Ben

I open the box, removing my salad. "Sweetie, does Rarity have any Caesar dressing?" I ask as I grab a pizza cutter and begin slicing the pizza.

"No! She says it's bad for your figure!"

I frown. "Aw. Any other salad dressings?" I put a few slices on a plate, passing them to Derpy. "There you are," I smile.

"She has vinegar."

"Aw. That's alright, I'll just have it by itself." I put a few slices on a plate for Sweetie.

She digs in with the veracity of the vaguely hungry child of a fashionista.  "So... Tell me this funny story." Derpy says, calmly chewing her pizza.

I sigh "Okay. This is gonna sound crazy as all heck, but bear with me."

She nods slowly. "You look pretty crazy so... Then again, I can't really talk."

Her right eye drifts around like a free spirited child in its socket.

I chuckle. "Crazy's my middle name."

"So, I'm a human, from Planet Earth. I came here... through some interesting circumstances. I actually have no idea why or how I got here to be honest." I munch on a lettuce leaf before continuing. "And, well, what's weird is... I knew about Equestria before I ever came here."

She stares.

Well half of her stares, the other half is very interested in the ceiling.

"In my world, it's a cartoon. A show on television. And let me tell you, you are a very popular mare. You're actually one of the most popular ponies, you have thousands of fans."

I smell a little funny thing... Her skepticism. Despite that, I carry on, hoping she could somehow believe me. "And... Ever since I saw you, and learned your story, I..." I blush. "... I kind of fell in love."

I look her in the eyes- well, one of her eyes. "Do you ever wish on stars?"

Her mouth slowly gapes before closing her mouth slowly nodding.

"Well, I..." I look at Sweetie, who's listening, too, as she munches on her pizza. "Sweetie, would you mind giving us a minute? You can take your pizza to your room if you like."

She stares, looking vaguely annoyed. "Sure." She stands up, pushing the plate with the pizza on it on her butt, and walks into the next room.

I sigh, watching her go. "She'll be annoyed at me, but I didn't really want her to hear." I look back at Derpy. "Before I came to Equestria... I was suicidal. I hated myself, because I was weird, I was too hyper for my age."

I grimace. "This might sound a bit weird, but... you were kind of the best thing that ever happened to me, back on Earth, Or at least the idea of you. You kept me going, for a while at least. Every night, I wished on a star that you were real, that I could meet you, a pony that would understand me better than anyone else could."

Her eyes soften a little, her ears flopping.

I look down at the table, absentmindedly scratching the back of my neck.

"...But...things took a bad turn." I paused a second.

"I came to Equestria by trying to die."

"I jumped in front of a bus, one day, when I just couldn't take it anymore. I guess that'd be like jumping in front of a carriage, here, trying to be trampled. Just before it hit me, there was this... white light. And then I appeared in the middle of Ponyville."

She frowns, looking away. "Sorry..."

I shake my head. "It's okay. It was, well, everything I ever needed to feel good again.  I've been here a few months, and I'm happier than I've ever been." I smile. "And now I've met you. I guess stars do grant wishes after all, huh?"

She sighs, holding a hoof to her forehead. "I... You're right, that was a crazy story." She stands up, putting her empty plate on the table. "But... I have two daughters at home and I have a job I should be doing." She flexes her wings, wincing as she nudges a lamp, but thankfully doesn't knock it over. "Maybe we'll see each other around some time?"

I smile slightly. "Alright. Thanks for listening. Sorry for the inconvenience, and, well, sounding like a crazy stalker at the beginning, eheh...”

She nods. "Yeah, it's fine. Just keep the stories for bedtime huh?" She chuckles. "Thank you for the pizza, I owe you one."

I shake my head. "Nah, you don't owe me anything." My smile goes up, just a tiny bit. "Thank you, Derpy. For... everything."

She smiles, turning and heading for the door. "I'll show myself out." She walks to the door.

"And ponies say I'm weird..." She mumbles under her breath before opening the door "Bye!" She waves one hoof before leaving entirely.

As soon as she leaves, I let my head smack on the table. "Stupid." SMACK "Bloody." SMACK "Idiot!" SMACK

"U-Uh..." Sweetie mumbles from the doorway to the other room. "Are you... Okay?"

"Not really," I mumble. "I kind of just messed up bigtime and made the one pony I like most think that I'm really, really weird."

Sweetie frowns, walking over and sitting next to me. "Oh... Sorry... Was it my fault..?"

I pick my head up, wincing as it stings when I touch it. I look over at sweetie, shaking my aching head. "No, I just said more than I should've all at once. Thank you, so much, for being so sweet, Sweetie."

She smiles, leaning into my side. "I'm not that sweet... One time I ended up running my crush away from school by yelling too loudly at Diamond Tiara..."

I put an arm around her. "I'm sorry." I glance over at the pizza box. "Do you want a few more slices?"

She nods. "Mhm."

I take her empty plate, putting a few more slices on it and handing it to her. "Here you go!"

I grab my salad, munching on it.

She smiles and starts eating. "So... Who was that mare anyway?"

I smile back at her. "That was Derpy Hooves, the greatest mailmare you'll ever meet."

She glances at the door, "Really? She seemed... Mean."

I shake my head. "No, I just said some things that were kind of awkward and hard to take in all at once. She's very nice, I just... weirded her out."

She nods. "Alright...” She yawns, laying her head on my arm.

I rub her mane. "You seem tired. You should probably head to bed soon, alright?"

She shakes her head, "Nooo... It's only..." She waves her hoof around. "Early. Besides, we need to watch the stars."

I chuckle. "Alright. But first, we gotta do these dishes, mkay?"

She nods. "Okay!" She hops up and gathers up her and Derpy's dishes, almost running to the kitchen.

I smile at her enthusiasm, following after her with my salad bowl.

She nudges them on the counter with her nose. "I can't reach the sink..."

I laugh gently. "That's alright, I can do them." I put the dishes in the sink, and soon have them washed. I dry them with a towel, then look around. "Um, Sweetie? Do you know where these go?"

She looks around, "Uh..." She then points with a hoof at one of the cabinets. "That one I think."

I pat her on the head. "Thanks, Sweetie." I put the dishes away, then smile. "Alright! You ready to go stargazing?"

She nods, then we head outside. It's just dark enough that the stars are starting to come out, but it's already amazing. I smile. "This is my favorite part of being in Equestria. The night is so beautiful."

Sweetie looks up and her mouth drops. "Wow... I've never really looked at the sky at night, Rarity usually has me in bed already."

I think for a second. "There's a hill I like to go out and stargaze on, it's a little outside Ponyville. You want to go there?" I ask. "I swear, the sky gets even more beautiful there."

She nods happily. "Mhm!"

"Cool!" I smile. "Let's go, here, I'll lead the way." I raise my hand, blue magic lighting the way as I start walking.

She raises an eyebrow while following me. "How'd you learn to do that anyway?"

I looked at my hand. "Uh... I'm not sure. Princess Twilight was pretty curious about it, too. It just kind of... came to me, instinct, I guess." I shrugged helplessly. "She went on and on about portals to Equestria and adhering to the magic flow of the planes and ... a bunch of scientific stuff that made my brain hurt." I chuckle. "But I think she said that if I was a pony, I'd be a unicorn, so I guess that must be why."

She nods slowly. "I don't get it."

I smile. "Neither do I, but hey, I have magic. It's cool."

She smiles. "What is the most you can do with it?" She asks sweetly.

I think about it for a second. "Uh, I'm not sure, I haven't tried. Hm... I wonder if I can make magical constructs...”

My hand flashes blue, and I immediately run into a transparent blue wall.

"...Ow."

She giggles. "That looked funny."

I try to look at my own nose. "Is my nose still on right?"

She squints, "Uh... I dunno."

"I hope so..." I shake my head, then grin. "But, you're right. That was kinda funny."

She skips forward, fighting back another yawn.

I smile. "You want me to carry you?"

She slows down a little, "Uh..." She shakes her head, "N-No... I'm fine, thank you."

I nod. "Alright, just as long as you won't be too tired to see all this." I gesture to the sky, which, though not yet completely filled, is even prettier than before.

She scoffs, "A lady is never too tired to please a stallion at night." She giggles a moment afterwards, "I heard Rarity say that to one of her Special Someponies when he was visiting her once."

I raise an eyebrow. "I see. And were you supposed to be in bed at that time, hmm?"

She trips, yelping lightly. "U-Uh... No."

I chuckle. "Suuure."

We come upon a wide, sturdy bridge, a long one that spans a gorge. "It's just on the other side of the bridge, then we'll be there."

She nods and follows me.

We get to the hill, and I help her up the slightly steep side to the top. I lay back, and am met with the amazing sight of Luna's perfectly-crafted night sky.

I sigh happily. "Beautiful."

She sits off to the side of me. "Wow... It really is."  She lays back on her... Well her back, revealing the tipity nips of her crotch.

I remember just how thankful I am that I'm wearing jeans.

She sighs. "It's nice out here."

She shivers, "It's a little chilly though..."

"Hmm... I didn't bring any blankets...” I muse.

"You want to come snuggle next to me?"

She doesn't answer for a couple minutes, shivers twice, then scooches over and snuggles into my side under my arm.

I smile, gently ruffling her hair. She stays there, one eye peeping out at the sky. "This is nice..."

"Mm, it is, isn't it?" I laugh softly. "I'm glad you're liking it. Are you happy I'm your babysitter?"

She nods into my side. "Mhm...”

I chuckle. "You getting tired, there?"

She shakes her head. "Noo...”

I raise an eyebrow. "You sure? ‘Cuz you look pretty tired to me."

"No I'm not..." She lightly 'jabs' my side, by pushing softly into your side with her hoof. "Silly..."

I laugh, then poke her side gently.

She yelps. "Ow." She says before giggling and poking my sides right back, "Stop iiit."

I poke her again, smiling. "Nnope!"

She grumbles climbing up onto my our chest and splaying out on top of me. "I win."

"You sure? Cuz I think I might have a trick up my sleeve..."

I glance to the left and the right, pretending to make sure nobody's looking, then boop her nose. "Boop!"

Her eyes cross momentarily. "Huh?"

"Boop," I repeated, smiling.

She up turns her nose and harrumphs.

I laugh. "Not gonna play? Fine, I win, then," I tease.

She huffs, smiling down at you. "I won because I'm more mature."

"Whaaa? Naw, what'chu talkin' about? I'm totally mature."

She giggles, hiding her muzzle. "Sure you are."

"'Course I am! I am the maturest mature guy in all of Equestria."

She giggles again. "Uh huh." She lays her head down on my chest.

I stroke her mane gently, content to watch the stars for a bit. "Are you having fun?" I ask after a minute or two. She nods softly, inching up my chest until her head is laid under my chin.

I wrap my arms around her, my heart melting from the cuteness. She then starts snoring softly. I chuckle, gently picking her up so as to not wake her. I cuddle her in my arms, then set off for Carousel Boutique.

I walk in, quietly shutting and locking the door behind me. I take her up to her room, laying her down in her bed. I pull the covers up over her, smiling at the cute filly before me. She smiles, too, looking quite happy in her sleep.

I turn off the light, hoping I didn't accidentally wake her, then start to walk out of the room.

I head for the living room, lay down on the couch, and let my mind wander until I fall asleep.