(AUTHOR'S NOTE-sorry about the random spacing, I had some trouble with notepad, I'll try and fix it in the next chapter.) A pie. A fucking pie. I've busted my ass for just about everything and everypony in this town, but a pie?
This is new. I never thought of Fluttershy as much of a baker, but with the Princess coming
into town this evening, Mr. and Mrs. Cake needed all the help they could get. If you're wondering why I'm
ranting on about pie, it's because I have to get the ingredients to make it. Simple enough, right? Wrong.
The main ingredient in said pie is the very rare kikoro berry, a newly formed berry, caused by some raiders
screwing up their chem recipes. The big trouble with this berry? It's only present in the Everfree Forest.

The Everfree Forest. Despite it's peacful name, since the dimensions linked, it's become home to some
of the meanest sons-of-bitches society ever rejected. There had better be some VERY notable payment
waiting for me when I get back. But hey, I've got a one-way ticket to Hell, so I may as well
ask for an extended vacation.

"Sorry for making you go through all this trouble," said Fluttershy softly. "It's fine," I replied. I
don't really mind risking my life here and there, as long as I'm rewarded for my actions. It doesn't even
need to be money, it's just nice to know people appreciate what I do. I started to the door, and as I was
about to close it, I heard Fluttershy. "Matt," "yes?" I replied. "Please be careful." She sounded like she
was about to burst into tears. and if I had just left there, she probably would have. But Jesus, I'm not
COMPLETELY heartless. "Don't worry, I've done this countless times before. I promise that this time will
be no different, okay?" I tried my best to make that sound true, but with the Everfree, you never know.
"O-okay..." she said, very unsurely. "I'm sorry, I need to move, we dont have much time. I'll be fine,
dont worry." And with that, I was out the door. I headed to towards the portal in town square. I kept all
my weaponry in the armory in The Hub. You never know when some hoodlum might get overly curious, or
want to try and be a fucking commando.

As I stepped into The Hub, I was greeted with the usual heys, hellos, and the occasional cheer. It felt
really good to know that people appreciated my work. *FLASHBACK* I remember when I first arrived. I was nothing more
than a lowlife, a hobo from the real world who desperately needed a new start. When free inter-dimensional
travel opened up to the public, I figured that heading to MLP: FIM would be as good a choice as any, with
small problems popping up here and there, and everypony being so accepting. What better place to look for
a second chance than a cartoon? Thankfully, I was right. I was able to get a part-time job working the
register at Sugarcube Corner.

That's where I met Pinkie Pie. I knew her pretty well from the show, and she was no different here.
I barely stopped myself from hugging her as she bounced up and spoke her famous line: "Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie,
and I've never seen you before, and if I've never seen you before, then you must be new here, because I
know EVERYpony in Ponyville!" "yeah," I replied. "I'm new here. Just got here yest..." before I could
finish, she started shelling me with questions so hard I thought I would have to find a fucking bomb
shelter. "What's your name? Where did you come from? What's your favorite colour? What's your favorite food?
Your favorite music type? Favorite Animal?" She asked, still boucing. I blinked twice, recovering from
her barrage of questions. "Matt, Earth, Green, Pizza, HipHop, Cats." I replied, suprised at myself for
being able to answer all of her questions. Maybe living on the streets had actually done something
good for me.

Of course, it didn't take long for her to set up an introductory party and send out invitations.
They were really suprised when I explained how their dimension was a show in my world, and I was equally
suprised when I found out they had a similar show here , called "My Little Human". After I explained my
situation Twilight Sparkle offered to let me stay in the library's guest room, as long as I helped out
With cleanup and other assorted tasks. A job and a place to stay in less than 2 days. I was doing better
than most around here.

I was helpful by nature, and I never knew why, so I fit in around here just fine. I would offer to
carry groceries, help with moving, little tasks like that. Ponies soon took heed to my helpful nature,
and before long, I was everyone go-to guy for help with small tasks. Unfortunately, sometimes the
biggest problems these ponies had were a little more than just heavy groceries. At leats once a week,
some crazy-assed raider would decide that the citezens of Ponyville looked like an easy buck. Not on
my watch. It was a good feeling, helping people and ponies in The Hub and Equestria, but it bothered
me that I was the only one around here who had the guts to do anything about these attacks. Turns out,
I wasn't. Noah was allot like me. He was born in the real world, and he needed a fresh start. He,
however, deided to try his hand at finding residence in The Hub. With a bit of begging here, and
an odd job or two there, he had earned enough for a small apartment outside the station. Looked like
shit, but hell, it kept him sheltered, and it was better than living in a cardboard box.

We met up when he was picking up some new clothes at one of The Hub's many shopping malls. He saw
some hoodlums run past me and snatch my wallet, and offered to help me catch them. Didn't take us long.
After that, we had become close friends, and we thought of a way to put our skills to use. We tried our
hand at doing crowd control at a local club in The Hub. We were on our way to our first job, and things
would have been fine, if it hadnt been for one unexpected visitor.

TO BE CONTINUED...