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*