Author's Note

So... Here it is, 4 months in the making and likely riddled with mistakes that a better mind would easily see. That said, I really hope you enjoy, and please, any and all comments are always a pleasure.

The dream

One moment Richard is sitting under a willow tree, closing his eyes next to Princess Cadance, the next he was opening his eyes in a familiar location.

"Huh, my living room, why am I here?" Richard muttered, clutching his head as the room swam around him. For a moment he groaned in pain while he waited for his vision to clear. Using the time to wonder what had happened. One moment he was sitting there, talking to Cadance, drinking the tea...

"Of course, the tea." said Richard. "Heh, I guess the dream worked."

Richard stood up and marveled at the room around him, it all look so realistic. He cautiously ran his hand across the living room table. It felt realistic too. "Wow, Cadance really did a good job with that potion."

Continuing to look around the room, Richards wonder quickly turned to confusion. He was alone. "Huh, wan't that potion meant to reveal my hearts desire in relation to Twilight? Is this it? Or is something else meant to happen?"

As Richard stood contemplating the situation, he began to hear the gentle ring of bells from somewhere outside.

"Huh, what's going on?"

Moving over to the window, he saw ponies milling around the street as a gentle flurry of snow filled the air. Everywhere he looked, the street was a rush of colour. There were trees on every corner, and little foals waved bells in their mouths as they danced in and out of their parents legs.

"Wow, it's hearthswarming." Richard gaped at the scene outside. "But why?"

As if in answer to his question, the doorbell rang.

"Huh, who could that be?"

Richard crossed the room and answered the door, instantly he was engulfed by a large pink puffball.

"Hey Richard, how are you? Can you believe it's hearthswarming? Isn't it amazing?"

"Hehe, yes, Pinkie. I'm sure it is. But why are you here?"

"Did you forget about the movie silly?"

"Movie?" Richard scratched his head. "What movie?"

"The super duper fantastical Christmas movie from your world, of course, duh." giggled Pinkie.

"But I don't have such a movie."

"But of course you do darling. Twilight managed to get it from that weird device you had when you came over here?"

"Rarity, is that you?" asked Richard peeking over Pinkie's mane.

"Of course, hope it's okay if I let myself in? The door is wide open."

"Well, look at miss big shot over here. Barely through the door and acting out like she owns the place." said Applejack as she stepped through the door.

"Applejack, you're here too?"

"Of course, I ain't going to miss a movie from your world. Not for all the zap apple jam in Equestria."

"But I didn't even have a Christmas movie on my phone."

"Really, Richard, then how did I get this?"

Richard looked beyond the three ponies in front of him and there, at the end of the garden path with a film reel floating in her telekinetic grip, was Twilight. For some reason, the image of her standing there in the snow, a red cloak wrapped around her shoulders made him freeze.

"Cat got your tongue?" whispered Rarity leaning in close so no one else would hear. "You know it's rude to stare at a lady."

"I'm not staring," Richard replied, his voice as quiet as he could make it.

"Please," Rarity rolled her eyes. "You're just lucky she's so naive she can't tell why you look at her. But you're not fooling anypony else."

Fortunately, Richard was saved from Rarity's accusations by a loud yell.

"Incoming!"

Richard and the others barely had time to duck before a rainbow coloured blur barreled into the hallway, skidding on the floor and tumbling head over heels into the living room with a crash. Everyone stood around in worried, nervous silence until Rainbow Dash called out.

"I'm okay."

"How crude," Rarity moved a strand of mane out of her eyes. "But you know, you won't always be saved from my teasing by dramatic entrances."

"So, how have you been Richard?" asked Twilight cheerily. Richard glad she'd not heard anything Rarity had said.

"Good thanks, though I'm still a little confused. I know for a fact I never had a Christmas movie on my phone."

"Well, just shows what you know." Twilight giggled and stuck her tongue out at him. "So we all ready?"

"Well..." Richard scratched the back of his hand nervously. "I might have forgotten we were meeting tonight and fallen asleep."

"Oh you..." Twilight shook her head. "Well, no point crying over spilled milk, what do we need to be ready?"

"Umm..." Richard glanced looked into the living room, where Rainbow and Rarity were already getting to work moving his furniture for the film. "I guess we just need the projector set up, and some snacks. Oh and Fluttershy to arrive, of course."

"Of course, well I'm sure, Rainbow, Rarity and I could handle the projector. Why don't you and Pinkie sort out the snacks?"

Richard glanced over at the pink mare, who was rummaging through his mail, humming a cheerful tune.

"What do you think, Pinkie? Up for helping me make some snacks for the movie?"

"Huh, me?" Pinkie perked up. "Of course, Richard. What kind of party pony doesn't like making snacks?"

"That's settled then, you two get the snacks and we'll get the room ready." Twilight beamed before turning to head into the living room. "Just don't take too long." With that Twilight walked away with a surprising wiggle in her hips Richard had never seen before.

"Oh Richard, you're so obvious." Pinkie giggled.

"I have no idea what you mean." Richard said hastily, turning a deep crimson.

"Of course not," Pinkie said in a sing song voice. "Anyway, lets get those snacks ready."

Richard was kneeling in front of a cupboard, carefully trying to extract a large bowl for popcorn without causing the entire stack to collapse when he felt a shadow fall across his back, a shiver going down his spine.

“So why don’t you admit it?” Pinkie asked, causing him to jump, and the stack of crockery to fall over.

“Pinkie...” Richard sighed. “Don’t jump on me like that.”

“Sorry...” Pinkie smiled sheepishly.

Richard shook his head, his anger disappearing as he looked at Pinkie's face.

"It's okay, no harm done." Richard picked up the desired bowl and put it on the counter top before returning to tidy up the mess. "Anyway, what do you mean? Why don't I admit what?"

"That you love Twilight, silly," answered Pinkie as she poured a bag of microwave popcorn into the bowl.

"I." Richard took a deep breath as an image of Twilight's smiling face filled his head. "I don't love her."

"Of course you don't." Hummed Pinkie unconvinced, as she picked the bowl up with her mane and balanced it on her head as she carried it over to the microwave. "So, do you reckon we'll have enough snacks?"

"I dunno, Pinkie." said Richard sarcastically, appreciating the change of subject. "Once that's finished in the microwave we'll have popcorn; chocolate cake; hay crisps, which I can't eat; seven bottles of cider; and carrot sticks to pretend we're eating healthy tonight."

Pinkie narrowed her eyes. "So you're saying not enough?"

"No, I'm saying we have more than enough. Any more and you'll bankrupt me."

"If that did happen, you could always move in with Twilight. I'm sure you would 'like' that."

"I don't love, Twilight."

"I didn't say you did," said Pinkie, doing her best innocent expression. "I mean who wouldn't like to live in a palace made of crystal."

Richard opened his mouth to retort but was interrupted by a knock at his door.

"You win this round, Pinkie." said Richard as he turned to answer the door. "But I'll win this war."

"Only if war is a synonym for Twi's heart." Pinkie muttered under her breath, as Richard walked into the hall.

Richard grumbled about Pinkie all the way to the front door, where he forced a smile as he opened it slowly.

"Hello, Fluttershy." he said, preempting the shivering yellow mare standing on his doorstep, her hat, scarf and boots doing little it seemed to keep her warm.

"Oh, hi Richard," she said with a timid smile. "How did you know it was me?"

"Because you were the only one not here," he answered. "Please, come in before you catch a cold."

"Thanks," she said gratefully as she slipped through the gap and he quickly closed the door behind her to stop the cold from creeping into the house. "Sorry I'm late, has the movie been going long?"

"Not started actually," Richard smiled, reaching his hand out to take her scarf and hat and hang them up. "Needed to get snacks ready, and you know how fussy Pinkie is about snack." Fluttershy giggled at his comment. "Besides, we wouldn't start without everyone here."

"That's nice, thank you for hosting by the way."

"No problem, everyone else is in the living room, everything should be set up by now so as soon as Pinkie and I bring the snacks through we should be ready to begin."

"Sounds good," Fluttershy quietly trotted off to the living room, leaving Richard to return to the kitchen.

Richard entered the kitchen to the sound of frantic popping.

"Pinkie, stop that, or we wont be able to hear when the popcorn's finished."

"Oh, Richard," Pinkie laughed. "I always know when the popcorn is finished."

"Don't tell me," Richard sighed. "You have a 'Pinkie Sense' that tells you when popcorn is finished? What is it, a crunchy feeling in your left ankle?"

"No silly," Pinkie jumped up and booped him in the nose. "That's for salty popcorn, we're doing sweet, duh. No for sweet popcorn its three twitches of my left ear followed by a shiver down my spine."

Richard looked at her deadpanned.

"Are you being serious?"

"Of course not, you silly filly." Pinkie kicked the microwave with a hind leg, causing it to open just as it went 'ding'. "I'm just good at making snacks. It's kind of my job."

"Of course it is," Richard groaned inwardly. "Need a hand with that?" he asked as she placed the bowl of popcorn on a tray with the rest of the goodies and, in a miraculous physics defying feat, balanced the tray on her back.

"No need, I've got everything in hoof."

"Okay, well I guess you should lead the wa..." Richard had barely finished speaking before she had sped past in a pink blur.

By the time Richard made it to the living room, everypony else was seated and the tray of snacks was reduced to a single bottle of cider.

'Typical,' thought Richard. 'Spend fifteen minutes making snacks, get to eat none of them.'

"There you are Richard," said Rarity, who was sitting on a chair next to the projector. "Take a seat and we can start the film."

Richard made his way over to the tray, picked up his bottle of cider, and quickly sat on the only empty seat. The vacant couch at the back of the room. His view was somewhat obstructed, but at least he would have plenty of room to stretch out. Though he was curious to see what film Twilight had gotten from his phone.

Once he was seated, Rarity looked at him in a way he could only decipher as a non verbal 'Ready?' to which Richard nodded. Rarity smiled in response and with a 'click' the projector began as if by magic. Which, given it belonged to Twilight, it probably did.

Ten minutes later, Richard was sitting back and enjoying the ponies confusion to Bruce Willis swaggering into Nakatomi Plaza.

"I thought this was meant to be a 'Christmas' film?" whispered Rainbow Dash to Applejack. "Where's the snow, the cheer?"

"Maybe they do things differently over where he's from." said Applejack.

"Would you two shut up, some of us are trying to watch the film," hissed Rarity, just as John McClain walked out of the elevator. "Ahh, classical music, this is my type of film."

Richard was so distracted by the riveting colour commentary going on that he barely registered the shift of the sofa as a second weight sat down, it wasn't until a bowl of half eaten popcorn levitating in a purple field of magic appeared in his peripheral vision that he turned and noticed Twilight sitting next to him.

"Wha..." Richard opened his mouth to ask what she was doing there, but was silenced as she place the tip of one of her wings against his lips.

"Popcorn?" she whispered, shaking the bowl. Richard took it gratefully and instantly consumed a handful of the deliciously sweet snack.

Smiling, Twilight shifted her weight and slid slightly towards Richard, close enough to whisper directly into his ear, her hot breath making him blush and a shiver run down his spine.

"Enjoying the show?" she whispered.

"The movie or the argument?" he asked just as Rarity flew out of her chair, knocking both Rainbow and herself to the floor, Pinkie and Applejack chanting 'Fight, fight, fight,' and the movie all but forgotten.

Twilight laughed, and slid across the sofa again, now barely a sliver between her body and his; causing his face to go almost beet red.

"Both are equally exciting," she muttered as she rested her head on his shoulders, causing him to stiffen. Noticing his reaction to her she whispered, "Is this alright?"

"Y-yes," he stuttered.

"What about this?" she asked as she stretched out her right wing, wrapping it around his shoulders.

"That's f-fine too," he had to resist the urge to sigh, the soft sensation of her feathers against the side of his neck was particularly comforting.

"And what about this?" Twilight placed one of her forehooves on his shoulder and another on his chest to support her weight as she pulled herself up and slowly nuzzled the nape of his neck, a low growl building in the bottom of her throat.

"T-Twilight?" Richard asked, his voice broken as sweat began to form on his brow and his face turned so red he was almost certain it could light the room. "W-what are you d-doing?"

"Hmm?" Twilight hummed, the pleasant sensation forcing Richard to close his eyes and swallow nervously. "I'm just being friendly."

"I-I've never seen you nuzzle your other friends like this."

"Well, none of them worship my flank do they?" she asked suggestively, her eyes half lidded.

"I don't..." Richard heard his voice squeak and coughed to try and sort it out. "I mean, I don't worship your flank."

"Really?" She asked mockingly."Then maybe you should tell that to your hand."

Richard looked down and noticed one of his hands, enveloped in a purple aura being moved and left to rest on her flank just above her cutie mark. The soft fur and warm pliable flesh felt like heaven under his touch and he couldn't resist squeezing just a little.

"Mmm," Twilight moaned under his touch. "I've known how you've felt about me for a while, but I've never had the chance to show you how I felt."

"H-how you've felt?" Richard asked, a mixture of curiosity and nervousness.

"Mhmm," Twilight answered, slowly nuzzling up from his neck to his ear. "How about I show you? Would you like that?"

Richard found himself unable to speak, his mouth suddenly dry and his tongue tied into knots. It was all he could do to nod.

"Good," whispered Twilight. "But not here, somewhere more private and I know just the place."

Richard barely registered what she had said when there was a flash of light and the sensation of being squeezed through a rubber tube. When the light receded, Richard found himself sitting on the edge of his bed, Twilight still pressed against his side, her hot breath still driving him crazy.

Finally realizing he was free to move without disturbing anyone, he attempted to extract himself from Twilight's clutches but found his will rapidly fade as Twilight gently bit down on his ear lobe and begin to tug lightly. A small moan passed his lips involuntarily causing Twilight to smile.

"Enjoying yourself?" she asked lustily.

"Yes..." Richard groaned before he could help himself. "But wont the others notice we've gone?"

"Them?" Twilight scoffed. "Didn't you see them? They're probably all over each other by now, I always thought there was some sexual tension between Rarity and Rainbow, didn't you?"

"Yes..." Richard replied warily. "But..."

"But of course," Twilight interrupted, as she released Richard and leapt to the floor in front of him. "Why should they have all the fun?"

Richard didn't have chance to react as Twilight pushed him with her forehooves, sending him sprawling onto the bed, before pouncing on top of him with a hungry look in her eye.

"Twilight," Richard gulped, "we can't do this."

"Why not?" she asked huskily. "After all, this is only a dream."

"How..."

"How do I know?" asked Twilight as she leaned down give his left ear a slow, teasing lick. "I'm a manifestation of subconscious, you silly person."

"Oh..." Richard fell silent at this realization. Seeing him finally stop struggling, Twilight moved over to the other to gently nibble on it.

"Wait, please..." Richard pleaded as she tugged his other ear, the sensation travelling south down his body.

"Why?" whisper Twilight. "we just discussed..."

"It doesn't matter if this is a dream."

"Oh, so this is about that other issue, the one where you and Twilight are a different species." Twilight said, sitting up to look him in face.

"Well, that is one of the reasons, yes."

"It doesn't bother your friend down here," said Twilight as she stared greedily at the bulge in his jeans. "In fact, I think he wants out to play." Twilight softly placed a hoof on the tip of the bulge and began to rotate it in a slow circle, the sensation causing him to shake his head as he tried to resist.

"Don't you agree?" She whispered, leaning down, her lips a hairs width above his crotch.

"No!" Richard shouted, startling Twilight. "Alright, I admit it, I love you Twilight. Every time I see you smile, my heart skips a beat, but please stop."

"Why?" said Twilight, her magic enveloping his belt buckle. "You just said you loved you."

"Because I don't want my first time like this, I want it to be with the real Twilight. Her real eyes I stare into as I confess my feelings."

Twilight paused trying to undo his belt and smiled warmly, moving back up his body until her lips were mere millimeters away from his.

"Then what are you waiting for, you big idiot. Go and get me!" Twilight punctuated her remark by closing the gap and stealing his lips with hers.

'Huh,' Richard thought, as he closed his eyes. 'Her lips are a lot wetter than I imagined.'

Richard woke up spluttering, his face completely drenched with something he hoped was water. Slowly he opened his eyes and pushed himself into a seating position with one hand while at the same time reaching for something dry his face with with the other.

"Here," said Cadance, offering him a towel.

Wordlessly, Richard took it and dried himself off, all the while glaring at Cadance who had a bucket of water held aloft in her magical grip. Once dry, he stood up and did his best to brush off any dirt and grass from his clothes before turning to address the Princess.

"What on earth was that?" he asked accusingly.

"What, this?" Cadance said innocently, indicating to the bucket with a hoof. "I was just applying the antidote to the potion."

"And the antidote is a bucket of ice cold water?" Richard sighed. "How did you even know when to use it?"

"A quirk of the potion," said Cadance. "Those who drink it say everything aloud as well as in the dream."

"And you didn't think to tell me that before I drank the potion?" asked Richard, turning slightly red with shame at what the Princess must have heard.

"And risk you holding back?" Cadance smiled warmly. "Of course not. And don't worry everything I heard is entirely confidential and stays between us. Even the bit about you worshiping Twilight's flank."

"I said I didn't worship her flank. Didn't." he repeated heatedly.

"And I didn't believe it for one second. Especially not after you professed your love for her. So..." Cadance trailed off, rotating her hoof slowly in the air.

"So... what?" asked Richard curiously.

"So... how are you planning on winning the fair maiden's heart?" replied Cadance causing Richard's face to turn bright red.

Richard took a deep breath.

"I'm not."

"You're not?" Cadance was confused. "But the dream... The potion... Why go through all that to realize you love her and not pursue her."

"I do love her," Richard blushed and a bead of sweat ran its way down his brow, the admission released the knot of tension he'd been feeling since last night but at the same timed fanned the flame of his heat as it returned in full force after the dream. "And the dream helped a lot, especially with the whole different species thing, Cadance, thank you so much."

"Then why not go and say sweet nothings to her?" asked Cadance. "If it's because of Shining Armour, I can personally assure you he will be completely okay with it."

"Because my stay here is only temporary," sighed Richard. "Let's pretendfor a second somepony as intelligent and beautiful as Twilight would say yes, how can I claim to care about her if I would be willing to put her through the pain of me leaving?"

"Hmm, that is a tricky situation." hummed Cadance. "Though I'm certain if you were to ask her, she wouldn't mind. Besides, maybe you'd want to stay? I mean, would you really have to go?"

"Yes." Said Richard. "Don't get me wrong, I love Equetsria, in many ways it's better than Earth, but I can't just abandon my family."

"I understand, I imagine they probably miss you a lot, though I'm curious about something." Said Cadance. "THe letters Twilight sent me said you didn't like talking about your family."

"I don't really," Richard shook his head.

"Why not?" asked Cadance. "If you don't mind me asking?"

"Because I feel the pain of remembering them would distract me from enjoying my time here. Sure, I miss my family, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, I didn't want to waste my chance here."

"Seems rather wise," Cadance smiled, placing a comforting hoof on Richard's shoulder. "But perhaps when you get back to Ponyville you should tell Twilight that at least? Would help you two bond even if you don't want to ask her out."

"I think that could be a bit dangerous, getting too close to Twilight this week. Now that I know I love her, this potion is going to make being around her rather difficult."

"Ahh, but you can't avoid her, not unless you want to give her a panic attack." Cadance and Richard both smiled. "Speaking of avoiding Twilight, it is getting on in the day, and it probably wont be long until the last train back, perhaps it would be time to go."

"I suppose you're right," Richard approached Cadance and held out his hand for her to shake. "Thank you very much for everything, I don't know how I can repay you."

Cadance looked at his hand, eyebrow raised in amusement before knocking it aside and embracing him in a hug.

"Don't mention it," she crooned, "knowing my sister in law has captured someone's heart is worth every second. Gives me a gossip trump card next time I meet up with my aunts."

Cadance let go and Richard looked around in confusion.

"So... how do I get out of here?"

Cadance laughed.

"Come, I'll show you out."

Twilight had never been more glad she'd never been that interested in attracting colts than she felt right now. If the torture she was suffering at Rarity's hoof was anything to go by, most mares must have been masochists.

"Stop squirming, Twilight," Scolded Rarity as one of Twilight's cheek muscles gave an involuntary twitch. "Applying makeup as masterfully as I do isn't an easy feat."

"Sorry, Rarity," Twilight said sarcastically through gritted teeth. "But I've been doing my best to not move a facial muscle for the last half an hour. I'm dangerously close to getting cramp."

"Oh, stop being such an old nag," giggled Rarity. "Anypony would think you've never worn makeup before."

"Only once, and that was my brother's wedding." sighed Twilight as she remembered that blissful day. "And it didn't take thirty minutes to apply."

"I remember, Twilight, I was there. And that's why I went home with Fancy Pants and you went home alone." Rarity carefully re-positioned Twilight's head a fraction. "Now hold still or else."

"Or else what?" growled Twilight.

"Or else the makeup will smudge and we'll have to start again. Understood?"

Twilight grunted her agreement.

"Good. Now just a couple more strokes..." Rarity stuck out her tongue in concentration as she expertly blended the blush on Twilight's cheek. "And done."

With a flurry, Rarity span Twilight's chair around to face the mirror behind her, and what she saw took Twilight's breath away.

"Wow..." Twilight gasped, amazed. "Is that really me?"

Though she knew it was her own reflection, Twilight could barely believe the mare in the mirror was in fact her. The first thing she noticed was her eyes. Deep violet pools framed by purple eye shadow so dark it was almost back couldn't help but draw the attention. Next her gaze moved down to her cheeks, where the blush blended perfectly with her skin, but yet still managed to highlight a hint of youthful cheekiness. Finally there was the pink lipstick that matched the stripe in her mane and she had to admit, her lips had never looked so kissable.

"Of course it's you," beamed Rarity. "And you do look rather ravishing if I do say so myself."

"Thank you, Rarity," Twilight smiled, "Thank you so much. It almost makes all that pain worth it."

"Almost worth it?" Rarity asked in mock insult. "Well, I guess it's not the worst description of my work I've ever heard."

"Oh, Rarity, I'm sorry." Twilight looked down at the floor. "But you know what I meant."

"I do," said Rarity. "And it makes me so happy to see you so happy. But your transformation isn't complete yet. We still need to find the right outfit to go with your new look to make Richard's heart explode."

"You think we'll find one?" asked Twilight curiously.

"Of course I do. In fact, I think I have just the thing." Rarity walked over to the rack of cloths and pulled a pair of glasses out of the top pocket of a white blouse. Returning to Twilight, she carefully placed them on her friend's face before inspecting Twilight's reflection in the mirror.

"Hmm, I've always thought you could pull off the sexy librarian look." Hummed Rarity. "And it looks like I could be right. Let's try on the rest of the outfit shall we?"

"Sure," said Twilight, not really listening, too distracted by her reflection. She had never worn glasses before, her vision being perfect, but as she looked at how they framed her face, her heart began to beat faster. Looking at herself now she could just about believe everything Rarity had been saying about her.

Knock, Knock, Knock.

Twilight was brought out of her ruminations by a polite knocking at the door followed by the voice of her assistant.

"Twilight, I'm sorry to interrupt you." Spike apologised. "But a letter just arrived from Princess Celestia, and I thought you might want to see it as soon as possible."

"Of course Spike, just a second." Twilight replied, before quickly rising to her hooves and crossing the room. Reaching the door, she opened it a crack, just enough to let Spike's claw reach through and hand her the scroll.

"Thanks, Spike," she said.

"You're welcome," said Spike. "Have fun you two."

"We will Spike," replied Rarity. "So, what does the Princess have to say?"

"I dunno," said Twilight, breaking the seal on the scroll. "Lets have a look."

Twilight opened the scroll and began to read, the atmosphere instantly changing. Rarity could have sworn the room grew colder causing a shiver to run down Rarity's spine. Rarity watched as Twilight read the scroll, her eyes growing wider and looking more distressed with each word.

Finishing the letter and rolling the scroll up, Twilight stood perfectly still, her face as white as a sheet despite the makeup. Seeing her friend so shocked by a letter began to Rarity, who reached out with a hoof to comfort her.

"Twilight, what's wro..."

"Sorry, Rarity," Twilight interrupted, her voice broken and tears beginning to form at the edges of her eyes. "I've got to go."

Before Rarity could say another word, there was a flash of light, and Twilight was gone.