"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.

Next Chapter: Don't say that we're going to be wingmen. Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 21 Minutes