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               The Short Time At Sunsets End               
                    -by NorthernDasher-                    
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               Chapter 1 - The Burning Bush                
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Chapter 1 - The Burning Bush
By: John/NorthernDasher/Metroid8901/or whatever the hell you want to call me
Pre-read by Chris (Black Friend) he can’t read so mistakes for sure  
By the way before reading there is strong language, and drug use. (Calm down pussies)  
The writing style is fucksterclut but apparently my friend can read it so you should be able to as well.  
Chapter 1 – The Burning Bush (<Man I feel immature for this somehow)  
Pre-Intro (I think)  
Again.
The past 6 years the same thing has happened on this date, my birthday.  
I nearly choked and was blinded by the sweet cake chunks that spread over my face. All I heard was laughing while I struggled to get out of my bed woken by this now regular occurrence. I stumbled and fell off my bed grabbing the tissue box off my night stand on the way down; I wiped off most of the cake and licked around my lips.
“Seriously guys… again with this? Can’t you two think of a more entertaining birthday awakening?”
“Ha, well it was entertaining. At least for us anyways.” my uncle said with a grin.
“Bahahaha… oh sorry man this just never gets old.” my childhood friend Chris said with tears in his eyes.
I was happy to be awoken but not in this fashion at least. I suddenly felt the rumble in my stomach… oh man this was a big one. Release.
“Jesus fuck John, what the hell have you been eating!” my uncle replied to my gas with a disgusted expression.
“We ate the same shit last night! Do you not remember the party last night?” I said with a look already knowing the answer.
“Well… sort of. You probably saw how much I downed last night. After all, you bought the drinks.” my uncle said this with a now noticeable headache as he rubbed his temples.
“Oh yeah… I remember. Now fuck off I have to shit!” I said with a mixture of annoyance and a yawn.
They both left still laughing as I continued towards my washroom wearing only my boxers. I approached the door of my washroom which had a pair of hairy ass legs hanging out. One of my uncle’s friends I presume?
Doesn’t matter I had to shit. I grabbed the legs and dragged his fat ass out of the doorway dropping his legs after. I took my seat on my throne, the first thing every morning. I sat there and thought about myself.
Wait was he dead? Ah fuck it.
Myself
I sat there lost in my thoughts as I do every morning.
This happened to be one of those days where I had to think about this again.
What am I really doing? I live in this house alone in the country side, no job, but there wasn’t a reason for a job. My parents passed away 7 years ago when I was 19, leaving behind a large inheritance due to their professions working at the Canadian space program. We used to live in a home just outside the city where it wasn’t too far from their work and not too far from any activities they thought I would pursue. But I moved from the house and bought this one because I always liked the quiet and peaceful feeling of the country side.  
I’m a loner, yet I kind of enjoy the time to myself. I sometimes don’t understand how some people can be overly social and have the need to be around other people. I like being alone left to myself with space to do what I want… but everyone does get lonely after some time, Chris and my uncle know this especially after my parents passing they started to visit once in a while. But I have no idea how Chris got a key to my house. I gave my uncle a key I remember that. Maybe it’s a black thing?  
Haha… I laughed at this thought how me and my uncle always made these racist remarks at him, but he laughed as well.  
My uncle is only 4 years older than me so that’s why we get along, but I see him as more of a brother, but he beat the sense of calling him uncle into me whenever I visited my grandmothers. Also a reason on how he knows Chris so well, also from the way they wrestled each other every time they had a chance. When they did in my house, I always made sure they never did around my computer, my sanctuary.  
That is where I sat and spent most of my days sitting and relaxing. Not only relaxing, but what I would consider as work. I have some artistic talents which include things such as drawing, music composition, and video editing. Things I make for the internet to fill the need to be a contributing person in a way.  
It’s been a while since I’ve made something. But my motivation is dithering. I’m losing the will ever so slowly. These past yea--.  
*BANG*
The Fuck?  
The door of my washroom flung open slamming against the doorstop.  
Again.  
My uncle stood in the opening with another cake.  
“Are you serious? On the toilet?” I said slightly annoyed after interrupting my thoughts.
“Of course not dumbass this is the good cake, I was just coming to ask if you wanted any, I know you don’t really like cake. Do you want?” he said as if not acknowledging my look of “Fuck off I’m shitting here”.
“Yeah sure just leave a small piece if you guys decide to eat it all. Wait? Why are you eating cake now isn’t it the morning or something?”
“Naw it’s like 3 in the afternoon or something, I just told some of my buds to go after I woke them up after you”
“Wow really, I hadn’t even noticed the light outside”
“Of course you haven’t, you barely go outside… or from what I remember about you”
It’s true I don’t go out much, only to go grocery shopping or buy some supplies for my hobbies.
“right…”
“Well, good luck with your shit I’m off to eat cake”
He left and the door stayed open.
Clean-Up
I walked out of my washroom continuing down my long hall glancing at some marks on my walls. Some party. I only knew a handful of people at the party, others were my uncles friends he decided to invite, I didn’t mind.
I arrived to the kitchen where my uncle and Chris sat eating cake.  
Plastic cups and plates everywhere.  
I didn’t say anything, I just started picking up the cups and plates stacking them as there was no food or liquids in them surprisingly, and I threw them in my garbage.  
“Hey bro, I cleaned most of the yard and floors around here should be alright” Chris said still chewing cake.  
“Oh thanks… Uncle did you do anything?”  
“I cleaned up my friends.” He said mouthful as well.  
The place did look clean… to my standards at least; I only kept places I used somewhat clean like my computer area, washroom, and bed.  
“Oh yeah, I gotta dip in a bit. Work in a couple of hours.” My uncle said finishing his cake.  
“Alright”  
“Oh that reminds me, I gotta pick up my sister from school.” Chris said.  
“Wow, really. Your parents still making you do that? Isn’t she in high school now?” I replied.  
“I know man I’ve been telling them and her” Chris said with annoyance.  
“Well guys see ya, I’ll call next time I plan on dropping by” my uncle said as he headed towards the door.  
“Alright see ya uncle.” Me and Chris said at the same time.  
Chris started calling him uncle just out of habit… well kind of beaten into him after being tossed around like a ragdoll over these many years.  
“And don’t do any gay shit after I leave alright” my uncle said with his eyes on Chris like he was going to punch him.
I looked at Chris and started laughing my ass off. When we were younger Chris always acted gay around my uncle because he was extremely homophobic, he liked to piss him off with this.
“No promises” Chris replied slightly feminizing his stance.
My uncle slammed the door after this reply. I saw him speed walk towards his car out of the living room window. He drove off in his BMW something… I don’t remember names of cars.
I turned to Chris which was now putting his jacket on.  
“Alright so you’re leaving as well?”
“Yup. You mind if I take the rest of the KFC bucket.” Chris said already with the bucket in hand and now his shoes on.
“You know why we always make jokes about you Chris. Typical N***** after all these years.”
“Hey man I’m black so I may as well do what black people do. By the way you’re short a 20.” Chris said as he was closing the front door.
Alone time
I sat there, on my computer chair, staring at the black screen, lost once again in my thoughts.
What am I going to do now?
Some days on my computer I usually browse the web, lingering, watching videos, getting small laughs from image boards. I sometimes touch a project I started sometime ago adding something here and there, but none of these projects gave me a feeling to actually finish them.  
…  
…
Oh. That was odd. Absolutely nothing came across my mind. No feeling to do anything, just sit and stare at the screen.
Maybe I should go outside.
I walked over to my closet, opened the door, I spotted my old hoodie I had since high school. A black red plaid patterned one with an oil stain on the shoulder. The oil stain came from when I let my uncle borrow it for a week. I did not mind it at all, actually the added black smudge over the left shoulder made it look, Unique. It also added a faint smell of oil I slightly enjoyed.
Oh that’s it, should bring a joint along.  
…  
…  
I walked out the door and onto my gravel driveway… It has been a while, this feels different.  
I made my way down the drive way taking in the outside air of the country side; I looked left and right as I approached the dirt road. It was a habit. I started walking along the side, it was about 7pm I think, and the sun was setting. It was mid September after all, normal time for sunset this far north.  
I walked and walked looking far into the straight continuing dirt road with some tree’s hovering over from the open fields of both sides. Leaves were falling and a couple fell in my hood. I grabbed one and started to tear the flesh off the maple leaf, leaving only the veins. I threw it to the side.  
It was almost dark now. I sparked up my lighter and breathed in the smooth smoke which was the product of my homegrown Kush. I took a couple hits and it was done, it was a fairly small joint I smoke to relax not to get stoned every time, it calms me and helps with my arthritis.  
I turned around seeing my house in the far distance a bit of a blur.  
“I need new lenses; these are like 4 years old or something?”  
I started walking back along the same side of the road. I watched the sun fall over the horizon creating twilight which lasted for a couple minutes until the sky was a dark blue revealing the stars.  
It was becoming hard to see now. I reached into my pocket.  
“Fuck…”  
I forgot my phone at home; it had a light on the back of it.  
I could barely see the road with what little light the stars provided, the moon was only a small crescent now so it was useless as well.  
I started walking cautiously seeing the trees on the sides as they blocked the starlight casting even more darkness over the road.  
“Fuck!”  
My foot slipped off the side of the road I was getting to close too and I continued down into the ditch landing backwards on my ass.  
“Fuck… This is what I get for going outside…”  
I stood up in the ditch then crawled up the side back onto the road. This time walking in the center of the road keeping straight as the wind started to pick up. I saw the outline of clouds in the dark horizon.  
Must be a storm coming.  
I came up to my driveway and walked up with the gravel crunching beneath my feet.  
Thunder, I heard it from a distance, the storm was getting closer.  
I opened my door and turned on the living room light. I took off my shoes and my sweater. I put my sweater back on its hanger in the closet, and a leaf fell out of the hood. I grabbed it and tossed it towards the front door where it landed on the floor mat beside my shoes.  
I headed to my fridge and opened the double door. There was left over pizza. Sweet. I opened the Tupperware container and grabbed a couple slices.  
“So they did clean up.”  
I plopped onto my couch in the living room and turned on my TV. It turned onto the discovery channel.  
“Did they watch TV at all last night? Or were they that smashed?”  
My small buzz from the weed started to fade a bit but I sat there relaxed.  
The program on now was about parallel universes or something. I lost interest quick as I usually do while watching TV. I turned off the TV and wondered where my pizza had gone. I had eaten it without realizing.  
*boom*  
Hmm. The storm is getting closer. The thunder is starting to multiply and the booms are increasing in volume, but still a fair distance.  
I got up from my couch and headed towards my washroom to wash my hands. I walked in and turned on the light, and I saw silhouettes of rain drops trickling down the window.
Unreal  
I got out from my washroom and walked back into my living room which had an odd feel to it. It almost felt like there was an energy flowing through here. I felt kind of energetic after stepping into the roo—  
*BOOM*  
There was a sudden flash of light that had a purple tinge to it. It lasted for a second and receded back into the trees just past my backyard.  
“Holy shit”  
“FUCK!”  
I saw a small fire just past the trees. I ran to my closet and grabbed my sweater again, also grabbing my phone off the end table by the closet. I ran to my door put on my shoes and stumbled out while turning on the front and back porch lights. I ran around my house to the back where my hose and a bucket was. I grabbed the hose turned it on and filled the bucket.  
I had my phone flashlight in one hand with a heavy ass bucket of water in the hand running towards the now growing flame. It’s barely raining; there aren’t even heavy clouds above yet. Why is the fire near the ground under the canopy of trees?  
This is not how I wanted to relax with this buzz seriously.  
I almost tripped over a couple roots while running towards the fire which almost didn’t look like a bucket fire anymore. I tossed the bucket of water at the fire. I tossed the ‘Bucket’ of water at the fire. For the love of god I did not want to be dealing with this right now.  
The flying bucket let some water fall onto the burning bush but didn’t put it out yet. I took off my sweater and tried to cover the rest of the area of burning bush.  
*Woosh*  
“FUCKING HELL!”  
My sweater caught fire on the left shoulder. Now I mind the oil stain my uncle had gotten on to the sweater. The oil was combustible I know this now. I pulled the sweater out of the fire and covered the small area with the bucket suffocating the flame. I ran back to my house bucket in hand double taking the fire. I got to my hose and started to fill the bucket quickly.  
I looked back to the flame. It was gone. What?  
I turned off the hose and left the bucket down full of water. I walked towards where the fire was. I shone my phone light on the bush, there was no smoke coming off of it, only charred leaves. I picked up my sweater which now had a hole in the shoulder where the fire consumed it.  
“Man and I really liked this sweater”  
Wait? How did the fire go out, there’s still not enough rain to penetrate the tree canopy? I looked up at the black silhouette of swaying leaves and stars peeking through. A drop of rain fell into my eye. Past my glasses… again. Seriously every damn time.  
I heard a rustle in the nearby bushes as I was wiping my eye. I whipped my phone light towards the source of the noise. I saw the bush moving slightly. I cautiously walked towards it holding my sweater like a flail thinking that would do anything.  
“Hey, is… is anyone there?” I called out towards the bush tightening my grip on my sweater flail.  
The bushes seemed to rustle more at my question. My heart started to beat faster as fear started to grow. I looked over the bush and saw a bright purple flash and I was blown back a couple feet landing flat on my ass for the second time today.  
“Who are you!” a female voice called out from behind the bush.  
“Owwww fuck. Who the fuck are you and what did you do to me?!” I yelled back with only a bit of anger.  
“Hey I asked you first! And sorry…” the female voice seemed to calm down a bit.  
“Oh well… My name is John. Now who are you and why are you out here?”  
“I… don’t know” the female voice now said with a sad tone.  
“What do you mean you don’t know? Who are you?”  
I got up quickly and walked towards the bush very cautiously this time not knowing what would happen.  
“Stop! Don’t get so close! …Are you going to hurt me?” her voice had fear in it now.  
“I don’t know yet? Depends if I get thrown on to my ass again!”  
“Yes or No?!” the voice said with a mix of demand and fear.  
“Okay no. I don’t even know who you are.”  
I grabbed the bush and pushed some of the leaves to the side shining my light past it.  
My mouth stood agape.  
What the fuck was in my weed?!
My Weed?
It’s been years since I’ve seen this. But no this can’t be real it has to be some sort of bad trip or something. But she looked so real and getting thrown back on to my ass was no illusion I felt that. But this… this was feeling way too real, like the first and last time I did shrooms.  
She sat there covering her eyes from my phone light.  
“Twilight?” I said not realizing or believing that I had said it.  
“That light is too bright. Please?” Twilight said with a now more comfortable tone.  
“Oh sorry…”  
Why am I not freaking out or anything? Maybe this felt too real to feel un-ordinary to me. I mean when I was interested in the show several years ago and always had some thoughts about a situation like this. But now after almost forgetting about it entirely, it just comes back, lights a bush on fire, and throws me on my ass!  
“I’m sorry for throwing you. But I was scared and not sure that another human would be as nice as the last one I met.” Twilight said with a steady tone of unease.  
“Oh well I understand why you would be scared bu—Wait? Another human? You mean you have seen another?” I said dumbfounded.  
“I would explain… but do you think we could inside your home?” she said with a look of exhaustion now.  
“Oh of course of course, follow me. By the way you did put out that fire right?”  
“Oh yes I believe I have also caused that fire with—“  
“Magic” I finished her sentence.  
We walked slowly towards my backyard.  
“So you most likely know as well?”  
“Know about you? Well yes but not in this way person to person… or to pony?”  
“This surprises me even more than the last. Are you not disturbed or confused?”  
“Confused yes. Disturbed not really or not at all. I was relaxing in my house when this happened and I’m trying to relax again”  
“Oh well sorry about that”  
The thunder was getting closer and it now started to rain heavier than just moments ago.  
“Okay hurry now I don’t want to get wet.” I said now jogging towards my backdoor. “Wait not this way, around to the front.”  
I don’t have my keys on me; I left my front door unlocked from my rush out. We both jogged/trotted around to my front door. I opened the door took off my shoes and tossed my sweater on the floor near the wall shut the door after Twilight stepped inside and I walked to my couch and sat down heaving a large sigh.  
“Go on just wipe your shoes… I mean hooves on the mat and sit here”   
Twilight wiped her hooves on the mat leaving pieces of mud all over it. She had beads of water all on her back and her hair… or mane I forget, they started to drip off onto the floor as she walked towards the couch.  
“Oh sorry I’m getting your floor wet” she said with slight embarrassment.  
“Don’t worry about that now just sit here and relax”  
I sat on the couch with my eyes closed thinking about what the actual fuck is going on and how I’m going to deal with it. I felt her presence pass by me from behind and a depression into the cushion beside me.  
“So umm… John right?” Twilight said a bit uncomfortably while she was trying to get comfortable on the cushion.  
“Yeah.” I said with my eyes now open looking at my hands on my lap.  
I looked to her in the eyes for a second and started to wander around the room feeling a bit uncomfortable myself now and said. “So will you tell me how you ended up here now?”  
“Oh yes. Well I don’t know where I should start… Okay well me and my friends came here the first time because another one of my friends Rainbow Dash was sent here by accident… by me. So we got here and found the house where Rainbow Dash was being held at… At first we expected her to be in a sort of bad situation in the human world and all but were surprised at what we encountered. The man wasn’t surprised to see us much like you, but what was most shocking was that Rainbow Dash didn’t even recognize us! The man explained why and that confused us even more. In our world it was only 15 days that she was gone but here in this world 15 years have already passed, and on top of that she was a filly when the man had found her… He had raised her as if she was his own…” Twilight said these last words with a small tear in her eye now.  
This was a lot of information to take in at a time like this but I had nothing else to do and my high almost faded away fully now. I had questions forming in my mind, but most almost seemed to answer themselves after a few moments.  
“15 years huh? I wonder what I was doing 15 years ago? Still in high school or starting I think… Oh never mind that, I hadn’t realized I was saying that out loud.”I said this also realizing that I sounded the opposite of what I felt. Interested.  
“Oh sorry. Please go on.” I said quickly.  
A tiny sob came from her before she started speaking.”Well the princess was with us at the time and suggested that I use a memory spell to restore her memory and teleport her back to our world. It was sad for all of us, the man had tears in his eyes and he was saying the most heartfelt things before…”  
I could see tears forming around her eyes. I can kind of imagine the situation from how she explained it. It seemed to me like the man had raised the filly much like a baby. They had made a Father-Daughter relationship. Then these guys came and had to take his daughter away from him. I now had a small tear in my eye imagining this situation.  
She started again.”Before we took her away… I cast the teleportation spell first thinking we could bring her memory back when we arrived in Equestria. But magic is much harder to control in this world, such a powerful spell like that I tried to cast with 6 other ponies must have caused it to mix up. Now I have no idea where I am and where my friends are…”  
“Do you think you can try casting the spell again with only yourself this time?”  
“I… I don’t know what will happen. What if I just get more lost and encounter a human unlike you and the man.”  
“Hmm yes that would be a big problem. Have you tried any other spells? Easier ones or less powerful ones?”  
“Well I did put out that fire with a basic force field, it wasn’t that hard but it did feel as if it took some more effort… especially right after casting the teleportation spell. I feel exhausted.” She said now with a small yawn.  
It was getting late now and I heard the thunder outside getting much closer with the rain hitting the windows. I could let her stay here, but I was still confused at the fact that she is actually here sitting beside me on my couch.  
“Would you like to stay here for the night… or however long it takes for help to come.”  
“Oh would that be okay, I wouldn’t want to intrude or anything.”   
Her body seemed to drop into comfort after I offered. She really wouldn’t be intruding on anything at all. I do nothing all day anyways, this would be interesting?  
“Yeah sure you can stay here, I’ve got plenty of room. By the way, are you hungry by any chance? I’m hungry.” The pizza from earlier seemed to have disappeared inside my stomach.  
“Oh yes please… You wouldn’t have any daffodils by any chance would you?”  
“Oh no I don’t, ponies are vegetarian aren’t you? I think I have something in my fridge let me check.”  
I got up from the couch and headed towards my kitchen. I took a quick glance back to her and saw her head snap away quickly as if she was just looking at me. I opened my fridge and slid open the crisper drawers.  
“Damn it” I said under my breath.  
There was nothing inside the drawers. The only food in the fridge was left over pizza and cans of pop scattered throughout the levels. I forget the last time I went to the grocery store. I closed the fridge and checked the bottom freezer. Steaks, only steaks in the freezer… nothing else, hmm I don’t even like cooking, why did I buy steaks?  
I closed the freezer and started to check the kitchen cabinets. But again there was nothing a pony would eat in this house, and currently nothing I would eat as well.  
What time was it? It was half past 9. It’s about a half hour drive to the closest grocery store, but it was most likely closed by now. There is an idea; maybe I could order some delivery. Chinese? Thai? Indian? Pizza or something?  
I walked back into the living room where Twilight was and I saw her resting her head on the arm rest of the couch still curled in a sitting fashion.  
“Hey Twilight. I don’t have any food at all in my house. Did you ever have pizza before?”  
“I may have, I don’t remember though but the name does ring a bell.” She said sort of groggily.  
“Oh alright let me show you then. Come here.”  
I walked towards my computer and turned it on. She didn’t look too surprised at it. I opened a web browser and went to my local pizza stores website and to the customization tab.  
“So does this remind you of anything?”  
“Oh no it doesn’t, but it does look good on that picture. What are those circles on it?  
Pepperoni on the advertised pizza. Was pepperoni pork or beef? I don’t know.  
“It’s pepperoni, pork or beef some kind of meat.” I said while moving the mouse a bit uncomfortably. I don’t like when someone is watching me on the computer.  
“Meat? Umm.” Twilight said with a noticeable look of disgust and slight fear.  
“Oh yeah but we’re not getting one with meat, I know you don’t eat meat. How about a 9-grain crust with mozzarella cheese. Do you eat cheese?”I said a bit excited doing this.  
“Ah yes but can you make it both cheddar and mozzarella?” Twilight said as if she’s done this before.  
“Okay then, and what veggies? I think I’ll just put all of them on it, I need some vegetables probably after last night… or the past week.”  
I clicked the order button and had my credit info pre set because I only order pizza from this place. I closed the browser and turned to Twilight on my spinning chair now facing her.  
“It should be here in 30 minutes. So…”I said leaving a moment of awkward silence.  
Twilight shuffled her hooves on the hard wood leaving really small scratches. I was about to say stop but she looked at me with a questioning look.  
“Umm… Where can I sleep? I am feeling really tired now but I will have a piece of the pizza” Twilight said now with a large yawn.  
Her breathe blew out onto me. It smelled like cut apples left out a bit too long. A quick thought went through my head. Does she need anything like a toothbrush? Or other hygienic tools for that matter?  
“Ah yes I forgot about that for a moment, you can sleep in the guest room… but hold on I’ll get some sheets and blankets.” I said this as I stood up and took a couple steps.  
“Oh don’t worry I can manage with the sheets…”  
“No you don’t worry. You’re my guest I’ll do it.”  
I continued down the hall into the guest room.  
“What the fuck happened in here!” I yelled out of habit of being alone.  
Twilight came down the hall and beside me looking into the room with me. The room was a mess. Sheets’ lying around the floor, the mattress was flipped hanging off the side of the box spring, and some liquid on the floor. God damn why do all these things happen at the wrong times. I should have checked in here earlier after Chris left.  
“This is a fucking mess, that’s the last time I let my uncle invite people I don’t know. And sorry for my language this just pisses me off.”  
“What happened in here? And what’s that smell?” Twilight said with a small gag.  
“This is the remains of my birthday party last night. I seriously wonder what happened in here and I would like to know the smell as well so I can get rid of it. For now I’ll just mop that liquid over there and spray the place with air freshener, it’s too late to try and clean this.” I said calming down a bit.  
“Oh well happy birthday John. But… now where do I sleep?”  
“Aw man, hmm well you could sleep on my bed and I could sleep on the couch. I stay up late on my computer anyways and don’t fall asleep until early morning sometimes.”  
“Oh I couldn’t… I mean it’s… I feel like I’m intruding.” Twilight said lowering her head and moving away from the doorway to escape the smell.  
“Well it’s not like I’m not used to intrusions. My uncle says he’ll call when he plans on visiting but he just drops in… at the most unusual times. And I don’t really mind I woke up at 3 in the afternoon I’ll probably be awake when you wake up tomorrow.”  
I grabbed a mop and a bottle of air freshener from the hallway closet and wiped up the liquid then sprayed every corner of the room. Walked out and closed the door. The storm is getting much closer now; I can feel the thunder rumble the floors.  
“Must have been some party huh. Oh and thank you for letting me stay here and in your room for the night… Is a storm coming? I don’t remember the pegas… Oh that’s right…” she lowered her head again.  
“You’re welcome and yes a storm is coming, feels like a big one… Oh and would you like a drink? The pizza should be here soon” I said as I walked towards my kitchen passing her. “Would you like anything with alcoh…?”  
“Yes.” She said quickly interrupting me. “I could really have something to help me relax right about now.”  
“I didn’t expect that but alright. Wine or something strong like whiskey? Oh yes I could go for that, I’ll mix coke with mine. You want to try it?” I said opening my wine cabinet beside the fridge pulling out the large glass container of whiskey.  
“Hmm… the wine sounds nice… but I could go for some whiskey right about now… but what’s this ‘Coke’?”She said sounding seemingly less tired.  
“Oh its… umm…” I’ve never thought of it before. “Well it’s a soda with a lot of sugar. It tastes like co… just try it.”  
I opened the fridge and took out a couple cans of coke, then I placed them on the counter. I closed the fridge then went to a cabinet and grabbed a couple cups placing them beside the cans. I cracked open a can releasing the white smoke and poured a small shot of it into one of the cups.  
“Here a small shot, try it.” I went to hand it to her as if she was going to grab it with a hand. The cup lifted out of my grip into the air and towards her mouth.   
Oh yeah she can still do that.  
She took a sip of the small amount already there, and continued with a gulp.  
“I like it. It’s really sweet, but I like it.” She placed the cup on the counter leaving a very faint purple haze envelop the cup.  
“Alright then, a mix it is.” I said pouring half the can out then pouring a splash of whiskey. One of the cups floated back into the air. I took mine and had a sip…
I heard a knock on the door.  
“Oh, must be the pizza… stay here Twilight.” I walked around the corner of my kitchen and continued down the hall towards the front door stopping at the closet to get my wallet. I pulled out a 20. I looked out the front window seeing headlights shining as flashes started to appear in the sky. The rain was also starting to pour. This guy needed a good tip. I pulled out another 20. I walked to the door and opened it to see a guy nearly soaked holding a pizza box. I waved for him to step inside for the trade off.
“Hey John, here’s your pizza bud. Shit storm huh?” the pizza guy said shaking off a bit and handing me the pizza.  
“Yeah thanks Kyle. And this is for your troubles.” I handed him the 2 twenties trying not to act as if I was just recently with a talking unicorn.  
“I can always count on something good coming here, thanks bro” Kyle said as he stepped back outside and into his car then driving away.  
I stood in the open doorway for a second seeing the sky light up with cracks of lightning. Then one of those big face slapping rain drops came and hit me. The outdoors and I are not on great terms at the moment. I closed the door and headed back towards the kitchen.  
Twilight is refilling her glass…  
“You liked it didn’t you?” I stood in the opening that leads to the kitchen holding a moist pizza box with a small grin on my face.  
“Oh! I didn’t notice you come back. Umm yeah I… drank what you gave me. Well… yeah I like it.” She said this and seemed to have fumbled the whiskey with her magic looking as if she had done something wrong.  
“Hey Twilight it’s alright, as I said you are my guest. Do as you please.” I said this placing the pizza box on the counter. “But I really didn’t expect a pony to be drinking all my whiskey.”  
I opened the box and Twilight seemed to be looking excitedly under the slowly opening lid, which I was doing so on purpose.  
The pure vegetarian pizza was exposed and I was slightly disappointed at the lack of meat I was forced unto with this. I pulled out a couple plates placing a couple slices on each.  
“So here take this plate over to the couch.” I said as I was already bringing myself and my pizza to the couch.  
Twilight started to walk towards the couch with a plate and a glass floating beside her. She placed them both on the coffee table and curled back into the couch cushion.  
I took a huge bite out of my slice and started to chew on the big chunks of broccoli which seemed to populate most of the slice. I held the bolus of food in my mouth now, breathing in and out fast with my mouth wide open. Damn it was still hot.  
“Ugghh, it’s too hawt!” I spit out a couple small chunks while speaking.  
I took a swig of my coke and whiskey to cool it down.  
Man that mixture in my mouth tasted bad.  
Twilight was sitting and letting out a little giggle. She grabbed a slice of pizza with her magic and pulled it closer to her mouth and let out a small blow over it.  
“Hey zis is how you eat.” Twilight said with a slight slur of her words and nibbled a bit off the tip of the slice.  
Her eyelids were hanging a bit lower than before and her cheeks were slightly blushed. So a low tolerance to alcohol I can see.  
“So do you like the pizza?”I said with a burnt tongue.  
“Well it is an intresting mix of shings. I’ll only eat one piecsh of it though, I’m bushed.” Twilight said finishing her slice and taking a gulp of her drink.  
Wow she eats pretty fast.  
I had the rest of my slice still on my plate, but my hunger seemed to have disappeared from the fiery wrath of the broccoli covered grainy crust of pizza.  
“I’ll finish mine later, lost my appetite after my experience.” I let out a small laugh at my knowing of the next days of tasteless food.  
Twilight gave a nod with her eyes closed sitting up. She opened her eyes and shook a little.  
“Oh alright, let me bring my pl—“  
I already grabbed her plate and cup with mine and brought it to the kitchen where I placed my left over slices back in the box and the tableware into the sink.  
I’ll clean this up later.  
I head back towards the couch and Twilight was holding the TV remote in front of face inspecting it. I sat back down onto my spot of the couch and asker her.  
“Are you still that tired or would you like to see what that does?”  
“Oh well… I could see quickly before I get to sleep.” She passed the remote to me.  
I grabbed the remote out of the air it was floating in.  
That is pretty weird to get used to.  
I turned on the TV and a lion popped up letting out a loud roar.  
*BOOM*  
The power went out. That thunder sounded as if it was just down the road.  
Twilight let out a small squeal. I felt her leg kick me in the side.  
“Fuck! Oww… Was that you?” I asked the darkness.  
How many marks of pain will I have gotten from today?  
“Oh sorry Its… I got startled by the thunder and the roar and the lights going out suddenly.” Twilight said with her voice seeming to sound closer.  
I felt her move a bit; she was probably shifting closer to me.  
“Are you afraid of the dark? The Storm?” I asked her as her presence seemed to be right beside me.  
“A little…” she said with the tone of a small girl.  
I let out a small muffled laugh. “Ha I didn’t expect that from you Twilight.”  
“Umm… Do you mind?” Twilight said keeping a soft quiet voice finishing with a yawn.  
“Mind whAH!” I jumped a bit.  
She let her head rest on my left arm. I pulled it out on reflex and her head slid onto the side of my stomach then down onto my lap.  
She was out.  
Why would she push herself through exhaustion? (Also alcohol)  
…  
…  
I sat there with her head resting on my lap. My left arm lay uncomfortably on the back of the couch. I felt her rise and fall as she breathed in and out. Some of her hair… or mane whatever was under my shirt slightly and it made me itch.  
I didn’t want to wake her, but she seemed like a heavy sleeper after falling from my arm and hitting my lap.  
I shifted her head slightly to pull out the hair and fix my shirt properly.  
She let out a small grumble of something inaudible, then poked her horn into my other leg.  
Man the things that happened to me today…  
…  
…  
…  
The rumbling of the storm subsided leaving a soft relaxing volume of rain. Some distant flashes of lightning dimly lit up the living room revealing Twilight’s sleeping body breathing in and out.  
I was trapped. But it felt comforting in a way. No other option I could or wanted to think of.  
I closed my eyes.  
…  
…  
…