Journey to Equestria

by FeatherFoot

Chapter 3

Sleepless night. That is all I could think about after last night. Pinkie Pie decided to drop by in the middle of the night and throw a random party, and the noise level was too much to sleep through. I groggily uncovered myself, and stepped on the wood floor. I was so tired, that as I made my way to the stairs, I didn't see a book on the floor, and I tripped. 'Ow...'

I got back to my feet, and made my way down the stairs, carefully as to not fall. As I reached the bottom, the room was a mess. Ponies were sleeping anywhere they could find, streamers were everywhere, and apparently, there was a pastry fight in here because there was a random assortment of desserts splattered on the walls. I looked around the room, looking over all the ponies lying on the floor, but there was one thing I noticed.

Pinkie Pie was not one of them.

I scoped again, and did not see her. I shrugged, and began to walk to the shelf to pick The Pony Games, but Pinkie Pie popped up out of nowhere. I flipped backward, and onto my back.

"Geez Pinkie, at least warn me if you are in the room!" I said, giving a slight hint of my frustration. Pinkie only smiled.

"Hi there Alex! I brought some leftovers from the party last night!" she said with such glee you could not be mad at all. I took the pastry, a slice of cake, and bit into it a bit. 'Ehh, not as good as that cupcake from before, but still pretty good.' I finished the cake, and picked the book off the floor, being careful not to wake any of the sleeping house guests. But apparently Pinkie beat me to the punch.

"Here Alex, Ya want some punch?" she said, holding a glass of punch. 'Oh the coincidence.' I take the glass and thank Pinkie. I walk back to the stairs, and Pinkie follows. Reaching the top of the flight of stairs, I hear the mumbled groans of the sleeping ponies, and the sound of trotting subsequently. Sighing, I looked behind me, only to see Pinkie Pie in my vision. "You must be bored. I know just what to do!" with that, Pinkie pulled 3 board games from nowhere.

'How did she just do that?!'

"Let's play some games!" she says excitedly. I set down The Pony Games, and held my face with my hand.

"Pinkie, I'm sorry, but I am really getting into this book, and I can't really have any distractions." I said. Hearing this, Pinkie's cheerful expression changed dramatically, accompanied by a record scrape from out of nowhere. I looked around. 'Am I hearing things now?'

"N-no games...?" she spoke, distraught. In just a half a second, her mane went from its normal poofy appearance, to completely devoid of fluff with a popping sound, and hung down to the floor. Her tail did the same, and her bright pink tone darkened. 'Oh great. I just HAD to say that.'

I walked up to her. "Pinkie, what's the matter?" I asked with concern. Pinkie sniffled.

"Y-you don't want to p-play games with m-me...?" she said, before she burst into tears. I was completely taken aback by this, and fell backward. My mind was racing. 'Oh geez! What do I do, what do I do, what do I do?!'

Without even thinking about my movements, I moved closer to Pinkie, and held her in my arms. I whispered softly. "Pinkie, I'm sorry. I really am. Listen, if it really matters to you, then I really don't want to read the book right now." her head tilted up, and her eyes met mine. "Pinkie, I'll play any game you want, I promise, just please stop crying, you'll make me cry too." i said, starting to tear up. she spoke softly.

"P-Pinkie Promise...?"

I backed up a bit, and started doing the Pinkie Promise, along with the words. "Cross my heart..." I made an X on my chest. "...hope to fly..." I motioned my arms like a bird. "...stick a cupcake in my..." I remembered to close my eye. "...eye." I smiled a bit, hoping she would cheer up. My hopes came true with out warning, as her mane and tail refluffed with a loud pop, her color brightened, and she smiled from ear to ear. She dashed right up to me, and gave me a pony's version of a bear hug. "Now remember you have to keep that promise!" she said with glee mixed with a hint of seriousness. I nodded, and she pulled out "Ponies and Dragons".

For the next five hours, Pinkie and I had pretty much played every one of the board games, including tic-tac-toe, which Pinkie won just about every game, save for one she obviously let me win. I was on my last bits in "Ponopoly" by Flim Flam Brothers.

"Aaaaaaaaand I just got Sugarcube Corner!" Pinkie said with glee. I chuckled a bit, seeing as how I only have 100 bits left, and she has just about every lot. All I had was the first one on the board, Cranky Doodle Donkey's home. I eventually made a wrong move and landed on Canterlot Castle. "That'll be 3000 bits please!" Pinkie excitedly stated. I gave her the last of the play money I had, and that was it.

"Well, Pinkie, you have beaten me in every one of these games!" I said happily. Pinkie wore a wide grin. I stood up. "Anyway Pinkie, I have to stop by Rarity's to pick up what she had for me." Pinkie looked at me confused, but smiled.

"Okay dokey lokey! I'll be right here when you get back!" Pinkie exclaimed, and I walked downstairs, and headed out the door.

______________________________________________________________________

Approaching where I met Rarity, i noticed I was getting much weirder looks from the townsponies. 'Just let them stare.' As I came upon the building however, one pony approached me. She looked me over, and I recognized the color. It was the pony that I saw in the town center when I arrived. She turned around, and screamed out.

"See! I told you all I was right!" Then she ran off. I shook my head. 'What in the world? Are many of the ponies here crazy?' I entered the building, and a bell rang.

"Just a moment please." I heard the voice from another room, obviously Rarity. She came out into the room with an outfit floating beside her for one of her clients. "Oh hello darling. Are you here for your gift?"

"Yes ma'am." I said. She made her way to a table, and some clothes resembling what I am wearing drift over to me. "Wow, thanks Rarity."

"It was my pleasure, dear. Just stop by my boutique if you need anything else."

"Can do!" I made my way out of the boutique, and back to the library.

_______________________________________________________________________

Making my way in, I called out to see if Twilight was home. "Yo Twilight? You here?" No answer, but there was a note on a table.

Alex,

Me and Spike went out to meet with the princesses about your arrival. We'll see you in a few days.

~Twilight

'Well, looks like it's just me and Pinkie here then-' I derailed my own train of thought. I made my way upstairs, and entered the room, with Pinkie still sitting where she is. She looked in my direction, and beamed.

"So, what did Rarity getcha?" she asked.

"I got some clothes." I say, smiling. I set them down on the bed, and sit in front of Pinkie. She suddenly pulls a cupcake out of nowhere, and hands it to me. I bite into it, and we continue playing games.

5 hours later...

After finishing more than 30 board games, 30 games of tic-tac-toe, and 50 games of pin the tail on the pony, I was exhausted. I yawned, as I looked outside, and seeing the moon shining bright. I turned to Pinkie.

"Pinkie, do you mind if we stop for the night? It's late." I say.

"Aww, but why do we have to stop? You Pinkie Promised..." I noticed that she tensed. I continued on my statement.

"Just for now Pinkie. We can play more at a later time. Right now, I need some shut eye."

She seemed to loosen up. "Okey dokey lokie!" she says, as she trots to the stairs, but I stop her.

"Pinkie, you can sleep here if you-" Before I can finish, she already has a sleeping bag ready. "...want."

"Yay! Sleepover!" she exclaimed. I sighed. 'This is going to be a long night.' I hopped into bed, and covered up. Pinkie slipped into her sleeping bag. I drifted off, but Pinkie had other ideas except sleeping. She slipped out of her sleeping bag, and got to work.

The next morning...

Once I started waking up, all I could smell was pastries. I opened my eyes, and I could see nothing but a variety of pastries surrounding the bed. I shifted a bit, and carefully made my way around the pastries, downstairs, and maneuvered toward the kitchen, only to be stopped by a mountain of cupcakes. 'Okay, Icing Climber Alex ready to climb.' I took hold of one of the sides of the massive pile. Ascending, I nearly lost my grip on some icing. I held on, and continued climbing, and eventually reached the top. Getting down was much easier. I slid all the way down to the base of the mountain in the kitchen. "Pinkie Pie, what is going on in-" I was hit by a random flurry of cupcake icing. I got knocked back, and into the pile of cupcakes. 'What the-'

Pinkie turned to me in surprise. "Oh sorry Alex. I didn't see you coming." She seemed so apologetic. I felt a bit bad.

"It's okay Pinkie, although it would have been great if you told me you would do this."

"Oops." she whispered. I offered to help clean up. She denied my offer, as she called out the window. "Free cupcakes!"

In about 3 seconds, the ground started shaking.

"Ya might want to take cover." She ducked under the counter, and I followed suit. I heard a door slam open, ponies flooded the entire library, and chaos ensued. Within about 15 seconds, there were no pastries in sight. I glanced around at the entire room, which was now entirely spotless.

"How did- never mind." I said. Just before I walked away, Pinkie grabbed me, and pecked me on the cheek longer than before. She then nuzzled my arm, and trotted out of the library. I just stood where I was, motionless after what just happened. After a few seconds, I shrugged, and walked upstairs to read a bit.

Later...

I placed a bookmark on the page I was on, closed the book, and placed it on the table next to me. I stood up from the chair, and walked back downstairs. Upon reaching the base, I notice Spike has returned.

"Hi there Spike!" I say, happy to see him. Spike turned to me.

"Hi there Alex! How have you been?" Spike asked.

"I've been great! Also, me and Pinkie apparently had a game marathon." I said.

"Wow, how late was it when you two stopped?" he asked.

"Well, we started around three o'clock in the afternoon, and we ended around twelve hours later after playing 90 games." I said, while thinking about it made me tired out.

"That's Pinkie for ya, oh also, has she been twitching oddly?" Spike asked, a bit of concern in his voice.

"No. Why?"

Spike breathed a sigh of relief. "If she twitches, something will happen in the immediate future. So if you see any part of her twitch, or a combination of twitches it means something will happen!"

"Spike, that's just crazy talk!" I laughed.

"Alex! I'm being serious!"

Whatever Spike. I'm going out for a bit." I said, still chuckling. Spike sighed.

"His loss."

_______________________________________________________________________

I made my way through the town, and saw a side path, leading toward an enormous orchard. By enormous, I mean every square foot of the land surrounding the path had a tree on it. I walked down the path, toward what looked to be a farmland. As I walked, I looked in awe at how many apples there were on the trees.

'Good gosh, if there were this many apples on Earth, there'd be enough to supply the entire world!'

I approached a gate that led into the farm in front of me. As I walked in, i heard what sounded like a cowgirl.

"Yeehaw!"

I turned in the direction of the voice, and saw an orange mare with a blond mane and tail that have braids holding both in ponytails. On her thigh were three apples. I watched as she kicked a tree, and dozens of apples fell perfectly into big wooden baskets on the ground with such precision, that it defied physics. "Wow." was all I could say, and she apparently heard my voice.

"Y'all must be the boy that ran to the Everfree a few days back." she said. 'Everfree? That must be that forest by Fluttershy's home.' "Not too many go in that forest. Stuff just ain't natural in there."

I think about what she said. 'Not natural? Magic, flying, and random actions are natural here, but a forest like that is not natural?'

"So...what makes it so...unnatural?" I say, and the orange mare smirks.

"So y'all can talk! I shoulda guessed!" she said smugly. "But anyway, that forest is said to have clouds that move on their own, changing its weather whenever it wants, and there are only three ways in and out."

'Basically, from what she is saying, That entry in front if Fluttershy's home must be one of the entries and exits, but what are the other two?'

"So, what can I help y'all with?"

" just saw the humongous orchard, and figured I would check it out." I said. "It really is a sight."

"Aw shucks mister, y'all making it sould like it's impressive."

"It really is. Back where I'm from, apple orchards have never grown this large." I say. "In fact, a lot are usually cut down."

"What in the hay?" she said.

"My thoughts exactly."

"Well, ahm Applejack. Pleasure making your aquaintance."

"I'm Alex."

Just then, a red stallion trotted up to Applejack, and promptly turned to me. He spoke.

"Applejack, who is this?" he said.

"Big Mac, this is Alex." Applejack said. "Big Mac" came up closer to me, and looked me over. With a nod, he simply said "Eeyup."

He stepped back and a little filly ran up, one of the three I saw running out of the boutique. "Howdy mister! Ahm Applebloom!" She glanced at my sides. "Wait, where's your cutie mark?"

"Cutie...mark?" This raised a new question for me. Applebloom gasped. "Y'all don't know what a cutie mark is?!" She grabbed my hand, and tugged me. I played along, and followed Applebloom to where she was taking me.

_______________________________________________________________________

Coming to a spot outside of town, I saw what looked to be a clubhouse. Two fillies were playing outside it, one white with a horn like Rarity, and the other orange with wings. Applebloom led me toward the clubhouse, grinning the entire way.

The two fillies playing stopped when they saw me. They made their way closer as I stopped. The little white filly spoke first.

"Gosh mister, what are you?" 'Self-esteem -1, but +2 for a little filly asking.'

"Little ones, I am a human." I say proudly.

"What's a...hooman?" the orange pegasus said.

"Hu-man. We walk on two legs, have thumbs..." I held my thumbs up. "...and we can pick stuff up, like this." I picked up a stick. The little orange filly tried to hold the stick, but to no avail.

"Girls, this fella doesn't know what a cutie mark is!" Applebloom said. both the white and orange fillie's eyes went wide, and they both talked at the same time.

"You don't know what a cutie mark is?!"

"I'm Scootaloo!" the orange filly said.

"I'm Sweetie Belle!" The little white unicorn filly said.

Applebloom joined in. We are the CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!" they all chanted at the same time.

"So you three made a little group to get something called a...cutie mark?" I said.

"Yes sir!" Scootaloo replied.

"We haven't had any luck so far, but we will keep trying until we have our marks!" Sweetie Belle said.

"It's our solemn oath!" Applebloom concluded.

"Well, I'd like to know more of these "cutie marks" you're talking about." I said.

All three inhaled. 'Oh boy.'

CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS TEACHERS YAAAY!" With that, they ushered me into their clubhouse.

_______________________________________________________________________

"...and then a cutie mark shows up when the pony finds their special talent!" Applebloom concluded.

5 hours after they started their lecture, it had finally concluded. I stood up, and clapped.

"Girls, you have told me so much, I don't even know what to say." I said.

"Always happy to help!" Scootaloo said. "Now girls, do we have our cutie marks?" Each one checked each other's thighs, and there were nothing. They all looked down.

"Hey, it's okay, like you told me, it takes time." I said. "Now, I've gotta meet up with Pinkie. I think she's expecting me at Sugarcube Corner." 'Why do I feel as if she wants to see me? Do I have feelings for her?'

"Okay! See ya later!" the three fillies said at the same time. I walked out of the clubhouse, amd made my way to Sugarcube Corner.

_______________________________________________________________________

As I approached the center of town, it seemed unusually quiet. I then looked at the skyline.

"Hmm, it's that late?" I say to myself. I sit on the bench nearby. I look toward the sky, like I can see all the way to Earth from here. Something snaps me out of my trance, the mint green pony from a few days ago sat on the bench, the same way I was. I looked to her confused.

"Beautiful night, isn't it?" she said. I replied.

"Yeah, it is." I looked down to the ground.

She looks toward me. "Something on your mind?"

I sighed. "I just wonder how my world has changed since I got here."

She puts a hoof around the back of my head. "I'm sure it's changed for the better. Earth did seem like it was a bit dirty." I look at her in shock.

"How do you know about Earth?"

'I've studied on humans and their nature. I tried to tell everypony about my findings, but nopony believed me." she said. "But now that you got here, they see the error in their beliefs!"

I stand up. "Well, it's been nice talking with you miss..." I trail off.

"Call me Lyra." she says.

"Miss Lyra, but I've gotta go get some sleep." I finish.

"Okay, hope to talk again real soon!" she says, and I go off to Sugarcube Corner.

END OF PART 3

Comments

[snipesalot0]

WOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO Pinkie x Eternity

[Muet]