I wanna start my new life in Ponyville!

     "Can I help you, Sir?" the stallion behind the booth asks.

     You nod, "Yeah...one ticket to Ponyville, please"

     -20 bits, 80 bits remain...

     Thanking the stallion, you take your ticket and start to walk toward the train...and see that it's not leaving for another half an hour. Well, it looks like you have some time to kill, might as well get a snack while you're here, right?

     Looking around, you notice that barely anypony is at the train station...why is th- Oh, right, it's like six in the morning. Hm, this may be harder than you thought.

     Nevermind; hotty spotted, three o'clock. Just there, about 20 feet away is an athletic-looking pegasus with a cyan coat and a rainbow mane. Perfect.

     You quickly duck behind a trash can and change into a pegasus. You develop your muscles a bit...but not too much...athletic types usually don't like to be showed up.

     Clearing your throat, you try to work out a plan of attack...no, hooves, what are you doing? You start walking over to her without a plan...brilliant.

     "Excuse me" you speak with a puffed out chest.

     She waves her hoof at you, "Buzz off, Pervert"

     You deflate and wilt, "Is it REALLY that obvious?"

     "You watched me without cover for like a minute...not the smartest idea, now is it? Did you even come up with a plan of attack?" she raised an eyebrow, but didn't look up from her book.

     I told you, but did you listen? Nooo...just waltz right in and-

     "No, not really" you admit, rubbing the back of your neck.

     She says nothing and you sigh, sitting down next to her, "Where are you headed?"

     "Ponyville," she responds neutrally, "you?"

     You scratch your head, "Same..."

     "And are you looking for defenseless fillies there as well, 'Stud'?" she chuckles.

     Biting your lip...you don't know how to respond. You aren't really but...well, actually, yes, you are.

     You've lost all ground with this mare, so you might as well tell her, "Yeah, pretty much...but, to be fair, it's in my nature"

     She laughs, "You're a guy, it's in EVERY stallion's nature"

     "Well," you blush, "some more than others..."

     The train rolls in, and the both of you get up, "Well, nice talking to you, Dude...I'll probably see you around Ponyville...don't try to pick me up again, that was just plain embarrassing"

     You smile sheepishly, "Okay, I won't"

     Getting in different train cars, you don't speak another word. You're not sure why, but you like her...and not the usual 'like her' where you just wanna tie her to the bed and spread her legs apart and-

     "Your ticket, Sir?" a pony in uniform sternly asks you.

     You blink, snapping from your trance and hand it to him.

     He clips a small hole into your ticket and hands it back to you, "Have a good day, Sir"

     About an hour later, the train starts to slow down as it screeches to a halt.

     You exit the train and walk out, reading the sign, "Welcome to Ponyville"

     Noticing that rainbow-maned mare from before, you quickly go up to her and ask her, "Any idea where I can go get an apartment?"

     "Talk to they Mayor, she'll hook you up" she answered nonchalantly.

     Sighing, you take a map of Ponyville from a nearby kiosk and start heading for their town hall. Hm...you forgot to change back after you took the form of an athletic pegasus to attract that rainbow maned mare...well, you didn't really gain any ground with her anyways, maybe you should take a different form?

     You contemplate changing your form, but then you notice that every mare who can see you at the moment is either drooling with their mouth agape, quickly applying large amounts of unnecessary of makeup, or getting chewed out by their boyfriends after they were caught staring at your...bits and giggles.

     Smiling handsomely, you decide that you've made the right choice.

     Making the mayor's office, the first thing you notice is a large, round, official-looking lobby with white walls and the smell of clean carpet. You stare the office for a moment before you realize a bland-looking receptionist rapidly typing on a typewriter and waving you over to her oversized wooden desk. She bares a striking resemblance to the underworld receptionist, doesn't she?

     "Hey, um, you wouldn't happen to have a relative who works for the underworld, would you?" you ask quickly.

     She rolls her eyes, "You'd be surprised how much I get asked that"

     You blink; how does she know about the underworld? "I am surprised...and who exactly-"

     "Tick tock, let's move this along, what do you need?" she asks impatiently.

     "Er," you pause, forgetting your former train of thought before picking it back up again, "yes, I'd like to see the mayor, I'm new to Ponyville, and-"

     "Do you have an appointment?" she raises an eyebrow suspiciously.

     You scratch your head, "Er, no, but-"

     "Come back later when you have one" she goes back to her typewriting.

     Almost on cue, the mayor pokes her head out of her office, "Deborah, I'm going to need that fax I sent you earlier this morning ready on my desk in-"

     The mayor stops and notices you, smiling, before fully emerging and walking over to you happily. She, the receptionist, and the rainbow mare seem to be the only females who don't wanna buck you on the spot...that's reassuring, at least.

     "Hello there! I'm Ivory Scroll, mayor of Ponyville!" she announced happily shaking your hand, "and you are?"

     "Um..." is all you can say as you ponder a name.

     A name? A name!? What does a name have to do with anything!? Oh, right, mortals use names to identify with each other...how quaint. Um, would #3, 046, 735 work? It's worth a try...well, actually, no it's not. Um...what did you set as your cutie mark? The black silhouette of a stallion with a question mark in the middle...that's not suspicious at all. Um, let's see, pony names, pony names, tick tock, she's looking at you expectantly. Um...incognito...

     "Incog?" you offer quickly, before she looks around awkwardly.

     Oh, right, last name...shifty...shifty pony...shift?

     You clear your throat, "Um, Shift. Incog Shift, pleased to meet you!"

     "Oh, excellent!" she smiles happily, "What brings you to my office today?"

     "I don't wanna trouble you if you're busy-" you start before you're cut off.

     "Nonsense!" she exclaims, "I always have time for precious voters- I mean citizens! What do you need?"

     You fight back a roll of your eyes, "Well, I'm looking to rent an apartment in the city"

     The receptionist has a match in seconds, "Hm...the cheapest offer we've got in town is 30 bits...everything else is in the 60-90 range...it's kind of a dump, though"

     You only have 80 bits, so you really can't afford anything nice. Well, it's either that or you're sleeping outside...well, sleeping outside might not be so bad. It's certainly cheaper, isn't it? On the other hoof...it's a little dangerous...and what if it rains? Hm, what will you do?

Choice:

1. I'll rent the apartment to put a roof over my head. -30 bits Click here

2. I'll sleep outside to save some precious cash. Click here