. It was a thick golden chain nucleus; I reached in to my shirt and pulled out the end of it.
I was taken back to what it was. “Is this...what I think it is?” it was an orange and green gem stone, the orange gem stone was in the shape of an apple, and the green one was in the shape of the apples leaf. My suspicions were right; it was they Element of Honesty...

I almost couldn’t hold my brony excitement from shrieking like a little girl, until the thought crossed my mind. “Wait, what about the other elements?”

I let go of the element that I was hanging on to and let it dangle around my neck and turned my head back as fast as I could to the pedestal to see if the elements were still there. “There... gone...?” I looked at the pedestal with a blank look, with the room behind it; I was close to figuring out where I was. And then it clicked.

I was where Twilight and the rest of them found the Elements of harmony; I’m in the ruins... of Princess Celestia and Luna’s old castle... I’m in Equestria...
The second that, that sunk into my mind I was ecstatic with joy and a vast wonder. To think, I was their, I was actually their! Whether it was a dream or not I didn't care, I was there and wasn't about to waste it.
I noticed that I was standing in the exact spot were Twilight was when they found the elements, but I abandoned the spot and stated walking and looking around the room like a curious kid, abserving every little detail; it looked just how it did in the show, but on a real level. I still couldn't believe it.

I went out back to the second part of the castle were twilight and the rest of them had defeated night mare moon. As I entered I stood there in complete awe. “So this is where it all went down. Where Twilight discovered the magic of friendship and defeated night mare moon with the Elements of Harmony. Incredible...” I said to myself.

I walked into the room slowly looking to were night mare moon had stood, letting history and the show replay its self in my mind. In all my excitement I wasn’t looking where I was going and tripped over something. “Uggh... come on twice in one day?” I got up and looked to see what I tripped over.

I was speechless, stuck by shock and fear, it was a piece of nightmare moons armor; by the looks of it I think it was her helmet. I went to go pick it up but had an eerie feeling about it so I let it be.
I made my way back into the main room, where I started, and went to go exit the castle. “If I’m in Equestria then that means I’m in the every free forest...” exiting the castle I started looking at the forest surrounding me. “And I don’t want to be in here when night falls so I should get moving.” I looked down at the element hanging around my neck. "and I don’t want anything to happen to you...” I tucked it back into my shirt for safe keeping and got on my way.
As I was walking away from the castle, stepping in the soft soil. I came to a gorge with a rope bridge extending from one side to the other. I never really liked heights but it was the only way, didn't help a couple boards were missing though. As I started crossing it I realized something; this was where Rainbow Dash displayed her loyalty to her friends, seeing this right up like this really gave me the sense on how they must have felt crossing it. Once I made it to the other side I looked back to see where she had done her pose for her friends. I smiled and continued walking.
The forest was as thick as ever, trees and vegetation surrounded the narrow grassy path that I walked on. Moss and vines were everywhere, aligned with bushes and plants. It was so thick that the sun overhead was invisible.
As I went deeper there was a certain smell in the air that wasn’t very welcoming, it made me cough a couple times. “Rarity was right, this isn’t the most pleasant place to be; the air is so... heavy. speaking of rarity...” I come to a wide river. “This is where she displayed her generosity towards the serpent.” I looked both up and down the river. “So how am I going to get across?” I would have asked the serpent if he could help me across but I couldn’t see him, I couldn’t even find the rocks that they were originally going to use to get across.
I sighed in frustration. “Looks like I’m going for a swim.” I bent over to feel the water, it wasn’t very cold but I still wasn’t really thrilled about an afternoon swim, but I had to so I did. Once I got out of the river I took off my shoes and socks and squeezed and dumped the water out of them and put them back on, then I was known my way once again.
After a little bit I came up to a creepy looking tree. “That’s definitely the scariest looking tree I’ve ever seen, in fact...” I looked to the other trees around me. “all these trees look creepy.” I don't know why but I started to feel insacure and frightened, it was like the trees carried the effect and forced it whether I liked it or not. But I remembered that this is where pinkie pie displayed her element of laughter.
I smiled at the memory and how it made me feel and started laughing, I didn’t know why. I guess it was the sheer pinkie pie-ness of it all. that random party pony could make anyone laugh, even if she wasn’t around. As I walked away from the trees, still giggling a bit I looked back and shock my head and continued my journey.
Next I came to a small clearing, upon entering I heard an unsettling sound that I hadn’t heard before. I took a couple steps further onto the clearing and then I saw it and was struck with fear, it was a sleeping Manticore.

“That’s the manticore that Fluttershy tamed with her compassion and kindness... but I am not Fluttershy.” I said softly to myself. Not wanting to wake the sleeping beast, I started walking vary carefully through the clearing, with every step I took, I bent my knees to reduce sound.

Half way through I looked at him to make sure he had not noticed me and then the inevitable happened; I stepped on a twig that made a loud cracking noise. I looked to my foot and then back to the manticore, my heart and breath stopped and my eyes went wide in horror. he lifted his head and looked around with drowsy eyes, I didn’t move and remained completely still. he lowered his head and let out a long breath and fell back to sleep. I did the same in relief and continued walking carefully, picking up the pace a bit, and I made it to the end of the clearing.
Once I got out there was a steep hill that lead to a higher point of the forest, I climbed it in a hurry to say the least. When I made it to the top I looked down into valley, I could see just how far I had really come and could also make out where the manticore was still sleeping. “That was to close...” I said with a long breath. I turned back around and continued walking.
I was walking along the ridge of a cliff; it was amazing looking from such a height, seeing the forest and the long drop below sent shivers through my spine, what a sight. I also noticed a place where it looked to be the spot where applejack displayed her honesty. I got closer to the edge to get a better look. “I think this is where!” – Suddenly the part of the cliff that I was standing on, gave way under my weight.
I was sliding down the side of the cliff uncontrollably, the edge of the hill was getting closer and closer, I couldn’t slow myself down. Then I saw a tree root sticking out of the ground, I reached out and grabbed it, my body swung around and came to a halt.
I laid there for a second just to regain myself and catch my breath; I looked down to the edge of the cliff, that answered my question. ”Yeah... yeah it is...” I looked back up to the root I was grasping. “I’m glad you’re still here...” I let of a light chuckle and made my way up the cliff side.
When I got to the top I dusted myself and I realized I managed to of torn a hole in my shirt. Looks like I was going to have to pay Rarity a visit at the Carousel Boutique sometime to get that fixed. I looked back down the hill 'I stand corrected that was to close' and then I got on my way.
After awhile it seemed to be getting brighter, the trees above were started to reveal blue skies and sunlight was seeping through. I looked up ahead and I saw no more trees past a bright light. “There it is, finally I can get out of here!” I started sprinting towards the opening of trees slowing down as I got closer to the light. I made it out but I couldn’t see that well, I raised my hand to shield my eyes from the light. When my eyes had finally adjusted I was taken back by the sight.
It was a large grass field with a couple of trees and bushes scattered and littered with beautiful flowers, it was so colorful. It boggold my mind, but in a good way, like it was brightening my sole and heart. I could even see a pond in the center; it looked like the same one from the mirror pool incident; that must be where dash and pinkie hang out in the summer or whenever it’s hot.
I looked to my left and saw tall grassy hill with a single tree on the top, I thought that would be a better spot to see more of the world, so with excitement in my in mind i made my way towards that. Once I got up to it I started running up the side as fast as I could, feeling the semi tall grass brush up against my ankles. Wanting to waste no time to see the view.
When I made it to the top I was blown away by what was in front of me, and couldn’t help but saying it again to realize. “I’m in Equestria...”
I could see everything from up there, I could see ponyville in the valley below, cloudsdale was floating high in the sky, and also canterlot in the distance, if I wasn’t smiling before, I certainty was now.
A part of me just wanted to run down there and greet every pony but... I know it would be too sudden. If I ran down there now I would just end up scaring every pony, it probably be worse than when Zecora came to ponyville. But I knew I was going to have to go there sooner or later and talk to Twilight and get all of this sorted out.
But at the moment, I just want to enjoy equestria for what it is before things get to serious and twilight tries to send me on the first boat out of here and back to where I came from.
I walked back and sat down and got myself comfortable under the tree. I was tired from the walk and wanted to have a second to myself. I took the element of harmony of from around my neck again, and started looking at it, thinking.
What I didn’t notice before is the gold chain has carvings on it that look like vines, but there aren’t a lot of them so it doesn’t look cluttered. As I stared at the apple shaped gemstone my mind was just a race of thoughts, one of them was the gemstone. The apple represents applejacks cutie mark... so why is it an apple for me? I’m not destined to work at sweet apple acres. I’ve never even been there physically.
My train of thought was broken by my stomach growling, I went to go check my watch to see what the time was but it wasn’t on my wrist any more. I figured that it must have fallen of somewhere when I was going through the everfree forest so I looked at the sun to try to guess that way.
It wasn’t quite sun set yet, but judging on where the sun was in the sky I think it was probably around five or six o’clock, dinner time.
My stomach was quick to conform that with another grown. I didn’t know what I was going to do or eat, I couldn’t go to ponyville that was a bad idea in its self, and I was even hungrier on account of not eating lunch and had nothing more than a couple paces of toast for breakfast.
In my frustration I hit the back of my head on the tree and to my surprise an apple fell on my lap, I looked up in to the tree. In all my excitement I hadn’t realized that the tree I was sitting under was an apple tree I looked back to the apple and chuckled lightly. “That’ll work...”
With every bite I took the apple got smaller and smaller until there was nothing left but the core, but I was still hungry.
In attempts to get more apples, I stood up and turned to the tree and then kicked it with the front of my foot, but nothing happened. A bit frustrated I went around the tree and gave an even stronger kick with my heel and sure enough a couple apples fell on the ground.
I gathered them up and sat back down under the tree and started eating them, looking at the beautiful scenery before me. Their were questions floating in my mind but on this whole ordeal, but I put them aside. Sometimes it's best not to question.
Once I had finished the apples, I looked to the sun which was about to set when something occurred to me, where was I going to sleep?
I started looking down the hill in the valley below, trying to find a suitable place to spend the night.
I saw ponyville but I skipped over that, there was no way I was going down there. I looked off to the field and along the forests edge and saw cottage, fluttershy’s cottage. I smiled but I knew I couldn’t go there and risk scaring the breath out of the timid pegasus, so I skipped that as well.
I noticed a growing amount of apple trees then saw Sweet Apple Acres in the distance; twilight did say that applejack was a very hospitable pony, but I wasn’t entirely sure on how 'hospitable' she’d be towards something like me.
I was starting to lose hope and was just about to look away when my eyes were drone back to something, the barn.
If I could make it there before the sun completely sets that wouldn’t be a half bad place to spend the night, I could rest in some hay, and would have a roof over my head, and in the morning I could leave before anyone woke up. It seemed like the best and was my only option so it was decided.
I got down from the top of the hill but before going to the farm, I stopped by the pond to get a drink of water and to clean myself up a bit, once i was done I got on my way to sweet apple acres.

It was dark out by the time I got to the path, Celestia’s sun has set and Luna’s moon took to the night sky. As I was going down the road to sweet apple acres, I was amazed by how many apple trees there were. Of course being on an apple farm meant plenty of apple trees, I knew that, but it was still a sight to see.
I looked further down the path and could see sweet apple acres under the moon light. I sighed in relief, getting there took a lot longer than I expected, and I couldn't wait to relax.
I walked up to the entrance and I stood under the archway, looking at the darken farm. Despite it being dark out I could picture where everything was as if it were daytime. A warm smile made its way to my face and I strangely felt a certain comfort if my body.
I expected myself to be more excited, being at sweet apple acres and all. But I was really tired; I didn’t really have the energy for brony excitement at that moment.
I walked over to the red building and slid the barn door to the side and stepped in, then shut it leaving a small crack so that I wouldn’t get locked in. when I turned around to look in the barn I realized it was really dark, to dark. I couldn’t even see my hand in front of my face.
I turned back and opened the barn door to try to let some of the moon light in. I tried to see if there was anything that could provide some sort of light, then I noticed a stool with a lantern on it and what I believed to be a match beside that.

“Convenient enough...” I said to quietly to myself.

I walked in and picked up the lantern and the match, I struck the match agents a beam and it took flame. Once the lantern was lit, I threw the match on the ground and stomped it out and walked back to the barn door to shut it, leaving that small crack; I turned back around and lifted the lantern up to shed some light in the darkened barn.
It was quite in their, I couldn't even hear get crickets. But it held a peacefulness to it that I couldn't explain.
As I was walking though the barn with the faint orange glow of the lantern, I notice that there were no animals in the pens, but I didn’t think much of it. I remembered that I was in equestria and that animals weren’t typically kept in a barn like in my world. Animals were more civilized in this place then in my own, so locking them all up wasn't always necessary.
Nearing the last pen next to some cider barrels I tripped over a stray basket. It didn’t cause me to fall just stumble. When I caught myself completely, I lifted the lantern into the pen to light it up.
Surprisingly, not like the others, it was clean and had nothing but a stack of hay in it. And there was a somewhat familiar outlining in the hay; applejack must take naps every so often here, I hope she doesn’t mind if I use it for the night.
I set the lantern on a nail inside the pen for the moment and went back to the barn door. I opened it enough and stuck my head out to check if anyone was around or had heard me, there wasn’t though. Thankfully.

As I was walking back to the pen I tripped over that dumb basket again, although this time it managed to make me fall. I sighed in frustration; have to admit I wasn’t really in the mood for that. “That’s it, I’m sorry three sticks and I’m out, good night...” I said in a slightly louder ton. I got up, walked into the pen, sat down in the hay, blew out the lantern and fell asleep.
Even though it was a hay bale, it was one of the best sleeps I had for a while and it felt comforting to me to sleep in a barn. I didn’t have the dream as I was sleeping, but that’s probably because I was already in equestria, but that still didn’t answer why. But I ignored that and slept...