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- >You cannot believe you've been talked into this.
- >And why is she so damn quiet?
- >It's making you feel horribly awkward. You have your hands clenched on your lap.
- >And you're grimacing. It's like you're getting a shot or something.
- >”Relax, Lucy.”
- “I am relaxed!”
- >”You look like you're having teeth pulled.”
- “I can't believe I'm doing this...”
- >Sarah rolls her eyes and smiles a little.
- >”It's one breeding pair.”
- >You fold your arms and make a face, trying your best to imitate that look of hers.
- >She just grins at you and returns her eyes to the road ahead.
- >You're driving south to meet a low-volume alicorn breeder that's closing up shop.
- >With strays in such short supply, and nothing else to occupy your time, you've decided to try Sarah's idea.
- >Now you just hope you aren't going to regret it.
- “So, like, what's different about the alicorns? Besides the wings and horns at once, I mean.”
- >Sarah taps her fingers on the steering wheel. “They're a bit bigger. Supposedly smarter. They can't use magic, and they can't fly.”
- “That's not very much different.”
- >”They have better memories too. I've been told they freak out for a long time if you take away their babies.”
- >You blink and frown.
- “I think Tiffany would enjoy this more than I would...”
- >Sarah snorts a little and smiles. “I'm sure she would.”
- >You take off your cap and smooth back your un-dreadlocked hair.
- “Why am I going to be good at this again?”
- >”Because you've got the patience I lack. I don't do well with the merchandise when it complains.”
- “They're not merchandise, they're living things...”
- >You gulp a little as you see Sarah's annoyed look.
- >”We can have that argument again later.”
- >Ten silent minutes pass before you leave the interstate and emerge into a small town.
- >After a few turns, you find yourself in front of a nice brick one-story ranch-style house.
- “Home business?”
- >”Yeah, he only has a few pairs.”
- >You get out and follow her up the path to the front door. She rings the doorbell and puts on her Serious Business face.
- >”Hello, ladies,” an older man with glasses says, inviting you in.
- >In his carpeted living room, playing in front of the couch, are two alicorns.
- >One is a very soft pink color, with a steely grey mane and tail and blue eyes.
- >The other is electric blue with a yellow mane and tail, and orange eyes.
- >This is the one that comes over and tugs on your long skirt, wings spread with curiosity.
- >”Daddy, dis new fwiend wike say?”
- >”That's right, her name is Lucy. Er...it is Lucy, right?”
- “Yes, that's right.”
- >”Hi Wucy, fwuffy name is Wightnin'. Dis bes' fwiend eva, Bewwy!”
- >Berry waddles over and plops down, waving up at you.
- >”Hi Wucy!”
- “Wow, they know names...”
- >Sarah nods a little, searching around in her bag.
- >”You sure you don't want two whites? I still have a pair,” the man asks.
- >”I'm not paying you five thousand dollars for a test run, Walter.”
- >”Just asking,” he says, raising his hands.
- >”...is Wucy new mommy?” Lightning asks, looking between you and Sarah. Then he walks over to her. “Wha yo' name?”
- >She smiles down at him. “I'm Sarah. Lucy is my sister.”
- >Lightning wanders over and clings to Sarah's boots. “Owwies, funny weggies huwt...”
- >Berry can't find your legs under your skirt.
- >She comes to the obvious conclusion.
- >”Wucy no haf weggies!”
- “Sure I do!”
- >You lift your skirt just enough to show her your sandals.
- >”Dere weggies. Weggies hidin'!”
- >How adorable!
- >Sarah fishes out a stack of money and quickly counts it. “All right, fifteen hundred for the pair.”
- “Good lord...”
- >”Only one in every three hundred thousand fluffies is an alicorn. They're quite pricey.”
- >Sarah has a very slight smile on her face as she picks up Lightning.
- >You don't really listen to the conversation, you're watching Berry stack her blocks.
- >You're snapped out of it when Walter hands you a small binder.
- >”This is everything you should need to know about them.”
- >You open it and skim the writing inside.
- >Their favorite foods are listed, as are their favorite toys.
- >Also, it says not to separate them, as they get very sad when apart. They consider themselves a couple.
- >Wait, what? Alicorns pair bond?
- >”Ready to go, Lucy?”
- >”Bewwy miss daddy...”
- >She's hugging Walter's legs.
- >Lightning asks to be put down. He waddles over and gets a little blue bag.
- >After a few minutes, Berry waddles over to her blocks and puts them in a pink bag.
- >Walter has to close it for her, but she carries it like Lightning afterwards.
- >”Dis goo'bye baggie,” she frowns, speech muffled by the fabric handle.
- >Walter gives them each another hug, causing them to drop their bags for a moment.
- >”Be good for Lucy, okay?” he says.
- >”Be good fwuffies,” Berry sniffles.
- >”Are you sure they don't need to be in carriers?” Sarah asks.
- >”They'll be fine. If they need to do something, you'll know it.”
- >More goodbyes are exchanged, and you're out the door following Sarah.
- >Lightning and Berry waddle after you at top speed, carrying their little bags.
- “They have luggage. How much smarter are they than a regular fluffy?”
- >”Pretty smart.”
- >You set Berry into the back while Sarah puts Lightning in.
- >After you've pulled out of the driveway, you start reading the binder text more closely.
- >Berry likes to watch TV a lot. Lightning loves coloring books.
- >The more you read, the more awkward you start feeling.
- “Sarah, these are like little kids. I mean, even more so than regular fluffies.”
- >”Babeh hoomans?” Lightning asks, looking around.
- >”Well, they are supposed to be smarter.”
- “I think they're a lot smarter...how am I supposed to explain to them that we're gonna, well, you know...”
- >”Wha' Wucy talkin' 'bout?” Berry asks.
- >You already know Sarah's answer before she says it, of course.
- >”Don't explain it to them, just do it.”
- “That's not fair.”
- >”Look, they've been bred before. They should know the drill. If anything, they should be a lot easier to deal with than my stock.”
- >”Make fun huggies...make babehs?” Lightning asks.
- >”That's right, make babies.”
- >”B-b-b-b-bu' babehs a'ways go 'way, wuv babehs...pwease no take babehs 'gain...”
- >Berry is sniffling hard. Lightning scoots over and hugs her tight.
- >You frown, but decide not to test Sarah any further.
- >You go back to reading the binder. The last few pages are litter information for the pair.
- >There's nothing unusual, at least when it comes to the descriptions of the litters themselves.
- >The notes about what happened after make your stomach twist.
- >”April 12: Berry gave birth to four, two males and two females,” the first entry says.
- >”Foals (purple, blue males, and orange, pink females) were all healthy.
- >”May 7: Berry's foals sold off. Berry attempted first to chase the buyer, then jump in his car.”
- >”When she failed to get her babies back, attempted to drown herself in her water bowl.”
- >You almost drop the binder when you read that.
- “Sarah, she tried to kill herself when...”
- >”No kiww!” both alicorns gasp.
- >Damn it, you have to be even more careful around them than normal fluffies.
- >”No one is going to kill you,” Sarah groans, rolling her eyes.
- >Berry gulps loudly. ”Nice hoomans, pwease no huwt fwuffy fwiends...”
- >”Do you still have that stun gun?”
- “Um...yes, I think so. Why?”
- >She glances over at you knowingly.
- >You have never reset a fluffy pony before, even when you probably should have.
- >It bothers you, the idea that a living creature can be so easily programmed.
- >Berry sniffles behind you, the noise muffled by Lightning's fluff.
- >”Miss babehs...no kiww...”
- >You may not have a choice, if you're going to go through with this.
- >So much for no regrets.
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