Blessings

>You are Anonymous
>Ponyville's resident walking, talking, hairless, suit wearing ape from Earth
>Not that it matters because your life here sucks as much, if not more, than it did back on Earth
>When you first got here, (after your initial panic attack of course) you thought it was gonna be great
>I mean come on it's Equestria right? Their main export is friendship or something
>But apparently not when it comes to humans, who tower over every pony who isn't one of the princesses
>You're a bit bigger than Luna so the tallest non-princess pony only comes up to your chest
>This of course left ponies a bit hesitant of you
>Of course you understood this and tried as best you could to show them that you didn't mean any harm
>This failed of course
>Miserably
>No matter what you did ponies just would not ease up around you
>No one would initiate conversation with you
>Though if they did they would stutter to no end and be ever so careful with their words as if you would attack them if they said something wrong
>They'd never make eye contact with you either
>Even if it would've been difficult for them to do so if they tried
>But what's more annoying is that they purposefully made an effort to avoid eye contact with you
>You've tried talking with Twilight and the girls about it to see what was going on
>Of course it was a bit redundant to ask them why ponies were hesitant of you
>Admittedly they were a lot more friendly than the rest of Ponyville
>But that didn't stop them from showing obvious signs that they were anxious around you
>Like they were just waiting for a reason to slap your shit with their rainbow powers
>Twilight said just to give the ponies time
>That they'll come around eventually
>That was 6 months ago
>Of course what happened a week back probably set you back at least 2 years
>There you were minding your own business just going for a stroll through Ponyville
>A wave to a pony here
>A smile to a pony there
>All returned hesitantly
>You had been considering giving up on the whole pleasantries thing
>Seeing every attempt you made go to shit was getting old
>Every passing day you were getting more pissed with the fact nopony was even willing to give you a chance
>Even back home you had a couple friends
>But you just had to hope that it'd come to something
>You didn't have anything else
>Then some prick pushed your last button
>Not seeing where you were going you accidentally bumped into some white stallion in a fancy suit you hadn't seen around town
"Oh sorry man, wasn't looking where I was going"
>Looking up at you he immediately backed away
>"Ugh, what exactly are you supposed to be?"
"Oh I'm a human"
>"Oh? Oh right. That thing that showed up a while back, do me a favour and stay away from me"
"Hey, dude, I said sorry, no need to be such a prick about it"
>The stallion then proceeded to shove you out the way as he walked past you
>"Whatever freak"
>He only mumbled that last part, but it was loud and clear to you
>Bringing your foot down on the stallions tail he gave a pained yelp as he was brought down
>Looking back at you he flinched to see your cold stare boring into him
"Care to say that to my face?"
>Flaring up his horn he brought his tail out from beneath your foot and turned his body to face you, trying to raise himself as best he could
>"I called you a freak, what else would you expect?"
>Those words hit you harder than they probably should have
>What should you expect?
>Especially after months of this shit?
>Not much
>But this...
>This just pushed you over the edge
>He was knocked unconscious before he even realized that you had hit him
>After that ponies started to flee from the area afraid that they might be next
>But you were too tired to be bothered with them so you went home
>You couldn't bring yourself to get up for days afterwards
>You were so tired
>Even despite the fact that the girls came to your house to bother you about it everyday
>"Anonymous? Would you please come out? We really should talk about what happened."
>Hearing Twilight's voice just made you ball your fists
>Some Princess of Friendship she turned out to be
>You wanted to tell her to piss off
>To leave you there so that the ponies could forget about you
>So they could get on with their lives
>But you're so tired, and you can't even get the energy to look at her when she peeks in through the window
>This goes on for several days
>Each girls taking their own approach to try to encourage you out of the house
>The only one's that tempted you were Applejack and Pinkie who offered you some home-cooked pies and pastries
>Especially seeing how you were beginning to run low on food
>But you were still so tired
>Eventually deciding to put starving to death back a week you finally ventured out of your house
>Walking into town you were met with many a gasp from the surrounding ponies
>Mothers held their foals closer to them as you passed
>Stallions backed away from you
>Those three flower ponies fainted
>But that's nothing new you supposed
>Finally you reach a hot carrot stand to satiate your stomach
>They were these really weird pony parodies on hot dogs
>They boiled the carrots in water to soften them up then added a truck load of herbs and spices
>Didn't taste half bad after a week of the stuff
>As you approach the stall the ponies originally in the cue bolted in all directions whilst the mare at the counter simply stood frozen
"One hot carrot"
>You were officially done with pleasantries with these ponies
>"Y-y-y-y-yes sir"
>Slumping your shoulders you knew you were in for a long wait when you saw the mare wasn't a unicorn
>Sure earth ponies are versatile with their hooves and mouths
>But that doesn't make them quick
>Hearing a few hoof-steps next to you alerts your attention to a pony next to you
>"Um 'scuse me? But is it alright if I get what this guy's getting?"
>The new voice snaps the mare to reality
>"O-of course ma'am"
>Glancing to your side your eyes are met with a green pony with pink dreadlocks and a bandana of all things
>These ponies and their backwards fashion
>Slowly looking to her side she looks you up and down, finally settling her purple eyes on yours
>"Hey man"
>Giving her a quizzical glance you simply huff and turn your attention back to your food
>Seeing that your carrot hasn't even boiled you give out a drawn-out sigh
>"Hey man, your aura is like, really not feeling too good, you ok?"
>Turning your attention back to bandana mare you try to process what the hell she just said
"My... aura?"
>"Yeah man your aura"
>She says it so casually you go through your memory to see if Twilight ever talked about auras when she tried to explain magic
>Nope nothing
>Raising your eyebrow at the mare you're simply met with a gentle smile
>"Nah it's alright man I get it, it's cool, not many ponies know about their own auras. It's kind of a bummer to not have many ponies get you"
"You don't know the half of it, believe me"
>The mare simply gives you a methodical nod
>Eventually after a few more minutes you and the other pony are given your hot carrots and you proceed to make a b-line for your house
>Only to be stopped by feeling a hoof on your leg
>Looking down you see bandana mare looking up at you with that same gentle smile
>"Hey man, like, I get the feeling that what I said back there touched a nerve, but I was wondering, since I don't have anything to do for a while, you wanna hang?"
>Pulling your leg away from her hoof you turn your body to completely face the mare
>"I could help with your aura~"
>She gives you a smirk at this and you can't help but chuckle at the strange pony
>Giving a huff you concede
"Sure why not"
>Following the mare she brings you to a spot of grass under a tree in the park
>Of course as soon as any pony sees you they scamper to the other side of the park
>Trying your best to ignore them you sit down and dig into your meal ravenously
>Bandana mare eats hers much more methodically
>When you both finally finish you jump slightly and bring your attention to the mare who is now resting her head on your leg
"What are you doing?"
>Turning her head to face you as best she can the mare looks up at you with that same stupid, (and kind of cute) smile of hers
>"Sorry man I didn't really wanna get my fur or mane to dirty, this cool?"
>Simply trying to process what the hell is going on all you can only answer with is
"Who are you?"
>Her grin widens a bit at this
>"The name's Tree Hugger. Blessings~ You?"
>"I'm Anonymous. Gesundheit I guess?"
>A look of confusion crosses the mare's face briefly until she relaxes again, giggling a bit
>"You're kinda weird you know that?"
>You tense a bit at this and turn your head away
"Yeah, in the worst way possible according to most ponies"
>You see Tree Hugger's ears twitch, catching your mumbles
>Damn their pony hearing
>"What? No way dude. You're like good weird? Is that a thing? I think it is"
>You can't help but chuckle a bit at the mare's own mumbles
>Though you stop as a look of realization crosses Tree Hugger's face as her eyes widen a bit
>"Ooooooohhh. So THAT'S why your aura is all out of wack"
>Tree Hugger then places a hoof on your side a sheepish grin crossing her face
>"Hey man I know I said I'd help with that whole 'aura' thing, but do you mind if I rest a bit?"
>Raising an eyebrow at the mare you feel yourself relax a bit
"Yeah sure go for it"
>"Righteous"
>A few seconds later you see Tree Hugger's whole body relax and your ears are met with the sound of soft snoring
>Despite the cool breeze, and the shade of the tree you don't think sleep will come to you as easily
>You don't feel too tired right now

>You've been sitting beneath this tree for several hours
>Man can this horse put away the hours
>For the most of it you've just been asking yourself the same questions over and over
>Why the heck is this pony so friendly?
>Would she be this world's equivalent of a hippy?
>What's an aura?
>Why is she so cute?
>Feeling her squirm beneath your palm brings your attention away from pondering life's greatest questions
>Wait a minute?
>Looking down you see your hand placed on her withers gently stroking her
>When did that happen?
>Pulling your hand away so you don't look like some kind of weirdo you simply watch her lazily rub the sleep from her eyes
>As she looks around and gets her bearings she looks up to you and gives you that same old smile of hers
>"Hey man. What's up?"
"Not much. You?"
>She's been asleep dumbass what do you think she's been doing?
>You mentally slap yourself before turning your attention to Tree Hugger once more
>"Not much man. I really needed that nap, thanks for being such a great pillow."
"Ummm you're welcome. I guess"
>She chuckles a bit before standing up to full height, stretching all of her joints before lying back down on the grass next to you
>Straightening your legs you stretch yourself a bit
>Hearing that familiar click from your joints you slump yourself back down
>After about a minute of silence you decide to get an answer to one of your questions
"Hey Tree Hugger. What exactly is an aura?"
>Turning herself to face you she giggles slightly as she does
>"Oooh yeah, that was a thing I wanted to look into wasn't it? Sorry man, my head's always in the clouds"
"No harm done. Just wondering is all"
>Giving you a nod Tree Hugger brings a hoof to her chin and a thoughtful look crosses her face
>Turning her head up she gives a bit of a drawn out sigh
>"Man that's kind of a hard one. Ummm it's sort of like an... energy. An energy that all living things give off."
>Giving a nod you try to comprehend that concept
"Alright, but then how was mine 'out of wack' as you put it?"
>She scrunches her muzzle a bit in thought
>"Well... the more... complex the living thing is, the more complex the aura will be, and you can get more detail from it."
>She places her hoof on the tree next to you both, drawing your attention to it
>"Take this tree for example what do you get from it?"
>Get?
>Looking at the tree you inspect it as best as you can
>Some of the bark is peeling off, there's moss almost completely covering one side of it, the branches twist and intertwine with each other, and there are numerous bugs crawling on it
>Giving a huff you turn your head to face to Tree Hugger
"I don't know... it's... old? Dying?"
>Tree Hugger gives a chuckle at your feeble attempt at botany
>"You're half right dude, whilst the tree is old it's not ready to die yet. See that peeling bark? It's like it's shedding it's skin, getting ready to provide shade for a good few decades. Not only that but it's lonely. The bugs and the moss? Those are there to keep it company because he isn't next to any of his family"
>Raising an eyebrow at Tree Hugger you try inspecting the tree to try and confirm what she just said
>Nope nothing
"You got all that just by looking at it?"
>Gently shaking her head she begins to stroke the tree
>"I got all that by looking at it's aura. You can get a lot from something's aura. From things like trees you can get a general age, and occasionally whether they're happy or not but not much else. From ponies and hu-hu-hugmanes?-"
"Humans"
>"Right, right hugh mans you can get all that and more. But that's only if they're open about it or if there is a lot of that energy coming from them."
>Taking her hoof off the tree she turns her head to face you
>"You see ponies, and I'm guessing hugh mans too, end up being a bit of a closed book to strangers, so it's hard to tell what they're feeling unless you're friends, family, or like mare and colt friends. But with you it was different, you were just burning with so much negative energy that I could feel it from the train station."
>Wow you were that pissed?
>Well it wouldn't exactly surprise you
"So auras are like the universe's most convoluted mood rings?"
>Turning her head to the side and raising an eyebrow you wave her off before she can ask
"Never mind I think I get what you mean now. But next question, how do we fix it?"
>Giggling a bit she places one of her hooves on your chest
>"Dude, you can't just 'fix' an aura, it's sort of like, who you are in a way, it's in your heart. It must've taken a long time to get it like that and it'll probably take as long to get it flowing with positive vibes again."
>Giving a slow nod you pat Tree Hugger's hoof in the vague hope she'll remove it
>Just earlier today ponies were keeping a few feet away from you and here she is using you as a pillow
"Alright then you got any recommendations?"
>Another pensive look crosses Tree Hugger's face
>"Hmmmm well... there are a few ways I know. First off lets start with... what do you think screwed up your aura?"
"Everyone here hates me"
>Tree Hugger barely finishes her sentence before you give her an answer
>You don't need one second to know what's been pissing you off so much
>Hearing your answer Tree Hugger eyes widen in surprise then her whole face drops, an almost... hurt? look in her eyes
>"Dude n-no way."
"I wish I was joking"
>Slumping back against the tree you sink until your head is resting at the very base of it
>Shuffling over to you Tree Hugger places her head on your chest
>You don't remember being a pillow back home but oh well
>"But like why?"
>Shutting your eyes you take a few deep breaths before meeting Tree Hugger's gaze once more
"I wish I knew Tree Hugger, I really do. When I first came here? The bravest ponies cowered, the rest just bolted, eventually I was brought before royalty and I was declared harmless."
>As the memory flashes in your mind you feel you hands ball into fists and feel your jaw clench
>Taking another breath you try to relax
"But that wasn't enough for ponies, I was still one of the most terrifying things that they had ever seen. Of course I understood that, some alien 3 times your size starts walking about you're gonna be scared, so I tried helping out ponies, show them I wasn't too bad. That also didn't work, and for 6 months ponies avoided me, and I doubt it'll get better since I knocked some guy out last week"
>Tree Hugger perks up slightly at this, tilting her head to the side
>"You knocked someone out?"
"Yeah it was some pretentious prick who called me a freak"
>Surprisingly instead of getting an earful about how 'that's not friendship' like the girls gave you, you hear a small giggle coming from the mare
>Raising an eyebrow she holds a hoof to her mouth to try and stifle them
>"Sorry dude I just sort of get it you know? I've had my fair share of ponies who think the same way about me. Though I'm a lover not a fighter so I let it slide. But I can appreciate why you'd do that."
>You feel a genuine smile start to form at the corners of your mouth hearing this
>Shaking her head slightly Tree Hugger clears her throat to get your attention
>"Alright, so, we know why you're so down in the dumps, now we gotta help you pick yourself up"
"Alright. What do you recommend?"
>She doesn't need to think about her answer this time
>"There are a few ways I deal with bad vibes when I get them, like meditation."
"Meditation?"
>"Yeah man, you ever tried it?"
"No. I've heard of it but never gave it a go, and I'd prefer not to"
>"Oh come on man it's not so bad, and once you get into it, it feels great."
>Sitting up you rest your head against the softest part of the tree's bark you can find
"I don't know, it just seems weird to me, maybe at some other point but I mean, is there anything else?"
>"Well there are nature walks, just wondering through a forest or something always helps clear my mind"
>Deciding that there probably isn't much else you agree and follow Tree Hugger once more
>You both pass many a pony
>All of them fleeing from you of course
>Tree Hugger's head drops when she see this
>Walking up next to her you hesitantly give her withers a comforting pat
>Looking up at you, you see that hurt look in her eyes again
>You try giving her the best comforting smile you can muster
>Luckily it works pretty well and she returns it with that smile of hers again
>"Oh umm excuse me"
>Hearing the voice both of you look towards the source of the voice
>Seeing Fluttershy, Tree Hugger perks up and gives her a hug
>You just snort and turn your head away to look at anything else
>"Hey Flutters it's good to see you."
>"Oh um hello Tree Hugger, I see you've met Anon."
>"Yeah he's a pretty righteous guy. A shame about how all the ponies have been treating him though"
>"Oh um yes, it's awful"
"Yeah you would know wouldn't you"
>You keep your voice as quiet as possible to avoid their super hearing
>Glancing at them you relax when you see no sign that they heard you
>"So Tree Hugger, are you ready for our book club session, we're just waiting on you."
>"Oh man Flutters, I completely blanked on that. Me and Anon were gonna go for a nature walk. You know, to help with the whole aura thing."
>"O-oh can it not wait?"
>"I'm sorry Flutters, but maybe next time ok?"
>"Oh um sure"
>Hugging Tree Hugger Fluttershy flutters back to her cottage
>Turning to face Tree Hugger she smiles at you and beckons you to follow her again
>Walking next to her you can't help but ask
"Why'd you rain check Fluttershy like that?"
>Tree Hugger turns her head to face you a questioning look on her face
"I mean you've know her for what? years? you met me today"
>"Yeah but like, it's not everyday you get to chill with an alien right?"
>You both chuckle a bit at this
>"But the thing is I sort of know what it's like to be alone for ages, I know it isn't a good feeling, so I wanna help you"
>You feel another smile form on your lips
>Maybe this place isn't so bad
>Maybe

>Eventually you and Tree Hugger come up to the forest wherein the Running of the Leaves takes place every year
>The race was scheduled to happen in a month so the leaves had turned golden, brown and orange and the few that had already fallen crunched beneath you and Tree Hugger as you walked the path
>I mean sure it was nice, but you don't exactly feel any better about being an outcast
"Hey Tree Hugger. What exactly are we looking for here?"
>Turning to you she raises an eyebrow and flashes you a small smirk
>"We're not 'looking' for anything dude, we're just here to appreciate nature, well... you more than me"
>Looking around you try to take in everything
>To appreciate it
>But it just all looks the same to you
>You give an exasperated sigh
>This is gonna be harder than you thought
>Feeling a hoof on your leg brings you back to reality
>Turning to Tree Hugger she gives you a reassuring smile and strokes your leg slightly
>She's a strange pony for sure but she has an even stranger way of calming you down
>"Come on. I think I know a place that you'd dig"
>Turning off the beaten track Tree Hugger goes past the tree line and deeper into the forest
>You go into a light jog so as not to lose her
>As you go deeper into the forest the trees begin to get thicker and thicker until only a small amount of sunlight pierces through the scarce openings at the canopy of the trees illuminates the ground in a light orange glow
>It seems reminiscent of the Everfree Forest only it has a more welcoming feel to it
>As you finally get a clear sight of Tree Hugger you see her standing at the edge of a forest clearing
>Finally catching up to her you feel your breath almost taken away from the sight
>In front of you is a wide clearing with an island in the middle, separated by a large moat of water
>Catching Tree Hugger looking up at you out of the corner of your eye you turn your attention to her
>Seeing her smile larger than usual you can't help but feel a bit nervous
"What's up Tree Hugger?"
>"I told you, you'd dig it"
>Well she's got you there, the place really was a marvel
>"Well come on then lets go"
"Wait what?"
>You're barely able to finish your sentence before Tree Hugger grabs hold of your sleeve with her teeth and charges into the moat
>Diving forward she ends up dragging you into the water with her
>Eventually getting past the stinging in your eyes your vision begin to somewhat clear and what you see causes you to gasp
>Losing what little oxygen you had before you were dragged in here
>Racing upwards you breach the top of the water before you pass out
>Steadying your racing heart you take a deep breath and dive under once more
>Again the stinging in your eyes slowly passes and you get a clear view of the underwater
>The water is a deep blue, shimmering from the sunlight pouring in from the opening
>Looking around you get a much better idea of just how large the moat really is
>As well as being a few feet wide, it's at least 20 feet deep
>Dotting the exterior walls are holes of varying sizes
>Coming in and out from the holes are various different fish, their scales shining from the sunlight
>Looking around you spot a circle of fish encircling Tree Hugger
>Her hair gently floats around her, curling and coiling around itself
>Her bandana had untied itself from the force of the dive and had begun floating away from her to the bottom of the moat
>You swim towards the bandana before it can hit the moat floor
>Propelling yourself upwards towards Tree Hugger you're surprised to see she is no longer there
>Or anywhere when you look around
>Doing a double take you check your surroundings to see no sign of the mare
>A tap on your shoulder however reveals her location and nearly causes you to have a heart attack in the process
>Turning around you come face to face with Tree Hugger who gently starts encircling you like the fish did with her
>Attempting to follow her movements you end up spinning around several more times than you'd like
>Tree Hugger luckily stops you before you make yourself too dizzy
>Grabbing her bandana with her mouth she points a hoof upwards and begins heading towards the surface
>Following after her you both soon breach the surface and head for the island coast
>Standing yourself up you stretch out your joints and proceed to the middle of the island
>There you collapse, comfortable in the knowledge you won't fall in the water and drown if you pass out
>Tree Hugger shortly thereafter joins you
>Sitting beside you she begins to wring out each individual dreadlock with her hooves
>Hooves. How do they work?
>Feeling her bandana drop on to your chest brings you back to reality
>Sitting up you look at her and she simply nods to it
>Getting the general idea you grip the piece of yellow floral cloth and wring out as much of the water as you can
>Satisfied with how dry it should be you hold it out for Tree Hugger
>What she does next takes you by surprise however
>Standing up she walks up to you and sits herself down in your lap, leaning her back against your chest
>Ok, apparently you've been promoted from pillow to chair
>Letting out a huff you lazily go about tying up her bandada as best you can
>Feeling the knot tighten Tree Hugger raises herself off your lap and shakes her whole body, drying herself dog stlye
>Giving a contented sigh she tucks her fore-hooves under her body and begins to rest
>Deciding to do the same you lie down and look up to the opening in the tree canopy that just a few minutes ago was so dense
>Feeling Mr. Sandman calling you, you decide to take a quick nap since Tree Hugger advertised them so well when she had hers
>You can't help but chuckle at the thought of the mare
>Tree Hugger
>The mare who turned your world upside down in a day
>As a gentle light attacks your eyes, you slowly and begrudging wake up from your nap
>As you try to sit yourself up you find yourself pinned down by a ball of green fluff
>Glancing down at your chest you spot Tree Hugger curled up on your torso, head nuzzling into your chest
>Fantastic you've gone from chair to bed
>Unable to find the strength to wake the mare you flop back down onto the grass
>Rubbing the sleep from your eyes you take in the view above
>Luna's moon is just beginning to creep into view from the edge of the clearing whilst her stars dot the sky
>You try your best to make out the constellations but soon give up on your game of galactic connect the dots
>Feeling Tree Hugger shift and squirm you glance down at her to see her stretching as she wakes
>She doesn't seem to realize you're there as she takes in her surroundings
"HEY!"
>Giving a startled shriek the mare jumps from your chest and tumbles a bit almost ending up in the moat
>You meanwhile find yourself close to losing your sides at the sight
>Getting over the initial shock Tree Hugger gives a snort at your amusement
>However a smile soon creeps on to her muzzle despite her best efforts and she ends up giggling alongside you
>Trotting up to you she gives you a soft jab on the chest
>"So not cool dude"
>You'd be inclined to believe her if she wasn't still giggling
>Though you admit you do feel slightly bad for startling the mare as you did
>Giving her a soft stroke on the withers as an apology she seems to relax under your touch and curls her legs beneath her body as she lies next to you again
>"You've really got a thing for my withers huh dude?"
>Suddenly realizing that your hand had refused to stop you quickly pull it back and give Tree Hugger a sheepish smile
"Yeah, sorry about that"
>Scratching your neck slightly you suddenly take great interest in the tree-line
>Feeling a hoof on your leg gets your attention however
>Turning your gaze back to Tree Hugger you see a small smile cross her muzzle
>"It's cool dude, it's not like I'm mad or anything, it actually feels good man. Besides I didn't get mad back at the park, why would I get mad here?"
>Chuckling to herself she gives you a small smirk and you release a breathe you didn't realize you were holding
>You go back to absentmindedly stroking Tree Hugger's withers since you got the go ahead and start gazing at the forest
>It's like a whole new place now that the moon is out
>Instead of the hazy orange that covered the forest floor like mist, instead a soft silver glow permeates the air like a thin fog
>The crisp night air has a different feel to it as well
>The leaves of the trees seem to follow the breeze, almost asking to be whisked away into the peaceful quiet of the night
>However with the night, come those who thrive in it
>Hearing the distant call of the beast of the Everfree you instinctively sit up, trying to make yourself bigger
>If the ponies were scared of your size perhaps these beasts would be the same?
>No such luck
>You spot a pair of glowing emerald eyes break the darkness of the forest
>Then another pair
>and another
>Soon there are over 10 Timber-wolves approaching the clearing
>Looking around you are thankful to see they've decided to give you a chance to run
>Sitting up and placing yourself in front of Tree Hugger you're surprised to see she doesn't seem fazed by the presence of the Everfree residents
>Making eye contact with each Timber-wolf they slow their advance, lowering themselves as they do
>Probably ready to jump the moat
>Bouncing on your legs a bit to get the blood running through them, you get ready to do the same
>The silence only makes the tension more palpable
>Then the silence is broken
>Not by a growl or a gashing of teeth
>But by Tree Hugger
>"Ooooohm nei~ei~ei~ei~eigh"
>Looking down at Tree Hugger you're halfway tempted to silence the mare until a howl from the Timber-wolves gets your attention
>Every Timber-wolf is howling along with Tree Hugger trying to harmonize with her
>Despite the fact that any sane person would be panicing out of their minds the noise calms you
>Finding your legs growing heavy you sit back down next to Tree Hugger and listen to the surprisingly calming cacophony echoing through the forest
>After about a minute the Timber-wolves drop their heads and glance up at you and Tree Hugger
>Tensing up once more they all start to gently walk up to the edge of the moat and begin drinking
>After another few minutes you hear a call in the distance
>This catches the Timber-wolves attention too as all of them point their ears towards the noise
>Giving off a harmonizing call they all take off at a sprint in the direction of the noise
>Finally relaxing you look down at Tree Hugger with a raised eyebrow
>Catching your questioning look out of the corner of her eye she looks up at you
>Getting the idea of what you're going to ask she gives a painfully simple answer
>"Auras man"
>Auras. What can't they do?
>Chuckling a bit to yourself you can't help but say
"You're kinda weird you know that?"
>Tilting her head slightly you ruffle her mane gently
"Don't worry, you're good weird"
>Smirking slightly Tree Hugger sticks her tongue out at you a bit
>Enjoying the quiet ambiance of the night Tree Hugger ends up resting her head on your leg giving a contented sigh
>Resigning yourself to life as a piece of furniture you start scratching her ears
>Initially her ears twitch to avoid your appendages but soon settle down as Tree Hugger gently leans into your touch
>Seeing her give a soft yawn you can't help but yawn yourself, hearing Mr. Sandman calling you once more
>Lying back down you bring your hand to your chest to try and get comfortable
>Not happy with these circumstances Tree Hugger climbs up you and lies down on your chest once more
>Nudging your hand you return to scratching her ears
>Though ready to sleep you do wonder about one thing
"Hey Tree Hugger?"
>A gentle hum is your only confirmation that she wasn't asleep
"Why were you lying on me earlier?"
>Better question why is she lying on you now?
>"Hypothermia man, you had soaking wet clothes"
>Makes sense
>Finally drifting off to sleep, your tired eyes miss the gentle blush dusting Tree Hugger's cheeks

>The light that attacks your eyes this time is not as gentle
>Bringing your hand up to shield your eyes you instinctively roll over to avoid getting out of bed but hearing a thump next to you brings you fully to reality
>Bringing your hand down you squint at the source of the noise and make out the outline of Tree Hugger
>Oops
>Standing up you stretch yourself out and try to adjust your eyes to the aggravating sunlight
>Looking back down at Tree Hugger you see her curl into herself tighter as the sun starts to assault her eyes
>Eventually waking up she stretches herself out on her back
>Urge to give belly rubs rising
>As she rolls over on to her front she lazily rubs the sleep from her eyes
>Seeing her smack her lips you realize just how dry your own mouth is
>You guys haven't drunk anything since before you had your Hot Carrots
>As your mind wanders to the idea of quenching your thirst you're brought back to reality by a bump to your leg
>Looking down you see Tree Hugger resting her head into the crook of your leg
>Bending down you ruffle her mane a bit
>Reacting to your touch she looks up to you with tired eyes and that same old gentle smile of hers
"Sleep well Tree Hugger?"
>"Yeah man I could've slept for hours more if you hadn't thrown me off"
>You raise a finger to argue your case but silence yourself when you see a smirk cross the mare's lips and hear a soft giggle coming from her
>Giving a huff you turn towards town
>Or was it that way?
>No? maybe that way?
>Crap
>Looking to Tree Hugger you give her a sheepish smile and rub the back of your neck
"I don't suppose you can sense the auras of the ponies back in town can you?"
>Turning her head up slightly she points her head in several directions before facing you again
>"This way dude"
>You might be a piece of furniture but she was certainly a compass
>Following Tree Hugger through the dense forest once more you start to appreciate the small details of the forest
>The chirp and twitter of the bird's
>The chill breeze
>The gentle swaying of the tree branches
>Tree Hugger
>wait what
>Snapping back to reality you realize your eyes haven't come off of Tree Hugger since your mind started to wander
>Shaking your head you look to either side to try and focus your mind on something else
>The sudden thinning of the trees works well enough
>Glancing back you see the shimmer of the moat as just a glint of light in the distance
>Turning to face the beaten path you and Tree Hugger had come off of originally your eyes are drawn to the mare once more
>Gently leaning against a tree you see her legs wobble ever so slightly and see her chest rise and fall slower and slower
>Kneeling down next to her you gently rub her ears
>Perking up at your touch she glances to you and pushes herself away from the tree to lean on you instead
>A piece of furniture you are and a piece of furniture you will stay
>You can't help but chuckle to yourself at the sight
>Bringing your hand down you wrap your arms around her stomach and chest
>As you stand up she starts to slide out of your grasp
>Placing an arm beneath her hind-legs to support them you head into the direction of town
>Walking into town you are met with gasps and wide eyes
>As you should have expected
>However a lot of the stares are more of surprise rather than fear
>Walking through town you eventually reach the park
>Placing Tree Hugger on the edge of the fountain you gently shake her awake
>As she wakes up she looks to you and tilts her head to the side slightly
"You're dehydrated Tree Hugger, you need a drink."
>Keeping your voice quiet you point to the fountain
>Taking a few seconds to process what you said she eventually nods her head and begins to drink
>This thing was one of the main sources of clean water in this town
>It had a self-cleaning spell placed on it that was redone every day to keep it clean
>Licking your lips you feel them slightly dry and cracked
>Cupping your hand you begin to drink from the fountain as well until your thirst is satisfyingly quenched
>Finally finishing your drink you're surprised to see Tree Hugger still going to town on the fountain
>Before you're able to pull her up so she doesn't drown herself her head finally emerges with a satisfied sigh
>Looking much more perkier she turns to face you with a rather large grin on her muzzle
>Glancing around you're surprised to see ponies are still in the park
>You catch a few of them casting wayward glances at you two
>Looking down at Tree Hugger you see that she's just as surprised but still waves a hoof at them every now and then
"Hey Tree Hugger?"
>Her only answer is a sideways glance whilst raising her eyebrows
"Listen, Twilight's probably worried about me so I was thinking of heading to the castle, you wanna come with?"
>Giving you a curt nod she steps down from the fountain and looks to you
>Standing up you head in the direction of the castle, Tree Hugger beside you
>Feeling her rub her neck against your hand you absentmindedly start scratching her withers
>You can't help but smile when you hear a contented sigh escape the mare's lips
>Ignoring the glances from the ponies that you two pass your eyes are solely focused on the castle in the distance
>As you two approach the door you are met by Twilight and the girls who were just leaving
>Startled by your arrival Twilight is the first to speak up
>"Anon? I didn't realize you were out of your house"
>You halfheartedly wave her off
"Hey girls"
>As you process what she just said you raise an eyebrow at her
"Wait didn't Fluttershy tell you?"
>You all turn to face Fluttershy who tries to make herself as small as possible to no avail
>"Umm I tried but you were all sort of busy talking about what to do about Anon"
>Rainbow gives an exasperated sigh at this
>"Great so we did all that arguing for nothing"
>As you see Applejack about to talk you raise a hand to get a word in edgeways before those two went off on one another
"Ummm what was that about what you were going to do about me?"
>It's Twilight's turn to try and shrink herself this time
>"We were just worried that you might not be eating so we were thinking of a way to get you out of the house... but it looks like Tree Hugger beat us to it"
>The mare in question waves a hoof at Twilight's comment
>"Blessings~"
>You can't help but chuckle at the mare
>"So Anon... are you... ok now?"
"Meh I should be fine Twilight, though I am probably gonna head out at some point"
>All of the girl's tilt their head at this
>"I'm sorry darling my hearing must be off, it sounded like you were thinking of leaving town?"
>Looking to Rarity you simply respond with a shrug
"I don't know if anything's up with your hearing Rarity but I think I need to get out of this town, see the rest of Equestria, this week has just been a bit too hectic for my liking"
>A few worried looks cross the girls' faces hearing this
>"Are y'all sure sugarcube? all on your lonesome like that?"
"Don't worry about me Applejack I'm big enough to handle myself"
>Your joke gains a small chuckle from Applejack
>"You know if it'd make you all feel better he wouldn't be alone"
>All of you turn to Tree Hugger
>Raising your eyebrows at the mare she looks up to you and gives you a contented smile
"Seriously?"
>"Yeah man, I never stick to one place anyway so why not right?"
>You feel a smile cross your face and you can't help but giggle slightly
"Sure why not"
>The mare, clearly pleased with your answer props herself up and wraps a hoof around your legs, hugging you
>Not really being able to return the gesture without making it slightly awkward you simply lean over and stroke her withers
>Finally being released you say your goodbyes to the girls as best you can
>You didn't really know them well but they did at least try with you, and you did appreciate that
>Heading back to your house you pack a bag with what little clothes came with you and were made for you by Rarity and grab a few left over bits of food you can have as a snack and head off to the train station
>Climbing aboard and finding a car you set your bag on the overhead storage (how ponies reach it you'll never know) and sit yourself down next to Tree Hugger
>Looking out the window you spot the girls waving you off at the platform
>Returning the wave you can't help but smile to yourself as the train pulls out of the station, and them out of your line of sight
>You really were gonna miss them
>Feeling a weight on your lap you look down to see Tree Hugger lying across your legs
>Bringing a hand up you begin to stroke her withers once more earning a giggle from the mare
>"You really have a thing for my withers huh?"
"Maybe, but you have a thing for my lap"
>You both share a chuckle at this and you begin to relax into your seat
>It'd be a long journey seeing Equestria
>But it'll feel shorter having her with you

>You and Tree Hugger have been riding the train for a day and a half now and you've finally pulled up into the station
>Tree Hugger said this place has a lot of things that'd help your aura
>Decent ponies
>Nice vistas
>Lovely nature
>As you step off the train you take in your surroundings
>Wow it's fucking nothing
>To either side of you is a sweeping desert with no end in sight
>As the train pulls away from the station you take in the town before you
>Applelossa right?
>It really is like something taken straight out of a westerner
>Finely sanded wood painted in various different colours make up the houses
>Meanwhile most of the ponies are wearing stetsons
>A pony clearing their throat next to you draws your attention away from the town
>Turning to the source of the noise you see a yellow pony with a brown/orange mane, a leather jacket and a stetson
>As you turn towards him you see him seize up a bit
>Fantastic
>Waiting a few seconds you snap your fingers in front of his face to call him back to Equestria
"Hey buddy, you still with us?"
>Blinking several times and shaking his head he shrinks back in embarrassment, a sheepish grin and blush crossing his face as he rubs the back of his neck
>"Mighty sorry stranger, when mah cousin told me you weren't like anything I'd seen before I thought she was just pulling mah leg but... well... I guess I stand corrected"
"Your cousin?"
>Getting a glimpse at his cutie mark it appears to be a large red apple
"Dare I guess Applejack?"
>"Yep that's her alright, she asked me to give you a personal tour of our fine town of AAAAAAPPLELOOSA"
>You step back as he suddenly rears on his hind legs as he says his town's name, accidentally bumping into Tree Hugger
>Looking back you crouch down to make sure you didn't hurt her
"You alright Tree Hugger?"
>"Yeah I'm fine man, don't worry"
>"Well. I didn't rightly know you were bringing your marefriend with you stranger"
>You turn your head to the stallion wide-eyed
>Looking back at Tree Hugger you see that she has the same look on her face, a small blush on her cheeks and with how hot your own face feels you'll bet you're just as bad
"I- she- we're- I'm- we- we're- we're not-"
>"Dude I mean- I'm not- he's not- ummm"
>Both of you can't help but incoherently splutter at the stallion, probably making you both as red as his apple cutie mark
>He holds up a hoof effectively silencing you both
>"Mah apologies, I was mistaken"
>Giving a slight chuckle he heads off the platform and into the town
>Picking up your bag you both awkwardly follow after the stallion
>After you catch up with him he speaks up again
>"So Tree Hugger huh? It's weird, I feel like I've seen you before"
>"Y- you probably have man, I travel a lot, I just uh I don't really stay in one place for too often"
>You can practically hear the blush in her voice
>Chuckling to himself you can tell that the stallion did as well
>"Well it's nice to meet you Tree Hugger, the name's Braeburn. Oh and what about you stranger? Applejack forgot to write your name in the letter"
"Name's Anonymous, my friends called me Anon"
>"You reckon I can call you that?"
"That depends on if you wanna be friends with the biggest freak in Equestria"
>That came out much harsher than you would've liked
>You guess the memories of Ponyville aren't quite gone yet
>All the stares you're getting here don't help matters much either
>"You kiddin'?"
>The stallion's voice snaps you out of your trance
>"I love makin' friends, don't matter much to me what they look like"
>Perking up a bit you feel a smile cross your lips
>Yep that's one of Applejack's 'kin' alright, as she would say
>Braeburn shows you and Tree Hugger to the doctor's, the butcher's, the baker's and, you guessed it
>The saloon
>The gentle jingle of piano music wafts through the air giving off a very inviting air
>Standing in the centre of town Braeburn turns to you and Tree Hugger with a slightly smug smirk on his face
>"So what do you make of our humble little town?"
"I gotta admit I'm impressed"
>"Pretty groovy dude"
>"Why thank you kindly, we try to give the best we can here in AAAAAPLLE-"
>"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE"
>Startled by the new voice you turn your attention down the street, your eyes locking with the gaze of a stallion with a brown coat and mane of a slightly darker hue
>Wearing a blue coat, red bandana and a tall white stetson, the silver star proudly shining on his chest ties the whole sheriff look together
>"Hooves to the skies ya varmint, or... whatever those things are just put 'em where I can see 'em"
>Turning your body to face the stallion with the thumbs in your belt you decide to tap into your inner Clint Eastwood and decide to have a bit of fun
"You mean you can't see 'em from there? Something wrong with your eyes old man? Or are you just stupid?"
>Hearing a gasp from the surrounding ponies you see the sheriff's eyes go wide at your comment
>Snorting he glares at you which you return with what you hope is a menacing squint
>As the ponies move to either side of the town you resist the urge to crack a smile and keep your face steady
>As the sheriff slowly starts walking forward you do the same
>You both stop about 15 feet from each other, eyes locked and unblinking
>Which is really hard to keep up as your eyes and his are clearly starting to water
>You both quickly blink out the dust and sand and rub your eyes until returning to your stand off
>As the sheriff hovers a hoof over his back you bring your hand to what would be a gun holster
>Licking your lips you wait for him to move
>Suddenly he draws...
>Waitisthatanapplepie?
>Finally registering it you turn to the side and let it fly by
>Quickly turning back you fingerbang the sheriff
"POW"
>Surprisingly the sheriff staggers back and drops to the floor like a sack of bricks
>Your eyes widen in confusion and you inspect your hand
>Walking over to the sheriff you crouch down next to him
>Braeburn and Tree Hugger soon join either side of you
>"What in tarnation did you do to our sheriff Anon?"
>"Dude what happened?"
"Give him a few seconds"
>"W- what?"
>Looking to Braeburn you see him trying to hold back some tears and you give him a reassuring nod
>Sure enough after a few seconds the sheriff opens his eyes and looks around
>Patting his chest with a hoof he looks up to you with a quizzical look on his face
>"What did y'all do to me?"
"I didn't do anything. That was all you"
>Giving him a smug smirk you offer him a hand up which he graciously takes
"I got you old man"
>Chuckling a bit he gives you another snort
>"Who are you calling old? I'm only thirty thank you very much"
>Chuckling a bit you grab the stallion's hat and hand it over to him
"So what's your name?"
>"The name's Sheriff Silver Star, and yourself?"
"Anonymous"
>Dusting himself off he gives you an apologetic look
>"Sorry about that whole business, but some alien comes traipsing around your town you gotta put a hoof down"
"No worries, I get what you mean, though I have to ask, why did you throw apple pie at me?"
>"Phew that's a long story, and I ain't nearly drunk enough to re-tell it"
"Well now you've got me interested, you ever get some time off maybe we could get some drinks"
>"That sounds mighty fine and I might take you up on that, but for now it's enough to know you ain't no threat, so please enjoy your stay"
>"Don't worry sheriff I'll make sure their stay here is a hoot"
>Saying goodbye to the sheriff you and Tree Hugger follow Braeburn through town once more heading in the direction of his apple farm
>As you reach the top of the hill and overlook the orchard you see two other ponies leaving what's probably the last lot of apples for the day as the sun begins to set
>Reaching the house you meet up with the two other ponies that work the farm
>One has a light yellow coat and lime green mane
>The other an orange coat with a slightly darker green mane
>"Anon, Tree Hugger, meet Apple Fritter and Apple Tart"
>Reaching a hand out you are taken aback as Apple Fritter clings to you in a hug
>Freezing in place your brain tries to process what exactly is going on
>Hearing the small mare giggle snaps you back to reality as she lets go of you
>"Sorry about that Anon, I'm a bit of a hugger"
>Luckily Apple Tart doesn't decide to crush your ribs and simply settles for a hoof-shake
>Meanwhile Tree Hugger and Apple Fritter are enjoying a warm embrace
>"Nice to meet you Tree Hugger"
>"Good to meet you too Fritter. Blessings~"
>As Braeburn clears his throat you all turn to face him
>"Well now that introductions are out of the way y'all are probably starving, so come on in so we can get dinner started"
>Following him in the house you sit yourself beside Tree Hugger at the dining table at the insistence of your hosts
>Probably a good idea, the best culinary accomplishment you've done is making a pot noodle
>Finally relaxing you feel Tree Hugger lean into your side
>You begin to wonder whether this mare is narcoleptic or just lazier than you
>Chuckling to yourself at the thought you bring a hand up and stroke her withers
>Giving a contented sigh Tree Hugger leans into you even more
>A few minutes later an apple feast is set in front of you both
>Sitting themselves down, Fritter next to you, Tart and Braeburn on the other side you all dig in
>Giving a satisfied sigh you push the third apple pie tin away from you patting your stomach happily
>Having just finished her eleventh apple fritter Tree Hugger gives a small yawn and lays herself along your lap
>You can't help but smile at the sight
>Bringing a hand up to her ears you give them a soft scratch
>Hearing a chuckle brings your attention away from the mare
>Looking up you see Braeburn looking between you and Tree Hugger
"What?"
>"Are you sure you two aren't... you know... an item?"
>Glaring slightly at his smug smirk you wave him off with your free hand
"Nah we're not together, she's just helping me through a rough patch"
>Your smile grows a bit bigger at the thought and you bring your other hand down to stroke her back and withers
>A shiver runs down her spine and another sigh escapes her lips at the extra touch
>"So Anon, where do you come from?"
>Glancing at Apple Tart you give a drawn-out sigh
"That could be a long story"
>"The sun just went down, we got a few hours to kill"
>Glancing at Apple Fritter you see her looking up at you with hopeful eyes
>Looking up at Braeburn for support he only seems just as interested in the idea
>Giving a defeated sigh you begin to tell them some tales of your life on earth
>Not really interesting to you they seem to have a new question every 5 seconds about stuff on earth
"...and that's all that really happened up until I ended up here"
>"Wow you're planet sure does sound like a strange place"
>Giving Braeburn a nod you hear a yawn come from your lap
>Looking down you see Tree Hugger tucking her legs into herself as she slightly adjusts herself on your lap
>Yawning yourself you decide to turn in for the night and head to bed
>Saying good night to Apple Fritter and Apple Tart you follow Braeburn to you and Tree Hugger's bedroom
>As you walk in you notice one fatal flaw
>There aren't enough beds
>Looking back at Braeburn with a raised eyebrow he simply gives you a small smug grin
>"Sorry Anon we didn't have enough beds"
>Slightly glaring at him now you give a grumble
"I'm gonna get you back for this"
>Chuckling to himself he closes the door behind him as he leaves
>Looking between the bed and the mare in your arms you give a small groan
>Deciding you're too tired to be bothered you walk over to the bed and lay yourself and Tree Hugger on it
>As you settle in you feel Tree Hugger stretch out and lay herself on you, her head resting on your chest
>Glancing down at her you see a small smile on her lips
>Softly sighing you give her ears a quick rub and answer Mr. Sandman's call

>A knock at the door stirs you from your slumber
>Grumbling under your breath you attempt to bury your head into your pillow some more to drown out the noise
>Sadly it does nothing to help you as another knock rings through the bedroom
>Finally opening your eyes you just manage to speak despite your voice cracking
"Come in"
>Clearing your throat you sit up against the head-rest making sure not to disturb the pony lying on you too much
>Braeburn steps into your room looking wide awake and chipper
>"Well howdy there Anon, Tree Hugger, hope y'all rested up well"
"Oh yeah it was great, though I had this awful dream that some annoying cowpony woke me up, how did you sleep?"
>The sarcasm dripping from your words is not lost on Braeburn
>Rubbing his front leg he chuckles softly to himself and gives you a sheepish grin
>"I know y'all probably aren't used to getting up this early but I thought it'd be good for you to get to know Appleloosa while you can"
>Sighing heavily you wave him off
"Don't worry about it man, can't be too bad I guess, just gimme a minute yeah?"
>Luckily a yawn comes along to emphasize your point
>Giving you a curt nod Braeburn backs out of the room
>Feeling Tree Hugger stir in your lap you glance down to watch the mare as she wakes up
>Looking up to you she gives a soft sigh and stretches herself out before flopping back down into your lap
>Gently rubbing her neck she stretches it out to give you more to work with
>After a minute of this you give it a gentle pat on the side bringing her back to reality
"Come on Tree Hugger, we gotta get breakfast"
>She gives an overly dramatic sigh at this
>"Do we have to man? I mean your lap is like... the world's best pillow"
>Chuckling to yourself you scoop the mare off your lap and place her on the floor
>Though you do so begrudgingly, her fur was like what you'd expect clouds feel like to pegasi
>As you hold the door open for her she gives a huff before following the scent of another apple based feast
>As you both enter the room your eyes are met with Braeburn, Apple Tart, and Apple Fritter already digging into another helping of apple based delicasies
>You guess that having an almost limitless supply of apples in their backyard helps
>Sitting yourself in front of a plate stacked high with pancakes you almost immediately dig in
>Eventually coming up for air and glancing to the side you see Tree Hugger happily digging into a few apple tarts
>Her frown and tiredness gone
>As you all finish off your meal you grab Tree Hugger's dish as well as your own and head into the kitchen to clean up
>As you finish putting away the dishes and turn to head back you accidentally bump into something
>Jumping a bit you calm down when you see its just Apple Fritter
"Oh, sorry Fritter didn't see you there"
>Rubbing her nose a bit she looks up to you with a small smile
>"It's ok Anon I just came to ask you something"
"Shoot"
>"Well... sorry if this seems odd, but would you be willing to help harvest some of the apples? It'd be a big help around here, and you don't have to do much, just a few trees"
>Scratching your head a bit you ponder the idea
>You don't have much experience with apple farming
>Or farming in general
>Or physical activity in general really
>Giving a small sigh you look to Apple Fritter who is using her best puppy eyes on you
>Confound these ponies they drive you to heart attacks
"I'm not really sure, maybe if Tree Hugger's up for it"
>Perking up at this she gives you a brief hug before slowly backing out of the doorway
>"That's great I'll go ask her now"
>You watch her as she races back to the table and gets Tree Hugger's attention
>You can't hear anything but you just see Tree Hugger's smile slowly getting bigger and bigger until she responds making Apple Fritter hug her
>Looking over to you Tree Hugger beckons you as she heads out the door with Apple Fritter
>Officially promoted from bed to temporary apple farmer you head off after the two
>"Alright you two if you could just do these two rows that'd be a big help, then you can head off to town. We've already set up the barrels so all you've gotta do is get the apple alright?"
>Giving you both a smile Apple Fritter heads off to join Braeburn and Apple Tart
>Looking down the row of apple trees you count at least 20 each
>Can't be too hard right?
>Looking to Tree Hugger she glances up at you and gives you a small nod and that same old smile of hers
>Chuckling to yourself you head to the first tree in your row and try to figure out how best to get the apples
>You could reach the lowest hanging ones but there were some that grew out of the top
>Hearing a resounding THWACK behind you, you turn on your heels to see Tree Hugger with all of her baskets filled
>Then she goes about turning over each apple and inspecting them
>Rolling up your sleeves you decide to climb into the tree and pick the apples from the inside out
>After scrabbling on the tree branches for a bit you finally climb into the tree
>Picking apples by the dozens from the branches you poke your head out of the leaves and drop them into the barrels below
>Glancing over at Tree Hugger you see her stroking the trunk of the same tree
>Chuckling a bit you shake your head and return to picking the rest of the apples
>Finally getting the last of the apples you jump out of the tree, picking up any that hadn't ended up in a barrel
>Hearing a THWACK you turn around and once more see Tree Hugger with all her barrels filled, looking over each apple again
>Dusting your hands a bit you walk over to the mare
>Seeing your shadow she turns around to face you
>"Hey Anon, how's your row coming?"
"Fine I guess, only got one done, but hey take what you can get"
>Giving you a nod she turns back to inspecting the apples
>Crouching down next to her you pick one up and throw it up in the air and catch it a few times
>Inspecting it you don't see anything too interesting about it
"So what're doing?"
>Turning back to you she places the apple back in its basket and looks up at the tree
>"Anon, you wanna know what's cool about the Apple's apple trees?"
"Ah yes, botany the coolest thing"
>You almost lose balance as Tree Hugger bumps into you
>Chuckling a bit you ruffle her mane as payback causing her to chuckle as well
"Alright but seriously tell me"
>Glancing at you with a raised eyebrow you give her a reassuring nod causing her to smile a bit wider
>"They're all family"
"How do you mean?"
>"Well, they've all been planted, grown and cared for by the same family for generations, of trees as well as ponies, so the trees end up connected, that's why they can move full grown trees from one orchard to another"
>You faintly remember hearing Applejack talk about that a while back
"Oh yeah?"
>"Yeah man, so they've got trees like, all over Equestria, and a lot of the time each orchard, has a tree from each other orchard, you know, and they all give off different vibes, it's nothing like I've felt in most trees. They never have to be lonely"
>You swear you see a small sadness flicker in her eyes but's it's gone as quick as it came
>She really likes her trees
>You admit, you have no idea what she's going on about, but it's not like you're gonna stop that smile
>Chuckling a bit you stand up and head back to your row of trees stretching as you go
"Guess I'll leave you to it"
>For a small while you and Tree Hugger go about harvesting the apple's in silence
>THWACK
>You climb into a tree, pick it clean of its apples
>THWACK
>Then move onto the next
>That is until Tree Hugger breaks the silence
>"Hey Anon?"
>Poking your head out of the tree you find yourself facing the wrong way and head to the other side of the tree
>Finally facing Tree Hugger you look down at her with a slightly quizzical look on her face
"Something wrong?"
>"Nah man I just wanted to talk"
"Alright, about what?"
>"Liiiike, what do you think of this place?"
>Popping your head back into the tree you decide you may as well multi-task
"It's pretty great, like you said great ponies, though I have yet to see any vistas or nature"
>"What about this orchard?"
"That's cheating it's pony-made"
>Hearing the mare laugh a bit at that you can't help but chuckle yourself
"What about you, what do you like about this place so much?"
>"You already know why"
"Yes but as far as I can tell, two of those points are exaggerated"
>"Just wait 'til the evening"
>Jumping out of the tree you head to the next one in the row
>This goes on for a while, both of you just chatting away asking different questions
>It's nice
>You haven't had a proper conversation like this in ages and it's very relaxing
"So tell me, why do you wear the bandana?"
>"What's wrong with it?"
"Nothing it's cute actually, it's just out of all the clothing options you chose that and I wonder why"
>A few seconds of silence pass and you poke your head out of the tree
>Looking at Tree Hugger you see a small blush dusting her cheeks
"What I say?"
>Seeing her blush deepen a bit she rubs her bandana a little bit
>As you go back through the conversation in your mind your eyes go wide
>Looking back up at Tree Hugger you feel your own face start to heat up a bit
>"Y- you think its cute?"
"Uh- um- I- uh- w- well I guess- I- I mean"
>'Anon.exe has stopped working would you like to send a report?'
>Your brain might of stopped but your heart drops when you see Tree Hugger's face fall a bit
"Yes, it's cute"
>You grumble it just loud enough for her to hear you clearly then head back into the tree to bang your head on a branch
>For a while there's a bit of awkward silence
>When you hit the last tree and begin picking some of the apples until you are suddenly thrown off balance as a resounding THWACK rocks the tree
>Losing your balance you go tumbling out of the tree
>Luckily you land on your ass and avoid a concussion
>Still dazed it takes a while to notice the lump underneath your legs
>Finally clearing your vision you see Tree Hugger
>Quickly pulling your legs away from her you scramble over to her
"Oh crap! Tree Hugger are you alright?"
>Groaning a bit she shakes her head a bit and looks up at you
>"Yeah, yeah man I think I'm good"
"Hold on a minute"
>"What are yo- WHOA"
>Lifting her up you very gently apply pressure to her back and chest, check for any bruising or dare you say broken bones
>The fact she doesn't react to your touch tells you she should be fine, and from that height you highly doubt she has any internal bleeding
>But then again, what do you know? Your official job yesterday was being a walking, talking bed
>Relaxing a bit you set her down beside you
"Alright, you should be good"
>She paws the ground lightly as a blush crosses her cheeks lightly
>"Thanks man"
>Standing up you head over to the last tree and pick up the apples that spilled from your fall
>Sitting against the tree trunk you let out a heavy sigh and let the tiredness overtake your body
>Feeling Tree Hugger lean against your side though keeps you in the land of the living
>Looking to the side you smile at the mare and give her ears a scratch
>Relaxing into your touch you feel her hot breath against your skin-
>First the forest now this, brain stop it
>'No'
>Swallowing a lump in your throat you shake your head and look up into the tree to help clear your mind
>However Tree Hugger soon puts a stop to that
>"Hey, you know how I said wait 'til the evening?"
"Yeah?"
>"I might have exaggerated that. Look"
>Looking over the orchard you feel your breath catch in your throat
>As the sun dips between two large desert plateaus the light turns from white and yellow, to a brilliant rusty bronze
>As the cool breeze blows past a swarm of millions of bits of dust are bathed in the light, turning countless different hues of brown and orange
>Then they're gone
>The air turns still once more and the bronze light is all that lays over the valley
>No matter where you go, this place never ceases to amaze you
>Glancing down you bring Tree Hugger in a bit closer
>Initially she tenses up but almost immediately relaxes into you again
>"Told you dude"
>Her words have an air of mock smugness
>But you can't really blame her
"Alright, alright, I guess you weren't exaggerating"
>Hearing a slightly muffed giggle come from your side you ruffle her mane only cause her to giggle even more
>Relaxing against the tree your ears perk up at the sound of hoof-steps approaching
>Craning your neck around the tree trunk you see Braeburn approaching you and Tree Hugger
>"Hey there you two, great work on the trees, it was a real help"
"No problem man, what's up?"
>"Well I was wondering if you two wanted to get something after a hard days work, like a drink on me?"
>Looking down at Tree Hugger a smile crossing her lips gives you your answer
"Sounds good to us, lead the way"
>Standing up you and Tree Hugger follow Braeburn ready to be rewarded for a hard days work

>As the three of you enter the saloon the ponies go quiet and turn to face you
>Whether its because of your 'stand-off' with the sheriff or because you're an alien you're not actually too sure
>"H- hey Anon?"
>Tree Hugger's voice isn't nearly loud enough to break the silence but she certainly catches your attention
>You don't ever really remember her using your name, she just preferred to use those nicknames
>If you could call them that
>Squatting down next to her you don't break eye-contact with the ponies in the saloon
"What's up?"
>"Sh- should we maybe go? I'm getting a bad feeling from these ponies"
>Chuckling a bit you give Tree Hugger a reassuring pat on the withers
"Don't worry Tree Hugger we'll be fine, and if not, I'll protect you"
>You give Tree Hugger a wink out of the corner of your eye and flash her a smirk
>Earning a nudge to your side you stand up and start walking towards the bar
>You manage to spot Silver Star looking your way with raised eyebrows
>"Y'all sure do know how to make an entrance. Ain't seen tension this thick since when we fought the buffalo"
"Wait what?"
>You and Braeburn sit either side of the sheriff whilst Tree Hugger sits next to you
>"Ehehehe I gotta get a bit of liquor in my system before I start talking, and before that..."
>Turning back to face the ponies in the saloon you notice that most have stopped staring but they're still silent
>"Hey you lot this ain't no funeral parlor get back to drinkin'"
>With that the soft jingle of the piano begins to slowly fill the air and the ponies begin their conversations once more
>Turning back to the bar he waves to the bartender to get his attention
>"I'm mighty sorry about that Anon, they've been a bit on edge since you walked into town"
"Don't sweat it, I sort of expect it by now you know? These lot are actually a lot better than the one's up in Ponyville, they avoid me like the plague up there"
>"Well shoot, I can't rightly imagine that. Must've been hard on you"
"Wellll... I guess it isn't too bad Braeburn, not when I've got this one with me"
>Pulling Tree Hugger into your side you ruffle her mane causing her to break out into giggles as she desperately attempts to push you away
>Finally releasing her you see a blush spreading across her cheeks
>Fixing her bandana she manages to recompose herself
>"Don't even fret about it dude, it's been pretty fun so far anyway"
>"So what'll it be for the happy couple?"
>Looking up you see a stocky stallion glancing between you and Tree Hugger
>What is up with these ponies?
"Oh no we're not- we're not together"
>"Nah man we're just together but not like, together together, you know?"
>He waves you off and gives a curt nod
>"My mistake, so what can I get you lot?"
>Looking at the chalkboard behind the counter you have absolutely no clue what to get
>You were never much of a drinker back home so you don't really know what will kill you the least
>Braeburn and Silver simply order 'the usual' which isn't much help
>"What about you two?"
>The bartender's voice brings you back to reality
"Just... give me what those two are having"
>"I'll have an appletini"
>Glancing at Tree Hugger you raise an eyebrow at her
>Looking up at you Tree Hugger tilts her head to the side slightly
>"What's up man?"
"Nothing, I just didn't take you for the fancy drink kind of pony"
>"Guess you learn something new everyday"
>Giving her a small smile your attention is drawn to the drinks placed in front of you
>Swishing yours in its glass you decide to just take a mouthful and see what happens
>Your eyes nearly pop out of their sockets as the liquid hits your taste-buds
>Forcing it down you never would've thought before today that you would gag at the taste of apples
>Hearing a chuckle you turn to Silver Star and Braeburn who are trying to stifle their laughter
"What's so funny?"
>Finally getting a hold on themselves Braeburn is the first to speak
>"Sorry Anon, we just thought you'd be able to hold your liquor better"
>The small amount of liquor in your system seems to take offence to this
"Oh yeah? I bet I could take you both"
>Both the stallions are taken aback by your challenge
>Looking at each other they both nod, grins forming on their face
>"Alright then Anon, you're on"
>Tapping the bar with his hoof Silver Star signals for another round of drinks
>Downing the rest of your drink you prepare your liver for the grinder as best you can
>Feeling a tug on your sleeve get your attention
>Turning back to Tree Hugger she has a small smirk on her face
>"Anon are you sure you wanna do this?"
>As your drink is put in front of you, you clink glasses with Braeburn and Silver and turn back to Tree Hugger holding your drink to her
>Raising an eyebrow at you, you nod towards her drink
"Wish me luck?"
>Chuckling at this she clinks glasses with you
"Well then I guess I'll be fine"
>Counting down with your fingers you, Braeburn and Silver Star chuck back the glasses and start drinking
>3 glasses later and your having difficulty staying up right
>This stuff may come in small amounts but it kicks you in the gut like a horse
>Not to be mistaken with a pony
>Apparently there are horses up in a place called Ladle Arabbita or something like that according to Braeburn who's having just as much difficulty as you
>"I gotta admit anan you're prerty good"
"You're not half bad yourself Bree"
>A drink or two later and the three of you are laughing your asses off
"You're fucking kidding me"
>Silver Star is barely able to get a word out between his fits of laughter
>"I swear, she had that weird feather hat and everything. She even tried dancing on her hindlegs"
>This brings on another bout of laughter from the 3 of you and causes the sheriff to lean too far back and end up on the floor
>For a moment you and Braeburn are silent as you inspect the sheriff
>Seeing his chest rise and fall assures you he's not dead
>Looking back up at Braeburn you both burst out into laughter again at the sight
>After a few minutes Braeburn ends up passed out on the bar and you're left with Tree Hugger
>Turning to Tree Hugger you lean down to eye level with her
"Heeeey Trer- Tra- Tree- Tee- T! Hey T"
>Pushing you away a bit with a hoof Tree Hugger giggles at your antics
>God you love that giggle of hers
>Wait where did that come from brain?
>'Brain is not here right now please leave a message'
>Well that's fantastic
>"Heya Anon, you feeling alright?"
"Yeeeeah, yeah I'm great, this was great, you're great"
>Your brain is still off duty and you don't register your own words
>However you do register that hiccup
>Turning back to Tree Hugger you see her swaying slightly and covering her mouth
>As you're about to say something a hiccup of your own escapes your mouth
>Covering your mouth you begin to giggle a bit
>Tree Hugger soon joins you and for a while that's the only sound in the saloon
>"Hey Anon?"
>Calming down a bit you look down to Tree Hugger
>"Yeah T?"
>As she leans into you, you almost instinctively bring a hand up to stroke her withers
>"Why did you say I'm great?"
>Feeling your face heat up you lean your head back and try to think of a way to not look like a complete idiot
>'Damage Control.exe not found'
"Because you are, not much to it"
>Well that didn't work
>"Yeah but like... why?"
>Feeling a hoof on your chest you look down to see Tree Hugger looking up at you with slightly sad eyes
>Though your brain isn't working completely you do know you don't like seeing ponies sad
>Bringing your other hand up you give Tree Hugger a small squeeze
>Hearing a small 'eep' causes you to smile as she relaxes into the hug
"Well... you... didn't care"
>This earns you a quizzical look from Tree Hugger
>"How do you mean?"
"You... didn't care that I was, well, me. You didn't care how big I was, or how different I was. You just... wanted to know me."
>Looking back down at Tree Hugger you see her eyes widen slightly as a blush forms on her cheeks
"You're really great Tree Hugger, so thanks"
>A smile begins to form on Tree Hugger's lips as she stands on your legs, wrapping her fore-hooves around you neck
>Returning the hug your face gets buried in her mane
>She has a very earthy smell mixed with berries
>As you pull away her eyes still show a small amount of sadness in them
>Booping Tree Hugger she scrunches as she rubs her nose a bit, giggling
>Satisfied that you have made the pony not sad something clicks in your mind
>Got here by train, leave here by train
>Picking up Tree Hugger you start staggering towards the door
>"Anon what are you doing?"
"You're too drunk to go home Tree Hugger I'll drive"
>Your words come out slurred as you head for the train station
>Luckily the train runs 24/7 so it turns up just before you pass out
>Stumbling through the train you eventually find a car with an empty seat
>Flopping down on it with Tree Hugger on your chest you feel the alcohol more and more as your eyelids get heavy and your muscles relax
>As the train lurches forward Tree Hugger's voice keeps you awake somewhat
>"Hey anon?"
>All you can do is incoherently mumble at this point
>"Where are we going? I never told you where my house was"
>Your eyes crack open a bit as you realize your mistake
"Crap"
>Those are the last words you're able to get out before you finally pass out
>Tree Hugger soon joins you after her efforts to re-awake you prove pointless, nuzzling her head into your chest

>The high pitched screech of the train coming to a halt shakes you out of your sleep
>Clamping your hands down on your ears you desperately try to hope for some peace and quiet to nurse your hangover
>Sadly it does nothing as the conductor makes his calls
>"MANEHATTAN STATION! ANYPONY FOR MANEHATTAN STATION!"
>Wait a minute
>Mane-hattan?
>Opening your eyes a crack to block out as much of the sun as possible you crane your head back to try and get a glimpse out the window
>You get a brief glimpse of buildings that stretch too far up to see all the way to the top
>Taking your hands off your ears you catch brief snippets of yells and arguments
>Your eyes snap open and you feel yourself seize up a bit
>Your breath gets hitched into your throat, your limbs go stiff, your heart starts to race
>Whilst your curiosity tells you to go explore, every other part of you is telling you to leave
>"Anon?"
>The sound of Tree Hugger's voice snaps you out of your trance
>Looking down at her you see worry in her eyes
>"Hey man are you ok?"
>Looking back out the window you're thankful that the feeling of dread doesn't return
>Swallowing a lump in your throat and taking a few deep breaths you stand yourself up as best you can with a hangover
"Y- yeah Tree Hugger, just uh just trying to get over this hangover"
>One look at Tree Hugger tells you she's not convinced
>Giving a sigh you bring your face into your hands to try and clear your head of this damn hangover
>But when has that ever worked?
>Sticking your hands into your pockets you lazily start trudging through the train
>As you hop onto the Manehattan platform you're glad to hear Tree Hugger trotting behind you
>As the train pulls away you take in the surrounding sights
>Ponies selling greasy food on the street corners
>Newspaper stands
>Even a few stalls selling cheap clothing (in quality as well as price you notice)
>Wow, when did you turn into Rarity?
>You softly chuckle as you think about the girls and Spike, a small smile tugging at your lips
>They really were some of your best friends here in Equestria
>Maybe you could go visit them at Hearth Warming
>It is coming up soon if you remember correctly
>That'd be nice
>Though you'd have to bring Tree Hugger with you
>Over the few days you've known her she's been a really good friend to you
>Though you guess you could count the ponies you met in Applelossa as friends too now
>Yet your alcohol addled brain didn't even say goodbye to them
>Cursing yourself under your breath you shake your head free of the thought
>You could probably just send them a fruit basket
>Maybe make sure there aren't any apples in it just to mess with them a little
>"HEY I'M TROTTIN' 'ERE"
>"OH YEAH WISE GUY?"
>"ARE YOU KIDDIN' ME? WHAT'S WITH THIS PRICE?"
>You bring your hands back down on your ears to try and drown out the yelling
>Shaking your head you eventually get used to the volume and can finally hear yourself think again
>Feeling Tree Hugger bump into your side you look down to see her shrinking into your side slightly
>Her eyes are darting back and forth rapidly, her legs are shaking, and her chest is rising and falling rapidly
>Quickly crouching down you bring a hand up to her withers
>Jumping a bit at the sudden contact she soon visibly relaxes when she realizes it's you, though not enough to stop shivering
"Hey Tree Hugger?"
>Whilst she tries to focus on you her eyes keep darting back to the bustling streets
>Cupping both her cheeks with your hands you bring her head to focus on you
"Tree Hugger. You're ok."
>Your words are soft but firm and they seem to get through to Tree Hugger over all of the obvious over stimulation
>Closing her eyes and taking a few deep breaths Tree Hugger finally seems to get a hold on herself
>Looking back at you once more she gives a reassuring nod
>"Ok, I'm ok."
>Giving her a reassuring nod you ruffle her mane a bit and stand up
>As you both start walking through the streets of the city you eventually get to narrower streets where there aren't as many ponies or carriages
>The most prominent sound now is the methodical clip clop of hooves on cobblestone
>"Hey man, sorry about what happened back there, I'm just not used to... well... any of this."
>Looking down at Tree Hugger you see her pawing at the ground slightly
>Crouching down next to her you reassuringly rub the side of her neck
"Hey it's no problem Tree Hugger, I get it"
>"Y- yeah I guess you would if your reaction on the train is anything to go by"
>Feeling your face heat up slightly you clear your throat and turn away to try and hide it
>However Tree Hugger's giggles tell you that it's useless
>Chuckling yourself you straighten yourself up and glance around the city
"Well yeah, but... it wasn't for the exact same reasons"
>This earns you a head tilt from Tree Hugger
>"How do you mean?"
>Sighing you feel your smile drop a bit
"I'll... tell you another time maybe"
>Giving a huff you bring a hand up to stroke Tree Hugger's withers
>Leaning into your touch a bit she begins to walk down the street once more
>Keeping pace with her you bring your hands back into your pockets and take in the sights
>Buildings that tower over everything else you've seen in Equestria line the streets
>Some of them could even put Canterlot buildings to shame
>As you admire the buildings you glance down at Tree Hugger
>She seems to be trying her best to avoid looking at them and when she does you swear you see a small glare cross her face
>Just as you open your mouth to speak the smell of food wafts by
>Turning your head you see a restaurant just across the street
>Many ponies walk past it undoubtedly too busy heading towards their jobs to stop by
>Yet you spot a small family clearly set on dining there
>The mare is leaning against her husband as they slowly make there way to the restaurant
>A small colt darting between there legs, bouncing up and down and trying to pull them towards the restaurant
>The sight brings another small smile tugging at your lips, yet also leaves you lacking an appetite
>As you and Tree Hugger continue down the street you come across a cozy little park
>Looking down at Tree Hugger you see that she's still trying to avoid looking at the big city
>Maybe this'll cheer her up
>Ruffling her mane works sufficiently enough at getting her attention
>As she looks up at you with a questioningly look on her face you nod towards the park
>Finally noticing it she perks up and nods her head trotting towards it with a little spring in her step
>As you both find a bench to sit on Tree Hugger lays her head on your lap and takes in the scenery
>Scratching her ears she begins to relax
>For a while you two just sit there enjoying the scenery
>At least you do, Tree Hugger's constant shifting on your lap tells you she's still a bit on edge
"Hey Tree Hugger?"
>Turning onto her back Tree Hugger looks up at you with that same old smile of hers
>"Yeah Anon?"
"Are you feeling ok?"
>She tucks her hooves into her chest slightly at this, shifting around once more
>"I'm alright it's just... this place it feels so... off."
>Raising an eyebrow at this you bring a hand to her belly and begin softly stroking it in an attempt to soothe her
"How do you mean?"
>"I mean... I'm not really feeling anything here, like it's not really nature"
"Is that why you were trying to avoid looking at the city? I guessed you don't come to these places often so I thought you'd be taking in the sights more. But whenever you did it sort of looked like you were... angry at something"
>Flipping back over she starts to tuck her legs into herself, but it looks more like she's trying to shrink back more than anything
>"I- I... yeah, I guess I was"
"But why?
>Giving a sigh Tree Hugger points her hoof towards the trees
>"Anon look around you, this place, these trees, none of it is... right."
"How do y-"
>"Anon, just... look"
>Glancing around at the park you don't see anything that you would call wrong
>The air is cold leaving a slight dusting of frost on the nearly barren trees
>What few leaves are left on the trees have changed colors with the passing of the seasons as they sway from side to side
>The branches they cling to twist and intertwine with each other
>Looking down at Tree Hugger you see a sad almost defeated look as you open your mouth to speak
>Celestia you hate seeing her like this
>Closing your eyes you take a few deep breathes, clear your mind, and try to appreciate it all, just like Tree Hugger told you all those days ago
>Opening your eyes again you focus on the trees and your surroundings and notice something
>The air isn't cold. It's thick and still, not a breeze passes you as you sit there
>The leaves upon the trees aren't swaying. They're drooping, dry and crinkled. They're dying not changing color
>The trees only look so barren because no leaves litter the ground, they've all been cleared away
>The branches aren't intertwining. They're fighting, fighting for the sunlight that's so sparse here because of the towering buildings surrounding the park
>You slump your shoulders and your mouth hangs open in slight shock at the sight
>How did you not notice this before you wonder
>"Ponies always praise Manehattan..."
>Looking down at Tree Hugger her own body mimics yours as her eyes look over the park
>"They're all so enamored with how 'grand' the city is, with... the buildings that let earth ponies touch the sky. That they forgot what they had to give up to make it. This used to be the site of one of Equestria's greatest forests. My grandmare used to walk that forest all the time, see all the different plants and animals... the lumber was used to help build all of this. So when I see this place I- I just..."
>Her words come out slower as her voice begins to quaver, soon whimpers escape her mouth as tears form in the corner of her eyes, sobs soon wracking her body
>Bringing an arm underneath her barrel you sit her up on her haunches and bring her into a hug
>She wraps herself around you tightly, burying her head into your chest as she allows the sobs to overtake her
>Each one breaks your heart more and more
>You knew she was passionate about nature but you didn't realize it went this deep
>As you lay your head on her shoulder to try and comfort her your eyes wander to her cutie mark
>It's a single tree, it's boughs forming a pink heart
>You feel your own heart drop at that
>Her calling is to love and care for nature no matter if it's a lush forest, or a dry desert canyon
>How else would she react
>Wrapping your arms around her tighter you stroke her back and gently begin to rock her back and forth trying to calm her
>Eventually burying your head into her mane you drop your voice to a whisper so only she can hear you
"I understand."
>You feel her sobs slow at your words
>Now laying her head on your chest she looks up to you with sad eyes
>"W- what?"
>Her eyes are puffy and red, her words coming out through stutters
>Cupping one of her cheeks you wipe the tears away with your thumb as you use the other one to straighten out her dreadlocks
"I understand... what's it's like to lose something."
>Her eyes widen at this and her face drops, her mouth quivering
>"O- oh... oh y- yeah I- I guess you would."
>Burying her face in your chest once more, she begins to sob
>"Celestia I must look s- so stupid, I just, I- I an- and you were..."
>Rubbing her back once more you try to soothe her
"Shhhh shhh shhh shhhh, it's ok Tree Hugger. I didn't mean it like that. You have every right to feel this way"
>Tree Hugger looks up at you once more, slight confusion on her face
>"Then... then how did you mean?"
>Sighing you glance out of the park to the city streets
"Do you remember how I used to not understand nature here?"
>Still sniffling Tree Hugger simply settles with giving you a nod
"Well there's a reason for that. I was raised in a sub-urban area, not too far from nature, not too far from a city. Because of this I... didn't really get a taste of either. But when I did my parents chose to take me to a city. So a lot of the memories I remember the most vividly were memories from there. When I was brought to Equestria I thought I wouldn't see anything like that again. Then we turned up at the station. I looked up and saw those giant buildings once more and I froze up on the spot... I thought I was back home"
>'I thought I had lost you'
>Looking down at Tree Hugger you're glad to see the tears have stopped, yet a sadness still lurks in her eyes
>Bringing a hand up to scratch her ears she leans into your touch, a small smile gracing her lips
>"I think I get it. You got torn away from what you love, and this place reminds you of it"
"Yes, but not exactly what I was getting at"
>Now surprise takes place in her eyes
>"Then what do you mean?"
>Rubbing her withers you give her a smile and begin to slouch a bit on the bench
"I understand why this place brings you down so much. But I do have some good memories from visiting cities, so I'm gonna help you get those same memories"
>This seems to get Tree Hugger's attention as she raises an eyebrow at you
>"How?"
>Bringing your face an inch away from hers you spot a small blush cross her cheeks
"Trust me"
>Picking her up you stand up from the bench and place her beside you
>You now head to the entrance of the park
"Hey you hungry?"
>Taken slightly aback by your sudden question as she opens her mouth the growling of her stomach gives you your answer
"Well alright then"
>As you and Tree Hugger make your way back down the street you keep a hand on her withers, helping her to relax as she slowly takes in the buildings
>Finally reaching the restaurant you hold open the door for her
>As you follow behind her you both come up to the main dining room
>Only a few ponies are eating right now so hopefully not too many will notice you
>As you take in the very plain decor a serving pony comes up to you two
>"Table for two?"
>Giving him a nod he escorts you two to a table
>Sitting yourself down you are both handed menus
>"Can I interest you both in an appetizer?"
>Looking at Tree Hugger she gives the serving pony a nod
>As he trots off you take a look at the menu
>Wow this stuff is expensive
>Your attention is drawn away from the menu as your appetizers are put in front of you
>What is this an appetizer for ants?
>Squinting slightly you try to find the rest of it
>Looking up at Tree Hugger seems as confused as you
>Shrugging you plop the piece of food in your mouth and only just manage to swallow it
>Tree Hugger is not so lucky
>"Ugh that was awful"
"I know right?"
>Looking around you don't spot any serving ponies
"Hey Tree Hugger, you ever hear of dine and dashing?"
>"No, why?"
"Well you're about to learn"
>Placing the menu down you signal for Tree Hugger to follow your lead
>As you both shuffle out of the booth you begin to creep towards the exit
>Looking back you see the same serving pony staring at the now empty booth
"Now we run."
>"Wait what?"
"Run."
As you take off into a sprint Tree Hugger soon follows behind
>Bursting out the front door you hold it open and signal for Tree Hugger to start heading down the street
>As you both make your way around the corner you hear a call coming from behind you
>Pulling Tree Hugger into an alleyway you try to catch your breath, hearing Tree Hugger begin to giggle a bit
>Looking up at her she begins to laugh a bit
>"Dude, I can't believe we just did that"
>Chuckling yourself you wipe the sweat from your brow and stretch yourself out
"Yeah, well they should've made better food"
>Playfully hitting your leg with her hoof Tree Hugger looks up at you with a small smile on her face
>"Alright then. What next?"
>Hearing your own stomach growl you shrug your shoulders and start heading to the other end of the alley
"We get some real food"
>Looking down both ends of the street you spot a Hot Carrot vendor
>Walking over to the surly looking stallion you order two Hot Carrots
>Tree Hugger leans into your leg slightly whilst you wait
>Scratching her ears elicits a slight giggle and sigh from the mare
>As the stallion hands you the Hot Carrots you reach into your pocket and bring out a few bits you usually left in there just in case
>As you and Tree Hugger head through the city you both walk in silence as you enjoy your Hot Carrots
>As you finish them off you sit down on a nearby bench to relax
>Eventually looking towards Tree Hugger with raised eyebrows you give her a small nudge to her side
>Backing away from your touch she faces you
>"What?"
>Wiggling your eyebrows at her, a small giggle escapes her lips
>"What?"
"Well, how is it so far?"
>Giving a huff she waves you off with a hoof
>"Don't get ahead of yourself dude"
>Leaning towards her you ruffle her mane a bit
"Oh come on"
>Rolling her eyes she glances at you and a small smirk starts to grow on her lips
>"Alright, fine. I guess that wasn't too bad."
>Smirking yourself you slouch on the bench a bit
>"But I hope that isn't all you've got"
>Hearing a bit of smugness in her voice you give a small chuckle
"Give it time"
>Pondering new things for you both to do a cheer from behind you grabs your attention
>Standing up and looking over the small wall at the source of the noise
"Hey Tree Hugger"
>As she looks up at you with a raised eyebrow you nod your head towards the other side of the wall
>Standing on her hind-legs she looks over the wall herself and her eyes seems to light up just a bit
>You've never tried ice-skating but it certainly looks fun
>Heading down the steps you and Tree Hugger have to use the last of your loose bits to pay for the ice skates
>Luckily they manage to find some minotaur sized skates that, while snug, fit you well enough
>Stepping onto the ice you immediately lose your balance and end up on your ass
>Giggling at your misfortune Tree Hugger steps onto the ice next to you and joins you on the floor
>Chuckling yourself you stand up, supporting yourself on the wall, then let Tree Hugger use your arm to support herself
>As you both get comfortable with at least being still on the ice you push off from the wall
>Going a few feet forward you try to push yourself forward with a skate
>Which ends up with you spinning several times and ending up winded on your front this time
>Tree Hugger attempts to slide towards you but ends up losing balance, her legs sliding out from under her
>Her muzzle ends up booping into your side as she comes to a halt next to you
>For a while you both lay there until Tree Hugger begins to giggle
>Feeling a smile creep up on your own face you soon join her, chuckling at both of your misfortune
>Sitting up you notice you're both in the center of the rink
>Not really feeling like sliding against the ice like a dog towards the wall you decide to try and get up without it
>Placing your hand on Tree Hugger's sides she hooks her fore-hooves around your arms
>You both finally manage to stand up after a few minutes
>"Alright what now?"
>Looking around you try to see how ponies skate to get an idea of what to do
>As you attempt to skate forward Tree Hugger is dragged along with you as one hoof is still wrapped around one of your legs
>Feeling your leg wobble a bit you place a hand on Tree Hugger's back
>Feeling yourself steady you try to skate forward again
>Feeling a bit more confident Tree Hugger begins to skate forward herself
>As you both sync up your skating you eventually start skating around the wall
>It's not much, but it's still fun
>You are both terrible at it compared to the other skaters but whenever one of you messes up you both can't help but laugh
>After about an hour of this you both head back to the entrance to the rink and take off your skates
>Handing them back to the staff you both head back up to the main street
>"That was fun"
>Perking up a bit at this you look down to Tree Hugger who has that old smile back on her face
"Yeah?"
>"Yeah man, it was really nice"
>Feeling a goofy smile cross your lips you try to think of new ways to enjoy the city
>As you walk along the street you notice a flyer stuck to a pole
>'Mid-Winter Music Festival Premiere. For years now we have had the tradition of reviving our community theater in mid-summer, but we thought we could start a new tradition in the spirit of the old. In celebration of the approach of Hearth Warming, just as when the tribes came together and put aside their differences for friendship we wish to bring together all forms of music and simply enjoy the company of our fellow city folk.'
>Showing the flyer to Tree Hugger you both agree to give it a go
>It might be good to see the ponyfolk here getting along for a change
>As you and Tree Hugger approach the address of the festival you notice that it is actually a large park rather than some sort of club as you had initially assumed
>As you enter the park you glance down at Tree Hugger
>You're happy to see that she has perked up significantly compared to earlier
>But then again this park is in much better condition than the other one
>A large open space with only a few very small buildings near it but not near enough to be harmful to the wildlife
>Spotting a large stage at one end of the park you assume that, that is most likely where the performers will play their music
>Approaching it you spot a mare with a cream coloured coat and a light blue mane
"Uh excuse me?"
>As the mare turns to face you she jumps back a bit
>"OH oh my w- wh- um who are you?"
>She attempts to keep a politeness but her words still come out shaky
"I'm Anon. Are you the one organizing this?"
>Holding out your hand to the mare she flinches slightly then looks at it curiously
>Getting the general idea of what you're trying to do she cautiously places her hoof in your hand
>Gently shaking it she eventually returns the shake and visibly relaxes
>"Well i- it's nice to meet you Anon. I'm Coco Pommel and yes, I am the one organizing the festival, although it won't be starting for a few more hours. If you don't mind me asking why are you here so early?"
"We thought we might check this place out beforehand. See if there was any way to help?"
>Glancing around you try to spot anything that looks like it needs work or something
>However the park seems to have already been well tended to
>The stage looks almost brand new and the park seems to be free of any weeds
>"Well luckily a lot more ponies are giving a bit of their time to keep the area in good condition so there isn't really much you can do. Except maybe you could help with advertising?"
>Raising an eyebrow at the mare you glance down at Tree Hugger to see her giving the mare a questioning look as well
"Advertising?"
>"Yes well I know I didn't give the best first impression and I maybe shouldn't be asking you to do anything for me. But if it isn't too much to ask I feel like you two could help get ponies interested in this event if you'd be willing to."
>Looking down at Tree Hugger she meets your gaze and shrugs her shoulders
>"I'm cool with it if you're cool with it man"
>Feeling a smile grow on your lips you turn back to Coco
"Alright then we'll help out"
>"Oh that's wonderful, thank you both"
>Showing you both to a stack of flyers Coco tells you both about some of the places that ponies congregate the most in the city
>Stack of flyers in hand or, on back in Tree Hugger's case
>God damn pony physics
>You both head out into the city
>First stop the Train Station
>Standing at the main doors of the station you hand out flyers to any pony that'll take them
"Music Festival later today you should stop by"
>"Hey man we're gonna get some great music flowing later today you should stop by"
>A few ponies ignore you both completely but surprisingly a lot of ponies take the flyer
>Admittedly you spot a lot of them staring up at you as they grab a flyer and 'read' it
>But hey it works at least
>Accidently dropping a flyer into the bustling crowd one of the ponies ends up slipping on it, knocking the ponies around him down, which eventually turns into a chain of domino ponies
>Freezing in place you and Tree Hugger glance between each other and the mess of ponies in front of you
>All the commotion draws the attention of passing ponies
>Mainly to the two of you
>Slowly picking up the flyers you both start backing away
>"HEY YOU TWO!"
>Turning on your heels you see one of the conductors heading your way
>"BOOK IT"
>Looking down at Tree Hugger she winks at you, giggling as she gallops away
>Chasing after your partner in crime essentially you two manage to lose the conductor a few blocks down
>"STOP"
>The last words of the conductor fade into the distance as you try to keep up with Tree Hugger
>You say try because, despite being a very chill pony, she was able to put a big distance between you two with her four legs
>Finally catching up with Tree Hugger you raise your eyebrows at the mare
>Catching your questioning look she shrinks back slightly, a sheepish grin on her face
>"Sorry about that dude, just wanted to see what it was like"
>Chuckling to yourself you put your hands on your knees to support yourself as you get your breath back
"We keep this up Tree Hugger and we'll be chased by the royal guard soon enough"
>Smirking at Tree Hugger causes her to join you, giggling slightly
>Finally calming yourself down you clear your throat to get Tree Hugger's attention
"So where to next?"
>A thoughtful look crosses Tree Hugger's face as she gazes upwards
>"Um I think she said the marketplace was another good place to try"
"Well then after you"
>Waving your arms towards the end of the street Tree Hugger raises her own eyebrows
"What"
>"Um dude?"
>As she points a hoof down another street you follow the hoof to spot two lines of stalls selling various products
>Straightening up you clear your throat and try to hide your embarrassment
"Ummm I knew that?"
>Simply rolling her eyes Tree Hugger starts trotting down the street
>Following behind the mare you stop at a few stall to check out anything that might be worth buying as well as try and give out a flyer or two
>You get shot down a lot of the time
>"Look pal I got a living to make here, I ain't got time for your festival"
>Looking to the other side of the street you see Tree Hugger having just as much trouble as you, but also taking particular interest in a stall
>It's too bad you used up the last of your bits on that ice rink
>Reaching the end of the street neither of you are a single flyer lighter
>Sitting down on the curb you both give a drawn out sigh
>"Well that's a bummer"
"Don't sweat it we'll get the next lot Tree Hugger"
>Giving the mare a reassuring smile does get her to perk up
>However seeing her sit up straight gets your attention
"Something up?"
>Seeing a smirk grow on her face she begins to toy with one of her flyers
"Tree Hugger I don't like that smirk, not much good has come from that smirk"
>"Oh hush"
>Giving you a gentle jab to the stomach with a hoof Tree Hugger finishes fiddling with her flyer and holds up a paper airplane
>Wait how would they know about those?
>Seeing your curious look she glances down and paws at the ground
>"I know mini-kites are a bit foalish but... just trust me on this"
>Giving her a shrug you look over your shoulder and watch with amusement as she places herself in-between the end of the two rows of stalls
>Flicking her ears back and forth she moves her hoof back and forth and waits
>As a small gust of wind goes past she lets the paper ai- "mini-kite" go
>Following the gust of wind it ends up sticking into a stallions's ear
>Flinching in shock the stallion grabs hold of the flyer and glares up and down the street
>Not second guessing you and Tree Hugger he unfolds the flyer and actually begins reading it
>You see his eyes light up slightly
>Nodding to himself he puts the flyer to one side and goes back about his business
>Looking down at Tree Hugger you see her fore-hooves trotting on the spot lightly as she looks up to you with raised eyebrows and a grin on her face, a small amount of smugness in her voice
>"Well?"
>Ruffling her mane a bit causes her to giggle and push your hand away
"Alright alright, that was pretty good"
>For a while you sit there and watch as she repeats the process
>This time hitting a mare in-between the eyes and another stallion on the muzzle
>Deciding to give it a try yourself you fold one of the flyers into a paper airplane as best you can and give it a throw
>Your attempts do not go as well
>Yours end up on the roofs of the stalls, hitting the sides but never getting a pony
>In mild annoyance you scrunch up one of the flyers and try your pitching arm
>Surprisingly you nail a pony shopping in a group in the back of the head
>Picking up the flyer they end up reading it and showing it to the rest of the group who all seem to nod at each other
>This continues for a while, Tree Hugger's mini-kites sailing on to ponies with ease
>Your paper balls nailing ponies in the heads and neck
>You both even making a game out of it
>Your pride is disappointed in you when you lose as you use up the last flyer
>Heading back to the park you notice Tree Hugger a bit tensed up from the running and throwing
>Rubbing her withers gently she leans into your touch almost instinctively giving a relieved sigh as her shoulders begin to relax slightly
>As you approach the park you spot dozens, no hundreds of ponies filling the park, waiting for the show to start
>There's even what looks like a mosh pit near the stage
>Wow for a bunch of uptight city ponies they look ready to party
>As you both enter the park you hear some murmurs from a few ponies
>"Hey isn't that that thing from the station?"
>"Oh yeah I think he's the Anon?"
>"The Anon?"
>"A friend of mine spoke with that Coco pony and she said, that she said he's Anon. Whatever that is"
>Huh, these ponies just keep surprising you
>As you come to a stop in front of the stage with Tree Hugger in tow she leans into your leg as you wait for the show to start
>Hearing the clopping of hooves on wood you glance to the side to see Coco Pommel making her way up to the stage, legs shaking as she does
>"Uh um hey there everypony we're happy to ha-"
>"WHAT?"
>"CAN YOU SPEAK UP?"
>"O- oh dear um uh..."
>You feel awful for the mare, rubbing the back of your neck you feel a hoof poking your side
>Looking down at Tree Hugger you see her with THAT smirk again
>oh no
>Crouching down to her level you raise an eyebrow at her
"What is it this time?"
>Despite the mock defeat in your voice you can't help but smirk at what might possibly be running around that mare's mind
>"Dude you should like, go up there and do the announcement"
>Your smile drops at this, you weren't a people person, and you certainly aren't a pony person
"Um no"
>Standing up you face the stage trying to ignore the pawing of your leg and the various different forms of "come on" coming from the mare
>Giving a defeated sigh you shoot Tree Hugger a small glare then pull yourself up the stage
>This causes a bit of a stir in the crowd but a raise of your hand lowers it to a mutter
>"Uh um Anon, s- sorry b- but you're not supposed to be up here"
>Glancing at Tree Hugger she gives you a small smile
>Sighing you shake your head and turn to face Coco
"I'm here to help, tell me what you want to say and I'll make sure they hear it"
>This causes many emotions to flash past Coco's face, shock, worry, and relief being the most noticeable
>"O- oh well alright"
>Leaning into your ear she whispers generally what she wants to say
>Turning back to the crowd, you swallow a lump in your throat and take a few deep breaths and cup your mouth
"PONIES OF MANEHATTAN!"
>Your voice contrasting to Coco's so much immediately shocks the crowd into silence
"CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME?!"
>This elicits a cheer from most of the crowd
"PONIES AT THE BACK?!"
>This brings on a much louder cheer
>Bringing your hands down you give a huff at how ridiculous the situation is
"ALL RIGHT YOU LOT, COCO HERE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU ALL A BIG WELCOME, AND A HUGE THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY TONIGHT AND HOPES YOU ALL HAVE A GOOD TIME!
>This brings on a roar of cheers from the crowd
>Coming down from the stage you get patted on the back by a few ponies as you stand next to Tree Hugger again
>"I told you, you'd be able to do it"
"Yeah yeah"
>Hearing the smirk in her voice you give her mane a thorough ruffle causing her to go into a fit of giggles
>Ceasing your attack you straighten out her mane a bit and give her withers a stroke
>As you turn your attention back to the stage the lights darken as smoke begins to cover the floor
>The silence becomes palpable until an audible CLUNK breaks the silence, blue and purple neon lights covering the crowd
>As your eyes finally adjust to the light you see a massive mobile turntable rolling up to the front of the stage
>A mare with a white coat and a dark blue mane with a lighter second streak of blue sits at the center of the behemoth, purple shades reflecting the faces of the crowd
>"PONIES OF MANEHATTAN and other species ARE YOU READY TO GET WILD!?"
>The crowd explodes with cheers, hollers, stamping their hooves and whistling as she sets the first record down, placing the tone-arm on it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlpXS8sLZ5g
>The beat starts off slow slow, getting the crowd riled
>A few of the ponies surrounding you bounce on their hooves as the beat builds
>As the beat hits it's peak the crowd goes wild
>A lot of it comes in the form of head banging and flailing hooves back like some weird game of hockey-pockey
>Not really one for dancing you simply enjoy the beat and rhythm of the song, closing your eyes and let it flow
>Eventually opening your eyes again you look down at Tree Hugger
>Eyes closed she's nodding her head to the beat of the song, a smile slowly growing on her face
>Shaking your head slightly and chuckling to yourself you turn your attention back to the stage as the song comes to an end
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeBhGVD523s [Embed]
>The next song has a much different sound to it
>The crowd seems to love it though as they don't seem to wait for the beat to pick-up as a lot of them start getting into the groove of it
>A few seconds into the song you feel a tug on your sleeve pulling you to the side
>Looking down you see Tree Hugger dragging you into the crowd of ponies
>Pulling on your sleeve you stop and crouch next to her
"Where's the fire Tree Hugger?"
>Rolling her eyes at you she takes a drink from her cup and tugs on your sleeve again
>wait what?
>Reaching a hand over you easily take the cup from her open hoof
>You hold it back a few feet from your face inspecting it thoroughly, and determine that it is a plastic cup
"Tree Hugger, do I want to know where you got this from?"
>Giving a huff she snatches the drink back from you to your great surprise
>"Dude they've been handing them around like nopony's business, this is my second cup"
>Looking around the crowd you notice dozens of ponies chugging cups and kegs alike
>Feeling a harder tug on your sleeve you lurch forward, tripping over and going face first into a tuft of grass
>It's very soft and warm despite the time of night
>Hearing an eep from above you, you look up
>Only to find yourself face to face with Tree Hugger
>You feel your face heat up so much it could melt
>Quickly sitting up you both look away from each other
>"S- so um the uh mosh pit's going on right now..."
"Oh? Um I mean... yeah, mosh pit"
>Swallowing a lump in your throat you stand giving Tree Hugger a hand-up as you do and start heading in the direction she was leading you before
>Finally reaching your destination Tree Hugger hoofs you her drink awkwardly as she enters the pit
>For a while she simply trots on the spot, but getting bumped by a few other ponies and being given encouraging nods she starts to pick up her dancing
>Alternating between her left and right hooves, head banging she really gets into the music
>As she dances you notice how the lights from the stage outline her figure a bit more prominently- not finishing that thought
>You quickly drain the cup to clear your head
>As the drink hits your tastebuds a new thought pops in
>'Alcohol that'll certainly stop you from making an ass of yourself'
>Huffing to yourself you wipe your mouth with your sleeve
>Feeling something bump into your side you look down to spot a yellow mare with a two striped orange mane
>"Sup?"
"Um hey?"
>"Hey man sorry if this is weird, but a lot of talk is going around about you I wanted to see you for myself?"
"And you are?"
>"A mare looking to party"
>The mare then downs her drink in one go to emphasize her point
"Hey hold on a minute I've been here a day"
>"It's a big city, but word sure travels fast"
"Well what do you think?"
>"You seemed pretty cool up on stage"
>Giggling to herself a small hiccup escapes her mouth causing her to giggle more
>Chuckling to yourself you feel quite happy knowing not all ponies dislike you immediately
>"Well I gotta get back to my friends. By the way I think your mare wants you"
>Looking down at her in surprise you see her pointing towards Tree Hugger who is beckoning you over to her
>Seeing her sway slightly you notice she has acquired another cup of beer, whilst three other cups litter the ground around her
"She's no-"
>Before you're able to finish your sentence the mare's already gone
>Grumbling to yourself you turn back to Tree Hugger who is beckoning you harder now
>You try to wave her off with a smile but she refuses to take no for an answer
>Looking at you through half-lidded eyes with that mischievous smirk of her she trots up to you
>Grabbing hold of your sleeve she starts pulling you into the mosh pit
>Your attempts to stop her are fruitless as she drags you further into the pit
>Luckily the end of the song saves you as the DJ's voice booms over the crowd
>"SORRY FOLKS, BUT THAT'S MY TIME, I'LL CATCH YOU ALL LATER"
>This brings a lot of boos and complaints from the crowd
>"I KNOW, I KNOW, I WANNA KEEP PLAYING TO, BUT WE GOT A LOT OF OTHER GREAT PERFORMERS HERE TO TAKE CARE OF YOU FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT. SO LONG MANEHATTAN"
>Seeing Tree Hugger's head droop slightly you crouch down straightening out her bandana
"Soooo?"
>Eventually registering your voice Tree Hugger looks up at you
>"What?"
"How are you liking the city so far?
>Glancing around the park and the buildings surrounding it she gives a shrug, smirk still present on her face
>"It still ain't got nothing on a forest dude"
>Chuckling to yourself a thought crosses your mind
>Glancing around you notice the sun has nearly set and a few of the street lamps have stated to turn on
>Spotting what you presumed was this place's version of the Empire State
>Looking down at Tree Hugger you give her a smirk
"Wanna bet?"
>Tilting her head to the side she gives you a smirk of her own
>"Sure"
>Standing up you head to the entrance of the park as a blue coated stallion with a black mane walks onto the stage
>Making your way to the sky scraper you have to hold a hand on Tree Hugger's back to stop her wobbling into the street or lampposts
>Luckily the doors are still open at this late hour
>Walking in you find an elevator and manage to squeeze in
>As the elevator heads to the top floor Tree Hugger hums to herself, rocking back and forth until she eventually begins to relax against you
>Whether it's because of the alcohol or how warm she is and how cold it's getting you wrap an arm around her neck
>As the ding rings through the elevator Tree Hugger bolts up right, shaking groggily
>Stumbling slightly out of the elevator you follow after her
>As she turns down the wrong hallway you bring a hand to her withers to help guide her again
>Pushing open the door at the end of the hall you find yourself at the very top of the towering building, able to overlook the whole city
>Walking over the railing you kneel down and lean against it, Tree Hugger soon joining you
>After a few minutes of silence she eventually speaks up
>"Alright dude, what... what am I looking at?"
>Glancing at her you chuckle to yourself a bit
"Give it a minute"
>Watching the sun dip behind the last of the buildings as it gives way to the night, you hear a small gasp come from the mare beside you
>Starting with the buildings just in front of you, row by row the buildings of the city light of the night sky with a variety of colors
>Blue, orange, gold, white, even some red and green fill the night sky
>The light from the further buildings cause the air to take on a faint shade of the light
>It's like the city is burning with colors
>Feeling a smile grow on your lips you look down to Tree Hugger who stands there, mouth open, as shining with the light of the city
>"Whoa"
"Whoa indeed"
>For a while you two simply stand there, whether it was a few minutes or a few hours you're not entirely sure, you just enjoy the sight of the sleeping city
>Even the park has quietened down
>Though music does still drift through the air, a soft orchestral sound adding to the sight
>Feeling your legs begin to tire you sit beside Tree Hugger
>Absentmindedly lying herself across your lap Tree Hugger tucks her legs into her body, her eyes slowly shutting
>Holding her to your chest you softly stroke her withers
>Feeling your own eyes grow heavy you shift so that your back rests against the railings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30902FfYDyA
>Hearing Mr. Sandman's call you once more feel yourself drift off to sleep as the melody drifts softly through the air

>Feeling a tap on your shoulder you attempt to shrug whatever it is away
>However the tapping persists followed by a brief shaking
>Sitting up, you shake your head, cracking open an eye and glancing around
>Bad idea
>As you open your eyes you're unlucky enough to be met with the sun just beginning to peak over the horizon
>Forcing your eyes shut you rub them free of any remaining sleep and attempt to get used to the sudden light
>As your eyes finally adjust you glance up to see a withered brown stallion with a gray mane holding a mop
>"Sorry to bother you sir, but I reckoned it was probably 'bout time you woke up"
>Clearing your almost desert dry throat you glance around, your memory slowly returning to you
>Glancing down you can't help but smile when you spot Tree Hugger lying in your lap
"Yeah, thanks. We'll get out of your hair- uh mane"
>"It's no bother to me sir, you have a good day now"
"Yeah you too"
>As the stallion goes about washing the floor you prop yourself up on the railing and begin your way through the building
>Weaving your way through the ponies you hold your cargo above them to make sure she doesn't get disturbed
>After a few minutes, a couple flights of stairs, getting directions from a blond pony, and going down the hall and to the left, you finally make your way back onto the streets of Manehattan
>Feeling your stomach grumble you look down the street hoping to find something to help in this matter
>Sadly no such luck
>Picking a direction you head out in search of sustenance
>Feeling Tree Hugger stir in your arms you look down at the mare
>Letting out a small yawn she simply leans into your chest more
>Well she did have a lot of beer last night
>Passing a few ponies on the street the mare in your arms draw a few curious glances, mostly giggles from the mare and a waggling of eyebrows from the stallions
>Simply rolling your eyes at them all, you pick up your pace to try and find somewhere that serves food
>Rounding another corner you come across a white shop with small green tables with purple pillows as seats lining the outside of the shop's blue windows
>But the colour scheme isn't important, was is important is the food on display behind the window
>Cakes of various shapes and sizes line the shelves making your mouth water at the sight and your nose dance at the scent
>"Whoa! haha NO WAY"
>The sudden voice snaps you out of your food trance
>Looking to the side you spot the DJ from last night and Coco walking up to you
"Oh hey Coco, hey... um... sorry I never got your name last night"
>Chuckling you hold a hand out to the DJ earning you a hoof bump to your palm
>"The name's Vinyl, you?"
"Anonymous or just Anon works"
>"Awesome, well lets not all just stand here, or... lie here I guess, let's get a table and eat already I'm starved"
>Seeing her nod to the mare in your arms you can't help but feel your face heat up a bit
>Finding a table you all sit down, Tree Hugger immediately getting up and stepping out of your arms, stretching out as she does
>'Hey it's almost like she's... been...'
>oh
>As she looks back at you, you give her a small glare
>Giggling slightly she sits herself down on a pillow
"Ummmm good morning?"
>"Yeah man, good morning"
>Rolling your eyes Tree Hugger nudges your arm with her hoof giggling a bit more
>"Oh come on dude don't be like that, I told you you're like the world's comfiest pillow"
>Chuckling yourself you nudge the mare back with an elbow and lean against the table
"So Coco how'd the festival go yesterday?"
>Coming to attention at the mention of her name she quickly relaxes a sheepish grin crossing her face
>"O- oh yeah, it went great, me and Vinyl were just talking about how she might come back to do another show annually"
>Glancing over at Vinyl she gives an affirmative nod
>"Yeah man, it was great last night. Though dude, you've gotta come back next year too"
"Wait what?"
>"Yeah man, ponies loved you last night, I mean, it's not everyday you get to see an alien right?"
>Chuckling to yourself you can't help but shake your head at the thought
>Ponies WANTING you to come back somewhere?
>Well at least that's becoming more often than not these days
"I don't know, I mean maybe, but right now I just want to eat something"
>"Well than what can I get you?"
>Jumping at the new voice almost right next to your ear you end up tumbling out of your pillow onto the concrete
>"Oh my I'm terribly sorry dear, here let me help you"
>Feeling a pair of hooves wrap around you arm you help them prop you back up on to your pillow
>Rubbing your head you're glad to feel no bleeding
>Blinking the daze out of your eyes you look to the side to see a cream coloured mare with a two-stripe brown mane
"Don't worry about it I'll live"
>"Well I'm glad to hear that, wouldn't look very good if I had you dying in front of my shop now would it?"
>Her cheerful tone of voice brings a smile to your lips
"So this place is yours?"
>"Yep, yep, yep this here's Cinnamon Chai's Tea and Cake Shop, and I'm Cinnamon Chai, so how can I help you?"
>After you all order some coffee and cakes you simply shoot the breeze for a while
>You learn that Vinyl is actually a ponyvillian but is usually travelling for concerts most of the time, whilst Coco is an old friend of the girls
>Giving your usual talk on earth, humans and answering the countless questions that come with it you can't help but feel a lot happier
>You've made friends in 2 major cities so far that actually feel like they're interested in you
>You can't help but grin as Tree Hugger tries to look into Coco and Vinyl's auras
>You're actually finding difficulty trying to hold back you laughter at the looks on their faces
>"So um Anon, what're you two doing next?"
>Raising an eyebrow at Coco you ponder the thought for a moment, glancing at Tree Hugger she simply shrugs her shoulders
>No surprise there, you two never really had a plan well, ever, stuff just sort of happened
"No clue really, we just sort of, drift"
>"Well if you're looking for recommendations, I hear the Crystal Empire is a pretty rocking place. Plus the snow, come Hearth Warming time is pretty cool as well from what I hear. I've never had the time or money to go there, but if you're just wandering maybe you can wander over there"
"That doesn't sound half bad. Tree Hugger?"
>"Yeah man that sounds like fun"
>Hearth Warming
>Just a week or so away if your internal calendar is up to date
>That'll be the second major holiday you'll have spent away from home
>Nightmare Night was alright, since you just had to get a bit of green paint, tear up a coat, and some bolts and you got a truckload of candy out of it
>But you felt this one'd feel... different
>Shaking your head of the thought you see the ponies giving you a curious look
>Giving them a small smile you wave them off and finish off the rest of your coffee
>Coco and Vinyl were kind enough to pay since you two were flat out broke
>Saying your goodbyes you and Tree Hugger head once more unto the train station
>Finding no empty cars you both sit in one of the public cars
>Your presence does draw the attention of the ponies but they soon go back about their business
>Sitting next to Tree Hugger you prepare for the long journey north
>Manehattan was pretty close to the Crystal Empire sure, but apparently they had to fit the wheels with special chains, and had to go slower than usual the closer they got to try and avoid accidents with the volatile weather
>Luckily enough your slowly growing boredom as the ride goes on is alleviated by a cheerful and slightly portly stallion with a brown coat and a slightly darker brown mane and moustache
>Hitting up a conversation with you he tries to act calm but you can clearly see he's interested in your story
>Surprisingly though not about humans, but how your travels have been
>You give him a brief recap of everything that's happened so far with Tree Hugger interjecting her own parts of the story whenever you miss out a part
>The stallion then goes on to recount his own stories of how he and his friend, a silver coated stallion with a gray mane, met and what they've been through
>Eventually the four of you, with consistent pestering of the silver stallion, to the delight of the other Stallion you all play a few rounds of cards to pass the rest of the time
>Surprisingly enough Tree Hugger and the silver stallion were the best players out of the four of you
>Finally reaching your destination you and Tree Hugger head off the train waving goodbye to the stallions
>Hopping off the train on to the platform you stop dead in your tracks at the sight in front of you
>A white stallion with a blue mane and full purple body armour stands in front of a row of at least half a dozen other guards
>Armed guards
>Admittedly not pointed at you but still
>Standing to your full height your eyes dart back and forth between the guards
>You see a few of them inch back slightly at seeing your full height but their faces hold steady
>"Are you Anonymous?"
>Clearing your throat you step forward, placing a leg slightly in front of Tree Hugger as you do
"What answer won't get me killed?"

>The stallion looks you up and down, squinting his eyes at you
>He then turns his attention to Tree Hugger
>The small mare looks down, pawing at the floor of the platform nervously
>Swallowing a lump in your throat you put yourself a bit more in front of Tree Hugger regaining the stallion's attention
"Maybe I am Anonymous. What's it to you?"
>Removing his helmet he meets your gaze, a small smirk crossing his face
>"Well I thought I could give the famous Anonymous my sis kept talking about so much, a tour of the Crystal Empire"
>waitwhat.jpeg
>Your mouth hangs open slightly as your brain tries to process what you just heard
"Um say again?"
>The stallion soon relaxes a much calmer smile taking the place of his previously stern expression
>"My sister Twili has sent SO many letters about you, and when I heard the alien that had been gallivanting around Equestria was coming here. I reckoned I ought to see what all the fuss was about"
"Whoa whoa whoa wait, Twil? As in Twilight? You're Shining Armor?"
>Standing to attention at his name he holds his head high
>"The one and only"
>Feeling your shoulders slump you stare at Shining in disbelief
>Walking up to him you hold out a hand, chuckling as you do
"Dude remind me not to get on your bad side"
>Chuckling himself Shining gives your palm a hoof bump
>"Yeah sorry about that, not much happens around here in all honesty so I take any kind of action I can get"
>Giving him an understanding nod you feel a hoof on your leg and look down to see a confused Tree Hugger
>"So like are we in trouble or..."
>Chuckling you give the mare a reassuring stroke to her withers
"Don't worry Tree Hugger no dungeons for us"
>"Oh so is this your mare?"
>[Internally Screaming]
"Nah we've just been travelling together"
>"Yeah it's been a pretty spontaneous and righteous ride so far"
>"Well Cadence will probably want to hear all about that when you meet her. She doesn't really get out of the empire that often. But come on, we can go meet her after I give you the tour"
>As the three of you leave the platform it's not long before you catch a glimpse of the first few crystal houses
>The light reflecting off of them is slightly mesmerizing
>The pink and blue making an almost kaleidoscope effect in the air
>As you walk through the streets many of the ponies stop to bow before Shining Armor but never pay much heed to you
>Catching your curious glances at the ponies you hear Shining chuckle slightly
>"I had a feeling this'd be new to you. With how long you've been here and the information I've been getting from Twili, me and Cadence decided to spread news about you to the citizens. Then on the off chance you came by, it wouldn't shock them or be awkward for you."
>Giving him an appreciative smile you take in some more of the massive city
>Snow lines the street, the faintest tint of blue and pink can be seen on some of it from the light reflecting off the crystal houses
>Noticing Shining suddenly stop you come to a quick halt before you trip over him
>"This is our market place, produce, clothing, and some other bobbles are sold here"
>The stalls are spread out much further from each other than they were in Manehattan
>There are also a lot more variety in the products being sold
>Some weird 2 headed love child of a trombone and a silly straw are being sold at one stall whilst some small crystal accessories are sold at another
>Seeing a small colt take a bite out of a bracelet tells you they're actually just fancy candy accessories
>Remembering you're fresh out of bits you simply sit back as you watch Tree Hugger talk with the merchants
>Eventually moving on from the stalls, as you walk through the streets you come to a stop again by a large mound of grass
>Looking down at Shining Armor you raise your eyebrows at him
>Catching your questioning look he rubs the back of his neck, chuckling nervously
>"I know it doesn't exactly look like much, but this is one of the few places in the Crystal Empire where the grass is naturally grown, even despite the harsh climate."
>Taking another look at the mound of grass you see a family enjoying a picnic together, a group of foals playing together
>The sight brings a smile to your face, to think this is how Tree Hugger has seen the world for who knows how long
>Glancing down at the mare you see her with a similar smile gracing her muzzle, a look of contentment in her eyes
>Scratching her ears gains the mare's attention
>Looking up to you she gives you a small smirk before leaning the top of her head into your hand
>Moving on again the three of you come up to the towering structure of the crystal palace
>Craning your neck up at the near spire-like structure the light makes it glimmer like a white diamond
>As you enter the long halls of the castle the interior is just as brilliant
>The inside is intricately carved some of it solid and flat whilst other parts of it are smooth and curved
>All of it forming together into the walls, ceilings and everything beyond and in-between
>Glancing down at Tree Hugger you see that she's just as mesmerized as you at the structure
>Eventually finding yourself in front of two grand double doors the two guards on either side of the door bow to Shining as you enter
>The throne room stretches far leading to a throne, symmetrically decorated with several crystals sticking out of both sides of it
>Sitting on the throne is a pink alicorn
>Cadence if memory serves
>Spotting the three of you enter she trots down from her throne, hugging Shining Armor and giving him a small peck on the cheek
>Turning to you and Tree Hugger she holds a hoof out to you both
>"Anonymous and Tree Hugger I presume? I'm Cadence. Welcome to the Crystal Empire"
>Shaking her extended hoof you give her a small bow
>Giving her a hoof bump Tree Hugger does the same
>"I'm glad to see you both had a safe journey here. I'll admit I've been hoping I could speak with you one day Anonymous, and with your new friend as well"
>"Righteous, I haven't spoken with many princesses before"
"Really? I'm surprised. They're popping up left and right from what I hear."
>Cadence simply rolls her eyes at you and glares at Shining slightly as she spots a small smirk crossing his face
>Walking back through the many halls of the castle you simply inquire about how it came to be built out here, where it came from
>Though that's a story for another day
>Passing through another pair of much smaller double doors you come across a large circular room
>Two crescent sofas face an intricately carved crystal hearth, a heart shaped crest protrudes from the wall over the mantelpiece
>Cadence and Shining sit themselves on one of the sofas whilst you and Tree Hugger sit on the other
>Well you're the one sitting on the sofa whilst Tree Hugger sits on you
>Giving a small sigh you can't help but smile as the small mare nestles into your lap
>Bringing a hand up to the mare's withers elicits a content sigh from the mare and a giggle from the two ponies in front of you
>Casting a curious glance at them both they turn their heads up trying to avoid your stare, smirks still present on their muzzles
>Chuckling to yourself you turn your gaze to the rest of the room
>Apart from the occasional vase holding a bouquet of flowers and the velvet rugs lining the floors the room is very bare of any decor
>Whereas the Canterlot castle had several ornate windows, and Twilight's castle had numerous rooms the Crystal palace is surprisingly lacking
>However two contrasting paintings do hang on the walls, one of the couple before you laying beside each other giving off a humble demeanor
>The other of a clearly pompous dark coated stallion holding his head high and his chest out
>Before you are able to ask Cadence speaks up
>"So Anonymous, Tree Hugger, why don't you tell us about yourselves?"
>As you have done many times you speak of your times on earth, how it differed from Equestria, opting to not go into the less pleasant difference
>You then recount your time in Equestria, your life in Ponyville and your interactions with the ponies there
>Meeting Tree Hugger, going to Applelossa >Your shenanigans in the Appleloosa bar amuse the two as you retell what of the stories you can remember
>Tree Hugger correcting you whenever you mix up any of the stories
>Which happens more time than your dignity is comfortable with
>You finish your story with your time spent in Manehattan
>The story fascinates the two ponies, they question you about some of the finer bits of nature you saw on your journeys
>Surprisingly you find these questions difficult to answer, it really is something that can only be done justice when you see it for yourself
>A serving pony soon enters the room, a trolley of food behind him
>Glancing out a small window you spot the sun just hitting the top of the sky
>Thanking the pony he leaves the four of you to the vast assortment of food before you
>Many different kinds of salads and sandwiches sit on the trolley contrasting the last feast you had greatly with the greater variety available
>Spotting a few apple-based snacks however you take an experimental bite
>Concluding that it came from one of the apple farms you begin to dig in to the food
>Eventually moving on you try some of the hay-based products
>Normally you avoided this stuff but it did look extremely appetizing here
>The taste is something you doubt you'd ever start enjoying, they had prepared it so that it wasn't inedible, but it was a taste you hoped you wouldn't have to experience too often
>Finally finishing off the last of the food Shining uses his magic to shift the cart to the end of the room
>"So we have Anon's story, what about you Tree Hugger?"
>Looking up slightly shocked at Shining Armor she paws at your leg slightly shifting her gaze around slightly
>"There isn't really much to tell in all honesty, not much happened before the big guy came into the picture"
>Giving the mare a scratch behind her ears finally settles her gaze on you
"Come on Tree Hugger it can't be any more boring than my life right?"
>Chuckling softly at this she softly jabs your chest with a hoof
>"Alright , alright. Well there isn't really much to tell, I just sort of wander from place to place all across Equestria and beyond. Normally I do it by hoof so it normally takes much longer to get from place to place than it has recently. I've met a lot of things on my journey, Griffons, Minotaurs, I even spoke with a Diamond Dog once. Though the strangest thing I've met so far, besides Anon of course, was this one sea serpent guy, I haven't seen him in a while though. Of course I made a lot of friends along the way as well. You guys already know Fluttershy, well me and her are travelling buddies and we go and see some of the rarer creatures every now and then. Then there was this trio I met in Manehattan once, I tell you they knew how to party, I don't remember much from that night except for the name Molly for some reason, or was it Candy Rave? It's still blurry in all honesty. But then after going through Vanhoover most recently I went back to Ponyville and met Anon, and you know the rest"
>Whilst Shining and Cadence ask Tree Hugger about the places she's visited your mind can't help but nag on about one detail about the story
>Despite her speaking of the things she's met and the friends she's made, she never mentioned anyone who's traveled with her for very long aside from Fluttershy
>You can't help but lightly wrap your hands around the mare at the thought
>"So what are you two doing for Hearth's Warming?"
>Shining's voice brings you out of your train of thought
>Glancing down at Tree Hugger she simply gives a shrug
>That does seem to be the go to answer at the moment for you two
>A small smirk crosses your lips as you give the same answer to the two ponies
"We don't really know in all honesty, what about you two?"
>Cadence starts to bounce slightly in her seat at the mention of this, clearly excited by the answer
>"We're going down to Ponyville to surprise Twili"
>"Yeah we've got a private train which is powered by magic rather than steam, it uses up a lot of magic so it shouldn't be used often but we thought we could make an exception here"
>You can't help but chuckle at Shining Armor, though you must admit it must be nice to have a bullet train at your disposal
>Your conversation is soon cut off by the opening of the double doors
>A very clean kept pony comes trotting into the room bowing before Shining and Cadence
>"Your majesties, your presence is required"
>Both the ponies give a heavy sigh at this shooting you both an apologetic look
>"Of course we will be there soon"
>As the stallion leaves some small relief returns to the pony
>"I'm sorry you two. Royalty' work is never done, you of course have full roam of the castle, though do try not to bother the guards too much."
>Nodding at the two you wave them off as they leave the room
>As the door shuts behind them you turn to Tree Hugger
"So what do you want to do?"
>"I don't know man, what are you in the mood for?"
>Glancing out the window you feel a smirk start to grow on your face as your eyes catch the snow covered mountains nearby
"Follow me"
>Placing Tree Hugger down on the floor you head out the other side of the room into the main castle once more
>"Dude what are we looking for"
"Hold on one moment"
>You've been pacing through the halls of the castle for a while now, going through many doors
>Finally though you find what you were looking for
>A supply closet filled with scarves, protective eye-wear and other clothing
>Grabbing a scarf and goggles you go about wrapping them around Tree Hugger
>"Dude what are we doing?"
>You smirk at Tree Hugger as you go about wrapping a few scarves around yourself to make up for the lack for fur and grabbing a pair of goggles for yourself
"You ever gone sledding Tree Hugger?"
>"Have you?"
>You open your mouth to reply but quickly silence yourself earning a giggle from the mare
>It's not that you haven't gone sledding before but the last time you did was at night with two of your friends after a few hours of drinking
>All you remember is the next morning, waking up to you underneath an upturned shopping trolley, one of your friends sleeping with a pair of unused paint brushes, the other sleeping on a mattress that had somehow been impaled on a tree, a full jar of mustard and a He-man action figure
>You never learnt what the hell happened and a part of you is glad you didn't
>Shaking your head you begin to head to the entrance of the castle Tree Hugger just behind you
>"Wait up man, what are we even gonna use as a sled?"
>Stopping dead in your tracks you now see the small flaw in your plan
>Glancing around you are surprised to see two guard shields left unattended next to a door
>There are also some pieces of armor lying there as well, one of the chest pieces smaller than the other
>Sloppy guards
>Glancing around you don't see anypony nearby
>Creeping towards the door you grab the shields and head back towards Tree Hugger
>Holding one out to her she hesitates slightly
>"We're not supposed to disturb the guards remember?"
"I don't see any, do you?"
>Giving her a small smirk she quickly glances around before taking the shield and heading for the door with you in tow
>You both try to act casual as you walk through the bustling streets of the empire, stolen shields in hand, or mouth in Tree Hugger's case
>You begin to slow down as you reach the edge of the city
>The barrier that creates the line between the city and the snow covered tundra is quite remarkable
>A fascinating mix of pink, blue and yellow swirl and mix together in a dazzling display of color
>As your fingers brush against the surface it recoils from your touch, bouncing ever so slightly like jello, a ripple flowing across the surface of the barrier as it does
>Glancing down at Tree Hugger you spot a hint of nervousness in her eyes
>Smiling you give her a reassuring nod
>Visibly calming she returns the nod placing a hoof on the barrier
>Placing your own hand on the barrier you both step through it in sync
>Strangely enough it isn't freezing cold
>From the stories you'd heard you'd expected a frozen wasteland but instead you got a mildly cold sweeping mountain plain
>The air is thick and the snow has an almost heaviness to it
>Holding out your hand you catch a few of the softly drifting snowflakes
>They give off a soft silver sheen from the light of the empire, taking a few moments to melt in your palm unlike on Earth
>"WOOHOO"
>Tree Hugger's voice snaps you out of your trance
>Glancing up you spot Tree Hugger galloping around, kicking up snow with her hooves as she does
>As the snow fall back down she twirls and spins causing it to flow around her, lightly covering her coat as she does
>She also uses her tail to pile snow together before flinging herself into it, giggling hysterically as her head pops out of the top of the small mound
>Walking over to her you can't help but chuckle at the sight
>Spotting your shadow over her she looks up at you, raised eyebrows and smirk on your face
>"What? This is fun"
>Raising your eyebrows slightly higher she taps her hooves together sheepishly
>"Ok maybe it's a little foalish"
>Dropping your shield to the floor you hold your arms out in a T shape eliciting a curious glance from the mare
>"What are you...? oh no, no no no"
>Her words are cut off by a fit of giggles as you bring your body onto the pile of snow and the small mare
>Rolling onto your side you look at Tree Hugger to see her face firmly planted into the snow pile
"You're right this is fun"
>Bringing her head out the ground with a pop she casts a small glare at you
>Booping her causes her to go cross-eyed and scrunch her muzzle
>Giving a small giggle she flicks some snow in your direction
>Sadly for you some of it goes down the back of your scarf and hits your bare chest
>Shivering at the sudden intruder you flick some snow at Tree Hugger in retaliation
>This earns you a small yelp from the mare, and a face covered in snow
>Blinking the snow out of your eyes you are met with the sight of a snickering mare desperately trying to suppress her laughter
>This means war
>Bringing your hands under your chest you begin to form as a big a snowball as your hands can make
>Satisfied with your creation you bring yourself up to your knees
>As Tree Hugger looks up at you, you take advantage of her lowered defenses
>Quickly shifting onto your feet you fling yourself backwards as you throw the snowball and get a direct hit in-between her eyes
>Mentally fist bumping you prop yourself up on an elbow to take in your handiwork
>For a moment the mare remains motionless until a smirk begins to grow on her face
>Standing up straight she shakes all of the snow off of her coat starting from the crown of her mane and ending with a flick of the tip of her tail
>Bringing her tail down beside her she begins to clump snow together into a foot tall wall and slumps herself down behind it
>Standing up you try to catch a glimpse of the mare behind the small wall
>Seeing nothing you take a few cautious steps forward
>As you reach the small wall all sign of Tree Hugger is gone except from her bandana
>Slightly confused your head suddenly jolts to the size extreme cold washing down the side of your face
>Quickly bringing a hand up to wipe away the snow you look to the side to see Tree Hugger standing proudly a few feet ahead of you, a small pile of snowballs surrounding her hooves
>Your confusion deepens, opening your mouth no words come out as you simply stand there pointing between the mare and the wall
"H... how did... you were... what?"
>Chuckling at your confusion your only answer comes in the form of a wink and a snowball to the chest
>Finally coming out of your shock you grasp two handfuls of snow from the make-shift wall and return the assault on Tree Hugger
>Eventually choosing to take more evasive maneuvers you begin to dodge the cold projectiles, dipping down to the ground to grab a handful of snow as you go
>Eventually noticing that she's an open target, Tree Hugger takes the same approach
>Every now and then one of you gains an advantage over the other
>Like you trip over and Tree Hugger uses her hind-legs to buck a pile of snow onto you, effectively burying you beneath it
>Or you manage to sneak up behind Tree Hugger and tackle her into the snow
>Eventually you two are left lying side by side on the snow gasping for breath from the exhaustive battle
>Bringing your hand up you begin to softly scratch Tree Hugger belly as an offering of peace
>The small smile crossing her muzzle along with her softly kicking leg tells you that she accepts the treaty
>Finally sitting up you glance around and are thankful to see you didn't stray too far from the empire
>Spotting your military grade sleds buried in the snow you move over to retrieve them
>Seeing Tree Hugger watch you, you beckon her to follow you
>Grabbing the shields your gaze sweeps the tundra
>There are dozens if not hundreds of mountains in the area of varying shapes and sizes
>Finally spotting a relatively small one not too far away you head off in its direction
>Quickly stopping by the destroyed wall of snow you dig through the mass of snow and recover Tree Hugger's bandana
>Deciding it's covered in far too much snow to put back on you wrap it around your neck as a secondary scarf for safe-keeping
>Patting Tree Hugger on the withers you head off once more
>As you approach the mountain Tree Hugger follows close behind, leaning on your leg slightly as she goes
>Whether to share or steal body warmth you're unsure, but a contented sigh escapes you either way
>As you reach the base of the mountain you crane your head back to try and catch a glimpse of its peak
>Sadly to no avail
>A thick and heavy layer of dark clouds swarm the peak of the mountain, snow gently cascading from it to settle on the mountain
>Looking down at Tree Hugger she meets your gaze, nodding confidently
>Beginning your trek up the mountain you're surprised at how steep it is
>Almost toppling backwards off the mountain you grab hold of a jutting rock for support
>Your crawl up the mountain is slowed even further due to the shield you constantly have to readjust your grip on
>Glancing to the side you spot Tree Hugger trotting up the mountain as naturally as if it had it's own gravity
>Shooting you a curious look she leans her head down close to you
>So close you can feel her breath-
>Brain stop it
>'No'
>She inspects your crawling form for... something
>"Dude do you like, need some help?"
>Giving a defeated sigh you nod your head
"Yeah, I guess"
>Giving you a smile she turns her back to you and sits on her haunches
>Unsure of what to do you simply settle with getting a firm grip on her back and standing yourself up
>Using the mare as leverage you're able to climb the mountain much easier
>Though the occasional snicker is slightly annoying
"What?"
>"Sorry dude I just thought you'd be good at climbing since you were the one who suggested sledding"
"Yeah and I thought you were a pony but apparently you're a mountain goat instead"
>Blowing a small raspberry at you Tree Hugger continues pulling you up the mountain
>Glancing behind your shoulder you find yourself about 30ft up the mountain
"Alright this should be good for now"
>Coming to attention at the sound of your voice, Tree Hugger glances up at you then down the mountain, her eyes bulging slightly
>"Whoa when did we get this high?"
>You share her sentiment, it felt like you had barely taken two steps up the mountain before you were here
>Taking your hands off Tree Hugger you steady yourself
>Finally confident that you won't trip and fall down the mountain you crouch down and place the shield to your chest
>Pushing yourself forward you begin body-boarding down the mountain
>You get a bit of air time as you hit some of the bumps and juts in the mountain
>Coming near the bottom of the mountain you dig your shoe tips into the mountain to act as brakes
>Sadly you do this too quickly and end up sending yourself flying off your shield, burying your head in a pile of snow
>Coming up coughing and spluttering you glance up the mountain and spot Tree Hugger leaning forward trying to focus on you
>Giving her two thumbs up you see her body relax
>Cupping your mouth you call up to her
"Come on then Tree Hugger your turn"
>The small mare glances down at her own shield cautiously tapping it, looking between it and you judging the distance
"Come on, I'll catch you if you're afraid~"
>You can sense her scrunch at your sarcastic quip
>Finally pulling the shield towards herself she propels herself forward with a buck from her hind-legs, rocketing down the mountain...
>...straight towards you
>Quickly diving out of the way you are buried beneath the snow that is kicked up as she hurtles into the ground
>Sticking your head up you look back at the small snow crater
>Spotting a tuft of green you stand up and dust yourself off
>Further investigating ground zero you find Tree Hugger's lower half but see no sign of the rest of her
>Slowly bringing your hand up you gently trail three of your fingers down her hoof
>Seeing the hoof twitch and hearing a muffled gasp come from the snow tells you figure out where the rest of the mare is
>As you go to grab her legs you get an idea
>An awful idea
>You get a wonderful, awful idea
>Grabbing hold of one of her legs you begin to trail your fingers up and down her hoof
>As it twitches and slightly kicks your other hand holds it in place
>As the muffled giggles and gasps of the mare reaches your ears your smile only widen and you redoubles your efforts
>Now pressing more into the hoof you begin your assault
>This earns you more thrashes and kicks from the mare along with yelps, gasps and some muffled words
>"An stp"
"What's that? Keep going? Ok"
>A small squeal and even more thrashing tells you she heard you loud and clear
>Releasing her leg you begin to tickle both hooves at the same time
>Squeals and an uproar of laughter comes from the mound of snow as you bring your digits down on her hooves
>Desperately trying to escape you Tree Hugger flails her legs in all directions
>Eventually you slow your assault on her hooves and with one last stroke to each you wrap your arms around the bottom of the mare's waist and begin pulling her out
>Finally budging, she comes out of the pile of snow, throwing you both backwards
>Shaking your head of the daze you look up to see Tree Hugger sat on your chest, giggling and gasping as she tries to catch her breath
"Hey"
>Turning her head to face you she shoots you a menacing glare
>If looks could kill
>Eventually her face softens, turning into a soft smile
>Burying her face into your chest she wraps her fore-legs around your shoulders and begins giggling
>"Thanks Anon, this has been really fun"
>Bringing your arms around her you bury your head into her mane, returning the hug
>Though as you process her words you pry her off you and hold her in front of you
"has been? who says we're stopping?"
>Perking up at this a smirk crosses the mare's lips as she hops off you
>Grabbing her shield she nods at the mountain
>Grabbing your own shield and the mare's back you begin trekking up the mountain again
>Each time you go up the mountain you go higher and higher, though you end up at the bottom in the same way
>Flung off your shield by something and having your head planted in the snow
>You spin yourself as you sit on the board, going down the mountain dreidle style?
>Shield gets snagged on a rock, head in the snow
>Tree Hugger presses her body down like a bob-sled?
>Shield slips out from under her, head in the snow
>Each time you simply dust yourself off and go for it again, laughing as you go
>Stopping high up on the mountain for the umpteenth time you glance down at Tree Hugger to see her holding her shield under hoof
>Looking down at your own shield you throw it down the mountain like a frisbee watching it skid and slide down as it goes
>Before she's able to react you wrap your arms around Tree Hugger's waist and throw your back onto her shield
>"Anon what are yo- AAAAAAAH"
>Her words are soon cut off by squeals as you both head down the mountain
>Surprisingly enough this is the smoothest journey down the mountain so far
>Apart from the occasional bump you end up at the bottom of the mountain with your heads out of the snow
>Placing Tree Hugger beside you, you climb off of the shield, staggering slightly as you stand up
>"Dude, so not cool"
>Glancing at Tree Hugger the smirk on her face betrays her and you simply give her a smile in response
>Stretching out your limbs you sit yourself down to give them a rest
>Plopping next to you Tree Hugger gives a huff before leaning into your side
>Bringing a hand up to stroke her withers you start to get your breath back
>Craning your head up you tap Tree Hugger to get her attention
>Looking up at you, then towards the sky you hear a small gasp escape her
>You can't blame her though, the cloud line had thinned and parted sporadically, enough that you could see the night sky clear behind it, the moon's glow pierces the clouds making them look like silver cobwebs
>Feeling Tree Hugger clamber onto your lap you look down to see her resting her head into your stomach, the stars softly reflecting in her eyes
>Seeing a streak of colors flash in her eyes you look back up and feel your breath get taken away
>An aurora borealis had begun to form above you, it's streams of light twisting and intertwining with the cobweb clouds
>Putting a hand behind your head you relax into the snow, watching the spectacle before you
>Sadly though as the night grows heavier, the wind begins to pick up slightly, chilling you to the bone
>Looking down you see Tree Hugger tucked into herself nuzzling herself into your stomach
>Ignoring the minor heart attack the sight gives you, you pick up the mare in one arm
>Quickly finding the borrowed shields you pick them up as well and start heading back for the Crystal Empire
>You walk through the barrier entering the Crystal Empire once more
>Walking through the empty streets of the city you cast your gaze up at the soft light of the street lamps, some of them having gone out
>You always wondered who turned these on at night
>Hearing a click suddenly one of the street lamps is set alight in a brilliant orange glow
>Looking towards the source of the noise you spot an elderly stallion, glasses hanging on the bridge of his muzzle, a long beard just brushing against the street
>He holds some sort of device in his hoof, hearing a click you see another street lamp come to life
>The stallion turns his head and his gentle gaze settles on you, giving you a curt nod
>Returning the nod you head for the castle once more
>As you enter the castle your body shivers at the sudden change in temperature
>Whilst the small candles do nothing to dry you or your clothes, their open flame does warm you slightly
>As you walk the winding halls of the castle once more, your shadow sweeping across the floor and walls, your footsteps echoing through the castle you realize something
>You have no clue where you are
>You're also pretty sure you've seen that candle like 20 times before
>Glancing around you try to find some kind of indicator of where you are
>Is it really so hard to put up some signs in here?
>Glancing down a hallway you spot a pair of guards doing their patrols
>Perfect, you can hand in the shields and get to your room
"Excuse me you two"
>Your voice is amplified as it echos down the hall catching the guards attention
>Absentmindedly putting a hand to Tree Hugger's exposed ear you lower your voice as the guards approach you
>One is a blue stallion with a dark purple mane, the other a white mare with a chocolate brown mane
>"How can we help you siiiiiir-"
>The stallion's eyes go wide and his voice trails off as he spots the shields in your hands
>Noticing this his partner glances at the shields and has a similar reaction
>Your grip tightens around the shield as your mind begins to wonder about what the sentence for stealing military equipment in Equestria is
>Swallowing a lump in your throat you hesitantly hold the shields out to the guards
"I believe these are yours?"
>Hearing this the mare snaps out of her trance, her pupils going to pin-pricks
>"W-WHAT?!"
"I- I- I mean these are... guard property, so uh... here"
>This calms her down slightly
>"R- right yeah, I'll just uh take these to the barracks"
>Grabbing the shields in her mouth she gallops off, leaving her partner behind
>Clearing your throat brings him to attention
>Shaking his head and taking a few deep breath he finally speaks up
>"Yes sir?"
"Ummm I was wondering if you could show me to my room? I sort of forgot to ask when I first came here"
>"Right away sir"
>Following behind the stallion the awkward silence between you makes you incredibly nervous
>Swallowing another lump in your throat you finally speak up
>"S- so uh... are you gonna report me?"
>The stallion seems to jump at your voice
>"Well how much did you see?"
>His question thoroughly confuses you
"Ummm how much of what did I see?"
>"Exactly."
>The finality in his words tells you the conversation is over, you simply hope you got yourself out of visiting the dungeons
>Finally reaching your room the stallion salutes you, leaving to return to his patrol
>Strange pony, strange partner too
>Opening the door you step into you and Tree Hugger's room
>The walls are decorated with spiraling columns, the furthest wall housing two massive windows with a clear view of the city
>A wall-mounted brazier hangs on the columns, the fire in them growing low, illuminating the room in a soft, yellow, dying light
>Looking around the room you also spot a single filled bookshelf, a desk with a few sheets of paper, some ink and a quill and finally...
>...god damn these ponies
>In the center of the room you spot just one bed for the two of you to share... again
>At least it's king sized this time, or would that be queen sized? you never learnt the difference
>At the foot of the bed sits a hearth, a stack of wood and the tools to light it nearby
>Placing Tree Hugger down on the bedding you remove her bandana from your neck and wrap it around her head
>Leaving her to fix your poor attempt at fitting it into her mane she seems to lean her head into your hand as you move away
>Haphazardly you simply put a piece of wood into each of the braziers and hope for the best
>It works well enough to reignite them
>Moving back to the hearth you stack up some wood and fiddle with the tools trying to light it
>Of course they're all suited to be used by hooves or magic so you have much greater difficulty
>After several minutes and several muttered profanities you light the wood, enveloping the room in its warm glow
>Ridding yourself of the now soaked scarves and clothing you strip yourself down to your shirt and underwear
>Sitting yourself on the foot of the bed you allow your body to soak in the warmth of the fire
>Feeling something nudge your side you look down to spot a very drowsy looking Tree Hugger
>Opening her eyes barely a crack she looks up at you, giving you that same old gentle smile
>As she places her head into your lap you instinctively go to stroke her withers
>A gentle sigh escapes her lips at your touch
>Bringing her body closer to your side she turns her head to face the hearth
>"This is nice"
>Her words come out as barely a murmur, but being the only sound in the room aside from the crackle of the fire you hear them loud and clear
>"Bit cold"
>Chuckling slightly you nudge the mare with your hand
"Wanna get closer?"
>Picking the mare up in one arm again and the blanket from the bed in the other you sit yourself and the mare down closer to the fire, hunching over and wrapping you both in the blanket
>After squirming a little bit to get more comfortable Tree Hugger rests her head against your shoulder
>For a while you two just sit there, enjoying the silence
>As time goes on you simply watch the watch the fire
>The flames grow and fall, crackling and hissing as more and more of the wood is consumed
>Some of the embers cascade down from the fire, falling to rest on the floor, and some rise above the fire dancing and spinning as they go
>"Hey Anon?"
>Tree Hugger's voice soon draws you out of your trance
>Looking down at the mare you see the orange of the fire mix with the purple in her eyes
"Yeah Tree Hugger?"
>"Thank you"
"For what?"
>The small mare brings herself closer into you, laying her head against your shoulder more, nuzzling it slightly
>"For staying with me"
>Turning to face the mare a bit you raise your eyebrows slightly
"What do you mean?"
>"I... don't usually spend Hearth Warming with other ponies... and certainly not with other humans"
>Though she chuckles slightly at the remark you can't help but feel your heart drop slightly
"What do you mean? What about Fluttershy?"
>A small frown crosses Tree Hugger's face at this
>"It's not that I never spend Hearth Warming with others, it's just more likely than not it'll be just me, my family is similar to me in how they're always travelling. So it can be sometimes difficult to keep track of them."
>Hearing another sigh from the mare you bring a hand up and start rubbing one of her ears
>This at least helps in earning a small smile from the mare
>"As for Fluttershy... her cutie mark revolves more around animals, than nature, you know?"
>You may not understand fully but you do get a general idea of what she means and give the mare a nod
>This helps to widen her smile a bit
>"So... when I do get to spend Hearth Warming with someone, it's nice... so thank you."
>Cupping a cheek with your hand you bring her head to face you
"You know I should be the one thanking you right?"
>Chuckling slightly at this the mare pushes you away a bit
>"What do you mean?"
>You raise your eyebrows so high at this you're surprised they don't fall off of your face
"What do you think I mean? Before I met you I was a complete mess, and now I'm- I'm..."
>"You're what?"
>Sighing slightly you wrap an arm loosely around Tree Hugger's neck
"I'm happy"
>You spot a small blush dust Tree Hugger's cheeks at this
>Pawing at the ground slightly the mare seems to be pondering something
>Eventually the mare begins shuffling under the blanket, rummaging around for something
>Glancing under the blanket you try to spot what the mare is doing
>Finally re-emerging the small mare holds out a wrapped present in her mouth
>Dropping it on the floor she nudges it towards you with her muzzle
>Glancing between Tree Hugger's eager gaze and the package your mouth simply hangs open
>Slowly picking up the package it droops in your hand slightly, whatever lies inside feels soft to the touch
>Glancing at Tree Hugger a small smile has crossed her face
"Tree Hugger... I- I can't-"
>You try to hand the mare the present back seeing how you hadn't gotten her anything
>Stupid ice-rink and it's stupid fun, taking away your stupid bits
>Placing a hoof on the present Tree Hugger presses it to your chest
>"Open it, I got it for you dude"
>Looking back at the present another million questions fill your mind
"B- but... when did you-"
>"In Manehattan dude, at one of the stalls"
"But how did you-"
>"I kept a few bits back"
"But when did you... with the wrapping and the-"
>"When you were asleep"
"But I didn't even-"
>You are soon silenced by a hoof being placed on your lips
>Looking at Tree Hugger you see a soft smile on her lips, yet a firmness in her eyes
>"Dude? Open it... please?"
>Taking her hoof off you, Tree Hugger sits back and watches you
>Glancing down at the present you slowly undo the wrapping paper
>As it comes undone you feel your breath hitch in your throat
>It's a bandana, almost identical to Tree Hugger's, the only difference being the color
>Green and white rather than gold
>You turn to Tree Hugger and try to say... anything, but it simply hangs open
>Looking down Tree Hugger begins to nervously paw at the ground
>"I... I know it isn't much... but I- I thought tha-"
>It's your turn to silence her this time as you put a finger to her lips
>Tightening your grip on the bandana you feel your hand begin to shake slightly
"I love it"
>Tree Hugger's eyes widen slightly at this
>Looking over the bandana you begin wrapping it around your neck
>Much to the bemusement of Tree Hugger
>Smirking at the mare as you finish tightening the bandana around your neck your heart flutters, and the biggest smile you've ever had crosses your face
>Then you feel your face heat up to no end
>After feeling a pair of lips press to your cheek
>"Happy Hearth Warming Anon"
>Bringing your hand up to your cheek you swallow a lump in your throat that had quickly formed
>Looking at Tree Hugger you see the mare burying her face in her hooves
>You slowly bring your hand down onto one of her hooves and gently pull it away from her face
>Using your other hand you cup one of her cheeks and move her face to meet your gaze
>When she finally brings her eyes to look at yours, you see a slight nervousness in them
>You don't know why, whether its because you're delirious from the blood rushing to your head, or its just the way the dancing embers reflect in her eyes, and the way that the soft glow of the fire outlines her contours so well, but you swear you feel your heart miss a beat
>Closing your eyes you bring your lips to meet Tree Hugger's
>Feeling her jump slightly at first she soon melts into you, pressing herself against your chest
>Then you break the kiss
>It was short, but it was the greatest thing you've ever felt
>Tree Hugger simply sits there, breathing slightly heavier
>She brings a hoof to her lips, like she's trying to feel it again
>Glancing up at you she tries speaking but no words come out
>Smiling down at the mare you wrap your arms around her back and neck and pull her into your chest as tight as you can
>Pulling her close you bring your mouth to her ear
"Happy Hearth Warming Tree Hugger"
>It's barely a whisper but feeling her melt into your chest, wrapping her hooves around you and burying her head in your neck, tells you all you need
>Grabbing hold of the blanket you pull it over the two of you
>It takes a while for Tree Hugger to fall asleep, squirming she desperately tries to press herself as close to your chest as she can
>Eventually feeling satisfied she begins to settle down, her chest rising and falling slower and slower, until eventually you hear her gentle breathing signaling she has answered Mr. Sandman's call
>Funnily enough you get no such call
>Every little thing keeps you in the world of the waking
>Every time the mare on your chest stirs even slightly you can't help but glance down to check on her
>Feeling her rise and fall on your chest you press down on her neck and back ever so slightly to keep her there
>Her soft breath against your neck tickles and comforts you at the same time
>As time goes by you simply lay there, stroking her withers but finally as the last of the fire flickers and fades, you feel your eyes grow heavy as sleep takes you
>One last thought crossing your mind
>>""I... don't usually spend Hearth Warming with other ponies..."
>>"So... when I do get to spend Heath Warming with someone, it's nice..."

>Slowly waking you are glad and also surprised to not have the sun attacking your eyes
>Opening your eyes you glance out your window to spot that it's still night time
>As you ready yourself for sleep once more you hear the faint whistle of a train
>That's weird the train shouldn't have gotten back to the empire for at least a few more days
>Remembering what Cadence said yesterday you get an idea
>Slowly pulling Tree Hugger off of your chest, despite her hooves pawing at your chest, you place her on the floor beside you
>Quickly dressing yourself you go to pick up Tree Hugger again
>Gently lifting her off the floor, as you wrap your arms around her she buries herself back into your chest
>Cradling her in your arms you hurry out through the castle halls once more
>Luckily your feet don't fail you and you're out of the castle and heading for the train station
>As your feet hit the platform Shining is just beginning to follow behind Cadence onto the train
"Hey Shining"
>You keep your voice low but it echos well enough in the night to get his attention
>"Anon?"
>Turning to you he gives you a curious look, his eyebrows raising at the mare in your arms
"Got room for two more?"
>Nodding towards the train a small smirk crosses Shining's face
>"Sure, hop on"
>Entering the train you have to stop yourself from whistling
>First class eat your heart out
>Velvet seating and curtains, silver dining tables, and you're pretty sure you catch a glimpse of a hot tub at the back of the train
>"Oh Anon. So good to see you again."
>You're brought out of admiring the decor by Cadence
>The beginnings of bags under her eyes, her mane, tail and even wings ruffled slightly
>She looks as tired as you feel
"Hiya Cadence, sorry to crash the party"
>This gets a small chuckle out of the princess, soon followed by a yawn
>Finally noticing the mare in your arms Cadence perks up slightly
>"Ooooh bringing your mare along?~"
>Looking down at the mare in question, and hearing those words, you can't help but smile
>Bringing her into your chest a bit tighter she paws at you slightly with one of her hooves before settling down again
>Glancing up at Cadence you give her a smirk and a wink, sitting yourself down on one of the luxury chairs
>Waving off the couple for the night you settle down into the chair, and as the train lurches forward, the landscape speeding past the window, you feel sleep take you once more

>As the train whistle blows you wake with a bit of a start
>Sadly the sun has come back with a vengeance, making up for what it missed in the empire and attacks your eyes through the port-hole sized window
>Rubbing the sleep from your eyes you look out the widow to see a familiar landscape wearing an unfamiliar face
>Spotting the familiar houses of Ponyville on the horizon the small town is covered in a blanket of snow
>Sitting back in your chair you watch as the town comes closer and closer, absentmindedly rubbing Tree Hugger's ears as you do
>"Mmmmmmm"
>Your attention is soon brought fully to the mare in your lap as she stretches back in your lap
>Bringing herself forward again she buries her head into your stomach rubbing against it
>Resting her head on your chest, a soft smile crosses her lips she slowly opens her eyes to look at you
>"Hey Anon"
"Hey Tree Hugger"
>Finally glancing around, her eyes shoot open in surprise
>"Whoa, where are we?"
>Smirking you rub Tree Hugger's withers to calm her down slightly
"We're on Cadence and Shining's train"
>"To where?"
"You'll see"
>As the train begins to slow Tree Hugger finally brings her eyes to glance out the window
>You see her eyes widen in the reflection as she gasps
>Wrapping her in a hug you can't help but feel a smirk cross your face
"Happy Hearth Warming Tree Hugger"
>Picking up the mare you follow behind the groggy and disheveled royalty out of the train
>Placing Tree Hugger down on the platform you take in the sight of the small town
>Feels like it's been years since you were last here
>Despite that you can't help but feel a small nervousness grip your heart
>Feeling something press against your leg you look down to see Tree Hugger pressing her neck against your leg
>"Thanks Anon"
>Bending down you give Tree Hugger's ear a quick scratch before heading off to Twilight's castle
>As the cold wind blows past, you grip your bandana and pull it up to your mouth
>Its fabric seems to mold itself around your face, softly warming it
>As you spot Twilight's castle approach, you spot multiple ponies entering it and hear the gentle jingle of music coming from it
>Glancing up you see that it's getting close to the afternoon
>The crunch of the snow beneath the four of you alerts the attention of the pony at the door to your presence
>It's the hot carrot pony
>Spotting you her eyes go wide, then spotting the prince and princess her eyes go even wider
>Her head rapidly darts between you and the royalty eventually trying to bow she ends up stumbling over her own hooves and munching on snow
>Suppressing a laugh you kneel beside the mare and offer her a hand
>Initially she flinches she soon puts her hoof in your hand
>Helping her stand up straight she smiles up at you only to look straight down, mumbling to herself
"Sorry what was that?"
>Clearing her throat she hesitantly looks up at you again
>"I- I- I wanted to apologize to you... for the way I acted back when you were here. I- I should have given you a chance..."
>Hearing this you feel the nervousness from earlier leave
>Smiling down at the mare you give her a small nod
>"Thanks, I appreciate that. If I can get one of your hot carrots I might forgive you"
>Perking up at this the mare chuckles at your joke, holding out a hoof to you
>Extending your hand you quickly change to bump her hoof with your fist
>"The name's Carrot Top by the way"
>Saying this the mare heads off into the castle
>Putting your hands in your pocket you look down at Tree Hugger to see her raising her eyebrows at you
>Shrugging your shoulders she nudges your leg with her hoof, smiling
>"Would you look at that"
"I know right?"
>Heading inside the castle you slip by the multiple ponies crowding the halls, many of the ponies gasping as you pass by
>Then gasping again as they see Shining Armor
>Then would you believe it, they gasp again as Cadence goes by
>Alright calm down you lot you'll end up passing out if you keep this up
>Three actually do
>Though you're pretty sure they never even saw you guys
>Those mares
>As you enter the main room all the ponies turn to face you
>Though your eyes only settle on six ponies
>Seeing them again you feel a small smile cross your lips
>As the six approach you Rainbow is the first to speak up
>"Anon? Is that you?"
>Pulling down the bandana you give her a questioning look
"Why? Has another suit-wearing monkey come through here recently?"
>Chuckling at this, Rainbow smacks your arm with her hoof
>"I can't believe you're here, we heard you were up in the empire, how'd you get here?"
"You can thank those two"
>Nodding your head back the girls finally spot Cadence and Shining, both of which are bouncing on their hooves as they look towards Twilight
>Seeing them Twilight tackles them both into a hug whilst you and the girls head off to talk whilst those three catch up
>Grabbing some drinks you, Tree Hugger and the girls find a quiet corner to talk
>"Anonymous darling, you simply must tell us about your journey"
>"Please Rarity, y'all are actin' like we haven't already heard?"
>You raise an eyebrow at this
"Oh yeah, what have you heard?"
>Chuckling Applejack turns to you
>"Where to start? How about how y'all and the sheriff in Applelossa got in a duel? or the part where you got drunk off your hats with him the next day?"
>"Orrrrrrr like how you had a super mega awesome party in Manehattan?"
>So the ponies here have heard about your travels? That would explain Carrot Top you guess
>You're not sure what you expected, of course Braeburn would send a letter to Applejack, you didn't expect Coco or Vinyl to send a letter though
"Yeah it's been a wild ride alright"
>Feeling Tree Hugger brush against your hand you instinctively go to stroke her withers earning a few smirks from the girls
>"My my Anonymous when did you get so... physical? Oh my matching bandanas, how cute"
>This causes a fit of giggles to come from the girls
>Smiling you crouch next to Tree Hugger and give her a quick peck on the cheek
>This silences the girls and leaves her a blushing mess
>Eventually recomposing herself she presses herself into you
>Whether to hide herself or not you aren't entirely sure
>Glancing between themselves, smiles begin to grow on the girls' faces
>You're soon bombarded by a million questions a second
>Opening your mouth to answer one question you're interrupted by another
>"Girls please, maybe let these two settle in for two minutes before bombarding them with questions?"
>Looking back you spot Twilight, Shining and Cadence approaching the group
>Nodding they all begrudgingly head off to talk with Cadence and Shining
>Leaning towards you Twilight whispers
>"I do mean only two minutes Anon"
>Chuckling you give Twilight a nod
"Sounds fair"
>Leaving you two as well you look down at Tree Hugger to see her face return to its usual green
>"So... where to next?"
>Smiling down at the mare you bring a hand to her withers and softly stroke them
"Wherever you're going"
>"Well I'm heading off to that snack table over there"
>Your mouth hangs open slightly at this, feeling extremely awkward
>Winking at you Tree Hugger goes into a fit of giggles as she trots off
>Following behind her you can't help but smile at your mare

End