I feel warm sunlight washing over me as my eyes gradually open. What’s this? I’m not being woken up by someone else for once? Heh, it must be my birthday.

Sitting up in bed, I take a deep, refreshing breath of the accompanying silence as my eyes scan the area for any hidden presence. Thankfully, there’s nothing; no purple horns, no yellow wings, and not even any green scales forcing me out of bed in one way or another. Being able to set my own pace is a nice change.

Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s early enough for me to shrug off my awakening and fall back into this (actually fairly cozy) bed to sleep some more. Rising from my position and carefully sliding the covers off of me, I manage a soft smile to myself while I start my fifth day here in Equestria.

As I get changed, I can’t help but stop and think about just how long I’ve been here. Four days of more drama and unnecessary conduct than I can shake a stick at has been quite a lot for me to handle. Can I really make it through the rest of my week, knowing what I’ve been up to since the start?

Speaking of unnecessary sexual conduct, I duck into Twilight’s room to see if she’s back from Celestia’s castle yet. I peer in, to no avail, as the sleeping purple unicorn that would normally be found lying here is nowhere in sight on this morning. At the very least, I hope she’s alright. I can’t imagine how the “recovery process” must be if she’s still over there.

Turning back around to head downstairs, however, I spy a different purple visage over the railing. Said form is sporting enough green scales to allow me to identify it as the friendly neighborhood dragon, Spike. From what I can see, he seems to be reading a magazine and relaxing in his bed-like basket near the kitchen.

Giving the wooden wall to the side of me a slight tap, the distinct sound it makes alerts Spike to my presence and I smile at the slight jump he gives. He whips his head around to locate the source of the sound and catches my smile looking back at him as he responds.

“Oh, hehe. Hey, Marcus. Finally awake, huh?”

“Yeah. It felt good to get the chance to sleep in, for once.”

I’m not entirely sure what time it is, but it doesn’t really bother me enough to feel the need to ask. Although, seeing Spike just sitting here instead of doing any assistant work makes me a bit curious.

“What are you up to today, Spike?”

He looks up from behind the magazine yet again (which reads ‘Archaeology Monthly: The Find of The Century!’ in big, obnoxious red letters) with an annoyed glance as he blandly responds.

“Nothin’. I did the housework yesterday and Twilight isn’t even here to run the library. I’m takin’ the day off.”

Spike seems like a kid who’d avoid working to relax, but taking the whole day off seems like a bit too much. In contrast to his previously bored appearance, his face suddenly brightens into a wide smile in that familiar ‘I’ve got an idea!’ expression that I’ve come to see fairly often.

“Wait, Marcus! I know what we can do!”

“We?”

“You wanna hit the Ponyville Spa?”

A spa? Of all places to suggest, I would never have thought that Spike would pick a spa. Then again, I suppose there’s no real reason for me to object to the idea. After all, I could use a little bit of rest and relaxation after the events of these past few days. If anything, I think Rarity would want me to pamper myself if I were to ever get the chance. Apparently, opportunity knocks at the strangest of times.

“Uhh, sure. I guess there’s no harm in going to the spa today.”

I never really thought about spending some time to hang out with Spike. It might just be the refreshing break I need, considering the fact that all I’ve been around lately are female ponies and Spike just so happens to be the exact opposite of them; a male dragon. I highly doubt that anything could go wrong with him around, but I hope I’m not jinxing myself by saying that.

Spike, seemingly in agreement, nods and practically hops out of his basket, leaving his half-folded magazine inside. My eyes follow him as he fetches what appears to be a small cardboard sign with a rubber band before heading towards the door. He makes a sort of gesture as he calls back to me while reaching for the doorknob.

“Come on, it’ll be fun!”

He hangs the sign on the front of the door and leaves the library behind, making me curious as to what he’s so excited about. Chuckling as I follow suit, I pass the doorway and casually close the entrance to the library. Spotting the sign, however, I take a second to read the (fairly well-written) words adorning it.

“Out to Lunch. Be back, soon whenever.”

The word ‘soon’ is crossed out in red marker and ‘whenever’ is scribbled below it in pen. Nicely done, Spike. Nicely done.

I’m greeted by a warm, positive environment as I enter the Ponyville Spa. The elegant furnishing and elaborate tiling in the front desk area is enough to let me know that this is quite the fancy (and probably expensive) business. Standing at attention in front of the desk is an attractive earth pony, looking over at Spike and I with a very welcoming smile.

Her soft features and makeup compliment her rather short mane and tail, letting her bright pink coat stand out in stark contrast. As my eyes linger for a moment, hers seem to do the same before Spike snaps his dull-looking claws together and announces.

“Two full-course treatments, please!”

The earth pony hears him and uses the pen in her mouth to write on a small clipboard placed to the side of her. Once again, I find the dexterity of a pony’s mouth to be highly skilled, considering the lack of opposable thumbs to use simple tools. Dropping the pen into a nearby cup shortly afterwards, I watch as the pony steps away from the desk and greets us with a bow before speaking up.

“It would be a pleasure to service you today, monsieur.”

Whoa, that is a thick accent she has. She smiles while looking over at the two of us before starting off and following a path marked by arrows that read “Sauna.” Spike follows behind her and I take the chance to question him on his previous order.

“What exactly is the ‘full-course treatment,’ Spike?”

“Nothin’ big. We relax in the sauna a bit, then a quick massage, and finally they’ll sharpen our claws and send us on our way.”

“...Right.”

I’ll assume that Spike must come here often if he already knows what he’s gotten us into. I catch him glancing around in several directions as we walk forward, seemingly looking for something in a not-so-sneaky manner. Paying it no mind, and returning my gaze to the spa pony in front, I find the disorienting sight of there being not one, but two ponies walking together.

My eyes almost play tricks on me before I realize that, while they seem almost identical, their fur and mane color are opposites of one another. The pony on the right sports pink fur and a blue mane while the left has blue fur and a pink mane. Not only that, but they have slightly different cutie marks as well; both being a type of flower that I can’t quite identify. As they walk, however, I hear them whispering to each other without looking back to us.

“We have a new customer today, I see.”
“Oui. He seems a little shy for his first time.”
“He is kind of cute, too.”
“What are you suggesting, Aloe?”
“Maybe we...how you say...show him a good time?”
“Coquin! No flirting wiz a first timer! Let him be.”
“Ahh, so I will save all ze fun for you, no?”

An embarrassing silence follows that remark before a giggle escapes Aloe’s lips. The way they speak so casually about me once again makes me feel that maybe some ponies just aren’t used to flipping out at the sight of a human. What catches me off-guard is that comment about ‘fun.’

Leaning back over to Spike once more, I whisper quietly to him to manage an ounce of secrecy.

“Psst, Spike. Are those two ponies...you know...’together’?”

He looks at me with the most bewildered-looking face I’ve ever seen, having no idea what I’m implying. I don’t really expect him to know, in all fairness, but dropping a hint like that can’t be misconstrued too badly, can it?

“Whaddya mean? Like, here? They work together and they’re twin sisters, but that’s all I know.”

Well, I guess that’s all I needed. The ‘sisters’ bit explains their appearance, but then there’s still...Ehh, the less I think about it, the better.

Finally, we arrive at our destination; the warm humidity of the nearby sauna in stark contrast to the usually cool environment of the previous hallway. The dressing room we find ourselves in is just as fancy as I expected it to be. Lining the walls are various decorations near lockers that I assume are for the more regular customers. On the nearest wall, however, is a rack full of towels for us to use; one of which just so happens to be smaller than the others and is most likely made for young Spike here.

The complementary spa ponies that led us in now stop midway into the room and are looking at us both with wide grins. Before speaking, the one on the right (I now remember that I didn’t catch her name) perks up and looks at me with direct intent as well as a hint of curiosity.

“Welcome to ze Ponyville spa! As zis is your first time here, we will be assisting you while you enjoy your care, and we shall do it as discreetly as we can, yes? My name is Aloe, and zis is my sister, Lotus, and-”

“Hello!”

“-and now you are free to discard any personal belongings before stepping into ze sauna. Ze first natural remedy for your stress is to sweat your troubles away!”

Aloe and Lotus walk into the sauna first, passing me and seemingly swishing their tails as their hips sashay in sync with one another. These two are quite welcoming, as they should be, and thankfully I can’t say that they’ve left any negative first impressions on me, as of yet. Now having some time, I undress and pull a towel close to me, wrapping my lower regions in it and keeping myself decent. Throwing a quick nod back to Spike, we both follow after the sisters.

Inside, I find a dark red room with mahogany-colored wooden seats along the walls. Lotus, now having a bucket of water near the coal pile in the center of the room, notices our entrance and smiles at me while dropping a ladle into the bucket. I smile back as I take my seat on the left side of the room and Spike sits himself down somewhere in the middle. Wordlessly, we each exchange glances before Aloe comes by, picking up the ladle with her mouth and pouring it over the hot coals.

Just like that, I feel almost blinded by the billowing steam that rises from the center of the room. Blinking a few times and barely making out the purple and green form to my left, my smile fades as I feel the first real round of intense sweating take hold of me.

I’m not really one to particularly enjoy the feeling of being in a sauna, but I wouldn’t say that it’s unpleasant. I note to myself that the sweat rolling off of my forehead is thankfully not caused by nervousness, for once. During the relaxed silence, however, Spike takes his chance to speak to me in all seriousness and poses a question.

“Do you have something on your mind, Marcus?”

When do I not, Spike? Aside from my own thoughts, I don’t get much of a chance to turn my brain off, even for just a few seconds. Not sure of how to answer the question, I merely sigh briefly before I’m interrupted by a follow-up question.

“Is there something going on between you and Twilight?”

Huh. Well, that’s a far more specific question. Spike’s a lot more observant than I give the little guy credit for. Deciding that the cat may very well be out of the bag, I figure that I might as well tell Spike what little I can, without going into too much detail, of course. His unflinching look of concern stares in my direction as I stand up and show him my back, once again revealing the marks on my back, almost like badges of some sort.

“It’s not just Twilight, Spike.”

I hear water pour over the coals behind me and feel the room get just a little bit steamier following my big reveal. Spike simply eyes me for awhile, most likely being confused at just what I’m showing him actually means. Finally, he manages to ask me in his simple way of questioning.

“You have a bunch of other ponies’ cutie marks on your back? Why?”

“I just kind of...really like them all.”

“So, what, you can’t decide or something?”

“No, it’s not like that. I know who I, uhh, really really like.”

“You mean your special somepony?”

“Heh, is that what they call it?...Yeah, it’s Rarity.”

Remembering Spike’s crush on her, I stumble over my words for a moment before I ask him.

“That doesn’t bother you, does it?”

With a dismissive hand wave, he shoos away my concern. Answering in a calm and relaxed tone, he speaks without any sort of malice or even surprise at my words.

“Nah, I’m not bothered. I’m more than happy just being a close friend of Rarity’s. As long as it means that I get to spend time around that vision of beauty, then I’ll be one happy dragon.”

“Close friend, huh?”

Those words actually hold real significance for me; it’s almost as if they’re the key to the lock that’s been plaguing my mind lately. Sometimes the simplest answer is just enjoying company and being thankful for what I have, and I can’t believe it took a young dragon for me to realize that.

“If you’re sure about how you feel about Rarity, then the rest don’t matter.”

Heh, Spike takes the words right out of my mouth, yet again. Looking over to him with a smile, I catch a glimpse of Aloe smiling at me as well before I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I think about just how accidentally wise this young reptile is before the steam clouds the room once more.

After some time passes, we follow the spa ponies out of the sauna and towards the room where we’ll be receiving our massages. I suppose if Spike thinks that a massage is a good idea, I have no right to complain. This trip to the spa is about relieving tension, right?

I contemplate whether or not I should compliment Spike for his help earlier, but before I even get the chance to do so, Lotus speaks up and shatters my thoughts instantly.

“You may lie down on either of zese and one of us will see to you in a moment.”

“We’ll go fetch ze oils.”

Oil? I wouldn’t think ponies would enjoy stuff like that sticking to their fur, but I guess I could be wrong. Spike hops onto the rightmost of the aforementioned beds and proclaims while the spa ponies disappear from sight.

“Oh, cool, this part’s great!”

Guess I can’t turn back now if he seems so excited about it. Leaving my towel on, I lie down lengthwise on the soft bed. With my face down through a hole on the top, I can see the uninteresting floor beneath. Looking at the tiles below, while nice, seems like it would get boring after a while with nothing going on.

Lifting my head up and looking over to Spike, I see that he’s laid himself face-down in a similar fashion and looks rather giddy as he sits there with his tail slightly raised. I can’t help but chuckle a little bit before I feel my head being moved back into place in the bed’s hole by a gentle nudge.

“Just relax. You are in good hooves, monsieur...”

“Rook.”

By the ensuing voice, I correctly assume the owner of said hoof to be one of the twins from before. The problem I’m having is that I haven’t the slightest idea of which one it is; their voices are practically interchangeable with one another. My mental guesses are halted in place as I feel warm massage oil sliding along my back and hear a squirting noise from the bottle that accompanies it.

Soon afterwards, I feel the familiar pressure of hooves pressing against my bare skin. However, this time the touching is more hesitant and curious than firm, almost reminding me of Rarity’s delicate hoof on my naked chest for the first time.

At the moment, the touching slowly transitions into slow rubbing motions as the experienced hooves massage me. Speaking of hooves, the pair that are now working my skin are by far the most talented I’ve ever felt. It’s as if my body is putty for molding under her ministrations.

“You like, yes?”

Oh, yes. I like very much. A sigh of my relieved muscle tension is my only response to that, and she giggles in return. Obviously, she must know that she’s doing her job well if she can elicit pleasant sounds from her clients. Hearing a similar sigh come from my right side, I listen and a rumbled exclamation soon follows.

“Ooooh yeeeaaah, that’s the ticket.”

“Monsieur Spike is certainly enjoying his massage, hmhm.”

Indeed, he is. Who could blame him, though? With hooves like theirs, he must be feeling pretty relaxed as his scales are tended to. I end up getting a little bit excited as the spa pony’s attention shifts to the lower region of my back. Near gulping in nervousness, I try not to think about what she might do while also secretly being intrigued by the idea. I should just...talk to Spike instead; keep my mind from wandering as far as my masseuse is.

“You know, I’ve only got a few days left in Ponyville and I get taken to a spa. Thanks, Spike.”

“I told you it was great. So, do you like Ponyville so far?”

“Well, yeah. There are a lot of interesting ponies around and it seems like a really friendly place, from what I’ve gathered.”

“That’s great! What have you been doing?”

“Uhh...”

Maybe I can just act like I haven’t done anything. I wouldn’t know how to eloquently word what I’ve been up to, anyway. A simple answer for a simple question, no need to overcomplicate things.

“N- Nothing, really. Just looking around; enjoying the scenery, you kno- Bwah!”

As I finish my sentence, I feel a light touch get dangerously close to my hips and, inadvertently, I let out a surprised yelp in response. The voice behind me apologizes immediately as I feel the hooves being hastily removed from my sides.

“Oh! I am so sorry, Monsieur Rook! Was that too low?”

“A- A little, yeah.”

I hear a soft giggle come from my side and can only guess that it’s from the other one of the twins, chuckling at my reaction. Her sister behind me, however, ends up stammering meekly as she continues.

“My sincerest apologies, I- I- I did not mean to- to-, I would never-”

“It’s okay. No big deal; just an honest mistake.”

My nervous laugh seems to calm her distress and keep her from thinking that I’ve been offended or anything like that. Honestly, I find her stumbling rather cute. It’s more befitting of a pony who doesn’t want to push anyone’s buttons; fairly unlike her sister, from what I can tell. Spike seems to ignore it, probably being too young to be bothered by something like that, and asks aloud.

“Well, if you like it here, then why not stay?”

“Because...”

I trail off, leaving my word hanging in the air like the meaningless explanation I would’ve tried to give. I guess I never really thought about seriously staying here. After all, I hadn’t put much thought into any days past my supposed week-long “trial stay.”

“...I haven’t really thought about staying. When I first arrived, I thought all the talking ponies and magic were weird beyond belief, but... I don’t know. I guess I learned to look past it and find the real beauty of this place, heh.”

“Tha’sh deep.”

I hear Spike’s muffled response and briefly wonder if he’s buried his face into the bed, preventing him from doing much talking as his small body gets worked over. Finishing my thought, I remark to Spike as the hooves behind me continue to rub oil into my naked flesh gently.

“I’m worried that I might be putting myself in a position that’s tricky to get out of, but...I guess what I’m saying is that I don’t really want to leave?”

My statement turns into a question as I begin to doubt myself. Just how sure about my decisions am I? Instead of leaving off on that note, however, I hear Spike shifting as he counters back to me in the simplest of answers.

“Ehh, I wouldn’t think about it too hard. Sounds confusing.”

I doubt that Spike is much of a ponderer, but I agree with him that it’s best to just drop the conversation at that while the feel of massaging hooves finally disappears. Feeling somewhat cold for a brief moment as the pleasant sensation I’d grown accustomed to stops, a following voice whispers in my ear and surprises me.

“You can turn over now.”

A fairly silent “nail-icure” followed the rest of my massage as I tried, in vain, to explain the concept of finger nails to the eager twins. Likening them to claws seemed to do the trick. Now, as Spike and I exit the back area of the spa, Aloe and Lotus return to the front desk, facing us with wide smiles.

Not saying a word, I glance over to Spike and he sighs as he reaches behind him, producing a wallet seemingly from nowhere. Reaching into it, he whispers up to me while covering his mouth

“This is how they get ya.”

“Oh, no no, Monsieur Spike. First-time customers are-…quel est ce mot…’free of charge!’”

Spike looks at them with an honest-to-goodness look of confusion as he puts his wallet back behind him. Hearing the doubt in his voice, I can only watch as he responds to Aloe’s (possibly surprising) generosity.

“Alright…Are you two feeling okay?”

“Of course! It would be rude of us if we did not freely offer our services to new customers! Not only zat, but Monsieur Rook seemed especially stressful.”

“I did?”

I begin to question their motives for their free service as well, just as confused as Spike is. Lotus is the first to speak up again, though, and teasingly threatens.

“Well, if you want us to charge you, that will be-“

“Uhh, no! That’s okay! Thanks for everything!”

Spike quickly interrupts her and starts on his way to the door, clearly not wanting to pay what I assume to be a large amount. I follow after him and look back to the spa ponies, who share a round of laughter before waving back at us and calling out.

“Have a nice day!”
“Come back any time!”

On our way out, I wave back at the twins and let the door close itself behind me. Looking down at Spike, I smirk and casually ask him.

“They’re usually pretty costly, huh?”

“Like you wouldn’t believe. Hey, if I can save my bits, I’m not gonna question it.”

Chuckling to myself, I can’t help but appreciate Spike’s laid-back personality now more than ever. I start off back into Ponyville’s town center, knowing full-well where our next destination is. Spike’s curiosity gets the better of him and he glances at me while following behind, asking.

“So, where are we going now?”

Gazing straight forward and wearing a smile I can’t help but hold as I think about it, I jokingly answer him.

“Patience, Spike. All will be revealed in time.”

“What are you, a monk?”

At long last, I find myself back at the same enticing gingerbread house for the third time in the past few days. Sugarcube Corner still gives me that “Come on in!” kind of welcoming vibe, what with its (most likely edible) exterior as well as the peppy ponies who produce pastries here. Spike seems as happy as I am to head into the, albeit surprisingly tame, candy-coated dream land as he smiles brightly and pipes up.

“Oh! Treats from Sugarcube Corner, eh? Good thing, too, ‘cause I’m starving.”

I can’t say that I’m surprised that Spike has a sweet tooth. Pushing open the stable door, I hold it nonchalantly to allow the little dragon to pass me by as I correct him.

“Well, we’re not really here for that, per se, but I think it’ll be a sweet surprise.”

In a comical fashion, Spike raises his eyebrow a little as if to question just what it is that I’m hinting at. I decide to leave the cryptic message at that as the store bell chimes above us, announcing our entrance to anyone who might hear it. Peeking around, I actually don’t see a pony working at the front counter for once. In fact, there doesn’t seem to be anyone around at all. Before I leap to any sort of clichéd conclusion, however, I hear a voice call from the back room in response.

“Just a second!”

Hmm…Of all the voices I’ve heard in Ponyville so far, this one is pretty unfamiliar to me. From what I can hear though, it has a sort of motherly quality to it, if that makes any sense. Fortunately, after a few short seconds, an entirely new pony appears from the kitchen carrying a plate between her teeth, as is common for ponies. On said plate is a slice of what looks to be lemon pie, a dessert that doesn’t particularly catch my attention, but is tasty nonetheless.

Silently taking in the mare’s features, I note her light crimson, whipped cream-esque style of mane, the very light cerulean fur wearing a frilly apron over it, as well as her slightly plump body type. I suppose that last part makes sense, considering she works in a bakery of all places. If she is a mother and a wife, then she certainly has aged well.

When she sets her sights on me, her eyes widen with surprise and she jumps back a few feet. Laughing light-heartedly, however, she composes herself and trots past the counter towards me. The mare addresses me with a perky voice as she expresses her shock.

“Oh! You scared me half to death, dear! You must be Pinkie’s new friend, right?”

“Uhh, yeah. And you are?”

“Cup Cake.”

She declares her name proudly but only gives a slight curtsy, showing how fairly modest she really is. Another voice calling from the back room interrupts her; this one being noticeably more masculine in tone as it asks.

“Who is it, honey bunch?”

“A friend of Pinkie, dear! Do you want to take a break and come meet him?”

“I don’t really have much of a choice at this point, sugar lump.”

As the mumbling voice draws closer, I spot a tuft of orange hair peek its way out from the kitchen before the doors open and an amber-colored pony with a less than fashionable striped bow tie steps through. The stubble he sports as well as the way he addresses Cup Cake here tells me that he’s most likely the hard working husband of hers. Catching me and Spike in his sight, he trots up beside his wife and speaks with an enthusiastic greeting.

“Well, hello there! We’ve heard a bit about you. Marcus?”

He extends his hoof to me and I give it a hearty shake. He’s rather strong for someone who looks so lanky. In comparison to his wife, he’s practically a stick with legs. Reluctantly, I admit to expecting that Pinkie Pie may have leaked some details about me to her guardians, here.

“Mhm, I figured as much. Pinkie must have talked about me, right?

“That young lady can be quite the chatterbox, sometimes.”

I’m inclined to agree, Mr. Cake. Seeing as the topic has shifted to Pinkie Pie, I take advantage of the opportunity to ask.

“Speaking of, have you two seen Pinkie today?”

Mrs. Cake walks back behind the counter, headed towards the kitchen and answers affirmatively.

“Just this morning. She said she went to talk to her friend Fluttershy, though, and that was almost two hours ago.”

Hmm, maybe she’s still there. A loud ‘ding’ sound rings out from inside the kitchen and Mrs. Cake hops up, gasping out before exclaiming happily.

“Oh my! That’s the cookies, honey.”

“Go ahead and scoop them out, honey bunch. And Spike…”

Mr. Cake turns his head and leans down to whisper to the little dragon.

“There’s some pie in it for you if you go help my wife in the kitchen.”

“Sure thing, Mr. Cake!”

Like the good-natured kid he is, Spike jumps at the offer and scampers off after Mrs. Cake, leaving Mr. Cake and I in the center of the room in silence. That silence is quickly broken, however, as he smiles genuinely and starts off by questioning me.

“Is it true that you’ve been having some lady troubles, son?”

Eh? How could he possibly-…Pinkie. Maybe she just doesn’t have any sort of understanding of the word “privacy.”

“Who told you?”

“Heh, you did. Just now.”

Oh. Well, I kinda walked right into that one. Still, why does it matter to him? Smirking and giving me that “I’m older and wiser” look, he continues talking as he stands on his hind legs to put one of his hooves over my shoulder.

“Ya see, when I was young, I didn’t have to worry about things like that. I wasn’t beating any mares off with a stick, believe it or not.”

I’m sure he must have been quite the lady killer, what with his gangly body and freckled face. I keep that aside to myself for the moment and listen while he speaks.

“Before I knew it, though, I met the mare of my life. All I had to my name was a ring and a dream, and all of this…”

He waves his other hoof to show off the many assortments of confectionaries lining the walls of Sugarcube Corner. I have to admit, I am very impressed by this couple-run bakery that seems to exude the love and care put into it, even through the desserts themselves. Looking at him after a moment of silence passes, I can see how this reflection brings a heartfelt smile to his face.

“…is just icing on the cake.”

I don’t know whether or not that last part was a pun, but I smile back as he glances at me, anyway.

“But you know how I got all of this, don’t you?”

Hard work? Money? Some other third thing? Not waiting for my guess, he answers his own question.

“It’s because when times got tough and I didn’t know what to do, I stuck by her side all the way. You should’ve seen me when Cup was going through her mood swings. She almost tried to burn the place down over a missing bag of muffins and I was such a wreck just trying to calm her down. Heh heh…heh…”

As he trails off of that comment with some nervous laughter, I can’t help but think that he shouldn’t have shared that tidbit of info with his loving wife in the next room over. However, he quickly clears his throat and continues, hoping that his next serious sentence will clear the air.

“The important thing is that when things go wrong, you just have to be there. Do you understand?”

“In a roundabout way…yeah, I think I do.”

“’Atta boy.”

He nudges my shoulder in a playful manner and lands himself back on all four hooves once again. I chuckle, reassuring him that I appreciate his, albeit slightly misguided, attempt at sage advice. I’m not sure why he felt the need to tell me that, but I’ll just keep it in mind so his effort isn’t wasted.

Bringing me out of my thoughts is a loud, chewing sound coming from none other than Spike as he rejoins us with Mrs. Cake following close behind. She’s carrying a tray full of cookies on her head, balanced on top of a baker’s hat that must keep the hot tray from touching her hair and coat. Mr. Cake spots his wife and dashes over, picking up the tray between her bare teeth and rests it on the counter top beside her. Mrs. Cake looks genuinely surprised at his gentlemanly act, and notes to him with a slight stammer.

“You- You didn’t have to do that, Sweetie.”

“I know.”

Mr. Cake pulls his wife close and daringly draws her into a loving kiss that, thankfully, Spike misses as he finishes the food in his mouth and eyes the cookies on the counter. A bright red blush appears on the mare’s face as she is clearly taken aback by the sudden show of affection from her husband. She doesn’t pull off right away, however, instead choosing to welcome the sensation by closing her eyes and leaning into the kiss for a few fleeting moments. Finally, Mr. Cake breaks away from her lips hesitantly and gives both of them time to catch their breath before finishing his previous statement.

“I did it because I wanted to, sugar lips.”

“Oh, you.”

They really are quite the couple, aren’t they? Not forgetting my original goal, however, I start off towards the exit to leave the two love birds be and remark to Spike.

“Come on, Spike. We’re goin’ to Fluttershy’s house to see if Pinkie’s around.”

Spike catches up to me at the door and we both take a moment to glance at the couple behind us. Both of them seem solely focused on each other’s eyes and don’t bother to look at us on our way out. We should probably get going before they end up in a far more compromising position.

“And then she levitated the whole Ursa Minor, all by herself, waaaay over Ponyville and back to its cave! Boy, was Trixie ticked off, hehe.”

“Twilight’s that good, huh?”

“I just think she doesn’t give herself enough credit, sometimes.”

Spike converses with me for a short while about Twilight, whom he considers to be both a surrogate mother and a good friend, as we walked through the wide, grassy field. I still don’t know how exactly a baby dragon came into her care, but I’ll save that for another time. For now, I rap my knuckles across the door to Fluttershy’s home, briefly wondering what Pinkie Pie could be over here talking about.

In all seriousness, I don’t think my guess is anywhere near as silly and random as the truth. Instead of the door creaking open slowly as I expect it to, it swings open violently and almost takes my head off as it slams into the side of the house. Directly in front of me, I see, not a face of warm comfort and kindness, but one of anger and a hint of betrayal. Staring into my eyes with annoyance is none other than Rainbow Dash, looking like she’s got half a mind to tackle me right there on the spot. She attempts to hide her first impression at my arrival as she begins to speak, however.

“Hmph, took ya long enough.”

Huh? I’m expected? Naturally, to get a feel for what I’m missing here, I ask.

“What’s going on?”

“What’s going on!? Pinkie’s a wreck back here!”

“What!?”

I try to look past her and into the room, but she blocks attempts left and right like I’m nothing. Damn it, I just want to see if Pinkie’s alright. Why is she stopping me?

“What is your problem, Rainbow Dash?”

“Fluttershy and I are already here cheering Pinkie Pie up, so take Spike and hightail it out of here if you know what’s good fo-“

“Oh. Hi, Marcus.”

That soft greeting can only come from the pink-haired pony standing behind Rainbow Dash with a look of pure concern showing through. In an effort to appeal to the more reasonable party here, I call to Fluttershy from behind Dash’s imposing glare.

“Fluttershy, can I come in? I want to see Pinkie Pie.”

“Sure. She wants to, um, see you, too.”

Good enough for me, and apparently it’s good enough for Rainbow Dash as well, who groans in response to her friend’s permission of my entrances before moving away and letting the door slide open. I take a few steps inside as Spike and I immediately survey the living room, finding the same empty furniture and pet accessories as always. Unfortunately, neither of us find any sign of Pinkie Pie. Spike feels the need to chime up as he looks around.

“I don’t see her in here. Where’s Pinkie Pie?”

Fluttershy points her hoof behind her and answers calmly.

“She’s in my room with-“

“Marcus!”

“Derpy? Oof!”

I’m quick enough to identify the voice as the lovable pegasus Derpy, but not quite fast enough to react to being roughly forced to the floor. Looking up, I see that the once-bubbly gray mare is standing over me with one of the meanest scowls I’ve ever seen. It’s a completely different look for her, even if her eyes are still crossed all the while. I can’t get a single word in before she yells angrily at me and we become the center of attention in the room.

“What did you do to Pinkie, Marcus!?”

“How do I know? I just got here!”

“She’s sad because of you; I just know it!”

‘Because of me?’ What happened? Fluttershy appears to the left of me and uses her wings to hover next to Derpy, clearly trying to reason with her via a calming tone of voice.

“I think it’s best for Marcus to at least see Pinkie, umm, if that’s okay with you, Derpy.”

Like a devil on her opposite shoulder, the hot-blooded Rainbow Dash flies herself to Derpy’s other side and argues.

“No way! He’ll only make it worse! I haven’t seen Pinkie Pie this upset since the ‘birthday’ incident.”

The what? Derpy looks confused as well but shakes her head and focuses her stare at me once again. I really didn’t come here expecting an argument to break out, and especially not on top of me.

“Yeah! Can’t you see that Pinkie-“

“-Is sitting right here and can hear everything you’re saying?”

A voice calls from another room, sounding distant but strangely familiar. Having only one guess as to whom it can be, I sit up and look to the source of the voice. Where I had seen a closed door before, now I see it wide open and a figure sitting inside. Everyone goes silent and Derpy slowly lifts herself off of me, allowing me to stand up and stare into the room like the others beside me. I glance over to Fluttershy for a moment, who just stares straight forward, mouth agape, before glancing at me and nodding. I know I have to go in first.

Slowly, I take my first few steps carefully into what I now recognize as the bedroom that Fluttershy and I, err…’bonded’ in. The figure on the bed sits with its back to me, but the pink fur gives away that it’s the energetic pony known as Pinkie Pie. There’s something off about her appearance, though. Her hair isn’t poofy at all anymore; it looks droopy and flat, almost as if all energy and volume had been sucked out of it. Not only that, but her slouching posture makes her appear very depressed. Finally, after I can take the stunned silence no longer, I stand at the foot of the bed and quietly ask.

“Pinkie Pie? Are you alright?”

At first, she says absolutely nothing. My words hang in the air and I start to feel a little creeped out. After a few seconds pass, she draws out a long sigh and speaks up.

“I’m just…fine.”

I hear a sniffle follow that, directly contradicting what Pinkie Pie had just said and signifying that she is not, in fact, ‘fine.’ I hesitantly take a seat next to her and calmly talk to her in a soothing voice.

“You don’t sound fine. Can you please tell me what’s wrong?”

“I said I’m fine! Leave me alone.”

Lashing out and pouting in an obscenely cute way, she turns away from me and folds her forelegs over one another. Resisting the urge to chuckle in response, I see through Pinkie’s lie easily and call her out on it.

“Is that what you really want?”

I lean closer and gently place my hand on her shoulder, silently reassuring her. I just want her to tell me the truth, that’s all. Surprisingly, she immediately turns around and I get a close view of her face. She’s bawling her eyes out, just before she rests her head on my chest to hide herself from view once more. I can hear the tears flowing out as she sobs an answer to me.

“No…”

Behind me, I hear hoofsteps of our concerned friends funneling into the room and surrounding the two of us. No one says anything for a few seconds, and the silence weighs heavy on me as I don’t really know what to say. Thankfully, Fluttershy surprises us all as she chirps up quietly.

“We’re your friends, Pinkie. We’re here for you.”

She’s right, and I think Pinkie Pie knows that it’s true. I reach my free hand down and curl it through Pinkie’s straightened mane; even now it clings to my hand with its thickness. With a sigh, Pinkie glances behind her at Fluttershy and woefully replies.

“I know. It’s just…”

She turns back to me, a sad yet honest frown showing as she continues.

“I feel like you’ve been avoiding me, Marcus. I was afraid you were gonna leave me, like- like everypony else.”

“What?”

My surprise is heard around the room, echoing off the walls before Spike, for some reason, follows my lead and dramatically gasps. I ignore it and focus back on Pinkie, staring unflinchingly all the while. Why would she think like that? I would never go out of my way to avoid Pinkie Pie. She continues to stammer as she seems to sob through her emotionally charged words.

“You- You’ve been all over the place and I never get to see you and- and then- and then I threw Derpy her party and you ran out and I- I didn’t even get to-“

“Shh, it’s okay; I’m here. Don’t cry in front of your friends. They’re worried sick about you.”

I try to console her as best as I can, something I never thought I’d have to do for Pinkie Pie.

“I know, but…you have to leave soon and I just wanted to have some more fun together.”

I chuckle heartily. That’s why she was so upset? Clearly not amused, however, Pinkie almost glares at me and I quickly stop, choosing to smile nervously through the threatening stare. Speaking from the heart, I rest my forehead on the sad, pink mare’s and dive back into those bright cerulean pools for the first time in several days.

“Pinkie Pie, I don’t want you to think like that. I would never ignore or avoid you. You’re a fun-loving, hard partying pony and, what’s more, you’re my friend. We can have fun any time you want.”

“Really!? You mean it?”

Her frown literally flips itself upside down in the same comical fashion that I’ve come to expect from her. Enjoying her surprise, I hold my head high and give an enthusiastic nod in response before brightly exclaiming.

“Any time you want.”

Upon hearing my words, Pinkie Pie leaps into mid-air as her hair somehow ‘poofs’ back out in celebration. I can’t help but smile at her reaction; she is who she is, after all. Landing back down on her rump, the once-sad pony brightens her smile and pulls me into a tight hug. Without a hint of sadness remaining in her voice, she asks me.

“You promise you won’t leave?”

The question catches me off-guard for a moment and I end up hesitating. She cares about me enough to make me promise? She doesn’t really need me around…does she?

I take a few seconds to glance back to our friends around us. Varying smiles from all three mares encourage me to say something while Spike grins and gives me a thumbs-up with his clawed hand. Brushing my fingers along her signature cotton candy styled mane, I reply in earnest.

“I promise.”

Pinkie, clearly satisfied with my promise, pulls away and looks into my eyes, perhaps checking to see if I’m being honest with her. Of course, the result comes back successful and she continues her seemingly never-ending smile. Derpy stands across from us and claps her hooves together as if she’s a studio audience to this particular scene and comments joyfully.

“Yay! Pinkie’s better again!”

Rainbow Dash gives Derpy a confused look, probably wondering to herself why her wall-eyed friend decided to announce that, but quickly shrugs it off as nothing. Spike and Fluttershy just seem pleased that their friend Pinkie is back to her old self, as am I. Pinkie, however, suddenly changes expression once more.

Only this time, it isn’t a look of depression or even remote sadness at all. She narrows her eyes and winks a few times; her eyelashes fluttering rapidly before she speaks in a hushed tone.

“What about right now?”

“What do you mean?”

I ask in a quiet whisper myself, not knowing if our nearby friends can make out what we’re saying in the otherwise silent room. Pinkie Pie giggles before deciding that showing me is better than telling and promptly pulls me into a light kiss. Now, Pinkie? Besides a slight bulge in surprise, I don’t offer her sudden kiss any real reaction. It’s probably because I can once again feel that blessed taste sensation rolling across my lips as she kisses me. Before it gets too out of hand, Pinkie pulls away slightly and I immediately hear the embarrassed responses from the nearby pegasi in turn.

“O- Oh my…”
“Uhh…”
“Oooh…”

Lastly, Spike just stares in silence, unable to form any real response to this sight. Rainbow Dash is the first to speak up again, chuckling nervously as she does so.

“Oh, heh, I just remembered! I asked Derpy about what she thought of my new trick earlier and totally forgot.”

“You did?”

Derpy, being as naïve as she is, genuinely questions Rainbow’s attempt at an excuse to leave. Dash quickly glares at Derpy before almost growling out.

“Yeah, I did. Now, come on.”

Seemingly trying to escape from this awkward situation as fast as possible, she grabs Derpy’s hoof and flies out of the room. In tow, Derpy’s distaste for being dragged away can be heard as they exit.

“Awww.”

Spike only stares after them as they go and then redirects his gaze at Pinkie and I. Chuckling half-heartedly, he shuffles his way out the door while coming up with a quick and obvious lie.

“Uhh, I think I hear Twilight calling me. I’ll see ya later, bye!”

As soon as he leaves and only Fluttershy remains, she immediately takes on a look of sheer disorientation as her face reddens. The fact that Pinkie Pie has been holding her forelegs around me in a romantic entanglement this entire time is also certainly not helping. Slowly, step by step, Fluttershy inches herself towards the door until she’s managed to keep just a creak open behind it. She peeks through as she closes it, quietly whispering to us.

“I’ll just, uhm…leave you alone, now.”

Now, only Pinkie and I are left in the bedroom and I consider frantically questioning her actions to be a safe idea by this point.

“Pinkie! Why’d you do that?”

“Because I wanted to. Unless…you didn’t think that was fun? Oh, I’m so sorry, Marcus! I just thought that-“

I stop Pinkie before she goes on an apologizing spree.

“No, no, nothing like that. Of course it was…nice, but there’s a time and a place for doing that.”

Her face takes on a slightly downtrodden look and it almost worries me that she might shift back to her droopy mane style and depressing attitude again. Thankfully, she speaks up and doesn’t let my comment affect her too much.

“I understand, but…we can still have a little bit of fun, right?”

“Heh, sure. Just a little bit.”

We both smile genuinely at one another before I start to notice Pinkie Pie nudging herself closer to me. Shifting her body, she sweeps her hind legs over my lap and ends up perched on my thighs at the foot of the bed. Her face only gets closer until I see her close her eyes as her lips are brought back to mine. Hell, I even close my eyes as the sweet taste returns in full force once again.

Almost as if she misses me more than she let on, she moans into my mouth cutely and pulls me deeper into the kiss. Feeling even more daring, Pinkie slides her tongue into my mouth and I hesitantly allow her to explore as she sees fit. Our tongues constantly smoothing over one another proves to be quite a bit for me to handle.

It isn’t just her tongue moving around, however, as her hips begin to squirm in my lap and provoke the intended reaction on my part. Pinkie, noticing the obvious bulge under her, giggles into my mouth and breaks away once more. Right away, she laughs openly before holding a hoof to her lips to contain her giggling while she attempts to speak.

“Oh! Heehee, I’m sitting on your thing, aren’t I?”

“Well…yeah.”

“Well, let’s give it some air, already!”

Wait, what? Before I can manage even a confused grunt, Pinkie hops off of my lap and is between my legs in less than two seconds. I find her speed rather impressive, all things considered, and blink once before all of a sudden my pants are undone! Did she just…with her mouth? I shake my head, unwilling to admit that even Pinkie Pie is that capable.

“You sure have some weird talent, Pinkie Pie.”

As I say that, Pinkie is already gripping the waistband of my briefs with her teeth, ready to pull them down but stopping to respond to me.

“I can do a cartwheel, too! Wanna see? Oops, sorry. Gotta focus.”

Something tells me that Pinkie gets easily distracted. Wearing a steeled look of determination, she skillfully uses her teeth to pull my briefs and pants down to my ankles. When she looks back up and returns her glance to my now revealed member, her first reaction is to grasp it and immediately start stroking it up and down with little to no care for pacing herself.

“Wow, it’s even bigger than last time! You really like my kisses, don’tcha?”

I choose not to offer any sort of response to that. Instead of waiting, however, Pinkie continues to stroke me eagerly, now with both hooves as she gets an even closer look. She’s treating it like a new toy of some sort, considering her haphazard motions and near constant giggles.

Finally getting so close that her snout touches the sensitive head, she gives a decisive lick and causes me to shudder as the sensation rolls through me. Stopping for just a moment to tap her chin with her hoof, she ponders aloud.

“Hmm, I’ve never blown a thing like this before. The top’s all funny-looking…oh well!”

Just like that, Pinkie Pie closes her eyes happily and opens her mouth as wide as she can in front of me before dropping it in one quick motion. Unsurprisingly, she takes the entire length into her spacious mouth and clamps down on it, causing me to yelp in response.

She doesn’t seem bothered by my jump of surprise, clearly now very occupied with her own actions. Pinkie’s lips form a tight seal over my shaft and she begins to slide it out until it grazes her lips and back in until it reaches the back of her throat. While she isn’t doing much with her tongue, I can feel it along the bottom of my cock and her effort on sucking the entire thing more than makes up for it.

Oddly, however, when she slides off of me, she actually blows air and saliva on it, as if she takes the name of the act literally. I’ve got no reason to complain, though. Even with her unusual technique, Pinkie Pie is still succeeding at bringing me close to the brink of my approaching orgasm. Thinking that this may have gone a bit too far from what I had intended to happen, I eke out a warning.

“Okay, that’s enough Pinkie. You can- unh…stop now.”

Throwing me a confused glance and a muffled response, Pinkie quickly pulls her mouth off of me and retorts adamantly.

“And miss out on your yummy stuff? Are you crazy?”

Am I crazy? Pinkie, I don’t think it’s fair of you to ask that. Especially not when you’re holding my cock aimed at your mouth and stroking me…furiously…with both hooves…and licking the underside like that is gonna make me-!

“Gah! Wait!”

Like a hose, spurt after spurt of my hot cum shoots into Pinkie’s mouth and coats her face and mane. All the while, I groan with each release as she keeps stroking me and coaxing more and more out until she gets every last drop. Pinkie Pie, with an expression so giddy you’d think she won the lottery, exclaims as the liquid covers her face

“Woo! Look at it go!”

I think she may have gotten a bit too excited. I don’t get much of a chance to reply through my inconsistent breaths, unfortunately, and can only watch as Pinkie releases my now-flaccid member from her grasp and sits back with a blissful expression on her face. Considering her eccentricity, I can only imagine what this pink mare will do next.

With another cute laughing fit, I see her tongue somehow extend out of her mouth and lap up all the excess cum on her face and mane in one slurp. Gathering it all and swallowing, she licks her lips one final time and expresses her obvious glee.

“You sure let out a lot that time, Marcus. Hehe, thanks!”

I have no words for how capably ridiculous Pinkie Pie is.

“N- No problem, Pinkie. Are we done having fun yet?”

“Not yeeeet! There’s one more thing I wanna try.”

I let out a tired sigh and close my eyes, reluctant to participate in whatever it is that Pinkie Pie is plotting. I quickly get an answer when I feel the mass of Pinkie’s bottom once again land in my lap. Grunting, I feel her fur immediately start to rub against my naked thighs in a pleasant feeling that’s hard to describe.

However, when I open my eyes again, I see that Pinkie is seated away from me and her back arches up as she sits on me without a care. Not only that, but her mane is close enough to brush itself on my face yet again and I can smell that sweet confectionary scene that she carries with her.

Suddenly, I hear Pinkie Pie giggle once more before she starts rocking her hips back and forth on my crotch slowly. Almost teasingly, her giggles become more seductive in tone, leading me to believe that she’s enjoying this. At first, I’m enjoying the, err…contact, but then I feel something wet between her legs, causing my loins to stir a bit as I ask.

“Uhh, Pinkie, what are you doing?”

“Getting us both ready, duh. This is the best part! Rubbing on your thing makes me so excited!”

Getting us ready for the best part? Wait, hold on. That is not what I came for, Pinkie. I try to retort in some way, but she starts to rub her thin pussy lips along my shaft with more intent than before. Needless to say, as she presses herself on me, my member ends up poking out from between her legs as it rises to the occasion. Pinkie Pie, of course, chuckles at the sight and looks back at me with narrowed, lust-filled eyes.

“I bet it feels good, huh?”

I grunt once more and she drops the teasing expression, returning to her usual, overly giddy smile. Her lubrication is definitely having an effect on me, though, and if I don’t say something now, I might not be able to hold myself back.

“Are you sure about doing this, Pinkie?”

In response, she grinds her rump on me harder, toying with me further which I know that she loves to do. I can’t say that her soft body and moist sex rubbing on me is unpleasant, but this isn’t exactly the best position to be in if-…Is that what I think it is?

“Whoops! Hehe, it slipped in.”

D- Damn it, Pinkie Pie. I can’t see in front of her, but I can definitely feel myself lodged within her hot depths. For a few moments, I can only sit here as the pink mare’s body heat overwhelms me. Combined with my own rising temperature, there must be a heat wave going on where our bodies connect.

Pinkie Pie, ever eager to continue, lifts herself off of me slowly before dropping her hips back down on me with a contented sigh. Repeating the action once more, I groan as her ridiculously wet sex sucks on me with no chance of letting go. Pinkie, herself, even lets out soft moans as she enjoys bouncing on top of me.

“Oooh, why stop when it feels so gooood?”

“Pinkie Pie, I don’t…”

I trail off as Pinkie starts to move slightly faster, clenching me tighter inside her. She must really want me if she’s behaving like this. Unexpectedly, Pinkie cranes her neck and turns to kiss me, allowing our tongues to mingle once more as the sweet taste returns to my lips. Urging me to take over with a light lick inside following a moan, Pinkie allows my hands to rest on her sexy flanks. With newfound control, I thrust upwards into her burning desire and she releases the kiss as her eyes roll up in bliss.

I smirk at the silly face she makes as she attempts to speak.

“Ma- Marcus…mmn, can I ask for a favor?”

“Yeah, Pinkie?”

I nod and watch as her body shakes under my forceful penetration. Pinkie seems to be a lot less talkative when I take control. She leans back and carefully whispers to me.

“Promise me…you won’t take it out when you…you know?”

If it’s what she wants then I won’t hesitate any more. Pinkie Pie needs a little love, if anything, so I might as well be here when she needs me.

Wait…Having though that, I think I finally understand what Mr. Cake was trying to say earlier about being where you’re needed. If I haven’t come to see Pinkie Pie today, I don’t know what would’ve happened. Pinkie may be a (literal) party animal, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have fun with her when she feels lonely.

Finally returning to the business at hand, I smile at Pinkie Pie while looking into her luminous eyes and answer.

“Only if you promise me never to feel lonely again.”

I start thrusting faster, but manage to reach up and run my hand through her mane as her eyes and smile widen. She responds through pants as she leans in to kiss me again, her own lips aiding our lovemaking.

“I…haah…promise.”

“Good.”

Pinkie Pie’s lips touch mine and the sudden sensation along with our furious pace finally pushes me over the edge. Both of us moan into each other’s mouths as we reach our powerful climaxes simultaneously. My thick cum fires deep into her and trickles out along with her own slick juices. The feeling only escalates as she once again giggles loudly, only this time breaking away while doing so.

Coming down from the peak of orgasm, I lie back on the bed and Pinkie uproots herself from me, lying down beside me carefully. I take a moment to catch my breath and, as she does the same, Pinkie asks me.

“So…you’re not gonna leave, right?”

I smirk and chuckle at her question. After all of this, she still has doubts? Resting my hand on her head and rustling her fur a little, I respond openly.

“I’m not gonna leave you, Pinkie.

She rolls over comically with a slight stumble and wraps me in a tight hug. When I feel her pull away, however, she wears a slightly nervous smile and remarks.

“Umm, can I get one more teensy, itty bitty favor, Marcus?”

“What is it?”

“I kinda-sorta can’t feel my legs. Can you carry me home?”

My only response is to laugh. I don’t even bother to question if Pinkie actually came hard enough to do something like that. I sit up at the foot of the bed and redress myself, buttoning up my pants as I answer her, still smiling.

“Heh, sure.”

Immediately, she latches onto me from behind and drapes her forelegs over my shoulder. As happy as can be, she joyfully cheers.

“Piggyback ride from Marcus! Woo!”

Looking back at her, I laugh yet again and stand up tall, holding her hind legs at my sides so that she now rides my back safely. I look back at her and see her adorable smiling face before starting off towards the door. Sometimes it’s best to savor the simple things in life…even if they occur right after the more complicated things.

After hearing Pinkie talk almost nonstop of all the fun things we could do for the past few minutes, we finally arrive back at Sugarcube Corner. Hopefully, Pinkie can take a break from talking for a little while. Now, I carefully interrupt her at the end of her last sentence so as not to be too rude.

“We’re here, Pinkie. Are you okay to walk?”

“Oh. Yeah! Hehe, you can put me down now, Marcus.”

The trip back was relatively short, and Pinkie Pie ended up being fairly easy to carry. She’s pretty light, regardless of the regular amount of sweets I have no doubt that she consumes. Lifting her up and off of me, I gently place her down in front of me and she lands perfectly on her own four hooves.

She really does seem like just a little pony when compared to me at times like this. As she draws closer to the door and nudges it open, Pinkie calls back to me.

“Bye, Marcus! Thanks for the ride!”

I assume Pinkie Pie meant to make that double entendre, judging by her laughing fit afterwards as she enters Sugarcube Corner and leaves me behind at the door. Pinkie is some pony, that’s for sure.

I turn and begin my journey back to Twilight’s, figuring that I can reconvene with Spike and see if he’s up to anything. Suddenly, a voice from behind me interrupts my thoughts.

“Pinkie Pie too, huh?”

That tomboyish voice belongs to the rainbow-maned pegasus known as Rainbow Dash. When I turn around, however, I don’t see her anywhere between me and Sugarcube Corner. Instead, I look up and find the light blue athlete perched atop the bakery, almost like a gargoyle…but also the exact opposite, considering her vibrant colors and competitive nature.

Naturally, she sticks out like a sore thumb, but I’m the only one giving her any real attention for sitting up there. Once she notices that I can see her, she leaps off and propels herself toward the ground, lands in front of me with ease and waits patiently for my response. I suppose it’s nice of her to wait for a retort after delivering such a condescending question. I ignore her teasing remark and choose to ask my own question instead.

“Where’s Derpy? She isn’t with you?”

“Nah, I flew her home. Don’t worry, though, I didn’t tell her about you and Pinkie getting it on.”

Rainbow Dash grins smugly and makes a few crude gestures I would prefer not to see. Needless to say, I don’t find it as funny as she does. Answering her with dead seriousness, I reply in a stern voice.

“Well, it’s not like I did it on purpose.”

I’ll admit, the way I just spoke sounded a bit biting, but I’d rather not let Rainbow ruin my mood as skillfully as she did earlier. The pegasus chuckles at me, clearly amused at my irritation.

“I still say you’re weak. You’d probably do just about anypony, wouldn’t ya?”

Ugh, does she have to be insulting, too? I reply somewhat defiantly, knowing that she didn’t really mean that.

“No, I wouldn’t! I just really like some ponies more than others, and sometimes I might end up…”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed. Heh, good luck dealin with that, Marcus!”

Seemingly about to fly away once more, I call to her in mid-launching stance.

“Wait!”

“What?”

For a moment, I hesitate on what I’m about to say next, fearing that I might word it improperly. Still, just for my own peace of mind, I have to ask.

“Do you remember what you said yesterday? You don’t actually want to…you know…with me, right?”

Dash just stares blankly for a few seconds, as if trying to take in what I had said. Unfortunately, instead of an actual answer, she just bursts into laughter and falls over onto the ground. Pointing at me with her hoof, she continues her fit of loud chuckles that makes me wonder why other ponies aren’t looking over to see what’s wrong with her. Although, this is probably just typical Rainbow Dash behavior and no one chooses to pay it any mind. After a good while of her laughing at me, she finally manages to stand back up and deliver a serious response.

“I mean, I like you and all that, Marcus, and having you around when I was with Applejack was cool, but I’m not gonna buck you. Messing with you a little is way better, anyway.”

Huh? So, Rainbow Dash isn’t interested in me like that? Well…that’s actually a bit of a relief! Maybe she, uhh, ‘doesn’t swing this way?’ …Ehh, I’d rather not risk asking. I breathe out a welcome sigh of relief, knowing that Rainbow is thankfully immune to my charms, and reply happily.

“Heh, I’m alright with that.”

Rainbow Dash smirks and prepares herself to fly again, quickly noting to me beforehand.

“You’re a weird guy, Marcus. It’s no wonder Pinkie’s into you.”

I chuckle a bit in response as I watch her take off into the sky. Say what you will about that pony, but she’s quite the unique one. Now that I’m left alone again, I…kind of forgot where I wanted to go.

In a flash, however, I instantly remember hearing of a certain locale that should be a good time waster for now. Although, it might be too long of a walk for my tastes…I’d better get going.

When I was talking to Spike about the many places he’d been to in Ponyville, he mentioned a lake on the other side of the park where his friends often had picnics. Apparently, Twilight had scoped it out one night as the perfect spot for star-gazing other than her own house, of course. Spike had also said that it was especially beautiful at night, where you could see everything in the reflection of the water as clear as if it had been daytime. For now, though, I suppose sundown is still a fine time to check it out for myself.

A quiet place to think is all I really want right now. Standing on the hill overlooking the lake, I spot it a few yards away and walk towards it, feeling the wind rustling the leaves of nearby trees. It’s dead silent around here without a bustling pony anywhere in sight; nothing here to distract me but me, myself, and I. When I reach the lake, I stand over it before deciding to kneel down and see the crystal clear image staring back at me.

I take a much-needed deep breath as my thoughts start to form about myself and all that I’ve done here in Ponyville. I’m just…different; I still can’t get that word out of my head, here. Ponyville is a place for ponies, and I should feel out of place, but I just don’t. Every single pony I’ve met has seemed to come to accept me as one of their own, regardless of my species.

I know I’ve asked this question before, but…why are humans so special? Moreso, why me, specifically? Couldn’t any other human have arrived here instead? Why couldn’t I have just kept on living my life in- wait a minute…

Why can’t I remember my life when I was among humans?

I pull back from my reflection and sit on the soft grass below. I try to conjure up some kind of thought, some remnant of my life that I can latch onto for the moment. Closing my eyes in deep thought, I attempt to bring an image into the mix, and successfully recall some kind of house. Unfortunately, once the image comes into focus, I realize that it’s the inside of Twilight’s library. Other than that, no faces of family or friends enter my mind’s eye. My efforts are in vain, sadly, as I find that forcing my brain like this is quite straining.

Guh, this isn’t going to work. I’m left with more burning questions than ever before, and now I can only stare back at my disgruntled face. What if I really did choose to stay, though? I mean, if I can’t remember my previous life, then I think my desire to venture into unknown territory is a little weak, in my opinion. I’ve gotten so used to living amongst these ponies; would I even want to go back to a life I can’t remember any part of? Would I really run out on everything here?

I rub my temples, once again feeling my confusion manifest itself as physical pain. It’s almost as if I can hear my head screaming out in terror. Wait, what? Screams of terror? Those aren’t mine.

I turn around to see a fast-moving blur of color whiz by me and off into the distance around the shimmering lake. The blur itself is an assortment of shapes, but I can see that they’re a couple of fillies riding something while another is running. The one who seems to be being chased is probably the one who uttered that scream and continues to do so as they speed past. I should probably call out to them or something, considering that they look like they’re headed straight into a-…tree.

I stand up and look a fair distance ahead of me after hearing that loud crashing noise to find three little ponies wearing safety pads and helmets to prevent any real injuries sprawled out under a tree. Lying next to them is a worn-out looking scooter, flat down from the obvious collision with the tree. Are- Are they okay? I rush over, expecting to find them unconscious at worst, but I end up stopping a few feet away as I find them picking themselves up and stumbling slightly.

I recognize one of them as Sweetie Belle, Rarity’s sister from a few days ago, while the other two are completely new to me. Remembering what Sweetie Belle told me, though, I assume that these must be her “Cutie Mark Crusader” friends. I have a feeling that they might get jealous or something if I showed them that I have four cuti-…five cutie marks on my back, so I have no intention of taking off my shirt around these kids.

They quickly notice my presence and brighten up at the sight of me, perking up in turn until they all stand up straight without a problem. The yellow pony with red hair and complimentary pink bow chirps up in a familiar country accent.

“Hey! Ah know you! Yer that thing that ran outta Derpy’s party, right?”

I sigh and nod reluctantly; I doubt I’ll ever live that down. I’ll admit that it was not a proud moment for me, but I’d prefer it not to be brought up again. Figuring that I might as well properly introduce myself to the young ones so they have a better impression to go off of, I speak in a humble tone.

“My name’s Marcus, and you are?”

“Ah’m Apple Bloom, that’s Sweetie Belle over there, and that there’s Scootaloo.”

I look past a smiling Sweetie Belle to find a very disgruntled pegasus; the same one I saw being chased by these two, earlier. She stands bent over the ground, her gear resting at her side as she inspects the scooter and grumbles to herself.

“They better not have dented it…”

The young, orange-coated pegasus turns back to shout at her friends and nearly scares me half to death with the way she flips around with a furious glare.

“I told you not to ride my scooter! You don’t even know how!”

Apple Bloom, ever the patient and kind young lady, quickly retorts in a surprisingly defiant tone.

“Ah can too!”

Sensing a silly argument about to occur, I intervene and direct a question to the more sensible filly, Sweetie Belle.

“Just what were you three out here doing?”

“Apple Bloom suggested we try to get our cutie marks in “chasing tails” after we heard you get yelled at for it at the party the other day.”

…What?

“Ah still say we have to try everythin’ at least once.”

Apple Bloom speaks up in an attempt to defend herself, but Scootaloo quickly replies with a groan that I would share with her, if I wasn’t so dumfounded.

“Ugh! And I told you that it was a dumb idea! Why would we want to get our cutie marks doing something we can get in trouble for?”

Apple Bloom goes silent as her eyes shift back and forth, as if trying to avoid any blame that could be pinned to her. Leaving their argument at that, I state with complete confidence to the three young ponies.

“I just want to put that kind of behavior behind me. The whole ‘chasing tails’ thing is over, alright?”

Sweetie Belle smiles and nods in agreement with me.

“Yeah, I think we should just give up on this one, girls.”

“I don’t even know what this guy’s talking about; I just don’t want you two busting up my scooter!”

Scootaloo calls back angrily as she pops her gear back on and stands her scooter back up, ready to take off and leave her friends behind. Apple Bloom follows as she starts off and quickly replies in an argumentative tone of voice.

“Ah was not!”

“Was too!”

Sweetie Belle follows soon afterward, groaning at her crusaders’ need to argue as they continue back and forth. I simply let them walk away without any further conversation. Heh, I wouldn’t really expect a group of kids to understand what I’m talking about. They can’t relate to my problems, after all.

Thinking back, I’m still surprised that Spike of all creatures inadvertently seems to give the best advice, even though he’s just a baby dragon. Funny how that works, huh?

In any case, I think I’ve failed miserably at clearing my head enough for one day. I should head back to Twilight’s before it gets too dark.

After the sun has finally set and Luna’s night has sufficiently covered the sky, I return to Twilight’s library fairly unscathed, considering all that’s happened today. Opening and closing the door behind me at a begrudgingly slow pace, I look around to see that all the lights are off and that the entire library is lit purely by the night’s glow coming through the windows. I almost feel the need to reach for the light switch beside me when I notice a small figure curled up in a basket a few feet to my right.

It’s that lovable baby dragon, Spike, who seems like he was smart enough to get his rest when he felt that he needed it. I doubt he had to go on any existential journeys today, so I’d rather not bother him with an unneeded luminescent assault on his eyelids. Instead, I quietly take a few steps over to the snoring reptile and settle for a light pat on his head, whispering to him with a smile.

“Thanks for your help, Spike. You’re a good friend.”

He rolls over slightly in response, but I can tell that he’s still stuck in his little dreamland. Leaving him be, I set off towards the nearby stairs as my thoughts from before come rushing back during this dead silence. How am I supposed to focus on moving forward if I can’t even remember my past? I can’t believe I’m even asking it at this point but…should I really stay?

At the top of the stairs, still in deep thought, I pass by an open doorway and towards the bathroom, leaving it there and almost swearing to myself that I had left it closed this morning. Ah well, probably nothing too important to-

“Marcus?”

What? Who was that!? I turn around immediately and realize that the sound must have some from the open doorway. Sneaking over, I peer in and see only a dark room with the moonlight shining down on a figure lying on the bed, huddled under the sheets. It’s…it’s Twilight! I call back to her quietly, clearly surprised at her return.

“Tw-…Twilight?”

I watch carefully as she slowly brushes the blanket off of herself with a hoof and lightly steps down from the bed. Walking over to me, she holds her head down, as if she’s refusing eye contact with me for some reason. What’s wrong with her? When she finally reaches me, however, she leans her head onto my stomach and ends up poking her dull horn onto my chest, making some kind of muffled noise all the while.

“…I’m so sorry, Marcus.”

“Twilight, are you crying?”

I feel my question is answered by the small amount of wetness accompanying her soft face on my shirt. She is crying, and she’s even apologizing. Did she recover? Is this some kind of pity trap?

Before I can deduce anything, I feel her hooves wrap around my back and pull me tighter against her, causing me to grunt as a bit of wind is forced out of me. She continues as I look down at her, still ashamedly refusing to look up.

“Everything I did…I can’t take it back. All I did was make things worse…”

She sniffles, providing further evidence that she truly does feel sorry for her previous actions. I can’t help but feel for the poor, light purple mare bawling her eyes out in front of me. Petting her mane with my right hand, I brush it out of the way so I can see her a bit clearer. My touch somehow affects her enough to make her look up at me, and I immediately am taken aback by her puffy red eyes. She’s been crying for a while, hasn’t she? Nevertheless, I smile and hush her slightly, trying to comfort her and remind her not to be sad.

“Shh, hey, don’t cry. You weren’t thinking straight; that’s all over now.”

Twilight still holds her frown, but it looks as if she’s losing it as she tries to explain herself further, only making herself feel worse, no doubt.

“But I can’t make all this up to you! I was too selfish, I didn’t even bother asking you what you wanted. Even worse, I ignored you when you told me to stop.”

I bend down on my knees and face her, holding her by the shoulders so I stare directly into her eyes. Clearly, she feels downtrodden, and I can see why, but I still hate to see her like this; suffering by herself for so long and only now realizing the repercussions of her actions. I speak calmly and confidently, wanting her to feel reassured that everything will be alright.

“Listen, Twilight. All of that’s behind you, now. I don’t want you to even think about it. I know it’s hard, but it’ll be better if we just start fresh; maybe take it a bit slower this time, huh?”

She sniffles again, but I can tell that she feels a bit relieved at my words. Twilight manages a half-smile and tries to ask, even as the flow of her tears starts to lessen.

“That’s okay? Are you sure, Marcus?”

“I’m sure. No more books, no more spells, just talk to me. We’ll be alright.”

Twilight’s smile finally reveals itself fully as she pulls me close against her neck and into a tight hug. She’s quite a bit stronger than I assumed for being such a bookworm, but I give in and hug her back all the same. After a few seconds, she pulls back with an embarrassed look on her face, still holding onto me all the while. Trying to avoid direct eye contact now, I see a blush form on her face as she, once again, questions me in a nervous tone.

“Uhm, Marcus, could I ask for something in return, though?”

“Heh, sure. What is it, Twilight?”

“Could you…sleep with me tonight? I mean- Not like that, just…together, in my bed. I just want to know what it’s like. Just one time, I promise!”

I smirk, considering the nature of Twilight’s request. Normally, and now of all times, I’d think this would be overstepping our boundaries, but I think it’d be better if I just play along for her sake.

“Okay, Twilight. I’ll sleep right next to you tonight.”

Twilight’s face almost lights up as she releases herself from our hug and rears back, giddily flailing her forehooves in a show of joy. Once she lands, she dashes back to her bed and hops in it, resting comfortably above the sheets waiting for me. She still is pretty happy when she’s excited, regardless of any spell that she was under before.

Following after her, I slide under the sheets onto the bed carefully from the other side, ending up resting on the second pillow she had always had there. I can imagine if she felt lonely, seeing how large this bed is, but I pay it no mind now. Suddenly, however, the silent atmosphere is destroyed as Twilight perks up and almost leaps out of the bed, announcing

“Oh, Marcus! You have to write a letter to Celestia, right?”

“Uhh…yeah, I guess. Why?”

“I can do this for you!”

Eh? I don’t understand. Why does she want to write the letter for me? In a show of some kind of surprising helpfulness, Twilight levitates over her very own quill, ink and royal parchment, being very eager to take down a letter of mine. Using her magic, she dips the quill in ink and rests the parchment on a nearby table, ready and willing to write as she states.

“Go ahead, I’m ready.”

Well, I suppose if she’s gone to this trouble, I might as well let her go for it. Sighing, I nod and let my eyes shut themselves as I try to speak my thoughts word for word as they come to me.

Dear Princess Celestia,

Sometimes it’s hard to convince myself when I’m doing the right thing. Everything I do has consequences, and I can’t tell when and where I should stop and think when all I want to do is make the ponies I care about happy. In some special cases, I think that’s okay, but that doesn’t mean that I always condone it. Today, I did a lot of thinking and quite a bit of talking with a young friend of mine, and it gave me the opportunity to reflect. Thanks to a pacifying visit to see Pinkie Pie and a final check-in with your faithful student, I think everything’s okay for now. I may not really ever get a moment of peace for myself, but sharing moments with the lovely friends I’ve gotten to know has become far more important to me. The question is: what should I do before my time here runs out? Stay in touch.

Signed,

Marcus Rook

Author's Notes:

Original posting date: 9/7/2012

The longest chapter in the entire story, with some Spike character building and even some focus on our protagonist.