Cross my heart

by Sarcastic Brony

Rating: teen
Tags: Derpy Hooves, Slice of Life, Human, Sad, Main 6, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Other, Romance
Length: 9103

Derpy and Anon are close friends, but, she can't fight the feeling of wanting to be more than just friends.

Anon and I have been friends for awhile now. We get along together and Dinky loves him to death. I feel very fortunate to have a friend like him. Its just, I have always liked Anon a little more than I probably should. He needs a friend right now, seeing as he just went through a bad break up.

Who am I kidding anyways. Who would want me? I'm just... damaged goods.

Published 2014-04-07 13:50:03 UTC
Last updated 2015-07-02 21:23:25 UTC

Prologue

When I first saw Anon, I honestly couldn't believe what I was seeing. Standing in the middle of town, just looking around unsure of everything, was a tall creature the likes my eyes have never seen before. Living in Ponyville means that you tend to see a good amount of weird stuff every now and then. Since the elements of harmony decided to stay here, that quota of weird skyrocketed to a new all time high.

This creature though wasn't something we were use to. We have seen beasts from the Everfree, griffins from beyond the Equestrian borders and more than a few donkeys and cows. But there was something about this creature that screamed at us that he wasn't meant to be here. He stood on his hind legs like a minotaur, but his height was easily a head or more above the princess herself.

The thing though is that he looked so scared and confused at the time. He just looked around as if trying to comprehend where he stood. There was something sad about this as I looked to him. The fear that filled my body seemed to die out. This creature wasn't like a manticore looking to eat a pony. The way he just stood there frozen, looking around. He was scared out of his mind.

We all kept our distance though. We had no idea if this was all just a ruse of some kind. Something to lure us in so it could snatch us up. I know now how silly that thought is, but at the time it seemed so very real. One moment we were all just living our lives, and then suddenly this creature was standing in the masses. The ponies barricaded themselves into their homes as soon as they all caught sight of him.

I’m ashamed to admit that I too was with them as well. I was just peeking out from my window as I held Dinky close. We all just watched him as he stood there motionless. Though it didn't take long for us to see the elements of harmony slowly approach the creature cautiously. Twilight was the one that spoke out to him at the time. Asking him who he was and what was he doing here.

His answer still chills my heart to this very day. In a voice filled with sadness and fear he simply answer.

“I don't know.”

Twilight and the other elements took pity on the creature and showed him to what I assumed would be the library. From there I heard talk around town that the creature had no memory of his past and in turn had lost his name. He took to calling himself Anonymous for some reason. Day by day ponies from around town speculate what the creature was and what he was planning.

Small things started to pop out of the library every few days or so. Things like ‘human’ and ‘omnivore’ were some words that were said. Ponies started to get nervous when they found out that this creature ate meat, but Twilight assure everypony that the creature Anon finds the idea of eating sapient creature to be abhorrent. It helped, but ponies were still on edge.

After a few weeks later Twilight and her friends started to show him around town and meeting local ponies. Everypony kept their distance and even made sure their foals never got too close. Words like ‘monster’ and ‘beast’ were tossed around behind his back. I never spoke such words, but I always made sure to keep Dinky close in case something were to happen.

A month or so later, Anon started to integrate into our little town. Ponies slowly got use to his presence and didn't mind if their fillies and colts got near him. Though they may have accepted him, they only accepted from afar. If he tried to talk to ponies they would usually shy away from him. Some ponies would down right ignore him. Every time it happened I saw the sadness in his face, but then he would just hold a smile for everypony else.

As far as I knew he was working over at Sweet Apple Acres at the time. Though he was still living with Twilight at the library. The princess not too long after came over to meet with the human. From talk around town it was said that the human managed to impress the princess and even got a laugh from her. The princess declared that he was no danger to anypony, and assured them that he had a friend in her as long as he lived.

That came as a shock to the town. but even with her recommendation the ponies still kept their distance from Anon. They always kept him at hoofs length and never allowed him closer. Because of this he had very few friends. I’m pretty sure his only friends were the elements of harmony. It was sad, seeing as he was nice to everypony, even the ones who were mean to him.

I was delivering the mail and Anon happened to answer the door once. I of course yelped from surprise but he didn't show much reaction as he greeted me. I quickly hoofed over the mail and bolted away. I can still remember the small frown on his face when I looked back. The next day I came back and he answered the door again. I’m proud to say that I didn't bolt away this time. I hoofed over the mail and gave a small nod as I walked away.

When I looked back I could see a genuine smile come from him. So it became a daily thing. I would give him the mail and take my leave. As the days went on, I slowly found myself less tense around him. He couldn't be bad if he was so nice, right? It was when I hoofed over his mail one day I decided to try and say something.

“Um, nice weather.” I said nonchalantly.

That seemed to surprise him as he gave a nod. “It is isn't it.” He smiled at me as he said that.

We parted ways after that simple exchange, and it slowly grew from that day. Our little talks turned into conversations. He told me about some human things and I hung on every word. His world sounded like a sci fi novel. I told him about my life and he understood when I didn't go into detail about some rougher aspects. I’m probably being a foal for thinking I had anything to complain about.

Soon we got so close that I invited him over to meet my daughter Dinky. Those two got along better than I could’ve ever imagined. He was so sweet as he played with her. She loved riding on his shoulders. It was funny because he had to hunch down a lot when she was on his shoulder in the house. After that day we became friends. I was his first friends outside of the elements of harmony and he was my only friend period.

What happened a few more months passing caught everypony by surprise. Even myself. Twilight and Anon started dating. This shocked many and gained more than a few hateful glares and words about such union. Though they both ignored it. They both seemed to enjoy each others company. What I found odd was that nopony in town had ever seen them get intimate. Not a single kiss nor long lasting hug. It almost seemed one sided.

As it turns out. It was. From talk around town, the relationship was just a means for Twilight to keeping a closer eye on him. I guess the princess said that she wanted Twilight to keep an eye on Anon and to make sure nothing happened to him. She somehow blew it out of proportion and took it too far. Anon was furious when he found out. Why wouldn't he be?

It was on that day that he left the library and came to the only pony he knew he could trust. That pony was me. When I opened the door that night and saw what stood before me I couldn't help but feel my heart break. There standing with a single bag and tears flowing down his face was Anon. He was crying his eye out, telling me about what happened in a full stutter.

To this day I don't know what he said, but I took him in and gave him a place to stay. He has always been a great friend, so I didn't want to let him down. To be honest, I kinda felt happy to know that Anon was single again. I must be a terrible pony to think something like that. It’s just.. I have always kinda liked Anon. Ever since we started to get to know each other, I found myself enjoying his company. I liked the talks we had and how much he cared for Dinky.

Am I a foal to allow myself these feelings? I usually just keep to myself but Anon makes me want to be out in the open and to do things. M-Most ponies ignore me, and even say terrible things when they think I can’t hear them. Anon is my only friend, and yet, I can't help but feel something when he is close to me. I want him to be close as long as he can manage.

I guess I’m just a foal for thinking he would ever look at me like that. Why would he? My eyes are weird, I can't stand straight for very long without wobbling a bit. I constantly crash into things and fall down a lot. Why would anypony ever look my way? I guess I’ll be alone, but at least I have his friendship. As long as I have that, I think I’ll be happy.

Chapter One

As my eyes slowly open to the light of a new day, the sight of my headrest and blankets are the two things I’m greeted to this morning. A small, tired sigh leaves me. This was a sight I had grown used to since I was young. I rub my eyes a bit to rid myself of my sleepiness, as I had a rather unexpected night. Anon just showing up at my doorstep in tears was not something I was expecting.

From what I could manage to get from him, it seems that he broke up with Twilight no more than a few hours before he came to my home. It was difficult to even get that much out of him, seeing as he was a total wreck. He was practically begging for me to let him stay for a few days. Of course, I wasn't going to turn him down in his time of need. He had become a great friend, and I felt honored that he chose to come to me first when he needed somepony most.

I feel so sorry for him. I still remember hearing him crying himself to sleep last night. It broke my heart to hear him. I can't even tell you how many times I wanted to just go into the guestroom, hold him tight, and tell him that everything would be alright. I restrained myself though, as I wasn’t sure if it was something I wanted to do as a friend or because of that small voice in the back of my head.

I shake these thoughts away, as it is too early for them anyway. I have to get ready, and breakfast isn’t going to make itself. I slowly work my way out of bed, making sure my hind legs are planted firmly on the ground before dropping the rest of the way. So far this was a good day, seeing as I didn't fall down yet. I slowly walk over to my dresser and mirror. I take in my messy appearance before taking hold of my brush and cleaning up my mane a bit. With that morning ritual finished, I show myself out.

I take each step carefully as I head towards the stairs. Each step causes my body to shift awkwardly to one side. Because of this, I usually take the time to correct myself. I wobble a bit on my way to the stairs, but, for the most part, I have a good pace. As I make my way down stairs, taking each step slowly, I can't help but smile. It’s very rare that I get days like this, as I usually fall at least a few times.

I try to limit my flying to outdoors only, seeing as flying indoors is a bit more hazardous. While I still manage to snag a light post or two on my mail route, I tend to have more accidents indoors due to the small size. So I keep my hooves planted firmly on the ground while inside of any shop or home. I reach the bottom level in one piece. It definitely was a good day today.

I glance over to the clock on the wall near the kitchen and see that it was almost seven o’clock, plenty of time to work on breakfast. I walk into the kitchen and head over to the cabinets. I smile a bit as I pull out the batter needed for pancakes, gently setting it onto the counter. A large plastic mixing bowl and spoon soon join alongside it as I prepare everything that needs to be mixed.

I learned very early on that anything that can break, will break. So, I try to buy things that are sturdy. I throw everything together and start mixing it up. This was turning out to be a great day. I hadn't spilled the pancake mix nor had I suffered a single fall on my way to the kitchen. I haven't had a day like this in months. I can only hope that my little muffin and Anon are having the same day as I am.

With everything thoroughly mixed, I move a pan over to the stove and gently twist the knob some with my teeth before moving away. It is an older model, and the dial has a nasty tendency to stick at times. Once I get it into position, I use my hoof to twist it the rest of the way. The sound of a ‘click’ could be heard as the flame jumps out. I give a single nod at that as I dial in the correct heat. I was in such a good mood today that I couldn't help but hum to myself as I watch the flames dance.

I feel my ears swivel behind me as they catch the sound of somepony descending the stairs. I turn around and feel my day brighten even more.

“Morning, muffin.” I smile at my daughter.

“Morning, mom.” She says in a groggy tone, obviously tired.

I giggle some at her. “How’d you sleep?”

“Alright I guess. I’m pretty sure I heard some weird noises though.”

I feel my smile drop some. She must have heard Anon.

“Don't worry yourself, sweetheart. It was just Anon. He’s going to be staying with us for awhile.”

She perks up at that. “Really?!”

My smile returns at her enthusiasm. “He is.”

“Can he walk me to school today?” She asks excitedly.

I shake my head. “Maybe tomorrow Dinky. Anon had a bit of a rough night.”

“Why? Is something wrong?” She asks, concerned.

Oh, my sweet little caring filly. I think proudly.

“He will be fine Dinky. He just needs some rest.” I reassure her. I turn back and start to pour the mix into the hot pan. “How about you see if he is awake? I’m sure he must be hungry.”

Dinky smiles brightly, giving me a salute before she quickly takes off up the stairs. I’m proud that my little filly cares so much for others, not to mention she is very smart for a filly her age. I feel my smile drop again. I always wanted to send Dinky to that nice private school in Canterlot for unicorns. I-I just can't afford it right now. She is so smart and talented; I can't stand the thought of not giving her the best in life.

Right now I can barely even afford what we have. I’ve been working two shifts at the post office since she was born. I tried to look into getting a loan, but I didn't have any credit. I didn't even know what credit was till a few years ago. I want to give my baby the best, but I can't afford it right now. I can feel a few tears build up as I wipe them away. I’ll find a way. Dinky is still too young to go to that school anyways.

“I think he’s still sleeping.” I hear Dinky.

I jump slightly from surprise. I didn't even notice that she was there. I look back and see that she doesn't look too happy right now. I guess she really wanted to wake Anon. I glance over to the pan and then back to Dinky.

“You want to help mommy cook?”

That certainly gets her smiling again.

“Sure!” She says, ecstatic as she comes to my side.

“I know you like to use magic, but that doesn't mean you should be dependant on it. You never know what may happen in the future, and I wouldn't want to see you unable to do something because I didn't teach you something so simple.”

Dinky hung on every word I said. She was always a good foal. I never liked to talk bad about other fillies, but Dinky was leagues above the others. They tended to not listen to adults or were downright cruel. Dinky has always been a well-behaved filly.

“So what do I do?” She asks.

I lean my head to the pan.

“Well, you still aren't big enough to reach, so let me get you a chair.” I say as I grab a nearby chair and set it by the stove. “Hop on up.” She does so. “Now what I want you to do is clamp down on the rubber handle here.” I touch the long rubber hand on the pan. “Then do this.”

I grab the handle, and, with a quick upward flick of my neck, I see the pancake rise from the pan. While one eye is on the pancake, and the other on the pan, I make sure they are lined up as it comes back down and lands with a sizzle, signifying a job well done. I let go of the pan and look over to see Dinky clopping her hooves together.

“That was amazing!” She cheers.

I feel my smile grow wider as I nuzzle her gently.

“Your turn.” I say.

She gets a large smile as she slowly moves towards the pan. I make sure to keep a close eye as she clamps onto the pan tightly. I knew the pan may be a little heavy for her, but I watch as she flicks her neck up quickly and the pancake hits the ceiling. We both look to the now stuck pancake as it just stays there, almost like one of those funny pictures you see in the paper.

I look over to Dinky as her eyes start to water and her lip quiver. I quickly nuzzle her.

“It’s alright Dinky. You did great for a first time!” I try to bring up her spirits.

“Really?” She asks.

I nod. “Of course, you still need more practice. You know, I wasn't that great at it when I started either.” I reassure her.

“It ain't half bad.”

Dinky and I simultaneously give suppressed yelps in response to the new, more masculine voice, that came from behind us. As we both look up, we can see Anon standing there with a half-eaten pancake in hand. I look up and see that the pancake that was on the ceiling is gone. Did he reach up and pull it off? He quickly stuffed the rest of the pancake into his mouth and gave a nod.

“Is it good?” Dinky asks him.

He looks at her with a closed smile and gives her a thumbs up. A gesture that took us awhile to understand, but that simple show of approval made Dinky brighten up even more. So much so that she quickly looks to me with excitement.

“Can I make another?” she asks.

I rock my head back and forth in thought.

“I don't know...” I say as if thinking about it. I look and see her cute, pleading look. “Alright.” I relent.

She lets out a squeal of delight as I gently pour a smaller amount into the pan and let her practice. I look over to Anon and see that he is now seated at the table. His eyes were still red, but he has a genuine smile as he looks at Dinky. His eyes meet mine and I give him a thankful nod for his help; one he returns easily.

We both watch as Dinky kept practicing. Every so often, she would serve us either undercooked or burnt pancakes. Anon and I ate them without a single complaint, letting Dinky know that they were well loved. She was getting the hang of it the more she practiced, and I was sure that she would perfect it in no time at all. She has always been a fast learner.

I look over to the clock and see that it was about time for Dinky to head to school.

“Alright Dinky, time for school.” I announce.

She looks sad until her eyes look over at Anon.

“Hey Anon, do you want to walk me to school?” She importunes, with her puppy dog eyes thrown in.

He chuckles at her. “How can I say no to a face like that?”

Dinky quickly run up to her room to get packed; returning with her saddlebag ready for the day.

“Come on!” Dinky says as she speeds out the door.

Anon chuckles some more as he looks back to me.

“I’ll be back soon.”

I give a nod. “I’ll be here.”

He gives me a smile as he follows after Dinky. I make sure the kitchen is all cleaned up before I take a seat in the living room. I look over to the clock and see that I would need to show up at the post office in a few hours. That is good actually. I want to talk to Anon when he comes back. I want to know if he is alright after his falling-out with Twilight. I know that keeping his emotions all pent up won't be good for him, so maybe by just being there and listening I can get him to talk with me about it.

I just look to the door and silently wait for his return.

Chapter Two

I’ve been sitting here waiting for Anon, and he still hasn't shown yet. I know the walk to school couldn't have taken this long. I feel my ears swivel a bit towards the door as I hear a bit of a commotion going on outside. It was probably those flower sisters again. I swear, I can't believe those three complain so much. I was going to ignore it and clean the house a bit while Anon was away, but I recognize a voice in all that noise. It was deeper and masculine. Was that Anon? I walk over to the door, turning a bit so my wing could grasp the knob. With practiced ease I hear the click and pull the door open.

I poke my head out and look around a bit to see if I could find that voice. Down the street, I see something that definitely makes my blood boil. Anon was standing in the middle of the market and a few of the elements of harmony were surrounding him. They were a little too far from me to hear, but from Anon’s expression, he wasn't very happy about what they were talking about.

I know it wasn't any of my business, but I couldn't just leave him alone like that. I quickly close my door behind me as I make my way over to him. The thought of tripping or crashing didn't even come to mind as I try to get there. Anon needed me right now and that’s all that matters.

“-old you it isn't any of your business.” I hear him say with irritation.

“Just tell us what in the hay is wrong with Twilight!” Rainbow Dash screams.

As I make my approach, I decide to get Anon’s attention.

“Is everything alright here?” I ask.

Anon looks down to me with a forced smile.

“Yeah, Derpy. Just talking about something.” He lets out a fake chuckle as he rubs his neck.

“Did Dinky make it to school alright?” I try to pull him away from the others.

He nods. “Yeah, she made it there just fine.”

I nod as well, taking my place by his side. I can see the elements are giving me mean looks. They probably didn't want me around to hear whatever they were talking about. Though it didn't seem to stop Rainbow Dash from speaking out as she looks back to Anon.

“I swear, if you hurt Twilight, I’ll mess you up!”

I feel my feathers ruffle as I take a step in front of Anon, forcing Rainbow Dash to take a step back. It felt as if my body was acting on its own, my wings spread open to make myself look bigger, my fur was standing on end as my eyes narrow at her. I could feel the muscles in my entire body tense as I stare her down. In only a few moments, I felt my eyes size her up.

While I knew she had an impressive amount of wing strength, I held over her the body of a well worked pegasus. What I lacked in flying, I made up for in body strength that could rival an earth pony. Carrying those large mail bags was something that came as second nature to me nowadays, but those bags made up more than double my weight. The tell-tale signs of a mailmare are endurance and strength. I have them both in abundance.

Time seemed to slow as we had our standoff. I never felt something so natural come over me than what was happening now. She is threatening my friend, and I wasn't going to let her get near him! We both locked eyes with each other, silently challenging somepony to make a move. That was, until Applejack grabbed ahold of Rainbow’s tail and dragged her back to their group.

“Now hold on one doggone minute!” She shouts. “We known Anon for a long time and he ain't been nothin’ but sweet and mindful of us! Now, I don't know what happened ‘tween the two, but I do know that he wouldn't go around hurtin’ Twilight.” She then looks to Anon. “Don't reckon I know why, but I can just feel somethin’ ain't right here, and it’s got nothin’ to do with Anon.”

Rarity gives a nod. “Anon has been a gentleman since he arrived, and I think it would be criminal to think he did something unbecoming. While I hate to admit it, Twilight does tend to get herself into situations like this.”

As I see everypony starting to calm down, I take my place by Anon’s side again.

Fluttershy steps next to Rainbow Dash and lays a wing onto her back. “I agree with Applejack and Rarity. We both know that Anon wouldn't hurt anypony. He is always helping us as much as he can, and while you can't see it now, I can tell that he is in a lot of pain.”

I look up to Anon as he holds his cold expression, I could see the pain locked behind his grin facade.

I look back to see that Rainbow has an ashamed look as she bites her lower lip. “Yeah, I guess you girls are right.” She looks to Anon again. “Sorry big guy, just, you know how I am.”

Anon nods. “I do. That is why you have no reason to be sorry.” He shakes his head some. “Honestly, girls, I think you need to talk to Twilight about it. It’s something she needs to share with you on her own.”

Applejack nods. “I can respect that. Sorry to bother you, Anon. We were just hoping to figure out what's been going on.” Applejack then waves the others to follow. “Lets try again, girls.”

I could still feel my nerves on edge as they slowly walk away. It isn't until there’s a good amount of distance between us that I afford myself some time to relax. I let out a silent thanks to Celestia that this didn't get physical. I look up to Anon and find that he is just looking to where the girls walked off to.

“You alright?” I ask gently.

He nods slowly. “Yeah.” A long sigh leaves him as he rubs his neck. “Just a lot to think about.”

I look to him then back to my home. “Come. I want to talk to you about something.”

He looks down to me with a raised brow.

“Uh, sure.”

I walk off to my home as Anon follows. He was kind enough to open the door for me as I walk inside, following right behind me as he closes the door. We both make our way to the couch, me taking a bit more time than him. As soon as I get onto the couch, I can see Anon is there waiting for me. His expression hard to read.

“So what did you want to talk about?” He asks in a neutral tone.

I poke the tips of my hooves together as I try to think of the right words.

“I just wanted to know what happened between you and Twilight.” I say honestly. I look up to see he has a rather sour look on his face. “I-I don't mean to pry. You don't have to tell me.” I knew that was stupid to ask. “Forget I ever asked.” I look away from him with some tears building.

“Derpy.” I look up to see his sour look has faded some. “I guess I owe you that much. You took me into your home without a single thought. I thank you for that.” He shakes his head some. “It’s just... It’s hard...”

“You know you can tell me anything. Right, Anon?” I gently lay my hoof over his hand.

He flips his hand over to take my hoof into his palm, giving me a gentle squeeze.

“Yeah, I know. I guess you can say that I’m still in a bit of shock over it all.” I can feel his hand shaking some. “I just can't believe it. I feel like I’m in a nightmare.”

I scoot a bit closer to him. “What happened?”

His eye start to gloss a bit as he looks off at a wall. I can see he is chewing the inside of his cheek.

“I-I thought she loved me.” He says with a choked sob. “The one time since coming here, I actually thought I had something normal.” Small trails of tears start to fall.

I’m not sure what to do, so I resort to what feels natural. I move closer to him and take him into an embrace. He buries his face into my chest as he lets loose. I can't help but feel a bit of enmity for Twilight build within me. To think she would hurt Anon this bad. I still wasn't even sure what had happened, but the only thing I could do was be here for Anon.

“No, shh, it’s alright.” I gently coo. “Don't worry. It’s going to be alright.” Sweet nothings. That’s all I could give him right now. Not a word I said could get to him, and yet, just by being there, I knew I was helping him in some small way.

“I should’ve know that a normal life for me wasn't possible.” I hear him sob. “I-I wish I had just died when I got here.”

I feel my fur stand on end as those words leave his mouth. I don't even notice as I lean back and slap him across the face. We just look at each other in shock as he holds a hand to his cheek.

“Don't you ever say that!” I feel tears flowing from my own eyes now. “Don't ever think that...” I bring my hooves to cover my face. “Y-You’re my friend a-and Dinky loves you.” I choke out. “I don't even want to think what our lives would be like without you...”

“Derpy, I’m sorry...” I hear him utter as something comes to rest on my shoulder.

I remove my hooves and see Anon’s hand there. I follow it up the length of his arm and see a small smile on his face.

“That means a lot to me, Derpy.” He says.

I wipe my tears away as I try to regain my composure.

“I’m sorry for slapping you.” I say, with a few hiccups.

He chuckles a little. “I think I deserved it. I didn't mean to say that. Just, emotional is all.”

I rest my hooves onto his hands. “Just promise me that, no matter what, you will come to me if you need help.”

I look into his eyes and see a note of surprise held in them. It soon fades as a genuine smile stretches across his mouth.

“I promise.”

I feel my heartache lessen at that. Anon has always kept his promises. I look over to the clock and see that I need to head to work soon. I let out a long sigh.

“I need to get to work. Can you pick Dinky up from school?”

He gives a nod. “I’ll pick her up after work.”

I give a thankful nod. I haven't picked Dinky up from school in a very long time. Again, my two shifts keep me very busy.

“I need to get ready.” I say.

“Same.” Anon agrees

We both get up and head off to get ready for the day. I head to my room to take a shower, and Anon takes the bathroom on the hall. I quickly get the shower ready as I carefully climb in. Once I make sure that my hooves were holding steady do I take a breather. The warm water showers over my body, clearing all the dirt from yesterday. I didn't get the time to wash up after Anon showed up at my door.

A long, tired sigh leaves me. My mind keeps playing over what Anon said. I knew that he and Twilight were getting close, but I didn't know that it had gotten to this point. Anon is so sweet. I feel confused as to why Twilight would hurt him. I think back to the elements, at least they weren't being so one sided. I knew that Anon would still have friends, and that meant a lot to me.

Another sigh leaves me as I feel the warm water slowly become cooler as I stand beneath it. I was clean enough for the work day. I pick up one of my towels and dry myself the best I could. I didn't need to be completely dry, thanks to the fact that I would be flying to work. I give myself a once over in the mirror before I enter the hallway.

The house was quiet. I guess Anon had already left for work. As I reach the front door, I give one last look inside before I lockup. Today was going to be a long day.

Chapter Three

“We got a large shipment coming in today via pegasus. I want you back here before lunch so we can unpack it quickly. If you help me get it all organized, I’ll give you an extra hour lunch for helping. After that you can start getting those packages out.”

“Yes, Mr. Express.” I give my boss a single nod as I adjust my mailbag.

“Alright then. Do your rounds and get back here so we can prepare for those packages.”

I give one final nod as I take my leave. It wasn't very often for the post office to get a shipment by pegasus. Usually they send a regular earth pony for most shipments. Whatever they were bringing was probably a rush order. I usually find it rather fascinating what ponies will get delivered sometimes. Mostly it was Rarity that gotten a few odds and ends sent to her.. Random things like cloth or even perfume.

As I continue on my mailroute, I can't stop myself from wondering what could be arriving. I quickly deposit each ponies mail with a quickened pace. Mail work as a whole was rather easy since the recent invention of mailboxes. They were still new and most ponies didn't have them. Which usually leads to the old fashion system, knocking on the door and giving them their mail. If they don't answer, then I leave the mail in front of the door. Usually placing a rock on top of them so they don't fly away.

To be honest, I know many of the ponies were silently grateful for the boxes. It just meant another reason for them to not talk to me anymore. I know my daddy told me when I was a filly that I can't be friends with everypony, but I kinda hoped that with time that they would learn to accept me. I bite my cheek some to stop myself from feeling that pain. I just take in a long, deep breath in and slowly let it out.

It seems this world never changes for ponies like me. When I was young, I use to think that Equestria was a great place. A place where everypony was friendly. My time in Manehattan had set me straight though. I shiver some at that old thought. That was long ago, I don't need to think of the past anymore. I shake my head some to clear away those idle thoughts. I place another stack of mail into another mail box. Making double sure that not a single letter flew away.

This was already my fifth house for the day. I still had enough time to get a few more houses before I head back to the post office. My next stop was a house that I knew all too well, a mare that loved her gossip, only second to Rarity. I knew that she would want to talk a bit, as she usually does everytime I come and give her her mail.

I knock on her door and wait with a small stack in my teeth. The door comes flying open to reveal Berry Punch. Berry is what most ponies would call an alcoholic, but something she labels as a ‘social drinker’. She spends most of her time at the bar, and while I frown upon that for other reasons than her drinking. I keep my peace, at least she takes care of her daughter well.

Since she is so well known in the gossip area, she tends to catch wind of lots a different things before most ponies do.

“Ah, Derpy.” She says with a small smile. “Good to see you.”

I return a nod and look down to the stack in my mouth. She gets the point and gentle bites the other end and sets her mail onto a small counter by the door. I make sure not to move, as I know she has something she wants to say. She gives me a small grin as she looks around before pulling me close.

“You know that thing Twilight was going out with?” She asks.

I frown a bit at that. “Human, and his name is Anon.” I say with a little more bite than I intended.

She just chuckles at my hostility. “Well, I bet you’re going to love this. Now it is rather early on the details, but I heard from some mares that those two had a falling out.” I give a nod, already knowing that much. “From what has been whispered around town, Twilight is the one to blame for it.”

I raise a brow at that. “I already know that, Berry. Anon is living with me after all.”

Both her eyes widen from this small bit of juicy gossip. I scold myself on the inside for giving her even the slightest bit of information like that.

“Is he now?” She smiles at that. “So tell me. What’d Twilight do to him?”

I feel my frown deepen as I look to my hooves. “I don't know. He didn't really tell me anything, I just gave him a place to stay.”

She gives a small nod as the smile slowly fades. “Sorry to hear that. Thanks for listening, Derpy.”

I return the nod as she closes the door to her home. I give one long sigh, adjust my bag and get ready to finish off a few more houses just before I head back to the office.

I stood in the back of the post office at the loading area. This was where we send and receive packages. The few houses I stopped at had little to say to me about Anon. All they knew was that something happened and that Twilight was at fault. Something I already knew, but it showed just how fast news spreads in this town. I look up to the sky and see a pegasus crew of five flying towards us.

“They’re here, Mr. Express!” I call into the shop so my boss could know.

“Be right there!”

Soon the pegasi team lands before me. I recognize a few of them from the weather team over in Cloudsdale.

“Hey, Derpy.” Summer Breeze greets me.

I give a nod. “Hello.”

Before any pleasantries could be exchanged, my boss came out to sign some of the documents that they had brought with them. While he handles the paperwork, I’m already unloading everything they have brought. Most of the stuff is small boxes, while a few look twice as large as most ponies. With some help we easily manage to get everything inside.

“Derpy, can you catalogue this stuff while I finish up out here?” My boss asks.

I give a nod. “Sure.”

I head inside and start to catalogue everything by address. It seems that quite a few of these were heading to one place in particular. I could feel my blood chill a bit as I double check the address. These were heading to the library, while not an uncommon occurrence, I still felt a certain feeling well up inside of me at the thought of even seeing that mare. I shake myself clear of thoughts. I need to get this stuff over with.

“Thank you, Derpy.” My boss says with a tired smile. “You know, I couldn't do half of this stuff without you.”

“No worries, Mr. Express.”

He chuckles a little to himself. “Head on out to lunch, I’ll looked over the rest of these.”

I give him a nod as I take my leave. Mr. Express is a really great stallion. Hes been running this post office since the very beginning. He is one of the few ponies that treat me like a normal pony. Sadly, he is starting to get up there in the years and can't do much lifting anymore. We have only one other stallion that helps with package delivery, but most of the work is placed squarely on my shoulders. Maybe I can talk Mr. Express into hiring another pony to help around?

I was so lost in thought I didn't realise somepony was standing in front of me when I walked out the door. My face bumps into something as I fall onto my hindquarters. I feel myself go flush as I quickly stutter out a quick apology.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” I quickly look up and feel my breath hitch.

Standing there looking down to me with a smile is Anon. I watch as he crouches down some and offers me his hand. I feel my cheeks redden a little as I look to his hand. I place my hoof into it as he helps me back up. I quickly brush my fur down a bit to rid myself of some dirt.

“I’m sorry for bumping into you, Anon. I was just heading out to lunch and wasn't paying attention.”

I look up as he chuckles a bit to himself.

“You don't need to worry, Derpy.” His smile morphs to a grin. “I actually came by to see you. Want to head out for lunch together?”

I feel my cheeks redden as I nod hesitantly. “Sure, I guess we could.”

“Great! I’ve been trying to think of a way to thank you for bringing me into your home on such short notice. I think this is the least I can do.”

“You don't need to worry yourself over something like that, Anon. You’re a great friend and I know if Dinky found out you didn't have a place to stay, she would’ve asked me to bring you in anyways.” I say honestly.

His features soften a bit at the mention of my daughters name. “Yeah, that kid is something special.”

“I like to think I raised her alright on my own. Considering..” I feel my voice die down some at the end.

“Considering what?” He raises a brow at that.

I look to my hooves as I shift uneasily. “Well, It’s not very easy to take care of a foal on your own. Not to mention, well, most ponies think I’m not really stable enough to raise a foal.”

I look back up and see that Anon is now frowning.

“What ponies would think that? You’re not any different from them.” His voice was controlled, but I could hear some restraint.

I shift a bit more at his hardened gaze. “Ponies just think things. Mostly because of my eyes or the way I wobble a lot while walking.”

Anon just lets out a long sigh as he shakes his head. He looks down to me with a sad smile.

“I can understand that. Ponies still think I’m going to eat their foals at night as they sleep.” Anon gently places his hand onto my withers to comfort me. “For what it’s worth. I think you’ve done a fine job raising Dinky.”

I couldn't stop myself as I nuzzle his forearm a bit. I knew he had problems with ponies, even to this day. He never talks about it, so I never know how bad it gets for him. I’m just glad that we have some common ground, a place where we can console each other.

“Thank you.” I say as he removes his hand.

“So, how about lunch?” He asks again.

I nod with a large smile growing. “That sounds wonderful.”

Anon and I sat comfortably outside of a rather small eatery. It wasn't anything fancy, but it’s the talk of ponyville right now. The waiter leave us our menus as we take a few minutes to look through them.

“See anything you like?” Anon asks.

I feel my left eye wander the menu as the other simply looks to the sky.

“I think I’ll get the rose salad.” I say as I set my menu down.

Anon gives a nod as he waves the waiter over.

“What would you two be having this fine day?” The waiter asks in a prench accent.

“I’ll have the potato cuts.” Anon answers.

The waiter writes his order down and then looks to me.

“I’ll have the rose salad with vinaigrette.”

“Excellent choice.” The waiter says before he leave with our orders.

I look over to see Anon was looking off in the distance at something, the gentle smile he had before turns into a plot eating grin. I follow his line of sight and can't stop myself as my breath hitches at the site that’s before me. It’s Big Macintosh, and he is selling apples at his stall, per usual. It’s just, he is wearing socks! What would make him do something like that!?

“I never understood why ponies find socks erotic.” I jump slightly as Anon chuckles aloud. “I will admit, he looks adorable in those things!” He couldn't contain himself as he bursts into laughter.

His laughing draws the attention of everypony around as they follow his gaze and have little reactions of their own. Many of them show a bit of embarrassment, while other can't hide the blushes away. You could practically see the thoughts that flew through their minds.

“Why is he out in public like that?!” I ask in shock.

Anon pulls himself together as he rotates his shoulder some.

“Mac bet me that I couldn't pin him to the ground.” He chuckles a bit to himself. “About an hour later, well, I don't think I need to explain further.”

I feel my cheeks light up a bit as my mind starts to drift. The thought of a half naked Anon wrestling with a sweaty Macintosh was getting me a bit flustered. The two of them trying to overpower the other. Their muscles flexing as they continue to roll around in the dirt. But no matter how hard Big Mac may have tried, Anon still stood over him in victory.

I bring my hooves up to my face as I try to hide the redness. Quickly shaking away those thoughts, trying to center them on the topic at hoof. What most ponies forget at times is that I too am a mare. I like to look at stallions and imagine like any other mare. While I’m unsure if any mare thinks of Anon as just another stallion, I’m uncertain of.

The fact is that I shouldn't be thinking stuff like this while we were having a friendly meal. I remove my hooves and look back to Big Mac. I could see a line stretching around the block, most of the ponies in line being mares.

“Maybe he should make it a regular thing.” I turn back to face Anon at this suggestion. “Seems to be getting him some serious business.”

“Are you crazy!?” I shout. “One time is enough.”

He smiles at me and waves it off.

“Alright, alright. No need to get upset. It was a bet after all.”

Luckily the waiter was setting our food out as Anon and I ate silently. I couldn't help but glance over at Big Mac, then to Anon. My mind imagining things about their scuffle. I knew that Anon was strong, but to have become strong enough to pin Big Mac? Even that seemed too good to be true. As my eye looks over his body I can see some of the muscles hes refined over the years. The shirt he is wearing left little to the imagination.

As I continue to look I can't help but feel my mind play out some fantasies. Replacing Big Mac with myself. Anon wrapping his arms around me as he flips me over, laying on top of me to keep me pinned to the ground. Totally at his mercy as I look up to his sweaty body. He could do anything to me while I’m pinned under him, and I would be powerless to stop him. I could feel a heat rising as I quickly shake my thoughts away. Anon is just a friend! I shouldn't be thinking about him in such a way!

“You alright?”

I look up to see Anon giving me a look of concern.

“Fine, just a little tired is all. Mail work can be rather tasking.”

It wasn't a complete lie. What I said was true, in a way.

“I bet. So anything going on around work?” He asks.

I poke my salad some, I wasn't hungry anymore after those graphic thoughts. “Well, we had a large shipment come in. Once I get back I’m probably going to get them delivered.” He nods at that. “How about you? How are things going?”

He shrugs. “Work is hard. The fact I won the bet with Big Mac was a miracle.” He chuckles a bit.

“Hey, Anon!” We both look over to see Lyra approaching us. “What is this thing I keep hearing about Twilight?”

Anon’s smile disintegrates as he goes to a stoic expression.

“Things, Lyra. Things.”

Lyra slams her front hooves onto the table we’re seated at. Almost knocking our food off.

“You want me to rough her up a bit?” She asks.

Anon shakes his head. “No, Lyra.”

Lyra moves closer to Anon.

“You need anything, and I mean anything, you let me know.”

That feeling starts to bubble up as Lyras words enter my mind. My fur slowly starts to stand as my muscles start to flex. I don't know why, but my body is yelling at me to attack.

“Lyra, please.” Anon speaks with obvious restraint.

She lets out a sigh. “Alright, I’ll leave you alone. My offer still stands.”

As she walks away I feel my body start to relax.

“What was that all about?” I ask.

Anon shakes his head as his stoic expression turns to a frown.

“The inevitable.” He quickly gets up. “Sorry, Derpy. I need to head back to the farm.”

He throws a few bits onto the table and starts to walk off.

“Are you still going to pick up Dinky?” I ask.

He stops and turns to face me. His face looks calmer.

“Of course.”

As Anon walks off towards Sweet Apple acres, I feel myself watching him as he slowly disappears from sight. I look up to the sun and see that an hour has already passed. I let out a sigh as I get up from my seat slowly. I know that Mr. Express gave me an extra hour, but I think I’ll head back and help him out some more. I walk off towards the post office, but not before I give one more glance towards Sweet Apple acres. I hope things work out for everyone.

Chapter Four

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Chapter Five

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Chapter Six

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