Version: 1

Twilight sighed as steam wafted up from the warm water she was soaking in. She lounged on her back as islands of soap bubbles drifted on invisible currents. The smell of exotic flowers tugged the alicorn's mind ever closer to a restful slumber. Twilight did always enjoy her baths. They eased her mind and her muscles after a long day of... whatever she had to deal with. The bath was a place that allowed her to escape. To find peace. To be a simple mare without a care...

"Hm?" Twilight mumbled as something lightly brushed her belly.

The alicorn raised her head and glanced half-conscious down her body. All four of her limbs were submerged and the water level only just reached her sternum. There, floating above her hidden breasts, was a rubber duck. The yellow toy was rocking back and forth and slowly ambling away from her tummy where it must have collided with her.

Twilight blinked in confusion. "Where did you come from?" she whispered to herself.

Spike was too old for bath toys now and she certainly hadn't added it. So the already drowsy mare was left baffled for a moment. Why was there a rubber duck in her bath? Then the artificial bird started to spin and revealed something else that shouldn't have been in her bath.

"Anon?" the alicorn stuttered. Then realization hit. Her human friend, a male, was in her bath. Twilight's eyes widened. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?" the equine roared.

The human was about six centimeters (two inches) tall and straddling the rubber duck like it was a noble steed. He was also dressed in a pair of loose swim trunks and staring back at the enraged mare with innocent confusion.

"Well who else would I take a bath with?" he countered seriously. His simple response made Twilight freeze. Her eyes went even wider and her cheeks burned. The implications...

"W-w-what do you mean by that?"

"See, Rarity had a really hard day so she wasn't in the mood to watch over me while I took a bath. Pinkie is too busy entertaining the twins in the afternoon for me, I don't like Rainbow Dash, Applejack is a mud monster and I don't want to be scrubbed down by her hard hooves, and Fluttershy's rabbit scares me. That left only you. So here I am." He finished by patting his rubber duck steed.

Twilight blinked. Then blinked again. Then blinked once more for good measure. "W-wait. Rarity doesn't just take care of you, she... bathes you?"

"To make sure I don't drown," Anon replied with a shrug. "I was an okay swimmer back home, but water doesn't... work right at my new size. So Rarity got pretty protective."

Twilight looked up in thought, her inner scientist having been awoken. Water acted differently for him? What did he mean by that? Then she remembered she was supposed to be mad and embarrassed that a male had snuck into her bath. She shook her head and aimed a death glare at the human and his rubber duck. Then she realized he had drifted to just above her... private area. She blushed and squeezed her legs together below the surface. The duck began to bob as the water was disturbed. Anon clutched his ride with a smile, enjoying the sudden game.

"Anon, this is highly inappropriate," Twilight gushed.

As the waves died down the man adopted a guilty look. "I guess you're right. Maybe I should have asked first."

Twilight snorted. "Yes. You should have. But that's not what I meant. We can't bathe together," she explained with an angry scoff.

"Why? Rarity likes it," Anon countered casually.

Twilight stared. "Do... humans bathe together?"

"In some cultures," Anon shrugged. There was a short silence. "Are you okay Twilight?"

"There is a stallion in my bath with me," she said flatly.

"Ponies don't take baths together normally?" Anon asked, his blood running a little bit colder.

Twilight squirmed. "Anon... you are as dense as a post."

Author's Note

I debated what direction to take this, but ultimately went just lewd rather than full erotica. Going further with it would have required more work and words and this was just meant to be a tease.