I stared at Rainbow sitting at the other side of the table for a few seconds. She wasn't looking at me, she was looking to the side, not saying anything after her outburst. I scratched my chin with my left hand slowly, then sighed.

”So uh,” I began, making her turn to me. ”You came over to apologize for what happened last week?” She nodded.

“I got kinda carried away... I just thought you'd cause problems for Twilight and with Spike right there, I was thinking something was about to happen to him.” Her ears lowered when she saw my left arm.

The sleeve had ridden up slightly. I quickly grabbed it and pulled it back to cover my hand and rubbed my right thumb over it, staring down at it. “Heh, I know it'd look bad for someone who doesn't know me talking to a local kid.” I forced a smile, still looking down.

“Spike uh... I don't know, he told me once that it was cool to hang around with someone who isn't a pony. That there was someone else that wasn't run of the mill.” I looked up to Rainbow who still looked unsure. “He's a good kid. Twilight dotes on him too much though.” I stared straight at her and shrugged. “Sorry for getting carried away. About the apology, you dont have to make a big deal of it.”

“But I hit you with a lightning bolt!” Rainbow braced her forelegs on the table and leaned forward. “You passed out, the next thing I see from you is your hoo- hand clocking me in the head!”

I leaned back in my seat, staring at the rainbow horse getting mad at me... For not making a big deal about getting hit by a fuckin' lightning bolt. Provided by her.

The fuck is this world, dude?

“I'm not exactly innocent in this, am I?” I raised a lone finger on my right hand. “Like you said, I punched you in the face and stepped on you.” I raised another finger. “I basically ransacked the town last time I was here.” Up went a third finger. “I picked fights with ponies in town for no good reason.”

“But-”

I facepalmed and let out a frustrated sigh. “Come on, dude!” I pointed at her with both my hands. “Both of us fucked up big time, right?” She nodded slowly. I nodded with her. “So! We both agree that we did an olympic sized shit on the bed, we accept it and start over.” I raised an eyebrow. “Unless you want to argue more?”

She shook her head and chuckled. “Not exactly how I would word it... But sure.”

I held out my hand. “Shake hands-err...” I stared down at my appendage, my lips a thin line. She reached out and shook my hand. With that, I settled back in my chair and released a breath I wasn't aware I was holding.

“So.. I'm sorry if this is out of the blue but can I uh... See your arm?” Rainbow asked after a few minutes of silence. I shrugged and took off my long-sleeved shirt and moved up the sleeve of my t-shirt.

“You see this bigger splotch right here?” I pointed at a spot just over my elbow and asked her, turning slightly so she could see better. She nodded and her ears went back a bit. “I'm pretty sure it hit right there and ran all the way down to my hand.”

“Does it... Does it still hurt?” She answered a bit quiter than before, shifting her eyes between my arm and my face.

I shook my head. “No, Fluttershy gave me a salve that pretty much numbed it out. It just itches like crazy sometimes.” I leaned forward and laid my arm on the table. “My nerves are still a bit finicky. Watch.”

She watched my arm intently. I raised my arm vertically slowly, then tilted it forward. My hand started to shake and it closed the more I tilted it. Then I held up both arms and balled my right hand to a fist, the knuckles on it going white for a few seconds until I relaxed it. I did the same with my left hand. I took a deep breath and started moving slowly. It became a fist much slower and started to shake slightly. I couldn't make it close more and let out my breath and relaxed my hand.

“Back on my world, I heard these scars could be temporary depending on how hard one gets hit. The nerve stuff though... I guess it takes practice to make it like it was before or if it's even possible.” I glanced down at my arm. Rainbow Dash was being extremely quiet. I looked over to see her staring at the floor.

“I-I didn't know.” She muttered out.

“Eh, it's fine. Shit happens. I stood up and gave her a pat on the shoulder then walked over to my fridge and opened it. Crouching down to see what was inside, my smile grew as I saw a couple of bottles in the back of it.

Grabbing the pack and making the drinks clink together I put it down on the counter next to the fridge and withdrew two. “Think fast!” I called out and chucked a drink over to Rainbow. Her head whipped up and she caught it with both hooves.

Examining the bottle, her eyes widened. “Beer?” She looked closer. “Dude! This brand isn't cheap!”

I gave her a deadpan stare and gestured with a grand sweep of my right arm over the kitchen and the dining room. I took a hold of the neck of a beer with my left arm and tossed it over my head, catching it with my right hand and twisting off the cap in a smooth movement and took a chug.

“Sharing is caring, come on!” I grabbed the beer case and walked toward the french door leading outside to the pool. She followed me. I sat down and laid back in one of the sun chairs, taking another chug and setting down the case on a table that was between two chairs.

Rainbow stared at me, then down at the beer I gave her. She shrugged and bit down on the cap, removing it and flew over to the chair on the other side of the table. She drank from her beer and settled down.

“You know, my father always told me that you can't enjoy your beer with a person you don't like.” I took another small sip. “Then again, my dad wasn't much of a beer drinker and most of his friends were assholes anyway.” Rainbow Dash choked mid drink and spat out beer and laughed.

“So, what's it like over there in your world?”

A couple of hours later, the case was nearly empty. I stood poolside and was throwing a few punches in the air in front of me, nearly tripping and doing some awful foot work.

“B- Buh it ain't how hard you *hic* hit it's how hard you can get hit!” A few more light air jabs. “An- and keep moving forward!” I stopped my dramatic speech to take a few breaths. “how much you can take and keep moving forward!” I hopped a few steps back, still posed like a boxer.

However, I was much closer to the pool than I thought and my foot slipped and I fell backward into it. Swimming to the edge was much easier said than done. I rested on the poolside and stared at the pegasus who was laughing her ass off.

“Suh-smmmooth moves!” She snorted and kicked her hooves back. Glaring, I reared back with my arm and smacked water on her and drenched her. She squealed in surprise and shot up into the air, still giggling.

I climbed up from it slowly. I took off my t-shirt and wringed it out, then threw it at the sun chair I had been using. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up snickertits...”

I turned to the sun that was setting. Rainbow did the same when she had stopped laughing. “Shoot, I gotta head off. Got some work to do tomorrow.”

“Have fun doing that hungover.”

“I'm gonna blame you for it.”

“'Course you will. I'd be offended if you didn't.” I glared at her. She glared back.

After a few tense seconds, she gave me a slap on my exposed right shoulder.

“You're alright, Jay. See you around!” With that, she took off into the air.

I shook my head and stumbled over to grab the empty beer case and walked into the house and locked the french doors. As I was heading upstairs to take a shower, I heard a beep from the security system and cursed.

I walked over to it and slapped it alive. Strawberry was there again.

Wait. I already made a friend today... What if I like, make another instantly? Eat your heart out, Twilight! I can do this!

I unlocked the gate from the security system and saw the gate move on the screen. I walked out the front door and waited for the unicorn to come closer.

Strawberry blushed when she came closer. “Um... Hi Jay!”

“Hullo!” I gave her a small wave. “What are you doing out at this time?”

She didn't answer immediately. She was staring at my left arm, then at my right arm and noticed the tattoo as her gaze lingered there. Then back at my torso. She shook her head. “O-oh, I was just taking an evening walk when I passed your house...”

I nodded, my alcohol enhanced senses didn't notice her stare as I took a step to the side. “Want to come inside? You can get something to drink if you want to.”

Strawberry's blush grew even redder. “S-sure...” She walked past me. I closed the door and followed her inside

I awoke to a thundering headache splitting my head in two. A terrible taste made itself known in my mouth that for some reason had a hint of strawberries. I sat up in the bad and swung my legs over the side. Rubbing my temples, I took a deep breath and ran a hand through my hair.

My heart froze as I heard a rustle behind me. My eyes snapped open and I bit my lip, not daring to turn around. 'Oh God what have I done.'

The rustling continued and I decided to man up. Taking another breath I slowly turned around to see Strawberry, her mane rustled and a blush on her face.

“Mmm... Good morning, Jay...”

[INTERNAL SCREAMING]

Author's Notes:

Hooooooo boy.