There’s nothing like a headbutt from Derpy to bring me back into reality.

When I became aware of my surroundings, I saw Derpy standing over me, and I watched as her left pupil started to slowly drift to the left and upward, before suddenly being brought back to center on me. That’s when she noticed that I had come to my senses, which is also when her eyes went straight back to living up to her name. All the while I could hear Rainbow still laughing from when Derpy headbutted me -- I don’t blame her; even though Derpy used to do it all the time -- much to the chagrin of my head -- it has been several years.

Derpy started to nuzzle me, meaning it was now or never if I wanted to get back up anytime in the near future.

“Don’t get too comfortable there, Derps. Could you help me up?”, I said while rubbing my head.

“Oh, are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?”, a concerned Fluttershy asked, as Derpy got up and helped me do the same.

I chuckled. “Don’t worry, ‘Shy, I’m fine. If anything, you should be concerned for Dash.” We turned and looked at her, who was still laughing. I looked back at Fluttershy. “If she keeps that up, I’m afraid she might pass out from a lack of oxygen getting to her brain...”

“If you think that that’s bad, wait until you meet Pinkie Pie...”, responded Fluttershy.

At this, Rainbow managed to pull herself together, and rejoined us.

“I...I’m sorry...” she said, wiping away a tear with a hoof. “I’ve just always found that hilarious...and since it’s been so long...”

“The humor of it is exponentially increased?” I suggested, while Derpy decided to lay her head on my back.

Rainbow chuckled. “Wow, now you’re acting a lot like Twilight!”

Half-smile again. “I have a feeling that I’m going to finally be making more friends.”

Rainbow laughed. “Now you’re really acting like Twilight!!”

“Um...”

I turned and looked at Fluttershy, giving her my attention, with a cue to continue.

“If you don’t mind my asking...what are you doing here? Not that that’s bad...”

“Yeah! I asked you that too! Why didn’t you answer?!” Rainbow suddenly exclaimed.

“You never let me. You darted off.” I replied with a straight face.

“Oh...right.” Rainbow let out a nervous chuckle.

“Well, the case is...after five years of solitude back in Canterlot, I decided I should--”

“...move to where your friends are?”

This time it was Derpy who interrupted me, and in doing so she displayed the connection I have with her. She was still laying her head on my back, and when I turned and looked at her she let out a beaming grin.

“You three know me too damn well.” I said with a laugh.

“And I know too damn well that it’s about damn time you moved here! What took ya so long, Goldie?”

“Well...um...do you have a place to stay?”

“Muuuuffiiiinnnnsss...”

This huge mix of voices makes me feel like I’m in an Ernest Hemmingway novel, I think to myself with a chuckle.

Right then, another voice entered the mix...one I did not recognize...

“What the buck is goin’ on over here? I can hear y’all yappin’ all the way from the farm!”

Rainbow took to the air and flew over to the other pony. “Hey, Applejack, come here! One of our best friends from our Junior Speedster's Flight Academy days is finally moving to Ponyville!”

Almost immediately, another voice entered the mix, echoing the last three words that Rainbow had said; the source -- a pink pony -- then subsequently fell out of a nearby tree, before hyperactively bouncing around ‘Shy, Derpy and I, ranting about a ‘party’, which was the only word I was able to distinguish.

In midst of the temporary chaos, I turn to Fluttershy.

“Random guess...this is Pinkie Pie.” I say, recalling the name that ‘Shy had brought up earlier, while simultaneously trying to follow the bouncing pink pony with my eyes.

Fluttershy was only able to nod before the ‘party pony’ took over.

“Thaaat’s right! I’m Pinkie Pie! And I’m going to throw you a ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party! There’s gonna be EVERYTHING! Food, drinks, and especially DESSERTS! And the whole TOWN’S gonna be there! Well, I gotta go get everything ready, so TA TA FOR NOW!”

And then she disappeared in what looked like a cloud of glitter.

Fluttershy and I look at each other, before I broke the silence that had replaced Pinkie Pie.

“Iiiii’m not going to ask.”

“That...would probably be a good idea...”

“Howdy, partner!”

I turn and see Rainbow walking towards us alongside the other pony, whom I still haven’t met yet, though I do recall the former saying her name.

“If I heard Dash correctly before the chaos just now, your name is Applejack, yes?” I asked, extending a hoof.

“That ya did!” said Applejack, shaking my extended hoof. “And by ‘chaos’ ah reckon’ ya just met Pinkie Pie?”

“I did, then she disappeared in a cloud of glitter...”

“Well that’s new...”

“My name’s Golden Flame, by the way.”

“Yeah, RD told me on tha way over.” said Applejack with a grin.

I heard a yawn coming from my back.

“When are we goin’ into town?”, said Derpy, who had been using me as a pillow, and who had apparently just woken up from a nap.

“Yeah, why are we still standin’ out here? Let’s get goin’!”, says Rainbow, before jetting away towards the town.

“An’ ya haven’t met Rarity or Twilight yet, have ya?”

I shake my head.

“Well, I suggest we start heading in before Derpy falls asleep again.”

Applejack and ‘Shy nod in agreement, and we start our trek into town.

And thus marks a new beginning.

Author's note: I couldn't help but put that Ernest Hemmingway reference in there, because as I was writing this chapter I kept thinking about how Hemmingway's characteristic style of writing was his use of dialogue to advance the plot...which is pretty much what I did in this chapter. However, the color-coding should prevent any "Hemmingway Headaches", so that's a good thing. ^^