>Your friends were all standing around you, sharing jokes with you and you them, having a good time and laughing with each other.
>You had managed to practically befriend everyone you had met in Ponyville, becoming good friends with everyp0ny. Some more than others, but still friends.
>The party you where at was very lively as everyone in Ponyville was invited.
>It kept you busy, meeting everyp0ny and making sure they were having a great time.
>But you had never been happier, except when you had been with your wife, until she had…
>You had never recovered from that, not fully, but you hid it well from your daughters, or tried to anyways.
>They filled that void though, that sadness, and even though you were happy, it was never quite the same, but not bad.
>It was tough, but you acted strong for them, and your family was happy for a long time.
>And then you had been taken from them, by sickness. It made you angry just thinking about it, so helpless..powerless..
>You calmed yourself and smiled, turning back to the guests of the party.
>That was your past, and it was all behind you now. Someone, whoever, had been gracious enough to give you a second chance, to find true peace and happiness.
>Everyp0ny turned to you in the room, greeting your smile with their own. But something was off…
>Their eyes seemed to pierce straight through you, so green, but lifeless.
>Then they all turned at the same time to meet the newest arrival…
>It was you. He laughed, and everyp0ny in the room mimicked his laugh, their echoes bouncing off the walls and right into you.
>You just stared at him, frozen in place, wide-eyed and horrified as he lazily made his way through the wave of ponies, stopping barely inches in front of you.
>He smiled, his sharp fangs gleaming in the light flames seemed to engulf his figure.
>It was sickening, ugly. Was that really you? No..it couldn’t be you, it wasn’t.
>The very air around it was evil. You tried to back away, escape the room but the green-eyed ponies you once called friend all blocked you off, circling around you.
>Then that laugh, that cold, shrill laugh. Just hearing it made you sick to your stomach and your skin crawl.
>Turning, you were met with even darker, green eyes. But this one was more cruel, more twisted than the others.
>Just being in that presence made every fiber of your being want to scream, to shout, to run away, flee.
>You tried, but it was no use, you couldn’t. It was as if you were locked in place, watching a horror film unfold before you.
>Then a scream, and then another. Your eyes floated around you, checking the state of the whole room.
>It had changed, immensely. The atmosphere of the place was now more cold, and lifeless.
>Just as the bodies were, littered around on the floor, in piles, all over the place.
>You could see parts of their body broken, even some heads caved in by something strong.
>Some of the bodies had even been cut open or torn apart, body parts and organs littered around the very floor you stood on.
>There was blood everywhere, so much of it. Your eyes danced around all of the ponies, it was impossible to look away, their lifeblood in pools around their lifeless corpses.
>Intestines had been hung up around the room like streamers from a party, but for someone cruel and insane.
>They had all been looking at you and you could see the sorrow in their eyes, and their mouths frozen in a way that made you think they had died, trying to tell you something, no more than a whisper.
>You looked down at yourself and suddenly felt hot tears streaming from your eyes.
>There was blood all over your hooves and your body. Was it you who had slaughtered these ponies?
>No, no..not you. This was some monster, some beast who had done this. Not you.
“W-..wasn’t me, I didn’t...this wasn’t what I wanted..”
>Your heart skipped a beat, hearing that strangely familiar, and oddly comforting hissing in your ears.
>”But wasn’t it, my dear Anonymous? You weren’t happy, no, not really. Just a sick, dying man, hopes and dreams crushed, just like your wife was.”
>”I gave you what you wanted, truly, in your heart and soul. A second chance, to start anew. But now..you will give me what I want, what I need..or die, a hollow, regretful man.”
>You try to turn around to get a better view at the voice, but are only met with laughter, and then jolt awake.
>It was still clear in your ears, even after awakening from your nightmare. It left, but slowly.
>That laugh, as much as it made your skin crawl and make you want to throw up, it was strangely familiar to you, but you couldn’t find out where from.
>There were a couple tears rolling down your face, and you did your best to wipe them away as you laid back down on the couch, head spinning.
>You tried your best to get back to sleep, but the nightmare was still fresh in your mind. All those ponies, dead..and by your hooves?
>Walking over to the kitchen counter, you sigh deeply, placing your hooves over your head.
 
 
>It was bright in the morning as you see a yawning Dash make her way over to you, but not before stopping, a bewildered look coming across her face at what she saw.
>”Anon, what the..?”
>All you did was smile and motion for her to take a seat, and she did just that.
“I thought I would do something nice for the Pegasus that is letting me eat all her food, stay in her house, and who also helped me find a job. Seriously Rainbow...thank you.”
>Her bewildered look soon changed to a shy smile as she tried not to meet your gaze. Was she even blushing a little?
>”I-it wasn’t..I’m not…”
>You brought her a couple plates filled with food and placing them in front of Dash, having decided to make breakfast for her today.
>”..Don’t thank me Anon, I’m just being a good friend, it’s what friends do. Now don’t go getting all emotional and sappy on me now..we gotta lot of stuff to do today! Including your party.”
>You smiled at her when she said friend, but it soon faded when she mentioned the party, visions of last night’s nightmare invading your thoughts.
>Dash catched onto this after she stopped filling her face with the breakfast you made her.
>”Wuff wrong, Anon?”
>You cursed yourself, sending away those dark thoughts and visions as you put your smile back on.
“Oh, nothing Rainbow. I’m just not a big fan of parties is all, but I’ll get over it. Don’t worry about me, just enjoy your breakfast.”
>She shrugged at you, digging back in as you halfheartedly took the seat opposite to her, lightly touching your own breakfast.
>It wasn’t the food. You had gotten used to it, primarily thanks to your new body, but the reminder of the nightmare had made you less hungry.
>You didn’t have good feelings about how today would end.
 
 
>”What’s got ya so down, hun?”
>The party Pinkie Pie had set up wasn’t quite ready, so you were told, and you just went on with your life.
>The wait for the party was killing you though, a nagging feeling in the back of your head every second of the day.
>Applejack noticed how you were working today, taking longer than usual and not fully into your work, weakly bucking the trees and slowly moving the apples.
“I..I’m just nervous about the party is all. I really just want to make a good impression on the town, and Rainbow’s friends.”
>You smile weakly. It wasn’t a lie, you were nervous and did want to make a good impression on the ponies, but it wasn’t the real reason.
>”Oh hay sugarcube, I’m sure ya’ll fit right here in P0nyville. From my first impressions of yah, ah can tell yah’re a gentlecolt, kind and strong, but yah aren’t ‘fraid of haulin’ yer own weight.”
>That made you feel a bit better. It’s not as if you were going to suddenly turn on these kind ponies like some sort of monster and hurt them. You almost chuckle to yourself for being so silly.
“But..if yah don’t mind me none asking this, I was just wonderin’..as yer a bit different from, yah know, everyp0ny else...”
>Your smile and happy demeanor is wiped off your face, and Applejack notices this, her posture a bit more timid, rubbing the ground with a hoof.
>Different? Did…did Dash tell her about you? Tell her what you could do? Instead of another person, or pony, AJ would just be looking at you as some sort of alien…freak.
>Even if you kind of are one.
>”..Ah..I, uhh…Now, me and a couple others were just wonderin’..And yah don’t have tah answer this if yah don’t feel like it, and ah’ll drop it right away, but..”
>Others? You would understand, maybe, if Dash had only told her close friends, but had she just told the whole town?
>You tried to keep your face as expressionless as possible, trying to hide your feelings of betrayal. How could she? She promised..
>”How come you ain’t got no cutie mark? It’s not like ahm against people with no cutie marks, heck even mah sister don’t got one but..ah was just curious..”
>Cu..cutie mark? Really, that’s what this was all about?
>It was weird to you, even a bit silly, a symbol of some sort popping up for everyone to see whenever you found out what you were good at.
>You bursted out in laughter, startling and surprising Applejack. Guess she was thinking your reaction would be a bit different.
“Heh, my cutie mark? Well, AJ, I guess I’m sort of just..too busy focusing on other people’s problems and helping them out, rather than on my own. Really, I don’t mind that I haven’t gotten a cutie mark.”
>Applejack looked visibly relieved. “Ah wouldn’t be surprised when ah see that yer cutie mark is a helpin’ hoof or somethin’ someday, Anon.”
>A helping hoof? You chuckled, but quickly double checked your flank for it..nope.
>The mare next to you gave a hearty chuckle herself before slapping a hoof on your back, which knocked a bit of air out of you, despite your size against hers. That mare was strong.
>”Yer a hoot n’ a holler Anonymous, ah’m sure yah’ll have a great time at the party.”
“Thanks AJ, that means a lot to me. I could get used to this, having talks our here while we work. It really helps me relax.”
>Applejack shoots a grin at you. “Well, yah won’t have any o’ these talks anymore if yah start slackin’ now, won’t yah?”
>Shit, she was right. You pick up the pace quite a bit too hurriedly catch up to your lost time that could’ve been spent bucking apples.
 
 
>You walk along with Applejack, hauling the last baskets of apples to the farm, chatting along the way and talking about her usual farm business and family.
>You didn’t notice it at first, but it was pretty easy for you to relax around the mare. She was pretty carefree; almost nothing phased her at all. Maybe you should hang out with her and Rainbow sometime..
>”Say, Anon…could yah come with me tah the barn? Ah got a little surprise to show yah, for bein’ so helpful, y’know, around the farm n’ all..”
“Sure AJ, but I hope you didn’t go out of your way for me. I just started here after all, and it’s fine with me just being allowed to help you.”
>She smiles at you knowingly, almost laughing. “Nonsense Anon, ah think this is somethin’ yah deserve.”
>You shrug and walk inside the dark barn, Applejack entering beside you.
“..Why is it so dark in here-“
>”SURPRISE!”
>Confetti and streamers hit your face and startle you as you jump back, the lights in the barn popping on, showing all the ponies in the barn. It looks like the WHOLE town was here.
“Woah..”
>You see a pink blur make its way over to you, giggling and jumping around. “Success! Surprise parties are the best, and we got you good!”
>There were so many ponies here. You weren’t quite used to so many people in one place, even for a party..
“You set all of this up, Pinkie, just for me? A newcomer?”
>She rapidly nods her head at you. “Yeah! Now go join your party you silly filly, it’s just for you! Enjoy yourself!”
>Pinkie Pie practically pushes you into a group of ponies as you chuckle to yourself. These ponies, way too kind. You had truly never seen anything like this.
 
 
>The party had been pretty great so far. You had done well introducing yourself and talking to different townsponies around the place, hitting things off well.
>They had all been accepting of you, and even some of them had worked up the courage to ask you about your cutie mark. Your reaction was very much the same with Applejack, as was theirs.
>You weren’t quite sure why asking about blank flanks were so terrible, it didn’t bother you in the least.
>Ponies got to know more about you, but you had to make a couple things up. It would be weird if you just told people you had come from another planet, dimension, or whatever.
>In turn, you had gotten to make more friends among the townsfolk, and got to know more about them and their community. You were enjoying yourself.
>It had freaked you out at first that this place was exactly how your dream party looked like, but it was soon forgotten as you hanged out with Rainbow, meeting new friends, having a great time.
>The best part was that, meeting with Rainbow’s friends and getting to know more about them, spending time with them.
>You had to admit, you never really got to talk to Fluttershy much, her being shy and all, or Pinkie Pie, but when you got to know them a bit better you knew Dash had made the right choice with friends.
>Speaking of Pinkie Pie, she’s walking up to you right now, holding a glass of something in her hooves and giggling. “Hey Anon! I got something special for your party.”
>The five other mares around you giggle but you ignore it, taking the glass in your own hooves. You never understood how you could ever grab things like this.
>Looking down into the contents of the drink you notice it looks like..well, a rainbow. But in a cup. As a drink.
“What is this?”
>The pink mare just giggles at you. “Liquid rainbow, silly! It’s a pretty…’fun’ drink!”
>No way, you could actually DRINK rainbows in this world? Huh, who would’ve thought..
>You shrug, opening wide and pouring the whole drink into your mouth. It probably tasted like skittles, what could go-
>Oh..oh shit yeah, this was a mistake, a big one. You were not enjoying this.
>The six mares around you erupted in laughter as they watched your face changing colors, making weird facial expressions, but that laughter stopped pretty fast.
>They were now staring at you with surprised and shocked expressions, but you hadn’t noticed, though. You had been to busy convulsing on the ground, flailing around wildly.
>It felt like your whole body was being ran through a flaming grinder multiple times while you had to stay alive for the whole thing to happen, over and over.
>The pain stopped after a whole minute though, it felt like a hell of a lot longer, as your body slowly calmed down from your rainbow ride.
>You didn’t even notice the silence and stares from other ponies until you shakily stood up and took a good look around you. Maybe that was a rare reaction?
“Uhh..don’t worry everyp0ny, I’m fine now, really.”
>Twilight Sparkle stared directly at you, trying to find the right words to say. “Anon..what exactly ARE you?”
>What? What kind of a question is that?
“I’m just a Pegasus, Twilight. Is something wrong?”
You roll your eyes and chuckle, but stop when you catch your reflection in your cup.
>You still had your wings, of course, everyone knew you as a Pegasus, but you now had an addition, a horn on top of your head…fuck.
>Not only where Alicorns rare, but you were probably the first male ‘Alicorn’ in thousands of years, or at least the first one seen in a very long time.
>Rainbow looks at you with a pained expression, she wants to hop in and say something, but she can’t quite get the right words to do so. You don’t blame her.
“Uhh..surprise?”
 
 
>You were now surrounded by magic powered science equipment, some sort of contraption on top of your head and some things covering your body, in Twilight’s basement.
>Suffice to say, this was a pretty interesting turn of events. First you were enjoying a party, getting to know ponies, and then you were being dragged through town in a magical purple bubble.
>Twilight overreacted, or you at least think she did, but at least she didn’t hurt you. For whatever reason, she had hooked you up to this machine and was now running tests on you.
>Rainbow shrugs at you when you give her a confused glance. What’s the worst thing that could happen, anyways?
>In time, you’d get the ponies to trust you again, it wasn’t as if you were a bad person, maybe an alien, but they were peaceful, kind, generous. They would accept you in time.
>Twilight’s head shoot up from reading through tons of papers from your tests, her face wearing a mix of a shocked but angry expression. That was not good.
>She motions for the other five mares to come over here, and they do, Twilight whispering into their ears.
>You can’t quite tell what she’s saying, but it’s probably not a good thing, especially when Rainbow is looking at you with the same shocked face of the rest of the group.
“What’s wrong?”
>How bad could it be? It didn’t really matter, you could fix it, and Rainbow trusted you, she could probably help fix whatever it was.
>Dash slowly walks toward you, but her expression is the most surprising thing, and you’re taken aback by it. She was angry, but sad, and all of it was directed at you.
>It was like she was hurt, betrayed in some way, but you didn’t know how. You had literally done nothing wrong, what was the issue?
>”Anon, you’re…you’re a changeling?!”