“Mind if I come up?” she asked. She leaned on the loft, grinning ear to ear, and wagging her long non-pony tail back and forth in anticipation of your answer.

It was late and you had been half-asleep, up in the hay loft of the Apple family’s barn where you had been sleeping since your abrupt arrival in this strange world, but you were always happy to have her company. You tried to answer but all that came out was a loud yawn, making her grin wider, and so you waved her up instead.

“Mighty neighbourly of ya, Sugarcube,” she said as she hopped up and flopped down in the hay beside you.

You smiled as you laid back down and rested a hand on her shoulder. Her long tail began to wag contently, flopping against the soft hay the two of you rested on as you gently massaged her rather muscular shoulder. You liked the Apple Family but were especially fond of Tatzljack. You hadn’t thought anything of it when you first met her, because she seemed every bit as strange as every other pony in this world, but now that you had settled in a bit you had come to realize just how odd and unique she actually was. You weren’t sure if she was a hybrid or just some incredibly rare species of pony, but she was the only one in the entire town with the long tail and the red cheek markings, and of course her tongues. She had three long black prehensile tongues and she had no qualms whatsoever about using them as limbs to shake your hand or even ‘hug’ you. Different as she may be, she had a heart of absolute gold and you had taken an almost instant liking to her.

“You’re such a strange one,” she said with a chuckle, reflecting on how you were petting her like she was a dog, “don’t ever change.”

“Says the pony who got out of her nice warm bed to stretch out in the hay with me.”

“It’s comfy, isn’t it?” she asked, to which you nodded, “Good place for a nap every now and again. Besides I hear you’re fixin’ to move up to a bed yourself.”

“Yeah,” you said, “It turns out that old house near the forest doesn’t have an owner. It needs a bit of work and Twilight Sparkle says I can live there as long as I need to if I’m willing to fix it up.”

Tatzljack sighed a long sigh of approval. “She’s a good friend, ain’t she?” She pulled herself a bit closer to you to speak in a low, soft voice. “You lookin’ forward to it?”

“Oh yeah,” you said happily, “I can’t believe such a place was just abandoned like that. It’s broken, but it even has a hot tub. You and the family will have to come over and give a whirl if I can get it working. But you know what I’m looking forward to the most? There’s a Queen Size bed.”

“Sounds pretty nice,” said Tatzljack, sounding a bit sad as she spoke, “Now you ain’t thinkin’ you’re crowding us or an inconvenience, right? You’re welcome to stay here if you like. That big ol’ house is pretty ratty and you’re gonna be lonely, right?” She gingerly took your hand from her shoulder and held it in her hooves. “If ya like, I got a King Size bed in my room.”

“Tatzljack,” you said with a chuckle, “you and your family have already done so much for me. I can’t take your bed from you.”

She looked straight up at the ceiling with a smirk and shook her head, and exhaled a heavy sigh. “Don’t ever change,” she said with a hint of laughter, “and don’t be a stranger, you hear?” She moved even closer and nestled up against you, “and I hope you don’t mind some company tonight.”