>Several hours had passed since you began following these ponies to their town
>Cheerilee had kept herself between you and and the children but didn't make a overt showing of it
>As the sun passed the midpoint of the sky, you notice the trees around you are getting thinner and the trail you walk is becoming more defined
>You pick up your pace and catch up alongside Cheerilee, "You weren't kidding. This 'Ponyville' is quite a hike from here."
>"Are you getting tired? We can stop while you catch your breath, if you like."
>"No way. If these little ponies can do it then I'm not complaining. It's just farther than I expected. So I take it Ponyville is run by other ponies like you?"
>"Yes. We have a mayor who oversees municipal governance and, like all towns in Equestria, reports to the Princess Sisters; Celestia and Luna."
>"Princess Sisters, huh? And they rule these lands together?"
>"Well, they rule all of Equestria. Oh, that sounds rather off-putting. They're both very kind and extremely benevolent leaders. Princess Luna visited our town for a holiday recently and I had the pleasure of meeting Princess Celestia briefly in her personal dining quarters when I submitted my proposal to restructure  Equestria's standards-based educational budgetary requirements. She had to leave to lower the sun, but she was very cordial. The council shot my proposal down, of course."
>You frown down at Cheerilee, "Let's just walk quietly for a while."
>Lower the sun? Who does she think she's fooling?
>Perhaps these ponies aren't as intelligent as you expected
>It seems your novelty had worn off for the fillies and colts as they barely gave you a second glance since you all left the clearing this morning
>They marched along happily, the miles seeming not to affect them, as they chatted about what they would do with the rest of their Sunday
>All except Diamond Tiara, who plodded along looking insulted at having to do so much physical activity
>Soon, the forest gave way to tall bushes and, finally, rolling hills and grassy fields
>"We're almost there," Cheerilee said from at your hip, "Ponyville is just around- wait, that sound! Listen!"
>She stands stock still as you hear a familiar low rumble in the distance
>You turn to face the forest behind you and the sound rises to the same protracted roll of thunder you heard in the ravine days ago
>The children are watching warily and jump at the apex clap
>"You've heard that noise before, haven't you?" you ask Cheerilee
>She nods her head, "Yes. I heard in the air balloon the same day you landed on us."
>"Wait, you were in that hot air balloon!? Small world. When wer-"
>You are cut off as a croaking roar sounds from the forest
>Another deeper one answers it and you walk backwards to get a better view over the treetops
>From below the canopy, a tower of flame shoots into the air
>Two dark winged silhouettes rise into the sky and twirl around each other
>Squinting, you can see the outline of long serpentine tails and angular, saurian heads
>Another burst of fire rockets through the sky
>You position yourself so the ponies are grouped together at your back
>Whatever those things are, they breath fire
>"Children! Stay together and get to those trees as fast as you can!" Cheerilee cries
>You raise your rifle and take aim before you remember you only have one 22 round
>Even if it could reach the monstrous beasts, it wouldn't be effective in the least
>As you see what looks like scales glinting in the sun, you feel a hoof jab into your ribs
>Cheerilee has her eyes fixed on the flying shapes in the distance as she tries to push you back
>"Run! Dragons!"
 
 
>As you sprint across the field for cover, Cheerilee catches up to the group of foals
>Snips begins to fall behind and you quickly scoop him up under your arm, his stumpy legs still whirling in the air
>You join the rest ponies under a stand of oak trees
>Mind racing, you come to a sickening realization
>They've mobilized
>The Reptillians have expanded into this magical pony land because they knew you had escaped their slaughter of the human race
>Their vicious winged hunting dinosaurs have been unleashed to burn you to a crisp for daring to resist your new overlords
>Of all the times to be separated from your bug out bag
>"Wait, do dragons exist normally here?" you pant
>Cheerilee has her eyes fixed on the sky above, "Yes, but dragons that size never come this close to Ponyville. Something very strange is going on."
>Archer wraps her forelegs around her teacher's neck
>"D-do you think they saw us, Miss Cheerilee?" the blue filly's voice squeaked with fear
>"No, look. They're leaving."
>You squint to the forest as the two shadows disappear over the horizon
>"I don't get it," Berry Pinch said, "I know grown-up dragons are nasty, but they wouldn't actually HURT anypony would they? I mean, when Spike got big, all he did was steal a bunch of stuff."
>Cheerilee shook her head, "No, dear. The bigger adult dragons get, the more aggressive they are. And they are very territorial. For two of them to be hunting together this far from their domain they must be desperate. And unpredictable. Spike didn't injure anypony because he isn't a grown-up dragon."
>"What's Spike?" you pant as you kneel down, your breath coming in ragged gasps
>Gotta cut back on the cigars
>"He's a baby dragon," Berry Pinch answers, "He lives with the town librarian in her tree."
>"Oh, I get it. Well, no I don't, but that's fine too."
>Cheerilee passed a canteen around as the group caught their breath under the oak trees
>You made sure to drink last and wiped the mouth of the canteen on your shirt when you were finished
>"My parents will be hearing about this!" Diamond Tiara huffs
>This fucking pony...
>"None of this would have happened if you had just gone to the bathroom at camp!" Archer snapped
>Diamond fumed at her team mate, "Shut up! This, this, THING would have found our camp sooner or later," she aims a hoof at you, "It probably would have eaten us all in our sleep if I hadn't foiled it's plan!"
>"In fact," she stomps toward you, "I bet it's working with those dragons! It's probably trying to slow us down so they can swoop down and gobble us up in a neat little row!"
>"It is not!" Snips shouted at the pink filly, "It carried me all the way across the field! Why would it do that if it wanted to eat us?"
>"Easy, it wanted to save you from the dragons and eat you itself. You are the fattest one here, after all." Diamond sneered
>Berry Pinch hopped between the two, "Knock it off, Diamond! You saw that it was just as scared of those dragons. Stop trying to stir up trouble!"
>You can't resist, "Yeah, Diamond Tiara. No need to cause such a big... stink."
>Puffing her cheeks, Diamond gives you the meanest look you've ever seen on an equine
>"Enough!" Cheerilee rubs at her temples, "Everypony stop arguing and let's please get back to town quickly and quietly
>You offer her an apologetic shrug and trail behind the guilty looking children as your convoy sets back out across the field
>Diamond Tiara is trying very hard to make sure you know that she is ignoring your presence
>Crossing back over the field, you make your way down the rough path
>Soon, a short section wooden fence comes into view as the path turns to a dirt road
>You see what look like narrow treadless tire tracks in the soil and Cheerilee stops in front of you
>"This road marks the outer limits of Ponyville. I'm going to see the students safely to the town square. Please, wait here until I come get you. I shouldn't be long."
>The ponies set off down the road and some of the children wave back to you
>You return their gesture and watch them all disappear around the bend
>With nothing better to do, you sit down in the dirt and lean against the fence
>A nap sounds good right about now
 
 
>You awake with a snort, visions of scaly mouths filled with needle-like teeth and whipping snake tongues still swirling in your mind
>Judging by the sun, Cheerilee had been gone for nearly an hour now
>You climb to your feet and glance to the sky
>Perhaps this wasn't the best place to have slept
>Anything flying overhead would have spotted you easily
>Down the road, a short purple shape comes into view
>You dive behind the fence and try to contort your limbs to match the shape of the slats
>Whoever this pony is, they might not be as friendly as Cheerilee
>Maybe 'friendly' isn't the right way to describe your relationship
>"I can see your entire body," Cheerilee says as she stands before your ill-advised hiding spot
>"I figured," you stand up and join her, "So what took you so long?"
>"There are ponies who need to be informed about you. Unfortunately, the mayor's office is closed on Sundays. I went to her house to find her but was told she's attending a play out of town. Several of the children's parents are either working or unavailable and I'd prefer to speak to them as a group."
>"So the the town has no idea what's in store when I show up?"
>Cheerilee shakes her head, "Not quite. I stopped to visit the owner of the hot air balloon you landed on. I'd like her to help corroborate what happened that day when I talk to everypony. I don't think she quite believed me when I told about what landed on us, but she agreed to give her testimony."
>"Testimony? You make it sound like I'm on trial or something."
>"It's shouldn't be that serious. Once they see that you're not a threat I'm sure you'll find them all very welcoming."
>You peer down at her and lay your gun over your shoulders, "You ponies are kind of a skittish lot, aren't you?"
>Cheerilee frowns a little, "There are dangerous things in Equestria. Our ancestors fell victim to ferocious predators before they banned together to become more than just prey. You must come from a very gentle place to expect strangers to be welcomed without assuming them a threat. Or a very violent place."
>The two of you stand quietly for a moment and a cool wind swirled through the field
>"So, what now?" you ask
>"Now we head to my cottage for the night. I live on the other side of Ponyville so we'll have to skirt around it through these fields. We don't want to cause a panic."
>Cheerilee leads you into the field
>As the grass crunches under foot, you sneak frequent glances to the pony at your side
>All things considered, you feel that you've handled these bizarre new circumstances admirably
>You're pretty sure you're now walking through the fields were food is grown to feed talking ponies in a world where dragons exist because you have to sneak unseen to the home of this purple pony that smells like flowers so you don't incite mass panic
>And you're okay with that
>How badly are you going to flip when the other shoe drops?
>The fields give way to gently rolling hills and the sun draws lower in the sky
>Cheerilee tosses you an apple from her saddlebags and you snatch it from the air
>"We're getting close now. We'll be there before dark!" Cheerilee exclaims happily as retrieves another apple and bites into it
>You ponder how she is unhindered by a three-legged gait as she holds the fruit up to her mouth
>Prolly magic
>Coming around the curve of a hill, you see well-manicured trees set in tidy arrangements to your left
>From over the tops of the trees, spires and tall roofs protrude with banners and strangely shaped weathervanes moving in the breeze
>A neat trail of soft looking grass darker than that around it and flanked by white fences runs out of the treeline
>To your right, a red building with a bell tower on it's sloping roof glints as the setting sun catches the swirling golden filigree swooping around the tall windows adorned with a heart motif
>It's colors blend with the warm shades of the autumnal leaves clinging to the trees in the yard as they cast long shadows over a tether-ball pole, slides, and a swing set
>The white fence stops at a walkway leading to the building and a tall flag post crested with a rearing pony sits on the other side of the lawn, it's yellow flag flapping in the wind
>"This," Cheerilee says with a proud smile, "is the school where I teach. Teaching little fillies and colts anything and everything I can and watching them grow and learn is my greatest joy."
>"I can tell you're a great teacher. I saw the way you were willing to put yourself in danger for them last night."
>The building passed behind you as you followed the road away from Ponyville
>"Yes, I want to apologize for having been so brusque with you. I just-"
>"There's absolutely nothing for you to apologize about," you interject, "I would have done the same thing if some ugly thing I've never seen chased some kid I was responsible for out of the woods."
>Cheerilee gives you a warm smile, "Well, now I know that you're no threat. I saw what you did for Snips. And you were ready to protect us with that strange cannon of yours. What is that, anyway?"
>You hold the rifle out in your hands, "This, Miss Cheerilee, is the Springfield Armory M6 Scout, Or as I like to call it: the Springfield Armory M6 Scout. It's a rifle and shotgun combo. In other words, it let's me fire two different types of projectile great distances at high velocity. Also, it breaks down for easy storage."
>You remove the retaining pin and pull the two halves away from each other
>Popping out the 22 round, you hold the back of the front half up to Cheerilee and she peers through the barrel
>"I think I should hold onto this last bullet but I might have some extra ammunition floating around my pack. I can show you how it works when I get my stuff back if you'd like," you say as you show her the trigger mechanism
>"Perhaps, uh, perhaps we should save any weapon demonstrations until after you've been introduced to the other ponies."
>"Oh, yeah. Good thinking. Well, if they're half as understanding as you are, I'm sure they'll warm up to me in no time," you say as you pin your gun back together and slip the 22 into place
>Cheerilee gave you another bright smile
>A dark brown roof of thatched straw comes into view ahead beneath a stand of trees
>Below it sits a squat building made of roughly hewn stones
>Circular windows line it's walls, their dark wooden frames adorned with carved hearts painted a pale yellow
>Small branchy bushes, naked in the cold fall months, line a walkway set with small pavers nestled in the grass
>Three smiling flowers greet you from a patinated brass placard on the front of the stone overhang above the small covered porch
>"Well, here we are!" Cheerilee says as she leads you up the walkway, "My humble home."
 
 
>Diamond Tiara tromped through the gilded front door of her family's palatial mansion
>Her father didn't greet her from his study near the entrance as he usually did since he was away in Manehattan for business
>She was tired and sore and her hot tub was calling her name
>On top of aaallll the walking she'd done already on this trip, she had trotted clear across to the other side of Thoroughbred Estates to Silver Spoon's slightly less palatial mansion, desperate to vent about the horrors and injustices of this weekend to her best friend, only to be turned away at the gates!
>Her! Of all ponies!
>Apparently, the heavily accented voice over the speaker box had told her, Silver Spoon and her family were in Canterlot for a dinner function
>"I should have spent my weekend visiting Canterlot, not trudging through the mud from sunrise to sunset," Diamond thought to herself as she climbed the spiraling staircase
>And! And the surely immigrant pony who turned her away wouldn't even take a message!
>Diamond Tiara knew the family didn't do as well as her's, but would it kill them to hire locally?
>As she walked down the vaulted hallway, Diamond decided she would have to tell Silver Spoon to tell her mother to tell her husband to tell his head servant to have a word with the help
>Passing the spare third-floor living room, a loud rattling snore drew her attention
>A light blue pony with a long pink and purple mane lay sprawled out on a plush chaise lounge, hind legs giving an occasional twitch in the air
>The elaborate radio in the corner blasted out the cheesy organ soundtrack of a soap opera
>"Miriam's dead!" *click*
>Turning off the radio, Diamond worked her way to where her mother slept, careful to avoid clinking the pile of empty gin bottles that littered the floor
>"Oh, mom. You promised not to drink alone anymore," Diamond sighed as she pulled the hoof-stitched blanket draped on the chaise over the snoring pony
>This isn't the first time Trophy had broken her promises to Diamond
>"Well, I'm back home. My trip was awful and a monster saw me poop. How was your weekend?" Diamond Tiara asked softly and ran a hoof through her mother's messy mane
>The powder blue pony belched loudly and smacked her lips before rolling over in her sleep
>Turning off the light, Diamond continued towards her bedroom
>Stopping a passing maid, she asked for her evening meal of peach yogurt and a vanilla milkshake to be delivered to her room and for several bottles of juice and water to be laid out for her mother before morning
>She wasn't as demeaning to the timid maid pony as she usually liked to be
>She just didn't have the energy
>She moped through her bedroom door and didn't even turn on the lights as she went straight for her bathroom
>Turning the swan-shaped bronze handles of her marble hot tub, she quickly polished her tiara and placed it along with the others in a bone-shatteringly expensive glass case studded with jewels set in platinum mountings
>After combing out her hair, displeased at the amount of twigs and dirt that brushed free, she grabbed a towel and silk robe in her mouth and sat them on a rack
>This is the sort of thing the staff should be handling, must have new hires on board
>"The incompetence of the lesser classes plagues me at every turn," the pink filly laments as she waits for the steaming water to fill the tub
>Turning off the faucet, she dials up the jets of her tub and the water roils fervently
>Stepping into the luxurious whirlpool, she winces when the hot water laps at her delicate nether regions
>Her still-tender anus clenches rapidly as it makes contact with the first pleasant sensation it's felt all weekend
>Slowly inching her way underwater, Diamond Tiara can already feel the soreness in her loins
>Her entire hindquarters are going to ache for days
>It was no wonder, almost three day's worth of meals had blown out of her turd cutter in less than four seconds
>And to make matters worse, the creature that had literally scared the shit out of her was welcomed right into camp
>It was sitting right there by the fire the next morning, eating breakfast and chatting with her teacher like they were old friends
>The fleshy giant even had the nerve to crack a joke at her expense after running from those dragons
>Did it have no class? What kind of common flake teases somepony after seeing them at their most vulnerable?
>At the thought of just what it had seen, Diamond blushed all the way to her ears
>It stood behind her as she lifted her tail and exposed her, well, herself
>She took some solace in being spared the indignity of it seeing her actually do the deed since she had turned to face it
>But it had heard her, ugh, break wind!
>Miss Cheerilee had decided to bring it right back to Ponyville with the students though! No big deal!
>Does she think she can just feed a wild animal vegetable soup and expect it to be satisfied after it had caught the scent of pony flesh?
>Especially pony flesh that smelled as yummy and delicate as Diamond Tiara's?
>The filly eyed her baskets filled with high-end lotions and top shelf exotic soaps
>If it told anypony about what it saw, gossip that sordid would spread like wildfire
>Her reputation would be ruined!
>No, that thing either had to be silenced, or the ponies of Ponyville need to drive it away
>Sinking up to her neck in the swirling water, Diamond Tiara took a deep, relaxing breath and let the lusciously fragrant bath oils soothe away her tension
>"Just wait until my Daddy gets home."
 
 
>Stooping down, you step into the modest cottage and are happy to find that you can stand up straight once beyond the threshold
>Kinda
>If you tilt your head a little
>"Oh, my. This house wasn't built with human stature in mind," Cheerilee says as she lights several candles
>As the flickering light illuminates the house, you get your first glimpse of how ponies live
>This main room is longer than it is wide and miniature pieces of furniture lie spaced around the room; a comfortable looking velvet sofa sits behind a coffee table that holds a stack of books only slightly taller than the ones on the end tables, a desk cluttered with piles of paper marked with strange glyphs you don't recognize sits besides the door beneath a hanging candelabra, and a bureau with pictures frames and a globe stands on the opposite wall
>"Not a problem. This is the first time I've been indoors in almost a week," you respond as you unlace your muddy boots and set them on the mat near the door along with your rifle
>You make your way to the far end of the room and sit on one of the diminutive stools at a table made from a massive slab of wood
>Pointing to the cast iron wood stove nearby, you pull out your match case and shake it, the few remaining matches rattling around inside
>"Shall I fire this up? Looks like it'll be a cold one tonight."
>Cheerilee nods as she squats down and bounces a little, her saddlebags working loose before falling to the floor
>You reach for the wicker basket by the pot belly stove
>There are no actual logs in the basket, only about three handfuls of thin branches
>"Is there a woodshed out back? I'll bring you in some more wood. You're running low," you lift the basket to show your host
>"Woodshed? No, I'll just buy some more tomorrow," Cheerilee says as she lights an oil lamp with the candle clenched in her teeth
>"Buy some wood? You don't need to do that. I'll go out back and grab some branches off the ground before it gets too dark," you stand and zip up your vest
>Cheerilee lights another oil lamp on the bureau, "You won't find any. We clear any dead branches off the trees in town before major storms so they don't cause any damage. I don't have that many trees so my supply of firewood isn't very large. Ponies who live near lots of trees will usually sell you some of theirs if you ask nicely, though."
>"You're telling me you remove every dead branch in town?"
>"Yes," Cheerilee placed the candle back in it's candelabra by the door
>"So if I go outside right now I won't find any branches on the ground? None?"
>"Nuh-uh," she blows out the candles
>"Okay," you begin placing the branches in the stove and grab a piece of newspaper from a stack on the brick platform beneath the stove
>As you roll it up and light it with your match, you see the same strange symbols on it
>"I'm going to put away my camping equipment and write a letter to the princess regarding your arrival while the details are still fresh in my mind," Cheerilee said as she started down the short hallway from the main room, "Then I'm going to take a shower. I might be a while so make yourself comfortable."
>She points across from her to a larger darkened room branching off the other side of the main room, "The kitchen is through there if you're hungry. Help yourself, but I'm afraid it's all pony food. The light switch is on the right."
>As she disappeared down the hall, you go to examine this kitchen
>Sure enough, you slap your hand down the wall on the right of the doorway and soft overhead lights blink to life
>She must just like the ambiance of candles and oil lamps
>Compared to the rest of the cottage, this kitchen is quite modern in appearance
>Shiny metal appliances and fixtures stand out against the dark glass, rich stained wood, and marbled countertops with an island cook range in the middle of the room
>Opening the refrigerator, you're glad to see it contains more than just a bale of hay
>Pulling out some of the produce inside, you begin snooping through the cabinets and gathering ingredients, being careful to avoid anything that looks too expensive
>Judging by smell, you select several jars off the spice rack and scrub your hands at the sink
>Feeling in your element for the first time since your set foot in the forest, you begin to cook dinner
>You fix a small plate for yourself and begin eating
>You always lose track of time when you cook so you're not surprised when you turn to see Cheerilee watching you from the doorway with a towel wrapped around her mane
>"Oh, hey Miss Cheerilee. I didn't know how long you'd be, so I made you dinner. Don't worry, I washed my hands first."
>"What a pleasant surprise! Thank you, it smells wonderful," Cheerilee says as she sniffs the air
>"It's nothing fancy, just some mushroom burgers with sweet potato fries and a vinaigrette for the salad. Dig in, I've already eaten. Oh, mind if I grab a quick shower?"
>"I figured you would want to, go right ahead. And you can just call me Cheerilee, if you'd like," she said as she fixed her plate
>Smiling at her around your last bite of salad, you dunk your dishes in the sink and walk down the hall
>"Oh, um-"
>"Second door on your left."
>"Got it!"
>The bathroom isn't as tiny as you expected
>A closet-sized enclosed shower takes up the far wall and a round basin sink sits on the wooden surface of the vanity below an oval mirror beside you
>The toilet reminds you of those Japanese bathrooms you've seen in some horrible, shameful, take-it-to-your-grave-secret porn clips
>It's a white porcelain rectangle sat low on the floor, a pull chain hanging from the tank above it
>The stone walls must provide great insulation because the granite tiles are only slightly chilly beneath your socked feet
>Emptying your pockets by the sink, you stare into the mirror
>You look a state
>Haggard face with dark rings under your eyes, blood stains in your greasy and matted hair
>You unwind the bandages from your head and crumple them tightly together before chucking them in the wastebasket
>Whatever Cheerilee had done to treat your laceration had worked miracles
>The wound was scabbed over and much smaller than it was before
>Stripping out of your clothes, you wet the cleanest portion of your undershirt you can find in the sink and begin to scrub your teeth as best as you can
>As you're gargling your mouth with water, you hear a knock on the door
>"I'm sure you'd like some clean clothes to wear," you hear Cheerilee call from the other side, "If you give them to me I'll run them through the laundry."
>"Cheerilee, you're an angel."
>Folding your garments inside your cargo vest, you crack open the door and slide them through
>The shower is narrow and you have to stand sideways, but you manage to scour away the filth of the past few days with a soap bar that smells vaguely of fresh cut grass
>The hot water feels amazing on your battered body, and you stay underneath the flow for a long time
>Drying off, you pull open the mirror and find a box of adhesive bandages in the medicine cabinet
>After fixing one over your cut, you peek out the door and find your clothes folded neatly in a pile at your feet
>Pulling on your boxers, you carry the rest under your arm out to the main room where Cheerilee grabs a blanket and pillow from behind a thin closet door
>"I feel like my old self again."
>Cheerilee turns and pauses as her eyes fall on your bare torso
>Yeah, das right, you lift
>"Yes, you're certainly looking more... presentable," the pony averts her eyes, looking a tad flustered
>"I'm just laying down some bedding for you to sleep on right... here? Oh, hmmm," Cheerilee looks from your tall form to the few bare areas of floorspace
>The cottage was a bit cluttered even for a pony, no way you could lay out on the floor without knocking over the furniture
>"No matter, follow me," Cheerilee leads you down the hall and opens another door
>A room with mahogany paneling and a thick wine colored carpet lay beyond
>A chest of drawers and a four-post bed with a night table are the only features
>"You can sleep in here," Cheerilee says as she gestures towards the bed, "I'll be on the couch for the night."
>"Out of the question," you say as you turn to the pony, "I'm not about to put my host out of her own bed. There's room for me on the floor."
>"Are you sure? You could use a good night's rest."
>"So could you. The floor is fine for me. That is, if you don't mind a big ape sleeping in the same room as you."
>Cheerilee chuckles a little while she lays the bedding and pillow on the floor, "I don't mind at all."
>As she hops into her bed, you stretch out on the floor at it's foot, your toes just inches from the door
>The blanket is a bit too short but it's warm and the pillow is soft as it cradles your head
>Cheerilee extinguishes the oil lamp on her night table
>"I got this one," you say as you reach for the softly glowing rabbit shaped light plugged into the wall socket by your head
>"No! Don't!" Cheerilee cries as she sits up in bed and holds a hoof out
>Snapping your hand back as if it had been burned, you raise your head and look at her with wide eyes
>"Heh, I'm...umm," she lifts her covers up to hide her snout as a blush creeps across her cheeks
>"I'm afraid of the dark," she admits bashfully from behind her comforter
>You stare at her silently, every fiber of your being desperately trying not to have a HNNNG attack
>"I know it's foalish, but-"
>"No, it's fine. I mean, everyone's got their hang-ups. I'm afraid of lots of things; Sasquatches, adult-onset dwarfism, Reptillian invaders from the Alpha Draconi star system infiltrating high branches of government to bring about a dystopian age of subjugation and slavery... actually, let's not talk about that right before going to sleep. Good night, Cheerilee."
>You lay down and the soft carpet beneath you combined with the warm blanket soon has you slipping under
>Just before sleep takes you, you hear Cheerilee's soft voice mutter from beneath her covers
>"Good night, Anonymous."