Heart of Destruction Part 3

Part 3: Wherein Anon Gets Settled In
>You lie down on the pile of hay and blankets that make up your bed and reflect on the strange day you’ve had.
> Somehow, you woke up this morning to find yourself in your favorite cartoon show. This would be awesome except that your presence nullifies the magic that pervades this world, resulting in negative effects on any nearby pony. Not surprisingly, you’ve been met with hostility and fear by the ponies you had admired on TV. Thankfully, Twilight seems to want to help you for some reason, and she and her friends decided that you should be quarantined in Applejack’s barn until they find a way to get you back to your world.
>If they can get you back, that is.
>The rest of the day was spent preparing your temporary home/prison. The barn was pretty typical of barns: large, dark, musty, and full of rusty tools and leftover straw. On one end the ponies piled up some hay and covered it with thick old blankets, making a serviceable bed. Some old barrels were brought in to be turned into a table and chairs. As for other necessities:
> “Here ya go Anon,” said Applejack, dragging in a large metal tub with a bucket and a bag full of stuff.
“What’s all this?” you asked.
> “That’s yer bathtub. You can use the bucket to fill it with water from the pump. Soap, shampoo, and a sponge are in the bag. Also some toothpaste and a toothbrush.”
“I can’t use the bathroom in your house?”
> “Nope. One, yer too big, two, I don’t want ya near my family, and three, I don’t really like ya much.” Well, that’s pretty damn honest.
“What about when I need to take a dump?” you ask.
> “Grab a shovel. I’ll show ya where ta dig.”
>You sigh, but you can’t complain. She is giving you a place to stay for free, after all.
>Rarity is more polite but still wary around you. She was brought in and introduced to you to make clothing, for which you are very thankful. Being a unicorn, of course, she couldn’t actually take the measurements herself, but instead had to toss the measuring tape to you and shout instructions. You also wrote down some specifications to make a pair of simple sandals so you wouldn’t have to go barefoot.
>Pinkie Pie came by a little after noon. As expected, she was bursting with energy and ready to give you an impromptu party. At least, she was up until crossed into that circle.
>As soon as she got close, her hair suddenly deflated, becoming flat and straight, and she stared at you in shock and confusion.
“You’re feeling it too, aren’t you,” you said. “I’m sorry. It’s not something I can control. I guess we won’t be having a party.”
> She managed a smile. “Don’t worry. This is just a setback. I’ll find a way. In the meantime, I brought some cake for you!”
>You thanked her for the food and chuckled as her hair re-inflated when she left. You ate a bit of the cake for lunch, then grabbed a shovel to start on the outhouse.
>By the end of the day, you are mostly settled in. You finished digging the hole, and after a few failed attempts, managed to nail together a toilet to put over the hole. You’ll have to wait a few hours for everyone to go to bed before you use it; you haven’t built any walls for privacy yet. While you were working, the ponies brought some food. It’s mostly fruits and vegetables, but at your request they got some eggs, beans and nuts for protein. As much as you enjoy steak, you aren’t going to ask them to kill for you. Pinkie donated some old kitchen equipment, and the barn had an old axe for firewood, but you figure you will still be eating a lot of meals raw. For now, however, you decide to take a nap while you wait until it’s dark enough to break in your new toilet.
> “SURPRISE!”
“AHH WHA-!” you scream.
>You open your eyes to see the barn lit up with lanterns. At least, the far end is. The mane 6 and a few other ponies are standing by the doorway wearing party hats and, on most of them, forced smiles.
> “I told you I’d find a way to throw party for you!” says Pinkie Pie, bouncing up and down. “I got a present for you!” She runs out the door. Seconds later, she slides back in, riding a large wooden platform on wheels.
> “We use these dollies at Sugarcube corner to transport large cakes,” Pinkie says “The Cakes, not the dessert, I mean, my bosses, they said I could give you one!” She tosses you a rope that’s tied to one end of the dolly. Another rope is tied to the other end.
> “See, we can use the rope to pass things back and forth to you without getting into that weirdo no-magic circle of yours! Now we can have a party!”
On cue, Applejack pushes a table into the barn and ponies start piling food and mugs on it. Big Macintosh even walks in with a large barrel on his back.
“Wow,” you say “Pinkie, this is…really nice of you. I appreciate you going through all this trouble.”
>It’s true. Even though you aren’t particularly interested in parties, you are impressed with her dedication.
>You test out your new gift by pulling over a slice of cake and mug of cider that Pinkie placed on the dolly. It works like charm.
> “Well, that solves one of the problems with this magic nullification,” you think to yourself, “but it doesn’t really make this party any less awkward.” It reminds you of a junior high school dance; everyone is one big group while you hang out alone in the corner. Ah well, the cake is good and the cider is hard, so you might as well enjoy yourself.
>A few ponies try to make conversation with you. They mostly ask questions about what you are and where you’re from. You answer them as best as you can. Of course, certain answers creep them out, making the atmosphere even more like junior high. You don’t mind too much though. You learned long ago to enjoy solitude, and having just the right amount of weirdness helped ensure that you got it. It was better than being bullied.
>Despite Pinkie Pie’s best efforts, the party doesn’t last too long. Once the cake and cider are gone, ponies begin to trickle out. Before long, only Twilight is left.
> “Anonymous, before I go home, there’s something I think you should see.” She places a large book on the dolly motions for you to pull it over. “Open that up to page 279.”
>You do so and immediately recognize the photograph on the page.
> “After this morning, I suddenly realized that your body shape seemed a bit familiar,” Twilight explains, “I finally found what I was looking for in that archaeology book you have there.”
>You’re too surprised to respond. Inside the book is a picture of a skeleton. A human skeleton.