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// Chapter 2 
// Story: Ponies in the Human World: Rarity and I 
// by Ponyman14 
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Day two:

I groaned and turned over in my bed. As the fog of sleep began to clear from my mind, my eyes shot open. Was there still a pony in my house? She was on my bed last night! I turned and moved my eyes to the feet of my bed. The white pony that had been there late last night was gone. Was yesterday a dream? No, no, I remembered it too clearly. It was grey and cold outside. I heard something in the kitchen. I threw some clothes on quickly, and made my way down the hallway to the kitchen. I walked around the corner, and stopped, blinking tiredly in the bright room.

"Good mooooorning!" sung a sweet voice from somewhere. I spotted Rarity's head above the counter top. She let go with her forelegs and dropped back down on all fours. Her whole body came into view as she walked around the island counter towards me.
"Good morning Rarity!" I said, the bright smile on her face making me smile as
well. "What are you doing?" I asked, although I already knew the answer. I could see that she was making breakfast.
"I am making you breakfast! It is nearly ready," she said.
"You didn't have to do that."
"Oh, but I did! You have been such a wonderful host, I must repay you in some form or another. I must!"
To this, I said nothing. I merely smiled and looked down at her big eyes, which were now blinking up at me. Now, being a bit more awake, I looked over to the stove to see what the pony could possibly be cooking.
"Are those... pancakes?"
"They most certainly are! Oh, you do like pancakes, don't you?"
"Sure. Sure I do. It's just... I didn't expect that ponies would eat such things."
"Of course we do, silly. Why wouldn't we?"
"May I help you?" I asked after a few moments.
"No you may not. This is my treat. You just sit there, and Rarity will make you a delicious and nutritious breakfast."
I couldn't argue with that, so I took a seat at the counter. There were patches of cooking flour here and there, the cupboards were all open and pans were lying about the place. The poor creature must have had a tough time without the use of her magic, which, from what she had told me, she relied on for almost everything in her daily life. In my mind, this made the breakfast an even greater gesture.
Rarity hummed softly as she poured the orange juice and mumbled to herself as she flipped the pancakes.
"There!" she exclaimed. "Breakfast is ready!"
"It looks delicious, Rarity."
"Oh, just wait until you try it!" She said happily.
Grasping a plate of food in her teeth, she came over to me and I took it from her. She came back with her plate; I took it and put that next to mine on the counter. Then I lifted her up and set her on the counter. She was really very heavy, and I was barely able to get her up.
"Oh! Be careful with me!" Her front hooves clinked against the counter-top as she scrambled to steady herself on something. I gave her a push from behind and she was up. A loud squeak emanated from her mouth as I did this, which I thought was a rather odd sound for a pony to make. She crawled forward and laid down, her face above her plate. "Mmmm," she murmured. It did look quite good actually. I had never liked breakfast right after waking up, but I wouldn't say anything after Rarity had gone through so much trouble to make it.
"Rarity, if ponies eat pancakes, do they eat other types of cakes? Or any baked goods for that matter?"
"Oh yes, we love cakes. Carrot cakes, chocolate cakes, cupcakes. Do you have any of those in this world."
"Yea, we have all that."
I was fascinated by how the pony ate. Very carefully, and with great difficulty, she took little nibbles from the cake. Several times she tried to take larger bites, and got syrup on her muzzle. I looked strangely at her. She sighed exasperatedly. It became apparent to me that she was, again, realizing how difficult things were without the use of her horn's magic. I bet that Rarity used her magic even to eat. I thought about offering to help her, I could have cut up the pancakes with a fork and fed her bite by bite. But it seemed to me that it would be more demeaning than helpful. Also, it didn't seem she wanted to hear anything about it. I commented on how tasty the breakfast was. She smiled and thanked me for the compliment. I looked at the clock; it was already 11:00am. Rarity stood up and promptly slipped on the smoother counter-top. She managed to catch herself, thankfully.
"Could you give me a hoof? Um... a hand, as it were?" Asked the pony politely.
I grabbed her just behind her forelegs and set her down on the floor, with some difficulty.
"Your dish, please," She said. I handed her my plate.
"Can't I help with the dishes?" I asked.
I could tell Rarity did not want to clean up, simply because of the difficulties she knew she'd have without her magic.
"Absolutely not! I will take care of everything. It is no problem, no problem at all! Please, do not lift a hoof... um, finger... I insist!" She said in her usual tone.
She was content on making things hard for herself. I watched her as she began her cleanup. She was struggling alright, but she was so careful and delicate with everything. I had been afraid she'd break a dish, but now I felt reassured by her gentle and careful manner.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. I froze and my hairs stood on end. Who would possibly be at the door? It seemed that Rarity heard the knock too, but she wasn't very concerned.
"Rarity," I said.
"MmmHmmm?" said the pony as she struggled to maneuver the plate in her mouth under the faucet.
"You need to hide. There's somebody here."
"Hide?"
"Yes, hide. You can't be seen! There's no time to explain. Please, just run to my room. Quick!"
Rarity hesitated a second, but then set down the dish and quickly ran down the hallway towards my room. I hurried to the door and opened it. It was the pool cleaner. We exchanged a few words and he went off to work. I walked back towards my room. The layout of the house was that it sort of curved around the pool and patio. One whole side of the hallway had windows which faced the pool; Rarity would have to stay in my room to stay out of sight. I couldn't imagine what would happen if someone found out about Rarity, but it wouldn't be good.
Rarity was sitting on my bed with her legs tucked beneath her, she looked at me curiously. How was I to tell her that she couldn't be seen?
"Remember how you startled me yesterday morning?" I said, entering the room.
"I startled you? Perhaps I did, but do recall that that you also startled me!"
Suddenly a stream of questions flowed from the pony's mouth. She sounded distressed.
"What's going on? Who was at the door? Why won't you let anypony see me? I'm a social pony -the pony everypony should know! It's not like I would embarrass you, or something..."
"Rarity. If any other humans saw you, they would be very startled. Maybe much more than I was."
"Oh... I understand. I will hide myself from the light of day," said the pony, in an almost sarcastic tone.
"The pool cleaner will be here for a while, I'm sorry but you have to stay in here until he leaves," I said.
"Of course," the pony said with a forced smile. Her ears drooped a bit.
I hoped I hadn't hurt her feelings. Maybe she was just being dramatic? I hoped so. I left Rarity in my room and returned to the kitchen, where the big glass doors made the room clearly visible to someone outside by the pool. I waved to the pool guy when he walked by. Maybe I was being overcautious, "No talking unicorns here, just me!" I wanted to yell out. I turned on the TV and tried to act natural. But I wasn't very interested in the TV, I couldn't help thinking I had hurt Rarity's feelings. Finally the pool cleaner finished and walked back to his car. I immediately went to check up on Rarity.
Rarity was still sitting on my bed, looking downtrodden.
"Oh, hello," said the pony sadly.
It was worse than I thought. Was she really upset for being told not to be seen? Surely she understood why she had to stay out of sight, right? I wasn't sure what to say to her, but she spoke again before I could.
"I used to be the prettiest pony in Ponyville. Colts swooned over me in public, and mares gossiped about my beautiful complexion. And now, for the first time in my life, someone has desired me to hide myself, and to not be seen!"
The pony suddenly broke out crying. The cry quickly turned to a high pitched wail.
I ran over and sat beside her on the bed. "No, no, Rarity. You've got it all wrong! That guy wouldn't have known what to think or do! Believe me, things would not have ended well if he saw a strange creature living here with me."
"Strange creature? STRANGE CREATURE?! I am a beautiful pony! And I deserve to be treated as one!" Her words were lost in tears again.
"Rarity," I said, lifting her head up with my hands. Her huge eyes now gazed into mine, a sad and confused look in them. "You are the most beautiful pony I have ever seen... and the kindest, and sweetest."
Rarity sniffed a few times, tears still in her eyes. "You... You aren't just saying that, are you?"
"No. No I am not just saying that."
She looked down for a moment, then back up to me. "But... The only ponies you've known are the ones of this world. And they are ugly... Ugly!"
I had to think of something fast, her eyes were welling up with tears again.
"No Rarity. You aren't the most beautiful pony I've seen. You're the most beautiful creature, of all ponies and all humans I've seen."
It felt very strange saying that; I had never thought of any non-human animal as beautiful, but come to think of it... Rarity was beautiful, and she wasn't human. In any case, I felt that my words had a positive effect this time. Rarity dabbed her muzzle and her eyes with a tissue. She smiled as her dark blue eyes gazed up into mine. She put her head over my shoulder and nuzzled the back of my neck, still snuffling her muzzle. I assumed this was how ponies gave hugs. I put my arm around her neck and stroked her mane.
"There, there, Rarity," I said soothingly.
She removed herself from the embrace, and hopped off the bed.
"You have been very kind to me," She smiled up at me. "Considering how I... broke into your home, muddled and filthy, you have been extraordinarily selfless. You opened your home to me, and helped me, and asked nothing in return. I think I shall move on. I thank you, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I need only grass and water to be self sufficient, and this world has an abundance. I wish I could give you something, but I lost my saddle bag the night I arrived here."
"Rarity, wait... Where will you go?"
"I shall wander the fields and meadows of your world. The princess will return for me in a few days time," she said confidently.
"Don't you remember? We thought it might take the princess months to return for you. And what you've seen around here isn't like most of this world. There are cities, and busy streets, and... And lot's of sad places and unfriendly people."
"Oh, I certainly hope that will not be the case... As for cities and such, we have them in Equestria as well. I am an adult pony, and I am perfectly capable of handling myself... Besides, us ponies belong out in the open air. I feel I have been a burden to you. As kind as you are, I know very well I have interfered with your life. I am not dumb."
Rarity didn't seem to understand that she couldn't just go walking around the human world.
"Oh no, Rarity, you are not a burden at all!" I silently recalled the mess the night she arrived, and the mess in the bathroom, and the mess in the kitchen... and the current situation, which was making my stomach churn a bit. But I shook my head, I didn't mind having Rarity here. I don't think I minded it at all.
"Enough," She said, "I shall take my leave. Do not worry about me, I beg you. I will be perfectly fine."
She walked to the door, pushed the handle down with her horn, and pushed the door open. I watched the door close and sat for a minute, not really knowing what to do next. Was that it? Was that the end of this very strange encounter with a talking unicorn? My eyes shifted to the indent her hooves had left in my bed. And there was her tear-soaked tissue. She had been real alright. I suddenly felt very lonely. I felt like when I had let girls, whom I liked, slip through my hands in the past, just because I was too timid to speak my mind or confront them. This was just a pony, there was no reason for me to act like this. Besides, Rarity needed my protection! I could still do the right thing, come of it what may.

I spotted hoof prints in the gravel driveway. I started up my truck, and took off. It was hard to see the prints in the gravel, and I lost them rather quickly. I slowed down and leaned my head out the window to look for them. I couldn't see them any more, but I heard a rustling in the trees to the side of the drive. The rump of a white pony stuck out from between some bushes and a purple tail swished about behind it. I jumped out and ran towards Rarity. Rarity emerged from the bush as she heard me coming.
"Rarity!" I said happily.
Her eyes opened wide in bewilderment at my sudden appearance.
"Could you help me?" she asked as she turned to something hanging from a low tree branch. These must be her saddle bags. I pushed my way through the bush and untangled the saddlebags from the branches.
I said, as I placed the bags on her back, "Rarity, you shouldn't leave. I've realized something... I really enjoy you being here. When you left, I felt... I felt alone. More alone than usual..."
To my surprise, my eyes started welling up with tears. Frustrated, I gulped and did my best to hide them.
"I didn't realize it until you walked out that door, but I was really happy to have you here with me. I don't think I've ever felt like that before."
"Even after the messes I made, you... you were happy to have me there with you?" asked the surprised pony.
"Yes," I said nearly choking on my tears. This was so painful, I just wanted her to come back, so things could be like they were yesterday.
"Celestia! I didn't know you humans were such emotional creatures. Of course I will come back with you! I would not have left if I knew it would bring you such sadness."
I was kneeling on the grass in front of her at this point. I smiled and looked at the ground. I wiped my eyes and looked at her again.
"I must look like such a fool," I said.
"Come now," She said, putting one of her hooves up to my face. "I doubt I could last half a week without a pedicure anyways."
Now ponies had pedicures? I put my questions aside and laughed aloud, smiling at her. I stood up.
"Well let's go then," I said, walking back to the car. "Don't you humans ever walk?" She asked, "Your abode is right there."
The house was visible from here. I knew what she meant by the odd question.
"I took my truck because I didn't know how far you had run off. Why don't you walk back; I need to go to the store anyways. I'll be back soon."
"Very well," she said. She adjusted the saddle bags with her mouth and trotted back towards the house. Watching her in the rear view mirror, I smiled. She had wanted to stay with me! I guess you could say she was now my little pony.

I did not drive to the grocery. It was open late, and I had another stop to make first. There were still a few minutes until most businesses closed in the nearby strip of restaurants and stores. I parked in front of the pet store. It was still open.
"Do you have horse products?" I asked. I was directed to the display of horse products. I took the softest brush I could find, horse shampoo, a file for hooves, other grooming brushes, and a handful of other things. I paid for my items and headed to the grocery store. What to buy? I picked out some apples for Rarity, lots of lettuce and salad dressing, and finally a huge chocolate carrot cake from the store's bakery. I got some more ice cream and a dozen cupcakes. The grocer gave me a funny look in the check out line; I didn't blame him. I suddenly realized I had forgotten something.
"Could you hold my stuff for a minute? I forgot to get something."
He rolled his eyes and moved my things off to the side to help the next customer. The grocery store was a supermarket, and should have what I was looking for. I wasn't entirely sure what a "facial" was, -which Rarity had spoken of at one point- but I suspected it was that strange mud mask that women put on their faces. I found something that seemed to be just that. I also picked up a bottle that said "bubble bath" on it, since Rarity had also mentioned she liked bubble baths. When I returned to the cash register, the grocer produced a fake smile and rung up the items. Lettuce, cupcakes, and bubble bath bubbles? He clearly thought I was insane.
I came through the front door with the bags in my hands. Yesterday, seeing a white pony walking about the kitchen and humming to herself would probably have scared the crap out of me. But now, I felt warm all over. I couldn't be happier to see her. I didn't try to hide my gleeful smile as I walked into the kitchen. Rarity seemed to be making dinner with what little we had in the refrigerator.
"Oh my," Exclaimed the pony as I set the bags down on the counter. I put the grooming supplies to the side and put the grocery bags and cake on the floor in front of her. Rarity gasped at the cake.
"Celestia, that does look delicious! ... And fresh lettuce, and fruits, and cupcakes, Oh my! We can save them for later, I have already prepared dinner. I have made us fruit salad!"
"That's terrific, Rarity," I said. My stomach grumbled. I needed real food. A big steak, or a pizza... My mouth watered at the thought. "Yes, I do love... fruit salad."
"I am glad to hear it! Perhaps we will have some of this marvelous cake for desert... We are in the dining room tonight. Please sit down, I shall bring everything out."
Rarity had already set two places at the table. I sat down. Rarity brought out the dinner one item at a time.
"Are you sure you don't want help, Rarity?"
"No, that is quite alright, thank you."
I then noticed there were glasses of water on the table. That must have been a difficult feat for the pony, I was impressed. But what was this? Wine glasses? I picked up the glass. It had horse saliva on the stem. My plate also had some saliva on its rim. The poor pony couldn't help it, I figured, having to do everything with her mouth. Rarity came into the room with a chilled bottle of white wine in her mouth. She walked up to me and I took the bottle from her mouth and set it on the table.
"I wouldn't have thought that ponies drank wine," I said.
"Oh please," She said in a sarcastic tone, "I nearly fell over backwards when I saw this in your refrigerator. I didn't think you humans were sophisticated enough for fine wines..." She said haughtily. "No offense intended to you of course," she added apologetically. Some of the bottle had been drunk prior to Rarity's arrival, and it was only half full. Rarity surprised me yet again by sitting in the chair.
"Is something amiss?" She asked, seeing the expression on my face.
"Doesn't that feel awkward? Sitting like that," I asked.
"Of course not," She retorted, "This is the proper way to sit for proper meals."
"Is there anything us humans do, that ponies don't do?" I asked.
"I'm not sure. I haven't seen enough of your world to say, but it seems to me that we are quite similar after all!" she said happily.
During the course of our dinner and the cake, I told her about my world, and she told me about hers. She told me she owned her own business; she was a fashion designer and dress maker! She told me of the two monarchs of her world, and how they controlled the transition between night and day. And she told me about the different ponies in Equestria and about her friends.
She sighed deeply, "Oh I do hope they are alright."
She proceeded to tell me about them in greater detail.
"So let me get this straight," I said, "Besides your seemingly immortal princesses, there are three races of ponies in your world? Earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi?"
"Yes, that's right," she said.
I thought for a minute before asking another question.
"So if you unicorns are the only ponies capable of using magic, and magic is necessary for many things in your world such as writing, crafting, and pretty much everything else... are you considered more important than the other ponies?"
"Oh no... Every pony does his or her part for the community. Earth ponies generally tend to gardening and harvesting -manual labor, as it were. The pegasi are in charge of the weather and, along with the unicorns, help to change the seasons. And us unicorns, we um... well, we take care of many things. I make dresses, some study magic... You could say we have the clean jobs."
"Without the use of magic, are pagassi and earth ponies often less um... proper than yourself?" I asked.
The pony jumped up excitedly, putting her hooves on the table, "Oh yes! They are positively improper! And often rude mannered! My friends Pinkie Pie and Applejack are earth ponies, and they are often quite filthy! Pinkie can get away with it, but Applejack seems to make a point of being unclean. She often spits! And slobbers on anything she picks up in her mouth!"
I figured it would be a bad idea to tell Rarity about the saliva that was on my plate and wine glass.
"Rainbow Dash simply showers herself in rain clouds, and Fluttershy's animal friends help to bathe her. But I, of course, am the cleanliest of all my friends," she said proudly.
"That reminds me," I said smiling, "I have a surprise for you!" I got the bag of grooming supplies from the kitchen and brought it back to the table. I laid out the items in front of the curious pony.
"I bought these for you today."
"Oh!" She gasped, "A brush!" She squealed, "And this file is perfect! I can have a proper pedicure now! And is this a mud mask?"
The pony was ecstatic, much more than I thought she'd be. I was even a bit surprised by her loud squeals of joy.
The pony jumped up, putting her forelegs around my waist and nuzzled her head against my chest, "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"You are very welcome, Rarity," I said. I patted her back.
"I must try these at once!" She said joyfully. She quickly collected the items in her mouth and ran off down the hallway.
I suspected she'd be running back any minute apologizing for not clearing the table, so I did it myself before she'd have the chance to. It didn't take long to clean up, and Rarity had not made a mess at all fixing the dinner.

Rarity was not in my room or my bathroom. I instead found her in my dad's bathtub again, mountains of pink bubbles floating about the water's surface. The unicorn-pony sighed happily. Her face around her eyes and nostrils was covered with a thick mud mask. She opened her eyes, and her smiling face looked at me as I came in.
"You wouldn't happen to have any cucumbers, would you dear?"
"Cucumbers? No, I don't think so," I said, scratching my head at the odd request.
"Oh that is no problem, no problem at all. This is nonetheless exquisite!"
"Will you need help with your hair, and drying off again?" I asked.
"Oh... I didn't think of that. I suppose I will, if you wouldn't mind that is."
The pony leaned her head back and closed her eyes again.
"I wouldn't mind at all," I said, sitting on the step next to the tub.
I sat there, looking at Rarity from time to time. We talked a bit here and there. After about half an hour, Rarity felt that she had soaked long enough. She maneuvered herself to stand upright in the tub, and I shampooed her hair. I then set down towels all over the bathroom floor, mainly so that she wouldn't slip on the stone floor, but also to keep it from becoming a giant pool of water, like it had the previous night. We went through the same routine, but this time I used the brush for her mane and tail, instead of my fingers. Rarity refrained from giving me hints or advice while I did this, like she had yesterday. She was still in a state of bliss from her relaxing bath. Finally she was all dried off and her mane hung down her neck, waving slightly. She bounced one of the locks of her hair with her hoof, and frowned. I left her there and returned to my room. Rarity came in soon afterwards and walked into the bathroom, where I had set up a mirror at her height. I could hear her talking to herself.
"I suppose I can wear my hair down while I am here. I would hate to have him buy me curlers. Besides, I haven't changed my hair style for eons."
The thought of a pony with curlers in its mane frightened me a little. I came into the bathroom after a few minutes. Rarity turned towards me. I stood in the doorway, looking at Rarity with my mouth gaping open. The unicorn's white fur shined brightly, her purple mane, also shining and now dry, hung in wavy strands about her neck and forelegs. But there was something else. Her eyelashes stood out more, as if she had used eyeliner on them. The lashes now clumped together in several groups, curling upwards. And her eyelids had a sparkling blue substance on them. This pony never ceased to surprise me!
"How... How did you do that?" I asked.
"I carry an emergency makeup kit in my saddlebag of course!" She said happily.
She looked at me through the corner of her eye and smirked. She could tell I was taken aback by her beauty. She now blinked slowly and moved her head back and forth, her hair swaying from side to side as she did so.
"I've always had that effect on colts, but on a different species? ... I must say I am quite flattered." Said the unicorn, smiling seductively.
I blushed and made a fake coughing noise.
"Wh... What effect is that? I'm not sure what you're talking about."
Rarity just smiled, and walked past me, deliberately brushing her tail hard against my leg as she did so. I stood there for a few moments. My chest seemed to be tingling; I touched my hand to it. My heart was beating very quickly. I shook my head.
"Stop it. Stop it, this is ridiculous. She's only playing. Calm down you fool," I repeated a couple times to myself.
Rarity was not in my room. I found her in the kitchen, with a plate of ice cream. Not being able to bring a spoon to her mouth, like in her world, she had found it easier to just lick the ice cream from a plate. I got a bowl of ice cream for myself and sat besides the pony on the floor.
"Would you like to eat on the counter? I could give you a lift."
We had high counters in the kitchen, and Rarity couldn't jump up on her own.
"That's quite alright, thank you."
She seemed very calm and acted like her normal self. I relaxed a little; perhaps she hadn't meant anything by the gesture in the bathroom?
"Where are you going to sleep tonight, Rarity?" I asked.
"You tell me. I'm am merely a guest," she said, licking up the last of her ice cream.
"You're welcome to stay in my room again, if you like."
Rarity blushed a little. "Oh... I thought you had been asleep and hadn't noticed me... Those dreadful howls I heard last night made my fur stand on end. I was just a little frightened is all... Were those howling creatures dangerous?" She asked.
"Those were coyotes," I explained. I knew that coyotes hunted small animals; only in great desperation would they attack something as large as a pony.
"It was a good thing you were inside last night. They have been known to attack ponies," I said.
"Oh my Celestia!" cried Rarity, her pupils narrowing and her body tightening up.
Oops. I had really scared her. Why had I said that? I wondered what kind of predators ponies had in Equestria. Maybe the predators Rarity was thinking of were much worse.
"I said they have been known to attack ponies, but it hasn't happened often. And ponies never get more than a few nips and scratches from them."
"Oh..." Said the unicorn, immediately relaxing. I put our dishes in the dishwasher and headed towards my room, but turned back before leaving the kitchen.
"Rarity. You may sleep wherever you like. The house is yours," I called to her.
I got undressed and jumped into bed. I had left my light on, I had a feeling somepony might be joining me. I saw, from the crack under the door, the lights going off in the hall. The door opened and Rarity came in.
Once inside, she stopped, "I was quite comfortable in here last night. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to sleep here with you again."
I sat up and patted a spot next to me on the bed. Rarity jumped up onto the bed. Her hoof pushed into my leg, hurting a little. I kept forgetting how heavy she was. She pawed around on top of the bed for a few seconds before sitting down next to me, her legs folded beneath her. It was a large bed, so there was no question about lack of room.
"Will you be warm enough? I asked"
"Of course. My fur is like a natural blanket, thank you." She said, adjusting on top of the covers.
I turned off the light and closed my eyes, and I fell asleep with a dumb grin on my face. I was awoken again sometime in the middle of the night by Rarity's movement. I waited for her to stop moving before turning my head to look at her. The white unicorn had disappeared and had been replaced by a huge lump in the covers. A white ear and horn stuck out from under the covers next to me. The rest of her head was covered by her wavy purple mane, now shining with faint hints of moonlight streaming in through gaps in the shutters.