After about a month, I had begun to adjust to living among ponies. It was then that I was sent to live in Ponyville, as Celestia had seen that the posh life of Canterlot was not really my cup of tea, so to speak. I didn't really have many problems with Canterlot, but the princesses could tell that for the long term, it just wouldn't work for me.

Pinkie threw me a 'Welcome Back' party, of course, this time at the train station, and with even more ponies, including a fair number of foals. After the party Twilight showed me where the real-estate office was in the town hall, and the next few days were spent with the agent looking at houses.

Eventually I got moved in to a rather nice house that wasn't far from the town's center. The biggest problem was getting furniture custom made for a whole house, but even that problem didn't last very long.

Winter came, and with it a shitload of snow. Texas, my old home, is known all around Earth for a great many things, most notably an anti-littering ad. Texas is not known for snowy winters, and I liked that quite a lot. But with some scarves and a heavy coat made by Rarity, (I had to talk her into telling me a price, and then to take the money.) I got by well enough. I pointedly kept the fireplace blazing like an inferno and spent most of the winter reading through just about every book available at the small shops in town and quite a few borrowed from Twilight's library; history and music theory for the most part, a smattering of technical manuals thrown in for fun.

"So, Hoyt, you gonna help out with Winter Wrap Up?" Pinkie asked, interrupting my coffee and muffin breakfast.

"With huh do what now?" I said, not at all sure what was meant by the question.

"Winter Wrap Up, silly! It's when we all work together to clean up winter and welcome spring!" The pink party pony suddenly had my undivided attention.

"End winter? Where do I sign up?" I said, more than ready for warmer weather.

Pinkie giggled and said, "At Mayor Mare's office, duh." She stuck her tongue out and giggled again before adding, "Geez, I didn't know it was possible for someone to not-like winter so much, but there's only two days left... GASP Oh my! That means- Tomorrow Hoyt!"

Per the usual mode of operation with Pinkie, I wasn't getting where she was going. I didn't get to ask either, as she ran out the door like pink lightening. "So, Carrot, any idea what that was about?" I asked the still present baker as he polished the countertop.

"Nope, I gave up trying to keep track of her antics a while back. If it isn't a twitch, I pay it no mind," he said, chuckling as he continued the post-rush morning cleanup routine.

"Ha, I can understand that," I said, agreeing with his logic. Having a goal for the day, I hurried through the rest of my muffin and washed it down with the remaining coffee. "No tobacco, but oh, thank Luna for showing me that y'all have coffee. Thanks again for the breakfast, Carrot, and tell the youngin's that 'Monkey' said 'hi' for me, alright?" I said as I set the plate and cup I'd used at the end of the counter and tucked my newspaper under an arm.

"Yeah, sure thing, so you're not gonna stick around today?"

"Nah, I need to actually get out and active sometime, and Pinkie talking about the end of winter has me a little excited," I replied. "Catch y'all later," I said a little louder, to be heard in the kitchen.

"Oh? Alright deary, we'll be here when lunchtime rolls around," Cup cake said, poking her head out over the swinging door with a smile.

"Then I'll be back in a few hours, don't have too much fun," I said, waving over my shoulder as I stepped out the door, headed for Town Hall.

"Hmm, well the thing is, I really don't have any idea what job to assign you to, Hoyt. Mostly everypony just does what they did the year before, but that option isn't really available for you... Maybe Twilight can help you? She is in charge of keeping everypony organized for Winter Wrap Up," Mayor Mare said, offering a sympathetic smile.

"Alright then, guess I'm off to the library. Thanks Mayor," I said, moving to the door.

"Any time, Hoyt," she called back, returning to her paperwork.

As I approached the Golden Oak Library, I couldn't help but smile and chuckle at myself a little for not noticing the first time I saw it that it was built into a tree. 'How could I have missed a detail like that?'

When I knocked on the door it didn't take long for Spike to answer. "Dude, you do realize that you are the only one in town who knocks during business hours, right?" he said as I stepped inside. "Do you do that everywhere you go?"

"Um, no, not really... Guess it's just habit. This place feels more like a home than a business I guess," I offered in response. "Twilight home? The Mayor said I should talk to her about which job I should do for this Winter Wrap Up thing."

He didn't respond to me, but pumped his fist and ran up the stairs to shout into Twilight's room. "Hey, Twilight! I win! I'll be out with the crusaders," he said as he was already headed for the door.

Halfway across the lobby he was caught and suspended motionless by a magenta field of magic which quickly hooked his tail into the large table with an equine bust display. Spike quickly realized the futility of attempting escape, and sat disgruntled on the floor. "Man, I hope she's not in a really bad mood or anything," I said, stifling my snickers from escaping, but not being successful with my smile. He snorted in response and stuck his tongue out at me, going to the effort to reach out creepily with it. That serpentine tongue made me shudder every time, but I had a snappy response for him this time since no one else was in earshot. "So how does Sweetie Belle like that trick?"

Almost instantly the slithery appendage was put away into its normal storage place, and Spike's face slowly turned red as the cogs began to turn in his head. His eyes grew to the size of pie plates as he quietly asked, "They, they really do that?"

I was about to respond when Twilight called down the stairs, "Spike, who is it?"

"Just me," I said, calling up to answer for the still stunned dragon.

"Hoyt?"

"Yeah, don't worry, take your time," I said noting a touch of surprise in her voice.

"Um, Spike? You go ahead, I'll be down in a bit," she replied, her magic freeing the dragon's stuck tail before another spell sounded off from her room.

Spike hardly noticed his renewed freedom, instead looking at me almost incredulously. "Seriously?" he asked, his voice still hushed.

"Yeah, back home it's almost required, you wanna start the car you gotta turn the key dude," I said, also staying slightly hushed. "I mean, um, 'open the gate', don't worry about the car."

"Huh, Okay, I'll keep that in mind," he said, as he walked at a thoughtful pace out the door.

I chuckled a bit at his reaction before realization struck me like a ton of hammers. "Aw crap. If they do that and get caught, I'm in trouble too... Wait, I thought they already got 'the talk' about that stuff? Oh well, he's already past the train station now."

Reclining on one of the reading couches, I read some more of the news while I waited on Twilight. After about ten minutes or so I heard another slight pop of magic before another minute's wait and Twilight came down the stairs. "So, what brings my favorite human here today?" she said, smiling as she came down the stairs. "Wait, don't you have a book overdue?"

My eyes widened as I thought through my book list. "Oh, I uh, yeah, mind if I run that by after lunch?" I asked, smiling sheepishly in return.

"Hmm, I don't know, those tech manuals are in such high demand and all..." she said while rolling her eyes before she burst into laughter. "Haha, ha, it's only a day late I think, let's see... yep, due yesterday, don't worry about it though, you and me are the only ones even remotely interested in that stuff around here."

We both shared a laugh at this, the infancy of the Trans-Equestrian Communications Network hardly registering one 'damn' on Ponyville's 'give-ometer'. Soon we both calmed to companionable silence, and I remembered the reason for my visit. "So, Pinkie told me about this, Winter Wrap Up thing earlier..." I said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Oh, that? You want to help?" she asked with a smile that touched her eyes. My answer was to point at the window over my shoulder and nod. "Hehe, oh, right, snow... Well, I will have to talk with the girls, see what jobs may suit you, but I'm sure we've got something that'll do," she said, smile still wide on her face.

"Alright then, thanks Twi. Now to figure out what to do in the meantime," I said, turning to my thoughts.

"Hmm, getting bored?" she asked, leaning close to look out the window. "Huh, nopony seems to be doing much today," she said, observing how little traffic there was.

As she got close, I got a whiff of her scent, a light floral smell that set my heart to racing, and made me feel warm all over. "New Perfume?" I asked, not having noticed her smell before.

"Oh, yeah, Cadance sent it to me." she said. "Do you like it?"

"Yeah, might have to order myself some stink-pretty from up there," I said, getting an eye-roll for what I like to call cologne. "It's from the Empire?"

"Of course. She said it was made from their crystal flowers," Twilight said, smiling brightly.

I looked out the window a moment, and turned back to Twilight. "Hmm, may just have to visit the Empire myself, once summer rolls around that is."

"Want me to send a letter to Cadance for you? She would probably insist on putting you up in the Palace."

"Nah, it'll be a few months yet before I do any more traveling, I think. Thanks for the offer though," I said, standing from the couch. "It's getting about time for lunch, care to join me at Sugarcube Corner? Just gonna swing by the post office and grab your book from the house first, then I'll be there."

"Ooh, I haven't had their new croissants yet. Apparently Berry Punch finally managed to cross her grapes with crystal berries. I heard the result is a whole new kind of amazing! So, half an hour?" Twilight said, suddenly excited.

"Oh right, Carrot said the first greenhouse batch was supposed to arrive today. I'm curious how the wine will turn out, but that won't be till summertime rolls around... Anyhow, see you there," I said, leaving the library. The cold bothering me less than normal.

"Here's yer package," the clerk said, pushing a medium sized box across the counter, Sticky Stamp was her name.

"Huh, was expecting a smaller box than this, where's it from?" I said, looking for the 'from' address. "Well now, I didn't order anything that would be coming from the Crystal Empire... I don't think so anyhow."

"Well, fancy running into you here darling."

"Well, if it isn't Lady Rarity herself, good thing we're inside or all I would see is your mane and tale. How are you today?" I said, greeting the seamstress.

"Oh, Hoyt, you are too much," she said, blushing just slightly. "And to answer your question I am doing quite well. Now might I ask how your day has been?"

"Pretty good I guess, aside from the cold," I replied with a shrug. "Was about to drop by the house and then try out the Cake's new croissants for lunch. Twilight's going to be there, you wanna come along?"

"You mean the new test batch?" she asked, clearly excited.

"Yeah, with the new berries."

Squee!"Those are divine on their own! Ooh, I can't wait to taste what the Cakes have done with them!" She exclaimed. Turning to the clerk she asked, "Stamp, any post for me today?"

"Just these," Stamp said, pushing a few envelopes across the counter.

Rarity picked up the envelopes and my box with her magic, calling at me from the door, "Well do come along darling, it's rude to tempt a lady with talk of croissants and then keep her waiting."

Laughing a little at the mare's antics, I followed and we went to my house.

"Well now, I like what you've done with the place, even if it is a bit spartan... It feels much bigger than it did at your moving in party, I guess un-crating the furniture would explain that though," Rarity commented, trotting about the parlor.

"Yeah, been meaning to get some rugs and such, but I just hate going out in this cold. And I guess some chairs for the sitting room would be appropriate, along with some other things. But it's served me well enough. Heh, still seems kind of odd to me to be living in such a big house though, never could have afforded a two story back home," I said, thinking back to my old house in Texas. Finding the late book from the library on the dinner table, I put it in the large inside pocket of my grey duster coat and put on a Plaid flatcap. "Alright, I'm ready, how 'bout you Rarity?"

"Hmm? Well aren't you going to open your package first? It may be something important," she said, stepping into the dining room.

"I haven't ordered anything that should ship from the Empire, so it can wait I reckon. Not like lunch is going to take that long," I said with a shrug.

"Come now, opening it just to be sure it doesn't need proper storage won't take but a few seconds," she insisted, floating the box to my chest.

Taking the box I set it back on the table and pulled loose the knots keeping it bound in twine. "Fine, if a lady really must insist," I said, rolling my eyes while lifting the box's flaps. Inside was a smaller package at each end, with some straw protecting a bottle in the middle, and a note;

Hoyt,

I hope this package finds you well. Contained within are a few items you may find useful. I am unsure of what you prefer for reading, but I have included a couple of books, and Shining threw in some magazines that he thinks you may find enjoyable. Also you will find two bottles, which the labelling of should explain well enough.

I also write to thank you for sharing your world's technologies. The pen I am using you will probably notice is one of the type you brought along, and the telephone has been most enjoyable. I'm sure that our current advancements may seem a bit 'old hat' to you, but it really is quite novel to have a conversation with 'Tia or Luna without having to travel for hours on end. Feel free to come visit us in the Palace sometime, we would be glad to have you.

Your friend,

Princess Cadance

"Ooh, a gift from Cadance! What is it darling?" Rarity said, dancing about cutely.

Picking up the top bottle, I read the label, "Let's see, 'Crystal fragrance, for stallions', huh, well that saves me ordering some, what's the other then?" I dug through the straw and found another bottle, large and brown, with a smaller note attached;

Here's that round I owe you, S.A.

"Huh, what did Shining send, let's see 'Crystal Empire's Finest Bier, Hoof-Crafted Porter', sweet shit! Shining you beautiful bastard!" I said ecstatically. "Let me put you in the fridge," I said to the bottle as I walked through the kitchen to what in Equestria passed for a refrigerator, but was actually an enchanted pantry.

"Um, Hoyt? Are you alright?" Rarity asked from the doorway, a little concern in her voice.

"Oh, I am more than alright, Rarity, I am FANTASTIC! I haven't had a cold beer since, well, since before I got here," I said.

"Are you sure? I did just see you talking to a bottle, and you're not Pinkie Pie so... Just a little cause for concern," she replied with a sidelong look.

"Yeah, fair enough. I'm just excited is all, between Winter Wrap Up and now beer, it's all just so awesome. Add to that new food and I'm not sure how this day could get any better," I said. "Maybe spring could come early, but Twilight and her schedules would never allow that," I added.

Rarity suppressed a titter behind a hoof. "Oh, certainly not, I'm sure darling," she said, giggling a little more at the purple princess' compulsion for punctuality. "Absolutely not," she added with a good impersonation of Twilight's voice.

"Ha, good one! Been practicing with Bon Bon?" I asked.

"Tehee, heavens no, and you should know that, what with how often you're at their house practicing with Lyra," she refuted.

"Yeah yeah, I know. She can really make that harp sing beautifully..." I said with a shrug.

"Ooh, I simply cannot wait to hear you play again. Do you have anything special in the works?"

"Well, there is one song I'm really fond of, but it's kind of a secret. And then Lyra's been having fun with the blues scales I managed to translate, but her lyrics are more than a little... raunchy," I said, blushing from recalling some of the things the green unicorn would write.

"Oh my, is it that bad?"

"Probably worse... Is that a new perfume I smell?" I asked, hoping to change the subject.

"Well... yes, yes it is darling, this time I chose one from Zecora's fine selection. Do you like it?" she asked, blushing a bit.

"Floral, but a touch wild, yeah, it's very nice," I said with a smile.

"Oh, the time," she said, glancing at the clock.

"Ah, but of course, milady, my treat," I said, patting the pocket that held my bits.

"Always the gentlecolt. Maybe you could try that cologne that Cadance sent?"

"But my coat already has the flowery smell from your shop."

"That's all well and good darling, but I don't take you to be one who desires that kind of attention," she replied with a roll of her eyes.

"Oh, I guess it would be worth trying out then. Don't want to be getting all the stallions excited over my smell, now do I?" I said, offering a wink. "Now, let's see..." I said, starting to read from the fine print on the back label of the cologne bottle.

Rarity floated the bottle from my hands and said, "Here, open your coat."

As I opened the flaps of my duster, she misted my chest with a single spray from right jacket pocket to left. "Well, that works miles better than trying to do it myself."

Rarity smiled smartly and said, "Why of course darling. Now how about some croissants?"

"Oh, I think you may be on to something there, croissants would be pretty good about now, wouldn't they?"

"Well button up your coat so we can go get some," Rarity said, nodding towards the door.

"Hey Cup? So you know, forget Dash, You are the most awesome pony in town," I said after tasting one of the two dozen rolls that I'd ordered for our table. "These are friggin' amazing, aren't they?" I asked the pony dethrowned by my previous comment, whose mouth was full of the same scrumptious confection.

"Don ker, thes er gud," Rainbow said around a mouthful of baked awesome.

"Hey Carrot, set five aside for Twilight, alright? My bill OK?" I called out to the proprietor over the din of ponies clamoring to try the new hot item in town.

"One step ahead of ya Hoyt, we got it covered," Mr. Carrot Cake replied between orders.

"If she don't sell us some seeds come spring, I'ma be right cross with Berry. This is too good to restrain to one little garden and greenhouse," Applejack said between mouthfuls.

"Don't worry Hotlips, I already have a contract set up with Berry for the seeds, and distribution is included," I said to the rapidly blushing apple farmer. "How about that crystal apple project, how's that coming along?"

"Won't know about that for another five days Hoyt, can't start 'em growin' til we get the spring weather in," Applejack said. Then she added, "And I thought I told you not to call me that."

"You did, but I didn't listen," I replied with a smirk.

"Now about this 'most awesome pony in town' business..." Rainbow said, dangerous glare intact, though her plate of delectables was very much not.

"Sorry RD, but that's how the awesomeness charts go; food first," I said, with a shrug.

"Oh, that's not fair at all," said the distraught pegasus.

"Um, actually, it kind of is, y'know, since it's a matter of opinion," Fluttershy said, only just loud enough to be heard over the noise. "Not like there is an official chart or anything," she added with a shrug.

Rainbow was about to reply, probably in a very loud fashion, but Twilight chose that moment to come up to the table. "You started without me?" the princess asked, feigning offense. "So tell me, are they good?" she asked right before Ms. Cake came and set a plate with five of the pastries and a cup of tea in front of her. "Ooh, for me?"

"Mmhmm, and they are indeed amazing. Try one," I said.

"Sure smells good," Twilight said, floating a croissant to her muzzle. When she took a bite, a smile spread across her face and her eyes fell closed while she slowly chewed.

"Ah, I see Twilight is already under the spell of these marvellous confections," Rarity said, returning from the 'powder room'.

"Oh Celestia! These are unbelievable!" Twilight said, finally returning from her flavor induced bliss.

"I know, right!" I exclaimed in agreement.

"Best vittles this side o' Appaloosa, that's fer sure," Applejack added, taking another bite of her own.

For a while there was more idle chatter as we all had a fantastic lunch. Nopony was sure of what to call the new berries besides simply 'awesome' or some other similar adjective.

"So Cadance sent you some books along with that cologne?" Twilight asked as she passed through the entryway of my house. "I wonder what books she would be sending," she said, suspicion in her tone.

"Now give her some credit, she did apologize for last time," I said, understanding her reasons. "So, mild caution is still prudent."

Opening the heavier of the smaller boxes revealed a pair of books as expected. "What do we have here? 'Imperial Clocksmith's Quarterly'? Well I can cancel that order, and here we have... 'A Stallion's Guide to Dating', well at least it's not unexpected," I said, rolling my eyes.

"And of course she would send you that... Hoyt," she started to say.

"No, actually she has a point... Being single does suck," I said, thinking of the reasons I had so seldom seriously pursued relationships back home. "Here though, I have a home of my own, and I'm not hurting for money thanks to those tech deals. Not to mention I have plenty of time for it... Maybe I will give that book a read," I thought aloud, putting the book back onto the table next to the accompanying quarterly.

Legs wrapped around my chest accompanied by wings. "Hoyt, I'm glad to see you are adjusting, but don't feel rushed, Okay?" she said, big purple eyes boring into my own.

"Thanks Twi, and I'm glad to know someone as amazing as you," I said, putting my arms around her chest to return the hug.

She nuzzled my cheek and said, "I'm glad to know you too." Then her face was in front of mine again, eyes closed and lips slightly puckered.

Instinct or pheromones or something else dictated my response as I moved my head forward, and we kissed, nothing special, but contact of the lips. Just that though and all the world melted away, never to have existed at all as our lips touched and an electric thrill ran wild throughout my being. After what felt like a few eternities passed we separated. Twilight's eyes opened and a smile stretched across her face for a moment. Then her eyes went wide, her face deep red, and her hooves to her face as she squeaked a little 'eheh' before Zhwip-POW and I was left with nothing but an after image, and a racing heart.

Author's Note

Alright, here we go, getting to the meat and taters with the second arch... finally lol.

Again huge thanks to Sneaky, be sure to check out his stuff.