But Not Out of Mind

Silence.

Silence was all I could hear. That and heavy breathing with a hint of onions. My God, how I hated eating those, then again that survival's handbook did say in order to mask my scent I needed to eat at least two raw onions a day, if I wanted to stay hidden. Sometimes I wonder if that survival book was even written in all seriousness.

Crunch

No time to doubt it now! I think as I quickly, freeze myself like a statue. The sound of hooves get closer, and as they do my already unsteady heartbeat begins to pick up the pace. Sweet Celestia I hope they don't hear me. The hoof steps get nearer, and nearer. Every second fills like minutes have passed as suspense sinks in.

I can't get caught! I think to myself, hoping beyond hope that the sweat I'm starting to feel doesn't ruin my camouflage. If I get caught it's game over. If I get caught it's the crunching of dead leaves stop. I don't move, I don't breath all I do is hold my breath, clench my cheeks, try not to sweat and hope that this camouflage fools them.

Silence.

Nothing happens.

Should I look I ask myself. Dare I look? I wonder. I chance it. Why not. If these ponies discover me now, it's game over. Everything I've done will be put to waste. So why not?

I barely open an eye, and peek through the thinnest layer of light. I don't see anything at first. To much mud, dirt and leaves in my vision for me to get a clear sight, but I try my best to manage. I see...straw colored mane. Derpy.

Derpy stands a good foot away from my hiding spot. From what I can vaguely see, it seems everyone in Ponyville is doing their best to find me, but it looks like they still haven't managed to find a trace. Excellent, but Derpy could ruin that all if she moved just a few steps more in my direction.

The pegasus mare has one eye closed, no doubt using her good eye to look at all the surroundings. She's in front of a small forest. One not too far away from Everfree and Fluttershy's cottage. Inches in front of her, is a large arrangement of sticks, wood chips, sand, dirt, and mud. Within that blob of a mud pile, is me. Adam Scribbles. The laziest person that ever lived.

Derpy's ears are up and alert. She's being thorough. She doesn't want this chance to slip, if she heard my loud breathing from earlier she could pinpoint my location with just a guess, but right now, I wasn't breathing at all.

Holding my breath was never a strong suite. Nor was keeping calm under tough situations, but by jove, I'll be damned to be caught now after evading everyone for almost two days now along with everything else I've been through.

A minute passes by, and Derpy hasn't let up yet. I've been laying in the hot sun now for almost a full hour with this camouflage on yet she doesn't even seem to give the sun and its burning scorch a glance, while I'm here sweating like a well cooked pig. Just look at her, standing there, eyeing me unaware that I'm eyeing her and- For goodness sakes, WOMAN, LEAVE! There are ANTS with me in this mud pile!. I internally scream. Thankfully a voice from above calls Derpy's attention, and the pegasus turns her head in Ponyville's direction.

"No, no one's here! Must've been my imagination!" She calls back in an almost hesitant manner. Another second passes where the distant voice, a familiar one, Pinkie,? No, despite her bubbly and seemingly oblivious attitude she's perceptive, Rainbow Dash's perhaps? Calls her back. Derpy decides our one sided staring contest is over and spreads her wings ready to take off.

I can't hold it in anymore. I let out a shaky breath, and the pile around me quivers, a leaf falling to the ground.

SHIIIIIIIP!

In a second Derpy's back is no longer facing me. Her ears are up, wings spread, tail alert, posture showing attention. The pegasus mare is up in the air hovering just around my pile of filth and camouflage, and her eyes are now directly staring right at me!

And that's when I thought: "This is it. This is how I die. In a pile of mud...I've lived a good life. Haven't I?"

I never get to answer that question.

Luckily the world was in my favor for once, and directed Derpy's attention to a passing deer. The pegasus relaxed, a distant shout that undoubtedly belonged to Rainbow Dash was heard, and Derpy gave one more glance in my general direction before turning away and flying back in Ponyville's direction.

She was gone. I was safe...For now.

It's been an hour since I had my first encounter with another life-form in the past two days. Derpy was close. So close I could practically smell that muffin perfume she tends to ask Rarity to buy when she thinks no one's around to hear their little private discussions on recent fashion designs.

Moving into the woods I brush off any bits of dirt and mud that may still be attatched to my skin as best I can, and sit down with a shaky breath. Somehow I still feel like I'm sweating. Gross.

I sigh. "Things never are easy with those two is it?" I ask absently, sitting under the shade of a tree and waiting for my only two allies in the whole world to come and meet me.

Allow me to explain. My name is Adam. Adam Scribbles, and I am no pony, but a human being. It's been some time since I've came to Equestria, and in that time I have been taught many things about this strange world's past, and how the many cultures and society work around here, somewhat if I do say so a bit friendlier than earth's normal standards.

Anyway, the point is, I have been staying in Ponyville for quite some time now. Almost four months if I do say so myself. Being somewhat neurotic, shy, and a introvert. I don't like going out, I don't like doing much when it comes to talking with other people, but when a pink equestrian and a draconequus barge themselves into your home, eat all of your favorite snacks, and practically force themselves into a friendly relationship, you tend to have little choice in the matter.

Regardless I must say I'm thankful to Pinkie and Discord, they've helped me overcome a little bit of my nervous disposition than any of my other human friends ever tried to do back on Earth or at work. Through them I made friends with the rest of Pinkie's friends, and quite frankly came to know some if not most of the town members because of these two.

But just because I was getting out more. Didn't mean I was about to go out and start looking for a job or anything. I was still nervous, still didn't trust that many of the ponies I came into contact with even if they were all friendly and trying to be helpful in their own way. Trying to help me adjust to my brand new lifestyle that had been frankly forced on me one day, when I woke up in Canterlot.

A-Anyway, I um, I digress. Three days ago, Pinkie and the rest of the gang visited me. Discord popped in shortly after, and to put a long story short they were bluntly telling me to start looking for a job. That I did nothing but sit around, eat food, play on my phone (that none of them except Discord knew how to use) and read books all day.

They said I was being lazy. Which...I have to admit, even back home I sometimes if not every now and then would fake an illness due to not wanting to go to work and deal with people in the retail business. Days like this could be traced back to even my high school days. Man those were the days; I m-mean, I won't deny it, I'm lazy yeah, but I still wasn't feeling up to going out and about, working with well...whatever this world provided for as a job for a human and dealing with what I suspected and felt in my bones, to be a bunch of people-- er ponies yelling at me if I messed up.

So I told them I wasn't interested in finding a job yet. Then well, AJ went off on this tangent saying I needed to buck up, and blah blah. And well...that's when Discord proposed we play a game.

A game of Hide & Don't Get Caught. Similar to Hide & Seek really.

"The purpose of the game?" Discord had asked in response to a question, where I pointed out that I was too old to be playing such a childish sport. "Why, to find a winner of course!" Obviously this confused everyone.

"Let me explain." Discord had said with a grin. "Our friend here," he said gently playing with my hair "luscious locks" as he referred to them at the time. "Will have to hide from a team in Ponyville. And if he gets so much as caught once, and brought back home. He will have to submit to the winning team's request without so much as a complaint."

It was an interesting proposal at the time. But...retrospectively speaking I should have known he'd pull a dirty move and invite the entire town in on this.

"And what if I win?" I asked.

To this Pinkie replied with a wide grin, "Why you can do whatever you want! We could make it so that the losing team submits to the winning team! OH! OH! And even better! We should make this like a Guards & Villains, thing! Where those on Discord and my team, have to get the villain, which in this case is you Scribbly, and you have to get back to base and avoid getting caught by any of the guards!" Pinkie explained, a short burst of confetti flying everywhere. I still have confetti in my hair even now.

It was an interesting proposal. Discord liked the idea, a little too much for my liking. Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, and Twilight all agreed it was a fair proposal. I could have anyone on my team, and Pinkie and Discord could have anyone on theirs. As long as I got back to base within a week, everything would be settled. I wouldn't need to force myself into society, and I could get the losing team to do whatever I want in the process. It was the ultimate win.

Fluttershy however decided to excuse herself in this part. So, I already lost a teammate there. Applejack and Rainbow Dash immediately teamed up with the King & Queen of Hide and Seek, so I lost my best offense (not that I was surprised.) Twilight to keep things fair joined my team, and Rarity decided to play it neutral, simply wanting to see how things turned out in the end. Spike joined my side, so that was good also.

I just never imagined Discord would invite the entire town to hunt me down.

I was given an entire day to prepare before the 'game' as Pinkie called it would begin, and had to start on the farthest side of Ponyville. And now it's been two days. I've been eating nothing but onions and the few bits of fruit Twilight brings to me herself at night, but aside from that I've been on a strict diet.

I just need to last the rest of the week, get back to my home near the Friendship Castle, avoid having a nervous breakdown, and make sure I know who's on my team and who's on Discord & Pinkie's. As long as I can do all that, it's not a problem. Right?

"R-Right?" I ask Spike nervously, explaining everything to him for the second time this night.

Time flew by quickly. No one came outside of Ponyville after Derpy went back, and I stayed hidden near the edge of Everfree for the rest of the day. Spike and Twilight came to meet me just a few minutes ago.

"I, I uh- yeah you'll be fine" Spike reassured with forced enthusiasm towards the shaking human. "Don't worry, I mean Discord and Pinkie only have about half of Ponyville looking for you in exchange of getting a prize out of it."

My eye twitched. "What?"

"Yeah." Spike continued, unaware of the damage he was doing to my psyche.

"W-What's the prize?"

"Free ice cream." Twilight deadpanned.

Ooh their good. "Well that;s what Pinkie said at least. Discord promised you would help them with all their chores if they joined. And you know how almost everypony's been curious about you since your arrival, and you don't go out much and-" Twilight shoved a hoof in Spike's mouth to silence him.

"You're not helping." She scolded, flashing me a warm smile to calm my jittery nerves as I shakily took a bite out of the apple.

"Any chances of them stopping this whole" I gulp, swallowing the applemush in my mouth- " 'game', and just letting me live a peaceful and quiet life?"

Twilight and Spike looked at each other, looked at me, then looked at each other again.

"You do know this is Discord and Pinkie who made up this game right?"

The cringe was real. "Yes" I said meekly.

"Then you do know that there's no hope of them backing out now." Twilight inquired.

I nodded again, taking a larger, more unnecessary bite out of my apple. "Y-Y-Yes."

"Look, Scribbly, it's going to be Okay. We'll help you get through this" Twilight said gently, rubbing my leg with her fetlock.

"T-Thanks." I said, taking a minute to calm myself and finish off the fruit they'd brought me, I sighed. "So then you'll just teleport me home?"

"You know the rules" Twilight said shaking her head with a frown. "Discord said we couldn't use magic. Well I and unicorns couldn't at least."

"C'mon! They've got half of Ponyville on their team, using magic could even things up!"

Twilight shook her head yet again. I sighed. "Fine then. Well, is Starlight at least on the team?"

"Starlight Glimmer?" she asked. I nodded.

"Oh no, she's neutral also. She said she'd rather watch then participate in one of Pinkie let alone Discord's crazy shenanigans. "

I frowned. "Wish she talked me out of this at the time."

Spike and Twilight patted me on the back. "It'll be alright. Right? All you need to do is use all those camping experiences you told us about and you should be able to make it out fine. Besides we're here to help you. Discord and Pinkie won't be able to beat us, trust me." Spike reassured with a wide reassuring smile.

I smiled back. "Y-Yeah. Thanks. I suppose so." I said with some confidence, though in all honesty it was a bit more of a doubt.

"Alright then, we'll meet up with you around the town square then tomorrow right?" Spike asked hopping off the log we'd been using as a bench.

I nodded at the two as they began leaving my temp home. "Get there early just in case alright." I called out to them.

"We will don't worry! And you should get some sleep before it gets to late." Twilight called as she took off towards the skies, with Spike on her back.

I watched my only two allies leave, before I sat my rump back on my log and just stared at Ponyville's silhouette.

"Easier said than done" I said with a sigh, getting up and moving to a patch of leaves I'd designated as my bed. "Easier said"- a yawn- "than done."

Author's Note:

Got bored. Haven't made a story in awhile and got this inspiration from a youtube video.

I think.

Anyway, enjoy.

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