"Darling, you have a visitor. Wake up, please." Those were the first words I heard as I was awakened by Rarity. I groggily opened my eyes as I looked up at her.

"What time is it…?" I asked as I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes.

"Oh, a little past 10. And please do get up. It is rude to keep a lady waiting." I watched as my landlord left the room. With a shrug, I sat up wondering who would want to see me in the morning. I then put on the clothes Rarity had made for me and walked out into the main workroom to meet my visitor. This marked the beginning of my sixth day in Equestria.

"Oh yes, I'm actually surprised by how torn up it got… Though I guess I kinda deserved it after how forceful I was to the animals…." My eyes fell upon Fluttershy as she chatted with Rarity. I think I felt myself blush as I watched her, remembering what had happened the previous night.

It did not take long for Fluttershy to notice me standing at the entrance to the hallway. The instant her timid eyes looked in my direction, they brightened up with excitement. "Oh, James!" I braced myself as she suddenly ran towards me and leapt into my arms. I had to drop down on one knee so I was the same height as her.

"My oh my, am I missing something here?" Rarity asked as Fluttershy nuzzled my face lovingly with her eyes closed. For some reason, Fluttershy did not seem to notice Rarity's words as she cuddled with me.

"Uh… Fluttershy? Rarity asked you something." I muttered into her ear. Fluttershy finally opened her eyes and looked over at her friend.

Before Fluttershy could say anything, Rarity gasped, "Oh, I see now! The dashing gent who won your heart. It was James, was it not?!" The unicorn seemed to be very excited as she inched closer to us.

We were both hesitant to admit our feelings to anyone. I could feel my body temperature increase as I became nervous. Fluttershy asked, "Can you…keep a secret, Rarity?"

Rarity winked at us, "Oh, but of course! Any secret from you is safe with moi!"

Fluttershy looked up at me with an uncertain gaze. We both then silently looked at Rarity before looking back at each other and nodding. Fluttershy muttered, "Well… James and I… We…"

I held Fluttershy's head to my chest as I spoke, "We're…lovers now."

Neither of us was certain of what Rarity's reaction would be. However, the unicorn beamed brightly, "Really? Truly?! Well, congrats to both of you! Am I invited to the wedding?! Ooh! Leave the tuxedo and dress to me! I can hardly wait to get started!"

Rarity's bravado flattered me to no end. Fluttershy and I had only been together since last night, yet Rarity already believed we were going to get married someday. Granted, the idea excited me. But it was far too soon to say for sure.

"You…really don't have a problem with us being together?" Fluttershy asked with a deep blush on her face.

Rarity grinned, "Oh, not only do I not have any trouble with you. I absolutely support your bond! But truly, when is the wedding?"

I chuckled, "We haven't decided on a wedding date yet… Besides, we only started seeing each other last night. It's way too soon to say if we'll ever…"

Fluttershy interrupted me with a smile; "Actually, we would appreciate it if you did make our wedding clothes when we've decided on when it happens….." She then looked up at me with an uneasy expression, "Um… If that's all right with you, that is…"

It is understandable that Fluttershy would be concerned about my thoughts on the matter, as we had only been lovers since the previous night. However, I could tell that her love for me was true and powerful if she had already asked Rarity to make our clothes for the wedding if I ever proposed to her. I replied with a smile as I stroked her mane, "That's fine with me, honey. No one makes better garments than Rarity."

At my words, Fluttershy smiled softly as she leaned against me. Rarity giggled, "Oh, you two are simply darling together. Your wedding will be so grand, even the princesses will want to attend!"

It was then that a question popped into my head. "Come to think of it, what brings you here today, Fluttershy?"

The timid pegasus smiled, "I came to see you, James. I wanted to walk with you on your way to work. Your shift starts at 11 AM, right?"

Before I could answer, I felt something climbing up my back as I was on my knees. "What the… Is that Opal?"

A familiar voice spoke out as I felt a pair of small hooves on top of my head. "I got you this time, blank flank!" I then felt the hooves stomping on my head, although my thick hair absorbed most of the impact to the point where it actually felt pleasant.

"Is it Diamond Tiara again?" I asked the two ponies before me. They both nodded with amused expressions. I then crossed my arms and asked, "Would you mind doing that a little harder? And maybe some rubbing?" I heard the filly growl as she intensified her efforts to no avail.

After a moment of stomping, I yelped as I felt Diamond Tiara kick me in the back of the neck. To my surprise, I saw Fluttershy glare at the filly and fly up to her. "Stop it, now!" The timid pegasus spoke in an unusually loud tone. She then grabbed the filly by her teeth, flew over to the front door and tossed her outside.

"Whoa… That's the most assertive I've ever seen you, Fluttershy." I muttered, having not expected her to come to my aid.

Fluttershy seemed rather embarrassed by her outburst as she shyly approached me. "I'm sorry… It's just… When I heard you were hurt, I… I think I just snapped…" She looked away in shame, probably thinking that her outburst had disappointed me.

Before I could speak my opinion, Rarity spoke up first. "Come now, Fluttershy. There is no shame in coming to the defense of those you hold dear. In fact, it was very noble of you to protect James like that. You should be proud of yourself."

I nodded as I approached my lover, "I'm actually flattered that you helped me, Fluttershy. Thank you." I stroked her mane gently to calm her.

At my touch, Fluttershy blushed with a meek smile, "Oh, James… You really don't mind it when I get assertive?"

I snickered in response, "I actually find it more endearing than frightening. You're cute when you get serious like that." Fluttershy could not really offer a retort, as she was too flattered to speak.

Rarity approached us and asked, "James, shouldn't you be on your way to work now? Only twenty minutes left before 11." She pointed at a clock on the wall to prove her statement.

"Whoa. I better get going then. Thanks for alerting me, Rarity." I said as I headed for the front door.

"Wait for me, James! Let's go together!" Fluttershy called as she trotted up alongside me. The two of us waved goodbye to Rarity before closing the door behind us.

As we headed into the town square, Fluttershy looked over towards the spa. "You start working there tomorrow, right?"

I looked over at the elegant building and nodded, "Yup. Not sure how well I'll do on my first real day, but I won't know until I try."

Fluttershy smiled as she looked up at me, "I'll be your first client tomorrow. So you can practice on me before other customers show up." She then blushed, "And…you can massage my cutie marks too, if you want…"

I winced as I recalled that her cutie marks are sensitive enough to function as a pleasure point. "Is that really a good idea? I thought you didn't want me to touch it last time." I replied, worried that it would draw attention to her, something that I know Fluttershy dislikes.

My girlfriend explained, "That was before you and I became…closer…" She then smiled shyly, "And to be honest, I'm curious of how gentle you can be with me. Besides, it's not like I'm new to that stuff. Just recently, after the first few days you started living in Ponyville, I would…sometimes…"

Fluttershy's blush only deepened as she spoke. There was clearly something she wanted to tell me, but her shyness would not let her. "Is it something personal?" I asked out of concern.

She nodded, "Not just that… I don't think it would…be a good idea to say it in public…"

This only piqued my curiosity further. "Well, could you give me a hint?"

Fluttershy glanced around, probably to make certain no one was looking our way. "OK…" She began to slowly raise and lower her forelegs, making a clopping sound with each step. "Do you hear that sound?"

I nodded, "The sound of clopping. Right?"

Fluttershy blushed, "It's not only a noun, though… It's also a verb. And not just the term associated with walking…" She could hardly even look at me.

"You mean…you would recently clop after meeting me?" I could not understand what could be so embarrassing about clopping in place, and even more so as there does not seem to be much point in doing it unless for exercise. "How is that hard to talk about? It's pretty much just walking in place."

At my words, Fluttershy looked up at me with an amused expression as she giggled at my ignorance. "I don't mean that kind of clopping. It's a…slang term… The kind of clopping I mean is…"

She paused for a moment, clearly too embarrassed to say it out loud. "Um… Could it wait until we're alone at my place today?"

I felt it would be a bad idea to inquire further until we were alone. "Sure thing. But just remember that you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Fluttershy giggled as she blushed, "Thank you, James. I love you." I was still getting accustomed to hearing her say those words as I could only chuckle nervously.

The two of us continued to chat casually as we headed towards Sugarcube Corner. But as we drew near, Pinkie Pie came out of nowhere and ran over to us. "James! Fluttershy! Twitchy twitch! Twitchy twitch!" She was standing on just her forelegs with her rump in the air, her poofy tail twitching furiously.

"Twitchy tail?! Oh no… Is there anything above us?" Fluttershy asked as she slunk up against me.

Fearing that a moving trailer was above us, or possibly the ever-unpredictable Derpy Hooves making her rounds, I looked skyward while taking care to not move. My eyes scanned the sky above us, but found nothing passing overhead. "Are you sure that 'Pinkie Sense' of yours is 100% accurate? Has it ever failed before?"

Pinkie Pie replied, "No! It's never been wrong before! Something's gonna fall! I just don't know when!"

At this, Fluttershy moved away from me and began to head towards Sugarcube Corner. "Then we should get inside before something does fa… Wah?!" Before she had gone even one foot from us, Fluttershy stumbled and was about to plummet face first into the hard ground. Without even really thinking, I quickly reached down and grabbed the timid pegasus before she could fall.

"Huh… So Fluttershy fell this time?" Pinkie Pie muttered, her tail having stopped twitching.

Until then, I had always believed that the twitchy tail sign meant that something ABOVE Pinkie Pie was going to fall. Not something that was already on the ground. Regardless, I asked, "You OK, Fluttershy?"

In my arms, she blushed, "Y-yes… I'm OK now, James… Thank you. You're my hero." She surprised me by placing a soft kiss on my cheek. All I could do in response was blush.

Pinkie Pie was quick to notice Fluttershy's display of affection and smirked, "Ooh, is something going on here? Should I get a heart box full of assorted chocolates?"

Both Fluttershy and me froze as we looked at Pinkie Pie out of the corners of our eyes. I muttered, "Not now, Pinkie. And besides, is that tail of yours still acting up?"

The pink pony looked at her tail and grinned, "Nopey Dopey! The twitching stopped. For now, at least."

The term 'for now' made me feel uneasy. The twitching could start again at any given time. Which meant the risk of Fluttershy falling. "Hang on a minute, Fluttershy." I spoke as I scooped her up in my arms.

"I'm fine, James. Really… You can put me down." Fluttershy muttered with a blush as I walked along with her in my arms.

Even though Sugarcube Corner was just ahead, I was getting a lot of awkward stares from various ponies nearby. I began to feel that carrying Fluttershy in public was not a good idea after all. As we approached the front door, Pinkie Pie ran ahead. "I got it!" She then held the door open for me.

"Thanks, Pinkie Pie." I said as I walked inside with her close behind me.

As I set her down, Fluttershy spoke, "I could've just stayed off the ground by flying. You didn't have to carry me."

I remained silent for a moment before placing a few fingers on my forehead. "Eheheh… Uh, whoops?"

Pinkie Pie giggled at my forgetfulness. But Fluttershy smiled warmly, "But it was still very sweet of you to make sure I wouldn't trip again. Thank you, dear….." However, Fluttershy brought a hoof to her mouth as she gasped upon realizing that she had let that pet name slip in front of her friend.

"Dear…? I've never heard you call anypony…that…" Pinkie Pie muttered before she smirked at me.

"It's not what it looks like, Pinkie. We're just friends." I retorted at my friend's smug gaze. When she did not stop, I raised my voice slightly, "Don't you look at me like that! You've got it all wrong!"

Pinkie Pie then spoke in a calm voice, "You two are sweethearts now, aren't you?" Fluttershy looked at me as I looked at her. We then both faced her and nodded without saying a word. At this, Pinkie Pie grinned, "AH HA! I knew it!"

"You… You did?" Fluttershy asked with a blush on her face.

I was puzzled as well. I could not recall telling Pinkie Pie anything about my feelings for Fluttershy. However, the silly pink pony giggled, "Nah! Not really. But are you two really sweethearts now? Because you're sure acting like it!"

"I don't think that's any concern of yours…" I replied, somewhat annoyed by Pinkie Pie's prying into my personal life.

However, Fluttershy nodded, "We are… Please don't tell anypony, OK?" I froze; shocked that Fluttershy would openly admit our bond to someone. Even if it was one of her closest friends.

I was half expecting Pinkie Pie to run out the door and shout out her discovery to the world. To my surprise, she grinned, "No problem! My lips are sealed! But before I forget…" Fluttershy and I watched as she trotted back into the kitchen, leaving the two of us alone. A moment later, she came back out with what seemed to be…..a curved stick of chocolate?

"I really hope that's not what I think it is…" I muttered out loud, afraid that what Pinkie Pie had in mind was perverted.

"James, I think that's a chocolate-covered banana." Fluttershy replied as Pinkie Pie set it on the front counter.

"That's exactly what it is! And it's a really popular dessert with couples. So, help yourselves! You'll see what I mean!" The pink pony said with a giggle. I noticed a ring of what seemed to be white chocolate around the very middle of the treat, probably to show where the very center is.

"Well, I haven't had breakfast yet, so thanks for the snack." I said as I took the banana in hand.

As I was about to take a bite, Pinkie Pie spoke up, "Hold on! That's for you AND Fluttershy! You gotta share it!"

I froze, embarrassed that I had forgotten that it was for couples. "Whoops… Well, would you like to share it with me, Fluttershy?" I asked as I looked down at my girlfriend.

Fluttershy nodded, "I'd love to. Chocolate-covered bananas are one of my favorite fruit treats."

I held the banana by the middle as Fluttershy flapped her wings so she was high enough to take a bite. "Ladies first." I said calmly. Fluttershy smiled before she took a bite. I then took a bite of the same size. The chocolate was probably milk chocolate, judging by its sweet and creamy flavor. It went very well with the flavor of banana. Back and forth, we took bites.

When there were only two bites worth of banana left, Fluttershy smiled, "Shall we take the last bite together?"

I nodded, "Sure. Just don't bite me." At the same time, we reached forward and took a bite. However, when we closed our mouths, our lips touched. Our eyes stared at each other as Pinkie Pie burst into laughter.

"And that's why it's so popular with couples!" The silly pink pony laughed as she rolled on the floor.

I could see how the chocolate-covered banana became known as a couple's treat. If both sides take the same number of bites and take the last bite simultaneously, their lips would touch and form a kiss once their mouths had closed. A simple but clever trick, to say the least. Fluttershy was blushing, but she soon smiled and pressed into the kiss. I did the same as I held her in a warm embrace.

"Wow. So you really ARE together now, huh?" Pinkie Pie giggled as she watched us kiss.

I broke the kiss and nodded shyly, "Yeah… I hope that's all right with you."

Pinkie Pie grinned, "Oh, it's more than just all right. It's super-fabulously-awesome! You and Fluttershy have so much in common, I just know you'll live happily ever after! Only this isn't a fairytale, right?"

Fluttershy blushed at her friend's enthusiasm and nodded, "Yes… This isn't fiction. It's reality. And…it'll last forever. Right, James?"

She looked at me with her big beautiful cyan eyes, awaiting my response. In all honesty, the thought of losing either of my beloved pony friends, either by separation or death, frightened me. But the thought of losing precious little Fluttershy scared me more than anything. "Yeah… Forever." I held her tightly in my arms as Pinkie Pie awed at our affection towards each other.

"Cute couples always get me! But anyway, we should get to work! We've got some special orders to bake!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she moved towards the swinging doors that led into the kitchen.

I nodded as I looked at my workmate before looking back at Fluttershy. "12:15 sound good?"

Fluttershy smiled, "That sounds great. See you then, James." She gave me a kiss on the cheek before heading out the front door.

With nothing else to do, I entered the kitchen and found Pinkie Pie looking over a list of orders that needed to be filled. "Anything special for today?" I asked while looking over her shoulder.

She replied, "Those chocolate drops have really caught on lately! We need a big batch of them for a birthday with the words 'Happy Birthday' written on them with icing."

"Never knew a recipe I brought with me from home would be the talk of the town." I muttered, surprised by just how popular the simple chocolate drop had become.

I got to work mixing some of the dough for baking. But as I did so, I noticed Pinkie Pie swallowing a leftover cake whole. Do not ask me how she managed to fit the whole thing in her mouth. Though I should probably get around to reading about Equestrian pony anatomy sometime. "Did you buy that?" I asked, wondering if our bosses would mind if she consumed Sugarcube Corner products.

Pinkie Pie giggled, "Oh, that was just one of our leftovers from yesterday. If we don't sell something at least one day after it's been baked, I eat it before it goes bad! Nopony likes stale cakes, you know." She then proceeded to eat a few cupcakes that were likely under the same rules.

As I watched her eat the day old pastries, an unpleasant thought popped into my head. From what I had seen since I had first arrived in Equestria, Pinkie Pie's diet seemed to consist of an absurd amount of sugary sweets. Such a high level of sugar intake could not possibly be healthy, even for her. And as I watched her consume some muffins, a sense of dread came over me as I imagined what would happen to my cheerful and happy friend if she developed diabetes. I know for a fact that horses on Earth can develop the syndrome, so it would not surprise me if Equestrian ponies could too.

Just as she was about to consume some cookies, I spoke out. "Pinkie Pie. You got a minute?"

My voice got her attention as she looked away from the cookies and directed her gaze towards me. "Sure, James! What's up?"

I then asked, "I need to ask you something important. Do you have diabetes?"

My question seemed to baffle my friend since she asked, "Dye a bee tease? What's that? A board game? I love games!" She hopped in place with her signature springy jump in excitement.

I facepalmed as I sighed. "It's not a game. This is serious. I'm talking about diabetes. A very serious medical condition."

My serious tone seemed to cause Pinkie Pie to realize that I was not trying to be amusing. She stopped hopping in place immediately. "Oh… Well, what about it? Is it something that only happens where you're from?"

I replied, "I don't know. And you sound like you've never heard of it before. But judging by your diet….. I'd say you're at risk of getting it."

To my surprise and disappointment, Pinkie Pie giggled, "My diet? Oh, I get it. You started getting ideas when you saw me eat that cake! Well, I'm still perfectly healthy, so that dye a whatever thing probably isn't gonna get me."

Her enthusiasm was beginning to annoy me as I grumbled, "Just listen. Diabetes is a medical condition that occurs when your body is no longer capable of producing insulin due to prolonged excessive sugar consumption. And judging by how much sugar you eat every single day, you are extremely at risk."

My words seemed to be sinking in since Pinkie Pie began to look afraid. She asked, "Is it…really that bad? What happens if I get it?"

I explained, "I'll put it this way. Where I'm from, thousands if not millions of people have it all over the world. As for what happens, you can't eat very much sugar anymore without becoming weak or even collapsing. And you have to give yourself an insulin injection every single day. You know, needles that you stick in yourself." The mention of needles seemed to frighten my friend as she gasped and backed away while shivering. I could not say I blame her though since I too strongly dislike injections. But I then added, "And worst of all, there's no cure. If you get diabetes, you're stuck with it for the rest of your life. Of course, if you don't take proper and meticulous care of yourself once you get it, you can die."

This revelation seemed to shock Pinkie Pie to her core since she merely stared at me for a moment. I truly felt bad for discussing such a depressing topic with her, but I felt I had to warn her instead of just watching her gamble with her health everyday. After a moment of silence, I saw that Pinkie Pie was starting to tear up. She then asked, "James… Could you watch the place for me? I need to go do something important…" I could hear her voice breaking as she spoke.

I nodded, "Sure, Pinkie. Go do what you have to do. And take your time. I'll tell the bosses you're out making a delivery if they ask." Pinkie Pie smiled thankfully before running out the back door.

I think fifteen minutes passed before I heard a knock on the back door. I had just placed the dough into the oven for baking when I heard it. The door creaked open a notch before I heard Pinkie Pie ask, "Everything OK in there, James?" Her voice sounded calm and cheery, just like it always did.

"Yeah, it's cool. No problems." I replied, wondering where she had gone. The pink pony pushed the door open all the way and walked inside. To my shock, I found that she had a small bandage around her upper left foreleg that had a noticeable red stain in it. "Wha… Where did you go?"

Pinkie Pie replied, "I went over to the hospital to have some tests done to see if I have dia… Whatever you called it. They had to draw some blood to check." She then breathed a sigh of relief, "I'm clean… I'm not in danger of getting it."

I smiled in relief. The thought of Pinkie Pie developing diabetes was a truly depressing thought indeed. However, she began to tear up once again while looking up at me. "James…"

I saw what was coming, so I got down on one knee. My friend sailed into my arms and embraced me tightly while lightly sobbing, "Thank you for warning me… I don't wanna be unable to eat my favorite foods anymore…"

It was surprising to see just how seriously Pinkie Pie was taking this matter. She normally just took even the direst situations in stride. For her to be breaking down like this, the fear of developing diabetes must be prevalent in her mind.

"It's OK, Pinkie. You don't have it and you're not in the danger zone. You don't have to cry." I muttered as I held her gently in my arms. I even felt myself tearing up. Seeing Pinkie Pie so unhappy was truly not easy to keep a straight face with.

"I know… But… The thought still scares me. And I'm not just scared…" She looked me in the eye, "I'm also happy… James, I think you just might've saved me. I'm glad to have a friend like you."

I saved her? By explaining the subject of diabetes to her? Who knew such a simple chat with her could have such an impact. Pinkie Pie smiled at me, "If you never showed up in Equestria, I probably would've just kept on eating myself to death. And to be honest… Twilight's scolded me a few times on eating too many sweets. But I always blew her off thinking that something so tasty couldn't be bad for you… But…was everything you said about diabetes true? That lots of ponies have it where you're from?"

She had good reason to question me, as Pinkie Pie had no knowledge of my homeland. But I nodded, "I would never lie about something so grim. Plenty of humans have it all over the world. And not just them. Various other creatures get it too. Including ponies."

I cuddled with Pinkie Pie for a moment longer as she tightened her grip on me. "Was I too harsh in my use of words?" I asked, worried that my blunt and down-to-earth explanation of diabetes may have seemed rude.

Much to my surprise, Pinkie Pie let out a giggle as she pushed away from me so we were face-to-face. "It's OK! I'm actually really glad you told me about this! Now I know I have to be more careful with how many sweets I eat in a day. If I could only eat just a little each day, that would be super duper lame! And don't get me started on the insulin injections! I hate hate HATE needles! That's the last thing I ever want!" I chuckled under my breath, relieved to see that my friend was already back to her silly energetic self.

Once she had finished talking, I tried to get a word in. But Pinkie Pie then asked, "Come to think of it, what should I do to avoid getting diabetes? Can you tell me?"

I replied as honestly as I could. "Well, the best way to do it is to balance out your diet. You should eat sweets the least. It's OK if you eat some everyday, but you should be careful to not overdo it. I'd say the equivalent of half a dozen cupcakes a day should be your limit. I guess it's all right if you go overboard once in a really long time, but that's it. Keep your sugar intake under control and you should be fine."

To my surprise, Pinkie Pie was jotting down every word I said into a notebook. "You're taking this really seriously, huh?" I asked, impressed that she was taking my advice to heart.

Pinkie Pie set her pencil down before nodding, "Yup! I want to be able to enjoy my favorite foods without any restrictions! I mean… If I had to watch what I eat for the rest of my life… You might as well call me 'Blandy Pie' if that happened. I would be soooo depressed."

As she went to the oven to check on the baking dough, I thought over what she meant. I recalled right there when I told her the infamous 'the cake is a lie' joke at my welcoming party on my first night in Ponyville. I could remember just how upset and delusional she became. While I found it to be mildly entertaining at first, now that Pinkie Pie and I had become closer, the thought of her being that way 24/7 for the rest of her life…..quite literally had me feeling like I was going to tear up. Pinkie Pie had become an important part of my daily life, not only as a friend and workmate, but also for adding a healthy kick of excitement to my life on a daily basis. Life without her would be, as she put it just a moment ago, 'blandy'.

I watched as the pink pony carried the tray of baked dough circles to the central counter to cool with a potholder in her mouth to protect her from the heat. "Looks like they're ready for the icing!" She then went over to a metal container that held the chocolate meant for the dough. But before she could grab it, I walked up behind her, got down on my knees, and embraced my friend from behind. "Um… James? Is something wrong?" She asked with a hint of concern in her voice.

I sighed as I whispered into her ear. "Pinkie Pie… Never ever change. Please."

Pinkie Pie looked over her shoulder at me, apparently having trouble processing what I had just told her. But she soon smiled and spoke in an unusually calm tone, "Don't you worry about that. I'll always be Pinkamena Diane Pie." She then surprised me with a kiss on the cheek. "And I have a request too. Don't ever change either, James. OK?"

I was genuinely touched by Pinkie Pie's show of affection as I took off my glasses just in case I would start to cry a little. "That's a promise, Pinkie…" I replied as I tightened my embrace on her. She managed to turn herself around and embrace me as well.

But our moment together was interrupted as we heard the swinging doors to the storefront open. "Oh my… Am I interrupting anything, dearies?"

We both looked out of the corner of our eyes to see Mrs. Cake standing in the doorway. We then silently looked at each other before nervously backing away from each other. Both of us began to nervously banter simultaneously, trying to explain ourselves. However, neither of us could speak coherently.

"Well…. Uh… I see that everything is coming along smoothly. I'll just…um…be tending to the customers out front. Don't make a mess now, dearies." Mrs. Cake chuckled as she left us alone together.

"Do you think she thought we were…" I asked without even taking my eyes off the swinging doors.

"Yep." Pinkie Pie replied bluntly.

"She's gonna ask everyone who comes in if we're dating, isn't she?" I asked blankly.

"Yep… I mean, no… I mean…maybe?" Pinkie Pie replied with a blush. I honestly hoped that Mrs. Cake would keep quiet about what she saw. Granted, I do adore Pinkie Pie and she certainly loves me as a friend. But Fluttershy is the girl I love. And that would never change.

"Maybe we should just get back to work." I muttered as I carried the tin of chocolate over to the 'drops' for spreading.

"Yep." Pinkie Pie replied once again. I watched as she went into the storeroom at the side of the kitchen, probably to fetch the icing to be used once the chocolate had settled.

After topping all the dough, I looked over to the doorway that led into the storeroom. Pinkie Pie was taking a while to come out, as a few minutes had passed. If she had come out while I was busy spreading the chocolate, I would have surely heard her footsteps. Curious, I peeked inside the storeroom. But she was nowhere to be seen.

"Um… Pinkie Pie? You having trouble finding something?" I asked, not moving from the doorway.

"Nope! I found what I was looking for!" Her voice replied from right behind me.

I jumped slightly as I turned around to face her. "Wait a sec… How'd you get outta there without using this doorway?!"

The silly pink pony giggled, "I can't tell you that! It's a secret!"

I suspected that perhaps there was another door in the storeroom that led out front. But when I went inside to check, I found no other means to get into the room. I raised an eyebrow as I pondered this. Was Pinkie Pie able to teleport? Could she walk through walls like a ghost? It was then that I decided this was a question better left unanswered. I wanted to remain sane. "Some things about Pinkie Pie are not meant to be understood…"

After an hour or so of preparing treats, I took the time to look at the closest clock. "12:05…" I then looked at Pinkie and asked, "Is it OK if I take my lunch break now?"

She replied with a grin, "Sounds good to me! I know this is supposed to be a private meal with Fluttershy, but may I tag along too? I wanna start my new healthier diet now."

It did my heart good to hear that Pinkie Pie was quite serious about improving her diet. Not wanting to deny her company, I nodded, "OK then. Just don't bother Fluttershy, OK?"

Pinkie Pie grinned, "Oki doki loki! I'll go let Mrs. Cake know we're taking our lunch break now. You go on ahead!" I smiled as she ran out to the storefront while I slipped out through the back door.

I had walked for less than a minute before Pinkie Pie caught up to me. "What's the meeting spot? The café?" Once she was walking alongside me, Pinkie Pie began to perform her characteristic springy hop instead of walking.

"Yup. That's where we agreed to meet up. Anything you planning on ordering?" I replied while watching her hop.

"I hear spinach is a really healthy food, so I'll get some spinach pie or something." Pinkie Pie said with a smile. Spinach was also one of my favorite vegetables, so the mention of a pie with it got me feeling hungrier than usual.

The café was fairly busy that day. All but one table was taken outside. I recognized a few ponies among the customers. Namely Bon Bon, Lyra, Berry Punch, Daisy, Carrot Top, and even Derpy Hooves. We were quick to grab the last table and request a third menu from the waiter. As usual, I borrowed a stool from nearby so Fluttershy could use the stack of hay below the table as a seat.

While Pinkie Pie browsed her menu, I kept a constant eye out for any sign of Fluttershy. Knowing that she is a pegasus, I watched the sky. I did not wait long as a familiar yellow pegasus mare with a long pink mane and tail flew towards the café. I waved up at her to get her attention. She immediately made a shallow dive and landed right beside me. "Right on time, Fluttershy." I said with a smile.

My girlfriend grinned brightly as she took a seat next to me, "I didn't keep you waiting, did I?"

I shook my head, "Nope. You arrived right on schedule. And besides, even if you were late, Pinkie Pie here would've kept me company."

Fluttershy looked across the table to see Pinkie Pie smiling while waving at her. "I hope you don't mind me tagging along. I needed to get some healthier fare into my system."

Pinkie Pie's explanation seemed to surprise my lover as she asked, "Healthier…fare? That's… I'm amazed, Pinkie. I never knew you would actually believe Twilight's warnings."

Our friend giggled, "Actually, it was James who got through to me. He told me all about this nasty little disease or something called diabetes. Lots of people all over where he comes from have it, and even us ponies can get it! So, starting today, I'm gonna start eating healthier!" She then grinned at Fluttershy, "You're so lucky to have such a sweet guy as your boyfriend, Fluttershy. I'm kinda jealous, to be honest!"

I saw Fluttershy blush at Pinkie Pie's compliment. "Yes… I am very blessed to have met him…"

In response, I chuckled, "I'm not all that special. Really."

Pinkie Pie looked as if she was about to say something, but paused as Fluttershy leaned against me. "Maybe… But you're special to me." Fluttershy whispered.

"Awww… You two are such a great couple! Am I invited to the wedding?" Pinkie Pie said with a grin.

I replied, "Well… If we do get around to planning the date, we'll be sure to pass you an invite. Right, dear?" I looked down at Fluttershy and awaited her response.

"Oh, yes. And we could ask you to plan the after party since that's your special talent." Fluttershy said with a nod.

At the mention of the word 'party', Pinkie Pie grinned brightly, "Ooh, that'll be a fun challenge! I've only had to plan a wedding party once so far. It'll make for an interesting change of pace! I just hope I've still got the touch!"

As we conversed a while longer, the waiter approached our table. "Have you made your decision?"

Pinkie Pie spoke up while I looked through the pasta section of the menu. "I'll have a slice of spinach pie. What about you, Fluttershy?"

My girlfriend replied, "I think I'll have the same thing."

When the waiter turned to me, I found a pasta dish that had a butter, olive oil, and garlic sauce with spinach, diced tomatoes, and even scallops in it. The very thought of such a delicious combination made my mouth water. "I'll have one of these, please." I do not recall the name of the entrée, but the waiter nodded and headed back inside to place our orders.

Pinkie Pie gave me an odd stare as she asked, "Um… Did you just order something with MEAT in it?"

I replied, "You're one to talk. You gulped down a whole carp a few days ago when making that pie for Rarity."

Fluttershy stared at Pinkie Pie with an expression that seemed to say 'Are you serious?' before the silly pink pony chuckled, "Touché". The two of us laughed in unison.

"So, whatcha planning on after work, lovebirds?" Pinkie Pie asked with a smirk.

Fluttershy seemed too shy to offer a reply as she began to blush and stammer without offering a real answer. I placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her and explained, "Well, I'm gonna pack my bags and move in with Fluttershy once I get off work. I mean, if we're lovers now, shouldn't we live together?"

Pinkie Pie nodded, "That's what couples are supposed to do…. Ooh!" I swear I thought I saw a glowing lightbulb above her head for an instant. But as I said earlier, some things about Pinkie Pie are not meant to be understood. It was for the best that I did not ask. "That just gave me an idea! I gotta plan a special party for somepony in a few days!"

"A…party? For who?" Fluttershy asked. I was also curious of where this sudden plan came from.

"It's. A. Se. Cret." Pinkie Pie replied with a mischievous grin.

Rather than try to pry further into something that probably did not concern me, I decided to change the subject. "So, Pinkie… Have any of those new recipes I've shared caught on besides the chocolate drops?"

She replied, "Oh, yeah! The blueberry pound cakes are really popular now! Most customers say the sugar on top gives it a satisfying crunch. And those chocolate drops are so versatile! Our most popular types are those with chocolate topped with icing. I've been getting all sorts of requests for other types of toppings too, like coconut and buttercream!"

Fluttershy added, "I've heard about those lately. And they're from where you come from, James?"

I nodded, "Yeah. Can't say I've ever made them myself while back home, but I pretty much grew up with them. I would often get my breakfast from a local bakery that sold the stuff during my school days."

"Then I'd love to try some. May I buy a few once we're done here?" Fluttershy asked.

Pinkie Pie grinned, "Of course you can! We should have some fresh ones too!"

Not much time passed before the waiter returned with our orders. The slices of spinach pie looked appetizing, but my pasta dish made my mouth water with its aroma. Even my dining companions could not help staring at it. "Whoa, that looks awesome! I wish I ordered that instead!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she literally began to drool a river over her side of the table.

"Good grief, Pinkie. Get a towel!" I grumbled as I lifted mine and Fluttershy's entrees up to prevent the drool from reaching them. Fluttershy backed away from the table as well while wincing at the sight of the drool dripping off the table.

"Uh… Oops?" Pinkie Pie muttered with a blush. Fortunately, another table had opened up while waiting for our meals. So we moved over to that one instead.

"OK, now can we enjoy our food without anymore drool leakage?" I asked once we had made ourselves comfortable.

Pinkie Pie could only chuckle nervously, clearly embarrassed that she let her appetite get the better of her. Without further delay, the three of us started on our meals.

My entrée tasted every bit as delicious as I had expected. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie seemed to be enjoying their entrees as well. "Mmmm, who knew eating healthy could be so tasty?" Pinkie Pie said as she took another bite of her pie. Wait….. A Pie eating a pie. What delightful irony.

Fluttershy said little as she ate. Probably as a means to avoid distracting us from enjoying our food. We all finished less than a minute apart from each other. "Boy, that was yummy. Not sweet, but still really yummy!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she rubbed her belly.

"Food doesn't have to be sweet to be good, ya know." I replied, equally satisfied with my meal.

"I enjoyed my time with you two. And the food was great too." Fluttershy said as she pulled some bits out of her mane. I had to wonder just how ponies carry money around without the aid of bags or purses. Well, yes. I remember that Rainbow Dash cannot carry bits with her unless she has a bag or something. But how does everyone else do it? I was tempted to ask, but chose not to as it was not necessary to know.

The three of us placed our payments on the table and turned to walk back to Sugarcube Corner together. However, Fluttershy spoke up, "Could you go on ahead? I need to talk to Derpy Hooves for a minute."

"OK, you do that. We'll walk slow so you're not left behind." I replied. Pinkie Pie and I began to make our way back to work as Fluttershy trotted over to the walleyed pegasus who was dining nearby.

We were probably around halfway to Sugarcube Corner by the time Fluttershy caught up to us. "What'd you need to chat with Derpy for? Needed a letter mailed right away?" Pinkie Pie asked as Fluttershy trotted alongside me.

"I just needed to place an order for delivery. She doesn't just work with letters, you know." The timid pegasus replied.

I was curious of just what other lines of work Derpy Hooves was involved in, but I felt it was not my place to ask. We arrived at Sugarcube Corner in a matter of minutes. Although she was not an employee, Fluttershy followed us into the kitchen.

"Right, you wanted a chocolate drop and blueberry pound cake?" I asked as I turned to Fluttershy. When she nodded, I went to fetch some fresh ones for her. "Here we go. Baked just this morning."

Fluttershy giggled as she looked at the two pastries. "And to think that these came from another land. I feel like I'm buying some exotic candy."

However, I replied, "Buying? Not this time. It's on me." I could not bring myself to ask for any money whatsoever from the love of my life. Even if I would not end up keeping the money.

"But… It's OK, James. I can afford it no problem. You don't have to buy it for me." Fluttershy replied with a blush. Her modesty truly made my heart melt.

"It's OK, Fluttershy. These don't cost much anyway. It won't be a big loss. I can handle it. Really. So please. Take them and enjoy them." I explained, hoping that she would accept my gift without an argument.

After a brief moment of silence, she finally gave in. "OK… But please don't treat me to everything, James. I don't want to be a burden."

I replied as I boxed up her order, "Don't worry. You're never a burden to me." I then placed a kiss on her cheek as I handed the box to her. "See you after work, honey." Fluttershy giggled quietly as she blushed, the box resting on her back. I then saw her off with a smile.

Pinkie Pie and I chatted casually with each other to help pass the time as we worked. Before I even knew it, the clock struck 6 PM. Right as I was putting on the finishing touches of a few cakes; there was a pop as a stream of confetti flew over my head.

"Congratulations, James! You just finished your first full day on the job!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she held a party popper in her mouth.

"Ugh… So what if I did? It's all because nothing came up that could've resulted in me being called away." I replied, not finding Pinkie Pie's enthusiasm to be very appropriate.

My light scolding seemed to work as Pinkie Pie giggled, "OK, OK, sorry. Just couldn't help myself in celebrating."

However, it was then that I realized that it was closing time. "Wait, it's time to close up shop already? Time sure flew by fast today. What do I do before I punch out?"

As if to answer me, Mr. Cake walked into the kitchen from the storefront. "Oh, you don't have to worry about that. The Mrs. and I handle closing time. You two are free to head on home whenever you're ready."

I nodded, "Thanks, Mr. Cake. I guess this means I'll see you Wednesday." I waved goodbye as I headed out the back door. I knew Pinkie Pie did not have to go anywhere as she lived right upstairs in the loft.

Now that I was free for the evening, I knew exactly what I was going to do. I wasted no time and took the most direct route I could back to Carousel Boutique. But along the way, I remembered that I still needed to borrow a certain book from the library. Certain that it would not take long; I made a detour for Twilight's home.

As usual, I peeked in through the window to make certain no one was near the front door. The only person near it was Owlowiscious. I then hurried to the door and rushed inside before anyone could beat me to it. "Who?" Owlowiscious hooted once he saw me.

"You should've been named Dr. Who, if you ask me." I replied as I stroked his feathers. But I then looked towards the stairs leading to Twilight's living quarters as the sound of hooves clopping drew near. In seconds, I saw the purple unicorn come into view.

"Oh… Good evening, James." She spoke softly. I noticed a distinct lack of her usual enthusiasm in her tone. Every time I had seen her until that day, she had always been very happy to see me.

"Are you OK, Twilight? You don't sound too good." I asked, concerned as I drew near.

My friend took a step back as her ears drooped. She was clearly upset about something and was probably not willing to tell me why. "Twilight… Is there something wrong? Is there anything I can do to help?"

She sighed as she motioned for me to follow her upstairs. "I'd like to get comfortable first…" I followed her upstairs without a word.

When we reached the second floor, I took a moment to actually study the layout. There was a fireplace on one side and a small flight of stairs that led up to a higher floor in the room. Right next to the stairs was a glass door that led out to a balcony. There were a few bookcases around, but not nearly as many as on the first floor. There was even a large telescope extending through an open window on the upper floor. In all honesty, this floor did not bring to mind a library at all.

I watched as Twilight took a seat on the stairs that led to the upper floor. "OK then… Can I help you with anything?" She asked calmly.

I replied, "I should be asking that. You don't seem like yourself at the moment, Twilight. Are you feeling OK?"

My friend sighed, as she once again looked very distraught about something. "How did things turn out when you went to Fluttershy last night?"

I nodded in response, "It went very well. It started out awkward, but in the end, we became lovers… Is that all right? A human and pony falling in love with each other?"

Twilight nodded halfheartedly, "Yeah… It's all right… And I'm glad you two worked things out…"

I knew there was something she was not telling me as I noticed that Twilight was starting to tear up. "…But there's something you don't like about it, isn't there?"

It took a moment for Twilight to speak, "Yeah… I know Fluttershy is my friend and I would never want to hurt her… But…I envy her…"

From what I could see, it seemed that Twilight had become lovelorn overtime and seemed to unwillingly resent the fact that her friend had found love. "You mean, you wish it was you who found a boyfriend first?" I asked, curious of what she truly meant.

Her answer shocked me as she looked at me, as a tear fell from her eye, "No… I envy her because…..I was hoping…you would turn her feelings down so that I could have you…as a boyfriend."

I felt my body temperature spike as I began to sweat. "Twilight… You really mean that?"

She nodded slowly. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner… But…in hindsight, I think it was best that it happened yesterday than today. I was planning on asking you out to a picnic for lunch today so I could confess my feelings for you in private…" She then gave me a very faint smile, "I'm actually kinda grateful that she decided to tell you about her feelings for you last night instead of today. It would've hurt more if you had told me at the picnic when I confessed to you."

As I watched, Twilight's smile dissolved into a crooked grimace as her tears began to fall more fluidly. "But… Why does it hurt? I know we can't be together, but….I can't accept it…"

I felt a twinge of guilt in my heart as I thought back to the time I was walking through Sweet Apple Acres. I remembered thinking about my six friends before settling on trying to win Fluttershy over. Before I had made my final decision, I remembered strongly considering Twilight Sparkle as a potential girlfriend as she felt like a great match for me. But now…

As I approached my friend, I felt as if I had made a terrible mistake. I took a seat by her and gently held her in my arms. "I'm sorry…" I whispered as I felt myself beginning to tear up.

Twilight's sobbing slightly weakened as I held her against me. "James… I know we can't be together… But…will we still see each other everyday?"

In response, I whispered, "I wouldn't have it any other way, Twi… You're like the big sister I never had." It was true, after all. I have never had a sister in my family.

I felt Twilight's sobbing rapidly slow. She then spoke, "Big sister… But I thought you were older than me…" She then giggled a little for a moment.

"Twi…?" I asked, worried that she may hold a grudge against Fluttershy or me for breaking her heart.

"James… I think what I was most worried about was the thought of Fluttershy taking you away from me entirely. But if we can still see each other on a daily basis… I think I can live with that." I felt her embrace me with her forelegs, her face against my shoulder.

"Are you sure you're OK with this, Twilight?" I asked, amazed that she would be willing to give up her future with me as long as we could keep seeing each other everyday.

She nodded as she wiped her tears away, "I'm sure… Besides, I think Fluttershy needs you more than I do. Somepony who understands her quiet and nonviolent nature. Somepony like you. Please. Never leave her."

I smiled warmly as I placed my hand over her hoof, "I promise. Thank you for supporting us, Twilight."

We continued to embrace each other for a moment before Twilight suddenly gasped, "Actually, this gives me an idea!" She released her grip on me and ran over to a podium that had an ink quill and a blank scroll on it. "I think I learned something important from all this."

Curious of what she was doing, I walked up behind Twilight and looked over her shoulder as her horn was engulfed with a billowing aura. The quill rose out of its ink container and began to write. Twilight spoke aloud as she wrote. "Dear Princess Celestia. Today, I learned a very important, yet painful, lesson about both friendship and the concept of love. I have recently developed romantic feelings for my new friend, James. However, his feelings are directed towards my other friend Fluttershy. I learned that rejection hurts, especially when you lose that special somepony to a friend of yours. And while you may feel anger or envy towards them, you must put aside your feelings and accept their new bond in order to keep your friendship with each of them. I shall honor their bond and support them however I can, because while their bond may have become stronger and more intimate, they will always remain my friends. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight's handling of the situation truly amazed me as she was showing wisdom beyond her years. She then rolled up the scroll and set it on the podium. "I'll ask Spike to send this first thing in the morning. I doubt Princess Celestia will be expecting a report on such a deep subject." I nodded silently, still surprised by her levelheaded response.

My friend looked up at me and smiled, "I'm sorry if I made you feel bad, James… I was just afraid of losing you as a friend more than anything. But you're not going to abandon me, right?"

The thought of losing any of my six pony friends was actually very disheartening to me. I reached out and stroked her mane, "No way. I'm never leaving you girls. Without you….. Actually, I don't even want to think about that."

My hesitation seemed to pique Twilight's curiosity as she asked, "Without us… James, what are we to you? Just how important are we in your eyes?"

I took a moment to think deeply on my answer. Once I knew what I was going to say, I took a seat on the stairs that led up to the upper floor. "I'll say it like this… When I first arrived in Equestria, I literally had nothing but the clothes on my back and the stuff in my pockets. I was completely lost and alone. I was scared and not sure of what was going to happen to me. But then you six…"

I smiled warmly as I closed my eyes and remembered my welcoming party during the evening of my first day in Equestria. "You girls had never even met me before. You knew nothing about me, and yet you still helped me. That day, each of you became important parts of my life." I then sighed, "Twilight… I'm going to be perfectly honest with you. Applejack. Pinkie Pie. Fluttershy. Rarity. Rainbow Dash. And you. The six of you…have made my life worth living."

My words seemed to touch Twilight deeply as she began to tear up with a smile. "You…really mean that?"

I nodded, "Before I ended up in Equestria, I was very uncertain of my future. But now, I feel at ease about my place in this world. And it's all thanks to you girls." I then frowned, "If I lost either of you… Or worse, if I lost all of you…"

Twilight spoke up, "Your life would be as empty as possible, wouldn't it?"

I sighed in response, "Not just empty. It would be… I would essentially be dead. My life would be virtually over."

My unicorn friend approached me and rested her hoof on my shoulder. "I promise that will never happen. Because…I know each of us can't bear the thought of losing you either. Life without you would never be the same. Sure, we would still have each other. But…it would be like a piece of a puzzle that has been lost forever. No matter how enjoyable our lives are, it will never be complete." She then embraced me and whispered; "I don't know who or what brought you to Equestria, James. But I'm grateful you did come here."

I muttered lightly as I embraced her as well, "So am I…"

After a moment more, Twilight giggled, "OK, I think that's enough sentimental subject matter for one day. We shouldn't dwell too long on stuff like that. Now then, is there anything I can help you with?"

It was only then that I remembered why I had even come to the library in the first place. "Oh, right. I was looking for a book that has detailed information on the flora and fauna of Equestria. That encyclopedia you lent me is good, but…"

Twilight nodded, "But you need something with a little more, right? I think a copy of 'Natural Wonders of Equestria' is what you need. Right this way." I followed her downstairs, where she picked out a book from the many rows that lined the wall.

"Many thanks, Twi." I said with a smile as I took the book in my hands. "I'll return this once I'm done with it."

"Feel free to bring it on back whenever you wish. There's no late fees, you know." Twilight replied as she nuzzled me.

Before I left, I asked, "Come to think of it, where's Spike? I don't think I've seen him today."

The purple unicorn smiled, "Oh, he's been out and about with his chores. He's a pretty busy little guy. He should be back soon since his bedtime is in a couple of hours."

"OK then. Tell him I said hi." I then made my way towards the front door.

"James… Before you go?" Twilight spoke up as I reached for the doorknob. When I turned to face her, she smiled warmly, "No matter what happens, I'll always love you. OK?"

I felt an immense feeling of reassurance at Twilight's words. Something in my gut told me that even if the entire world were to turn against me, I would still have Twilight Sparkle at my side. I think I was blushing as I replied, "Thank you, Twilight… Sweet dreams." I waved goodbye and headed on my way home.

The sun was just on the verge of setting when I reached Carousel Boutique. Upon stepping inside, I found Applejack talking to Rarity while wearing a pair of saddlebags. "Much obliged, Rarity. And how're the other dress repairs comin' along?" Applejack asked my landlord.

"Oh, they're coming along steadily. I have other orders to fill, so I can't work on them all the time. But don't worry! They'll all be in pristine shape by the time the Grand Galloping Gala arrives." Rarity replied with a smile.

I did not want to interrupt the two mares, but I did not go undetected for long. Rarity noticed me behind Applejack almost immediately and trotted over to me. "Welcome home, James! I don't believe you've ever come home this late before. You stay for a full day at work?"

I nodded, "Yeah, but it was a pretty good day. Pinkie Pie kept things fun for me."

Applejack then approached me and asked, "Ya know, I never saw ya this mornin'. Sleep in today?"

She was right. With the exception of Rarity, Applejack was usually the first friend I saw everyday. It was rather unusual that I did not see her that morning. "Yeah, sorry about that. I had a feeling something was a little off this morning. And now I know what. I never saw my favorite country girl hauling her prized apples through town."

The farm pony chuckled, "So, I'm yer favorite now? Well, I must be, seein' as how there ain't any other farm fillies in Ponyville. Well, unless ya count Apple Bloom and Granny Apple Smith, that is."

Until then, I had no knowledge of Applejack's grandmother. I wanted to ask her to tell me more about her, but I did not want to keep her, as it seemed she was on the verge of leaving. "I'll have to say hi to them next time I wander into Sweet Apple Acres. Please give them my regards."

Applejack nodded, "I sure will. But now I gotta head on back ta lock up the barn fer the night. See y'all later!" Rarity and I bid Applejack farewell as she trotted out the door.

Before I could say anything, Rarity approached me with a smile, "Now that you're here, there is something I must show you." Her horn began to shimmer as something was levitated over to us. I recognized it as her failed attempt at making a pair of blue jeans for me. The only difference was that it now had a long strap bolted to the sides, allowing it to be worn over the shoulder. "Remember how you said you could use it to carry groceries if I added a strap to it? Well, that is exactly what I did!"

I chuckled as I slipped the strap over me so the 'bag' was resting against my side. "Thanks again, Rarity. But now I need to pack my bags. I promised I would move in with Fluttershy after work today."

My revelation seemed to surprise Rarity, but she then solemnly nodded, "I understand. She is your betrothed, after all. I'll go gather up your old clothes."

As Rarity headed for the edge of the main workroom, I asked, "Rarity, is something wrong? You sounded…..displeased."

The beautiful unicorn turned to face me and smiled, "Oh, it's not what you think, darling. I know that Fluttershy is most precious to you. Although…I confess that I will miss your company. You truly have been a likeable guest to me."

I approached my landlord and stroked her lovely mane. "That doesn't mean you won't ever see me again. I promise I'll stop by here at least once a day just to say hello. You've done a lot for me, Rarity. And I'm grateful for your generosity."

Rarity giggled, "I know that. It's just… With the exception of visits from Sweetie Belle, the only company I have is Opal. And let's just say she isn't always the sociable type."

I nodded, knowing Opal had a habit at swiping at others with her claws when not in the mood to be approached. "Well… How about you drop by the spa tomorrow? I start working there. And my work days are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays."

Rarity looked up at me and grinned, "Ooh, then I will certainly stop by just to feel your magic touch. When do you head into work tomorrow?"

I thought back to the previous day. "Um… I think at 11 AM… Do you know if there's a dress code?"

"Oh, I doubt it. Most ponies don't wear much to begin with, so I'm sure you can wear whatever you deem fit for the job." Rarity replied as she gathered up my clothes.

As I fetched the encyclopedia I had borrowed from Twilight days earlier, I asked, "Rarity, would it be OK with you if I left my formal clothes here?"

My landlord nodded, "That is fine. I will make sure it stays in pristine condition for you."

In a matter of minutes, I checked the contents of my bag. "My t-shirt, shorts, a few pairs of socks, that encyclopedia, a copy of 'Natural Wonders of Equestria', my camera… Is there anything I'm forgetting?"

Rarity replied, "I do not believe so. But if you do happen to forget something and I happen across it, I will send it along to you."

I nodded and got down on one knee, "Thanks again, Rarity. I really enjoyed my time here with you, but it's time I change homes. But I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

The unicorn placed a sweet kiss on my cheek, "Definitely. Expect me around 2 PM tomorrow. And do take care on your way over to Fluttershy's, darling." I chuckled as I embraced her gently. Once we had said our goodbyes, I headed out the door with my belongings at my side.

The sun had just started to set as I passed through the town square. Fairly few ponies were walking the streets at the time. Summer was on its last legs as August was nearly over. As a result, night had begun to come sooner. But as I walked through Ponyville, I took a moment to take in the sights and sounds around me. The air was calm and warm as the hissing of cicadas filled the air. I closed my eyes as I took in the scent of evening meals being prepared. Tomorrow will be the last day of my first full week in Equestria. And strangely enough, I felt more at home here than I had ever felt back on Earth. These ponies were nothing like me. And yet, I… "Equestria is the closest thing to paradise I've ever heard of." I muttered quietly. It was true. While this world certainly had some problems, there were far fewer than those that plagued my homeland.

I casually resumed my walk towards Fluttershy's cottage, glancing around at my surroundings as the sky bathed the area in a gentle orange light. But my eyes then glanced upwards as I saw a moving trailer being pulled through the air by a pair of pegasi. To my surprise, Derpy Hooves was flying alongside it. "She deals with packages too?" I muttered out loud. But right then, I noticed Rainbow Dash pass by the trailer before she swooped down towards me.

"Whoa, this is an all-time late for me meeting you in a day. Where ya been?" Rainbow Dash asked. She was right. I was talking to her for the first time that day and it was almost nightfall.

"I've been around. Mainly just doing my job over at Sugarcube Corner. I didn't get out until closing time today, which probably explains why we didn't meet earlier in the day." I replied, feeling very glad to see my boisterous friend.

"That reminds me. What are your work hours?" She asked upon landing before me.

I replied, "Well, I work at Sugarcube Corner on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Starting tomorrow, I start working at the spa on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. For my days at Sugarcube Corner, I work from 11 AM until closing time. I'm also allowed a one-hour break for lunch. I usually take it at 12:15. As for the spa, I think I start at…uh…10:30, I think? Not sure when I get out though. I'm not even sure if I'm allowed to have lunch breaks yet."

Rainbow Dash began to hover around me, "Oh, I'm sure the spa sisters take lunch breaks everyday. They'll probably let you take a break too if you ask." She then draped herself across my shoulders, her upper body hanging over one with her lower body over the other.

I looked at the rainbow-mane pegasus, finding our faces were now barely an inch apart. "You know… You're a lot lighter than you look."

She snickered, "Well, duh. Pegasi have to be light in order to fly. If we were as heavy as earth ponies and unicorns, we wouldn't even be able to get our hooves off the ground!" After the two of us chuckled together for a moment, Rainbow Dash asked, "Come to think of it, what're you doing out here at this hour? Taking an evening walk?"

I began to walk with my friend draped across my shoulders. "Well, I guess you can say that. I'm taking an evening walk, but my destination is Fluttershy's cottage since I'm moving in once I get there."

Rainbow Dash smirked, "Ooh, your first night together, huh? You gonna do IT with her?"

It? What was she referring to? A game of 'spin the bottle'? "Not sure I follow. Care to enlighten me?" I asked in return.

I felt a twinge of uncertainty as Rainbow Dash jumped down from my shoulders. "You're a pretty modest guy, aren't you? You ever hear of innuendoes?" I nodded silently. "Then you probably know what I mean by 'plough her corn field' or let her 'climb your ladder'. Right?"

Rainbow Dash's straightforward references to…that particular activity made me wince. However, I was not entirely surprised. With her being as wild as she is, I had long suspected that Rainbow Dash was slightly perverted as well. I replied with a suppressed chuckle, "I'm not sure if humans and ponies even work like that. Besides, Fluttershy's way too reserved for that kind of stuff. She would probably faint if I asked her to…..do THAT with me."

As anyone would know, human and pony anatomy are vastly different. I doubt that Fluttershy and I are even compatible. However, my claims did nothing to dissuade Rainbow Dash. "Oh, come on. I know you think us fillies are easy on the eyes." She then turned her back to me and began to sway her hindquarters at me. "I'll bet you want some of Fluttershy's smoking-hot flank. Dontcha?" I facepalmed at her brazen display, not able to understand why she would do such a thing in the middle of town. Fortunately, her tail prevented me from seeing anything too explicit. And, though I am embarrassed to admit this, her display was proving to be rather arousing.

"Rainbow Dash… Not in public. Please." I grumbled out loud. I suspect it was only then that she realized that others were staring at her.

My pegasus friend regained her composure with a nervous grin on her face. "Eheheheh…. Um… Don't mind me. Just lost my balance for a second." The other ponies around us continued to stare for a moment as they went about their business.

"Rainbow Dash… Just how unladylike can you possibly get?" A familiar voice spoke in a disgusted tone from behind me.

"Oh boy….. You saw that, Rarity?" Rainbow Dash replied, clearly embarrassed that one of her friends had witnessed her more promiscuous side.

"Oh, hey there, Rarity. Um… Not to be rude, but was that normal behavior for Rainbow Dash?" I asked upon seeing my former landlord approaching us.

Before she could reply, Rarity was interrupted by Rainbow Dash. "Whoa, don't go thinking I'm really like that! I'm not some cheap whore! I'm still a virgin! I was just having some fun with him! Uh…. Just not THAT kinda fun." It was rather entertaining to see Rainbow Dash flustering over such a sensitive subject like that.

"Yes, I know. As naughty as you can be, I know that you are not at all like a prostitute. But that is beside the point." Rarity then turned to me and smiled, "I came here to bring you something, James. It turns out you left just one little thing behind." Her horn was engulfed in a billowing aura as a slip of golden paper emerged from her mane.

I recognized the slip of paper almost immediately. "I had a hunch I was forgetting something. That's my ticket to the Triple G, isn't it?"

Rarity nodded, "If you mean the Grand Galloping Gala, yes. Take great care not to lose it. I doubt replacements are ever given."

I nodded, "I'll keep it together with Fluttershy's. What about you, Rainbow? You still have yours?"

Our pegasus friend nodded, "You're kidding, right? There's no way I would lose something that important. It's still safe and sound in my house."

Rarity nodded before looking back at me and smiling, "Well, that was all I needed to do. You enjoy your first night with Fluttershy, darling." I thanked her and watched as she headed back home.

Rainbow Dash accompanied me as I headed towards the western edge of Ponyville. She asked, "Ya know, speaking of the spa, I think I'll let Applejack and Twilight know. I'm sure they'd like to get some of your magic touch. At least, that's what Rarity called it."

I shrugged, "What is it with ponies and my fingers? Am I really all that special because I have hands instead of hooves? Even Spike has hands with fingers."

My pegasus friend snickered, "Don't ask me. I'm not really into beauty stuff, so spas aren't one of my preferred hangouts."

Before long, we reached the meadow that spanned the area between Ponyville and Fluttershy's home. "Well, this is as far as I go. Since this night's gonna be all about you and Fluttershy, I probably should leave you two be." Rainbow Dash explained as she began to hover.

"Thanks, Rainbow. I'll try to see you earlier tomorrow." I replied while I stroked her mane.

"Heheh, no problem. And before I forget, just remember that Fluttershy does NOT like it rough. See ya around!" Rainbow said with a grin before she took off for home.

As I watched my friend fly away, I grumbled loudly, "Rainbow Dash… How the hell did you even get that information?!"

I tried to not think about anything perverted as I approached Fluttershy's home. But when it came into view, I found the same moving trailer from before right above the cottage. Right outside the front door was Fluttershy and Derpy Hooves. My girlfriend seemed to be signing a piece of paper on a clipboard that was hanging from the mailmare's mouth. "Fluttershy ordered something big?" I asked out loud as I quickened my pace.

Just as Derpy Hooves was about to fly back up to the moving trailer, she and Fluttershy looked my way. "Oh, hello! You're just in time to try it out!" Derpy said as she placed the clipboard in the satchel hanging from her shoulder.

Of course, I had no knowledge of what she meant. "Try what out? I didn't order anything."

Fluttershy then smiled, "It's what I ordered today after lunch. Since we're going to be living together as a couple, I thought we should share the same bed. The only problem was that it wasn't big enough for both of us. So I ordered a bigger one today and sold my old one."

I had not even seen her previous bed, but I took Fluttershy's word for it. "Oh, I get it. It's good that you thought ahead, honey." I blushed as Derpy giggled at my use of a pet name towards Fluttershy.

"OK, I should let you two lovebirds get 'cozy'. Bye now!" Derpy Hooves waved as she flew back up to the trailer and spoke to the two pegasi who were pulling it. They then flew back towards Ponyville, leaving the two of us alone.

"So… It's just us now, huh?" I asked, slightly nervous that this would be my first time spending the night with Fluttershy.

Fluttershy nodded with a blush, "Yes… I'm pretty excited about it…" I would not know it just by looking at her since Fluttershy did not show excitement very well.

Before we went inside, I took a look at the area outside Fluttershy's home. "If it's all right with you, may I take a look around out here first?"

She nodded, "Oh, you're very welcome to. But may I go too?"

I smiled, "It's your house, Fluttershy. I can't tell you what to do around it." I then began to walk to the left side of the cottage with Fluttershy trotting alongside me.

Just to the side of the cottage, we found Angel sleeping soundly in his dog…or rather rabbit house. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't he kinda picky about who he's nice to?" I asked, since Angel would often look at me with a stern expression.

Fluttershy replied, "Well, I have gotten some complaints from my friends about him. But I think he likes you." She then asked, "Wait… Was it Angel who brought you that love letter yesterday?"

I nodded, "Yeah, but he seemed kinda annoyed about it. Almost like it was a bother for him to do it."

In response, Fluttershy blushed, "Maybe he got tired of waiting for me to send it to you. He does have a habit of trying to help me be more honest with my friends."

I paused for a moment while I looked at the sleeping rabbit. "If he hadn't brought me that note…"

Fluttershy completed my sentence. "We might not have been brought together… Oh, Angel… It's like he's our own little cupid."

I chuckled, "Yup. But I'll be darned if that white rabbit led me to Equestria through a rabbit hole just so I could meet you." The two of us laughed lightly together.

When we reached the area behind Fluttershy's cottage, I paused as I found a penned area with a few chickens milling about. There were six in all, with three being white, two being a golden hue, and one being brown. A coop stood at one end of the pen just under a tree. It was not quite nighttime yet, so the hens had good reason to not be roosting at the time. "You keep chickens?" I asked as I approached the pen.

Fluttershy nodded with a smile, "Oh, yes. They're very sweet girls and they give me plenty of eggs to sell to Sugarcube Corner."

I know not all people find farm animals to be cute, but I personally find chickens to be adorable. When I stepped into the pen, the chickens distanced themselves from me. I was hardly surprised since chickens can be…well…chickens. By which I mean timid. Fluttershy seemed to notice this before she jumped the low fence and made a familiar clicking noise with her mouth. The kind of noise people make to try and earn an animal's trust. "It's OK, girls. James here is my boyfriend. And he's really sweet with animals."

Fluttershy's steady coaxing caused the chickens to steadily approach us. She remained close to me to insure that for them to approach her, they would have to get near me as well. One of the white hens walked over to me and clucked softly while pecking at the ground. I reached out and gently caressed her feathers.

"Aww, I think Elizabeak likes you now." Fluttershy said with a smile. Tickled that such a cute little hen would open up to me, I gently reached down and picked her up in my arms. 'Elizabeak' did not struggle and even seemed to nestle in my arms as if to take a nap.

I brought my face close to Elizabeak and nuzzled her while one hand stroked her back. "Pet the chicken… Pet the chicken…" I muttered in a quiet yet goofy tone. If you who are reading this happen to know where that quote came from, congratulations.

Once I had spent enough time getting to know Fluttershy's feathered friends, the two of us looped around the side of her house and stepped inside. However, I turned and looked out through the open top half of the door at the natural landscape. "Man… This brings back memories." I muttered aloud.

Fluttershy approached me and asked, "Memories? But I thought you haven't been in Equestria for very long."

I nodded, "True, but I was referring to memories from my past. Seeing this place reminds me of my grandmother's house. I used to spend every weekend of my childhood out at that place. It was nestled in a little cul-de-sac out in the county. It was a tiny and quiet little neighborhood with plenty of greenery and even a little forest nearby that I would sometimes take a peek in. She eventually had a patio and fishpond constructed in the backyard. When that happened, I spent more time hanging out there than playing video games indoors. God, I loved that place. It's a crying shame she had to move away from there after my grandfather died… I mean, sure. She moved in right next to me at home, but…" I then sighed, "My days out there were some of the best days of my childhood and teenage years…"

I remained silent for a moment as Fluttershy leaned against the lower half of the front door with her forelegs resting over the top. "It sounds like a place I would've liked to live."

"To be honest, the location of the house was kinda like this one. Away from the hustle and bustle of the urban landscape." I then smiled at my girlfriend, "Your home is my dream house. This is the kind of house I've always wanted to live in."

Fluttershy giggled, "I'm glad to hear that. I was actually a little worried that my house wouldn't be to your liking. Is it really that perfect?"

I placed my hand over her hoof, "Well, it is in my eyes. In all honesty, Rarity's place wasn't entirely to my liking. The living room and bathroom was nice, but the rest was…I dunno. Maybe I didn't spend enough time there to fully appreciate it."

"Well, I really hope you enjoy your time here, James. But now that it's getting late, is there anything you'd like to do?" Fluttershy replied as she moved me back so she could close the door.

As I thought of something to do, I remembered a question I wanted to ask. "Oh, right. You remember earlier today? On how you wanted to wait until we were alone?"

Fluttershy looked at me with a baffled expression. "Until we are alone? Well, we're alone now. But what did you….. Oh…my…" She blushed deeply, probably because she just remembered what I was referring to.

"Is it really that embarrassing to talk about? You don't have to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable." I spoke, concerned that she felt I was trying to force her into explaining.

She replied, "No, I'll tell you. Lovers shouldn't keep secrets from each other." Fluttershy took a deep breath to calm herself. "It's about 'clopping', right?"

I nodded, remembering what it was called. She then explained, "Well… It's a slang term, as I said before… It involves…"

I froze as I suddenly realized what 'clopping' is. "You mean... Well...that's unexpected..."

The timid pegasus mare nodded with a deep blush. She did not even speak and tried to avoid eye contact. I then asked, "And…what do you think about when you…clop?"

She replied with a barely audible squeak. "Y-you…"

I was both flattered and shocked at Fluttershy's revelation. How could she even find a human male physically attractive when she knows nothing of how one looks without any clothing? Granted, I know she loved me at the time. But…was that really enough?

"Um… Bathroom?" I asked. I felt myself becoming hot, so I felt the need for a cool shower.

"It's upstairs… Just use the first door you see…" Fluttershy muttered in response. I silently went up the stairs, still reeling from Fluttershy's confession.

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, I found the new bed Fluttershy had purchased. It was fairly wide, just wide enough for both of us to sleep in. A window that overlooked the area behind the cottage was just behind one side of it. "Looks just right." I muttered softly. I then noticed the only door in the room and peeked inside.

Fluttershy's bathroom was a little more spacious than Rarity's, but it had a humbler feel to it. The bathtub was in an unusual location, positioned right up against the only window in the room. Fortunately, teal curtains hung near the window to provide cover if needed. It almost looked like a modified wooden tub like the kind used for bobbing for apples during my welcoming party. While smaller than the bathtubs back home, it was wide enough for me to sit down in. The showerhead was also of a lower elevation than desired, so the only way for me to use it effectively would be to sit down. The faucet looked more like one you would see outdoors, but the showerhead could be attached easily. Yellow shower curtains hung from a metal half circle above the bathtub that went all the way around to provide privacy. They were decorated with a floral pattern, something I would expect from Fluttershy. Not wanting to wait any longer, I turned on the shower and began to undress while waiting for the water to heat up.

As I was about to take off my shoes, I took another look at my surroundings. The walls were mostly shades of green while there was even a wooden green cabinet in one corner. Various small shelves stuck out from the walls, holding either bottles of soap or conditioner or flowers in vases. But what caught my eye the most was an old-fashioned humidifier against one side of the bathroom. "Whoa… Haven't seen one of those since my elementary school days." I muttered out loud. There were also…a pair of…birdhouses hanging from the ceiling…

"Oh, for the love of… How am I supposed to get any privacy?" I grumbled as I looked inside them. The ceiling was low enough for me to peer inside them without having to get up on a stool. To my relief, I found that they were unoccupied. "I guess they're just for décor… Birds must be some of Fluttershy's favorite animals." Not wanting to stall any longer, I slid off my shoes.

Just after I had removed my shoes and socks, I heard a knock at the door. I did not leave it locked, so I waited for Fluttershy to enter. I mean the only other person in the cottage at the time was Fluttershy, so who else could it have been? The door soon creaked as my girlfriend peeked through the opening. "Um… James? If it's all right with you… May I…wait in here for you to finish? I promise I won't peek."

I nodded, "OK. But wait three minutes so I can undress first. I don't think you want to see what a male human looks like under his clothes." Fluttershy replied with a light squeak before backing away and out of sight. She pulled the door shut, but left it open a tiny crack. Probably just so she could hear me when I was behind the curtain.

Once I had undressed and stepped into the bathtub, I closed the curtains around me. After another minute or so, I heard the door close when Fluttershy entered the room. The shower curtain was fairly sheer, so I could make out her form behind it. "Is the shower to your liking, James?" The timid pegasus mare asked from behind the curtain.

"Actually, it feels just right. But do I have to be careful about how much hot water I use?" I asked, having a habit of taking long showers and being afraid of running her water and gas bills through the roof.

I heard her giggle lightly before replying, "No, you don't have to worry about that. The hot water tank is heated by dragon fire that never goes out. It runs out slowly and reheats quickly. And don't worry about the water. Mine comes from an underground stream. But everything that goes down the drain goes to a water treatment plant in Ponyville for conversion into fertilizer."

The mention of dragon fire as a heat source surprised me, not expecting a renewable energy source to be in use instead of natural gas. "Wow… Sounds like Equestria is a friend to the environment. I'm loving this place even more now."

I watched as Fluttershy's silhouette took a seat right beside the bathtub. I paid her no mind as I took a seat in it. I then browsed the soap and shampoo that was stacked at the front of the tub. Not surprisingly, they were all a type of natural bathing supplies that seemed to have a lovely flowery fragrance. "No wonder she always smells so pretty." I muttered under my breath.

The first thing I did was wash my hair. I bowed my head to make certain it was right in the middle of the falling water before lifting it out of range. I scrubbed the shampoo into my soaked hair while allowing the water to wash over the rest of me. But as I rinsed my hair out, I thought I heard a whisper of sorts over the sound of the water crashing down on me. Although...I suppose it would be improper to go into detail on what occurred shortly after that. My apologies, but what happened then is for my memory only.

Some time later, I carried Fluttershy into her bedroom while clad in just my boxers. She had finally regained her senses and was unusually clingy as she constantly nuzzled me. "Feeling better, Fluttershy?" I asked as she leaned her head against my chest.

"I feel…wonderful… It almost feels like nothing can possibly go wrong now…" She said with a calm smile. My lover then looked up at me and blushed, "I love you, James… Oh so much. I just wish I knew how to express it….."

Once we were at the bed, I set her down on one side and pulled the covers down on the other. "Well… I can sum up how I feel about you like this." I then explained, "With all the conveniences and technology my homeland has, I would still choose living with you over having them."

She then asked, "But….. But aren't things here in Ponyville a little primitive compared to where you're from? Wouldn't you rather live back home?"

I replied as I pulled the covers over her, "No. You're far more important to me. And…I really hope I never go back. Because I found someone who truly makes me happy to be alive." I then kissed her on the forehead.

Fluttershy stared at me with a smile before tears began to form in her eyes. "You…make me feel so special… So complete… I don't even want to think about life without you, James…" She reached out and embraced me with her forelegs as her tears spilled over.

"I won't ever leave, Fluttershy… The only way I'll ever leave you is through death." I whispered while cuddling with her.

"I… I hope that day doesn't come for a very long time…" The beautiful pegasus whispered in response.

I am writing this entry while resting in bed beside Fluttershy. Our first night together has ended splendidly and I am feeling happier than I have ever felt in a very long time… Fluttershy, I know you are looking over my shoulder. I am sorry if the sound of the quill scratching against paper is keeping you awake. I will be done soon.

All right, she has set her head back down to sleep. Now then, time to finish up this journal. As I said, Fluttershy and I are now officially lovers. And….. Excuse me. I just teared up for a moment as I thought about what will happen once we have a foal together. Will it be a healthy little colt? A beautiful charming filly? I suppose it is far too early to say. But I am actually looking forward to it.

So much can happen now, but I will look toward the future with a smile. As long as I am with the woman I love, it feels like everything is better. And now, I am off to sleep with my beautiful girlfriend by my side.

Fluttershy… I only wish I could effectively describe how much you mean to me. I hope I can someday soon.