Celestia and Daniel had just finished cleaning up, following a very enjoyable dinner. It was almost 7:30 and the two had retired to the living room. They spent some time talking together. Celestia remarked how wonderful the meal was and thanked Daniel for letting her assist. He was only too happy to have her lend a helping hoof. She went on to tell him that the royal chefs back in Canterlot, never let her help them. Every time she offered to help, they would simply dismiss her, claiming the royal kitchen was no place for their elegant princess. Upon hearing her tale, Daniel told her that she was welcome to help him in the kitchen anytime.

Daniel wanted to offer Celestia a new way to occupy her time, while he was at work, so he showed her his television and DVD player. At first he had to figure out the best way to explain the device to her, plus he had to think which movies or shows her could share with her. Due to the endless onslaught of commercials, Daniel had long since given up on Cable and Satellite TV services. That and the myriad monthly costs affiliated with each were more than he felt like paying. Besides there were always DVDs, and the Internet that delivered plenty of news, videos, and a seemingly infinite array of entertainment, which he felt was vastly superior.

As he talked with Celestia about the movies and shows that he had on discs, she explained that her world also had movies. Unlike Daniel’s world, Equestrians could only see movies in theaters. Celestia expressed a strong fondness at being able to enjoy such entertainment in the comfort of one’s home. He then let her get a hooves on feel for operating the controls. Her magic certainly made things easier. After all, the remotes and the main controls on the TV and DVD player themselves weren’t designed with pony hooves in mind.

The two spent a good hour checking out a few episodes of the sitcom Scrubs and the drama of CSI Miami. It helped her get a good understanding for how the two devices worked. Watching the two different programs led to a conversation regarding the way humans were depicted on the shows. Celestia couldn’t help but ask him if that was an accurate portrayal of his kind. Daniel told her that in some ways it was accurate, but that all TV and movies should be taken with a grain of salt.

She also expressed some concerns about crime on his world after watching an episode of CSI Miami. Celestia wanted to know if the stories were based on real crimes that had taken place on Earth. Sadly Daniel admitted that they often times were. This further led to a discussion about crime on both their worlds. Daniel also expressed his sorrow at how humans tend to treat one another. Thankfully he was able to inform her that the neighborhood he lived in, had a very low crime rate.

Daniel then considered some other things to share with Celestia, but he wasn’t sure how long it would take to explain things like video games and even more complex, his computer and the Internet. However he relished the idea of showing her video games. It’d been quite while since he had someone who could share their joy with him. True there were online gaming avenues, but they required a monthly or yearly access fee, and then of course you had to deal with hackers, or the users that just seemed to enjoy ruining it for everybody. But the thought of having a real individual in the room with him was quite exciting. It made him reminisce about his high school days, back when he and his friends would play all sorts of video games together.

Oddly enough however, ever after showing her TV and the wide assortment of movies and shows he had, Celestia asked it they could spend the remainder of the night talking again. Though Daniel hardly minded, seeing as their conversations had been quite intriguing. He especially enjoyed hearing about her world, while in turn she enjoyed learning more about Earth.

That night didn’t yield too many revelations for them. They discussed colors and which ones they preferred. Daniel told Celestia that he was partial to green, but overall he enjoyed color in general, to which he complimented the colors of her mane. She expressed her fondness for the color orange, but she too admitted to loving a wide range of color as well. There was one thing they discussed that was somewhat surprising to him. Celestia told him that she didn’t mind resting on the couch and that he needn’t feel rushed to work on the guest room, at least until he had ample time.

They continued their conversation until ten o’clock had sneaked up on them. Rather than risk getting carried away they both decided to call it a night.

*******

The rest of the week went by much like Monday. Daniel prepared breakfast for them each morning. They would converse for a bit, and then he would head off to work. Celestia enjoyed walking him to the door, and waved a hoof good-bye as he drove off.

With the addition of the TV and Daniel’s collection of DVDs, Celestia had plenty to occupy her time. Even though the movies and shows were entertaining, she still continued to find her thoughts often wondering to Daniel. Sometimes she’d be in the middle of a crucial scene of a movie or show, and Celestia would just up and stop where she was and go out to the garden, or just lay back on the couch and daydream.

She was often puzzled by a series of perplexing feelings. For the most part Celestia considered Daniel to be a really good friend. Yet for some unfathomable reason, she found herself thinking of him in other ways. For one she enjoyed that he frequently made her laugh. Whenever he was at work, she found she missed him more than she had the previous day. In fact she always felt thrilled when he would return home. This was mainly because one of her new favorite pastimes was to sit and talk with Daniel. As the week pressed on, the two had come to learn quite a bit about each other, but it only left her wanting to know more.

Her feelings didn’t stop there. Celestia often found herself staring at Daniel, noticing just how handsome he was becoming to her watchful eyes. Naturally she made sure to look at him only when his focus was diverted elsewhere. She was a little leery of getting caught, especially since part of her still didn’t know why she was doing this. After all, Daniel wasn’t a stallion.

As she gave the matter more thought, she also took into account the fact that from time to time she discovered Daniel’s gaze focused clearly on her. One time she thought that maybe he was looking elsewhere, but the only thing behind her was a plain wall, so he must have been staring at her. In fact the few times she caught him, he would quickly look away in a very sheepish manner. To her delight his eyes were mainly seeking her face. It left her feeling touched, and somewhat alarmed. But she figured that maybe it was just her overactive imagination playing tricks on her. Honestly the very notion of a human and a pony together was clearly preposterous…or was it?

Odd feelings aside, Celestia realized she was the happiest she had been in years. While she greatly enjoyed spending time with her sister, Luna, and her faithful student, Twilight, she found an even greater joy with him. Unlike being in Equestria, on Earth, Celestia didn’t have to worry about being prim and proper. She could truly be herself and what made it ever better, was Daniel seemed to prefer her that way.

*******

Friday started much like the rest of the week had. Daniel awoke to the annoying tones of his alarm clock. After dealing with his morning ritual, he prepared breakfast for Celestia and himself.

The best part about it being Friday was that this was Daniel’s last day of work for the week. Then he had two wonderful days off. It would allow them even more time to spend, getting to know each other. And he could finally start work on the guest room, and to help keep her entertained, he could introduce to her video games and eventually his computer, not to mention the Internet. Though he did keep in mind that he would need to isolate some files. There were some things on his computer he wouldn’t want Celestia snooping around.

“So after today, you won’t have to work again until Monday?” Celestia asked filling with delight.

Daniel nodded enthusiastically. “That’s right. One more shift and I have 48 hours of freedom! Well there are some chores I’ll have to do, but compared to work, they aren’t so bad,” he expressed with a smile.

“If you don’t have to go to work tomorrow…well then maybe we could watch a movie together,” she suggested.

“That would be great,” he replied, still smiling.

“Oh and how about I help you with dinner again this evening?”

“That won’t be necessary,” Daniel spoke holding up his left hand.

Celestia’s ears drooped and she started lowering her head. “How come?” she asked in a puzzled tone.

Daniel looked at her and tried not to chuckle. “Oh don’t worry Celestia. It’s not because I don’t want your help,” he began, doing his best to reassure her. “You see, today is pay day. I get my week’s pay from work, and usually I like to do something special on Fridays.”

Celestia perked up and resumed smiling. “You had me worried there for a moment. So what do you normally do?” she asked.

“Well I either call for take out, or I go to a restaurant. Though I somehow doubt I could bring you to a restaurant,” he admitted. Daniel’s expression remained genuine as he focused his brown eyes on her. “To be honest I don’t stop at restaurants by myself all that often. It feels weird being at a table all alone. Usually I just order out,” he explained.

“What did you have in mind?” she asked.

Placing a finger on his chin and giving the matter some brief thought, he turned and said, “Have you ever had pizza?”

Celestia’s face really lit up. “Pizza! Oh yes! It’s a very popular item in my world!” she declared rubbing her hooves together.

Daniel chuckled at her. “Okay then, what do you like on your pizza?” he asked.

Not needing any time to think about this, she promptly said, “Well there’s always mushrooms and onions, or my personal favorite…extra cheese!” Celestia grinned; shamelessly placing added emphasis on the word "cheese". She then broke out in a bit of a giggle fit.

He couldn’t help but laugh with her. “Well extra cheese is always one I’ve enjoyed. Plus I’m quite fond of mushrooms. And gee, I think onions would be a nice touch. Oh and I usually add ground beef or pepperoni to my pizzas, but for you, I wouldn’t mind skipping the meat,” he remarked ending in a smile.

Celestia giggled again. “That’s sweet of you,” she chimed.

“Yes well, I think cutting back on meat will be good for my waistline,” Daniel mused, patting his very slight gut. Glancing at the time, he quickly realized it was just about time for him to leave. “Whoa, look at the time. I can call for the pizza around dinnertime, and have it delivered. For now, I’d better head out.”

Celestia nodded, and let out a sigh. “You’re right,” she uttered, a sudden decline in her tone.

Daniel noticed the subtle sadness in her voice. He looked at her, as she followed him over to the door. “Don’t be too glum. I’ll be home before you know it,” he said encouragingly.

Celestia smiled. “You’re right of course. But for some reason…I just feel like I’m really going to miss you today,” she expressed strongly.

His face softened. “Celestia,” Daniel spoke delicately. Then perking up, he added, "I’ve really been enjoying spending time with you. And remember, once I get home this after, you’ll be stuck with me for two whole days.” He chuckled, securing his lunch bag.

As he went to open the door, Celestia called out, “Daniel wait!”

He froze in his tracks and turned to face her. “What is it?”

“Well,” she began, brushing her hoof against the carpet. “Nah, forget it. It’s silly,” she said.

Despite the time, she had captured Daniel’s attention. “It can’t be that silly, if you felt the need to stop me,” he said thoughtfully. Setting his lunch bag down, he moved closer to her. “Now tell me, what’s on your mind?”

Celestia felt a wave of nervousness wash over her, but she managed to open her mouth and speak. “I was just thinking…would it be okay if we shared a short hug? I think it would help me miss you less,” she answered – the sincerest expression was present in her eyes. “It might also help you. You would have something joyful to think about, even if you encounter any major trials at work. Though it still probably sounds silly.” Celestia let out a sigh as she slowly lifted her head to meet Daniel’s face. To her amazement, he stood there with a smile on his face.

“Celestia, it’s not silly. There’s nothing wrong with a hug. In fact, I wanted to hug you the other day, to thank you for doing the dishes. But I wasn’t sure if it would be appropriate. We know each other better now, so I don’t see any harm in sharing a hug? Do you?” He asked calmly, moving closer to her.

Shaking her head, she said, “No, I don’t.”

He opened his arms. Slowly she moved toward him, bridging the gap between them. She placed her hooves around him and gently hugged him. Celestia felt his arms surround her back and gently pull against her, while her chin came to rest on his left shoulder. Soon a sense of easement began quelling her anxiety, as she felt the calming effect of their hug. A contented sigh escaped her lips, and she heard him sigh in kind.

Daniel stood there, sharing a truly tender moment with Celestia. It felt a little strange at first, but then everything just started feeling so very right. It was a sensation he’d not felt in quite some time. The subtle warmth emanating from her body, the softness of her fur and the gentle squeeze of her hooves, all left him feeling a blissful moment of serenity.

A few moments passed, Daniel hated having to break the gentle silence, but he had no choice. “Well Celestia, I sorry to ruin the moment, but I really need to get going,” he spoke reluctantly. Their hug ended and Daniel reclaimed his lunch bag.

Celestia felt a warm caress befall her cheeks as she looked up at him. “Sorry about that. I think I started getting a little carried away,” she uttered sounding a little nervous.

He chuckled back at her. “That’s okay. I don’t think you were the only one,” Daniel said with a chuckle. “I’ll be back later…count on it,” he avowed reaching for the doorknob. Then he paused briefly and said, “Oh and remember, in event I might have to work over a few hours, just keep an ear out for a phone call, or check the answering machine, like I showed you.” He stepped outside and walked to his car. Then like so many mornings, he drove away. Celestia stood by the door and waved as he drove down the street.

She closed the door and walked back to the sofa. Celestia let herself flop down slowly onto the couch, sinking into its plus cushions. Even though she was going to miss Daniel, the hug left her something wonderful to think about. And it was her hopes that it would help Daniel, at work just as she had conveyed. Then she popped up on the couch. There was that perplexing emotion again. In fact she finally caught herself. Just why was she going to miss Daniel so much? There had to be some reason. But the seemingly obvious conclusion…just didn’t add up. There was no way she could be growing increasingly fond of him…could she? She did come to Earth in search of comfort…but could she really find love and companionship here?

Dismissing the silly notion, she got up and studied the various discs on Daniel’s DVD tower. She figured that perhaps watching something would help her clear her mind.

*******

Daniel arrived at his place of employment and backed into his normal parking spot. Exiting his vehicle, he saw the big sign of his employer: Masterson Wholesale. Some days he was proud to work for this large company, and then there were those days that the sign would make him shudder. At least today didn’t feel like one of those more harrowing days. He made his way inside the massive edifice and walked to his work area.

Daniel worked in the warehouse section, and also had a desk and cubical in the shipping office, next door. Arriving at his desk, he placed his lunch bag off to the side, and sat down at his computer. His day would usually begin by checking his email and printing out the newest orders that would need pulled for shipping, or printing lists of incoming items to put away. The challenging part was that goods were shipped to the facility from outside vendors, and were also produced and/or packaged within the company. It was fortunate that Daniel was very detail oriented. While a large number of people would hate to do filing or inventorying, Daniel found it rather gratifying…well at least once the hard part was out of the way.

After checking his mail and printing out his lists, he picked up his scanner gun and clipboard. Then he walked to the small sea of tall metal shelves. Overall Masterson Wholesale was quite large, but the section of the warehouse Daniel worked in was isolated from the larger areas. It housed more specialized items, contained within a smaller grouping of shelves. An outlined area in front of each shelf contained new skids of material waiting to be put away. Skids bearing multiple items were already unwrapped and neatly stacked. All he would have to do is take them back the aisles and place them in their proper home.

He compared his order list to his inventory sheet, in order to see what kind of space he would have, after pulling items. Then he could note how much space he’d need for new items, as he began the task of putting them away. Besides, if things would go about like they usually did, the new items would be needed for some of his fulfillment requests.

Gradually he went through the pile of incoming materials, and put everything into their proper places. Now his employer used a computerized system with special scanners, but while Daniel liked computers, he knew their tendency to glitch, and even more annoying the penchant they had for crashing. That’s why he always kept a clipboard and paper on hand. As he inventoried each item, he’d make a note of each item’s: type, quantity, and bin location. This way he had a hard copy should the system error or go down during his shift. After being in the work world for 12 years, he knew it was crucial to watch his own back, as well as that of his coworkers. Whenever something was amiss, the employees were often prime targets to be used as scapegoats.

With the inventorying complete, Daniel began pulling the items for shipping. Periodically he’d bump into one of his co-workers that would be in search of the odd item or two. He’d say, “Hi!” or even chat for a few minutes with them. One thing that made his job bearable was that Daniel was easygoing and he tended to get along well with his peers. Now he was hardly Mr. Popular, but he was often amazed at who all knew him, even if he was clueless about whom they were.

*******

Throughout the morning, Daniel found his thoughts often wandering away from his work and focusing on Celestia. Even if he couldn’t put his finger on it, there was just something about her. The past several days had been amazing. He was eagerly looking forward to the weekend. Daniel relished the idea of teaching Celestia how to play video games. That and he thought she might enjoy seeing the wonders of the computer world via the Internet. But despite the fun activities in mind, he found he was focusing more on her specifically. From the time they’d spent together, he had learned a great deal about her. To his delight they had a great deal in common. For instance, they each enjoyed sunsets, the delicate beauty of flowers, some of the same foods, especially desserts, and gazing up at the night sky. Those were just a few of the things they shared.

While Daniel continued pulling more items from the shelves, he continued thinking about her. At times he thought it didn’t even seem like he was with a pony. In many ways Celestia had a very personable quality to her. And there was something incredibly enchanting about her. The pearly white color of her fur, the soft rosy glow that would appear on her cheeks after he’d compliment her…it was all so incredible. Then he found himself thinking about those flowing locks of colorful hair on her head. He longed to know what it would be like to caress her mane, and find out if it would be as silky as it appeared.

That’s when it started dawning on him that he was thinking of her as more than a friend. His mind began reminiscing about the hug they shared. It had really felt wonderful to be so close to her, to have her head resting softly on his shoulder. Daniel began to wonder if perhaps she was thinking of him as more than a friend. Giving the matter more thought, he figured she seemed happy to be staying with him. Perhaps over the coming days he could learn if there was something more brewing between them. That’s when reality started sinking in. Celestia was a pony, not a human. Even if they did share feelings for each other…could they really act on them? Shaking his head, Daniel figured it wasn’t something worth worrying about…at least not while he was at work anyway. Besides if anything were meant to happen, then surely it would come to light in due time. Though for now, he didn’t mind thinking about their hug again.

Daniel emerged from the shelves guiding an electric pallet jack. It was holding a skid stacked with the items he pulled for shipping. He arrived at the counter and set the pallet down. Slowly he began setting a few of the items on the counter.

One of his co-workers, a man in his late 40’s walked over to greet him. “Hey Daniel! How’s it going?” the man asked, a slight rumble in his voice.

Daniel looked up from his work and over to his fellow associate. “Oh hey Greg. I’m just bringing the first of your items for fulfillment out. How about you?” he asked setting another box on the counter.

Greg fetched a form from a tray sitting on an overhead shelf. “Well, I just helped load a shipment heading for Pittsburgh. And now I’m all set to start on these fulfillment requests. So as always…your timing is perfect buddy,” he remarked nodding in approval.

Daniel simply chuckled quietly at him. “You know me, just trying to do my part. I have a few more lists to pull yet, but I should have them completed before lunch time,” he noted.

“That’s great. Hopefully this will keep Brian off our backs. Though I’m sure one of our customers will send a last minute order. You know the way it goes,” Greg said with a sigh.

“Yeah,” Daniel said trailing off. He continued placing items onto the counter, making sure to include the order printouts they were pulled with. Greg would then place them into an appropriate box, filled with packing material. Then he’d seal the package, print and attach an invoice, weigh it, and finally print a shipping label.

Greg scratched his stubble-covered chin as he noticed how happy Daniel seemed. The two were hardly best friends, but they got along very well in the workplace. Naturally, he enjoyed knowing how his younger friend was doing. “Boy Daniel, you sure seem happy today. I don’t think I’ve seen you smile like that for quite a while,” Greg expressed in a positive tone.

Daniel laughed at the true reason, but knew he couldn’t share it with his coworker. Still he had a plausible explanation in mind. “Why shouldn’t I be happy? It’s Friday, and also pay day…the weekend is almost here, and we’re already three hours into our shift!” He declared placing the last item from the skid onto the counter. “And that’s the first load of items too!”

Greg laughed blatantly at his friend. “You crack me up. But I know you better than that. There’s something you aren’t telling me. However I know there’s no point in badgering you about it,” he concluded.

“Nope. Well I’d better start pulling the next load. I’ll be back!” he chimed, walking back to the warehouse followed by the whirling pallet jack.

Greg looked at Daniel again and merely shrugged his shoulders. Then he walked over to the freshly placed items. Checking the slips, he began packing each order, after selecting an appropriate box.

*******

The rest of Daniel’s day went by pretty well. He did have an irate customer to deal with. They called inquiring about a package they ordered and hadn’t received. It turned out that the carrier misplaced the item in the corner of one of their processing facilities. After making a call to the carrier, Daniel was able to set things right.

The whole process took a grueling hour of irritating phone calls. But at last he was able to deliver the good news to the no longer irate customer. After a call to Mr. Harris, Daniel was able to assure him that his package was found and on the way.

Following the call, Daniel made sure to email a copy of the tracking number to the customer. This way he could offer Mr. Harris some added piece of mind.

Checking the time on his computer, he noticed it was 2:30. The day was nearly over! After thinking about his to do list, Daniel realized he was pretty much done for the day. All he’d need to do is check his email one more time, and then make sure everything was properly straightened up. Checking the inbox on his PC, he saw he had a new message. Clicking it he promptly let out an exasperated sigh and facepalmed. “Crap! Another last minute order!” he groused loudly.

“Pipe down over there Daniel! Some of us are trying to play Minesweeper!” shouted Peter.

“Lay off Peter! I just got a large last minute order! And I thought Brian disabled the games!” Daniel barked back in response.

Daniel noticed the sound of footsteps approaching his desk. Peter walked over so they wouldn’t have to keep shouting. “Hey you know me man. I found an easy way around that security setting. Besides, the games help me clear my mind,” his co-worker remarked with a snicker.

“Yes well at least you have time for games. This list will take almost two hours to complete. I won’t get home till almost five now,” Daniel groaned.

“Oh please, like you have anyone to go home to! Besides bro, you can always use the money. At least that’s what you said last time,” Peter rambled patting Daniel on the shoulder.

“Yes well that was then. And I didn’t have plans that time either,” replied Daniel with a sigh.

“Cheer up bud, maybe Greg will stick around and give you a hand. I would, but once I blow up a few more mines, I’d better head to the office and file all the shipping reports. Sorry I can't help ya bro. Maybe next time,” he replied. Then Peter returned to his cubical.

“Yeah,” Daniel muttered shaking his head. Then it dawned on him. He’d better call home and let Celestia know he would be late getting back.

*******

After calling home, Daniel broke the news to Celestia. She said she was sorry he had to work over, but would still be looking forward to his return, even if he was going to be delayed. It helped cheer him up a bit. That and he told her once he was almost done, he’d call in an order for their Pizza to Papa John’s. Then he could pick it up on the way home. She was fine with that and wished him well, before they hung up. He had a feeling showing her how to use the phone was a good idea. Thankfully she told him that larger cities in Equestria had such devices as well.

Three o’clock had arrived and Daniel had only gotten about a third of the order pulled. Greg walked over and saw him working there. “What’s going on Daniel? Shouldn’t you be leaving? It’s after three?” he remarked.

Setting down a few items, he turned to Greg and said, “Believe me, I’d love to leave. But I have this last minute order to take care of.”

Greg looked at the order sheet, then grimaced at Daniel. “Why are you worried about this dinky customer? It won’t hurt to leave this till Monday you know,” his friend remarked.

Daniel shook his head. “You know I can’t do that Greg. This may be a small customer, but they were one of the key clients back when this company was still getting started. We’ve always done right by them. Plus they recommended us to many of our larger customers. If we shun them now, what kind of message would we be sending?” he asked, not expecting a positive reply from Greg.

“So I take it you’re going to stay then?”

“You know I will. Even if I really hate it. Though if you’d help me, maybe it wouldn’t take me as long,” Daniel remarked looking at him with hopeful eyes.

Greg sighed. “I should have seen that coming. Well I’d like to help you but…” he paused in order to device a seemingly valid excuse.

Daniel just facepalmed again. “Now before you go making up some excuse, don’t forget I’d help you, if the tables were turned,” he conveyed placing the last of the items on the counter.

His co-worker paused again. Then he thought about what Daniel had said. Greg sighed in a defeated manner and said, “You’re right. I remember you stayed to help me the other month. And you were sick as a dog too. Yet you stayed over for almost two hours to help me finish loading all those trucks. Okay…I’ll stay.”

Daniel offered Greg a smile. “Thanks man! You know I appreciate it!”

Greg chuckled at him. “Why do you think I’m staying?”

The two shared a laugh and go right to work. With both of them teamed up, they completed the order in less than two hours. After making sure they had everything set for the UPS driver, they promptly departed, glad that their workday was finally over.

*******

Shortly before finishing the last of the big order, Daniel had called in his order with Papa John’s. He arrived about twenty minutes later at the pizza joint, and went inside. Upon entering, the rush of heat from the massive oven fell upon his face. It was then replaced with the struggling breeze of the air conditioning. There was one customer waiting ahead of him. Daniel stood there, and did his best to wait patiently. His feet were bothering him from the hard day’s work. Trying to focus on something positive, he invited the various aromas, of the cooking pizzas and the assorted toppings strewn about behind the counter, into his nose.

Before he knew it, he was next in line. The cashier greeting him with a smile. “How may I help you?”

“Yes, I called in an order. Um…number 23,” he answered.

“23?” the cashier asked. Daniel nodded. “Okay, let me go check.” The employee walked over to a stack of pizzas sitting above the large oven. Checking the tags, he picked up two large pizzas and brought them over to the counter. After setting them down, he said, “Okay I have one large pizza with extra cheese and one large with mushrooms and onions. Is that right?”

“Yes, that’s right?” Daniel replied politely.

“Do you want any extra sauces or some cold sodas?” the young man asked.

“No thank you.”

“Okay, that’ll be $21.20 please.”

“Here you are,” Daniel said handing the cashier his debit card.

Before long, Daniel exited the shop and re-entered his car. He carefully set the pizzas down, and favored his fingers. The boxes were still quite hot, which was a good thing. Though if they would be cold till he got them home, he always had his microwave.

*******

Following a short seven-minute drive, Daniel turned his vehicle into the driveway. Placing the car in park, his workday was at last over. Now he could enjoy a fun-filled evening with Celestia. And the best part of all…dinner was already taken care of!

He opened the door and exited the vehicle. Walking over to the passenger side, he opened the other door and retrieved his cooler and dinner. Once his car was secure, he made his way to the sidewalk. Daniel carefully carried the two pizzas with his left hand, while grasping his cooler in the other. The front door came into view and sure enough the inside door had already opened. The familiar sight of Celestia appeared before him. She beamed at him with a bright cheerful smile. Noticing his hands were full, Celestia politely opened the storm door for him. Daniel stepped inside and slowly walked past her.

“Welcome home Daniel!” She declared bubbling with joy.

“It’s great to be home Celestia! Oh, and what a day!” he voiced sounding a bit fatigued. He stopped in the doorway. Celestia walked over to him and continued to smile. Her horn lit up with a shimmery orange light. Carefully she took his cooler and the two pizzas from him.

“Here, let me help you with these,” she chirped happily.

He chuckled warmly at her. “Thank you.”

It was then that Daniel saw the expression on her face. Before he could think to speak, she walked over and gave him a big tender hug. “I missed you Daniel,” she declared.

He smiled grandly, placing his arms around her. “I missed you too,” he professed sincerely.

Their hug ended and the two walked into the dinning room. There she set down, both pizza boxes and headed for the kitchen, setting his cooler on the counter by the microwave. Celestia walked back to the dinner table and noticed that he had brought two pizzas with him. Meanwhile, he walked to the kitchen to unpack his lunch bag.

“So Daniel, what did you bring? And do we really need two pizzas for both of us?” she called over to him.

Having tended to his lunch bag, Daniel emerged form the kitchen. He glanced over at her and smiled. “Well I enjoy having leftovers. They make for a simple lunch or a snack. Plus you told me about your two favorite toppings. So I brought a pizza with extra cheese and one with onions and mushrooms,” he explained.

She continued to smile and nodded. “All right then. I’ll get some plates, and what would you like to drink?” Celestia asked.

“Water or soda will be fine,” he answered.

“Okay, then allow me to get the table set for dinner. You go and change. Leave everything else in my hooves,” she replied sounding extremely chipper.

Daniel looked at her fondly. “Thank you Celestia. You have no idea how good it is to see you,” he expressed almost at a loss for words.

She moved closer to him and gently placed a hoof on his shoulder. “Likewise. Now go unwind, we’ll talk over dinner, okay?”

He nodded and uttered, “Okay.”

Daniel walked back to his room and took care of changing out of his work attire. It had been a truly exhausting day, both mentally and physically. Having someone special like Celestia at home waiting for him really made his day.

While he took care of changing, Celestia gathered some plates, and decided what beverage they should enjoy. Checking the items in his fridge, she saw he had a few cans of grape soda. Nodding her head, she thought the soda would be a nice change of pace. She picked them up with her magic and carried them, along with the plates, over to the table.

The alicorn sighed dreamily, realizing just how good it was to finally have Daniel home again. Suddenly she felt a bit of a start. Her heart had almost seemed to skip a beat or two. She turned her head back toward his bedroom. Even though she still felt a little alarmed, part of her felt exhilarated, realizing that Daniel was becoming more than just a friend to her. At least it finally helped explain why she began to miss him more after he departed for work each day. But even if that was the case…did Daniel feel the same way too, even a little?

She let out sigh, and muttered to herself, “Celestia you’re just being silly.”

A few moments passed and Daniel returned to join her in the dining room. He saw she had everything taken care of. A smile curled up on his lips as he saw the two cans of grape soda. “Hey, nice choice for our drinks! It’s been a while since I last drank some grape soda,” he noted with a pleasant chuckle.

Celestia focused her eyes on him and smiled. “I’m glad you approve. So, do you think the pizzas will still be warm?” she asked.

“They should be, but even if they’re not, there’s always the microwave,” he said with a grin.

Daniel moved the pizzas so they were side by side. Slowly he popped both boxes open. Their delightful aroma radiated out into the room. Surprisingly steam was still rolling off them.

The two pies certainly looked delicious, and their smell danced across Celestia’s nose, causing her to deeply inhale the wonderful aroma. “Mmm, they smell delightful. But why are there little cups and…light green peppers in the boxes?” she asked curiously.

Daniel snickered. “Oh the cups are filled with garlic butter dipping sauce. You can use it for the crust. It’s quite tasty. And I still don’t know why they include jalapeno peppers with each pizza. I gather they are mostly a garnish, and some people are quite fond of them,” he explained. “Would you like to start with a slice of each?”

She nodded. “Thank you, that would be nice. Oh and I’d like to try the dipping sauce too,” she expressed.

“Of course,” he replied placing a slice of each pizza on her plate. Daniel removed one of the cups and thoughtfully peeled back the foil covering. “Here you are.”

“Thank you Daniel,” she replied, remembering to be polite. She carefully took the plate, much to his surprise, in her hooves. Then moving to her normal place, she set the food down and sat down graceful as always.

“You’re quite welcome,” he answered, loading a slice of each on his plate, completing it with the other cup of dip. Taking his seat, he picked up the slice of extra cheese and took a bite. The taste was a good as ever. Glancing up, he saw Celestia seemed to be enjoying her slices. “So I take it you’re enjoying the pizza?”

She nodded as she swallowed a small mouthful. “Yes, this is very good. And so is the garlic butter,” she grinned.

Daniel smiled at her and noticed she had some sauce drip onto her chin. He picked up a napkin and held it up to her. “Here Celestia…you got a little sauce,” he said pointing at he same spot on his own chin.

She set down her slice with mushrooms and onions and grinned nervously. “Oh,” she uttered taking the napkin. Celestia blotted the sauce from her chin.

The two smiled at each other as they continued eating their meal. Daniel and Celestia partook in some casual conversation in between bites, and shared the highlights of their days, both seeming quite happy to see each other again.

*******

The two had finished dinner and put away the leftovers, nearly a whole pizza. Now that it was a little after seven, Daniel and Celestia had retired to the living room to relax.

“So what would you like to do now that your weekend has begun?” she asked.

“Well, I was wondering if you’d like to play some video games,” he replied.

Celestia placed a curious hoof to her chin. “Video games? What are those?” she asked with a growing interest.

Daniel chuckled at her. “Well they are sort of similar to DVDs. You use the TV and a device called a console to play the different games. Here, I’ll show you,” he explained, rising to his feet.

Celestia’s eyes followed him as he walked over to the TV. There he opened the doors on the cart the flat screen set sat on. “These are game consoles,” he said pointing to four different systems he had concealed behind the doors. “I think we’ll start with this one,” he said pointing to a large pale gray rectangular box. “This is the classic Nintendo. And I know just the game we can play.”

She looked at him feeling a bit puzzled. The names he was rattling off seemed rather foreign to her, but she figured, this was a lot like the TV and DVD explanation – something she would get in time.

As she sat there pondering his words, Daniel had walked to a nearby shelf and removed a game cartridge covered by a simple black dust sleeve. “Here we go,” he announced, loading the game into the deck. “This game is called “Super Mario Bros.””

Daniel freed the long controller cord and moved it back to the sofa. There he sat down beside her, just as the game title appeared on the screen. Celestia looked up at it, and the title matched his description. She noticed what looked like a little distorted human standing at the lower left of the screen. “Who is that suppose to be?” she asked.

“Oh that’s Mario. He’s the hero you play the game as,” Daniel explained.

“And why is he the hero?” she asked.

“Perhaps I should explain the story of this game. Mario and his brother Luigi are both plumbers that work in the real world…err Earth. They end up transported to the Mushroom Kingdom, the world this game takes place in. Now it’s up to them to beat this evil reptile called King Bowser Koopa, and save the captured Princess Toadstool, who waits in a castle in the end of world 8,” Daniel said cluing her in.

She gave him a puzzled yet rather intrigued expression, and replied, “Well let’s see how this is then.”

Taking the first turn, he showed Celestia how to play the game, and what the various buttons on the controller did. It didn’t take her long to catch on to the basic concept of the game and how to play. After about fifteen minutes of pointers, Daniel reset the system so she could have a turn, starting at the beginning.

Using her magic, Celestia took the controller and started Mario on his journey to find Princess Toadstool. Considering this was her fist time playing video games, she did amazingly well. Celestia didn’t start running into trouble until she reached world 3-3 and had lost her firepower. Though she did manage to make it through the level without getting her little plumber friend killed. Once she reached world 4-1, she kept getting Mario killed by Lakitu and his spiny friends. Daniel gave her the quick advice of ducking down one of the pipes, which managed to lead her to a super mushroom. But without firepower, he suggested she try her best to make a mad dash through the rest of the level.

For a time, things seemed like they were going to improve, but then Celestia got stuck in world 5, and neither she or Daniel could get past the endless storm of Bullet Bills. Celestia began to grow very irritated with the game.

“Daniel isn’t there something else we can play? This game isn’t any fun anymore,” she groused, feeling rather annoyed.

“You’ll get no argument from me. Um, let me think a second. Oh I have an idea,” Daniel voiced standing up. He took the NES controller back to the deck and switched it off. “Man, I didn’t realize I was so rusty. But I think it’s time to switch to my favorite system. The Playstation 2,” he announced with delight.

“Playstation 2? Why do these game…consoles, have such odd names?” she asked.

“You got me. I don’t name them – I just enjoy playing the incredible selection of games they have. Now this system is a little old, by today’s standards. But it’s always been my favorite. Anyway, I have just the game in mind,” he answered with a smile.

“And what might that be?”

He chuckled softly at her as he walked over to another shelf full of video games. After a short search, Daniel removed a small box from the shelf. “Well you liked the book “Lord of the Rings” and you seemed to enjoy movies and shows based on a similar genre…so I think you may like this,” he concluded, placing the game on the coffee table.

Celestia peered over at it and studied the front of the box carefully. “And what’s “Lunar – Silver Star Story” about? The cover certainly looks intriguing…as does the title,” she declared, looking up at Daniel with a renewed smile.

“Oh this is a great game. The story is epic! It features a grand adventure and a delightful romance,” he all but exclaimed to her.

“Okay, then “Lunar” it is!”

Nodding his head, Daniel opened the box. He removed the jewel case and leather bound instruction booklet from within. Opening the case he removed the first disc and placed it in the PS2. A few moments passed and the game’s opening sequence began to play. Celestia watched it and listened closely to the lyrics of the accompanying song with great fascination.

“This looks incredible!” she beamed with enthusiasm.

“Just you wait…you are in for one heck of a treat!” Daniel mused excitedly.

The game’s main character Alex, and his little friend Nall, had arrived at small clearing along the springs by the village of Burg. There, Celestia saw they met a very lovely girl with long blue hair.

“Daniel who is that?” she asked.

“Just watch, you’ll find out,” he whispered, trying not to overshadow the dialogue of the characters, during the short cut-scene.

To Celestia’s surprise, the girl was called Luna! She thought her eyes were deceiving her at first. But then she saw the name appear again by the girl’s head shot in the dialogue window. “Oh wow, she bears the same name as my younger sister,” gasped Celestia.

Daniel laughed at her little outburst. “That’s right, you told me your sister’s name is Luna,” he recalled.

“Yes, I did. Now come on Daniel, I want to see more of this game,” she urged with even more excitement.

“Okay,” he uttered, letting out another chuckle.

The two continued the adventure for a few more hours. Daniel let Celestia take turns controlling the characters, and taking part in the enemy battles. He was delighted at how quickly she took the games battle system, not to mention the incredible strategies she came up with. Those low-level monsters in the White Dragon Cave didn’t stand a chance against her tactical mind. And yet, Celestia didn’t stop coming off incredibly feminine to him. If anything, he just felt his fondness for her continuing to grow.

They mutually decided to call it a night, after completing the trials in the icy caverns of the Dragon, Quark. Though Celestia did say she was looking forward to continuing the game, seeing as she found it very exciting.

*******

Saturday came and started unlike any other day so far. Daniel awoke to the smell of something very yummy cooking. Only he wasn’t doing the cooking. After getting dressed and making his way to the kitchen, he discovered Celestia had prepared breakfast. She made a big pile of pancakes, and found a variety of items to dress them up with, such as chocolate chips and a can of whip topping she discovered in the fridge.

Daniel expressed his delight at her thoughtful act. He greatly enjoyed her cooking and was sure to tell her just how grand a job she had done.

Following their meal, the two began their day, with a trip to his garden. After helping him tend to the plants, they returned inside just as the heat of day began to increase. The temperatures were forecasted to soar up into the 90’s, so they were both thankful for the central air.

Daniel took the time before lunch to start work in the guest room. Though Celestia still didn’t seem to be in a hurry for him to work on it. As he moved around boxes of miscellaneous items, she checked out some of his other video games. Though she really wanted to play more of “Lunar”, she decided to wait till Daniel was done puttering in the other room.

Despite Celestia’s lackluster attitude toward the spare room, Daniel continued going through it after lunch, trying to make it as least livable, and less cluttered. Around two o’clock, Celestia offered to lend him a hoof. She expressed her boredom, and a desire to spend some time with him. He gladly accepted her assistance.

Their work in the guest room took them right up to dinner time, but they had straightened up the room, so that it could easily accommodate her. Now she would have a proper bed to sleep in. It might not be on par with her bed in Canterlot, but she could make use of it nonetheless.

*******

Dinner came and went. The two had prepared another enjoyable meal together. Once they finished cleaning up, they went into the living room. Celestia took a seat on the right side of the couch, but Daniel remained standing. He looked at her and smiled. “Now if I remember correctly, you said you wanted to watch a movie together…right?” he asked.

She returned his smile. “Yes, and I still do. Oh, but what should be watch?” she asked curiously.

Daniel placed his hands behind his back and started swaying a bit. “Well, do you enjoy heart-warming love stories, filled with adventure?” he asked.

“Of course. So what did you have in mind then?” she replied with yet another question.

“Oh, just this,” he said reaching for a DVD he had sitting on the corner of the TV stand.

Daniel held the case so she could see the cover. Celestia studied it closely. “Hmmm, “Tangled”. So this is the movie you were talking about?”

“Yes. So what do you say?”

“Sure, I’m game. The characters on the cover do look interesting,” she noted with a grin.

He loaded the disc and picked up the remote. After skipping through the long slew of previews and less than helpful features, he arrived at the main menu. Following a few more standard screens, the movie began to start.

To Daniel’s surprise Celestia was sitting closer to him than she usually did, though it was quite all right with him. The opening of the movie continued and before long the story began to unfold right before her eyes. She was quite fond of the numerous references to the sun.

At one point Daniel noticed that the sun symbols looked very similar to her cutie marks. Celestia turned to check her flank and had to agree with him.

As Celestia saw how Rapunzel was basically a prisoner in her tower, it began to remind her of her life in Canterlot as ruler of Equestria. Now she did get out of the castle from time to time, but she almost always was escorted by her royal guards, or was going somewhere on business. Quite often, Celestia felt like a prisoner, trapped in the ivory white towers of the royal palace.

The story continued, and had reached the point where Rapunzel and Flynn began seeing the sights of the kingdom and sharing in the festivities.

As Celestia watch the two, she couldn’t help but notice something. “Is it me Daniel, or do those two seem to be falling in love rather quickly?” she asked curiously.

“Oh, I don’t know. In some ways I guess it would seem to be the case, but with love, you just can never tell,” he said gazing over at her thoughtfully.

She smiled and blushed slightly, wondering if he was referring to what might be brewing between both of them. Celestia felt increasingly happy, and slid just a little closer to Daniel.

Then came the following part, Flynn and Rapunzel had just finished their discussion about dreams and then the scene shifted to inside the castle. Celestia noticed the music had grown rather melancholy, just as the king and queen appeared on the screen together. The alicorn stared intently at them both for a moment. Daniel saw her eyes fixed on both of them. “Is something wrong Celestia?” he asked her.

She turned to look at him. “It’s silly, but the king and queen, they remind me of my parents. Even though they passed away so very long ago…I still miss them,” she answered as her voice began to sound riddled with sorrow.

He looked her way and said, “I know how you feel. My parents have only been gone a few years, and I still miss them both greatly.”

She nodded solemnly as she saw the lone tear trail down the king’s face. “Awww, look, he’s crying…he misses his daughter,” Celestia whimpered as her voice started breaking.

Daniel felt his heart sink as he noticed a pair of tears slowly trailing down her elegant face. Not worrying about the implications, he reached over and placed his arms around her. “Awww…Celestia…it’s okay. Come here,” he spoke tenderly holding her close. She softly nuzzled her head against his chest, realizing he was holding her. The warmth of his embrace comforted her, and began to ease her sorrow. Then she heard him say, “Celestia…you can’t miss this!”

She craned her head up from his side and through her teary eyes, caught sight of thousands of lanterns illuminating across the town. “Oh wow!” she gasped. Celestia realized she was still in his caring embrace. She pulled back just enough so she could look up at him. “Daniel…” she began.

“Yes, Celestia.”

“Would it be okay if we stayed like this?” she asked, sounding very much like she wanted to remain in his arms.

He smiled at her and leaned his cheek against the left side of her head. Daniel sighed softly, feeling the silky texture of her mane against his cheek. “Of course, especially if it’s okay with you,” he replied, savoring the heavenly feeling of being so close to her.

Celestia nuzzled him back affectionately, and he knew she was more than fine with it. Daniel felt her hooves come to rest against his chest, while he held her tighter in his arms. They both let out a contented sigh as they turned to focus on the movie. The pivotal song of the movie, “I See the Light"”, began playing.

Celestia really perked up, in Daniel’s arms, when she heard Rapunzel sing.

(Pause for song's first verse)

She pulled back again, and took a long look at Daniel. He turned his head so that his eyes met hers. A few moments passed and the song’s interlude ended. Then they both paid close attention to Flynn’s part:

(Pause for song's second verse)

Daniel and Celestia continued looking deep into each other’s eyes. Then as the song continued, they listened to it, but ignored the screen.

(Pause for the last of the song)

The last of the lyrics faded out and the last few seconds of the melody played on. Daniel and Celestia just kept gazing into each other’s eyes, only now their mouths began slowly moving closer to each other…until their lips met for the first time. They closed their eyes, and for that short moment, they savored the joyful and pleasant sensation it brought them both.

The kiss ended, right as the tone of the background music shifted to a more haunting one. It didn’t bother Daniel or Celestia. They merely smiled at each other and remained close, returning their attention to the screen.

Celestia stayed in Daniel’s arms as they watched the remainder of the movie. Then came the happy ending, followed by the song that accompanied the end credits. As the song played, one particular part stuck out to Celestia.

(Pause to listen to that part of the song)

A few minutes later, the credits had concluded and Daniel turned off the DVD player. Celestia took the remote from him, using her magic, and set it back on the coffee table. Surprisingly, she was still in his arms, resting her hooves against his chest.

“Celestia,” he began.

“Yes, Daniel?”

“Do you have a new dream?” he asked her resting his head against hers.

She sighed softly. “You know, I think I do. How about you?” Celestia asked in return.

He warmly chuckled, and said, “Yes, and I’m glad we both seemed to enjoy that brief…but memorable kiss.”

Daniel felt Celestia fidget slightly. “Oh yeah, about that…I wasn’t out of line was I?” she asked.

Never,” he whispered in her ear. “I wanted it too. We’ve only known each other for about a week…and yet in this short time…you’ve already come to mean a great deal to me.”

He heard Celestia sigh dreamily. “I’m glad to hear you say that…because you have come to mean a great deal to me as well. Though I’m…” she said trailing off.

“You’re not sure just how strong a feeling this is…and aren’t sure if it’s wise to act on it…right?” Daniel asked, feeling pretty confident he was correct.

“How did you…no wait…I know. You do feel the same way…”

“Yes,” he spoke softly in her ear.

“I wanted to say something sooner, but I was…” she paused again.

“You were afraid? I’m not surprised, I was too,” he confessed. “So what should we do?”

“Do we have to make any major decisions right now? Can’t we just stay like this for a while? I’m sure time will help show us the way…wouldn’t you agree?” Celestia asked him with confidence.

He sighed, and said, “Yes, I do agree. And I’d be happy to stay like this…for as long as you like.”

“Daniel,” she whispered to him.

“Celestia,” he quietly replied, kissing her on the head. She let out another dreamy sigh, and nuzzled against him. Then she enjoyed the gentle heaving of his chest as he breathed, while they remained there in a relaxing embrace. They didn’t know what the future held for them, but at least they were going to find out together.