Last Stop on the Mail Route

It was a nice little place. Distant, near the edge of town. I got it fairly cheap, thanks to a couple things.

Firstly, as favor from Tia that came in the form of a loan from the crown. Something about a 'newly minted fund to help the dimensionally displaced', though I'm were pretty sure she was just being nice. She seemed to enjoy having a new, candid penpal though, and an opinion on Ponyvilles usual shenanigans that wasn't from Twilights... particular view. I didn't interact with Luna as much, but she took an interest in my limp in one of the few times I spoke with her while in Canterlot. Apparently prosthetics aren't all that common in Equestria, go figure; though she took significant interest in my past, considering her more militant views. I like to include little P.S sections at the end of my letters to Tia for Luna.

Secondly, my home was smack on top of a hill that was minutes from the Everfree Forest. For the Ponies, that put this place on the C list of properties. Personally, I kind of liked that it wasn't controlled by weather-trained pegasi or the like. Like a lethal splash of home. Fortunately for me, I've picked up a few books from Twilight about the place, and been introduced to the one local that was brave enough to live in it. Amusingly, for a similar reason that I chose to live on the edge of town. Twilight doesn't like to talk about it to much, but AJ filled me in on how all that played out. Seems this place had a habit of shunning oddities.

It wasn't terribly big, with the kitchen and the living room sharing one space, a single bathroom and a single bedroom, but it was sturdy, insulated, and all mine. Part of why I enjoy it so much is because, outside of the Ponies I deal with on the regular... most haven't really taken to me. They're fairly cordial, but whispers still get around, and I can feel their eyes. I'm like a prolonged weekly event that hasn't quite gotten finished up yet, like they're waiting for Twilight to find an excuse to get me locked up in stone or blasted away, so things can go back to normal. Yeesh.

The only remaining problem was work. Twilight originally offered to keep housing me at her Library, which included working as her assistant or something. She already has Spike, though, and I'm not terribly interested in rooming with people again. Considering I moved out, that deal went with it. AJ offered me work, but... tossing my leg at her helped get the idea that I wasn't built for 12+ hours in the field. Not anymore, at least. And with most Ponies around here being dicey about hiring me, I'd rather just do what I always did.
I actually considered applying to Rarity's boutique, to learn sewing and shit, considering I'm one of like... two things here that have hands. Still hadn't decided on that yet. Not applying to the spa, though. Something about that felt... dirty.

My eyes float to the corner of my house, set beside the fireplace, dedicated to the items that got yanked along with me when Twilight biffed her experiment. Raised in a rural American household that bled soldiers, after my tours, I had a penchant for spending my time in the woods, alone. When whatever happened to me did happen, it was during one of my Hunting trips. Rarity was able to style a few more choices of clothing for me based on what I arrived in, though she didn't like my deviation from style, aiming for comfort and durability. Still have that one suit she made me take, though. Doubt it would get any use. Mostly, the pile was the stuff I didn't need at every moment, like my binoculars, survival gear, backpack, tent, so on.

I kept my hunting knife strapped to my leg for comfort. I'd be more comfortable carrying my Bolt-action Rifle around, but left it mantled above the fireplace. For a place without gunpowder, I'm sure I could bug Twilight to make me some kind of... magic-instead-of-gunpowder bullets, or some other type of magic shit. But I really didn't want to be the guy who introduced them to guns. I just pretended it was some kind of walking stick, binocular combo thing and tucked it away first chance I got. I know for sure Twilight didn't buy it, but they haven't had time to ask about it yet. Had a few clips for it tucked in my bag, where they would stay. Maybe I should hide it under the floorboards or something, and get a bow.

Right now, I've got my good right leg kicked up on my table, my bum left leg enjoying a chance to breathe from my prosthetic, one of Twilights books about the Everfrees plant life (Poison joke was objectively terrifying), and a cup of coffee. Thank fuck that they had coffee.

Midday, weather was nice; light breeze through my window, it'd been a few days since I talked to Nurse Redheart. Derpy's damage to my living room was mostly forgotten, minus the... gift vase that Rarity got me for moving in, and the bushel of apples from Applejack that got bowled over, half of them bruised or mush. If Rarity ever comes over (Doubtful) I'll think up some excuse. Ate the apples anyway.

Speaking of the Elements, I got along with most of them. Rarity did up clothes for me pro-bono, which I intended to pay back once I made some profit, probably selling what I could drag out of the Everfree if that works out. Didn't think I'd like her hoity-toity attitude, but there's a surprising layer of care there. Plus, I was raised by sisters; I won't deny I'm a fiend for good gossip. Probably why me and Tia get along, too, honestly.

Applejack was nice, and an amusing reminder of home, though watching them kick apples off trees put worry in my good knee. I like her brother. Not too many other guys in town I can talk to, but I doubt he'd be down to bum it in the woods; seems like a workaholic like his sister. That bunch of kids her little sister hangs out with is trouble incarnate, but they like to bother me, which... I don't mind. They took a real liking to my woodworking, so I've made them a few things with my knife. Little wood horses, roughly based on the ponies they know, toys. Nothing amazing, but that seems to have gotten me in the Apples good graces. They like to bring me pies. I don't refuse.

Rainbow Dash is... odd. She's usually pretty boastful, and was more than happy to brag about how much faster she was than me, how she didn't need fingers; reminded me of a few guys I knew. Well, until she saw my leg one time, when we sat down outside Sugarcube Corner. Now she gets a little awkward when I'm around. Goes quiet and just kind of watches me. Applejack tells me she feels 'Mighty Embarrassed'; apparently those Wonderbolts she adores have some tie-in to my worlds Air Aces, so permanent injury might be a bit more of a grasped topic for her than most of the Ponies I know.

Twilight is a huge fucking nerd, and can be really pushy... but I see what she's trying to do. She's got a fuckload on her plate, and I'm often down to just be the human version of the programmers rubber ducky they yell at. Her venting is a good source of info about the place, and it's nice seeing someone get so excited about something. Though, I swear to god she has to be fucking autistic or something. I've seen her stay up for three days straight for the dumbest shit. Stares at me with the widest fucking eyes whenever I use my fingers... and could really learn some boundaries. Or maybe not--she's kind of fun to mess with. Oh, Spikes cool, but same issue as Big Mac; different interests. And a bit of an age difference, I think he's like... a teenager, just ages slow.

Pinkie is a bit much for me, honestly. She means well, but I do not intend to get diabetes. I'm already iffy about all the doctors visits I've got going on for my 'Unique Biology', and honestly, I'm more shaken up about how much sugar these Ponies consume then the whole no-meat thing. (Twilight mentioned something about Griffin traders, might look into that since I've already all but given up on my image around here.) I try to appease the pink menace by visiting a few of her parties, but they... I don't do too great in crowds. I try not to be mean, though. Like Twilight, she means well. She's starting to learn no means no, which according to Twilight, is a first.

Fluttershy and I don't get along, based on the difference of how we view small animals. I don't dislike her, mind you, but she certainly doesn't like being around me ever since I talked about a few of my hunting trips. I think what keeps her from fully exiting any situation we both end up being in is my leg. Every time she sees me walk, I notice she gets a lot closer, until conversation kicks back in.

Nurse Redheart was nice, but she kept walls up for everybody. I doubt I'd get through to her anytime soon, and any attempt would be probably interpreted as romantic, which is its own can of worms. On one hand, it was a good thing I was an ass man; on the other hand, they seemed to have a very... equine, way of approaching things, something I was unfamiliar with. Something about smells. Also, it seemed like an inverse of my world, where Mares were the 'lead' gender. Though, the disparity wasn't quite as bad here as it was on Earth. Mares and Stallions got paid the same, yada yada.
That... was kind of it. The rest, I can kind of remember some names or faces, but... yeah, most kept their distance or kept it civil.

Once I've gotten through a few more chapters (Twilight seemed to think I could manage a book a day; like I've got the attention span for that), I'd get started on that wood carving Rarity's little sister wanted... Sweet Bell? She wanted one of her big sister; apparently her birthday was coming up. Got to step my tramp stamp game. Or, er... 'Cutie Mark' game.

I blink a few times, sticking a finger in my ear to double-check. That wasn't my tinnitus, was it? It sounded like...

I could barely look over towards my open window, before a feathered grey mass with bubbles on its ass came slamming through it, bombing my couch like an errant missile.