I awoke to the feeling of being in Twilight's embrace still, I looked at her in the moonlight and saw a mare who looked surprisingly happy and content, I still felt the gentle pressure of her strong, warm alicorn grasp on me. I was certain she would have been more worried, but she was instead smiling, like she had accomplished something, perhaps she had. As I laid my head back down on the pillow we shared by necessity I couldn't help but think about things a little. I closed my eyes and went back to sleep, I would need to rested for the inevitable barrage of questions she'd ask me in the morning as well as the meeting with Fluttershy that same day.

The sun had risen and seemed to park itself in a posistion in the sky ment to annoy me awake, My eyes opened and I instantly began grumbling, Twilight however was facing away from the sunlight so she was uneffected, but awoke when she heard my complaining. "Ahhh, freakin sun shining in my face from twelve feet away, how rude!"

Twilight giggled "Looks like somepony isn't a morning pony." Twilight squeezed me once more and nuzzled me. She started to get out of bed as Spike opened his eyes while yawning and stretching.

I sat up in the bed the sound of popping as my joints released the stiffness that had built up. I laughed as Twilight and Spike winced at the sound. "What's the matter you two not used to that sound?"

"Dude doesn't that hurt?" Spike queried.

"A little, sometimes, but not always." I replied.

Twilight looked at me and said "Bryan what caused that to happen?"

"Well the next time I'm in the bath and offer to help me by washing my hair for me, I'm gonna take you up in it Twily. My back got a little stiff from doing it my self, and sitting of that hard wooden balcony last night didn't help." I said getting out of bed and stretched.

Spike looked up at me wide eyed. "Just how tall are you Bryan?"

"Six feet tall." I responded.

Twilight whistled "So you're as tall as Princess Celestia, wow Bryan."

"Twilight I know you have many questions about me personally, but they can wait until after breakfast while we're on our way to meet Fluttershy." she looked slightly down "If you get started asking me now we'll never make it."

Twilight blushed "You're right Bryan, it's just that I want to know you better, so we can be closer friends, that's all."

I smilled "I know Twily, and we will be, but there's no need to do it all once."

Spike laughed "I've been telling her that for years now."

"Spiiiiiike!" Twilight shouted, we were bolth laughing to hard to notice her anoyance.

Breakfast passed quitely without any real hiccups, although Spike said he wanted to meet the Cutie Mark Crusaders after they were done at school so he could help them with ideas to earn their cutie marks, which lead me to ask. "Wait, you mean that ponies have to earn their cutie marks?"

"Oh yes." Twilight replied "You see when a pony discovers what they are best at, they get their cutie mark."

"Huh, that's interesting." I said 'Well thanks for making breakfast Spike, you really make some very good oatmeal."

"Thanks alot Bryan, I appeciate that." he said as he started his work for the day.

Twilight and I finished getting ready and were out the door, as we stepped into the Equestrian summer I noticed that it was comparatively mild to the desert summers that I was used to, but it was probably still about sixty-eight degrees or so, not bad for eleven in the morning. I noticed that a number of ponies were still looking at me, but it was not the bewildered stares it had been. I smilled when a few ponies actually smiled and waved at me, I of course returned the gesture and was amazed that were allready begining to accept me.

A familiar sensation overtook me me as instictively stepped in front of Twilight and caught a very pink blur once again. "Well hello there Pinkie Pie, if you don't mind my asking what are you doing here?"

She grabbed me in fierce hug and started talking to me "Oh Bry Bry it was terrible, I had a Pinkie Sense combo that told me that were you really really sad and rushed right over to help you." she said sniffling.

I hugged Pinkie and asked "Pinkie sense? And how did you know that was hurting Pinkie?"

"Well," she said still sniffling her eyes now wet with tears "I had a tail twich, ear flops, and my eyes fluttered, that's my Pinkie sense combo for when one of my friends is really really sad and needs a hug to cheer them up, so that's why I rushed right over to you, I don't want you to sad, I want you to happy." she was now in tears and her normally poofy mane and tail were flat and straight.

Needless to I did not like this at all. So I just held Pinkie for a good few moments letting her cry into my shoulder before finally speaking to her. "I'm really sorry that my fears gave you so much trouble Pinkie, and I'm feeling better now. I am very happy to have somepony who cares so much about me." hugging her tighter I shed a few tears of my own. "I'll be fine Pinkie, I just know it."

She sniffled a few more time her tears dried and she looked at me as her mane and tail returned to their poofy state. "Are you sure Bryan? I mean I don't want you to be all saddy waddy, cuz I love to see my friends smile." she gasped when she she saw my face. Squealing she chirped out "Oh Bry Bry you are smiling," gasping she continued "that means you're happy, oh I'm so glad, I thought you might be sad forever!"

"Of course, Pinkie with friends like you, how could be otherwise? But there are going to be rough patches and I'm going to need you and everyponies help to get through it, so can I count on you Pinkie?"

"Always Bryan we're friends and Pinkie Pie never leaves anypony she cares about with a frown. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." she said as she made what I presumed were that appropiate gestures while I was still holding her. "Well I gotta go now," she giggled "I've gotta get over to Sugercube Corner, so see you later Bry Bry." she kissed me lightly on the nose and took of in a flash of Pink.

I couldn't help but laugh at this. "She's just too sweet, I love it."

Twilight looked up at me "You and pinkie sure are close Bryan, it's like you always know just how to respond to her."

"Twilight, for an empath like me Pinkie is a great friend to have, when she is being cheerful, which is normal I assume?"

Twilight nodded.

"I thought as much, when she is being like that it is very helpful, for me to be around her. You see we empaths are effected by the emotions of those around us, so an intrinsically positive outlook like Pinkie's is very helpful to be around. By the way I forgot to ask what kind of pony is Pinkie anyway?"

"Well Pinkie is an earth pony, which is a pony that has neither a horn nor wings, they often times do intense physical labor, but they also hold many other posistions in pony society are often well respected by the other tribes."

"I see so the three tribes of your race are earth pony, pegasus, and unicorn ponies. Huh that's interesting."

"Ok Bryan now let's get to those questions."

I nodded.

"Ok, I've got to ask Bryan how did you that I was an alicorn and that Spike was a dragon?"

"Well," started "both dragons and alicorns are fixtures in human mythology, as are unicorns and pegasi."

"Really? How much do you know about them?"

"A lot and a little, dragons are very common in human myths, alicorns however are rather unusual and I only have very limited knowledge of them, I pretty easily recognize an alicorn, but that's about all. Dragons though are very well known, but Spike seems diferent than any mythical dragons so I really can't say, beyond the recognition."

"Ok." Twilight said "These are diferent circumstances after all. So what are your interests?"

I smilled "I could have teased you there, but I'm not not gonna. In all seriousness I like to read, I've done some creative writing, stories poetry, that kind of thing. I'm pretty well informed on the matter of mythology, though that seems to only help with recognizing the beings around me. I've played many RPGs and video games, and watched a number of movies, but I'm not big on them."

Twilight hummed thoughtfully "You don't sound very social Bryan."

"Honestly, I'm not. I don't like being in large crouds, or standing out, now I have no choice but to stand out though, I can't exactly blend in with the ponies around me, so it's a big adjustment to say the least, not that I mind." I trailed off a bit. "By the way I'm a little confused by something that has repeatedly passed between us."

"Oh, what's that?" Twilight said curiously

"I've been very forward with you, many many times, and that's unlike me. I'm not one to be so forward with anypony, it's just not me."

"I don't know what to say to you about that Bryan, I've been a little foward myself, it's just not normal for me either, I'm sorry if I did anything to offend you." Twilight replied.

"I'm not hurt by anything you've done Twilight, if anything I should appologise for my behavior it was not right for me to do those things without your permission." I hung my head a little.

Twilight, for her part took it well she looked at me and said "Bryan we're bolth making adjustments here, I'd be surprised if we didn't make mistakes every so often, so let's just put it behind us, ok?"

"Alright Twily, it's all we can do. I mean I guess we could make it more awkward, but I don't think we want that."

Twilight beamed at me "So I noticed that you were uncomfortable when the doctors took you in for the examination, do you not like doctors?"

I winced a little "It's not that I dislike doctors, I'm just uncomfortable around them. I don't typically take medicine when I'm sick, I'll only do that if absolutely have to, other than that I won't."

"Wow, Bryan you sound like you're a little stubborn."

I chuckled weakly "More than a little sometimes Twily, I freely admit to having that flaw."

"Speaking of adjustments." I said as I watched some ponies nuzzling each other. "I'm still trying to adjust to just how openly affectionate your species is."

Twilight looked at me confused and asked "Bryan I thought that you weren't having any problems there, I mean you've handled Pinkie and I being affectionate with you, so what's wrong."

"Oh nothing's wrong per se, it's just that pony culture is clearly more openly affectionate than human culture is, so I need to adjust. you see in human society and culture those who are friends generally aren't that affectionate with each other or in the ways I'm noticeing around here, but there are exceptions like with anything. You and Pinkie are different for example, with Pinkie I've had to make allowances for her nature and character, I'm not uncomfortable with the way she is I accept it. You are very impotant to me already not only because you saved my life, for which I'll always be grateful, but because you've seen my moments of weakness and hepled me through them, you've earned my trust." I said.

"What about Rarity and Sweetie Bell then?" Twilight asked

"Rarity is just like that, isn't she?" I replied

"As long as I've known her Bryan." Twilight said

"And as far as Sweetie Belle goes, she's like what eight years old? I kinda expect that from her especially considering she is sooooooo adoreable." I squeaked and then blushed.

Twilight giggled "So you have a weakness for cute things huh? Awww that's so sweet of you Bryan"

"I also have a weakness for smart mares Twilight, so watch out! You know I can appreciate the need to ask questions to get answers, but you're not going to learn all about me simply by asking me about myself, you need to experience things first hoof too."

Twilight looked at me sheepishly "You're right Bryan, it's just that you're so interesting that I got a little carried away, that's all."

"Now Twilight while we go on our way why don't you tell me some stuff about pony society so I don't make a supermassive faux pas." I asked curiously.

As we walked towards Fluttershy's cottage Twilight proceded to tell me the things I needed to know so I didn't make an ass out of myself. Like how you had to watch where you patted a pony on the back, otherwise it's like saying that you want to mount them, that would be unbelievablely embarasing to do in public, or front of the mare's family.

As we walked through Ponyville I took notice of all of the details, the sky was a bright blue, and very clear, the air was fresh and clean making me wobble a little causeing Twilight to laugh at me a bit. I took note of the simplicity of Ponyville's buildings as well, they were really strudy and functional, we walked/trotted along the road which didn't bother my feet like the hard asfault and concrete we had back on Earth. Twilight continued to tell me things that I needed to know about pony society and culture.

Such as how you needed to avoid touching a pegasus or alicorns' wings, unless given permission. Turns out, they're really sensitive.

We contiued to move towards our destination untill we left Ponyvile proper and moved towards a forest at the edge of town. I asked Twilight about it, as I got a very bad feeling from it.

"Oh that's the Everfree Forest, it's where my frineds and faced the first Nightmare in the old ruins. It was corrupted along time ago, though nopony really knows how exactly."

"I don't want to go in that place, I can sense the corruption from here. It's greatest amount of negative energy I've ever sensed in my life." I shuddered involuntarily, as if cold.

"Bryan, are you ok? You don't look so good."

"I'm allright Twily, it's just that place is unsettleing to me is all. Hey is that the place?" I asked after having seen a very homey looking building.

"Yep." Twilight said. "That's the place, allright really nice isn't it?"

"Yeah." I said I looked over the place it was a very nice home indeed. It was a strudy looking two story structure set across a small bridge that crossed a small river. The cottage was surrounded by a lot of bird houses, some set into the house, others hanging from trees. The cottage it self was yellow in color with a roof that was done up in green grass, it exuded a calm feeling.

I froze when I heard, birdsong? Birdsong and.... something more, singing, somepony was singing! I stood listening intently to the soothing voice that was singing along with the birds. It sounded like it was comeing from the backyard, I followed the sound almost in a trance. When I saw the pony who was singing I was captivated, she was beautiful, her coat was butter yellow, with a long pastel pink mane and tail, I could see that her cutie mark was three butterflies.

She turned and saw me standing there enraptured be her singing. she spoke to me in a soft soothing voice. "Oh! Well hello there, who are you? I've never seen anypony like you before." She said as she fluttered towards me.

I flushed slightly and looked at her "I'm Bryan, and I'm not surprised you haven't seen anypony like me before, cause I'm human. And from what Twilight has told humans aren't native to Equestria."

She giggled into her hoof. "Well Bryan it's nice to meet you, I'm Fluttershy. So Twilight how did you meet our new friend here?"

Twilight spoke up. "Do you remeber that really strange fog we had last week?" Fluttershy nodded "Well I'm not sure how it happened but Bryan here showed up during that event."

She looked upon me with her large Teal eyes. "Oh! You poor thing, I hope it wasn't to scary for you."

I laughed unesasily "It was a little scary." I rubbed my chest reflexively remebering the pain of my now healed wound.

Twilight spoke up "Actually Bryan was chased by a timberwolf, that injured him. I saved him though." Twilight said triumphantly.

"Oh my, you must have been so scared." Fluttershy hugged me unexpectantly. "I hope that hasn't made it to unpleasent for you. I want to think that like it here."

I smilled (again) and returned the gesture and said. "It's ok Fluttershy, I know that there's no such thing as total safety, still thank you for being so kind."

She broke the hug "Oh I know Bryan, but still I want you to be happy here, Equstria is wonderful place full of wonderful ponies."

"That's great Fluttershy, I'm going to live here for the rest of my days so I really appreciate ponies like you who want to help."

"Oh that's so wonderful Bryan, we can be friends then. Bryan do you like animals?"

"Yes Fluttershy I do. Although I must say I expected you to be different."

"How so?" she asked.

"Well Twilight here warned me that you're very shy, but I haven't seen that from you this whole time."

Fluttershy giggled cutely "Normally I am, but you're different. I feel like there's something about you that's like me."

I looked at her in shock. She was right I felt a pulsation between us, and realised what she was. "You're an empath, aren't you Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy looked at Twilight and I confused. "Twilight what is an empath?"

Twilight mulled it over for a moment. "Well it's a pony who can sense other ponies emotions, they are often very kind as a result. As it happens Bryan here is an empath too, it seems to go beyond merely being able to put yourself in somepony elses' place though. It's like you actually feel the emotions of others Fluttershy."

I laughed "Twilight we empaths do exactly that. Right now I sense that you're confused, excited, and intensely curious. It almost feels like you've had a similar experience somehow."

Twilight nervously scrapped her hoof along the ground. Fluttershy giggled into her hoof.

"Well you see Bryan, Twilight once tried to measure Pikies' Pinkie sense, we got into a lot of trouble that day." Fluttershy's tone was calm and even, Twilight however looked like she was trying meld into the ground.

I looked at her incredulously. "Wait, wait, wait, you actually tried to measure a form of precongnition? That's batty Twily. What kind of trouble by the way?" the moment I asked I knew that I would regret the answer.

Twilight responded in a small voice "The kind that involves a four headed hydra."

My mouth opened and closed several times but the only word to come out was "WHAT!"

"Oh my yes, it was quite the situation, but everypony came through it ok."

I couldn't respond because my vision went black as I feinted. I never even felt myself hit the ground.

"Oh my gosh, Twilight I need you to help me get him inside so we can see if he's hurt." Fluttershy exclaimed.

"I've got him." Twilight said as she started to levitate him towards Fluttershy's cottage.

Author's Note

For those of you wondering what happened just then, the other shoe has just dropped. Bryan's trauma has finaly set in, and he will soon realize just how vulnerable he is. In the next chapter he will begin to deal with these issues and some more are on the way. So yeah I'm a bastard, but he's going through the wringer, Pinkie's welcome party will help though.