Sweet Dreams part 2 (Final Cut)

>Sitting down at your sofa, you open the letter that you neglected until now.

>If it was important, the princesses would have told you so, or they wouldn’t have sent it through the mail.

>Reading through the letter, you notice that it wasn’t from the sisters, but rather from just Luna.

“Anonymous. We are sorry that we didn’t step in and assist you in your nightmares earlier. It’s just that we haven’t been in Equestrian culture for a while, and seeing as we have no baseline for human psychology, we assumed that since you are so tall and strong, that you must also have a stronger psyche. We now see the foalishness behind our assumption. As a small token to show our apologies, we cordially invite you, and any friends you wish to a royal banquet to show the sincerity behind our request for forgiveness. It shall be hosted in Canterlot castle, two evenings hence.

Sincerely, Luna”

“Huh. That’s good to know. Looks like I’ll have to get a new suit for this occasion.”

>Setting the letter to the side, you prepare yourself to walk to Carousel Boutique to visit Rarity.

>Leaving your house, you pause, and then return inside to grab the letter.

>If you’re going to invite any pony, it might as well be Rarity, she knows the most about Canterlot do’s and don’ts.

>Continuing that train of thought, you think it would be prudent to invite Twilight along since she knows the princesses the best.

>Inviting any other ponies might be intruding on the offer a bit, so you think you’ll stick with Twilight and Rarity.

>Arriving at your destination, you knock politely and hear a little voice squeak out.

>”Come in!”

>Not one to disobey orders, you stoop a little so as to avoid hitting your head, and enter.

>Noting that Rarity wasn’t in the immediate vicinity, but Sweetie Belle was lead you to the assumption that Rarity was simply in the back making orders for other customers.

>”Hi Anon! Welcome back! Did you forget something here from your la-st visit?”

>D’awww.

>She’s so adorable when her voice breaks, but she hates it.

“Not this time Sweetie. I’m here to talk to Rarity and see if I can get a new suit for a special event.”

>”Special event? How special? Is Rarity invited? Are you asking her out on a date and going to become her special somepony?”

>She prattles on excitedly and you wait for her to stop and take a breath so you can interject.

>It takes longer than it ought to.

>Jesus Christ.

>The lungs on this filly.

>Does she even need to breathe?

>At long last she stops to take a breath that could probably spawn a tornado.

“It’s not like that, but it is something she is invited to, can I go see her?”

>Sweetie looks like she’s about to start in on her speaking spree again, but you head her off this time.

“You know what? Never mind, I’ll just go talk to her. Just keep doing whatever it is you do…”

>She looks disappointed and mumbles to herself about how a true gentlecolt never interrupts a mare.

>ignoring her irritation, you seek out Rarity’s sanctuary.

>It would have been easier to ask Sweetie Belle, but you burned that bridge when you interrupted her.

>Pros and cons.

>Not having to sit through another rant makes the search worth it.

>After glancing around downstairs, you figure she must be upstairs.

>Heading for the stairwell, you look at Sweetie Belle on the floor.

>She looks pretty miserable, so you decide it’d be better to apologize for your brash action than to go and chat with Rarity.

>Kneeling next to her, you glance over her withers to what looks like a drawing.

>If fish could draw, it’d be better than what you’re looking at right now.

“Hey kiddo, sorry about being terse earlier. It’s just I’ve got a lot to deal with right now, and it was a little overwhelming talking to you… Whatcha working on there?”

>”’s okay Anon. It’s just I get so excited sometimes, and Rarity doesn’t really spend that much time with me any more…”

>Tears start welling in her eyes.

>”I just want her to be proud of me, but I can’t even draw right!”

>Wow, this is way more than you bargained for.

>Well, you started this, you might as well man up and try to talk to her and make her feel better.

“Hey kiddo, it’s alright. It’s not your fault. Rarity is a busy mare, but she loves you, you know that, right?”

>She nods but there is still a lot of hurt in her eyes.

“You want a hug?”

>She nods again, and stands on her hind hoofs and leans on you and lets loose the tears she was holding back.

“Sh-sh-sh-sh. It’s okay. Just let it all out.”

>Stroking her mane, she slowly settles down and regains her composure.

>”Thanks Anon. Sorry about that. A true mare never cries in front of a stallion like that.”

>Moving quickly, you cut her off before she gets down on herself again.

“Hey, don’t be like that. It’s no one’s fault Rarity isn’t spending time with you besides herself and her clientele. You’re an awesome filly, and if you ever feel alone, you can always come visit me to talk.”

>She perks up and gives you a hug.

>”Thanks Anon! You’re the bestest! You’re almost like the big brother I never had but always wanted!”

>D’awww.

>She’s so adorable, but you came here on a mission, and you will see it through.

“So where is Rarity? I figure she’s upstairs, but now that we’re cool, I figure you know better than I do…”

>Sweetie giggles like the filly that she is.

>”Of course Anon, that’s what I was going to tell you before. Last door at the end of the hall. You’ll know when you get there.”

“Thanks.”

>Standing up and leaving Sweetie to continue with her doodling, you feel much better about the situation now that that is resolved.

>Heading upstairs you worry a little about the poor filly.

>She’s clearly not maltreated, but she is certainly in need of some attention.

>You’re going to have to talk to Rarity about this, but tact will be necessary.

>No point upsetting her before she makes you a swanky new suit for the dinner party.

>Arriving at the final door, you notice what Sweetie Belle to be true.

>It’s unmistakable.

>Rarity is singing while she’s sewing.

>Rolling your eyes you figure you might as well announce your presence in case she hadn’t heard you tromping up the stairs.

>Clearing your throat, you knock lightly on the door and wait for a response.

>It didn’t take long.

>”Yes? Is that you Anonymous? Come in, come in!”

>Opening the door, you see a gaudy room that clearly is fashionable.

>Or all of the fashions.

>It’s like a small child took all the colors of Play-doh and mixed it together to make a ‘better’ color.

>To you it just looks plain tacky.

>”Anonymous? What brings you here? It’s impolite to keep a lady waiting~”

>Snapping out of your internal judgment of the fashionista’s room, you look to Rarity and pull out the letter.

“Rarity, a couple of things. First, can you make me something ‘worthy of Canterlot’?”

>”But of course darling~. But why?”

“That brings me to question number two; how would you like to attend a royal dinner party tomorrow night?”

>Rarity’s jaw drops and while she regains her composure quickly, it shows that she’s floored by the offer.

>”Anonymous! I can’t accept such an offer from you. Why, I hardly know you, why would you invite me to a royal party?”

“Well, that’s simple. I don’t know much about Canterlot society, and asking Twilight would result in way to much info at once. You are better at giving pertinent, and concise information.”

>”I suppose, but are you certain dear? It’s quite the offer you are giving me…”

“Rarity, you’ve made my suits almost entirely pro bono, I figure I owe you. Even if you are the element of generosity.”

>”Very well Anonymous. I humbly accept this generous invitation. Is there anything you know about Canterlot before we start?”

“Well, I don’t know anything about Canterlot, so anything you can tell me is something I didn’t know, and would be much appreciated.”

>”Well let’s see… The first thing you should know about Canterlot is…”

 

 

“So if someone offers me some hors d'oeuvres, I ought to politely decline?”

>”Very good Anonymous. I think you have the basics down. We can work on it more tomorrow before we leave.”

 “Thanks Rarity, I really appreciate it. So what are you working on currently? Besides my new suit of course…”

>”Well, you know, the usual. Making fabulous clothing for a populace that mostly doesn’t appreciate it… It gets rather tiresome sometimes darling. If it wasn’t for my cutie mark, I wouldn’t be doing this at all.”

“Rarity, I’m not one to tell others how they ought to live their lives, but I had a talk with Sweetie, and she seems rather… Lonely. Maybe you should spend a little time with her, I think it would make her feel a lot better…”

>Rarity takes a deep breath, clearly going to argue with you, but she stops, and thinks before she flies off the handles on you.

>”Maybe you are right Anonymous. After I finish this order from New Yoke, then I will spend some time with Sweetie.”

>That was rather easy.

>”But I want you to help me with her. Little dear thinks the world of you, and having you around more would make her quite happy.”

>Well then.

>That came out of left field.

“Uh, sure…?”

>She notices your trepidation, and quickly tries to sweeten the deal.

>”Darling, I know you don’t have the most free time in the world, but it would mean a lot to me, not to mention darling Sweetie.”

“Alright, alright! I’ll help watch over her, but why is it that you can’t? I know that you run your own business single-handedly, and watch over your younger sister, in lieu of your parents, but do you really trust an alien who suffers from acute depression watching over your darling sister? I mean, can you not take ten minutes of your day to sit down and show her that you love her?”

>She clearly is taken aback from the vitriol in your words, and you think you might have taken it a little too far.

>”I… Oh dear… Anonymous…”

>She can’t even speak.

>Definitely went too far.

“Rarity, I’m sorry, that was out of line. It’s just, I grew up in a normal home, in a normal neighborhood, but all of my friends’ parents were divorced by the time we made it out of elementary school. I saw the sadness, the questioning looks in their faces. They needed their parents, and when they needed them most, they just weren’t there for them. Now Rarity, I’m not telling you how to live your life, but I just held Sweetie while she wept into my shoulder. She needs a sister more than she needs a guardian. She needs a friend, more than she needs a provider. I can help you by spending some time with her, but I cannot, and will not be a substitution for you. You need to be the one there for her.”

>Rarity looks like she was going to tear up, but it seems that would be unbecoming of a lady.

>”Anonymous. You are absolutely right. I shouldn’t neglect poor Sweetie, but it is so hard running the boutique and watching over her at the same time.”

“I’m willing to help, but I just wanted to make the point that I’m not her sibling. You are. She looks up to you Rarity, and I don’t think that it would be safe to have her bottle this emotion up in her. I know you think the world of Canterlot and the high-life, but she is a little filly. If she needs someone to cry on, you should offer your withers, instead of telling her that a lady wouldn’t cry.”

>She nods, stands up from her workstation, and walks over to you.

>”Thank you dear. I needed someone to show me that I was being foalish. Now, should we talk details?”

 

>After that little drama-fest, you make plans with Rarity to stop by tomorrow to pick up your new suit, and help watch Sweetie Belle.

>Walking out of Rarity’s room, you almost trip over Sweetie who is lying just outside the door.

>”Anon, I’ve never heard anyone talk to my sister like that before. Did you really need to be so mean?”

“Kiddo. When I was a kid, I saw what lack of attention does to kids. It made them do crazy attention-grabbing things that they wouldn’t normally do. A lot of my friends got hurt, one of them got hurt so bad, he had to stay at the hospital for a while. I don’t want you doing the same things as my friends.”

>”Anon, you don’t need to worry about me. I’ll be fine. I’ve got Scoots and Applebloom to look after me!”

“Alright, but I think that the only alien in Equestria might be super cool to them, and they might think that you’re even cooler hanging out with him…”

>”You’re right! Scootaloo thinks that Rainbow Dash is the coolest pony ever, but it’s clearly you! Er, I mean… You’re the coolest alien ever! No, that’s not right either… Gimme a minute…”

>You leave her to her musings, and wonder what the hell you did to bring on this barrage of unasked for attention.

>Noting that you didn’t tell Sweetie that your friend didn’t stay in the hospital for long, you figure you might as well start on your way to Twilight’s to give her the news.

>Sweetie can find out when she’s older what the rest of the story is.

>It is a bit of a downer, and you’re not sure how to explain death to a young filly.

>Keeping on the path through town, you pass Sugar Cube Corner, and decide that it might be a good idea to have a little bit of a snack.

>Opening the door, you notice that Pinkie is not manning the counter.

>”Good afternoon Anonymous. What can I get for you?”

>Mr. Cake seems a bit confused, seeing as it’s a bit late for brunch, and most sensible people have something substantial for dinner.

>But it’s never too late for a donut.

>Especially with chocolate icing on top.

“Yeah, just something light… How about a donut?”

>”With chocolate icing on top?”

“Of course!”

>”Be right back.”

>He wanders off into the back, presumably to make the usual.

>Thinking about it, you ought to have said “the usual”…

>Oh well, maybe next time.

>This is taking a bit longer than usual.

>In fact, usually there’s a donut or two at the counter.

>There’s probably a good reason as to why Mr. Cake had to leave the counter.

>Figuring there is a logical explanation, you turn away from the counter to lean against the display case.

>”Hello Nonny!”

>Startled, you jump forward, and away from Pinkie, and swivel around to face her at the counter.

“Jesus Pinks! Don’t sneak up on me like that!”

>She giggles and smiles up at you.

>”I just know one of these times I’ll make you smile from a surprise, I just know it!”

“…Whatever you say. Where’s Mr. Cake?”

>She waves her hoof in a dismissing fashion.

>”He’s fine, just went into the market for some more flour, seeing as his kids have spilled all of the flour we did have on the floor.”

>There’s something off about what she’s saying, almost as if she’s holding something back, but you dismiss that thought.

“Alright, so I guess my donut is going to have to wait until later…”

>Turning back towards the door, you start to walk out, only to be stopped mid-step by Pinkie.

>”Wait! I, uh, I think we have one behind the counter!”

“If there was one behind the counter, why did Mr. Cake leave me alone in the store while he could have just handed me one?”

>She stands there, clearly coming up with a good lie, but you have had enough of this for one day.

“Pinkie, I am going to go visit Twilight. When Mr. Cake asks where I am, you can tell him that I’ll be back.”

>This time, you successfully make it out of Sugar Cube Corner, and wonder why in the hell Pinkie keeps bugging you.

>Maybe Twilight knows why Pinkie is acting so weird.

>Pinkie’s not the most sensible pony.

>You’ve only known her for a month, and you know that for sure.

>But there might be some reason as to why Pinkie seems to be so weird around you.

>Trying to put as much distance between you and Pinkie, you walk a bit faster than normal.

>Trying to piece it together in your mind, you wonder why Mr. Cake disappeared, and why there weren’t any donuts at the counter as there usually were.

>All the questions have one fact in common though.

>They all involve no donut being in your tummy.

>That blows.

>Oh well, that doesn’t change the fact that you need to see Twilight to invite her to the soirée at the castle.

>Arriving at the treebrary, you knock on the door as a formality, seeing as it is a public library, but old habits die hard you guess.

>You wait a little bit until the door is coated in a violet glow, and opens for you.

>”Honestly Spike, who is at the door that you won’t answe—Oh. Never mind. Hi Anon!”

>Twilight knows that you freaked out, and almost killed her babby dragon, but she also knows that dragons were an eldritch horror back on your planet, so she knows that you were trying to ‘protect’ yourself.

“I said I was sorry Spike!”

>”No point trying to talk sense to him. He thinks you are making the stories up just so he’ll let his guard down so you can finish the job.”

>She giggles and shakes her head at the absurdity.

>”Honestly, if he sat down and just talked with you, he’d know it was a simple misunderstanding, and that you two have a lot in common. Anyways, what brings you around here Anon? Do you have more to talk about with regards to human reproduction?”

>She blushes, knowing that she is implying that she wants more than just to talk.

>You know what she is implying as well, but you decide to act as though you missed the implication and answer her first query.

“I’m here to ‘cordially invite’ you to a swanky soirée at the castle.”

>Twilight perks up at the mention of the castle, and ceases her blush in her excitement at the prospect of going to see her mentor at such a laid back occasion.

>”Oh Anon! That sounds lovely. But I have no dress! How can I visit such a high-profile get-together without something that really shows that I’m not some plebian?”

>She continues to prattle on in a mini panic attack, while you wait for her to calm down.

>It looks like she might be a while, but you’re in no hurry.

>Spike, however, overcomes his fear for you, in order to try and help his de-facto mother calm down.

>”Twi! It’s fine! Rarity probably can make something for you! There’s no point worrying. It’s a small party, seeing as the princesses wouldn’t invite Anon, but nopony else heard about it. Think about it, you’d be the first to know if a big party was going on in Canterlot seeing as you are her prized student.”

>Luckily, Twilight maintained lucidity while in her panicked frenzied state, and slowly calms down at Spike’s behest.

“Hey, thanks buddy, I would’ve sat here for hours waiting for her to tire herself out.”

>Spike laughs wryly knowing full well that Twilight would have been at it for hours.

>He then realizes that he’s near you, let down his guard, and isn’t killed.

>But the caution remains in his eyes.

>”So you don’t really want to kill me?”

>You laugh and shake your head.

“Nah bro. I’d just never seen a dragon before, and on my planet they were a legend. The kind of legend that scared people, even with no evidence to support their existence.”

>He seems to accept this, but still doesn’t seem to trust you wholly quite yet.

>Twilight finally calms down enough for you to explain to her that it is going to be a low-key event, probably just the princesses, Rarity, her and yourself.

>”This is just so weird though. Why would the princesses invite you first, but not me? No offense Anon, but you’re an alien, and I’m Celestia’s protégé.”

“Well that’s because Luna recently helped me overcome a recurring nightmare I’ve been suffering since I first arrived here. At least, I think it might have something to do with that...”

>”Wait—Recurring nightmares? Is that normal for humans? Why didn’t Luna act sooner? If it was keeping you up, and Luna knew, why didn’t she act sooner? Why—”

“Honestly Twi, I wish I knew. Luna didn’t supply an answer, she left my dream before I could ask her. All I know is that this dinner at the castle probably has something to do with it.”

>Interrupting her was the only option to keep her from going into question overload mode on you again, but you still felt bad for doing it.

>”I suppose that makes sense, but Anon, it’s their job to keep ponies safe and happy. How could she let you suffer like that?”

“Well, for one, I’m not a pony. Also, in case you hadn’t noticed, I’m probably the biggest, ‘strongest’, and definitely the scariest being in Ponyville, if not all of Equestria. I think that Luna expected me to have a proportionally stronger psyche, but that isn’t the case. I think this feast is an apology for dropping the ball. Honestly, it’s no big deal. I don’t blame Luna for making the call that she did. If I had the same information that she did, without actually knowing the person, I’d probably make the same call…”

>Twilight seems distraught that you just accept that pain and suffering are just normal things of life.

>”Anon! How can you be so equivocal about pain and suffering?”

“Back on Earth, I saw things… Things that make you wonder why you’re lucky to be alive. I saw a man get mugged, and he didn’t even bother struggling, because he knew that if he did, it would just be made worse for him. I guess I made life analogous to that man. The more we struggle, the suckier it becomes.”

>She looks appalled at your explanation, but seems to understand that you grew up in a different culture, and different norms.

“I wish that life was easy back on Earth, but it was a zero-sum game. If you wanted to get ahead, someone else had to lose something. It was shitty, but it was how it was, and no one wanted to change the status quo.”

>”Anon. Earth sounds like a dystopia…”

>Thinking about it, she’s right.

>All the suffering that went on.

>All the meaningless death and destruction.

>It was just about the epitome of a dystopia.

“You’re right. I guess Earth was a bit of a dystopia. I guess where I was brought up, we were told that no matter how bad our lives might seem at the time, there was someone else in the world who had it worse off than us, and that if they could deal with worse circumstances, we could deal with better ones.”

>She walks over to you and stands on her hind legs and gives you a hug.

>”It sounds like nightmares might have been a pleasant reprieve over there… At least you’re in a better place now.”

“I guess I am…”

>Your fiancée isn’t.

>Maybe instead of going back to that shit-hole known as Earth, maybe you could find a way to bring her here…

>Or at the very least get a message back to her so she knows that you didn’t abandon her.

>At least not on purpose…

“Twilight, while it isn’t possible to get me back home, is it possible to send a message? Or maybe even get my wife here?”

>”Anon. You know as well as I do that we have no idea how you got here. If we were able to replicate the process, then you would be able to return. As for the message… Well, maybe there is a way, but I don’t want to think about it.”

“Twilight, if there is a way for me to let my wife know that I am safe, and didn’t leave her of my own volition, then I will do whatever it takes to let her know.”

>She sighs, shaking her head at your folly in this endeavor.

>”Well, I don’t know for sure, but if there’s anyone who could manage it, it would be Discord.”

>Ah.

>Shit.

>The only possible way to get a message to your spouse back on Earth is via a chaos god that they clearly don’t trust, and yet was allegedly reformed.

>Everyone believes that he’s just pretending to be reformed so that they will let their guard down long enough for him to take over again.

“…”

>Twilight notices your trepidation at the prospect of asking a demi-god a favor.

>”Now you see why I was reluctant to tell you…”

“Well, we’ll burn that bridge when we cross it. I’ll drop by to pick you up tomorrow evening for the dinner.”

>”Alright. See you then Anon! Oh! Wait! Before you go, what should I wear?”

“Just go visit Rarity, I’m sure she has something lined up for you.”

>She nods, and you stand up and get ready to leave.

>Spike still is chilling nearby, but just to show that you mean him no ill will, you lower a fist to his level, where he looks at it quizzically.

>”Dude, they have bumps where you come from too?”

“We sure did. Bros?”

>He nods and completes the bump.

>”Bros.”

>It feels good to reconcile that old inadvertent wound.

>Waving to Twilight and Spike, you crouch a little and exit the treebrary.

>Looking at the sky, you estimate that it is nearing four o’clock in the afternoon.

>Thinking back on your missed snack, you’re pretty hungry right about now.

>You dig around in your pockets and find that you have a few bits to spare at the moment, might as well eat out tonight.

>Sugar Cube Corner is out of the question.

>You forgot to ask Twilight about Pinkie, but that’s fine.

>There’s always tomorrow.

>Mentally going through the list of places that serve food that is edible to you, and talking a little to yourself, you fail to notice Rainbow Dash hovering just behind you.

“Let’s see… There’s the Manticore’s Roar, but that’s mainly just bar grub, and I’m not looking to get shitfaced today… There’s the Hay Bale, but that’s a bit expensive, and I don’t have a reservation. I guess that leaves…”

>”The Gym?”

>Startled, you pivot on your heel to face a slightly disgruntled Rainbow Dash.

>”Bro, we were going to lift today. What happened?”

>Shit.

>All this commotion about the letter and the party made you forget about helping Rainbow out.

“Shit. Listen, sorry Rainbow, but I totally forgot. Here, I was going to grab a bite to eat, if you want to join me, then we could lift afterwards.”

>Clearly disappointed that you forgot, she likes the prospect of having a meal with you, and then getting the workout that she thinks is necessary.

>”Alright Anon, you have a deal. But next time, try not to be so featherbrained, or I might have to knock some sense into you!”

>Oh shit.

>She maintains her serious composure for all of three seconds, until she falls into a fit of giggles at your expense.

>”Ahahaha. Anon, you really think I’d hurt my lifting buddy?”

>Flustered by the events that have just unfolded, you try to come up with a halfway decent answer.

“I. er… Uh, no…?”

>She continues giggling, except now it’s a full-on laugh.

>Wow.

>It kind of hurts being laughed at by someone you trust.

>Rainbow notices the hurt in your face, and instantly stops.

>”Whoa, bro. Hey, come on, I didn’t mean to come off as an ass there. Listen, I just thought it was funny because I would never hurt my friends, and I thought you knew that. How about I make it up to you somehow?”

“How about we sit down to dinner first?”

>She grins, and understands that you don’t blame her for how she left you feeling.

>”I like the way you think Anon!”

“But that still leaves the question of where we’re going to eat…”

>”How about… Sugar Cube Corner?”

“Uh, maybe next time? I was thinking something that would be more agreeable with my different digestive system…”

>”Well, there’s only Sugar Cube Corner, The Manticore’s Roar, and The Hay Bale. Unless you wanna get drunk before our workout sess, then I doubt we’re going to be dining at the Roar. Also, I doubt you just happen to have a reservation for 2 soon at the Bale, so I guess that’s a no-go too. Only real option is Sugar Cube bro.”

>Shit.

“Alright. Sugar Cube Corner it is.”

>Rainbow picks up on your trepidation, but not wanting to be blunt like usual, she just decides to let it lie.

 >The two of you make your way to Sugar Cube Corner, although you are more than a little wary of Pinkie, and her possible shenanigans.

>Rainbow looks like she wants to say something, but can’t seem to muster the courage to say what it is that she wants to say.

>The closer the two of you get to SCC, the more it is evident that she needs to get something off her chest.

>You’ve only known Rainbow for a month, same as the rest of the gals, but you are able to read Rainbow clear as day more often than not, and it looks like she’s having some sort of internal struggle.

>You doubt that it’s important, but you figure it’s better to address the metaphorical elephant in the room, just in case.

“You alright Rainbow Dash? You look like just drank about a gallon of lemon juice concentrate.”

>She gets flustered, and can’t seem to look you in the eye.

>”Uh, yeah Anon, just fine. Can we get some food and go, please?”

>That’s weird.

“Sure…?”

>She stops her slow trot, and opts for a brisk canter.

>That’s weird.

>You know she usually puts her workout before most other things, but why is she acting so oddly?

>It’s almost as if she is fighting internally over her loyalties.

>But why?

>You’ve had a bad feeling about SCC, but now it’s amplified by Rainbow’s odd behavior.

“Rainbow. You know what? I think I’m just going to grab a meal at my house. You can join me if you want, but I’m just not feeling Sugar Cube right now…”

>Rainbow looks relieved, but then seems to remember something, because she tenses up and tries to keep you on course for SCC.

>”But Anon! You said we were going to eat somewhere. And since neither the Bale nor the Roar are possible, and you can’t eat any of the food at other places, we might as well go to Sugar Cube, no?”

“Well, couldn’t we just lift on an empty stomach and then treat ourselves afterwards?”

>Rainbow stops her merciless warpath towards SCC, and has a good long think.

>No doubt about her conflict of interests.

>You’ve deduced that somepony wants you at SCC, but why, is the only question you have left.

>”I… I guess that’s okay… But I’m pretty hungry, are you sure you don’t want a snack?”

“Rainbow, what’s so important at Sugar Cube that you can’t let it rest?”

>Rainbow starts shifting her gaze around the scenery, knowing that you’re on to her, but she probably made a Pinkie Promise™ not to tell you.

“Rainbow, you don’t have to tell me. I’m guessing you made a Pinkie Promise™ not to tell me, so I won’t ask. I’ll just outright say it. I’m damn suspicious of Sugar Cube Corner right now, and I don’t believe that you really want to go there. So I’m going to err on the side of caution and not go to SCC. Sorry. Maybe we’ll lift tomorrow, but I just don’t think that it’s a good idea to go there if you’re acting so weird.”

>You turn and start walking towards your house, only to get knocked on your face by the prismatic pegasus.

>”I’m sorry Anon, but I’m afraid I can’t let you do that.”

>Your superior height, weight, and strength mean nothing when you are knocked down with a very insistent mare who is the biggest workout enthusiast this side of Canterlot.

>Struggling to gain an adequate leverage point, you try and buck Rainbow off you, but to no avail.

>”Would you cut that out?! It’s really annoying, and I don’t like this any more than you do Anon. But sometimes in life, we have to do something that we don’t want to do for the better.”

>So this is how it all ends.

>Not how you imagined you’d go.

>Getting betrayed by one of your closest friends, even if they are a sapient equine.

>Somehow, Rainbow managed to get a length of rope, and started tying your appendages until you were veritably hog-tied.

“Rainbow. Please. I’m begging you. If there’s any part of you that doesn’t want to kill me, please, listen to it. Does our friendship mean nothing?”

>Rainbow avoids eye contact and says nothing.

>Hard to force eye contact when you are lying on your stomach.

>Without warning, Rainbow starts dragging you towards SCC, where you can only surmise what your fate will be.

>Maybe there was a small group of ponies that wanted to do away with the alien, and Rainbow was their connection.

>But why would they want you to be at SCC?

>It’s way too public.

>You guess murder isn’t on their minds.

>Maybe something a little more…

>Depraved?

>You shudder at the thought of a mare using you.

>If it came down to that, you wouldn’t hesitate to kill yourself.

>Only your wife was supposed to have the D, not some depraved mare.

>Trying to get a better look at your surroundings, you notice that you are very close to SCC now.

>You decide to stop struggling, if only to keep some shred of dignity.

>Judging by the glow that is intensifying on the ground, you are very close to your destination.

>Hopefully it isn’t your final.

>Rainbow stops dragging you along to knock on the door in what you assume is a code.

>There is a pause, and then a response from the other side of the door.

>Definitely in code.

>Rainbow hesitates, then taps in response.

>This carries on for a little while, with Rainbow getting more and more frustrated.

>”Oh for crying out loud! Just let me in Pinkie! You know it’s me!”

>The door flies open, and Rainbow yelps as she is flung inside, and you are drug up the stairs.

>Even though you are hog-tied, you still manage to hit your head on every step on the way up.

>You might have a concussion at this point, but you’re more worried about what nefarious plan Pinkie has for you.

>”Rainbow! Was it really necessary to tie Nonny up?”

>”Yes! He was about to go home and wasn’t listening to logic. Logic is hard… So I figured I’d stick to my guns and just stallionhandle him a little.”

>”But that’s no way to treat the party guest!”

>Party?

“Party?”

>”Darn it Rainbow! It was supposed to be a surprise for Nonny! How can he be surprised if he knows about it?”

“Oh, believe me, I’m plenty surprised right now. Can I get these ropes off now?”

>”Oh, right… Ropes…”

>Rainbow blushes and makes quick work of the ropes binding you.

>Standing and rubbing your wrists, you shoot a glare at Rainbow who is doing an excellent job of avoiding eye contact with you.

>”Oh would you look at the time… I think it’s time to feed Tank! Gotta go!”

>She takes off leaving behind her namesake, a rainbow trail.

>Looking back at SCC proper, you can’t help but notice that you and Pinkie are the only beings present.

“Uh Pinkie? Where is everybody? Didn’t you say this was a party?”

>She gives you and unsettling giggle.

>”Of course not silly. It’s a private party~ Just me and you~”

>Any reservations you had about this not being a bad idea all evaporated when you found out it’s just you and Pinkie.

>Now you know for certain it’s a bad idea.

“So uh, what exactly does a ‘private party’ entail?”

>She giggles once more, and her eyes don’t quite open all the way anymore when she blinks.

>”Oh Nonny. How did you know that big words got me hot?”

>What.

“What?”

>No, seriously.

“What???”

“I’m totally lost here Pinkie. When you say hot, you mean…?”

>”Down there Nonny~”

“Oh, okay. Thanks for clarifying.”

>Pinkie smirks as you unknowingly said another ‘big word’, and she starts advancing on you.

“Pinkie. Remember what I said last time? I need some time. What will you say if my wife knew I was cheating on her?”

>”But she’s not here. She’s in another dimension. I bet you get so lonely up there in your house all the time, with no special somepony to keep you company. Well I can help you not feel lonely Nonny~”

>She continues her advance unabated, much to your chagrin.

>What if your wife found out somehow?

>You can’t let this happen, if only to save face in front of your wife.

“Pinkie, what is the norm for mating in this culture?”

>She stops, and gives you a funny look.

>”Monogamous, same as yours. Mr. and Mrs. Cake sound familiar? How about Shining Armor and Cadence? Why?”

“Quadrupeds back on Earth tended to have ‘herds’, and I was worried that might be the case here as well.”

>”Well it’s not exactly frowned upon~ It’s just most ponies are more comfortable with one partner than two.”

“Another thing. If big, learned words are your… Thing… Then why do you constantly use silly, nonsensical words? You’re clearly a learned mare.”

>”Shh…. No words, let’s just enjoy the moment.”

>As if on a cue, a slow, smooth jazz starts up.

>Pinkie stands unsteadily on her hind hooves, and puts her forehooves over your shoulders.

>Wordlessly, you slip in to a simple dance, resembling a slow waltz.

>Quite surprised, you ask Pinkie how she knows an Earth-style dance so well.

>Unsurprisingly, she giggles before giving a bullshit answer.

>”There are other races like you Nonny, finding the song was the hard part.”

>It’s pretty awkward being dragged around by Pinkie, so you figure you might as well go with the flow, and put your hands on her flanks.

>She blushes a little at your touch, and snuggles a little closer.

>The simple dance continues, but it is rather tiring for both of you, seeing as Pinkie doesn’t walk on two limbs normally, so she is leaning heavily on you.

>As soon as the song winds down at last, Pinkie drops back down to four hooves.

>”Wowie, that was so fun Nonny! I’m going to go grab something to drink, you want something too?”

“Just water would be fine, thanks.”

>Despite your trepidation earlier, you had fun dancing with Pinkie.

>Maybe you misjudged her, it seems she really has your best interests in mind.

>Pinkie walks back in somehow managing to balance a tray on her back, carrying two glasses for the two of you.

>Helping Pinkie out, you pick the tray off of her back, and she smiles at you in appreciation.

>”Thanks Nonny!”

>You pass her a glass, and you both proceed to guzzle the hydration down.

“That hit the spot, thanks Pinkie!”

>”No problem Nonny~ So now that we’ve done the dance, do you wanna… Rut?”

>Her face is quite red, and you know it isn’t from the exertion of the dancing you just did.

“Pinkie, why do you insist on sex? I’ve said many times that I don’t want to. Why do you continue to pester me about this when it’s clear I’m not ready?”

>She looks rather dejected at your words.

>”Nonny… Everything I’m doing, I’m doing to make you happy. I just wish you’d see how much I care for you, and how even if you could go home, your place is right here, with me. I don’t think your wife is going to come, and neither are you returning, so you might as well accept the fact.”

>She realizes that she just did the unspeakable and told you off about yearning for Earth.

>Quickly scrambling for damage control, she’s surprised when you answer calmly.

“Pinkie, I know. In my rational mind, I know that it’s pointless holding out hope that I can return home. It’s in my subconscious that this folly of returning home resides. I really like Equestria, and I’m more than a little fond of you Pinkie, but I need proof that Earth is forever lost to me before I leave my humanity behind.”

>Again, her mane loses some of its poofiness.

>”If that’s really how you feel, I won’t force my besty into something he doesn’t want to do…”

“Hey now, I’m not saying I’m shutting the door, it’s just not the right time for me. I’m still trying to get over the fact that you’re all real. Yes, even after a month. Now, do you wanna dance some more? Or should I get going?”

>She smiles and accepts the invitation to dance.

>Again, the music begins without any input from either you or Pinkie.

>You chalk it up to magic.

>It’s always fucking magic.

>It’s a bit more upbeat than the last song, but your slow dance is still appropriate.

>As the song winds down, before Pinkie can settle down to the ground again, you pick her up in a big hug.

“Thank you Pinkie. It means a lot to have a friend like you looking out for me. Maybe we can be something more than that in the future…”

>You give a sly wink at the end, and Pinkie’s mane poofs right back up and she smiles brighter than Celestia’s sun on a summer day.

>Gently letting her back down, you are caught off guard when Pinkie pounces and wraps her hooves tightly around your head once again.

>”No, thank you Nonny. It’s great seeing you smile! You should smile more often.”

>She also winks at the end of her bit, noticing the surprise on your face as you realize you were smiling.

“Heh, I guess. Thanks again Pinkie!”

>Turning to leave, you think back on earlier today, and realize that maybe bringing Pinkie would be a good idea.

“Hey Pinkie, would you like to—“

>”—Come to the party at the castle tomorrow night? Sure!”

“Wha, how…?”

>”Tehehe, Silly I saw the note in your pocket when Dashie was dragging you in here. You also came here from Carousel Boutique earlier, so you visited Rarity, probably to get a culture lesson, followed by a trip to Twilight, no doubt to invite the princess’ own student. I’m surprised that you didn’t ask sooner.”

“How the hell did you guess all that based on my movements throughout the day?”

>She stops giggling and moves to a full out laugh.

>”Silly, I asked Rarity why you visited, and I made a Pinkie promise not to tell anypony, and then Twilight sent a letter to me and the rest of the gals inviting them along.”

“Twilight did what?!”

>”Relax, she’s Celestia’s student, remember? It’s fine. Besides, you’ll be there with your friends, isn’t that super-duper cool?”

“I guess… I’m beat. See you tomorrow then I guess…”

>Turning to leave once more, you open the door, and hear Pinkie call out to you as you leave.

>”Sweet Dreams Nonny~”

>This cheeky mare.

>You begin the short trek back home and ponder the truth behind her words.

>Is it possible that you might have dreams tonight instead of the usual nightmares?

>Only one way to find out.

>Arriving home, you open the door, marveling at the fact that the ponies are so trusting, that the doors have locks, but they are only used when something scary comes to town.

>You learned about that day one, but there’s no point reliving that, it’s rather late, and you’re exhausted from dancing with Pinkie.

>Managing to crawl up the stairs to your bedroom, and change out of your suit from the day, you inspect the suit, and aside from the fact that it is pretty grungy, Rainbow dragging you across half of Ponyville didn’t ruin it too badly.

“Rarity must tailor these to last…”

>Going through your evening routine, and changing into suitable sleepwear, you crawl into bed, and fight sleep by force of habit, but it does no good as you are simply overcome by your exhaustion from dancing with Pinkie.

 

>Awakening, you notice that it isn’t your house, but it isn’t the chapel that your marriage takes place at either.

>You take a look at your surroundings.

>You’re in a verdant field, with an azure sky above you.

>Not a cloud in the sky, but the sun isn’t overbearing.

>There’s a nice soft breeze rolling through the meadows, which causes the grass to wave, and it almost looks like you’re standing in a green ocean.

>It’s rather calming, and you don’t even notice when a pony enjoys the view beside you.

>She clears her throat lightly so as to avoid startling you.

>You turn and see that it’s Luna.

“Good evening princess.”

>”Same to you Anonymous. We see that this dreamscape is much more to your enjoyment.”

“It’s beautiful princess. I just wish my wife was here to enjoy it with me…”

>Her faces falls slightly at the mention of your wife.

>”Oh… You are taken then…”

>She turns to leave before you call out to her.

“Princess! Wait! I’m not ‘taken’. I was snatched from my world before the ceremony was complete… It’s just hard for me to refer to my long-time fiancée as anything but my wife.”

>Luna turns back and smiles.

>”It is okay Anonymous, you do not need to try and convince us. We can tell that you are available, we just wanted to hear it from you first.”

>Available?

“So what’s this business about a party about huh? I know you feel bad for dropping the ball, but I don’t fault you for it.”

>”You are right Anonymous. I do have an ulterior motive, but you will find out in due time what it is.”

>She smirks at you, and her tail flicks behind her.

>Not sure what that’s all about, you try and gather a bit more info about tomorrow.

“So I invited Twilight and Rarity initially, but it looks like Twilight invited the rest of her friends… Is that fine?”

>”Absolutely. The more the merrier!”

“Okay. Also, is this really you here in the dream with me?”

>”Technically speaking, yes. We are here in this dreamscape with you, but the answer is a bit more difficult than you could comprehend.”

“Try me princess, I’ve got nothing better to do.”

>”Well, I suppose the rest of the ponies will survive if I neglect my duties at large to help you comprehend this. I would recommend making yourself comfortable, because this is something many ponies will study for decades and not fully grasp, and we are giving you the, how you say ‘crash course’.”

>Taking a seat on the soft, rolling grass, you wait for Luna to continue.

>”A dream is really nothing more than a higher plane that our minds ascend to. When we sleep, our minds drift off to a different realm, where anything is possible. Feats of grandeur that could never be achieved in a million lifetimes happen in a day, but also acts of unspeakable atrocity committed in an instant. A dream realm is a canvass, and your mind is the brush. Needless to say, you need a paint for this to work, and that is where life comes into play. A carefree life leads to careless, meaningless dreams. Stressful ones might have a lot accomplished in them, but at a cost to the ponies will.”

>It clearly is a passion for her seeing as she just carries on, with various metaphors to make it easier to understand as she goes.

>”And so you see, it’s not so much the pony, but what the pony has been through that shapes the dream.”

“So my nightmares weren’t because I wanted to subconsciously get home, but because it was a traumatic event that I went through?”

>Luna beams at you.

>”Yes! That is precisely it! Now you have the basics down.  Any other pertinent queries before we must depart?”

“Actually, yes. You didn’t say in your letter when we should arrive. When should we plan on being there?”

>”Ah, yes, that is a problem, is it not? We should think that the last train out of Ponyville is the ideal time.”

“Isn’t that a bit late for a party?”

>”Well, the night is my domain, is it not?”

>Makes sense.

“But the last train means that there won’t be a way for us to return to Ponyville for the evening…”

>”We live in a castle Anonymous, we have more than enough guest rooms for you and your friends.”

>It seems she has all aspects of this figured out from the start.

>”Well Anonymous, it’s been how our little ponies would say ‘fun’, but we really must be off.”

“Bye princess! See you tomorrow.”

>She gives a small smile.

>”it’s nine in the morning Anonymous. I think you mean tonight.”

>She winks and then spreads her wings and flies off in the clear blue sky.

>Nine AM, huh?

>It’s a pretty damn nice dream.

“It’d be a shame to see it go to waste…”

>You lie back on the grass, with your hands held behind your head, and enjoy the peacefulness of the dream.

>Tomorrow is going to be interesting, might as well enjoy this bit of respite while you can.

 

End part 2