The house was mostly quiet, aside from the occasional running of the central air’s blower. Daniel had been resting soundly, until he jolted awake from his slumber. Slowly he sat up in his bed. Looking around he discovered it was still dark out. Checking his alarm clock, the soft aqua light revealed that it was 1:07 AM. Thankfully he still had plenty of time to rest. Though he wondered what torn him from his sleep. He began feeling the sensation that follows an odd dream. For a moment he couldn’t remember any part of it. Then he remembered something about a beautiful alicorn calling herself Princess Celestia…feeling a slight start, he remembered it wasn’t a dream. At least he didn’t think it was.

Daniel reached over to his nightstand and put on his glasses, this way he wouldn’t stumble around in the dark. He tossed back his covers and realized his dreams weren’t the only thing that woke him. Sliding out of his bed, he left his room and made his way to the bathroom. After taking care of his business, he washed his hands and looked in the mirror. He started blankly at himself before finally exiting the room. The haze of sleep still had him in its foggy grip as Daniel slowly walked into the living room. He figured he should check on his guest. For a moment he half expected the couch to be empty. As he rounded the arm of the furnishing, he gave a solid look. There his eyes met the sight of Celestia, sleeping rather peacefully. The gentle glow of the moonlight peered in through the curtains of the living room windows, softly illuminating the room. Daniel pushed up his glasses and rubbed his eyes a few times. Readjusting his eyewear, he saw that she was still there.

Looking at her more closely, he noticed that Celestia had kicked the blanket off in her sleep. He discovered it bunched up along her hind legs. The white of her fur almost appeared a pale blue in the glow of the moonlight, making her appear almost radiant. Daniel stood there staring at her, and he wasn’t sure why, but she seemed quite beautiful before his gazing eyes. It was then that he noticed her shiver lightly from the coolness of the central air. Remaining thoughtful, he reached down and gently covered her with the blanket, making sure not to wake her.

After he covered her, Daniel stood there a moment more. Suddenly he noticed her mutter something in her sleep. “Why don’t all of you love me?” Celestia murmured, repositioning her head along the pillow. “I tried my best to be a good princess…for…all of you…I tried…” Her voice trailed off, and her speaking was replaced by the gentle sound of her breathing.

Daniel was about to leave when he noticed something glisten out the corner of her eye. Studying her face closely, he saw a lone tear roll down her cheek. He reached his left hand forward, part of him wanted to comfort her…but he hesitated. Even though she seemed in need, he didn’t have the heart to waken her, nor did he want to risk embarrassing her. After giving her one final look, he walked away. Once he was out of the living room, Daniel hastened his pace back to his room. The sudden influx of conflicting and alarming emotions made him leery and fearful of lingering too long. He closed the bedroom door and made his way back to bed. He removed his glasses and set them back on the nightstand. Sitting down on the edge of his mattress, he shook his head and said, “What the heck was that?! Come on Daniel…what are you thinking?!” Flopping violently onto his back, he cast off an exasperated sigh. “I’m just not thinking clearly. That’s it. I just need sleep… Yes…sleep,” he trailed off with a yawn. Pulling up his covers, he laid his head on his pillow. A few minutes passed, gradually his mind began to calm allowing him to drift off to sleep.

*******

Celestia began tossing her head back and forth as she slept. Her dreams had become increasingly troubling. Her subjects were continuing to mock her and besieged her with a torrent of hurtful insults. Their behavior was just plain heartless and cruel. It left her feeling quite distressed, and finally it caused her to rouse from her sleep with a panicked gasp. Her eyes snapped opened and she sat up partly. Panting lightly for air, she looked around. All she saw was the shroud of darkness blanketing the house. The sound of the central air blowing through a nearby floor vent met her ears. She let out a quiet sigh as she glanced around the room again. Then feeling the comfortable caress of the blanket, she discovered that it had been tucked around her more securely than she had originally done. “Daniel,” she spoke in a tone barely audible. There was no sign of the human as she studied the surrounding area one last time. She felt the lingering effect of the dream, but discovering she wasn’t in Equestria filled her with a strong relief. Celestia laid back and turned to face the back of the couch. “It was just a nightmare. That’s all…just a nightmare,” she whispered, the last of her words fading into silence. Once she was comfortable, she shut her eyes and returned to the land of dreams.

*******

Daniel startled awake to the incessant beep of his alarm clock. Reaching over, he promptly slapped the snooze button. Like so many days, 5:30 AM had arrived far too quickly. At least he had five minutes till his alarm would resound. He normally used that time to either catch a few more lingering Z’s, or simply to give himself a chance to wake up. He felt the fading fog that normally accompanied waking up. Suddenly Daniel remembered he had a guest to think about his morning. Throwing off his covers, he rose from his bed. Then he switched off his alarm, grabbed his glasses and quickly dressed in his work clothes. He took care of a few minor details in the bathroom. After which, he passed through the back of the living room. He saw Celestia was still resting soundly on the couch. Once he arrived in the kitchen, he put the finishing touches on packing his lunch cooler. With that out the way, he began thinking what he could prepare for breakfast. A few minutes passed and Daniel knew just what to make.

Daniel was putting the finishing touches on breakfast, when he noticed the gentle sound of clopping footfalls on the kitchen floor. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Celestia approaching. She let out a quiet yawn, and greeted him with a warming smile. “Good morning Celestia. Did I wake you?” he asked as he loaded two plates with freshly prepared scrambled eggs.

She let out another yawn. “Yes, but it’s okay. I wanted to see you before you left for work anyway,” she said with enthusiasm.

Daniel smiled as he removed a plate of hash brown patties from the microwave. “Did you sleep well?” he asked putting the finishing touches on the two plates.

She gave his simply query some thought. “For the most part I slept quite well,” she replied. Celestia wasn’t certain if she should have told him about her nightmare, so she decided no to. Looking at the two plates, she asked, “So what’s all this? Did you make breakfast?”

Again he smiled at her. “I did. It’s nothing special. Just scrambled eggs, hash brown patties and some toast,” he replied. Looking up he noticed her crown was missing. “Didn’t you feel like wearing your crown this morning?” he asked curiously.

Celestia reached up and patted her right hoof along the top of her head. Her eyes slightly widened as she realized she forgot to put her crown and necklace back on. “Oh my, I guess I’m still a little out of it,” she confessed.

Daniel chuckled softly at her. “It’s all right. I’m not usually much of a morning person either. By the way, did you do something different with your mane?” he asked carrying the two plates over to the dinning room table. “Yesterday, I could have sworn it looked like it was swirling…almost like water,” he noted placing a finger under his chin.

Celestia turned to her left and glanced at her mane. “You’re quite observant. Many of my subjects aren’t aware of this, but I learned a little spell that makes my hair swirl like that. I mainly use it to add a bit of flashiness to my overall appearance. While ruling as princess, I figured I should look the part,” she explained.

Returning to the kitchen Daniel fetched two glasses form a cabinet. “So do you just deactivate the spell when you go to bed?” he asked walking over to the fridge.

“Yes. I just didn’t get around to activating it this morning. That and I haven’t had a chance to do a thing with my hair yet. Oh I must look so disheveled,” she spoke lowering her head and feeling quite self-conscious.

“It doesn’t look all that mussed. Besides I think it looks really pretty without that flashy effect. Somehow it looks…more natural this way,” he remarked thoughtfully.

Celestia felt her cheeks turn flushed. “That’s very kind of you to say,” she replied feeling almost at a loss for words.

Daniel opened the fridge and reached for a bottle of orange juice. “Celestia, would you like some orange juice with your breakfast?” he inquired politely changing the subject.

She nodded, and answered, “Yes, thank you.”

He filled the two glasses and then brought them over to the table. Everything else had already been prepared. Daniel had brought over silverware and condiments before he even brought their plates.

Before he could sit down, Celestia walked up to him and gently placed a hoof on his shoulder. “Daniel, could I ask you something,” she said.

Turning to look her in the eye, he answered, “Sure, what’s on your mind?”

“You’re acting quite casual this morning. Does this mean you’ve accepted that I’m real and not an illusion?” she asked.

Daniel looked at her with puzzled eyes, before giving her a thoughtful expression. “Honestly Celestia, there is still a part of me that wonders if this is truly real. But in this crazy life, I’ve learned it’s best to keep an open mind. Every now and then, you encounter something that totally defies logic,” he conveyed to her ending with a smile.

“Like a talking alicorn princess for example?” she asked giving him a winsome smile.

He chuckled softly. “That would certainly fit the bill. Though since we’re on the matter of in-depth questions…I’ve got one for you.”

She removed her hoof from his shoulder and stood firmly before him. Closing her eyes she asked, “And what might that be?”

Placing a hand on his chin, he said, “Why did you tell me that you are a princess, if you don’t want me making a big deal about it? Wouldn’t it have been easier to just withhold that part of yourself?”

For a moment she found his question almost humorous. She giggled and then focused her eyes on him. “You’re right. I could have simply withheld the truth from you, but I didn’t want to lie to you. And honestly, I was curious how you would react when I told you about my royal status. Though I am surprised you didn’t react worse than you did,” she responded, expressing her confusion to him.

Shaking his head, he said, “You know, in some ways I’m surprised I didn’t react worse myself. Though I think I was just in a state of shock. After having some time to let it all sink in last night, I began realizing that maybe beyond all logic…that this is really happening.” Celestia looked him in the eye and continued to smile. “Um, we should really eat our breakfast. We don’t want it to get cold,” Daniel noted. Looking at a nearby clock, he added, “Plus I have to leave for work in about twenty minutes.”

“Well then, I don’t want to make you late,” she remarked with concern. Daniel walked over to the table and took a seat. She took her seat, and two contently ate their breakfast. Celestia told him that she enjoyed meals such as this back in Equestria. She also noted her fondness for his cooking skills. Just like dinner the previous night, she equally enjoyed his thoughtfully prepared breakfast.

After the two finished eating, he cleared the table, and told her that the dishes could wait till he returned from work. Before he ran out of time, he quickly showed her around the kitchen, helping her get a feel for where he kept things. He told her she could feel free to make something for lunch, seeing as he would be gone for a little over eight hours.

Soon it was time for him depart. “Do you have any activities or things to help you pass the time, while I’m away?” Daniel asked. “I don’t want you to be bored.”

She giggled at him. “Don’t worry Daniel. I’ll be fine. I brought a few things from home to help with that. And I see you have books on your shelves. I wouldn’t mind taking in some human literature. Plus I can always go out back and enjoy the sight of the flowers in your garden,” she spoke assuring him she would be more than fine.

“All right then. Well I’d better get going,” he expressed, picking up his lunch bag.

She followed him to the front door, where he stepped outside. “Take care Daniel,” she called to him as he traversed the cement walkway.

“Bye Celestia. I’ll be home around 3:20,” he called back to her.

Daniel continued along the walkway. It led from the front door to the mailbox and an adjacent stretch connected to the driveway. He made his way to the driveway and entered his mid-size sedan. The engine turned over and in few minutes he backed out of the driveway. Celestia stood in the doorway waving a hoof good-bye at him. He waved back and then she watched as he drove out of site. She lingered there for a few minutes, before she turned and went back inside, closing the door behind her.

She walked slowly into the living room. The house suddenly seemed so empty to her. Celestia sighed, hoping the time wouldn’t pass too slowly. After all she was still very eager to learn more about Daniel.

Now that she was alone, Celestia decided to do some reading. She walked over to the large bookshelf and studied the various novels unfolding before her. After browsing for a bit she used her magic to remove one that piqued her interest. It was a story called, “The Lord of the Rings – The Fellowship of the Ring”. Celestia made her way over to the couch. There she gingerly sat down and moved the book before her. She read the brief summary on the back cover. Like the title, the summary had also intrigued her. Opening the book, she began to read.

Three hours had gone by, Celestia had read nearly a third of the book. Though as she read, she found she was growing more and more distracted. Her focus kept slipping and she was no longer able to immerse herself in the once gripping pages of J.R.R. Tolkien’s story. Celestia marked her place with an old three by five card she found tucked in the back pages. Closing the book, she used her magic and gently sat it on the coffee table.

Rising to her hooves, she began walking around the room. She caught her reflection in the strange black rectangle. Her hair was still rather messy. Not wanting to greet Daniel with a disheveled mane, she marched over to her saddlebags. She rummaged through them searching for her hairbrush. Before long she found it. Using her magic, Celestia removed it from the bags and promptly made her way to the bathroom. Then looking at herself in the fairly large mirror, she made an effort to tame her hair.

A short time passed and she had properly groomed her mane and tail to her liking. Celestia set the brush down on the bathroom counter and departed. Looking around the still deserted house, she pondered what she should do next. Checking a nearby wall clock, she discovered it was only 9:48 AM. It was way too soon to even think about lunch, and her desire to resume reading hadn’t returned either. She lightly stomped a hoof on the floor in frustration. Maybe she shouldn’t have been so hasty to assure Daniel that she would be fine. Though following a cursory glance across the surrounding area, Celestia saw nothing that would really entertain her. However in all honesty, there were quite a few items in the human’s home that she had no idea what purpose they served. Many items were similar to ones found in her word, but there were some things she was just plain clueless on.

Reexamining the clock showed that only three minutes had gone by. She wasn’t even passing time quickly by contemplating her next activity. That’s when she remembered his garden. Perhaps a trip outside to appreciate the fruit of his outdoor labors would help her pass the time.

Smiling, Celestia trotted over to the dinning room. There she retrieved her elegant shoes, and placed them back on her hooves. She stepped over to the patio door and used her magic to slide it open. It was still morning and the outside air was mostly mild. There was still a bit of mugginess in the air, but the lack of heat made it mostly bearable. Celestia walked out completely and cautiously looked around. There were no signs of any other humans in the area. Turning back, she used her magic and closed the door.

The smile remained on her face as Celestia trotted out across the patio and onto the soft blades of green grass. She glanced around again and saw no one. Thankfully she wouldn’t need to employ her invisibility spell. It was actually quite fortuitous that Daniel’s back yard didn’t face any of the neighboring houses.

Her stroll to the garden, led Celestia under two tall shade trees. Once she passed them, she arrived at her destination. The garden lay in a fairly large open section of the back yard. The location provided the plants with plenty of sunlight. Turning around, she spied Earth’s sun staring down at her. After living in Equestria for so long, she found it rather amazing that the human world didn’t need a pony raising and setting the sun each day. Looking away, she turned her eyes to the beautiful flowers sprawling out before her. She walked up to a series of lovely rose bushes. To her delight the bushes were an intriguing assortment of colors. There were of course a few red bushes, but there were also some that were white, orange, and even a few that were a combination of colors, like that of Scentimental. Celestia marveled at how its appearance reminded her of a peppermint wheel. Leaning close to one of its blossoms, she inhaled deeply, inviting the potent but lovely fragrance into her nose. She sighed happily as she exhaled. The scent was truly wondrous.

While she strolled through the flowers of Daniel’s garden, Celestia was reminded of the times that she used to spend in the royal gardens. Since she was often cooped up in the castle, it had been one of the things she always relished doing on her own. It also reminded her of the carefree days, before she had to oversee Equestria’s well-being. It was back when she actually had time to – stop and smell the flowers.

She remained at the garden for a good while, unaware of how much time had passed. A rumble in her belly suggested it might be nearing lunchtime. So, Celestia made her way back inside. Once again the refreshing chill of the central air welcomed her. She hadn’t noticed how increasingly warm and muggy it was becoming outside.

Trotting over to the end table, she removed her elegant shoes and tucked them underneath. Then she made her way to the bathroom. There she once again managed to successfully make use of the facilities, like she had the night before, despite the minor contrast between human and Equestrian bathroom fixtures. Before departing, she made sure to wash her front hooves. Again her stomach growled. Her course took her into the kitchen. Glancing above the sink, she noticed a clock. Since it was nearing noon, she figured she might as well have lunch. Though she would have really enjoyed it if Daniel could have been there to join her. Before the gloomy feeling could take root, she banished it, reminding herself that he would be home in plenty of time for dinner.

She was grateful that he had showed her around the kitchen. Though at first Celestia wasn’t sure what she wanted to eat. Turning to the refrigerator, she used her magic to open the door. After perusing the various items inside, she discovered much to her liking, that Daniel had everything she needed to make a hearty salad. Celestia gathered everything she needed and whipped up a decent size salad. Checking the door of his fridge, she discovered a nice assortment of salad dressings. Though the majority of the flavors were similar to ones found on Equestria, such as ranch, she found one that she had never seen before. Picking up the bottle with her magic, she read the label aloud, “Catalina.” She shrugged and removed the cap. Carefully she sniffed the bottle. It had a rather pleasing scent. Holding up her right hoof, she let a drop fall on it. She brushed her tongue along her hoof sampling the somewhat sweet and tangy flavor of the dressing. Celestia smacked her lips for a moment. Nodding her head she moved the bottle over to her plate and applied a generous coating. If it was one thing she really enjoyed, it was dressing up a salad. The right dressing could give one an amazing flavor. Upon finishing with the dressing, she put it back in the fridge, and made sure she hadn’t left anything else sit out.

She fetched a bottle of water and then floated it and her salad over to the table. She sat at what was becoming her usual place and began eating her lunch. Celestia found the Catalina dressing was even tastier blended across the assorted vegetables of her food. Once she finished her meal, she tossed her empty water bottle in the green recycle bin, that Daniel had so graciously pointed out to her, and set her dirty plate and fork on the counter by the sink. For a moment she considered what she wanted to do next. Sweeping her eyes across the counter, she noticed the volume of dirty dishes was gradually increasing. Studying the area around the kitchen sink, Celestia found drying towels, the sponge Daniel used last night, and a bottle of the soap he had used as well.

Placing a hoof on her chin, Celestia thought for a moment and decided she’d do the dishes. She didn’t know where they all went, but given the stack and the size of the draining rack, she figured they should all fit. Then Daniel could simply put them away later. At least this way it would be one less thing he’d have to do. Besides, she wanted to do something nice to repay him for his wonderful hospitality. After all, he wouldn’t have had to offer her a place to sleep, or meals for that matter. Using her magic, she turned on the faucet and filled the sink with hot water. After double checking the drain plug, she added some dish soap and once the water was prepared, she filled the sink with the dirty dishes.

To Celestia’s surprise it hadn’t taken her too long to do the dishes, and even better still they all fit in the draining rack. After she drained the sink, she took one of the dishtowels and used it to wipe up the counter. She ran her hoof over her forehead and nodded approvingly. The dishes almost seemed to shine as they lightly dripped dry in the draining rack.

Checking on the time, she discovered it was nearly two o’clock. Celestia quickly remembered that Daniel said he would be home around 3:20. This meant she only had about an hour and a half till he would be home. The alicorn considered what she could do in the meantime.

*******

Daniel was almost home. He had come to the end of a typical Monday at work. Thankfully the week always seemed to improve once the first day of the week was down. Naturally he was feeling somewhat exhausted, but it came with his line of work. Thankfully the business he worked at wasn’t far from his house. It usually took him roughly ten to fifteen minutes to get home.

He pulled his car into the driveway and parked a few feet from the garage door. His thoughts had left work almost before he left the building. Thankfully he had a welcome distraction on his mind. Daniel began wondering how Celestia’s day had been. For a fleeting moment he wondered if she would still be there, once he went inside. Gathering his lunch bag, he exited the car and made his way to the walkway. He had just started walking along the cement, when he looked up and saw the front door open. Celestia was standing there behind the screen door. His pace quickened as he made his way to the front door. After usually returning to an empty house, Daniel found he was thrilled to have someone waiting for him.

Celestia opened the screen door and stood aside so he could enter. “Good afternoon Daniel, welcome home!” Celestia chimed happy to see him.

He smiled as he walked past her. “Thank you Celestia. It’s good to see you!” he expressed bubbling with delight.

She closed the two doors and followed him inside. “So how did work go?” Celestia asked him.

Daniel let out a faint chuckle. “It was grueling as usual,” he replied. Then looking at her, he smiled again. “Though when I realized you were here waiting for me to return,” he paused taking a moment to gaze at her fondly. “My day vastly improved.”

Celestia smiled and lowered her head in an almost bashful manner. She wasn’t entirely sure why she reacted that way. Somehow it just seemed natural. “You flatter me Daniel,” she replied modestly. Then she asked, “So where exactly do you work and what do you do there?”

“Oh it’s nothing special. I just work in the warehouse department of this fairly large company. There I inventory and store an assortment of items for a variety of customers across the country. It’s not my favorite pastime, but at least it pays the bills and offers me a little money for fun,” he answered in a round about sort of way.

“That’s good, but have you ever wanted to pursue a different career?” she asked, continuing to stand there smiling.

Daniel walked over to the dining room and removed his shoes, sticking them under the same end table as hers. Then he looked back at her. “I’ve looked into a variety of options. Though I’m still not entirely sure what I want to do. I do have a hobby that I wouldn’t mind turning into a career someday. But for now I’m at a bit of standstill,” he explained at length. His expression shifted to one full of curiosity. “Why all the questions?”

She felt a slight start from his inquiry, almost like she was caught with a hoof in the cookie jar. “Oh…I’m just trying to understand you better,” she answered honestly.

Daniel smiled over at her as he entered the kitchen. He set his cooler on the counter and couldn’t help but notice the absence of the dirty dishes, and the filled draining rack. “Celestia,” he called to her.

She moved to join him in the kitchen. “Yes Daniel,” she responded.

“Did you do the dishes for me?” he asked giving her a somewhat puzzled look.

Celestia closed her eyes and said, “Why yes, I did. After eating lunch, I saw the number of dirty plates was growing, so I hope you don’t mind I decided to wash them.”

He shook his head. “No, but I hope it wasn’t too much trouble,” Daniel replied.

“Hardly. I wanted to do something to repay you for your kindness and hospitality,” Celestia remarked.

Daniel walked up to and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Celestia, you don’t owe me anything,” he said sincerely.

She looked him in the eye with an expression of gratitude. “Don’t you see? That selfless attitude of yours…it’s what made me want to do something nice for you,” she remarked hoping he understood her.

“Celestia,” Daniel uttered half at a loss for words. She turned her head and a stray lock of her soft mane brushed along his hand. Realizing he still had his hand on her shoulder, Daniel retracted it. As his hand moved back, he noticed her mane seemed different. “Celestia…did you do something to your mane?”

Taking a step back, she fluffed her colorful locks with her hoof. “Not really, I did give it a good brushing this morning…oh and I never recast the spell that makes it swirl,” she replied, touched that he noticed.

“It looks very lovely,” he said smiling at her.

“Why thank you Daniel,” Celestia replied, softly blushing.

After unpacking his cooler, he walked toward the hallway. “I’ll be right back Celestia. I just want to get out of these dirty work clothes. Then I’d like to hear about your day,” he stated heading back to his room.

Celestia’s face lit up. “All right,” she called back. He could hear the happiness in her voice.

Daniel arrived in his room, making sure to close the door behind him. As he removed his work garments, he paused. He began wondering why he was so happy to see her, and on top of that he was curious as to why he complimented her mane. Once again he found himself admiring her beauty. Shaking his head, Daniel figured he had just been working too hard. His mind had a bad habit of playing tricks on him when he was tired. As he put on clean casual clothes, he attributed these feelings to his fatigue.

After discovering that Celestia had done the dishes for him, Daniel half wanted to hug her. But would that be too much or simply something out of the question? Freshening up his deodorant, he wasn’t sure what to think. Not wanting to be rude and keep her waiting, he emerged from his room and made his way back to the living room. Celestia was sitting on the couch, waiting patiently for him.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” he said sitting beside her.

Celestia smiled at him. “There’s no need to apologize,” she replied insistently.

He returned her smile. “Now tell me Celestia…how was your day?” Daniel inquired eagerly awaiting her response.

“Not too bad. I spent a good part of the morning reading this book,” she replied pointing a hoof at the novel resting on the coffee table.

Daniel looked closely at the book and recognized it. “Oh, you were reading the first part of “The Lord of the Rings”? What did you think of it?” he asked recalling her curiosity toward reading human literature.

“It was very entertaining. Though I must admit, after an hour or so, I found I was becoming more and more distracted,” she noted glancing his way.

He looked back at her with growing interest. “Really? How come?”

She smiled again. “You don’t really want to know do you?”

Daniel resisted the urge to grin. “I did and I still do…especially now that you’re all but dodging my question,” he snickered.

Celestia gave Daniel a rather enticing look. For a moment he wasn’t even sure what prompted her to look at him in such a manner. Then smiling at him again, she answered, “Well take this for what you will, but I began thinking about you. We only spent a short amount of time together yesterday…following our unique meeting.” Celestia realized she was nearly rambling. “Anyway Daniel, I was eager for your return. I really want to learn more about you. That doesn’t sound too weird to you, does it.”

Daniel began to understand what caused her look. To his astonishment, it stirred a feeling of intrigue within him. He gazed back fondly at her. “No Celestia, it doesn’t sound too weird. In fact I have to confess, I found myself thinking of you quite often, while I was at work today,” he explained feeling another wave of perplexing emotions swirl within him. “I’d really like to learn more about you too. You’re unlike anyone I’ve ever met before.” Celestia didn’t reply, but the smile on her face and look in her magenta eyes said more than words could ever convey. His eyes fell upon her gazing almost endlessly, when he caught himself staring. Daniel jerked his head away, unsure why he had done that. It was then that he noticed the shiny gleam of an item laying on the coffee table. Turning his head, Daniel saw Celestia’s crown still resting there. He looked back at her and realized she wasn’t wearing it or her necklace. “How come you aren’t wearing your crown?”

Celestia turned her head and joined him in looking at it. “I’ve worn that crown for so long as princess. I was happy being in a place where I didn’t have to wear it. It doesn’t bother you…does it?” she asked him.

Shaking his head, Daniel responded, “No, I was just curious. You look fine with or without it.”

To his surprise, Celestia sighed contently as she continued smiling at him. “I’m glad,” she replied. “Oh, I trust you’d like to hear more about my day?”

“Of course,” he uttered back teeming with enthusiasm.

She giggled softly before replying, “Well, after reading, I took care of my mane. By the way that was sweet of you to notice.” Daniel didn’t say anything he just continued smiling at her. “I hit a little snag after tending to my mane. That’s when I remembered you garden. I spent quite a while out there. You have some very lovely roses. In fact there was one in particular I really enjoyed. Its blossoms looked like big peppermint wheels.”

Daniel nodded his head and chuckled quietly. “You must be talking about the Scentimental. It really is a beautiful rose. Did you enjoy the scent?” he inquired eager for her response.

Celestia nodded. “Oh yes. It had a very lovely fragrance,” she remarked with a dreamy sigh.

He chuckled at her display and said, “I’m glad someone other than myself was able to enjoy the flowers I planted. So I guess you had lunch at some point?”

“I did. And afterwards, I saw the stack of dishes was starting to grow. So as you know, I decided to wash them. Once I finished cleaning them, I just lounged on the sofa. While I waited for you to return, I just began to wonder more about what you’re like. It’s silly isn’t it?” she replied in a dismissing tone.

Daniel looked at her thoughtfully. “I wouldn’t say that,” he professed. Stretching his arms, he stifled a yawn as he rose from the couch. “Well, I should go check on the garden. It’s not super hot today, and the sun is already starting to lose some of its punch. Besides, it’s almost 4:30. I’d like to get them watered before dinner.”

“Okay,” Celestia replied, then she promptly added, “You wouldn’t want some help…would you?”

He smiled at her kind offer. “That would be great if you’d lend a helping hand…err…hoof,” Daniel uttered with a friendly chuckle.

Celestia rose and joined him. The two put on their shoes and made their way outside. The sun was still glaring its rays along the back yard, but just as Daniel had mentioned, the giant orb was beginning to lose its punch. He walked over to the hose cart. Reaching for the faucet, he turned the knob summoning the water. Daniel gripped the nozzle, and slowly unwound the hose, dragging it across the grass.

Celestia glanced around and like before there were no signs of anyone else. Smiling, she then focused her eyes on the flowers. He walked up beside her. “So where should we start first?” she asked glancing over at him.

“How about we start with the roses, and then work our way around,” he suggested.

“Okay,” she beamed back in an almost playful manner.

Daniel began watering the roses, dampening the soil along their roots with a gentle shower from the hose. “They shouldn’t need too much water. I did just tend to them yesterday. In fact, you may wonder why I’m not using a watering can today,” he stated.

“The thought had crossed my mind,” she remarked.

“Well, I used the watering can to feed them. You know there are vitamins and fertilizers you can administer to help make a garden grow strong, right?”

She smiled. “Yes. I used to spend time with the royal gardeners. I’d often ask them about growing things. In fact a few often let me help them. I found I had quite the green hoof, but sadly I never had time to even consider having a garden of my own,” Celestia noted regretfully.

“Well, while you’re with me, you can put that green hoof to work. Here,” he said offering her the hose. “Want to give them some water?”

Celestia’s smile grew. “Thank you Daniel,” she replied using her magic to take the hose from him. “I’m glad these are like the hoses from my world,” she commented slowly squeezing the sprayer. She moved the hose back and forth, watering the other roses.

“Don’t forget you can spray a little on the leaves,” he reminded her.

Moving the flow of water, she did just that. Celestia giggled at him. “I see you are quite the gardener.”

“It’s thanks to my parents. I learned a good deal from them. They used to grow flowers and certain vegetables all the time,” Daniel recalled fondly.

“Speaking of vegetables, we should check them as well, right?” she said, knowing the answer was pretty obvious. He chuckled thoughtfully at her and nodded.

Daniel and Celestia each took turns watering the various plants in his garden. A short while later, they arrived at the last section. She stopped the sprayer once the last of the plants were taken care of.

“That’s all of them,” he noted taking a long look across the garden. “Wow, that went fast with both of us teaming up like that.”

Celestia smiled at him. “Glad I could be of help,” she stated happily. Daniel continued surveying his garden, just as a naughty idea popped into Celestia’s head. She glanced at the hose and then over at him. “Oh Daniel,” she called in a singsong voice grinning. She pushed the trigger and sprayed his back.

“Huh?” he gasped turning around to see her laughing playfully at him. “Celestia, what did you do that for?” he asked trying not to laugh.

“You looked a little hot, so I thought I’d cool you off. In fact you still look at bit on the warm side!” she declared continuing to giggle. Celestia pointed the hose at him again.

Daniel held his arms up and shouted, “Don’t you dare!” Unable to help herself, she squeezed the trigger, and sprayed him again. “Oh, I’ll get you,” he called out chuckling. He charged up to her and reached for the hose. Celestia held it tightly in the grip of her magic, but he was determined. Daniel managed to wrestle it away form her. “Ha, ha!” he chuckled aiming the hose at her. Squeezing the trigger, he sprayed her back and her sides a few times.

“Ah! Daniel…no fair!” she called out in between laughs.

“Come on, you know turn about is fair play!” he chuckled spraying her again. “Besides you looked warm under all that fur!”

“Oh yeah?!” she squealed.

“Yep! You’re all wet!” he bellowed with glee.

“We’ll see about that!” Celestia remarked. Her horn lit up with an orange glow. Her attempt to reclaim the hose quickly turned into a tug-o-war for it. As they fought over the hose, the trigger became depressed, causing it to spray a seemingly endless torrent. The two were gradually getting soaked while their struggle ensued. Realizing he wasn’t going to give up so easily, Celestia decided to change tactics. Letting out a spirited laugh, she quickly tackled Daniel. The two toppled onto the damp grass. The hose’s trigger kicked off, ending its wild spray, and it flopped to rest beside them as they continued laughing.

Daniel looked up through the water drops on his glasses, and saw that he had been pinned under Celestia’s front hooves. She gazed down at him smiling and softly giggling. Water dripped form her wet fur and mane, landing gently against his face. “Gotcha,” she uttered triumphantly.

“Okay Celestia, okay, I yield,” Daniel remarked, seeing that he was out of options. Celestia stared down at him, nearly forgetting herself as she continued smiling. Then she realized the awkward position she had Daniel in. Her cheeks turned red as she prepared to move off of him. He stared back at her, returning her smile, noticing her rosy cheeks. “Celestia…you look really cute when you blush,” Daniel remarked with delight. A startled look appeared on his face when he realized what he had just said. “Uh…I…err…um,” he stammered unable to form complete words.

Celestia turned her head to the side as her blush deepened, nearly encompassing her entire face. His flattering remark left her momentarily speechless. She sheepishly moved off him. Standing there, she remained silent while the red in her cheeks began to fade. “I hope I didn’t get too carried away,” she expressed in a coy manner.

Daniel scrambled back to his feet, feeling a warm tingle along his cheeks. Apparently she hadn’t been the only one blushing. He chuckled lightheartedly as he said, “No. That was actually fun…a little startling, but I enjoyed it.” Daniel stood there for a moment continuing to laugh. “You know, I can’t really remember the last time I carried on like that.”

Celestia smiled grandly. It made her feel wonderful to have entertained him. Looking at him once again she remarked, “It’s been quite a while since I last indulged in such a carefree way too.”

Daniel softly chuckled as he noticed they were both still dripping wet. “Uh, we should go in and dry off. Oh, but I should put that wily hose away first,” he declared still chuckling a bit.

“You’re right,” she said with a smile.

He wound the hose back into its cart and then shut off the faucet. The two shared a few laughs on their way back to the house. Once inside, they removed their shoes and left them on the tiled section by the sliding door to dry. Daniel promptly led them to the hallway. There he opened the linen closest and removed two large bath towels. “Here you are Celestia,” he spoke handing her a towel. “You can dry off in the bathroom. I’ll towel off in my room, besides I need to put on some dry clothes anyway,” Daniel laughed.

She went into the bathroom and then he went to his room. Celestia took one more look at him as he disappeared into his room. Once his door had shut, she withdrew into the bathroom and gently closed the door. Holding the towel aloft with her magic, the alicorn vigorously ran it across her wet body. She let out a contented sigh as the towel began drying her. Suddenly she paused, staring at the bathroom wall. Celestia’s mind began to wander. She thought about how nice it would have been if they had dried each other. Her eyes widened and she quickly turned to check her reflection in the mirror. Shaking her head she began to wonder what caused her to have such a thought. For that matter, Celestia also wondered what made her act out as she did. Thankfully Daniel enjoyed her little outburst, however he could have reacted much differently. Yet there was a part of her that almost knew he would enjoy her playful gesture, despite the fact that she was still getting to know him. Regardless of these puzzling feelings, Celestia was truly enjoying spending time with Daniel. That alone was what mattered most to her.

Celestia finished toweling off and emerged from the bathroom. Glancing down the short corridor, she searched for Daniel. At first there was no sign of him. Then her ears caught the sound of his bedroom door opening. Turning in that direction, she saw him enter the hall. He was now dressed in dry attire, a pair of navy shorts, and a tan T-shirt. She smiled when she saw the happy expression still clinging to his face. “I placed the towel on the counter. I hope that’s all right,” she spoke, thinking there must have been something more profound she could have said.

Nodding his head, Daniel replied, “That’s fine, I’ll take care of it later on when I shower.” He chuckled at her. “Had I known you were going to pull a stunt like that, I would have brought out some soap and shampoo. Then I could have taken care of my shower at the same time.”

She waved a hoof at him. “Oh Daniel…you’re too much,” she responded unable to resist smirking at him.

He grinned. “Guilty,” he remarked shamelessly. The two made their way into the living room. Daniel spied the clock and saw that it was now after five. “How about some dinner?” he asked.

Celestia closed her eyes and said, “Sure.”

Daniel thought about what he could make. Then he snapped his fingers. “Have you ever had spaghetti?” he inquired turning his head toward her.

“Oh yes, it’s a dish I’ve enjoyed on many occasions back in Equestria,” she answered.

“That’s great. It still amazes me how much our worlds seem to have in common. Oh well, at least it helps simplify things,” he remarked with a chuckle. “Now I usually put meat in the sauce…but, since I have such a special guest…I’d be more than happy to skip it.”

“That’s very thoughtful of you,” she replied with a thankful smile.

“Now, what would you say to some garlic toast and a garden salad on the side?” he asked leaning his head toward her.

“Sounds delightful,” she beamed happily.

“All right then. I’ll go get things started,” he declared with a smile.

“Wait…that’s an awful lot of work for you to do alone. How about a helping hoof?” she asked eagerly.

“Well…if you insist,” Daniel responded graciously.

“I do,” she replied firmly, trying not to giggle.

“Then let’s get started!” he asserted with enthusiasm as they walked toward the kitchen.

“By the way Daniel…have you tried that Catalina dressing? It’s really tasty!” she declared, remembering it fondly.

He chuckled at her and said, “I know. It’s one of my favorites.” Celestia joined him in happy laughter as they began gathering the ingredients needed to prepare dinner.