I couldn't help but feel enraptured by the sights all around as me and Rainbow Dash continued our stroll through Ponyville. How the artificial and technological had coalesced to form something so close to reality, it was breathtaking, stunning, the kind of advancement I never would've imagined when I was a kid, but found myself in awe of now.

And to think that I was so integrated in this world that I already felt as if I was a part of it.

I'd taken my foreleg off of Rainbow eventually, opting to walk on it. She protested with her eyes, but managed to keep her concerns silent, thankfully. I didn't particularly like to be doted on in the real world, and that didn't change here. I could deal with the small measure of pain as we walked, but part of me wanted to spread these new wings of mine and test them out. Only, I imagined I'd get my head chewed off for even suggesting it, considering my recent crash.

"So..." Rainbow swivelled a hoof in midair as I walked and she hovered. "You from around here? I'm pretty sure I've never seen you before, and you look kinda distinctive, if you know what I mean."

I couldn't help but smile. "That a compliment?"

"Pfft!" Rainbow shook her head, almost too vivaciously. "You wish! I'm just saying... you don't usually see pegasi with a colour scheme like yours, they're usually brighter and don't contrast so much. You?" she looked over my reddish bangs and grey coat... "You look like a squirrel with wings."

The thing I hated about her assessment was that the puffing of my reddening cheeks probably made me look even more like a fucking squirrel. "Gee, thanks. You this nice to everyone?"

Rainbow flapped her wings harder, flipping around to face me. "Hey! I never said it was a bad thing!"

I could feel a snicker leaving my lips by force. "What, so you like squirrels, or something?"

"Hey, when your best friend constantly surrounds you with animals, you get a little fond of 'em, okay?!" I almost felt as if she was going to follow that up with a statement about how I thought I was better than her or a command for her to stop judging me, but she chose to keep with just the defensive stare and the adorable voice crack.

"Mmh, better a squirrel than a rat, at least."

"Y-yeah, you could've done worse." My eyes were drawn by that, and Rainbow Dash was already rubbing at the back of her neck. It felt as if she was into me in some way—this level of awkwardness seemed orthogonal to her usual behaviour patterns, but I couldn't be sure just yet.

I shouldn't push it, I still need to get my bearings. I had to admit, there was some allure in the idea of forgetting the whole reason I was here, the siphoning and the earning, and simply indulging myself in this impossible, fleeting moment while I still had a chance. "Well, if I'm a squirrel, just what are you?"

"I'm..." Rainbow rubbed her chin, her tail swishing back and forth. She mulled the question over with an elongated hum, and I found myself distracted by its faint, musical lilt. "I don't really know what I am. I'm just me, I guess."

It came to me right then, such a simple thing to say that I never would've usually had the balls to try, but it fit the moment perfectly. Can't hurt to embrace my character a little, huh? "You're not just you," I started, and already I could feel my words being bolstered by some kind of intangible presence. Rainbow reacted to my tone, turning to look right at me. "You're unique, I think. I've never seen another pony with all those colours before, it fits your loud personality. Only one Rainbow Dash, right?"

A small, hesitant smile appeared on her face, her body still, and she managed a slow nod. "I guess you're right. I mean, in a totally mushy way, but still. Gosh, you're uncool." She giggled then, and I felt the laughter infecting me, begging for an accompaniment.

We laughed together as we walked, her tail occasionally flicking against my side, though she never drew any attention to it, as if she didn't even realise what she was doing. Of course she realised.

So I flicked my tail back, and it brushed against hers, becoming slightly entangled. We both stopped, looked at one another with a shallow breath, looked away simultaneously, and exuded anxious laughter. I wasn't putting it on either, this was genuinely getting me just as worked up as it must have been her. My head felt fuzzy, still coming to terms with all that had happened since I arrived, and my companion seemed lost in her own little world, deeper in contemplation than you'd ever imagine Rainbow Dash to be.

So much so that when we finally arrived at Sugarcube Corner, both of us almost walked past it. We weren't even talking, it was a comfortable silence that was filled by the surrounding townsfolk's activities and the sounds of birds, the light brush of tail against tail, the occasional deep breath. Rainbow turned at the last moment, nudging my barrel and pointing towards the building. "You in the mood for something sweet?"

I honestly couldn't stop myself. "I've already got something sweet."

Rainbow gave me a smirk. "Huh, really? You sure it's still alright after the crash, though? You should check your saddlebags."

...wait. Hold on. What just happened? I looked to Rainbow, a calm, passive expression on her face, then back to my saddlebags, then back to Rainbow, then back to my saddlebags. It dawned on me then that my compliment had gone completely over her head. "N-no, I... Never mind. Shall we just go to a cafe instead? I'm in the mood for an egg and cress."

"Oh, sure! It's just that I usually come here for lunch."

I raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. "To a bakery, every day? Aren't you an athlete?"

Well, a slightly-more-than-light punch in the shoulder wasn't exactly what I was expecting as a response. "Hey! I burn it off twice over! Just because I'm a sports flier doesn't mean I can't eat!" Rainbow puffed out her chest, fluffing her wings and pouting hard.

I felt as if I might have somehow pushed a button. Just style it out, it'll be fine. "Hey, I was only asking. I think it's pretty cool, honestly, that you manage to keep your figure so great and have a few treats regardless."

"Yeah, sure, and I bet you think you think I've got a bit of chub on me too, don't you?!" She was right in my face now, exhaling out of her nose like a bull seeing red, and I couldn't help but take a step back.

"No, don't be silly. You're really good looking, alright? Totally fit, no doubt."

"Hmph." She made a point of looking away from me, her tail pulled tight over her backside and rolling down until it nearly touched the floor. "You really mean that?"

God, she sounded petulant, like a kid in the middle of a sulk, and there was something inordinately cute about the vulnerability she was so clearly displaying. "Yes, of course I do. You're gorgeous." I thought about putting a hoof on her and giving her a light pat, but decided against it at the last moment. "Now, did you want to go to the bakery?"

Was she—was she biting her lip? "Hmm?" Rainbow snapped out of whatever that was, shaking her head. "Nah, let's go get sandwiches." A playful grin. "Your treat."

I nodded, only to realise that I was completely unsure whether I had any money on me. Fuck. Fortunately, I'd figured out a way to find out. "Great, it'll be nice to go somewhere with a good menu." At my mention of the keyword, my menu popped up in front of me, and this time, Rainbow didn't seem freaked out by it.

"I thought you already decided you wanted egg and cress?"

I shook my head, preparing a line of bullshit. "Hmm, I'm undecided. I'll see what I feel like when I get in there." That taken care of, I mentally pressed the 'Inventory' option, hoping to see that I at least had enough to pay for some lunch.

[Space, Level 1 Pegasus: Inventory]

[Bits: 1480]
[Tenancy agreement]
[Door key]
[Green hooded jacket: +15 cold resistance]
[Pair of lensless glasses]
[Brown saddlebag]
[Carrying capactity: 3lbs/30lbs]

Needless to say, I was quite glad to see that I had so much cash on me. I was also rather shocked to find the other items, especially the tenancy agreement. Highlighting it took me to another screen which detailed the address and location of a house my character had apparently rented in Ponyville, a second floor apartment in the eastern side of town.

Looked like getting lunch for two wasn't going to be so much of a problem after all.

Turning to Rainbow, I gave her my best winning smile, bleeding confidence. "I'll tell you what, get anything you want on me when we get there, absolutely anything. You helped me out with my hoof, after all, so you more than deserve it."

"We're hardly going to the Canterlot Heights, dude, I'm probably just gonna get a sandwich," she teased, a chuckle in the back of her throat. "But I appreciate it. You're a really nice stallion, honestly. I'm glad I bumped into you—well, more glad you didn't crash into me, but... ehh, I probably would've settled for that too."

The words warmed my chest, they felt genuine and lifelike, and once more I was shocked that this facsimile of a living creature was just that. She wasn't in that moment, that's all I knew.

Just as I was willing to substitute my own knowledge of the world for this idealistic paradise, pretend it all wasn't a dreamworld for a while longer, Rainbow pointed over to a nearby cafe, and a box of text appeared on my screen, dragging me back to the realm of lucidity.

[Rainbow wants to go on a kinda/sorta date with you! She swears it's just a simple lunch between saviour and damsel (you're the damsel!), but maybe, with a little luck, it could be a whole lot more.]

[Completing this quest will alter your affection score with Rainbow Dash as she comes to like or dislike you more! If you get your affection with her high enough, you might be able to take your relationship to the next level! Also, you'll get a little exp for your trouble.]

[But beware of upsetting her! Actions that lower her affection score definitely aren't going to get you that second, real date, never mind a chance to jump into bed with her! Think about your actions, and pay attention to the things she and other ponies say. Learning more about the world and pursuing further avenues of conversation will unlock new quests and lead to you meeting new characters, so go ahead and get involved!]

It was a lot of information to take in, and it flashed by my eyes so fast that I barely managed to retain half of it. That had to have been a text speed bug, no one could read that fast.

All I knew was that me and Rainbow were headed to a pretty intimate looking place, and it looked as if one of the game's functions was coming out to play here. It said something about how I acted affecting how Rainbow saw me, meaning that I'd have to try not to screw this up. It sounded as if the thing was geared to be exactly like a real life occurrence, only with the addition of points that dictated how positive or negative my results were. Instantly, I started to wish something like that existed for real life dates, it'd save me some wondering.

When I looked back to Rainbow, there was a translucent little 'affection meter' floating over her head, seemingly unbeknownst to her, and the current number was sitting at forty.

No freaking way. Well, if there wasn't pressure on me before, there definitely was now. Time to make this fluffy blue pegasus very happy, or watch my first in-game mission go down as a total failure.

Author's Note

Next chapter should see us getting further into the meat of the story. Also, I've been considering making this story somewhat interactive in future chapters, maybe leaving vague indications of character choices in future Author's Notes? Let me know if that's something you'd like to see, and thanks to everyone who read/upvoted/commented on the first chapter!