No Way Back

Chapters

Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

Prologue

-Prologue-

Having just completed her nightly task of raising the moon, Princess Luna stepped off her balcony, passed through double glass doors and entered her chamber.

As she prepared for sleep she felt an odd, unfamiliar disturbance and shuddered, feeling it inside of herself as well as around her.

Oddly, it also had the feel of something passing through her. She closed her eyes and focused on it, trying to determine what it was and where it might be coming from.

It didn’t seem like a local phenomenon, she thought, as she focused her will on it. No, it was more like a wave of something coming from somewhere else, like a ripple that had traveled some distance from a point where a pebble had been dropped into a quiet pond.

Although rare it wasn’t unheard of to feel an occasional disturbance in that power that surrounded, flowed around and through the world of Equestria, that power known as Equestrian Magic.

Luna concentrated harder, trying to pinpoint its source but it was too late. It was gone, passing as quickly as it had come.

Opening her eyes she continued toward her bed, pondering what had just occurred.

Normally, such ripples usually served as the herald and harbinger of the approach of some evil force or malevolent entity. Discord came to mind. She thought of when he’d attacked Equestria, had tried to take it for himself until her sister, Celestia, with the help and power of the Six Elements of Harmony, had managed to stop him by turning him to stone.

Pausing, she realized something; this disturbance hadn’t felt like dark magic. In fact, she realized, it hadn’t felt like magic at all. At least not any she’d ever known.

No, she thought, this felt like some odd force that intercepted and momentarily touched, flowed into and through Equestrian Magic then was gone.

Although also extremely rare this wasn’t unheard of, either. Very rarely but occasionally some odd force from beyond their world would touch the sphere of Equestrian Magic and, by that touch, would create such a disturbance as she had felt.

‘That must be it’, concluded Luna, dismissing it and putting it out of her mind as she climbed into her bed. Settling down she closed her eyes.

Still, there was something about this that quietly nagged at the back of her mind, something that disturbed her, making it impossible for her to fall asleep. As she lay there thinking she tried to figure out what that odd thing had been but she just couldn’t put her hoof on it.

----

Gerald shot bolt upright in his bed sweating profusely and breathing hard, his eyes bugging, his mouth hanging agape, a look of panic on his face.

'That damn dream, again!', he thought, shaking his head to clear his mind.

'Will I always have this dream?', he thought, as he ran his hand over his face, through his hair. 'Probably', he concluded, as he calmed himself, lay down and tried to go back to sleep. The vivid images of the dream persisted in his mind.

It was always the same: astonished, he'd suddenly find himself quickly walking through a quiet, sunlit place surrounded by Earth Ponies, Pegasii and Unicorns. They all seemed to be hurridly going somewhere with him. But where? Why?

As he watched, he and all of the ponies would rise from the ground as if lifted by some enormous, invisible, magic hand but no one was startled or surprised by it. Everyone in the dream, including him, acted as if this was expected to happen, as if it were nothing more than a part of normal, every day life as they all rose high above the tree tops, stopped and floated over that place.

Next, came a sound like that of a million voices... Singing? Although the sound grew louder and louder until it threatened to split his ears, Gerald couldn't quite tell if it was singing, or... What?

Then came the terrifying part of the dream. Suddenly feeling very frightened but not knowing why, Gerald watched as all the Ponies began to glow with a surging, pulsing light that seemed to originate from deep within them, a light that grew and spread out from them until all the ponies were engulfed by it.

Continuing to spread and grow the light spanned out over and all around him until all the now glowing orbs touched and seemed to absorb each other. Then...

The dream would always end with the words spoken by some unknown voice would boom in his ears. "Your Destiny!"

He would always awaken terrified, panting and sweating.

As Gerald lay in his bed trying to go back to sleep he thought about those words and the sense of differentness he'd carried within himself throughout all of his life.

Gerald Hine knew he was different.

As he recalled, he’d first become aware of this when he was around three years old. At least that’s how he remembered the time of his first realization, although he wasn’t completely sure.

Still, and for as long as he could remember, he was aware of it, although he could never put his finger on how he was different or why. It was an indefinable sense that he had about himself.

It wasn’t that he had anything wrong with him. As far as he could tell there was nothing broken or lacking in himself. He was just... Different!

Gerald’s father worked in a profession that demanded mobility. He and his family always seemed to be relocating from one town, one state, to another.

This, of course, was painful for Gerald since it seemed that, no sooner would he would start making a few friends in one place then he’d be forced to lose them when his parents would pack up and they’d move again.

As this continued throughout his childhood, Gerald became reluctant to make new friends because of the fear and certainty that he’d just lose them again when they moved. Finally, after so many years of this, he simply gave up trying to make any new friends at all.

Sure, he’d always felt a deep sense of loneliness and loss with each move but, eventually, he learned to push these feelings away as he grew more and more accustomed to it.

‘What was the point of making friends if I’m only going to lose them again’, he concluded.

Still, he’d always gotten along well enough with others, even when he was very small but, then, because of the seemingly constant moving, he wasn’t overtly friendly, either.

Through it all there was this sense he had about himself. This... Aspect.

He had no idea about what this aspect of his being was but he’d always sensed it, always been aware of it inside of himself.

Gerald had become more aware of it when he started grade school.

It was then that he became aware that the other children seemed to lack this... Aspect, this thing. All he could do was feel sorry for them, although he had no idea why he felt that way.

Gerald was around eight years old when he became much more aware of his... Aspect.

It happened to him one night when he was abruptly awakened from a dream.

He snapped his eyes open, sat bolt upright in his bed to see himself surrounded by an odd light. As the confused but fascinated Gerald watched, it seemed to shift and flow in, around and through him in shimmering, sparkling translucent waves that swirled and shifted like softly glowing multi-colored smoke. It lasted only an instant and was gone.

Gerald, blinking and thinking he was still in a dream, dropped back down on his pillow and fell almost instantly back to sleep. Still the memory of what Gerald thought to be a dream remained with him. It had happened that one and only time. It never happened, again.

As a child Gerald had been shy, quiet and studious, had kept mostly to himself preferring - what was to him - the sane, sensibility of the peaceful hours he spent with his nose buried in books.

The wild frenetic chaos of the other children just didn’t appeal to him even though their happy laughter strongly suggested that they seemed to be having a great deal of fun and some small part of him craved it, wanted to join in it.

But, then, there were always the painful scraped knees, cut hands, occasional bloody noses, bruised elbows and the wails of pain, the suffering and tears that came with the accidents and even fights that came with play. No, all that crazy yelling, screaming, running about and getting hurt just wasn’t for him.

Although there were times when he was tempted to join them, was curious about what it was like to play and truly enjoy the games they were playing, he could never quite bring himself to join them on his own and only did so when his teachers forced him to.

Dodge ball was, for him, the worst gym activity in the world! All the children at school who formed up teams and played that game always seemed, to him, to be bigger, stronger, faster. On top of that those children seemed to Gerald to possess an attitude where they were truly and deliberately intent on seriously harming each other.

Also, the other children seemed to sense intuitively that Gerald had no desire to participate, to hurt anyone, so they would target him.

More than anything they seemed - to him like - cats cruelly toying with a mouse. So, Gerald always caught the worst of it.

Then there was the bullying.

Every school seemed to have a bully; one child who was always bigger, stronger, uglier, meaner and more stupid than the other school children and they always seemed to have a sense, a way of singling Gerald out and making him the target of their cruel attentions.

School life was hell for Gerald when he’d first started encountering bullies in the fourth grade. It seemed to him that a week didn’t go by when he wasn’t thrown into the dirt, had his head forced into a toilet bowl in the boys bathroom or was just simply beaten.

Terrified by this and unwilling to go to school anymore, Gerald had cried to his parents about it. His mother, who was sympathetic, had spoken to the bully’s parents, the various teachers and the principle of whatever school Gerald was attending in an effort to make it stop. That didn’t work and he continued to be bullied.

This went on from fourth to sixth grades when, being enrolled in a new school in a new town in yet another state, Gerald made a friend who would prove to be his savior. In a sense, anyway.

This new friend was Harold and, although Harold was as shy, quiet and studious as Gerald was, there were some major differences between these two new friends.

Where Gerald was thin to the point of being scrawny, Harold was strong and muscular. Where Gerald seemed to carry himself with apprehension, always being wary of bullies, scuttling about like a nervous mouse, Harold carried himself with a strong, quiet confidence that clearly said to the bullies that they’d be wise to leave him alone or face some serious consequences.

That impression proved to be well founded when, one day near the end of the school year, a particularly large and ugly bully named Rich, a kid that all the other kids in school hated and were terrified of and for good reason, decided he was going to take a shot at intimidating Harold.

At over six feet tall and looking like he weighed in at around two hundred fifty pounds, Rich was undeniably the biggest kid in school. And the meanest!

It started in front of the school before first bell. Dozens of other children, either filing in through the front doors or gathered on the front lawn talking, chatting or playing, froze and stared when they saw Rich, his intention clear on his face, approach Harold purposefully.

Stopping Harold, who was walking with Gerald, Rich then proceeded to spit insults at Harold, attempting to goad him into a violent reaction.

All the other children who were still outside stared for a moment then excitedly gathered in a circle around them, some starting a chant of ‘Fight! Fight! Fight!’

Harold, standing in front of Rich with his arms crossed, simply stood shaking his head as if Rich was the biggest fool on the planet but said nothing.

This went on for some time with Rich spewing insult after insult at Harold.

Insulting him, his mother, his father, his entire family Rich followed this by calling Harold a wimp, a weenie, and anything else Rich could think of to venomously spew at Harold who just continued to frown angrily and shake his head.

The encounter ended almost instantly when Rich threw out his hands in an attempt to push Harold.

What happened next took no more than a second as Harold grabbed Rich’s wrist and, in a single blindingly fast, fluid and seemingly effortless motion, tossed the enormous Rich headlong into some nearby bushes about six feet away. Harold then stepped up to Rich who, now laying in the bushes blinking back at Harold in shocked astonishment, leaned over him and said, “You’re an idiot.”

Then, without another word, Harold turned on his heel and walked into the school with Gerald beside him. The now stunned students who’d witnessed this then burst into cheers and shouts of ‘way to go!’ as Harold and Gerald, walked through the doors.

After school and when they had time, Gerald asked Harold how he’d flipped the enormous Rich so easily into those bushes. Harold then told Gerald that he studied martial arts, had been studying them for some years. It was at that point that Gerald not only became Harold’s friend but also his student.

After that everything changed for the better for Gerald.

Still, and after years of martial arts training, Gerald could never tap into or even define the Aspect that continued to slowly grow within him.

Try as he might, he could never tap that odd power that he knew flowed and lived within him. Seeming to have a mind of its own it somehow refused to be tapped.

Another sense grew in the back of Gerald’s mind; a sense that this thing... This Aspect in and of himself... Would someday move of its own accord and touch him.

When it was ready and at the proper time.

Chapter 1

-1-

Gerald walked slowly along the fringes of the Everfree forest, being careful to avoid getting too close to the edges of that dark and foreboding wood. His eyes sharp, he carefully scanned the shadows within for any signs of the creatures he’d come to find.

Twilight Sparkle, forever pragmatic, logical and practical, had balked with alarm when Gerald told her of his plans when he shared them with her.

Forever the cautious one, she’d warned him of the great dangers faced by any unwitting travelers who dared to tread in such a place, unaware that potential death crouched waiting at every turn. He reassured her as best he could, telling her that he would be careful, that he would take as many precautions as he could think of and plan for any possible disaster. Finally she agreed and gave her blessing and wished him good luck.

After having lived in Equestria for some years now, Gerald heard many stories, tales and legends about the seemingly bigger-than-life creatures called timber wolves. These odd, gigantic creatures were totally unlike the timber wolves of his world. They were, in fact, formed from the trunks and large, strong limbs of trees!

Gerald had been horrified when he first heard those tales and, yet, some small part of his mind deep within him had been intrigued as well. As one year passed into another, and then into another, his curiosity about these strange and seemingly marvelous creatures grew while the terror and trepidation that had once held sway over him receded to the point where his need to know won out over that fear.

Reading as many books about them as he could find and listening carefully to the stories, tales and legends told by elder ponies who were willing to share those tales, he learned as much as he could about the timber wolves. Armed with such knowledge he felt enthusiasm growing in him. He began planning his adventure.

It had taken months to acquire the equipment; the cameras, night vision goggles, motion sensors and other things Gerald would need. He’d determined that this was going to be a careful, detailed study of these creatures about which little was known.

His excitement grew as the planned day of his departure approached but he held that excitement in check as best he could so as not to over pace himself and run the risk of forgetting some important thing or detail.

Word of Gerald’s plans became known around Ponyville - there are no secrets in small towns - and each pony that he met had their own opinion.

Some thought it folly that he would even consider spending an extended period of time as close as he could get to such creatures, certain that he would quickly be eaten by the beasts. Others, especially the more adventurous among the young fillies like Scootaloo, had approached him in a state of what could only be considered worship. Fawning over him, they’d acted as if he were some great, heroic adventurer. Although pleasing and good for his ego, their public adulation had also been embarrassing.

Even the local school teacher, Cherilee, had approached Gerald in a state of adoration and had hugged him in the public square, showing great admiration for what he was about to do. Although pleased by her enthusiasm it had also been another embarrassing moment for him as she gushed, drawing the attention of other ponies in the square who, more than anything, seemed amused by what they saw. Realizing what she was doing, and becoming somewhat flustered, she apologized to him before kissing him on the cheek, leaving him to stand there in the middle of that town square, the soft blush of embarrassment on his cheeks.

Others, like Twilight, grew less fearful and more excited, seeing it as a wonderful opportunity to gain knowledge and understanding about what were both some of the most magnificent - and most dangerous - of all the creatures of this world.

One day shortly before Gerald was to start out on his quest, Fluttershy approached him in what was for her a most uncustomary state of excitement.

“Ooh! Ooh! I can’t believe what you’re going to do”, she said with great enthusiasm when she approached him.

“Well”, he said, “I’ve heard so much about these animals and so little is known about what they’re really like. I just have to know.”

“I want to go with you!”, she pleaded excitedly in that angelically sweet, soft voice of hers. “Can I? Please? Please?” She was practically beside herself with excitement.

“I’m sorry but I’ve planned this in such a way that I’m equipped for only myself and I really can’t change my plans now”, he said, sad that he couldn’t take this exquisitely lovely creature with him for company, at least. Had he planned for it, she would have been most welcome.

“But, I’m the biggest expert on animals in all of Equestria!”, she pleaded. “You might be able to learn a lot more with my help.”

“No, I’m sorry”, he said sadly but certainly. Just then he felt a sharp pang of his own disappointment.

“As much as I would love your company and your help”, he said, “I can’t risk anyone getting hurt or worse on my account.”

Her eyes saddened, her ears fell.

“Okay”, she said quietly.

Then she quickly brightened. “Let me know if you change your mind, okay?” Standing on her hind legs she wrapped her forelegs around Gerald in a big, warm, gentle hug.

“I’m very proud of you. You’re very brave”, she said, awed.

“You be very careful and come back safe to us”, she said, before rising from the ground and flying off.

“I will! I promise!”, he called back to her back as she flew away. Then she was gone and he continued with his preparations.

---

Gerald waved and smiled to the crowd that’d gathered in the town square to say good bye to him when the day of his departure had finally arrived. Some wished him good luck, others told him to be careful or that he was crazy but be careful, anyway and, with that, he was off.

Twilight and the other Mane Six had also come to the town square to see Gerald off, escorting him to the edge of the Everfree Forest before each one hugged him in turn, bidding him goodbye and good luck.

And so, there he was several days later, slowly walking along the fringes of that vast, dark and dangerous wood scanning for any signs of that which he had come to study.

Gerald carefully scanned the ground for any sign of their tracks or other evidence that would indicate they’d passed through this place but, so far, he’d found nothing.

He was so intent in what he was doing that he didn’t see the pile of stones in front of him. Tripping over them with a surprised yelp he fell headlong and landed face first in the dirt. Rising on his hands he looked back over his shoulder to see what had caused his fall. Behind him was a now partially scattered pile of rocks, a few small sticks and pieces of dry tree bark.

“Hey!”, came a high but sweet female voice from the branches of a nearby tree, “You knocked over my camp fire!”

Gerald looked up into the tree and saw, at first, a tail hanging down and then noticed the silver-gray hocks, legs and seven bubble cutie-marked flanks to which it was attached. The rest was obscured by thick, green leaves. A pair of sun gold eyes - the most beautiful eyes he’d ever seen, he thought - peered at him from a gap in the leaves. A moment later, the sound of rustling leaves and the flapping of large wings. His jaw dropped in awe when he saw an exquisitely beautiful pegasus mare floating down toward him, a look of mild annoyance on her face.

She was small compared to Gerold’s six foot plus height, the top of her head barely coming up to his chin. Lean but powerful muscles rippled and flowed gracefully under her beautifully even silver-gray coat. A lush, long and wild shock of wavy, light blonde mane fell gracefully from her head and neck, matched by an equally lush and beautiful blonde tail that trailed out behind her to the ground.

But it was her eyes that truly captivated him. They were sun gold, huge and beautiful.

He couldn’t help noticing that one moved as if of it’s own accord and not in synch with the other and it was clear to him that she suffered from a wall eye. Still, and as far as he was concerned, this didn’t detract from her beauty at all.

“I’ve been trying to make that thing go all morning and now you wrecked it!”, she pouted in her soft, sweet voice. Gerald noticed that she spoke with a very faint, soft lisp.

“I’m sorry!”, he blushed apologetically, I didn’t mean to knock it over. Please forgive me.”

A moment later she stood before him, standing on her hind legs, forehooves on hips, a soft scowl on her face but then her expression changed.

“It’s okay”, she sighed, “I couldn’t get it going, anyway.”

Then a bright smile spread over her face and her eyes twinkled with excitement.

“Hey! You’re that human!”, she said, as she stepped closer to him.

“Yeah, that would be me”, he said, smiling. He was entranced.

Feeling suddenly shy and awkward all he could do was glance at her fidget nervously, an awkward smile on his face. He glanced up to see her timidly looking back at him, her forelegs behind her back, smiling coyly at him as she toed the dirt.

Just then her smile was replaced by a look of concern as she looked down at his hands and saw the red and swollen scratches on his palms.

“Are you okay?”, she asked, reaching out and taking one of his injured hands in her hooves, examining it, letting it go.

“Yeah, it’s just a few scratches”, he said, smiling, “I’m okay.”

“Good”, she said, looking relieved.

“So, what’s your name?”, she asked.

“I’m Gerald Hine”, he said, smiling, captivated by her soft, round and elegantly beautiful face.

“I’m Derpy Hooves!”, she said, offering a hoof.

Gerald gently took her hoof in his hand, still gazing into those beautiful sun-gold eyes of hers, then let go.

“So, if you don’t mind my asking”, Gerald asked, “what’s with the pile of rocks?”

“That’s my campfire. Or at least it was”, she said, looking at the pile then back at him. “I’d been rubbing those sticks together for hours but it wouldn’t start!”

“Well, that’s because you’re supposed to pile some sticks over the kindling then bang the rocks together to make sparks to light the fire”, he said.

She put a hoof to her chin and thought for a moment.

“Oh! That’s what I did wrong!”, she said, giggling sweetly at her own mistake. Her laughter tickled his ears like the sweet tinkling of a thousand tiny, silver bells. He was completely charmed by her.

“So, what are you doing out here?”, she asked.

“I’m here to study the timber wolves that live in that forest”, he said, turning his gaze toward the woods.

“Well, you won’t find any here”, she said, “they live on the other side of the woods.”

Gerald stared at her for a moment, surprised, turned his gaze away then sat down on the ground. Resting his face in his hands, he sighed.

“What's wrong?”, she asked, sounding mildly alarmed, “was it something I said?”

“No, it’s not you”, he said, frustrated, then, “Oh, how could I have made such a huge and stupid mistake?!”, he moaned.

She stared at him with both confusion and concern before plopping herself down in front of him.

“All those months of planning, of getting that equipment, of making preparations and I fail to find out where they actually live”, he said to himself in exasperated tones, running hand through his hair. Gerald snapped his head up to stare at Derpy in surprise and mild annoyance. One forehoof raised to her mouth, she was giggling.

“I’m sorry!”, she said apologetically but still giggling, It’s just... That sounds like something I’d do.”

“Ah, I see”, he said, his expression softening.

Just then her giggling stopped and a sad expression spread across her face, her ears falling, as she looked at the ground.

“That’s why I live out here”, she said. “All the mistakes I’ve made.”

He looked at her, moved by her sadness, curious about what she meant.

“I guess you noticed that I’m... different”, she said softly. Gerald looked at her for a moment.

“It’s my eyes, she said, looking back down at the ground for a moment then back at him. He put on his finest ‘Gee, I hadn’t noticed’ face and hoped for the best.

“Don’t pretend you didn’t notice. I could tell from the way you were looking at me. I’m not stupid”, she said.

“Oh, well, it’s not bad!”, he blurted out. “I mean, it’s hardly noticeable!”

A faint smile broke on her face. “That’s sweet of you”, she said, then trailed off. She looked at the ground.

“So, you’re living out here instead of in town because you have a wall eye?”, he asked Her head snapped up and she looked at him, surprised.

“You know what that is?”, she gasped.

“Well, yeah”, he said, “I’ve known several people who’ve had that”, then, “I can’t imagine that’s the only reason you're living out here by yourself instead of in town.”

“Well, that’s part of it”, she said, looking down at the ground again.

“See”, she continued, “I got picked on a lot when I was a filly and being really clumsy didn’t help, either. I’m always stumbling into and over things, causing accidents, like the time when I tried to help Rainbow Dash fix City Hall and all I did was make a big mess of everything.”.

Tears welled in the corner of her eyes as she looked at the ground, ashamed. “I’m nothing but a big burden to everyone!”, she sniffled.

He looked at her for a moment, felt his heart swell with sympathy for her.

“Boy, do I know that feeling!”, he said, frowning and hanging his own head, now. She stared at him, surprised.

“You do?”, she asked.

“Oh, yeah”, he said, “all too well.”

Derpy was genuinely surprised.

“But how? You’re a human! I thought humans were perfect, that they never made mistakes”, she said softly.

“It’d be nice if that was true but it’s not. In fact I think I’ve made more mistakes and done more silly, stupid things than anyone else I knew back on my old world”, he said with a sigh as he sat staring at his feet, tracing lines the dirt with a fingertip.

Derpy, moved by what he’d said, reached out and gently touched the back of his hand with her forehoof, pulled it away, a sympathetic expression on her face then one of mild confusion as she sat thinking for a moment.

“So, really, you’re exactly like me?”, she asked. He looked at her.

“Well, not exactly. I mean, I’m not a female”, he said, grinning and sticking his tongue out at her, teasing, trying to raise their mood with a joke.

She giggled, her face brightening. It was obvious she was as charmed by him as he was by her. She drew a little closer to him, their knees almost touching as she rested her forehooves in her lap.

“So, how did you end up in Equestria?”, she asked, a moment later.

“Well”, said Gerald thoughtfully, “have you ever had a fantasy, a desire to be somewhere that was so strong that it was the only thing you wanted and you’d be willing to do anything to get there?”

She tilted her head to one side, stared at him for a moment, looked deep into his plain, brown eyes, her face showing empathy and complete understanding. She inched a little closer, their knees touching now, and looked more deeply into his eyes.

“When I was a little filly I used to read books and stories about these wonderful creatures called humans", she said, "they sounded so tall, so beautiful, so wonderful! I’d lay in bed at night dreaming about how, someday, I might get to meet one so, yeah, I know.”

He looked at her and felt a real sense of appreciation.

“When I was a boy”, he said, “I discovered books about Equestria and ponies, about how wonderful you all are. It didn’t take long for me to just fall in love with Equestria and all of you and, I knew it was an imaginary place - at least I thought so at the time - still, all I wanted to do was find a way to get here. Well, that’s kind of what happened to me.”

Derpy stared at him.

“I liked and loved all of you - well, what I thought was all of you - so much, thought your world was so wonderful that being here was all I wanted”, he said, “So, I guess I finally wished hard enough to get myself here.”

“Wow!”, she said, both surprised but very sympathetic. Reaching out she took his hand in both of her hooves, held it.

“I was the same way”, she said. “I though it’d be wonderful to go to the human world and meet humans and see all the things wonderful you have.”

“You wouldn’t like my world”, he said, closing his eyes. He shook his head.

“I wouldn’t?”, she asked.

“No, you wouldn’t”, he said, then, “It’s a dirty, polluted, overcrowded, chaotic mess, not to mention very dangerous.”

She frowned, surprised.

“That’s not what I read in the books”, she said. “I read that you all lived in huge, beautiful cities made of crystal and gold, that everything was clean and peaceful, that no one ever got sick, old or died.”

“Well”, he said, very surprised, “whoever wrote those books obviously never went there.”

“Yeah?”, she asked a trace of doubt in her voice.

“Yeah”, he said. “We have wars, too.”

“Wars?”, she asked, her eyes growing large.

“Wars”, he said, sadly.

“Then I guess it’s good I never went.” She shrugged, frowning.

“It’s nice you made it here and I got to meet you!”, she said, her face brightening.

They looked deeply into each others eyes for a moment, enchanted, before breaking their mutual gaze.

“I think you’re really cute!”, she said with a sweet smile.

‘Cute?’, Gerald thought, ‘She thinks I'm cute? Who’se ever thought of me as cute, before? Even my girlfriend back on my old world never called me that!’

“Thanks”, he said, blushing. Then, shyly, “I think you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

Gerald was surprised at himself. He hadn’t intended to say that. He couldn’t help it. It just came out.

Her own sudden expression of surprise was both deep and genuine as she stared at him for a moment, a bright smile on her face.

“Really?”, she said, in subdued tones.

“Yeah”, he said, blushing a deep shade of red.

She suddenly bounded toward him. Straddling his stomach, she pinned him down on the ground with her forehooves. He stared up at her in shock, his mouth agape. Instinctively, he reached out to catch her even as she landed on him.

“All my life all I’ve ever wanted was to meet and spend time with a human!”, she squeaked. “Stay with me, Gerald! Please! Don’t leave! Stay with me!”

She was pleading.

Coming back to his senses he noticed the feel of her soft coat under his fingertips. It was ecstacy. She felt softer than velvet, softer than the finest silk, softer than anything he had ever touched in his life and that, combined with her exquisitely featured face, those gorgeous sun-yellow eyes, the feel of her warm, soft, firm and supple flesh, was enough to awaken arousal in him. Involuntarily, to be sure, but arousal just the same. He stared up at her for a moment, speechless, blinking.

“Please, Gerald!”, she begged, falling full upon him, wrapping her forelegs around his neck, “You said you love me... Er... Us! Stay! Please!”

“Um...”, he muttered, totally taken aback. Collecting herself she sat up, looked at him blushing and embarrassed now. They stared at each other for a moment.

“Oh”, she said, crestfallen, her ears lowering on her head as she looked at him.

“I guess you have a girlfriend back on your world?”, she said, “and a family who probably misses you a lot and would love to see you again, too?”

It took him a moment to compose himself enough to speak.

“I... I did”, he said, hesitantly, “and a family and, yeah, I’d love to see them all again but that’s just not going to happen, now.”

Derpy stared down at him, baffled. “Why not?”, she asked.

“I can’t go back”, he said.

A twinkle of hope showed in Derpy’s eyes.

“Okay”, he said, “After I arrived here three years ago it didn’t take Princess Celestia very long to find out I was here. She sent some of her guards to arrest me and take me to her palace.

"I was scared at first, not knowing what to expect but, as it turned out, I had nothing to fear. Nobody wanted to hurt me. She met with me and told me humans shouldn’t be here. She wasn’t angry or anything, just really insistent on sending me right back.”

Derpy listened quietly.

“Her and her sister, Luna, tried everything they could, every bit of magic they knew but nothing worked. They finally tried with the help of all of their most powerful magicians but still couldn’t find a way. After that they told me I could stay and let me go.”

“Oh”, said Derpy, comprehending. Then her face softened into a sweet, hopeful smile, “you could stay here with me. I’d really like that.”

Gerald said nothing but lay there thinking about it. Derpy still straddling him. Looked down at him, hope growing brighter in her eyes.

Maybe it was because she was a pegasus but, to Gerald, Derpy seemed to weigh almost nothing.

Still, the way she was straddling him was becoming uncomfortable. He yelped and winced in pain when, shifting his weight, Derpy’s body slid down his stomach a little and her rump bumped roughly on a very sensitive spot.

“Oww!”, he yelped.

Derpy jumped up, startled.

A look of surprise swept across her face when she realized what she’d bumped against. Turning her head, she stared down at his crotch, looked back at him with a lecherous grin.

He gave her a pained look.

“Ooh! Sorry! Sorry!”, she squeaked as she scrambled to climb off of him, her blush growing to a deep crimson.

Funny how he’d never noticed before but, as she clambered to get off she'd turned and he saw for the first time that she had, well, feminine parts! He stared.

Gerald’s stare grew to flustered embarrassment when he realized she saw what he was staring at. She grinned at him lecherously, again.

Gerald coughed. “Could you turn around?”, he spluttered, “this is really... Distracting.”

Gerald’s face had blushed to a deep red that ran from his hairline to his neck.

“Oh! Oh! I’m sorry!” she squeaked apologetically, “am I freaking you out? Is this too weird for you?”

“Um, well...”, he started, doing his best to compose himself, “it’s just... Well...”

He hesitated, trying to find the words for what he wanted to say.

“Okay”, he continued, finally, “it’s just that all the ponies I ever met were just so sweet, so seemingly innocent, that it never occurred to me that any of you could be... Sexual.”

Derpy stared at Gerold for a moment then laughed.

“That is the biggest load of horse crap I ever heard!”, she snickered, “we all have sex all the time, here! Where do you think foals come from, silly?”

She eyed him, teasing and giggling, “do you think we find them under cabbage leaves or something?”

“I just never thought about it”, he answered, shrugging, his blush fading.

“You’re honestly telling me no fillies or mares ever flirted with you?!” She seemed honestly surprised.

“Well, yeah, some did”, he admitted, “but I always thought it was a really innocent kind of flirting. I never thought it could lead to anything.”

He paused, touched a finger to his lips, then looked at her, surprised.

“It just never occurred to me that any of you actually had... Parts... And sex!”, he said.

She stared at him with a blank expression.

“Oh”, she said, nodding.

Saying nothing she just looked at him for a moment more, then her wicked grin returned. She began nuzzling his crotch with her muzzle.

“Please stop it!”, he said, more forcefully than he’d intended.

She turned her head to look at him over her shoulder, her expression sad and pained.

“But, I thought you said you loved me... Loved US”, she blurted out, correcting herself at the last.

“I do”, he said, “but you’re a horse! If I had sex with you then I’d be having sex with a horse!”

She blinked, looked at him with an expression of deep hurt.

“But, I’m... I’m not a horse”, she whimpered, her lip quivering, tears welling in the corner of her eyes.

“I’m sorry!”, he said, his heart aching at the sight of what he’d unwittingly done in his need to explain.

She looked at him, pouting, wiping her eyes with a hoof.

“Look, it’s nothing personal”, he continued, running a hand through his hair. He frantically looked inside himself for the right words.

“It’s okay”, she sniffled, her expression softening, “I forgive you.” She then leaned over and kissed him softly on the cheek.

Granted, Gerald was absolutely beside himself with joy and delight after falling asleep one night, dreaming of Equestria as he did every night, only to wake up the next morning to discover he was actually there!

Still, and in spite of his joy, he found it oddly disturbing to actually be in that world. He was really in the presence of sentient, thinking horses who had language, social skills, a long established culture. Horses who used tools, made things, built houses and towns and farmed but who were still horses. It took him all of six months to begin to relax, accept where he was and to become truly comfortable around them.

Another six months passed before he was hit with an epiphany; in spite of these creatures looking like pastel hued ponies they were, in reality, not ponies or horses at all! They were something entirely different, even alien.

Conversely, they’d never showed the slightest signs of being the least uncomfortable around Gerald. Rather, they’d done their best to befriend him, make him feel welcome, not caring in the least that he was radically different from them.

Especially Twilight, who he’d met only a few days after being freed from Celestia’s Palace.

Gerold and Twilight quickly discovered that they shared a great deal of interests, mostly in the fields of science and that they, being so very much alike, felt an instant rapport. Of everypony he’d met she was the one he opened himself and became closest to because they realized they had a deep and mutual empathy for each other.

As their friendship grew they settled into a kind of innocently flirtatious and playfully teasing bawdy banter, not that it was any indication that Twilight wanted Gerald but because they had gotten to a point where they could be themselves completely around each other.

Over time, Gerald had gotten to know and become friends with many of the ponies in Ponyville but Twi, as he came to know her, became his closest and best friend.

Sure, there were fillies and mares who were attracted to Gerald and even one or two who he’d found himself attracted to and, sure, he’d had his fair share of dates with them but it never went beyond a few kisses, some hand holding and a bit of cuddling.

After a while Gerald became totally accustomed to that, even enjoyed it and the company of those he dated. None of them ever made a move or even suggested anything sexual to him. Of course, being heavily influenced by those pony tales from his childhood, it never crossed his mind that things would ever go further than they had.

So, here was this Derpy Hooves dropping this bombshell of a revelation on him, showing him that these lovely, sweet, innocent, beautiful creatures were fully capable of being just as happily lustful, just as carnal, as any human.

Still, old, deeply ingrained taboos learned over a lifetime run deep and, in spite of Derpy’s beauty, sweet innocence, her obviously warm, loving heart and affectionate nature he found himself sexually repulsed by her because, in some small but powerful part of his mind she was still a horse. Gerald’s reverie over, he found her looking at him.

“Are you alright?”, she asked, “I... I didn’t freak you out just now did I?”

“Yes... No!”, he said, disconcerted “It’s... it’s not you, Derpy. It’s just that things are different on my world.”

She stared at him blankly, failing to comprehend. Gerald lay his head back on the ground and closed his eyes with a deep sigh.

She gently lay herself down on his chest, scanning his face carefully.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”, she asked gently, “are you sure I didn't do anything wrong?”

Gerald opened his eyes, looked at that sweet, innocent, beautiful face looking back at him with concern. He was beginning to realize just how kind, sweet and generous of heart this little filly really was.

Closing his eyes he lay his head back down on the ground, smiled, reached out and began petting and stroking her wonderfully soft mane, caressing her ears.

“Ooh”, she cooed blissfully, closing her eyes and leaning her head into the palm of his hand, “your touch is so gentle! I love the way you’re touching me.”

She lay her head down on his chest as he continued to pet and stroke her.

“So, why were you freaked out just now?”, she asked.

“Like I said, things are different on my world”, he replied.

“Tell me about ponies on your world”, she said.

“They’re not like ponies here”, he said.

She looked at Gerald with genuine interest but said nothing further, expectantly awaiting him to continue. He opened his eyes, looked at her, closed his eyes again.

“On my world horses and ponies are dumb animals”, he continued, “They’re used as beasts of burden, kept on farms and ranches like livestock.”

“Oh, that sounds terrible!”, she said, her face darkening with a touch of dismay.

“Well, our horses and ponies don’t talk or think, have towns or culture or language like you all do”, he said, “They’re like the dumb, wild animals in the Everfree Forest. Unthinking, primal, living by instinct. They’re not like any of you at all.”

“Okay”, she said, “but what’s that got to do with you freaking out just now?”

Gerald remained silent for a moment, thinking, carefully choosing his words. Derpy looked at him, her expression a bit intense and impatient but she waited quietly for his answer.

“On my world it’s a very bad thing to have sex with anything outside of our species”, he said.

“Really?”, she asked, honestly surprised.

“Yeah”, he sighed. “Where I come from it’s taboo.”

“What’s... Taboo?”, she asked.

“It means it’s forbidden and illegal”, he answered.

“Oh”, she said, then, “that seems silly to me but, then, I’m not from your world.”

She lay her head back down on his shoulder, closed her eyes.

“But I get what you mean”, she said, giving her view on the subject. “It’d be like if one of us had sex with, say, a wild boar or something.”

“Yeah”, he said, continuing to gently stroke her mane.

“So, for a second and for some reason, I reminded you of a horse from your world and that’s why you... Uh... You know...”, she trailed off.

“Yeah”, he said, sheepishly.

“Thanks for being honest with me”, she said, smiling, as she gave him a soft, gentle kiss on the cheek.

Gerald’s mind reeled. This was all too much and it was happening far too quickly.

“What?”, asked Derpy, when she saw his furrowing brow, his frown.

“I guess I just never imagined that anything like this would ever happen” he said, “And now here we are and it’s happening in an instant! It’s a bit much to take in all at once.”

Derpy looked at Gerald with a blank expression for a moment, then her face softened, her eyes twinkling.

“Yeah”, she said, as she nuzzled his nose sweetly, “It is happening really fast but, hey, here we are and I like it!”

“It’s starting to get a little warm out here”, she said, looking at Gerald’s face and noticing the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. She spread her wings wide, using them like a parasol to shade them from the now overwarm sun that beamed down through the forest canopy. Then she laid her head down in the crook of his neck, closed her eyes and sighed with contentment.

“So, do you think you’ll ever get used to the idea of..?” Her words trailed off but her expression was hopeful.

“Only time will tell”, he shrugged.

Just then we caught the sounds of giggling, snickering and amused, naughty whispering coming from behind a nearby bush.

Derpy and Gerald's heads snapped up, their eyes locking intently on that bush. Gerald sat bolt upright and scrambled to his feet, Derpy rolled off with a surprised squeak, tumbled to the ground. Embarrassed and angry Gerald leapt to his feet.

“Who’s there?”, he shouted.

Suddenly there came the sound of surprised and frightened squeaks, squeals and small, scuttling hooves as the little spies tried to scramble away.

“I’ll take care of this”, said Derpy with a look of certainty as she rose to her hooves.

“Hey! Come out of there!”, said Derpy, taking several steps toward the bush.

A rustle of leaves and a moment later three contrite, little faces stared back at them as they emerged.

It was the Cutiemark Crusaders; Applebloom , Sweetiebelle and Scootaloo.

“Come here!”, said Derpy, staring at them with a stern expression on her face. “Now!”

Approaching furtively, their heads lowered, their ears down, they moved toward Derpy with tense embarrassment as if they would bolt and run at the first opportunity. They looked at her with huge eyes.

“What are you doing out here?”, Derpy asked, frowning. They said nothing but looked down at the ground, Apple Bloom was nervously pawing the dirt.

“Well?” asked Derpy, a commanding tone in her voice.

Scootaloo, obviously the bravest of the three, was the first to speak.

“We were... Were... Cutie marks...”, she muttered quietly before trailing off, casting furtive glances at Derpy.

“What do Cutie Marks have to do with you three spying on us from the bushes?”, asked Derpy.

“Well, they don’t”, said Scootaloo softly, still looking down at the ground.

“We were out here trying to find a way to get our Cutie Marks”, said Sweetie Bell, stepping forward, emboldened, and looking at Derpy apologetically.

“We weren’t expecting to see you... And the human... Out here.” said Apple Bloom from just beyond the bush, blushing a deep crimson.

“We couldn’t help it!”, said Scootaloo, “It was just too funny to see you two together!”

“Funny?”, said Derpy, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah”, said, Applebloom, “we never imagined that you... And him...” She had to work to suppress a giggle. The other two looked back at her, suppressing giggles of their own. Gerald looked down at the ground blushing.

“Oh, look! He’s so cuuuuuuuuute!”, Sweetiebelle gushed, looking at him.

Crossing his arms Gerald shot her a hard look. Withering, she shrank back, pouting.

“Sorry!”, she said. Her apology was just so sweetly adorable he couldn’t stop himself from cracking a smile. Gerald glanced at Derpy, who’s expression was also softening.

“You know it’s not nice to spy on ponies!”, she said.

“Yeah, we know. Sorry!”, Scootaloo said.

She turned to look at Gerald.

“We’re not horses”, she said, flatly.

‘These three must have been listening to most of my and Derpy’s conversation’, thought Gerald.

“Yeah! Our teacher, Cherilee, says we’re Equus... Equus...”, said Applebloom, struggling with the word.

“Equusians”, said Scootaloo, correcting Applebloom.

“Yeah!”, piped Sweetie Bell, "That!"

“Oh, okay”, nodded Gerald, “Equusians.”

“So what are you doing out here?” asked Scootaloo, looking adorably curious as she turned back to Derpy.

“I live out here”, said Derpy, “you know that!”

“Yeah”, said Applebloom, looking sad.

“You don’t have to live out here”, said Sweetie Belle, taking a few steps forward and looking hopeful, “You could come home, Derpy. I wish you’d come home. Everybody misses you.”

“They miss me?”, said Derpy, honestly surprised.

“Yeah, we do”, said Scootaloo, “Everypony misses you. And worries about you, too.”

A tear welled in the corner of Derpy’s eye as what they said sunk in. She turned away looking down at the ground.

“I can’t do that”, she said, the slight trace of hope she held for a brief moment vanishing into sadness, “you know why.”

“Pfft! Like you’re the only one who ever wrecked stuff?”, said Scootaloo dismissively, “Don’t you remember the time when Rainbow Dash did that sonic rainboom and broke every window in Canterlot, even the ones at Celestia’s Palace?”

“Yeah!”, said Sweetie Belle, “Everypony was mad at her for that! Princess Luna was so mad about it I thought she was gonna kick her!”

“Yeah”, that’s right!”, said Derpy, a thoughtful smile breaking on her face, only to be instantly replaced by a frown.

“But Rainbow Dash was so mad at me when I wrecked City Hall!”, she said, “I thought she’d never want to see me, again!”

“Are you kidding?”, said Applebloom, “She asks about you and worries about you more than anypony!”

“Really?”, said Derpy, a hopeful expression growing on her face.

“Yeah!”, said all three of the little fillies in unison.

Then, reaching out, Derpy took little Scootaloo in her forelegs, gave her a quick hug. Scootaloo returning that hug, the other two gathering close to her, hugging Derpy in turn.

“So, you gonna come home?”, asked Applebloom hopefully.

Derpy turned to look at Gerald with a wistful, expectant expression, a soft smile on her face.

He said nothing but smiled and nodded.

Derpy looked down at them, smiled

“Okay”, she said.

All three of the little fillies cheered, delighted.

“Hey, is he your boyfriend now”, asked Scootaloo, looking at Gerald. The unexpectedness of the question caught Derpy and him off guard.

Derpy looked at him, then stepped over to where he was standing. She took his face gently in her hooves, her eyes twinkling. She kissed him gently on the cheek and smiled. he smiled back at her.

“I really really hope so!”, she said softly before turning and heading off toward town with the little fillies.

Chapter 2

-2-

The long rays of late evening sun touched down in patches on Gerald’s camp and tinged everything with a reddish golden hue, giving all an aire of magic and beautiful, dreamlike unreality.

Pausing for a moment from setting up his camp, he inhaled deeply of the clean, sweet air, relishing it. Looking around, he happily took in the grandeur and great beauty of all that surrounded him. He felt more peaceful and content in that timeless moment than he had at any other time in his life.

Gerald was broken from his sweet reveries by the sound of hooves crunching over dry leaves. He instinctively turned toward the sound to see Derpy moving toward him carrying a paper sack.

“Hey!”, he smiled, waving at her as she approached him.

“Hey, lover!”, she cooed sweetly as she reached him and set the paper sack down.

Gerald involuntarily winced at her use of the word ‘lover’, realizing that it was a bit odd that Derpy, someone he’d just met, would call him that. Still, there was something about her calling him that which pleased him, too. Still, it would take him a while to get used to that.

Rising up on her hind legs she wrapped her forelegs - and her wings - around him in a gentle embrace that was sweeter, warmer and more loving than anything he could ever have imagined. He wrapped his arms around her, returning that embrace.

In that moment Gerald realized that this hug, this embrace felt natural and right, that it didn’t feel like a hug from a stranger.

She pulled back a little, keeping her arms around him , her wings still enfolding them both.

Derpy looked at him for a moment with dancing, sparkling eyes then kissed him with a kiss that overflowed with both gentle passion and deep affection. He balked, hesitated, then returned that kiss and, even as he did so, felt his heart swell with a sweet joy and warmth he’d never known, before. Melting into it he found he just wanted it to go on forever.

Finally, they pulled back and gazed deeply into each others eyes. It was in that moment that Gerald realized he was falling madly in love with Derpy.

“So”, Gerald said, smiling and gazing into her eyes, “I’m guessing things went pretty well in town?”

“Oh, better than you could imagine!”, she said, smiling and rolling her eyes joyfully.

“So, tell me!”, he said, excitedly.

“Well”, she continued, “I went back to town with the Crusaders and, no sooner did we get there but everypony started gathering around me, all smiles and happy to see me. Then they started hugging me and asking me if I was coming home.”

“That’s awesome!”, he said, delighted.

“I know, right?”, she said, joyously giggling again.

“Anyway”, she continued, “I was so happy everypony was treating me so nice and wanting me to come home and then Rainbow Dash ran up to me and started hugging me!

Then she started crying saying how glad she was to see me and how much she missed me and then we both started crying and hugging each other and everypony cheered when they saw that!”

“Awesome!”, he repeated, beaming ecstatically.

“Ooh! Ooh!”, she said, growing excited, “and they want me to go back to being a mail carrier, again! They told me they got swamped with mail while I was gone, that they can’t do it without me! Isn’t that wonderful?”

“Fantastic!” Gerald said, laughing in delight for her, “I’m so glad everything worked out for you.”

“Thanks!”, she said sweetly before giving him another quick kiss.

“Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!”, she exclaimed excitedly. Pulling gently away from Gerald she picked up the paper sack, held it up in front of him. “I brought you something”, then, “Well, it’s for both of us, really.”

Gerald gently took the bag, opened it and looked inside.

“Muffins!”, he beamed. He looked at her, quite pleased. “This is great! Thank you!”

“They’re lemon surprise! My favorite! I hope you like them”, she said.

“I’m sure they’ll be wonderful”, he said, smiling.

“You’re not gonna have one now?”, she frowned, puzzled.

“Let’s save them for desert”, he said, setting the sack aside, turning back to her.

“Now, I have a surprise for you!”, he said, moving toward his tent.

“Ooh! I love surprises!”, she said, excitedly clapping her hooves.

“What is it? What is it?” She was practically dancing as she followed him.

Stepping inside Gerald returned a moment later carrying a folding card table, two folding chairs and a large picnic basket. Her eyes grew wide, an excited smile spread over her face.

He quickly but carefully set everything up then, holding out a chair for Derpy, invited her to sit down.

Gerald had covered the table with a fine cream white linen tablecloth. Upon that he’d set out an ornate and elegant silver setting then fine bone china dishes rimmed with gold and the deepest indigo blue.

The center of the table was graced with two long, tapering white candles resting in fine crystal holders. Between the candles was an elegant, beautifully crafted and ornate crystal vase in which sat one perfect, long stemmed red rose.

“Oh, my!”, she gasped. She stood there for a moment blinking and putting a hoof to her heart. Then, giving a little squeal of delight she happily pranced to the chair, sat down, Gerald putting the chair in for her.

Gerald sat down across from her and smiled happily, delighted at her response.

“You did this for me?”, she asked, blinking, awestruck. Then, “How..?”

“Well”, he said, smiling, very pleased with himself, “after you went to town with the Crusaders I got an idea for this surprise so I snuck back into town, being careful you didn’t find out and ruin the surprise.”

Settling her elbows on the table, she rested her face in her forehooves and sat listening, her eyes twinkling.

“First”, he continued, “I found Pinkamina and told her what I was planning.” He paused for a moment, grinned.

“Well, you know Pinkie” he continued, “First thing she wanted to do was throw a huge party. It took me a while to convince her that what I really wanted was a nice, romantic dinner for two. She was disappointed but told me it was okay and that she’d help me.”

“Next, we went to see Rarity, who set me up with all the fancy stuff you see. Afterwards, I went to a local restaurant, bought the food and brought everything back here.”

Derpy sat entranced, her eyes sparkling and dancing with delight at what Gerald had done for her.

“Now, there’s one last surprise but I’m not going to tell you how I got that”, he said, with a sly grin.

She stared at him, bit her lip, looking like she would begin crying with joy.

Then, “How did you know I’d be back here tonight?”, she asked.

“I didn’t know for sure”, he said, “but after everything that happened this afternoon, after everything you said, I just figured you would be.”

“Well, you were right!”, she said delightedly.

“Now!”, he said, pointedly holding up a finger, “watch!”

Gerald pointed to a very large gap in the forest canopy. Derpy’s eyes followed.

As they watched, the edge of the horizon was touched by and began to glow with the first light of a full silver-white moon which rose quickly then stopped. Hanging high in the night sky, it’s silver light tinting everything in its magic.

“Ohhhhhh!”, she gasped slowly. Overwhelmed. Tears of joy filled her eyes.

Closing his eyes, Gerald bowed his head, held his hands up prayerfully in front of his face. “Thank you, Princess Luna”, he said with quiet reverence.

“You’re welcome”, came a voice from the sky that spoke gently, softly, but with the strength of distant thunder rolling across the heavens.

Derpy looked at me slack jawed and blinking, astonished.

“How’d you do that?!”, she whispered in awed tones as if fearful that speaking too loudly would shatter the magic of this moment.

Gerald gave her a knowing smile as he began to serve up the food.

“That would be telling!”, he said, with a glint in his eye.

He had to do a double take when, a moment later, Derpy bit a quivering lower lip as a look of what appeared to be sorrow spread across her face. Tears gushed from her eyes and streamed down her cheeks. She rose from her seat and ran off, crying loudly. Shocked and confused, Gerald rose and ran after her.

He caught up with her a moment later, stood a short distance away from her. She was standing with her back to him, her body visibly trembling, the night air was stung with the sound of her sobs and whimpers.

“What’s wrong, Derpy?!”, he asked, baffled, after he’d reached her.

She turned to face him, clutching her chest with her hooves, her eyes red and swollen, her face a mask of sorrow.

They locked eyes for a moment, then she looked away again.

“I don’t deserve this!”, she said a moment later.

“What?!”, he said, even more confused as he drew nearer to her.

“I don’t deserve this!”, she repeated even more loudly as she turned back to him, her voice quivering, her eyes wide.

“I bet even Princess Celestia was never given anything as beautiful or wonderful as this!” She buried her face in her hooves and cried.

Stepping up to her, Gerald placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, turned her to face him. She brushed him away brusquely.

“No! Please don’t!”, she whimpered, looking away.

“What’s gotten into you?”, he asked, totally bewildered now.

“Look at me!”, she said, turning to face him, her eyes wet and swollen with tears.

“I’m just a silly, clumsy little mare with goofy eyes who wrecks everything and here you are giving me something so wonderful, so awesome, that not even the princesses of Equestria would be worthy of it!” She turned away, again, sobbing.

Apparently old insecurities die hard.

Wrapping his arms around her he drew her close, held her reassuringly.

“Why, in Equestria, would you think such things?”, he asked, gently. She looked into his eyes, her lip still quivering.

“I just never imagined anypony ever doing anything like this for... Me”, she said.

Gerald began gently stroking her mane.

“You are silly you know.”, he said tenderly, “but you’re more than worthy of this.” He softly kissed the top of her head.

She looked up at him with big, tear stained eyes.

“Really?”, she said, surprised.

“Yes, really!”, he said smiling and gazing deeply into her eyes.

After a moment she stopped crying and just held Gerald, resting her head against his chest for a moment, sighing.

“Gerald?”, she asked, her voice still holding the trace of a quiver.

“Yeah?”, he said, gently.

“Don’t ever leave me”

She held him more tightly, snuggled into him.

“I love you!”, she cooed softly.

Gerald said nothing but smiled, closed his eyes and lay his head softly against hers and held her close to him.

Chapter 3

Gerald was awakened the next morning by the glare of bright sunlight streaming in through the tent flap and winced. Maybe it was just him but Equestrian sunlight seemed warmer - and brighter - than the sunlight he’d known on his old world.

Derpy lay nestled tightly against his side, her foreleg draped over his stomach, one of her wings spread out and covering them like a warm, soft, downy quilt. He felt her stir beside him, heard her coo softly, contentedly, her warm breath caressing his neck.

“Good morning, lover”, she purred softly into his ear.

Gerald blinked and looked down at her, smiled, rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

He started to rise on his elbows when Derpy pulled him back down onto the mat on which they slept. He turned to look at her.

“Oh, no!”, she giggled, as she gently nuzzled his cheek, “you don’t get away that easy!”

Her eyes sparkled and danced as she looked at him with that warm, sweet smile of hers as she began softly kissing his lips.

Gerald closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her and happily surrendered to those kisses.

It had been their first night together and, knowing that he wasn’t ready for anything more, Derpy lay next to him all night and slept snuggled close to him, perfectly happy and content to do nothing more than that in spite of her deep and obvious desire for much, much more.

They’d fallen asleep almost instantly with a deep sense of contentment they never imagined and slept more soundly and peacefully than they ever had, before.

It was as if this was the way it had to be, that such had been fated for them both, that all the stars in the heavens and all the powers that be had decreed that they were meant to be together and always would be.

In spite of the morning sun streaming into Gerald’s eyes and blinding him, all he wanted to do was to spend the rest of the day laying there holding each other warm and close.

She lifted her head from his shoulder. Smiling softly, she looked down at him with those glorious sun gold eyes of hers.

“You’re all my dreams and deepest fantasies come true, Gerald”, she purred softly, sweetly, in his ear.

He lay silent for a moment letting her sweet and very touching words sink and settle into the very depths of his heart, his soul. Then he began to gently stroke her sweat soaked silk soft mane.

“Were you a star”, he whispered, “I would place you high and bright within the heavens and so fine the heavens you would make that all the world would fall in love with night and give no worship to the garish sun.”

“Oh, Gerald! That’s beautiful!”, cooed Derpy, “Did you just make that up?”

“No”, he said, “It’s from Romeo and Juliet - From Shakespeare - an ancient writer from my world. Well, a paraphrasing of it, anyway. It describes you perfectly.”

Tears of joy welled in the corners of Derpy’s sparkling eyes as she closed them then gently laid her head back his my shoulder, sighing in contentment.

“I love you Gerald”, she whispered.

“I... I love you too, Derpy.”

Ignoring the growing heat of the tent and not wanting to leave their embrace, they soon fell back to sleep.

Chapter 4

It had to be early afternoon by the time Derpy and Gerald awoke drenched in sweat and panting in the close and sweltering confines of his sun baked tent.

Gasping, they fled the bed mat and crawled through the tent flap into the open, breathing deeply of the much cooler outside air.

“Whew!”, gasped Derpy, “I had no idea those things got so hot during the day!”

Gerald looked at her, smiled. Leaning over he kissed her nose. She closed her eyes, smiled sweetly, relishing the touch of that kiss.

“I did”, he grimaced, “and I definitely should have known better than to keep us in there like that for so long.”

Standing, she closed her eyes and breathed deeply of the forest air, relishing all the scents of wood, grass, flowers and wild herbs that she took in.

Rising, he stood beside her, gently touching her mane. She turned her head to look at him in adoration.

Just then something caught their eye. They turned to see Twilight Sparkle standing about thirty feet away from their tent, her eyes huge, her jaw hanging open.

Derpy and Gerald stared back at her in shocked surprise. Standing there only in his underwear, he quickly covered himself with his hands and blushed bright crimson in embarrassment.

“What’re you doing here?”, Gerald shouted, more loudly than he’d intended.

Startled by his shout, Twilight turned her head away, her own face blushing a deep crimson.

Derpy quickly kissed him on the cheek before turning to race off toward town, embarrassed by Twilight’s sudden appearance.

“I’ll... Um... See you after a while!”, she shouted to Gerald over her shoulder.

“Uhh”, said Twilight, still shocked, I, umm..”

Recovering from his shock and embarrassment he ducked into the tent, returned a moment later wrapped in a blanket then stepped out to ask Twilight why she was there.

Twilight approached him still blushing.

“Well...”, she started. She reached up to scratch an eyebrow. She made a face. Then, she turned to look at him with a sigh.

“I thought you’d like it if I invited you into town for a bite.”

“Oh”, he said blankly, then smiling, “that’s nice of you.”

“But I sure wasn’t expecting to see you with... Company.” she said, looking mildly embarrassed, again.

Gerald coughed, looked at the trees, said nothing.

“I thought you were out here alone”, she said, walking toward him now, her embarrassment fading.

“I was until Derpy came back last night”, he said.

“Came back?”, she asked.

“Yeah”, Gerald said, “I met Derpy out here yesterday afternoon.”

“Oh”, said Twilight, nodding, stepping closer.

“Whew!”, she exclaimed, stopping a short distance away.

Shutting her eyes tight she held a hoof to her wrinkling nose while waving the other in front of her face.

Raising his head Gerald sniffed the air to try to ascertain what she was talking about then, raising his arm, he sniffed his armpit. His own nose wrinkled up, his face contorted with disgust as he caught a whiff of the powerful stench of old sweat that wafted from him and filled the air around him, a stench that he’d previously been blissfully unaware of.

“Sorry!”. he cringed, embarrassed.

“Oh, hey, don’t worry about it”, she said, taking a step back. “At least you had fun!”, she winked, a wicked grin sweeping across her face.

“It wasn’t like that!”, he said emphatically, “we didn’t do anything.”

“Oh?”, she said, looking very surprised.

“I’m not... I mean... It’s not...”, he stuttered, then, “I’ll tell you about it, some time.”

“Okay”, she shrugged, then, “So, how about it?”, she asked.

“About what?”, Gerald asked, momentary confused.

“Going to town for a bite”, she said.

“Oh, yeah!”, he said, brightening, then he smiled. “That’s awfully nice of you.”

“I think it’d be a good idea if you got out some soap, a change of clothes and hit the stream before we go”, she said, thoughtfully, then, “there’s one nearby. I can show you where it is.”

“Sounds good to me!”, he said, pleased, as he ducked into his tent and stepped out a moment later with a small, dirty gray-white duffle. An elegant crown surrounded by graceful scrolls and ‘E.R.A.’ were carefully stenciled in black dye on both sides.

Twilight’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“Where’d you ever find an Equestria Royal Army duffle?”, she asked, then, “I’ve wanted one of those for... Oh, I don’t know... Forever!”

“I found it in a thrift shop in Canterlot”, Gerald said, smiling. She looked at it then at him with envy in her eyes.

“Wow, you got lucky!”, she said, enviously, “those are really hard to find!” Then, “If you find another one like that would you get it for me?”, she asked with a hopeful expression, “I’ll pay you anything you want for it.”

“You’re a princess”, he said, sounding a bit confused, “why not just get one from... Oh, I don’t know... One of your Generals? But I’m sure you could.”

“I’m not allowed to do that”, she said, her face saddening, her ears drooping a little. “It’s against protocols.”

“I see”, said Gerald, scratching his chin.

“I’ll tell you what; if I find another one like this I’ll buy it and just give it to you.”, he said.

“You’d do that?”, she asked, looking both surprised and delighted.

“Anything for my oldest and best friend in all of Equestria”, he said with a smile.

“Thank you!”, she squealed happily, leaping up on her hind legs to give him a quick, tight, happy hug.

Her eyes snapping wide open, her nose wrinkling up in disgust, she instantly regretted her impulsiveness as she backed off, grimacing, waving a forehoof in front of her face, again.

“Let’s get you to that stream”, she said, as she turned and trotted off, leading the way. Gerald followed close behind.

A moment later they were standing on the bank of a tree shaded stream, its bubbling waters dancing and sparking with flashes of reflected sunlight.

“Ooh, nice!”, Gerald smiled, pleased, “I had no idea this was here. Thanks for showing me.”

“You’re welcome”, said Twilight, as she settled down on the bank, crossing her forehooves in front of her and resting her chin on them.

With his back to her Gerald stepped up to the water and started to drop his blanket, caught himself.

Looking back over his shoulder, he caught Twilight eyeing him, her eyes curious. She had a rather hungry look on her face.

That was surprising for Gerald as he’d never seen her look at him like that, before. Or, maybe she had but he just hadn’t noticed? Many things seemed different since Derpy had revealed those new things to him the previous day.

“Uh! Uh! Uh!”, he said, smirking in mock sternness as he raised a finger and made circular motions in the air, “I think you’ve already seen enough of me for one day!”

“Oh, poo!”. she pouted as she rose, turned her back and settled down, again, “be that way!”

Twilight wasn’t serious, she was just being playful. Still, they always exercised a level of modesty, more out of mutual respect than from any prudishness.

Satisfied she couldn’t see him Gerald dropped the blanket on the bank of the stream, took off his underwear, all the while sneaking a few glances of his own at her. He couldn’t help but notice the exquisite lines of her exceptionally beautiful flanks and rump. He caught himself staring.

Yes, he’d looked at Twilight before, admired the grace and beauty of the lines of her form but, somehow, this felt different. Was it him? Was it because of his new view of Equusians in general? He shrugged it off.

“No fair!”, she whined over her shoulder. Then, “I can tell you’re staring at my ass!”

Gerald’s eyebrows shot up in surprise at her use of the vulgar word, something he hardly ever heard her say.

He gasped in mock reproach, “Such inappropriate language from a Princess!” Catching his tone she giggled.

Quickly and before he could cover himself, she shot a quick glimpse at him over her shoulder, that wicked smirk spreading over her face again, more obvious this time.

“Hey!”, he snapped, surprised, quickly covering himself with his hands and staring at her. She raised an eyebrow at him.

“You got to see my bare ass”, she said in a smug, amused tone before turning her head away and giving it a haughty shake, “it’s only fair I get to see more of yours!”

“Yeah, well, I get to see your bare ass every day since you don’t wear clothes”, he teased, chuckling.

“That just makes it way more unfair!”, she teased back, “at least give me a chance to catch up!” She shot him another quick glance over her shoulder, giving him another lecherous smirk, wiggling her eyebrows at him.

Seeing her expression and those wiggling eyebrows, Gerald burst out in peals of laughter. A moment later she was laughing along with him.

Washed, dried and fully dressed now, Gerald stood before her and struck a pose. With hands on hips, his feet spread apart, he looked off at the horizon, a heroic, noble expression on his face.

“Very dashing!”, she giggled. Then, with honest admiration, she eyed him up and down, taking in his full splendor with a twinkle in her eye and a lick of her lips. “Yummy!”, she cooed.

Gerald was now wearing an off white cotton work shirt, three buttons open at the top, a pair of olive green cargo pants that sported multiple pouches and pockets. A thin, black leather belt ran through the belt loops, the pant cuffs just covered the tops of heavy, brown leather hiking boots.

His head was topped by a tall crowned, broad brimmed dark brown beaver felt fedora, a shock of his brown hair hanging down from under the front of the brim.

“Yes, most dashing, indeed!”, Twilight smiled, as they headed off toward town.

”You better not let Rainbow Dash see you dressed like that”. She said, amused.

“Why’s that?”, Gerald asked, then, “Oh!”, as he remembered Dash’s deep fondness for Daring Do adventure stories and how, even now, he was dressed in the same dashing but practical and rugged manner as that of the fictional character.

“Yeah”, she grinned, catching his realization. “Seeing you dressed like that she’s liable to lose her mind in a rush of lust and rape you right on the sidewalk!” She giggled. Gerald winced at the thought then laughed.

“Wait!”, he said, remembering some things.

“What?”, she asked.

“Is it okay if we return to my camp?”, he asked, then, “I’d like to get a few things before we go.”

“Um, okay, sure”, she said, as they turned and headed back toward his tent.

“So, what did you want to get?”, she asked, innocently curious, as they walked.

“I was surprised that none of the restaurants in town have salt”, he said. “You’d think they’d have tons of it considering how much ponies... Er... Equestrians... Equusians... love it.”

After the revelations of these most recent days Gerald wasn’t quite sure what to call these creatures, anymore. Ponies? Equestrians? Equusians? He’d figure it out.

“Ooh, good idea!”, she said with a bright smile, licking her lips. Then, “Wait, where’d you hear the name Equusians?”

“One of the Crusaders told me when Derpy and I ran into them, yesterday”, he said.

“Cherilee must be teaching that, again”, she said, then, “it’s the name we used for ourselves a very long time ago, even before Celestia became ruler. In fact, if I remember my history correctly, it goes back to a time before her parents ruled. It fell out of favor when we all started calling ourselves Ponies about five hundred years ago.”

“Oh”, said Gerald, considering Twilight’s impromptu history lesson.

Back at the camp Gerald grabbed a leather bag and slung the strap over his head, settling it comfortably on his side. Reaching into the bag he took out a large hunting knife with a blade about eighteen inches long.

It was more of a short sword than a knife, really. He looked at it before lifting his pant leg and slipped it into a holster strapped to his leg then covering it with his pant leg.

Twilight first stared at where he’d stashed the knife, then at him.

“What in Equestria do you need that for?”, she asked, referring to the knife. She wasn’t surprised that he’d have a knife like that since having such a thing out here seemed practical to her.

“Probably nothing”, he shrugged. “I just feel better having it.”

A moment later they headed off and soon reached the road to town.

“Um... Sorry again about this morning”, said Twilight, a blush touching her cheeks as she recalled the memory.

“Hey, no problem”, he shrugged, smiling. “Like you said, you didn’t know I had company.”

After that they walked in silence for some time. No, it was not the kind of awkward silence that falls when the mind goes blank and nothing can be thought of to say.

Rather, it was that kind of quiet, peaceful silence that some close friends share; that easy, comfortable silence that falls when such friends, knowing each other well, are perfectly content to simply be in each other’s company, knowing that nothing need be said.

They were a little more than half way back to Ponyville when Twilight broke that silence.

“So... Derpy, huh?”, she asked, glancing up at Gerald. He couldn’t quite read her expression.

He winced at the memory of poor Derpy’s mortified embarrassment earlier that morning. He’d have to find her and apologize for that.

“Yeah”, he said, a soft smile touching his lips, his mood changing.

“That surprises me”, she said. Gerald looked at her, raising an eyebrow.

“You always gave me the impression that you have a soft spot for intelligent ponies”, she said, “I always thought she was... Slow.”

Gerald shot her a mildly offended look.

“What?”, she asked, as they walked on.

“Have you spent much time with her?”

“Well...”, she said, sounding a little embarrassed, “not really”, then, “I mean, she was always so stand-offish. It was almost as if she didn’t want to talk to any of us. I always found that off-putting so, no, I never talked to her much.”

“Your loss”, he grinned. It was her turn to shoot him a surprised look. “What do you mean?”, she asked.

“Okay, granted”, he said, “she’s no math genius but she is intelligent, articulate, even poetic in her own way, not to mention very passionate!” He smiled as he thought about the recent experiences Derpy and he had shared.

Twilight stopped to look at him. She blinked, her expression blank. Gerald stopped with her, turned to look at her directly.

“It’s not like you to read a book by a cover, dear”, he said.

Her ears fell, she dropped her head as she abashedly realized what she’d done. “Sorry”, she said.

“Don’t worry about it”, he said cheerfully, “we all do that, sometimes. I’ve done it, myself.” Then, “I feel the need to admit something to you.”

Twilight looked up at Gerald but said nothing. Seeing her look he continued.

“Back when we first met my first impression of you was that you were a dorky, awkward, nerd of a book worm who, being so obsessed with her various interests, would bore me to death with an endless verbal barrage of facts, figures, diagrams and statistics.”

Her eyes widened as she looked up at Gerald with notable surprise.

“Hold on!”, he said, raising his hand and smiling reassuringly.

“Back then”, he continued, “I didn’t know that you’re a bright, vibrant, sparkling, warm and compassionate little filly who’d end up becoming my best friend.”

She blushed, smiled.

“Thanks!”, she said, rather shyly.

They walked on for a while saying nothing. Then she looked up at him, started to say something, hesitated.

“What is it?”, he asked.

“I would have, you know...”, she said, softly, her words trailing off.

“Would’ve what?”, he asked.

“Been your lover.” She said it quietly, almost in a whisper. Gerald had to strain to hear it.

“That is”, she continued, “If I hadn’t been totally terrified by even the very thought of... Sex.” Her ears fell, her head drooped.

Gerald’s eyebrows shot up as he looked at her. This was new! Twi had never broached the subject of sex with him, before. He wondered why she’d brought it up.

Vivid images filled Gerald’s mind; images of him and twilight locked in a mad, passionate embrace. He found the thoughts made him feel very uncomfortable and pushed them immediately from his mind. Yes, Gerald loved Twilight but as a sister, nothing else.

“You’re just a grab bag of surprises, today!”, he said, “But, that’s one of the things I love about you”, he smiled.

She lifted her head, looked at him and smiled back. “Thanks”, she said.

“So!”, he coughed, clearing his throat, not sure he was entirely comfortable with discussing such a deeply personal subject with Twilight but it was obvious to him that she felt a strong need to discuss it, otherwise she wouldn’t have brought it up.

“Terrified?”, he asked.

“Maybe that’s not the right interpretation”, she said, as they walked on, “but that’s what it feels like to me.”

“Hmm!”, he said, thoughtfully.

“It drives me crazy!”, she suddenly blurted out. He stared at her for a moment, surprised by her outburst. She looked at him mildly embarrassed, then, “Can we sit down for a minute?”

He nodded and they moved off to the side of the road and sat down in a soft, grassy spot beneath the shade of a large tree. Twilight sat down facing him.

“So, what’s this all about?”, he asked.

She was thoughtful for a moment.

“First, you have to promise you’ll never say a word of this to anyone else!”, she said, her expression deadly serious.

“What you say to me stays with me. You know that”, he said as reassuringly as he could.

“Okay, First”, she said a little nervously, “do you think I’m cute?” Her question surprised him.

“Uh, twilight”, said Gerald, a trace of nervousness in his voice, “Before I answer that question I have to tell you something.”

“Okay”, she said, not sure what to expect.

“Okay, look”, he continued, “You know I love you but, just to be clear, I love you like a sister. You’re like my little sister, Twi.”

“Oh, I know that!”, she said with a dismissive wave of her hoof but smiling nonetheless.

“So, what was that, earlier? When you said thought you would’ve been my lover?”, he asked confused.

“Oh, well... That was just... Nevermind”, she said, nonplused, then, “I do have fantasies sometimes, you know. Or, I did.”

“About me?”, Gerald asked, his eyebrows shooting up.

“Well...”, she said. It was almost a whisper. She blushed brightly, looked away.

“It was a long time ago”, she blurted out, looking into his face. Then, more quietly, “It was back when we were first getting to know each other. I thought you were just the greatest. I got a crush on you, a really big one.”

“You hid it well”, he said.

“I gave myself no choice”, she said.

“What do you mean?”, he asked.

“Okay”, she sighed, before pressing on, then, “I’ll assume you’re like my other friends and that you think I love to spend all my time studying, right?”

“Well, I’d always assumed studying and learning was one of your great loves”, he shrugged.

“No!”, she exclaimed, looking disconcerted, “It isn’t! Well, not all the time...” She lowered her head as her words trailed off. I looked at her, puzzled.

“I do it to keep my mind off of... Things!”, she said. Biting her lip she looked down, then looked at him, scanning his face to see if he was catching the drift of what she was trying to tell him.

Gerald waited patiently for her to continue. Seeing his expression she did.

“When I was younger”, she said, “I, um... I discovered sex.” She paused for a moment. “There were times when I’d stay in my room all day and.... You know! With myself...” She blushed with embarrassment and looked away.

“Yeah, I get it”, he nodded.

“Sometimes ten times a day!”, she blurted out, cringing, horrified at the memory.

“I mean, it was great at first”, she said, collecting herself, “Wonderful, in fact! I’d never felt anything so wonderful in my life and I just wanted more and more!”

“Yeah, I’ve known people who admitted things like that to me”, he nodded in understanding.

She stared at him, her mouth dropping open. “You have?”, she said. She was quite surprised.

“I think a lot of people have been there”, he said. Her eyes widened as Gerald’s revelation hit home to her.

“I... I thought I was the only one!”, she said, astonished.

“Nope!”, he said, “not by a long shot, I’m sure.”

She paused for a moment, thinking about that.

“Anyway”, she continued, “Like I said, I thought it was great but it didn’t take me long to realize that I was losing control, that this... Thing... This beast in me was taking control of me and my life! It felt like I was possessed!”

Gerald was surprised but said nothing, not wanting to interrupt her. Still, even as well as he thought he knew her, he could never have imagined her experiencing a sexual addiction.

“I... I even did it secretly in public a couple of times!”, she admitted, cringing, honestly ashamed at the memory of what she’d done. “I just couldn’t control myself.”

Again he nodded and remained silent. She looked at him then continued.

“Finally I got really scared because of what was happening to me so I made the decision to just stop. That was a real struggle because my body screamed at me all day every day. I was so tempted all the time! I just wanted to give in to it, to surrender, but I knew where that would get me so I just kept abstaining.”

She was trembling now, her face a mask of shame as she struggled to tell him about this.

“You must think I’m some kind of awful slut, now”, she said, quietly, looking at the ground, her lip quivering. She looked like she was on the verge of tears.

“No, I could never think that about you, Twi”, Gerald smiled reassuringly. He reached out, stroked her mane. She closed her eyes, leaned into his touch and sighed. Visibly relieved, she opened her eyes and looked at him with an expression of warm gratitude.

“Thanks”, she said, quietly, then looked at him again, her face growing intent.

“Well”, she said, “it was about that time that I started throwing myself full into studies. All kinds of studies of all kinds of things. Not so much because I loved doing that but because it was the most effective way I’d found for me to rein in that beast in me and keep it under control.”

“And, because of your... Beast” he said, “you’re terrified of ever having any kind of sexual experience because you’re worried that, if you do, it’ll unleash the beast in you and you’ll lose control, again.”

“Yeah, exactly!”, she said, both surprised and pleased that he understood.

Moving close to him she rose on her haunches and, wrapping her forelegs around him, hugging him tightly.

“Thanks for listening to me and not judging, Gerald”, she sighed, deeply grateful.

“Hey, you’re my best friend in the whole world”, he smiled as she let go of him. He rose to his feet, smiling at her.

“I’ve never told anyone that, before”, she said. She now looked as if an enormous weight had been lifted off her shoulders, then, “I’ve needed to tell someone, to talk about that for a long time”, she said, smiling, “I’m glad I told you.”

“I’m honored!”, he beamed, pleased.

“Pity I didn’t have the courage to let you know how I felt back then, though”, she said.

“Oh, and to answer your earlier question”, he said, “No, I don’t think you’re cute.”

“No?”, she pouted.

“I think you’re drop-dead gorgeous!”, he smiled.

“Drop-dead gorgeous!”, she said with a beaming smile, “Really?”

“Yep!”, he said, then, “So, are you ready to head into town?”, he asked.

“Yeah”, she said, rising and standing beside Gerald, looking up at him still grateful.

“Then leave us went!”, he said jokingly with a bow and a flourish of his hand. She giggled, amused, as they continued on.

Again they fell into that comfortable silence and Gerald, letting his mind wander, began to daydream as they walked. Various images of he and Derpy together filled his mind. His fantasies weren’t necessarily erotic but, for him, they were certainly pleasant and, after a while, he found himself longing to be with her, again.

They’d walked most of the way to town when Twilight froze in her tracks, stood staring blankly for a moment. Then she snapped her eyes shut. She groaned, shuddered violently then grimaced.

Gerald, pulled from his daydreams, stared at her.

“Are you okay?”, he asked, concerned.

“Yeah, yeah”, she said with a shake of her head. She opened her eyes, looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“What was that?”, she asked to no one in particular. Whatever had just happened she was disturbed by it.

“What’s wrong?”, he asked, concerned.

“I... I felt something”, she said, trying to wrap her mind around it, “Like a wave of... Something... passing through me. It was almost... Overwhelming!”

He looked at her with raised eyebrows. “Do you have any idea what it was or where it came from?”, he asked. She shook her head.

“No”, she said, “but I can tell you I’ve never felt anything like that before. At first I thought it was a wave of some kind of magic but then... It just didn’t feel like any kind of magic I’d ever sensed, before!” She took a moment to collect herself then shut her eyes tight, shuddered again.

“Whatever that was”, she said, “I hope I never feel it, again! That was creepy!”

“Are you going to be okay?”, asked Gerald.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll be fine”, she said. Her mood suddenly changed.

“Now, come on!”, she smiled, “lunch is waiting for us.”

And, with that, they continued on toward town.