Chapter 2
New beginnings in a strange world.
The empty void in which the lost individual found himself in began to manifest itself as scenes from his life. From his earliest memories of a long ago innocence to his rebellious adolescent and teenage years flashed in bits and pieces all around him. His absolute pride in joining the military to the dismal embarrassment of dropping out of college. The long lost love of his life up until he was eventually discharged from the military for multitudes of article fifteens. Soon after his memories of his wander lust days everything drew to a blank. The inky blackness enveloped him once again, yet he knew there was more to this chain of remembrance. No sooner had he began contemplating what exactly it was a voice rang out from the depths.
"What the hay do you think you're doin?" the voice carried a noticeable country accent, and even though it sounded rather upset, it was rather pleasant to listen to. "Don't think jus anypony can lay back and nap under mah apple trees, it's applebuckin season!" The voice carried throughout the emptiness until it felt like it was being sucked towards him until it sounded like it was coming from directly in front of him. At that moment he felt immensely heavy, his mind reeling from the shock of his adventure he slowly lifted his head and strained his eyes open.
There standing in front of him was an extremely strange looking pony type creature, its eyes impossibly big and its body oddly disproportionate for a regular equine, not only that, it's facial features were remarkably human. Yet, oddly enough, it was cute on levels he couldn't imagine. She was an orange pony with a stetson perched atop her head and a long blond mane with brilliant emerald eyes. She lowered her head to his level. "Hey are you alright sugar cube? Her expression softened into concern as she looked right into his eyes. "You don't look quite right."
He cocked his head to the right in utter confusion. The bright vibrant colors of her body confused him enough, but to have it talk to him? And in perfectly clear, if accented, English? The stress was too much for his poor drug fueled brain to handle and he blacked out.
He awoke to the delicious aroma of pancakes, that thick yellow batter being slowly cooked to brown-gold deliciousness. The smell quickly had the saliva flowing in his mouth. But as he attempted to get up a flash of pain flashed across his head, forcing him back down. "My fucking head...that's the last time I go drinking with the guys..." The last he remembered was heading downtown with the rest of his platoon while off duty, beyond that...it was a blank. "Well...at least I'm somewhere safe...but this headache is a goddamn killer." He reached his hand to his head...and felt no fingers, simply one limb, ending in a hardened rubbery appendage.
Despite the light worsening his headache; he opened his eyes slowly, and examined his new hoof. "WHAT IN THE FUCK!?" He shouted at the top of his lungs, the pain utterly blinded him; yet it mattered not, for this new revelation trumped anything else in his mind. He raised his other arm, there it was, another hoof. "What the hell is this?!" While not yelling his voice was still quite loud.
"What in tarnation is going on in thar?" From the general direction the marvelous pancakes where being made a voice rang out. While harsh it was strangely familiar and...comforting. He heard the sounds of footsteps clattered towards the room he was in. The door burst open, revealing that same orange pony, blonde maned pony. "Are you alright sugarcube?" She trotted up next to him, placin her hoof across his forehead. " Can you tell me what happened? "
"Why...why do I have...these?!" He waved his hooves in front of the orange pony frantically. As he did so he sat up, the sheets falling to his waist. He looked down, expecting to see his old body, but to his dismay he only saw the dark green hide of what was a pony. He leaped out of the bed, his eyes desperately searching for any sign of his physical humanity. His rear had hooves as well, along with a black tail and to top it all off, a pair of laughably small wings, there was simply no way they could provide the lift required to fly...or even glide for that matter. "No...no...why...how could this happen?"His voice settled as his terror subsided to confusion.
"Why do ya have hooves?" The orange pony looked speculatively at the dark green pony, lost as to what he was talking about. "Ah'm not sure what your getting on about..." She gently placed her hooves on the other pony's shoulders. "first things first there fella, my name is Applejack, whats yours?"
The green pony closed his eyes when Applejack touched him. It felt like eons since the last time anyone had touched him this gently. "My name is...my name is..." He furrowed his brow as he thought about what he was called. The memories were fuzzy...he couldn't focus on anyone of them, just bits and pieces. He managed to latch onto a child hood memory, a simple day with his best friend. "My name is...Frederick Rosenbaum..." He scratched the back of his head nervously, feeling a mane as well. "You can call me whatever you wish...I just want to know where I am...and why I'm a pony of all things." His wings fluttered a bit while he talked, accenting the nervousness he felt. "And...and these things, they can't even be called wings, their useless."
Applejack giggled a bit. "Well, thats a mighty strange name ya got there Mr...um...Rosenbaum?" She laughed hesitantly. "Ah'm sorry, Ah'm just not that great with introductions...as for your wings...you really haven't been around equestria much have ya?" She looked him over a couple times. "Even though your a pretty well grown colt and all..." She shook her head and sighed. Letting her hooves fall to the ground. "We'll talk more at breakfast...Applebloom has been dying to meet you, the kitchen is on the right and straight ahead, you take all the time you need to get ready ok?" Applejack patted him on the back before she left, she looked at him with curiosity written on her face.
Standing alone in the room, the green pony sighed...this was a situation...something he would never have dreamed of in a million years. 'I...I'll just have to accept...this...whatever this is...besides...those pancakes smell incredible.' He slowly made his way to the kitchen, soaking in every detail of the house as he went. 'Wow, for not having any hands, these ponies sure make nice homes...I wonder what kind of amenities it has?' He wondered at this until he found himself in a small dining area. There was Applejack, a large red pony, an older green pony, and a small light yellow pony.
"Hiya mister Rosenbaum!" The smaller pony piped up, she seemed very...hyper. "You don't have to call me mister or Rosenbaum, just Ros will do little lady." Ros informed the eager little filly. "Any thing else just makes me feel old." he chuckled as her eyes brightened."Well Ros, are ya feelin alright?" Applejack looked at her sister with a stern look on her face. "you were making a ruckus earlier!" She said cheerfully. It was obvious nothing got this little filly down.
"Applebloom, Ah don't think he wants to talk about it." Applejack pointed out to her sister. "Non-sense Applejack, I'm just...a little confused at the moment." Ros explained to the little filly. "I dont know why I'm here...or why I'm a pony...but I have to make the best of it."
"But weren't you always a pony?" Applebloom questioned. "Ah mean, Ah've never heard of somepony just up and changin into another thing...what were ya before?" The dark green pony rubbed the back of his neck, thinking about how he could explain this to the inquisitive little pony. "well...you see...before I came here I was a human." He saw the quizzical expressions on the ponies faces as he said this. "A human is a...bipedal creature, we...er...they only have ha- manes on their heads, and instead of hooves they have hands and feet, with five digits on each one."
Applebloom's eyes widened as he explained this to the trio before him. When a knock on the door interrupted his small speech. "Heelllloooo!" A high pitched voice made itself heard beyond the door. "Sweetie Bell!" Applebloome turned torwards the door excitedly. "Sorry Ros...can you please tell me the rest when I get back?!" She began to open the door with her flank revealing a white filly with a purple mane. "Ohhhh who's that applebloom...Applejacks new coltfriend?" The two little fillies giggled uncontrollably."
Ros laughed at the twos exchange. "Go ahead Applebloom, I'll tell you later." As the two fillies bound down the steps and away, Ros finally sat down in front of the massive stack of still warm pancakes. He looked over at Big Mac who was staring at him intently. "I-is there something wrong Mr. Mac?"
"Nooooope." The apple red pony drew out his word slowly and deliberately. "Jus wonderin when ya'll gonna try mah cookin is all." While a slow talker and defintely looking like a simpleton, Ros could feel the red pony looking him over...analyzing him to see if he was any threat to his family. Ros laughed a bit at himself. "You don't have to worry about me trying to get together with your sister...I'm not really into ponies." Both Big Mac and Applejack blushed at this. "Well Ah'll be, we've got a bit of a smooth talker here don't we?" Applejack announced, clearly embarrassed over Ros' announcement. "You go ahead and eat...sugarcube, just find me when your done, Ah'll be out in the field Applebuckin." Her voice dripping with sarcasm as she said the word, this time it was Ros' turn to blush. Big Mac nodded his good bye and left the farm house, Applejack following behind stopping just long enough to turn back and give Ros a wink, she giggled as she left. Leaving him alone with his thoughts.
Ros sighed as he stared at the pancakes. Those lovely golden brown flat discs of pure deliciousness. He tore through them with the ferocity of a mongoose. It felt as if he hadn't eaten in days. Each bite brought him to a higher plane to existence, he had never tasted something so delightful in his life. He sat back as he finished what had once been a mountain of pancakes. "That was most excellent my good sir." Ros said aloud to the empty room. "Well...I suppose I should go help Applejack...she did put me up after all." He placed the dishes into the sink and opened the door. Before being able to step out a pony shape grey blur smashed into him.
After a couple rolls he found himself on top of the pony who crashed into him. He opened his eyes and looked at the pony in detail. It was a mare...with a blonde mane, with those small wings he himself had. He noticed that even though she was a pony, she was rather cute. While the thought was rather concerning he didnt have time to think about it, as the filly began to open her eyes. "Wow..." He whispered as the eyes looked up at him, they were...odd...they were in fact crossed, but the amber color entranced him.
The gray pony giggled a bit. "Wow?" Her giggling increased in volume. "I think thats first time anyone's said that about my eyes." Ros Blushed furiously at her remark. "I-I'm terribly sorry ms...?" The gray pony fell into a fit of laughter at his reaction. "Your going to have to get off me to get privileged information like that." Her laughter subsided to muffled giggles. "Oh...excuse me...I'm sorry..." He could feel the heat in his cheeks steadily grow hotter as he got up.
The gray filly hopped up, and fluttered her wings a bit to straighten them out. "It's ok, I didn't really mind it anyways, I somehow manage to find myself into these kinds of situations a lot...My names Ditzy Doo by the way...whats yours?" Her smile seemed to brighten up the entire room. "My name is Frederick Rosenbaum...you can just call me Ros for short, Ditzy...is that really your name?" Ros turned his head in confusion. "That seems a little belittling doesn't it?" Ditzy looked down at the ground in shame as he asked his question. "I...I have to go...deliver mail...bye.." Her head remained lowered as she trotted past him. He stared at her as she left, and to his disbelief she spread her wings and took off into the clouds, away towards the town off in the distance.
"Amazing...I really hope she's ok..." Ros furrowed his brow in concern. He wondered what he had said to set her off into that mood. But it couldn't be helped, the only thing he could do was apologize the next time he saw her, if he did see her again.
After everything was said and done Ros finally stepped out onto the porch and looked out towards sweet apple orchards. Despite what had happened to him, he felt as if this was a new chance for him. He had a feeling what happened after his memories ended wasn't very pleasant. But it didn't matter now...He stepped off the porch and trotted off to find his new friend applejack, trotting off into a new future for himself.