The next day passes like any other; you wake up in the Apple family’s guest bedroom, where you pretty much live these days, and make your way down to help Applejack and Granny Smith with breakfast. You didn’t know there was such a thing as apple brioche pizza until they pointed out the ridiculous amount of recipes you could make with apples.

After breakfast (thinking to yourself about how long you’ve been without a good burger, or maybe a nice steak dinner in this world), little Apple Bloom would make her way to school while you, Applejack and Big MacIntosh get started on sorting the farm equipment, then much of your day would be spent carrying the spare buckets of apples from the orchard back to the barn, or tending to the small cornfield and grapevine extensions, where your dexterous hands would be more useful than hooves.

All this daily work, along with the change to your diet since you started living here, has already made you feel healthier and heartier than your old life. Your old life, huh? Saying it like that makes you wonder if, or when you’ll return. Would you, if you had the choice?

Such philosophising is the norm when you’re working. On one hand, you miss the interaction with people your own species, and the concept of finding that special somebody is impossible while you‘re in Equestria. Not when you’re the only human there. On the other hand, would you be able to willingly leave a world that, as far as you’re aware, has nearly no crime? A world in which everything you see is vibrant and lively? A world where magic actually exists?

You could leave, perhaps, and find somewhere nice on Earth to live. With a nice human girl. Maybe you could start a farm, if all the tips and tricks the Apple family taught you work with the apple trees back there. But could you really turn around to the ponies who took you in, who gave you a place to live and food to eat, and say goodbye?

At about midday, a pink blur rushes into the farm, its saddlebags brimming with party supplies. Pinkie Pie greets you, clearly as hyperactive as usual about hosting the party, and darts into the main barn, where the party is being held, to set up the decorations.

The sun goes about its usual business as the hours pass by, and eventually you’re putting away the last of the stock with Big MacIntosh. At this time of day, you’d usually hang around inside the Apple’s house, listening to Granny Smith ramble or answer the torrent of questions little Apple Bloom would throw your way. Or just talk for hours on end with Applejack; she always said she enjoys your company, after all. Later, you’d go out and nap under the usual apple tree as the sun went down.

At least, that was the usual day plan. This evening, however, takes a turn for the jauntier as Pinkie Pie places the last ribbon over the side wall of the barn, the tables decked out with a huge bowl of punch, cakes (big and small), cheese and crackers, vegetable pies and pastries and all sorts of sweet and savoury things to snack on. The record player plays a cheerful tune, suiting to the party atmosphere. Two barrels of apple cider sit in the corner of the room, a third one already hooked up to a spigot.

Perfect, your throat‘s been feeling a little dry.

The guests arrive slowly as you, Pinkie and the Apple family talk the evening away, sipping on your tankards of cider. Most the talking is done by Pinkie, of course, however Apple Bloom continues to rapidly question you about your homeland, as usual (the idea of plugging an “Eggs Box” into a “Tee-vee” and playing it still befuddles her).

And if you thought the one curious filly was bad enough, two more soon appear, brandishing their invitations. Friends of Apple Bloom, no doubt. Luckily, they were chaperoned by the eye-catching white unicorn you recognised as Rarity. You remember standing still for hours in her boutique as she took your measurements, after she took up the challenge of making you a set of human clothes; you couldn‘t just wear the same things you arrived in, after all!

“Now, dears,” she tells them, “I’m sure that’s enough questions for one day, he’s the honoured guest of the party after all.” In a rare act of obedience, the three fillies went about their own business, playing in and out of the barn the way kids on earth do. The similarities between this world and yours are almost as fascinating as the differences.

“So how long, you think, before they end up breaking something?” the unicorn asks Applejack while helping herself to some of the punch.

“Don’t worry, Rarity, they’ll be going to bed in a few hours, I wager they’ll tucker themselves out by then.”

Minutes pass as your cider tankard drains, and soon the other guests arrive; two pegasi, one significantly pluckier than the other, followed by a unicorn and her dragon assistant. They call the unicorn Twilight Sparkle. You lovingly call her the Purple Interrogator. The little dragon’s cool however.

“Come on, Fluttershy, he’s not that ugly!” the rainbow-maned pegasus tries her best to coax her animal loving friend into taking a seat, “You take care of way more dangerous creatures in your own backyard! At least humans don’t have claws!”

Fluttershy responds with a cautious squeak.

“Trust me, I probably wouldn’t be able to hurt you if I tried,” you tell her, “I couldn’t even kick a single apple out of the trees without nearly breaking my foot. Isn’t that right, Big Mac?”

“Eeyup.”

That was all the convincing it took for her to at least calm down, but she still seems wary around you. Well, it’s a start you suppose.

“Hey Twilight,” you lean over to her, recalling what you wanted to ask her, “Is there any news from Canterlot about me?”

“According to the latest letter, we’re no longer focused on studying you as a species,” she says, telekinetically helping herself to some punch and pastries (seeing unicorns do that still unnerves you a little), “we’re more focused on looking for the sweet spot where you… walked into our world. Celestia’s been sending scouts out to find that spot in Equestria, and if they do, they can point you back home again through it.”

“Does this mean I don’t need to be hooked up to those weird machines you have in your library any more?”

“I said I was sorry…”

“Hold on a minute!” Pinkie declares to the room, “Is this everypony here?” She looks around and makes a quick head-count; herself, her best friends, Spike, three Cutie Mark Crusaders gallivanting around the barn, and MacIntosh, that’s… eleven guests - not counting Granny Smith, who went to bed a few hours ago - to the human’s big welcoming party? Was that it?

“Did nopony else want to come? My welcoming party bashes are usually huge!”

“Your welcoming party bashes usually don’t include humans as the guest of honour.” Applejack reminds her dryly, before turning to Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, “Which reminds me, don’t you two have boyfriends? Why aren‘t they here?”

Fluttershy blushes at the question. Rainbow Dash visibly flinches.

“Well, he offered to stay at my house, looking after Angel while I’m here.” Fluttershy mumbles, pawing at the ground with a hoof, “The poor bunny’s sick from eating a bad carrot, you see.”

“And what about your boyfriend, Rainbow Dash? Rookie, is it?”

Dash’s ear twitches at hearing his pet name again. Her despondent sigh tells it all. “I don’t wanna talk about it.” After that, she gulps down the last of her cider, stares into the empty tankard, and drags herself up to refill it.

Before anypony follows up Dash’s bitter statement with another question, she adds; “I said something I didn‘t mean to say, and it hurt his feelings, alright? It’s really complicated. Let me put the problem aside, just for this night. I don‘t wanna be a damper on the party.”

“We understand, Rainbow. We can talk about it whenever you feel up to it.” Twilight says before turning to the party organiser, “Pinkie, you sent the invitations to everypony in town, right?”

“Yep, everypony! Like any other welcoming party!”

“And out of everypony there, you girls are the only ones to turn up?” the orange pony seems somewhat insulted on your behalf at the unimpressive turnout, “But why? Just because he’s not like other ponies, doesn’t mean he oughta be feared!”

“I don’t mind, really,” you reassure her, “If nobody else wants to come, so be it! More food and drink for us!” With that, you put a friendly arm around your friend, “Besides, as long as you’re here, Applejack, that’s all that matters.”

“Aw, shucks!” she smiles, playfully nuzzling up to you - you find it so cute when she does that, “You and your smooth talk!”

The night drifts on as the second barrel of cider replaces the first. Apple Bloom and her friends disappear upstairs, where they would sleep over. Meanwhile, you and Spike just finish the third game of rock-paper-scissors.

“Man, it’s been so long it’s been since I’ve last played this!” Spike chuckles mischievously, “You have no idea how awkward it is to play this game in a town full of ponies!”

“Yeah, yeah, you boys enjoy your dainty, non-contact finger game,” scoffs Rainbow Dash, placing her cider tankard on a nearby table, “Hoof-wrestling is where you get a real challenge! Hey Applejack, wanna show these guys how it‘s done?” Dash places a foreleg on the table, gesturing for her friend to sit opposite.

“Hold on there, sugar, if I remember rightly, you already beat me at the Iron Pony Competition last fall,” Applejack smirks, nodding towards her older brother, “So I reckon you should kick it up a notch. Ain't that so, Big Mac?”

“Eeyup.”

The rainbow-haired pony looks MacIntosh up and down, rubbing her chin. After a moment’s thought, she speaks. “Let’s make it interesting; if I win, I get to take the last cider barrel home for myself!”

Applejack and Big Mac exchange looks, “And if you lose,” Mac replies, “You have to help out on the farm for a whole day.”

‘Ooh’s and ‘Aah’s sound out from the other party-goers as Big MacIntosh sits opposite Rainbow Dash, offering his hoof up to the challenge.

Dash doesn‘t even hesitate before clasping hooves with the red stallion. “You‘re on! After three, alright? One… two… three!”