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New Pony In Town CYOA (Hiatus)

By KodiaKowboy
Created: 2024-08-31 03:49:53
Updated: 2024-11-14 02:06:22
Expiry: Never
scootaloosweetie bellediamond tiarararitycyoaapplebloomcmcanonfillysilver spoonberry punchongoingshutterbug

  1. >"Good morning, class!" Miss Cheerilee greeted with a warm, motherly smile
  2. >"Good morning, Miss Cheerilee!" Everypony greets in unison
  3. >Everypony except you
  4. >Cheerilee turns around, moving down to grasp a stick of chalk between her teeth
  5. >With experienced swiftness, she writes in large letters on the chalkboard, leaning on her back hooves to reach the higher part of the board
  6. >NEW STUDENT!
  7. >Setting the chalk down, Cheerilee faces the class once more as she moves to the side of the chalkboard
  8. >"Some of you may have noticed a new face in class! Why don't you come up and introduce yourself?" Cheerilee invites
  9. >You can feel every filly and colts' eyes laser-focused on you as you make your way to the front of class
  10. >Your eyes dart between all the unfamiliar faces as you think of what to do
  11.  
  12.  
  13. A. "My name is Anon."
  14. B. Make up a pseudonym
  15. C. "Anon's the name, kissin' fillies is mah game!"
  16. D. Stare silently
  17.  
  18.  
  19.  
  20. A was attempted, but D was chosen
  21.  
  22. >You opened your mouth to speak
  23. "Ah-I-I'mmnmm..."
  24. >But an immediate stutter strangled your words
  25. >Your eyes keep jumping from pony to pony, intensely staring each one in the eye
  26. >A few silent minutes later, Cheerilee cleared her throat
  27. >"Well, it seems our new student is a little shy. Class, this is Anon."
  28. >Cheerilee places a gentle hoof on your withers, giving a reassuring pat when she realizes how tense you are
  29. >"Anon here is new in town, and I expect you all to give her a big, warm Ponyville welcome. Understood?"
  30. >Everypony nods, a few Yes Ma'am's sounding out as well
  31. >"Good. Now go ahead and take a seat, Anon. We've got plenty of learning in store for us."
  32. >You stay stock-still, staring stupidly at your classmates
  33. >Cheerilee's smile dims a tad as she sighs softly
  34. >You let out a small "eep!" when the ground suddenly leaves your hooves
  35. >Looking back, you realize that Miss Cheerilee has your scruff between her teeth
  36. >The sight makes some of the other foals giggle and smirk
  37. >She pays them no mind as she walks over to your desk and plops you into your seat
  38. >A gentle pat on top of your head and Cheerilee returned to the front of class
  39. >"Alright. Now, onto our lesson."
  40.  
  41. -=-=-=-=-
  42.  
  43. >*RIIIIING*
  44. >"Recess time, everypony!" Miss Cheerilee announces, prompting all the students to clamber off their chairs and gather their lunches before pouring out into the schoolyard
  45. >You follow suit, being the last one out
  46. >You take in the sight of the fenced-in playground, teeming with fillies and colts playing, eating, and talking
  47. >The brown paper bag in your mouth crinkles as you decide on what to do
  48.  
  49. A. Go to the swings
  50. B. Go to the slide
  51. C. Go underneath the tree
  52. D. Find a spot against the fence
  53. E. Walk around aimlessly
  54.  
  55.  
  56.  
  57. >You walk in no particular direction, your eyes surveying the edge of the yard along the fence
  58. >Your eyes are passing over the swings when THMP, POMF!
  59. >You hold your aching head in your hooves, whining like a foal as you glare at the tree you'd run into
  60. >Looking down at your sack lunch lying in the dirt, you see a semi-circle area missing
  61. >Right where you'd been holding it
  62. >A couple smacks of your tongue confirm your suspicion
  63. >You've just swallowed a mouthful of brown paper bag
  64. >And it...wasn't terrible
  65. >Pony tastebuds are a trip
  66. >The pain from your head-on collision has worn off now
  67. >You scooch yourself over so you're leaning against the tree and open up your lunch bag
  68. >Daisy sandwich, an apple, and a juice box
  69. >It's grape too, score!
  70. >Munching on your sandwich, your eyes scan the schoolyard
  71. >All your classmates are enjoying their own recess, nopony paying any attention to you
  72. >Heh, if your iPod had come with you, it'd be exactly like growing up
  73. >Well, the first time, that is
  74. >Oh geez, does this mean you have to go through puberty again?
  75. >What's pony puberty even like?
  76. >As you rack your brain for any memory of whether horses can get acne, your wandering eyes land on something odd, something in the tree's branches
  77. >Holy moly, you think you see a hornet's nest!
  78. >It's hard to tell from way down here, but there's a blob of brown that's a different brown than the tree
  79. >Swallowing the last of your sandwich, you look around your spot for some rocks to throw
  80. >No luck
  81. >You raise your head back up to see if you can see any stones anywhere else in the yard
  82. >Your search is brought to a halt when you see two ponies coming your way
  83. >A pink filly with a tiara and a grey filly with glasses
  84. >They both look viciously determined
  85. >"Hey, you." the pink one starts once they're in speaking distance, pointing a hoof at you
  86. >"You're Anon, right?"
  87. >The grey one snickers to herself
  88. >You shove your apple into your mouth whole to give yourself some time to think of how to respond
  89.  
  90. A. Nod silently
  91. B. "Yeah, that's me. Who's asking?"
  92. C. Keep chewing
  93. D. "Fuck off."
  94.  
  95.  
  96.  
  97. >Instead of answering, you continue chewing
  98. >You may have overestimated how quickly you could eat a whole apple
  99. >"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" The pink filly teases, her eyes squinting predatorily
  100. >The only sound from you is the munching of apple within your maw
  101. >The grey one takes a hoofstep forward, her smirk widening smarmily
  102. >"She's probably just scared of st-st-STUTTERING again!"
  103. >Both fillies cackle haughtily as horrid witches
  104. >Your apple-stuffed muzzle scrunches
  105. >You'd probably tell them to fuck off if you weren't still busy chewing
  106. >You start chewing faster
  107. >"Aw, now she's never gonna talk again." The grey one tilts her head with an exaggerated pout
  108. >"Aw, such a shame," The pink one's voice is sopping with sarcasm
  109. >"I was so sure that she was an amazingly interesting pony with so much to say!"
  110. >The fillies giggle again and glare deviously
  111. >They're waiting for your response
  112. >The apple's more manageable now but still chunky
  113. >As the silence drags on, their grins melt into disdainful frowns
  114. >"Ugh, let's go, Silver Spoon. This one's no fun."
  115. >The pink one turns her nose up and struts away, the grey filly-Silver Spoon, you now know-following suit
  116. >"What a freak..." You hear one of them mutter as they leave you be
  117. >At this point you're just swishing bland applesauce around in your mouth
  118. >You go ahead and swallow it
  119. >As soon as you do, you hear another *RIIIIING* to signal the end of recess
  120. >You ball up the paper bag from your lunch and follow everypony inside
  121.  
  122. -=-=-=-=-
  123.  
  124. >Your first day of school is finally over, and you are now loitering in front of the schoolhouse
  125. >Besides being accosted during lunch, it was a pretty uneventful day
  126. >Miss Cheerilee told you she wouldn't assign you homework for your first week
  127. >That was nice of her
  128. >"Anon!"
  129. >Your ears perk up
  130. >Turning towards the sound, you see your de facto guardian making her way to the schoolhouse
  131.  
  132. A. Lyra Heartstrings
  133. B. Berry Punch
  134. C. Shutterbug
  135. D. Derpy Hooves
  136.  
  137.  
  138.  
  139. B+C were chosen
  140.  
  141. >Once she's a little closer, you can see her more clearly
  142. >"Get up. I'm taking you back to the house." Shutterbug orders
  143. >You nod, slowly standing from your prone position and stretching out like a cat
  144. >After a few quiet pops from your stiff joints, you quickly toss on your ratty saddlebags and rush to Shutterbug's side
  145. >She'd started walking away when you were midstretch
  146. >Your eyes drink in the passing scenery as the two of you walk in silence
  147. >Not many ponies out
  148. >You take a deep inhale in preparation to sigh, only to have the warm scent of freshly baked bread make its way into your nose
  149. >The smell makes the dull emptiness in your stomach all the more noticeable
  150. >You frown when you realize what you're feeling
  151. >You look over to Shutterbug
  152. >She has a polite smile painted onto her muzzle but her eyes are half-lidded with boredom
  153. "Hey, uh, Shutt-"
  154. >Your words are cut off when her eyes shoot over to you, a worrisome sharpness within
  155. >Right, almost forgot
  156. "Miss Shutterbug, ma'am." You correct
  157. >"Continue." Shutterbug responds, her eyes returning to the path ahead
  158. "I, uh, I was just wondering...what's for dinner, ma'am?"
  159. >"Food." Shutterbug answered, her eyes remaining forwards
  160. >Her non-answer makes your snout scrunch
  161. >You grumble as you face forward once again
  162. >You go back to admiring everything around you
  163. >You've been here for a while now, but it still blows you away
  164. >This land of sentient horses is nothing like Earth
  165. >Not just because of the magic or the fact that you're a little kid again
  166. >But every color and hue is...louder
  167. >The leaves are greener, the sky is bluer, and the sun is brighter
  168. >Yet nothing really stands out too much from anything else
  169. >Everything just works in...unity?
  170. >Tandem?
  171. >Hm...
  172. >Trying to think of the right word occupies your mind for the rest of the walk home
  173.  
  174. >Soon enough, the two of you reach Berry's house
  175. >A cozy little thing, closer to the edge of town
  176. >It needed some TLC here and there, but it was still nice
  177. >As Shutterbug pushes open the door, the muffled sound of music can be heard
  178. >Following her inside and to the kitchen, you're welcomed by an unusual sight
  179. >Berry Punch was at the stove, stirring something in a steaming pot and swaying her rump out of time with the music blasting from the record player
  180. >It sounds like some mix between smooth jazz and swing
  181. >The scent of tomatoes and herbs with a savory undertone invades your nostrils, making your mouth water
  182. >Berry hasn't noticed you two, humming and dancing as she stirs
  183. >"Berry."
  184. >She keeps dancing.
  185. >"Berry!"
  186. >No answer
  187. >Shutterbug growls and stomps over to the record player, the music interrupted by a record scratch when she aggressively shoves the needle off the record
  188. >Berry Punch keeps dancing for a few moments more before realizing the situation
  189. >"Oh hey, Shuts!" Berry waved at Shutterbug, eliciting an even deeper frown from the unicorn
  190. >"I've picked up the foal. She's your responsibility for the rest of the evening." Shutterbug about-faced and headed down the hallway, soon followed by the sound of a door opening and closing
  191. >Berry Punch quirked a brow and looked around the kitchen, her eyes widening happily when they landed on you
  192. >"Kid!"
  193. >Berry shuffled over to you and shoved her face into your cheek, messily nuzzling you
  194. >You try not to gag at the acrid stench of cheap wine coming off of her
  195. >Berry pulls away, staring down at you ecstatically
  196. >"How was your first day of school, Kid?"
  197.  
  198. A. "It was good."
  199. B. "I got bullied..."
  200. C. Start sobbing
  201. D. "Are you drunk?"
  202. E. "What's cookin'?"
  203.  
  204.  
  205.  
  206. >Your brain overflows with thoughts of how to respond to Berry's question
  207. "It was good." You answer almost too quickly
  208. >The image of being berated by those two fillies flashes before your mind's eye
  209. "Hey, uh, what's cookin'?" You nod in the direction of the stove, "Smells pretty good."
  210. >"Hm? Oh yeah!" Berry rushes to the stove, giving the pot some extra quick stirs as if doing so would make up for it being unattended
  211. >You absentmindedly rub your eyes as you walk to Berry's side
  212. >Her booze breath must've been making them water
  213. >"Here. Taste this."
  214. >Berry leans down, wooden spoon in her mouth
  215. >The bowl of the spoon is a dollop of chunky red something
  216. >You give it an exploratory sniff, only getting the same smell from earlier but far more potent
  217. >You tentatively lean in and take the spoon's contents into your mouth
  218. >Your eyes shoot open, a pleasured groan rumbling in your throat as you savor the flavor
  219. >Berry giggles, "That good, huh?"
  220. >You nod fervourously, getting another giggle from Berry
  221. >"Alright, Kid, go and sit down." Berry gestures to the table as she steps over to one of the cabinets
  222. >You quickly make your way over to the table, clambering onto a chair
  223. >Looking back over to the stove, the added height lets you see an empty wine bottle lying on the counter
  224. >Before your gaze can linger on it any longer, your attention is stolen by the sound of two bowls being placed on the table
  225. >Berry takes her seat as you examine your bowl, various vague shapes hidden by that same red sauce
  226. "What is it?"
  227. >"Spaghetti and mushrooms!" Berry exclaimed as she threw her hooves in the air
  228. >You can't help but let out a small giggle at Berry's antics
  229. >She might be a drunk, but at least she's a fun drunk
  230. >"Eat up, Kid. I made it special for your first day." Berry gives you a warmly crooked smile
  231. >You smile in return and take a bite of your food, humming approvingly when you note how the sauce is uplifted by the taste of the juices gushing out of the roasted mushrooms
  232. >In spite of how many times you've tasted it, Berry's cooking always surprises you
  233. >As you eat, you're careful to not get any sauce on your fur
  234. >Berry eats from the bowl like...well, like a horse
  235. >The kitchen is silent save for the pleased sounds of eating
  236.  
  237. A. Talk to Berry [Write what you want to say]
  238. B. Finish dinner silently
  239.  
  240.  
  241.  
  242. >You silently watch Berry eat for a few moments before a thought enters your brain
  243. "Hey, uh, Berry?"
  244. >"Mm?" Berry hums as she lifts her head from her food, red sauce and stray bits of noodle painting her muzzle
  245. >You giggle softly at the sight and continue
  246. "I was just wondering..."
  247. >So many questions on your mind
  248. >Best to start simple
  249. "How was your day?"
  250. >"How was my day? Mmm..."
  251. >Berry hummed as her eyes raised to the ceiling in thought
  252. >"It was...good." Berry casually licked some of the sauce from her snout
  253. "Good? You get a lot of work done today?"
  254. >"N-no, but um, I..."
  255. >Berry dragged out the "I" as her attention meandered about the kitchen, hooves gently tapping the table
  256. >"...I, got things in order. To do work. Yeah, uh, scheduling stuff, y'know?"
  257. "Scheduling stuff?"
  258. >Her wandering gaze landed on the pantry, prompting her to hop out of her seat and beeline for it
  259. >"Yeah yeah, scheduling stuff." Her muffled voice repeated from within the pantry.
  260. >After only a moment, Berry made her way back to the table and set down a bottle of cheap wine with a *THNK*
  261. >"Gotta make sure nothing overlaps, y'know?" Berry placed a hoof onto her chair, hesitating as she glanced towards you, her brow pinched in mild contemplation
  262. >A small huff from her nose and she went to fetch a wine glass from the cupboard
  263. >You couldn't help but note how she moved to grab a glass with far less enthusiasm than she had grabbing the wine
  264. >Once she's back in her seat and filling her glass, you speak up again
  265. "What else did you do? I'm pretty sure we didn't have mushrooms this morning." You gesture to your bowl of food
  266. >"Oh, Coni had some left over after the market closed."
  267. >Coni...She must be talking about Conifer Cap, your neighbor with the mushroom butt photo
  268. >Berry brings the glass to her lips and takes a great gulp of the stuff, followed by a sigh deep enough to make her eyes flutter closed
  269. >She's silent for a beat before opening her eyes again, a smile returning to her face with a renewed serenity
  270. "She was happy to let me take some off her hooves."
  271. >You nod, satisfied with that answer as you lean down to take another mouthful of food
  272. >You realize you were a bit too ambitious with that bite when you feel the fur around your mouth matted with sauce
  273. >You mentally shrug it off
  274. >You're a kid, you're allowed to be messy
  275. "So, uh.." You start, your mouth still half-full of food, "Shutterbug seemed pretty peeved when she picked me up from school."
  276. >"Oh yeah?" Berry smirked as she quirked a brow
  277. >You nod, swallowing your mouthful before continuing
  278. "Yeah. Did something happen, or...?" Your question trails off
  279. >Berry chuckled
  280. >"She woke up, that's what happened." Berry chuckled harder at her joke and finished off her glass
  281. >"No, but um, apparently something kinda went teats up with her work today. She never told me what though."
  282.  
  283. >Hmm...
  284. >Shutterbug did tend to get obsessed with her work
  285. >Even more so than most ponies you've met
  286. >Speaking of meeting...
  287. "Berry, would you mind telling me a...a story?"
  288. >Ugh, you felt like such a baby asking something like that
  289. >Berry chuckled at your question, her unfocused eyes drifting over to the window
  290. >Seeing how late it was, Berry shrugged
  291. >"Guess you could use a bedtime story. What kinda story?"
  292. "Um, how about you tell me how you and Shutterbug met? Again?"
  293. >Berry gives you an incredulous look, "Seriously?"
  294. >You nod
  295. >Berry shrugged again, "Alright..."
  296. >"There I was, Berry Punch, doing what I do."
  297. >Berry filled her glass back up to the top as she spoke
  298. >"Sitting in the bar," Berry took a sip, "Drinking."
  299. >"And sittin' next to me, was this sad little unicorn. She was nursin' on some cider or something. The cheap stuff that tastes like pisswater, y'know?"
  300. >"I mean, guess you don't know. Hope you don't know." Berry muttered, giggling to herself
  301. >She must've been pretty drunk when you got home if she's already slurring this much
  302. >"Anywhos, she was sittin' there, lookin' all sad and stuff. I asked her what was goin' on, 'nd she started tellin' me about how she came to Ponyville to 'hit it big' in the...the uh...the picture business, or whatever."
  303. >"But then she tells me 'bout how she lost ALL her money 'n' ALL her luggage on the way here! Can ya believe it?"
  304. >"And I...Well, I-I try to be a good pony, a good mare. Always be a good mare, Anon, always. Ya gotta...ya gots to be a good mare..."
  305. >Berry stared into her glass for a moment with a drunken smile
  306. >"A good mare..." Berry brings her head back up to look at you again
  307. >"I go ahead and offer her a place to stay. She says 'I can't pay rent', I say 'Fuggedaboudit!'"
  308. >"And now, uh...Now she lives here!" Berry swung her front legs into the air, giggling.
  309. >Her joy is so intoxicating that you can't help but giggle with her
  310. >Once she comes down from her giggling fit, Berry glances at the clock
  311. >Berry squints her eyes to read it
  312. >"Yeesh, that late, huh? Head to bed, Kid."
  313. >You look down at your half-empty bowl, grimacing at the sight of how much spaghetti was left
  314. >Berry had served you both enough for a grown mare, but you suppose your filly body still couldn't handle quite that much
  315. >You looked over to Berry and she simply shook her head
  316. >"Don't worry about it."
  317. >You smiled gratefully and hopped down to the floor
  318. >Berry leaned down from her chair to give you a goodnight nuzzle that you returned
  319. "Night, Berry."
  320. >"Night, Kid."
  321. >You head down the hallway in the direction of your room
  322. >Once you're roughly halfway down the hall, your eye is caught by a red glow seeping out from beneath Shutterbug's bedroom door
  323. >It's not unusual, maybe every other night or so she leaves that light on
  324.  
  325. A. Go straight to bed
  326. B. Get ready for bed and sleep
  327. C. Knock on Shutterbug's door
  328.  
  329.  
  330.  
  331. >You take a step closer to Shutterbug's door
  332. >You lift a hoof and give a gentle knock
  333. >No answer
  334. >You knock again, a bit harder this time
  335. "Shutterbug?"
  336. >No answer
  337. >You lean in slowly, turning your head and swiveling one of your ears as you do so
  338. >You cup your ear against the cool wood, holding your breath as you listen closely for a few moments
  339. >You can only make out a near-imperceptible buzzing from within
  340. >Pulling your head away, you sigh and step away
  341. >You decide to leave her be for tonight
  342. >A sudden yawn reminds you how late it is
  343. >You quickly wash up and crawl into bed, falling asleep as soon as your head touches the pillow
  344.  
  345. -=-=-=-
  346.  
  347. >In your peripheral vision you can see your knuckles turning white from how tightly you grip the steering wheel
  348. >Keeping your eyes on the road, you dart your hand to the dial to turn up the music
  349. >It's as high as it'll go
  350. >You still can't hear it
  351. >All you hear is the rain
  352.  
  353. -=-=-=-
  354.  
  355. >Your eyes flutter awake as you feel the warmth of the sun dancing on your back
  356. >Laboring to get on all four hooves, you stretch and groan and writh your tired muscles back to life
  357. >You rub your bleary eyes and take in the sight of your room
  358. >No furniture other than the bed you're on, a writing desk against the wall, and a chest in the corner
  359. >No decorations either
  360. >Not even curtains to let you keep that damned sun out
  361. >The word that comes to mind is "barren"
  362. >Though that word puts a bad taste in your mouth, so you go with "spartan" instead
  363. >Way cooler
  364. >With that, you hop to the floor and trot over to your door
  365. >Opening it, the scent of something being cooked wafts in your face
  366. >You follow the scent to the kitchen
  367. >Arriving there, you see Shutterbug at the stove, spatula in her magic and stirring something in a pan
  368. >"Took you long enough." Shutterbug said, her focus remaining on the pan
  369. >A few more minutes of stirring and Shutterbug levitated over a plate, pouring the pan's contents onto it and placing it on the table
  370. >You scramble onto a chair, looking down at the plate to see it full of scrambled eggs
  371. >You take a bite, your face scrunching something fierce at the taste
  372. >Not a speck of seasoning, and overcooked to the point of rubber
  373. >At least it's not burnt
  374. >You look over towards Shutterbug, whose back is facing you as she does something on the counter
  375.  
  376. A. Finish your food silently
  377. B. Ask about Berry [Write your question]
  378. C. Ask about Shutterbug [Write your question]
  379. D. "Do I really have to go to school?"
  380.  
  381.  
  382.  
  383. >You watch Shutterbug for a moment
  384. "Miss Shutterbug, ma'am?"
  385. >She doesn't respond, but one ear swivels to your direction
  386. >You take this as a sign to continue
  387. "Were you always a photographer? Ya know, before you came to Ponyville?"
  388. >Shutterbug doesn't respond, the ear pointed towards you giving a flick
  389. >You're about to repeat your question when she speaks up
  390. >"No. I had a variety of hobbies before finding my cutie mark. Once I did, I became a photographer full-time."
  391. >Shutterbug turns around, revealing a brown lunch bag in her magic
  392. >Your eyes follow as it floats over to and into your saddlebags next to the front door
  393. >"You haven't eaten."
  394. >Your head spins around and you nearly gasp when you see just how close Shutterbug is, standing next to you and glaring down at your plate
  395. >She must've walked up when you were distracted
  396. >Shutterbug's eyes dart to yours, instantly causing your heart to double its pace
  397. >Your mind rushes at Mach 3 as you try to respond
  398. "I-i...It's not my favorite food."
  399. >Shutterbug's eyes continue boring into yours
  400. >You can almost hear your heart pounding in your chest
  401. >The ticking of the clock is the only sound as moments pass
  402. >Shutterbug's eyes roll derisively as she steps away
  403. >"Foals..." Shutterbug mutters as she levitates your plate into the fridge
  404. >She walks to the front door, opens it, and looks at you expectantly
  405. >You hop down from your seat and rush to your saddlebags
  406. >You decide to pipe up again as you go about putting them on
  407. "What's your favorite food, Miss Shutterbug, ma'am?"
  408. >Shutterbug raises a brow at your question
  409. >"Why do you ask?"
  410. "Um..."
  411. >Maybe you can play up the kid thing
  412. "...I dunno."
  413. >Shutterbug huffs from her nose, "Of course you don't."
  414. >She ushers you out the door, her magic closing it behind her. "And it's 'don't know'."
  415. "Huh?"
  416. >Shutterbug plants on a polite smile as she starts on the walk to the schoolhouse
  417. >You follow close behind, having to speedwalk to keep up
  418. >"You said 'dunno'. That's not a word. You are meant to say 'don't know'." Shutterbug explains as she smiles and waves to a couple of passing ponies
  419. >The gall of this horse to correct you
  420. >You'd try something if she weren't at least twice your size
  421. >"Honestly, what do they even teach you in that shack they send you foals to?" She asks
  422. >The way she says it tells you that she doesn't really want you to answer
  423. >You walk in silence, Shutterbug politely greeting any passing ponies
  424. >You're nearly at the school when you realize you still feel irked by Shutterbug correcting you
  425. >A smirk makes its way onto your face as you think up a plan to mess with her
  426. "Hey, Shutterbug."
  427. >Shutterbug stops in her tracks, blowing an aggressive snort and spinning around to face you
  428. >You can feel a fire in her eyes
  429. "Is it true that you're planning on world domination?"
  430.  
  431. >That fire is immediately extinguished
  432. >You feel a shiver up your spine, your smirk disappearing with your previous bravado
  433. >Her smile is untouched but her eyes are cold now
  434. >Cold and trained on you like a hawk
  435. >Shutterbug takes a deep, controlled inhale
  436. >"I didn't quite hear that, Anonymous."
  437. >Shutterbug's words are strained and you can see the effort it's taking for her not to clench her teeth
  438. >"Care to repeat that?"
  439.  
  440. A. "I said, is it true that you're planning on world domination?"
  441. B. "I-I-I said, is it you that's wanting a, uh, award nomination?"
  442. C. Stare silently
  443. D. Piss yourself in fear
  444.  
  445.  
  446.  
  447. >You furrow your brow and take a deep breath, keeping your voice as steady as you can
  448. "I said, is it true that you're planning world domination?"
  449. >Shutterbug narrowed her eyes and she slowly leaned in, her muzzle mere inches from yours
  450. >"You petulant pony..."
  451. >Shutterbug's voice is hushed and sharp, the corner of her smile twitching
  452. >"I have half a mind to string you up like a-"
  453. "Boop!"
  454. >Shutterbug falls deathly quiet when your hoof makes contact with her nose
  455. >Shutterbug's eyes drift towards your hoof, still pushing her snout in
  456. >A moment passes, and your ears twitch and swivel when you realize you can hear a muffled, rapid clicking sound
  457. >You think it's coming from...Shutterbug?
  458. >Before you have a chance to question the odd noise further, you catch a glimpse of movement out the corner of your eye
  459. >"Good morning!"
  460. >Both you and Shutterbug look over to the sound to see a white, purple-maned mare and a filly of like complexion with a lavender-streaked mane
  461. >Shutterbug's head shoots up, her face of enraged perplexion instantly morphing into one of casual enthusiasm
  462. >"Good morning! Lovely day, isn't it?" Shutterbug responds, all trace of animosity gone from her voice
  463. >"Oh, it absolutely is, Darling."
  464. >The mare takes a second look at the both of you, "Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but I don't believe I've ever seen you before. Are you new in town?"
  465. >Shutterbug giggles and nods
  466. >"Yeah, I guess you could say that. I'm Shutterbug, and this is Anon."
  467. >You let out a yip when you feel Shutterbug's cold magic nudge you forwards
  468. >"Go ahead and introduce yourself, Anonymous."
  469. >The mare smiles at you expectantly, the filly staring curiously from her side
  470. >You look between Shutterbug and your new acquaintances a few times as you think of what to do
  471.  
  472. A. "Hi, I'm Anonymous."
  473. B. "Damn, you're pretty hot."
  474. C. Stare silently
  475. D. "No."
  476. E. "STRANGER DANGER!"
  477.  
  478.  
  479.  
  480. >You keep looking between Shutterbug and the other two ponies
  481. >Your mind is torn in every which way as you try to think of what to do
  482. >Your heart starts racing, your chest moving nearly in rhythm with it from your hyperventilating
  483. >With your brain scrambled in a soup of nerves and fear, your darting eyes land on the waiting mare
  484. >You holler out the first words your instincts can cobble together
  485. "STRANGER DANGER!"
  486. >All three ponies around you are physically taken aback, sharing flustered glances between themselves
  487. >"F-forgive her, she's..." Shutterbug trails off with a shake of her head, clearly at a loss for words
  488. >As you wind down from your outburst, your eyes drift towards the frightened filly
  489. >Your gaze traces along her tense form
  490. >Instinct takes the reigns once more
  491. "Damn, you're pretty hot."
  492. >The filly's face flushes with embarrassment, the mare scoffs, and Shutterbug coughs and gags
  493. >"Shutterbug, was it?" The white mare started as she magically moved the filly further away from you
  494. >"I'd recommend you teach your daughter some manners, Miss Shutterbug. Before she says the wrong thing to a less forgiving pony."
  495. >"I didn't, Sh-she's not!..." A mortified Shutterbug tries to explain as the mare marches away towards the schoolhouse, blushing filly in tow
  496. >Once they disappear behind the schoolhouse door, Shutterbug groans and facehoofs
  497. >She turns to you with a disdainful glare, her snout scrunched up in disgust
  498. >You stare back with an innocent grin
  499. >Shutterbug picks you up by the scruff in her magical grip and harshly whispers into your ear
  500. >"I don't know what game you think you're playing, but know this: I am not one to be toyed with."
  501. >She levitated you over and plopped you directly in front of the school entrance
  502. >"We will discuss your...everything, after school."
  503. >And with that, Shutterbug turned away and left
  504. >Now you have that to look forward to
  505. >You push open the door and walk inside
  506. >You see that you're much earlier than yesterday
  507. >Only a few foals are here, already seated and chatting with their friends, while Miss Cheerilee is nowhere to be seen
  508. >Every other seat is empty
  509.  
  510. A. Sit next to Silver Spoon and the pink filly
  511. B. Sit next to the white filly from earlier and her friends
  512. C. Sit in one of the other empty seats
  513.  
  514.  
  515.  
  516. >You feel overwhelmingly compelled to sit next to that white unicorn filly you'd "introduced" yourself to
  517. >Her and her two friends are too wrapped up in their discussion to notice you walking over and setting yourself up at the desk right next to their little "L" arrangement
  518. >"-and then Ah asked him why he was wearin' a dress and hidin' in a closet, and 'e said-"
  519. "Hi."
  520. >All three fillies look over at you, the sudden undivided attention catching you a little off guard
  521. "I'm, uh, Anon."
  522. >A few silent moments pass, the white unicorn's face slowly growing pink with blush
  523. >The yellow filly seated in front of you was the first to break the silence
  524. >"Why'd ya call Sweetie Belle hot?" She asked, giving you a confused look and gesturing towards Sweetie Belle -- the white unicorn
  525. "Um, well that's cause she's..."
  526. >You glance over at Sweetie Belle, seated at your left as she avoids eye contact
  527. >You take another look at her as a whole
  528. >Her smooth, immaculate coat, the color of polished ivory
  529. >Her streaked mane curling just so to frame her adorable face
  530. >The curves of her youthful flesh, her shapely flank devoid of the weird butt tattoo every pony else seems to have
  531. >You're not really sure what is attractive to horses, but something deep in the more primitive structures of your mind incessantly repeats a single word
  532. >And you find yourself nodding in ecstatic agreement
  533. "Hot."
  534. >The orange filly seated in front of Sweetie bursts into a fit of laughter, the yellow one joining soon after
  535. >Sweetie Belle's snout scrunches hard and she glares at her two friends
  536. >"It's not funny!" Sweetie squeaks
  537. >This only pushes them to laugh even harder
  538. >The infectious noise urges you to giggle along with them
  539. >Realizing you three weren't going to stop, she crosses her front legs and lets out a "Hmph!", turning away with her ears flat against her skull and her snout heavily scrunched
  540. >The sound of a door squeaking open amidst your laughter barely catches your attention
  541. >Glancing over you see the white mare from earlier stepping out of Miss Cheerilee's office
  542. >Her pleasant smile flips into a frown as she glares at the four of you
  543. >Her expression makes you take another look at your situation
  544. >An upset filly surrounded by laughing foals
  545. >Realizing the terrible optics, you look back towards the mare to maybe try and explain yourself
  546. >Looking around the class, you can see that every other student has already arrived, but the mare is long gone
  547. >A moment later, Miss Cheerilee exits her office to start the school day
  548. >"Good morning, class!"
  549.  
  550. -=-=-=-
  551.  
  552. >*RIIIIING*
  553. >"Recess time, everypony!"
  554. >Once again, you're the last one out to the school yard
  555. >Taking in the familiar sight, you see everypony playing and eating like usually
  556. >You see Sweetie Belle and her two friends -- Applebloom and Scootaloo, you learned -- talking and eating beneath the slide
  557. >You also see Silver Spoon and her friend alone on the swings
  558.  
  559. A. Go hang out with Sweetie Belle and her friends
  560. B. Confront Silver Spoon and her friend
  561. C. Eat alone under the tree
  562. D. Walk around aimlessly until something happens
  563.  
  564.  
  565.  
  566. >You keep looking around, feeling a brief urge to insult Silver Spoon's eyewear as your gaze passes over her
  567. >When you look over at the slide, Applebloom notices you and waves you over
  568. >Might as well keep a good thing going
  569. >You trot over, lunch bag in your mouth
  570. >"Heya, Anon!" Applebloom greets
  571. >"What's up, Anon?" Scootaloo says
  572. >Sweetie Belle stays silent, grimacing as she watches you
  573. >You plop yourself down on your rump, dropping your lunch in front of you as you do
  574. >You open your mouth to greet-*BANG!*
  575. >All four of you, along with everypony else in the schoolyard, jump and stop what you're doing to look over at the source of the burst
  576. >There, by the tree, is a busted dodgeball and a perfectly round indent in the bark
  577. >It's at about head height
  578. >A pink filly with purple pigtails approaches the remains of the ball, prodding it and cringing in shame and embarrassment
  579. >Scootaloo lets out a groan, "Great, another ball busted. It'll be a month before we get another one!"
  580. >Scootaloo shook her head ruefully and buried her face inside her lunch bag
  581. >A simple paper bag like yours
  582. >"Had to happen eventually." Applebloom comments as she pushes open the lid of her lunchbox - a repurposed, rusty old toolbox
  583. >You look over at Sweetie Belle, expecting her to chime in
  584. >She remains silent as she unzips her bejeweled lunch tote with a flick of her magic
  585. >"Whaddayou got, Anon?" Applebloom asks as she brings out a thermos
  586. "Uh..."
  587. >You open up your lunch bag and list off its contents
  588. "Dandelion sandwich, banana, and a juice box."
  589. >You reach a hoof inside to check the front of the juice box
  590. >Damn, cherry
  591. "What about you guys? You girls?"
  592. >Neither of those felt quite right
  593. >"Soup!" Applebloom chirps, popping off the top of her thermos, and releasing a tiny cloud of steam
  594. >Sweetie Belle levitates a plastic container from her tote, lifting off the lid to reveal a yummy-looking salad
  595. >Scootaloo pulls her head out of her bag, revealing a mouthful of plain hay before diving back in
  596. >You chuckle at the sight as you return your attention to your lunch
  597. >You take a moment to wonder where to start
  598.  
  599. A. Main course, dandelion sandwich
  600. B. You could go for some fruit right now
  601. C. Hydrate with some juice first. Even if the flavor's subpar
  602. D. Eat the bag
  603.  
  604.  
  605.  
  606. >You glance over at Scootaloo with her head stuffed into her lunch bag
  607. >You're reminded of how Berry had eaten her spaghetti last night and a wave of impulse rushes through you
  608. >Without even a second thought, you dive into your lunch bag
  609. >Your snout sniffs and twitches as you blindly seek out your meal
  610. >Your prehensile lips work their magic, maneuvering the dandelion sandwich into your mouth
  611. >It's only when you start chewing that you hear ripping and the subtle taste of paper backpacks on that of the sandwich
  612. >It does nothing to deter your feasting
  613. >You chomp away at your sandwich, getting the occasional bite of bag as you do
  614. >"Uh...Anon?"
  615. >You shift your head inside the bag to peek an eye out of one of the holes you've chewed into it
  616. >Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle are staring at you
  617. "What's up?"
  618. >Sweetie Belle shares a concerned look with Applebloom as Scootaloo cautiously resumes chewing the hay in her mouth, still maintaining eye contact with you
  619. >"You, uh..." Applebloom starts, "Ya alright there?"
  620. "Yeah. Why do you ask?"
  621. >You take another bite, tearing some more paper out of the bag as you do
  622. >"Um...no reason." Applebloom answered, her words stilted
  623. >All three fillies slowly returned to their own food
  624. >"So, life-guardin' cutiemarks were a bust."
  625. >"Yeah," Scootaloo swallows her mouthful, "So what's next?"
  626. >"Mmm..." Sweetie Belle takes a thoughtful bite of her salad. "I dunno."
  627. >The sound of slurping from a juice box makes all their ears perk up and swivel towards you
  628. >Applebloom hesitantly looks at you, head still in your lunch bag
  629. >"Do you got any ideas, Anon?"
  630. >Sweetie Belle's lunch drops out of her magical grip
  631. >"H-Hey, you can't ask her!"
  632. >"Well, why not? Ya'll ain't comin' up with nothin'." Applebloom counters
  633. >"You can't ask her! Because, um..."
  634. >Sweetie's eyes dart around before landing on your flank
  635. >"There!" Sweetie points a hoof at your butt, "That's why!"
  636. >The other two fillies crane their necks to take a look at what Sweetie Belle's so adamant about
  637. >Their curiosity peaks your own and you pull your head out of your bag and examine your ass for yourself
  638.  
  639. A. A question mark, wavy and flowing
  640. B. A question mark, jagged and angular
  641. C. A question mark, perfect and smooth
  642. D. A question mark, but only barely so
  643.  
  644.  
  645.  
  646. >There, presented plainly upon your pristine posterior was a perfect piece of punctuation
  647. >A question mark, crisp and clean on your fur
  648. "What the..."
  649. >You flip your head around only to see the same on the opposite flank
  650. >Its immaculate sharpness made it look as if you'd been lying on a typewriter's carriage as it typed
  651. >"Oh hey, ya already got yer cutie mark!" Applebloom chirped
  652. >Scootaloo turns her head to the side, gazing at it strangely, "What does it mean?"
  653. "Mean?"
  654. >"Well yeah, silly filly." Applebloom chuckled as she stepped closer to you
  655. >You flinched when she reached a hoof to touch it
  656. >"What's it mean?" Applebloom repeated
  657. "Um..."
  658. >You're quiet for a few moments as you stare at your...your "cutie mark"
  659. >You don't recall ever seeing it before
  660. >You don't recall ever not seeing it either
  661. >"Anon?"
  662. >Whipping your head toward the sound of your name, you see three concerned-looking fillies staring at you
  663. >How long had you been staring at it?
  664. "I, um...I don't know."
  665. >The three shared a brief, confused look before Sweetie Belle scoffed incredulously
  666. >"Wh-what do you mean you 'don't know'?"
  667. >You can't help but give a glare from her tone
  668. "I mean, I don't know."
  669. >"How do you not know?" Scootaloo interrogated, "What were you doing when it happened?"
  670. "I told you, I don't-"
  671. >*RIIIIING*
  672. >The four of you shared a mildly suspicious glare before gathering your things and heading back inside
  673.  
  674. -=-=-=-
  675.  
  676. >Another schoolday through, you're sitting out in front of the schoolhouse
  677. >Munching on your leftover banana from lunch when you spot somepony approaching
  678. >It's Shutterbug, trotting up with the same polite smile she has whenever she goes out
  679. >Stopping a few feet in front of you, she stares at you for a few moments before speaking
  680. >"Get up."
  681. >You scrunch your snout at her bluntness but oblige, tossing your banana peel away and slipping on your saddlebags before you follow Shutterbug
  682. >Her eyes remain forward as you walk, while yours do their usual routine of taking in every sight they possibly can
  683. >After a few minutes of silent walking, you think of something to say
  684.  
  685. A. "What's for dinner?"
  686. B. "What'd you do today?"
  687. C. "What did you wanna talk about?"
  688.  
  689.  
  690.  
  691. "Miss Shutterbug, ma'am?" You pipe up
  692. >"Yes?" Shutterbug responds, her eyes remaining forward
  693. "What's for dinner?"
  694. >"Food." She responds curtly
  695. >You roll your eyes
  696. >You're less annoyed that she would answer that way and more annoyed that you expected differently
  697. >Maybe a different question?
  698. "Miss Shutterbug, ma'am? What's a cutie mark?"
  699. >"It's a symbolic representation of your special talent."
  700. "My special talent?"
  701. >Shutterbug gave you a puzzled look before returning her attention to the road ahead
  702. >"Yes, your special talent. A soldier may have a sword, a topographer a map. And you have..."
  703. >Shutterbug's words trail off as she stops and examines your cutie mark with a furrowed brow
  704. >"A question mark." She states
  705. >You take a look at your cutie mark as well
  706. >Its presence still feels strange
  707. "So...what's my special talent?"
  708. >"What, you don't know?" Shutterbug asked as she resumed walking
  709. >You shake your head and resume following her
  710. >You glance at Shutterbug's flank, seeing a ladybug with three leaves beneath it
  711. >Now it's your turn to be confused
  712. "What's your special talent?"
  713. >"Photography." Shutterbug answered immediately
  714. "Okay, and what does a bug have to do with taking pictures?"
  715. >Shutterbug's smile twitched at the word "bug" but remained firm
  716. >"It's a beetle. And I primarily take photos of insects."
  717. "Hm." You grumble, your snout scrunching dubiously
  718. >You don't really feel like that qualifies as a "special talent", but you also don't know enough about them to call her out
  719. >As your eyes wander about, you notice a purple tail ducking into a large, merry-go-round-looking building
  720. >The sight reminds you of Shutterbug's words from this morning
  721. "Miss Shutterbug, ma'am? What did you wanna talk about?"
  722. >"Whatever do you mean, Anonymous?" Shutterbug responds as she smiles and waves at a passing stallion
  723. "This morning you said we were gonna talk about stuff after school."
  724. >"At the house."
  725. >You furrow your brow
  726. "Why not now?"
  727. >"Private matters are discussed in private places."
  728. >Shutterbug's words are burdened with a hint of venom as she speaks
  729. >"Hasn't your mother taught you that much, at the very least?"
  730. "What sort of private matters?"
  731. >Shutterbug doesn't respond
  732. "I said, what sort of-HRRK!"
  733. >Your hooves fly to grasp at your throat as you feel a cold aura envelop it
  734. >After a few panicked moments, you realize you're breathing perfectly fine
  735. >You glare at Shutterbug
  736. >Noticing the glow of her horn, you open your mouth to chew her out, only to have a quiet squeak escape
  737. >You try again
  738. >No luck
  739. >She's...
  740. >Somehow, Shutterbug's stolen your voice!
  741.  
  742. A. Continue following quietly
  743. B. Make your feelings known. Physically.
  744. C. Run away
  745. D. Start sobbing
  746.  
  747.  
  748.  
  749. >Shutterbug, through sketchy horse magic, has stolen your voice
  750. >Reflexively, you attempt to flip her off, only to be faced with your entirely meaningless hoof
  751. >You quickly switch it into a bras d'honneur
  752. >That's right, you know that word!
  753. >Shutterbug doesn't seem to notice
  754. >She simply keeps walking, adding to your steadily growing ire
  755. >Following after, you do your best to bark obscenities at her
  756. >All that comes out is a series of squeaks
  757. >Dear Lord, you sound like a chew toy
  758. >Shutterbug giggles, her smile taking on a bit more authenticity as she does
  759. >"You're far more tolerable this way. Perhaps all foals should be like this?" Shutterbug mused
  760. >You let out a growling squeak
  761. >Deciding to up the ante, you dart in and out of Shutterbug's moving legs, squeaking all the while
  762. >Several times you cause Shutterbug to nearly trip over you, forcing her to take hasty, awkward steps to avoid stepping on you
  763. >"Wha-No, don't-Anon! Sto-by the-brat!" Shutterbug tumbles over her words
  764. >A few more moments of this before you feel her, now familiar, cold magic grab ahold of your scruff and lift you to her glaring eyeline
  765. >"Stop that!" Shutterbug whispers harshly, "You're making a scene..."
  766. >Shutterbug's eyes dart around, searching for potential onlookers
  767. >You're levitated up and over her head, Shutterbug hesitating a beat before groaning and dropping you onto her back facing her tail
  768. >"Now behave yourself. We're almost to the house."
  769. >Shutterbug resumes trotting her way home
  770. >Your snout scrunches as you glare at Shutterbug's bouncing tail
  771. >Your eyes follow it down to her flanks
  772. >Desperate times call for desperate measures
  773. >"Stay still, Anon." Shutterbug orders as you scoot closer to her dock
  774. >"Dropping you in public is the laAAAAHH!"
  775. >Shutterbug's shrieking and bucking tosses you off of her, the sudden airtime forcing you to release your teeth from Shutterbug's flank and land roughly on the road, the impact between the dirt and your back enough to knock the wind out of your little body
  776. >Before you have a chance to roll over and catch your breath, Shutterbug's face is a hairsbreadth from yours
  777. >Shutterbug's panting is rough and growly, her teeth bared and grinding
  778. >Her eyes are crazed, the green of her irises deeper than before and her pupils are now unsettling ovals
  779. >"That is it!" Shutterbug spits
  780. >"I have had it with your incessant...with you!"
  781.  
  782. A. Try to call for help
  783. B. Boop
  784. C. Smooch
  785. D. Start sobbing
  786. E. Piss yourself in fear
  787.  
  788.  
  789.  
  790. >"I'm going tear you apart piece by piece!" Shutterbug growled
  791. >"Once I'm through with you, nopon-"
  792. "MMMMMWAH!"
  793. >You cut Shutterbug off by planting the strongest, sloppiest kiss you possibly can on her snout
  794. >Pulling back, you can see that Shutterbug is stunned, staring at you with one eye twitching
  795. >You also notice that her eyes are back to their usual selves now
  796. >As you stare back, you realize you have feeling in your throat once more and say the first words that come to mind
  797. "You taste lovely, by the way. Like a chicken nugget."
  798. >Shutterbug stares for a moment more, and you think you can hear that weird clicking sound again, just like this morning
  799. >Shutterbug silently pulls her head away, her gaze rising to look off into the distance
  800. >She softly shakes her head as she turns in the direction of your house and slowly walks off
  801. >You scramble to your feet and run to catch up
  802. >At her side once more, you can see that Shutterbug is still staring forward as you walk in silence
  803. >Soon enough, you've reached your home
  804. >Shutterbug magics the door open, letting you trot in and drop your saddlebags by the door before you rush to the kitchen
  805. >Empty, save for a few more empty bottles of wine than usual
  806. "Where's Berry?"
  807. >You hear the front door close and the deadbolt lock
  808. >"Passed out. She won't be waking for some time." You hear Shutterbug answer from the front of the house
  809. >You step over to the fridge, pulling it open to look inside
  810. >As you're perusing the perishables, your ears swivel around to focus on the slow sound of hoofsteps making their way into the kitchen
  811. >The steps stop and everything is silent before Shutterbug speaks up a hushed voice
  812. >"...You're not a pony..."
  813. >Your head spins around to look at Shutterbug
  814. >Her brow is furrowed up in confusion, her eyes meticulously examine your person, and her lips are twisted into a suspicious scowl
  815. "Wh-what?" You ask without a second's thought
  816. >"You're not a pony, are you, Anonymous?"
  817.  
  818. A. Play dumb
  819. B. "How'd you know?"
  820. C. "L-let me explain..." (Confess everything)
  821. D. "L-let me explain..." (Lie your tail off)
  822.  
  823.  
  824. E. "Neither are you."
  825.  
  826. >You're not a pony...
  827. >Shutterbug's words echo in your mind as you slowly shut the refrigerator door
  828. >How could she...
  829. >Unless...?
  830. >Your brow furrows as you give Shutterbug a once-over
  831. >A thin smirk stretches across your face
  832. "Neither are you." You state, your voice oozing with smugness
  833. >Shutterbug narrows her eyes and starts taking measured steps towards you
  834. >"You seem rather confident in making such an...accusation."
  835. >Shutterbug's lips twist even further, her glare sharpening even further
  836. >If looks could kill, you're certain you'd be roadkill by now
  837. >You'd never seen so much disgust and vitriol on a pony's face before, but you held firm
  838. "Really? You don't." You tease
  839. >Your smug demeanor only slightly wavers as Shutterbug stops within a leg's reach from you
  840. >"Confidence in superstitions is what one would call paranoia, little filly."
  841. "You think I'm just superstitious? Why's that, Shutterbug? If that's even your real name."
  842. >Shutterbug leaned in close, bringing her lips close enough to your ear to graze its edge as she hissed a hushed whisper that raised your hackles
  843. >"Because you cannot prove it, Anonymous."
  844. >Shutterbug pulled her head away, revealing her newly planted grin.
  845. >"If that's even your real name." She repeated, having seemingly stolen your earlier smugness for herself
  846. >Your face fell as it sunk in
  847. >She was right
  848. >You really didn't have anything to back up your words
  849. >It was nothing more than a hunch, foal's imagination really
  850. >Shutterbug chuckles darkly to herself as her horn buzzes to life, pulling the fridge open again and levitating something over to the table before shutting the door
  851. >Shutterbug lifts a hoof to her muzzle, performing an exaggerated yawn
  852. >"Dinner is served, filly. Be mindful not to bother me for the rest of the night."
  853. >Shutterbug walks off down the hall, leaving you alone in the dimly lit kitchen
  854.  
  855. A. Eat dinner
  856. B. Go straight to bed
  857. C. Explore the pantry
  858. D. Wake up Berry
  859.  
  860.  
  861.  
  862. >You trot over to the kitchen table and climb halfway onto a chair to take a look at what Shutterbug took out of the fridge
  863. >Your muzzle scrunches at seeing the untouched plate of eggs from this morning
  864. >You avert your gaze, lest your tongue recalls the experience
  865. >Your attention lands on the pantry doorway, open and inviting
  866. >Deciding to take your chances, you trot over
  867. >You have to jump a few times before you're able to flick the lightswitch on, the incandescent bulb casting a warm glow on the plethora of foodstuffs
  868. >Shelves filled with cans, boxes, and bags of all sorts, along with a couple of crates of fruits and vegetables
  869. >Your eyes meander through the multitude of munchies, and you wonder what you might be able to whip up for a meal
  870. >Though, that train of thought stops in its tracks when you notice some peculiar products
  871. >There, on a shelf that was roughly twice your height, sat a mildly concerning amount of alcohol
  872. >Boxed wine, bottled wine, champagne, spiced rum, cider, and probably even more that were too far back to see
  873. >You smack your lips, your throat suddenly feeling especially parched
  874. >You swiftly push a crate of turnips over to the shelf and clamber atop it
  875. >The tubers make for a rough platform, but you manage not to lose your balance
  876. >Once more studying the shelf of spirits, your mind races at the possibilities
  877. >Eventually, you land on taking one of the dozen or so bottles of wine
  878. >There was a good chance Berry wouldn't notice one of those go missing
  879. >Having to keep all four hooves planted for balance, you carefully lean over and grip the neck of the closest bottle with your teeth
  880. >It takes all the strength in your tiny filly being to lift the wine with only your neck
  881. >You start pulling it back, and your breathing quickens as your muscles start shivering from the exertion
  882. >Your legs twitch, your strained neck feels like it's on fire, and you're taking quick, shallow breaths
  883. >Suddenly, a turnip shifts
  884. >First one, then all four of your legs fall out from beneath you, sending both you and the bottle tumbling to the floor
  885. >After a split second of chaos, everything is still once more
  886. >You groan as you lift yourself back onto all fours
  887. >Surveying the scene, you cringe at the sight
  888. >Wine and glass blanket the floor, the remaining half of the bottle lying next to you
  889. >Looking at yourself, you grimace further at your now sticky, wet fur.
  890. >You smell even more like wine than Berry
  891. >You glance over at the half-broken bottle and you notice it still has about a fifth left inside
  892. >There's probably glass dust floating inside there
  893. >You know you shouldn't
  894.  
  895. >Those are the sorts of passing thoughts you think as you lift the bottle as high as you can and let a splash of blood-red liquid fall into your gaping maw
  896. >You nearly drop it again as your muzzle instinctively scrunches more than it ever has before
  897. >The burning bitterness of the pinot sparks a foggy feeling in your mind, like a distant cousin of deja vu
  898. >Powering through the urge to gag, you force the swig of wine down your throat
  899. >As soon as you do, a deep warmth spreads through your chest, and a hot shiver up your spine
  900. >You shake your head, already feeling the alcohol's effects creep into your brain
  901. >As soon as the experience starts to fade, you lift the bottle for another drink
  902. >Soon enough, you've downed most of the remaining wine
  903. >Your head sways, your vision struggles to focus, and you can't even try to wipe the grin off your face
  904. >A yawn tumbles from your mouth and you realize just how tired you are
  905. >You sway from side to side as you stand back up, your legs feeling light as a feather
  906. >Slowly - and very unsteadily - you stumble out of the pantry and start shuffling your way down the hall
  907. >Halfway to your room, you trip and barely catch yourself before you faceplant
  908. >Raising your head back up lets you see that you've coincidentally stopped right next to Shutterbug's door
  909. >That same red glow bled from beneath her door
  910. >As your bleary eyes examined the door, you couldn't stop the frown forming on your face
  911. >Shutterbug knows you're not a pony
  912. >Shutterbug stole your voice
  913. >Shutterbug made you shitty eggs!
  914. >You stomp up to Shutterbug's door, rear back your head, and-
  915. >*THMP*
  916. >-headbutt the door as hard as you can!
  917. >You pull back again
  918. >*THMP*
  919. >And again!
  920. >*THMP*
  921. >Three headbutts!
  922. >That oughta teach that...that...
  923. >...what is she anyway?
  924. >You hum to yourself in thought, the hum continuing as you stagger your way to your room
  925. >Diving into bed, you wrap yourself in your blanket like a little filly burrito, your humming growing content and quieter
  926. >Before you even notice, you slip off into sleep
  927.  
  928. -=-=-=-
  929.  
  930. >You feel a bottle slip from one hand as your other runs its thumb across the ridges of your keys
  931. >You blink
  932. >You're pulling open the driver-side door, sheets of rain pouring down
  933. >You blink
  934. >You're sat inside your car, staring at a house
  935. >You're focusing on the lights and shadows in one of the second-story windows
  936.  
  937. -=-=-=-
  938.  
  939. >The waking world makes itself known by driving a railroad spike through your skull
  940. >Your hooves sluggishly move to grip your head in anguish
  941. >You find that your brain is not, in fact, being buttfucked by an eggbeater
  942. >It just feels like it
  943. >You slowly open your eyelids, squeezing them shut when the blinding sunlight pierces them
  944. >You keep them shut and wriggle your way out of bed, the sheets and blankets sticking to your matted fur as you do
  945. >Somehow you make your way down the hall and to the kitchen
  946.  
  947. >At the stove, Berry Punch is stirring a saucepan of some steaming something
  948. >Berry pipes up when she hears your heavy hoofsteps
  949. >"Heya, Kid. How'd you sleee.."
  950. >Her words trail off as she looks over at you, her slightly buzzed demeanor giving way to shameful disappointment
  951. >Her eyes dart to the pantry before landing back on you
  952. >"A-Anon, Kid. You, uh...Anything you wanna say?"
  953.  
  954. A. "I got drunk."
  955. B. "No."
  956. C. "You're up early."
  957. D. "What's for breakfast?"
  958. E. "Shutterbug did it."
  959.  
  960.  
  961.  
  962. "I..."
  963. >You cast your gaze downwards, unable to look Berry in the eye
  964. "...I got drunk."
  965. >You can hear Berry's breathing hitch
  966. >You're both quiet for a minute, the only sound in the kitchen being the sound of the ticking clock
  967. >"...You can't go to school looking like that. Go clean yourself up. "
  968. >You'd expected scolding, or yelling even, but instead, Berry's voice was quieted with disappointment and shame
  969. >It made you shrink into yourself some, but you nodded and shuffled away to the restroom
  970.  
  971. -=-
  972.  
  973. >Once you'd washed up, you found Berry Punch patiently standing beside the front door
  974. >She's wearing sunglasses; they're large enough and dark enough to hide her eyes completely
  975. >"We're gonna be late, come on."
  976. >You trot over and pull on your saddlebags
  977. >Berry opens the door for you and follows you out, shutting the front door behind her
  978. >A dull gray blanket hides the usual bright blue sky, the sun no more than a bright spot in the clouds
  979. >The outside air is heavy and thick
  980. >The both of you walk in silence for some time
  981. >You occasionally glance over at Berry Punch
  982. >Berry's face is stiff, her usual tipsy grin replaced with a terse line
  983. >The tension of the moment is getting to you
  984.  
  985. A. "...Sorry."
  986. B. "Are you mad at me?"
  987. C. Stay silent all the way to school
  988. D. "Am I in trouble?"
  989.  
  990.  
  991.  
  992. >The tension is too much to bear
  993. "...Sorry." you squeak out, your voice strangled by anxiety and regret
  994. >Berry keeps moving forward, her face stoic, as if she hadn't heard you at all
  995. >You hang your head low and stare at the ground the rest of the way to school
  996. >Berry opens the schoolhouse door and you see that you're later than you think
  997. >Nearly every seat is already taken
  998. >"O-oh, good morning, Anon. Miss Berry Punch." Cheerilee greets from the chalkboard, clearly caught off guard by your arrival
  999. >Berry gave your behind a nudge in the direction of the sea of desks before she stepped over to Cheerilee and began speaking with her in a tone too quiet to hear
  1000. >You look away from their aside and try to decide where to sit
  1001.  
  1002. A. Next to a chubby blue unicorn colt
  1003. B. Next to a pink filly with a droopy pink mane
  1004. C. Spare desk in the corner
  1005.  
  1006.  
  1007.  
  1008. >You shuffle over to the nearest desk available, right next to a pink filly with a droopy pink mane
  1009. >Closer now, you notice her hair seems more like a single, runny glob instead of individual strands
  1010. >And she reeks of bubblegum
  1011. >She watches from behind her mane as you settle into your seat
  1012. >You glance at Berry Punch
  1013. >She's still talking with Miss Cheerilee
  1014. >Maybe acting like a normal filly would help your situation
  1015. "Hey, I'm Anon." You introduce yourself to the pink filly
  1016. >The filly shies away further behind her mane, leaning away from you some
  1017.  
  1018. A. "What's your name?"
  1019. B. "Fucking bitch."
  1020. C. End the interaction
  1021. D. Stare at her expectantly
  1022.  
  1023.  
  1024.  
  1025. >You stare at the light pink filly expectantly
  1026. >You try to put on a friendly face as you do, your mouth switching between a thin line and an open smile a few times
  1027. >The two of you continue silently looking at one another
  1028. >Your ears swivel towards the schoolhouse door as you hear somepony step out
  1029. >A few more awkward moments pass before the filly forces herself to warily break the silence
  1030. >"I-I'm...Bubblegum Brush," She mutters
  1031. "Well, hi, Bubblegum Brush. I'm Anon."
  1032. >You put out a hoof to...shake?
  1033. >Can you shake hooves?
  1034. >"...You already said that." Bubblegum Brush responds as she gives you a cautious hoofbump
  1035. "Oh, right. Uh..."
  1036.  
  1037. A. "...My name's Anon."
  1038. B. "Do you wanna be friends?"
  1039. C. "Why's your hair all gross?"
  1040. D. "I'm still pretty new. What's fun to do in Ponyville?"
  1041.  
  1042.  
  1043.  
  1044. >As your mind races to think of how to respond, your mouth moves on its own
  1045. "...My name's Anon."
  1046. >Bubblegum Brush looks at you uncomfortably
  1047. >"Y-yeah...got it..."
  1048. >Bubblegum Brush averts her eyes, clearly looking for an out of this situation
  1049. >Quick, do something!
  1050. "A-and I'm the new pony in town!"
  1051. >Bubblegum Brush flinched from your sudden volume, making you wince in regret
  1052. >Your hoof flies for her shoulder in an attempt to hurriedly save the conversation
  1053. >Expecting a firm yet fluffy shoulder, your hoof instead meets a warm, squishy something and Bubblegum Brush lets out a gasp
  1054. >Looking at said hoof, you see it sinking into the semi-solid mass that is Bubblegum's mane
  1055. "What the..."
  1056. >Bubblegum directs a thousand-yard stare at your hoof in her mane, jaw hanging open in abject horror
  1057. >"Anon!"
  1058. >You whip your head around to see Miss Cheerilee giving you that upset glare teachers are so accustomed to giving
  1059. >"What are you doing?"
  1060. >It feels as if time stops as you think of an answer
  1061.  
  1062. A. "It's not what it looks like!"
  1063. B. "She's a freak!"
  1064. C. "Rape."
  1065. D. Stunned silence
  1066.  
  1067.  
  1068.  
  1069. >Time stops, and so do your thoughts
  1070. >You stare as an upset Cheerilee makes her way over to the two of you
  1071. >As she approaches, you hear Bubblegum Brush start to hyperventilate
  1072. >"Anon, what are you-"
  1073. >"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!"
  1074. >Cheerilee is cut off as an ear-piercing shriek emits from Bubblegum Brush, causing everypony in the room to cover their ears
  1075. >Everyone, save for you
  1076. >One of your hooves covers an ear but your other hoof is still stuck in Bubblegum's mane
  1077. >Your other ear, the one closest to the filly doing a banshee impression, is only able to flatten itself against your skull, but it's no use
  1078. >You can feel your eardrum on the verge of bursting when Bubblegum's cry finally starts to quiet down
  1079. >"-AAAAAAAaaaaahh-sh-" Bubblegum takes a shuddering inhale and points a hoof at you, "-sh-sh-she touched my m-mane!"
  1080. >"Bubblegum Brush, we've been over this..." Cheerilee groaned as she took a quick visual survey of the state of every other foal in the classroom
  1081. >"You can't scream every time something touches your mane..." Cheerilee reached over and gently removed your limb from the blubbering filly's mane with a sticky *SCHLOOP*
  1082. >As soon as your hoof is free, you rub your assaulted ear, trying to ease the pain
  1083. >You're pretty sure you've lost some hearing from that little stunt
  1084. >You watch as Cheerilee places a leg around Bubblegum's withers and leads her away into her office
  1085. >Once they've disappeared behind the wooden door, you turn your head to catch the rest of the class's reaction
  1086. >Most of your classmates are talking among themselves, with a few giving you sidelong glances
  1087. >Looking over to Sweetie Belle and her friends, you see Sweetie shooting you a look you can't read
  1088. >"Hey."
  1089. >Turning to the voice, you're met with a pink filly with purple pigtails
  1090. >The same one who destroyed the dodgeball during lunch the other day
  1091. >"S-sorry. About BB."
  1092. >She gives you an apologetic smile
  1093.  
  1094. A. "What are you talking about?"
  1095. B. "Who the hell are you?"
  1096. C. "Huh? I can't hear you."
  1097. D. Ignore her
  1098.  
  1099.  
  1100.  
  1101. "Huh? Wait, I can't hear you."
  1102. >You pull your messied hoof away from your ear
  1103. >You feel stray bits of something stick in your fur as you do
  1104. "What are you talking about, did I mess up? Are manes a no-no square?"
  1105. >A brief giggle escapes the filly and she makes a so-so gesture
  1106. >"Well, BB's just kinda...special, about her mane. Cause o' that."
  1107. >The filly points at your hoof
  1108. >A glance and you see globs of pink with green hairs sticking out of them stuck all over the end of your hoof
  1109. >You cringe slightly at the sight and turn your attention back to the filly seated behind you
  1110.  
  1111. A. "And how do you know that?"
  1112. B. "Why is her mane...sticky?"
  1113. C. "I didn't catch your name."
  1114. D. Lick hoof clean
  1115.  
  1116.  
  1117.  
  1118. >You can't help but look at your hoof again
  1119. >An absentminded sniff tells you the pink globs positively reek of bubblegum
  1120. >Your lips smack and you bring your hoof up
  1121. >Your tongue darts out to taste it
  1122. >Bubblegum
  1123. >Licking a bit off your hoof, you're shocked to find that it chews the same as gum, though much stringier
  1124. >You keep licking and chewing until your mouth is half-full and your hoof clean
  1125. >A resounding *SMACK* *SMACK* as you eagerly chew the sweet, flavorful gob
  1126. >Looking back up at the filly, her smile has been swapped out for a thin line
  1127. "What?"
  1128. >"N-nothing..." The filly's gaze falls to her twiddling hooves
  1129. "Hey, *SMACK* how come *SMACK* her mane's all *SMACK* sticky?"
  1130. >The filly's ears flinch with each smack of the stringy bubblegum
  1131. >"Umm-"
  1132. >*SMACK*
  1133. >"BB has a cond-"
  1134. >*SMACK*
  1135. >"A medical condi-"
  1136. >*SMACK*
  1137. >"STOP THAT!" The filly yells as she throws her hooves in the air
  1138. >They swing down with frustrated might and her desk gives way, smashed in two right in front of you
  1139. >The chittering of the classroom from before falls silent
  1140. >The two of you stare at the destroyed desk, you in awe and her in shame
  1141. >Your ear swivels towards the sound of Silver Spoon and her friend snickering, along with a few other foals
  1142. >Your gaze rises from the mangled piece of schoolhouse furniture
  1143. >The filly is covering her face in shame
  1144. >You try to think of something to say
  1145.  
  1146. A. "You're a fucking freak."
  1147. B. "That was pretty hot."
  1148. C. "Um, that just happened!"
  1149. D. Remain silent
  1150.  
  1151.  
  1152.  
  1153. >You gawk at the filly for a few moments before blurting out
  1154. "That was pretty hot."
  1155. >"Hmm?..." The filly mumbles peeking out from behind her hooves
  1156. "Can you do that again?" You ask, slightly leaning in as your eyes grow a hair wider
  1157. >The filly slowly lowers her hooves, her face screwed up in scrutiny
  1158. >"You...*want* me to break something?"
  1159. >A second's hesitation and you nod
  1160. >She doesn't respond, instead staring at you like you're mad
  1161. >Her mouth opens to speak but an exasperated groan from the front of the class cuts her off
  1162. >Turning around, you see that Cheerilee's just stepped out of her office
  1163. >Her disappointment is laser-focused on the broken desk
  1164. >"Lily..."
  1165. >The filly you'd been trying to come onto - Lily, apparently - let out a pathetic whine as she hopped to the floor
  1166. >Lily, head hung low and tail between her legs, dragged her hooves into Cheerilee's office, soon followed by the schoolteacher
  1167. >A handful - erm, you guess hoofful now - of minutes later, Cheerilee exits once more
  1168. >Before the poor mare can even sit down, a *RIIIIING* sounds out, and all the foals rush to the schoolyard
  1169. >Following their lead, you flip open your saddlebags and...
  1170. >There's no lunch bag
  1171. >Checking the other side shows the same
  1172. >Why don't you have a lunch today?
  1173. >Maybe...
  1174.  
  1175. A. Berry just forgot to, thanks to your drunkscapades.
  1176. B. You're practically an adult. You should've packed it yourself.
  1177. C. Berry doesn't want you getting fat. Nobody likes you if you're fat.
  1178. D. This is Shutterbug's fault. Somehow.
  1179.  
  1180.  
  1181.  
  1182. >Well, maybe Berry just...forgot?
  1183. >Yeah, that's it!
  1184. >Berry just forgot to pack you a lunch.
  1185. >Although...
  1186. >Berry has been pretty good to you
  1187. >It's weird that she'd forget something like feeding the very foal she took in
  1188. >Unless...
  1189. >Her.
  1190. >This must be HER doing!
  1191. >Somehow, someway, Shutterbug is responsible
  1192. >Berry must've given her a talking to after Shutterbug let you get drunk
  1193. >And Shutterbug took her frustrations out on your hungry little filly belly
  1194. >The monster
  1195. >As you close up your saddlebags and head to the schoolyard, you vow to repay Shutterbug for her iniquity
  1196. >Looking around, your mind can't help but return to the thought of food
  1197. >What are you going to do without lunch?
  1198.  
  1199. A. There's plenty of grass. Horses eat grass.
  1200. B. Maybe one of your classmates would share some food with you. Go ask the Crusaders.
  1201. C. If that filly's mane was bubblegum, maybe other manes are other foods?
  1202. D. Lunch is for pussies. Real men don't eat for days on end.

RGRE Pegasus Herd [1]

by KodiaKowboy

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