Previously:
>Woke up with amnesia as a human.
>Met Applebloom, found your way to Ponyville together.
>Joined with the other CMCs as you were attacked by a GIANT JELLY CUBE.
>Ran away.
>Ran away some more.
>Sweetie tripped and fell, causing you to trip and fall on her.
>Recovered her, but tripped AGAIN, causing you to fall and drop her.
>Jelly cube caught you and started to eat you.
>Tried to fend it off with a lighter you had, didn’t work.
>Got eaten.
>Stuck in jelly cube. Hurts like hell, can't get out, can't breath.
>Noticed you're not alone, there’s a pink pony in here too.
>Jelly cube is about to eat Sweetie.
You are trapped in a giant jelly cube. You are running out of air and are starting to feel numb. You are stuck with another pony, who is apparently trying to talk to you despite also being in the jelly. The cube is forcing you in and you can see/feel it moving to an injured Sweetie Belle.
You can't hear a thing in this jelly, though not from the pony's lack of trying. You do you best to pantomime that you can hear what it's saying; shacking your head, gesturing to your' ears.
But she keeps going... and going... and going. How is this pony able to breath? For that matter, you're chest is starting to burn now. Once again you try to 'swim' your way out of the cube but it's simply too strong!
Suddenly, as you think this is it and you've about to black out, your pink jelly companion starts to... glow! A sparkly purple aura shines all around her and, remarkably, she seems to be moving out of the jelly cube and, even more remarkably, seems to have shut her pie hole. As you see her pop out the side of the cube, she gives you a smile and a wave.
You feel something close around your chest and shoulders and a sudden force jerks you backwards.
You fly blindly out of the jelly and hit the ground hard on your side with a SPLAT.
You're light headed from the lack of air and the sudden flight, making your head swim a little, but you still have the presence of mine to hear "Rainbow, NOW!"
Through the goop in your vision, you see a rainbow blur past. In a split second, there was the jelly. Second later, you're reeling from a shock wave and are rained with dust and more goop. The jelly cube is gone.
You hear cheers and realize you're now surrounded by a bunch of new ponies standing over you. Directly over you is an orange one in a cowboy hat, holding a hope in its mouth which, you now can see, is tied to you like a lasso. That pink pony you saw in the cube is laying down next to you, likewise soaked in goo and laughing in your ear. There is also two others seeing to little Sweetie, one all purple and the other white with purple hair.
"We did it again!"
Still dizzy from almost suffocating in a jelly cube, you cough up a little good and try to hack up a thank you. But it and just about ever noise in a 100 foot radius is drowned out by the purple and white unicorn.
"Oh my poor little Sweetie Belle! How did this happen to you!" She is crouched over the littler pony, wrapped in her legs(arms?) "This is the worst thing EVER TO HAPPEN!"
"Calm down Rarity," The purple one tried to console the other. "I'm sure she'll be OK. Shes just a little beat up. We sho-"
"It was THAT THING!" The white unicorn shouts, staring daggers at you. "That... that monster! And the other one! They did this to my poor Sweetie!"
"Now you just hold on one second Rarity," That orange one says from over you. She puts a deceptively strong hoof on your chest, pining you down. "Let's not jump to any conclusions here... though, I think we'd all like to know just who and what the heck you are."
The orange pony is practically right on top of you now and you can still feel the rope tight around your arms and midsection. All of the other ponies are looking at you with mixed expressions.
"I... I don't know who I am. I lost my memory somehow. You can call me Rusty Shackleford. I'm a human."
The group of ponies all exchange looks with each other. "What the hay is a 'humin?'"
They all do a collective little pony shrug, but then the white and purple pony starts up again. "What does it matter? Just look at what he did to Sweetie!"
You try to explain what happened to Sweetie, but then the pink pony next to you shoves a goo soaked hoof in you mouth, gagging you.
"Oh he did not! I saw everything from in the jelly! He and Applebloom and the others were running from it for a good time, but then Sweetie fell. He went to help her but got gobbled up in with me."
"Pinkie," The purple unicorn steps forward. "What were you doing in the jelly? That was incredibly dangerous."
"I though it was grape jelly!"
"You... thought... ARGGG!" The purple unicorn lets out a frustrated sigh.
"Wait a apple pickin' moment," the orange one interrupts. "Then what happened to Applebloom and Scootaloo?"
"Mmllmmlm!" You try to say. Eventually manage to spite the Pinkie's hoof out of your pie hole. "Blugh! We were all running to the TOWN HALL. They said that place and there'd be guards or something."
"Yeah, 'real safe'" The orange pony on top of you huffs. "But I guess that makes sense. They should be OK then. But... what are we going to do with you now?"
The ponies all exchange looks again.
"He doesn’t seem dangerous." The purple one says
"And he did seem to be trying to save the fillies."
"I think he looks funny. Let's let him go!"
Rarity doesn’t say anything, nursing her little sister and giving you a dirty look.
"Well alright then." The orange pony says, getting off of you. "You're not gunna be starting any trouble now, are ya?"
"Of course. I promise I'll be on my best behavior." Satisfied, the orange pony skillfully unties you out of the noose. You're suddenly glowing purple and find yourself on your feet. Which was pretty weird.
"Whoa nelly, you sure are a tall one." The orange pony holds out her hoof. "My name's Applejack, Rusty was it?"
You shake her little hoof and exchange proper greetings. Applejack then introduces you to the others, Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie and Rarity. "And over there are my other friends, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy!"
You look over and see a pair of winged ponies who... appear to be herding a bunch of little jelly cubes out of town. The yellow one, Fluttershy, seems to be gently leading them towards the forest you just came out of and the big blue one with rainbow hair, Rainbow Dash, is blowing them along with heavy gusts from her wings. She seems to be covered in goo, like you and Pinkie.
"Are uhh... are jelly cubes a problem around here? Where ever here is."
Applejack wipes her brow with her hoof. "You could say that. Ponyville has been having something of a monster problem lately. That was the third jelly cube this month. And there was the minotaur. And the pair of mainticores. And-"
"Oh that reminds me!" Twilight interrupts. She trots over to one of the houses and starts hammering on the door. "Come on out everypony! All clear!"
Slowly, all of the little houses around you start to show signs of live and more little multicolored ponies timidly trickle out onto the street. Before you know it, you're the center of attention for a whole town of ponies all looking at you with a mix of amusement, fear and curiosity.
"What is it?"
"I dunno, but look how tall he is!"
"Is it another monster?"
"Seems friendly enough."
"Mom I'm hungry."
"Shh, don't get too close."
There’s a bee hive of murmur and talking all around you all the crowd of ponies check you out. Feeling at least a little self conscious, you give them a little wave. "Hello."
"Oh he can talk!"
"Amazing!"
"Mom I'm hungry!"
"All right all right, everypony!" Applejack shouts, getting in front of you. "This is Rusty! He's a humin and he helped stop that jelly cube today!"
There’s still quite of murmur and gawking but some of the ponies starting to peel off and go about their business. You take the opportunity to question Twilight.
"What the deal with the monsters? Is this a normal thing for you uh... ponies?"
"Well..." Twilight says, with an expression like she's choosing her words. "That’s a bit of a long story, Rusty. But no, the creatures of the Everfree Forrest don't normally rampage this much. We still don’t understand it but we've been doing what we can to stop them from wrecking the town."
"Hmm..." You think about this. "Oh, maybe we should go to the town hall and see if Applebloom and... that other one-"
"Scootaloo."
"She and Scootaloo are alright."
Twilight nods. "That’s a good idea. They're probably fine but it pays to be safe in times like this. Plus we should probably introduce you to the mayor."
"HMPH!" Rarity pushes past the two of your roughly, carrying Sweetie on her back. "That's all very fine and good, but I have to go home and attend to my poor sister!", and with that she storms off from the crowd.
"Don't mind Rarity." Twilight reassures you. "She takes time to warm up to others."
You open up what is apparently your wallet. You don’t remember it and this is the first time you can recall opening it, though the leather is worn and well used. There’s no money, just a card inside one of the pockets. When you take it out, it snaps and crumbles to dust in your hands. You frantically try to stuff it back.
"What was that?" Twilight asks you.
"I... I don’t know."
You get more weird looks from the ponies. "Anyway, let's go to town hall."
Flanked by Twilight, Applejack and a bouncing Pinkie, the bunch of you make your way to the town hall, the ponies leading the way. Soon enough, you come to a large, circular building with lots of little flags of ponies.
As you walk up you spy the two little fillies Applebloom and Scootaloo, talking near the entrance with an older looking pony with gray hair. One of them spots you and before you know it they're almost on top of you!
"Rusty!"
"What happened? We thought we lost you and Sweetie!"
"It was awful! We didn’t know what happened till we got here!"
The two bouncing fillies assault you with more questions, shouting over each other. Applejack breaks them up. "Shush! Everything is fine and so is Sweetie. Rarity has her now. You two scoot on home!"
"But Applejack!"
"I said now Applebloom! You stay there till I get back."
Applebloom pouts, but does as the older pony says and runs off with Scootaloo.
"Well now," The older gray mare has come up to you now that the fillies are gone. "Will somepony be so kind as to tell me what is going on and just who is this... ahem, gentlecolt?"
"Hello Ms... uh, mayor pony person. I'm... Rusty. I'm a human." You say, trying to put on a polite smile and hold out your hand. You suddenly remember you are still completely covered in goo, including your outstretched arm.
"Erg," The mayor pony gives you a polite shake despite the ick. "A pleasure, Mr. Rusty. What may I ask are you doing in Ponyville."
You quickly explain your situation, the memory loss, your run in with the jelly cube, the CMCs.
"Oh no, not another of these jelly cubes!" The mayor goes on, wiping her hoof of the jelly on the grass.
"Calm down mayor," Applejack interrupts. " It's been taken care of. By us. Again." She really emphasizes those last words.
"Good, good! You girls keep Ponyville safe. You should be proud!"
"We're plenty proud Ms. Mayor, but in all honesty this isn’t our job!" Applejack is suddenly really mad. "Every week or so it's the same thing. Something comes attack Ponyville, every pone hides in their home and we're stuck doing all the hard work! Where are the guards?"
The mayor turns up her nose hotly. "Well I'm sorry Applejack but you know there’s nothing I can do. The guards are all busy right now."
"What could be more important to the guards than the towns safety?"
The mayor looks back at you. "We'll uh... to be frank it is none of your business, Mr. Rusty. This only concerns the town."
"Celestia told me she sent an order calling all of the guards to Canterlot." Twilight interjects, the mayor giving her a dirty look. "I was only just got a letter today. I was going to tell the others but, the jelly cube..."
"Enough!" Applejack shouts, clearly mad. "I'm going home! See yall latter."
"Applejack!" Twilight calls after her friend but she doesn’t stop.
"I have work to do. Thank you again Twilight. Pinkie." The mayor trots off back into the town hall.
You and the two other ponies are now alone.
"Well that could have gone better. Applejack is really upset." Twilight looks worried.
"Oh oh! I know just what to do!" Pinkie says, jumping all around the two of you in a circle.
"A party?"
"A party!"