Just A Ball

They sat at an ornate table. Celestia’s guards initially wore puzzled expressions at Anon as they sat, as they had never seen anything like him; but they stayed silent. While sitting, Celestia used her magic to fill a kettle with water and place it on her stove. Anon watched her do this in shock.

“What did you just do?” Anon asked, awestruck.

Celestia chuckled. “It’s just magic, Anon.”

“You did a magic trick?”

Celestia gave a grin and shook her head. “Not at all. Do you not have magic in your world?”

“Not really,” Anon replied. “If someone in my world believes in ‘magic’, they’re usually either a small kid or out of their mind.”

“I see,” Celestia noted with a hint of amusement. “In Equestria, magic is a genuine thing. It’s a natural force, and the study of it is quite scientific. We couldn't live without it. It’s one of the main ways we interact with our world.”

“How do you control it?”

“It’s all in the horn,” Celestia replied, using her front hoof to point at it.

“Ah, I see. I was wondering how you guys managed to build an entire castle without these,” Anon noted as he held up his hands and stared at them.

They shared a lighthearted chuckle which was interrupted by the piercing whistle of the kettle, which made Celestia’s eyes light up with attention.

“Ooh! Let me get that,” she said. Magic fields enveloping a tea dish set found their way to the table, neatly setting a teacup in front of them both. The kettle’s whistle died down as Celestia’s magic lifted it off the stove and moved it above his cup first. It poured scalding water into the cup, and Celestia did the same for hers. She moved the kettle to an unused burner to let it cool while she lifted two teabags from an unseen container, lightly dropping one in hers and the other in his.

“Let it steep for a few minutes. I’m sorry to have to make you wait, Anon, but I’m afraid it’s just not the same when you make it beforehand.”

“Don’t apologize, Princess!” Anon insisted. “I’m surprised you’re even going through the effort for a total stranger, to be honest.”

Celestia laughed. “I guess I can’t help myself sometimes,” she said while using her magic to move the tea bag up and down inside of her cup.

“Honestly, I am. In my world, people aren’t usually that nice to others they don’t know. Some of us hate to even look at each other,” Anon said with a chuckle.

“Well, I suppose I’ve always looked at others differently,” Celestia explained. “Ponies always have at least somewhat good intentions. It’s all about allowing them to show it.”

“Does that apply to interdimensional travelers?” Anon asked jokingly.

“So far, you’ve given me pretty good insight into that question,” she replied in an amused tone.

Looking down, Celestia had noticed that the color of the water had changed into the familiar color of tea.

“It should be ready,” Celestia said as she used her magic to pull the bags out of both of their cups and place them into a garbage can. Anon looked into his cup and saw the same color liquid as Celestia.

“Let me know if you don’t like it, Anon. You don’t have to drink it if you don’t like tea.”

Anon carefully lifted the cup to his mouth. He felt the steam emanating from it hit his face as he took a sip. As he swallowed, his eyes widened.

“Oh my God, Celestia. This is delicious,” he said, taking another sip as if he didn’t believe that the first was real. It had a herbal earthiness and semi-floral aftertaste, but it was not too overpowering.

Celestia giggled. “You like it? It’s a special blend that I discovered while visiting a small town. It’s one of my favorites,” she explained, her eyes closed in amusement as her magic lifted her cup to her lips.

Anon shook his head in disbelief as he drank.

Celestia gave a small sigh. “Of course, the castle staff insists on making it for me. But when they do, they can never get it just right.”

Anon gently set his cup down.

“How often do you travel?” he asked.

“Not very much these days,” she said with a saddened tinge of disappointment. “My duties rarely let me leave the castle. And when I do, it's on duty. Rarely do I rest for my travel.”

Anon appeared thoughtful for a moment. “Why can’t you ever take a day off?”

Celestia frowned. “I’m afraid it’s never been that simple,” she said before taking another sip of tea.

“How come?” Anon asked.

“I have a little bit more responsibility around here, outside of being a princess.”

Celestia glanced at the clock and paused for a moment. “Actually, why don’t I just show you what I mean? Here, follow me,” Celestia said, getting up from her chair. Anon set his cup down and obeyed, walking by her side.

They walked through many elegantly decorated halls, with stained glass windows detailing events that Anon did not know of. The sun shone through the windows, creating a long array of different color lights among the shadows that lined the carpet. Anon looked through one of them and noticed that the sun was starting to set, but it appeared strangely immobile.

Celestia and Anon found themselves at the beginning of an incline after taking a turn. Anon looked up the incline and noticed that the incline led to an open balcony, a gentle breeze flowing in from it.

They walked up the incline slowly, Celestia focused on the path forward. They eventually reached the top and stepped onto the balcony.

Anon took in the view. It was a gorgeous one, as he was able to see the entirety of Canterlot. The sun was the focal point; from this view, it was dead center in the sky.

Celestia looked up at the sun. “Watch closely, Anon.”

Her horn began to glow a pale yellow as it had when she used magic at the table. Anon looked at her, and then out of the balcony, then back at her.

“I don’t see anything,” Anon said with confusion.

Celestia narrowed her eyes in concentration. “Look at the sky.”

Anon watched the sun. He noticed it slowly moving down, which he swore was still until a moment ago.

“Celestia, wh-... what are you doing?”

“Anon, look at my flank. Do you see the mark?”

He did as she asked, noticing the sun-shaped mark on her that he had not noticed before.

“What I’m trying to tell you is that I’m not just the ruler of this land. My responsibility to it is not just caring for the ponies who live in it; but also giving them light. I control the rising and setting of the sun.”

Anon watched in awe as the sun moved down the horizon, creating a beautiful sky of oranges, reds, and pinks. He then turned to the princess, who was watching the sunset with a satisfied smirk.

It wasn’t until then that Anon had truly looked at Celestia’s features with much thought. Her resplendent, multi-colored mane sparkled and elegantly flowed with the wind, her pale coat shimmering with the dying light of the sun. She stood mightily, with a confident smirk that matched the rest of her natural beauty.

Anon looked away at the ground. He felt himself becoming slightly flustered and shook it off.

Celestia turned to him as the remainder of the day slowly transformed before them into the sweeping shadow of night.

“...And that’s why I can’t take the day off,” she said with a chuckle.

“Wow…” Anon was exasperated as he looked at the black sky, which was now beginning to shimmer with millions of stars twinkling amidst the void.

“...Now I understand.”

They both stood, staring at the night sky for a moment.

“Celestia, don’t you find stars funny?”

“What do you mean, Anon?”

He paused.

“I mean, you control one. One out of the countless stars out there… The trillions of planets that orbit them, each with a different possible outcome… and you ended up here, with this one to control. Don’t you ever think about what else is out there? The trillions of barren worlds out there, just waiting for someone like you to breathe life into them? And what would they turn into if you did?”

Celestia proceeded to give an amiable laugh.

“I think one star is enough to worry about for me.”

Anon looked over at her and smiled. “That’s fair..”

“Well, even just one is a little more than I can handle,” she chuckled. “I have been here for many years. Millions of sunrises and sunsets have obeyed my magic, but...”

She looked at the ground as her head hung low.

“I get lost. Sometimes I wonder why I continue to do it all,” she admitted with hesitation, guilt slightly choking her words. “I mean, I should be happy to do it. But it feels like a chore and I just get sick of having this responsibility… if that makes any sense.”

Anon turned back to the sky in contemplation.

“Celestia, think about exactly what you’re doing. On the surface, all you’re doing is moving what is essentially just a ball of gas for the world that doesn’t give it a second thought. A seemingly pointless and tiring obligation, especially after doing it for trillions of days. But think about all that the sun gives, and what that gives to life here. Without the sun, all life ceases to exist, right?”

Celestia looked up at him.

“In essence, you are giving these ponies, no-, every life in this world what it needs to survive. In a sense, well; you are the sun. Without you, this world and all of its complexities could not continue to exist or even exist in the first place. And if you forget what makes it worth doing every day; look at every tree, every animal living in them, every smiling face, and every building in the landscape. You have to realize the beauty of this world, and know that it is all here and continues to be because of you.”

Anon looked back at Celestia, who had said nothing in response. His eyes met hers as she stared at him. Her mouth stood slightly agape as the tears falling from her eyes shimmered in the moonlight. She galloped towards him, engulfing him in a tight hug as her angelic wings wrapped around him.

“Oh, Anon. Thank you,” she said softly.

Anon reciprocated the hug gently, holding the mighty princess. He felt her silky, pearly coat on his skin as they embraced, and he felt his face starting to burn. From what, he wasn’t entirely certain. He let out a chuckle.

“C-Celestia, all I did was tell you the truth.”

Celestia broke away gently from the hug and wiped the tears away. “Sometimes, we forget the truth. And it takes an interesting type of person to see it, even when others can’t.”

“The truth? I thought I was seeing the sky.”

Celestia laughed, and Anon watched her with a grin.

“That was so dumb,” she said, wiping the tears away. Her smile turned into worry as she took several steps back. “Sorry, Anon. Did I make you uncomfortable? I apologize. I didn’t mean to.”

“No, Celestia! You’re fine,” Anon reassured her.

She gave a slight smile in response, and then her eyes lit up with an idea.

“Say, Anon. I quite enjoy your company. Would you like to stay the night here, in the castle? I have more than enough room and I can bring you anything you need.”

“As long as I’m not gonna be a bother to you,” Anon replied shyly.

“Nonsense. Follow me.”

Anon and Celestia walked back down the incline and through the corridors that they had passed through prior. They reached the throne room and went to the other side of the castle. Both were taking care to be quiet as they reached the massive quarters. Celestia eventually stopped at one door, knocking on it gently before opening the door with her magic and peering inside.

“Anon, this one looks empty,” Celestia whispered as she motioned for him to follow her into the room. He obeyed, walking slowly in.

Inside he saw a royal guest room. It was a room containing several pieces of antique bedroom furniture, like a cupboard and vanity. Anon was impressed by the sheer quality of the pieces. They were all ornately decorated. The bed lay further in the room. The bedsheets appeared extravagant along with the drapes that hung from its canopy and looked about as equally comfortable. An unlit chandelier hung from the ceiling.

“Will you be okay here?” Celestia asked softly. “Is there anything you need?”

Anon took in the room for a second. “No, Princess. Thank you so much.”

Celestia gave him a slight grin of reassurance. “If you do happen to need anything, simply tell one of the hall guards and I’ll be down in a flash. Oh, and Anon?”

“Hm?”

“I’d like to see you in the morning if that’s okay. If you’d rather not stay here for any reason, just let me know. No pressure.”

“Sounds good, Princess. See you tomorrow?” Anon asked with a grin.

Celestia smiled back. “Absolutely.”

She began to walk out of the room, but stopped halfway out and turned around.

“Goodnight, Anon.”

“‘Night, Celestia.”

Celestia’s magic softly closed the door behind her, leaving Anon alone in the room. He could hear the faint echoes of her footsteps gradually getting quieter as she walked away.

Anon glanced at the window across the bed, through which dim, pale moonlight leaked through.

He climbed into bed, opening the sheets and covering himself with them. His body settled into the silky fabric as he let out a sigh of both exhaustion and pleasure.

What an interesting world, he thought, before plunging into the peaceful darkness of rest.

Anon awoke abruptly and jolted upright in the bed. He blinked himself slightly more awake as he looked out the window, only to be greeted with the same moonlight he saw just before falling asleep. He let out a small sigh.

He wasn’t sure if it was because he kept late hours at home, or because he was in an unfamiliar bed. Opting to simply not think about it, he swept his legs over to sit on the edge.

I’m thirsty, he thought.

Standing up sluggishly, he itched his back and walked towards the door as he would at his own house. He stopped himself just before opening it to allow himself to add care to his movement. Celestia had told him that if he needed something to ask one of the guards, but…

Surely I would risk getting caught getting a glass of water myself than have a guard fetch it for me like a little kid, Anon thought. It’s just a glass of water, and I know where the kitchen is.

He calmly opened the door. Glancing in either direction, he noticed that it was desolate and silent. He casually walked down the way he had followed, leaving his door slightly ajar behind him.

Eventually, he reached the throne room again, which was earlier alive with guards and subjects. Realizing that he had no idea where he was going, he decided to simply trust his instinct and vague memories of small details he had remembered from on his way to the balcony.

He walked down the hallway opposite the one he had exited, following a path through the hallway that seemed familiar as if it were a hallway in his own house. He yawned casually.

It felt like a few minutes had passed. Anon stopped in the middle of the hallway he was walking down. As he looked around, it slowly began to dawn on him that he was lost. The jolt of anxiety began to replace the fuzziness of sleep within his mind.

Don’t panic, he thought.

Anon tried to focus on his surroundings, looking for any kind of clue to his location. Looking further down the hallway, he noticed a golden gleam emitting from a door. Upon walking forward slightly and looking closer, he realized that it was the moonlight from a window across the hallway reflecting off of a door handle.

That’s gotta be something, he thought.

Compared to the rest of the door handles Anon had encountered thus far, this one seemed unusually shiny. Anon’s eyes moved up to look at the door.

His eyes were met with a wooden door roughly a foot taller than him, which was carved elegantly with careful detail. It was not familiar to him and he hadn’t seen any other doors as pronounced. He saw moonlight leaking out from a small opening at the bottom of the door. This gave Anon an idea.

Surely enough, when he inched forward, the door was open slightly, likely by mistake. He peered inside with extreme caution. Moving his head around different angles to find a way to see inside, he realized that the opening was too small to see and that he would either have to leave or risk opening it slightly more.

Deciding he was out of options besides sitting out the night in a hallway, he steadied his breath and gave the door a slight push. Anxiously, he peered back in.

From the angle he was looking at, he saw a fireplace that was put out but was blackened with ash from recent use. He moved his head to view the center.

In the center lay a grandiose bed, complete with a lavish velvet bottom and one large semicircular pillow shimmering with gold accents. Anon noticed that it was on the floor without a frame and that the bottom was quite flat, giving it a resemblance closer to a rug than a bed.

And in the middle of that bed lay Celestia.

Her eyes were closed and an open book lay in front of her. She was sleeping quietly and peacefully, the moonlight slightly glaring off her golden jewelry and fine coat. Her expression was a near smile, and her ear twitched slightly.

Anon took in the princess’ beauty as he did on the balcony, but was not interrupted by fear of her awareness this time. The same flushed feeling started to form on his face, and he realized that his stomach had begun to flutter as if he were looking at a childhood crush. He was not a vain person in the slightest, but all he wanted to do was look at her as if she were a sculpture made by a master. It filled him with electrifying confusion and warmness, panic and euphoria all at once.

He didn’t understand what he was beginning to feel. He stepped back. What was happening?

Anon elected to try to backtrack his way to the throne room. Perhaps he could remember more clearly with the alertness given to him through this ordeal.

He wondered quietly and almost absentmindedly, almost taking a wrong turn here and there and subconsciously stopping himself. Anon had forgotten why he had even left his room in the first place. He felt relief wash over him as he saw the throne room ahead, and the hallway which led to the quarters. Anon’s brain buzzed with questions as he walked, mainly all of which simply transformed into “Why?”.

He found the door that he had left open and closed it behind him. Usually, he would celebrate such an accomplishment after being notoriously bad with directions, but he was too preoccupied. Climbing into bed and pulling the covers over him, his mind’s ceaseless doubts and questions regarding himself had begun to make him weary and exhausted. Closing his eyes, he wished he had stayed just a moment more to admire the princess' beauty as he let sleep pull him under.

Anon blinked awake to a gentle few knocks on the door to his room. A pleasantly bright sun shone through the window across from him as a muffled yet familiar voice greeted him.

“Anon? Are you okay in there?” Celestia asked. “Goodness, I hope I didn’t wake you up,” she added quietly.

“Yeah, come in.”

Celestia’s magic opened the door cautiously. She was greeted by Anon still lying in bed and her face turned to worry.

“Oh my, I apologize. I wasn’t sure how late you planned on sleeping in, but I just wanted to make sure you made it through the night okay.”

“Ah, don’t worry about it Celestia,” Anon replied with a yawn. “Trust me, it’s best that you got me up. I ah, tend to sleep in pretty late.”

Celestia giggled. “I see. Tell me, would you care for some breakfast?”

As Anon awoke, he noted what felt like an endless, angry pit in his stomach.

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

Celestia motioned for him to follow her. Climbing out of bed and stretching for a moment, he began to walk toward her. She began to move as soon as she saw Anon catch up.

They walked down through the halls of the castle, ending up in the kitchen where they had met the day before.

So that’s where it was, Anon thought. Wait… last night…

Anon’s heart jumped. He remembered what happened.

“Take a seat at the table,” Celestia said sweetly as a pan surrounded by her magic flew to the stove. “Hope you like pancakes. Oh, let me get you something to drink.”

A teapot and an empty cup levitated towards Anon as he sat at the table. The teapot poured itself with Celestia’s magic, leaving Anon with a cup of tea and the teapot resting on the table for refills in seconds. She was at the counter furiously cooking away, making the batter in a large bowl.

Anon found it hard to look at her. He was afraid to do so.

“Listen, Celestia, thanks for having me as a guest here. This is nice.”

“Oh, don’t mention it, Anon. It’s nice to have company that doesn’t just want to brag to friends about how they got to stay here,” she replied with a chuckle.

Anon gathered the courage to look up from the table while he sipped his tea. He felt his face start to burn up as he watched Celestia cook. Celestia innocently started to hum what Anon could only decipher as a lullaby. He admired her voice in secret, a desire forming within him to listen intently as if it were a gentle yet elegant symphony.

“Anon, you’re not allergic to anything, right?” she asked as a ladle of batter sizzled on the pan.

He quickly snapped out of his head. “Oh! Uh, no. At least not that I know of, anyway,” he replied casually, holding the cup. Celestia looked back and gave him a quick grin of affirmation before turning back to the stove.

He noticed in front of Celestia’s seat that the same book he saw the night prior was sitting face-down on the table. It was at such an angle that Anon couldn’t read the title, so he paid no attention to it as he sipped his tea. Looking back over at Celestia, he noticed a large bowl of fruit had been placed on top of the counter with a large knife next to it. Next to the stove was a plate stacked with pancakes, and the aroma of Celestia’s cooking filled the air with a delicious scent. He noted that Celestia had been multitasking, and was cutting the fruit while keeping tabs on the pancakes that were cooking. Anon found it interesting to watch her work.

Looking back over, he heard the sizzling stop and the tapping of the knife. Celestia blocked his view, but she seemed like she was fastidiously fixing something.

“Here you are, Anon. I hope you like it,” she said with a cheerful inflection as she turned around. Anon looked back up and saw a plate gently moving towards him. It stopped right in front of him on the table. Celestia did the same with her plate. He peered down to view the dish.

Before him on the plate lay a stack of several pancakes. An assortment of berries circled them. On top was a face made of berries in the shape of a smile, and Celestia had even given the face hair, made out of whipped cream. He stared, taking in the sight. Every aspect of the features was immaculate. Celestia had already begun eating hers in a civilized manner before she looked up.

“Everything okay, Anon?”

“Y-yeah. Celestia, this is beautiful. I kinda feel bad eating it for ruining your work, to be honest.”

The princess gave Anon a laugh. “I’m glad to hear you appreciate it, but you don’t have to feel bad. I just enjoy doing it.” Celestia’s magic ensnared the book from the table, reading it as she ate. She shortly stopped and put the book back down.

“Oh, sorry. That was probably impolite,” she said with a bashful laugh.

Anon waved it off, as he used the fork on his plate to cut a section of the pancakes and skewered the section with it. He placed it in his mouth and started to chew.

The slightly sweet, tart berries excellently complemented the buttery and soft yet slightly tender pancake. The pancake’s texture was even throughout and was simply delicious to Anon.

“Mm,” he said as he swallowed, “Celestia, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were a professional chef in disguise. What did you do with the real princess?” he asked in an overly dramatic voice.

She gave a playful laugh in response. “Oh, stop it.”

Anon eagerly cut another section. “No, but seriously. These are delicious. Back in my world, these are like restaurant-level good.”

Celestia sipped her tea calmly, and the cup obscured a slight blush forming on her cheeks.

As they both finished, their eyes met over the table and Anon darted away from it quickly. In his peripheral vision, he swore that he saw Celestia do the same for a second. Celestia was quicker to look back at Anon.

“Say, Anon. It’s quite beautiful outside this morning. Would you care to join me for a walk?” she asked with a blithe smile.

Anon shook off his shyness. “Sure,” he agreed with enthusiasm.

They walked by each other’s side out of the kitchen and through the castle to a door that led outside. From what Anon could gather, the door was not leading to the entrance of the castle, but rather to a courtyard-like area within the castle walls.

“Celestia, where are we going?” Anon asked with curiosity.

“The garden,” she replied simply. She opened the door with her magic, and the white-hot brightness of the sun flashed into their eyes. Anon briefly covered his eyes to let his eyes adjust to the sudden intensity.

As the white cleared away from his eyes, Anon saw before him a few steps leading to a pavilion. Surrounding the pavilion was, as far as he could see, an enormous garden that stretched over a colossal area. As they stepped onto the pavilion, his mouth hung open with shock at the sheer scale of it.

“Celestia, is this a garden or a wildlife preserve?”

She giggled. “I promise it’s a garden,” she responded. “I like to take walks out here around the path when the weather is nice. Especially at this time of year, when the flowers are all out.” She inhaled deeply, breathing in the floral scents of the garden. “Come with me.”

She began to walk further across the pavilion, which Anon trailed closely behind her. They had shortly reached the edge, and Anon saw a path was indeed at their feet. It was an oval-shaped path that circled the whole garden and looped back to the pavilion. Celestia had started to walk to the left, and he followed.

Anon got a much better view of the garden without the pavilion’s roof blocking it. He saw a fountain with numerous benches, surrounded by neatly-trimmed bushes.

Celestia held her head up high with a smile. “Doesn’t the sun feel great today?” she asked as they walked. A bird chirped in the distance.

Anon felt the warmth hitting his skin as a gentle breeze passed. He tilted his head up and closed his eyes, letting the light hit his face.

“I gotta say, you did a pretty good job on it.”

He heard Celestia chuckle.

Anon looked back down and opened his eyes. Celestia’s brilliant mane shimmered in the sun, catching his eye. He admired the graceful way that it flowed off of her, like a beautiful stream of water.

Ahead, Anon saw a large bed of tulips.

Celestia looked back at him as she stopped, and he stopped with her right in front of the bed. Celestia's head moved down to gently breathe in their aroma.

“Tell me, Anon. Do flowers mean anything in your world? What do your people use them for?”

Anon rubbed his chin in thought. “Well, they’re used for a lot of stuff. Mostly decorated in vases, and people have personal gardens that they just keep as a hobby. Why do you ask? Is it different here?”

Celestia moved her head back up. “I see. I was curious. Ponies here do the same thing with them, but you might be surprised to know that they’re also a delicacy here.”

“A delicacy? You mean ponies here eat flowers?” Anon asked in mild shock.

Celestia laughed at his reaction. “Yes, although only certain kinds.” She was silent for a moment as if in thought, and her face twisted into a mischievous grin as her magic surrounded one of the tulips and pulled it from the ground. She waved it teasingly close in front of Anon’s face.

“C’mon Anon, I know you want to try one.”

Anon’s head recoiled slightly away from the sudden offer, and Celestia instigated it by moving the flower further back with him. He moved his head back further, and Celestia’s flower did the same. They kept doing this in more rapid succession, with Celestia’s face rising in a wide, amused grin. Anon had moved his head far back enough that his poorly positioned feet had become unbalanced. He tripped backward onto the soft grass with a quiet yelp. Celestia had let go of the tulip and covered her face with her hoof to contain her snickering.

“Sorry, Anon. Are you okay?” she asked, her voice fluctuating in tone from serious to barely containing a laugh.

Anon said nothing. He stood up and picked the flower back up. He stared into her eyes with a deathly serious expression as he raised the flower to his mouth and took a large bite out of the bulb. Celestia covered her mouth in both shock and amusement. Upon the flower hitting his taste buds, he immediately turned around and let out a loud wretch.

That set Celestia off. Unable to contain it, she fell back and howled with laughter, holding her stomach. Anon, spitting the pieces of petals out of his mouth, turned around with a wide grin at his accomplishment. He purposefully fell next to her and joined in with a chuckle of his own.

After a moment of clearing out the laughter from within her, Celestia wiped a tear from her eye and sighed as she met Anon’s gaze.

“That was the best thing I think I’ve ever seen,” she said, her voice still choking with a laugh.

“I wanted to try one,” he replied with a fake flatness.

They both started to laugh at his response, and she cleared her throat.

“Oh, Anon. I haven’t laughed that hard in a while,” she said as they both caught their breath from laughter. Celestia looked down at her body.

“In the meanwhile, I seem to have fallen rather ungracefully,” she observed with a chuckle. “Could you help me up?”

Anon nodded, getting up and extending an arm for her to grab onto. She grabbed onto him by wrapping her leg around it and pulling herself up, using his arm to rebalance herself.

“Thank you,” she said politely, letting go of his arm. “Shall we continue?”

Anon nodded. The pair dusted off themselves and continued down the path.

As they walked, they passed several other kinds of flower beds. Celestia seemed to glow with joy as they walked along them. Anon was basking in the heat, feeling quite alive himself. They passed some kinds that Anon knew and others that he didn’t. Celestia suddenly stopped in front of one of the beds and stared at them intently. Anon stopped behind her and peered to the side to see which ones she was looking at.

It was a bed of rose bushes. There were many colors, but Celestia seemed to be staring at the red ones in particular.

“Everything okay, Celestia?”

She turned to him slowly with a slight frown.

“Anon, do people in your world give each other flowers as a symbolic gesture?”

“Yeah, why?”

She turned back to the roses.

“I was reading a novel where one of the characters gives another a red rose. I was just curious if they do such things in your world, that's all.”

Celestia turned back towards the path and continued down it, the glow from earlier seemingly dissipated. Anon was puzzled at the princess’ question but started to follow her again after glancing back at the rose bushes.

She's upset about something, Anon thought. Then, an idea popped into his head.

Anon jogged to catch up with Celestia, slowing down to a walking pace as he reached her side.

"Hey Celestia, I had an idea."

She turned to him as they walked.

"Oh?"

"It's nice out today, and in a few hours, it will be close to lunchtime. What do you say we go out to eat, or have a picnic, or something? You could probably stand to get out of here for a little while."

Her expression seemed to brighten. "I'd love that, Anon." She paused and thought for a moment.

"I don't have any court to hold today, so my afternoon should be clear for a few hours. After this, I may have to go tend to a few errands, but that should be the only issue."

"Ah, that's no problem. I can always just wait around or explore the city."

"Are you sure that you wouldn't mind waiting for me?" she asked with slight worry in her voice.

"Oh yeah! I'll just look around the city. That'll be plenty to do on my end. I don't mind at all. It will be worth it." He looked at her with a friendly smile. "I understand, Celestia. You have duties. I can't hang out with you ALL day…" Anon continued. "...Kinda wish I could, though," he added shyly. He felt his cheeks start to burn up with a fluster.

Celestia lowered her head with a blush.

"Alright, Anon. It's a deal."

They continued down the path, nearing the end which led back to the pavilion. Anon and Celestia walked in relative silence as they both enjoyed being in each other’s company and the immaculate weather.

Walking back to the pavilion, they headed back inside of the castle, walking side by side. They made their way back through the castle halls.

“That was nice, Anon. Thank you for joining me.”

“Yeah, I enjoyed it too! And I even got to try a new food. What a day already,” he replied.

Celestia snickered.

They made their way out of the castle, out into the entrance courtyard. In front of them was Celestia’s extravagant chariot manned by four guards, the front seat empty and waiting for her. She climbed in with the aid of a nearby servant and turned her head towards Anon with a glowing smile.

“See you soon?” she asked gently.

Anon gave a single nod of his head in affirmation.

Celestia gave her guards the signal to take off, and he waved at them as they soared into the sky. The servant who had guided Celestia into the chariot watched along with him and was silent until they were out of view.

“That’s quite strange to see,” she said in a posh inflection.

Anon turned around to look at her. “What?”

“Princess Celestia hasn’t seemed that happy in a while.”

Anon shrugged. “Maybe it’s the weather? She did say it was nice out today.”

The pony raised an eyebrow with a cocky smirk. “I saw the way you two looked at each other.”

She chuckled and started to walk back into the castle. Before she reached the door, she stopped and turned back to him.

“If I were you, I’d tell her. I’ve served her for many years now, and I know for a fact that she seldom looks at anyone like that. You might be the first, as far as I know. But time is fleeting, yeah? Just man up and tell her,” she said nonchalantly before heading back inside.

Anon stared back down at the ground as he felt his face start to burn up, unsure of what to even think.

Anon made his way out of the castle grounds and into the midst of the bustling Canterlot. Some ponies seemed to stare at him with odd looks; this, Anon expected. But some paid no attention as they went about their business.

Trying to ignore his feeling of alienation, he looked up and glanced around. He admired the architectural lavishness and just how similar Equestrian society was to his own.

Leading his gaze back down, he looked around the city as he walked, unsure of where to even start exploring. There were many shops lined along the pleasantly clean streets, and many ponies walking those streets wearing fashionable and extravagant clothing. The shops consisted mainly of artesian restaurants, boutiques, studios, and antique shops. From a few small details, Anon could tell this was an upscale city consisting of luxurious designers and wealthy residents.

This fact worried him slightly, as etiquette was likely highly important here, which he did not know. But his mind began to focus on the servant’s words, and he found himself lost in thought about what he was feeling. This was not the place to think. He needed somewhere quiet.

Anon’s eyes naturally fell to the pavement as he walked. There had to be somewhere he could sit, just for a moment, to sort his head.

Suddenly he felt a solid bump in his side. Abruptly turning up from the pavement, he realized that he had bumped into a pony who had a filly walking by her other side.

“Oh shi- uh, are you okay?” he asked the pony.

“Yes, I’m fine. Make sure to look where you’re walking, dear,” she replied in a posh accent.

The filly looked up at Anon, and then back to her mother.

“Mommy, what is he?” Anon overheard her ask as the pair walked in the opposite direction.

“I’m not quite sure, honey,” she replied, more distant as they walked further away.

Anon started to walk, noticing a nearby cafe with an empty outside table. He made his way towards the table and sat down slowly. An umbrella covered the top from the sun, and the soothing shadow refreshed him.

He leaned his head on his upright arm in thought.

Anon figured the best place to start in his head was how he felt about Celestia, but he already knew how he truly felt about her. He found it strange that he had developed them so quickly since he wasn’t even looking for them. It was more about accepting those feelings as part of himself, which he had been in denial of until now. He wasn’t sure if he was comfortable with any emotions, for that matter. But he knew that the castle servant was right. If this was how he truly felt about her, then action would be the only rational option. It felt too right in his soul, too blissful to simply let go and forget about. If he didn’t tell Celestia, he knew they would grow like a weed within him, and that he would regret not trying.

But how? How was he going to tell her? How was he going to explain to her why he started to feel that way so fast?

Anon’s train of thought was interrupted by a well-dressed stallion wearing an apron clearing his throat to get Anon’s attention. He looked at Anon with a slightly condescending expression.

“Sir, your menu,” the waiter said flatly as he laid a menu on top of the table towards Anon.

“O-oh! Thank you, I’m sorry,” he replied with a slight awkwardness. He opened the menu, only half-aware of what he was doing.

“Yes. Your order?” the waiter asked, pad and pencil ready.

The waiter’s words registered in his mind as he realized that he had no money. He closed the menu and pushed it back to the side of the table that the waiter.

“Uh, a-actually I was just sitting down for a moment. I hadn’t planned on ordering anything,” he replied bashfully.

The waiter’s eyebrow raised as he took back the menu and huffed, walking back into the restaurant.

Shaking off the residual awkwardness, Anon retreated to his thoughts.

The best place to start, Anon realized in his attempt to look at the problem differently, would be to first analyze the best method to approach Celestia. He would need to figure out by which way she would respond the best.

Anon got up from the table and checked his watch. It had been about an hour since he had left. Estimating from Celestia’s words, he figured she’d be back within an hour or two, which meant he still had some time to kill before heading back to the castle to greet her.

He walked away from the cafe with renewed confidence, no longer shying away from the feelings that had plagued him. But lingering anxiety also resided within him. He wandered the streets casually, with his eyes on the ground for the most part. What if she didn’t like him back or rejected him? What if she was confused or hurt, or not ready to talk about it openly? Worse, what if he was wrong about how he felt and was about to destroy the beginning of a friendship by telling her?

He tried not to let it eat away at his morale as he turned his head up to the buildings, attempting to find something to do in the meanwhile. A sign for an art gallery caught his eye. He shrugged and casually entered.

The art gallery was small yet elegant. Paintings lined the walls in exhibits, along with sculptures in the middle. It was open to the public for free, and ponies trickled in and out to glance at the art, some gathering in groups and discussing art or gossiping. Anon zoned them out, silently contemplating each painting as he made his way around the gallery.

He deduced that it was a modern art gallery due to the art being more focused on minimalist, abstract depictions of form, patterns, and color dynamics rather than the detail, shading, and perspective in more classical art. He admired the pieces quietly and how similar the works were to ones in an Earth museum. He wondered if ponies were capable of creating their own entirely unique movements in art, and just how revolutionary they would be if brought back to Earth.

Anon finished in the gallery, walking out and re-checking the time. Another hour had passed. While the gallery was small, Anon liked to take his time in museums and galleries back on Earth, having a habit of staying in them for hours at a time. Knowing that Celestia would likely be back within the hour, he decided to do something quick and then head back to wait for her.

Anon casually walked along the street in the same direction as the other ponies on his side, looking at the signs on buildings to see if there was anything that caught his eye. He passed by a library but decided against it, thinking he would lose track of time in it. He walked a bit further and noticed a sign for an antique shop. He walked in, curious about what ponies considered antique.

It was a small store, arranged neatly with many items on display on the sales floor. He perused the furniture slowly.

He noted that many of the pieces within were of a similar baroque style to the ones in Celestia’s castle, and looking at the price tag of an end table in the style almost made him swear under his breath. The hefty number looking back at him, he had no idea how much bits were worth but from the general affluence of the city, he could imagine that the pieces cost a small fortune each. Another section of the store focused on more wooden, handcrafted antiques. He noted the small engravings on pieces like a large grandfather clock, admiring the craftsmanship. Similar to the other pieces, the large number on the price tag sitting in front of them was indicative of just how much disposable income the city’s residents had.

No wonder Celestia’s castle is here, he thought.

The cashier watching over the counter raised an eyebrow at Anon as he was currently the only one in the store. Anon glanced at the cashier but said nothing as he made his way around. He eyed the large clock again once he finished. He generally found clocks interesting to look at and study, but this clock stood out as simply fascinating to him.

“Good eye,” said the cashier, walking out from behind the counter. “That there is one of the best pieces I’ve ever had in this store, and I’ve been running this place for a while now. Belonged to quite a wealthy fella. He said he had it commissioned from the best makers out there,” he continued, his voice affected by a slight, Southern-like draw.

Anon turned to him, listening intently. He rubbed his chin.

“It’s a one-of-a-kind piece. One of my favorites. It’s yours if you got the bits.”

“It’s a bit out of my price range,” Anon replied with an awkward laugh. “Just impressed by it, that's all.”

The store owner grunted as he returned to the counter. He sighed. “Suit yourself.”

Anon took it as his cue to leave. He turned to the door and walked out, checking his watch again. He figured it was probably time to head back to the castle to prepare for his lunch with Celestia.

He headed back up the main road and towards the enormous castle, taking in the city one more time as he walked away and reached the gate. A royal guard blocked him as he tried to walk through.

“Woah there, pal. Gonna need to see an invitation. Or a name.”

Anon stared blankly at the guard, unsure of what to do. He had not expected this issue.

Suddenly, a guard from within the gate’s eyes widened, as if he realized something. He walked over to the gate and whispered something to the guard blocking Anon through it.

“Oh,” said the guard. He stepped out of Anon’s way with his head lowered. “Sorry about that, Anon. Head on in.”

“Thank- hey, wait a second. How’d you know my name?”

The guard from within the gate turned to Anon. “Celestia briefed us earlier this morning about a human guest named Anon, who was to be treated with the utmost respect. You’re the only human here, so…”

“Ah, I see,” replied Anon as the gate opened and he walked through.

“You know, you’re pretty lucky,” the guard said as he passed through. Anon stopped and turned around to him.

“Huh?”

“I said you’re lucky,” he replied. “Figure you’re not from around here. Celestia doesn’t debrief us like that unless that pony is pretty important.”

Anon shrugged. “I have no idea why she’d do that, then. I’m just a friend of hers,” he replied, starting to walk away again.

Okay, he thought, maybe he felt a little more strongly towards her than just a friend. But that’s what it was on the surface, right?

He reached the front door that he had walked out of earlier that morning, trying to decide whether or not he should wait or go back into the castle.

As he looked at the ground, suddenly he noticed a large shadow overcasting the courtyard. He turned around and looked up to see the gleam of a golden chariot. He felt his heart jump with excitement.

The chariot circled the castle to lose altitude, eventually circling back to the courtyard and landing. As the chariot came to a stop, the servant from earlier had come back out from the castle, guiding Celestia out. The servant shot Anon a mischievous look before greeting Celestia with a polite welcome.

“Ah, thank you,” Celestia said to the servant. Mysteriously, she bent down and whispered something to her; to which she nodded in understanding as if Celestia had given her an order to do something. She turned to the door to see Anon standing there. Her eyes seemed to light up and she gave him a warm smile as Anon gave her an awkward wave. Internally, Anon was trying to contain his excitement and anxiety. It was hard to not act like he hadn’t been thinking about her all day.

“Hey,” he greeted Celestia. He swallowed as he tried to keep his fluttering stomach from affecting his voice.

Celestia slowly trotted towards him. “Hi there, Anon,” she replied pleasantly. They turned their heads away from each other as if to not make eye contact. His eyes focused on the ground for a moment, but out of his peripheral vision, he swore that he saw Celestia looking into the distance for a moment with a delighted grin and rosy cheeks.

He glanced towards the servant, who was watching them with a subtle yet amused grin. She shook her head slightly as she walked away. Anon turned his attention back to Celestia.

“I just got here myself, you see. I promise I wasn’t sitting here the whole time,” Anon explained bashfully.

Celestia giggled. “It’s okay, Anon. I believe you. How was Canterlot?” She asked as she motioned for him to follow her inside.

Anon obeyed, walking slightly behind her as they headed inside the castle.

“Oh, Canterlot was pretty cool. Kinda hard to find anything to do except look around, though.”

“Oh, that’s right,” Celestia chuckled. “Yes, ponies from the city are quite uppity, aren’t they? It gets on my nerves a bit myself. I’m surprised you weren’t shunned for not having any bits.”

“Well, I came pretty close a few times,” Anon replied. “But it was no problem. I went to an art gallery and did some window shopping.”

“Oh? Do you enjoy looking at art, Anon?”

“I suppose. It certainly fascinates me, but I don’t think I have a technical understanding of it or anything.”

Celestia nodded in acknowledgment. “I see,” she said with slight amusement in her voice.

Anon paused for a moment. “...Celestia, where are we going?”

Celestia stopped, and so did Anon. She turned around to face him and bent her head to his ear.

“The kitchen,” she whispered.

“Why are we whispering?” he whispered back.

“Trust me, keep quiet until we leave. I’ll explain when we get to the hills.”

Anon looked at her, puzzled, but shrugged and decided to trust Celestia. She gave him a reaffirming nod as she turned back around. They both resumed plodding through the halls, but more carefully and silently.

After a moment, they reached the kitchen. Celestia hadn’t turned on the light, so it was rather dark. Anon squinted to see what Celestia was doing after he heard a slight rustling. He saw a picnic basket float from under a counter onto it and open, illuminated by the soft glow of Celestia’s magic. He saw numerous cabinets and the refrigerator door open, magic fields pulling various supplies and food items rapidly from them and placing them into the basket. He watched as she moved with tremendous speed, finally closing the basket.

“Okay, let’s go.”

Anon followed Celestia out of another exit of the kitchen, quietly making their way to a door that seemed to be at the edge of one of the castle’s sides. Celestia was carrying the basket slightly above her body using her magic. Anon opened the door for them, letting Celestia pass through first. He walked out, closing the door behind him.

He was greeted with the pleasant, natural brightness of the sun as they stepped outside onto the grass. They came out of a door that was at the bottom of one of the castle’s sides. Anon continued to follow Celestia further and further outside the castle walls, eventually reaching the bottom of a low, grassy hill.

“Okay, we should be far enough,” Celestia said in her normal volume of voice. “Let’s set up on top of this hill.”

Anon followed her up the hill. Reaching the top, Celestia set the basket down and began unpacking it. She first laid down a picnic blanket, followed by a few plates and a pitcher of water along with two glasses. “Come, sit,” she told Anon sweetly and she continued. “Let’s hope I brought everything.”

“So, what was that all about back there?” Anon asked hesitantly as he sat down on the blanket.

Celestia paused and faced him with an embarrassed expression. “Well… technically I did have a court to hold today.”

“What…? Then how were you able to come out here?”

“Well, I told one of my servants that I would be gone for a little on urgent business, and to instruct the guards to close down the court for today until I returned.” She turned around and began unpacking again. Anon stared at her in disbelief.

“Celestia… you didn’t have to do that. I told you that I understood that I can’t always hang out with you.”

“I am quite aware,” she replied. “But you can trust me, it was nothing important. Just another tedious meeting with the city ponies about some frivolous nonsense.” She paused for a moment. “...Although, I admit I still feel guilty.”

“Celestia, do you regret it? Do you want to go back? I really won’t mind.”

She emitted a frustrated sigh. “I do feel guilty, Anon. But you’re not the only one here who was looking forward to this,” she said quietly, a slight blush forming on her cheeks.

“Man, I’m sorry… I had no idea that I made you choose,” Anon apologized. A pang of searing guilt filled him.

“Anon, look at me,” she said. He looked up at her.

“This was my choice. I chose to spend time with you over going to that court. I wasn’t truthful with you about that when I told you I didn’t have court, so don’t blame yourself. This was my own doing. I was dishonest because I saw how excited you were about it, and I was just trying to reassure you that we could spend time together today without you having to worry. I apologize,” she explained softly.

Anon looked down for a second, getting up and walking to her side of the blanket. He kneeled, engulfing her in a gentle hug, which she reciprocated.

After a moment, they broke away. “Now,” said Celestia, “Let’s have this picnic, and forget about all that.” Anon gave her a reassuring nod as he made his way back to his side of the blanket.

“So, Head Chef Celestia, what’s on the lunch menu?” he asked jokingly.

Celestia grinned and put on a faux, French-like accent. “Our special for this afternoon is a finely selected array of fresh vegetables and flowers served betwixt two slices of our eloquently-made, in-house baked bread.”

She put on an exaggerated, comically condescending expression as she levitated a sandwich from the basket onto Anon’s plate first, and hers secondly. Anon covered his mouth to try to contain his snickering, but he exploded with laughter. Celestia joined in, almost falling back as she did in the garden.

After they had both caught their breaths, Anon and Celestia both sat back up on the blanket.

“Wait, did you say flowers?” Anon asked.

“Only on mine, of course,” Celestia chuckled. “I think we both know how you feel about those,” she added with a snicker.

“Okay, okay, good. So it’s just vegetables?”

“Well, yeah. What else did you think I put on them?”

“Ah. In my world, we usually eat some kind of meat on sandwiches. I was curious.”

“Anon, all ponies are vegetarians. Not that we have a choice, really,” Celestia said as her sandwich floated to her mouth, taking politely small bites.

“I figured you guys were herbivores,” Anon replied, lifting his sandwich to his mouth.

They both ate in relative silence as they enjoyed the peaceful scenery. Celestia seemed to be happy, as she ate with a small grin. Anon looked up into the sky, watching the soft, pearly clouds slowly float away from them. The sandwich was strange to Anon; he had never had a sandwich without meat on it, but the quality of the ingredients made up for the initial blandness. He could tell the bread was homemade and extremely fresh, as it seemed much softer than the packaged bread he usually ate. The vegetables, consisting mainly of lettuce and other assorted leafy greens along with carrots, were springy and crunchy to the bite. He found himself enjoying it, despite the relative simplicity.

They both finished, and Anon took a sip of water from his glass.

“Anon, can I ask you something personal?” Celestia asked suddenly.

“Hm? Oh, yeah. What’s up?” Anon replied, turning himself to face her. She looked out into the distance in thoughtfulness.

“Do you have any friends back home?”

Anon paused, looking down as he thought.

“No,” he responded finally.

Celestia looked at him in surprise.

“Really? Do you have any family or a… girlfriend?” she seemed to ask hesitantly as if she wasn’t trying to pry.

Anon looked up at her and shook his head. “Nope. I moved out of my parents’ house, and about a girlfriend…”

He blushed slightly out of embarrassment. “Why do you ask?”

“Well, I was curious. But really, I’m surprised to hear that. You’re so much fun to hang out with, and you’re an honest person. Anyone with half an eye for good qualities would want to be with you.”

Anon felt his face burning up at her compliment. Suddenly, he frowned.

“I don’t know, Celestia. I have no idea why I find myself alone back home. I’ve felt alone my whole life.”

Celestia tilted her head slightly in curiosity. “What do you mean by that?”

Anon looked down as he began to think.

“Well, a lot of the time, I feel like I’m living in some kind of dream. Like I’m not there. The more I think about the nature of my being, and my consciousness, I begin to truly feel alone, in the existential sense. So I try to find things to do alone, I guess maybe to reassure myself that being alone isn’t that bad.”

He looked up at the sky.

“But then I look up at the sky and the stars. I realize just how truly massive the universe is, and it only gets bigger with every moment. And then I realize, in comparison, just how insignificant I am. How.. little I matter to it, in the grand scheme of things.”

Anon’s eyes narrowed as if wincing in pain.

“So I get scared. And I realize that I’m all I’ve got, at the end of the day. So I never try to reach out to anyone. They all just feel so… distant. Like they aren’t real, no matter how close they get to me. I just… I don’t know.”

Celestia listened intently, getting up and trotting over to Anon’s side of the blanket and sitting down next to him. She pulled him closer in a hug, wrapping her wings around him gently. Anon felt the sting of tears in his eyes as he began to sob into her shoulder.

“It hurts, Celestia.” he whimpered, his voice muffled by his face being implanted into her.

“It’s okay, Anon,” she reassured softly. “Everything is going to be okay.”

He clung to her tightly.

“I’m lonely too. So, so much. I know all too well what it feels like to be adrift in your mind,” she said gently. “But you wanna know something? These past moments with you have made me feel more alive than ever.”

Anon broke off his grip to listen, moving slightly back as he wiped the tears away.

“You’re one of the only genuine people that I know of. Most ponies only befriend me for the sake of their status,” she said with a light chuckle.

“I can’t remember the last time I felt real, either. People just begin to blend in with objects. But you, Anon…”

She looked down with a blush.

“Well, you changed that. I’ve felt so alive with you. We’ve known each other for such a small amount of time. The happiness you’ve brought me in a day is more than any of my friends could do in a lifetime.”

Anon sniffled. He nodded. “Yeah… I feel it too. I feel like you are the only real person I’ve ever met. Like my emotions about you were genuine.”

Celestia gave a supportive smile. “You see? Anon, you can’t live your life worrying about what you are or where you are, or how much you matter. Your life is here, on the surface of a planet. And you do the best you can to live it. Sure, you might be small compared to everything else out there. But there’s so much to do here, so much to experience, so much life to live. And you know what? Maybe that’s enough. Maybe that’s all you have to do.”

Anon nodded as he listened, wrapping his arms back around her. “Th-thank you,” he said weakly.

They spent the rest of their time on the hill in relative, intimate silence. They shared a few words as Anon helped Celestia clean up and prepare to head back to the castle. With the basket repacked, they walked slowly back in the direction they came, side by side.

It was getting late, and it was almost time for Celestia to take care of the sunset. They reached the castle and walked back into the side door that they had exited.

Once they had reached the kitchen through the halls, Celestia set the basket on the counter.

“It’s time for the sunset, Anon. Care to join me?”

Anon nodded with a grin.

They made their way from the kitchen to the balcony where Anon had learned of her power.

They reached the edge of the balcony, standing side by side. Celestia’s horn began to glow, causing the sun to start to move down the horizon. The sky was ablaze with the warm colors of a glorious sunset, more beautiful than any other sunset Anon had seen. They watched the sky turn orange, then red, and then grow purple with dusk as the sun said its goodnight to the world. They had watched in silence, enjoying each other’s company as the peaceful darkness of the night.

Celestia smirked. “It’s been quite the day, hasn’t it, Anon?”

“Yeah. But I enjoyed every second.”

It was at this moment that he truly became alive. It was real, and his feelings were too. Anon looked into her eyes with the burden of a truth he was longing to tell her. He knew it was time.

“C-Celestia, I have to tell you something.”

“Yes, Anon?” she asked gently.

“This… short time I’ve spent with you has made me feel the same way. I feel like you’re the only genuine connection I’ve ever made. That’s why I’m scared to tell you this. I don’t want it to be the thing that ends our relationship so early. It feels selfish to do it, especially because you feel the same about me. But I could never live with myself if I kept it a secret.”

He looked down and swallowed as if to steady himself. He swallowed as he looked back up at her.

“When I look at you and I’m with you… I don’t just feel happy. I don’t just feel real. There’s something else that I feel too. I start to get butterflies in my stomach when I see you smile, hear you laugh, or listen to you talk. It’s more than just looking at a friend.”

He gave a nervous sigh and looked away.

“Celestia, I… I think I have feelings for you. I think you’re the most beautiful princess I’ve ever seen, inside and outside. You’re just so… gentle, kind, and selfless, and… I just, I feel like I’m looking at a childhood crush when I see you.”

He looked up to see Celestia looking away. She was blushing a bright red.

“My, my, Anon,” she responded with a slight tease in her voice. “Is there something you’d like to add?”

He gave another nervous sigh, closing his eyes. “I really like you. I think I’m falling in love with you.”

As if the world were lifted from his shoulders, the relief washed over him. It was done. There was no turning back.

Celestia giggled as she leaned over near Anon’s ear.

“You want to know something, Anon? I think I’m starting to like you a lot too,” she whispered to him. She moved back to look into his eyes. Anon blinked, as if in disbelief, and he felt his face burn with the realization. His eyes met hers.

The warmness spread through every inch of his body as their gazes met, and they slowly inched towards each other. Anon gently held her shoulders, as they pressed their heads together.

Anon felt weightless, on top of the world. He felt as if their embrace connected their souls, hearts beating as one. Perfect, unadulterated bliss filled him. His heart soared above the clouds. He couldn’t believe how easy it was to turn the world into gold.

Anon and Celestia slowly broke away from each other. They stood side-by-side, looking up at the sky together. They turned their heads to look at each other again. Celestia’s eyes were shining brilliantly with joy.

She smiled. “Anon, would you… would you care to join me in my quarters tonight?” she asked shyly, a blush forming on her cheeks.

Anon’s face began to burn up with a blush of his own. “S-sure,” he agreed.

Anon followed Celestia back into the castle. They transversed the halls quietly, reaching the gilded door that Anon remembered from the night before. They entered, the room aglow with a gentle flame from the fireplace already lit, presumably by a servant. A silver platter along with silverware lay on her bed. Celestia’s eyes lit up at the sight of the platter.

“Yes!” she exclaimed.

“What’s in that platter?” Anon asked.

Celestia turned to him and looked at him with a gleeful smile. “Cake,” she replied simply.

“Cake? Like the desert?”

“What other kind of cake is there, Anon?” she asked teasingly.

“Hey, don’t blame me for being skeptical. You seem to forget that I’m literally from another world,” he shot back.

Celestia shrugged with a chuckle before walking over to her bed. “Would you like to share some with me?” she asked as she sat on the bed. She levitated the platter and silverware above her to make room for Anon to sit.

“But there’s only one plate,” he said before sitting on the bed next to her.

Celestia blushed. “Well, maybe we only need one,” she replied shyly.

Anon realized the implication, looking down for a moment as a blush of his own began to form.

“Well, I certainly wouldn’t mind,” he said.

Celestia nodded and opened the platter to reveal a beautiful strawberry shortcake. It was decorated with intricate swirls made of white cream, and strawberries accented the sides and top. Using a silver serving spatula, she cut a piece and levitated it to the plate, laying a fork on the side in the process. She set the platter to the side.

“Cake is my favorite, Anon. These come from a bakery here in Canterlot. I’ve tried to make my own cakes, but they’re just never as good as the bakery ones.”

Anon appeared in thought for a moment. “Which kind of cake is your favorite?” Anon asked curiously.

“Oh, Anon. There are so many choices and I could never pick just one. It depends on my mood, though.”

“Give me an example.”

“Well, let’s say I’m feeling sad one night. I usually order a chocolate one. I don’t know why, to be honest. It just makes me feel better. And when I’m happy, I usually order something light, like some kind of fruit-based cake.”

“Is that why you ordered strawberry shortcake tonight?”

“Maybe,” she giggled bashfully.

She used her magic to float the plate between them just below mouth level. The fork floated and skewered a pieced before making its way to the front of Anon’s mouth.

Anon realized what she was doing, and with a blush, he opened his mouth and allowed Celestia to place the fork inside. He bit off the cake and Celestia pulled the fork out gently.

It was delicious. The cake itself was firm yet pleasantly soft, and its gentle vanilla flavoring paired sublimely with the sweet, slightly tart bits of strawberry and rich cream.

“Holy shi- Celestia, this is amazing!” he exclaimed as he chewed.

“Isn’t it?” Celestia asked with a grin, the fork floating back onto the plate.

“That is the best cake I think I’ve ever had,” Anon continued as he swallowed.

Celestia gave him a flirty smirk. “It’s my turn,” she announced with rosy cheeks as she closed her eyes and opened her mouth slightly.

Anon swallowed nervously, taking the fork off the plate and replicating her method of skewering the cake and breaking off a small piece. His face felt hot as butterflies in his stomach began to form. Slowly, he moved the fork forward into her mouth, and she bit it off. Anon carefully removed the fork from her mouth and put it back onto the plate.

She chewed it slowly, opening her eyes and staring at him. She swallowed it and sighed in delight.

“Just right, like always,” she said, pleased with the cake.

They continued to eat the slice, piece by piece until it was gone. Floating the empty plate next to the platter on the floor with her magic, Celestia intimately leaned into Anon, putting her head against his neck. He put his arm around the princess as they watched the fire crackle and burn together.

Celestia spoke up. “Anon, would you mind helping me brush my mane? It gets messy if I don’t take care of it.”

“Sure,” Anon agreed softly.

A brush enveloped by a field of Celestia’s magic floated from a nearby vanity into Anon’s hand. Celestia lay down, bowing her head slightly so Anon could reach her mane. He began to gently run the brush down her mane. Despite being translucent and apparition-like in appearance, her mane was surprisingly tangible.

He put much care into each stroke of the brush, trying not to hurt her. Celestia closed her eyes in pleasure. He started from the back of her head to the top, gently holding her head as he brushed the top. Celestia opened her eyes and looked up at Anon with a blush as he held her face. Anon was focused on her mane but looked down. His eyes met hers. He felt a blush reciprocating as they looked at each other. Anon bent down, and their lips met in a passionate kiss. They closed their eyes, breaking off the kiss and meeting again in another. They pulled away from the second, and Celestia’s eyes vibrantly sparkled with passion and affection.

“Anon, can you promise me something?” Celestia asked softly.

“What?” he asked.

“Promise me that you’ll stay,” she said longingly. “I’m so much happier with you here.”

Anon smirked. “Of course I will, Celestia.”

Celestia gave a relieved smile. Anon leaned against the large pillow on her bed, relaxing his body. Celestia placed her head on his lap and closed her eyes.

He ran his hand through her mane, gently massaging her as she fell asleep in his arms. He looked around her room, noticing that the book she had been reading was put back neatly on the shelf.

And there he was. Right where he wanted to be all along.

“I love you, Celestia,” he whispered to her.