AlaskanAnon in equestria chapter 18

>You finally wander to consciousness after a good night's sleep
>Something's poking you
>You open your eyes
>Something orange...
>"C'mon, sleepyhead!  Tahm ta git goin'!"
>Says the slightly fuzzy orange p0ny
>She gives you another poke
>You groan
>"Yer gonna be late fer work!"
I'm coming, I'm coming
>You say quietly
>Then you reach up and rub your eyes
>You sit up, and grab your glasses
>AppleJack loses her fuzzy quality
>"What were ya doin' so late last night, anyway?"
It's a secret


>You cast your mind back to what you actually did last night
>After hearing you out, Rarity agreed to the proposal
>She had a few strings attached
>But that's par for the course for someone of her... caliber
>She did say, however, that you'd have to discretely acquire some measurements
>She has them, she just left them in p0nyville
>you did tell her to travel light, after all
>Heh
>That request posed an interesting problem
>So you did what you do whenever you have a problem you need to mull over
>You went to the shop, to work
>With your hands
>And you finally got some work in on your own private project
>It seems you stayed out a little late, however...


>Well, no point in letting that get in your way
>You shake your head, trying to dislodge the sleepiness
>Then you sit up and swing your legs over
>"Woah there partner, ya ain't gonna be THAT late"
>You shrug
If I don't move, I might go back to sleep.
>"Fair 'nuff."
>You fling the covers aside, and rise to your feet
>Pausing only to snag your cloak and clothing, you stumble towards the bathroom
>You nod to Twilight as you pass by her at the table
>Then manage to stub your toe on the closest chair leg
>Causing you to curse under your breath
>She looks up from her coffee just as you pass
>And then you're through the door
>And you close it behind you


>Shit
>Shower
>Brush
>Consult your watch, skip the shave
>As you don't particularly feel like unintentionally lacerating your face today
>Pull on glasses, clothes, holster, cloak
>Then, finally, unlock the door and push back through it
>AppleJack and Twilight both jump when you enter the room
>Twilight aims eyes the size of dinner plates at you
>And a rosy red tinge
What.
>Nothing is said
What did you do
>"N-nothing!" spurts Twilight
Bullshit.
Did you break one of my chairs?
>"NO!  Of course not."  She responds swiftly.
>The further response is a second in coming
>"you were raising a tent, is all"
>"An' not a little one, neither" chuckles AppleJack
>...
>Wow, you really are slow waking up
>Lucky you buttoned your underwear last night
>Still, you're going to be late
Well, ya ain't gettin' a free show, if that's what yer after.  I got work to do.
>"Oh, by all means"
Cya tonight, then
>"See ya 'Nonymous!" responds AppleJack
>When you close the door behind you, you hear a sound through it
>The sound of a deep, belly laugh
>From AppleJack, you think


>Still, it ain't your position to judge
>So you hustle off down the hall towards the cafeteria
>You didn't have much for dinner last night, and as a result you're hungry
>The hallways are as crowded as ever
>But they're not becoming more crowded
>So there's that, at least
>You reach the mess hall in a reasonable amount of time, and quickly get in line
>Today, you decide, you'll have waffles
>Variety never hurts
>Well, except in the case of heavy metals
>Heh, and a number of other things
>But in the realm of breakfast foods, variety is certainly never detrimental
>You step forward from the register, plate and cup in hand, and set off to find a good place to sit
>Part way to the table your friends usually sit at, a familiar looking blue stallion sidles up next to you
>He has to push a little to keep up with your long strides
>"Hey Anonymous"
Hey Sunny Sky, how ya doin'?
>"Ugh"
>He responds
>And you notice the slight bags under his eyes
>"Ask me that tomorrow"



>Sunny Sky accompanies you to the table you usually sit at
>It's currently empty, and he plops down right next to you
So what brings ya out to the plebeian cafeteria at such an early hour of the morning?
>"Don't remind me" He says, rubbing his eyes
>You cut a corner off your syrup soaked waffle and stick it in your mouth, continuing to look at the blue Unicorn
Aincha got yer own guard cafeteria?
>"Yeah, but I got the day off, remember?"
Oh yeah.
>"And I'll probably go back to bed when I'm done here"
>You perk up a little
>You know it's no light thing that drags a ma-
>Err, p0ny
>Out of his bed at this our after a night of drinking
>"But I just wanted to let you know that you were right."
'Bout the... target?
>"Yeah."
Good.
>You take another mouthful of waffle
>Then it occurs to you
How'd you know?
>"Uh, it started putting up a bit of a fuss when they got inside the station"
>Sunny Sky pauses to yawn
>"If what they told me and Star is correct, they knocked it out from behind, all stealthy like.  So it didn't know
it was coming."
And it lost disguise?
>"Yup.  It was gone before the thing hit the ground."
>Sunny Sky chuckles tiredly
>"Rumor has it they had a colt fresh out of boot with 'em, and he almost fainted"
Huh.
>"It changed back soon as it woke up, of course"
'Course
>"But we actually have one of 'em now."



>"You did Equestria a great service last night, Anonymous.  I just wanted to make sure you knew that."
>You take a swallow from your glass
Well shoot, you said you were gonna take me out for a drink, didn't ya?
>He chuckles again
I didn't see too much trouble catching a sworn enemy or two while we were at it
>"We need more like you, Anonymous."
That'd go a way towards solving a number of problems, wouldn't it
>You remark idly
Go finish sleeping it off, Bolt.  I think you earned it.
>"Thanks.  I think I will."
>And with that, the off duty guardsp0ny gets up from his seat and canters off into the crowd
>The rest of breakfast goes off without much of a hitch
>You dump your tray and head out for work
>And while the hallways are crowded as usual
>They also aren't any more crowded than they were yesterday
>Which is good, as if they did become any more packed, you'd get to work faster climbing out your bedroom window
and having breakfast in the city somewhere
>When you do finally arrive at the workshop, you find things are going full swing
>In fact, there are a few faces you don't recognize
>Tamper approaches you as you doff your cloak
>"'Bout time you showed up"

Hey Tamper, where's the fire?
>"Oh, there's no fire, just pressure from up top"
Oh?
>"They got us puttin' together a fleet of yer 'Sleds' for all the various royal departments to use"
Transportation upgrade?
>"Somthin' like that"
So what can I do?
>"Right now, I needja to help me get the process set up.  This is a new product, an' the guys are still learnin'
what works and what don't.  I need you to hop from spot to spot, an' correct any errors you see."
can do, boss
>"Later, we'll see how those hands of yours are for hitching p0nies."
>You nod to him
>Tamper stomps his hoof
>"Let's git goin', then!"


>The lunch whistle sounds, and you stop
>Then wipe the sweat off your brow
>And onto your forearm instead
>These guys certainly know their shit
>You're almost proud of them, how quickly they pick it up
>But at the same time, there's a few new faces
>P0nies of lesser, or different experience pulled in from different departments to fill production line slots
>They need a little more attention
>And there were enough of them that you were more than busy
>But now, you think, the worst of the kinks are out of the process
>Or at least, enough of them that Tamper can manage the rest on his own
>YOu suspect he'll have you hitching after lunch
>Your stomach grumbles at that thought, reminding you that you need fuel to continue
>So you wave to Tamper, who waves back
>And then head off to the cafeteria



>At the cafeteria, you pick up a sizable bowl of soup, and bread to go with it
>Then you head for your table
>Which, for a change, is occupied
>You see yellow and orange and white an pink and purple and cyan
>And an open seat, so you roll up and plop down
Hey folks
>"Howdy Anonymous!"
>"Hi"
>"Oh, hello Anonymous!"
>And so the greetings go around the table
>All except Fluttershy
>She just whimpers a bit
>Lowers her head a little closer to her leafy salad
>You allow the conversation to resume for a time while you blow on your soup
>Rainbow Dash is telling a surprisingly attentive Pinkie Pie about the ins and outs of "cloud cake"
>While Rarity and Twilight are discussing different types of thread
>YOu cease blowing on your soup
Now, somethin' that's been botherin' me
>You begin, cleaning out one of your ears with a free pinkie finger
Is Miss Fluttershy here.
>The mare in question squeaks
>And a series of indecipherable glances go around the table


Why are you so scared of me, Fluttershy?
>You ask, focusing more intently on the buttery yellow pegasus
Is it something I did?
>Fluttershy mumbles something indistinct into her salad bowl
Sorry, I didn't catch that
>Fluttershy squeaks something else out
>But Rainbow Dash intervenes, rendering whatever it was inaudible
>"It's because she-"
>You snap to Rainbow instead
I didn't ask you, Rainbow.
>"But sh-"
Did I ask you?
>Rainbow stops, shocked at being interrupted for a second time
>But grudgingly responds
>"No"
Then kindly shut up and let Fluttershy answer her own questions.
>Rainbow Dash grosses her hooves, but remains silent
>You turn back to the subject of your concern
Now, Miss Fluttershy, I understand you're the shy type.  I understand that ya got all these wonderful friends
>You gesture to the rest of the table with a sweep of your arm
>Rainbow and Rarity are both staring daggers at you, Twilight looks concerned, AppleJack is bemused and Pinkie is
gnawing on some manner of confectionary
Ta be your protectors.
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.
So I'd like the answer from you.
Do you think you could do that?
>This is crucial
>The make or break moment



>Fluttershy nods, and you exhale internally.
Good.  I appreciate that.
So, how come you're so scared of me?
>Fluttershy takes a breath, and sits up straighter
>She even comes a way towards looking you in the eye
>And while her response is quiet
>It is also still audible
>"I'm not scared of you."
>Fluttershy looks like she's got more to say, so you keep your mouth shut
>"I'm... Oh, you must hate me..."
>Uh oh
>She's starting to relapse
Naw, I don't hate ya, Fluttershy.  I just wanna know why ya cower every time I walk in the room.
>Your bolstering words have the intended effect
>"R-really?"
Look at my eyes.   Do I look like I hate you?
>For the first time in weeks, Fluttershy makes eye contact with you
>In her eyes, you find...
>Shame?
>Embarrassment?


>"After my head c-cleared, and I remembered what I did... on the trip here, I felt terrible."
>"I-I thought you hated me... after what I did..."
>The expressions around the table are changing, it seems
>"A-and then I guess it just spiraled..."
>You lean back, and cross your arms
So... you feel guilty?
>"I... I suppose I do.  I'm afraid of what you t-think of me."
Well, I think I may have gone through this before.
Firstly, ya weren't in your right mind.  I understand that better now than I did then.
That alone is enough of an explanation for me, but now with all this it goes a mite further.
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.
So, if it bugs ya that much, how 'bout you just apologize
>You stick your hand out on an impulse
An' then we can shake on it, and put it all behind us?


>"S-sure.  That sounds good."
>Fluttershy takes a deep breath
>The rest of the table is riveted at this point
>"Anonymous t-the human, I formally apologize for my e-earlier behavior."
I, Anonymous the human, accept your apology
>Fluttershy extends a slightly trembling hoof
>You seize the hoof
>You do not, however, employ an iron grip
>More like a gold grip
>Fluttershy gulps
>Then you give her hoof a pump, never breaking eye contact
>Fluttershy, amazingly, maintains eye contact
>And gives a pump of her own
>And while it's nothing like what you're accustomed to
>You know she means it


>After a collective exhale, you release Fluttershy's hoof
>Conversation cautiously emerges from its hiding place
>And finding no more drama, flourishes once more
>For your part, you go back to your lunch
>Fluttershy does the same to her leafy greens
>The meal pretty much runs until the end that way, too
>After you've emptied your tray, two interesting events occur
>The first is pleasantly surprising
>Twilight Sparkle is waiting for you outside the cafeteria
>The second one, however, is not
>For there's an angry looking cyan pagasus
>Who is also waiting for you with determination in her eyes


>"Who do you think you are?"
I'm Anonymous, the human
>Dash flutters right up into your personal space
>Aww, ain't that cute
>She's trying to be tough
>"You got a lotta nerve, Anonymous the human, pushing Fluttershy like that"
I reckon I do.
>"She was about at the end of her wits!"
Yeah, but she didn't get there, did she?
>Dash continues in spite of your mildly worded protests
>"You better keep yourself in line in the future, human."
>She stares right into your eyes
>You would imagine, were you a lesser man
>You would find something intimidating there
>But for you, it's just not happening
>In fact, it's almost the opposite
>it's amusing!
>But more than that, it's a bit of a puzzle.
>That Dash would stand up to a creature of your stature in the name of her friends speaks volumes
>But you don't know how much of it is actually in their name
>And how much of it is driven by her massive ego
>Still, the situation at hand calls
>So you stare right back
Yeah?  Or what?
>The cyan p0ny's bravado falters a bit
>But not enough to check her headlong charge into a rapidly escalating situation
>"Or I'll teach you a lesson, that's what!"
>Welp
>No turning back
>You reach up and seize a handful of thick, winterized fur on the front of her chest
>Then you pull her closer, until her face is centimeters from your own
>Your stare bores into her like piss melts snow
>Your stare bores into her like piss melts snow
Is that what you're gonna do?
>You can vaguely see her legs making backpedaling motions in the air
You gonna teach me a lesson?
>Her mouth falls open
>But no sound comes out
>It is making little twitching motions, though
>And then, just like that, you release her
>She nearly falls out of the air, but her wings flap at the last second
>Then she hastily backs up a few feet
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.
>You make a show of shrugging
But I think I got it down pretty good.
Sure, it wasn't the most delicate way to go about it, but she don't think I hate her anymore, does she?
>Rainbow un crosses her eyes
>"...No" she grudgingly admits
She can't have been too scared if she dinnae run off.




>Dash looks like she's about to say something sharp
>But then, off in the distance, a bell rings
>Dash's head perks up, and her eyes widen
>"Crud, I'm gonna be late!" she practically squeaks
Late?
>Her sudden change in tone takes you mildly by surprise
>"We're gonna have to pick this up later."
>The cyan mare whips around through the air so fast her mane and tail leave a rainbow colored after
Uh
>"SeeyaAnon!"
"See ya, Dash" you dismiss to her rapidly disappearing tail
>Giving a conciliatory wave in the process
>When she's out of eyesight, you exhale
>Then you look at Twilight
>Who has a rather unreadable expression on her face
Ya think I went too far there?
>Twilight, too, shakes her head
>"Hard to say."


"It was force 'o habit" you remark to her as the two of you stride side by side down the hallway
>"Was it?" She asks
Yeah.  Where I'm from, if ya get in a situation like that, you either show the other guy you mean business or you
get your ass handed to you.
>"You were certainly very... agressive."
Still, shouldn't be too much trouble.
>Twilight looks up at you
>"You think so?"
Oh, sure.  There are three outcomes now.
>Twilight looks on inquisitively
Either Dash works through her issues with me on her own, and realizes that Fluttershy can handle some fuckin'
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.
>"That's very straightforward."
>You shrug
I'm a straightforward kinda guy.


>A ways down the hallway, Twilight speaks up
>"The way you went about that at the table, I'm somewhat surprised Fluttershy didn't fly off crying"
Ah, that's because if she did, I'da chased her down and tackled her
>Twilight looks mortified
>"You wouldn't..."
I would.  I was gonna have an answer today one way or another.
An' I think she knew that too.
>"That... that is very possible."
>Huh
>It ain't often people agree with your gut feelings
Really?
>"Well... yes."
>Twilight takes a breath
>"Fluttershy has a way with animals.  You know this."
Yup
>"It's because she's... sensitive.  Almost to the levels of an empath."
"So ya figure I'm close enough ta her usual savagery that she might be able to kinda-sorta read me?" you respond,
chuckling
>"No, I wasn't-"
>You chuckle some more
I'm jes' kidding.
>A half minut later, however, you muse
Yeh might not be far off the mark...


>Back at work, Tamper greets you
>"Are ya ready to learn how ta hitch p0nies, Anonymous?"
Sure
>"Well c'mon then"
>Tamper leads you over by the door
>There are a number of sleds stacked up in this corner of the shop
>The products of this morning's efforts
>And hanging on the walls, leather harnesses
>waiting on a thoughtfully provided raised platform is, you're guessing, your first customer
>A stocky looking green stallion, he nods to you
>"Ya ready to learn?"
Sure
>Tamper levitates a harness off the wall
>A complicated mangle of leather straps and buckles, it looks to be more trouble than it's worth
>Still, you've harnessed sled dogs before
>Same principle, right?
>Tamper concentrates, and the harness untangles itself in front of him
>"Our guy that usually does this ended up on th' wrong end of a loose wagon" he comments
Damn
>"He'll be back soon enough, but 'till then ya gotta cover for him."
>Tamper finishes fumbling with the harness
>"I think this is how it's done..."
>He drops it down on the waiting stallion
>There's a collar that goes around the p0ny's front, and somewhat down over the chest
>Sort of like the one you saw on Big Macintosh back in p0nyville
>"Ya gotta seat this part right, or they'll choke when they pull hard" comments Tamper as he puts this on the stallion
>Then there's another part that goes around the middle
>And, of course, straps that go around the hindquarters


>So in retrospect, very different from the sled dog harasses you've worked with before
>Heh, you might see if the sled dog design is more efficient
>They are about sled dog sized, after all
>Still, these are the collars available
>You watch attentively as Tamper finishes putting it on the stallion
>"Ya gotta make this part tight, but not too tight, got it?" he says, referring to the band that goes around the
torso
>You nod in comprehension
>Tamper slips the last strap on
>The stallion receives a hefty magical smack on his haunch
>"C'mon hoss, let's go!"
>He grunts
>"Easy there Tamper, the guys might get ideas"
>Tamper laughs
>"In your dreams, Bucko.  C'mon, let's getcha hitched up."
>The stallion hops down off his platform and heads over to a sled stacked high with other sleds
>He backs into place, and Tamper raises the rods
>They have belts attached to the end that run through buckles on the collar
>"...And that's how ya do it." Remarks Tamper as the stallion canters out into the snow
>You push the doors closed behind him
>only for another p0ny to duck through the smaller one on the side
>"Ya ready ta try it fer yerself?"
Best way to learn
>you agree
>You pick harness number 5 off the wall
>And get to work


>You're sucking down a bottle of water when the door swings open again
>You put your water down on the table
>Then you head over and grab harness 34 off the wall
>When you finally look up at the platform, you find a surprise
>"Wahl, howdy Anon" quips AppleJack
They pull you into this too?
>"Yup.  These sleds o' yours are goin' out all over the city!"
Glad ta hear it.
>You beckon to the orange p0ny
C'mon, up on this platform
>AppleJack trails behind you
>"They got ya puttin' on the yokes?"
Yup
>So speaking, you pull the collar part down over her head
>Then you adjust it properly
>"Hey, Anonymous" She beckons in a low tone
>"Ya bin doin' this all day?" she asks, pawing at the stand
"Half the day" you correct her, moving on to the belly strap
>Then an interesting idea takes root in your mind
>You note the tightness of the collar, and which hole the strap for the belly uses
>"So, how's life ben' treating ya in the pretty city?"
"Can't say it's too bad" you mutter, your idea still churning about in your mind
How 'bout you?
>"Oh, they keep me plenty busy up at the castle."
>You lift her tail out of the way, and slip the strap that goes 'round her hindquarters in place
>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
>Among other things
>"Ahm Ah good ta go, Anon?"
Yeah, yer 'bout ready to be hitched up
>The orange earth p0ny steps down off of the harassing pedestal
"That one" you point, indicating a sled stacked precariously high with even more sleds
>AppleJack trots off towards it, and you follow her
>She backs up to the hitch, and you lift up the two sides
>Then you belt them into place
>You're tempted to give AJ a smack on the haunch
>But you don't think that would go over too well
>"Well, see ya around, Anonymous"
See you, AppleJack
>She presses herself forward against the harness, emitting a most unladylike grunt
>And then she's off through the door


>The rest of the day goes by quickly, the p0nies you harness all blurring together as your hands work and you mind
contemplates the difficulties before you
>When you finally punch out, you can see the sun setting through the high set windows on the far wall
>Tonight, you have a treat waiting for you
>You're going to have some honest to god steak
>Your mouth waters at the thought
>You haven't had any meat-
>Well...  there was that rabbit
>Bah
>You haven't had any REAL meat since before you arrived in this land
>And a man needs his nutrients, damnit!
>You wave goodbye to the guys sweeping the floor, and then pull on your shit
>You're headed into the city tonight
>Through the snowy, lamp lit streets you trudge
>You're intent upon the restaurant that you confirmed the existence of the other day
>The gryphon place
>They're sure to have some good red meat
>Eyes reflect what light is available wherever you look
>You're a sight that takes some getting used to, apparently
>Which is also the sentiment you get when you push through the door to the bar


>The first thing you notice is that you don't have to crouch
>Indeed, the ceiling is quite spacious
>you've got a good three, four feet of clearance
>And as you glance around, you can see why
>The building would be two stories by p0ny standards
>But all of that space is taken up by a single level
>There are the usual rough hewn tables on the ground floor
>But build up on the walls are more tables
>Along with small platforms next to them
>Some of which are occupied
>Every eye in the joint is on you, you see
>The ones at the bar, the ones at the tables
>And the ones on the walls
>Even the musician is watching, the bow of his saw fiddle held slackly in a claw
>You ignore them all
>you pull off your jacket, and stomp your boots out on your way over to the bar
>The bartender, a gruff looking gryphon holding a fierce looking bottle, looks at you
>"What'll it be?"
Mister, Gimme the biggest steak you got.
>"Comin' right up" he says
>Then he heads to the back


>You shake the snow out of your jacket while you wait
>The door swinging open is like music to your ears, and you turn back around on your stool
>That was quick
>The bartender drops a plate in front of you
>You blink, and do a double take
>Sitting on the plate in front of you is, indeed, a fair sized steak
>Fresh out of the cooler
>Bloody and raw
What the hell is this?
>You ask the bartender incredulously
>"It's steak?"
Why ain't it cooked?
>The bartender looks at you cross eyed
>"...cooked?"
>You momentarily pinch the bridge of your nose
>of fucking course
>They'd goddamn half lion, of course they'd like their meat raw
You got a... to go box or summat back there?
>The bartender scratches the back of his head
>"We got butcher paper..."
That'll work
>You say
>The bartender turns right around and heads back through his door


>he returns with butcher paper, true to his word
>You wrap up your meal and tape it shut
>Then you pay him
>And to the tune of every gryphon in the joint giving you a strange room, you don your gear once more and troop out
>You doubt the establishment even has a grill
>But you do know that there's a stove back in your room
>And you remember seeing pots and pans in the cupboards too
>So your next stop is the nearest store with a glowing sign outside
>You stomp your boots out outside and then head inside
>Then you head right for the back
>They...
>Woah!
>They have exactly what you need!
>From the waist high shelves you take several small spice containers
>You also get a sack of golf ball sized potatoes, a small glass bottle of milk
>And the most important part
>Two sticks of butter
>You guess they must have cows somewhere
>Sentient?  Hard to say
>But there's wonderful butter for you
>And for that, you're glad



>The p0ny manning the counter quickly loses her look of boredom as you approach
>She gulps, and pushes her hat higher on her head
>You can almost see the thought "Why did I take the night shift" forming in her mind
>You don't intend to cause any trouble, though
>So you set your supplies upon the counter, smile
>And pull out your sack of bits
How much?
>The brown p0ny looks away from you and down at your modest pile of consumables
>"Ten bits, sir."
>You fish out the requisite payment and drop it on the counter
Thank ya
>The p0ny scoops up your goods and deposits them into a paper bag, which it then places on the counter
>"have a nice night sir."
You too
>You remark as you head out the door
>Behind you, you hear something substantial hitting the floor


>Your next, and you think final, stop before going back to the castle is a bakery that catches your eye
>Because you have butter now
>Might as well have bread to go with it
>This time, your journey through the door takes you to a considerably warmer environment
>The shop is well lit with candles and lamps
>Loaves of all variety of breads and confectioneries line the shelves
>And you spy the dull black of Lunar guardsp0ny armor at the counter
>And a flash of pink...
>Is that Pinkie Pie?
>You see another flash of pink that distinguishes itself into a waving hoof
>"Hi Nonny!"
>Yeah, that's Pinkie.
>you wave as you close with the counter
Hey Pinkie
>"I'll be with you in a bit!" She squeaks, looking back down to the transaction with the guard
>...Who looks strikingly familiar
>He's that guy from the mission
>Star Blaze?
>The guard sets a number of bits on the counter, and Pinkie produces a small loaf of bread
>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
armor
>"Thanks, Pinkie."
>"Anything for our brave guardsp0nies!" She gushes
>He chuckles
>Then he turns to leave
>As he passes you, he nods
>You nod in return
>"Congrats... Anonymous.  You were right." he mutters cryptically
>And then he's out the door


>You hear a gasp from the counter, and look up
>Pinkie's got both her hooves on her cheeks
>"DO YOU TWO KNOW EACH OTHER?"
Uh... yeah.  From poker night.
>Pinkie sticks her tongue out
>"Eeewww!  Naughty card games!"
It ain't strip poker, sheesh
>"Just kidding!"
>The bubbly pink mare stands up on two hooves, and runs one of her upper ones out along the edge of the counter
>partially laying upon it, she bats her eyes up at you
>"So, what can Pinkie Pie do for you?"
>You straight out laugh
All I want is a little loaf a' bread.  Fresh, if ya got any
>The hoof on the counter goes up to support her chin, and she strikes up a thoughtful expression
>"Hmmm."
>"I /think/ I have a bun in the oven!"
>She pulls back off the counter
>"Let me check"
>Then, with a flourish and a bounce of the curly mane, she disappears into the back of the shop
>"I'm pretty sure I just put a few in"





>"Here ya go, Nonny!"
>You shake your head and look up from your boots
>On the counter, true to her word
>Is a small, almost spherical loaf of bread
How much?
>"Four bits!" She chirps
>you extract the requisite bits from your bag o'bits and set them on the counter
So, ya got any plans for tomorrow?
>You ask idly as she opens the register
>"Oh, I'm working as a delivery mare tomorrow!"
Really?
>"Yeah!  Somep0ny's gotta deliver to all the hungry p0nies in the city!"
Well I'm glad ya found somethin' to do
>"I know!  So am I!"
>You drop your bits on the counter, and sweep up the loaf of bread
>It's almost burn your fingers hot
I'll see ya tomorrow then?
>"Yeah!"
>As Pinkie swishes into the back once more, you make your exit



>When you finally reach your room, you find it empty
>Which is all the better for you
>You don't know how AppleJack would react
>And you don't intend to find out
>In a flash, you're at the kitchenette
>You bust out the frying pan and fire the stove up
>While it's heating up, you wash the potatoes
>Then you mash them in a convenient pot, and mix in some milk and a nice wedge of butter or two
>By this time the stove's nice and hot, so you take the already open stick of butter and smear it on the pan
>It melts into a semi clear liquid that coats the bottom
>And into the pan, you throw the steak
>As the hard won slab of meat sizzles, a heavenly smell permeates the room
>One you've gone far too long without
>The pot goes on one of the other burners, where the potatoes cook slowly
>The stove's a little low for you to operate standing
>So while your food's cooking you pull one of your chairs over and have a seat
>Stir the potatoes, flip the steak with a fork
>Were it not for the size of your surroundings
>The stone in place of wood
>You could be at home right now


>Something slams behind you
>Smashing your reverie to pieces
>You jump, sending the chair rocketing across the room
>Then you pivot
>Standing in the open door is a similarly surprised looking Twilight Sparkle
>She's wearing a pair of saddlebags and a scarf, and you can see flakes of snow in her mane
>"Anonymous... are you okay?"
Yeah.
>You walk across the room
Ya startled me, is all
>Then you retrieve your chair, and carry it back over to the stove
>"Ooooh, you're cooking something?"
Yup
>You glance at the merrily sizzling slab of meat
>"What is it?  Is it human cuisine?"
Considering what I had to do to get it?  Yeah, you could say that
>You pick up your trusty fork and flip the steak over
>Twilight's got her bag and scarf off in a flash
>And in another flash, she's across the room
>"What's it called?"
Well
>You start
These'r mashed potatoes.  I'm pretty sure you have 'em here.
>"We do..."
>She points with a hoof
>"But what's that?"
That, my dear Twilight, is steak.


>You sniff the air
An' I think it's about done.
>"Really?"
Yup.
>You pierce the steak once more with your fork, and transfer it to the waiting plate
>Then with a spoon you take several healthy dollops of mashed potatoes from the pot
>And add those to your plate as well
>You take the plate over to your table and set it down
>And then, on a whim, you snatch up the partially empty milk bottle and set that down on the table too
>You're washing your knife in the sink when you glance over your shoulder
>TWilight, true to form, has out a quill and paper
>She's busily examining the steak on your plate
>She looks at it, smells it
>Then she pokes it with her quill...
Hey!
>The purple mare jumps
>"yes?"
Don't go gettin' ink on my steak
>"Oh.  Sorry"
Jes' don't do it again
>You turn back to the sink and resume your sanitary operations
"Say" you ask as you scrub your hands
Is there ever gonna be a time when you DON'T take notes on just about everything I do?
>Twilight pauses in her scribbling, a thoughtful look on her face
>"I cannot honestly answer that question."
Ya can't?
>"I can't.  You are a truly a fascinating creature."
>YOu plop down in your chair and start cutting your steak into chunks
Well, I hope ya don't mind if I finally set down to eat in all my fascinatingness
>"By all means"
>Your fork spears a center piece, and you pop it into your mouth
>The juicy, sickly sweet taste of the lightly spiced steak hits your tongue
>And right then and there
>You decide it was all worth it



>You glance across the table
>Twilight's watching you with a ravenous hunger in her eyes
>For knowledge or food, you can't tell
>But you may as well find out
Want to try a piece?
>She shakes her head a bit
>"I wouldn't presume...."
Presume bullshit.  Do you want to know what it tastes like?
>"...Yes."
>You hold your fork out, a trapezoidal chunk of meat on the end
Go right ahead then
>There's a minute tug on the fork as it pulls itself up off the tines
>And then floats across the table and into Twilight's open mouth
>You shake your head
>It's gonna take a while to get used to that
>Twilight, meanwhile, chews thoughtfully upon the steak
Whatcha think?
>"It's not bad.  Not bad at all" She says around it
>"How is it made?"
>You lean back in your chair, and put your hands behind your head
Well, first ya get some meat, like steak or venis-
>"Ahhkthpppppth!"
>Your explanation is rather abruptly interrupted with the sound of Twilight ejecting the contents of her mouth with great force
...
>The partially chewed wad of protein flies across the room and sticks to the window



Ah shit Twilight, I'm sorry!
I thought you knew!
>Twilight works her jaw, scraping something off her tongue with her teeth
>"Anonymous, I respect your right to a healthy existence.  But please... don't feed me any meat without telling me first?"
I just thought you knew...
>Twilight sits down herself
>"You... you cooked it."
yeah?
>"You cooked the meat?"
Why wouldn't I?
>Twilight's look of disgust is quickly changing to one of contemplation
>"That... Nop0ny cooks meat..."
>You furrow your eyebrows
You're kidding.
>"No, I'm not.  Gryphons are the main consumers of meat in the world, and they primarily eat it as is."
Not even yer fancy carnivore society club?
>"They consume it as a foreign delicacy... in traditional gryphon fashion"
Huh.
So that's why you didn't recognize it?
>"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..."
I see.
>you scratch the back of your neck
Shoot, I apologize.  I shoulda warned ya ahead of time.
>"Well, it was an... Enlightening experience."
>Twilight turns, and canters into the bathroom
>You can hear the water running


>After you've finished your dinner, you wash off your plate
>And wash out all the cooking utensils
>Once they're stowed away, you wave to Twilight and head for the door
>"Where are you going?" She asks from the writing desk
I got a project that needs a little work done
>"I see.  What is it?"
>You tap the side of your nose
That's a secret
>"Fair enough"
>Twilight goes back to her notes, and you go out the door


>You head straight for the workshop
>But instead of going to your tarp in the corner, you go to the harness rack
>All the harnesses that went out over the day are now back on their hangers
>From the erect tags you locate number 5
>and then you exit the shop, locking the door behind you
>you have an errand to run
>Your next stop is the room that Rarity's staying in
>You straighten your cloak and knock firmly upon the door three times
>The response is a long time in coming
>But it eventually does
>The door swings inward, and you look down
>A butter yellow and pink pegasus meets your eyes
>"Oh.  Hello... Anonymous" she semi-whispers up at you
Hi Fluttershy, how are ya doing'
>You return
>Careful to not be too loud
>"I am doing well." She returns
>"H-how are you doing?" Is cautiously ventured several moments later
I'm doin' jest fine.
>She doesn't seem to be cowering
>Much
>So, you fervently hope, your little discussion with her at lunch today actually stuck
>"Um, can I help you?"
Yeah.  Is Rarity in there?
>Fluttershy looks down
>"Oh, no.  She's working late..."
Ah.  I see.
Well, thanks Fluttershy!
>"N-no problem, Anonymous"
>You take a step back, and Fluttershy closes the door
>Then you turn, and head for the royal seamstress's workshop


>You find the place empty and dark, save for a single shining lamp at the far end of the room
>Bolts of cloth, pin cushions, spools of thread and gigantic thimbles line the walls
>And in the middle, a series of sewing machines
>You head towards the light, and your vision resolves the brilliant blob underneath into Rarity working merrily
away at a machine
>Humming a tuneless tune to herself
>Your foot catches the corner of one of the other machines, causing her to jump
>Then she turns, shudders a second, and regains her composure
>"Anonymous, darling, what brings you to the lonely seamstress corps at this time of night?"
"I got th' measurements ya wanted" you intone, raising the harness
>"Did you now..."
>Rarity looks up from her work more fully
>"With a harness?"
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?
>Rarity considers for a moment
>"That's... really very clever, actually.  Here, I'll take that."
>The harness floats up into the air, along with a nearby measuring tape which promptly begins to measure the harness
>After a moment of measuring, and recording figures on a notepad, Rarity speaks up once more
>"Did you get her hoof measurements, dear?"
>In response, you hold up your hands, making a circle shape
>You get your knuckles to the same position as before
They're this big
>"Very clever indeed" Notes Rarity, measuring the inside of your fingers



>When Rarity has finished her measurements, you bid her goodbye
>She promises you that she'll get to work on your request right away
>Which works just fine for you
>You take the harness and head back to the shop
>And finally, for the first time
>Get some solitude while you work on your projects


>When it finally becomes too late, you lock up the shop and head back to your room
>The lights are all out when you arrive, so you close the door quietly behind you
>By the glow of the embers in the fireplace, you can make out two sleeping forms in the other beds
>After you've undressed and relieved yourself, you slide quietly beneath your sheets
>Today was a good day