"Come on, let's go inside," Alan gently said as he lifted his companion out of the car. His briefcase could wait. "Let's go inside and get you out of the cold."

She nuzzled her head into the bend of his elbow again as he marched up the stairs. He placed her down just long enough to open the door. A swath of warmth and light poured out into the cold winter's evening and onto the porch. He carried her inside, closed the door with a kick of his foot, and set her down on the couch in the side living room.

The professor's home was very old but it had a very warm welcoming feel to it. It was situated on a plot of land that was about as far from the main road as anyone could wish it. There were large rolling fields in either direction and the mountains in the east gave a very nice thing to look at in the mornings, but in the dead of the Idaho winter, everything was blanketed in snow. The floors of the old home were old polished hardwood and the walls varnished oak boards. It was a large home; it had two stories in which the dining, study, and living rooms were downstairs and the bedrooms and baths upstairs. A stone fireplace sat in the far wall of the living room off the main foyer. It was already roaring with a brilliant flame.

"I'm home!" Alan announced as he took his place at the bottom of the stairs.

"Welcome back, dear," said his wife of 43 years as she descended the stairs to greet him. They had married in their mid-twenties so both were now approaching their 70's. "Did you finally get around to giving that lecture you've been going on and on about?" she added as she gave him a tight hug.

"You know I did. I've been planning it for weeks, you know how it all was, and when they turned in their essays, I gave it to them unabridged and unedited."

"Well good for you," she said, giving his cheek a kiss. "It's been a long day, are you ready to go to bed?"

Alan broke her embrace and said, "I might in a little while," as he walked to the kitchen. "I want something to eat and then I've got 20 essays to go through and correct."

"Don't they ever feed you at that place?" his wife asked concerned. "I swear. You come home evening after evening and you eat as if you hadn't eaten in weeks. It can't be very healthy for you. You know what the doctor said about your heart . . . "

"I'm not sure it's too healthy either. But it is what it is . . . " Alan said, cutting her off. "Do you know where the mayonnaise is?"

"It should be in the refrigerator. If it's not there then it must've been thrown away this morning since a certain someone left it out all night."

The professor gave his wife a look. "I see," he finally said.

"Alan Redger, have you any idea how many things I've had to throw away because you've forgotten to put them back in the fridge when you were done?"

"I have a feeling that it's a lot, my dear. I'll try to work on it."

"You'd better," his wife sighed. "I'm tired of putting things away after you. You're a grown man, you can put away your own things."

Alan stood at the marble counter top laboring over his sandwich. Because of his earlier blunder last night, he had to go and stick around with mustard. It wasn't his favorite thing to go on a sandwich, but it was the only thing he had to choose from. He lifted a package of ham slices out of the cooler box, took a slice, and placed the package back where it belonged. "You see? Even I sometimes remember to put things back."

"I know you do, but it's not that way very oft . . . " his wife tried to say but stopped at a sound from the living room. "What was that?"

"What was what?"

"There was a sound from the living room! Do you think someone broke in?"

Alan dropped his sandwich on his plate and turned to his wife, a little worried about what she would do once she found about the little pony he had bought home with him. "Now, now, Sarah," he said, "There's no need to get yourself in a fuss. It's probably just some lamp that just fell over."

"Lamps don't just fall over, Alan! I'm going to go have a look!"

Alan tried to protest but it was far too late. A shrill scream came from the living room and Alan rushed in to find his wife stumbled back on the floor and the little yellow pony hiding and shivering behind the couch's far armrest. "Alan! What is that thing?" Sarah cried, not taking her eyes off of it.

"Now Honey . . . "

"Don't you 'Honey' me! You can't just bring whatever you want into our home!"

"Now, that's not right. I couldn't have left her . . . "

"Just how is this not right?" Sarah cried, rising to her full height. "Just what do you think you were doing? That thing doesn't even look like it's of this earth! Or even of this dimension for that matter! Come on! It has wings! Wings! That's definitely weird and you know it! And here you are saying it's not to have left it alone! It could have some kind of disease or something! Alan! What did you do?"

"Sarah," Alan sternly said. "How can you say something like that? Yes she has wings, but so what? I'm goi . . . "

"'So what?' Alan, do you even know what that thing is?"

Alan walked over to the crying little pony and shook his head as he petted her head and long pink mane.

"So you don't know? That's just great . . . "

"Sarah, go upstairs," Alan said as he sat down and wiped the tears away from the little pony's cheeks. "Let me find out what she is. Please, just go upstairs so I can think."

"Alan . . . "

"Sarah, please."

She angrily flung her hands up in the air in reluctant defeat and stormed up the stairs. Alan flinched as Sarah slammed shut the door above. He looked down at the little pony who was in a state of tears and shivers. His old heart quivered again. He picked her up and held her tight in his lap. He petted her head and neck and ran his fingers through her mane. He held her tight until she began to quiet down and fall asleep. Even he didn't know what she was exactly, Alan knew when his old heart felt love. And it was feeling it now. He continued to hold her in his lap and pet her until a coal in the fireplace popped.

When he was absolutely sure she was asleep, Alan placed her back on the couch and covered her up in a quilt. He walked to the computer in the corner of the room and turned it on. He waited. When all the icons had appeared on the screen, he opened the internet browser. It was time to figure out what he had found, that is if there was anything to find out in the first place. But there was a problem, Alan had no idea of what to search. First, he tried yellow pegasus but that came up with nothing that resembled what he had found. After a few more fruitless search attempts, he was close to giving up. But before he could stand, he remembered. His daughter Jeanette had used to watch a little show called My Little Pony during the '80's and it definitely had pegasi in it. My little pony . . . friendship is magic? . . . Is this the one she used to watch? I can't remember, he thought to himself. He tried it and hit the "I'm feeling lucky" button. He was taken to The Hub's website and his breath was caught in his throat. Right near the top of the page was the same yellow pegasus with the same long pink mane and tail.

---

Alan continued his research well into the night. It wasn't until a little after four in the morning that he finally closed the internet. He sighed. What he found wouldn't make his wife any happier but it gave some answers. Alan now knew that the little pony's name was Fluttershy and that she was really wasn't from this dimension. As he thought about it, the less everything made sense. How did she get here? Why was she here? How did any of this happen? Alan did not know. He read all about Fluttershy from the wiki page he had found. All he read seemed to match up with the little filly asleep on his couch, except for her "cutie mark". It was not there so Alan could only assume that she was younger than when she had gotten it in the show. Alan sighed heavily. The more he thought of it, the more he hurt his head. He rubbed his temples and turned the computer off. It really had been a long night.

Alan stood up, cracked his back, extinguished the fireplace, and went upstairs. He went into the bath and stood at the sink. In the mirror, he got a good long look at his wrinkling old face. His brown eyes were sagged and lined from frequent nights with little sleep. His thinning grey hair was embarrassing but he made the best of it. He was growing so old and with an unhealthy heart, Alan felt a little anxious. He rubbed his fingers across the little stub of a beard of his and went back downstairs.

"It's gonna be another long day," he said to himself. He made his way back to this living room and sat on the couch beside the sleeping Fluttershy. If he knew his wife as much as he thought he did, then there was going to be no hope in getting in the bedroom with her being as upset as she was. Alan sat in the darkness for what felt like the longest time. He was listening to the deep long breaths of deep sleep coming from his left. He turned on the TV and began to flip through the channels. All thoughts of his class tomorrow slipping from his mind. Alan was on the verge of sleep when he was pulled awake by a tug of his sleeve. He looked down as Fluttershy gave his sleeve another tug with her teeth. "What is it?" Alan asked, reaching his hand to move her mane from in front of her eyes. Fluttershy yawned and nuzzled at his elbow again, albeit a little more forcefully than before. She nuzzled again and Alan understood. He raised his arm and Fluttershy made her way and curled up against his thigh. Alan finally felt his consciousness slipping and he fell to sleep.

Alan awoke to the smell of cooking eggs.

"Alan!" Sarah called from the kitchen. "Wake up already! You're going to miss your train!"

He sat up and massaged his forehead. His temples still throbbed. "Alright. I'm up," Alan said as he stood up. His back was sore and he gave it a nice crack. That was better. He walked to the kitchen and found his wife there at the stove with a hot pan of eggs and sausage. "Good morning," he said.

Sarah turned and looked at him as he sat down at the table. "And that thing you bought in last night without me knowing is following you everywhere you go," she said with a bitter tone. She dipped some of the eggs and sausage into a plastic container and covered it in foil. "And here's this. Scrambled; just the way you like them."

"Thanks a bunch." Alan looked down from his perch and saw Fluttershy staring back up at him. "You're right. So she is," he said, "And she isn't just some thing, you know."

"And I suppose you know exactly what she is?"

"I sure do. But I'm running late so I can't tell you now," he said as he noticed the time. "She's a sort of pony, I'll explain more tonight, so she'll probably want to go outside sometime. Please don't do anything."

Sarah bitterly sighed but finally nodded as she understood. Upon seeing his wife's curt little nod, Alan gave her cheek a kiss, took his breakfast, ran to the front door, grabbed his shoes and put them on. He was about to open the door when he felt a tug from his pants leg. "Fluttershy," Alan said, crouching down. "I have to go to work. I can tell you don't want me to, but that's the way things are."

That didn't seem to help any. Fluttershy shook her head again.

"I'll tell you what. You stay here with Sarah and then I'll be home around 7 tonight. Can you wait that long?"

Fluttershy pawed at the hardwood floor before finally doing some sort of nod. "Good," Alan said as he petted her, "Then I'll be back later tonight."

With that, Alan rushed out the door into the early morning.

---

After leaving the house, Alan's day went just as they always have. He parked his car at the far end of the train platform, rushed to the ticket booth, bought his usual round-trip ticket, and rushed to the train that was about to leave. He chose his usual seat by the window, placed his briefcase in the rack, and sat down. He massaged his chest as the train began to pull away. He had rushed himself too fast.

As the train barreled past rolling fields blanketed in a veil of snow, Alan ate his breakfast. It would be an hours ride to the city of Krimling so he was in no hurry with his breakfast. He savored it. He thought of Fluttershy and what she was probably up to. He decided he would give the house a call after class had ended.

The train slowed to a stop at the Krimling Station. Alan descended behind everyone else and flagged down a cab. His college wasn't that far outside of town so the ride wasn't too long of an ordeal. When the cab pulled up at the front gates, Alan paid the fee and rushed as fast as his old tired legs would carry him. He entered the large room and sat behind the desk and waited while the class filled with students. It was time to teach.

After an hour and a half of near constant rambling on about whatever he could think of to say, Alan retreated to his office. Compared to his large home, his office was a very modest affair. It had a desk, a swivel chair, several file cabinets, a computer, and a radio.

"Nice lesson. I didn't know that the Normandy beach assault during World War II had anything to do with pianos. Or music in general for that matter," laughed a low voice from the doorway as Alan set down his briefcase.

"Styner," Alan said, turning around to face his equally old friend. Alan and him had met during their years in high school when they both joined into the Writer's Club. After their graduation, the two had gone on an extensive road-trip before settling down into their own respective schools and colleges. Alan had gone to a little school in New York where he studied art and music. Styner went west to California and studied history and English. During their university years, the two rarely spoke with each other since the phone costs were ridiculously high and they were separated by thousands of miles. After graduating university, the two rekindled their friendship and have been to this day inseparable. Styner was a year older than himself but he still had all of his hair. "You were watching?"

"Of course I was watching. You haven't forgotten what day it is, have you?"

"Of course I haven't," Alan said as he sat down in the chair behind his desk.

"I think you have," Styner said, taking the seat opposite his friend. "You were even more all over the place than usual."

"Was I?"

"Yes. You don't get that bad unless you've got something on your mind. What's up?"

Alan massaged his temples again. He regretted trying to think so hard last night at his old age. Even though it's been on his mind most of the day, he still didn't know why a cartoon character would be actual and real in his own world. "Well yesterday," Alan began, "As I was getting off the train in Westerby, I found a little something."

Styner didn't exactly understand. "So what? What's with finding a little something every now and then?"

"Well, there's nothing wrong with that," Alan replied.

"So then what's the problem?"

"Well . . . it's a little hard to explain. I actually don't even know how to explain how I should explain what it is I found."

"Well that just makes perfect sense, don't it?" Styner asked with a large grin.

"It makes no sense what-so-ever," Alan replied, a smile breaking onto his face.

"It sure doesn't," Styner agreed. Soon, both friends were laughing.

Styner stole a glance at the clock hanging from the wall and quickly stood up. "Oh well now," he said as he rechecked the time on his watch. "I've got a class to go lecture."

"Have fun."

Styner gave his old friend a parting wave and left Alan alone to his thoughts. He had forgotten to call home. Instead of worrying himself with it, he just decided that he would just check up on them when he got home. Alan looked at the clock a little after Styner had left and found himself running late again. He grabbed his case and ran to the classroom.

---

It was another hour long ride back to Westerby. The sun was beginning to set as Alan passed by the same fields he had passed earlier that day. He sat back in his seat and felt his stomach rumble. It was an anxious feeling of both having forgotten to eat again and wanting to see Fluttershy. He wasn't quite sure he enjoyed the sensation. He closed his eyes and took a short nap.

Alan awoke with a start as the train lurched to a stop. He grabbed his case from the rack and descended into the cold night again. He sparred no time with making a mad dash to his car and driving home. His wanting to see Fluttershy again weighed down heavy on him as he drove. The light from the living room was on again as he pulled into the drive way. He anxiously turned his car off, climbed out into the cold, closed the door, and clambered up the steps. He fumbled with his keys a little before he finally unlocked the door.

"Would you finally care to explain to me what this thing is?" Sarah asked as she appeared around the corner from the living room as Alan felt a pair of arms, or legs rather, wrap around his own. He looked down and saw Fluttershy with the happiest look on her face. He reached down and petted her head and brushed her mane from her eyes.

"Yeah, I'll tell you," Alan said with a sigh as he turned to face his wife. "Let's have a seat."

Alan set Fluttershy in the kitchen, led the way to the living room, and he and Sarah sat down on the couch. "So what's she all about? She doesn't act like an animal at all. More like it's as if she's human," Sarah said.

"I know," Alan said. "And it's because, in a sort of way she is. I know that sounds weird to hear, but I was doing some research last night after you had stormed away upstairs and you know that show Jeanette used to watch a lot when she was a child? That My Little Pony show? I think it may have been called "Friendship is Magic" or something along those lines. I can't remember. But anyways, that's not really important . . . no wait; it is. Anyway, this little pony here, her name is Fluttershy."

Sarah looked as if she had been hit across the top of the head with something heavy. She stuttered incomprehensibly at what she had just heard before finally saying, "F - Fluttershy?"

"Yes." Alan nodded. "Her name is Fluttershy and she is one of the "mane six" characters from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic." This certainly didn't seem to help any.

"So you mean to tell me that that thing is a cartoon character?" Sarah asked, feeling a little faint.

"Yes."

"And that for some God-only-knows reason she's somehow ended up here? What kind of nonsense are you trying to pull, Alan?"

"Nonsense? What nonsense? I'm telling you everything as I read it last night."

"Oh Alan, this doesn't help anything at all."

"I know it doesn't," Alan agreed, "But we can't just do nothing. If we set her out then someone else is gonna find her. Then more than likely, they're gonna call some government agency and then they're gonna get involved and everything's gonna turn into a big mess and God-only-knows-what will happen to Fluttershy. We can't let that happen. She's still a filly. She hasn't even got her cutie mark yet."

"Cutie mark?"

"It's a little mark on their flanks that shows what their talent in life is. Apparently, because she hasn't gotten hers yet, I'm just going on a guess that she's only several years old. in the show, Fluttershy is about twenty years old, I'm guessing. So somewhere in time, she got reverted back to filly-hood somehow."

"Alan, that just sounds ridiculous. That just sounds as if you're a magician on a stage. How do you expect me to believe any of this? This is just too outrageous."

"I don't expect you to believe me," Alan said. "I just expect that you trust me. We've been married for almost 44 years this June. I only expect that after all these years, you still trust everything I say."

"Of course I still trust you and I always will, but oh, Alan! Do you realize how ridiculous you're sounding with all this talk about a cartoon character magically coming to life and cutie marks? Do you register that that may sound as though you're beginning to lose your old mind?"

Alan sadly looked to the kitchen. "I know it doesn't make sense and I don't expect that it ever will, but I'm not gonna just throw her out just because she's something we don't understand. I fully intend to love her with all the heart this crazing old man has got left."

Sarah sat back on the couch and looked at her husband with a look of both pity and admiration. She couldn't decide which one she felt more. She too looked to the kitchen and sighed. She admitted defeat. "Fine. She can stay for whatever reason you want. But she's your own responsibility alone. You're sleeping downstairs the rest of this week and next week. I'll send down your clothes and pajamas," she said as she stood up and marched upstairs.

Alan still was sitting on the couch when Sarah came back downstairs and dropped off a large hamper-full of clothes. He couldn't believe how simple it had been for his wife to consent to it. He was bought to as Fluttershy gave his sleeve a tug. She smiled and he smiled.

Sarah was true to her word. Alan slept downstairs for the rest of the week and most of the next week and whenever Sarah would come down to fix a glass of water, she would find her husband awkwardly asleep on the couch with his little pony fast asleep in his arms.

She eventually began to love.

Next Chapter: Bonds Estimated time remaining: 11 Minutes