2nd Rodeo [Action | Forward-dated to Tuesday morning]

[honestapples]

[Luceti, today, there is a blond girl fast asleep underneath an awning, leaning against the wall of the grocery store. The rain doesn't seem to be bothering her - in fact, she's mostly out of the way of it. But there's a cowgirl hat pulled down low over her face, something to hide behind as she dozes on, oblivious to the world.

Eventually, once she either wakes up on her own or is woken up, she'll be staggering around town like a drunk... or possibly a newborn foal. Just two legs is hard, okay? She'll be trying to get her bearings, which will mean trying to find somepony who can tell her what in the world is going on. And she's also really hungry. But food comes after figuring out what's going on and then finding if anyone's been taking care of her dog for her these last two weeks.

She can be found just about anywhere in town, and later on at the farmlands, occasionally grumbling under her breath when she overbalances on these Just Two Legs. Later in the day, her balance will be better and she'll look a little more at home, being bipedal.

And if she's grumbling, it's bound to be something along the lines of:]

How do all the hue-mans do this...?

[[ooc: Mallynap effect is temporary humanization. Replies will be coming from honestmelons I swear I didn't come up with the name but it was also too funny not to use]]

Comments

[divine_beast]

[Link laughs a little.]

Maybe you should meet her before you invite us over. Hold on a second.

[He removes a small, horseshoe-shaped whistle from beneath the layers of his shirt and puts it to his lips, playing a little song. From across the field, there's the sound of a high whinny. Suddenly, there's a large, reddish-brown mare charging toward them; she trots to a stop, nosing at Link to see if he has any carrots. He pats her on the nose in apology.]

This is Epona. We were partners back home, but she followed me out to Hyrule, too. And she's great in a tight spot.

[honestmelons]

[Applejack gives Epona a smile in greeting, Winona giving a cheerful bark. Sure, Epona is way bigger than most of the ponies back home, and there's no cutie mark, but she could still be from Equestria. That "any friend is welcome" thing still stands.]

Well, howdy, Epona. Ah'm glad ta hear both of ya have each other here... it's a lot easier with friends from home nearby.

[Oh, wait, she's being rude.] Sorry, Ah shoulda said... my name's Applejack. It's real nice t'meetcha both.

[divine_beast]

[He nods. Epona, for her part, simply snorts and flicks her ears, but it's fairly clear from her body language that she understands Applejack is a friend.] Yeah. I'm glad she followed me out here.

[He holds out a hand.] And I'm Link. Is there any place for a person to stay in that barn of yours? I think Epona would feel a more comfortable if I stayed with her for a little while. She's usually pretty good with new places... but this is the first time we've been this far from Hyrule.

[honestmelons]

'Course there's room for ya. Ah've been fixin' it up much as Ah can, so it should be comfortable enough for ya, too. [It was a bit drafty when she got here, but that's a thing of the past.

Country hospitality totally takes priority over all else.]

You're more'n welcome ta stay if ya like. Just holler if ya need anythin' an' Ah'd be happy ta help.

[divine_beast]

[He smiles warmly.] Thanks. I just wish I could do something in return...

...actually, do you like riding?

[honestmelons]

[Link, she is. Totally not following your meaning here. Because "riding" usually entails something trying to jump on her back, be it Apple Bloom, Spike, or a diamond dog.

And she usually sends them flying for it. (Although not her sister so much.)

But with her being human-shaped, now she's really confused.]

Uh... beg pardon?

[divine_beast]

[He motions to Epona.]

You know. I can ask Epona to give you a ride. Or you can ride behind me, if you think you'd have trouble staying on.

[honestmelons]

[AJ gives Epona an incredulous look.] Is she okay with that?

[...Okay that came out before she even realized she was saying it. But her point stands.]

Ah mean... Ah couldn't. Ah prefer runnin' on my own legs.

[divine_beast]

[Epona didn't look too put out by the idea, anyway.]

Well, usually I'm the one riding her, but I think she'd be okay with you, too.

[But maybe Applejack was scared?]

She's not going to throw you or anything. But maybe you're right. She does tend to go a little fast...

[honestmelons]

Fast ain't no problem. But Ah can't ask somepony else ta do my runnin' for me. No offense, a'course.

[She's kind of feeling a little bad about this, given Epona doesn't seem offended in the slightest. Maybe she's overreacting?]

Once Ah'm back ta my normal self, how 'bout Ah go runnin' with the both of ya?

[divine_beast]

Sure. [Wait a second.]

Your 'normal self'?

[honestmelons]

[Sheepish laugh.] Kinda a long story, but... Ah'm not really a hue-man. Those Malnosso fellers did somethin'. Without them messin' around, Ah'm a pony.

[Which might explain why a lot of the farm tools and a coil of rope hanging on a fence are all only about waist-high.]

[divine_beast]

So you're under some kind of curse? How do you get back to your normal form?

[Curses totally suck; Link knows this firsthand.]

[honestmelons]

[Oh god not a curse again the last time she was cursed she was four inches tall. ;_;]

Ah hope it ain't a curse. Ah think it was just the Malnosso playin' tricks. Ah hope it won't last too long.

[divine_beast]

Hmm... well, how long do these sorts of things usually last?

[Because he might find himself on the other end of one of those 'tricks' sooner or later]

[honestmelons]

Ah dunno... the experiments last a week, if Ah remember rightly, but Ah'm not sure if this would be the same.

[divine_beast]

A week...

[Hmm, that's food for thought. Still, he's been trapped in other forms before.]

Well, as long as it's not being four inches tall. I'd have to watch out for people stepping on me all the time. I think I could deal with just being in some other form.

[honestmelons]

[Oh no way that is so weird. She lights up.]

You've been cursed with bein' only four inches tall too?! That happened ta me back home once!

[divine_beast]

Huh? Oh, no. That was just an example. Although I have known a couple of people that got turned into one form or other. There was this one man over at the castle who was turned into a gold statue...

[honestmelons]

A statue? How'd y'all ever figure out it was him? Could he still talk?

[divine_beast]

He could talk, all right; he just couldn't move around on his own.

I guess that's what happens when you make shady deals for wealth...