A Dream that Never Was can Still Be

by Mechscout

…one must pursue endlessly.

Opening his eyes, Anon was greeted by the sun beaming into his room. Except, this wasn’t his room. It was full of cloth and threads amongst other clothing materials and tools. A stark reminder of his current situation. He was no longer on Earth.

Wherever he had ended up, he was incredibly grateful that the first person he met was a highly understanding and helpful mare. He had come to accept that ponies could talk here as there were plenty of more pressing matters to worry about. Not to mention how embarrassed he still felt about his initial emotional outburst. Sure, no one could blame him for reacting as he did to his apparent death, but did it have to happen in front of a complete stranger?

“I grow ever grateful that Ms. Rarity still chose to help me despite all that.” He spoke to himself as he remembered his savior. For what else could such an angelic being be?

Maybe he was losing it…

Getting up, he roams the room a little, surprised by the amount of fashion supplies all around. For what seemed to be a spare room turned into storage, it was surprisingly clean. He’s brought out of his musing when he hears knocking from the door.

“Good morning, darling!” Rarity speaks from the other side of the door. “I do hope you slept well, but we should make haste to meet Princess Twilight today. I’ll prepare breakfast for us. I assume you’re fine with pancakes?”

“Good morning Ms. Rarity, pancakes sound lovely. Thank you once again.” He responded in kind.

“Wonderful, now would you prefer tea or coffee?”

“Coffee would be nice. I could use the caffeine.” He found that he was still feeling fatigued after last night’s developments.

“Then I shall await you downstairs with breakfast.” Her piece said, she made her way downstairs.

Anon considered preparing himself to go out, but realized all her had was the office suit he was wearing when he got here. Now that he thought about it, he probably needed a shower. Things to consider further once he handled the most pressing concerns.

He found a mirror to at least straighten out his suit as much as he could before heading downstairs. Leaving his room, he was met with a well decorated hallway. He saw a few more rooms on this floor, but ignored them in favor of the stairs.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, he was greeted by a large room, filled with pony shaped mannequins and all sorts of dresses and outfits. Looking around he found the entrance to the kitchen area which was also the dining room it seemed. There, was Rarity, with plates of pancakes set on the table and a mug of coffee to accompany them.

“I hope you’re feeling better, darling.” Rarity had spotted him the moment he had made his way over to the table. She gave him a warm, welcoming smile.

“Still a bit overwhelmed, but faring better than last night.” He wanted to thank her again, but felt she might find his constant thanks a little too much.

“I poured you some black coffee, but do feel free to use any creamer, sugar, or milk if you so desire.” She took a sip of her own cup, enjoying the comfort of hot coffee in the morning. A staple part of her usual mornings, though it’d been a while since she’d entertained an overnight guest.

“That’s very thoughtful of you. Though from what I’ve seen, you are quite the considerate mare.” He adjusted his coffee to his preference before taking a seat and digging in. Having seen and smelled the food before him had awakened his hunger, which had taken a backseat with the hectic events taking place.

Rarity calmly ate her own breakfast while smiling softly at the strange being enjoying her cooking. It was nice to cook for others, especially for those who truly appreciated her efforts.

Breakfast was a rather quiet affair, both taking their time to eat. Not too much of course, there was still a sense of urgency. Princess Twilight was still a busy mare, so it was best to meet with her early.

Once both were done, Rarity collected the dishes with her magic and quickly cleaned them up. Normally Anon would’ve objected, feeling she’d already done so much for a stranger like him. But the display of magic caught him flatfooted and he could only stare in wonder as the plates floated into the sink and were washed.

“Woah, is… is that magic?” He asked tentatively, hoping he wasn’t starting to hallucinate. Hell, now that he looked at her better, he realized he hadn’t even questioned the horn on her head. Only now seeing it for the oddity it was as it glowed with magic.

“Yes, darling,” she was a bit surprised by his reaction before remembering he was more than likely not from this world. “I suppose its not a common sight from where you are from?”

“No, not at all. In fact, it’s a myth back home. As far as I know, magic doesn’t exist on Earth.” He laughed a little as he added, “unless there’s some shadow organizations that keep magic a secret from the public, but that’s just conspiracy nonsense.”

“Well, that’s certainly a surprise. Magic is quite plentiful in these lands.” The dishes done, and the pair well fed, it was time to depart. “Now then, let us be off, we mustn’t dally too long now.”

“Of course, please lead the way Ms. Rarity.”

“Just call me Rarity darling, miss just makes me feel even older than I am.”

“Ah, sorry,” he smiled in embarrassment, “I’ll keep that in mind, Rarity. Though you don’t look that old to me.” He included the last bit in a quieter voice. One she heard all the same, and couldn’t help but blush at.

“Quite the charmer, aren’t you?” She continued as she led the way out of her boutique and into the somewhat bustling streets of Ponyville.

“Not really, I’d argue I was never popular with the ladies.” He followed her, looking around, seeing plenty of pastel-colored ponies. He was surprised to see that some didn’t have a horn like Rarity while others seemed to have traded in their horn for wings. Which seemed a bit too small to let them fly as nimbly as they did over the town.

“Perhaps the mares of your world just couldn’t see the charm of a gentlestallion such as yourself,” she teased. He did find it strange to be speaking to a magical pony so nonchalantly, yet it helped him keep his nerves in check. The magical and wonderful surroundings just kept driving home how far from home he really was.

“You give me too much credit Rarity, I’m no one of real note. I honestly prefer a modestly quiet life.” He paused, staring at the passing equines, who stared back in turn. Sure, they were getting used to the various non-ponies that’d come for the School of Friendship, but this new being was truly unique to them. “Though it would’ve been nice to have a girlfriend.”

“A marefriend I suppose? Now that you mention it, I never did ask what your kind are called. You’ve shown to at least know about ponies, though I wonder how different we are from those you know.” Rarity felt slightly ashamed to have let such an important question slip her mind. Then again, she’d been far more concerned with the mental state of her guest.

“Ah, well I’m a human. Far as I can recall we’re just less hairy apes, haha.” He gave a nervous chuckle. “In my world ponies exist, just not sentient as you all are. And they’re rather simple, like the ones I’ve just seen without wings or horns.”

“Oh, so your world has Earth Ponies, interesting. A tad sad they’re not as sentient as us.” The longer she thought about the word human, the more it sounded familiar. Could it be possible Twilight had mentioned humans before? Well, they’d have an answer soon. Seeing as they’d arrived at their destination, the Castle of Friendship. She led them up the steps and before the two the massive doors. The guards present quickly opening them without question.

“I’m sure Princess Twilight will have plenty of questions for you and you can ask her plenty in return. Don’t be shy to ask, she is a wonderful mare and I know she’d do anything to help you out. No matter that you’re a stranger or an alien.”

“That’s very reassuring, so I just gotta go inside and ask for her?” He gulped nervously, the size of this massive castle in the form of a crystal tree was something to behold.

“Let me handle that, usually you’d have to check in before meeting with her, but I can get you an audience ASAP.” To prove her point she led Anon past the guards and assistants that kept the Castle running. None chose to question her, nor her strange guest. Anon did his best to keep up with her in the grand corridors going in various directions. He stuck as close as he could to her, before they made it to another set of large, ornate doors. Here the two guards stopped them.

“Halt, what business do you have with the Princess?” One of them asked.

“I’m here on an important matter regarding my guest here that I’m certain the Princess will want to know about.” She looked to the guards with a surprising amount of authority in her voice. “Now if you’d be so kind, please step aside so we may conduct our business.”

To Anon’s surprise, the guards immediately relented and even bowed slightly.

“Of course, Ms. Rarity. You and your fellow element bearers are always welcome to bring urgent matters to the Princess.” Their piece said, one of the guards returned to his original position while the other opened the doors for them.

Anon stood frozen, his mind stunned by the visage before him. On top of a grand throne was a being he could only describe as divine. Divine in power and form, it was frightening. Before he could undergo a second breakdown, the being looking down at him quickly shift from a regal disposition to one full of concern.

“Greetings, Rarity,” Twilight gave her a smile full of joy, before turning to the stranger accompanying her friend. What shocked her was his reaction, the poor being was on the verge of having a nervous breakdown. Realizing she was exuding her alicorn aura, full of power and authority, she quickly toned it down. Thankfully that appeared to be enough for the stranger to regain their nerves. “Greetings to you as well stranger. I presume that you have both come for a matter pertaining to your presence?”

“Yes Princess Twilight, my dear guest here has found himself far from home.” She nudged him lightly, giving him a reassuring smile as she noted he was sweating a bit due to nervousness.

“T-that’s right your highness,” he gulped, “my name is Anonymous, and I’m a human from Earth. Due to some reason beyond my understanding, what should’ve been my death landed me here instead.” Even now, he didn’t feel 100% sure that this wasn’t the hallucination of a dying mind.

“A human?” Princess Twilight pondered the name, it was familiar. It had been a while since she last spoke to Sunset Shimmer, but she could never forget the world beyond the mirror. Yet, something about this particular human didn’t fit the general feel of those in the mirror world. “While I am aware of a world with humans, I’m not sure if it’s the Earth you hail from.”

“There’s another world with humans?!?” As if all this wasn’t maddening enough already, Anon now had to contend with even more multiversal nonsense. “Are you sure its not Earth? I mean, how many worlds could exist with more humans a-after all.” He could feel how feeble his attempts to cope were.

“Well, there’s plenty of alternate worlds with ponies, so I’m not that surprised the same can be true about humans.” Twilight was caught in thoughts of the multiple worlds, till she saw her guest was losing it again. “N-not that its too pertinent to your situation. If anything, it should mean it’d be possible to send you back to where you’re from. I think…”

“Now darling, don’t you worry your precious little head. As I said, there is nopony better to help you than Princess Twilight. She even knew about humans already. Surely, she’ll be able to get you home.” Part of her would be sad to see such an intriguing being go, but she quickly shut down those thoughts. It’d be horrid to wish for somecreature to be torn from their home permanently.

“Y-you’re right. I can’t offer much, but if you can get me home, I’d be eternally grateful.” He bowed deeply; the desperation clear in his actions.

“I’d never turn somecreature in need down. I’ll make sure to dedicated my time to finding a way for you to return to your home.” Princess Twilight called for a nearby assistant, whispering into their ear to clear her schedule for the day. This matter seemed more pressing than the usual paperwork and it’d be remiss to let this poor soul suffer more than needed. “Now, I’ll need to conduct some studies on you if you’d be so kind. It’ll help to know what differences there may be between you and the humans I’m familiar with. Then I’ll have to go through the archives and gather all works related to interdimensional travel. I do hope you’re ready for a busy day Anon.”

“If it’ll get me home, I’m ready for anything Princess.” He tried to put on a brave face, but his apprehension still bled through. This glimmer of hope was still enough for him to push on through. With a goal in mind and people ready to help, his mind was regaining clarity. Hope had a hell of a way of focusing Anon’s mind. No need for all this nervousness when he could envision his end goal. “Let’s get this started, so I can be out of your hai-er-manes.”

“Wonderful, well then, I’ll leave it in your hooves Princess Twilight. I’m sure you’ll have results soon enough.”

“I’ll make sure our guest Anon can be home as soon as possible. Thanks for bringing him around and caring for him up till now, Rarity.”

“Yes, thank you so much for all you did for me, Rarity. I wish I could repay you for everything, but if things work out ideally, I don’t think I’ll be able to.” He gave her thankful smile; it was a beautiful thing. She could only give him one in return. Their meeting was brief, but it brought her a sense of adventure she’d missed from her younger days.

“I only did what anypony else would’ve.” Not to mention that’d it’d be incredibly remiss of her as the element of generosity to have left him high and dry. “Now do take care darling, and thank you Princess Twilight for lending your aid. I bid you both farewell.”

With a smile and nod, Twilight waved her goodbye. Anon too waved at her as she made her way out of the castle.

“What an interesting fellow, I hope it all works out for him.” She mumbled to herself as she returned to her boutique to open up for the day. There was still work to be done and a pair of wedding outfits to finish.

-{/}-

He was catatonic.

Hope had turned into despair.

He couldn’t go home.

They had done innumerable tests, and tried so many spells. Yet nothing worked, it baffled Twilight to no end. The mirror world had humans and they had spells to travel between worlds. So why, why was it impossible to find Anon’s home?

It had been three weeks now, weeks of full force efforts that had yielded nothing. Hell, they’d made newfound progress in the field of interdimensional travel, but none of it mattered to Anon because they wouldn’t get him home.

He’d been staying at the castle the whole time to ensure he was always on hand for all their attempts. But now these halls felt far too big and foreign. He didn’t think he’d ever miss the view of towering skyscrapers and evening traffic so much. Especially not to the point of shedding tears for them.

“Anon, I’m so deeply sorry, but I don’t think you can go home.” Twilight looked incredibly pained by the anguish on his face. He’d been opening up at first, when there was plenty of hope. She’d found his company enjoyable, but as things became bleak, he had regressed and eventually closed himself from everypony else. “I’ll keep searching, and if anything crops up, you’ll be the first to know. But as of this moment, it seems you will have to become an inhabitant of this world. If its any help, you are absolutely welcome to settle in Equestria. I’ll make sure you are given a home and any bits you’ll need to make life for yourself here.”

Anon’s mind was present enough for him to nod slightly in acknowledgement.

“I could also ask Sunset Shimmer if she’ll be willing to help you settle in the mirror world if you wish to be amongst more familiar surroundings.” She had made sure to contact her old friend when they began this endeavor, but even she couldn’t help them much. Although a visit to the mirror world had temporarily lifted Anon’s spirits in the past.

Now though, the idea of being amongst humans that weren’t those he knew just make it hurt even more. It’d be too much to be amongst the familiar yet alien setting of the mirror world. Too much of a reminder of what he’d lost.

“I… I’d like to stay here, Princess.” He stared through her as he said this.

“Then I shall arrange for your accommodations. Should there be anything else you need, please let me know and I’ll be sure to provide any help I can in my full authority as Princess of Equestria.”

With a final, defeated nod, Anon left the throne room. He made his way to his room. It was large, but that just made it feel even emptier. Choosing to lay in bed, he wallowed in his misery. He didn’t know how much time passed before he heard soft knocking at his door.

“Darling?” It was a familiar voice, one he thought he wouldn’t hear again not that long ago. “Are you there?”

He considered not answering, to just continue in solitude. It would be easy to stay like this, but he knew it wouldn’t change anything. No point making others worry about him even more, no matter how miserable he felt.

“Yes.”

“May I come in?”

Hesitation.

“Give me a sec… I just need to get changed.” He slowly got up from his bed. He had obtained a couple additions to his nonexistent wardrobe when Sunset Shimmer had given him a tour of her world. He had been wearing some formal clothing for his meeting with Princess Twilight, but now he wanted to get a bit more comfortable before meeting Rarity. After a quick swap, he was wearing some pants and a loose long sleeve. Opening the door he spotted Rarity, waiting patiently but full of concern.

“Oh dear, you look absolutely awful, darling!” Looking at him now, she was reminded of that fateful night where he’d sobbed into her embrace. She had to hold herself back from smothering him in a similar embrace.

“Yeah, having your hopes dashed tends to do that to a guy, ha… ha,” he chuckled bitterly. His attempts to try and alleviate the mood falling apart. He may be deep in grief, but he’d be damned if he made someone else suffer because of it.

“I’m incredibly sorry that things have not turned out as hoped, Anon.” Rarity knew things weren’t gonna be pretty when she decided to visit Anon after hearing the terrible news. So, she decided to step in and try to what she could to help. Stepping into his room, she noted how barren it was. There were only a few pieces of clothes that belonged to him within aside from the standard furniture. “If there’s any way I can help you, please do tell darling.”

“I… I honestly don’t if there’s anything that you could do.” He sat down on his bed, and Rarity sat down on the only chair in the room. “I do appreciate your offer! Don’t get me wrong. I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do now.”

“Well,” Rarity considered her words briefly, “I know you’ve been here for about 3 weeks, but have you had time to explore Ponyville?”

“Huh, now that I think about it, I never did get a tour of the town.” He felt a bit embarrassed; he was so focused on going home he didn’t even bother to get familiar with what he thought were temporary surroundings. “I did explore the mirror world a bit, but I’ve only spent my time in the castle since you brought me here.”

“Then, our first order of business is to get you better acquainted with Ponyville.” Getting up from her chair, Rarity made her way to the door. She shot Anon a look that clearly asked if he was gonna follow her.

He hesitated, unsure if he should get up. Would this even help? Exploring his new… prison? He may not be locked up, but he also couldn’t truly leave in the way that mattered.

“I know it must be hard to accept that you can’t go back, but I would like it if you could make a semblance of home here.” Rarity gave him a slightly pleading look.

Dammit Anon! Look at you! Mopping around and making a pretty mare worry for your sorry ass! Get it together! So what if you’re stuck here?! No point crying over spilled milk! Now get out there! The sound of Anon smacking his cheeks with both his hands caused Rarity to jump in surprise.

Anon rose with purpose, using his own bravado to push forward. Sure, his little mental pep talk wasn’t gonna instantly fix everything, but he refused to continue his wallowing.

“You’re right Rarity! There’s no point in letting all this continue to drag me down. I’m in a new world and I’ve already wasted so much time worrying about returning to my old life.” Neither were convinced by his words, but it was a commendable effort all the same. “I’d love it if you showed me around Miss Rarity!”

“I told you already Anon, just Rarity is fine.” She giggled at his antics, hopefully this was a sign that he was recovering even if only a little. “Now, I’m sure a nice treat from Sugarcube Corner will put a real pep in your step. Follow along now, darling.”

A newfound smile on his face, Anon follows behind Rarity. Things could be better, but they could always be worse. Best he could do was try to better the bits he still had control over.

“I’ll take your word on it Rarity, so please lead the way.”

So, the pair left the Castle of Friendship. The first stop, a lunch at Sugarcube corner. Spirits a bit higher than before.

-{/}-

“Damn, this food is great!” Anon found himself gorging down on a chocolate muffin while drinking a caramel frappe. An unorthodox lunch for sure, but he needed the pick me up and sweets always brought him comfort. “I’m starting to regret not getting out more often these past weeks. The chefs at the castle made some good food, but this stuff’s phenomenal.”

“Aw shucks! I’m glad you’re enjoying our food Nonny!” At the counter was an energetic Pinkie Pie. Despite all the years, she still found herself working at the store as the Cake siblings were busy finishing their studies. Their parents had since decided to retire, trusting Pinkie to watch the shop while their children were busy with school. “I’ll be sure to pass your compliments to the Cakes!”

“Your skills with sweets have only gotten better with time Pinkie, and it shows.” Rarity had her own choice of pastry and drink combo, a blueberry muffin and chai latte. “I’m sure Cheese Sandwich appreciates your skills as well.” She added with a light tease.

“Yup! Cheese loves when I bake sweets for him and our colt!” Pinkie continues paying the teasing no mind. “Though, now that I think about it, I never did get to meet Anon when he got to Ponyville. That means we still haven’t thrown him a welcome to Ponyville party!”

Anon felt himself flinch at the prospect of such an event. Just because he was trying to adjust didn’t mean he was ready for something that blatant. Noting his discomfort, Rarity decided to take action.

“Now Pinkie, while I’m sure he’d appreciate a party in his honor, Anon here still needs some time to feel comfortable with his stay here. Plus, Rainbow Dash and Applejack have their wedding this week and we wouldn’t want to draw away any attention from that. All of Ponyville has been ecstatic waiting for the wedding and it’d be uncouth of us to throw a party of our own right before.” This should at least buy them sometime for Anon to settle down somewhere in Ponyville.

“Oh yeah! I can’t wait to get all the treats for the wedding ready! We’ve already prepped so much for it and the cake is gonna blow them away with joy!” Before she could continue talking to the pair, a new pony entered the café and instantly gained her attention.

“She’s certainly an energetic type.” Anon chose to comment. He had been taken aback by her constant chatter at first when they’d arrived at the café. The flurry of questions had overloaded his mind, thankfully Rarity was well used to Pinkie and quickly calmed her down. Enough that they were able to place their orders and find a comfy corner of the café to enjoy.

“That she is, its what makes her so fun to be around.” Rarity smiled, remembering all the parties and adventures she experienced with the pink pony. “Though it can get a bit overbearing at times. So, I know how to defuse her before she overloads me with chatter.”

“I assume you’ve known her for a long time?”

“Yes, many, many years. We met so long ago, along with plenty of our other friends, here in Ponyville.” Rarity let out a heavy sigh, feeling the years wearing her down.

“Its nice to know you’ve stayed close to your friends after all this time.” He momentarily thought of his own friends. I wonder how they’re faring? They may be idiots, but they were good idiots. Considering my final moments on Earth, they probably think I’m dead. Hell, the reason I probably can’t go back is because I really did die back there.

Seeing Anon fall into thoughts that clearly disturbed him, Rarity cleared her throat to gain his attention.

“I suppose you had friends of your own as well?” She was taking a risk bringing up the thoughts of what he’d just lost. But she knew the power of friendship and so the risk was worth taking. Just as she was starting to worry, Anon finally spoke up.

“Yeah,” he paused recalling those goobers, “they’re a bunch of idiots honestly. Always messing around and playing games or getting drunk.” Rarity gave him an encouraging smile, prompting him to continue. “I met some of them back in high school and others in college. It was nice that no matter how much time passed I could always rely on them. We always looked out for each other, even when we messed with each other.”

“I’m gonna miss them.” A tear rolls down his cheek, as he chokes out that last bit.

“I’m sure they’ll miss you too.” She reached over to rub his should gently. “I know I’d miss any of my friends greatly if they were to disappear. But I would also hope that wherever they may end up, they wouldn’t forget how much I care for them. Surely your friends would also want you to know they’ll always cherish your friendship.”

“Y-yeah, you’re right. Those idiots would probably tell me to stop being such a baby. After all, its not everyday you get transported a magical world with such helpful denizens. I can even hear some of them telling me be grateful I’m free of the endless grind from back home. Haha, if only they could also be here. It’d be fun to see their reactions to all this.” It still hurt to think about them, but Rarity was right. He knew all of them would want him to keep going with this extra chance at life. That’s just the kind of guys they were, always pushing each other to live their lives as much as they could.

“Talking about friends, how about I take you to meet the rest of mine? I’m sure Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash would love to meet you.” She was also sure it’d help him to make new connections and what better choices than the rest of the element bearers and her closest friends.

“You know, that sounds like a splendid idea. I’d love to meet the rest of your friends Rarity.” He gave her wonderful, hopeful smile. Yes, little by little things could always get better even if much was still lost. So long as he still drew breath, he would make an effort to live.

“Wonderful darling!” With a beautiful smile, Rarity got up and grabbed Anon by his hand, surprising him. She waved goodbye to Pinkie Pie as she half-dragged Anon out of the café and onto the bustling streets. There was plenty of wonders in Equestria to show Anon. Including the various and amazing denizens of Equestria, but for now she’d start with those she knew best.

And so, Rarity and Anon spent the day visiting old friends and making new ones. Twilight would be proud to see Rarity sharing in the joys of friendship with Anon. It was a magic all could appreciate.

-{/}-

“You want to move in with Rarity?” It had only been a day since Anon had left her throne room dejectedly, eyes empty and despondent. Now here he stood, as if born anew. She wasn’t as surprised by his request as his sudden shift in mood. She could still sense his worry and grief, but it was met with a newly born hope that shone through. “That’s more than fine, but I am a little curious as to why you chose to live with Rarity rather than have a home of your own.”

“Well, I don’t do so well left to my own devices, especially with the current circumstances being what they are. So, I figured I could take up residence in the spare room Rarity lent me for a night when I got here. Just long enough to get familiar with Ponyville at least. Afterwards I could move out and feel comfortable with living on my own again.”

He had brought the idea up to Rarity yesterday. She had wondered why as well and he gave her the same reasoning. Plus, he didn’t want to keep living in that room that was far too big. Being in Castle didn’t help him much either as he just kept thinking of all the time spent trying to leave ending in failure. Thus, his choice of residence was Rarity’s spare bedroom.

“That does make a lot of sense. In that case, so long as Rarity approves, you may stay at her boutique. You shall be given a stipend from the royal coffers to help you set up in Equestria. You needn’t worry about repayment either, it’s the least we can do to help you out.” Her mandate said, Princess Twilight signaled to a nearby assistant to get all the paperwork in order.

“Thank you, Princess Twilight. I truly appreciate your help and the kindness you’ve displayed for a stranger.”

“Nonsense Anon, you’ve spent enough time here to be considered a friend. And I’d never abandon somepony in need. Its, not just my duty as a ruler, but my own morals that compel me to help you. We could all use a friend to look after us.” At that final remark, she looked to Rarity who was waiting for Anon to be done with this meeting. She didn’t miss the new spark of light that danced in her eyes. It’d been a long while since she saw Rarity so motivated for something that wasn’t a dress. She even wondered if there was a deeper reason that Anon was moving in with Rarity, but pushed those thoughts aside. Rarity was just looking out for poor Anon and that was more than commendable.

Seeing as there was nothing more to add, she dismissed Anon, promising to send a courier with the paperwork for his stay later. Anon waved her goodbye as he moved toward Rarity. Turning to face her, she couldn’t help but appreciate the genuine smile he had looking at her.

“Well then, all that’s left is to clean out that room so you can have all the space to yourself, darling.” Rarity spoke, as she once again took the lead while they walked back to her boutique.

“Not to brag, but I’m quite adept at moving boxes.” Anon joked back, smiling at the prospect of moving in with someone who was quickly becoming a close friend in this new land. “My arms aren’t just for show after all.” He didn’t have much in the way of muscles, but he liked to think he had decent strength.

“Oh, I’m sure darling~” She giggled, it was a beautiful sound. “But, just in case I’m sure my magic can get anything that proves too much for your arms.”

“You wound me dear Rarity. Now I must prove my worth to you!” He continued the bit, flexing his arms a little as if it proved anything. Both of them broke into laughter, not minding the few stares they drew from the ponies walking all around them. Soon enough, they arrived at the Carousel Boutique.

Staring at the building in the daylight, Anon found it quite impressive in its own way. It was certainly more creative than the average building back home, with plenty of flair. A fine home and business if I’ve ever seen one.

“Here we are dear, home sweet home.” Opening the Boutique, she welcomed him inside. “Seeing as we’ll be doing plenty of exercise moving boxes, lets eat lunch first. Anything you’d like to eat?”

“A simple egg sandwich would be nice, if you’d be so kind.” During his time at the Castle of Friendship, Anon had grown accustomed to the vegetarian diet of the ponies. Sure, he could order steaks and other meat dishes from the kitchens in the castle. But he always felt bad making these veggie eating ponies prepare such dishes. Thus, he grew used to a vegetarian diet. It definitely helped that these ponies knew how to make a veggie diet appetizing.

“I shall be done shortly, for now you should be able to store your belongings in the old wardrobe in your room.” Rarity made her way to the kitchen as Anon headed to the room upstairs.

Once up the stairs and down the hallway, Anon entered his new room. It was still as clean as when he first slept here. He easily found the wardrobe in question and opening it he was glad to see that it was just as clean as the rest of the room. Placing his meager belongings inside, he took note that he’d be in charge of keeping the place clean now. He’d be a horrible roommate otherwise. He even planned to ask Rarity if it was fine for him to use the kitchen to cook for them from time to time. He wasn’t a great cook, but he knew his way around a kitchen to make simple meals.

His stuff put away; he explored the room a little. He hadn’t been able to truly take in the room the first time around. The contents surprised him, he found a small bed, perfect for a small pet. It was located on top of a box with the word ‘Opal’ written on it. He assumed these had belonged to a pet of Rarity’s.

Doing some more exploring, he found another box, this one was open. It seemed someone had rummaged through it recently and forgot to close it properly. Much like the previous one, a name was written on it. ‘Sweetie Bell’, he had to wonder who that was, the contents of the box were trinkets and toys a kid may enjoy. Did Rarity have a daughter? No, that’s just dumb, she would’ve mentioned a daughter by now, I’m sure of it. Maybe another relative then? A cousin or a sibling. Though it does surprise me to see such a beautiful mare still single. Huh, is my idea of beautiful the same as theirs? More things to ponder or ask I suppose.

After rummaging around a bit more, he heard Rarity calling him down to eat. He made haste as he could feel his hunger rearing its head after all this time.

Once seated, the pair dug into some delicious egg sandwiches. Anon was impressed by her skills as a cook once again. He still remembered those pancakes she fed him weeks ago. It felt so long ago, yet it was only 3 weeks.

As they ate, he considered asking her a few questions. Especially about the boxes he found. No time like the present.

“Hey, Rarity.” He prodded, gaining her attention.

“Yes, darling?”

“I was looking at some of the boxes in that room, and was wondering about a few of them. I don’t wanna be too nosey, so if you’d rather not talk about any of them that’s fine. Honestly, now that I think about it, it was rude of me to go snooping around in your belongings.” He ended with an embarrassed and apologetic smile.

“Its fine darling, while I don’t normally condone snooping in other’s belongings, I figured you’d have a few questions about all those boxes. If anything, I’m glad to share the story of their contents.”

“That’s a relief then.” He let out a breath before continuing, “there were two boxes in particular I was curious about. One had a small pet bed on it and had the name Opal written on it. The other was slightly open and had a bunch of old toys inside. Written on that one was Sweetie Bell.”

“Ah, those,” Rarity smiled wistfully. “The first one are the belongings of my old pet cat Opal. She was a wonderful kitty, but eventually the years caught up to her and she unfortunately passed away.” Her mood turned somber remembering her beloved Opal. She had lived a long life under her care and was comfortable till the end. “After her passing I packed up her old belongings and stored them in that room. I had planned to donate them to Fluttershy’s animal sanctuary, but I never could bring myself to do it.”

“Oh, I’m sorry for your loss. Losing a pet is always hard, we can at least make sure their short time with us is filled love and care.” Anon remembered his own pet, a budgie that passed away after many years during his youth.

“Very right, darling. And I’m sure Opal lived the best life she could under my care. Fluttershy certainly thought so, ever the animal lover, she was by my side during and after Opal’s final days. She’s a truly wonderful friend.” Recomposing herself, she decided to mention the other box. “Now, for the other box, that’s my dear little sister’s old belongings from when she was a filly. Though, it seems she recently dug something out seeing as you mentioned it’s been left slightly opened.”

Anon found the smile she showed at that to be slightly ominous. Fortunately, it didn’t seem to be aimed at him. He never had siblings, but caring for his cousins on occasion was a close enough experience in his opinion.

“Oh, I figured as much. It makes sense for it to be a relative of yours.” He quickly added, remembering how he’d initially considered it might’ve been her daughter.

“Oh?~ Is that so?~”

“Y-yeah, it was quite obvious honestly. Definitely didn’t think it was your daughters.” He added with a nervous smile, before realizing he’d said that last part. Shit.

“Oh my!~ I know I am quite the mature mare, but I’ve never come close to being a mother.” She gave him a smug smile in response. “Not for lack of trying mind you, but I just never found the right somepony.”

“I’ve been wondering for a while now how a mare as kind and beautiful as you is currently single.” He spoke his mind, not really considering how forward he may sound.

“Oh dear!~ Keep this up and I might think you’re flirting with me, Anon.” She gave him a playful smile as he blushed profusely. “I do appreciate your compliments dear, but be careful lest you end up wooing a mare on accident. It wouldn’t be good of you to lead a poor mare on.”

“Of course! I’ll make sure to watch my wording in the future.” The last thing he wanted was to cause heartbreak amongst these kind equines.

“As for why I’m still a single mare, its just as I said. I always dreamed of being swept off my hooves by some dashing stallion or gallant mare, but it never came to be. It certainly didn’t help that half the time it was my friends or I who came to the rescue. Though I don’t regret a single adventure, they were always quite exhilarating.”

“I guess you and I aren’t so different in that aspect.” He gave her a wry smile.

“Were you perhaps too privy to many adventures?” A kindred soul in romance, now this she had to hear.

“Not really, I’ve led a relatively normal life. But I did always dream of meeting the love of my life in some sort of fairy tale setting. It seems a bit foolish in retrospect, but life has a way of keeping you busy. So, I’d occasionally dream of a chance encounter with a lovely lady, where we’d hit it off and end up falling in love. Like all those romance stories and movies. I was always a sucker for that stuff. I did try to go dates a few times, but they never quite clicked. I felt it was better to just focus on myself and my friends instead and let love find me eventually. Now I see how well that turned out.”

He expected her to laugh a bit at his confession, but was surprised when she instead shared a knowing smile. Truly they weren’t that different despite their origins.

“You aren’t wrong that life does keep one busy. I tried my hand at dating as well, but always ended up with the worst stallions. Probably didn’t help my motivation to find a lover in all honesty. Though I’m sure a young lad such as yourself has plenty of time to find a special somepony.” She quickly added, “that is if you don’t mind a pony lover. There are plenty of species to choose from in Equestria if ponies aren’t to your taste after all.”

“I’m not gonna lie, even though I’ve only been here a few weeks, I can definitely see the appeal of ponies. You lot do tend to be cuter than anything though.” He looked away from Rarity while scratching his chin before adding in a lower voice, “though you’re proof that someponies can be quite beautiful as well.”

“Oh dear, once again with the compliments. I’ve already warned you how such words may end up wooing a mare if you keep it up, darling.”

“Doesn’t make them any less true in this case.” He countered, much to Rarity’s joy.

“Well, if you ever do end up finding someone you love, be sure to let me know. I’ll get you fitted for the perfect outfit to go on a date in. Not to mention I always have some love advice to share, a few failed dates still give helpful experience in what not to look for.” Giving him a final coy smile, she got up and handled the dishes. This time Anon was ready and managed to convince her to let him clean at least half the dishes.

Clean up done, they moved upstairs to clear Anon’s room. It wasn’t all that hard to get those boxes out and into a proper storage room. Though they did enjoy further conversation, with Rarity retelling some of her adventures. Anon would occasionally chip in with a tale or two of the antics he’d get up to with his friends.

All in all, it was an enjoyable afternoon of moving boxes and trading stories. Perhaps things could still work out for the better. Anon had found a wonderful friend in Rarity and Rarity had found a kindred soul in Anon. Living under the same roof meant they were able to interact and bond even more.

-{/}-

Thus, the days went by, with Anon adjusting to life in Ponyville with the help of Rarity and occasionally her friends. He was still unsure of his feelings on the matter of never returning home, but living in such a welcoming town definitely helped ease the pain. Not to mention having such a wonderful mare around to help him adapt to this new life.

It was with these thoughts in mind that he found himself eating dinner with Rarity at the boutique one night. Pondering a question that he’d started entertaining ever since their talk about their failed romantic endeavors. They had worked together to make dinner this time. Though he did find himself lost in thoughts during the process.

Now they sat finishing their meal and Rarity was about to broach the subject of what was taking up Anon’s mind. Only to be beat by Anon, who decided it was either now or never.

“Rarity,” he took a deep breath and steeled his resolve before continuing, “I know we’ve only known each other for a little under a week. But I’ve thought about this a lot ever since we talked about our ideal way to fall in love. So, I have to ask you, will you go out with me?!” He nearly shouted the last part due to his nerves.

Her only response was to stare at him surprise. Surprise which dragged on for a little too long as Anon began having second thoughts. Shit! Anon you idiot! Why’d you go and ask her that?! You had a good thing going here and now you blew it! She’ll probably want us out by the morning. You just had to jump the gun and assume her kindness was a sign that she might feel the same as you. Sure, she said she thought you were similar, especially in your approach to romance. But that didn’t mean she wanted to go out with you!

All his thoughts ceased as Rarity regained her composure and opened her mouth to respond. He felt the building dread at what was certainly going to be an awkward, yet kind refusal to let him down gently. Right before asking him to leave her home in the morning of course.

“I’m deeply flattered you think so highly of me darling.” She began, only confirming his thoughts. Till she continued, “But are you sure you want to date an old mare such as myself? I’m sure there’s plenty of young mares out there who’d love to get to know a strapping young lad such as yourself.”

To say he was befuddled would be an understatement. He quickly recovered, emboldened by the fact that she hadn’t directly turned him down yet. It was all or nothing now.

“I’m sure if I wanted to, I could find a few mares willing to date me in Ponyville. Yet, they wouldn’t be you.”

“Oh, dear.” Rarity could feel the blush forming on her face. “What could you possibly mean by that darling?”

“I kept thinking about how much we hoped that one day the love of our life would appear in a life changing manner. Yet we had resigned ourselves to it remaining an impossible dream. All while ignoring the event of that night nearly a month ago.”

“You mean your appearance in Ponyville?” Rarity felt she knew where Anon was going with all this, but let him continue before saying anything more.

“Yes! Think about it, up till that point my life had fallen into routine. A stable routine, but it had become dull all the same. I lived everyday wondering if there was anything more to my life. Even with my friends and job, I just didn’t feel fully alive. Then bam! I went from just another human on Earth, to the only human in Equestria. Not to mention that I was placed right before you, its like someone had planned it. I was just so caught up in the insanity of it all that I never considered how impossible the whole situation was. A beautiful stranger appears before me out of nowhere and immediately lends me a shoulder to cry on. I’d say I was in a corny romance novel.” Despite the pain it still caused him, he grinned wryly as he continued. “Ironic that it took my death for me to find a way to truly live. Honestly, it was those very thoughts that occupied my mind moments before I died. I’m sure you felt something similar up until that night. The hope for more to life than what you had.”

“That’s awfully presumptuous of you to assume I felt that way, darling.” She gave him a pointed look that caused his stomach to drop. Had his gambled failed? “But you are quite right, unerringly so.” At this she gave him beautiful, yet smug smile. She was enjoying his reactions quite a bit, it was honestly cute of him. “I had gone out that night with the intention of losing myself to thoughts about my life. I do love my friends deeply and cherish all the memories we’ve made. But seeing them move on with their lives, finding love, or growing into their new responsibilities, made me feel left behind. I was still a fashionista, as I had been when I first met them all. Sure, I’d grown into one of the most recognized designers in all of Equestria as I’d always dreamed of, but it felt slightly hollow not having someone to share that joy and accomplishment with. Then as you said, in a flash of light I find myself staring at an intriguing and mysterious figure under the light of the moon. You’re right that it sounds like something out of some cheesy romance story.” How she had missed such an obvious similarity to all those stories she read from time to time was beyond her.

“I guess I had assumed it was just another strange event in my eventful life. Plus, I didn’t think you’d be sticking around once you made your situation clear. I couldn’t help but fall back to my old trains of thought soon after you left for the castle. It certainly didn’t help that two of my closest friends were getting married soon. Its one thing to see them become a couple, its another to see them get married. Especially when I’m the one making their wedding outfits and dresses for the bridesmaids. It makes an old mare look back on her life and wonder why she was still so lonely.” Seeing her turn wistful at her own thoughts, Anon took another chance and reached out. Feeling his warm hand wrap around her hoof jolted her slightly, but it felt so nice. To have her hoof held like this. “You know, I was asked to be Applejack’s Maid of Honor for the wedding. A position I gladly took for my friend, but I was told I could bring a plus one and have no one to take. Normally I wouldn’t bother bringing anypony else as my plus one, its only a courtesy after all not a requirement. Though, considering what you’ve just proposed to me, I would not be opposed to taking you to the wedding as my date, darling.” This time the way she said darling sent shivers down his spine for the right reasons.

“I’d be honored to be your date for the wedding!” He gave her such a beaming smile full of such radiant joy it nearly melted her on the spot.

“I do have one stipulation before I fully agree on dating you.” She added in before she could forget. She was finding it incredibly hard to not outright jump for joy at this development, but she was a strong, determined lady and knew when to set her foot down.

“Of course, anything you need of me I’ll do!” Anon agreed with surprising eagerness.

“You need a complete wardrobe makeover. I will not have my date dressing in anything less than the best. Especially for such an important wedding!”

“I do have the stipend Princess Twilight promised me, so I can buy myself better clothes if you want.” He needed more clothes anyways, so he didn’t mind.

“Nonsense darling! When I said the best, I meant the best! And quite frankly the only works I consider so highly are my own in this case. I will hear nothing of you trying to pay me either so keep that in mind.” She pointed her free hoof at him to drive home her point. “We still have a full day before the wedding, I’m sure I can handle all the arrangements to make sure you’re more than ready for it. For now, I’ll just focus on tailoring you the perfect suit. After the wedding, presuming our date goes well, I’ll focus on designing an entire wardrobe for you to wear.”

Anon couldn’t help but feel driven to prove he was more than worthy of Rarity’s efforts.

“I don’t plan for anything less than a stellar date for our first outing as a couple!” Anon’s bravado coloring his words, he truly meant it. He would give this beautiful mare the greatest wedding date possible. He was tired of longing for the perfect lover, he had his chance here and now and like hell was he gonna let it slip through his fingers!

“Then we are in agreement. Tomorrow we shall be busy getting ready for the wedding and afterwards we’ll have a wonderous time at the wedding.” Rarity fanned herself with free hoof lightly, feeling her blush burning. “Oh my, you’ve really got this old mare all heated.”

“You’re not old Rarity.” The firmness with which he said that took her slightly aback. “You’re a beautiful mare that has aged gracefully and I couldn’t ask for a better mare to have the chance at love with. I’ll prove it to you, by the time our date is done you’ll be feeling like a young maiden.” Bold words, truly, but the sheer conviction convinced her to look forward to his promise.

“If you can truly do that then I’ll consider our date a marvelous success. Now, it’d be best that we get proper sleep, we have a full day ahead of us now and it’d be terrible to start the day late because we didn’t get enough sleep.”

“You’re right about that,” he scratched his cheek while smiling wryly, “in that case, goodnight, Rarity! I’ll see you tomorrow bright and early.”

“Indeed, goodnight, Anon! I look forward to our date and preparations for it.~” Feeling playful, Rarity blew him a kiss before heading up the stairs and into her room. For his part, Anon remained rooted, paralyzed by her blown kiss. Such a simple action causing such a massive reaction only fueled his need to show Rarity that he’d be the perfect partner for her.

It was a rough journey to reach this point, but now both of them had found a new burning hope. A hope for love that they could hold close and cherish. Would their newfound hope survive their first date? Only time could tell, but there was no denying that at that moment, both of them felt the very real blossoming of love for each other. Now they would have to carefully cultivate that budding love so it could bloom into some truly beautiful and ethereal.

Author's Note:

This story has quickly escalated beyond my initial estimations. A lot more suffering on Anon's part too. Anyways, just one more chapter for real this time. The third time's the charm. Then I'll have to up the rating for the sequel involving their honeymoon.

Comments

[Ralanost]

That's mighty awkward. Being a roommate for a week and wanting to date. That said, living together for a week and still being that into each other is impressive. Because the fastest way to know if you aren't compatible with someone is living with them.