CuriousAnon

AlaskanAnon in equestria chapter 18

Aug 21st, 2013
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  1. >You finally wander to consciousness after a good night's sleep
  2. >Something's poking you
  3. >You open your eyes
  4. >Something orange...
  5. >"C'mon, sleepyhead! Tahm ta git goin'!"
  6. >Says the slightly fuzzy orange p0ny
  7. >She gives you another poke
  8. >You groan
  9. >"Yer gonna be late fer work!"
  10. I'm coming, I'm coming
  11. >You say quietly
  12. >Then you reach up and rub your eyes
  13. >You sit up, and grab your glasses
  14. >AppleJack loses her fuzzy quality
  15. >"What were ya doin' so late last night, anyway?"
  16. It's a secret
  17.  
  18.  
  19. >You cast your mind back to what you actually did last night
  20. >After hearing you out, Rarity agreed to the proposal
  21. >She had a few strings attached
  22. >But that's par for the course for someone of her... caliber
  23. >She did say, however, that you'd have to discretely acquire some measurements
  24. >She has them, she just left them in p0nyville
  25. >you did tell her to travel light, after all
  26. >Heh
  27. >That request posed an interesting problem
  28. >So you did what you do whenever you have a problem you need to mull over
  29. >You went to the shop, to work
  30. >With your hands
  31. >And you finally got some work in on your own private project
  32. >It seems you stayed out a little late, however...
  33.  
  34.  
  35. >Well, no point in letting that get in your way
  36. >You shake your head, trying to dislodge the sleepiness
  37. >Then you sit up and swing your legs over
  38. >"Woah there partner, ya ain't gonna be THAT late"
  39. >You shrug
  40. If I don't move, I might go back to sleep.
  41. >"Fair 'nuff."
  42. >You fling the covers aside, and rise to your feet
  43. >Pausing only to snag your cloak and clothing, you stumble towards the bathroom
  44. >You nod to Twilight as you pass by her at the table
  45. >Then manage to stub your toe on the closest chair leg
  46. >Causing you to curse under your breath
  47. >She looks up from her coffee just as you pass
  48. >And then you're through the door
  49. >And you close it behind you
  50.  
  51.  
  52. >Shit
  53. >Shower
  54. >Brush
  55. >Consult your watch, skip the shave
  56. >As you don't particularly feel like unintentionally lacerating your face today
  57. >Pull on glasses, clothes, holster, cloak
  58. >Then, finally, unlock the door and push back through it
  59. >AppleJack and Twilight both jump when you enter the room
  60. >Twilight aims eyes the size of dinner plates at you
  61. >And a rosy red tinge
  62. What.
  63. >Nothing is said
  64. What did you do
  65. >"N-nothing!" spurts Twilight
  66. Bullshit.
  67. Did you break one of my chairs?
  68. >"NO! Of course not." She responds swiftly.
  69. >The further response is a second in coming
  70. >"you were raising a tent, is all"
  71. >"An' not a little one, neither" chuckles AppleJack
  72. >...
  73. >Wow, you really are slow waking up
  74. >Lucky you buttoned your underwear last night
  75. >Still, you're going to be late
  76. Well, ya ain't gettin' a free show, if that's what yer after. I got work to do.
  77. >"Oh, by all means"
  78. Cya tonight, then
  79. >"See ya 'Nonymous!" responds AppleJack
  80. >When you close the door behind you, you hear a sound through it
  81. >The sound of a deep, belly laugh
  82. >From AppleJack, you think
  83.  
  84.  
  85. >Still, it ain't your position to judge
  86. >So you hustle off down the hall towards the cafeteria
  87. >You didn't have much for dinner last night, and as a result you're hungry
  88. >The hallways are as crowded as ever
  89. >But they're not becoming more crowded
  90. >So there's that, at least
  91. >You reach the mess hall in a reasonable amount of time, and quickly get in line
  92. >Today, you decide, you'll have waffles
  93. >Variety never hurts
  94. >Well, except in the case of heavy metals
  95. >Heh, and a number of other things
  96. >But in the realm of breakfast foods, variety is certainly never detrimental
  97. >You step forward from the register, plate and cup in hand, and set off to find a good place to sit
  98. >Part way to the table your friends usually sit at, a familiar looking blue stallion sidles up next to you
  99. >He has to push a little to keep up with your long strides
  100. >"Hey Anonymous"
  101. Hey Sunny Sky, how ya doin'?
  102. >"Ugh"
  103. >He responds
  104. >And you notice the slight bags under his eyes
  105. >"Ask me that tomorrow"
  106.  
  107.  
  108.  
  109. >Sunny Sky accompanies you to the table you usually sit at
  110. >It's currently empty, and he plops down right next to you
  111. So what brings ya out to the plebeian cafeteria at such an early hour of the morning?
  112. >"Don't remind me" He says, rubbing his eyes
  113. >You cut a corner off your syrup soaked waffle and stick it in your mouth, continuing to look at the blue Unicorn
  114. Aincha got yer own guard cafeteria?
  115. >"Yeah, but I got the day off, remember?"
  116. Oh yeah.
  117. >"And I'll probably go back to bed when I'm done here"
  118. >You perk up a little
  119. >You know it's no light thing that drags a ma-
  120. >Err, p0ny
  121. >Out of his bed at this our after a night of drinking
  122. >"But I just wanted to let you know that you were right."
  123. 'Bout the... target?
  124. >"Yeah."
  125. Good.
  126. >You take another mouthful of waffle
  127. >Then it occurs to you
  128. How'd you know?
  129. >"Uh, it started putting up a bit of a fuss when they got inside the station"
  130. >Sunny Sky pauses to yawn
  131. >"If what they told me and Star is correct, they knocked it out from behind, all stealthy like. So it didn't know
  132. it was coming."
  133. And it lost disguise?
  134. >"Yup. It was gone before the thing hit the ground."
  135. >Sunny Sky chuckles tiredly
  136. >"Rumor has it they had a colt fresh out of boot with 'em, and he almost fainted"
  137. Huh.
  138. >"It changed back soon as it woke up, of course"
  139. 'Course
  140. >"But we actually have one of 'em now."
  141.  
  142.  
  143.  
  144. >"You did Equestria a great service last night, Anonymous. I just wanted to make sure you knew that."
  145. >You take a swallow from your glass
  146. Well shoot, you said you were gonna take me out for a drink, didn't ya?
  147. >He chuckles again
  148. I didn't see too much trouble catching a sworn enemy or two while we were at it
  149. >"We need more like you, Anonymous."
  150. That'd go a way towards solving a number of problems, wouldn't it
  151. >You remark idly
  152. Go finish sleeping it off, Bolt. I think you earned it.
  153. >"Thanks. I think I will."
  154. >And with that, the off duty guardsp0ny gets up from his seat and canters off into the crowd
  155. >The rest of breakfast goes off without much of a hitch
  156. >You dump your tray and head out for work
  157. >And while the hallways are crowded as usual
  158. >They also aren't any more crowded than they were yesterday
  159. >Which is good, as if they did become any more packed, you'd get to work faster climbing out your bedroom window
  160. and having breakfast in the city somewhere
  161. >When you do finally arrive at the workshop, you find things are going full swing
  162. >In fact, there are a few faces you don't recognize
  163. >Tamper approaches you as you doff your cloak
  164. >"'Bout time you showed up"
  165.  
  166. Hey Tamper, where's the fire?
  167. >"Oh, there's no fire, just pressure from up top"
  168. Oh?
  169. >"They got us puttin' together a fleet of yer 'Sleds' for all the various royal departments to use"
  170. Transportation upgrade?
  171. >"Somthin' like that"
  172. So what can I do?
  173. >"Right now, I needja to help me get the process set up. This is a new product, an' the guys are still learnin'
  174. what works and what don't. I need you to hop from spot to spot, an' correct any errors you see."
  175. can do, boss
  176. >"Later, we'll see how those hands of yours are for hitching p0nies."
  177. >You nod to him
  178. >Tamper stomps his hoof
  179. >"Let's git goin', then!"
  180.  
  181.  
  182. >The lunch whistle sounds, and you stop
  183. >Then wipe the sweat off your brow
  184. >And onto your forearm instead
  185. >These guys certainly know their shit
  186. >You're almost proud of them, how quickly they pick it up
  187. >But at the same time, there's a few new faces
  188. >P0nies of lesser, or different experience pulled in from different departments to fill production line slots
  189. >They need a little more attention
  190. >And there were enough of them that you were more than busy
  191. >But now, you think, the worst of the kinks are out of the process
  192. >Or at least, enough of them that Tamper can manage the rest on his own
  193. >YOu suspect he'll have you hitching after lunch
  194. >Your stomach grumbles at that thought, reminding you that you need fuel to continue
  195. >So you wave to Tamper, who waves back
  196. >And then head off to the cafeteria
  197.  
  198.  
  199.  
  200. >At the cafeteria, you pick up a sizable bowl of soup, and bread to go with it
  201. >Then you head for your table
  202. >Which, for a change, is occupied
  203. >You see yellow and orange and white an pink and purple and cyan
  204. >And an open seat, so you roll up and plop down
  205. Hey folks
  206. >"Howdy Anonymous!"
  207. >"Hi"
  208. >"Oh, hello Anonymous!"
  209. >And so the greetings go around the table
  210. >All except Fluttershy
  211. >She just whimpers a bit
  212. >Lowers her head a little closer to her leafy salad
  213. >You allow the conversation to resume for a time while you blow on your soup
  214. >Rainbow Dash is telling a surprisingly attentive Pinkie Pie about the ins and outs of "cloud cake"
  215. >While Rarity and Twilight are discussing different types of thread
  216. >YOu cease blowing on your soup
  217. Now, somethin' that's been botherin' me
  218. >You begin, cleaning out one of your ears with a free pinkie finger
  219. Is Miss Fluttershy here.
  220. >The mare in question squeaks
  221. >And a series of indecipherable glances go around the table
  222.  
  223.  
  224. Why are you so scared of me, Fluttershy?
  225. >You ask, focusing more intently on the buttery yellow pegasus
  226. Is it something I did?
  227. >Fluttershy mumbles something indistinct into her salad bowl
  228. Sorry, I didn't catch that
  229. >Fluttershy squeaks something else out
  230. >But Rainbow Dash intervenes, rendering whatever it was inaudible
  231. >"It's because she-"
  232. >You snap to Rainbow instead
  233. I didn't ask you, Rainbow.
  234. >"But sh-"
  235. Did I ask you?
  236. >Rainbow stops, shocked at being interrupted for a second time
  237. >But grudgingly responds
  238. >"No"
  239. Then kindly shut up and let Fluttershy answer her own questions.
  240. >Rainbow Dash grosses her hooves, but remains silent
  241. >You turn back to the subject of your concern
  242. Now, Miss Fluttershy, I understand you're the shy type. I understand that ya got all these wonderful friends
  243. >You gesture to the rest of the table with a sweep of your arm
  244. >Rainbow and Rarity are both staring daggers at you, Twilight looks concerned, AppleJack is bemused and Pinkie is
  245. gnawing on some manner of confectionary
  246. Ta be your protectors.
  247. But I also consider you my friend, Fluttershy. And it bugs me, 'cause I don't know why ya treat me the way ya do.
  248. So I'd like the answer from you.
  249. Do you think you could do that?
  250. >This is crucial
  251. >The make or break moment
  252.  
  253.  
  254.  
  255. >Fluttershy nods, and you exhale internally.
  256. Good. I appreciate that.
  257. So, how come you're so scared of me?
  258. >Fluttershy takes a breath, and sits up straighter
  259. >She even comes a way towards looking you in the eye
  260. >And while her response is quiet
  261. >It is also still audible
  262. >"I'm not scared of you."
  263. >Fluttershy looks like she's got more to say, so you keep your mouth shut
  264. >"I'm... Oh, you must hate me..."
  265. >Uh oh
  266. >She's starting to relapse
  267. Naw, I don't hate ya, Fluttershy. I just wanna know why ya cower every time I walk in the room.
  268. >Your bolstering words have the intended effect
  269. >"R-really?"
  270. Look at my eyes. Do I look like I hate you?
  271. >For the first time in weeks, Fluttershy makes eye contact with you
  272. >In her eyes, you find...
  273. >Shame?
  274. >Embarrassment?
  275.  
  276.  
  277. >"After my head c-cleared, and I remembered what I did... on the trip here, I felt terrible."
  278. >"I-I thought you hated me... after what I did..."
  279. >The expressions around the table are changing, it seems
  280. >"A-and then I guess it just spiraled..."
  281. >You lean back, and cross your arms
  282. So... you feel guilty?
  283. >"I... I suppose I do. I'm afraid of what you t-think of me."
  284. Well, I think I may have gone through this before.
  285. Firstly, ya weren't in your right mind. I understand that better now than I did then.
  286. That alone is enough of an explanation for me, but now with all this it goes a mite further.
  287. While I admit that I think ya need to do some serious work on yer gumption, the very fact that what you did bothers you this much tells me ya care about keepin' your friends.
  288. So, if it bugs ya that much, how 'bout you just apologize
  289. >You stick your hand out on an impulse
  290. An' then we can shake on it, and put it all behind us?
  291.  
  292.  
  293. >"S-sure. That sounds good."
  294. >Fluttershy takes a deep breath
  295. >The rest of the table is riveted at this point
  296. >"Anonymous t-the human, I formally apologize for my e-earlier behavior."
  297. I, Anonymous the human, accept your apology
  298. >Fluttershy extends a slightly trembling hoof
  299. >You seize the hoof
  300. >You do not, however, employ an iron grip
  301. >More like a gold grip
  302. >Fluttershy gulps
  303. >Then you give her hoof a pump, never breaking eye contact
  304. >Fluttershy, amazingly, maintains eye contact
  305. >And gives a pump of her own
  306. >And while it's nothing like what you're accustomed to
  307. >You know she means it
  308.  
  309.  
  310. >After a collective exhale, you release Fluttershy's hoof
  311. >Conversation cautiously emerges from its hiding place
  312. >And finding no more drama, flourishes once more
  313. >For your part, you go back to your lunch
  314. >Fluttershy does the same to her leafy greens
  315. >The meal pretty much runs until the end that way, too
  316. >After you've emptied your tray, two interesting events occur
  317. >The first is pleasantly surprising
  318. >Twilight Sparkle is waiting for you outside the cafeteria
  319. >The second one, however, is not
  320. >For there's an angry looking cyan pagasus
  321. >Who is also waiting for you with determination in her eyes
  322.  
  323.  
  324. >"Who do you think you are?"
  325. I'm Anonymous, the human
  326. >Dash flutters right up into your personal space
  327. >Aww, ain't that cute
  328. >She's trying to be tough
  329. >"You got a lotta nerve, Anonymous the human, pushing Fluttershy like that"
  330. I reckon I do.
  331. >"She was about at the end of her wits!"
  332. Yeah, but she didn't get there, did she?
  333. >Dash continues in spite of your mildly worded protests
  334. >"You better keep yourself in line in the future, human."
  335. >She stares right into your eyes
  336. >You would imagine, were you a lesser man
  337. >You would find something intimidating there
  338. >But for you, it's just not happening
  339. >In fact, it's almost the opposite
  340. >it's amusing!
  341. >But more than that, it's a bit of a puzzle.
  342. >That Dash would stand up to a creature of your stature in the name of her friends speaks volumes
  343. >But you don't know how much of it is actually in their name
  344. >And how much of it is driven by her massive ego
  345. >Still, the situation at hand calls
  346. >So you stare right back
  347. Yeah? Or what?
  348. >The cyan p0ny's bravado falters a bit
  349. >But not enough to check her headlong charge into a rapidly escalating situation
  350. >"Or I'll teach you a lesson, that's what!"
  351. >Welp
  352. >No turning back
  353. >You reach up and seize a handful of thick, winterized fur on the front of her chest
  354. >Then you pull her closer, until her face is centimeters from your own
  355. >Your stare bores into her like piss melts snow
  356. >Your stare bores into her like piss melts snow
  357. Is that what you're gonna do?
  358. >You can vaguely see her legs making backpedaling motions in the air
  359. You gonna teach me a lesson?
  360. >Her mouth falls open
  361. >But no sound comes out
  362. >It is making little twitching motions, though
  363. >And then, just like that, you release her
  364. >She nearly falls out of the air, but her wings flap at the last second
  365. >Then she hastily backs up a few feet
  366. Well then, I look forward to it. I'm sure you have plenty of valuable knowledge about interacting with p0nies to impart upon my virgin ears.
  367. >You make a show of shrugging
  368. But I think I got it down pretty good.
  369. Sure, it wasn't the most delicate way to go about it, but she don't think I hate her anymore, does she?
  370. >Rainbow un crosses her eyes
  371. >"...No" she grudgingly admits
  372. She can't have been too scared if she dinnae run off.
  373.  
  374.  
  375.  
  376.  
  377. >Dash looks like she's about to say something sharp
  378. >But then, off in the distance, a bell rings
  379. >Dash's head perks up, and her eyes widen
  380. >"Crud, I'm gonna be late!" she practically squeaks
  381. Late?
  382. >Her sudden change in tone takes you mildly by surprise
  383. >"We're gonna have to pick this up later."
  384. >The cyan mare whips around through the air so fast her mane and tail leave a rainbow colored after
  385. Uh
  386. >"SeeyaAnon!"
  387. "See ya, Dash" you dismiss to her rapidly disappearing tail
  388. >Giving a conciliatory wave in the process
  389. >When she's out of eyesight, you exhale
  390. >Then you look at Twilight
  391. >Who has a rather unreadable expression on her face
  392. Ya think I went too far there?
  393. >Twilight, too, shakes her head
  394. >"Hard to say."
  395.  
  396.  
  397. "It was force 'o habit" you remark to her as the two of you stride side by side down the hallway
  398. >"Was it?" She asks
  399. Yeah. Where I'm from, if ya get in a situation like that, you either show the other guy you mean business or you
  400. get your ass handed to you.
  401. >"You were certainly very... agressive."
  402. Still, shouldn't be too much trouble.
  403. >Twilight looks up at you
  404. >"You think so?"
  405. Oh, sure. There are three outcomes now.
  406. >Twilight looks on inquisitively
  407. Either Dash works through her issues with me on her own, and realizes that Fluttershy can handle some fuckin'
  408. questions every now and then, or Dash comes to yell at me and we have a discussion and get it over, or she throws a punch and we see who comes out on top.
  409. >"That's very straightforward."
  410. >You shrug
  411. I'm a straightforward kinda guy.
  412.  
  413.  
  414. >A ways down the hallway, Twilight speaks up
  415. >"The way you went about that at the table, I'm somewhat surprised Fluttershy didn't fly off crying"
  416. Ah, that's because if she did, I'da chased her down and tackled her
  417. >Twilight looks mortified
  418. >"You wouldn't..."
  419. I would. I was gonna have an answer today one way or another.
  420. An' I think she knew that too.
  421. >"That... that is very possible."
  422. >Huh
  423. >It ain't often people agree with your gut feelings
  424. Really?
  425. >"Well... yes."
  426. >Twilight takes a breath
  427. >"Fluttershy has a way with animals. You know this."
  428. Yup
  429. >"It's because she's... sensitive. Almost to the levels of an empath."
  430. "So ya figure I'm close enough ta her usual savagery that she might be able to kinda-sorta read me?" you respond,
  431. chuckling
  432. >"No, I wasn't-"
  433. >You chuckle some more
  434. I'm jes' kidding.
  435. >A half minut later, however, you muse
  436. Yeh might not be far off the mark...
  437.  
  438.  
  439. >Back at work, Tamper greets you
  440. >"Are ya ready to learn how ta hitch p0nies, Anonymous?"
  441. Sure
  442. >"Well c'mon then"
  443. >Tamper leads you over by the door
  444. >There are a number of sleds stacked up in this corner of the shop
  445. >The products of this morning's efforts
  446. >And hanging on the walls, leather harnesses
  447. >waiting on a thoughtfully provided raised platform is, you're guessing, your first customer
  448. >A stocky looking green stallion, he nods to you
  449. >"Ya ready to learn?"
  450. Sure
  451. >Tamper levitates a harness off the wall
  452. >A complicated mangle of leather straps and buckles, it looks to be more trouble than it's worth
  453. >Still, you've harnessed sled dogs before
  454. >Same principle, right?
  455. >Tamper concentrates, and the harness untangles itself in front of him
  456. >"Our guy that usually does this ended up on th' wrong end of a loose wagon" he comments
  457. Damn
  458. >"He'll be back soon enough, but 'till then ya gotta cover for him."
  459. >Tamper finishes fumbling with the harness
  460. >"I think this is how it's done..."
  461. >He drops it down on the waiting stallion
  462. >There's a collar that goes around the p0ny's front, and somewhat down over the chest
  463. >Sort of like the one you saw on Big Macintosh back in p0nyville
  464. >"Ya gotta seat this part right, or they'll choke when they pull hard" comments Tamper as he puts this on the stallion
  465. >Then there's another part that goes around the middle
  466. >And, of course, straps that go around the hindquarters
  467.  
  468.  
  469. >So in retrospect, very different from the sled dog harasses you've worked with before
  470. >Heh, you might see if the sled dog design is more efficient
  471. >They are about sled dog sized, after all
  472. >Still, these are the collars available
  473. >You watch attentively as Tamper finishes putting it on the stallion
  474. >"Ya gotta make this part tight, but not too tight, got it?" he says, referring to the band that goes around the
  475. torso
  476. >You nod in comprehension
  477. >Tamper slips the last strap on
  478. >The stallion receives a hefty magical smack on his haunch
  479. >"C'mon hoss, let's go!"
  480. >He grunts
  481. >"Easy there Tamper, the guys might get ideas"
  482. >Tamper laughs
  483. >"In your dreams, Bucko. C'mon, let's getcha hitched up."
  484. >The stallion hops down off his platform and heads over to a sled stacked high with other sleds
  485. >He backs into place, and Tamper raises the rods
  486. >They have belts attached to the end that run through buckles on the collar
  487. >"...And that's how ya do it." Remarks Tamper as the stallion canters out into the snow
  488. >You push the doors closed behind him
  489. >only for another p0ny to duck through the smaller one on the side
  490. >"Ya ready ta try it fer yerself?"
  491. Best way to learn
  492. >you agree
  493. >You pick harness number 5 off the wall
  494. >And get to work
  495.  
  496.  
  497. >You're sucking down a bottle of water when the door swings open again
  498. >You put your water down on the table
  499. >Then you head over and grab harness 34 off the wall
  500. >When you finally look up at the platform, you find a surprise
  501. >"Wahl, howdy Anon" quips AppleJack
  502. They pull you into this too?
  503. >"Yup. These sleds o' yours are goin' out all over the city!"
  504. Glad ta hear it.
  505. >You beckon to the orange p0ny
  506. C'mon, up on this platform
  507. >AppleJack trails behind you
  508. >"They got ya puttin' on the yokes?"
  509. Yup
  510. >So speaking, you pull the collar part down over her head
  511. >Then you adjust it properly
  512. >"Hey, Anonymous" She beckons in a low tone
  513. >"Ya bin doin' this all day?" she asks, pawing at the stand
  514. "Half the day" you correct her, moving on to the belly strap
  515. >Then an interesting idea takes root in your mind
  516. >You note the tightness of the collar, and which hole the strap for the belly uses
  517. >"So, how's life ben' treating ya in the pretty city?"
  518. "Can't say it's too bad" you mutter, your idea still churning about in your mind
  519. How 'bout you?
  520. >"Oh, they keep me plenty busy up at the castle."
  521. >You lift her tail out of the way, and slip the strap that goes 'round her hindquarters in place
  522. >You also note which hole that buckle ends up at, along with a surreptitious measurement of the circumference of her rear hooves with your fingers, using knuckles as a guide
  523. >Among other things
  524. >"Ahm Ah good ta go, Anon?"
  525. Yeah, yer 'bout ready to be hitched up
  526. >The orange earth p0ny steps down off of the harassing pedestal
  527. "That one" you point, indicating a sled stacked precariously high with even more sleds
  528. >AppleJack trots off towards it, and you follow her
  529. >She backs up to the hitch, and you lift up the two sides
  530. >Then you belt them into place
  531. >You're tempted to give AJ a smack on the haunch
  532. >But you don't think that would go over too well
  533. >"Well, see ya around, Anonymous"
  534. See you, AppleJack
  535. >She presses herself forward against the harness, emitting a most unladylike grunt
  536. >And then she's off through the door
  537.  
  538.  
  539. >The rest of the day goes by quickly, the p0nies you harness all blurring together as your hands work and you mind
  540. contemplates the difficulties before you
  541. >When you finally punch out, you can see the sun setting through the high set windows on the far wall
  542. >Tonight, you have a treat waiting for you
  543. >You're going to have some honest to god steak
  544. >Your mouth waters at the thought
  545. >You haven't had any meat-
  546. >Well... there was that rabbit
  547. >Bah
  548. >You haven't had any REAL meat since before you arrived in this land
  549. >And a man needs his nutrients, damnit!
  550. >You wave goodbye to the guys sweeping the floor, and then pull on your shit
  551. >You're headed into the city tonight
  552. >Through the snowy, lamp lit streets you trudge
  553. >You're intent upon the restaurant that you confirmed the existence of the other day
  554. >The gryphon place
  555. >They're sure to have some good red meat
  556. >Eyes reflect what light is available wherever you look
  557. >You're a sight that takes some getting used to, apparently
  558. >Which is also the sentiment you get when you push through the door to the bar
  559.  
  560.  
  561. >The first thing you notice is that you don't have to crouch
  562. >Indeed, the ceiling is quite spacious
  563. >you've got a good three, four feet of clearance
  564. >And as you glance around, you can see why
  565. >The building would be two stories by p0ny standards
  566. >But all of that space is taken up by a single level
  567. >There are the usual rough hewn tables on the ground floor
  568. >But build up on the walls are more tables
  569. >Along with small platforms next to them
  570. >Some of which are occupied
  571. >Every eye in the joint is on you, you see
  572. >The ones at the bar, the ones at the tables
  573. >And the ones on the walls
  574. >Even the musician is watching, the bow of his saw fiddle held slackly in a claw
  575. >You ignore them all
  576. >you pull off your jacket, and stomp your boots out on your way over to the bar
  577. >The bartender, a gruff looking gryphon holding a fierce looking bottle, looks at you
  578. >"What'll it be?"
  579. Mister, Gimme the biggest steak you got.
  580. >"Comin' right up" he says
  581. >Then he heads to the back
  582.  
  583.  
  584. >You shake the snow out of your jacket while you wait
  585. >The door swinging open is like music to your ears, and you turn back around on your stool
  586. >That was quick
  587. >The bartender drops a plate in front of you
  588. >You blink, and do a double take
  589. >Sitting on the plate in front of you is, indeed, a fair sized steak
  590. >Fresh out of the cooler
  591. >Bloody and raw
  592. What the hell is this?
  593. >You ask the bartender incredulously
  594. >"It's steak?"
  595. Why ain't it cooked?
  596. >The bartender looks at you cross eyed
  597. >"...cooked?"
  598. >You momentarily pinch the bridge of your nose
  599. >of fucking course
  600. >They'd goddamn half lion, of course they'd like their meat raw
  601. You got a... to go box or summat back there?
  602. >The bartender scratches the back of his head
  603. >"We got butcher paper..."
  604. That'll work
  605. >You say
  606. >The bartender turns right around and heads back through his door
  607.  
  608.  
  609. >he returns with butcher paper, true to his word
  610. >You wrap up your meal and tape it shut
  611. >Then you pay him
  612. >And to the tune of every gryphon in the joint giving you a strange room, you don your gear once more and troop out
  613. >You doubt the establishment even has a grill
  614. >But you do know that there's a stove back in your room
  615. >And you remember seeing pots and pans in the cupboards too
  616. >So your next stop is the nearest store with a glowing sign outside
  617. >You stomp your boots out outside and then head inside
  618. >Then you head right for the back
  619. >They...
  620. >Woah!
  621. >They have exactly what you need!
  622. >From the waist high shelves you take several small spice containers
  623. >You also get a sack of golf ball sized potatoes, a small glass bottle of milk
  624. >And the most important part
  625. >Two sticks of butter
  626. >You guess they must have cows somewhere
  627. >Sentient? Hard to say
  628. >But there's wonderful butter for you
  629. >And for that, you're glad
  630.  
  631.  
  632.  
  633. >The p0ny manning the counter quickly loses her look of boredom as you approach
  634. >She gulps, and pushes her hat higher on her head
  635. >You can almost see the thought "Why did I take the night shift" forming in her mind
  636. >You don't intend to cause any trouble, though
  637. >So you set your supplies upon the counter, smile
  638. >And pull out your sack of bits
  639. How much?
  640. >The brown p0ny looks away from you and down at your modest pile of consumables
  641. >"Ten bits, sir."
  642. >You fish out the requisite payment and drop it on the counter
  643. Thank ya
  644. >The p0ny scoops up your goods and deposits them into a paper bag, which it then places on the counter
  645. >"have a nice night sir."
  646. You too
  647. >You remark as you head out the door
  648. >Behind you, you hear something substantial hitting the floor
  649.  
  650.  
  651. >Your next, and you think final, stop before going back to the castle is a bakery that catches your eye
  652. >Because you have butter now
  653. >Might as well have bread to go with it
  654. >This time, your journey through the door takes you to a considerably warmer environment
  655. >The shop is well lit with candles and lamps
  656. >Loaves of all variety of breads and confectioneries line the shelves
  657. >And you spy the dull black of Lunar guardsp0ny armor at the counter
  658. >And a flash of pink...
  659. >Is that Pinkie Pie?
  660. >You see another flash of pink that distinguishes itself into a waving hoof
  661. >"Hi Nonny!"
  662. >Yeah, that's Pinkie.
  663. >you wave as you close with the counter
  664. Hey Pinkie
  665. >"I'll be with you in a bit!" She squeaks, looking back down to the transaction with the guard
  666. >...Who looks strikingly familiar
  667. >He's that guy from the mission
  668. >Star Blaze?
  669. >The guard sets a number of bits on the counter, and Pinkie produces a small loaf of bread
  670. >She wraps it up and holds it out, and as you watch Star Blaze takes it and secrets it away in the recesses of his
  671. armor
  672. >"Thanks, Pinkie."
  673. >"Anything for our brave guardsp0nies!" She gushes
  674. >He chuckles
  675. >Then he turns to leave
  676. >As he passes you, he nods
  677. >You nod in return
  678. >"Congrats... Anonymous. You were right." he mutters cryptically
  679. >And then he's out the door
  680.  
  681.  
  682. >You hear a gasp from the counter, and look up
  683. >Pinkie's got both her hooves on her cheeks
  684. >"DO YOU TWO KNOW EACH OTHER?"
  685. Uh... yeah. From poker night.
  686. >Pinkie sticks her tongue out
  687. >"Eeewww! Naughty card games!"
  688. It ain't strip poker, sheesh
  689. >"Just kidding!"
  690. >The bubbly pink mare stands up on two hooves, and runs one of her upper ones out along the edge of the counter
  691. >partially laying upon it, she bats her eyes up at you
  692. >"So, what can Pinkie Pie do for you?"
  693. >You straight out laugh
  694. All I want is a little loaf a' bread. Fresh, if ya got any
  695. >The hoof on the counter goes up to support her chin, and she strikes up a thoughtful expression
  696. >"Hmmm."
  697. >"I /think/ I have a bun in the oven!"
  698. >She pulls back off the counter
  699. >"Let me check"
  700. >Then, with a flourish and a bounce of the curly mane, she disappears into the back of the shop
  701. >"I'm pretty sure I just put a few in"
  702.  
  703.  
  704.  
  705.  
  706.  
  707. >"Here ya go, Nonny!"
  708. >You shake your head and look up from your boots
  709. >On the counter, true to her word
  710. >Is a small, almost spherical loaf of bread
  711. How much?
  712. >"Four bits!" She chirps
  713. >you extract the requisite bits from your bag o'bits and set them on the counter
  714. So, ya got any plans for tomorrow?
  715. >You ask idly as she opens the register
  716. >"Oh, I'm working as a delivery mare tomorrow!"
  717. Really?
  718. >"Yeah! Somep0ny's gotta deliver to all the hungry p0nies in the city!"
  719. Well I'm glad ya found somethin' to do
  720. >"I know! So am I!"
  721. >You drop your bits on the counter, and sweep up the loaf of bread
  722. >It's almost burn your fingers hot
  723. I'll see ya tomorrow then?
  724. >"Yeah!"
  725. >As Pinkie swishes into the back once more, you make your exit
  726.  
  727.  
  728.  
  729. >When you finally reach your room, you find it empty
  730. >Which is all the better for you
  731. >You don't know how AppleJack would react
  732. >And you don't intend to find out
  733. >In a flash, you're at the kitchenette
  734. >You bust out the frying pan and fire the stove up
  735. >While it's heating up, you wash the potatoes
  736. >Then you mash them in a convenient pot, and mix in some milk and a nice wedge of butter or two
  737. >By this time the stove's nice and hot, so you take the already open stick of butter and smear it on the pan
  738. >It melts into a semi clear liquid that coats the bottom
  739. >And into the pan, you throw the steak
  740. >As the hard won slab of meat sizzles, a heavenly smell permeates the room
  741. >One you've gone far too long without
  742. >The pot goes on one of the other burners, where the potatoes cook slowly
  743. >The stove's a little low for you to operate standing
  744. >So while your food's cooking you pull one of your chairs over and have a seat
  745. >Stir the potatoes, flip the steak with a fork
  746. >Were it not for the size of your surroundings
  747. >The stone in place of wood
  748. >You could be at home right now
  749.  
  750.  
  751. >Something slams behind you
  752. >Smashing your reverie to pieces
  753. >You jump, sending the chair rocketing across the room
  754. >Then you pivot
  755. >Standing in the open door is a similarly surprised looking Twilight Sparkle
  756. >She's wearing a pair of saddlebags and a scarf, and you can see flakes of snow in her mane
  757. >"Anonymous... are you okay?"
  758. Yeah.
  759. >You walk across the room
  760. Ya startled me, is all
  761. >Then you retrieve your chair, and carry it back over to the stove
  762. >"Ooooh, you're cooking something?"
  763. Yup
  764. >You glance at the merrily sizzling slab of meat
  765. >"What is it? Is it human cuisine?"
  766. Considering what I had to do to get it? Yeah, you could say that
  767. >You pick up your trusty fork and flip the steak over
  768. >Twilight's got her bag and scarf off in a flash
  769. >And in another flash, she's across the room
  770. >"What's it called?"
  771. Well
  772. >You start
  773. These'r mashed potatoes. I'm pretty sure you have 'em here.
  774. >"We do..."
  775. >She points with a hoof
  776. >"But what's that?"
  777. That, my dear Twilight, is steak.
  778.  
  779.  
  780. >You sniff the air
  781. An' I think it's about done.
  782. >"Really?"
  783. Yup.
  784. >You pierce the steak once more with your fork, and transfer it to the waiting plate
  785. >Then with a spoon you take several healthy dollops of mashed potatoes from the pot
  786. >And add those to your plate as well
  787. >You take the plate over to your table and set it down
  788. >And then, on a whim, you snatch up the partially empty milk bottle and set that down on the table too
  789. >You're washing your knife in the sink when you glance over your shoulder
  790. >TWilight, true to form, has out a quill and paper
  791. >She's busily examining the steak on your plate
  792. >She looks at it, smells it
  793. >Then she pokes it with her quill...
  794. Hey!
  795. >The purple mare jumps
  796. >"yes?"
  797. Don't go gettin' ink on my steak
  798. >"Oh. Sorry"
  799. Jes' don't do it again
  800. >You turn back to the sink and resume your sanitary operations
  801. "Say" you ask as you scrub your hands
  802. Is there ever gonna be a time when you DON'T take notes on just about everything I do?
  803. >Twilight pauses in her scribbling, a thoughtful look on her face
  804. >"I cannot honestly answer that question."
  805. Ya can't?
  806. >"I can't. You are a truly a fascinating creature."
  807. >YOu plop down in your chair and start cutting your steak into chunks
  808. Well, I hope ya don't mind if I finally set down to eat in all my fascinatingness
  809. >"By all means"
  810. >Your fork spears a center piece, and you pop it into your mouth
  811. >The juicy, sickly sweet taste of the lightly spiced steak hits your tongue
  812. >And right then and there
  813. >You decide it was all worth it
  814.  
  815.  
  816.  
  817. >You glance across the table
  818. >Twilight's watching you with a ravenous hunger in her eyes
  819. >For knowledge or food, you can't tell
  820. >But you may as well find out
  821. Want to try a piece?
  822. >She shakes her head a bit
  823. >"I wouldn't presume...."
  824. Presume bullshit. Do you want to know what it tastes like?
  825. >"...Yes."
  826. >You hold your fork out, a trapezoidal chunk of meat on the end
  827. Go right ahead then
  828. >There's a minute tug on the fork as it pulls itself up off the tines
  829. >And then floats across the table and into Twilight's open mouth
  830. >You shake your head
  831. >It's gonna take a while to get used to that
  832. >Twilight, meanwhile, chews thoughtfully upon the steak
  833. Whatcha think?
  834. >"It's not bad. Not bad at all" She says around it
  835. >"How is it made?"
  836. >You lean back in your chair, and put your hands behind your head
  837. Well, first ya get some meat, like steak or venis-
  838. >"Ahhkthpppppth!"
  839. >Your explanation is rather abruptly interrupted with the sound of Twilight ejecting the contents of her mouth with great force
  840. ...
  841. >The partially chewed wad of protein flies across the room and sticks to the window
  842.  
  843.  
  844.  
  845. Ah shit Twilight, I'm sorry!
  846. I thought you knew!
  847. >Twilight works her jaw, scraping something off her tongue with her teeth
  848. >"Anonymous, I respect your right to a healthy existence. But please... don't feed me any meat without telling me first?"
  849. I just thought you knew...
  850. >Twilight sits down herself
  851. >"You... you cooked it."
  852. yeah?
  853. >"You cooked the meat?"
  854. Why wouldn't I?
  855. >Twilight's look of disgust is quickly changing to one of contemplation
  856. >"That... Nop0ny cooks meat..."
  857. >You furrow your eyebrows
  858. You're kidding.
  859. >"No, I'm not. Gryphons are the main consumers of meat in the world, and they primarily eat it as is."
  860. Not even yer fancy carnivore society club?
  861. >"They consume it as a foreign delicacy... in traditional gryphon fashion"
  862. Huh.
  863. So that's why you didn't recognize it?
  864. >"Every p0ny learns in school that meat is red, Anonymous. I have seen a few... examples... besides in my study, but... they all had bones in them..."
  865. I see.
  866. >you scratch the back of your neck
  867. Shoot, I apologize. I shoulda warned ya ahead of time.
  868. >"Well, it was an... Enlightening experience."
  869. >Twilight turns, and canters into the bathroom
  870. >You can hear the water running
  871.  
  872.  
  873. >After you've finished your dinner, you wash off your plate
  874. >And wash out all the cooking utensils
  875. >Once they're stowed away, you wave to Twilight and head for the door
  876. >"Where are you going?" She asks from the writing desk
  877. I got a project that needs a little work done
  878. >"I see. What is it?"
  879. >You tap the side of your nose
  880. That's a secret
  881. >"Fair enough"
  882. >Twilight goes back to her notes, and you go out the door
  883.  
  884.  
  885. >You head straight for the workshop
  886. >But instead of going to your tarp in the corner, you go to the harness rack
  887. >All the harnesses that went out over the day are now back on their hangers
  888. >From the erect tags you locate number 5
  889. >and then you exit the shop, locking the door behind you
  890. >you have an errand to run
  891. >Your next stop is the room that Rarity's staying in
  892. >You straighten your cloak and knock firmly upon the door three times
  893. >The response is a long time in coming
  894. >But it eventually does
  895. >The door swings inward, and you look down
  896. >A butter yellow and pink pegasus meets your eyes
  897. >"Oh. Hello... Anonymous" she semi-whispers up at you
  898. Hi Fluttershy, how are ya doing'
  899. >You return
  900. >Careful to not be too loud
  901. >"I am doing well." She returns
  902. >"H-how are you doing?" Is cautiously ventured several moments later
  903. I'm doin' jest fine.
  904. >She doesn't seem to be cowering
  905. >Much
  906. >So, you fervently hope, your little discussion with her at lunch today actually stuck
  907. >"Um, can I help you?"
  908. Yeah. Is Rarity in there?
  909. >Fluttershy looks down
  910. >"Oh, no. She's working late..."
  911. Ah. I see.
  912. Well, thanks Fluttershy!
  913. >"N-no problem, Anonymous"
  914. >You take a step back, and Fluttershy closes the door
  915. >Then you turn, and head for the royal seamstress's workshop
  916.  
  917.  
  918. >You find the place empty and dark, save for a single shining lamp at the far end of the room
  919. >Bolts of cloth, pin cushions, spools of thread and gigantic thimbles line the walls
  920. >And in the middle, a series of sewing machines
  921. >You head towards the light, and your vision resolves the brilliant blob underneath into Rarity working merrily
  922. away at a machine
  923. >Humming a tuneless tune to herself
  924. >Your foot catches the corner of one of the other machines, causing her to jump
  925. >Then she turns, shudders a second, and regains her composure
  926. >"Anonymous, darling, what brings you to the lonely seamstress corps at this time of night?"
  927. "I got th' measurements ya wanted" you intone, raising the harness
  928. >"Did you now..."
  929. >Rarity looks up from her work more fully
  930. >"With a harness?"
  931. Yeah. I fitted this one to 'er, and I know which holes the buckles went to. So I figure you can just git yer fancy measuring tape out and measure the inside of the harness, right?
  932. >Rarity considers for a moment
  933. >"That's... really very clever, actually. Here, I'll take that."
  934. >The harness floats up into the air, along with a nearby measuring tape which promptly begins to measure the harness
  935. >After a moment of measuring, and recording figures on a notepad, Rarity speaks up once more
  936. >"Did you get her hoof measurements, dear?"
  937. >In response, you hold up your hands, making a circle shape
  938. >You get your knuckles to the same position as before
  939. They're this big
  940. >"Very clever indeed" Notes Rarity, measuring the inside of your fingers
  941.  
  942.  
  943.  
  944. >When Rarity has finished her measurements, you bid her goodbye
  945. >She promises you that she'll get to work on your request right away
  946. >Which works just fine for you
  947. >You take the harness and head back to the shop
  948. >And finally, for the first time
  949. >Get some solitude while you work on your projects
  950.  
  951.  
  952. >When it finally becomes too late, you lock up the shop and head back to your room
  953. >The lights are all out when you arrive, so you close the door quietly behind you
  954. >By the glow of the embers in the fireplace, you can make out two sleeping forms in the other beds
  955. >After you've undressed and relieved yourself, you slide quietly beneath your sheets
  956. >Today was a good day
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