Under Construction

o/`So here I am,

doing everything I can.

holding on to what I am,

pretending I’m a Superman... o/`

Goldfinger - Superman

Chapter 6

Lovely Day

Surprisingly, the trip home required Autumn to stop and wait for me, rather than the other way around. More than a few times, I thought we had lost each other. But every time I thought I'd have to get out and start shouting to the heavens to find her, there she'd be; perched on top of a telephone pole or a traffic light, just waiting and for me to catch up. I couldn't help but grin at the slightly smug look she always had on her face.

We arrived home pretty much at the same time, me parking and getting out just a minute after I saw Autumn enter the lot from above. She leaned her body against the side of the building, fore and hind legs crossed over each other as she acted like she was waiting forever.

“'Bout time, slowpoke. I thought you'd never get here.”

“A-ha. A-ha. Ah-ha-ha-ha. You're hilarious.” I laughed sarcastically, still in disbelief at the little race we both had. “I can't believe you managed to perch on those lights and telephone poles. That was kinda cool.”

“Aww, thank you! I did manage to drop an entire stone before I came to Alpha. I’m about 12 and a half, now.” Autumn seemed absolutely titillated for some reason. Did she just admit she... dropped a stone?

“Um... is that an Equestrian term, or something?” I asked. “Ya wanna... clarify that, maybe?”  She looked at me strange for a moment, but quickly realized what I meant.

“Heh. Maybe that means something different in this world. A 'stone' is a unit of weight on Omega Earth. Apparently, you have it here, but don't use it much. If I remember correctly, one of the human scientists I met when I first came here said...” she paused, raising a hoof to her chin in though for a moment. “... it equals about 14... 'pounds,' I think the term was.” I just nodded in understanding. Doing the math quickly, I estimated Autumn was about 175 lbs., which made her about 15 pounds lighter than me. Dang. I know that standing on her hind legs, she's almost as tall as me, and I'm 5'10. Most girls I know would be bitchen' about how much they needed to get on a diet if they weighed that much, but then again, that was thinking of weight in human standards. It took me a moment to remember that, aside from being a pony, Autumn also had 2 extra limbs on her, both of which had to have some pretty thick muscle on them to get her off the ground. Keeping that in mind, I guess it evens out. It doesn't really matter to me, so long as she's happy. I smiled for a moment, remembering how Erica freaked out when she put on a whopping three pounds over winter break our Senior year. Ooh, how horrible. Then she weighed 127 lbs.

“What, think I was too heavy to land on them safely?” she asked with a smirk. I smiled back, not even trying to get into THAT discussion as the lift reached our floor.

I opened the gate, finding Merlin waiting as the two of us stepped off and into the apartment. I walked off towards the kitchen area, Autumn choosing to make a break for her room. As I turned around to look for the little tabby, I noticed he wasn't following me like he usually does. I looked around the open apartment to find Autumn just entering her bedroom, the small black streak that was Merlin following close behind.

'That goofy little cat.' I thought. 'He actually likes her.' Merlin usually doesn't like ANYbody. This wasn't the first time I seen him gravitate towards her, either. Maybe he got a good sense off of her. That, or maybe he thought she was some kinda big mouse/bird thing and wanted to pounce on her. Whatever the case, Autumn must have made quite an impression on him. I just continued on with my task, getting two cups out of the dishwasher and a bottle of soda as Autumn walked back out of her bedroom.

“So, what are we up to, tomorrow? Got anywhere special in mind?” I poured her a glass of Coke and pushed it over to the end of the counter. She gave her wings a single flap, landing on her rump on the stool in front of the glass as I poured myself one as well.

“Actually, tomorrow I have work. So, for the rest of the night, I think we're just gonna unwind and relax a little.” She took the cup between her hooves, actually looking a little saddened by the suggestion. She didn't stay down for long, though, and perked up with the first sip of her drink as I took a seat on my own stool, across from her.

“Well... I guess you had to go to work sometime, right? So, what should I do when you're gone?” Right about there, my brain came to a screeching halt. Oh, shit. I was gonna have to leave Autumn, alone, either in the apartment or out in the real world, for at least 8 and ½ hours. I've been with her practically every moment since she arrived, save for when we were asleep. Well, except for when she got away from me at the mall, but that's hardly my fault. Alright, it was ENTIRELY my fault, but I'm new to this 'babysitting an alien' deal! “Um, Jeremy... you look a little pale, there.” I quickly snapped myself out of my self-induced blackout. Apparently, my apprehension for leaving her alone was showing a little.

“Heh... just thinking about something, that's all. Don't worry about it.” As Autumn looked back to her soda, I glanced over her shoulder into the living area. Suddenly, I found my answer. “Hey Autumn, do you have anything along the lines of Television on your world?” She raised an eyebrow as she placed her glass back on the counter.

“Tele... vision...” she repeated, the combination of the words being foreign to her.

“Yeah, or as it's more commonly refereed to on Alpha Earth, TV.” I hopped back off the stool and walked around to the living area, Autumn doing the same. In truth, I call it the living area, but in this wide, open expanse of an apartment, it's really just a glorified square area with a flatscreen TV, entertainment stand, coffee table, couch, recliner and loveseat arranged in an aesthetically pleasing way. It's one of the few truly defined areas of the apartment, the others being the kitchen and collection of Sheetrock walls that make up the bedrooms and bathroom in the far corner. If you ignored the large assortments of items I gathered and added to every garbage day, it might actually look like a regular studio apartment.

I reached down and grabbed the remote from the coffee table, turning around to find my equine house guest laying on the couch. It was cute how she did it, hind legs tucked underneath  with her forelegs stretched out. Just like a big puppy. Anyways, just as I was getting ready to hand her the remote, a thought occurred to me. I was going to 'HAND' her the remote. Uh-oh...

“Um, Autumn... there may be a problem.” I said, nervously. “That 'hoofspace,' gravity manipulation thing you can do? Does it work with this?” I held the remote towards her, the little pony regarding it with a strange look. “This is the way humans control their TVs. Can your hoofspace work on this?” Slowly, she took the remote from me, holding it in a way that my mind told me she shouldn't be able to. The flat of her hoof was touching the SIDE of the remote, as though the right side of the device had a powerful magnet in it, and was attracted to her hoof.

“Alright, that works. Now what?” she asked.

“Just aim it at the TV and his the button labeled TV. That should turn it on.” I half expected her to bring her other hoof to the button and awkwardly press it down with the tip. Instead, I watched as the button depressed itself, the grip of the holding hoof apparently reaching over enough to connect and activate it. These ponies are REALLY amazing creatures. With a slight hum and flash on the screen, the TV turned on, catching Autumn a little by surprise.

“Oh! Oh, wow...” Her eyes went wide as the pictures flashed across the screen, someone reviewing the Killzone 5 on G4, the last channel I was watching before I left for work on Friday. Damn, did I go the ENTIRE weekend without watching TV? Well, this girl IS pretty distracting.

“Alright, Miss Rain. Allow me to introduce; Television! Ta-da!” I leaned in front of the screen, doing jazz-hands for a second, then sat next to her on the couch. “Over 900 hundred channels of news, entertainment, music, sports and much, much more, all conveniently available at your hooftips.” I pointed out a few more buttons on the remote, then allowed Autumn to gleefully surf through the channels.

“Amazing... this is just like the movie you took me to, but in your home!” my perky orange roomie giggled before turning the volume WAY up and down a few times. “HA! This is so cool!”

“I know, right?!” I said, faking her own enthusiasm, almost flawlessly. “And that's not all. Come have a look at this.” I held up the remote, showing her another button at the top marked 'net.' “Go ahead, press it.” Of course, she did, setting the TV to access the web. “Welcome to the internet, Autumn.” A shining 'Google' symbol glowed into existence on the screen, a search field with a flashing cursor inside.  I explained, her eyes never leaving the new image before her. “This... is the internet. The greatest invention ever to be devised by the human mind. This is a collection of all the cumulative knowledge of the human race on every subject you could ever wish to delve into.” Words seemed to escape her as I took the remote from her hooves.

“You can use the remote to move the arrow on screen and select anything with the 'enter' button. Watch this.” I turned to the TV and cleared my throat in an overly dramatic manner. “Web Search: Omega Earth Races, show images.” In an instant, the search field filled up with my words, a small blue bar on the bottom of the screen filling up as the search neared completion. When it was finally over, a cascading set of images filled the TV screen, depicting dozens of different images of ponies, zebras, minotaurs, griffins, donkeys, cows and a dozen other species, all brightly displayed before us. Looking at the images on the screen now, I think I was more impressed than Autumn. There were certainly a lot more this time than when I first ran a search on her world.

“So... this is like one big, gigantic library, right in your living room... you humans...” Autumn plopped down on her rump, jaw hanging open and eyes wide in disbelief. “... amazing...” I chuckled under my breath, pleased with myself that she'd be entertained for the entirety of my day at work tomorrow. That is, until I noticed one picture in the bottom corner of the screen. It showed a U.S. soldier escorting a pair of what I assumed to be pony scientists in a lab coat around a laboratory, the soldier holding a rather intimidating looking M-16. Just then, an thought occurred to me; Autumn told me her people used to think humans were some monsters from legend. They thought all we were blood-thirsty, beasts, warring with everything we came across. How would she react if she came across an online article about World War II, or the Civil War, or for that matter, ANYTHING that happened in the southern United States in the 1950s or 60s? Shit, I think I opened a can of worms, here.

“Well, there is just one problem, Autumn.” My pony roomie looked up at me, seemingly curious at to what possible downside there might be to this new wonder before her. “The internet has countless wonderful things on it for anyone, or anypony, to access. But... you may come across some... less than flattering things if you dive into human history. I mean, in the past, humans...” Suddenly, she raised a hoof, shaking her head to silence me.

“Nope. Stop right there. You're talking about war and violence, right?” she asked, looking up at me. I gave a nervous grin, fidgeting my fingers together. “Jeremy, relax. I know that whatever happened in your people's past is just that; in the past. I'm not going to judge you personally based on anything I read about on this... what did you call it?”

“Internet.” I said, somewhat relieved. Well, I took her this far already, might as well show her all the goods. “But ya know, if you wanna look into some SAFE forms of human violence, I got that, too.” Autumn tilted her head and gave me a strange look. Alright, safe violence. Nice oxymoron there. I moved closer to the TV, opening the cabinet doors in front and folding them back to reveal my game systems.

“Allow me to introduce the X-Box Galaxy, Wii-U, and Playstation 4. These are called game consoles.” Again, Autumn approached to give them a closer look. I reached inside and took a controller off the PS4. “This allows the user to live out any number of fantasies in the safety of their own home.” I reached into the side of the cabinet and took out several games, showing them to her as I continued. “Every game is different, and there’s hundreds of them for each console. I got quite a collection, so go ahead and look them over too, if you want. But you know...” I said, pressing power on the Playstation as I handed her the controller. “you look like a Capcom fan if I’ve ever seen one.”

***

I decided it would be a good idea to make some Cliffs Notes style flash cards about how to run the TV, the game consoles and the internet. After I cramped up my hand writing down every possible thing I could think of she’d wanna know about EVERYTHING, I left Autumn alone in the living area while I showered, shaved and otherwise got myself ready for the coming day. This time, Merlin chose to hang out with me, the buzzing of my electric razor being a constant source of wonder to the dumb little kitty. Having a roommate wasn't turning out to be so bad after all. Sure, there would be no more naked walking around the apartment in the middle of the night, but I had enough sleepwear and white t-shirts to keep myself covered and still be able to relax. All in all, the night was pretty much complete. That is, I thought it was, until I was just about to turn in.

As I lay in bed, I tried to figure out what I would tell the guys in work tomorrow. They all knew about me needing a roommate as desperately as I did. Conveniently, none could offer to BECOME said roommate, of course, everyone already having houses or apartments or mother's basements of their own. As I stared at the ceiling, I could hear the TV finally turn off, the clopping of hooves telling me Autumn finally gave up for the night. I wasn't too worried, the sounds of grunts and hadoukens coming from the living area every time I turned my attention to it. She probably got tired of getting her flank kicked around and called it a night. I did feel a little guilty when I heard her in the shower. The clip-clop of hooves against the floor of the tub and bumps against the wall telling me the poor girl was just a little too long to comfortably fit in there.

“Great. I'm probably gonna have to do something about that.” I thought, hearing the shower finally turn off. On that note, I decided to finally just call it a night. I got up off the bed and pulled back the covers just as I heard a rapping against my door.

“Jeremy? You asleep yet?” Merlin's ears perked, the silly little cat deciding to hop off the bed and stand by the door.

“No, but pretty soon. Come on in.” The knob turned and the door opened, Autumn stepping inside just a few feet past the frame. Her mane was flatter than before, obviously flattened from being washed a short time ago. Her tail looked the same, hanging lower than before, considerably less poofy and bouncy. But what I noticed most about her was her coat. Bright to begin with, it almost seemed to shine in the dim light of my bedroom. She looked more... magical than before, if that's at all possible. And considering she's already a pegasus, that's really saying something.

“I just wanted to say good night, is all. I'm done 'surfing' for the now.” she said with a grin. “I just played around with it for the last half hour, looking up that movie we saw and whatever else your people know about mine. Sorry, I know a tool as powerful as the internet should only be used for important, serious research.” I won't tell if you won't. ;-) “This has just been an incredible weekend, and I want you to know how much I appreciate you letting me use your machines while you're at work.” Well, shucks, ma'am. Yer gonna make me blush.

“Hey, that's what I'm here for. Maybe tomorrow you can tell me a little more about your world, first hand. Or... first hoof, that is.” I joked, eliciting a laugh from my roomie. That's about the first time I really noticed it. Autumn's laugh. Daintily, she raised up a forehoof to partially cover her mouth, her mane bobbing slightly with each note. And truly, it WAS almost like music. It was gentle and sweet and relaxed and peaceful and... happy. If any of you guys reading this have dated around, then you know how hard it is to find a girl that's just friggen' happy, for god sakes! It was something I always thought was one of the most attractive attributes a girl could have. Well, a HUMAN girl, that is. It was so surprising and beautiful, I found myself laughing right along with her. When the moment passed and the room when silent again, Autumn sighed and walked closer to me. What happened next, I don't think I expected in a million years. With a small assist from a flap of her wings, Autumn hopped up on her hind legs. Again, I was surprised to find that this little pony was right at eye level with me when standing upright. Suddenly, she leaned forward, wrapped her forelegs around me, and gave me a tight hug.

“I'm just glad I was able to find a human as nice as you to put me up while I'm here. It means a lot to me.” I know that's what she said, the words registering later, after she left the room. Right then, though, all I could think right then was... how incredibly soft her fur was. I mean it, guys. I guessed it would be so, but in truth, I had no idea. Softer than fur on a newborn puppy or kitten, each individual fiber brushing the limited exposed skin on my chest, neck and arms, feeling like I was being hugged by a cloud. Her mane smelled like night air and rain, probably from whatever hair care product she brought from her world, but still... damn. Unconsciously, my arms raised up, returning the hug. It was all I could do to make sure to keep my hands from squeezing her wings.

“Y-yeah... no problem.” I mumbled out, glad that Autumn couldn't see how wide my eyes were from her angle. Finally, she let go, dropping down on all fours again.

“Well... that's all. Good night, Jeremy. Have a nice day at work.” With that, Autumn turned, trotted back to the door and closed it behind her as she left. For a moment, I just stood there, stunned. Did she just... I mean, she... and I... WHAT?! I turned back to my bed, finding Merlin laying at the foot end, staring at me.

“Did you see that, Merl? What was that?” Of course, being a cat, Merlin gave no answer. Instead, he opted to give his nuggets a few good licks, sprawl himself out and close his eyes. Thanks for the talk, big guy.

I got into bed and hit the light on the night stand, the room growing dark. I curled up under my covers, digging my head into the pillow. Pathetic. After hugging Autumn, the pillow seem considerably less soft. I punched it a few times, trying to soften it up before I finally surrendered. “Forget it...” I growled, closing my eyes. It was the end of the night, and I had work tomorrow. I couldn't delay any longer. With the events of the weekend playing in my memory, and the scent of Autumn's mane still on my mind, I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

***

The alarm on the night stand blared, bringing me back to waking life, turning on my night stand lamp soon after. Usually, I'd hit it and let the other two alarms get me up. But today, for some reason, I had the subconscious forethought to get my lazy ass up out of bed and hit the alarms before they went off. I turned and looked back at my bed, finding a little black lump stretching and moving on top of my covers before finally jumping to the floor. I grabbed my jeans, high-visibility neon green shirt and old gray cap from the dresser, putting them on in the dim light of my bedroom. When I was finally done, I trudged out into the living room, slipping on my heavy work boots as the just rising morning sun shown through the windows. Checking the clock on my phone, I estimated I'd have enough time to get to grab a coffee and get to work if I left now. Let's see; phone, check. Hat, check Steel-Toe boots, check. Razor knife, check. Apathetic attitude,(hey, I'm a government employee, remember) check. Alright, I'm ready to go.

If I wasn't awake already, the noise of my industrial freight elevator guaranteed I'd be awake by the time I hit the ground floor. As the rattling lift reached the bottom of the shaft, I unlatched the securement and threw open the gate, coming face to face with the ever lovely and jovial Cashmere. The elderly immigrant landlord was doing is usual daily duty, sweeping the main entryway to the building and making sure the windows were clean. That's just... peachy.

“Jeremy! Good morning, my friend! Going to work?” he asked, his Eastern European accent thick as ever. I figured I had a moment shoot the shit with him.

“Yeah, unfortunately. But it's Monday, so we shouldn't be doing anything too crazy today.” That was very true. Mondays were the recovery day at work. We had some drinkers and party-boys on the crew that just didn’t respond well to loud noises first thing on a Monday. Glad I share a job with so many party animals.

“How's your new roomie, Jeremy? Being a good host to our visiting pony friend?” he asked, poking at me with the handle of the broom. I pushed it away, grinning at the mention of Autumn.

“Yeah, we're getting along fine. Some small bumps in the road, but she's new to the planet and all, so that's to be expected.” Cash's face lit up at this, the argument he gave me for accepting her as a roommate proving true.

“I told you, my friend! Anyways, I let you go.” he said, raising a hand in a wave. I returned the wave, turning and heading for the door. “Have a good day, Jeremy. Have fun working with you daddys!”

“They're NOT my daddys, Cash.” I said with an annoyed sigh. I opened the door and stepped outside, pulling it closed behind me. “See ya later.”That was a teasing point for Cash since he met the usual crew I work with more than a year ago. I had to bring them to my place to help me haul in a pair of run down classic dirt bikes and a pinball machine we found one very fruitful garbage day.  Being either all single, married without kids, or only having daughters, these guys(who were all working for the city for decades, all of them in their 50s, by the way) were glad to take me in when I got hired, and were more than happy to show me everything they knew about, well... everything. It's guys like that really make a sucky job bearable, know what I mean? Anyways...

I made my way to my truck, clicking open the locks as I approached. I opened the driver side door and put the key in the ignition. Than, as always, I turned and looked over my left shoulder to grab the seat belt. I pulled it down my body until the buckle connected in the latch at my right hip. Funny... there's a coffee in the cup holder. I didn't remember leaving a cup in here. Then again, I didn't notice the sharply-dressed gentleman sitting beside me enter the truck either, but there he was.

“Good morning, Mr. Corbin. On time for a Monday. For a change, that is.” he said with a smile. He was dressed to kill in a professional looking, 'Agent Smith' from the Matrix trilogy kinda way, dark sunglasses and all. He had dark brown hair, nicely styled like you'd expect a lawyer or stock broker to have, without a single hair out of place. Now, I KNOW he wasn't in the truck when I entered, and I barely took my eyes away from the front for more than a second. So, of course, I responded with the usual level of cool we'd ALL like to have in this kind of situation.

“HOLY FUCKING JESUS TAPDANCING CHRIST!!!” Bravo, Jeremy. Bravo. If the neighborhood wasn't awake before, they sure as hell were now. I must have put the shocks a workout, jumping out of my skin while still buckled in like that. For the most part, Secret Agent Man looked unimpressed.

“Relax, buddy. I'm just here to talk. This isn't a car jacking.” he said, a smart-assed looking smile on his face.

“Yeah, boy?! How do I know that?!” I shouted, edging myself against the door while simultaneously reaching for my razor knife and the door handle. Calmly, he took a deep breath and gave me my answer.

“Your name is Jeremy Davis Corbin, currently 20 years old, born October 30, 2003, only child of Edward Michael Corbin and Sarah Rose Corbin, maiden name O’Connor. Your mother is currently living with her new boyfriend, Richard, in Avon. Your father is deceased, killed in Iraq 10 years ago by an IED to defend his platoon. I’m sorry, by the way.” I could feel all the color fade from my face. Whoever this guy is, he did his homework. Much more than the average crook would do if they wanted to steal your car. “That’s just what I can remember from our file on you, though. We’ve been watching you for a while. But if you're still thinking I'm a carjacker, consider this: How many carjackers dress in a suit to steal an 11 year outdated, beat-up old work truck for a target?”

I sat there unmoving, still stunned by the fact that he brought up my father. I never talked about him, to anyone. I mean, sure he could have looked him up. It's not like soldiers dying in the line of duty is a highly guarded secret. But he knew about my mom, and her douche bag new boyfriend, too. Slowly, ever so slowly, I eased back into my seat, catching my breath as I allowed him time to explain.

“Fine... fine. You got my attention. No tell me; why the fuck are you in my truck?” I finally asked. Again, I almost shit when the guy reached into his right jacket pocket, only to be relieved when he pulled out a wallet. With one fluid motion, he flipped it open, showing me a very official looking badge.

“Special Agent Henry Syth, BEA. That’s the Bureau of Extraterrestrial Affairs.” Sure enough, the letters on the barge read BEA, the guys handsome face staring back at me from just off to the right. I looked back and forth between him and his badge, shaking my head.

“There's no such agency. That doesn't exist.” I said, still with a little disbelief.

“And I suppose that talking, flying orange-coated pony sleeping in your little studio apartment right now doesn't exist either?” He quickly flipped the wallet closed, shoving it back in his jacket pocket before settling into his seat. “We were created the same week the United Nation's Large Hadron Collider test opened the portals between her world and ours, our agents gathered from some of the best organizations from around the world. DHS, FBI, CIA, former KGB, NSA, Interpol, MI6. The list goes on.” Holy... screaming... fuck. Was this guy for real? He folded his arms and leaned forward, looking at the clock on the dashboard. “You better start heading out. You'll be late for work.” I looked at the clock, seeing he was right. I half expected him to exit the cab, but when he just reached up and fastened his seat belt, I knew he was coming along for the ride. I had little recourse but to put it in gear and take off.

***

“We've been looking into you, Jeremy. You'll be happy to know you fit every archetype of the standard, all-American young man, living on his own.” Henry said, keeping is eyes forward. I couldn't even tell you if I was running red lights or flattening pedestrians. My mind was too focused on the Man in Black sitting beside me the entire time.

“Alright, that's good to know. But why the hell are you looking into me in the first place?” is answer came in the form of another trip into his jacket pocket, this time producing a folded piece of paper. Unfurling it, he read it aloud.

HELP!!!

ROOMMATE WANTED!!!!!**

Studio apartment for rent! Plenty of space in this 80' by 100' space, converted to a HUGE 2 bedroom, top floor apartment. Must share rent, utilities, have source of income.

Students welcome!

Desperate for someone to move in soon!

Will take ANY FORM OF SENTIENT LIFE WITH A PULSE AT THIS POINT!!!

Please, contact Cashmere at

(740) 555-0000

(Non smoker preferred)

“It was that line about any sentient creature that drew Autumn to your ad. That's why she went to check out your place, and that's why we're investigating you.”

“Wait a sec... you know Autumn, too? How do you know her?” I asked, pretty surprised that a sweet girl like her would know a creepy guy like him.

“I should know her. I was her handling agent when she first arrived. She stayed in the New York City processing center for a day when she first got here.” 'Processing Station?!' what the hell did that mean. “Don't worry, it only sounds cold and mechanical. It's really like a 5-star hotel, complete with room service and all the works. Minus the TV. We didn’t want to scare the daylights out of the new exchange students on their first day here.” Alright, now I was finding this guy creepy. He seemed to know my thoughts before I even spoke them aloud!

“Alright, how are you doing that?”

“Doing what?” he asked.

“How did you know I was worried about her when you mentioned the Processing Center? I just thought about it, and you answered, as if I spoke it out loud.” Agent Henry looked down his shades at me and smiled.

“Because, you and Autumn have already imprinted on each other.”

“Wait... 'imprinted?' Buddy, we barely even touched, let alone something like THAT!” I protested, causing the G-man to laugh.

“Not THAT way, you knuckle head! Wait, let me explain.” I kept an eye on the road as he went into his spiel. “Autumn is a nobilis sapiens equus, or noble, wise horse, as they like to call themselves. They’re very advanced in the ways of philosophy, mathematics, astronomy and other intellectual pursuits. But, deep down, she's still a horse, and as you know, horses, at heart, are herd animals.”

“Alright, following ya so far.” I stated.

“As humans, we are descended from omnivore predators, and therefore place an overly exaggerated amount of importance on competition. With humans, it's all about competing, coming out ahead, being the Alpha Male, the leader of the pack. But with the ponies, it's all about togetherness. Being part of a whole, everyone together, working together, playing together, growing together. You wanna know a popular saying on their world? 'Friendship is magic.' Now, is that a beautiful way to think, or what?”

“I get it, I get it. Ponies are very sociable critters. Cool. What does this have to do with that 'imprinting' thing?” I asked again. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a small smile creep onto his face, the agent facing me now.

“Did she hug you yet? I bet she did.” he said with a smirk. I suddenly felt myself blush deep red, my cheeks giving me a away. “I knew it. Think about this, Mr. Corbin; Autumn is 1 of only 60 Omega Earth students that were cleared for the first round of academic exchange. She's all alone in this world. All alone, except for you.” Suddenly, the point Henry was trying to make hit me like a dart to the forehead.

“She accepted me as... like, a part of her herd?” Ya know, just when I thought I was starting to figure some things about Autumn and her people, I get another curve ball thrown at my face. “Do... her people still HAVE herds?”

“Apparently, not for some long time, now. Apparently, there was a point in their history where there were much fewer males than females. The practice is mostly dead, nowadays on her world, save for a few out of the way towns and outlying areas of her nation, Equestria. It’s more like she decided to elect you to the position of her defacto leader, like you were part of the herd. Alpha male, if you will. Already, you're serving as her guide, teacher and protector. She must like you quite a bit if you're getting hugged, already. Ponies, especially pegasi, are pretty physical with their affection. You’re probably gonna get hugged, she may touch you with her wing, whipped with her tail. That’s imprinting. Humans do it, too. High-fives, noogies, slaps on the back. Don’t worry too much about it. Everything sounds primal and base when put into scientific terms. Just remember she’s putting a lot of trust in you.” I sat there in silence, unsure of what to say. “That’s another saying on their world, by the way. ‘Losing a friend’s trust is the fastest way to lose a friend.’”

“W-well... what do I do? Does she... ‘like’ like me like a boyfriend or...”

“She likes you very much, but as a friend. At least thus far. Though inter-species relationships are not uncommon on her world, humans have traditionally accounted romance with any creature other than another human as bestiality. But if you're interested, I don’t' think you'd get much grief for being a Brony. Omega Earth species don’t typically fall under the category of what we’ve traditionally have called ‘animals.’” There's that damn word again! Tammy mentioned 'Brony' when we were talking in the grocery store the other day.

“What is this 'brony' thing? I've heard that term before.” Henry snickered a little bit, shaking his head.

“It seems there’s a growing number of humans that find the species from Omega Earth attractive. Mostly guys.” he said, raising an eyebrow. “And they’re not just some sickos, either. It’s usually males, early teens so late twenties, respectively, from all walks of life. There’s a growing movement on the internet of people who can’t get enough of Omega culture, music, entertainment, whatever. Oh, and by the way; female fans of our new neighbors call themselves ‘pegasisters.’ Now, isn’t that special?” Well, that’s something I can never unlearn. “Anyway, let’s get back to the real reason why I’m here.”

“Yeah, let’s get to that. Like, let’s get to why you felt the need to hitch this ride with me on my morning commute in the fist place.” Again, Agent Syth reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope. I figured this might be the most important point of our conversation. So, as we got to the last block before the DPW garage, I pulled off to the side of the street.

“Here.” he said, handing me the envelope. I took it and opened it up, taking out and unfolding the paper inside. Attached via perforated line to the bottom of a very official looking memo was a check. A check in my name. A check for... $10,000?!?!?! “That’s your BEA stipend for being the host to one of the Equestrian students. Of course you know, they have different body shapes than us, different dietary needs, etc, etc, etc. This should be enough to make any modifications to your home to better accommodate your new guest. You’ll get another check for $5,000 next month. This one is only at large as it is because it’s your initial check. Basically, it’s to ensure you’ll never be broke as long as Miss Rain is living with you.”

“Um...” I didn’t know what to say. A few days ago, I was in danger of losing my home from lack of rent money. Today, a stranger broke into my truck and handed a check for 10 grand. All thanks to Autumn. “...t-thank you...?”

“Don’t mention it. You’re governments appreciates your cooperation, and looks forward to assisting you in whatever way we can in the future.” With that, Agent Henry Syth undid his seat belt and opened his door.

“Wait a sec! Where are you going?” I yelled, leaning over as he poked is head back in the door.

“Sorry. I got paperwork to fill out. If you have any questions, just call me.”

“How do I get in touch with you if I have to?” I asked. Henry just gave me a wry smile.

“My number’s already in your phone.” I looked at him, confused, the agent apparently getting quite a thrill from this. Quickly, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and scrolled down the contact list. Sure enough, right there in the ‘A’ section was ‘Agent Syth.’ “You better get to work, Mr. Corbin, and don’t forget your coffee.” he said, pointing to the cup he came into the truck with. “Remember, Jeremy; I’m from the government, and I’m here to help. Oh, and tell Autumn I said ‘Hi.’” With that, he closed the door and walked away. Slowly, he strolled his way off into the morning foot traffic and vanished, leaving me parked on the side of the road.

***

I made it into work just in time, punching my time card at exactly 6:59 and 40 seconds. Yes, they’re THAT accurate. And YES, it would count against me if I was just 21 seconds late. Just another reason I love my job. Not that we’d start working the moment we got into the garage, anyways. Usually, especially on a Monday morning, we’d nap and gather ourselves for the day ahead of us. I actually had time to enjoy my coffee, too. How the hell Syth got the cream to sugar ratio so perfect, I’ll never know.

I nodded a good morning to Wally, our boss, before taking my usual seat beside Mikey and the rest of the veteran members of the street crew. Out of the thirty or so members of the Boston Department of Public Works, these guys were the best. This crew of five guys, plus Mikey and me, were capable of pulling off miracles. I took a seat on one of the old chairs we confiscated from a school marked for demolition and looked around at my crew.

First of all was Art. Being fit and trim for a guy in his early 60s, Art is the original Nature Boy of the group. Now, by that, I don’t mean he’s a hunter or fisherman. Quite the opposite. He LOVES nature, though, and usually spends his weekends hiking, camping, biking or our otherwise exploring the woods. Of course, his expertise is in landscaping and plant care, making him invaluable in grooming the many parks and gardens around the city.

Then, there’s Bob. No, not the ‘Builder,’ though this guy is amazing at carpentry. He managed to build mangers, menorah, and... whatever the hell that menorah-looking thing is for Kwanza is out of scrap wood we had laying around the garage, all of which we now used in the various parks around the city every December. Bob usually spent his time in the Fraternal Order of Eagles, drinking away his pay. But let me tell you what; almost everything I learned about carpentry and building with wood I learned from him.

After Bob is Tony. Tony... can clear a room with a fart in 10 seconds flat. Usually, that’s pretty funny, especially when we get called to City Hall or other government offices around town. Tony’s area of expertise is not only electronics, but wiring and circuitry. Not bad for a guy in his late 60s who never graduated high school.

Sometimes on the job, Wally himself would come with us. Walt had the misfortune to be the boss of the City Crew for more than 20 years, and his bald head was testament to the levels of stress he had to put up with in that time. The work somehow didn’t affect his attitude, though, proof being the 2 hours he’d give us for lunch sometimes when he’d come on the job with us. As long as Walt was around, the garage was not want for a mechanic. This guy could pull an engine apart with bare hands and put it back together in the dark. For some reason, I was his favorite helper whenever it came to repairing engine troubles with any of the vehicles, making every job a lesson in Mechanical Engineering 101.

Mikey is just another 18 year old punk. He know absolutely nothing about nothing. We all think he got the job because he has an uncle on the city council, but when we ask him, he just says he doesn’t know why he was picked. For the most part, he’s a good worker. The guy tends to be a little flighty and weird at times, usually talking our ears off about hollow earth theory or alien bases on the moon or time travel or whatever paranormal, government conspiracy he hears on Coast to Coast AM.

Finally, there was Kenny. Ken looked like a real, live version of Fred Flintstone in a Carhartt jacket. Usually, working with him meant that we'd be stopped by a dozen different people a day, all asking him about various things around the city they wanted done. I guess he just had that kinda face. He was very old school, and not above doing special favors for people if they ever helped him in the past. And I know that sounds crooked, but really, all that ever meant was we'd plow a private driveway or go into someone's house to help unclog a sewer pipe instead of them calling Rotor Rooter. I was alright with that. Kenny taught me how to take this job with a smile.

“Alright, my men! Another beautiful day in paradise. How’s everyone doin’?” Wally gave his usual Monday morning pep-talk, receiving the usual grunts and murmurs from the guys before he went into our assignments. “Well, now that we got that shit out of the way, we got work to do. Eric, Marcus and Jake, you got some handicapped signs to put up outside City Hall. You know the drill. Greg, Ryan, Zane and Juan, pot hole patching on Market Street between New Vine to Maple. Wear your vests, guys. The drivers are motherfuckers on that strip.” We listened to rest of the crew get dived up, all of us know what the last team would be. From behind me, I heard Mikey yawn.

“Tony, Kenny, Bob, Art, Jeremy and Mikey? You’ll be replacing two caved-in catch basins on the corner Bishop and Fairchild. I’ll be coming with you, too. You’ll need me for traffic control.” I held my hand out over my shoulder, palm up. Mikey slipped me some skin as we all got up and started gathering the equipment we’d need for our various jobs. Oh, yeah. Got the original crew together. Today’s gonna be sweet.

***

The entire job went better than we all expected. Wally, of course being the boss that he was, did the least of any of us and directed traffic. Meanwhile, me and Mikey jack hammered while Art and Kenny cut around the work areas with the concrete saws and Bob and Tony mixed the cement and readied the bricks. The entire first basin was removed and replaced and the second removed by the time 11:00 rolled around.

“Lunch, guys. Take an hour.” Wally announced, causing Mikey to groan as he lifted the jack hammer back onto the truck. “Hey, if we weren’t in such a visible place, I’d say take 2. Just go out and hit a coffee shop of somethin.’”

“Righty-o, chief. You heard the man, fellas.’ wrap it up till noon.” Kenny shouted to the other guys, announcing the end of work for an hour. All around me, machines were shut down, tools put away and full grown men retreated to their trucks... to take naps. That was one of the favorite parts of my day; watching the civilians look at us in wide-eyed shock that public servants like us were napping on the job. It didn’t matter, though. People never thought we were working unless they saw us holding a shovel full of dirt. Even then, they wouldn’t be happy, cause then we’d be holding them by interrupting the flow of traffic. Just another reason for me to get out of this dead-end job.

“So, I take it you’re not homeless, then?” Mikey asked, slapping me on the back. The two of us started dusting ourselves off before we headed to the truck, our bottles of ice water waiting us in the cab.

“Yeah, I...” Shit! I totally forgot to make something up! These guys might be alright to work with, but they’re still all very old school. I don’t know how these guys would react to finding out I was putting up an alien at my place, let alone a bubbly, happy orange female one, at that. I quickly glanced around at the other trucks. Tony, Bob and Wally were talking outside their truck, with Kenny and Art already in the front seat of the other, the two sharing sections out of today’s newspaper. Good, I could iron out my bullshit story with him before I tried selling it to them. Good thing he was the weird, conspiracy, alien-loving one of the bunch.

“Well... that’s kinda an interesting story, Mikey. Ya see...” I barely got that out before... IT happened. At first, I thought I was dreaming. It happened so quickly, so completely unexpected, I doubted my own senses. Fate couldn’t be THIS out to get me. The universe couldn’t like kicking me in the nuts THIS much. But it was true. From above me, I heard the one thing I didn’t need to hear at that moment.

“There you are, Jeremy! I’ve been looking all over for you!” Me and Mikey suddenly found ourselves in the shadow of a very familiar shape. Looking up, I could Autumn, slowly descending in front of me, two white boxes in her forehooves. I noticed Mikey’s eyes go wide as I heard the sound of truck doors shutting behind me.

‘Oh, no...’

In a moment, I could feel my crew standing behind me. I didn’t need to turn around to see the expression on each of their faces. I could feel them, all burning into the back of my skull as I looked down at the smiling pony girl sitting before me. I heart felt like it completely stopped as I felt a hand pat me on the shoulder, Wally’s voice speaking lightly into my ear.

“So, Jeremy... gonna introduce us to your friend?” I could feel the gears in my mind grinding to a halt, my mind suddenly unable to form any coherent thought. Why the hell did she come here? How did she know how to find us? Before I could even TRY To cover my ass, Autumn took the first step.

“Oh, I’m sorry. How rude of me. I’m Autumn Rain, Jeremy’s new roommate.” And... boom goes the dynamite. Never gonna live this down. NEVER gonna be looked at the same way at work again. I had no time to feel these guys out before I broke the news to them, no way to gauge their responses to questions about Omega Earth or any of it’s races. And here one is, sitting right in front me them, announcing for all to hear that now, me and her are sleeping under the same roof. What happened next... I don’t think I’ll ever forget. If I live to be 120, nothing would surprise me more.

“Well, hello, Miss Rain. I’m Wally, Jeremy’s boss.” Walt leaned forward, holding out a hand to greet her. Holding the two boxes on her left hoof, Autumn reached up her right, which Wally firmly took and shook in a gesture of welcome. “This is Art, Kenny, Bob, Tony and Mikey. Nice to meet ya.” The other members of my crew all nodded or otherwise offered their welcomes to my new roomie, eliciting a smile from the little equine. After he released her hoof, Autumn went back to holding the 2 boxes between her hooves again.

“So... Autumn. This is...a surprise.” I managed to force out. Understatement. Of. The. Year. “What brings you all the way across town... to my work site... with my buddies?” Autumn’s ears perked, suddenly remembering the reason she came.

“Oh! Well, I got up around 8:00, and noticed you didn’t have any dishes in the sink or anything, so I assumed you didn’t have breakfast, which made me feel bad. After all, you spent so much time showing me around yesterday, I thought you’d have worked up an appetite. I remembered you told me you worked for the city, so I used that ‘internet’ thing you showed me to ask where your garage was located at. I flew there to give you these, but some guys there told me you were out on the job, already.” FUCK!!! MORE of the guys I work with know she’s staying with me, now!!! MORE damage control!!! “Anyways, after they told me where you were, and how close to your lunch time it was, I figured I’d bring these right to you, here.” She held up the boxes to me, which Wally gladly took, opening the top one. “That’s OK... right?”

“Hell, yeah, that’s alright!” I quickly turned to Wally, seeing h3 and everyone else smiling. Autumn had bought me and my whole crew 2 huge boxes of donuts.

“Great! I got them from the ‘Pink Hole’ donut shop. Remember, Jeremy? It’s that one you showed me the other day, with the pink frosted donut on the sign.” Autumn explained, mostly to me. The rest of the crew was already slowly going back to the truck to divi up the bounty that was just dropped in their laps. Humming happily, my little pony friend trotted past me, heading off towards my crew. I just watched as she clopped on by, giggling to herself. “I guess I picked the right snack, huh?”

***

Best. Lunch. Hour. EVER.

What I thought was going to be one of the most humiliating, insulting, possibly violent moments at my job, turned out to be... pretty damn cool, actually! We all sat on the truck’s running boards, equipment boxes and curbs, eating the donuts Autumn bought and just... talking. The guys seemed more offended by the fact I didn’t come to work and openly announce my unique roommate than the fact of what she was. After that, the lunch hour pretty much consisted of the guys asking questions to Autumn, mostly about her world. Where she was from, how many ponies were there, basic stuff. There were a few questions I thought were a little... touchy. Not so much to be rude, but mostly because they guys were simply uninformed. Like when Bob asked if it was tough getting around and using things with hooves. However, Autumn took the question in stride, and was happy to explain her hoofspace. All the while, I sat next to her, amazed at how genuinely interested the guys seemed to be in everything she had to say. Well, except Mikey. He hung back a little, sitting a little farther away then the rest of the guys. I think he was a little intimidated by being around an actual ‘alien,’ him being so involved in conspiracy stuff like he was.

The lunch break that was supposed to last an hour lasted an hour and a half, mostly because of Bob and Wally talking to Autumn about the treatment Cloudsdale gave it’s clouds for home construction purposes. All the while, pedestrians stopped and stared at the 7 big, burly, dirt-covered guys, yackin’ and yuckin’ it up with the little orange alien girl. In the end, all but a handful of donuts were gone, the last of which we’d take back to the garage for whoever wanted.

“Well, it’s been real nice meetin’ you, ma’am, but we gotta job to finish.” Wally finally announced. Autumn took the cue, standing up and stretching as she spread her wings.

“Alright, then. Thanks for letting me hang out, guys!” she yelled to the rest of my crew, already beading back their gear.

“No problem! Thanks for bringing the donuts!” Kenny answered back, laughing with the rest of the guys. Autumn then turned back to me, launching into the air with a single pump of her wings.

“I’m glad I was able to find you, Jeremy. Sorry, about just bringing donuts. I know it wasn’t the healthiest of lunches.” I grinned up at her, adjusting my cap on my brow.

“Don’t worry about it. I think you made some friends here with that choice.” Autumn giggled again, covering her mouth with a hoof. Going back home, now?” I asked.

“Yeah, I’ll hang out there till you come home. See ya later, Jeremy!” she said as she turned and took off. I stood and watched for a moment, keeping an eye on her as she climbed higher and higher, finally disappearing behind a building. ‘That pony’s gonna give me a heart attack, yet.’ I thought, turning and heading back to my work area. That’s when I passed Mikey. Or should I say, ran right into Mikey.

“Watch where you’re going, Jer!” he said as he continued right past me. I caught myself and watched for a moment, noticing his neon vest and high-vis neon shirt were off, leaving him only in his white Tee. Quickly, I jogged to catch up with him, reaching out to grab his arm as he rounded he truck.

“Yo, Mike! What’s up, man?” I asked.

“I’m taking a half-day. I don’t feel like working anymore right now.” he said, under his breath as he continued walking. I walked close behind him, reaching up and placing my hand on his shoulder.

“Why’s that? What’s wrong, buddy? Too many donuts?” I tried to joke, only to have my hand slapped away. Mikey suddenly spun around with anger in his eyes, coming up to me, face to face.

“What’s wrong? What’s WRONG?! You let that fuzzy little monster into your house, and you have the gall to ask me what’s wrong?! Are you INSANE?!?!” I leaned back, never having heard Mike yell about anything other than government conspiracies before. For a moment, I didn’t know how to respond to this outburst.

“What... in the all crazy hell are you talking about? Autumn, a monster...? Were you sitting in on the same lunch break that I was? She’s completely harmless, and you know it!” I shouted back, stepping forward until we were face to face.

“Yeah right, harmless! She’s been sleeping in your house for days, already! She could have been laying eggs in your chest since the night she arrived!” I know that was supposed to be taken as some kind of serious statement, but the only thing I could think to do right there was to break out laughing. I actually felt myself stumble a little off balance as I held onto my sides, the steamed look on Mikey’s face only making it all the more funny.

“I MEAN IT!!! Those... THINGS come out of literally NOWHERE, and the governments of the world just accept them in with open arms?!?!?! This is the first step to an invasion!!! I can’t believe you’ve fallen for the story these Quads have spun!” After a moment, I caught my breath enough to form coherent words again, feeling my furious mood quelled before I continued this ridiculous conversation.

“Mikey, the ponies are harmless. The-wait a sec... ‘quads?’” Mikey just rolled his eyes at me with a groan.

“Yeah. ‘Quads.’ As in quadrupeds, four-leggers. It’s what some groups are calling them online. Omega Earth species, like you’re girlfriend.”

“Alright, stop right there.” I said, rubbing my temple. “First of all, she’s NOT my girlfriend. She’s my friend and roommate, nothing more. Secondly, since when do you start using racist terms for something you’ve pretty much been obsessing over since I’ve met you? I thought you, above all people, would LOVE that humanity finally met aliens.”

“I was always interested in government lies and cover-ups concerning the EXISTENCE of aliens! Big difference.” I rolled my eyes, Mikey apparently missing that as he just continued spouting off his nonsense. “I wanted them to come clean about what they knew about aliens and other worldly beings so humanity could better prepare for an arrival like this. I NEVER wanted actual aliens running around on MY world, being treated like visiting royalty!” I looked at him, shaking my head in disappointment. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“You’re really something else, ya know that? I can’t believe just how wrong you got everything about these ponies.”

“Whatever, man. Think what you like.” he said, turning to walk away. “I don’t care what you do with your freak girlfriend, just don’t splatter it on me.” With that, he skulked off, raising his hand to hail a taxi. “And don’t expect me to work with you while you’re housing that thing. In fact... forget we were ever friends at all.” Mikey got into the cab as it pulled up, slamming the door as the driver merged into traffic and drove away. I stood there for a moment, trying to wrap my mind around what had just happened. How could Mike get it so wrong? Autumn never did anything to him. To my knowledge, she was the first Omega Earth native he ever met. Unfortunately, that’s the very nature of racism; it doesn’t have to be rational, as long as it makes the one doing the hating feel better about themselves. With a heavy heart and a lot to think about, I turned and made my way back to my work area. There were still hours to go, and I had work to do.

***

We got the basins replaced and all returned to work with twenty minutes to spare. Of course, me having a pony roommate now was the talk of the garage, thanks to Autumn’s little detour there. Mostly, it was the same questions my crew had for her when they first met; how she likes our world, what’s her diet, do ponies really control magic and the weather? Same old same old. Amazingly, nobody else shared Mikey’s view on the subject of Omega Earth races coming here, which was good. I really don’t need a bunch of guys here hating me just because of who I share an apartment with.

Of course, immediately after work, I hit my credit union to have them take a good look at that check Agent Syth gave me. I took the word of 2 tellers and the bank manager himself that it was authentic, but they would have to hold on to it for a few days to verify the source, anyway. That’s fine. I’ll wait a week to get 10 grand. What surprised me the most, though, was that by the time I drove home, there was already a message from them on my phone. The agency that wrote the check put a message in with the bank manager to cash it immediately. And just like that, I’m financially secure. Hooray!

I made it back home, this time missing Cashmere as I boarded the elevator. Good, maybe I can get some peace for the rest of the day. Yeah, right. That idea vanished like a fart in the wind as soon as I stepped into my apartment.

“Oh, you gotta be kidding me!!! Where was THAT thing hiding?!” I jogged forward a little, finding Autumn siting on the couch, wings flared out, holding the Playstation controller.

“Hey, pony girl. You alright? I asked, looking at the screen. Laying motionless under the huge foot of a blue T-Rex lookalike abomination was an armor-clad warrior, the crimson pool spreading from under him. Autumn sighed, placing the controller on the coffee table.

“Yeah, I’m find. Just playing your Monster Hunter 5. I can’t take out this big... whatever it is.” she said, motioning at the screen with a hoof. “Dang thing keeps stepping one me! It’s easier to avoid a REAL dragon’s attack than a lunge by this thing!” I raised a finger and opened my mouth to question that statement, but, seeing as I’m talking to a pegasus from another world, I just chose to take it at face value.

“Yeah, I know, right?” She took the controllers again, saving before turning it off. “So, how did your day go?”

“Pretty good. I, um... met a friend of yours.” Autumn’s ears perked, her wings ruffling before settling against her body again. “A certain Agent Henry Syth said hi.” Immediately, she smiled, her interest peeked.

“Oh, you met Hank? Where did you meet him?” she asked. Alright, that answered the question if she knew him or not.

“He was waiting by my truck, actually. Quite the charmer.” I started untying my boots as my roomie hopped up on the couch, curling her hind legs underneath her as she listened intently. “He, um... asked for a ride downtown while so we could talk.”

“Really? What did you talk about?” We talked about how I could expect you to be nuzzling and cuddling me for your entire time here. What else would we be talking about?

“Well... about my stipend. Apparently, I get cash to help tend to your needs while you stay here.” Autumn seemed shocked, her ears folding back as her face took on a worried look.

“Oh. I hope you don’t think there’s anything I want to change about your place, here. I’m just glad you’re letting me stay.” she said, fidgeting her forehooves together. I removed my boots, standing up as I headed to my room, Autumn close behind.

“OUR place. Yours and mine, remember? And I know you’re probably too polite to ask, but I’m changing something for you, anyway. Like...” I grinned, looking over my shoulder at her as I dug through a drawer for a clean t-shirt. “... how about getting a bigger tub?” Autumn looked a little embarrassed, now knowing that I heard her bumping around in the shower the other night.

“Hehehe.. Heard that, huh?” she asked, rubbing the back of her head with a hoof.

“I think Cash heard it downstairs, but don’t worry. We’ll go to Lowes or Home Depot or something and pick out one big enough for you. Those are home improvement stores, by the way.” I motioned her out of the room with a wave of my hand, the pony catching on quick that I wanted to get changed. She trotted out and turned back around outside my room as I went to close my door, leaving it open only an inch so we could continue talking.

“Thanks, Jer.” she finally said, a hint of relief in her voice. “That means a lot to me.” I slipped on a clean pair of jeans, pausing as I heard a certain word.

“Autumn... did you just call me ‘Jer?’” I asked.

“Um... yeah. I-is that OK? I won’t use it if you don’t want me to.” Damn it, there’s that ‘cute’ thing she’s doing again! I don’t’ even have to see her and I know she’s probably making the most adorable face.

“No, no. Jer is fine. Cute, actually.” I opened the door and emerged from my room, back in my normal, street clothes; blue carpenter jeans and a red t-shirt with a Punisher skull on it. Sure enough, there was that cute face. She HAD to know that could melt human’s hearts upon viewing it. No way she didn’t know that.

“So, what did your friends think of me? Did I surprise them?” And there goes my mood. Now, I know what you’re probably thinking; I’m gonna tell her all about my fight with Mikey, and how he hates her for no apparent reason, and there goes an otherwise drama-free day for her in her new human home. Between our culture clash the first night of her stay, the ‘grocery store’ incident with the jumpy cashier, and the street preacher singling her out the other day, she’s going to think the human world has nothing to offer but strife.

“They all loved ya, Autumn. You make quite an impression on people, I’ll give you that.” Bite me. Just bite me. She deserves to have a nice day, and like Agent Syth said, I’m here to guide her and protect her. She doesn’t need me to point out every asshole that I come across, even if she misses them. I DO feel bad about lying to her, though. I won’t make a habit out of that.

“That’s good.” Autumn returned to the couch, taking the remote off the table and flipping it Cartoon Network. I strolled past her to the kitchen and opened the fridge, grabbing out a couple of Snapples. Plopping down on the couch beside her, we settled in for the rest of the night, the activity just being she and I watching TV, with me answering any questions she had about what we were watching. Occasionally, she’d offer up some info about her world and it’s working, to which I’d listen with great interest. The entire night went on like that until it was my self-appointed bedtime.

***

She showered first this time, bumping and banging about in my small tub while I stifled my laughter. I went in after her, taking my undies, lounge pants and a tank top in with me. No hug tonight, though. Heh... I think I’m actually disappointed.

Laying in bed, I kept running Mikey’s words over in my mind. Quad, that new racist term for Omega Earth people. People on the internet, groups that don’t trust them or hate them, outright. Was he really going to hate me, just because I was friends with her? Then I thought about Autumn. She’s been nothing but kind and positive since she got here, even in the face of being just 1 of 60 other beings from her world, right now. That’s pretty rough. I doubt most humans would make it, being part of a select few chosen to split up around an alien world, learning from and teaching it’s inhabitants. Autumn must be incredibly brave to be going through with this. That, or... Syth was right. She was comfortable enough with me and trusted me enough to go through with this.

Just like when she asked me let her fly home alone, I found myself feeling strange. This was only our first weekend together, and already there were some humans that were either afraid of her, or just hated her for no good reason. Sure, there were a ton of great people out there, just amazed to be talking to a real, live alien, but soon that magic would wear off as more of her kind arrived for... whatever reasons. Even if she wanted to be more independent and self-sustaining, I’d still need to be there for her. I still needed to show her that she had a safe place to be, when all was said and done for the day. I had to do something nice for her. Not just the tub thing, but something... more. Something to show her this was her place, just as much as mine, and that no matter what she was going to face out in the world, she could always come home to find a friend. After all, I was getting a big, fat government check for her staying here, now. Might as well use it.

Laying in my dark bedroom, I tried to look around, finding only darkness. Carefully, I got up off my bed, walked over to my dresser and flipped on an old lava lamp I had, bathing the room in a blue glow. Strangely enough, it reminded me of Autumn’s mane, just after she showered. The dark is nice and all, but there was something soothing about having a light to-

An idea suddenly sprang into my mind, stopping me in my tracks as I walked back to my bed. The night light... OF COURSE! My head suddenly spun with the thought. So simple, but to her, I knew it would mean the world. That would truly be the way to cement that she belonged here, just as much as me. I quickly hopped back into bed, a goofy grin on my face as my mind raced with ways to pull off the project I was already planning. At my feet, I heard Merlin squeak out a yawn, the tabby rolling over as he stretched across my feet. This was going to take a little while to put together. I just hoped I could keep her away long enough to make it a surprise!