"Can We Keep Him?"
By 8th-Sin (https://pastebin.com/u/8th-Sin)

URL: https://pastebin.com/61UVKpYB
Created on: Sunday 18th of August 2013 03:41:18 AM CDT
Retrieved on: Sunday 9 of May 2021 08:39:38 PM UTC


>You stand there looking at your latest dress design in disappointment.
“No, this won’t do either. It looks like a rehash of Fancy Pant’s Charme et L'attrait collection.”
>You pick up the design in your magic to screw it up into a ball and throw it into the bin. You can’t understand why all your latest designs have been so horrible or repeats; maybe you need a fresh perspective for inspiration.
>With a deep sigh you decide to take a break, maybe a hot tea will clear your mind.
>You glance over to the window to see that it’s dark out and the moon is still making its ascent high into the sky.
>It must be around 8 at night, which means you got too caught up in your work again.
>As you step out of your study you hear the running water of the shower and assume it’s Sweetie Belle. 
“Some sisterly bonding would be nice,” you say to yourself while walking down the hall to the bathroom.
>When you arrive you see Sweetie Belle sitting just outside the door, smiling to herself and humming a tune. 
“You’re in a pleasant mood I see, who is in the shower?” you call out which startles her.
>”S-Sis? Why’re you here?”
“Because this is my home and where I work.”
>”Oh yeah, that’s right,” she taps her hoof anxiously on the floor and looks away from your gaze.
>You know her too well to recognise when she’s up to no good.
“Sweetie Belle,” you put on your annoyed tone to place her on edge and it does just the trick.
>”Ye-Yes Rarity?”
>She’s sweating like a waterfall now.
“Who’s in the shower?”
>”NOPONY!” she immediately shouts in a high pitched tone.
>You’d ‘aw’ at how cute that was if it she wasn’t up to something.
“Well if nopony is in there then I’m going in.”
>As you step forward towards the door she stands up against it to block your way.
>”You can’t.”
“And why not?”
>She hesitates, trying to find some kind of explanation but quickly gives up.
>”Promise you won’t get mad?”
“Who is in the shower first?”
>”A creature I found in the Everfree.”
>Before any other feeling hits, you’re overwhelmed with fear. Anytime you’ve gone into the Everfree and sometimes near it, have not ended well. You’ve only met a few friendly creatures in that place and you don’t intend to go back in there to find if there's more; there's far too many scary and dangerous ones.
>Then the anger hits but you’re still more scared than anything.
“Sweetie Belle,” your voice is now a low, harsh whisper, “what were you thinking, bringing one of those monsters here?”
>”But this one is friendly,” she stammer in her’s and its defence.
>Before you can continue Sweetie’s lecture, the water to the shower gets turned off and your heart stops.
>Here comes the part where he drinks all your blood or whatever those horrible things do when they catch a poor, innocent pony in their claws.
>You don’t have a moment to react, the door swings open and there stands a tall bipedal creature, he seems to be around Princess Celestia’s height or taller.
>He’s a little shocked to see you; he says something that you don’t understand and flashes you a smile.
>He’s wearing ragged clothes, has matted fur atop his head, no sharp claws, no fangs and no terrifying build.
>This creature is nothing like you’ve ever seen before but considering he’s from the Everfree, you’re not surprised. There’s all kinds of mysterious creatures in there nopony knows about as nopony is brave enough to go searching.
>”I call him Anonymous.”
>You look down at Sweetie Belle in confusion, she’s named it already?
“What kind of a name is Anonymous?”
>”I couldn’t think of anything else and he responds to it when I call him that.”
>She talking like he’s some stray cat or dog that followed her home. You recall that she has brought stray animals home before but never anything quite like this.
“How do you know it’s safe?”
>Your voice is a little shaky but Sweetie Belle’s is confident. You look back up at the creature who is just watching you two talk in uncertainty, his facial expression does remind you of a stray puppy which is cute in a weird way.
>”He saved me from a Timber Wolf,” she flashes you a proud grin.
“WHAT?! When did this happen?”
>”We were walking Winona, trying to get our Cutie Marks in animal care when I accidently let go of the leash. She then ran into the Everfree so I chased after her.”
”And then a Timber Wolf found you?” you nearly facehoof, “Sweetie Belle, you know you shouldn’t be going in there under any circumstances. It’s far too dangerous.”
>”I know. Anyway when the Timber Wolf saw me, Anonymous came rushing over and swooped Winona and I up and rushed us back to town. He’s really fast, the Timber Wolf couldn’t even keep up.”
“Can it understand us? Or even speak?”
>”I think so.”
>Typical Sweetie Belle, act first and ask questions later or never.
>Again, you look up at ‘Anonymous’, this time directly into his eyes and he stares back.
“Anonymous?” you decide it’s time to get him home, hopefully he doesn’t live too far into the Everfree and if he does then he’ll have to get back by himself.
>He nods.
“Where do you come from?”
>”Another world.”
>You’re a little shocked when he speaks up, his voice is quite low in comparison to ponies. Also that he claims to be from another world is just as shocking, you don’t recall other creatures from other worlds coming here before.
“Another world?”
>”Yes.”
“Do you have a home here and are there more of your kind?”
>”I have shelter in that forest and none that are here.”
>You’re quickly learning he’s not the talkative type with these short answers.
>You feel a little guilty for wanting to send him back home right away, if what he says is true then maybe you should find him somewhere to stay.
>”Can we keep him? I’ve always wanted a dog,” Sweetie Belle asks with a bounce of joy.
“Sweetie, he’s not a dog, he’s a...” you look him over as you try and think what possible creature he could be.
>No creature in Equestria resembles him that much, possibly the Minotaurs but he looks far too unique to be one of those brutish creatures.
>”Human,” he fills in for you.
“Thank you. He’s a human”
>”So... is that a yes?”
>You sigh in frustration. You want to help him out but she just wants a pet.
“Look, go play somewhere while I sort out Anonymous here.”
>She hangs her head and walks up to her room while you lead Anonymous into the kitchen.
>He remains quite the whole time while you make you both some tea.
>As you pour the hot water into the cups you think of a few questions to ask him, but you get lost in thought as there’s so much you’d like to ask him and nearly over fill the cups.
>You carefully carry the tea in your magic back to the table where Anonymous is sitting.
“Here you go, careful it’s hot.”
>”Thanks,” he replies before taking a small sip.
“So, how did you get here?”
>”I’m not sure, I was walking home one day when I was knocked unconscious by something and when I came to, I was in that forest.”
>That seems very unlikely but you’re unsure how exactly to figure out if that’s the truth or not.
>This is more Twilight’s department.
>As you realise this is something you should be taking to her, two fillies walk in through the door with a purple unicorn closely in tow.
>”Hiya Rarity,” the two fillies, Scootaloo and Applebloom speak up.
“Hello girls, hello Twilight. What a coincidence I-”
>You pause when you realise Twilight isn’t even listening; she’s too busy start at Anonymous.
>”Amazing~!” she states, completely enthralled by this creature.
”Yes, his name is Anonymous.”
>”Anonymous? That’s an odd name.”
>”Yeah I know. The little white one likes to call me that.”
>”Wow, a new species. I have so many questions to ask you.”
“That’s wonderful darling, can you watch over Sweetie Belle while I drop these two off? It’s getting late.”
>You gesture to Scoots and Applebloom and Twilight nods, still too preoccupied with creature before her.

>When you get back you find Twilight is asking question after question and writing it down faster than the eye can keep track of while Anonymous has a drained look on him.
>The poor dear must have answered hundreds of her questions already, she tends to get a bit swept up in the chance to learn something new.
“Twilight?” you call out but she doesn’t even notice your presence.
>You call out again, a little louder, to no benefit. Anonymous stops talking and waits which seems to return Twilight back to reality.
>”Oh Rarity, I’m sorry I just got so-”
“It’s quite alright darling but,” you step closer to her and lower your voice to a whisper, “is ‘it’ safe?”
>”Oh yes, he’s quite polite. I think you two will get along pretty well actually.”
“If you believe he is then that’s a relief.”
>”Yes, which reminds me, do you think you could let him stay here for a while?”
“What, why?”
>You’re taken aback by her sudden request.
>”Well it’s just that Spike has gotten bigger and he uses the extra bed now so I don’t have the room. It’s impossible for him to reach Rainbow’s, Fluttershy has her animals and the Cake’s have both Pinkie and the twins so that leaves you or Applejack.”
“I guess I have a spare bed in the study I could put him up in?”
>”Are you sure? If it’s too much trouble then I’m sure Applejack will let him sleep in the barn.”
“In a dirty, smelly old barn? No, it’s quite alright. I’ll let him have the spare bed for now... I guess.”
>”Thank you so much. I’ll come by tomorrow to check up on him, and you.”
“Alright, see you then Twilight.”
>She leaves the boutique, leaving just you and Anonymous in the room.
>You’re still unsure about all this but it feels like the right thing to do.
>Your main concern is Sweetie Belle, you don’t want her thinking she can keep him as a pet as this is just a temporary thing.
>Sweetie Belle then comes rushing down the stairs.
>”I just heard. Are we keeping him? Wait, so does this mean I finally have a pet? YAY!”
>You try to speak up and correct her but it’s too late, she’s already showing Anonymous around the boutique.
>You let out a long breath as you think to yourself how you’ve basically adopted a large pet.
“That’s just wonderful Rarity,” you express in very sarcastic tone.
