Like Father, Like Son.
by ZachTheBrony
Chapters
Part 1: Sorrow
I hope you all really enjoy this, for I 'enjoyed' writing it.
I am not what you would call your typical 14-year old boy, but I suppose if you want to, that is okay. Hello, I am Shane. Shane Martin, pleased to meet you. But I am not so sure if you'll be pleased to meet me. I'm 14, as I said. I have grey-green eyes, short brown hair, I'm rather slim, I'm more vegan than a meat-eater, but I enjoy meat from time-to-time. I'm about 5'6", if you're curious of my appearance.
For the past few months, I have been doing nothing but remaining silent, getting up to go to school, doing work at school, coming home, and sobbing into my pillow.
He was the comforting hand upon my shoulder,
He was the cure for sadness, and the bringer of happiness,
He was my father.
Ever since I was little, he was there for me.
"B-but I don't think he can be here for me now..." tears stung my eyes as they rolled down my cheek, onto my pillow as I sobbed. I gripped the pillow hard, and cried into the soft, fluffy pillow as the memories of the single-greatest friend in my life, my father, floated about in my mind.
I miss him so much...
I love you, Dad...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * Several Months Ago...
"Thanks, Dad!" I cheerfully exclaimed, hugging my father as I wrapped the carved bracelet he gave me around my wrist.
"You're welcome, Shane." my father smiled sincerely. He looked down at me, then offered, "Want to go get some ice cream?"
Looking up, I smiled back at him. "Sure." and so, we began to stroll down the sidewalk, which wasn't a far stretch to the Farmers' Market. "Dad?" I looked inquisitively at my father.
"Yes?" he answered.
"I've been wanting to ask you this for a while... Is it okay if I ask you this?"
"Of course, you're my son!"
"Well... There's this girl I like..." I blushed.
Dad chuckled understandingly, "Ah boy, you're just like me when I was your age. So, you want to know how to get her to be yours, I suppose?"
"Yeah..." I replied sheepishly as we walked.
"Well my old man taught me not to be shy, give 'er a go and if she likes 'ya, she's all yours, bud!" my father grinned at me, and winked playfully. Me and him chuckled.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Me and my Dad entered the Farmers' Market, which held a freezer for ice-cream. I picked out my favorite, "Brownies on the Moon, medium." I whispered to my father.
He smiled at me, and ordered our frozen treats. He ordered French Vanilla, it was his favorite flavor.
I smiled back at him as he payed, and we walked from the Farmers' Market with ice-cream cones in our hands, eagerly licking away at the frozen deliciousness of our frozen treats. Some of my Brownie on the Moon ice-cream was trickling down the side, which I licked up.
Eventually, all that was left was the cones. I munched on mine, but Dad had a styrofoam bowl, not a cone. "Thanks, Dad." I smiled at him, my father giving me a warm and welcoming smile back.
We held hands as we walked home. I really looked up to my father; he was a very nice person, my best friend on Earth. We had the best of times together.
We talked together, we laughed together, we helped one-another out, the list goes on.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * Present Day...
I held the bracelet that Dad had given to me close to my chest. "I'll always remember you..." escaped my mouth in a mutter between tear-filled cries as rain battered against the house, lightning cracking and thunder rumbling.
"... Always..."
More tears filled my eyes as the next memory came.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * Three months ago...
My parents were arguing as I was doing my homework. They had started this behavior only few days ago. Every couple argues, I thought to myself as I was completing some algebraic expressions. I didn't like it when they argued; Dad was yelling. I never liked it when he yelled, which was a rare, rare occurrence.
"Equals forty-two... Done." I said, neatly stacking the two pages of loose-leaf as I sighed, lying back in my computer chair. I heard foot steps, coming closer to my door. I received a knock, presumably from my father, whose footsteps were too heavy to be Ma's. "Come in." I said, the door opening, revealing my father in a jacket, holding a suitcase. I looked at him inquisitively, and he went to one knee in front of me.
He hugged me sympathetically, before telling me the news. "Shane... Daddy's going away for a long time." he pecked me on the cheek sadly. Shocked with this news, I began to look sad and worried. My father picked up on this, and put hands on both of my shoulders. "I'll always be there with you. Alright?"
I nodded half-understandingly. Tears began to fill my eyes as my father stood up. "I-I... I-I'll m-miss y-you..." I muttered.
My father nodded sadly, before closing the door. I reached my hand out, but to no avail as the door already closed. I clenched my fist in sadness, and let the tears run down my face. "No..." I dropped to the ground, holding my face in my hands. "N-no... D-don't... D-don't go..." tears mercilessly stung away at my eyes, as I began to cry into my hands. Finally understanding my father's departure, I cried, "GOOD-BYYYEE!!" I fell onto the floor, crying in agonizing emotional pain.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * Several weeks later...
I was in the living room, playing on my PS3. I was playing Prototype 2. Fun game, until your mother comes in sobbing.
I dropped the controller onto the couch as I paused the game, hearing my mother's crying. "M-mom? What's wrong?" she hugged me. I could easily tell something was wrong. Does she regret leaving Dad? I wondered hopefully.
What my mother told me next, I would never forget.
"I-I'm sorry..." she wept into my shoulder. She looked into my eyes, hers red from the tears. "Shane, h-honey... Dad got in a car crash... He... H-he didn't make it." she cried into my shoulders. My supportive arms fell limp.
"Wh... Wha... Wh-what?" I began to have tears of my own. No... Anything but that... Anything... ANYTHING BUT THAT... My eyes flowed with tears of anger and pain, "No! It's not true! I won't believe it! He is still ali-"
"Shane, h-he's dead!" my mother force-fed the information into my mind, I could tell that she was telling the truth from her tone.
My heart broke. I grew a massive look of hurt on my face.
I ran up to my room, jumping into my pillow and crying into it.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * Present Day...
That pillow was now soaked with the tears of my sorrow. Many weeks, hours and days, all gone due to my uncontrollable feelings for my Dad. "H-he's in a better place now..." I held the tear-stained bracelet to my chest, closing my puffed-up, reddened eyes. "I wish I could be there with you..." I muttered, holding the bead-necklace to my face.
Suddenly, I was painfully electrically shocked. The metal chain that connected the beads shocked me greatly, causing great pain to soar throughout my body. I realized that I had conducted electricity, due to a lightning bolt.
The explosion from the thunder is what sent the world from my point of view to a 90-degree angle, before I blacked out.
Part 2: Welcoming
Okay, before you guys get all up on my grill, PLEASE realize that Fluttershy is a very caring and likable pony; she is sincere and friendly. She takes animals under her wing, so don't get all mad at me for this chapter. I hope you enjoy.
Rain battered away at me, as I woke up on a dark, wet and cold dirt trail. I shivered, tears running down my face. The bracelet my father had given me was thankfully still on my wrist, so at least I had that.
I saw a light up ahead, emitting from a series of windows, presumably from a house, I decided. As I staggered to my feet, I shivered, feeling weak. I began to limp towards the light source, coughing and sniffing as the cold got to my immune system. I nearly fell, seeing that there was a bridge. It was pitch black, because it was night.
I made it over the bridge fortunately, and limped weakly towards the now half-visible wooden door of the house. My body finally gave in, and I fell over, knocking my hand against the door as I passed out for a second time.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Angel Bunny, eat your carrot." Fluttershy, a yellow Pegasi of Ponyville, motivated her stubborn pet rabbit Angel to eat his food, who had his arms crossed. "One bite?"
The rabbit shook his head. No.
Fluttershy frowned. "Okay then..." she muttered in defeat, before suddenly hearing...
*THUD-BANG*
Fluttershy squealed in surprise and terror, dropping to the floor and shaking. "Wh-wh-wh-who could th-that be... I-it's r-really l-late for visitors..." her fearful tone died down. "H-hello?" she asked softly, tip-hoofing towards the door.
There came no answer.
Fluttershy hesitantly, slowly and cautiously opened the door. Nothing was there. "It must have been the wind." she told herself, before taking a glance down.
She almost screamed.
What Fluttershy saw was unalike most creatures she had seen and taken under her wing; it was bipedal, soaked to the bone, had a patch of matted-down brown hair atop its head, closed eyes, a few bruises, and from Fluttershy's judgement, the creature stood a bit taller than her, even though it was laid-down on the ground, unconscious and breathing, rain battering away at the poor bipedal creature.
"Oh... My..." Fluttershy whimpered, before calming down. She studied the new creature carefully. "You poor dear..." Fluttershy sympathized, stepping closer to the unconscious biped. He'll catch a nasty cold if he stays out here long, Fluttershy worried, before slowly and ever so softly flipping the biped over, so she could stick her head under its side, and carry it the short distance into her home.
Fluttershy let the biped off of her back, gently lying him onto the warm, wooden floor. Fluttershy decided that the biped was too big for the couch, so she decided to put the biped in the guest room. "Little ones, I may need your help getting him into the guest room." Fluttershy looked at her songbirds, who half-nervously nodded and flew down, latching their claws into the being's clothes. Fluttershy helped out, and with a team effort, they all got the biped into the guest bedroom. "Thank you. You'll all have some extra dinner tomorrow!" Fluttershy smiled, before looking back to the creature, that now laid upon the guest bed.
She swiftly removed the blanket from under its unconscious body, and laid it softly on top of the bipedal creature.
"Sweet dreams." she softly smiled, before leaving the room. Although she was a tad nervous, she would check up on the creature the next morning if it was awake.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Next Morning...
I yawned lowly as I slowly awoke, the sun's warming rays beaming upon me, just like in my room in the morning. I yawned, sitting up in my bed. When I opened my eyes, however, I looked around confusedly. "This isn't my room..?" I said, taking visual note of the... Of the... OUTLINES!?!? I almost yelled in disbelief as I lifted my hands to my face, a peach-colored outline surrounding them.
My eye twitched. "Dream." I quickly spat out, pinching myself, harder than I intended to, I yelped. "DAMN!" I rubbed the now red area. I suddenly heard... Clip-clopping of hooves!? "DREAM." I pinched myself much harder, acknowledging pain, I decided it appropriate, "Dammit."
I flung the blanket over me, shielding myself from view as the door slowly opened. A soft, quiet, feminine voice called into the room, "Good morning Mr. Sleepy Head!"
"Uh... M-... M-mom?" I wondered. The hell? She sounds nothing like her.
There was a small gasp, and that's when I lifted up the covers.
What I saw.
Freaked.
Me.
Out.
There, standing before me, was a pale-yellow. Miniature. Talking. Horse. With. A. Pink. Mane. I had my mouth agape with shock, eyeing it up-and down. "Wh... What are you?" I broke the silence. Words cannot explain how much I wanted to scream right now.
The small yellow horse cocked its head at me, "Well, um... I was wondering the same thing, but it's okay if you don't want to answer... I'm a pony."
I looked shocked to the bone. "Th... The rain... Where... Where am I?" I asked, out of my mind.
"You're in my house. And I found you lying outside my doorstep, I couldn't leave you there! I'd feel so bad..." the yellow pony replied.
"Uh... Thanks... Er... What is uh... What's your name?" I asked the yellow pony.
"Fluttershy." the pony's voice was shy and quiet after I asked her this.
"Eh... Erm, I'm uh... I'm Shane." I said sheepishly, tiredly sitting up in the bed and yawning.
My hungry stomach grumbled.
"Uh... Er... Heheh... Eheh..." I laughed nervously. Knowing she is a pony, she's probably a herbivore, not an omnivore like humans, I thought, my stomach begging for bacon or sausage.
"Oh, are you hungry? I was making some oatmeal before I came up here to check on you, if you would want it..." Fluttersh offered.
I sighed with relief, yes! I don't mind oatmeal. Just a 'lil brown sugar... "Thanks, Fluttershy." I smiled at her. I felt up my hair, and it was all messed up. "Erm, Fluttershy?"
"Yes?" she asked.
"Do you possibly have a bathroom?" I asked. I'm not a fan of my hair being messy.
"Oh of course! It's just around the corner. Take a left." Fluttershy smiled.
"Thanks."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
As I entered the bathroom, I walked by the sink. There was a mirror, so I stopped and looked at myself. I wasn't surprised; when I looked at my hand, it didn't have any skin imperfections on it. The same was with what I could see of myself. When I saw Fluttershy; she was cartoonized, but 3-dimensional, like a realistic, live-action cartoon. The same was with me, I looked like a cartoon boy with brown hair and forest-green eyes, instead of my natural pale-green eyes.
"Huh." I said, holding back my enthusiasm. The bracelet given to me by my Dad was on my wrist. I held it close, shortly reliving the memories, a tear dripping from my eye. I sighed, and found a comb. I quickly brushed my hair, and stretched before going out into the open corridor, spotting a stairway. I went down the stairs, and Fluttershy was in the kitchen.
"Breakfast is done, Shane." Fluttershy poked her head out from the kitchen doorway, smiling. She was very welcoming to me.
I yawned, entering the kitchen. My sense of smell immediately snapped to attention, the delicious aroma of cinnamon and apples filling the air. "Mmmmmmm...." my mouth salivated at the smell as I sat down at the table.
"Here you go!" Fluttershy smiled at me as she placed my bowl of apple-cinnamon oatmeal on my side of the table, and took hers to her side.
"Smells amazing, 'Shy." I said, giving her a nickname.
"Thank you." she fondly replied, beginning a conversation. "So Shane... Could I ask what you are?"
"Sure! Well, since you want to know, 'Shy," I said, eating one spoon of oatmeal. THIS OATMEAL. IS THE BEST OATMEAL. I'VE EVER. EATEN... Screw brown sugar, this is the shit! "~Ahem~ Well, I'm a human being. Er, think of an evolved hairless... Ape." I grinned at the last part. Who knew if Sciences' theories were true? They're believable but... Who knows?
"That's so incredible! Are... Are you from another world?" she asked, half fearfully and curiously.
I dropped my spoon at hearing this, my eyes widening. "I'm in a... A-another world?"
"You're in Equestria."
"What..?"
"Most of the inhabitants here are ponies, Pegasi and Unicorns. There's Princess Celestia and Luna, though, who are Alicorns." Fluttershy explained.
I was dumbfounded. "W...What? Unicorns... Aren't... Real... Or Pegasi..."
Fluttershy fluttered her wings, which I finally noticed.
My jaw dropped.
"Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-WHOA! You have... Wings... Pegasus... What?!" I exclaimed in disbelief.
"I-is there not any Pegasi or Unicorns where you come from? Or ponies?" she asked inquisitively.
"There's ponies... But Pegasi, Unicorns and Alicorns are myths... And ponies back home can't talk... Or be born as colorful as you." I responded, confused.
Fluttershy and I talked about quite a few things, before we continued eating our breakfast.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Shane, can I ask, what is that bracelet around your wrist for?" Fluttershy asked me.
I dropped my head slowly, holding the wooden bracelet. "I... I don't want to talk about it..." I muttered, attempting to hold back my emotions.
"Oh! Sorry Shane, I didn't mean to..."
And that was when tears began flowing down my face silently. I dropped my head onto the table, and put my head into my arms, and began to cry. "I-I didn't w-want h-h-him to l-leave me..." I choked out between saddened cries.
Suddenly, I felt the warmth of a body against me, and hooves wrap around me in sympathy. I could tell it was Fluttershy, obviously, and I instinctively wrapped my arms around her, crying into her right shoulder. I could feel her softly and sympathetically smile as she hugged me.
"It's okay," Fluttershy nuzzled me, supportive to me in my sadness. "It's okay..." she whispered supportingly.
As the tears rolled from my eyes, I gripped Fluttershy a tiny bit tighter, still crying into her right shoulder. It wasn't her fault that I was crying; my emotions are at fault for it. My mother... I... I'm gone... She's alone... My father... Is gone too... I'm on my own... Gggg... I gritted my teeth in a sadness-infused anger, holding Fluttershy closer to me. I didn't care if she was a pony, I have undeniable urges to hug someone when I'm crying, unless I'm alone, which is the casual scenario.
Gradually, my tears and cries died down, but I still held Fluttershy in a supportive embrace for about three minutes, sniffling every twenty or thirty seconds. No more tears ran down my face, for when I cry, it is at random when I'll stop.
Fluttershy looked at me supportively, "Are you okay?" she asked, looking me in my reddened and swollen eyes.
I slowly and sadly shook my head, returning back into the embrace, this time without any cries or tears. I shut my eyes, and began talking, "My... M-my father... He... H-he d... D-died... He g-gave me the b-bracelet..." I choked out, still hugging her, but softer than before. When I calmed down, the scleras of my eyes half-returned to the normal coloration, but not fully, appearing a faded, faded pinkish-red. When I looked up at Fluttershy, she had few tears out of feeling sorry for me.
"I'm so sorry..." she half sympathetically said, mostly apologizing for making me remember my Dad.
"It's f-fine..." I stuttered, a sad smile slowly crossing my lips as I released her from my embrace.
"I didn't know that your father... Passed. I-if you want to, you can tell me more about it." Fluttershy smiled at me.
My sad smile turned into a half-hearted sad smile, half the emotion was gladness now. "Okay." I said, sitting down on the living-room couch. Fluttershy hopped up next to me. "By the way, thanks for listening, Fluttershy." I thanked the yellow Pegasus, who smiled at me in return.
So, I went on to tell the yellow Pegasus all about what had happened with me and my Dad, from when I was a kid to now.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * Half an hour later...
"And now, I'm here." I finished, stroking Fluttershy's mane delicately.
"I'm so sorry for what happened to your father, Shane. But when you told me about the girl you liked... That was... Nice." Fluttershy giggled softly at me in response, making me twiddle my thumbs in embarrassment.
"W-well... Heheh..." I laughed sheepishly, embarrassment heavy in my voice.
"Shane?" Fluttershy got my attention.
"Yes?" I responded.
"I'm going to Ponyville to pick up some ingredients for dinner tonight. Could you stay here and look after the animals?" she asked, looking at me sanguinely.
I nodded, deciding taking responsibility was the mature thing to do.
"Of course. I'll stay here."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * Miles and miles away, in Appleoosa, Sheriff's office...
"Let me go!" I ordered, my arms still hogtied to the chair.
"Not 'til y'all tell meh where 'ya came from, sir." the Sheriff sternly responded, placing the plate of smashed potatoes and a leafy-green salad before me, after getting his serving set.
I gritted my teeth in irritation, the seemingly tight rope restraining my hands as I lowered my head down, taking a mouthful of the smashed potatoes. After swallowing, I said, "How many times do I have to tell you, Earth, damn you! The planet EARTH!"
I've been here for months... All I remember from before...
Was the car crash.
Ze plot thickens..?
Part 3: Lovely Day...
This first segment is from Shane's old man's Point of View. Enjoy...
The Sheriff had finally agreed, after a half-hour long argument, to let me go. My wrists ached horridly, and my shoulder's ball-joints had been dislocated. I winced in pain as a painfully audible *CRACK!* sounded into the room, coming from my shoulder's joints being snapped into place. "Ah..." I sighed in relief.
"Now lemme tell 'ya sumthin' ther', Mr. , if Ah happen ta' hear 'bout y'all causin' trouble in town, Ah'm gonna have each one of them sausages on 'yer dirty, inpony hooves removed. Got it?" the Sheriff intimidated me, disgusted in my appearance.
I'd only been in Appaloosa for around... Two weeks. Before I arrived, I awoke in a desert-like area. I was walking toward the small town where I am now, and all of the sudden, I blacked out, and woke up, hogtied to the chair.
I gave a brief nod, rubbing my wrists before I departed. Damn, these ponies... Hogtie me to a chair, no meat for weeks... God I miss Shane. I thought, smiling as I remembered my son. I didn't even acknowledge the amount of ponies looking at me in disbelief and fear as I stepped from the Sheriff's Office.
"That there's some sorta' monster!" a large, bulky stallion wearing a brown Stetson hat said, his voice quarter-riddled with fear.
"I'm no monster, ladies and gentlemen." I insisted, gesturing with my hands.
A pony spoke up within the crowd, "Well, Ah guess Ah believe 'ya," an orange mare wearing a light-brown Stetson hat approached me. She had three red apples, proudly showboating themselves on her flanks, giving a sense of great contrast to her coat color. Almost all the ponies here had marks on their flanks, but they seemed to be tattoos to me, so they didn't strike my curiosity. She had vibrant-green eyes, and what I could assume were freckles. She had her mane in a pony-tail, her tail no different. Her mane and tail were both blonde. "Name's AppleJack. Pleasure ta' meet ya'!" she held out her hoof for a hand-hoof shake.
I hesitantly accepted the seemingly-friendly mare's hoof-handshake, then I 'properly' introduced myself, "I'm Owen... Er, Owen Martin." I thought to myself, how is she so accepting of someone- or as they say- somepony that is so different? Maybe shes just a very likable person- er- pony. She seems nice. I'll stick with her and see if I can lend a hand with anything... I scratched my chin at the idea, then broke out of my chain of thoughts. "So," I clapped my hands together once, then dropped them to my side, before asking sheepishly,
"Got any work you need help with or something?"
* * * * * * * * * * * * Fluttershy's Cottage... Shane's Point of View
"Heh..." I chuckled, looking over a list of animals Fluttershy had told me to feed. First were the birds, followed by bunnies, then chickens. "Shouldn't be so hard..." I smiled, remembering that me and Dad helped Grandpa Martin (Just in case you're wondering, I go by four surnames; Zinck, Martin, Zayakowski and Alexander.) out on his farm once.
"Good 'ol Grandpa Martin..." I thought aloud, beginning to hum a tune as I found the bird feed. Wow, Fluttershy must really like these birds... That's top-quality bird-feed right there! I interrupted my tune by that thought. I reached around in my pockets. "C'mon..." I hopefully said, finally feeling a familiar shape. "Aha!" I exclaimed, pulling out my Nokia X7 Touchscreen. Good, it's still in perfect condition. I thought in happiness, turning on my phone.
After about four minutes, everything was loaded. I mainly used the phone for listening to tunes. The audio system on my phone is... Astounding, for a phone. It had an 8.0 Megapixel Camera on the back of it, which I was proud of. "Heh. Good 'ol Nokia." I chuckled, tapping the screen gently, revealing the music section. I looked around, and found a song I loved.
Please play this song for added effect ~ Rameses B - Moving On (Direct Remix) (THE SONG IS FUCKING AMAZING!)
The song began, and I smiled. "When I look back, there's nothing I feel, there's nothing I want, just to move on... Just to move on quietly... But there's something that holds me back, I don't quite understand what... But from what I feel, from what I see, there's nothing left..." I sang along as the bass dropped, hi-hats clicking in the background as the bass took over.
The birds seemed to like the song, and began to smile. Birds can smile? The fuck!? I was shocked, but decided not to show it, and began feeding the birds. I did what Fluttershy had asked; fill the feeder up just a tad, and almost immediately, the birds flew over to the feeder, pecking relentlessly at their feed. "Enjoy!" I laughed, walking out of her cottage and checking 'Feed Birds' off of the list. Next was the bunnies.
The fluffy bunnies were frolicking around in the grass in their 'pen'. I smiled. Haven't seen a bunny in a while... I thought to myself, before getting the feed that laid against the outside of Fluttershy's chicken coop. This must be the bunny feed, I decided, looking into the bag of carrots and other vegetables alike celery, turnips, radishes, even tomatoes... Eugch. Don't like tomatoes. I said in my mind, walking over to the eagerly-hungered bunnies. The music was still playing, and I really liked it.
After letting the bunnies eat a majority of the carrots, which Fluttershy recommended, the bunnies seemed full. "Ah, good." I laughed at their satisfied, cute and little faces, before moving onto the chicken coop.
"Alright." I said, cracking my knuckles and sighing, grabbing the bag of chicken feed. It was corn kernels and... Sunflower seeds? "Fluttershy must really like all of these animals..." I thought aloud, smiling at how caring and kind she is to these animals.
Faintly, I began to hear the nearing of the clip-clopping of hooves. As I finished up feeding the chickens, who were still 'bawking', if you will, while pecking away at what of their feed was left on the ground. I looked around the corner of the coop to see Fluttershy walking at a casual pace down the dirt path I woke up on last night.
She noticed me, and I gave her a friendly wave. She steadily picked up the pace at which she was walking, but before she reached the bridge, I finally saw a body-shaped indent in the ground. Must have been from when I woke up, I thought quickly, before Fluttershy missed a step, and fell flat on the ground.
I immediately bolted towards her, and leaped over the fence. I dashed over the bridge, and there was a little dust from the dirt path where Fluttershy had fallen. She looked fine, but I wanted to be sure. "Fluttershy, you alright?" I asked worriedly, helping her up.
"Y-yes... Thank you, Shane." Fluttershy thanked me. Her saddlebag laid on the ground beside her, which I picked up. "Ooh, I think I got a scrape..." the canary Pegasus winced, looking down to one of her knees. There was indeed, a reddened spot in which it looked a bit scraped.
I softly petted Fluttershy's mane, and whilst we were walking to the cottage, she looked at me, as if saying 'thank you' to me through her mind. I smiled at her, and I opened the door for here. "Ladies first," I gestured, Fluttershy giggling at me softly as she trotted into the house with a smile on her face, despite her minor scrape. I followed, carrying the saddlebags in with me.
"Shane?" Fluttershy spoke up.
"Yeah?" I replied, unpacking her things in the kitchen, as she instructed when we got inside.
"Could you go upstairs and grab the scrape-treatment cream from the bathroom? If you want to, that is..."
"Of course. Be down in a jiffy."
* * * * * * * * * * * * Appaloosa... Owen's (Shane's Father's) Point of View
"So you're out of town?"
"Yeah, Ah had 'ta come 'ta Appaloosa just 'ta get some work 'dun." Applejack responded with a sigh of relief, as me and her shoved the last of twenty-nine barrels that were full of apples through the train's door. "Say... Do y'all got anyplace 'ta stay?" Applejack asked me.
"Hmm? Oh, Applejack, you don't need to-" I said, before being cut off by Applejack.
"Now, don't give me that hooey, sugarcube. If'n y'all can't find ah place 'ta stay, Ah'll be happy 'ta let ya stay with meh back on Sweet Apple Acres outside 'a Ponyville." the orange farm-pony offered. Then again, I don't think anybody would want a tall 'monster' living with them.
I nodded, and said, "Sure. Thanks, Applejack." I smiled. "I just didn't want to cause any panic."
"Yeah, Ah was actually hearin' about you earlier today as a matter 'a fact, Owen, y'almost made the Sheriff contact the Princess."
"The Princess? Applejack, where I'm from, Princesses date back to medieval ages. A long, long time ago." I replied.
"Well, us pony folk have a Princess. Her name's Princess Celestia." the orange mare said. "Now, we gotta 'git going, or the train'll leave without us." she continued, easily trotting through the train door, which I unfortunately had to duck under.
After about forty minutes, we were both seated, and I heard the train's whistle blow loudly from outside the frame of the train, followed by the low rumble of the train beginning to set into motion. I laid back in my seat. Applejack was sitting across from me, apparently eyeing me head-to-toe. I shot her a questioning look, and she glanced away. "Uh, sorry, Ah was only lookin' at ya cause truly, Ah never've seen ah creature like you." she explained, looking back at me.
"It's fine. I understand. I wasn't the only one gawking when I awoke in a land full of talking quadrupeds..." I replied with a short chuckle. Applejack smiled at me, and we both remained silent for a while.
Applejack finally broke the silence. "So Owen, what was it like back on 'yer world?"
"I couldn't say it was much different than here, aside from the fact that we have modern technology, and our population isn't of talking ponies, it's of humans like me, but worldwide, our total population is about seven or more billion." I replied, sitting up in my seat.
Applejack raised an eyebrow at 'Modern technology'. "What kind 'a modern technology are you talkin' about?"
I went on to explain to her about cars, gaming consoles that the kids love, and planes.
Applejack was now dumbfounded by how far ahead our world was from theirs. "Mah oh mah..." she muttered in disbelief. "That's ah might 'a stuff you humans got back on 'yer world that we don't."
"Trust me, our planet has been around for several trillion years, I think over the course of time that everything evolves." I laughed, feeling around in a bag that had 'carried over' if you will, with me. "Where is it..." I wondered idly. I finally felt a familiar, large rectangular shape. "Here it is!" I declared in triumph, pulling out my laptop.
"What the hay is that?" Applejack asked me curiously.
"It's a piece of technology back from Earth, my home world. Glad it carried over with me," I said happily, standing up and sitting next to Applejack as the screen shimmered to life. I entered my administrative username and password, and the desktop flared onto the screen. "It's called a laptop."
"Mah oh mah. How does it work?" Applejack questioned me.
I shrugged, not knowing the full-on mechanics of how computers and laptops work. "I'm not entirely sure. There's a bunch of small... Puzzle pieces, if you will, and they all fit together, making this puzzle complete. Without one piece, the picture isn't complete. Get what I'm going at?" I 'explained' to the orange mare, attempting to allow her to see into the 'mechanics' of the modern-day machinery of Earth.
"Ah think Ah 'git it," Applejack told me, nodding absently. "-but what can this 'her 'laptop' do, Owen?" she asked.
"All kinds of things," I began. "Most of which aren't accessible due to a... Lack... Of internet connection, but that doesn't mean we cannot do anything." I continued.
"Who's that human boy Ah see in that picture?" Applejack asked, pointing to the desktop image.
"Oh... That's my son, Shane." I said, my head lowering with a sad smile on my face.
"Are you alright, sugarcube?" Applejack laid a hoof on my shoulder.
"Yes... I just miss him, is all. I think I'm the only living human being in Equestria as of this moment. What I would give to see him again..." I drifted off into my own thought, before snapping to attention.
"Ah'm sure you'll see 'yer boy again, Owen. Ah know it." Applejack smiled at me, and I wrapped an arm around her, smiling too as I clicked on a video of Shane's birthday party in 2004, when Shane turned six.
"Wow! Awesome! A PS2! Thank you so much Dad!!!"
"You're welcome, Shane."
My voice turned into a low laugh on the screen, as Angela, my wife, walked in with the cake. I smiled.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Shane~! Happy birthday to you~!"
The clip ended, and I could feel Applejack's smile on her face. "Ah say Owen, y'all are ah great father. 'Yer son must 'a loved 'ya ah might much." she said, looking up at me.
"Yeah. About three months ago, I got into a pretty bad accident... Then I ended up here." I responded, playing another clip. "This one's my favorite," I chuckled. The date of the recording was only half a year before the car crash.
It was winter, and Shane was horsing around in the snow.
"Dad! Look! I'm a frikkin' snowman!"
I audibly chuckled on the laptop, before the camera angle turned downward to the ground, showing me making a snowball.
"BOO-AUGH!" my son's jump-scare was short-lived, a snowball smashing to pieces in his face as he flew down onto his back, all the while, I was laughing hysterically on-screen.
"Pppfft-Pffhgt..." my son spat out the snow and wiped himself off on the screen, before me and Applejack couldn't take any more, and just broke-out laughing hysterically.
Sooner or later, we both sighed as our laughing-fest came to a slow but satisfying end. "Oh... What a kid, huh?" I wiped away happy tears of laughter.
"Heh... He sure is ah funny 'feller, Owen." Applejack replied, doing the same as I.
The train ride from there on out was smooth sailing, me and Applejack having the occasional conversation here and there.
* * * * * * * * * * * * Fluttershy's Cottage... Shane's Point of View
The sun was beginning to set outside, tinging the skies a beautiful crimson orange. Me and Fluttershy sat outside on a picnic table, since we decided to eat outside.
"Isn't the sunset so pretty?" Fluttershy asked me.
"Yeah..." I replied. "This world is much more beautiful than mine. The only thing that would make it perfect would be if my father would be here too." I looked at the bracelet that my father had given me many months ago. "Your knee doing alright, Fluttershy?"
"Oh, yes, it feels much better after you helped me. Thank you, Shane." Fluttershy smiled at me sincerely.
"It's not a problem, Fluttershy." I smiled back at her. "Just as much as you care for your animals, I care for you. I don't like seeing anybody hurt, if anybody is going to be hurt, I'd rather it be me, and not my friends." I said, holding Fluttershy's hoof.
Fluttershy just smiled at me. "The sun is starting to go down, how about we go back inside?" she asked me.
"Sure." I said, taking the bowls of stew we had for dinner into my hands and stacking them.
"No, I'll take them." Fluttershy insisted. "You helped me, I'll help you." she grinned at me, before I complied, giving her the bowls.
"Alright." I chuckled, opening the door for her again, "Mares first."
Fluttershy joined me in a small giggle, and went into the kitchen, setting the bowls to the side of the sink. I, on the other hand, went upstairs to get ready to sleep. I needed a full night's sleep. "Fluttershy, I'm going to bed early!" I announced.
After a little pause, I heard hoof-steps coming upstairs. The steps came closer, and Fluttershy poked her head through the guest room door. "Okay." she said, walking over to a lamp, and turning it on. As I laid in bed, Fluttershy walked over to me, and gave me a peck on the forehead, before turning around and leaving, "Sweet dreams." she softly closed the door.
I blushed madly, even though she was gone. "I can't believe she kissed me..." I thought aloud as I laid back in my bed, beginning to drift off into my slumber.
At least I got this chapter up before midnight, or else I would've completely broke my promise. Enjoy, everypony.
Part 4: Unison
First segment is from Shane's point of view.
I had a pretty decent sleep. Nine and a half hours. When I awoke, well, Fluttershy woke me up at around late morning. After eating another delicious bowl of oatmeal, I was back up in the guest room. Through the window, I could see the town that Fluttershy had gone to whilst I stayed back at her cottage to look after her animals, Ponyville, I think she called it.
"Hmm..." I wondered aloud, beginning to walk out of my guest room. I returned downstairs, and approached Fluttershy.
"Hello, Shane." Fluttershy greeted me.
"Hey, Fluttershy. I was wondering... When could you and I go to Ponyville? That's the name of the town, right?" I got straight to the point.
"Oh, we can go today if you'd like... If you want to..." Fluttershy sounded a bit unsure of my question, based on her tone.
"Is everything alright, Fluttershy?" I asked her, half-worriedly.
"Yes. I just don't want you to scare anypony in town." Fluttershy looked back at me.
"Yeah... That'll be a problem, I guess." I responded. "But I hope the ponies in Ponyville can at least be mature enough to welcome me with open ar- I mean hooves."
"I'm sure you won't cause much trouble," Fluttershy reassured me with a smile. I smiled back at her.
"Thanks, Fluttershy." I thanked the canary Pegasus, before a knock came from the front door.
Fluttershy quickly whispered to me frantically, "Hide!" before slowly approaching the door.
I complied, hiding behind the couch. I looked from my hiding spot. I'm out of sight, good, I told myself with a silent, mental sigh of relief.
The door opened, and I heard two feminine voices. One was familiar, Fluttershy, but the other... Not sure.
"Oh, Rainbow Dash, hello!" Fluttershy greeted the visitor.
"Hey Fluttershy." replied a rather concerned voice. "Have you seen or heard anything weird going on lately?" the voice asked.
"Um, no, why?" Fluttershy's voice asked the visitor, or 'Rainbow Dash'.
"Everypony's been saying that they seen some sort of walking ape with no hair feeding your animals yesterday, Fluttershy. And it was playing music. Are you hiding something?" Rainbow Dash's voice pushed.
"U-uh... N-no! I... I-I'm not hiding a-anything, Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy replied frantically.
"You're easy to tell out, Fluttershy. Now where's this hairless ape?"
Seriously... Hairless ape? An ape is our primitive 'cousin'... I'm far more intelligent than an ape. I gritted my teeth in annoyance of being called a hairless ape.
"Th-there isn't-"
"Save it, Fluttershy."
"Okay..." Fluttershy muttered in defeat. "S-Shane..."
"Alright," I nervously said, slowly standing up, my hands up near my shoulders in a 'surrendering' position.
Almost instantly, the cyan Pegasus mare, known to Fluttershy as 'Rainbow Dash', hovered in the air, slack-jawed in shock and staring at me in awe. "Cool!" she exclaimed finally, coming nearly face-to-face (Face-to-muzzle?) with me, looking me in the eyes, obviously full of excitement and curiosity.
She quickly flew back from me, "I KNEW IT!!" she shook Fluttershy's shoulders, making her wobble back-and-forth, eventually letting go of her. "Why didn't you tell us? Remember, friends tell each-other everything?" she scolded the canary Pegasus.
"Whoa, you know, Fluttershy was probably nervous about telling you because you could have told a lot of other peop-ponies, then there could have been a panic." I said in Fluttershy's defense, one of my hands upon one of the timid yellow Pegasus' shoulders.
"Oh... Sorry." Rainbow Dash apologized sheepishly, though her voice sounded as if she was resisting the biggest freak-out in history.
"Forgive me if I withhold your enthusiasm, Rainbow." I said.
Shoulda thought that out...
Let's just say the next three and a half minutes was of Rainbow Dash over-enthusiastically and ecstatically (Not to mention curiously), incoherently shooting out questions. I could only understand one part, though...
"OhmygoshIcan'twaittoshowTwilight!!!"
"WAIT WHAT-!"
That was when I was forcefully and swiftly pulled from the house... Yeah. Pulled from the house. The over-enthusiastic and excited Pegasus mare had a tight grip on my left arm, determined not to let go as she flew over the bridge, my poor self being dragged relentlessly across the dirt ground.
I couldn't help but to... "FUCK! SHIT! OW! FUCKING... OW!" I yelled in pain, receiving scrapes and cuts. "LET ME GO!!" I took the only opportunity I had, and propelled myself upward, landing on Rainbow's back, causing her to crash into the ground. Dust flew, and particles which looked like someone that had been hit hard on the head in a cartoon swirled around Rainbow's head.
"Urrgghh..." Rainbow muttered, before shaking herself to attention. "Hey! Why'd you do that!?" she demanded.
I winced as I showed her a large cut on my arm. "THAT. IS. WHY. You were dragging me across the dirt ground. It stung like a son of a..." I scolded her, blood trickling down my arm.
"S-sorry.." Rainbow apologized sheepishly again.
"It's okay. You were just overreacting." I brushed myself off, before holding my left arm, which had the large cut. "Just... Just don't do that again, please?" I looked at the Rainbow mare hopefully, scratches from the ground all about my body.
"Alright. Well, sorry about that, er, I gotta go I left my... Clouds on fire..." Rainbow mumbled, before taking to the sky.
I facepalmed.
I winced again, before saying, "I better get to Fluttershy... Ow!"
* * * * * * * * * * Sweet Apple Acres Owen's point of view.
"Ahhhhhhh..." I sighed, laying back against a tree as I sipped on a glass of cider that Applejack had offered me. "This's the best cider I've tasted!" I exclaimed as Applejack sat down next to me, doing the same.
The orange mare smiled at me and chuckled. "Nopony can resist the Apple Family's cider, sugarcube. It's the best 'a the best." she said. "Ah didn't know humans had cider too." she finished, her interest piqued as her tone depicted she wanted an answer.
"Oh of course we have cider. Hard cider, soft... Well, you get the picture. We utilize animals for their milk, such as cows and goats, too. But us humans are omnivores, but we do need protein to live." I answered her 'question' as I finished off my cider. "Now if you'll excuse me for a moment," I excused myself as I stood up, stretching out.
"Ah'll be back at the farmhouse if'n 'ya need me, darlin'." Applejack said as I walked away.
I gave a nod, before heading past the orchard. There seemed to be a river nearby, and I wanted to try my luck at fishing.
* * * * * * * * * *
I decided to make a makeshift fishing rod, so I began to see if I could find branches to make the rod with. I found one that was just right, and I found a collection of vines nearby. I snapped one from the branch of an old tree, and quickly made it into the casting line, using my hands to slim-down the vine, strand-by-strand.
It still holds up strong, I thought with a sigh of relief, tugging on the vine, I judged that it had about a weight capacity (Able to hold) just around 10 LBS. Of course, if there was more, it'd be able to support a grown man's weight. "I don't have a reel, but I guess just casting the line out into the water should work," I decided as I saw a porcupine walking slowly by. Hmm... I thought. "Hey, little guy?"
The porcupine stopped in its tracks, and looked up to me.
"Mind if I borrow one of those spikes on your back, bud?" I asked.
The porcupine somehow understood English, and nodded, reaching one of its stubby arms back and plucking a sharp spike from its back, and handing it to me. The porcupine somehow winced, and held its back for a second.
"You alright?" I asked. The porcupine nodded, and I had a quick, mental sigh of relief. "Good." I said, driving the sharp spike through the thin vine, the vine allowing the spike to weave through the fibers, and locking in place as I tied it up. "Haha, thank you Mother Nature..." I said, spying a rock in a near-perfect spot for fishing. I guessed that was a good enough spot to start casting, so I walked over to the rock with my makeshift fishing rod, sitting down with a sigh.
I threw the line over my head, and threw it forwards, sending it into the water.
Now, to play the waiting game. I thought.
Little did I know, nor did I remember, that ponies are herbivores. They don't eat fish.
Almost instantly...
*TUG! TUG-TUG!*
I quickly took action, putting up a fight with the catch. It was obviously as big as a fully-grown salmon, or hell, even bigger. That didn't stop me. No, no. Not at all. I've fished quite a bit, and I know how to catch 'em. So I slowly pulled the rod close to me, bringing the fish out of the water, but only by a little as the large fish was drawn towards the land. The line began to strain, so I began to tug on the rod harder and harder. With one final whip, the fish was sent flying into the air, squirming this way and that, before flopping on the ground audibly.
The fish I caught didn't seem to look like anything I've seen; it was a long fish, which sported rainbow-colored, and I mean, RAINBOW-colored scales, along with fins that were a rainbow gradient. "What the... Looks like a Rainbow Trout, but only... Cartoonized..." I said, holding the fish. "It'd make a good eat." my stomach grumbled in response as I began pulling out my jackknife. "Sorry 'bout this, bud, but I gotta eat." I continued, extending the blade of the jackknife, and setting it aside.
I took one hand, and wrapped it around the fishes' head, and the other right below its neck...
And snapped its neck with ease.
It didn't take much effort to snap a fishes' neck, but the effort came in when you have to gut it, scale it, and clean it.
I picked up my jackknife, and started to work, studying the fish as to where I should start. Finally, I decided where to start.
So, I began the time-consuming process of digging out the rainbow fishes' innards, making an incision along the center-upwards from the bottom-up of the fish, decapitating it so that the head wouldn't interfere. I slowly pried open the fishes' thick flesh, revealing its soft rib-cage, which I removed, an audible *Shhllurp-CRACK!* coming from the soft bones, indicating the ribs have separated from the spine. Some blood got on my hands, but it didn't bother me too much. All the vital organs inside the fish were obviously, either near the rib-cage or inside the rib-cage, which I discarded, leaving only the spine. The entire process took about twenty-six minutes.
I worked my blade carefully, splitting the flesh around the spine so I could easily tear off the flesh that I had to scale, which I did. I discarded the spine, and was left with two long, thick, fillets of fish flesh. "Mm mm mm." I mumbled, beginning to carefully shave off the scales with the edge of the blade. That process, fortunately, only took five and a half minutes.
"Alrighty!" I exclaimed, cracking my wrists, standing up with my catch. I decided to bring my makeshift rod with me too, because I could always go back to the river.
As I made my way back, I hummed an upbeat tune, it was the one that me and Shane used to sing together when he was little, but he had long since outgrown it.
It's great to be a father.
* * * * * * * * * * Fluttershy's house, Shane's point of View...
"Thanks, Fluttershy." I thanked the yellow Pegasus, who bandaged me up.
"Oh, it's not a problem," she smiled at me. "I was just so worried! I'm so glad you're okay!" the Pegasus hugged me quickly, expressing her great relief.
My arm was still somewhat caked with dried blood, but it didn't bother me.
Fluttershy came back in after about two minutes, with a bag full of what I could make out to be a bunch of small, spherical, spiky fruit. She placed the bag in front of me, and kindly insisted, "Please eat one of those, they'll numb the pain... If you don't mind."
"Sure." I said, popping one in my mouth. The sweetness of the fruit was suddenly countered by a cooling sensation I could only remark as the effect of cloves, a numbing medicine used mainly for oral pain. I swallowed the fruit, and that same sensation began to slowly but steadily course throughout my entire body, cooling my body temperature down by at least two degrees. "Hoo!" I exclaimed, my entire body having subtle cold flashes. Fortunately, my wounds numbed, and the pain subdued. That sweetness returned to my taste buds, and I let out an 'Mmmm...'. I liked the flavor, it tasted sort of like Dragon-Fruit and Mangoes, and... Cherries? Yeah. Cherries.
"What's the name of that fruit?" I asked.
"Pencati (Pronounced Pen-sa-ti for anypony who's wondering.), it was a fruit used in natural medicine long ago, but it's used quite a lot today." Fluttershy explained.
I laid back in the chair that I was sitting in, "Ahhhhhh... I feel so relaxed... Thank you, 'Shy." I shut my eyes for a little bit, but opened them. "Fluttershy?"
"Yes?" the yellow Pegasus responded.
"Can... Can we go to Ponyville now?" I asked.
"Actually, I was just about to go to Ponyville to get some more feed for the animals, and some more medication for the ill animals... You can come if you like..." she said to me, putting on her hat.
"Sure, just... Urgh... Jus- ugh..." I attempted to stand, but ended up feeling dizzy and woozy, fumbling over and slamming onto the hard, wooden floor. I wasn't unconscious, but I was struggling to stay conscious.
"Oh! Shane! Are you alright!?" Fluttershy asked worriedly, rushing over to me.
"Urgh... I may need a little help standing up, but I'm... Alright." I replied, my legs absolutely disabled - by that, I meant totally numb -, so I couldn't really stand without losing my balance. Fortunately, Fluttershy helped me up, and I gained some control over my balance, extending my arms and keeping still.
I remained in that same position for at least three and a half minutes, until I took a step, which was successful. Followed by another, and another. "I'm good now." I said, looking back to Fluttershy.
"Okay. I'll stay with you, Shane. Let's go."
* * * * * * * * * * Sweet Apple Acres... Owen's point of View...
"Thanks, Applejack." I said, using the pan that she offered me to cook the fish in. I hadn't told her what my intentions were, but I didn't know how she'd react.
"What're 'ya gonna use the pan 'fer?" the orange farm mare asked me curiously.
I placed the two strips of supposed Rainbow Trout on the pan, and it began to sizzle. "Pan-fried fish." I said, altering the heat of the burner.
"What? You killed ah fish?" Applejack was somewhat shocked. "How could 'ya.."
"Sorry, Applejack. I need protein, and even though eggs suffice as a part of the meat and alternatives group, I needed real meat. Me and my son liked to eat meat. Well, not so much my son, but I sure did." I apologized to her, before flipping the two large pieces of fish on both of their other sides, the other sides turned a perfect shade of creamy beige. I found a pepper shaker, and I seasoned the fish just a little bit, adding some flavor to it.
Four minutes passed, and I flipped over to see that the fish was cooked all the way through on both sides. "Ah, great." I said with triumph, taking the pan from the heat and setting it on the counter, where a plate laid beside the pan. I quickly grabbed the pan-fried fish, and put it on the plate, one piece after another. "Smells good~!" I sung out, taking the plate outside to the porch, where Applejack followed me to.
We both sat down on a swing-bench on the porch, and I smelled the air, now tainted with the thick, aromatic scent of the fish. "Mm..." I mumbled, breaking apart the fish with no effort at all. I popped a small piece into my mouth, and it lit-up with flavor. "Mm! This is amazing! Melts in your mouth..." I savored the taste and texture of the pan-fried fish.
I realized Applejack was becoming somewhat curious. "Is it really that good?" she asked.
"You're welcome to try a piece, but since you're an herbivore..."
"Herbivore shmerbivore, if it's so good, lemme try ah piece." Applejack insisted.
Since she wanted to try it, I gave Applejack the same small amount of fish I had, while I chewed away at a large piece in my hand. Wish I had a fork...
Applejack hesitantly raised her hoof to her mouth, which held the piece of fish. "Ah'm gunna' feel ah might guilty 'fer this, but Ah'll give it ah shot..." she took one, small nibble out of the small piece.
She tasted it for around twelve seconds, before she suddenly popped the entire piece into her mouth. "Tarnation! That is the best thing Ah've tasted, 'sides Granny's Zap Apple Jam! This's delicious! Ah've never had meat before, but mah Celestia, fergive' meh fer' eatin' ah fish." she expressed her liking. "It melts in 'yer mouth like butter... Mah golly is it good."
I offered her a bigger piece, and she refused at first, not wanting to eat any more of the fish, but I could easily tell that she did want another piece. I just smiled at her knowingly, before finishing my fish.
"Owen?" Applejack spoke up.
"Yes Applejack?" I said back to her.
"Ah was headin' ta' Ponyville 'ta get some apples sold, wanna come with meh?" she asked. "Ah'll make sure your appearance is met kindly, sugarcube."
"Well, I'd like to get to know the locals more. If it means that I won't be a big monster." I laughed a bit at the end of my sentence. "I'll go put my plate on the counter, be right back." I said, getting up from the bench and walking into the farmhouse.
I heard Applejack get off of the bench as well, just as I placed the plate on the counter. I walked back to the porch, and me and Applejack smiled at each-other, before we started walking to the gate of Sweet Apple Acres. "It's gonna be ah little bit of ah walk, sugarcube." Applejack said. "But Ah walk it each day."
"Not a problem. Me and my son used to walk down to the Farmers' Market to get ice cream, which is somewhat a good distance from our house back on Earth." I said, following Applejack as we walked.
"Your son seems like ah good boy." Applejack told me.
"Oh he was. There were times when there was tension between us, but like father, like son, you can't hate one another forever. I miss him greatly, as I bet he does miss me." I looked down to the ground, my tattered jeans and brown shirt contrasted the bright land, my hands in my pockets as we walked.
We walked for around twenty minutes, until I could start to see the town Applejack referred to as 'Ponyville'. "My... What a town!" I exclaimed.
"It's quite ah place, Ah'll tell 'ya that much, Owen." Applejack smiled at me, and we continued walking.
* * * * * * * * * * Near Ponyville... Shane's point of View...
I'll be honest; I needed some help walking due to the numbness in my legs, but that was only for half of the walk to Ponyville. Fluttershy allowed me to use her back as a support, placing my hand on it and walking somewhat slowly.
The feeling in my legs began to return, and I stood on my own. "I think I'll be alright to walk now," I decided. "Thanks, 'Shy." I said.
"You're welcome, Shane." Fluttershy cracked a smile at me, and we began to walk what seemed to be a small walk towards the town.
"Wow... What a nice-looking town!" I exclaimed, looking at the many rustic-styled buildings, on either side of cracked cobble streets. On these streets, ponies roamed this way and that.
Fluttershy only giggled at me, before I began to draw a bit of attention as we entered the town.
"What in Equestria is that thing?" was what I heard as I walked the streets with Fluttershy.
"Don't worry! He doesn't mean any harm." Fluttershy backed me up with a sincere smile.
"I don't know if I could even hurt anybody here, like, I'm almost numb from head-to-toe." I laughed, and we continued walking. Luckily, there weren't many ponies out in the part of Ponyville near the area we came into town from, only about five that I could see, but the numbers kept increasing as we progressed through the town.
Fluttershy signaled me to stop when we were near a vendor, and told me to stay where I was. I complied; I didn't want to freak too many of these ponies out, but I still felt very out of place.
I was whistling a small tune that I made up as I went along. Yeah, I was that bored... And nervous. Ponies would walk by me, give me a confused glance, and carry on. However, there was this one pony who stopped and looked at me curiously. She seemed to be a lavender-coated unicorn mare, with a deep-violet mane with a gradient shade of magenta and purple streaks in her mane. She had purple eyes, and wore a studious look on her face as she looked at me.
"Er... Can I... Can I help you?" I asked the mare.
The mare stepped back, now wearing a look of astonishment. "What in Equestria are you?" she asked, her voice obviously riddled with excitement and curiosity.
"Erm..." I blushed in embarrassment, as the mare began to draw a crowd. I began to backpedal nervously. "Er, uh, I, uh, erm..." I could only mutter stuff out incoherently, as my back slowly met the wall of a building.
"I was only asking what you were." the same mare said.
"Yeah! What are you?" another pony spoke up.
"God I feel so out of place..." I muttered under my breath, before I got an idea. I quickly acted, standing as still as a statue, not moving or talking.
The same unicorn mare waved her hoof in front of my face after several minutes. Good thing I'm an expert at this. HA! I laughed in my head triumphantly.
"Ooh! Hey Twilight!" a pink, frizzy-maned, blue-eyed pony came bursting through the crowd to meet the unicorn mare. "Whatcha' doing?"
"Trying to get that thing to talk." the mare answered, pointing her hoof at me.
"Oh! I got something!" the pink mare exclaimed, taking out a feather.
Oh God... No no, NO NO! Don't do- CRAP!
Too late. The mare began to quickly brush the feather over my nose, making my eye twitch uncontrollably, trying to hold back laughter.
The mare grew a wide, happy grin, and I couldn't hold back any longer.
"HAHA! STOP IT! EE! IT TICKLES! AHA! STOP! HAHA! NO! PLEASE!" I dropped to the ground, begging her to stop, but the mare continued to tickle me, laughing as well.
I saw the other ponies in the crowd look confused, before cracking a smile, and cracking up.
The lavender mare spoke up, "Pinkie Pie, that's enough! You can stop now." she told the pink mare, who stopped tickling me. "Thanks!"
"No problem, Twilight!" the pink mare dropped the feather. "I dunno why you'd want to make a hairless ape talk, but hey! I'm your friend! I gotta go now, bye!" the pink mare darted off quickly.
"Aha... Aha... Oh... Oh..." I trailed off, sitting up against the wall of the building. "I'm a- HAHA! I'm a hu... A human..." I laughed in-between my explanation.
"Hmm... Oh! Rainbow was talking to me about some 'hairless ape' earlier today. That must be you!"
I facepalmed.
"Why does everyone here refer to me as a... As a hairless ape!?!" I asked angrily.
"That's what you are, right?" the lavender mare asked.
The mare's question was cut short, when Fluttershy approached her. "Oh, hi Twilight! Shane, this is Twilight."
"You know him?" Twilight asked Fluttershy.
"Oh, yes! I... Well I found him outside my doorstep... Three nights ago..."
"The night with the heavy rainstorm?"
"Yes."
...
...
"Well it was great talking to you, Twilight, but I have to get going. Come on, Shane." Fluttershy helped me up, and I stretched out my back.
"Pleased to meet you." I held out a hand to Twilight, who returned the gesture with a hand-hoof shake.
"Likewise. Alright then, Shane, could you possibly stop by my library tomorrow afternoon?" Twilight asked me.
"Sure." I said in response, walking away with Fluttershy. As we walked, I tapped Fluttershy's right shoulder. She looked up to me as I spoke. "Wow, I was expecting a more... Panicked... Reaction from the locals here in Ponyville. You have some very accepting friends, Fluttershy!" I complimented. At least that wasn't all of the ponies in Ponyville... I thought.
"They've always been my best friends." Fluttershy smiled warmly as we walked the cobblestone streets.
Ponyville was a really nice town, even though most of the ponies were either confused at my presence, or standing there gawking at me in disbelief, wide-eyes staring at me with their pupils shrunk. I just walked ahead of Fluttershy a little, hands in my pockets and my head tilted downward in embarrassment, due to being so...
Different.
* * * * * * * * * * Just outside of Ponyville... Owen's point of View...
"Man Applejack, you must sell quite a lot of apples. These are pretty good!" I complimented, Applejack unlocking the Apple Cart as I munched on a red delicious. "Top quality."
"Thank ya, Owen. Ya seem 'ta like apples quite ah lot." Applejack said, flipping over the two wooden pulling-supporters for the cart. "Done! 'Sall good to go into town." she then easily hooked herself up to the yoke that connected to both of the supporters, and began to walk towards Ponyville, and I quickly followed.
"So, Applejack, do you think I'll have a warm welcoming?" I asked.
"Let's just hope that 'ya do, sugarcube." Applejack smiled at me, before we continued, my feet touching the smooth, cracked, pale cream-colored cobblestone of the street.
"What a wonderful world... Heheh." I laughed, after singing that line from Louis Armstrong's 'What a Wonderful World' in compliment to the outstandingly... 'Outstanding'... But cartoon-like scenery.
"It's ah might of ah place, Ponyville." Applejack smiled, before walking forward.
We walked until I could see the street, flooded with many different sizes of ponies. I was almost confused at how colorful they all are, but only about ALL of them noticed me. For some reason, though, they weren't afraid of me, but I got a couple of stares... I mean, a lot of stares.
That's when a voice came in front of Applejack.
"Hey Applejack! So nice to see you!" a pale-yellow, pink-maned, flying pony approached the apple cart and greeted Applejack. She took a look at me and cocked her head curiously. "Wh-who's t-that?"
"This's mah friend Owen! Owen, this is mah friend, Fluttershy." Applejack introduced us both to eachother.
That's when a familiar voice sounded from the right of Fluttershy. "Hey Fluttershy I got the..." a human boy carrying goods walked from a vendor next to Fluttershy. He looked familiar.
The boy could only just break my stare awkwardly, until he returned it with a serious look of disbelief on his face.
"Owen, this is Shane. Shane, this is Owen." Fluttershy introduced us to one-another, and we shook hands.
"Nice to meet you... Shane..." I said, looking at the boy with a small look of disbelief. Is... Is this my son? It... It... It is! SHANE! "Sh-Shane... It's Daddy." I spoke up.
"Dad?" my boy took a step back, before his eyes welled-up with tears. He launched himself forward, and I opened my arms. "Dad!" he called out, coming into a large hug with me.
"Shane, my boy!" I responded, happy tears filling both of our eyes.
"I missed you so much..." Shane sniffled, before going back to hugging me. We both laughed happily, ignoring the multiple 'aw's coming from the ponies around us.
"I missed you too, Shane... Daddy missed you too..." I muttered, patting my son on the back as more happy tears flowed from our eyes. "I thought I lost you." I looked at him seriously, breaking the hug that we were in. Around us, multiple ponies were teary-eyed, sniffling.
"That was beautiful..." that phrase was passed around the crowd, most ponies nodding their heads in agreement to the pony who said it.
"Dad, as long as we're together, nothing bad will happen. Alright?" Shane said to me, holding my hand.
Applejack broke the long silence that followed afterwards. "Ah knew you'd find 'yer son, Owen. Ah knew it. Ah'm so happy 'fer 'ya."
I could only smile at Applejack, for any words I said would turn into some form of incoherent mutter. I patted my son's shoulder, before Fluttershy came up to us.
"Mr. Owen... Shane is your son?" she asked curiously.
"Yes. Yes he is." was all I could say, before my son smiled at me, making me smile back. "And I'm so happy that he's here with me..." I said, sniffling and rubbing my eyes. "Please, just call me Owen." the corners of my mouth were forced up. I couldn't help it; I found my son, and that's all I want. I want him to be by my side, so I can see him grow up. To be there for him, is all I could want in this world.
(Play Louis Armstrong - What A Wonderful World for effect. Bold = together, italic = solo.)
"I see trees of green," Shane began, looking up to me and grinning.
"Red roses too."
"I see them bloom,"
"For me and you."
"And I think to myself," I lead on.
"What a wonderful world."
"I see skies of blue,"
"And clouds of white."
"The bright blessed day,"
"The dark sacred night."
"And I think to myself,"
"What a wonderful world."
"The colors of the rainbow,"
"Are so pretty in the sky."
"Are also the faces of people going by."
"I see friends shaking hands,"
"Saying how do you do."
"They're really saying"
"I love you."
"I hear babies crying,"
"I watch them grow."
"They'll learn much more,"
"Than I'll never know."
"And I think to myself,"
"What a wonderful world."
"Yes I think to myself,"
"What a wonderful world."
Me and Shane hugged each-other, and smiled happily, ponies applauding us and sniffling, many of them teary-eyed from the duet.
"I love you, Dad." Shane looked up to me.
"I love you too, Shane." I replied, rubbing my boy's hair.
Fluttershy, along with Applejack, were obviously happy for us. They were both applauding us, and crying happy tears. Fluttershy was smiling as she was doing so. "That was so beautiful I think I'll..."
Shane walked over to Fluttershy, and gave her a small hug, which made her stop crying happily. Fluttershy wrapped her hooves around my son, the embrace between them looking strong and supportive.
Applejack looked at me, and grinned.
"Oh alright," I laughed, walking over to Applejack and doing the same, giving her a hug.
"You are ah might of ah father, Owen." Applejack complimented me.
"Thank you, Applejack." I replied.
* * * * * * * * * *
It was late night now. Shane was back at Fluttershy's cottage, while I snuggled up in my guest room at the Apple Family Farm.
I had a sweet smile on my face as I fell to sleep slowly and softly, my mind filling with happy memories and visions of the past.
And I think to myself...
What a wonderful world...
I REALLY hope you guys enjoyed the fic! I LOVED writing it! ... Aside from all the touchy parts... *Sniff*