The Return Home
Chapter 14
It's been eight months into Anon's deployment to the Crystal Empire. The deployment was supposed to last six months, but there was an issue. While on vacation to Saddle Arabia, 1st Lieutenant Sugar Cane's family, including her, got a case of the camel flu (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome-related coronavirus). Sugar Cane didn't get a severe case, but her grandparents did. This resulted in their untimely deaths overseas. The rest of the family was sick for weeks. The vacation occurred toward the end of her time off. Due to the responsibility of caring for sick family members, arranging two funerals, and allowing time for recovery, two months had passed by the time it was over.
Anon didn't mind the extended stay. It allowed him to think about the future of his relationship with Princess Celestia more rather than pushing it to the back of his mind. However, even in the days leading up to his return to Canterlot, Anon barely thought about it. So, he sent a letter to Captain Tempest Shadow requesting two days off before returning to his post. What surprised him was that Captain Shadow approved the request. Anon decided to spend his two days off in Ponyville. He thought spending a few days in the peaceful town to see old friends he hadn't seen in over three years would be good. Also, he can think about how to move forward with Celestia. He knows sooner than later, he'll have to confront these feelings. He didn't let anyone know of his return.
Today, Anon prepares to leave the Crystal Empire. He quietly packs up all of his gear. It's not long before he's packed and ready to go. The last thing he does is strap his shield to his backpack. Then, he is ready to go and makes his way to Arena 3.
As he walks through the castle halls and the streets, the ponies greet him with warm faces. Anon has become a popular fixture in the Crystal Empire for eight months, not because of his species or personal relationship with the Imperial Family, but because of his relationship with citizens. He attended Velvet Crystal Dinner Bar almost every day. They found it entertaining to give Anon crystal-based alcohol, which is much stronger than plant-based alcohol.
Eventually, he arrives at the arena. As he approaches the 35th Corona Battalion, 2nd Lieutenant Thunder Storm calls his fellow troops to attention. There is a sound of 500 soldiers snapping to attention. They salute Anon, who salutes back. After a brief moment, he calls them to stand "at ease."
"Good morning, everyone!" Anon shouts.
"Good morning, sir!" the soldiers replied.
"Today is the day I return to Canterlot, the crown jewel of Equestria, the nation we love and proudly serve! Serving alongside some of the Royal Guard's best soldiers has been an honor! For that, I commend every single one of you! I'll ensure that Princess Celestia knows how excellent the 35th Corona Battalion performs! We've trained, bled, and fought together! I'll ensure that the little thing we practiced over the past few months is passed on to Princess Celestia to see what she thinks! Thank you for letting me serve alongside you!"
Anon snaps to attention and salutes the 35th. They return to attention and salute him back. Right about then, Anon hears hoofsteps behind him. He turns and sees 1st Lieutenant Sugar Cane. Her light-green tail switches as Anon looks down at her.
"I didn't expect to see you today," Anon says.
"I decided to come by a few hours early," she replies.
"Couldn't wait to get back to it, could you?"
"You could say that, Anon. How were the troops?"
"Solid group. It's a little rowdy around crystal alcohol, but I completely understand. It's good shit."
"Oh, yeah. It's the best around. Send me a letter if you want some. I can put in a good word at one of the bars to get you some."
"Thanks, Sugar Cane. If you don't mind, I'll say goodbye to the troops and head to the station."
"Sure, go on ahead."
Sugar Cane orders her troops to break the formation. They give Anon hugs, wish him luck back home, and wish him safe travels. Some of the mares burst into tears. Anon rolls his eyes but remembers that ponies are more emotional than humans are. This goes on for about twenty minutes before Anon leaves for the station. He puts on his backpack and makes his way to the train station.
When Anon arrives at the station, Shining Armor, Cadance, and 1st Lieutenant Silver Quartz await him. The conductor helps other passengers with loading their luggage. Anon looks at the large clock that hangs above the platform. It's 8:25 a.m. There are five minutes before the train leaves.
"I was beginning to think you weren't going to come," Shining Armor teases.
"I needed to say goodbye to the 35th Corona Battalion before I left. Besides, I'm sure you'd make sure the train didn't leave before I arrived," Anon answers.
"That's a fair assessment. Do you have everything?" Cadance asks jokingly.
"What are you, my mom? Yes, I do!" Anon laughs.
"She's making sure you don't leave anything behind," Silver Quartz says, sounding almost serious.
"Don't worry about me. I have all the essentials. Everything else, I can buy again in Canterlot if I forget something."
"Before you go, we have a little gift for you," Cadance announces.
She uses her magic to give Anon the small gift bag. Anon opened it and pulled out a large bottle of Tripache Emerald Bourbon. This is the strongest and most expensive bourbon in the Crystal Empire. The high price is due to how rare the tripache emerald is. Anon gawks at the dark green liquid.
"No fucking way," Anon gasps.
"We thought you'd like that. The castle storeroom has quite a few bottles that Shining Armor has bought over the years," Cadance explains.
"A bottle of this goes for 2,500 bits! Thank you so much!"
"Our pleasure, Anon."
There is a moment of silence between the small group until the conductor's booming voice pierces the noisy atmosphere platform.
"All aboard!" he shouts.
"Well, I better get going. Thank you for everything," Anon announces.
"You're welcome. Have a safe trip," Cadance says.
Anon squats down and shakes Shining Armor's hoof. Then, he gives a small hug to Cadance. Lastly, he turns to Silver. Anon reaches out and pats her on the helmet. Besides tough love, Silver is confused because he has never shown her affection in the past eight months.
"You are a good kid, Silver. Keep your head high, and keep moving forward. Make sure that brother yours stays in line while you are at it."
"I will, Anon."
Anon stands up and gets on the train. Then, he goes to find a seat. He takes a window seat and sets his backpack next to him. The train's whistle blows twice. Within moments, the train begins to move. Anon waves one last time at the three ponies as the station slowly moves past him.
Captain Tempest Shadow is in her office, reading the latest news reports worldwide. She does this when she has nothing to do except sit or avoid an administrative task.
In the Middle Eastern nation of Saddle Arabia, King Muhammad al-Alamein and Queen Hanin announced their second pregnancy. Of course, the nation rejoices at the announcement of the Arabian Royal Family adding another member. This is coming on the heels of the 1,200-year anniversary of the country's founding.
In Mínótária, the kingdom of the minotaurs, two major clans cease fighting after King Drengr acts as an arbiter to settle the bloody dispute. The Wæmunding and Völsung clans were fighting because a surveyor, who was paid off by the Völsung chieftain, Sigfus Illugisson, to adjust the land border between the two clans by almost two hundred acres. Ultimately, when the surveyor would turn in the new map, King Drengr would sign off on the borders, as is his job. When the Wæmunding chieftain, Ærnmund Eilifsson, found out about this betrayal, they started the bloody clan war, which Mínótária is no stranger to. The solution? Cheiftan Sigfus has to surrender his position to his 17-year-old son, Åsumnd Sigfusson, and give the land back to the Wæmunding Clan and then some. Tempest rolls her eyes at the news because she dislikes minotauran politics and their ferocious nature.
In the underwater/surface nation of Hipogryfy, Queen Novo announces that her daughter, Princess Skystar, has graduated from the Hipogryfian Royal Defense Forces Academy. There is a picture of the young hippogriff princess in a ceremonial military uniform. Tempest is confused at this because Skystar is a prominent peace advocate. She called for reducing the HRDF's size to relieve tensions with the Dragon Kingdom and their leader, Lady Ember. Her pleas fell on deaf ears, and her mother installed conscription for both male and female hippogriffs in the Hipogryfian Ground Self-Defense Forces (HGSDF). Tempest assumes that Skystar "joining" the Academy in the first place was by force as punishment for speaking out against her mother.
The news that concerned Tempest is from the Griffin Empire. The grand vizier, Gilga, appointed former Griffin Imperial Army Commander Granger to the throne. Six months earlier, the official report said King Grover the Second had died due to unknown causes. Commander Granger, Grand Vizier Gilga, and their small band of followers had been long-time opponents of Grover the Second due to his positive sentiments towards the pony immigrants and advocating an official alliance with Equestria after centuries of distrust and violence. When news of King Grover II's passing reached Equestria, most Equestrian officials theorized that Gilga, Granger, and their followers had assassinated the late King so that an anti-pony king could seize power. However, that theory was never proven to be fact. Tempest didn't expect Granger to take power. It would've made sense for the grand vizier, the second-most powerful griffin in the Empire, to become King and have Granger become the commanding officer over the Imperial Griffin Army.
As Tempest is lost in thought, someone knocks on the door. She puts down her newspaper on her desk.
"Come in!" Tempest orders.
The door opens, and Tempest's desk sergeant, Sergeant Major Brick Wall, pokes his head in.
"Excuse me, Captain. Princess Celestia is here to see you," he says.
"Thank you, Sergeant Major. Send her in," Tempest orders.
Princess Celestia enters and closes the door behind her a few moments later. Tempest stands up and salutes her.
"As you were, Captain," Celestia orders.
"What can I do for you, Your Highness?" Tempest asks as she sits back down.
Princess Celestia doesn't answer at first. She merely looks down and uses her hoof to poke at the floor. Tempest flattens her gaze out of annoyance. Just because her commander-in-chief could send her to the sun or moon doesn't mean she couldn't get on Tempest's nerves.
"Do you know when 1st Lieutenant Anonymous is supposed to arrive?" Princess Celestia finally asks.
"No, Your Highness, I don't. 1st Lieutenant requested the next two days off for 'rest and recuperate' from his two-month overstay in the Crystal Empire. I gave it to him because he's probably using the two days off to finish his deployment report," Tempest explains.
"Okay. Thank you for letting me know. I want to make sure he's safe."
"With all due respect, I don't think Anon's safety should be at the top of your priorities."
Princess Celestia's concerned look dissipates, and a look of confusion replaces it.
"What are you talking about?" she asks.
Tempest turns the newspaper she is reading around and points to the article that details Granger being appointed the King of the Griffin Empire. Princess Celestia quickly reads the article. She automatically becomes worried.
"This doesn't make sense. Why would Grand Vizier Gilga appoint Commander Granger to be King? I thought he was Gilga's subordinate," Princess Celestia says.
"He wants Granger to be a puppet king, maybe," Tempest suggests.
"Perhaps. Maybe it's because Grand Vizier Gilga and Commander Granger's late father, General Gilbert, were close, and he wanted to honor him by placing his son in power."
"What does your informant say?"
"My informant doesn't know much about the Anti-Groverites. They aren't exactly keen on revealing their innermost secrets to random griffins. All the informant could tell me was her contact in the Anti-Groverites said they were plotting something to claim power over the Griffin Empire."
"We should activate some of the Royal Guard Reserve Corps, just in case. Knowing Granger, he will try to start a war with us or our allies."
"That might not be a good idea. If information about us activating even just a division of the reserves reaches the Griffin Empire just because we think they'll start a war, it might break down the little diplomacy we have with them. The nobles will also have a fit if we do something like that based on a hunch."
"Fair enough, but I couldn't give a damn what those nobles think. They are over-pompous cowards with silver spoons firmly shoved up their asses who think the EAF is theirs to command."
"Captain. Watch what you say about the nobles."
"Seriously, Your Highness? Anonymous, a low-ranking commissioned officer, can get away with the same opinion about those same nobles, but I get reprimanded. Some might say you let your relationship with Anon get in the way of discipline."
"Excellent point. Perhaps I have been a little too lenient with Anon."
"Mm-hmm. Is there something else on your mind, or is that all? You've got that look again."
This look that Tempest is referencing is one that Celestia has when she's deep in thought. When she does this, she stares deeply into someone's eyes. Not in a loving, motherly way but a creepy, concerning way.
"There's nothing else, Captain," Celestia lies.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, Your Highness. I need to file some reports," Tempest says.
"I'll let you get to it. Let me know if you hear anything about Anon."
"I will."
Princess Celestia turns around and leaves Tempest's office. Tempest uses magic to open a drawer and pulls out a manilla folder with "To Be Filed" written on it. Tempest mutters a curse as she begins to read the first report.
Anon is starting to wonder if his luck with time has gone bad. He left the Crystal Empire Train Station before 0830 hours (8:30 a.m.). The train ride to Ponyville typically takes about six hours. However, this isn't the case this time. The bridge going over Galloping Gorge had collapsed due to some bad weather. So, the train had to take an old track around the gorge. This added over five hours to the trip. Instead of arriving in Ponyville at 1430 hours (2:30 p.m.), the train pulls into the station at 1945 hours (7:45 p.m.). Anon is the only passenger to get off. He steps out onto the platform with his belongings. Barely anyone is out and about. A couple of ponies are walking home, but that's about it. Then, Anon walks to his old house in silence.
Ponyville hasn't changed much in the three-and-half years. The town's peacefulness and cozy atmosphere seem to have remained the same. A gentle breeze blows as the stars begin to twinkle. Eventually, Anon arrives at his old house. The house looks slightly different because no one has lived there for three years. Anon unlocks the door and walks in. At first, he expects the house to smell musty, but it smells clean. The scent of lemon and lavender fills the air. He walks into the bedroom and sets his backpack down on the floor next to his bed. Anon gets some matches he left behind inside his nightstand. He lights two of the six around the house. Then, he makes his bed the way he likes it. Once everything is set up, Anon sits down on the couch. He takes off his helmet and sets it next to him.
It's hard for Anon to believe that it has been over five years since he arrived in Equestria. Back then, he was just a handyman, and life was simple. There was just him, his job, and his home. As a CO in the Royal Guard, there is more to his life, which makes it complicated. Also, there is more chance of being killed in action than five years ago. Despite the simplicity of his life when he lived in Ponyville, Anon is living the life he never could back on Earth. Also, he commands more troops than he could have dreamed of. That's another perk of being an officer. The threat of being killed in action is worth every moment. Besides, he's getting to serve the country he's come to know and love. Anon visits one of his oldest friends for old-time sake. After putting on his helmet and grabbing his gift, he leaves his house, bourbon bottle in hand, and makes his way to Hard Cider's Watering Hole.
When Anon arrives at the tavern, no one notices his arrival at first due to the noise. Then, some of the townsponies notice him standing at the door. All the patrons recognize him but are surprised to see him not only after three years but in Royal Guard armor. The only ponies who haven't noticed him are the ponies at the bar and Hard Cider, who are distracted by the overabundance of customers. Anon spots an open stool just a few seats down from Hard Cider.
As Anon makes his way to said stool, he notices a few changes to the bar. One, there is a small stage in the back right corner. There is a five-member band playing smooth jazz. One of the band members is the local cellist, Octavia. The other significant change is a few employees are milling around. One of them is Carrot Cake. Anon doesn't question it and sits down at the bar.
Anon remembers that Hard Cider absolutely HATES being rushed when he's busy serving customers or being a "therapist." So, he decides to exploit this jokingly. To conceal his arrival, Anon deepens his voice.
"Hey, barkeep! What's a stallion gotta do to get a drink around here?!" Anon shouts.
"In a minute. I'm busy!" Hard Cider yells in Anon's direction.
Anon patiently waits for a few minutes before yelling out again.
"Holy shit! You could die of thirst around here!"
"I said give me a fu-"
Hard Cider looks in Anon's direction, expecting to see some random stallion, not his old friend. He drops his glass and rushes over to Anon.
"ANON!!!" he shouts happily.
Hard Cider runs over to Anon and hugs him. Anon hugs him back.
"Look at you—a 1st Lieutenant. How'd you get that rank as an enlisted...man?"
"I got into OCS. It helps to be at the top of the class."
"This calls for a celebration! Drinks are on me tonight!"
"Actually, I brought a drink we can try."
Anon puts the emerald bourbon on top of the bar. Hard Cider's eyes grow big as his mouth drops. Everyone else at the bar reacts similarly as they recognize the expensive drink.
"Where in Celestia's name did you get that?" Hard Cider asks as he takes the bottle in his magic.
"Courtesy of Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadance," Anon replies.
"Damn. This brand is rare, even for the Crystal Empire."
"I have a connection at RGB Gemstone who can get me more if I run out."
"Let me get a couple of glasses."
Hard Cider uses magic to pick up two bourbon glasses while Anon opens the bottle. He pours an equal amount into each glass. They toast to good health and knock back the drink. Hard Cider winces and groans a little as he swallows. Anon barely blinks. Then, Anon refills the glasses, so they take another drink. Sitting next to Anon, an Earth pony stallion with a blue coat, white mane, and tail slides his glasses over.
"Do you mind if I have a sip?" he asks.
"Sure. I don't mind," Anon responds.
Anon pours the stallion a glass of the drink. The stallion knocks back the drink but spits it out.
"Are you sure that's bourbon?" the stallion asks.
"Crystal-based alcohol is about 50% stronger than the regular alcohol, Shadow. Have you never had any of this?" Hard Cider asks.
"Are you kidding me? I can never afford the good stuff. Not with my job."
"What do you do for work?" Anon asks.
"I work in construction—the name's Shadow Storm, by the way. You must be the famous Anonymous I've heard about."
"Guilty as charged. A pleasure to meet you."
Anon extends his hand and shakes Shadow's hoof. Then, he takes another sip of his drink.
"So, what have you been doing the past few years, Anon?" Hard Cider asks.
Anon talks about when he first moved to Canterlot as a handyman. He goes into his enlistment in the Royal Guard and his time with the 25th Aurora Battalion. Since everyone knows about his fight with the griffins at the Summer Sun Festival, he tries to avoid discussing that one. He tells several stories about his deployment in the Crystal Empire. He leaves out his close relationship with the Imperial Family and the Princesses because that would take too much to explain to Shadow. The other thing he leaves out is his falling out with Princess Celestia when he decides to enlist. The last thing he leaves out is Celestia's love confession. If word gets out about that, it's pretty obvious what would happen.
"What brings you back to Ponyville?" Hard Cider asks.
"Due to my overstay in the Crystal Empire, I requested two days off so I could get some rest in a peaceful environment instead of going back to the hustle and bustle of Canterlot," Anon responds.
"I hear that. My dad was from there and wanted to leave after graduating high school. He ended up settling down outside of Las Pegasus," Shadow says.
"Where I'm from, I lived in a town under 22,000 people. It was big but not enough to drive me up the wall," Anon adds.
"Appaloosa has like 400 or 600 ponies in town, but there are many more folks in the surrounding area. I think there's like a fifteen hundred more."
"What is the population of Canterlot? I've tried to access records, but some of those...nobleponies don't like it when a non-pony gets curious about the capital," Anon asks.
"Last I checked, it was between 1.8-2.0 million, but that was several years ago. I read something in the Ponyville Express that the population in Canterlot has been declining. Something like -15% each year since...Twilight moved to Ponyville seven years ago," Shadow adds.
"Any ideas as to why there is a decline?"
"I remember reading that same article, so I contacted a few connections in Canterlot from my Royal Guard days who like to play Fly on the Wall. Word has it is that some landlords, who are being paid off by some nobles, are increasing rent rates in the lower income parts of Canterlot to the point where ponies can't pay rent," Hard Cider says.
"Who are your contacts, Hard Cider? I could run this info by Princess Celestia so that she can end the corruption amongst the nobles," Anon says.
"Don't bother, Anon. It's not like she will do anything," Shadow grumbles.
Anon raises his eyebrow out of curiosity. He pours a little more of the bourbon into Shadow's glass. The stallion thanks Anon and leans his head down to take a sip.
"Elobrate," Anon says.
"With all due respect to Princess Celestia, she is too lenient with the nobles. I get that some of the nobles' families have been in the nobility since King Cosmos and Queen Galaxia were in power, but that doesn't mean she can go easy on them. They have a lot of ways and say in Princess Celestia and Luna's governmental decisions, so they should be kept in check. Cosmos would've had their heads on a fucking chopping block for half the shit the nobles do," Shadow explains.
"I might be in luck since Anon here has a personal relationship with Princess Celestia. If he brings this to her, his concerns carry some weight, and she'll handle it. If not her, Princess Luna will," Hard Cider announces.
Now, it's Shadow's turn to be curious. Anon clears his throat as his eyes face straight ahead.
"How do you know Pr-"
"Long story."
"You should explain."
"I'd rather not. As I said, it's a long story."
"Let me give you the Hoof's Notes version. They are friends because Princess Celestia was the first pony to trust Anon. I didn't even trust him since he always came into the bar in a bad mood and left roaring drunk. Well, most of the time. I guess Princess Celestia managed to find some good in this drunken fool," Hard Cider says.
"Fuck off," Anon chuckles with a smirk.
For the next few hours, the three stallions talk and drink. Shadow leaves about an hour before the last call. He leaves, trying to walk in a straight line. Instead of going through the front door, he walks into a table full of stallions and a wall. Anon, who isn't even remotely drunk, laughs at him.
Anon stays after the tavern closes to help clean up. Once everything is ready to close up, Anon gives the emerald bourbon bottle to Hard Cider to have as a keepsake and bids him farewell. He walks out of the tavern and into the cool evening. A full moon and thousands of stars light up the night sky. Anon makes the quiet trek back to his house. Aside from blowing a gentle breeze, the walk is mostly silent. This time, Anon is entirely alone. It isn't surprising since it's almost 1 a.m.
He arrives at his home a few minutes later. Anon takes off his equipment, armor, and tunic. He takes a shower and then blows out the candles. Then, Anon crawls into bed. It isn't long before he falls asleep.
Anon's eyes flutter open as a ray of sunshine hits his face. He groans as he stretches his arms and legs. After stretching, Anon puts on a clean tunic, armor, and sandals. Then, he does several sets of push-ups and their variants, sit-ups, and squats. After that, Anon puts on his sword belt and picks up his shield and spear. He walks outside to train. He stays behind the house so that no one can see him.
For almost an hour, Anon trains with his weapons. Sweat drips down his face and body as he thrusts his spear, sword, or shield. He also practices hand-to-hand combat. Then, he sets down his shield weapons in his house so he can go on a run.
When Anon lived in Ponyville, he made a jogging trail in the woods. No one knew about it, not even Princess Celestia.
Anon jogs down the trail, his legs scratched by branches and briars. He ignores the vegetation. While he jogs, he thinks about Celestia and how to respond to her love confession. He already knows how he feels about it, but what to do still bothers him. No matter how hard he tries, Anon can't think of a solution to help his predicament. He starts thinking about Celestia. He closes his eyes and imagines her face, flowing mane, and body. Then, he thinks about her voice. It was the only that could calm his troubled soul and mind back in the day. As Anon thinks about these things, his legs pick up speed. Then, he shakes his head violently, trying to get the image of Celestia out of his head. Anon doesn't want to think about her. He admits she's one of the most beautiful things he's ever seen. Deep down in his heart, he knows he loves her. However, he doesn't want to. He can't because of his promise never to trust a girl with his heart.
Then, his thoughts are cut short when Anon hears screaming. He opens his eyes to see what is happening but trips over something. He slams into the ground and tumbles a small distance. Anon groans as hoofsteps get closer to him. Pain shoots through his legs and arms.
"Anon?" a familiar filly's voice asks.
He opens his eyes and sees Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo. They have looks of bewilderment on their faces as they approach Anon.
"If it isn't the Cutie Mark Crusaders," Anon groans as he sits up.
"So, the stories are true! You are a Royal Guard!" Apple Bloom exclaims
"Yes, I am. 1st Lieutenant Anonymous of the Royal Guard, at your service. So, what are you doing here?"
"We were working on a class project," Scootaloo answers.
"We have to find fungi and present the ones we find to the class," Sweetie Belle adds.
Anon rubs his chin. He thinks back to when he had to forge for food when he first came to Ponyville. He motions for the Cutie Mark Crusaders to follow him. They walk a short distance to a marshy area near the river. As Anon remembered, it has plenty of fungi. He watches the fillies as they pick a few fungi. He even points out the toxic and the edible ones. When they finish, Anon escorts them to the trailhead. As they walk, he notices something different about the CMCs. Instead of coming up to his knees, they are mid-thigh. Secondly, he notices they have cutie marks.
"Where are you off to now?" Anon asks.
"We are going to the Carousel Boutique to finish the project," Apple Bloom answers.
Anon gets an idea. Of course, he only resorts to this idea because he's desperate for a solution. Anon grumbles a curse in Spanish as he looks down at the CMCs.
"Would you mind if I escorted you back? I have to talk to Rarity about some new tunics for my uniform," Anon asks.
"I don't see why not," Sweetie Belle replies.
The other two agree with her.
"Alright, then. Let's swing by my place so I can grab something first," Anon says.
"Okay!" the fillies explain.
The small group walks to Anon's house. He has them wait on the front porch while he freshens up. Then, he puts on his sword belt and walks with the fillies into town.
Eventually, the group arrives at the Carousel Boutique. Anon is about to knock on the door, but the CMCs burst through the door. Anon furrows his eyes. This causes Opal, Rarity's cat, to yowl and jump. The hair on her back stands up. She calms down and then prances to her bed.
Anon never liked cats, especially this one, because of how she acted due to being spoiled rotten. When Anon steps through the door, he flips Opal off. In return, she turns her nose up at him.
"Rarity! We're ba-ack!" Sweetie Bellw shouts in a sing-songy voice.
"Sweetie Belle! Not knocking before entering a room is rude and not ladylike, you know," Rarity responds.
I was just about to say that, Anon thinks to himself.
Rarity entered the showroom from her bedroom. Her sewing glasses are still on her face, and sweat is dripping down her forehead. At first, there is a scowl on Rarity's face since she's looking at her sister. Then, a look of surprise appears when Rarity sees Anon standing there. She immediately takes off her glasses and wipes the sweat off her face.
"Anon!?" Rarity shouts.
"What's up," he responds, giving a gentle wave.
The CMCs gallop into an adjacent room so they can finish their project.
"What are you doing here?" Rarity asks.
"I was deployed in the Crystal Empire for eight months, so I took two days off before returning to Canterlot."
"You didn't let anypony know you were coming?"
"I wanted to surprise everyone and to avoid being jumpscared by Pinkie Pie at one of her surprise parties."
"That's understandable. Please. Have a seat while I make us some tea."
Anon sits down in a chair that is off to the side. He removes his helmet and sets it next to him.
Rarity hums a tune as she prepares the kettle on the stove. It's a song that Anon has heard over the years. It's a serenade called The Lonely Dreamer, about a poor, lonely stallion who wishes to be with a wealthy mare who is betrothed to another stallion, but she loves the lonely stallion in return. It's a bittersweet song that ponies have a love-hate relationship with. What made the song much sadder is that it's based on a true story. The even sadder thing is that the penniless stallion killed himself after the wealthy mare was married.
It isn't long before the kettle begins to whistle. Then, there is the gentle clinking of a tea set. A few minutes later, Rarity approaches with the tea kettle, pair of tea cups, and saucers in her magic. She sits on the table between Anon and the chair opposite him after pouring the hot tea into the cups. Rarity picks up her cup and sits down in her chair. Anon takes a sip of the tea. He lets the hot liquid sit in his mouth as he tastes hints of sage and hazel.
"What brings you to my humble abode?" Rarity asks.
"I ran into Sweetie Belle and her friends while they were looking for fungi. Since I was in town and they were heading back to your place, I decided to swing by.," Anon responds.
"That's sweet of you."
"I apologize for not coming back to Ponyville sooner."
"No worries, Anon. I understand that being a Royal Guard has responsibilities that take precedence, especially since you are an officer."
"I just feel bad because I promised to return and didn't make good on it."
"Is fulfilling a promise the only reason you came by, or is there another reason."
Anon runs his hand through his close-cut hair. He sighs as he leans forward. He tries to figure out where to start. Anon knows the CMCs are eavesdropping, so he doesn't want to reveal damning information to a group of fillies. Therefore, Anon goes with a different approach.
From Rarity's perspective, Anon looks stressed. His hunched-over body and sweat beading on his green forehead indicate that. She had never seen Anon like this before. Rarity has always seen him in a calm and collected state. Then, Anon looks up with a blank stare that's all too familiar.
"There's this friend of mine that's having a bit of an issue in the mare department," Anon starts.
As he mentions the "friend," Anon points at himself. Rarity notices the gesture and nods slightly to acknowledge she knows what Anon means.
"What's the issue?" Rarity asks.
"A special mare in his life kinda sorta confessed to him. He's received all kinds of advice from a friend but doesn't know what to do. My friend wants to love her with all his heart but can't let himself. He made a dumb promise not to give his heart to a girl again after a heartbreak many years ago. He wants to run to her and say he wants to be in love with her, but his heart and promise are holding him back. He says it feels like sleep paralysis is holding him back. My friend is trying to scream that he's scared about being in love, but he can't."
"That must be a horrible situation for your friend. Is this mare's feeling reciprocated?"
"That's the thing. My friend doesn't know if that's what he wants. He doesn't care if he gets hurt in the process. He doesn't want to hurt this mare."
"Does your friend plan on talking to this mare about this situation?"
"He does. He prefers sooner rather than later."
"Relay this advice to your friend: Be honest with your feelings. It's far easier than hiding them in your heart and leaving things unsaid."
Anon leans back, sips some of his tea, and sets the cup back down. He sighs and sits in silence for a moment.
"Thanks, Rarity. My friend will appreciate this advice."
"My pleasure, Anon."
Rarity and Anon talk some more for a little over an hour. It's about then when Anon's stomach begins to grumble in hunger. In his excitement and stress, he had forgotten to eat the day's most important meal. He uses this as an excuse to swing by Sugar Cube Corner for a quick meal. After thanking Rarity for the tea and conversation, Anon takes his leave. He says goodbye to the CMCs whom he catches eavesdropping. Then, he leaves Carousel Boutique.
Ponyville's Market Square is full of its usual late-morning hustle and bustle. Ponies purchase their necessities from various stalls. Each one, Anon observes, even though there hasn't been a major incident in Ponyville since he got stabbed. Then again, very little news about the town reaches Canterlot.
There is a stall that catches Anon's eye. This one has a large red apple on the top. At the stand are Granny Smith and Applejack. They are selling an assortment of apple pastries and apples, as usual. Anon wants to say "hi," but the line is exceptionally long, and his stomach is his commanding officer. He decides to say hello after he eats something.
After a few more minutes of walking, Anon arrives at Sugar Cube Corner. He expects to be tackled by a familiar pink pony, but nothing happens when he opens the doors. The only thing that happens is a few ponies turn and look at him. Mrs. Cup Cake looks up from the register with an interested look as Anon approaches the counter.
"Oh, if it isn't Anon. I had heard you were back in town," Mrs. Cake says.
"Yes, I am, but only for a couple of days; then I have to go back to Canterlot," Anon says.
"That's good to hear. What can I do for you?"
"I'm sorry, Anon, but the next batch won't be ready for another six minutes. I hope you don't mind waiting."
"I don't mind. I'll stake a black coffee in the meantime."
"Okay, then. That'll be three and a quarter bits."
Anon opens a little pouch on his sword belt, which holds his bits. He removes four bits from said pouch since he doesn't have a quarter-bit coin and sets it on the counter. Mrs. Cake takes the four gold coins. Then, she takes out a half-bit and a quarter-bit from the register. Anon puts the change in his pouch. He is given an eight-ounce cup of steaming coffee a few seconds later. He sits down at a table off to himself. Then, he removes his helmet and sets it on the table.
For the next few minutes, Anon sips his coffee, lost in thought. He stares at the ponies walking down the street in front of the cafe. He thinks about Rarity's advice along with Princess Cadence's advice. Anon is zoned out that he didn't notice Carrot Cake walk up to him with the blueberry muffin in his hoof. He tries to get Anon's attention by sliding the plate upon which the muffin sits. Then, he waves a hoof in front of the human's face. Anon shakes his head to break his trance.
"Lost in thought?" Carrot Cake asks.
"Yeah," Anon replies.
"Sorry about the wait. Today's busier than usual, so we ran out of muffins. I spent the past three hours making more of pretty much everything we sell here."
Anon picks up the muffin and takes a bite. The warm pastry fills his mouth. He chews slowly as he closes his eyes. Then, he swallows the muffin and drinks his coffee to wash it down.
"Well?" Mr. Cake inquires.
"Best damn muffin I've had in years."
"I'm glad to hear it."
"I noticed you were working at Hard Cider's last night. When did you start working there?"
"Ever since you saved Princess Celestia, news that you were from here and went to that bar a lot spread around. You became a local celebrity even though you weren't here. Hard Cider's Watering Hole became a popular spot for visitors and locals. It got so busy that Hard Cider asked Cloud Slasher and me to help him."
"I'm surprised. That 'local celebrity' shit in Canterlot died once the nobles got tired of me. Not that they already are or anything."
"That isn't a shocker. What is shocking is that you don't have a marefriend yet, at least from what I can tell. I figured you'd have since you've been here for over five years. Saving the princess would've gotten some mare's attention."
Anon snorts. He has gotten tired of ponies bringing that up. Dealing with the whole Celestia didn't do his annoyance any favors. That is already bothering him beyond comprehension. However, he didn't let Carrot Cake know that. Anon leans back in his chair, sighs, and takes another sip of his coffee.
"Being an officer in the Royal Guard carries a lot of responsibilities. I think dating might get in the way," Anon says nonchalantly.
"If you say so," Mr. Cake responds.
"Speaking of a special someone, how did you meet your wife?"
"We met at Vanhoover University. I was a business major while Cup Cake was a confection major."
"Confections is a major?"
"It is—a popular one, at that. Anyway, we were introduced by a mutual friend at his birthday party. My wife and I started hanging out a lot more after that night. However, I started to have a crush on her, but I didn't say anything."
"How come?"
"I was afraid of screwing our friendship up. That thought kept me up at night. Eventually, she confessed to me. I was happy, but I thought she could do better than me. I mean, look at my overbite. I thought it made me hideous."
Anon frowns at the overbite worry but hides it as he eats the last bit of his muffin.
"What did you tell her?" Anon asks.
"I told her I wanted to think about it. After about a day or two, we became a thing."
"The overbite caused you to think about a potential relationship with a mare?"
"No, it wasn't that. It was the fact she was a freshman, and I was a junior when we met. I'd be long gone by the time she graduates. However, we walked about it some more. I agreed to rent an apartment nearby so we could be together. I could work, and she could finish school. Everypony wins."
"I guess that's an area you can compromise."
"Compromising in certain areas of a relationship is a good thing. It shows there's communication, and that's essential in any relationship. Now, compromising in areas such as standards is never a good idea. Now, if the standards are unreal-"
Anon raises his hand and says, "I get the picture, Mr. Cake."
"Oh, there I go, rambling again. My apologies, Anon."
"No harm done. You were giving advice."
"That's good. I was worried I was going to make your ears bleed."
"I don't mind listening and talking while I eat. Good company is always welcome."
"Another piece of advice: avoid the Friendship Castle until, say... sevenish."
"Let me guess. A Pinkie Pie 'Welcome Home' surprise party preparations."
"You got it. I thought you'd want to know to avoid having Pinkie in the 'a mood' from somepony who she's throwing the party seeing her preparations."
"Gotcha. I should have known she'd plan something as soon as she found out I was back. Thank you for the heads-up."
"No problem, Anon. Well, I have to get back to work. It was nice talking to you."
"Likewise."
Anon shakes Carrot Cake's hoof, and then the pony walks away.
Half an hour later, Anon leaves Sugar Cube Corner and begins wandering through Ponyville, trying to find something to do. For the first time since arriving in Equestria, Anon is bored. He always had something to occupy his time. There was his freelance job as a Royal handyman and now a Royal Guard. He is bored. Now, that feeling has crept back into his life. He sighs and decides to visit another pony. That pony is Fluttershy.
Anon doesn't take long to get to Fluttershy's cottage. When he arrives, he doesn't see her at first but hears her singing a little tune. Anon walks around to the side of the cottage. Fluttershy is feeding her birds. They flap their wings happily as their caretaker pours them their seeds. One of the birds is Anon's favorite bird, the mockingbird. Silas, Anon's old friend from Earth, taught him a little trick to do with this type of bird. Anon whistles a tune from a TV show from his childhood. The gray and white bird repeats it. Then, Anon whistles it again but in a deeper pitch. The mockingbird sings a few seconds later. A canary looks over at Anon and chirps at Fluttershy.
"A Royal Guard is here? Where?" Fluttershy asks.
The canary tweets again. Fluttershy turns around and sees Anon standing there.
"Anon? What are you doing here?" she asks with a smile.
"I'm in town on leave, so I decided to swing by and say hi."
"That's sweet of you. Let me finish feeding the birds and Mr. Bear, and then we can go inside for some tea and catch up."
"Sounds good."
Fluttershy shows Anon how to feed the birds she hasn't gotten to yet. The birds are a little nervous about Anon due to only ever seeing him from a distance. Fluttershy calms them down by telling them to trust her. Next, they feed Mr. Bear. Of course, the giant bear isn't nervous about Anon. They give the bear a few salmon fillets before going inside the cottage. As Fluttershy makes the tea, Anon sits down on the couch. He continues to think about the advice he's been given in the past few hours. A few minutes later, Fluttershy arrives with a small tray with a cast-iron kettle and tiny tea cups. She sets them down on the coffee table and pours the tea into the cups.
"I hope you like mint tea. It's all I had. I've been meaning to buy more, but I've been busy," Fluttershy says.
"Mint tea is fine. Thank you," Anon responds.
The two talk for a while, catching up. What surprises Anon the most is that Fluttershy talks the most.
A lot of what she talks about is a new sanctuary for injured animals that she started a couple of years ago. She even gets funding from the mayor to help run it. Some of the Elements and school foals volunteer there. As expected, the sanctuary always accepts donations. Anon makes a mental note to send one when he returns to Canterlot.
Anon talks a little about his Crystal Empire deployment and experiences there. He leaves out any combat talk due to Fluttershy not liking combat.
Then, Fluttershy brings up the Grand Galloping Gala. Anon remembers that the Gala is coming up in a few months. He only went to the Grand Galloping Gala when the 25th Aurora Battalion and the 3rd Eclipse Battalion were assigned guard duty. Anon hated it because of the snobby nobles and entitled rich ponies. They expected the guards to act as their servants rather than follow the princesses' orders. When told this, the elite chews out the guards and gives the "Do you know who I am" speech.
According to Fluttershy, all of the Elements and a plus one will attend this year. She asks Anon if he's going to go. He says if he's assigned guard duty, he will. Then, Fluttershy explains what she meant. When he understands, Anon says he won't attend and doesn't like dances even though he DJ'ed at a few when he was a teenager.
They talk for a few more minutes before Anon politely takes his leave. The two bid each other farewell, though Anon knows they'll see each other at the party in a few hours. He makes the trek back to his house. When he arrives, he decides to nap before the party because he knows he will need some rest if he's going to a Pinkie party. Anon removes his armor and sits on his old desk. Then, he lies down. It isn't long before he drifts off to sleep.
It's the middle of the night. All is calm and quiet. Anon is lying in his bed, sound asleep and snoring away.
The "surprise" party went off without a hitch. Anon ate more than he had since moving to Canterlot. He didn't drink a whole lot of alcohol due to the fact he needed to be somewhat coherent, and Pinkie usually doesn't handle drunken ponies well. No one could say the same for Spike. He drank a bottle of vodka that he thought was a bottle of lime-lemon soda. There wasn't a label on the bottle. When he eventually tossed his cookies outside, his vomit came with a blast of green dragonfire. Things got interesting when Princess Celestia sent a letter to Twilight asking why she sent her a patch of burnt grass and dirt. Anon was rolling on the ground, laughing at the letter.
When Anon got home at 0200 hours (2 a.m.), he quickly showered and went to bed. He is having a good dream about hanging out at a bar with his friends. He is laughing at a joke that Sergeant Major Lucky Charms made. Then, everything suddenly freezes. Suddenly, Anon feels as if he is awakened, but he isn't at the same time. The entire bar disappears and transforms into an outer space landscape. He is floating in midair, as well.
"What the fuck?" Anon asks.
"Do not be alarmed, friend Anonymous," a familiar voice asks.
Anon turns around and sees none other than Princess Luna flying toward him.
"Hold on. What the hell is this?" Anon asks, annoyed.
"I have finally achieved a way to enter your subconscious mind. Since you do not have magic, even innate magic, you cannot access the Dream Realm. This is due to you coming from a world without magic."
"It took you over five years to figure that out?"
"Oh, I knew you did not have magic. Skilled unicorns and alicorns can sense the magic around us and others, even in an ant. Entering your subconscious mind was the hard part. Astral projection is the only attempt that succeeded."
"I thought astral projection is a forbidden spell."
"It is, but only because it is hazardous, even for an alicorn."
"Ah. So, I am lucid dreaming?"
"Something similar."
"Okay, so why are you in my head interrupting my sleep."
"For the record, friend Anonymous, you are still asleep. Secondly, I think you know why I want to talk to you."
Anon is silent. He thinks as to what Luna is talking about, but only for a few moments. He sighs as he relaxes his gaze.
"This is about Tia's feelings about me, isn't it?"
Luna nods her head.
"I'd rather not talk about that right now," Anon announces.
"Why not?" Luna asks.
"Because it's shocking and confusing as fuck."
"Why exactly is it shocking and confusing, as you put it?"
"It's not every day a semi-immortal princess confesses her feelings to you. Not only that, why me, of all people? I'm the opposite of what she should look for in a guy. I'm not exactly the knight in shining armor everyone thinks I am."
"You and I both know that Tia is the type of pony to see the good in others and overlook their seemingly less-than-redeeming qualities."
"I know that, but I'm concerned that if we got together, it would be her undoing."
Luna raises her eyebrow out of confusion. What doesn't make sense to her is how a relationship between her sister and Anon would ruin an over 6,000-year rule.
"I do not understand," Luna confesses.
"Let's say your sister and I started dating. Many ponies would be happy, even celebrate. Hell, Pinkie Pie would throw a party in our honor. However, some ponies won't. The nobles will see every promotion, every medal, or anything I get career-wise as her giving them to me, even if I achieved those awards myself. They are elected officials, so they are the people's voice in the government and, most importantly, have their respect. The nobles can sway the people's opinion of Tia. No one wants to be ruled by someone they don't like. Think it's pretty obvious what would happen next," Anon explains.
"Revolution, then, more than likely, civil war. Those are extreme outcomes, though."
"I'd use the words 'logical extremes.'"
"That is a fair assessment, but still nonetheless extreme."
"Let's not forget that if Tia and I get married and decide to have an heir, it would be impossible since humans and ponies can't procreate."
"That does present a problem."
"Look, it's not like I haven't considered dating your sister. I want to love and cherish her. It's just the cons outweigh the pros."
"You are making too many excuses for Royal Guard, an officer no less. I expected more from you."
"It's because I'm scared, okay? I'm scared of hurting her. I'm a mortal with fifty to seventy good years left in me. She's got thousands of years ahead of her. When I eventually die, my death will hurt her more than any sword, spear, or arrow could. It's not fair to put her through something like that."
"A genuine fear, and one you should bring up to Tia tomorrow or... later today. I'm sure you two will find a solution to make you both happy."
Suddenly, there is a rumbling sound that startles Anon but doesn't phase Luna. He looks around frantically to search for the source of the rumbling. She turns around and ignites her horn.
"What the fuck is going on?" Anon asks.
"You are waking. I must go before that happens. If I'm caught in your mind, theory suggests it would be disastrous."
"I guess I'll see you when I return to Canterlot."
"See you when you arrive."
Luna shoots a beam of blue magic at a random spot in the landscape and cuts through it. A bright light, as bright as the sun itself, shines through. Then, Luna flies into the light. It isn't long before the light overtakes everything. A few seconds later, Anon opens his eyes to a new day.
One thing recently is starting to grind Anon's gears in nervousness. The three-hour train ride from Ponyville to Canterlot doesn't help. His stomach feels like it's in a knot as he anticipates his meeting with Celestia. Anon tries taking a nap, but his nervousness keeps him awake. All of this makes the train ride seem to take longer.
Since waking up, Anon has been deciding what to say to Celestia. Once most of the kings were worked out, Anon bought a ticket for the earliest train to Canterlot, which was at 0900 (9:00 a.m.) hours. Even still, the day seems to drag along.
After about thirty more minutes, the train pulls into the station. Anon is first to stand up and off the train. He then jogs through Sector 3. Most ponies see him running down the street, so they move out of the way. Going through Sectors 1 and 2 is a different story. The Canterlot elite will not move for anyone, even if you are in a hurry. They'll see you as that obstacle. So, Anon stows himself down to a speedwalk.
He finally reaches the castle. Anon stands at the gates momentarily to review what he has to do before seeing Celestia. Then, Anon walks forward with a heavy sigh. At the gate, the Royal Guards, a pair of Corporals, salute him as he approaches. Anon salutes back.
First, he goes to Officer's Barracks to drop off his backpack. He takes both copies of his ADR (After-Deployment Report) and goes to Captain Tempest Shadow's officer. Her desk sergeant isn't at her post, so Anon knocks on the door. There is no answer. He knocks one more time to double-check. No one answers. Anon lays his report on the desk sergeant's chair and goes to the next thing on his to-do list. That is to see Princess Celestia.
As Anon gets closer to Princess Celestia's private study, his stomach churns more and more. The lump in his throat doesn't help him at all. Eventually, he arrives at Celestia's secretary, Raven Inkwell's, desk. She looks up from some papers she is going through.
"Oh, 1st Lieutenant Anonymous. It's good to see you again," Raven says.
"You, too, Ms. Inkwell," Anon responds.
"Is there something I can help you with?"
"I'm supposed to meet with Princess Celestia about my deployment in the Crystal Empire."
"I did see that on her schedule. She even cleared everything on this afternoon's agenda because she didn't know when you'd return."
"I guess I shouldn't keep the princess waiting."
Anon walks forward, trying to control his composure. The two Royal Guards at the door salute as Anon approaches them. He salutes back. The one on the left, a Sergeant Major, opens the door and pokes his head in the door. She lets Princess Celestia know of Anon's arrival. Seconds later, Celestia is standing in the doorway. She makes eye contact with Anon.
"Guards, leave us. I need a little privacy with 1st Lieutenant Anonymous. We have a few important matters to discuss. I'll call for you when we are finished," Celestia orders.
"Yes, Your Majesty," the guards reply.
Anon passes the guards as he enters the private study and closes the door behind him. Celestia sits behind her desk while Anon sits in the chair in front of her.
"It's good to see you again, Anon," Celestia says.
"You, too, Tia," Anon replies.
"I'm assuming you have your ADR."
"Yeah, it's right here."
Anon hands the two-page report to Celestia. Her magic envelopes the report, and she sets it aside. He can tell that she isn't entirely interested in his report. She's incredibly nervous, which is rare. The few times Anon has seen Celestia nervous, he noticed her name billows slower.
"How was the Crystal Empire?" Celestia asks.
"Enlightening, to say the least," Anon responds.
"That's good to he-"
"Tia. Let's cut to the chase. I think it's obvious that both of us aren't here to talk about my deployment. Am I right to assume you want to know how I felt about eight months ago?"
"You'd be correct."
Anon removes his helmet and sets it next to him. He sighs heavily as he gathers his thoughts. Then, he reaches across the desk and grabs Celestia's hoof—her heart rate increases.
"Tia, I... feel a lot of different emotions right now. I'm shocked that a princess is in love with me. I'm confused about why you chose me. I'm scared of what might happen, but I'm genuinely flattered that you want time to be with your special someone. I can't feel just a single emotion, but the one that is the strongest is fear. I'm afraid of hurting you, Tia. For a while, I've considered being in a relationship with you. I want to love you. I want to be with you, but I'm too terrified of hurting you," Anon explains.
"How could you hurt me?" Celestia.
"By dying. I can only live a tiny fraction of what you can live. The death of a significant other is a horrible pain to bear. I don't want to have to put you through that."
"It's already too late, Anon. I already love you with all my heart. I'm fully aware that I will eventuality of you passing away. I'm prepared as much as I can to deal with that pain. Either way, I will cherish the time that we had together. That's how much I love you."
Anon sighs. As usual, Celestia is right.
"I need some time to think about what to do. I want to ensure that whatever I do is the right decision."
"Take all the time you need. Any decision you make, I'll support you."
"That's all I ask for. I appreciate it, Tia."
"Of course."
Anon squeezes Celestia's hoof tightly as he thinks about something to say but settles on a promise he made. He gives Celestia's hoof one final squeeze before letting go. Anon straightens up in his seat.
"Now that's out of the way, and there was something else I wanted to talk to you about," Anon announces.
"Really? And that is?" Celestia asks curiously.
"It's a battle formation that's from my world. I had practiced it with the 35th Corona Battalion. It was a successful attempt, and I believe it can be useful on the battlefield."
"What is this formation called?"
Anon grins widely.
"I'm glad you asked. Let me tell you about the people who made it famous: the Spartans."
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What? No sharing with Luna & Celestia?
Probably what Cadance had in mind...
dirt
confess- should be added to make the sentence sound complete
Great chapter! Quite deep in many aspects. I think Anon overestimate the Nobels pull against the two who move the sun & moon.
A heir is optional for Alicorns, rather odd he don't consider it to be a high priority.
Celestia
Celestia's
Can’t wait for what happens next.
IT LIVES!!!
Yay, glad to see another chapter to this great story. Keep up the awesome work my good author!
For the next few minutes, Anon sips his coffee, lost in thought. He stares at the ponies walking down the street in front of the cafe. He thinks about Rarity's advice along with Princess Cadence's advice. Anon is zoned out that he didn't notice Carrot Cake walk up to him with the blueberry muffin in his hoof. He tries to get Anon's attention by sliding the plate upon which the muffin sits. Then, he waves a hood in front of the human's face. Anon shakes his head to break his trance.
*hoof
"Take all the time you need. Any decision you make, you'll support you."
*I'll or I will
11677971
Crap. I'm embarrassed I missed that. Thank you so much, my friend.
It's such an amazing story. Please continue. I'm like a child longing for presents.
11751456
A chapter is coming soon! Thanks for reading!
That was absolutely priceless ♡
300 referance towards the end?
Really hoping they get to love one another for many decades to come!
♡