>You wanted to sleep.
>You needed to sleep.
>And boy did you sleep.
>You and your wife were out for hours.
>It wasn't until about noon did you stir even the slightest.
>You crack your eyes open and look around this strange room.
>Your memory comes fading back in.
>You were back in Ponyville.
>Twilight's house, more specifically.
>You squeeze your eyes close and whimper to yourself.
>This is Twilight's bed.
>That means you gotta move...
>Too bad you weren't home else you could just sleep all day.
>You cover your face with a pillow and yell.
>Fluttershy's eats twitched from your muffled shouting.
>She rolled over, threw a leg around you, and buried her face in your chest.
>You ran your fingers through her mane and stared at her resting form.
--
>There's a knock on the bedroom door before it cracks open.
>A purple muzzle pokes through.
>"Is it safe to come in?" asked Twilight.
"Your good."
>The door opens all the way and Twilight walks in carrying a tray with two bowls of cereal.
>"I heard you shout, so I figured you must be awake."
>She sets the tray in your lap.
>"I brought you breakfast."
"Thanks. We appreciate it."
>You gently nudge Fluttershy's shoulder.
"Wake up, mama. Breakfast in bed."
>Fluttershy lifts her head from your chest.
>She looks up to you, down to the tray, then to Twilight with those drowsy eyes.
>She smiles.
>"Thank you, Twilight," Fluttershy said softly.
>"Your welcome Fluttershy."
>As the two of you eat, Twilight takes a seat near the bed.
>"So do you plan on going home today?" asked Twilight.
"Yeah. As much as I'd rather lay here for the next couple days, I just want to go home."
>"Me too," said Fluttershy.
>"Okay. I suppose that's a better plan than stinking up my bed," said Twilight.
>You raise an eyebrow, but decide to sniff your shirt.
"Uh... I'll wash your sheets," you tell her.
>When was the last time you had a bath?
>Neither of you look dirty, but your collective stench says otherwise.
>Why didn't anyone say something before?
>Now you just look like an ass.
--
>You set your empty bowls on the tray and Twilight takes them downstairs.
>You slowly rise from the bed and stretch.
>Fluttershy slinks out of bed behind and goes downstairs.
>You laugh to yourself upon seeing the bed head Fluttershy's got going on.
>You run your fingers through your own hair.
>Then you rub you chin to feel the beard you have going on.
>First things first.
>This hair needs to go.
>You follow your wife downstairs and find Twilight helping her brush her hair.
>Fluttershy grimaces as her hair is tugged when the brush hits a knot.
"That's why I like having no hair," you comment.
>"It's nothing a quick, grr, brushing can fix," says Twilight, grunting as she forces the brush through another knot.
"Now watch Rarity kidnap you all day at the spa to clean you up to her standards."
>There's a knock on the door.
>"Come in!" calls Twilight.
>"Are they awake yet?" asks Rarity as she enters.
"Speak of the devil."
>"What?" asked Rarity.
"Nothing. What's up?"
>"Oh, I just came to treat the two of you to a trip to the spa as a Welcome Home present from myself."
>You throw one hand in the air and look at Twilight and Fluttershy.
"Oh! Called it!"
>"What?" asked Rarity.
>You lower your hand.
"Nevermind..."
--
>"Ow!" Fluttershy whimpers quietly as the brush snags again.
>Twilight pulls the brush away and picks out all the hair.
>Rarity gasps in horror.
>"You're mutilating her mane!" she cries.
>She runs over and shoves Twilight away and stealing the brush.
>You help Twilight to her feet.
>"Now that was rude," muttered Twilight.
"Just let it go."
>Rarity fixes Fluttershy's mane the rest of the way, but she's still not satisfied.
>"No, no, no,l. This simply will not suffice!" she proclaims.
>She stands Fluttershy up and starts pushing her to the door.
>"To the spa!" she shouts.
"No thanks."
>They stop.
>"Oh no you don't," said Rarity. "I am generously treating you to a relaxing afternoon. You're not slipping away from this one."
"Watch me."
>Three hours later, you're walking out the doors of the spa.
"Damn it all," you grumble.
--
>Back at the library, Twilight and Rarity offer to accompany the two of you back home.
"Actually, I want to surprise the fillies when they get off of school."
>"That's a great idea," said Rarity. "Poor Sweetie Belle and her friends have been absolutely distraught since you left."
"I need to ask. Did they find their cutie marks yet?"
>"No, not yet," Rarity sighed.
"A shame. But anyways, I'll see you at home, 'kay hun?"
> You kneel and kiss Fluttershy.
>"Okay. Just be back soon. Promise?" asked Fluttershy.
>You groan.
"Yes mom..."
>The mares giggle and you part ways.
>Ponies you haven't greeted yet wave and say 'Hello'.
>It doesn't take long to reach the schoolhouse.
>The bell sounds, signaling the end of classes for the day.
>You quickly duck behind a tree as the children leave the building.
--
>You spy the Crusaders stand outside the door for a bit few starting your way.
>You press your back to the tree.
>Their voices grow louder and they eventually pass right by you.
"One, two, Anon's coming for you..." you sing.
>You duck behind the tree opposite from them.
>They freeze and turn around.
>"H-Hello?" calls Applebloom.
>You can hear one of them cautiously step forward.
>You crouch so the bushes around you conceal you a little more.
"I want to play a game," you say.
>The little filly stops just behind the tree.
"Lets play..."
>You round the tree and dive at the filly.
"Hide and seek!"
>Applebloom shrieks when the creature pounces her.
>And then she can't stop laughing.
>"Noo! Hahaha! Stop!" cries Applebloom.
>You tickle her unrelentlessly.
>Your vision goes orange when Scootaloo attaches herself to your face.
>Sweetie Belle climbs onto your back.
>Applebloom slips free and joins her friends' assault.
>You give in and fall backwards, laying on Sweetie Belle.
"Hurk... Blagh..."
>You play dead, your tongue hanging out of your mouth.
>Sweetie Belle crawls from beneath you and the three stand on your chest.
>"Cutie Mark Crusader Human Fighters!" they proclaim.
--
>You reach you arms up and sweep them all into a hug.
>You squeeze them tight against your chest.
>"Hi Anonymous!" the greet.
"How are my three favorite fillies doing? You getting any closer to finding your cutie marks?"
>Their faces light uo.
>"Yeah! We're so close we can smell it!" exclaimed Scootaloo.
>"That's not our cutie marks," said Sweetie Belle, covering her nose.
>You release the fillies and they jump off your chest.
"Thanks for making me feel self-concious about my personal hygiene," you say sarcastically.
>"When'd y'all get home?" asked Applebloom.
"Yesterday, but we stayed at Twilight's house. We were too tired to go home."
>"Where's Fluttershy?" asked Sweetie Belle.
"She went back to my house with your sister and Twilight."
>"Do you have any good stories to tell?"
"You know it. I'll have to share them with you sometime."
>"Hey!" exclaimed Applebloom. "Do ya got your guitar ya?"
"Oh. No, actually. The strings broke. I need to see about getting it fixed."
>"Aww," they pouted.
--
"But hey. The wife wants me home, so I'll see you later, 'kay?'"
>You kneel to give them another hug.
"Do you want me to walk you home?"
>"No thanks," said Scootaloo. "We're going crusading!"
"Alright. Good luck and be safe, okay?"
>"Okay! See you later Anon!" they all chimed.
>They turned and ran down the road.
>You head home before your wife decides to smother you with a pillow in your sleep.
>You can't help but notice she had been getting a little more irritable lately.
>You chalk it up to hormones.
>You happen across Twilight and Rarity coming the other way down the road.
"What's up?" you ask.
>"We moved your stuff in and cleaned up a little," said Twilight.
"And Fluttershy?"
>"She said she would be fine by herself," said Rarity.
"Alright. Thank you both. I appreciate all you've done."
>"No need to thank us, Anonymous," said Rarity.
>"Yeah. That's what friends are for," said Twilight.
"I'll see you both later. And Rarity, I need to ask you something later."
>"Very well," said Rarity. "Goodnight Anonymous."
"You too."
>You walk past and make your way home.
--
>As you walk up to your home, a fulfilling sense of joy and belonging overcomes you.
>You open the door and step inside.
>The first thing you notice is the lack of stink you were expecting.
>The furniture is also dusted.
>Again, not what you were expecting.
>Someone had been cleaning recently.
>No way Fluttershy and them had cleaned this much in such a short time.
>You patrol the house but can't find Fluttershy.
>You walk outside and around back, bypassing the cart on the side of the house.
>You hear music.
>You check behind the house and find Fluttershy with a flock of birds on her head and extended forelegs.
>"AAaa AAaa AAaa aaaa~" sings Fluttershy.
>The birds chirp along.
>You lean up against the house and watch in silence.
>A thought comes to mind.
"Who are you," you whisper to yourself.
--
>You know that Fluttershy has a life of her own.
>And you as well.
>You can't spend every waking moment together.
>So you wonder,
>Just who is she when you're not around?
>Fluttershy holds a bird on her hoof close to her face and they whistle a song in unison.
>You know how silly and playful she can be when you're alone.
>Does she try on some of your socks and slide around the house?
>Does she sneak a small glass of cider when your not looking?
>Perhaps she has chocolate cravings from time to time.
>Fluttershy finishes her song with the birds.
>A few smaller creatures had gathered around as well.
>Fluttershy flinches when you give her a slow clap.
"You always did have a way with animals," you say with a smile.
--
>The two of you head inside.
>Shower was on your to do list, but Rarity helped check that off with a chemical bath at the spa.
>You check the freezer and find your preserved meat neatly stuffed inside.
>Dinner was one of the best you've had in a while.
>Fresh vegetables and spices in the cupboards added plenty of flavor and filler.
>You went to bed earlier than usual.
>You stripped out of your disgusting clothes and tossed them aside.
>You crawl beneath silk blankets so soft that royalty would be jealous.
>And your bed...
>Finally a bed that can actually accommodate you.
>The soft down feathers of your wife's wings were more than a sufficient pillow.
>But the best thing of all?
>You can stay here as long as you pleased.