Say you love me, say you don't.

by SleepyThePanda

Chapters

• Don't say that you're friends with me.
• Don't say that we're going to be wingmen.
• Don't say that you have a date.
• The liar mare and the lonely human.
• D-don't look at that.
• D-don't touch that.
• An uneventful night.
• Sweet, sweet apples.
• Sweet, sweet feelings.

Don't say that you're friends with me.

"Can you like, play with your other friends or something?"

"Play? What?! do you think we're children?"

"With the way you behave, you might as well be."

Anon casually walked along the pavement of Ponyville, Rainbow Dash floating by his side. His glum look was made apparent to everyone who passed him, except for the mare by his side.

"Where are we going exactly?" Rainbow Dash said.

"Why are you even asking?" Anon snapped.

"Jeez, calm it dude. We've been walking for a while and it feels like we've been going in circles."

"We just got out of the forest." Anon grumbled.

Their destination was closing in on the duo, for it was a large flashy structure that was easily recognized by any resident to be the Carousel boutique. A certain alabaster mare was already expecting the two, eagerly waiting for them behind a window. Her excitement can be seen as her head jumps up and down, as if she's jumping behind the window.

"We're almost there." Anon mumbled.

"To Rarity's?" Rainbow Dash said, to which Anon nodded as a reply. She waved at the faraway building, hoping that Rarity would notice her gesture. Anon looked at her strangely, wondering as to who she would be waving to. Once they were mere meters away from the large tower-like home, Rarity blasted the doors open as she dashed towards the human and the pony.

"Oh you're here! Thank the goddesses! Anon, how has my masterpiece been faring?" She observed his void black shirt, looking for any frays or worn spots.

"It seems fine, and washing it doesn't take much effort to get rid of the dirt and stains." Anon pulled at a section of his shirt, testing the stretchy-ness of the apparel.

"It should be! I spent a tremendous amount of bits purchasing the wonder silk from a foreign trader you know! I'm glad to know that it was worth the money. Anyways, shirt aside, what services do you need from me?" Rarity smiles.

"I need something to wear for the hearts and hooves day event at the town square." Anon dipped one hand in his pockets and scratched his head in the other. Rarity's pupils seemed to grow as her mouth dropped open.

"You're actually going to that thing?" Rainbow Dash nudged him on the side. "Wait a sec, who are you going with? And why haven't you told us?" She flew to his face, showing him a disgruntled look.

"Well, I'm not really going with anyone. Fluttershy and I already agreed to not stay at home when it happens, mainly because she was hit with depression last year and I was stuck with a lonely landlord after hearts and hooves day for two weeks." He explained, sighing right at the end.

"So, you're entering a ball event with no date?" Rarity questioned.

"I guess I'll find someone to dance with when I'm there." Anon replied. "Besides, I can't ask any of you, since you probably have your own dates."

"R-right." Rarity stuttered. "And what about you, Rainbow Dash? Who will be your handsome stallion in two days time?"

"I'm going with this awesome pegasus who I met yesterday!" She said.

"Yesterday? You were with me on the farm the entire day." Anon narrowed his eyes.

"I met him after I left you guys."

"Which was in the middle of the night...right after you said goodbye to Fluttershy and I."

"Yep."

"....Alright."  Anon's narrowed eyes persisted throughout the conversation.

After conversing for a while about who was going with who, it turned out that Rainbow Dash was the only one with a date to the event, and that Applejack would be running a cider stall and Twilight Sparkle was the event planner, whilst Pinkie pie handled the decorations and activities. Anon and Rainbow Dash entered Rarity's home, exchanging pleasantries for a few minutes before Anon was measured for a suit. Rainbow Dash meanwhile, convinced herself to not ruin any projects that Rarity had laying around.

"Are you sure you'll be able to make it in time?" Anon said with a worried look.

"Don't worry my dear, magic can make things faster than an earth pony would! It's just the willpower of the user which is needed to make it a perfect creation." She patted him on the back as she rolled up her measuring strings.

"Thanks, Rarity." He patted her on the head.

"I can never understand these human gestures of yours...but they sure are comforting." Rarity cooed as she closed her eyes. Anon chuckled.

"You should see his hair! It's all flopped to one side! No wonder he has no date for hearts and hooves day!" Rainbow Dash shouted in the other room.

"Don't mind her, she's a loyal friend...but a child at heart." She giggled.

"I know, I know. I just hope that she won't rub it in my face when I see her at hearts and hooves day with her date." He sighed.

"Why don't you ask one of us? I'm sure that we'd be willing to accompany you there, even if it means to surprise Rainbow Dash. We all know that you two love upstaging the other." Rarity said.

"Are you sure? I don't even have a clue as to why she sticks with me most of the time."

"Well, I'd normally suggest it as a sign of friendship."

"I guess so."

"If you want the real answer, you'll have to ask her instead of me." Rarity nudged her head to the room where Rainbow Dash was in.

"I can ask that later. I have more things to do anyway."  Anon said as he looked at the time

"Such as picking up my little sister?"

"....Fine. But only because you're doing my suit."

"Oh no dear, that won't suffice. Let's say that you'll do this chore for the rest of the week? After all, I am spending my time making another masterpiece." Rarity smiled slyly. Anon hissed playfully, before going to the next room to pick up Rainbow Dash by the scruff of her neck.

"Come on. Let's go."

"Where are we going?" Rainbow Dash said.

"To school." Anon stared at the alabaster mare as he exited the building with a pegasus within his grip.

"I'm hungry."Rainbow dash said

"Then go somewhere and eat some grass or something. Aren't you ponies vegetarian?" Anon replied.

"What if I lose you?"

"What do you mean: what if I lose you? You're not a child, and you know where I'm going anyway."

"Not like that! I mean like, what if you get foalnapped on the way there when I'm not around."

"Yeah, because foalnapping totally happens during broad daylight, in public." Anon grumbled.

The two were walking casually on the rocky pavement, their sights heading towards the Ponyville Schoolhouse. It was just after noon and Anon was given the arduous task of picking up the element of generosity's little sister from school, which was something that annoyed him due to the fact that he had to return home early to help Fluttershy with her animals.

Upon reaching their destination, Anon sat beside the ruby-stained flagpole, cherishing the cold touch in his back during the hot summer day. Rainbow Dash landed near his feet and rested her head on his thighs. He stared strangely at her, wondering why she displayed such non-aggressive actions.

"Why are you resting yourself on me?" He said.

"I'm tired, and I hate it when grass gets in my ear." The Rainbow mare replied.

"Then just sit up."

"Too tired. Just hurry up and grab the filly from school so we can go somewhere with shade." She made herself comfortable in his thighs, nuzzling him unaffectionately. Anon shifted his position to ease his legs, feeling uncomfortable at the strange feel and warmth of another being touching him.

His mind wandered off as he waited for the school bell to ring. One of the more interesting matters that came to his head was of the mare that was resting on his lap. Just the thought of her made him question her motives on why she was his...'friend'.It felt strange to think so.

She was the first pony he met after he jumped into that waterfall.

The scared look on her face said it all when she found him surfacing in the waters of Equestria. All it took were a few strong punches to the stomach to drain him and soon enough he was alive again. After that, she almost never left his side during his first days in this strange world.

And to think, that his savior wasn't exactly as friendly as he had assumed.

Anon looked at the back of Rainbow Dash's head, observing her technicolor mane as his hand began to reach out to her.

'It's weird to think that someone like you is sleeping on my lap like this.' He chuckled internally. His hand slowly hovered above her, contemplating on touching that interesting mane of hers. Strangely, his heart pounded faster than it should, as if it was anticipating something big.

For the first time...Anon would pet his frie-

"Thanks for the shade." She mumbled.

And all efforts to his mission stopped. Anon snapped out this strange stupor, his vision finally focusing back on his surroundings as a blob of white caught the right side of his vision. Further inspection showed her fusion colored mane: pink and magenta.

"Is that your marefriend for hearts and hooves day Anon?" She smiled as she peeked at the face that was hidden in a technicolor mane. "Rainbow Dash, are ya sleeping?"

Rainbow Dash's face slowly looked up, scaring the poor filly as she gave her the grumpiest look she could give. Rainbow Dash's eyes had narrowed so much to the point where it looked like she had closed them.

"Yes, and no, I'm not this...thing's...marefriend." She hissed at the last word.

"Hey! You'd be proud to have me as your coltfriend! And I'm not saying that to boost my self-esteem." Anon retorted.

"You wouldn't even attract a parasprite!" She exclaimed.

"I most definitely would!...not that I'd want to attract one anyway." He looked to the side.

Sweetie Belle giggled at the two as they argued, admiring their conversations and their behavior towards each other. "You two would make a great marefriend and coltfriend for hearts and hooves day! It would be perfect because it means that you won't have to find somepony else!"

Anon and Rainbow Dash immediately stared in unison at the small filly, furrowing their eyebrows in disapproval.

"Even if we were together, Rainbow has a date for hearts and hooves day anyway." Anon said calmly.

Somehow, he felt sad about that.

"Really?" Sweetie Belle said.

"Yeah, he's a cool pegasus...I met him yesterday." Rainbow Dash looked at Anon from her peripheral vision, half-expecting him to reply.

He did not.

"Come on, Sweetie. Let's get you back home." Anon motioned for Rainbow Dash to get off, to which she did quietly. Anon dusted his trousers and kneeled to Sweetie Belle. "Let's go." He grabbed hold of the little filly, picking her up and carrying her on his shoulders. The other mare walked silently by his side as they walked back to the Carousel Boutique, sans conversation.

Sweetie Belle looked at Rainbow Dash from Anon's shoulder. She observed her downtrodden face.

"Why so glum, chum?" She asked.

"Hm? I'm normally like this when he's around." Rainbow Dash said, pointing at Anon as she said so.

"Then why are you with him?" She questioned. Anon stopped briefly and turned around, moving Sweetie Belle's face from view.

"Yeah...why are you with me then?" Anon kneeled to even his face with Rainbow Dash's.

"We're friends. That's all." She looks to the side.

"That's not an explanation. Now what is it?" He says as he moves closer to her face. His sapphire eyes peered into her own, searching for an answer. "Well?" He waited.

"It's not like you'll understand it anyway. You're a hooman, after all."

"Human. Not hooman." Anon corrected.

"Can we just leave it and go to Rarity's already? I'm sweating my feathers off." Rainbow Dash flew past the two, back to the Carousel boutique.

Anon got up and made Sweetie Belle comfortable before he started walking again, with Rainbow Dash as the leader this time. Curiosity and frustration clouded his mind. He still hasn't received a straight answer from her, and it looks like he won't get it for quite a while.

Anon returned the young filly back to her sister quietly, with Rainbow Dash nearby a tree. Their afternoon walk back to Fluttershy's was a rather quiet one. Neither of them tried to make conversations and neither of them looked at each other on the way back, causing an awkward atmosphere to be born.

But suddenly.

"Dash." Anon said

"..."

"Are you my friend?"

"...If you're that desperate, then yeah, I guess." She mumbled.

"Thanks."

"There's no need to be sappy, y'know."

"I'm not being sappy, I'm being grateful."

"...Alright."

Anon had one more question to ask, and it was a big one.

Don't say that we're going to be wingmen.

"Yeah."

"Are you sure?"

"What? You think I'm a liar?"

"Well, you're not an element of honesty are ya?"

"...Shut up."

Anon chuckled as he relaxes his arms behind his head. The afternoon sun spills its rays over the Everfree, where lines light drop down from the gaps that the leaves from the trees miss. Everything felt calm and collected, which brought about a pleasant mood for the human and the mare.

"What are we gonna do when we get to Fluttershy's again?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"The same as always: throw some carrots and meat around, then just pet the animals until they've had their share. That's obviously the best part." Anon said. "You get to pet cute animals, isn't that a thing with mares in general?"

"I think so."

"You think so?"

"I'm not really into those things, it has to be exciting and something that makes your heart beat...otherwise my brain just goes dead." She emphasized the last part by making a 'play dead' face. Anon chuckled at statement.

They were pretty close to Fluttershy's home by now. Anon briefly named her: 'The landlord' on his first few days here, but he stopped when he realized that it seemed to give a more strict tone to the carefree mare that he knows.

"Have you ever thought of living somewhere on the floor?" Anon said.

"Living on something that isn't a cloud? Dear goddess no! I'd turn into one of you!" She jeered.

Anon rolled his eyes.

"I've heard from the others that your wings slowly die if you touch the ground!" She says as she floats along the floor, being mere inches from it.

"Right." Anon sighed."Try to ask a serious question and she just shoves it off."

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Let's hurry up." He said as he quickens the pace. His arms soon lose their happiness and eventually lower and hide back into the dark pockets of his trousers. Rainbow Dash soon tries to catch up to Anon, managing to get a glimpse of his face as she does so.

"You alright there, bud?"

"Mm." He grunts.

"Thanks for helping me out Anon! Oh, and you too Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy nuzzles the both of them, giving a simple hug as a reward. Anon smiled and petted his landlord, earning a squee in return. "Gosh, that always gets me." Fluttershy giggles.

"I've been told that my hands feel like magic." Anon smiles.

"Was it from Lyra?" Fluttershy said.

"Who's Lyra?" Anon questioned.

"Oh, well if you do meet her, She'll be one happy mare." Fluttershy lifts her head to Anon's palm once more, cherishing his touch on her head.

Rainbow Dash enters the living room from the garden door, panting. Her mane was ruffled and bits of fur clung to her teal body like small hair extensions.

"I never knew you had....a bear..."

"Oh! That's teddy! I met him when he wandered near my house starving and with dirty fur. He can give the best bear hugs." Fluttershy hugged herself.

"Yeah, that furball held me like a vice. It was like getting wrapped by a rug!" Rainbow Dash attempts to remove the stray fur by shaking herself, which fails.

"Want me to take you to the nearest lake?" Anon suggested. "I don't want to be cleaning bear fur off our shower for the next 2 days."

"Alright." Rainbow dash agreed.

She flew to the entrance, waiting for Anon who was getting his keys. Fluttershy wandered off upstairs, shouting at them to 'take care', though her shout was pretty much inaudible by the time she disappeared from Anon and Rainbow Dash's sight.

"How far is the lake?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"The Apple's farm." Anon replied.

"I don't think there's a lake there."

"There isn't."

"So why are you taking me there?"

"Well, I have work to do over there, and I'm sure they will let you shower that bear fur off you. And then as a present, you can leave them with hair clogging!" Anon yawned. "I'm killing two birds with one stone."

"We're going to kill birds?!" Rainbow Dash recoiled back in horror.

"It's an expression."

"What kind of expression is that?"

"You-....ugh. Just leave it, it's a human thing."

And so, they began their third excursion in the falling afternoon to their final destination. Fortunately, this time the two had finally engaged in some light conversation. Though not frequent and lengthy, the times at which they spoke were enough to keep the awkward tension away.

Rainbow Dash had contemplated on whether to just leave Anon and take a bath back at her house, but for some reason, she never mentioned it.

Upon entering the Apple's property, Anon shouted at a nearby Big Macintosh as a greeting. The red stallion simply tips his head, continuing with his last rota as he kicks one of the few trees he has yet to do. Applejack is seen exiting her home, wearing an small apron that seemed to serve no purpose, as it looked more like a bib.

"Well howdy! What took ya so long Anon?" Applejack holds her stetson, waving it as a greeting.

"Rainbow Dash got bear hugged and is turning into an animal! Is it fine if she takes a bath at your place?" He points down to the pegasus, who glared at him in embarrassment.

'Who does he think he is, making me take a bath in someone else's home rather than his.' She thought.

"Anyways, are you still in need of a cook?" Anon shouted.

"Darn tootin' we are! Ah still haven't gotten over those apple fritters that you make!" Applejack replied.

"You can cook?" Rainbow Dash whispered.

"Barely." Anon replied. "But what I do make, they love, apparently." He snickers.

The two went in the house, Rainbow Dash having to go to the bathroom to take care of her furry problem. Anon washed his hands and greeted the elder of the house: Granny Smith, right before taking a full body hug from the young filly that was Applebloom. The old mare simply nodded off to sleep like a switch once the greeting was over.

He was sent to the kitchen to work with AppleJack, who was working on something of her own.

She was cutting pieces of an apple off, making them into small, rounded diamond shapes and smoothening the fleshy insides so that it could sit upright with the ruby red apple skin showing itself at the front.

Though, from what Anon could observe, she was having trouble.

Her hooves lacked the proper fingers to hold the small apple pieces still so that she could cut and make a flat base on the fleshy insides of the apple piece. It was proven further from the small cuts around Applejack's hooves that she had been doing this for a while.

"Making dessert?" Anon said. Applejack jumped, slamming the knife down in the middle of an apple piece that she was working on, ruining it in the process.

"Uh, it's more of a dessert fer tomorrow." She smiles half-heartedly.

Anon observes the 'finished' pieces that Applejack managed to create.

"Oh cool, they look like jewels. Rubies, to be precise." Anon peered at the red snacks.

"Really?" Applejack's face lit up like a bulb. "Do they really look like jewels?"

"Absolutely, polish that apple skin and it'll shine like a jewel." Anon chuckled. Applejack laughed alongside him, pleased at his compliment. She took a second to smile at him, at which he smiled back.

"So who's it for?" Anon asked.

Applejack's smile quickly fades, with it being replaced by a shade of red on her cheeks. So red that it almost resembled the apple skins that were right next to her.

"It's uh...for a special sompon- some....some...." Applejack ponders.

"Somepony?" Anon answers.

"Somedragon." Applejack looks away.

Anon's eyes widen and his mouth opens slightly in surprise.

"Spike?" He answers again.

Applejack nods, smiling a little at the mention of his name.

Anon is taken back by this large surprise, not only for the fact that the element of honesty had a thing for the Spyro-lookalike, but for the effort that she went through to try and impress him. From the looks of her injuries on her hooves, it seem that she spent quite a lot of hours to make something that resembled what Spike liked to eat: jewels.

And even then, she only managed to make 2 or 3 apple jewels, all of which seemed rather tardy in appearance. It came as a shock to the human to see his favorite chef become so...inexperienced.

"You've been spending quite a lot of effort on this, haven't you?" Anon brushes off the cutting board and the apples from the mare, who is hiding under her stetson.

"Ah might have." She replies meekly.

Anon holds her hooves tenderly, lifting her stetson before he does so. he takes a knee to level himself to her face. Smiling, he lifts Applejack up and onto the kitchen counter, prompting her to sit there.

"You really want to impress Spike, don't you?"

"Maybe." She retreats into her stetson.

Anon chuckled as he continued her work, managing to fare much better in making the apple jewels due to the great ability of having 'fingers'. He was able to make one in a minute whilst his favorite chef observed quietly, her eyes never leaving the cutting board.

"Say, is he going to be your date for hearts and hooves day?" Anon asked.

"Ah hope so. If my patented 'Apple Jewels' won't get to his heart, then mah own self will!" She defiantly smiled.

"That's the spirit." Anon lifted his left hand and petted her on the head. She was taken aback by this gesture, mainly due to the fact that this was the second time he had done it. "The best way to get to a man is through his stomach, after all." He said.

"And if that doesn't work, then your looks will charm him instead." He rubs her blushing cheeks, looking back at his work so that the knife won't cut up any more pieces lying around.

Applejack looked longingly, feeling his soft fingers rub across the silky fur on her cheeks before it finally leaves so that he can work on the Apple jewels.

"Thanks Anon...ah really needed that." She stares at her favorite chef.

"Glad to be of help. Because from now on, I'm going to do everything in my power to help you get the dragon of your drea-ah! Shit." He hisses as his finger gets cut. Applejack giggles as he sucks the bleeding finger.

"You're not really gonna help me, are yah?"

"Of course I will! Think of me as an element of...matchmaking?"

"Ah guess that fits!" They both laughed.

"Hey! Dash!"

"WHAT?"

"We're going to be wingmen for Applejack!"

"WHAT?!

"Forget it! I'll tell ya later!"

"What's with all dis racket! Ahm tryin' ta sleep here!" Came the voice of an annoyed grandma.

"...Sorry Granny Smith!"

"...Sorry Granny Smith!"

Don't say that you have a date.

"Isn't he...a bit too young for your reach?"

"Ah guess."

"How old is he?"

"Ah don't know."

"Then why do you like him?"

"It's...complicated, alright?"

Applejack hides in her stetson as Rainbow Dash bombards her with questions.

"Dash, lay it off. Love is a really fickle thing when it comes to different people, and explaining it clearly is actually harder to do." Anon admonished her.

The three sat around in a circle in Applejack's room, the fourth member being Applebloom, who was curled up in Anon's lap. She had her eyes closed but her ears open to the conversation. A plate of Anon's apple fritters was placed in the middle. Some were half eaten and crumbs littered the place.

"If ya really wanted to get Spike, we could make a love potion for ya." Applebloom added in.

"More like love poison." Anon grumbled.

"If it works, it works." Applebloom giggled.

"Ah don't feel it's right  forcing somedragon ta like me. Ah'd prefer it they liked me for who ah am, not because ah gave them some magic potion." Applejack replied.

"Well, then what do we do?" Rainbow Dash said.

"Well, first of all, we need to get Applejack's present to Spike first. That should be the starter. After that, we need to get them alone, preferably in a nice quiet place, so that they can speak to each other without interruptions." Anon rubbed his chin. "That's going to be hard, but nothing is ever easy when you're trying to get something you want, right?"

Everyone nodded in unison.

"Once again, ah thank ya kindly for ya help, especially you, Anon." Applejack said.

"No problem" Anon smiled as the two looked at each other.

"Oh sure, leave me out why don't you." Rainbow Dash mumbles.

Thursday- 3 in the afternoon. 30 hours left until the event.

Twilight's library- 5 present: 3 ponies, 1 human, 1 dragon.

"I hope that plan last night was worth it." Rainbow Dash whispered.

"It will totally work. Just trust me on this and it will work, I promise you." Anon replied.

"Alright then." She said.

Anon absentmindedly searched around the bookshelves, reading books with a language that he cannot read yet. Rainbow Dash was by his side, presumably dying from boredom. Applejack however, was with Twilight in the kitchen, making snacks. Spike was the first to greet the two in the 'living room' as he descends the stairs.

"Mornin'." He yawned.

"It's the afternoon." Rainbow Dash replied.

"Oh, right." Spike said. "So why are you guys here?"

Anon closed the book he was (not) reading and turned to face him. "Applejack decided to make breakfast for you, since you decided to fall into a sleep coma when Twilight tried to wake you up." Spike laughed at the remark.

"Sometimes, I just feel like sleeping and not doing chores for a while" He smirks.

Spike approaches the two, looking at the book that Anon is holding.

"Woah, Anon. I never knew you had a marefriend!" He says in awe.

"What?" Anon said, puzzled.

"That book you're holding!"

"What about it?"

"It's called: How to treat your special somepony. Didn't you read the title?"

"Uhh...yeah, forgot about it." Anon smiled sheepishly.

"So who's the lucky mare?" Spike asked.

"Uh-"

"Who says that you have to know?" Rainbow dash added as she flew to spike's face. "Mr.Nosy."

Spike walked back a little, seemingly intimidated, but his fear soon turned into realisation as a sly smile came to his face.

"Aww, I get it." He smiles at Rainbow Dash.

"Get what?!" She retorted.

"Anon, that's one special somepony you have." He snickers.

Anon was quickly taken aback, a slight hint of embarrassment came to his cheeks. He quickly closes the book and returns it to the shelf, right before looking at Rainbow Dash, who was oblivious to the dragon's comment.

'Did he mean...Rainbow Dash?' He thought.

Before he could contemplate any further, Twilight Sparkle and Applejack return to the main room, The latter carrying the tray of apple jewels that shone like diamonds.

"We've got some snacks!" Twilight shouted as she carried a tray of drinks. Applejack trotted behind her, carrying her own tray on her back. As always, her face seemed shady and was partially blocked by her stetson, blush evident.

Well, at least it was one way to mask herself.

"Niiice." Spike said, jumping and snatching a drink from the floating tray. "I've been thirsty ever since I woke up."

"Which was like, a second ago." Rainbow Dash mumbled.

Anon looked at Applejack, who was already staring at him like a lost puppy. He nudged his head to Spike, telling her to make her move. Anon stares at Rainbow Dash next, initiating her own role. She nods begrudgingly.

"Hey Twilight, do you have..uhh...any more Daring Do books that I haven't read yet?" She puts up an improvised smile. Her very words made the purple librarian light up like a bulb as a smile was plastered across her face.

"I think I some upstairs! Come with me!" She happily gallops off-scene.

'Tango down.' Anon thought.

"Hey Spike." He said.

"Yeah?" The purple dragon replied.

"Applejack has something for you." He pointed at the tray behind her. The dragon stared at the earth pony, eyes glued to what might be behind it.

"Uh, ah made ya something Spike." She smiles as she turns around. Anon comes over and picks it up from her back, showing it to Spike.

"Woah, are those cooked jewels? I didn't even know that you could cook 'em!" Spike said in awe as he stared at the diamond-shaped food. He observed them quietly, peering at the red apple skin. He then took a small sniff of it, then suddenly pulling back.

"Wait a sec, these aren't jewels." He said, picking one up as he said so.

"Well, no they aren't." Anon smiled sheepishly as he rubs the back of his head.

"They're apple jewels! two things in one." Applejack added in. She grabbed one with both her hooves and presented it to the purple dragon. "Here, take a bite, it might not be an actual jewel...but it's the best ah can do." She smiles.

Spike took it from her hooves and thanked her properly. He examined the 'apple jewel', turning it around to look at the fleshy underside that hid under the ruby skin. He then opened his mouth, taking in half of the snack.

He chewed as the human and the pony stared in silence. Beads of sweat rolled off of Anon's head, whilst Applejack was frozen in fear. The anticipation was killing them, it wasn't long before they would crack-

"It's nice."

Anon and Applejack sighed in relief.

"But it's not the real deal, sadly." Spike returned the remaining half back to the tray.

"Darn." Anon said. "I thought you'd like it."

"I did, it's just not what I usually eat. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to leave this place and hide in the Sugarcube corner before Twilight sends me on any more errands." Spike casually walks out of the room, leaving Anon and Applejack in the room.

Anon held the tray with one hand, whilst hearing the upstairs conversation of Rainbow Dash and Twilight sparkle. The two were speaking about a pony named Daring Do, though that was all Anon could hear. He then looks back to Applejack, who looked petrified.

"Woah, what's with you?" Anon bent down to her level.

"He...he didn't like it." She stared at the un-eaten piece that was placed in the corner of the tray, all lonely and such.

"He didn't say that, Applejack. Don't over-complicate things! He only said that it wasn't the real deal." Anon replied.

"He might 'ave well said that it was terrible." She droops down her head in shame.

"Don't be so harsh on yourself."

"Ahm not."

"Well, then. I'll take a bite." Anon said as he took a clean piece from the 11 apple jewels that were left. He at it rather quickly, due to the fact that it was just a small piece of an apple. "See? Tasty." He smiled.

"Ah don't need yur pity Anon." She said, still staring at the floor.

Sighing, Anon took another piece and put down the tray. With his vacant hand he lifted Applejack's head, smiling at her quivering lips and bloodshot eyes.

"Don't be such a crybaby." He said as he hand-fed her an apple jewel. "And if you say that this is bad, well...then you're just making fun of your own cooking." He said as she chewed slowly.

"It's..fine ah guess." She whispered.

"Good, then we'll eat this together because I'm as hungry as a bear." Anon sat down on the bench tree, patting down next to him for Applejack to sit there. She complied quietly, taking her seat next to him. Anon placed the tray on his lap as he started to take the apple slices. one by one.

"This ishnt gonna full me up fully. We're gonner have to shtop at your place for more." Anon spoke as his mouth was getting filled.

"Don't speak with your mouth full." Applejack giggled as she playfully punched him.

And when she meant 'playfully punched him', she actually meant 'cause a bruise', from what Anon felt as she did so.

"Open wide." Anon held an apple jewel on his hands.

"Ahm not a filly, Anon."

"That's what they all say, now open wide."

Obliging, Applejack opened her mouth.

"Good girl." He patted her on the head. She smiled with her cherry cheeks slightly full.

And so, the satisfied human and his earth pony friend left the library, ditching the rainbow mare for a few minutes before she caught up with them, frustrated and angry at the two.

"So are you going to go after him?" Anon spoke.

"Ah don't know." Applejack stared at the earthy floor.

"It's too late, AJ, and I'm hungry." Rainbow Dash added in.

"Well you should've joined us when we were eating!" Anon snapped.

"I was busy!"

"Busy reading!"

"It still counts!"

The two bickered as Applejack walked alongside them in the pavements of ponyville. She looked around, staring at the couples and at the others. Some made open displays of affection, whilst others decided that nuzzling was more than enough.

'Hearts and hooves day tomorrow! Find that special somepony!' The banner on the Sugarcube corner said.

Tomorrow was the day, the day that would decide whether the earth pony would be going along and manning the stall for the ball event...or whether she will join the others with her date as they dance in the moonlight...and hopefully spend the night with each other.

Loneliness creeped inside her heart, the one that most mares share on that dreaded day. There weren't that many male suitors in Ponyville, so it was made clear to the mares that it was either they fight to the death for the stallion's love, or form a herd. The latter was more picked in this situation, but it was never the best option.

Herds often leave certain mares and stallions out, depending on the size. There is also compatibility, wherein if that mare didn't like another stallion in the herd, then it would make an inequality within the group. This inevitably causes the herd to dissolve into smaller factions: the ones who are fine with being each other...and those who are left out.

Larger herds were harder to control, whilst smaller herds were more unstable, due to the common error of a stallion liking only one mare in the group and then leaving the rest to the other stallions.

Applejack avoided all of that. She wanted a stallion for herself and only herself. She wanted a stallion that was strong and one who would grow mighty. She wanted to have a caring Stallion who loved her cooking as much as she loved him. And if she was lucky, she wanted a stallion who could cook well.

And yet, Spike fit none of those requirements at that current moment whilst she thought to herself.

"Applejack."

"..."

"Applejack!"

"Wha? Yeah?"

Applejack stared at Anon, who was calling to her.

"Do you wanna find spike in the Sugarcube corner?" He asked.

She looked at him, at his determined face.

Was it all worth it?

Could she really have the gall to ask Spike?

She knew she wouldn't be able to, and even if that were fixed...she'd still have to reassure herself of the fact that...well...Spike already has his eyes on somepony else.

She already knew who it was from the librarian who lives in a tree.

"Well? It's your choice." Anon said as he stared at the sugarcoated restaurant.

"Hurry up AJ, my stomach is killing me." Rainbow Dash groaned.

"..."

"So what are you gonna do for Hearts and hooves day then?" Anon said.

"Ah guess I'll be manning the store with Granny smith." Applejack replied.

"Are you sure your granny can help? Age can make you lazy an unproductive."

"She's stronger than you think, Anon."

Anon and Applejack sat by an orchard in the fields of the Apple estate. Rainbow Dash was given permission to fly around and eat some apples whilst the two rested. It was the afternoon, and the sun was beginning to fall down the Earth.

"It's a shame."

Applejack looked at Anon as he spoke those words.

"Some stallions are missing out with a mare like you."

She stared at his face, she stared at his expression as he spoke to the sky.

"I mean, you're successful, you're respected, and best of all: You're a hard worker when it comes to getting something you want."

She smiled as his attempts of flattery.

"I like that."

Eyes widened, she stares at the human who said those very words.

"You know, Rainbow Dash is the only one who has a date for the ball tomorrow evening. Which surprised me, since I thought all of you were bringing dates, what with being the elements of harmony and all." Anon mumbled.

"Y-yeah." Applejack whispered.

He looked at her.

"Well...then at least I'm not the only one who's having trouble getting a date." He chuckles as he ruffles her mane.

And there, she felt it.

Her heart felt like it was being twisted. The sudden realization and slight fear that grips her very self. She could say it, she could ask him that one question that she dares to ask. But fear of rejection holds her back with thin strings. She needs one more push...just one more push to muster the courage she needs to make it.

'I-it's not like it h-has to be love! A-ah can ask him....ask him like a friend right? It's not like ah like him or anything...ah think.'

Anon stops his hand gestures, and looks at Applejack, who has her eyes glued to him. Her mouth biting her lips and a prominent blush is plastered onto her cheeks.

"A-anon."

"Uh....yeah?"

"Ahm gonna ask ya something real serious."

"Mhm."

"Would you...um...would you like to..."

"Are you going to....."

She closes her her eyes.

The liar mare and the lonely human.

"...."

"...."

"Y-you want me...t-to be your special somepony?"

"N-no! Not like that! what ah...ah meant was...uhh..."

"What did you mean?"

"Uhh..umm...ah said it wrong."

"..So you don't want me to be your special somepony?"

"Ah don't know! Ah just figured whether...you'd want to go to the ball with me."

Applejack covers herself with her stetson, feeling embarrassed. Anon looks away, feeling the same.

"You could've just asked that instead." He mumbles. "I get surprised easily, okay?"

"Roger." She whispers behind her hat.

A long, awkward silence follows. Neither party speaks, nor do they look at each other. The amber sun slowly descends with the moon slowly rising from it's slumber. Anon and Applejack remain rooted to the orchard, Rainbow Dash was nowhere to be seen. Whatever the two wanted to say, they would have to say with utmost confidence, for they needed someone to break this unusual atmosphere.

Anon stared at Applejack from the side of his eyes, looking at the earth pony. She was looking at him behind her stetson as she lowers it to show her eyes. The two make contact, but neither of them spoke.

Their eyes met, and still they didn't speak.

Anon reached out, boldly taking the step to break the current mood. He reaches for the stetson, and grabs hold of it. Applejack shows no resistance as he pulls it further down, fully showing her face.

"S-say what you wanted to say this time." Anon stuttered as he looks down at the emerald grass.

"Anon..."Her voice trails off.

Her heart started to beat heavily once more. Her hooves went sweaty and her eyes couldn't stop staring at the human.

"Anon...would you like to be my date for hearts and hooves day?" She breathes heavily after expelling the statement, as though it was quite an arduous task in saying it.

Anon stood up, sighing before he looks at Applejack. He walks towards her, and picks her up.

Anon smiled sadly at Applejack.

"Sorry, I can't." He said.

"W-why not?" Her brows furrowed and her eyes pleaded for him to say that it was a joke. It had to be a joke, right?

"I've seen this happen before where I came from." Anon replied. "And frankly, me saying yes right now won't make things better."

'Of course it would! Of course it would make things better! It would make me the happiest mare in Equestria if you accepted it! So why aren't you?' She screamed in her thoughts.

"Why won't it?" Applejack's voice had already started to crack from the increasing depression that the rejection caused. "Why won't it make things better Anon?!"

He petted her head as his other hand held her close to his body. She glares at him with watery eyes, her mouth grits her teeth as she falls into a state of an angry depression.

"Because all of this...all of these feelings you have...they aren't real." He explained. "They're just leftovers from what you felt with Spike."

"H-how would you know any of that?! How?!" She punches his chest, quenching her anger. Anon just stood there and held her, taking in the punches she threw.

"In this situation...well, I'd be a 'rebound'. I'd be the guy you spring onto when you feel all alone and depressed. I'd be the replacement Spike for you to love...and honestly, I don't want to be loved like that." He cups her cheek, wiping the lines of tears that came down from her eyes. Her beating slows to a stop as she starts to listen more.

"I know you love Spike more than me, and I accept that. But you can't just go around and find another substitute right off the bat once you lose grip of the one you love." Anon sits down with Applejack sitting on his lap. "As much as I'd love to be your date for hearts and hooves day, there will always be a part of me that thinks that you see as Spike."

"But ah don't see you as Spike! Ah really don't!" She pleads to him.

"Well, how am I supposed to believe you?" Anon looks to the side, dejected.

Applejack stares at the sad human, and moves his head to face her. She didn't mind about her appearance. She didn't mind about her bloodshot eyes and the teary streaks that line down from it. She didn't care about her constant sniffling.

All she wanted to do now, is to prove that this...'love' is for Anon, and Anon only.

She hasn't done this before, and she's sure to make this her first.

It's sure to teach that human that she means business.

And so,

She kisses Anon gently on the lips.

The soft texture that they soon feel surprises both of them, Anon the most. His eyes widened as she claims his first kiss softly. His arms felt compelled to bring her closer to his body, to press her lips more against his. His eyes calmed down as they looked at Applejack's, which were closed.

He didn't dare to push any further than this, and neither did Applejack. Their mouths remained shut for the entire duration, locking away their tongues. But it doesn't mean that they didn't enjoy it.

Applejack felt a strong fire rage inside her body, which calmed her greatly. Dopamine flooded her entire being, feeding her pleasure as she cherished these few moments.

Anon could do nothing more than just hold the mare tight. He felt reassured as they kissed, for he knew that she truly did love him.

And before it would drag any longer, the Applejack pulled back, ending it. She panted lightly, nuzzling Anon as she rests herself on his body. She didn't feel like going back home to her bed tonight, so she resorted to using her human as a warm bed.

"Ahm gonna ask ya again Anon."

"Mm."

Ponyville Town Square: 9 in the evening.

The night is in bloom, and the residents of Ponyville know it. The town hall stands proud in the middle of the square, blaring lights to the town square around it. Lamps that display different colors  shine in every patch of the ground whilst one shines on a large, grand disco ball which is situated at the top of the town hall.

Stands are lined around the edges of the square, leaving ample room for the couples to dance, whilst small choirs, wherein which Big Mac is situated in one of them, singing proudly as he swoons the lonely mares that flock close.

Fluttershy managed to fit herself into the choir too as she sings behind the ruby stallion. Despite her not having a stallion to dance with on this very night, she was satisfied with just singing and enjoying the night with those who sang with her.

Twilight flew about in circles, speaking to all the stall owners as a checkup. The stress had already built up dangerously inside her after an hour of maintaining the ball. She's had to relocate colts and fillies that wandered too close to 'affectionate' couples and not to mention, desperate mares who would cling onto one of them and never let them go. Despite all of this, they all didn't stress her as much as the sight of two ponies kissing or nuzzling each other.

Pinkie Pie was whizzing around, trying her hardest to cheer up the stragglers and the loners, which often leads to two situations where a): She would dance with them, be it male or female. Or b): She would become a pony hug pillow for those who cry. Fortunately, her iron-clad will is strong enough to repel the depression that the ponies emanate, but it won't last forever.

Rarity was constantly being courted by Spike, who wore a pink tuxedo for the occasion. She had no job for the evening as she had already finished it, unlike the others. This turned out to be worse as she stares longingly at the bridges that connect to the square, hoping for a lone stallion to meet her eyes and save her from her own depression. Spike, on the other hand, persevered and stayed by her side, despite her not paying attention to his compliments.

Applejack was maintaining her stall with Applebloom and Granny Smith. She wore a worn smile, a smile she uses for when she works at the stall. Her eyes occasionally look around, looking for Spike to come across their stall. Tonight was going to be a long night for her, and she'll have to be a tough mare to get through.

Anon slowly walked across the bridge, briefly meeting eyes with Applejack as she looks over. He smiles sadly before nodding to greet her.

She repeats the action, before looking away as she fails to maintain her tears.  

Anon was going to be alone tonight, like he had always planned. He knew he had to be alone, and he was expecting Rainbow Dash to be as well. He never believed the fact that she was bringing a stallion for hearts and hooves day, he was sure of it. He wanted to mock her the moment he saw her, to mock the fact that she was a liar.

He contemplated on whether to punish her by coming with Applejack, but he immediately shot it down the moment he realized that he would be using somepony for his own benefit. He truly wanted to accept Applejack's offer, but he knew that it would be better if she chased her first love, because he knows that she hates losing.

With a rose on one hand and the other in his pockets, he wears a fake smile as he enters the town square. All eyes fall upon him, but they quickly scatter the moment they realize that he was alone. Anon felt embarrassed to even walk among these ponies, not to mention the fact that he was the tallest there, which meant that he pretty much stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Welcome Anonymus." Mayor mare greeted him as he walked past her. She was on the second floor, observing the happy atmosphere and also looking around for any activities that might be deemed too 'mature' to be happening.

"Hey." He spoke.

"It seems like you're going solo tonight."

"Yup. You too? Or do you have a stallion chained up in your bedroom for tonight?" Anon joked. Mayor Mare was the only pony who could handle his vulgar jokes, mainly for the fact that it was a refreshing thing to hear instead of politely-worded statements that came from any other pony besides Anon.

"Oh, rest assured, I have no stallion to comfort me tonight."

"You and me both."

He waved goodbye to the mare as she leaned on the railings, looking at him.

'Poor stallion.' She whispered.

Anon wandered aimlessly, speaking to ponies and visiting the stalls. He tried to enjoy the evening, but he could never get stuck in. Eventually, he ended his social activities by sitting on the fountain near the bridges. He could see Rarity in the landing of the town hall, waving towards somepony on the bridge.

"Glad you could make it, Rainbow Dash!" She shouted.

Anon quickly perked up. His sights matching Rarity's as he saw Rainbow Dash's head bobbing up and down on the bridge. He stands up to get a closer look.

Only to see a surprising sight.

A teal skinned stallion walked beside her, wings present.His mane was phthalo blue and he wore a sweet smile as he walked alongside Rainbow Dash. She pointed towards him, shouting out "HEY! YOU SEEN ANON YET? I NEED TO BRAG TO HIM ABOUT THIS!"

Anon quickly sat down, his state returning to it's former condition. He wouldn't, no..he couldn't accept the fact that she truly kept her word when she mentioned this mysterious stallion. A small part of him figured that she was telling the truth, but his confidence caged it and threw it away.

He didn't even know why he felt sad about all of this. He was only proven wrong about something, that was it.

Rainbow Dash catches a glimpse of Anon through the crowd of ponies. His black suit made it hard for her to see him until one of the lamps briefly went across him and the fountain he sat next to. She spoke to the stallion next to her to walk with her to the fountain, to which he agreed to.

"Don't worry, it won't be for long." She said.

"Alright then." He replied.

Meanwhile, Anon sighed heavily as he stared at the dark floor. He heard the clops of two ponies, once of which he already knew. He looked up to see Rainbow Dash in her dress, alongside her stallion.

"See? I told you I had a date!" She gloated. "So who's yours, Anon?" She looked down at him.

She expected him to say Applejack, but she got no response.

"I bet you're going to upstage me with that dress you have! Well look here, because I look better than you could ever be." She sticks her tongue out.

Again, no response.

"Anon? Anon?! Are you even paying attention to me? Where is your date mare anyw-"

"I don't have one." He truthfully said.

She needn't speak no more.

Her planned speeches were cut short as she heard those words.

"You don't have a date?" She said.

Anon stood up to the two, wearing a monotone expression as he walked passed them.

"Nope." He just said as he walked away with his hands in his pockets. "Have fun with your date." He looked back on them, and smiled.

Rainbow Dash looked at Anon, speechless. She wanted to say something else to grab his attention, but she couldn't find anything. There was nothing more to add to their conversation. So all she could do was to watch him slowly walk away.

"Anon..." She whispered.

Her stallion looked at her, pitying her. "I'll go on ahead and find Spitfire." He spoke. "Thanks for bringing me here Dash."

Rainbow Dash only nodded as her stallion left the scene, leaving her all alone in the fountain.

The calm night watches over Anon as he walks past the bridge. All of his friends see him pass by as he did so, but he didn't mind. All he wanted was to go back home and sleep at this point.

His hand clutched the rose tightly, drawing blood. There was no reason for him to be holding it anymore, but maybe, just maybe...he would stumble across a mare just as lonely as him.

Maybe he would see her crying and give her the rose he has been holding. Maybe he would have salvaged the night after all. Maybe she would end up being his marefriend and possibly more.

He hoped that it would happen, but in reality, he's just another alien that walks around in this world. He came to the ball for minutes and then immediately left without a word, dateless throughout. He even contemplated on why he even came if he was just going to wallow in misery and then leave the next minute.

Anon unbuttoned his suit and his shirt. He unbuttoned the topmost part of his shirt to free up his neck and he removed his tie and shoved it into his pocket. There was no point trying to look handsome, so he might as well make himself comfortable.

He saw a nearby bench which faced the moon. He sat on it and relaxed as he stared at the sky.

"What am I doing with my life?" He sighed. "Walking like a dateless loser into some event. And then Rainbow had to ruin it all by showing up with whatshisface." He groaned.

He looked at the rose, staring at it as he opened his hand to show the bleeding that it caused.

"Love hurts." He chuckled.

The chuckling soon died down into light sobbing as his eyes began to water. Finally, his loneliness got to him, never letting go. His sobs got louder and louder, and his eyes got redder and redder. He brought up his knees and shoved his face into them, muffling his sounds as he cried.

No-one would hear him, and no-one should. There aren't a lot of opportunities for Anon to let everything out of his system, and this was one of the rare moments. He wasn't going to waste it, that's for sure. Everything he had shoved inside, every insult he took in and every single hits that he took, he all cried out.

It felt relieving, to him of course. All he wanted was to not let his friends see him like this, to not let them see the kind and caring human in such a weak state. He would never live it down if they ever found out.

He lifted his face, all wet and with a thin line of snot dribbling down his nose. He looked at the moon once more.

"Don't judge me, Luna."He chuckled. "You've probably cried too."

He could feel himself calming down after letting it all out. He wiped his face on his sleeve, right after apologizing to Rarity for what he was about to do. He sorted his hair and simplified it, letting it form a fringe around his face.

"I like that look better, that dorky one." Came a voice.

He looked to see the dark silhouette of Rainbow Dash to his left, panting and her dress in disarray.

"Look who's come to brag." He said as he buried his mouth in his knees, sulking like an infant. "Are you on your way home with whatshisface?"

"Oh, Soarin?...He's just a friend I asked at the last minute to come with me." She smiled sheepishly. Anon glared daggers at Rainbow Dash, making her flinch.

"...Sorry." She apologized.

"It's alright." He shrugged off.

"I-I kinda though that you were going with someone."

"You heard?"

"....Mhm."

"I said no."

"Thank you."

"What?"

"It's nothing."

Rainbow Dash walks up and sits next to Anon, knocking down his knees so that he sits properly. She takes out his tie from his pockets and orders him to tie it up again.

"You need to look more of a gentlecolt." She said.

"Leave me alone. I need my alone time." He grumbled.

"I made a promise to never leave your side after that accident, and I intend to keep it." She replied as she leaned on his shoulder.

Anon smiled.

Rainbow Dash shuffled to his lap, smiling all the while.

"Why did you never ask me out to hearts and hooves day?" She questioned.

"You're too clingy." Anon mumbled. She punched him on the arm as he chuckled. "But to be honest..." He held up his hand and rubbed her cheek. "I was waiting for you to ask me."

Rainbow Dash looks away with a mighty blush forming on her cheeks.

"I-it's not like I wanted you to be my special somepony." She mumbles away from his ears.

"I'd make a great special somepony if you'd asked. I'd be more grateful for somepony to actually like me, rather than the fact that they asked me out." Anon turned back Rainbow Dash's face to his. "To be honest, you're the closest I have to a special somepony."

"T-thanks." She smiles.

Anon hugs her deeply, breathing in the perfume she brought to the occasion. Rainbow Dash quickly pushes him back.

D-don't look at that.

"Do you have cows in this world?"

"Cow..ss?"

"Oh, right. You're probably not the best person to ask this."

"And what do you mean by that?!"

"I mean that you're stupid. We both know this."

Rainbow Dash rolls her eyes, punching Anon's arm whilst they walked. He hissed, pushing her away from his side as they walked towards Rarity's home. Sweetie Belle lagged at the back, observing the two as they spoke. Her eyes remained focused on Anon for the most of it, staring at his expressions and his actions.

It was the afternoon and Anon was 2 days away from being rid of escorting Sweetie Belle from school. Tomorrow was a day off for the filly, which made Anon suggest that today was Friday. The trio walked nearby a stall that sold ice cream.

"Oh, okay. So there are cows here." Anon said as he looked at the vanilla delight. "Do you girls want one?"

"Alright, since you're paying." Rainbow Dash said.

"I'm fine with it." Sweetie Belle peeped from behind.

Anon brought three cones of vanilla ice cream to Rainbow Dash and Sweetie Belle. After that, they went to a nearby bench to enjoy their little treat.

"Come on, up here." Anon patted his lap to Sweetie Belle. She jumped onto the bench and sat on his lap, wiggling her bottom as she settles herself to face him. Rainbow Dash sits beside Anon, legs crossed.

"Now you'll need to be slow on this, you gotta cherish it in this really hot day." Anon said as he bit the ice cream. "I'm not really a fan of licking it, so I just bite off chunks of it." He chuckled.

"But you said to cherish it!" The filly said.

"I am. I'm just taking small bites." He replied.

Rainbow Dash meanwhile, had been scarfing down hers. She took no time in enjoying the ice cream as she consumed the small cone and it's contents in entirety, once she had eaten enough to make it small of course. A ring of white cream lined her mouth as she breathes heavily. Her eyes flickering and her tongue lolling out.

"Ah thenk, ah et it tu fass." She pants.

"Now that is someone who didn't cherish the ice cream." Anon pointed. "That's what you should never do."

"Mah tung, ith vewwy hot." She sputters.

"Watch as exhibit A, Rainbownicus Stupidius, suffers from brain freeze and the side effect of a tongue that has briefly lost sensitivity." Anon educated the filly, who giggled quietly at the Rainbow mare. He finished his own small cone carefully and decided to clean up Rainbow Dash with a nearby fountain.

"Come on, get up. Ponies might start thinking that you've gone mad with rabies." He said as he cradled her body. She quickly settled into it,flicking her tail with enjoyment. Anon brought her to the fountain and sat down on the ledge. With one hand in the water and the other holding her body on his lap, Anon carefully washed Rainbow Dash's mouth before the vanilla cream solidifies into a white streak around it.

Rainbow Dash looked at Anon dead in the eyes, half-lidded.

"Were there drugs inside your ice cream?" Anon asked. She simply shook her head.

He cupped some water in his hand and quickly slathered it onto her before it all dripped away between his fingers. With that done, he rubbed the fur, pushing away the creamy liquid onto his hands and flicking it away from the fountain. At certain intervals he would splash more water on her face to keep it wet, as the sun was very efficient in evaporating it in such short notice.

Whilst he rubbed the fur around her mouth to remove any that were still clinging deep inside, Anon's slippery fingers suddenly dive into Rainbow Dash's mouth. It was his index finger, to be exact.

"Shit, sorry." He mumbled.

He retracts his hand to remove his finger from her mouth, but she closes it shut whilst keeping her stare towards Anon. Her head lurches forward, driving more of it in. Anon tries to not forcefully retract his fingers, but he soon tugs away at it once he realizes that the rainbow mare might suddenly bite down on his finger.

"H-hey, let go."

She shook her head.

"Dude, stop. I'm being serious. I'm starting to think that you might eat it."

She shook her head again.

Then suddenly, he felt something brush across the trapped finger. Something rough and wide. He felt it almost encompass his entire index finger with it's flesh and it's warmth.

"W-what are you doing? Stop that." Anon tugged away, but he could feel her vacuum-like grip holding his finger down. "Don't you dare bite on it, or I swear...I will pull the feathers from your wings one by one." He glares at her, but she didn't feel intimidated. If anything, she continued to lick his finger.

Then, like a switch, she stops.

Her tongue freezes in place and her wings ruffle. Her eyes fully open, showing the shock of the situation to her. She could see the Anon's stoic face as he shakes it in disapproval.

"Not cool dude." He mumbles.

She slowly opens her mouth, freeing the poor finger. Anon wipes it vigorously on the side of his shirt, before apologizing to Rarity. He furrows his brows and grumbles as Rainbow Dash sits on his lap, gloomy and ashamed at her actions.

"S-sorry." She apologizes.

"Assface." He retorts.

"It's not my fault."

"Oh, so you're saying that your other, sexually frustrated self tried to find some release?"

"No....I hope not."

"You should pay more attention, I don't want colts and fillies to see some grown mare suckling an alien's finger in the middle of public."

"Way to pour some more salt in that wound, meanie."

"Meanie?! I'm the one who's being sexually harassed!"

"It's not my fault!"

"How is it not your fault?!"

"I-i-i-it's a personal matter, dammit!"

Anon grumbled, dropping the pegasus down on the ground as he walks over to Sweetie Belle. Rainbow Dash quickly composes herself and follows suit.

'Personal matter my ass. That pony needs some action or else she'll end up doing something worse than sucking my finger..'

Anon dropped off Sweetie Belle and left without a word with Rainbow Dash. By the time Rarity had opened the door, Anon and Rainbow Dash had made a run for it, whilst a curious Sweetie Belle had some interesting questions about how mares should behave.

Anon decided that he's had enough for today, and was heading for the Everfree. Rainbow Dash quietly followed, often stopping and looking behind herself, causing irritation to Anon as they had to stop every now and then.

"I'm taking the day off, you can go if you want." Anon said  as he walked.

"Why would I go?"

"Because who knows what you're going to do next, after that incident of yours. And frankly, I don't want to be near you when it happens."

"Come on Anon, I already told you-"

"It's not your fault, I know. But unless I know why, I'm going to distance myself from you for a while."

"You should know why I've done that by now, you've lived here long enough."

Anon stops and turns around to face her.

"I should know what?"

"Dear Goddesses, you even live with a mare! You should know!"

"Quit being ambiguous and tell me dammit." Anon tapped his feet impatiently.

"Just..take me to your house and I'll tell you."

With some herbal tea in one hand, and and a sleeping Angel on the other as he pets it, Anon sits on the couch of Fluttershy's home. Rainbow Dash was sitting prone, tucking her legs in as her tail flicks about. Her ears folded down and she was already blushing without having said a word.

"Can you tell me already? I'm getting bored." Anon yawned.

"A-alright." She mumbles. "You obviously know where...foals come from right?"

"If you're trying to give me the 'talk', I've already learned from it from various pornography sites." He said blatantly.

"Por-what?"

"Yes, I know where foals come from. Now just tell me."

"Okay."

She takes in a deep breath. "Has Fluttershy ever been...'too affectionate' sometimes?" She asks.

"Yeah, sometimes she nuzzles me like I'm a damn teddy bear and clings onto me, but that's all she does."

"W-well, it's because she goes through....I mean we all go through a phase."

"Like you being in heat?"

"H-how did you know?!"

"Logic. That, and my pet dog went through it when I had her. I had to keep her locked away from any assholes that would dare to mount my precious."

Rainbow Dash sat speechless, with her mouth wide open. She was slightly relieved in that she had been saved from an awkward conversation that would've put a strain in their relationship, but she still had to be careful.

She had only realized that she was in heat recently and she knows how easily it can control her, like it has done so a few hours ago.

"Here, let me examine you." Anon placed Angel on a nearby table, resisting the need to throw him out the window as he stands in front of Rainbow Dash. "Let me check your privates."

"P-p-privates?" She stuttered like an idiot.

Without consent, his hands dug under Rainbow Dash's body and lifted her up. She squirmed lightly as Anon flipped her around on the couch, trying to take a look of what's between her legs. She crosses them tightly as she grits her teeth in embarrassment and anger.

"Stop it! I'll scream!" She warns him.

"Quit being a child and let me see." Anon dodged the swift kicks from Rainbow Dash as he pins her back to the sofa.

Sighing, he moves his face closer to hers, looking up close at her blushing cheeks.

Just for this occasion, he would use his ultimate ability to weaken the prideful Rainbow Dash.

'Dashie' was Anon's failsafe word to tease the poor mare.

And from the looks of it, he had complete control over her as she froze up and stared longingly at him, flicking her ears straight up. Her undivided attention was given to him as she smiles in embarrassment, almost whinnying at some point.

He felt bad for doing this, but he had to make sure that she truly was in 'heat', so that he could safely assume that she wasn't some closet pervert that sexually harasses stallions in public during her spare time away from him.

With utmost respect, he pried open her legs slowly as he is greeted to a powerful scent.

"Hm, Skittles."

And so, Anon knew that without a doubt that Rainbow Dash was in the midst of her estrus cycle. Her genitals looked extremely sore, often twitching as though it had caught the scent of a male. Without any further observation, he crosses her legs once more and takes a deep breath.

Knowing her bashfulness when it comes to arousal, and the punches she hands out when offended or embarrassed, Anon would have to deal with two polar-opposite personalities for a while.

Neither of them were pleasant for him.

D-don't touch that.

"You should be locked up."

"I know, I should."

"Why did you even come out of your home to find me?"

"I didn't know that I was in heat!"

"Well then just go! Do it now before you do something you might regret!"

Anon shouted at the mare, who sat beside him as she crossed her legs and looked away in embarrassed shame. She felt like punching him, but moving a single muscle in her body was more than enough to get her sex drive going.

Despite what doctors and nurses say to the fillies who get their first taste of their estrus cycle, each phase is different for each filly, and not all of them experience the same effects.

For Rainbow Dash, constant training with her wings and her body in general as had an interesting side effect when she goes into heat. Her body becomes unnaturally sensitive to the touch, where gentle a gentle caress to her wings stimulate her more than it should, sometimes to the point of pain (with added pleasure). As with other mares, her general personality takes a turn to a more lewd version, though it can easily be resisted.

From where she sat, she could smell Anon's scent and his own alien musk. She knew that he hadn't showered yet today and that he also had small amounts of natural hair gel that he made in his hair. Her nose was a tool for finding the right mate, and it was doing it effectively.

Her wings ruffled uncomfortably, and her eyes looked back and forth from her own body to Anon's. Judging his appearance.

"Come on, let's get you to your home. I'm sure Twilight can put a cloudwalking spell on me and teleport us there if she's good enough to be an element." Anon stood up from the couch. "After that, I'll find some way to get back home and have my day off."

She saw his figure as he rose, examining his broad body and arms. He wasn't the kind to exercise in general, but some daily manual labour on the farm or gem farming with Rarity must have contributed to some muscle growth. Before he started working, Anon was the definition of the slob as he sat by the couch and was spoonfed by Fluttershy. He had gained some weight and realized this, but he still stayed the same, eating due to a mixture of depression and an uncommon likeness towards vegetables.

"Is it fine with me picking you up?" He asked.

She nodded fervently, knowing what would happen.

"Just don't drop me, or I'll punch your face."

"Ooooh, I'm so scared." Anon replied sarcastically. He grabbed Rainbow Dash's bottom and held her up, holding her wings with his free hand as he lays her on his shoulder, letting her head rest on it as she is given a clear view of everything behind Anon.

She stifled a moan as she felt his touch on her wings and her arms wrapped themselves around Anon's neck.

"Alright, you ready?" He asked.

"Mm."

Walking through Ponyville was as normal as it could be for a human holding a pony in his arms. Most saw it as a normal thing, whilst a select few saw the red tint that was barely visible from Rainbow Dash's lower lips, causing them to whistle and cheer for the human. Anon felt embarrassed as he heard those sounds, but there was somepony that he had to take care of right now.

As they walked, Anon almost tripped on a stone, causing his hands to grip Rainbow Dash's wings and lower back.

"Ah!"

Rainbow Dash couldn't help but moan loudly as a great deal of pressure was added to her already-sensitive wings. Instinctively, she pressed her legs tightly, not wanting to cause a slippery ruckus.

"Shit, sorry." Anon apologized.

"N-no, no, it's fine." She smiled, even though Anon couldn't see it. "It felt really great, actually."

"Oh." He replied. "Glad to hear that, Dash."

"Call me Dashie...." She moved her mouth closer to his right ear, whispering lightly. "....Please?"

"No." He replied sternly. "This is really getting to you."

She nuzzled him affectionately, pleading him to grip her wings throughout the entire journey to Twilight's library. Anon easily resisted her charms, but he knew that his iron will would break soon if he was exposed for too long. This made it all the more reason for him to run to the library. Not wanting to take any more of her Rainbow Dash's awkward flirting, he decided to screw it all and just run there.

The trip felt rather short, but awkward nonetheless, cringeworthy even. Anon tried his best to not listen at the wailing pegasus as he ran, keeping a grumpy look as he ran past crowds and ponies that stared in curiosity. At one point, he tried to close Rainbow Dash's own mouth as he ran, but it only ended up in his fingers being suckled on.

He didn't even try knocking on the wooden door of the tree library, opting to just kick it straight open. Spike was rather startled at the sudden commotion, but he quickly dove under his little bed when he realised that it was just visitors.

"Twilight Sparkle, get your donkey ass off those books and get this... THING off me!"

"Donkey?"

"Please, just get down here and get her off me!"

"I'd to get you off those clo-"

"I swear, if you finish that sentence, I will slap you."

Twilight Sparkle tumbled down the staircase, followed by a plethora of books on various topics. Her wide and shocked eyes told Anon about her own opinion of the situation.

"How long?" She asked.

"An hour ago." Anon replied.

"How strong?"

"Sexual harassment."

"How loud?"

"To the point where I would kill myself if I heard any more."

She quickly composed herself, rising from the clutter of books that covered her like a blanket. Clearing her throat, she lights her horn, getting ready for a spell. "I'll take her back home immediately. She's a proven flight risk if she tries to get there with help anyway." Anon chuckled at the unintentional joke.

"And who's going to look after her when she's in that room? She could easily jump out the window, you know." Anon said. He looked at Rainbow Dash again, who tilted her head as she looked at him with dilated pupils. He furrowed at his eyebrows, not approving the outlandish behaviour of the mare that often hit him and insulted him on occasion.

"Well, I'm not sure if any of our friends are available right now. We all have busy lives, but Rainbow Dash is an exception." Twilight Sparkle spoke.

"True." Anon replied.

"We can't bring anyone else, especially not a stallion." She brought her hoof to her own pony chin, rubbing it softly.

"Obviously." Anon chuffed.

"And you too."

"Me?"

"You're a male."

"And? I'm not a stallion, if I recall correctly, so that means getting that poor thing preggers would be out of the window. Plus, I wouldn't have ran all the way here just to force you to get us to be alone, it kind of defeats the point of me leaving my house in the first place."

"Are you just trying to convince me to let you be alone with Rainbow Dash?"

"I was already alone with her before I came here, like I've said just a second ago."

"And what happened?"

"Nothing, that's why I came over here."

She narrowed her eyes at the human who gently pushed away Rainbow Dash's face from his every few seconds. Behaviour like this obviously meant that he wasn't attracted to her in this state, but then again she could never be sure when it comes to a stallion and a mare in heat...all alone.

Risking her own friend's virginity, she reluctantly agreed with Anon's proposal.

"Alright then. But if you do anything, and I mean anything, you'll be hearing about it from me and everyone who knows Rainbow Dash." She warned him.

"It's like you're making me out to be a sexual predator. Jeez, calm down woman." Anon sighed.

Anon touched the walls of the fluffy home, amazed at the texture and fluffiness of the walls of Rainbow Dash's home. They looked like cotton candy, but their texture was close to the leather of the sofa that he slept on during his teenage days on earth. He gripped them, scratched them, and even licked them at one point to find out what it tasted like.

Surprisingly, it felt like a tasteless cotton fluff that lacked the sugary taste that cotton candy had.

"Damn, so close to having a candy home." He sighed.

"I'll be bringing Rainbow Dash to her bedroom, get yourself comfortable in the meanwhile." The fading shouts of Twilight Sparkle reached his ears.

"Sweetie, I'm trying to eat a house over here: I'm already comfortable." Anon could hear a giggle in the distance.

"That's the same thing we did when we came to her house for the first time!" Twilight Sparkle replied.

Anon wandered around the house some more, looking at the furniture and the rooms that the brash mare owned. Unsurprisingly, her kitchen was almost empty, save for a small flower that had wilted and a stale piece of bread next to it. He quickly learned the fact that she never cooked her own meal, and probably had herself spoonfed by the rest of her friends, most notably Anon himself.

He went to the living room, which was littered with a few cupboards and bookshelves that contained children's books on each row. He didn't even have to take a look at them when he knew that she only read books from Daring Do after an accident that happened a while back.

"Anon!" Twilight Sparkle shouted.

"What?!" He replied.

"I've tucked her into the bed!"

"And?" He shouted as he walked up the stairs.

"Just sit next to her and keep watch when she sleeps, alright? I think I put a light hibernation spell on her."

Anon opened the door to see Twilight Sparkle stepping into a portal. "You think? Are you doubting yourself?" He looked over to see a slumped figure on the bed, who was probably Rainbow Dash.

"Just keep watch, and abstain." She stared at him sternly.

"Alright, mom." He waved goodbye as Twilight Sparkle walked into the purple portal, which shortly closed after she entered it.

Anon wandered around the room as Rainbow Dash supposedly slept. Her room was pretty bare and there were a few nightstands and bookshelves filled with more children's books. One of the shelves contained a few toys that she played with when she as younger.

One thing that caught his mind, however, were the pictures that stood on top of them. Each one contained Rainbow Dash smiling with one of her friends or her parents. She looked as lively as she could be in each of them, be it soaring through the skies or eating a mass load of cupcakes like a glutton in what seemed to be a contest at the Sugarcube corner.

Something that caught his attention, however, were the pictures with him in it.

Her smiles weren't as curvy, her eyes showed something else, her position was a bit further away from the rest of them. She didn't look like the ones in the previous photos, in fact, she looked a bit more...forced. Anon couldn't help but stare at them, wondering what he did wrong to make her look like that.

"Am I really that much of a nuisance?" He whispered to himself as he took one of the photos with him in it. What it just his existence that caused her to look like this? Because that was what he was thinking as he looked at the Rainbow Dash in the photo. He put it back, glancing past another photo wedged between two books as he walked away from the stand.

He sat down beside the bed, not preferring to look back because of guilt.

"I guess that's why she's an ass towards me most of the time...*chuckles*... I guess that makes sense." He spoke to himself quietly.

Soon enough, he felt her behind him, he felt her presence, he felt her breath on his neck.

"Looks like we're all alone for a while." She whispered.

Anon didn't reply.

"What are we gonna do now?"

An uneventful night.

"Hey, hey. Are you listening?"

"Mm."

"What should we do? I'm a bit sleepy, but I'm still ready fer.....any...anything."

"Maybe you should just go to sleep for a while, yeah?"

"Nooooooooo."

Rainbow Dash dribbles lazily on Anon's shoulder, staining it in the process. He felt some light chewing as more and more of his body was being held by her wandering hooves. He monitored his breathing and he closed his eyes, keeping a calm mind. Rainbow Dash's breath felt icy under the wet stain that she made on his shirt, and her hooves started to wander to indecent places.

"Cmon, just a feel, it won't hurt right?" She whispered to his ear.

"I'd rather not." He replied.

"And what made you think that you had other options?"

"The thought that I can pin you down easily." He muttered.

Swiftly, she moved around to face Anon, with the rainbow streak-laden bedsheet wrapped around her body like an alluring cocoon, covering her whole body and leaving her face visible.

"You see, you're in my property right now. That means that I can do whatever the buck I want to whoever the fuck I like."

"..."

"Ya hear that? I just used your hooman language!"

"Yeah."

Rainbow Dash sat on Anon's lap, brushing across his torso. She looked up to him, smiling sweetly like an angel. Innocence was a strong suit for all mares, especially when it can be used to deceive other ponies. This one, wanted nothing more than to just rut  with no protection until she felt satisfied.

That being said, Anon wouldn't be that willing to just simply do it for no reason at all. Not because of the fact that he would be committing a sexual relationship with another sentient species..no, it was a much simpler reason. But despite all this, despite all the erotic stories that he has read before, despite all the adult sites that he's regularly visited to...

Actually having sex with another being for real seemed to be scarier than just doing it alone.

Usually, he expected the male character to just blatantly agree with Rainbow Dash's proposal and just get it over with, but now that the male character's role has been thrown to him, he can't seem to find the right words nor the right actions to do anything properly.

And there he was, sitting on the side of the bed whilst a full grown mare willingly offers sex to him.

"Dash." He held her head, pulling down the covers to show her colourful mane.

"Hmmmm?" She smiles, pressing her body close to his.

"Just go to sleep, alright?"

"Why?" She furrows her eyebrows.

"Please, just do it." He forced a smile.

"Why?! Why won't you say yes?"

"Do you really expect me to fuck you and then act like nothing's happened the next day?"

"Yes! Isn't this every stallion's dream?"

"Well I'm not a damn stallion."

"Well you should be!" She shouts, punching his chest. Anon flinches in pain.

"What the fuck does that mean?!" He snapped back.

"Why couldn't you have been a stallion, huh? Why'd you have to be this...thing! You're too tall for me, you have weird hairstyles and you don't act like a gentlecolt at all!" She shouts back, tears welling up in her eyes. "Have you not heard about everypony speaking about you? About how strange you are? About how strange the ponies around him are? All of us are like gossip when we turn our backs to them!"

"Is that all you care about? Your damn pride?"

"I'm prideful, dammit!" She punches him again, knocking the wind out of Anon's chest, forcing him onto the bed.

Rainbow Dash clambers over him, teary eyed and with cheeks that are swollen with red. Each punch she gave made her feel slight pleasure as the vibrations rocked her body. She clearly enjoyed this, even though she wasn't supposed to.

Anon coughed violently, cursing whoever is God in this world for making a pony so strong. He could see the scattered face of Rainbow Dash angrily crying on top of him.

"Why don't you just leave me alone then. Distance yourself from me if you have to." He sniffled.

"Don't you fucking get it? I'm the damn element of loyalty!" She screams. "I don't leave a friend behind, even if it's a terrible one."

"Terrible? You can fucking talk." He snarled.

"Wha-"

"You're a complete nuisance to me, and then you stick to me like glue if I try to rid myself of you. Just what is your deal?" He holds Rainbow Dash and flips her on the bed, switching their positions. "You act like a complete ass when you have to, and then when I try to lash out at you, you'd just ditch me and then come back later!"

He grips her legs tightly, keeping her in place. "What exactly am I to you? Why do you have to always be at my side? Why?" His eyes started to sting badly and his nose started to run.

"I....*sniff*...I just don't get it."

His grip eased as he cried quietly. He felt like harming her for an answer, but that would just be a one way trip for him to go straight to hell if anyone else found out about it. He wanted to release it, to vent his frustration that she caused, but he couldn't find an outlet.

He wasn't going to find any answers if this dragged out longer than it should. All he could do now is to just let go for a while and to relax. Fighting wasn't going to do anything, and leaving things like this was as good as it could get, even though he would be finishing it without any answers.

Anon simply flopped down to Rainbow Dash's side as the two quietly cried in peace.

A few hours passed, causing the room to darken as the sun routinely sets in the horizon. Anon stares at the cloudy wall, unresponsive. Rainbow Dash lays by his side, looking at him. Her mane was ruffled and it covered one half of her head like a colourful mask.

She had a few more days left until her condition was about to pass, but right now she felt as if she never had it at all. Though, she still feels somewhat sensitive, and her mood has simmered down, little by little as the time goes on. Quietly she puts one of her hooves on Anon's chest, rubbing it gently.

"Are you done crying?" She croaked as she turned her body to face him.

Anon blinked, but gave no reply. He simply turned his face to stare at her sorrowfully.

"I'll take that as a yes." She forced a smile.

Anon moved away her dishevelled mane, neatly fixing it. Rainbow Dash watched as he touched her softly. She felt him cup her cheek, squeezing it lightly as he looked her in the eyes. It didn't fit, It didn't fit at all. His face showed that he wanted nothing to do with her, but his actions wanted to make her feel warm and comfortable in his embrace.

"I'm gonna ask you something, and you have to answer it, okay?" He spoke.

"Okay." She replied.

"....Why are you still with me?"

"...What?"

He took in a deep breath and sighed heavily, right before getting up. "I've seen the way you look like when a picture is taken with me in it. I know that I'm the reason why. I just can't fit the pieces together to explain why you're so.....confusing." Anon held one of the pictures on the shelves, frowning as he looked at it longingly.

Rainbow Dash sits up, looking away in guilt.

"Please, for the love of God, tell me." He whispered. "Please."

"I...it's just a thing that you wouldn't understand. You could never understand it, even if you tried to." She mumbled.

"And how would you kn-"

"Because you know nothing about mares and how they feel. You know nothing about them and you just locked yourself here with one that's in heat. You're a real moron, you know that?"

"..."

"I was told time and time again: You'll find the perfect stallion! It's just that finding him is much harder to do. I hate not getting what I want, and I abandoned all that within months of me hearing it." She sniffled. "And you know what's worse? Every damn time I go and soar the skies, there's always one pesky couple that I see, being all lovey dovey and all that crap."

Anon watched her wiping tears off her eyes.

"I wanted to be a wonderbolt! And look what's happened to me now....I'm just a deadbeat pegasus who sticks to her friends who feed and entertain her." Suddenly, she points to Anon. "And then you decide to come along from that damn portal in the tree. All my friends devoted their attention to you, and I just stand on the side."

"I never thought about it like that." Anon said.

"You stole my spot, and I hated you for it."

"Sorry then."

"And...and...it gets worse because you start to become a better friend to me than you are to them!" She screams.

"...W-what?"

"Your damn kindness, your stupid generosity and that stupid hairstyles that you always make every time I meet you...you just never stop do you?!"

"I-I'm not getting this."

"You make me feel all weird and stupid when I'm around you and it drives me crazy! But the worse thing is, is that I can't get enough of it!" She glares at him with teary eyes. "I can't help it okay? It's all your damn fault!"

"Dash..." Anon whispers.

"My chest hurts when I'm away from you, my mind starts to worry where you are, my hooves start sweating and I feel like punching you. I don't get it!"

She flies to his face, her cheeks blistering with red and with a mouth that looked like it was gritting teeth.

"I...I need your stupid touch...I want to feel you petting my head with that stupid hand of yours...I want to feel what the other mares felt." She grumbled. "Please.....my body hurts..."

Anon hugged her and held her close, rubbing her wings gently. "There there...."

"Just something....anything....do some human magic....anything to make this go away." She cried.

Anon held her close and move back towards the bed, laying her on her back as he climbs in. He could see her panting heavily, with a look of frustration on her face.

"It really gets to you...doesn't it?" Anon said. She whimpers in response.

Anon settles himself again by her side, using his hands to bring Rainbow Dash closer to him.

"I guess we can snuggle." He said.

"...Will that help?" She asks.

"I think so. But if I feel you reaching down anywhere below my waist...then I'll throw you out of the window myself."

"Being in heat sucks."

"I wish I could say the same."

Sweet, sweet apples.

"Alright then, goodbye Anon!"

"See ya in the afternoon Flutters."

Anon waved to the buttercup mare as he walked away with a towel in his hand and a small, carefully-wrapped sandwich in his other hand. It was the weekend and Anon was going to help the Apple family with some good old manual labour. Of course, he was being paid a few bits an hour, but he only cared about having fun with the family, especially when it came to the young and adorable Applebloom.

Fortunately, Rainbow Dash was forcefully locked in her own home until her season ended, leaving Anon with some much needed peace as he casually walked towards his destination.

He greeted ponies on his way there, and even had conversations with some of the mares. They were short and sweet, with most of them being about his size and them questioning where his marefriend was. He quickly realised that the public had been given the illusion that Rainbow Dash was his marefriend, due to his previous situations with her and the fact that she was always by his side.

He felt embarrassed each time he was asked where she was, but he couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to have her as a marefriend. He just assumed that even if she was in a relationship with him, she's act like nothing had ever happened, since she's rather bashful when it came to those things.

As he neared the Apple residence, he saw Applebloom waiting patiently at the arch of Sweet apple acres. She quickly perked up at the sight of the human and ran towards him.

"Anon!" She shouted.

"Hey screwball." He kneeled to catch her as she leapt to his arms, cuddling her as she nuzzled his cheek.

"Welcome home! I mean, welcome to our home!" She corrected herself. Anon chuckled as he entered Sweet apple acres. He passed by Big Mac, who was nodding off while he was painting a new coat of paint on the fence.

"Be careful there Mac, you might end up painting yourself white." Anon shouted to wake the stallion up, causing him to drop the brush from his mouth. Applebloom giggled as she pointed at the line of drool that connected the brush to his mouth.

Applejack left the barn-like home to greet Anon with a large smile. She had a few buckets on her back, which was obviously for picking the apples up from the ground.

"Ya ready for some manual labour Anon?" She asked him.

"Yep, just wait a few minutes so I can get this bugger off me." Anon said as he playfully wrestled with the young filly. Applejack watched him, keeping that smile on her face. She admired his ability to fit in well with her family-which was a difficult task for most visitors. After intentionally losing to Applebloom, he drops her to the ground and hands her his lunch.

"Here, take a half of Fluttershy's super sandwich. I'm sure she won't mind." He handed it to her.

"It..has no apples?"

"Yep, it'll mean that you're going to taste something new." Anon said as Applebloom stared with curiosity. He left her on her own devices and followed Applejack with his towel on his shoulder.

"Has that kid eaten anything that doesn't have an apple in it?" He asked.

"Beats me." She said as they both walked into the orchard fields.

To start with, Applejack told Anon that they had to clear one side of the field by nightfall, which was more than enough time to pick or buck all of the apples. Anon brought out all of the empty barrels whilst Applejack immediately started.

Anon picked the apples from the tree, throwing them down the barrel with precision. Admittedly, he was much slower than Applejack, who could buck the trees with ease, but his help was better than nothing, especially when Big Mac was off doing other things.

Usually, By the time he had finished plucking a tree from apples, Applejack would have cleared 3 trees in that time. But still, he had his own strengths, such as the ability to carry the barrels, which was something that neither Applejack nor Big Mac could do. Soon after plucking his 12th tree, Anon decided to just carry the barrels since Applejack had advanced further than him.

Applejack often saw glimpses of Anon rolling the barrels alongside her. She could hear his heavy breathing and the sweat on his forehead as he worked under the hot sun.

"Can we uhh...take a break? I feel like I'll melt if I work for too long." Anon panted.

Feeling guilty for taking shade in the trees as she worked, Applejack agreed for a short break.

Anon sat beside her, panting as he struggled to remove his shirt.

"I'm gonna have to wash this before I go back home." Anon grumbled.

"Why?" Applejack questioned.

"Well I can't go back half-naked can I?" He replied as he looked at her.

"Y-yeah." She stuttered as she pulled down her stetson.

The two sat in silence as the afternoon sun roasted the ground. Fortunately, they sat under the protective shade of the tree so that they could rest in peace. Anon took this time to quickly nap before it ends, whilst Applejack awkwardly sat next to him fidgeting with her hooves.

'Ah shouldn't look. It's bad! Besides, what's there to look at? He's shirtless, that's all..' She blushed.

She kept her head down and faced her own body.

'Look at me, ah'm shirtless, now does it make a difference if ah see Anon shirtless? No! So quit fiddlin' around and grow up ya filly!'

She sighed quietly, raising her head to see Anon's sleeping face. She felt his hand brush across her hoof.

'....It's just holding hooves right? There's nothing wrong with that.' She stared at his hand, then back to hers, then to his again. She snaked her hoof inside his hand, causing Anon to unconsciously hold it.

Applejack had her sights fixated towards her hand and Anon's. Her breathing became erratic and her heart pounded. Her head ached and her cheeks flushed.

'J-just...holding hooves...that's it.'

She closed her eyes as she leaned next to Anon, joining him in his short nap.

"Yo, Applejack."

"Hm?"

"Applejack."

"What?"

"Wake up, you overslept."

Applejack flicked her eyes open, only to be greeted by the sight of dusk and Anon with a half-hearted smile. Panic quickly coursed through her body as she sprang into action.

"Alright! You carry the barrels to the barn and ah'll buck the trees as fast as ah can!" She ordered him.

"Applejack" Anon said.

"If we do this right, then we'll be done in a few minutes or so! Alright let's move!" She stood up.

"Applejack." Anon replied.

"Anon! Why aren't ya listening! We need ta get them app-"

"Dude! I've already done them." Anon shouted to get her attention.  "Take a look."

Applejack calmed down and looked around. To her surprise, she saw a continuous line of all the apple trees, perfectly green and picked clean of apples. Applejack calmed down, but quickly became curious.

"H-how did ya do it?" She asked him.

"Uhh...magic." He smiled.

"Yeah, right. But seriously, how?"

"You don't have to worry about that." Anon said as he walked with towards the barn. "Come on, let's go." He put his hands in his pants, casually walking back with Applejack by his side.

"Ya got the barrels in the barn as well?" She added.

"Already stacked up in a cool place." He replied.

Anon and Applejack returned to the barn-like house, tired and sweaty from work. Applebloom ran upstairs to get a towel for her sister whilst Anon went to the bathroom.

"I'll just be washing my hands for a sec." His voice trailed off as he left the room.

Applejack stood by the kitchen counter, getting ready to prepare a meal. She was about to start when Applebloom shouted from upstairs.

"Sis! Ask Anon about what he wants to eat fer supper!"

"Why don't you do it?" Applejack shouted back.

"Ah'm busy getting ya a towel!" Applebloom replied.

Sighing, Applejack frustratedly walked out of the kitchen and straight to the bathroom, where Anon was. She saw that the door was slightly open with the sound of water splashing around. She thought that Anon was just washing his hands, so it was fine to enter without permission.

As she got closer, she could hear hissing and groaning, as if someone was in pain. Applejack slowed down, making her footsteps quiet as she tried to figure out on what was going on. She peered into the crack and saw Anon by the sink, seemingly washing his hands casually. Everything seemed fine, which made her think more about why there was hissing involved.

Soon enough, she found her answer as Anon raised his hands from the sink.

They were coloured in a sickly red, where the colour seems to deepen around the joints of his fingers and his knuckles. They didn't seem to be bleeding, but the pale red water on the sink says otherwise.

"Bucking trees would be so much better than trying to climb them." Anon chuckled. "Isn't that right, Applejack?"

She reared back in surprise, moving away from the crack.

"Yeah, I knew you were coming here when I heard Applebloom shouting upstairs." He looked at the crack in the bathroom door, finding no-one to be there. Soon enough, he found Applejack's emerald eyes moving to it and observing his hands once more.

"...Did it hurt?" She said from the door.

"I'll be fine, it's  just a few bruises." Anon continued to wash his hands, further colouring the rose-coloured waters of the sink.

"A few bruises? You're bleeding, Anon."

"It won't kill me, and it'll probably heal up by tomorrow." Anon rubbed his injured hands at a nearby rag and fully opened the door, revealing Applejack. "Now, quit worrying about me and start cooking. I'm mighty hungry."

"Roger, boss." Applejack saluted as she returned to the kitchen, causing Anon to smile and chuckle as he followed her.

Supper was as delicious as it could be for a family that used apples in all of their meals. Anon was repeatedly requested by Applebloom and Granny Smith to make his signature apple fritters, but he sadly refused, making up and excuse so that he didn't have to alert anypony else about his injuries.

Anon conversed with the family, making jokes along the way and praising Applebloom or Applejack on the dishes that they made. Big Mac quietly ate his meal, listening in on the laughter and conversations that his family had. Granny Smith had quenched her appetite on her 3rd slice of apple pie and promptly fell asleep on the table when she couldn't eat any more.

Applebloom sat next to Anon, slipping by a few portions of her meal to him throughout the dinner. She was never a fussy eater, but it seemed as though she had lost her appetite after having the same apple pie and and apple fritters on the side (courtesy of Applejack wanting to learn how to cook like Anon does). She left after she had 'finished' her meal, since she had homework to do in the day before it was handed in.

Applejack occasionally pitched in on the conversations, but she always kept an eye towards Anon and his hands. She saw how he managed to eat his meal without showing them too much by just using his mouth to dip onto the plate and eat the slices. This strange act amused Applebloom and Granny smith, but they stopped minding it a few minutes into the meal.

As always, Big Mac was the one to wash the dishes whilst Applebloom cleared the table. Anon and Applejack were allowed to laze around on the sofa since they spent the entire day working...or rather just Anon spending the entire day working.

Anon sat on one end with his  arms hugging a pillow so that he could hide his fingers whilst Applejack was on the other side. Guilt stuck to her mind like a heavy anchor. She felt sorry for him to overwork himself, but she was also glad that he saved both their butts for slacking off in the morning. She looked at him and his sleepy face, giggling all the while.

"Work get to ya?"

"Maybe. It's either that or you put sleeping pills on my food." Anon struggled to keep his eyes peeled open as his head bobbled. He inched closer to Applejack, putting his pillow next to her. "Would you care if I slept here for the night?"

"You can take my bedroom, if you want." Applejack suggested.

"That's too much. I'm fine just sleeping here." Anon replied.

"Ah'm not letting a guest sleep like a hermit in our home."

"Well I'm not a guest. I'm as close to a family member as I can get with your family." Anon smirked.

"That's even worse. Family members shouldn't sleep in sofas, they should sleep in beds." Applejack argued as she went right up to Anon's face, looking at him sternly.

"Well, what bed should I sleep in then?"

Anon sat at the edge of the soft bed, looking around Applejack's plain room.

"I was expecting a hay stack." Anon joked.

"Har har." Applejack punched him on the shoulder. "You can sleep there for tonight, I'll be on the couch....after all, you deserve it."

Anon smiled at her, and she returned the gesture.

"Well, we could always just sleep on the same bed if you want to." Anon said as he shifted into the sheets. "If you're okay with sleeping with a guy on the same bed." He was shuffling a little bit for a few seconds, only for him to suddenly pull out his shirt form under the covers and put it down on the floor.

Applejack stared at the comfy bed, then back to Anon, then at the pillows that had apples on them.

'Ah mean...we're just sleeping on the same bed...nothing wrong with that.'

"Ah don't know...I'm not used to sleeping with someone by mah side...especially with a human."

"It's not like we're a couple anyway, we're just sleeping on the same bed." Anon took one half of the pillows and turned around, facing his back to her. "I'll even do this so that you won't be bothered."

Applejack approached the bed, slowly climbing in the satin sheets. She took the other half of the pillows, resting her head on them.

"Ya don't have to do that Anon." Applejack. "After all, we're just sleeping on the bed." She tapped his side.

Anon turned around, lying on his back as he stares at the ceiling.

"Good, because I could never sleep in that position." He laughed, causing Applejack to giggle.

Silence ensued at the two ceased to speak. Applejack kept her eyes on Anon as he looked up. She inched slowly to him, wiggling her body next to his in silence.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, She felt his hand come across her back and push her straight to his side, making her gasp lightly. Bewildered, she looked at him.

"You know, you're the worst at trying to sneak up on me." Anon said as he stared at her right in the eyes. "If you needed a cuddle, all you could do was to just ask, y'know."

"S-sorry." She snuggled closer to him, hugging his side and resting her head on his right shoulder. "Sorry for making ya do all the work while I slept." She said as she planted her muzzle on his body, muffling her voice.

"It's alright. You're a hard worker, so it's only right that you get to relax." Anon replied.

She felt his heartbeat as she pressed her head against his body. She could feel the warm heat from his skin as her hoof moved up and down his chest, feeling his tense and tired muscles.

To her, he might as well be a strong and tall stallion. A stallion that can fit in with her family well and a stallion that is as diligent of a worker as she is. He was attractive as he could be in her eyes, not because of his appearance, but for his behavior and merits alone.

She wanted to hold him, to hold him tight and never let go. Her chest pounded and ached the more of him she felt and her body wilfully pressed against his side, feeling his warmth.

Sweet, sweet feelings.

"Bring it to Dash, will ya?"

"Alrighty."

Anon stood outside the door, smiling at Applejack. The bright, sunny light cascades over Sweet Apple Acres, signifying that it was morning. Anon held a small basket in his hands.

"Are ya sure that your shirt is dry enough? I don't want ya getting a fever." Applejack said.

"It's fine, it's rather hot anyway so it should just dry up as I walk." Anon reassured her.

He kneels down and gives her a hug. She reciprocates by nuzzling his cheek affectionately. After saying their goodbyes, Anon walked out of the large estate with breakfast for the rainbow mare. Applejack kept her sights on him until she could see him no more, going back into the house and into her bedroom to roll around the bed she and Anon slept in.

Anon yawned as he walked on the gritty path. His eyes were slightly tired and his back slouched, making him look like a grumpy giant. He didn't mind it though, there was no pony around to even see him as he walked. He looked at the sky one more time to check that it was actually morning.

And there, he saw the sun rising, partially hidden by the land as it slowly ascends to the sky.

"....How early do these farm ponies wake up?" Anon grumbled.

Rainbow Dash tumbled around in her bed, fluttering her wings under the covers. She bites her pillows and she holds them tight as though it were a lifeline. Her bed was in complete ruin and her room had a particularly strong odour. She had been in the same bed for too long, doing nothing but wriggling about under the covers.

She rises from the duvet gasping for fresh(-ish) air. Her mane was ruffled and frayed and her eyes were bloodshot. She kept her grip on the pillow and held it close to her chest. With the other hoof, she pulled it out of the covers, revealing it to be a picture frame.

She stares at it, glares at it and cries in front of it.

"This is all your fault, and you're not even here are you? Probably somewhere else doing stupid human things." She huffed.

She turns her head to look out the window, seeing that it was sunrise. Somehow, as if the light was a signal to her stomach, it started to churn and groan form the lack of food inside it.

"Good thing that I don't know how to cook." She mumbles.

She shifts out of her bed, leaving behind the warm pillow and comfort of her duvet. With the frame in one hoof, she walks over to the bookcase to put it where it belongs: right between Daring Do and the Crystal Hoof and Pegasus etiquette, the latter had not been opened at all by her. She trudges towards the door, opening it slowly as if she had no strength to do so.

She wanders around the rooms of her home, staring at the empty walls and the empty contents of each room. The more she saw nothing, the slower she walked, as if the emptiness in her heart and her stomach weakened her movement.

She came across the living room, which was conjoined with the kitchen on the right side. She saw the dust on her table and on her furniture, realising that she never used them at all since she was always out with Anon. She walked over to the kitchen, seeing that the stale bread and wilted flower were still there. A note by its side said:

She giggled, right before chucking the flower out of a nearby window and holding the bread in her two hooves. It was as hard as could be for stale bread. Mould didn't grow on it due to how dry and barren the wholemeal loaf slice was, and the texture had turned to sandpaper. She had difficulty bending any part of it, showing how much it had turned into a pure, unmoving solid.

Yet still, she was hungry, and what was on her hooves was food.

She stared at it longingly, dreaming about how it would taste.

Her mouth opened, daring it's tongue to taste the slice that has been left on the counter for an indefinite amount of time. She bit the corner, struggling to close her mouth from the extremely durable slice. Eventually, it gave way as she applied moisture on it.

The taste was bland and dusty, but it was still food nonetheless.

"At least it's edible." Rainbow Dash said to herself.

She opened her mouth to take another bite, but she couldn't find the willpower to do so. Her eyes felt heavy and she felt light-headed, her legs wobbled and her stomach growled fiercely, dissatisfied with the morsel of bread she gulped down. She leaned on the counter, lying down as she lightly pants.

Her head felt like splitting in two and her nether regions flared up, hungry like her stomach.

Her eyes slowly closed shut, with a faint smell reaching her nose before she fell unconscious.

'Apples?'

"Dash."

"..."

"Dash."

"Hm?"

"Yo, bubble butt."

Rainbow Dash pries her eyes open to see Anon looking down on her. Her head moved and her mane was being tugged.

"Hold still, or I might pull a hair from combing this....fucking monstrosity." Anon hissed as he gracefully combed her mane. Rainbow Dash felt his knees, and must have figured that she was lying on his lap. She slowly looked around to see that she was back in her bedroom.

"Did you find me here?" She asked.

"Nope, it looked like you passed out from eating the stale bread that I told you not to eat and just throw away." Anon reprimanded her. "You were lying on the ground in you kitchen man, it's a wonder you didn't pass out quicker, since you don't even cook any food in your home, form the looks of it."

"I don't spend a lot of time at home, alright?" She replied.

"Yes, you spend it with me, eating off my lunch and even my own food when I treat you to a meal at whatever restaurant is nearby." He rolls his eyes.

Rainbow Dash folds her ears, looking away in guilt.

"But still...at least I know you're fine when you're around. Hopefully with a full stomach too, since I spend a quarter of my bits for you." Anon mumbled.

She looked at his disgruntled face and smiled. "It's like you're saying that I owe you."

"Of course you fucking do." He replied. "And I'm expecting you do do whatever I want when the time comes."

"How about now?" She said, lifting her head closer to his.

"Not now, you're in no shape anyway." Anon chuckled.

"What is it exactly?"

"Secret."

"Pfft."

After Anon finished combing Rainbow Dash's mane into a decent hairstyle (manestyle?), he reached for the basket next to the night stand. The scent of apples returned to Rainbow Dash's nose.

"Thank the goddesses, food!" She exclaimed.

Anon picked out an apple fritter, letting go of Rainbow Dash so that she could sit properly on his lap. He held it out in front of Rainbow Dash, but he lowered it to her hooves.

"Aren't you going to feed me?" She questioned.

"What am I? your butler? eat it yourself."

"Aww, you're no fun."

Anon brought Rainbow Dash over to a nearby lake in the Everfree Forest. Plumbing wasn't exactly functional in the mare's home due to her not having to pay the water bill since she was never there, and for the fact that her home was made up of clouds...which floated in the sky, which left questions to where the plumbing would even go.

Anon had a towel he took from Rainbow Dash's bathroom. It looked relatively unused, if not at all. Rainbow Dash was walking on this occasion, due to her being unable to use her wings whilst in heat. She often asked Anon to carry her instead of making her walk, but Anon insisted that she should keep a distance from him, to prevent any more weird incidents.

She stayed on the edges of the pool, opting to not go any deeper in the shallow section of the lake. Anon sat nearby on the grass, petting any wild critter that was adventurous to come nearby. He was slightly disappointed at Rainbow Dash for ruining her mane as she washed herself, but at least it was better than having her smell like she had masturbated for 12 hours straight under the covers.

Which seemed like the case when he brought her unconscious form into the bedroom.

"Don't go to the deep end!" He shouted.

"You don't need to tell me!" She shouted.

She flailed around the waters, rubbing her coat and her mane with some shampoo that Anon brought. She knew that she could depend on him, even at embarrassing moments like these. She knew that he was kind, that he was hardworking, that he understood the needs of other ponies. Though, she wondered why he acted differently to her than her other friends.

He was mean to her, and they both knew it. But it didn't seem to matter since they both didn't care. It was like a different way to communicate how they felt, in a way.  

"What are you looking at?"

Rainbow Dash snapped out of her thoughts, realising that she was staring Anon straight in the eyes. He was raising his brow in curiosity.

"Nevermind." She looked away.

"Nevermind what?!" He shouted.

"It's nothing! Jeez."

After finishing her foamy bath, she approached him and the towel that he held. He spread it with open, all fluffy and inviting to her wet body. As she got close, Anon wrapped her up in the white, furry towel, cloaking her comfortably.

She just stood there, feeling his hands rub across her body, rubbing it gently with the right pressure to make her moan lightly. For all she knew, she was still in heat, but thankfully it was less painful than last time. It was as though the feeling of another being was enough to sate her appetite, though her primal desires could always request for more.

"T-thanks." She mumbled.

Anon smiled.

He left the towel on Rainbow Dash like a coat, leaving only her head and frazzled mane visible in front of his eyes. He moved his hands, rubbing her wet cheek and rubbing her fresh mane.

"You smell better."Anon said.

"Is that a compliment?" She said.

"Of course it is."

Anon sat beside her, looking at her as she rubbed her own self with the towel on places that he missed. Smiling, he moved his arm and draped it across her shoulders, bringing her in closer.

Rainbow Dash looked back at him,eyes wide and smile widening. Happily, she snuggled closer to him, wrapping her arms around his broad body, nuzzling his chest. Anon looked away, his cheeks warping to a strange shade of red.

"Is that you in heat?"

"Nah, it's me."

Their eyes met and their lips beckoned to each other.

Rainbow Dash, being the more assertive one thanks to her current condition, boldly closed the distance between Anon's lips and hers.

They met softly, with little resistance from both parties. Anon stared wild-eyed, with a blush as red as his blood, whilst Rainbow Dash closed her eyes in sweet, sweet euphoria. Despite her actions, he didn't pull away, not because he couldn't, but because he didn't feel like he had to. He rather enjoyed this small and sweet kiss, even if it came from a mare who may be intoxicated by lust.

They pulled back eventually, not saying a word but staring straight into each other's eyes.

"Anon, you taste like apples."

"So do you too."