Life of Honey : Chapter 1

Life of Honey

>You are Honey Bun, a young filly with a pale yellow coat and a mocha brown mane with cream colored streaks that swirl throughout.
>Your eyes are a soft tangerine orange and your little flank is blank, being too young to have received your cutie mark yet.

>You live on a farm in a cramped little compound with your Momma and several other mares, fillies, and colts.

>You are a slave.
> All of your friends are slaves.
> It’s because you are a pony. Momma said so.

>Momma and the other mares are all part of the 'breeding program', which means they get to have babies for the Masters over and over because that’s what the Masters want. More ponies.
>You don’t understand it really but you aren’t supposed to ask too many questions.

>Tonight the other mares keep whispering to each other but you can't tell what they are saying.
>They keep glancing over at you but you don't think it's any of your business and every time another young pony tries to go over to them they shoo them off.
>When Momma comes home from the field her eyes are red and puffy and the other mares hush up as soon as they see her.
>Trotting over quick as you can you wrap your tiny hooves around her in an enthusiastic greeting.
>"Hi Momma! I missed you!"
>She hugs you back but says nothing and only sinks her muzzle into your mane pressing on the top of your head.
>You want to ask if everything is alright but suddenly the other mares encircle you both and begin talking in quick quiet voices.
>They all start telling Momma how sorry they are and to be strong.
>They say Celestia is watching over you.
>Momma tightens her grip on you and you feel her bottom jaw start to quiver as it's still resting atop your head but she doesn't cry.
>Momma never cries.
>Not in front of you.

>Still, combined with the oddness of the mares it makes you uncomfortable and you start to squirm underneath her.
>”M-Momma? Momma, what’s going on?”
>The quivering stops as you feel her take a deep breath and break the embrace.
>She thanks the others and tells you not to worry about it, and that she’s tired.
>All the mares give sympathetic nods and disperse.
>But you want to know! Why are they sorry? Is something wrong?

>She remains firm, dismissing the issue by saying that they are just being nice, and it’s late, and it can wait for morning.

>So you decide to forgive her for keeping secrets as she kisses your forehead and you exchange your nightly “I love you”s.

>Ushered into bed you try to drift off to sleep snuggled into the old patchy straw-stuffed blanket you share with four other fillies.

>Before your dreams overtake you you remember to write a letter to Celestia.
>You can’t really write of course, no one on the farm knows how besides the Masters, but you make up the letter in your head and pretend that she is reading it far away and smiling at you.

>Dear Princess Celestia,

>Hello! Please tell all the other Princesses hello too. I didn’t get to see the sunrise today (I am very sorry) but thank you for giving all the ponies light and keeping them warm and safe. Please ask Princess Luna to give Momma good dreams tonight. All the other mares are being weird and I think it’s making Momma weird too.

>Love you lots,
>Honey Bun.



>Momma let you watch the sunrise this morning.

>Memories of last week flooded your mind as Momma told you why all the mares were so sorry.
>Memories of when a man and a woman (Masters, but not YOUR Masters) came and looked at all the fillies.
>They liked you a lot.
>You wished they hadn’t.
>They bought you yesterday.

>That’s why she got the day off from work. To be with you before you go to live with your new family.

>You’re curled up against her in the corner on your patchy blanket, just you two. Most of the others are off tending the fields but the few that aren’t give you plenty of space.
>You’re anxious. You’ve cried four times since the sunrise.
>You don’t want to go, you want to stay on the farm with Momma and your friends!
>You would work hard! You told her you would work extra super hard! But it didn’t matter.

“Honey, you need to pay attention to me.”
>”I know Momma. I’m sorry. Can’t it wait though? Maybe…Maybe I could leave next week instead?”
>Looking into Momma’s eyes, those usually comforting deep pools of violet, it somehow hurts now.
>You can tell this is painful for her too.
>You’ve seen others leave and you were told long ago that you might have to leave someday as well.
>You just thought that it wouldn’t happen.
>You thought if you were good enough (and hadn’t you been?) that maybe...
“Sweetheart you know that can’t happen. It’s not our choice.”
>You know.
>Of course you know.
>You’re a slave.
>Momma is a slave.
>You have to leave because the Masters said so.
>Horrible thoughts creep into your head about your new Masters.
>That mysterious man and woman who at first seemed so friendly.
>But now that they're taking you away from your home, your family, how kind could they really be?

>Would they like you?
>What would they feed you? Did they know you're allergic to clovers?
>WHAT IF THEY ONLY FED YOU CLOVERS?!
>How big is their farm?
>How many other fillies would you have to share a blanket with?
>Do they give Sundays off?
>Would they…Would they let you visit Momma?

>It becomes too much for you and Momma nuzzles against you as your eyes start to get misty.
 >Despite knowing how useless it is to argue against all of this unfairness you begin to break down again.
>"I-I don’t w-want to gooooooo!”
>You sniffle pathetically and nuzzle her back trying to shake off the sadness as you feel the softness of her fur against yours.
>You try so hard not to worry anymore about what your new Masters will be like.
>Instead you begin to think about how you might not get to feel her fur ever again forever and you start to tremble, small sounds of distress escaping from your tiny form.
>Momma has to comfort you before the tears come.
“Shhh, there there…”
>A gentle hoof strokes your mane seeking to calm you.

>It’s okay.
>You take several slow breaths in a row like she taught you and it’s okay.
>You have to be good. You will be good. It’s okay.

"Now then, let’s keep going alright?”
>Momma has been teaching you ever since you were born. Telling you what to say and how to act around the Masters and how to be a well behaved girl so the Masters are happy. It’s to keep you safe.
>Now that you’re leaving this is what your day has been, a review of how to be good.
>But there are other things to keep in mind too.

“Do you remember all the stories? About Equestria? About our people?”
>You nod. You know how important those stories are to Momma and all the other old ponies.
>You and Momma were born here on Earth but your Granny Cinnabun used to live in another place that was full of all kinds of ponies and magic!
>You wish you could go there instead. It was like a fairy tale world to you, with parties and princesses and laughter.
> And no Masters.

>Time passes as Momma tells you some of the stories again and has you tell her some too to make sure you remember.
>You talk about how life was before the portals opened and the Masters came. How they tricked your people and made them all live on Earth and do whatever the Masters said.
>How Princess Celestia sent Princess Twilight (She’s your favorite!) and all of her friends to rescue everyone…But they couldn’t.
>Lots got left behind. Then the portals closed.
>You don’t like that part.

“But it’s going to be okay. I know Celestia is still thinking of us and you have to know that too.”
>It’s been hours since the sunrise but hearing about Celestia now you don’t ever want to forget how the sky glowed while you were next to your mother. You keep that moment inside you for whatever comes next.
>”Yes Momma. I know. I just have to be good and wait and not cause trouble for the Masters and then we can go together to Equestria someday right?”
>Momma looks at you with a soft smile.
>She hesitates and her smile droops.
>Her lips start to tremble as you look up at her with expectant eyes waiting for that sweet affirmation.
“H-Honey…B-baby I…”

>There’s a loud sound and Momma flinches.
>It’s the Masters throwing the heavy wooden door open.
>Without warning they’re stomping into the cramped little cabin with their heavy boots and their heavy bodies.
>There are three. One tall with a large stack of papers, and two really wide ones you recognize from the fields.
>You forget their names. They don’t let you use them anyways.
>Momma grabs you tightly and holds you to her. You can’t see her face with your own buried in her chest, but you can feel her shaking.
>It scares you.
>You squirm in her hooves until you can see past her and you notice the Tall Master fiddling with his papers.
“Now…Caramello…”
>That’s Momma’s name. She tenses up at it.
“It’s…Uhh…It’s time you know so…Wrap it up? Will you?”
>His voice is agitated. Impatient.
>Her grip on you tightens.
>Something is wrong.
>Momma isn’t letting you go.
“Caramello. Be a good girl now…”
>The two Wide Masters shuffle in place, restless, and look at the Tall Master for guidance but he is only watching you and Momma.
“M-master…”
>Momma’s voice is timid and careful.
"Y-you said…Y-you promised after my last one that I-I could have one stay?…And y-you see I just wanted to talk to you about it maybe o-one more ti-“
>Tall Master cuts her off with a loud and irritated sigh.
>It’s enough to silence her as he motions to the two Wide Masters.
>Suddenly they are right there, stepping between you and Momma as she cries out in surprise.
>One of them grabs you by the flank and yanks you back and away out of Momma’s embrace.
>You yelp and squirm but you are too small and he is too strong.
>You can see the other Wide Master is behind Momma and has his arm around her neck, lifting her off the ground just slightly so her hooves are barely touching the dirty wood floor, but she doesn’t struggle for more than an instant and goes quiet and limp in his hold.
>She knows it’s useless.
>She has done this before, you think.
>You know she has had other fillies. Other colts. It’s her job.
>But this is your first time. And this is your only Momma.
>You are making desperate noises, little whimpers and knickers, your hooves swimming in the air as you are hoisted off the ground and picked up with ease by the Wide Master.
>”N-no wait! MOMMA! MOMMAAAA!”
>You are letting your emotions get the best of you and you can’t help it.
>Your tiny hooves keep kicking out but the Master doesn’t even grunt in response, your attempts mean so little to him.
>”MOMMAAAAA!”
>Your ears flatten back against your skull and your voice is a panicked squeal.
>She’s looking straight at you but she remains limp as you thrash uselessly.
“Honey.”
>Her voice is direct. Her eyes are piercing as she looks dead into yours with chilling resolve.
>You might almost think she was angry at you, but you know better.
"Be good. I’ll see you again."
>Her eyes remain open and determined not to lose sight of you, but a single tear appears and frozen you stop your struggles to watch it slide down her face.
“In Equestria."
>In a flash you are carried out of the cabin into the blinding sunlight.
>Heading towards who knows where in the arms of the Wide Master who smells like gasoline and musty wheat.

>You still want to kick.
>To cry.
>To yell.
>Anything.
>But Momma’s words ring loud in your head and you focus on them.
>You have been still since then as you are carried across the fields in relative silence.
>Tall Master walks in front.
>He’s twitchy and he keeps ruffling the papers and mumbling.
“Honey Bun!”
>He barks your name but he doesn’t look at you.
>Still, it breaks your trance a bit as you promptly respond like a good pony.
>“Yes, Master?”
>Your voice is hoarse from earlier though you try to speak clearly.
“I don’t want anymore theatrics, alright? You behave the way you ought to starting right now or things aren’t going to go well for you, you understand me?”
>He still refuses to look at you knowing his words are enough.
>…
>”Yes Master. I’m sorry Master. I’ll be a good girl like I’m supposed to.”
>Your voice is flat. Submissive. Just like Momma taught you.
>Don’t argue she would say.
>Never argue.
>You shouldn’t have made such a fuss when they came to take you…That was bad.
>The property is long and quiet as you travel across it. It's hard to stop thinking about how bad you were until it starts to worry you more and more.
>”Master?”
>He says nothing as he keeps trudging along the dusty path. You can see the main house up ahead in the distance.
>”Master I’m s-sorry. I’m sorry that I got s-scared and I yelled and I kicked and I was really bad a-and did th'atrics...I’m sorry.”
>The Wide Master chuckles with you in his arms and it shakes you a little. He mutters something weird. It sounds like Geezus?…But he’s laughing so you guess it’s okay?
>Tall Master actually takes a second to turn his head at you though it could be he’s just looking at Wide Master.
“Yes. Well. You know better now so don’t do it again.”

>”Yes Master, of course Master!” you answer Tall Master obediently, ashamed of your earlier behavior.
>Scowling he returns his attention to the path ahead.
>You hear the other Wide Master, the one who held back Momma, come tromping up behind you.
>He slaps the one carrying you on the back and then starts up in an loud and unpleasantly gruff voice, his breathing still all huffy-puffy from the exercise.
“Fucking…Can you believe that shit back there?”
>Tall Master says nothing, of course, and the one holding you only shakes his head and scoffs.
“I mean…Everybody knows it’s been damn near half a century since those portals fell off the face of the Earth. It’s fucking pathetic the way they cling to it.”
>The portals?
>He’s talking about Equestria.
>Your ears perk up but you try not to look like you’re listening too much.
>They aren’t talking to you and Ponies who act too curious get in trouble.
"Ain’t nobody know if it’s still there or what and you’d think they would figure, even as dumb as they are, that any left on the other side wouldn't dare come back after we whooped their little rainbow asses the first time!”
>The Master holding you starts to chuckle again.
>They all start to chuckle.
>It’s an ugly sound.
>You know he was talking about ponies. Making fun of them. Making fun of Momma.
>Your stomach churns at the words.
>It’s not like you haven’t heard that kind of thing before, but that doesn’t make it any better.
>You suck it up and focus on calming your thoughts as he starts to speak again.
>You try your very best to ignore most of the words. It’s just more of the same mean talk and unless you hear one of them bark your name you know it doesn’t concern you.

>The main house is closer now and you’ll be there soon. You guess that must be where your new Masters are waiting for you...
>You let your mind wander a little during the last leg of your short journey and think of what they might be like.
>You make believe they will be nice.
>They will feed you tasty things.
>They will pet you with warm gentle hands.
>They will tell you how good you are all of the time.
>They will speak softly, and smile a lot, and when they say your name it will sound like your name and not like they are speaking to an object they are disgusted or dissapointed with.
>Your nice moment of make believe is interrupted as you reach the steps of the main house.
>You’re carried inside, to a large but moderately furnished parlor, and deposited on to the floor with little kindness.
>Dumped on your rump like a sack of potatoes, a small ‘oof!’ escapes you as you hit the polished hardwood.
>You’re instructed to stay put as the Tall Master goes into the next room with his papers and his pointed face.
>You do as you’re told without protest.
>The Wide Masters block the door behind you, arms crossed, looking bored and grumpy.
>It’s silly though, you would never dream of trying to go anywhere anyways and they probably know that.
>You hear muffled excitement coming closer from elsewhere in the house.
>Lots of hurried talking, some laughter, and the voice of a woman which is new to you.

>One of the Wide Masters gives you a small kick with his dusty boot and tells you to 'sit pretty’.
>He didn’t need to kick you, you know how to listen, but you let go of the small flash of anger from his meanness and act like a good slave.
>All the fillies on the farm know how to 'sit pretty’.
>It’s what they tell you when they want you to straighten up and look presentable when other Masters come by to see you.
>You lift your head and you smile like they taught you to. You straighten your back and you tuck your tail around you so it’s nice and neat.
>You want your new Masters to like you.
>Momma told you to be good so you’ll be good.
>The voices get closer and closer until they are right there in the room with you.
>There’s a man with dark brown hair slicked back and another weird curled patch of the same hair underneath his nose. He's shaking Tall Master’s hand.
>The woman you heard before is behind him looking proud.
>Her hair sets on her shoulders in large strawberry blonde ringlets. She doesn’t have the same patch on her face that the man does.
>You recognize them from before.
>They are the ones you need to sit pretty for.

>Tall Master waves his hands towards you.
>You are so very very anxious but still smiling as nicely as you can manage.
“There she is! Cutest little filly on the farm! And such a sweetheart, I can’t even tell you how well behaved she is! Isn’t that right Honey Bun?”
>Tall Master’s voice is so different from before it’s almost frightening. He’s praising you and smiling wider than you are.
>It looks unnatural.
>”Yes! I’m a very good girl for my Masters!” you beam back up at him and then extend that same smile, eyes wide and shining, to the couple.
>Your heart is pounding. You hope you’re doing okay.
>The woman spots you and throws her hands up to her overly pink cheeks.
“Oh! Oh Lordy she is just too darned precious for WORDS! I forgot how darling she was! I still can’t believe this is happening, oh Harold thank you, he’s gonna be so surprised!”
>She smells like lavender.
>Too much lavender.
>You can smell it from across the room.
>She rushes to the strange man’s side and pecks him on the cheek.
>He looks…Pleased? It doesn't feel the same as the woman though.
>He’s not frowning but his smile makes you uncomfortable.
>You think maybe it’s his eyes.
>They’re dark and they're focused right on you even as his wife coos at him about how wonderful it’s going to be having you around.
>You want to fidget but you don’t.

>The woman keeps chattering away as you sit there.
>Every second that passes feels like an eternity while you wait for them to finish their talking and their business with Tall Master. Your tiny jaw starts to hurt from the forced smiling but you stay strong and keep at it.
>Eventually everything seems to get squared away and with one final handshake between your new Masters and your old you are ushered out of the house again.
>You walk quickly behind the couple down the front steps and across a dirt path of a driveway to a big shiny silver car.
>You’ve never really seen one before. Mostly tractors and the occasional truck.
>It’s so sleek and pretty.
>So alien.
>Your new Mistress opens the back seat for you and you scramble up into it as gracefully as you can.
>The seat is plush and soft and it gives a little under your rump as you sink into it. It’s the nicest thing you’ve ever sat on! Your smile becomes genuine for a brief moment.
>Maybe this won’t be so bad?

>Your new Master adjusts a small mirror in the front of the car. Suddenly you can see his eyes staring at you again through it as he starts the engine.
>You look away.
>Your new Mistress turns around in her seat to look at you directly and the lavender scent hits you like a cloud.
>Involuntarily your nose scrunches but she doesn’t seem to notice or care.
“Honey Bun, deary, I can’t even tell you how exciting this is! We’ve never had a filly before you know and it wasn’t easy convincing my Harold! I can tell you that without a doubt you are gonna be  so happy in our home! I just know it!”
>”Thank you Mistress!”
>Your voice is squeaky. You swallow hoping that helps if you need to talk again.
>As Master drives Mistress never seems to stop talking. She describes your new home. Two stories, colonial style, 4 bedroom 3 bath with an office for Master and a sunroom (what is that?). She lists all sorts of other things too.
>You just nod whether you understand her or not.
“Now, I’m sure you’re probably all eager to know what you’ll be doing. I know what workaholics you ponies can be! There’s things you’ll have to learn of course, the other help will teach you and I’m sure there’ll be glad to have you doing whatever is needed when you’re not playing with Anon.”
>The other help? They have other ponies!
>But wait, who is Anon?
“He’s 11, and already so tall! Just like his father.”
>She sighs and bats at Master’s arm.
“Anyway, Honey dear, he’s been away all Summer with his Aunt over on Hilton Head and he doesn’t know we’re bringing you home for him! It’s going to be a big surprise you see! I wasn’t sure if a filly would be best at first…I thought maybe a colt would be better suited as a playmate but then Harold said we couldn’t…But you are just so darling! Anon’s going to love you!”

>…Anon.
>What will he be like?
>They bought you for him. What if he doesn’t like you?
>Would they take you back?
>You would get to see Momma again but your old Masters would sure be mad.
>And other ponies! That actually makes you feel a bit better. You’re going to be the only filly though.
>Will they be nice to you? Most of the adults on the farm never paid much attention to you but they were never mean. You can’t think of any reason why these new ponies would be.
>You wonder if they know about Equestria.
>You wonder a lot of things.
>Your little heart races as your new life is about to start.
>There, in the back of the car, you vow to yourself that you will make the best of this.
>You will be good for your new Masters. You will be good for Anon! You will work hard, and you will remember all of the things that Momma taught you so that she will be proud when you see her again!
>She said that you would and she has never lied to you before.