John Doe in Equestria

(set: $slc to (passage:)'s name) <center><h1>John Doe in Equestria</h1> A choose-your-own-adventure story by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fimfiction.net/user/184815/reedman">reedman</a> [[FAQ]] [[Updates]] [[Credits]] [[Begin->0]] </center> <a target="_blank" href="https://reedsmith.neocities.org/games/jdie.xml">Subscribe to our rss feed for updates!</a>

(set: $slc to $slc + "," + (passage:)'s name) "What hit me?" John groaned as he sat up. The last thing he remembered was a flash of light when he was about to take a nap. The ground was very rough, so that could explain why his head hurt. He stood up and looked at his surroundings. He was in a dense forest. There was daylight. Bits of sun poked through the dense treetops. He had no clue where he was. What he did know was that he was on a well-walked path. A small detail, but a helpful one. It meant at the very least this path went somewhere. He started his walk towards wherever this path led to. Time had passed. John wasn't sure how much time. He had no watch. What he did have was a thrist. He could hear the rushing of a river. It coincidentally crossed by the path he had followed so far. After a tentative sip to make sure the water was safe, John cupped his hands to scoop out some water. After he was quenched, it was back to the path. A part of him wondered why he would wake up in a forest. Was he brought there? Who would randomly take someone to a forest and leave them? He didn't recognize the forest he was in. The trees looked nothing like the forests back home. They didn't look like any of the trees where he lived. All this walking was starting to make him hungry. Luck was on his side, as he could start to make out buildings through the trees. The forest and town had a little bit of distance between them. At least he found civilization. As he got closer to the forest edge, John saw an interesting sight. Two buildings. The first building was a small cottage with a grass roof. There were a lot of animals around it. A mix of farm animals and wild animals. Past the cottage was a large red barn. It stood tall by a large number of apple trees. The sight of apples reminded him of his hunger. The barn was farther than the nearby cabin. He couldn't let his stomach decide for him. John needed to be logical about his choice. For all he knew, one of those houses had the person who put him in the forest. [[Head to the cottage->3]] [[Go to the barn->4]] [[Go back into the forest->13]]`(incomplete)` //Scene by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fimfiction.net/user/184815/reedman">reedman</a>//

Version 0.3 * Grammar fixes * Everfree Forest story branch updated Version 0.2 * Changed one of the Crystal Empire story paths to have Queen Chrysalis as a villain * Grammar fixes * Added a button to start the story over in the submission section * Everfree Forest and Manehattan story branches updated Version 0.1 * First release [[Main Menu->1]]

Thanks to the Humans in Equestria community for all the inspiration and help. Thanks to Kaff for telling me this was a good idea. Thanks to Fred/Cimex for listening to my ramblings about this project. Thank YOU for reading! [[Main Menu->1]]

''This part of the story isn't written yet.'' Here's your chance to be the one to write it. (set: $title to (passage:)'s name ) ''Story Location Code: ''$slc,$title <center><a target="_blank" href="https://cryptpad.fr/form/#/2/form/view/jbkS7GZ+kcdHYfUYtGLDKF1sJJUnsyUuOrm3WEhBXfw/"><h2>Click Here to Send Your Submission</h2></a></center> Don't feel like sending a submission? [[Start over->1]]

Next passage number: 32 Stuff to copy paste Paste at start of each passage (set: $slc to $slc + "," + (passage:)'s name) Paste into every blank passage (display:"submit") Paste at every unwritten story path `(incomplete)` paste at end of all entries I write //Scene by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fimfiction.net/user/184815/reedman">reedman</a>//

(set: $slc to $slc + "," + (passage:)'s name) The cottage was the best option. It was the closest. It looked like something out of a storybook. It had a cute little bridge going over a river on its entry path. He couldn't believe how much wildlife was living there. Birds, as well as many other animals were going about the property. John made his way to it. A few of the birds flew around his head before flying back through an open window. The front door of the cottage seemed a little small. Perhaps the owner was on the short side? He couldn't be picky with were he got help. As he crossed the bridge, some of the animals were behind him. Probably curious. The owner probably didn't get too many guests. He hoped they were nice, or at least in a hospitable mood. He walked up to the door and gave a solid few knocks. "Hello?" he asked. "Is anyone home?" The door opened. A small white bunny had opened it. Well trained it seems. "Oh do come in!" a soft feminine voice spoke. "The birds told me you were coming. I'm brewing a pot of apple leaf tea." John was lead by the bunny to a small couch. He was glad for the hospitality. Although he still had a pressing matter. "I was hoping you could help me." he said. "I woke up in the nearby forest and I don't know where I am." A few birds came from where he presumed the kitchen was. They were carrying a tray with their talons. A tea pot and two cups. Very well trained animals. He could hear the light clip-clop of a horse approaching. Out of the kitchen walked a small horse. A pony. It was yellow with a light pink mane. Didn't look like any pony he'd seen before. It had wings like a pegasus. "It sounds like you came from the Everfree Forest." the yellow pony said. "You're in Ponyville right now." John was silent with shock. Did that pony just talk? Impossible. Maybe he hit his head in his house and this was all a dream. A quick bite of his tongue ellicited a sharp pain. This was real. He was unsure how to react when the yellow pony sat on a chair across from him. She tilted her head to the side, confused at his reaction. That, or just confused at him in general. "I'm sorry." she said. "I'm Fluttershy. Who are you?" "J-John." he stammered. "Where am I again?" "Ponyville." Fluttershy said. "Is that even on Earth?" he asked, mostly to himself. "What's Earth?" the yellow pegasus asked. [["My home world. I'm an alien."->5]]`(incomplete)` [[Try to lie->6]]`(incomplete)` //Scene by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fimfiction.net/user/184815/reedman">reedman</a>//

(set: $slc to $slc + "," + (passage:)'s name) Perhaps John's hunger had more influence than he originally thought. He was walking past the cottage. With all those wild animals going about, it could've been abandoned anyways. The farm the barn laid upon was well kept. He couldn't see a house. It must've been surrounded by the apple trees somewhere. He walked past a wooden fence, and made his way towards the barn. Perhaps the owner was inside? Unfortunately, it was nothing but hay and tools. The owner could be sleeping, but he didn't know many farmers that slept in. He poked his head inside the barn. In the back was a basket filled with apples. John's growling stomach reminded him of his hunger. He didn't have any money with him, but there was no way a farmer would miss one apple. He looked around the farm. Nobody in sight. He made his way into the barn. Wherever John was, the place had great apples. The flavor was indescribably perfect. He found himself going through the apple faster than he ever ate a fruit before. It wasn't long before he went for a second apple. He was too hungry to think of an excuse. They were just so good. “Ah think somethin’s in the barn Mac!” said a feminine voice with a southern drawl. “Ah told ya not ta leave the apples in there!” There wasn’t much time to hide. The apple thieving John saw the ladder behind the apples, and scrambled up to hide above. Whoever the farmgirl was, she sounded upset. He most likely wasn’t the only apple thief she’s dealt with. His plan of asking for help would be on hold for now. He needed to stay out of sight. At least until the farmer calmed down. He kept away from the edge to stay hidden. This also meant he wouldn’t see the farmers. He covered his mouth to muffle his breathing as the doors creaked. “See Mac?” the farmgirl said. “Two eaten apples on the floor.” “Eeeyup.” Mac said. “Hold on.” she said. “These don’t look like pony bite marks ta me. Ya know what animal did this Mac?” “Eeenope.” he answered. Were his bite marks that weird? How had these farmers dealt with apple thieves, but never seen a person’s bite marks before? Something wasn’t adding up. A look at these farmers was in order. Just a quick one. He slowly crept towards the edge. He didn’t see any farmers. Just two ponies. A big red one with a harness around his neck and hay-colored mane. A slightly smaller orange one with a cowboy hat and similarly-colored mane. The farmers must’ve been out of sight. The ponies looked up at him, and he ducked out of sight. His quick motion caused a few boards to creak. “Ah know yer up there!” the farmgirl said. “Come out before ah come up!” [[Come out and hope they're nice->7]] [[Hide and hope they were bluffing->8]]`(incomplete)` //Scene by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fimfiction.net/user/184815/reedman">reedman</a>//

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(set: $slc to $slc + "," + (passage:)'s name) <center>Where are we starting John's story? [[The Everfree Forest->2]] [[The Crystal Empire->10]] [[Manehattan->9]]</center>

(set: $slc to $slc + "," + (passage:)'s name) "I'm really sorry." John said as he poked his head out. "I was hungry, and the apples were so good." Despite looking around, the farmers were nowhere in sight. It was just the two little ponies. They stared at him with expressive shock. Jaws hung open. For colorful ponies, they had very emotional faces. Although what happened next was more of a surprise. "That don't look like no pony Mac." the orange pony said with a voice that matched the farmgirl. "Eeenope." the red pony said with a voice that matched Mac. John scrambled as far back as he could. Those ponies just talked! Ponies don't talk! Maybe he was dreaming. Maybe he hit his head when he laid down for a nap. None of this made sense. "Wait!" the orange pony said. "Ah ain't mad. We ain't gonna hurtcha either. Right Mac?" "Eeeyup." Mac said. John nervously looked over the edge again. The orange mare had a soft smile. It was a kind smile. Maybe his reaction was a little hasty. "Ah'm Applejack." she said. "This is mah brother, Big Mac." "I'm John." he said. "What brings ya to the barn?" she asked. "I woke up in the forest." John answered. "I honestly have no idea where I am." "Well, yer in Ponyville." Applejack said. "In the land of Equestria. Why don'tcha come down? Get a good meal in ya." The man didn't have any reason to distrust this Applejack right now. He climbed back down. She seemed friendly enough. Now he felt a little bad for eating the apples. He followed them out of the barn. They were walking right to an adorable farmhouse. "I appreciate the offer." he said. "Though I feel bad for eating your apples." "Ah'm sure ya can make it up later." she said. "Let's worry about feedin' ya first." These ponies were really understanding. Hospitable too. Most farmers would be angry at tresspassers, especially ones that ate their food. John was brought out of his thoughts when they came to the front door of the farmhouse. "Applebloom's with her friends, an' Granny's takin' a nap." she said. "Ah think we still got some leftover garden salad from supper last night." The dining chair was fairly comfortable, despite the size difference. A plate of salad was quickly placed in front of him. A myriad of vegetables. With no utensils, his hands worked just fine. He happily munched away as the ponies eyed him curiously. "So, where ya from John?" Applejack asked. "Planet Earth." he answered. "A safe bet I'm not on my world anymore, since ponies can't talk where I'm from." "Can't say Ah've heard of Earth." she said. "Maybe Twilight might know." "Twilight?" John asked. "One of mah best friends, an' one of the smartest ponies ah know." she answered. "That's somethin' we can worry about after ya eat." John nodded as he ate his salad. Out of all the places he could've ended up, he was glad to be with these nice ponies. "Hey AJ." Big Mac said. "Can ah talk to ya for a sec?" The two walked off to the other side of the room. They were whispering. It was faint, but it was just audible enough to listen in. "The hay are ya thinkin'?" he asked. "Ah'm tryin' ta help!" she answered. "A once in a lifetime chance, an' ya wanna just hoof 'im over ta Twilight?" he asked. "He's an alien!" "The hay are ya talkin' about?" she asked. "There's only one of 'im. In the world." he said. "Imagine how many bits one of them scientists would pay for 'im?" [["The hay's wrong with you?"->28]] [["Yer right Mac."->29]]`(incomplete)` //Scene by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fimfiction.net/user/184815/reedman">reedman</a>//

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(set: $slc to $slc + "," + (passage:)'s name) John felt like he had horrible luck. Only after he left his Brooklyn apartment, did he realize he forgot his keys and phone. His roommate wouldn’t be back for a few hours. All he had in his pockets was a coupon for a free canoe rental to row around the East River. His roomie worked across the river, so the coupon was a blessing. Only problem was that he had no clue how to use a canoe. He hadn’t touched an oar since he was seven. While he was hopeful when he got halfway across the river, a jerk on a speedboat dashed his hopes. Enough water splashed into the canoe to sink it. There was a flash of light when the water got into his eyes. When he opened his eyes, he was on the dock. He sat up. His clothes were completely dry. Was he knocked out? Was he taken to shore? How were his clothes dry? A lot of questions sat in his mind. His self-questioning was cut off. He could hear something walking behind him. Two voices. “I think it came outta the water.” a male voice said. “What is it?” another male voice asked. “Beats me.” the first voice said. “You know I can hear you.” John said, not turning around. “It can talk!” the first male said in shock. John stood up and turned around to look at the men talking about him. He saw no men on the docks with him. All there was were two ponies. One green with a gray mane. One blue with a green mane. They had large eyes. They stared at him in shock. Extremely expressive faces. They didn’t look like any ponies he had seen before. “It’s looking at us!” the green pony said. It sounded like the first voice. “We made it angry!” the blue pony said with a voice that matched the second voice. “Run!” The two ponies ran away screaming. Admittedly, not the worst way to find out he somehow ended up somewhere not on Earth. A little rude, but not terrible. Maybe it was the shock of it all keeping him calm. He made his way off the dock towards the city. He passed a few more colorful, big-eyed ponies. Some were wearing fancy clothes. Despite being fit for ponies, they looked more expensive than anything he ever wore. After a minute of walking, he saw the green and blue ponies again. They were both talking to a bright green pony in a police uniform. “I’m telling you the truth officer!” said the green pony. “This thing walks on two legs, and has no fur at all!” “It talks! It tried to attack us!” the blue pony said. It pointed in John’s direction. “We ran from the dock over there.” The blue pony turned around when the officer’s eyes went wide. “T-T-There it is!” The sight of an officer staring him down seemed to get the shock out of him. John turned and bolted. It wasn’t long before he heard the galloping of hooves hot on his tail. “Halt!” the officer shouted. “This is Officer Trotter of the Manehattan Police!” Now he was being chased past buildings. He passed a few more police ponies, who joined the chase. He was grateful for ponies having short legs. If they were horses, he would’ve been as good as caught. He rounded a corner. They weren’t far behind. He didn’t know what these ponies did to aliens, and he didn’t want to find out. He looked ahead. On his left was a carriage. A white pony in a blue suit with a pink mane was inside and about to close the door. On the right was what looked like a bookstore. Maybe there was a chance he could lose these cops in one of these. [[Jump in the carriage->18]] [[Run into the bookstore->19]] //Scene by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fimfiction.net/user/184815/reedman">reedman</a>//

(set: $slc to $slc + "," + (passage:)'s name) John was confused and terrified. Just moments ago, he was about to take a nap on his couch. Then, his body was sailing through a void of swirling colors. After a few minutes of that, he came out of a heart-shaped hole and landed on the ground hard. He saw a white pony with blue hair stare at him before he passed out. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed. It was enough for the light to be too harsh on his eyes when he tried to open them. Wherever he was, he was brought to a bed. He sat up as kept his eyes closed. He was still a little sore from his landing. “I must be alive because everything hurts.” John groaned. “You’re awake!” an excited voice said. “A-And you speak our language! I must alert the princess!” the source of the voice ran out of the room before he could open his eyes. His hearing must’ve been affected, because it initially sounded like horse hooves clip-clopping on the floor. John’s eyes finally began to adjust to the light. Wherever he was, the owner really loved crystals. Before they ran out, whoever was with him said something about a princess. Where on Earth was he? A look outside his bedside window left him even more confused. Crystal buildings all around. His attention was brought away from the window when he heard muffled voices beyond the door. “We need to be careful about this.” a male voice said. “He could be dangerous Cadence!” “Shining.” Cadence said. “The Crystal Heart’s never done this before. It’s never produced a creature. According to the nurse, it even speaks our language.” “He could be a spy for all we know.” Shining said. “There are no records to explain what this thing even is!” “More reason to calmly talk to him.” she said. “I should have guards interrogate him.” he said. “To make sure he isn’t a threat to the kingdom.” Kingdom? Crystal Heart? Now nothing made sense. He still felt the pain of his hard landing, so he was definitely awake. Was he still on Earth? It wasn’t something he could linger on, as the door began to creak open. John never saw such a well-dressed mare in his life. He had also never seen a pony with a horn and wings before. She was a very light pink, with the tips of her wings a subtle purple. Gold regalia spotted her body. Shoes, a chest piece, and a crown right behind her horn. Her mane had three stripes. Yellow, magenta, and purple. She had a soft smile. The stallion was all white, with a dark blue mane. He was very plain compared to her. He also held a scowl while looking at him. “I still think the guards should’ve interrogated him first.” the stallion grumbled. “I’m glad they didn’t.” the mare said. “Did...you two just talk?” a confused John asked. “Do ponies not talk where you come from?” the mare asked. “N-No.” he stammered. “I can’t think of a single pony on Earth that can talk.” “Earth?” she asked. “The planet.” he answered. “Never heard of it.” the stallion said. John’s eyes went wide. His breathing became rapid. He wasn’t on Earth anymore? Was he on an alien world? Where was he? His breathing turned to hyperventilating. The mare had a face of concern. “Take a deep breath.” she said. He complied, and calmed down a little. “My name’s Princess Cadence. Why don’t you tell me yours?” “J-John.” he said. “This is my husband, Prince Shining Armor.” Cadence said. “Were you sent to spy on the Crystal Empire?” Shining demanded. “No!” John shouted. “Shining!” Cadence said. “Can’t you see he’s been through enough? I apologize for my husband. He’s, a bit wary of you at the moment.” “This just too much right now.” he said. “You should rest then.” the princess said. “We can talk more after you had some time to process this.” John laid back down in bed. The prince and princess left the room, and talked just outside the door again. He could faintly hear them. “Well that was a waste of time.” Shining said. “All we know is that he’s an alien from the planet Earth named John.” “It’s more than we knew before we came in.” Cadence said. “Now I think we should...” [["...send a letter to Aunt Celestia."->11]] [["...keep him a secret for now."->12]] //Scene by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fimfiction.net/user/184815/reedman">reedman</a>//

(set: $slc to $slc + "," + (passage:)'s name) “I think we should keep John a secret.” Cadence said. “Just for now. Until we can learn why the Crystal Heart sent him here.” “If that’s your decision, I’ll stand by it.” Shining said. “We’ll talk with him more after lunch.” she said. “I’ll have the nurse handle his meal. I hope his species eat the same food we do.” As John laid in the bed, he realized the oncoming conversation he would have with the nurse. If this was a world of ponies, how would an omnivorous human survive? As he heard the voice of the nurse returning, he took a deep breath. It was the first time he saw her when she walked in. All white with deep a deep brown mane. A unicorn. “I’m glad the princess decided to keep you here.” the nurse said. “Better than the dungeon the prince wanted to put you in.” “What?!” John asked, slightly panicked. “Relax.” she said. “The prince always abides by the princess’ decisions. You’ll be fine. By the way, my name is Santé. Yours is John right?” “Y-Yea.” he said. “Well John.” Santé said. “I bet you’re hungry. What kind of food does your species eat?” “Um...” John began. “Humans are omnivores. We need a mix of plants and protein for food.” “Like meat?” she asked. “Y-Yeah.” he answered nervously. “Cooked fish and eggs work too.” “I can only get you fruit and vegetables for now.” the nurse said. “I’ll let the princess know of your protein needs. Meat eaters are a rare thing around here.” “Thank you.” he said. Santé the nurse gave a soft smile as she left. She took the omnivore thing better than he thought. At least he ended up somewhere nice. The Crystal Empire looked nice too. The princess even wanted to keep him a secret. John had seen enough sci-fi movies to know that the world learning about an alien presence never ends well. He was in good hands. Well, hooves. It wasn’t long before Santé came back. She was levitating a plate of sliced apples along with a bowl of lettuce mixed with other salad veggies. It looked amazing. “One meal for one human.” she said. “Thanks Santé.” John said. “You enjoy your lunch. I have another patient to check on, but I’ll be back.” the nurse said. “A guard is on patrol in the hall, so shout if there’s an emergency.” John nodded as he had a mouthful of apple. The nurse left. He plowed through his meal. Going through a wormhole to another world really built up an appetite. Shortly after the very unappealing display of hunger, the plate and bowl were laid on the table next to him. With all things considered. Not a bad start to waking up in an alien world. At least it wasn’t in a spooky forest or something like that. No scary creatures to interact with. Of course fate had to throw John a curveball in the form of a tall black pony appearing in a flash of light. He was glad not to have trypophobia, because she had holes all over her legs. She had wings, but they were a slightly translucent blue. Her hair was the same translucent blue. She had piercing green eyes. Were those fangs? “If you come with me, I can take you home.” she said with a sultry tone in her voice. Something was off about her. However, she sounded genuine with her offer. [["Guard!"->15]]`(incomplete)` [["You have my attention."->14]]`(incomplete)` //Scene by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fimfiction.net/user/184815/reedman">reedman</a>//

(set: $slc to $slc + "," + (passage:)'s name) “I think we should send a letter to Aunt Celestia.” Cadence said. “An alien creature coming out of the Crystal Heart is something I have no idea how to handle.” “Agreed.” Shining said. “Perhaps the princess, or even my sister Twilight could know more about John.” “Do you think telling your science-loving little sister about an alien is the best idea?” the princess asked. “Fair point.” he said. Alright so they’re telling this Princess Celestia about him. John figured there wasn’t much he could do about it. This is usually the part of the sci-fi movie where the discoverers of the alien inform the highest authority they know. Said authority happens to be the aunt of the princess. Before he could ponder the thought too long, another pony walked in. All white, with a deep brown mane. A unicorn. Her smile was very calming. “Hello again.” the mare said. It was the same voice from earlier when he woke up. “Glad we can officially meet. I’m Santé.” “John.” he said. “Well John, it’s about lunchtime.” Santé said. “You hungry?” “Actually, I ate lunch before I came here.” John said. “I’m all good there.” “Alright then.” the nurse said. “Anything I should know about your species’ diet for the future?” “Humans are omnivores.” he answered. “I’ll see what we can do.” she said. “Great.” he said. “I was gonna lay down for a nap. I could use some quiet time to process all this.” “Understandable.” she said. “You get some rest. I’ll check on you later.” It was a short, but sweet conversation. Now, John could finally lay down for the nap he was gonna have on Earth. The bed was only a little too small for him, with his feet starting to hang off the edge. He made it work. It didn’t take long for sleep to take over. He quickly found himself standing in the middle of a grassy plain. There wasn’t much around. Except for the black cloud with red eyes that suddenly appeared. It stared John down before shooting towards him. He started running immediately. He had no clue what the cloud was. All he knew was that he had to stay away. It was a fast cloud, and it was gaining. He ran with all his might, but to no avail. The red-eyed black cloud got in front to cut him off. A tentacle-like wisp of smoke came out of the cloud to wrap around John. He couldn’t move. The entity got very close. Face to disembodied eyes. “With you I will take back what is mine.” it said. “No!” John shouted. He didn’t know what this thing wanted, but he desired no part in it. “You have no power to deny me here.” it said as the cloud began to wrap around him. “We posses such power!” a voice shouted from the heavens. The red-eyed entity looked up with fear towards the sky. “He’s mine Luna!” the entity shouted as the cloud wrapped around John even more. A sense of dread and fear began to overwhelm him. A blast of bright blue light pushed the black cloud away entirely. The man was free of the red-eyed entity. The fearful feeling he had when it wrapped around him was gone. He looked up to see it floating in the sky. It looked at him with fury. “He will be mine Luna.” it said. “Be it in the dream world or the waking one. You cannot protect him forever.” “We know not what this creature be.” Luna said behind him. A large dark blue wing wrapped around his left side. “If he is so important to thee, then protect him we shall.” The black cloud entity dissipated into thin air. This was definitely on the list of weirdest dreams. John turned around to see who this Luna was. A dark blue unicorn with wings. Her tail and mane looked like a starry night. She was larger than Cadence. This pony was a head shorter than him. “Is thou alright?” she asked. “Shaken up, but yeah.” he answered. “It is a pleasure to meet thee.” Luna said. “We never met such a creature as thyself. We are Princess Luna of Equestria.” “I’m John.” John said. “I’m a human from Earth.” “We have no knowledge of humans or this place called Earth.” she said. “When did thou come to Equestria?” “Give or take about an hour ago.” he answered. “Princess Cadence was planning to write about me to a pony she called Aunt Celestia.” “We be an aunt to Cadence as well.” Princess Luna said. “Perhaps we will see this letter too, John of Earth.” Suddenly, Luna’s wing passed right through John’s body. He looked down to see he was transparent. “It seems thy dream is ending.” she said. “Wait!” John said. “What was that cloud thing? It said something about using me to take back what was his.” “We will try to have an answer the next time we meet.” the princess said. “Should it try to attack you in your dreams again, we will be here. Goodbye for now, John of Earth.” He opened his eyes to find himself back in bed in the Crystal Empire. Santé was at his bedside, along with Princess Cadence and Prince Shining. He slowly sat up. “Are you alright?” the nurse asked. “You looked like you were having a nightmare and you wouldn’t wake up.” “Yeah.” he said. “Some black cloud with red eyes attacked me, then this pony named Princess Luna attacked the cloud. It was weird, it felt real.” “Aunt Luna can enter dreams, so that sounds right.” Cadence said. “I can’t shake what the cloud said to me.” John said. “*With you I will take back what is mine*”. Does that mean anything to any of you?” Shining and Cadence looked at each other for a moment. [["We know what attacked you."->16]] [["Sorry. Nothing comes to mind."->17]]`(incomplete)` //Scene by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fimfiction.net/user/184815/reedman">reedman</a>//

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''What is this?'' This is my attempt at doing the classic "human wakes up in Equestria" fanfiction, but with a twist. You choose what happens! ''I choose?'' Yeah. The story has many branching paths. You can even change the story if you want! ''Change? How?'' I built a submission system. If there's a part of the story unfinished, you can submit your addition. If I add it, I'll even feature you on the page your story submission appears on. ''Do I need to know any programming to submit?'' Nope! If you can write, you can submit. You don't need an account either! ''How can I get notified when you update?'' <a target="_blank" href="https://reedsmith.neocities.org/games/jdie.xml">Subscribe to our rss feed for updates!</a> ''How did you make this?'' An program called <a target="_blank" href="https://twinery.org/">Twine</a> ''Is there any way I can support you?'' This is a labor of love to the awesome Human in Equestria community. You help by playing, submitting, and sharing. For those who wish to go farther with their support, here is a link to my ''<a target="_blank" href="https://ko-fi.com/reedsmith">Ko-Fi</a>''. I will remind everyone that this is not required at all. I will still try to keep this updated as long as it gets attention. [[Main Menu->1]]

(set: $slc to $slc + "," + (passage:)'s name) “We know what attacked you.” Cadence said. “We thought he was vanquished.” “He was.” Shining said. “Who are you talking about?” John asked. “King Sombra.” the princess said. “A very dangerous pony. He was destroyed, or so we thought.” “Do you think he was the one who brought me here?” he asked. “It’s too early to tell.” she answered. “I better send off that letter to Aunt Celestia.” “I can show you to a guest room if you’re up for it.” Shining said. “That sounds nice.” John said. Even with the promise of protection from Princess Luna, he had no interest in sleeping right now. He got out of bed. He waved to the nurse. “Thanks for the hospitality.” “Anytime!” Santé said. John followed the royal couple out of the room. The princess took a right. He followed the prince, who took a left. Despite how calm they were in the conversation, they did not look calm at all. Whoever this King Sombra was, he must’ve been a bad dude. Now whoever this pony was, he was in John’s dreams. “Prince Shining?” John asked. “Yes John?” said Shining. “If Sombra’s in my dreams, doesn’t that mean he’s in my head?” he asked. The prince was quiet. Most likely pondering the human’s question. Said human hoped that he wouldn’t later regret asking. Prince Shining seemed to be warier of him than the princess. He finally spoke when they got to a door. “In the off chance he is, we’ll bring it up with Princess Celestia.” the stallion answered. “In the meantime, here’s your guestroom.” “Thanks” John said as he opened the door. The room was very simple. A bed, a desk, and a chair. There was a door that led to what he assumed was a guest bathroom. “Not bad.” the man said. “This guestroom has what I would say is the best guest bath in the castle.” Prince Shining said. John strolled over to the bathroom. He opened the door and saw that everything was made out of crystals. Even the tub! The mirror was also made of crystal. It was shinier, for seeing one's reflection. “This place really is nice.” he said. “Told ya.” Prince Shining said. “This place is nicer than my own house.” John said as he laid on the bed. After a few seconds, he was overwhelmed by... [[sudden tiredness.->24]]`(incomplete)` [[hunger.->25]]`(incomplete)` //Scene by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fimfiction.net/user/184815/reedman">reedman</a>//

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(set: $slc to $slc + "," + (passage:)'s name) “What on Equestria?” the blue-suited pony said as John dove into the carriage. He got into a seat and ducked. He closed the door just in time. Officers galloped past the carriage. “Whew.” John sighed as he looked up. “That was close. Sorry for jumping in.” “Give me one reason I shouldn’t shout for those police officers.” the pony demanded. The man spat out the first excuses he could think of. “I’m an alien from another planet? Having an alien in your possession could do wonders for your reputation?” he inconfidently said. The pony seemed well dressed. A little on the flamboyant side with his voice. A small pair of glasses resting on his snout. The mane was well-kept. There was a chance he cared about the opinion of others. He rubbed his chin as he pondered the human’s statement. A subtle smile crossed the stallion’s lips. “Well, you’re not wrong.” the stallion said. “My reputation’s been faltering ever since I stopped working for Coloratura. Maybe-.” John’s potential savior was cut off when the door to the carriage swung open with a light green glow on the handle. The pony that went by Officer Trotter was glaring at him. Alongside were other, equally upset officer ponies. His blue-suited savior immediately swooped in. “Oh thank you, thank you, thank you officers!” he said. “I was so worried where he’d run off to.” “This is yours?” Officer Trotter asked. John tried to hide the fact he was sweating bullets. “Why yes officer.” the stallion said. “He’s a rare Zebrican hairless monkey. I turned my back for a moment when I was buying a leash an hour ago. A loud dog scared him, and he ran away. Poor thing scares very easily.” “Witnesses claim he was talking.” the officer stated. “Oh that’s just a trick I taught him.” the blue-suited stallion said as he looked to John. “Go on. Speak!” “Hello.” John said quietly. The officer’s harsh glare lessened. “Very well.” the officer said. “Make sure he’s on a leash from now on. If we have to chase him again, he’s going to the pound. Rare or not.” “Of course officer.” the stallion said as the door was closed. The two took a sigh of relief. “Thank you.” John said. “Also. Rare naked monkey? Really?” “Exotic pets are a status symbol in Manehattan.” he said. “Can I at least know the name of my rare Zebrican naked monkey?” “John Doe.” the human said. “What’s your name?” “Svengallop.” Svengallop said. A double tap on the window behind him signaled to the driver, and the carriage was moving. “Do you plan to pretend to be my pet for awhile?” “No.” John said bluntly. “I don’t even know how I got here, or where *here* is.” “Well then.” the stallion said. “You’re in the city of Manehattan, and in the country of Equestria. Any more questions?” “Not unless you know how I got here.” he said. “I suppose I could write a letter to Princess Celestia.” Svengallop said. “She is the oldest and wisest pony in the world. If anypony would have an answer, she would.” John could see beyond the stallion’s deceptive smile. “I know that look.” he said. “What’s the letter gonna cost me?” “Like I said earlier.” the pony said. “Exotic pets are a status symbol in Manehattan, and my reputation is faltering. Showing you off to the elite would fix that. Once my reputation is back to its former glory, I’ll write that letter. Then her highness can help you go back to wherever you came from.” So his well-dressed savior only saved him because of a chance to salvage his reputation? The whole ‘pet monkey’ routine was the only thing keeping him from getting arrested. He had no clue where he was relative to Earth. He was an alien in a world of talking ponies. He couldn’t back out, and that smiling stallion knew it. “Fine.” John conceded. “You win. I’ll play pet. Only if you keep your word about writing the letter.” “Cross my heart.” Svengallop said. “Where are we going by the way?” he asked. "Well," the stallion said "first we're getting you a leash. Then..." [["we're going to the pet groomers."->20]]`(incomplete)` [["I'm showing you off at a party!"->21]] //Scene by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fimfiction.net/user/184815/reedman">reedman</a>//

(set: $slc to $slc + "," + (passage:)'s name) The closed sign on the bookstore was up, but John was lucky that the doors were unlocked. The place looked like just about every bookstore he’d been in. A desk in front. Rows and rows of books beyond it. Maybe he could hide in one of them. “We’re not open yet.” a female voice said. Out from one of the aisles rolled out a cart of books with a pony behind it. She was pure white with a dark red mane that was short. The cart was glowing a color of red a shade lighter than her mane. She had a horn that was glowing the same red. She had a picture of a book and quill on her flank. She looked at him with confusion. “You gotta help me!” John said before she could open her mouth. “I think I’m an alien, the police are after me, and I don’t wanna know what they’ll do to me when they catch me!” Exhaustion from running added to the desperation in his voice. It seemed to strike a chord with her. She parked the cart and stood beside the desk. She gestured for him to get behind it, and he did without question. He heard the clattering of a dozen hooves outside, and ducked below the desk just in time. He heard the doors swing open. John crawled into an opening under the desk in front of a chair. She got behind the desk. “I’m sorry officer.” the mare said. “We’re not open yet.” “Sorry to barge in ma’am.” Officer Trotter said. “We’re pursuing an unknown creature that appeared at the docks. We believe it ran in here. It walks on two legs, has no fur, and stands almost as tall as Princess Celestia.” “It’s just us in here.” she said, doing her best to stay calm. “You’re welcome to check the aisles.” “Thank you for cooperating.” he said as John heard more officers moving throughout the store. “Equestrian law on creatures of unknown origin is fairly strict. It has to be contained as soon as possible.” “Is it dangerous?” she asked. “We don’t know yet.” the officer said. “We’ll be contacting a primatologist, and making a public announcement in the afternoon.” “It’s not here sir.” another officer said. “Then we need to expand our search.” Officer Trotter said. “If you see this creature, please contact the police. Do not approach it.” “I will officer.” the mare said. “Have a nice day.” There was a brief silence as the officers filtered out of the bookstore. After they were finally gone, she looked down at him. “They’re gone.” “Good.” John said as he got out from his hiding place. “It was getting cramped in there. Thanks for the help.” “I’ve read enough stories to know that aliens taken away by the government never ends well.” she said. “I’m Sharp Write.” “John Doe.” he said. “Any chance you could fill me in on where I am?” “The city of Manehattan in the nation of Equestria.” Sharp said. “Where are you from?” “Planet Earth.” he said. “Never heard of that planet before.” she said. “Sorry.” “It’s okay.” John said. “The officers said something about a law on unknown creatures or somethin’?” “Yes.” Sharp said as her horn glowed and a book on the cart levitated into the air. “I have a book here on Equestrian law somepony donated. Let’s see. Here it is! *All newly discovered creatures of origins believed to be beyond the borders of Equestria or beyond the planet of Equus itself, shall be captured and delivered to Canterlot for all necessary study*.” “I’d rather not get caged and studied thank you.” he said. “I have a simple solution.” she said. [["We'll travel to Canterlot ourselves!"->22]]`(incomplete)` [["You can live with me upstairs."->23]]`(incomplete)` //Scene by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fimfiction.net/user/184815/reedman">reedman</a>//

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(set: $slc to $slc + "," + (passage:)'s name) "A party?" John asked. "We just met." "I can not and will not waste such a rare opportunity." Svengallop said. "This is a party hosted at Goldhoof Manor. The elite of Manehattan will be there. Showing you off as my well-trained pet could rebuild my reputation." The carriage came to a stop. Svengallop opened the door, and hopped out. John begrudgingly walked out himself. They were in front of a building. The front had paw marks painted on the windows. A pet shop. He knew what was about to happen. He followed the stallion through the doors. A loud ding caught the attention of a bubbly blue unicorn mare. Her eyes went wide at the sight of the human, but she kept her smile. "Welcome to Pawfect Pals!" she said with a grin. "How can we help today!" "My new pet needs a leash and collar." Svengallop said. "Do you have anything in his size?" "Right here!" she said as her horn glowed. A black leash and collar levitated from under the counter. "Twenty five bits for both." Coins were exchanged, and John found himself wearing a tightened collar. The end of the leash had Svengallop's left forehoof through the loop. Now he had to deal with his '''owner''' yanking him in the future. They were already in the carriage once more. "This feels ridiculous." the newly collared John said. "Not to mention how rough this thing is." "Well if you don't like it, I'm sure Officer Trotter would have something more suitable." Svengallop sneered. John humphed, and crossed his arms. He already knew this pony would hold that over him any time he was out of line. The stallion smiled smugly. "That's what I thought." he said. After a few minutes of silence, the carriage came to another stop. Now they were in front of the gate to a large mansion. How rich did one pony have to be to have a mansion in a city? The carriage passed through the gate, and up to the entrance. There were other ponies in black and white suits. Servants probably. The door was opened. Svengallop got out, yanking John with him. The odd stares were beginning as they walked through the doors. The staff of the mansion looked at him as they made their way through. "Oh I'm so excited." Svengallop said. "I just know they're going to be all over us!" "What if they start asking questions about me, genius?" John asked. "If there's one thing I know, it's how to work a crowd." he said confidently. After that, a set of doors opened to a backyard. Classical music was playing. Many a fancy-dressed pony walked around and chatted with one another. It wasn't long before the tall human caught their eyes. Suddenly, a number of them approached. "Oh Svengallop, that thing looks so exotic!" an older red mare said. "I must have one of my own!" a portly dark yellow stallion said. "Ponies! Ponies! Please!" Svengallop said with a wave of his hoof. "He gets scared quite easily. He's a rare Zebrican hairless monkey. Very few of them in the world. Cost quite a pretty bit." "I hope he was worth it." another stallion said. It was a gray unicorn with golden hooves. "Oh he certainly was, Goldhoof." Svengallop said. "Why don't you have my servants put him with the other pets?" Goldhoof asked. "I've been meaning to talk some business with you." John watched as his leash was handed off to one of the staff. A mare that took the leash in her hoof, and whistled at John like he was a dog. Annoyed, he followed the pony. They went to a caged area near the fence-line. It was filled with a variety of creatures, straight out of a fantasy book. Porcupine-looking things with sharp teeth. There was a straight up boar in the corner. A four-armed bear-bumblebee hybrid stared him down. The cage closed with a clang. John kept close to the door. "Ugh. I can't believe Svengallop would leave his pet with these dangerous creatures." a voice said. John turned to see an interesting pony. The mare was dressed with what could only be described as a pop star outfit. A purple jacket with metal studs outlining it. Metal studded braclets around her ankles. A long mane streaked with shades of pink and purple. She was quite the standout. She looked at him with curiosity. "Something about you is, different." she said. "I hope he's not mistreating you." Whoever this pony was, she knew Svengallop. Maybe she knew how manipulative he was. [["Help me."->26]]`(incomplete)` [[Say nothing.->27]]`(incomplete)` //Scene by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fimfiction.net/user/184815/reedman">reedman</a>//

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(set: $slc to $slc + "," + (passage:)'s name) "The hay's wrong with you?" she asked in an audible whisper. "Ah know times are tough right now, but he needs our help!" John was glad at least one of the ponies was interested in helping him. Although this Big Mac seemed more interested in how his new guest could be profitable. While Applejack was adamant on helping him, he wasn't sure if her big brother would wear her down on the subject. He needed a Plan B. They were farmers, so there was one idea he had. They probably didn't know he was listening in, so he had to play it subtle. "If I'm going to be here awhile, I think that I should earn my keep." he said. "Earn your keep?" Applejack asked. "Well, on Earth it's customary to help out a farmer if they're giving you a place to sleep and food to eat." he answered. "I figure that I could help out until your friend Twilight can help me." "Ya hear that Mac?" she asked smugly. "He wants to earn his keep. I bet he'd be a mighty fine help around the farm." "Yeah, yeah." Mac grumbled. "We accept yer offer John." she said. "Twilight's up in Canterlot for the weekend, so it won't be long. We just need to find a place fer ya to sleep." "Probably don't have a bed my size." John said. "That's a no." she chuckled. "The couch is probably the only thing we got that can fit you." "Sounds good." he said as he polished off the salad. "Now that I got some food in me, what's on our chore list?" "Well, we need to get back to pickin' apples, and the dishes need to get worked on." Applejack said. "Take yer pick." [[Help with apple picking -> 30]]`(incomplete)` [[Wash the dishes -> 31]]`(incomplete)` //Scene by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fimfiction.net/user/184815/reedman">reedman</a>//

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