*Beep beep beep beep*

"Oh shut up!" I swung my hand over and blindly grabbed at my nightstand, "Stupid...thing." I found the alarm and slammed the snooze button. Upon trying to wipe my face I was reminded of my guest. She curled up as my hand brushed against her back.

"No~" She groaned, curling around my nose, "I don wanna..."

"Don, is not a word...and it's time to get up," I blew a stream of air across her barrel, causing her to kick her back legs against my chin. "Come on," I scratched her back as I pulled my head away, "Get up, come on...time for food..."

She perked up at that, "Food?"

"Yep, just give me a second to change," I had slept in my street clothes last night so a quick change was in order. I rolled onto my back and sat upright. I swung my legs off the bed just as Dash was stretching out, her hind legs twitching as she did.

I gave a quick internal laugh as I rummaged around my dresser, pulling a pair of shorts and a tee shirt. I pulled the shirt on first. Maneuvering my pants to avoid being seen was taxing, but not impossible. Once that was out of the way I chucked my old apparel in the hamper and started towards the door.

Dash quickly floated next to me, "So, what's for breakfast?" She asked doing a lap around me as I walked.

"I don't know...you're a horse right? So...carrots? I think I have some carrots."

She stopped and flew backwards in front of me, "Horse?! I'm a pegasus!"

"...Of course you are. Anyways, I'm sure I have something you can eat." This was starting to feel like that month I had a stray cat living in my back yard, granted this isn't a cat, and can talk, so nothing like that cat at all.

She seemed be getting impatient and started taking laps around my head again. I ignored it and hurried to my kitchen.

"Doo bee doo...ah there," I found a whole carrot in the bottom bin of my fridge along with some potatoes. Not exactly the breakfast of kings but a baked potato sounded good. I set the carrot on the counter and jabbed a few holes in the potato with a fork. "What's that?" Dash asked from behind as I shoved the potato into my microwave.

"A potato."

I felt something plink against the back of my head, "I know what that is, I meant that." She flew past and poked the door of the microwave.

"Oh, microwave oven. Cooks food fast," I slammed the door shut and set it to cook, "Anyways, this okay?" I asked, taking the carrot in hand.

She landed on my arm and poked the carrot, "Just like that?"

"Sure, I mean I can cut it up if you want."

She gave me a strange look, "I mean...it's kind of plain."

I set it down as she took to the air again. "Then what do you want? I got just about everything."

I stepped towards the fridge and pulled it open, Dash quickly flew in and started looking through the shelves, "What's this?"

I leaned in and looked at a small bag of york patties I had, "Uh...mints. Can you eat chocolate?"

"Heck yeah I can!"

I gave a quick chuckle, "Bloody...carrot and chocolate breakfast. I cant say anything though, bloody baked potato." I tossed the packaged mint on the counter with the carrot, and turned to Dash, "Why don't you just go wait at the table."

"But-"

"Eh."

"Wha-"

"Eh." I shut her down again.

"Sto-"

"EH!" I poked her belly with my finger, "Go sit."

She muttered angrily as she fluttered over and sat on the tabletop. And now...we wait. I stared at the microwave, "Hurry up...stupid potato..."

The potato slumped onto a plate. I set it on my table and threw the mint and carrot on another plate. I jabbed the potato, sending a puff of steam into the air. Once it cleared I could see Dash poking at the carrot with her hoof, "Problem?"

"I can't...where do I start with this?" She poked the whole carrot, "It's just too big!"

I forked a bit of potato into my mouth, "That's dirty...here." I reached over and grabbed the carrot, snapping it in half and setting it back on her plate, "Better?"

She reached her head down and gave it a quick bite, a large chunk torn out of it showed her hunger, "It's...kinda bland..." Again I dug my fork into the potato, taking some of the wondrously salty meal and tossing it on her plate. She gave it a moment before giving it a single lick, followed by her digging her muzzle deep into the mush.

"And that is why I add extra salt." I laughed as her ear gave a single twitch before she pulled her head up, muzzle covered in bits of potato. I lowered my head, unable to keep a straight face.

"Hey! I can hear you laughing!"

"I know...I'm not going to stop." I looked up, Dash was standing face to face with me, the smell of potato coming from her. I set my fork down. "I can't...here," I slid my plate over to her side, "I can't deal with this."

I swiped my thumb across her muzzle, smearing a bit of potato across her cheek, before bopping her mouth and standing up. "I'm gonna go check on my computer," She was angrily muttering and trying to wipe off her cheek, "If you can't find me just start yelling...I'm sure that will work out." I started leaving, a last look back saw her sulking back to the hallowed out potato on my plate and the carrots.

"Alright...this is...well it's not a good idea...but..." This really wasn't a good idea, mostly because the last time I did it, it netted me a dependent, but nothing was ever accomplished through cowardice. And the way I figure it a second one couldn't hurt, keep Dash company or something...unless they ended up hating each other in which case...well...a third can't hurt at that point.

I was stalling...and I knew I was stalling. My cursor was hanging over the icon for a long time, "Click it, come on, do it." Can it get any worse? Why am I hesitating. I wonder what-

"No more!" I clicked the icon.

Familiar music filled the screen as a window full sized and spread ten or so small pictures about, each with a small description.

I quickly scanned the pictures, it was laid out like a dating site, which mad it just a little creepy. "Hello!?" Dash called from another room. Well this might actually be opportune, maybe she knows some of these.

"Aye, last door at the end of the hall!"

She flew in a few moments later, hovering next to my head, "Wha-at?"

I turned to meet her, she had cleaned up and was carrying the wrapped mint in her mouth, "Here," I held my hand flat as she dropped the candy into it. I quickly ripped the package open and held the mint for her. She bit into it and floated up to my head, I could hear her chewing. "Are...are you eating that whole?"

She didn't answer for a while, and when she did it was only after a long mmmmm, "Maybe...you have more of those?"

I rubbed my face, a pair of hooves hanging over my forehead as I took my hand away. I reached up and started scratching her back as my other hand scrolled through the pictures. "Hey tch- look at these, you know any?" I tapped the screen with my knuckle.

"Lean in." I complied, "Hmmm, are these...these are ponies!" She kicked her hooves against my scalp, "You're some kinda weirdo!"

"Ow hey stop that!" I pulled her up by her tail, her hooves kicking the air. "It's not like I did it on purpose the first time!"

She started stomping her forelegs on my head, "Oh but you're gonna do it now?!"

I shifted my grip and pulled her in front of me, "Yes...the way I figure it. You might be stuck here..." Her eyes started widening, "...atleast until I can figure this out. I'm not great with computer code but I'm sure I can...maybe. Anyways I thought you'd enjoy some company."

"So...stuck here? Like...forever?" She let her head fall, "But..."

"Oohhhh no..." I could tell where this was going. I pulled her into my shoulder, "No crying...come on...no crying..."

"I'm not crying!" She said, just before burying her head into my shoulder, "I'm not..."

"Come on...please stop." I could feel her heaving into my back, "I'm sure I can find a way to send you back!"

"You promise?" She eeked out between sobs.

"I promise!" I let my hand rub up and down her back before putting her back atop my head. "But for the time being...here this one looks good..."

Roseluck: AKA (Rose)

Hobbies: gardening, recreational cooking, part time foalsitting.
Age: twenty eight
Demeanor: calm
Dislikes: loud noises, showboats

"Perfect." I double clicked it, a clip started playing.

"Wait...Roseluck!? NO!"

"What? Why?"

"I kinda...kinda killed one of her rosebushes..."

"I'm sure she won't-"

"Or two...or three."

"Oh...well, I'm sure you two can be civil." I was cut off by a loud clatter from my keyboard, a tan mare was finding her bearing on the plastic buttons. She shook her head, sending her mane flying around. Eventually she seemed to be okay, at least before looking up at me and freezing in place, "...Hello there."

Her mouth fell open before she fainted, knocking her head against the keys, "Ohhh! That looked like it hurt." Dash said, flying down to check on her, "I think she's alright...maybe, I can't actually tell."

"Well...I'll go start a bath then."

"What? Why!?"

I stood and scooped up the KO'd mare, "Well it worked on you...from my experience with your kind warm water is a universal: let's be friends."

Dash just rolled her eyes, "Hey, before you go...got anymore of those minty things?"

I stopped and leaned against the hall, "You mean the mints...yes, I do. Minty things, they're literally just mints, that's what they're called." I grumbled drudging towards the kitchen, "If I give you another you're going to be the one to explain things to her, deal?"

"Fine," She flew up and bounced off my head, "And you don't have to be mean about it." She flew into the kitchen like a bullet.

With some alone time I did what I've been putting off for a while. I cradled the new mare in my left arm while scratching her belly with my right. "Man...just so soft..." I let my hands crawl all over her, softly rubbing her stomach and scratching along her ribs. She curled up around my hand as I did. I might actually get some swim shorts and just wash her myself.

It was an extremely pleasing tactile sense, not at all rough but it had some strength to it. Dash's was slightly rougher, but that was like comparing silk to cashmere. "What are you doing?" The mare said groggily, I froze, "I didn't say stop..."

I looked down and got a good look at her face, her eyes were still closed. I was unsure if she even knew what was going on or not, but best way to make a good first impression is to listen to your guest. Scratching intensified.