Born to Serve: Prologue

>Your carriage hits yet another bump and you lurch forward slightly in your seat
>Groaning, you resituate yourself as the faint outline of the darkened horizon continues to rise and fall with the motions of your vehicle
>You shouldn't even be here, staring out at the damn countryside, waiting for these bumbling drivers to carry you back home
>It was far too late, and you had work in the morning.  Equestria needs competent, well rested councilors, and...
>Another goddess damned bump nearly launches you out of your seat
>Angrily, you pop your head out of the window and shout at the two buffoons pulling your carriage
"Will you two PLEASE watch where you're going?!"
>One of the stallions turns his head back in your direction
>"Apologies, sir, but the roads haven't been maintained in some time and-"
"I did not ask for excuses, I asked you to take more care!"
>Without waiting for a response, you retreat back inside the carriage and plop your hindquarters down on the cushion of your seat, adjusting your suit
>As you look down at your garments, trying to get your tie to look straight, you see a hoof extend to your chest and finish the adjustments for you
>When she fixes what you had messed, you turn up to look at her
>Marigold.  Your darling wife.  Smiling just as sweetly at you as the moment you had first laid eyes on her
>That smile was sweet and saccharine enough to make you sick, sometimes
>You nod at her and manage a curt "Thank you" before turning your gaze out the window
>"Brightstar, don't be so cross.  It's been such a lovely evening.  I really think the Baltimare orchestra has outdone themselves this time, don't you think?"
>She sighs and rests her beautiful face on a hoof, staring out the window
>"Oh, and their outfits...so enchanting...like little pieces of brightly colored paper blowing in the breeze..."
>You groan
>Attending concerts, dinner parties, the Grand Galloping Gala, and other events often associated with your ilk were her idea of fun, not yours
>Nor was it your idea of fun to spend an entire day in the festering sewer that was Baltimare
>As far as you were concerned, it was simply a facade, a mixture of casinos and housing projects that attempted to glitz itself up with orchestras and ballrooms in order to try and copy the splendor of Canterlot
>What a shitty place
>Well, try to look on the bright side.  The day in that city of lies was behind you.  All that awaited you now was a quiet, restful evening at home before attending day court with her highness
>The bright side...
>You turn your attention to your unicorn mare
>She always found a way to look on the bright side, no matter the situation
>Marigold was special to you, you had no doubts about that
>You admired her indomitable spirit, her radiant beauty, the way she saw the good in everyp0ny
>Despite being raised as you were, among the elite of Canterlot, groomed from birth for leadership and all the woes and cares it brings, she never gave up her bubbling laughter, her earnest mirth and love for life
>Her love for you...
>And while you honestly loved her back, you often found it...difficult to express it to your satisfaction
>While Marigold was wonderful, she was also...childish, at times.  Naive.  Always focused on the present without care for the consequences of the future
>You liked to tell yourself this was the reason you couldn't express yourself completely to her
>It was a good enough reason, you supposed...
>To her comment about the performance, however, you merely scoffed
"The orchestra could have done far better.  That solo violinist was clearly just trying to walk it in"
>You wave a hoof dismissively before staring back out into the darkness
>Her silence draws your gaze back to her
>The smile has fallen from her face and she stares, sadly at you
>"You don't like the Baltimare orchestra, do you, Starry?"
>Her pet name causes you to grimace
"No.  No, I'm afraid I do not"
>Marigold sighs
>"Well, the important thing is that you indulged my wish to see them and you went with me willingly.  Not every husband would do that...but our little day trip wasn't all bad, was it?"
>You open your mouth, but no words come
>Firmly planting your elbow on the windowsill, you gaze back out into the void
>You feel a hoof touching your foreleg, bringing your eyes to hers again
>Her eyes are now half-lidded, bearing a mischievous twinkle
>"I'm sorry you didn't have fun in Baltimare, dear, but I think I know of a way to make it up to you..."
>She moves quickly from her side of the carriage to yours before climbing up into your lap, facing you
>She brushes the back of your mane with a hoof before locking your lips with hers
>The carnal pleasure of the moment almost overrides your sensibilities
>You, reluctantly, break the kiss
"M-Marigold...the drivers..."
>"Oh, hush, darling" she coos, nuzzling your snout
>"After your tongue lashing, they'll be so focused on the road that they won't be cognizant of what we're doing back here...now just relax..."
>She leans in again and your lips meet
>With your anxieties cast aside, you meet her eager advances with fervent osculation
>Before long, you can feel her hoof trailing down your chest, over your stomach, and eventually resting on your privates
>The action and its implication startles you slightly and you, once again, break the kiss
"Marigold?!  Here?"
>She chuckles
>"I thought I asked you to relax, darling...nop0ny can see us here.  And besides..."
>She scoots her groin in closer to yours.  You can feel the heat emanating from her nether region
>Between the warmth and the massaging of her hoof, you're almost about to unsheathe yourself right on the spot
>"...These little bumps that you despise so much are actually a little...stimulating, for a mare"
>As if on cue, the carriage jostles slightly, throwing Marigold's body further onto yours
>Your wife attempts to suppress a giddy cry, which devolves into her familiar laughter
>Suddenly, she grasps the back of your mane and fixes you with a stare
>"Now for the last time, relax, my love...and do NOT interrupt my kissing you again"
>Well, if it's what the lady wants...
>As the two of you continue to make out in the back of the carriage like a couple of drunken teenagers, you decide that Marigold, despite her whimsical nature and hilarious attempts at being stern or severe, was right
>You should just relax and enjoy your wife's body, you should...
>CRACK
>The sudden, nigh deafening noise precedes a short feeling of vertigo
>You feel yourself fall and roll to the right as Marigold's body quickly follows, crashing down on top of you
"Ahhh!  Bloody Hell!" you scream as you reach up to rub your head
>Specifically, you rub the spot where your idiot wife's skull collided with yours
>She pulls back and holds her head in her hooves, wincing
>"Oh, goddess, what happened?!  Starry?  Are you alright?"
>You sharply inhale and your lids slam shut as your hoof touches the bruised area on your head
"I think so..."
>You feel Marigold moving off of you and you open your eyes
>The carriage seems...off
>When your wife leaves your lap, she quickly slides to the right side of the cabin, as gravity takes her
>You grunt
"So, was that last bump -stimulating- enough for you?"
>She furrows her brow and frowns at you...not something she does very often
>"That's not funny, Starry.  We need to...wait...did we stop moving?"
>Sigh
>Of course you had stopped moving
>You knew exactly what had happened
>From the front of the carriage, you can hear the drivers shouting curses at each other as they furiously try to unbuckle their harnesses
>Those morons were moving too slow for your taste
"Marigold"
>You point to the front left of the cabin
"Go sit over there for a moment"
>"But Starry-"
"Just do it, please!"
>She sighs and slowly moves towards the desired location, fighting gravity as she goes
>Hmm, Marigold's weight isn't going to be enough...
>You reach over and shove her giant, limited edition, autographed painting of the Baltimare orchestra (what a waste of money) in her direction
>When both she and the painting reach the area you had indicated, the carriage suddenly lurches forward and rights itself, throwing your wife into her seat, roughly
>"Goodness!" she yelps as she hops up and quickly pats her dress down
>"How did you know that would fix it?"
>You move to the window and peer out, looking to the rear of the vehicle
>Your fears are confirmed and you groan, loudly
"It didn't fix it, dear"
>You pull your head back in to look at her puzzled expression
>"Then what just happened?"
>You swear...she can be so stupid sometimes.  How can she not tell what's wrong?
"The right rear wheel broke.  Nearly snapped in half.  I tried to warn the drivers about all these damn bumps, but noooo..."
>You trail off as her bemused face stares blankly at you
>"Then why did you want me to-"
>You roll your eyes
"Moving your weight to the side opposite of the broken wheel will keep the carriage on its other three, allowing me and these buffoons to fix the problem"
>At the mention of her weight being your solution, she glares at you
>You cough, awkwardly
"I had to move the painting over to your side too, you know..."
>She huffs and stares out the other window
>"Just do what you have to so we can go home, Brightstar"
>Gladly
>Anything to get you out of this damn carriage
>You open the door and hop out
>Moving to the back of the vehicle, you see your genius drivers have unhitched themselves and are staring at the wheel, bitterly cursing it
>At the sound of your voice, they straighten up
"Oh yes, clearly this problem was the wheel's fault.  Clearly, the issue here is the shoddy work of an incompetent craftsp0ny and certainly NOT the idiocy of the drivers!"
>They avoid your angry gaze and kick the ground in shame
>"A thousand pardons, sir.  We-"
"Quiet!  I don't want to hear your excuses anymore!  I am very tired, and very much inclined to the prospect of getting home!  Now, one of you fools help me get the spare off the back"
>It had become obvious to you now that you were going to have to fix this problem yourself, these half-wits had no idea what they were doing
>And just as you were about to get laid, too...
>Today was not your day
>As you and one of the drivers hastily remove the lashings holding the spare to the back, you think about what had almost transpired between you and Marigold
>As much as you would have thoroughly enjoyed rutting her in the carriage, you realize that could have potentially ended poorly
>Marigold had made it clear, very clear in fact, that she wanted a child
>She had already picked out a room of the house and designated it as "the baby's room" ordering the help to paint it "a soothing yellow"
>To your eyes, it resembled the color of urine.  However, that could just be your anger at the situation
>You had wanted that room for your study, but of all the rooms in your house, that had to be the one for the yet non existent baby
>You and the driver finish removing the lashings and you magic the object into the air before carrying it over to the damaged wheel
>You point with a hoof and begin to state your orders
"You.  Get under the carriage and lift it up.  And you.  Remove the wheel"
>They quickly comply as the first driver, you were going to call him Wingus, gets under the vehicle and, grunting and straining, lifts the carriage a few inches off the ground
>His partner, whose name from here on out was Dingus, begins removing the locking pins from the damaged wheel
>As they work, you consider your suddenly apparent luckiness
>You didn't have any condoms with you in the carriage...rutting Marigold could have easily resulted in giving her what she wanted.  Motherhood
>From time to time, she could be very clever...
>You sigh
>Fighting her on this issue had been tiresome for the both of you
>It wasn't like you didn't want children with her at some point
>P0nies in your profession needed progeny, typically passing their roles on to their offspring when they either retired or died
>Your father had passed the mantle of councilor to you, as his mother had done before him
>Yes, you would very much like a son or daughter to carry on your legacy, to heed your words and learn the ways of leadership and politics
>How to dissociate oneself from the cares and constraints of weaker p0nies, to be truly competent in making the difficult, but necessary decisions
>The ones Celestia herself could not make...lest her shining image be muddled by the moral constraints of the common fool
>You chuckle
>Wingus and Dingus here were almost like a microcosm of the nation itself
>Simpletons, rubes, their biggest worry was not getting a good tip at the end of the night
>They were completely unaware of the things that were done behind closed doors to keep them fat and happy
>Things that they appreciate as long as they don't have to look them in the face
>Your child would be different, though
>Strong, educated, able to do what was necessary to protect the Equestrian way of life.  Worthy of the seat you would eventually bestow upon them
>"Eventually" was the problem, however
>Children are annoying, repugnant messes
>And you get the feeling Marigold wouldn't let you just have the nanny take care of the little monster without making you spend time with it
>Someday, you will need to learn to get over your irritation
>Equestria will need a councilor to replace you eventually...and it WILL be one you have modeled in your image...
>Dingus finally removes the locking pins and casts aside the busted wheel
>With your magic, you move the spare into place, threading it onto the axle
>Apparently, not a moment too soon, as Wingus collapses to the ground, exhausted, letting the carriage rest on the spare
>As soon as the carriage stops moving, Marigold pops her head out of the window
>She smiles at you all, her fleeting anger now long gone, as usual
>"Hello, boys!  Are we ready to go?"
>You thought you told her to wait inside...
>She looks at the wheel and gasps
>"Oh, wonderful!  I knew my darling husband would have this fixed in a jiffy!"
>I love you too, Marigold
"Yes, thank you, wife"
>Dammit
>One of these days, you were going to have to learn how to tell her...
"But it isn't fixed just yet.  Please, just wait inside and- why are you making that face?"
>Marigold stares past you, looking behind the carriage
>Her irises are the size of pinpricks, her mouth hangs open slightly, and her jaw quivers
>Shakily, she raises a hoof and points in the direction she's staring in
>"S-S-Starry?"
>You follow the direction of her hoof, deciding to ignore the fact that she called you by that stupid pet name in public
>At first, you don't see anything of note
>Dusk has fallen and it's hard to see anything further than a few meters away from the carriage
>Straining your eyes...you see it
>You feel your blood run cold and you freeze in place
>In the road behind you stands a shadowy figure
>A very, very large shadowy figure
>Far too big to be a diamond dog or even a minotaur, but definitely smaller than a dragon
>You don't move, you can't move
>It's sudden presence seems to drain your very will
>Then, to your horror, it begins...shuffling...towards you
>Before you can react, it speaks
>"Hello?  Is...is someone there?"
>You're not sure what surprises you more
>The fact that the creature speaks perfect Equestrian, or the fact that the sound of its voice is clearly soft and feminine
>If you were to just hear it speak, it wouldn't sound threatening at all
>"Please.  I-I need help..."
>As it continues moving slowly towards you, you suddenly find your resolve
>You whip your head back to the drivers and hiss at them
"What are you doing?!  Fix the bloody wheel so we can get out of here!"
>As they both fly into action, trying to hastily cram the locking pins into the new wheel, you turn to Marigold
"Darling, get the sword"
>She just continues staring, terrified, at the creature
"Marigold!"
>She slowly turns her gaze to you
>"But...but it said it needs help..."
"I don't care what the buck it 'needs'!  Just get me my bucking sword!"
>She frowns and retreats inside the cabin, appearing moments later with your sword
>Technically, it's your father's sword, as you had, thankfully, never had use for it
>You mentally grasp the object and pull it down to you, unsheathing the weapon
>You can't remember the last time this thing was sharpened...it probably wouldn't cut a loaf of bread
>But it was better than having nothing at all
>You turn back towards the creature, brandishing the sword in front of you
>Oh, Celestia...during your argument with Marigold, the creature has come much closer
>You still can't make out what it is.  The amount of ambient light had dropped far faster than you liked
>But you can start to see some of its features
>It appeared to be a biped, but it was nearly twice as tall as your standing height
>What's worse, it was still getting closer
>You wave the blade in front of you
"S-Stay back!  I've got a weapon, and I'm not afraid to use it!"
>Suddenly, the creature stops in its tracks, even backing away slowly
>"Please, I don't want any trouble!  I just need some help...I...I don't know where I am"
>Behind you, you hear the faint sound of hoof steps approaching your side
>Bucking Wingus and Dingus were supposed to be fixing the...oh, no...
"Marigold!  Get back in the carriage!"
>Your wife ignores your commands and moves slightly ahead of you
>Without warning, she lights up her horn
>She was casting a simple illumination spell, trying to see the potential assailant
>Before you can pull her back...the creature is finally revealed to you
>Nothing could have prepared you for what you see in front of you
>Before you stands a tall, lanky biped
>A blue dress covers its body, except for the face and forelegs
>The creature bears no fur or hair on these parts of its anatomy
>Only a dull brown mane sprouts from its head, cascading down to its withers
>Its stomach, at least that's what you think that is, is horribly engorged and distended, and it holds a claw, composed of five thin digits, over its belly
>It almost reminds you of a monkey.  A very tall, dress wearing, hairless monkey...
>The shock that you must be expressing pales in comparison to the creature as it looks, with its tiny, beady eyes, at the two of you
>It slaps the claw not holding its stomach to its mouth and backs away slowly
>After several, shocked moments, it finally speaks again
>"What...what the hell are you?!"
>Before you can answer, your wife speaks up
>"Well, I think I could ask you the very same question.  I've never seen one of your kind before..."
>Marigold takes a step towards the creature
>The creature takes a step back
"Marigold, get back here!"
>She turns her head to look at you, frowning again
>"Calm yourself, Brightstar.  She's more afraid of us than we are of her"
"Oh, we're giving it a gender now?"
>"I..."
>The creature speaks up again
>"I'm a she..."
>Marigold beams and turns back to the creature
>"I'm a she too, dear.  My name is Marigold.  I'm a p0ny"
>The mare speaks slowly and softly to the creature, as if she was talking to a lost child
>The creature stares, incredulously at your wife
>Marigold speaks up again
>"What's your name and species?  Do you have a name?"
>The creature turns its gaze from your wife to you and back
>"M-My name is Marie.  Marie Davenport...I-I'm a human"
>Marigold giggles
>"Why, what a lovely name!  It sounds so exotic!"
>She performs a curtsey
>"It is a pleasure to meet you, Marie Marie Davenport!"
>The "human" laughs, awkwardly
>"Just one 'Marie', actually..."
>Marigold elicits her dulcet laugh, which seems to calm the human
>"My mistake, sweetie...Now, Marie, you said you needed help?  May we be of any assistance?"
>The human sighs
>"Well, I don't know if you can help...I mean, I'm standing here talking to tiny, pastel horses, so I've probably just lost my damn mind..."
>You and Marigold exchange a look
>She shrugs and Marie continues
>"But if you are real...then I'm horribly lost, I guess.  Do...do you know where I am?  Am I even on planet Earth anymore?"
>The human takes one too many steps towards your wife and you spring into action
>You take a leap forward and wave the sword at her
"Stay back, beast!"
>Marie looks shocked, as if finally realizing you were holding a sword at her
>"Oh my god...how...how the fuck are you doing that?"
>You bring the sword in closer and she suddenly jumps back, clutching her stomach with both forelegs
>Her once confused face turns to pure malice
>"You stay the fuck away from me, you psychopath!"
>Marigold gasps
>"Oh, Celestia!"
>She quickly reaches out and bops your horn
>The pain breaks your concentration and the sword clatters to the ground
"What are you doing?!"
>Your wife ignores you and turns back to the human
>"Oh, my goodness...there's only one place I've seen that kind of aggression before...only one place I've seen that protective stance..."
>Marigold's realization strikes you as well
>No, no it couldn't be...
>"Marie...you're pregnant, aren't you?"
>The human's hatred for you seems to fade and she nods
>"Eight months now"
>Marigold clamps a hoof to her mouth and turns back to you
>"Brightstar!  We have to help her now!"
>You finish nursing your injured horn and growl at her
"First of all, do NOT hit my horn again!  Second, how do you know this creature is telling the truth?  It could be a predator, baiting a trap for us!"
>Marigold then does something you've never seen her do
>She actually rolls her eyes at you
>"Oh, give me a break, Starry!  Does that really look like the face of a predator to you?!"
>You turn to look at Marie
>She stands, hunched, still clutching what she professed to be her future bundle of joy
>The creature doesn't have claws, or fangs, or even fur...
>How was something like this even able to survive?
>You sigh
"No, I suppose not..."
>Marigold smirks and turns to Marie
>"You should come with us, dear, we'll give you all the help we can"
>Now, it's Marie's turn to become suspicious
>"I don't know...why would you help me?  How do I know you won't just try to gut me with that sword the first chance you get?"
>Marigold moves closer to the human
>Close enough that she can touch the human's abnormally long leg
>"I give you my oath, Marie.  My very word as a daughter of the House of the Morning Flowers...no harm will come to you as I or my husband can prevent it.  This oath is more dear to me than my very life, you WILL be safe with us"
>Marigold was continuing to surprise you tonight
>You had never heard her give her house oath to anyp0ny...you had only given your house oath once in your life, to the council
>The human seems to pick up on the significance of what is being said, possibly by judging your gaping mouth
>"Well...it's not like I can just keep wandering in the wilderness here..."
>Marigold smiles again
>"Wonderful!  Now, come with me..."
>Your wife leads her to the carriage
>As she passes you, she winks
>"I guess you're not the only diplomat around"
>You groan and she giggles
"You always want to see the good in everyp0ny, don't you?"
>She stops in her tracks and fixes you with a serene gaze
>"Because there IS good in everyp0ny, Starry"
>She leans in close and nudges your chest with a hoof
>"EVERYp0ny..."
"I wish I could believe that"
>She giggles again
>"Maybe you will...in time"
>She kisses your cheek and trots after Marie
>You turn your attention back to Wingus and Dingus
>The idiots had been staring, slack jawed, at you three the entire time
"Well?!  Do you plan on fixing that damn wheel or are you considering careers as fly catchers?!"
>You magic their mouths shut and they return to the locking pins
>Quicker than you expected, they secure the spare and move toward the front of the carriage, reattaching their harnesses
>Satisfied, but still worried, you scoop up your sword and alight the carriage
>Closing the door behind you, you suppress a laugh at the comical scene before you
>Marigold sits to your left, and across from you...
>Across from you, Marie sits, or tries to sit, on the tiny bench seat, doubled over under the low ceiling of the carriage
>Before you can piss off your wife further by laughing at the human, Marigold pipes up
>"Oh, by the way, Marie.  This p0ny here?  The p0ny waving a sword in your face?  This is my darling husband, Brightstar"
>You nod at the human
"Charmed, I'm sure"
>She simply returns the nod
>"Likewise"
>Marigold claps her hooves together
>"Oh, how wonderful!  We're all getting along famously!"
>By "getting along famously" she means that you share the rest of the journey in comfortable silence
>You needed that silence to think
>A new species shows up in Equestria, one that has no idea what a p0ny is, and now you were its caretaker
>Just your luck...
>Finally, you enter the city of Canterlot
>For the first time all day, you feel a measure of peace
>Returning to the seat of power in all Equestria, your childhood home, gives you some comfort
>Your appreciation for the city isn't lost on Marie either
>She gazes out the window in wonder at the spires, towering up towards the heavens
"Magnificent, isn't it?"
>She turns to you
>"I guess...kind of reminds me of back home, the skyscrapers, I mean"
>You raise a brow
"Sky...scrapers?"
>"Yeah, you know, tall buildings?  Ones that go up a hundred or so stories?"
>You gawk
"You have buildings that go over a hundred stories?"
>She chuckles
>"You don't?"
>Marie looks back out the window while you nurse your injured pride
>To think that this "human" came from a place more splendid than Canterlot.  That seeing buildings over a hundred stories tall was commonplace to her...
>Your thoughts are interrupted when your carriage comes to a stop
>Thank goodness, you were finally home
>You open the door and peek out
>Good, most p0nies were asleep by now
>None would be around to gawk at your strange passenger
>You dismount the carriage and, out of courtesy, offer your hoof to both Marie and your wife
>Marigold thanks you sweetly, Marie ignores your gesture
>As the two make their way inside, you turn to the drivers
>You reach inside your waistcoat and produce a large sack of bits, plopping it in their hooves
>They look at each other, and then back at you
>"Sir...this is a bit much-"
"Shut up.  You are to tell nop0ny, and I do mean NOp0ny, what you saw here tonight.  Do I make myself clear?"
>They both nod, grinning, before racing off into the darkness
>You hope they drink themselves to death with all that money
>You turn and enter your house
>Passing through the foyer, you follow the sound of feminine voices to the the living room
>Marie stands, genuinely impressed, staring at the lavish furnishings of your home
>"Wow...you two live here?"
>Marigold sits daintily on a couch
>"Of course.  We also have a summer home in Trottingham, but it's nothing quite like this"
>She points to the couch across from her and Marie gingerly takes a seat, still holding her baby bump
>"And do all you, uh, p0nies...live like this?"
>Marigold frowns
>"Well, no...not all p0nies are as...fortunate as we are"
>Marie scoffs
>"Boy, that sounds familiar"
>Before you can inquire as to what she means by her seemingly snide insinuation, Marigold shoots you a look
>You decide to hold your tongue
"Why don't I get you ladies some tea?"
>You eye Marie with scrutiny
"Do you drink tea?"
>"Well, that depends.  What do you put in what you call tea?"
"Umm...tea leaves and hot water?"
>"Then yes"
>You sigh and mosey off towards the kitchen
>As you enter the kitchen, you see one of your maids
>You can't for the life of you remember her name, but you know she works nights
>She looks up from her coffee and suddenly stands up straight
>"Master Brightstar, welcome back.  May I be of assistance?"
>You grunt as you begin to look through the cabinets for the teapot
"No thank you.  In fact, why don't you take the rest of the night off?"
>You continue to root through the cabinets
>Where in the hay is that damn teapot?
>"Sir, the teapot is in the overhead cabinets"
>You glare at her
>"If...if that's what you were looking for..."
"Yes.  Thank you.  Please, take the night off and go enjoy yourself"
>Your not so subtle tone causes her to curtsey and she trots out of the room
>The bucking help...
>You swear every year they get more and more impudent
>Finally, you locate the teapot and some teabags and brew the hot beverage
>When it's ready, you prepare a tray with the pot and three empty teacups and magic it out towards the living room
>As you approach, you can't help but hear Marigold talking
>"Please, Marie, I feel like I must apologize for my husband's actions this night"
>You pause by the door, guiltily eavesdropping on the two mares
>Marie speaks up
>"Don't worry about it, I'm sure my husband would have done the same thing...men, what are you going to do, right?"
>She laughs
>Marigold, however, does not return the laugh
>"I just feel awful for the way he frightened you...he really is a sweet, caring stallion.  Even if he doesn't show it often"
>A pause
>"Or, hardly at all..."
>Ouch
>You decide you've had enough and open the door wide, announcing your presence to the room
>Marigold faces you, and nervously turns back to the human
>"So!  You have a husband, then.  Tell me all about him, darling!"
>You magically rest the platter on the table between the two couches, Marie staring in awe at the simple maneuver the entire time, while you pour a portion of the liquid into each cup
>You offer Marigold her tea first, and then give give a cup to Marie before taking yours
>Marie tentatively grasps the cup in her claw, or is called a hand?  On monkeys, it's called a hand, you think
>She watches both you and Marigold takes sips of the tea before she tries some herself
>Clever, clever girl...probably still suspicious of you, thinking you might be poisoning her
>Her preparedness was a little off putting though
"Marie, if I was going to kill you, I would have done it already"
>Somehow, that statement doesn't seem as comforting out loud as it did in your head
>Marigold stares daggers at you
>Marie just sips her tea
>"I guess that makes sense"
>"Anyway!"
>Marigold interjects, desperately trying to change the subject
>"Human husbands.  Spill, dear"
>Marie smiles, looking off into the distance, as if conjuring up old memories
>"Samuel is...he's wonderful.  We met during college.  I was a Psychology major, he was English Lit."
>As she talks, you stumble on some of her esoteric terms, but you get the gist of what she's saying
>"After we got married, he wrote a novel that got some attention...payed for our first house.  He has so much talent in him"
>Her face falls
>"But creativity comes and goes, I guess, and he couldn't write something that anyone wanted to publish.  So, he took to writing textbooks.  Science, Math, even Psychology"
>She laughs
>"The irony wasn't lost on us...but we never starved.  Even after I quit my marketing job to focus on our baby"
>She rubs her belly, lovingly
>Marigold pipes up
>"Ooooh, he wrote textbooks?  He must be an educated, uhm, men, as you put it?"
>Marie laughs
>"Man.  He's my man...I don't think I could handle looking after more than one"
>"Right...man, then.  It's nice having an educated man for a husband, isn't it?"
>Marigold reaches out and touches your side
>You turn to look at her tender smile
>Sweet Celestia, she was so beautiful when she smiled at you like that
>"It certainly is" Marie continues
>She laughs
>"And he has this adorable, curly hair...green eyes...a big, toothy grin..."
>Her voice trails off and her smile vanishes
>"He looked so handsome at our wedding...I...I miss him"
>She looks down and rubs her belly again
>"I want him to be able to hold our baby"
>She sniffs, her voice catches in her throat
>"But I don't even know where he is.  I don't know where I am, or if I'll ever see him again"
>Marie starts to cry, softly, and Marigold nearly launches off the couch, coming to the mare's aid
>Your wife wraps her forelegs around Marie's neck
>The human returns the hug and sobs into her chest
>The sudden emotional display makes you feel extremely uncomfortable.  You really want to leave right now
>"There, there, dear.  Don't you worry.  We know some of the most talented wizards in all of Equestria, we'll find a way to get you home"
>Your wife turns to you, a pleading look in her eye
>"Won't we, dear?"
>You grimace and shrug at Marigold
>She was right, you two did know some of the most talented magic users in the known world...but this was different
>This human was a species yet unheard of, likely from somewhere very far away in the world
>If she was even from your world...
"If we are to get you home, Marie, then the first logical step is to find out where home is and how you came to leave it"
>Marie breaks from the embrace and wipes her eyes, a glimmer of hope returning to them
>"Okay...okay, that makes sense"
>You finish off the tea in your cup and begin
"Now, where do you come from?"
>Marie sighs
>"Well, I was born in Chicago, Illinois...I went to school at Illinois State...after college, Sam and I-"
>She looks at both you and Marigold's dumbfounded expressions
>The human chuckles
>"Okay, so I'm farther away from home than that...I guess that's pretty obvious, considering I'm talking to a p0ny.  Um, I am still on planet Earth, right?"
"Yes...you're in the sovereign nation of Equestria, ruled by her majesty, Princess Celestia.  The year is 976 After Nightmare.  Is this ringing any bells?"
>Now it's Marie's turn to stare blankly at you
>You guess not...this mare really was far from home
"Let's try a different line of questioning.  How did you come to be in our country?"
>Marie thinks for a moment
>"Well, I really don't know.  I went to sleep one night in our house...and the next thing I know I'm waking up in a field near the road where I found you.  I wandered around for a bit, looking for anything familiar, anyone at all, really.  That's when I ran into you two"
>Marigold speaks
>"Were you taken here?  Do you think somep0ny, or something, brought you here?"
>"No!  No!  This is all wrong!"
>Marie buries her face in her hands
>"Where I come from, there are no such things as talking p0nies!  Not anywhere on Earth!"
>Damn
>This was getting more complicated by the minute
>You might actually be dealing with some kind of creature from an entirely different world
>One that had no knowledge of how she got from her Earth to yours
>You didn't have the expertise for this kind of thing, you were going to have to get some of the bookworms over at the academy to take a crack at this
"Look, just calm down"
>The human's sobbing begins again
"Marie!"
>She looks up at you, tears rolling down her hairless cheeks
"Getting emotional about this will get us nowhere.  I know some p0nies who might be able to help you, but I can't contact them until tomorrow morning.  For the moment, we should all probably get some sleep"
>Marigold nods
>"I agree, husband.  Today has been extremely stressful for us all.  A good night's sleep will help put our minds at ease"
>Your wife presses herself against the human's side
>"Don't worry, dearie, I'll have a bed made up for you.  You're welcome to stay with us as long as you like.  Samuel will have his lovely wife and child back to him before he knows it, you'll see"
>Marie sniffs and wipes her eyes
>"Thank you..."
>"Think nothing of it, it's no trouble at all.  Now, let me show you your room"
>Marigold jumps off the couch and motions for the human to follow
>Marie nods and moves to get up
>A sudden, sharp cry of pain forces her back down onto the couch
>"Aaahhh!  Ah, oh god!"
"Something wrong?"
>Marie grits her teeth in agony
>"Oh my god, the baby!  Oh, I think..."
>To your horror, you see that a large amount of water has pooled out from under her dress and is thoroughly seeping into the couch
>"Oh, shit, I-I think my water just broke!"
>Oh, buck
>Oh, this is bucking bad
>Of all the creatures to stumble into your world, and more importantly, your house, it had to be the one just about to give birth
>Today was REALLY not your day
>Marigold begins to panic, trotting quickly in place
>"Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, Starry!!  What do we do?!"
>Marie lets out a bloodcurdling scream and you recoil
"How the hay should I know?!  I don't know how to deliver a baby!"
>"Well, you have to do something!"
"Dammit, Marigold!  I'm trying to think!  Will you just-"
>"HEY!"
>Marie's deafening interjection stops your fighting and you both freeze
>The human's face is contorted in pain and fury
>Her tiny eyes are bright and focused, like two smoldering coals
>You actually preferred the Marie you found on the road, rather than this one
>This one was terrifying
>Through clenched teeth, she utters in a strained voice
>"Don't you people have doctors in this world?!"
>Internally face hoofing, you spring off the couch and bolt towards the door out of your living room
>You're not sure if you should send for a doctor or a veterinarian...
>As you enter the kitchen you see another of your servants, going through the fridge
>Don't these p0nies ever sleep?
"You there!  Yes, I'm talking to you!  Get the doctor and tell him to come to the living room!"
>The urgency in your voice causes the stallion to race out of the kitchen
>You return to your living room to see that Marie isn't faring any better
>She grunts and groans in pain, holding her distended stomach
>Marigold sits next to her on the couch, holding her hand
>"Breathe, sweetie, you have to breathe!  Starry, is the doctor coming?"
"Yes, he's on his way"
>Marie stifles a yell
>Your wife turns back to the human
>"I hope he hurries..."
>You didn't, however
>You needed to think about how you were going to explain this to the doctor
>He was competent and had served your family and the servants well for nearly two decades now, but this was an entirely diff-
>You hear the kitchen door opening behind you followed by the sound of quick hoof steps
>Shit, of all the times somep0ny moved with a purpose around here...
>You wheel around to face him, trying to intercept the doctor before he can see your guest
>"Master Brightstar!  I came as quick as I-"
>His jaw falls open
>"What the buck-"
>You move between him and the human, trying to steal his gaze from the alien
"Doctor, listen to me.  We don't have a lot of time here"
>The old p0ny peers over his spectacles, moving his shocked expression around your face to get a better look at your guest
"Doctor!"
>He turns his gaze back to you
>"W-What...What is-"
>You groan
"It's called a human.  It's a female and its about to give birth- eyes over here, Doctor!"
>You grab his head with your magic and force his face back into yours
"I know this is strange, but I need you to remain calm, take her to the infirmary, and deliver her child"
>Wait, there was only going to be one of these things, right?
>You turn around to face the mares
"You don't give birth to litters, do you?"
>Marie shoots a withering glare in your direction
>"No!  It's just one!"
>Phew
>You face the still gaping doctor
"See, doctor?  Only one baby, simple right?"
>"I-It...it talks..."
"Pull yourself together, doc!  I need you to pull its baby out, not talk to it!"
>The doctor attempts to collect himself and finally gives you his attention
>"Sir, I don't think...I don't have the experience!  I've never delivered a child of another species before"
"Oh, what's the difference?!  The mare does most of the work, anyway, I just need you to be there for-"
>You trail off as you see the doctor's fearful gaze turn upwards
>You look to your left and, to your surprise, you see Marie standing next to you
>She towers over you two, face twisted in anger and agony, boring those brown points of light into the doctor
>How in the world was she able to walk right now?
>"Are you the doctor?!"
>He stutters a reply, backing away slowly
>"Y-Y-Yes...."
>"You ever delivered a baby before?"
>He gulps
>"M-More than I can count"
>Marie grimaces again, grasping her belly
>"The infirmary he mentioned.  Go there.  NOW!"
>The doctor quickly complies, turning and trotting out of the room
>Marie follows, her long legs easily keeping pace with the fearful stallion
>As you watch them leave, Marigold approaches your side
>"Come on, love.  We need to go be there for her"
>You frown and look at your hooves
>"Oh, Starry, please?"
"I...I can't, Marigold...I just can't"
>There was a reason you had never gotten into medicine
>Blood, bile, any bodily fluids, really...you couldn't tolerate them
>You wish you could get over your irrational phobia, but...
>Marigold nuzzles your cheek
>"It's okay, darling.  I understand"
>You turn to look at your beloved
>She gives you a sweet smile.  You're not so annoyed by it this time
>"Just promise me you'll be there for me when it's my turn"
>She giggles and winks at you
>I promise, my love
"I-I...I'll see"
>She frowns slightly, but still pecks you on the cheek before hurrying after the doctor and his patient
>For the first time all day, you're completely alone
>And what do we do when we're alone, Brightstar?
>That's right.  We drink
>You drag yourself over to the liquor cabinet and pour yourself a glass of brandy before settling down on the couch
>You spot the mess Marie left on the cushion opposite you and nearly gag
>You have to move to the other side of the room
>Resituating yourself in a chair facing into the living room, you take a swig of the expensive liquid
>Only the best for councilors...
>As you wait, the minutes turn to hours
>You have two more glasses of brandy before putting the bottle away
>Fatigue nearly takes you before the door to to your living room opens slowly
>Getting up and rubbing your eyes, you move over to greet the returning p0ny
"Doctor...what happened?  Is Marie alright?  Is her child alive?"
>Your questions go unanswered as the doctor stares, emotionless at you
>You notice something odd
"Why aren't you wearing surgical scrubs?"
>The old p0ny opens his mouth, shuts it, then begins again
>"I was...but there were...complications"
>You raise a brow
"Complications?  Dammit, stallion, out with it!  Tell me what's happened!"
>He sighs and does his best to take on the cold, imperious tone of a medical professional
>"The patient did not respond to magic.  It's like her entire form, even the clothes she came here with, is a non-entity to magic.  Completely immune"
"So?  You've delivered plenty of babies by hoof!"
>"Yes, but not under these circumstances"
>He swallows
>"The reason I'm not wearing scrubs right now is that I had to pitch them immediately...there...there was a lot of blood"
>Your stomach churns as you try to force the image out of your head
>"The infant was turned inside the uterus at first.  I did my best to right it, but when it came out there was a great deal of tearing"
>The doctor can't meet your gaze any longer
>"I'm sorry, Master Brightstar, but the patient bled out.  There was nothing I could do"
>You let out a long sigh
>Cognitively, you knew that lives came and went on a daily basis...but that logic is difficult to maintain in such close proximity to death
"And the baby?"
>The doctor looks back to you, a small, tired smile on his face
>"It's a colt.  He's with your wife in that yellow room, upstairs"
>Well, that was something, at least
>The poor, little bastard was now an orphan, but at least he was alive
>Heh, she had taken him to the baby's room...fitting
>You grunt as you meander back over the liquor cabinet and pour yourself another glass of brandy
"Well, I'm sure you did your best, doctor.  And on very short notice notice, too"
>You return to where the old stallion was standing, sipping on your drink
"You have my thanks for your efforts"
>He nods
>"Sir, there is still the matter of the body..."
>You swish the brown liquid in the glass, pondering your options
"Keep her in the infirmary for now.  We'll give her a decent burial in the morning"
>As you take another swig, you can see the doctor, eying you dubiously
"Is there a problem?"
>"Well...it's just that the patient was of a species that, to my knowledge, nop0ny has ever seen before.  Shouldn't we give the body to the Canterlot Science Institute?  For study, I mean"
>You finish your drink and place the glass on a nearby table
"I don't see much good coming from studying a species that only has one surviving member in all of Equestria.  Besides, she deserves better than to be carved up by those butchers...no offense, of course"
>The doctor winces at your clear distaste for p0nies of his profession, but continues
>"But we might learn things from the mother that we could apply to her son.  What these humans' physiology is like and how to care for-"
"The matter is closed, doctor.  Keep her in the infirmary until morning.  Thank you for your help, and good night"
>The old p0ny concedes and bows to you
>"As you wish, Master Brightstar"
>When he leaves, you amble over to the staircase and begin your climb to the second floor
>You knew you were likely going to have to console Marigold...that was going to be interesting
>At least she would agree with you that an immediate burial for Marie was a good idea
>Even if you two agreed for different reasons...
>You didn't want to spend hours answering inane questions from scientists
>You wanted to just bury the girl in your yard, pitch the child in an orphanage, and let everything work itself out sans your involvement
>You had had enough of alien visitors for one lifetime
>When you reach the top of the stairs, you turn down the hall and approach the room that was -supposed- to be your study
>As you get closer, you hear soft, feminine cries
>Sigh
>You knew she was going to take this hard...
>Poor Marigold
>You enter the room, the sickening color of the walls putting you off immediately, to see your wife, rocking back and forth in a chair
>In her hooves, she holds a small, oval-shaped object, wrapped almost entirely in a blue blanket
>Amidst her sobs, Marigold tries to sing to the child
>"H-Hush little foal, now don't you cry..."
>"M-Momma's gonna give you wings to fly..."
>Your heart nearly breaks seeing her so distraught
"Hey, Goldie..."
>She turns up to look at you, her mane is frazzled, tears stream down from her red eyes
>"Oh, Starry...we did everything we could-"
"I know, I know, sweetheart"
>She smiles at your sudden ability to express your affection for her
>"You almost never call me Goldie..."
>Her smile dissipates and she returns her gaze to the infant
>"Lost little soul...all alone in a big world...what are we going to do with you?"
>You decide to get a look at the "little soul" yourself and you approach
>Tentatively, you peer down into the blanket folds
>What you see is rather unsurprising, actually
>The infant looks similar to its mother
>Same hairless features...same tiny nose...a little more fat around the face...but those eyes...
>The infant sees you and stares directly at you with its small, piercing eyes
>You look away and then back at the child
>Those eyes bore into your head, unflinching in their mission to see into your very brain
>"Would you like to hold him?"
>You break the uncomfortable stare and step back a few feet
"You look like you have things under control, Marigold"
>She pouts at you before turning back to that demon
>"Oh, don't worry about Daddy, precious.  He's just a big cranky pants, yes he is!  Yes he is!"
>To your horror, she nuzzles the infant's nose
"Daddy?!  Oh, no Marigold, we are NOT keeping this alien as our child!"
>She continues cooing at the baby and responds, quietly
>"Why not, Starry?  I've been wanting us to have a child for so long...and this little bundle of joy is so wonderful!  He's a little gift from Celestia..."
>You huff
"I wish Celestia had given us a receipt"
>That comment gains you her ire
>"Brightstar!  You can't possibly think of giving this child away!  Abandoning him would be murder!"
"No, it wouldn't!  We'll just drop him off at the orphanage and move on"
>She fumes
>"And I suppose p0nies are just lining up around the block to adopt an alien, aren't they?  You'd be dooming him to a life without any kind of- oh, my goodness!  Oh, don't cry, don't cry, shhh..."
>Your raised voices cause the child to start wailing
>Surprisingly, Marigold is able to calm the little guy fairly quickly
>Seems mothering suited her quite nicely
>But this was still insanity
>You were not about to adopt an alien species as your progeny!  Your future successor needed to be a p0ny, not a monkey with mange!
>You grunt and move over to the window
"You realize this human will never truly be your child, do you?  Don't you know that none of our ilk will be able to see him as a legitimate member of our family?"
>"I don't care what they think..."
>That was a lie
>She wouldn't throw so many damn dinner parties if that was true
>"I will not abandon this baby, Starry!  One way or another, he's staying under our protection!"
>Dammit...
>You know that tone
>That tone meant that whatever was said was going to happen whether you liked it or not
>But...that doesn't mean you can't still manipulate the circumstances of how this all plays out
>As you stare out into the night, a slow smile begins to spread across your lips
>Two problems presented themselves, each with their own solution
>Problem one: Marigold wanted this ape as her baby
>Solution: Bite the bullet and impregnate her.  You knew she just wanted a baby no matter what.  The human child just filled that missing piece of her life at the moment
>But a real foal...a real progeny...that would get her attention off the little bastard, you had no doubts about that
>Problem two: You weren't getting rid of the baby
>Solution: Keep the child.  Not as a son...but as a resource
>If this human grew up to be anything like his mother, he would be extremely tall and very strong
>Or, at least, Marie had looked fairly strong
>Not only that, but Marie had been able to muster great strength during her pain and duress...her fortitude of body and will had been nigh unbreakable
>Had you possessed a doctor who understood human physiology, she probably would have survived
>Humans also seemed intelligent.  After all, they apparently possessed those sky-somethings she mentioned, those really tall buildings...
>No civilization of idiots designs something that causes one to see Canterlot as small
>Yes...a human servant, raised under your tutelage, could prove useful
>That was what separated you from the other rich p0nies in this city
>Those blue blooded morons only saw problems, where you saw malleable obstacles
>Hmph.  Blue blooded.  You hated the negative connotation of that term.  It sounded noble...you had planned to name your child, your REAL child, Blueblood...
>And you still will
>You turn back around to Marigold, interrupting her glaring at the back of your head
"Alright, darling, you win.  We will keep the child"
>Her face instantly lights up
>"Oh, Starry!"
"But!"
>You state, raising a hoof in the air
"Not as our son.  Marigold, you're right.  It is high time we had a son or daughter.  One of our own, though, Goldie...a little colt or filly of our very own!"
>Her face falls and she stares at the wall
>"That does sound nice..."
>She could be so easy, sometimes
"Excellent, it's decided then!  You shall have your little foal and the human here shall live with the servants"
>"Oh..."
>Her voice drops in volume
>"Not with us?"
>You shake your head
>"It's for the best, dear.  Besides, you know that the help lives like kings compared to most of the city, or even most of Equestria.  He will be safe, well fed, and cared for as long as he needs us"
>Her smile returns
>"Thank you, Starry"
"Anything for you, dear"
>She returns her gaze to the blanketed ape
>"What should we name him?"
>Good question...should you even be so generous as to give this creature a p0ny name?
>No, that would not do.  The colt needed to be conditioned to serve you in every possible way.  You needed to eliminate from its mind any individualistic thou-
>That's it
"I believe I have just the thing, Marigold"
>You move in close and meet the infant's gaze
>Like before, its eyes stare, impassively into yours
>You don't back away this time
>No, you're going to look directly into that useful little face of his
>That's right, kid...you had a name in mind that would serve as a constant reminder of his place.  A permanent stamp on his ego, ensuring that he would never be so bold as to think of himself as any more than what he was...a faceless, identity-less, resource
"Welcome to your new life..."
>You grin as the baby begins to cry
"...Anonymous"

End of prologue