~ Part II ~

An Old Cottage Filled with Kind Hearts

I wasn't sure how long I slept.

I wasn't sure how I could still breathe. My eyes fluctuated between open and closed, my mind recalling nothing but blurry moments, the clearest of them all has me on the back of something. Something... soft.

It strode through the forest, bringing me with it. It's every step rubbed against my stomach. The thing had yellow hair. There was a presence to it, one strong enough for my deprived mind to recall, though I remembered was how the kind aura soothed me to slumber.

All that led to now. I found myself lying back in some bed; it was the first I'd slept on since coming here. Too sore to move, I laid in place, letting my eyes do all the moving. Letting my head roll to the left, the contents of a room greeted me: a table next to the bed, some bookshelves along the wall, and a closet in the distance.

Where was I? A home to be sure, but it was strangely barren. That meant, out of all things to find me in the woods, it was a mare that had taken a role as a predator. In seconds, my heart scraped against my chest, wounding itself with worries.

And when I lifted my hoof, I half-expected it to be chained to the bed, only to find it free of any restraints—besides aching and soreness, of course. I looked at it for a few moments. My eyes swept shut, and in my mind, I pictured what once was my arm.

“Y-You're awake!”

I spasmed, which made me groan, at the sudden intrusion. With my eyes open, I saw past the bed and across the floor, catching sight of the mare standing at the door. She stood silently, eyes staring at me, keeping especially still.

My heart pained again, but this time, it wasn't unpleasant.

Her coat was yellow and her eyes were teal. Unfurling her wings, her pink mane was swept along her neck. For a while now, we kept staring at each other, and the whole time, my heart kept hurting more. Without meaning to, I clutched my chest.

“O-Oh my!” The sounds of approaching hoofsteps didn't help my racing heart. “Is it y-your chest again? Please, let me see.” I was aware she was standing next to me, but I paid her no glanced, clutching harder at my chest. “Please, sir. You're in pain.”

Understatement of the year.

“G-Get away!” I lifted my hooves like she asked, throwing them in her direction. “What do you want from—“ Something made of concrete slammed against my chest, causing me to curl forward in response, doing anything to alleviate the pain.

“Please, Mr. Stallion, you need to calm down.” The mare laid one of her soft hooves on my back, letting them rest on each of my shoulders. She sat down next to me, causing something else to prick through my heart. “I don't know what you've been through, but you've endured a heavy amount of stress. You're having an attack—please, if not for me, then for yourself, relax.”

I wanted to reply but was too busy crying.

“We're going to take deep breaths now, okay? Follow my voice.” Her plush body settled against mine, almost like she was indirectly hugging me. “Inhale through your nose now. Come one, let me hear it.”

Without any choice, I inhaled sharply through my snout, feeling the air sweep into my lungs.

“Good! Now hold it for a few seconds, okay?”

It was hard—every beat of my heart knocked a little air out of me. But I persisted. I didn't know why, but I did, doing my best and doing as I was told, even as the mare pushed more of herself onto me. She was incredibly soft, but her softness reminded me of Applejack.

“Now let go through your mouth.”

I do so.

“In through the nose.”

I do so.

“Hold for a second.”

I did so.

“Now out through the mouth.”

I did so... feeling better for it.

“How are you feeling now?”

I glanced up at her, seeing her muzzle so close to mind—so much I actually inched away. It was harder seeing her muzzle before mine, her pink mane falling like a waterfall to the left of her face. Those teal eyes were set on me, searching me, waiting for me.

“B-Better.”

“That's good!” The mare pulled off the bed at once, her warmth and comfort leaving my body, and I was both glad and disappointed simultaneously. “But you're still probably feeling tired and weak, right? When I found you, you were malnourished and overstressed.” She turned her muzzle away so I couldn't see her eyes. “You had me... very worried when I found you.”

The concern in her voice sounded sincere, but more than once, a mare had fooled me into thinking their concern was legitimate. For all I knew, this mare was getting me better to use me later. If that was the case, I had to be ready to find an escape.

“Now then! I have some tea I would like for you to drink.” Fluttershy took a step over to the table. Hovering over it, she picked up a white cup with her wing, then bringing it over to me. “It may be cold, but it's mixed with some important herbs. You need to drink it all, okay?”

The way how she spoke confused me slightly. She always gave a demand, something that needed to be done, though it was addressed like an order, she still asked for my permission first—with those constant 'okay?'.

“What's.. your name?”

She hovered over my lying form, blinking. “Oh dear, you have me so startled that I forgot to introduce myself!” Clearing her throat, she held against her chest. “My name is Fluttershy! I found you outside during one of my nightly walks. You... passed out right in front of me.”

Her muzzle pulled back an inch after those words were said, her eyes looking to the right, retreating slightly behind her mane. It warmed my heart to see; a sensation I was on guard to oppose. For whatever reason, I almost felt like apologizing.

“And this place?”

“It's my cottage! We're alone at the moment. And... awfully far from town.” Fluttershy peeked out from her mane and gazed down at me. “But for somepony like you, that's what you want, isn't it?”

I slowly nodded. “Yeah.”

Silence.

“W-With that out of the way, will you please drink this tea?”

My eyes traveled down to the cup. It was white and the liquid was brown. She held it out toward me, and I didn't take it. “Will this knock me out again?”

“It may make you sleepy—“

“Drink it yourself.”

Fluttershy blinked. “B-But why?”

“Because last time a mare tried to offer me a drink of water, she slipped something into it.” I inched slightly to the left, a useless effort, but a gesture of distance nonetheless. “No offense, I appreciate the help, but all you mares end up trying to.. trying to take me... and, and... and...”

Something pricked my heart again. It wasn't right of me to class a gender together simply because of its gender, but in this world, distrusting the opposite sex had never set me wrong. Too many of them were crazy: it was safe to assume that all of them were.

It didn't make me feel any better about my judgment. But after what had happened with Applejack... I wasn't willing to trust a mare with good intentions again. Still, even in my distance, I glanced over at Fluttershy—not expecting the sight which I saw.

She had the cup to her lips, letting the rim settle in-between them. One of her eyes were closed, and the other was set on me. It blinked when I made eye contact. She made a show of taking a mouthful of tea, even to the point where her cheeks puffed out.

Then, pulled the cup away, she stared at me. Her mouth full of tea, she still found a way to smile. After that, she tilted her head back, letting me watch her swallow, seeing the bulge travel down her throat and deposit into her stomach.

“Whatever you may have,” Fluttershy began as she looked back down, “I'll have it first. So please, will you drink some now?”

I kept still as I stared at her. Blinking. I was blinking. “W-Why would you...”

Fluttershy tilted her head and smiled. “Because I want to help you. There's no more reason than that.”

Bullshit. I wanted to call bullshit so hard. There, in my bed, I wanted to scream the word so loud that it could be heard from the town itself. I made no show of myself: I sat up with my forehooves out.

Fluttershy nodded her head, passing me the cup.

Holding the cup between my forehooves, I brought it before my muzzle. Peering into the liquid, I saw it reflect my green eyes, the black bags underneath them, and how pale my grey coat looked. My mane was strewn all over the place, covering over my left eye.

And then, without looking for it, I caught a wet spot on the rim of the cup—the exact place where Fluttershy's lips had touched. Without thinking, only feeling, I brought my lips to the same place, basking in the lingering warmth and wetness.

I then drank the tea.

“I hope that makes you feel better.” Fluttershy turned around, throwing her rump in my direction. I stole a glance, seeing a trio of butterflies... as well as the pink, silky strands of her tail. My heart beat harder once more. “Do you mind if I pull up a seat?”

I finished the drink. Looking over to the left, I saw her by the wall, using her wing to lift a wooden stool. But she didn't start walking back toward me—she was waiting on my approval. Sincerity or a clever trick? I had no way of knowing.

Should I be kind or should I be a cunt?

I had no way of knowing which was right.

Heh. A world wherein being a cunt was the right choice.

What was happening to me?

“Just... don't sit too close to the bed, alright?”

She almost squealed at the approval. Fluttershy brought the stool over, while taking my cup with her wing and setting it on the table, before sitting down next to the bed—leaving a foot of space. Lying down, I still had to look up to see her face, her body towering over my own.

We sat there for a while, close together, saying nothing. What was there to say? What was there to do? I couldn't trust the mare, this helpful mare. But I couldn't lie to myself. I couldn't keep up the charade that I didn't like her: that I was not taken by her beautiful looks and kind air.

And that's what made her so dangerous. Even when Applejack had taken me, had revealed herself, had taken me... I still let myself be taken, still like her, still kiss her, still make a grab for her flanks and shoo my freedom away.

“May I ask for your name?”

Her voice snapped me those thoughts. “W-What?”

“Well, it's just, you know my name.”

I swallowed. Looking straight up the ceiling, I debated internally.

“You don't have to tell me, that is, if you don't want to,” Fluttershy said. “Every mare has heard about you, but none of us have heard your name. I'd rather not call you some 'last stallion', but I can if you want me to.”

I shook my head. “Nah, I'll tell it to you.” I looked over at her. “Not like you can use it against me, anyway. The name's Harlan.”

“Harlan?”

“Y-Yeah...” Air escaped my lungs and I spoke breathlessly. “You're the first mare I've told my name.” I inhaled, and then, chuckled. “To be honest with you, for a while there, my name was slipping from my mind.” I looked back up at the ceiling. “For the longest time, I was just some stallion... what a name that would have been, huh?”

“Harlan, huh?”

My eyes moistened around the corners.

“C-Could you... say that again.”

I heard her inhale. “W-What? Your name?”

“I haven't heard anyone say it in such a long time,” I replied. “Can you say it one more time for me, please?”

“Harlan... Harlan!” When I rolled my head toward her, I saw Fluttershy giggling into her hoof, her eyes closing while she did so. “It's such a strange and sweet name! I don't think I've ever quite heard anything like it before.”

“That's because you probably haven't, and I would be worried if you did.” Fluttershy opened her teal eyes, and once again, we were staring at each other. “Names where I'm from tend to be simple and straight. Here, it's like a clown gave everyone their names.”

“So... you don't like the name Fluttershy then?”

“Beautiful name here,” I said, feeling my cheeks slightly burn. “But back at home, someone with a name like that would get a few stares. A little bullying while they're in school.” I exhaled deeply. “Creative name, though. I like it.”

“I'm glad you do.” Fluttershy started looking between her legs. Though her mane covered most of her face, I could see pink coloring her cheeks. She was enjoying this too? She was enjoying me? That last thought didn't surprise me—every mare here wanted to sleep with me.

...and thinking that made me feel like a dick.

I shook my head at that thought. It was true every mare wanted to sleep with me, if only because I was the last stallion. But with that in mind, what was happening between Fluttershy and me was different—it was liking each other without any sex involved.

It was more genuine and sincere in a way—in a way, I'd since longed for. But I couldn't let myself be swayed so easily: I could enjoy Fluttershy's company... so long as I was on the look-out for an escape.

“Um... may I ask you a personal question, H-Harlan?”

I blinked. “S-Sure.”

“It's... true, isn't it? That you're not from here? You c-come from another world, right?”

I looked up again, but this time, kept the corners of my eyes on Fluttershy. I then nodded. “That's right. Wasn't until some time ago that I was back at home.” I closed my eyes and let out a sigh.

“I came from a planet called Earth. The people there were, well, not ponies.”

“Not ponies?”

“Yeah. Humans instead. Kinda like you, but taller, walking on two feet, skin instead of fur and the guys took care of the girls.”

“Stallions took care of mares!”

Aaand that's what caught her off guard. Not the whole 'competently different' species thing, but rather, the roles that genders played. People—or ponies—got to choose what they care most about, I guess.

“Yeah,” I replied after a second of silence. “Even then, it's not as aggressive as it is here.”

That answer led itself back to silence. I didn't dare break it, not while she was thinking, thinking about... I had no clue. For the moment, she seemed interested in both me and my history. And that was, well, nice to have someone care about me after such a long time.

Even if I was hesitant to accept it.

“May I ask another question?”

“Go ahead.”

“The... stallions.”

She went silent.

I knew where the question was going. “How I'm the last of their kind? Where they went and why?”

Fluttershy only nodded.

I sighed. “Wish I could tell you the full story: I'm not even sure of it myself.” I closed my eyes and tried to recall the memory vividly. “I was... going through a tough time back at home. Some stuff that I'd rather not get into.” I clenched my eyes harder. “Almost made an extremely silly decision. A flash had blinded me before I could do anything.” I exhaled. “I closed my eyes out of reflex, and... and when I opened them again, I wasn't home anymore.”

Fluttershy spoke up, “D-Does that mean... magic took you?”

“Magic or somethin' else. Dunno.” I let my eyes slowly reopen, seeing the top of the green blanket that covered my body. “Next thing I knew, I was walking on all fours. I'd landed on some red-carpet. Tall horses surrounded me.”

“Horses?”

“What? Not a polite terminology here?”

“...please continue.”

“Anyway. I'd landed on some carpet in some castle—at least I think it's a castle.” I shook my head, feeling the world sway from the movement. “It's all so blurry now, but... I recall there being some sphere of light above me. There were some s-stallions in that room, but they weren't in there for long.”

I could hear Fluttershy swallow. She took a few seconds before could ask me, “W-What happened to our... I mean, t-the stallions.”

My eyebrow arched at her slip, but I let it slide for the moment. “I don't know what to tell you, Fluttershy. I barely saw what happened: and I was there.” My heart started to race as the memory flashed again, causing me to, once again, take deep and slow breaths. “That sphere, whatever it was, shot out this... this bolt of electricity. Or, something like that.”

The legs of the stool scrapped against the ground. Fluttershy came closer, despite my request, but her actions earned none of my despite. “Did those stallions...”

“No. At least, I don't think so.” I managed to calm my heart as I skipped over the memory. “Those bolts of electricity struck every stallion in the room, hitting one and going to the next, phasing through everything between.” I shivered as the sudden screams echoed in my mind. “It didn't kill them. Rather, a flash of light took them, drawing all to inside the sphere.”

“What happened next?”

It was the one question I was hoping she didn't ask. With everything that had happened, I could blame it on crazy mares, on being in a clunky body I wasn't used to, on... many of things. But the cause of everything coming to be like that? The blame laid on me.

“I ran.” It was a short sentence, yet, it said so much. “I got scared. Everything around me terrified me. And I... ran.” My voice broke near the end, and I was careful with my breath to hide my cracks with the deepness of tone. “Didn't stop running, either. Mares tried to stop me. I was too scared. I kept running.”

I closed my eyes to suppress my tears.

“I kept running and running and running and running,” my voice wore down with every pass of the word, “until I was outside of a castle. Until I was outside of the city. Until I was rolling down a mountain.”

I opened my eyes again. The corners of my eyes burned again. How could I be such a coward? “Why did I run? I... don't know. I didn't mean to run.” I shook my head, feeling a whimper trying to escape me. “I was just scared. I didn't want to be scared. But I was scared.”

Stop. Please. Stop. Don't let any more words come out. Harlan. Stop it. You have to be strong. You can't cry. You're a man. These mares will eat you alive. Stop expressing your fears. Stop expressing yourself to a crazy mare!

“And it's killing me.” Why oh why was I going on? “Every mare I meet wants something out of me. Everywhere I go, I have to be alone, or else one of... one of you will catch me!” I sobbed and coughed and then went off some more. “And... and I'm just so tired of being alone. But I don't want to be trapped either.”

I then looked to Fluttershy, beyond control of my emotions, and pleaded with her. “Please. Please don't be like the rest.” I cried hard, looking like a wimp. “Please take care of me. Please don't trap me. Please don't leave me.”

How pathetic was that? Begging my predator for mercy? There were no kind mares here—they did not exist in this world. All I had done was let this mare know I couldn't fight her off, that I needed someone of her character desperately—she didn't need a basement to lock me in. She already knew I was emotionally drained and seeking to be replenished.

I ran from mares because they were crazy—not because I wasn't needing to be loved. No. I needed to be loved desperately. I needed someone to listen to me, who wanted to know what I had to save, who cared for me, who loved me, and that everything they felt toward me was sincere and genuine.

But being the last stallion made that impossible to obtain and return.

At least, that's what I thought for the longest time, until softness enveloped me. I didn't have time to react, only to endure and embrace the body against my own. Without notice, Fluttershy had stood from her stool, came over to my bed, and wrapped her forelegs around my neck.

Gently, she pulled my head against her chest, letting her fur dry my tears.

“That's it. Let it out.” From the corner of my eye, I saw one of her wings unfurl, its tip coming to stroke the top of my head. She nuzzled above my ear. “Never fear expressing yourself. Please, when you're with me, never repress a feeling or a thought.”

I had no response. I cried into her chest, forgoing any of the barriers I'd constructed. I cried and I cried, letting myself be free, even at the cost of a mare holding me. She was soft and warm, her body shifting against my own, so much so, that I wanted to hold more of her.

So I brought my hooves around her waist, hugging her back, much to her surprised gasp. She didn't pull away or say anything. Only, she held me tighter, letting her chin rest atop my head. We continued to hug each other.

“You don't have to be alone.”

She kept saying it again and again, almost to the point where... I didn't know who she was saying it to.

Fluttershy left me to sleep.

We didn't say much more after I'd cried. She stayed with me for a while, holding me close, rubbing my back the best she could, both of us silent but present in each other's company. A yawn had broken our exchange.

With a giggle, Fluttershy had told me it was time for bed.

I trusted her enough to lay low in her cottage some more. Once or twice, there was a knock at her door, more mares wondering how she was... and if she knew where I was. She told them no and wished them well. It worried me that she was keeping me a secret—then I realized who she was keeping me a secret from.

I spent the first day in bed. My body had been weakened and overstrained, and for the first time, I was able to take proper rest. Fluttershy brought me food and drinks, tasty soups and healthy teas. She was kind to me. Far more kind than I deserved. The kind of kindness that caused me to be wary of Fluttershy.

As I laid there in bed at night, I kicked myself for still not trusting her, even though the emotional connection we underwent with each other. I expressed myself to her; I exposed myself to her. Running away from that, suspecting her for helping me... there was something deeply cynical and loathing about thinking that kind of way.

But I didn't fault myself for it. Especially when I hoofsteps came behind the door. I kept silent and waited for a knock: the door opened instead. I blinked. Glancing over my bed and out the window, the moon had taken the sky for the last five hours.

I exhaled. What was Fluttershy thinking? What was she doing? I pretended to be asleep even when she called my name. Upon getting no answer, I didn't hear her hoofsteps leaving. No. They grew closer. She was coming toward me when I was supposed to be asleep.

Fear curdled in my stomach.

Her shadow covered me. In a second, her breath was on my cheeks, though I kept still. I could feel her muzzle drawing closer. I could feel her body rasing onto the bed. My heart, pounding madly, rendered me clueless as to what I should do: scream or keep silent; run away or keep still.

And then, I made my choice.

Author's Note

Forgive me for the lies of the previous introduction: one more part remains.

Also, G-doc link if anyone wants to take an editing pass at this: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1J0w8ZV7KpXmpWYRjozWR6rwjo8PvAWIjDJuUmKIs_Ps/edit?usp=sharing

Catch you guys on the next part.

Yr. writer, B