Join our hero on his story of self discovery and the series of unfortunate events that follow
Join the story of Jeremy as he is suddenly transported to Equestria. A Slice of life story with some elements of horror, action, adventure and all things.
Follow the story of a human man trying to figure out if there is a way for him to go home and why he was sent to this world in the first place.
The sound of steel clashing, distant muffled and distorted screams and an orchestra of explosive rumbling earbeat filled my ears as the smell of sulphur, blood and a faint sting of dust filling my nose thrash the organ. My skin was covered in a sticky sensation that I could believe was sweat although there were patches that seemed thicker which surrounded parts of my form that would burn angrily when I focused on.
My mouth was dry and my throat felt like it was home to a nest of angry bees.
My joints burned from excursion and strain that they threatened to give up on me at a moment’s notice.
I could barely breathe while my body felt like it was filled with lead.
I couldn’t see from a mixture of sweat and blood smearing my eyes, obscuring all but the blurred of shapes, the shape before me seemed to be a dark grey that seemed to pull my focus.
This was my foe but I could not recall why I was fighting, was it for love? For pride? Or in an attempt to save my own currently fleeting life?
I didn’t know as I pushed my body forward, the feeling of my sword in my gauntleted hands gave me comfort as I rushed forward while my foe mirrored me.
We were about to connect when the world and all my perceptions shattered like glass, falling away into the void, as numbness took me and I felt weightless. It was comforting in comparison to my prior situation.
There was nary a moment to consider what was happening when I felt myself being shunted into the waking world as I was thrust into consciousness.
What was once a dark infinite void was replaced with my dark small bedroom. The 15 foot by 9 foot space was sparsely decorated with my double bed, a dresser that had an assortment of picture frames and other trinkets, a shelf with some more trinkets and my tv across from my bed which seemed to be playing some shitty knight movie. The room smelt of my cologne, a mixture of Amber, warm spice, vanilla and some citrus notes, and the reek of my half finished rum and coke that sat on my bedside table along with a bottle of water.
“Damn…” I muttered as I sluggishly sat up, feeling my body opposed to this notion save for a prominent need to use the bathroom. My body shivered as it had been removed from the comfort and warmth of my blankets. I glanced at my phone which was sitting unplugged next to my hazardous drink and the remote to the TV. I collected the device and turned it to face me, unlocking it only to groan as my world was flooded with the light of the treacherous device.
Inspecting the late hour and the low percentage, I plugged in the device before stumbling to my ensuite in nothing but charcoal boxers and a navy singlet. A yawn escaped my lips as I scratched my joints before I flicked on the bathroom’s lights and hissed as my eyes were once again bullied by the lumination at my own hand.
“God damn bladder” I grumbled as I shuffled across the freezing tiles, my body refusing to properly function as it wanted to return to sleep. Once I had relieved myself I moved to my sink, turning on the hot water because the sting of winter was leaching through my walls and tiles. Once the water was sufficiently warm, I washed my hands before looking up at the mirror. There I saw myself, relatively regular looking features save for the slight disfigurement on the bridge of my nose from when it was broken, or the scar through my left eyebrow from where I wanted to be cool when I was a young teenager. My eyes drifted down from my eyebrow to lock with the reflection of my amber eyes, probably the most irregular thing about my face were my eyes which were nice. I smirked softly as I rubbed my chin, feeling the growing stumble as I rinsed my clean hands. Once coated in water, I wiped my face and ran my fingers through my oak-coloured hair which was cut short along the sides and left a little longer on top so I could shape it a little if I felt like it.
Once I had finished doing whatever I was up to, I dried my hands and shuffled back to my bed, flicking the light off to the bathroom and closing the door as I shuffled my lean form to my bed, to return to the embrace of sleep.
Except, something was off.
The TV was off… I don't remember turning it off.
My eyes shifted to look for the remote and where I had left it but it was missing, along with my half filled drink. Okay this was starting to freak me out as i sat up, what the fuck was happening, i could have sworn that.
A creak, the groan of my floorboards. Shifting my gaze I felt my heart freeze when my eyes fell on a figure at the end of my bed. It seems impossibly tall or at least the world around it seems to warp around its form.
The shape of it was impossible to discern as it constantly shifted, breaking and reforming into different uncomfortably incredible forms. What am I looking at?
“Do nOt WOrry JeREMy, WE meaN YoU No HARm” It said in a weird tone of voice, almost like dozens of different voices talking at different pitches while all seemingly to ripple from every direction. I could feel my mind failing to comprehend what was happening as I tried to tear my eyes from IT.
“You HAVe BEen SELEcTED” It said in what i could only describe as a enthusiastic tone of voice, i tried to speak but my voice failed as i was forced to witness several different eyes spawn across it’s impossible form, each of a different colour or species but no one similar. I felt my stomach churn and bubble as i noticed that the eyes were surrounded by unrealistically white human teeth.
“Why me?” I wish I could say that I spoke in an envigored, courageous voice but I didn't… my voice was broken and shuddered without a hint of pride within it. I felt afraid, i didn’t know what this thing wanted and i didn’t wish to know… i wish i hadn’t woken up, maybe it would have left me…
The eyes started glowing, it was blinding and made my brain hurt. Ringing filled my ears and mind while my vision blurred. My ability to focus was failing me before I felt my stomach drop and I was falling.
I felt no wind resistance as I plummeted but knew I was falling from the general sensation of my organs responding to the movement. I was conscious, at least I think I am… why did this happen to me? What the fuck is in store for me? Why the hell did I have the attention of Chuthulu’s weird ass dog?
Was I still falling? Or was I rising… I can feel myself moving but it quickly became confusing, wait did that steal my drink? That bastard, I swear to whatever god is listening I'm going to…
I felt an impact rock through my body as if I had hit the ground hard and had the wind knocked out of me. I gasped for breath but at least it didn’t feel like I was falling anymore. I couldn’t breath, why was this happening to me? I had been a good guy… I helped people and didn’t go out of my way to mess with people.
I could feel panic rising as my heart raced as I shifted and tried to stand. It felt like there was concrete under my feet but that can’t be right as I was in this abyss of darkness.
“LOOK OUT!” a masculine voice cried as I turned to face it only to have something slam into my chest with sufficient force, winding me once more and sending me back down onto the ground but this time I felt the back of my head connect with the hard stone ground. The sound of contact was heard along with a ringing in my ears once more as I felt stunned.
I hated this, I didn’t deserve this… After everything I had struggled to overcome… is this how I died? Alone, scared and in the dark? Why me?
“Hey… Ah buddy are ya arlight?” a southern female voice asked
What?
“Buck, Apple Bloom Ah told ya to not toss those jugs around, they are as hard as hell and ya were gonna hurt somepony!” Another Feminine voice scolded.
“Ahm’s sorry Applejack but how was ah supposed to know that somepony would be stumblin’ about the old backroad?” This Apple Bloom said, trying to defend themselves while I still tried to regain my ability to breath and process what the hell is happening.
“Well obviously somepony was ‘ere, and ya managed to hurt the fella!” The Applejack woman lectured as I rolled onto my hands and knees as I managed to regain some threads of air into my bruised lungs.
“He wasn’t there when ah tossed it!” Apple Bloom retorted in a huff as my vision began to return. It was blinding and intoxicating… It felt like drinking water after spending days in a desert without it. Everything was so vibrant and I coughed and inhaled more air.
“Well obvious ya shouldn’t have been tossing a jug around any which way cause as AH had told ya, it ain’t safe to do so!” Applejack replied in a stern tone while i collected myself and noticed that the colours were… off
“How am ah supposed to know when somepony will randomly materialise out of thin air in front of where ah am tossing stuff?!” Bloom retorted to her as the body began to catch up with me. I involuntarily gave a pained groan as the pain in my chest and head finally registered and I curled up.
“Bloom, we live in a world where ponies can use magic and spontaneously materialise out of nowhere” Jack stated as she added claps to add emphasis to her point.
Wait, magic?
“Don’t ya start clapping at me!”
“Then don’t do dumb junk Bloom!”
“What the fuck is going on here?” I growled out as I pushed myself up and turned to look at the pair behind me. I expected people but standing there were two horses… well Horse people? They had the body of humans but the heads and tails of horses and they were covered in fur… the bigger one was orange woman, with yellow hair that was tied back in a ponytail, along with her well ponytail and wore a red flannel top, sun bleached jeans, cowboy boots and a oak coloured cowboy hat, the other smaller woman… mare? I don’t know, she wore a similar attire save for the hat and a different colour flannel. In place of the stetson was actually a bright pink bow tied into her lighter red hair. She had yellow fur and seemed to be the younger of the pair from a general attitude and appearance.
“Oh heck ah completely forgot about ya sugarcube” The orange mare said as she knelt down next to me, this didn’t make sense but i don’t know if i'm dreaming, have a concussion or am dead… I honestly don’t know which is best at this point because I was in such incredible pain.
“My everything hurts” I groan as I rub the back of my head and feel a damp stickiness along with ripples of pain, making me flinch and retract my hand, revealing the blood I suspected was there.
“Oh buck, Bloom go to town and grab a doctor, we have somepony who’s got a head injury” Applejack instructed as I groaned, I love head injuries, totally my favourite thing, well at least it wasn’t broken ri…
I gave a sharp growl of pain as Applejack picked me up as I felt the broken ribs squeeze my lungs slightly.
“Ya alright?” She asked me as Apple Bloom took off running.
“I think i have a couple broken ribs” I groaned out as i felt my arm being put over the mare’s shoulders and she began walking me towards a farmhouse. None of this made sense, I couldn't really think at the moment with the state i was in, i’ll probably panic later once my brain isn’t on fire anymore.
“Come on, let's get ya to the house… and maybe find some pants.” She said, adding a soft chuckle at the last part, making me realise that yes… I was still in my boxers and singlet.
“Great first impression… sorry about that, didn’t expect to suddenly be on your farm.” I groaned out as she guided me with surprising ease as she stood slightly shorter than me
“Ya all good Sugarcube.” She responded with a chuckle.
“So where exactly am i?” I asked as we reached the porch.
“Well you're on Sweet Apple Acres on the outskirts of Ponyville.” She explained as she helped me up the stairs.
“Why do I get the feeling there are gonna be a lot of puns?” I groaned out which only gained me a laugh in response as she led me inside.
A throbbing painful warm filled my chest as I had been placed down within a moderate sized kitchen. Applejack had placed me here before going off to find some clothes for me as a mature green mare in a floral patterned dress was keeping me company. She had platinum white hair and an orange scarf with a red apple pattern across it.
She had introduced herself as Granny Smith and offered some oatmeal raisin cookies and some tea.
“You are quite early you now aren’t ya deary?” She said with a warm smile as she handed me a tea towel wrapped ice pack. The question caught me off guard as I gave her an inquisitive look.
“Oh right, you wouldn’t know now would ya, ah’m sure that when Applebloom gets back with the doctor and somepony from the Town Hall that they’ll explain it better for ya.” She added as I gave a wince as I pressed the cold pack against the back of my head.
“You have lost me.” I replied as the weight of realisation that i was actually alive and not dreaming was taking hold of me but strangely there was a haunting feeling of calm within my mind. I honestly was expecting to be on the verge of a panic attack upon realising that I was in another realm due to the completely different sentient species but I wasn't… not in the slightest which was actually worrying.
“Oh well ah guess ah can give you an explanation to the best of my knowledge as this is really the first time ah have actually met a Human face to face, but ya see that there appears to be a cycle that happens of sorts, a bunch of human appear by a force, which if those history books and stories are to be believed, is older then the princess and they are around for 50 years before they all suddenly vanish ya see. Then after five years the next bunch appears and it all repeats.” Granny explained as she placed a cup of tea in front of me as I attempted to process this new information.
“O…okay and what do you mean by that I am early?” I asked as I dipped my cookie in the hot liquid.
“Ah well they last bunch vanished about four years ago so ya a bit early… also ya appeared in the wrong spot.” She explained as she did a similar motion to me with her cookies as she sat next to me.
“So I take it that it’s not common for a human to randomly appear and get bodied by a jar?” I asked with a smirk, which gained a chuckle from the old mare.
“Not that ah have heard of, no. from what i saw when i was a little filly on the television, y’all appear in some designated spot in the Capital everytime, so you appearing on the edge of the farm is quite strange. You must have given poor Applebloom quite a fright.” She said with a soft chuckle as she sipped her tea.
“Yea, I learned the hard way from that.” I replied with a chuckle before wincing at the pain in my chest. “So I have broken the set rules… I wonder why and how?” I questioned out loud as I finished my cookie and sipped on my tea.
“Ah wouldn’t have a clue, the only magic i know involves farming.” She replied with a slight shrug as Applejack returned to the kitchen with a pair of jeans and a blue flannel top. Magic, that was the thing, by all accounts i should be questioning what the hell is up with this talk of magic and how it seems to be so commonplace but when i try and focus on it’s strange nature of it, the bizarre idea of it makes way to an almost acceptance even though magic was a figment of imagination from earth, i don’t understand
“Sorry it took so long, I had to find some of the clothes ma cousin left behind.” She said as she offered the clothes to me.
“Thanks, give me a sec” I said as I placed the ice pack on the table, a tinge of red on the towel made me flinch as Granny placed a hand on mine.
“It’s alright deary, it’ll wash out.” She reassured me. This was strange, there was this feeling in my chest apart from the pain which was fading the longer I was with these two ponies. It felt comforting and almost nostalgic like when I used to spend time with my family but I couldn't grasp why it had felt like an eternity since I had this feeling when the day before I was with my father and brothers… Something was weird about this place.
“Alright, give me a sec.” shifting, seeing as i was only pulling clothes on, i didn’t feel the need to move rooms as the pair had already seen me in my boxers and singlet. I pulled the jeans up my legs until I had to stand to pull them up. I felt a supporting arm wrap around me carefully from the orange mare as I pulled the jeans up into place and did them up. “Thanks.”
“No worries Sugercube, ah know the pain of broken ribs, been on the wrong end of ma Brother bucking, it was an accident but still wasn’t fun.” She explained as she released me.
“Yea, I have had my ribs broken a few times but mostly because I've been an idiot.” I added with a soft chuckle, flinching slightly as I pulled the top on. “I'm surprised these fit so well, I mean the top is loose but the pants fit well.” I explained as I sat back down, leaving the top open as I figured that the doctor would need access to my chest.
“Yea Braeburn isn’t as big as Big Mac.” Granny Smith explained as I nodded softly as the door opened. A tall muscular red furred Pony stepped in, they were dressed in dark grey jeans, brown boots and a dark green plaid shirt. They had long loose yellow hair and tail and stood around 6’2”
“Afternoon Mac, having ah break?” Applejack asked as the Stallion inspected me with a curious look.
“Yeeup.” He said as he walked over and grabbed a glass of water.
“The Kettle is boiled if you’d like a cup of tea Big Mac.” Granny said warmly.
“Thank ya Kindly Granny” He replied warmly and with a kind smile as he made himself a cup of tea and joined us at the table quietly. The comfortability was nightmarish, why was I so accepting of this sudden change? Did i manage to fuck my head up that much from smashing it into the stone floor? Or were there other elements at work here? I tried to focus and think but every chance I did, the alien feeling of being surrounded by unknown beings seemed to spill from my grasp like smoke. It was terrifying and made my heart race, which didn’t do my broken ribs any favours.
Probably sensing my conflicting mindscape I heard Granny speak up. “Well for being a new arrival, ya seem to handle the transition mighty well, ah have heard some horror stories of some humans’ being inconsolable when they arrived but ya seem to be very accepting of it all.” She said as she sipped her tea.
“Yea, i honestly don’t know if it is because of my head injury or that i'm in shock from everything in general.” I replied with a sigh as I rubbed my face. “Though the conundrum is stressful to say the least, that is something I can concern myself with later.” I exclaimed as I returned to enjoying my tea and waiting for the doctor.
It was close to another 10 minutes before the front door swung open and in walked Applebloom, a tan mare with a silver mane, dressed in a white dress shirt, blue dress jacket, a similarly colour skirt that went down to her knees and black slip on shoes. She immediately gave a look of amazement upon laying her blue eyes on me. She had a satchel on her hip that appeared to be filled with paperwork and other items.
She took a step aside as a yellow stallion with brown swept back hair stepped in, he was wearing a white dress shirt, tan dress pants, black leather shoes, a white lab coat and a tie. He had a stethoscope around his neck and held a doctor’s bag in his left hand as he approached. The most striking part about him was the yellow horn that stuck out of his forehead as he approached me.
“It is a human, strange there should be another for at least 12 months, let alone in Ponyville.” The Tan mare stated as the Doctor pulled his glasses out of his pocket and placed them on his nose as he approached me as my eyes looked him up and down.
“Well I seem to be breaking all the rules now, aren't i?” I asked with a soft smile as she responded with an amused look.
“Hello sir, my name is Doctor Stable, looking around it would appear that i am most likely the first Unicorn you have encountered but please leave questions until after i have examined you.” He said with a smile as I gave a nod, less concerned with that he was a unicorn and more of that his name is Stable.
“Ri-right, so i think i have some broken ribs and i cracked my head open” I say, giving a brief explanation as the Doctor nodded along.
“That is a fair assessment, now i'm going to use magic to inspect you to make sure that your assessment is accurate, don’t be alarmed this will have a weird sensation the first time experiencing it. “ He explains in a reassuring tone with a kind smile as i reply with a hesitant nod.
“Okay as long as I don't explode.” I replied, gaining a soft chuckle from the Unicorn moments before his horn ignited in radiant yellow light. A strange and uncomfortable sensation covered my body. The feeling was at first prominent but as the seconds passed I was numb to the sensation save for the increasing sensation around my chest and the back of my head. After several long seconds the feeling of insects crawling beneath my flesh vanished as the light faded from Stable’s horn.
“Well your assumption was mostly correct, thankfully you escaped with minimal damage to your head, simply a laceration so we don’t have to worry about a concussion or brain damage although as you are sporting two fractured ribs, no internal damage at all so with some rest, TLC and some mending pads, you should be back to full health by the end of the week.” The Doctor explained it to be as a sensation of relief and defeat washed over me.
Relief that i was in better condition then i had assumed, defeat due to the fact that this was almost real as i hadn’t suffered a head injury… I was actually trapped in this world without a rime or reason with nothing to my name.
I took a few deep breaths before I gave a false smile. “Thank you Doctor, that puts my mind at ease and I'll be sure to rest up, but I am curious, what are mending pads?” I asked, trying to pull my thoughts from the doom and gloom, although I didn't fail to notice Applejack giving me a look of concern.
“Well that is simple, they are a specific invention for the healing of broken bones, well they were made for broken ribs but work the same with most broken bones. Seeing the old method for broken ribs was to sit and wait for them to heal naturally as you couldn’t do much to fix them. The mending pad however uses alchemical gels that infuse into the flesh to rapidly increase the healing process of bones that aren’t shattered, thus reducing the healing time by an incredible amount without sacrificing the strength or integrity of the bones.” Stables explained as he pulled several foot long, inch thick pads from his bag and placed them on the table as well as writing up a prescription.
Wow that is incredible, and may I ask why it doesn’t help with shattered bones?” I questioned, overcoming me as I inspected the pads with my eyes.
“Well everything has its limits and you can’t expect them to know how to put bones back together that are in a mess, they are incredible but not a miracle.” He explained as he finished what he was writing and offered it to me. “This is a script for some painkillers to help with the pain… but first let me bet a look at that head of yours.” He said while rising to his feet and moving behind me. As he did, the tan mare stole his place as she sat in front of me with a kind smile
“Well aren’t you a curious one, by all accounts you shouldn’t be here.” The mare started with her kind smile.
“And yet I am.” I replied with a flinch as I felt Stable starting to tend to my head wound.
“Yes you are, well i may not be in the industry of being a guide for humans but i was able to get my hands on the basics of the paperwork needed to at least put in a immigration submission so that is a start until a guide makes their way out here.” She explained as she pulled a small amount of papers out along with a pen. I look over the paperwork and frown softly. Paperwork, oh my favourite thing in the universe.
“So most of this doesn’t apply to you for obvious reasons, but we can put down the basics then send this off so we at least have a record.” She said as she looked up from the paperwork. “Oh and by the way, i am Mayor Mare, i am the mayor of Ponyville and really the only government official within the region so it is lovely to meet you and welcome to Equestria.” She said as she offered her hand to me, to which I took as I felt the doctor finishing his work on the back of my head.
“Pleasure to meet you, my name is Jeremy Bishop.” I said as she gave my hand a quick squeeze before releasing and writing down my name on the paperwork.
“Lovely to meet you, Jeremy Bishop, so may I have your age and birthday please.” She asked as she looked up at me patiently.
“Fourth month, 28th day and I am 27 years of age.” I explained as she nodded and wrote down April 28th on the paperwork which was a relief that I didn't need to learn new months of the year.
“Alright and that is about it… there is surprisingly little i can put on this but then again you're not a native species so that makes sense, i’ll send this off along with some other information and then hopefully we shall have a guide out here by the time you are on your feet.” She explained as she started to pack on her things.
“Okay, but where can i stay, i don’t really have any money on me unfortunately.” I said, just realising that I am here for the long haul… at most the next 50 years unless I find a way to get back home.
“Oh don’t ya fret about that darling, there is a spare room here and when you are up and fixed up ya can help around the farm for a bit of spending coin.” Granny said as she handed the Mayor a cup of tea.
“Yea, I mean the harvest season is approaching and having another set of hands here is gonna help.” Applejack added as she patted me on the shoulder.
“Wonderful and thank you Granny. Also Jeremy, here is a booklet with the laws of Equestria, please study this and don’t break the law.” Mayor said with a kind smile as she handed me the booklet.
“I have no intention of doing so.” I replied a little overwhelmed by how kind and helpful they all were as I saw Stable packing up his bag.
“Great, and finally I shall say this, Welcome to Equestria.” Mayor Mare explained with a big smile as i returned siad smile, it’s not like i had a choice to be here to be honest
