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I awoke to the feel of Fluttershy's silky smooth mane in my face. I was up earlier than usual, which was certainly odd for me since I tend to be a late riser. I was considering going back to sleep, but soon noticed Fluttershy beginning to move in front of me. "Honey?" I asked quietly, wondering if she was waking up or if she was merely stirring in her sleep.

My girlfriend slowly turned her head to look over her shoulder since she had her back to me. Her big beautiful eyes stared at me groggily while her mouth curved into a pleased smile. "Good morning, James. Did you sleep well?"

I felt particularly refreshed since it was the first time in two days that I had slept in a real bed. It felt great to be back home while knowing there is nothing wrong with falling in love with a pony in Equestria. I could hear birds chirping outside. The start of a new day in this wonderful land that had become my new home. Not wanting to delay for too long, I responded with a smile. "I slept very well, Fluttershy. And I had some nice dreams too. I think having you close to me helped with that."

I remembered them at the time, but lord help me if I could remember them now as I write this. It is nigh impossible to remember dreams once you wake up. And those that you do remember usually do not remain in your memory for very long, almost as if the memory fades once you are wide awake. I am certain many people can relate.

Fluttershy replied with a quiet whisper as she rested her head against me. "I had nothing but nightmares when you left... I'm glad that changed when you came back."

"Can you ever forgive me for that?" I asked, feeling guilty for forcing Fluttershy through such an ordeal. Even though it was to protect her, I still felt like I was in some sort of trouble for what I had done.

The timid pegasus looked up at me with her groggy eyes. "I never blamed you in the first place, James. It hurt when I read why you left, but it also made me feel honored. I'm amazed you would go to such lengths to protect me." She then whispered, "I'm glad...Angel brought you that love letter I wrote."

As if to reply to those words, we both looked towards the stairs when we heard a thumping sound. A second later, Angel himself hopped up to the top of the stairs and gave us a look that seemed to show impatience. I spoke with a light chuckle, "Speak of the devil. Our own little cupid is here."

I watched as Fluttershy hopped down from the bed and approached her pet rabbit. "Thank you for bringing us together, Angel. You don't know what this means to me. Is there anything I can do to repay you?" Almost as if on cue, I heard a faint rumbling sound. It was probably Angel's stomach growling from hunger. No wonder he seemed so irritated at the time.

"Oh, I see what you want. OK then, let's go get you some breakfast." Fluttershy said with an embarrassed smile as she lifted Angel before placing him onto her back and trotting down the stairs.

Now that I was alone, I decided to get dressed. I would probably have to go to work soon. I slid on my shorts, but then eyed the six specialized shirts Rarity had given me the previous day. Each bore one of my friends' cutie marks and their coat colors to match. After some thought, I decided to wear the one that displayed Applejack's cutie mark. After all, I would soon be eating some apple pastries that she had made herself.

Before I could go downstairs, I heard Fluttershy coming back upstairs. Once she reached the top of the stairs, I noticed that she had some impressive bed head. Her mane, which is normally tidy and curled at the tips, was now messy and unkempt. "You want me to help you with that, honey?" I asked as I noticed she was heading for the bathroom.

Fluttershy smiled with a faint blush in her cheeks, apparently knowing what I meant. "If it's not too much trouble. I think it'll go by faster if you do it." I followed her into the bathroom, minding my head to avoid bashing my forehead into the low doorway.

I watched as Fluttershy opened up the green cabinet that was to the left of the sink and pulled out a hair comb. "It's actually pretty tricky for ponies to comb most of their manes. Unless you're a unicorn, that is."

"That's why I'm here. Just hold still and it'll be done in no time." I replied as I wet the comb down. Wetting a hair comb before use increases its effectiveness. I ran the comb through Fluttershy's pink mane with long straight strokes. Whenever enough of the moisture had been absorbed into the hair, I would wet the comb down again and continue after plucking out any stray hairs stuck in teeth. I had to repeat the process several times due to the sheer amount of hair on Fluttershy's head. While I adore long hair on women, including ponies, it is certainly more inconvenient to manage when it is that long.

"There we go. You're all set." I said as I finished returning Fluttershy's mane to its former glory. She then looked at herself in a mirror for a moment to evaluate my work. And she seemed to like what she saw.

"I see no problems, James. Thank you." Fluttershy spoke in her quiet voice before placing a kiss on my cheek. She then asked, "Would you like some eggs with your breakfast today?"

It had been a long time since I last ate eggs of any kind for a meal. I nodded and replied, "Scrambled, please."

Fluttershy smiled cutely while she headed for the bathroom door without taking her eyes off of me. "OK. While I'm cooking, could you please gather the rest of the eggs from the chicken coop? Use the pail that's right next to it to carry them."

"Ok then. I'll see you in a bit." I retorted with a nod before following Fluttershy downstairs.

I went outside and looped around to the backside of Fluttershy's cottage. It seemed that all of the chickens were already outside milling about in the pen. "Morning, girls. Don't mind me." I spoke as I stepped into the pen. The hens did not pay me much mind, but they certainly did not show any fear either. But to make sure that there were no chickens left in the coop, I knocked on the wooden structure. "Anyone else in there?"

I received the mother of all surprises when a pony poked her head out of the coop's entrance and smiled at me. "Hello!"

I jumped back in surprise as I recognized the face immediately. "What the... Derpy?! What're you doing all the way out here?!" I swear, it seems that Derpy Hooves has the strangest habit of suddenly popping up where you least expect her.

The wall-eyed pegasus mare appeared somewhat sheepish as she replied, "I got lost..."

She got lost? Seriously? How could a mailmare who delivers mail on a daily basis to practically every address in Ponyville possibly get lost there? If you know your mail route through town, you would seldom lose your way. I facepalmed at her absurd lack of a sense of direction. Once again, I am not certain if that is a real word, but it describes the action well.

"Could you please point me in the right direction?" Derpy asked as she crawled out of the coop.

I then pointed to the east. "Ponyville's right over there. You can't miss it."

Derpy grinned while she spread her wings. "Thanks! I'll see you later!" She then went airborne and began to fly towards.....the Everfree Forest?!

"Whoa, where you going, Derpy?! That's the Everfree Forest you're heading to!" I called out, knowing that she would get lost for certain in that natural labyrinth.

The silly pegasus stopped in her tracks before flying back to me. She remained airborne while she asked, "Oh... But isn't that where you pointed?"

I was starting to become mildly annoyed by Derpy's misinterpretation of my directions, although I confess that I was rather amused too. "I pointed east. Just where do you think I pointed?"

Derpy's response dumbfounded me. She crossed her forelegs with each hoof pointing in opposite directions. But with her eyes not even looking in the same direction as each other, I suppose I should not have been surprised. Even so, I placed my hand on my forehead and shook it in disbelief. "For the love of..." I then grabbed Derpy and pointed her in the direction of Ponyville. "Fly straight ahead and don't go off course. You'll be there in no time."

"OK. Just straight ahead, right? I'll see you later then!" Derpy replied happily before flying towards Ponyville. I was expecting her to veer off course, but she thankfully kept moving in a straight line. At least she had no way of getting lost by then.

It was a tight squeeze, but I was able to squirm my way into the chicken coop. The ceiling was very low, forcing me to crawl as I collected the eggs. There was a good haul of them. Over a dozen in all. "I'm seeing omelets somewhere in this week's timeline." I muttered to myself.

I had to set the bucket outside first before crawling out of the coop. The chickens did not seem to mind me taking their eggs. Due to the lack of a rooster in their ranks, they probably knew that the eggs would never hatch. "Thanks for the fresh eggs, girls." I spoke towards the chickens while waving my free hand. One of them, I think Elizabeak, walked over to me while clucking quietly. I remembered that Fluttershy told me that she seemed to like me, so I reached down and stroked her fluffy white feathers. The little hen clucked softly at my touch, playfully pecking my hand a few times. "Pet the chicken... Pet the chicken..." I whispered to myself in a goofy voice.

When I looked up, my gaze fell upon the edge of the Everfree Forest. I was about to turn and head back towards Fluttershy's cottage, but I then looked back at the forest. A lot had happened the previous two days I was in there. I wondered what my new friend Zecora was up to out there. A very interesting woman, to say the least. But the more I thought about my time in the Everfree Forest, the more my thoughts went towards the two haunted souls I had met. Mitta of Sunny Town and Nightmare Moon.

As it was during the day, Mitta and the rest of the cursed ponies probably looked completely normal at that moment. But even so, they would revert to walking corpses once the night came. And I could not forget Nightmare Moon. For someone who was long reviled as a monster, I could not forget those tears she showed me. Those beautiful teal eyes staring at me. The same refined elegance of Princess Luna. A monster would never cry. Those tears were real. And I could still remember her warm touch when her remnants 'embraced' me. She even stayed by my side while I slept, watching over me. I could only imagine what kind of power she may possess in such a weakened state, but I can distinctly remember feeling genuinely safe in her presence.

"I'll be back, Mitta. And I'll find a way to help you, Nightmare Moon." I spoke quietly while feeling mildly frustrated with myself over having no means of helping them at the time. And it felt like alerting the princesses to their existence would be a bad idea. Our time together may have been brief, but I truly felt a strong desire to help those two mares. I will return to them someday. Hopefully someday soon.

I headed back into Fluttershy's cottage with the pail of eggs in hand. When I entered the kitchen, I recognized the crackling sound of frying. Fluttershy was standing at a stove while stirring some scrambled eggs with a spatula that was being held in her mouth. I decided to not try to get her attention until she turned the stove off since having her head that close to a stove's flame was obviously hazardous and required focus. And with Fluttershy's mane being as long as it is, it was highly susceptible of coming in contact with the flames with one careless movement of her head.

Cooking scrambled eggs takes very little time as Fluttershy turned off the stove in only a minute or so. She picked up the pan by its handle using her mouth and turned her head sideways to spill the eggs onto a plate that rested on the kitchen table. A pair of stools sat across from each other. Understandable since ponies would likely have some trouble remaining seated on an actual chair... Wait. The first time I went to Sugarcube Corner, they had chairs at the table I sat at instead of stools... Perhaps stools are simply more popular than chairs? Or is it the other way around? I never took the time to actually count how many more chairs than stools I could find in Ponyville. But I digress.

The eggs were a puffy yellow color. Just the way I like them. Fluttershy then turned to face me and smiled as if she knew I had been standing there all along. "You got here just in time. I'll get some of the apple treats out. Could you put the eggs in the fridge please?"

"Sure thing, honey." I replied as I reached for the refrigerator. I also took the time to grab a bottle of ketchup for my eggs. Yes, I like ketchup on my scrambled eggs. But I do not ever go overboard with it. I also grabbed some of the applesauce Applejack had whipped up for us. "It's gonna be a while before we clear out all this stuff..." I muttered while surveying the sheer volume of apple products piled in the refrigerator.

Fluttershy nodded and said, "I think Applejack may have gone a bit overboard. Maybe it's because she wanted to make sure you got the warmest welcome home as possible. She does tend to go the extra mile for her friends."

I smiled while I thought of our farm friend. "Yeah, she does put effort into helping friends. I think I'll make her something special when I go to work today... Nah, it won't compare to whatever she cooks up. Hmm..." The two of us then sat down at the table. It was rather small for me, but I had grown accustomed to all the furniture in Ponyville being a few sizes too small.

I started by spreading a trail of ketchup over my eggs while my girlfriend watched. "You like ketchup on your eggs?" Fluttershy asked with a slightly perplexed gaze.

"Uh huh. I've always liked ketchup with my eggs ever since I was a kid." I replied as I took a bite.

"I have my own taste for my eggs." Fluttershy retorted with a smile. I noticed that there were a few rose petals on her eggs. Unlike mine, hers were sunny-side-up.

It was interesting to watch Fluttershy eat without the use of hands. She would either eat the food right off the plate, or hold the morsel on the underside of her hoof turned upright.

The two of us engaged in friendly conversation throughout the meal. I swear, our food seemed to taste even better in the process. "Come to think of it, what did you need to visit that jewelry shop for yesterday?" Fluttershy asked after taking a sip from a glass of orange juice.

"I had to have a word with Diamond Tiara. Her mom runs the store, so I thought I'd find her there. We had a heart-to-heart talk and I think it's safe to say she's a better person now." I replied while pausing between bites.

"You got her to change? Really? I thought she was beyond help." Fluttershy replied, sounding rather surprised by my explanation.

"She told me she was sorry while crying. That seemed pretty sincere to me." I spoke while looking at the beautiful pegasus before me.

Fluttershy smiled sweetly and whispered, "If I had known that's why you went in there, I would've been afraid you were gonna beat her up. But that's not how doves think, is it?" I knew she was referring to my cutie mark, which was concealed under my shirtsleeve. The two of us chuckled in unison.

As the two of us dined on eggs and apple products together, Fluttershy asked, "I heard you met Zecora yesterday. Were you scared of her at first?"

I replied with a shrug of my shoulders. "Not at all. And I don't know what the deal is with everyone being so suspicious of her. She a former thief?"

Fluttershy seemed somewhat embarrassed as she muttered, "It's a...long story. Since she looks so different from the ponies of Ponyville, we were afraid of her at first."

I found this reasoning to be somewhat insulting. "Then why in the world didn't you ponies run me outta town when I first showed up? Zecora looks different from you, but she's still a type of pony. I look nothing like you, yet you gave me a very warm welcome."

My lover seemed to notice my slight irritation as she bowed her head. She seemed noticeably embarrassed. "It was her cloak she always wears. It gave her a sinister presence since she always hid her face with the hood up. And she lives in the Everfree Forest. I think you already know how unsafe it can be in there."

I suppose she has a point. The Everfree Forest is certainly not always safe to visit or explore. What with the likes of that hydra and the denizens of Sunny Town residing there and all. Anyone who is bold enough to actually live there would probably develop quite the reputation very quickly. Since the ponies of Ponyville knew nothing about my origins while I made no attempt to hide my appearance, it is understandable that they would not suspect me of being a threat. "OK, I think I get it now. But Zecora's a welcome guest now, right?"

Fluttershy nodded with a smile and said, "Yes. It was Apple Bloom who got us to understand." I chuckled to myself as that name brought to mind that little farm filly. Apple Bloom always has had a bit more wisdom than most fillies her age, from what I have gathered from the few times we have interacted with each other. After all, she came to judge Mitta through her actions and not her ghastly appearance.

Before we even knew it, the time was 10 AM. "Whoa. Time flies when you're lost in conversation." I spoke as I looked at the clock on the wall.

"Oh, right. You have to go to Sugarcube Corner now, don't you? Tell Pinkie Pie I said hi." Fluttershy said as she began to clear the table.

"Will do, honey. I'll see you after work." I replied while placing a kiss on her forehead. I then hurried out the front door and on my way into Ponyville.

The weather was clear while the temperature was rather warm. Although I knew autumn was not very far off. Ponyville was bustling with activity as always. I saw Derpy Hooves going from door to door delivering mail. I saw Spike carrying a stack of books, although I did not know what his destination was. And, like almost every morning so far, I saw Applejack hauling a cart of apples through the streets.

I do not think Applejack knew I was there since she did not react to my presence until I spoke to her after walking up alongside her. "Morning, AJ."

The farm pony turned her head to face me and grinned upon locking eyes with me. "Howdy, James. Didn't hear ya...come...uh..." She stared at me for a brief moment before bringing a hoof to her mouth while trying to muffle her laughter. "Pfffft... What the hay are ya wearin'?! Y'all tryin' ta flatter me or somethin'?!"

At first, I had no idea what was causing Applejack to crack up. At least until I remembered what I was wearing. I looked down at my shirt, the coloration being the same shade of orange as Applejack's coat. Her cutie mark was on the left side of my chest like a badge. I know that an even larger print of her cutie mark was on the back. "Rarity made this for me yesterday. She even made another five with the colors and cutie marks of herself and our other four friends." I explained, trying to keep Applejack from bursting into laughter.

Applejack took a second to catch her breath. "Well, that's mighty sweet of 'er. Was I the first thing ya thought of when you put that on today?"

I nodded and said, "Yeah. It also made me think of all those apple treats you baked for me and Fluttershy. They made for some good breakfast too."

My friend seemed pleased with my appreciation for her baking. "Glad ya liked 'em, pardner. So, where ya off to? The spa?"

I replied while stepping to the other side of her so that she was out of my way, "That's tomorrow. I work at Sugarcube Corner today."

My response seemed to surprise Applejack since she seemed to be having trouble coming up with a response. "Oh... Well, that's all fine and dandy, I reckon... I need to...uh...make a special delivery there taday too. Maybe we'll see each other again over there?" There was something odd about Applejack's response. She was rather nervous, I could see that much. Was she hiding something? Probably not. I know Applejack is one of the most honest friends I have ever had.

"Yeah, maybe. But I can't stay and chat. Don't wanna be late. I'll see ya later, AJ." I said as I waved goodbye before starting to head towards Sugarcube Corner without taking my eyes off her.

"Sure thing, pardner. I'll... Hang on! I wanna see somethin'!" Applejack raised her voice before I got too far away from her. "I heard from Twilight that ya got a cutie mark. Mind if I see for myself?"

I shrugged my shoulders and approached her before getting down on one knee. "OK. It's right here." I then raised the sleeve on my left arm, revealing the twin dove shape on my upper arm.

Applejack's eyes glittered in fascination. "Well, I'll be... Never thought ya'd actually get one. And boy howdy, that shape really seems ta suit ya, James. What's it mean? Do ya know?"

I explained as I recalled the explanation Princess Celestia and Princess Luna gave me the previous day at Twilight Sparkle's house. "It means that its bearer is very nonviolent and prefers peace over conflict. And that he or she tries to avoid conflict whenever possible. I think it also represents shyness too."

Upon hearing my words, Applejack chuckled lightly. "That part 'bout bein' shy is right on the money. Y'all were really on edge the first time we met. Good ta see yer finally settled in by now, James." I nodded with a smirk, remembering how impossibly nervous I was when I first came to Ponyville. I do not believe I had ever been so nervous or apprehensive in my life at the time.

Applejack then asked, "Now, I know ya weren't all for the term 'cutie mark' when I first met ya, but are ya feelin' a bit more open to 'em now?"

It was rather odd. I used to be rather disdainful towards anything that was overly cute. In fact, some parts of Equestria sounded like they were right out of a children's television show meant for little girls. And yet, I had become strangely accepting towards these terms and places. It was as if living among these wonderful ponies had opened my mind to the deeper meanings of these unusual terms and names. Besides, it is their traditions and I really do not have any say in them.

"Yeah, I don't mind anything with the word 'cutie' in it anymore. I can even say them with a straight face now." I replied to Applejack's question with a smile.

"Glad ta hear, James." Applejack responded with a smile of her own. But she then nudged me with her head and said, "Right, I've been keepin' ya for too long. Get over ta Sugarcube Corner! Sorry for holdin' ya up!"

I nodded and began to hurry along. "Right, got it. See ya around!" I then hastened my pace as I headed in the direction of Sugarcube Corner. Once I turned my back though, I heard Applejack start laughing. Probably because she saw the especially large print of her cutie mark on the back of my shirt.

It did not take long for me to reach Sugarcube Corner. However, I was in for a surprise as I reached for the front door. I noticed that a sign was hanging from the door's handle. "Closed for private party?" It was only then that I remembered that Pinkie Pie had told me the previous day that I could have the day off. But as I turned to leave, I remembered that since I am an employee there, I could still get paid for my services in helping set up this private party.

I knocked on the door, hoping Pinkie Pie or Mr. and Mrs. Cake would hear it. I heard a click as the door was unlocked before it swung inward slightly. I then recognized the familiar pink coat of Pinkie Pie as my party animal friend peeked through the crack in the doorway. "Oh, good morning, James! Did you forget you have the day off?"

"Yeah. But I can still come in to help set things up for the party, right? I have some experience in that field." I replied while preparing to push the door open further.

Pinkie Pie's response caused me to get slightly suspicious. "Um... About that... We already have enough ponies helping out in setting things up! We don't have that much left to do anyway, so you'd be wasting your time if you came in. Go on! Enjoy your day off!"

I crossed my arms while I studied Pinkie's face. She seemed to be keeping that toothy grin up and was clearly showing signs of nervousness. "Are you hiding something from me?" I asked with a slight scowl.

"Me? No way! I just don't want you to...um...have to bother helping set up a party that's almost done already!" Pinkie Pie said with her toothy grin on full display. I could tell she was up to something. But I dismissed it as unimportant. Probably had nothing to do with me to begin with.

"OK, I get it. I'll see what I can do around here to pass the time. See ya around, Pinkie. And stay outta trouble." I said with a slightly amused smile as I nodded in understanding with her claims.

"Oki doki loki! If something does come up, I'll come find you. Bye!" Pinkie exclaimed before she closed the door and locked it again.

Well... This was certainly a first for me in Ponyville. My first time since finding a job that I had received a free day. What was I supposed to do to pass the time? I stood in front of Sugarcube Corner with my arms crossed while staring at the ground. "Hm... What to do..."

The first thing that came to mind was the park. It was a great place to relax. Or I could just wander around Ponyville to see what I may have missed. Or maybe I could visit a specific place to see what was happening at the time... Wait...

An idea popped into my head as I thought about my little sister. Scootaloo. She was surely in class at the time. I had not yet seen just how schools in Equestria work, so I decided to see what was happening over at the schoolhouse. I was sure they would not mind a visitor as long as he did not interrupt the class.

I began to head towards the northwestern part of Ponyville where the schoolhouse is located. Along the way, I passed by the local jewelry store. Diamond Tiara's mother was likely inside, tending to her customers. As I passed it though, I heard a door open and close in the shop's direction. A moment later, I heard a man's voice call out in a rather deep tone. "Hey! You! Hang on a second! I want to talk to you!"

I turned to face an earth pony stallion trotting over to me. It seemed that he had just emerged from the jewelry store. The color of his coat was somewhere between light brown and tan while his mane and tail were a dark gray or dark brown. Hard for me to tell, to be honest. His eyes were a faded shade of blue. His cutie mark consisted of three bags of money with an American dollar sign on them. Why did they have the symbol of a form of currency not seen in Equestria emblazoned on the sides? Best not to ask. He was also wearing a gray vest with a white collar and a red necktie with another dollar symbol on the front. I asked when he drew closer, "Um... You mean me?"

The pony nodded as he came to a stop and said, "Yes, you. I mean you're the only human in Equestria, right?" He then bowed his head for a moment before speaking, "I just want to apologize on my daughter's behalf for all the trouble she's given you lately. I knew she has some social problems, but I never expected things to get so out of hoof."

It was clear to me that the stallion before me was Diamond Tiara's father. His friendly and sincere demeanor was a stark contrast to the former bully's ego. Of course, as the two of us had come to an understanding the previous day, I merely smiled at him. "Thanks, but she's a better person now. We had a little talk yesterday and I think she took it well."

The noticeably rich pony smiled in what seemed to be relief. "Well, I'm glad you managed to talk some sense into her. But before I forget my manners any longer, allow me to introduce myself. The name's Filthy Rich, head of 'Rich's Barnyard Bargains'. I'm sure you've already met my wife, Ruby Ring."

I nodded and replied, "I have. You wife is a very sweet lady. And it's a pleasure, Filthy."

Filthy Rich chuckled for a second before retorting, "Please, I would appreciate it if you just call me 'Rich' if that's all right."

I stared at him in silence for a moment. "Rich... Rich?! That's my dad's name!" And no. I am not joking. To top it off, the way he styles his mane strangely reminds me of my father's hairstyle.

Filthy... Or should I say Rich? Regardless, he laughed, "Is that so?! Well, just don't go around calling me your father." I was really starting to like this guy. He certainly seems like a good man.

"Not to cut our conversation short, but I was heading somewhere when you popped up. May we chat another time?" I asked while wanting to hurry on over to the schoolhouse to see my younger friends.

"Oh, absolutely. Don't let me stop you... Oh, before you go, I didn't get your name." Filthy Rich replied before reaching out to me as I was about to step away.

I turned to face him and said, "It's James. And say tell your wife I said hi."

"I certainly will. And if Diamond Tiara gives you trouble again, let me know. I won't stand for my daughter to bring shame to the Rich family." Filthy Rich spoke as he saw me off.

"Will do. See ya." I then waved goodbye as I headed on my way.

I ran into no other interruptions on my way to the local schoolhouse. Once it came into view, I found that the playground next to it was empty. This did not surprise me, as it was not even noon yet. I was about to go to the front door when I noticed that one of the windows at the side of the schoolhouse was open. Probably due to just how nice it was outside. Rather than interrupt class, I decided to watch what was going on from the window.

The window was rather low with the windowsill reaching just above my knees. I got down on one knee as I looked through the window. A low bookcase was in the way, allowing me to rest my elbow on it. It seemed that the rows of desks had been rearranged since my last visit. Each row was four desks long and four desks wide. And seated at the front of the row closest to me was my own little sister, Scootaloo.

I watched as Cheerilee spoke from her desk, "All right, class. You have fifteen minutes to complete your math assignments." She then directed her gaze at some papers on her desk.

My eyes scanned the rest of the students. In the row to Scootaloo's left was, in order, Silver Spoon, Apple Bloom, and Diamond Tiara. Seated directly behind Scootaloo was Sweetie Belle. The classroom had become very quiet as the fillies and colts looked over their test papers. I was curious of how ponies would write without the use of hands. I know that unicorns use magic to levitate pens and pencils to write, but how do earth ponies and pegasi get the job done?

I did not wait long for an answer. The students would take a pencil in their mouths and would write down the answers on their tests with skillful movements of their jaws. But while the other students seemed to be working on their assignments at a reasonable pace, with the sound of pencils scribbling being pretty much the only sound I was hearing at the time, Scootaloo was taking her time. She seemed more bored than stumped though. I am sure she would much rather be outside running around on the playground.

Scootaloo let out a yawn before looking around, clearly a sign of boredom. But when she looked in my direction, her listless expression suddenly changed to surprise before changing again to a display of joy as she grinned brightly and waved at me. I returned the favor with a smile. Sweetie Belle seemed to notice Scootaloo looking towards the window and also turned to look in my direction. Upon seeing me, she too smiled and waved. However, the two fillies' distraction from their assignments did not go unnoticed as Cheerilee promptly spoke up, "Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle. Is something taking your attention away from the test?"

The other students looked over at the unicorn and pegasus fillies as Cheerilee watched. Scootaloo smiled nervously and said, "Sorry, Miss Cheerilee. It's just that..." She then pointed towards me. When everypony looked in my direction, I sheepishly waved with a smile.

Cheerilee smiled while she stood up from her desk and approached the window. "Well, hello there! What brings you over here today, Mr. James?"

I shrugged and replied, "I was told I wasn't needed at work today, so I tried to find a way to pass the time. And so I came over here to see what's up with my little friends." I could see Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom chuckling under their breathes as they clearly knew I was referring to them.

"Well, we always welcome guests. But since we're in the middle of a test, could I ask you to avoid interrupting the class until after all of the students have turned in their assignments?" Cheerilee replied while starting to back up towards her desk.

"Sure thing. I'll keep quiet until then." I said with a nod.

As Cheerilee returned to her desk, she looked back at me and smiled. "You can come inside, if you want. The door's unlocked."

"OK. I'll be right there." I then left the window and entered the schoolhouse through the front door. Once I was in the classroom, my eyes scanned the students. Apple Bloom waved at me for a brief moment before she went back to looking at her assignment. Much to my surprise, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon looked in my direction with smiles as well. It seemed that my talk with Diamond Tiara had paid off as it seemed that she had even spoken to her friend about their mistakes. I felt rather proud of the two fillies at that moment, though I was especially pleased with Diamond Tiara. "May I take a seat wherever I wish?" I asked while glancing at Cheerilee.

The teacher looked up at me and nodded. "You may be seated anywhere as long as you don't distract my students."

I decided to take a seat right next to Scootaloo. There was no chair, so I merely sat down on the floor. Scootaloo could not help grinning at me before going back to work. I know she adores me, so I was naturally worried my presence would distract her.

Scootaloo would only glance at me on occasion, probably because she knew that she might get scolded for not focusing on her assignment. I looked down at the sheet of paper. It was covered in simple math problems dealing in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. She seemed to not have any issues with the addition and subtraction problems, but the multiplication and division problems seemed to be giving her trouble since they were all still blank. Once she had finished with all the addition and subtraction problems, Scootaloo looked down at the paper while holding her head up with one hoof as her pencil hung from her mouth.

I looked at one of the multiplication problems. 9 X 9. Simple enough. If she was having problems with this basic problem, then math is probably not one of Scootaloo's strong points in school. I can relate since the more complex forms of math, such as algebra and especially calculus, gave me headaches in high school. But this simple problem was child's play. Or since I am in Equestria now, foal's play. "Hey, Scoot. Having trouble?" I whispered as quietly as possible to avoid disrupting the class.

The little pegasus filly looked at me and nodded. "Yeah, I just can't get the hang of this stuff." She too was whispering in a very quiet tone.

"9 X 9, right? What does 9 X 10 make?" I asked, hoping to give her a push in the right direction.

Scootaloo replied promptly, "All you do is put a zero after the number with those."

I nodded and then said, "Now take away 9 from 90."

I smirked as I saw my little sister's purple eyes open wide. "That makes...81! Wow, that IS easy. Thanks, James!" As Scootaloo jotted down the answer, I glanced over at the teacher's desk and froze as I saw Cheerilee eyeing us. I expected her to be unhappy, but she instead smiled warmly. Perhaps she could tell I was merely giving Scootaloo pointers instead of outright giving her the answers.

The next question was a division problem. "These are even worse..." Scootaloo muttered as she eyed it.

I glanced at the numbers. 10 divided by 10. "Worse? These are easy. If the number is divided by itself, it always rounds down to the same number regardless of what it is." I then whispered, "I'll give you a hint. It's the second lowest number."

Scootaloo pondered my words for a moment before replying, "2? Is that the second lowest?" When I shook my head, she brought a hoof to her chin. "Then...if 1 isn't the lowest..." Her face brightened up suddenly as she glanced up at me. "Oh, yeah! 0 is the lowest number! That makes 1 the second lowest!" She then jotted down the answer.

For the next fifteen minutes or so, I watched as Scootaloo began to solve the problems on her own while I provided advice when needed. Once time was up, Cheerilee spoke out. "Times up, class. Pencils down." I heard the sound of pencils being set down on the wooden desks. Cheerilee then asked, "Mr. James, could you please gather up the tests and bring them over to me?"

I glanced at her and replied, "Me? OK." I then stood up and started by collecting Scootaloo's sheet of paper. I then went down the row and collected Sweetie Belle's. The last desk I went to was Diamond Tiara's.

As I picked up her assignment, I noticed Diamond Tiara smile at me. She then whispered, "Thank you." I suspect she may have been referring to when I returned her cutie mark the previous day.

Cheerilee smiled as I set the papers on her desk. "Thank you, Mr. James. Would you like to stay for story time? We have it just before lunchtime."

Before I could even think about my response, Scootaloo spoke up. "Ooh, I know! You can tell us about what happened when you were in the Everfree Forest! It was really weird in there, right?!"

Cheerilee let out a chuckle. "Now, Scootaloo, I know you and James are very good friends. But you shouldn't force him to take part in class activities."

My time in the Everfree Forest? That was certainly full of unusual events. And some in particular would make for good storytelling. "Actually, Miss Cheerilee? I wouldn't mind sharing my experience out there. Although some of what happened out there might not be suitable for minors."

Those words seemed to excite Scootaloo as she grinned broadly. "Oh, sweet! Was there a lot of action out there?! Maybe a hydra going up against an Ursa?! C'mon, big brother! Tell us!"

I shrugged while finding some amusement in her enthusiasm. "OK, I'll talk. But I'll try to keep it tasteful." I leaned against the wall right next to the blackboard so I was facing the class. "You can all come closer if you want." I spoke while gazing at the students. One by one, each of the fillies and colts left their desks and took a seat before me with the Cutie Mark Crusaders being at the very front of the pack. Even Cheerilee seemed to be giving me her undivided attention.

I felt slightly nervous as I was not comfortable talking in front of a crowd, even if the crowd is made up only of children. But some of my closest friends, and my own little sister, were with them. I regained some of my confidence as I began to speak. "Three nights ago, I headed into the Everfree Forest. There's no need to tell you why I had to go there, so I'll skip to the good parts." Each of the children were watching me with wide eyes, though Diamond Tiara seemed to be rather ashamed of being reminded that it was because of her actions that I had to go there in the first place.

"Firstly, I happened to come in contact with some flowers that I would later come to know as Poison Joke." I continued while watching the kids.

At the mention of Poison Joke, Apple Bloom spoke up. "Poison Joke?! Uh oh... What'd it do to ya?" She clearly seemed to know what its effects are, as if she had seen the results firsthand.

I sighed as I shook my head. "You wouldn't believe me even if I explained it to you. But it did make for a very rude awakening the next morning."

I continued to describe my first day in the Everfree Forest as my audience watched intently. "The first really big event in my first day in the Everfree Forest was when I ended up in Froggy Bottom Bog. As it turns out, a hydra lives there. And trust me, those things are huge. But I was in luck since my good friend Rainbow Dash was there to keep it busy. If she hadn't been there when it showed up, I probably wouldn't have gotten very far."

At the mention of my brash pegasus friend, Scootaloo jumped up with an excited grin shown upon her face. "Awesome! That's Rainbow Dash for you! She's always there to help her friends! Did she knock that hydra for a loop?" I had forgotten for a moment that Scootaloo really looks up to Rainbow Dash.

"I did see her give that thing a few good kicks to the faces, but I didn't stick around long enough to really see the kind of damage she could pull off. But man, am I glad she showed up when she did." I replied with an uneven smile.

I then continued, "A little while after that, I came across a pair of turtle doves huddling in the tree."

Sweetie Belle then asked while looking noticeably puzzled, "How is that something unusual?"

I smirked as I reached for my shirt sleeve. "Because if I hadn't seen them, I don't think I ever would've gotten this." I then rolled up my sleeve, displaying my cutie mark for all to see. I heard most of the children ooh at the sight of it.

"A cutie mark? You really got one, Mr. James?" Cheerilee asked with a look of interest. When I nodded, she smiled and said, "It's very beautiful. And it suits you well."

I then went on, "The next odd event to happen to me occurred when it was getting dark. I was looking for a safe place to stay and I stumbled across a little gray filly with a yellow and orange mane and tail. She didn't see me, but I followed her since she probably lived nearby." At those words, I noticed Apple Bloom tense up with an expression of either dread or anticipation on her face. Since she knew full well of whom I was referring to, I could tell she was not looking forward to what I was going to say next.

"I lost sight of her a minute later, but I ended up finding a humble little village in the Everfree Forest. The ponies there didn't have any cutie marks, even though they were all adults. But I didn't think too hard on it. They were friendly enough and welcomed me into their home. From what they told me, they call the place Sunny Town." I explained while watching the expressions of my audience gradually change.

Before I went on, I noticed Cheerilee looking through a textbook. "Miss Cheerilee?" I asked, wondering what she was up to.

The teacher looked over at me and asked, "Mr. James, is this a true story? There doesn't seem to be anyplace called Sunny Town in Equestria. And there certainly isn't a town INSIDE the Everfree Forest."

It was hardly surprising to here her say that. I crossed my arms as I replied, "There's a good reason why that town isn't on the map, but I'll be getting to that bit in a minute. And yes, it's a true story. I wouldn't lie about what happened to me out there." Cheerilee seemed to take my word for granted as she closed her textbook and continued to watch me.

"As I was saying, the ponies who lived there had no cutie marks. But they were friendly and hospitable." I explained while Apple Bloom kept giving me a most uneasy look. "However, there was one pony who didn't seem very happy. She had a gray coat and crimson hair. When she saw me, she warned me to leave town right away." I noticed Apple Bloom's expression brighten as if to say 'thank goodness'.

Silver Spoon then raised her hoof and asked, "Why did she tell you to leave Sunny Town when all the ponies there were happy to have you there?"

I smirked slightly at her curiosity and said, "I'm very glad you asked that, Silver Spoon. For you see, the happy and cozy Sunny Town...is not what it seems. During the day, it looks like a humble little hamlet with happy ponies living there. But at night..." I then frowned sternly and spoke, "The town's true form is revealed. During the night, Sunny Town is a deathtrap."

Every last pony in the classroom looked at me with a shocked expression. Sweetie Belle asked rather loudly, "Deathtrap? Why?!"

I explained sternly, "Sunny Town is a cursed town that has been that way for...possibly centuries. It's just a bunch of crumbling ruins. And the ponies..." I almost felt my skin crawl as I remembered those...horrifying glowing red eyes... "They're all dead. Zombies. I know it's hard to believe, but every last one of those ponies become zombies at night. With glowing red soul-piercing eyes. You really don't wanna see that in the dark."

Everyone, including Cheerilee, were displaying expressions of shock at my claims. And why not? There was really a village full of zombie ponies out there in the Everfree Forest. If I was back on Earth and I learned that there was really a city of zombies somewhere in the world, I would most certainly be shocked too, if not somewhat skeptical at first.

"If she hadn't led me outta there... I probably wouldn't be here right now..." I spoke softly, remembering Mitta's act of kindness. "The pony who led me out of Sunny Town... She told me her name is Mitta. And she's the only good soul in the whole place."

Diamond Tiara then asked, "Is she a zombie too?"

I nodded solemnly. "Yeah... She's affected by the same curse as the others. But her body... How do I put this... She isn't as...decayed as the others. Her body is still whole when the curse is working. She has the same eyes, but at least she is still in one piece..." I then sighed while turning my gaze towards the nearest window. "I promised myself I would come back for her if I ever found a way to lift the curse... She's my only friend in Sunny Town." I heard the children aww at my display of the bond I had developed with Mitta before we parted.

Sweetie Belle then asked, "So, you got out of Sunny Town before the zombies could get you?"

I shook my head. "Well, I did get outta there in time. But that's when things got scary." I could see Apple Bloom's eyes open wide. The zombified ponies surely must have pursued her as well when she tried to leave. I then explained, "The few ponies I saw in town didn't come after me, but a whole swarm of them just crawled out of the ground and started chasing me. They were almost nothing but bones, but they still had those glowing red eyes and were constantly moaning for me to not flee from them. Scariest thing I've ever seen since coming to Ponyville. My saving grace was that they were so slow. I easily outran them."

The students were fixated on me as I recounted my encounter with the undead denizens of the Everfree Forest. Even Cheerilee was listening while constantly watching me. However, Diamond Tiara was bowing her head as if in shame while her ears were drooping. I can understand why. It was because of her actions that I went to the Everfree Forest in the first place. Which meant that it was her fault that I almost ended up as zombie fodder. I did not hold anything against her though. After all, I gained a few friends from the experience. And it was definitely an experience worth writing home about, if nothing else.

"In any case, I stumbled across the same filly who had led my to Sunny Town in the first place. She said her name is Ruby." I saw Apple Bloom smile at my words, surely remembering her time with the little ghost filly. "She helped me out by leading me to probably the only safe place in the Everfree Forest."

Scootaloo then asked, "And what's the safest place out there?"

I replied with a smile, "The ancient castle ruins of the royal sisters. Ruby told me those zombie ponies think the place is haunted, so I didn't have to worry about them following me there. In any case, the moon was out and the night had started. So I headed into the ruins to make sure I had a roof over my head for the night." I then smirked while feeling myself getting giddy at the thought of surprising them with what I was about to say. "What happened next was probably the most memorable part of that day for me. When I entered the old throne room, I saw her. Or what was left of her, at least."

Silver Spoon was the first to speak up. "Her? Who was it?"

"You probably won't believe me, but..." I replied, doubting that anyone would believe what I was about to say. "The Mare in the Moon. Nightmare Moon."

There was an audible gasp as every last pony in the room became frightened. I chuckled for a moment before speaking, "Oh, cut that out. If she was really the monster you all think she is, do you think I would be standing here now?"

My words seemed to reassure my audience as they calmed down slightly. Apple Bloom then asked, "But what happened next? Did she try ta gobble ya up?"

I rolled my eyes, wondering what kind of rumors might have been stirred up that caused them to believe Nightmare Moon was carnivorous. "Lord, no... She was...very gentle towards me. And I felt honored to be in her presence."

I was not expecting Cheerilee to speak up next. "But why were you so honored to be in her presence? She was always a threat to Equestria."

I glanced over at Cheerilee and smiled. "She made the night. And I prefer the night to the day. And I know she thought that no one had ever been grateful for the night. So I thanked her myself for making it so we can sleep at the end of the day." I then sighed while reflexively glancing up. "I heard her voice. She told me that I was the very first person to ever thank her for her work... When I slept there, I could feel Nightmare Moon watching over me. She protected me while I was asleep."

I was actually rather impressed by how well the students and even the teacher were handling this information. Rather than freak out, they seemed to be thinking deeply. As if rethinking their opinions about the dreaded Mare in the Moon. Apple Bloom was the first to break the silence. "Yer right! The night is purty nice! An' it's all thanks ta Nightmare Moon and Princess Luna that we have it!"

Sweetie Belle nodded and said, "It always feels nice and quiet when I go out for dinner with my mom and dad when it's dark out. It makes going home a lot more relaxing." All of the children began speaking in unison, pretty much drowning each other out like one big conversation.

"Now, class. Let's be quiet to allow Mr. James to finish telling his story." Cheerilee spoke up to get their attention. All of the kids stopped what they were doing and turned their gazes towards me.

I decided to leave out the part where I was turned into an earth pony courtesy of Poison Joke. I mean, really. Would anyone believe me if I told them I was turned into a pony? Probably not. "I met Zecora the next morning. She took me to her home for a little while for shelter. And right after that..." I then smiled at the three Cutie Mark Crusaders. "You girls found me."

All of the students looked at my three friends. The three of them grinned, blushed, or rubbed their heads in response to the attention. "Thanks for coming to me, girls. I was really happy to see you."

Scootaloo responded first by running over to me and leaping into my arms. "We missed you too, big brother. And it's awesome to have you back home." The two of us cuddled as the rest of the children applauded in unison.

Cheerilee then smiled as she got up from her chair. "That was a very descriptive story, Mr. James. And you said it's all a true story?"

I nodded as I set Scootaloo down. "Every word of it. Even the part about Nightmare Moon. But don't worry about her. She's not a threat to anyone anymore."

The teacher smiled slightly awkwardly. "I certainly hope so. But now that story time is over, it's time for lunch. Would you like to stick around a little longer?"

I nodded and said, "Sure. I'll go grab some lunch for myself in a while."

Cheerilee then looked at her students and said, "All right, class. Grab your lunches and gather out in the playground. Just be sure to come back in when the bell rings." I watched as each of the foals went over to their individual saddlebags, which were lined up in rows on a table, and took them outside through the door that led out into the lobby. With nothing else to do, I followed them outdoors.

I watched as the foals spread out on the playground. The Cutie Mark Crusaders, as expected, grouped themselves together as they took out their lunches. But I was surprised to see Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon join them. They showed no signs of hostility and even seemed to greet the three fillies. I smiled to myself, glad to see that the two school bullies had turned over a new leaf.

I approached the five fillies and took a seat by them as they munched on their meals, which mostly consisted of fruits. Apple Bloom looked up at me and smiled while she waved at me. "Howdy, James! Wanna bite?" She held up her half-eaten apple to me. It was a red delicious apple, a kind of apple I am not particularly fond of.

"No thanks, Apple Bloom. I'll grab a bite in town once recess ends. But thanks for the offer." I replied while holding up my palm to signal that I did not want it. I then looked over at Diamond Tiara and asked, "So... You learned your lesson?"

The former bully nodded as she paused from eating her lunch. "Yeah, I'm done being mean... I know what it's like to have a blank flank. It's not fun."

Silver Spoon then solemnly asked, "Can you forgive us?" She seemed to be displaying genuine regret. It was almost as if she was unhappy with her actions despite me having never confronted her about it.

"I think you should be asking your real victims." I replied as I turned my gaze to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. "Well, girls? Do you forgive them?"

The three of them began to quietly discuss among themselves. It did not take long for them to come to a decision with Scootaloo being the first to speak. "If you're really sorry about it, then sure!"

Sweetie Belle then added, "As long as you don't ever do it again, I'm OK with you being friends with us."

Apple Bloom, who I suspected had been tormented the longest by the duo, nodded with a smile. "I guess y'all can hang with us now. But no more 'blank flank' tomfoolery. Or else, James will be comin' after ya again. Right, James?"

I smirked while glancing at the two former bullies out of the corner of my eye. "You know it. Better behave, you two." The two fillies grinned quite nervously in response. They seemed to have learned a lot in the past week.

I listened to the fillies converse while eating lunch. The overall length of the lunch period was rather short as the school's bell rang after no more than twenty minutes. I watched while the other students gathered up their saddlebags and began to head back into the schoolhouse. However, the five fillies who were with me stayed a moment longer. "Are you leaving now, James?" Sweetie Belle asked as she put her saddlebags back on.

"Yeah, I'm getting pretty hungry by now. So I'll go grab a bite at the café or something." I replied while I started to get up. But before I could climb to my feet, three of the five fillies suddenly caught me in a group hug. The only ones who did not take part was Silver Spoon, who seemed rather surprised as she watched, and Scootaloo, who opened her mouth and seemed to point her hoof into it as a sign of disgust. I knew it was just an act though since she does not mind hugging me in front of her closest friends. She was probably just trying to keep the 'tough girl' image up around those who might try to spread the word. Namely Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.

Diamond Tiara nuzzled my chest as she held onto me. "Thanks again, James... It feels good to have friends for reasons that don't have anything to do with being mean."

I stroked her mane as I smiled slightly. "I'm glad I was able to help you change for the better. Just don't ever go back to being that mean little witch, all right? I'll have to take your cutie mark away again if you do." She seemed to not have any intention of reverting to her old ways, as she showed no signs of being intimidated.

Sweetie Belle then winked at me as spoke, "Don't worry about her or Silver Spoon. We'll keep them on the right track."

Apple Bloom then looked up at me and asked, "You wanna come by the clubhouse today? We've got lots of stuff ta talk about."

It was then that I remembered that I had not been able to attend the meeting we had planned on the day I left Ponyville and headed into the Everfree Forest. "Sounds like a plan, girls. Right after school?"

The farm filly nodded and said, "Yup! But we better get back ta class. We'll talk later!" I watched as the fillies gathered up their saddlebags and ran back inside. However, Scootaloo remained outside with me.

"Aren't you going back in too? You're gonna be late." I spoke while looking down at Scootaloo.

"I am. But I just wanna do something first." She walked over to the front door of the schoolhouse, which was then shut, while I followed close behind. "I didn't want anypony seeing us."

"Yeah, I know you have a bit of a tomboy reputation." I replied as I recalled how she acted disgusted when her three friends embraced me. It was just a charade to make her still look tough in front of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. "Since we're alone now..." I said with a smirk as I got down on one knee.

Scootaloo grinned as she lifted her arms. "You got it." She then leapt into my arms and nuzzled her head against my chest.

I held my little sister against my chest while stroking her mane. I then whispered, "You know, you can still be affectionate to your friends and still be tough."

Scootaloo replied quietly, "I know... It's just... Well, you're the only guy I don't mind getting cuddly with. You're family, after all."

I felt a warm fuzzy feeling when she said that word. Family. "Scoot, I'm not even the same species as you. I don't think I qualify as a family member to you..."

She surprised me with her response while she looked up at me with her big purple eyes. "In that case, adopt me!"

I was amazed by Scootaloo's devotion to me. Adopt her? I am certainly old enough to do so, but she already has a family. Regardless, I was rather touched by her desire to truly be my sister. Having a little sister... It does feel nice. "OK, Scootaloo. I hereby adopt you as my own little sister."

I felt the pegasus filly shiver in my grasp with what I think was excitement. I could hear her snicker as she gritted her teeth and closed her eyes. "Awesome! Now I really do have the best big brother I never had!" However, her tone then became more somber as she spoke softly, "Just please don't go away again, James..."

Those words brought to mind the unpleasant memories of when I had to temporarily leave Ponyville only a few days ago. I had certainly gained something out of the experience, but it was still not a good feeling knowing I had worried my loved ones so. "That's a promise, Scoot. I'll never leave again."

The two of us continued to cuddle together for a moment longer before I noticed the door in front of me open a crack. I saw Sweetie Belle poke her head out before she called out, "Come on, Scoot! You'll be late for class!"

The pegasus filly looked over her shoulder and nodded at her friend. "I'll be there in a sec!" Sweetie Belle winked at us before ducking back inside as if saying that the extant of our relationship was safe with her.

I patted Scootaloo on the head before setting her down. "See you at the clubhouse in a few hours?"

Scootaloo nodded, but then said, "Yeah, but I'm gonna take a scooter ride through the park first since it takes longer for Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle to get there on foot. You wanna come watch?"

I remembered the last time I had seen her perform stunts at the park. A successful kick flip on a scooter should not even be possible, yet she made it look easy. I was curious of what other tricks she had up her sleeve. "You bet. Three hours sound right?"

"Yup! See ya there, James!" Scootaloo replied before going back into the schoolhouse in a hurry. Now that the students' lunch period was over, it was time for me to get something to eat for myself.

My trip to the local café was rather uneventful. When I arrived, I found nearly all of the outdoor tables to be empty. Only one or two were in use with none of the ponies who were seated at them looking familiar to me. I took a seat at the nearest table and opened a menu. But after less than a minute, I heard the sound of hooves clopping as someone approached me from my left. I was expecting it to be Twilight Sparkle or maybe Rainbow Dash. But I got a surprise when I heard a voice I did not recognize. "Excuse me, but may I have this seat?"

I turned to face the owner of the voice and found Lyra standing to my left. I know I have mentioned her before in an earlier entry, but I have never described her appearance. She is a unicorn with a coat being mint green and her eyes are a yellowish shade of orange. Her mane and tail are a...um...a pale light grayish cyan with white highlights while her cutie mark depicts a lyre. I then asked, "Um... You're Lyra, right?"

The unicorn mare smiled and nodded. "Actually, my full name is Lyra Heartstrings. But just Lyra is fine. In any case, may I join you?"

I shrugged my shoulders and said, "Sure. I don't mind company." I watched as Lyra...I mean Lyra Heartstrings took a seat at the opposite end of the table. Is mentioning her full name really necessary though?

At first, Lyra did not say anything. But every time I glanced over the top of my menu, she was gazing at me with what seemed to be an expression of fascination. She had her head resting upon her upturned hoof in the same manner a human would hold up his or her head while seated. I eventually asked, "Um... Is there something on my face?"

Lyra giggled briefly before she replied, "No, it's not that. It's just that... Well, I'm amazed that humans really exist. I always wanted to meet one."

Her unusual fascination with my species caught me by surprise. "You knew about humans before I showed up?" I asked, hoping to get a little more information out of her.

"Uh huh. I read about humans in books regarding legends and myths. I was always fascinated with the stories about them and wondered what they might be like since they were described as being absolutely nothing like ponies. And they were right. You humans look nothing like us." She explained while never once breaking eye contact with me.

Before we could converse further, the waiter came to our table. "Have you made your decision?" He asked with his strong accent.

Lyra spoke first. "I'll have a deluxe salad please."

"I'll have a house salad with French dressing and an order of spaghetti and meatballs please." I spoke before the waiter took our menus and headed back into the café. Now that I think about it... How is there French dressing sold in stores while Rarity sometimes weaves French haute couture designs despite France being a nation from my world? Probably a mystery I will never solve.

"That reminds me. I never got your name." Lyra mentioned as her eyes fell upon me again.

"It's James." I replied while still finding her fascination with me to be rather awkward, if not flattering.

Lyra then smiled and said, "OK, James. I heard you're not even from this world. Could you tell me what it's like where you come from? And what are humans like where you're from? They just as friendly as us ponies?"

I paused for a moment, thinking over my answer. I did not want to lie to her, but my answer would not be pleasant. "You'll probably hate me if I tell you."

Heartstrings was clearly not expecting that response. "Hate you? What makes you say that? You're a nice guy, from what I can see. You can tell me the truth."

I sighed, feeling somewhat reluctant to speak. In hindsight, I may have been overly harsh with my bluntness. "OK, but you'll regret it. The world I come from... Well, it's not all bad. There's a good deal of nice things about it. But even so... Compared to this world and all its beauty and hospitality..." I paused for a moment before speaking, "When you compare the whole of my world to this one... The place is a nightmare."

My dining partner stared at me with a blank expression for a moment. "A...nightmare...? Is it really that bad?"

It was hardly surprising to see her not fully comprehending my words. I then explained, "Don't go thinking my world is unpleasant because it just is. It's not nearly that simple. The cause of all the evils in my world stems from human sin. Pollution, animal extinctions, war, murder, prejudice, greed, terrorism, genocide. Not a day goes by without a horrible act being committed by at least a few hundred humans. Probably even more. There are good people in the world, but there just aren't anywhere near enough... And there never will be. At the rate things are going, humanity will just end up destroying itself. Good riddance, if you ask me."

I was being completely honest, if not a little blunt, in my use of words. My world may certainly not be without its good parts, but Equestria is a perfect paradise when compared to it. I suppose actually seeing a place like Equestria only made me even more disillusioned with the state of my own home, thus adding to my bitterness towards it. I said nothing else as I waited for Lyra to offer a reply. However, I soon noticed that she seemed to be tearing up. "Are you being serious? There are that many humans who are...really that horrible?" All I could do was nod. To my surprise, Lyra got up from her seat, walked over to me, and held me in a tearful embrace. "Thank the sun and moon you were able to escape from that world..."

"You...don't think I'm a monster? Even though I'm a human too?" I asked while wondering why she had not become even slightly wary of me.

Lyra looked at me with teary eyes. "Every time I've seen you, you've been living with us like any other pony I know. You're nothing like those awful humans from your world you were talking about. You have a good heart." She then smiled and said, "I'm glad the first human I ever met was you. You warned me about the others, so I know to be careful around other humans. If I ever meet them, that is."

I placed my hand on Lyra's back to help comfort her. "I'm sorry if what I said disturbed you. I just don't like keeping others in the dark about my world. You'd be amazed by how many people downplay the worst things about it."

What Lyra said next actually touched me. "I hope you never have to go back... You're too nice to deserve to live there."

I wholeheartedly agreed with her on that. Life without my friends in Equestria is a nightmarish thought. By now, I truly do not wish to leave them. "I hope so too... And thanks for hearing me out, Lyra Heartstrings..."

The unicorn smiled at me and said, "You can just call me Lyra, if you want. My friends prefer calling me that because they feel Lyra Heartstrings is just too much of a mouthful. And it sounds similar to what my cutie mark is."

I nodded in understanding. "OK, Lyra. Is there anything else you want to ask me right now?"

"Um... I think that's all for now. That last bit of info was a lot to take in." She replied with a somewhat uneasy expression.

"I just hope I didn't make you lose your appetite. Because here our orders come now." I spoke while pointing towards the café. The waiter was carrying our food out to us on a tray that rested atop his head.

Once the waiter left us with our orders, I asked, "So, Lyra... You and Bon Bon have anything happening?"

Lyra Heartstrings... All right, I will always refer to her as just Lyra from now on since it takes up less space on my paper and consumes less ink. In any case, she replied, "Oh, Bon Bon and I have been good friends for a long time. We're even housemates. And speaking of friends, I've seen you and Fluttershy together pretty often."

I shyly smiled while averting my gaze. "Yeah... We've been sweethearts for a few days now."

Lyra smiled brightly at my words. "Really?! Wow, I never knew humans were so open towards other species!"

I frowned and rolled my eyes. "Actually, most aren't. Where I come from, humans are the only truly sentient beings on the planet. But there are some like me who 'think outside the box', so to say. I even take some pride in that."

My words seemed to elate Lyra as she grinned and said, "There are others like you? Nice! Maybe they'll find a way to come to Equestria someday!"

I got a chuckle out of her enthusiasm before I replied, "Not likely. I don't even know how I got here yet."

The two of us conversed casually while dining on our meals. Like most unicorns, Lyra used magic to levitate her fork to eat her salad. Once we finished, the two of us left a handful of bits on the table as payment. While we stepped away from the café, Lyra looked up at me and spoke, "It was good talking to you, James. You think we could chat again sometime? I'll have more questions about humans by then."

I nodded with a slight smile on my face. "Sure thing, Lyra. Check around here for me at noon. I think this will be my usual lunch spot. Oh, and dessert will be on me next time, if you want."

"Aww, you're sweet. But I better go see Bon Bon. We had plans today and I don't wanna be late. See you around!" Lyra replied with a smile before galloping down the road away from me.

I was on the verge of going back to Sugarcube Corner before I remembered that I was given the day off. Force of habit. With nothing else to do, I decided to go back home and spend time with Fluttershy. But I had barely reached the meadow that separated her cottage from Ponyville when... Well, in all honesty, I have no idea what hit me. All I remember was something bashing me right on top of the head with a loud crack followed by my senses fading fast, the feel of me falling flat on my back while my eyes rolled around in my head, and the sound of Rainbow Dash's voice repeatedly shouting 'oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh' over and over again.

I am not entirely certain how long I was out. When I finally came to, I found Rainbow Dash standing over me with an extremely worried and even mildly panicked expression on her face. Fluttershy was by my side while holding my head in her arms. Or rather forelegs. Unsure of what happened, I then asked, "Um... How long was I out?"

Rainbow Dash spoke first with a loud sigh of relief. "Oh man, I thought your skull was split open! Are you OK? Everything in your head where it should be?"

Speaking of my head, I could feel an ice pack against it. I could also feel an acute soreness under it. "OK... Did someone hit me over the head with a 2x4 or something?"

Fluttershy replied with a bit of a nervous grin, "Um...no. A tortoise fell on you."

.....What? I looked around and found a green tortoise looking at me with a relatively unhappy gaze. I winced as I asked, "Are you saying.....this guy fell outta the sky and hit me on my noggin at terminal velocity?"

Rainbow Dash chuckled nervously while she rubbed the back of her head. "Uh... It wasn't THAT long of a drop. I'm just glad he was that low to the ground when his propeller's motor went dead." Next to the tortoise was a small pair of goggles and...a type of propeller-powered flight apparatus that was most likely meant to be secured around his shell.

"I can't believe that didn't give me a concussion. Although that's the first time I've ever been knocked out cold before." I replied while my hand gently rubbed the top of my head. I doubt it could be seen under my thick hair, but I could feel an obvious lump on my scalp.

I watched as Rainbow Dash motioned for the tortoise to approach me. "Come on, Tank. James was nice enough to let you use his head to break your fall. C'mon and say thanks."

The tortoise, who I assume is named 'Tank', very slowly approached me with what I think was the slowest gait I have ever seen. Even for a tortoise. I think it took at least half a minute for him to come up next to me. I looked down at him without saying a word, his eyes slowly blinking once. I could not fathom what prompted Rainbow Dash, who is someone obsessed with speed and agility, to choose a sluggish tortoise to be her pet. There must have been a deeper connection between them than I initially suspected.

I shrugged my shoulders while caressing the tortoise's neck. "I guess it's OK. I'm just glad I haven't shaved my head in a while."

Rainbow Dash grinned while still looking rather apologetic. "Yeah, sorry about that. Maybe I should get a parachute installed for him in case that happens again." Tank also smiled at me, albeit taking about four seconds for his frown to become a smile.

Fluttershy then spoke to me from behind my head. "I applied some ointment that should help the swelling go down faster. Just be careful not to bump your head on anything for a while. It'll sting if you do."

I nodded to show I understood Fluttershy's orders, but my eyes then settled on Tank. From what I had seen, most of my friends had their own unique pets. "Do all of you have pets?" I asked, curious if my assumption was true since I had not seen Applejack with one.

Fluttershy nodded beside me and said, "Yes, we all have pets. I think the only one you haven't met yet is Winona. She's Applejack's herding dog."

A dog, a cat, a tortoise, a rabbit, an owl, and an alligator. All six of my friends had their own pets. Without really thinking it over much, I then asked, "You think I should get a pet too?"

For some reason, Fluttershy suddenly perked up with excitement as she went airborne and got right up in my face. "Ooh! Y...You want one too?! Oh, oh, I have plenty of little animals at my house you can choose from! Surely one of them is just right for you!" Before I could even react, she had her forelegs curled under my arms and was literally carrying me across the meadow with my feet dragging along the ground. "You've always been so sweet to animals, so they'll surely be sweet to you too! They'll love you and be with you forever and ever!" I could even hear her gasping with excitement between sentences.

Rainbow Dash flew after us and came up alongside me. I muttered just loud enough for her to hear me, "This is the most passionate I've ever seen her get about anything! Is this normal for her?" Fluttershy seemed to be in her own little world as she paid no heed to my words.

"Heheheh, yep! She's always this way when it comes to animals and helping ponies pick out pets. Have fun!" Rainbow Dash replied before flying back over to Tank and leaving me in Fluttershy's joyful clutches.

Fluttershy carried me right into the backyard behind her cottage where the chicken coop was located. When she set me down, she continued to hover above the ground. "Take a good look around you, James. You have plenty of pets to choose from."

I did as I was told, looking around myself. I was rather surprised as I found more types of animals in the immediate area than I had ever seen in one spot before. I saw a lamb, a pink flamingo, a bat, ducks, kittens, you name it. It was as if Fluttershy had her own private zoo. "That's quite a list to choose from, honey." I spoke as I brought a hand to my chin while thinking over my options.

"I have I song I can sing that can help you decide. Should I sing it?" Fluttershy asked with a beaming smile.

Not really being in the mood for an improvised song at the time, I threw up my hands and shook them. "No, thank you. I'm already pretty sure of what I want." I said promptly, even though it was partially a bluff. My eyes scanned the animals that were nearby. I could see some baby rabbits in the mix and the kittens were absurdly adorable, especially since I have always preferred cats to dogs. Which is rather ironic since I have had dogs before, but never any cats. I also noticed some frogs hopping about. I have always liked frogs and have even had some and toads before. There was much to choose from and I was having a difficult time deciding. I crossed my arms while bowing my head to think. But as I did so, my fingers brushed against my upper arm. It was then that I had an idea while looking at my arm. My cutie mark was almost completely covered by my shirt's sleeve. "Fluttershy, do you happen to have any doves?"

Fluttershy gasped at my words, apparently from being hit with inspiration. "Doves? Why didn't I think of that?!" She then looked towards some birdhouses and called out, "Angela! There's someone here to see you!"

At those words, an adorable white dove emerged from the hole in one of the birdhouses and flew over to us before perching upon Fluttershy's raised hoof. Fluttershy turned to face me and smiled demurely while she said, "Isn't she just the cutest little birdie you've ever seen? And look! She's white, just like your cutie mark!" In all honesty, it was the dove shapes which make up my cutie mark that caused me to consider adopting a dove in the first place.

"She is definitely cute, Fluttershy." I replied while extending my arm towards them. Once close enough, the dove fluttered as she hopped onto my hand. She then looked up at me with those round dark eyes of hers. "Hello, Angela. Looks like you're my new little angel." The dove nuzzled my face as I raised her to my head. I closed my eyes and nuzzled her back, feeling her soft feathers against my cheek.

"I just know you two will get along perfectly." Fluttershy spoke as she hovered beside me. I heard the dove let out a soft coo as she began to preen my face.

"You said her name is Angela, right?" I asked, fairly certain I had heard her name right the first time.

"Yes, her name is Angela. I couldn't think of a more fitting name for such a sweet little birdie." Fluttershy replied with a smile before nuzzling me as well.

"You know... This means we both have our very own little angels. You have Angel while I have Angela." I said with a smirk, knowing that Angela is a feminine version of Angelo, which is Italian for 'angel'.

"Angel and Angela... They'll probably be the best of friends." Fluttershy replied with a smile. I, for one, was not too sure. I have noticed that while Angel has minded his manners around me, he seems to be very picky of who he is kind to.

I felt Angela gently preening me as a sign of affection. She seemed to be trying to bite me, but I knew better. I heard her let out a soft coo as she nuzzled me. "She really seems to like you." Fluttershy whispered to me as I stroked her feathers. But she then asked, "Come to think of it... You have the day off, right?"

"I guess your memory's better than mine. I forgot all about it until after I got there today." I replied, referring to my arrival at Sugarcube Corner that morning.

Fluttershy giggled before she shyly asked, "Since you have some free time, would you like to go to the park with me?"

A smile covered my lips while I stroked Angela's feathers. "Sounds good to me. Is now a good time?"

"I finished tending to the animals for the morning, so I have plenty of free time. Shall we?" Fluttershy spoke with a meek little smile as she headed towards the edge of her backyard.

"Absolutely." I said as I set Angela down on a fencepost. "Fluttershy and I will be back in a little while. Be a good girl and wait here for us, Angela." My new pet seemed to nod in agreement as she cooed contently.

Fluttershy and I passed by Sweet Apple Acres as we took the most direct route to the park, which is directly south of Ponyville. The two of us engaged in casual conversation during the walk with none of the topics we covered being worth much mention. When we entered the park, I quickly noticed Lyra and Bon Bon seated on a park bench. Bon Bon was holding a small bell in her mouth while Lyra was gently strumming a small harp that she was holding in her arms...forelegs...whichever. One thing I was quick to notice was her posture. Unlike Bon Bon, who was lying down on the bench, Lyra was sitting upright on it much like a human would. Perhaps her fascination of humans had inspired her to try behaving like one. Regardless, Lyra waved at me the instant she saw me. I returned the favor by waving back and smiling. Fluttershy noticed and asked, "You know Lyra?"

I replied once I had stopped waving and nodded, "She joined me for lunch. She studies legends and myths regarding humans and was interested about what I could tell her about my kind."

Fluttershy seemed pleased about the thought of our conversation. "I'm sure you could speak volumes about your homeland. It must have so many unique animals I've never heard of before." She was not too far from the truth either.

Our destination was arguably my favorite spot in the entire park. The local pond. As expected, a sack of fish food rested on the tiny peninsula that reached into the body of water. I could remember my previous visits to this part of the park where I spoke to Fluttershy and even Rainbow Dash on one occasion.

"Just the two of us, huh?" I asked as I took a seat by the sack of fish food.

"Looks that way. And that's the way we want it, right?" Fluttershy replied as she sat beside me and gently leaned against me.

I reached into the sack and tossed a handful of fish food, which consisted of pellets, out over the pond. Just like the previous times, some of the fish leaped out of the water and caught a few pellets before they could even hit the water. "I never get tired of watching that." I said with a smile.

The two of us watched the many fish feast upon their snack. Before long, Fluttershy asked, "Did you do anything else besides eat lunch with Lyra today?"

I replied without much thought, "I went over to the schoolhouse to say hi to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. I even helped Scootaloo out with some math problems."

Fluttershy smiled while also letting out a quiet giggle. "You always have been good to those fillies. They must've been happy to see you."

I let out a chuckle and said, "Yeah, they were. Especially when I stuck around for story time. I told them about what happened to me in the Everfree Forest yesterday."

I was expecting Fluttershy to reply promptly. Instead, she remained silent for a moment before speaking softly, "I was so worried when you left... Please don't ever do that again..."

In an attempt to comfort her, I gently stroked my lover's long pink mane. "I have no intention of ever leaving again, honey. If I ever do leave again, it'll be because I was forced to do so. And I really hope that never happens."

Things became very quiet for a while after that. The two of us just sat there, leaning against each other with no one else around. Some of the fish would stare, but it never felt like they were intruding into our personal time. With how quiet it was, with the exception of the fish snatching food pellets from the pond's surface, it felt so tranquil around us.

Before long, I felt Fluttershy place her hoof on my hand. I looked over at the pegasus as she gazed at me with a warm smile. She spoke first. "I love you."

My response was brief and sincere. "I love you too."

Fluttershy leaned in closer and kissed me softly. I held her in a gentle embrace as I pressed into the kiss. We both closed our eyes, our lips parting as our tongues touched. I tasted a faint hint of apples, likely due to our breakfast from that morning consisting mostly of apple products.

I am not sure how long we kissed, but we continued to do so even after we fell onto our sides. I felt Fluttershy place her forelegs on my shoulders in the same manner a human girl would during an intimate kiss. Once we actually did break the kiss... Well, this may be a little sappy for some readers, but I am going to write it anyway. We just looked into each other's eyes for a moment without saying anything. After a moment, Fluttershy nuzzled her face against my neck. I responded by holding her in a gentle embrace while slowly stroking her long pink mane.

I suspect we may have fallen asleep at one point as next thing I know, I have my face buried in Fluttershy's mane. I sat up quickly and glanced around me. I was unsure of the time, so I pulled out my DSi and turned it on to check the clock. "Almost 3 pm... Better get going." I muttered as I returned the device to my pocket.

"Fluttershy, wake up." I spoke softly as I gently shook my lover. It would be rude to just leave her like that.

"Mmmm... Huh...? What time is it...?" The timid pegasus muttered as she sat up with a yawn.

I looked down at her and explained, "School should be getting out soon and I promised I would meet up with Scootaloo in the park. So I need to get going. Shall we talk later?"

Fluttershy blinked a few times to get her bearings before she stood up and nodded. "OK. I'll be waiting back home. Have a good time, dear." She then gave me a kiss on the cheek before flying north.

Not wasting any time, I walked back towards the main area of the park. The only pony around at the time was Derpy Hooves. I think she was taking a 'muffin break' since she was relaxing on a bench while munching on a muffin and reading a food magazine.

I waited for what I think was ten minutes before I heard the distant buzzing of a small motor. Of course, I knew by then what that sound really was. "Just in time." I muttered as I looked north. Barreling down the road was Scootaloo on her scooter. She blazed past me before doing a quick 180º turn and coming to a stop right in front of me.

Scootaloo removed her helmet and looked up at me with a grin. "Hey there, big brother! Did I keep you waiting?"

I replied with a smile, "Nope. So, what kinda new moves do you have?"

The pegasus filly smirked before gesturing with her arm. "Well, I got this new trick I call the 'wind walk'. But I need to get a long start so I can reach enough speed. Gimme some room!" I stepped back onto the grass as Scootaloo went a good distance away on her scooter before turning around. "Here goes!"

Judging by the term 'wind walk', this stunt Scootaloo had in mind probably involved going airborne and remaining airborne for a moment without touching the ground. But I was not going to find out for sure that day. As Scootaloo was about to pass me at maximum speed, the wheel of her scooter struck a tiny rock that was sticking up out of the road. Despite being so small, it stuck up enough to pose a hazard. And what a hazard it was.

I felt my blood chill as I watched Scootaloo go airborne as she let out a yell while being thrown forward from her scooter. It almost felt like time seemed to slow down briefly as I watched her crash into the ground a short distance away, her helmet coming off before she could even land. I had to look away for a moment out of fear. When I laid eyes on Scootaloo again, she was on her chin, body crunched up in an awkward position.

"Oh man... SCOOT!" I shouted instinctively as I rushed to my little sister's side. She did not seem to be bleeding due to her coat preventing her skin from coming in contact with the ground, but I am very certain she was bruised all over under that orange hair. "Scoot, are you OK? Nothing broken?"

My little sister looked up at me with tears in her eyes. She did not speak, but was clearly in pain. I could tell just by looking at her that she was struggling not to cry. I felt my blood begin to boil as I looked back over at her scooter. I could plainly see the rock that had tripped her jutting up out of the ground. "Wait here for a sec." I told Scootaloo as I walked over to her scooter.

I managed to loosen up the dirt around the rock enough for me to dig it out. Once I had the rock in my hand, I threw it as hard as I could into the distance. That rock would not be tripping anyone again.

I walked back over to Scootaloo, her eyes closed as tears streamed down her face. She was very quiet though, probably trying to not look weak. Regardless of how tough she is, I could not ignore my dear little sister's injuries. I reached down and scooped her up in my arms. "You're gonna be OK, Scoot. I'll take you home so Fluttershy can patch you up. She knows how to treat wounds."

Scootaloo whispered, "OK... Thanks, James..." Her voice was breaking as she cried, but she was doing a good job in keeping herself from sobbing.

Before we could go anywhere, Derpy came running over to us. "Is everything OK? That looked like a nasty spill!"

I looked down at the wall-eyed pegasus and replied, "She'll be fine. I know someone who can patch her up." But when I looked back over at the toppled scooter and helmet, I asked, "Derpy, I need to ask you a favor. Could you take that scooter and helmet to Scootaloo's house? I don't think she's in good enough shape to ride it right now. And if you see Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, let them know we're at Fluttershy's cottage."

Derpy nodded and said quickly, "Leave it to me. I know where she lives, after all. You take good care of her." I nodded and headed north with Scootaloo being cradled in my arms.

Scootaloo said nothing for a minute, but I could feel her burying her face into my chest. "How're you feeling, Scoot?" I asked, still worried that her injuries might be worse than I suspected.

The tomboyish filly muttered, "It still hurts... But..." She then whispered, "I'm glad you were there for me."

I smiled as I nuzzled her head with my chin, "I'm really glad I was there too."

Scootaloo looked up at me, still appearing to be in pain. But she still managed to crack a smile. I responded by placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'll be right here for you until you're all better, sis."

Her smile became tearful as Scootaloo whispered happily, "I love you, big brother... I'm glad you came to Equestria."

I decided to go around Sweet Apple Acres so I would not be distracted by the offer of conversation with Applejack or Big Macintosh. Not that Big Macintosh ever has much to say on his own, but I digress. When we reached the meadow that separated Fluttershy's cottage from Ponyville, I looked down and saw that Scootaloo did not seem to be in much pain. She actually seemed to be quite relaxed. "Are you feeling any better?" I asked with some concern.

Scootaloo looked up at me and replied, "Kinda. I'm just a little sore now. It doesn't really hurt if I don't move."

To my relief, I saw Fluttershy outside while tending to some of her bird friends. It seemed that she had just set down a bowl of worms for the birds to feast on. I was considering shouting to get her attention, but chose not to due to the risk of startling Scootaloo. Instead, I chose to simply walk until she was within earshot of me before speaking.

Before I could even get close enough to alert her with a normal tone of voice, Fluttershy turned and noticed me. "Hello, James. You're back sooner than I thought you'd... What's wrong with Scootaloo?" She flew over to us, remaining airborne with her wings flapping.

I replied quietly, "She took a nasty tumble and got pretty banged up from it. Could you patch her up, please?"

Scootaloo then asked, "Please, Fluttershy? This really hurts..." She looked up at my lover, her large purple eyes pleading.

Fluttershy frowned sympathetically and whispered, "Oh, you poor dear. Come inside and I'll get you all fixed up. Could you please carry her, James?"

"Sure thing." I nodded as I followed her inside, being mindful of my head as I ducked low to avoid the doorway.

I relaxed on the sofa in the living room while holding Scootaloo. She was very still as Fluttershy applied ointment and small bandages to where the bruising was the most severe. "There you go. Just try to take it easy until tomorrow. Doctor Fluttershy's orders." Fluttershy said with a smile as she nuzzled Scootaloo lovingly.

Scootaloo smiled as she replied, "Thanks, Fluttershy." But she then looked at me and smiled, "And thanks for being there for me, James." I merely smiled as I stroked her mane, prompting a giggle from the little pegasus.

Fluttershy left Scootaloo and me alone on the sofa while she went into the kitchen. Possibly to prepare a snack. In the meantime, I reclined on the sofa with Scootaloo resting on my chest. My hand slowly stroked her mane over and over. With how quiet and relaxing the situation was, I did not want this moment to end. Just me and my adorable little sister cuddling together.

The coo of a dove broke the silence. I glanced up at the back of the sofa and saw a familiar white dove perched upon it. "Angela?" I asked, wondering if I got her name right. I had not entirely memorized it by that point.

Scootaloo looked up and asked, "Is she your new pet?" As if to answer that question, Angela hopped down onto my shoulder and huddled over my upper arm where my cutie mark was. Scootaloo then grinned slyly and added, "Or is she your cutie mark come to life?" I chuckled at that remark.

Not much longer later, I heard a knock at the door. "I'll get it." Fluttershy spoke as she came back into the room. Upon opening the door, she asked, "Oh, hello girls. Are you here to see Scootaloo?"

I immediately recognized the voice of Apple Bloom. "We heard from Derpy that Scootaloo got hurt and was brought by yer place. Is she in there?"

Fluttershy stepped out of the way, revealing Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. "She's right over there."

The two fillies dashed over to us. "Are you OK, Scoot? You look like you got beat up by something." Sweetie Belle asked while looking up at her friend.

Scootaloo smirked as she tried to make light of the situation. "Yeah, the ground beat me up. But anyway, I'm fine. Just a little sore though. It was James who got me over here to get patched up." But she then asked, "Come to think of it, what're you doing here? Weren't we gonna have a meeting at the clubhouse?"

Apple Bloom then grinned, "We were, but since ya can't come, we decided to have the meetin' here! Is that OK, Fluttershy?"

My lover nodded and replied, "You're very welcome to stay here. But please don't make a mess. I only just got that table replaced." The three fillies grinned sheepishly, leading me to suspect that they might have done something unpleasant in a previous visit to Fluttershy's cottage.

Fluttershy then looked towards me. "I really don't want to cause any trouble, James. But could I ask you to watch over them while I do some shopping in town? They can be a handful, so I understand if you don't want to."

I shrugged my shoulders and said, "I really don't see what the problem is. I'll keep an eye on these little imps and you go do what you have to." As if to confirm my words, the three fillies grinned brightly and.....did I just see glowing golden halos above their heads?

Fluttershy then smirked as she looked at the three fillies. "OK, girls. You be good for James. And if you're not, I just might give you...the Stare." I noticed a hint of playfulness in her voice as she said that.

Once Fluttershy had left, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle opened their saddlebags and dumped out their contents onto the middle of the floor. "OK, we've come up with several new ideas that we haven't tried yet. Wanna take a look, James?" Apple Bloom asked as they spread out the maps and notebooks.

"Sure thing. What do we have?" I replied as I took a seat on the floor.

Scootaloo looked over the list of activities. "We didn't do too bad as merchants that day, but we still didn't get our cutie marks. So that's off the list."

However, Sweetie Belle then spoke up, "Well, we still haven't tried kart racing, circus performances, or music bands..." Why in the world did images of the three fillies driving pipe frame go-karts while chucking banana peels and turtle shells at each other pop into my head right there?

Suddenly, Scootaloo spoke up. "Hey, I got one! Remember what James said about there being zombies in the Everfree Forest?"

I winced as I realized where this was going. "You don't mean..."

My little sister confirmed my fears right there. "You bet I do! Cutie Mark Crusaders Zombie Slayers!"

Fortunately, I was not the only one in the group who did not like that idea. Apple Bloom backed away slightly while showing a toothy frown. "Uh... I don't like the sound of that one..."

Sweetie Belle also seemed hesitant. "Um...yeah. I don't know if I wanna go after zombies..."

Unfortunately, Scootaloo did not back down while being the usual fearless tomboy she is. "C'mon, we can handle them! I mean think about it! Zombies are slow, so we just gotta stay outta their reach! Right?"

By this point, I could not stay quiet. After all, I had seen just how troublesome the zombified ponies of Sunny Town could be. "Nooooo way! You're not going after those things!"

Scootaloo merely frowned in disappointment at me. "C'mon, big brother! You said it yourself! They're really slow!"

I frowned in response and explained, "Yeah, they're pretty sluggish. But there's a lot of them. I counted at least twenty-eight of them when I was running from them. AT LEAST. There's probably more out there. And besides, zombies are already dead! How do you kill something that's already no longer alive?!"

The Cutie Mark Crusaders stared at me silently with eyes open wide. I continued, "They might be slow. But with that many of them, they'll easily surround you. And then you're as good as dead. You don't mess with packs of zombies, period."

My explanation seemed to unnerve Scootaloo as she nodded. "Uh... OK, scratch that idea."

Out of nowhere, Apple Bloom began to snicker. "Something funny?" I asked, not really understanding what had just happened that could be funny.

Apple Bloom caught herself as she replied, "Sorry. It's just that yer shirt... Sometimes I feel like I'm lookin' at Applejack." I shook my head and raised my hands while rolling my eyes. I can only imagine what kind of comments I am going to get the following day when I wear the shirt that bears Rarity's colors.

The four of us continued to discuss possible activities, Angela occasionally cooing for me to pet her. However, before we could even decide on an activity to try, Fluttershy opened the front door with a tall paper bag on her back. "I'm back. Did you have fun?"

I nodded and said while flashing her a welcoming smile, "Yeah, we kept things interesting. And they didn't cause any trouble." The Cutie Mark Crusaders looked up at me as I spoke. When I finished, they looked at Fluttershy and grinned widely as...the same golden halos from before floated above their heads momentarily. Was I just seeing things? Best not to think too hard about it.

"I was worried I would have to throw out another piece of furniture. Thanks for watching over them, James." Fluttershy said as she placed a kiss on my cheek. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom smiled warmly at her display of affection. However, Scootaloo looked away and opened her mouth while pointing into it, a clear sign of disgust. Clearly not the romantic type.

Just as she was about to walk into the kitchen, Fluttershy paused and turned to face me again. "Oh, before I forget..." She then set her grocery bag down and pulled an envelope out of it. "Pinkie Pie gave this to me. She said we should read it together."

I nodded as I opened the envelope. "OK then. Let's see here..."

The letter inside seemed to be a party invitation. Probably to the one Pinkie Pie had been setting up that day. I spoke it out loud as Fluttershy looked over my shoulder. "You are invited to a very special party. The details can't be given out, but you will not be disappointed. Please attend immediately." I folded the letter once I finished reading. "Seems a little too professional for Pinkie Pie's style. Maybe Twilight wrote it for her."

Fluttershy smiled as I climbed to my feet. "It sounds like a very special occasion. Should we go?"

I nodded while also climbing to my feet. "I'm all for it. Pinkie Pie told me that it's for a young couple. Any idea who it is?"

My girlfriend replied as she headed towards the front door, "Maybe it's for Big Macintosh and Cheerilee. Or perhaps Rainbow Dash started dating one of the Wonderbolts. I really don't know who it might be for sure though."

I was hardly surprised that there was talk of Big Macintosh getting involved with somepony. Handsome strong silent type guys tend to make girls go weak in the knees. Or so I have heard. But I digress. "Only one way to find out." I spoke as I made my way to the door. I then looked at the Cutie Mark Crusaders and asked, "Fluttershy and I have to head into town for a while. Can I trust you girls to behave while we're gone?"

Sweetie Belle nodded with a smile. "Sure thing, James! We'll be good!"

However, Fluttershy then spoke, "Please don't do anything crazy while we're gone. I don't want to come home to find a mess."

Apple Bloom chuckled nervously while cracking a grin, "I promise we won't do anythin' bad. And we'll stay indoors in case that cockawhatever is out there again."

Fluttershy was clearly satisfied with their response. "Good idea. Have a good time, girls." However, just after we stepped outside, Fluttershy turned and whispered to Angel and Angela, who had followed us to the door. She was very quiet, but I think she said something along the lines of 'Keep an eye on them'. Our pets' reactions seemed to support my assumption as they both gave Fluttershy a salute. Fluttershy then pulled the door closed and we proceeded on our way towards Ponyville.

We did not run into any interruptions along the way. It was a fairly straightforward trek to Sugarcube Corner. Just like earlier that day, the front door still had a sign hanging from it that read 'Closed for private party' scribbled on it. I was expecting to find that the door was locked. To my pleasant surprise, it swung open as I pushed it inward. "I guess everypony's already here." I muttered out loud.

"Well, we did receive an invitation that asked us to come right away. They were probably expecting us." Fluttershy replied as she followed me inside. The lights downstairs were turned off, but it was still fairly bright since there was plenty of sunlight shining through the windows. "You think everypony is upstairs?"

I nodded and said, "Probably. Let's go see who this cute couple is." I led Fluttershy upstairs while minding my head. Since the lights were on at the top, the young couple the party was being thrown for was probably already here.

The instant the two of us got to the top of the stairs, I heard Pinkie Pie shout from my left. "You're just in time, lovebirds!"

I then heard Rarity's voice speak, "We've been discussing this for the past few days. Did we surprise you?"

Fluttershy and I turned to see our five friends standing in a row. Including Twilight Sparkle and Rarity, who I had not seen all day. Fluttershy then asked, "You mean...the party's for us?"

Rainbow Dash smirked while pointing her wing up. "Well, what does the banner say?" She then also pointed upward with her hoof.

When the two of us looked up, we found a long banner stretched across the room. And inscribed on it were the words 'Congratulations James & Fluttershy'. I looked back towards our friends and asked, "Um... Exactly what kind of party is this?"

Applejack replied while seeming to be having trouble speaking. "Oh, that? It's a... It's a... Um..." I tried to not snicker as she looked towards Pinkie Pie. "What kinda party did ya say this is again?"

Our silly party animal friend replied with her cheery voice, "It's a party celebrating two lovers getting together!"

I think I felt myself blush at those words. And I could clearly see Fluttershy blushing. She then asked, "You mean...it's your way of showing that you support us?"

Twilight then spoke up, "Well, we all know your relationship has gotten a little rocky lately. So we decided to throw a party that shows we support you two being together no matter what."

Rarity then spoke with a smile, "James, Fluttershy and I have been best friends for some time now. And I can safely say that you are a splendid match for her. You and her will have many happy years together. So please, for her, and for moi, please stay with her through whatever comes your way."

If I had any doubts about my relationship with Fluttershy before, I most certainly did not have any at that moment. I looked down at my girlfriend while she looked up at me. We both smiled at each other before looking back at our friends. Fluttershy spoke first, "Thank you, Rarity. And thank you all. This...means a lot to us."

Twilight then asked, "What about you, James? Aren't you getting along with Fluttershy now?"

I looked back down at Fluttershy, who then hovered up next to me and nuzzled me tenderly. At first, I was at a loss of words. I truly did not know what to say.

"What's the matter, James? Gummy got your tongue?" Pinkie Pie asked. At those words, I glanced around to see if her crazy toothless alligator was anywhere nearby. Fortunately, he was not.

I took a few seconds to try to think out my response. "Well... Uh... I'll be honest. It's really not just Fluttershy. You six are the best thing to ever happen to me. I still can't wrap my head around how much I've gained over such a short amount of time. I've never seen hospitality like...uh..." I was cut short when I suddenly found myself surrounded by the six ponies as they caught me in a group hug. "Um... Girls?"

Applejack quietly replied, "Say no more, sugarcube. Yer our friend now, and that's that. Got any complaints?"

Upon hearing those words, I sighed with a smile and wrapped my arms around them the best I could. "None whatsoever."

In a moment, I suddenly felt Pinkie Pie let go and hurry away from us. "Pinkie?"

The silly pink pony was standing next to a phonograph before nudging the needle onto a record. "Let's save the sappy stuff for later! Now that everypony's here, let's get this party started!" The phonograph began to play a very lively tune that I think I even heard Pinkie Pie once call her 'jam'.

The party started without a hitch. The staples were there, namely a large bowl of punch and a towering cake that seemed to have icing that represented Fluttershy and me. That is to say the majority of the icing was a shade of brown similar to the color of my hair while the edges were tipped with pink icing that matched Fluttershy's mane. While I munched on some cake, which I might add was very tasty, I noticed Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity...dancing in the middle of the room?

Well... I honestly cannot say if that could truly be called dancing. But as far as equines go, I suppose those gyrations and moves were certainly dance worthy. Rarity's moves often involved swaying her head in a way that caused her gorgeous indigo mane to flail about, sometimes even causing it to become temporarily uncurled before curling back up into its usual form. Rainbow Dash would often rear up on her hind legs while seemingly lashing out with her forelegs. Pinkie Pie was clearly the best dancer of the three, even going so far as to perform hand...I mean hoofstands. Something I never thought I would see an equine do.

I was given a very rude surprise just after I had finished my slice of cake. As I headed back towards the cake for another slice..... Well, in all honesty, I could not tell you what happened. All I remember is hearing Rarity let out a yelp, feeling something slam into me from the side, and then the feeling of me smashing into what I think was the wall. I cannot say what happened, but the next thing I knew, I was seeing spots and my ears were ringing.

"Oh my goodness, darling! Are you all right?!" I heard Rarity call out from behind me. As I regained my senses, I felt myself drop onto my feet from what I think was a two inch fall. And in front of me was a rough imprint of my body in the wall with only the gray drywall remaining.

"What the hell happened there...?" I grumbled as I shook some of the plaster and dry paint out of my hair.

Pinkie Pie then spoke up, "Um... That was my fault. I guess I got too carried away in dancing. Again." She seemed to have a very sheepish expression on her face as if she knew she screwed up.

I looked at the hole in the wall left by my body. I grumbled loudly, "Good lord... You earth ponies are built like freaking tanks!"

Rainbow Dash laughed while she flapped over to us. "Hey, I warned you! One slip around Pinkie Pie when she's dancing and you'll end up a new wall decoration!" I rolled my eyes, remembering what she had said to me at the spa a few days earlier.

However, Rarity then spoke up, "Actually, James, it was I who got too close to Pinkie Pie when she was dancing. And you saved me from a nasty collision with that wall. Such a gentleman you are."

I kneeled down to pick up my plate and fork without feeling like I really did anything to help. "I was just in the right place at the right time. No biggie."

Before I could return to a standing position, I felt Rarity nuzzle my face. "Regardless of how you saved me, you were a gentleman for using your own body as a cushion for me. Truly, thank you."

Somewhat amused by her praise and affection, I chuckled as I stroked the mane of my former landlord. "It was no trouble, Rarity. I couldn't let a gem like you be tarnished." But I then looked over at Pinkie Pie with a smirk and said, "And you really should dance with your eyes open, you know."

Pinkie Pie grinned nervously at me. "Right, right, sorry about that! I'll keep my eyes peeled from now on."

The next memorable part of the party I remember well is when I caught Rainbow Dash having a conversation with Fluttershy. They seemed to be keeping their voices down, so I drew closer to listen in more easily.

"Soooo, did you do it with him?" I heard Rainbow Dash ask Fluttershy.

"Um... Do what exactly?" Fluttershy whispered in reply.

I noticed Rainbow began to smirk. "C'mon, you know what I mean. Did you do the 'couple's tango' with him?" Fluttershy seemed rather confused by this question, but I could clearly tell what it was the closet pervert wanted to know. She then asked, "OK. Let me try again. Did he follow your trail of pink flower petals to your pot of gold?" She then pointed towards Fluttershy's tail to emphasize.

Fluttershy looked at her own tail while seemingly trying to piece together what it was Rainbow Dash was trying to get across. She suddenly looked back towards the rowdy pegasus, her face a bright red as she likely understood the question. "You... You don't mean... Oh...my..."

"Ah ha! So you did do it! What was it like? Did it feel awesome?" Rainbow asked while Fluttershy seemed rather stunned by whatever she was thinking. By this point, I decided to intervene and placed my hand on Rainbow Dash's head. The pegasus froze for a moment before she looked up at me and grinned nervously. Very nervously. "Uh... What's up, James?"

I smirked as I replied, "Just stick with your Playmare magazines, Rainbow."

The pervy pegasus then spoke in a tone louder than needed, "How'd you know I have a subscription to.....never mind." I snickered at this revelation as I led Fluttershy away so we could have some time together.

"You OK? Did Rainbow pry too far into your personal activities?" I asked while caressing Fluttershy's mane to calm her.

"Uh... Uh huh..." She muttered in reply, still seeming to be overheated from that panic attack she just had.

I was about to try to calm her down more, but Pinkie Pie suddenly popped up beside us. "Almost forgot! Here's your couple treat!" Resting on her upturned hoof was a chocolate covered banana.

"Oh... That? Um... Thank you, Pinkie." Fluttershy replied with a reserved smile.

"I'll just leave you two lovebirds alone. We'll be over there minding our own business and doing party stuff. Enjoy!" As Pinkie Pie trotted away, I suspected she was trying to avoid sounding suspicious.

"Shall we?" I asked while holding the banana between two fingers.

Fluttershy nodded with a smile. "Of course. I love these."

One by one, we took turns taking bites. As this was not the first time we had eaten one, we knew what to do. After just a few bites, we only had the middle left. "One. Two. Three." Fluttershy whispered. At the count of three, the two of us took the last bite. When our lips joined, we closed our eyes and pressed into a kiss while I held Fluttershy in my arms.

Our kiss was interrupted by the sound of a familiar click. We both opened our eyes and looked towards where the sound had come from. Standing in a row were our five friends, each with a different expression that seemed to show either giddiness or adoration. Twilight Sparkle was standing in the middle. And floating in front of her was.....my DSi?

"Uh... Did you just take a picture of us?" I asked, feeling rather embarrassed while wondering how Twilight even slipped that out of my pocket without me feeling it.

Twilight giggled as she turned my DSi around so I could see the screens. "See for yourself." On one of them was the photo, a pristine snapshot of Fluttershy and I stuck in a warm embrace while locked in a passionate kiss.

"That's...us?" Fluttershy asked as she examined it. She then smiled while glancing at me. "It looks great. The lighting's just right and it really captures the moment. Right, James?"

As embarrassing as it was to be photographed unexpectedly during such a personal moment, I was rather flattered that we now had a means to remember this day. "Can't believe I'm saying this, but thanks, Twilight."

Twilight smiled rather giddily. "Anytime, James. Just don't go losing that picture." Fluttershy and I responded with a twin embrace on Twilight. She giggled at our touch while bowing her head. "Oh....shucks."

The party went on for a while. By the time everyone had begun to depart for home, it was already night. "Hoowee... I haven't danced that much since... Well... Since the last party." Applejack spoke as she headed out the front door.

"What a lovely party. It was different from all the others in a way." Fluttershy said as she stayed by my side.

I shrugged my shoulders while I replied, "I wouldn't know. That was only the second party I've attended in Equestria. Although I admit it was a bit more reserved and quiet than the first one. Which strangely does not mix with Pinkie Pie's style."

Before we could go far, Rarity suddenly spoke up. "Just a moment, ladies. We need to give this lovely couple a proper sendoff." At those words, our five friends surrounded us and caught Fluttershy and me in a group hug.

"Girls, I think you're starting to overdo it. I'm not used to getting so many group hugs in a short amount of time." I spoke while quite flattered by this heartfelt show of affection from my dearest friends.

"Better get used to it, James! You're gonna get lots of these!" Pinkie Pie replied with a giggle.

Fluttershy's response to this group hug was more positive. "Oh, I don't think it's too much. I'm actually liking it."

Perhaps I was still just getting used to the cuddly closeness of the ponies I had bonded with. I am sure I would adjust over time. I tried wrapping my arms around as many of them as I could. "Lot's of these? Sounds like a plan."

The six of us parted ways with Fluttershy and I heading back towards our cottage. "Isn't it lovely that our friends support our relationship so openly?" The timid pegasus asked while looking up at me.

"If one of them didn't, our friendship would've fallen apart. We're fortunate to have such understanding friends." I replied while feeling especially grateful that Twilight was able to accept us being together as she did have a crush on me at one time. Those are not easy to get over.

When we returned home, I was expecting to find that the Cutie Mark Crusaders had gone home. I was only 2/3 right. When we stepped inside, we found Scootaloo fast asleep on the sofa. "What's Scoot still doing here?" I asked while quietly drawing near.

Fluttershy glanced around and found Angel holding a note in his paws. "A note?" She took the note into her mouth and handed it to me. "Can you read this, dear?"

I nodded as I took the note in hand. "Sure thing... Um..."

I read the writing to myself. I think Scootaloo wrote it herself. "Hey there, James and Fluttershy. I don't want to be any trouble... But I'd like to stay the night with you guys. I'm still feeling kind of sore, so I asked Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle to ask my mom and dad if I could spend the night here. When they got back, they said they agreed. So... I'm going go to sleep now. It's Saturday tomorrow, so don't worry about school. If I'm not awake by the time you get back, I'll see you tomorrow."

I snickered as I looked back over at the sleeping pegasus filly. "Looks like we're having a sleepover tonight."

Fluttershy smiled while also looking relieved. "At least it's just one of them. I don't think she'll be too much trouble... Oh, hello there, Angela." She held out her hoof as my pet dove flew over and perched on her foreleg. "Were the girls good while we were out?" Angela bowed as if nodding.

"You and Angel probably had to scold them a few times." I said jokingly. The dove flew over to me and perched on my shoulder before nuzzling my face. "Awww, I love you too."

The rest of the evening was of little extravagance. Scootaloo is still sleeping like a log right next to me as we lie in bed. Fluttershy is fast asleep too and I am eager to join her.

This day has been very uplifting to me after that emotional roller coaster I went through the previous two days. I now know for certain that Equestria is my true home. And even then..... I cannot fathom how much I have gained in under two weeks. It is just...remarkable. These ponies of Equestria are just so open and hospitable, it is absolutely amazing. Equestria is, dare I say, paradise.

I have made up my mind. I will not ever return to my homeworld. Equestria is where I belong. I sha

Oh, excuse me. I was interrupted by Scootaloo. She just stirred in her sleep. Her hoof is now on my hand. Such a tender little smile she has right now. It is easy to forget what a tomboy she is.

I just kissed her on the forehead. "Sweet dreams, little sis." I think she may have heard me as she is now resting her head against my chest.

A lot has happened to me over the past... How many days has it been? Ten? Regardless, I feel it would be unnecessary for me to write about every single upcoming day. From now on, I will only write about days that have special meaning to me or involve special or unique events. And knowing Equestria, I will be getting quite a few of those pretty soon.

Good night, Fluttershy. Good night, Scootaloo. Good night, all of my friends. And thank you for accepting me into your wonderful world. I am looking forward to tomorrow and the following days.