A human is transported to Equestria after a near-death experience. His first contact is with a certain teacher and three of her students. From there a friendship blossoms into love. Part of the Alternate Geoverse.
Everyone knows the story of how Geo came to be in Equestria, how he came to meet Twilight Sparkle and the Mane Six, and how he fell in love only for Fate to royally screw him over and send him back to his own world.
But what if he had met somepony else instead? Namely Cheerilee, the stalwart teacher of Ponyville's young. Through their time together, they both realise that they can learn so much from each other — including how to love.
But when jealousy rears its ugly head, the consequences can be very dire indeed...
It is simply an idea that I've had for a while and wanted to write. The story starts after Geo is shot and ends up in the forest clearing. It is written in first person from Geo's POV.
I opened my eyes slowly, adjusting them to the light that was all around me. I looked straight up at the sky, and wondered how long I had been out of it. The last thing I could remember was being beaten up and shot. And all because I questioned some jackass about his driving skill. Or lack thereof.
I got to my feet and took stock of my surroundings. I was in a forest clearing, with trees stretching into the distance in every possible direction. A dirt path led to parts unknown, and I saw that I had been lying on grass, which had been stained red.
Wait, red?
I craned my head as far back as it would go and looked at my back. As well as dirt, my t-shirt had a small hole in it, not much bigger than a twenty pence piece. But what troubled me the most was the large red stain.
Blood...
I looked around for any signs of life, hoping that someone would be able to help me. But all I could see were trees. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself.
Okay, Geo. Relax. You're not dead yet. This dirt path has to lead somewhere, so just follow it, and hopefully it will lead to civilisation... as well as a doctor and a bath.
I realised that I would have to stem the flow of blood from the wound before I went anywhere. The only thing I could see were the leaves from the trees. Grabbing a handful, I used them as makeshift plasters.
The result wasn't the best, but I figured it would have to do. Taking another few breaths, I began the slow walk along the path, and into the unknown.
***
After what felt like hours, I saw buildings in the distance. I thanked every deity I could think of and quickened my pace. To take my mind off the grim fact I was still losing blood, I focused on the buildings, to see if I could recognise where I was.
As soon as I saw the building with the giant cupcake on the roof, I stopped dead in my tracks and realised that I didn't. I looked at a few of the other buildings. One looked like a merry-go-round, and another appeared to have been built into a tree.
I shook my head, thinking that the blood loss was making me hallucinate. I even pinched myself a couple of times. But nothing happened. My jaw open in shock.
The sound of voices snapped me back to reality. Straining to hear better, I could also make out the sound of hoofsteps. Whoever these people were, they were travelling along a road running parallel to the forest path I was on.
Well, if anyone can tell me where the fuck I am, it'll be the locals. And they use horses. It's not a car — but it can still go fast.
Leaving the path, I began following the voices towards the road. As I did, I could hear the conversation they were having.
"This is all your fault, Scootaloo!" the voice was female, and had a Southern ring to it. "Of all the ponies ya could hit with a water bomb, it just had ta be Miss Cheerilee!"
Scootaloo? Ponies? What the fuck?
"Don't blame me for this, Apple Bloom!" the one known as Scootaloo retorted. "It was your idea to try and get our cutie marks in water bombing in the first place!"
"It was not mah idea!" Apple Bloom replied. "It was Sweetie Belle's! She's the one who told me about it!"
"No it wasn't!" a third voice piped up. "I told you that we should water bomb Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon as payback for all the times they've been mean to us! You were the one who thought we could get our cutie marks out of it!"
"GIRLS!" a fourth voice rang out. "Be quiet!"
This voice was loud and authoritative. And the way the other three voices stopped led me to believe that this one belonged to an adult. Thankful that my fate wasn't in the hands of children, I quickened my pace. The road was only a few feet away.
"Girls, you should be thankful that I only gave you lines to do." the adult said. "But if something like this happens again, I won't be so lenient. Okay?"
"Yes, Miss Cheerilee." the three kids replied in unison.
The road was finally in sight. I quickened my pace to a run. The snapping of twigs beneath my feet must have attracted the attention of the four.
"Did anypony hear that?" Apple Bloom said.
"Y-yeah." replied Sweetie Belle. "There's something in the forest... and I think it's coming this way."
"It's not a cockatrice, is it?" Scootaloo asked. "Or... a manticore?"
"Whatever it is," Cheerilee said, "it could be dangerous. Girls, get behind me."
I stepped onto the road just in time to see... three little horses dive for cover behind another one. It was purple, with a two-toned pink mane and light green eyes the size of dinner plates.
It also had a look of sheer terror on its face.
I looked around, expecting to see the people I was hearing earlier. Instead, Apple Bloom spoke up again.
"What is it, Miss Cheerilee?"
"I-I-I don't know, Apple Bloom." she replied.
It was then that I realised that it was these four I had been hearing. I took a step forward and opened my mouth to explain myself to the four equines.
The three children squealed in terror.
"It's attackin'!" Apple Bloom cried. "Everypony fer herself!"
I stopped.
"Attacking?" I asked. "Is that what it looks like?"
The three of them stopped screaming and looked at me blankly.
"Did... did it just talk?" Scootaloo asked.
"Ah... Ah think it did." Apple Bloom replied.
The four of them looked up at me in awe. I knew that I had to defuse the situation, and convince them that I wasn't as dangerous as they think. And given the fact I was a clear two feet taller than Cheerilee, and not an equine, I had to act fast.
"I'll admit that I look dangerous." I said. "But I can assure you that I'm anything but. I've been hurt and I have no idea where I am. And judging by the brightly-coloured talking horses—"
"Ponies." Cheerilee said sternly. "Not horses."
"I beg your pardon." I replied, before continuing. "And judging by the brightly-coloured talking ponies, I can safely say that I'm not where I should be."
The four of them seemed to relax a little as they realised that I was being sincere.
"I mean you no harm." I said, before turning around and showing them my wound, which got a few gasps of shock. "But as I said, I've been hurt and I need a doctor."
"There are doctors in Ponyville." Cheerilee said. "Follow us, and stay close. If everypony sees that you're with me, they'll have less reason to fear you."
"Then please, lead the way." I said. "Oh, and my name is Geo. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Cheerilee moved in front of me and I began following her, the three fillies walking by my side. Apple Bloom was the first to speak.
"Ah'm Apple Bloom." she said. "This here is Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. The three o' us make up..."
All three of them took a deep breath. Cheerilee flinched a little, as if expecting something.
Suddenly, all three fillies voices boomed out.
"THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!"
I covered my ears as fast as I could. Who knew three little ponies could make so much noise?
Scootaloo pointed at Cheerilee, who was smiling at the sight of me trying to get the ringing noise out of my ears.
"That's Miss Cheerilee." she said. "She's our teacher."
"I gathered that from your conversation." I replied. "I heard you all talking while I was walking through the forest."
"Now what about you, mister?" Sweetie Belle asked. "What are you meant to be exactly."
Questions already? Oh well, I can't blame the kids for being curious. I'm probably the first human they've ever seen.
"I'm a human." I replied.
Sweetie Belle opened her mouth to ask another question, but I silenced her with a raised hand.
"I understand you have a lot of questions." I told her. "But so will the rest of your town. I'd rather answer everyone's questions at the same time, rather than repeat the same answers again."
"First of all, it's 'everypony', not 'everyone'." Cheerilee said. "Secondly, he's right girls. Everypony will indeed have questions to ask him, especially Twilight. So let's get him to the hospital and then, once he's better, he can give us the answers we want, okay?"
The three Crusaders nodded as I mouthed a silent 'thank you' to Cheerilee, who smiled in return.
As the town came into view, I became aware of the many eyes watching me. Because of my height, the townsponies saw me before Cheerilee or the Crusaders. But once they came into view alongside me, the feeling of panic was replaced by one of curiosity.
As the crowd gathered, I opened my mouth to speak to them...
The first thing I noticed upon waking up was that I appeared to be lying across four beds which had been pushed together to make one big one. The second thing I noticed was the pony lying on a chair next to me, whom I immediately recognised as Cheerilee. She was fast asleep, her chest slowly rising and falling as she breathed.
D'aaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwww... wait, did I really just think that?
I looked around some more, trying to take my mind off the sudden overload of cuteness. The room I was in was purely white. White walls, white ceiling, white floor, white furniture. I realised that I must have been in a hospital.
The door opened with a click and a pony entered. It was brown, wearing a white coat and had a stethoscope around its neck, as well as a horn, which made it clear that it was a unicorn. As well as all of that, there appeared to be a marking on its flank — a needle with a red cross in the background.
"Ah, good morning." the voice was unmistakeably male. "I was just coming to wake you up, but it would appear you beat me to it."
"It would certainly seem that way." I replied. "I assume you are the pony who treated me?"
"I am." the pony responded. "I am Doctor Haywick, and you must be Geo. I know your name because Miss Cheerilee there told me. I have to admit I never thought I would see anything like you in my life... no offence, of course."
"None taken." I said, waving my hand dismissively. "Because I never thought I'd see anything like you ponies in my life."
"What do you mean by that?" Haywick asked.
I twiddled my fingers nervously.
"Well, it's just that where I come from, ponies aren't exactly... sentient. Nor do they have horns. They are... how can I put this?... used by humans for manual labour, such as pulling things, as well as leisure, such as a ride in the country."
I decided to leave out what I had heard about horses and ponies in France. I doubted that Haywick would be interested in that particular slice of information.
"You need not worry about offending me." Haywick replied. "I am fairly certain that there are many differences between this world and yours. Though, since you said the ponies in your world don't have horns, I assume you have pegasi?"
"Pegasi?" I asked. "You mean ponies that can fly?... No, we don't have those either. Just plain, ordinary ponies. Ones that can't talk, fly or do magic... speaking of which, how long have I been here? I feel right as rain."
Haywick levitated over a clipboard which had been sitting in a container attached to the end of the bed.
"Given that we've never seen this type of injury before," he said, "it took a fair bit of healing. You've been here for... two days. And Cheerilee there has hardly left your side."
I looked over at the still sleeping Cheerilee. And I wondered... why she had even bothered to stay? Maybe because she was the one who saw me first, she wanted to make sure I was okay? As I processed this, something else forced its way to the front of my mind and I snapped my head back towards Haywick.
"I've only been here for two days?!" I half-shouted, startling Haywick with my sudden outburst. "It's only taken me two days to recover from a bullet wound near the spine?"
Haywick nodded slowly as beads of sweat trickled down his forehead. I saw this and realised I had went a bit overboard. Even more so when I saw that I had woken Cheerilee as well.
"You're awake then." she mumbled. "What's with the shouting?"
"Oh, it's nothing." I said coolly. "I'm just surprised that it's taken me two days to recover from a wound that would either kill a human, or put them in the hospital for months, sometimes even years. Two days must be some kind of record."
Cheerilee smiled.
"In Equestria, two days is far too long to spend in the hospital. So yes, it is a record..." she said, "... for longest hospital stay."
I returned her smile.
"I'm sorry, Doc." I chuckled. "I didn't mean to snap. It's just a bit surprising to recover so quickly from this sort of thing."
Haywick's nervous disposition vanished, and he put on a smile of his own.
"Not to worry." he replied. "Now, I came in to wake you up because you have a visitor... eight of them, in fact."
I did a double-take.
"Eight?" I said. "Wow, aren't I popular? Who are they?"
"The six ponies who hold the Elements of Harmony," Haywick said, "as well as Princesses Celestia and Luna."
"Princesses?" I said. "Oh, crap."
Haywick chuckled at my reaction.
"Don't worry yourself." he said. "The Princesses are the fairest ponies in all of Equestria, and the nicest sisters you could ever hope to meet. And the Elements of Harmony are heroines, having saved the land twice from certain doom!"
Heroines? Great, I'm about to make an ass of myself in front of eight females.
"Well, I guess it would be rude of me to keep them waiting." I said. "I am ready to speak to them now."
Haywick nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him.
"Do you want me to go?" asked Cheerilee.
"No." I replied. "Haywick told me you've been here since I was admitted, and for that I thank you. And anyway, I need somepony to vouch for me. Having you, a respected teacher, on my side will make this a lot easier. The last thing I want to do is piss off a couple of princesses and a group of heroines."
Cheerilee giggled.
"Well, I've stayed this long." she said. "I think I can stay a little while longer."
"Thank you." I replied. "Though, if you don't mind me asking, why did you stay with me?"
Just as Cheerilee was about to reply, the door opened and six ponies entered, each of them eyeing me warily. There were two unicorns, two pegasi and two ordinary ponies.
"Hello." I said, eager to make a good impression.
"Huh." said a blue pegasus. "So it can talk. I guess the rumours were true. That still doesn't mean I have to trust it."
She flew up into my face.
"Try anything funny, bub, and I'll kick your flank. Nopony messes with Rainbow Dash, Element of Loyalty and the most awesome pegasus ever!"
Element of Loyalty? More like Element of Ego.
"Rainbow Dash!" Cheerilee hissed. "Leave him alone. He's not a threat, and he's been through a lot in the last few days."
"Cheerilee?" a purple unicorn spoke up. "Why are you here?"
"Because I was one of the first ponies to meet him. And I honestly think he's a decent man who wouldn't hurt anypony. If he wanted to hurt somepony, I don't think he would have tried explaining himself to me and the Crusaders."
"You mean mah sister has met this thing?!" an orange pony spoke up. "She never told me about it!"
"Can I just say that I don't like being referred to as 'thing' or 'it'?" I interjected. "My name is Geo, and I would really appreciate it if you addressed me as such. And if you tell me your names, I will gladly do the same. Oh, and while I'm talking and you're listening, I also resent the implication that I'm dangerous simply because I'm a different species than you. Miss Cheerilee is right, as soon as I saw her and the Crusaders, I tried to explain that I wasn't a threat. Granted, they were scared of me at first. But once I began talking, they warmed up to me. And if they can, I'm pretty sure that the rest of you can as well."
My tirade over, I looked at the six of them as they stood staring at me, clearly not expecting such an outburst.
"Such passionate words." the voice was soft and almost angelic. "Nopony with evil in their heart would speak like that."
I looked over at the still open door as two more ponies entered. These ones, however, were much taller than the others, though still not as tall as me — and even then one was taller than the other — and were sporting wings and a horn. One was pure white, the other was a dark blue. Their manes moved of their own free will, despite the fact there wasn't a breeze in the room.
"I'm assuming that you are the Princesses?" I said, bowing to them in a show of respect. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasure is all ours." the smaller one said. "It's not everyday we get to meet a new species. I am Princess Luna, and this is my sister, Celestia. We are the rulers of Equestria, and the bringers of the moon and the sun."
"... you mean you control them?" I asked.
Luna nodded.
Oh shit. Not only are they Princesses, they're also goddesses. Whatever you do, don't piss them off!
"Wow. That's... amazing." I said weakly. "Where I come from, the sun and the moon control themselves. I can't really explain how though — science was always a weak spot for me."
I saw the purple unicorn drop her head and put on a pout. I assumed she was about to ask me a ton of questions about our sun and moon, but thankfully I managed to dodge the bullet.
Heh, dodge a bullet. If only you had have done that earlier, you wouldn't be here now.
I ignored my brain's feeble attempt at making a joke and turned my attention back to the six ponies who first came into the room. I pointed at the blue pegasus.
"Thanks to Cheerilee, I know that your name is Rainbow Dash. Now, how about the rest of you? I am keen to establish a rapport, in hopes that we can be friends, especially since I'm now stuck here... no disrespect, of course."
"Yes," Celestia said, "I was going to say that we would be unable to return you home, since inter-dimensional travel is not something we can do at the drop of a hat. It is extremely dangerous, and carries a high risk factor, such as ending up in deep space, or even the wrong dimension."
I nodded.
"However, I can sense that you are not a threat, so I will allow you to stay with us. You will need to find a job, though."
"I can help with that, your Highness." Cheerilee said. "The Crusaders have been telling their friends about the 'cool new alien' they met. Needless to say, foals will be foals, and nopony believes them. I think that, if he wants to, Geo can come to the school and one, prove the Crusaders right and two, teach us all he knows about where his species, and where he comes from."
Cheerilee looked at me and smiled.
D'aaaaaaaaaa... stop it.
"I'd be happy to assist you." I replied, returning her smile with one of my own. "After all, you've helped me. It's only right that I help you in return."
"Then it is settled." Celestia said. "You will be Miss Cheerilee's new assistant. You will be paid fifty bits a week for this work. Now, as for a place to stay..."
"I have a spare room." Cheerilee said. "He can stay with me... if he wants. I'm not pressuring you or anything, it's just that I live alone, so I could really use the company."
"And I will need somepony to tell me all about Equestria's history." I said. "Who better to do that than a teacher? I'd be more than happy to accept your offer of accommodation."
Unbeknownst to the others, but not to me, Cheerilee let out a small squeal of joy.
That's an odd reaction... ah, whatever. She said she lived alone, so she's probably glad she has someone to share the house with.
"Okay." I said. "I have a job and somewhere to live, but I still don't have the names of these six mares. If they're with you, Princesses, they must be important."
Celestia indicated the purple unicorn.
"This is Twilight Sparkle." she said. "She is my most promising student, and holder of the Element of Magic."
"The what now?" I asked.
"I'll explain it later." Cheerilee said.
I nodded.
Celestia then introduced the rest of the mares, pointing at them as she did so.
"Rarity, the Element of Generosity. Fluttershy, the Element of Kindness. Applejack, the Element of Honesty. Pinkie Pie, the element of Laughter. And you already know Rainbow Dash, who is the Element of Loyalty."
"Nice to meet you all." I said graciously.
They nodded in reply.
"Come now, girls." Celestia said. "Geo needs his rest. There will be plenty of time to get to know him once he leaves the hospital."
"And then I can throw him a 'Welcome to Ponyville' party!" Pinkie Pie squealed. With her bright pink mane and equally pink coat, she certainly lived up to her name.
With the exception of Cheerilee, every...pony left the room, saying her goodbyes as she did so. I waved to each and every one of them before throwing myself onto the pillows as the door closed.
"Jeez." I said. "That went better than I thought. I was sure that I'd be treated as a threat and either jailed, exiled or killed."
Cheerilee raised an eyebrow at me.
"Didn't I say earlier that the Princesses were the fairest ponies in all of Equestria, and the nicest sisters you could ever hope to meet?" she asked. "Because I'm pretty sure I was right."
I laughed.
"Yeah, you were." I replied. "Thanks for putting my mind at ease. In fact... thanks for everything you're doing. I'm sure a lot of ponies will think you're insane, bringing an alien into your home. And they'll think you're even more insane when you take me to school to meet the kids."
"Let them think what they want." Cheerilee replied. "But once they've gotten to know you, they'll treat you like one of their own. Of course... I need to get to know you first."
I nodded.
"Can't it wait until school?" I asked. "In fact, why not get everypony in town to come there for my little Q&A session? Once they've gotten some answers out of me, I'm sure they'll be a little bit more welcoming. I'm pretty sure that Rainbow Dash doesn't trust me as far as she could throw me."
"That's a good idea!" Cheerilee said. "I will arrange it for the week after you get out of here. That will give you time to explore Ponyville, and it will give me time to teach you all about our history! I've always enjoyed teaching, and the chance to teach somepony new... it's wonderful."
I saw the smile spreading across her face and felt one tugging across my own. Soon, the two of us were smiling away, both eager for me to get out the hospital so that I could start my new life in Equestria, and so that Cheerilee could share her passion for teaching with me.
But are you sure that its just her passion for teaching that she wants to share with you?
I shook the thoughts from my mind as I yawned.
"I'm gonna get some sleep, Cheerilee." I said. "You go home and prepare for my arrival."
She nodded and trotted towards the door. As she opened it, she turned to face me.
"I hope that this is the start of a wonderful friendship." she said. "I can't wait for you to teach me about your world, just like I can't wait for me to you teach you about ours."
"Likewise." I said. "We both have so much to learn from each other. This could be the start of something wonderful."
"Yes," she replied, "a wonderful working relationship. Goodnight, Geo. I'll see you in the morning."
As she closed the door, she left me to my thoughts.
The time had come for my little question and answer session at the school. I had left the hospital a few days previously, and Cheerilee had spent that time bringing me up to speed with everything she knew about Equestria and its history. I was taught about cutie marks, Nightmare Moon, the Elements of Harmony, Discord... everything up until the Royal Wedding which had taken place a few days before my arrival. I had heard wedding crasher stories before, but this one was ridiculous!
But looking out over the sea of ponies crammed into the auditorium, I couldn't help but feel nervous. It seemed like everypony in town had turned up to get a glimpse of the 'alien', ask a few questions, and then decide whether or not they could trust me. I was in two minds about what to expect.
Part of me was expecting it to go as smoothly as my first meeting with Cheerilee and the Crusaders — a little bit of shock, but then relaxation as we begin talking. Naturally, the other part of me was expecting pitchforks and flaming torches.
"Everypony is settled in, Geo." Cheerilee said from my side. "Are you ready to begin?"
I took a deep breath and shook my shoulders before turning to look her straight in the face.
"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." I replied. "Let's do this."
Cheerilee smiled and trotted onto the stage. She surveyed the crowd for a brief moment before clearing her throat.
"May I have everypony's attention please?" she called out.
A sudden silence descended on the room as the townsponies stopped talking, fixing their gazes on Cheerilee.
"As you are all no doubt aware," Cheerilee said, "there have been rumours of an 'alien' in Ponyville. These rumours are true. The 'alien' in question is a human. His name is Geo, and he has gathered you all here today in the hopes of establishing a friendly relationship with everypony in town."
The murmuring began again as ponies speculated on what I would look like. One of them, a mint-green unicorn mare, stood up.
"Is this creature dangerous?" she asked.
Cheerilee shook her head.
"If he was, do you really think I'd have brought him here?" she said sternly. "Honestly, Lyra, I do have some sense. Granted, I will admit that he does look intimidating, but I can assure you that he's not. I have spent the last few days with him, and found him to be enjoyable company."
Lyra shrugged and sat down.
"Where is he?" called out a light brown stallion with a black mane.
Cheerilee turned to look at me and nodded.
All right, Geo. Time to meet the public.
I fixed a warm smile on my face and strode out onto the stage. As expected, there were a lot of gasps. I took my place at the podium and looked out over my audience.
"Thank you, Miss Cheerilee." I said. "Hello there, everypony. As you've been told, my name is Geo, and I am a human who is now living in your fair town. Since you would be seeing me around eventually, I felt that this was the best way for you to get to know me, as well as alleviate any doubts or fears you might have. So, with that said... does anypony have any questions?"
Everypony raised a hoof.
Fucking. Hell.
"Okay... let's start with, er... you. Lyra, is it?"
Lyra nodded.
"Hi." she said cheerfully. "Let me start by asking the most obvious question. And that is... where are you from?"
"I come from a place called Earth." I replied. "I understand that this is also 'Earth', but the one I come from is vastly different. So I guess you could say I'm from another dimension."
Several hooves were lowered as I answered Lyra's question. However, a few remained raised. One of them belonged to a familiar mare, whom I'd met in the hospital.
"Next question... you, Miss Sparkle."
"Please, call me Twilight." she replied.
"Very well." I replied. "Now, your question?"
"You said your Earth is different to ours." Twilight asked. "What do you mean by that, exactly?"
Well, isn't she an inquisitive little mare?
"Well, let's see." I said. "For one, we don't have magic in our world. Humans rely heavily on technology to do things for them. I also explained to my doctor that we do have ponies, but they aren't sentient. Nor do we have unicorns and pegasi."
"Yes," Twilight interjected, "Doctor Haywick was telling me about that. He also told me how awkward it was for you. But I understand completely, and I'm sure everypony else does too."
I blinked in surprise.
"So the fact that ponies in my world are kept as labour animals and pets doesn't bother you?" I checked.
Everypony shook their head.
"Not at all." Twilight said. "Because those ponies aren't us."
"Huh. I never thought of it like that." I said. "Well, okay then. Any more questions?"
Another load of hooves shot into the air, a few of which belonged to the local schoolchildren. I pointed at one of them, an earth pony filly who's cutie mark resembled two crossed candy canes.
"You there." I said. "What is your question?"
She looked surprised that I had chosen her, but she cleared her throat and spoke up nonetheless.
"My name is Twist," she said with a lisp, "and I was wondering. Everypony here is friends with each other, and they help out a lot. Are humans like that as well?"
Shit, shit, shit, SHIT! The question I was dreading.
I thought for a moment, and decided that while telling a lie would seem right, there was the chance of it being uncovered. No, I'd rather tell them the truth.
"Some are, yes." I replied. "But there are also some humans who are not. They steal, cheat, lie and basically make life hard for everybody else. Human history has always known conflict. My ancestors waged wars over trivial things like land, religion and resources. Such wars continue today, but I avoid them. I, like so many others, do my best to make people happy. I stay away from arguments, and only resort to violence as an extreme last resort."
Twist, as well as a few of the other townsponies, looked shocked.
"Let me stress that I am not like that. There are several organisations and charities which are dedicated to things like housing the homeless, clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, and getting people with addictions the help they need to kick their habits. I do what I can to help."
Silence.
Shit, this is all I needed. I'm probably gonna get run out of town.
Thankfully, Cheerilee came to my rescue yet again. She nudged me to one side as she addressed the crowd.
"I'm just as shocked as the rest of you," she said, "but let me tell you once more that I trust this man. He has shown me no signs of hostility in the few days he has been living with me. Instead, he has shown a genuine interest in Equestria, its citizens and its history. Don't let what he's told you about some humans cloud your judgement of him as an individual."
The silence persisted for a few moments before being broken with murmurs of 'I guess so' and 'Cheerilee is right'. The mare in question gave me a supportive smile, which I returned with one of my own.
"Thank you." I whispered, before taking my place at the podium again. "Now that that's done, are there any more questions?"
Not a single hoof was raised this time.
Seriously? That's all they have for me?
"Really?" I asked. "That's all?"
Everypony looked at each other before they nodded.
"Well then." I said. "Now I have a question for you."
They looked at me expectantly.
"Do you believe that I am something to be feared... or accepted?" I asked bluntly. "Will you treat me as a friend, or a foe?"
The loud chorus of 'FRIEND!' was the only answer I needed.
Thank fuck for that.
***
The question and answer session was followed up by a party at the local bakery, Sugarcube Corner. It was planned by Pinkie Pie, and what a party it was. I've never seen so many treats in one place before. It's a miracle Equestria isn't in the grip of a major diabetes epidemic. I'm usually a shy individual, but the coercion I was getting from Cheerilee helped a lot, and I soon found myself on the dance floor, mesmerising everypony with my moves.
... or perhaps I was so bad, I left them speechless. Either way, I strut my stuff like it was going out of fashion (and judging by the looks Rarity was giving me, it probably was).
But at least I had won the minds of the locals. It was great to know that they wouldn't see me as some kind of monster. And as I continued to make a complete tit out of myself, I saw Cheerilee talking with Twilight, both of them looking over at me and giggling.
I could tell that this was the start of a new chapter of my life, and I was prepared to enjoy it as much as I could. I had been given a chance to make new start, and I had new friends to go with it.
The days turned into weeks, and then the weeks turned into months. Nine of them passed by and I was still living with Cheerilee in Ponyville. The two of us had become such good friends during my stay, she insisted that I stayed permanently.
My job at the school was moving along nicely too. I spent a lot of my time helping Cheerilee with her lessons, teaching the class all that I knew about humanity, grading papers, playing with the foals at break times, and generally just having a great time.
But of course, there were some issues. Such as when the townsponies found out that I was omnivorous. A few hotheads around town were worried that I'd start eating ponies, but I managed to convince them all that humans could live without meat.
But then Fluttershy brought me some fish. At first I was shocked, but she assured me that it was one of the otters she looked after who killed them — hell, she even dragged me back to her house so that I could thank the little guy.
Another issue was that some visitors to Ponyville were a bit hostile towards me. Some of them even compared me to a hairless minotaur. But somepony was always nearby to put them in their place. A stallion insulted me in Sugarcube Corner one day, much to Pinkie's chagrin. I later heard that he taken his son a birthday cake. The colt had opened the box to find the words 'Daddy is a racist' in bright red icing, along with a photo of him giving me a hard time.
Where Pinkie got the camera from, I could only guess, but nonetheless I was grateful for her support. Nonetheless I didn't let crap like that get me down, because for every one pony who hated on me there were five more singing my praises.
And Cheerilee was always one of them. It amazed me how quickly she had warmed up to me, and I to her. Time and again she was there for when things got bad. Or when I felt homesick, which happened a lot. I lost count of the number of times we sat up all night just talking to each other about various random things.
I dreaded explaining human history to her, but she accepted that although humanity was capable of such evil, I alone had nothing to do with it. True to what she had said at the town meeting, she wasn't letting the actions of humans as a whole cloud her judgement of me as an individual.
As the months passed by, I began to feel different around Cheerilee. Whenever she talked I developed butterflies in my stomach and my legs would feel wobbly. It wouldn't take a genius like Twilight Sparkle to work out that I was in love with her.
Like any man, I kept my feelings tightly bottled up, refusing to discuss them with anypony, most of all the mare in question. I always had the sinking feeling that my feelings would be revealed eventually — but not even I was prepared for the day when they finally did, nor was I prepared for how.
It all started when the Cutie Mark Crusaders came by. Their sisters, or parents in Scootaloo's case, had signed them up for additional tutoring after school in an attempt to boost their grades. To the fillies' dismay, they were the only three in the class to be put forward for such an undertaking, so Cheerilee decided to bring them back to the house. After all, a cosy house was much better than an almost deserted school.
The Crusaders seemed to agree with this logic and they eagerly rushing into the house and started exploring. Eventually Cheerilee caught up and ushered the three of them into the living room, where they found me sitting on the couch reading a copy of the local paper. Hearing the commotion I folded the paper and placed it on the table before giving the four females my undivided attention.
"Afternoon Crusaders," I said cheerfully, "and what brings you to Cheerilee's humble abode on this fine day?"
"I keep telling you," Cheerilee said, "that it's our humble abode. You live here too you know."
"But Ah thought he was just a friend?" Apple Bloom piped up, "If y'all are callin' it 'your house', does that mean yer together?"
Cheerilee's eyes widened as her cheeks turned a new shade of purple. I coughed and looked away nervously. The Crusaders took this as an answer — but not the one we were trying to give.
"Aww," Sweetie Belle chirped, "they are together! That's so sweet! But... why haven't you told anypony about it?"
Cheerilee and I exchanged a cautious glance.
"Because there's nothing to tell." I replied, "We're not together, we're just good friends. And nothing else."
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked disappointed. Scootaloo was wearing her usual mask of indifference, and Cheerilee was still blushing furiously.
"Geo's right girls," she said, "we are good friends. Just because two ponies – or in this case a pony and a person – live together, it doesn't mean that they're dating. Do you understand?"
"Yes Miss Cheerilee," Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle said together, "we're sorry for embarrassing you both."
I waved a hand dismissively.
"It's all right girls," I said, "no harm done. But if I could divert your attention to my original question — what brings you here?"
"Our sisters an' Scootaloo's parents signed us up fer additional lessons after school," Apple Bloom replied, "but we're the only three in tha class who got put forward."
"So rather than teach them in the schoolhouse," Cheerilee added, "I decided to bring them back here."
I nodded.
"Makes sense," I said, "to teach them here instead of a classroom which is practically deserted."
"Exactly." Cheerilee replied as she turned to the girls, "Okay girls, follow me to the kitchen and take a seat. We're going to go over what we learned in class today about the Grypho-Minotaurian War."
She trotted into the kitchen and the Crusaders followed, each of them taking a seat at the table. I dragged myself off the couch and entered the kitchen after them.
"You want a hand Cheerilee?" I asked with a smile, "After all, my job title is 'Teaching Assistant'."
"Yes please," Cheerilee replied, "you can make sure they don't cheat when I test them later."
The chorus of groans that entered my ear implied that a perfect plan had just been thwarted. I nodded and took a seat as Cheerilee began her lesson.
***
A few hours later and three little fillies were leaving the house in the company of their sister or Rainbow Dash, who was going to be taking Scootaloo for a flying lesson, leaving Cheerilee and I free to enjoy the rest of our evening. As everypony trotted or flew out of sight I thought back to the embarrassment from earlier and suppressed a laugh. Unfortunately it came out as a snort, thus catching Cheerilee's attention.
"Something on your mind?" she asked as she closed the door.
"I was just thinking about that awkwardness earlier," I said as I sat on the couch, "It was rather cute how the girls thought you and I were together, don't you agree?"
Cheerilee giggled and nodded.
"It was," she said, "and it was actually quite hurtful to have to crush their hopes like that. I only hope that they don't try to get us together. They've tried that with me before, and... well, I nearly ended up getting married to Applejack's brother."
"Big Macintosh?" I asked, "Really?"
Cheerilee nodded.
"The girls meant well," she explained, "and wanted me to have a special somepony for Hearts and Hooves Day. So they slipped Mac and I some love potion. Needless to say it worked, and we became infatuated with each other. Thankfully they managed to keep us apart for long enough to allow the potion to wear off."
"So," I said hesitantly, "you don't like Mac in that way?"
"Don't get me wrong," she replied, "I like him as a friend. He may be quiet but he's a great listener, and he's been known to offer some good advice from time to time. I'm sure there's somepony out there for him, but I know it's not me."
"Yeah," I said, "Mac's a good guy. He's helped me out a couple of times when some loudmouth has been giving me a hard time. I'm sure he'll make some mare really happy one day. Though I heard a rumour he has feelings for Fluttershy."
"That's nice," Cheerilee smiled, "those two seem like such a good match for each other. They're both kind, considerate... and quiet."
We both laughed at the last statement. Cheerilee was the first to stop, and she observed me for a moment. I eventually stopped laughing and clocked her looking at me.
"What?" I asked, "Is there something on me?"
"Sorry," Cheerilee replied, "but I was just wondering. Since you're the only human here, there's obviously no females of your kind. So... have you thought about finding a special somepony?"
That was rather... unexpected.
"I've been here for nine months," I said, "and truth be told the thought has crossed my mind more than once. At first I was ashamed of myself, but then I came to realise that I can't be alone for the rest of my life. But the trouble is finding somepony who appreciates me for me, and not just the novelty of being with the only human on the planet."
"Well," Cheerilee said nonchalantly, "what if I told you that I know of somepony who fits the bill?"
"Then I would ask you to introduce me to her as soon as possible," I said, "and then help me pick a suit for a date."
Cheerilee glanced around the room before chuckling nervously.
"I'm glad you're opening up to the possibility of a relationship with a pony," she said, "at least now I don't have to worry about offending you."
"Offend me?" I said in shock, "What the hell do you me—"
My words were cut off as Cheerilee leaned forward, bringing her soft lips into contact with mine.
As Cheerilee brought her lips to mine my mind went blank and I sat wide-eyed in amazement. The contact was surprising, but at the same time it wasn't unwelcome. I could see disappointment on Cheerilee's face so, realising what was wrong, I quickly returned her kiss — which elicited a squeal of surprise from the mare.
Eventually she pulled away from me and gazed into my eyes. A small smile spread across both of our faces as I rubbed the back of my head nervously.
"Well that," I coughed, "was certainly unexpected. I had no idea you felt that way about me. What made you act on your feelings?"
"It was what the Crusaders said earlier," Cheerilee replied, "that made me realise the truth. We have spent the last nine months living together, and I like to think that in that time we've got to know each other really well. You are quite simply the most wonderful person I've ever met."
"I'm the only person you've ever met," I said with a grin, "but I know what you mean. In the time we've spent together I have stopped seeing you as a friend and more as my female self. Like me, you are caring and courteous with a heart of gold. And all the times when you've helped me because I've been feeling homesick can attest to that kindness."
"And when the Crusaders thought we were together," Cheerilee said, "it made me realise how much I wanted that to be true. I love you, Geo, and I want you to call me your special somepony."
"I love you too Cheerilee," I replied, "and I want you to call me your special somebody."
Cheerilee nodded and the two of us shared another kiss. And in that moment, for both of us, nothing else mattered but being close and enjoying each others company.
***
The next day, for the first time, I woke up next to Cheerilee. The two of us had decided to share a bed, although we both agreed that it was too soon in our relationship for a 'full union'. We both awoke at the same time, both of us smiling broadly and sharing a tender kiss before going through the usual morning rituals.
We walked to the schoolhouse together, although we were a lot closer than usual. As we walked through the gates into the playground, the Crusaders were the first to approach us. It didn't take them long to work out what our close contact meant. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle grinned while Scootaloo groaned.
"Ah knew y'all were together!" Apple Bloom said, "But... why did ya tell us you weren't? That means ya lied ta us! Why on—"
Cheerilee raised a forehoof to silence her.
"When you asked us the first time," she replied, "we weren't together. So technically we didn't lie to you. It was only after the three of you went home did I realise that I did love Geo, so I asked him how he felt about the idea of a relationship with a pony."
"I told her," I continued, "that I was fine with the idea. She responded to this by kissing me. I kissed her back and... well, here we are now. So thank you, girls, for making Cheerilee and myself realise that we were meant to be together."
The three of them gasped in delight and quickly stood up. They checked their flanks, but groaned when they realised that none of them had earned a cutie mark in matchmaking.
"Don't worry, girls," Cheerilee soothed, "you'll get them eventually. But at least this time when you got involved with my love life you didn't have to use a potion on me."
She smiled warmly to let them know she was joking. The three fillies laughed nervously as the bell rang, much to their relief, and they rushed into the schoolhouse as quickly as their little hooves would carry them. Cheerilee and I rolled our eyes and went inside to start the lessons for the day.
***
By the end of the day the whole town knew about the new-found relationship between Cheerilee and I. At first I thought the Crusaders had blabbed, but then I remembered how close the two of us had been walking on the way to the schoolhouse. That alone was enough to set tongues wagging, but I didn't care.
As we walked home later that day hunger stepped in and demanded to be sated, so the two of us walked over to Sugarcube Corner. I opened the door for Cheerilee — who was nearly blasted back outside by the force of a hundred cheering ponies.
"SURPRISE!"
By the look of things nearly every pony in town had turned up to this gathering, which had to have been organised by Pinkie Pie. The cheery mare rushed up to my side and reared up, wrapping her forehooves around my waist.
"I heard that you and Cheerilee were a couple now," she said quickly, "so I put together this special celebration party for you! Do you both like it? Huh, huh? Do you?"
She let go of me and returned to all fours, bouncing happily on the spot with a large grin on her face. All around us, the assembled guests looked on in anticipation. Cheerilee and I exchanged a smile and nodded, much to Pinkie's delight.
"I knew you'd like it!" she squealed, "Because I've never met a pony, or a human for that matter, who didn't like my parties!"
She disappeared into the crowd and vanished from sight, allowing everypony nearby to offer us their own congratulations. Within minutes the party was in full swing, and I was sitting with Cheerilee in one of the bakery's many booths.
"This," I muttered, "has to be the most acceptance I have ever been shown in my entire life."
Cheerilee giggled and nuzzled my cheek.
"Welcome to Ponyville," she cooed, "the friendliest town in all of Equestria. Ponies here are always willing to accept new things... within acceptable limits of course."
"It's a good thing you added that," I grinned, "because I was about to call you out on it."
I put my arm around her and brought her in for a hug. She leaned into me with a contented sigh as the Cutie Mark Crusaders trotted up to the booth, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle both sporting large smiles while Scootaloo wore an expression that bordered both sweet and disgusted.
"Hi, Miss Cheerilee!" Sweetie Belle chirped, "Hi, Geo! Are you enjoying the party?"
"We are indeed, Sweetie Belle." I replied, "Pinkie Pie sure knows how to throw a good one. And what about you three, are you enjoying yourselves?"
"We sure are!" Apple Bloom said, "But we just wanted ta come by an' tell ya how pleased we are that the two of you are finally together. An' we're even more pleased by the fact ya got together 'cus of somethin' we said!"
"Yeah yeah," Scootaloo groaned, "it's really nice. Now can we go and get something to eat before Snips and Snails get it all?"
"Why, Scootaloo," I said with mock horror, "it would appear that you don't like our relationship."
"It's not that I don't like it." she quickly replied, "It's just that it's sappy, and if I want to be like Rainbow Dash then I need to avoid anything that's sappy."
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle both sighed and facehoofed.
"Well at least two of us like the two of you being together." Sweetie Belle said, "We'll head off now. See you at school tomorrow!"
Cheerilee and I waved as the girls headed towards the refreshments while having a whispered argument about Scootaloo's attitude. Once they were out of sight I burst out laughing.
"Those fillies," I said, "never fail to make my day. They always know what to say or do to make me laugh."
Cheerilee giggled and leaned in closer to me. After a moment she spoke, her voice taking on a serious tone.
"Not everypony is going to be happy about this relationship," she said, "so do you think we should worry about that?"
I cast my gaze over the assembled party guests, all of whom were smiling, laughing and generally just having fun. I then returned my gaze to Cheerilee before kissing the top of her head.
"Not at all." I replied, "Not at all."
She smiled and we sat in contented silence for a while.
We were so busy enjoying each others company we failed to notice the pony standing at the door, with a look of seething anger clearly evident on their face.
I opened the classroom door just as the bell rang to signal the end of the school day and the start of the holidays, the thundering of many small hooves prompting me to press myself against the door as quickly as I could. The students rushed past a moment later, all of them eager to start their fun-filled adventures, but only the Crusaders stopped to speak.
"It's the start of the holidays, Geo!" Sweetie Belle squealed, "I take it that you have been looking forward to spending some time with Miss Cheerilee?"
"I live with her, Sweetie," I replied with a grin, "so I see her all the time. But, since you asked, it will be nice to spend some time with her now that neither of us has to work."
Sweetie Belle giggled while Scootaloo rolled her eyes. Apple Bloom adjusted her bow and saddlebag before speaking.
"Do y'all have any plans fer the holidays?" she motioned to her fellow Crusaders and added, "We're gonna be workin' extra hard ta try an' get our cutie marks!"
"You work hard enough as it is," I said, "so I know you'll find your true calling eventually. Anyway, you'd better get going, Scootaloo looks ready to fall asleep from boredom."
Scootaloo went to nod but quickly turned it into a head shake. She looked up at me and snorted.
"I'm not bored!" she said sternly, "I'm just wanting to get on with crusading, because the holidays aren't gonna last forever!"
I chuckled and waved as the overexcited trio climbed into Scootaloo's scooter, which sped off into the distance. As the girls became a speck on the horizon I felt a pair of hooves being slid around my waist, followed by somepony nuzzling me.
"Finally," Cheerilee said, "the holidays are upon us. Now we have even more time to spend with each other."
I turned around and picked her up, her forehooves now wrapped around my chest, before giving her a kiss. She let out a small moan into my mouth before pulling away and giggling.
"If this is what I can expect during my holidays," she cooed, "then I'm positively dreading the day when they'll end."
"You and me both." I replied with a chuckle before hoisting Cheerilee onto my shoulders. We left the schoolhouse, which I locked up, before I began the walk into Ponyville. Cheerilee rested her chin on top of my head and allowed me to carry her to Sugarcube Corner, whereupon we were ambushed by Pinkie Pie holding a tray in her teeth.
"Hmm mmmmpph mmpphh?" was all I heard coming from the mare's lips. I exchanged a puzzled glance with Cheerilee before Pinkie gingerly placed the tray on the ground.
"Right," she said, "I forgot about the tray. Silly me! Anyway, I was asking if you wanted to try these new cupcakes I made."
"Sure thing, Pinkie." I replied.
"Count me in." Cheerilee added.
Pinkie giggled and passed us each a cupcake. I bit into mine and let the taste wash over my tongue. After a moment I realised what the taste was and raised my eyebrow.
"Cherries..." I muttered, "Good one, Pinkie."
"Mine tastes like candy." Cheerilee said, "It's very nice indeed, Pinkie. Are these going to be sold in the bakery?
Pinkie shook her head.
"Thanks for the super-nice compliments," she replied, "but I actually made them specifically for you two. Geo, yours tasted like cherries because you're with Cheerilee. Cheerilee, cherries, Cheerilee, cherries, you get the idea."
"I think I do." I said with a small laugh, "But why on Earth does Cheerilee's cupcake taste like candy?"
"Well..." Pinkie said, "I wasn't sure what a human would taste like. But given how Cheerilee talks about you to the rest of us girls, I figured that candy would be the ideal thing to use."
I glanced at Cheerilee, who blushed.
"I said that you were the sweetest stallion I could ever ask for." she giggled, "I guess Pinkie Pie must have got the idea from that."
I ruffled her mane and gave her a peck on the forehead.
"And you're the sweetest mare I could ever ask for." I grinned.
"Aww," Pinkie Pie chimed, "you two are great together. Anyway, I just wanted to let you try my scrummy new cupcakes. Speaking of Cakes, I'd better get back to work! Have fun!"
She disappeared back into the bakery, the doors swinging in the breeze she kicked up. After staring at the spot where she was standing for a moment, Cheerilee and I followed her inside.
The bakery was full of ponies enjoying various baked treats. A long line of customers, mostly foals from the school, was waiting to be served. I groaned as my stomach growled, causing Cheerilee to giggle and point at an empty booth.
"You sit down," she said, "and I'll get us something to eat."
"All right," I replied, "try not to take too long. I want to spend as much time with you as I can during the holidays, so any time apart will not sit well with me."
Cheerilee rolled her eyes and playfully batted me with a forehoof before going over to the back of the line and taking her place behind the Cutie Mark Crusaders, who were discussing what a cutie mark in being a pony cannonball would look like.
I sat in the booth and relaxed as best as I could, taking the time to observe the other patrons, a few of whom I recognised from my little question and answer session at the town hall.
The sound of hoofsteps approaching and then stopping caught my attention and I looked around — only to find myself staring into the eyes of a rather irritated looking stallion. He had a greyish amber coat, a black mane and tail and an hourglass for a cutie mark.
"Er..." I said hesitantly, "can I help you at all?"
"I was just wondering," the stallion replied, "what you intended to do to poor Cheerilee. Are you using some kind of freaky alien mind-control on her?"
Oh boy, it's one of these jackasses again.
"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response." I replied, "So why don't you take your wackjob theories and get lost?"
The stallion narrowed his own eyes and leaned in closer to me, our faces now inches apart.
"What," I said, "are you gonna kiss me or something?"
"Mark my words, Geo," the stallion spat, "you're up to something nefarious, and I intend to find out what. And when I do, I'm going to make sure you rot in a cell for the rest of your life. Cheerilee deserves so much better than you."
"Really?" Cheerilee said from behind the stallion, "And I'm guessing that you think I'd be happier with you instead?"
The stallion turned around to find himself looking into Cheerilee's angry eyes. She snorted at him and he backed away slightly.
"Leave him alone, Time Turner." she snarled, "Get it through your thick skull: I am not interested in you, so back off."
Time Turner growled and stomped a forehoof into the ground before walking a few steps. He turned round and shot a final contemptuous glare at me before slinking out of the bakery. As he left, Cheerilee's demeanour softened entirely. She put down the plates she was carrying and looked at me.
"Are you all right, Geo?" she asked, "He didn't give you a hard time, did he?"
"I'm fine, Cheerilee." I replied, "He was just being a jealous prick who has got it into his head that I'm up to something."
Cheerilee snorted and rolled her eyes.
"Well hopefully he'll realise that he's wrong." she said gently, "Now come on and eat these pancakes before they get cold."
I grinned and nodded before tucking into the delectable goodness in front of me. As I ate I could see Cheerilee giving me supportive smiles. But as comforting as it was, I couldn't help but think about Time Turner's words.
For a whole fortnight after our encounter in Sugarcube Corner I didn't see hide nor hair of Time Turner, thus allowing Cheerilee and I to enjoy our holiday in peace. We spent as much time as possible together by having picnics, going for walks, stargazing... anything which allowed us to appreciate each others company.
We even decided that it was time to advance to the next stage in our relationship, which was an experience all in itself. But as we lay in bed together, my arm draped around Cheerilee's shoulders as she snuggled next to me, I still wondered just what that jealous son of a bitch was up to.
The first day of the new term was now upon us, and I was eager to get back to work. I had enjoyed my holiday, but I had missed working with the foals. I was looking forward to hearing their stories of what they did in their time off — because writing an essay about it was to be their first assignment.
As I lay awake with my thoughts I felt Cheerilee stirring. She looked up at me and a warm smile crossed her lips. I smiled back and gently kissed the top of her head. However, she didn't fail to notice the sullen expression which graced my features before.
"Don't pretend like I didn't see that." She said sternly. "Something is troubling you, now tell me what it is."
"It's nothing." I sighed. "I was just thinking about Time Turner and what he's up to. I just... I just know he's planning something. You heard what he said to me in Sugarcube Corner, he's hell-bent on getting me locked up for the rest of my life."
"Don't talk like that." Cheerilee tightened her hold on me. "Time Turner is nothing but a jealous fool. His words mean nothing to me, so they should mean nothing to you as well. You're forgetting, Geo, that it's been two weeks since that day in Sugarcube Corner. So if he was going to do anything he would have done it by now."
"I guess so." I paused for a moment. "But what if he's being meticulous in his planning? What if he's putting together something so great, that it will surely lead to my downfall? What if—"
Cheerilee interrupted me by bringing her lips to mine. The resulting kiss was passionate, and worked very well in making me forget about my worries.
"What if..." Cheerilee said as she pulled away from me. "What if you are worrying over nothing? Time Turner knows that the majority of ponies here approve of our relationship, so with that fact in mind he won't do anything to ruin it. Because if he does, he wouldn't be a very popular stallion."
I tapped my chin in thought. She had a point, and the smug grin on her face told me that she knew it.
"You're right." I said, returning her grin with one of my own. "I need to stop fretting over nothing."
"Good man." Cheerilee giggled. "Now come on, we need to get ready for work."
As I dragged myself out of bed I repeated what I had said over and over to myself, hoping that I was right.
***
The classroom was quiet, save for the scribbling of quills on parchment. The Crusaders were bunched together, as usual, and appeared to be writing a small novel. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were writing slowly and methodically, Snips and Snails were plodding along and the rest of the class were working at the pace which suited them best.
As Cheerilee and I watched them work, there was a quiet knock at the door. I got up and went over to answer it when I saw who was on the other side. I quietly motioned to Cheerilee to come over, which she did with some concern.
"Who is it?" She whispered. I told her and she stifled a gasp. "Really? Well then... I guess we'd better talk to him." She turned to the class. "Geo and I are stepping out for a moment, please continue writing your essays."
The foals nodded as we both stepped out into the corridor — where a sheepish Time Turner stood, scuffing a forehoof along the floor. He greeted us both with a small smile, but seemed reluctant to maintain eye contact. After a brief period of awkward silence, he finally decided to speak.
"I know I'm probably the last pony you want to see." He said. "But please hear me out. I'm here to apologise for my behaviour. I've been thinking a lot over the last two weeks, and I've finally seen sense. It is not my place to question who you are with, Cheerilee. You rejected me, and I couldn't accept that. But now I see that you are happy with Geo, and he is happy with you. What kind of heartless monster would I be if I ruined that?"
I looked at him blankly. I had been expecting him to try something... just not this. He looked back at us, waiting patiently for either of us to respond to his little speech.
"Um..." Cheerilee replied at last. "Thank you? I... I really don't know what else to say besides that."
"Me neither." I added. "Other than I accept your apology."
"Oh, thank you!" Time Turner looked relieved. "Now, as a way of apologising even further, I have arranged for the two of you to enjoy a lovely picnic under the stars tonight. There is a beautiful area not far from here where the view of the sky is just perfect."
"That sounds wonderful." Cheerilee simpered. "What do you say, Geo? Can we go?"
I looked at her, knowing that I had no way of refusing the pleading gaze she was using against me. I nodded once and smiled, much to Cheerilee's delight.
"Wonderful!" Time Turner said as he produced a piece of paper from his mane. "Here are the directions you need. Everything you need – food, drinks, blanket, and so forth – will be ready for you by the time you get there, so you don't need to bring anything... except for your wonderful selves of course."
He passed the paper to Cheerilee, who passed it to me. I glanced at it and saw that the directions would take us near the Everfree Forest, but thankfully not into it. I put the paper in my pocket and held out my hand.
"Thank you for your kindness." I said. "I hope that we can become good friends now, and put the past behind us."
"Likewise." Time Turner shook my hand. "Now, I'll let you both get back to work. Have fun tonight, and tell me how it went!"
With a wave he left, allowing Cheerilee and I to re-enter the classroom, which was full of idle chatter between the students. The rest of the day was spent listening to the Crusaders reading their essay — as nopony else got a chance to read theirs.
***
Following Time Turner's directions later that night led Cheerilee and I to a small clearing surrounded by trees. True to his word we found that a picnic had been set up, and there was even a telescope to allow us to gaze at the magnificent sky above.
We sat on a blanket and snuggled up together, content to bask in the serenity of our surroundings. But as I opened the basket to check what had been prepared for us, the faint snapping of twigs caught our attention.
Followed closely by a foul smell and a feral growl.
Cheerilee stood rooted to the spot as the timberwolf approached, while I stood in front of her defensively. I narrowed my eyes and glared at the wolf, trying to show it that I would not be intimidated. It responded by snarling at me and continuing its advance, mindful of the fact that it had us cornered — thanks to the many trees which surrounded us.
"If we get out of this alive..." I snarled. "I am going to fucking kill Time Turner. I should have known not to so easily put my trust in somepony who hated me as much as he did!"
The timberwolf stopped a few metres away and licked its lips. It knew that if it wanted to eat me, it would have to kill me first. It also knew that I had no intention of going down without a fight. With nothing to gain from trying to psych me out, it leapt at me with a blood-curdling howl.
Having braced myself, I was able to withstand the force of the wolf landing on me. It snarled and snapped at me, while I held it as far away from me as I could with my hands around its muzzle. I hissed in pain as a couple of bites found a mark, leaving small holes in my hands and arms. Cheerilee stood nearby, frozen with terror, as she watched me do battle with the crazed wolf.
"Cheerilee!" I shouted. "Save yourself! Get out of here!"
"N-no!" She stammered. "I'm not leaving you!"
The wolf dug the claws of its hind legs into my legs, taking me by surprise and bringing me to my knees. With my balance thrown off the creature was able to bring me to the ground with relative ease, whereupon it started biting me relentlessly. I kicked it as hard as I could, which only served to infuriate it further. Cheerilee lay on the ground and covered her ears, attempting to block out my screams of pain and anger.
I felt the wolf getting off me, it having decided that I was no longer a threat. It glared at Cheerilee and started advancing, savouring the panic written all over her face. She looked around for an escape route before her gaze fell upon where I lay in the grass, trying in vain to stand up.
The wolf growled and quickened its pace, confident that this 'meal' would provide little to no resistance. Cheerilee sighed and bowed her head, a single tear rolling down her cheek as she prepared to accept her fate.
"Cheerilee!" A voice rang out. She looked up — just as Time Turner leapt out of the tree line and tackled the wolf, sending them both sprawling onto the grass in a heap. "If you want to harm her, you're going to have to go through me first!"
"Turner, what are you doing?!" Cheerilee screamed. "You're going to get yourself hurt!"
Turner kicked the wolf in the head, which drew a snarl of pain from it. It retaliated by clamping its jaws around his leg. Driven by pain, Turner began striking the wolf with his free hoof. He was screaming in fury as he rained down blow after blow on the creatures skull, which eventually splintered, sending pieces of wood scattering in all directions. The wolf went limp, a final guttural cry escaping its lips.
Panting, Turner stood up and limped over to Cheerilee. He gently laid a forehoof on her shoulder and came over to where I lay on the ground. He helped me to sit up, and I glared at him.
"I know what you're thinking." He said. "But I can tell you right now that I didn't intend for any of this to happen. I meant everything I said to you at the schoolhouse, Geo, and I wanted this to be a perfect night for you both." He looked at his injured leg and let out a hollow laugh. "Though it looks as if I'll need to arrange something else to make up for this now."
"You saved us." I coughed. "If anything, I need to do something for you in order to say thanks."
Cheerilee approached Turner's side and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Thank you." She whispered, before throwing her forelegs around my neck and hugging me tightly. As I returned the hug, Time Turner sat and watched with a genuine smile on his face.
"You two are so perfect together." He said. "I see that now. There was a time when I was willing to break you up, but somepony in town managed to sense my jealousy and made me see sense. She may be seen as a bit of an oddity, but that Lyra sure knows how to give out sagely advice when it's needed."
We all chuckled at that, before something caught my eye. I could make out a pair of yellow eyes in the trees. Before I could shout a warning another, much bigger, timberwolf had leapt out at us... and grabbed Time Turner by the neck. The enraged wolf tossed him around like a dog with a chew toy and threw him aside.
"Turner!" I yelled. "Oh, shit... this must be momma timberwolf."
The matriarch sniffed the remains of the other wolf before looking skywards and unleashing a furious howl. Its eyes burned with anger and it was salivating intently, the fresh taste of Turner's blood no doubt lingering on its tongue.
She advanced no further than a few feet before a bolt of magic suddenly flew past her head. Shouting filled the air, followed by the sound of hoofbeats and the clanking of armour. Knowing she had lost the matriarch growled one last time and then retreated as the clearing filled with guards, all of whom watched her leave with stern expressions, their weapons held steady. A couple of unicorn doctors, one of whom I recognised as Haywick, tended to the unconscious Time Turner while another approached Cheerilee and I.
"We got a message from the Apple family saying that a solitary timberwolf had passed through their farm." He explained. "Since the beasts usually travel in packs, we felt that it was a cause for concern. Finding you was easy, because we could hear the commotion from a good distance away... not to mention the fact that we could smell the damn things breath as well."
"It's a good thing you got here when you did." I said, looking towards Time Turner. "Is he going to be okay?"
"I'm not sure." The guard replied. "We will get you both to the hospital and then the doctors will do their thing."
I nodded and allowed the guard to help me to my feet. I rested my hand atop Cheerilee's head to steady myself and began the slow walk back into town, my eyes never leaving the stretcher being carried in front of me — or the stallion who lay on it.
***
After getting to the hospital Turner was whisked away to an operating theatre for emergency surgery, while I was taken to a treatment room and wrapped up like a fish supper. I was allowed to leave nearly an hour later, whereupon Cheerilee dragged me to the Intensive Care Unit.
Time Turner was still unconscious, but the slow rising and falling of his chest indicated signs of life within. Cheerilee and I sat next on a couple of chairs near his bed, and she took one of his forehooves in hers, stroking it gently.
"He saved our lives." She sniffled. "He wanted to prove that he had put his jealousy behind him... but I don't think he wanted this."
"Nopony wanted this to happen." I replied, running my fingers through her mane. "But it has happened, and I will always be grateful to him for what he has done for us."
"As will I." Cheerilee said, leaning forward and gently kissing Turner's cheek. "As will I."
As she spoke, Turner's eyes flickered open. He glanced down to see Cheerilee holding his hoof and slowly moved his other one over to pat her. She gasped in shock and drew away.
"I didn't know you cared." He chuckled weakly.
"I do care!" Cheerilee said, alarmed. "We both do! Don't we, Geo?"
"Damn right we do." I replied. "You saved our lives, man. If you hadn't have arrived when you did, who knows what would have happened to the two of us?"
"It doesn't matter now." Turner said. "What's done is done."
"You're right." I smiled. "We need to stop fretting about the past and instead focus on the future."
"And your future..." Turner coughed. "Your future is with each other. And I will respect that. Besides... I think Lyra likes me."
He chuckled at this, a small grin appearing on his face, before he coughed again — much more forcefully than before. He rolled onto his side, bringing up a large amount of blood. Cheerilee gasped and covered her mouth while I shouted as loud as I could for a doctor. Within seconds we were being ushered out of the ICU, allowing Haywick and his team to work on Turner. As the doors swung closed behind us, Cheerilee and I simply held each other close – neither of us wanting to move – while we listened to the shouting of the doctors and the suffering of our saviour.
***
An unknown length of time passed, after which Cheerilee and I found ourselves being shaken awake by Doctor Haywick. We looked at the sombre expression on his face and he shook his head. No words needed to be said, this single gesture telling us everything that we needed to know.
The air was still as I solemnly addressed the group of townsponies assembled in front of me. Several of them were dabbing at their eyes with handkerchiefs while the others were sniffling. Beside me was a coffin, containing the body of the stallion who gave his life to defend those of Cheerilee and myself. The mare in question stood by my side, her own face a mask of despair and sorrow.
"... and although Time Turner may have been against our relationship, he eventually saw past his hatred and redeemed himself in the eyes of his peers, albeit at a terrible cost." I reached out and laid a hand on the coffin. "Thank you, Time Turner. Thank you for saving our lives. You will always hold a place in our hearts for your selfless act of bravery and kindness."
I stood back from the podium and allowed Cheerilee to take my place. She looked at the floor for a moment before forcing herself to look at the other mourners.
"When Time Turner first confessed his feelings for me, I was flattered." She said. "When he tried to come between Geo and I, I was outraged. When he set up our date, I was astonished. And when he died to save our lives... I was distraught." She turned to the coffin and laid her head on it, running a forehoof slowly along the smooth surface. "Thank you, Turner. I hope you find everlasting peace and love in the afterlife."
She walked away from the podium and stood next to me. Mayor Mare, presiding over the ceremony, gave the order to lower the coffin into the grave. Once this was done I helped Big Macintosh and Caramel, who had been Turner's two best friends, to fill the grave with earth. After all, it was the least I could do.
When all was done, the mourners departed for Sugarcube Corner, where the wake was being held. Cheerilee and I couldn't face going, so we returned to the house and sat in silence on the couch for a few minutes, before Cheerilee suddenly burst into tears. I quickly brought her in for a hug.
"It's all my fault!" She wailed. "If I hadn't have turned him down when he asked me out, he might still be here!"
I responded by stroking her mane and kissing the top of her head, while she cried into my chest and stained my shirt with her tears.
"Don't blame yourself." I replied. "As much as I hate to say it, it might have happened if you had accepted anyway." Cheerilee gasped and glared at me. "If you had accepted, who's to say he wouldn't have taken you on the same date he set up for us?"
"I... I..." Cheerilee blinked at me a couple of times before sighing. "I never thought of it like that. You're right, Geo, I can't say that we wouldn't have ended up there regardless. So... he would have died no matter what?"
"Don't get me wrong – what happened to Turner was horrible." I said. "But it has to be said that Fate works in mysterious ways. Nopony can say what will happen, or indeed when it will happen. That is why we must live our lives to their fullest potential, as I'm sure he would have wanted." I wiped Cheerilee's eyes free of tears and held her close. "We must look to the future, but we must always remember the past."
"I forgot you had a way with words." Cheerilee let out a small giggle. That reminds me of the town meeting you called, where you answered everypony's questions." She paused for a moment. "But you're right, again, we must look to the future."
She kissed me on the cheek and slid off the couch before turning to face me, her soft green eyes locking with my blue.
"This whole ordeal has left me emotionally and physically drained." She said quietly. "But at least with you here, it doesn't seem all that bad. I will never forget what Time Turner has done for us so – should I ever become pregnant in the future – I want to name our child after him, as a testament to his memory."
"What kind of heartless bastard would I be if I turned down that request?" I replied. "I would be honoured to have a child with you, Cheerilee... especially if they were named after our heroic stallion."
"I'm glad to hear it." She smiled. "Now, since it has been a hard day for both of us, I suggest that we turn in for the night."
I got up from the couch and walked over to her, scooping her into my arms and kissing her on the lips.
"Agreed." I said. "As tomorrow we will begin the rest of our lives together... for even though Time Turner isn't here, he has given us all the time in the world. And that, my dear, is the finest thing anypony could ever ask for."
With one final nod from Cheerilee I carried her into the bedroom, closing the door behind us with a soft click.
A grey and rainy day greeted Cheerilee and I as we left the house and began our walk to the cemetery. Three weeks had passed since Turner's death, and the town was still reeling from the shock. I held an umbrella over the two of us as we trudged through town, nodding in reply to the various greetings we got.
The ominous gates of the cemetery cast an imposing shadow over the ground, creaking slightly in an unseen breeze. Without a word Cheerilee and I passed through them and walked along the path, observing the other mourners visiting the graves of friends and relatives long since departed.
One mourner in particular caught our attention — a mint-green unicorn mare who was sitting next to Turner's grave. Her moving mouth told us that she was talking to him, and as we approached our footsteps startled her and she turned around with a gasp.
"Oh." She said after recovering from the shock. "Hi, Geo. Hi, Cheerilee. I was just... I'll leave you to talk to him in peace."
She started to walked away, but Cheerilee and I both reached out and grabbed one of her hind legs each.
"No, Lyra." Cheerilee shook her head. "Stay with us. You have just as much a right to be here as we do, if not more."
Lyra nodded and we let her go, allowing her to come back and sit with us. There was a moment of silence before she began sniffling, which soon escalated into full-blown crying.
"I was going to be his special somepony!" She wailed. "We were going to be so happy together! Why did he have to die?! Why does the world have to be so cruel?"
Cheerilee looked crestfallen at Lyra's words and put a forehoof on her back, rubbing it gently.
"I'm sorry, Lyra." She said. "But if it's any consolation, he died a hero. He didn't have to help Geo and I, but he did. And for that, the two of us will be eternally grateful. I felt like his death was my fault, but Geo convinced me that it wasn't."
"He's right." Lyra snorted. "It's not your fault, Cheerilee. It's mine." We looked at her in shock and she sighed. "When he found you, did he mention the fact that it was me who had talked some sense into him regarding his feelings about you two being together?"
"He did, as it happens." I replied. "But I don't see how that—"
"Not only did I convince him that you two belonged together," Lyra interrupted, "I also told him to find you and tell you that he would support you, lest you spend your date worrying that he was up to something. If I hadn't have done that... he'd still be here."
"And we wouldn't." I said bluntly, causing Lyra to look at me in confusion. "Think about it, Lyra, if you hadn't have told him to find us, that timberwolf probably would have killed us both. So whether you told him or not, somepony was going to die that night." I sighed. "And maybe it should have been me."
The fact that Cheerilee slapped me expressed her displeasure at these words far more than the scowl on her face ever could.
"How can you think like that?" She hissed. "If you had died instead of Turner then, yes, he and Lyra would have been able to get together. But I would have been the one left heartbroken, just like you would have had I died instead!"
I rubbed my face as Lyra spoke up again.
"So basically," she said, "there is no escaping the fact that this event would have left one of us happy and another devastated?" Cheerilee nodded and Lyra sighed again. "See what I mean when I ask why the world has to be so cruel?"
I pulled Lyra in for a hug, much to her surprise.
"You may think that this is your fault, Lyra, but I'm going to tell you exactly what I told Cheerilee when she thought the same thing." I said sternly. "Fate works in mysterious ways. Nopony can say what will happen, or indeed when it will happen. That is why we must live our lives to their fullest potential, as I'm sure Turner would have wanted. We must look to the future, but we must always remember the past."
I was looking into her eyes as I spoke, and now watched closely for her reaction. She mouthed the words 'look to the future' a couple of times, before a smile crossed her lips and she nodded.
"You're right, Geo." She murmured. "I should remember him, but at the same time I should move on with my life." She chuckled. "You certainly have a way with words."
"That's what I told him as well." Cheerilee giggled. "And... we've decided that, when the time comes, our first child is going to be named after Turner."
We sat in contented silence for a moment, looking at Turner's gravestone. The smooth marble reflected the sunlight now peeking through the clouds, casting an almost angelic glow which cut through the murky cemetery.
"So, Lyra," I said hesitantly, "are you okay now?" She nodded. "So you're going to stop blaming yourself for what happened?"
"I am." She replied. "Instead, I am going to live my life as Turner would have expected me to. And I'll be sure to tell him all about it when I see him in the afterlife."
"That's good to hear." Cheerilee said. "But always remember that you are more than welcome to come and talk to us if you need to."
Lyra nodded and we sat in silence again, the three of us united in our appreciation of Time Turner.
