We've been walking for about two hours now. I must admit, this walk is a very pleasant one. The sky may be grey, but the forest is as beautiful as ever. We're walking past fallen pine trees just at the outside of a heavily tree inhabited area and apparently we're close to our first checkpoint. I'm still thinking of the image that's encouraging me to keep going despite my exhaustion and pain; when I get home I'm going to enjoy lying on the sofa eating a lovely lamb dinner and watching HOUSE by an open fire. The thought makes me more than eager to keep going to the finish. My friend in front, Mel, had stopped. I was relieved. A few seconds to rest my feet is just what I wanted.
She looks at the map while we stand still and savour our time of rest. She shows us where we are. I smile.
"We're quite close to the checkpoint!" I announce.
"We can have a long break once we're there," Gabriel says.
We agree and open a gate, which takes us on a short path. We follow it to see a car park to our left with a few cars parked. I remember that the checkpoint was at a car park, but Mel stresses that we have to keep going to get to the checkpoint, which confuses me. The place is much how I would imagine forest areas in Canada to be like, with huge, tall trees at the side by the road which darken the place naturally. The fact that the day sky was grey and cloudy didn't help to the lighting.
We cross a road to a similar looking other side. Grass with the last of the fallen autumn leaves lying helplessly to be taken by the wind. We turn a corner and see the entrance to a public park, which we follow and find a bench and immediately sit down.
I take off my bag and bask in the relief of having the huge weight on my back and shoulders taken off. Sighing happily, I turn the bag to its side and unzip a pocket, pulling out a packet of cookies I had bought the day before. I was starving, having only had cereal bars for breakfast and didn't bother to ask if anyone wanted any. The others in my group are Mel, Gabby and Alice. I feel sorry for Mel, she's been doing a vast majority of the map reading and direction, but we're in too much discomfort to offer to do it ourselves when she brings it up. She's good at encouraging us to keep going with a calm voice, telling us it's not much further and most of the time, she's realistically right. I offered to direct a few times, but found I wasn't very good at map reading; luckily I didn't get us lost, we were going in the right direction anyway.
Alice has taken more of a beating from Duke of Edinburgh than the rest of us, even me. We were all well and good on the first day but now Alice is usually trailing at the end. She's quiet and not as tall as the rest of us, but we still noticed her and waited for her at times so we could keep the same pace, but me and her usually fell back.
Gabby has been encouraging too, yet quiet. She will have the good joke every now and again though, which lightens the mood when we're walking along a quiet road. Right now her and Alice are watching squirrels scurry about the place. Some up in trees, some on posts. Mel is looking at the map some more. Then there's me. Scoffing my face with cookies and getting crumbs all over my borrowed waterproof jacket.
The jacket comes in handy now as it starts to spit with a little rain. Drops fall on my head and I quickly pull my hood up. I leave a few cookies left for later and put them back in my bag, then watch the surroundings with everyone else. Many people walk their dogs here; it must be a popular spot. I see lots of different kinds pass, mainly with elderly owners who merrily smile and say hello to us as they walk past. I really like the people we've seen here at the Forest of Dean. Not a mean person for miles. I would know. I've walked about thirty miles already. Every person we've met has said hello, wished us luck, asked how our walking was going. It felt good to know that people, every person we met, were suddenly looking out for us.
A few minutes pass and we decide to get going again. Mel studies the map once more and points us in the right direction. We walk around a small bend and are greeted by trees by the hundreds once more, but this time, on the ground, lavender, which is pleasant to me, seeing as it gives off my favourite smell. I take it even slower now to whiff the wonderful lavender scent and even stop walking in hopes that the smell would give me energy if I did so. I didn't realise that I was stood there for that long, a minute or so, and suddenly I heard my name being shouted.
Mel, Gabby and Alice were only just ahead, all looking at something on the ground. Alice called my name again, unusually loud for her and in a sense of panic. I walk as fast as my aching feet will allow me and stand behind them.
"This is the weirdest thing ever," Mel says with worry.
"What is it?" I ask.
"I thought it was just a...I mean...it's not real right?" Mel says just as fast.
"You're gonna want to see this, Luke," Alice says quietly.
I look to the three of them in confusion and they step aside. I see nothing ahead, so I assume it's on the ground. What I see makes my heart leap. I can't tell what I'm feeling right now. Fear, happiness, excitement, anxiety, insanity. What I could see below me was a main aspect of my life at that point and it gave me goosebumps. What was going on here? I think that I must be dreaming and punch myself hard, but it hurts and nothing happens. Then I check to see if I can see colour; they say only a small amount of people dream in colour, but I've never remembered specifically. I can see colour. I know I can see colour because what I see on the ground before me is orange.
I kneel down and look closely. This is exactly what I think it is. Who I think it is. She's not a human. In fact, I'm confused by her appearance myself. The apple mark, blonde hair and hat prove it.
This is Applejack. From My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.
She looks like she was ripped out of the cartoon, but she's three-dimensional. It's amazing, just like the cartoon characters in Space Jam. I put my hand out to touch her. Her coat is soft, but short, like a dog. She grunts and I jerk my hand back quickly. I look back to my friends as they watch in amazement and an essence of fear. Then, Applejack moves. She slowly sits up and yawns, rubbing her eyes with her hooves. Her hat is on the ground. She picked it up and wears it, then opens her eyes. Her pupils quickly dilate and she stands up abruptly, quickly moving her head around confusingly like a cat watching a bird. She then looks at me, knelt down beside her and screams quietly.
"W-who're you?" she asks in fear.
I look at her eye to eye for a moment and suddenly my brain kicks in. What am I supposed to say? What order do I explain things in?
"I'm Luke," I say quite stupidly.
"Okay..." she replies awkwardly, "I'm Applejack."
"I know," I say, then suddenly realise what I had said.
"What? Whadda ya mean y'know?" she asks with a rasp of anger in her voice.
I look to my friends, but they can't say anything. I knew Applejack better than they. If anyone came to a close second it would be Alice, who watched the first few episodes of Friendship is Magic and adored Applejack, I even drew the pony for her, but she looked to be quite afraid right now.
I look to Applejack and put on a sincere face.
"You're not in your world anymore," I say, obviously.
"I can tell. What ARE you?" she asks.
"I'm a human. The dominant species of this world," I have to admit, I have thought of this kind of situation before, so I know what to say if asked.
"Never heard of 'em. But y'all seem to know me," she comments, "how?"
I wonder if it would be best for her if she knew. She looks like she has been sent directly from the show. She doesn't look realistic at all. I then decide maybe I shouldn't tell her just yet.
"I'm magical," I say. My friends giggle, "I have a special power which lets me know everything about everyone...everypony I see. It's a friend making ability."
"Y'want to be friends?" she asks, smiling slightly.
"YES!" I scream, then hold my hand over my mouth, my friends almost bursting with laughter behind me.
"Nice t'meet ya, Luke," Applejack says, putting her hoof in my hand and shaking it.
I look at my hand and see that it has become dusty and dirty, then I look at Applejack and notice that she does not look good. She is covered in soil and it looks like she has a couple of rough bruises and her mane and tail are scruffy and untidy. Perhaps however she was sent here was not good on her.
"Where are your friends?" I ask.
"Y'know about my friends?" she returns a question.
"I do. My magic told me," Gabby laughs loudly.
Applejack explains that she doesn't know where her friends are, but she knows that they were together before this happened, but she does not know what happened. Then, Alice bravely steps forward.
"You should come with us, we might find your friends on the way."
I smile at Alice, then nod to Applejack. She smiles also and I get back on my feet. Mel quickly comes back to terms with what we are doing and leads us once again. I explain to Applejack exactly what we are doing here. She seems very interested and keeps asking more questions about our world. The others even talk to her. I feel honoured to be friends with a pony. One of the kindest characters in the show. Before, Vinyl Scratch was my favourite character, but now I'm not so sure.
I then wonder what this means for Ashleigh Ball. What if she were to meet Applejack? But then I think of where the others could be. I assume that, if Applejack is here, then the others of the mane six are too, but where are they? They could be in any part of the world right now. What if others have found them? Done terrible things to them? Or perhaps whatever magic sent them here sent them here destined for them to be with those who would care for them? I ask Applejack once more if she knows where her friends are, but she doesn't know.
After an hour or so of now fun walking, we approach an entrance to a long winding road. Thankfully, nobody has seen us with Applejack. But what happens now is perhaps much worse than someone seeing her. I feel a vibration in my pocket. I hear a drumbeat.
Oh no. Someone is ringing my phone.
"My Little Pony!"
The end credits theme blares out of my pocket and immediately catches Applejack's attention. I worry; what will she think?
"What in tarnation?"
I never imagined that this would happen. I mean, who would call me? Everyone I know is aware that I'm away. I realise the song is still playing, quickly pull out my phone and deny the call. It was from Sam, who was also on Duke of Edinburgh, but I still ignore the call. Applejack looks at me in horror and confusion, then asks me what that was all about.
I think now. Do I tell her? It didn't happen this fast in My Little Dashie, right? They knew each other for years before Rainbow Dash found out about the show. What would her reaction be? The same? Perhaps she would be more accepting? She may have figured out something seeing as she's a cartoon and we all look different to the norm for her.
"It's a side-effect to my magic," I hurriedly say.
Applejack jerks her head back and forth and turns her back to me, "it ain't that. There's somethin' more to ya."
I look at my friends and they have no idea what to say too, either because they're relying on me too much for this or that they have the same thoughts as me.
"Tell me the truth," Applejack demands.
"You won't handle the truth!" I argue.
"I can handle any information! Tell me what in the hay is goin' on!"
"It'd be best for you not to know," I mutter.
Applejack sighs and her angry expression grows completely neutral, "is that so?"
Before I can get another word in, the earth pony quickly gallops away. I would normally be able to keep the same pace if I ran, but I feel that my leg would instantly snap off if I even attempted to lift it higher than I already could.
"Applejack!" I yell as she disappears through some trees.
Mel sighs and her voice grows a distracting and uneasy tone, "we better just leave her. We need to keep going."
It wasn't my leg that snapped, it was a nerve, I look her dead in the eyes and growl deeply. I curse the Duke of Edinburgh award and smack the map out of her hands violently. I angrily and audibly breathe through my gritting teeth, then I get even more pissed off. My phone rings again.
"My Little Pony!"
I would have picked up my phone and slammed it to the ground I was looking at and tears leapt to, but something on that ground catches my attention immediately. It is the map. I see a small purple dot appear and fade in time with the chants of 'My Little Pony' on my ringtone.
I muster up the strength to bend down and pick up the map, then deny the call from Sam and grab quickly onto the map. I pull out my phone without a word and flick through it.
"What are you doing?" Gabby asks.
I concentrate on my phone. I unlock the iPhone and quickly select the music app, then browse through the list of albums. The Best of Crush 40. Barenaked Ladies. Cars 2 Soundtrack. I scroll through more then get to what I'm looking for. An album simply titled 'MLP: FIM' and open it. I see our favourite songs from the series and look for the right one to test a theory I had just created after seeing the light on the map. Winter Wrap-Up is what I select.
Three months of Winter coolness, and awesome holidays...
A blue dot lights up on a different location on the map.
We've kept our hoofsies warm at home, time off from work to play...
The blue dot fades and a pink one appears at a further point, which then fades as the next line comes in.
But the food we've stored is runnin' out, and we can't grow in this cold...
I smile as I see an orange dot moving slowly near our location. I quickly move the time marker back to replay the line; I did have a difficult, songless pony to find first, but she suddenly stops and close by too. Mel nods to the others and lets me go forth to find her and explain everything.
It's about ten minutes until I see her sitting under a small, broken tree staring into space. I crouch quietly beside her. She knows I'm there, but stays silent as she either shuns me or waits for me to talk. I sigh and repeat that she's not from this world. She mumbles to acknowledge.
"But at the same time, you are," I say.
She looks at me dead on in the eye, "like how?"
"You're a work of fiction in the world," I begin to explain, I have her whole attention, "you're a part of a beloved series. Here in my world, the human world, we have this form of entertainment called 'television'."
I then explain a lot to her for maybe half an hour or so, even my friends help out. I describe what television is, how it works, then what her series is. I explain My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, the fanbase, her role.
"Can't rightly recall some of those stories," she says, tapping her hoof on her chin after I describe some episodes, "defeatin' Nightmare Moon, that happened. The Royal Wedding was a blast, too!"
She chuckles to herself, then explains some of what didn't happen out of what I've explained. She had never heard of a pony named Derpy Hooves. Fluttershy never got assertiveness training from a minotaur. The Cutie Mark Crusaders hadn't worked for their school newspaper to the best of her memory. I assumed these things were events for the future, since she had been pulled out of the show. But had my doubts as she acknowledged me when I mentioned the events of the Last Roundup, past Derpy Hooves. She says there was a grey, blonde pegasus there, but her name was Bubble Squeak and her eyes were perfectly normal and the building was destroyed due to a prior accident.
I then stand up and tell Mel to show Applejack the map. I play her line of Winter Wrap-Up and Mel points out Applejack's spot on the map. I then let the song carry on.
And even though I love my boots, this fashion's getting old...
A white dot, Rarity's, shows up not too far off. A while behind where we're meeting to go home. Remembering that Fluttershy does not have much singing time in Winter Wrap-Up, I play 'So Many Wonders'.
As the calm voice begins to sing what is this place filled with so many wonders, a yellow dot fades in and moves. It's literally just ahead of us. No kidding, about ten minutes ahead. I jump up, much to my pain, and urge everyone to move on quickly. The burst of energy as I realise we could meet Fluttershy overwhelms me and I walk at a pace that would have been impossible a minute ago.
I keep the song on repeat, but it bores us after a while as the calm yet repetitive voice keeps on repeat. Whilst playing the looped song, I find more Fluttershy heavy songs into a playlist called 'Finding Fluttershy'. This includes; So Many Wonders, Best of the Litter, Hush Now Quiet Now and At the Gala. We keep the catchy playlist shuffling and repeating and keep a close eye on the map. Fluttershy is still dead ahead and going on the same track as we are.
The music stops, and my ringtone begins. Sam calls for the third time. I answer, frustrated.
"Yes?"
"Luke! You finally picked up! What's been keeping you?" he replies.
"I've been pre-occupied," I say, looking at Applejack.
"So, Luke, you know My Little Pony?" Sam suddenly asks.
My heart leaps. I see just ahead of us, through a gate, Sam and the rest of his group walking. With them is something yellow, somepony yellow. They have Fluttershy with them.
"Stop walking!" I shout.
The groups stops and turn around, seeing me wave frantically. They begin to walk towards me and my group to them. Their group is larger than ours, six people; four boys, two girls. Seven if you count Fluttershy. Our two groups meet at the gate and Applejack, stood next to me, quickly gallops to Fluttershy, cowering at the back of her group. The two cry happily and repeat each other's names with joy.
"You had one too?" Another boy, James, asks.
"Yeah. They're lost in our world," I say.
"But how can they be real? It's a toy!" a girl, Angie, asks.
I laugh, "it's a TV show too! Looks like they've been ripped out of it," I say, feeling I repeat that term perhaps too much.
"I still don't understand how this can be possible. It's a bloody TV show," James emphasizes.
I explain the magic concept of it and perhaps, in some twisted turn of events, they came to our universe with magic. I provide my three explanations of how it could have happened.
Number one: We truly live in a multiverse and one of the universes is where the show's events are true and real. A spell gone wrong could have caused them to skip universes to ours.
Number two: The creators, currently at work on season three, made an episode where a pony performs magic and sends the ponies to another dimension. Somehow, they made it really happen just by thinking of it.
Number three: Number two caused number one to happen. The episode will never be finished.
I can tell all of them will not take me seriously. I then explain that we can locate the other ponies and demonstrate how, but again, nobody actually wants to take me seriously but those in my group. Applejack tells Fluttershy she needs to come with us to find the others. She, sorry about this in advance, SHYLY introduces herself to me and I return a greeting through nervousness, but staying happy. She seems to be able to trust me and leave the other group to stay here and eat their lunch. We don't need them to drown us in questions we can't answer or not believing what is right there.
Soon, we reach a three-way fork in the road. We can go forward, left, or right. An elderly woman approaches from the front. Now this is difficult, contact with an unaware person. I tell Applejack and Fluttershy to quickly hide as we ask for directions. The lady tells us that to get to our destination, we literally need to continue going forwards and we will reach there in no time. We are glad and shout for joy, to which the ponies crawl out of the shrubs at the side and we explain what we need to do next.
A few hours later, I discover more about the pony world from both Fluttershy and Applejack. I insistently ask about fan favourite characters, in awe at what I learn. I could write a whole chapter or more of what I learn, but since I want to keep to the story, here are some of the things that they told me. Lyra Heartstrings is her name! They have no idea why she sits like she does but she is good friends with a pony named Sweet Drops, which fits the physical description of who we know as Bon Bon. Berryshine (Berry Punch to us) is a pony with a sweet-tooth when it comes to fruit juices. Big Macintosh often talks, Applejack says she has troubles getting him to shut up a lot of the time and finally, Vinyl Scratch, otherwise known as DJ-PON3 onstage, likes many kinds of music, not one particularly.
I need to focus on the story now, but there honestly is not much. Soon, we reach a not so busy motorway and start to see signs pointing to where we're headed for a mile and a half away. Some mile and a half later, we reach the town that is our destination! We then trawl downhill exhaustedly, with Sam's group just behind us and find the spot we are stopping at. The teachers or buses aren't there yet, which confuses us. We think we're just early. Alice and I are the only ones making conversation with the ponies, the others just stare in some form of disgust or horror. We then see a familiar man in a car, one of the teachers, and I hurriedly help the ponies hide in a shrub nearby.
Turns out the teacher actually didn't know this was the last stop of our final walk. He thought we were just catching a breather to carry on. Thankfully, he believed us and went to fetch the other teachers and the buses.
Now it struck me. I can't leave the ponies here on their own, or give them my phone and the map. I can't take them with me when we know the others are all in the Forest of Dean. My heart pounds so much I can hear it as my brain frantically searches for ways to stay here, or bring the ponies. What can I do? The teachers aren't trustworthy enough to know about them and they surely won't let me stay behind on my own.
What the buck do I do?
