Author's Note
I was forced to rush this one due to not having much free time on my hands as I race against the clock with another project, so don't hold it personally against me if this one seems, well, bad!
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With love, from England,
''Do you love her?''
You stared down into the placid lake before you as you stood upon the bridge in the middle of Ponyville. It was a quiet Thursday afternoon around the town, which caught you slightly off-guard when you first stepped foot into the streets. What, was there some type of pony holiday or occasion going on that you were made unaware about?
Even after two years, you still felt like you were missing out on so much about this strange world. The ponies are nice and hospitable enough to offer their comfort and support, but you couldn't help but think that things are unmoving for you, what with being the only human in Equestria and all. It was a...lonely existence, to say the very least about your situation.
The only real pony around here that you could call your friend was Pinkie Pie, but you felt guilty upon bestowing all of your troubles and feelings onto her. It always was your weakness - feeling guilty over being a burden towards friends who are only curious and maybe even a little concerned for your well-being.
That was a part of the reason that you decided to head on out earlier than usual so that you could have the freedom and space to think rather than cooping yourself up at Sugarcube Corner with The Cakes'. They were lovely ponies that gave you a seriously bad dose of nostalgia about home, but you viewed them like parents away from your biological parents. Not that you'd ever admit to that, of course.
Staring at your reflection motionlessly as you placed your hands gently against the cutesy-wootsy pink brickwork dotted with adorable pink hearts, you leaned over the edge of the bridge to stare at yourself.
You looked tired and groggy. Not terrible, but still tired. It was actually average if you were back on Earth, and you always were a bit of a ruffian, but you didn't care much about appearances enough to make you gussy up into something presentable each time you left the front door.
Not only did you think you looked tired, but you noticed that your hair had also grown a bit more than usual. Instead of being shortly-trimmed and smooth, your hair had become slightly longer down the sides, the ends of your strands of hair lightly tickling the tops of your ears as they blew gently in the afternoon breeze.
Speaking of appearances, you didn't even bother to switch up your style from what has become standard-issue for an everyday ensemble. Today, you wore a black T-shirt that had become slightly more dull from its standard colour, and your jeans were the same that you've worn for roughly two days in a row.
From past experiences, they had achieved a few scuffs in the denim here and there, one of the kneecaps torn wide open to reveal your flesh underneath. Some may find it disgusting or 'uncouth', as Rarity would say, but you didn't care much for the opinions of others. You do you and they do them.
Man, it wasn't often that you'd come outside to contemplate on your thoughts, but now that you were out here, alone and free to think clearly, you could only feel what could only be described as loneliness.
True, it was nice to have ponies around to hang around and talk with, but then again, they were not strictly humanoid creatures, were they? They were equines; animals that are deemed as dumb and unintelligent back on Earth, only good for competing in races for idiots with pockets full of money bigger than their brains to bid against while they jeer and leer from the stands of the race course. It always did baffle you over what was so entertaining about seeing a horse run around a track. You couldn't see the point of the 'sport'.
What was life, anyhow? Is this all you had to look forward to? Standing around like the burden that you are to the ponies around here? Is that what this is, some kind of pity game? Sometimes, you thought that it was. It hurt to think like that. Oh, how it hurt something fierce.
You leaned slightly closer as you faced your own reflection, staring back into your emerald eyes, noticing how sad they looked as they rippled in the gently moving current of the water. They looked dull and stone-like, almost dead and half-decayed.
Today, you didn't have much else to do, but ever since your encounter with Applejack the previous day, you only began to realise just how much that you missed being home with your family. Your sister and brother that you hardly saw much or bothered with at all. How will you get to tell them you're sorry for showing them neglect?
Especially your sister, Abbie, who you were mean towards when she was only trying to help you with your little habit? Also, what of your mother and father? Don't they deserve the same and nothing less from you? Well, of course, but what good is that at this moment in time? You were two separate beings in two individual dimensions. Contact was beyond impossible. It only made you sink lower in the middle of your funk.
As you stared down at the water and dwelled on your thoughts, you noticed that another head had appeared beside your own, orange in colour with a purple mane. Next, up popped a white head followed with a two-tone, pink and purple mane, this one affixed with a horn. The next one that came into view was a cream-coloured face with a cherry-red mane, tied at the back with a pretty pink bow.
''What'cha doin'?'' The cream-coloured one asked.
''Yeah, what are you looking at? Did you drop a bit or something?'' The orange one joined in.
''Why are you staring at the water, mister?'' The white-furred unicorn asked. All the while, you didn't move as you watched them in the reflection of the water.
Their eyes were full of curiosity and youth, and you could have sworn that you've seen them around before. According to Pinkie Pie, you heard her say that these three fillies were a part of a group. The Cutie Mark Crusaders, if you remembered correctly.
''Nothing much,'' You said dryly as you slowly picked yourself up and turned around to face the fillies fully. You noticed that the one to your left, the orange-furred filly, was a pegasus and that the cream-coloured one was an Earth pony. However, as you looked over them, you didn't know their names. ''What are you three fillies up to, anyhow? Just hanging out?'' You asked, and their faces stared up to you with a small frown.
''We were just looking for something fun to do, but as we were coming around town, we noticed that you looked a little sad,'' The white unicorn observed. ''Is something wrong?'' She asked cutely. Coming from a filly as young as herself, you couldn't help but feel a bubble of warmth in your heart from her adorable character.
''Nothing's wrong,'' You lied. ''Besides, it's nothing that I'd want to bore you kids with,'' You said, and the orange pegasus pouted.
''Hey! We're not kids!'' She said, offended by the use of the word.
''Whoa, there! Easy, Scootaloo,'' The cream-coloured one said. ''Don't go losin' your head over it. He didn't mean nothin' by it,'' She said, her voice accented with a southern charm. You thought it made her only more adorable, and you could practically feel your heart melting from it.
''Whatever, Apple Bloom,'' Scootaloo muttered. Oh! Even her name's cute! Fitting, I like it!
''Hey, hey,'' You said, trying to ease things down. ''Simmer down, girls,'' You said, and Apple Bloom turned to face you with a curious gleam behind her glistening, orange eyes.
''Hey, aren't you that human that Pinkie Pie always yammers on about?'' She asked, and you only nodded with a slight chuckle.
''Sure am,'' You said. ''Pinkie hired me to work in the bakery with her a while back, so I've been staying at Sugarcube Corner,'' You explained. Her eyes took on a playful hint as she nudged you in the leg with her elbow.
''From the sound of things from Pinkie, it seems that she's taken quite a likin' to you,'' She said in a childishly teasing manner. Oh, so now Pinkie Pie has been giving it a bit of lip here and there, has she? Well, you shouldn't be so surprised. The pink El Diablo certainly has a knack for running her gums faster than the speed of light. I heard the unicorn giggle along with her two friends at the teasing.
''Are you going to marry her, mister?'' The white unicorn asked, and you would be a liar right now if you said your cheeks weren't burning brighter than a pair of freshly-whipped buttcheeks after a strict teacher gave them a beating with a thick cane.
You and Pinkie Pie, a married couple? Upon hearing the query from a young filly, you felt your heart freeze within your chest mid-beat. You've never actually thought about or even considered it, but now that she mentioned it, visual images swam in front of your very eyes that depicted of you and a pink fuzzball locking lips at the altar as she dones a wedding dress while you sport a snappy, freshly-stitched tuxedo. You were unsure how to react as you were faced by the three fillies in front of you, all of them staring up at you with worried expressions.
''I think we broke him,'' Scootaloo said.
''Is he alright?'' The unicorn asked, her squeaky, high-pitched voice concerned.
''He's fine, Sweetie Belle,'' Apple Bloom said. Without thinking, Apple Bloom moved towards the ledge of the bridge and climbed up so that she could come beside you, placing her mouth towards your ear before saying, ''Hey! Hey, mister! You all there?'' She hollered into your ear, instantly snapping you out of your trance.
''Huh?! What?!'' You stammered, coming back to reality, soon remembering where you were and what you were doing beforehand. ''Oh, you're still here,'' You said quietly, feeling dazed. ''What day is it?'' You asked, momentarily numb to the world around you.
''It's Thursday,'' Sweetie Belle said. ''Are you alright?'' She asked you concernedly.
''I'm...fine,'' You said, taking in a small breath to relax yourself. ''Sorry, I just had a bad, um, mental image,'' You said. Scootaloo gave a giggle.
''I'll say! You disappeared for a full minute almost!'' She said, amused. ''Apple Bloom just snapped you out of it!'' She motioned a hoof towards the cream-coloured filly behind you. You reached a hand up and stuck your finger inside of your earhole, only able to hear white noise as it rang with a soft, reverberating pain.
''Thanks, kid,'' You said, turning to face Apple Bloom with a grateful smile. ''At least now I won't be able to hear myself think,'' You said, and Apple Bloom gave a small giggle. ''Anywho, now that that's all out of the way, I'm Andy,'' You said as you gently took a hold of Apple Bloom's sides and lowered her from the ledge of the bridge and back between her friends in front of you. You inwardly gawked at how soft her coat felt against your bare skin.
''Nice to meet you, Andy,'' Sweetie Belle said.
''Likewise,'' Scootaloo said with a smile.
''Nice to meet'cha,'' Apple Bloom said. ''So, howcome we haven't seen ya'll around before? Didn't you say you've been here for a while?''
''Ahuh,'' You said, suddenly feeling bashful. ''To tell you the truth, Apple Bloom, I'm pretty anti-social, so I don't get out much. The only person I...um, pony I ever talk to is Pinkie Pie and The Cakes' when I work in their bakery, but that's about it. I'm not really a fan of going outside,'' You said, lightly rubbing your arm as the three girls stared at you.
''Man, that sounds terrible! I mean, how do you even keep yourself from getting bored?'' Scootaloo asked, and you gave a small chuckle in response.
''When you live with Pinkie Pie, believe me, nothing's boring,'' You said. ''That pony can make even the most boring of activities seem fun,'' You said, and for a brief moment, you felt a warmth brush your heart at the memories that surfaced in the back of your mind when you would share the same shift as Pinkie, wherein the inevitable blow from a dough ball strikes you in the back of the head. Sure, it was annoying, but with time, you've come to accept it and allow it to grow on you.
''Sounds ta me like you like her, too,'' Apple Bloom said with a mischeivous wink. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle tried to suppress their laughter as your face grew red. ''Anywho, Ah've got an idea, Andy,'' She said, smiling widely. ''Since ya don't get out much, how about Ah ask my sister, Applejack, if you and Pinkie Pie can come up to our farm for a family reunion? You know, as a chance to hang out more and to get to know each other better?''
A family reunion? You never did really like going to big events or anything of the kind, which comes as a basic rule of being anti-social, but then again, you have been to Sweet Apple Acres before and you have also met Applejack, too. She seemed to like you well enough, so giving a shrug, you offered the sweet, southern filly a smile of gratitude and said,
''You know, that actually sounds like a lot of fun,'' You said warmly. ''It would be nice to be able to see Applejack again and get to talk more, so I guess I wouldn't mind the opportunity,'' You said, and Apple Bloom's face lit up in a heartbeat.
''Really? You mean it? This is going to be awesome! Ah already can't wait to see you two up there! All of Applejack's friends will be there, too! That way, you can meet everypony!'' She said with glee as she hugged your leg enthusiastically. When she pulled away and looked back up to face your eyes, she added, ''Oh, and don't worry, we have a barn dance so you and Pinkie can 'get closer','' She said with a giggle and a suggestive wink.
When she saw you blush at her remark, she giggled along with her two friends as she began to walk off with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. ''Well, Ah'll see you both there at the reunion, Andy! It's been nice meetin' ya!'' She called over her shoulder as she headed away from the bridge, and you watched them as they slowly disappeared from sight.
Once the three fillies were gone, you could feel yourself begin to feel alone again. You turned around to face the bridge like you had before their arrival, placing your hands against the top of the ledge as you leaned over and faced your reflection in the water. You saw that, unlike before, your lips were curled into a soft and warm smile. Not only were you smiling, but you actually felt happy for once.
Those three fillies, The Cutie Mark Crusaders, were certainly a lively trio with an optimistic attitude. Apple Bloom said that her big sister was Applejack, but you were unsure of who's sister Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo was, seeing as you've never actually met anypony else within Pinkie Pie's friendship circle appart from Applejack and Rainbow Dash, if only for the briefest of moments.
You kept thinking about the suggestive comments that Apple Bloom made earlier, but only minutes ago. You and Pinkie Pie, involved in a barn dance? Come to think of it, you haven't ever seen her dance, but you know that from close-quarter embraces with her, that Pinkie had a surprisingly slender and well-toned body that should make dancing a cakewalk, considering she doesn't actually eat the cake, which, quite obviously and predictably, she will do.
It's not like you haven't thought about spending time with Pinkie Pie again, but things have been a little...frustrating in terms of personal feelings. You like, liked Pinkie, and you have both shared a kiss in the past on the deck of Sugarcube Corner, but you weren't sure if you wanted a fully-committed relationship out of her.
As friends, you stood with no conflicts or barriers between you, and you've always felt like you could talk to her about your deepest feelings, and she would sometimes come up to you and ask if you were feeling alright during the day. It made your heart warm up on the inside like a cheese toastie.
You'd be in denial with yourself if you tried to toss any and all naughty thoughts of Pinkie Pie out of the window. It's not like you haven't thought about her in that way from time to time, but the truth of the matter is that you were both entirely different species that would otherwise be seen as a taboo relationship if you were to get involved in that specific type of way.
It was something that you were contemplating over for quite some time, and it didn't help matters that Pinkie, in general, was an attractive pony with a beautiful soul and a wonderful heart.
Sighing heavily through your nostrils as millions of thoughts raced through your mind, you exhaled deeply and drooped your shoulders as you stared lifelessly at your reflection in the shallow river below you.
''Sometimes, I wonder if I'm really living or if I'm only dreaming,'' You muttered to yourself. ''I don't even know if I should tell her or not,'' You said, half-afraid what the outcome of your confession might be. ''Perhaps I might tell her when we get to the dance.''
