Ponyville has a new protector, but nopony knows what it is. It lives in the Everfree Forest and makes itself known when it kills a monster. Many think it's just superstition, others think it's a real creature. In truth, it's a human with a rifle.
The citizens of Equestria are no strangers to the strange and unusual, especially when it comes to the Everfree Forest. So when the most dangerous creatures start mysteriously dying no one thinks it's unusual. In fact some believe there's someone or something protecting them. The ones who do call it 'the guardian' and speculate as to what it is. But all it is, is just a human who watches over Ponyville's inhabitants who wander in to the forest, and keeps hidden to protect himself. However everything changes when he meets an injured little filly named Applebloom.
Two stallions stood outside the Everfree Forest. One turned to the other and said, “Are you sure about this?”
“Oh, come on Midnight, we just need to go in, grab a flower or something and get out easy.”
“I don't know...”
“Come or don't, either way I'm going in,” He said, heading into the forest.
“W-wait Starbolt! I'm coming!”
The two of them entered the forest and looked around. After some time Midnight said, “I think we've been here long enough we should go.”
“Geez, will you grow a pair already,” Three. “It's not even that scary in here.” Two. “Seriously I don't see what all the fuss is about.” One. As he said that a manticore stepped out of the shadows and roared.
“What do we do now?”
“RUN!”
Damn it! Why do they always run? It makes it so much harder for me.
The manticore gave chase. The two stallions ran as fast as they could while trying to slow the manticore down by bending the branches in their way and having them smack the manticore in the face. That only made it angrier. Eventually the two came to a cliff with the manticore right behind them.
Finally, time to end this.
“Looks like this is goodbye,” Midnight said holding on to Starbolt.
“Looks like, I'm sorry.”
Before the manticore could get any closer a sound like an explosion came out of the forest and the manticore howled in pain. The manticore stood it's ground and closed in raising it's paw only for another mysterious explosion to hurt it. This time the manticore turned around, as he did there was a third explosion and it's head was blown apart.
The two stallions stood there holding each other for a moment before Midnight asked, “W-what just happened?”
“I don't know.”
“Do you think it was the guardian?”
“You believe that? That's just an old mare’s tale.”
“How else would you explain what just happened?”
“Okay, I can't, but maybe we should take this opportunity to get out of here.”
“You don't have to tell me twice.”
With that the two ran for the exit and back to Ponyville.
That was close, those two were lucky I was nearby. Hopefully, they'll be smarter and more careful next time.
_______________________________
The sun was about to set as Applebloom gathered the last of the plants she wanted for her own potion experiments. She looked up to the sky and saw how late it was getting. Gash, I'd better go before ah get in trouble. She grabbed her bag and headed for home, unaware she had left behind the bag of incense Zecora had given her to ward off the forest creatures.
As Applebloom made her way home she noticed the forest had become eerily quiet, save for some rustling in the brush. When she looked in it's direction she saw something large, furry, and feathery. The creature stood up and stepped out on the path, and stared straight at Applebloom. It had the build of a bear but the head and face of an owl. It opened its beak and let out an ear splitting screech.
Applebloom turned to run away but she tripped on a root in the process. The creature closed in. It stopped when an explosion from within the trees came out. The creature covered its right eye and screeched in pain as it ran back into the forest.
Applebloom didn't know what had just happened. All she knew was her ears hurt. Once she saw she was safe Applebloom tried to stand up but she had turned her ankle and was on the ground again. Tears began to well up in her eyes. It would be dark soon and would most likely take hours for anyone to find her. Fear filled her as she heard a noise from the other side of the trail. It died down when she saw it was pony shaped.
Applebloom could tell he was male, and just a bit shorter than her brother. He was wearing camouflage pants as well as a camo jacket and hood, his hands had fingerless gloves and on his feet were a pair of dark brown boots. He also had something slung over his shoulder, but Applebloom couldn’t tell what it was supposed to be.
The stranger knelt down beside her and asked in a soft caring voice, “Are you alright?”
“Ah hurt mah ankle.”
“May I?” he asked motioning to her ankle. Applebloom nodded and he took off her shoe and sock. He felt around and moved her foot, while paying attention to her reactions. “Looks like a sprain, but you should see a doctor when you get home.” He looked up at the sky, “Unfortunately it won't be tonight.”
“Can't you help me get home?”
“I would if it wasn't almost dark, but my camp's not far from here. I can take you there if you want.”
It didn't take long for Applebloom to weigh her options and she decided to go with him. He carefully picked her up and carried her through the forest. As he walked Applebloom began to wonder who this person was, why was he living here, and why his fingers were without fur. Her thoughts were interrupted when they came to a large metal wall.
The wall was about five feet tall with spikes pointing outward at the top. It also looked like it was slapped together with various sheets of metal. Behind it Applebloom could see lanterns releasing a faint pink mist over the wall. In front of them was a set of metal double doors that the stranger had to push open.
Inside at the far end of the camp was a large cylindrical structure. To the left of it were tanks and pipes that appeared to be connected to a pool of water that was lifted off the ground. A few feet from the pool was a fire pit with log benches and large stacks of wood. On the other side of the camp were two smaller metal structures. In between the large and small structures were tarps covering something tall, long, and square.
The stranger carried Applebloom to the fire pit and sat her down on one of the benches. Then he got another log to elevate her leg. “I'll be back in a minute,” he said going into the large structure.
Applebloom looked a little closer at the structures. The smaller ones looked like they had been painted at one point, but it had been chipped away and faded over time. The one closer to the exit had many different colors and hearts on it, the other plain white.
The large one was gray and look better although slightly banged up. It also seemed to be missing parts in the middle and end like someone had ripped them off. Near the door Applebloom read the words on it 'U.S. Air Force'.
The stranger exited the structure while Applebloom read the words. He was carrying a white box and a backpack. Once he returned he opened the box and took out an ice pack and a bandage. “I'm going to need to see your ankle again.” Applebloom nodded and he began wrapping her ankle, afterward he put the ice pack on it and handed her a pocket watch. “Twenty minutes on Twenty off,” he said as went through his backpack and got out two brown bags and plates. “Hungry?”
“Um, yes.”
The stranger started a fire and began to prepare their food, “It will be ready in fifteen to twenty minutes.”
After a few minutes Applebloom spoke, “Thank you for helping me. Mah name's Applebloom. What's yours?”
He looked at her with his face still in shadow from the hood, “Sorry, I haven't properly introduced myself, I don't get many visitors. I'm David Wisemen,” he said as he took off his hood, “Nice to meet you.”
Applebloom stared at him, her mouth open and eyes wide. She wasn't sure what she was looking at. He looked similar to a pony but his head and face were very different. His small muzzle separated his mouth and nose. His eyes were not as large as a pony's and his ears were on the side of his head instead of on top. His face had about half its fur missing.
“Um... hello?” David said waving his hand in front of Applebloom's face, “Everything okay in there?”
“Y-yeah ah just never seen somethin' like you before.”
“Well I knew this would happen one day. So ask any questions you have and I'll answer to the best of my ability.”
Applebloom asked many questions while they waited for their food. Most were along the line of 'what are you, where did you come from, are there more of you, how did you get here, why are you living here, and what are the things in the camp'.
“Well you're full of questions aren’t you? But that's to be expected,” David said handing Applebloom a plate of food. “First of all, I'm a human, I'm from the United States of America, which I'm sure you've never heard of because I think it's in another world. There are more humans there of course, but as far as I know I'm the only one here. I'm not exactly sure how I got here, all I know is I was looking for a descent camping spot, I tripped and rolled down a hill, and hit my head. When I woke up I was in this 'wonderful' place.”
“But why stay here?”
“Well, shortly after I arrived I met Zecora and we had a similar talk like the one we're having now. She told me about the way you ponies treated her. So I reason that if I go waltzing into town I'll be treated similarly if not worse. I decided to play it safe, albeit, by living in a dangerous place although it's really not that more dangerous than back home.”
“But didn't she tell ya about how we got to know her and we all became friends?”
“Yeah she did. But I'm still more alien to you than she is. That look you gave me when you first saw me is evidence enough that I'm just too different.”
“You ain't that different.” David looked at the little filly with skepticism, “Sure you looked different, but you're just as much the same on the inside as us and that's all that matters.”
David's skepticism turned into a smile, “Kid you have more wisdom than people twice my age.”
“I'm just tellin' the truth, and when the others get to know ya they'll like ya like any other pony. Especially since you're the guardian.”
“I'm the what now?”
“Oh well, that's what we call the thing in the forest that's been protecting ponies that enter the forest. That's you right?”
“I guess I am,” David said with a warm smile.
Applebloom returned the smile, and she was happy to have helped David see that he was the same as she. But she still wanted to know what all the stuff in the camp was.
“Right, you did ask about them,” David said getting up and walking over to the pool, “The tanks are part of a water purification system and the pool is used for cleaning.” David had taken his and Applebloom's plates and started washing them, “Those two over there,” he said pointing at the smaller structures, “are vans. They're like a carriage but they have their own power source to move.”
“Like a train?”
“Yeah, except they don't need track. I just use them for storage, I put things I have no immediate use for in them. The tarps cover crates I can't fit in the vans or the C-130, which is the larger structure behind me.”
“What's it for?”
“Well I use it for shelter, but it was used for flying supplies around.”
“It can fly!”
“Well not anymore. But it did have a ton of food, so that's why I set up here.” David took a bucket and put out the fire. Even without it, the moon's light was more than enough to see. David picked up Applebloom and carried her to the plane. Once inside he sat her down on a bench and began to light some lanterns. When enough of them were lit Applebloom could look around. About half of the space was filled with boxes, one of which was opened and filled with bags of food like the ones they just had.
There were also some boxes of books near a hammock that hung from the walls. Below it was a mattress, some cushions, pillows, and blankets. On the ceiling hung an old looking flag, with red and white stripes, and a blue square with white stars in a circular pattern. On the wall next to the hammock was the thing David had over his shoulder as well as something similar hanging under it.
“Would you like to sleep in my hammock for tonight?” David asked Applebloom interrupting her thoughts.
“No thanks, I don't wanna take your bed... or sleepin' spot.”
“It's no trouble, really.”
“I'll be fine on the floor, it looks comfy anyway.”
“Well... if you're okay with that then alright.” David picked up Applebloom once again and gently put her down on the mattress. He also gathered pillows and blankets for her. “Comfortable enough?”
“Yes, thank you... for everything.”
“No problem.” David said as he started to put out the lanterns. As he got to the last one Applebloom spoke up.
“C-could you leave that one on... please?”
“Sure I'll just turn it down a little. Are you afraid of the dark?” David asked with concern in his voice.
“It's not that it's just, I've never been in the Everfree Forest overnight... are you sure this place is safe?”
David gave Applebloom a soft smile, “You're as safe here as you would be at home,” he said patting her on the head to calm her, “Would you feel better if I stayed down here with you?” Applebloom nodded. “Alright then.” David laid down next to her as she snuggled up to him, “Comfy?”
“U-hu, thank you,” Applebloom said in a tired tone.
David watched her drift off to sleep as she took his arm in hers. Wow she's cute, and she's right too. It's time for me to reveal myself to the people of this world. Who knows maybe they'll welcome me with open arms, and if the worst should happen, David looked at his weapons, I sill have my 12 gauge.
_____________________________
Applejack paced back and forward in the living room anxiously. When she saw the current time she stopped. “It's been too long! Heck it's almost ten o'clock! Ah can't wait any longer Ah'm goin' out to look for her!” She yelled.
As she approached the door her older brother stopped her. “It's too dangerous to go out there now,” he said.
“Exactly! That's why ah need to go lookin' for her!”
“You don't even know where to start lookin'. You'll only get yourself lost, or worse.” Applejack opened her mouth to say something, but Big Mac cut her off, “Even if you got your friends it could take hours, and y’all would still be in danger. I don't like this anymore than you but we need to be calm or else we ain’t helpin' anypony, especially Applebloom.”
Applejack let out a heavy sigh, “Alright.”
Big Mac held her close, “Ah'm sure she's alright, she's probably at Zecora's and just lost track of time.”
“Maybe, and if not maybe the guardian is lookin' out for her.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
Applejack and Big Macintosh didn't actually believe in the guardian but given the circumstances they hoped they were wrong.
___________________________
Applebloom's eyes slowly opened. Looking around she saw that some of the lanterns were lit and sunlight was coming through the door. She yawned as she stretched out her arms and cracked some joints. She also noticed David was gone. She figured he was probably making breakfast or something like that.
Applebloom tried to walk, although it hurt to put weight on her ankle. She got a few feet from the door then lost her balance and fell. Fortunately David heard and rushed over.
David saw Applebloom on the ground and quickly helped her to a bench, “Are you okay, what happened?” he asked panic welling in his voice.
“Ah'm fine, I just lost mah balance.”
“You were walking?”
“Yeah, but it still hurts to do so.”
David sighed with relief, “I'm glad you're okay, and being able to walk is a good sign. But for now,” David gently picked her back up, “I'll keep carrying you.”
Applebloom didn't protest, she kind of liked being carried by him. David reminded her of her brother, kind, caring, strong but gentle. Applebloom liked him and hoped that others would too.
David sat her down next to the fire and handed her a plate of food, “I've already eaten, so take your time. And while you're doing that I'll be getting things ready so we can leave as soon as you're done.”
“Okay, and thanks for the food.”
“It's no problem.”
David headed into the plane to gather the equipment they would need while Applebloom ate. She didn't want to say anything but the food wasn't very good. She knew it wasn't David's fault considering it was all prepackaged. Once she was done and David was ready, he put out the fire and carried Applebloom outside. After closing the door to the camp David sat Applebloom on his shoulder and they headed out of the forest.
As they traveled through the forest Applebloom worried they would be attacked. Then she saw a bag of incense like the one she had around David's neck. She also asked him about the strange weapon in his hand. He said it was a '12 gauge Remington shotgun', not that she understood what that meant. But David had also said it would 'put down anything the forest could throw at them'.
After a few minutes of walking, the two exited the forest, and saw a group of ponies coming their way. As they got closer Applebloom recognized them as her big brother and sister as well as their friends. The group stopped about fifteen feet away from David, and stared at him.
David saw that some of them were carrying pitchforks and rakes. Suddenly I feel like I just stepped into an old monster movie, David thought, This is about to get real interesting.
David stood in the middle of the path to the Everfree Forest, staring at the ponies in front of him as they stared back. Fear and uneasiness crept up in David's stomach as his mind ran through various scenarios.
Alright, don't panic. Let's think this through. There appear to be no less than ten of them. Some are armed, some not. The odds aren't particularly good, especially with all the unicorns in the mix. David thought as he quickly glanced at Apple Bloom, I certainly don't want to start a fight with Apple Bloom perched on my shoulder. But then again, they're probably here for her... right? I mean, why else would they be here? So long as I don't act hostile, they shouldn't attack me... hopefully.
David took a deep breath to compose himself, Okay, I need options. Option A: I set Applebloom down and have her walk over to them. I don't like it, considering her bad ankle. Option B: I just take her over to them. It's risky, but if I stay calm and show no ill intentions, then everything should work out. Option C: I wait for one of them to make the first move. Definitely the worst one, if these ponies are anything like humans at all, all it will take is one spark to light the powder keg.
David's thoughts were interrupted when Applebloom waved to the group saying, “Hey, Applejack. Hey, Big Mac.” David turned his head, and his eyes met Apple Bloom's. “Come on,” she said, “I want you to meet mah brother and sister.”
David just looked at her, dumbfounded. Looks like I'm going with option b. Well, it probably was the best one I came up with. David took another deep breath, shouldered his shotgun, and slowly moved forward. As he moved closer, he saw some of the ponies tense up and clench their weapons.
David's heart was racing a mile a minute as he got closer. Every fiber of his being told him to just drop Apple Bloom and run away, but he was determined to get her back home. He stopped a few feet away from the ponies, since he wasn't sure which ones were Apple Bloom's family. A large red stallion stepped forward in front of him. Even though he was a few inches taller than him, the stallion's size and presence made David feel tiny, especially with the stallion’s neutral expression. David mustered up the courage to speak, “I assume this little one belongs to you?”
The stallion smiled, “Eeyup,” is all he said as he picked Apple Bloom off of David's shoulder and sat her in his arms.
“Apple Bloom!” An orange mare shouted as she ran up to the two, throwing her arms around them and squeezing Apple Bloom between them, “We were so worried 'bout you!” She said.
“I'm sorry... I didn't mean to make y'all worry.”
The mare looked at David, “Who's this fellow that was carrying you?”
“That's my new friend, David. He helped keep me safe. And guess what!? He's the Guardian!”
There were some gasps from some of the other ponies, followed by murmuring. David was able to make out some of what they were saying, “That hairless freak is the Guardian?” “I can't believe he's real.” “He's not at all like I imagined.” “Crap! Now, I owe my friend ten bits.”
“Is that true?” The mare asks.
“Apparently.”
“Well then, ah guess we owe you our thanks.”
“It was no problem.”
“But there is one thing... why in the sam hill did it take you so long to get her back!?” The orange mare shouted at him.
“Whoa, whoa,” David said, holding up his hands defensively, “Take it easy, at least I got her back to you in one piece. Besides, do you know how dangerous it is in there at night? It wouldn't have done anyone any good if I got mauled to death by a pack of timberwolves.”
She seemed annoyed but accepted his reason, “Well, you did save her and now, we don't have to go looking for her.” She then turned to her brother, “Go get her looked at, 'kay?”
“Eeyup,” is all he said as he left to go into town.
“Alright. Y'all can go home now,” the orange mare said to the crowd of ponies.
“What about that thing?” a caramel colored stallion in the crowd said.
“We can handle him right girls?” She said to a group of five other mares who responded with nods. There were a few more murmurs before the group dispersed. Only the orange mare and the other five were left.
The six of them walked around David, looking him up and down. As they study him, David took the opportunity to study them back.
He started with the orange mare. Apart from her orange coat, she had a golden blonde mane and bright green eyes. She was wearing a flannel shirt that matched her coat with an undershirt. Her lower half was covered by a pair of worn jeans, and her feet were in a pair of work boots. Her shirt and jeans also had three red apples on them, which David remembered Zecora telling him that such symbols represented her cutie mark.
The next mare to catch his eye was a white unicorn with an indigo mane. She was wearing a white blouse with a black skirt which had three diamonds on it. She was also wearing black high heels. This seemed rather strange to David, considering she was about to go exploring in a forest.
After the unicorn was a light blue pegasus with a rainbow mane. She had on a hoodie that matched her coat with a rainbow lightning bolt coming out of a cloud on it. She was wearing denim shorts that look like they have been through more wear and tear than the orange mare's.
The next one was a pink mare with a darker pink mane. She wore a white shirt underneath an open blue jacket and a pink skirt with three balloons on it. As she passed David, she was smiling from ear to ear even while giving him a little wave. David just smiled back at her, not wanting to make too many sudden moves.
After the pink mare, who looked like a very social person, came a yellow pegasus that seemed like she was trying to hide behind her pink mane. She had on a yellow blouse, and a green skirt with pink butterflies.
Lastly was a purple unicorn, with a very dark purple mane with a pink and light purple streak. She had on something akin to a prep school uniform: white shirt under a purple vest, with a purple skirt that had a large pink star with five small white stars around it.
David had also noticed that they were much more attractive than the average girl back home. The rainbow maned pegasus, although thin and 'underdeveloped' compared to the others, had more going on than most other girls who look like a track and field all star. The unicorns were about even, though the purple one looked larger. The orange mare seem to have more muscle than the others, with a bust to match, but her muscles weren't too much, just enough to easily notice.
The pink one looked to have some extra weight around the waist, like one of those girls you see in a weight lost ad that are still hot but want to lose a little more. The yellow pegasus had by far the largest bust out of the others easily a D bordering on a DD… or at least, they seemed that way with how skinny she was. The pink one may be a tad bigger on closer inspection, but it’s not as noticable compared to the pegasus thanks to the waist difference.
After they had walked around David a few times, they formed a half circle around him.
The orange mare turned to her right and asked the purple unicorn, “So, what do you make of him?”
The unicorn put her hand up to her chin, “He seems familiar, but I can't place it. From what we've seen so far, he's not hostile, which makes sense if this Guardian business is to be believed.” She looked to the others and asked, “By the way, what is the Guardian?”
“Ya mean ya never heard the stories?” The orange mare asked, to which her friend shook her head.
“I know! Can I tell the story? Pleeeeassse? Pleasepleasepleaseplease?” The pink one said hopping in place.
“Alright, Pinkie, alright.” The purple one said.
“Yay! Well, a long time ago, or just a few months before you came to Ponyville, there was a small group of fillies and colts that entered the Everfree Forest, oooooooo,” the last part she said in a spooky voice. “While they were in the forest, a monster attacked them! But just before it could do anything to hurt them, its head exploded.” She jumped into to the air to emphasize the explosion part. “And that's how the legend of the Guardian was born.”
The purple unicorn looked back at David, “Was that really you, and if so, how did you know they would be in trouble?”
“Yeah... that rings a bell,” David said tapping a finger on his forehead, “If I remember right, that was a few days after I met Zecora. I was still exploring the forest when I ran across those kids. At first, I wondered what they were doing in such a dangerous place, but of course, I never found out. Then, that thing attacked. Now, I wasn't about to watch a bunch of kids get killed in front of me, so I readied my weapon,” David patted the thing on his shoulder, “and took care of it.”
“I have so many questions right now,” the purple unicorn said, “I need to go home and grab some things. Will you guys keep an eye on him while I'm gone?” she asked her friends, to which they responded with a nod, “Alright. I'll be back in a second.” Her horn glowed, and she disappeared in a flash of bright light.
David covered his eyes and shouted, “Mother!”
“You alright?” The orange mare asked.
“Yeah, I think so.” David rubbed his eyes, then stared at his hand as his vision returned to normal. “Does that always happen?”
“At first, but ya get used to it,” the orange mare replied.
“Alright then. So, are we just going to stand around here waiting for your friend to come back?”
The pink pony spoke up in an upbeat tone, “Well, not far from here is a nice little spot where we have picnics... *gasp* I just had a great idea! Let's have a picnic! It will be a great way to welcome you! At least, until I can throw you a proper party!” Before David, or anyone for that matter, could say anything, the pink pony was off like a shot and headed for what David assumed was the town.
“She's a bit excitable isn't she?”
The rainbow maned pony chuckled, “You don't know the half of it.”
“So, should we just wait for her here, or should we go to the place she mentioned?”
“We should probably wait for Twilight to get back,” the orange mare said.
“Okay then. So, am I going to have to wait for your friends to get back before you guys introduce yourselves, or am I going to have to refer to you by your color palettes?”
“You first,” the rainbow maned one said.
“I suppose that's only fair. My name is David Wisemen.”
The orange mare spoke first, “I'm Applejack, and thanks once again for Apple Bloom.”
“It was no problem.”
The white unicorn stepped forward, “My name is Rarity.”
The rainbow maned pegasus was next, “The name’s Rainbow Dash, the fastest flyer in all of Equestria.”
And no doubt the humblest too, David thought.
The yellow pegasus was last, “My name i-is F-F-Fluttershy,” she said in a hesitant, soft tone.
“Well, I guess all that's left to do now is wait fo-,” as David spoke, a bright flash of light appeared, depositing a familiar purple unicorn, “Son of a bitch!” He shouted, covering his eyes again.
“Oh... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that.”
“Yes, yes. I know.”
The unicorn looked around and saw one of her friends was missing, “Where's Pinkie?”
“She suggested we have a picnic and went to go get the stuff we'll need,” Applejack answered.
The unicorn giggled, “Of course she did. Well, we should head to the usual spot then.” She motioned for David to follow her.
The six went off the path, and traveled over a grassy field. David could see some buildings in the distance and a tree directly in front of their path. He assumed that was their destination. David felt strange being out in the open, having spent so much time in the forest, but it wasn't nearly as strange as the fact he was about to have brunch with ponies.
Once they reached the tree, the purple unicorn spoke, “Now, we just have to wait for Pinkie.”
“Right here,” came a voice from the tree. Everyone looked and saw her hanging upside down from a branch, with a picnic basket in her hands. She dropped down and landed on her feet. “Now, I didn't know what you liked, so I went with the classic PB&J.”
“That's fine, but before I forget, we haven't properly introduced ourselves. My name is David Wisemen what's yours.”
“My name is Pinkie Pie,” the pink pony said, “It's very nice to meet you.”
“And my name is Twilight Sparkle,” the purple unicorn politely said.
With the introductions out of the way, Pinkie laid down a blanket and set up the picnic. Once everything was set up, the group sat down. Pinkie sat next to David while the others kept a more respectful distance.
Twilight cleared her throat, but before she could say anything, David held up a finger. He then went through his bag and pulled out a piece of paper.
“I took the liberty of writing down some questions I thought you might ask, along with the answers.”
Twilight took the the paper in her magic, “Um... thanks, this should help.” Twilight quickly read over the questions in the answers, “So, you are a human.”
“Twi, you know what he is?” Applejack asked.
“Well, sort of. When I was a filly, I read some old stories and legends about humans. In fact, when I was in the library, I tried to find any books that might have had anything that could have shed some light as to what he might be, but I couldn't find any. If there were any, then I think I know where they are, or rather, who they’re with.”
“So, are humans rare in this world?” David asked.
“Sort of...”
“Wait, what is 'this world' supposed to mean?” Applejack asked.
“I can answer that,” Twilight said, “This paper he gave me said that he's from another world. If that's true, it raises many more questions.”
“None of which I can answer,” David threw in quickly.
“I wasn't going to ask,” Twilight replies sheepishly.
“Good. I only have a high school education,” David replied with a playful tone.
“Yeah, yeah... you got your answers, but I want to ask him some stuff, too!” Rainbow said.
“Fine,” Twilight replied with a sigh.
“Okay. So, what I want to know is how were you able to fight off the creatures in the forest, and if the stories about you are true, how are you always there to save somepony in the nick of time?”
“Well, that last one is quite simple,” David pulled the sleeve on his left arm up, revealing a ring around his wrist, “After that incident with the kids, I asked Zecora if there was anything she could do to help. She's set up something at the entrance so that when anyone went in, this ring would let me know. Now, as for fighting off the monsters,” David took his shotgun and a shotgun shell before he proceeded to explain how they worked.
“Alright. This is a gun, specifically a shotgun. There are many different varieties of gun for example,” David undid a strap holding a metal object in place on his hip, “This is a handgun, a Colt 1911. But, let’s talk about my shotgun and how it works, because it's the same principle for most guns anyways.”
David put the handgun back in its holster so he could focus on the shotgun. “Inside, there's a mechanism that controls a 'firing pin', or 'hammer', that is connected to the trigger. When the trigger is pulled, the firing pin hits this part of the bullet.” He showed them the underside of the shell and pointed to the part that looked like a button. “This ignites a combustible powder inside, which forces a piece of metal, or in this case, several metal pellets, out of the barrel at the speed of sound. As you can probably imagine, it's a very effective weapon.”
“I see...” Twilight said quietly, “It seems quite violent.”
“If you really think about it, it's no worse than a sword.”
Twilight sat there for a moment in thought, her face cringed at whatever horrible thing she thought of. “Okay, let's change the subject,” she said quietly, “Pinkie, do have you anything you want to ask?”
“You bet I do!” Pinkie turned to face David with a huge smile, “What do humans do for fun? Play games? Play music? Read books? Play games?”
“Whoa, whoa! Calm down. I can't answer if you don't give me a chance,” David said, trying to get through to the pink pony. Pinkie quieted down and let David give his answer, “Now, what we do for fun depends on the individual person. I, for one, like video games, movies, reading, drawing, and camping.”
“May... may I ask a question?” Fluttershy asked.
“Sure. That's what we're here for,” David replied.
“What kind of animals do you have in your world?”
“It's not that different from what you have here, actually. I mean, we don't have dragons, hydras, or manticores, but it's still pretty similar. Though humans are the only sapient species.”
The group asked him more questions about him and his world. Rarity and Pinkie Pie were a little disturbed to learn his species ate meat, but he reassured them that humans don't eat sapient beings. Rarity also asked him why he was wearing camouflage. He explained that it was what he was wearing when he showed up in Equestria.
“I guess that would explain the smell,” Rarity said without thinking as she covered her mouth.
David just laughed it off, “Sorry. Bathing regularly is a luxury I don't have in the forest.”
“There's one more thing I want to know,” Rainbow said, “If you know when somepony enters the forest, then why have you never helped us, or revealed yourself?”
“You know, I thought you guys looked familiar. Well, you either didn't need my help, I was incapacitated, or I couldn't get a clear shot. Some examples would be like when you guys fought that manticore, or the time a Cockatrice turned me to stone. That was a particularly terrifying experience. As for not revealing myself, it's explained in that paper I gave Twilight.”
The questioning wound down after that, and once the food was gone, Pinkie began to pack up.
“This has been a very pleasant day. Thank you for the food, Pinkie,” David said, stretching out his arms and legs.
“Oh, it's no problem, it was fun.”
“Yes, well, I should get going.”
“What? You're leaving already?” Twilight said with a bit of surprise, “But it's not even two o'clock yet.”
“Well, I want to make sure I get home while there's still plenty of daylight. Also, it's time to refill the lanterns, and I don't want any nasties to get into my camp.” David checked to make sure he had everything, “Before I go, I have my own questions. You said you have stories and legends about humans. What were they about?”
“I'm afraid I don't remember, hence why I was looking for information in the library,” Twilight answered.
“I see. One last thing I want to know.”
“Alright, what is it?”
“What happens now?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, now that you know about me, what will you do? Will ponies come after me? Will they leave me alone? Will I maybe some day be able live with you guys in the town instead of a dangerous forest?”
“You don't need to worry. We won't do anything to hurt you. As for you moving into town, well... we'll need to make arrangements.”
“Good. Well, I'll see you girls some other time,” David said as he started off back to the forest.
“How about tomorrow? Around ten?” Twilight said quickly.
“Sure. I'll be at the forest's entrance.”
The girls watched him as he walked down the road back to the forest.
“I like him!” Pinkie said.
“Indeed. He seems nice. It's a shame he thought we would treat him poorly like we did Zecora,” Rarity commented.
“Yeah, but let's be honest, we would have,” Applejack added.
“We can make up for that,” Twilight said to everyone, “Starting tomorrow, we'll show him just how friendly and accepting we are!”
David's eyes slowly opened as he woke up. He got out of his hammock and stretched his limbs. He lit a lantern and look at his watch, Six o'clock as usual.
David began his morning routine, he inspected the wall around his camp to see if anything had tried to get in, but everything looked normal. He then check the water level in in the water tanks, It should be filled, but if all goes well, I won't be living here for much longer. Besides, it can still go another day or two before I absolutely need to fill it.
After he was done with his inspections, he built a fire and ate. David looked at his watch again, Well, that took all of thirty minutes. David sat there for a moment and started tapping a finger on his leg, Oh! I know!
David got up and went into the plane, I'll show them some of the things I've collected. David grabbed his backpack and started sifting through his things, My old iPod? The battery's dead, but I could still show it to them. What else? Books! Let's see... David dug around in his book box, I know I saw it in- ah ha! There it is! David pulled out an American history book, There are still a lot of other good choices in here: October Sky, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Time Machine, 20,000 Leagues, and Romeo and Juliet. Though... they probably wouldn't understand them without a little history behind them.
One other book got David’s attention as he picked it up, My sketch book... He opened it and look through it, It's been awhile since I've looked through this... Maybe I should bring this too... He stopped mid thought as he reached one of the drawings, Now I remember why I put this away. He closed it and put it back in the box. That memory still hurts too much. David shook his head to clear his mind. Well, there's really nothing else here, I guess. Now, it's time to check the vans.
David went back outside and over to the vans. Once they were open, he looked around, Wow, I never realize how much crap I actually collected, He thought after he opened the first one and looked through it. He then look through the other, More crap... I just realized all the stuff is pretty useless... well, except for the gold, silver, and jewelry.
David closed up the vans, So, the only thing I have to show them that's substantial is a history book. Well, I guess that's better than nothing. David checked his watch one last time, Wow, that took more time than I thought. He had an hour left, I should get going.
_________________________________
Applejack stood outside the forest entrance, waiting for her friends to show up. Fluttershy was the first one to arrive, “Hello, Applejack. You're here early,” she said.
“Howdy, Fluttershy. I just thought that since I got my mornin' chores done, I'd wait for y’all.”
“I see. So, how's Apple Bloom?”
“She's fine, doc says it's just a sprain, and she'll be running 'round again in no time.”
The two talked a bit more about various small things when they heard something coming from the forest. Fluttershy hid behind Applejack as a shadowy figure exited the forest.
“Hi, Applejack,” David said as he approached the girls, causing Fluttershy came out of her hiding spot, “Hello, Fluttershy.”
“Howdy, David,” Applejack said with the tip of her hat.
“Good morning,” Fluttershy said.
“I see I'm not the only early one,” David said as he engage the safety on his weapon.
“What ya got there?” Applejack asked pointing to the weapon. It was slightly longer than the shotgun he had shown them yesterday, it was also sleeker and was mostly made of wood with metal set in it.
“Oh, this is my rifle. It's what I've been using to keep you guys safe.”
“How many of these things do you have?” Applejack asked.
“Just the three.”
“So, what makes that one special?”
“Well, rifles have longer range and are far more accurate than a shotgun. This model is call a Mosin-Nagant, and I've used it for years. I'm pretty good with it. I can hit a target at 300 yards.”
“Really? That far?” Applejack said with skepticism.
“Yes, this gun has a max range of up to a thousand, but I would need a scope if I wanted to even come close to hitting anything at that distance, but enough about my gun. Where are the rest of your friends?”
“They should get here soon.”
“Okay then. By the way, how's Apple Bloom?”
“She's fine. By the way, my granny wants to meet you and thank you for keeping her safe.”
“I'll be happy to meet her.”
“Meet who?” Pinkie said, appeared from seemingly nowhere, giving everyone a slight scare.
“Hey, Pinkie, I was just telling David that Granny Smith wanted to meet him.”
“That sounds nice. Oh, here!” Pinkie revealed a basket for cupcakes, “Yesterday, I forgot to bring something sweet! Like, how is that even possible? Probably because I was so excited I wasn't thinking straight. Can you believe that?”
“Do you really want me to answ-” before David could finish his sentence, Rainbow flew in and tackled him to the ground.
“Ha, gotcha!” She said, standing up.
“What was that for?” David shouted angrily at her.
“I was just having a bit of fun.”
“Fine. Whatever. Just don't do that again. I'm not made of rubber.”
Twilight and Rarity showed up shortly after, Twilight looking a little uneasy. “Hi, David,” Twilight said nervously, “Do you think we could see where you've been staying?”
“I guess... why?”
“Well, I'm curious... also, there's something else, but I'll explain that later. Right now, we should go... like, right now!”
“Um, Twilight you're kind of scaring me.”
“Oh my Celestia! It really is a human!” Came a voice from behind Twilight.
David saw a mint green unicorn run up to him. Before he could say or do anything, he felt something surrounding him and lift him off the ground an inch or two. It didn't take him long to realize he couldn't move as a golden aura surrounded him. Well... shit.
“I can't believe it. An honest to Celestia human!” The minty mare said. As she got close to David and started playing with his limbs, “Their skeletal structure and articulation seem very similar to ours.” She then moved to his head, “The eyes are similar to ours as well, and a pretty blue color. The ears and nose are also quite unique, nothing at all like what I was expecting.” She open David's mouth and looked inside, “Its front teeth look like they're meant for ripping and shredding, but the rear teeth look like they're from grinding... as I expected, humans are omnivores!”
The mare lifted up his shirt next, “It seems to have nice muscular structure, and humans have nipples interesting.” She said as she felt around, David's chest.
“Um, Lyra?” Twilight said, trying to get the mare's attention, but she was too focused on David to hear her.
“Now, let's see what you are,” Lyra said as her hand reached below his belt.
She better not be doing what I think she's... David couldn't finish his thought as Lyra grab his genitals. What the fuck!
“Oooh, it’s a male, and he seems to be healthy.”
How the fuck do you know that?!
“Lyra!” Twilight shouted at her, breaking concentration and ending her spell.
David was relieved at first, until he realize that he had been in the air, and his legs had been moved, so he was unable to stop himself from falling.
“What, Twilight? I'm trying to conduct some-”
“What the fuck, lady!?” David yell at Lyra once he was standing back up, “Seriously, what the fuck!?”
Lyra turned to face David. Her ears had flattened against her head when she saw the anger on his face, “I, I was just trying to...”
“I don't care! You don't just walk up to someone and start feeling them up! What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I... I just...” Lyra broke down and started crying, “I'm sorry. I...” Was all she said before she continued sobbing.
Great, this is just what I needed, David thought, as he massaged one of his temples. He looked around and saw the others were looking at him, “What?”
Twilight walked over to him, “Look, I'm not saying what she did was right, nor am I saying you don't have a right to be mad, but...”
“I will not apologize for being sexually assaulted!”
“I'm not asking you to. It's just, studying humans is her lifelong passion, and she got a little carried away...”
“A little?”
“Look, what I'm trying to say is she's not a bad pony, and if you give her a chance, you may become friends. It would mean the world to her if you could help her research, even if it's the smallest of things, like what your hometown was like. So, what do you say? Can you forgive her?”
*Sigh* “Yeah, I can forgive her.” Once David had calmed down, he did feel bad that he had made her cry. He walked over to her, “Look, you know what you did was not okay, right?” She nodded. “And you're sorry for what you did, right?” She nodded again, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes. “Then, I forgive you.”
She smiled and threw her arms around him in a hug then quickly let him go, “Sorry.”
“That's fine. Just ask next time you want to touch me.” David looked back at Twilight, “Do you still want to see where I live?”
“Yes, I would actually.”
David turned to Lyra, “Do you want to come along, too?”
“Y-yes, please.”
Then, against my better judgment. “Alright. You can come along.”
Lyra smiled from ear to ear. “Okay then. Let's get going.” David said as he took his rifle and disengaged the safety.
“What's that?” Lyra asked.
“I'll explain on the way.” David led them through the forest, stopping occasionally to check their surroundings before moving on. Eventually, they came to the metal wall that surrounded his camp, and a dark red mist flowed over it from the lanterns on the other side.
“Um, David what's with the lanterns?” Twilight asked.
“A little something from Zecora. The mist they release helps to keep the monsters away.” David replied as he moved to open the doors, “Before we go in, I would ask that you please don't touch anything without asking first, okay?” The girls nodded, and David proceeded to open the door.
Once they stepped inside, the girls took in the surroundings. Lyra was the first in and ran around the camp, looking at all the things strewn about it. “What's that? What's this? What's that thing? What's that for? What does this thing do?” She said as she ran around.
David just stood there, waiting for her to tire herself out so he could actually answer a few of those questions. Once she did, David motioned for them to follow him to his fire pit. He then proceeded to build a fire and motioned for them to sit down.
“Alright now, let's start with the obvious, the big metal object sitting in the middle of my camp. It's a C-130. That’s a flying machine used to transport people and supplies cross country.”
“Humans built flying machines?” Lyra asked, “What else have humans built like that?”
“Well, humans have built many machines to make our lives easier, since we don't have magic or can fly on our own. As for those other machines you saw on the way in...” David pointed to the vans, “Those are vans. They're land vehicles used to transfer people around cities, towns, or anywhere people need to go. They, like the C-130, don't work anymore, so I just use them for storage.”
“What kind of things do you store? Food?” Lyra asked.
“Actually, it's mostly just junk that I found around the forest. I don't know why I collect most of it, to be honest. Though, I suppose it's because that stuff could make me a lot of money if I were to find a way back home. I mean, I got stuff dating back to the Revolutionary War.” The girls looked like they were a bit confused, as if trying to understand what that meant. “Right. You probably have no idea what that means. Well, I have something that might help.” David went into his bag and took a book out, “I was actually going to give this to you, Twilight.” David handed the book to her. “This is a history book about my country. It should help you understand a few things about me and humans in general.”
“Are you sure you want to give this to me? The history of your people... are you sure you don't want to keep that?”
“It's one history book based on the history of my country. I think I know it pretty well. After all, 'Who are you, that do not know your history?' That book will be far more useful to you than me.”
“Thank you so much!”
“You wouldn't happen to have another one of those with you?” Lyra asked.
“Possibly, but I don't feel like digging around in my books again, but if I come across another, I'll be sure to let you know.” Lyra looked disappointed, until Twilight said she would share the book with her.
“Would you mind showing me those things you collected?” Lyra asked.
“Sure,” David said as he got up, “Just be careful when you're looking through them. Some of it could be dangerous.” He opened up the vans.
Lyra quickly jumped into the back of the vans and began sifting through the things. Every few seconds, she would pop out with something in her hands, and she would ask it was.
“What's this?”
“That's a musket.”
“What's this thing?”
“A chainsaw.”
“What's this?”
“A claw hammer. I do keep a lot of tools in there.”
After about a half an hour of Lyra sifting through his things, she came across a box of electronic devices, “What are these?”
“Oh, those. Those are mp3 players, cell phones, and game devices.”
“And what do they do?”
“Well, mp3 players, like my own iPod,” David reached into his bag and took out a small black rectangle, “can be use to play music, videos, and look up information on the Internet. Long story short, the internet is a network of computers linked together to share information. Now, the cell phones are communication devices a person can use to talk to someone from pretty much anywhere. Some of these phones can even record videos, take pictures as well as play music like an mp3 player. Many are also capable of playing games. And gaming devices are more or less used to play games.”
“Can you show us how they work?” Twilight asked.
“I'm afraid not. The batteries are all dead. Even if they did work, I can't show you how the phones work without a satellite connection, and no internet, so I can't show you how that works. The only thing I could do is show you some videos and let you listen to some music as well as maybe play some games.”
“Well, how would you go about restoring power to them?” Twilight asked.
“Electricity, specifically a certain amount of voltage. Though I'm not sure how much.”
“Well, if that's all you need, then I can do that.” Twilight reached into the box and pulled out one of the devices.
“Twilight, what are you doing?” David asked.
“I'm going to try and use my magic to charge one of these,” Twilight replied.
“Well then, just be careful, too much, and you'll destroyed it.”
“Noted.” Twilight had taken out one of the mp3 players, and after David pointed out where the adapter went, her horn began to glow. A bolt of electricity entered into the the device, and after a few minutes, the screen began to glow. David watched is the battery icon began to fill, after it has charged enough, David stopped her.
He then ask her to try charging a couple more. In a few more minutes, Twilight had charged three more devices. David then handed her his iPod and asked if she would charge it, confident now she wouldn't destroy it. Once it was charged, David quickly snatched it out of her magic. He began looking through the menu and checking the apps to make sure everything was working right.
“Is everything alright?” Twilight asked.
“Yes! Everything seems to be working just fine. How would you guys like to listen to a song or two from my world?”
“Yes!” Lyra yelled.
David scrolled through his playlist to find something. “Do you guys have any preference?” He asked.
The girls look at each other and shook their heads, “No, pick whatever you want,” Twilight said.
“Okay then I'll go with something with a bit of a historic twist.”
“A song about history? That sounds rather boring,” Rainbow commented.
“You be surprised, just listen.” With that David selected the song. After the song was over, the group tried processing what the song meant.
“That was a nice song and all, but what exactly did it mean?” Twilight asked.
“Well, it was a series of events that took place in the span of the singer’s life, from his breath in 1949 to 1989 when he wrote it. Granted, it’s not much context, but every line holds some significance.”
“Well, can you elaborate as to some of those events?”
“Not really, no. You'd probably have a better chance at matching the lyrics up with that history book I gave you. The thing is, I mostly just like the song. I never really studied what each line actually means. I mean, I know some of it, but we could be here all day talking about it. I'm sure there are other things you would like to know.
“Actually, there was one thing I was going to ask before we got sidetracked,” Lyra said.
“Ask, and I'll try to answer.”
“Well, how exactly did you get here? Equestria, I mean, and where did you get all this stuff?”
“I thought Twilight filled you in, but I guess I could tell you. See, before I came here, I had decided to spend the first few weeks of summer going on a nice little camping trip out in the woods. As I went through the forest, looking for a nice spot to set up my hammock and build a fire, I slipped while going down an incline and hit my head on something, probably a rock. When I woke up, I was in your world. As I explored this oh so lovely forest, I found other things from my world. Lots of vehicles, miscellaneous garbage, even a couple of houses. And before you say anything, I didn't stay in those because they were far from being structurally sound. The fact that they didn't collapse on me when I was look looking for supplies was nothing short of a miracle. So yeah, there’s actually loads of stuff from my world scattered around this forest. I only took what I thought could be useful, or what I thought was cool.”
“I knew it! Or rather, my great great great great… well, you get it, grandfather was right. The Everfree Forest is connected to humans somehow!” Lyra exclaimed.
“Care to share a little bit more?” David asked.
“Really? You want to know about my research on humans?”
“Well, yeah. I am a human, after all, and I think I should know what sort of stories, legends, or actual historical facts you have about my species.”
Lyra smiled widely as she bounced up and down in place. “Where to start? There's so much to go over.”
“The beginning is usually a good start,” David said with a smirk.
“Excuse me if I may,” Pinkie said, “but I'm getting hungry, and the cupcakes I brought aren’t going to be enough. So, you think you can wait until I can get some food for us?”
“There's no need for that,” David said, “I've got plenty of food I can share. You guys just go wait by the fire, and I'll go get it.” David went into the plane as the others sat on the log benches.
“Wow, I can't believe it... I'm going to be eating human food!” Lyra said.
“Do you think it’s safe to eat?” Rainbow asked.
“Apple Bloom had some, so I don't see why it wouldn't be,” Applejack answered.
After a minute, David had returned with several brown bags. “Pinkie, you wouldn’t have happened to have brought along any extra plates with you?” David asked the pink mare.
“Yes, I did! They were for the cupcakes, but they should work for whatever you have.” David nodded and began preparing lunch.
“What exactly are you making?” Twilight asked.
“MREs or 'meal ready to eat'. It’s military rations. They’re not the best, but it’s kept me alive this long. Now, while we wait for the food, how about you start telling me what you know about human history in your world?”
“Well,” Lyra began, “it all started a long, long time ago. Many in my family believe it was about a thousand years ago when the first humans showed up. There were a few dozen, maybe a hundred. No one really knows. No one was keeping records at the time, but when they showed up, they immediately went on a rampage over the countryside. They sacked a small town and used what was there to build primitive siege engines to try and siege the castle. However, the Pegasus and Unicorn forces proved to be more than a match for these warriors. Within minutes, or more likely hours, the Equestrian military drove them back and even proceeded to hunt down the survivors.”
“That seems a bit severe, don't you think? Did they try to surrender?” David asked.
“They made no attempt to throw down their weapons or even to communicate. As far as we know at the time, they were savages bent on killing and pillaging. I'm not saying what happened was right, but given the circumstances, I'm sure they did what they thought was best.”
“Fair enough. I'm not judging. Please continue.”
“Let's see... the next humans to show up was about three hundred years later. In fact, one of my ancestors, Lost Legacy, was there to record everything.”
“I guess that explains why you're so enthusiastic about this subject,” Twilight commented.
“Absolutely. It's in my blood. Now, back to the second group of humans. These ones were a bit more organized. Some even spoke our language, but rarely did so around us. Unfortunately, like the ones before, these ones were also violent, though not senselessly mind you, but they did capture ponies and took over the abandoned castle. From what Lost Legacy gathered, they wanted to use the Castle to keep themselves safe until they can figure out where they were and how they could find a way to some place called 'Jerusalem'.”
“If I may interrupt you for a second,” David said, “but did these humans have any crosses on their clothing, particularly their chest?”
“Yes. As a matter of fact, they did. In fact, they had crosses all over the place. You know anything about them?”
“Well, they were most likely Crusader Knights.”
“Who were they, and why were they trying to get to 'Jerusalem'?”
“It's a long and stupid story. The short version: it was a holy war, and Jerusalem is a holy city for three religions, and each one wanting it for themselves.”
“Who won?”
“That's not really important. It was seven hundred years ago, give or take. But please, continue. What happened to them, and why did they take ponies prisoner?”
“Well, they took the ponies to use as a labor force to try and fortify the castle. Lost Legacy was actually among them. He was fascinated by these creatures and learned that they were called humans. Unfortunately, history repeated itself, and the Royal Guard came to eliminate them. However, unlike last time, the humans quickly realized they were outmatched, and many tried to surrender. Regrettably, the guard wasn't interested in taking prisoners and proceeded to wipe them out. Many official history books and legends, of course, state that the humans fought to the bitter end, but Lost Legacy’s notes are the only true recordings of what happened.”
“I see,” David said, “I suppose it makes sense that the history makers wouldn't want to portray their military as some kind of war criminals for slaughtering opponents that tried to surrender.”
“You're not upset?”
“Why should I be, unless you think I'm going to suffer a similar fate?”
“No, no. Not at all. You're just taking this all rather well.”
“Believe it or not, I'm not actually surprised. My people have done some similar things. Nobody's perfect. Now, have there been any other humans that have shown up that you know of?”
“Sort of. You see, every time a human has appeared in Equestria, it's been around this area. The last humans that we had direct contact with showed up at a time when the Everfree Forest was relatively safe. But after a couple hundred years, another one of my ancestors chartered an expedition into the forest to see if he can find any humans, or any signs that humans had been here, maybe even find the source of this new species. However, the only thing he found was what looked like an old caravan with the remains of humans and other strange creatures scattered about, but the trip wasn't a total waste. Through the wagons, they had gained some insight into human culture, or part of it anyways. They had silk, grains, jewelry, and most importantly, fireworks.”
“Wait, you mean to tell me that your great great great great, well, you know, grandfather Duke Vision didn't invent fireworks, he just found them?” Twilight asked.
“Yes, but that was supposed to be a secret so… please don't tell anyone,” Lyra begged.
“You know, I couldn't care less,” David said, “So, is that it? Were there any more expeditions?”
“No. It just got too dangerous for anypony to risk their lives searching for more evidence that humans are more than a legend. Like most legends, they tend to change over time, and over the years, there have been many sightings and rumors of sightings of humans all over Equestria. My family has tracked down every single one of those sightings and rumors since Duke Vision. That's why I was so excited when I first met you. You’re proof that centuries of research weren't wasted.”
“Well then, I'm glad I could help, there's just one last thing I'd like to know.”
“What is it?”
“Do you know how I could have gotten here or any humans or their things?”
“Unfortunately, no. That's one mystery that we've been unable to solve.”
“Well, I suppose it doesn't matter,” David said with a hint of sadness in his voice.
“Is something wrong?” Pinkie asked, picking up on his tone.
“Well, if you knew how I got here, maybe you could have send me back, but it's been at least a year. If our worlds are moving at the same time, then I've probably been declared dead.” David stared at the ground for a moment, then shook his head, “There's no point in dwelling on that fact. I'm in a new world and have a chance to start a new life, assuming that's still a possibility,” he said, looking at Twilight.
“I don't see why not. Just because humans of the past have been... less than friendly, doesn't mean we shouldn't give you a chance, especially since you've been more than helpful.”
“So, when can I move into town?”
“Well, like I said, we will need to make some arrangements. You would most likely need to stay with one of us until you can find a job and get your own place...”
“You're more than welcome to stay with me!” Lyra blurted out, she then tried giving him a large friendly smile, but to him, it came off more like a 'rape face'.
“Thank you for the offer, but no.”
“Well, you have other options,” Twilight said, “you could stay with me at the library.”
“Or you could stay with mah family at the farm, but you'd need to work a bit,” Applejack said.
“I suppose I could find room for you. You can even model some new outfits for me,” Rarity said with a gleam in her eye.
“I don't have much room, but you could stay with me if you really wanted to,” Fluttershy offered.
Everyone looked at Pinkie and Rainbow, expecting them to offer their homes as well. “What? He can't stay with me, unless he can walk on clouds,” Rainbow said.
“And as much as I'd love to have him stay with me, I live the Cakes, and I would need to run it by them first. I'm going to guess you're going to say no.”
“That's quite alright, you two. I understand. You guys have been giving me a lot to think about, so we should probably continue this tomorrow,” David said, standing up, “Come on. Let's get going. I'll escort you out of the forest before it gets too late.” The girls gathered their things, David even letting Lyra take some of the things from his vans to study, including some of the electronic devices. Twilight took some of those as well.
David led them through the forest without incident. After they reached the exit, the group said their goodbyes and told David they would see him again tomorrow at the same time. He watched them fade into the distance as his mind began to wander. Well, that was rather interesting, but now, I'm one step closer to finally getting it out of this forest and getting back to a normal life. Well, as normal as it can get, living in a land of humanoid ponies.
David stood outside the forest entrance, waiting for one of the ponies to arrive. After about fifteen minutes past the hour he was supposed to meet them, he started to wonder what was taking them so long. He looked into the sky and saw a rainbow streak fly across it. Well, it's about damn time.
Rainbow Dash landed near David and greeted him. “Hey there, David.”
“Hello,” David replied a little coldly.
“What's wrong?”
“I'm just wondering how 'the fastest flyer in a Equestria' can be twenty minutes late.”
“Well, something came up.”
“Is that why you're the only one here?”
“Yeah. In fact, I was asked the come get you.”
“Really? And where have you been asked to take me?”
“Just to Twilight's place.”
“Is there some reason she didn't come here herself?”
“Yeah, but you'll understand when you get there,” Rainbow said fidgeting a little.
“Is everything alright?”
“Yeah... it should be.”
“Is this something I should be worried about?”
“No... maybe… I don't know, but probably not.”
“Your overwhelming amount of confidence fills me with just as much reassurance. But, I suppose nothing's going to get done if I just stay here.” David said as he started to walk down the path.
“Wait a second!”
“What?”
“Do you really need to bring your rifle?”
“Well, yeah, I'm not leaving it at my camp, and I'm not leaving it here. I'm not going to leave it with someone who has no experience with firearms. In other words, yes, I do need to bring it with me.”
“Alright, fine. Just don't go waving it around or anything like that.”
David gave her a deadpan stare with a small touch of anger and annoyance, “I would never be so grossly irresponsible as to wave a weapon around in a public place! If I ever have to use a gun, it will only be in self defense!”
“Okay, okay, I hear you, but if somepony does bother, you let me handle it, alright?” David nodded and motioned for her to lead on.
Within a few minutes, David saw a building come into view. It appeared to be a small cottage with dozens of bird houses and animals running about. Rainbow explained that it was Fluttershy's house, and that she was currently out helping Pinkie Pie. As they moved on, more buildings came into view. Once they had made a good distance into the town, Rainbow welcomed David to Ponyville.
The town appeared to be more primitive than David would have thought, but he knew from Zecora that they had modern conveniences, such as indoor plumbing and electricity, so he figured that the houses’ design were most likely just a style choice.
As they moved deeper into the town, David was getting more and more out of his comfort zone. It was as if he could feel the stares he was getting from the other ponies. Many of the citizens had gathered on the sides of the streets to gawk at him. Some of them did try to hide that fact as the two passed by. Others smiled and waved at him, to which Dave returned the gesture. A couple of them even gave him dirty looks, but he ignored them.
“Hey, Rainbow?” David whispered to Rainbow Dash.
“Yeah?”
“How much farther do we have to go?”
“Not much. Why?”
“Well, all the staring is really making me feel uncomfortable.”
“Don't worry. I'm here remember?”
“Yeah, I know.” Rainbow’s reinsurance really didn't do anything to make him feel any better.
“We're here,” Rainbow said when they reached a large tree.
“Twilight lives in a tree?”
“It's also a library.”
"So, Twilight lives in a tree library... you know, believe it or not, I've heard of weirder houses.”
“Really, like what?”
“Well, in Mexico, there's a guy who lives in a naked woman.”
“What?”
“Yeah, some of us are a little weird.”
“Well, whatever. Twilight's expecting you, so go on in.”
“You're not coming in?”
“Nah, I got some work I gotta do, but I'll see you later though.” With that, Rainbow took off.
David looked around and saw that many of the ponies were still staring at him, but were keeping their distance. He decided not to tempt fate and simply turned around and knocked on the door.
A moment later, the door opened, revealing Twilight, “Hi, David, please come in,” she said, noticeably nervous.
“Thanks,” David said as he crossed the threshold.
Once inside, Twilight showed him into the main hall of the library. In the center of the room. He saw there was another pony sitting at a table. David could tell she was no ordinary pony. She not only had a horn but wings as well. Her coat was white as snow. Her mane seemed to flow, as if it was in a non existent breeze, and her eyes were like a pair of flawless amethyst. She wore an elegant white dress with a gold necklace and crown that had an amethyst set in both. She gave a slight smile when she saw him.
“David, allowed me to introduce to you Princess Celestia, co-ruler of Equestria and-”
“Now, Twilight, I didn't ask you to call him here just for you to go on about me,” the princess interrupted. “Now, why don't you take a seat?” She said, motioning into a chair across from her. David nodded as he took his rifle and hung it on a coat hook. “Twilight, would you be a dear and get us some refreshments?”
“Of course, Princess!” Twilight said, leaving the room in a hurry.
The princess then looked back at David as he sat down, “David? Am I saying that right?”
“Y-yes, your highness.”
Celestia giggled, “Although I appreciate the thought, there's no need to be so formal. You may call me Celestia.”
“That's very generous of you.”
“Think nothing of. Now, on to business, Twilight has told me you've spoken with Lyra, correct?”
“Yes.”
“And you are indeed a human?”
"Yes.”
“And are you aware of our past experiences with humans?”
“Y-yes,” David said nervously.
Celestia smiled, “Don't worry, I'm not going to hold you responsible for the past, especially since not all the humans who have visited us have been hostile.”
“Really? Do you have any examples?”
“Yes. The Red Wizard. That's not his real name, of course. That’s been lost to history. If you like, I can give you the abridged version of the legend.” David nodded. “Well then-”
“Excuse me,” Twilight said as she returned from the kitchen and set down a tray with a teapot, cups, and some cookies.
“Thank you, Twilight. Now, please sit with us,” Celestia said as she poured herself some tea and took a sip, “Where was I? Oh, yes, The Red Wizard. It was a little over two hundred years ago when he first arrived in the town of Fillydelphia. He was a human who wore red coat and wielded a magic staff.
“At the time, the town was young and didn't have any real law enforcement. So, the Red Wizard took it upon himself to protect the town from bandits, monsters, things of that nature. It was said that using his staff only once was enough to scare off any attackers. However, one day, there was a massive bandit raid on the town, and although the Red Wizard and the town militia were able to drive them off, the Red Wizard grew tired of these constant attacks, so he chased the bandits back to their lair.
"No one knows what happened after that, except that the bandits never returned, nor did The Red Wizard. To this day, many of the ponies of Fillydelphia still revere him as a Great Hero and protector, much like you are.”
“I don't know if I’d go so far as to call myself a hero, but thank you for the compliment,” David said, scratching the back of his head.
“It was indeed a fascinating story, but why have I never heard of this before?” Twilight asked.
“Those who live outside of Fillydelphia don't care about such legends, with the exception of Lyra's family. Though, I am surprised she didn't mention it.”
“She was probably just so excited to meet me she forgot about it,” David commented.
“That does seem likely,” Celestia giggled, “but now, I would like to get to the reason why I'm here.”
“And what would that be exactly?” David asked.
“I wish to know more about you. It is rare for me to actually see a human, let alone talk to one.”
“Oh, goodie. Another Q&A. I have a feeling there is going to be a lot more of these before the day is out, so go ahead.”
“Excellent! Twilight has already informed me of what you have already told her, so could you tell me more about where you lived before coming here?”
David thought the question was pointless, considering he would likely never see his home again, but he also saw no harm in answering, “I lived and grew up in North Tonawanda, New York.”
"New York? I thought your country was called the United States of America?”
“It is. New York is a state, one of the many that make up the states of the United States of America.”
“Oh, I think I get it now. We have something similar where other cities are independent, but are still part of the country.”
“Yeah, it's a bit like that,” he said.
“So, what was the city like?”
“Well, it was a pretty nice place, and in a pretty good location. You had Buffalo to the south, Niagara Falls and Lockport to the north, and Grand Island to the west. Each city had their own unique flavors. It's definitely not a place where you can get bored easily, provided you have extra cash to throw around.”
“And did you, or rather, did you have a job, and if so, what exactly did you do?”
“Yeah, I did. I worked for a local grocery chain.”
"What did you do for them?”
“Oh, nothing special. Just stocking the shelves, doing inventory, and things like that. Do you really want to know all this boring stuff about me?”
“Well then, tell me something interesting about you. Like, what did you do in your free time?”
“Well, if I wasn't with my friends, I'd be at home or at a park doing some drawing.”
“Were you close with your friends?”
“Yeah, I guess we were,” David turned to look out a nearby window, “I never really thought about it, but I'll never see them again,” he said quietly.
“I'm sorry,” Celestia said as she stood up and walked over to him. She then gently pulled him into a hug, his head resting just above her bosom as she gently stroked his hair to comfort him, “I understand this must be hard for you as well as them, not to mention your family.”
“Yeah... My family,” David said as tears started to well up in his eyes. He began to cry softly into Celestia’s chest. Twilight came up from behind and wrapped her arms around him to help comfort him too. The three of them stood there like that for what felt like hours, until David pulled away from Celestia.
“Sorry,” he said as he wiped the remaining tears from his face.
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Celestia said with a warm smile. “I think I've seen and heard enough, and it is cleared to me that you are no threat to Equestria. In addition, I will be more than happy to accept you as a citizen, if you wish.”
“I would like that, Celestia.”
“Very good then. I will send Twilight the necessary paperwork once I have the time.”
“Thank you, Celestia.”
Celestia nodded, and she turned to go upstairs, with Twilight following. Once they were in the loft, Celestia open the doors to the balcony. Celestia let out a sigh as she stepped outside.
“Is everything alright, Celestia?”
“Oh? Yes. Yes, I'm fine. I'm just a little tired.”
“Anything I can help with?” Twilight asked.
Celestia chuckled, “Thank you, but no. It's just some territorial dispute we've been asked to mediate. Besides, you already have your hands full. Speaking of which, do look after him, will you? I'd hate for us to lose another kind human.”
“You can count on me!”
“I know I can.” Celestia said with a smile. She then walked out onto the balcony and flew off.
Twilight closed the doors and turned to the head back downstairs. As she did, she heard a yell and some scuffling. She ran downstairs to see what was going on. Once there, she saw her assistant Spike and David's arms, one arm was around his neck and the other under Spike’s arm.
“Twilight, help!” Spike yelled.
“You know this thing, Twilight?” David said, struggling a bit to keep Spike in his hold.
“Yes! Put him down this instant!” Twilight scolded David.
David let go of Spike, and he fell to the ground. “Ouch,” Spike yelped.
“Now, what was all this about?”
“He attacked me,” David said, pointing at Spike. “I only defended myself.”
“Is this true?” Twilight asked Spike.
“Well, I... I-I thought he was some sort of monster of a mutant Pony, or-”
“Alright. I get it. Now, apologize!” Spike turned to face David and said he was sorry. “Good. Now, David, apologize for attacking Spike.”
“Wait, but he attacked me.” Twilight glared at him. “Okay, okay. Fine. I'm sorry.”
“Good. Now, we can get on to the other things I have planned for today.” Twilight said, grabbing a bag and pulling out a small notebook.
“Any more Bombshells like meeting a princess?”
“Excuse me?” Twilight said, a little confused.
“What I'm saying is that it really caught me off guard, not to mention that I look like a complete mess. I mean, my hair is in shambles, I haven't bathed in like three days, and my clothes... Well, I only have one set of clothes, so nothing I can really do there, but still, some heads up would have been nice.”
“Sorry, but the Princess wanted to meet you as you were, to see the real you and not something you might have rehearsed.”
“Alright, fine. What's done is done. So, what are these other things you wanted to do?”
“Well,” Twilight opened up the notebook and wrote something in it, “the next thing is a quick tour around Ponyville, followed by meeting my friends at Sugar Cube Corner.”
“Well, if we're going to go out again, I would at least like to shave the hair off my face. You wouldn't happen to have a razor with you?”
“No, but why would you shave your hair?”
“It's personal preference. I, for one, don't like having hair on my face, but I don't have a proper razor. I'm not adventurous enough to try and use a knife.”
“Well, I can help you. Just tell me where you want the hair removed.” David outlined the areas around his chin, cheeks, and under his nose, and Twilight began to charge up her magic.
“Twilight, what are you going to do?”
“Just relax this will only take a second.” Twilight let her magic go, and David felt his face tingle a bit. As quickly as she said the magic stopped, David touched his face only the find there was no hair there.
“Whoa. It's been awhile since my face has felt this smooth. What did you do?”
“Long story short, I know a spell to grow facial hair. I simply reversed it.”
“That is definitely useful, for me anyway. Well, I probably look a lot better at least.”
“Actually, you do look kind of cute with all that stuff off your face. I mean, somepony would find you cute, I'm sure.” Twilight blushed after saying that.
David laughed, “I didn't think you guys would find me appealing to look at, but now, I know otherwise.”
“Well, what I meant was... I mean I...”
“Relax, Twilight, it's not a big deal, unless there's something you want to tell me,” David said as he leaned in.
“N-no! I mean you're nice, but I don't think you're my type and-”
David laughed again, “I'm just messing with you a little. Now, come on. We're wasting daylight.” David went to go get his rifle.
“Hold on a second. Do you need to bring that with you?”
David let out a sigh, “Yes, it makes me feel better having it.”
“Well, it would make me feel better if you didn't bring it.”
“Look, I went over this with Rainbow. I'm not going to wave it around like some idiot, or shoot someone at random or whatever other horrible stupid thing you're worried I'm going to do. I took gun safety courses. I know what to do and what not to do. This weapon couldn't be safer in my hands.”
“I'm glad to hear that, but it doesn't mean somepony else won't do something stupid that will get them hurt. And right now, we don't need that.”
“I suppose you make a good enough point. Alright, I'll leave it here. Just give me a minute.” David took his rifle and opened up the chamber and removed the bullets. Then, he engaged the safety before putting it back. “There now. Shall we get going?”
“Yes, we shall.”
David, Twilight and Spike left the library and headed through the town. David was still worried about the ponies and was still self-conscious about how different he was, but he relaxed a bit when he realized there weren't as many ponies out and about as there had been earlier. The ones they did see stared for a moment, but then went about their business.
Twilight took David to the marketplace, which seemed to be closing down, despite the fact it was not that late in the day. When David asked about it, Twilight explained that it was because of the weekend, and most shops close early on the weekends. Twilight then led him to a large building with a carousel theme in its design. She explained it was called Carousel Boutique and was Rarity's home and place of business, where she made all sorts of clothing.
“Do you think she would make me a new outfit or two?” David asked.
“I'm sure she would love to,” Twilight answered, “but that would be for another day,” she said, pointing to the closed sign in the door.
“Alright then, I guess it's on with the tour.”
Twilight then led him to another large building in the center of town. This was Town Hall. It's function was pretty self explanatory, though that didn't stop Twilight from actually explaining it to David.
“Twilight, this is all very fascinating, and I don't mean to sound like I'm complaining, but... is this going on last much longer?”
“Not too much. Why? You getting tired?”
“No, but I am getting a little hungry.”
“Well, then we'll head to the last stop on the tour, Sugar Cube Corner.”
Twilight then led David and Spike to a building that looked like a giant gingerbread house.
What is with these ponies and their bizarre architectural designs? David thought, “Twilight, just to sate my curiosity, please tell me. Is that a real gingerbread house?”
“Of course, it's not, silly. Why would you think that?”
“Let's just say I have reasons.”
“That's not really an answer.” Twilight said, crossing her arms.
“I know,” he said with a smirk.
“I'm not going to get anything more out of you am I?” Twilight said in an annoyed tone.
“Nope,” he teased.
“Alright, fine. Let's just go in.”
The three went inside, only to be greeted with a dark room. Wait. A dark room, and Twilight said her friends would be here, soooo... before David could finish his thought, the lights came on, revealing Twilight’s friends and many other ponies who all shouted surprise. David yelped in surprise and stumbled back a bit in shock.
Pinkie ran up to him and started speaking to him in her usual hyperactive way, “Were you surprised? I bet you were! I throw the best surprise parties!”
I could tell the truth and tell her I saw it coming, buuuut I'll be nice, David thought before he spoke, “Yes, Pinkie, I was surprised.”
“Yay!” Pinkie exclaimed. She then turned to the rest of the ponies and proclaimed, “Everypony, this is David, AKA the Guardian! Let's all make him feel welcome here in Ponyville!” There was some cheering from the crowd as several ponies came forward. Most of them bombarded him with questions, which David did his best to answer.
Others came to thank him for saving their lives or the lives of their children. They even offered him a reward for all he's done. David was conflicted about that. On the one hand, he only did what he thought was right, and he thought that shouldn't need compensation. On the other hand, he could certainly use some of their currency, but he decided to decline their offers.
Once the ponies’ curiosity was sated, they started to mill about and talk amongst themselves. David then took notice of the interior of the bakery, and it seemed pretty average compared to the ones back home, with the exception of all the party supplies tables with food, games, etc. David went to the food table and got a plate, then started getting some of the various baked goods that were set out when Twilight and her friends came up to him.
They had noticed the lack of hair on his face and questioned him about it, to which he answered. Pinkie then led David to a table, after he had filled up his plate with the cake he saw. David half listened to Pinkie talk as he enjoyed the cake that was provided. The cake was even more delicious than it had looked. However, he was interrupted with a tug at his sleeve. He turned and saw Apple Bloom, along with two other fillies. One was a unicorn, and the other was a pegasus.
“Hello, Apple Bloom. Are you feeling better?” David asked.
“Yeah. Ah'm fine. Ah just wanted to introduce mah friends. This is Sweetie Belle, Rarity’s youngest sister, and Scootaloo.”
“H-hi,” Sweetie Belle said shyly, much like Fluttershy.
“Is it really true you killed manticores, basilisks, and a hydra ?” Scootaloo asked.
“Hello to you, too, and yes, it is true, though not easy, especially with a hydra. Those you need to kill with fire or else they'll just keep growing new heads,” he grimaced.
“Seriously?”
“Yes, it's too weird to make up.”
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo started asking him questions. At this point, David had gotten used to all the questions, so he answered them like so many times before. Though, they were the first to ask him what living in the Everfree Forest was like. David figured they were fishing for adventure stories, but he didn't have any really. Any time David spent out of his camp was either to visit Zecora or track down a pony that had entered the forest. Either nothing would come of it, or he’d shoot a monster in the face. He never actively sought out or stalked the creatures of the forest, apart from an animal or two to help supplement his diet.
“Sorry, girls, but there really isn't much to tell.” The girls were disappointed upon hearing that, but David came up with something that he thought would suffice, “How about I tell you the time one of my friends was nearly swept away by a waterfall?” That got the girls’ attention, and they nodded, eager to hear the story. “It was about a year or two ago when it happened. You see, where I lived, there was a nearby city famous for it's waterfalls, and one day, me and my friends took a trip to that city.
“We had decided to go to Goat Island, which is an island that sits in the middle between the two falls. While we were there, we decided to go to one of the city’s attractions, the Cave of the Winds, which is really just a deck they built at the base of one of the falls. It's about as close as you can get without going over the thing in a barrel.”
“That seems kind of weird,” Sweetie Bell said.
“Well, years ago, people use to do it. Not all them survived, but they did it anyway. Some even tightroped across the falls, with much more success, but I digress. While we were going through the Cave of the Winds, a couple of my friends, Ben and Zack, thought it'd be a great idea to mess around. As you can imagine, a few hundred thousand gallons of water passing by every second can make any surface really slippery, and unfortunately, Zack went over the side of the safety railing and landed on one of the rocks. He clung to it for dear life. Fortunately, there are people trained to handle these types of emergencies.
“They managed to get him to safe ground before he was swept away by the raging waters. Fortunately for the both of them, no charges were pressed. After that, we were much more careful when we were in that area. In other words, nobody did anything stupid after that... at least, when we were in or around the Falls.
“My friends still did stupid stuff, like the one time Zack set Paul's hair on fire, but that’s a story for another time.”
“Awww,” the three said simultaneously.
“Sorry, girls, but I've been talking with ponies all day. Right now, I'd just like to enjoy some horribly unhealthy food.”
“Okay, Ah guess we'll talk to ya later, then,” Apple Bloom said.
“I'm sure you will.”
The girls left, and Pinkie started talking to him again, “Wasn't there anything you did to try and help your friend?” she asked.
“I called the emergency service. That was about it.”
“So, you didn't try to go over the fence to help him?”
“Doing that would have only put me in danger as well. I know things probably work a bit different here, and if there were no emergency response team, then I would have try to helped him. The way I see it, let the experts do their jobs. They have the training and the experience I don't have.”
“Okay, I understand.” The two sat in silence as David finished his cake. After that, he got up a few more times to get a few more of the other snacks that were provided. Occasionally, a pony would come up to him and ask him how he was, if he was enjoying the party, or something else along those lines. This included Pinkie's friends and even Lyra. Lyra also introduced David to her friend, Bon Bon, and they enjoyed a bit of small talk, until a white unicorn with a blue mane came up to them.
“Hey. S’up?” She asked David.
“Hello. I don't believe we've been introduced.”
“Name's Vinyl Scratch, and Pinkie wanted me to get you for something,” she said with her bit of a smirk.
“Okay,” David excused himself from Lyra and Bon Bon and followed Vinyl. She led him to some sound equipment, with Pinkie standing next to pair of microphones.
“Pinkie, what's all this now?” David asked.
“Well, I asked Vinyl to help set all this up. Twilight also helped, by giving her some of those mp3 things.”
“So, what's going on?”
“Karaoke!”
Oh God, this is happening. “Look, Pinkie, I'm not so sure about this. I mean, it's not that I have a lack of confidence in my singing ability, but performing in front a bunch of strangers…”
“Don't worry. I'll be here with you. Besides, I've already selected a song! And it's a duet!”
I'm not getting out of this, am I? “Alright. Let's see what you’ve got.” David checked the machine and saw that it was a band that he actually knew and kind of liked, though he didn't recognize the song.
Pinkie then started it up, “Three, two, one! Let's go!”
The two sang well, and everypony cheered when they were finished. Pinkie picked a few more, songs some of which David sang solo. The rest of Pinkie's friends also came up to sing with David, as well as each other. They were all excited to hear these new songs. The party started to wind down after the singing... and after everybody’s sugar rush started to wear off.
The ponies started to leave, but not before thanking Pinkie for a great party, and saying goodbye to David, thanking him once again for the good he's done.
David also thanked Pinkie for throwing him a party, “So, what are we going to do now?” he asked.
“I don't know. I haven't planned anything after this,” Pinkie replied.
“What about you, Twilight?” David asked Twilight.
“I've got nothing. It was meet the Princess, the tour, then party... and I figured we’d just go home after that.”
David checked his watch and saw it was half past four, “Well, in that case, I should probably get going. The nocturnal monsters will be coming out in about an hour or so, and I have to double back to Twilight's to get my rifle.”
“Okay. Let's get going, then,” Twilight said, picking up Spike, who had fallen asleep.
“You know, Twilight, if you want, I could carry him for you,” David said.
“That's awfully nice of you, but I got him.”
David opened the door for Twilight, so she could leave easier. As he did so, he saw out of the corner of his eye what looked like Apple Bloom begging her sister for something, but he paid no attention. The two quickly made their way back to Twilight's home, and David grabbed his rifle from where he had left it. He then proceeded to load it, and soon slung it over his shoulder.
"Thank you for an... interesting day, Twilight. We should do this again sometime. Just warn me next time anyone important shows up.”
“I will. Also, feel free to drop by every now and again, now that you're no longer a mythical creature.”
"Sure. No problem.”
As David reached for the door handle, someone on the other side knocked. David stepped aside, so Twilight could answer the door. On the other side stood Applejack and Applebloom.
“Howdy, Twilight. Is David still here?” Applejack asked.
“Yo,” David said stepping up and behind Twilight.
"Ah, good. Ah'm glad Ah caught ya. Seeing as how it's gettin' to be around dinner time, and the rest of my family would like to meet ya... would you like to come over to our place for dinner?”
“Oh, wow. That's really nice of you to offer, but I wouldn't want to impose.”
“It's no trouble really,” Apple Bloom piped up.
“Well, there's still the problem of going home after dark.”
“Is it really that big a deal? I mean, ya'll can handle yourself, can't ya? Applejack asked.
“Yes, but it's more of a risk factor. I'll gladly go out into the middle of the night in the Everfree Forest to help someone that needs it. But, I’m not too keen on putting myself in danger for no good reason.”
“Come on! Please?” Apple Bloom said as she did her best to widen her eyes and look as adorable as possible.
Ah... damn it. How can I say no to that? “Okay, fine,” David said in a defeated tone.
“By the way, you're welcome to come, too, Twilight,” Applejack added.
“That's nice of you to offer, but I need to get Spike into bed. Maybe next time though.”
With that, the three headed off. The Apples led David through the town. Eventually, the area became more rural, like the path to the Everfree Forest, but he was sure that was on the other side of town. They soon came up to a large red building that Apple Bloom said was the school house. David smiled and nodded, though he did wonder if all the children in this town were on the same level of education. And if not, did the older kids go to this school with the younger ones as well?
Shortly after they passed the school, the surrounding trees turned from the standard the oak and maple to apple... lots and lots of apple. After about five minutes of traveling on the dirt road, the three came to a gate with an apple sign hanging from an arch. Beyond that was a large red the barn, a few smaller buildings, and some other crops, like corn and carrots.
“Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres,” Applejack said in a grand tone.
“It's impressive, I'll give you that,” David said, “It obviously took a lot of time and work to build all this.”
“Darn tootin’ it did. Now, come on. It’s time to meet mah faimly.”
Applejack led David to the farmhouse, and opened the door for him and her sister. It led into a foyer that connected to both the living room and the dining room. In front of them was a set of stairs and a hallway. Some sounds could be heard from the dining room area behind a door, which David assumed was the kitchen.
“Ah'll be back in a minute,” Applejack said as she went off to the door to the dining room.
David took this time to unload his rifle and set it in a corner. He looked at Applebloom, who was giving him the biggest smile ever. “Did you have something to do with this?” David asked her.
“Ah may have asked Applejack to invite ya over. After all, granny does wanna meet you. You're not upset, are ya?”
“No. Of course not. It's just a bit of an inconvenience, but I'm a big boy and can take care of myself.”
“Well, we should probably get a seat at the table.”
"Won't we need to help with anything?”
“Nonsense. You’re company. If my brother or sister need anything, they'll call me.” Apple Bloom took David by the hand and led him to a chair near the head of the table, with her sitting next to him.
After a few more minutes, the door in the dining room opened, and Applejack, a stallion whose name he believed was 'Big Mac', and another mare who looked rather elderly came out, carrying trays of food, silverware, and glasses.
David stood up, “Do you need any help with that?”
“We got it, sonny. You just sit down and relax,” the elderly mare said.
“You sure?”
“I said sit!”
“Yes, ma'am.”
The elderly mare sat at the head of the table, while Applejack and Big Mac set out the food. Once they were done, the elderly mare spoke up again, “I reckon it goes without saying, but we should introduce ourselves before we start eatin'. Y’all can call me Granny Smith, and that right there is Big Macintosh,” she said, pointing to the red stallion, who nodded at David.
"And my name is David. It's very nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you, too. Now, enough talkin'. Let's start eatin', before it gets cold.”
David was surprised that she didn't have any questions for him. Maybe it was because Applejack had told her everything she needed to know, or maybe it was because she didn't care, because David had saved her granddaughter. Either way, David was thankful to have a home-cooked meal for once.
The meal pretty much consisted of apple themed dishes. Despite that fact, David found them not only delicious, but filling. During the meal, there was some small talk, mostly between Applejack, her brother, and grandmother, and mostly about the chores, the work that has been done, and the things that needed to be done.
There were a few more questions fired his way, but most of them were pretty simple, like if he wanted anything else or if he was comfortable. After dinner, Applejack and Big Mac started clearing the plates. David asked if he could help, but Granny Smith just told him to just sit and relax.
“So, how did you enjoy the food?” Granny asked.
“It was amazing. I never thought apples could be so filling,” David answered.
“Glad to hear you liked it.”
“Thank you for having me, but I should get going soon.”
“Oh, that's right. Ya live in the Everfree Forest,” Granny Smith said, “Ya know, if'in it will be too much of a hassle for ya to go home, ya can spend the night here, if ya want.”
“Thank you, but I don't want to take advantage of your hospitality.”
“Listen, sonny, as far as I'm concerned, you're practically one of the family.”
“I know I protected Apple Bloom, but I don't think I've earned that privilege.”
“Well, Ah think you have. Ya don't get to be as old as Ah am without learnin' how to be a good judge of character, and Ah can tell you're alright.”
“Well, if you're comfortable having a stranger over, then alright. I'll stay tonight.”
“Excellent! Applejack!” Granny Smith yelled.
Applejack came to the room, “Yes, Granny?”
"Our guest we'll be spending the night. Please show him to the guest room.”
“Okay, Granny. Come with me,” Applejack said to David.
David grabbed his rifle and followed Applejack upstairs. They went down a hall and passed several doors, one of which Applejack pointed out was the bathroom. They stopped a couple doors down from the stairs, and Applejack open the door.
The room was sparsely furnished. On the far side of the room was a bed and nightstand with a lamp on it. Along one wall was a dresser with a mirror, and along the other one was a desk and chair, as well as a door that led to a closet.
"It ain't much to look at, but I hope it'll do for ya,” Applejack said.
“This is more than enough. Thank you.”
“If ya want, ya can use the bathroom to um... clean yourself,” Applejack blushed a little when she said that.
“Thank you, but I don't have anything to change into other than these incredibly filthy clothes.”
“Stay right here. I'll be back in a minute,” Applejack said as she walked off. She enterd one of the other bedrooms and returned with a set of pajamas. “These are mah brothers. They may be a bit big on ya, but they should work. If ya want, Ah can also wash your clothes.”
“Sure, if it's not too much trouble?”
“No trouble at all.”
“Alright then.” David went to the desk and set his rifle on it. He then took his belt that has his pistol on it off, as well as several pouches and a couple of knives. He then pulled out a knife from each of his boots. Lastly, he emptied his pockets.
David took the spare clothes Applejack had provided and headed to the bathroom, “Where would you like me to put my old clothes?”
“Just leave them in the bathroom. I'll get them when you're done.”
David nodded and headed in. David tested the shower. Oh, hot running water, how I miss you.
Applejack was about to head back to her room when she saw Apple Bloom was still in the guest room. She went in to go get her sister and saw that she was snooping around David’s stuff.
“What are you doing?” Applejack said, standing behind her sister.
"Ah was just a little curious,” Apple Bloom said, holding something in her hand.
“Now, you know better than that!” Applejack took the item from her hand. And noticed it was a small piece of leather. What's this? she wondered.
She studied it and realize that it could be open. She opened it, and the first thing she saw was a piece of plastic with David’s picture on it that read 'New York State driver's license'. It also had listed other information about David that Applejack assumed was irrelevant now.
There was also a couple other pieces of rectangular plastic. They were similar to each other, as they both had David's name on them and a bunch of random numbers, but one was labeled First Niagara, while the other was labelled as Capital One. There was also a flap inside that had some green paper with pictures of humans on it. All things considered, it wasn't very interesting except for the last thing Applejack noticed, what looked like a folded piece of paper. She took it out and unfolded it. What she saw sent the wave of sadness over her.
“What is it? Let me see!” Apple Bloom said.
Applejack knelt down to show her. The paper was actually a picture with David and four other humans. David was in the middle, kneeling on one knee. On his right was what looked like a female human with long red hair and blue eyes. She also looked like she was leaning on him. On his left was a male human, whose arm was around David. He had straight black hair, brown eyes, and a piece of metal in his lip. Behind him was two other males. The one on David's left had short blonde hair, blue eyes and was wearing glasses. The other one on the right had long brown hair with a bandana tight around his forehead. He was also wearing purple tinted glasses.
“Who are all these people?” Apple Bloom asked.
“I think these are his friends,” Applejack answered.
“Oh, right. He told us a story about his friends today. Sounded like they had a lot of fun. Hey, there's writing on the back!”
Applejack flipped the picture over, and sure enough, there was writing on it. At the top was written 'Fort Niagara. May 30th, 2010'. Below that was a bunch of names written in the general area of the person they belonged to on the other side, with David being in the center. The others were Kristen on the right, Zachary on the left, Benjamin above him and Paul to the right of that.
“I wonder if he misses them?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Ah'm sure he does. Alright. We’ve done enough snoopin'. You go on to your room now, and get ready for bed.”
Apple Bloom went off to her room, and Applejack put everything back the way David had left it. She then went and waited outside the bathroom. After waiting about ten minutes, the door opened, and David came out, rubbing his head with a towel.
“Oh. Hi, Applejack. What are you doing here?”
“I came to get your clothes,” she replied, not looking him in the eye.
“Okay. I left them on the counter for you. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything's fine. Excuse me,” Applejack went into the bathroom and grabbed David's clothes. Before she left, she said, “If you want, you can relax in the living room. Just be quiet after nine. We'll all be asleep.”
“That's fine. I was just going to stay in my room anyway.”
David headed to the guest room while Applejack headed downstairs. Once in the room, David shut the door, and put the towel on the back of the chair before grabbing his iPod. He laid down on the bed and listened to some classical music to try and help him sleep. It didn't help, however, as he spent several hours just staring at the ceiling, unable to get to sleep.
He sighed as he got up and quietly went downstairs. He went through the dining room and past the door that led to the kitchen, then turned on the lights before he got himself a glass of water. What he didn't know was that someone had joined him.
"Couldn't sleep either, huh?” David turned to see Applejack in the doorway, wearing her own pajamas and her hair undone.
“No, I couldn't.”
“Something you want to talk about?”
“Yeah, maybe,” David said, staring at the moon.
“What's wrong?”
“It just seems like everything's moving so fast. It seems like yesterday I was living in a forest, and now, I can become a citizen of Equestria and actually be able to move into a house.”
“Well, it was only yesterday you were living in a forest,” AppleJack said, trying to joke.
“Yeah, I know. It seems like my life is finally starting to return to normal... well, as normal as it could be.”
“But?”
“But it's not home. Back home, I actually had a house. I had friends who were like family. I had a decent job and dreams. And maybe, maybe something else…”
"You mean Kristen?”
David looked at Applejack, confused, “How do you-”
“Apple Bloom was snooping through your stuff, and I'll admit, I was, too. But I mostly just looked at that piece of leather you had.”
“I should be a lot more upset than I am, but I'm just glad you didn't touch my guns. So, you saw the picture?” Applejack nodded. “That was the last time I hung out with my friends before I came here. The last time I spent with her.”
“Were the two of you close?”
“I liked her. I think she felt the same, but things just never fell into place... that and her parents didn't like me.”
“How come?”
“Maybe because I had a 'reputation' as an artist, so most people thought I was a pretentious asshole. Her parents were probably worried that I was going to go to school for art, and that kind of study is one of many that doesn't produce much fruit.”
“Were ya any good at?”
“I like to think so. I mean, I only did it as a hobby.”
"Could ya show me?”
"I guess, if you get me some paper and pencil.” Nodding, Applejack left to get the requested items
It didn’t take long for Applejack to get him the items he requested. “Excellent. Now, if you could sit in the dining room and try to look natural.”
“Wait, you want to draw me?”
“My favorite things to draw are people and landscapes, and since it's dark out, I only have one real option. Unless you're uncomfortable with me drawing you?”
“No, it's alright. I just wasn't expecting it.” Applejack sat down in one of the dining room chairs, and David sat in a chair across from her.
“Try to relax and look to the side a little bit. Yes, that's it. Perfect. Now, hold still.” David then went to work sketching Applejack.
Applejack never actually watched someone drawing before, not that it was exciting. She did, however, feel a little embarrassed that he had chosen her as his subject, but she figured it was a better test of his ability than just drawing a teapot. After about a half hour, he was done and showed his work to her.
Applejack reviewed the drawing and was impressed by how good it was. “Wow. This is really good. You’re quite talented at this,” she said, handing back the picture.
“Keep it,” David said, “and thanks. This helped to distract me.”
“David,” Applejack said softly, “I know this is hard,” she pulled him into a hug, “but you got friends that can help you out here.”
“I know, and thank you. It’s just going to take some time to get used to things.”
Applejack broke the hug and said, “You feel better enough to sleep?”
“Yeah, I think I do.”
“Then, let’s go.”
The two headed back upstairs and to their rooms. This time, David found sleep much easier, as he felt that things would be alright.
David woke up at his usual time. He had forgotten how comfortable a bed was and contemplated sleeping in. However, he remembered he was in a farmhouse, and if he wanted to join the family for breakfast, he would need to get up now or even earlier. As he got out of bed, he saw his clothes neatly folded on the dresser. He made the bed, then got dressed. It didn’t take long before he had gathered his things together and put them back where they belong.
He left his rifle on the desk, thinking he wasn't going to need it anytime soon. Heading downstairs, the smell of pancakes and fresh maple syrup brought promise of another delicious meal. As he reached the dining room, he saw the Apple family sitting at the table with food out in front of them.
“Good mornin',” Granny Smith said, “Would you care to join us?”
“Yes, thank you,” David said is he took an open seat next to Big Macintosh, “You weren't waiting for me, were you?”
“Nah, we just set everything out. But we did set a place for you if you wanted to join us.”
“Thanks, again.”
“How'd ya sleep last night?” Applejack asked.
“Really well, though I did have a weird dream about colonial America.”
“What?”
“I'll tell you later.”
There was a bit more small talk as they ate. David didn't speak much, unless he was asked a direct question. He felt a little intimidated sitting next to Big Mac, though he didn't think Big McIntosh was someone who would hurt him for no reason. Still, best to be on your best behavior when sitting next to someone who has at least twice your muscle mass.
“So, what are ya plannin' on doin’ today?” Applejack asked David.
“Oh, I was thinking of going into town to check in with Twilight to see if the paperwork for me becoming a citizen is in yet. After that, well... I don't know. I could come back here and help you guys out with something.”
Big Mac chuckled, “No offense, but you seem more like a city slicker than somepony who could handle this type of work.”
“I may have a grown up in the city, but I'm tougher than I look. I did survive a year in the Everfree Forest, after all.”
“Ah guess you did. But that don't mean you have what it takes to buck trees.”
“Maybe not, but I can do other things.”
Big Mac glared at David, and he glared back. The two were sizing each other up, though David had no delusions of being able to outmatch Big Macintosh when it came to brute strength, but he had a feeling it wasn't about strength, toughness, or anything like that. Instead, it was more of a judge of character.
After what seem like an eternity Big Macintosh smiled and laughed, “Ah think I'm beginning to like you,” he said as he slapped David on the back.
Unfortunately, intentional or not, the force of the blow knocked David's face into his plate. As he set back up, he showed prominently a pancake stuck to his face. Everyone started laughing at him, even him. The pancake did soon peel off though, and landed back on the plate.
I'm still going to eat that, David thought to himself.
“Sorry 'bout that. Sometimes, Ah don't know mah own strength,” Big Mac apologized.
“That's alright. Can I just get a wet towel or something?”
“I'll get it,” Apple Bloom said as she got up from the table and went into the kitchen.
“So, is it anything I can help with?” David asked while he waited for Apple Bloom.
“No need to concern yourself with us,” Granny Smith said, “You just go out and get used to the town. We'll be okay without you.”
“If you're sure?”
“O' course I'm sure. I'm always sure!”
“Alright then. I just feel a little like... I'm taking advantage.”
“Don't worry. We'll kick ya out long before that happens,” Granny Smith said with a smirk.
Everyone laughed again as Apple Bloom return with the towel. As David wiped his face off he felt a sense of joy, he hadn't felt in a long time, a feeling of being a part of a family, but these feelings would have to wait. He still had some work to do.
______________________________
Applejack and Apple Bloom accompanied David into town. Applejack was pulling a cart that her and her family used to sell their apples. Apple Bloom had the day off from school, so she decided to tag along. Once they reached the marketplace, Applejack set up her stall. She also tried to give David a bag of bits for lunch and other expenses, but David declined. He didn't feel right taking the money, so she gave it to Apple Bloom.
“Still goin' to see Twilight?” Applejack asked.
“That's the plan,” David replied.
“Well, alright. Just be careful now.”
“Don't worry, sis. I'll be there to make sure he don't get lost or nothin',” Apple Bloom said.
“That's right,” David said, while messing up Apple Bloom's hair.
“Just make sure to have her back at the house before dark,” Applejack said to David, who responded with a nod and headed in the direction of Twilight’s house with Apple Bloom in tow.
There were more ponies out and about today, most likely because of the weekend and the nice weather. David still noticed them watching and looking at him, but less intently than before. Mostly, it seemed to be mares. They would look at him, then look away and start whispering to each other. The whole situation still made him feel weird, but he understood. If one of these ponies were walking around his old neighborhood, he would be staring too, especially if it was a mare that was as attractive as the ones here.
David had noticed that most of the population had figures that were above the average of what he would see back home. Even the stallions were in much better shape than the guys back home. He also took notice of the differences between the pony races.
Earth ponies appeared to have more muscle mass than the others. The pegasi were thinner and leaner than them, and the unicorns were thinner still. Though David quickly saw an exemption to the rule as he passed a large white Pegasus who looked like he had downed a few dozen bottles of steroids. His train of thought was interrupted when a bouquet of roses was shoved into his face.
“Hello there. My name is Rose Luck. Care for some flowers?” She asked.
David pushed the bouquet out of his face and politely declined. “Please. They're really good,” Rose said as she jammed one in David's mouth, “I dethorned them myself, so they’re perfectly safe to eat!”
David gagged and coughed as he tried to get the plant matter out of his mouth. Of all the times to leave my canteen at camp, David thought.
“Is something wrong?” Rose asked.
Once David had removed all the foreign material from his mouth, he looked at Rose and sighed. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he explained, “It's not your fault, since you didn't know, but... humans don't eat flowers.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry!” Rose then paused before she hesitantly added, “So... what do humans eat?”
“Lots of different things.”
“Liiiike?” Rose said, leaning into him.
“Look, I don't want to be rude, but I'm a little busy today.”
“Oh, okay... Maybe we can get together some other time and get to know each other?”
“Yeah, maybe. We'll see,” David took a step back and turned on his heels, “So yeah, see you around sometime.” He then took Apple Bloom's hand, and the two moved on.
As they moved on, several more mares passed by rather close to David, and as they passed, they would brush their tails against his thigh or leg. Each time this happened, Apple Bloom would giggle.
“What's so funny, Apple Bloom?” David stopped and asked.
“Oh, it's nothing. Don't worry about it.”
“Worry about what?”
“Like I said. It's nothing,” Apple Bloom grabbed his hand and pull him onward.
“But…” Before he could say any more, a familiar mint green unicorn stepped out in front of them, Oh, goody. It's the pervert again, “Hey, Lyra. What do you need?”
“Well, I heard that you were in town, and I thought I should ask you to come to the hospital.”
“And why would I do that?”
“So they can study your biology. It will be nothing invasive. I promise.”
“We’ll see, though I still need to visit Twilight.”
“I know, but I hope you'll still go. This is your health we're talking about.”
“Okay, I'll... wait. You knew I was in town, but you also know I'm going to Twilight’s. How?”
“I'm not following you or anything!” Lyra shut her mouth after she said that, as David gave her the 'I can't believe you say that' stare. “What I meant was that I-”
David held up his hand and said, “Just go.”
“Okay, sorry. I'm not trying to be a creeper-”
“Just go.”
“Right, so... see you later then.” Lyra quickly ran off.
“What the hey was that all about?” Apple Bloom asked, “Don't you like Lyra?”
“It's not that I don't like her. It's just... I'm not comfortable with her following me. You have to admit that that's creepy.”
“Ah guess so, but are ya goin' to go to the hospital, like she said?”
“I don't see why not. I mean, she did make a good point.”
Lyra’s little interruption hadn't delayed David too much from getting to Twilight's, as he saw the library coming up at the end of the street. The two walked up to the library, and David knocked on the door. After a few minutes, the door opened, revealing Spike at the door.
“Hello, David. Hello, Apple Bloom,” he said.
“Hey there, Spike. No hard feelings about yesterday, right?” David asked.
“Na, we’re all good.”
“What happened yesterday?” Apple Bloom asked.
“It's nothing you need to worry about,” David said, “Anyways, is Twilight home?”
“Yeah, she's here. Come on in.” Spike stepped aside so the two could walk in. “I'll go get her,” Spike said as he ran upstairs.
David sat on a couch, while Apple Bloom browsed through the books. After a few minutes, Twilight came downstairs. Much to David’s surprise, she was wearing a purple tank top and white short shorts, which seemed strange to him, considering she was supposed to be the librarian of this library.
“Hi, David. How are you today?” Twilight said as she sat next to him.
“I'm doing good,” David replied, “I'm here to see if the princess sent you that paper work.”
“As a matter of fact, she did. I received it this morning,” Twilight said as she levitated some papers over to him, “I was actually going to go find you, so you could fill it out.”
“I'm glad I could save you the trip,” David said as he took the paper, “but were you really going to go out dressed like that?”
“Well, no,” Twilight blushed, “You caught me in the middle of getting ready for the day, so I had to throw some pants on and…”
David raised an eyebrow and cocked a smile, “So, you sleep in your underwear, huh?”
“What?! No! I mean-”
“Hey, to each his own. Sometimes, I like to sleep naked. Do whatever's comfortable for you.”
“Well, I-” Dang it, now I'm picturing him naked. “Look, you just fill that out, and I'll go and finish getting ready,” Twilight said, flustered.
“Okay, do you have a pen or something I can use?”
“Yeah, sure,” Twilight levitated a quill and inkwell to him, before heading back upstairs.
David read over the forms, and noticed they were handwritten, I guess the princess made me a custom one, or she does all of them like this. He then picked up the quill, Well, this is going to be adventurous. Let's see if I can make it legible with this. As he filled out the paperwork, he began to think that this was custom made, considering some of the questions seemed specifically geared towards him.
After about ten minutes, Twilight came back downstairs and rejoined him on the couch. “How’re you doing?” she asked.
“Okay, assuming you can actually read my writing. Just need to finish a couple more questions, and I'll be done. This didn't take as long as I thought it would.”
“From what I understand, they normally don't.”
“Alright. I'm done!”
“May I see?” Twilight asked. David handed the paper over to her, and she read it over. “Looks like everything is in order. Now, you just need to have someone to approve and administer the oath of citizenship.”
“Great. How do I do that?”
“We could get the mayor to do it, but if you want to get it done right now, I can do it.”
“You can?”
“Yep. I'm certified to swear in new citizens.”
“Well, let's not waste any time. What do I have to do?”
“Raise your right hand and repeat after me: 'I solemnly swear that I will support and defend Equestria and its princesses against any threats, domestic or foreign, and take up arms in its defense, if needed; and to obey its laws and perform any service that is requested of me within the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me, Celestia.'”
David repeated the oath perfectly, except for one part, “So help me God.” He said at the end.
“Wait... what did you say there?”
“Just consider it my way of making it more meaningful.”
“Alright then. I just need to file this away then. Congratulations on becoming a citizen of Equestria.”
“Cool. Do I get a green card or something?”
“Maybe? What's a green card?”
“A document that I carry around to let people know that I'm legal.”
“I think you get something like that.”
“Okay then. Thanks for everything. Come on, Apple Bloom. We’re going.”
“Are we going to the hospital now?” Apple Bloom asked.
“The hospital! What's wrong?! Are you not feeling well?” Twilight asked, worry in her tone.
“I’m fine. Lyra just asked me to stop by for an examination. It's probably just to make sure that if I do need to go to the hospital, they don't cause more damage, or remove a kidney by accident.”
“Oh, in that case, it makes sense.”
“Yeah. See you around, Twilight.”
David and Apple Bloom left and headed for the hospital, with Apple Bloom leading the way. Along the way, David noticed that more ponies were out and congregating around the area they were going. David also noticed that many of them were mares, and some of them had old fashioned cameras.
I guess they aren't done gawking at me. “Okay, everyone, I'm glad you find me so very fascinating, but could you please tone down the creepy stalker vibe?” David said to the now crowded ponies.
Many of the ponies blushed and nodded sheepishly before moving on. One of the ponies with a camera approached him, “May I at least take your picture?”
“Yeah, okay. You can take a picture or two,” David replied.
“Thank you,” she said as she brought up the camera, “Now, smile!”
David gave her a simple smile as she took the picture. The other ponies with cameras stepped forward as well and started taking pictures without asking. David quickly regretted allowing pictures, as their old flash bulbs kept blinding him.
“Okay, okay! That's enough!” David said, shielding his eyes. There were a few groans and awws from the remaining ponies. “Sorry, but I'm not too keen on losing my eyesight yet.” That got the ponies to quiet down and even apologize before going about their business.
David rubbed his temple and let out a sigh of frustrated. I wonder how long this is going to last. He thought.
“You okay?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Yeah. Come on. Let’s just go to the hospital.”
________________________
David and Apple Bloom arrived at the hospital a little before noon. David hoped it was alright, seeing as he didn't know when he should have arrived, but that's what he got for ditching Lyra. David and Apple Bloom entered the hospital, and David saw that it was unremarkable compared to some of the other buildings he had seen the past couple days. It was very similar to the ones back home, which did give him some comfort. Apple Bloom went to take a seat in the waiting area while he went up to the reception area and spoke to the receptionist.
“Excuse me, miss, I would-”
The reception looked up and gasped, “Oh my goodness, what happened to you!? Don't worry, we'll take care of you. I'll get a doctor right away!”
“Whoa, whoa! Take it easy! There's nothing wrong with me.”
“But your fur and your ears and your-”
“I'm not a pony!”
“Oh, that would explain the way you look. Sorry. I didn't mean any offense.”
“None taken.”
“Oh good. Now, what can I do for you today?”
“Well, Lyra asked me to come by and-”
“Oh, that must mean you're the human. Right?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. I'll go see if they're ready for you. Please, have a seat.”
David nodded and walk over to the waiting area and sat next to Apple Bloom.
“Everything okay?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Yeah,” David replied, “Just going to kill some time.” David took out his iPod and started scrolling through some of his games. Let's see. Where were my games again? ...Oh, here we go. David's started up the game, and its music began to play.
“Hey, what's that?” Apple Bloom asked.
“What? My iPod, or what I'm doing?”
“Both.”
David took a minute to explain his iPod and the game he was playing.
“Can I try when you're in with the doctor?”
“Sure.”
David showed Apple Bloom how to play the game. Afterwards, a nurse approached them and told David they were ready for him. David followed the nurse as she led him to an examination room.
“The doctor is waiting for you inside,” the nurse said. David nodded and went in the room. Inside the room was a yellow unicorn stallion in a lab coat.
“Ah, you must be the human I've been asked to look at,” he said.
“Yes, that's me. My name’s David.”
“And I'm Dr. Horse. I also believe you are familiar with Miss Lyra Heartstrings,” the doctor said, pointing to Lyra, “She will be assisting me today.”
Of course she is. David thought to himself.
“Now, let us begin. Wait a second,” the doctor said, looking around, “Didn't you fill out same paperwork?”
“No. Nobody gave me anything.”
“Fantastic... Give me a minute while I go and tell the nurses how to do their job!” The doctor said, nearly storming out of the room.
David turned to Lyra and said, “So, you're here because…?”
“Well, I am an expert on humans, so the doctor thought I should be here.”
“Really? Okay, answer me this, how many gizzards does a human have?”
“Umm... one?”
“Nope. Zero. Humans don't have a gizzard.”
“How was I supposed to know that?”
“I don't know. You are the human expert, aren't you?” David said with a coy smile.
“I’ll have you know that I wrote many papers on the... Oh... Wait... You're just messing with me, aren't you?”
“Just a little.” After David said that, the door to the room opened, and the doctor returned and handed him a clipboard and a pen. David took the pen and stared at it, Seriously? They do have ball point pens... Just... just let go. David thought with a sigh as he filled out the paperwork. When he was finished, he handed it back to the doctor.
“Excellent. If you wouldn't mind taking off your shirt and jacket, we can get to the examination.”
“Just what exactly are you going to be doing to me? Just so I know.”
“Well, first I'm going to check your vitals, then do a few scans to see your skeletal structure, organs, muscles, etc. Then, I’ll take a few samples. After that, you'll be free to go.”
“I told you it wouldn't be anything invasive,” Lyra said.
“All right then. Let's get this over with,” David said, taking off his clothes.
“Alright then. Sit up on the table,” the doctor said as he proceeded to start a short physical examination. “Interesting. It seems that your vitals are just a few points off from our’s.”
“Really, doctor?” Lyra asked.
“Yes. Some are higher, some are lower, and one is about the same.”
“Is that good, bad, or what?” David asked.
“Well, without another human to compare you to, I'll have to say your readings are good. We'll keep these on record for any time you need treatment, though you should come back for a routine physical every few months, just to make sure our records remain accurate.”
“Sure. I don't see why not.”
“Very good. Now, follow me, and we will get started on your scans.”
“Do you need me to take off any more clothing?”
“That won't be necessary. In fact, you can put your clothes back on.” The doctor then led David to a machine and asked him to lie down on it.
The device looked a lot like in x-ray machine from back home, which prompted David to ask, “Is there some protective thing that I should be wearing?”
“No. If you're worried this device, I can assure you it is perfectly safe.” With that, the doctor started up the machine, and beams of light started running up and down his body. “This will only take a few minutes, so try to hold still,” the doctor said. David relaxed as he let the machine do its work. After a few minutes, the doctor told David they were done, and he could get up.
“So, is that all? Are we finished?” David asked.
“Not quite. I still need a couple samples of yours.” The doctor then took out a syringe, “First, I'd like a blood sample.”
“Alright,” David said, rolling up his sleeve. David turned his head as the doctor stuck the needle in a vein.
“Don't like the sight of blood?” the doctor asked.
“No. Just not a big fan of needles.” The doctor nodded and pulled the needle out and put a bandage on his arm. The doctor then handed him a plastic cup. “You know, most doctors ask for a urine sample before the examination.”
“Oh, that's not for urine.” David looked at the doctor, then looked over to see Lyra with a couple of magazines.
He then looked back to the doctor, “No.”
“But-”
“You have more than enough with just my blood. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other places I’d like to be right now. Good day.” David got up and walked out of the room.
“Well, that could have gone better,” Lyra said.
“Don't worry. He'll be back if he wants kids,” the doctor said, getting his notes together, “In the meantime, we have a lot to go over.”
David headed back to the waiting room. Once there, he got Apple Bloom, and the two left. “Everything okay?” she asked.
“Yes. Everything's alright. I'm sure that if they need anything more from me, they'll ask.”
“So, what do ya wanna do now?”
“I don't know.”
“Well, it's a little past noon, so how about we get some lunch?” Apple Bloom said, waving the bag of bits her sister gave her.
David was about to protest, when he felt his stomach growl, “Okay. Just nothing that's exclusive to ponies, 'kay?”
__________________________________
David and Apple Bloom were sitting at a table outside a restaurant, waiting for their food. Apple Bloom said the place had a good selection of food for all races, but it was lacking meat, not that David was surprised by that. Apple Bloom had ordered a fruit salad with a flower sandwich, while David had ordered a grilled cheese and tomato soup.
The two of them sat in an awkward silence until Apple Bloom asked him a question, “So, how did you meet your friends?”
David tilted his head back and collected his thoughts, “Well, the short answer is school.”
“Is that it?”
“Yeah, pretty much, actually.”
“So, nothing brought you guys together?”
“Look, if you’re looking for an inspirational tale of a bunch of misfits getting together and overcoming a common challenge, you're not going to find it here.” Apple Bloom was a little disappointed by that. “But now that I think about it, I guess there is a small story to how we all met. First, Ben and I have been friends for pretty much ever. His dad and my dad were friends, so we pretty much grew up together.
“Zac and Paul we met in first grade. The two had always been a little weird and were often bullied for it. Now, I had always been taught to stand up for myself and people who can't do it themselves, so I stepped in. I got in trouble afterwards, of course, but no one bothered those two again, and I got a couple more friends.
“Kristin, however, was a little different. We met her halfway through the school year. We must have been in the 5th or 6th grade, I can't quite remember, but I could tell she needed someone to help her fit in, so I simply walked up and talked to her one lunch period. We became fast friends after that.
“None of us really had many friends outside of the five of us, but we were okay with that. We were like family. I never had siblings growing up, and they were like the brothers and sister I never had,” David said with a touch of sadness in his voice.
“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-”
“It's alright. I just need to make some new friends.”
“Well, you at least have me and my sister.”
“True. Speaking of, how did you and your friends meet?”
Apple Bloom told him about how she met Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo and how the three of them formed the Cutie Mark Crusaders, during which their food arrived. After Apple Bloom was finished telling her story and the two had finished eating, Apple Bloom asked what they should do now.
“I don't know,” David said as he thought about it. Then, he remembered something from yesterday, “I wanted to go see Rarity at her shop and see if she could make me some new clothes.”
“I'm sure she would be happy to. Let's go.”
The two were off and soon arrived at Carousel Boutique. The two entered and heard a bell go off. “Be there in a minute,” they heard in a sing-song voice coming from another room.
David looked around and found that the place was more upscale than what he was used to. He saw many of the mannequins were dressed in either formal gowns or suits, nothing that he would need for a day to day basis. His attention was brought back when he heard someone enter the room.
“Hello, and welcome to carousel boutique- Oh! Hello, David. What can I do for you?”
“Hello, Rarity. I'm here to see if I could place in an order for some new clothes.”
“Why, of course you can. Simply stand on the platform over there, and we'll get started.”
“Excuse me, Rarity,” Apple Bloom said, “but is Sweetie Belle around?”
“Hello, Apple Bloom. Yes, she is. You may go and see her while I am working with David.”
With that, Apple Bloom went upstairs, and Rarity turned her attention back to David. Rarity levitated over a pair of glasses, some paper, a quill and ink vial, and some measuring tape. She then directed David how to stand, so she could take his measurements.
“Anything in particular you were interested in?” she asked.
“Just something casual that I can work in. Also, some pajamas would be nice.”
“Any thoughts on the color?”
“I'm partial to cool colors, blue and green specifically. I also have a fondness for red and orange, so anything along those lines.”
“Alrighty then.” Rarity moved the measuring tape all over David's body as she wrote down his measurements. Once she was satisfied, she looked over the numbers to see if maybe she had something already that might fit him.
“Give me a minute, darling, and I'll be right back,” Rarity said, going into her back room.
David sat on the ledge of the platform and waited while Applebloom and Sweetie Belle came down. “Hello, David,” Sweetie Belle said.
“Hello, Sweetie Belle. What have you two been up to?”
“Ah've just been tellin' Sweetie Belle 'bout our day, and she wanted to say hi before we left.”
“Well, thank you,” David said as he ruffled Sweetie's mane.
“Where's Rarity?” Apple Bloom asked.
“I'm right here, darlings,” Rarity said, coming back with a set of clothing. She handed them to David, “Here. Try these on.”
“Okay. Thank you.” David went into a changing room. He noticed the clothes were fairly normal. The shirt was a dark blue, button-down polo shirt, and the pants were a set of matching khakis. He put them on and found them to be a perfect fit, but there was something off about them, apart from a hole in the pants for a tail.
He walked out of the room to show Rarity. “I say you do look rather dashing... but wait...”
“What?”
“There's no cutie mark.”
“Yeah. So?”
“That, and most of the clothing I make is made from a special fabric that tunes into a pony’s natural magic and displays their cutie mark.”
“Is that why I feel all tingly?”
“Possibly. It happens to creatures who don't have a cutie mark and wear this type of material.”
“I see. Is this going to be a problem?”
“No. Not at all. I have plenty of non-magical fabric to make outfits for you.”
“Alright. Then I guess I'll change and leave you to it. By the way, how much is this going to cost?”
“Nothing.”
“What?”
“You heard me. Consider this a gift for all you've done for the ponies of Ponyville.”
“I appreciate that, but you should at least let me do something to pay you back.”
“Well, how about this? You model some clothes for me sometime. I've got a whole lot of new ideas from you.”
“That sounds good. I'll see you around then,” David said as he went back into the changing room and put his old clothes back on.
The two said their goodbyes and headed out. David decided to take Apple Bloom back to her sister at the market, only to find that she wasn't there. Apple Bloom told him that after lunch the apples would usually sell out, and her sister would go back to the farm, so David decided that they should head back as well.
On the way back, Apple Bloom asked him if he would stay, like he did before. “I don't think so, Apple Bloom. It's not that late, so I could get back home safely, and besides, I don't want to wear out my welcome.”
“I see,” Apple Bloom said in a sad tone.
“Hey, it's not like I'm going to stay in that forest forever, you know?”
Apple Bloom just nodded as they continued down the path to her home. Once they reached the house, Apple Bloom opened the door and shouted, “We're home!”
“Is David with you?” they heard Applejack shout back from the living room.
“Yeah, he’s still here,” Apple Bloom answered.
“Well, bring him in here.”
Apple Bloom took David's hand and led him to the living room. There he saw the rest of the Apple family. “What's going on?” Apple Bloom asked.
Applejack smiled. “We've been talking, and we would like to invite David to move in with us,” she said while turning towards David, “That is, if you want to.”
David was nearly rendered speechless by the offer, “Wow. I just, wow... this... I don't even know what to say.”
“Say yes!” Apple Bloom exclaimed.
“Well, I just don't know. I would like to, but... I don't know. This seems a little sudden.”
Granny Smith got up from her rocking chair and headed over to David, “Ah know you're from another world and all, and Ah don't know what things are like where you're from, but I know one thing... I like you, and my grandkids like you, so I don't see why you shouldn't come and live with us. If it don't work out, then you can always find a new place. What do you say?”
David stood there for a moment, thinking before he took out his wallet. “What do you say we let fate decide?” he unzipped a compartment in his wallet and pulled out a large silver coin, and showed it to them, “Heads, I stay. Tails, I find my own place.”
Granny Smith nodded and let him proceed as he flipped the coin, caught it, and rested it on the back of his other hand. He then removed his hand and revealed that the coin had landed heads up.
“Looks like I'm moving in.”
Apple Bloom cheered as she hugged him. Applejack chuckle and said, “How 'bout tomorrow we go back to your place and get your stuff?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“Good. Now, why don't you go rest while we get dinner ready?”
“You sure you don't want me to help this time?”
“That's alright, but you’re still a guest, so take some time to relax.”
“Well, alright then. Thank you for letting me stay here.”
“It's no trouble.”
David nodded and headed upstairs. He entered his room and laid on the bed as he looked at his coin. I guess there is some luck left in you he thought is he stared at the coins worn face and faded date.
“Hey, what're you thinking about?” David looked at the door and saw Applejack leaning on the door frame.
“Oh, hey… Just stuff.”
“Anything that might keep you up at night like last time?”
“No. I don't think so. Really, I was just thinking about this,” he showed her the coin again.
“What's so special about it?” Applejack said as she moved in closer.
“It's a silver dollar, the first one my great grandfather ever made after coming to America, and he always kept it as a good luck charm.”
“So, he gave it to you?”
“No, my uncle did. Actually, he said he didn't need it anymore, and that it was time to pass it on.”
“Do you really think it's lucky?”
“I don't know. It said I should stay with you, so we'll see.”
“Well, I'm kind of glad actually.”
David looked at her with confusion, “What do you mean by that?”
“Ah think you're good person. Ah also thank you need some friends by your side. It'll be better for you to make friends if they don't have to visit you in the Everfree Forest.”
David laughed, “Yeah. You have a point there.”
“Well, I'll let you get some rest. We’ll call you when dinner's ready.” Applejack was about to leave when the David called out to her.
“Applejack?”
“Yes?”
“Thanks... for caring.”
“Of course. We're friends aren't we?”
“Yeah. Yeah, we are,” David said with a smile.
Applejack left, and David was alone with his thoughts again. Things seem to be moving quickly again, but that may not be a bad thing. He took out the picture of him and his friends. Still, I wish. He shook his head, No. It's probably better if things stay the way they are. By now, they've moved on. It's time I do, too… but how? He looked down to the hallway. He could just barely hear the sounds of dishes and pans being moved in the kitchen. I guess I just need more time to adjust. He looked back at the picture as a single tear ran down his cheek, I still miss you guys. I just wish I could have said goodbye.
David put the picture away and laid back down and let out a heavy sigh, “Things will get better... they have to... right, mom?” he said, looking up out the window.
