"I met him once in the Everfree and I guess he just followed me home one day," the words of Applebloom surface in your find from a far off recollection.
Due to the fact there was a strange and unknown intelligent creature with who knows what intentions at the time being, you never gave the story too much thought. Plus, it was the Everfree. Even now no pony has fully explored it or made a complete catalogue of every plant and creature hiding in there. But there's too little information there so now you intend to set that record straight.
As you wander up to the farm you begin searching for Apple looking through the trees and peering around the house for any sign of her. Then, a little out of breath, she whizzes around the corner of the barn and nearly collides with you.
"Twilight?" The surprised farm filly stammers.
"Hi Applebloom, how are you?"
"Good, has Anon got a lesson?" She asks while staring into the sky with the expression of lacking recollection.
"No," you shake your head and smile, "I was hoping talking to you about--"
"IT," shouts Anon as he extends one finger to prod Applebloom's rump.
He stops the game immediately then straightens up at the sight of you.
"Thank Twilight," he grins.
"Hello Anonymous."
"Anon, I gotta talk to Twilight for a bit. Maybe go see if Big Mac or Granny needs anything."
He nods then turns to leave in search for another Apple family member when Applebloom grabs his attention.
"But first," she thrusts a hoof into his shin rather harder but it doesn't seem to bother the creature, "You're It, and now our game is on pause."
He laughs at the cheekiness, even chuckles a little before leaving.
"Now, what did you want to talk about?"
"It's about Anonymous."
"You ain't gettin' paranoia on us again?"
"What?"
"Paranoid?" She corrects herself, a touch embarrassed.
"That's the one but no, it's not that. I swear."
Applebloom gives it some thought, she doesn't particularly examine you but rather seems to be thinking inwardly on something before deciding with a nod. Then she gestures for you to follow her into the barn.
Inside the barn you notice Anon's belongings have been moved to a reinforced upstairs of the barn.
"Applejack thought it'd give him a bit more privacy, upstairs is just for him."
You smile, then notice the proper mattress and blanket up there and smile a little wider. The Apple family really do care for him.
"Sis was saying," Applebloom offhandedly remarks while pushing two bales of hay to sit on, "She was going to ask you to give him some more lessons cause the farm work will be slowing down soon."
"I'd like that. I imagine Anon would too."
"So, what did you want to talk about?"
You clear your throat and adjust uneasily in your seat, "it's about how you two first met."
"Well, everypony knows that already--"
"Somehow, I don't think they do."
Applebloom stops and stares at you, a deadpan expression on her face so as not to betray her thoughts. And then, she smiles.
"How do you know that?"
Inside you breathe a little sigh of relief. You had some suspicions but nothing real. And even if you are right or wrong, most folks would be offended at being called out like that.
"Anon, in his own way, is distant."
"Couldn't that just the language problem?" Applebloom flashes a very knowing grin.
"No, even now with his broken language skills, he isn't the type to just befriend and follow around any pony."
"But how do you know?"
You shrug, "It's a guess. That's all I really can do after all, Anonymous really is a creature of... Anonymity."
"Well, for that pun I'm not sure I should tell you," she laughs but doesn't leave a pause in her sentences, "You're right. I met Anon a long time before he came to Ponyville."
"Why didn't you say anything sooner?"
This time Applebloom shrugs, "It just made it easier. Plus I'd get in a lot of trouble for going into the Everfree as much as I did. Never mind that it's fine now just so long as I take Anon with me."
"So, what was it like? The first time you met, that is."
"About as you might expect. I was walking in the Everfree, exploring and looking for unique plants that we might be able to grow. Then I got near the Princess' old castle and I thought I'd go have a look, no real reason why. Just a whim. And there was Anon, looking at things and making little notes in his book."
"And when he saw you?"
"I scared him something fierce, he musta thought I was a manticore or something. Then he composed himself and I think he thought I was some kind of friendly animal cause he tried to hand feed me some grass. And when I told him I'm not eating out of your dirty paws, he got an even bigger scare."
The image of Anon falling and flailing over little Applebloom gives you a little chuckle and you notice all the reminiscing has brought a smile to Applebloom too.
"He set to work right away trying to talk, sharing a few words by like... Pointing at a tree then he'd say his word for it then I'd say ours. We didn't get far. Just enough to greet each other and point things out when we went exploring. Every time he'd write in his book until..."
Her face stiffens and it's a little hard to discern what exactly is going on in her head. And being the worrywart that you are, your mind spins and whirrs with possibilities. Did something bad happen? Is she just not sure what happened next? Was she about to reveal something she'd rather hide? And then before you can come up with more, Applebloom continues.
"He kind of stopped trying to talk, we'd wander around a bit or just hang out at his camp. I wasn't really sure what was going on in his head obviously so I thought maybe," she shrugs, "He might want some alone time."
"How often were the two of you spending time together?"
"Most days. Sometimes I couldn't make it out there or was only there to see him for a little while."
"And how long did you leave him alone for?"
"Bit more than a week, I think... Applejack wanted some extra help on the farm anyway, so I used that as an excuse really."
"Was that when--"
"He showed up on the farm?" Applebloom nods, "Yeah, Anon came looking for me. I guess it was his turn to give me a fright. Granny saw him first and kicked up a whirlwind. She thought him some kind of beast, nearly attacked him with a jar she was cleaning for the zap apples."
She laughs at the memory while you recall the rest of the story from AJ's perspective. He showed up and was friendly, especially to Applebloom. They let the two eat and hang out in the barn for a while before Applebloom came out and asked for him to be allowed to stay.
"Who brought up the idea of Anon staying?" You ask, eyeing her carefully.
"I did."
"How did you know he'd want to?"
"Well... I didn't really."
"I'm just wondering when HE decided to stay."
"Oh, well, I tried to use his word for home or camp. He seemed to get it."
"Then--"
"You know, Twilight," she interrupts with a sideways glance and grin, "There is someone else you could be asking if you want to understand how Anon thinks."
"Who?" Your face blank as you didn't realise who she would say until just after you asked.
"Anon."
You shake your head and then look away to dismiss the idea entirely.
"How often do you two talk in your lessons?"
"Heaps."
"Really? Cause we've been talking quite well recently, and you know what?"
"What?"
"He knows hello. He knew it since he and I were first trying to communicate."
In a rising swell of anger, your eyes narrow as you examine every detail on her face. Her grin grows wider to the point of creasing her face and she lets out the tiniest, briefest laugh. And as you finish looking over her expression you find nothing to suggest she is lying. Which only makes the anger grow.
"He was messing with me?"
Applebloom, still smiling all the while, simply replies with a nod.