I spin in place and I get to be face-to-face with the tallest pony I’ve seen so far. All I see are two magenta eyes, fur white as snow, and the bottom of some head garment poking in from above.

“Ah, you must be Princess Celestia. Am I correct?” She stays still. I back up to give both of us breathing space.

“Yes. And you must be Ember. It’s a pleasure to finally see you in person.”

*Shouldn’t it be ‘in pony’?* “I can say the same, you are more breathtaking than Twilight has described you.” It’s true, we were just about eye level, mayb me a little taller. She had both wings and horn, a cascading mane and tail. Which looked to be caught in an eternal wind. The mane and tail themselves are colored pink, lime green, and light blue. But with four streaks. At my little remark, Celestia blushes, I can barely see little ovals of the lightest pink I’ve ever seen. I think I only noticed though…

“Thank you.” She clears her throat. “I am surprised by your appearance as well. Twilight hadn’t given an as accurate description in her letter.”

“Letter?” I look to Twilight questionably, she’s smiling sheepishly.

“When you didn’t come back at dawn, I sent a letter to Princess Celestia.” She would’ve continued, but I held up a hand, she didn’t need to.

“I get the gist Twilight. Although… I don’t get why you’re so worried about my well-being, I barely know you, and you barely know me.”

“Well, it’s because I consider you my friend!” She gives me a warm smile, as you can imagine, I didn’t understand.

“What?”

“I said I consider you my friend!” She’s says with a big smile. I don’t know why, but that felt… weird. It felt warm, something I haven’t felt in a while.

*Why would she call me a friend? We barely know each other…* I feel something wet on my eyes, and it feels like a void in my very being is beginning to fill up.

“Ember? Are you ok?” Fuck, I must be tearing up.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I wipe the liquid from my eyes. “Just fine now.” My little moment is interrupted by a growling noise, coming from my gut. “Oh yeah! I haven’t eaten at all yet...” *I wonder how it didn’t dawn on me sooner…*

“Oh! That’s right, I could get Spike to-” A knock on the front door cut Twilight off. “Who could that be?” She walks over to the door and opens it. Revealing Applejack. “Applejack?”

“Hey Twi, I was jus’ wonderin where Ember is. Oh there ya are! Mind if we come in Twi?”

“Not at all Applejack.” Twilight responds, she backs up to let Applejack in, she’s followed by Ap, Granny, and lastly, Big Mac. And he’s pulling a cart filled with food with him, as soon as I see that I almost made a beeline toward it. I’m fucking hungry.

“Greetings Applejack and family.” I wonder why Celestia’s been quiet this whole time.

“Princess Celestia!?” All four of them shout, then quickly bow.

“There’s no need to be formal with me right now, my little ponies.” They all get back up.

“Ok Princess. What are you doing here?” Twilight answers.

“I sent her a letter because I thought Ember went missing.” She says rather sheepishly.

“Oh. Did he tell yah that-” Twilight interrupts the orange mare.

“Yes, he told me. He saved Applebloom from a pack of timberwolves.”

“That is a remarkable feat, for a being like yourself.” Celestia chimes in, I can’t tell whether to take that as a compliment, or an insult.

“Thank you.” *Since she’s one of the ruling diarch of this… whatever this place is called, might as well give her my upmost respect…*

“Anyway,” Applejack continues, I wonder if she has a nickname everyone uses… “We wanted tah thank yah for savin’ Applebloom, so we brought yah our homemade apple smorgusbaord!” She waves a hoof over the apple-based goods.

“Really?” My mouth starts to water. “I can have all of this?” She nods.

“Yep, all your-” I let out a happy screech as I rush to the cart, I immediately start to inhale the different foods and pastries on it. And holy fucking SHIT it was beyond delicious! I’ve never had any baked goods that tasted as good as these. Combine that with the fact that I fucking love apples and I was in gastronomical heaven. After what only felt like seconds, I ate all of it. I stepped back and patted my distended belly.

“That, had to be the best meal I’ve ever had. Thank you.”

“Ah didn’t expect you would eat all of it, you have quite the appetite sugarcube.”

“Heh…” I yawn. “Yeah, sorry if that was a bit disgusting...”

“It’s ok Ember, you said yourself you haven’t eaten in a while.”

“It’s quite understandable, Ember.” Celestia chimes in. I yawn again.

“Thank you, now if you’ll excuse me, I need a friggin’ nap.” I head to Twi’s basement to rest for the next four hours…

I wake up and somehow Twi’s not in my personal space this time. Another blessing, I can barely hear some conversation from upstairs. Being the eavesdropping prick that I am, I listen in.

“I just don’t understand, why would he have dark magic, and our magic? It just doesn't make sense!” Twi’s talking with someone.

“This is why you must never tell him what dark powers he holds, for it could dire consequences, only teach him our magic. Can I trust you with this Twilight?”

“You can count on me Princess, as your most faithful friend and student.”

*Dark magic? Your magic? What the fuck are you two talking about, and why the fuck haven’t I moved away yet? Oh right, I need to find a job here, or something. I need to get out of here ASAP.* Just then a light bulb goes off in my head. *I can live in the trees! of the other forest, I think they call it… White Tail Woods… something like that… I could make a home there. I could live in a fcuking tree!* I have done this before, I had to hide in a tree from two months, hiding from a group of people, hell bent on killing me. They were a humanist group that despised people like me. Even though I really had no choice about it. Anyway! I get up from my sudo room, which is near pitch-black, and make my way to the main floor. As I near the top of the staircase I hear hushed whispers that go away as I get onto the main floor. “Well, I see that I wasn’t out for long.”

“Yes, you were only in there for five hours.” Twi retorts.

“That’s actually pretty normal, I learned a trick a while back that allows me to have little sleep, but be fully functional.” *Chronic insomnia.* I look around and notice it’s only Twi and Celestia. “What I’m wondering is; how have you two managed to talk for five fucking hours.” *No swears in front of royalty!!*

“Oh, we were just talking about, you know; girl stuff.” Twi smile widely. I look to Celestia, who only gives me the most blank face I’ve ever seen. I look back to Twi, who’s failing horribly to hide that thing about magics.

“You ponies, except for Celestia, are horrible at hiding secrets. I dont even know what you’re hiding. Yet I want to know.”

“Hey!” Celestia chuckles.

“And what makes you better at hiding secrets than my loyal subjects?” Celestia asks, I need to make a nickname for her too...

“At least I know how to keep a straight face. And back on my planet I was known for being a liar.” This is fucking true…

“Oh? Well prove it then.” I think she meant me making up a lie.

*Time for some fun, with a princess! Fuck that sounded wrong…* “I eat meat and vegetables. Sometimes animals if I feel mad enough.” That made both of them widen their eyes. I made the last part up, they look at me, trying to find any fault on my face. Twi was the first to give in.

“I can’t tell whether you made that up or not.”

“I have to agree with you Twilight, neither can I.” I snicker.

“I wasn't lying about the first bit, I am omnivore. I was lying about the last bit, I don't eat live food.” I can only imagine how creepy that sounds, especially when I think that they’re herbivores. And the two ponies in front of me have faces of pure horror. “What!? It’s not like I’m going to eat ponies! I’m not that heartless. I just said that.” I don’t think that helped. “Listen; I will not hurt anypony unless I’m provoked. There is no reason for to lie about this, and I will die before I hurt another single individual for no, good, reason.” I think that reassured them, somewhat…

“I see that you're telling the truth Ember, I trust that will not harm my loyal subjects.” Celestia has calmed down a bit, she stand up and walks over to me. “Because if you do, I will not hesitate to send you to the moon.” My eyes widen, then I smirk.

“Heh, think I had the idea you were a pushover. To see that you radiate power, and ear yet gentle, it both scares and amazes me. I have a feeling we’ll get along juuust fine.” Me and her smile to each other.

“I agree.” We both chuckle.

“Um… What are you two talking about?” Twilight’s inquisitive it seems.

“Celestia was just saying if I hurt you, or anypony, she’ll send me to the moon.”

“Then why are you laughing?”

“It is nothing you need to worry about Twilight.” She walks to the front door. “I’m afraid I have to tend to royal duties.” Hah! Duty, duuuuty. It’s a funny word. “I will see you another time Twilight, and Ember. I look forward to the next time we meet.” She gives me a look before she steps outside, and promptly flies off to… wherever the fuck she goes to for royal duties. Heh, duty…

“That was nothing short of unexpected.”

“You have that right Ember.” Twilight said. We stand there in silence until I clap my hands.

“Whelp I think I might as get used to this place, since it may as well be my new home. Mind giving me the grand tour?” She nods eagerly.

“Perfect! I just happen to have spare time today.” Her expression darkens. “But, I will find a way to get you back home.”

“Eh… Don’t worry about Twilight, to be honest; I’d rather spend the rest of my life here.”

“What? Why?”

“For a number of reason; One: I get a new start. Two: I’m already starting to be accepted by the locals-” Twi looks like she about to speak, but refrained from it. “Three, which probably is my favorite: I get to be myself, something I wasn’t able to do ever since… this.” I gesture to my body with a hand.

“What do you mean by that?”

“If you were to compare my society to yours, you’d probably find that humans aren’t really accepting, as a group anyway...”

“Really?” I nod.

“But that’s why I like it here so far! yesterday I was walking back here and a little colt came up to me and asked what I was. But not out of fear, out of curiosity.” Twi adopts a look saying ‘Please go on!’.

“What did look like?”

“He had a white coat with brown spots-”

“Oh! That’s Pipsqueak! He’s always been so inquisitive.” She says with a look of fondness.

“Pipsqueak?” *What is up with these ponies and their names?* Twi nods slowly. “Huh… Anyway, I think we got off track enough, I really want to see this town.” Twi regains her look of excitement.

“Oh course lets get to it then!” And with that, she leads me through the town known as Ponyville…

It’s more like a big village… The only reason they get to call it a town is the big town hall in the center of the whole place. Other than that, I like it! Even though the architecture is greatly primitive compared to humans,But I just have this...feeling throughout my very being, saying I should stay here, that I might like it here. By now Twi’s taken me to every part of this town, lecturing me about it’s history. The housing, the market, their government type. And even though it’s a diarchy, it works a lot like a democracy.Pretty fucking weird, I thought Celestia and Luna were just symbols of this country, until Twi told me that they actually take charge like two queens. But they highest rank here is princess. This is all sounding like a kids cartoon… Adventure Time maybe? The princesses there are similar to Celestia and Luna. I was broken out of my train of thought when Twi spoke up.

“So… what do... you think... Ember?” Oh yeah… I had to every so often to let Twi catch her breath. With their high barley to the top of my stomach with her horn, it’s not surprising my pace is much faster than theirs.

“About the town right?” She nods. “It’s very… Quaint. Yeah, that’s it.”

“Qu… quaynt?”

“Quaint: An attraction to unusual or old-fashions things.” Twi adopts a defensive look.

“‘Old-fashioned’? These buildings have been erected with the most current form of architecture!” I wonder how she recovered that quickly.

*HA! Erection…* Unintentional innuendos… How funny it is… “I’m sorry, you must remember that I’m from a world where builds are hundreds of stories high, housing is much more efficient, and technology far beyond your comprehension!”As I spoke, my tone slowly turned a little threatening. Twi’s ear fold back and her cheeks turn a light pink as I spouted my little rant. “You keep forgetting that Twilight. You simply need to remember that.”

“Sorry.”

“Eh… Don’t worry about it. If I met a new sapient species that had for superior tech, but had no proof to it, I’d forget a lot too. That, I’m kinda forgetful.” Twi looks up to me, a small smile on her face.

“You know? You’re more forgiving than I thought Ember. Ever since that whole fight with Rainbow, and that little talk you had with her. I had the impression you weren’t very nice.”

“Ah, you saw that. I only do that to people that really piss me off. And your friend just happen to do that when you were dragging along the ground. Speaking of which, why were you dragging me along the ground?” Twi looks down, the dirt ground becoming her object of affection.

“I was planning to take you to my home and study you, then question you...”

“Aren’t you doing that already?”

“Well, yes… But-”

“Then you got nothing to be ashamed of, accept that you were taking me, unconscious by the the way, to some building I’ve never been in before. Just to study and question me. Doesn’t sound weird at all!” I laugh a little at her expense. “And even thought that was the worst first impression to date, I still like it there.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I just gave my reasons...” She scowls.

“What other reasons do you have?”

“Ok. I like how every… pony, knows each other, how everypony’s friendly to each other.” *Although I’m pretty sure there are some bad apples here… and it’s all some kind of ruse...* I get close to Twi. ”Plus, all the ponies here are cute looking.” I whisper into her ear. I stand back watch as her face turns light pink and her ears fold back. I couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.

“W-what?”

“Yeah, cute. Not, ‘Hey come with me and fuck’ cute, more like, ‘new born puppy cute’. Especially you.” I wonder how none of these ponies have overheard that part. We’re kinda in a busy part of the town. Twi was about to say something, but she looks at something behind me. I turn around and see that four… mares, are walking towards us.Two of them being that green mare and yellow mare. The other two are new, one has a white coat with electric blue and light blue striped mane and tail, peuple lensed-black rimmed glasses resting her muzzle. The other’s a dull grey coat with a slightly black mane and tail. I collar with a bow tie at the base of her neck. Man Ap really helped me out with naming parts of their bodies. The white mare looks like she parties all the time, her head bobbing to some beat as she walks. The mare to her side looks to be the total opposite. She has a refined, high-class air around her. A neutral look on her face. My brain goes to overdrive, going to fight-or-flight mode. They stop a few feet in front of me.

“See? I told you! Humans do exist!” The light green mare pipes up.

“Lyra...” The yellow mare has a tired look. The other two look at me curiously, well, the grey mare does. Can’t really tell what the white one’s thinking. Those glasses cover almost half her face.

“You were right this time Lyra, but this doesn’t look like the, ‘humans’ you described.” I decided to insert myself into the conversation.

“I am a human.” When I spoke the white and grey mares jump.

“Woah you can talk!? Awesome!” The white mare has a giddy look.

“I…I didn’t expect you to respond...”

“Bet you didn’t think I was intelligent like you, right?” A small blush forms on her cheeks. I snort. “But don’t worry about it though, I’m expecting to get that a lot.” I glance back at Twi, she puts on a strained smile. “Anyway, why are you all here? Besides the obvious.” I look pointedly at Lyra. It’s amazing how I learn these weird names so quickly…

“I said I was sorry...” She droops.

“And I accepted your apology. Anyway, name’s Ember.”

“I’m Sweetie Drops, but everypony, calls me Bon Bon.” The yellow mare spoke first. She held out her hoof. Taking the hint, I shook it. Next was the grey mare.

“I am Octavia Melody. Pleased to meet you.”

“Likewise.” I never liked snooty-types, but she seems to mean well. Well, for a mare that hangs out with ponies like these- Why am I comparing human stereotypes to ponies? Odd… Anyway, the white mare’s last.

“Name’s Vinyl Scratch, or my stage name Dj-p0n3.” That was fucking weird, I heard the correct pronunciation of it, but In my head I read Dj-p0n3. Not Dj-pony. This place just keeps getting weirder by the fucking hour.

“Nice to meetcha! You’re a dj?” Obviously stupid question I know.

“Yeah! I make my own music too.”

“Really? What kind?”

“Mostly electronic. Y’know, all the wubs.” She then makes ‘wub wub’ sounds. I think she’s trying to impersonate a speaker… Weird...

“Awesome! Maybe I should come to your next gig. I love that kinda music.” I smile widely as Vinyl nods happily while still making those sounds. I look back to Octavia, I can barely see it, slight disgust with wanting to say something. “You look like you want to say something? What is it?” I asked with genuine curiosity.

“I am a musician too.” She looks to Vinyle. “But not, that, kind.”

*Fucking knew it.* “What instrument do you play?” She puts on a small smile.

“I play the cello.”

“Ah, a fine instrument. Do you play solo, or with a group.” By now she has a soft smile on her face.

“It varies. Most of the time I play alone. And more often than not, I receive requests to play in an orchestra.”

“Interesting, maybe I should go see you play some time.” Her eyes widen.

“Really?” I nod.

“I may not seem like it, but I do enjoy a fair bit of refined music every once in a while.”

“That is… surprising...” I smirk a little.

“Yeah, I get that a lot. But I’m afraid I have to go, later!” I turn around walk off, waving to the mare behind me. Twi’s just standing there, mouth wide open. “Close your mouth, you’ll catch flies like that.” Her mouth closes with a click.

“How...?”

“What?”

“How are you able to do that?”

“What do you mean?”

“You changed from very... dynamic, to very proper.”

“Oh! Well, have you ever met a pony, or sapient being, that had a medical condition causing them to have mood swings?” She shakes her head.

“I can’t say I have.”

“You’re looking at the first one then.” At that her pupils shrink.

“Reall? You have this… medical condition?” I nod. “Then how are you able to control it from what I saw?”

“Cyber- robots Twilight. They help me with more than just healing my body.” She stay frozen as I look around. “You want to continue our little tour? I’m pretty sure I haven’t seen this whole town yet...”