A/N: I have been away from Fanfiction for WAY too long. So, as a gift, I'm starting an all-new series, one that I think will be satisfactory, and one I can do completely! How does that sound? So, without further ado, here's the first chapter!

Screw homework. I had work to do. Of course, if I had known of the imminent, life-threatening danger that I would soon face… well, I would probably have stopped by Dairy Queen one last time.

My name is Alex Monroe. I'm 14 years old, and I'm an inventor. I spend all my spare time tinkering around with spare items, and I had a theory that's too important to pass up. My hometown, high school, family... None of that is important. Soon, I wouldn't go to high school, or live anywhere, or have family... but later.

I mounted the leather of my bike, struggling with the pile of mechanical equipment I had 'borrowed' from the Science Lab. It's amazing what becomes possible with a coat hanger, a strip of twine, and some paper clips. Sure, Mrs. Trixie might get a little pissed, but who cared? The theory I had, if correct, could eradicate all resource problems forever. I began to push and pedal.

The wind in my face provided a nice escape from the everyday, which is always necessary if an inventor is to clear his mind. But I'll be honest; I'm not an inventor yet. Neither am I some amazing child prodigy. I'm just a regular high-school nerd, getting shoved into lockers and such. Not that I mind. I know that someday I'll be CEO of a large company, and they'll work for me.

"Hey, Alex!" It was Jordan, my best friend. He's into programming and pyrotechnics. And when I say pyrotechnics, I don't mean sparklers and candles. I mean use-two-clothespins-and-a-match-to-almost-burn-down-a-national-park-and-then-lie-to-the-athorities kind of pyrotechnics. I met him at Help Young Adults Anonymous, a group for people who drink, do drugs, bomb, etc.

Jordan was there because of an incident at the local CVS that left the right side of the building in shambles. I was there for a much less epic reason: I was experimenting with chemicals to make a universal nourishment, mixed the wrong stuff, and got high by accident. Apparently chemistry is 'no excuse to do drugs'.

"Hey, what's going on?" I asked nonchalantly. I was very rushed to get home, but if anyone could give my some input on my theory, it was Jordan. As sadistic as he was, he was my best friend. "Not much," he replied, "save for 5th, when I trolled this kid into stuffing golf balls in his mouth."

"I think I finally can put my theory to the test." I was referring to the multiple existences theory that states that for every possible decision and outcome, there is a separate existence to go with those circumstances.

"What? You actually got a radiation emitter? Where?" We had been looking for one all week, and only yesterday, while nuking a TV dinner, did I realize what I needed.

"Here's a hint: It's square, has buttons, and rhymes with The Fincaple's Ficrowave."

Jordan laughed his signature Chortle of Approval, which was sort of a heavy laugh. "You are an asshole!"

"I try." I bowed jokingly. Thankfully, as we walked home from the tiresome day at school, he didn't ask how I managed to fit a microwave into my backpack.

Six days later...

We stood before the hulking machine, in all its glory. I'm being sarcastic, of course. It was, quite frankly, a load of crap. But I thought it was beautiful.

This is the thing that will prove my theory, I dreamed. I came up with it myself.

We were in the basement of Jordan's house, which had been remodeled into a lab for the duration of our research. The machine looked like a hodgepodge of pistons, orbs, wires, diodes, copper, etc. In fact, it sort of looked like one of those big supercomputers they have at big companies, with all the towers and such. Ironically, most of the machinery was just to help generate, store, and transfer energy to a small podium. On this podium was a metal cylindrical base, with wires, rubber and nozzles all over it. The machine was just 'The Machine' to Jordan, but I liked to call it GLaDOS, after my favorite antagonist of all time. Gyroscopic Linker and Dimensional Operating System.

"So, are we ready?" Jordan was pumped. Truth be told, so was I. If this worked, we would have entire worlds of resources at our disposal to eradicate hunger, pollution, and poverty, not to mention provide a safe evacuation if, say, the world were ending.

I twitched the wire one last time, thoroughly connecting it to the radiation emitter I had pried from the microwave. "Yep. All set and ready for action."

"So, just a run-through, exactly how will this work?"

"First, the radiation emitter will send out a single radioactive atom straight through this universe. Then, when it lands in whatever universe it lands in, our atoms will simply tag along for the ride!

"Then... adventure!"

"So," Jordan inquiringly asked, "Are you sure this will work?" Jordan was always the cynic. "I seriously doubt some of your reasoning."

I stared.

And stared. Then I stretched for the button to begin the process.

"Alex."

"What?"

"Are you sure this will work?"

I zoned out, deep in thought. "I have no clue," I finally responded, pushing the small red button.

At first, nothing happened. Jordan gave me a smug look. We just stared at the GLaDOS apparatus, which suddenly resembled the AI herself, smirking at me and saying, "Even Chell, a fatty adopted orphan, was more successful than you. Give up."

But I wasn't about to give up now. I stood back, gathered my wit, and ran straight into it, giving it a mighty kick and a punch. Nothing.

"C'mon. Let's go get some yogurt—"

CH-CH-CH-CH-CH-CH-CH-CH-click! Whirrrrr… I ran up to it and checked the display, dumbfounded.

"Oh my God, it worked…" I shook my head and grinned. Jordan smiled in disbelief, then laughed.

"It actually WORKS!" I danced and sang and whooped, jumping for joy. Jordan whooped too, and we both gathered some emergency supplies in a satchel, just in case our test trip lasted more than planned.

"You are one…" Jordan stopped mid-sentence.

I grinned. "I'm one smart peach, right?" He shook his head, laughing. "Right?" We both cracked up. It really wasn't that funny, but we were both too high on victory to care.

The items we gathered:

-3 boxes of granola bars. "Check."

-Swiss Army Knife. "Check."

-Beef jerky. "Checkaroo."

-Solar-powered flashlight. "Check."

-Journal, pens, and paper. "Checkidy-check-check. Do we really need to count off all this stuff?" We had plenty of supplies, and certainly enough to live on, should we get stuck.

"Probably not. Let's fire this sucker up," I responded, already adjusting the support clamps on the harness that supported the gun. Thinking quickly, I wrote a short note to my parents, then joined Jordan.

"You ready?"

"As I'll ever be." I pressed the button.

Nothing.

Jordan frowned. "Maybe kick it again?"

I looked at it and wound up. Ki—

PACHIZZZZZZZZZZZZ…

Before I could register what was going on, an incredibly bright green line shone from the gun, through the open window it was pointed out, and into the sky. Less than a second later, I felt a burning sensation in my skin, and everything went dark.

I slowly opened my eyes. My whole body felt sore, and I could hear Jordan moaning nearby, obviously in a similar predicament. The sun was shining brightly, and we appeared to be in a forest. I moaned quietly myself and attempted to get up.

This was harder than you'd think. It was only after I had tried not once, not twice, but six times to walk on two legs unsuccessfully did I realize something was off.

"Jordan!"

"Ugghhh… What?"

"Don't scream."

"Why would I?"

"I think we've changed. Don't look!" He stopped himself. "I do feel a little weird," he admitted. "Why?"

"On 3, we look. Don't scream, whatever the hell we've become. We don't want to attract attention." This was just a hunch that sentient beings were nearby.

Jordan was still confused, but groggily complied.

"One…

"Two…

"Three."

Ponies. We were fucking ponies.