“One sweet, sad secret holds my heart in thrall; A mighty love within my breast has grown, Unseen, unspoken, and of no one known; And of my sweet, who gave it, least of all.”

― Felix Arvers

Karn and Fluttershy remained seated outside, enjoying the gentle breeze and the peace. Karn was surprised to see that nearby birds would fly to Fluttershy and perch on her left shoulder - the side facing away from him. To his amazement, she even seemed to be able to strike up a conversation with them. He had never dreamed that it was possible to have any kind of meaningful discussion with birds, but clearly she was able to. Her discourse with her avian friends was light hearted and happy.

"Fluttershy, can you actually understand what these animals are saying to you?" asked Karn, incredulously.

"Why yes, I can!" she smiled. "It's my special talent! I love animals! ... Do you like animals, Karn?" she asked, hopefully.

Karn smiled sweetly at her. "As a matter of fact, yes I do. Well, most of them anyway. Some cycles ago on our farm, I had a few months furlough and I helped raise a variety of animals. We raised chickens for eggs ... " and for meat, though he felt mentioning this would be a very bad idea. "Cows for milk, sheep for wool and so on. I even had a pet dog that I called 'Ravage'. I chose the name because he was the least aggressive dog I'd ever known. He was a black and white cattle dog - very energetic! I used to love going for early morning runs around the farm, and he'd follow me, lopping alongside me the whole way. Some evenings, I would sit and watch the sunset with him, when it was quiet - the insects chirping in the night air - and just ... well, it's odd, but I'd talk to him. I'm sure he had no idea what I was saying, but I loved that dog. He was considered a very lucky companion, where I hail from."

"Lucky in what way?" quizzed Fluttershy.

"Well, he had two different colored eyes. One was brown, the other was blue."

There was long pause, while Fluttershy worked up the courage to ask another question. "He sounds lovely! I love dogs very much, too! Do you miss him?"

There was a sad pause. "Yes, Fluttershy. I remember coming home to the farm, and he would bound all over me, smothering me with kisses. I used to lift him up in my arms, and he'd just shower me with them."

A distant look overcome Karn's eyes, as a gentle and nostalgic smile stretched across his face.

"He certainly sounded like a wonderful friend for you! I guess you have so many fond memories of your times together."

"We were pretty inseparable. I used to like camping outside in a spare shed we had, whenever I was back on leave. It was big enough to lay out in and it had the one doorway, so I felt reasonably safe that way. Ravage would come along and lie right next to me. He was funny at times. We had this gander that used to hang around the farm house - we used to call him 'Butch', he was a foul tempered thing. For whatever reason, he took at instant dislike to Ravage. He couldn't bring himself to attack the stupid gander, so I'd come back from pruning the vines or some such and there'd be Ravage, tearing around the house for his life and right behind him would be this furious looking Butch. This circular foray would go on for nearly fifteen minutes, until someone stopped laughing long enough to intervene and save poor Ravage. God, he was a funny dog."

"He sounds like a lot of fun!"

"Oh he was. He used to like water skiing! We'd head out to go skiing on the lake not far from the farm in the warmer times of the cycle, and he'd be hell bent on getting onto this water board kind of thing we had. He'd see you drag that board out of the shed and knew instantly what was coming. He'd be leaping around in circles, bouncing, yapping away! Damn, he loved being towed behind the boat on that thing."

Fluttershy convinced her friends that Karn wasn't dangerous. "No, Mrs. Finch - he's a human. He's very kind and very nice. He likes animal friends, too!" There was some affirmative sounding calls from 'Mrs. Finch', which Karn assumed to be a good sign. He continued to listen to the happily chirping birds perched on Fluttershy's shoulder - five abreast. "How long has it been since you last got to spend some time playing with Ravage?" she asked finally.

"Oh, Fluttershy, it's been a long time now. I last saw him whilst on leave at the farm, about eighty or so cycles ago. We were working in the shed one day, replacing a drive in our vine harvester. The lifting system failed and ... well, it collapsed onto him and he was killed. I spent the last week of my leave building him a grave site amongst the trees at the back of the farm house, in the shade where he liked to rest when Butch wasn't around. He was a great friend. I couldn't bare to have another canine companion after that. His loss just hurt too much."

"Oh, Karn. I am so sorry."

"Fluttershy, it was an accident. Please don't allow yourself to be sad? He had a long and happy life and was loved a great deal. These things happen. It was tragic, but one tries to focus on the good times and those lovely evenings and morning exercises with him. Animals are a part of one's family too. They share the good times, the bad, they are there to comfort you when you are upset, to celebrate with you when you are happy. They should always be honored in your memory. They are ... not judgmental, as humans can be," he philosophized. Karn watched the birds happily chirping on Fluttershy's shoulder. "They certainly seem to love you a lot!" he exclaimed, nodding his head towards 'Mrs. Finch' and the others. "I still need to see this menagerie of yours, Fluttershy. It is somewhat late in the afternoon and I'm rather tired, but if you are available tomorrow, I should like very much to visit you in the morning? That is, if you don't mind?"

Her heart fluttered a little. 'Oh my goodness'. "I, well, I'd ... I'd love that very much!" She looked back down to the ground below them.

"I think we had best retire inside, Fluttershy. I think I need to arrange someplace to sleep, before I find myself having to remain perched out here on this tree."

Karn sensed that Twilight was a little embarrassed about the way Princess Celestia had questioned him about parts of his history that he had expressly asked her not to. Something about the way she was pacing backwards and forwards across the floor of her library certainly gave a hint.

He slowly crossed the room, unsure what to expect if he should catch her attention too abruptly. He reached spike and leaned in closer to him and whispered "Um, Is she okay?"

Spike was resting his elbow on a table and just rolled his eyes. "Yeah. She kinda just treads the boards like that when she's a little upset about somethin'."

Karn continued to observe Twilight's somewhat aberrant behavior. "Does she do this sort of thing often?"

"Pffff, oh yeah. I once told her they should make wearing out floorboards an event at the Equestria Games. She didn't find it very funny."

"Hah! That's a brilliant idea, I think she'd be a shoe-in, whatever the Equestria Games are! I gather it would be unwise for me to repeat your suggestion as well, however?"

Spike looked up at him with a sly smile. "You could try? If you decide to, I'll need to get some popcorn and make myself comfortable so I can watch the fireworks!" A witty reply, indeed. Karn had already decided he liked Spike a lot.

Twilight finally noticed Karn standing there next to her assistant. "Karn ... I don't know what to say, I mean I told her that it would be a very bad idea to bring up the immediate events that led to your arrival here, but ..."

"Twilight, do you remember Princess Celestia asking me about how I arrived here in any of her queries?"

"Well, not exactly, but ... "

"Then there is nothing for you to apologize for. I'd be deceiving you if I was to say that her queries did not cause me any pain and my sighting that weapon so suddenly did make my lose my temper. One must consider the situation and use reason."

"Reason?" she asked. "Karn, you were obviously very distressed!"

"Yet the conversation turned to happier things and she and I parted as good friends."

"But, the way you were so shocked, the sound of your voice when you described those unspeakable things ... "

Karn shook his head. "Twilight, look at the situation from her perspective. A human being she has never met arrives from a place she knows nothing about, and the only reports she has to hand about his appearance, manners and bearing are second hand. She arrives here, hears about some of these mysterious abilities this human has. They are not magical, nor are they mystical. She is responsible for the well being of her subjects. Prudence dictates that she should be sure that this new creature roaming around her kingdom may do so without causing harm. All in all, a very wise tactical decision."

"I guess, Karn, but I'm ... well, still very sorry."

He flashed her a mischievous grin. "Then be sorry all you like!" he exclaimed, putting on the persona of what he supposed was a school master. "Perhaps I shall punish you for it later? A rolled up newspaper is the best weapon for such, so I hear," he finished, melodramatically. She half-frowned at him. "Well, Princess, if you will be such a miscreant, then I am afraid at least ten of the best with today's news is called for!" She finally broke into a smile. "So, which side of the newspaper shall you choose to meet your person first.
The front page or the comics on the back?"

She finally managed a laugh. "You've been hanging around with Pinkie Pie too much."

"Huh!" guffawed Karn. "To bring some seriousness back to the situation, Twilight, I did have something I needed to ask you. I do not wish to impose on any of you in particular, but is there anywhere I could hunker down for the night? Preferably somewhere with just one entrance. I don't deal well with sleeping in the open, unless someone else in my unit is keeping watch."

"Oh my goodness! Karn, I hadn't even considered where you could stay, what with everything that's been happening!"

"Don't worry too much about it, Twilight. I've slept in muddy pools alongside everything from armor debris through to corpses, ... "

"You've slept alongside what?"

"Well, yes. It was either that or sleep above ground and become one of them. I've slept inside barrels, up in trees, underground, underneath machinery, even inside machinery occasionally. I remember once sleeping inside some kind of strange butter churn, and the basta ... " he began, stopped as Twilight caught his eye. Ah yes, the bad language. ".... mongrels in my unit waited until I was out cold and then proceeded to churn the damn thing."

Twilight laughed heartily once more. "That must have been an amazing sight!"

"It was when I finally leapt out of the damn thing and tried to chase any of them down!"

"Twilight, ah I think ah need to mosey on back ta Sweet Apple Acres. I don't want ta be too late gettin' some shut eye for tomorrow."

"Hey, speaking of which, Apple Jack! Would you mind if I asked you a small favor?"

"Shoot, Twilight!"

"Well, in all of today's excitement, it seems we haven't arranged a place for Karn to actually sleep."

"Are you kiddin' me? Well, we don't have a lotta room, but if yew don't mind sleepin' in a barn, there's plenty of hay there? I'm sorry it ain't a suite in the palace but it's warm an' you'll be indoors?"

The idea of sleeping in a warm barn was actually quite an agreeable concept for Karn. Christ knows he'd slept in some pretty awful places - a barn might just as well be the Admiral's quarters on any of the fleet carriers. "Apple Jack, I'm sure that'd be wonderful. I apologize for imposing on you, but ... "

"Ah'll hear nothin' of it, Karn! Yew are most welcome! We'd best make a move now, 'fore it gits too much later."

"I just want to thank all of you for your many kindnesses today. I appreciate all of your efforts to help ease me into my life here," Karn managed. A chorus of accepting expressions reached his ears from his new found friends. "I hate to impose further, but tomorrow morning I was planning on making a trip out to Fluttershy's cottage. Is there any chance someone might ... well, guide me there?"

"Hey, I'm cool!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash.

"Thank you! I'll ... meet you at Sweet Apple Acres, then? Sometime in the morning?"

"You bet!"

"Thanks, Rainbow Dash."

"Hey! Just call me Dashie."

He wondered at the way in which her apparent distrust of him had melted over the course of the day. Perhaps the hellish questioning had been worth at least that much? It could even have been Rarity's efforts at making him look more civilized? "Thank you, 'Dashie', I really do appreciate it."

"No problem!"

The walk back to Sweet Apple Acres was engrossing. Karn found himself enjoying the clear air once more, the quiet and the chance to stretch his legs. After having had some quiet time, and having been able to spend that quiet time with Fluttershy, he felt a good deal more rejuvenated.

"Thanks again for giving me a place to sleep, Applejack."

"Pfff, why don't ya jest call me AJ? Applejack sounds all formal. Ah usually only end up being called that if ahm in some kinda trouble."

"Well, okay then ... AJ," he replied, trying the nickname on for size. It felt a little disrespectful, but as she had specifically asked then perhaps in time its use would feel less so.

"Did yew have a nickname where yer from, Karn?"

In fact, he'd had several over the years. As new comers to his unit would arrive and be subsequently killed, another load of replacements would eventually take their place and come up with new monikers for him. The last nickname he'd had before that horrific incident that brought him here was one that his warrant officer of all people had given him. He'd earned the sobriquet upon stumbling out of a shower one day and finding himself snapping to attention, completely naked, in front of the stunned WO. It seemed there was one particular part of his anatomy that was extraordinarily impressive. 'Jeeeeesus, Karn! If we ever run outta ammo or reinforcements, you can just whip that fucking thing out and beat those bastards to death with it! Make sure you lock that fucking club of yours up at night!"

The ribbings he'd received from his friends after this episode never seemed to cease. He'd never actually been proud of his male endowment, reasoning that its construction (if that was how one could refer to it) was genetic rather than some skilled accomplishment on his part. It was after all just a part of his anatomy - like his hands or his ears. He'd always found the resulting fuss to be more than a little confusing. Why not focus on an ability one had worked hard to achieve? His phallus was simply what he was born with.

The other troops he served with did not share this philosophical leaning. His friends greeting him in the mess by calling 'Ay, The Club has joined us!' was always good for a laugh. More than once, he'd torn open his sleeping bag to find an actual club placed there. Once, they'd even adorned one with a blonde wig and lipstick. His friend Coron was often the harshest with the obscene comments. 'When this bloke here needs to jerk off, they have to call in half the fucking fire fighters in Alsovia to help out!' This odd obsession they had with respect to his size had mostly been an annoyance to him. However, he was nothing if not good natured, and he dealt with the jibes as best he could.

"Well, I'd had a few nicknames, AJ. The last one was ... well, it was 'The Club'."

"..... The Club?" she asked, her bemusement all too apparent.

"Um ... yes."

"What in tarnation led to yew earnin' a nickname like The Club? Did yew carry one, or get hit with one?"

"I'd really rather not to go into that. Suffice to say, I had a warrant officer bring that one about. If it's all the same to you, I would rather you just called me Karn. There's reasons behind my nickname that would ... well, just make things awkward."

They continued their walk towards the farm for a moment, in silence.

"Karn ... I jest wanted yew to know that ah see yew spendin' a lot of time there with Fluttershy."

"Ah. Well, yes, AJ. I owe her a life debt, if you will."

"Yew should know, she's right sensitive and she can git scared pretty easily."

"I'd noticed she is a gentle and quiet soul, yes. I have been as careful as I can around her," he was already feeling a little weird about being away from her for just this length of time. Why did AJ have to bring this up? "I like spending time with her. She's very sweet."

Applejack noticed that the look on Karn's face was somewhat sad, though for what reason she couldn't tell. "What kinda things did y'all do for fun in yer spare time where you're from?" she asked finally.

"I used to enjoy running around our farm, especially in the morning - watching the sun come up. If there was a group of us, we would fence with unsharpened swords to simulate energy blades. It's great fun and good exercise. Often we would gather at the homestead with nearby relatives and play various board games - mostly revolving around strategy and tactics. We were also a very musical family and I was well trained in piano but I preferred instead to drum. I'd always found the act of hammering drums to be a means to work out my angst. Swimming was another popular pass time. What about you? What is it you ponies do for fun and relaxation, besides ask questions of befuddled strangers?"

"Well, let's see. There's th' Summer Sun Celebration. We also hold th' running of th' leaves each year which is a competitive race. The sisters of Ponyville also hold a 'sisterhooves social' every year! Pairs o' sisters git together and compete in all kinds ah fun games. There's the Equestria Games is probably th' biggest event - ponies come from all over the land come ta compete! Of course, Pinkie is willin' to hold any kinda celebration or party around town, for dang near any reason," she finisbed as they both had a good natured laugh. Pinkie was certainly something else. "Thinkin' of which, when exactly is yer birthday, Karn?"

"God, AJ, I don't really know."

"Yer tellin' me ya don't know when yew were born?"

"To be a little more erudite with respect to my previous statement, AJ, no. I don't."

"Well ... yew must at least have some sorta idea?"

"It was somewhat around two hundred and fifty of your years ago, I know that. It was during the harvest in my village. The precise information escapes me. Adepts are long lived, we generally don't bother to track birth dates down to individual planetary revolutions - just cycles of our local star. I regret to say even the precise value of that escapes me now."

"Ah tell yew what. Let' just make one up!"

"... make up a birthday?"

"Yeah! Let's just choose a date here and as long as yer here with us, we'll treat that as yer birthday!"

"Oh God, AJ, I really don't know. I don't like to be the center of attention, and ... "

"Come on' Karn! Pinkie'd love nothin' more than an excuse to throw a party! We can show yew some of our party games, the littlens would love it, everyone else would love ta git to meet you!"

"Well ... then I guess you've managed to talk me into having a date of birth, albeit a arbitrary one," he found himself acquiescing. This was certainly not a collection of words he ever thought he'd use together in that sequence. "Thank you, AJ."

"How 'bout ... two weeks from now?"

"So soon?"

"Well, why not? You haven't had one in ... well, Celestia knows how long! Why not in a couple of weeks?"

Karn perplexedly furrowed his brow and looked down at the road he was walking along. "I ... well, I guess celebrating a fictional birthday is better than the alternative. Thanks, AJ! But please promise me you won't go to any trouble?"

"Karn, trust me! When Pinkie find's out about an impromptu birthday, yew ain't gonna get any trouble from me!"

Their arrival at Sweet Apple Acres took some time. This wasn't on account of the distance of the march out of town, but due to the size of the apple orchard to either side of the main track before they had even reached the front gate. The image before Karn was of such peaceful, rolling hills and such prime, fertile farm land that he found himself truly speechless. The entrance was framed by a beautifully well kept, inviting hedge. Beyond the gate, wonderfully well maintained sheds, chicken coups, and rows of well tended vegetables mixed in with an magnificent vista of trees - those sporting red fruit which he presumed were apples, and others in the distance, setting atop the hills.

"Well, here we are, sugar cube!!"

"AJ ... this ... this is the most beautiful place I've ever laid mine eyes upon."

"Aw, shucks, Karn! Ahm sure glad you like it!"

A rather large, heavy set red stallion meandered over to the two of them as they entered the gate.

"Karn, ah'd like you to meet my brother, Big Mac! He's the hardest worker roun' these parts!"

"Yeeeup".

"I'm honored to meet you," offered Karn.

"Yeeeup", came the reply. Karn found the curious dead pan manner of his expression a curious duality to that of Applejack. They were both obviously salt-of-the-earth creatures, hard working, filled with a simple honesty and the kind of pleasant forthrightness that could only come from solid toil.

"Big Mac, Karn here needed a place to sleep fer tha night, and I reckoned he could camp out in the new hay barn."

"Yeeeup" came the predetermined reply. No matter the very simple manner of Applejack's brother, Karn found himself liking him very much. There was no drama here, no pretense, no bullshit about him. At any rate, he headed off to accomplish some other task around the farm and Applejack led Karn on towards the promise of a warm bed for the night.

The new barn was precisely the kind of building Karn had thought it would be. It was a solid wooden construction - the walls were painted red, with large double doors to allow easy access to the inside. Apple Jack led Karn up into the loft, where she helped him spread out enough hay to make a soft bed, covering it with a blanket. A hessian sack filled with still more hay made for a perfect pillow. A large, down-filled eiderdown was found and offered as well.

"If you don't mind sometime, I'd love to ask you to show me around the farm and how things work around here," remarked Karn, trying to stifle a yawn.

"You bet. As long as yew reckon' yer up to it? Don't you go wearin' yerself out, y'hear?"

"I'm already a lot more steady on my feet. I managed to walk here without having to steady myself," he pointed out to her. He thought about that fact for a moment. "Do you think I should add my own cutie mark?"

"You should do what, now??"

"Well, since I can now walk quite adroitly and without assistance, I thought ... well, maybe I could have a pair of boots tattooed onto my thigh. What do you think?" The two of them laughed about the entire concept. "Hah! Maybe not. The next thing you know I'll be walking around on all fours and sporting a tail. Do you think a tail would suit me? Perhaps Rarity could fashion me one from the hair she cut off me earlier today?" Applejack's laughter intensified a little. "What's so funny? I thought the entire concept of having my hair cut off in the first place was to fit in with your customs! Why not improve my stance in the community by having the remnants of my hair sewn onto the back of my uniform?" It was apparent that Applejack found the image hysterical - it took her some time to get ahold of herself.

"Well, Karn, that'd certainly be a mighty funny sight!" she exclaimed finally, wiping a tear from her eye. "You'd be endin' up in a travellin' side show like that."

"That's a thought. I think I'll leave my thigh free of cutie marks, remain upright ... and, of course, no tail."

The task of constructing a resting place for Karn accomplished, they made their excuses.

"AJ, I really cannot find the words to thank you enough for your incredible hospitality."

"Well, as I say, yer welcome. Ah'll be seein' you in the mornin', bright'n early! Ah'll introduce yew to some of the other Apple clan and wait fer Dashie to turn up!"

Applejack climbed back down from the loft and headed back to the farm house, bellowing a hearty "ya sleep tight, now!" as she closed the barn doors.

Karn slid himself under the eiderdown that he'd been supplied with on top of his hay mattress, and gently rested his head back onto his hessian pillow. It felt for all the world like he was a king - the bed was humble, but it was offered freely and without conditions. Staring at the roof of the barn, he was confused to have found that his thoughts had drifted towards Fluttershy. Folding his arms behind his head, he lay there - contemplating precisely why he was suddenly focused on her. He felt very alone without her being nearby, and her absence weighed on him a great deal. Especially since he had no idea where she was, as he still didn't know the layout of the town too well.

He wasn't entirely sure what Fluttershy felt about him. She obviously seemed to want to be friends - she had been more than happy to be close to him that afternoon on that silly tree branch. He reasoned that their being different species didn't matter a great deal, since the ponies of 'Equestria' were obviously highly intelligent and very advanced. Given that much, sharing emotions such as the strong bonds of friendship between them was therefore less of an issue as it would have seemed at first, since they and he were sufficiently sapient enough to communicate so effectively. They and he were certainly able to grasp consequences, solve problems and employ logic and reason.

There were the obvious physiological and anatomical differences, though. He was twice their size for a start, and bipedal - something the ponies seemed to find curious. They also tended to wear little to no clothing, unless it was for purposes of show, or practicality - such as Applejack's saddle bags.

He closed his eyes, and recalled as best as he could the sound of Fluttershy's lovely voice singing that lullaby to him whilst he was in hospital. At first, he laughed to himself over the absurdity of it - but for all that, the memory of her voice was comforting. His conscience slowly relaxed as the sweet memory of her beautiful song floated through his mind, and for the wonder of it all he fell asleep.

As he slept, he dreamt of hills and apple trees, of blue skies and a benevolent wind.

He dreamt of green fields and his dog, Ravage, happily standing at his side.

Naturally, Fluttershy was there in his dreams as well. She was intensely beautiful. His sleeping form gently caressed her cheeks, sliding her mane away from her angelic face. He felt confused, yet comforted.

Author's Note

I started to 'heat' things a little more at this point in the story. I am not entirely sure that the 'sex' tag needs to be employed yet, but it will be in the future. When, I don't know. The emphasis on Karn's phallic endowment and his desire to downplay the obsession others seemed to have with that is an attempt to drive home that he is philosophical. Sexuality is not something that repulses him, but he feels that sharing such intimacy is not a game. Thus the grappling with his instincts.

With thanks to MrDerpFace for providing additional editing and checking! Greatly appreciated.

2017-04-06 POST EDIT

Again, removing a lot of the emotional treacle. There were a lot of grammar and spelling issues to fix, as well as some tightening up of the dialog in places.