Introduction

Author's Notes:

An idea that came to me today. I hope you all enjoy!

You are a human in Equestria. You aren’t exactly sure how you got here, of course; one morning you simply woke up in the middle of Ponyville in your underwear- bed, sheets, and all! Thankfully, Princess Twilight Sparkle was able to lead you through this very confusing time, and was working diligently to find a way for you to get back home.

It was taking a while, and of course you needed to find a way to pay the bills in the meantime. You just happened to stumble onto a grand career: snuggling. Boy, do ponies love to snuggle! You made more bits than most skilled workers in Equestria through your job as a ‘stress management consultant’; mares would pay hundreds to have you wait on them during a day off, providing snuggles, food, massages, and whatever they needed. Your name had entered the parlance of even the highest-running social circles in Equestria, and while you were homesick you were also kind of loving the attention…and money. Mostly the money.

And now, you were standing on the precipice of your biggest job ever. You had been hired to spend three days managing the stress of none other than Princess Celestia herself!

Steeling your nerves, you knock on the large doors to Princess Celestia’s chamber.

“Come in,” an angelic voice calls.

You open the door and walk in, seeing the form of Celestia standing regally by the windows, facing you. She is smiling, albeit a little nervously.

Taking a deep breath, you greet her and explain the rules: she’s not allowed to do any work over the next three days, and all she needs to do if she needs anything from you, be it hugs, a massage, some food, or snuggles, all she needs to do is ring a bell.

Celestia nods sweetly, seemingly calmed by the introduction, and assures you that the necessary notifications have been made regarding the castle staff, who are at your disposal. “How much for your services, sir?”

You smile widely. “For her highness? Free of charge of course!” Being known as the princess’ personal stress manager would do wonders for your business, anyway. Finishing up your spiel, you clear your throat. “And, uh, I always like to begin with a hug.”

“A hug?” Celestia asks, tilting her head. “Oh!” her magenta eyes suddenly light up with understanding, and she uses her magic to float her chest regalia and crown away. She looks at you rather invitingly, but doesn’t move.

Slowly, you walk over and reach your hands around her neck, pulling her into a soft hug. She reciprocates immediately by wrapping a front hoof around your waist and unfurling her wings to cover you. She is fluffy, warm, and smells almost fruity! The hug goes on for a long time, with Celestia nestling closer and closer to you.

Over the next few hours, you serve Celestia by bringing her food and even scold her once when you catch her attempting to write a letter (she sheepishly smiles and puts the letter away, her ears hanging against her head in shame). You hear the bell again and leave your temporary work area to enter Celestia’s chambers.

“At your service, your highness,” you say, bowing.

Celestia covers her mouth with a hoof as she giggles. “You humans sure are funny. No need to be so formal, dear.”

You nod softly, but don’t say anything.

She clears her throat awkwardly. “A-anyway, I was wondering if you would…cuddle me?”

If you choose to cuddle Princess Celestia, proceed to Chapter 1.
If you would like to refuse, proceed to Chapter 14.

Chapter 1

“Of course!” you reply, jumping into her bed and patting the region next to you. “What do you think I’m here for?”

She smiles, removing her golden hoof adornments, and climbs into bed next to you, pulling you tightly to her chest. Immediately, the feeling of her warm fur against your face overcomes you and you let out a happy hum. She giggles and places a hoof on the back of your head, sighing. “Thank you so much, this feels wonderful and I really needed it!”

Nuzzling into her fur, and occasionally looking into her eyes and flashing her a smile, seems to brighten up her day, and she keeps letting out giggles and relaxed sighs.

After a number of minutes, you get the feeling that the cuddling is growing stale! It’s time to change things up, maybe?

If you choose to boldly place a hand on Celestia’s flank, proceed to Chapter 15.
If you choose to give her a tight hug, proceed to Chapter 2.
If you choose to run your fingers through her mane, proceed to Chapter 3.

Chapter 2

You squeeze her tightly to you, causing Celestia to let out a little squeal of delight. “Oh, you scamp!” she cries, wiggling her hooves in comfort. “I’m so happy I got you, this is the best cuddling I’ve had in a thousand years!”

You nuzzle her chest fluff again, sighing happily.

Proceed to Chapter 4.

Chapter 3

You reach up to run your fingers through her mane, and Celestia sighs in ecstasy. “Errhhhh,” she moans happily, pressing her head into your hand. “I love getting my mane brushed,” she sighs, “and that feels even better!” You look up to see that a hard red blush is plastered across her face. “This…this is incredible,” she says, staring blankly at the back wall. “The best cuddling…ever.”

“Such high praise,” you reply, nuzzling into her neck. She seems to have become really comfortable with you.

Proceed to Chapter 4.

Chapter 4

After a few hours of cuddling, you find yourself reclining on Celestia’s floofy chest as she reclines on some pillows against her bedframe. You’ve spent a lot of time this afternoon lounging on her warm bed, inhaling her scent, and petting her soft coat. You’re enjoying cuddling with Celestia a lot…more than you enjoy snuggling with your other clients.

Celestia clops her hooves together awkwardly, leaving only her wing keeping you pinned to her. “Hey, I have a…really silly question to ask of you.”

“There are no such things as silly questions, Celestia,” you assure her, flipping over on top of her so she’s holding your whole body to her, and not just your torso. “Now, tell me what ails you.”

Celestia bites her lip, unsure of herself. “Well, it’s just that I haven’t spent such a happy time with somepony in so long, and I can get a little lonely sometimes…”

She trails off. You reach up to softly bet her cheek in a reassuring gesture.

“So, I know it’s silly…but would you like to go on a fake date with me?” she asks you.

If you choose to decline Celestia’s request, proceed to Chapter 5.
If you agree to go on a ‘fake’ date with Celestia, proceed to Chapter 6.
If you would like to ask Celestia on a real date, proceed to Chapter 7.

Chapter 5

“O-oh,” you reply, stumbling over your words. “I-I’d rather not. J-just for professionalism’s sake. You understand, right?”

Celestia’s ears flop to the sides of her head. “O-oh, of course,” she says, her voice a little shaky.

“But…we can still cuddle!” you tell her, tickling her soft tummy.

She roars with laughter, flailing her hooves all over the place as your fingers dig into her fur.

You relent after a few minutes. “Okay. So, how about a hoof massage?”

Celestia nods happily and you scoot down the bed, your hands running over her back hooves and pressing into the tendons and running over the fur on her legs. She hums happily.

Your time as Celestia’s stress manager soon came to an end, and she thanked you for your services with a hug, a wink, and a promise to tell everypony how great you were at your job.

As you continued to bide your time waiting for Twilight to find a way to send you back to earth, your business boomed better than ever as a consequence of Celestia’s endorsement. Still, you can’t help but think that you might have missed out on something wonderful.

NORMAL ENDING

Chapter 6

“Sure I would,” you told her. “Not only is it my job to make you happy, but that sounds like lots of fun!”

Celestia’s face perks up immediately. “Really!?”

You nod. “How about dinner on your patio, say, in about an hour?”

She throws her hooves around you in a tight hug. “Oh, thank you! I can’t wait! I should start getting ready!” Without another word, she runs off into her closet. You can hear her furiously rifling through her clothes.

When the time comes for the date, you knock on her door. She opens it, revealing that she chose a light yellow sun dress. “Hi,” she cooes adoringly. “You look handsome.”

You are barely able to suppress a snort. A horse princess just called you handsome. What a strange life you led. “And you look stunning as well, Celestia,” you tell her, bowing gracefully.

She appears just a touch disappointed in your tone but giggles after another moment’s consideration. “Come on out, the servants have finished setting up dinner!”

You had a great time on your fake date with Celestia. The meal was impeccably prepared, the view of Canterlot, the sunset, and the valley below was stunning, and the conversation was great. You even got her to laugh uncontrollably- twice!

When it was finally time for the fake date to end, Celestia’s face grew a little somber. “Thanks for taking the time to engage my silly fantasy,” she told you. “It means a lot.”

“Nothing silly about it,” you reply, “and it was my pleasure. Now, would you be okay with me ending our fake date with a fake affectionate nuzzle?”

Another flash of disappointment crossed Celestia’s features, but she nodded nonetheless. You lean in and give her a quick nuzzle, which she returns.

“Alright,” you groan, standing up from your meal and viewing the last of the sun’s rays fade over the horizon. “I’m going to head back to my quarters. You and I still have two full days to spend together, so use them well!”

“I will!” she calls as you exit her chambers into the long, dark hallway outside.
Proceed to Chapter 17.

Chapter 7

“I can do you one better,” you tell her. “How about a real date?”

Celestia looks shocked. “A real date?”

“Well, sure,” you tell her. “I mean, I don’t think that we’ll end up hitched or anything, since you’re a millennia-old magical pony princess, and I want to have…y’know…human children one day. But that doesn’t mean we can’t go on a date.”

“Really? I thought that because I’m…kinda old…” she bites her lip and looks away from you, “and we’re from different dimensions, that we could never go on a real date.”

You cup her face in your hands and look into her beautiful eyes.

“Everyone…Everypony…deserves to feel valued, special, and cared for.” You clear your throat. “Now, Princess Celestia of Equestria, would you like to go on a date with me?”

She tackles you to the bed and lets out a few sobs. All she can do is nod, unable to vocalize anything. You calm her down by softly petting her mane until her breathing can get under control- a task which she completes surprisingly quickly!

“Now, how about a walk through the royal gardens, and a candlelit dinner in the banquet hall?” you ask her.

She looks up at you with puffy eyes. “Yes! A-and can we go see a moving picture in the castle theater, as well?”

You laugh at her archaic language. “Of course we can, sunlight,” you tell her. “I’ll have it all set up. Can you be ready in an hour?”

She shoots up from her bed. “An hour!? It’s not enough time to get ready!”

You roll your eyes. Women are the same no matter what universe, apparently. “Okay, I’m a bit of a night owl, so we can start in two hours.”

Celestia calms a little bit, but still huffs off muttering to herself about all sorts of date preparations.

When you return and knock on her chamber door again a few hours later, you hear some furious clanking of items together. “J-just a minute!” she calls, and you wait almost five minutes before she finally opens the door.

She looks like something out of a stained glass window; she’s got on a long, flowing dress of multiple colors that matches her mane, and has on some hypnotic, purple iridescent eye shadow. “Princess,” you begin, mouth agape, “you look-“

“Foolish?” she cuts in, looking at the ground.

“Stunning!” you correct, admiring her radiant beauty. You are currently admiring the aesthetic qualities of a horse princess. What a strange life you lead. “A-are you ready to go?”

She smiles warmly and places a hoof in your outstretched arm. Walking slowly to accommodate a three-legged gait, you lead her to the gardens.

“Wow, what a pretty place!” you say, glancing around at all of the exotic and wondrous plants. Night had already fallen, but the soft light from the stars added a sense of serenity to the garden.

“It is beautiful isn’t it?” Celestia asks, sighing. “I should really spend more time out here.”

“Hey look- fireflies!” You point to a cloud of a few of the harmless bugs up ahead, and one lands on Celestia’s muzzle not soon after- causing her to sneeze! You both shared a hearty laugh, and swung through the rose-only section of the garden prior to heading back inside to share a dinner together.

The dinner is ornate, and the candlelit aspect forced the hidden specter of romance to shadow over the meal; not that Celestia seemed to mind. You partake in some soft conversation with Celestia between gourmet courses, and split a fine bottle of wine with her as well, which seems to remove the last semblances of her nervousness about the date.

She leans on you as you walk her to the castle’s own theater, where you watch a ‘moving picture’ about a pony couple forced apart by war. The movie is tragic and beautiful, but still manages to end happily. Throughout the whole film, Celestia has a wing wrapped around you, and you hold one of her hooves in return.

With your plans exhausted, you walk her back to her chambers. “What a fun evening,” you muse as you approach the large doors which lead to her room.

She smiles broadly, unable to contain her happiness. “That was one of the best nights of my life. It was just like you said- you made me feel special and cared for!”

The both of you stop in front of her doors. “So, here we are,” you begin.

“I guess this is it?” she replies, shifting from hoof to hoof as her nerves seem to suddenly return.

If you choose to shake Celestia’s hoof, proceed to Chapter 8.
If you choose to throw your arms around Celestia in a hug, proceed to Chapter 9.
If you choose to give Celestia a kiss on the cheek, proceed to chapter 10.

Chapter 8

You pick up Celestia’s hoof and give it a good shake to reinforce the camaraderie you had developed with her over that evening. “Well, thanks for the company tonight,” you tell her, giving her hoof one last friendly pat before proceeding back to your chambers. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow!” you call over your shoulder.

“B-but-I…We…What?” Celestia babbles in response, tilting her head. “Oh, I’m so confused now!” she mumbles to herself. “I hope I didn’t run afoul of a human social paradigm.” Sighing, she enters her room and closes the door behind her.

Proceed to Chapter 17.

Chapter 9

You smile and close the gap between Celestia and yourself, throwing your arms around her in a hug. Reeling a bit from the contact, Celestia soon recovers and unfurls both her wings, using them to hold you tightly to her.

“I really cannot thank you enough,” she tells you again. “A date…it’s been my dream to go one of these again, and you gave me the best date I’ve ever had.”

You try to pull away from the hug to look up at her and respond, but Celestia’s wings refuse to let you budge. You opt for craning your neck upward instead. “The pleasure was all mine.”

“If I was to ring the bell you gave me,” Celestia thoughtfully continued, “would you come and snuggle me tonight?”

“I’ll make you a deal; you don’t even have to ring the bell,” you reply smartly.

Celestia flashes you a smile before entering her room. Suddenly, an aura of magic surrounds you, and you’re pulled into the room after her.

Proceed to Chapter 11.

Chapter 10

You step up to Celestia slowly. You can see her eyes scan you hopefully, uncertain of what is to come. When you’re close enough, you place one hand on her far cheek, one on her chest floof, and stretch upward to plant a soft kiss on her cheek, leaving your lips there for a few seconds.

When you return to your previous position, Celestia appears paralyzed. A red blush slowly creeps over her face as she lets out occasional, strained sounds that sound like feminine giggles. When she finally appears to regain her composure, the first thing she does is lean down and kiss you on the nose.

Now it is your turn to get flustered! After processing her response, you plant a kiss on the tip of her ear, which flicks in response. She responds by kissing your ear.

Soon it is nothing but a kissing battle, with chest floofs, cheeks, ears, muzzles, noses, chins, a horn and even a hand all becoming casualties of war. Soon the fighting collapses into laughter, and your find yourself hugging Celestia tightly.

“Kisses are rather nice,” Celestia says. “I had forgotten how wonderful they were. Thank you so much for giving me some.”

“You’re welcome,” you tell her, a warm and fuzzy feeling in your chest. “C-could I come in and cuddle with you tonight?”

“Well,” Celestia pretends to huff, but ends up saying through another fit of giggles, “I don’t usually snuggle after the first date, but I suppose I could make an exception for you.”

You chuckle in response, noticing the lingering redness across Celestia’s cheeks. Following her inside, you halt soon after she does.

“I’m going to take off my dress now. No peeking!”

You turn around silently. Ponies seemed to be naked most of the time, but you were perfectly content to operate by their strange conventions as long as you were a guest in their land. After the shuffling of fabric stops, you turn back around and walk to close the gap with Celestia. “Could I take off your regalia for you?”

Celestia nods sweetly and closes her eyes as you carefully take off her crown and gingerly lift the chest piece up and over her head, attempting to disturb her flowing mane as little as possible.

“You’re pretty good at that,” Celestia comments, lifting you onto her back with her magic and kicking off her metal slippers. “Now, I think it’s time to snuggle.” She leaps onto the bed, with you holding on to her neck tightly.

Proceed to Chapter 11.

Chapter 11

As you lay holding hooves with Celestia under the covers, you notice her fidget, as if she’s getting the courage to ask you something.

Finally, she speaks. “I-I…I have a proposition for you,” she says softly, perhaps not sure if you’re still awake. “A job offer, sort of.”

“Oh?” you reply, your interest piqued. You turn to face her and notice her expensive eye shadow still accentuating her pretty eyes. “What is it?”

Celestia exhales to steel herself. “I want you to come work for me full time. Stay here and be my stress manager until Twilight finds a way to send you home.” Her ears seem to flatten down. “Please?”

If you choose to decline Celestia’s offer, proceed to Chapter 12.
If you choose to accept Celestia’s offer, proceed to Chapter 13.

Chapter 12

You think about it for a moment and softly shake your head no. “I only have so much time in Equestria, and I really want to travel and meet new ponies,” you tell her.

Celestia sighs. “I suppose I understand. It’s unfair of me to ask you to stay in Canterlot with me.”

“I’m always traveling for business, though,” you tack on. “I’m happy to spend time with you whenever I pass through Canterlot.”

Celestia’s eyes appear to brighten just a little bit. “C-could we go on another date?” she asks you.

If you reply “Yes”, proceed to Chapter 18.
If you reply “No”, proceed to Chapter 19.

Chapter 13

It’s been a whole month since you moved into the castle and you were loving it! It was a cushy job, of course- just having to spend a few hours a day cuddling with the Princess while she showered you with bits and gifts- but it was fulfilling to see how Celestia herself loved to spend time with you. Those in the castle noticed the slow change in Celestia’s personality too. While she always had been kind, she was now able to work longer each day, and her smiles had become particularly bright.

Twilight’s work in getting you home had hit a snag, so it appeared that you’d be stuck in Equestria at least a few more months. It was fine by you to spend some more time with the Princess. You’d already had the talk with her, of course, and she was prepared for when you finally had to leave, but you also saw how she appeared to leap for joy when you read her Twilight’s letter.

“Where are we going?” Celestia whines as you lead her down the long hallway to her chambers blindfolded.

“Come on, you don’t know the whole layout of the castle by memory at this point?”

“Oh, I do. I just wanted to play along,” she replies, not able to keep a smile from growing over her face.

Growling, you open the doors to her chamber and lead her inside, halting before her dresser to untie her blindfold.

Celestia gasps and covers her mouth with a hoof upon seeing your gifts to her. “These roses are so stunning!” she tells you, removing one of the warm-colored roses from the glass vase and twirling it in her magic to observe it.

“I noticed them on our walk through the garden on our first date,” you told her. “I thought since they kinda were colored like the sun that you’d like a few for the room.”

“Ohhh, and there’s a card, too!? You shouldn’t have!” Picking up the envelope in her magic, she rips it open and pulls out the card inside.

More beautiful than a morning sky

More powerful than a blazing sun

Sweeter than summer rays

You keep the darkness away

Thank you, my sunshine

Happy Heart’s and Hooves Day!

Under that, you had signed your name, with ‘love’, just to make Celestia’s heart flutter a bit. You had an inkling of how important this holiday was to her and planned to make the best of it.

You had also considered stealing the lyrics to one of any number of songs about sunshine and putting it in the card, but you knew that the only pony working to get you back home to Earth also despised plagiarism, and thus decided against it.

Tears roll down Celestia’s cheeks as she reads your message, and she is a complete mess by the time she turns to face you completely. “Y-you’re my sunshine too!” she sobs. “I-I don’t know what to say!”

You tap a finger to your chin in mock thought. “Why don’t you ask me out on another date tonight?”

PERFECT ENDING

Chapter 14

“Wait, you won’t?” she asks, a little confused. “Isn’t that what you do?”

“W-well, normally yes,” you tell her. “I just feel uncomfortable, since you’re the Princess, and all. “I can still manage the rest of your stress-free vacation, though.”

“Alright,” she says, looking a little confused. “I just don’t have that much else for you to do though. I guess you’re…excused?”

“…Oh, uh, alright,” you answer. “Should I just, like, get my stuff and go?”

“I…uh…I suppose so,” Celestia answers, obviously taking great care not to be rude in such an awkward situation.

An hour later, you’re on a train back to Ponyville.

Proceed to Chapter 16.

Chapter 15

Celestia gasps and moves your hand away quickly with a hoof. “I-I don’t know what kind of pony you think I am,” she said, her voice sad and not angry or even disappointed, “but that’s not alright.” She sits up in bed. “I-I think it’s best if you go.”

What on earth were you thinking!? Touching the Princess like that? Violating the sacred bonds of cuddle-buddy trust! For shame! It’s a miracle she’s letting you leave the castle alive, and a testament to her mercy!

You leave without saying another word.

Proceed to Chapter 16.

Chapter 16

By some miracle, the Princess had not told anypony about what had happened at the castle, although your business had suffered as rumors abounded about why you had left the castle days earlier than you were supposed to. Twilight, too, pressed you for answers, which you did not give her.

You got away with far less damage than you should have received, but you really botched this opportunity.

BAD ENDING

Chapter 17

At the end of the scheduled three days, Princess Celestia walks you out of the castle. “Thank you so much for your company,” she tells you, giving you a one-hoofed hug. “I feel so much better after that stress management vacation!”

“That’s my job, Princess,” you reply. “Tell me, would you ever use my services again?”

“Oh, absolutely! We’ll be in touch soon!”

The next few months are filled with all sorts of ritzy fame and fortune as you became a household name across Equestria. You made more money than you would ever know what to do with, and were known as the stress manager that even royalty used!

If that wasn’t enough on its own, you also had made a friend for life. That’s what you were the most happy with.

GOOD ENDING

Chapter 18

Celestia kisses your nose in joy and rolls over so that she’s laying on top of you. She nestles her muzzle right under your chin and sighs happily as her four hooves spread to all sides of you and hug you close. “That would be wonderful. Thank you so much, dear. I wanted a stress-reliever, but I got so much more from you.”

You smile, even though she can’t see it. “You, Celestia, are a very special one,” you tell her as her wings move to cover you both, as well. “Don’t let anypony tell you otherwise, sunshine.” You lean down and kiss her horn. “Good Night, I’ll see you tomorrow!”

She lazily lays a kiss on her throat, since she doesn’t have to move. “Good Night, my hero.”

GREAT ENDING- HAPPY

Chapter 19

“O-oh,” she replies softly.

“I wanted tonight to be special for you,” you tell her. “I won’t always be here; I’m going home to my own dimension, soon. I just wanted to make sure that you know I care about you, my special sunshine, and that an entire nation of ponies do, too.”

The sadness slowly recedes from her face as she contemplates your words. “You’re not just sweet and a good cuddler,” she says, pulling you closer to her, “but you’re wise, too.”

You raise an eyebrow. No human has called you wise before. “Well, thank you Princess. It’s an honor to be called as such by you.”

“So formal,” she observes of you, playfully and gently smacking your chest with a hoof.

“We still have a few days left in my visit. How do you want to spend them?”

“I don’t know yet…But I’ll think of something. We’ll make the most of it.”

GREAT ENDING- BITTERSWEET