My mind was boggling over everything I had just learned. Daylight's dream about humans was at the top of the list, but my mind kept going back to Scootaloo. I may not have ever had children of my own, but I have a very protective personality.
Twilight didn't use the words but I knew what she was getting at. Scootaloo took care of herself. Why else would I be unwilling to take the answer from the princess? Why else would I need to understand ponies first? Why else would she be in such bad need of a shower?
Ponies have showers. I know, my cabin had a rather nice shower, with lots of room to move around, and a fucking shower chair. That didn't even make sense for a pony to want! But there it was, waiting for me to sit down and wash my feet. Ponies clearly value hygiene.
I was finally pulled out of my thoughts when I realized I was still walking with Scootaloo, and we had arrived at that cabin. We just stood in front of it looking at each other.
"I... I'll see you around," She said as she started turning away.
I was going to say 'yea, catch you later' but it came out, "Do you need to use my shower?"
She gave me a deer in the headlights look. She clearly didn't know what to say. I could see the calm and cool mask she had been wearing start to crack. "I'll be ok. Bye!" She turned and bolted. I took note of the direction. She wasn't heading to town, or even the farmhouse, she bolted directly to the fields. There wasn't anything past that but woodland leading to the Everfree Forest. I couldn't help wondering where in Celestia's name she was going.
Being that it was still only about nine o'clock I decided to take a look in the trailer before bed. I had noticed a few tool boxes and I wanted to know what kind of tools I had.
The first two boxes were pretty basic. Wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, etc. The last one, however, seemed to be custom made. I hadn't noticed before, but it was actually bolted to the front of the truck bed, and doors on the sides of the topper allowed easy access to it. Inside were compartments containing a chainsaw, an ax, a logging hook, and a heavy duty chain.
'Great,' I told myself, 'poor dude not only lost half his truck but his work equipment with it.'
I decided not to worry about it, nothing I could do.
I opened the large sliding door on my new shed and sized it up. It was about as wide as a standard two car garage, but over twice as deep. I pulled the jeep in with the trailer and found that I had plenty of room without unhooking the trailer.
It dawned on me that Equestria had no gas stations. Being a military vehicle, I could run it on alcohol. Coolant should be good for a year or so, and water is fine in the summer. I'd have to find oil before too long though. Still, that was a few thousand miles before being a concern. I had the fortune of having just changed all that.
I looked up at the moon. Wondering if things were busy at work. Then I realized it didn't matter anymore and went to bed.
---
I woke up feeling great.
Before I could get out of bed, someone knocked on my bedroom door.
"Who is it?" I asked, covering myself up in case they burst in. Sure enough...
"Sorry to intrude," Applejack walked right in, "ah just had to bring you breakfast and ah didn't think a hero like you should have to get out of bed just to eat it."
It seemed a little over the top but she had a plate of pancakes covered in fruit and whipped cream with a side of eggs. I wasn't gonna argue.
She set the plate on the bed and turned for the door. Before she was out Apple Bloom walked in with a bushel basket of assorted apples, "Ah thought ya may want some apples for later," Then she turned and left only to be replaced by Big Mac with a pile of firewood.
"Eeyup," was all he said before being replaced by Pinkie with a box of cupcakes.
One by one every pony I could imagine walked in, placed a gift, commented on how great I was or what they brought, and left. Eventually, I couldn't even get out of bed for lack of floor to walk on. The gifts were starting to fill the bed too. They filled the room until I was being crushed under the weight of them.
I struggled to breathe as pegasi just kept flying to the top of the pile and adding random things. When it finally stopped, I clawed my way to the top.
I was no longer in my room. Everything around me was dark. It was just me and the enormous pile of presents I now sat atop.
I felt sick to my stomach. I had no idea what to do with all this stuff. Why had they given it to me anyway? What had I done to earn it? Nothing if you ask me. I asked nothing and expected the same for what I had done, only a real asshole would have just let a little girl die...
I was drawn away by the sound of crying. I looked down the pile to see Scootaloo, holding out her scooter.
"It's all I have," She sobbed, "I hope you don't mind it's too small for you to ride."
I looked the filly over. She was sobbing. Not because she had nothing for herself, because she had nothing to give me.
I had no words, only tears.
When I finally stopped bawling I realized I was being embraced by a dark-furred pony.
"It is alright," Luna comforted me, "it is only a nightmare."
"Thank god," I said as a few more tears escaped and I held on to her for dear life.
I realized then, that I was now sobbing into the mane of a princess, and that was her first impression of me.
"Sorry," I said before clearing my throat and stepping back. I was glad to see she had taken us to the castle garden. However, I was still in my boxers.
"Do not be sorry," she giggled, "that is why I am here."
"Right," I said, "Princess of the night and all," I remembered that it was my dream and just imagined myself dressed.
"I would ask if Twilight explained that," her eyes narrowed, "but I don't think that's how you know who I am."
"You're not wrong," I laughed. Looking down, the shirt I dreamed up for myself had Rainbow's cutie mark and read 'Loyalty' across the top.
"I would love to meet you in person, and talk all about it," She said, "However, I am here because you need to talk. How could one be so generous as to save the life of a pony who has pulled them from there own, yet, have nightmares about being justly rewarded?"
"I don't like having more than I need," I said, "especially if somebody else needs it. I just don't want anyone to think I need a reward. I believe in helping. If we don't help each other, who IS gonna help us?"
"I got that impression from your dream, it is a unique way to look at the world. I must say I'm impressed by your attitude," She said, I was relieved when I realized crying was not her first impression. She was seeing directly into my psyche. That's disturbing on a whole new level. She gave me a soft look, "Worry not. You may indeed be overwhelmed by gifts, and some ponies may apologize for not having more, but that is just the way they feel. How you handle it is up to you alone. If you feel that you have too much, all you have to do is share."
"You have a point," I said, "I guess I was being silly."
"Having strong feelings about something is not silly. Now, I have other ponies..." She giggled, " well, I have ponies to see yet tonight, I trust you are ok now."
"Yea," I said, "thanks."
---
I woke up feeling exhausted.