Couch Surfing

>You're sitting on the couch, hoping something exciting will happen.
>You end up sitting here often, too often now that you think about it. If someone -er somepony you guess you should say- saw you, they'd think your were crazy; the way you just stare at this blank part of the wall.
>But there's not much else to do, nothing else to do, really.
>You usually get up every half hour to walk circles around your small house in some vain hope you'll find something new to do, but without fail you always end up back on the couch.
>That damned couch.
>If you had something else to do, you would throw the fucking thing out onto the street and burn it right there. Preaching to the nearby masses of its sacrilegious lack of comfort.
>But, seeing as how you don't have anything else to do, you cant.
>The couch is the only piece of furniture in the room. The owner left it behind after one of the Princesses payed for the place. She offered to buy all kinds of knickknacks to make house feel more like a home, but you declined.
>You feel guilty enough that she got you a place to live, no sense in adding to the debt you owe her.
>You sigh as you stand up from the couch and stretch.
>You walk over to the window in the front of the room and peer out it.
>Ponies walk up and down the city streets. Twilight told you that you weren't in the busy part of town, but living in the capital meant there'll be an excess of ponies no matter where you are.
>You smile softly to yourself as you remember the day you were told you would live here.
>Twilight wanted you to go with her to her home town so that she could do all kinds of experiments on you.
>She didn't exactly put it that way when she brought the idea forward to the other Princesses, but you knew just what that look in her eyes meant.
>Lucky for you, the pink one protested, she said that you should stay in Canterlot.
>You have no idea why, but she gave Twilight this look, sort of a "I have a good feeling about this" kind of look.
>You step away from the window and check the fridge for anything except apples.
>You hate apples, but every time Twilight visits she brings some with her. She told you they're all from one of her friends back in Ponyville who kept making her bring them.
>She was trying to be a good friend, even though you still haven't met her.
>Twilight had tried to tell her that you don't like apples, but she had just laughed and dismissed this notion as being impossible.
>So your fridge quickly filled up with apples. But the pace has slowed down quite a lot the past few months.
>You don't even remember the last time Twilight came by.
>The wonder of a new creature showing up in Equestria has apparently worn off.
>You only keep the apples because you know that when you get hungry and are out of everything else, you usually prefer to just eat the apples, rather than go out and buy something better.
>That seems to happen a lot actually.
>For someone who hates apples you sure do eat a lot of them.
>But not today. today you have have enough self respect to do something about it.
>You run through in your head what you need to get as you pull your jacket out of the closet and throw it around yourself.
>You leave your small house and step out onto the street, starting in the direction of the nearest market.
>The ponies outside all smile and greet you.
>You return their pleasantries as you are immediately reminded of why you like to stay inside.
>It's not like you're some kind of misanthrope, or hippophobe it should be. fuck these ponies and their weird ass way of talking.
>You don't shun society and seclude yourself because you think you're better than them or anything.
>You like company, you have friends, well, a friend, but she doesn't come around very often anymore.
>You never had that many friends back on earth anyway.
>You just prefer things more... real, genuine.
>You have never felt more surrounded by fakers in you're entire life.
>None of these ponies actually care for you as much as they want to seem like they do.
>They remember your name, and they're kind, but only once has anyone actually offered to hang out; and that was only because they wanted to show off to all their friends that they had a "token human friend".
>You stop yourself before you get too worked up.
>No sense in getting angry just as you have to talk to a bunch of shop runners-
"Dammit," you say out loud.
"AnyPONY, anyPONY, not anyONE," you say quietly to yourself, ignoring the looks the ponies are giving you. They tend not to like swearing around here.
>"Not used to the language difference yet?" you hear confident a voice say behind you.
>You turn your head and see a cream-colored mare walking in the same direction as you.
>She's smiling and looking at you, waiting for an answer.
"Ha ha yeah," you laugh weakly, "It's taken me a lot longer to adjust to than I expected, considering I still cant get it right."
>"I wouldn't worry about it, I've never met anyone who actually cares either way," she says proudly as she speeds up to walk beside you.
>You just keep walking. you've been around these ponies enough to know when they're putting on a front.
>"So where ya headed?"
"Just to the market, running low on food," you hope this mare will pick up on your tone and just leave you alone.
>"Oh hey me too. I tend to let things get to an embarrassingly low level before I venture out ha ha."
>You catch out of the corner of your eye that shes looking straight at you, almost like shes studying you.
>This pony is dripping cheeky confidence. She clearly thinks she's better at this than she is.
>But she switches tactics a bit when you respond with just a "mm"
>"I kinda hate going out actually, there's always too many ponies."
>You'll give her this, shes good at reading people. Which means she's ignoring the signs you're giving that you don't want to talk.
>This pony wants something from you, that much is obvious, but you have no idea what it could be.
"Yeah, I guess. listen I'm just kinda in a hurry so-"
>"So you're a, hoo-man, right?" she quickly cuts you off.
"Human," you correct her.
>"Human, got it. I know you probably get this all the time but, how'd you get here, Mr. Human?"
"Not as often as you might think. You ponies are rather quick to accept things."
>"Yeah, most ponies don't care for much besides if they can befriend it or not," you sense an air of genuine annoyance  in her voice, like it's the first real thing she's said, "But anyway, how'd you get to Equestria?"
>You sigh, "Don't know, went to bed one night and woke up here. The Princesses haven't told me anything either. I get the feeling that damned pink one knows something about it, but she hasn't told me jack shit."
"Cadence, yeah, she's my least favorite Princesses to be completely honest with you. I don't mind swearing by the way. Don't go thinking I'm like all these other ponies. You should hear me when I'm alone ha ha."
>Great, perfect, fantastic. A little swearing and implying her ruler is a lair was supposed to offend her, make her leave you alone if you got lucky; but it only gave you something to connect over.
>She's quiet for a second before continuing "So hey, um, listen," she's much quieter, much less confidence oozing out of her every word, and much more genuine, "I'm writing this paper on inter-species relations and, I was just wondering if, you'd be willing to do an interview for it? with me I mean."
>There it is, the reason she's speaking to you. She's trying to get a better grade, nice, "I really don't think I have the time for something like tha-"
>"I'll pay you for it!" she blurts out, "I think hearing from you would be just what I need, please?" her voice has changed completely now, her cockiness gone.
>You look down at her for the second time since she started talking to you. She's peering at you through glasses with big purple eyes. It reminds you of the look a dog gives when its begging for food.
>She does seem desperate, plus you could use a few extra bits. The Princesses supply you with an allowances so you don't starve, but food is just about all you can afford with it.
>You pause for a moment.
"Sure, yeah okay."
>"Great!" she exclaims. Her face looked a bit blue, she must have been holding her breath while you thought about it. "Everything you need is on this paper here see ya!" she rushes the words out quicker than you would think a girl who nearly passed out from lack of oxygen could.
>You stop walking and look down at the little piece of paper she pushed in your hands. An address, and time was written on it.
>You turn to see her quickly trotting in the opposite direction as you, breathing heavily.
>The corner of your mouth curls into a smile, "So much for going to the market," you arrogantly say to yourself.



>You're trotting down the street, breathing heavily as you go.
>Thoughtlessly rushing home.
>You really managed to mess that one up.
>This was supposed to be just a short trip to a little bookstore you heard about, but how luck would have it, you encountered the human.
>You cant decide if it's good or bad luck yet.
>Hopefully you're going to get lots of useful information for your paper, maybe you can even get extra credit.
>On the other hoof, the guy looked like he hated you. And you offered to pay him!
>Stupid stupid stupid.
>The only human in existence, hates you.
>You don't even know what you did that was so wrong.
>You approached him, talked a bit, pretended to like the same things as him.
>All the things normal ponies do.
>You ran through your routine, what you rehearsed.
>None of it seemed to work, well, he seemed to soften a bit at the end; but that's probably because he felt sorry for you.
>You were so confident in yourself too. You even wrote your information down before you spoke to him.
>Ponies usually expect that sort of confidence; you have no idea why he seemed to act so negatively to it.
>And now he's coming to your house, just the two of you, to talk.
>You cant imagine a worse situation for someone who hates you.
>You stop on the sidewalk, looking up at your house you just arrived at.
>Oh Celestia, he's coming here.
>To your house!
>Oh Celestia.
>You drag yourself to the door and slowly open it.
"What have I gotten myself into."
>Your house is, of course, a complete mess.
>You haven't cleaned in at least a few months.
>Books lie scattered across the floor. Forgotten plates and cups clutter the coffee table. Rotten apple cores are all over the place.
>You defiantly have your work cut out for you.
>You decide your luck must have been bad.
>Awful, even.
>You step inside and close the door behind you, slumping against it as you do.
>Maybe you should just cancel on him.
>Better to just have him hate you, instead of making it worse.
>You're pretty sure you have enough for an A on the paper anyway, you can do without an interview.
>You put your head in your hooves.
>You cant cancel on him, because you have no idea how to contact him.
>And you cant just turn him away at the door. You have no idea how far he'll have to travel to get here.
>Looks like you're just going to have to do this; and if you're going to do this, you may as well do it right.
>You'll have to clean, prepare some questions, find some loose bits.
>And by golly you're going to do your best to make him like you.
>And once you make him your friend, you can rub it in Twilight's face that you CAN make friends.
>Then maybe she'll stop writing to tell you how you need to get out more.
>Yeah, you can do this.
>Easy peasy.



>It's been a few days since your trip to the market.
>Today's the day you're supposed to meet that mare for an interview, actually.
>You considered just blowing her off.
>But you really could use some more bits.
>You spent the past few days sitting on the couch, daydreaming of what you would spend them on.
>Maybe you could go out to eat, or maybe you could go deeper into the city. There must be something fun to do there. Maybe you could even find a liquor store; you haven't seen one since getting here, but then again you don't really get out much.
>Shame you probably won't be getting enough to buy a new couch. That's something you'd actually get a lot of mileage out of.
>With a sigh you look at the clock on the wall to your right.
>2:12.
>Or maybe 2:13.
>It's hard to tell the difference on these damn analogs.
>Either way, you have to be there at 2:30.
>With an even heavier sigh you get off the couch and grab your jacket.
>Better get a move on. You have a vague idea of where she lives, but aren't exactly sure how long it'll take you to get there.
>Hey, at least it's something to do.
>You aren't certain, but there has to be a limit to how boring a persons life can be before they go insane.
>You swing your jacket on and head outside.
>It's cloudy today, which thankfully means there aren't as many ponies out. But the ones that are there still insist on smiles and hellos.
>Damn ponies.

>You arrive at what you think is the right house, but it almost looks abandoned.
>The garden and lawn are horribly unkempt and overgrown. The shutters on all the windows are closed. It does not look like the kind of house that belongs to the confident cheeky mare you met.
>You hesitantly glance around. The other ponies don't seem to pay any mind to this place, they must be used to it.
>You nervously pop your fingers as you approach the door. You briefly consider the possibility that you're being lured into some kind of trap, but then remember you're in magic ponyland.
>You raise your hand to knock, and just as you do, the door swings open.
>"Hey there! I'm so glad you could make it! I almost got worried. Come on in," it's the same mare you met a few days ago, thank god. She's got a huge smile on her face, and she's back to using that overconfident tone of hers again.
"Yeah, heh," you step inside, luckily the doorway was high enough you didn't have to duck down too much.
>The inside definitely looks better than the outside at least. It's a small room with a couch and wooden chair separated by a coffee table in the center. Book shelves filled to the brim cover almost every wall, except space left for a clock that reads 2:36.
>Not quite as empty as where you live, but not as full as you got used to seeing in the few pony homes you've seen.
>"Come, please sit down so we can get started. You take the couch," she sounds like how you imagine someone who invited you over for lunch after just meeting you at the first church service of the day would sound.
>Trying too hard.
"Thanks," you say quietly as you sit down.
>She takes a seat across from you and gestures to a bowl of apples on the coffee table, "Please, help yourself. I wasn't sure what kind you liked so I got a bunch."
>Apples, fucking perfect.
>And by the looks of them, she really did get a bunch. Every apple there must have been a different type. All sizes and colors you could find apples in is sitting in that bowl.
>You're about to explain how you don't apples when she says in a cheery tone, "The yellow ones were the hardest to find, not a lot of ponies like them it seems. Took me two hours just to find some ha ha."
>Before you can stop yourself, you reach for one and say dryly, "Oh sweet, those are my favorite."
>Damn this pony and her big innocent eyes.
>You take a bite and quickly realize why no one buys yellow apples, they fucking suck.
>The mares smile gets a little less fake as you bite into it.
>You swallow and do your best to smile.
>You choose to just fiddle with the apple in your hands instead of putting the fowl thing back in your mouth.
>Then something occurs to you.
"I don't think I ever caught your name?"
>Her face flashes in a sort of horrified look before answering, "Oh of course, how stupid of me. I'm Moondancer. And, what's your name?" it seems you caught her off guard, because her fake tone dropped again. Like when she first asked about this interview.
"Anonymous."
>She mouths the name to herself before grabbing a clipboard and pencil off the coffee table and writing it down.
>"Right, so, now, are you ready to get started?" her voice is back to sounding fake.
>If you have one goal here, it's to see how often you can break through that facade and get her to talk like a normal person. You relax a bit, leaning back in the couch. You start thinking about the whole thing as a game.
>Make the tiny horse stop faking.
>Human - 1
>Tiny horse - 0
"So these questions are for a paper on inter-species relations? I remember you saying that the other day"
>She looks happy that you remembered, but it's an easy thing to do when most of your time is spent thinking.
"Say, didn't you also say you needed to go to the market? How come you just ran off?"
>A little embarrassment never hurt anybody, and it seems to have scored you a point.
>She stutters and clambers for her voice as her cheeks catch a hint of red.
>Human - 2
>Tiny horse - 0
"Ha ha don't worry about it. Just trying to break the ice a little bit," you say with a smile
>She avoids eye contact and her face stays red, but she giggles a little.
>"Of course, a bit of familiarity never hurt. So are you ready then?"
"Yep, shoot."
>"What has life been like for you? Living in a society made up entirely of a different species than yourself."
>You think for a moment. You could be honest and tell her you really don't know, because you only leave your house if you cant help it.
"It's been a shock. Definitely took some time for me to believe I didn't just go insane, but it's not so bad now."
>Just a little half truth.
>She writes down your answer then continues.
>"What has it been like to be an ambassador for your entire species to the Princesses?"
>God damn this mare is really digging in isn't she.
>You expected questions like "How do you managed having to duck under doorways so often?"
"Well, it's been quite an honor. But I feel I have represented my kind fairly to your leaders."
>Another half truth.
>"How hard has it been for you to disappear from your old life, and come somewhere totally foreign to you?"
>You suddenly grip the apple so hard juice starts to drip down your hand.
"What kind of question is that?! It's been awful, I've got nothing here! Not a single friend!"
>Human - 2
>Tiny horse - 1
>You are standing now, towering over Moondancer. The fingers of your right hand buried in the apple.
>She looks up at you with more shock and fear than you've seen in a ponies eyes before.
>"I-I'm sorry. I-I didn't k-know," her voice is little more than a whisper, her eyes glued to the bowl of apples.
>Human - 3
>Tiny horse - 1
>Fuck this stupid game.
>You sigh, then sit back down. "No no, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. It's just... a touchy subject for me. That was a real dick thing to do."
>She stays as still as a statue, but looks up at you.
>You hold her gaze for a moment, then look away.
"I uh, I had a friend back home. I had known the guy for most of my life. He was my best friend. We had started to drift away towards the point where I... just... disappeared. it's not like we were that close anymore. I really shouldn't be so torn up about it..." you look back to Moondancer, her face is full of genuine concern. Silently pleading you to keep going.
"What really gets to me is the thought that he has no idea I even left. The thought that he never called to catch up one day and discovered I was missing... I wonder how long it took people to notice I was gone, or if they ever did."
>It goes quite, besides for you sniffling.
>Neither of you say anything for a couple minutes.
>Moondancer eventually speaks up, "T-Twilight is always writing me about how it's important to be h-honest with each other. So I thank you for sharing that with me. I understand how hard it can be to have no friends. I know the Princess of friendship for crying out loud; but outside of the occasional letter from her, I don't really talk to a lot of ponies."
>Moondancer is fiddling with her hooves as she speaks; she looks like she's trying very hard not to say the wrong thing.
"You don't act like it. You act more or less like every other pony. Always putting on a friendly face. And it always feels so fake."
>You look at her, and she looks like she's considering saying something.
>She looks at you, and you give her the same silent plead.
>"I have to a-act like that. I don't think ponies would like me very much if I acted like... myself. Every time I try, they always just get scared off and never stick around for very long."
>You've never been good at making friends, but you decide to take a chance with this mare.
"Well, listen, if you promise to be yourself around me... then, I promise I won't run off."
>She nods while smiling at you through puffy eyes.
"Good. Now, do you have a bathroom?"
>She points to a door behind you with her hoof.
>You stand up, "I'll be back in a minute."



>You watch as Anonymous gets up and walks into the bathroom. You hear the sink turn on after he closes the door.
>The moment he's out of sight, you let out a shaky breath.
>You reach up and take off your glasses off so you can wipe you eyes.
>Stupid pony, you got a tear drop on your clipboard.
>You knew you shouldn't have ask those questions. You just really wanted to show both Anonymous and your professor you were serious about this. It would never do to ask stupid things like how hard it must be for him to duck to get through doorways.
>But it all turned out for the better, right?
>That's how it certainly seems.
>Though it's not like this is the first time somepony has told you they wanted to be your friend. And they always leave eventually.
>Even still, you cant wipe that stupid grin off your face.
>You barely notice yourself fiddling with your glasses.
>Something does feel... different, about this whole thing.
>Maybe it's because this is the first non-pony friend you're going to have. Well, one of your first friends period.
>Maybe it's because this is the first friend you're going to make all on your own.
>You cant wait to rub it in Twilight's face.
>She's going to be so proud of you.
>Your eyes shoot up as you hear Anonymous come back.
>You quickly put your glasses back on and put on a neutral expression
>He sits back down across from you.
>He looks tense, about as tense as you feel.
>After such an emotional moment between you both, you wouldn't have expected to feel so awkward.
>Then he chuckles softly as he reaches down and picks a juicy wet apple off the ground.
>He really did a number on that thing. It was crushed and covered in holes. He was a stronger stallion than you expected.
>"Better throw this away," he says awkwardly as he starts to get up
>Before you think about it you say, "Let me!" as you grab the apple out of his hand with magic and hurl it in the trash bin.
>You realize how rude it is to rip something out of his grip like that.
"Sorry," you say softly, your gaze falling.
>"No-no, it's fine. That was a pretty good shot."
>You look over at the trash bin, which sat against the wall to your right.
"I'm uh, really used to throwing away apple cores from the couch," you say with a small giggle.
>"Ha ha I can tell," his voice simply melts away any tension in the room, "So you spend a lot time on the couch too huh?"
"I do a lot of reading, and that couch is the best spot ever," you speak with a confidence, but a different kind than what you're used to. This kind doesn't have to be forced. "What do you do all day?"
>He hesitates for a moment, "Honestly... nothing. I haven't met many ponies and I don't go out much so there's not much to do. I mostly sit inside and just, think."
"Yeah most ponies feel it's unnatural to not want to go frolicking in the fields with ten of your best friends."
>He laughs. It's an infectious sort of laugh, you cant help but join him.
>"I'm glad you understand the trials of being a shut in. But at least you read, you must learn a lot form all these books." he gestures to the shelves that cover nearly every wall.
>Your cheeks feel a bit warmer than usual.

>The next few hours go by quicker than you would have thought possible.
>Before you know it, Anonymous has to go.
>You wave goodbye to him as you watch him from your door step. He smiles, and waves back.
>You close the door, then plop yourself down on the couch.
>You and Anonymous spent the whole day talking.
>The sun has almost set already.
>You wish the day didn't have to end. All you want to do is spend time with him.
>He was just so different than all the other ponies. It's so easy to be yourself around him.
>You sit up and start writing that letter to Twilight.
>You're sure to make it very clear how you managed a friendship all on your own.
>You seal the letter in an envelope and set it outside in your mailbox.
>When you come back inside, something feels different.
>The atmosphere of your room is changed.
>You always liked being alone, but now it feels different.
>It feels lonely.
>It's just you and your books now.
>You grab one off the shelf with your magic and sit down. You try to force yourself to focus on it.
>After reading the same paragraph for the third time and realizing you have no idea what it was about, you shut the book and toss it on the coffee table with a sigh.
>You cant stop thinking.
>Your mind cant help but wander.
>If this is part of what it means to have a friend, you're not sure you like it.
>Not unless you never have to be away from your friend of course.
"Stupid stupid stupid," you get off the couch and begin pacing.
>You just met him today. You've only know him for a few hours. You're getting way too attached.
>All those years of having barely any connection to another pony must be getting to you.
>You just need to relax.
"Relax, Moondancer... relax."
>You start taking deep breaths.
>In.
>Out.
>In.
"Oh man!"
>You totally forgot to talk about when you would hang out next! What if he forgets your address and cant find you again! What if he didn't tell you where he lives because he doesn't want you finding him again! What if- oh wait
>Out
>No no no you need to stop thinking like this.
>He'll come back. You'll spend more time together. He IS your friend.
>Only, at this rate, you're not sure how long you'll last.

>You knock on the the door. You know you have the right one because it's taller than all the others.
>After a few days of endless pacing and just a bit of rum, you decided to go out and find where Anonymous lives on your own.
>You went back to where you first saw him on your way to the market. Once there, you started asking -a bit forcefully- anypony you saw if they knew where Anonymous lived. Luckily, you found one who did.
>The door opens to Anonymous standing there.
>Wow.
>You forgot how tall he was.
>"Oh hey! Moondancer! Come on in." he says cheerily as he steps aside.
>"Oh hi! What are the chances of meeting you here?" Twilight. She was sitting on the couch in the middle of the room, the only piece of furniture that there appeared to be.
>What was Twilight doing here?
>And why would she be here with Anonymous when you haven't seen him in days?
>You narrow your eyes at her.
>"Twilight just popped over for a chat. She was on her way out actually."
>"Sadly yes, I've got to be going. Princess duties and all. Hopefully we can catch up sometime soon Moondancer."
>She walks past you with a smile.
"See ya," you say shortly.
>"Come on in," Anonymous says as he gives you a curious look.



>Moondancer walks inside and you close the door behind her.
"Uh, have a seat," you say carefully as you gesture at your couch. Moondancer's expression looks a lot more serious than you'd expect.
>"What was Twilight doing here?" she says curtly, ignoring you invitation to sit; instead, she stands in front of you, head titled back to look up at you.
>You step past her and sit down on the couch, becoming eye level with her.
"She just wanted to catch up a bit."
>"Are you two friends?"
"Not really. She used to be, but today was the first time we've spoken in months."
>"What did you speak about?"
"She was just curious about what I've been up to. I told her about the other day, she was happy I actually held a conversation with someone."
>And she took particular interest in talking about Moondancer, asking you all sorts of questions.
>More of an interrogation really.
>Moondancer looks at the ground, clearly thinking about something.
"Is something wrong?" you ask after she stays quiet for a few more seconds.
>"Oh it's nothing, I was just-"
"Moondancer," you interrupt. She was using that fake voice of hers again, "You promised you'd be honest with me."
>You pat the cushion beside you, and Moondancer hops up to sit next you.
>"I-I'm sorry, Anonymous. I was just surprised to see Twilight here is all."
>You can tell there's more to it, but you decide not to push. Everyone is entitled to their secrets, and this mare is still largely a stranger to you anyway.
"Well hey, it's not a problem. Oh, and get this, I've been summoned to see, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza today. She's in town and wanted to talk with me."
>"What would the Princess of love want with you?"
>You feel something, buried deep, deep in your gut.
"I have no idea, but I was just about to leave before you showed up. You wanna tag along? I'm sure she wouldn't mind."
>You get up and move to grab your jacket.
>"Of course, an audience with royalty is always fun." she says it as if you were holding a gun to her head; but it's an agreement nonetheless. You weren't about to go and talk to the magic pony Princess of love without backup, not if your interrogation with the magic pony Princess of friendship was anything to go by.
>You freeze, and look at Moondancer for a heartbeat.
>Oh no.
>IF going off of your interrogation with the magic Princess of friendship WAS anything to go by, then inviting Moondancer may have been the worst mistake of your life.
>Oh god, this is going to be awkward.
>Moondancer wakes you from your short trance of fear, "Anonymous? Are we going?"
"Oh, yeah sorry." you both leave your house and make your way for the royal palace.
>You put your jacket on, which makes you think of something.
"Moondancer?"
>"Hmm?"
"How come you always wear that sweater? Don't ponies usually not wear clothes?"
>You had barely even noticed that she wore it. It just seemed to fit her so well.
>"It's comfortable, and it makes me feel...I don't know, safe, I guess."
"I get that. I use to wear hoodies all the time back home. But all the ones you ponies tried making me never fit well and are always itchy."
>She pulls at the collar of her sweater, "Ha ha yeah, I guess it's harder to tell through all this fur."
>A moment passes
"So how'd you manage to find where I live?"
>"I uh, just asked around."
"Asked around?"
>"Yeah, you know... just... whoever was out."
"How long did that take?"
>She mutters something you cant make out.
"What was that?"
>"An hour."
>You try not to laugh, she's clearly embarrassed. Plus it's kind of endearing. "Well let it be known you're one dedicated  and determined mare."
>She lets out a small giggle.
>You both walk in silence for a bit. Moondancer seems very anxious; she's staring straight down, her eyes look blank. You guess she came to the same conclusion about meeting with the Princess as you did.
"You not such a big fan of, Mi Amore Cadenza?" you ask jokingly, "You said she was your least favorite Princess."
>"Well, kinda. I'm just not sure it's a good sign that two Princesses just happen to want to chat on the same day."
>You agree with her. This can only be a move to further their master plan. You're extremely doubtful of Twilight's reason for asking so much about Moondancer being, "I'm only happy you're meeting new ponies."

>The rest of the walk to the palace was much quieter than was comfortable.
>You both felt you had a pretty good idea what this meeting was about, and neither of you knew how to feel about it.
>As you enter the palace, you remember the wonder you felt when you first saw it. The huge white pillars and beautiful stained-glass windows are quite the sight to behold.
>The guards lead you from the entrance way into what looks like a conference room, a very comfy conference room. Lush couches and chairs surrounded a coffee table the size of a mattress. The table had a pitcher of red wine and fancy glasses on it.
>"I'll tell the Princess you've arrived," the guard says as he closes the doors, leaving you and Moondancer alone in this very big, very quiet room.
>You force a smile down at her, but she's already at the table, pouring herself a cup of wine.
>Following her lead, you head over to the best looking chair you can find and plop yourself down in it. This thing is miles ahead of the one at your house, but if you're being honest with yourself, you think you prefer Moondancer's couch.
>Moondancer climbs onto the nearest couch on your left.
>You pour yourself a drink, noticing that Moondancer's glass is already halfway drained.
>She's definitely got the right idea there.
>Your head snaps to the right to see the Princess walk in the room. She's wearing the biggest shit-eating grin you've ever seen.
>"Hello Anonymous," She says happily, "I was so happy to hear you brought Moondancer with you."
>You stand up, "Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, I was glad to hear you wished to talk to me." you say in as formal a voice you can muster.
>She gestures for you to sit, as she takes her own seat across from you and Moondancer. "Oh there's no need for all that, just call me, Cadance."
"Ok, Cadance, what did you want to discuss?"
>She looks between you and Moondancer, still smiling.
>Honestly, she was like a little school girl.
>You manage to take a sizable sip of wine before she actually says anything.
>"So, I hear you two have been getting along?"
>You risk a glance at Moondancer, she looks happily content to just keep drinking and let you do all the talking.
>Damn shy girls.
>You mentally sigh, you just better not have to carry this mare home in a drunken stupor.
"Uhm yeah, yeah I'd say so. I mean this is really only the third time we've ever spoken."
>"Then it seems we have a fast growing relationship here, considering how comfortable you two seem to be, wouldn't you say?"
>You'd really prefer it if she used the word "friendship".
>And you're not even sure what she means by that, until you glance to your left at Moondancer again and notice she's leaning against the right arm of her couch, as close to you as it will allow. You also realize you had unconsciously been leaning your body to the left.
>Nothing more than coincidence.
>You then notice Moondancer's glass is fuller than when you saw it last.
>"How'd you know we were friends?" Moondancer finally pipes up.
>Little slow to that question girl.
>Well, only one thing left to do.
>You shoot back the rest of your glass and go to refill it.



>"Oh, Twilight mentioned something about it," Cadance said shortly, as if to wave away your question.
>Of course.
>You're almost certain that Twilight showed up at Anonymous' house solely because you told her about him. Too much of a coincidence that she showed up in Canterlot just days after you met him.
>She and Cadance are up to something, clearly. But what?
>Cadance IS the Princess of love, which could point to one possibility...
>But that CANT be it. You JUST met Anonymous.
>And if this pink mare right here tries to imply anything, you aren't afraid to give her a piece of your mind. You're already uncomfortable enough just being here.
>And if she manages to scare off Anonymous, well then-
>Whoa there Moondancer; you cant just throw down with a Princess.
>Maybe you've had one too many glasses of wine.
>Your vision is kinda blurry, now that you think about it.
>You're starting to regret not eating anything today.
>You regret writing that stupid letter to Twilight, you could have avoided all of this.
>You regret even agreeing to come to this stupid meet up.
>"I'm curious, do you two have any plans today?"
>This mare.
>That cheeky smile of hers.
>You need a refill.
>"Uh, no... no I don't think so."
>Luckily you can still manage to pour the wine without knocking anything over.
>This palace stuff is better than anything you've had in a long time.
>Now, get this Moondancer: If you can drink so much you pass out, then maybe you can get out of here within the hour.
>That is an awful idea.
>You will only embarrass yourself even more if you get that drunk.
>"I only ask because me and my husband have dinner plans that we sadly wont be able to attend. So I was wondering if maybe you two would like to take our place?"
>This mare is trying to set you up on a dinner date.
>Maybe drinking just a bit more will help.
>Is she TRYING to ruin things?
>Is that it?
>Is she trying to make room so Twilight can have Anonymous all to herself?
>If there was one way you think the princess of love would ruin a friendship, this would definitely be it.
>You have diligently kept your eyes off of Anonymous so far, you don't want to give Cadance anything to go off of. But you steal a quick glance and notice he's drinking about as much as you; except he looks completely fine.
>His size is obviously giving him an advantage here.
>You begin to wonder if all humans look just like him. Do they come in different colors like ponies do? Do their manes come in different colors? Do they all have such nice manes?
>You rip your gaze away and spread your body out on the couch, resting your head on the arm rest. Completely blocking Anonymous from your vision.
>You were staring.
>Ok, just relax.
>Let Anonymous do the talking, he's doing great so far.
>Though it is rather quiet.
>Oh darn did one of them say something to you?
>You lift your head and look between Cadance and Anonymous.
>Cadance still has that smile, like her plan is perfectly coming together.
>Anonymous looks at you, expecting an answer.
>Oh wait what did she ask?
>You decide to just play it safe.
"It's up to you Anonymous."
>Conflict averted. Cadance ain't got nothing on you.
>You lay your head back down as you hear Anonymous say, "... Well I wouldn't want to refuse a gift from a Princess," he chuckles nervously at the end.
>Oh thank Celestia, he's just as uncomfortable as you.
>"Perfect!" Cadance says. She had absolutely no doubt he'd agree. This mare. "Well the food will be brought out in a couple minutes I'll tell the severs to bring more wine in the mean time goodbye now!"
>She closes the door behind her before you even understand what happened.
>You're eating here?
>Why in the world would she not be able to attend reservations here?
>This doesn't make any sense.
>Wait.
>You look at the now empty glass in your hooves.
>She was getting you drunk on purpose!
>She's hoping you'll slip up and ruin things all on your own!
>Ok, first: You vow never to trust that pink whorse again. Second: You have to get out of this trap before it's too late.
>You sit up and set your glass on the table. You notice the pitcher is now completely empty.
>"This wine's really good, huh?" Anonymous says nervously as he finishes his glass.
"The best I've ever tasted." good, you can still talk without slurring, that's good.
>You open your mouth to explain the situation to Anonymous, you're going to need his help to get out of this alive. Before you can even think of what to say, a second door to your right opens and a mare with another pitcher of wine comes in. She sets the wine down on the table, smiles at you, and turns to leave.
>You stare at her with narrowed eyes until the door is once again shut.
"So, we have to get out of here," you begin to refill your glass. Your voice sounds much more confident than you expected. "This is obviously some kind of ploy devised by Cadance. And I suspect Twilight to be involved as well."
>Anonymous tries his best to return your serious expression while he sips his wine. You swear he almost looks like he's trying not to smile.
>You stand, "If we stay here who knows what they have planned. This situation cannot be trusted, you have to work with me on this."
>You decide standing may not be the best idea, and slowly fall back onto the couch.
>Anonymous definitely thinks something is funny.
>Oh Celestia, did they put something in his glass?
>This must be phase two!
>They're trying to make him think everything is perfectly alright, that way when you slip up it'll be that much more devastating.
>How could they do this?!
"Anonymous, please listen to me! We have to get out of here! Our budding friendship is at stake!"
>He stands up, "Ok ok I'm with you. I don't really want to stay here either." He smiles smugly down at you, "Can you walk?"
>You stand, then slam back your glass.
>You give him a very serious look, and nod "Let's go."
>You start walking towards the door, and before you know it, you drop your rump to the ground to stop yourself from falling over.
>"Okay, here we go then," you hear Anonymous say with a chuckle in his voice. You then feel yourself being lifted into the air.
>You feel his fingers, fingers? Yeah fingers. You feel his fingers wrap around your middle and hoist you into his arms. You limply hang there, grateful that you won't have to walk for now.
"Yeah good idea, we can move quicker this way," you say determinedly, as you point to the doorway ahead of you.
>Anonymous instead walks you back to the table where he picks up the nearly full pitcher of wine and begins to chug it.
>This human can definitely hold his drinks.
>He sighs in content and sets the picture back down. "Come on, we'll run into less ponies if we go this way."
>He walks you to the back door, where the server came through.
"Yes yes good, cant have Cadance catching us in our escape."
>You shuffle a bit in his arms. The little hairs on his arms tickle you as you do.
>He clutches you close to his chest so you don't fall. You suddenly realize what's happening as your cheeks grow very warm.
>This is not a position friends who just met a few days ago should be in.
>It is pretty cozy up here though.
>You're shaken out of your thoughts as Anonymous begins to pick up speed: moving through the confusing palace halls, desperately trying to find an exit.
>You turn a corner and see a guard walking straight towards you. He looks away from you as soon as he sees you, trying his hardest not to make eye contact.
>Your body tenses and Anonymous slows down to a normal pace.
>Please don't ask please don't ask.
>You pass the guard, then watch as he turns the corner behind you.
>"Score!" Anonymous says as you come to a pair of doors that open to the outside.
>He quickly looks around, then slips outside.
>Sweet sweet freedom.
>You've escaped the Princesses' trap.
>The sun outside is just starting to set.
>"Any idea how to get home from here?" Anonymous asks. He's starting to have a bit of trouble walking in a straight line.
"Uh yeah. Just set me down and I'll lead the way." You would really prefer it if Anonymous doesn't notice how red your face must be.
>"You sure you can mange?"
"Yeah yeah, I'm good."
>He lowers you to the ground. It takes you a couple seconds to collect yourself, then you head off.
>You both keep rather quiet while you walk, trying not to fall over.
>One thing is very clear to you now: you have to try your best to keep Cadance and Twilight away from you and Anonymous. If they want to ruin this friendship then you're prepared to fight them for it.



>Well, at least that was made clear. You are now certain that Cadance is trying to set you up with Moondancer; and Twilight's helping her.
>And you're really not sure how to feel about that.
>You only just met Moondancer. Under normal circumstances you wouldn't even call her a friend, but you suppose you have to, considering what just happened.
>And now you're drunkenly walking her home.
>You wish you could just be back on your couch. There's so much you want to think about. This whole thing is getting way more complicated than it has any right to be. All you wanted was a damn friend, and now two incessant matchmaking Princesses are involved.
>What's their deal anyway? Are they afraid you're going to blow it if they don't help?
>Well, that's actually a fair assumption given your track record with making friends. Mostly just the fact that you haven't.
>These damn ponies and their stupid friendship. Don't they understand some people just aren't as into the whole thing as they are?
>You've always been the type that's happy with just a couple of really close friends. And if fate will have it, you think Moondancer might be someone you'll be able to call a really close friend.
>As long as those Princesses don't mess it all up first.
>But of course, they're shooting for something a little past friendship, and that's something you really don't want to think about.
>Not that you're disgusted with the idea or anything, you just don't want to think about it.
>If you don't think about it then it doesn't exist.
>And if it doesn't exist, then there's nothing to worry about.
>And if there's nothing to worry about, then there's nothing that'll ruin your friendship. Because as new as this whole thing is, you really, really don't want it to end.
>Sure there'd be a bunch of benefits to being more than friends, but it's such a huge risk.
>You're not even supposed to be thinking about it remember?
>Maybe you can mull it over a little, when you get home. But that of course means you'll have to leave Moondancer, and you were having so much fun.
>This pony really has given you something more to do than stare at a wall.
>You feel different around her, you feel happy.
>You also feel a smile growing across your face.
>You have a friend. You actually made a friend.
>You look down at Moondancer. She's trying very hard not to fall down. You'd offer to carry her again, but the tone in her voice when she asked you to put her down made it pretty clear she doesn't want that. Which is of course totally fine by you.
"Are we close yet?" you break the silence.
>"It should just be around this corner."
>You smile to yourself. Definitely drunk.
>You're honestly surprised that Moondancer is the type to drink so much. Not that you mind. It gives the two of you another thing to connect over.
>"So what do you want for dinner?" Moondancer asks after a couples seconds of quiet.
>You look at her, she's staring straight ahead and looks determined as hell.
>"I make a killer spaghetti."
>Of course she does.
"I love spaghetti."
>"Good, spaghetti it is."
>You follow Moondancer inside as you both arrive at her house.
>The sun has totally set by now.
>"Safe," she mutters to herself as she closes the door behind you.
>She turns the light on then says, "You just take a seat right there," she points to the couch, "And I'll get the water boiling."
>You'd insist on helping, but she honestly sounds kind of scary.
>You decide it's safest to just do as she says.
>It only takes half a minute before you hear a large crash sound from the kitchen.
>You jump to your feet and get to the entry way of the kitchen in three quick strides.
>The instant you get there you, realize what a bad idea that was.
>Your head spins a million miles an hour and you fall flat on your ass, leaning against the wall.
>You're able to collect yourself enough to see Moondancer spread eagle on her back in the center of the kitchen floor, surrounded by metal pots. She must have had a hard time getting them out of the cabinets.
>You both lock eyes, both of your cheeks red.
>Then you both explode in a torrent of laughter.
>You throw your head back, and slam it straight into the wall behind you, which only makes Moondancer laugh even harder.
>You try to rub the back of your head where you hit it, but you cant focus on anything except laughing.
>She's rolling on the ground, and you're having trouble getting enough air.
>Eventually it calms enough for her to say, "I'm out of spaghetti."
"Ah what the hell, there's gotta be something else to eat."
>"Check the fridge," she says as she gets shakily to her hooves and walks over to another cabinet.
>You walk over and open the fridge. It's mostly empty except for a large assortment of apples. These must be all the extras from the other day.
>Damn apples.
>You look back to Moondancer to see her looking at you expectantly while waving two glasses and a half empty bottle of rum at you.
>This mare.
>You smile back at her and nod.
>She turns around and starts pouring.
>Your eye catches a box of cereal sitting on the counter.
>Saved!
>You grab the milk out of the fridge and bring it and the cereal over to where Moondancer is.
>You give her your own expectant look while waving the box at her.
>Her eyes go wide and she nods.
>You both make yourself a bowl then take it and your glasses into the living room.
>You're sitting on the couch next to Moondancer, eating a bowl of cereal, and drinking rum.
>This day turned out way better than you ever expected.



>You can never go back.
>Never ever ever.
>You have no idea how you lasted as long as you did.
>There's nothing in life that could possibly compare to this feeling.
>You are where you belong; right here, in this exact moment.
>You want this moment to last forever. You want it more than you remember wanting anything.
>He's your friend.
>He really truly is.
>You barely know him, but that's a good thing; it means you have no much room to grow. So much space to fill. So many happy moments yet to come.
>But you'll never forget this one. The one where it really started. The one where you realized just what this is, and what it can become.
>How did it take you this long to realize that you needed this?
>All those years of loneliness seem so far away now. You're not even the same Moondancer as her. You're happy.
>You had no idea how lonely you really were. It just took somepony to rescue you from it for you to see.
>You threw yourself into books and studying. Reading about anything you could. Hoping to find something that would be worth it. Something worth living for. You never found it.
>But sitting here, looking into his eyes, listening to his laugh. This is something worth living for. He is something worth living for.
>You cant bare the thought of going back.
>Please let this last. It HAS to.
>If this is a dream, then you'll do everything in your power to stop yourself from waking up.
>And it's such a fragile thing, friendship. There's an endless amount of things you could say or do that could kill it in an instant. You feel like you're walking on egg shells. Any moment you could wake up, and it's all over.
>And then he laughs again, and you forget every worry you ever had.
>You could listen to that sound for the rest of your life and never get tired of it.
>You've never felt anything like this in your life.
>You never thought you would ever feel this.
>You lock eyes with Anonymous, he's smiling at you.
>You simply cant bare the thought of this ending. You don't know how you would go on if this ends.
>You feel your eyes begin to water and your cheeks burn.
>The flood gates are a bout to open, and you've had way too much alcohol to stop them.
>Anonymous recognizes the look, he understands.
>His eyes grow soft, and his smile grows comforting.
>The tears begin to flow, and you throw yourself on top of Anonymous in a hug. He wraps is arms around you and holds on tight.
>"Shh, it's ok, it's ok."
"P-Please d-don't leave m-me." your voice is shaky and uncontrollable.
>You feel like an idiot. What must Anonymous think of you, seeing you like this.
>"Shh now, I won't leave, I promise. You're the first real friend I've made since coming here. I'm not gonna give that up for anything."
>Again, your fears melt away. He doesn't care that you're crying, he doesn't care that you're on top of him, he just wants to make you feel better. And you swear you hear him sniffling.
>You stay there, just like that. For as long as you can.
>Eventually the tears stop coming.
>Anonymous removes one arm from you and reaches up to take your glasses off.
>You sit up on his lap and wipe your eyes with a nervous chuckle.
>"You Alright?"
"Yeah, I am. Thanks." You hop off his lap and start walking towards the kitchen. "I'm just gonna get a glass of water."
>He nods.
>You get a cup and fill it from the tap.
>You turn around and just sit there, slowly sipping your water.
>It's getting late.
>Anonymous probably has to go soon.
>You'd sooner drown yourself right here than say goodbye.
>You don't want to wake up.
>But, you have to. And there's always tomorrow.
>You set your cup down and walk back into the living room.
"It's uhh, getting late."
>Anonymous looks at the clock, and chuckles, "Yeah,it's past my bed time."
>You smile at him.
>He gets up from the couch, "So, see you tomorrow?"
"Mhm."
>"Good. I'm sure we'll get quite the scolding from Cadance for ditching."
>You both laugh softly. "Yeah, we acted like a couple of teenagers."
>Anonymous smiles as he opens the door, "I wouldn't have it any other way. Goodbye Moondancer."
"Goodbye Anonymous."
>He closes the door, and he's gone.
>You slowly make your way to the couch and lay down on it.
>You breath in deeply.
>It smells like him.
>You close your eyes and smile.
>It's one of the most restful sleeps of your life.



>You're sitting on your couch, hoping something exciting will happen.
>You can say beyond a shadow of a doubt, this couch absolutely sucks, when compared to Moondancer's.
>You can feel the springs jabbing into you.
>It is the most uncomfortable couch you have ever sat on.
>You really need to either find a new couch, or find something else to do with your time.
>Moondancer is the perfect answer to that question, but you're waiting for her to come to you.
>You don't want to seem desperate.
>But in truth, you are.
>Moondancer is the first real friend you've made since being transported to Equestria.
>You wouldn't count Twilight.
>She definitely was nice to you and all, but you always felt like it was out of obligation, rather than the want to actually be your friend. You don't blame her for it or anything; you wouldn't want to be friends with an alien anyways.
>Apparently Moondancder does though. And that thought makes you happier than you've ever been, almost giddy.
>You're really glad Moondancer likes you and wants to build on this friendship.
>You'd have nothing without her.
>No friends, no entertainment, no goals.
>Nothing.
>You only hope you don't mess this up.
>You've never been good at making friends, and this one is more important than any other.
>Without Moondancer, you'd really have nothing; nothing but this couch and that wall.
>That damned wall.
>You don't want to spend another second looking at that wall. There's something more to life now, friendship.
>Friendship with someone who really makes you happy. Friendship with someone who you can be yourself around. Friendship with the only pony you've met who means anything to you.
>She really is something special.
>But just friendship special.
>You cant start thinking about anything more than friendship. Moondancer is a pony, a pony who you feel comfortable around, but that doesn't mean it has to be anything more than friendship.
>What sort of pony would accept advances from an alien anyway?
>You just have to keep your feelings under control.
>Easy peasy.
>Easy peasy...
>No it's not. You want to spend every waking moment with this mare. That's not normal procedure for a friendship.
>God dammit.
>You cant let these feelings take hold, or else you might act on them.
>And if you act on them, then you might ruin you're only friendship.
>Holy shit Anonymous, get a hold of yourself.
>She's s just a pony who likes some of the same things you do. That's all.
>You cant help but picture her face.
>Her purple eyes,
>Her glasses.
>Her Grey sweater.
>She looks so cute doesn't she?
>SHE is a PONY.
>What the fuck has taken hold of you?
>You remember how you felt when she hugged you: Like nothing else in the world mattered except that mare. That mare was everything you found happiness in, now.
>Jesus Christ, how did you live without her?
>Did you really just sit on this shitty couch all day?
>You cant imagine living without her now.
>Just a taste of what your were missing was all it took.
>You need to get a hold of yourself.
>There's no way she feels the same way you do.
>You're just some lonely human who is desperate for a connection.
>That's all.
>That's all you'll ever be.
>You don't belong in this world.
>You just woke up here one day. This isn't what your life is meant to be.
>A world of ponies cant possibly be where you're meant to be.
>Can it?
>You jump slightly as you hear a knock on your door.
>Moondancer! Your heart immediately screams.
>You get up and open the door only to spot Twilight.
>Damn.
"Oh hey Twilight, come on in." You step aside to let the purple, pony inside. She hops on the couch with a "thank you".
"What's up?" you ask, pretending not to know.
>"Hey, Anonymous. Well, I heard that you and, Moondancer skipped out on diner?" she isn't accusing you, it's just a question.
"Uh, yeah. We went back to her place and had... dinner, there."
>Twilight smiles at this, as if this was better than what she had predicted.
>Fuck this purple horse and her games. You really don't want these Princesses messing with your friendship.
"What are you up to Twilight?" you ask bluntly.
>Twilight looks flustered. She stammers a bit and struggles to make complete sentences.
"You and Cadance are trying to get me and Moondancer together, aren't you?"
>Twilight looks more cornered than you'd ever seen her before.
>You're suspicions are confirmed by the look on her face.
>"What?! Anonymous, don't be ridiculous."
"Twilight," you say simply, staring her down.
>She attempts to hold your gave, but fails within seconds. Her eyes fall to her hooves and her ears fall flat.
>"Ok ok, Yes. Cadance is pretty sure she felt crystal heart connect you and Moondancer. That's why she wanted you to stay in Canterlot."
>You look at her, sure there's more.
>She tries to look you in the eyes, only for her own eyes to fall immediately.
>"AND, we did try to help you two along once we heard that you had met. But we only wanted the best for you two Anonymous!" Twilight says apologetically.
>So Cadance THINKS she felt you and Moondancer together through the crystal heart.
>That could just as easily be the love of two FRIENDS as anything else. You say as much to Twilight.
>"Yes," she responds, "But me and Cadance were hoping for a little bit more than friends," she says with a hopeful smile.
>Damn these ponies and their adorable faces.
>You sigh.
>Twilight is finally able to keep eye contact with you.
"Promise me you and Cadance will stop interfering with me and Moondancer. Friends need their privacy."
>You stare down Twilight. Commendably, she is able to look you in the eye and meet your promise.
>You sigh again, "Good. Thank you, Twilight. Me and, Moondancer have been doing just fine on our own you know?"
>Twilight perks up at this, "Really? What do you two talk about? How much time do you spend together? How close are you?"
>You just look at Twilight.
>"Right, privacy," she says shortly as her eyes fall back down.
"It's ok Twilight. Just let me and Moondancer move at our own pace, ok?" You aren't sure what that means, you just know that it means no more meddling from Princesses.
>"Yeah, you're right Anonymous. I'm sorry."
"No harm done, Princess Sparkle. Just pass the message along to Cadance, will ya please?"
>She smiles at you, "Of course, Anonymous."
"Perfect. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm supposed to meet Moondancer today, so I must be going."
>Twilight gives you a knowing smile, "Whatever you say, Anonymous."
>You both leave the house, going your separate ways.



>You're on your way to Anonymous' house.
>You aren't exactly feeling on top of the world right now, but thankfully you didn't throw up at all.
>You should probably just be sleeping this hangover off, but you have more important things to do.
>If you were Twilight or Cadance, this would definitely be the time you'd strike. So you have to get to Anonymous before either of them can.
>You're aware of how clingy and desperate this might make you seem, but that doesn't matter to you. You aren't afraid of a little embarrassment if it means you can save the friendship.
>You never would have thought those Princesses would do something like this. Twilight, the only pony you could even remotely call your friend has betrayed you so she can get the human.
>But there's no other explanation for their actions. They cant possibly be genuinely trying to help.
>You've never met Cadance before so why would she want to help you? And Twilight has never done anything outside of simply telling you to get out more.
>And they couldn't really think you could get WITH Anonymous. That's just ridiculous.
>You couldn't be with Anonymous, he's your friend.
>And he probably isn't even attracted to ponies, much less a pony like you.
>You couldn't risk ruining what you have.
>Thinking about those kinds of things only gets in the way of your actual feelings.
>"Moondancer!" you'd know that voice anywhere.
>You had been so wrapped up you hadn't noticed Anonymous coming down the street towards you.
>"I was just on my way to see you."
>He was coming to see you.
>He wants to see you.
"Hey Anonymous! I was just on my way to your place actually."
>He smiles, "Well I'm glad we didn't miss each other. So which way do we go?"
>You give Anonymous a guilty smile, "Well, I do need to refill my cabinet with drinks."
>"An excellent idea. Lead the way."
>You both start walking towards your favorite liquor store.
>"How'd you feel this morning?" he asks with a sly grin.
"Better than you probably did. For such a big guy you sure don't last long."
>"Oh please, I must have had three times as much as you. And I wasn't the one who needed to be carried out of that palace."
>You stick your tongue out at him, and he does the same to you.
>"But speaking of that, Twilight did come around just before I left."
>Your jaw clenches and your face grows serious.
"What did she want?" you ask flatly.
>Anonymous gives you a sideways look and says, "She was just asking about last night. I was able to talk her out of doing any more shenanigans though. So that's a load off our backs."
>Your spirit lifts once more.
"Oh, that's a relief."
>Without any interference, things will be perfect.
>The thought of this friendship lasting makes you giddy.
>Nothing could possibly be better than this.
>Well, on thing.
>No no you're not supposed to think about that thing.
>Only the valid feelings are relevant.
>And that does not count as valid. It's just your stupid brain not listening to what you want.
>And what you want is to spend every waking moment with Anonymous.
>That does certainly point to something more than friendship. Something a whole lot more than friendship.
>You're just happy to finally have a friend. It's only natural to feel so strongly for him.
>But, maybe...
>Maybe this is meant to go somewhere else, somewhere further.
>What is a special somepony, if not just a really close friend?
>What is friendship, if not the beginning of a relationship?
>Moondancer, get a hold of yourself.
>You cant let this happen.
>If these thoughts get out of control then they'll only ruin things.
>You just have to wait them out.
>Just wait long enough and they'll go away on their own.
>The more time you spend with Anonymous, the more you'll realize how foolish is is to think about those kinds of things.
>Right now there's only one thing to do, enjoy your time with him.



>You cant remember the last time you had this much fun with someone.
>Everything just feels right with this pony.
>You catch yourself staring at her from across the couch.
>You could lose yourself in those eyes.
>Beautiful purple eyes.
>Dammit, you've had too much to drink again.
>You stupidly thought the drinks might make you forget about those kinds of thoughts, but all it's done is make you want to act on them.
>This mare is the best friend you've ever had. You want nothing more than to do this everyday.
>This, right here.
>Sit on the couch, with her.
>You're so close, almost touching.
>Who the hell are you kidding, you like her.
>Like like her.
>You're done pretending otherwise. No amount of denial will help anything, but neither will accepting it.
>That leaves only one thing to do, act on it.
>Dammit, you really put yourself in a tough spot.
"I'm honestly surprised we haven't heard anything from Twilight and Cadance," you say smiling.
>"Yeah, I didn't expect her to give up that quick." She looks almost proud.
"What's your deal with them? They were only trying to help you know. And I thought you and Twilight were friends?" you ask.
>"What do you mean they were only trying to help?! Twilight wanted to-" she stops herself.
>You knew Moondancer had a much stronger dislike for Twilight and Cadance's involvement, but you don't know what about it bothers her so much.
>She looks cornered, like she said something she wasn't supposed to.
>You just wait for her to continue.
>"Twilight wanted to stop us," she says carefully.
"What do you mean? She was trying to get us to be friends."
>Moondancer looks like she's fighting with herself. Like she doesn't want to accept something she knows to be true.
>You understand.
"You were jealous," you say gently, "You misread things, and took it for something else."
>Moondancer seems to give up, her head drooping just a bit.
"Hey, don't worry about it. No harm done."
>"Yes there was! I've been nothing but sour to her."
"She'll understand, Moondancer. She wants the best for you."
>She calms a bit, and takes a sip of her drink.
>You watch her she does.
>You take notice of her mane. She has a really pretty mane, you decide.
>A pretty mane for a pretty mare.
>Okay, Anonymous, today's the day.
>You slam back the rest of your drink.
>You look to Moondancer, your face soft and serious.
>She looks back at you. You can see something behind her glasses, behind her eyes.
>You can see her fighting with herself. You can tell she's struggling with something. Something important, something she really wants.
>It's quiet, tension starts growing every second you look at each other, but neither of you look away.
>Those eyes, there's so much to those eyes. So many secrets you want to learn from them, so much sadness they've cured, so much joy they've given you.
>You cant fight this, you're helpless. There's no stopping you.
>Everything expect you heart screams at you to stop. But your heart screams louder; beating so fast you can feel it.
>Those eyes...
"Moondancer," it's barely more than a whisper. It's a call, and a plead, and an answer, and a million other things.
>She looks so lost, so conflicted.
>"Anonymous," it's everything you needed to hear, and it tells you nothing at all.
>You slide your hand across the couch and take Moondancer's hoof in it.
>Your touch is soft, slow, but with purpose.
>She doesn't pull away.
>You lean in, as slow as you can.
>Your faces get closer, as your feelings get stronger.
>You stop when there's only an inch between you.
>You feel her warm, heavy breaths on you.
>You are both burning with blush.
>You close your eyes and push forward.
>Your lips meet.
>They're soft and wet, and they bury your fears under a mountain.
>Your mind goes blank.
>You only know one thing: This is your mare, and she's yours forever.
>The kiss breaks, and you open your eyes.
>Her face is blank.
>Your stomach plummets when you look into her eyes.
>This feeling isn't like anything you thought possible.
>you feel like your being crushed under the weight of all those years of being alone. You can feel inside you, beyond any doubt, that you're about to return to those years.
>Your breath hitches.
>She doesn't know that she wants this.
>You went too far.
>You fucked it up.
>Moondancer jumps off the couch and runs out the front door.
>You cant do anything but watch her leave.
>You feel a tear run down your cheek.
>You ruined this friendship.
>It's over.
"Goodbye, Moondancer," you choke out.
>You get up and leave as the tears start pouring.



>You run out into the night air.
>It's cold tonight.
>You gallop down the empty streets.
>It's been so long since you ran like this. You cherish the wind blowing in your face.
>You close your eyes. Do not cry Moondancer, you're stronger than this.
>You don't have to pay much attention to where you're going; you know the way.
>After a few short minutes, you slow to a trot as you approach a park bench.
>You sit on it, breathing heavily, and look out at the landscape ahead of you. This is by far the best bench in all of Canterlot.
>You can see the beautiful lands of Equestria stretch out before you. One of the many benefits of living in a mountain city.
>The forests and fields turned a cold tint of blue from the soft glow of the moon.
>The moon looks beautiful tonight.
>You stare up at it.
>Quiet, for just moment longer.
>Your feel a lump form in your throat and your gut feels heavy.
>You feel wet full tears slide down you face, then you start to sniffle.
>You try desperately to keep yourself under control.
>Do no think of it Moondancner, do not.
>You keep your eyes glued to the moon.
>It's a gorgeous moon tonight...
>Just look at the moon, look...
>Look at the...
>You fall to your side, and begin to cry.
>You left him.
>You just ran out on him.
>You were too afraid to admit what you wanted, so when you got it, all you knew of it was fear.
>And now, all you know is fear.
>Fear for the loss of the friendship, you're certain this means the end.
>Fear for the loss of your future, your happy future you were so looking forward to.
>Fear for the thought of returning to your old life, now that you know how miserable you were.
>Your stomach tightens the more you think about it.
>You shouldn't have left.
>You should have stayed, and kissed him back, and hugged him, and a million other things.
>Anonymous told you everything you wanted to hear with that kiss, you just couldn't listen.
>You convinced yourself that all it would bring was heartache.
>You fought with yourself, and lost. And it cost everything.
>You want to go back to him, to tell him you're sorry.
>Tell him you want him.
>Tell him you need him.
>Tell him you love him.
>But he's gone back to his own house by now.
>What sort of pony runs out of their own home like that?
>You look at your hoof, and softly rub the spot where he held it.
>You then raise it to your lips.
>You've never felt anything like that kiss before. It represented everything that made you happy, and everything that would make you happy for the rest of your life. Which is why you ran from it.
>You sit back up.
>You ran from him, and are left with nothing. But if one kiss could have so much power, then the only thing to do is get another.
>You don't bother rubbing the tears out of your eyes before starting back home.
>If Anonymous is still there, then he still means to be your friend.
>He'll take you back, you just know it. You have to believe it, or you have nothing.
>Your mind can only think of him as you run.
>It feels like hours before you arrive back at your home.
>You run up to the door, and hesitate for just a second.
>Your hoof feels heavy as it reaches for the door
>You give yourself just enough time for the thought of Anonymous not being there to enter your head.
>You dismiss this thought as being impossible as you open the door and see nothing.
>He's not here.
>He left.
>You slam the door behind you and scream.
>You don't know what else to do, there's nothing else to do.
>He's gone, that can only mean he gave up on you.
>Wrote you off as nothing.
>You had your chance, and didn't take it. And ponies like you only get a chance like this once.
>If he wanted to see you, he would be here.
>You scream again. It's a strained, tortured sound.
>You fall to the ground.
>You lie there, silent and still.
>You have returned to where you belong, alone.
>You will go back to wasting the days away on that couch.
>That stupid couch.
>You cant live like that again.
>Your life had meaning, and purpose with Anonymous.
>You have to keep trying, you cant give up on him.
>He kissed you once, he'll do it again.
>You just have to show him you want it.
>No more lying to yourself; you'll find Anonymous and explain it all to him.
>You get up, and wipe your eyes under your glasses.
>You've never felt more determined about anything in your life.
>You open your door once more, and burst out into the night.
>You're running towards something this time, not away.
>You'll never run away again.
>You will take back the future you stole from yourself, you'll take it if it kills you.
>You move as quick as your legs will carry you.
>You feel like you're flying through the city.
>You fly right up to Anonymous' house and knock on the door without even thinking about it.
>You wait, then knock again.
>No answer.
>You look through the window in hopes of spying him, but he's not there.
>He hasn't come back home.
>You think of where else he might be.
>You know he doesn't spend time anywhere besides your house. He must be on a walk then.
>You turn around and take flight once more.
>If Anonymous is out here walking these streets, you'll find him.
>It never occurs to you how large this city is. You could search all night and never find him.
>You wouldn't care if it took weeks top find him.
>You have to get back to him.
>You run until your body wont run anymore, so you slow to a trot and keep going.
>You pay no mind to the ache in your legs, that isn't what matters right now.
>You keep moving. You move until you've lost any idea of how long you've been out here.
>Every empty street you look down rips your heart a little more.
>You cant find him.
>Where could he be?
>The palace!
>He must have gone to Cadance for help.
>You change course and run with new found vigor.
>You get there and waste no time in trying to enter.
>The guards standing out front block your path.
>"What business do you have entering the castle at this hour?"
"Please! You must let me through. I'm looking for Anonymous."
>"Anonymous has not been here in days."
>He's not here?
>Then where is he?
>You stand there for a moment, silent.
>You were sure he'd be here.
>You turn to leave without another word to the guards.
>If he's not here, then you'll just keep looking.
>You made up you mind, and nothing is going to change it now.



>You're wandering the city streets, breathing the cold air.
>The moon looks nice tonight.
>You thought about going home, but you want to stay away from that couch for as long as you can.
>That damn thing is the only thing you have left to return to now.
>You wonder what Twilight will say when she hears about what you did.
>With any luck, she wont come back to Canterlot for some time.
>You really fucked things up. They went as bad as they possibly could have. And now you're left friendless and alone.
>Moondancer meant the world to you.
>You cant bare to think of it.
>You just wish you could wake up tomorrow and forget all about Moondancer. You wish you could forget all about the friendship you made, then shattered. At least then life would be the same, instead of worse.
>It really is going to be so much worse now, now that you know what it could have been.
>You slowly make your way back home.
>It's time you start moving on.
>You're shaken from your thoughts by the clopping of hooves on stone coming from behind you.
>Somepony is running at you, and you're fairly certain you know who it is.
>Your heart leaps in your chest, even though you know it shouldn't.
>You turn, and see Moondancer galloping full speed right at you.
>She gets closer, and shows no sign of slowing down.
>Was she about to tackle you?
>You take a nervous step back, but then she gets close enough you can read her face.
>She looks happier than you've ever seen her before.
>Her eyes are wet, and she's covered in sweat.
>She was looking for you, you realize with a shock. How long was she searching? You must have been out here for hours.
>Your chest lightens with each step she takes.
>She never slows, not even when she leaps at you, forelegs spread wide.
>You catch her, and you wrap your arms around each other.
>Your heart stops.
>Your brain has stopped working.
>You cant feel anything.
>Moondancer came back to you, she came and found you.
>She pushes back from you, while you still hold her up.
>You only have a second to look into her eyes before she rams her lips against yours.
>You dare not think, you dare not hope for what this could mean, not until Moondancer breaks off and says, "Anonymous I'm so sorry! I never should have ran! I don't know what came ov-"
>You interrupt her with another kiss.
>She melts into it. You can feel her relax in your arms. There's not an ounce of tension left in her body.
>You hold it, you hold the kiss until your lungs beg for air, and you hold it longer still.
>You both pull back and smile at each other, breathing heavily.
>You press your foreheads together and look into each others eyes.
>Moondancer is slowly rubbing a hoof on you chest. You never thought hooves could feel so good.
>"I love you," she says softly, without warning, and without breaking eye contact.
>You blink, your heart pounds in your chest. Moondancer moves her hoof to feel it.
"It's yours," you croak out, "I love you."
>You feel her soft fur in your fingers as you rub her back.
"Come on. Let's get out of this cold."
>Moondancer nods.
>She makes no request for you to set her down.
>You start walking towards Moondancer's home. You feel like it's going to be your home very soon too.
>You imagine yourself sitting on her couch, snuggled up close to her as you both read a book. That's how you want to spend everyday from now on, and there's nothing that can stop you from doing it.

~fin~