>The next order of business after picking up the food was to find a place to eat it.
>This wasn't too hard of a task; all you had to do was find a location that wasn't too heavily occupied.
>Luckily, you knew of the perfect place.
>The pizza place down the way has parking spaces in back of the building, and you have never seen a car parked there. It's not employee parking either, meaning the parking spaces are up for grabs.
>These plans bring you to the present time.
>You are sitting in the car eating a hamburger next to Fluttershy while she eats a salad.
>Every precaution has been taken to reduce the likelihood of her being seen.
>Mainly window covers.
>They are mainly used to reflect the sun, but they work for privacy, too.
"How do you like it here?"
>You have no clue where the question came from, but it seems like a good conversation starter.
>"Well... It's n-nice..."
>One thing different about ponies is that their body language is a lot easier to read; their facial expressions even more so.
>She didn't make direct eye contact with you. In fact, she seemed to look away from you even more when she responded. That stutter didn't show much confidence in her thoughts, either.
>Not too big of a surprise really. You don't really blame her for not liking this world as much as her own.
>Not that this world is bad; you're living a pretty damn good life here.
>Should you prod for more info? Or just play dumb?
>Well, maybe you can get an interesting conversation going if you try to work some more info from her. 
>You could at least assure her that she doesn't have to lie about her 
"It's alright, you don't have to keep your opinions a secret. I don't blame you if you don't like this world. Especially if you compare it to your own."
>Fluttershy's head snaps up with a look of surprise. 
>"N-no! It's not like th-that! This world is wonderful!"
>You shake your head.
"I said it's okay, besides, you haven't even seen enough of the world to make the best possible judgement."
>After a quick sip of pop, you speak again.
"Besides we've got a pretty good lead on something that could get you back home. If all goes well, you'll be back to Equestria quite soon. Maybe even a few weeks!"
>So that last sentence was a bit of an exaggeration. In fact, that was an understatement.
>What you and Fluttershy talked about a few days ago still applies; they might all be in different locations, and they might not have money to travel all the way here.
>The pink maned pony's wide eyes grow even wider somehow.
>"Really..?"
>The bug eyed look on the pony's face fades to one of blankness.
>"That's uh... That's great, Anon..."
>Wow, THAT was a mood swing.
>Is... is she seriously disappointed at the thought of returning to Equestria?
>It could just be something else, you don't really know right now.
"You okay? I thought you'd be happy to go home."
>The color returns to Fluttershy's face, a phenomenon that was hard to tell that happened in the first place due to her already light tone.
>"I AM happy to know that, I'm just... confused."
>Confused? What is there to be confused about?
>The only thing you can think of is the possibility of her wanting the monkey cock, but you're pretty certain that she's not going to be dick hungry this soon.
>Hell, your earlier remark about an early departure time might have been wishful thinking on your part.
>Think about it, the sooner she leaves, the lesser chance of her falling for you and throwing a wrench in your already weak plans for her to return home mostly unaffected.
>Crap, you've been silent for a bit too long.
>You decide to see if you can play shrink for a bit.
"You wanna talk about it?"
>The yellow mare shakes her head.
>"If it's okay, I'd like to sort this out myself."
>That plan fell through fast.
"Well, if you ever need any help at all, or even just need someone to talk to, you know where to find me."
>She giggles.
>"Thank you. It's nice to have somepo- someONE who cares."
>You both finish up your meals in the peace and privacy of your car.

>The next step of your outside adventure has begun.
>This is what you've been the most excited about during this little escapade.
>As usual, you've come prepared for any unexpected situation.
>If this were a story in a book, the audience would probably start questioning the author's writing ability as they thought how stupid it was that you had this equipment at a moment's notice.
>You just love when deus ex machinas happen in real life.
*HOONK!*
>"AAAAAAHHH!"
>JESUS.
>You swerve out of the way of the oncoming semi truck.
>That was fucking close...
>You hear someone yell outside of your partially opened window.
>"Jackass!"
>Yeah, you deserved that one.
>Note to self: having an internal monologue session is a FUCKING TERRIBLE idea while driving.
>Out of your peripheral vision, you spot a quivering yellow mass.
>Shit, you really ARE a jackass...
"...Sorry?"
>She appears to have fainted.
>Yup, you're definitely a jackass.
>...
>Eventually, Fluttershy recovers from her lapse of consciousness.
>As she wakes, you arrive at your destination.
>A wave of nostalgia hits you as your eyes take in the surroundings.
>Memories flood your mind as you take in the snow covered sights of the park.
>It hasn't changed a bit in the fourteen years you haven't seen it.
>Fourteen years already? How time flies...
>No one is really around here today, either. It's probably because you got out of work early, while everyone else is still at their jobs.
>You're not complaining no matter what the reason is.
>Unless there was a nuclear bomb launched at your area that you weren't informed of.
>That would blow. Literally.
>You find a suitable parking spot, and stop the car.
>The next order of business is to get prepared.
>Fluttershy silently observes as you open the door to the back seat and rummage through the many different items.
>It's not exactly cold out today, but you grab a big, heavy article of clothing out of the car to wear.
>A long trench coat that's about a size too big for you.
>The second item you pick up is a pair of box shaped objects. Along with those is a small remote with a tiny LED light and speaker on it.
>You stick those in a pocket of the trench coat and put it on.
>Finally, you pull out a long wooden toboggan.
>That thing was a BITCH to get in the car.
>Dis gun b gud.
>With the necessary supplies in your possession, the wooden board is rested against your car before you make your way to the passenger side door.
>It isn't long before you are standing before Fluttershy with a shit eating grin on your face.
"I never thought to ask; do you like sledding at all?"
>The quiet mare gently nodded her head.
>"I have. Only smaller hills, though. I'm not a fan of high speeds..."
>Figures. That shouldn't be too big of a deal, though. The hill you plan on using isn't THAT steep. At least, not for you.
>You know, you've been making most of the decisions ever since this began. It might be a good idea to remind her that she has freedom of choice.
"Do you want to try this? The hill isn't that bad. If you don't though, that's okay, too. We can just do something else."
>She shakes her head.
>"No, that's okay. I'm willing to if you want to."
>You crouch down.
"As long as you're sure, then okay."
>Fluttershy smiles and nods.

>You flip open the left side of the trench coat after a brief struggle with it's size; then you bend your right arm over to your left side, creating a place for Fluttershy to step up on.
"Climb aboard, tickets are free!"
>Sometimes, you feel like you should just keep your whore mouth shut.
>The colorful pony stands up on the seat, and with a flutter (lewl), balances herself on your arm with her back hooves. Her front hooves are holding onto your upper arm.
"All we gotta do now is... get...this...over here..."
>You battle with the coat for minutes; trying to find a way to fit Fluttershy inside without dropping her.
>The struggle is real.
>Soon enough, the three minute war is over, with you as the victor.
>Your arms are now cupping a lump under your coat, almost making you look pregnant.
>This damn coat is smaller than you thought.
>Through the coat, a muffled voice is barely heard; the words muffled to the point where it's indecipherable.
>"Umph mmfg phhded."
>You undo a few of the buttons below your neck, and a head covered in yellow fur pops out, gasping for air.
>"It's um... Kind of crowded..."
>This might be a bit overboard. Nobody's really around, anyway.
"Are you fine continuing on like this? You can keep your head out."
>A single nod is your response.
>...
>You still know the route by heart.
>It leads to the place that hardly anyone ever came to in the winter, due to it being surrounded by a small wooded area.
>Carrying this toboggan along with a pony in your coat is a real bitch to do, though.
>By the time you reach the spot, you are huffing and puffing more than the big bad wolf after a marathon.
>You crouch down and let Fluttershy out of her trenchcoat prison that oddly smelled like cheetos.
"Wait here a second. Keep an eye out, and if anyone comes near, hid up in a tree or something, okay?"
>Your pony pal nods in affirmation.
>"Got it."
>The area isn't really acessable but from one spot, the rest of it is blocked off by heavy brush piles and dense trees.
>You pull out the plastic contraptions from the coat pocket, and place one on each side of the "entrance".
>Next, the remote is taken out of your pocket, and a switch is flipped; a dim LED light comes on on the remote.
>Nothing is seen happening with the two boxes.
>You wave your hand in between them.
>The remote vibrates.
>Perfect. Infrared technology is awesome!
>There is still a chance of people coming in from other sides, but that's what the trenchcoat is for.
>The plan is simple, you kill the ba- shit, wrong plan.
>Anyway, if anyone comes by, you'll have her close enough to cover her with the coat. Simple.
>You return to where Fluttershy awaits.
"You ready for this?"

>The large sled is perched atop the hill, ready to go.
>You place your foot on top of the piece of wood.
>The intention is so you can properly sit down on it.
"So, what I was thinking was- WO-WOAH!"
>A major loss of balance.
>Now you're tumbling down the hill at mach twelve. Well, it feels that way, anyways.
>Everything is just a spinning mass of different shades of white right now.
>Nausea overtakes you as you finally begin to slow down.
"Goddamn..."
>You're too old for this.
>...
"As I was saying before being rudely interrupted by physics, I was thinking that I'd sit on the end here, and you could sit in front. If someone comes by, I'll hide you and we'll get out safely."
>You give a quick explanation about the infrared sensors by the edge of the spot.
>Thank god for genius friends. Troy still has no idea where his makeshift security alert system went. You had snagged it about two years ago when he wasn't looking.
>He could probably make another one easily, anyway.
"Does that sound good?"
>The timid pony steps closer to the toboggan.
>"Sure, we can do that if it's okay with you."
>B-but, you were the one who... never mind.
>In a few minutes, you are sat on the extended sled with Fluttershy half an arms length away from you.
>You look down ahead of you.
>This hill is a lot steeper than you remember. This must be the first step to becoming an old man; the next step is hating everything new... hold on, you already do that. Shit.
"Ready?"
>She gulps.
>"I-I guess..."
>Good enough for you.
>You push off of the hill.
>The sled launches down the hill at a much more stable speed than when you fell over it.
"WOAHOHOAH!"
>Turning your gaze southward, you see that Fluttershy is covering her face with one hoof.
>Without any warning, your sled hits a bump in the ground, shaking the front passenger out of her seat.
>"Ah!"
>By some work of god, you stay in place as physics betrays you again when she collides into your body.
>You emit a grunt as she hits you.
>Fluttershy is covering her face completely now.
>Something wet can be felt where you're sitting.
>At this moment, you're not too sure if you or the pony on your lap pissed on the sled, or if it's just snow from when you fell earlier.
>Eventually, the harrowing ordeal comes to an end.
"Ouuugh... I wanna get off of Mister Bone's wild ride..."
>You can hear Fluttershy making some sort of noise; it sounds like she's being strangled.
>"Nnng..! Mmmph..."
>Oh... oops.
>You're squeezing Fluttershy as close to you as possible, as if she is some kind of teddy bear.
>She gasps as you release her.
"Oh crap, sorry! I'm not trying to murder you today, I swear."
>The yellow pegasus wobbles around a bit in response.
>You vomit in the snow.

>That was the wrong hill.
>It's been so long since you've been here, that you mistook a similar looking one that was much steeper for the hill that you used to use.
>Your body is ready for another go.
>However, Fluttershy's is not.
>She won't even get near the sled.
>So, how is this going to work?
>Diplomacy was your first choice, and that didn't work.
>"I-I'm not too sure..." she had said.
>You don't want to resort to physically putting her on the sled by force, but every second that passes makes the option more appealing.
>That wouldn't be a nice thing to do, though.
>Well, you could try a similar approach.
>Plan A: commence.
>You turn to Fluttershy, who is awkwardly digging at the snow with her hoof.
>Quickly, you grab the hoof that she's using, and start walking to the sled.
>"Wh-what are you doing?"
>You look back at her, a soft expression on your face.
"C'mon, it won't be as bad this time. I'll be there, too. You don't have to be afraid."
>For a second, you stop.
"You trust me, right?"
>A blank stare, and silence.
>Next, a bead of sweat and a faint blush.
>She smiles as she responds.
>"Y-yes... I do."
>You grin.
"That's nice to know. I promise, everything will be fine."
>With her hoof in your hand, you take her back to where the sled rests.
>You sit down on the slab of wood, and guide Fluttershy to a spot in front of you.
"Okay... ready?"
>A quiet mumble.
>She's still scared.
>There is enough room on this thing for you to spread your legs and make more room.
>You do just that, and slide the fearful pony closer to you; your arms are gently draped around her.
>"Eep!"
>She looks up at you curiously, a heavy coat of red spreading across her cheeks and nose.
"I thought you could use some more reassurance."
>Surprisingly, Fluttershy adjusts herself to a more comfortable position in her new spot.
>"...Thank you, I do feel better."
>With a chuckle, you ask one last question.
"Are you ready?"
>Your response is a nod.
>You smirk, and you push off the hill.

>Both of you have kept this up for nearly two hours.
>Your body is nearing it's breaking point; walking up this hill so many times is pretty hard.
>The days have been slowly getting longer, so it's still pretty bright out by the time you quit.
>Just in time, too. Your proximity sensor has gone off in your pocket.
>Thankfully, you were at the bottom of the hill, and sitting on the sled with Fluttershy right up against your body.
>Without warning the unaware pony, you pick her up, set her on your lap, and cover her with the coat.
>"Mph!"
>You whisper to her.
"Someone is coming, stay quiet. I'm sorry, I can't let your head out this time."
>The sensors can be taken tomorrow, if they're still there.
>For now, you'll try to sneak away unnoticed.
>As you make your way up the hill, you look in the direction of the sensors.
>Nobody's there.
>The fuck is this shit?
>Something moves ever so slightly close to the ground.
>It's a... a rabbit?
>You unbutton a spot of the trench coat, telling Fluttershy that it's safe to look out.
"Look at that, over there."
>She looks in the direction of where you begin to point.
>"Oh..!"
>You completely undo the coat, letting her down to the ground.
>The pony's vision is fixated on the rabbit; she starts slowly walking towards it."
>Shit, she's gonna scare it away. This wasn't a good idea. it's gonna be another hard lesson about how Earth is different- hold on a second.
>She's way too close for it to not have noticed her.
>In fact, it's looking right at her.
>"Hello there..."
>Jesus fuck, she's communicating with it.
>This doesn't make any fucking sense!
>Is your education on biology wrong, or is the WORLD wrong?!
>"Who's a good bunny?"
>Egh, the fucking baby talk, you can't stand i- SHE'S FUCKING PETTING IT.
>NOTHING MAKES SENSE ANYMORE!
>You can feel your brain melting in your skull.
>Everything around you disappears as you stare off into space.
>So... this is what the beginning of the apocalypse is like. 
>Well, your life was good while it lasted.
>You snap out of your trance just in time to hear Fluttershy send the critter off.
>"Goodbye little one. I hope I see you again!"
>Phew, it's over... 
>You still don't feel well; seeing something defy the laws of nature really freaks you out.

>It takes a few more seconds to snap out of your stupor.
>You don't even notice the tears brimming in Fluttershy's eyes.
>She turns around, eyes closing and looking at the ground.
>Didn't she just talk to an animal? That should be a happy occasion!
>Anxiously, you approach the pegasus.
>Crouching down once you're close enough, you speak to her.
"What happened? It looked like everything was going fine."
>Well, you couldn't exactly attest to that; you were too busy freaking out when it was happening.
>The mare opens her eyes, making contact with yours.
>"It's... It's nothing, don't worry."
>With a hoof, she wipes away the moisture from each of her eys.
>You still don't see what could have happened, that rabbit was looking at Fluttershy like it had just seen some kind of angel!
>Angel. 
>A rabbit. 
"You must have had a few pets back home. Were you reminded of one, by chance?"
>Her mouth hangs open slightly.
>"H-how did you..."
>Fluttershy trails off, too surprised to finish.
"I just took a wild stab in the dark; didn't know I'd be right."
>It seems like there's still some problems she's having coping with being torn from her world. Is it possible that you two could just talk for a bit? Maybe it would help her sort her emotions out. 
>You take a seat on the sled you had dragged over with you.
"Why don't we just talk for a bit? I'm curious about your lifestyle; pets and all that, if you don't mind me asking."
>Somberly, she looks down at a stick to her left, then back at you.
>After you pat the spot on the sled next to you, she sits down and begins to speak.
>She tells a bit more of her pets back home, and how she'd take care of them.
>Once she was done with that, you asked her about which one the rabbit she just saw reminded her of.
>Of course you knew, but you know why you can't say by now.
>Fluttershy tells you of her pet rabbit, Angel.
>She speaks of him fondly, like a close friend.
>You find it humorous; most of the time that he's seen on TV, he's like an abusive husband.
>A tiny abusive husband that is a ball of fluff.
>Yet, she speaks of him like an old friend.
>"I really miss him... I miss all of my animals... I'm so worried; what... what if they aren't being taken care of?"
>You make a point to intervene.
"I'm sure th-"
>The pegasus begins to sweat, and cuts you off.
>"They could be alone, hungry, tired..."
>She's shaking now, tears once again brimming at her eyes.
>"Oh no..! Please, let them be okay..."
>Again, you try speaking.
"Don't be red-"
>Interrupted again.
>"I can't do anything to help them..."
>The dam bursts, and the tears that were building up fall down her cheeks.
>Fluttershy's gaze falls to the ground as she sniffs.
>You try to get through to her, but nothing seems to work.
>Shit, your usual methods aren't working here!

>For minutes, you try to think of something to say.
>By your side, sniffs and stifled crying can be heard.
>Well, her friends back home are usually willing to help- shit, what if they're all here, too?
>Twilight, Rainbow, and Fluttershy are all confirmed to be here on Earth.
>You don't know about the rest, yet; better to not comfort her with false promises.
>The hardest part is, you can't really assure her with your presence.
>Come on, think... 
>Fluttershy's sniffing continues.
>You look over and see that her eyes are open, looking blankly at the ground.
>Her eyes leak, the fluid falling to the ground in front of her.
>"What if I don't see them again? If they all left, or... died... I don't know what I'd do..."
>The pupils of her eyes shrink as she says that.
>She clenches her teeth as she tries to avoid sobbing.
>That effort doesn't last long before the rest of her resolve breaks; her body drops to the ground, and she burries her face in her front hooves.
>Still not having anything to say, the only thing you can do is rub her back as she lets it out.
>"I-I-I-I'm sorry... I sh-shouldn't be putting all of this on you... I haven't even been able to repay you for helping me..."
>You respond immediatley.
"Forget about that, you're no bother at all! I did this because I care, not because I expect something in return."
>This only serves to intensify her crying.
>The only thing you can do is stay there with her until her cries slowly give way to sleep.
>And it was shaping up to be such a good day, too.

>Instead of wearing the coat and hiding Fluttershy inside, you just wrap her up in it and walk back to the car.
>Why the fuck didn't you think of that the last time? Then you'd only have to worry about covering her up with it on the sled!
>You pick up the rest of your equipment, then go back to your vehicle.
>...
>Fluttershy remained asleep for the entire trip back.
>Not a big surprise, it's a short ways back.
>You ended up having to take her inside and place her on the bed.
>Now, you're on your computer, checking the chat.

---
*Chat client updated - (New feature: Members displayed upon entry)
*Connected: Current members - (You, Roq)
[6:09 PM] Roq: Hey

[6:09 PM] You: Hi
[6:09 PM] You: Anyone been on today?

[6:10 PM] Roq: Sif was here for like 2 minutes this morning.

[6:10 PM] You: Anyone else?

[6:10 PM] Roq: I would have said so if there was.

[6:11 PM] You: alright alright
[6:11 PM] You: so, anything happen with you today?

[6:12 PM] Roq: Just working so far

[6:12 PM] You: Do you work from home?

[6:12 PM] Roq: Yeah

[6:13 PM] You: Oh, cool.

[6:18 PM] *Roq has disconnected (Timed out)
[6:19 PM] *Roq has Joined

[6:19 PM] Roq: This fucking chatroom.

[6:20 PM] You: Yeah

[6:31 PM] *Tiafag has joined

[6:31 PM] Tiafag: Hey guys!

[6:31 PM] You: Holy shit
[6:32 PM] You: Yo!

[6:32 PM] Roq: Oh damn.
[6:32 PM] Roq: hey

[6:32 PM] You: So, Celestia?

[6:33 PM] Tiafag: Yeah! It was hard to beleive that other people had ponies, too.
[6:33 PM] Tiafag: You're pretty casual about it.

[6:33 PM] You: I've already met two others. You kind of get used to it.

[6:34 PM] Roq: it's also pretty hard to convey emotion through text

[6:34 PM] Tiafag: Guess you're right!

[6:34 PM] You: Might as well do the usual song and dance.

[6:34 PM] Roq: Go for it.
---
>A few minutes pass as you and Roq explain your stories, along with Sifraf's.

---

[6:39 PM] Roq: So that's that.

[6:40 PM] Tiafag: Interesting. Should I go next?

[6:40 PM] You: Yup.

[6:41 PM] Tiafag: So, it was a bright day out. I found the thread, just like you guys. Posted on the thread for Celestia. A few hours later, I heard a noise from the other room, and there she was, laying in the middle of the room.

[6:41 PM] Tiafag: When she woke up, she blew a hole in my wall. 

[6:41 PM] Roq: That was a quick escalation of events.

[6:42 PM] You: Woo! I'm not the only one who suffered property  damage because of this whole ordeal!

[6:42 PM] Tiafag: Yeah, well I didn't have to pay for repairs :P

[6:43 PM] Roq: Ew, emoticons.

[6:43 PM] You: ^Kind of what he said.

[6:44 PM] Tiafag: k

[6:44 PM] Roq: So, you have anything interesting events with sunbutt?

[6:45 PM] Tiafag: Me and her have gone out multiple times  as she's disguised herself as a human. We've gotten our share of looks; even someone thinking she was a cosplayer.

[6:46 PM] You: wow, I've heard about magic from sif, but not stuff like that.

[6:46 PM] Roq: So, she looks like celestia when she's a human?

[6:46 PM] Tiafag: Yeah, the hair at least.

[6:47 PM] You: Anyone mistake you as a couple yet? 

[6:47 PM] Tiafag: couple of friends of mine have joked about it

[6:48 PM] You: lel

[6:48 PM] Roq: What a cliche

[6:48 PM] You: What's she doing right now?

[6:49 PM] Tiafag: We're eating dinner in the kitchen.
[6:49 PM] Tiafag: I'm on my phone right now.
[6:52 PM] Tiafag: You know, I never expected this to happen. 

[6:52 PM] Roq: None of us did.
[6:52 PM] Roq: so, you two are getting along well?

[6:53 PM] Tiafag: Yeah, really well.

[6:53 PM] Roq: Better than me and krusty kunt.

[6:54 PM] Tiafag: Haha
[6:54 PM] Tiafag: I'm really happy she's here. After these past few days, I can't imagine not having her around.

---
>Shit.
>That's not good. 
>You knew there would be some people who didn't want to give up their ponies.
>But it just HAD to be the one with the immortal ruler of the sun who might know how to get this situation resolved.
>You should privately discuss this with Roq. 

 ---

[6:56 PM] *Private chat with Roq started

[6:56 PM] You: This plan just got a bit more difficult.

[6:56 PM] Roq: Looks that way.

[6:56 PM] You: We need a plan.

[6:57 PM] Roq: That we do.

[6:57 PM] You: Any ideas?

[6:57 PM] Roq: Not a one. 

[6;57 PM] You: fuck

[6:58 PM] Roq: Have you tried to think of something?

[6:58 PM] You: What do you think?

[6:58 PM] Roq: I'll take that as a no. Not too surprising.

[6:59 PM] You: And i'll take that as something other than a cleverly hidden insult.

[6:59 PM] Roq: That wasn't supposed to be hidden.

[7:00 PM] You: Whatever

[7:00 PM] Roq: As much as I hate living with rainbow cunt, we're not in too big of a rush, are we? It's not like we have a time limit.

[7:00 PM] You: What about Equestria? How will it do without a ruler? Or the ponies that save it's sorry ass on a regualr basis?

[7:01 PM] Roq: Okay, you've got a point.

[7:01 PM] You: Back to the drawing board, I guess.

[7:16 PM] Roq: I got nothing.

[7:16 PM] You: Me either.
[7:16 PM] You: We suck at this.

[7:17 PM Roq: Yup. 
[7:17 PM] Roq: Hey, i gotta get to work now. I got the late shift tonight.
[7:17 PM] Roq: I'll be sure to try to think of something. Not like I have anything better to do it work.

[7:18 PM] You: Alright, me too. Bye.

[7:18 PM] *Roq has left

()()()
[7:18 PM] *Main chat 

[7:18 PM] Tiafag: Oh, Roq left?

[7:18 PM] You: Yeah
[7:19 PM] You: So, do you have any future plans now that you have a being from a different world with you?

[7:19 PM] Tiafag: Well, I guess just live my life like I have been, as long as she wants to stay.

[7:20 PM] You: and if she wants to go back?

[7:20 PM] Tiafag: I guess I'd let her. Not before seeing if she would be able to take me, though.
[7:20 PM] Tiafag: It would be a sad day, though. It may be selfish, but I'm more than fine with having her stay.
[7:21 PM] Tiafag: Now that I've told you about my future plans, what are yours?

[7:21 PM] You: I guess partly the same as you. Though I'm neuteral either way. If Fluttershy wants to go, then that's fine, I can return to my normal life easy enough. If she wants to stay, then I'm happy to help.

[7:21 PM] Tiafag: You seem pretty chill about all this.

[7:22 PM] You: Probably because of me being overconfident. I've gotten through most of my life by lucky breaks.
[7:22 PM] You: Though I do fear that my luck will run out one of these days.

[7:23 PM] Tiafag: I know that feel.
[7:23 PM] Tiafag: Well, I guess that that's all I have time for tonight. Seeya!

[7:24 PM] You: Later.

[7:24 PM] *Tiafag has left
[7:26 PM] *Disconnected

---

>Well, history repeats itself again.
>Another impase that none of you have a plan for.
>You leave your bedroom for a drink after checking on Fluttershy's sleeping form.
>...
>There we go.
>Your mind feels a bit clearer now that you have some water in you.
"What to do now... It's been a while since I've checked my personal e-mail; maybe I'll do that."
>You know you need to start re-thinking your life when logging into your e-mail is all you can think of.
"Isn't that how Sifraf found Tiafag? I wonder..."
>The gears in your brain start chugging once again.
"Maybe... Maybe I could use that..."
>You're not too confident, but you see other channers do it all the time with newfags that leave their e-mails in their posts all the time. Why not you?
>Alright, there's probably a lot more involved than you think, but it's worth a shot, right?
>You return to your room, ready to do... something.

>You hear something moving on your bed
>Fluttershy is coming to.
"Have a nice nap?"
>Now is one of those times where being a snarky bastard probably isn't needed, but hey, you suck at controlling yourself.
>She rubs her eyes, breaking away some crusty buildup that resulted from her dried tears.
>"I didn't even know I fell asleep..."
>Your butt plunks against the bed as you sit.
>A sigh escapes your mouth along with the first few words of your sentence.
"Yeah, I know what you mean. I used to do that sometimes."
>Fluttershy looks up at you with bleary eyes; the way she looks now reminds you a lot of how she looked when you first found her.
>Funny, it's been less than a week since you first met her, but feels more like months. Does she feel the same way?
>You look at the clock behind her.
"It looks like you were out for over an hour."
>She blinks a few times, slightly unable to take in the comment.
>"Oh dear, I didn't realize how tired I really was, I guess..."
>Shifting to a more comfortable position, you think.
"More tired than you thought? Have you had trouble sleeping or anything?"
>The mare hides her face behind her pink mane.
>"I'm.... not used to being here... And when I try to sleep, I... I can't."
>You hit the nail on the head, then.
"So when I found you tossing and turning last night, that wasn't just a one time thing?"
>Fluttershy remains still for a moment, then shakes her head.
>Something crosses your mind as a smirk creeps onto your face.
>You're a terrible person. 
"I guess we found a solution to that last night, huh?"
>You should be incarcerated.
>"W-wha..?"
>What? Fluttershy is evolving!
>Congratulations! Fluttershy evolved into Big Macintosh!
>Well, sort of. Her face is as red as a beat, and it had might as well be her permanent color at this point.
>Scratch that, lethal injection might be a good punishment  at this point.
>You erupt into laughter, throwing an arm around Fluttershy and closing the distance between the two of you.
"Relax! I'm just messing with you. It's nothing to be embarrassed about."
>Easy for you to say; you're pretty sure that she has every right to be embarrassed.
>You look at her, noticing the shaken expression on her face.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't tease you so much. I hope you don't take me too seriously when I do."
>Still looking a little flustered, she responds.
>"I-it's okay. I k-know you don't mean anything by it."
>You pat her side a couple of times. 
"Just tell me if I start being too big of a jerk."
>The yellow pegasus nods her head, muzzle bumping against your chest.
>A blush remains on her face even after all this time.
"Oh, does this bother you? Sorry."
>You make a move to separate from Fluttershy.
>"N-no, not at all; I enjoy it..."
>Wat. That's a surprise.
>Actually, it kind of makes sense. Fluttershy does enjoy your touch, but you're a bit surprised about her liking full body contact.
>"I-I mean... Y-you.. You m-make me... feel safe when you're close..."
>That's not too much of a red flag, right? You still have time to get her back home without having to emotionally scar her upon separation... Right?!
>Two yellow hooves shoot up to cover her mouth; preventing any more possibly embarrassing words from escaping.
>You put on your best smile, trying your best to compose yourself. This is step one to bullshitting your way out of the situation.
"I can see where you're coming from... But you aren't completely safe when I'm around."
>The hooves lower from Fluttershy's mouth, leaving her looking at you perplexed.
"Especially not when i have these."
>You hold your hands up and wiggle your fingers around.
>Then you thrust them forward, starting to tickle the shy pony's sides.
>"EEE-! Aha-hahaha!"
>All four of her appendages thrash around as she attempts to break out of your tickle torture.
>Her laughs keep coming as you move on to holding one of her hooves and tickling that.
>After countless requests to stop, you oblige.
>You pat Fluttershy on the head, who is now gasping for breath.
>Eventually her breathing smooths out.
>"So... what have you been doing while i was asleep? If you're okay with me asking, that is."
>That had completely skipped your mind up to this point.
>You were going to do SOMETHING...
>Oh yeah, that's it!
>You take a few minutes to explain to Fluttershy what happened while she was sleeping.
>"Wait, you found Princess Celestia..?!"
>Getting to your feet, you reply.
"Possibly. As always, I haven't seen any of these people. I'm not sure if they could be lying or not. There are many holes in this plan of mine. The most prominent being that I need to know they want to help you and anyone else from your world go back."
>Fluttershy talks in a soft voice.
>"Right, go back..."
>You nod.
"Yes, and that's precisely what issue I'm running into right now. The person in question hasn't stated it directly, but they don't seem willing to part with your princess just yet."
>Taking a seat back at your computer, you continue.
>"I'm also not too sure if they're being truthful, either. There are some things that don't really add up."
>The pony on your bed cocks her head to the side.
>"Like what?"
>You scratch your head as you put together your reasoning.
"Well, for one, how does someone capture royalty from their own castle? I mean, your security would have to be as bad as the Mushroom Kingdom's for that to happen."
>She doesn't get the reference.
"The second issue is this: How did someone take on your princess and win? From what you have said in previous conversations, she sounds pretty powerful."
>Fluttershy contemplates this for a bit, then offers her thoughts.
>"Well, she hasn't solved any physical confrontations by  herself in quite a while..."
>You swivel your chair in a circle.
"How long would that be?"
>Her eyes shift to her left.
>"A-about one thousand years..."
>You kind of expected that.
>"And even now, all she does is send other ponies to take care of the problem while she sits and waits..."
>Dayum.
"Oho! Snark from the quiet one!"
>Fluttershy smiles sheepishly at your amusement.
"Anyways, I'm going to try to use the power of the internet to get some more info on this guy. I'm not sure what I can find, but you never know what you might find that could be useful."
>A chirp sounds out from the other room.
"Isn't it the parrot's feeding time right about now?"
>The pegasus climbs off of the bed onto the floor.
>"You're right. I'd better check on him. Good luck, Anon!"
>You wave at her as she turns down the hall.
"That took a while. Let's do this."

>This... actually isn't that hard.
>Within minutes of searching the guy's e-mail up, you found a youtube account that belonged to him.
>That led to you finding his facebook account.
>Then you found his phone number on his profile.
>This might actually be easy for once!
>Finally, you ran the number through a reverse look-up site. Probably not the most reliable method, but beggars can't be choosers.
>And then you saw the location.
>Right in your city.
>You write it down, and make a mental note to scope out the house soon.
>...
>"It still doesn't feel right keeping you out of your bed, Anon..."
>You speak to Fluttershy as you slip on your sleeping clothes.
"It's alright, I'm in no hurry."
>You hear hoofsteps muffled by carpet coming your way.
>"Anon, I insist. Sleeping on the couch wouldn't be that hard."
>Once you finish dressing, you turn to walk out the door, patting her on the head as you go by.
"Forget about it, I'll get something done tomorrow. Don't you worry."
>Your journey is stopped when Fluttershy blocks your path.
>"I'm sorry, but I can't let you sleep on the couch..!"
>She's actually being pretty stubborn about this tonight; that's surprising.
>With your arms crossed, you respond.
"Neither can you, then. You're taking the bed."
>She stares you down with a stern look.
>You do the same.
>It's a stalemate.
"Alright alright... How's about this? The bed is big enough for two. I'll take one side, you take the other."
>Her expression waivers.
>"Y-you mean share... a bed?"
>You nod.
"Besides, we shared it last night, though you weren't really expecting it. Not to mention, with me there, you might sleep better knowing someone else is in the room that you trust. It's win-win, I get to sleep in a bed, and you also get some sleep!"
>Fluttershy fidgets at the mention of last night.
>Taking a page out of her book, you add something onto your last statement.
"As long as it's okay with you, that is."
>At this rate, you might start forgetting how to be alpha; you'd better watch your ass.
>"O-okay... Let's try it."
>You step aside to let her pass, and follow behind.
>...
>As soon as you leave work today, you drive to the address you found.
>You have it all planned out: observe the house from afar and observe any interesting activity.
>Also, avoid making direct contact with Celestia; if she exists that is.
>You park your car a good distance from the house, and take the rest of the way on foot.
>For ten minutes, you scout out the area to see if there is an area where you could spy without being seen.
>The last thing you need is to be arrested for spying and disappear for multiple days in a row.
>Eventually, you find a nice group of shrubs and bushes that would cover you up well.
>They're close enough to the house for you to keep an eye on it, too.
>With your binoculars in hand, you climb into the bushes, being poked and prodded by branches all the way.
>Day one of stalking some guy that might not even be who you're looking for: Start.
>There is no activity coming from it whatsoever.
>You can't see anything going on through any of the windows, either.
>The person mentioned hiding Celestia in plain sight with her human form; that could explain any absence.
>You should have brought some coffee.
>One minute turns to one hour as you stare at the house.
>Just as you are about to fall asleep in the bush, you hear a vehicle in the distance.
>There have been many that have passed by today, and you've kept your eye on each of them to be sure where they go.
>You keep a close eye on it the entire time that it is present.
>The vehicle moves past your hiding spot, making it's way up the road, then turning into the driveway of the house you are watching.
>FUCK.YES.
>Patience pays off, it seems.
>An average height man with medium length blonde gets out. He's alone.
>So, apparently she wasn't with him this time.
>He gets a few things out of his car, and heads inside without an obstacle in his path.
"Hm, maybe he was at work?"
>You aim your binoculars at his side window, only catching quick glimpses of him here and there.
>Another hour passes as the sky slowly turns a shade of pink.
"Well... shit."
>You decide to just call it a day for now.
>...
>Begin day 2 of your stalking mission.
>Deciding it might be easier to keep your thoughts in place, you keep a journal of events.
~~~
Day 2: Drove by before work, "Tiafag" was doing yard work.
Checked again during lunch, car was gone.
Came back after work, car still gone. Came back at same time as yesterday. I assume he works at this time. Still no signs of a companion.
End day 2.

Day 3: Decided not to check today, have a plan for tomorrow.

Day 4: Took many precautions today. Got a contact who is good with locks. Had him meet me at the house during lunch break. Gained access, checked quickly. No sign of second occupant.

Will dispose of this once I'm done.

~~~
>Today is day five of stalking this guy on and off.
>Today was your day off, and you decided to check at an earlier time.
>Your bare foot brushes up against something furry as you check your phone and walk at the same time.
"Oops! Sorry about that."
>A small field mouse scuttles past you as you keep walking.
>For the past few days, Fluttershy has been exploring the forest and finding a few different animals that have begun to emerge for the season.
>You told her you didn't mind as long as she only brought in a few at a time only on occasion, and cleaned up the place after.
>As you tie your shoes, you call to the house's other occupant.
"I'll be back in an hour or so; don't do anything I wouldn't do!"
>Fluttershy's voice comes from the other room.
>"Okay, good luck, Anon!"
>You finish tying your shoes, then walk through the door.
>...
>So, here you are again.
>You're tired of just watching from afar.
You've backed up your car in the stranger's driveway, leaving the engine running and the door open in case things goes south.
>Now you're standing at his front door.
>You have just knocked, and you are waiting for him to answer.
>The sound of a lock being twisted, and a knob turning alert you to his presence.
>"Hello?"
>There he is.
>There's always that odd feeling that you get when you talk to someone for the first time after only talking to them over text.
>He's been a frequent visitor in the chat for the past few days, so this is exactly what you're feeling.
>Execution time.
"Hello, would you take a minute to talk about our lord and savior, Princess Sunbutt?"
>Fucking hell, you knew you should have gone over this before you decided to execute it.
>"Uhh..."
>He stands there, his hands fidgeting.
>"I... want her to pee in my mouth..?"
>Well shit, looks like this is the right guy.
"So... Have you visited any good IRC's lately? Anybody named Sifraf? Roq?"
>Mister blunt as a mallet as always.
>Another thousand yard stare.
>"You... How did you..?"
>His expression ever so slowly shifts to that of one of anger.
>"How.. how the FUCK did you find me through a fucking ROLEPLAYING CHAT ROOM?!"
>A what now?
"Roleplayiing? That isn't a..."
>He steps out of his house.
>Dude is getting pretty fucking mad.
>He's almost the same height as you.
>"I DON'T CARE ABOUT WHAT IT IS! YOU FUCKING STALKED ME!"
>Oh god, this is getting really out of hand.
"Well, maybe you shouldn't have all of your info right on your facebook profile!"
>Okay, not helping!
>He looks even more furious now.
"Let's try to calm down a bit here..." 
>"GET OUT!"
>The guy's hand reaches for something near his waist.
>The glint of a polished pistol catches your eye.
>ALRIGHT, TIME TO BOOK IT, TOO MUCH EDGE HERE!
>You turn around, and rush to your car as fast as possible.
>A loud bang cracks from behind you. You hear something hit the driveway a bit ahead and to your right.
"FINE, I'M GOING YOU PSYCHOPATH!"
>Fucking gun nuts, man!
>You duck inside your car and close the door, keeping your head low.
>Pedal to the goddamn metal.
>As you drive down the driveway, you turn your head to where the madman stands.
"YOU ARE SO SUED!"
>A bullet hits your side mirror.
"God dammit, I just had that shit fixed!"
>At least he's a terrible shot.
>...
>You come back inside your house, coming down from the adrenaline high.
>That really escalated quickly.
>Jesus, what a day, and it hasn't even started yet.
>"...think I should..?"
>It sounds as if Fluttershy is talking with an animal or two.
>That was another big thing for you to take in; she could actually understand them.
>"B-but... O-okay... If you say so..."
>Hm, wonder what they're trying to coerce her into...
>You sit down on your couch, feeling pretty drained because of the day.
>Maybe the animals will make her do something that will distract you from your earlier experience.
>The floorboards creak as Fluttershy leads the animals back outside.
>You look over, and see there were two; a squirrel and a robin.
>She waves at you, a bead of sweat forming on her head.
>Your mind wanders as you stare into space.
>...
>"U-u-um... A-an-n-non..."
>Fluttershy's gentle voice breaks you out of your daydream.
>Your eyes go back into focus trying to look at her face.
>Damn, did she just get out of the shower? Oh, that's sweat.
"Yeah?"
>You see her wings twitch. That's something you never paid too much attention to in the past.
>"C-can we, can we t-t-talk?"
>Uh-oh, what is this? Why is she so nervous?
>Oh fuck, did she find the porn for real this time?
>Okay, let's just calm down and get this over with.
"Sure thing. C'mon, have a seat next to me."
>The sweat-drenched pegasus  beats her wings enough to make a quick jump to the seat next to you.
"So what's up?"
>She rubs her foreleg with a hoof, looking away from you.
>"Anon.. I..."
>The pony stops to take a deep breath.
>This is seriously the worst she's been in her time with you.
>"I've been thinking for a couple of days..."
>A pause.
"About..?"
>Her face heats up, and it shows.
>"...You..."
>Oh.
>Oh.
>That could mean many things.
>Things that you're not sure you are comfortable with.
"H... How so? Bad..? Good?"
>Fluttershy's gaze falls to the ground.
>"W-well... Yes... In g-good ways..."
>Now this situation is better in some aspects and harder in others. Great.
>"I... I r-really... l-l-l..."
>Her sentance is interrupted by her stutter.
>The quiet pegasus begins to quiver, and looks as if she's going to burst out crying any minute.
>"I like you..."
>Fuck.
>Fuck. Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck.
>In denial, you ask the first question that comes to your mind.
"Like as in, platonic..?"
>Her head shakes.
"More than that, then..?"
>She nods.
>Yup. That's it. You've failed your secondary objective.
"...What attracts you to me, anyway?"
>The pony next to you, still trembling and sweating, tries to explain her reasons.
>"It's like I said the other night... You're nice to me, you helped me out when I needed it...  You've cheered me up when i was sad; I... I feel safe around you."
>Well, that's that. Simple reasons, but apparently that's enough for her.
"I... really have no idea what to say..."
>You've been through this whole thing in your head before.
>Not your type, potential artificial love, yada yada yada.
>There's also another thing that you have been thinking about lately.
>Everyone always talks about having romantic relations with on of the ponies, but for you, having one here right next  to you makes you realize just how odd it would be.
>Combine that with you not seeing yourself in that kind of a relationship with her, and you've got a recipe for potential disaster.
>"Anon... you've already helped me so much... It would mean so much to me..."
>Here it comes.
>"I-I'd be so happy if you'd give me a chance... It's your choice, of course..."
>Your mind draws a blank.
>Now you're the one sweating.
>Looking at Fluttershy, you see that she's expectantly waiting for an answer.
"I... uh...."
>Just do it you fucking beta!
"I'm... not sure."
>Her face drops.
>"Wh-why? You don't like me?"
>Don't go there...
"Of course I do! It's just... You know... You're a great pony; I couldn't see us lasting in a relationship, that's all..."
>You couldn't tell her about the thread possibly being the reason she has feelings for you; that would just add insult to injury.
>Fluttershy's wings hang limply to her sides.
>"Oh... I see..."
>It's so hard to think of anything to say to her right now. You couldn't even pull a 180 and accept her right now.
>"Th-that's okay, I understand..."
>Slowly, she gets off of the couch and sulks to the door.
>Still shocked from the situation, you remain on the couch, looking at the wall.

>Well...
>That happened.
>Fluttershy had rounded up the couple of animals she had brought inside and took them out back with her, most likely back to the woods near your yard.
>All the while, you sat there like a blithering idiot.
>It's been five minutes. You wonder just what will happen in the coming hours.
>It's been fifteen minutes. Fluttershy hasn't returned yet. You don't blame her.
>Five more minutes pass. You've managed to calm yourself down, burying any intrusive thoughts of really bad outcomes from all of this.
>Twenty five minutes.
>You've never been one to go to a shrink or whatever, but times like this make it seem like not too bad of an idea.
>Well, you could always talk to your pals in the IRC.
>Better than nothing.
>You take out your new smartphone and load up your mobile irc app, thinking maybe you could talk to the other guys about this.
>This app is a lot simpler than the one on your PC, it doesn't even show timestamps.
>You don't have the motivation to get up and use it right now though, due to obvious reasons.

---
-Loaded-
-MobIRC Vr. 1.04- 
*CONNECTED
USERS: You, Warglefer, Sifraf, Biff

(You): Hello again newbies

(Warglefer): Yo!

(Biff): Sup?

(Sifraf): What about me, don't I get a hello?

(You): Nah

(Sifraf): Well screw you, too.

(You): You know you wanna

(Sifraf): Damn, you're right.

(You): So Wargle, Biff, I didn't get the chance to talk to you much when you first arived yesterday. How are AJ and Rara?

(Biff): Rar's doing good.

(Warglefer): AJ's fine
(Warglefer): How's Flutters?

---

>And here you thought you could take your mind off of the situation for a bit.
>Oh well, no use in keeping today's events a secret.
>...
>There it is, all typed out.
>It was hell on your fingers, especially since you aren't used to the keyboard the phone uses.

---

(Warglefer): Well shit
(Warglefer): That's a fucked situation.

(You): Tell me about it.

(Sifraf): Jeez. Is she alright?

(You): I don't know. I hope so/

(Biff): Don't you think you should check on her? If what you said still holds, she's outside by herself.

(Warglefer): Yeah dude, you should probably do that. You never know what could happen.

(Sifraf): I'm with these guys.

(Warglefer): No offense, but it's kind of a dumb move to be here talking to us while you got this kind of a situation on your hands.

(You):Shit
(You): Okay, okay, you guys are right.

*Disconnected

---

>So much for that plan. You were hoping for a bit of reassurance, but they just brought back all of your worries in one big ball.
>You can't just sit still anymore.
>Shooting to your feet, you make a mad dash for the door.
>You've gotta find Fluttershy, make sure she's alright.
>What if she is alright, though? 
>From what you can tell, she's fully grown and more than capable of taking care of herself.  
>Would it be an insult to see if she's okay?
>On the other hand, if she's about to do something rash in a clouded state of mind, you'd be able to stop her upon arrival.
>These conflicting thoughts race through your head at a million miles a minute as you run down your yard towards the woods.
"Ah shit... what do I do?!"
>Eventually, your worry pushes past the possibility of looking like a dick, and you keep your pace.
>This place is a decent size, it could take forever to find her in here!
>Your heart races and you start panicking harder.
"Okay, okay, I've gotta draw up a plan. I'll take the most straightforward path first; maybe she'll be there. Then... fuck..."
>Damn it! You're always so calm, cool, and collected when you need to be; what is it about this shy little pony that takes that away?
>Fuck it, you'll just execute the first part of the plan now, and wing it the rest of the way.
>Hey, at least you aren't winging it in court this time.
>...
>You've finished scouting the main "path" of the forest, yielding no results.
>The next plan that you came up with is to keep an eye on the tops of the trees. You'll start from the middle, and work in a circular pattern outwards.
>...
>Still nothing.
>You honestly can't even tell where you are now.
>That means... Yup.
>You're lost.
>Jesus fuck this is bad.
>You've really fucked up this time.
>Look at this.
>Here you are, thinking you could find Fluttershy in this woods, and now you can't even find your way out.
>The last of the snow melted yesterday, so you can't follow your own footsteps back now.
>With your mind exhausted and your energy low, you slump against a tree, sliding down into a sitting position.
"Well Anon, looks like your luck finally ran out..."
>You close your eyes, giving into the darkness that haunts your mind.
>...

>You take a moment to calm your mind.
>Deep breaths.
"..."
>What sounds like a single bird chirps in a nearby tree.
>No use sitting around here.
>You still have no plan besides "find yellow quiet".
>Nope, humor definitely doesn't help the situation.
>Looking around, a direction is chosen at random, and you follow it.
>The woods pass you by for minutes while you try to keep calm, and observe your surroundings.
>No sign of your yellow pony friend.
>A dull pain builds up in your chest, and a lump tries to form in your throat.
"Dammit! Come on, don't lose hope..."
>It's a surprise how worked up you're getting over this; you must have built up a stronger relationship than you thought.
>The sky is a light pink, the sun is slowly setting for the night.
>Still no sight of her.
"Fuuuck..."
>Should you not have been so nice? Maybe you shouldn't have spent so much time with her; she wouldn't have had the chance to build up feelings then.
>Your feelings almost get the better of you, and you have to stop and compose yourself. It doesn't quite work out as well as you hope, and you swing your arm at a tree.
"YEOUCH!"
>Pulling your arm back reveals a bunch of little splinters in your forearm.
>A flashback plays through your mind.
>You placed your arms on your computer desk, and felt unexpected pain.
>It was glass from your fall next to your broken window.
>Fluttershy had patched you up after much badgering.
>That was all on your first night with her.
>For the next few moments, you walk and pick splinters from your arms.
>A nearby rustling grabs your attention.
>Freezing, you look around for what caused the disturbance.
>About fifteen feet away, you notice a deer.
>A buck, by the looks of it.
>It notices you. Neither of you move.
>Three seconds later, it walks towards you.
>Surprised, you stay still, the deer continuing right past you down the path you came.
>You turn around.
>The deer takes a few more steps before stopping and turning it's head in your direction.
>It looks into your eyes, giving you a chilling feeling.
>The deer breaks eye contact, turning it's head back to it's planned route.
>An odd feeling encompasses you.
>Something is telling you to follow it.
>All you have to do is keep your distance.
>It begins to walk again, and you follow.
>You follow behind, not even sure about why.
>A gut feeling, one might call it.
>Time goes by as you follow the animal through the woods.
>Every so often, it stops, looks back at you, then goes back to walking.
>This both intrigues you and creeps you out at the same time.
>For the past few minutes, you have heard something off in the distance.
>It's hard to tell, but it sounds like rushing water.
>Not a lot of time passes before the buck stops, as do you.
>Something interesting lies in front of you.
>A large river that looks like it would carry you off if you jumped in, no matter how hard you struggled.
>How did you never know about this? You've never been this far in, being more of an indoors person.
>Even more interesting is the pale yellow pony resting at the riverbank.
>You look on, mouth agape. That deer led you here.
>Looking over, you see that the previously mentioned animal is walking down a different path.
>What a bro.
>You go back to observing Fluttershy.
>She doesn't appear to be crying or anything, just staring into the water.
>Resisting the urge to go up and talk to her immediately, you conceal yourself behind a tree to plan out a conversation.
>Thoughts and plans run through your mind, until you eventually come up with something.
>All that's left to do is build up the courage to talk to her.
>More doubts fill your head, until you finally steel yourself, and step out from behind the tree.
>You're almost there when suddenly, you step on a stick.
>This fucking trope.
>The crack echoes for a few feet.
>In an instant, Fluttershy jumps into the air like a cat.
"Oh sh-"
>Forward momentum carries her towards the dangerous waters of the river.
>Going by instinct, you rush forward in an attempt  to catch her before she lands.
>It proves to be unfruitful, and Fluttershy lands in the raging river.
>You yell in frustration and despair as she is carried away from you.

>This river is much more powerful than you thought.
>Its not quite whitewater, but it's close enough.
>How the fuck is this even back here?! It seems like you'd know there was a powerful river in the woods behind your house. Plus, it seems like the state would be all over this.
>The current is way too strong to fight against, so if you jumped in, that would just make the both of you in trouble.
>You've been sprinting down the length of the river for the past thirty seconds to keep up with Fluttershy, who has been doing her damnedest to keep her head above water.
>If only she were a bit taller and bipedal, you could wait it out without worrying about her drowning.
>At least you think so, you're no expert on physics.
>This is your fault.
>This is your fault in so many ways.
>It was you who turned her down.
>There was probably another way that you could have considered.
>You could have given her a chance, then you wouldn't be in this mess.
>It would make her happy. There was nothing better in your life these past few days than seeing her happy.
>If there was a way, you'd even go back to Equestria with her so she'd be able to keep you and her friends once you found a way back for everyone. It wouldn't be that hard to adjust, right?
>Damn, some of those thoughts are majorly conflicting with what you've been telling yourself for the past week. Your emotions must just be getting the better of you, right?
>Right now isn't the time for thinking about what you could have done though, you've gotta focus.
>A long enough branch could be used... no, you don't have enough time to find that.
>There isn't anything around here to use!
>You've slowed down immensely; Fluttershy is getting further and further from you.
"No..!"
>There's nothing else you can think of, except for the most obvious thing.
>Without anything else to do, you throw yourself into the rushing river.
>The cold water assaults your senses.
>You are able to gain your bearings as you float in the raging river.
>Okay, plan A: Swim to Fluttershy, and help keep her above the water. If that fails, then... you don't know.
>It isn't too hard to swim with the current, but the water is so unpredictable, that even you have trouble staying above it.
>Suddenly your body is dragged under the mass of water.
>You are caught off guard, nearly inhaling water in the process.
>Then you are twisted in a different direction, making you even more disoriented.
>Automatically, you take a breath and immediately start regretting it.
>Your system does it's best to force the water out as you constantly emerge from the water only to be pulled back under.
>There is a very real chance that you might die here.
>What feels like an eternity passes, then you manage to gain enough control to swim up.
>By the time you surface, you can't see Fluttershy's head above the water anymore.
"Ah god!"
>Quickly you duck your head under the water.
>You open your eyes under the water, resisting the burning.
>It's too hard to see.
>After surfacing, you take a large gulp of air.
"Where is she?!"
>This can't be happening!
>You begin swimming down the current, staying underwater the whole time.
>Best to keep a slower pace while doing this.
>Soon enough, your effort pays off when you see a hint of pink under the water.
>You take a moment to surface and get air, then go back down.
>As accurately as possible, you swim down the river. More and more of Fluttershy's form reveals itself to you.
>An unexpected shift in the water.
>You are flung off course, only managing to skim her side as you pass by.
>Bubbles shoot out of your mouth as you scream.
>Your instincts guide you to turn around to where you presume Fluttershy is.
>It doesn't matter that you've just emptied your lungs of air. You're going to stay down here and fight against the current until she comes to you.
>Your lungs scream for you to breathe. A spot flickers at the corner of your eye.
'Pay no mind to it, just a bit longer.'
>This gets harder and harder as the seconds go by.
>There she is. Just keep pushing against the current.
>Your strokes shift into overdrive, and somehow you start pushing past the current.
>She collides with your body, and you wrap your arms around her.
>Just then you try taking a breath, only to suck in a mouthful of water.
>You shoot to the surface, choking and holding Fluttershy's head above the water.
>Objective one complete, beginning objective two: escape.
>It has to be quick, too. You aren't sure of the damage that she has suffered by now.
>Now how could you- ROCK!
>Acting quickly, you swim horizontally to avoid the obstacle in the distance.
>Looks like it was just in time, too. It passes you  about three seconds after you did it.
>The terrain on the sides has gotten too rough and rocky now to just climb up.
>Choppy water tries to take you under, and succeeds a few times, causing you to choke again at one point.
>Rock!
>Jesus, that one was close.
>You see something down the river. It's kind of hard to make out.
>It gets closer and closer, eventually revealing itself to be a tree branch sticking out of the river's bank.
>The branch appears to be just below shoulder height.
>This might just be your chance. It's gonna hurt, though.
>This time, you deliberately line yourself up with the piece of wood.
>When you are close enough, you turn your side to it.
>You brace yourself for the moment you collide.
>Hopefully it doesn't break. The log, you mean.
"OOF!"
>Damn! You expected it to hurt when you hit it, but jesus!
>You do your best not to get swept under this thing by the powerful current.
>The next step you take is turning to your back, freeing your arm.
>You throw said arm over the tree, and start climbing over to the bank.
>Soon, you find yourself as close as you can be to land.
>With some effort, you find some footing and fling you and the pony you are holding to mostly dry land.
>You lie on the ground for a second, really wanting to just fall asleep.
>There's no time for that, though.
>Using the rest of your strength, you carry Fluttershy to a safe place under a canopy of trees.
>You gently place her on the ground on her back.
>Placing your ear on her chest, you hear a weak heartbeat, but no breathing.
>Oh god. Oh god, fuck...
>What do you even do in this situation? Your mind is drawing a blank!
>Going only by instinct, you press down on her chest a few times to no avail.
"Shit... C'mon, stay with me!"
>The only other thing you can think of is mouth to mouth.
>There isn't really any other choice, so you don't hesitate when you open her mouth and move her jaw forward.
>You cut off her nasal airways, and lean your head in.
>Both of your moths connect, and you breath in gently.
>Two quick breaths, that's what you remember hearing once.
>You pull back, and look for any rising in her chest.
>No signs yet.
>Again.
>Nothing.
>Again.
>Still nothing.
>AGAIN!
>At this point, you were almost too delirious to see if it worked.
>Something causes your ears to twitch.
>Choking. Gasping.
>You look down, and see that Flutterhsy has turned on her side. She's coughing up water.
>It worked! It really worked!
>The happiness you feel cuts through your exhaustion.
>You kneel down next to her, waiting for the choking to end.
>Once it does, you speak.
"Fluttershy... Fluttershy can you hear me?"
>The partly aware pony remains looking at the ground.
>"A... Anon..? Is.. Is that you..?"
>She can talk. That's a good sign, right?
"Yes, yes, it's me!"
>You hope she's going to be okay.
>"You... saved me..?"
>Yeah, saved her from something you caused in the first place...
"...I did."
>She smiles weakly.
>"Th... Tha-"
>You stop her.
"Don't thank me. It was my fault in the first place; I was the one who startled you."
>The mare looks thoughtful for a moment. She struggles to sit up shortly after.
>You try to stop her, but she reassures you that she's okay.
>"It's okay, you didn't mean to, Anon."
>Emotion overtakes you.
"Fluttershy..."
>Both of you were only around three inches apart, so you lean in and close the distance with a hug.
"I was sure that I was going to lose you today. I didn't know what I'd do if that happened, so I jumped."
>Weakly, she returns the hug.
>Fluttershy didn't deserve this.
>She deserves to be happy.
>It seems like she's been through so much shit ever since she got here.
>In this moment you realize just how much you've done for her. You realize just how much you would do.
>Why is this? Would you go this far for anyone else? Is it because she's a pony?
>There's just something about her; you don't know what.
>It's way more different than just watching what she does on TV; you have first hand experience now.
>Your thoughts flash back to earlier when you were running.
>Would giving her a chance really be that bad? You've enjoyed her company immensely. You'll even admit that you were a bit sad at the thought of her leaving for home.
>It's not like you're in a romantic relationship with anyone right now. In fact, you've never really thought of your relationships as romantic.
>All they really turned out to be were one or two week flings mostly for the sex.
>You really have a lot of work to do on your character. If you met your author, you'd probably slap him for writing you so badly.
>That's another thing. Not more than an hour or two ago did you just bluntly turn down Fluttershy's request for a relationship without even considering trying it, and here you are thinking about going "Oh hey, I changed my mind lol, I'm willing to try it." 
>You would just end up looking like an even bigger dick than you already are!
>Things can't just be tense and awkward for however longer you get to be with her though, and if there's a chance for both of you to be happy then you should take it.
"Fluttershy?"
>You feel her ears brush against you as they perk up.
>"Hm..?"
>You break the embrace, remaining close to her.
"I... was thinking about what happened earlier... About what you said."
>Even through her tired mind, you see the anxiousness and sadness start to creep onto her face.
>"Y-yes..?"
>You take a moment to regain composure.
"I... was thinking about how I turned you down."
>Fluttershy shakes her head.
>"I-it's okay, I don't mind..."
>The tone of her voice and her body language say otherwise.
"I'd like to apologize for that. It wasn't fair of me to not even consider it, and, well..."
>She's looking at you with wide eyes.
"I'll sound like a huge jerk with what I'm going to say next, and I don't blame you if you get angry at me or worse."
>It's now or never.
"I'm going to flip the table around in a sense. Fluttershy... Would you give ME a chance?"

>That's all she asked for in the first place: A chance. You didn't even consider giving her that, and it took this much to show you that. In a way, this is what you are trying to give her even though you are the one asking now.
>It's still hard to tell if you're an asshole for doing this, but you really want to make it up to her. This is the least you could do.
>This is a first for sure.
>Most of the time you just walked up to some chick and charmed your way into her pants.
>This time though, you were actually opening yourself up for a real romantic relationship.
>Fluttershy was shocked when you first asked her.
>She seems to have gotten over it, as she is speaking now.
>"Wh... What made you ch-change your m-mind?"
>You didn't really consider her asking that.
"Well... It only started hitting me when you fell into the river. I started realizing just how much I cared about you, and what I would go through for you. I was really short sighted when you first asked, and I guess it took all this happening to show me that."
>The wet shirt on your body begins to bother you.
"The only thing that I feel a tiny bit odd about is the fact that we're different species, but I think we could both look past that pretty easily. Anyway, it's like how you asked me. We could at least try it out, right?"
>You spoke the truth.
>Without much more to say, you move to reading Fluttershy's expression.
>Her eyes are focused on you, as if infatuated.
>At this point, you wouldn't be surprised.
>No, bad cocky side! Stay serious!
>"You... You really mean it..?"
>With a slightly sheepish smile, you nod.
>Here comes the final verdict. Whatever it is, hopefully everything after this moment goes well.
>"..."
>Silence, would this be considered bad or..?
>"Yes Anon, I'd love to!"
>Well then, guess not.
>Fluttershy leans in for a hug, but stops.
>"Um, can I..?"
>You smile and let out a giggle.
"Of course."
>With that, you meet her halfway in an affectionate embrace.
>A new chapter has just been reached in your life. It might go well, and it might not. Only the future can tell, and you'll be ready to face it with Fluttershy by your side.

>Damn that thought was corny.
>Whatever, it's true for the most part.
>You feel a slight shiver against your torso.
"You must be freezing after being in that cold water."
>Fluttershy only nods, trying her best to absorb your body heat.
>Can't say you're faring too well, either. 
>It's only the very beginning of spring, and only in the mid 50's. Add a torrent of pretty damn cold water and you've got a nice formula for hypothermia.
"Let's go back to the house, okay?"
>She nods.
>"Okay."
>You pull back, noticing the yellow pegasus was a bit reluctant to do so.
"The sooner we get home, the sooner we can warm up. Now then... where IS home..?"
>That's something you didn't think of. You were too focused on your short term goals to think about this.
>You scratch your head in confusion.
>"Are we lost?"
>Turning around, you spot Fluttershy coming up to you.
"Maybe just a little... Okay, a lot. I can't make heads or tails of where we are."
>You could have swore the woods here were so much smaller. This is what you get for never paying attention to maps.
>"I might be able to... fly up and see..."
>That IS an available option. However, Fluttershy only just recovered from almost dying. This couldn't be good for her.
"Normally I'd take you up on that offer, but you need your rest."
>You observe your surroundings, seeking for something to improve your ability to navigate.
>A nearby tree looks climbable. It might be helpful in this endeavor.
>It's time to see just how much primate is in you.
>You begin your attempt to climb the tree, only to lose your grip on the second branch.
"Oof!"
>A blur of pinkish yellow stands over you, poking at various parts of your body.
>"Oh my... are you okay?"
>Fluttershy's form comes into focus. 
>You slowly sit up, wincing in pain at your aching... well, your whole body is already pretty sore; your back is just adding onto it.
>"Are you SURE you don't want me to..?"
>You know what?
"Sure, just be careful, okay?"
>She smiles.
>"I will."
>The pegasus flaps her wings a few times, and soon lifts off the ground.
>Hm, looking good so far.
>She's up above the treetops now.
"You see anything?"
>After a few twists and turns, you see her face light up.
>"This way!"
>You make a quick arrow shape in the dirt with your foot. It would suck to forget what direction civilization was in.
>Turning your head back up, you decide to keep your eye on the pony in the air.
>Strain is visible on her face.
>Ohsh- she's coming down pretty damn fast.
>You begin running to her predicted landing zone.
>At least she's still flapping her wings, slowing her descent a little.
>Lining yourself up using her shadow as reference, you hold out your arms.
>You manage to wrap your arms around her just as she is about to pass you by and hit the ground.
>It wouldn't have killed her at the rate she was flapping, but it would have left some nasty wounds.
>"Oh... That.. was close..."
>You tighten your grip for a second in affection.
"Here, I'll walk us home, you get some rest."
>Loosening your arms a bit, you tell Fluttershy to get comfortable.
>A few moments pass, and she finds a position she likes.
>The small pony is curled up in your arms, pressing into your chest nearly face first.
"Next stop: Home."
>You continue in the direction that Fluttershy pointed you in.
>...
>That was a lot easier than you expected.
>Not much blocked your path aside from the river, and all you had to do was follow that upstream until you were lucky enough to find a bridge.
>Now you are only a few yards away from your back yard, thank god.
>As you travel, you praise yourself on your foresight. 
>You've been weight training over the past few days, and it's apparently given you just enough strength so that you didn't struggle with the load of pony in your arms on your way here.
>In a few more minutes, you are back at your back door.
>Before opening the door, you gently set Fluttershy down.
>You are almost reluctant to do so; having another body against yours helped keep you warm while you were wet like this.
>Opening the door, you step aside to allow her access to the house.
>Shortly after her, you step inside.
>The time to take off these clothes can't come sooner, so you start stripping them off as soon as you get through the door.
>All of them but your underwear at least.
>You are definitely dryer than when you first came out, but your skin is still cold to the touch along with having a small film of water still on it.
>Using an unused kitchen towel nearby, you give yourself a quick wipe down.
>In the middle of this, you catch an onlooker out of the corner of your eye.
>Once done with the towel, you turn your gaze to the pony observing your body.
"What's up?"
>Taken off guard by your detection of her activities, Fluttershy gives an embarrassed smile and rubs her leg.
>"I've... Never seen you without all of those clothes on before... I was interested in seeing what you looked like."
>Huh, is that really true? You never really noticed.
>The topic of why humans wear clothes all the time only came up once, and that was when you first met. 
>It's not really a big surprise that she's curious, especially since her big thing is animals.
>Would that translate to "alien species" as well? That's pretty hard to tell.
>You walk over and casually rub her mane and fur.
>She seems to have dried off a bit faster than you, but could still use some drying.
"I'll be back, do you prefer towel or hair dryer?"
>Fluttershy chooses to stick with a towel, so you get to the bathroom and grab one.
>A few minutes later, she's dried off and her fur and mane are brushed back into place.
"So, do you wanna do something? Inside, preferably?"
>You say that last bit with a chuckle.
>She returns one in kind.
>"I'd love to."
>...
>The night wraps up peacefully with no other disasters happening.
>Right now you are sitting on the couch with Fluttershy, the latter is curled up and resting her head on your leg.
>A movie has just finished playing on your TV. You figured it would be a relaxing activity before bed.
>The clock on the table next to you displays the time as 10:40 PM.
"I think I'd best get some sleep for now. I have a meeting tomorrow, and it's kind of important."
>The drowsy pegasus slepily nods her head, a small smile on her lips.
>"I think I will, too..."
>A few steps later, you are both at your bedroom.
>Fluttershy hops up to the bed and gets settled in.
>As for you, you walk to the other side and lay down on the opposite side of the bed.
>Yeah, you kind of keep forgetting about the whole "buy another mattress" thing.
>The lights go out as the pony across from you flips the switch of the small nightstand lamp.
>Your eyes close, ready for a restful sleep.
>The bed creeks as movement is felt.
>It gets closer and closer until you feel something pressed into your side.
>"Do... do you mind if I do this? I thought that seeing as we're together now..."
>She trails off and does not finish her sentence.
>Wordlessly, you turn over on your side facing her, and place your arm around her torso.
"We already kind of did this on the couch, so I don't see why not here."
>A murmur of happiness is heard as she snuggles herself deeper into you, and you close your eyes.