The sun’s morning light filled the room Jacob was sleeping in. He groggily stepped off the mattress he slept on, falling flat on his face “Right… I’m a quadruped now…” he grumbled to himself, getting back up onto all four legs. He fitted his goggles just beneath his horn, and slung the satchel onto his torso before walking into the next room, where Fluttershy was already waiting and awake.
She turned, and smiled when she saw him “G-Good morning, Jacob… Did you sleep well?” she asked.
Jacob nodded slowly, scratching at the back of his head. He looked over at the table, and saw two plates, each with a fluffy, brown object in the middle. He got a closer look before asking “So, uh… what’s this?”
Fluttershy looked back at him, before realizing “O-Oh, I’m sorry! Do humans eat muffins?” she asked, worried.
Jacob thought about it “… I don’t know. All I’ve ever eaten are my NutriPills…” he explained, looking through his bag, and taking out a pill. It was a small, black and white capsule.
Fluttershy looked at the pill curiously “What is it?” she asked.
“Well, when ingested, it gives the one who ate it all the daily nutrients that a human needs to be healthy, and slightly satiates hunger.” He explained.
“Then… you’ve never eaten anything else?”
“I don’t think so. In fact, I don’t think I’ve seen another Mechanis eat anything else.” He answered, thinking about his time back home. He then looked back at the muffin “Then again, I’m not a human right now… So I guess my digestive system changed too…” he pointed out, reaching out for the muffin, and picking it up. He stared at his hoof for a moment, before looking back at Fluttershy “By the way, how do you pick things up with hooves?” he asked.
She looked down at her own hooves “I-I’m not sure, but I think Twilight mentioned something like… ‘telekinesis’ or something?” she mumbled, unsure.
Jacob looked back at his own hoof “Localized telekinesis?" he grumbled. He was using magic that he had no control over “Dammit…” he sighed.
Fluttershy’s ears folded back, seeing he was upset again.
Jacob looked her over and said “If I try the ‘muffin’ thing, will you cheer up?” he asked, a little annoyed.
“Y-Yes… I mean, it’s the first time you try real food, right?” she asked, smiling again.
Jacob nodded, and brought the muffin to his mouth, biting down into it and chewing it slowly and carefully; it was sweet, like the pill he ate. He couldn’t identify the flavor, though. He swallowed his bite and asked “What’s in this thing? I like it.”
Fluttershy giggled happily “its apple-flavored. My friend Ditzy Doo gave me the recipe!” she answered with a bigger smile.
“I don’ know what that is either, but I do know I like it!” Jacob laughed, wolfing down the rest of the muffin. He sighed, and said “By the way, are you busy today? I’ve got some questions I’d like answered.”
Fluttershy nodded “W-Well, I do have some time before I have to go check up on the animals in the Everfree forest…” she replied.
“Good. You wouldn’t have any more of these, would you?” he asked.

“So…What would you like to know?” asked Fluttershy, seated at the table, facing Jacob.
“Where am I?”
“…In my cottage?”
“I mean what city? What country?” he groaned.
“O-Oh… Well, we’re just outside of Ponyville, in Equestria…” Fluttershy answered, a little embarrassed.
Jacob took another bite of a muffin “Looks like neither of us knows where the other is from.” He grumbled, his voice muffled because of his full mouth. He loudly swallowed his bite before asking “So… What are you?” he asked.
“Um… I’m a pegasus. We use wings to fly, and our… localized telekinesis… lets us walk on clouds.” she answered.
Jacob looked her over from there “So that’s what that is?” he asked himself quietly, stroking his chin. He then asked “Are you colorful, pastel ponies a common… species here?” he asked.
Fluttershy gave a nod “Yes, we are. There are also other creatures, like the razorboar you… killed yesterday, and there are even a few dragons that have lived nearby.”
Jacob seemed worried by the mention of dragons “R-Really now.” He grumbled “At least I might not stick out too much, if I have to go into town.”
“I-I’m sorry, but you would be easily noticed, since you don’t have a cutie mark…” Fluttershy quietly objected.
Jacob looked at her weirdly “That’s another thing; what IS a cutie mark?” he asked.
“A cutie mark is a magic sym-I’m sorry…” she began, catching herself when she said the word magic.
“No no, keep going. If you apologize for every use of the word ‘magic’, we won’t finish this year.” He joked, trying to adjust to the common use and practice of magic in this world.
Fluttershy nodded, and continued “S-Sorry… Anyway, a cutie mark is a magic symbol that appears on your flank when you discover your true calling; something that you love doing and that you’re really good at.” She explained. She pointed out her own cutie mark “Mine is a trio of butterflies, representing my love for animals and how I take care of them.” She added.
Jacob nodded, taking in this new information “Maybe I’d have something involving my technology…” he mused to himself, smiling a little bit.
Fluttershy was about to mention something else, when a white, fuzzy creature with long ears, last seen when he had first arrived, showed up once more in a huff. He tugged at Fluttershy’s tail, and pointed at a clock.
“Oh my! I’m late!” Fluttershy gasped “I-I’m so sorry, but I have to do my rounds. It’s already late in the morning! Can we continue this later?” she asked.
“Sure thing. I’ll stick around here, maybe try and get… acquainted to my new body.” He joked, stretching a bit before shaking himself fully awake.
Fluttershy nodded “If you need anything, Angel, my rabbit friend, can help you out.” She told him, quickly galloping out the door.
Soon enough, Jacob was alone with the rabbit.
It shot him a dirty look, hopping onto the table and getting real close to Jacob’s face.
Jacob’s eyebrows furrowed “What the hell are YOU looking at?” he asked, not liking the look Angel was giving him.
It didn’t answer only seeming to get closer and giving him a nasty stare.
Jacob scowled; was this thing trying to intimidate him? He quickly reared his head back and butt heads with the rabbit, knocking it off the table.
Angel got back on its feet in a daze, and stumbled out the front door.
“Creepy critter…” Jacob muttered, watching it go.

He stepped outside not long after Angel did, and took in the scenery once more. Lying down in the grass, he began to think ‘Let’s see if I’ve got this right… I’m now in a place called Equestria, the nearest town is called Ponyville, my current location is Everfree Forest, at a pegasus’, named Fluttershy, cottage. Ponies, unicorns and pegusi are all common creatures found in Ponyville and the surrounding area, but I can’t blend in without a cutie mark thing on my ass…’ He looked at his bare flank and said “I wonder if I could paint something there and they’d fall for it…” He looked towards the forest “Now then. If I can, I’ll try and modify the Buster to fit on my horn. That way, my legs will be free to move around… I don’t want to be caught off guard like the last time I was in there…” he mused. He then began to ruffle around in the satchel, looking for his things, when a voice startled him.
“Ohmygosh! Are you new here? I’ve never seen you around before! Do you know Fluttershy? Are you a new friend of hers? Or maybe are you more than just a friend? Ohmygosh, are you and Fluttershy fu-“
Jacob whipped his head around and sprang to his hooves, throwing a hoof forward, but stopping right in front of the source’s face. It was a bright pink pony with even pinker, if that was possible, frizzy hair and tail. Jacob pulled his hoof back, panting “Good grief, don’t you know it’s rude to sneak up on someone?! And who the hell are you, anyway?!” he yelled.
The pony was taken aback from the sudden lashing out. It didn’t last long, however, when she giggled and answered “Now I KNOW you’re new here! I mean, I know EVERYPONY in and around Ponyville, and everypony knows me! Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie!”