Finally I was back in my snuggly clothes! They were a tad stiff, having not been through a tumble drier after being washed, but at least I wasn't sitting half naked anymore. I couldn't help but fidget with the sleeves a little bit though; they felt kinda rough around the wrists.
"There you go," said Rarity gleefully, "good as new! Or if not new, then at least clean."
"I really appreciate all the effort you went through, Rarity," I responded. "You really are a great person---uh, pony."
A little hint of red around her cheeks shone through her snow white coat. "That's awfully kind of you to say, Summers," she spoke through her fluster. "What are friends for if not to help each other out?"
I was stunned. I was speechless. Why are these ponies considering me their friend after being with them for half an hour? Is it something common here? Social norm? Something that preaches that peace makes the world go around?
Why can't humans be like that?
As generous as she was, I couldn't just leave it at that. "Please, Rarity," I said, "there must be something I can do for you? Anything to repay you?"
As soon as I had asked, she began to look around the room. I followed in her stead, trying to find something that needed doing or tidying. But nothing. Folded lengths of cloth sat in neat piles upon shelving cabinets, tables and chairs were tucked under and straightened, and the lines of custom made dresses lined upon mannequins were all fit to perfection -- not a single thing stuck out.
"There's nothing that I need doing…" she paused for a moment. "If you want to help, then you can always check to see if Sweetie Belle needs a hoof with anything."
A rather small request, but nothing that wasn't worth doing. "Sure I will," I accepted. I stood to my feet and pulled down on the bottom of my shirt to get it to sit properly before making my way to the stairs.
"Shoes off, if you please," called Rarity from behind me. I gave a sigh, quickly slipping them off before climbing the steps.
I was met with light lilac and pale marble white colours as I ascended the steps to the first floor. The entire floor was wide, spacious, never feeling claustrophobic. I turned the corner as I reached the step, the floorboard creaking ever slightly with a low groan. Three doors flanked the hallway; two on the right, and one on the left. The left was wide open, letting a passage of faint light into the hallway.
Slowly I made way to it, and peered around the frame as I stuck my head and chest slightly into the room. Sweetie Belle was tucked into the wardrobe head first, squirming and wriggling to the rhythm of heavy grunts. Was she looking for something? Or was she just trying to get something out of the wardrobe?
"Sweetie Belle?" I called out. She let out a squeak as her body jumped up, her head knocking against something that loomed a little above her. She began to shift back a little, planting her hooves on the foot of the wardrobe to help her push back. With gentle shuffling noises, her head popped out from the mess. "Do you need help with anything?" I asked.
"Um… Yeah. Kinda," she responded softly. Her eyes kept shifting between me and whatever was inside the wardrobe. "The sleeping bag is a lil stuck, and I can't get it out."
I smiled, humoured by her cute, embarrassed little eyes, yet I found myself feeling a little sorry for her too. "Don't worry," I said, "I'll get it out for ya."
I scooted her over a bit to the side as I got myself down on my knees -- something I found a little bit painful after all the trips and tumbles I'd taken recently. She wasn't joking when she said it was stuck; there was so much stuff stacked on top one-another that I was astonished she didn't end up burying herself alive in it all.
Still. I am a man. I will make do -- without moving anything or in any other way making my life easier or more convenient. That is what men do.
With one arm I shovelled under all of the clothes and random bits of furniture, hoisting everything up and keeping it balanced and held in place with my forearm, while I gripped the sleeping bag with my other hand and tugged on it bit by bit. At first it wasn't budging even a little, but with each forceful pull I felt it inch closer and closer to me.
But by that time, my other arm was starting to ache. And I could feel a moth crawling on my hand.
"I'll help," Sweetie Belle said from beside me. "I'll lift the stuff up, and you pull."
"Sure thing," I responded with a smirk as I took my hand off of the rolled up sleeping bag, carefully edging it towards her with the moth still perched on the back of it. "Hold this for me, would you?"
Sweetie Belle drew her head closer but, as the little moth began to move, quickly jumped back, screeching something fierce and ear-piercing, her voice cracking as she reached a deafening pitch. The moth, equally startled, pounced off my hand and into the air, fluttering around is small, quick circles before making a winding flight path towards the open window.
"That wasn't funny, Jamie!" the heavy breathing filly cried out, totally not humoured in any way.
"I thought it was," I voiced my thoughts. "Don't worry, Sweetie Belle. There aren't any more bugs in here. I hope."
"… Fine," she huffed, likely reluctant to get close to the wardrobe again in fear of another prank. Quickly she buried her head under the pile of junk as my arm kept it up for her. Slowly I took my arm away, making sure that the load wasn't too much for her to bear. She seemed to be okay with it; she didn't strain to keep the pile up. Quickly I grasped the rolled up sleeping bag with both hands and pulled as much as I could. With each tug I felt it budge an inch or so. With a few more pulls I was able to get it a third of the way out.
"Almost got it," I spoke out. Taking a step back, I used whatever leverage I could in my arms, my shoulder, my back, and my legs to give it a huge yank. With a loud sliding sound, the sleeping bag pulled out to half way. "You can relax now, Sweetie Belle. This thing's pretty much out."
With a little grunt, Sweetie Belle let the pile fall back down with a tumbling sound as the stuff fell down behind the sleeping bag. She then gripped the front edge of the roll with her teeth, pulling it alongside me as the rest quickly slid out and onto the carpet.
"Well that was a tad bit of a pain," I uttered through strained breaths as I wiped a hand across my brow, wiping away a bead of sweat.
The both of us jumped in unison as the bedroom door slammed open. Rarity stood just beyond the frame, her eyes piercing into the room with a violent glare. "What is going on in here!?" she shouted, though it sounded more like a light scolding than anything else. "I heard Sweetie Belle scream!"
"It's nothing, Rarity," assured Sweetie Belle. "There was just a moth in the wardrobe."
Without even a thought of concern, Rarity's expression morphed back into her cheerful, lady-like manner. "Oh. Well, in that case, carry on." she sang, casually taking her leave as though nothing had ever happened.
I'm not gonna lie; she scares me. And that's without stalking me for hugs.
"Thanks for the help, by the way," said Sweetie Belle from beside me, snapping me from my thoughts, "but I think I can handle the rest."
"You sure?" I asked.
"I may be small, but I can still get stuff done." She dragged the sleeping bag to the center of the room and quickly undone the buckles that kept it compact. With a couple of nudges with her snout, the bag unrolled across the floor. "Wasn't that hard, was it?"
True enough. I expect it to be a bigger pain than that. At least that's how my own sleeping bag likes to be.
I smirked and chuckled softly. "No, I guess it wasn't," I admitted. Looking down at the white and violet-trimmed bag, I scanned it from top to bottom. It definitely seemed to be big enough to fit me inside. Perhaps a little too big. "So… Rarity said that I'll be sleeping in here with you, right?"
"Yeah. I guess…" Sweetie Belle didn't seem sure or certain. I'm fairly sure she was certain that I would be in her room for some time; I think she just wasn't certain it was a good idea.
And to be honest, neither did I.
"Not comfy with having me in your room, huh?" I guessed.
Her body froze up a little. "Well… Um… Kinda. I normally sleep by myself, and… I just dunno what to make of having a stranger sleeping in my room."
"Don't worry," I replied, petting her on her little fluffy head, "I don't actually eat ponies like you think I do."
"Hmmm… Okay." She looked up past my hand, with a small smile on that tiny muzzle of hers. And then she asked me for something that, though it didn't surprise me, I didn't think she would ask so quick. "If you're gonna stay with us… then how about a hug?"
I didn't reply -- not because I didn't have an answer, but because someone interrupted me before I could say anything.
"Hugs?" I heard Rarity's cheery voice call from the hallway. She stood at the door with a smile of her own. "Why, if you're giving out hugs then don't leave me out of it!"
I never offered hugs! Sweetie Belle was the one who brought it up!
"Hey! Maybe I'll get my cutie mark for best hugs!" Sweetie Belle cried out.
Before I could even so much as mouth an objection, I felt her little yet disproportionately strong forelegs wrap around my abdomen, squeezing whatever air I had in my lungs. She wasn't nearly as strong before when she was thumping on my tummy. As I gasped for air, I felt Rarity's own grip around my upper chest. Not only did I have no air but now I also had no blood going to my head.
I felt like I was high. High on cuddles.