No Way Back

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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.