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The first thing I heard was a high-pitched scream that reverberated throughout the entire Carousel Boutique. I was so startled, I fell right off the sofa and fell face-first onto the floor. I was still half asleep at the time, but the force of the impact only dazed me further. "Right... Eggs, flour, poison ivy leaves... Did I miss anything...?"

I heard the sound of hooves clopping as Rarity ran down the stairs and into my room. She ran over to me and spoke loudly in amazement, stammering all the while, "James! Where did... How did... It's beautiful! How did it get on my...?!" Her voice's pitch grew in excitement as she spoke.

My drowsy stupor prevented me from correctly interpreting Rarity's words as I sat up. "An order of chocolate drops with hot sauce and extra horseradish to go... Did you want fries with that?"

Rarity stared at me with a rather horrified expression. "Hot sauce and....what?!" She ran out of the room and into the kitchen across from it. A moment later, she came back in with a glass of water floating in front of her. She then dumped the water onto me to wake me up.

"Guh?! What...who...what was that for?!" I gagged and shook my head frantically as I was snapped out of my stupor.

"Finally! Now that I have your attention, maybe you can help me. Where did this come from?! I wasn't wearing it when I fell asleep last night!" Rarity asked as she extended her right foreleg. I looked down and found the bracelet I had placed on her before going to bed.

The pearls, opals, and jade blended well with the fused gold and silver wires that made up the bracelet. I looked up at Rarity and smiled, "You're welcome."

Rarity paused for a minute, seemingly trying to understand what I meant. Her panicked expression became one of shock as her mouth hung open. "You... You mean...YOU got this for me?"

I nodded, "Yup. Do you like it?"

Rarity began to stutter as she tried to find the right words to say. "But... This... James, I don't know what to say! This is... Do you have any idea how expensive this is?! I was saving up for it myself! I've had my eyes on this particular bracelet for months! But...why? Why did you give me something so precious?"

I explained honestly, "I felt I had to. You've given me so much. And I've only been here for four days. No one has ever given me so much in such little time. I couldn't just do nothing. My conscience wouldn't let me. So...I got you this. Something as precious as this surely amounts to everything you've ever given me as well as everything you've yet to give me. So please, hold onto that. I'd hate for you to lose it."

I watched as Rarity looked down at her new bracelet. "Darling... You... I... Nopony has ever... How do I..." I could see that she was tearing up while trembling.

"Rarity? Did I...do something wrong?" I asked, fearful that I may have hurt her.

"James..." Rarity sobbed just before she leaned forward and placed a tearful kiss right on my lips. I froze, having never received a kiss so intimate from a pony in my life. Once she broke the kiss, she whispered, "I have just the thing to thank you with. Meet me in my bedroom at 8 PM today. You won't be disappointed." I nodded slightly, still somewhat overwhelmed from the shock of being kissed so unexpectedly.

Now that I was wide-awake, I got dressed in the clothes that Rarity had made for me earlier. She also gave me a new pair of socks she had woven as well. "I forgot how nice it is to have clean clothes everyday." I muttered, grateful that Rarity took my dirty clothes to be cleaned each day.

The first thing I found upon stepping out into the main workroom was Opal batting around a small ball of yarn. A thought occurred to me as I asked, "Rarity, has Opal been fed this morning?"

Rarity's voice came from behind me, "Not just yet, but she will be soon! Opalescence! Time for your breakfast!" Opal responded with a purr as she left the ball of yarn alone and walked into the kitchen.

I peeked into the kitchen and found Rarity opening what seemed to be a can of tuna with a can opener by using magic. She then turned it upside-down, shaking the meat inside into a small bowl before setting it on the floor. As Opal started on her meal, I asked, "When should I feed Opal tonight?"

Rarity replied, "I would say somewhere between 7 and 8. Just make sure you are ready when 8 PM arrives tonight." I noticed her giggle with a faint blush, making me all the more curious of what she had planned for me.

I turned towards the front door, but froze as I noticed the bottom half had been left open. "Rarity, did Spike just come in to visit?" I called, not knowing of many short enough to only have to use the bottom half of the door.

My landlord entered the main workroom to see what I was referring to. "Strange... I wasn't expecting any visitors this morning. And Spike always says hello once he comes in."

As we pondered what may have happened, Rarity suddenly yelped. I turned to face her and found Diamond Tiara trying to stand on her back. "I've got you nooowwowww! Whoa... I'm OK... I can do this.... Yah!" The filly seemed to be having great difficulty maintaining her balance just before she leapt at me. She climbed onto my shoulders and started lightly stomping her front hooves onto my head. "Does it hurt yet?! Are you gonna give my cutie mark back?!"

Despite the fact that hooves are quite hard, her stomps lacked impact and my thick hair absorbed most of it to begin with. I smirked as I crossed my arms. "That actually feels kinda good. Could you try rubbing it in a minute?"

Diamond Tiara growled loudly in frustration as she stomped faster. I looked at Rarity and asked, "Are you seeing this?" The unicorn laughed loudly, clearly amused by Diamond Tiara's futile attempts to harm me.

After a moment, I decided to make things tough for the bully. I walked over to a wall, turned around, and leaned against it with my head pressing Diamond Tiara against it. "Oof! Let me go! I can't breathe!" I smirked triumphantly as the filly squirmed behind me, not able to escape.

Rarity giggled as she listened to Diamond Tiara demand that I release her. "Darling, I think it's time you let the little imp be on her way." I shrugged and took a step forward, letting the filly drop to the floor as she landed on her rump.

"Ow! You jerk!" Diamond Tiara groaned as she regained her footing. "This isn't over! I'll just keep coming back until you give my cutie mark back! Got it?!"

Rather than be intimidated, I was looking forward to whatever new futile antics Diamond Tiara had in store for me. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Now get outta here, blank flank. Or do I have to introduce your flanks to my boot?" The filly needed no further encouragement as she dashed out the door. I closed the lower half of the door once she was gone. "She's actually proving to be fairly entertaining, isn't she?"

Rarity grinned, "I suppose even lowly bullies can be good for something. But now that you mention it, I should make a pair of boots for you sometime!" I chuckled, knowing that I was not really wearing boots when I made my threat to Diamond Tiara.

Remembering my daily job, I was on the verge of walking out the front door to head to Sugarcube Corner, but remembered at the last second that they close at noon on Sundays. And as they are not open long and that Sundays are known to be quiet, it would be unnecessary for me to go in. It was then that I remembered that I was supposed to meet up with Fluttershy in the afternoon to help her with an official.....bunny census? I could not quite recall what she called it at the time, but I was certain it involved working with baby rabbits.

When I turned around, I saw that Rarity was wearing a very exotic hat with a fluffy light blue brim and long peacock feathers. "Whoa, where are you going dressed like that?" I asked, finding the hat's appearance to be like something from a fashion show.

Rarity replied with a giggle, "Oh, I only wear this on occasion. In any case, I'm off to rendezvous with Fluttershy at the local spa. It's that time of the week again."

I nodded, "OK then. Say hi to Fluttershy for me." I waved goodbye as my landlord headed out the front door.

With only Opal to keep me company, I just decided to look around to help pass the time. I found various unfinished dresses and vests hidden behind curtains that were draped over mannequins. Even though they were not complete, I could tell that they were still of high caliber and was curious of how they would look when finished.

I watched Opal play with a stuffed toy mouse, but soon began to find myself becoming bored. "It's not so fun in Carousel Boutique if you have nothing to do, I guess." I remember muttering out loud. More than anything, I just wanted to go outside and wander around Ponyville. However, I could not leave Rarity's home as there was the possibility of customers arriving at any given time.

"Ugh... What is there to do around here if you can't sew?" I grumbled, just wandering back and forth across the main workroom. Feeling there would be no harm in just going right outside the Carousel Boutique, I shrugged and opened the front door for some fresh air.

Much to my surprise, I found a small wooden sign hanging from the upper doorknob on the outside. "Out to lunch. Be back soon?" I shook my head, knowing that Rarity had not left to get lunch. But in hindsight, I doubt stores sold signs that say 'Gone to beauty salon' very often if at all. Even so, if any customers were presented with that sign at the door, they would likely return in a few hours. Certain that it would be fine for me to leave for a while; I closed the door behind me and headed into town.

As I entered Ponyville proper, I found that fairly few ponies were walking the streets compared to other days of the week. Some businesses were still open, but it seemed that Sundays in Equestria were generally days of rest like Sundays on Earth. Due to this, I was mildly surprised to see Applejack carting a load of apples to market. "There's no rest during Applebuck Season until every last apple is picked, I guess." I chuckled as I watched the farm pony hauling her produce through the streets.

I decided to say hi and walked over to Applejack, who seemed a bit too tired to notice my approach. "Morning, AJ. How's the applebucking coming along?"

Applejack let out a yawn as she turned to face me, "Oh... Howdy, James. The applebucking's coming along just fine. Although...I reckon I didn't sleep enough last night... But I'll manage with Big Macintosh covering me."

I patted Applejack on the shoulder, but then examined the cart she was pulling. Thinking I could use some exercise, I attempted to ask if I could pull the cart for her. However, I stopped as I noticed it was too low as it was only as tall as Applejack herself. If I were to try to pull it from the front, it would tilt backwards on an angle and spill some of the apples. Even though I restrained myself from speaking, it seemed that Applejack had noticed me looking at the cart. "What's the matter? Y'all wanna help pull this?"

I nodded, "Yeah... But I realize that I'm too tall. If I pull, the cart will tilt and spill some of the cargo."

Applejack's expression became one of someone thinking deeply. A moment later, she asked, "Well, once I unload all these apples at market, would ya like to pull it back over to Sweet Apple Acres fer me?"

Knowing I would not have to worry about spilling anything while pulling an empty cart, I nodded readily, "Sounds like a plan to me."

The farm pony grinned, "Then it's settled. I'll leave the cart at the market fer ya. It'll probably be ready in about, say, twenty minutes. You know where the market is, right?" I nodded, having visited it two days ago. With the time decided, I saw Applejack off and began to look around some more.

The first thing I did was trying asking around for the location of the local spa as I had no knowledge it even existed until this day. Eventually, I noticed a familiar gray pegasus pony going from door to door with a mail satchel over her shoulder. "If she goes to each address everyday, she must know exactly where the spa is."

I walked over to the pegasus and tapped her on the shoulder. "Excuse me, Derpy. I could use some directions." She turned to face me after placing some letters in a mailbox. Once again, her eyes were crossed.

"Oh, hey there! I didn't see you yesterday! Where've you been?" Derpy Hooves asked, clearly happy to see me.

"Oh..... I've been around. But in any case, could you point me towards the spa?" I replied, certain a professional mailmare knew the location of every building in Ponyville by heart. Even someone like Derpy.

The walleyed pegasus grinned and pointed, "All you gotta do is head over to the town square. You'll find it right next door to the prank parlor."

I thanked Derpy and was about to leave. However, I asked, "Um... Derpy? Just what exactly are you doing?"

She moved over to the next house and deposited a few letters into the mailbox. "Just doing my job. These letters don't deliver themselves, you know."

I stared in silence for a moment before frowning, "Derpy. I don't know if you've looked at a calendar today, but this is SUNDAY. Postal services don't run on Sundays!"

The pegasus stared at me with her goofy eyes for a moment in silence. She then asked, "They don't?" All I could do was facepalm at her response. Once again, I am not certain if that is a real word, but it matches what I did accurately.

Once Derpy went back to work, I headed towards the town square. I had no trouble locating it as I usually pass right through it just after leaving the Carousel Boutique. I first located the prank parlor, its floppy jester hat roof making it easy to spot. I suspected the building on the left was the spa. It had a light fuchsia roof that almost looked like a curtain draped over it. Three needle-like spires jutted up from the roof as well. Two large windows were at the sides of the front door, one of them being open a crack. A mostly sea green banner hung above the door depicting an image of a pony with a flowing golden mane and tail. However, I froze as I noticed Pinkie Pie heading my way. When she noticed me, the pink pony waved at me.

I approached her cautiously, fearing that her 'Pinkie Sense' would soon detect something about to happen. She seemed to notice my wariness as she asked, "What's wrong, James? You sprain your ankle or something?"

Once I was right next to Pinkie Pie, I replied, "No. I'm just minding my step in case your tail starts twitching. Wouldn't want an anvil to crush my skull and send my brains oozing all over the ground while scaring the living daylights out of everyone who sees it."

Pinkie Pie giggled, "My tail's not twitching, silly! Though my shoulder is a bit achy... That means there's an alligator in the tub!"

I stared at Pinkie Pie after hearing the most absurd prediction I had ever heard in my life. "An alligator? In a bathtub? And just where are you going to find that?! Who would be taking a bath outside?!" As if to answer my question, a scream was heard from the open window of the spa behind me.

"Was that...Rarity?" I asked. Fearing for my landlord's safety, I rushed through the spa's front door. Upon entering, I found an earth pony seated at what was likely the front desk. Her coat was cyan while her mane was a bright pink. I could not see her tail from my location, but I assumed it was also pink. She was also wearing a white headband and a white collar with a pink button keeping it in place. I asked, "Excuse me, but is a Miss Rarity here?"

The receptionist replied with a very strong accent that seemed to be European. Possibly Scandinavian or Greek, I could not honestly say. "Why yes, she and Miss Fluttershy are resting in the hot tub. Are you here to make an appointment?"

I did not reply as I rushed into the spa. I found a large hot tub in the center of the main room, Rarity splashing about while shrieking in panic. The tub was fairly tall for ponies, but I found it to be just below my shoulders in height. Rather than run up the stairs, I reached out to Rarity and asked, "What's wrong? Is there a gator in the tub?"

The panicking unicorn replied, "I don't know! Something has my tail and it won't let go!" I reached down into the tub and felt around. Sure enough, I soon felt something bumpy and slick. I grabbed hold and yanked it out of the tub.

"I'll be darned... There WAS an alligator in the tub." Gummy was dangling from my hand by his tail, his big purple eyes staring at nothing in particular. I made him face me before raising my finger to his face. "Listen, Gumball. You really shouldn't go swimming in other pony's bathtubs. Besides, hot tubs are too hot for cold-blooded critters like you. You could've ended up..." I stopped as Gummy snapped his jaws over my hand. The baby alligator was now dangling from the end of my arm.

"You're like a bear trap without barbs." I grumbled, doubting Gummy was going to release his grip anytime soon. I turned to leave, but suddenly felt Rarity lean against me over the side of the tub. "Um...Rarity? It wasn't that big of a deal. Gummy's practically harmless to begin with."

My landlord replied, "Oh, I know. It's just... I'm glad that you're here." I looked out of the corner of my eye, seeing Fluttershy giggle at me from the opposite side of the tub. Rarity began to nuzzle me gently, something that she did not often do to me. Not thinking much of the situation, I stroked Rarity's face and left the spa with Gummy still clamped onto my hand.

I did not have to go far to find Pinkie Pie as she was browsing a food stall right outside the spa. "Looks like your 'Pinkie Sense' proved correct again, Pinkie Pie. The only alligator in Ponyville was munching on Rarity's tail in a hot tub." I spoke as I held her pet out to her.

When Pinkie Pie turned to face me, she giggled, "Wow, this is the first time he ended up in a bathtub that isn't mine! I wonder how he got this far away from me." She then approached Gummy and shook her poofy mane at him. Gummy responded by suddenly letting go of my hand and clamping his jaws onto Pinkie Pie's mane. "He won't be letting go anytime soon! Thanks again for finding him for me, James! See ya around!" I watched with a bemused smirk while shaking my head as Pinkie Pie trotted away while singing a casual song. Mostly just la la la and the like.

It was then that I remembered I had promised to pull Applejack's cart home and started to head towards the market. When I arrived, only a handful of stalls lined the streets. My eyes scanned the area, looking for any apple stalls. I soon spotted what I was looking for. An apple stall filled to the brim with red and yellowish apples with an empty cart next to it. An earth pony with a cutie mark depicting three wrapped candies who I had come to know as Bon Bon was standing near the stall while waving at me, probably to get my attention.

I approached the apple stall while weaving around other wandering ponies. "Applejack told me everything. I'm leaving the cart to you." Bon Bon said with a smile. I stood between the two handles and gripped them both firmly. I then thanked Bon Bon and headed on my way.

As I pulled the cart, I noticed that it seemed unusually heavy for something so small. I looked over my shoulder and found the harness Applejack had been wearing resting in the cart's empty body. I did not mind much. The extra weight would make for a harsher workout.

The trek to Sweet Apple Acres took longer than usual due to being careful to not let the cart tip over. When I arrived, I found Big Macintosh hauling a pair of bushels of apples towards the barn. I approached the burly red stallion and asked, "Just returning the cart. Where do you want it?"

Big Macintosh tilted his head towards the front of the barn, "Right over there's fine." I nodded and released the cart where instructed.

I glanced around, expecting to see Applejack carrying a few bushels of apples as well. But there was no sign of the mare. I turned to Big Macintosh and asked, "Where's Applejack? Taking a nap somewhere?"

He replied with one word. "Eyup." I was hardly surprised, remembering how sleepy she seemed that morning.

I chuckled, "You don't say much if a simple 'yes' will suffice, do you?"

"Eyup." Big Macintosh replied once again. I found his brevity to be rather likeable. He was probably quite popular with the fillies in Ponyville.

"Well, I'm just gonna take a look around. Is that OK with you, Mac?" I asked, curious of what I would find out in the vast forest of apple trees.

"Eyup." Big Macintosh said again. I had to restrain myself from laughing, as it was the third time he had said that in a row. Wanting to get out of earshot so as to not offend him, I ran off in one direction before allowing myself to laugh.

I wandered fairly far from the main area of Sweet Apple Acres. No matter where I looked, every single tree was an apple tree. "I'm amazed they don't get sick of apples. I'd probably be unable to stomach them if I had to live around them all year round." I muttered out loud. And as you may have noticed by now, I do have a habit of talking to myself when no one is around me.

After a good deal of wandering, I came to a secluded spot on the orchard that caught my eye. In a rather stout apple tree ahead of me was what seemed to be a tree house. It was rather small as the ponies who constructed it are smaller than humans. The design was more like that of a real house complete with a slanted roof. A ramp led up to it with a small deck extending out to the side. A single window was on the side with two shutters open. As I rarely saw tree houses back home, I was naturally curious about it.

I carefully walked up the ramp, worried that it would not support my weight. The door to the house was shut, so I went around to the side to look through the window. I found that it was open and bent down low to peek inside. Inside were three familiar fillies chatting with each other while looking over what seemed to be a book of activities.

"OK then. What should we try out next? One of these is bound to lead to one of us finding our talents!" The small pegasus pony spoke up. I immediately recognized her as Scootaloo.

"We've tried comedy, scuba diving, mountain climbing, making taffy, hairdressing, psychic training, pig slopping, being librarians... What else can we try?" The earth pony filly with a large pink bow on her mane asked. The southern accent made me remember her as being Apple Bloom. She then gasped, "Ooh! I know! We can try skydiving!"

The unicorn filly, who I recognized as Sweetie Belle, seemed hesitant about Apple Bloom's suggestion. "Um... That sounds kinda dangerous... How about us trying painting or hula hoops?" I understood Sweetie Belle's unwillingness to try skydiving. That sport is too extreme for any kind of children.

After listening to the Cutie Mark Crusaders discuss other professions they could try out, I finally spoke up, "Sounds to me like you crusaders have been busy lately. I'm surprised that brainstorming doesn't qualify as a talent."

The three fillies turned to face me abruptly, apparently not expecting someone to be eavesdropping on them. But their expressions of surprise turned into gazes of glee. "Hey, James! It's great to see you!" Scootaloo shouted as she ran out the door, looped around the deck, and leapt into my arms. It was then I recalled from the previous day on how she commented that I was almost like a big brother to her.

"Howdy, James! Whatcha doing out here?" Apple Bloom asked as she came to the window.

"Oh, just looking around." I replied while stroking Scootaloo's mane.

Sweetie Belle walked over to the window as well and asked, "How'd you find this place? Only Applejack and Big Macintosh know where our clubhouse is."

In response, I asked, "Clubhouse? This place belongs to you three?"

Scootaloo giggled, "It's more than just our clubhouse. You could say that it's the Cutie Mark Crusaders headquarters!" Curious, I peeked in through the window. Pink curtains with a reddish floral pattern hung over the window itself. I could see a small table holding a vase of flowers with a couple of framed pictures hanging near it. On another wall was what seemed to be a hand drawn map showing some familiar locations in Ponyville. There also seemed to be a small sewing machine with a rolled up sheet of dark red fabric near it. Aside from a box that seemed to contain a variety of snacks in a far corner and a desk against the far wall, the rest of the tree house was relatively bare.

"Pretty sweet pad you girls have here. And this is your base of operations?" I spoke with a smile.

Apple Bloom grinned brightly, "Yup! This is where we come up with new things to try to find our hidden talents!"

I reached out and stroked the farm filly's head, "Sounds like things are never dull with you three. Are there other members in your club?"

Sweetie Belle replied, "Um... Not right now. It's just us. But we're always accepting new members! Anyone without a cutie mark can join!" However, she then began to gaze at me while circling me after climbing out the window. "Mr. James, don't you have a cutie mark too? Why are you keeping your flanks covered?"

I winced at the thought of dropping my pants. "Girls, humans don't have 'flanks', per se. Besides, it's considered indecent for humans to walk around in public without anything covering the lower body." The three fillies only stared at me with blank expressions, clearly not understanding what I was getting at. With a sigh, I grumbled, "OK, I admit I don't have a cutie mark."

The three fillies gasped loudly in unison. Apple Bloom frowned, "You don't have one?! But yer all grown up! Don't all adults have one?!"

Scootaloo stomped her hoof, "Well, if you don't have one yet, we'll just have to help you figure out what your special talent is! Come on, James! You're more than welcome to join!"

I was flattered to be invited to join the Cutie Mark Crusaders, even though I would normally be considered to be well over the age limit. "Girls... From what I know, humans DON'T get cutie marks. I'm not sure if we would..."

I was interrupted as Scootaloo ran up to me, reared up on her hind legs, and planted her forelegs against my chest while gazing up at me with her big adorable purple eyes. "Come on! It'll be fun! Whaddya say, big brother? Huh? Huh? Huh?"

Once again, I felt myself blush as Scootaloo compared me to being a big brother...no. She did not just compare me to one. She actually called me 'big brother' out loud. I lowered my glasses to look over them and asked, "Scootaloo... What did you call me?"

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle also seemed to be looking on in anticipation. However, Scootaloo continued to smile up at me, "I called you 'big brother'. Um... Is that OK with you? I'll stop if you want..." Her excited grin dissolved into an ashamed frown as she tried to avoid eye contact with me.

I closed my eyes for a moment as I thought it over. In actuality, having such an adorable pegasus filly for a little sister sounded like a likeable position to me. I snatched up Scootaloo in my arms and embraced her with her head against my cheek. "I've never had a little sister before. Especially one so cute and cool." I can remember Scootaloo giggle excitedly as she threw her forelegs around my neck.

The other two fillies cheered loudly, apparently shouting their approval of me as a big brother figure. Sweetie Belle then asked, "So, will you join?"

I began to fluster while stroking Scootaloo's mane. "Well...I'm not... I think I'm too... Is it really OK for... Ah, what the heck. Sure, I'll sign up to be a 'crusader' with you girls." The three fillies cheered in unison, ecstatic that they had a new member.

"All right! Our first human member!" Scootaloo jumped out of my grasp and started hopping around the deck. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle cheered loudly too.

"Now that you're a member of the Cutie Mark Crusader's, you get your own cape!" Sweetie Belle smiled as she ran back inside the clubhouse. I cocked my head to one side as I watched her through the window, wondering why I would need a cape. The unicorn filly reached into the desk and pulled out a cape that was made of the same dark red fabric leaning against the sewing machine. On each side near the corners was a blue emblem sewn into the fabric that depicted a rearing caped foal. Sweetie Belle then trotted out to me with it hanging from her mouth. But as she looked up at me, she glanced down at the cape. "Um... I think I need to make you a custom one..." I chuckled, the cape being several sizes too small for me.

As Sweetie Belle ran over to the sewing machine, Apple Bloom tugged on my pants leg. "Come on, Mr. James! Let's get to work on thinking of what to try next!"

I followed her and Scootaloo into the clubhouse while ducking through the surprisingly low door. "You don't have to use honorifics with me. I'm not your boss or a stranger." But as I stood up once inside, I bashed the top of my head against the ceiling. "Ow! Dang it!" I grumbled loudly while rubbing my scalp. The ceiling was so low; I could not even stand up straight.

Scootaloo stayed by my side as I took a seat in the middle of the floor. "Are you OK, James? I guess the clubhouse is a bit small for humans."

I grumbled, "Hopefully this will make me remember to mind my head. In any case, what do you have so far on the list of stuff to try?"

Apple Bloom dragged over a notebook with a list of activities to try out. Around three dozen had been crossed out. One activity made me wince. "What the... Hydra wrestling? Are you outta your minds?!" The very thought of hydras existing in Equestria made me feel that this land was not nearly as safe as I had originally suspected.

Scootaloo chuckled nervously, "Uh...yeah. That one didn't even make it off the ground. None of us had the guts to go into Everfree Forest. That's the closest place we know of where a hydra lives."

Until then, I had never heard of the Everfree Forest before. "Everfree? Never heard of it."

Apple Bloom explained, "It's that big forest to the west of Ponyville. It's kinda creepy, so most ponies never go there. But Miss Zecora lives there, so it can't be all that bad."

I have hiked through forests a few times in my life and not one of them struck me as creepy. Although I am sure any heavily forested area can be frightening at night. "Doesn't sound like a place I'd want to steer clear of...unless that hydra wanders it."

Scootaloo chuckled, "Oh, you'll only find that hydra around Froggy Bottom Bog. If you stay away from there, I don't think it'll bother you. But anyway, whatcha think we should try next on the list?"

I turned my gaze to the notebook on the floor and read through the list of activities that had not yet been crossed out. "Um... How about trying out selling food at the local market?"

Apple Bloom gulped, "Um... Just as long as it's not apples. Last time I tried that, Applejack had to give away freebies." I felt it was wise not to ask for the details of what she was talking about.

"I didn't mean just one product. It might be best if you try selling a variety of goods. That way, you'll end up selling at least one product." I explained to the fillies.

Scootaloo grinned, "Ooh! I never thought of that! Sounds like a good idea too!" But before we could discuss it further, Sweetie Belle trotted over to us while dragging what seemed to be a large cape.

"I finished your cape, James. Is it the right size?" She asked as I took the cape in hand. It was then that I realized that she had never measured my height. When I asked her about it, the unicorn filly replied, "I just measured the distance between the floor and ceiling! Since you hit your head on the ceiling, the cape just had to be a little shorter than that." The overall design of the cape was the same as the smaller ones, but there was only a single large emblem on the backside right in the middle. I stood up to put it on, but ended up bumping my head on the ceiling again.

"For the love of..." I growled as I made my way to the door, the fillies laughing behind me. Once outside, I tied the cape around my neck. The cape reached fairly low, stopping just above my ankles. A breeze began to blow; lifting my cape and making it wave in the air.

"Whoa... You look much better in a cape than we do! Kinda like a superhero!" Scootaloo exclaimed as she came outside. I suspected that Equestria publishes comic books if 'superhero' was in a pony's vocabulary.

"It's that good?" I asked, not really thinking I looked all that impressive.

"Yeah! You look awesome standing tall with that cape waving behind ya!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.

Flattered by the fillies and their admiration, I crossed my arms to take a more heroic stance with two fingers gripping the rim surrounding one of my glasses' lenses. Sweetie Belle giggled, "That looks beyond amazing! I wish Rarity could see this!"

At the mention of my landlord's name, I remembered that she was likely still at the spa. In an attempt to dazzle my fellow crusaders, I jumped the railing on the deck and dropped down to the ground below. I could hear the three fillies cheer at my stunt. As they looked down at me, I grinned, "Thanks again for allowing me to join and for making this awesome cape. But I have some things to do with Rarity in town. Could we meet up again sometime soon?"

Sweetie Belle giggled, "With Rarity? Are you asking her out to a candlelight dinner today? Or are you going to...um..."

Scootaloo interrupted the unicorn filly's train of thought, "Ewww! Don't bring up mushy stuff like that! You know I don't like that kind of thing!" I snickered at Scootaloo's response, realizing that she was more of a tomboy than even Rainbow Dash.

"Oh, sorry. It's just that I got kinda excited when I thought about that." Sweetie Belle spoke apologetically.

"Thought about what?" Apple Bloom asked. I gazed up at the fillies, as I was also curious of what Sweetie Belle was referring to.

"It's just that... If Mr. James and Rarity were to get married, he would be my uncle!" Sweetie Belle explained as she hopped in place a few times with an excited grin.

I felt myself become hot as I heard Sweetie Belle's words. A human and a unicorn pony? Getting MARRIED? The idea sounded impossible, but at the same time, I could feel a slight smile creep across my face. "Well...uh... That's a very tender thought, Sweetie Belle... But I really should be going now. Later!" I waved and ran off as quickly as I could. Before I was out of earshot, the fillies called out as they watched my cape wave in the wind as I ran.

Once I felt I was out of sight, I slowed to a walk. "Uncle James..... Why does that name sound...nice?" I asked myself out loud as I walked through the great apple orchard. I did indeed find Sweetie Belle to be adorable and likeable, and the thought of having her as a niece made me chuckle under my breath. But then my thoughts trailed back to Rarity, her big sister.

It was strange. I had never thought it was possible for a human and an Equestrian pony to fall in love. And yet... As I thought about the beautiful unicorn, I could feel a sense of longing building up inside of me. I was new to the concept of romance, but it was difficult for me to not feel calm when I thought of Rarity. She had done more for me than anyone else and had received very little from me in return. She had even insisted that I give her nothing. How could she be so generous to someone she had never met before?

I came to a stop under an apple tree as the feeling of longing in my heart became more intense. Was I in love? And with a unicorn? I did not want to believe it. Rarity would surely reject a lowly human like me. Her standards were high, I knew that much about her. I had even heard rumors that the man of her dreams is a prince. A prince! How could a commoner like me ever hope to match those kinds of expectations?! But no matter how much I told myself this fact, I still could not forget about her. Even though I had developed a strong bond with the other five mares, namely Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle, I felt a type of want whenever I thought of Rarity that I did not feel for the others.

The image of the beautiful unicorn would not leave my mind. Those gorgeous azure eyes. Her silky white coat. That slender lithe body and curled indigo tail and mane. I could feel myself heating up and sweating as I thought of her. Was I really becoming attracted to a unicorn? The memories of her voice were calming, that refined accent fitting her well. It was then that I realized what I wanted. "I want to see her." I remember speaking out loud. Even if a romance with Rarity would never work, I felt I could at least settle for her friendship and care. And for the time being, that was enough for me.

As I approached the main area of Sweet Apple Acres, I noticed Applejack leaving the barn. I suppose she had just woken up from her nap and had delivered a few bushels to the barn. I called out, "Hey there, AJ! Just woke up?"

The farm pony turned to face me and opened her mouth to speak, but she froze as she stared at me. "What in tarnation... Where'd ya get that?!"

I glanced at my cape. "Oh, this? Sweetie Belle made it for me. I was told all members of the Cutie Mark Crusaders get one."

Applejack laughed, "Member?! Aren't you a little old fer being part of a kids' gang?!"

I blushed at Applejack's remark. "Well... I'm a special case. I don't have a cutie mark, so they insisted that I join. Although I doubt I'll ever get one..."

The farm pony managed to stop herself from laughing any further. "Heheh... Well, that's all fine and dandy to me. Might do the fillies some good to have a man in their ranks."

I chuckled, "Yeah, I'm surprised all the other members are girls. You'd think that there would be a few colts mixed in."

Applejack grinned, "Ya got a point there, pardner. But in any case, I need to get back to applebucking. See y'all later!" I waved goodbye as Applejack hauled a pair of empty bushels out into the forest of apple trees.

As I headed back into Ponyville, I noticed that quite a few ponies were staring in my direction. More than likely 'admiring' my new cape. However, I hardly paid them any mind as I shuffled about while thinking to myself. A part of me was still telling me that I should go with Rarity. To escalate our bond. Yet at the same time, another part of me was holding back. Afraid that her standards were too high. But more than anything, we were vastly different. Would such a relationship even work?

I eventually passed by the library. Looking at it, a feeling of hope built up inside me. Twilight Sparkle was a very knowledgeable sort and could surely provide me with sound advice. Hoping she could help put my fears to rest, I walked inside. But not before making certain Spike was not about to slam the front door into me again.

Much to my surprise, I found that Spike was nowhere to be seen. On the other side of the first floor was Twilight with her back turned. She seemed to be reading a book that was resting on a podium. "Excuse me, Twilight... Do you have a moment?"

The unicorn looked over her shoulder at me and smiled, "Oh, hello! Good afternoon, James!" As she approached me, she grinned, "I saw the bracelet you got for Rarity. Very nice choice in jewelry. She's been showing it off to everyone today."

I blushed as I chuckled; surprised that my landlord would show off a gift from me to anyone she met. "I didn't think it would be that big a deal. But seriously, I came here to ask you for some advice." I took a seat on a stool as Twilight followed me. "I...need some advice regarding.....romance."

It seemed that my request surprised Twilight, as she seemed mildly shocked. "Romance...? Well...I can't say I'm an expert on that subject... But I'll do anything I can to help. What exactly do you need to know?" My friend took a seat before me, waiting for my question.

I took a moment to find the right words. "Well... How do I put this... Do you think it's possible for a human and a pony to develop a true lasting bond? Even though they are vastly different? And even if they can, would the rest of Equestria respect that bond?"

Twilight seemed to take a moment to think over her response. "Um... Well, love is a difficult thing to describe. It's not really something you can learn about from research. But...in my honest opinion...I do think that such a bond is possible. As for the rest of Equestria... I don't think that needs explaining. We've already accepted you as a resident here. I'm sure other ponies would respect it if you fell in love with a pony."

Twilight's words helped soothe some of my worries. But I still had a few questions left to ask. "OK... Next question... If such a bond was formed..." I began to sweat as my body temperature spiked.

"What's wrong? You can ask me. I don't mind giving advice." Twilight asked, apparently noticing my distress.

With some hesitation, I muttered, "This is a difficult question to ask... But do you think...a human and a pony could..." I covered my face with one hand as I spoke quietly, "Re...reproduce..."

When Twilight did not offer an immediate reply, I peeked between my fingers. Her face was frozen in surprise, a very deep blush on her face. Eventually, she muttered, "You mean.....having children together? Starting a family?" I am not sure why, but I am certain I heard a hint of excitement in her voice. In any case, I nodded. She then replied, "Well... I honestly don't know about that. Humans and ponies can certainly bond, but I don't know if their genetic code would be compatible. I mean...we both have the same level of intellect, but as for the rest..." She then sighed, "I'm sorry... I can't really answer that question. There has never been an attempt like that, so no information has ever been recorded that could explain this..."

I sighed in disappointment, not really surprised that even Twilight could not answer my question. "It's OK, Twilight... I wasn't expecting a real answer. Humans have never existed in Equestria before me, so I'm not surprised at all."

Before I could stand up, I noticed that Twilight was blushing once more. "James... May I ask you something?"

There was a nagging feeling in my gut telling me to be cautious as I nodded. Twilight then asked, "Um... Why were you curious about those subjects in the first place? Is there...somepony you like?"

As I stated earlier, I had developed an attraction towards Rarity. So I would be lying if I denied that I did. "Well... They were only hypothetical questions I've had on my mind for a while."

The unicorn nodded with a smile, "All right then. If you have anymore questions on your mind, I'd be glad to provide you with advice. Oh, and one more thing?" She blushed slightly as she spoke, "Don't worry too much about bonding with ponies, James. Who knows? Somepony right here in Ponyville just might have their eyes on you."

I saw the wisdom in Twilight's words. There was no sense in worrying about developing a romantic bond with someone. Such things only occur gradually over time and should not be rushed. I could only be patient and wait for the time to arrive. "Thank you, Twilight. I'll be sure and stop by if I need advice about something."

I said my goodbyes and headed out the front door. But before I could close the door, I heard Twilight say, "And one last thing. Nice cape." All I could do was chuckle lightly as I closed the door behind me.

I immediately headed towards the spa to check on Rarity and Fluttershy. Along the way, quite a few ponies continued to gawk and stare at me. The only explanation I could think of was my cape. (What's next? They gonna expect me to go airborne and fly?) I thought to myself, starting to become more annoyed than nervous from the unwanted attention.

Before I could reach the town square, I noticed a shadow pass over me. When I glanced up, I saw the soaring form of Rainbow Dash curving back towards me. She swooped down before me and landed with a clop. "What's up, James?" Before I could reply, she noticed my cape. "Whoa, love the cape! Makes ya look pretty heroic!"

I smiled, "I guess so... Sweetie Belle made it for me." I had stopped paying attention now that I was in the company of a familiar face.

Rainbow Dash walked behind me to examine the cape up close. "Isn't that the Cutie Mark Crusaders' emblem? Did they actually let you join?"

With a snicker, I explained, "They kinda talked me into it. Since I don't have a cutie mark, they said I was eligible to be recruited. Although it was really Scootaloo who convinced me to join."

The pegasus laughed, "Man, Scootaloo sure does seem to like you after what you did to Diamond Tiara on the playground and at the park! I wonder what she's gonna tell me next time I see her?"

At the mention of Rainbow Dash knowing Scootaloo personally, I took a closer look at my friend. Her mane and tail's styling was somewhat reminiscent of Scootaloo's, even though the coloration was completely different. "Rainbow Dash, I need to ask you something. Is Scootaloo your sister?"

I was not expecting Rainbow's reaction. She laughed loudly, "You're not the first to guess that!" I waited for her to catch her breath. "Phew... Man, that always cracks me up. But seriously, no. Scootaloo isn't related to me at all. She's just kinda... How do I say this... She just looks up to me. Ya know, like a role model! So we hang out every now and then."

I crossed my arms as I replied, "Hero worship, huh? Can't say I blame her. You two have a lot in common, it seems."

"Yep, you can say that again. I can't wait for her wings to grow so we can go flying together. But in any case, whatcha up to today?" Rainbow Dash asked as she hovered before me.

"Well, I was on my way over to the spa to check up on Fluttershy and Rarity. Gummy got into the hot tub and gave Rarity a good scare, so I just want to see if she's feeling better by now." I explained, still wondering if Rarity was truly fine after that incident.

Rainbow Dash snickered, "Gators in the tub again, huh? I'm glad I never have to worry about that." She then asked, "I'm gonna go check on Scootaloo. Do you know where she might be?"

I replied, "If memory serves, she and the other crusaders are going to try their hands....er...hooves at being produce merchants. They'll probably be set up in the market soon."

The pegasus nodded, "Thanks for the tip. Oh, and would you like to meet me at the café for lunch in an hour? It'll be on me."

Remembering what had happened the previous day during my lunch break, I gave her a stern glare. "Under the condition that you do not pull any pranks on me, sure."

Rainbow Dash gulped as she seemed rather nervous, "You don't forget stuff like that, huh? I know you were mad about that. And I promised to never prank you again. Don't worry. But anyway, see ya there, James!" I watched as the pegasus took off at her trademark speed, making me wonder if she was capable of breaking the sound barrier.

I entered the spa as soon as I returned to the town square. Seated at the desk was the same cyan and pink pony I had met before. She seemed to remember me as she asked, "Oh, welcome back, sir. Can I help you?"

I replied, "I'm here to see Miss Rarity. Has she left yet?" I was hoping that I had not missed her after returning Gummy to Pinkie Pie.

"Oh no, not yet. She's currently getting the facial treatment and a horn filing. Right this way." I followed the pony into the main chamber. Along the way, I saw that her cutie mark was a blooming lotus flower with a pinkish hue to it. She then led me over to a pair of risen platforms where Rarity and Fluttershy were relaxing while another pony was using a file on the unicorn's horn. She had the same eyes as my escort, but the rest of her colors were swapped with hers. Where my escort had a cyan coat and a pink mane and tail, the one who was tending to Rarity had a pink coat and a cyan mane and tail. Her cutie mark was identical too, being a blooming lotus flower. However, it had a faint bluish hue to it as opposed to pink. As their eyes, bodies, hairstyles, and clothing were identical to each other's, I assumed that the two 'spa ponies' were twin sisters.

I was about to speak up, but paused as I saw Rarity's face. It had been covered with a thick pale green goop while two cucumber slices were placed over her eyes. I was literally at a loss for words as I could only stare at the bizarre state of her face. My escort spoke, "Miss Rarity, this gentleman wishes to see you."

My landlord replied, "Ah yes, Hoity Toity. I have not forgotten our appointment today, but you are a few hours early. Can we rendezvous at 3 PM as scheduled?"

I had no knowledge of who this 'Hoity Toity' could be, but I explained, "Actually...it's me, Rarity." Fluttershy giggled at the case of mistaken identity.

"J-James?! Oh dear, I'm sorry! I could not see you through these slices!" Rarity gasped as she realized that she had mistook me for someone else.

"It's OK, Rarity. I didn't think you could see me through those pickles anyway." I replied.

"Pickles?! I thought these were fresh cucumber slices! Aloe, please replace these with cucumber slices!" Rarity pleaded. I shook my head, not expecting her to take what I said literally.

The pink spa pony spoke through the file she grasped in her teeth, "Miss Rarity, those ARE fresh cucumber slices. We never use pickled cucumbers." Her voice had the same accent I had heard from the other pony.

"Really...? Oh... Never mind then..." Rarity sighed, probably blushing under the cream on her face.

As Rarity remained quiet for the duration of her...hornicure or whatever you call the trimming of a unicorn's horn, I noticed that Fluttershy only had two spots of the green goop on her face right under the eyes. She also did not have any pillows under her forelegs while Rarity had two. Judging by the expression of her face, she seemed rather disappointed by the lesser treatment. I turned to the pony who had escorted me in and asked, "Excuse me, Miss...um..."

The spa pony smiled, "Lotus, sir. I am Lotus and my sister is Aloe."

I nodded, "OK. Miss Lotus, would you mind applying more of that facial cream to Fluttershy's face? The amount you've used so far seems.....inadequate."

Lotus looked over at Fluttershy, "Oh, I see. So sorry, Miss Fluttershy. I will get to you right away." As she went over to a cabinet to fetch the cream, I slid a pair of pillows under Fluttershy's forelegs.

Fluttershy whispered, "Thank you, James. I almost never get the full treatment since they tend to focus on Rarity more than me."

I attempted to stroke her mane, but found that it was wrapped up in a towel. "No problem, Fluttershy. They shouldn't skimp on quality for someone as beautiful as you."

My words seemed to unnerve Fluttershy somewhat as she let out an adorable squeak as a very deep blush shone through her yellow coat. She stared at me constantly until Lotus returned and covered her face in the pale green cream. She did not look away until Lotus placed two cucumber slices over her eyes. "Um... Sorry?"

As Aloe continued to file away at Rarity's horn, I took a seat near my landlord. I then noticed she was still wearing the bracelet I had purchased for her the previous day. "I hear you've been showing that off to just about everyone today." I spoke as I patted her on the back. She was clad in a white bathrobe with golden yellow frills around the collar, cuffs, and bottom. Fluttershy was wearing the same thing with the only difference being that the frills were purple.

Rarity giggled despite being unable to see me at the time. "Oh, how could I not? This is the most precious gift I have ever received. I only take it off to bathe so I don't tarnish its brilliance." I could hear Lotus and Fluttershy giggling behind me, making me uneasy. Once again, I was very curious of what Rarity had planned for me at 8 PM.

As we chatted, I felt very relaxed in the presence of my beautiful landlord. But once again, I found myself pondering just how I really felt towards Rarity. Here she was right in front of me. And I felt completely at peace. However, I knew full well that her standards were beyond me. I had to make certain to not overstep my boundaries as a friend. (Friends... That's all we can be.)

After several minutes of chatting, Aloe set the file down. Rarity's horn was perfectly smooth with not the slightest hint of uneven surfaces on it. Rarity then asked, "Is Quake here? I'm ready for my massage."

Aloe replied, "Oh, I'm afraid she is currently on vacation. She won't be back for a few more days."

Rather than being disappointed, Rarity sounded rather thoughtful at the revelation. "Hmmm..." She then smiled, "James, would you be so kind as to be my masseuse today?"

I was not expecting her request at all. Even Aloe seemed shocked by it. "Miss Rarity, he is not trained to be..."

Rarity interrupted the spa pony, "Oh, my intuition tells me that he is qualified for the job."

Even though Rarity had faith in me, I had no professional experience in giving massages. Granted I have given a few amateur ones to elders in my family, but I digress. "I don't think I'll be able to satisfy you, Rarity... I have no real experience in the field."

My words did nothing to discourage my landlord as she pleaded, "Please?"

I glanced over my shoulder and saw that even Lotus and Fluttershy were facing our direction. I could not make out Fluttershy's expression under the facial cream, but I am sure she was intrigued. "Um... I really don't think that's a good idea... I might do more harm than good." I explained again.

"Please, James? For me?" Rarity once again pleaded.

Before I could refuse again, Rarity asked, "Aloe, I think now would be a good time to remove this cream." The pink spa pony fetched a warm wet towel and began to rub her client's face with it.

"Sorry, Rarity. I'd like to, but I don't think I..." I stopped short of what I was going to say as Rarity's unobstructed face smiled at me.

"Please please please please!" She said quickly while holding her hooves together. Her mouth was curved into a toothy grin as her eyes pleaded with me.

I was utterly baffled by Rarity's insistence that I massage her instead of using the professional skills of the spa sisters. Regardless, that pleading gaze was difficult for me to say no to. "Oh... All right, I'll do it. Just don't complain if I pinch a nerve." I said with a sigh, hoping I would not regret going along with my landlord's wishes.

"Oh, don't be so modest! I'm sure those delicate flexible fingers of yours will do the job well." Rarity said as she stood up and led me over to a few massage tables that were right next to the hot tub.

"I'll be able to do a better job if you remove your robe, Rarity." I said, knowing the fabric would absorb some of the pressure.

"Oh, of course. Wouldn't want to miss anything, would we?" Rarity giggled as her horn was covered in a billowing aura. She stood on her hind legs as she 'pulled' her bathrobe off over her head. She then removed the towel that covered her mane and shook her head a few times. Her mane fell back into place, almost completely dry. Even the elegant curls were intact. I watched as my landlord climbed atop one of the tables and rested her head on the raised end where a few pillows sat. "I'm ready, darling."

I pondered what would be the best way to massage the delicate pony. I normally have the easiest time from behind, but a pony's posture was different from a human's. "Don't move, Rarity. I need to try something." I climbed onto the table and straddled her on my knees, being careful to not apply any weight to her.

"Do whatever you have to, James. I'm certain you'll do just fine." Rarity replied, her forelegs stretched out for easy access.

I hesitated for a moment, as I had no knowledge of a pony's anatomy. Where should I start? What spots needed attention? Unsure of what was the best choice, I decided that I should focus on the joints. I placed both hands on the base of Rarity's neck and began to knead it as firmly as possible without being too harsh. I dug my fingers into her silky smooth white coat, amazed by how silken it felt at the touch.

"Mmmm... This is a new sensation..." I heard Rarity mutter with a sigh. There was a small clock on the wall nearby. I glanced at it every now and then to keep track of how long I was tending to one spot. Once three minutes had passed, I reached up and began to massage Rarity's cheekbones.

I heard Rarity gasp lightly at my touch, probably because she had never received a massage on her face. "My jaw joints? I never thought it was possible to reach that spot."

"I guess not. At least when you have hooves." I replied, kneading her flesh and muscles as tenderly as possible. I heard Rarity giggle in response.

Once another three minutes had passed, I moved back down to Rarity's shoulders. As I applied pressure to them, she sighed, "Now that's the spot that needs it most. Could you focus on those a little longer this time?"

I glanced back over to the clock. "Sure thing, Rarity." I decided to go for five minutes on the shoulders instead of three. They felt particularly tense, possibly having something to do with her profession. I made certain to apply extra pressure on them. Every now and then, I would feel Rarity shiver harshly.

"Is that long enough?" I asked once five minutes had passed.

"Oh, much better. Thank you, darling." Rarity replied. I then moved down to her knees. It was a fairly long reach, but I had little trouble. I made certain to get both sides. Once another three minutes had passed, I climbed down from the table and began to knead the center of her back. Her vertebrae was quite strong and the muscle around it was very firm, which I suppose I should have expected from an equine.

I spent a good five minutes on Rarity's vertebrae due to its length. Once finished, I straddled her once again. Only this time I was facing the opposite direction so I could reach her flanks and hind legs. I started on her flanks first, my hands gripping each one firmly. But I heard her loudly gasp and shudder under me as my fingertips dug into her cutie marks. "Ooh...! What... What are you doing?!"

Rarity's sudden outburst startled me as I released my grip on her immediately. "I was just starting on your flanks. Did I do something wrong?"

I watched as Rarity looked back at me. A faint blush was on her face as she watched. "I... I don't know. I've never felt such a thing before. What did you touch?" I reached out and poked one of her cutie marks, prompting another gasp from the unicorn. "Oh...my..."

Worried that I may have hit a pressure point, I asked, "Does it hurt?"

Rarity's response puzzled me greatly. "No, there was no pain.... It's just... Save that for 8 PM tonight. All right, dear?" I raised an eyebrow at her request. Just what was going to happen at 8 PM that evening? The suspense was actually starting to annoy me by then. Regardless, I agreed and started massaging her flanks again while taking care to not touch her cutie marks.

Once I had finished with her flanks, all that remained were her hind knees. As I started on them, Rarity sighed, "James, you truly are a natural at this... I've never had a massage that balances firmness with gentleness so well."

I replied as I kneaded the flesh around her knees, "Really? I have hardly any experience. Am I really that good?"

Rarity giggled, "More than good. You're simply marvelous." I think I may have blushed at her compliment.

Once I climbed down from the table, Rarity stood up and stretched. "Mmmmm! Such relief! I can't remember the last time I felt this limber!"

I took a step back as she hopped down from the table. "James, that was a most fabulous massage debut. You really should consider working here. I'm certain many ponies will come around to feel your magic touch." I snickered in embarrassment, flattered by her praise.

Before I could do anything else, Fluttershy walked over to the massage tables. The facial cream had been removed from her face while her hair had been let down. She smiled, "I overheard Rarity's praise for you, James. If it's not too much trouble, could you give me a massage too? Um... If that's all right with you, that is..."

I smiled warmly at Fluttershy's timidity and modesty. "It would be my pleasure, Fluttershy. Remove your robe and we'll get started."

Fluttershy grinned widely as she slid out of her bathrobe and hopped up onto the massage table. Rarity levitated both robes with her magic and smiled, "I'll take care of your robe, Fluttershy. Now, I must be getting back to Carousel Boutique. I have a few appointments that begin soon. Same time next week, Fluttershy?"

The timid pegasus looked over at my landlord and smiled, "Definitely. Take care, Rarity." I waved goodbye with her as Rarity moved out of sight.

I climbed onto the table and straddled Fluttershy the same way I had positioned myself above Rarity. "Just relax, Fluttershy." Like before, I started on her neck before moving to her cheeks. Fluttershy did not seem to be accustomed to others touching her face as she winced slightly at my touch. "I'm just being thorough, Fluttershy. Don't panic." I spoke softly, trying to keep her calm.

"I... I know. I trust you, James..." She replied with a whisper. I felt her relax again as I started on her shoulders. But once I had climbed down from the table and started on her back, I took note of Fluttershy's folded wings.

"Fluttershy, would you like me to do your wings next?" I asked, wondering what a pegasus' wings felt like.

She replied, "Oh... That sounds lovely. Go right ahead, please."

Once I finished massaging her back, I spoke, "OK. Right wing, please." She responded by extending her right wing only. I felt along the top of the wing, feeling the bone structure under the skin. There were two joints in all. I started on the one closest to the body, being very careful to not apply much pressure as I suspected the bones in Fluttershy's wings were hollow and fragile.

"You don't have to hold back, James. Pegasus wing bones are much denser than bird bones. They don't break easily." Fluttershy spoke up, likely detecting the lack of firmness in my kneading. I took her words to heart and began to apply the same amount of firmness as before. I heard Fluttershy let out a sigh as she muttered, "Rarity is right... You really are amazing at this."

Once I had finished with both joints, I walked over to the other side of the table. "OK. Left wing now, please." Fluttershy responded by folding her right wing while extending her left. I started by kneading the joint closest to the body for three minutes before moving onto the next. Once the left wing had been tended to, I climbed atop the table and straddled Fluttershy again while facing her rear. I was certain that Fluttershy's cutie marks were not as sensitive as Rarity's. It would be highly unlikely that two ponies have the same ticklish spot.....right?

My guess proved false as Fluttershy let out a suppressed gasp as my fingertips dug into her flanks. "J-J-James...! N-not there!" Fluttershy squeaked as I kneaded her flanks and the cutie marks on them.

I released my grip at once. "What's wrong? Did it hurt? Are you ticklish there?" I asked, fearful that I may have hurt her in some way.

Fluttershy looked over her shoulder at me, her face flushed red with the deepest blush I had ever seen on her. "N-no, it doesn't hurt. And I'm not ticklish there... It's just a... Um...I'm not comfortable saying it out loud..."

Judging by her hesitation and the blush on her face, I began to fear that the cutie marks of some ponies are sensitive enough to function as a pleasure point. I began to feel my body temperature spike as I began to sweat. "Oh man... So sorry, Fluttershy..." I then went back to massaging her flanks, weaving my fingers around her butterfly cutie marks.

Once I had finished with her flanks and hind knees, I climbed down from the table. "I think I got everything..." As Fluttershy stood up and turned to face me, I froze as she gazed at me with an uneasy expression. "Did I...make any mistakes?"

To my surprise, Fluttershy smiled, "Not at all. Rarity was right. That was the most delicate and soothing massage I've ever had. You really have skill at this." I think I blushed when she reached out to me with her head and nuzzled my face. "Thank you again, James. You're sweet."

I saw Fluttershy out the front door. "See you again in an hour or two." I said as I waved goodbye. Now alone with just the spa sisters, I turned to find Lotus seated at the front desk again. "Excuse me, Miss Lotus. Are you hiring?"

The spa pony replied with a giggle, "Oh, I was hoping you would say that. Aloe and I saw everything. Your fingers have the kind of precision and tenderness that our hooves do not. What would be the best days for you to work here?"

As I already had a job at Sugarcube Corner, I had to think up a way to balance two jobs. "Well... How do Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays sound?" I asked, hoping I could work out a deal with the Cake couple to work Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

"That would do nicely. Just fill out this application and we will see you on Tuesday, Mr. James." Lotus said in her strong accent. She then gave me a job application that was surprisingly simple in comparison to those used by American businesses. There were only a few things to fill out. I signed my name at the end, handed the sheet back to Lotus, and then headed on my way to get some lunch.

I went straight to the local café as promised, hoping to find Rainbow Dash waiting for me. For the first time, my dining partner had beaten me to the location as I saw her looking through a menu. I approached her and took a seat at the opposite end of the table after borrowing a small stool from nearby. "Let me guess. You got from the market to this table in ten seconds flat?" I asked, trying to be witty to the athletic mare.

Rainbow Dash looked over her menu and smiled, "Hey there, James! And you're right! Ten. Seconds. Flat." The two of us chuckled in unison.

"So, how were the crusaders doing? Any sales?" I asked, wondering if they had made any progress in the activity I had suggested that day.

"Ya know, they surprised me! They're actually doing pretty well! They had only just set up shop when I got there. But they started making sales in only a few minutes. I guess having such a wide variety of stuff really does catch customers' eyes." Rainbow Dash replied.

"I guess my suggestion paid off." I chuckled as I adjusted the cape around my neck.

After a moment, Rainbow Dash closed her menu after having apparently decided on what to order. She then looked at me and smiled, "Scootaloo wouldn't stop talking about you. Even said you're like a brother to her. You two hit it off or what?"

I blushed at her remark, "She told you, huh? Well...yeah. She even started calling me 'big brother' today for some reason. Can't say I'm not flattered though."

Rainbow Dash snickered, "She told me about how cool you were when you stole Diamond Tiara's cutie mark. And how you made her look like a joke in the park yesterday. I never knew you could be tough too."

I did not think too highly of my actions and replied bluntly, "I was not being tough. I was just giving a pathetic bully what she deserved. That's all there was to it. Nothing more."

Despite my claims, Rainbow Dash smirked, "Yeah, I hear ya. But that still sounds like you were being tough when you needed to be. And you remember what I said about dating you if you were a bit more assertive, right?"

I froze as I looked over my menu at Rainbow Dash. She was giving me a sly smirk, making me sweat as I felt myself becoming extremely nervous. However, she suddenly burst into laughter. "Bwahaha! Gotcha! Sorry, I just had to do that. It was worth it to see the look on your face."

Despite Rainbow's attempt at humor, I was not amused. I glared at her for a moment before looking through the menu again. "Good thing you were kidding. I have my eye on someone else anyway."

Rainbow Dash stopped snickering abruptly. She gazed at me with an expression that seemed to say, "Wait... Seriously?" All I could do was nod.

"So... You actually have feelings for somepony? And that's a pony and not a human?" Rainbow Dash asked, clearly interested in the unlikely idea of a human developing feelings for a pony.

I sighed, "Yeah... Only problem is I know it won't work out... Her standards are too high for me to match. So we can only just be friends."

Rainbow Dash inched over to my side of the table and glanced around for a second. "Can you tell me who she is? I promise I'll keep it a secret. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

I glanced at Rainbow Dash and asked, "Stick a...CUPCAKE in your eye?"

Rainbow shrugged, "Pinkie Pie came up with it. But you know what I mean. So, can you tell me?"

After a moment of hesitation, I lowered my head and muttered, "Ra... Rarity..."

At first, Rainbow Dash said nothing. But she then asked, "Whoa... Rarity? Man, that's pretty cool. A lot of stallions have their eyes on her in Ponyville, but you're right. She does have some pretty high standards." I nodded silently, knowing that I had no hope of earning her love. But Rainbow Dash then patted me on the back, "But I think she lowered her standards after the last Grand Galloping Gala. She knows that if she sets her expectations too high, she'll get burned. I'd say you have a pretty good chance with her. Especially after you got her that sweet bracelet."

I had all but forgotten about the bracelet Rarity had been showing off all day. "She showed you?"

Rainbow Dash nodded, "Yup. She kept saying the nicest things about you too. She even mentioned having something special in store for you tonight... Whatever that meant..." She then nudged my shoulder, "What I'm trying to say is... She really likes you. And from what I can tell, I think it's only a matter of time before she asks you out. So don't throw in the towel yet. Stick with her, and everything should turn out OK."

I sighed in relief. Rainbow Dash was right. It was too soon to say if a relationship with Rarity would succeed or fail in the long run. I had to be patient. "Thanks, Rainbow... I mean it." The two of us shared a hug before she moved back over to her side of the table just as the waiter arrived.

"Welcome back, sir. Have you made your decision?" The waiter asked, apparently having come to recognize me.

"Yes, I will have the house salad with French dressing and an order of spaghetti and...meat...balls?" I could hardly believe that there was actual meat on a menu in a town of herbivorous ponies.

The waiter turned to Rainbow Dash, who replied, "I'll go for the sub. Extra tomatoes." The waiter nodded and walked back inside the café.

"Rainbow... Are the meatballs in the pasta made of REAL meat?" I asked, wondering if Equestrian ponies were actually omnivores.

The pegasus snickered, "Nah. It's not real meat. Just fake meat made of soy bean stuff." I chuckled, having completely forgotten about the likes of tofu hotdogs and veggie burgers.

It did not take long for our orders to arrive. The meatballs in my spaghetti appeared to be made out of actual meat and probably tasted the part too, but I was certain they were not what they seemed. A layer of tomato sauce covered the whole dish. Rainbow Dash's order was a long submarine sandwich with various vegetables clamped between the slices of bread. "Ah yeah, let's chow down."

I watched as Rainbow Dash planted her hooves at the sides of the sandwich and lifted it before taking a bite. Not wanting to be left out, I started on my food. The tomato sauce was zesty and had just a hint of spiciness to it.

Not surprisingly, Rainbow Dash finished her meal first. "Mmm. Good stuff. You almost done, James?" I had finished my salad and was halfway done with my entrée.

"I should be another minute or two. And sorry that I can't finish all this in ten seconds flat." I replied, not wanting to scarf down my food. Rainbow Dash could only laugh at the reference I made to her speed record.

Once we had finished, Rainbow Dash flew away suddenly and returned less than a minute later with a stack of bits in her mouth. Once she set them down on the table, she turned to me and smiled, "As promised, I'll handle the bill." I nodded, but then reached into my pocket and pulled out a few bits of my own.

"A tip for the waiter." I explained as I set the money down.

Rainbow Dash began to hover as I put the stool I was sitting on back where I found it. "I'm gonna go check on Scootaloo and the other crusaders. Say hi to Fluttershy for me!" I waved goodbye as the pegasus took to the air. Remembering what I had promised to do, I started to head west towards Fluttershy's cottage.

As I began to press into the meadow that bordered Fluttershy's home, I noticed an unusually high number of rabbits milling about. There were various hues of white, black, brown, gray, and the like. They would often watch me as I passed by, probably because they had never seen a human before. "I guess it's rabbit season. Or is it duck season?" I could not help muttering out loud.

When Fluttershy's cottage came into view, I found the timid pegasus resting upon the bridge that crossed the creek in front of her house. Once she saw me coming, Fluttershy trotted over to me. "Hello again, James. You're right on time. And thanks again for that wonderful massage today."

I stroked Fluttershy's mane with a smile, "Next time you come in, try to make it a Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday. Those are the days I work there now."

Fluttershy smiled softly, "I'm glad to hear that. Next time Rarity and I meet up at the spa, I'll ask for you by name. But now that you're here, shall we get started?" I followed Fluttershy a short distance away from her home, finding many of the same rabbits I had seen on my way in.

"Fluttershy... Are all of these rabbits just babies?" I asked, finding their close proximity to be making me mildly giddy.

"Oh yes. These are the baby bunnies I need help rounding up. But remember, they're a timid bunch and need to be treated gently." She replied with her soft voice.

I have caught wild baby rabbits before with just my hands without being forceful, so I have experience in handling young rabbits. Only this time, it seemed that they would not have any fear of me. "OK then. Where should I set them as I gather them up?"

Fluttershy pointed towards a partially fenced-in area that was bordered by a very low white wooden fence. "Just place them over there. I'll keep them from wandering off."

Eager to get started, I calmly approached a trio of grazing baby rabbits and got down on one knee. They looked at me as I drew near, their big adorable eyes showing curiosity instead of wariness. "Hello there, little guys." I spoke softly while slowly outstretching my hand. I ran one finger between one rabbit's ears. That area seemed to be a soft spot as the baby bunny immediately warmed up to me by nuzzling my finger. The other two also drew closer.

"OK, little fellas. Just hold still." I spoke as I carefully scooped them up in my arms. The rabbits seemed very calm in my grasp as they nuzzled my chest. This was one such experience I would never forget.

"Very good, James. Just set them down right here." Fluttershy tapped her hoof in one spot as I approached her with the bunnies in my arms. I carefully released them from my grasp as low to the ground as I could get. I petted each bunny on the head to reassure them before going off to find some more.

I repeated the same process over and over for the next thirty minutes at least. But I never got bored. In fact, I cherished every minute with the baby bunnies. After making one last trip to the bundle of bunnies I had rounded up, I made a quick sweep of the area to see if I had overlooked anyone. When I found that no baby bunnies had been left behind, I returned to Fluttershy. "I think that's everyone."

Fluttershy nodded, "Thank you again, James. Will you do the honors?" I smiled and gazed down at the many baby bunnies at my feet. I silently counted them while Fluttershy did everything she could to keep them from moving.

"Whoa... Sixty bunnies. That's quite a few." I spoke out loud as I finished counting them in my head.

"Sixty? Wow... We seldom have that many in one season." Fluttershy remarked as the bunnies looked up at us. But as I looked down at them, a thought popped into my head.

"Fluttershy, could you keep them all together for a bit longer? I'd like to get a picture of this." I asked as I pulled my DSi game system out of my pocket and turned it on.

"James, what is that? I've never seen anything like it." Fluttershy asked me while trying to not get too excited.

"It's a camera. Well, it's more than just a camera, but I'm using it as a camera for now." I replied as I activated the camera feature. I got down on one knee while adjusting the top half of the DSi to get the best angle.

"If you're going to take a picture, make sure the flash is turned off. It might scare them... Oh? Hello, Angel." Fluttershy spoke. In actuality, the DSi's camera does not have a flash function. But at the mention of Angel, I looked behind me to find the same white rabbit I had seen resting in the 'dog' house next to Fluttershy's cottage.

Before I could say anything, Fluttershy gasped lightly. "Oh, I know! Angel, could you take the picture so James could be in the shot too?" As ridiculous as it sounded, the rabbit nodded his head in agreement. I froze for a moment as I tried to comprehend how a rabbit could use such a complex gadget. I was also hesitant to let someone other than myself use my DSi, but it was the only way I could be in the picture too.

As Angel came over to me, I set the DSi down and adjusted the top half so it was standing up on a ninety-degree angle. "Thanks, Angel. Just press this button here to take the picture when we're ready. And watch the top screen to see how we look before the picture is taken." I explained, hoping he would understand. I then approached the pile of baby bunnies and got down on one knee while Fluttershy stood at the other side. The two of us smiled while Angel seemed to adjust the DSi's location to try and get us all in the shot.

Eventually, I heard a familiar click as Angel pressed the button. I then stood up and went over to see how the picture had turned out. There was no motion blur and the lighting was just right. It also captured us all at just the right angle. For the DSi, it was of the highest quality. "Thank you, Angel." I spoke as I saved the picture and returned the DSi to my pocket. I then scratched Angel between the ears, coaxing a content smile from him.

"May I see the picture before you go?" Fluttershy asked as she approached me. I nodded and pulled the DSi back out, opened the photo album, and brought up the picture before turning the screen to her. "Oh my... That turned out lovely. Now we have something to remember this day." Fluttershy giggled softly.

I stood up as I returned my DSi to my pocket. "Thanks again for inviting me to help you with this. Just interacting with baby bunnies is a treat in itself." I smiled as I stroked Fluttershy's mane.

"Hehee... You're very welcome, James. Feel free to stop by if you're ever in the area. You're always welcome here." Fluttershy and I embraced each other gently before I parted ways with her and headed back towards Ponyville.

I was fairly tired from all the walking I had done that day and decided to return home. It was late in the afternoon as well, making me wonder what Rarity had in store for me that evening. Was it a private massage? A new set of clothes? I could not imagine what she had planned.

When I entered the Carousel Boutique's front door, I found Rarity talking to Twilight Sparkle. "Yeah, what a coincidence. I guess we all got a little messy at the end of the Grand Galloping Gala, didn't we?" Twilight chuckled. Near her was a pony mannequin with a dazzling dress draped over it that was mostly shades of blue with many stars embroidered into it. However, it had rips here and there.

"Oh yes, and it certainly wouldn't do for your lovely gown to be in this state when the next Gala arrives! I will make certain it is back to normal within the week." Rarity replied with some enthusiasm. It was then that she noticed me at the door and trotted over to me. "Hello, darling! Still looking dashing in that cape. Is there anything I can get you?"

Before I replied, I paused as I noticed that she called me 'darling' right away without referring to me by my first name. But I dismissed the thought, as Rarity surely must call others 'darling' at times as well. "No thanks. I'm good. Just a bit tired from all the walking around I did today. All I wanna do is relax on the sofa and read some more of that encyclopedia." I replied, remembering that I had borrowed the book from the library.

Twilight approached me with a smile, "Hey there, James. I was just dropping off my dress for some fixing. And I saw your robe. Very impressive. I can't wait to see you in it at the Gala!"

I replied, "Thanks, Twilight. It was more than I expected too. But come to think of it, where's Spike? I haven't seen him all day."

The purple unicorn giggled, "Oh, he's been busy with his chores. That's why he wasn't home when you visited today. Although I think he was a little jealous when Rarity showed us that bracelet you bought for her. Probably because he wanted to eat it. I think I even saw him drool a little." I could only chuckle while wondering if he would have been able to digest the pearls, gold, and silver as well.

Once we said our goodbyes, Twilight headed out for home. But now that I was alone with Rarity, I was uncertain of what to say. "So... Rarity..." It was all I could mutter. Just that morning, we were mere friends. But now, I was quite possibly falling in love with her. Despite this, I had to remind myself that I was below her. She was like a princess while I was a peasant. I had to restrain myself and my feelings.

However, Rarity's affection was not helping. My landlord reared up on her hind legs and embraced me around my middle. "Now it's just us! Oh, I can't thank you enough for this bracelet, James! You should've seen some of the other ladies when I showed it off. Green with envy, all of them!" I tried to remain calm while stroking her beautiful mane to avoid giving her the impression that I was starting to see her as more than just a friend.

"I was just returning the favor for that amazing robe you wove for me. That's all. I wanted to give you something in return." I explained while looking down at her.

The white unicorn gazed up at me with what seemed to be a blush on her face. "Oh, darling, there's no need to be so modest. I am still grateful for this wonderful gift." I smiled, feeling somewhat proud of myself. But Rarity then smirked, "However...there are two things that are even more precious to me. Far more precious."

This caught me by surprise. That bracelet she was wearing was quite possibly the most expensive piece of jewelry in her entire collection. "Really? But...what are they?" I asked, eager to learn what they were.

Rarity giggled as she walked away from me, "Well, one is dear little Sweetie Belle. True, she can test my patience at times, but she is my little sister and nopony could ever replace her. The other is..." She then batted her eyelashes while looking at me over her shoulder, "That will have to wait until tonight. Be patient, dear. All will be explained soon." She then went to work on fixing up Twilight Sparkle's dress, leaving me painfully curious as of what she was going to reveal to me at 8 PM that night.

I went into the room I slept in and reclined on the sofa. The encyclopedia I borrowed was nearby on the table in the middle of the room. As I reached for it, I looked at the clock in the corner of the room. "Almost 5 PM..." I muttered. I would have to keep myself occupied for the next three hours.

"OK... Next page..." I muttered to myself as I removed the bookmark. "Ponyville..... Founded by earth ponies long ago. Now home to all three species of ponies... Canterlot... Capitol of Equestria... Home of unicorns... Like Ponyville, has become home to all three pony types over time... Cloudsdale... Home of pegasus ponies... Made entirely out of clouds, unicorn and earth ponies cannot reside there..." Each description included illustrations of the locations described in the articles.

The next article contained details on various flora and fauna of Equestria. As it turned out, many animal species that could be found on Earth also resided in Equestria. With a few notable exceptions. The first to be mentioned was the cockatrice, having the body of a snake and the head of a rooster. As I expected, its gaze could turn whoever it looked at to stone. Another was the hydra, but I had already heard of it from the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Next was the manticore, a creature with the body of a lion, a pair of wings, and a scorpion's tail complete with a stinger. Another entry mentioned the ursa, colossal bear-like creatures with bodies that share the coloration of the night sky dotted with stars. But the last entry on the page puzzled me. "Parasprites...? Tiny and cuddly, but have ravenous appetites... Infestations can lead to catastrophic food shortages..." An illustration was provided, showing me a round insect of sorts with big eyes. Like the article claimed, it seemed to be quite adorable.

I am not certain how much time passed. But by the time I looked up from the encyclopedia, the clock showed that it was ten minutes before 8. "Whoa... Almost time." Remembering that Rarity had asked me to feed Opalescence before that time, I rushed to the kitchen and opened a can of cat food. "Opal! Time for your dinner!" I called, hoping she would come when called. Fortunately, the fluffy Persian cat entered the kitchen and went straight for the can on the floor.

As I left Opalescence to her meal, I slowly made my way upstairs. Even though I knew I had nothing to fear from Rarity, I was steadily becoming nervous. And what was it that she treasured above all else? My curiosity drove me on.

I knocked lightly on the door at the end of the hall. "Come in." I heard Rarity speak. I slowly opened the door and closed it behind me before allowing myself to look around. But when my eyes fell upon Rarity, I think I may have started blushing. "What's the matter, darling? Do you like what you see?"

My landlord was clad in only a translucent pink gown that left nothing to the imagination. She was reclining on her bed while gazing at me with an expression I had never seen on her face before. Her eyes were partially closed, her mouth curved into a smirk. Around us, numerous candles had been lit to provide a certain atmosphere that seethed romance. I could feel myself beginning to sweat as part of my mind told me to run. However, Rarity had requested that I join her in her room that evening, so I did not want to disappoint her.

"Rarity... What is this all about?" I asked, puzzled and worried about what was going to happen.

"There's no need to be so uptight, dear. I have no desire to harm you. Please, do come closer. And make yourself comfortable." She replied with a giggle. I did as I was told and took a seat on her bed before kicking my shoes off.

"Apple cider, dear?" Rarity asked as her horn began to shimmer. I could only reply with a nod. A bottle of cider floated over to us with a pair of champagne flutes. The cork popped off the bottle before it turned sideways to fill the glasses. I took my glass and lightly tapped it against Rarity's. "Cheers, darling." She replied before lightly sipping from her glass. I was uncertain of what to expect as I had never tasted cider before, but I felt it would be rude to turn down the offer.

The flavor was similar to apples and was somewhat tangy. It was not unpleasant, but I doubt I would like to drink it frequently. As I sipped from my glass, Rarity gazed up at me, "So then, are you ready to hear what is most precious to me?"

Reminded of the subject, I nodded, "Yes. I'd like to know."

Rarity smiled, "It's not easy to top little Sweetie Belle, I'll have you know." I nodded, also finding her to be a charming little girl. But Rarity then asked, "Would you like a few hints?"

I noticed that Rarity seemed to be grinning at me, as if she was trying to tease me. "Uh... Sure. I'll try to guess it." I replied, wondering what the hints would be.

"Well... He is fairly quiet... He wears a pair of glasses... He has a rather pudgy build... And he arrived in Ponyville less than a week ago." Rarity smirked as she looked at me while waiting for my response.

You are probably thinking that she was referring to me as I wear glasses, do not talk much, am somewhat pudgy, and arrived in Ponyville only five days earlier. However, I do not have much praise for myself and felt that I could not be more precious to Rarity than her own sister. After a moment of thought, I asked, "Someone other than me showed up in Ponyville recently?"

I was not expecting Rarity's reaction. Her expression immediately darkened, tears slowly building up in her eyes. I could feel a twinge of guilt gnawing at me. She then muttered, "James... How... I thought..." She then buried her face in her forelegs and began to sob softly.

I felt immensely disappointed in myself for making the person I treasured most in Ponyville cry. A feeling of disgust was building up inside me as well as self-hate. Without a word, I stood up and slowly made my way to the door.

"Where are you going..." I stopped in my tracks as I heard Rarity speak up while trying to not cry. "Do I...truly mean nothing to you?" I looked back over at Rarity. Her eyes were pleading for me to stay, even though I had hurt her. With some hesitation, I approached her and sat beside her once more.

"That who you treasure most... It's me, isn't it?" I asked as I began to come out of denial.

Rarity nodded, "Yes... We have only been together for less than a week, and yet, you've proven to me that you are more of a prince than even the previous stallion of my dreams. I never wanted anything in return from you, yet you gave me this treasure." She raised her right hoof, showing me the bracelet. "No one has ever given me something this amazing. And you did it without a second thought. Your generosity touched me, James..."

I could hardly believe that Rarity had begun to feel so strongly for me in the short amount of time we had been together. I had kept telling myself that such a relationship would never work. That I was below her standards. And yet, here she was crying out her feelings to me. She then gently laid her hoof over my hand. "James... Please believe me when I tell you this." She then whispered into my ear, "I love you."

I held my breath for a moment. Those three special words. I felt myself becoming hot. "Here... Let me prove it to you." Rarity whispered as she turned my head to face her. She then closed her eyes and pressed her lips against mine.

The unexpected kiss caused me to lose my balance as I fell on my side. But Rarity did not release her grip. The kiss was firm, yet gentle. She was being careful to not make it feel forced. But I shuddered as I felt her tail caressing me...down there.

I waited for Rarity to end the kiss before speaking. "Rarity... What are you doing down there?"

"You mean this?" She replied while continuing to rub her tail against me. "I believe you can guess." Rarity blushed deeply as she nuzzled my face.

My assumption was correct. Rarity loved me enough to mate with me. Although the thought excited me, I was also afraid. What would the rest of Equestria think of our bond? Would Rarity be ridiculed? Would her career as a designer fail? "Rarity... I can tell what it is you want. But what about everyone else? What if your career and image is ruined by it?"

Rarity's response was not what I expected. She smiled calmly and whispered, "I don't care. Let them think what they want. Because...without you...my life would be incomplete. Because...I love you, James."

I was amazed by Rarity's resolve. I have seldom met a woman with a will as strong as hers. She then asked, "But I respect your decision. I will not force myself upon you. But please tell me. Do you love me?"

Despite Rarity's feelings towards me, it was still difficult for me to admit my own. Something inside me was still telling me to not make this choice. But Rarity loved me, and I loved her. It was a mutual bond. So I decided to follow my heart instead of my instincts. I reached up and cupped her face before whispering, "Yes... I love you, Rarity."

Rarity did not answer me for a moment. But she soon began to smile as tears trickled down her face. Before I could ask what was wrong, she lowered her head and kissed me once again on the lips. This time, the kiss endured for a while. I could feel Rarity lick my lips. Although nervous, I closed my eyes and parted my lips. Our tongues touched and soon began to swirl around each other. I could not honestly describe the flavor even if I tried. But what I did taste enthralled me. I was lost in the moment. Being in love and being with the one you love like this was beyond magical.

I believe a few minutes had passed before we ended the kiss. Rarity's face was flushed red, as she seemed slightly dazed. I too was feeling mentally overwhelmed from the rush of my first kiss. My landlord...or rather lover, whispered tearfully, "James... I am honored to be your mare." She once again placed the hoof that held her bracelet onto my hand, surely a sign of intimate love.

All I could do in response was sit up and hold the beautiful unicorn in a warm embrace. I tenderly rubbed my cheek against the side of Rarity's head. But I froze as I felt her tail once again rub my...crotch. I could feel that I had an erection starting to form. "Rarity... Are we even compatible? Can humans and ponies even reproduce together?" I asked, wondering if we could have offspring together.

Rarity giggled with a blush, "Well, I don't see why not. We are both mammals. And in all honesty..." She then whispered into my ear, "I hope I can have your foal someday, darling."

Once again, I felt my body temperature spike. The thought of fathering a child with the woman I loved intimidated me, yet excited me. It also...aroused me as my erection became even stronger. I faced her and asked, "R-Rarity... You mean it? A child? With me?"

My lover kissed me on the cheek without showing even the slightest hint of uneasiness. "Why would I ever lie to you, my love?"

I was flattered by Rarity's choice of words. She always seemed to have a penchant for being dramatic at times. I then asked, "Well... Are you in season now?"

Rarity nuzzled my face gently, "Not yet, dear. Ponies only go into season twice a year. Once at the start of spring and again at the beginning of autumn. So it shouldn't be all that much longer. Though I can hardly wait. Hehee!" She then caressed the bulge in my shorts with her tail, "But...if you don't mind... May we rehearse for that day?"

It was clear now what Rarity wanted. And in all honesty, I wanted her too. Some who read this may be disgusted that I would be willing to do such a thing with a pony, but please understand. The ponies of Equestria are not animals. Like humans, they are people. I would never commit such an act with a mere animal, something that Rarity certainly is not. But I digress.

I stroked Rarity's beautiful indigo mane as I smiled, "I would be honored, Lady Rarity."

As I stood up to undress, she giggled, "Oh, darling... You don't have to call me that. You are my prince, after all."

Once I had cast my clothing aside, I turned to face my lover. Even though I knew she loved me dearly, I was uneasy about being nude before her. "Um... Is my body to your liking?" I asked, both nervous and worried.

Rarity stared at me with a blush. She eventually covered her mouth as she smiled, "While it's certainly not stallion material, I see nothing worth complaining about. And even if there was something I found unappealing, it is what's inside the stallion that counts. But now it's my turn. Close your eyes, darling." I did as I was told and waited for her to give me permission to open them again. "You may look now." I noticed a slight giggle in her words. When I opened my eyes, I found that Rarity had removed her gown and was now lying on her bed while facing the far end. But what really shocked me was that she had moved her tail aside, providing me with an unobstructed view of her vulva.

"Do you like what you see, darling?" Rarity asked as she playfully swayed her rump. I could only nod as I stared. But it was then that I remembered what she had told me at the spa that day. I walked over to her and placed my hand over her cutie mark. "Darling, what are you...oooh..." Rarity moaned lightly as I applied pressure to the three diamonds.

"Are all unicorns as sensitive as you down here?" I asked as I dug my fingers into her cutie marks.

"N-Not all... But some ponies are s-s-sensitive there... Oh my..." Rarity shuddered as I began to massage both flanks. She began to pant as I noticed that her vulva was steadily becoming moist.

While I kept one hand on Rarity's flank, my other hand reached down to her vulva. I gently caressed it with two fingers, prompting a loud gasp from my lover. "J-James...! You... Ooooh..." She could hardly speak at all from the pleasure. As she became wetter, I began to insert my fingers inside her. I could smell an alluring scent from her fluids that was unlike anything I have ever smelled. In fact, I believe the scent only aroused me further.

I did not want to make Rarity orgasm too soon, so I removed my fingers after no more than a minute. My fingers were coated in the aromatic fluids. Out of curiosity, I gave my fingers a light lick. The flavor of the fluid was.....I do not think I can accurately describe it. It was sweet, yet also... I am sorry. As this is my first time, I have no means to compare it to any other flavor. But the flavor was tasty and arousing. I could feel my desire for Rarity increase as I licked my fingers clean. "You taste wonderful, Rarity." I spoke as I caressed her back.

Rarity looked back at me, her expression somewhat dazed. "Please, James... Don't tease me anymore... I want you... Do not delay!" She raised her hindquarters into the air slightly, trying to emphasize her neediness to me.

Excitement filled my mind, but also uneasiness. Would it hurt? Would Rarity be hurt? So many questions passed through my mind, but I had faith in Rarity. If she trusted me, I trusted her. I gently grasped her flanks in my hands, my fingers once again digging into her cutie marks. As she gasped, I pushed into her.

Perhaps I should not have been so eager, as Rarity suddenly yelped in pain. As I thrust into her for the first time, I felt a brief sensation of something giving way. The unicorn shuddered in my hands, clearly in great discomfort. It was then that I realized that Rarity was a virgin. I had believed that someone as beautiful and romantic as her must have had one or two boyfriends in the past, so this shocked me. Knowing that I had hurt her, I tried to calm Rarity by speaking softly. "Oh man... Rarity, I'm sorry... I didn't know... Is there anything I can do? Anything?"

Rarity slowly looked over her shoulder at me. I expected her to look hurt or even angry. But instead, she smiled at me. "It's all right, dear... This first time always hurts a little. I'll be fine. Please, do go on." She then swayed her tail against me, her delicate hair brushing against my chest.

Not wanting to disappoint her, I slowly pulled out before just as slowly pushing back in. As this was my first time, I wanted to pace myself and enjoy it to the fullest. The feeling of Rarity's warm moist insides caressing me was beyond anything I could ever have imagined. And I could tell by Rarity's moans of pleasure that she agreed with me.

However, as we mated, doubt began to gnaw at me in the back of my mind. Rarity and I were completely different species. And yet, here we were making love. "Is it wrong...for humans and ponies to be together like this? But it feels so right..." I can recall asking out loud.

Rarity must have heard me as she looked back at me while trying to keep a straight face. "It... It is right... I love you for who you are... Just as you love me... What could possibly...be wrong with that?" She smiled warmly at me, trying to prove her point.

I immediately saw the truth in Rarity's words. She was right. We were in love. And our reasons for falling in love were true. That was all that mattered in the end. I could feel my passion return as I began to thrust more vigorously. At the moment, all I cared about was Rarity. Only her.

Rarity began to yelp and gasp as we mated while occasionally squeaking my name. The pleasure from just minutes earlier could not compare to what I was feeling now. Despite our differences in anatomy, Rarity was a perfect fit. It was almost as if she was made for me. I began to rut her more firmly, pushing in as deeply as I could. "Rarity... My god, you... You feel..." I could not even string complete sentences together. I was that lost in the pleasure.

To my surprise, I felt Rarity's insides quiver violently around me. At the same time, she let out a high-pitched shriek. Once the quivering had died down, she rested her head on a pillow while panting. It was her first orgasm. There was nothing else it could be. Not wanting to be left behind, I increased the speed of my thrusting in the hopes of experiencing an orgasm of my own.

Over the course of several minutes, I could feel a pressure building up in my pelvis. I knew what was coming as I thrust hard and fast. Rarity seemed to know it too as she pleaded, "Inside me, please... I don't want to make a mess of my bed..." I chuckled to myself. Even in orgasmic bliss, Rarity was still concerned about keeping her personal belongings tidy and clean.

The pressure building up inside me became unbearable. I attempted to hold it in for a few seconds, but it did not last long. I pushed in as deeply as I could, spilling my sperm into Rarity's womb. She gasped and shuddered at the feel of her being filled so deeply. "Oh....my....goodness..... James... I love you..." She spoke weakly, still recovering from her own orgasm.

Once my own orgasm had run its course, I carefully pulled out before resting on my side while facing Rarity. She smiled at me, "That was...fabulous, darling... Did you enjoy it?"

I sighed in response, "Oh yeah... Never knew...it would feel that great..."

Rarity reached out and sweetly kissed me on the lips, apparently having very little energy. "Prince Blueblood can't compare to you. I am so fortunate to have had you come into my life..."

I had no idea who this Prince Blueblood was at the time, but it did not matter. It felt truly wonderful to be loved by someone so beautiful and generous. "I don't even know how I ended up in Equestria... But now...I never wanna leave... I love it here... And I love you." I said with a smile as I rested my hand over Rarity's hoof. But I then asked, "Rarity... May I sleep with you from now on?"

My lover giggled quietly, "You do not even have to ask, darling. My home is yours now. Just as I am yours and you are mine."

The two of us cuddled together. I do not believe I have ever felt so happy in my life. I had not only found friends in Equestria, but a wonderful lover as well. Rarity soon let out a yawn, clearly exhausted from mating. I responded by covering her up on the bed with her head resting on a pillow at one side. "I love you, James." She whispered as she drifted off to sleep with me by her side.

I am writing this from the bathroom as I wait for the shower to heat up. My fifth day in Equestria has ended better than any previous day here. Tomorrow is my sixth day, but there will be a change. It will be my and Rarity's first day as a couple. I can only pray that the ponies of Equestria will accept our bond. But that remains to be seen.