Love in the Time of Postage

Small list, my ass.

I finish the last thing that was on the list. After about 4 hours, I finished my work. I try to walk, but feel like I'd collapse as soon as I started moving. Twilight walks into the room. She seems refreshed and happy, as if she had slept for 4 days. Spike is carrying a bowl and a pillow, both for me. Twilight says, "Thank you so much for doing what was on that list." I nod. That's all I can do without fainting on the spot. "I need to run some errands, but in the meantime you can sleep. Spike made you some ramen, and we have a bed set up for you. I can take you to bed if you wish." I try to shake my head no, but instead collapse and black out. I wake up later in bed. The bowl of ramen is under a heat lamp, and looks absolutely delicious. I practically gulp down the entire bowl within a minute, before noticing a yellow-orange pony next to the door. I immediately start blushing and set down the bowl.
"Well, hell. I didn't expect you to be that hungry. I thought you would at least notice me before eating that noodle-soup." she says in a slightly country accent. I hang my head down in slight disgrace, since I'm afraid to speak. She seems to be upset about it. She walks up to me and takes off her hat. "Darn it, sugarcube, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you upset. Come on, look at me."
I do so, and finally speak. "No, I'm sorry. My parents raised me better than to eat like a pig. Who are you, anyway? You're the second pony today who's had an Appleoosan accent." She giggles.
"I guess you met Big Mac, then?" I nod. "He's my brother. Said he brought a newcomer in. I didn't believe him, of course, until Twilight talked to me about you. Name's Applejack, by the way." I nod, saying it's a pleasure. "Said she was telling everypony. Well, 'cept Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. We didn't talk to them after... well, you might not want to know." She shudders at something, and then starts hugging herself.
I ask, "Are you cold? There would be plenty of room in this bed if-" she puts her hoof to my mouth.
"If you want me to screw you, no deal."
My eyes open wide at this. I start saying, "No, no, no! I didn't mean like that! I don't know you well enough for that, and besides... I already have a kinda-sorta-maybe marefriend. Not that you aren't beautiful," I say, as I put my hoof on her face, "But I'm not that kind of pony."
She nods in understanding. "Well, I guess I could sit with you. Got some questions for you, anyway."

I spend the next half hour answering questions. Simple things like "What's your hometown?" A town outside of Las Pegasus. "What does your cutie mark mean?" The water? I like to swim and surf. "Why would you allow a complete stranger into your bed?" I was raised to be hospitable. I never let a cold pony shiver. When she finishes, I feel like my strength has returned. She gets out of the bed, and motions for me to follow. She is going to show me around Ponyville.
We walk out of the library to the first place, the Carousel Boutique. Applejack says, "This is Rarity's dress shop and home. She's nice, but a little vain. Spike's got a pretty big crush on her, but she doesn't know yet... I think."
"Well, let's go inside!" I say, walking to the door. I go to knock on it, but a white unicorn with a purple mane opens it right as I am about to hit it, and I accidently hit her in the nose.
"OW! Watch it, you foal!" She says, before looking at me. "Oh, the newcomer! So sorry, love, I thought you meant to hit me."
"Now why in Equestria would I do that?" I say, reaching out to shake her hoof. She takes my hoof and pulls me into the dress shop. Applejack follows, giggling at the sight before her. Rarity was currently spinning me around as if we were dancing, and I was getting extremely dizzy. She stops, but I don't and careen into a pile of cotton. The fluffy material goes all around the room and on me, making it look like it was snowing. Both Rarity and Applejack were laughing, so much so that several ponies walking by look in at the chaos.
I regain my composure and say, "What the hay was that for?"
"Payback, love! You hit me, I make you spin into a pile of cotton." Rarity says.
I realize she didn't know my name. I get up and go to shake her hoof, albeit somewhat warily. She shakes my hoof, and sits down on a box. I start speaking. "Guess I should introduce myself. Name's Nicholt."
"Lovely name, darling!" she says, picking up a magazine. She hands it to me. "That magazine shows off my best work." I look inside and there are many beautiful dresses. I try to turn the page, but she stops me. "Are you sure you want to see my masterpieces?"
Applejack scoffs. "Come on, Nick, we ain't got all day." I nod, and go to follow her outside. I wave goodbye to Rarity, who blows me a kiss.
"What the hell was that all about?" I say, getting some cotton off my sleeve.
"I think Miss Rarity in there has a crush on you, sugarcube." Applejack says. We walk to the next place, a bakery. Applejack turns to me. "Get ready."
"For what?" I say.
"Pinkie Pie. Brace yourself." She opens the door.

I am immediately tackled by a pink mare, the same one I saw yesterday. She stands on my shoulders, pinning me down, and starts talking. "Ohmygosh, a new pony! I can't believe no one told me, because I know just about everypony in Ponyville, and they would surely tell me about a newcomer, unless they were busy or sleeping or eating or talking to somepony else or-"
"WOAH! Cool your jets, girl!" I say. She stops speaking. "Thank you. Now can I get up?" She gets off of my shoulders. I get up. "Now then, my name is Nicholt. What is your name?"
She bows, saying "Pinkamena Diane Pie, at your service. Pinkie Pie, for short." She stops bowing. She starts speaking again. "Would you like to try some Rainbow Bits, or maybe a Rainbow Muffin?"
I look at her quizzically, and a voice from inside the bakery says, "PINKIE, STOP GIVING PONIES THOSE!"
"Sorry, Dash..."
I look at Applejack, who looks like she is going to vomit. A pegasus steps out of the bakery, looking somewhat exhausted. Her wings are extended, and a thin line of sweat is going down her entire side. It's the missile from the other day. I walk up to her, but she waves for me to step back a little. She cracks her back, and her wings go back to a folded state. She then walks up to me. "Pinkie shouldn't give ponies those things, considering what they're made of. Luna-damn it, I need a cold drink. My name's Rainbow Dash, and you must be Nick. I've gotta jet. Bye." She then flys off.
Applejack motions for me to follow her, and I do so.

"What was that?" I say, as we walk through the forest.
"Trust me," Applejack says, somewhat green around the gills. "You don't wanna know. I think I might throw up. Keep moving down this path, I'll catch up." She walks off of the trail and I walk down the path. I notice a house at the end of the path. I walk up to it. I hear a pony singing from inside the house, and walk to the door. A yellow pegasus with a pink mane is walking around her house, singing "Come and Go With Me" to herself. She sits down on a couch and starts playing Chess with a bunny.
"Checkmate, Angel." She says in a quiet reserved tone after 20 minutes of playing. The rabbit nods, and looks around. He looks at me, and starts chittering to himself. The mare notices and looks towards the door to me. She smiles. "Hello."
"Uh, hi. Can I come in?" I say.
"Yes." I walk into the house, and Applejack follows. She had finally caught up to me.
"I see you've met Fluttershy." She says, walknig over to the pony.
"No, he just walked in." Fluttershy says, getting up. "Would either of you like some lemonade?"
"Yes, please." I say, walking into the house.
I spent an hour there, playing chess with a bunny while Applejack introduced me to Fluttershy. After that, we decided to leave. I bid farewell to the two forest-dwellers, and walked with Applejack to the main square.
I immediately remember something. "Oh, crap, I've got to mail my parents a letter."
"Alright, Sugarcube, the post office is over there." She points to the post office, and I nod.
"Thanks, Applejack! I'll see you later!" I say, running to the post office. She waves to me, and walks to her farm.

I open the door to the post office. A brown stallion with long black hair and an hourglass cutie mark is standing at the counter. He notices me, and smiles. "Fantastic! A customer. I'm The Doctor." He says, walking up to me to shake my hoof. I do so, and he starts speaking again. "I'll go get the postmaster, back in a jiff." He enters a door.
"What the hell is a jiff?" My subconscious says. I shrug. Suddenly, the door opens, and a grey mare walks through. She looks at me, and I notice one of her eyes is looking up and the other is looking down. I giggle at this.
"Hi, I'm Ditzy Doo! But most ponies call me Derpy Hooves. What's your name?"
I realize I was staring at her, and immediately snap out of it. "Umm... N-Nicholt. You are ama-" I stop myself before I can screw myself over by saying something stupid.
She looks at me, slightly puzzle. "I am ama? No, I'm Ditzy Doo. Or Derpy Hooves..." She starts saying things, but I take no notice. I realize something.

I'm in love with her.

To be continued...