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- >It’s been two long months, no one has visited you.
- >Well it was a rather long trip from town out to the middle of the everfree
- > Where you resided, hunted, lived… Survived.
- >Fucking ponies, man. Not letting you rent a room or even stay
- >with them for more than a few hours.
- >Oh, we don’t want to deal with the big ape, he smells and eats meat.
- Well!
- >You’ve always talked to yourself, but you’ve been doing it more and more recently.
- >Not that it matters, because today was the day.
- >You were gonna eat the barrel of your Mossberg.
- >Time to dress yourself, don’t wanna go out in the skivvies now.
- >Manticore leather wellingtons, you still remember taking that thing out.
- >Tough son of a bitch, still no match for spike pits.
- >Footwraps, thick canvas pants, undershirt… That’s it, not like you were trying to impress >anyone.
- >Methodically you run your ‘belt’ (bit of homemade chord) through each loop and attach >your knife and canteen. Lastly you pick up your bandolier; you count out all your remaining >munitions out loud.
- 40 double ought, 27 slugs
- >Originally your whole house got transported, all your stuff, your guns, hell even your truck.
- >Twilight took it all ‘for science’ she said. You were supposed to get it back.
- >Now it’s in the Canterlot archives, never to see the light of day again.
- >You lift the tarp that you use as a door to your ramshackle dwelling.
- >You’ve made a nice camp over the last two years.
- >Got a tanning rack, a dry storage, permanent fire pit, and best of all
- >a wooden palisade so you don’t get torn to shreds by some beastie in the night.
- >You take the locking board out of the gate and let yourself out.
- >You know exactly how you’re going to go out.
- >There’s a lovely field on the outskirts of the town,
- >it gives a nice view of the town,
- >one last cigarette (you’ve been nursing this pack for a week now),
- >one last flask of cider, then you end it.
- >The walk takes maybe a half hour.
- >The tree line suddenly evaporates in front of you,
- >giving you a panoramic view of the technicolor town.
- >You spot the lone stump, take a seat.
- >Deep breath in, deep breath out.
- >You pull your last cigarette out and your grand dad’s zippo.
- >you take a moment to admire it’s brass case,
- >you always wanted to give it to your kid when you had one.
- >You’re now Fluttershy,
- >you over slept a little, but not by much.
- >It was only 9:00 am, but the animals woke up early.
- >Currently, you are taking a nice honeycomb to Mr. Bear.
- >You cross the field, excitedly trotting, your hair giving a nice bounce with each step.
- >You begin to happily hum to yourself. After all who could be sad on such a beautiful day?
- >Oh, look, there’s that hoo-man who lives in the woods.
- >Eww, he’s smoking and he’s got his flask out.
- > Well leave him to his devices.
- Óró, sé do bheatha bhaile
- óró, sé do bheatha bhaile[7]
- óró, sé do bheatha bhaile
- anois ar theacht an tsamhraidh.
- >You some-what drunkenly sing this too your self.
- >Well, no more putting this off.
- >Bottoms up, clear out the flask.
- >For some inexplicable reason you put the flask back into your pocket.
- Ka-chack
- >00 Buck, you ain’t living though this.
- >You are now Fluttershy,
- >The hoo-man is still there, but now he’s drunkenly singing something in another language.
- Ka-chack
- >you lock up at the mechanical noise, and look over at the hoo-man.
- >Your pretty sure your trembling from fear.
- >You watch as he places his, whats it called again?
- >Shotgun, yeah that’s it. You’ve seen him use it once before, on a pack of
- >timber wolves that chased him almost to your cottage.
- >It was loud and scary, and most of all dangerous.
- >He places the shotgun under his chin.
- >Why is he shaking, you’ve seen this hoo-man fight off everything from angry mobs to >manticore, what could possibly scare him.
- >Suddenly it clicks in your head, he’s committing suicide. An act so rare in equestrian it >almost doesn’t have a name.
- >You barely knew his name, and had never spent any time with… on account of how bad >he smelled. Hesitantly you approach him, he hasn’t seen you yet.
- >Now that you’re maybe five feet away you can see why he hasn’t seen you.
- >He has his eyes screwed tightly shut as a thin stream of tears comes down the side.
- >You can barely make out what he’s whispering to himself.
- C-C’mon… do it… do it, y-you f-f-fucking coward!
- >While he certainly wasn’t your friend, you couldn’t stand
- >to see anything in such a sad state.
- >You speak up, you meant for your voice to be a little louder, maybe a little more >authoritative, but all that came out was your standard soft mumble.
- Anon?
- >Quicker than you thought possible Anon spun around, shotgun held high.
- >He looked entirely ready to bring it down on you, muscles tense, eye’s wide.
- >Now you are anon.
- >You stare down at the small, now cowering Pegasus.
- >Slowly you bring down your Mossberg, flick the safety on, and sling it on your back.
- >Then the dam bursts.
- >All the loneliness, all the xenophobia, all the pent up anger.
- >It all liquidates in your chest and boils out your eyes.
- >The emotional weight of the situation causes you to fall forward and
- >curl up into the fetal position.
- >Long slow sobs leave your mouth; everything feels detached and devoid of energy.
- >In short everything is terrible.
- >You lie for what feels like several eternities, only slowly do you become away of the small >hoof softly pressing into your shoulder.
- >The simply touch of a fellow sentient brings you back into reality, the emotions are still >there, but you have a cap on them now. You turn your head to face the yellow pegasus.
- >She smiles softly and says.
- “It’s okay, it’s okay now.”
- >You slowly bring yourself into a sitting position.
- >Deep breath in, deep breath out.
- >You let out a chuckle, the chuckle slowly turns back into crying.
- “No Anon, we’re not going down that road again.”
- >”um, excuse me, what road?”
- >You let out a chuckle again, this time stopping it before you lose control over your >emotions again.
- “ahh, forgive me, I talk to myself sometimes… Helps me think.”
- >”I… hmm… Why, were you… going to…uh-“
- “off myself?”
- >Your right hand mimes a pistol as you pretend to shoot yourself.
- >You even go so far as to make a little mocking bang at the shot.
- >The pegasus flinches at this noise.
- “Oh, heh, sorry.”
- >There’s a long silence as you both sit and look over Ponyville, the days already started, >ponies are going about their business. It’s all very calming.
- >The pegasus breaks the silence first.
- >”It’s-it’s okay if you… you don’t want to talk about it.”
- “Egh. Well I’m going to have to confront it eventually… You know how long I’ve been here?”
- >”I… I don’t know.”
- “Two years. You know how long it’s been since I talked to someon- er – somepony”
- >She looked diminutively at the ground. You take it as a no.
- “Two months, last thing anyone said to me, as ‘Mail!’ and that was it.”
- >There’s another stretch of silence.
- “The letter was just a long insult written by one, Diamond Tiara and Something Spoon.”
- >The pegasus started to seem antsy, constantly shifting position and other such.
- >You know what it is, it’s the smell, the natural scent of human.
- “I know, I know the smell is getting to you… You can go if you want.”
- >”oh! Um… well.”
- “You know what, I’m gonna make this easy for you. I’ll leave first, still got shit to do now that I’m not dead… Mostly to ensure that I don’t die.”
- >You laugh at your own terrible joke.
- >Alrighty then, up and at em.
- >You stand up, and pause for a moment.
- “I never caught your name”
- >”F-Fluttershy.”
- >I came out just at the edge of your hearing, but still loud enough
- >for you to hear and comprehend.
- >With that you walk off back to the forest, still had to gather some
- >mushrooms from the caves and set up the dam and fish net at the river.
- >Suns up, so are you.
- >With no internet and no activities that are safe after dark you’ve been going to bed at sun >down and waking at sunrise, roosting is it?
- >Well, time to check all the pit traps and tripwires to see if you caught anything.
- >Same clothes as yesterday, same load out as yesterday. Begin the morning grind.
- >Trap after trap is empty, a few were tripped, but they were empty.
- >It was going to be a lean week. With no cigarettes or booze either… Fuck.
- >After setting the traps back up and moving a few around you head back to the main path >to go ‘home’. There’s something odd though, there’s a couple sets of
- >hoof prints headed to your camp.
- >You swear to whatever god runs this world (Celestia? No, there’s got to be another)
- >that if it’s those fucking fillies again you’re not going to just yell at them this time.
- >You flick the safety off your Mossberg and proceed up the path.
- >As you come up the path you begin to hear the two unknown ponies conversing.
- >”I don’t know about this Fluttershy, I mean he eats meat, he arrived with a house full of >weapons and whatever that ‘tacoma’ thing was. I still think this is a bad idea.”
- >”Don’t worry Twilight, I’m sure the three of us can take him on if he tries anything.”
- >You recognize those two voices. Fucking Twilight and super-fast blue asshat.
- >Your internal monologue ceases as you listen in more on their conversation.
- >”Either way Flutters, we’ve been here like, twenty minutes… Aaaannd I don’t see him in >there. Maybe he actually went through with it.”
- >Oh! That’s it. You hold your Mossberg at low ready and
- >prepare to march out and show them a piece of your mind.
- >”oh, how can you say that Dash. He may not be like any of us, but he’s lonely and hurting… and… and I for one think that we should help him.”
- >Thankfully Shy spoke up, or you might have been a little too angry to talk civil like.
- > Either way, you need to get back inside for your fishing knife. You still had to check the >fish net you set up yesterday anyways.
- >The noise of you exiting the undergrowth causes all of them to turn their heads towards >you. As you suspected, Twilight and Fluttershy are standing in front of the gate with >Rainbow Dash hovering over both of them.
- “Howdy Shy how you doing?”
- >”oh, um. I’m doing fine.”
- >You walk past them all and reach through the hole in the gate to remove the locking board.
- “That’s great to hear, you want something to drink? I warn you all I got is tea and water.”
- >”oh, well some tea sure sounds nice.”
- >Twilight then speaks up “I’ll have some too.
- >You open the gate and turn to face twilight.
- “No”
- >You turn away from Twilights confused expression and walk into your camp.
- >You hold the door open for Shy.
- >Once she’s in you promptly slam the gate and put the locking board back into place.
- >You can hear Twilight shout from the other side of the palisade.
- >”Hey! What’s the big idea!”
- >Ignoring her complaints, you start the fire for the tea, and pull out
- >extremely well worn kettle and a couple cups.
- >You hear a soft bang followed by a fizz, looking over you discover that twilight had simply >teleported through the palisade, and that Dash had just flown over it.
- “For fucks sake.”
- >You mumble out this line, half hoping that they hear it.
- >Twilight looks at you with a very much annoyed expression.
- >”Were going to sit down, have your tea, and talk about why you did what you just did!”
- >Dash joins in as well “yeah buster, what’s your beef, you smelly ape!”
- “That, that right there is my goddamn beef! I get tossed to this world for some inexplicable reason. I try to be kind and courteous but you fuckers keep slinging this proverbial shit.”
- >Oh shit, you can feel it, they opened Pandoras box.
- “I can’t even go into town anymore without you xenophobic shits throwing eggs or some other fucked up jim crow shit.”
- >Dash leans over to twilight “ Hey, uh, what does xenophobic mean twilight?”
- “And you!”
- >you point an accusing finger at Twilight.
- “First thing that happens when I get here is to have all my stuff repossessed, then it’s on to the tests. First thing you do when you find a new sentient species that somehow speaks your language is to run physical experiments on? What is this the fucking dark ages.?”
- >Twilight is getting just as angry as you.
- >”Now see here! You just show up out of the blue, landing in town square, and come out >holding that weapon? How in the name of celesti-“
- “How would you react if you were just thrown out of your dimension and wound up in this whole new culture and whole new world of-“
- >Then Dash joined in the argument, then Twilight interrupted Dash.
- >Then you started yelling over both of them.
- >All hopes for civilized discussion had been lost.
- >In a scant few seconds you see Twilight’s horn begin to glow, and
- >Dash cocks her hoof back.
- >Hell no. Fuck this. You whip the Mossberg off your back in
- >one smooth well practiced motion. Bringing it to your shoulder and on
- >target at twilights head
- >During all the yelling no one had noticed that Fluttershy had backed into
- >a corner and started whimpering to herself.
- >All she wanted to do was help Anon make friends, everything was going wrong.
- Phewwww!!!!
- >All three of the arguing parties looked over at the squealing kettle.
- >They slowly looked back at each other and put away their respective weapons.
- >You go to the kettle and pull it off the fire, you reach back into
- >your crate of cooking/eating accoutrements and pull out two more cups.
- >you pour out four cups of tea and pass them out.
- >It takes a while for all of you to coax Fluttershy to join you, but you do it.
- >Everyone sits around the fire and quietly sips their tea.
- >Twilight is the first to break the silence.
- >”What did you make the tea out of? It’s not bad.”
- “I mostly just used stinging nettle. I tried to sweeten it with some of the berries I find. I think this batch also-“
- >You take a sip.
- “Yep, this batch also has some dried mushrooms.”
- >”Hmm. Might have to see if Spike can get some for me.”
- >Now it’s Dash’s turn to speak up.
- >”How do you find all of this?”
- “Well, the first few weeks were hard... And exhausting. Those timber wolves don’t let up eh?”
- >A light chuckle from Dash and Twilight lifted the mood slightly.
- “Once I got the palisade up, I started mapping out possible food locations. Water here is a non-issue, considering the river behind me is clean. I boil it all anyways.”
- >You point over to a slab of rock with charcoal marks that acted as a map, then
- >behind you to the river.
- >You knock back the rest of your tea and stand.
- >You lift the tarp to your dwelling and pull the fishing knife off the rack and stuff
- >it into your belt. You walk around the group to the palisade gate and
- >lift off the locking board.
- “I’m sorry I can’t stay longer, but if I want to eat tomorrow I’m gonna hafta check up on my fishnets. You guys can fly out right?”
- >Various replies come back to you, all along the lines of ‘yes’. With that you
- >go about your daily job of finding tomorrows food.
- >Twilight was right about the tea. It is surprisingly good.
- >Your still on edge after that fight. You had seen anon yell at ponies
- >who threw things at him in the town. You never did, but he still smelled,
- >and that was enough for you to never talk to him.
- >Your attention is brought back to reality by Rainbow Dash.
- >”Does he really just trust us enough to leave us with all his things?”
- >You were about to say something when Twilight took the words out of your mouth.
- >”What more could we take.”
- >silence, sip, more silence.
- “I can’t believe he lives like this”
- >Dash responded first “What was that Shy?”
- “When I saw him yesterday, I had almost forgotten how big he was… he must be almost-“
- >Twilight cut you off “6’5, 220 pounds when he first showed up… Sorry, you were saying?”
- “I remember helping Mr. Bear after his mate left him, But this was so… so… so much worse. Even I haven’t cried for that long before.”
- >Twilight and Dash raised an eyebrow at this; they’ve all seen how long you can cry
- >when you’re absolutely terrified.
- “It was two hours of the most intense sobbing I’ve ever heard… I expected to find him recovering today… Like any of us would after such a terrible ordeal…”
- >Twilight finished your thought once you trailed off “But instead he’s back on it.”
- >”Well duh, I don’t have to be an egghead to figure that one out.”
- >Both you and Twilight are caught off guard by Dash’s statement.
- >Dash rolls her eyes and continues her thought.
- >”He has no money and no one will hire him, because, you know, the smell… So If he ever
- >ever takes a break, he starves.”
- >You simply look back into the fire digesting the new information.
- >You open your eyes and look at the clock, 7:30 am.
- >You’ve been waking up cold for the past few days. Your thoughts still stray towards Anon >sometimes. It’s been a couple days since your visit with Twilight and Dash.
- >You have a breakfast of oats and brush your teeth and mane as you do every morning.
- >You load up your saddle bags with animal feed, and head out the door.
- >Looking up at the sky you take a quick second to enjoy Celestia’s sun.
- >You take a step forward off the path and into the grass.
- “oh, my.”
- >You can’t help but say as your front right leg sinks a good 8 inches into the mud.
- >With some effort you retrieve your hoof. The weather crew really over
- >did last nights storm. Well the animals should be fine; they just have to stay inside
- >and eat their stockpiled food. You’ll just give them more tomorrow
- >to replenish their reserves. You turn around and head back inside, looking to make yourself >some nettle tea, you’ve grown rather fond of it.
- >Anon! Your now –ach, FUCK- Your Anon now.
- >Last nights storm really did a number on your camp.
- >Usually the storms are just little bitch fits of light rain, but not this time.
- >It completely over ran your overflow trenches and flooded everything.
- >You couldn’t find most of your tools in the mud, the slab of rock (your map)
- >got buried and was nowhere to be seen. However the cherry on top was that you house >had collapsed… with you in it… your tibia was sticking out your shin.
- >Fortunately you were no scrub, and not an idiot.
- >You knew how to make a basic splint.
- >Either way you were in no condition to even consider staying at your camp.
- >You had to find Fluttershy and ask, no, beg for help… and painkillers.
- >It was normally a thirty minute walk to town. You were now an hour into your slog.
- >Fucking weather crew, destroying my camp, breaking my leg, and now.
- >Now making me walk through miles of goddamn marsh, bog, shit, fuck, FUCK.
- FUCK!
- >apparently you said the last one out loud.
- >Whatever, keep going. I mean it’s not like it matters, the loud
- >noises only attract the timber wolves at ni-
- Awwwoooo…..
- >Remember kids it gets worse before it gets worse.
- >You pick up the pace as you think to yourself,
- >and here I was trying to kill myself a couple days ago.
- >There’s the tree line if you can pass it the timber wolves should break away from you.
- >Every time they closed in on you, you waved the Mossberg in their general direction.
- >That’s right you bitches, you know what this thing does.
- >Ten feet final stretch, you hustle up as much as you can with a gimped leg.
- >You swat aside the last few branches as you stumble into the clearing,
- >and immediately sink down another few inches into the mud.
- >Oh, hey look, it’s Fluttershy’s cottage, you’re a better pathfinder than you thought.
- >You take the opportunity to breathe a sigh of relief.
- >it’s immediately followed by a groan of pain, yep, legs still broke.
- >A low growl emanates from behind you.
- >Shit, it didn’t work.
- Eat lead dicknose!
- >You turn at the waist and let off a shot, pump, shot.
- >The timber wolf shatters to bits midair, your second shot went wild however.
- >Missing the one still running to the tree line, however you do cause it to jump
- >and jink left out of sight.
- >The growling doubles, then triples, yellow eyes begin appearing all across the tree line.
- >They weren’t out for prey, they were out for revenge.
- >You thought you were in panic mode earlier, now you’re really feeling the adrenaline.
- >Quicker than you would believe given your state you sprint for the cottage.
- >You give a quick glance over your shoulder, five timber wolves running in a reverse wedge.
- >They both had you flanked an out numbered.
- >The edges of the wedge reach out in front of you, that’s when
- > your brain switches from flight to fight.
- >Your good leg slams forward, stopping all of your momentum.
- >Your leg screams in pain at you, you ignore it, there are more pressing matters.
- >You swing the stock of your Mossberg around catching the timber
- >wolf behind you mid pounce, it skitters off into the mud.
- >Continuing the turn you shoulder the Mossberg.
- >The maneuver caused the four timber wolves to overshoot you.
- >Targeting the one on the far left you fire as they begin to run back at you.
- >First shot scores a direct hit, the wooden head of the timber wolf shattering.
- >The wolves have wizened up and are now spreading back out and varying their speeds.
- Bam! Ka-kak Bam!
- >Your first one only winged the timber wolf causing it to stumble, second load
- >of buck to center mass. The last two are on either side of you.
- >To target one is to give the other one your back, but you’re beyond thinking.
- >You swing to the next one.
- Bam!
- >The shot is low, but a couple high flying bits of shot manage to smash the front
- >two legs of the timber wolf.
- Ka-Kak Click!
- >YOU CHEAP SON OF A BITCH, WHY DID YOU BUY THE FIVE ROUND TUBE!
- >But anon it was cheaper.
- >Your hand immediately goes to your bandolier as you
- >turn to face the last timber wolf. It’s already pounced at you, oh shit.
- >The wolf hits you full force causing you drop the Mossberg.
- >It rears its head back as you struggle to get your arms out from under it.
- >it makes a move for your neck, you smash your head to the right.
- >It didn’t get your neck, but now it’s nice and happy tearing at your shoulder.
- >You scream, you scream loud, and heave your arms out from under the wolfs pin.
- >Your now free arms grab the timber wolfs head as you thumb at its eyes.
- >It may be made out of wood but it still feels pain. It breaks from your
- >shoulder with a yelp. Not waisting any time your arms shoot out and scrabble for the >Mossberg. Got it, you rack the shotgun and drop another shell into the ejection port.
- Chunk!
- >You swing back to the wolf, which is now being joined by the wolf you clubbed earlier.
- >both parties stare each other down. The wolves slowly back off and begin to slink back into >the woods.
- “yeh-Yeah! You better run!”
- >You look back at the cottage, Fluttershy is looking back at you through an open window.
- >on both sides of her are all the house animals, staring back at you.
- >Shy’s expression is priceless, complete and total shock and surprise.
- >Not knowing how to react, you do what you always do.
- >You chuckle and wave.
- >You meet Shy half way to her house.
- >she attempts to help you back to her house, it dosen’t go well.
- >you actually wind up helping her through the mud more than she helps you.
- >this doesn’t stop her from hyper ventilating
- >”Oh, no, Oh dear, ohnononoohdearohdear.”
- >you stumble through the door, bringing in a rather disconcerting amount of
- >blood and mud in with you.
- >Shy is still mid panic, she’s stopped saying anything and is now just breathing heavily.
- “Shy…Shy… stay with me now…”
- >You reach out a hand and pat her on the wither.
- >She flinches at the touch, but seems to come back to reality.
- >She flies off up the stairs faster than you’ve ever seen Blue dipshit fly.
- >She comes back down with a large red duffle bag.
- >She opens it and pulls out a bottle of isopropyl alcohol.
- “Oh for chir-“
- >She pours it over your shoulder wounds and leg hole.
- >You clench your teeth, sputter, and go very red in the face.
- >”oh, I’m sorry… I… I should have war-“
- “Not the time Shy!”
- >She seems to straighten up at this, and promptly goes to work on your broken leg.
- >While she does this you grab the bottle of isopropyl, pop the lid.
- >”A-anon, what are you-“
- >you hold out a finger to silence her as you take two long heavy pulls from the bottle.
- “gah, peh”
- >You sputter a little.
- >She continues to work as you slowly lose the feeling of pain.
- >You wake up on the floor you passed out on.
- >You begin to panic, as you look around the cottage.
- >Then it comes back to you, oh, ok, alright.
- >You’re in Fluttershy’s cottage, you just killed like four timber wolves.
- >Go team Anon. You weren’t particularly fond of killing things, but it was a very self >affirming action. Your stomach grumbles, loudly.
- >Oh, yeah, you didn’t eat anything yesterday. Or drink any water.
- >Alright up and at em’ Anon. You pull yourself into an upright sitting position.
- >Minding your leg you manage to stand, you do make note of the well-made splint on your >leg. You hobble your way around the house for a couple of minutes until you happen >across the kitchen. A small bowl of dry oats, and a plate of vegetables are set on the table, >right next to a small note.
- Anon,
- It’s important that you regain your strength. Please eat, feel free to make yourself at home. If you need it I left some bits next to the stove.
- >Bits, thank god. You should take those anywa- no, that’s not right, only if you need them.
- Don’t use the shower, the bindings on your leg will come apart. I should be back around noon.
- -Fluttershy
- P.S. Never drink that again Mr.*
- >Well she dosen’t need to tell you twice, what are you stupi-
- *I mean it.
- >Maybe you are stupid.
- >This was the first day in a long, very long, time that you haven’t had to scrounge around for >food. It was a weird thought. Not that it stopped you from eating everything left on the >table and then a couple apples from a basket on the counter. After washing what little >dishes there were to do, you head outside with a bucket of water and a couple towels.
- >Once out in the yard, which was now much more solid, you begin to strip off what little >remains of your shirt, and give yourself a nice towel bath since you had to avoid the gauze.
- >After yesterday, and the day before, and actually the whole goddamn two years, the >chance to simply take care of yourself without pressing concerns was entirely welcome.
- >Things only took a turn for the worse when you were hanging the towels up to dry.
- >”Aha!, I knew you were a no good sonovua rattler! Yer stealin’ from Flutters now?”
- >Fuck, that voice, that hat.
- “Wait, wait, hold on. I’m not taking anything! See I’m putting them back up.”
- >”Not likely, well just see what Fluttershy has to say when she comes back.”
- “Okay, okay. She said she was coming back at noon.”
- >”Ha! Every good thief knows their targets schedules”
- “For the last time, I’m not robbing – Haaaakkkk- ow, fuck, ow.”
- >Applejack had just lightly kicked your wounded shin, to shut you up.
- >”Yer, gonna come with me now, ya’ll here that one?”
- >You grit your teeth and try to hold back the tears.
- “yeah, sure.”
- >To your good fortune she lead you back to the front of Fluttershy’s cottage and bound your >hands. It was under her, correct, assumption that you couldn’t move very quickly with your
- >legs in their current state.
- >20 minutes later you spot Fluttershy and Rainbow coming down the road.
- >Once they’re within speaking range AJ speaks up.
- >”Hey Fluttershy! I found this here piece of trash trying to steal yer towels!”
- >Fluttershy seems surprised by this, Dash on the other hand seems unfazed.
- “Flutters I was trying to take a towel bath since I couldn’t use the shower. I mean, what motive do I have.”
- >Flutters listens to your words as Rainbow flies around the back.
- >”Hey AJ, These towels are still wet. Like really wet.”
- >You can’t help but smirk as you watch AJ’s expression move from determined
- >to embarrassed. She kicks the dirt and says
- >”Still doesn’t explain why he’s at yer place.”
- >Fluttershy gives a small smile. You never really noticed, but it’s super cute.
- >”Why don’t you go get Rainbowdash and I’ll get us drinks? What would you like?”
- >AJ considers for a moment.
- >”cider please.”
- >”Anon?”
- “hm, oh, water. Give me a moment, I’ll be in… Can one of you undo my bindings?”
- >Fuck. It’s kept you alive all this time, it’s been with you since before this whole ordeal.
- >And this is how you repay it. You look down at the Mossberg.
- >Well actually just the stock and the tail end of the receiver.
- >Apparently you dropped it after the fight and the ground hardened around it.
- >Sitting down next to it you contemplate how to go about this.
- >You grab it and begin to wiggle it back and forth trying to get it to loosen.
- >Huh, this is working out pretty well. You manage to extract the whole gun in just under two
- >minutes. You depress the release and pop out the last round from last night.
- >Everyone is already sitting around the kitchen table by the time you get back inside.
- >You set the Mossberg down on the counter, empty with the chamber open.
- >Before you can sit down AJ takes off her hat and looks you in the eye.
- >”Er, Anon, I’m a might bit sorry about how I treated ya, I guess you were tellin’ the truth
- >when you said you wern’t stealin’ anything.”
- >You sit down and guzzle the whole glass of water set out for you.
- “Apology accepted.”
- >You promptly pour yourself another glass, and drink that as well.
- >Dash leans in on the table before asking.
- >”So! tell me how it was?!”
- “What now?”
- >”The fight, Fluttershy was telling us you wrecked a whole pack of timber wolfs!”
- “I… I don’t really want to talk about it… Besides you can see how well it went!”
- >You gesture to you bandages.
- >Dash lets out an exasperated sigh and leans back.
- >You follow in suit and listen to the other three talk.
- >Apparently apple jack has been having trouble with beavers again.
- >After about a half hour of simply relaxing you notice that Dash and Shy,
- >where beginning to scoot away from you.
- >Your heart sinks as you know what time it is, time to leave.
- “Well I can see it’s becoming too much to bear, I’ll take my leave. Thanks, Shy, I’ll make it up to you some how.”
- >”Anon, wait. I got this for you.”
- >Jesus take the wheel! Your heart just melted.
- >Not a single pony, or zebra, or anything had given you a gift this whole time.
- >Hell your Birthday was celebrated by you having two cigarettes.
- >You can’t hide your excitement, an absolutely huge grin on your face.
- >Flutter’s came back in with a little bottle of something.
- >You take it, reading the label out loud.
- “Patchouli: the great scent that mares love, and bugs hate!”
- >Not that, you didn’t like getting gifts, but lack of bug spray was the least of your problems.
- >Flutters seems to shrink down at your apparent confusion.
- >Your brain suddenly clicks in place.
- “You think this will work?”
- >AJ and Dash Shrug, Flutters gives a vocal response.
- >”Well I hope so, you do smell awful.”
- >Thanks Flutters, You unscrew the cap and put a bit on your fingers, you start spreading it
- >over your neck and sides of your body. You sure as hell hope they find it tolerable, cause
- >you sure don’t. You smell like some club hopping faggot.
- “Well?”
- >The present company begins to sniff the air, trying to get a handle on how well it works.
- >AJ is the first to speak up.
- >”Not gonna lie, you smell like that Trenderhoof guy. Not good, but not bad.”
- >Dash is up next.
- >”You smell like you belong in a terrible nightclub, but better than human.”
- >That’s a really backhanded compliment, whatever, Take it away Fluttershy!
- >”I for one think it smells alright.”
- “So it’s unanimouse then? The oil works and you guys can’t smell the normal me?”
- >”no” “uh-uh” “thank god, no”
- >Now that you smell like a faggot who went crazy on the body spray rather than a burning
- >pile of hair, to them at least, Fluttershy said you could sleep on the couch until your leg
- >healed. Once everyone left to deal with AJ’s problem you sat yourself down to clean that
- >Mossberg. Fluttershy came back around five and began making dinner.
- >Dandelion sandwiches, not bad considering some of the stuff you ate while out in the
- >sticks. Flutters must getting pretty comfortable around you since this time she actually lead
- >the conversation this time. It was mostly the same simple questions about earth that
- >Twilight had asked you when you first arrived. You waited for a lull in the conversation
- >to ask your question, you’ve been mulling this one over since you got to Equestria.
- “Why are all the ponies around here so… well… so racist?”
- >Fluttershy seems to lock up a little at this question.
- >”Well…hm … They’re all really good people… once… you…”
- >She was skirting the question and she knew it.
- >Alright, second question.
- “Is there anything I can do to help out?”
- >”Well I guess if you wanted to help out, I could always use another hand for the morning feeding.”
- “Alright, it’s settled then I’m going to help with your apparent employment until my leg is healed.”
- >Well that was easy.
- >All you did was walk around with a bag of feed and start throwing it around.
- >Fluttershy said it took her a couple of hours to just finish the breakfast run,
- >how, how can it take that long?
- >Whatever, you both finished around the same time.
- >Apparently Fluttershy had some sort of spa appointment.
- >So another day. What to do, what to do.
- >Actually there was a certain librarian that you needed to talk to.
- >You grab your newly cleaned Mossberg put five rounds of buck into the tube,
- >and head out.
- >After about five minutes you enter the town proper, you mentally prepare yourself
- >for the looming barrage of insults and possibly garbage and bananas.
- >Actually strangely enough the towns ponies seem to be giving you a very wide berth.
- >I wasn’t the Mossberg either, that thing went with you everywhere.
- >Alright the library should be just around the bend here…
- >Right… It got demolish by that one guy.
- >Now we have this eyesore over looking the town, how the hell did you
- >forget that? Well better start a hobblin’ over.
- >That took longer than you thought.
- >You’ve never actually been this close to the crystal castle… thing.
- >Here’s the door, there’s the knocker.
- Bamp, bamp, bamp.
- >”Hold on, coming!”
- >The door swung open, behind it was a two foot lizard
- >Spork you think his name is.
- “Hey Spor-“
- >He slams the door in your face.
- >”Hey spike who was it?”
- >Thank you Twilight, so Spikes his name.
- >”He’s here! He’s gonna kill us all!”
- “What?”
- >”What?
- >”Him, the human, the one that killed all those timber wolves. I heard he killed a
- >manticore with his bare hands, and that one time he-“
- >You can’t take this drivel anymore.
- “Is that why the town ponies are avoiding me?!”
- >”He’s got super hearing! Game over man, Game over!”
- >”Spike calm down, you’re yelling.”
- >The door gets pulled open by some unseen force, magic.
- >You can just see spikes tail disappear down a hall.
- >”Sorry about spike, it’s a small town and word tr… trav… Something’s off”
- “Yeah Flutters got me this Patchouli stuff, so am I bearable to be around now?”
- >She takes a moment to consider.
- >”Actually yes. Now I’m assuming you came over for another reason?”
- “correct”
- >”Alright come on in.”
- >Twilight leads you to a desk where several books lay open, she magics them off the desk.
- >”So what do you need?”
- “Stop me if I’m wrong, but I am currently not a citizen of Equestria?
- >”No, you’re classified as refugee actually.”
- >Great, you didn’t even know they had wars.
- “So in order to even appeal to a court, to get my stuff back, and to be allowed to rent and own property in the town, I need to be a citizen right?”
- >”Yes, a citizen would also receive medical, life, and workers benefits.”
- >Well now, Equestria wasn’t all that different from earth was it now?
- >”You would also have to pay taxes.”
- >Nope, it’s exactly like earth.
- “Alright, uh, so who gave that order and who do I have to talk to get it reversed.”
- >Twilight avoids your gaze and mumbles out the next line.
- >”I, uh I did… And… only princess Celestia… can reverse it.”
- >Twilight looks at the ground and begins to lightly tap her hooves together.
- >Your expression freezes on a huge stupid grin.
- “Can you loan me ten bits?”
- >Your screaming on the inside, But on the outside, it’s the same huge stupid grin.
- >This fucker, she makes you a refugee. Unable to rent a home, work, or even own anything.
- >”Uh, what do you need t-“
- >YOU’RE A GODDAMN PRINCESS! TEN BITS IS LIKE NOTHING!
- “Please just give me the money”
- >”O-Okay.”
- >Twilight puts a small sack of bits on the table.
- >You swipe it up and march right back out the door.
- >Same huge grin still frozen on your face.
- >You keep marching through the town until you come to
- >Sugar cube corner. Pinkie Pie is manning the cashier, you can see the cakes
- >working in the back. Without saying a word you pick out a pack of ‘Mareboros’
- >You make sure to pick out the Red 100 lengths. You need it, lest you kill every last pony and >filly in this town. You toss the pack down on the counter. Pinks is always chatty.
- >”Oh wow! Look at that grin! I heard you fought a bunch of Timber wolves-….
- >You automatically tune it out.
- >”that’ll be 7 bits.”
- >You throw down a random handful and leave.
- >”Keep up that smile Anon!”
- >You proceed to smoke almost half the pack on the way back to Fluttershy’s.
- >It’s amazing that you haven’t had an aneurysm yet.
- >You’ve been sitting on the little bit of raised earth that acted as Fluttershy’s porch.
- >You were sitting here in the morning, your still sitting here in the night.
- >Vague memories of Flutters coming home, sensing your infinite rage, and deciding to leave
- >you alone. Good call.
- >At some point you went inside, somehow you slept despite it all.
- >The monotony of morning feeding was nice. You could see yourself getting used to this.
- >You still haven’t said a word to another soul, still trying to get a handle on the rage.
- >Flutters asked you to split some logs for fireplace since winter was coming round.
- >Once again, a welcome task.
- “CHOCK”
- >So that Twatlight Shithead was the one who assigned you refugee status.
- “CHOCK”
- >So that Purple Devil was the one who took all your shit.
- “CHOCK”
- >If she’s so fucking smart, why was Shy the one who figured out how to mask your scent?
- “CHOCK”
- >Should have shot her.
- “CHOCK”
- >Right between the eyes, no, center mass.
- “CHOCK”
- >To nice, beat her to death instead.
- >Hold up. She said Celestia was the only one who could change your citizen ship statues.
- >Well looks like you’re taking a trip to Canterlot.
- >After a couple hours of splitting logs, your reasonably sore.
- >You toss each log under the roofs over hang so that they can dry and head inside.
- >As you approach the door you begin to hear voices, six of them.
- >You can already make out AJ’s, Dash’s, and Fluttershy’s.
- >Huh, whole gang must be here, that means, oh shit no.
- >You can’t take this right now.
- >Too late already heard her voice.
- >You flip the axe in your hand, so the flat end is facing forwards.
- >The slower more painful way.
- >Alright, gotta find a way to separate them.
- >Keep distance until she leaves for the bathroom?
- >No, walk in ask for a nice heart to heart with Twigs.
- >Ask to be alone, then wham!
- >Being a human you are magic resistant, not immune.
- >If you fuck this up she could still kill you with ease.
- >You’ve been staring at the ground this whole time.
- >Alright game face, small smile, calm relaxed shoulders, lets roll.
- >You look up to open the tiny door, when an unseen force opens it.
- >Her, the fucker in purple.
- >”Hey Anon, great news! I sent out a letter last nig-“
- “no” -Thwomph
- >On complete and total autopilot, you throw a full forced punch.
- >Her head whips back and she goes out like a lamp.
- >A series of gasps and exclamations are heard to your left.
- >Except for Rainbow, who is instead laughing uncontrollably.
- >Apparently the whole friendship brigade showed up.
- >For lunch it looks like, ah, yep, Flutters even has an apron on,
- >and was pouring tea for everyone.
- >You point to Twilights collapse form.
- “She told you what happened?”
- >AJ is the first to speak up, as per usual.
- >”Yeah she did, just you layin’ her out is suprisin’s all.”
- >The white unicorn says something partially under her breath.
- >”So uncouth”
- >You’ll let that one slide.
- >Fluttershy comes up next to and quickly checks Twilight for a concussion.
- >You take the time to enter the kitchen and pour yourself a nice tall glass of water,
- >As well as reapply your patchouli.
- >”Ah, Anon, she brought this for you.”
- “hm, what?”
- >you turn to face Fluttershy then follow her hoof to the table.
- >A small little gift box sat in the middle of the table.
- “Oh.”
- >Pinkie immediately pips up.
- >”C’mon Anon, Twilight may have practically exiled you, and taken all your stuff, and never really treated you like a pony, and she didn’t real-“
- >”Lands sake! Pinkie!”
- >You softly shake your head as you lay the axe down on the counter,
- >your knuckles are white from gripping it so hard.
- >Fortunately none of the ponies seem to notice.
- >Well, one did, she’s tapping your thigh with her hoof.
- >Looking down at Flutters she says:
- >”I-I’m worried about you… I… I understand why you’re angry.”
- >she avoids your eyes.
- >”But… Twilight might be the only person you know who can help you…”
- >…Fuck… She’s right.
- >”And I know… That… that…”
- >You lower yourself onto the floor, with your back against the counter.
- >Without saying a word, Fluttershy gives you a big hug and begins quietly crying into
- >your shoulder. Quietly you return the hug and simply hold her comparatively small frame
- >against yours. It’s impossible to tell how long you both sit there, but all good things
- >come to an end.
- >”Stop with the sappy stuff already.”
- >AJ and Rarity both shoot Rainbow the ‘shut up you simpering moron’ look.
- >”What? You need to use your words to- owww.”
- >AJ had just hit Dash’s shoulder with her front hoof.
- >Thank you AJ. After a couple more moments, Flutters presses back against your chest.
- >You release her, and she gets up. Is, is she blushing? You can’t confirm as she turns
- >around to tend to the oven.
- >”Well go ahead darling.”
- >The box is dropped into your lap.
- >With a huff you stand back up, still can’t really bend you knee due to the splint.
- >You place the box on the table, with all the grace of a coked out toddler you
- >tear the package apart.
- “Well, I still don’t forgive her, but this is a start.”
- >Two bottles of very high proof, and very high grade vodka, and a letter at the bottom.
- >You remove the letter, pick of the wax seal, unroll and read aloud.
- Dear Twilight Sparkle
- I thought the Human ‘refugee’ was doing well? This is troubling news, if receiving his citizenship is really so important I can grant it to him. However I should like to meet him in person first. Please give at least a days’ notice before arriving.
- -Princess Celestia
- >”That’s good to hear”
- >”Wingo!”
- >”We should throw a party!”
- >”I could go for party.”
- >Despite the excitement you can’t help but notice Flutters simply smiling at you.
- >You smile back, giving a small nod, before turning back to the group in front of you.
- “Lets get smashed!”
- >You are now Twilight Sparkle.
- >Your head feels like it was smashed by a brick.
- >You look around the room, well, you’re still in Fluttershy’s cottage.
- >Someone at some point moved you to the bed, but why?
- >Oh, right. Well you did ruin his life for the past two years.
- >You still feel bad about that, not even reading can dull the regret.
- >He’s not a bad person, impulsive? Yes, poor morals? No.
- “Youshl… still thinnnk you canna win, AYE TOVARISCH!”
- >Was that anon?
- >”Well… pardner, I *huurp* am begging to doubt mahhh own forti-forti-… Buck it…”
- >You hear glasses clink down on the table a floor below you, better see what’s what.
- >You descend the stairs, the noises of the ‘party’ begin to grow louder.
- >No other guests had been invited, after all, Flutters and Anon didn’t seem to
- >enjoy large crowds. Anon and AJ are staring each other down with
- >a half empty bottle of vodka between them, you assumed it was a contest since Rarity was >there with a note pad. She had a rosy glow, but was otherwise the most sober of the three.
- >Rainbow was crying on the couch as Fluttershy simply pet her head.
- “один два три! (Odin Dva Tri)”
- >Both AJ and Anon took another shot, hissing at the burn and fumbling to put the glasses >back down. AJ looks around, and notices you.
- >”Wesh, gudd ta see… ya awake.”
- >Anon looks over, nearly falling off his seat as he does so.
- “Sporkle, sporklie… I… Fuck, what was it that I said… Rar?”
- >Rarity seemed to be nodding off.
- >”oh! Hm! Sorry dear… Earlier Anon said that… that… He dosen’t forgive you-“
- >Oh well you wouldn’t either, still hurts though.
- >”But that… that this is a start.”
- >Well the original plan was to leave for Canterlot the next day.
- >But that didn’t work out, once everyone was sufficiently shitfaced,
- >the concept of time was lost. The whole thing kinda turned into a three day bender.
- >Now here you were, standing at the train station waiting for the 1pm train.
- >If you weren’t so terribly hung over you might have laughed at the situation.
- >Dash was sitting stalk still with her glasses on, mouth slightly agape.
- >Rarity had taken to wearing a rather large hat and glasses combo, you saw those
- >eyes earlier, not exactly presentable. Twilight had actually only drank the first night, so had
- >Flutters, they were both fine. Pinkie was leaning on AJ, AJ herself was still a little tipsy,
- >having nursed your flask all morning.
- >Oh goody here’s the train, you pull out the ticket from your pocket.
- >Sparkle bought all the tickets. It was all in her attempt to make things right again.
- >The train comes to a squealing stop in front of the station.
- >The, mostly, hung over group groans in pain at the noise.
- >The ponies begin to line up; your group takes its position at the rear of the line.
- >You slowly shuffle forward with each pony admitted on.
- >Fluttershy, who hasn’t left your side this whole time, motions for you to take her ticket.
- >You comply, now free of the ticket she speaks up.
- >”Oh, isn’t this so exciting. I mean, you’ll finally be able to live with the rest of us ponies, and >do things like go to concerts and…”
- > This is the most energized you’ve ever seen her. She goes on, try as you might, your too >hung over to keep up. The sentiment is not lost however. You smile and ruffle her mane. >She begins to laugh but keeps talking. Knowing that this is so important gives you a nice >warming feeling in your gut, and not just from the remains of the alcohol either.
- >”I think Twilight said you also get marriage rights! Is this all so exciting”
- “What?”
- >You raise an eyebrow at this.
- >”I said you get property rights as well!”
- “oh, that’s fantastic. Kinda what prompted this whole ordeal though.”
- >Before Fluttershy can respond you reach the ticket taking pony.
- >”Tickets.”
- >You hand over the tickets.
- >”ID?”
- “excuse me?”
- >”Your ID sir”
- “… Do you take drivers licenses?”
- >Yes you still had your license. However the ticket taking pony gave you a laconic look.
- >Fluttershy was beginning to look worried.
- >”Um… Is there… some other… way to prove identity?”
- >”Well you used to be able to get people to vouch for you… But after the changeling attack
- >We had a massive security crackdown.”
- >Sounds like something you know about back home.
- “Look. Sir. I’m getting on this train.”
- >The ticket taker stamps his hoof, causing another train attendant to appear.
- >”See here, no ID, no ride!”
- ”Skies above! I can get a goddamn princess to vouch for me! I already bought the ticket!”
- >”Sir are you getting uppity with me?”
- “What?”
- >”If you keep this up I will have to use force.”
- “So now you’re a fucking rent a cop. Look I’m not leaving unless it’s on that train.”
- >”He’s getting uppity!”
- >The second ticket pony promptly taps your good leg with a cattle prod.
- “Yeahow!”
- >Hoping back you continue swearing.
- “JesusGypsyFuckingChrist.”
- >Fuck public transportation.
- >Your eyes go wide, your face hardens.
- >Your hand goes to the small of your back where you keep your knife.
- >That’s it, you’re getting on this train.
- >”Anon.”
- >Fluttershy is hovering in front of you, hooves on your shoulders.
- >You sigh and release your grip on the knife.
- >you look her in the eyes, smile, and
- “Thanks”
- >”Stay while I go get the rest of the gang alright?”
- “ok, cool.”
- >She trots off into the cart. The train doesn’t leave station for another ten minutes, so
- >you’re not worried. You pull out your pack and light your first cigarette of the day.
- >Unfiltered Saddle Arabian blend, it’s the good stuff.
- >Well there goes the train. Over the horizon.
- >Damn.
- >The rest of the six are standing and watching the train with you.
- “So can we take a chariot or something?”
- >Twilight answers you question, her voice still causes spikes of anger.
- >”No, your magic resistance would ruin the spells we use to make them fly.”
- “I thought magic was just harder to use on me, not null and void?”
- >”exactly.”
- “well… shit… How many miles is it?”
- >AJ Speaks up.
- >”Jus over 300 miles”
- >You aren’t walking that any time soon.
- >Everyone stands around just wondering what to do next.
- >That’s when you see it. In the storage yard of the station there’s a maintenance cart.
- >It’s small but it will fit all of you, and it’s got a small coal plant on it.
- >Problem is the fence, the razor wire, and the fact that this is actually grand theft train.
- “Hey twilight.”
- >”Yes?”
- “You’re not going to arrest me or anything tight?”
- >”Well, I don’t know how it would work since you’re not technically a citizen… sorry about
- >that again.”
- >Her face told you that it was genuine.
- >With that you look around the station, absolutely empty, fantastic.
- >You walk up to the storage yard. You could go over the fence and somehow block the wire
- >on top with a rug or thick jacket. Or, you could break the lock, which you would need to do >anyways to open the gate for the maintenance cart. Alright breaking the locks it is then.
- >Your Mossberg would take the locks right out, but would also bring a whole lot of
- >attention. You spot a shed resting on the side of the station platform.
- >You’ve been around enough to know a toolshed when you see one.
- >The other ponies watch you with intrest
- >”Hey Anon! Whatch Ya’ll planning to do?”
- “Come hell or high water I’m getting my citizenship”
- >Surprise, surprise the door is locked.
- >Surprise, surprise here’s my boot.
- >Your ‘key’ is resting on top of a pile of other tools all lazily thrown together.
- >You take the Bolt cutters back to the gate.
- >Grunt, heave, grunt.
- >The first lock falls off allowing you to open the yard up.
- “Ladies, your coal fired monstrosity awaits.”
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