White Rabbit Object

by L0rd0f7hund3r

Where the Wild Things Are

Breakfast was a very intimate and enjoyable affair. Owing to the fact that Ana'Ra was still getting used to his new form, Spike decided to bring breakfast to the central library. Princess Twilight magicked several dinner trays around for everyone and set plates upon each as well. Spike returned after several minutes with a silver tray burgeoning with "rabbit food." Ana'Ra's new body had the distinguished advantage of easily processing the vegetables and fruits that consisted of the Equestrian diet. Better still, foodstuffs he never considered tasty when he was human were now nigh unto delectable. It didn't seem to upset him so much that he would need to learn to walk again. That just means I'll never have to buy another pair of shoes again!

"It must be strange for you to eat like an herbivore," Fluttershy commented, "do you think you'll miss the taste of meat?"

"I might," Ana'Ra remarked, "Humans are nominally omnivores. I enjoyed bacon and steak when I was- human, but I wasn't adverse to a salad or the occasional carrot. Truesbob, I often had some celery on hand as a light snack whenever I could stow some vittles away."

Stephanie arrives as Spike begins to ladle out some orange juice for the trio, explaining what obviously Princess Twilight and Fluttershy didn't comprehend.

"An omnivore is a sentient entity with the capacity to gain energy from the consumption of both plant and animal matter. Most species in the class Mammalia are omnivores, which includes the family of Hominidae, genus of Homo, and the species of sapiens, i.e.: humans. The term Homo spaien is Latin for 'wise man…'"

"I think they get it, Stephanie."

"You know, I'd never thought I'd live to see the day I acquired information overload, but here it is…" Princess Twilight lamented.

"Welcome to my existence."

"So, Stephanie, do you feel an less appreciated because you're, well, not real." Spike inquired of Ana'Ra's ancilla.

Stephanie answered, "I am afraid I do not understand the question."

"Forget it, Spike," Ana'Ra warned, "she may be an A.I., but Steph lacks the emotional depth to answer philosophical questions. It's a fault in her programming, not something I coded in. "

"That is something I wanted to ask you, Ana'Ra," Fluttershy solicits of their guest, "what is it that you do, where you come from?"

Ana'Ra searches for a diplomatic answer, then says, "Back home, I have Doctorates of Philosophy in the fields of Computer Science and Nanaoscopic Technology. My job was that of an army officer, as Stephanie points out every so often."

"So, you're a leader?" Twilight demands.

"In a fashion, yeah."

Fluttershy declares, "That must have been so exciting!

"If by exciting, you mean filling out reams of paperwork, perusing list upon endless list of names up for promotion, and fighting tooth and nail with politicians over every available dollar, then yeah, it was exciting."

"What's a 'dollar?'"

"It's the currency of the nation I belong to. 'E Pluribis Unem,' 'One Out of Many,' and that garbage. Here, I think I have some still…"

Ana'Ra proceeded to produce a battered billfold from the pocket of his uniform pants. He withdrew a slip of paper from that billfold and showed it to Fluttershy and Princess Twilight. The two ponies couldn't read the text or the numerals on the bill, seeing as the note was seriously wrinkled.

"If you look here, you'll see the pinstripe, a strip of magnetic tape inserted into the bill. And here," Ana'Ra pointed to a section of the note that appeared blank, "if you hold the bill to a light, you'll see a watermark of the portrait on the front. In this case, Benjamin Franklin. There are also embedded red, green, and blue fibers in the bill, and if you look at the portrait carefully, you'll see micro-text embedded there."

The ponies stared at the relic of human economics. He could tell that the Princess was trying to see the microscopic text written in the portraiture on the front of the note. Fluttershy was trying to discern the numbers on the bill.

"What do these numbers mean?"

"That is a Treasury Serial Number. All US currency is given one so it can tracked within the system."

"It feels so light!" Fluttershy enjoins, "Is it made of paper?"

"Not really; it's actually made of a cotton cloth called denim."

"Impressive…" is all Twilight can say.

The rest of the morning was spent eating and helping Ana'Ra learn to move with his new hooves. He was used to walking about on two feet; his new hooves gave him less surface area to maintain proper traction and he kept falling down. Eventually, he started getting the hang of it. He was still a little wobbly, but he was no worse off than a drunkard with a blood alcohol level of point eight.

"I think," Ana'Ra said, "I'm ready for the public. First, though, we had a meeting with this 'Princess Celestia.' Are we still on for that?"

"I've sent The Princess a letter detailing your arrival and subsequent illness. I told her that you would like to meet her, as soon as you were well enough to stand."

"Well, I think now is as good a time as any, eh?"

An hour later, Princess Twilight and her entourage escorted Ana'Ra to Canterlot, Princess Celestia's home and base of power. The other mares in the group were taken aback by the sight of Ana'Ra. Rainbow Dash was trying to hide an appreciable blush, an effect that was uncharacteristic of the stunt-mare; Applejack was as well, yet she couldn't help shooting furtive glances in his general direction. Rarity, on the other hand, was just as offended by his presence as ever. Pinkie Pie seemed neutral in Ana'Ra's estimation. He didn't dare suppose how Flulttershy thought of him. To Princess Twilight, he was a deep well of answers and a new order of study; he wasn't sure he liked that designation.

According to Twilight, The Princess had taken the unusual step of calling on a team of chariots to get Ana'Ra and Princess Twilight to Canterlot. Once they were airborne, he sincerely desired they had taken the Ponyville Express. He had not mentioned when they were making their departure, but Ana'Ra suffered from a severe case of acrophobia. A step stool was often too much for him to climb, so one of his daughters or his wife, while she was alive, would often be asked to grab items from shelves beyond his reach. They winged chariot ride from Ponyville unnerved him to no end.

Thankfully, the ride didn't take all that long, as the crow flies. Soon, Ana'Ra was looking at a castle built into the side of mountain. The Feudalistic spires and ramparts of the palace and it's surrounding districts kept Ana'Ra thinking of his daughter Claudia's design sensibilities. He had to admire that the city itself was well defended; no force could climb the mountain without being seen from on high, and the only other way to circumvent the security of the jagged cliffs was to climb the opposite face. He could see where something had sheared that side of the mountain to make it impassable on foot or by hoof. From what he saw of Equestrain technology, he highly doubted there was the capacity for an enemy nation to mount an aerial assault, short of sending in armed Pegasi.

The chariots soon landed in a central courtyard within the palace itself. Everypony and Ana'Ra disembarked and the Pegasi leading the chariots took again for the air. He looked around at the courtyard, taking in the sights. A low hedge bordered the cloister; Greek pillars stood in a circle around a bubbling fount. The statue mounted to the fountain was of a unicorn standing, head held high, right hoof in proud salute. The area was sealed up by two pairs of heavy, oaken doors, one set facing east, the other set, westward, into the caste itself. He was admiring the marble statuary on a nearby plinth when the double doors from the castle end of the cloister opened up.

From inside, a single figure emerged. The being was like unto the other ponies, but Ana'Ra sensed a power far beyond any reckoning he could imagine. At first, he thought the mare was a Unicorn, like Rarity. Upon further inspection, though, he saw she also had a pair of wings, a combo he thought only existed with Twilight. The mane of The Princess was set in a pastel rainbow and it flowed in an unseen current. She had a crown like Twilight's, but she also had a plated necklace paired to matching vambraces on all four of her legs. Taller than other ponies yet shorter than Ana'Ra by about two feet, she had a commanding aura.

"Good morning, my little ponies," Princess Celestia said, "and a good morning to you, General."

"Beg yer pardon, Ma'am," Ana'Ra said, "but seein' as I have no troopers here with me, you can just call me by by my first name. An officer without soldiers to command is a civilian in a uniform."

"Of course," Celestia agreed, "I wouldn't want it said I was following an errant protocol. Please, everypony, come inside. There is much we must discuss."

Celestia led the way into the palace, taking turns here and there away from more spacious parts of the building. Judging by the look on Twilight's face, she had an idea that they were heading away form any public chamber, like the throne room. Ana'Ra surmised that a visit by an alien from another world or dimension deserved a more cozy audience than most any other kind of meeting. It took some time, but Celestia eventually led them to an antechamber, deep within the recesses of the castle grounds. The room was smaller than most of the chambers and halls that connected it, but it was warm and brightly lit with sunlight. An intimate table, set low to the floor, was the centerpiece of the room and around it were several high back chairs.

"Mr. Ana'Ra, if you would sit here," Celestia said, pointing to a large chair near one of the many windows in the room, "Twilight, sit near me. Everypony else, get a comfortable seat wherever you choose."

There was jockeying for a seat near Ana'Ra, wherein Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy pushed and cajoled for a spot near the half-pony. Strangely enough, the diffident Fluttershy wound up the victor and sat by Ana'Ra's right side. The losers chose places that afforded a view of Ana'Ra and the ruling co-arch.

"Mr. Ana'Ra, it is a pleasure to have you here in our kingdom. It is a pity we couldn't meet earlier." Celestia announced.

"Couldn't be helped, Ma'am. According to a reliable source, I got infected by the 'changing palsy' soon as I wound up here. I wouldn't have been in any mind to see ya in said state. No doubt Princess Twilight informed you of the circumstances?"

"That she has. My faithful student has kept my appraised of your- situation. Her most recent letter informed me of some changes that happened to you. Needless to say, your presence before was startling, even before you took ill, but this new body… it is a sight. I don't believe there is any precedent for this, in all of Equestria's history."

"Believe you me, I didn't any of this would happen to me. As I explained to your- student, one minute I was in Myanmar, next minute, I was here. … Shit!"

"I'm sorry?" Celestia requests.

"Pardon my French, Ma'am. I just… My daughters. I left them back home. I dunno what's gonna happen to 'em now that I'm here, stuck in this- edifice."

"Did you say you have daughters, Mr. Ana'Ra?"

"Yeah, two of 'em. Claudia… and Lydia…"

"Do you miss them?" Celestia implored.

Ana'Ra nodded and took out the holostage Stephanie normally inhabited. He fidgeted with the small control panel on its side, seeking something. After a moment or two, an image appeared of two young girls, smiles stretching ear-to-ear. The older one had magenta eyes, the younger one sported cobalt eyes. Both had flecks of gold in their eyes, a hint of their father. Oddly enough, only Ana'Ra noticed the minor twitch in Celestia's face when the image appeared.

"They are so beautiful, Mr. Ana'Ra." Celestia comments.

"They gets their looks from their mother…"

"Nevertheless, is there anyway I and my sister can be of assistance?"

"A way back home would be good," Ana'Ra says, "Any advice about becoming human again would be good, too."

As soon as Ana'Ra said that, the tune "Human Again" from Beauty and the Beast plays.

"GODDAMN IT, STEPHANIE! We are not in 'random play mode!'"

"My apologies, sir. The reading form your neuralace suggested otherwise."

"What was that voice?" Celestia asked.

"That was Ana'Ra's ancilla, an artificial intelligence he calls Stephanie." Twilight explains.

"And for whatever reason today, she's actin' finicky. On the way here, she had 'Ride of the Valkyries' pumpin' in my ears. Wagner is good, but not when I'm facing imminent peril!"

Celestia laughs, apparently amused by the misplaced musical cue.

"It's alright. That took me by surprise, but it was a welcome surprise. As for your requests, Mr. Ana'Ra, we will do everything in our power to ensure you are returned home as soon as possible. For the now, please enjoy the hospitality of my faithful student and that of Ponyville."

"Much obliged, Ma'am. I guess until all is sorted, I should avail meself of this world's unique atmosphere."

With that, Celestia bowed to Ana'Ra; he likewise did the same. Celestia requested of Twilight to act as emissary for Ana'Ra until such time as provisions could be made for his safe return home. Twilight agreed and her friends also volunteered to help out, though for some it was to a greater or lesser degree than Twilight's assurance.

Upon returning to Ponyville, Twilight arranged for comfortable accommodations for Ana'Ra. Among those resources was a outdoor gym built just behind the Golden Oak Library. The facility was supplied with a sand bag, speed bag, a nautilus machine (or what passed for one in this backwater world), a weight bench, a chin bar, and steam powered treadmill. It took a little for most of these items to be acquired and in the meantime, Ana'Ra was setting up the little hovel that would be his temporary quarters.

After finally getting all the furnishings completed, Ana'Ra decided it was time to get to know the village better. Ponyville being the size it was, he had some difficulty not attracting some manner of attention. His half-pony form was just slightly more acceptable than his human one. Strolling through town, he found, was a little uneasy. Worse still was trying to get through the doors of most buildings. At six feet-eight inches tall, Ana'Ra was a giant to the equine populace.

Eventually, the ponies in town were won over by his personality. As tall as he was, he was surprisingly gentle, although in his current form, he didn't quite a handle on his new strength. Apparently, his half-and-half figure was incredibly strong; he almost ripped the roof of Quills and Sofas when he reached up to procure some parchment for another customer. He was finding his predicament rather frustrating. Shortly after that incident, and the repairs were finished for such, he decided to train himself on his new vitality.

"Stephanie, can you open the media player for me?"

'Yes, sir. One moment… It is open. What did you wish do?

"Queue the music folder and search for The Crystal Method."

'The music folder is queued. Searching… Found, The Crystal Method. Six albums are attributed to this artist. Did you want to listen to one?'

"Actually, I want you to open a song. Search 'Name of the Game.'"

'Searching… Two results are found. The first originates from the album 'Tweekend.' The second comes from the soundtrack for 'Tropic Thunder,' annotated as the 'Tig Ass Bitties Mix.' Which-?'

"From the 'Tropic Thunder' soundtrack."

'Queuing… the song is loaded. Should I apply any presets or effects, sir?'

"Yes, load up full bass and trouble and modify with Surround Sound."

'Applying effects… Ready to play. Shall I begin?'

"Hit me with bass from the set up!"

The song starts with Tom Morello's signature licks and Ana'Ra begins with to train. The heavy bag is his target and he repeatedly kicks and punches it with full force. The song throbs in the open air and it catches the attention of a certain Pegasus in flight. She flies down to get a better look.

"Whoa, nelly, what's goin' on here?" Rainbow Dash asks,

"Trainin'. Damn near ripped the roof off Quills and Sofas, so I need to get a handle on my power."

"Can I help?"

"Nice of you to ask… but, I don't wanna hurt nopony. Just keep clear."

Rainbow Dash does as Ana'Ra suggests, landing next to a nearby tree and just watches. As the song progresses, Ana'Ra quotes the voice over work, which confuses Dash quite a bit. Yet, for as confused as Dash is about what Ana'Ra is saying, she can't help but watch him train. The rain of blows on the heavy bag echos in the small space; she even feels it in her bones when a particular punch or kick is landed. The half-pony does several acrobatic maneuvers that rival anything Dash has ever done. The entire session seems like one long dance session, interspersed with violence. When the song ends, Ana'Ra stops. His coat is now slick with sweat and his mane plasters to his back. He looks satisfied, though.

"I'm a lead farmer, motherfucker!"

"Wow. That was the coolest set of stunts I've ever seen!"

Ana'Ra nods, saying, "I may not have been a world class athlete back home, but I held my own. A decade of combat has made me flexible, too."

"I would love to try moves like that." Dash impugns.

"I could teach ya…" Ana'Ra replies.

Dash responds enthusiastically, "That. Would be. So. AWESOME!"

Ana'Ra motions for her to come close and he shows her his skills in martial combat. For half an hour, he and Dash are master and pupil. When Dash perfects his spinning kicks, she asks for more. He obliges, showing her a bicycle kick, his patented Guillotine Cyclone Strike, a side-to-side high kick, and finally, a simple juggle move. She perfects each one as he shows them to her.

"Well, it seems I have a promising student on my hands!"

"Ah, man! That was way cooler than anything the Wonderbolts have ever done! Like 200% cooler!"

Ana'Ra chuckles, "I thought 200% was a statistical impossibility. Damn, I'm starting to sound like Dr. Sheldon Cooper!"

Without warning, Dash has got her muzzle pressed to his face, a kiss planted on his midnight colored coat. One of her hoofs is making toying spirals on his chest. Surprised, Ana'Ra does the only thing he knows to do in this situation: he pushes Rainbow Dash off him.

"WHAT DA FUQUE?!"

Dash looks unperturbed. She rushes him, both her forelegs outstretched as if to embrace him. Ana'Ra side steps the assault. She, in turn, does a hairpin turn and comes at him again. This time, Ana'Ra braces for the attack, planting his hooves deep into the ground, and pushes forward just as Dash is about to connect with him. She smacks into his back and is sent spiraling to the ground. She lands with a muffled thud.

"Now what's the big idea?!"

Dash stands up, braced to fly at him again, but he uses his longer limbs to his advantage. He plants a hand on her forehead, effectively stopping her in her tracks.

"The- idea- is- you- me- hookin' up! What's- the big- deal- huh?"

Ana'Ra pushes her away. The idea of 'hooking up' with one of these creatures is repugnant to him, even if in his current form, he's finding some of the mares more and more attractive.

"The deal is, I still haven't worked out if this transformation is permanent or not. I can't even think of having a relationship, physical, emotional, or otherwise, with anypony yet!"

"Wait- What do ya mean? I thought you were flirting with me!"

"Fli- flirting? ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?! I was teaching ya some of the skills I've learned and I think I was HITTING YOU?! Let me ask you something, Skittles, did you hit every branch of the Stupid Tree on your way down or were you just lucky that way?"

Rainbow Dash, insulted and hurt, flies off. Ana'Ra sees tears flying off her face as she rushes by. Immediately, he feels a pang of regret. He didn't mean to be insulting like that. He got angry… Well, that was just perfect. he thinks, I let me anger get the better of me. Why DID I get so mad? I haven't lashed out like that since fuckin' high school! What the Hell is wrong with me?

"Ana'Ra?!"

It's Twilight Sparkle. He can only think she must have heard the tussle and has come out to see what caused it.

"Back here, Your Highness."

Twilight rushes to the scene, Spike hot on her hooves. She stops just as Ana'Ra plops down on an ancient bale of hay. The whole scene with RD has drained him, physically and emotionally.

"What happened? I thought I heard you and Rainbow Dash arguing."

"We were. She wanted me to show her some of my moves. One thing lead to another, and then she was kissing me."

Twilight got an impish look in her eyes before Ana'Ra waved her off.

"I dunno how she got that I was hittin' on her. I- I kinda exploded on her. I don't even know why I was so mad! I insulted her hardcore. Methinks an apology is order."

"I would think so!" Twilight growls, "What gives you the right to hurt my friends?"

"We humans are cruel creatures. We stand our heroes on pedestals then when they make a simple mistake, we tear them down, sickle, scythe, and hook. It's no excuse for what I did, Twilight. It's not even a reason for what happened. Something about the situation… I dunno."

Twilight's attitude softened. It appeared to her that Ana'Ra was seriously remorseful about his outburst. And given his current state, much might be going on in his mind that could cause him emotional duress. Any pony in his position would most likely be stressed beyond comparison.

"Are you okay?"

Ana'Ra nods, then says, "Stephanie, play 'Song of Storms,' the Living Tombstone remix, please."

"Yes, sir. Should I begin playback?"

"Yes."

"Ana'Ra?"

"Tomorrow, could you arrange for Skittles to come by. Tell her I owe her an apology. And maybe a cupcake."

Rainbow Dash got her apology, just as Ana'Ra said he would do. She was shocked to just hear from after his tirade the day before, but was nonetheless willing to forgive him. She, too, has supposed that his stress level was at a peak and his behavior was just an outlet for the combined frustration and alienation he was feeling. Rainbow Dash, the self-professed coolest of cool, knew EXACTLY how that felt. She also promised to not attack like she did before. She made that promise with a blush to her cheeks.

In the weeks that followed, Ana'Ra began to work in an around Ponyville. ONe day, he would be out at Fluttershy's cottage, trying to convince Harry the Bear that the medicine in his hand was safe and tasty for ursine folk. (Safe, yes, tasty, maybe not so much.) The next day, he was helping Rarity with repairs to the Boutique. He got around, keeping himself busy while he waited for Celestia to come up with a solution to his unique problems.

One day, roughly a month after landing himself in Equestria, He was hard at work baling hay at Sweet Apple Acres. He and Big MacIntosh, Applejack's brother, where filling up the family barn. Ana'Ra openly admitted to being a city kid, a fact not lost on Big Mac.

"Haven't been on a farm before, huh?"

"Can't say that I have. It's more fun than I imagined it to be, even if I'm wearin' myself down to tinderhooks…"

"I woulda thought you city-folk kinda adverse to manual labor."

"Most are; I ain't. Builds character, ya know? 'Sides, it's better than watching 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.' What tripe…!"

"'Fraid I didn't foller that last bit."

"Don't worry 'bout it. 'Tis a waste o' time, if'n ya ask me."

"Eeyup."

A ringing tone causes Big Mac to stop. Ana'Ra follows suit, looking towards the Apple Family homestead. Applejack is on the front porch, swinging away on a triangle, which is the source of the sound.

"Soup's on, everypony!"

Both the stallion and the halfa rush towards the house, Big Mac slipping in easy, while Ana'Ra has to duck, squeeze, and twist his way through the door. He doesn't succeed in getting through. Halfway in and halfway out, he is caught, his frame stuck on the lentil.

"I'm sorry, sugar cube. Looks like yer gonna need to take this outside." Applejack laments.

"'It's cool. May need a little help getting unstuck, though…"

Applejack sighs, though she does so with a smile. She plants her head on one of his knees and pushes. When it its proven Ana'Ra can't be moved this way, Big Mac comes in to help. Between the two country ponies, Ana'Ra spills out of the doorway. He would have squashed Apple Bloom, if she hadn't ducked out of the way at the last minute.

"Plus ten for dodgin', Little Bloom. Ain't you supposed to be in school, though?"

"We had a half day today. Me an' the Cutie Mark Crusaders are meetin' later to try get our cutie marks!"

"Well, that explains that."

Applejack pokes her head out of the door at the sound of her little sister's voice, "Well, you better get on in an' get some supper, first. An' ya still got chores ta do."

"'Kay, Applejack!" Bloom says as she rushes into the hosue.

"Well, I reckon we should send yer supper to the barn, eh, Ana'Ra?"

Ana'Ra picks himself off the ground and dusts off himself off, "Can't think of a better solution. It's been forever an'a lifetime since I ate al fresco… This breeze feels good and don't think I mind a little outdoor ambiance."

Applejack smiles, saying, "You sure say a lotta funny words."

Ana'Ra calls up his best impression of Alan Rickman, "'And when Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer.' Benefits of a classical education."

Applejack giggles at the impression, a rosette forming on her cheeks.

"I'll be in the barn, darlin'."

He trots over to the barn, where a hay bale is stacked just right for Ana'Ra to sit on. He plops onto it, minding his hooves. His legs are seemingly longer now then when he was human, making him far lankier than before. He was beginning to feel a bit like the Victorian Era maids, who had to sit in a certain fashion or be ostracized from society.

"I brought yer supper." Applejack says, coming around the corner of the barn doors.

Ana'Ra jumps with a start, but settles down, saying, "Dag, Ayjay, way to give a guy cardiac dysfunction!"

"Didn't mean ta scare ya. Kinda thought you were all ready a eat."

"Aw, no worries. Now, watta we got here? Collared greens, tomatoes, garlic croutons, and, do my eyes deceive me, blueberries?"

"Eeyup!"

She places his supper dish in his hands, and in quick fluid motion, plants a minute peck on his cheek.

"Somethin' to think about…" she says, and adds a wink.

Ana'Ra is left to sit there, completely nonplussed.

Several days the Applejack Incident, Ana'Ra was helping Fluttershy with some much needed repairs. A surprise storm swept through the Everfree Forest the night before. Fluttershy's cottage survived with damage minimal but her chicken coop and other animal pens were total wrecks. Ana'Ra was erecting new fences and fixing shingles back on shelters while the animal wrangler handled her lost and frightened charges.

He was just putting the finishing touches on the reptile house. The wood siding had been ripped off in the gale winds and he was replacing those and adding paint when he saw Fluttershy disappear into the woods. He remembered her admonition to steer clear of the forest proper; he didn't know why she wondered into it willingly but he felt she shouldn't have gone in alone. He tacked up one more plank of wood for the building, then followed Fluttershy int the wild.

He caught sight of her not three minutes after entering the forbidden woods. She was making her way down a path that led further and further westward. A minute or two of walking in her wake and saw where she gone to. In the midst of the Everfree was a clear pool of water, supplied by a running waterfall. The place was secluded due to a large patch of brambles that protected the place. As he surveyed the grounds, he saw Fluttershy swim into the depths of the pool. She waded out far into the depths before dropping behind the waterfall. He lost sight of her there.

Following the shoreline to a point where he see past the waterfall, he saw something he never thought he would witness. Fluttershy was laid out on an outcropping behind the falls. Her mane and tail were sopping wet, as was her coat, but those weren't the only things soaked. Out of fascination, Ana'Ra watched as she brought a hoof to her dripping marehood, rubbing the swollen mound of her sex in a rhythmic motion.A minute passed, then two, a whole ten minutes passed as he lay witness to Fluttershy masturbating. He was wholly unaware that he, too, was abasing himself.

He wasn't sure when it happened, but sometime between the moment she touched her labia and the first of her climaxes he managed to whip out his penis. It was throbbing and erect, pulsing maddeningly with Fluttershy's self-arousal. Ana'Ra had never in his life touched himself this way and his first stroke sent ripples of pleasure through him. While she moaned and panted, he grunted quietly as he continued to stroke. Before he could climax, though, Fluttershy became aware of a presence near her sanctuary. He froze with both fear and shame as she stood up on her hooves and checked the grounds around.

"H-hello, is anypony there?"

Ana'Ra didn't want to answer. He didn't know how to explain himself if the golden Pegasus. He very well couldn't say the truth; watching somepony in an act of intimacy was not socially acceptable.

"Hello? Anypony, somepony, nopony?"

Still, Ana'Ra refused to answer.

"Ana'Ra, is that you?"

SHIT!

Ana'Ra had no choice now. He was caught and no explanation would convince the Pegasus otherwise of why he was here.

"I'm here," he said, stepping out from a thicket of brambles, his erection partially covered by foliage, "Listen, Miss Fluttershy, I can explain…"

She giggled, oblivious to his current state of duress.

"Would you come here? If- if you want."

Ana'Ra came as bidden, using a small patch of shoreline to meet her behind the waterfall.

"Y-yes, Miss Fluttershy?"

In a sultry whisper, she asks him, "Did you enjoy the show?"

He said nothing, but his face flared up as heat rushed from his member to his head.

Fluttershy toed a piece of the outcropping, her face in a grin of sheer delight, "I was hoping you would find this place. I come here in order to unwind. Oh, sure, a spa treatment with Rarity can be relaxing, but sometimes I need a little more than that to truly get relaxed."

She traced his aching member with a hoof, lightly pressing on the veins that filled it with blood.

"To be perfectly honest, I've always wanted to be with a fine stallion. I just never had the courage to talk to one. You know, timid little Fluttersy? I've also never been with a stallion before… It's kinda embarrassing because even Rainbow Dash has slept with a stallion, well, he was really colt, just like she was just a filly back then, but still! Then you came along. I've- I've never felt this way about anypony before. Well, there was that time in college when I had a thing for Rarity…"

"Fluttershy, are you gonna go on, or are you gonna kiss me?" Ana'Ra asks.

She needs no further prompting. Soon, half-pony and Pegasus are legitimately sucking face. Fluttershy has had some practice, as Ana'Ra soon finds. The pair make out as the waterfall rages on, all thought bent on each other. After a few minutes, Fluttershy breaks away, her face flustered and her breath shortened.

"Ana'Ra, I know you aren't a proper stallion, but would make me very happy and make me a proper mare?"

"I would be honored." he says.

Fluttershy turns to reveal her swelling sex and Ana'Ra notes that her labia is now three times the size it was when she was touching herself. His erection, in turn, is even more turgid than it was a moment ago.

"Remember, this is my first time, so please, be gentle."

"As you wish, milady." he replies.

He straddles her hip, his manhood dangling away from her. His hands grasp her flanks and he raises himself just enough to where the head of his member is just touching her revealed genitals.

"This may hurt a little. If it gets to be too much, let me know."

Ana'Ra slides his erection slowly into Fluttershy, easing his length along her sopping core. She doesn't wince or grimace the whole time; she truly is trooper for taking his entire length. When he has himself inserted all the way tot he root he stops. He asks her if she's okay so far and she tells him she's alright. He then rears back, reminding himself that this a lot like the doggy style position except he is making love to a pony, not a woman. Memories of Natalie flood his mind, but they are muddy, fuzzy. He banishes them for the moment, sure that if he continues to linger on them, he would not have the wherewithal to continue.

He thrusts back in, at quarter speed at first. He builds a pace that she she can handle and when she asks for him to go faster, he hardly hesitates. Soon, the pair are bucking into each other, lost in the bliss of sexual congress. She has lost count on the number of ecstasies she has had. He is pounding into her with wild abandon, all but oblivious to the world around him that isn't Fluttershy. When her final climax comes around, Ana'Ra finds he can no longer keep himself pent up. With a final thrust and a wailing, moaning grunt, he expends himself into her core, spilling load after load of his precious seed.

Spent, exhausted, the pair collapse onto the outcropping. Fluttershy is searching for breath; her last orgasm cleared out all the air in her lungs. Ana'Ra is exhausted and his legs feel like jelly laced with lead. It's a wonder he is even conscious. A heaviness comes over his eyelids and before he can stop, he is fast asleep…

"Ana'Ra, Ana'Ra, are you awake?"

Ana'Ra is startled alert by the soft, silken voice. His eyes are bleary but he can tell by the diminished light in the day that several hours have passed. His hindquarters are sore from laying on the outcropping and his mouth has formed a cotton-like texture.

"Bwah! What time is it?"

"It's almost night fall. We must have dozed after…"

Ana'Ra nods. His memory is sometimes suspect, but on this, he has complete recall.

"We should be heading back. We don't wanna be out here after dark."

Fluttershy nods, saying, "Yes, we need to get back, quickly. Follow me; my trail is the one that leads here safely. We should still be able to see it with whatever light is left."

They both stand up, Fluttershy on four hooves, Ana'Ra on two, and they follow a path that is clearly marked. It appears that Fluttershy has used this path many times in the past. Once past the brambles, they begin to talk. For most part, the talk is light. There is a subtext hidden in their speech. Both want to acknowledge what they just did. Neither knows how the other feels. Their path is uncertain, but there one thing they both know, it is this: one can not live without the other.

When they arrive back at the her cottage, she invites Ana'Ra to stay the night. He says he doesn't want to impose, but she insists. Because of the lateness of the hour, Fluttershy warns him not awaken her pet bunny, Angel. He doesn't know why she tells him this. All is made evident when they enter her cottage. He makes his way to the couch on the ground floor, but she touches his arm and gives him a wink. He follows her with his eyes as she heads for the stairs. She turns towards him and a "come hither" look is upon her. He grasps the notion firmly, following her up to her second story bedroom. Once there, all pretense of civility as lost as they make love again for the second time.

In the morning, Ana'Ra is still wrapped up in Fluttershy's legs. She has dreamy look on her face, a look he recognizes as a "just got laid" look. He nuzzles her muzzle, staring intently into her cyan eyes. He mouths the words, "I love you." And she mouths back, "I love you, too."

"Tia, is it true? Did you see him?"

Celestia confesses, "It's true. I did see him, Lulu. After all this time, he's come back."

Lulu cries, her tears flowing down her muzzle.

"I don't believe it! Was he okay? Did we save him?"

"Yes and no."

"What do you mean? Either we saved him or we didn't!"

"He's alive, Luna, oh so alive! But, White Rabbit Object- It's gotten a hold of him. He is already changing."

Gasping, Luna says, "No! Not Papa…"

"Don't fret, Luna. Father is alive. And very soon, he will be like us. Very soon indeed, we will be one big happy family again!"