You’re happy. You have a job that you enjoy, you have a nice house, but nothing to fancy, you have a nice car, a beautiful wife, and an adorable three year old daughter, both of whom you love dearly. Sure, you and your wife have been having a rough patch, but you’ll pull through just like you always have.

Or at least, that was what you thought until the day everything changed. One day, you woke up and left for work, like every other morning. And like every other morning, despite the problems at home, you managed to put on a smile for your coworkers, and make it appear as if nothing was wrong. And then that night, as if like clockwork, you and your wife had argued as you left to go to the local bar. You stopped at a gas station on the way to pick up a pack of cigarettes, as you were almost out, and then it happened. As soon as you stepped out the door of the station, there was a gun in your face, and a masked man demanding your wallet and your car keys. You thought he was bluffing when he said he wouldn’t hesitate to kill you for them.

You were wrong. You said no, only to hear a gunshot, and feel the bullet lodge itself deep in your chest, and that was that. You were dead, and there was nothing anyone could do about it as you bled out in the middle of the parking lot.

That was about three days ago. Your still not sure what happened, but from what you’ve been told, you were found barely clinging to life in the middle of what the locals call the everfree forest, unconscious, and bleeding heavily. You woke up in a hospital room surrounded by pastel colored ponies, and nearly had a heart attack on the spot. So did they, but that didn’t make you feel any better. Everything was explained to you then, but even they didn’t know a lot of the circumstances. Information was exchanged, including names, places, and bits of history, both your own and that of your world, with a lavender pony named Twilight Sparkle. Today is the day after you were released from the hospital, and the day after the pony called “Pinkie Pie” threw you a large party, the banner for which read “GLAD YOU’RE FEELING BETTER/WELCOME TO PONYVILLE JOE!”. You never were one for parties, but you decided to stick around since it was for you. And since it was free booze. Tonight, you sit on a bench in a less populated part of the local park, reflecting on what had happened in the days leading up to this point. You recall the last conversation you’d had with your wife, and shake your head shamefully as you replay it in your mind.
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“Joe! Where are you going?” she yells after you as you gather you leather jacket and your car keys and walk towards the door.

“I’m going out for a bit, why?” you ask, slightly irritated. You’d had a long day of work, and needed some time to yourself to relieve the stress.

“Your not going to the bar, are you?” she asks, her voice more concerned now.

“And so what if I am?” you ask, raising your voice further. “I had a long day, I think I’ve earned some time to myself for Christ’s sake!” you say, now yelling.

“Joe, keep your voice down, I just put Amanda to bed!” she whispers pleadingly. You sigh and shake your head. “What happened to the man I married all those years ago? The man who put family above all else?” she asked, gripping your shoulders. You brush her hands off and continue out the door.

“He's not here anymore. He left long ago..” you say softly before slamming the door behind you.
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You begin to cry softly, cradling you head in your hands, cursing yourself for your stupidity. You berate yourself for not trying harder to keep your cool, and for letting your temper get the better of you. You stand up and look around at the darkened foliage, looking for anyone who might hear you. Finding no one, you drive your fist into a nearby tree, tearing some of the skin off of your knuckles and causing them to bleed. “So STUPID!” you yell at yourself through gritted teeth as the tears keep flowing. “I-I…. I should’ve stayed at home….. I should’ve at least told her how much I loved her before I left…” you whisper to the air as you fall to your knees, dragging you fist along the bark, leaving a slight blood trail down it. You begin to sob quietly, and rest your head on the tree for a moment. Soon, though, your tears dry, and you resolve to make the best of the situation you’re in. You grab your jacket and drape it over yourself like a blanket as you lie down on the bench you were sitting on earlier, and soon fall asleep, dreaming of better times and happy days, when everything was less stressful and complicated. And less full of ponies.