Title:           In Winter's Hold (UPDATE - 4/5)
Author:          Tavifag
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/EZDiU8JF
First Edit:      Friday 2nd of September 2016 08:22:11 AM CDT
Last Edit:       Last edit on: Wednesday 5th of April 2017 01:48:35 AM CDT

IN WINTER'S HOLD
 
>The cool breeze rolls down from the snow-capped summits and playfully whirls around the ancient stone edifices above you, flitting there amongst those lofty heights for just a moment before swooping down to softly caress your sweat-covered face.
>It’s a much-needed bit of relief, but it can’t distract you from the fact that you’re in agony.
>Your knees are throbbing, your hips are screaming at you, and the ever-present dull pain in your back is getting worse than usual.
>To top things off, the insane altitude of this place is making you feel woozy and even more tired than you normally are.
>”Mr. Anonymous, you’re not looking too well. Please drink some water. The guide said that it was especially important for you to stay hydrated once we began nearing the city.”
>You huff and begrudgingly grab the canteen out of your assistant’s hoof, feeling the twinge of arthritis in your fingers as you attempt to unscrew the lid.
>Your personal assistant is a good, competent mare, but damn if she doesn’t love to nag you.
>Your annoyance is increased as you take a refreshing gulp of the water and realize that yes, you were indeed dehydrated, and that Coriander Blossom’s nagging was completely justified.
>Again.
>You sigh in resignation as you feel some strength returning to you. “Thanks Cori. It’s just...why are we meeting Celestia here of all places?”
>You look around at the impressive stone architecture, seemingly carved into the face of the mountains. It’s definitely ancient, but the intricate craftsmanship and architecture is unlike anything you’ve seen.
>It’s alien and exotic, and yet it seems oddly familiar.
>”Furthermore, what is this place?” you feel compelled to add.
>Coriander rolls her eyes, pretending that she doesn’t relish every chance she gets to lecture you on your business.
>”Oh come now, surely you remember setting this meeting up with the Royal Archaeology Society seven months ago! This is Inti Pacha, the ancient Sun City of the Llamas. Celestia herself has taken interest in this place because they just discovered some kind of weird sun temple here that’s unlike anything ever seen before. She wants to know if it might be evidence of ancient humans in this world, and since you’re a renowned archaeologist and a human to boot…”
>You facepalm intensely. “Ugh. Ancient humans? Really? I swear, Celestia gets crazier every year.”
>Coriander Blossom shrugs off this casual blasphemy against the God-Empress of Ponykind and continues on the narrow road up to the stone city above the clouds.
>As you continue your monotonous trudge up the path, your mind naturally wanders.
>You’ve heard of Inti Pacha before. The Llaman Empire is not your area of expertise, but you’re sure you’ve read about it somewhere or maybe heard about it from one of the other professors at the university you teach at.
>But there was more to it than that, wasn’t there? You’re gripped by the unshakeable feeling that this place meant something to you at one point.
>But when?
 
>You try desperately to remember but nothing seems to be coming to you, and the frustration is only making this hike even more unpleasant.
>You grumble and idly wish that you were back teaching a class at the university right now.
>Wait.
>Inti Pacha...teaching a class…
>You finally make the connection. Realization hits you like a tidal wave and your hands begin to shake.
>You lift your gaze up to the highest peak and see a faded memory from your youth in living color.
>There at the highest point of the old Llaman Empire is the great statue of the Sun Goddess, a massive sculpture of a llama with the sun for its head rearing up triumphantly.
>You fall to your achy, creaking knees, oblivious to the pain.
>”I’m here…” you mutter. “After all these years...the Sun City.”
>Coriander looks back and gasps, galloping to your side. “Mr. Anonymous! Are you alright? What’s wrong?”
>You look up at Coriander and laugh despite yourself. To think that you’d finally wind up here!
>Your personal assistant laughs nervously with you. “Please, Anonymous. Say something. Are you quite alright?”
>After a few moments, you finally regain your composure enough to address her. “Yes, I’m fine. This place just...jogged my memory.”
>She raises her eyebrow. “Have you been here before?”
>You shake your head and rise back to your feet, dusting off your knees.. “No, but the Sun City was very special to someone I knew long, long ago.”
>”Hmmm.” Coriander purrs. “Color me intrigued. Would this someone happen to be a pretty mare?”
>You can’t help but grin. “That obvious, huh?”
>She just giggles.
>You walk on in silence for about a minute or so, your mind suddenly awash in memories of that mare from your youth.
>”Well, you gonna spill the beans or what?” Coriander interjects.
>”Wha…?”
>She gives you a mischievous smile. “Tell me about her! I want to know!”
>”Really? You really want to hear about this?”
>”Sure, why not? We’ve still got a ways to go before we reach the city. A story might make things go faster.”
>You purse your lips, debating whether or not you really want to do this.
>”Come on, Anon…” your partner gently cajoles.
>”Fiiiiiiiine.”
>Coriander cheers and clops her hooves together.
>You take another swig of water, clear your throat, and prepare your best storytelling voice.
>”A long, long time ago when I first came to Equestria, I lived in Ponyville. The arrival of a human understandably caused a great sensation, and Twilight Sparkle wanted to keep me nearby for study. I taught the ponies all I could about the human world, and they tried to give me a proper Equestrian education in return, which was how I first met her...”
 
>You glance up at the clock, waiting for the torturously slow minute hand to work its way to the top of the hour.
>Twilight Sparkle is rambling about some sort of theory she just came up with about how your dimensions might have been thaumaturgically entangled due to some sort of magicka imbalance at a quantum level in the heart of a supermassive black hole.
>To be honest, you have no idea what she’s been talking about for the past 45 minutes, and you know better than to ask for her to explain any of the terms she’s throwing around. It just leads to further “informative” tangents.
>All you care about is making it to four o’clock, when magic theory ends and your history and geography tutor arrives.
>Not that you dislike Twilight Sparkle, of course. She’s nice enough, and she arranged for your education upon your unexpected arrival in the pony world. It just feels like these magic “classes” are more an excuse for her to probe you for latent magical abilities and then theorize endlessly about why you inexplicably woke up in this world a few weeks ago.
>”Ooooh! Tell me Anon, did you or anyone near you happen to be practicing summoning spells on the day you traveled here?” Twilight asks, leaning in and enthusiastically invading your personal space with her nerdy horseface.
>You lean back in your chair. “For the last time, Twilight, humans don’t practice magic.”
>”Are you sure? You didn’t notice the smell of brimstone, demon blood, and liquefied death essence coming from any of your neighbors?”
>”I mean, there were these Koreans a few doors down that did a lot of cooking…”
>”Fascinating!” Twilight cries as she scribbles wildly in her notebook. “Tell me allllll about them.”
>Mercy finally comes in the form of three short knocks on the door.
>Twilight looks up at the clock and visibly deflates when she realizes that playtime is over. “Oh...come on in.”
>The door cracks open and you’re relieved to see Cheerilee poke her head in, her trademark smile gleaming on her face. Not only is she the teacher at the Ponyville Schoolhouse, but she also comes and tutors you once class is out, saving you from Twilight’s attempts at education.
>“Hey you two! Just wanted to let you know I’m ready to start Anon’s history lesson whenever you guys get done in here.”
>Fuck. Twilight gives you a smug look, knowing that she can still sink her claws into you for a few more minutes.
>Not today. Time to take control of your own fate. You rise from your seat and open up the door all the way for Cheerilee. “I think we were at a good stopping point, weren’t we? I really can’t wait to hear about the foundation of Ponyville, Cheerilee.”
>Cheerilee laughs as she enters and drops her book bag on the table. “My, I wish my regular students were as enthusiastic as you, Anon!”
>You look directly at Twilight as you speak. “Oh yes, It’s precisely four o’clock, so that means I’m very enthusiastic about learning pony history, Cheerilee.”
>”B-but Anon, the Koreans…” Twilight stammers.
>”Didn’t you have a very important friendship meeting scheduled for right now, Twilight?”
>Your magic tutor gasps, immediately bolting from her seat. “Oh...oh gosh! You’re totally right. I’m going to be so late! Ohhhh, I hope Fluttershy and the bunnies can forgive me!”
>Twilight’s horn lights up and she disappears in a flash of magic and tardiness.
>Cheerilee sits down and you follow suit, taking your seat across the table from her. She says nothing at first, merely giving you the bemused half-smirk of an experienced educator whose finely-tuned bullshit senses are tingling.
>”What?” you ask as innocently as you can.
>”Anon, I know Twilight is not the greatest of teachers, but it’s important that you understand the basics of magic, not only because it will help you understand our world but also because it might help us figure out how and why you got here.”
>You slump down in your seat, feeling very much like a guilty schoolboy. “I know, I know. It’s just that I always get the sense that magic class is more about her than it is about me, you know?”
>Cheerilee places her hoof on your hand and gives you a reassuring smile that makes you feel like melting. “I’ll have a chat with her tomorrow and share a few teaching techniques if you promise to take magic a bit more seriously from now on, okay?”
>”Okay.” You softly murmur. “And for what it’s worth, I really am excited to learn about how Ponyville came to be.”
>Cheerilee nods graciously. “I know you are. Like I said, you’re a very welcome change of pace, especially after the day I had today.”
>Immediately after saying that, she looks embarrassed that she let it slip.
>”Aww, is something wrong?” you politely ask.
>She shakes her head and quickly slips her professional mask back on, cheerfully smiling as she always does. “Oh no, it’s nothing. Anyways, open your book to page 70 and let’s begin.”
 
>Cheerilee starts her lesson, and you’re immediately engrossed in the story of the pony world.
>Ponyville apparently was the result of a very interesting application of the Royal Homestead Charter Act that you learned about a few days ago.
>You learn why Princess Celestia granted the land that would become Ponyville to the Apple clan and why it caused a furor in the House of Lords, which hadn’t expected Celestia to use the Act to expand her own demesne into the supposedly uninhabitable Everfree when they passed it into law.
>All throughout, your tutor does a great job of presenting the content in an interesting and easily understood way. She answers your questions with authority and you can tell that she relishes being able to teach without having to worry about babysitting a bunch of kids who don’t want to be there in the first place.
>But despite her excellent lesson, something seems off about her today. She looks a bit disheveled, and you notice that there are bags underneath her light green eyes.
>That, coupled with what she said at the start of your lesson, leaves you feeling a bit of concern as you take in your history lesson.
>And then, it’s over. Your all-too-brief hour with Cheerilee is up. She assigns some further reading for you to do, thanks you for being so attentive, and begins to pack her things up.
>As she gets ready to go, you wonder if maybe you should see if she’s alright. You don’t really have a relationship with her beyond being her student, but she’s obviously a nice pony and you don’t like the thought of her being down. At the same time, she might just brush it off like she did at the start of the lesson.
>You suppose there’s no harm in trying again.
>As she’s making her way to the door, you pipe up. ”Hey Cheerilee, are you sure you’re okay?”
>She stops in her tracks with her back to you. You can swear you see the slightest hint of a sigh escape her before she turns to you, wearing a smile that looks less convincing than ever. “Yeah, Anon. I’m just a little down in the dumps today. I’m sorry that you noticed. I hope it didn’t take away from my lesson! I’ll be better tomorrow.”
>You shake your head vehemently. “No, no! You were great as usual. And you don’t have to be sorry. Do you maybe want to talk about it over dinner or something?”
>Wait what? Did you seriously just ask the talking horse out on a date? And she’s your teacher, too! What has this place done to you?
>Cheerilee looks down at the floor, the smile fading from her face. “Anon, I don’t...I’m not sure that would be appropriate. You’re my student, you know?”
>Oh god, you can feel the spaghetti welling up in your pockets. ”Well yeah, but it’s not like I’m a kid. You’re really nice, and...well, I sorta think of you as a friend as well as a teacher.”
>She seems to churn this around in her head for a few seconds. Suddenly, the gloom starts to dissipate from countenance. “To be honest, Anon, I feel the same. Our study sessions always seem to be the highlight of my day, and I’ve started really looking forward to them.”
>”I’m really happy to hear that…” you murmur, fighting back the growing tightness in your throat as a warm, tingling feeling starts to swell in your chest. Is this the magic of friendship that Twilight Sparkle is always yapping about?
>Cheerilee looks you in the eye inquisitively. “You’re sure you want to listen to a middle-aged schoolteacher complain about her life, though?”
>”If you think it would help.”
>The teacher pony shrugs. “If the talking doesn’t help, the alcohol sure will. Let’s go.”
 
>You say goodbye to Twilight and head out, following Cheerilee closely as she weaves her way down the still-unfamiliar cobblestone roads of Ponyville.
>It seems like she’s taking you all the way across town.
>”Where are we headed, Cheerilee?”
>”The best tavern in Ponyville!” she chirps as she makes a sharp left turn and veers off onto a dirt path.
>After a somewhat uncomfortable walk through a shady part of Ponyville that you didn’t even know existed, you finally come to it.
>The Silver Shovel is a run-down dump of a place complete with busted windows, paint peeling off of the walls, and a moldy thatch roof.
>”This is the best tavern in Ponyville?”
>Cheerilee nods solemnly as she opens the door for you. “Yes indeedy.”
>The inside of the tavern is just as ramshackle and filthy as the outside. Most of the tables are empty and covered in dust, and the ones that aren’t empty play host to a few rough-looking gem miners and some old drunken sods.
>At the very least, there’s something cooking in the kitchen that smells good
>”Um, why is this the best tavern in Ponyville?” you ask Cheerilee as she blows the dust off of a table in the corner and calmly takes her seat, beckoning you to join her.
>”Because it’s the only one where I can be reasonably sure I won’t run into the parents of any of the students I teach.” Cheerilee states matter-of-factly.
>”You really think ponies would object to seeing the schoolteacher having a drink every once in awhile?”
>Cheerilee guffaws. “Oh no, I think they would all be very understanding if they saw me hitting the bottle. No, the problem is that once I get a few in me, I tend to say things that I regret.” She locks eyes with you, a strange intensity burning in her pretty green irises and her sweet voice suddenly dripping with venom. “And believe me Anon, there are so many things I would love to say to some of those parents.”
>You’re caught off guard and not quite sure what to say to that. Luckily, the barmaid chooses this moment to show up at your table.
>She does a triple take when she sees you, looking you up and down to make sure you’re real. “Oy Cheerilee, did you just bring the human I’ve been hearin’ so much about into my tavern?”
>Cheerilee smiles. “I did, Barley.”
>”...And yer sure he can have a drink?”
>”I can.” you deadpan.
>”Right then, what’ll it be?”
>”I’ll have a bowl of your carrot stew and a Sweet Apple Cider.” Cheerilee orders confidently.
>Then the barmaid looks at you. “Ummm, I guess I’ll have the same thing.”
>Seeing as how you didn’t even get a menu, you really didn’t have much of a choice otherwise.
>She nods and saunters off to the kitchen, her club hoof giving her a zombie-like gait as she goes.
>”Good choice.” Cheerilee coos. “The stew here is to die for.”
>”I’m glad. So what exactly would you say to those parents that would get you in trouble?”
>She laughs bitterly. “Oh, all sorts of things. I care deeply for my students, Anon, and it makes me extremely angry when I realize that about half of them have parents that are too wrapped up in themselves to nurture their children and show them the right path. I try to help as much as I can, but there’s only so much a teacher can do if a child’s home life is garbage.”
>Your food and drinks arrive. Cheerilee immediately takes a tremendous swig of her cider.
>You continue the conversation between sips of delicious cider and spoonfuls of surprisingly tasty vegetable stew. “Well, it’s not really fair to blame yourself for that, is it? I’m sure you do everything you can for your students. Actually, I’m willing to bet you regularly go above and beyond for them. There’s nothing you can do if their parents suck, but I’m sure you do your best with what you’ve got. I don’t think you have anything to be ashamed of.”
>At this, Cheerilee looks like she’s been stabbed in the heart. She slumps down in her seat and takes another deep drink of the strongly alcoholic cider. “Oh, Anon…”
>”Cheerilee?”
>She looks around conspiratorially, then speaks to you in a hushed tone. “Listen, there’s something I need to tell you. You’re an outsider to Ponyville, so I think you can be trusted with it. Just please, please, please promise me that you’ll never tell another living soul.”
 
>You fidget nervously. This got really heavy really fast. Still, you need to stay strong for your friend. “You can count on me, Cheerilee.”
>Cheerilee greedily drains the last of her cider, motioning for the barmaid to bring another. She takes a deep breath, as if bracing herself for a blow. “The truth is that I’m not doing all that I could for my students. There is a pair of vicious bullies making life miserable for several of them right under my nose. This has gone on for a couple of years now and I haven’t done a thing to stop it.”
>”What? Why?!”
>”Because these two fillies happen to be the daughters of very prominent members of the community. Both serve on the school board, and one of them, a scumbag by the name of Filthy Rich, owns about half of the town. If I take any action against their daughters, they’ll have me fired and most likely stripped of my teaching license too.”
>Cheerilee rubs her temple with her hooves. “So that’s why I’m in a bad mood today, Anon. Right before I came to your lesson, I had just spent the last hour in a meeting with Filthy Rich. He screamed, ranted, raved, called me every name in the book, and made very real threats against my job, all because his daughter got a C+ on her midterm writing assignment.”
>You gingerly reach out you hand and rest it on Cheerilee’s hoof. “Holy crap. I don’t even know what to say…”
>She hesitates briefly before squeezing your hand with her hoof and knocking back nearly her entire mug of cider in one mighty gulp. She slams it down with a metallic clang and belches demurely. “Nothing you can say, Anon. At least It feels good to finally get to share this with someone.”
>Cheerilee finishes what’s left of her second mug and calls for another. You’re about halfway through your first mug and already feeling buzzed. “The very worst part, though,” Cheerilee continues, her words starting to slur ever so slightly, “is watching those poor fillies suffer. There’s three of them that the bullies target in particular. It used to be because they were late to get their cutie marks, but now I think they just bully them for the fun of it. I know all three of those girls are afraid to come to school at this point. Their grades have slipped and I’ve had truancy issues with all of them. Heck, one of them was an honor student before this all started. Now she’s lucky to get a C.”
>”And there’s really nothing you can do?”
>”Well, that’s what kills me. I could stand up for them. I could do the right thing and put it all on the line for those girls. It’s what a good teacher would do. But I’m too weak. Too scared. I just…” Cheerilee sniffles and wipes a tear from her eye. “I just avert my eyes and pretend not to hear those poor little fillies getting tormented, even though it tears me up inside every single time.”
>You’re silent as Cheerilee does her best to suppress the tears rolling down her cheeks. You can’t believe that she can put on such a sunny, happy disposition for the world even when she’s dealing with shit like this on the inside.
>Cheerilee sniffles a few times more and finally gets herself back under control with the help of a few swigs of alcohol. “Heh, I must look so pathetic…”
>”No,” you softly reassure her, “not at all. It’s an impossible situation you’re in, and anyone would be troubled over it.”
>She smiles. It’s a pained smile, but a genuine one, and you find it beautiful. “You’re sweet, Anon.”
>You smile tenderly at her. “You’ll figure something out. I believe in you.”
>”Heheh. Thanks. It’s just...I never thought it would turn out like this. I had such big dreams when I was young. I was going to travel the world and help kids all over learn to read and write. But now, here I am. It all went so fast.” She glances over at the dusty jukebox in the corner and sighs wistfully. “I remember when my friends and I used to dance all night to a jukebox just like that. All that mattered back then were the latest new tunes and getting cute stallions to notice us...”
>You look over at the jukebox, and an idea takes shape in your head. You take Cheerilee by the hoof. “Well then, how about we dance?”
>Cheerilee blushes brightly, although you can’t tell if it’s from embarrassment or drunkenness. “W-what? We can’t just....I mean, it’s been years and...and I’ve never even danced with a human before!”
>”And I’ve never danced with a quadruped. But I’m willing to learn. Won’t you teach me, Miss Cheerilee?”
>Okay, she’s definitely blushing from embarrassment. You can see the hot pink through the purple fur on her face, and it’s only getting more intense. “Anon, I don’t know…”
>”Come on,” you plead, “just one song. We can sit right back down if you don’t like it.”
>”Ugh...a-alright. Just one song. And I get to choose!”
 
>You lead Cheerilee out to the “dancefloor,” which is just a small area in front of the jukebox where the tables have been cleared from the creaky floorboards. She blows the dust off of the jukebox and starts flipping through it, making critical sounds as her discerning musical tastes dismiss page after page of modern garbage.
>You notice that several of the other patrons of the tavern are eying you suspiciously, but you pay them no mind.
>”Aha!” Cheerilee cries out. “Good to know that these machines still have a little bit of good music on them.” She throws a bit into the slot and the jukebox sputters to life.
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djV11Xbc914
>You’ve heard a smattering of what the ponies consider popular music since you arrived, and this song sounds very little like it. Judging from the big grin on her face, you’d wager that it’s from Cheerilee’s youth.
>Your partner starts moving to the beat and timidly approaching you as she tries to remember how she used to dance. You stay in place, bouncing up and down in rhythm and waiting for her to make the first move.
>Suddenly her hooves break out into a very complex rhythm, moving back and forth and rapidly crossing over one another as they subdivide the beat into two or even four.
>After a few bars, you catch on that her hind hooves seem to be moving to the bassline while her front ones sync with the melody. You decide to compromise by moving your left foot with the rhythm section and tap the melody with your right.
>It’s awkward as fuck and you and Cheerilee stumble over each other several times, but eventually you get into a good rhythm with her, moving closer from her and then backing off as the beat demands and even managing to pull off a few basic spins.
>About halfway through the song, she’s practically beaming up at you, her cares seemingly forgotten. “Hey!” She shouts. “Show me how humans dance now!”
>Thank god. Your legs were getting really tired. You decide to scoop Cheerilee’s forelegs out from under her, holding them with your hands and moving with her in a bipedal dance.
>She giggles wildly as she struggles to keep her balance, leaning into you for support. It’s a bit difficult for you too, since she’s much shorter than you even when she’s reared up like this and you have to bend your back at a weird angle to make it work.
>By the end of the song, she’s moving on two legs like a pro and staring up at you with stars in her eyes.
>Eventually the music comes to a stop and you set her down as you catch your breath. “So what do you think? Wanna go sit back down?”
>Cheerilee lets out a carefree laugh. “Not a chance!”
>She bolts over to the jukebox, and soon you’re dancing to another synth-heavy pop song from when she was young.
>You’re about halfway through this song when you notice something out of the corner of your eye.
>The rough and tumble miners that frequent this bar seem to have come down and circled around you.
>They do not look pleased.
>Crap.
>You set Cheerilee’s front hooves down and alert her to the problem.
>She frowns and boldly walks over to the biggest, meanest looking miner of the group.
>And then she offers him her hoof.
>The big stallion glares down at Cheerilee, sizing her up like a rock to be crushed.
>Suddenly, the dour look on his face breaks into a smile and he eagerly takes her hoof, clumsily dancing with her to the beat as the rest of the miners cheer.
>Guess they just felt left out.
>You barely have time to sigh with relief before some big mining mare grabs your hands with her calloused hooves, eager to learn how to dance like a human.
>The whole tavern dances for hours, and for at least one night in the dark and dreary slums of Ponyville, all the cares of the world are forgotten.
 
>You hadn’t intended to stay at the Silver Shovel until closing time. When Barley the barmaid does last call, it comes as a shock to you.
>Judging from the disappointed groans of the dancing ponies, they lost track of time too.
>You and Cheerilee pound down one last round for the road, savoring the sweet, tangy kick of Sweet Apple Acres’ finest one last time before settling your bills and staggering out into the cold night air together.
>You shiver, wishing you brought a coat. The cider gives you a warm and wonderful sensation in your stomach and chest, but you’re not quite drunk enough to be oblivious to the chill.
>Your legs are also numb from all the dancing and you feel completely worn out.
>Cheerilee on the other hand…
>”Oh Anon! That was the most fun I’ve had in years!” She squeals out in delight as she grabs onto a light pole and swings herself around it a few times. “It’s such a beautiful night and...and...and you’re my best friend!”
>She lovingly rubs herself against your side as you walk. It’s more than a little awkward, but hey, it’s keeping you warm.
>You don’t have to go very far to reach Cheerilee’s house. It’s a small, well-kept, and unassuming little thing, not quite in the heart of the slums, but definitely close enough to still be unsavory.
>She fumbles with her key for a few moments before managing to get it unlocked.
>She tries to open it and it doesn’t budge. She softly curses when she remembers that she needs to do the deadbolt too.
>That takes a few moments as well. Finally the door creaks open. She turns to face you on her doorstep.
>Looks like this is goodbye.
>”Cheerilee, it was really nice. I’m glad we got to do this.”
>She nuzzles you again and then pulls back, her eyes half-lidded as she sways softly from side to side. “Anon, thank you. Tonight was amazing. I haven’t danced like that in so long.”
>As you look at her standing there, her mane wild and matted with sweat, the moonlight glinting in her eyes, and a perfectly content smile on her face, you’re struck with some very odd thoughts.
>The ponies always looked a little strange and alien to you, but right now...maybe it’s the alcohol talking, but right now Cheerilee just looks heart-wrenchingly beautiful. You don’t see her as your teacher, or a member of an alien horse race, or anything like that.
>All you see is a lovely lady that you just had a great night out with. And that coalesces into a very strong and very confusing desire to kiss her.
>But no. That would be really weird. Wouldn’t it? She’s your teacher. She’s your friend. She’s a horse.
>You shake off the crazy voice inside of your head and force your limp legs to turn and start carrying you home. “Good night, Cheerilee. I’ll see you on Monday.”
>You give her one last friendly smile and start your trek home.
>You take one step.
>Two steps
>Three steps.
>”Ummm,  w-wait! A-Anon…”
>You glance back at Cheerilee. “Yeah?”
>Weird. Even in the low light you can tell that she’s blushing like crazy. “Hey Anon, it’s...ummm...it’s a really long walk back to your house and I just kinda noticed that it’s kinda cold outside, so, uh, would you maybe like to come inside for a minute? J-just to warm up! I can put some tea on…”
>Holy. Shit. You really can’t believe what you’re hearing. She can’t seriously be offering that.
>Your heart is beating so hard you feel like it’s going to pop. There’s no way you can do this. She’s your teacher. And a pony. It would be so awkward. You shouldn’t even be considering it.
>Why are you considering it?
>Then again, Cheerilee does have a point. It’s a long way to walk, especially with your legs in the state they’re in, and you are kind of cold. And tea sounds really nice.
>And hey, ponies are really innocent, right? Maybe she really does just want to make you some tea.
>Yeah. Yeah, that’s it. It must be it. You’ll just duck inside for a moment to rest your legs and have a nice cup of tea, and then head on home once your strength is back.
>You turn around, your legs suddenly feeling even shakier than they were before. “Ummm, yeah. That sounds really nice.”
 
>Cheerilee clops her front hooves together joyfully and leads you inside, lighting up a few kerosene lamps for illumination.
>You collapse like a sack of hammers into a sofa in her living room, every muscle in your body crying out in pure ecstasy as it finally gets to rest.
>Your gracious hostess giggles at the sight of you sprawled out on her couch. “Poor thing. Just stay right there and I’ll get some water boiling.” she coos.
>As you listen to the clanking and clattering coming from the kitchen, you have a look at your surroundings.
>It’s not what you expected Cheerilee’s living room to look like at all.
>Pictures and paintings of exotic locations are everywhere, interspersed with several bookcases full of what seems to be a huge collection of adventure novels along with the occasional historical and ethnological text.
>Her mantel is decorated with a mishmash of weird sculptures and religious icons, a few framed pictures of strange ruins, and even a set of wicked-looking obsidian daggers, all of which seem to be from wildly different cultures.
>Most prominent of all is the huge framed black and white photograph above the mantle, which depicts an impressive stone city in the mountains with a huge sculpture of some sort of quadruped with the sun for its head looming over it.
>Cheerilee practically bounces into the living room and flops down onto the couch next to you, a few of her aging joints popping as she stretches out. She sighs with relief as she snuggles into the plush softness of the couch. “Mmmm...water should be ready in a few minutes. I’m just going to rest here until then…”
>You glance around the room. “So, uh...nice place you’ve got here.”
>She gives you a playful smirk. “Do you really think so, or are you just saying that?”
>”Yeah! It has a very adventurous vibe to it. I just...didn’t really know about this side of you.”
>She gazes around the room and speaks somewhat wistfully. “It’s like I told you when I was feeling sorry for myself back at the Shovel: I really wanted to travel the world when I was young. Still do. But you know how these things go. Sometimes you have to compromise. If I can’t go out and see the world…”
>”...at least you can bring the world here.” You finish.
>She nods slowly.
>”Well I think it’s wonderful. You’ll have to lend me some of your adventure novels sometime.”
>She leans over and rubs her cheek against your shoulder. “Thank you, Anon. You’re welcome to them anytime.”
>From the other room, the whistling of the tea kettle indicates that the water is boiling. Cheerilee laboriously rises from her comfy seat and heads to the kitchen. She returns a few minutes later carrying a tray in her mouth with the kettle, a bowl of sugar cubes, and two steaming cups of tea.
>She gracefully sets it down on the coffee table and takes her seat next to you again.
>You thank her graciously, drop one sugar into your tea, and have a sip. It’s a very nice black tea, decently strong and just the right temperature for a chilly evening.
>”This is wonderful, Cheerilee.”
>”Yeah,” she murmurs, “it is.”
 
>You glance over at the window and are surprised to see that it has a thin layer of frost covering it. Outside, you can see the glimmer of snowflakes falling past the window and being gently illuminated by the dull orange glow of the kerosene lamps.
>”Huh. Guess it’s a good thing I didn’t try to walk home.” you say, motioning towards the window.
>”Oh my!” Cheerilee gasps. “The pegasi must be doing a test run of this winter’s snow. I guess tonight will be a cold one. Would you like to help me get a fire going?”
>”Of course.”
>You head out the back door and grab a few logs from the pile behind the house, the cold night nipping at your nose as you do.
>Cheerilee has some kindling ready by the time you’re back in, and in no time at all you have a roaring fire going.
>You settle back in on the couch and get back to sipping your tea as you bask in the warmth radiating from the fireplace.
>All at once, you feel an a new and unexpected source of heat as Cheerilee scoots right up next to you and rests her head on your shoulder.
>”Anon,” she practically whispers, “I’m glad you stayed.”
>You instinctively wrap your arm around her and pull her close. The smooth, short fur of her body feels so soft and warm.
>”I’m glad I stayed too.”
>You hold her just like that for several minutes, lying back and listening to the crackling of the fire, the faint howling of the wind, and the occasional sound of the mare next to you taking a dainty sip of her tea.
>Your eyes, however, keep getting drawn to the picture above the mantel. Your curiosity eventually gets the better of you and you break the golden silence.
>”Hey Cheerilee, what’s that big picture above the fireplace?”
>She nuzzles you tenderly and yawns. “Mmmm. That, my student, is the ancient city of Inti Pacha and its great sun goddess statue. It was the most impressive city of the ancient Llaman Empire and is still inhabited by llamas to this day. The statue is almost as tall as the Statue of Harmony in Manehattan, and I’ve wanted to see it ever since I was a little filly. In fact, stories of Inti Pacha are what got me interested in this sort of thing in the first place!”
>”But you’ve never been?”
>She shakes her head. “No. Too expensive and oftentimes too dangerous with all the political instability down there.”
>”Well, I’m sure that won’t keep a pony as adventurous as you away for long.”
>She chuckles softly. “Hey Anon…”
>You turn your head to look at her. “Yes?”
>”Is it okay if I maybe try something a little adventurous right now?”
>You blink a few times in confusion. “Ummm, sure?”
>Before you can process what’s happening, Cheerilee has thrown her forelegs around your neck, pulled you close, and pressed her lips against yours.
 
>You’re paralyzed with shock for a moment as the sloppy intensity of Cheerilee’s kiss quickly ramps up.
>So much for her having innocent intentions.
>A distant part of your mind tells you that this is crazy, but it’s very quickly lost in the drunken haze.
>It’s a cold night and she feels so warm and wonderful. Her lips are soft and you can still taste the sweet cider on them. That’s all that matters right now.
>You return her kiss vigorously, pressing back strongly against her attack and mounting a counteroffensive of your own.
>She lets out a dreamy little moan into your mouth as her passion is finally reciprocated. Before you know it, she has wiggled her way into your lap, pressing her entire body against you. All the while her lips move against yours, rolling forwards and back like a gentle tide.
>You wrap your arms around her and hold her as close as you can, your hands gently trace along her sides and back, feeling more than the occasional knot in the poor, stressed mare’s muscles.
>You stay like that for who knows how long, your lips locked in a tender, blissful exchange until Cheerilee shifts her weight and presses against you.
>You do nothing to stop her, and find yourself falling backwards. Your tired back finally rests against the plush couch cushions, with Cheerilee resting on top of you.
>You gaze up into her lovely green eyes as they flicker in the firelight. “Cheerilee…”
>She lightly presses her hoof to your mouth. “Shhhhh. Class is in session, and you have a lot to learn.”
>Oh god. Your pants suddenly feel a lot tighter. “Yes, Miss Cheerilee.”
>She smiles down at you and then leans in to continue your kiss. You happily return the favor, only to be surprised when her wet, slippery tongue slips past your lips and into your mouth.
>It’s a bit freaky at first. Her tongue is way longer than yours, which must be some sort of herbivore thing. She could almost effortlessly reach your throat with it. As it is, she’s pleasantly tickling all around your mouth with its rough surface.
>It takes a lot of getting used to, but you meet her tongue with yours as best you can and soon they’re locked in a tonsil tango in which she undeniably has the lead.
>You can also feel the horny mare start to gently move her hips on top of you. Even through your clothes, there’s a wetness between her legs that’s undeniable.
>All the while, you tenderly stroke your hands up and down the length of her strong back, marveling at the tactile sensation of her soft, smooth fur beneath your hands.
>Cheerilee groans in delight and breaks your kiss. “Oh Anon, your hands feel incredible.”
>”I’m glad you approve, Miss Cheerilee.”
>She giggles and leans in to whisper in your ear. “You are quite skilled, but I wonder...can you apply those skills to other areas of study?”
>You think you catch her meaning, and you’d be lying if you said hadn’t been thinking about doing it this whole time. You slide your hands down, cup Cheerilee’s generous bottom in both hands, and give it a squeeze.
>The lustful moan into your ear and the nibbles on your earlobe tell you that you got the right answer.
>You squeeze, prod, and rub all over her pillowy backside, drawing plenty of lewd little noises from your teacher as she kisses and nibbles up and down your neck.
>Just below, you can feel the heat of her most intimate place, and you’re pretty sure that you’re starting to catch its scent too. It’s practically crying out to be touched.
>As sweet as Cheerilee’s butt is, you can’t help but drift down towards the ultimate prize.
>You gently trace a finger up the long, strangely rubbery slit, marveling at how slick it already is.
>A shudder runs through your teacher’s entire body, and her breath catches in her throat. “Anon! Y-you naughty, naughty boy!”
>You give her your best innocent schoolboy smile. “I’m sorry Miss Cheerilee. I was just so curious about your sexy body…”
>She moans lewdly. “Wellllll, I suppose I shouldn’t fault my favorite student for having such a curious mind. Go ahead and explore to your heart’s content, sweetie.”
 
>You firmly press two fingers against Cheerilee and start stroking her kitty. She’s practically leaking a river of juice at this point, and your fingers make small squelching noises as you slide them up and down.
>You navigate downwards, trying to find her clit so that you can really make her squirm, but you have a little trouble locating it. As you’re feeling around in the general area, her entire vagina suddenly contracts, and a fleshy protrusion momentarily winks out.
>You give it a quick rub and Cheerilee goes wild, bucking her hips against you, burying her face into your shoulder, and crying out.
>Man, horses are weird.
>You waste no time, sliding a finger into your mare and tracing it along the spongy, tender walls inside of her. She rhythmically squeezes your finger as you start to fuck her with it, and you marvel at the inhuman muscle control she seems to have back there.
>You quickly locate the firm little pearl of flesh immediately inside of her and gently circle your finger around it.
>Sure enough, she contracts around you again and her clitoris goes winking out. It’s going to take some getting used to, but you can’t deny that this is amazing.
>From the steamy moans and groans she’s letting out, you assume that Cheerilee agrees.
>You decide to amp things up a bit.
>Using your left hand to spread her lips, you work two fingers into her quivering little box and begin to pleasure her with them.
>Her breath is hot against your neck as she repeatedly begs you not to stop. You can hear the tension rising in her ragged gasps, and her walls are contracting around you ever more tightly and frequently, desperately drawing you into her innermost parts.
>After a few minutes of this, your hand starts to tire. She whimpers needily as you gently withdraw it from her, only to cry out in bliss when you forcefully replace it with your left.
>You bring your dripping fingers up to her mouth, and she immediately starts licking and sucking them clean like a good little slut, staring at you with uncontrollable lust as she laps up every last drop.
>Once your right hand is nice and clean, you trail it back down, giving her rump a playful squeeze on the way.
>Cheerilee is practically melting into you. ”Anon! P-please don’t stop. Teacher is so close. More, please more!” She cries out.
>You obey like a good student, of course.
>Upping the intensity of your left hand’s motions, you slide your right thumb inside of her as well and begin heavily stimulating her little button.
>Cheerilee’s eyes roll into the back of her head and her tongue lolls out. A deluge of her juices is rolling onto the bulging crotch of your pants and her cries are getting so loud, you’re afraid she might wake the neighbors.
>Finally, the dam breaks. Cheerilee’s entire lower body tenses up and convulses as she screams out her white-hot ecstasy and clings to you with all of her might as she writhes for quite some time.
>She collapses into you when it’s over and you gently pull out your fingers, feeling one more convulsion when you accidentally drag one against her hypersensitive clit. You go back to softly caressing her butt and inner thighs while she catches her breath.
>At last, she weakly raises her head. “Anon...that was...I don’t even have words. Your hands are amazing!”
>You lean in and give her a quick, loving kiss. “Thank you, Miss Cheerilee.”
>She smiles and brushes one of her rear legs against the painfully erect monster in your pants. “And you’re so patient, too! I guess we should go take care of this now, hm?”
>”Oh god, yes please…”
>She giggles. “Take me to bed, then. Down the hall, second door on the left.”
>You rise to your tired feet, scoop Cheerilee up, and obediently bear her to the bedroom.
 
>Cracking open the bedroom door reveals a fairly nondescript sleeping chamber. Just a bookcase, nightstand, and armoire all made from the same cheap, light wood and a large bed in the center of things, neatly made with red and white striped sheets and blankets.
>The full moon is shining through the frosty window and you can see Cheerilee just fine in its silvery light as you set her down gently on the bed.
>She pats the spot right next to her and you lay yourself down by her side, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close to lock lips with her again.
>She softly strokes your chest as you savor your kiss.
>Cheerilee finally pulls away, giving you a smoldering look. “And now, my student, I believe it’s time for your examination. Just relax and let teacher assess you.”
>Something about hearing those words spoken from the exact same mare that was giving you a legitimate school lesson just a few hours ago makes your cheeks almost painfully flushed.
>Cheerilee wiggles herself downward and gets herself situated between your legs. She coos as she rubs the mighty bulge in your pants, getting her first real feel for your junk.
>”Alright then, let’s have a look.”
>She skillfully undoes the button on your pants with her tongue, rubbing her cheek against your desperately eager member as she does. Then it’s a simple matter of undoing your zipper with her teeth and eagerly pulling down your pants and underwear with one fluid motion of her hooves.
>You groan with relief as your naked cock finally springs free of its cloth prison. The dick has been deployed.
>Cheerilee’s eyes go wide and she lets out a soft moan as she takes in the view. “Oh...oh my. This is very nice, Anon. It’s a bit strange that it has no medial ring, but I like the shape.”
>You run a hand through her cotton candy-like mane. “I aim to please, Miss Cheerilee.”
>She chuckles and gives your member a few cursory pokes before sandwiching it between the soft undersides of her hooves and beginning to softly rub you. “I’m sure you shall, sweetheart…”
>Your penis twitches under the skilled movements of her hooves, dribbling a bit of precum to lubricate things down there. Cheerilee notices and swoops in to have a taste, flicking her tongue across the very tip of your member and making you gasp with the sudden shock of pleasure.
>”Mmmm,” she says as she smacks her lips. “Anon, you kinda taste...well, you taste like Sweet Apple Cider.”
>”What a shock.”
>The sensual mood dominating the room dissipates for a moment as you both share a laugh.
>Cheerilee gives you a sweet grin and a lighthearted wink before getting back to the business at hand.
 
>She releases you from her hooves and then presses her snout into the base of your shaft, gently pressing her dextrous tongue against you and ever-so-slowly dragging it up your entire length.
>The stimulation makes you arch your back a bit and draw in a ragged breath.
>She repeats this a few times, approaching your manhood from several different angles and getting a good feel for every square inch of it. This goes on until she decides to linger at the tip after a long lick, giving your sensitive crown a few sloppy kisses before swirling her tongue around it a few times.
>With a lewd moan, she parts her lips and sucks the head into the slippery confines of her mouth, suckling it forcefully and teasing you with the very tip of her tongue.
>You cry out and begin running your fingers through her mane, the soft sensation pairing nicely with the rapid shocks of pleasure radiating from the tip of your dick.
>Just as the stimulation is about to become overwhelming, Cheerilee pulls away, a thin strand of saliva still linking her lower lip with your cock.
>She darts downward with no hesitation. You feel the pleasant tingling of her tongue caressing your balls before she takes one into her mouth with a wet slurp and suckles it, pleasuring your member with her hoof as she does.
>Once she’s had her fill, she works her way back up, planting soft kisses on your shaft as she goes. She gives you another playful wink and then takes you back between her sweet lips.
>This time, however, she does more than suckle the tip. With a muffled moan, she begins to slowly move her head down, engulfing you inch by inch. Her long snout proves to be a tremendous advantage in this, and you feel yourself right at the entrance to her throat when her nose finally scrunches against your crotch.
>Cheerilee sucks you like a vacuum and slowly slides you back out of her mouth, delighting in watching you writhe on the sheets. She promptly gets to work, plunging your entire pecker into her mouth again and then riding it back up, falling into a vigorous rhythm in no time at all and teasing even more pleasure out of you with her wild tongue.
>All the while, she stares up at you with those gorgeous eyes, green like a paradise forest and glowing with the same joy and affection you saw when you were dancing earlier tonight.
>You grasp the back of her head with both hands and urge her onwards. You can already feel something very big swelling within in your loins, and each expert movement takes you one rung higher on the ladder to heaven.
>Your primitive instincts are taking over. You want more. You need to be inside of her.
>”Cheerilee...ahh! P-please…”
>She releases you from her mouth, the saliva coating your cock suddenly feeling quite cold in the night air. She gives you a devilish grin. “I’m sorry, Anon. I have a little trouble hearing students who don’t address me with the proper respect. Come again?”
>You groan in abject frustration. “MISS Cheerilee…”
>”Yes, dear?”
>”Miss Cheerilee, I want you so bad right now. Please.”
>Her smile gets even wider. “Why, whatever do you mean by that?”
>”Aghhhhh. P-please, you know what I mean!”
>”Say it, boy.” she commands.
>You moan loudly, this merciless teasing brutally turning you on. “Teacher, may I please put my cock inside of your lovely pony pussy?”
>Cheerilee moans with excitement, clearly getting off on this too. In fact, you just now notice that she has a front hoof tucked underneath her body and has probably been pleasuring herself with it for a while now.  
>“Oh Anon, you’ve been such a bright and dedicated pupil. How could I say no? Take me however you please.”
 
>You briefly consider taking Cheerilee in some exotic position, but between the alcohol you drank and your recent “exertion” tiring you out, your ambition is curbed considerably.
>In the end, you simply lie your lover on her back and kneel down on the bed before her.
>She giggles and softly bites her lower lip as she spreads her legs for you.
>You take your dick in hand and rub it up and down the length of her burning-hot horsepussy, smearing your tip with her copious juices and marveling as the horny little mare’s clit winks out of her nether lips in response.
>”Please Anon,” she murmurs, “don’t hold back.”
>You are all too happy to oblige.
>You line the tip of your cock up with her entrance and start to press. She’s delightfully tight, and you run into a good bit of resistance as your bulbous head stretches her out. You resolutely keep up the pressure, and soon the resistance gives way and the crown of your member enters the into the warm confines of her marehood.
>She cries out in pure bliss and squeezes the sensitive flesh like a boa constrictor, drawing you inwards. You steadily press deeper and deeper into her, relishing each delightful ridge in her yielding inner walls.
>At last, you hilt inside of her, your cock bathed in her warmth as it conquers her most intimate place. She cries out, contracting hard against you and sending an overwhelming bliss tingling up your spine.
>As you give her a few moments to adjust, you lean down and crawl forward, draping your body over hers entirely and bringing yourself face to face with your teacher.
>She immediately wraps her forelegs around your neck and kisses you deeply. As your tongues intertwine, you begin to move your hips, slowly withdrawing yourself to the tip before jamming yourself all the way into her once more.
>She moans blissfully into your mouth and you take that as your cue to start rutting her.
>True to your word, you don’t hold back. You immediately start slamming her well-lubricated pussy at a very lively pace, your balls making lewd smacks as they slam against her pert little asshole.
>You go at it like that for a long time, never once breaking your torrid kiss as you pound her. Cheerilee squeaks, sighs, and moans beneath you, enthusiastically moving her hips in rhythm with you.
>She breaks your kiss with a shuddering cry. “Ahhhh, Anon! Harder! Give it to me so hard!”
>She lifts her legs straight up into the air, allowing you unprecedented access to plunge deep into her spasming chasm. You dig deep and summon the strength to give her what she needs, your disciplined thrusts escalating into wild fucking.
 
>The pleasure that comes with every movement inside of her is damn near short-circuiting your brain. Cheerilee is making you feel very good indeed, and you know that you simply must return the favor.
>You slide your hand down her side and wedge it between your stomach and hers. Your thumb begins furiously rubbing her wildly winking clitoris as you roll the adorable little teats directly above her crotch between fingers.
>Your lover screams your name over and over, each iteration becoming higher and more desperate.
>With one final gasp, Cheerilee grabs you and kisses you with all of her considerable passion as her hips buck furiously and her lower legs convulse. Her ecstatic moans are muted as she suckles on your lower lip and rolls her tongue all over yours.
>The mare writhing in orgasm beneath you only drives you on harder. Your balls are tightening, and you feel a truly massive load welling up inside of you. You honestly have no idea how you lasted this long.
>You plunge into Cheerilee with everything you’ve got. Once she manages to come down from her mind-melting climax and catch her breath, she helpfully bucks her hips with as much intensity as she can still muster while simultaneously squeezing you with everything she’s got.
>All at once, your cock becomes hypersensitive and begins to tense up. The sensation rapidly spirals out of control.
>”Ahhh...Ahhhhhhh! Cheerilee! I’m gonna…”
>”Do it! Give teacher all of your cum, you naughty thing!”
>It feels like the entire head of your cock explodes as you slam into Cheerilee and erupt in pure bliss. You lose any semblance of control, thrusting erratically as blast after blast of sticky love wells up from within you and shoots forth with an indescribable jolt of pleasure.
>You didn’t even know it was possible for a human to put out this much cum.
>The last few embers of your glorious finish finally burn out, eliciting a few final spasms as you empty out every last drop.
>You collapse on top of Cheerilee with your cock still buried deep inside of her, gasping for air as she lovingly kisses up and down your neck.
>You lay like that for a few minutes as you gradually go limp inside of her and your heart rate returns to normal.
>You feel a soft tap on your shoulder. “Hey Anon.”
>”Yeah?”
>”You’re squishing me.”
>With a soft groan, you summon up the will to extricate yourself from Cheerilee and roll off of her.
>You lie on your back, staring up at the ceiling. Your mind is empty of thoughts; you feel only glowing contentment.
>Actually, scratch that. You start to feel a little cold.
>As if the universe had anticipated that, you suddenly feel a blanket fluttering over you and a warm body scooting up close to you under the covers.
>You turn your head to find Cheerilee snuggled up at your side. You smile and weakly wrap an arm around her, holding her close as she nuzzles herself beneath your chin.
>”Thank you, Anon. For everything.” she tenderly whispers.
>You simply plant a kiss on top of her head, enjoying the faint bubblegum scent of her mane.
>A feeling of absolute peace settles over you, and you close your eyes.
 
>The next thing you know, a grayish light is filtering in through the window. Outside, you can hear a rooster crowing and the sound of working hooves and squeaky cart wheels on the cobblestone road.
>Every sound sends a hot white dagger of pain through your head. You can feel your own pulse in your ear, and it’s bugging the hell out of you. This is one nasty headache.
>You can also feel a distinct chill in the air, gnawing at your exposed ears and nose.
>Underneath the covers, though, something big and warm is pressed up next to you.
>You naturally gravitate towards that, turning over and cracking open your bleary eyes to see what it is.
>There’s a face on the pillow next to you. A very surprising face.
>Cheerilee?
>What the hell?
>Your mind struggles to work beneath your pounding headache. It takes some mental straining. but at last it all comes rushing back to you.
>The tavern. The talking. The worries. The dancing. Going home with her. Making out on the couch. And then…
>Last night, you went somewhere that no man has ever gone before.
>It feels more than a little strange. But you know that it also felt really, really good.
>You look down at Cheerilee and really study her for a moment. She’s fast asleep, a cute little half-smile on her face as she clings to you for warmth. She looks so different from the nervous, frazzled mare you spoke with in the tavern. You take in the unfamiliar curves of her pony body, getting lost in the steady rise and fall of her chest as she breathes. You can even feel the slow, relaxed pace of her heart, pressed against you as it is.
>Patient, kind, smart, and beautiful.
>You may have explored a new frontier for humanity last night, but you didn’t do it alone. Of all the ponies you could have shared that new experience with, you’re really glad it ended up being Cheerilee.
>That fucking rooster crows again, jabbing another red-hot poker into your skull. It seems like it’s even louder this time.
>You hear a soft groan, and Cheerilee starts to stretch out with a big yawn. She nuzzles herself lovingly against you for a few seconds before suddenly coming to a complete stop.
>She fumbles around with her hoof, feeling you all over and trying to recognize you by touch.
>When that fails, her bloodshot eyes snap open.
>”Ummmm, hey there Cheerilee.” you say with a nervous smile.
>And then the screaming begins.
>She jumps to the far end of the bed, taking all the blankets and sheets with her and wrapping herself in them for protection.
>”ANON! What’s going on? H-how did you get in here?!”
>”You let me in last night, don’t you remember?”
>Cheerilee huffs. “I did nothing of the sort! That would be...I don’t…” Suddenly, the flushed color drains from her face as her fuzzy memories start to come back. “Oh my dear sweet baby Luna, I did, didn’t I?”
>She looks at you and nervously taps her hooves together. “And we...did we...you know…”
>You groggily sit up, trying to come up with the words to say while it feels like there’s an extended drum solo being played in your skull. “Look Cheerilee, I know it’s kinda weird and all, but yeah, we did.”
>She groans loudly and collapses forward, face planting into the mattress and mumbling pathetically.. “Oh Cheerilee, you dummy, you idiot, you dunce, you moron…”
>You feel rather offended. “Hey! If I recall correctly, you were the one that came onto me, and you sure seemed to enjoy yourself last night!”
>She peeks out from the huge pile of sheets and covers she’s hiding under. “Anon, it’s not about that. Of course I enjoyed myself! I haven’t been with a stallion in years, and from what I can remember, you were amazing.” Her face suddenly glows bright red with embarrassment. “Oh Celestia...especially those hands. Those were good. I mean, you were good. I mean….Agh!”
>She retreats back into her blanket fort.
>You scoot over to her. “So what’s the problem, then? Is it because I’m a human?”
>”No.”
>”Is it because you’re my teacher?”
>”No. Although that does make this even more awkward than it already is.” Cheerilee raves. “I hadn’t even thought of that part yet. The morning just keeps getting better and better!”
>”...Is it because you’re actually into mares?”
>She punches you in the leg from underneath her blanket pile.
>”Ow! So what is it?”
>She’s silent for a moment. Finally, she lets out an exasperated sigh and emerges from her blankets, bashfully staring down at her hooves. “Look Anon, you’re a really wonderful human and a great student to boot. I value you as a friend, and frankly, you rocked as a lover. It’s just that...well, you see…”
>”Anon, I already have a special somepony.”
 
>”Are you fucking kidding me?! Cheerilee, why didn’t you tell me? Why the hell did you invite me in?”
>Cheerilee nervously rubs the back of her neck. “Anon, we were just going out as friends! But then I got some cider in me, and we started dancing to those old songs, and, well, I got a little carried away.”
>”A little carried away?”
>She glowers at you. “Okay, a lot carried away. But last night took me back to when I was young and free and...and happy.” She frowns. “I don’t expect you to understand, but I haven’t felt that in so long, and I guess I got caught up in it. I’m so very sorry, Anon.”
>It’s really hard to stay angry at such a sad-looking little pony. You reach out, trying to pet her mane to comfort her. “It’s...it’s alright, Cheerilee.”
>She jerks away from your hand. “Please Anon, don’t touch me. Nothing about this is alright. Not a thing. I’m a terrible pony.”
>”That’s not true.” you insist.
>She gives you a pained smile. “Anon, you’re sweet. But it doesn’t change the fact of the matter.”
>You don’t quite know what to say to that. Suddenly, your Phoenix Wright senses kick into gear and a glaring inconsistency emerges in Cheerilee’s story. “Hold it! You said earlier that you haven’t been with a stallion in years. If that’s true, then are you really in a serious relationship with this guy?”
>Cheerilee grimaces. “If you must know, Mac-” her eyes go wide as she catches herself and stammers out a correction. “I-I mean, uh, the stallion that I’m seeing is very traditional and wants to wait until marriage.”
>”Mac...wait, you don’t mean Big Macintosh, do you? Applejack’s brother?”
>She facehoofs. “Dammit. Yes, Anon. I am in a committed relationship with Big Macintosh, and it’s going to stay that way. So please don’t do anything rash, okay?” she pleads.
>You groan. You’ve somehow managed to cuck the biggest, strongest stallion in Ponyville. Short of the princesses, he’s just about the only technicolor pony you’ve met so far that still manages to be physically intimidating.
>You look to Cheerilee. “Alright. So what do we do now?”
>Cheerilee looks you straight back in the eye. “We pretend this never happened. You go home and I take a long bath, wash these sheets, and forget that this was ever a thing.”
>A bitter sorrow wells up in the deepest recesses of your chest that you just can’t explain. You know that this was apparently a stupid one night stand, so why does the idea of just forgetting about it hurt so much?
>Oh well. There’s nothing you can do. You stagger to your feet and start getting your clothes back in order. Cheerilee sighs and falls back down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling blankly.
>”So hey,” you softly ask, “what does this mean for our history and geography lessons?”
>She rubs her temple with a groan. “I honestly don’t know, Anon. Let’s just see how things go on Monday. If we can both put this behind us, we should be alright. But if it’s too awkward…”
>The bitter pain in your chest gets even worse. You never intended to lose your favorite teacher over this.
>Your stained clothes are as nice as you’re going to make them. You head for the bedroom door and open it up.
>You feel compelled to stop at the threshold. “I know you don’t want to hear this right now, but thank you for a wonderful evening. I still consider you a good friend and I’d love to dance with you again someday.”
>You can hear Cheerilee softly sniffle behind you. “Just...just go, Anon. And please use the back door to leave. There’s an alley behind the house and it will take you to the main road without anyone seeing you coming out of here.”
>You wordlessly shut the bedroom door behind you and head out into the cold, misty morning with nothing but a splitting headache and a heavy heart.
 
>The weekend passes by uneventfully.
>You find yourself back in Twilight’s castle, listening to another inane lecture on magic. You’re really trying hard to listen and participate more actively like you promised Cheerilee you would, but it’s difficult when Twilight has spent most of the time scribbling some sort of mathematical proof on a piece of paper and poorly narrating just what all the symbols mean and how they’re interrelated.
>All you know is that it has something to do with mystic constructs called liminal bridges, and that she’s very excited that it might help explain the mythopoeic alignment that allowed you to cross the normally impermeable ontological veil that surrounds the pony dimension.
>You look up at the clock. Just a few minutes left of magic class.
>Once it’s over, Cheerilee will come.
>Just last Friday, that was the part of your day that you looked forward to. Now it’s the one you dread the most.
>”I don’t suppose you had any hallucinations or weird dreams in the nights leading up to the incident, did you Anon? No sense of deja vu in the waking world?”
>You think back. “Hard to remember. I think I might have had a few dreams where I was falling during the previous week. In fact, I’m almost sure I had one the night I crossed over.”
>She writes this information down on her paper in very large letters and underlines it several times. “Do you recall any specifics? Were you falling off a building or into a pit or something like that?”
>”No, nothing like that. In fact, I remember that they were weird because they all started with me standing on solid ground. But then everything turned upside down for whatever reason and I would fall upwards into the sky. The one I had on the night of the incident was unique because it happened at night, so I ended up falling into the stars and sort of floating among them.”
>Twilight starts bouncing up and down in her chair. “Oh my gosh. Anon, that’s amazing! Do you know what this means?”
>You shake your head.
>”I can’t prove it yet, but this strongly implies that your soul was called here! It wasn’t random chance.”
>”Wait, my soul? Are you saying that I’m dead and this is some sort of afterlife?”
>She shrugs. “It’s possible. You’re awake and lucid here, but on Earth you might be dead, dreaming, or somewhere in between.”
>”Somewhere in between?”
>Twilight ignores you and keeps crunching numbers.
>A knock on the door brings your adventures in magic nerd land to an end for the day.
>”Come on in, Cheerilee!” Twilight chirps.
>Your heart beats faster as Cheerilee walks in. She looks no different from before, smiling and giving you both a friendly greeting.
>She wears her mask so very well.
>”So Twilight, any progress with magic class?” Cheerilee asks.
>”Yes, actually! Thanks to Anon, I have a clue now that may lead to a big breakthrough, not just in his case but in our understanding of reality itself!”
>Cheerilee gives you a sly smile. “Great job, Anon. That sounds fascinating.”
>Twilight sees herself out and closes the door tight behind her, leaving you in here alone with Cheerilee.
 
>”Well...hello, Anon.”
>”Hey Cheerilee.”
>She looks like she wants to say something. She opens her mouth but stops herself at the last minute. Instead, she just pulls out her book. “Go ahead and open to page 92. We’re going to discuss the annexation of the Untamed West today and the struggles of the first pony colonists.”
>It’s an amazing story as usual, and Cheerilee does a great job of tying it into what you learned last time. With Princess Celestia aggressively expanding her holdings in the Everfree, the nobles began clamoring for new lands to colonize as a means of balancing her power.
>Celestia naturally opposed them as best she could, but the crafty nobles began sending expeditions into the dry steppes west of Equestria, ostensibly to create an overland route to the Burro trading posts of the southwest.
>When the savage buffalo tribes inevitably attacked these expeditions, Celestia was forced to dispatch squadrons of Royal Guards to patrol the trade route.
>Royal Guard patrols led to the establishment of a chain of forts, which in turn developed thriving trading posts around them, which soon became infamous for their wild lawlessness.
>In the end, Celestia had no choice but to formally annex the entirety of the Untamed West in order to ensure that pony interests were protected in the rough and tumble frontier towns.
>The forts remained under the crown, but everything else was gobbled up by greedy aristocrats sponsoring homesteaders who paid tribute to them in turn.
>Of course, Celestia would end up having the last laugh when the richest gold vein in the world was discovered under Fort Sagebrush, but that was still several years off.
>For the time being, life in the Untamed West was difficult. Cheerilee shows you excerpts from several settlers’ journals to really drive home just how many dangers they faced and how difficult it was to establish thriving agriculture in the barren land, even with earth pony magic.
>The time flies by, and as usual you’re shocked that an hour has already passed when Cheerilee starts wrapping up.
>”Well, I suppose that’s a good stopping point for today. We’ll go into the First Burro War next time, so read up on that if you’d like to be extra prepared.”
>You make a note of that. “First Burro War. Will do.”
>She pauses for a moment, seemingly gathering her words. “Anon, thank you for not making things awkward today. I feel comfortable continuing these lessons if you do.”
>Relief washes over you. “Of course, Cheerilee. I’m lucky to have you.”
>She smiles. “Oh stop…”
>You lean forward. “It’s true! I...hope that you’re doing alright today.”
>She nods gently. “Yes, I’m fine. Thanks for asking. I hope that you’re doing okay as well.”
>”I’ll survive.”
>”Good.”
 
>There’s an awkward pause as you internally debate whether to share an idea you had over the weekend with her.
>Oh, fuck it. It can’t hurt.
>”So Cheerilee, I was thinking about the things you said at the tavern the other night.”
>There’s a look of concern growing on her face. You can tell that she doesn’t like where this is going. “I see. What about them?”
>”Well I was wondering if maybe you wanted some help.”
>”Help? What do you mean?”
>You sit up straight and try to sound as confident as you can as you outline your idea. “I know your hooves are tied with those bullies, but mine aren’t, so I was thinking that maybe I could help make life a little less miserable for the three that are getting bullied.”
>She raises an eyebrow. “And just how would you do that?”
>”I don’t know. I was kind of hoping that maybe you had an idea. I know that most of the ponies in town are really interested in the interdimensional being walking around, so I was thinking maybe I could vouch for them and say that they’re cool or something.”
>Cheerilee taps her chin with her hoof and then grins. “Hmmm. That’s actually kind of an interesting idea. We tried something similar with Twilight once. She took the three under her wing and started tutoring them, but it ended up blowing up in her face. Soon every colt and filly in town wanted in, and they started mobbing the poor girls and stressing them out even worse. Twilight Time was a complete and utter failure on all levels.”
>”So what do you propose to avoid this sucking as badly as Twilight Time did?”
>”Well, we’re doing a big research project this semester on the notable residents of Ponyville. It’s meant to be more of a history project, but I suppose that I could make an exception if they decided that they wanted to talk about a living resident. They could write their paper about you, and then you could come to class when they present it. If nothing else, the chance to talk to you might get them excited to do their schoolwork.”
>”Sounds like a good plan. You can tell them that I’m up to it if they are.”
>Cheerilee raises her eyebrows. “Are you sure? The Cutie Mark Crusaders can be kind of...precocious.”
>You wave off her concerns. “I’m sure they’ll be fine. How bad can three little fillies be?”
>Cheerilee shudders. “Don’t get me started, Anon.”
>”I’m sure I can manage for a little while, at least.”
>She chuckles. “Well alright, if you’re really sure you want to do this…”
>”I am.”
>”I’ll let them know tomorrow.”
>”Thanks, Cheerilee.”
>”No, thank you. That’s a really kind thing to do, and I appreciate it more than you know.”
>You bashfully shuffle some papers around. “Don’t mention it. I’m glad to help.”
>She slowly nods and rises from her seat, packing her books up and heading for the door.
>”I’ll see you tomorrow, Anon. I suspect that you’ll also be getting a visit from three very hyped little fillies, so be ready for that.”
>”I will. Good night, Cheerilee.”
 
>You head home for another lonely night and set about making yourself some dinner.
>Pony cuisine is very different from what you’re used to. So many vegetables and greens. Luckily, it’s not totally foreign.
>They still have pasta, for example. You bought a huge bag of little pasta shells a couple of weeks ago, and have been experimenting with making a good sauce to go with it ever since.
>Tonight, though, you don’t feel like struggling with making a tomato sauce that will probably just disappoint anyways. Better to go with something safe and classic.
>You boil up the pasta shells and melt some butter in a saucepan, adding a bit of flour to thicken things up. Then you pour in milk and some grated cheddar cheese. It all reduces into a nice cheese sauce, which you pour over the pasta when it’s done.
>Boom. Mac and cheese, bitch. Your culinary skills are truly supreme.
>You do your assigned reading for Cheerilee’s class as you scarf down the entirety of the big bowl of pasta you just made.
>You relax with a beer after dinner, only to find yourself nodding off as you sit on your cheap, uncomfortable sofa.
>You look up at the clock.
>It’s only 7, but you feel so tired already.
>Granted, today was kind of draining. You’d be lying if you said you hadn’t been stressing about seeing Cheerilee again after what happened.
>Still, falling asleep so early? Maybe you’re getting old.
>Oh well, no harm in getting some extra rest.
>You trudge from your crappy couch to the equally crappy futon in your bedroom, fall into it, and pass out immediately.
>You awaken some time later. You open your eyes, but nothing seems to happen. Everything’s still pitch black.
>You blink a few times to be certain.
>Yep. Can’t see shit.
>That’s weird. There are streetlights outside of your window that keep your room dimly lit at all times.
>Even if they were out, isn’t the moon supposed to be almost full?
>You fumble around on your nightstand and find a candle and your box of matches. You strike the match and get some illumination going.
>The candle’s light extends for about five feet, but beyond that, it’s almost like it gets snuffed out by the darkness.
>What is going on?
>You grab the candle and get out of bed, heading over to the window to have a look outside.
>You pull aside the blinds and find nothing.
>A chill runs down your spine.
>You can see nothing but blackness outside your window. It’s almost as if it was painted over or something.
>Maybe that’s it. You undo the latch on your window and throw it open.
>You’re deafened as all of the air violently rushes out of the room.
>There really is nothing beyond your window but an inky void, and it’s sucking you in!
>You cling on to the window sill for dear life, screaming as your sheets and pillows fly past your head and into the abyss.
>Then your nightstand.
>You can hear the creaking of your bed being pulled towards the window by the hungry dark.
>Your candle flickers out and you can sense nothing but the ear-piercing howl of the wind.
>You try to hold on, but it gets stronger and stronger.
>Your fingers slip, and suddenly, you’re falling.
>You scream, but make no sound, floating in an endless void for ages and ages.
>Then, everything goes white.
 
>Birds are chirping.
>You can feel wet dirt beneath you and the gentle warmth of the sun kissing your skin.
>You very hesitantly crack one eye open.
>You’re in some sort of park, lying beneath a tree. The sunlight is filtering through the leaves above you as they gently rustle in the warm breeze.
>You can see a few ponies walking or jogging on a nearby path that wraps around a serene lake with swans floating delicately upon its surface.
>Off to the side, a playground teems with young fillies and colts at play. They’re laughing, shouting, and having a great time.
>You rise to your feet, being careful not to trample any of the beautiful daisies in the flowerbed that you apparently landed in.
>You stagger onto the walking path and try to get the attention of a passing pair of jogging ponies to ask them where you are.
>They ignore you completely as they pass on by without so much as a glance in your direction.
>How rude.
>Your ears perk up as you hear a few children shouting at each other nearby. If you can’t get the attention of one of the adults, maybe they could help you?
>Worth a shot.
>You head towards the commotion and listen in.
>”Yeah, like we would ever take a wimp like you to Ghastly Gorge! You’d probably pee yourself before we even got there!”
>”That’s not true! I’m the toughest pony in the second grade!”
>”Big deal. You’re still a sissy baby second grader.”
>A young filly seems to be having a disagreement with two somewhat older colts. The filly has a purple coat and is wearing a cute little hat made out of newspaper, while the colts are both a light green color with sandy manes and facial features so similar that you’re sure they must be twins.
>”Come on,” the filly pleads, “I’d make a great adventurer, you’ve gotta take me along.”
>”Fat chance, brace-face! You’d just slow us down!” Colt #1 says.
>”Yeah!” Colt #2 cuts in. “You’re a girl too, and girls are gross. Plus your hat is dumb. You’d make us look bad!”
>You can see tears starting to come to the little filly’s eyes. “Nuh-uh! This hat is just like the one real explorers wear. You’re dumb!”
>Both of the colts start to laugh.
>”Look, Elm, she’s crying like the little baby she is!”
>”I AM NOT!”
>”Come on Oak, let’s get out of here!” The colt named Elm smugly says to the other.twin, apparently named Oak.
>”Yeah! Let’s go adventuring!” cries Oak.
>The two get ready to go, but not before Elm grabs the filly’s paper hat and throws it in the lake, exposing her striped pink mane.
>Strange. She looks kind of familiar.
>The filly is crying in earnest now.
>As the colts canter off, Oak gets in one more shot. “Maybe you can go explore the sandbox with the rest of your little baby friends, brace-face!”
>The poor filly is left all alone, crying her eyes out. You draw a little bit nearer, unsure of whether you should try to comfort her or not.
>”Stupid Oak and Elm.” she mutters to herself between sobs. “Someday I’m gonna have a real friend who loves going on adventures with me. And he’ll be handsome and brave and he’ll wanna kiss me too.”
>Poor thing. You’ve gotten closer and you can see that she does indeed have some serious orthodontic work going on. That explains why they were calling her “brace-face,” and probably also why she doesn’t seem to have very many friends.
>Kids can be amazingly cruel.
>You call out to her, but she doesn’t answer. She just keeps on talking to herself. “Yeah, we’ll live in a big castle in the sky together when we’re not adventuring. Oak and Elm and everypony else will look up in the sky every day and see it and feel super sorry that they messed with Cheerilee and her trusty sidekick!”
>What.
>Cheerilee?
>You take a real hard look at the filly. The coat and the mane definitely seem right.
>What the hell is going on?
>”Cheerilee!” you call out as you march towards her.
>She doesn’t answer.
>”Cheerilee, is that you? You don’t have to be afraid, you can talk to me.”
>Still nothing.
>You’ve almost reached her. “Come on kid, talk to me.”
>You reach out for her, and suddenly a tremendous wave of nausea hits you as the world flips upside down.
>The grass is above you and the sky is below you.
>You start to plummet into the clouds.
>The filly sitting upside down on the ground above looks up and watches you fall with big, tear-filled green eyes.
 
>You wake with a start.
>You’re back safe and sound in your own bed, and the early morning sun is just starting to light the room.
>It was just a dream. A weird one at that.
>As you stretch out, you realize that it was also another one of those falling dreams, just like the ones you had before coming to Equestria.
>Of course, your other dreams didn’t involve encountering the 7 year old form of a mare you recently had sex with. You’re not sure what messed up shit caused your brain to dream that, and you’d really, really prefer not to think about it too hard.
>Still, Twilight should probably be informed that you had another falling dream, since she seems to think they’re very important for some reason.
>You hope this isn’t a harbinger of your time in Equestria ending anytime soon.
>You run through your morning routine and then head over to Sugarcube Corner to get some coffee and donuts for breakfast.
>Then it’s on to Twilight’s castle to continue your studies.
>The day flies by, and you find yourself in Ms. Sparkle’s dreaded magic class once again.
>You choose to omit the part with Cheerilee when you inform her that you had another falling dream last. Twilight’s a smart pony and dreaming of Cheerilee might raise questions.
>Still, she squeals with excitement when she hears the news. ”EEEEEEEE! So the effects are present in both worlds! Anon, this is amazing. It basically confirms my suspicions about a liminal bridge being the means by which you crossed over. Do you know what this means?”
>As always, you are totally lost. You shake your head.
>”Anon, it means you share a very special connection with someone in Equestria. I don’t know how it happened, but somehow your soul is permanently linked with another soul here in this dimension. This is unprecedented! It defies all of the established rules of magic!”
>You blink. “What? What do you mean by permanently linked?”
>”Anon, don’t you remember the basics of Conjuration I taught you?”
>”Of course.” you lie. “But how do they apply here?”
>Twilight clears her throat. Time for a lecture. “Well, as you know, Conjuration is all about astrally projecting a bit of your soul to other realities, temporarily linking it with another soul on that plane of existence, and then dragging it back to your reality to do your bidding. However, the key word there is temporary. Even the greatest of the conjuration masters are only able to keep something summoned for about an hour before the soul bindings fail and the summoned fades back to its own plane of existence. You, however, have been here for almost a month, and I can’t detect any sort of soul binding on you.”
>You cock your head to the side. “Doesn’t that disprove that I’ve been conjured here, then?”
>She pulls out her trusty notebook full of magical proofs and gives you a big grin. “I was hoping you would ask that. I was up until 4 AM this morning working on this proof, and I believe it shows conclusively that, under very specific circumstances, an alternate type of bridge is possible. You see, soul bindings make it very easy to detect a creature that has been summoned, but it’s almost impossible to detect who is controlling it. My hypothesis is that you and the soul you are linked to are both projecting your souls into the aether. They’ve linked up somewhere and formed a bridge that is incredibly stable, maybe even permanent.”
>”That’s a nice theory, Twilight, but I don’t remember ever projecting my soul into the aether.”
>”It’s not unheard of for someone who is magically gifted but ignorant of the practices of magic to unintentionally cast a spell. Baby unicorns do it all the time. Perhaps you accidentally said some magic words or consumed some alchemical reagents, or maybe your will is simply strong enough to subconsciously shape the raw magic inside of you without you even knowing it!”
>For once, your eyes aren’t glazing over at this magic talk. It’s probably because it’s the first concrete answer you’ve gotten about how you got here. “So how do we find out who I share a link with?”
>Twilight rubs her chin. “Well, that’s going to be kind of difficult, especially if they’re also doing it by accident. Soul bindings influence the summoned to be subservient and obedient to the summoner, but since you’re both the summoner in this case, I would have to guess it would manifest itself as a strong emotional bond very similar to the magic of friendship. That’s another reason why this discovery is so important: it might revolutionize the way we understand friendship bonds, which are my particular area of expertise.”
>“So what you’re saying is that it could be anything in this dimension that I might like to be friends with.”
>”Essentially, yes.” She gives you an embarrassed smile. “I’m sorry, Anon. I’ll work on figuring out a way to narrow the search down a bit. Just keep your eyes open, okay?”
>You promise to do so.
 
>The knock on the study door comes, signaling an end to magic class. Twilight disappears to crunch some more numbers, and Cheerilee lets herself in.
>Today, however, she’s not alone.
>Three very excited fillies are at her side. Before she can even say anything, they rush towards you.
>”Mr. Anon! Mr. Anon!” They shout in unison. “Miss Cheerilee says we can do our project on you!”
>You rise from your seat to greet them. “I think that’s a great idea, girls! What are your names?”
>”I’m Scootaloo!” the plucky orange pegasus says as she strikes a cool pose.
>”I’m Sweetie Belle.” the white unicorn politely informs you, giving you a winning smile as she extends a hoof which you gently shake. You recognize her as Rarity’s little sister.
>”And I’m Apple Bloom! Pleased to meetcha.” the yellow earth pony with the cute pink bow in her hair drawls. With an accent like that, she must be Applejack and Big Macintosh’s sister.
>You give them your friendliest smile. “Well, I’m very pleased to meet you all too!”
>Scootaloo breaks out her notepad and pencil. “We can’t wait to learn all about the human world, Mr. Anon!”
>Cheerilee steps forward. “Now girls, remember what I said? It’s time for Anon to have his lesson. Go play with Spike for an hour and we’ll come get you when he’s ready for the interview.”
>The disappointed fillies groan in unison, but grudgingly obey.
>Cheerilee takes her seat and gives you a tired smile. There are dark bags under her eyes and she looks very worn out indeed. “Well, I warned you.”
>You chuckle. “They’re cute! I just don’t know how they can manage to have so much energy after school.”
>”Sleeping through math class helps.”
>You both have a laugh at that.
>”And how are you today, Cheerilee?”
>”Oh, I’m fine.” she yawns. “Just had some crazy dreams last night and didn’t get much sleep.”
>”Huh. Me too.”
>She shrugs. “Princess Luna is like that sometimes. Anyways, let’s get into the Burro War. Did you do the reading I assigned last night?”
>”I did!”
>”Excellent as usual. You’ll recall, then, that Equestrian expansion into the Untamed West led to a political crisis with the Burros, who had informally claimed those lands for generations despite never actually making a serious attempt to settle them. Celestia advocated a diplomatic solution, but the Lords saw it as a chance to seize even more land…”
 
>Cheerilee relates several of the more outrageous and tragicomic attempts by the Lords to justify a war. Everything from contrived border skirmishes to a fake assassination plot against Celestia was tried to shift Equestrian opinion towards declaring war on the Burros. However, ponies are inherently peace-loving, and most had deep-seated problems with the notion of conducting an aggressive war over such an arcane legal dispute.
>In the end, a large number of Equestria’s landed nobility raised their own personal levies, formed a war council, and exercised their ancient right to conduct a sustained “raid” in Burro territory - one that that would hopefully end in the Burros paying a hefty tribute of land and gold.
>Even without the support of Celestia’s Royal Guard and the levies of the nobles that decided not to participate, the Equestrian army was a powerful thing and the outmatched Burros lost the first few battles decisively.
>Real concern began to grow in the Royal Court that the Lords might successfully pillage all of Burroland and then turn their experienced and treasure-rich army around to march on Canterlot and forcefully assert the ancient rights of the nobility that Celestia had been actively working to curb for the past five centuries.
>The Princess, of course, was not about to tolerate any such threat to the stability of her realm.
>As the raiders advanced deeper into enemy territory, supply lines became strained and victories became more hard-fought. Just as the offensive was beginning to stall and the first suggestions that the armies should head home for the season were being aired, Celestia struck.
>In one of the most impressive political moves of her illustrious millennium-long reign, the Princess proceeded to air evidence that she and her corps of spies had collected over the years regarding the shady and illegal dealings of several of the most prominent members of the war council. She convicted all of them of treason in absentia and sent the Royal Guard to seize their properties for the Crown, most of which surrendered without a fight since the armies that were supposed to be protecting them were in Burroland.
>The Lords suddenly found themselves deep in enemy territory with several of their leaders branded outlaws. Celestia tightened the noose further by promising that no further supplies would reach the army for as long as they continued to host traitors to the crown within their ranks.
>The nobles attempted to keep order, but facing a massive mutiny from the common soldiers, most of whom revered Celestia and missed their homes, they had no choice but to place all of the convicted traitors in shackles and begin a chaotic retreat back to Equestria.
>It was then that Princess Celestia delivered the killing blow. As the retreat got underway, she convened an emergency session of Parliament and convinced them to officially declare war on the Burros. This meant that peace negotiations would go through her, and not the council of nobles leading the raiding party.
>She immediately summoned the Burro ambassador and dictated generous peace terms to him. In the end, the Burros formally renounced their claim to the Untamed West and ceded a few minor pieces of land directly to the Crown.
>When the dust settled, most of Celestia’s major political rivals were either imprisoned or exiled and she personally controlled their massive estates.
>In the space of less than a month, the power of the Equestrian nobility had been shattered and the Royal Demesne had quadrupled in size. Celestia was hailed as a conquering heroine by an adoring public for defeating the Burros in a single day. She also earned the gratitude of the rank and file soldiers in the raiding party, who rightly credited her for bringing them home with minimal bloodshed.
>A few months later, Celestia dictated constitutional reforms to a subservient Parliament which only confirmed what everypony already knew: Equestria was now an absolute monarchy, with Princess Celestia exercising total authority over the entirety of the realm.
 
>As Cheerilee wraps up today’s lesson, you make a mental note to never ever fuck with Celestia.
>”Well Anon,” she says with a grin, “I hope you’re ready. I’ll bring the fillies in now.”
>You give her a thumbs up.
>She disappears for about a minute before returning with the three girls, who are now wearing adorable little newspony fedoras and sporting pens and notepads.
>”Alright Crusaders,” she coos, “you can start your interview with Anon now. Remember that you’ll be writing a paper on him afterwards, so think back to the outlines you wrote up in class and be sure to ask questions that will help you fill them out. Have fun!”
>She closes the door and leaves you with the girls.
>The three little fillies are silent. They seem to be regarding you with a hushed awe. Guess you’ll need to break the ice. “Soooo, I heard Miss Cheerilee refer to you as Crusaders. What’s that about?”
>”We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Apple Bloom proudly crows.
>”It’s a secret club we formed to help us get our cutie marks.” Scootaloo informs you.
>Sweetie Belle finishes the thought. ”But since we have our cutie marks now, we mostly try to help other ponies with cutie mark problems. Do you have a cutie mark problem, Mr. Anon?”
>”Actually, I don’t have a cutie mark.”
>The girls gasp.
>”You’re all growed up and you still don’t have your cutie mark? No wonder you wear them clothes all the time. You’re covering your blank flank up!” Apple Bloom looks at her two friends. “Girls, I think we found our new project!”
>All three leap into the air and shout “Alright!”
>”No no no, I mean that humans don’t get cutie marks. Ever.”
>The three girls look deflated. Sweetie Belle writes down that you don’t get a cutie mark in her little book and draws a sad face next to it. The other two follow suit.
>You tug on your collar. “So, what is it you girls wanted to know about me?”
>They start with some basic stuff. Where you were born, how old you are, how long you’ve been in Ponyville.
>Then they get into their real questions. It’s very interesting to hear what each is curious about and considers important. Though they’re obviously extremely close friends, each has very different tastes and tendencies, and about midway through the interview you’re struck with the very amusing realization that despite interviewing you at the same time, they’re going to write completely different papers about you.
>Sweetie Belle seems most interested in art and emotion. She has lots of questions about human music and fashion, and is also very interested in how you felt when you first arrived in Equestria and whether you’re enjoying your time here and making friends.
>Apple Bloom, on the other hand, is totally practical. She wants facts and figures. How many humans lived in the city you came from? How many humans live on Earth in total? What kind of technology did you have that ponies don’t?  What kind of challenges do you run into trying to adapt to the pony world?
>Scootaloo just wants to be told a great story. She wants to know what you did before coming to Equestria. When Apple Bloom asks how many people live in a normal human city, Scootaloo wants to know just how a city’s skyscrapers are built. She also seems really into sports and asks you about your favorite teams and their most dramatic games.
>You actually feel a little bad for Scootaloo because you don’t have the time to answer her questions with the detail that they deserve. Maybe some other time you’ll get the chance to tell her an awesome, exciting story about something.
 
>The girls make it through their lists of questions pretty quickly, although it’s clear that none of them want to stop, even if it means spitballing increasingly lame questions your way.
>”Ooooh!” Sweetie cries. “What’s your favorite color?”
>”Red.”
>”Do ya’ll have backscratchers?” asks Apple Bloom.
>”Yep, but they’re not nearly as popular as they are with ponies. Most of us just use our fingers for that.”
>You scratch your back to demonstrate.
>Scootaloo’s eyes go wide. “Woah. Can you do that to me?”
>”Scootaloo!” Apple Bloom chides. “That’s not even an interview question.”
>”Don’t care. Please, Anon?”
>You roll your eyes and give Scootaloo a little scratch behind the ears.
>She practically melts in her seat. “Awww yeah, that’s the stuff.”
>Sweetie Belle bites the eraser on her pencil as she tries to come up with another. “Hmmm. Anon, you’ve been getting lessons from Miss Cheerilee for a while now. What do you think of her?”
>You immediately tense up. Gotta play this cool. “Well, I think Miss Cheerilee is a really wonderful pony. She’s a great teacher and you guys are super lucky to have her.”
>”We know!” Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle cry.
>Apple Bloom looks a little more sullen.
>You cock your head to the side. “Is everything okay, Apple Bloom?”
>She huffs. “Yeah, it’s fine. I really like Miss Cheerilee and all, but I wish my brother didn’t like her so much.”
>”Why’s that?”
>”I dunno if you’ve heard, but she and my brother Big Macintosh are special someponies. It’s so weird having her over for dinner!”
>You feign surprise. “Oh, I didn’t know that! I can see how that might be a little awkward.”
>”Yeah,” Apple Bloom sighs, “she always checks to make sure I’m doing my homework too. I can’t get away with nothin’ no more! Plus, Applejack and Big Mac have fights about her when she’s gone.”
>You really should stop Apple Bloom there. You have no business prying into ponies’ private lives. Still, it’s about Cheerilee. “What do they fight about?”
>Apple Bloom frowns. “Applejack don’t like her at all. She says she was a big ol’ slug when she was younger and that a mare like that can’t be trusted to mend her ways.”
>”Slut, Apple Bloom. Your sister says that Cheerilee was a slut, not a slug.” Sweetie Belle helpfully clarifies.
>”How do you know?” Apple Bloom asks.
>”Because your sister says the same thing about Rarity!” Sweetie chirps.
>You sigh. Good old Honest Applejack.
>”Uhhh guys,” Scootaloo cuts in, “what’s a slut?”
>The other two shrug.
>Then they turn to you. “Mr. Anon, what’s a slut?”
>Fuuuuuuuuck.
 
>You can feel yourself beginning to sweat. “Ummm, that’s a very bad word that you shouldn’t call other ponies.”
>Apple Bloom gives you a deadpan look. “We figured. But what’s it mean?”
>You tug on your collar. “Ummm, it refers to a mare who is...who uhhh...it refers to a mare who’s really rude!” you stammer out.
>The three fillies give you a surprised look.
>”What?! That can’t be right. Cheerilee is the nicest pony there is, and my sister Rarity is all about being polite.” Sweetie Belle contends.
>Crap. You’re dying here.
>”W-well yeah, it refers to a mare who’s really rude in very specific circumstances. You fillies probably never see it. And besides, Miss Cheerilee and Rarity aren’t sluts to begin with.”
>You’ve heard the rumors about Rarity and you know that what you just said about her is probably not true, but you really hope for your own sake that Applejack was exaggerating about Cheerilee’s past.
>The fillies are silent for a moment as they digest this information.
>Suddenly, a look of realization dawns on Apple Bloom’s face. “Ohhhhhhhhh! You mean they let colts put their wieners in ‘em!”
>Your jaw drops to the table.
>”Ewwwwwww!” Sweetie cries out.
>Scootaloo tugs on your sleeve. “Ohhh! Is that what it means, Mr. Anon? Is it? Is it?”
>You ignore her and focus on Apple Bloom. “What did you just say, young Miss?”
>She just shrugs. “What? I said wiener. I live on a farm, Anon. I see wieners all the time. Pig wieners, cow wieners, dog wieners.” She giggles. “Why, I even saw Big Mac’s wiener once!”
>Sweetie Belle starts laughing hysterically as you blush so hard it hurts.
>Scootaloo tugs even harder at your sleeve. She looks up at you with big, curious purple eyes filled with the beautiful, innocent wonderment of a child.
>”Hey Mr. Anon, do humans have wieners too?”
>”ICE CREAM!” you cry out. “WHO WANTS ICE CREAM?”
>The Cutie Mark Crusaders’ eyes light up.
>”Ooooooh! Me! Me! I want ice cream!”
>You leap out of your chair. “ALRIGHT, OFF TO SUGARCUBE CORNER! LET’S GO GET SOME ICE CREAM!”
>The three fillies cheer and bolt for the door.
>”I call first in line!” Apple Bloom calls out.
>Scootaloo groans. “Apple Bloom, you slut!”
>”Nuh uh! You’re a slut, Scootaloo!”
>”You’re both sluts!” Sweetie Belle cries out.
>The fillies clear the room and start heading to Sugarcube Corner.
>You take the opportunity to slam your face against the wall a few times.
>”Oh dear, it doesn’t look like things went well in here.”
>You turn to find Cheerilee giving you a cheeky grin. “...and from the look on your face, I’d bet that you just got done listening to Apple Bloom talk about all the interesting wieners at Sweet Apple Acres.”
>”I...offered them ice cream to shut them up.”
>”Ooooh, bad choice. Now they know that all they have to do is talk about pig wieners and you’ll give them ice cream.”
>”...Dammit.”
>She leans in and nuzzles you. “Seriously though, thank you for this.  I can’t wait to read their papers and have you in for the presentation.”
>You’re still somewhat in shock, but you manage to give her a soft hug. “I can’t believe you deal with that all day every day. You’re amazing.”
>She giggles. “Oh stop, you. Now go on, you have some ice cream to buy.”
>You wave goodbye to Cheerilee and head out the door, jogging briskly to catch up with the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
 
>The only thing painful about taking the Cutie Mark Crusaders to get ice cream is how much it costs.
>Otherwise, they’re perfect little angels and don’t talk about wieners and sluts at all.
>You see them off and head home yourself.
>The rest of the week flies by very swiftly.
>As always, your time with Cheerilee is the highlight of your day.
>There’s hardly any trace of awkwardness between you anymore, and you notice that she seems more comfortable than ever making physical contact with you, whether it be placing a hoof on your hand when she’s trying to make an important point in her lecture or the way she gives you a sweet little nuzzle whenever she says goodbye.
>Part of you wonders if she might be doing it intentionally out of a less-than-innocent desire to be close to you, but you know better. One drunken mistake notwithstanding, she made it quite clear that she is committed to Big Macintosh.
>Still, it’s nice to feel her every once in awhile. It gives you butterflies in your stomach when you do. You’d also be a damn liar if you claimed that you don’t try to sneak a peek at her goods every time she turns around.
>Cheerilee also keeps you informed on the progress that the Cutie Mark Crusaders are making on their papers about you. She says that the first drafts were all excellent, and that the girls already seem to be enjoying greater popularity thanks to their association with the strange alien life form that lives around Ponyville.
>You have to admit that you’re pretty excited to see what they come up with.
>When the day of the presentations arrives, and you make your way to the schoolhouse at lunch time as instructed, letting yourself in the side door of the one-room school to avoid attracting the attention of the children playing out on the playground.
>You find Cheerilee sitting at her desk, eating some junk food for lunch as she grades papers. She peers through a little pair of brass-rimmed reading glasses with round lenses that sit at the tip of her snout, grunting softly in displeasure as she drowns some poor kid’s math quiz in a sea of red ink.
>”Heya Cheerilee!” you call out in a friendly tone.
>She cries out and jumps, clutching a hoof to her chest and letting her pen fall out of her mouth. “Oh! Anon, you startled me!”
>”Sorry. I’m here for the presentation.”
>She quickly tucks her reading glasses away. “Great. I’m sure you’ll be pleased with everypony’s reports, not just the Crusaders. There’s still about 15 minutes left in the lunch hour though, so if you don’t mind, I need to get these quizzes graded.”
>”Not at all. You won’t even notice I’m here!”
>She gives you a grateful little smile and gets back to work, straining her eyes and leaning into her desk a bit to see the papers.
>That’s a little odd.
>”Umm, Cheerilee? Are you sure you don’t need your glasses?”
>She looks up at you, a slight hint of annoyance showing on her face as she nonetheless maintains her usual smile. “No, I’m quite alright, Anon. Thank you.”
>You raise an eyebrow. “Are you sure? Because you were wearing them when I came in…”
>She opens her mouth to speak, but seems to think better of it. After a moment, she sighs deeply. “Can you keep a secret?”
>You nod.
>“To tell the truth, Anon, I do need them. I can’t see as well as I used to.”
>”So what’s the problem?”
>She crosses her forelegs and leans back in her chair. “The problem is that I can’t see as well as I used to! I don’t like wearing these when others are around because they’re proof of how old I’m getting.”
>Poor thing. Looks like ponies age about as gracefully as humans do. “Well hey, I can wait outside until lunch is over if you want. For what it’s worth, though, I thought they looked kind of cute.”
>You can see the pink blush rising in her cheeks. “Oh, y-you’re just saying that…”
>”No way, girls with glasses are awesome.”
>She rolls her eyes. “Seriously?”
>”Seriously.”
>She gently shakes her head in disbelief and, after a moment’s hesitation, puts her reading glasses back on. “You are such a weirdo, Anon.”
 
>You let Cheerilee get back to work, idly looking around at all the art projects on display on the classroom walls to pass the time.
>Soon, lunch hour is over and Cheerilee grabs the rope and rings the bell up above the schoolhouse to summon her charges back inside.
>As all of the fillies and colts filter back in, they gasp and stare at you sitting at the front of their class. About twenty curious pairs of eyes are closely studying you as they whisper amongst themselves.
>Cheerilee clears her throat and they immediately quiet down. “Alright, class. As I’m sure you noticed, we have a visitor today. Please give a warm welcome to Mr. Anon!”
>”Hello Mr. Anon!” the students cheerfully reply.
>”Mr. Anon is new to Ponyville, so he’s going to watch you give your presentations on the most important residents of our town.”
>The students seem very excited at the prospect of this, and a low murmur fills the classroom as they discuss it amongst themselves.
>The teacher gently taps her hoof on the desk to get them to quiet down. “Alright, who would like to go first?”
>Twenty eager hooves shoot up into the air.
>”Hmmmm. Snips and Snails, how about you lead off?”
>A pair of weird looking colts give each other a high five and make their way to the head of the class.
>So begin the presentations. As expected, they range from pretty awful to quite informative. All of the students seem to relish their chance to show you what they can do, though, so at least all of the presentations have some enthusiasm behind them.
>Snips and Snails fall firmly in the awful category, while a presentation done by two fillies about the vital role that their ancestors played in founding Ponyville is the most well put together.
>As the two girls speak, you get an extremely bitchy vibe from them. Their names are apparently Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, and you would be willing to bet that they’re the ones bullying the CMC.
>Finally, it’s time for the last presentation. Cheerilee calls your three favorite fillies up front. They wave at you and smile nervously as they prepare a bunch of big white poster boards that are apparently meant to serve as some sort of visual aid.
>Apple Bloom nods at Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. The farm filly steps forward and begins to speak. “Fillies and gentlecolts, today we’re gonna do something a little different. Ya’ll have done some great presentations on notable ponies from Ponyville’s past, but we decided to study one of the most interesting current residents of Ponyville.”
>Sweetie Belle takes over. “He’s only been here for about a month, but someone like him has quite literally never been seen in Ponyville before. Today, we’re going to give a presentation on our good friend, Mr. Anon!”
>All of the class except for Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon cheer loudly as Scootaloo holds up a nicely decorated poster that reads “ANON: AN INCREDIBLE VISITER FROM ANOTHER WORLD.”
>You smile at the audience and give the girls a thumbs-up as the applause continues for quite a while.
>Scootaloo switches to a poster showing a crudely-drawn human cityscape with lots of big glass skyscrapers.
>Apple Bloom takes over narration again. “Anon comes from a planet called Earth, which is full of humans just like him! They live in huge cities just like this one. To give ya’ll an idea of just how big human cities are, consider that Manehattan has about 247,000 residents. The biggest human cities and their surrounding areas have 25 or 30 million people living in them, which is over 100 times more than Manehattan!”
>Everyone in the class looks shocked. Even Cheerilee looks rather surprised.
>Scootaloo takes over next. “Humans are super inventors! As you can see by looking at Anon, they don’t have wings or a horn or magic of any kind, but they have invented amazing machines that allow them to almost everything that ponies can do, and even some stuff that we can’t!”
>Sweetie Belle cuts in as Scootaloo switches to the next poster, showing what appear to be an airplane, a car, and a computer, as well as paintbrushes and music notes. “Humans also are very creative! Every major human city has an opera and a symphonic orchestra. They’re very good at painting and sculpting, and they enjoy an incredible variety of music beyond classical, including some that’s made entirely with electronic machines called computers. They can even change the tone of their voice with computers. However, Anon insists that only fucking faggots use auto tune, so it’s clear that differing musical tastes exist among humans just like they do among ponies!”
>Crap, she wrote that down?! You tug nervously on your collar, but neither Cheerilee nor any of the students seem to really react to it. It’s not the first time you’ve been thankful that ponies tend not to use the same swear words that humans do.
 
>”Anon is about average height for a human male,” Apple Bloom explains, “but humans can range in size from about half Anon’s height to six or seven hooves taller than him!”
>The children ooh and aah as they imagine a human of that size, helped out by a poster showing you flanked by a tiny dwarf and a guy that looks about seven feet tall.
>Scootaloo brings out the next poster, a crude drawing of you looking sad and alone in a forest.
>Sweetie Belle adopts her best dramatic tone. “Anon’s story began when he went to sleep one night. He had a crazy dream, and when he woke up, he was deep in Whitetail Woods! He was confused and a little scared, but he eventually managed to find his way to Ponyville.”
>The poster changes to one of you standing next to a bunch of ponies and smiling. ”He thinks that Ponyville is a really great town, and he loves the ponies that live in it.” Scootaloo pridefully notes. “He spends most of his time now taking lessons from Princess Twilight Sparkle and our very own Miss Cheerilee so that he can understand our world better.”
>Scootaloo switches to the last poster, which simply says “CONCLUSION.”
>Apple Bloom steps forward. “In conclusion, Anon is one of the newest residents of Ponyville, but also one which we could learn a whole lot from. Our interview with him showed us that there is a bunch of stuff that he can teach us, and also a lot that we can teach him too. And that is our presentation on Anon!”
>The class erupts into wild applause. Even the bratty filly with the glasses seems amazed. Only Diamond Tiara looks nonplussed.
>Cheerilee looks really, truly happy that things are going so well for the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
>You shake each of their little hooves as they return proudly to their seats, only to be swarmed with eager questions from their classmates.
>Finally, Cheerilee manages to calm down the energetic classroom enough for her to speak. “Well my little ponies, I think you all did wonderfully on these projects. I hope you all learned something important about the great individuals who made a lasting mark on Ponyville, both in the past and in the present!”
>She gives you a look as she says that last part. Then she continues. “Let’s also give a big thank you to Mr. Anon for joining us today!”
>You receive a thunderous round of applause. Cheerilee is looking at you like she expects you to say something, so you rise from your seat.
>”Umm, thank you all for your very informative presentations. I learned a lot about Ponyville. Like the Cutie Mark Crusaders said, I am still very new here, but I can’t wait to get to know you all. If everyone is as cool as Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, I’m sure that we’ll be great friends!”
>The three fillies are practically glowing with pride as another riotous round of applause shakes the schoolhouse all the way to its rafters. Even Cheerilee is clapping.
>In fact, the only one not joining in is Diamond Tiara, who is sulking and seething in her desk.
>Once things settle down, you take a seat and the teacher retakes control of her class. “Thank you, Mr. Anon. We have to do some science and magical theory to finish out the day, but I’m sure the class would love to ask you a few questions after school if you wouldn’t mind sticking around!”
>How can you refuse? You happily accept Cheerilee’s offer, much to the delight of the class.
>After school, the entire class minus Diamond Tiara stick around to bombard you with questions.
>You answer them all to the best of your ability, having a great time while doing so.
>Suddenly, the door to the schoolhouse slams open.
>”Miss Cheerilee, you have some real explaining to do!” shouts a slimy-looking stallion. You look down and see Diamond Tiara at his side, wearing the smuggest of grins.
>This must be Filthy Rich.
>Cheerilee winces and sighs deeply. “Ah. Yes, Mr. Rich. Children, it’s time to go home. Pack up your things and say goodbye to Mr. Anon.”
>The kids cry out in disappointment but reluctantly follow their teacher’s orders.
>Soon it’s just Filthy Rich, Diamond Tiara, Cheerilee, and you.
 
>Filthy Rich looms over Cheerilee as she sits at her desk. She’s putting on a brave face, but you can see her hooves shaking with fear.
>”So, care to explain what this is all about?” Filthy Rich snarls as he points a hoof directly at you.
>”The students were doing a project on the notable residents of Ponyville.” Cheerilee replies coolly. “A group of three students in my class wished to interview Mr. Anon. Since he is a being from another dimension and the mechanics of his presence here may well spark a revolution in our understanding of conjuration magic, I deemed him an appropriate subject.”
>Filthy Rich slams Cheerilee’s desk with his hoof. She only flinches slightly, clearly doing her best to stand her ground. “That’s nonsense and you know it! All of your other students had to do their presentations on someone dead. Only those three got to interview the mysterious hairless ape that the whole town is buzzing about. This is blatant favoritism, and it will not stand!”
>Diamond Tiara instantaneously goes from grinning devilishly at you to sniffling and bawling pathetically into her father’s leg in an impressive display of manipulation. “Daddy, I felt so ashamed!”
>Filthy Rich pats his daughter’s head. “There, there. Daddy’s going to make this all better.”
>Cheerilee shuffles through her papers and produces her gradebook. “Mr. Rich, your daughter’s paper and presentation were both excellent; I assure you that she’ll be getting an A on this assignment…”
>”Don’t change the subject, you sorry excuse of an educator! This isn’t about grades. It’s about you giving every pony in your class an equal opportunity to succeed. My daughter is precious to me, and you’re frittering away her education over some petty grudge! I’ll have your job for this!”
>That’s it, you’re already sick of this walking bag of shit. Seeing him tear into Cheerilee like this arouses a fury in you that is far too intense to contain. You rise to your feet and speak with pure spite coating every single syllable. “Oh really, your daughter is precious to you? It sure doesn’t seem like it.”
>Filthy Rich looks like he’s been slapped in the face. Clearly, he’s not used to anyone talking back to him. “E-excuse me? What did you just say?”
>”I said that your daughter is the biggest spoiled brat I have ever seen, and that it reflects absolutely terribly on you as a father!”
>”Anon!” Cheerilee hisses. “Please don’t do this…”
>You disregard her and get right up in Filthy Rich’s personal space, staring down at his greasy face and balling your fists.
>”And just where do you get off lecturing me about fatherhood, you damn freak?” He cries out indignantly, rising up to meet your challenge.
>”I’m not telling you how to be a father. I’m telling you that you’re a bad one.”
 
>Filthy Rich’s face is red with rage. “Why you…! Do you know who I am?!”
>You laugh coldly. “Yeah, you’re the father of the kid who believes that she’s entitled to everything without working for it. You’re the father of the kid who acts out constantly because she clearly gets no discipline at home. You’re the father of the kid who viciously torments others because she has no positive role models to look up to.”
>A vein is bulging in his neck now. “YOU KNOW NOTHING, YOU SCUM! YOU HAVEN’T EVEN BEEN HERE A MONTH!” he shouts at the top of his lungs.
>”I know enough!” you cry, matching his intensity as testosterone and adrenaline surge through you. “I talked with the three fillies who did the report on me. They told me everything about your little bundle of sunshine. How she’s rude and condescending to everyone else in the class. How she pulls mean-spirited pranks on the most vulnerable ponies. Worst of all, they talked all about the torment she puts them through every day. It used to be because they didn’t have their cutie marks, but now she and her friend do it for fun!”
>Diamond Tiara is crying more heavily now. “He’s a liar, daddy, I promise!”
>”You...You’re making my little girl cry! I oughta sock you right now!” Filthy Rich bellows.
>”Do it!” you eagerly respond. “It’ll just prove my point that you’re an awful role model. And trust me, I’m not the only one who thinks so. Anyone who spends any amount of time around your child immediately realizes that you are an awful parent. She is a walking testament to your profound failure as a parent and as a pony.”
>Filthy Rich is practically foaming at the mouth. “CHEERILEE, GET THIS DAMN LYING APE OUT OF THE SCHOOLHOUSE NOW!”
>Cheerilee is silent for a few seconds, nervously chewing on her lip. Finally, she issues a calm and confident reply.
>”No.”
>His eyes go wide. “No? NO?! IT WASN’T A QUESTION YOU, DROOLING IDIOT! IT WAS AN ORDER! I RUN THIS TOWN! ME! AND I SAY GET HIM OUT OF HERE!”
>Cheerilee rises from her seat and comes to your side. “No, I won’t. Mr. Anon is telling the truth.”
>”Telling the truth? TELLING THE TRUTH?! OHHHH, YOU HAD BETTER PACK YOUR BAGS, CHEERILEE, BECAUSE YOUR TIME IN PONYVILLE IS OVER!”
>Diamond Tiara gives a triumphant and rather unhinged smile. You can tell that she has been waiting for this day for a long time.
>”Fine!” Cheerilee resolutely responds. “But before I go, I think there’s a little something you should have a look at, Mr. Filthy.”
>She storms over to her desk, flings open a drawer, and retrieves a very thick folder which she puts down on the desk in front of the seething father.
>He sneers. “And just what is this?”
>”A folder containing discipline reports.” Cheerilee states calmly and matter-of-factly. “For two years, I have watched your child terrorize the rest of the class. Every time she did something, I wrote it down on a discipline report and noted the exact time and date. I never punished her, of course. I knew better than that, since you clearly don’t believe in disciplining your daughter and would almost certainly have me fired for attempting it. But now that that’s a foregone conclusion, I just thought that you should know that everything Anon said is 100% true, and that most of Ponyville is indeed laughing at you behind your back.”
>Filthy Rich begins reading through the huge stack of bright orange reports as the smug little shit beside him suddenly looks very nervous.
>”Taunted other students for being blank flanks.” He reads aloud. “Put gum in Twist’s mane. Mocked Scootaloo for being unable to fly. Tricked Sweetie Belle into kissing a pig. Stole Apple Bloom’s bow and threw it in the mud. Kicked and bit Rumble until he was forced to answer to the name ‘Bumble.’ Put a live skunk in Featherweight’s bookbag.”
 
>He goes through several more in that fashion before finally looking up at Cheerilee in complete shock. “Sweet Celestia, she really did all of this?”
>”You’re only through the first month. There’s about seventeen more to go, and she’s only gotten worse.”
>Filthy Rich glares down at his daughter. “What do you have to say for yourself?”
>She is totally at a loss. Real tears are coming to her eyes. “Daddy, please…”
>He growls. “Don’t give me that! Go outside and wait. I’ll be out in a few minutes to take you home and discuss your punishment, since you very clearly need one.”
>She runs out of the schoolhouse, sobbing bitterly.
>Filthy Rich silently watches her go. He looks utterly shellshocked as he turns back to you and Cheerilee. “I...I don’t know what to say.”
>The teacher shakes her head sorrowfully. “Yeah. It’s a mess. I should have spoken up sooner. I realize that now.”
>He nods. “Yes, you should have. That’s going to be a very big stain on your upcoming performance evaluation. To think, my little girl was a monster this whole time...”
>“Please, go easy on Cheerilee.” you insist. “I’m sure you can understand why she feared for her livelihood if she took action.” You nervously clear your throat. “And, ummm, please forgive me as well. I lost my cool.”
>Filthy Rich laughs. “Nah, it’s been over a decade since someone had the balls to talk to me like that. I admire your courage, especially since it seems to have prompted Cheerilee to do the right thing.”
>He extends his hoof. “I’m Filthy Rich, by the way. Owner and operator of Barnyard Bargains, the largest chain of general stores in Everfree Province. I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced.”
>You shake his hoof vigorously. “I’m Anon. Pleased to meet you.”
>He glances over at the door. “Well, I should probably be heading home. I’ve obviously got my work cut out for me, but I promise I’ll try my best to be more involved in Diamond Tiara’s life from now on.”
>As he turns towards the door, he glances back at Cheerilee. “You’re not fired. For now.”
>Then he looks at you. “And you. I like you. You should come play poker with me and the boys sometime.”
>You wave goodbye to him as he goes.
>The door closes and latches shut. Cheerilee collapses back into her seat and you just stand there for a while, both of you a bit too shocked to say anything.
>And then she starts laughing. “Anon, it’s over. It’s really over!”
>You take a seat next to her and smile. “Yeah, hopefully this improves Diamond Tiara’s attitude.”
>She grasps your hands and looks into your eyes, a slightly manic glint visible in her own pupils. “Even if it doesn’t, do you know what this means? I...I can finally discipline her. I have my classroom back!”
>You squeeze her hooves in your hands and cheer. “I’m so happy for you, Cheerilee!”
>She leans forward, her voice taking on a slightly more intimate tone. “And you, Anon. I have you to thank. Watching you stand up to Filthy Rich was one of the most wonderful, inspiring, and satisfying things I have ever seen.”
>You blush modestly. “Oh come on, Cheerilee. It was nothing. You were the one who saved the day with that folder.”
>She smiles tenderly and caresses your face. “But I never would have found the strength to pull it out without you standing there with me.”
>Her eyes shimmer like emerald pools as you stare deeply into them. ”Cheerilee…”
>”Anon…”
>Reason abandons you entirely.
>You lean in, gently stroke her cheek, and then kiss her deeply.
 
>Cheerilee, for her part, does not pull away from you.
>Quite the opposite, in fact.
>She presses her lips back against yours enthusiastically.
>Time seems to stand still, and for one moment your entire world is comprised of this kiss.
>Eventually, she pulls away.
>Cheerilee is breathing heavily as she stares up at you. She wears a supremely conflicted look on her face. She seems guilty and disappointed, but there is an undeniable look of want gleaming in her eyes.
>”Anon. We...we really shouldn’t.” she whispers half-heartedly.
>It’s taking all of your self-control not to rush forward and kiss her again. You want to taste her lips again so badly.
>With a chastened grunt, you restrain yourself. “I know. I couldn’t help myself. I’m sorry.”
>She stares down at the floor, unable to make eye contact with you. “I understand. It’s not exactly easy for me either. You’re a really wonderful guy, Anon. These past few weeks have been...difficult.”
>You laugh softly. “Yeah, it’s pretty crazy. We do our lesson every day and just try to pretend that nothing ever happened. But to be honest, Cheerilee, I can’t stop thinking about it.”
>She smiles bitterly. “That makes two of us, then.”
>An awkward silence descends on the room. Your brain is running a million miles an hour trying to come up with anything to say, but nothing is coming out.
>Cheerilee seems to be in the same boat.
>You realize that you need to make a move here. This is probably your only chance.
>But should you take it? Is it the right thing to do?
>You take one look at Cheerilee’s face, so beautiful in its own unassuming and humble way, and you have your answer.
>You stroke her face once again, trailing your hand down her soft cheek and stopping beneath her chin, which you tilt upwards with a single finger so that she’s looking you in the eyes.
>”Cheerilee, you’re really special to me. There’s no one in this world who makes me feel like you do, and I don’t want that feeling to stop. I don’t think I could ever forgive myself if I didn’t at least try to see what we could be.”
>There are tears welling up in her eyes as she gazes back at you. “Anon, this is crazy, but I think I feel the same way.”
>“R-really?”
>She nods. “Yeah. Life’s way too short to just ignore something like this.”
>Your heart feels like it’s leaping into the stratosphere. “That’s...that’s amazing! I promise, I’ll do my very best to-”
>Your gushing is stopped dead in its tracks as Cheerilee places her hoof over your mouth. “Anon. Shut up and kiss me.”
 
>You’re certainly not going to say no to that. You surge forward and kiss her passionately.
>She wraps her forelegs around your neck and pulls you close, matching every ounce of your ardor as your lips ebb and swell against each other.
>Before you know it, she has managed to very gracefully maneuver herself so that she’s sitting with her hindquarters in your lap.
>You run your hands down her sides, feeling the vague outline of her ribs give way to the soft pudge of her pony belly as you go.
>She quietly moans and presses her long tongue into your mouth, playfully rolling it around with yours.
>Your hands venture ever lower and eventually come to rest on her lovely butt. You give the soft, yielding flesh beneath your palms a tender squeeze, drawing another cute moan from her.
>She’s softly moving her hips against you now. You can feel the heat of her excitement even through the thick fabric of your pants. All the while, you continue your sloppy, intense kissing.
>However, a thought seizes you and you’re forced to pull away. “Cheerilee, should we really be doing this here?”
>She gives you a devilish smile and slides out of your lap, sauntering over to the door to the school with her tail held high enough to give you a nice little show as she goes.
>The door makes a loud click as she deadbolts it shut. She turns and begins returning to you at a slow pace, a positively sultry look on her face as she goes.
>Finally, she climbs back into your lap, leaning in to whisper in your ear. “Can I tell you a secret, Anon?”
>”Yeah.”
>She licks your cheek. “I’ve always wanted to do it on this desk.”
>Your pants were already feeling pretty tight, but that kicks it into overdrive.
>You push the papers and pencils on the desk off to the side and gently lay your teacher down on top of it, kissing her deeply as you do.
>She runs her hooves up and down your chest. Your own hand begins to wander, caressing its way down her chest and stomach before reaching the tiny tits above her crotch. You roll them between your fingers, drawing a lustful groan from the mare beneath you.
>Once you’ve had your fun there, you dip down to touch the ultimate prize. You run two fingers along her slick nether lips, enjoying the cute little shiver it sends through her whole body.
>You plunge two fingers inside of her. She cries out into your mouth and somehow ratchets up the intensity of your kisses even more.
>Cheerilee’s pussy feels just as wonderful as you remember it. It’s warm, velvety, and wet, with powerful muscles that clench against your fingers, practically drawing them in on their own.
>You start to pleasure her with your digits, teasing her clit with your thumb every time it winks out of her, much to her ecstatic delight.
>Her scent is starting to fill the room, and it fills you with intense desire.
>You want to taste her.
>You pull your lips away from hers, and instead plant a tender kiss on her neck.
>Then on her chest.
>Then on down her tummy…
>She giggles and coos when you tease her hard nipples with your tongue.
>At last, you find yourself on your knees with Cheerilee’s legs spread wide on the desk in front of you.
>Her marehood looks and smells amazing. The way the dark purple of her dripping-wet lips gives way to the hot pink flesh within is absolutely alluring, especially when her heart-shaped clit periodically winks out.
>Her adorable little puckered asshole looks just like a miniature donut. You definitely want to have some fun with that too.
 
>You lean forward and slowly lick up the entire length of Cheerilee’s slit. She tastes sort of like mildly tangy hay. You could definitely get used to it.
>She gasps and arches her back as she feels your rough tongue on her sensitive flower. One of her hind legs even convulses a little bit.
>You give her a few more teasing licks before pressing inwards, snaking your tongue inside of her and rolling it around against the spongy walls inside.
>She’s breathing heavily now, punctuating every few breaths with a lewd moan. She places her front hooves on the back of your head and needily presses you into her.
>“Yeah...just like that, Anon…”
>Your nose is butted up against her clit. Naturally, you begin rubbing her sensitive little nub with it as you explore every inch of her pussy with your eager tongue and lap up her tasty juices.
>The shudders and shocks going through Cheerilee’s body in response to this treatment are delightful. Her face is contorted with pleasure and she’s blushing intensely as she stares down at you lovingly.
>You decide to give her button some extra love. You extricate your tongue from inside of her and move your head up slightly. You press the tip of your tongue against the firmness of her clit and begin swirling it around. When her vagina contracts and protrudes her nub outwards, you catch it between your lips and suckle on it for a moment.
>She goes wild, bucking her hips against you and moaning and groaning loudly as she caresses your hair with her hooves.
>You bring your fingers back into the mix, jamming two inside of her as you enthusiastically stimulate her most sensitive part with your tongue.
>She’s dripping heavily with excitement. The base of her tail is stained and there’s actually a little puddle forming on the desk where she normally grades the schoolwork of the cute little children she teaches.
>If only they could see their teacher now…
>Regardless, the lewd squelching sounds that your fingers are making as you pleasure her are giving you an idea.
>You slowly pull your dripping wet fingers out of her depths. Then you trail them lower.
>You prod gently at the tight little entrance to her ass, getting a feel for its yielding, rubbery goodness. Once you’re satisfied, you press a little more firmly against it with your middle finger.
>Cheerilee raises her head and looks down at you quizzically. “Anon, what are you…”
>You press a bit harder and her tight ring gives way, allowing your well-lubed finger to plunge into her forbidden hole all the way up to the second knuckle.
>She tenses up and cries out, clenching against your finger with strangling force. “AHHH! Anon! You naughty, naughty boy!”
>You merely chuckle and continue pleasuring her with your tongue as you give her some time to adjust to the unexpected guest in her other hole.
>She groans and writhes a bit, but soon you can feel her relax. Eventually, she smiles down at you and gives your finger an encouraging squeeze. “Mmmmm...Alright, you dirty little human. Be very gentle down there. I don’t have much experience with...that.”
>You give her a reassuring nod and begin to slowly and tenderly pump her tight hole with your finger. All the while, you suckle, tease, and lick her clit, causing her to buck her hips against you and cry out ever more desperately.
>You quickly fall into a rhythm. Cheerilee’s ass loosens up enough to accommodate your whole finger, and you begin to vigorously fuck her with it.
>”Oh Celestia,” Cheerilee mewls between heavy moans, “It’s so weird...but please don’t stop!”
>You hadn’t planned on it.
>If anything, you ratchet up the intensity.
>Her breath is getting ragged and her hind legs are shaking and convulsing. You go as hard as you can as she presses you into her with all of her might and humps your face hard enough that you’re a bit concerned she’ll break your nose.
>She screams out your name as her climax hits like a tidal wave. A gush of juices bursts out of her wildly clenching vagina as she rubs it against your face desperately and clenches her snug ass against your finger with impressive force.
>You pull away and lovingly stroke her stomach and thighs with your free hand as she rides out her ecstasy.
>She finally falls still, panting heavily as she lies on her desk in a puddle of her own juices.
 
>You ever-so-carefully withdraw your finger from her ass, drawing a soft groan from her as you finally pull it free.
>You rise to your feet and smile as you look down at her sprawled out on the desk before you. Her eyes meet yours and she chuckles.
>”You’re a very naughty boy, playing with your teacher’s butt like that.” she playfully chides.
>You wordlessly lean down, wrap your arms around her, and pick her up. She yelps in surprise and quickly wraps her forelegs around your neck for support.
>You sit down in the Cheerilee’s big comfy chair with her once again resting in your lap and pressed tight against your chest. You lean in and give her a sweet kiss before pulling away.
>”Maybe I am a naughty student, but you didn’t seem to mind it very much, Miss Cheerilee.” you tease.
>She winks at you. “Not at all. We’ll definitely have to add stuff like that to the curriculum in the future…”
>You feel her begin to slowly move her naughty bits against the bulge in your trousers. She rubs your face with her hooves and stares at you lustfully. “For now, though, how about you get that sexy cock out so I can properly reward your scholarship?”
>You obediently undo your pants and lift Cheerilee up a bit so that you can slide them and your underwear down your legs and off. She immediately begins to rub herself against your member, the feeling of her wet warmth against your bare skin driving you crazy.
>You kiss her passionately as she hotdogs you between her lips. You lean yourself back in the chair to give her a better angle.
>Your dick is practically crying out to plunge into her, but you know how much she loves being in control. You break the kiss and breathlessly ask her permission. “Miss Cheerilee, may I please be inside of you now?”
>She moans softly and leans in to nibble on your earlobe and whisper her reply. “Yes, dear, you may.”
>She raises her back end up, and you take your cock in hand, teasingly rubbing your sensitive tip along her labia a few times before lining it up with her entrance.
>She takes a deep breath and slowly but surely lowers herself down onto it, enveloping more and more of you in a soft, snug, and slick wonderland until she finally bottoms out. Her incredible muscles give your entire length a few tender squeezes as they quickly adjust to being stretched by you.
>You grunt with satisfaction and lovingly caress her mane. She smiles at you and begins to slowly move, sliding herself up and down on your dick.
>Every movement sends a wave of bliss washing over you. Last time you did this, you were too drunk to truly appreciate every single ridge inside of her and how effortlessly they tease pleasure from you as she slowly drags them up your penis. Every thrust is amazing, and you gasp and moan every time she clenches tight around you.
>You run your hands down and cup her butt in them, gently guiding her up and down in a bid to make her go faster as you begin to thrust upward in time with her movements.
>She catches your meaning and begins to move faster, leaning in and locking you in another smoldering kiss as she begins working you properly.
>Her chair makes a creaking noise in time with the lewd slaps of her butt slamming against your lap. You go at it like that for a few minutes, her body pressed as close to yours as it can be as your lips interlock and she rides you vigorously.
>She backs away from the kiss and gazes into your eyes intensely, panting with lust. “AhhhHHH! Anon...teacher is r-really close. Be a good boy now and cum inside…”
>You give her butt a smack. “Yes, Miss Cheerilee!”
>She leans into your neck, nibbling, licking, and kissing all over it as the intensity of your lovemaking begins to crescendo.
>Her cries get louder. You hope no one is passing by the school right now.
>She smashes her burning pussy against your member with less finesse and more animalistic power. You match her intensity, thrusting into her with all of your power as your balls tighten and you feel your member begin to throb.
>She’s very close now, and you do your best to meditate and delay your orgasm so it can coincide with hers.
>The blinding pleasure her clenching walls are giving you is not making it easy.
>Finally, you hear her begin to cry out, each vocalization higher and more desperate than the last.
>She goes silent for a moment before jamming herself forcefully downwards and moaning out in all-consuming bliss as her entire lower body shakes and she squeezes you with all she’s got.
>It comes not a moment too soon. The pleasure overwhelms you, and you flood her with jet after jet of your hot, sticky seed.
>Cheerilee collapses against you, and you hold her tight as you ride out the storm.
 
>The pony in your arms starts to come down from her high. You can feel her heartbeat slowly returning to normal as she catches her breath and rests her weary body against you.
>After a few minutes, she finds the strength to raises her head and meet your eyes. “That was really nice, Anon.”
>You run your fingers through her mane. “Yeah, we should defile your desk and chair more often.”
>She giggles. “Oh, you have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that…”
>”Glad I could help with your perverted teacher fantasy.”
>Cheerilee gives you a sultry look. “Mmmm, well, I have plenty more where that came from.”
>You give her a wink. “Naughty little pony.”
>She sticks her tongue out. “Big, pervy human.”
>The two of you share a laugh, which turns into a kiss, which turns into hardcore cuddling as the last rays of the setting sun bathe the schoolhouse in orangish light.
>Finally, Cheerilee frees herself from your grasp and slides back onto her hooves.
>You rise from the chair and stretch your legs out, admiring the trail of semen dribbling down her hind leg as she gets her desk back in order.
>She looks back at you quizzically for a moment before realizing just what you’re gawking at.
>Her tail flits down in an embarrassed attempt to cover herself. “Oh my, that’s...quite a lot. I think there are some spare rags in the closet, Anon. Could you please grab a few so I can do some cleanup?”
>You oblige, rifling through the school supplies in the closet to find a few old rags and bringing them over. As Cheerilee cleans herself up, you helpfully wipe down the desk and the chair.
>Soon, you’re both looking at least semi-presentable.
>She starts closing down the school for the evening, and you head for the door.
>Once outside, she locks the door behind her and turns to you. “So Anon, I’m feeling kind of hungry after all that excitement. How about you?”
>Your stomach grumbles at the mere thought of food.
>Cheerilee chuckles when she hears it. “I guess I have my answer.”
>”Yeah, I could really go for some dinner.”
>She smiles invitingly. “Well, you’re welcome to come over to my place if you’d like. I can whip something up in a jiffy!”
>You wholeheartedly accept, and you quickly find yourself on the road to Cheerilee’s little house in the wrong side of Ponyville.
>On the way, some strange thoughts strike you.
>You’re filled with the urge to wrap an arm around her or something as you walk, but you resolutely suppress it. Wouldn’t want anyone getting suspicious.
>Is that really how it’s going to be, though? Are you just going to have to hide this from the world?
>Furthermore, you’re not even sure what to call this thing you now apparently have with Cheerilee. You don’t get the sense that she’s about to dump Big Mac for you. Are you just friends with benefits? That doesn’t explain why she’s inviting you home for dinner, nor does it explain the talk that you had before your encounter in the schoolhouse. She obviously has feelings for you.
>You question whether it’s even something worth discussing with her. Maybe you should just sit back and enjoy the ride. Cheerilee might be just as confused as you are. Maybe things will become clearer with time?
>Before you have a chance to ponder these things further, Cheerilee is fishing her door key out of her saddlebags and opening up the creaky door to her home. After making sure that no one is watching, she cheerfully invites you in.
 
>You help Cheerilee out with lighting up the kerosene lamps in the living room and kitchen. She immediately heads to her rather limited pantry and starts rummaging through it, talking softly to herself as she tries to come up with a suitable meal.
>”Is there anything I can do to help?” you offer.
>She pokes her head out of the pantry. “Oh! Ummmm, sure. There’s probably something you can help me with once I figure out what to serve. Do you eat flowers?”
>”Ehhhhh, not really. But I’m definitely willing to try anything you can cook up. Flowers are fine.”
>She raises an eyebrow. “Are you sure? It’s really no trouble if you don’t.”
>You smile politely. The flowers you’ve tried tasted kind of gross to you, but you’re a guest in this fine mare’s home and you don’t want to offend. “Yes, flowers will be great. How can I help?”
>She looks quite relieved at this. “I can probably do a stir-fry of some sort, then. There should be a block of tofu in the fridge, do you mind cubing it?”
>You quickly get to work on the tofu as Cheerilee prepares the rest of the ingredients and gets the skillet going on the stove.
>Soon, everything is sizzling in the pan and it’s just a matter of waiting.
>Cheerilee hums an upbeat song as she occasionally flips the contents of the pan to ensure everything cooks evenly.
>You lean against the counter. “Smells really good so far.”
>”I’m glad you think so! I’m sorry I can’t do something more elaborate, but today has been quite the roller coaster.”
>You rest a hand on Cheerilee’s back and softly rub it. “No way, I really appreciate you doing this in the first place.”
>She winks at you playfully. “It’s the very least I can do for my hero!”
>”Aww, come on…”
>She giggles. “It’s true, Anon! You have no idea how much that situation with Diamond Tiara ate at me.”
>Cheerilee does look quite happy indeed. Everything about the way she moves seems lighter and freer. You’ve been around her long enough to know that she’s good at faking a smile, but the one on her face right now is absolutely pure and serene. The sight of it melts your heart.
>With one more flip of its sizzling contents, she pulls the pan off the burner. You grab a pair of plates out of the cupboard, and the two of you sit down for a nice meal.
>Defiling the innocent sanctity of Cheerilee’s workplace wore you out more than you realized, and you find yourself wolfing down the surprisingly good flower petal stir fry. The noodles are just right, and the weird taste of the flowers actually balances with the other flavors nicely.
>Cheerilee looks like she’s in the same boat, eating her dinner with the practiced speed of a teacher who uses her lunch hours primarily for grading papers, not eating lunch.
>You politely dab at your mouth with a napkin. “That was great, Cheerilee. I never knew you were such a good cook.”
>She blushes lightly. “Thanks, Anon. I haven’t cooked for anyone in quite some time, so it’s good to hear I haven’t lost it.”
>You tilt your head to the side. “You’ve never cooked for Big Mac?”
>At once, the room fills with an awkward vibe. Cheerilee’s face is stony, and you immediately regret bringing that up. “Well, ummm, no. Big Mac works all day and generally doesn’t want to go places in the evening. Plus, between Granny Smith and Applejack, he already has the two best cooks in Ponyville at his place. I usually just have dinner there once or twice a week.”
>”I see.”
 
>Cheerilee goes silent for a while, playing with what remains of her dinner with a fork. Finally, she chuckles.
>You look at her quizzically.
>She speaks without looking up from her plate. “Life is funny, isn’t it?”
>”What do you mean?”
>She sighs wistfully. “Diamond Tiara was the biggest source of trouble and stress in my life. Today, I finally overcame that problem. And then...you happened.”
>You furrow your brow. “You think I’m a problem?”
>She shakes her head vigorously. “No no no! Anon, you’re wonderful. But Big Macintosh is very special to me, and...and I just don’t know what to make of this all.”
>You softly squeeze her hoof. “Cheerilee…”
>She squeezes your hand back and looks up at you, the faintest hint of a tear forming in the corner of one of her eyes. “I just don’t know how it happened, Anon. When I was young, everything was so simple. I had all the answers and I knew exactly how I wanted my life to go. I was going to teach underprivileged kids all around the world and have amazing adventures while doing it. But now...here I am. Youth has passed me by, I’m still in Ponyville, and life seems to get more complicated and uncertain every day.”
>You sweetly stroke her cheek. “Hey now, it’s never too late, Cheerilee. You overcame a major challenge in your life today, and I know you can do it again and again until you finally have the life you want. If you ever need any help, I’m more than happy to lend a hand.”
>She smiles slightly. “That’s exactly what I thought you would say.”
>”Really?”
>She laughs. “I mean, it was pretty cliche. But...when I’m with you, all of those cliches seem a lot more realistic.” She looks away with embarrassment on her face. “To be honest, I think that’s why I’m attracted to you, Anon. You make me feel young again. Like maybe the dreams I had when I was a filly weren’t so crazy after all.”
>”They aren’t crazy.” you insist.
>She just nuzzles the hand you have against her cheek.
>You take a few moments to gather your thoughts. You weren’t really expecting Cheerilee to pour her heart out like this.
>Cheerilee nervously licks her lips and clears her throat. “Listen, Anon. There’s a lot of things that I’m uncertain about, but what I do know is that I like you a lot. I think I’d like to just forget the world and enjoy your company tonight, if that’s okay with you.”
>”That sounds great.”
>She leans forward and pecks you on the cheek. “I’ll put some tea on if you’d like to hang out on the couch, then.”
>You happily agree and spend the rest of the night cuddled up together on Cheerilee’s comfy couch. You’re both too worn out to do anything sexual, although there is plenty of snuggling and groping, along with the occasional kiss.
>Instead, the two of you share a fascinating conversation about the places you’ve been on Earth and all of the places in Equestria that are on Cheerilee’s wish list to visit someday.
>She talks for almost an hour about Inti Pacha, the Llaman city that she wants to visit more than anything. It really is amazing how much information she’s absorbed about that place. There’s an entire shelf of her bookcase dedicated to it.
>The hour gets later, and you hold each other closer as the chill of the night begins to set in.
>Finally, Cheerilee glances up at the clock and yawns. “Mmmm. Well, Anon. It’s a school night and I really should be getting to bed.”
>You reluctantly release her from your tired arms. “Yeah, I guess I’ll get going.”
>She gives you a tender look and strokes your chest with a hoof. “Oh Anon, it’s cold out tonight. You shouldn’t be walking home in it, and I certainly wouldn’t mind if you stayed here.”
>Thank fuck. You’re not sure you could make it home without falling asleep.
>You graciously accept, and she leads you to bed.
>Snuggled up under the covers with your warm, loving pony, sleep comes very quickly.
 
>When you wake up, you’re not in Cheerilee’s bed.
>Instead, you seem to be in some small, confined space. You feel around, and your hands brush over wooden handles of some sort. Outside, you can hear the din of many voices chatting and laughing.
>You grab one of the handles and tentatively lift it. It’s light and easy to pick up.
>Is it...a broom?
>Are you in a broom closet?
>You feel around a little bit more, and cry out triumphantly as your hand contacts a cold metal doorknob. You give it a turn.
>The bright light outside stings your eyes for a moment, but once they adjust, you realize that you were, in fact, in a broom closet.
>Beyond the closet is what seems to be a fairly typical Equestrian high school. Teenaged ponies are milling about the place joking, playing, and generally being impetuous little shits.
>How the hell did you get here?
>As you look around for answers, you begin to realize that something is a bit off about these kids.
>For one, they don’t look like any of the young ponies you’ve seen around Ponyville.
>Most of them seem to be wearing clothes, which is odd enough already. To top it off, these particular clothes practically seem to glow with painfully bright colors. You’ve never seen ponies wearing anything like them.
>In addition, almost all of the fillies have their manes permed, and some of the stallions wear ridiculously baggy canvas pants.
>However, the much more distressing part is that none of them seem to be able to see you.
>You’ve noticed several ponies looking directly at you, but they all seem to gaze straight through you with no apparent reaction to the human that just stumbled out of the janitor’s closet.
>You call out to them and wave your arms.
>Nothing.
>You begin to feel panic welling up within you.
>As you start walking around the halls looking for anything or anyone that might give you hint about what’s going on, a strange distorted voice whispers directly in your ear.
==YOU HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN==
>You whirl around, looking for the source of the sound. You find nothing. None of the teenagers in the hall seem to have noticed anything either.
==YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN==
>”Hello? Who’s there?” you tremulously call out.
==IT IS WRITTEN ON YOUR HEART==
>”What?”
==FIND ME==
>”Who are you? What’s going on?”
>The voice is silent.
>Your legs are shaking.
>You take a deep breath and carefully think over what the voice just said. Apparently the way to find it is written on your heart. You’re not really sure you want to find it, but you don’t appear to have any other options unless one of these kids can somehow see you.
>It’s worth a shot, you guess. You close your eyes, take some deep breaths, and really try to listen to what your heart is telling you.
>Roaming the halls is not going to get you anywhere.
>You need to go to a central location.
>From what you can tell, the school seems to be a big square. You’ve glimpsed a courtyard in the middle of everything.
>It would be best to try there.
>You move with a new sense of purpose as you try to locate an exterior door.
 
>At last, you find a way out into the courtyard.
>It’s a pleasant grassy area crisscrossed by stone walking paths and punctuated by the occasional shade tree. Several groups of ponies sit at the picnic tables in this area eating their lunches.
>You float around aimlessly for a little while, seeing if anything catches your eye.
>Sure enough, something does.
>Amidst one of the groups of fillies, you spot an extremely familiar pony.
>Her purple coat is unmistakable, and although her mane and tail are permed, they still sport the same bubblegum stripes that you know so well.
>You draw closer and find that the cutie mark lines up too. Three smiling flowers.
>This is Cheerilee.
>Or at least it was Cheerilee at one point. For some reason you appear to have traveled through time and encountered her as she was 15 to 20 years ago.
>She’s chatting animatedly with a group of her friends.
>You listen in.
>”...and so then I was totally like ‘No way!’ but she totally was like ‘Yeah, totally!’ and so I just got out of there as fast as I freaking could because it was like, totally grody!”
>Her friends all react with disgust.
>”So if your special talent isn’t gardening, what do the flowers on your butt mean, Cheerilee?”
>She shrugs. “Like, I totally dunno! All I know is that I’m not touching anything involving that much manure ever again.”
>A nerdy looking girl timidly speaks up. “Well, uhhh, we did just take those vocational aptitude tests. What did yours say you would be good at?”
>Cheerilee gasps. “Oh. My. Celestia. I totally forgot about that. You girls aren’t gonna believe this. I got mine back yesterday and it said that I should be a teacher!”
>The girls giggle riotously.
>Cheerilee’s teenage form laughs along with them. “I know, right? Me, a teacher? Like, gag me with a spoon! I would never do something so lame. Plus, what does it have to do with flowers?” she asks, making a motion towards the emblem on her rump.
>The nerdy filly adjusts her glasses. “Well, what else is there?”
>”I dunno!” she says happily. “Maybe I’ll be a botanist and hunt exotic plants in the rain forest or something! That would be totally rad.”
>One of the other fillies sticks her tongue out. ”Pffft. Knowing you, Cheerilee, it’d probably just turn into a hunt for exotic cocks.”
>Cheerilee huffs as the other girls have a laugh at her expense.
>The girls carry on for quite some time talking about lots of petty and unimportant stuff.
>You have to back away once they start discussing colts, though. It gets raunchy quick, and the idea of listening to an underage version of the mare you’re illicitly fucking discussing the proportions of the ideal penis is more than a little creepy.
>As you move away, the disembodied voice whispers right into your ear again.
==YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN BOUND. YOUR HEARTS ARE CHAINED==
>You can sense something right over your shoulder saying these things in your ear. You swat at it, but hit nothing but air.
==IT IS INEVITABLE==
>Before you have a chance to do or say anything, the world turns upside down, and you free fall into the sky.
>As you scream, Cheerilee looks up at you and watches with uncertain green eyes.
 
>You wake with a start, your brow covered in sweat despite the cool temperature in the room.
>Cheerilee is pressed up close against your chest. In the dim glow of the early morning light, you can see that she is looking up at you with concern.
>”Bad dream?” she whispers.
>You nod.
>She sighs and nuzzles herself into your chest. “I had one too. You were in it.”
>You begin to softly run your hand through her mane as your heartbeat returns to normal after that dream. “Weird. You were in mine.”
>”Very weird. What was it like?”
>”It was like I was a ghost observing a scene from your past. You were a teenager talking to your friends about what you wanted to do with your life. Your aptitude test said you should be a teacher…”
>”...but what does that have to do with flowers?” says Cheerilee, finishing your sentence.
>Your poor heart just settled down, but that gets it racing nervously once more. “Uhhh...yeah. That...that wasn’t actually a vision of your past, was it?”
>She stares you down very seriously. “What did the school look like? What were the other ponies like?”
>You go into as many details as you can recall.
>Once you’re done, Cheerilee goes silent for a while. When she does speak, her voice sounds as if she’s reprimanding a disobedient student. “Anon, this had better not be a joke. You really, truly saw all of that?”
>”I’m pretty sure, yeah. Why? It didn’t actually happen, did it?”
>”Yes,” she says incredulously, “yes it did. Exactly as you described it. The layout of the school, what the other ponies looked like, what I looked like and what I said, everything. You even got the color of the lockers right.”
>You’re dumbstruck. You just lie there petting Cheerilee, totally at a loss.
>She gulps nervously and licks her dry lips. “So, uh...I don’t suppose there was a weird voice whispering in your ear, too?”
>A shiver runs down your spine. “Cheerilee, what is going on?”
>She presses herself as close to you as she can get. “I don’t know, Anon. I’m...I’m scared.”
>You pat her reassuringly. “Hey now, it’s going to be alright. I actually spoke with Twilight Sparkle about these dreams the other day. She thought they were significant. If you’re having them too, then we definitely need to talk to her. She’ll have answers.”
>She sighs. “You’re right, we should. Still, I have a bad feeling about this.”
>You hug her tight.
>She melts into your embrace, revelling in the closeness for a few seconds. Then she pulls away, shakes her head, and grins ruefully. “You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you, Anon?”
>You smile playfully at her. “It wouldn’t be much of an adventure otherwise, would it?”
>She chuckles and leans in to kiss you.
>Your lips meet, and all at once your worries melt away.
>Cheerilee glances up at the clock on the wall as she pulls away. “So...It’s 5:30 in the morning.”
>”Yeah?”
>She rubs your chest and gives you a sultry gaze. “I don’t normally get up until six, but after all of this strangeness I think I might need an extra-long shower to help me relax...”
>You stare at her for a moment before your sleepy brain catches her meaning. You quickly trail a hand down her back and give her lovely bottom a squeeze. “Well, you are a dirty little mare…”
>Cheerilee sticks her tongue out. “Would you like to come help your dirty little mare get clean, then?”
>You’ve never gotten out of bed so fast in your life.
 
>Cheerilee leads you to the bathroom and once the shower is nice and steamy, she beckons you in.
>You both spend a few uncomfortable moments trying to figure out a good position in the tiny shower stall. Eventually you sit down beneath the stream of hot water to be closer to her face level and she scoots into your lap.
>Her wet mane starts to droop down and cover her face. You gently move it out of the way with your hand, caress her cheek and then move in for a sweet kiss that she happily reciprocates.
>She moans softly. “Oh Anon, I bet those fingers are really useful for bathing…”
>You take her hint and grab a pink bottle of shampoo and conditioner off of the nearby shelf.
>You crack it open. Unsurprisingly, it smells vaguely floral with a strong hint of bubblegum. You squirt a good amount out into your palm and start to lather it in, enjoying the soothing tactile sensation of Cheerilee’s silky mane beneath your hands.
>She closes her eyes and groans in delight. All of the stress in her body seems to melt away. “Anon, please don’t stop…”
>You work up a nice sudsy lather, being sure to massage every part of her scalp and scratch thoroughly behind her ears.
>She’s absolute puddy in your hands, cooing in pure bliss with every tender caress of your hands.
>She sighs dreamily and gives you a naughty little grin before suddenly rising up and turning around, basically jamming her backside into your face.
>She looks back at you with half-lidded eyes. “You’re very good at that, Anon. How about you get my tail, too?”
>She is already very obviously excited. You can smell her arousal over the strong scent of the shampoo and see her winking clit periodically jutting out at you.
>You squeeze her ample butt with both hands and plant a loving kiss on one of her cheeks before squirting out some more shampoo and getting to work on her matted, tangled tail.
>It doesn’t take you long to carefully but diligently work out every knot in her tail and get it nice and lathered up.
>As you focus on your task, Cheerilee seems to be continuously scooting her backside closer and closer to your face.
>It takes all of your self control, but you manage to wait until the job is done before lunging forward and claiming your prize.
>Your teacher yelps joyfully as you plunge a thumb deep inside of her and greedily suckle and lick all over her clit.
>You pleasure her vigorously, pumping your thumb into her ever-so-soft depths as you intensify your oral assault on her sensitive nub. Her hind legs shake with pleasure and she sings out her ecstasy quite loudly.
>You’re suddenly quite surprised to find her pressing the entire weight of her lower body against you. “Ahhhh, Anon!” She gasps. “Think you can lie down on your back?”
>It takes some doing, but you slowly ease yourself down onto the warm, wet tile of the shower floor, never once breaking contact with Cheerilee’s dripping, delicious nethers.
>Eventually, you find yourself lying on the floor, your legs bent as they press up against one end of the shower stall. Cheerilee’s pussy rests on your face, and she rubs it insistently against you as you continue to pleasure her, your field of vision dominated entirely by her wet, juicy butt.
>As you focus on the mare minge in front of you, you feel a very warm, rough, and pleasant sensation running up the length of your hard cock.
>Cheerilee moans lustfully as she drags her tongue all the way to the tip of your member and then immediately takes it between her delightful lips and begins to suck on the head. She even trails her hoof down and tenderly plays with your balls.
>However, she wastes little time before getting to business. She sucks you like a vacuum cleaner and slides down on you, taking your entire length into the confines of her mouth where it is greeted by her eager, flitting tongue.
>Your back arches and your toes curl as she starts passionately bobbing up and down on you, hitting you with an immense wave of pleasure all at once. You quickly realize that she’s probably on a pretty tight schedule this morning, and is doing her best to get you off fast.
>It’s working.
 
>Not to be outdone, you slide two fingers inside of her and vigorously fuck her with them as you suck firmly on her clit, rolling your tongue around it inside your mouth.
>The heat rising in Cheerilee’s marehood is a truly amazing thing. She seems hotter than the shower water as she clenches furiously against your fingers. Her muffled vocalizations and the force and frequency with which her vagina is squeezing you are quickly becoming desperate.
>She continues to suck you like a mare possessed. Lewd popping and slurping noises fill the shower. Her lips are so tight against you, her tongue feels amazing as it massages your cock, and the attention she’s paying to your balls fills you with a glorious sensation.
>All at once, Cheerilee lets your cock out of her mouth. Her back arches and she tilts her head back as her ragged cries get higher and higher. You keep on servicing her exactly as you were, driving her inexorably towards her destination.
>In no time at all, she screams out your name and bucks her hips passionately against your face as she covers it with the deliciously tart juices of her climaxing cunt. You continue to tenderly finger her as she slowly floats down from her fulfilling peak.
>Meanwhile, you’re painfully close and the sudden lack of stimulation is killing you.
>Once she’s had a chance to catch her breath, you grab Cheerilee’s head with both hands and force her back down on you.
>She cries out in surprise, but it quickly trails off into a sultry moan. You guide her up and down on your cock at a furious pace and start jabbing your hips upwards in time.
>Cheerilee obediently continues sucking as you use her mouth.
>Your thrusts get more erratic as you start to tense up down there. Her tongue feels so incredible, and every stroke and flick of it rockets you closer to bliss.
>In no time at all, you grunt loudly and slam her down your entire length, holding her there as you fireworks explode in your mind and you shoot a heavy load directly down her throat.
>Cheerilee gurgles and gulps, but manages to swallow it all down like a pro, moaning like a slut as she does.
>Once your balls are completely emptied, you lie back and enjoy the pleasant, tingling afterglow. There’s a warm, wonderful pony lying on top of you, and the shower water feels so good as it sprinkles down on your face.
>You could almost fall asleep again right here.
>Cheerilee suckles on you and slowly drags her lips up the length of your softening dick to ensure that she gets every drop of your seed. She makes a loud pop as she reaches the tip and then lets you out of her mouth, gulping down the last of your load and then lovingly licking you clean just to be sure.
>You lazily scratch behind her ears as she does.
>”Anon, you taste so nice.” she happily murmurs.
>”So do you, Cheerilee…”
>Things quickly settle down. You both catch your breath and just lie still on the floor for a while, Cheerilee resting her head on your thigh.
>Soon, though, she rises to her hooves and you’re forced to go through another series of awkward contortions to get back into a position where you can finish washing up.
>You don’t say much more as you proceed to use the shower for its intended purpose. Your intimate caresses and tender smiles as you scrub one another clean say it all.
 
>You dry yourself off with one of Cheerilee’s fluffy pink towels and go get dressed while she puts some tea on.
>Out in the hall, you can hear a dusty phonograph kicking on as she puts on some music to start her day.
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_JPt3vdRso
>You head down the hallway and find her waiting for you on the couch. You plop down next to her and wrap an arm around her while you wait for the water to boil.
>”Sorry I don’t have anything for breakfast in the house.” she laments. “I usually go to the diner down the street when I have the time.”
>You shrug. “Not a problem. I’ll get something later.”
>She happily nuzzles you.
>You look around her living room, once again marveling at the interesting pictures and artifacts she has all over. You have to say that her book collection is the most impressive of all, though.
>”Man, does Twilight know that you have all of these books?” you idly query.
>Cheerilee guffaws. “No, Twilight has never seen the inside of my house. It’s probably a good thing, too. I have some rare texts in here that she would probably kill to get her hooves on.”
>You look at her collection in awe. “Is it all adventure novels and history books?”
>She shakes her head. “Of course not. Sometimes I get in the mood for romance novels and poetry!”
>You roll your eyes.
>”Hey!” she protests. “Romance and poetry can be really cool.”
>”If you say so.”
>Her eyes light up. “Oh! That reminds me. There was a poem that I really wanted to share with you.”
>She springs from the couch and starts looking through her bookcases.
>”Hmm, not here...was it maybe here? No, no…Ah, there it is! Why did I put it there…?”
>She returns triumphantly and sets a thick book down on the coffee table in front of you, grinning ear to ear.
>”The Collected Poetry of Percival Pentameter.” you read aloud.
>Cheerilee nods excitedly. “Yeah! Have you heard of him?”
>”No.”
>”He was a really great bard from about four centuries ago. He wrote lots of plays and poetry, and scholars credit him with playing a major part in the development of the modern Equestrian language.”
>”Cool. So which poem did you want me to read?”
>“There’s a bookmark on the proper page. Consider it your homework!”
>You stick your tongue out at her. “Yes, Miss Cheerilee.”
>”Good boy.”
>The kettle whistles, and Cheerilee gets up to steep the tea.
>”One sugar or two, Anon?” she calls from the kitchen.
>”Just one is fine, thanks.”
>You look aimlessly around the room as you wait.
>All at once, a sharp knock on the door jars you to your senses.
>Cheerilee nervously pokes her head out of the kitchen. “Who is it?” she calls out.
>”Big Macintosh.” a deep, rumbling voice responds from the other side of the door.
>Shit!
>Your adrenaline kicks into overdrive.
>Cheerilee’s eyes go wide. “Uhhh, just give me a minute!”
>”Eeeyup.”
>You look to her for guidance.
>”You need to leave, now!” she hisses.
>You wordlessly grab your book and spring from the couch.
>”Go out the back door and be as quiet as you can.” she whispers.
>You nod and tiptoe through the kitchen.
>Before you reach the door, she calls out to you again as quietly as she can. “Hey Anon!”
>You look back at her.
>”Thanks for everything.” she says with a pretty smile. “I’ll see you this afternoon.”
>You smile back and nod.
>Another impatient knock comes on the door.
>”Hold your horses!” Cheerilee calls out.
>You slip through the back door and stealthily make your way to the alley as your lover greets her coltfriend.
>You hurry home through the brisk morning air.
>Once you get there, you quickly let yourself in and get a fire going to warm up.
>Then it’s time for a cup of coffee and big bowl of the most sugar-filled breakfast cereal you could find. It’s even got little marshmallows in it!
>You glance over at the book Cheerilee lent you while you eat.
>You were never very big into poetry, but you’d be lying if you said that you weren’t a little curious just what poem made her think of you.
>You grab the book and crack it open to the page that she marked for you.
>Everything is written in a very attractive old-timey script. Judging from the way that the bookmark was facing, you make an educated guess which poem she wanted you to read.
>It’s short, so you push your bowl of cereal out of the way and get reading.
 
Weep not upon the wilting of the rose
That fate decreed should bloom in winter’s hold
Its petals trembling as the chill wind blows
Its vivid hues subsumed beneath the cold
 
For time cares not for status, rank, or name
And beauty often shines for but a day
The rose pours out its colors all the same
A crimson isle amidst a sea of gray
 
And when at last the rose sinks down to grief
Its seeds upon the swirling breeze take flight
To spread and wait for spring’s first verdant leaf
Then bloom anew in warmth and joy and light.
 
 
 
>You set the book aside with a big smile on your face and butterflies in your chest.
>Ponies have some weird literary traditions and you’re still learning the nuances of their culture, but the symbolism there seems pretty unmistakable.
>She really does have feelings for you.
>You’re giddy and lightheaded, and your heart feels like it’s going to burst with joy.
>However, some dark clouds descend on your mind and ensure that your emotional high doesn’t last long.
>This morning ended with you sneaking out of her house to evade the pony that she’s actually in a relationship with, after all.
>Furthermore, you recall what Twilight said about the magical link that is anchoring you to this reality.
>If it really is tied to those dreams you’ve been having and Cheerilee is apparently having them too, could it be that she’s the one that pulled you here?
>If so, she seems to have done it inadvertently. The dreams seem just as confusing to her as they are to you.
>Of course, she could just be lying to you. Maybe she brought you here with some nefarious purpose in mind?
>You can’t really see Cheerilee as some sort of evil mastermind, but then again, the best evil masterminds are the ones you never expect until it’s too late.
>The image of Cheerilee with a nasty scar over one eye, sitting in an egg-shaped chair and laughing maniacally as she pets a fluffy cat crosses your mind, and you can’t help but chuckle at how ridiculous it is.
>Evil or not, it seems clear that she’s wrapped up in this somehow, and that troubles you.
>After all, didn’t Twilight say that you would have a strong emotional connection with the one you’re linked to? You haven’t met another pony that makes you feel like Cheerilee does. Hell, you’re not sure you ever knew another human that made you feel like that.
>But is it real, or just the effect of this link that you share?
>Does it even matter?
>Your brain starts to hurt just thinking about it. You hope Twilight has the answers.
>The clock tower in the center of town chimes nine times, and you realize that you’re running late for your classes.
>You hurriedly gather up your stuff and make for Princess Twilight’s magical crystal eyesore castle.
 
>Your other classes zoom by. You’re actually looking forward to magic class today.
>Twilight Sparkle prances in to your ad-hoc classroom levitating ten different books in the aura of her horn. She seems very chipper as she takes a seat across the table from you.
>”Good afternoon, Anon! How are you doing today?”
>”I’m alright, but I have some things I’d like to discuss.”
>Twilight waves her hoof dismissively. “Great, great. We’ll definitely do that. But for now, I just read about the most amazing theory regarding crystalline polarity inverters and their relationship to mid-range magical prestidigitation that I’m sure you’ll find fascinating!”
>”That seems a little out of my league, Twilight. And besides, I really need to talk to you.”
>”Don’t be silly, Anon!” Twilight condescends, idly twirling spinning several of her books in orbit around her head with her telekinesis. “We’ve discussed how basic levitation works. This is basically the same thing with a little bit of advanced calculus thrown in. It’s simple.”
>You cross your arms. “Twilight…”
>”Plus, crystalline polarity inverters are something everyone can use. Once you understand the thaumaturgical mechanics behind them, even you will be able to derive their many benefits!”
>”Twilight!” you snap. “Listen! I had another weird dream, and someone else is having them too.”
>The books that Twilight was playing with all crash to the floor. She digs into her bookbag and violently discards its contents until at last she locates her notebook. She opens it up to the first blank page and stares at you raptly. “Tell me everything.”
>You take a deep breath to compose yourself. ”So I had another one of those dreams that ended with me falling into the sky, but this time there was a voice whispering in my ear too.”
>”A voice? What was it like? What was it saying?”
>You scratch your head. “I don’t recall everything. It was raspy, probably male. It felt like it was right there on my shoulder, but I couldn’t see anything. It was telling me stuff that didn’t make sense. Something about how I have always been. It told me to find it, and then said something about my heart being bound.”
>Twilight’s intense concentration seems to be giving way to a look of mild concern as she scribbles her notes. “That’s a little ominous. Do you remember any other details about the dream?”
>”Yeah. I was observing a scene in a pony high school, but no one could see or hear me. I eventually found a group of ponies talking, and one of them was apparently Cheerilee when she was a teenager.
>”Cheerilee?” Twilight inquires. “As in, the school teacher?”
>You nod. “I listened to her talking about what she wanted to do with her life for a while, and then everything turned upside down and I fell into the sky.”
>Twilight blinks a few times, trying to process this. “And so this other pony having the dreams, it’s Cheerilee?”
>”Yeah. I talked to her about it, and she apparently had a dream about me where the same voice was whispering in her ear. What’s even crazier is that when I talked about my dream with her, she said the events of my dream actually happened. You know, in the past.”
>Twilight is staring at you with eyes the size of dinner plates. “Oh. Oh my. This is very, very interesting indeed.”
 
>”You sound kind of concerned. Is something wrong?”
>She shakes her head and starts crunching the numbers of some equation. “No, no. I just wasn’t expecting...this. It can’t be, can it?”
>”Twilight,” you firmly insist, “tell me what’s going on here. What are you thinking?”
>She just ignores you, scribbling a few more lines of incomprehensible calculations out before snapping her head up and looking into your eyes with piercing intensity. “And both of these dreams occurred on the same night, correct?”
>”Yeah.”
>Twilight grins triumphantly. “I think there’s a very good chance that Cheerilee is the other end of the liminal bridge, then.”
>”I suspected as much.”
>Twilight continues on. “I’ve known Cheerilee for several years, and I have a pretty good idea of what kind of magic potential she has. If she’s really the one, I’m pretty confident that she didn’t intentionally entwine her soul with yours.”
>That’s a tremendous relief.
>Twilight looks through her magisterial calculations one more time before continuing her interview. ”Tell me, when exactly did you two have these dreams?”
>You open your mouth to answer her truthfully, but you catch yourself when you realize that if you say that it happened last night, you’ll have to explain why you were with Cheerilee this morning. “Is that really important?” you deflect.
>”Extremely.” Twilight answers in a deadly serious tone.
>You start to feel sick to your stomach as stress creeps into your body. What do you do? Cheerilee would kill you if you spilled the beans, but this might be your only chance of figuring out why you ended up here in the first place and what the hell is giving you these crazy dreams.
>”Anon?” Twilight impatiently presses. “What’s the problem? Just tell me when you had the dream.”
>”Two nights ago.” you blurt out.
>You’re immediately hit with a wave of regret over not telling the truth, but there’s no turning back now.
>Twilight raises an eyebrow and seems to hesitate a moment before writing this down. “Really? Two nights ago?”
>”Yep! I talked with Cheerilee about it yesterday.”
>She scratches her chin for a moment before plugging this variable into whatever equation she’s come up with and running it.
>She looks supremely dissatisfied with the answer she eventually gets. Her face scrunches up and you see her very meticulously running through the problem again and again to make sure that she didn’t make any errors.
>”That can’t be right…” she murmurs. “The spheres simply aren’t aligned.”
>Twilght sighs and closes her notebook. “Shoot. I thought I had a really great idea, but the calculations just aren’t working out. The voice in your dreams seems to indicate that there’s a very powerful being pulling the strings here, but I just don’t see how that’s possible with the celestial spheres as they were two nights ago compared to how they were when you had the first dream you told me about. I’ll keep working on this and tell you if I come up with anything.”
>She looks so sad and disappointed. It makes your heart sink.
>Not only did you mislead Twilight, but you might have just fucked up your chance to get real answers.
>Still, you’re pretty sure you did the right thing if the alternative was casting suspicion on Cheerilee.
>Twilight grimaces. “Well Anon, I’m not sure I can continue your lesson today. You’ve given me a whole lot to think about, and I’m at a loss for an answer. I’m sorry.”
>”It’s not a problem, Twilight! I really appreciate you doing this for me.”
>She smiles and bows her head. “Of course, Anon. It’s what friends do. If it’s alright with her, could you ask Cheerilee to come up to my study after your lesson so that I can interview her as well?”
>”Sure thing.”
>She hastily grabs all of her books and notebooks and retreats to her study, leaving you alone with your thoughts until Cheerilee arrives.
 
>At last, Cheerilee pokes her beautiful, smiling face through the door.
>”Good afternoon, Anon! Did your magic lesson end early?”
>You force a smile and nod your head. “Yeah, just a little bit. Come on in.”
>She enters and closes the door behind her, making very sure that it’s shut tight.
>Then, she locks it.
>Your heart begins to race as she saunters up to you.
>She sets her bookbag down on the table and takes the seat right next to you instead of the one across from you like she normally does. She looks at you with a devastatingly sexy glimmer in her eyes.
>”I hope you’re okay with trying out a new classroom seating arrangement today, Anon…”
>You want to feel worried and conflicted about your lie to Twilight. The rational part of you tells you that you’re not supposed to be in the mood for this right now and that sitting this close to Cheerilee in the castle is a really bad idea, especially since you just had a close call with Big Macintosh.
>But when you look into those big green eyes, all of your worries and fears are muted. You wrap an arm around her and kiss her on the cheek in response to her question.
>She giggles softly. “If Princess Twilight or anyone else comes by, I just locked the door on accident, got it?”
>”Yes, Miss Cheerilee.”
>She nuzzles her head against your chest. “Mmmm, wonderful. I’m very sorry about this morning, by the way. It’s unlike Big Macintosh to drop by unannounced.”
>You shrug. “It wasn’t too much of a problem. What did he want?”
>”Oh, nothing much. Granny Smith baked too many fritters last night, so he just came by to drop some off and say that he loved me. It was really sweet…” she trails off dreamily.
>She notices your unamused frown and catches herself. “Oh! Uh, not that you want to hear about that. I will say that it was really, really awkward when he kissed me and then wondered why my lips tasted so salty...”
>”Why were your lips salty?”
>She raises her eyebrow and gives you a bemused look.
>The horrible implications hit you like a sack of bricks.
>”Oh. Oh god.”
>”Yyyyeeeeah…”
>Time to change the subject.
>”So I talked to Twilight Sparkle about the dreams today. She was very excited and said that it probably means that our souls are entangled and that you are the one that anchors me in this dimension. She also wants to talk with you after our lesson today to get your side of things.”
>”I see. To be honest, Anon, I’ve been wondering all day if that was what our dreams meant.” Cheerilee lets out a crestfallen sigh. “Anon, I have no idea how this happened, but I’m really, really, sorry. I never intended to pull you out of your own world, and I promise that I’ll do whatever I can to make this right.”
>”Hey now, you don’t need to apologize, Cheerilee.”
>She incredulously looks up at you, tears starting to form in the corner of her eyes. “Of course I do! I’m the reason you’re here!”
>“Cheerilee, stop.” You firmly tell her. “I know you didn’t do it on purpose. If I never came here, I never would have gotten to know all of the wonderful ponies in Ponyville. I never would have met you…”
>You lovingly caress her cheek. “Intentional or not, if you’re the one who brought me here, then the only thing I can say...is thank you.”
>Cheerilee blushes brightly. “Anon, that’s...you...oh, you absolute sweetheart…”
>She springs forward and hugs you with all of her considerable strength as she practically melts into you.
>You return her gesture and enjoy a few blissful moments of closeness.
>Unfortunately, you know that you eventually have to get to the bad news.
 
>You release her from your embrace. “So, there’s a catch to all of this.”
>”What do you mean?”
>You nervously rub the back of your neck. “In order to really figure out what’s going on with me, Twilight needed to know exactly when we had the dream. I didn’t want to tell her the truth because that would imply that we were with one another this morning.”
>”Ah. So what did you say?” Cheerilee asks hesitantly.
>”I lied and said it was two nights ago. Twilight’s calculations fell apart and now she’s aimlessly flailing around trying to figure out why.”
>”I see…” she murmurs.
>”Yeah, it’s a mess.”
>Cheerilee perks up. “Wait, why not just say that we ran into each other and discussed it over breakfast this morning! I went to Sugarcube Corner this morning, and you could have too!”
>You rub your chin as you weigh that option. “Maybe, but then I’d have to explain why I lied in the first place. Plus, doesn’t Twilight usually go there for breakfast too?”
>She visibly deflates. “Oh yeah. I’m actually pretty sure she was there this morning, now that you mention it.”
>You sigh. “It was a nice thought.”
>Cheerilee goes silent, lost in thought.
>Then, out of nowhere, she resolutely slams her hoof on the table. “Alright then.”
>”Huh?”
>”If it will help Twilight figure this thing out, then I guess the only thing to do is to tell the truth.”
>You’re dumbstruck. “Wha…?”
>Cheerilee places her hoof on your shoulder. “I’m the reason you’re here, Anon, and I meant it when I said that I’m willing to do anything to make it right. If Twilight needs to know when we had our dreams, then I’m going to tell her. If she puts two and two together and starts asking uncomfortable questions, then...then I’ll tell her the truth about that too.”
>”Cheerilee, no. You don’t have to do this.”
>”I do.”
>”There’s gotta be another way. Twilight is Applejack’s best friend, there’s no way she’ll keep quiet!”
>“I know that, and I can handle it. Don’t worry about it.”
>”Cheerilee…”
>She rubs your chest with her hooves to comfort you. “Anon, just yesterday you showed me that the best way to deal with a problem like this is sometimes to face it head on.”
>”But…”
>”No buts! I am still your teacher, Anon, and I won’t tolerate any more discussion of this, especially since it’s eating into your lesson time. Open your book to page 168 and let’s begin.”
>You open your mouth to protest, but the death glare Cheerilee gives you stops you dead in your tracks. You obediently turn to the proper page and do your best to pay attention to her lecture.
 
>It’s more than a little strange taking in a lesson with your teacher sitting right next to you.
>Between that and your anxiety about what's going to go down when she talks with Twilight after this, you don't do a great job listening.
>Cheerilee occasionally stops and asks you questions to make sure that you're understanding. Today, you miss more of the questions than you get, much to her annoyance.
>It's also probably disappointing for her because the story of the first pony expeditions deep into Zebrica is a fascinating one that's right up her alley.
>Zebras have depended on the Maua river since time immemorial. It runs for thousands of miles through their territory and its floodplains provide incredibly fertile agricultural land in an otherwise harsh and unforgiving land of jungles and deserts.
>However, the greatest gift that the Maua provides is the Golden Maua Lily.
>Every once in a while, one of these extremely rare and beautiful golden flowers would wash down into Zebra lands on the Maua. The zebra who managed to pluck it out of the river was lucky indeed, because it was one of the most versatile and powerful alchemical reagents in the world.
>Alchemists all over the world paid exorbitant sums for just a single bloom, and Zebrica grew rich and prosperous almost entirely thanks to the flower.
>However, the zebras never thought to search for the source of Maua, where the lilies actually grew.
>Perhaps it was because the Golden Maua Lily took on a religious significance to the Zebras, who believed that the lilies were the tears of a long-dead goddess who had met a terrible and tragic end in the forbidden lands beyond the southern border of Zebrica.
>More likely, it was because the dense, inhospitable jungle and ferocious predators made searching for the Maua headwaters a suicidal proposition, especially for an earthbound zebra.
>With Celestia's rule secure and Equestria stable and thriving, ponies began to look outward. The Age of Exploration dawned, and finding the source of the Maua became one of the biggest obsessions of the age.
>Countless bold pony explorers set off into the jungle at the head of massive expeditions with mile-long baggage trains, local zebra guides, and the finest pegasus scouts.
>For ten years, they all failed. The reasonable ones quickly realized the impossibility of the task and turned around. The foolish ones pressed on and were never heard from again.
>Even the royal alchemist got swept up in the fever. Dr. Stonehoof went off into the jungle and disappeared.
>The disappearance of such a high-profile member of the royal court forced Princess Celestia to act.
>She hired the best explorer of the day, Compass Rose, to go in after Dr. Stonehoof and either save him or learn of his fate.
>Compass Rose had made two previous attempts at finding the mouth of the Maua, and had learned much from them.
>Instead of a huge expedition that would starve to death in the jungle, she took only her son, a pair of elite royal guards, and two zebra guides. They traveled on a riverboat of her own design that operated with an ingenious mix of steam power and unicorn magic.
>They faced tigers, crocodiles, poisonous fruit, disease, giant predatory fish and birds, hostile native tribes of zebras, and extreme temperatures. The boat broke down several hundred miles in, and they were forced to continue by rowing it upstream and carrying it overland in the parts of the river that were too choppy to paddle in.
>After three long months, Compass Rose came upon a gigantic lake shimmering with thousands of Golden Maua Lilies.
>She had found the source of the Maua.
>The party's elation became even greater when they noticed a small camp on the lakeshore. Dr. Stonehoof and a few other lucky members of his expedition were alive!
>The alchemist greeted the expedition with unbridled joy. He was touched that the Princess had sent help, and since he was the first pony to lay eyes on the lake, he chose to name it Lake Celestia in her honor.
>Compass Rose returned to Canterlot and lived out the rest of her days as a heroine. Her book about her adventure was an instant bestseller and made her a millionaire overnight. She retired from exploring, leaving her son to carry on the family tradition, which he did admirably.
>Dr. Stonehoof took a large number of Golden Maua Lilies home with him and discovered how to cultivate them outside of the perfect climate of Lake Celestia, revolutionizing alchemy forever.
>Cheerilee finishes the lesson by listing off all of the amazing potions and medicines that are now alchemically derived from the lily, the most impressive of which are invisibility potions, levitation potions, and a cure for most cancers.  
 
>The chiming of a grandfather clock in the hallway outside lets you know that the time has come for the lesson to end.
>"You're nervous." Cheerilee observes as she packs up her books. "You weren't as in to your lesson today as you normally are."
>You grimace. "Sorry. I'm just worried about you, is all. You really don't have to do this."
>"But I do. If I'm the reason you're here, then I owe it to you to help you figure out why."
>"But what about Big Macintosh?"
>Cheerilee winces. "I...I don't want to think about it. I love him very much, Anon, but I also care about you. It wouldn't be...I mean...It just seems..." She huffs in frustration. "I don't know, Anon. Something in my heart tells me that this is what I need to do. I know that somehow it will work out. So please, just trust me, okay?"
>You don't like it, but you begrudgingly give in. "Alright. If it's okay, I'd like to wait outside the study while you talk to her, though."
>Cheerilee smiles warmly and pecks you on the cheek. "Of course."
>You get up and follow her as she makes her way through the labyrinthine castle, past the giant double doors of the library, and towards a more understated crystal door with a placard that reads "PRIVATE STUDY – NO UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY."
>Cheerilee gives you a reassuring nod, knocks on the door, and lets herself in.
>You take a seat out in the hall.
>Their voices are nothing but an indistinct murmur on the side of the door.
>You can do nothing but sit there and fidget, wondering how it's all going.
>A few minutes later, Spike gets abruptly ejected from the study.
>You wordlessly look to him for any sort of explanation, but he just gives you a confused look and shrugs. "Cheerilee apparently has something to discuss with Twilight that I shouldn't be hearing."
>Your heart sinks and you bury your face in your hands. "Gotcha. Thanks Spike."
>There's some more indistinct talking.
>Spike pokes you. "Hey, is it true that you lied to Twilight about your dreams?"
>"Yeah, I did."
>"Why?"
>"That's not something you should be hearing."
>"Maaaaaaan..." Spike pouts and slinks away.
>The talking on the other side of the door is continuing on.
>Twilight sounds very excited. You recognize the tone. She's rattling off calculations aloud as she works them out. Cheerilee seems to be answering a rapid-fire succession of questions.
>But then, all at once, the room goes deathly quiet.
>The tension is palpable, even from the next room.
>"WHAT?!" Twilight shrieks.
>You groan. Looks like Ms. Smarty Pants figured it out.
>Despair permeates your entire body. Twilight is ranting vindictively. Cheerilee is on the defensive. You don't need to be able to pick out their exact words; their tones tell you everything.
>This goes on for quite some time. Cheerilee never once raises her voice. She's using the same firm, even style she might use on a child throwing a temper tantrum.
>Twilight settles down. Soon, they seem to be back to discussing things normally.
>After a few more minutes. Cheerilee emerges, looking a bit shaken but ultimately satisfied.
>"How did it go?"
>She bows her head solemnly. "You probably figured out that she caught on to our little secret. She's not happy, but she's going to keep things quiet for now."
>You let out the breath you didn't even realize you were holding. "That's great!"
>"Yeah, it is. She wants to have a word with you now." She makes sure that no one else is around before continuing. "Look, I'm not feeling 100% welcome here at the moment, so I'm going to head home."
>"Understandable. Once I'm done, do you maybe want some company tonight?"
>She sighs. "Ah, not tonight. I'm having dinner at Sweet Apple Acres. Sorry."
>"I understand. Have a good night, Cheerilee. And...thanks for sticking your neck out for me today."
>She leans in and nuzzles you. "It's nothing, Anon. I'll see you tomorrow."
>"Yeah, see you tomorrow."
 
>You enter the study with great caution, half-expecting to get a magical death beam in the face.
>Twilight just motions for you to take a seat at her desk. Her expression is unreadable, and it fills you with the slightest twinge of fear.
>Once you're seated at her messy, paper-covered desk, the Princess takes a deep breath.
>"So, you misled me."
>"I'm very sorry about that, Twilight, but I hope you can understand why I did it."
>She leans back in her chair. "Yes, I understand. I'm not mad at you, Anon. Not about Cheerilee, at least. I am kinda peeved that I just spent the last hour trying to fit my theory with the nonsense data you provided, but that's alright. Now that I know the truth, the equation looks much more manageable."
>"So...you're alright with me and Cheerilee?"
>She shakes her head vigorously. "Absolutely not. Big Macintosh is a good friend of mine, and it hurts to see Cheerilee deceive him like this. It's also disappointing that you haven't done anything to stop it. That's what my heart says, at least."
>She shifts uncomfortably in her seat. "My brain, however, tells me that neither of you may actually be at fault. I'm fairly certain that Cheerilee is the one you share a soul bond with. I expected strong emotional attachment to be a side effect. I hadn't anticipated this, of course, but it's not too surprising now that I think about it."
>The nagging feeling of doubt you've been having all day creeps up on you again. "You think that our relationship is purely the result of our link, then."
>"Yes." Twilight coolly states. "Cheerilee is a good, responsible pony. Doing something like this is very unlike her. The liminal bridge between you two is the most logical explanation."
>"Is there any way to confirm that she and I are linked?"
>"Not that I know of, but I just had Spike send letters to Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and several of my friends who know a thing or two about magic. With any luck, they'll either be aware of an ancient scrying ritual that would reveal this sort of thing or they'll have ideas on how to engineer a new ritual if one doesn't exist."
>"I hope so. Thank you, Twilight."
>She nods in acknowledgment. "It's no problem, Anon. I consider you a friend, and I'm always willing to help friends. It's kinda my thing!" she cheerfully chirps.
>You smile, despite yourself. For a reclusive library princess, she can sure be charming sometimes.
>However, the charm disappears in an instant when Twilight leans in and becomes more serious. "That's why, as a friend, I have to advise you to stay away from Cheerilee until we get this figured out. Not only does your relationship hurt my friend Big Macintosh, but it also may be magically unstable and dangerous to play with an interdimensional link like that. I'm arranging for a different history and geography tutor for you, effective tomorrow."
>Your breath catches in your throat. It feels as if you've been stabbed in the chest. "What?! But she's a great tutor! I promise that it hasn't caused any problems in the classroom, Twilight. You don't need to do this!
>You see a brief glimmer of pity in Twilight's eyes, but she rapidly hardens up. "I'm sorry, Anon. There's just no way I can allow it, knowing what I know now. It's unprofessional and unsafe. I'm going to refrain from telling Big Macintosh about your relationship for now, but only if you promise me that you'll stay away from her."
>You want to protest, but you know that Book Horse has you by the balls. It physically pains you to do so, but you meekly nod and agree to her terms.
>"Alright then. I know it hurts, Anon, but please trust that this is for the best. Your relationship with Cheerilee is just an...unfortunate side effect of the forces that brought you here."
>"Yeah, I guess."
>"Alright." Twilight sighs, idly readjusting some of her papers. "Just remember what I said, Anon. If you don't have any questions, you can go."
>You silently rise from your seat and shuffle out of the room,
>You're mostly in shock, but there is a rising bitter sadness in you that grows and festers all the way home.
 
>You're halfway to your house when it starts to snow.
>Young ponies are running around catching snowflakes on their tongues as they float delicately to earth.
>Rarity is already out and about, fully relishing her first chance to show off the fabulous winter wear she's come up with.
>Couples walk pressed close to one another for warmth as they hurry to finish their business and head home for the day.
>The pegasus weather team circles around in the sky, carrying clipboards and various instruments to ensure that the first proper snow of the year goes off without a hitch.
>You just feel cold.
>By the time you reach home, the big, fluffy, wet snowflakes have started to soak through your clothes, dampening them and making you shiver.
>You throw open the door to your tiny, empty house and grumble when you realize that it's barely any warmer in here than it is out there.
>You could get a fire going, but you feel too drained to do that.
>Instead, you head to your bedroom, get out of your wet clothes, and fall into bed.
>The sheets are cold at first and you shiver miserably, but eventually your body heat gets them up to a comfortable temperature. You bundle up tightly, even wrapping the sheets around your face to keep your ears and nose warm.
>It's been a hell of a day, and no matter how tired you are, your brain is still firing rapidly, trying to make sense of everything that happened since you woke up this morning.
>Cheerilee and you share some sort of crazy magical bond. Your gut tells you that it's true, even if Twilight hasn't found a way to prove it just yet.
>If you and Cheerilee share this link, is that really the only reason for your relationship?
>You shake your head. No! That can't be it. Cheerilee is the nicest pony you've met since you came here. She's kind, and smart, and you're really starting to find the thought of her sexier than any human girl.
>Your feelings for her are so intense. So...real. They can't just be the result of some random metaphysical bridge between you two.
>Can they?
>Twilight's words echo in your mind.
>Everything you know about Cheerilee tells you that she really is a good and responsible pony.
>Without your link, would she have really done something like this? She loves Big Macintosh. Why would such a good, responsible pony cheat on her beloved with the likes of you?
>Maybe it really is all an illusion. A side effect. A mistake.
>If that's the case, why does it feel like you're being stabbed through the heart whenever you think it's fake?
>Is it just the illusion somehow reinforcing itself?
>You try to tell yourself over and over again that it's all in your head. That what you and Cheerilee shared wasn't real.
>But no matter how hard you try, no matter what words you tell yourself, you can't bring yourself to believe it. Your brain always wanders to how beautiful her smile is, how warm and wonderful it felt to hold her, or how much you enjoy her learning from her, and you simply can't accept it.
>You grunt in annoyance and give up. You curl up in bed and just focus on sleeping.
>As you drift off, your mind wanders.
>It was strange. Cheerilee never mentioned anything about being replaced as your tutor when you saw her last. Surely, Twilight told her.
>Right?
>You'll find out tomorrow, you suppose.
>A million other random thoughts flutter across your brain before sleep finally takes you.
 
>You wake up shivering.
>Cracking one eye open, you peer out the window and see a decent amount of snow coating the ground.
>The clock tower chimes seven, and you groan.
>As much as you want to stay in your warm bed, you have classes to go to.
>Your mood sours considerably when you remember that those classes will apparently not involve Cheerilee anymore.
>You slide out of bed and stretch languidly, your back popping several times as you do.
>It feels like you've been asleep for weeks!
>The first thing you realize is that it's cold as hell in your house. You can even see your breath.
>You're annoyed, but not surprised. You've noticed before that ponies take their fur coats for granted and tend not to insulate their buildings as much as humans do.
>You'll just have to make your own coat.
>You wrap your blanket around yourself like a toga and groggily trudge towards the door to start your day.
>After eating breakfast and showering, you pick out the warmest, thickest pair of clothes you own, slide on the heavy boots you had made for exactly this type of weather, throw on your coat and head out.
>The steady crunching sound of the snow beneath your feet is the only sound as you walk.
>It's unsettling.
>The outdoor market near your home is forlorn and quiet.
>Ponies are huddled inside the cafes and diners you pass on your way. Their once-lively patios sit empty.
>The few ponies who are out and about seem more focused on staying warm than giving you the friendly Ponyville greeting you've grown accustomed to. You can't even hear the clip-clop of their hooves on the cobblestone, padded with slush as it is.
>The entire town is muted beneath a blanket of white, and it darkens your already-crappy mood even further.
>You amble on, morosely staring at the ground as you go.
>"HEY, IT'S ANON!"
>A young, cheerful voice jolts you to attention.
>You look up from your shoes to find three smiling fillies bounding towards you through the snow.
>Before you can say or do anything, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo crash into you and wrap your legs in a warm hug that instantly melts away your melancholy and contorts your face into a smile.
>You lean down and hug the little fillies back, wrapping Bloom and Sweetie with your right arm while Scootaloo gets your left arm to herself.
>"Hey there, girls. I'm surprised you're out and about this morning." you say as you release them from your embrace.
>Apple Bloom guffaws. "You kiddin', Anon? It's the first real snow of the season. No way we'd miss this!"
>"Yeah!" Scootaloo cries. "We've gotta scope out all the sledding spots now so we know exactly where to go after school today."
>"Plus, I need to find the perfect place to build my snowpony." Sweetie Belle says.
>Apple Bloom motions you closer and whispers into your ear. "And don't tell no one, but we're thinkin' of ambushing a few of the colts with snowballs on the way to school."
>Scootaloo snickers and rubs her hooves together. "Rumble won't even know what hit him!"
>Sweetie seems hesitant. "Yeah...are you sure this is a good idea?"
>"Oh, don't be such a chicken, Sweetie Belle." Scootaloo chides. "Our plan is perfect."
>"Yeah," Apple Bloom says, "we drew it up last winter, but the snow melted before we got a chance to use it, remember?"
>"Well yes, but...alright." Sweetie sighs.
>Scootaloo gives you a wink. "We'll be sure to tell you all about the look on Rumble's stupid face, Anon!"
>You laugh. "That sounds nice, Scootaloo."
 
>Sweetie Belle glances up at the clock tower. "Hey, didn't our plan say that we needed to be in position two minutes ago?"
>Scootaloo gasps. "Oh my gosh! We gotta go! Come on, girls!"
>She zooms off with Sweetie Belle in tow.
>Apple Bloom stays back. "I'll catch up with you two in a minute!" she shouts, drawing an impatient cry from Scootaloo as she zooms down the street.
>Once her friends are gone, Apple Bloom suddenly looks bashful.
>"Something on your mind?" you gently ask her.
>She looks up at you with searching eyes. "Anon, you like Miss Cheerilee a lot, don't you?"
>You blink a few times, blindsided by the question. "Uhhhhh, well, of course. Miss Cheerilee is a really good friend. Of course I like her."
>Apple Bloom smiles. "Awww. Ya know, she really likes you too, Anon. She mentioned you a couple of times when she came over for dinner last night."
>"Ah, th-that's nice."
>Her face grows more distant and sullen. "Yeah, but it made Applejack and Big Macintosh get into another fight once she left. Applejack said that something don't seem right about Cheerilee and that it probably has to do with you. Big Mac got angry at that. He actually raised his voice..."
>Your heart starts to beat faster. You knew that Applejack supposedly embodied the Element of Honesty, but you never realized that she'd be so good at picking up on stuff like this.
>"Anon," Apple Bloom softly probes, "you're not...y'know...actually doing mushy romance stuff with Miss Cheerilee, are you?"
>Your stomach is twisting in knots. Apple Bloom's gaze is piercing your soul. "No! No, of course not, Apple Bloom."
>She doesn't really show much reaction to this. She just continues staring at you.
>It's starting to freak you out.
>Finally, she frowns and looks away. "Alright, Anon."
>You know that you really should drop this, but your curiosity gets the better of you. "What makes you ask that?"
>She slyly looks around to make sure no one is listening. "Anon, can you keep a secret?"
>You nod.
>She motions you in. You kneel down so that she can whisper in your ear.
>"Anon, I know it's wrong, but I kinda wish that Applejack was right. I wish that you were Miss Cheerilee's real special somepony."
>You recoil. "W-why do you wish that?"
>She nervously scrapes the snow with her front hoof. "Well, it's just that Applejack and Big Mac fight about her so much, and you already know that I don't like having my teacher over at my house."
>"Plus, you and Cheerilee are both really nice. I think you'd get along real good."
>You're at a loss for words.
>Luckily, Apple Bloom decides that it's time to go catch up with her friends. She shakes her head and backs away. "I dunno. Just forget I said anything, okay?"
>You nod dumbly.
>She grins. "Thanks. Have a nice day, Anon! Enjoy the snow!"
>"Y-you too..."
>As Apple Bloom dashes off, you stand up and start mechanically moving your legs towards Twilight's castle, still in a bit of shock.
>However, a warmth starts to grow in your chest. Something about the Crusaders just makes you smile. Today doesn't seem quite as dreary anymore after running into them.
>And even though Apple Bloom's little secret at the end was weird as hell, a part of you is oddly satisfied to know that at least one pony thinks you and Cheerilee are good for each other.
>You march onward to the castle in a much better mood than you previously were in.
 
>You arrive at Twilight's Castle and begin your usual routine of studying.
>The day passes quickly as you're able to lose yourself in the minutia of your classes.
>However, when magic class rolls around, it brings with it reminders of your troubles.
>Twilight seems jumpy and evasive. She's choosing her words carefully and assessing you for something—you're not sure what.
>You have trouble staying awake as she halfheartedly goes over the details of advanced scrying.
>Just when your eyes are starting to feel heavy, a tremendous crash comes from the entrance of the castle.
>Twilight goes pale.
>"TWILIGHT SPARKLE!" a shrill, furious, and strangely familiar voice bellows from the foyer.
>Is that...Cheerilee?
>You quizzically look to Twilight for answers. She just hangs her head low and curses under her breath.
>"Stay here, Anon." she sternly commands.
>Your magic tutor's horn pulses with energy, and she teleports out of the room in a purple flash.
>As soon as Twilight Sparkle materializes in the foyer, the voice starts to tear into her. Your heart starts beating faster when you realize that it definitely is Cheerilee.
>She is pissed. You're not sure you've ever heard her actually angry like this.
>You press your ear against the door and try to make out what she's saying.
>"...and you send a note? A NOTE?! What's wrong, Twilight? Were you too scared to say it to my face last evening?"
>"Not at all. I just hadn't decided before I talked with him..."
>"So you just send a note telling me I can't teach him anymore instead of consulting with me like an adult?"
>That's how Twilight broke the news to Cheerilee? That bitch!
>"Cheerilee, you know it's dangerous for you to continue! What's there to discuss?"
>"Don't give me that! You said yourself that you couldn't detect any sort of magic buildup."
>"Well no, but just because I can't detect it yet doesn't mean..."
>"So you admit you have no proof! What's the real reason, then? Are you saying I'm a bad teacher?"
>"No, no! Of course not."
>"Then what? Did you decide to meddle in this for Apple family's sake after all?"
>"What?! How...how DARE you?" Twilight shouts, finally losing her own cool. "I told you that I would respect your privacy and I meant it! Does my word really mean that little to you? I thought we were friends!"
>"I thought we were friends too! But then you don't even fire me face to face? Furthermore, have you even asked Anon what he wants? He's not a child, you know. He should have a say in this too!"
>"I sent you a note because I wanted to avoid a confrontation like this! You're emotionally compromised and you know it. Just...just look at yourself right now, Cheerilee! Princess Celestia tasked me with protecting Anon and helping him adjust to this world, and I will not have an emotionally compromised, potentially dangerous tutor around him."
>Cheerilee is quiet for a few moments. When she finally speaks, it's so soft that you can barely make it out. "So that's how it's going to be, then."
>"Cheerilee..."
>"We were up to section six in his history book. Page 188." she recites mechanically. "Make sure they don't let him slack off on his reading."
>"Please don't be like this."
>"Goodbye, Princess."
>The massive castle door slams shut with a resounding bang, and everything goes quiet.
 
>You hurry away from the door and try to get back in your seat before Twilight teleports back in.
>You're about half a second too late.
>Twilight reappears as you're in the process of sitting back down.
>She sighs drearily. "It's alright. I figured you were listening."
>You finish taking your seat, unsure of what to say. You feel very annoyed with Twilight for hurting Cheerilee like that, and you know that she can see it on your face.
>Twilight slumps in her chair. "You realize I'm just trying to protect you, right Anon?"
>"I guess. Sending off a note to Miss Cheerilee was pretty lame."
>She winces. "Yes, I see that now. I probably should have done that differently. I'm sorry."
>"I'm not the one you should apologize to."
>She nods her head slowly and then glances up at the clock. "Look, we only have a few minutes left of magic class and I haven't found you a new history tutor yet. I was going to handle your lesson today but that's probably not the best idea now. Go on and get out of here."
>You wordlessly pack up your books as Twilight sits as still as a statue, lost in thought.
>You walk home through the snow, teeth chattering as the sun begins to set and the bitter wind picks up.
>As you walk, you find yourself slipping back into the dark mood you were in earlier today.
>How will you make it through the day without Cheerilee to look forward to?
>When you finally do get home, you're disappointed to find that your house is hardly warmer on the inside than it is outside.
>It's going to be a long winter.
>You struggle to get a fire going as quickly as you can and feed it several big logs to get it as warm as possible.
>After about an hour, it's finally warm enough in your house to take off your coat.
>You make up a humble dinner and eat it by the fireside. Everywhere else in the house is too cold.
>The sun has gone down and the wind is swirling outside, throwing snow around every which way as you struggle to stay warm by the fire.
>Just as you start to doze off, you think you hear something.
>It sounded almost like a knock on the door.
>That's crazy, though. No one would be out in this weather.
>You carefully watch your door for a few moments.
>Sure enough, three knocks come on your door. They're louder this time.
>You rise from your spot by the fire and hustle over to the entrance of your house. You crack open your door and are immediately greeted by the cruel bite of the winter wind.
>You hardly notice the cold when you see who's on your doorstep, though.
>Cheerilee is standing there, covered in snow and shivering violently.
>You immediately let her in and close the door behind her.
>Before you have a chance to say anything, she rushes into you and hugs you tightly.
>Her hooves feel like ice and she's still shaking and shivering intensely. You instinctively hug her back to try and warm her up.
>After nuzzling against your body and basking in your heat for a few moments, she pulls away and looks up at you with wide, teary eyes.
>"I know this is crazy, Anon, but I just had to see you..."
 
>You don't say anything.
>In this moment, there's nothing you could say.
>You drop down on one knee to be at eye level with her, and then pull the quaking pony close against you.
>She holds you even tighter and buries her face in your chest with a joyful sigh of relief.
>You tenderly rock her back and forth as you run a hand through her snow-dusted mane and rest your chin on the crown of her head.
>Some unwelcome thoughts cross your mind as you recall Twilight's dire warnings against continuing to see Cheerilee, but they quickly drown in the wave of comfort and tenderness washing over you.
>If this is wrong, you don't want to be right.
>Soon, all of the ice and snow covering Cheerilee melts away. Her coat is a little wet and her tears are dampening your shirt, but you don't care. You have a warm, wonderful pony in your grasp, and that's what matters.
>Once her body heat has returned to normal, Cheerilee pulls away just a bit so that she can look up at you, her emerald eyes glimmering in the low light.
>You smile, stroke her cheek, and finally find some words.
>"I'm glad you came."
>She smiles prettily and nuzzles herself back under your chin.
>"Me too."
>It almost feels like time is standing still as you savor one another's closeness. The only sounds are the clock on your mantel softly ticking and the wind howling outside.
>"Hey Anon?"
>"Yeah?"
>"Can we move closer to the fireplace? Your front door is a little drafty."
>"Of course." you murmur as you reluctantly break the embrace. "I can make some tea too, if you'd like some."
>"That sounds great."
>In a few minutes, you and Cheerilee are wrapped in a blanket together as you sit by the fireside and sip at the hot tea.
>Maximum comfy levels achieved.
>"So..." she says in a voice that's just barely above a whisper. "I guess I seemed kinda crazy back there, huh?"
>You chuckle. "I definitely wasn't expecting company at this hour."
>"Heh. Yeah, I wasn't really planning on taking a stroll tonight either. It just sort of...happened."
>You raise an eyebrow at her.
>She sighs. "I imagine you know that I'm no longer your history tutor?"
>"I do. I also overheard your discussion with Twilight today about that fact."
>Even in the dull orange glow of the firelight, you can make out an embarrassed blush on her face. "Ugh, yeah. I definitely got a little carried away. But after I left, it really got me thinking..."
>"About what?'
>"Well, I kinda started thinking about exactly why I was so angry to lose you as a student."
>"I think you were right to be angry about Twilight sending you a note out of the blue."
>Cheerilee nods. "Well yes, that was really uncool. And I kept trying to tell myself that that was why I was so mad. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it wasn't the real reason."
>She places her hoof on your cheek and softly caresses it. "Anon, I was sad because I didn't want our time together to end. I couldn't stand the idea of not seeing you everyday. I can't tell you how many times the thought of getting to see you after school has gotten me through a rough day. And then suddenly that was taken from me. It hurt. It hurt so much..."
>You run your hand through her mane. "Cheerilee, you know I feel the same."
>"I know, and I'm so glad." she says with a warm smile. "So anyways, I started thinking more and more about you, and eventually it got to the point where I just had to see you. And that's why I showed up on your doorstep."
 
>You hug her lovingly, and she practically melts into your embrace.
>However, nagging thoughts start to claw their way to the surface of your mind.
>You nervously lick your lips. "I'm glad you're here tonight, but...aren't you bothered by what Twilight says about our link?"
>She shakes her head. "Not at all."
>"Really?"
>"Really." She says serenely. "I won't pretend to understand all of the theory, but I think I know enough, and it doesn't bother me. We're not in any danger of blowing up."
>"But...all of this...all of our feelings for each other could just be the result of this link we share. What if this isn't, you know...real?"
>To your surprise, Cheerilee just laughs. "Anon, I don't know how it is on Earth, but destiny is something we take seriously here in Equestria. Our weird little link is just proof that we were meant to have an impact on each other's lives, and if you ask me, that's more real and meaningful than if we just came together by random chance."
>You blink. You hadn't really thought of that. "Well, when you put it that way..."
>She nuzzles you. "Honestly, Anon, if you keep worrying about stuff like that, you're going to turn into Twilight Sparkle..."
>You roll your eyes and take a deep swig of tea.
>The conversation lulls to a halt as the two of you simply bask in the radiance of the flickering fire.
>You wrap an arm around Cheerilee and she rests her head against your chest.
>You can feel the steady thumping of her relaxed heartbeat, and it fills your own heart with a tremendous feeling of peace.
>In that moment, with the flame of your shared ardor burning bright against the cold winter night, you have no trouble believing that you and this sweet little mare were meant to be together.
>After an indeterminate amount of time sitting like that in Zen-like serenity, you glance down at Cheerilee.
>Her eyes are closed and she has a delicate smile on her face as she rests against your chest. Her trip over here must have worn her out.
>You lean down and kiss the sleeping pony on her forehead.
>"Mmmm. I love you, Anon..." she mumbles.
>"I love you too, Cheerilee."
 
>When the fire wanes to dull embers and you start to feel the chill of the night again, you pick Cheerilee up and carry her to your bed.
>She barely even stirs as you set her down and slide in next to her.
>You nuzzle your face into her sweetly-scented mane and fall into a deep, dreamless slumber.
>When you wake, you're alone.
>You scan around the chilly room for any sign of Cheerilee, but see none.
>The only sign that she was ever there at all is the faint bubblegum scent of the pillow next to you.
>The smell fills you with a giddy warmth and sets your heart aflutter, and you can't help but press your nose into the pillow to take several more sniffs.
>You're so relieved that it wasn't just a dream.
>She really was here last night, and she really does love you.
>You ignore the cold and rise from your bed with a big, goofy smile on your face.
>In the bathroom, you find a note taped to the mirror written in Cheerilee's perfect cursive script.
>Hey sleepyhead! I had to hurry back home to get ready for work. I was going to wake you to say goodbye, but I just couldn't do it. You looked so peaceful! I would love to get together again soon. I'm not doing anything tonight and the weather should be much warmer, so you're welcome to stop by my place after six.
>Lots of love, Cheerilee
>You smack your forehead.
>Of course she left early, she had to get to work!
>You feel silly, but that quickly gives way to a tingling feeling of nervous anticipation in your heart.
>You can't wait to see her again tonight.
>The rest of your morning routine flies by as you think forward to tonight.
>What should you wear? Should you risk taking her somewhere? If so, where? Should you get her a gift or something?
>When you finally step outside, you're greeted by the soothing radiance of the sun breaking through the clouds with the help of the pegasus weather team swarming in the sky above.
>You hardly even need your coat this morning!
>As you walk merrily down the slush-filled streets, you finally begin to understand why the ponies will occasionally break out in choreographed song and dance numbers in crowded public places.
>You feel like you could do it yourself.
>As it stands, you greet every pony you pass on the street with a big smile and a hearty "Good morning!"
>You find yourself standing before Twilight's castle before you know it and waste no time heading on in.
>Your morning classes go well, although it's hard to focus sometimes.
>Then the afternoon comes along.
>Twilight shuffles in for your magic class. You can sense that she's nervous. Part of you still wants to be mad at her over what happened yesterday, but you really can't.
>She really is just trying to protect you in her own socially retarded way, and you're in way too good of a mood to let her bring you down.
>You flash her a reassuring smile and give her a sincere, friendly greeting.
>She seems taken aback, but quickly regains her footing and returns your greeting. As she sits down, you can feel the tension abating somewhat.
>Once she gets into her lecture on magical thermodynamics, she's the same old Twilight.
>Boring, yes, and kind of a crappy teacher, but at least she's not butting into your personal life and ordering you to stay away from the pony you love.
>You actually find yourself enjoying the lecture somewhat, if only because all of the different types of magical fire are both fascinating and badass, and Twilight gives you dazzling demonstrations of most of them by levitating pieces of paper in the air and incinerating them.
>She just rolls her eyes when you ask her to sell her soul to a demon so she can gain the ability to cast black hellfire for you, though.
 
>Magic class is quickly over.
>You look to Twilight. "So, are you going to be doing my history lesson today too?"
>She shakes her head. "Nope! I managed to get in touch with an old acquaintance of mine from Canterlot University. She was a great history student when I was going and now she's an adjunct professor there. She'll be handling your history lessons from now on."
>"Cool. What's her name?"
>"Honey Mead. She should be getting here any moment, and I know she's very excited to meet you."
>You shrug. You would much rather have Cheerilee, of course, but you avoid saying that to Twilight.
>Twilight Sparkle picks up on it, nonetheless, and gives you an exasperated sigh. "I know she's not Cheerilee, Anon, but please give her a chance, okay?"
>"Yeah, it won't be a problem."
>Twilight gives a relieved grin. "Good. You, uh, should probably also know that her version of history is a little different than the one Cheerilee was teaching you. So...keep an open mind."
>What the hell does that mean?
>Before you have time to ponder it, three loud knocks on the castle door ring out.
>Twilight cheerfully rises from her seat. "That should be her right now! Let's go out and meet her."
>You follow Twilight out into the foyer.
>Spike opens up the door to reveal a very fat white unicorn. Her honey-blonde mane has been cut short in a stallion-like style and an unnatural-looking blood red streak has been very shoddily dyed into it. She wears a pair of bright pink plastic-framed glasses on her nose, and you quickly notice that they don't actually have any lenses in them.
>Worst of all, she wears a smug, disdainful look on her face as she waddles into the castle, her rolls of fat rippling like waves on a lake filled with melted lard as she goes.
>"Honey Mead!" Twilight cries out. "It's so great to see you again!"
>"Tch. Nice to see you too, Sparkle." she curtly replies. "Have you been enjoying life in your magical princess dream castle?"
>"Ummm, well yes. I've been very well, thank you."
>"That's great to hear. I'm sure your earth pony neighbors just looooove waking up every morning to see this giant shining statement of unicorn privilege."
>Twilight huffs. "Honey Mead, you know quite well that this castle emerged when I saved Equestria from Tirek with the help of my best friends, several of whom are earth ponies and pegasi!"
>She rolls her eyes. "Oh yes, you have token horn-impaired friends, so you clearly aren't prejudiced."
>Twilight Sparkle rubs her temple with her hoof. You're not even sure what this bitch is talking about, but you can tell that Twilight immediately regrets her decision to bring her here.
>Instead of protesting her innocence any longer, Twilight wisely decides to deflect the conversation towards you. "Well, Honey Mead, this is Anon. He is a human from another dimension."
>You wave timidly. "Nice to meet you."
>She waddles up to you with surprising speed for a mare of her size. "Why hello there, it's such an honor to meet you!" she gushes without a hint of her previous sarcasm. "I can't wait to learn all about your unique and exciting culture, and to teach you the real history that Celestia doesn't want you to hear."
>Twilight bows her head and levitates Spike onto her back as she makes a hasty retreat. "Well then, I'll leave you to it! Have fun, Anon!"
>"Plastic little reactionary conformist..." Honey Mead mutters as she heads for the classroom.
>You follow, wondering just what you've gotten into.
 
>As Honey Mead begins her lesson, you quickly realize exactly what you've gotten into.
>She begins by throwing the textbook that Cheerilee was using into the trash.
>Apparently it was "prejudiced, imperialist, narrow-minded drivel."
>In its place, she sets a new book in front of you.
>A Ponies' History of Equestria.
>The cover of the book features a black and white photograph of a sad-looking earth pony filly working in a gem mine.
>You spend most of the hour learning about the plight of the earth ponies. Honey Mead describes the atrocious working conditions in the Equestrian gem mines of 300 years ago with fetishistic detail, and then rhapsodizes about the virtues of the working earth ponies who served in them.
>Gone are the heroes, adventures, and high political drama that made Cheerilee's lessons so fun. Instead, you get to learn about how much life sucked for the poor.
>Whenever a name comes up that you recognize as historically significant, she takes pains to bring up every single character flaw that they might have possessed, especially if they were a unicorn.
>If a unicorn's accomplishments are mentioned at all, they are usually either downplayed or credited primarily to the oppressed group of ponies who worked under the figure.
>You can't help but be amused by how much the tubby unicorn in front of you really fucking hates unicorns.
>Mercifully, Honey Mead ends the lesson early so that she can ask you a litany of bizarre questions about life on Earth. You try to answer as best you can, but she is very disappointed when you can't accurately describe exactly how coal mines and third-world sweatshops work.
>Moreover, she seems to grow more and more disenchanted with you as each of your answers reveals that poor people have it hard on Earth too.
>When your allotted time together is up, you get the fuck out as quickly as you can, not only to get away from this megabitch, but also because you have a date with a good history teacher.
>You rush home and change into the nicest pair of clothes you own.
>It's a scramble to brush your teeth, wash your face, and get yourself in order.
>You head at the door at a quarter to six, feeling jittery and excited.
>On the way to Cheerilee's house, you spot a flower shop.
>You've been debating whether to get her a present all day, and this is clearly a sign.
>You head in and are immediately by the fresh, humid, sweet air inside the shop.
>After browsing around for a little while, you come upon a lovely bouquet of purple carnations. You're not quite sure why, but something tells you that these are exactly right.
>You pay the florist the ten bits she wants for the bouquet and resume your trip to Cheerilee's house.
>The snow has all but melted, and you smile as the streets are once again full of young ponies playing and enjoying one of the final temperate evenings they'll have for quite some time.
>You cross over to the wrong side of the tracks and turn onto the cracked cobblestone road that your love lives on.
>Cheerilee's house looms before you. Even after all this time, the thought of seeing her makes you nervous.
>You swallow the lump in your throat, take a few deep breaths, open the gate, and march up to the door.
>You give it a few good knocks and wait impatiently for your beautiful mare to appear.
>She does not.
>Instead, the door swings open and you find yourself face to face with someone else.
>He's big, red, and looks somewhat confused. His eyes trail down to see the bouquet of flowers in your hand, and his look of confusion intensifies as he raises his eyebrows in surprise.
>You stand there on the door step, paralyzed as Big Macintosh looks you over once more.
>"Eeeeyup...?" he inquires.
 
>It feels like your legs are turning to jelly.
>You're taller than Big Macintosh, but he still intimidates the hell out of you.
>It's probably the fact that he's 100% solid, bulging muscle.
>You stammer moronically, your mind flailing and thrashing around like a drowning animal as you try to conjure up something, anything to say.
>You fail miserably, and Mac just looks more suspicious with each murderously awkward second that passes by.
>Inside the house, you see Cheerilee emerging from the hall. She must have been in the bathroom or something.
>She sees you on the doorstep and her eyes immediately go wide with terror. You can see her cursing under her breath as she gallops over.
>"Ah! Anon! How nice to see you!" Cheerilee blabbers. She sets a hoof on Big Mac's shoulder to get his attention. "Sweetie, this is Anon, the student I was teaching up until a few days ago. Have you two been properly introduced?"
>"Eeeenope."
>You robotically extend your hand to shake his hoof. "I stopped by Sweet Apple Acres a few times, but you always were working the fields. It's, uh, really nice to finally meet you, Big Mac."
>Big Mac grasps your hand with crushing force and shakes it vigorously. "Eeeeeyup."
>"Oh, and uh..." Cheerilee says nervously. "I see you brought flowers, Anon. They're lovely. Are they a thank you gift? For me? You know, for being your teacher?"
>Finally, a lifeline! You nod your head eagerly. "Uhhh, yes! You're a great teacher, Cheerilee. I wanted to thank you for everything."
>She smiles and takes the flowers. "Awww, you shouldn't have! Thank you for being such a wonderful student, Anon."
>Big Mac is still eyeing you, but his suspicion seems to have abated at least a little bit.
>"Honey," Cheerilee says to Big Mac, "is it okay if Anon and I talk in private for a moment? He's really shy, as you can tell."
>Big Mac hesitates for a beat before slowly nodding and backing away from the door.
>Cheerilee places your flowers on a nearby end table, steps outside, and shuts the door behind her. She leads you over to the half-dead tree in her yard where Big Mac will hopefully not be able to hear your conversation.
>"Cheerilee, what the hell?" you hiss.
>"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
>"You told me to come by at six tonight. You said you weren't doing anything!"
>Cheerilee does her best to conceal her emotions, and for good reason. You can feel Big Macintosh watching you through the window.
>"He dropped by unannounced. I was certain that he would be busy getting the farm ready for winter..."
>"Ugh. At least you managed to come up with a half-decent excuse. Thanks for that."
>She chuckles. "Don't mention it. It was really sweet of you to bring me flowers. I love carnations."
>You give her a winning smile. "Well, they were the prettiest flowers there, so of course they made me think of you."
>Aww yeah, real smooth, Anon.
>Cheerilee blushes. "Oh Anon..."
>"So, ummm, are we going to have a chance to get together tonight, or are your plans pretty much shot?"
>"Well, I'm going to go to dinner with Mac tonight, but I should be free afterwards. Maybe come back around eight?"
>"How will I know you're alone?" you ask, very intent on avoiding another awkward experience tonight.
>She scratches her chin. "Hmmmm...how about this? I'll put the flowers you gave me in my front window once he's gone. If you see the flowers, you can drop in."
>You grin. "Sounds like a plan. I'll see you then."
>She gives you a chaste hug. "Can't wait."
>Cheerilee turns around and heads back to the house, sneakily swaying her hips and raising her tail just enough as she goes to give you a bit of a show.
>Guess you'll have to go find something to do for a couple of hours.
>As you look back at the house one more time, you can see Big Macintosh still glaring at you through the window.
>You hurry up and get out of there as quickly as you can.
 
>You find a nearby diner and kill time by having a few cups of coffee and watching the ponies on the streets outside heading home after a long day at work.
>The clock tower finally strikes eight.
>You make your way back to Cheerilee.
>You noticed it while you were pony-watching at the diner, but as you actually walk down the road, it becomes clear that everyone is out enjoying the pleasant evening.
>Couples stroll down the streets side by side, rowdy groups of young ponies head for the bars, and the foals are still out and about, since there's no school tomorrow.
>Autumn is giving way to winter, and Ponyville is sucking the dying hours dry.
>You approach Cheerilee's home with great caution, walking down the opposite side of the road and sparing only a fleeting glance at it in case Big Macintosh is still hanging around.
>Sure enough, your carnations are sitting in a vase on her windowsill.
>You furtively glance left and right to make sure that no one is watching. Once it's clear, you cross the street and knock on Cheerilee's door for the second time today.
>There's no answer.
>You knock again, louder this time.
>"It's unlocked!" cries Cheerilee's distant, muffled voice.
>You let yourself in and call out to let her know it's you.
>"I'll just be a second!" comes the call from her bedroom.
>You make yourself comfortable on her couch.
>Sure enough, "just a second" stretches into fifteen minutes.
>When she finally does emerge from her bedroom, the wait becomes so very worth it.
>Cheerilee is wearing a lovely green silk dress. It's quite minimalist, with none of the frills and lace that pony fashion seems to favor, but it hugs her form nicely and perfectly matches the color of her eyes.
>You also notice that she's wearing makeup. It's not much-just a faint amount of blush and some pink lipstick-but it's just the right amount to get your heart racing.
>She smiles at you nervously and takes a self-conscious look at herself. "So, what do you think? Does this dress make me look super fat? I haven't worn it in years..."
>You rise to your feet to greet her. You can't help but grin like an idiot as you do. "No Cheerilee, you look amazing."
>Her pretty pink lips curve into a half-smile. "You're just saying that."
>"No," you firmly insist, "you really, really do. That dress is just perfect."
>You mean it. You always thought she was pretty, but right now she has crossed over from pretty to heart-achingly gorgeous.
>She giggles demurely. "Well, if you say so..."
>"So," you transition, "did you have anywhere in particular you wanted to go tonight?"
>She responds animatedly. "Yes! I've been wanting to go dancing again, if you feel up to it."
>"Sure, that would be great. Did you have a specific place in mind,  though?"
>"Well..." she intones, "I think it might be a bit dangerous for us to be seen together in Ponyville, so I was wondering if you'd like to check out the club scene in Canterlot."
>"That sounds like fun. Does the train to Canterlot really run that late, though?"
>She nods happily. "It does on weekends. My friends and I used to take it all the time when I was younger."
>You smile and take her hoof in your hand. "Let's go, then!"
 
>After a short walk, you and Cheerilee have boarded the 8:35 to Canterlot.
>Cheerilee very kindly shelled out the extra cash for a private compartment, and you two quickly find it and settle in.
>The train roars to life, and once it has started moving, you draw the blinds on the door so that you can have some privacy from the prying eyes of the other Ponyville residents who might be on board.
>The second the blinds are drawn, Cheerilee pounces on you.
>She climbs into your lap, locks her forelegs around the back of your neck, and kisses you assertively.
>You reciprocate, meeting her lips with passion and enjoying the cool, smooth feel of her silk dress beneath your palms as your hands rove all over her.
>All too soon, she breaks the kiss. "Ahhh, y-you're gonna smudge my lipstick, Anon."
>Judging by how heavily she's breathing, you can tell she didn't really want it to end either.
>You briefly consider saying to hell with her lipstick, but you keep yourself in check.
>Cheerilee slides out of your lap and instead cuddles up next to you.
>The two of you silently watch the darkened scenery flying by for a few moments.
>"I'm glad we got to do this, Anon." she murmurs softly.
>"Yeah, me too."
>There's a pregnant pause. She's obviously debating whether or not to say something.
>At last, she sighs and gives in. "And...and I'm very sorry about earlier this evening."
>You grimace as all of the awkwardness plays out again in your mind. But instead of embarrassed, you just feel a bitter pang of jealousy.
>"I really wish it didn't have to be like that, Cheerilee."
>She's silent. All at once, tension saturates the room like a thick fog.
>Finally, with a deep sigh, Cheerilee looks up at you. "Anon, I understand. And I'm sorry for that too. It's not fair to you or Big Mac."
>"So, do you ever think that maybe we could fix that?"
>A look of pain bolts across her face. "Anon..."
>You pull away from her so that you can look her straight in the eyes. "Cheerilee, I love you. All of this cloak and dagger crap is killing me. I'm tired of worrying about being seen with you. I'm tired of having to watch my back. I just want to be with you. Is that too much to ask?"
>Her voice is weak and hollow. She's suppressing tears. "Anon, I love you too. I love you so much. But Big Macintosh is a good stallion. I can't...I'm not...It's just really hard..."
>"I know it's hard," you say, grasping her hoof tenderly, "but we can get through it together. I'll always be there for you, Cheerilee. Please, just trust me. Give me a chance."
>She squeezes your hand. "I just need time, Anon. I want to say yes to you so badly. Like, you wouldn't believe how much I want to just give in and be your mare. But...I just need time."
>You sigh.
>She gives your hand another, softer squeeze and flashes you a tender smile. "Listen, I've had a stressful week. Work has been tough, and our situation has been keeping me up at night. But tonight, we're going to a place where nobody knows us. We can let our guards down and just have fun. I'll give you a real answer soon, but for now, let's just forget about it all and live in the moment, okay?"
>You frown. That's not the answer you wanted, but you have to admit that the prospect of just enjoying yourself tonight sounds incredibly appealing.
>It's a hell of a lot more appealing than being stubborn and having her be pissed off at you all night, that's for sure.
>Reluctantly, you give in. "Alright. But...are you sure that we can let our guard down? I'm the only human in Equestria. I might attract attention."
>"Oh Anon, Canterlot is a cosmopolitan city. All sorts of exotic creatures come through. I doubt most of the ponies there will even notice you." She gives you a flirty wink. "Although...that's actually not true. I'm sure all of the mares will notice how handsome and dashing you are."
>You blush as Cheerilee instantly melts all of your defenses. "Awww. Well I'm sure if they see me with a mare as beautiful as you, they'll know better than to bother trying to compete."
>She laughs and hugs you tight, and you pass the rest of the short train ride in blissful closeness.
 
>As the tired brakes on the train squeal and screech, you take your eyes off of Cheerilee to observe your surroundings.
>You've only been to Canterlot once, and that was the day after you arrived in Equestria.
>Twilight took you here to have you examined by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna and to seek their advice.
>It was a magnificent city during the day, but you've only glimpsed it from afar at night.
>It's incredible. Everything glitters with gold and gemstones. The great spires towering above you shimmer against the starry sky, perfectly illuminated by well-placed spotlights.
>As you exit the train, the delightful smell of fine dining hits you immediately, and the ponies milling about the busy streets are all dressed in elaborate, colorful outfits of silk and lace.
>Cheerilee also seems to have stars in her eyes as she takes in the sight. "It's been too long." she murmurs.
>With a big grin and a youthful bounce, she grabs your hand and starts leading you off somewhere. "Come on! All of the best clubs are near the Trotcadero."
>You do your best to follow your gleeful companion closely as she canters down the crowded streets.
>Taking in your surroundings as you go, you're pleased to find that Cheerilee was right about you not really standing out. At most, you get a few glances from ponies that are clearly tourists, but the Canterlot natives hardly even seem to notice you.
>That knowledge lets you relax. The heady, exciting atmosphere overcomes you, and you're soon smiling just as broadly as your companion as she leads you down the white cobblestone streets, pointing out important landmarks as she goes.
>As you crest a surprisingly steep hill, you're treated to a gorgeous view. In the valley below you, a huge neoclassical beauty of a palace stretches out. It's surrounded on all sides by large marble columns, and its architecture is pleasingly geometrical. A wooded park radiates out from the palace, the bright yellow and red of the fall leaves vibrant even in the night.
>"And that," Cheerilee proudly says, "is the Trotcadero. It was Celestia's palace for about 500 years before the current one was constructed. Now, it's a great art museum."
>"Oooh, we should check it out sometime."
>"Yeah! I mean, obviously it's too late for us to go to the museum right now, but I would love to see it again someday."
>As you take a look at the area surrounding the Trotcadero, you see that Cheerilee wasn't lying about the clubs being here. The streets radiate out from the palace like spokes on a wheel, and all are brightly glowing with neon. Even from up here, you can hear the faint thumping of the bass.
>Cheerilee can wait no longer. She grabs your hand and awkwardly gallops on three legs towards the club district.
>Soon, you're in the thick of things. It really is incredible. You remember Apple Bloom mentioning that Canterlot has something like 225,000 inhabitants, but the entertainment district they have here seems fit for a city 20 times that size.
>Clubs with every theme imaginable line the streets. There are electronic dance clubs, sophisticated cigar lounges, trashy dive bars, and even what appears to be a burlesque club. What's more impressive is that they all seem to be bustling with ponies, griffons, diamond dogs, and countless other fantastic creatures.
 
>Cheerilee is looking around intently. "Now, where was it..."
>You have to lean down and talk into her ear to be heard above the din. "What are you looking for?"
>"My favorite club." she half-shouts. "I know it was on this street somewhere!"
>Suddenly, she spots something down the street and rockets towards it. "Keep up, Anon!"
>You try your best to do so without running into any of the drunk ponies swaying around on the sidewalk.
>When you finally catch up to Cheerilee, she's sitting on her haunches, staring up at one of the buildings. "This...this was it." she says forlornly. "I'm almost certain."
>The club she's staring at seems to be some sort of Irish pub. You can hear a jaunty fiddle tune being played inside. "What's wrong?" you ask.
>She sighs. "This used to be the hottest place in Canterlot when I was young. But now it looks like it's gone."
>"Are you sure?"
>She nods slowly. "Yeah, I recognize the building. See the gargoyles on the roof? This was definitely it."
>Sure enough, there are three gargoyles at the edge the roof above, casting stern, unmoving stone gazes down on the partygoers below.
>Just then, a fancy unicorn stallion clears his throat to get Cheerilee's attention. "Excuse me, Miss. Would you happen to be looking for the Vice club?"
>Cheerilee looks at him incredulously. "Yes, I am! How did you know?"
>He chuckles. "I'm sure most mares your age remember the club quite fondly. It always could be counted on to serve drinks to underage fillies as long as they were attractive."
>Cheerilee gets a far off look in her eye, as she recalls the fond memories. "Yeah, it was great..."
>"Unfortunately, there was a big crackdown on that sort of thing about seven years ago. The owner lost his liquor license and was very fortunate to escape jail time."
>"Oh. I see..." Cheerilee sighs.
>The unicorn pats her shoulder. "Don't despair, dear. The owner's daughter saw fit to follow in her father's hoofsteps. She owns a club called the Rabbit Hole in an alley off 24th Street. It doesn't have all the grandeur of the Vice club, but I think you'll be quite pleased."
>Your date thanks the unicorn profusely and then giddily grabs your hand. "Come on, Anon! 24th Street is only a few blocks away!"
>You and Cheerilee soon reach 24th Street, and you find yourself wondering if this is such a good idea.
>There's nothing but dive bars and rundown theaters as far as the eye can see.
>You eventually spot a small neon sign for the Rabbit Hole with an arrow pointing into an alley.
>You weave around a few smelly dumpsters and eventually come to a non-descript concrete staircase down into the basement of one of the buildings.
>You can hear synthesizer-heavy music pounding from the other side of the steel door at the bottom of the stairs.
>"This must be it." Cheerilee says firmly.
>"Are you sure about this?" you question. This place gives you a bad feeling.
>She smiles. "It'll be fine, Anon. If this mare runs a club half as well as her father used to, we're gonna have the time of our lives!"
>You swallow your doubt and follow Cheerilee down the stairs.
 
>Once inside, you behold quite a sight.
>The place is much larger than you were anticipating. The entryway leads to a balcony overlooking the entire club. Below you, there's a crowded dancefloor with colorful lights built in that change color in rhythm with the music.
>Artificial fog covers the entire place, making the bright, spinning rainbow lights above that much more intense.
>A DJ spins vinyl on a raised dais in the middle of the room as ponies dance all around him.
>Cheerilee looks like a kid in a candy store. She squeals with excitement. "Oh my gosh, Anon! It's just how I remember it!"
>The bouncer is stationed near the stairs down to the floor. It's a mercifully short line, and soon you have paid your extortionate cover charge and are descending down into the Dayglo wonderland.
>Your companion can barely contain herself at this point. She's bouncing around and taking in her surroundings with pure wonderment. She reminds you so much of the teenage version of Cheerilee that you saw in your dream.
>The song that was playing comes to an end, and the DJ throws on a new tune.
>Cheerilee's ears perk up and she screams. "ANON, THIS IS THE BEST SONG EVER! WE GOTTA DANCE!"
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS7tFKNlyXc
>Cheerilee tugs your arm with her insane earth pony strength and hauls you out onto the dance floor.
>You try your best to mimic Cheerilee's steps as she enthusiastically moves to the beat. It takes a little while to remember how you danced with her before, but once you do, you find yourself matching her rhythm almost effortlessly.
>You dance and dance and dance.
>A cool sweat runs down your back as your inhibitions break down and the beat takes over.
>When a slow, romantic song comes on, Cheerilee leaps into your arms and dances with you bipedally. You hold her close and move together with smoldering passion.
>As you dance, you take a look around at the other patrons. Most seem to be Cheerilee's age or older, and few seem to be here alone.  It appears that this is where middle-aged couples come to relive the glory days and feel young again.
>You wouldn't have ever imagined yourself coming to a club like this, but if Cheerilee is happy, then you're happy.
>There's a break in the music and you feel parched. You indicate to your partner that you're heading for the bar, and she nods and follows along.
>There's a bit of a line, but eventually the two of you manage to push your way to the front and grab the bartender's attention.
>You order a cider and Cheerilee gets some sort of fruity girl drink with a vaguely sexual name and enough hard liquor in it to kill a mule.
>Once you've been served, you find a table off to the side and sit down for a while.
>Cheerilee takes a sip of her drink through the crazy bendy straw it came with and gives you a big grin. "So, what do you think? Isn't this place rad?"
>"Yeah, I'm surprised it's so nice in here!"
>She laughs. "I know, right? Not exactly the greatest location, but it really is just like Vice."
>You scoot close to her and wrap an arm around her. Her coat is matted with sweat, and it actually feels nice and cool to the touch.
>She rests her head against you with a pretty little coo.
 
>You're enjoying the moment when a rude voice interrupts you.
>"Heyyyyyy there! You two want some party favors?"
>"Party favors?" you ask in annoyance, looking up at the skeezy-looking pegasus standing at your table.
>"Yeah, you know. Something to get this party really started!"
>Cheerilee giggles and whispers in your ear. "He means drugs, Anon."
>"Ohhhh. No thanks." you politely decline.
>The pusher turns to Cheerilee. "How 'bout you, pretty mare?"
>"I really shouldn't." she says.
>"You sure? I've got everything you need. Sticky poison, purple demon, angel tongue, even some joke!"
>Cheerilee raises an eyebrow. "Really? You've got joke?"
>"Cheerilee!" you hiss. "You're not serious, are you?"
>She titters, already swaying a little bit from the alcohol in her drink. "Oh, don't be that way, Anon. I used to do joke all the time when I was younger. It's totally safe. Turns the whites of your eyes blue for a little while, but it's fine otherwise."
>"Yeeeeah!" the pusher crows, opening up one of his wings to reveal the packets of multicolored pills taped underneath. "This mare knows what she's talkin' about. So you wanna party or what?"
>You watch in disbelief as Cheerilee deliberates for a moment and then slips the guy some bits. He gives her a little baggie of blue pills in return and slinks off before security can notice.
>You nervously look around to make sure no one saw what just happened. "I can't believe you actually did that."
>Cheerilee just smiles broadly. "I know, I feel like I'm eighteen again! Do you want one, Anon?"
>"I dunno, that seems like a bad idea. I don't know how stuff like that might effect me."
>She rolls her eyes and pops one of the pills. "I can't believe the guy who stood up to Filthy Rich is scared of something like this! Come on, Anon, I thought we were going to put everything aside and just enjoy tonight. Please?"
>She pushes one of the pills your way and looks at you with pleading eyes.
>If the past few weeks have taught you anything, it's that you're not strong enough to say no to those eyes.
>Reluctantly, you take the pill and swallow it. Cheerilee cheers.
>You wait for a moment, expecting the worst. But nothing happens. You give your date an inquisitive look.
>She just waves her hoof. "It takes a little while to kick in. C'mon, let's go dance."
>You follow her out to the floor and start moving to the beat. The once tame schoolteacher next to you dances with wild abandon, her inhibitions nothing but a distant memory.
>A few minutes later, you begin to feel lightheaded.
>You look at the colored lights on the floor with wonderment.
>When did they get so...intense?
>And the flashing lights on the ceiling, they're so bright and beautiful! You could get lost in them.
>The beat of the song pulses through you. It pulses in rhythm with your soul. You become one with the beat, body, mind, and soul.
>You meet Cheerilee's eyes and see that they've taken on a blue tint. She laughs riotously at you. "Duuuude, you're totally joking right now!"
>"I-I think you are too." you timidly reply.
>She surges forward into your arms and starts dancing with you human-style. "You know it, sexy! Let's get this party started!"
 
>You can't help but run your hands all over Cheerilee as you dance. Her silk dress feels otherworldly. It's the essence of smooth, and feeling it almost overwhelms you with pleasure. You never want to stop.
>Running a hand through her mane feels like touching an angel's cloud.
>You notice that she can't stop rubbing her cheek against your shirt, and she's making all sorts of funny little noises as she does.
>The bright colors all around you melt together. You feel like you're dancing inside a rainbow.
>You dance for what feels like millenia. It's just you, Cheerilee, and the sacred beat.
>Suddenly, a large, dark figure cuts into your pastel paradise.
>It calls you by name, and after squinting, you recognize it.
>"Princess Luna!" you call out.
>Cheerilee looks over and screams with delight. "OH MY GOSH! HI LUNA!"
>Princess Luna stands before you, dressed in a frilly black silk dress instead of her normal royal regalia. You're sure that the meaning of life is hidden somewhere in the swirling galaxies and stars that make up her flowing mane.
>"Hello Anonymous. And a very good evening to you, Miss Cheerilee." she says, her voice so smooth and beautiful that it makes you want to cry. "I am happy to run into familiar faces from Ponyville enjoying the night here in Canterlot. May I join you?"
>As if she even needed to ask!
>You and Cheerilee glom onto Luna and start dancing with her energetically. With water-like grace, she moves to one side of you while Cheerilee takes the other. Your heart is bursting with joy and excitement as you alternate between the two, trying to keep up with Luna's skilled moves while still making time to feel up your beloved on the dance floor.
>You lose all track of time.
>The only thing distracting you from this incredible experience is the occasional annoying flash of light coming from...somewhere.
>You disregard it and dance blissfully, stopping only to go grab more booze from the bar a few times.
>All too soon, the music stops.
>Luna dashes away without even saying goodbye.
>The harsh bright lights come on, stinging your eyes and drawing a disappointed groan from the crowd.
>"It is now closing time." chimes a voice over the PA. "Please gather up your belongings and head for the exits. Thank you for visiting the Rabbit Hole! We hope to see you again soon."
>Using each other for support, you and Cheerilee stagger up the stairs and out into the cold night air.
 
>As you make your way back onto the main thoroughfare, Cheerilee nuzzles herself against you. "Oh Anon, that was wonderful. I haven't done that for years."
>You lean down and kiss her forehead. "Yeah, that was amazing. And Luna! Who would have thought!"
>She giggles. "Yeah, she really knows how to party..."
>You look around. "So, uh, do you know how to get back to the train station?"
>Cheerilee pauses for a moment and fuzzily scans her surroundings. "Ummm...nope!"
>You both laugh.
>She points somewhere with her hoof. "L-look, there's a nice motel. Let's just stay there tonight."
>You have no objection to this, and you float across the street to the fine establishment.
>Strangely enough, the diamond dog manning the front desk asks if you want to pay for your room by the hour. You say no and purchase a room for the entire night.
>After stumbling around a bit, you finally find the room.
>At least, you think it's your room.
>You try the key and it seems to work.
>Once in there, you immediately flop down onto the bed. You still feel so high, and the strange crusty texture of the blanket feels fascinating against your back.
>Cheerilee joins you on the bed, stretching out next to you with a satisfied grunt.
>You turn to her and softly stroke her cheek, smiling contently. "I had a great time tonight."
>She holds your hand against her cheek and looks at you with adoration. "I love you so much, Anon."
>"Love you too..."
>The two of you kiss. Her lips are like candy, and you can't get enough.
>Things heat up.
>Cheerilee mounts on top of you, kissing you passionately and rubbing her nethers against your crotch.
>You trail your hands down and squeeze her wonderfully plush butt, drawing a sexy gasp from her.
>She looks down at you with lustful eyes.
>Suddenly, her face contorts into a look of shock.
>Her stomach starts to grumble loudly. "Oh...uhhhhh....uh oh...Oh Celestia!"
>She leaps off of you and staggers for the bathroom, retching all the way.
>You do your best to follow her.
>Cheerilee barely makes it to the toilet bowl before she starts vomiting.
>It's really gross to say the least, but you dutifully hold her mane back and keep it out of harm's way until she's finally done, suppressing your own gag reflex to the best of your ability.
>When her stomach is finally empty, she weakly rises.
>You guide her back to bed and tuck her in tenderly before sliding in next to her.
>"Sorry Anon..." she murmurs.
>You softly stroke her mane. "It's okay. Get some rest..."
>She's dozing softly in no time, and you follow close behind.
 
>Harsh, annoying light strikes your face.
>You open your eyes and regret it right away.
>The morning sun is peeping in through the gap in the curtains. It stings.
>You close your eyes again.
>Your stomach churns. It feels like your digestive tract is doing back flips inside of you.
>You try to curl up in the fetal position to settle it, but that just upsets things further.
>Fuck.
>You open your bleary eyes.
>The unfamiliar room is spinning and the light coming through the window feels like an icepick being slammed directly into your skull.
>The pressure in your stomach is rising.
>You spot a door.
>Hopefully it's a bathroom.
>You rise unsteadily, your heartbeat pounding in your head with deafening force.
>You cry out thankfully when it turns out that the room behind the door is indeed a bathroom.
>You fall to your knees in front of the dirty, nasty toilet and puke your brains out.
>When you're finally done, you flush it and take several deep swigs directly from the bathroom faucet to clean the bile out of your mouth and quench your intense thirst.
>Shambling out into the main room, you take a look at your surroundings to find out where you are and what happened last night.
>You're in a seedy motel room. The carpet beneath your feet feels dirty and matted and the tacky wallpaper is peeling off the walls.
>The room is devoid of furnishings except for a single, cheap bed. Cheerilee is lying in it, vacantly looking at you through a single open eye.
>"Urrrrgh...Hey Anon." she whimpers.
>That's right. You went out with Cheerilee last night.
>You remember the club. The dancing.
>The drugs.
>You groan and collapse back into bed.
>That explains the hangover from hell.
>"Morning, Cheerilee."
>You try to lie perfectly still, keeping your eyes shut as tight as possible to block out the accursed light.
>"Do you know where we are, Anon?"
>You shake your head. "Not sure. I guess we must have gotten a room after the club last night."
>"The club..." she says to herself. "Oh. Yeah, I remember the club."
>"Do you remember doing the drugs?" you ask her testily.
>"Wha-? Drugs?"
>You groan.
>"W-wait. We didn't...oh Celestia, we totally did. Was it joke?"
>You make a fleeting attempt to kick the rusty gears of your brain into action, but even thinking hurts. Still, that sounds right for some reason. "I think so?"
>She sighs deeply. "I bet we drank while we were on it, too. Feels like it, at least. Joke makes hangovers about ten times worse."
>"Yeah, thanks for the warning, teacher." you grumble.
>"Oh, shut up." she snaps.
>The two of you lie in silence for some time.
>Cheerilee softly chuckles. "You know, that joke must have been cut with something else. I had the weirdest hallucination while we were dancing."
>"Oh?"
>"Yeah, at one point I thought Princess Luna was dancing with us! Isn't that weird? Joke doesn't make you hallucinate like that, though, so there must have been something else mixed in."
>You frown. "Huh. Now that you mention it, I seem to remember dancing with Luna too."
>Cheerilee sits up. You can feel her staring at you. "R-really?"
>"Yeah, she had on a cool black dress and she was a great dancer."
>Cheerilee groans. "And this is why I never did hallucinogens. Too creepy. I mean, you don't think Luna was actually there, do you?"
>You shrug. "Seemed real to me. You're apparently the drug expert, though."
>That earns you a punch in the arm.
>"The Princess of the Night would never be seen in a dump like that." Cheerilee rationalizes. "Plus, she was still banished when that kind of music was popular. It's probably not her cup of tea."
>You just yawn.
>Right then, someone starts knocking loudly on your door.
>"CHECKOUT TIME!" screams a foreign-sounding voice. "YOU STAY, YOU PAY!"
>You bolt upright in bed, opening your eyes again and exposing them to the tyranny of sunlight.
>"COME ON, YOU GET OUT NOW OR WHAT?" demands the voice.
>"Just give me five minutes!" you cry.
>"I GIVE YOU FIVE MINUTES AND A BIG BILL!"
>You look to Cheerilee, who nods. "Let's just go..."
>"Alright already!" you call out. "We're coming now."
>With great effort, you slide out of bed, put your shoes back on, and give the room a once-over to make sure you're not forgetting anything.
>Cheerilee straightens her wrinkled dress and tries in vain to bring some semblance of order to her frazzled, messy mane.
>You open the door and face the full assault of the sun.
 
>Through your squinting eyes, you can see a big diamond dog sneering at you.
>He says nothing as you and Cheerilee pass by him and stagger out into the street.
>As you go, she looks back at the crumbling, dilapidated motel and facehoofs. "Oh Celestia, this is the hooker hotel..."
>"That explains the weird stains on the blanket." you deadpan.
>Cheerilee visibly shudders.
>You wander aimlessly down the street like a pair of zombies for a while.
>Eventually, Cheerilee spots a diner.
>You're starving, and don't protest when she pulls you inside.
>You do your best to ignore the bemused stares of some of the patrons as you enter. You know damn well you must look terrible.
>Once you take a seat, Cheerilee excuses herself to the bathroom to try and put her mane in order.
>While she's gone, the waitress comes up to your table. She seems to be eyeing you up and she has a strange look on her face, almost as if she's in on some sort of joke.
>You order coffee for Cheerilee and for yourself.
>You've already been through two cups by the time your love emerges from the bathroom.
>She looks surprisingly good. Her mane is nice and neat, and she has taken her wrinkled dress off entirely. She carries it in a compact bundle on her back instead.
>The bags under her eyes are the only signs of the crazy night you just had.
>She sits down and slams her entire cup of coffee in one gulp.
>"Ahhh, much better." she says, perking up as the life-giving caffeine hits her bloodstream.
>She even manages to give you one of her trademarked sunny smiles.
>It really does brighten the mood considerably.
>"So," she asks you cheerfully, "what did you think of the club itself? Pretty cool, huh?"
>"Yeah, it was a pretty cool place." You manage to give her a smile of your own. "Dancing with you is always fun."
>Cheerilee blushes. "I'm glad. I just wish I hadn't gotten so carried away. I guess something about that place made me feel like a kid again. Irresponsibility and all!"
>You shrug. "Hey, no harm done."
>She sighs. "It was still a stupid risk to take."
>You're about to reply when, out of the corner of your eye, you spot some ponies on the sidewalk outside pointing at you through the window. They seem to be laughing and chattering excitedly.
>You look at them quizzically, and they all look away.
>Cheerilee follows your gaze. "Is something wrong, Anon?"
>"Those ponies are looking at us."
>She checks them out for a moment and then shrugs. "It's because you're a human, I'm sure."
>You keep your eyes on them. You're used to being an oddity in Equestria, but something about this feels different.
>Eventually they walk away.
>The waitress comes and takes your order.
>You make small talk with Cheerilee as you wait for the food, but once it comes, you both abandon the conversation in favor of stuffing your faces ravenously.
>You hadn't realized just how hungry you were.
>Still, you get the occasional creeping feeling of being watched.
>The waitress gives you a strange smile and a bizarre little wink once she drops off the bill.
>Canterlot is messing with your head. You really need to get back to Ponyville.
>You and Cheerilee make for the nearest train station.
>On the way there, you feel more and more eyes upon you.
>Is this a side effect of the joke you took? Is it making you paranoid?
>You're very nearly to the train station when some teenage fillies spot you.
>"It's them!" they cry.
>You and Cheerilee both look around in confusion.
>The girls swarm you and start peppering you with questions.
>"What club were you guys at?"
>"What was she like?"
>"Was she a good dancer?"
>"Fillies!" Cheerilee cries in her authoritative teacher voice. "What are you talking about?"
>The girls find this hilarious.
>"Oh my gosh! You don't know?"
>"I don't think they know!"
>"Candy Dreams, show them the paper!"
>The pink unicorn apparently known as Candy Dreams produces a newspaper from her pack.
>You immediately recognize it as one of the tabloids that exist purely to stalk the Princesses and other famous ponies.
>The cover story of this particular issue sends a shiver down your spine.
>The big, bold headline reads: "PRINCESS LUNA HITS THE CLUB!"
>The cover photo shows just that.
>Princess Luna is wearing a frilly black silk dress, and the photograph has caught her in the middle of an elaborate and somewhat embarrassing dance move.
>And there next to the Princess, in living color for all of Equestria to see, is another couple enjoying their night.
>Looks like you and Cheerilee made the front page.
 
>Acting on pure impulse, Cheerilee snatches the paper out of the filly's hooves and bolts off towards the train station.
>"Hey!" Candy Dreams cries out. "That's mine!"
>She and her friends give you an expectant look. As if you're supposed to stop her or something. All you can do is weakly apologize and then take off after Cheerilee.
>You sprint into the crowded train station, adrenaline coursing through your veins.
>Shit!
>There's ponies everywhere. How are you going to find her?
>You pick an arbitrary direction and just head that way, scanning the crowds for any sign of her.
>There's nothing.
>You double back and go the other way.
>No sign of her.
>Just as you're starting to wonder if she left the building, you spot a little cerise lump curled up pathetically in a dark corner.
>Cheerilee is rocking back and forth, running her hooves through her mane and muttering softly to herself as she stares at the paper on the ground before her.
>"No, no, no. Oh this is bad. Why? Just why? Please Celestia, no. Not this..."
>Part of you wants to join her.
>However, you take a deep breath, calm yourself, and gingerly approach her.
>"Hey, Cheerilee." you intone as softly and reassuringly as you can.
>She looks up at you briefly before returning to her meltdown. "Anon, this is bad. This is really bad. I am in so much trouble..."
>You sit down on the cold tile floor next to her and pat her gently. "Hey now, it's going to be alright. Does that newspaper even circulate in Ponyville?"
>Cheerilee sobs and gives you a pained nod. "Everyone has already seen. They all know. Every single one of them. Big Mac, my students, and...oh Celestia, the school board has seen it. Filthy Rich knows. What am I going to do?"
>"Come on, Cheerilee, I'm sure the school board will understand. Ponies have been with other species before, haven't they? It's none of their business. And your students are too young to read garbage like this."
>She groans. "It's not that, Anon! Look! Look at the picture!"
>It's an embarrassing photo to be sure. You have a doofy, retarded look on your face as you wave your arms in the air. Cheerilee is grinding her ass against your crotch, her face a semi-orgasmic picture of pure ecstasy.
>"It's not that bad..." you lie.
>"Our eyes, Anon! LOOK. AT. OUR. EYES." she growls.
>"Oh. Oh shit."
>You squint at the picture and realize that the whites of both of your eyes are very plainly blue. You vaguely recall Cheerilee telling you that that was a side effect of the joke.
>Fear clutches at your chest. "Yeah, b-but there's gotta be another explanation, right?! Isn't there something else that turns your eyes blue?"
>Cheerilee solemnly shakes her head. "All of Equestria knows what we did last night, Anon. Big Mac knows I've been unfaithful, and the school board now has photographic evidence of me doing drugs. All of Ponyville has seen it." She slumps down. "It's over. It's all over."
>She curls up and starts sobbing.
>You just sit there in shock.
>This doesn't even feel real. It's like you're in a bad dream.
>This can't be real.
>Any moment now, you're going to wake up.
>Any moment now.
>Any moment.
>You don't wake up. You're not asleep. You're sitting here in Canterlot Station staring at the wall as the pony you love watches her life shatter into a million pieces.
>How could it all go so wrong?
>How could Princess Luna just come out of nowhere and ruin everything?
>What the hell kind of Princess goes nightclubbing anyways?
 
>You shake your head.
>No.
>You can't collapse in on yourself like this. Not while Cheerilee is hurting. You need to be strong for her.
>You gently wrap an arm around her.
>"Cheerilee, it's going to be okay."
>"N-no it's not, Anon." she blubbers.
>"We can get through this." you reassure her.
>"Anon, I'm going to get fired! I'll never teach again. I'm going to lose Big Mac. I'm going to lose all of my friends in Ponyville. Worst of all, I just set a horrible example for all of my students. It's not going to be okay! Can't you see that?"
>"Then don't go back!" you cry out.
>Cheerilee looks at you in shock. "W-what?"
>You feel a flame rising in you. You've been wanting to say this to Cheerilee for quite some time. "Cheerilee, we don't have to go back to Ponyville. You always wanted to explore the world, didn't you? Let's do it."
>"Anon," she stammers, "we can't just..."
>"Why not? You said yourself there's nothing left for you there, so let's not go back." You motion towards the station's ticket counter. "We can go anywhere, Cheerilee. We could even go to Inti Pacha."
>She blinks a few times as she considers this. "But...what about money?"
>You show her your modest purse full of coins. "Celestia gives me a pretty generous weekly stipend. I've got enough on me for two train tickets right now, and I know that wherever we land, we can make it work. You and me, together..."
>"You'd...you'd really do that?" she asks, her ragged voice barely more than a whisper.
>You look deep into her teary emerald eyes. "I'd follow you anywhere, Cheerilee."
>She looks down, unable to meet your gaze. You can practically feel the hot blush radiating off her cheeks as tears roll down them.
>You softly caress her face, and she nuzzles happily against your hand.
>"Anon..." she murmurs.
>"Yes?"
>"You're...you're crazy, you know that?" she says with a broken laugh.
>You smile at her.
>"And what's even crazier...is that you're making perfect sense to me. I guess that makes me crazy too, huh?"
>She finally looks up at you. "So since we're both crazy...let's do it. Let's run away, Anon."
>Your heart swells with joy. "Really?"
>She nods serenely. "Really. But not right away. Let's head back to Ponyville for now. I need to at least give my kids an explanation and face down the school board. Once that's done, I'll sell my house and we can hit the road."
>Your feel like you could explode. You've gone from utter despair to the top of the world in a matter of minutes.
>You surge forward and kiss Cheerilee deeply. She responds in kind, moaning in pure delight as she reciprocates your passion.
>Damn the fact that you're in public.
>Damn the fact that ponies are watching.
>Damn it all.
>You love this mare, and nothing is going to stand in the way of that from this moment on.
 
>All good things must come to an end eventually.
>You help Cheerilee back to her hooves and purchase two tickets for the train back to Ponyville.
>Once again, she springs for the private compartment.
>Cheerilee is brimming with nervous energy, and spends most of the ride back practically bouncing in her seat.
>"I can't believe we're doing this, Anon..."
>"I can't believe you said yes." you deadpan.
>She giggles like a little filly. "I know, right? It's crazy. This is all so crazy. But it feels right." she says, staring deep into your eyes. "It feels...really right."
>You pet her mane. "Yeah. So where do you wanna go first?"
>"Oh gosh, I hadn't even thought about that. There's so much to see!" she gushes. "I've never actually been to Manehattan, so that's high on the list. Baltimare and Fillydelphia are good museum cities. Oooh, I'd love to check out Windsoar, too. Griffonstone would be worth seeing, and Neighpon would be really great, although it would probably be better to time our trip there to coincide with the cherry blossoms."
>"What about Inti Pacha?"
>She sighs dreamily. "As much as I would love to go right away, we should wait on that. Ever since I was a little filly, I always told myself that when I went to Inti Pacha, I would be there for the Festival of the Seven Blessings."
>"What's that?"
>Cheerilee gives you a big grin clears her throat. You know what that means. It's lecture time.
>"The llamas believe that a demon they call the Greedy One lives deep beneath the sacred mountain upon which Inti Pacha is built. Long ago, the Greedy One stole the sun for himself and used its power to enslave the llamas. He forced them to work all day building temples that glorified him as a god, and he took all of their treasures and hoarded them at the top of the mountain, including the sun itself, which he kept in a sack. To make sure that his treasure was safe, he summoned six lesser demons to guard the only path up the mountain."
>"Sounds like a delightful character."
>She chuckles. "For sure. He got his, though, when a pious young llama girl named Achiq beseeched the Sun Goddess for the power to free the sun from the Greedy One. The actions of the Greedy One had severely weakened the Sun Goddess, of course, but she was moved by the sincerity of Achiq's pleas and used the last of her power to grant her seven blessings. To make a long story short, Achiq used the blessings of Courage, Wisdom, Cunning, Fortitude, Humility, Honesty, and Generosity to defeat the lesser demons, outwit the Greedy One, and free the sun. The Goddess banished the Greedy One to the depths of the mountain, and the llamas constructed the famous statue of the Sun Goddess at the very spot where Achiq freed the sun from the Greedy One's bag."
>"So the Festival of the Seven Blessings commemorates that story?"
>"Yep! Every fall, the llamas put together a magnificent procession to the top of the mountain, performing rituals and dances at six shrines along the path and then sacrificing the first fruits of the harvest at the base of the statue to give thanks to the Goddess and make sure that the Greedy One stays sealed away for another year."
>You can't help but smile as Cheerilee wraps up her story. You lay an arm around her and pull her close. "I've missed your history lessons, Cheerilee."
>She laughs and pecks you on the cheek. "And I've missed having a student who actually listens to my history lessons."
>"So when is the Festival?"
>"Just a little over three months from now."
>"We'll be there, then." you firmly promise.
>Cheerilee starts to tear up again. "Oh Anon...I love you so much."
>You engage in intense cuddling the rest of the way home with Cheerilee, content to mostly listen as she goes on and on about all of the exotic and exciting places she wants to see with you by her side.
 
>The train squeals to a halt in Ponyville.
>From the moment you and Cheerilee step off, you can feel the eyes on you.
>Nobody says anything to you, but you catch several of the older mares around the station giving you disapproving looks out of the corner of your eye.
>"Well," Cheerilee says nervously as you reach the main road, "I guess this is where we part ways. It was fun, Anon. I'll see you soon."
>She rears up on her hind legs and hugs you tight before taking a deep breath, steeling herself, and setting off down the street.
>Everyone is looking at her.
>You can see her legs quaking as she walks with her nose down, avoiding any sort of eye contact and just trying to get home as quickly as possible.
>You had naively hoped that maybe Ponyville hadn't seen the newspaper. That maybe those who did wouldn't care.
>But no. They clearly saw and they clearly cared, and now they're acting like Cheerilee has the plague or something.
>Guilt presses down on you with crushing force and you resolve to take action.
>You jog up to her and start walking by her side.
>She turns her head up from the pavement and regards you inquisitively.
>"Do you...maybe want me to see you home, Cheerilee?"
>She glances around at all of the ponies rudely staring at her, sighs in resignation, and nods.
>"Yeah," she says with a weak smile, "that's really sweet of you."
>Bolstered by your presence, Cheerilee trots home with her head held high, ignoring the curious stares and cruel whispers of her neighbors.
>Once you finally reach her doorstep, she rewards you with a tender kiss before heading into her home.
>You head back to your own home, eager to sleep off the rest of this wicked hangover.
>On the way, you notice some ponies occasionally glancing at you, but it's not nearly as bad as it was when you were with Cheerilee.
>You briefly wonder why this is, but any attempt at deep thought is promptly cut off by your pounding headache.
>You were able to ignore it during your moment of passion with Cheerilee, but now it's becoming overwhelming.
>All of this sunlight isn't helping, either.
>You reach your house, close the curtains tight, and fall face first into bed.
 
>Someone is knocking on your door.
>You blearily lift your head from your pillow.
>The mild, bluish light of twilight is gently glowing through the gap in your curtains.
>Did you really sleep all day?
>More knocks come on your door.
>With a pitiful groan, you pick yourself up and rise unsteadily to your feet, cursing softly at whoever is at the door.
>You grouchily fling the front door open.
>Before you can react, three little blurs zoom past your feet and into the house, chattering a mile a minute.
>"Is it true, Anon? Huh, huh, is it true?" the Cutie Mark Crusaders ask you in chorus.
>You whimper pathetically and close the door, turning around to find the three hyper girls bouncing on your sofa.
>"Is what true?"
>"You know, Anon!" Sweetie Belle insists.
>"Yeah! We've seen the picture in the newspaper, Anon!" says Scootaloo.
>Apple Bloom seems a little more circumspect than her compatriots. She just sits still and looks at you searchingly. "Are you and Miss Cheerilee...you know..."
>You are really not in the mood for this shit, especially in your half-asleep state.
>With a groan, you rub the sleep from your eyes and kneel down to get on the fillies' level.
>"Look girls, all you need to know is that Miss Cheerilee and I are very good friends. We went to Canterlot together last night and the newspapers just happened to take a picture of us dancing with Princess Luna."
>Sweetie Belle squeals. "EEEEE! THEY'RE TOTALLY IN LOVE!"
>"I didn't say that..."
>Scootaloo's eyes go wide. "Oh gosh, you didn't kiss Miss Cheerilee, did you Anon? That's so gross! Ew!"
>Sweetie Belle just squeals louder at the thought of this.
>"Hey now, you're not listening to me!" you protest.
>"Girls, stop!" Apple Bloom commands.
>The other two go silent.
>"Miss Cheerilee is my big brother's special somepony, remember?"
>"Oh, right..." Sweetie murmurs.
>Apple Bloom turns and stares up at you with inquisitive green eyes that remind you a lot of Cheerilee's. "Big Mac was really sad today, Anon, and Applejack was madder than a hornet. She told me to stay away from you, but I just gotta know if everything that Applejack was saying is true. Are you really fooling around with Miss Cheerilee?"
>You open your mouth to spit out one of your well-practiced denials, but you stop. There's really no point anymore, and you can't bring yourself to lie to Apple Bloom anyways.
 
>You sigh in resignation. "Yes, Apple Bloom. It's true. Cheerilee and I have been going out. But please believe me when I say that I never intended to hurt your brother. Things have just gotten...out of control recently."
>Apple Bloom looks you over with a frown as she processes this. Finally, she nods solemnly. "I believe you, Anon. You're a good human. You'd never hurt a pony on purpose, would you?"
>You shake your head. "Never ever."
>"Apple Bloom," Scootaloo interjects, "why do you even have a problem with this? You've said a million times that you wish Miss Cheerilee wasn't your brother's special somepony."
>"Yeah, but not like this! Big Mac wouldn't even come out of his room today. I had to do extra chores. And besides, what if Miss Cheerilee loses her job over this?"
>"What?! Why would she lose her job?" Sweetie cries.
>"Applejack says that Miss Cheerilee looks like she was doing drugs in the picture. Anon too."
>Scootaloo laughs. "What? No way! Miss Cheerilee tells us all the time that we shouldn't do drugs. She even sang a song about it last month. She's the last pony who would ever do drugs. Right, Anon?"
>You cringe as Scootaloo's words cut you like a knife.
>What the fuck are you supposed to say to that?
>In a panic, you lamely stammer out a bit of misdirection. "Yeah, uhhh...Miss Cheerilee is definitely right. Drugs are really bad and you girls shouldn't do them, okay?"
>Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle eagerly reply in the affirmative. The look that Apple Bloom is giving you makes it clear that her bullshit detector is going off, but she decides not to push it for whatever reason.
>You take advantage of this and wisely steer the conversation elsewhere. "So, did you girls do anything exciting this weekend?"
>"Oh yeah!" Scootaloo eagerly responds. "We got to help Rainbow Dash practice her new Wonderbolts routine! It was so awesome! She was flying around like zooooom and it was so cool and we got to set up all of these hoops and we even lit one on fire and it was like whooosh and Rainbow Dash did a Buccaneer Blaze and started breaking all these clouds like pow pow pow..."
>Scootaloo goes on with her story and you end up having a friendly chat with the Crusaders for the next hour or so, although you steadfastly refuse to disclose any further information about your relationship with Cheerilee.
>They're good kids, and the fact that they have three very different personalities makes for a surprisingly engaging, if somewhat exhausting, conversation.
>Even Apple Bloom eventually loosens up a bit, although you can still detect a bit of uneasiness about her.
>Soon, however, the sun has gone down completely, and the girls have to head home for dinner.
>You bid them goodbye and then collapse in a heap on your sofa.
>Dealing with those three for an hour has you worn out.
>How the hell does Cheerilee do it all day every day?
>Thinking of Cheerilee brings a torrent of concerns to the forefront of your mind.
>If Applejack caught on to the fact that Cheerilee was high on joke in the picture, then the rest of the town probably knows it too.
>Scootaloo's words ring through your head.
>Cheerilee was a role model. An upstanding citizen. Her students adored her.
>One single photo ruined that.
>What was she thinking buying those drugs?
>Does she really get that carried away around you?
>Is it something to do with the link that you share?
>Even if that's so, you still should have been the voice of reason.
>Why didn't you stop her...?
>No. You violently shake those thoughts out of your head. There's no point dwelling on the past.
>The days ahead are going to be tough for your mare, and you grimly resolve to stick by her and help in any way you can.
>It's all you can do.
 
>You spend the rest of the weekend in your house.
>Monday morning comes, and brings with it a nagging sense of dread.
>Twilight is going to be so pissed at you.
>You consider avoiding her entirely, but decide against it.
>If you're going to run away with Cheerilee, you probably should understand as much as you can about the metaphysical link you share.
>You scarf down a bowl of cereal, brush your teeth, and head to school.
>When you get to the castle, Twilight Sparkle's dragon house slave Spike gives you a piteous look.
>"Huh. So you did come. Guess I owe Twi five bits. She's waiting for you in the main hall, by the way."
>Awesome.
>You push through the massive crystal doors to the cavernous great room of the castle. It features a table with a gigantic map of the known world on it, around which Twilight and her special friends plot their next magical friendship adventure.
>Twilight Sparkle, however, looks anything but friendly as she steeples her hooves and scowls at you from the large stone seat marked with her own cutie mark. In fact, she looks rather like a villain from an old spy movie.
>"Take a seat, Anon." she coldly demands.
>You wordlessly comply.
>Her horn lights up, and something magically poofs into existence on the table in front of you in a bright purple flash that leaves the air smelling like lavender and ozone.
>You fan away the smoke and find a painfully familiar sight before you.
>It's the tabloid that you and Cheerilee appeared on.
>"Twilight, I..."
>Twilight silences you with a wave of her hoof. "Anon. Do you remember my full title?"
>You blink a few times, not understanding the question. "Your what?"
>"My title." She says sharply. "I am a noble. I have a title. Several of them, in fact. The page listed them off when I formally introduced you to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Do you remember?"
>You do remember the page formally introducing all of the Princesses when you went to see them, but you don't remember the specifics. Celestia's list of titles was about five minutes long, and you basically just zoned out while he went on and on.
>"I remember hearing them, but I don't recall your titles off the top of my head, Twilight."
>She clears her throat. "Fine. I am Princess Twilight Velvet Night Light Sparkle of the Radiant Vale, Duchess of Everfree, Countess of Ponyville, Baroness of the Friendship Castle, High Defender of Equestria and Incarnation of Magic. Do you know what that means, Anon?"
>"That you're rich?" you timidly offer.
>Twilight slams the table with her hoof. "It means that I have duties, Anon! I am bound to serve the ponies of Ponyville and all the rest of Equestria, and to protect them from harm. I took you in hoping to instruct you in the ways of ponykind and to show you the true magic of friendship, but you have repeatedly ignored my warnings and endangered yourself and those around you."
>"Twilight, I haven't hurt anyone!"
>"Oh? And what do you call that?" she snaps, pointing at the paper before you. "I told you to stay away from Cheerilee. You knew that your liminal bridge produced erratic behavior in her. But you didn't listen, and now her career is ruined forever!"
>You rise from your seat. "Hey, she was the one who bought the joke! I didn't do anything."
>"That's exactly it, though! Your link made one of the most respected citizens of Ponyville do something totally irresponsible. Your link is the reason that she's been carrying on this bizarre romance with you. Your link is dangerous, Anon, but you've done nothing to minimize that danger!"
>The searing anger rises in your chest. "We're in love, you stupid horse! Cheerilee is a fun, spontaneous, passionate mare at heart. You think that it's this stupid link that we have, but what you're actually seeing is who she really is. Sure, she keeps up the wholesome schoolteacher act around everyone else, but I see her for what she really is and I love her for it!"
 
>Twilight's lip curls into a sneer and it looks like she's going to send some seriously venomous remarks your way. However, she catches herself and takes a deep breath to calm down before continuing. "Anon...I will concede that I probably don't know Cheerilee as well as you do. You could be right. Maybe your link really hasn't influenced her and this has all come about naturally. But your dreams suggest otherwise. Destiny has brought you here for a reason, and it seems like there are very powerful and poorly-understood elements at play in the background of all of this. You and Cheerilee could just be puppets, Anon. Doesn't that concern you?"
>You sit back down in your chair with a grunt as Twilight's calmer tone settles you down. "It used to, but to be honest, I've come to accept it. I came to you today to learn more about the link between me and Cheerilee, but I think...I think I realize now that I know all I need to know. Have you ever been in love, Princess Twilight?"
>Twilight is completely unprepared for this question. She blushes softly and stumbles over herself as she tries to answer. It's actually kind of cute. "I, uh...well, you know, maybe...not exactly? I mean, I love my friends a whole lot, and of course I love my family, so I certainly understand the concept. But, um, I never did very well in the uh...you know, stallion department."
>As you expected.
>"It's impossible to describe accurately, especially to someone who hasn't experienced it. But, when I'm with Cheerilee, I just feel so happy. It's almost like I'm weightless. When I hold her in my arms, I'm filled with a tremendous feeling of peace, and I know deep down that everything will be alright in the end. Whether destiny brought us together or simply random chance, whether we act the way we do because of our link or because it's truly who we are, whether we have free will or not, the end result is the same. I love her and I want to be with her, and that's all I need to know."
>Twilight nods and sighs. "I feared as much. Very well, Anon. You have abused my hospitality and disobeyed me, and in so doing you have harmed one of the ponies I am sworn to protect. Worse still, you have shown no remorse for this act. I don't believe you have done these things out of malice, so I will stop short of declaring you an enemy of Equestria. However, you are no longer welcome in the Friendship Castle and your education here is at an end."
>You gracefully rise. "As you command, Princess. Thank you for everything."
>She bows her head respectfully. "And thank you for sharing so much about Earth. I'm sorry it had to end this way."
>You return her respectful bow and turn towards the door.
>"Anon!" Twilight calls out.
>You look back at her.
>"Cheerilee has been called before the school board today. They're not going to be kind. Especially Filthy Rich. If you truly love her, she'll probably be needing your support this evening once it's all over."
>You nod solemnly. "Yeah. Thanks for letting me know."
>Twilight says nothing as you leave her castle for the last time.
 
>You return home and wait for darkness before donning your warmest clothes and stepping out into the chill night air.
>The days are getting shorter and the nights ever colder.
>Maybe you should go somewhere tropical with Cheerilee. Warm sand, palm trees, and tequila on the beach sound pretty damn good right now, especially as the biting wind picks up and starts blowing right in your face.
>Fantasizing about sunbathing on some paradise island ends up being a pretty effective distraction, and  you soon reach Cheerilee's home.
>The cozy candlelight coming from inside dimly illuminates the purple carnations that she's still keeping on the windowsill.
>Looks like she's home.
>You knock on the door.
>No answer comes at first, but you can faintly hear her hooves clip-clopping on the wood floors as she sneaks towards the door.
>She stops, takes a look through the peephole, and then flings the door open.
>You can sense the world-weary fatigue in her as she greets you with tired eyes and tear stains on her cheeks. Still, she manages a big smile. "Well hey there, Anon. Come on in and get out of the cold!"
>She doesn't have to tell you twice. You close the door tight and breathe a sigh of relief as feeling slowly returns to your extremities.
>Things get even warmer when Cheerilee rears up and hugs you tight, leaning against you for support and lovingly nuzzling your chest.
>You embrace her tenderly, slowly rocking side to side as you lean down and lay a soft kiss on the top of her head.
>"I'm glad you came..." she intimates in a small, broken voice.
>"Rough day?"
>Her face is still pressed up against you, but she manages to nod.
>"Let's just sit down and relax, then." you suggest in your most soothing tone.
>"Okay..." she murmurs, sliding our of your embrace and back onto four hooves.
>She leads you into the living room and you're immediately struck by how different it now is.
>Most of the curios and artifacts that made the room come to life are gone, likely packed away into the assortment of cardboard boxes jammed into one corner of the room.
>It's shockingly dull and dead in here now.
>The second thing you notice is that there's a half-full bottle of Cheerilee's coping mechanism sitting open on the coffee table. Judging from the color, it's probably whiskey.
>The two of you sit down on the sofa, and Cheerilee immediately scoots right next to you and rests her tired head against your side.
>You wrap your arm around her, drawing an appreciative hum from the pony.
>"Anon, I think this might have been the worst day of my life." Cheerilee says as she reaches for the bottle and takes a swig of it.
>She shudders as you run your hand up and down her side. "It's going to be alright..." you reassure her.
>"I had to go before the school board today. I've...I've never felt so small in all my life, Anon. The way they looked at me, the things they said. And the worst part..." she chokes up. "The worst part was that it was all true. I let the kids down. I...I let the entire town down!"
>She sobs into your chest, and you can feel the tears soaking into the fabric.
>"That's not true." you insist. "You're a great teacher, Cheerilee. What you do on the weekends is none of their business."
>She laughs bitterly. "Oh, but it is. It's like Filthy Rich said, a teacher should be beyond reproach, and t-that certainly doesn't apply to me anymore. I can't even live up to my cutie mark."
>"Cheerilee..."
>She takes another deep swig of the whiskey.
>"I'm a piece of garbage, Anon. The entire school board saw it. They saw it printed out for them on the front page. And then they did the only reasonable thing they could do. They fired me..."
>You huff in frustration and have a sip of the whiskey yourself. It lights a fire in your gut that gives your words added emphasis. "Hey! Don't say that. You know damn well that you were the best teacher this town has ever seen and I know you made a real, lasting impact on the lives of so many kids here in Ponyville. They loved you, and I know they're gonna miss you like crazy. That's the real measure of a teacher, not what that faggot Filthy Rich says."
>She chuckles weakly and rubs her cheek against you. "Anon...you're sweet."
 
>You pet her mane to help calm her down. As her tears subside, you trail your hand further down, rubbing down her neck and onto her withers.
>You can feel a ton of tension and knots beneath her skin, and she groans in delight when you start rubbing them. "Ah...that feels r-really good, Anon."
>You smile as an idea pops into your mind.
>After a bit of awkward shifting and some confused looks from Cheerilee, you reorient yourself so that she is facing away from you.
>Then, you slowly float your hands down her stress-ravaged back.
>"What are you doing?" she asks with an ecstatic shudder.
>"Helping you relax. Your day was terrible, but now it's time to leave it behind. We're going to leave all of the stress and negativity behind, and just focus on the future..." you croon into her ear as soothingly as you can.
>She frowns. "Anon, I can't just forget about today like...oh. Oh my. Y-yes, right there. A little harder. Ohhhh..."
>She melts in your hands like butter as you work out a particularly stubborn knot in her left shoulder.
>"Oh Anon, that's...really quite amazing. Don't stop..."
>You rub more firmly, really working your fingers into her tense muscles, working out years and years of the poor teacher's stress.
>Your voice is little more than a husky whisper as you lean in to her ear. "So I was thinking on the walk over here..."
>"Mmmhmm?"
>"I'm sick of cold weather. Let's run away to somewhere warm and sunny. Preferably with some nice beaches. Do you know of any places like that?"
>She giggles. "Mmmm, that does sound amazing right about now. I definitely know of a few places that fit the bill."
>You ball your hands into fists and start working a few spots on her back with your knuckles. "Well, what are they?"
>She looks back and gives you a playful smile. "I'll tell you...under one condition."
>"What's that?"
>She pauses and lets out an almost orgasmic mewl as your fingers find just the right spot. "Ah...haha...p-promise me that you'll give me another massage just like this when we're relaxing on the beach."
>"I'll give you as many as you want from now on, babe."
>Cheerilee cranes her neck back to kiss you. You meet her lips with your own, and momentarily forget your ministrations on her back as the electric passion behind her kiss takes your breath away.
>She pulls away with a dreamy look on her face. "W-well, in that case, I've always been really keen on the Tersk and Neighcos Islands. I hear they have some of the best beaches in the world. Sand like powdered sugar..."
>"Then that's where we'll go once your house sells."
>"Oh Anon..."
>Cheerilee gives a blissed-out sigh as your hands begin to rove lower and lower...
 
>The whole way down, you note the tension in her back.
>Part of you wants to keep going, to get your hands on her lovely backside and not let go.
>But she deserves more than that. Rushing through this would be...wrong.
>And so you take it slow, using your palms, fingers, and knuckles in every way you can imagine to relieve the poor mare's overwhelming stress.
>"Thank you so much for this..." she whispers.
>You kiss at the back of her neck. "Of course. You're carrying so much stress, and I'm happy to relieve it..." you finally reach your destination and gently rub her flanks, kneading your fingers over her flowery cutie mark, "...any way I can."
>The shiver of excitement that runs through Cheerilee rocks her like a ship hit by a storm surge. "Ahhh...p-please yes..."
>You slide your hands beneath her and firmly grope her bodacious booty, planting feather-soft kisses all along her overworked shoulders and neck.
>She mewls in appreciation and holds your face with a foreleg, caressing it and keeping you locked firmly in place as you kiss her.
>A familiar scent rises to your nose. It's heady, alluring, and very, very thick. You can't believe that she's this turned on already.
>"Enjoying this?" you softly tease with a playful laugh.
>"Mmmmhmmm. Those hands of yours aren't even fair, Anon."
>You give her cheeks another squeeze before extricating your hands out from under her and bringing them around front to give her chubby pony belly a rub.
>She sighs happily and nuzzles herself against you.
>Eventually your roaming digits locate her itty bitty tits. You tenderly tease them and roll them between your fingers, marveling as they stiffen between your grasp. For added effect, you trail kisses up her cheekbone and start to softly nibble on her ear.
>She melts completely, giving herself over entirely to your power as she gasps and moans lewdly.
>It's an interesting position to be in. Cheerilee usually took a fairly dominant approach to your previous encounters, what with the naughty teacher play and all.
>Now, however, the script has been flipped, and the exciting novelty of it has your heart beating so hard it feels like it's going to pop out of your chest.
>It feels really good.
>You want to take control. You want to have her writhing beneath you in pure bliss until she forgets all of her troubles, all of her concerns.
>You want to make her yours.
>You push her away, grab her smooth, silky tail, and give it an insistent upwards tug.
>She gasps in surprise, but quickly catches your meaning.
>With a girlish giggle, she lowers her front end and allows you to prop her ass up in the air.
>Your hold on her tail means that the delights underneath it are immediately visible.
>Her pussy is already drooling with excitement, and her cute little heart-shaped clit immediately winks out at you. Her pert, donut-looking asshole looks lovely as well, and you remember how gloriously hot and tight it was the last time you worked a finger up there.
>Her scent is ten times more intense now. It's driving you wild. You're struck with a strong impulse to rip your pants off and immediately start fucking her silly.
>But no, tonight is about taking your time and helping your special mare relax.
>You grab her hind legs at their bases and massage upwards, taking extra good care of her generous thighs.
>You can feel the heat from her nethers ramping up with every touch, squeeze, and caress.
>Soon you've reached her lovely butt. You take two handfuls of the soft, springy flesh in your hands and tenderly work it.
>Your lewd little mare is moaning needily and pressing her nethers closer and closer to you, desperate for your touch.
>A wicked grin creases your face as you release her from your grasp with a gentle pat on the ass. "Alright, I think that's everything I needed to massage. I'm all done."
>Cheerilee looks back at you incredulously. "What? N-no, don't stop!"
>"But I've already massaged your entire body, dear!" you say in mock disbelief. "Whatever else could I touch?"
>"Anon!" she gasps. "Y-you know exactly what you could touch! Please..."
>You give the poor, worked-up mare a devilish smile. "Hmmm, nope. Guess you'll have to tell me exactly what you want."
>She bites her lip and moans softly. "Oh Celestia...okay. P-please touch me, Anon."
>"Touch you where? I've been touching you all evening."
>She shudders in delight. You've never really seen Cheerilee's submissive side before, and it's incredible. Your favorite teacher begging for you to touch her while she waves her painfully aroused cunt in the air...you'll be sure to do this more often.
>"Anoooooon..." she whines. "Please...please touch my pussy. I want to feel those fingers inside of me again, Anon. I need it so bad. Please..."
>You give her ass a playful smack, enjoying how it ripples beneath your palm when you do. "Naughty little pony. I suppose I can do that since you asked so nicely..."
 
>Cheerilee shivers as you firmly move your thumb up and down the length of her sopping-wet, rubbery lips, taking in the splendid visual contrast between her dark labia and her juicy, bright pink insides that are revealed when the pressure of your thumb parts her.
>You give her ample ass a squeeze with your free hand before plunging two fingers into her sex.
>It's so hot and wet. Your fingers are immersed in a snug, velvety softness that eagerly hugs them as they sink deeper and deeper.
>Your knuckles bump right into her winking clit, and she yelps ecstatically.
>Wasting no time, you begin pleasuring her. You slide your fingers all the way out to your fingertips and then pump back inside of her, curling them upwards in a 'come-hither' motion and grazing her firm, spongy nub with your phalanges as you go.
>"AhhHHH! So...so good. Please, more..." she huskily begs.
>You're all too happy to comply. You ramp up the intensity, squelching your fingers in and out of her slick, wet vagina at a good clip and driving her wild. Standing as she is with her face down and ass up, all Cheerilee can do is gasp and mewl into the couch's cushion.
>With a grin, you decide to add a third finger into the mix. She groans blissfully, and you marvel at the elasticity of her pussy as it stretches wide to accommodate the additional invader.
>You vigorously work her like that for several minutes. Her hind legs are shaking by the end from the intensity of the pleasure you're inflicting on her. Her scent is overwhelming at this point, and your mind is filled with nothing but all-consuming desire.
>You need to taste her again.
>When you pull your fingers out of her, Cheerilee cries out as if the gates of heaven have just been closed on her.
>Fortunately, you immediately grasp her butt with both hands, pull her close to your face, and savagely lick up the entire length of her snatch.
>It's just as delicious as you remembered it. Tangy and sort of floral.
>Her clit winks out of her lips and you hungrily catch it between your lips, suckling it and flicking your tongue all over it.
>Cheerilee screams and desperately bucks her hips against you, overcome by the intense sensation.
>You slither your tongue deep inside of her and eagerly lap up her essence. You give her butt another smack as you do, and notice how she immediately clenches her vagina around your rough, slippery intrusion.
>Naughty horse.
>You fall into a rhythm, alternating between penetrating her with your tongue and sucking on her heart-shaped clit.
>Your eyes, however, are drawn upwards to her tight, pert asshole. It's so cute...
>You idly trace one of your marejuice-covered fingers around the rim.
>Cheerilee shivers. "Oh gosh, Anon, you're not gonna..."
>You are.
>Despite its strong resistance, you manage to work your slick finger in past the tight seal and plunge it powerfully into her puckered ponut.
>Your lover moans loudly. "Y-yes! You naughty, naughty boy!"
>Her ass grips you with incredible force. You almost have trouble sliding your finger back out.
>All the while, you work her nethers with your tongue and lips.
>Her legs shake harder. The heat in her sex becomes more and more intense, and you can hear her voice rising into a progressively higher register as her pleasure builds and builds.
>It just makes you redouble your efforts, stoking the intense flames of her passion.
>All at once, Cheerilee screams into the cushion and forcefully slams her backside against your face, smearing you with her juices. Her spasmodic cunt contracts mightily against your tongue and her ass grips your finger like a vice.
>You can do nothing but hold on for dear life as she writhes in otherworldly bliss.
>By the time she slows down, your face and shirt are both drenched.
>You pull away from Cheerilee's heavenly backside to catch your breath.
>She does the same, her chest rising and falling with deep, ragged gasps for air.
>Eventually, she manages to look back at you with a serene, dreamy smile. "Oh Anon, that was wonderful..."
>In that moment, the contrast between the angelic beauty of her face and the sex-soaked lewdness of her backside strikes you.
>You suddenly become keenly aware of just how tight your pants have become.
>Better take care of that.
>You give her a flirty grin as you deftly remove your pants and underwear, allowing your fully expanded dong to flop out into freedom. You also shuck off your dripping-wet shirt, leaving you naked.
>Cheerilee bites her lip. "Mmmm, is that something else to help me relax?"
>You move in again, kneeling right behind Cheerilee's presented posterior and working out the best angle to penetrate her from.
>"You know it." You say as sexily as you can. "It's a special tool that I only use to help very, very special ponies..."
>She giggles and sighs happily as you rub the tip against her soaked lips. "So exclusive! I'm such a lucky mare."
 
>You line yourself up with her entrance, grab onto her flanks for leverage, and tenderly press yourself inside of her.
>A shiver runs down your spine and you feel like you could cum right away.
>The tremendous amount of natural lubricant means you slide in easily, but every inch you sink into her just compounds your pleasure as her muscular walls squeeze more and more of your cock in their tight, spongy embrace.
>Cheerilee cries out. "So big..."
>You bottom out, your balls pressed close against her dripping snatch. For one blissful moment, you enjoy the warm feeling of having your entire member tucked snugly into Cheerilee's divinely snug pussy.
>Then it's time to move.
>You pull all the way out and then slam back into her, sending her head arching back as she loudly moans.
>You start lancing into her with long, full thrusts that have your balls slapping against her pelvis with each thrust.
>The feeling of her lips as you enter her, the tingling sensation when your sensitive tip brushes against every ridge inside, every contraction of her pussy as her clit winks out, every movement of her hips, every adorable little moan, gasp, and groan...it's almost too much to process.
>"Yes...yes! Yes yes yes! Harder, Anon! Rut me!" Cheerilee passionately cries out.
>You forcefully bring your palm down on her fleshy ass with a resounding smack and increase your speed and intensity. "You naughty little filly!"
>Her whole body shakes with pleasure and her walls grip you with everything they've got. "Yes, I'm such a dirty girl!"
>You impale her with monstertruck force, savagely rutting your horny little pony as she squirms and writhes under you. For added effect, you spank her again and again.
>She's crying out loud enough for the whole neighborhood to hear.
>Not that you really care.
>Soon, you can feel the tell-tale signs of another climax approaching in her.
>The inhuman contractions of her pussy are becoming more frequent, her breathing is short and ragged, and her cries are getting higher and more desperate.
>You show no mercy, savagely pounding her with everything you've got.
>"Anon! Ah...AHHH! Oh Celestia, please don't stop!"
>You give her tender ass one more forceful spank, and that does it.
>She writhes underneath you, squeezing you like a boa constrictor, splashing marejuice all over your crotch and legs, and screaming "I LOVE YOU!" over and over.
 
>You slow your pace to steady, deep thrusts to help her ride it out. Her legs turn to jelly and you find yourself having to hold her backside up as she convulses.
>You lovingly run a hand up and down her back as she catches her breath.
>When she finally composes herself, she looks back in disbelief, her face flushed with exertion. "Geez Anon, you're still not done?"
>To be honest, you have no idea how you've lasted this long. It's certainly not because it hasn't been pleasurable. You give her a sheepish grin.
>She just laughs and starts moving her hips against your steady thrusts again. "You stud. Just what do I have to do to get you off, huh?"
>Cheerilee's words cause a wonderful thought to cross your mind.
>You hesitate, though.
>Would she really be down for...that?
>You deliberate for a moment before reaching a decision.
>You might as well try.
>It takes great willpower, but you manage to extricate your cock from Cheerilee's marehood.
>She braces for you to slam it back into her, but when it doesn't come, she looks back at you in confusion.
>Instead, you angle your penis upwards and gently prod it against door number two.
>Her eyes go wide. "Oh. Oh! Uhhh, wow. You...uh...you're sure you really want to do that, Anon?"
>You nod. "Don't worry, I'll be gentle."
>She bites her hoof. "I'm sure, but it's just...I've never, y'know, actually done it that way before. I'm not sure about this..."
>Oh sweet Jesus, she's going to be so tight. You have to do it now.
>You smile reassuringly. "Come on, Cheerilee. Where is your sense of adventure?"
>She rolls her eyes. "I just don't want to get hurt."
>"It will be okay." you coo. "We can stop if you feel uncomfortable."
>She turns this over in her head for a moment before sighing in resignation. "Well, alright...just be careful!"
>You massage her flanks. "I will. I love you, Cheerilee."
>She can't help but grin. "You're lucky I love you too, you dirty boy."
 
>You plunge your fingers into her sopping-wet pussy and get them nice and slick before working one in to Cheerilee's ridiculously tight pucker.
>You roll it around, doing your best to stretch her out a bit and get her lubed up with her own juices.
>Soon, you feel comfortable sliding another finger in. Cheerilee squeaks in discomfort, but otherwise takes it like a trooper.
>After a while, she begins to relax and you can move your fingers much more easily inside of her. "Hmmmm. You know, this is actually kind of pleasant." she murmurs.
>She seems ready for the main event. Your cock is still dripping with her juices, and you feel confident you can work it in.
>You slide the tip of your cock along her pussy lips and keep going up until it's pointed straight at her ponut.
>Cheerilee takes a deep breath and braces herself.
>You grab onto her flanks once more for support and gently start to press.
>Nothing happens.
>You try again, but you can't quite seem to work it in. You can stretch her almost enough, but you seem to be falling a little short.
>"Anon..." Cheerilee whines. "I-I don't think it's going to fit!"
>You give her lower back a soothing massage. "It will fit. You just have to relax. Take deep breaths."
>She follows your advice and starts taking deep, steady breaths.
>You push a little harder this time.
>Almost there!
>Cheerilee starts to whine and you pull away.
>One more try.
>You firmly press your cock against her tight little ring.
>It slowly begins to give way.
>You've got about half of the tip in now!
>All that's left is the flared ridge at the base of the tip.
>You wait for Cheerilee to take another breath and then you make your final push.
>There's a moment of tremendous tension and then...
>You slide in.
>The tip of your member is inside of Cheerilee's ass, and it's being squeezed like never before.
>You let out a breath you didn't realize you were holding. "It's in now. The hard part's over." you gently coo to your lover.
>She moans. "It's...really weird, Anon."
>"Just relax and try to enjoy it..."
>You slowly press inwards, burying more of yourself into her strangling depths as you claim her anal virginity.
>It feels different, for sure. The walls of her butt are a lot smoother, and of course it's a hell of a lot tighter. Her asshole in particular is contracting against you with tremendous force.
>You bottom out inside of her and soothingly pet her mane as you give her a few moments to adjust.
>Cheerilee, for her part, whimpers softly a few times but otherwise takes it like a pro.
>"You feel amazing, Cheerilee. I'm going to start moving now, okay?"
>She wordlessly nods.
 
>Ever so slowly, you work your cock back out all the way to the tip before pressing it in again.
>Cheerilee cries out, but it's clearly a cry of pleasure, not pain.
>You work yourself up to a careful steady motion, The constrictive pressure against your cock starts to feel very good indeed.
>Soon you can't help but speed up. You find that short, shallow pumps are the most pleasurable, because they expose the oh-so-sensitive tip of your cock to the crushing power of her asshole.
>Cheerilee seems to be enjoying it too. She's vocalizing like she normally does, and from the wet squelching sound below you, you'd wager that she's brought a front hoof down to start pleasuring herself.
>"Harder..." she murmurs.
>You oblige, pounding into her vigorously and making you dizzy with pleasure.
>"Harder!" she cries, still not satisfied.
>At her insistence, you smack her ass forcefully and then drape yourself over her, mounting her like a stallion and letting yourself lose control.
>You slam your meat into her poor, unprepared asshole and pin Cheerilee beneath you with your hands.
>She screams out in pure joy as her senses overload.
>"Yes! Take my filthy hole, you...you naughty ape!"
>She's furiously flicking her bean now, and you can sense her getting close to her third orgasm of the night.
>You're getting very close yourself. Your balls are tightening, and every thrust of your hypersensitive penis sends a wave of pleasure crashing over you.
>Your thrusts are irregular and animalistic, and soon you feel the rising surge of pleasure overtaking you.
>You can't fight it any longer. You grunt loudly as you hilt yourself and burst inside of her, flooding her ass with powerful explosions of molten love.
>Cheerilee sings out in ecstasy and rubs herself furiously, bringing herself to a harsh orgasm beneath you just as your spurts of semen begin to subside.
>You hold her close as both of you slowly descend back to earth.
>After a few minutes of catching your breath, you gingerly remove your cock from her. It pops free from the tight seal of her ass with a wet pop, and you flop down into a sitting position the couch.
>Cheerilee manages to turn herself around to face you before her hind legs at last give out.
>She crumbles down beside you, lying with her tired, sweat-drenched head resting in your lap.
>It's many minutes more before either of you can manage to form a coherent sentence.
>"That was incredible." you whisper, softly running your hand through her mane.
>"Oh Celestia, yes..." she says, tenderly nuzzling your thigh.
>"I guess we should go get cleaned up eventually."
>Cheerilee pauses for a moment before nuzzling herself further into your lap. "Yeah, we should. Eventually. Once I can walk again."
>You give a big, goofy smile. "Heh heh. Sorry about that."
>She sighs contentedly. "It was more than worth it, my love..."
 
>Eventually you do manage to work your way off the couch and into Cheerilee's bathroom to clean up.
>You spend the rest of the evening talking to Cheerilee and finishing off the rest of her bottle of whiskey.
>She really is much more relaxed now, and most of your conversation focuses on your future together instead of dwelling on the crappy day she had.
>Eventually, you look up at the clock and realize that the hour has become very late indeed.
>Cheerilee invites you to stay over without hesitation, and you happily take her up on it.
>With a warm pony pressed close to you, sleep comes and envelops you like a swift, gentle breeze.
>You wake to the smell of smoke mixed with other noxious fumes.
>Far off, you can hear...shouting?
>Your eyes open.
>You are not in Cheerilee's bedroom anymore.
>Instead, you're lying on a pile of straw in some sort of hut. The walls appear to be made out of interwoven sticks, the floor is dirt, and the decor is bizarre to say the least.
>Feathers, bones, and even a goat's head hang from the ceiling. Shelves encircle the room, and they're filled with strange-looking bottles filled with bubbling liquids, tattered scrolls, the occasional leather-bound codex, and lots and lots of flowers, herbs, and roots.
>Most disturbing of all are the jars filled with what appear to be fingers, eyeballs, and other weird shit.
>Where the hell are you?
>Before you can ponder that question too much, you sit up.
>Or rather, your body sits up.
>You did not choose to sit up, but your body did it anyway.
>Panic grips you as you try to move your arms and legs.
>Nothing happens.
>With a pained grunt, your body rises to its feet without you willing it to do so.
>It's a disorienting experience to say the least.
>Your body glances down and you get a look at yourself.
>To your horror, you quickly realize that this is not your body.
>It seems to be much shorter and skinnier than you, to the point where it's almost emaciated.
>What's going on?
>Are you trapped in someone else's body?
>Just then, someone bursts through the door.
>You've been in the pony world so long that it takes you a moment to recognize that it's another human.
>He's a young man with a skinny frame, oily platinum blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and a terrified look on his face.
>His flowing black robe seems far too big for him and he's nervously clutching a wicked-looking bronze knife.
>When he speaks, his urgent words come in a strange, harsh language that you've never heard before.
>And yet...you understand.
>"Brother, arise! The men from the village have found us, and they bring many warriors with them. I fear that the high chieftain himself marches with them!"
>Your lips move in alien patterns as they form unfamiliar words of their own volition. "Hold them off as long as you can. I will open the portal!"
>"The portal?" the young man asks with wide eyes. "Brother, you know the Master has forbidden it!"
>"The Master is an old fool. If the high chieftain and his host are truly here, the demons are our only chance."
>The young man grimaces, but eventually bows his head. "Very well, Brother. Goddess be with you."
>"And with you."
 
>You quickly get dressed in a black robe just like the young novice's. Inside a wooden box in your room, you find a bronze waraxe that you tie to your belt.
>Then, the person that you're trapped inside rifles through his scrolls to find a newly-written one. He opens up the scroll, reads the incomprehensible runes several times to make sure he's got them right, and then goes about picking out several potions and ingredients from the shelves, muttering some sort of checklist to himself the entire time.
>Outside, you can hear war horns sounding. The shouting is growing louder.
>You take a deep breath to prepare yourself, and then hurry on out of your shack.
>The sun is just peeking over the mountains, lighting your coven and the forest around it with the golden glow of dawn.
>The coven itself is a collection of shacks like yours surrounded by a wooden palisade wall with makeshift guard towers looming over the gated entrances to the east and west.
>At the very center of it all is the defining feature of your little community, a towering wooden structure housing the Temple of the Silver Mare. True to its name, the masterful, swirling woodwork of the temple boasts hundreds of horse head motifs and horse carvings. It's a glorious sight to behold.
>And soon, you and your brothers will walk in the land of the gods.
>Soon, you will finally hold your beloved in your arms.
>That thought alone silences all fear within you, even as the bone-tipped arrows begin to sail over your walls.
>The watchmen manning the guard towers try to fire back, but they're hopelessly outmatched.
>The smart ones flee the towers, while the foolish ones get cut down by a rain of arrows.
>Most of the initiates who aren't dead or running around in terror have made their way to the west gate.
>They appear to be bracing it with whatever poles and planks they could find.
>You immediately understand why when the whole get bends inwards with a loud slam and the pointed tip of a giant log protrudes through it.
>They're ramming the gate!
>You sprint towards your brothers at the gate. An arrow whizzes just past your left ear, but you hardly even notice it.
>"Brothers!" you cry. "Retreat to the temple! The Goddess will protect us!"
>Your brothers manning the gate look conflicted. Many are terrified, and the prospect of retreating to the temple makes their eyes light up with hope.
>However, the first brother is leading the defense, and he shouts you down. "Do not listen to him, brothers. The unclean must not be allowed near the temple! Put your backs into it and we will hold this gate!"
>"Please!" you plead with the first brother. "The demons will protect us in the temple. We can retreat to their world if need be!"
>"Insolence!" the first brother snarls. "Either help hold this gate or leave us!"
>You're about to continue pleading when the battering ram strikes the gate once more. Your brothers cry out as they strain to contain it, but the gate is splintering badly.
>You curse the first brother and then run away.
>You can't die here.
>You need to see her.
>Your heart sinks as you hear the gate finally give way behind you. You can't help but look back.
>Your brothers fight valiantly against the first wave of poorly-armed hunters and farmers.
>But then the high chief and his cadre of warriors enter the fray.
>Their shields bash and their axes flash golden in the morning light as they whiz through the air and cut down your friends. The high chief himself beheads the first brother with a single stroke of his massive sword.
>Then they charge for you.
>You reach into your pack and grab several vials.
>With practiced skill, the person you're inhabiting flings three small vials at the men leading the charge.
>The poor fools scream in agony and fall writhing on the ground as the powerful caustic potion melts their skin off.
>You throw a large potion on the ground in front of you.
>It does nothing at first, but when you throw an additional vial down on top of it, it explodes into a huge, imposing wall of fire between you and your pursuers.
>"SORCERY!" the high chief bellows.
>You use the distraction to make good your escape.
 
>You manage to barrel through the doors of the temple just as the panicked acolytes are about to bar them shut.
>Bitter sadness grips you as you look around and realize that none of your brothers reached the temple in time.
>It's just you, the two young acolytes, a few sick old men, and the head of your order.
>Everyone else must be dead now.
>The Master kneels in supplication before the massive silver idol depicting your horse-goddess, pleading with her for aid. You approach gingerly.
>"Master," you breathlessly call out to him, "the gates have fallen. The enemy approaches the temple."
>The Master quietly contemplates this for a moment. He gives a sigh that is more disappointed than anything. "I told them to be careful who they took. I told them to seek out orphans and the like. Girls who would not be missed. Our sacrifices surely please the Silver Mare, but I think the Goddess would agree that one virgin girl from the village was not worth the destruction of her adoring followers."
>Your eyes wander to the bloodstained altar where the sacrifice of the girl took place less than one moon ago. She was a beautiful one, to be sure.
>The Master takes a deep breath and returns to his meditation. "But so it must be. Go about your duties, brother, and prepare yourself for Paradise."
>"But Master," you protest, "it does not have to be that way! I've spoken to the one called Silver Crosier again and again. We've worked out how to build a bridge between our worlds. I'm sure it will work! We can retreat there, replenish our strength, and return someday to exact vengeance."
>You hold out your scroll for the Master as proof of your idea. He wordlessly accepts it and looks it over.
>"It is a fine idea in theory, but too much is unaccounted for. How will you account for the forces of time as they weigh on the portal, for example? One misstep could be catastrophic."
>"But Master, we are doomed if we do nothing! What harm is there in trying?"
>"The portal could have catastrophic effects on the world of the demons, as well, and I cannot accept that." The master gives you a pained smile. "My son, I know that you share a special bond with Silver Crosier. I can sense your affection and longing for her. The demons are beautiful creatures, and she is doubtlessly the most beautiful among them. Steel yourself and meet death with a smile, just as the Goddess commands, and you will receive your reward in Paradise."
>You open your mouth to try and argue, but the Master gives you a stern look that lets you know his judgment is final.
>You halfheartedly turn back towards the door and prepare to make your final stand.
>In no time at all, the enemy is chopping away at the door with their axes. The fearful acolytes do their best to hold the door, but it's a losing battle.
>You do your best to make the enemy suffer by flinging all sorts of nasty poisons and acids through the holes in the door, but there's just too many. For every foeman you reduce to a sizzling pile of goo, three more spring up to continue hacking at the door.
>At last, the doors give way.
>The poor acolytes are trampled to death beneath the charging army.
>You back up towards the altar, throwing vials of nastiness with incredible speed. You can't stop them entirely, but your assault is enough to at least force the enemy to slow their advance.
>It buys enough time for the sick and feeble to stagger to their feet and join you and the Master in a last stand around the altar. You're out of combat potions, so you draw your axe with a flourish.
>You gulp nervously as they close in. They outnumber you thirty to one, and the gleam of their spears and axes send a chill down your spine as you envision them cutting and stabbing your flesh.
>Your thoughts turn Silver Crosier.
>You'll never get to touch her and feel her silky smooth coat beneath your hands.
>You'll never get to kiss her.
>You'll never even get to talk to her face to face.
>You can't accept that.
>You're not ready to die.
>You turn and run.
>You flee into the caves below the temple with the pained screams of the men you once called brother ringing in your ears.
 
>It's pitch black in the caves, but you know the way by heart.
>Far off, you can hear the shouts of the enemy. They're following you.
>You'll have to make this quick.
>In no time at all, you reach a large cavern illuminated by a single ray of sunshine pouring in from a hole above.
>The walls of this sacred cavern are covered in ancient paintings of colorful horses that have been here for ages, even before your coven discovered this place.
>It was here that the Goddess first revealed herself to mankind.
>It was here that she transmitted the sacred knowledge to the first Master of your order.
>It is here that a portal to the world of the Goddess can be constructed.
>You hurriedly pour salt on the ground to create a proper ritual circle with a 12-pointed star inside.
>At each point of the star, you place the appropriate reagent, being very careful to ensure that the correct order is followed.
>You can hear shouting coming from the caverns above.
>They're getting close.
>Your heart is beating a mile a minute, but you force yourself to be calm. You cannot afford to panic and make a mistake.
>You slice the palm of your hand with your axe and sprinkle the blood in the appropriate patterns inside the circle.
>Finally, it's just a matter of the incantation.
>You stand in the middle of the circle with your arms spread wide and begin chanting in the eldritch language. The words you speak were never meant for a human tongue, but you have practiced and you know how to approximate the shrieking, clicking language of the elders.
>The ritual circle begins to glow.
>It's working!
>You keep up your chanting, being very mindful of proper pronunciation and cadence.
>The portal begins to open above you.  You can see the green fields and vast forests of a new world stretching out before you.
>Best of all, you can see small, colorful horses. They're gathered around the portal you're creating, watching in wide-eyed awe.
>They're just as beautiful as you imagined.
>"HALT!" comes a cry from the chamber entrance.
>It's the high chief!
>His booming voice distracts you for just a second.
>It's enough to disrupt your cadence.
>The image of the new world before you becomes faded and distorted.
>Self-loathing bites at you as you realize that you might have just ruined your one and only chance.
>Desperately, you reestablish the proper cadence and keep chanting.
>"KILL HIM! STOP THIS SORCERY AT ONCE!"
>The finest warriors in the realm charge towards you with ear-splitting war cries.
>Still, you keep chanting.
>They're drawing closer.
>The green paradise appears in the portal above your head once more.
>You can feel their footsteps pounding on the floor as they draw near.
>You chant with everything you've got.
>They're almost upon you!
>You close your eyes and chant with all of your heart.
>You can feel the axe whizzing through the air as the charging warrior swings a death blow.
>Instead of the fatal impact you were expecting, you feel a tremendous surge of power as your feet leave the ground and you're overwhelmed with the disorienting feeling of falling upwards.
>And then, all is darkness.
>You're floating in nothingness.
>You blink, trying to let your eyes adjust, but there is no light here whatsoever.
>It takes you a second, but you're struck with the realization that you were the one who chose to blink.
>You're in control of your own body again!
>You feel yourself with your hands and come to the conclusion that you also seem to have been placed back in your normal body.
>Even though you're floating in darkness, you let out an elated laugh.
>Being a passenger in another person's body was so strange and uncomfortable, but now you seem to be you again.
>After floating for who knows how long, you feel the tickle of a familiar voice whispering in your ear.
==FATE IS A CRUEL MISTRESS==
==SHE WEAVES A MONSTROUS WEB==
==BUT SHE CAN BE MASTERED==
>You flail your arms around to try and find the source of the voice, but you feel nothing but the void.
>The voice suddenly returns, its words louder than ever before.
==YOU WILL KNOW ME==
==ALL WILL BE SET RIGHT==
>Those words ring in your ears as your world goes white.
 
>Your eyes open.
>It's dark, but you can tell that you're back in the real world. The pillows feel soft, the blankets are warm, but most of all, the pony snuggling with you smells unmistakably like bubblegum.
>You glance down to find that Cheerilee is awake, and looking at you with concern.
>"Another dream for you too?" she whispers.
>"Yeah..." you murmur. "A pretty weird one, too."
>Cheerilee shudders. "Yeah, I dreamt that I was some sort of crazy ancient necromancer. I communed with demons, raised the dead, all of that."
>"Heh. I'm pretty sure those demons you communed with were humans. Assuming that these dreams are showing us the past, that is..."
>She raises her eyebrows. "Why do you think they were humans?"
>"Because I dreamt I was an ancient human that communed with the ponies."
>She goes silent for a while.
>"So...do you think that there might have been other humans in Equestria?" she hesitantly asks.
>"My dream ended with my guy making some sort of portal to Equestria, so...maybe?"
>"And...and the voice?" she asks in a chilled whisper. "Was it whispering in your ear too?"
>"Yeah. Just like always."
>She sighs and lovingly nuzzles your chest. "I'm getting pretty sick of these dreams, Anon."
>"Me too. Maybe we can ask around during our travels, try to figure out what's up with them. There's gotta be someone somewhere who has a clue."
>She smiles playfully. "Hmmm...two lovers traveling around the world to unravel a strange mystery. Sounds like the makings of a fine novel."
>"I'd read it." you chuckle.
>"Good."
>You kiss Cheerilee tenderly and close your eyes once more. You can hear the wind howling outside, and the chill permeating the air is palpable.
>Your nose is numb from the cold, so you nuzzle it into your bedmate's silky mane.
>That's much better.
>Nice and toasty and warm.
>Sleep comes again, and this time, it is mercifully peaceful.
 
>When you regain consciousness, dull white light is shining in through the windows, and you can tell immediately that it snowed again last night.
>It's still freaking freezing, too.
>Luckily, there's a pony snuggled next to you.
>You lightly run your hands up and down Cheerilee's side, feeling the soothing rise and fall of her steady breathing and the soft, smooth sensation of her coat beneath your palms.
>She murmurs and groans softly as she slowly stirs.
>Her brilliant green eyes flutter open, and she immediately smiles when you come into focus.
>"Morning." she says with a big yawn.
>"Morning." you reply.
>She yawns again and stretches out with a loud groan. You wince as you hear her back pop no less than seven times.
>Cheerilee blinks the sleep out of her eyes and glances out the window. "Oh my. It's light outside."
>"Yeah."
>With great effort, your lover manages to pull herself away from you and turn her body so that she can see the clock on the wall behind her.
>"Wow." she murmurs. "Twenty past eight..."
>"Kinda late for you, huh?"
>She nods, a thoughtful look on her face. "It's Tuesday, isn't it? I haven't slept this late on a Tuesday in decades."
>You grin. "Nice, isn't it?"
>She stares up at the ceiling. "I guess. It...still hasn't hit me, really. I feel like I should still be there, you know? When I looked out the window and saw it was light out, my heart skipped a beat. I thought I was late for class. But then I remembered..."
>Her sleepy visage darkens considerably. You reach out and give her shoulder a supportive pat, but she seems to ignore it.
>"It's 8:20. The kids are just now hanging up their coats and taking their seats. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are probably gossiping with one another. Rumble, Button, and the other colts are trading hoofball cards. Apple Bloom is probably going on and on about penises just to gross Sweetie Belle out. Scootaloo is laughing her tail off."
>That last part rings painfully true for you. "Man, that kid really does love to talk about dicks."
>"Oh, you have no idea!" Cheerilee reminisces with a chortle. "I've had to lecture her on the inappropriateness of discussing male anatomy in the classroom on more occasions than I can count, and I've had trouble keeping a straight face every time. "
>She sighs. "They'll be quieting down and getting out their readers soon. Reading is the first subject of the day. I always used to write the reading assignment on the blackboard first thing in the morning..."
>"Cheerilee..." you say tenderly.
>She frowns and wistfully shakes her head. "It's just hard, Anon. I've been teaching for so long. It feels so wrong not being there." She finally turns her head to look at you with glistening eyes. "I know that I should be excited. I don't have to deal with that school board anymore. I finally get to see the world, and I get to do it with someone wonderful at my side. It's everything I ever wanted, so why does it scare me so much? Why does it feel wrong, Anon?"
>You hug her lovingly. "Come on Cheerilee, you were a teacher for so long, and then it all ended unexpectedly. To be honest, I'd be much more concerned about you if all of this didn't feel a bit weird. But you'll get used to this, and you know that I'll be here for you every step of the way.
>She's silent for a few moments as she mulls this over. Finally she returns your hug with a sigh of resignation. "You're...you're right, Anon. Thank you."
>You just tighten your embrace and kiss the crown of her head.
>The two of you enjoy a lazy morning in bed for the next few hours.
>Finally, Cheerilee manages to summon the strength to pull herself out of bed.
>You lean back in bed and smile at her as she stretches her legs and pops her back once again. "So, any plans today?" you ask nonchalantly.
>"Well," she says, adopting her usual cheerful grin, "it's not very exciting, but I still have a lot of packing to do."
>"I'd love to help." you sincerely reply.
>She giggles. "I was hoping you'd say that."
>"Why's that?"
>She suddenly shoots you a very naughty half-lidded gaze. She reaches back and gives her tender booty a light smack. "Because," she purrs, "my backside is still a little sore from the workout you gave it last night, stud."
>Your pulse starts to race. "Ah. T-that's a good reason."
 
>In short order, you find yourself loading stacks and stacks of books into cardboard boxes.
>"Damn Cheerilee, I knew you had quite a library, but I guess I never realized you had this many books." You remark as you finish applying packing tape to the lid of a box now stuffed to the brim with adventure books.
>One down, who knows how many to go.
>She just laughs. "You never really appreciate how much stuff you have until you have to pack it all up. It didn't seem quite so overwhelming when they were all neatly shelved!"
>"What are you going to do with them all?"
>You notice a slightly wistful look cross her face as she surveys her sprawling book empire spread out before her. "Give most of them away, I suppose. The selection at Ponyville's old library wasn't great in the first place, and that was before it got destroyed. Princess Twilight has done a good job rebuilding the collection, but she can always use more."
>You grimace at the thought of giving Princess Bitchface anything, but quickly shrug it off. It's Cheerilee's stuff and she can do whatever she wants with it.
>It takes a couple more hours of hard work to get all of the books squared away.
>You could have gotten done much sooner, but Cheerilee has a lot of trouble deciding which books have enough sentimental value for her to keep.
>You don't blame her, because a whole bunch of her books have interesting stories behind them.
>This book had to be ordered all the way from Griffonstone, that book was the only present her parents could afford to buy her for her 10th birthday, this other book was a gift from one of her favorite students, and on and on...
>As you near the end of your monumental task, a lightbulb goes off in your head. "Oh crap, I never gave back that book of poetry you lent me, Cheerilee. I can run home and get it real quick if you want."
>She smiles broadly. "Oh, don't worry about it. I definitely want to keep that one, so just make sure to bring it along with you when we leave."
>"Ah, does it have sentimental value?" you ask hesitantly, suddenly feeling like garbage for forgetting all about that book.
>"Not really, but I love Percival Pentameter's poetry." She says as she suddenly nuzzles your thigh. "Plus, that poem I had you read really does make me think of you..."
>You smile and pet her lovingly.
>Once the books are out of the way, you start carefully packing away the exotic artifacts that Cheerilee has displayed all over the house.
>It's well into the afternoon when you finally reach a good place to stop.
 
>Most of the living room has been packed up now. You collapse onto her couch and look around at the room, so naked and bare now that all of the decorations and bookshelves have been removed.
>Cheerilee saunters in from the kitchen carrying two big glasses of lemonade, and you eagerly gulp down the tart, refreshing drink as she hops up next to you on the couch and starts to sip hers.
>The two of you breathe a long sigh of relief in unison as you unwind after a tough day of work.
>"Thank you so much for your help today, Anon." she says, nuzzling her cheek lovingly against you.
>"Not a problem..." you murmur.
>Silence overtakes the room for awhile, as you both relax contently.
>After some time, you casually break the pause. "So, do you have anything else going on today?"
>You can feel her tense up. You look over to find that Cheerilee suddenly seems quite incapable of making eye contact with you. "Well, uh, yes. I do have something else I need to do this evening." she cryptically states.
>"What is it?"
>She sighs deeply. "Well, I...I need to go see Big Macintosh, Anon. I've heard he's really torn up about all of this and I at least owe him an explanation."
>"Ah. Do you...want me to come along?" you cautiously ask.
>She shakes her head vigorously. "No, no. No offense, but that would be super awkward. I need to do this alone."
>Something about this makes you very nervous, but there's really nothing you can say. "I understand." you simply reply.
>She pecks you on the cheek. "Thank you."
>"When do you need to go?"
>She glances up at the clock, and visibly deflates. "Ugh, I didn't realize it was so late. Probably pretty soon, I guess. There's not much daylight left."
>You force a smile and give her a reassuring pat. "It'll be alright."
>She nods slowly as she nervously chews her lip. "Yeah. I just...I just have to do this, Anon."
>"I know."
>She reluctantly rises from the couch.
>"Y-you're welcome to stay here while I'm gone." she tells you.
>You get to your feet to see her out. "Sure thing. I'll be waiting right here when you get back." you reassure her.
>This seems to relieve her quite a bit. She hugs you tight before making her way to the door.
>"Alright." she says to you with her hoof on the doorknob, clearly trying to stall for as much time as possible. "I'll be back in a little while, then. Shouldn't take too long."
>"See you soon, Cheerilee. I love you."
>She takes a deep breath and opens the door. "Love you too, Anon."
>Cheerilee heads off to Sweet Apple Acres, and you sit back down on the couch.
>You silently pray that Big Macintosh takes it well.
>You're not expecting him to be happy about it, of course, but the last thing you need is a giant draft pony smashing the door down and kicking you to death.
>You doubt it will come to that, but still...
>A general feeling of unease permeates your entire being as you sit in the eerie, empty shell of what once was Cheerilee's living room.
 
>After a while, you have the smart idea to occupy your time by preparing a nice dinner for Cheerilee.
>You have no doubt that she'll appreciate it after the shitshow that's going down at Sweet Apple Acres.
>Now you just have to come up with some sort of idea for a good dinner based on what Cheerilee has in her pantry.
>You open it up and have a look.
>It's pretty damn sparse in there, which is not much of a surprise.
>You doubt she's had the time or motivation to go to the grocery store in the past few days.
>Still, you manage to find a box of dried pasta and a can of tomatoes.
>They both look reasonably fresh.
>Maybe.
>They were probably purchased some time this year, at least.
>They'll work.
>You get the pasta boiling and dice up the tomatoes, throwing them in a big bowl within some oregano, basil, celery salt, and garlic powder from Cheerilee's meticulously alphabetized spice rack.
>You also slice up a baguette that's only slightly stale, cover the slices in butter and a dusting of oregano, and toast them in the oven.
>Gotta have a side dish, after all.
>Once the pasta's done, you drain it, rinse it, and then melt some butter on it.
>Together with your ad-hoc tomato mixture, it should hopefully make for a passable dinner.
>You glance up at the clock.
>It's been a couple of hours since Cheerilee left.
>Now that you can no longer immerse yourself in preparing dinner, the rankling feeling of dread that you were experiencing earlier rises to the forefront of your consciousness once again.
>"I'm such a pussy." you whisper to yourself. "I should have gone with her..."
>Time drags on.
>You cover the bowl of pasta with some tin foil to keep it warm.
>Finally, you hear the joyous clinking sound of a key being inserted into the front door.
>You rise to greet her in the entryway.
>The door delicately opens, and Cheerilee shuffles into her home.
>She looks bad.
>Really bad.
>The area beneath her glassy, distant eyes is heavily stained and matted with her tears.
>As you move forward to greet her with a hug, she says nothing, only looking up at you with an unreadable, almost vacant expression on her face.
>When she finally returns your embrace, it is weak and mechanical.
>"Hey there. Welcome home." you gently coo.
>"H-hi, Anon."
>Without saying anything else, you take her by the hoof and gently lead her to the sofa, and not a moment too soon.
>Her weak, trembling legs give out and she collapses onto the soft cushions with a groan.
>You sit down next to her and lovingly stroke her mane.
>"So...how did it go?" you quietly ask.
>She pauses for a few moments, gathering her words before looking up at you with sad green eyes. "It was...very strange, Anon. It didn't go at all how I expected."
>Your stomach feels like it's tying itself in a knot. "What do you mean? Was he mad?"
>She slowly and deliberately shakes her head. "No, no. Not at all. We just talked."
>Even though you've heard that Big Mac was a patient, level-headed pony, that takes you by surprise. Maybe he didn't really care that much about her after all?
>"You just talked? What about?" you press.
>"Ummm, lots of stuff." Cheerilee says evasively. She's no longer making eye contact with you.
>You feel yourself starting to shake. This all feels very wrong. "Like what, Cheerilee?"
>She looks down at the floor. "Just...you know, our relationship and what's happened the past few days. He was very sweet and understanding. And then we talked about the future."
>"The future?"
>Cheerilee winces with pain when you ask this. She has the look of someone who is absolutely dreading the inevitable.
>"Cheerilee, what's going on?" you question, becoming increasingly more nervous.
>She sighs and takes a hollow breath to brace herself. She looks up at you, and when she speaks, her voice is quite suddenly firm and unemotional. "Anon, Big Macintosh asked me to marry him."
>Your heart starts to jackhammer against your chest. "He WHAT?"
>Cheerilee just nods.
>You're in shock. You can't even feel your body anymore. "A-and...and w-what did you say to that?" you finally manage to fumble out.
>"Anon, I..."
>Cheerilee closes her eyes, summoning all of her strength. Even so, she can barely manage a whisper.
>"Anon, I said yes."
 
>Bizarrely enough, you don't really feel anything at first.
>Sure, you understood what Cheerilee just said. The words she spoke weigh on you like a ten-ton truck. There's no way you couldn't understand them, on a superficial level at least.
>But deep down, at your very core, denial grasps and claws desperately for a way out.
>Every fiber of your being wants to disbelieve those words.
>Your tongue moves without you really knowing it. A voice that must be yours weakly manages to form words. "You...you said yes?"
>She nods, looking very much like an ashamed little filly.
>The shock slowly fades, and a whole range of dark emotions well up within you, as if they were rising from the pits of hell itself.
>"Cheerilee...why?" comes your pained whisper.
>Cheerilee's eyes are glassy with the tears welling up within them. "Anon, I'm sorry, I just...I just panicked. It came out of nowhere and caught me off guard. He said that he wanted me to move with him to Appleoosa. Start a new orchard there. He told me that they're desperate for educators out on the frontier, so a powerful family like the Apples could most likely persuade the school board to let me teach again. It was all so overwhelming and I just..."
>"So you didn't mean it, then?" you hopefully ask her, taking her hoof in your hand.
>She visibly wilts at this question. "Anon, you know I love you. I want so very much to say that I didn't mean it. I really, really do."
>As quickly as it came, hope leaves you. "So you did mean it."
>"No! I mean, I love you, but Big Mac is a good stallion and...and I don't know, Anon! Okay? This is all too much and I need some time!" she insists with a raised voice, barely fighting back a sob.
>"Cheerilee, what the hell?!" you respond with a confrontational tone. "You've wanted to see the world ever since you were little, and now that we can actually do it, you suddenly want to throw it away? So you can go back to the same old job that you had before and be stuck in some backwater for the rest of your life? What about your dreams?"
>The dejected mare crumbles further into the couch cushion. "You're right." she weakly admits. "You're everything I've ever wanted, Anon. Exploring the world with you at my side is exactly what I dreamed of when I was a kid. But kids have unrealistic dreams all the time, and lately I've been wondering if it might be time to, y'know...grow up."
>"What do you mean by that?" you ask with a furrowed brow.
>She composes herself with a deep, heaving sigh. "Anon, when I'm with you I turn into a different pony. Something about you makes me feel young and wild and...and irresponsible. It's a great feeling most of the time, but at the same time...I never would have taken those drugs if I wasn't with you."
>"So you're blaming me?" you ask indignantly.
>She emphatically shakes her head. "No! No no no. It's just that I really was happy being a teacher before you came into my life, Anon. I was good at it and it was fulfilling to help those kids reach their potential. But then you show up and remind me of how I used to be, and now I just don't know who I want to be. I thought that your plan had kind of decided it for me, but now Big Mac has blown the question wide open again and I'm just not sure."
>"I see." is all you can manage. You feel like you've been kicked repeatedly in the gut.
>She places her hoof on your shoulder. "I am so, so sorry, Anon. I just need some time to think about all of this."
>You nod and mechanically rise from the couch. "Yeah, that's fine I guess. I'll leave you to it. There's dinner in the kitchen if you want any."
>"You don't have to go if you don't want to, Anon."
>"Yeah, I kinda do."
>She sighs and slowly nods. "Okay. I understand."
>You wordlessly gather up your stuff and get ready to leave.
>Cheerilee just lies on the couch, watching you with sad eyes.
>Just as you're about to head out the door, you stop.
>"Cheerilee, I know that going with me might seem scary, but nobody ever got anywhere by playing it safe. Your dreams aren't silly and they are worth chasing. Please don't forget that."
>The mare that you love gives you a delicate, serene, and beautiful smile. "Thank you, Anon. I love you."
>You open the door and wordlessly step out into the bitter cold.
 
>When you get home, you immediately fall into bed.
>You guess you should be angry or sad or something, but more than anything you just feel drained.
>You pass out relatively quickly.
>The next thing you know, there's a knocking on your front door.
>You open your eyes to find the midday sun shining through your window.
>How long did you sleep?
>Another knock comes on the door. It kind of sounds like more than one set of hooves is clip-clopping on it.
>You roll out of bed with a groan and make your way to the door, walking with a shambling, zombie-like gait.
>You open your front door and find three familiar fillies on your doorstep.
>They don't even bother saying hello. Instead, all three Cutie Mark Crusaders rush past your legs and into your house.
>"Close the door, Anon!" Scootaloo hisses.
>Bewildered, you hesitantly comply.
>Once it's shut, the three fillies breathe a sigh of relief.
>"Ummm, hi girls. What's up?" you ask, wiping the sleep out of your eyes.
>"Sorry for barging in like this." Sweetie Belle says, smiling sheepishly. "Our parents said that we're not supposed to talk to you anymore since the pictures of you and Cheerilee came out. We could have gotten in big trouble if anyone saw us here!"
>"So why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be in school?"
>The three girls all grimace.
>"Miss Honey Mead gave us the rest of the day off..." Scootaloo says, although you've never heard a child of any age say those words in such an unenthusiastic manner.
>"We have to go around Ponyville and find one example of unicorn privilege and then report on it tomorrow." Sweetie Belle says, barely suppressing a gag.
>You wince. "I'm so sorry, girls. But you still haven't said why you're here."
>At this, Apple Bloom steps forward, her manner serious and more than a little dramatic. "Anon, it's a disaster! I ain't sure if you know this yet, but my brother proposed to Miss Cheerilee last night!"
>Looks like life is wasting no time continuing to kick you in the balls today.
>"Uh, yeah. I was aware of that, Apple Bloom." you gloomily reply.
>"Then you know that he's gonna move away to Appleoosa with her!" Apple Bloom responds.
>You kneel down to be on her level. "Now listen Apple Bloom, that's not decided yet. Miss Cheerilee may have said yes to Big Mac last night, but I have it on good authority that she's not sure about that decision. She could still change her mind."
>You're not quite sure whether you're actually trying to reassure Bloom or yourself.
>Regardless, Apple Bloom's face lights up with wide-eyed hope. Her two friends cheer loudly, and Bloom gloms on to you in an elated filly hug.
>"Oh Anon!" she gushes. "I was hopin' so hard that you would say something like that! There's still hope, girls! There's still hope!"
>You blink a few times. "Wait...what? What are you talking about?"
>Bloom looks up at you. There are actually tears in her eyes. "Anon, I don't want Big Macintosh to go. We need him on the farm! If he's not there, me and Applejack will be the only ones left. We'll have to work harder than ever, and we'll probably need to hire ponies to help us during harvest time. I don't want weird ponies living in my house for two months every year!"
>"Plus..." Bloom continues, her voice softening as she begins to choke up, "he's my big brother. Applejack can get so crazy sometimes, but I know that Big Mac is always there for me, ready to listen to my problems and help me out. If he moves away, I'll hardly ever see him anymore. I just can't even imagine what that would be like, and I don't wanna find out!"
>You hug the sniffling filly and softly stroke her mane to settle her down. "There, there, Apple Bloom..."
>"When Apple Bloom told us what was happening, we knew that we had to help." Sweetie Belle explains.
>Scootaloo bounces with excitement. "We came up with a plan right away. It's going to be so awesome!"
>"And so romantic!" Sweetie adds dreamily.
>"We know that you love Miss Cheerilee too, Anon, so the Cutie Mark Crusaders are going to help you win her heart! Big Mac will stay in Ponyville and Cheerilee will get married to the coolest human ever!" Scootaloo boldly announces.
 
>The other two Crusaders cheer as Scootaloo reveals their plan.
>You can't help but smile at their enthusiasm and determination.
>Taking romance advice from a bunch of little girls is probably not the best idea, but you should at least hear them out.
>After all, the more you think about it, the more you realize that they're right.
>You should stop moping about the possibility of losing Cheerilee. Instead you should get out there and make sure it doesn't happen!
>After a brief moment of consideration, you rise up. "You're right girls, I do need to win Cheerilee back. If you have a plan, I'd love to hear it."
>The three look a little shocked.
>"R-really?" Sweetie Belle squeaks.
>"Huh. Most adults run and hide when they hear that we got a plan." Apple Bloom says.
>Scootaloo is unfazed, though. "Yeah, but Anon is cool enough to know better. He actually listens to us, just like Miss Cheerilee. They're gonna be so cute together!" The tomboyish filly immediately catches herself. "Umm, not that I care about that mushy romance garbage or anything." she hastily adds.
>You immediately start to feel a little less sure about this. Still, you said you would hear them out...
>"Alright girls, what's your plan?"
>Apple Bloom clears her throat. "Okay, so we know that Miss Cheerilee is thinking about marrying Big Mac and going to Appleloosa. That means that the best way for you to win her over is to make a big romantic gesture and sweep her off her hooves as soon as possible. My brother can't marry her if she's already riding off into the sunset with you, Anon!"
>You scratch your chin. "You know, that might actually work. Cheerilee is having trouble deciding, but  if I could buy tickets for the next airship to the Tersk and Neighcos Islands, I might be able to talk her into going right away..."
>"The Tersk and Neighcos? That's where my parents went on their honeymoon! It's perfect, Anon!" Sweetie Belle cries out, her voice cracking and squeaking more and more as she gets more excited.
>Scootaloo stomps her hoof. "Well what are we waiting for, then? Let's get to the Aerodrome and get those tickets!"
>"But what about the romantic gesture?" you ask.
>Apple Bloom chuckles. "You just leave that to us, Anon. Nobody does romance like the Cutie Mark Crusaders!"
>You gulp nervously as the three fillies grab onto you and lead you out of your house.
>As you struggle to keep up with them as they gallop down the streets of Ponyville, you reassure yourself that while it might not be a good idea to go along with everything they say, they're right about doing everything you can to win Cheerilee over. Their enthusiasm is, at the very least, a positive thing.
>At least, you sure hope so.
 
>In no time at all, you're at the aerodrome outside of Ponyville.
>Giant, majestic airships are docked all along the neat row of towers serving as their berths.
>You're wheezing from running all the way here from your house, but the Crusaders show you no mercy. Bouncing with excitement, they usher you towards the ticket kiosk at breakneck speed.
>A bored-looking mare sits behind the glass of the kiosk, flicking through a magazine. She barely looks up to acknowledge your presence. "Can I help you?"
>"Uhh, hi." you manage to say in between desperate gasps for air. "I...I would like...two tickets to the Tersk and Neighcos."
>She gives you a bemused look, no doubt wondering why the hell you're out of breath. "Uh huh. When will you be departing?"
>"As soon as possible."
>She reaches into her desk and pulls out a huge, disorganized mess of papers. "Mmhmm. We don't fly there directly from here, so give me a moment to figure out the best connecting flight."
>The Crusaders whisper animatedly amongst themselves while you wait.
>Eventually the mare tucks her papers away. "There will be an airship leaving Fillydelphia for the Tersk and Neighcos Islands in three days. The Journey will be departing for Fillydelphia at seven o'clock the evening before. You'll have about a three hour layover in Fillydelphia once you arrive, and two tickets for the entire trip will run you 489 bits. Should I book them?"
>No turning back now. You steel yourself and nod resolutely. "Yes please."
>You hand over your hefty purse of bits, and the clerk presses a few buttons on a strange machine, which whirs to life and spits out two golden tickets into the indentation below the glass.
>"Thanks and have a nice day." the clerk says lackadaisically, returning to her magazine.
>You grab the fateful tickets and turn to the Crusaders, who are all beaming from ear to ear.
>"All right!" Apple Bloom cheers. "Phase one is complete!"
>"So what's phase two?"
>Scootaloo grins. "You just leave phase two to us."
>"Errr, alright." you say, once again feeling nervous.
>"Don't worry about it, Anon." Sweetie Belle assures you. "Just be at Sugarcube Corner tonight at exactly eight o'clock, got it?"
>"Really? Sugarcube Corner?"
>"I said don't worry about it!" Sweetie demands.
>You sigh. "Alright."
>"And make sure you look sharp!" Apple Bloom adds.
>Before you can say anything else, the girls take off like three little hyper bolts of adorable lightning.
>That terrible feeling of dread is back in your gut, but you just shrug it off and head home to get ready for tonight.
 
>All too soon, the time comes.
>You still feel nervous about this, but there's no turning back. You clutch the airship tickets tightly in your hand as you make your way to Sugarcube Corner.
>You step inside to find that the entire bakery has been redecorated.
>There are flowers everywhere. On the tables, on the counters, on the windowsills, and there are even rose petals on the floor.
>The ceiling is festooned with red and pink streamers.
>At the center of it all is a huge, three-tiered red velvet cake decorated with heart motifs in the icing.
>It looks like Valentine's Day on steroids in here.
>As you stare slack-jawed, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo emerge from behind the counter and gasp.
>"Oh no! Anon's already here!" Apple Bloom cries.
>"I told you we were running out of time, but you didn't listen!" chides Scootaloo.
>"But we have so much more to do!"
>"Umm, girls." you interject. "This is...this is already quite a lot. How did you manage all of this?"
>"Well duh, we're the Cutie Mark Crusaders!" Scootaloo says with a confident wink. "When the three of us work together, there's nothing we can't accomplish."
>Apple Bloom scoffs. "Yeah, except for learning how to play the violin well enough to serenade them or completing the ice sculpture in time. This is gonna be a disaster!"
>"Hey, it's not my fault that Mr. Spruce won't lend us his chainsaw anymore after what happened last time. Besides, our centerpiece is still good to go. We can make this work."
>"Your centerpiece?" you hesitantly ask.
>The two girls look up towards the ceiling with reverent pride.
>You follow their gaze and see a gigantic wooden heart dangling from the rafters. It is painted pink and seems to be straining precariously against the ropes supporting it.
>"I made it myself!" Apple Bloom says proudly. "When Miss Cheerilee comes through that door, we'll slowly lower it so that it's hanging right above you. It'll be totally romantic! She'll probably wanna smooch you right then and there."
>Scootaloo swoons at the thought for about half a second before remembering that she's supposed to be the tough tomboy of the lot. She halfheartedly makes some gagging sounds. "Eww, that's like, totally gross, Apple Bloom."
>You blink a few times as you try to take this all in.
>This place is seriously over the top, but you can't help but be impressed with how much trouble the girls went to for your sake.
>Maybe, just maybe, Cheerilee will be impressed too?
>"So what do you think, Anon?" the girls ask in unison, looking up at you with bright, hopeful eyes.
>"I think this is pretty amazing. You girls got a whole lot done today."
>Scootaloo and Apple Bloom cheer. "Aww yeah! Miss Cheerilee is gonna love it!"
>Just then, the door opens behind you.
>Sweetie Belle trots in. "Hi Anon! I went and got Miss Cheerilee, she should be right behind me."
>Scootaloo's eyes go wide. "What?! Sweetie, you were supposed to wait until a quarter after eight to go get her, you dummy!"
>"What? No! You said a quarter before eight!" Sweetie protests.
>"Did not!"
>"Did so!"
>"Did not!"
>"Did so!"
>"Girls!" Apple Bloom cries. "It doesn't matter. All I know is that we've got less than a minute before Miss Cheerilee shows up! We gotta hurry and get set up. Now!"
 
>The three fillies set about the bakery in a veritable maelstrom of activity.
>Decorations are straightened.
>A bottle of what appears to be non-alcoholic sparkling grape juice in a bucket of ice is brought out from the kitchen, along with two crystal glasses.
>A dusty old phonograph is carried out and set in the corner. It sputters to life with the sound of smooth jazz.
>A knock comes on the door.
>"Sweetie Belle, are you in there?" comes Cheerilee's voice.
>The very sound of her sets your heart aflutter. You nervously fidget and wipe the sweat from your palms.
>"Sweetie!" Apple Bloom hisses. "You gotta stall for a little longer!"
>Sweetie Belle nods dutifully and gallops to the door.
>"Yes, Miss Cheerilee. I am in here." she half-shouts.
>"Well, are you going to let me in?" Cheerilee asks after an awkward pause.
>"Yeah, yeah! Just uh...give me a minute."
>"Why? What's going on in there?"
>"I'm uhhhh...straightening my mane out."
>"Straightening your mane out?"
>"Yeah!" Sweetie says with a nervous giggle. "Ummm, it got messed up on the way over here and now it's embarrassing."
>"Sweetie Belle, I've seen you with a messy mane before. Just let me in." comes Cheerilee's unamused voice.
>"Just a minute!" she cries out.
>Cheerilee just sighs. Then, much to Sweetie Belle's horror, she turns the doorknob and lets herself in.
>"NO!" Sweetie cries out.
>But it's too late.
>Cheerilee's eyes go as wide as saucers as she tries to process the scene before her.
>Eventually they fixate on you.
>"Anon...what is this?"
>You take a deep breath.
>You had a speech prepared for this moment. It was a good one. Very romantic.
>Unfortunately, you can't remember a single word of it. You're totally blanking out.
>"Uhhh...ummm...Hi Cheerilee." you babble.
>At that moment, Apple Bloom gallops out of the kitchen. She immediately notices Cheerilee standing in the doorway, and lets out a piteous cry.
>However, she does not stop galloping.
>Fixated as she is on her teacher, she does not notice that Scootaloo dropped a few ice cubes on the floor as she was bringing out the sparkling grape juice.
>At least, she doesn't notice them until she starts sliding.
>And by then, it's too late.
>Apple Bloom screams as the slippery ice cubes propel her towards the large table in the middle of the room, which she slams into with a sickening thump, upending it and sending the lovely three-tiered red velvet cake flying through the air.
>Time slows to a crawl as you watch the gigantic pastry sail above your head.
>20,000 calories of sugary bliss trace a graceful parabola through the air as they head inexorably towards their final destination.
>Cheerilee has no chance to evade her fate.
>The cake smashes into your beloved with a loud splat, covering her from head to hoof in red cake and white icing.
>Everything goes still. The only sounds are Apple Bloom groaning in pain and the smooth jazz still droning on in the background.
>Cheerilee just stands there in shock as you, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo look on in abject terror.
>Scootaloo is the first to react.
>Sensing that she needs to break out the big guns to save this disaster, she rushes over to the rigging for the big heart hanging above your head.
>You hear it squeaking softly as it lowers down from the rafters.
>Then the squeaking gets louder and faster.
>"Woah. WOAH!" Scootaloo cries out.
>You're still too shocked to really process what's happening now.
>Scootaloo is screaming now. "I can't...I can't hold it! LOOK OUT BELOW!"
>The loud sound draws your attention, and you turn your head to see Scootaloo struggling as a rope slips through her hooves.
>Your addled brain finally manages to piece together what's going on.
>"Ah shit..." is all you manage to say before the giant pink heart comes crashing down on top of you.
 
>Your ears are ringing loudly.
>You don't know where you are.
>Slowly, your eyes flutter open. A blurry face is looking down at you.
>"Anon...are you okay?" she asks, her voice a distant echo at the edge of hearing.
>You blink a few more times to see who it is. The double-image before you gradually converges into one familiar and very concerned face.
>"Come on Anon, please talk to me..." she practically begs.
>You weakly manage to form words. "H-hey Cheerilee."
>She lets out a huge sigh of relief and lovingly strokes your cheek.
>You squint as your vision returns and you notice some...irregularities.
>"Umm, Cheerilee? What's in your mane?"
>She sighs and gingerly runs a hoof through her normally-luscious locks, now matted with some thick, goopy substance as well as what appear to be crumbs of some sort.
>In fact, as you get a better look at her, you realize that she's practically covered in the stuff.
>"It was the cake. Don't you remember, Anon?"
>The cake...
>You rack your brain, trying to remember the cake.
>After a moment, it all comes screaming back to you.
>You look around and find yourself lying in the middle of the shattered remains of the wooden heart that Scootaloo dropped on you.
>You groan loudly and mentally check yourself out.
>You can feel and move all of your extremities. Your head hurts like hell, but the ringing is dying down and your vision is back to normal.
>Finally, you answer Cheerilee. "Yeah, I guess I remember now. How long was I out?"
>"Just about five minutes."
>You gingerly rise to a sitting position, sweeping all of the splintered wood off of yourself. "I'll be okay, I think."
>Cheerilee smiles as the concern melts from her frosting-covered face.
>You take one look at the sorry state she's in and immediately feel a hot blush burning your cheeks. "I'm so, so sorry, Cheerilee. I wanted to make some big romantic gesture for you, but it's all gone to hell..."
>She places a hoof against your chest. "Shhhh. It's okay, honey. The Crusaders explained everything while you were out."
>You slump dejectedly. "I'm so sorry. Please forgive me.
>"Anon." she firmly insists. "It's alright. You don't need to apologize. It may not have gone according to plan, but...to be honest, I'm really impressed with what you and the girls managed to put together for me."
>"N-no, I didn't even do any of the work. The Cutie Mark Crusaders did it all."
>She nods tranquilly. "Maybe, but the fact that they like you and trust you enough to do all this for you speaks volumes about what a great human you are."
>As you look into her kind green eyes, all of the anger and self-loathing you're feeling fades away.
>You just feel happy to be close to her again.
>"Cheerilee..." you softly murmur.
>She leans forward and hugs you.
>Sticky icing and cake crumbs smear all over you.
>You don't give a damn.
>You never want to let go of her again.
 
>Much to your chagrin, she does eventually pull away.
>"So," she whispers with a playful look on her face, "the Crusaders said something about you having a special surprise for me..."
>You sigh deeply. "Well, I did. I was going to show them to you at the perfect moment this evening, but now...well, I guess it can't get any worse, can it?"
>She giggles and shakes her head.
>You reach into your pocket and produce the airship tickets.
>"These are two tickets to the Tersk and Neighcos Islands."
>Cheerilee gasps. "Anon, you didn't..."
>"I did. The airship leaves the day after tomorrow. I...I know you're having trouble deciding what to do with your life, and I respect that. But I just can't go another day without you. I want to see the world with you, and I want to do it as soon as possible, because every day I spend without you is a day that's wasted.
>Cheerilee is starting to tear up.
>You gently press one of the tickets into her hoof and give her a tender smile. "So what do you say? Feel up for an adventure?"
>She hesitates for a few moments before slowly taking the ticket and pressing it to her breast. "Anon...I love you so much."
>Your heart soars. "So you'll do it?!"
>"I want to, Anon. There are no words for how badly I want to say yes.
>Your heart goes from soaring to crashing into the gutter in an instant. "So say yes, Cheerilee. Please..."
>"Anon, earlier today Big Macintosh gave me a train ticket to Appleoosa. He wants me to go with him to start building our homestead. I can't believe it, but...that train is going to be leaving at almost the exact same time as your airship."
>"So you're going with him." you sullenly conclude.
>She winces. "I...I don't know, Anon. I still don't know."
>"Ah...I understand." you reply. "I'm sorry to have pressured you."
>She chuckles bitterly. "No, no. I'm kind of glad it worked out this way. I've been agonizing over this decision for too long. Now I finally have no choice but to make it."
>You caress her cheek. "Yeah, I guess. I'll...I'll always love you, Cheerilee. No matter what you choose."
>She smiles and holds your hand against her cake-covered cheek. "I'll always love you too, Anon. Wait for me at the aerodrome."
>You kiss her, knowing in the back of your mind that this might be the last time.
>She returns your desperate, loving passion, moaning sweetly into your mouth.
>At last you pull apart. "I'll be there." you softly whisper, the taste of her lips still tingling on your own.
>Cheerilee looks deep into your eyes one last time before reluctantly rising to her hooves. "Alright, it's late and I need to go home and take a long, long, bath."
>The Cutie Mark Crusaders, who had been hiding in a corner this whole time, call out in unison. "We're sorry again, Miss Cheerilee."
>She gracefully waves this sentiment away with her hoof. "It's alright, girls. Nobody was hurt in the end. You just need to be more careful in the future, okay?"
>"Yes, Miss Cheerilee."
>With that, the mare that you love with all of your heart slips out the door and into the night.
 
>You float through the next two days in a sort of dream-like state.
>It all feels so unreal.
>The drudgery of packing away all of your stuff and pawning most of the things you don't need anymore is interrupted by alternating bouts of nervous excitement and soul-crushing anxiety.
>You're pretty sure Cheerilee is going to choose you.
>How could she not?
>You're offering her a chance to fulfill her lifelong dream. Plus, you're sure that it would be impossible for you to love her more.
>You fantasize about how great it's going to feel to see this town disappearing into the distance as you fly away to start a new life.
>How wonderful it will feel to hold her close and know for the first time that she is yours and yours alone.
>It will be a dream come true for both of you. There's no doubt that Cheerilee realizes that.
>But still, what if she doesn't?
>What if all of this was for nothing?
>You're not sure how you could carry on. Your heart would be broken and you would be forced to return to a life in Ponyville that you had already neatly packed away.
>You try not to think about that, but it's always lingering somewhere in the back of your mind like a monster lurking in the darkness just beyond the narrow pools of light provided by the streetlights.
>Two days stretch out into what feels like an eternity, and when the time at last comes for you to heft your heavy bag over your shoulder and head for the aerodrome, you feel a numb sense of relief.
>At least this will all be over soon.
>As you go, you stop and say goodbye to a few of the ponies you pass on the street who you know and like.
>By now, the town gossips have picked up on the juicy love triangle between you, Cheerilee, and Big Mac, so the entire town already knows what's going down tonight.
>Most of the ponies you say goodbye to wish you luck.
>You leave town and head down the dirt path towards the aerodrome.
>You're about halfway there when you hear a strange buzzing noise speeding at you from behind.
>A small smile graces your face as you see Scootaloo tearing down the path on her scooter, towing a very terrified-looking Sweetie Belle behind her in a wagon.
>"Hey Anon!" she cries out as she skids to a halt beside you.
>"Urgh...hello Mister Anon." Sweetie Belle nauseously adds.
>"Hi girls. You okay, Sweetie?"
>"Y-yeah, I just had a bit of a bumpy ride over here..." she says, shooting a death glare at Scootaloo.
>Scootaloo just shrugs. "Oh, don't be such a baby, Sweetie Belle."
>"So what are you girls doing here?"
>Scootaloo scoffs. "As if we were gonna miss our chance to see you off!"
>"Yeah," Sweetie Belle chimes in, "we need to say goodbye to you and Miss Cheerilee as you float off towards your happily ever after."
>"Ah. Well, I'm happy to have you girls along." you say sincerely.
>You really do mean it. You weren't looking forward to spending these tense minutes waiting for Cheerilee alone with your increasingly nervous thoughts.
>"Apple Bloom sends her best wishes, by the way." Scootaloo adds. "She obviously needs to be there for her brother tonight, but she's hoping as hard as she can that things work out for you and Miss Cheerilee."
>You nod. "Makes sense. Please remember to thank her for me. I'll be sure to write her as soon as possible."
>"Oooh! What about us? Are you gonna write us too?" Sweetie Belle queries.
>You smile broadly. "Of course, Sweetie Belle. How could I not send postcards to my three favorite fillies?"
>Sweetie Belle cheers loudly at this, while Scootaloo blushes adorably.
>The dirt path you're walking on turns into pavement once again.
>You have arrived at the Ponyville Municipal Aerodrome.
 
>Several airships are docked at the spires above, flitting gently as the light breeze buffets the massive canvas balloons that keep them afloat.
>Dull blue magical fires make the balloons glow softly against the evening sky as they keep the air inside just warm enough to keep the ships hovering.
>It's a breathtaking sight.
>You spot your airship, the Journey, docked at pier 8.
>It's a fine old ship, well constructed and emblazoned with delicate gold filigree embedded in much of the masterful woodwork.
>Something about seeing the vessel that's going to bear you and Cheerilee out of here finally makes the reality of it all sink in.
>It makes you feel strange. Nervous and excited, yes, but there's something else there.
>If you had to describe it, you would say that it feels like the current of fate is swirling all around you.
>It fills you with a grim resolve and also a strange serenity.
>After all you've been through with Cheerilee, everything will be decided tonight.
>Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle stare up at the ship, apparently enjoying the sight of it just as much as you.
>"I love watching the airships at night..." Sweetie murmurs.
>"Yeah, they're pretty awesome. Is that one yours?" Scootaloo asks, pointing up at the Journey with a hoof.
>You nod silently.
>Scootaloo sits down on her haunches. "Alright then. Nothing to do now but wait."
>And so you do.
>It's thirty minutes to departure.
>You stare at the road, waiting for that perfect moment when Cheerilee will come into view.
>Twenty minutes now.
>Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle are chatting with one another, but you mostly tune them out. Your eyes are still on the road.
>Fifteen minutes.
>"ALL ABOARD FOR FILLYDELPHIA!" comes the cry from the ship's captain. The pier above you buzzes with activity as the porters scurry about and the other passengers scurry onto the elevator to the elevated boarding platform.
>Ten minutes.
>Fear starts to grip you. Cheerilee is never late for anything. In fact, she's usually a good ten to fifteen minutes early.
>She should be here by now.
>The girls are starting to look concerned too.
>"Don't worry, she'll be here." you assure them. But it's honestly more for your own sake than it is theirs.
>Five minutes now.
>The Journey is buzzing to life. The fires are being primed and the last passengers loaded on. You can hear the sailors above singing shanties as they check the rigging and prepare to depart.
>In the distance, you hear a train whistle.
>The 7:55 to Appleoosa.
>Is Cheerilee on that train?
>Two minutes now.
>Sweetie Belle is crying.
>You keep your eyes on the road.
>She'll be here.
>She must.
>With one minute left, you spot movement on the road to the aerodrome.
>It's too dark to make out the details, but a pony is definitely galloping towards you!
>You spring to your feet as all of the dread accumulating within you melts away in one ecstatic moment of pure joy.
>"Someone's coming!" you cry out, and the two dejected fillies beside you leap to their hooves as well.
>"Please be Miss Cheerilee... Please be Miss Cheerilee..." Sweetie Belle quietly chants.
>Scootaloo just grips your leg.
>The pony is shooting down the path like a cannonball.
>She's going to make it!
>She rounds the final bend and steps into the light of the aerodrome to reveal...
>Apple Bloom.
>You barely hear the fillies next to you cry out in anguish as your heart tears in two.
>Apple Bloom spots you and makes her way over to you.
>She's in bad shape.
>She's been crying, and her face is red from the exertion of running here.
>What you notice most of all, though, is that she's carrying a letter in her mouth.
>It feels as if an icy dagger has wedged itself in your chest when you come to the terrible realization that you recognize the stationery.
>You recognize it all too well.
>She approaches you cautiously.
>You know what this is. You want to run away. You want to scream.
>Instead, you stand there as still as death itself.
>Some alien force compels you to extend your hand.
>She gingerly drops the envelope into it.
>Everything is silent for a moment. Even the noise of the airship above has gone away.
>"Anon," Apple Bloom sniffles. "I'm so, so sorry..."
>Up above, the Journey roars to life. The last of its moorings are untied and the luminous vessel gracefully rises into the night sky, pausing for just one brief second before the shimmering magical flames flash bright orange and launch it onward towards distant lands.
>Down below, you close your hand around the note and fall to your knees.
 
>You're numb.
>You kneel there in complete shock.
>At the periphery of your perception, you can hear Apple Bloom crying.
>The other two try to cheer her up.
>However, they wisely leave you alone.
>How could this happen?
>It all feels so wrong.
>You're struck by the strange conviction that this wasn't at all how this was supposed to go. Cheerilee should have been here.
>You should have left together.
>She should have been yours.
>You can feel the odd sensation of fate swirling around you once again, but this time the flow feels agitated and disturbed, like a lazy river that has suddenly transformed into fierce rapids.
>It's not even self-pity. The entire universe feels like it has gone wrong, and it's the strangest feeling.
>And yet, there's no denying that it happened.
>You look down at the letter in your hand. It's cold confirmation of the terrible truth.
>It smells like bubblegum.
>You don't know how much longer you stay there on the cold ground.
>Eventually you feel a soft tap on your shoulder.
>You slowly turn your head to find the Cutie Mark Crusaders looking at you sympathetically.
>"We're sorry, Anon..." says Sweetie.
>"I guess we really messed everything up, didn't we?" Scootaloo says, not even bothering to hide her tears.
>"Scootaloo...no." you manage to whisper. "You three did everything you could to help me. It just didn't work out in the end. I'm...I'm lucky to have such great friends."
>Apple Bloom's red, swollen eyes glimmer. "You really mean that, Anon?"
>"Yeah," you say with a gentle nod. "I'm just sorry we couldn't keep your brother around, Apple Bloom."
>She sighs. "I am too, but it's like Granny Smith told me: these sorts of things are part of growing up. I'll miss him something fierce, but he'll still write and I'll get to see him for the holidays."
>At this, Bloom breaks down a bit and starts to cry, but she quickly composes herself, smiling at you despite the tears rolling down her cheeks. "Besides, I still have my friends. I know ya'll will be with me through anything...just like we'll be with you, Anon."
>You blink in surprise as the cute little farm filly lurches forward and hugs you tightly.
>Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle follow in short order, and you soon find yourself on the receiving end of a patented Cutie Mark Crusader triple hug.
>It's soft and warm and so wonderful. Your heart is still screaming in gut-wrenching agony, but it hurts a little bit less now.
>You even find yourself cracking a smile.
>After a while, you finally pull apart.
>Apple Bloom glances at the note still in your hand. "Aren't you gonna read that, Anon? Miss Cheerilee told me to get it to you as soon as possible."
>You look down at the note and slowly shake your head. "I...I can't. Not here. Not now. I'll read it later tonight."
>"Ah. I think I understand." Apple Bloom replies.
>Truth be told, you don't even want to think about the note right now.
>Hanging out with the Crusaders is making you feel slightly better, and you'd rather continue that instead.
>You shakily rise to your feet. "Alright, what do you say we get out of here and go get some hot chocolate? It's pretty chilly out."
>The girls excitedly agree to this prospect.
>It's not exactly how you envisioned this night ending, but as you leave the aerodrome, you find yourself thankful that at least you still have friends.
>Your heart is in tremendous pain and that's not going away anytime soon, but for at least a few minutes this evening, you'll be able to sip hot chocolate with some awesome fillies and maybe forget about it all for a while.
>With your friends at your side, you head off towards the town you thought you had left behind and begin the long and unexpected process of figuring out where to go from here.
 
>Some time later, you rent a room at one of the inns in Ponyville.
>All of the stuff for your house is in storage, so you'll have to go and get it out of there tomorrow.
>Tonight, though, it's time to rest.
>You fall down onto the bed.
>You're drained and worn out, and you want nothing more than to sleep.
>You can't, though.
>Your gaze keeps drifting over to the unopened envelope you left sitting on the nightstand.
>As much as you dread reading it, you know that you won't be able to sleep tonight until you do.
>You flick on the lamp and open up the envelope to find a tear-stained piece of paper with Cheerilee's neat cursive handwriting all over the front and back.
 
My Dearest Anonymous,
 
By the time you read this letter, I will have departed on the train to Appleoosa. I did not come to this decision lightly, and to be honest, I doubt that I'll ever know if it was truly the right one. I want you to know that this has nothing to do with you. You have been nothing but kind and loving to me, and I have enjoyed every minute of my time with you, both as your teacher and as your lover. You inspired me to live life boldly and stand up for myself, and I will always be grateful for that.
Children often have wild and unrealistic dreams, but when I was with you, I found myself thinking that perhaps those dreams were within reach. It was a wonderful feeling, but I am not sure it was a constructive one. Part of becoming an adult is putting away the fancies of youth and assessing one's life in realistic terms. I was a good teacher. I enjoyed the work and made a positive impact on many young lives. I had plenty of great friends in Ponyville as well as a loving partner in Big Macintosh. One look at you made me want to throw all of it away. Was it perhaps the strange magical bond we shared? Was it simply love? I suppose I'll never know. All I know is that I wanted nothing more than to fly away with you and live happily ever after, wandering together.
Even as I write this, the temptation to jump on that airship with you is almost unbearable. But would it be the right thing to do? Would it be the best use of my limited time in this life? Big Macintosh offered me a chance to teach again. He offered me a chance to once again put my skills to use for the good of the community. He also offered me the prospect of having foals of my own, which I have wanted for some time. Maybe it won't be as exciting of a life as I could have had with you, but I think it's a rewarding life worth living. At least, that is what I tell myself.
In reality, I don't want to lose you. You will always occupy a place in my heart, and your absence will make it ache every day. I wish I could have met you when I was younger, wilder, and more spontaneous, because I think we would have been quite the pair. As it is, though, I'm a grown mare. I've found my purpose in life and settled down, and the difficulties we've faced over the past few weeks have proven to me that as much as I don't want to admit it to myself, my adventuring days are over. In the end, I suppose we simply didn't meet each other at quite the right time. However, don't think for an instant that our time together wasn't worthwhile. As I write this, I can't help but recall the poem by Percival Pentameter that I showed you:
 
Weep not upon the wilting of the rose
That fate decreed should bloom in winter’s hold
Its petals trembling as the chill wind blows
Its vivid hues subsumed beneath the cold
 
For time cares not for status, rank, or name
And beauty often shines for but a day
The rose pours out its colors all the same
A crimson isle amidst a sea of gray
 
And when at last the rose sinks down to grief
Its seeds upon the swirling breeze take flight
To spread and wait for spring’s first verdant leaf
Then bloom anew in warmth and joy and light.
 
I am so sorry to hurt you like this, Anon. I will always love you and fondly remember the time that we spent together. Somewhere, someday, we will meet again. Maybe it won't be in this life, but we will meet again. When that happens, I know that the time will be right for us to be together. Until then, I must reluctantly bid you farewell and wish you a life filled with joy and happiness.
 
Forever yours,
Cheerilee
 
>You fall back down onto the bed, clutching the note tightly to your chest.
>Your thoughts turn to Cheerilee.
>You wonder where she is right now, and how she's doing.
>"I'll always love you too, Cheerilee..." you quietly sigh.
>And then, you turn out the light.
 
-------------------------------------------------------------
 
>"That's it?"
>"That's it."
>Coriander blinks a few times in confusion while you casually take a deep swig of water from your canteen.
>You look up and are pleased to see that Inti Pacha proper is not far at all now. Right now, you're passing by the bean and potato farms on the outskirts of the city, which are built right into the mountain face in an ingenious tiered system that maximizes available space.
>Telling your story really did help pass the time, although your throat feels achy from all the talking.
>Your assistant Coriander Blossom is still stunned. "But what happened afterwards? Did you ever see her again? What kind of love story ends like that?"
>You grunt. "That's how lots of real-life love stories end. I never saw Cheerilee again, although I did hear about her from time to time from Apple Bloom. She married Big Mac and settled in to her teaching job in Appleoosa just fine. She had three foals, I believe, all of whom are grown now."
>"That's so sad..."
>"It's way in the past." you snap. "She made her choice and she had a nice life. Nothing to be sad about there."
>Cori rolls her eyes, but knows better than to push it, choosing to change the subject instead. "So what did you do afterwards?"
>"Crawled back to Princess Twilight, apologized, and pursued my education in Ponyville as best I could. Cheerilee inspired a love of history in me, and I was accepted into the program at Canterlot University a couple of years later. I went on to specialize in Archaeology, and here I am today."
>"So some good came out of your time with Cheerilee after all!" says Cori. "What ended up happening to the Cutie Mark Crusaders?"
>"Ahh, the girls..." you say with a sentimental smile. "They all grew into wonderful mares, and we're still good friends today. You know what happened to Sweetie Belle, I presume."
>She giggles. "Well, yeah. I still can't believe that you've been friends with her since she was a filly, though. I was a huge fan of hers when I was a teenager!"
>"Yeah, she was pretty popular around that time. Still is. She may not be the biggest act in pop music anymore, but she stays plenty busy and still makes more bits in a month than I will in my entire life."
>"What is she like as a pony?" Coriander asks, obviously a little starstruck.
>"Fame hasn't changed her one bit. She's still just as sweet and friendly as she was when she was little, and the amount of charity work and philanthropic giving she has done is incredible. I don't get to see her often, but we always have a lovely time together when I do."
>Coriander grins broadly. "That's really nice to hear. What happened to Apple Bloom?"
>"She got married right out of high school. Apple family tradition dictates that a married couple should run the farm if at all possible, and since Applejack never found a stallion, that meant that Bloom became the nominal head of Sweet Apple Acres. She's done a fine job of integrating the technology needed to keep the farm competitive while still maintaining the quality and attention to detail that Sweet Apple Acres is famous for. She also had eleven foals."
>Coriander's eyes go wide. "Ouch."
>You chuckle. "Oh, and she just wrote me a letter two weeks ago informing me that number twelve is on its way, so she's not done. Family is the most important thing in the world for the Apple clan, and I know Bloom is quite happy with where she is."
>"I'm glad. How about Scootaloo?"
>You can't help but smile. "Ah, Scootaloo. She's the one I see most nowadays, because she also lives in Canterlot. She's a skydiving instructor."
>Coriander cocks her head to the side. "Really? Why would a pegasus get into skydiving with parachutes and stuff when she can just fly?"
>"I didn't mention it in the story, but Scoots has a birth defect that makes it impossible for her to fly. Skydiving is as close as she can come, and she relishes it. She's made a nice little business out of teaching the unicorns of Canterlot to skydive. As a bonus, her office is not far at all from the university campus, so we have lunch together in the park every Wednesday if the weather permits."
>"Awww, that's really sweet, Anonymous."
>You nod. "The girls are still great friends with one another, too. Their special talent is to help others understand their cutie marks, so if one of them encounters a pony like that, they'll get in touch with the other two and help that pony out as a team, just like they did when they were all living in Ponyville. They've had some crazy adventures that way, and I'm proud to say that I've been involved in more than a few of them."
 
>With that, you hear the clacking sound of your foot stepping off of the dirt path and onto cobblestone.
>You have reached the ancient city center of Inti Pacha, and it is quite the sight to behold.
>The buildings and roads are all made of stone, but to your surprise, there doesn't appear to be any mortar or other bonding agent involved in their construction.
>Instead, the stones seem to simply be fitted together with insane, jigsaw-like precision to create sturdy and enduring buildings, many of which have likely stood for thousands of years.
>However, just because the city is made of stone does not mean that it and its inhabitants are drab.
>Colorful banners and chains of pennants are strung from rooftop to rooftop, and the llamas themselves wear long, loose-fitting garbs in a plethora of bright, flamboyant colors as they zip around their ancient home.
>You hear lively pan flute music floating up from the nearby market square that mingles with the savory, spicy scents wafting out of the various eateries and street food stands you pass.
>As the only human in the world, you're used to being the center of attention, especially when you're somewhere new, but the llamas for the most part take little notice.
>Instead, most just greet you with a friendly hello as you pass them on the street and then go about their daily routines in this bustling city above the clouds.
>Coriander Blossom nudges you. "Anon, we're going to go to the market at some point, right?"
>You just shrug. "Yeah, there will probably be some time for that if you want to."
>"Oh, I want to." She says with a glimmer in her eye. "We just passed a stand with some turquoise jewelry that I absolutely must have."
>You roll your eyes. "Maybe later. For now we need to get to..." you stop and scratch your chin as your mind goes totally blank. It's becoming a frustratingly common occurrence these days. "Ummm, where were we going, exactly?"
>It's Coriander's turn to roll her eyes. "Ugh. We're meeting Princess Celestia at the old palace, remember?"
>"Oh, right, right. I knew that." you lie.
>Your assistant (wisely) takes the lead, and very soon you find yourself in front of a massive building that must be the palace. It is a huge, rectangular stone structure that gleams with a gold-tiled roof and massive wooden doors inlaid with a huge metallic sun emblem.
>It occurs to you that these doors are the first wooden thing you've seen since you entered the city. They probably stand at least forty feet tall and are made of an exotic dark wood that must have been extremely expensive and labor-intensive to drag all the way up this mountain.
>However, what you notice most of all is the fact that there's a very tall staircase leading up to the palace doors. Not necessarily because the staircase is remarkable, but because your creaky knees are preemptively screaming in pain at the thought of scaling it.
>Getting old sucks.
>You tough it out, although you do have to pause for breath halfway up, much to your young assistant's annoyance.
>The gate guards see you coming, and the doors open up for you.
>You and Cori gasp in unison at what you see inside.
>The palace courtyard hosts quite possibly the most impressive garden you have ever seen. Flowers of every hue imaginable cover the ground, arranged in carefully-crafted geometric patterns.
>Neatly manicured bonsai trees line the walkways, and gigantic blue mushrooms tower at least ten feet overhead.
>The noisy market was still within earshot when you were walking up the stairs to the palace, but now that you have entered this wonderland, all of the sounds, smells, and other distractions of the outside world have melted away.
>All you can hear is the gentle babbling of the brook as it snakes its way through the palace grounds.
>You're pulled back to reality by Coriander softly tugging at your pantleg.
>"Anon, over there." she whispers.
>You follow her pointing hoof and see three very familiar ponies sitting on a bench and chatting with an official-looking llama.
>Princess Celestia is the first to spot you. At her word, Princess Luna, Princess Twilight Sparkle, and Celestia herself all rise from their bench and make their way over to greet you.
 
>Coriander Blossom immediately hits the dirt, prostrating herself completely before the three Princesses.
>Years of familiarity with them mean you feel comfortable with a more simple show of reverence for the alicorns. You press your fist into the palm of your other hand and bow your head.
>Celestia addresses you in a tone of voice that is at once maternal and soothing while still maintaining the dignity and authority to be expected of the god-sovereign of all ponykind. "Welcome, Anonymous, to this ancient city of the sun. We have been expecting you."
>As is custom, you continue your bow until all of the royalty present has acknowledged you.
>"Welcome, my good human. We hope the journey here was agreeable." Luna politely says.
>Then comes Twilight's turn. "Hello Anon. It's nice to see you again." she chirps in her typical disarming, friendly manner.
>"Your excellencies, thank you for receiving me. Please allow me to introduce Coriander Blossom, my assistant." you announce, glancing towards the pony next to you with her face still flat on the ground.
>The Princesses go through the same motions with Cori, who only reluctantly rises back to her hooves once the formalities are through.
>"We are very glad you could be here, Anonymous." says Celestia. "The reports we have received about this strange temple have the entire Royal Archaeology Society puzzled. We hope that perhaps you could shed some light on the matter."
>"I see. I beg your pardon, Princess, but what exactly makes you think that the ruins have something to do with humans?" you respectfully query.
>Twilight magics up some scrolls out of nowhere and shoves them in your face. "The workers who discovered the ruins made a few sketches of the carvings on the temple walls. As you can see, they clearly depict a human-like figure."
>You pull your reading glasses out of your pocket and look over the scrolls. Sure enough, they feature a bipedal being with wavy hair and a very human-looking physique. Most interesting of all is the fact that llamas and a whole host of fantastical creatures all seem to be bowing to him.
>Princess Luna cuts in. "The reports also described strange, jagged architecture like nothing they have ever seen before. If their descriptions are accurate...it would mean that the temple was a very bad place."
>You catch Luna's meaning, of course. A jagged temple built with stones arranged at impossible angles means one thing and one thing only.
>Demon ruins.
>"Is that why you chose to come here, Princess Luna?" you ask.
>She nods grimly.
>You had wondered why Luna was here, but now you understand. There is no greater demon slayer in all the world than the Princess of the Night.
>"So when and where exactly was this discovery made?" you ask the trio.
>Before they can respond, the llama that they were speaking to cuts in. "I believe I can answer that. My name is Apurimac, by the way. Chief Minister of Antiquities. Pleased to meet you, professor." he says suavely as he extends a cloven hoof.
>You shake his hoof firmly.
>"Miners working the Lucky Phoenix Silver Mine tunneled into the cavern about eight months ago. The temple is located roughly 700 feet below the surface. We sent a team down to investigate shortly thereafter, but quickly sealed the place off again and contacted Princess Celestia once the temple was identified as Demonic in nature."
>You scratch your chin. "Hrmm. I've never heard of Demon ruins this far south. Do you have any historical record of a Demonic presence beneath the mountain?"
>Minister Apurimac shakes his head. "No, nothing I know of in the two thousand years that our civilization has kept written records. However, legend does state that a fiend known as the Greedy One once troubled our land with a host of demons."
>That name calls forth something at the fuzzy edges of your mind. You've heard it before, you're fairly sure.
>Was it something Cheerilee told you about?
>That sounds right, for some reason.
>"The Royal Archaeology Society is sending an official expedition to investigate this." Celestia informs you. "However, they are still several days away. If you would like, Minister Apurimac has offered to let us conduct an initial investigation of the ruins today to get a general lay of the land."
>"And to make sure they are safe..." Luna quietly adds.
>Part of you wants to just find a hotel and rest after that grueling journey. However, you understand that Celestia and Luna's time is valuable and they likely want to get this over with as quickly as possible.
>"Of course, let's head there straight away." you reply.
 
>Mercifully, you don't have to make the trip to the Lucky Phoenix mine on foot.
>Celestia is gracious enough to allow you and Coriander to ride with her in her golden sky chariot pulled by a team of Royal Guards.
>It's just a short hop over to the mine though, and your chance to view the ancient sun city from the air is disappointingly limited.
>You touch down at the mine within minutes
>Apurimac lands beside you in his chariot, and Luna and Twilight alight shortly thereafter, having flown here.
>The Lucky Phoenix looks like a normal mine from the surface.
>There's a few typical Llaman stone structures situated at the mouth of a tremendous cave. They appear to house a blacksmith, an ore crusher and smelter, the mining company offices, and the crowded bunks of the workers.
>Burly llamas earnestly go about their appointed tasks, wheeling carts of ore out of the cave or working the machinery necessary to refine it into silver ingots.
>"Wait, they kept the mine running?" Coriander whispers to you.
>"Not sure I'd want to be working here with Demon ruins down below." you respond.
>Apurimac appears out of fucking nowhere. "Not to worry. We cordoned off the tunnel that leads to the ruins, citing a non-specific 'safety risk.' Only the miners who discovered the place know what's down there, and they have been paid well for their silence."
>Cori raises an eyebrow. "Seriously? You're keeping it a secret from them?"
>"The Lucky Phoenix is one of the richest mines in the realm. It simply wouldn't do to have the workers panicking." Apurimac replies in a hushed tone. "Come now, and I shall introduce you to the pit supervisor."
>The pit supervisor is an extremely large, shaggy llama of extremely few words. In a flash, he has you all situated on the rickety wooden elevator down into the depths of the mine.
>He grunts at the llamas manning the huge pulley and the elevator starts to descend.
>Deeper and deeper you go, the elevator platform squeaking, creaking, and softly swinging back and forth the whole way down. It's equal parts nauseating and terrifying.
>You try to put on a brave face, but in reality you're clinging to the rail and trembling like a little bitch.
>Twilight notices and gives you a reassuring smile, but not before letting out a bit of a condescending giggle. "Oh, don't worry, Anon. I can levitate us all to safety no problem if I need to."
>"Gee, thanks..."
>This elevator ride keeps going on and on. It's pitch black, other than the glow of the candle on the pit supervisor's helmet.
>After a good few minutes of pants-shitting terror, you finally reach the bottom. The elevator comes to a sharp stop as it slams against the bedrock.
>"This way." the hulking pit supervisor mutters.
>You, Cori, Apurimac, and the Princesses follow.
>The supervisor skillfully uses the candle on his head to light the torches on the walls as he goes, illuminating ever more of the dark, twisting tunnel.
>At last, your progress is blocked by large metal bars that span the length of the tunnel.
>Bright orange warning signs are plastered all over it.
>"Here we are..." Apurimac murmurs.
>Luna rubs her temple. "Yes, I can already sense the echo of dark power from the ruins. Powerful beings lived there once. Be on your guard, my friends."
>The pit supervisor fishes a gleaming silver key out of his long, tangled fur and opens up the gate housed within the bars.
>He opens the creaky gate and then stands aside. "Straight ahead. Not far. Will wait here."
>"What? You're not coming with us?" comes Apurimac's slightly indignant tone.
>The pit supervisor shakes his head. "Bad trouble."
>You have a bad feeling about this.
>"Thank you for leading us this far. I am sure we will find our way to the temple just fine." Celestia says to the pit supervisor, handling the situation with her typical grace as she leads the way through the gate.
>You push aside your misgivings and follow along.
 
>All three alicorns light up their horns to illuminate the tunnel as you delve further into the dark.
>However, that quickly becomes unnecessary.
>A dull red glow is seeping into the tunnel. It's not much at first, but as you walk on it quickly becomes bright enough to make the illumination from the alicorn horns redundant.
>The stale, chilly cavern air begins to heat up and smell faintly of sulfur.
>A short while later, you come upon it at last.
>The narrow tunnel opens into a massive granite cavern. To the right, the floor drops off into a large, luminous pool of lava. To the left is the bone-chilling edifice that must be the temple.
>It is constructed of huge, jet-black obsidian blocks that contrast fearfully with the gray stone of the cavern. The pillars lean heavily and interlock with the ceiling at insane, impossible angles, and sharp, wicked-looking spikes jut from the walls seemingly at random.
>At the center of it all is a grand black staircase that leads to a massive stone door with ominous red etchings on it, no doubt the entrance to the inner sanctum.
>From a distance, you can tell that the exterior walls have intricate pictorial carvings all over them, and the archaeologist in you is excited at the prospect of recording and decoding the messages they convey.
>It takes a moment before you realize that basically everyone in your party is staring at the massive structure in awe.
>Only Apurimac seems unimpressed as he sets up the makeshift ladder down to the cavern floor. "Right then, let's get in and have a look at things."
>The reminder that you have a job to do here shakes you out of your awestruck trance. The three alicorns float down on their wings while you and Cori take the ladder down after Apurimac.
>Luna is the first to approach the ruins. Her horn pulses with magic and she breathes in the rotten air deeply as she probes the aura of this accursed place.
>After a few tense moments, she stops and turns to the rest of the group. "There is much lingering pain and darkness here, but I sense no immediate threats. Be cautious."
>With that assurance, you get to work.
>You break out your sketch book and get to work producing a detailed drawing of the temple's exterior along with a map of the site and some initial observations.
>Twilight is more than happy to serve as a research assistant alongside Cori, and you send them both off to make a preliminary catalog of the exterior carvings.
>Eventually, the expedition will produce high-quality sketches of each and every carving, but for now you just need a brief description and an assigned number for each.
>Celestia takes wing and circles around the chamber, content to perform her own survey of the area while her sister continues patrolling and peering into the unseen world, searching for any supernatural threats.
>Apurimac mostly just stands around, imperiously "supervising."
 
>You're just about done with your preliminary sketch when Celestia lands right next to you and scares the crap out of you.
>"Ah, my apologies, Anonymous." she says in a bemused and slightly playful tone that leaves a very small part of you wondering if she might have actually done it on purpose. "Have you taken a look at the door yet?"
>"No, have you?"
>She nods. "Yes, and we may have a problem. There appears to be a powerful magical seal on it."
>Your heart sinks. Did you seriously come all this way only to find the front door locked?
>"How powerful are we talking?" you hesitantly ask.
>"Extremely."
>"Any chance you could brute force it?"
>"I am sorry, but no." she solemnly says. "While it would be possible for me, Luna, and Twilight Sparkle to overload it, the resulting magical blast would be very intense. The structure would be seriously damaged and we may even risk a cave-in."
>You grimace. "That is unfortunate. Perhaps one of the carvings gives a hint on how to unlock it."
>Celestia nods. "I should hope so. I suppose it would also be possible for one of us to use our magic to make a hole in one of the walls, but naturally that would be a last resort."
>You're very surprised that Celestia would even suggest something like that. "Umm yeah, I would prefer we not do that to these fragile and historically significant ancient ruins. Do you really want to get in there that badly?"
>Celestia surreptitiously looks around to make sure no one else is listening before leaning in close. "To be honest...yes, Anon. I believe there is a chance that these ruins may hold answers to some questions I have had for a very long time. That is why I came here personally. We must find a way in."
>On that cryptic note, Celestia flies away again, leaving you even more confused than ever.
>Eventually, Twilight and Coriander finish their catalog of the carvings.
>A brief look at it reveals that about a quarter of the carvings feature images of a "human-like figure," almost always shown as an object of veneration.
>You go and have a look at a few of the carvings yourself, and find that they were accurate. An undeniably human figure is shown leading an army of demons and receiving what appears to be tribute from the llamas. He has long, wavy hair, bulging muscles, and always seems to carry a staff of some sort in his left hand.
>It sends a shiver down your spine.
>What if you weren't the only human to come to Equestria?
>Just as you begin to really ponder that, Twilight taps you on the shoulder and tells you that the mine will be closing soon, and it's time to head back.
>Reluctantly, you leave the strange carving of the human god behind and head back to the surface.
 
>After another harrowing ride up the elevator, it's just a few minutes before you find yourself feeling the sunshine on your skin and breathing sweet, sweet fresh air once again.
>You quickly hammer out your plans for tomorrow with the Celestia and Twilight. All of you agree that you want to get back down and examine the ruins further tomorrow, and Apurimac gives his okay.
>After that, Celestia gives you a ride in her chariot back into town before heading back to the wonderland of the old palace.
>You sigh as she flies away. "Wish we could stay at the palace..."
>"Oh please," Coriander guffaws, "you know the Royal Archaeology Society is about as cheap as they come. No way they'd pay for that."
>"I know, I know. Let's go find a cheap inn that doesn't look too dangerous."
>Your assistant looks a little conflicted. "Umm, actually professor, I was kind of wondering if I could maybe hit the market for a little bit before the sun sets."
>Cori never calls you "professor" unless she really wants something.
>You glance up at the sun. It's making its way down towards the horizon and shadows are starting to get long, but there's probably a couple hours left before it sets.
>"Oh, alright," you say with a roll of your eyes, "just try not to spend all of your bits."
>She cheers and thanks you profusely.
>You motion towards a nearby fountain decorating a bustling square. "We'll meet there at dusk, alright? I'm going to go scout out some accommodation. Try to do the same if you're not too busy spending your money on useless junk."
>"It's not junk, it's souvenirs!" Coriander playfully cries as she gallops off towards the market.
>You kick your creaky old bones into gear and start off in the opposite direction, scanning both sides of the street for an inn while also taking in the lively atmosphere of the city around you.
>After a few blocks, you've managed to spot a few inns, all of which seem upscale and probably out of your price range.
>You can see what appears to be a cheaper side of town downhill from your present location. The houses are certainly much smaller and the streets narrower.
>Logic and reason would dictate that that would be the best place to find a cheap inn.
>However, for some strange reason, a side street to your left is calling out to you.
>You briefly wrestle with the question of where to go.
>Eventually, the side street wins out. After all, you have some time to go check out the cheap neighborhood if your intuition proves to be wrong.
>You turn down the street, which quickly starts winding its way up a nearby hill.
>The houses here are very nice. Some of them even have splendid gardens out front that seem like miniature patches of the grand garden you encountered in the palace courtyard.
>However, houses are all you're seeing.
>You're way off the beaten path now.
>No one in their right mind would run an inn here.
>Your enthusiasm quickly fades over the next few blocks of nothing but houses.
>Finally, you come to a public square.
>It's a very nice square with a lovely garden in the center complete with a few of those giant blue mushrooms.
>However, there are no vendors or inns here.
>Just a church and what appears to be a school.
>Your knees, hips, and ankles are all killing you and you're frustrated that this little detour was fruitless.
>With a grumpy huff, you sit down on one of the benches in a square so you can rest awhile and regain your energy.
>A few minutes later, the bell at the top of what you suspect to be the schoolhouse rings.
>Your suspicions are confirmed as a bunch of adorable little llamas come streaming out the door, running and shouting happily.
>They must be done with school for the day.
>You watch them from afar as they run around and play together in a whirlwind of activity. Young llamas have particularly fuzzy, fluffy coats, and it makes them heartmeltingly cute.
>Some parents are there to lead their kids home right away, but the rest of the little llamas are content to hang around in the square for a while and play games to burn off all of the excess energy they accumulated while being forced to sit still in class.
>You think back to how adorable the Crusaders were when they were this age, and it brings a smile to your face.
>It's hard to feel grumpy about your poor choice of a detour anymore.
 
>You're lying back and enjoying the scene before you when you hear a distant voice from the schoolyard.
>"Catequil, don't forget your saddlebags again!"
>It's a sweet, cheerful voice, if a bit raspy with age, and it glows with the benevolent, nurturing authority of an experienced educator who has perfected her craft.
>It also sounds familiar.
>Very familiar.
>You glance over at the schoolyard to see if you can identify the source of the voice, but whoever it was has already gone back inside.
>It's not like you can really see anything at that distance anyways. Not clearly, at least.
>Maybe you should get closer? Go check it out?
>You shake your head violently to banish such silly thoughts from your brain.
>You were probably just imagining it.
>After all, you haven't seen the pony you think that voice belongs to in ages.
>How can you be sure you're not misremembering what she sounded like?
>You grunt softly. That's probably it. Your mind is just playing tricks on you.
>But still, what if you're right?
>You shake your head again.
>No, that's insane. There's no way that could be possible.
>And yet, without even consciously realizing it, you have already scooted towards the edge of the bench.
>You're just a foolish old man, but hey...there's no harm in at least having a look, right?
>If nothing else, you'll get to see what a Llaman school is like.
>You rise from the bench and practically float across the square.
>Your mind is racing with a thousand thoughts all at once as ancient, long-buried feelings rise to the surface and breathe fresh morning air.
>Do you even want to see her again?
>What if she doesn't remember you?
>You've reached the schoolyard now. There's no turning back.
>The young llamas playing around you pay you no mind.
>You take in the impressive round structure of the schoolhouse. It must be set up like an amphitheater with the teacher down in the center.
>Fascinating.
>But beside the point.
>You realize that you're stalling by gawking at the schoolhouse.
>You take a deep breath, brace yourself for embarrassment, and step into the schoolhouse.
>Your eyes adjust to the low light and you soon spot the teacher's desk.
>And there she is.
>Your heart starts pounding hard against your ribcage.
>Her cerise coat has faded and wrinkled with age, her mane has gone completely white, and the lenses on the glasses she's wearing are at least an inch thick, maybe more.
>But it's her.
>There can be no doubt about it.
>It's actually her.
>Stunned, you mindlessly take a few steps forward.
>Her ears twitch as she detects you.
>"I'm sorry, school is closed for the day." she politely says, not even bothering to look up from the papers she's grading.
>You're frozen.
>What do you say?
>What do you do?
>Panic sinks its jagged claws into you.
>A million things are overloading your mind.
>And then, all at once, a beautiful memory seizes you.
>The storm inside you quiets down and you step forth serenely, knowing exactly what you have to do.
>You clear your throat and slowly recite: "Weep not upon the wilting of the rose, that fate decreed should bloom in winter's hold..."
>Cheerilee's brilliant green eyes look up from the papers they were grading and go wide with shock as she beholds you for the first time in decades.
 
>"It...it can't be. Anon?"
>You smile and nod.
>The flabbergasted pony leaps from her chair and closes the distance between you with surprising speed for her age. She hugs you powerfully, happily nuzzling her cheek against your torso.
>"Anon, I can't believe this. It's been so long!" she gushes.
>You weren't expecting her to be quite this affectionate. The feel of her body pressed against yours awakens so many pleasant memories of the time you spent together. It fills your chest with warmth and puts a lump in your throat.
>She still smells like bubblegum.
>However, amidst all of the warm, fuzzy feelings, sour memories simultaneously begin to surface of that horrible day at the aerodrome when she made her choice and left you forever.
>You can still remember how much it hurt when that airship took off without you aboard.
>After a moment of hesitation, you gingerly hug her back.
>"It's...good to see you again, Cheerilee." you softly intone.
>She pulls away from the hug, readjusts her thick glasses and looks you up and down, clicking her tongue in approval. "Oh, and you look so good! The years have been quite kind to you, Anon."
>You can feel the heat rising on your cheeks. "Y-you too..."
>She just giggles.
>"So...you teach here?" you ask.
>She nods proudly. "Yes! It's a very interesting building, isn't it? I tried to live the retired life for a few years, but I just couldn't stand being away from teaching. And once Mac passed on..."
>"Oh, yes. My condolences about that..." you politely interject. You remember hearing the news from Apple Bloom a few years ago that Big Macintosh had died. You almost sent a sympathy card to Cheerilee, but decided that might be a bit too weird.
>She bows her head gracefully. "Thank you, Anon. Anyways, with Mac gone and the kids all grown up, I finally saw my chance to follow my dream. I lucked into a job here and I've been teaching ever since."
>"So you finally got to Inti Pacha after all..."
>"Yes, and it's just as wonderful as I had hoped." she says contentedly before pointing a hoof at you. "But you! What brings a great archaeologist like you here? Are you just visiting?"
>"You know I'm an archaeologist?"
>She just laughs. "Anon, you know full well that Apple Bloom talks about her human friend all the time at our Apple family reunions."
>"Oh yeah..."
>She stares down at her hooves, clearly embarrassed. "I was so proud when I heard what you were going to school for, especially since...well, you know...I was your history tutor."
>You smile gently. "And I never did get a chance to thank you for being such a great teacher."
>"Oh Anon, thank you." she murmurs.
>"Anyways," you transition back to the original topic, "I'm here on business with the Royal Archaeology Society."
>Cheerilee's eyes light up. "Oh goodness! Then that means...are you going to be conducting a survey of some ancient Llaman site? Is that why the Princesses are in town?"
>You tug at your collar, not quite sure how you should answer. You know that Apurimac wanted to keep the ruins a secret, but would it really hurt to share it with Cheerilee? "Ummm...unfortunately, that's classified."
>"Oh. I guess I can understand that, especially with the Princesses involved." she says, looking rather disappointed.
>"Sorry..."
>She waves her hoof. "No, no, it's fine. Are you getting to stay in the Old Palace with the Princesses? It's such a beautiful building, and I hear the private wing for hosting guests is even more spectacular!"
>You chuckle. "Oh no, the Society is way too cheap for that. I was actually wandering around looking for lodging for my assistant and myself when I heard your voice and came in here."
>Cheerilee gasps. "What?! You don't even know where you're staying tonight?"
>You nod ruefully.
>"Well then, I think I may have to insist that you and your assistant stay with me." she says in a completely matter-of-fact tone.
>"Oh no, I could never impose like that."
>"Nonsense." Cheerilee says firmly. "You are a guest here in Inti Pacha, and if they aren't willing to pay for you to enjoy real Llaman hospitality, then I will provide it myself. There's plenty of room at my house, and I certainly don't mind cooking for an old friend!"
>"Cheerilee, are you sure?" you say hesitantly. Part of you is excited at the opportunity to catch up with an old friend and solve your lodging problem in one fell swoop, but still...this is the mare that abandoned you.
>You're not quite sure how to feel.
>"Absolutely, Anon. Just give me a moment to pack my things up and close the building down, and we'll be off."
>And so it is decided.
 
>After getting everything in order, you and Cheerilee set off for the fountain you were supposed to be meeting Coriander at.
>You engage in the typical small talk along the way.
>You get to hear all about Cheerilee's kids and grandkids, of course, and she's quite pleased to hear how Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo are doing.
>She tells you all about the Llaman school system, and you share some of your recent research.
>Most of all, you reminisce about the good old days in Ponyville, although neither of you really mention your old relationship.
>Through it all, you're struck by the feeling that it all feels so unreal.
>You're here in this strange land filled with exotic creatures and mysterious ruins. But then you just happen to run into an old friend from your past, and you're talking and laughing just like you used to.
>The contrast is jarring, to say the least.
>In short order, you reach the plaza you promised to meet Coriander in. She's not here yet, but with only a few minutes of daylight left, you assume she'll be along shortly.
>You and Cheerilee sit down on a bench next to the fountain, its cool babbling soothing you after a long, eventful day.
>"So what do you think of Inti Pacha so far, Anon?" Cheerilee asks, scanning around the bustling plaza with a contented little smile on her face.
>"It's lovely. The city itself is beautiful, and the Llamas seem like a good people. Plus, you can just feel the history everywhere in this place..."
>Cheerilee nods. "I know exactly what you mean. Most of these houses and buildings are hundreds, even thousands of years old. There's nowhere like it in the whole world."
>You simply sit back and take in the stone majesty of the city before you.
>After a few moments, Cheerilee rubs the back of her neck and nervously pipes up again. "So, ummm, speaking of history...I don't suppose you would consider taking me along on your survey? I've always wanted to do something like that."
>"You know that I can neither confirm nor deny that we're doing a survey, Cheerilee." you coolly reply.
>Cheerilee is buying exactly none of your bullshit. She just rolls her eyes. "Oh come on, like you would be here for any other reason. Please, Anon. I can keep a secret."
>You pause, carefully considering your next words. "I know you can, but even if we were doing a survey, what about your classes? You can't just leave them, can you?"
>"That's what substitutes are for!" she says in a sing-song voice.
>You sigh. "It might be dangerous, you know."
>"That's the point of an adventure, isn't it? Please, Anon. There are so many great ruins that civilians don't get to see. They're all cordoned off by the Ministry of Antiquities, and the ones that are open to the public have become total tourist traps. There's nothing real about them anymore. I can read Ancient Llaman, and I promise that I won't slow you down if you take me along."
>You're about to come up with some other lame excuse when you finally process that last bit. "Wait, you can read Ancient Llaman?"
>She nods proudly. "I taught myself when I was young and really obsessed with this place. I haven't practiced in a while, but I'm sure I can still do it."
>You bite your lip. The main expedition will have several linguists with it, of course. However, they're still several days away, and no one on your team right now can read Ancient Llaman. Not even Apurimac.
>Cheerilee could give you a valuable head start. She may even be able to figure out a way to open the temple doors before Celestia loses her patience and blasts her way in.
>"I...I'll think about it." you lamely reply.
>Cheerilee grins, knowing full well that she's already won. "Thank you, Anon."
 
>A few minutes later, you spot a colorful pony bounding through the sea of earth-tone llamas.
>Coriander Blossom is loaded down with trinkets, jewelry, and other assorted crap. She wears a rainbow-colored traditional Llaman wool poncho on her body, and her mane is done up in a close approximation of a traditional Llaman style.
>She spots you and gallops on over. "Hiya, Anon! What do you think of my haul?"
>"It's, uh, certainly something." you reply.
>She gasps when she spots Cheerilee. "Oh hey, another pony. Hello there, are you a friend of Anon's?"
>Cheerilee bows her head in greeting. "Yes, a very old friend."
>Coriander looks Cheerilee up and down a few times and blinks. "Wait..." She looks more intensely. Her eyes go as wide as dinner plates when she spots Cheerilee's distinctive cutie mark. "Wait, wait, wait. You're not..."
>You place a hand on Cheerilee's withers. "Cheerilee, I'd like you to meet my assistant, Coriander Blossom."
>She extends a hoof towards your assistant. "Pleased to meet you, Coriander Blossom."
>Cori's jaw drops, along with several of the snowglobes she was carrying.
>You spend the next few minutes helping Cori wrap her mind around the bizarre coincidence of you running into the mare you were just telling her about earlier that day.
>After about your fifth time assuring her that no, you did not know that Cheerilee lived here now, Cori finally seems to accept it.
>Cheerilee politely butts in. "Not to interrupt or anything, but we should probably start heading to my house so I can get dinner started."
>Cori blinks. "Wait, we're going to Cheerilee's house?"
>You nod. "Yes, and we'll be staying there tonight, as long as that's still okay with her."
>"Of course it is." Cheerilee responds graciously. "Shall we get going?"
>Coriander is still a bit shell-shocked, but you shepherd her along to Cheerilee's house.
>Cheerilee soon leads you onto a nice little street that features two continuous stone longhouses on either side of it, with many little bridges arching overhead connecting the two massive structures to each other.
>You quickly catch on that these giant buildings have been divided into multiple family homes, with each family enjoying a decently-sized two-story townhome of their own.
>You approach one with a beautiful garden out front and immediately know that it's Cheerilee's.
>Sure enough, she leads you inside.
>As soon as you enter, you're struck by a strong sense of deja vu.
>Her living room looks exactly like you remember it. Bookcases and exotic artifacts everywhere. In fact, there's probably even more of them now.
>Coriander gasps in surprise as she takes it all in. "Woah, this place is amazing, Miss Cheerilee."
>"I'm glad you like it." she humbly replies. "Please take a seat and get comfortable. I'll start dinner."
>You and Coriander both collapse onto the stone sofa after a long, draining day. You're expecting it to be uncomfortable, but the wool blankets draped on it are thick and very soft.
>"Her living room looks exactly like I imagined it..." Coriander murmurs.
>You chuckle. "Yeah, she's certainly something."
>Coriander seems content to gaze at all the oddities around the room.
>You, however, just lie back.
>It's been a hell of a day, and these blankets are really, really, comfy.
>Before you know it, your eyelids start to get heavy.
>You're far too worn out to fight it. You doze off in short order.
 
>You are seized by the weightlessness of falling.
>There is no light, no rush of wind against you, and yet you know that you are falling into the abyss.
>You fall for who knows how long.
>And then, the next thing you know, you're running.
>You have no idea how you got here, but you know you have to escape.
>The only things you can hear are your own labored breathing and the sound of your shoe soles clacking against the polished stone floors.
>And yet, you know you're not alone.
>Something is following you.
>Something malevolent.
>You look around for any exit, but find nothing. These uniform black stone corridors go on for what seems like forever. They twist, turn, and fork with no rhyme or reason.
>The ancient, dusty hallways are all covered in giant spiderwebs. The gossamer settles all over your body, its strange, smooth texture uncomfortably tickling any exposed skin.
>You run facefirst into a particularly thick web. You're temporarily blinded until you rip the sticky silk from your face with a gag.
>And still, you press on.
>You don't know where you're going, but you can't stop now.
>You don't dare to look back, but you sense the presence just inches behind you.
==THE END IS THE SAME, NO MATTER THE PATH==
>You feel its terrible voice right in your ear as it speaks. You shudder at the hot blast of its breath against your earlobe.
==YOU HAVE BEEN RUNNING FAR TOO LONG==
>All at once, you realize that the voice is familiar. That it belongs to a phantom who haunted your dreams long ago.
==INTOXICATED BY THE ILLUSION OF CHOICE==
>To your horror, the corridors are getting darker. You round a bend and find that you can barely see five feet in front of you.
==YOU DENIED YOUR BIRTHRIGHT==
>Soon, it's pitch black.
>You still keep running. You can't stop now.
>And then, you take a step and find nothing there.
>A horrible churning feeling of abject terror seizes you as you stumble and fall into a deep, dark, pit.
>You cry out as you fall, and fall, and fall.
==BUT THE WEB OF FATE IS WIDER THAN YOU CAN KNOW==
>Your fall is eventually stopped by a strange net.
>It bends underneath your weight and eventually springs back, flinging you upwards.
>You soon come to a rest and cautiously feel around the strange material that you've landed on.
>It's springy and incredibly sticky.
>You gently press your palm against one of the ropes, and it takes most of your strength to pull it away.
>Panic starts to build within you as you attempt to move a leg and realize that it's stuck.
>You pull with all of your might, but the substance grips you even harder.
>Thrashing around only worsens your situation.
>Suddenly, the room begins to light up.
>You look out and see thousands of beings all ensnared in this same trap.
>Ponies, llamas, griffons, zebras...even the Princesses are here.
>All struggle against their bonds, but none can escape what you now realize is an expertly-woven spider web.
>"Anon..." comes a weak voice.
>You look over to find Cheerilee lying right next to you.
>She's covered in web and struggling mightily to move even the tiniest muscle.
>You reach out for her, but the dark, raspy voice in your ear speaks up again.
==IN THE END, WE ARE ALL ENSNARED==
==ALL WILL BE SET RIGHT==
==ALL WILL BE AS IT SHOULD BE==
>The world turns upside down, and you and Cheerilee both fall upwards into the sky.
>The last thing you hear before everything goes white is her crying out your name.
 
>You wake with a start.
>A bit of panic rises in you as you look around the room and find it unfamiliar.
>Then you remember where you are.
>You're still in Cheerilee's living room, reclining on the sofa.
>It's dark now, and the city outside is quiet.
>At some point, a warm blanket was draped over you.
>You notice that the coffee table in front of you has a plate with some very appealing-looking food in front of you. It appears to be stuffed peppers with black beans and rice on the side.
>You groan softly as you stretch out, feeling a bit embarrassed that you apparently passed out on Cheerilee's couch and missed out on her cooking.
>Oh well, you'll enjoy it now. Your stomach is rumbling like crazy.
>You dig in to the lukewarm dish and find it to be delicious. The beans and rice are savory, and the peppers have a whole lot of flavor and just the right amount of heat.
>Once you finish, you lie back with a contented sigh. You hadn't eaten a proper meal since breakfast yesterday, and that really hit the spot.
>With your pressing needs addressed, your brain wanders to the dream you just had.
>It was disturbing, of course, but familiar.
>Even though it was decades ago, you still vividly remember that voice from the dreams that haunted you in your youth.
>The dreams stopped once Cheerilee went away. But now that you're back under her roof...
>You sigh. You tried so hard to put the question of why you were here out of your mind. You almost succeeded. You focused on living a good, productive life. But now, here you are again in the most unlikely of circumstances.
>Back in Cheerilee's presence. Back wondering just what the hell your bond actually means.
>You hear noises from another part of the house.
>Someone is stirring.
>The clip-clop of their hooves down the stone hallway is muffled somewhat by the plush rugs that decorate the floor of the house.
>Cheerilee enters the living room dressed in a modest white nightgown. She gives you a sweet smile when she sees you awake. "Hey there, Anon," she half-whispers, "it's good to see you awake."
>"Cheerilee..." you murmur, sitting up a bit straighter. "Sorry I fell asleep on your couch. I tried the food you left out, and it was delicious."
>She giggles and takes a seat next to you, her old, worn-out bones creaking and popping as she does. "Oh, it's no problem at all. I probably would have done the same thing if I had the kind of day you did."
>"Heh. Yeah, I guess I don't have the energy I used to..."
>She grins broadly. "Oh Celestia, isn't that the truth. Do you remember our first 'date' at that dive with all the miners? We must have danced for five hours straight..."
>You laugh. "Oh yeah! I think I would die if I tried that nowadays."
>"Probably not before me!" she replies in a singsong voice.
>You both share a laugh. It reminds you so much of the old days.
>Cheerilee rubs the back of her neck. "In all seriousness though...you look well, Anon. I'm glad to see it."
>"You look great as well, Cheerilee." you respond sincerely.
>It's hard to tell in the low light, but you think you see a bit of a blush come to her cheeks.
>Your heart is beating faster for some reason.
>The two of you look at each other for a few moments that eventually start stretching out to become awkward.
>"So, what's got you up at this hour?" you blurt out, trying to rescue the conversation.
>The smile fades from Cheerilee's face. "Anon...I think you know the answer to that. It's the same reason I knew I'd find you awake out here."
>"You too, then..." you murmur.
>Cheerilee looks down at the floor. "Those strange dreams stopped for me once I moved to Appleoosa."
>"Same here."
>"But now you're back..." Cheerilee ponders this for a moment and then sighs deeply. "I'm going to make some coffee, Anon. Would you like to join me for a cup on the balcony?"
>"Yeah, that sounds nice."
 
>Cheerilee gets the coffee ready and leads you out through the kitchen.
>She opens up a door to reveal a breathtaking view of the darkened city below. Directly opposite you, the moon peeks just over the crest of a nearby mountain and causes the dull gray stone buildings of Inti Pacha to shine with a soft, silvery luster.
>There are two lawn chairs on the balcony. They were obviously made for ponies or llamas, but you manage to squeeze into one.
>"What a view..." you remark, once more feeling awestruck with the majesty of this place.
>Cheerilee hums in approval as she sits down in the chair next to you. "It really is..."
>You sit in silence for who knows how long before Cheerilee finally clears her throat to speak. "So tell me, Anon...do you believe in fate?"
>You stare out at the city, carefully considering your answer. "To be honest, I'm not sure. I know I didn't really believe in it before I came to Equestria. But I was young then, and perhaps I was unwise. This business with the weird dreams and our bond certainly makes me wonder. The voice in the dreams sure talked about fate and destiny quite a bit, if I recall. But...I really don't know."
>Cheerilee nods slowly. "I always did get the sense that your attitude towards destiny varied from the standard pony view. As I'm sure you've gathered, we believe in it quite strongly. Your cutie mark is a representation of who you were meant to be; it's a visual manifestation of destiny. Most foals are named based on the prophetic dreams their mother has while she's pregnant, and more often than not, our names end up lining up perfectly with our cutie marks. It seems to be strong evidence that each of us are marked by destiny before we are even born."
>"That's the standard pony view. Do you believe it?" you ask her.
>She smiles wryly. "You always did ask such good questions. To be honest, Anon, I am in the same boat as you. My mother never had prophetic dreams when she was pregnant with me. 'Cheerilee' is an old, generic name given to ponies whose fate is unclear. It's just a phrase in the Old Tongue wishing the child a joyful life. I'm also sure you noticed that my cutie mark has nothing to do with teaching. I tell the students that the flowers mean I love to help young minds bloom, but I don't really know that. I just woke up and had a cutie mark one day. I had no idea I even wanted to be a teacher back then."
>"I never thought too hard about your cutie mark. That's kind of sad." you murmur.
>She shrugs. "It's no different from being human, is it? When I was young I felt bitter towards fate. I thought it had cheated me, and I resolved to make my own way in the world. As I grew up, I started to wonder if it existed at all. But then you showed up, and I had to reconsider. We had a special bond that transcended time and space. We seemed meant to be. And now, you somehow wander right up to my school on the other end of the world and waltz right back into my life..."
>"But we didn't end up together. You chose Big Macintosh." you respond, doing your very best to suppress any hint of bitterness in those words.
 
>Cheerilee takes a deep, shuddering breath. She can no longer meet your eyes. She stares off into the distance instead. "Yes. I did. I was...I was afraid, Anon. I worked so hard to make a life for myself. Fate abandoned me, but I soldiered on without it. So when it finally seemed like destiny was reaching out to me, I drew back. I stuck with the life I knew. And don't get me wrong, it's been a lovely life indeed! I wouldn't trade my children and the time I shared with Big Mac for anything, but sometimes I can't help but wonder if I, you know...made the right choice."
>Ancient feelings are beginning to swirl around in your gut like an old, rotten meal. You shake your head and do your best to put them away again. "Cheerilee, what's done is done. You've had a good life, and so have I. There's no point in wondering what might have been."
>She frowns. "I...I guess. I suppose what I'm getting at is that us meeting again like this seems quite unlikely. And then the dreams start up again as well. It seems like something really wants to push us together. Maybe it's fate, maybe it's that weird voice in the dreams, or maybe it's something else entirely..."
>"Yeah, who knows?" you respond. "I definitely agree that it's something. We'll see if the Princesses have any insight into the matter tomorrow."
>"That might be best." Cheerilee nods sagely.
>You fall into another lull of silence as you gaze out at the shimmering moonlit city.
>Eventually, you become aware of a hoof being placed gently on your shoulder. Cheerilee gulps nervously and clears her throat. "Hey, Anon?"
>"Yeah?"
>"I don't know whether we really were meant to be together or not, but I do know that I'm very sorry for hurting you. Even after all these years, I've never stopped feeling terrible about it, and I'm really glad I finally got the chance to apologize to your face."
>You turn to look at her. Her brilliant green eyes are glassy with nascent tears as she gazes right back at you.
>"Cheerilee..." you whisper, placing a hand over her hoof. "Thank you."
>She smiles that same beautiful, infectious smile you remember so well, and somehow, all of the pain of the past is forgotten. All of your lingering, unresolved feelings are put to rest.
>You had no idea how much you needed to hear that.
>You spend the next few hours happily chatting with Cheerilee about less consequential things, feeling truly at ease in her presence for the first time since you ran into her earlier today.