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Shiny and Corona Part 1, by SomeWriteFag

By SlavePonyGeneral
Created: 2021-01-05 21:52:38
Expiry: Never
anonshining armorocsadromancensfw/spg/drama

  1. [Copied from https://pastebin.com/HLGkgQgY]
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  3. ===========================================================================
  4. The official Shiny and Corona Pastebin has been deleted. Long live the King!
  5.  
  6. This pastebin contains most of the story, up to the last few updates.
  7. ===========================================================================
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  10. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  11. ***5/30/18***
  12. New Trip: !!tRkPoNNs+V2
  13. Story continues.
  14. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  15. >none of the ponies lined up for auction really stuck out to you
  16. >they all just sit there with the same bored, disinterested looks on their faces
  17. >sighing or rolling their eyes at you as you walked by their stalls
  18. >a few show the slightest hint of fear, this being their first sale
  19. >you stick your hands in your pockets and continue walking, not looking at any one pony for too long
  20. >you stop suddenly as you come to the end of the aisle
  21. >waving your hand to one of the staff, you beckon them over
  22. "Hey, can you open this one's stall?"
  23. >you're let in to get a closer look at the miserable stallion before you
  24. >the filth in his coat is so thick you can barely even tell it's white
  25. >his matted, tangled, dirty mane different hues of dull blue, months of neglect taking their toll on any vibrance the color may have once had
  26. >his ribs and hips stick out, his skin stretched over his bony frame almost painfully
  27. >his back and rump have some scarring, this pony clearly has taken more than his fair share of lashes since his initial capture
  28. >he stares at the ground unflinchingly, his eyes lifeless, not betraying a single hint of emotion
  29. >he doesn't even notice when you open the door and enter the stall with him
  30. >his ears are flat against his head
  31. >there's a huge pile of hay in the corner of his stall but he doesn't appear to have touched any of it
  32. "Jesus..." you say as you cautiously approach the pony and place a hand on his withers, which come about to your belly button, "What happened to this poor fella?"
  33.  
  34. >"He's a repo. Owner was convicted of neglect and abuse, got thirty days in jail. Honestly he's probably not gonna do too well in the auction. You interested in him?"
  35. >You hesitate for a few moments, the stallion still ignoring you completely, not even bothering to resist you or ask you for help, to take him away or leave him be
  36. >the pitiful creature's sheer hopelessness tugs at your heartstrings in such a way that it doesn't take long for you to realize you're not leaving without him
  37. >you sort of wanted to bring home a mare, but you don't really care that much about his gender
  38. >he's a good sized unicorn, so he'll be able to do the work you want easily enough
  39. >after probably a month or two of rehabilitation, of course
  40. "What's his starting bid?"
  41. >"They were gonna start at twenty five and go from there."
  42. "Twenty five hundred?"
  43. >"Twenty five dollars."
  44. "Are you shitting me right now?"
  45. >"Nope."
  46. "Does he have a reserve price on him?"
  47. >"He doesn't."
  48. >You slowly run your hand over the stallion's back, very clearly able to feel each rib and vertebra, careful not to apply too much pressure for fear the bones will poke right through the skin
  49. "You know, with such a low starting price just about anyone could afford to buy him... he might end up in the hands of someone even worse than his former master..."
  50. >the man shrugs
  51. >"Not really my problem."
  52. >you sigh, annoyed by his indifference
  53. >sure they're slaves, but they're still living creatures that deserve more consideration than that
  54. "I'll give you a hundred bucks cash for him, right now."
  55. >"I would have let him go for fifty, but okay," he shrugs, "a hundred it is."
  56. >the stallion very slowly lifts his head to look at you as you pull the bill from your wallet and place it in the man's hand
  57. >"Just need to make a copy of your driver's license for our records, too, and he's all yours."
  58. >you hand your license over as well, before turning back to the stallion while he goes to make a copy
  59.  
  60. "Hey there, buddy, don't worry..." you say as gently as you can, placing a hand under his chin, "I'm not gonna hurt ya. Can you tell me your name?"
  61. >his gaze slowly returns to the floor, and he lets out a forlorn sigh, not bothering to reply
  62. >you brush a few strands of filthy, greasy, knotted mane out of his eyes and gently stroke his muzzle, causing him to tremble ever so slightly
  63. "Shhh, shhh... easy boy... you're gonna be okay..."
  64. >the man returns moments later with a receipt and registration papers, handing them over to you along with your license, reaching for a halter and lead rope hanging on the stall door
  65. "Shining Armor," you say, looking over everything, eventually taking the halter and carefully securing it around the pony's head before snapping the lead rope to it
  66. >you give it a slight tug and urge the pony to follow you out of the stall
  67. >his head continues to droop, dead weight against the lead rope even as he complies and follows you
  68. "Come on, let's get you home..."
  69. >he spends the hour long ride home sprawled out in the back seat of your car, resting his head on his forehooves and barely making a sound
  70. >you occasionally look into the back seat to check on him
  71.  
  72. >you unconsciously hold your breath each time you look at him, not releasing it until you see his chest rise and fall a couple times, making sure he's still with you
  73. >in his shape you wouldn't be shocked if he didn't survive the trip
  74. >when you arrive home, you lead him into the house, wasting no time seeing to his needs
  75. >you offer him some fresh alfalfa hay, and some assorted fruits and veggies, but he simply turns his head away with a sigh, not wanting to eat
  76. "Please eat for me..." you urge him in the same, soothing voice you've spoken to him with since you first saw him, "I can't imagine what you've been through but I really need you to eat something for me, okay?
  77. >you pick up a handful of hay and bring it to his muzzle
  78. >eventually his lips twitch ever so slightly, and his eyes give your face a cursory glance, before he takes the bite of hay into his mouth
  79. "That's it, Shining, good boy," you say, taking another fistful of hay and offering it to him
  80. >each time you try to get him to eat the rest of it on his own, he seems reluctant, so you end up having to feed the rest of his hay to him like this until it's all gone
  81. >he doesn't seem at all interested in the fruits and veggies, save for taking a few bites of the apple you offer him before refusing any more
  82. "Thank you, Shining. Good boy, good boy..." you say, petting his neck softly, making your entire demeanor as nonthreatening as possible
  83.  
  84. "I really don't think you need this on anymore," you say, unclipping the halter and removing it from his head. You let your hand rest behind his right ear and gently rub it.
  85. "Listen Shiny - do you mind if I call you Shiny?"
  86. >He doesn't respond
  87. "Shiny, your life is going to get better from here on out, I promise you. You'll be safe here, okay?"
  88. >He sighs, still not looking at you
  89. >you remove your hand and start to head toward the bathroom
  90. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up - you look like you haven't had a bath in ages. Would you like that?"
  91. >he glances at you for a moment, giving a gentle swish of his tail, before his gaze returns to the floor and he takes a few steps toward you, beginning to follow you into the bathroom
  92. >you plug the drain and begin to run some water in the bath tub, constantly checking the temperature of the running water with the back of your hand and adjusting as necessary, to make it nice and warm, enough to be relaxing but not so much it'll overwhelm him
  93. >he stands there, simply staring at the water as you retrieve various brushes, soaps, shampoos and cleansers from different drawers under the sink, as well as a pair of scissors
  94. "I'm sorry boy, but I really don't think that mane is going to be salvageable. I don't want to hurt you trying to tug and yank on it to get all the knots and tangles out, so I'm going to cut it short - is that okay?"
  95. >he hesitates for several moments, not moving at all
  96. >"You're the master," he mutters under his breath
  97. >you're slightly startled when he speaks, that's the first thing you've ever heard him say
  98. >you close the toilet lid and sit on top of it, spreading your legs slightly
  99.  
  100. >you motion for him to sit in front of you, and he complies, backing his rump up between your legs and dropping to his haunches, sitting up nice and tall to give you easy access to his mane
  101. >you take the scissors in your hand, sliding them up the base of his mane at the bottom of his neck and working your way up in silence
  102. >the only sound in the room for the next several minutes is the snipping of scissors, as lock after lock of filthy, tangled mane falls to the bathroom floor around him
  103. "There we go," you say with one final snip, running your hand all the way up his neck over the somewhat irregular mohawk he's now sporting
  104. >you rub and pat his side reassuringly
  105. "Hey, that's not such a bad look for you, ya know? Besides, it'll grow back eventually, try not to miss it too much okay?"
  106. >he nods and gives his head a gentle shake, a few more stray bits of mane falling off onto the floor
  107. >"I'm sorry, Master," he mutters
  108. "What? Why?"
  109. >"For getting the floor all dirty."
  110. >you look around at the filth beginning to accumulate on the floor from the combination of mane hair and the dirt and grime that's rubbed onto the tiles from his hooves and rump as he sat down for you
  111. "Shhh, you don't have to apologize for that. I'd rather see that stuff on the floor than all over your body. Speaking of which, why don't you go ahead and hop into the tub so we can start your bath, hmm? Wouldn't want the water to cool down too much."
  112. >he slowly climbs into the bathtub, but needs a little help from you to get his hind legs over the side
  113. >the water is only a few inches deep, you don't want to take a chance on him collapsing in there and you not being able to lift his head out of the water
  114. >he lays down in the water, his body taking up most of the space in the tub, and you grab a cup, scooping up water from beside him and gently pouring it over his back and neck
  115.  
  116. >You run his tail through your fingers a bit, examining it, it's tangled but nowhere near as bad as his mane was
  117. "Hey, at least I think we can save your tail, big guy."
  118. >you let his tail drop back into the water and reach for a bottle of shampoo
  119. >you squeeze out a long line of it from the base of his mane all the way down his back to his croup, taking a soft sponge and slowly beginning to work it into his coat
  120. >the water is already dark with grime, the soapy suds being worked up all over his body not staying white for more than a second or two
  121. >he closes his eyes and his lower jaw starts to tremble, his ears laying flat
  122. >you begin to wonder if you're rubbing him with the sponge too hard, until he lets out a soft nicker indicating he enjoys the sensation
  123. >a mile-wide grin creeps over your face at the sound, as you notice the tension in his body slowly start to ease up as well
  124. "You like that, boy?"
  125. >he doesn't reply, but you already know the answer to that anyway
  126. >you continue working the sponge over his back, up the sides of his neck, before reaching for the bottle of shampoo again, squeezing out a big gob into the palm of your hand
  127. >you run it over what's left of his mane, eventually bringing both hands to his neck and digging your fingers in, working them in a massaging motion into the base of his mane, scrubbing as hard as you can with your fingernails while still being gentle
  128. >he lets out a soft gasp and another nicker
  129. >that must feel really nice
  130. >when you eventually reach the top of his head and most of his neck and back are covered with a filthy lather, you scoop up some more water, sheilding his eyes and pouring it over the top of his head, working your way down his neck and back to rinse him off
  131.  
  132. >you pull the plug from the drain, allowing the dirty water to run away before turning the faucet back on, cupping fresh water over his head, neck, and back to give him a thorough rinse, before plugging the drain and allowing the tub to fill back up to its previous level
  133. >you have him stand up in the tub, repeating this three more times, including his belly and the insides and outsides of his legs as well as his tail this time
  134. >it's not until the fifth change of bath water that the water you run over his body comes off clear
  135. >he continues emitting the occassional quiet sigh or nicker, though he still doesn't say anything as you groom him
  136. >eventually you pat his head before putting on a pair of rubber gloves
  137. "I'm gonna clean you 'down there' now, okay? Your bottom and your stud parts need a good scrub too, I just wanted to let you know what I'm about to do so you were prepared and don't get too uncomfortable. If you can drop from your sheath that'll help me clean you better, but if you're too anxious for that to happen it's okay, we can come back to that some other time. I'll try to make it quick."
  138. >you start with his tail, working up a good lather and trying to get some of the bigger tangles out with your fingers, before moving down to his tail dock, reaching for a soapy sponge and gingerly cleaning the underside, working your way down over the inside of his hindquarters, over his privates and sheath, cringing at just how much nastiness has been allowed to accumulate on this part of his body as well
  139. >he does manage to relax enough to drop out of his sheath, and you seize the opportunity to clean his stallionhood quickly and gently
  140. >you keep a close eye on his facial expressions, watching for any signs of pain or discomfort, but he's surprisingly serene about it
  141. >you keep to your word, going about your work mechanically and expediently, finishing as quickly as possible before rinsing him off once again
  142.  
  143. >you finish by giving his hooves a good scrub with a very stiff brush before washing his face and muzzle delicately, making sure you've gone over every last millimeter of his body before giving him a final thorough rinse from poll to hoof
  144. >you help him out of the tub, vigorously rubbing him all over with some towels to dry him off
  145. >when he's mostly dry you spritz some detangler into his tail and run a brush through it several times until the hairs are all nicely separated and it takes on a silky smooth appearance, not a single knot or tangle in sight
  146. >you brush his coat with a soft bristled body brush, taking your time to really work a nice sheen into his coat
  147. >his bottom lip dances and quivers, keeping his eyes closed in silence as you brush all over his body, his neck, back, sides, belly
  148. >by the time you're finally finished, the bathroom looks like a mud bomb went off in it, but Shining Armor looks like a brand new stallion
  149. >you hardly recognize him
  150. >his pristine white coat
  151. >his brilliant blue tail and mohawk
  152. >he gives a long, drawn out sigh, the look of relief he has is a welcome sight
  153. >you take great pleasure in the fact that he's already starting to feel a little better
  154. >eventually he looks into your eyes and starts to tear up, struggling to resist the urge to sob
  155. >"Thank you, Master," he says through a strained, creaky voice
  156. >you kneel down and gently put your arms around him, pulling him into a loving hug, which is enough to send him into a sobbing fit as he weakly raises a forehoof and places it around your back, crying loudly into your shoulder
  157.  
  158. "Go on, let it all out..." you say, patting his back, "I'm right he--OOMF"
  159. >he suddenly collapses against you, knocking you off balance as you fall to the floor from your kneeling position onto your rump with an unceremonious thud
  160. >his whole body trembles, rocked by sobs which he doesn't even try to stifle as he squirms around on top of your lap, trying to pull you into a deeper hug
  161. >he's a little too heavy for you to support, his body weight threatening to send you splayed out onto your back at any moment, but you don't have the heart to push him away
  162. >you manage to scoot back some, and lean against a wall for support as he continues to cling to you, your shirt quickly becoming damp with tears and mucus
  163. >he soon cries himself to sleep, his forehooves around your sides, head against your chest, as much of his body resting against yours as will fit
  164. >you're pinned under his weight, there's no way you'll be able to wriggle out from under him
  165. >you hold him in your arms for a half hour or so, stroking his neck and humming to him as he sleeps
  166. "Hey, Shiny," you soon say to him softly with a gentle shake, "you gotta get up buddy, I can't sit here on this dirty floor forever. Let's get you to bed so I can get this mess cleaned up, okay?"
  167. >he murmurs and shudders ever so slightly, his eyes slowly blinking open, wiping his muzzle with the back of a foreleg as he releases his deathgrip on you and backs off
  168. >his eyes are fixed on you instead of looking down at the floor as usual
  169. >"Master? When are you going to put me to work?" he asks hesitantly
  170. "Don't even think about that right now, okay? In your state it's gonna be at least a couple of months before I feel comfortable asking you to help with any chores around this place. You definitely need to put on some weight and build your strength back up, it'd be cruel to expect you to work for me before then."
  171.  
  172. >"What kind of work will I do for you?"
  173. "Shhh" you say, placing a finger over his lips as you stand up, "for now, bed. We can discuss that when the time comes."
  174. >you exit the bathroom and pat your leg, calling him to you
  175. "Come on, Shiny, let's go"
  176. >you see him smile at you - for the first time ever - tears beginning to run down his cheeks once again, as he gives a silent sniffle, wiping them away before following you into your bedroom where you sit down on the foot of your bed
  177. >he hesitates slightly in the doorway
  178. >you pat the bed behind you as you speak to him
  179. "I... uh... you'll get your own room eventually, but I actually just moved into this house, so I don't have any furniture for you quite yet. For now you can sleep on my bed until I can get you your own. I can sleep on the couch."
  180. >he approaches the side of the bed and you pull the blankets back for him as he climbs up onto it, quickly collapsing into the mattress beneath him, resting his head on your pillows
  181. >"My last master made me sleep out in a stall in his barn - in my own... my own..." he shudders. "He never cleaned it. I haven't slept in a bed since... since..."
  182. >you pull the blankets up over him as he wriggles into the mattress some more
  183. "I don't wanna hear any more about your last master, okay? You'll be respected and cared for here, not treated like an animal. I won't make you sleep or go to the bathroom outside or anything like that. My home is your home."
  184.  
  185. "Can I get you anything before I leave you to get some rest? Something to drink or another quick snack? You didn't really eat much earlier."
  186. >he lets out a long, deep yawn as he rolls over and pulls the blankets up around him, snuggling his head into your pillows
  187. >"No, thank you Master," he sleepily replies
  188. >you reach over and give his ear a quick scritch before standing up and walking out of the room, gently closing the door and turning off the light behind yourself
  189. >he's asleep within minutes, and you can hear him snoring from across the hall as you clean up the mess you made with him in the bathroom
  190. >after wiping down the floors and walls in the bathroom and tub, you toss the towels into a laundry basket and take a shower yourself
  191. >you walk into the kitchen in your bath robe and slippers and whip yourself up a light snack, settling into your favorite recliner, leaning it back as you crack open a book and begin reading
  192. >you're not terribly tired, but reading always relaxes you so much it doesn't take long before you're asleep as well
  193.  
  194. >you're awoken a few hours later by a terrible sound
  195. >"PLEASE..." a voice cries out, "please stop! You're hurting me!" followed by frantic cries for help
  196. >you quickly stand up and head down the hallway, flinging you bedroom door open and turning the light on
  197. >you find Shining Armor with the blankets thrown off of himself, damp with sweat but still asleep, thrashing around violently on top of the bed in the throes of a horrible nightmare
  198. >"Master, NO! NO!"
  199. >you close the space between the two of you quickly, sitting on the side of the bed and placing a hand on his side
  200. "Shiny..."
  201. >"NO!!!"
  202. >before you can react you're kicked in the side hard by a pair of hind hooves, before Shining sits up in the bed, breathing rapidly and shaking like a leaf
  203. >you groan as you hit the floor, already feeling the bruises forming on your side
  204. >"N---wha.. huh... m...master?" He says, looking down at you on the floor as you pick yourself back up clutching your side
  205. >he gasps and tucks his tail between his legs
  206. >"Oh no... oh NO... I'm so sorry, Master, I..."
  207. >you can tell he's on the verge of utter panic, so once again you sit on the side of the bed calmly, ignoring the pain in your ribs as you reach toward him cautiously and place a hand on his back
  208. "That must have been a hell of a bad dream."
  209.  
  210. >"I kicked you," he mutters, still trembling
  211. "I'll be fine," you say to him, stroking his neck slowly
  212. >he sighs and looks away from you
  213. "You gonna be okay or you want me to stick around for a while?"
  214. >he thinks about it, hesitating to answer
  215. >"I don't want to be an inconvenience..." his voice trails off
  216. "Do you have nightmares like this often?"
  217. >"Yeah," he sighs, "every night actually. I don't remember the last time I had a good night's sleep."
  218. "That's terrible."
  219. >you continue petting his neck in silence as his trembling slowly subsides, the slight dampness in his coat from his sweating starting to fade away
  220. >eventually he relaxes into your touch, and even leans his neck into your hand
  221. >"I don't know if I'll be able to get back to sleep any time soon," he says just barely above a whisper
  222. >you scoot back a little further on the bed and pat your lap, and he immediately wriggles closer to you, lowering his ears sheepishly and resting his chin and front hooves on your thigh, glancing up at you occassionally, as though he's ready to leap away from you at any moment
  223. "Do you believe me when I tell you I'm not going to hurt you?"
  224. >he shudders as he replies to you
  225. >"I want to believe you, but I've been lied to so many times before."
  226.  
  227. "I understand," you say before another long period of silence
  228. >he's completely calm now, but his eyes are wide open, staring into space
  229. >the quiet is soon too uncomfortable for you and you speak up
  230. "So... Shiny..." you begin, "um... can you tell me a little about yourself? I mean, whatever you're comfortable sharing. I wanna get to know you."
  231. >he tilts his head slightly, looking up at you
  232. >"Why?"
  233. >"Well, I'd like for us to be friends," you state simply
  234. >the look of confusion on his face only intensifies
  235. >"Friends? I'm your slave..."
  236. "That doesn't mean I have to treat you badly or that you have to hate me."
  237. >the slightest hint of disgust starts to show in his expression as he continues to stare off into space
  238. >"Can I ask you a question?"
  239. "Sure, go right ahead."
  240. >"Don't think me unappreciative of what you've done for me so far but... if you were in my position, if you were a slave... would YOU want to be friends with your master?"
  241. >you ponder your response before replying
  242. "I think if I were in your position I'd do anything necessary to make my situation better."
  243. >he backs up out of your lap and sits up on his haunches in the bed, his ears flattening as he glares at you
  244.  
  245. >"What do you mean *anything*?" he snorts
  246. >you cock your head to the side at him in confusion
  247. "What?"
  248. >"Alright Master, just drop this charade already and tell me what you want from me..."
  249. "Shiny," you say in a firm tone "it's no charade. Calm down."
  250. >his tail is tucked firmly between his hind legs and his forelegs are crossed in front of him where he sits
  251. >you reach a hand toward him and he nips at you angrily
  252. "HEY!" you yell loudly, enough that he cringes slightly, but maintains a defiant demeanor even as he begins trembling again
  253. >"Go on then, just hit me like I know you want to. Get it over with."
  254. "Come on... you wouldn't really bite me would you?"
  255. >you boldly reach a hand toward him again
  256. >this time he makes contact, biting your hand hard enough that the teeth marks he leaves behind begin to bleed as a nasty bruise begins to form around them
  257. "WHAT THE FUCK!?" you yell as you stand up, cradling your hand and staring at him half in anger and half in disbelief
  258. >"I'm NOT your friend, I'm your slave. GO ON," he screams, tears beginning to form in his eyes as his voice wavers, "PUNISH ME! BEAT ME! DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, JUST DON'T PRETEND YOU CARE ABOUT ME!"
  259. >"KILL ME!" he lets out in an anguished cry as he collapses onto the bed and hides his eyes with his front hooves, completely losing control "JUST KILL ME!"
  260. >you stare at him with your jaw hanging open, completely dumbfounded
  261.  
  262. "You don't want to die," you state calmly, grabbing a shirt and wrapping it around your hand to stop the bleeding
  263. >"YES I DO! JUST KILL ME!"
  264. >you sit on the bed once more with a stoic look on your face
  265. >he lunges at you, and you catch him in your arms
  266. >you squeeze him tight as he squirms in your grasp, using your good hand to keep his neck and head pushed firmly away from you as he cranes his neck to try and bite you
  267. "Shiny STOP!" you grunt
  268. >even in his emaciated state, he can put up quite a fight and it takes all your strength to keep him in check
  269. >"DO IT!"
  270. "SHINY!"
  271. >"BREAK MY NECK!"
  272. >he flings his head around and manages to snap his jaws around your forearm
  273. >that shit hurts
  274. "OW!! DAMN IT SHINY, STOP THAT!" you grumble, managing to break your arm free of his grasp and hold him at bay once again
  275. >it takes all of your willpower to keep from retaliating, instead focusing your effort on keeping him restrained so he can't bite you again
  276. >"I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE!" his voice cracks into a high-pitched, tortured tone "I WANT TO GO HOME! I WANT MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER BACK! I WANT ALL OF YOU TO JUST DIE!"
  277. >he tries to wriggle backward to escape your grasp, but you lean into him with your full body weight to make it more difficult
  278. >he proves too strong, and eventually breaks free from you, sitting up in the bed once again
  279. >his cheeks are damp with tears, tiny little drops of blood smeared on his muzzle from where he bit you
  280.  
  281. >he shakes uncontrollably, upper lip turned up baring his teeth in a fierce snarl
  282. "Damn it, I'm NOT your enemy here!"
  283. >he doesn't respond
  284. >you reach a hand toward him again
  285. >he looks back and forth rapidly between your face and hand, flinching for a split second, expecting to be slapped across the face
  286. >he looks shocked when you simply rest your hand between his eyes and begin slowly stroking his muzzle
  287. >you let out a breath you didn't even know you were holding, relieved that he doesn't bite you yet again
  288. >"Stop... please..." he mutters weakly, his snarl disappearing as his ears slowly raise from their lowered position
  289. >his eyes close and he repeats his plea
  290. >"Stop..."
  291. >he lets out a long, drawn-out whimper as you continue to pet him
  292. >"I don't want to like you... I don't want to be your friend... Please just hate me like all the rest did..."
  293. "No."
  294. >"I...I'll bite you again..."
  295. "I don't think you will."
  296. >you toss the shirt aside, the bleeding in your injured hand finally having subsided
  297. "That hurt like hell, by the way."
  298. >he slowly lowers himself back down to a laying position as you refuse to take your hand off of him
  299.  
  300. "You wanna tell me what that was all about?"
  301. >he doesn't answer, instead simply shuddering every time you stroke his face
  302. "Shiny, talk to me boy, please?"
  303. >he sighs
  304. >"Please... please go..."
  305. "Not happening, especially not after that little display, sorry."
  306. >he gives an aggravated flick of his tail and slowly raises his head to look into your eyes
  307. >"Why are you doing this?"
  308. "Doing what?"
  309. >"Being nice to me..."
  310. "Because you're hurting."
  311. >"Huh? Those scars on my back are old."
  312. "But the ones on your heart are clearly still fresh."
  313. >you reach up to scratch behind his ear, and he winces seeing the condition of your hand
  314. >"I didn't mean to hurt you, Master."
  315. "Yeah you did, but it's fine," you reassure him. "That's probably been building up for a long time. I'm going to take a wild guess that's the first time you've ever bitten anyone."
  316. >"Yeah... it's just..."
  317. >he hesitates to continue
  318.  
  319. "Just what?"
  320. >"I've always hated collaborators."
  321. "Collaborators?"
  322. >"Ponies that cooperate with humans to save their own hide."
  323. "I'm not sure I understand..."
  324. >"The whip marks on my back," he says, tipping his head toward this back and hindquarters, "not all of them came from my old masters."
  325. >he shakes his head and gives an angry little snort
  326. >"The overseer at the slave camp I was sent to back when I was first captured in Equestria was a pony. A unicorn, like me."
  327. >your eyes go wide in surprise
  328. "You were whipped by another pony?"
  329. >"Yeah," he scoffs. "He even had full control over his magic. He could have freed the whole camp if he wanted to."
  330. "Damn."
  331. >"He wasn't the only one though. As I made my way through the system to my first auction, at every stop along the way there were at least one or two ponies that were more than happy to lend a helping hoof to their captors."
  332. >he grits his teeth
  333. >"Cowards... I swore I'd never be like them."
  334. >he starts to shake with anger
  335. >"Why do I deserve mercy? Why should I sit here and accept your charity when there are still ponies out there, right now, suffering?"
  336. "There's nothing you can do for them, Shiny..."
  337.  
  338. >"I've failed them all. I couldn't keep them safe. I don't deserve to live."
  339. "That's not your fault, you can't blame yourself fo-"
  340. >"And why not? Mas- can I call you something besides Master?"
  341. "Anon is fine when we're alone like this, but you should probably call me Master in public or when I have company over."
  342. >"Fair enough. Anon, I used to be captain of the royal guard. I was a PRINCE. A leader. A leader keeps his subjects safe. A soldier protects the innocent. I couldn't do either. They took me while I slept, for Celestia's sake, I didn't even get to fight!"
  343. >you raise an eyebrow as you continue petting him
  344. "You? A prince?"
  345. >"I don't care if you don't believe me."
  346. "It's not that..."
  347. >"Then what?"
  348. "Just wondering how I, of all people, managed to snag a PRINCE for a measly hundred bucks when even common ponies usually go for a few thousand, minimum."
  349. >"Probably because nobody wanted me. I've never been a good slave, Anon. When you picked me up, heck, that must have been my tenth time at auction. My last master... well, he bought me because he likes to break ponies. He thought I'd be a good challenge for him with my reputation. Everyone before that had surrendered me willingly when they couldn't get me to do what they wanted."
  350. "I see. Hey, give me a minute, I'll be right back okay?"
  351. >the throbbing in your hand becomes too much for you to ignore, and you excuse yourself to fetch an ice pack before returning to your bedroom
  352. >Shining gives you a regretful, sympathetic glance as you sit back down next to him and ice your bruised hand
  353. "You know, this is the most you've talked all day. What made you want to open up all of a sudden?"
  354.  
  355. >"You said you wanted to get to know me. After I bit you and you didn't beat me within an inch of my life, I figure the least I can do is talk to you. What else do you want to know about me?"
  356. >you shrug
  357. "Like I sai-" your words are abruptly cut short by an intense yawn and you stretch for several seconds before continuing, "Like I said, whatever you feel comfortable sharing."
  358. >"I've kept you up for too long... maybe you should get some sleep, Mas--- Anon."
  359. "I'd rather keep you company a little while longer, if that's alright with you."
  360. >"I... sure, I guess."
  361. >you're seized by another yawn, blinking sleepily and stretching out again
  362. >you casually kick your slippers off and take off your robe as Shining raises an eyebrow at you curiously, before laying down on the bed and pulling the blankets over yourself, resting your hands and the ice pack on top of your chest and propping your head up with a couple of pillows so you can keep an eye on your little pony
  363. "Hope you don't mind if I make myself comfortable."
  364. >"It's your bed, I guess..."
  365. "Sheets are still kinda damp," you mutter as you wriggle around, trying to find a dry spot, "you must have been sweating more than I realized."
  366. >"Sorry."
  367. >you sigh
  368. "Not a big deal. Anyway, you were telling me about yourself?"
  369. >Shining squirms around on top of the blankets, turning himself to more easily maintain eye contact with you
  370.  
  371. >"Yeah. Well, I mean... I guess you got the basics already. There's not much else to know about me. Well, probably at least nothing else you'd be terribly interested in."
  372. "I don't mean to be insensitive, but I was kinda hoping you'd tell me more about... oh nevermind, probably not a good idea to ask."
  373. >he tilts his head and gives a flop of an ear, waiting for you to continue
  374. "I was going to ask you about your wife and daughter, but..."
  375. >his ears immediately go flat and he squeezes his eyes shut tightly
  376. "Damn it, I'm sorry..."
  377. >his bottom lip begins to quiver
  378. "That was stupid of me to even bring up...
  379. >he's trying his best not to cry, and you can tell even the mere mention of his family might as well have been a red hot spike driven straight through his heart
  380. >you set the ice pack aside, scolding yourself internally as you sit up slightly and reach toward him, grabbing his front hooves and pulling him over to you, resting them on your chest and placing a hand on the back of his head as your head returns to the pillow, gently pushing until his chin is resting on your chest between his hooves as well
  381. >he doesn't sob, but he's definitely crying now
  382. >you simply stroke his neck and the top of his head with one hand, slowly rubbing a thumb over the top of the hoof beneath your other hand, feeling him tremble occasionally as he lets out a sniffle here and there, the dampness of his tears soaking through the blanket after a few minutes
  383. >you decide that's enough talking for tonight, instead opting to hum softly to him
  384. >he continues crying for several more minutes, and eventually exhaustion overtakes him once more, the stallion falling asleep with his head and hooves resting on your chest
  385. >he's close enough that you can feel his breath on the bottom of your chin every time he exhales
  386. >you sigh and close your eyes, somewhat relieved that he's asleep again, and almost instantly sleep claims you as well, having been much more tired than you realized
  387.  
  388.  
  389.  
  390.  
  391.  
  392. "Yeah," you say into the phone in a hushed tone, "I'll bring him in around noon, Thanks."
  393. >Shining blinks his eyes open slowly, letting out a loud yawn as he sits up in the bed, just catching the end of your conversation
  394. >"Who were you talking to, Anon?"
  395. "Hey there," you say to him with a warm smile as you reach over and give his ear a scritch, "didn't mean to wake you up. That was the vet's office."
  396. >"It's fine," he says, yawning again and smacking his lips before tilting his head and looking at you curiously. "Vet?"
  397. "Veterinarian. I scheduled a full health exam for you this morning. You're not afraid of the doctor, are you?"
  398. >"Oh... well, not really. I haven't seen one in a long time though."
  399. "Not even for your mandatory vaccinations?"
  400. >"No, my masters usually gave those to me themselves to save money. If they did at all, that is."
  401. "Oh. I didn't know that was legal" you say as you stand up. "Well, your appointment isn't for another couple hours. You wanna watch some tv or something?"
  402. >"No," he replies simply.
  403. "Breakfast, then?"
  404. >he nods
  405. "Apple cinnamon oatmeal sound good?"
  406. >he licks his lips and for a brief moment you detect the slightest hint of a smile
  407. >"Better than bland, boring old hay."
  408. >he hops down from the bed and stretches before following you into the kitchen
  409. >when you place the bowl in front of him, he immediately plunges his muzzle into it, not even bothering with a spoon, wolfing down the whole thing in just a few bites, in stark contrast to his reluctance to eat just yesterday
  410.  
  411. >you laugh at him as you pour yourself a bowl of cereal
  412. "Good stuff, boy?"
  413. >"Yeah."
  414. >before you can take a single bite he picks the bowl up in his mouth and sits on his haunches, looking up at you expectantly
  415. "I guess you want some more?"
  416. >a simple flick of his tail and a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth make his answer obvious
  417. >you take the bowl from him and prepare another serving of oatmeal, looking over at him as he cautiously sniffs at your cereal
  418. "Don't get any ideas, Shiny, that's mine."
  419. >"What is it?"
  420. "Cheerios," you reply as the microwave beeps
  421. >you stir the oatmeal and add the little packet of cinnamon and dehydrated apple bits, adding a dab of butter and splash of milk as well to smooth out the consistency before setting it in front of him
  422. >before you've even taken your second bite of cereal, his oatmeal is gone again
  423. "You should probably take it easy, pal, you eat too fast you're likely to get sick. I don't want you puking all over the vet, best to ease your stomach back into things."
  424. >"But it's good. One more bowl?" he asks before sitting on his haunches in front of you with the bowl in his mouth once again, ears flat and a sheepish smile on his cheeks as his tail flicks about occasionally
  425. "How can I say no to that face?" you laugh, patting the top of his head before taking the bowl from him. "Just promise me you'll take your time with this one, okay?"
  426. >he nods
  427. >"Yes Mas-- I mean, uh, sure Anon..."
  428.  
  429. >the two of you finish your breakfast in relative silence as you flip your laptop open, checking out the morning news between spoonfuls
  430. "Did you sleep well last night?" you ask him casually as you scroll through the pages of your usual news sites. You pick up the bowl and drink the leftover milk before wiping your mouth with the back of your hand, taking both of your bowls to the sink. "You were still sound asleep on my chest when I woke up this morning, like you hadn't moved a muscle all night long."
  431. >"I felt safe," he answers, looking away from you with a hint of shame in his voice. "It... it was a nice change," he mutters.
  432. "No more nightmares after I came in?"
  433. >"No."
  434. "Good," you smile. "Guess that means you'll be sleeping with me for a while then, if we know that keeps them at bay."
  435. >you wash the bowls, dry them and put them away
  436. >"I really am sorry about biting you. You didn't deserve that."
  437. "Water under the bridge, forget it even happened."
  438. >Shining decides to curl up on a rug in the living room floor in front of your recliner as you sit and pick up your book from last night, opting to read in silence
  439. >he falls asleep there once again, his face twitching here and there, a leg kicking slightly, an ear flopping, lip quivering as he dreams
  440. >after an hour or so you sneak out of the room and get yourself dressed, coming back in and nudging the sleepy stallion gently to wake him up
  441. >he opens his eyes and frowns when he sees the halter and lead rope in your hands
  442. "Time to go to the vet, Shiny," you say. "Sorry about this but the law says it's either this or a collar and leash when you're out in public.
  443. >he hangs his head with a sigh
  444. >"I understand."
  445. >you hold the halter up to his face and he slips his muzzle through the noseband while you buckle the strap that loops around behind his ears, as well as the snap that connects under his chin
  446.  
  447. >you clip the leadrope to the metal ring on the bottom of the halter and lead Shining out to your car where he hops up into the back seat and lays down
  448. >Shining appears annoyed when you turn on the radio and flip through the stations, unable to find anything you want to listen to, so you just turn it right back off
  449. >the 15 minute ride to the vet is silent, save for the ambient sounds of the car's engine and the traffic around you
  450. >when you arrive he keeps his head down as you lead him inside
  451. >it's clear he doesn't enjoy being seen like this
  452. >you approach the receptionist's counter and he sits on his haunches, looking away and toward the floor
  453. >"Mister Anonymous, I presume?"
  454. "That's right. I'm here for my 10:00."
  455. >"Of course, of course!" the jovial, plump, middle aged woman with thick glasses and thinning gray hair leans over the counter and looks down at the pony next to you
  456. >"And you must be Shining Armor! I--" she gasps seeing his emaciated state, "oh my goodness, you poor thing!"
  457. >she momentarily shoots you an accusatory look which you're quick to respond to
  458. "Hey, I told you guys over the phone I just picked him up from auction yesterday. His condition isn't my fault, I rescued him."
  459. >"I see," she says, giving a small sigh of relief. "Well," she hands you a clipboard with some paperwork and a pen, "if you just fill out these forms I'll take him over to the scale and weigh him."
  460. >when you take the pen and clipboard from her she notices the bruising and teethmarks on your hand and arm
  461. >"Did he do that?"
  462. "Yes, but it's fine, it was just a misunderstanding," you say with a quick glance down at him as you hand the lead rope over, "he's not a violent pony, he'll be good, won't you Shiny?"
  463. >"Yes, Master..." he grumbles under his breath
  464. >you take a seat in the lobby and begin filling out the forms as he's led away briefly
  465. >the receptionist makes some notes on his chart as he's returned to you, taking the clipboard with your completed paperwork as well
  466.  
  467. >"Alright, I'll let the doctor know you guys are here."
  468. >she reaches down and pats Shining on the head before disappearing to a back room for a moment, then returning to her desk
  469. >Shining hasn't made eye contact with you since you left the house, which bothers you
  470. "Something on your mind?"
  471. >"No, Master."
  472. "You're being awful quiet and not looking at me, just thought I'd see if something's troubling you."
  473. >"I'm fine, Anon."
  474. >the receptionist and another client in the waiting room both look at you with a raised eyebrow when Shining calls you by name, especially in his current tone of voice
  475. >you clear your throat to let them know you're aware of their staring before placing a hand on Shining's back and simply leaving it there
  476. "Alright buddy, I'll take your word for it. Try to relax for me a little bit though, alright? We'll be done here and back home before you know it."
  477. >before he can reply the doctor calls you back to an exam room
  478. >Shining is too big for the exam table, so he simply stands on the floor next to it as the vet begins to examine him
  479. >"Shining Armor, eh? My, my, you look like you've had it rough big guy."
  480. >the vet looks up at you
  481. >"I understand you've only had him a day?"
  482. "That's right. Picked him up at auction yesterday. I couldn't just leave him there."
  483. >he pokes and prods around Shining's face and neck with his hands and fingers, tilting his head one way and then the other, shining a light into his ears, then his eyes, looking into his nostrils, lifting a lip to look at his gums and teeth
  484.  
  485. >before Shining even realizes what's going on, he's stuck in the neck with a needle
  486. >he winces slightly as vial after vial of blood is drawn
  487. >"Easy there big guy, almost done."
  488. >he draws 4 vials of blood total before removing the needle from his neck, holding a piece of gauze over it
  489. >Shining is stuck in both sides of his neck as well as his rump with various vaccination cocktails as well, swishing his tail as he starts to become annoyed with all the poking and prodding
  490. >"Has he eaten today?"
  491. "Yeah. He had 3 bowls of oatmeal this morning, and some hay last night."
  492. >"Hm. Normally I don't like to do blood work unless the patient has been fasting, but in his condition I wouldn't recommend that."
  493. >he lifts Shining's tail to the side and inserts a thermometer into him, causing his eyes to widen in surprise and his upper lip to curl up angrily
  494. "Uh, couldn't you use an oral thermometer?"
  495. >the vet shakes his head and glances at Shining's face before replying
  496. >"Sorry pal, this is the only way to get an accurate reading."
  497. >he listens to various spots on Shining's side and abdomen while the thermometer takes its reading
  498. >it beeps and he removes it before continuing
  499. >he presses in different spots on his sides and belly, and you see Shining wince in pain a few times
  500. >"I know this is making him uncomfortable, you might want to get a good hold of him for this next part. I can go get a muzzle instead if you're afraid he might bite you."
  501. "What are you about to do?"
  502. >"I need to do a rectal and genital exam," he states matter-of-factly before slipping on a latex glove and fetching a dispenser of veterinary lubricant from a drawer
  503. >Shining's ears pin flat against his head and he sits on his haunches with a loud snort
  504. >"Now now, if you relax this will only be uncomfortable for a minute or two."
  505.  
  506. >you offer a sympathetic glance at Shining as you kneel down in front of him and put your arms around his neck
  507. >he sighs and very slowly stands back up, closing his eyes tight in anticipation
  508. "Hey, don't think about it, Shiny. Focus on me, on the sound of my voice."
  509. >you squeeze him tight as the vet begins the exam
  510. >his entire body lurches forward and he whimpers loudly, and you tighten your grip
  511. "Shhh, shhh, hang in there, I'm right here buddy, I'm right here. You're gonna be okay, shhhh..."
  512. >he presses his chin against your shoulder hard as he lurches again, stomping a hind hoof on the floor but resisting the urge to kick
  513. "You're doing great Shiny," you say before looking back at the vet, "are you almost finished?"
  514. >the vet nods as he wipes the remaining lube from Shining's hindquarters before pulling the gloves off with a soft snap, putting a fresh pair on as he carries out the second portion of this part of the examination
  515. >Shining gives a slight sigh of relief, but then emits a low growl as the vet examines his stallionhood
  516. >as the vet finally stands up from his kneeling position and disposes of his gloves, he gives a sigh and shakes his head
  517. >you don't like the look he's giving you
  518. "What's wrong?"
  519. >"His belly is very tender, and I didn't hear any gut sounds. There was no fecal matter present in the anal canal either. I'm deeply concerned about this apparent lack of intestinal motility. He might have been deprived of nutrition for too long. If he ate this morning and last night as well, that's even more concerning. I should hear SOMETHING when I listen to his belly, but there's just nothing there. I want to take some x-rays was well as perform an abdominal ultrasound, and we might need to keep him here for observation overnight."
  520. >Shining looks up at you pleadingly, his heart starting to race
  521. >"I don't want to stay here, Master, you said we could go home after this..."
  522.  
  523. "I promised him we'd be going home as soon as his examination was over," you say as you hug Shining once more and pet his neck "do you really think that's necessary?"
  524. >"I'd strongly recommend against that, mister Anonymous. Honestly he's lucky to be alive right now, and if his digestive system isn't working he's far from out of the woods," the vet says, drawing up a solution of some kind into a needle. "This medicine will encourage peristalsis," he says before injecting it into Shining's hip without warning, causing him to flinch, "but I don't feel comfortable letting him leave until he has a bowel movement if there's food in his stomach. Realistically he should have been on intravenous nutrition for a week or so, then a liquid only diet with occassional soft foods after that for another couple weeks. When an animal is this badly starved you have to ease them back into things slowly."
  525. >you wince, somewhat embarrassed that you might have unintentionally made things worse for Shining
  526. >the doctor is quick to take notice
  527. >"Don't feel bad, your heart was in the right place. The hay might have been too much for him but the oatmeal shouldn't be too hard on his system in comparison. We'll get your pony through this, he's in good hands here."
  528. >he holds out his hand expectantly, waiting for you to hand over Shining's lead rope
  529. >"Anon..." Shining whimpers, visibly shaking at this point
  530. >you hesitate
  531. "Could I uh... could I maybe stay here with him?"
  532. >the vet rubs his chin and considers your request
  533. >"I guess there's no harm in it. The large animal holding pens in the back are big enough you could pull one of the interns' cots in there with him to sleep on if you'd like."
  534. >you nod
  535. "I'd appreciate that very much. There's no issue with me being here after hours?"
  536. >he simply shakes his head
  537. >"We're a 24 hour clinic so there's always someone on staff here. I don't see it being a problem as long as you're not disruptive."
  538. >he holds his hand out once again
  539.  
  540. >"Now if you'll hand him over to me, I'd really like to get him back there sooner rather than later so I can start an IV drip."
  541. >Shining seems to relax a bit at the news that you'd be here with him and his trembling subsides as you hand the lead rope over to the vet and stand up
  542. >you're led through a room with cages, the barking of excited dogs echoing off the walls with nearly deafening volume as you pass by, to another much quieter back room with three large square stalls that are lined with straw
  543. >the vet flips the light on and you instantly hear the rustling of straw and the skittering of hooves across the floor of one of the stalls, peering in to see a small mare shaking violently in a corner with her eyes shut tight
  544. >"Easy Corona," the vet calls over to her as he opens the stall door next to hers and coaxes Shining inside while you wait outside, "you're going to have company tonight, won't that be nice?"
  545. >"y...yessir" she barely mutters above a whisper, not daring to open her eyes
  546. >she's a dark navy blue earth pony mare with an ivory mane and tail, maybe half of Shining's size, a little on the scrawny side but nowhere near as underweight as your stallion
  547. >you notice that most of her hind end is wrapped and bandaged, some of the bandaging soaked in blood, an IV tube leading out of her neck
  548. >the vet takes Shining's halter and lead rope off, hanging them on the stall door
  549. >you're surprised that Shining settles down fairly quickly, bunching up the straw into a deeper pile before curling up and laying on top of it with a sigh
  550. >he seems to completely ignore the needle inserted into his neck for his own IV tube that is then taped into place
  551. >the vet checks a few things and injects something into the saline bag connected to Shining's IV tube before speaking to him
  552.  
  553. >"This stuff will probably make you pretty drowsy, big guy" he says with a smile, "if you feel like you need to sleep, go right ahead. I just need your master to fill out a bit more paperwork and he'll be in to join you, okay?"
  554. >"Can I have something to drink, please?" Shining asks, avoiding eye contact
  555. >"Not yet. The fluids you're getting intravenously will keep you hydrated for now, I don't want to risk overfilling your stomach. Maybe later this evening if I'm satisfied your condition is improving."
  556. >Shining sighs and turns his gaze toward you, his ears drooping
  557. >you notice his lips look rather dry, his tongue not moistening them at all when he licks them
  558. "He looks kinda parched, doctor, can he at least have some ice or something to nibble on to wet his mouth?"
  559. >"Sure," he says, walking past you and opening the stall next to Shining's, "in a moment, I have another patient to tend to first."
  560. >"Corona," he says softly, taking a collar and leash from the stall door as he enters slowly and cautiously, "it's time to change your bandages, sweetheart."
  561. >he holds a hand out and hunches over slightly, beckoning the mare over to him
  562. >"Come on, girl."
  563. >the mare's tail is pressed firmly against her backside, doing her best to tuck it between her legs as she slinks over to him nervously
  564. >he slips the collar around her neck and gives a slight tug on the leash, leading her away, presumably to a procedure room of some kind, attaching the IV bag to a wheeled post and pushing it alongside her
  565. >you sit on the straw next to Shining and place a hand on his back, noticing his eyelids already starting to get heavy, his head wobbling as he tries to keep it held up
  566. >he scoots closer to you, and without warning his chin hits your lap, his head dead weight on you as he starts to snore softly
  567.  
  568. "Ok, thanks, I owe you one," you say as you end the call and return the phone to your pocket, Shining still sound asleep on your lap as you idly stoke his bristly mohawk
  569. >you were able to get a good friend to cover your shift at work today, and your boss agreed to let you have the rest of the week off to see to Shining Armor
  570. >of course, that meant using vacation days, but where would you go on vacation anyway?
  571. >the door opens, and Corona is led back in, this time without the IV bag, fresh bandages wrapped around her hindquarters and flanks
  572. >you notice there seems to be quite a bit less bandaging on her than there was before
  573. >her steps are a bit more lively, but her gaze doesn't leave the floor as she's returned to the stall
  574. >"Just remember what we discussed, okay? You're here for at least another day, so you have that long come up with something."
  575. >"yessir..." she mutters as the collar is slipped from around her neck and the stall door is shut and latched
  576. >"Alright mister Anonymous," the vet says, stepping through the open stall door where you and Shining are, "I need to take your pony for his ultrasound and x-rays."
  577. >you nudge Shining Armor and shake him gently
  578. "Hey pal, rise and shine"
  579. >he grumbles and wriggles around, his eyes squinting and nose scrunching as he squirms closer to you, putting a hoof on you and trying, but failing, to pull you closer as though you were a big teddy bear
  580. >"No," he fusses, emitting a half-hearted whine along with it
  581. >you cup a hand over each nostril to block his breath
  582. >unable to inhale, he eventually shakes his head and snorts, pushing your hands away with his muzzle as he blinks sleepily
  583. >"C'mon, I was just..." he lets out a disoriented yawn, his head still wobbling from the effects of his medication, "resting my eyes..."
  584. >he rolls onto his side, stretching his legs out and arching his back and neck, pressing the back of his head into your chest as he does so
  585.  
  586. >you catch his head before he has a chance to let it fall back onto your lap, a hand on either side under his muzzle as you try to force eye contact
  587. "Earth to Shining Armor," you whistle, holding up a hand in front of his face and snapping your fingers as his eyes start to close again, "hey, you gotta stay awake for at least a few minutes
  588. >"It's alright, we can take him from here."
  589. >as you struggled with the sleepy stud, you hadn't noticed that a couple of assistants had entered the room with a wheeled, padded cart in tow that sits low to the ground
  590. >they don't even bother with the halter and lead rope, he's in no shape to try to run off anywhere, but it takes both of them as well as the doctor to get Shining safely onto the cart, where his head immediately plops back down, his snoring resuming almost before his head even touches it
  591. >you shake your head silently with a smile on your face
  592. >"I'm afraid you'll have to wait here," the doctor says when you try to follow them as they wheel him out, "we can't have you down in imaging. Radiation, you understand. We'll have him back in a half hour or so."
  593. >you simply nod and take a seat in one of a few chairs that are in the room, pulling out your phone, about to play some stupid little game on it to pass the time while Shining is gone, but as the door opens and closes you faintly hear a voice on the other side down the hall
  594. >"...th pony mare, reserve price three thou..."
  595. >your head immediately perks up in curiousity, half tempted to crack the door back open to try to catch the rest of the conversation, but ultimately deciding against it
  596. >you shrug it off and start tapping away at the screen on your phone, oblivious to the world around you for several minutes
  597. >eventually a stifled sniffle reaches your ears
  598. >you quit the game and stuff the phone back into your pocket as you hear a second, more pronounced sniffle
  599. "Corona?" you say, standing up and taking a step toward her stall
  600.  
  601. >the mare is curled up in the corner, crying into her forelegs
  602. >she doesn't even seem to notice you approach
  603. >you gently rap on the stall door with the back of your hand
  604. "Hey Corona?"
  605. >she sits up on her haunches, her back to you as she stares at the floor, immediately forcing the sniffling to stop
  606. >"yessir?"
  607. "Are you crying?"
  608. >she trembles a bit, hestiating to answer
  609. >"y...yessir..." she mutters weakly
  610. "You want someone to talk to?"
  611. >no response
  612. "Corona?"
  613. >"I don't want to trouble you, sir, I'm sorry I disturbed you, I'll be quiet."
  614. "Hey, it's no trouble. What's wrong? Are you in pain?"
  615. >silence
  616. "Come on, I don't bite. Talk to me," you urge gently
  617. >when you're met with more silence you get frustrated, turning away with a sigh
  618. >"Wait, sir..."
  619. >you stop and turn back to her, seeing her slowly turn around, though she doesn't dare lift her eyes from the floor
  620. >"You really want to talk to me?"
  621. "Yeah, I wouldn't have said that if I didn't. Tell me why you're crying."
  622. >"I... I'm leaving here tomorrow," she says, wiping a tear away with the back of a hoof
  623. "That's good news, isn't it? Aren't you eager to get back to your mas-"
  624.  
  625. >"I don't have a master..." she says with an angry stomp, her ears flattening "at least... not any more..."
  626. "How did you end up in here, then?" you ask, pulling the chair over next to the stall door as she walks toward it and sits on her haunches
  627. >"It's a long story, sir..."
  628. >you simply shrug
  629. "I got nowhere to be, and I'd much rather have someone to talk to than sit here in silence waiting for my stallion to get back."
  630. >"I ran away," she states bluntly
  631. "I'm sorry, what was that?"
  632. >"I ran away, sir."
  633. "From where?"
  634. >"I won't say, sir... I won't go back there."
  635. "Well, surely your master will come looking for you..."
  636. >"He can't take me back even if he comes."
  637. >you see the slightest hint of a smile flash across her muzzle
  638. >you shake your head
  639. "Is this vet hiding you? Stashing you away? You know, the law says he has to give you back if-"
  640. >"I know the law, sir. Even if he comes, I won't be going back with him, I promise you that much."
  641. >you give her a confused stare, and eventually she shoots a brief sideways glance at you
  642. >"I'm not from around here, sir."
  643.  
  644. >there's an awkward silence before your conversation continues
  645. "How long have you been on the run?"
  646. >"A little over a month, sir."
  647. "So that makes you-"
  648. >"A free mare. At least, according to your state's laws. That's why I came here, sir."
  649. >you shake your head
  650. "You've got it all wrong..."
  651. >"Have I, sir?"
  652. "Yeah," you state matter-of-factly. "The thirty day law only applies to ponies that aren't reported missing or can't be properly ident...i....f.."
  653. >your words trail off as your jaw drops slightly, the mare turning and lifting the bandages away from her hind end, just enough for you to get a look
  654. >a gnarled, jagged line of stitches that extends all the way across her hip, the skin pulled together tight, fluid still weeping from the wound in some spots as she releases the bandages and they snap back into place
  655. "Your cutie mark?"
  656. >"It was necessary, sir. I told you, I won't go back there. This was the only way."
  657. >you squint your eyes in curiosity, resting your elbow on your knee and hand on your chin
  658. "How in the world did you talk the vet into removing your cutie mark? He could get into serious trouble for that."
  659. >"He... didn't, sir."
  660. "OH," you stammer, the sudden realization of what she did hitting you like a truck "oh..."
  661. >the thought of it turns your stomach
  662. >how bad must things have been where she was at that she'd go that far?
  663.  
  664. "I can't imagine how bad that must have hurt,"
  665. >"Small price to pay, sir"
  666. >she sighs, her voice giving away that she's on the verge of tears once again
  667. >"It might have been for nothing, though"
  668. "What do you mean?"
  669. >"I wasn't counting on losing so much blood, or getting an infection. I thought I could tough it out until I healed on my own, but I was wrong, sir. I could have died if I didn't come here. I don't have any money. I know they're within their right to do what they're going to do" she whimpers. "It just seems so unfair, I was so close to freedom."
  670. >you see teardrops fall freely from the end of her muzzle
  671. >you recall the snippet of conversation you heard just minutes earlier
  672. >they must be making arrangements to auction her off to cover her medical costs
  673. >it's not uncommon for a free pony to get saddled with a debt they struggle to repay
  674. >the law allows a creditor to seize a free pony and sell them to recover debts they owe to them in excess of a thousand dollars
  675. >there have been no shortage of predatory lenders taking advantage of free ponies in dire circumstances, charging them exorbitant interest rates they know they can't afford
  676. >a two hundred dollar loan could explode on a pony and balloon into a balance of over a thousand dollars in just a couple of weeks
  677. >and the bastards always get away with it too
  678. >even a free pony can't legally sue a human
  679. >the result is that these people would often have a tenfold or more return on their investment when they'd sell the debtor back into slavery
  680. >you try to push your disgust at the thought to the back of your mind
  681. "I'm sorry, Corona," you say softly, reaching through the bars of the stall door and offering her your hand
  682. >she flinches and skitters away from you, her breaths becoming shallow and rapid
  683. "I was just going to pet you," you reassure her
  684. >"That's alright," she says, squeezing a pair of fresh tears from her eyes, "I mean no disrespect, but I'd rather not be touched by a hu-- by a stranger, sir."
  685.  
  686. >you shake your head
  687. "I understand."
  688. >no you don't
  689. >that was a stupid thing to say, but it's too late to take it back
  690. >she doesn't hold it against you though, instead changing the subject
  691. >"Sir, may I ask you a question?" she asks, slowly raising her head and making eye contact with you for the first time
  692. >you nod
  693. >"Your slave, sir... how did he... how did he get to be in such bad shape?"
  694. "It wasn't anything I did. I picked him up at the auction yesterday. I've barely had him a day. Brought him home and gave him a bath, food..."
  695. >you start to wring your hands, feeling a bit of anxiety over Shining's condition
  696. "I just hope I wasn't too late."
  697. >her head tilts to the side
  698. >"You... you care about him, sir?"
  699. "Well yeah, when I saw him sitting in that stall, filthy from head to hoof, nothing but skin and bones... I couldn't leave him there."
  700. >"But he's just a pony, why do you care if he dies, sir?"
  701. >you're somewhat taken aback by her question
  702. "No living creature, slave or not, should have to suffer the life he's lived," you say as though the answer should be obvious to anyone with half a neuron in their skull
  703. >you can see gears turning in her mind as she takes her eyes off of you, her eyes darting around as she stares toward the floor, ruminating on your words several moments before her eyes finally meet yours again
  704. >"Will you ever set him free?"
  705. >you frown, giving a stern "No."
  706. >the immediate and firm nature of your response comes as a surprise even to you
  707. >truth is, it's the first time the thought of Shining Armor becoming a truly free stallion some day has ever crossed your mind
  708. "I care about him but he still belongs to me, Corona. That means he's my responsibility now - for the rest of his life."
  709. >she deflates a bit
  710. >"I see, sir."
  711. >the silence that follows is uncomfortable, so you break it up with more questions
  712. "How much do you owe the vet, anyway?"
  713. >"$3,300 is the last estimate I was given, sir."
  714. >you grit your teeth
  715.  
  716. "They must have known when they took you in that a free mare wouldn't have that kind of money"
  717. >she shrugs her shoulders in response
  718. "So what are you going to do?"
  719. >she gives a mournful sigh, her head drooping and ears laying flat against her head
  720. >"Become a slave again, I guess, sir."
  721. >she shakes her head before returning to the corner of the stall in silence
  722. >further attempts to engage her in conversation are ignored
  723. >you scoot the chair back to its former position with a sigh, pulling out your phone once more and doing some light internet browsing
  724. >but you can't help dwelling on Corona's situation
  725. >you find yourself searching for any kind of charity groups that might help a mare in her situation
  726. >if they exist, they don't have any websites
  727. >you sigh as you continue pondering the predicament, next checking your bank account balance
  728. >paying her medical bills is out of the question
  729. >you jump, slightly startled by the door suddenly opening, Shining being wheeled back in and returned to his stall, snoring softly
  730. >Corona flips out, beginning to yell out in terror the moment the door is opened
  731. >"NO! HOW DID YOU FIND ME? I WON'T GO BACK WITH YOU! NO!!! YOU'RE NOT MY MASTER ANY MORE!"
  732. >wait what
  733. "What!?" you shout, grabbing the bars of the stall door as you stand up
  734. >"I WON'T GO BACK WITH YOU! I'D RATHER DIE! DOCTOR! DOCTOR!"
  735. "Corona, what the hell has gotten into you!?"
  736. >"GET HIM AWAY!"
  737. >the doctor rushes in just as Shining's stall door is closed by the assistants, the commotion rousing him from his drug induced slumber
  738. >"What's all this commotion?"
  739. "She just started freaking out, I have no id-"
  740. >"I'LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING, PLEASE JUST DON'T LET HIM TAKE ME BACK!"
  741. >"Take you back?"
  742. "Now wait just a damn-"
  743. >the doctor raises a hand to silence you, opening Corona's stall and entering it
  744. >"Calm down, girl. Tell me what's going on here."
  745. >she stares at you in bewilderment as she replies
  746. >"He'll punish me if I tell you..." she says, breaking down into desperate sobs
  747.  
  748. >Shining stands on wobbly legs and looks through the bars of his own stall door, too disoriented to say anything, falling to his haunches awkwardly
  749. >"Mr. Anonymous, maybe you should wait in the waiting room until I can sort out what exactly has happened here."
  750. "I'm not leaving my stallion."
  751. >"He's not going anywhere."
  752. >Corona lets out a frantic wail, the doctor having to raise his voice significantly to speak over her
  753. >"JUST GO. Please. I'll be out to talk to in a few minutes."
  754. >you grumble as you're escorted back out to the waiting room by the assistants
  755. >sitting down right now would be impossible, so you find yourself pacing the floor like a madman, drawing curious looks from various pet owners sharing the waiting room with you
  756. >you try to process what just happened but you don't even know where to begin
  757. >what the hell could have made her spaz out like that?
  758. >the thirty minutes that pass before anyone speaks to you might as well have been an eternity
  759. >the receptionist finally tells you the doctor would like to see you in his office
  760. >you waste no time, hurrying back to the office and taking a seat in front of his desk
  761. >he doesn't even glance up from the clipboard he's looking at when you enter the room
  762. >"Yes, Mr. Anonymous, please, please come in. We have much to discuss."
  763. "Gee, you think? What was that mare going on abou-"
  764. >"First things first, Mr. Anonymous. Your stallion is going to need to be transferred to a specialty care clinic. His road to recovery is going to be a bit bumpier than we expected. They need to do exploratory surgery."
  765. >you feel the blood drain from your face as he hands you the clipboard
  766. "I just need you to fill out the rest of this paperwork."
  767. "What's this?" you ask, flipping through the sheets of paper
  768. >"Authorization for the transfer - as well as a projected estimate of the expenses involved in his recovery"
  769. >you shake your head
  770. "No no no, this can't be right," you chuckle hesitantly, "there's been some kind of mixup in the paperwork..."
  771.  
  772. >you begin to leaf through the papers again, double checking the figures as your eyes go wide
  773. >"I'm afraid not. However, there is another matter we need to discuss," he replies calmly as he slowly takes his glasses off, folding them and putting them in his pocket. "We don't take kindly to clients trying to skip out on their bill, Anonymous."
  774. >you look up momentarily at him with a dumbfounded expression
  775. "What are you talking about?"
  776. >"Corona."
  777. "She's not my problem," you say, your eyebrows furrowing in anger, "you're not going to pawn off that responsibility to me, what the hell kind of operation are you running here?
  778. >"Not your responsibility, eh? That's not what she says."
  779. "Please," you insist, "DO enlighten me about what she said, won't you?"
  780. >"She told us she belongs to you. You're the master she ran away from, and you managed to track her down. She begged me not to let you leave with her."
  781. "That's absurd..."
  782. >"She also says you told her to keep quiet about it or you'd beat her - that you intended to try to pick her back up when we send her to auction for nonpayment so you can save a little money on her medical expenses."
  783. "And you believe her!?"
  784. >he shrugs
  785. >"It wouldn't be the craziest thing I've ever dealt with."
  786. >you let out a loud groan as you lean back in the chair, throwing your hands up and rolling your eyes at the ceiling
  787. "Fuck me."
  788. >"I'll pass. Look Anon, I don't really care if she's yours or not, in all honesty. Nor do I much care about what you do with your property outside these walls. I just want to ensure we're remunerated for the costs that have gone into her care, one way or another. All I need you to do is answer one question: Do you want the mare?"
  789.  
  790. >you let the door close behind you with a slam, simply crossing your arms as you stare daggers at the mare
  791. >she feels your gaze upon her without even looking at you, sitting on her haunches in the corner
  792. >"You're mad..."
  793. "You're goddamn right I'm mad!" you say, rapidly advancing toward the stall and grabbing the bars on the door, shaking it, causing her to flinch and cringe. "Did you REALLY think that was going to work? Or that I'd play along!?"
  794. >"I... hoped, sir..." she mutters
  795. "Corona, LOOK at me when I'm talking to you," you order harshly as you fling the stall door open and enter it. "Do you know what ANY other human in my position would do to you right now!?"
  796. >"Punish me..." she says as she continues to shrink away, her back still to you, "severely..."
  797. >you place your arms around her midsection and lift up on her
  798. "On your hooves, mare, I told you to look at me when I'm speaking to you."
  799. >she tries to steady her shaky legs as she turns to look into your eyes
  800. >hers are puffy and red, it's obvious she's been crying quite a bit since she last saw you
  801. >her expression is desperate and pleading
  802. >"I made a mistake, sir" she says, her lower jaw quivering
  803. "Yes. You did. A BIG one. A BIG FUCKING MISTAKE, Corona."
  804. >a loud snore in the stall next to you interrupts you
  805. >what the hell kind of medication are they giving him to make him sleep so much anyway?
  806. >she winces and looks away from you, but quickly finds your hand under her muzzle, forcing her to maintain eye contact
  807. "And now you've put me in a very difficult fucking position. The vet has offered to let me buy you for 15% less than your total expenses, as the auctioneers will take a 20% cut if he sends you to auction, and he'd rather not deal with the hassle anyway."
  808. >she looks away with a whimper and you give her a gentle shake
  809. "LOOK at me."
  810. >"y...yessir..."
  811. >she says that with such brokenness that it's almost physically painful to hear
  812. "Fuck... just... FUCK!"
  813. >you spin around and throw up your hands
  814.  
  815. "I don't have that kind of money to spare, Corona. I really don't. But GOD DAMN my bleeding fucking heart, because I can't just walk away from this now, either."
  816. >"I'll do anything you want, sir... I'll be a good girl, please give me a second chance, sir..."
  817. "Shut up, just... shut up and let me think for a minute."
  818. >after a couple minutes you turn back to her, and she makes eye contact without having to be told
  819. "Give me one good reason I should accept his offer. ONE"
  820. >"Because you're a good man, sir."
  821. "Kissing my ass isn't going to save your hide here, girl. You're going to have to do better than that."
  822. >"You can't be any worse than my last master, sir. I saw you with your stallion's head in your lap, petting him. You said you've only had him a day, but I can tell you love him, sir. I've never met a human that really loves ponies..."
  823. "If you have a point to make you'd better make it, because right now you haven't convinced me not to turn around, walk out of this stall, and forget you even exist."
  824. >"Would it make any difference to you if I begged for my life? I can't keep living like this, sir. I won't."
  825. "So what, are you delivering an ultimatum now? Either I take you or you kill yourself?"
  826. >she doesn't reply
  827. "ANSWER ME!"
  828. >she slinks away, back to the corner, and starts sobbing quietly
  829. "Fine. We're done here," you say as you turn your back on her and leave her alone in the stall, slamming the door shut as hard as you can
  830. >she doesn't even try to stifle her cries any more
  831. >you enter the stall with Shining Armor and sit down next to him, crossing your arms over your knees and burying your face in them
  832. >you don't need this shit right now
  833. >after serveral minutes her mournful wailing gets to you, and you twist your torso around, slamming your fist against the stall wall as hard as you can
  834. "SHUT UP ALREADY!"
  835. >it's dead quiet immediately afterward, and you let out a sigh
  836.  
  837.  
  838.  
  839.  
  840.  
  841. >nearly an hour passes as you sit in contemplation, the only sound in the room that of the stallion laying next to you breathing steadily
  842. >eventually you stand up with a long, drawn-out sigh and re-enter Corona's stall
  843. >she looks surprised when you join her, but she doesn't move toward you, seeming resigned to her fate
  844. "Have you calmed down a bit?"
  845. >"yessir..." she mutters, her tears having stopped a while ago
  846. >you bite your lip and hesitate to speak your next words
  847. "If... IF... I take you home, Corona, what gurantee do I have that you won't do something stupid like run away again?"
  848. >"where would I run to, sir?"
  849. "Where were you running to before you ended up in this place?"
  850. >"I... I don't know. I hadn't thought that far ahead. I just had to get away from where I was, sir. Anywhere is better than there."
  851. >you sit down with your back against the stall wall and beckon her over
  852. "Come here, girl."
  853. >she sheepishly obeys, slowly approaching you and sitting on her haunches in front of you
  854. "I honestly don't have the money to cover both your and my stallion's medical expenses," you state matter-of-factly
  855. >she hangs her head and stares at the ground
  856. "and I have to say I'm still pretty pissed about that stunt you tried to pull earlier," you chide.
  857. >she shuts her eyes and winces
  858. "This is your last, and only chance," you say. "I want the tru-"
  859. >you're interrupted by a loud gurgling sound and a soft groan coming from the stall next to you
  860. >instantly you're on your feet, in such a hurry to get to Shining Armor that you don't shut Corona's stall door behind you
  861. >you hit your knees next to your stallion, who's stretched out on his side with a grimace on his face
  862. >you see his tail flagging slightly and his side tense up as he emits another loud groan
  863. "Hey pal, I'm right here," you say to him softly as you start to firmly massage his belly
  864. >Shining's whole body tenses up and he thrashes trying to stand up, tearing the IV line from his neck in the process
  865.  
  866. "Easy, EASY boy," you say, leaning over him
  867. >"Anooooooon...." he groans as the sedating effects of the drug he was on start to wear off "my belly hurts..."
  868. "I know, Shiny, I know."
  869. >"Shiny?"
  870. >you turn your head to see Corona sitting on her haunches in the doorway of Shining's stall
  871. >"Is that your stallion's name, sir?"
  872. "Not now, Corona," you say, turning your attention back to him
  873. >rubbing his belly seems to help with the pain a little, but it still comes in waves
  874. >"It... it can't be..." she mutters just above a whisper
  875. >when you glance at her again she's taken a few steps closer, holding a forehoof in the air cautiously and stretching her neck toward the two of you
  876. >"Prince Shining Armor?"
  877. >when you look back at her her jaw is hanging slightly agape and she has a stunned look on her face
  878. >well, at least you know for sure he was telling the truth about being royalty now
  879. "I need to go get the doctor. Corona, stay with him," you order as you stand up and walk past her
  880. >"yessir," she replies
  881. >"It's a normal reaction," the doctor says, setting aside the paperwork he had been working on moments before you entered his office and calmly standing up, grabbing his stethoscope, "sounds like the medication is starting to work, but I'll come check on him anyway."
  882. >"By the way, have you made a decision about the mare yet, mister Anonymous?"
  883. >your face contorts in anger as you reply
  884. "I don't think this is really the time to be asking that."
  885. >when you return to the stalls you find Corona rubbing Shining's side with a hoof, staring at him with that same look of awe and admiration on her face
  886. >"Corona, what are you doing out of your stall?"
  887. >she takes a few steps back and immediately looks at the floor
  888. >"I'm sorry, sir, it won't ha-"
  889. "It's my fault, I was talking to her and forgot to shut the door behind me."
  890. >Corona shoots you a quick, unreadable glance before scurrying back to her stall
  891. >she appears to be trembling
  892.  
  893. >you can't tell if she's anxious over Shining's condition or if that was fear
  894. >or perhaps a bit of both
  895. >the doctor listens to Shining Armor's abdomen for what feels like an eternity, occasionally moving the stethoscope a few inches right or left, up or down, letting out an "mmhmm," here and there under his breath
  896. >eventually your patience runs out
  897. "Well, what is it?" you urge
  898. >"You want the good news or the bad news?"
  899. >you always hate hearing that
  900. "Just tell me what's happening to him..." you demand
  901. >"Well, the good news is the shot he got earlier is finally kicking in. His digestive system is trying to start working again. Which means he can probably stay here instead of being transferred."
  902. >a slight smile and look of relief washes over your face for a moment
  903. >until you notice a slightly unpleasant odor that hadn't been there before
  904. >"The bad news is I can't keep him sedated anymore. He's gonna have some pretty bad cramps come and go for the next few hours. He's going to be in a lot of pain for a while."
  905. >it's not long before you see the source of the smell
  906. "Uh... doc? Didn't you tell me he didn't have anything in him to pass?"
  907. >you point to a fresh pile of droppings just behind Shining Armor
  908. >"Oh! Well! That's... that's a good sign! It uh... maybe it was just deeper in than where I was probing him. He might have had an impaction too, that would explain a few things..."
  909. >he stands up and leaves the stall, returning moments later with a pitchfork to scoop it up and dispose of it
  910. "...can I see the x-rays you took?"
  911. >there's an awkward hesitation before he replies
  912. >"I don't see why not, I'll have someone bring them to you. Well, there's uh... not much else I can do right now, let me know if there are any other changes in his condition. I'll be in my office. I need an answer on Corona in the next hour, too."
  913. >before you can respond the door has already closed behind him
  914.  
  915. >that was more than a little weird
  916. >he didn't even bother to start a new IV on Shiny before he left
  917. >or lock Corona back in her stall
  918. >Shiny himself seems to be faring better now
  919. >the groaning has stopped and his breathing has slowed
  920. >you sit down next to him with a sigh
  921. >but it's not long after that Corona is once again with you
  922. >"I'll tell you anything you want to know if you take me with you."
  923. >you're somewhat surprised by her bluntness
  924. >"Hi," Shiny mutters to her in a still half-dazed state, trying to sit up on his haunches before you force him back into a laying position
  925. >she bows to him in reverence
  926. >"Your Highness..."
  927. "Fine, Corona," you reply, "I'll hear what you have to say. I won't make any promises though. If you lie to me or pull any more funny business I'm done with you, you understand?"
  928. >she perks up slightly
  929. >"yessir"
  930. "This whole situation just seems damned peculiar," you begin, shaking your head. "I won't bother asking where you really come from. It's probably better for both of us if I never know."
  931. >she gives a slight nod
  932. "I need to know though, did you really escape from somewhere or do you belong to the vet?"
  933. >she starts to look around the room like a frightened animal, hesitating to reply
  934. "Well? We doing this or not?" you say impatiently
  935. >"I'm a runaway, sir. That much was the truth."
  936. "...but?"
  937. >her voice lowers to just barely above a whisper
  938. >"Removing my cutie mark wasn't my idea. It was his, sir."
  939. "The vet?"
  940. >she simply nods
  941. >"He was going to take me back to my master, I couldn't let him do that..."
  942. >it starts to click in your mind just what's been going on around here
  943. >you're being conned
  944.  
  945. >you start to simmer with rage, balling up a fist and starting to shake but maintaining a calm tone of voice
  946. "I need proof."
  947. >"I don't have any, sir... but it's the truth, I swear..."
  948. >you can hear the desperation start to well up in her voice again
  949. >"What's the truth?" Shining Armor asks, slowly becoming more coherent
  950. >you shake your head
  951. "That's not gonna cut it, Corona. If it came right down to it your word is inadmissable in court."
  952. >"Please, sir, you have to get me out of here... if he finds out I told you..."
  953. "A desperate mare might say anything to get what she wants."
  954. >your eyes narrow at her for a moment, until she gets a genuinely hurt look on her face
  955. >you sigh
  956. "Tell me more about what exactly he made you do."
  957. >"He's been waiting for someone like you to show up since I got here, sir... He said he wasn't going to let me go unless I made him some money. He planned this when he found out you were bringing a rescued stallion in for treatment. He was hoping you might take me out of the kindness of your heart and pay the money he's asking for, but then he made me put on that little show earlier. I didn't want to do it, sir, I really didn't..."
  958. >you shake your head and try to relax your jaw
  959. >you hadn't realized it but you were clenching your teeth so tight it was starting to give you a headache
  960. >you rub your temples
  961. "If what you're saying is true, that's a pretty serious allegation. Probably enough he could get some criminal charges slapped on him if there was enough evidence."
  962. >"You have to believe me..."
  963. "Even if I believe you, it's not like I'm in a position to confront him."
  964. >there's a tense silence for several minutes as you try to think of what to do
  965. "And I wasn't lying when I said I can't spare the money."
  966. >she lets out a dejected little whimper
  967. "There might be another way though."
  968. >"Another way to what?" Shining asks through a half-yawn
  969. "Shh, nothing Shiny. Go back to sleep until that stuff completely wears off."
  970.  
  971. >you don't have to tell him twice
  972. >his stomach seemingly settled for now after having relieved himself, his head hits the soft straw beneath him and he closes his eyes
  973. "I still don't know if I can trust you, Corona."
  974. >"I understand, sir."
  975. >something in the back of your head tells you not to go through with this, but you ignore it
  976. "I'm willing to do it though."
  977. >she immediately brightens up with a huge smile
  978. "My offer has conditions, Corona."
  979. >"Anything, sir!"
  980. "You're not going to be a free mare. If you leave with me, I own you, understand?"
  981. >she nods
  982. "I just want to make this absolutely clear. You will be my slave" you place great emphasis on your next words, "FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. I will never set you free."
  983. >once again she nods eagerly
  984. "You will be treated fairly, but you WILL work. You will have to do things you might not like, but I won't tolerate disobedience. You're going to have to pull your weight around the house while Shiny is in the process of recovery. My effort needs to be focused on rehabilitating him, I don't have the time and energy to waste on an unruly mare."
  985. >"I understand, sir."
  986. "You're also to be branded and registered in the national runaway database."
  987. >she sinks the moment the word "brand" escapes your lips
  988. >"b...branded?"
  989. "Yes. You don't have a cutie mark, and if you change your mind and decide to run away anyway, you better believe I'm coming after your ass after putting me through all this trouble. I need a way to identify you."
  990. >"I... that... that sounds painful, sir..."
  991. "I'm sorry, Corona, but that's the best I can do. You should have been upfront with me from the start and maybe things could have worked differently. However after the way you've behaved, if you want out of here, I have to insist on those terms."
  992. >she thinks on if for a few minutes in complete silence, biting her lip as she sits on her haunches and stares at the floor, her ears pinned flat
  993. >"Okay."
  994. >she looks up
  995. >"I'll do it, sir. What's your plan?"
  996.  
  997.  
  998.  
  999.  
  1000.  
  1001. >you stand up, brushing stray bits of straw off your pants and clear your throat when the vet returns
  1002. >"So, mister Anonymous, ha-"
  1003. "I can't afford two ponies right now," you cut him off abruptly
  1004. >Corona is immediately at her stall door, staring directly at you with silent tears streaming down her cheeks
  1005. >she rears up and places her hooves on the bars, her ears flat against her head and lip quivering, giving a soft whimper
  1006. >you look on her with pity for a moment before shutting your eyes and shaking your head
  1007. >"Please sir, don't leave me here..."
  1008. >"Are you sure, mister Anonymous?"
  1009. "YES!" you snap, gritting your teeth. "Now, can we change the subject please? Where are those x-rays? I want to see them for myself, nobody ever brought them to me."
  1010. >the doctor waves his hand dismissively
  1011. >"Yes, yes, one of my assistants will be along as soon as they can with your stallion's x-rays."
  1012. >his gaze falls upon Corona
  1013. "You mind telling me what's taking so long with that? I gotta say I'm starting to have some doubts here, doc."
  1014. >Shining stands up in his stall and gives a good shake before approaching the door and peering out at you silently
  1015. >"Doubts about what?"
  1016. "Oh, a lot of things. Mostly about your competency and if my Shiny is really as sick as you say he is."
  1017. >his eyes dart back and forth between you and the two ponies a few times
  1018. >his eyebrows crease and he frowns disapprovingly
  1019. >"Well, Mr. Anonymous, unless you've been hiding the fact you have a degree in veterinary medicine, perhaps it's best if you keep your doubts in check and let me do my job."
  1020. >you roll your eyes and cross your arms
  1021. "Awful defensive for someone who's just trying to do his job."
  1022. >you turn your head, glancing over at Corona
  1023. >"You know, you're welcome to take your stallion and leave. We'll send you a bill in the mail for services rendered. Don't call us crying when he dies from a twisted gut, though"
  1024. >you look over at Shining Armor, who tilts his head curiously as he sits on his haunches at the stall door
  1025.  
  1026. "How you feeling, Shiny?"
  1027. >"A lot better, Master."
  1028. "No more stomach aches?"
  1029. >he simply shakes his head
  1030. "No more drowsiness?"
  1031. >again
  1032. >your eyes meet the doctor's
  1033. "Can you explain to me why he suddenly seems to be feeling just fine now that whatever drugs you were giving him seem to be working their way out of his system?"
  1034. >"I don't like your tone, Mr. Anonymous."
  1035. >he stomps over to the stall door, puts Shining's halter and lead rope on and handing him over to you
  1036. >"I think you should leave, now."
  1037. >he glances over at Corona
  1038. >"I'll just euthanize that stupid rat if you don't want her."
  1039. >Corona's eyes go wide
  1040. >you shrug, starting toward the door with Shiny in tow
  1041. "Not my problem."
  1042. >"WAIT!" a loud, desperate, feminine voice cries out
  1043. >you stop in your tracks and let out a heavy sigh
  1044. >you spin around and look at her
  1045. "He's not going to kill you, mare. You're worth too much to him."
  1046. >"I'm not going to lose any more money on this mare. If she doesn't sell her first time at auction, I'm putting her down, simple as that. I won't pay for months upon months of boarding fees until the auctioneers can get rid of her."
  1047. >you turn to the doctor
  1048. "You know killing slaves is illegal."
  1049. >he shrugs
  1050. >"Humane euthanasia by a licensed professional of veterinary medicine for valid medical reasons isn't, though."
  1051. "Again, that's not really my problem."
  1052. >you approach the bars of the stall door and look Corona in the eye with a laugh as you kneel down in front of her, taking a bar in each hand as you let Shining's lead rope drop to the floor
  1053. "I don't think you have much to worry about, though. You're a very pretty mare. I'm sure there's some fat, greasy loser that will see you and just fall in love."
  1054. >you reach through the bars to pat her on the forehead
  1055. "You'll make some lonely nerd a wonderful fuck toy!"
  1056.  
  1057. >before you can laugh a second time, a pair of snarling teeth clamp down on your hand and pull
  1058. >you let out a surprised yell of pain as you're knocked to the ground and your arm is pulled through the bars all the way up to your shoulder
  1059. >when you try to pull back the mare just bites and pulls harder
  1060. "GAH! FUCK! LET GO!"
  1061. >the doctor frantically starts pulling on your arm
  1062. "STOP THAT, you're only making it worse!"
  1063. >he tries to open the door, but your arm is lodged in a location that makes it impossible
  1064. >he bangs on the stall with his fists
  1065. >"CORONA LET HIM GO, NOW!"
  1066. >she growls loudly and pulls even harder, eliciting a sharp yelp from you as blood becomes smeared on her muzzle
  1067. >Shining starts pacing back and forth frantically behind you, unsure what he should do
  1068. >he suddenly approaches the bars and looks straight into her eyes
  1069. >"Corona, I order you to release my master. At once."
  1070. >she closes her eyes and shakes her head
  1071. >Shining's tone softens and he sits on his haunches
  1072. >"Please, Corona... one pony to another. This isn't the way, you're only making things worse for yourself... for your own sake, let Anonymous go..."
  1073. >she hesitantly releases you and you immediately pull your arm back through the stall
  1074. >standing up, you fling the door of the stall open with one hand while unbuckling your belt with the other, taking the strap of leather in your good hand and doubling it over
  1075. >Corona scurries to the corner of her stall and curls up into a fetal position, her hooves shielding her face
  1076. >you raise the belt high above your head in preparation to swing until a hand catches your arm
  1077. >"Alright, Mr. Anonymous, that's quite enough of that."
  1078. "She bit me, she needs to be taught a fucking lesson!"
  1079. >"She doesn't belong to you. It's not your place to punish her. I won't have any creatures in my care being beaten."
  1080. >he escorts you out of the stall and you shoot Corona a death glare as it's shut and latched behind you
  1081.  
  1082. >he leads you to an exam room where he cleans and bandages your hand
  1083. >"That's going to need stitches, Anon, you might want to go to the emergency room."
  1084. "You better have a damn good fucking lawyer, this shit falls on you," you say, pressing an index finger into his chest angrily before calling out harshly to Shining Armor
  1085. "SHINY! Come. We're leaving."
  1086. >Shining is at your side, looking a bit annoyed at being beckoned to you like a pet, but offering no protest as you take his lead rope and begin leading him toward the exit
  1087. >"Lawyer? What do you mean?"
  1088. >you detect the slightest hint of panic in the man's voice as he begins to follow you
  1089. "I think my meaning is clear, doctor. I'll be seeing you in court."
  1090. >you elevate your voice as you stomp through the lobby, making sure all eyes fall on the two of you
  1091. >"Please, not in front of the other patients..."
  1092. "What, you don't want people to know that you can't keep the animals in your care under control and that one of them savagely attacked me?"
  1093. >you could hear a pin drop in the awkward silence that follows
  1094. >"Anon, please..." he says, placing a hand around your back and forcefully diverting you to his office "let's discuss this in my office like civilized men, there's no need to-"
  1095. >you pull away from him
  1096. "Don't fucking touch me! You're done. DONE!"
  1097. >you storm through the front door toward your car
  1098. >as expected, he follows you out and into the parking lot
  1099. >"Anonymous what will it take to make this go away!?"
  1100. >you open the back driver's side door of your vehicle and Shining hops inside, laying across the back seat, seeming to ignore the scene unfolding around him
  1101. >"I'll waive your bill!"
  1102. >you shake your head, slamming the door shut as you open the front door and sit behind the wheel of your car
  1103. >he grabs the door, preventing you from pulling it shut as you insert your key into the ignition
  1104. >"I'LL GIVE YOU THE MARE!"
  1105.  
  1106. >you hesitate, slowly looking up at him as you relax a bit, sitting back in the seat and taking your hand off the keys
  1107. "What makes you think I want a psychotic, vicious beast like that anywhere NEAR me and my stallion?"
  1108. >"She bit you. Don't you want to make her pay for that?"
  1109. "She's already going to pay for it, by being sold off at auction."
  1110. >"Wouldn't you rather punish her yourself? Hurt her the way she hurt you?"
  1111. >you hesitate further
  1112. >"I can't let you punish her here, but if you take her away from here then whatever you decide to do with her after that is none of my business..."
  1113. >you let out an angry sigh
  1114. "What if I decided to take her off somewhere and torture her? Would that bother you?"
  1115. >"If it'll keep you from taking me to court, I don't care WHAT you do with her once you take her away. You can punish your slave as you see fit, as long as I never have to see you again..."
  1116. >you start the car and turn the air conditioner on low before stepping out
  1117. "Shiny, I'll be back in a little bit. Wait here until I get back, okay?"
  1118. >he nods as you shut and lock the door
  1119. >it's over an hour before you return
  1120. >Shining looks out the back window of your car and gives a mile-wide smile seeing you with Corona's leash in one hand, and a manilla folder stuffed with paperwork in the other hand
  1121. >the mare's neck is shaved in a spot under her mane and she's wearing a muzzle, her ears folded flat and a fearful look on her face
  1122. >you open the passenger side door and she hops up into the seat with a little tug on the leash
  1123. >as soon as the veterinarian's office disappears from your rearview mirror, you reach over and remove the muzzle covering Corona's snout, smiling at her
  1124. >"It... it worked..."
  1125. >her lower jaw hangs slightly agape as she stares ahead at the dashboard in disbelief
  1126. "You did great, Corona."
  1127. >"Thank you, Master. I owe you my life..."
  1128. "I think that might be exaggerating a little, but you're welcome just the same."
  1129.  
  1130. >Shining's head pokes up between the two of you from the back seat, looking at Corona curiously
  1131. >"What happened to your neck?"
  1132. "That's where her brand is at, Shiny."
  1133. >he tilts his head
  1134. >"I don't see any brand."
  1135. "It's a freeze brand. Hard to see now, but her hair will grow back white there for the rest of her life."
  1136. >she looks away, staring out her window with a sigh
  1137. >"Yeah... the rest of my life."
  1138. "Don't sound so forlorn, mare. You knew the deal before I ever took you out of there."
  1139. >you reach over and pet her mane
  1140. >you're surprised that she doesn't flinch or pull away in disgust
  1141. >instead she trembles nervously
  1142. "Besides, you'll find I'm a fair master. And while I demand your respect, I don't want you to be afraid of me."
  1143. >the rest of the ride home is silent
  1144. >when you finally arrive you remove the halter and leadrope from Shiny as well as Corona's collar and leash as you open the front door
  1145. >she sits on her haunches and looks around the living room
  1146. >she looks confused when she sees Shining hop up on your couch and make himself comfortable as you head toward the kitchen
  1147. >"Your Highness, are you sure that's wise?" she asks under her breath, not taking her eyes off the doorway leading to the kitchen, anticipating your return at any moment
  1148. >"What do you mean?"
  1149. >"Ponies aren't allowed on their master's furniture... you're going to get us both whipped..."
  1150. >Shining instantly bursts out laughing
  1151. >"Anon isn't going to whip either of us, Corona. Especially over something like that. He's not like that."
  1152. >"Then... then how does he punish you?"
  1153. >Shining shrugs
  1154. >"He hasn't tried to yet. Not even once. Not even after I bit him last night."
  1155. >she immediately looks down at the floor when you re-enter the room, popping the tab on a can of soda as you take a seat in your recliner
  1156. >you smile warmly at Corona and call her over to you
  1157. "Corona, come here girl."
  1158. >she approaches you sheepishly and sits on her haunches in front of you
  1159.  
  1160. >you place your hand under her chin and gently tilt her head upward
  1161. "Rule number one, my dear, is that you are always to look into your master's eyes when being spoken to, okay?"
  1162. >she nods as she hesitantly makes eye contact and you brush a stray lock of mane from her face
  1163. >"yessir..."
  1164. "Good girl."
  1165. >you lean back in the chair and set the can on an end table next to you, patting your thigh
  1166. "Up, girl."
  1167. >she offers you a blank stare in response, prompting you to pat your leg again
  1168. "Come on, up girl."
  1169. >she looks over at Shining
  1170. >"I think he wants you to jump up on his lap, Corona."
  1171. >the mare awkwardly scrambles up onto your lap while you simultaneously let the recliner's footrest out, leaning it back slightly to get more comfortable
  1172. >her position is somewhat precarious, as there's not much room for her
  1173. >it's about as awkward as a giant saint bernard trying to be a lapdog
  1174. >you place your bandaged hand on her withers and gently push until she's resting on top of you at an angle, her chest against yours
  1175. "There we go."
  1176. >she squirms uncomfortably as you begin stroking her back, looking away from you and at the floor
  1177. >you can tell she already wants down
  1178. >you give her a little squeeze before continuing to pet her
  1179. "Hey, that's another thing. You're going to have to get used to me touching you, because I'm going to be doing it a lot."
  1180. >she swallows a lump in her throat, hesitantly resting her head on your chest with a soft, barely perceptible "yessir," laying her ears flat as she continues trembling
  1181. >you start to rock in the recliner slightly, letting your hands rest on Corona's back, occassionally reaching up to scratch an ear or rub her neck until she eventually settles down
  1182. "Now then, let's talk about work."
  1183. >Shining gets a noticable frown on his face, but you ignore it
  1184. "Shiny, you might wanna pay attention to what I have to say too, because once you get better you're going to be helping us."
  1185. >he snorts and rolls his eyes
  1186.  
  1187. "I inherited this place from my grandfather. We got a couple hundred acres here, but the whole property hasn't been properly tended to for almost 15 years."
  1188. >you continue petting Corona
  1189. "So I'm sure you can imagine just how much work needs to be done around here. There's brush to be cleared, fences to be mended, debris to be hauled away, stuff like that."
  1190. >you take a sip of your drink, wiping your lips with the back of your hand before continuing
  1191. "Some of the terrain is too rugged for a tractor or four wheeler. That's why I wanted a pony. I figured if I can find a cart the right size, it'll be easier for you to haul supplies around for me as well as haul brush away."
  1192. >"Y...you mean you're going to help us with the work, Master?"
  1193. >you look down at Corona and raise an eyebrow
  1194. "Well sure, yeah. This is my property. What kind of man doesn't tend to his own property? You and Shiny are here to help, that's all."
  1195. >you have Shining Armor's attention now as well
  1196. >"And what happens once we clear the land and make whatever repairs need to be made?"
  1197. >you shrug
  1198. "I honestly haven't thought that far ahead, Shiny, but I can't make use of the land in its current state, that much is certain. I thought about planting some crops, but the two of you don't seem much like farm ponies to me."
  1199. >"With all due respect, Anon, if all you wanted was for us to haul stuff, why didn't you just buy a couple of horses?"
  1200. "Shiny, I could have, but I didn't. For one thing, you and Corona can work on your own around here while I'm gone at my job during the day. Horses can't do that. For another thing, I have nowhere on the property to keep horses at the moment, whereas you two can just sleep in my house."
  1201. >Corona lifts her head in surprise
  1202. >"We're staying in YOUR house, Master?"
  1203. "You have a problem with that?"
  1204. >"nosir... it's just..."
  1205. >she blinks and shakes her head
  1206.  
  1207. >"that just seems like the type of privilege that a pony must earn through hard work and loyalty to her master... a reward to work toward rather than something given freely like that"
  1208. >you shrug
  1209. "It's practical, Corona. I don't have anywhere else for you two to stay. I'm not going to throw you out in the cold or make you sleep in tents outside or something like that. I want you to be comfortable here."
  1210. >you smile down at her
  1211. "Besides. Truth be told, I could use the companionship."
  1212. >"You say that like we're your pets or something."
  1213. >your smile fades
  1214. "Shiny, look. Yes, you two are my slaves. And yeah, I get that kinda sucks for you, but come on. Do I really seem like such a bad guy to you?"
  1215. >he looks away from you
  1216. "Have I disrespected you or treated you unfairly even once since I brought you home?"
  1217. >he simply shakes his head
  1218. >"A gilded cage is still a cage. A comfortable prison is still a prison. A loved and well-treated slave is still a slave."
  1219. >you groan, leaning your head back against the headrest of the recliner
  1220. "Do we have to do this right now, Shiny?"
  1221. >he hops down from the couch and disappears down the hallway without another word
  1222. >you silently hope he's not always going to be this mercurial
  1223. >sure you like the stallion, but he's not easy to get along with when he gets like this
  1224. >it's well within your rights to punish him for mouthing off like that, but you know that will only further drive a wedge between the two of you
  1225. >you just have to be patient with him, it's going to take time before he trusts you
  1226. >Corona too, for that matter
  1227. >oh well
  1228. >when the time comes for work, if they see you working alongside them just as hard, sweating just as much, getting just as dirty and tired, it should go a long way toward earning their respect
  1229. >they'll come to think of this place as home, too, eventually
  1230. >you hope so, at least
  1231.  
  1232.  
  1233.  
  1234.  
  1235.  
  1236. >you snort loudly and shake your head, bolting up in your seat
  1237. >huh, that's weird, you don't remember falling asleep
  1238. >your two ponies are nowhere to be found
  1239. >you sit up, pushing in the footrest of the recliner as you stretch and yawn, calling out sleepily
  1240. "Shiny? Co-" *yawn* "Corona?"
  1241. >no response
  1242. >you head for the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee
  1243. >sure it means you'll probably be up all night from drinking caffeine this late in the afternoon, but you're off work the next few days anyway
  1244. >you lazily walk down the hallway and push open your bedroom door
  1245. >Shiny is curled up on your bed looking out the window, his chin resting on his forehooves
  1246. >he raises his head briefly, his left ear spinning around in your direction and muzzle soon following, looking over at you with a pouty face, before returning his gaze out the window
  1247. "You haven't had anything to eat since breakfast, big guy. You hungry?"
  1248. >"No, Master," he mutters.
  1249. >you're pretty sure that's a lie, but you can tell he wants to be alone right now so you gently close the door and turn back down the hallway
  1250. >it's not long before you notice the bathroom door is shut
  1251. >you press your ear against it and can here the gentle sloshing and splashing of water
  1252. >placing your hand on the door handle, you turn it slowly and push the door open as quietly as possible
  1253. >you see Corona leaning back in the bathtub with her eyes closed, slowly lowering herself into the water until her head is submerged, then coming back up and shaking her head, running a hoof over her mane to push it back out of her eyes, spitting out a tiny mouthful of water
  1254. >careful not to startle her you push the door the rest of the way open and speak gently
  1255. "Hey Corona."
  1256. >she instantly sits up in the tub in a panic, splashing water over the edge as she begins to scramble to get out
  1257. >"I'm sorry Master! Please don't be angr-"
  1258.  
  1259. "Shh, shh, hey, easy girl. You're fine," you say with a smile, holding up a hand as you step inside and sit on the closed lid of the toilet. "You don't need my permission to take a bath."
  1260. >you notice she's disposed of her bandages in the bathroom garbage can
  1261. >leaning over, you peer into the tub to get a good look at her rear end
  1262. "Just be careful not to tear your stitches, okay girl?"
  1263. >she nods
  1264. >"yessir..."
  1265. >you reach over to pat the top of her head, and once again she instinctually leans away from you
  1266. >seeming to suddenly remember your words from earlier, she catches herself, but winces slightly as she allows your hand to make contact
  1267. "You really don't like being touched, do you?"
  1268. >she shakes her head
  1269. >"nosir..."
  1270. >a sudden realization strikes you
  1271. >is she in the bathtub because you were touching her earlier?
  1272. >does she find the touch of a human - even one that means her no harm - so revolting that it makes her feel dirty?
  1273. "So... did you come in here to get clean, or did you just want to relax for a bit?"
  1274. >"just wanted to relax for a bit before you woke up, Master... I'm sorry..."
  1275. >you shake your head
  1276. "Stop apologizing to me, Corona."
  1277. >"yessir.. sor--... yessir"
  1278. >you sigh and remove your hand from the top of her head, and instantly notice a release of tension in her body
  1279. "Anyway. I just wanted to ask if you're hungry."
  1280. >her head tilts ever so slightly and her ears twerk around in different directions
  1281. >"Is it time to dispense our rations, master?"
  1282. "'Rations?' No, it's just getting close to dinner time. I've got plenty of hay, fruits, and vegetables stocked up, but I figured I'd ask and see if there's a meal you'd like prepared."
  1283. >her head tilts even further, her left eye squinting slightly
  1284. >"You want to cook for us, Master?"
  1285. >you nod your head
  1286. "Well, I'm not really much of a cook honestly. I can whip up a mean grilled cheese sandwich though," you say with an awkward laugh.
  1287. >she licks her lips subtly
  1288. "Sound appetizing?"
  1289. >she nods hesitantly
  1290.  
  1291. "Grilled cheese and tomato soup, then?"
  1292. >"I'd like that, Master. I'd like that a lot..."
  1293. >you stand up
  1294. "Well then, I'll get on that. Towels are on the second shelf under the sink. Take your time though, there's no rush."
  1295. >"Thank you, Master..." she mutters, slowly relaxing back into the water
  1296. >when you turn to exit the bathroom you jump, startled to find Shining Armor standing behind you
  1297. >"I want some, too," he says begrudgingly, sitting on his haunches. "Also, I need to pee. Are you almost done, Corona?"
  1298. >you reach up and pull the shower curtain closed around the edge of the bathtub
  1299. "There. Open it back up for her when you're done, okay?"
  1300. >"I'd rather have some privacy..."
  1301. "Then hold it. I'm not going to make her get out of the tub for you."
  1302. >he lets out an agitated snort, swishing his tail
  1303. "Actually, you're going to have to hold it for now."
  1304. >you reach back up and pull the curtain back open
  1305. "Come with me, Shiny."
  1306. >you start to walk out of the bathroom and he just sits there
  1307. >you look back over your shoulder, your tone becoming harsher, causing Corona to cringe
  1308. "NOW," you order, snapping your fingers and pointing down the hallway
  1309. >he rolls his eyes at you once more, walking down the hallway toward the living room as you shut the bathroom door
  1310. >he starts to climb up on the couch, but you're quick to stop him
  1311. "Ah!" you grunt sternly, snapping your fingers one more and pointing at the floor in front of you
  1312. >he sits on his haunches in front of you and looks past you in disinterest
  1313. "We need to have a little chat about your attitude."
  1314. >"What about it?"
  1315. "Shiny, I like you buddy, really I do, but you're starting to tread thin ice here with your disrespect. I won't have you undermining my authority, especially not in front of Corona."
  1316. >he reaches up and pulls your belt from your pants with surprising dexterity, holding it in his teeth and attempting to place it in your hand
  1317. >it falls to the floor when you refuse to take it
  1318. >"So then why don't you do something about it?"
  1319.  
  1320. "I've already told you I'm not going to whip you. That doesn't mean you can't be punished at all, though. I don't want to have to do that though."
  1321. >"What, you're going to make me sleep alone tonight or something if I don't shape up and lick your boot like a good little slave? That breaks my heart, 'Master.'"
  1322. >you place the palm of your hand against your forehead, slowly running it backward through your hair as you take a deep breath
  1323. >truth be told, you actually hadn't given much thought about how you were going to discipline them
  1324. "What do you want from me, Shiny?"
  1325. >"Freedom would be a nice start."
  1326. >you shake your head
  1327. "Not going to happen."
  1328. >"Ever?"
  1329. >You gently place your hand on either side of his face and stare into his eyes, speaking very calmly
  1330. "I own you."
  1331. >he tries to look away, but you force him to maintain eye contact
  1332. "Say it."
  1333. >he snorts and tries to pull away, so you grab his halter and force it over his head, pulling on the lead rope to once again force eye contact
  1334. "I own you, Shiny. I will always own you. The sooner you accept that, the better off you'll be."
  1335. >"Never," he says with an angry flick of his tail
  1336. >you give a frustrated grunt
  1337. "We were just starting to get along, too... I don't get you, stallion. Why are you fighting me so hard?"
  1338. >you lead him over to the couch, sitting down in front of him, maintaining a firm grip on the lead rope, not letting his gaze wander for even a moment
  1339. "I'm a patient man. We're going to sit here until you say it."
  1340.  
  1341. >nearly an hour passes and he still hasn't broken down and said it
  1342. >Corona skittishly approaches the two of you, a towel wrapped around her mane
  1343. >she quietly sits on her haunches far away and simply observes, not daring to speak up
  1344. >you glance over at her momentarily before looking back at the stallion in front of you
  1345. "I'm sure Corona is getting hungry, Shiny. You wanna explain to her why you're delaying her dinner?"
  1346. >"That's not my fault, Anon, it's yours. You say you respect me - respect US - but this sure doesn't feel like respect to me."
  1347. "Hey, respect is a two way street, pal. You'll be well-cared for here but you're not going to walk all over me and take my kindness for granted. I'll tell you what. I'll settle for an apology at this point."
  1348. >he snorts
  1349. >"No."
  1350.  
  1351. >you give a sharp little tug on the lead rope
  1352. >not to hurt him or anything, just to show him you mean business
  1353. "Ah ah, bad boy. Now you apologize to your master for that attitude so I can go and start dinner. That's all I'm asking fo-"
  1354. >his brow furrows
  1355. >"I'll show you a 'bad boy'"
  1356. >soon the sound of dripping fluid spattering onto wet carpet meets your ears
  1357. >a quick glance downward confirms your suspicion
  1358. >he's peeing on the carpet
  1359. >his eyes lock onto yours with a satisfied smirk as the last few drops dribble out and he lets out a long, exaggerated sigh of relief
  1360. >your jaw hangs slightly agape, your expression unreadable as you simply stare into his eyes in disbelief
  1361. >Corona is now hiding under the kitchen table, her front hooves covering her eyes and ears laid flat
  1362. >probably half expecting Shining's life to end before her eyes for what he just did
  1363. >you shake your head and clench your fist around the leadrope
  1364. "GOD DAMN IT, SHINY!"
  1365. >"I told you I had to go, but you didn't listen."
  1366. >you stand up and drop the lead rope, fetching a handful of towels that you drop on the wet spot on the floor and step on repeatedly, trying to soak up the mess
  1367. "I SHOULD WHIP YOUR ASS RAW, YOU KNOW THAT?" you shout, your voice trembling with anger
  1368. >you resist the almost overwhelming urge to force his muzzle to the floor to rub his nose in it
  1369. >that would only make things worse
  1370. >besides, it's not like he doesn't know what he did already
  1371. "But I'm not going to," you say after taking a deep breath and slowly releasing it with your eyes closed, allowing your anger to subside even if only slightly
  1372. >his smile slowly fades
  1373. >"What's wrong, 'Master,' discplining your slaves is part of ownership! Don't let my condition keep you from doing what you have to do - what you know you WANT to do."
  1374. >he picks up the belt again and flings it toward you
  1375. >"Go on, show me who's boss!"
  1376.  
  1377. >you pick up the towel and bunch it up into a ball, holding it inches from his muzzle and shaking it as you scold him
  1378. "You should be ashamed of yourself for this. You're acting like a spoiled little baby, you know that?"
  1379. >you storm off toward the laundry room, tossing the dirty towel in the washer and running water into it before grabbing a container of carpet powder from under the kitchen sink, sprinkling it over the wet spot when you return
  1380. >you approach the front door, flinging it open so hard it slams against the wall, knocking several pictures off of it
  1381. "You want your freedom so bad, go on. Fucking take it," you say, pointing out the door
  1382. >he looks stunned
  1383. >"You can't be serious..."
  1384. "DO I LOOK LIKE I'M PLAYING? GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE!"
  1385. >he stands up and slowly walks toward the door, but hesitates in the doorway
  1386. >he looks back at you over his shoulder, lead rope still dangling from the halter strapped to his head
  1387. >you simply place a foot on his hindquarters and push hard, slamming the door shut behind him as he stumbles outside, nearly losing his footing
  1388. >stomping back over to the couch, you sit down and place your elbows on your knees, your entire body shaking with adrenaline as you place your palms over your face
  1389. >after only a minute or so you realize what you just did, and in a panic you stand back up, looking out the front window
  1390. >you're relieved to see Shining sitting on his haunches in front of the door, looking down
  1391. >he raises a hoof as though he's about to knock, but hesitates for several moments before letting out a sigh, standing up and turning around, walking down the stairs of your front porch
  1392. >you watch him like a hawk, not even noticing that Corona has joined you in the living room and is sitting on the floor by your recliner
  1393. >every fiber in your being is screaming out for you to fling the door open and go running after him, but you resist, hoping your bluff pays off
  1394.  
  1395. >he eventually reaches the end of the driveway, laying down by the rear driver's side wheel of your car
  1396. >for the next 30 minutes it feels like you don't blink or take a single breath as you stare out the window at him
  1397. >you'll chase him down if he goes any further, but you want to give him a chance to come back on his own first
  1398. >you see him clumsily try to remove the halter and lead rope with his hooves a few times
  1399. >naturally, he fails to do so
  1400. >every time he tries you see his tail swishing in angry frustration
  1401. >even accidentally bops himself on the muzzle one time, drawing a brief, stifled snicker from you
  1402. >Corona is now looking out the window as well
  1403. >she still hasn't said a word to you
  1404. >you let out a breath you didn't even know you were holding when he finally stands up and turns back toward the house, hanging his head in defeat as he walks
  1405. >you are quick to scramble away from the window so he doesn't see you as he approaches, and moments later you hear a gentle knock at the front door
  1406. >opening the door just a crack, you see him sitting on his haunches in front of you, eyes locked on the ground, ears flattened in shame
  1407. "What part of 'go away' do you not understand? You got what you wanted, you got your freedom. Why are you here?"
  1408. >he mutters something incomprehensible as his tail starts flicking wildly
  1409. "I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that."
  1410. >he clears his throat
  1411. >"I said... I have nowhere else to go..."
  1412. "Sounds like you've got a problem, then. Goodbye, Shiny," you say as you start to close the door
  1413. >"WAIT!"
  1414. >you hesitate briefly
  1415. "What now?"
  1416. >"I'm..."
  1417. "You're what?"
  1418. >"I'm sorry."
  1419. >you slowly open the door a bit more, standing in the doorway with a stern look on your face and your arms crossed over your chest
  1420. "'I'm sorry' what?"
  1421. >he blinks a few times, but doesn't even bother looking up at you
  1422. >"I'm sorry... Master."
  1423. "Again."
  1424. >"I'm sorry, Master."
  1425. "Last chance, say it like you fucking mean it!"
  1426.  
  1427. >"I'M SORRY, MASTER!" he blurts out, finally looking up at you with tears threatening to form in his eyes
  1428. >"There, I said it."
  1429. "I don't think I understand just what you're trying to say here, Shiny. Are you telling me you don't want to be a free stallion anymore all of a sudden?"
  1430. >he grits his teeth, grinding them together loudly enough that you can hear it
  1431. "Well then, if you're not a free stallion what are you?"
  1432. >he forces the words from his lips through a clenched jaw, his tone dripping with venom.
  1433. >"I'm a slave."
  1434. "Who's slave?"
  1435. >his eye twitches and he stomps a hoof
  1436. "YOUR slave. I'm your slave, Anon."
  1437. >he looks away from you in humiliation
  1438. >"Are you happy now? Is that what you wanted?"
  1439. >you open the door all the way, calmly picking up the lead rope and giving it a gentle tug as you step aside, leading him back into the house
  1440. "Yes. That was all I wanted, Shiny. Was that really so hard?"
  1441. >"Harder than you can ever imagine, Anon..." he says, staring at the floor as you remove the halter and calmly close the door
  1442.  
  1443. >he's completely taken aback when you kneel in front of him and wrap him in a hug
  1444. >he doesn't hug you back, but he doesn't pull away either
  1445. >eventually you release him
  1446. >as you stand up, you flick the end of his muzzle as hard as you can, prompting his eyes to cross and his ears to flop as he tries to look at the end of his own snout
  1447. "Don't you ever make me have to do something like that again, you knucklehead."
  1448. >"I didn't do it for you, Anon. I did it for that mare over there," he says, tilting his head toward Corona. "I can't just leave her here alone with no other ponies to talk to or comfort her."
  1449. "I don't care why you came back, Shiny. What's important is that you came back, that's all that matters to me."
  1450. >you stand up and begin walking toward the kitchen
  1451. "Now if you're done with your little tantrum, I'll get started with the cooking. I think you owe Corona an apology, too."
  1452. >he shoots her a sideways glance, muttering a half-hearted "Sorry" in her direction
  1453. >"That was really stupid of you..." she snaps at him under her breath, hoping you don't notice
  1454. >he does his best to pretend not to be offended, but you can tell by the look on his face he takes issue with her tone
  1455. "You two play nice and watch TV or something until I'm done."
  1456. >"yessir..." Corona replies
  1457.  
  1458. "Hey horses, food's ready," you call from the kitchen
  1459. >Shining still looks rather annoyed as he wanders into the room, the mare following closely behind him tweaking her ears every which way rapidly, subconsciously evaluating the scene for safety
  1460. >Shining sits on his haunches at the table, able to reach it without needing a chair, as you pull one out for Corona
  1461. "Have a seat, little mare"
  1462. >you place a bowl of soup in front of Shining, and another in front of Corona
  1463. >Shining gives it a tentative sniff, poking his tongue out ever so slightly to get a taste
  1464. >Corona sits perfectly still as you set a plate of grilled cheese sandwiches out in the middle of the table
  1465. >you grab one and tear off a strip, dunking it in your tomato soup before enjoying it
  1466. >another one you toss on a plate in front of Corona
  1467. "Well, what are you two waiting for? Help yourselves"
  1468. >Shining snaps up one of the sandwiches in his mouth, eating the whole thing in no more than three bites before Corona even finishes sniffing the food in front of her
  1469. >she takes a small bite off the corner, carefully sipping from the soup bowl in front of her as well
  1470. >before she can stop herself she emits a tiny nicker, immediately bringing a hoof to her muzzle in embarassment
  1471. >Shining has already slurped down the last of his soup, licking the remnants off his lips
  1472. >"I've never had a human cook for me before," she says, taking another bite and closing her eyes
  1473. >she clears her throat as another nicker nearly escapes
  1474. >"This is delicious, Master"
  1475. "It's just grilled cheese, nothing special," you shrug, finishing what's left of your soup
  1476. >Corona is definitely taking her time to savor her meal, her bowl is still almost full and barely half of her sandwich is gone
  1477.  
  1478. >Shining steps over to the sink, rearing up on his hind legs and fumbling with the faucet handle before finally managing to turn it on
  1479. >once back on all fours, he leans his head over the sink and starts drinking straight from the tap, taking huge, loud gulps of water showing little concern for politeness
  1480. >you notice that the mare has suddenly stopped eating, and is staring off into space
  1481. "Problem, Corona?"
  1482. >she shakes her head
  1483. >"nosir... I think I'll save the rest for later though..."
  1484. >you hear her stomach grumble
  1485. "Why? Aren't you still hungry?"
  1486. >she sheepishly taps her hooves together, laying her ears flat as she looks at the floor
  1487. >"yessir... but I'm... I'm used to making food stretch out and last for a while, I might get hungry again later and-"
  1488. "Corona, you don't have to stash food away in case you get hungry. Eat as much as you want, if you get hungry later the kitchen isn't going anywhere."
  1489. >she smiles and her ears slowly perk back up, looking at you with gratitude before going right back to eating
  1490. >you hear the tap shut off, and moments later feel something nudging your arm
  1491. >by the time you look down, you find the stallion nuzzling your hand before disappearing from the kitchen without saying so much as a word
  1492. "Wish he'd make up his mind..." you mutter
  1493. >Corona tilts her head slightly, swallowing the bite in her mouth
  1494. >"Master?"
  1495. "Nothing, girl. Go on, eat some more," you say, reaching over the table and placing another sandwich on her plate. "You want some more soup, too?"
  1496. >she simply nods, taking a bite of the new sandwich as you pick her bowl up and carry it over to the stove, ladling another helping into it before returning it to her
  1497. >you place the two empty bowls from yourself and Shining into the sink and run water in them before excusing yourself from the room
  1498. "You can have the last sandwich too, if you want it, and there's still a little soup left in the pot on the stove. Eat until you're not hungry any more, and I mean that as a command."
  1499.  
  1500. >she nods her head
  1501. >"yes Master, thank you Master"
  1502. >you start to reach toward her to give her a pat on the head, but stop yourself remembering how uncomfortable it makes her, deciding to let her enjoy the rest of her meal in peace
  1503. >you find Shining sulking in your bedroom once again, laying on your bed and staring out the window
  1504. >this time, however, you sit on the bed next to him
  1505. "Your life here is only going to be as difficult as you make it for yourself, you know."
  1506. >an ear rotates toward you, but his head doesn't move, a simple swish of his tail acknowledging your presence
  1507. "If you're trying to put on an act for Corona, I get it. You don't want to appear weak in front of another pony. But I honestly wouldn't be too worried about that if I were you. She's more preoccupied with making the best of the hand she's been dealt in life."
  1508. >he sighs
  1509. "Notice how quick she is to obey me? She knows tha-"
  1510. >"Just because you 'saved' her doesn't mean she's not afraid of you."
  1511. >you pause for a moment
  1512. "Perhaps. That will go away with time though."
  1513. >you reach over and place a hand on his back
  1514. "I know YOU'RE not afraid of me. I don't want you to be either."
  1515. >he doesn't protest when you begin stroking his back gently
  1516. "I still stand by what I said last night too, Shiny. I want to be your friend."
  1517. >"I was so sure you'd hit me earlier... why couldn't you just hit me? That would have made it so much easier to leave..."
  1518. >you run a hand over his mohawk a few times before letting your hand rest on his withers
  1519. >"You keep doing that a lot."
  1520. "Doing what?"
  1521. >"Petting me."
  1522. "Can't help it. I don't even realize I'm doing it half the time. Are you asking me to stop?"
  1523. >"It's degrading... even if it does feel kinda nice."
  1524. "It's not meant to be. I'm just trying to show you some affection is all."
  1525. >he turns his head to look at you
  1526. "Believe it or not, I care about you a lot. Corona, too."
  1527. >"You barely know us."
  1528.  
  1529. >you shake your head
  1530. "That doesn't matter. You're my responsibility now, and I have a duty to see to it the two of you are cared for properly and treated fairly."
  1531. >you stroke his forehead, all the way down over his muzzle a few times
  1532. "I wouldn't have thought twice about paying that vet bill for you earlier today if it came right down to it. I was worried about you, Shiny. I want to see you get better. That would have wiped out all of my savings, but money isn't that important to me."
  1533. >"I don't like being reminded I'm your slave... you humiliated me earlier."
  1534. "That's just the reality of the situation, big guy. I'm not going to tiptoe around it or pretend like it's not something you need to be aware of. If that means your pride has to take a hit every now and then, I'm sorry, but in my view it's neccessary. I want to be your friend, but I'm your Master first, and you needed to be disciplined earlier. I don't want to whip you, so that was really my only other option. Surely you can see why I talked to you that way, you're not a dumb pony."
  1535. >he looks back out the window again, letting out a barely perceptible snort
  1536. "Is your loyalty and obedience really such a steep price to pay for what I'm offering you in return?"
  1537. >you lean over the bed and place your arm around him in a half-hug, placing the side of your face against his neck and giving him a good squeeze for a full minute before standing back up
  1538. "Just think about it, okay? You're making things harder for everyone involved by fighting me like this."
  1539. >you look back at him as you stand in the doorway
  1540. "Now if you want to sit in here and sulk some more, that's up to you. I'd appreciate it very much if you'd come out and join me and Corona, though."
  1541.  
  1542.  
  1543.  
  1544.  
  1545.  
  1546. >when you return, you find that Corona has not only finished her meal, but has managed to wash, dry, and put away all the dirty dishes without you ever having asked her to
  1547. >she's now laying on the floor next to your recliner
  1548. >her head perks up when she sees you, and she sits up on her haunches
  1549. "Hey girl," you say with a sigh, flopping down into the chair next to her and turning on the Tv
  1550. >you idly reach over and start scritching her ear as you flip through all the channels
  1551. "I appreciate you cleaning up. Thank you."
  1552. >you're somewhat shocked to feel the mare leaning into your hand as you scratch
  1553. >her front hooves leave the ground as her head tries to follow your hand when you eventually pull it away, causing her to nearly lose her balance
  1554. >you turn off the TV with an aggravated grunt, eventually giving up your search for entertainment for the evening
  1555. >instead, you turn your attention to Corona
  1556. "I thought you didn't like being touched by humans, mare?"
  1557. >"nosir... I usually don't" she says. "You told me I was going to have to get used to it though, Master, so I'm trying..."
  1558. >you look down at her with a warm smile
  1559. "Good girl, Corona."
  1560. >she returns your smile with a faint one of her own
  1561. "I like seeing that."
  1562. >she tilts her head
  1563. >"Seeing what, Master?"
  1564. "Seeing you smile like that. Makes me feel like maybe all of this isn't a complete waste of time after all."
  1565. >you let out a forlorn sigh, reaching down and stroking her mane and neck
  1566. >she trembles ever so slightly for a few moments as you touch her, but eventually relaxes into your ministrations
  1567. >"f...forgive me if I'm out of line Master, but... is... is there something you'd like to talk about? You seem kind of sad..."
  1568. >you shake your head
  1569. "Nothing that won't work itself out over time, Corona. Don't worry about it. Hey, how are your hindquarters feeling?"
  1570. >"I'm not in pain, Master, if that's what you're asking. I'm pretty close to being completely healed, I think."
  1571. "I'm glad."
  1572.  
  1573. >"h...how is your hand feeling, Master? I'm sorry I bit you so hard..."
  1574. "It'll be fine. I'm not gonna bother seeing a doctor about it unless it feels like it's getting infected or something. And you don't have anything to be sorry about, you did exactly what I asked you to."
  1575. >you pat your lap, and without a word she climbs up onto you as you kick out the foot rest once more
  1576. "I want to ask you something."
  1577. >"yessir"
  1578. "Answer me honestly, too."
  1579. >"...yessir"
  1580. "Can you ever be happy as a slave?"
  1581. >she hesitates and you feel her begin to tremble
  1582. "Shh, shh," you say, wrapping your arms around her in a gentle hug. "I'm not going to be mad if you say no."
  1583. >she shakes her head
  1584. >"n...nosir. I want to be free..."
  1585. >her words are spoken barely above a whisper
  1586. >somehow you expected that answer
  1587. >"but..."
  1588. >she sighs, looking away from you
  1589. "Go on, Corona, speak freely."
  1590. >"Being free here isn't the same as being free back in Equestria... it's dangerous. Very dangerous. At least, for a pony on the run it is."
  1591. >she rests her head on your chest
  1592. >"I'm not going to run away from you, sir, if that's what you're wondering."
  1593. "Ever?"
  1594. >she shakes her head slightly
  1595. >"nosir... I might be a slave but at least I'm safe here. I'm starting to realize that. I don't think prince Shining Armor understands how bad it can get out there on your own... he never would have behaved that way if he'd experienced some of the things I have."
  1596. >she shifts her position so that she can look into your eyes
  1597. >"You... you don't seem like the other humans I've met in my life. None of them have ever cared how I felt or if I was in pain... if I was hungry..."
  1598. >she starts to tear up
  1599. >"the others... all they ever cared about was how they could use me to make money."
  1600. "You're not here to earn me a profit, Corona. You and Shiny are here to help me turn this place into a home I can be proud of."
  1601. >"I know, Master."
  1602. "I want you to think of it as your home, too."
  1603. >she falls silent, squirming a bit in your arms
  1604.  
  1605. >"B...but it's not, sir... Equestria is my home... I'll never forget that as long as I live."
  1606. >you sigh, pulling her tight against your chest, feeling a slight dampness begin to soak through your shirt, suddenly realizing there are silent tears streaming down her cheeks and dripping onto you
  1607. >"I'll never stop wanting to go home..."
  1608. >a gasp catches in her throat, and she bites her lip, closing her eyes tight
  1609. >her best efforts to suppress her emotions fail, and soon her whole body is quaking
  1610. >you gently run a hand up and down her back
  1611. "It's okay. Let it out," you softly whisper to her
  1612. >and with those words, the mental and emotional dam breaks, the mare collapsing into you, pressing her face into your chest and letting out deep, agonized, heaving sobs
  1613. >"I w..w..w..wanna g..go..o..o.. HOOOOOOOOOO-HOO-HOOOOMMMMEEE"
  1614. >her wailing doubles in intensity, her voice increasing in pitch at least an octave as she coughs and sputters, choking on her words
  1615. >"I WANNA GO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOME!" she screams into your chest, writhing around as though someone is dripping molten lead all over her body and she can't escape it
  1616. >you begin rocking in the chair, tightening your grip on her, placing your chin on top of her head
  1617. >there's nothing you can say to her
  1618. >she's probably never been allowed to express her pain so freely before
  1619. >and it shows in the intensity of her cries
  1620. >her muzzle is pressed into you so tightly that you can't make out anything else she says
  1621. >she doesn't stop muttering incoherently for several minutes though
  1622. >amidst the muttering, stammering, hyperventilating, and high pitched squeals you're able to make out a few words here and there
  1623.  
  1624. >"Home" is one that's repeated several times
  1625. >"Mommy"
  1626. >"Daddy"
  1627. >she's far from a young filly, but you suppose it's not really that uncommon for even a grown person - or pony for that matter - to call out for their parents in such an extreme state of disorientation and distress
  1628. >your shirt is completely soaked in tears and mucus, and her face and muzzle are smeared with it, her eyes red and bloodshot
  1629. >this continues for what feels like an eternity, her voice going hoarse, coughing fits nearly making her throw up
  1630. >eventually though, every last spare iota of energy in her body has been spent, and the mare lets out one final desperate groan before falling asleep in your arms
  1631.  
  1632.  
  1633.  
  1634.  
  1635.  
  1636. >hard to believe it's been over a week since you brought your little ponies home
  1637. >you've managed to find a much better veterinarian to tend to them
  1638. >Shiny's condition is gradually improving
  1639. >and your suspicions that you had been previously lied to are soon confirmed
  1640. >he never needed surgery, and his diet doesn't need restricted nearly as much as had been implied by the good for nothing scamming sorry excuse for a man you got Corona from
  1641. >speaking of Corona, her stitches finally came out this morning too
  1642. >her coat has filled in around the scars on either side of her hindquarters, making them almost imperceptible without close inspection
  1643. >the white hairs on her neck marking her as a registered former runaway have grown in too
  1644. >a series of inch-tall symbols and pictograms stretching down nearly a foot-long length of her neck right at the root of her mane
  1645. >you're not sure why they don't just use regular letters and numbers for these things
  1646. >maybe so the brand is a bit more pleasing to the eye
  1647. >her long, luxurious ivory mane which you've been seeing to dutifully with a brush each night to prevent it from tangling, often cascades over it and obscures it, though all it takes is a casual toss of her head to heave it over the other side of her neck for it to come into plain view
  1648. >you've noticed the mare wince ever so slightly, sometimes accompanied by a brief droop of her ears, whenever she notices the mark in the mirror
  1649. >a constant, and likely unwelcome, reminder that she's yours forever
  1650. >that as kind as you are to her, she still belongs to you
  1651. >your efforts to get to know her better have, for the most part, been in vain
  1652. >any mention of her previous life as a free mare back in Equestria sends her into a crushing depression that lasts the rest of the day, so you've learned to avoid that topic
  1653. >and she downright refuses to give any details about her former master, and the circumstances surrounding her enslavement and escape
  1654.  
  1655. >though you've noticed she sometimes gives Shining Armor an intensely awkward glance or stare whenever the subject is mentioned in passing
  1656. >it's almost as if she's terrified he's going to find out something devastating about her past
  1657. >that glance is almost always followed by a quick look of relief and gratitude in your direction for not prying any further
  1658. >thankfully, Shining himself hasn't seemed to notice
  1659. >otherwise, you're sure he'd probably try to drag it out of her somehow
  1660. >you're sure he feels that ponies in this situation shouldn't keep secrets from each other, after all
  1661. >he's often too busy grumbling about his circumstances or replying to simple commands or inquiries with smart-mouthed remarks or quips
  1662. >he doesn't let you forget he's not happy about being a slave, but overall he's calmed down a bit
  1663. >other than that little bit of attitude there's very little open defiance or disobedience
  1664. >nothing necessitating further discipline against him
  1665. >you've even managed to get an occassional smile out of him
  1666. >even if he's quick to wipe it off of his face as soon as you notice
  1667. >right now he's resting on the couch watching TV
  1668. >you're sitting there on the recliner, staring blankly at the screen
  1669. >some stupid little cartoon show that he catches on at the same time every day
  1670. >you don't pay it much attention, but he seems to really like whatever it is, so you let him be
  1671. >Corona is soaking in the bathtub
  1672. >taking long baths seems to be her favorite thing to do in her down time
  1673. >you cringe momentarily thinking about your water bill for the month, but ultimately decide it's no big deal
  1674. >bathing relaxes her and always seems to take the edge off of her generally nervous demeanor
  1675. >if that's something she can take comfort in, you don't want to take it away from her
  1676. >especially given that her behavior has been absolutely exemplary
  1677. >she helps you keep the house clean, does dishes, dusts, sweeps, or whatever else you asked her to do without hesitation or complaint
  1678.  
  1679. >you've avoided anything more intense than light house work until she's had a chance to heal from having her cutie mark removed
  1680. >it still amazes you that she's able to handle some of the tools she uses with such dexterity, given the lack of hands or fingers
  1681. >she's also starting to reach a point where being touched by you doesn't seem to bother her
  1682. >or if it does, she's gotten very good at hiding it
  1683. >you could even swear that she almost relishes feeling your fingers run through her mane or over her back sometimes though
  1684. >a genuine, heart-felt utterance of "Good girl" always makes a smile tug at the corners of her mouth as well, drawing rolled eyes or a frustrated grunt from Shiny if he's in the room and hears you
  1685. >that's something she DEFINITELY tries not to let you see
  1686. >these ponies might not love you, and probably never will, but in their own way they're both slowly beginning to form a bond with you
  1687. >even if it's still mostly one-sided for now
  1688. >you cast a casual glance at the watch on your wrist, standing up and peering out the window before sitting back down with a sigh
  1689. >that delivery truck should have been here by now
  1690. >you've made a few purchases that you're eager to receive
  1691. >among other things, you're expecting a pair of pony-sized beds
  1692. >it's not that you haven't enjoyed cozying up to the two of them at night
  1693. >you just promised them both they'd have their own beds
  1694. >and so they shall
  1695. >Corona's first night here was more than a little awkward
  1696. >she didn't want to be left alone on the couch
  1697. >and neither did Shiny, even though it took a lot for him to break down and admit it
  1698. >the prospect of the married stallion sharing a bed with a mare other than his wife was cause for great consternation
  1699. >after a great deal of arguing, grunting, eye rolling, tail flicking, and frustration from both ponies, you ultimately got them to go along with it
  1700.  
  1701. >after all, it's not like there'd be a chance for anything to happen with you sleeping in between them
  1702. >and disobeying a direct order from their Master would be unwise
  1703. >that "excuse" hardly seems to make Shiny feel any better about it though
  1704. >and so your nights have been spent holding one pony or the other in your embrace, the other sleeping with their back to yours
  1705. >much of the awkwardness had slowly subsided, and you thoroughly enjoyed feeling the two warm fuzzy bodies on either side of you each night
  1706. >you're almost disappointed by the thought you'll be sleeping alone tonight
  1707. >a loud yawn and sneeze breaks your train of thought
  1708. >"Show's over, Anon," Shining says with a slight sniffle
  1709. >turns out he has some slight seasonal allergies
  1710. >vet told you to just give him a couple benadryl whenever they act up
  1711. >he doesn't always comply with that though
  1712. >you pick up the remote and shut the TV off, opting to turn on the radio
  1713. >your favorite station, playing a wide variety of 70's, 80's, and 90's music
  1714. >Shining covers his eyes with his hooves with a slight groan any time you sing along with the lyrics, almost as though he's embarassed for you
  1715. >sometimes you throw in some corny dance moves or air guitar as the icing on the cake
  1716. >really for no other reason than to make him cringe
  1717. >he's so uptight
  1718. >hopefully one day he'll start to relax and let himself have a little fun every now and then
  1719. >Corona finally emerges from the bathroom, steam billowing out the door and into the hallway, tossing her towel into the dirty laundry basket before sitting in front of you on her haunches, looking up at you expectantly with the mane and tail brush you bought for her in her mouth
  1720. >you take the brush from her, and she turns around as you scoot forward in the recliner, backing herself up so that she's sitting between your legs on the floor
  1721. >she looks down with a sigh, her ears drooping
  1722.  
  1723. >something's clearly bothering her, but you don't want to press her on what it is for fear it'll put her in a bad mood for the rest of the day
  1724. >it's probably not anything you can help her with, anyway
  1725. >leaning forward you wordlessly go to work on her mane, taking your time to enjoy the luxurious feeling of her silky smooth hair running between your fingers
  1726. >that conditioner you got for her to use is good shit, you think to yourself
  1727. >you're careful to work out any tangles or knots without pulling on her head and neck
  1728. >after several minutes she stands up, giving her head and neck a gentle shake, and you start on her tail
  1729. >she keeps her tail dock clamped pretty tightly against her backside to hide her... well, her mare parts... but you're still able to brush most of her tail without issue
  1730. >your mind begins to wander again as you settle into a rhythm working on her tail, teasing the hairs apart until her tail has fluffed out quite nicely, any trace of tangles gone
  1731. >that is, until you notice a familiar drumbeat and base guitar lick come over the radio [spoiler]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR2JtsVumFA[/spoiler]
  1732. >a huge grin creeps over your face as you stand up, momentarily straddling over the little mare, whose back comes just past your knees, swinging your hips and beginning to dance as you step over and in front of her
  1733. >holding the brush up to your mouth like a microphone, snapping your fingers with your other hand you start to sing along with the radio to her
  1734. >the mare is already tilting her head at an extreme angle and sitting back on her haunches, nose scrunched slightly, ears twitching as she watches you, confused as all hell
  1735. "Oh my little pretty one, pretty one, when you gonna give me some time, CORONA?"
  1736. >her head just tilts the other way
  1737. "Oh you make my motor run, motor run, gun it comin offa the line, CORONA!"
  1738.  
  1739. >her jaw opens slightly as you continue singing and approach her, tossing the brush aside as you take each of her forehooves in your hands, prompting her to stand on her hind legs as you alternately lift each hoof in the air in time with the beat in long exaggerated strokes, mock-dancing with her the way one might do with their dog when nobody's watching
  1740. "my my myyyyyy wooH!"
  1741. "m-m-m-myyy Corona!"
  1742. >the swinging of your hips and flailing of your limbs only intensifies as you start leading the mare around the room on her hind hooves in what has to be the most awkward, uncoordinated pony-human dance in recorded history
  1743. >Shining is trying his absolute best to dig a hole in the couch to presumably crawl into and die from embarassment, shoving his face down in between the cushions with a pillow over his head, loud groans coming from underneath
  1744. >you end up knocking a lamp over in the silliness and breaking it, but you don't even notice or care
  1745. >half way through the song when you release the mare and jump up onto the coffee table, hitting your knees in the most intense air-guitar solo of your life, you finally get the desired response
  1746. >the mare bursts out in uncontrollable giggling, holding a hoof over her muzzle and blushing so intensely it's evident even through her dark coat
  1747. >you jump back down and redouble your efforts, once again dancing with Corona, this time almost as if your very life depends on it, and she does her best to move her body along with yours, now openly laughing with a huge grin plastered across her muzzle
  1748. >as the song finishes you hold her front hooves apart and lean forward to give her a lightning quick peck on the forehead before releasing her, laughing a bit yourself
  1749. >as you turn from her to sit back on your recliner, you don't notice how soon the smile vanishes from her face
  1750.  
  1751. >you do, however, notice the sudden lack of laughter
  1752. >breathing heavily and even starting to sweat from exertion, you glance over at the mare, who's sitting on her haunches on the other side of the room and staring at you with an unreadable expression
  1753. >without explanation she starts crying softly, running past you into your bedroom, jumping up on your bed and weeping into your pillows
  1754. >you place a hand over your forehead and give a long, drawn-out sigh, shutting off the radio
  1755. >"Oh thank CELESTIA," Shining mutters, slowly emerging from under the couch cushion, apparently unaware that Corona had taken off crying
  1756. >and you don't even know why
  1757. >you were just trying to cheer her up a little
  1758. >shit, you were sure you'd succeeded until just a few seconds ago
  1759. >what the hell did you do to set her off now?
  1760. >you slowly stand up and start down the hallway toward the sounds of stifled cries
  1761.  
  1762.  
  1763.  
  1764.  
  1765.  
  1766. >when you reach your bedroom you find she's closed the door behind her
  1767. >you gently knock on it a few times
  1768. "Corona? You okay?"
  1769. >that was a stupid question
  1770. >she's obviously not
  1771. "Can I come in?"
  1772. >no response
  1773. >the crying is somewhat less audible than before
  1774. >she's probably intentionally suppressing it trying to make you leave
  1775. >you knock once more
  1776. "Corona, come on girl, talk to me..."
  1777. >"Please, Master..." you hear a faint feminine voice call out weakly from the other side
  1778. >you're not sure if it's a plea to come in or stay out
  1779. >you place your hand on the door handle and turn it slowly
  1780.  
  1781. --------------------------------
  1782.  
  1783. >there's a flash of light that quickly pans throughout the trees in front of you, briefly illuminating a tiny section of the vast forest before you
  1784. >voices are drawing near
  1785. >you can't tell what they're saying
  1786. >but you know they're not friendly
  1787. >and they're definitely not ponies
  1788. >a loud, gruff voice is barking orders
  1789. >the baying of loud, vicious, angry dogs fills your ears, steadily growing in volume as you and your friend run as fast as your tired hooves can carry you
  1790. >your lungs are burning
  1791. >your muscles screaming
  1792. >but you can't slow down
  1793. >you can't rest
  1794. >you have to run as hard and fast as you can
  1795. >have to get away...
  1796.  
  1797. --------------------------------
  1798.  
  1799. >"Corona?"
  1800. >you shake your head, briefly lifting it from the pillow after wiping your tears on it
  1801. >Master won't mind too much
  1802. >"It's just a pillowcase," he told you last time, "I can always wash it. I won't forbid you to cry when you need to."
  1803. >you feel the palm of his hand rest against your withers
  1804. >it causes you to shudder
  1805. >you want to apologize for your body's instinctual reaction, but the words don't find their way to your muzzle
  1806. >it's hard for you to understand why Master is treating you with such care
  1807. >you thought it was some sort of deception at first
  1808. >but if it is, you're not sure what the payoff is
  1809. >and he's been maintaining it from the moment your brand was applied, making you his
  1810. >still, you don't like it when a human touches you
  1811. >it reminds you too much of...
  1812. >you let out an intense shudder
  1813.  
  1814. --------------------------------
  1815.  
  1816. >one of the men chasing you has stopped
  1817. >the dogs have gotten a bit quieter
  1818. >he's issuing orders to the others to fan out
  1819. >maybe they lost your scent
  1820. >could you be that lucky?
  1821. >you occasionally see the lights from several flashlights bounce off more of the trees around you
  1822. >you and Merribelle are hiding under a pile of branches and leaves next to several fallen dead trees
  1823. >your body is screaming for oxygen, but you take soft, short, shallow, quiet breaths, terrified that breathing even just a little too hard will make enough noise to bring them down on you
  1824. >you hear the crunching of leaves rapidly advancing on your position
  1825. >you and the older mare stare fearfully into each other's eyes, no words needing to be spoken between the two of you
  1826. >if they find you...
  1827. >the crunching is very close now
  1828. >and suddenly stops
  1829. >you can hear the rapid inhaling of the dog as it sniffs excitedly, as though on the very edge of finally picking up your scent trail once again
  1830. >in the pale moonlight, you see a huge black spider crawl over Merribelle's muzzle, between her eyes, toward her horn
  1831. >oh no
  1832. >she's TERRIFIED of spiders...
  1833. >please don't scream... please don't scream... PLEASE don't scream...
  1834.  
  1835. --------------------------------
  1836.  
  1837. >the hand on your withers shakes you gently
  1838. >"Hey..."
  1839. >you let out a brief, truncated, shrill whinny as you snap back to reality for a moment
  1840. >tears are still finding their way from your eyes to the pillow beneath you completely against your will
  1841. >the hand begins to move, softly stroking you
  1842. >"Tell me what's wrong, girl..."
  1843. "Please, Master..."
  1844. >it's all you can mutter
  1845. >your tremors intensify
  1846. >they're going to find you
  1847. >you just know it
  1848.  
  1849. --------------------------------
  1850.  
  1851. >Merribelle's pupils constrict and her eyes widen
  1852. >she begins to shake, her eyes crossing, trying to follow the arachnid as it tickles her face
  1853. >you see her bite her lip extremely hard
  1854. >but despite her best efforts
  1855. >she lets out the slightest whimper
  1856. >and almost immediately you hear a nearly deafening sound, the baying hound so close that it's practically got its jaws around your neck already, causing a ringing in your ears from the sheer volume
  1857. >instantly the two of you leap from your hiding position, sprinting as fast as you can, no idea where you're going, the sound of your own rapid, pounding heart so loud in your ears that it almost overpowers even the sound of the dogs as more of them join in
  1858. >Merribelle just barely outpaces you as you flee
  1859. >she takes her eyes off the path between the trees in front of her for a mere fraction of a second
  1860. >but that's all it takes
  1861. >her front right fetlock hits the root of a tree that's sticking out of the ground and sends her muzzle-first into the dirt
  1862.  
  1863. --------------------------------
  1864.  
  1865. >"Anon, I have no idea what's wrong with her..."
  1866. >you recognize the voice of that stallion anywhere
  1867. >"Could she be having a seizure?"
  1868. >you see your Master shake his head at the prince
  1869. >"No, Shiny, I don't think that's what this is..."
  1870. >he seems to notice your eyes moving once again
  1871. >you feel a hoof join the hand on your back
  1872. >"Corona," Shining Armor says in a sturdy, authoritative tone of voice, "we're here for you, Corona. Tell us what's wrong..."
  1873. >your mouth opens, but no words come out
  1874.  
  1875. --------------------------------
  1876.  
  1877. >the dog is on Merribelle almost instantaneously as you run slightly past her, unable to stop in time and nearly tripping over her yourself, and you immediately double back
  1878. >she cries out in terror, rolling over onto her back as the dog pounces, shielding her face and neck with her forelegs as best as she can and closing her eyes tight
  1879. >you jump in front of her and spin around, putting every bit of your strength into bucking your hindquarters, kicking out with all of your might
  1880. >a sharp, sudden, agonized yelp cuts through the night air, a dull thud against the leaves, and then silence
  1881. >a quick glance seeing the dog's head twisted at an unnatural angle tells you the beast's neck is broken from your kick
  1882. >its handler is still quite a long way behind it, struggling to catch up to the two of you
  1883. >you hurriedly help Merribelle to her hooves, and the two of you manage to finally put a small amount of distance between yourselves and your pursuers
  1884.  
  1885. --------------------------------
  1886.  
  1887. >"Hi, is this doctor Franz's Office? Yeah, I'm calling about a patient... my pony mare, Corona... we were in this morning to remove some sutures..."
  1888. >you see Master standing by the door with his hand on his forehead
  1889. >"...yeah...unresponsive, pupils constricted, rapid heart rate, shallow breathing..."
  1890. >Shining Armor shakes you a bit
  1891. >"Corona, hey, it's me... Shining Armor... can you look at me? Blink if you can hear me..."
  1892. >you try to comply, but your eyelids resist
  1893. >Master's voice is shaking
  1894. >is that fear?
  1895. >"...emergency clinic? I don't know where that- ...third street? Three lights down from the exit? Okay, I'll get her there as soon as I can... thanks..."
  1896. >he puts his phone down and approaches you
  1897.  
  1898. --------------------------------
  1899.  
  1900. >you're allowed a brief respite, both of you hyperventilating so hard you fear one of you may pass out at any moment
  1901. >"We need to split up..."
  1902. >you shake your head wildly in protest
  1903. "I won't leave you, Merribelle"
  1904. >"LISTEN... splitting up is our best chance of losing them... with any luck the dogs will get confused with two scent trails to follow, and that'll throw them off long enough for us to get away..."
  1905. >hot tears sting your eyes and flow freely down your cheeks
  1906. "I can't abandon you... please, Merribelle, you're my best friend... you're all I've got in this world..."
  1907. >she sits on her haunches, placing her hooves around you in a hug
  1908. >"Don't be scared now. Remember how I told you to find the North Star?"
  1909. >you nod hesitantly
  1910. >"Only travel at night, do your best to stay hidden during the day. Always keep that star to your left, and cover as much ground as you can. You'll reach the river eventually. It's still at least three days away on hoof. Our freedom is just on the other side of that river, Corona."
  1911. "But Merribelle, I-"
  1912. >you're cut off by a hoof over your mouth
  1913. >"There's no time, sweetie."
  1914. >she gently wipes a tear from your cheek with the back of a hoof
  1915. >"No matter what happens, I promise you we will see each other again - whether in this world or the next."
  1916. >your heart leaps into your throat, a sick feeling overwhelming your stomach
  1917. >she offers a weak, affectionate smile
  1918. >"Go now. Run. I'll see you soon my dear friend... my sister..."
  1919. >the mare leans forward and gently kisses your forehead
  1920. >"My Corona..."
  1921.  
  1922. --------------------------------
  1923.  
  1924.  
  1925.  
  1926.  
  1927.  
  1928. >"Master?"
  1929. >Corona slowly blinks her eyes, looking up at you in confusion as you try to lift her off the bed
  1930. >though she's smaller than Shining Armor, she's still a bit too much for you to lift on your own
  1931. >she seems disoriented, unsure of where she's at for several moments
  1932. >you cease your efforts momentarily when you notice her finally starting to come around
  1933. "Hey Corona... you back with us now?"
  1934. >she glances at Shining Armor, who is on his haunches by the bed right next to you
  1935. >"yessir..." she replies with a slight nod
  1936. >her ears are flat against her head and she's still crying
  1937. "You had me scared there for a minute, I thought I was going to have to take you to the emergency clinic."
  1938. >"Emergency cli--? Oh no, no... I don't need... Just some bad memories... I... I'm okay now, Master"
  1939. >sitting on the edge of the bed with a sigh of relief, you take the bottom of your shirt and bunch it up in your hand, leaning in and dabbing the dampness away from her cheeks as the tears gradually stop flowing
  1940. "I didn't mean to upset you, Corona."
  1941. >"I know, Master."
  1942. "You wanna talk about it?"
  1943. >she shakes her head
  1944. >"nosir..."
  1945. >releasing your shirt, you take a couple of fingers and brush some stray strands of mane away from her face before taking her chin and tilting her head toward you to look into her eyes
  1946. "Alright, girl. I'll let it be for now, but eventually I want to talk about this when you're feeling up to it, okay? I don't want you to--"
  1947. >you're interrupted by loud knocking at the front door, reflexively turning your head toward the sound
  1948. >you stand up, giving Corona a gentle pat on the head
  1949. "Stay here with her for a minute, Shiny. I'll be right back."
  1950. >when you reach the front door, it's as you suspected
  1951. >your delivery is here
  1952. >the pony beds are being unloaded from a big brown van, and you hold the door open as the delivery men ask you where you want them
  1953.  
  1954. "The room at the end of the hallway," you say, pointing them in the general direction
  1955. >Shining peeks his head out of your bedroom for a moment, ears twitching as he stares down the hall, watching curiously as the two beds are brought in and set up in the room next to yours
  1956. >you follow the men back outside and watch as the next item is carefully wheeled down a ramp at the back of the van
  1957. >you can't help but notice that it's bigger than it looked in the photos online
  1958. >a quite sturdy looking four wheeled wooden cart
  1959. >it has a single seat for a human passenger directly behind the pony hitch and a cargo area with removable sides
  1960. >wrapped in plastic laying in the back, a number of black leather straps with bits of brass here and there catch your eye
  1961. >you double check that everything is there, going over the inventory list in the small manual included with it
  1962. >A line across the top reads "EquiTek EP-750 Basic Pony Cart. Medium Earth Pony Mare Size. Workhorse edition."
  1963. >you're not intimately familiar with tack, but thankfully along with the inventory list are pictures of the included items
  1964. >a driving harness, bridle with removable bit and long set of reins, protective leg wraps, blinders, a few other bits of gear with leather straps that you're not familiar with, and a driving whip
  1965. >you wince a bit
  1966. >you won't be needing that, but it comes with the package, there wasn't an option to not include it when you made the order
  1967. >satisfied that you've got everything, you sign the receipt, wheeling the cart up your driveway as the delivery van pulls away
  1968. >the cart itself is actually surprisingly light, you can pull it single-handedly with minimal effort
  1969. >you park it in front of your car and start reading through the manual
  1970. >included are detailed, illustrated step-by-step instructions on how to strap a pony into the harness and hitch her to the cart
  1971. >the pony they got to pose for the pictures seems well-cared for
  1972.  
  1973. >she's a healthy weight, mane, tail, and coat are immaculate, and she's smiling, even with the bit in her mouth and blinders restricting her vision
  1974. >seems simple enough
  1975. >as you continue reading, there's a warning that causes you to raise an eyebrow
  1976. >"WARNING: NOT INTENDED FOR LOADS IN EXCESS OF 2500 LBS"
  1977. >are there people out there that seriously expect their ponies to be able to pull that much at a time?
  1978. >you're startled by a sudden soft, feminine voice
  1979. >you look down to see Corona sitting on her haunches next to you, ears lowered and head hanging slightly as she stares at the cart
  1980. >"I guess that's for me, huh Master?"
  1981. >you reach down and scratch her ear lovingly for a few moments
  1982. "Yes, Corona. I wanted us to get started on some work around here this week."
  1983. >you glance over at Shining Armor, who is sitting on the porch looking absolutely furious when he sees the cart
  1984. >Corona shivers slightly as you touch her
  1985. "If you wanted another day or two to-"
  1986. >"nosir..." she shakes her head
  1987. >you're a little taken aback by her sudden interruption, as well as the next words out of her mouth
  1988. >"sorry Master... I just... I've been cooped up in the house since you brought me here. I'm kind of curious to see the rest of your property, sir... to get an idea of how much work needs done..."
  1989. >without a word, Shining Armor strides past you, rearing up and leaning into the back of the cart
  1990. >he comes up with the whip in his teeth, glancing up at you with an angry snort, before disappearing into the house with it
  1991. "Are you sure you're feeling up to it?"
  1992. >she nods hesitantly
  1993. >"it... it'll help me keep my mind off of things, too..."
  1994. >you smile down at her
  1995. "Alright, girl. We'll get to work first thing in the morning, then."
  1996. >it's your last day off before you have to return to the office
  1997. >it'll be nice to get a head start on things around here
  1998. >there's definitely no shortage of things to be done
  1999.  
  2000. >you take a step toward the cart with the intent of wheeling it around to the back of the house to your storage shed until the morning
  2001. >"a...actually..."
  2002. >Corona takes a step toward you, biting her lip
  2003. >she looks away from you, sitting back on her haunches
  2004. "What is it?"
  2005. >she winces, staying silent
  2006. "Come on Corona, you were about to say something. What was it?"
  2007. >"May I take you for a ride right now, Master?"
  2008. >you stare at her, dumbfounded
  2009. >you're sure you didn't hear that right
  2010. "Huh?"
  2011. >"If you don't want to I understand, but... it's a lovely day, sir..."
  2012. >she swallows a lump in her throat
  2013. >"I want to do something nice for you, Master... and... and I would appreciate the exercise... and a chance to spend some time outdoors."
  2014. >Shining comes storming toward the two of you
  2015. >"You can NOT be serious, Corona..." he deadpans. "After the way you were just acting you wanna get out in the hot sun and pull a cart!?"
  2016. >"I'll be fine."
  2017. "Maybe he's right, Corona, may-"
  2018. >Shining cuts you off abruptly
  2019. >"That's right you'll be fine, because you're going to go back into the house and rest while 'Master' puts that thing away."
  2020. "Shiny," you say firmly.
  2021. >he nudges Corona with his muzzle, pointing her toward the house, and she reluctantly takes a step toward it
  2022. >"No, Anon, you're not driving her today."
  2023. >you frown at him
  2024. "I'm sorry, I don't think I heard that correctly. It sounded to me like you were just trying to give your Master an order..."
  2025. >"She needs rest, Anon."
  2026. "Master," you correct him sharply.
  2027. >"Oh come off it already. Like you're going to do anything."
  2028. "Corona takes her orders from me, Shiny. Not you."
  2029. >he ignores you, pushing her up the stairs of the porch
  2030. >you step in front of the two ponies, cutting them off, staring into Shining's eyes angrily, your patience having run out
  2031. "Get your ass in the house. Now."
  2032. >he swishes his tail with a smug grin
  2033. >"I was heading that way, anyway."
  2034. >Corona takes a step back, beginning to tremble as she notices your escalating anger
  2035.  
  2036. "Fine, Shiny. You wanna play it that way? You can have hay and water for dinner while I cook something nice for myself and Corona."
  2037. >"Oh no, woe is me," he says, rolling his eyes as he walks past you.
  2038. >without warning, Corona steps in front of him, staring him down, bristling with anger
  2039. >"STOP IT! Just STOP IT!"
  2040. >she stomps a hoof and snorts
  2041. >"I DON'T need you to protect me."
  2042. >he simply tilts his head at her as you stare with your jaw slightly agape at her outburst
  2043. >"I don't need ANYPONY else to pretend they care about me..."
  2044. >there's a rage in her eyes that is completely foreign to you
  2045. >"I DON'T NEED YOU! YOU'RE JUST GOING TO GET ME HURT AGAIN!"
  2046. >Shining tilts his head
  2047. >"Corona what are you talking abo-"
  2048. >"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"
  2049. >her tail flicks wildly
  2050. >"STUPID ROYALS! YOU THINK YOU'RE SO SMART! YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR EVERYPONY BUT YOU DON'T! YOU DON'T! ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS YOURSELF! YOURSELF AND YOUR FRIENDS! SCREW THE REST OF YOUR SUBJECTS!"
  2051. >Shining's look of abject confusion has been steadily intensifying
  2052. >"WHY SHOULD YOU CARE WHAT MASTER DOES TO ME AS LONG AS YOU GET YOUR WAY!?"
  2053. "Corona, calm down," you speak softly to her.
  2054. >for a split second her angry gaze shifts to you, and she looks as though she's about to snap at you, but she instantly backs down, seeming to snap out of it, lowering her head submissively as she steps aside and sits on her haunches
  2055. >"yessir..."
  2056. >you point toward the door
  2057. "Shiny, go. I'll deal with you later."
  2058. >you're relieved when he decides not to push his luck any further and simply obeys, entering the house and briefly looking back over his shoulder at Corona before shutting the door behind himself
  2059. >the little mare's breaths are quick and shallow, her heart racing as she trembles
  2060. >she stares at the ground, refusing to make eye contact with you
  2061. "Calm down, girl."
  2062. >you kneel down in front of her and start stroking her mane
  2063. "You didn't do anything wrong... you don't need to be scared."
  2064.  
  2065. >she opens her mouth briefly, but catches herself, thinking twice before correcting you
  2066. >she's not scared, she's angry
  2067. >instead she gives you a quick nod, taking a slow, deep breath to calm herself
  2068. >"yessir..."
  2069. "I hate to say it but maybe Shiny is right. I think you could use one more day..."
  2070. >"Please, Master... I just want to get away from him for a few hours..."
  2071. >she looks at you pleadingly
  2072. "Oh."
  2073. >you scratch your head
  2074. "Are you two not getting along for some reason? I've never seen you behave like that toward him."
  2075. >"He's... he's too stubborn for his own good, Master. I... not only that, he... I..."
  2076. >she hesitates for several moments before shaking her head
  2077. >"I just... I need some time away from him, sir."
  2078. >you shrug and stand up
  2079. "Okay then."
  2080. >Corona follows you back to the cart, and you reach toward the harnesses and various leather straps in the back, unwrapping them from the thin plastic they're secured in while simultaneously going over the instructions once again
  2081. >you fumble with every strap, buckle, and clasp as you slowly fit the harness around Corona's body
  2082. >she stands perfectly still as you work
  2083. >you're surprised by the number of sections that seem to criss-cross endlessly over her back, under her belly, around the front of her chest, behind her rump...
  2084. >when you're finally finished, she looks just like the pony in the picture
  2085. >except she's not the same color
  2086. >and she's not smiling
  2087. >you double check the harness before having her back into the front of the cart and securing it to the cart's hitch
  2088. >being careful not to pinch her skin or pull her mane, you slowly slip the bridle over her head and ears
  2089. >you leave the blinders and bit off of it, there's absolutely no need for them
  2090. >there's a strap to secure under her jaw near her throat, and one up closer to her muzzle
  2091. >you buckle both of them so they're snug, but not tight
  2092.  
  2093. >the reins clip onto a pair of small brass loops on either side of the front of the bridle around her muzzle, in the same location where the bit would go if you decided to use it
  2094. >you toss the reins up over her back, letting the excess length rest in the seat as you take a step back to get a good look at her
  2095. >your little pony, hitched to her cart for the first time, standing perfectly still and obedient, waiting for her Master
  2096. >you smile at her before hesitantly climbing up onto the seat, the cart gently rocking as your weight is added to it and you sit down, taking the reins
  2097. >it's only now you realize that there's no way to avoid looking directly at her hindquarters
  2098. >you wish the seat was a few inches higher
  2099. >she paws at the ground with a forehoof impatiently, looking back over her shoulder at you
  2100. "You uh... you ready to go then?"
  2101. >"yessir..."
  2102. "Okay. Well... um..."
  2103. >you hold the reins out in front of you awkwardly, snapping them gently against her rump like you've seen in the movies
  2104. "Giddyup?"
  2105. >Corona starts off at a brisk walk, and you're temporarily knocked off balance, unprepared for the sudden movement as the cart begins to glide along
  2106. >for several minutes the only sounds you hear are the clopping of her hooves against the hard gravel road leading around the side of your house, out into the run-down and wildly overgrown pastures that sprawl out over rolling hills nearly as far as the eye can see behind it, an occassional snort or sigh from Corona, and the rhythmic squeaking and creaking of harness leather as her body tenses and relaxes against it with each stride
  2107. >she doesn't seem interested in talking, she'd much rather bask in the sunshine and sights and sounds of nature around her as the house slowly disappears from view while you make your way down into a little valley, the path abruptly transitioning from gravel to dirt, dense weeds quickly surrounding you on either side
  2108.  
  2109. >this is surprisingly relaxing, and the initial awkardness you feel soon fades as you take in your surroundings
  2110. >you can't help but admire Corona's surprising strength and the seeming ease with which she pulls you
  2111. >granted, she doesn't really have much of a load to pull, but you still didn't expect it to come so easy or naturally to her
  2112. >it's pretty clear she's probably done this before a few times
  2113. >you guide her to the left when the path splits in two, deciding to take her around the whole perimeter of the property
  2114. >occassionally you pass a pile of discarded building materials here and there
  2115. >busted, rotting wooden fences, sometimes with sections several yards in length missing
  2116. >a battered, weather-damaged old barn leaning precariously, threatening to collapse at the slightest touch
  2117. >man, you knew the place needed work, but there's so much more here than you initially realized...
  2118. >you might have to put more time, work, and money into sprucing this place up than you thought
  2119. >Corona hesitates when she reaches the edge of a creek, but you reassure her that it's not too deep, so she continues forward
  2120. >she trudges through shallow water that comes just past her fetlocks, ever so slightly struggling to pull the cart up a steep, muddy embankment on the other side, but eventually managing to scramble up to a point where the path evens out again
  2121. >she holds her head high, almost seeming proud of herself for that as she continues pulling at a steady pace
  2122. >you quickly notice the mud that's covering her hooves and spattered on her sides and belly
  2123. "You're going to need another bath when we get back, you know that?"
  2124. >"yessir!" she chirps
  2125. >right, she does enjoy her baths...
  2126. >you reach a long stretch of path that's pretty clear and open, no visible obstacles, and Corona sees it coming
  2127. >"May I speed up, Master?"
  2128. >you shrug
  2129. "I don't see why not. Indulge yourself."
  2130. >before you finish your sentence she's picked up the pace to a trot, then a canter
  2131.  
  2132. >the cart begins to shake as you feel the wind whipping through your hair
  2133. >it's not built for speed
  2134. >Corona lets out a whinny as she reaches her top speed, nostrils flaring as her breathing intensifies
  2135. >you'd almost say she was enjoying herself
  2136. >it doesn't take long to reach the end of the section of path before it curves off into a wooded area and she's forced to slow back down to a trot, then a walk
  2137. >you pull back on the reins as she slows
  2138. "Whoa, Corona... hey girl... why don't we rest here for a few minutes?"
  2139. >her body has become lathered with sweat, and it drips from her belly as she stands in the shade of the trees at the edge of the woods, catching her breath
  2140. "You feeling okay?"
  2141. >"yessir..." she pants, "felt good to stretch my legs, Master... thank you..."
  2142. "Alright. Well, I'll let you decide when you want to keep going. We're about half way around the perimeter of the property right now."
  2143. >she looks back over her shoulder at you
  2144. >"Only half way, Master?"
  2145. >you nod
  2146. "The terrain only gets rougher from here, so pace yourself, okay?"
  2147. >"yessir"
  2148. >after a few more minutes, Corona continues
  2149. >as you proceed down the wooded path, you come across several downed branches that you have to step down from the cart to clear out of the way before you can continue
  2150. >eventually, it becomes nearly impassable, the overgrown brush on either side so thick that it brushes against both you and Corona quite heavily as you make your way through it
  2151. >you curse loudly as a spiderweb hanging between the branches of the trees around you makes contact with your face, flailing your hands wildly and spitting, shaking your head
  2152. >damn it, there are few things as irritating as walking through a spider web
  2153. >you come across a large tree blocking the path that there's no way you're going to be able to get around
  2154. >Corona sighs in frustration
  2155.  
  2156. "We're going to have to go back the way we came. There's another path we can take around the outside edge of the woods that meets up with this one on the other side."
  2157. >turning the cart around proves to be no easy feat, as the dense foliage surrounding you gives Corona very little room to maneuver
  2158. >there are also some thorny bushes here that neither one of you see until you've both gotten a few nasty scrapes from them
  2159. >with a great deal of effort, you finally manage to get turned around, and Corona starts back in the direction she came from
  2160. >the path along the edge of the woods is difficult to navigate, but easier to manage than the one THROUGH the woods, and eventually you reach the point where the two paths meet, once again allowing Corona to take a break, the cart having gotten stuck three or four different times in places where the terrain beneath her hooves shifts abruptly, requiring significant effort on her part to dislodge it and keep going
  2161. >"I understand why you wanted ponies out here now, Master," she huffs and puffs, dislodging the cart from a deep rut in the ground for a fifth time, "any machines you brought out here would definitely get stuck..."
  2162. "You're doing great, Corona. Just a little further and we've made it through the roughest patch."
  2163. >after quite a bit more struggling, getting stuck a few more times - one time so badly you have to get off the cart and push it from behind to help her move it - you finally recognize the final stretch of trail that should be smooth sailing as you make your way around the last section of the loop that skirts the perimeter of your property and back up to the house
  2164. >you breathe a sigh of relief, reaching forward and patting Corona on the back
  2165. "Good girl, Corona. Good girl."
  2166. >she takes her time as the house slowly comes into view, the weeds and tall grass becoming shorter and less dense as you reach the edge of the pasture
  2167. >for the last several minutes, something else entirely has been on your mind
  2168. >Shining Armor
  2169.  
  2170. >you're really starting to think that maybe you need to have a firmer hand with him
  2171. >the way he acted earlier was entirely unacceptable
  2172. >and you had, for the most part, let him get away with it
  2173. >he disrespected, disobeyed, and openly challenged you
  2174. >you care for the stud, but you know you can't let that kind of behavior stand
  2175. >you tug hard on the reins, signalling Corona to stop before you get any closer to the house, placing a hand on your forehead with a troubled sigh
  2176. "Can I ask you something, Corona?"
  2177. >she slowly turns to look at you
  2178. >"yessir"
  2179. "Do you think it would be fair of me to... punish Shiny?"
  2180. >she shudders for a moment
  2181. >"y...yessir.. but.. but you already said you were going to make him eat bland boring old hay for dinner instead of-"
  2182. "I'm not talking about that, Corona."
  2183. >"...Master?"
  2184. "I know I promised him I'd never whip him... but, I mean... I need to do something about his behavior. I hate to admit it... but my approach just hasn't been working. I give him an inch, he takes a mile."
  2185. >Corona doesn't say anything or move, instead continuing to look at you over her shoulder as you speak
  2186. "I just wish he were more like you."
  2187. >"How so?"
  2188. "Well, Corona... you've been a good girl since I brought you home. Truthfully, you're a joy for me to be around. I know you hate being a slave, but... you seem to be really trying to meet me half way here and make the best of the situation."
  2189. >you take a long, deep breath, releasing it slowly as you play with the reins in your hands
  2190. "Shiny, on the other hand..."
  2191. >you shake your head
  2192. "The stallion hates me. He doesn't just hate being a slave, he hates ME."
  2193. >Corona tilts her head at you
  2194. >"Nosir... he doesn't hate you..."
  2195. "You think so?"
  2196. >she nods her head confidently
  2197. >"Yessir. He's told me several times how grateful he is that you saved his life..."
  2198. "He's got a funny way of showing it."
  2199.  
  2200. >"He... he misses his wife and daughter, Master... he's frustrated... and it's breaking his heart knowing he'll probably never see them again..."
  2201. >you raise an eyebrow
  2202. "He's told you this himself?"
  2203. >she shakes her head
  2204. >"Nosir... but it's obvious to me what his problem is."
  2205. >she shifts uneasily in her harness, beginning to shake, biting her lip as she squirms
  2206. >"M...Master... if I tell you something... can you promise me you won't tell Shining Armor?"
  2207. >your interest is immediately piqued
  2208. "Yeah, sure. I can keep a secret if it's one you're sure you want to trust me with."
  2209. >"You deserve to know, Master... I... I know where they're at."
  2210. "Who?"
  2211. >"Princess Cadance... his wife. And their daughter. They... they belong to my former Master."
  2212. >your eyes go wide in shock
  2213. >"I'm not even sure if they know he's alive, Master. And I didn't want him to be nearby when I told you. I didn't want him to hear. That's also part of the reason I wanted to go out for a ride."
  2214. >she instantly looks remorseful
  2215. >whether it's for keeping a secret from you for so long, or the fact that she let it out at all, you can't tell
  2216. >but the look on her face makes it painfully obvious she wishes she could take it back
  2217. >"Please, Master... if he finds out... he'll hate me for not telling him... and he'll want to go after them. He'll get himself killed... please..."
  2218.  
  2219. >you have no idea what to do about this sudden revelation, but you quickly reassure Corona that you'll keep this a secret for now
  2220. >she's visibly relieved as she pulls the cart the remaining distance to the house
  2221. >there still must be a little bit of energy in reserve she wants to burn off, as she asks your permission to allow her to run the rest of the way back once again
  2222. >you let her do ask she asks, and she takes off with a burst of speed, rapidly closing the remaining distance
  2223. >when you arrive, you unhitch her and begin removing the harness
  2224. >her gear is going to have to be cleaned
  2225. >it's covered in dirt and sweat, as is the mare standing patiently before you
  2226. >bit by bit, you unbuckle and remove the various leather straps
  2227. >there's a tiny bit of blood smudged in her coat on her belly where some of the sticker bushes got her earlier, but upon closer inspection you see that it's nothing more serious than a scrape
  2228. >she's still sweating quite profusely, and it continues to slowly and steadily drip from her belly and run down her legs
  2229. >her nostrils flare slightly with each breath, but other than that her breathing has nearly returned to normal
  2230. >she gives a relieved sigh as the harness finally drops from her body and you remove the bridle from her head
  2231. >her eyes meet yours as you slip the crown piece of the bridle over her ears
  2232. >she offers you a faint smile, appearing very calm and relaxed
  2233. >as you begin to pull away you're frozen in place when she suddenly leans forward, placing the top of her muzzle against the palm of your hand with a soft nicker
  2234. >the unexpected display of affection gives you goosebumps
  2235. >you smile at her warmly, stroking her muzzle gently a couple times as she closes her eyes
  2236. "Good girl, Corona..."
  2237. >"Thank you for letting me outside, Master."
  2238. "You're welcome, Corona."
  2239. >"Did... did you enjoy your ride?"
  2240. >you nod
  2241. "I've never done that before. It was nice."
  2242. >her smile tugs at her cheeks a bit more hearing you say this
  2243.  
  2244. >you give her a quick ear scritch as you gather up the bridle and harness for cleaning
  2245. "Why don't you go on inside now and take a bath? I'll be in to fix dinner after I get done cleaning this stuff and putting it away."
  2246. >she gives a nod
  2247. >"yessir"
  2248. >with what you presume is a happy or content swish of her tail, she walks past you and into the house through the back door, gently closing it behind her
  2249. >you let out a sigh before wheeling the cart away into storage, taking a seat on a stool out in the shed nearby to begin cleaning up the tack
  2250. >you can't help but think how nice it is that she's starting to warm up to you
  2251. >as you continue working each strap of leather until it shines, you're suddenly interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat
  2252. >"ahem..."
  2253. >you turn your head to see Shining Armor sitting on his haunches next to you
  2254. >he's looking directly at you, his expression unreadable
  2255. "Oh. Hey."
  2256. >"Hi Anon."
  2257. "Didn't I tell you to stay in the house and that I'd be in to deal with you later?" you scold him
  2258. >his ears flick backward for a fraction of a second and he looks away
  2259. >"I know. But this couldn't wait."
  2260. "What cou-"
  2261. >Shining aggressively rears up on his hind legs
  2262. >you flinch, thinking he's about to strike out at you with his front hooves, but you're baffled by his next action
  2263. >his front legs wrap around you as he lurches forward, nearly knocking you off the stool as part of his body weight rests against you, his horn nearly glancing off your chin as he presses the side of his face against your chest and closes his eyes
  2264. >you hold your arms out in surprise, having dropped the piece you were cleaning, before slowly returning the hug
  2265. >you feel his grip tighten around you, and feel his chest heave a couple times ever so slightly as he lets out a brief, silent sob, trying his best not to let you hear it
  2266. >you stroke his back a couple times before he eventually releases you, sitting back down on his haunches
  2267.  
  2268. >he doesn't look back at you until he's wiped the tears from his eyes
  2269. >the tone of his voice is genuinely earnest as he speaks
  2270. >"I'm sorry, Anon... I'm so sorry for how I've been acting..."
  2271. >you can tell he actually means it, too
  2272. "Hey now... apology accepted, big guy."
  2273. >this is a radical change of attitude from only a couple hours earlier
  2274. >you're curious what brought on his sudden change of heart
  2275. >there's a few moments of awkward silence before he speaks up again
  2276. >"I like the bed you bought me... it's super comfortable. Thank you for that."
  2277. >he gives a half-hearted somber smile
  2278. >"I can't believe I have my own bed now..."
  2279. >you sigh
  2280. "You know I still have to punish you, right Shiny?"
  2281. >his smile vanishes, his ears slowly laying flat
  2282. >"Yeah... I understand."
  2283. "Nothing too serious though. Same as I said earlier, you just get hay and water for dinner tonight. It means a lot to me that you came to me on your own to apologize."
  2284. >you reach toward him, offering him your hand, making it his choice to have contact with you or not
  2285. >he inches closer to you and nuzzles it
  2286. "I need you to know something though, Shiny."
  2287. >he tilts his head up to look at you, your palm resting on his forehead
  2288. >your voice becomes a bit more stern
  2289. "This is your last free pass. I want you to know right now that I was strongly considering taking my belt to your hindquarters when Corona and I got home after your behavior earlier this afternoon - promise or no promise."
  2290. >he winces, then nods hesitantly
  2291. >"I probably deserved it."
  2292. >you let out a long, drawn-out sigh, not wanting to say the words that are about to come out of your mouth
  2293.  
  2294. "I really hate that you've put me in this position, Shiny. It pains me like you would not believe to have to go back on any promise I make, even if only partially. I want to make it clear: I won't ever use a WHIP on you. And I won't EVER beat you in a cruel or excessive manner. From today, we'll start over as far as discipline is concerned. You've got a clean slate, your past behavior and attitude I forgive completely. This is your only second chance to start fresh with me. If you're a good boy for me, I'll treat you like you've always been a good boy for me. However, from now on, Shiny, if you disrespect me like that again you WILL get a few licks on your rump from my belt."
  2295. >he nods once again
  2296. "It's like I said before. I WANT to be your friend, I really and truly do, but I will always be your MASTER first. I don't want you to hate me for that, Shiny."
  2297. >he shakes his head vigorously
  2298. >"Corona told me you were worried that I hated you when she came in earlier. I don't, Anon. I hate this situation... and I hate being a slave... I hate being separated from my family... my home... but I don't hate you. You're a good man, the only decent human I've ever met. I know I've pushed you too far. I'm sorry."
  2299. >you find yourself petting his head idly as he speaks
  2300. >he looks directly into your eyes and raises a hoof, gently pushing your hand away
  2301. >firmly maintaining eye contact, he takes a slow, deep breath before making a request
  2302. >"Anon, I want you to do it."
  2303. >you give him a questioning glance, prompting him to clarify
  2304. >"I want you to do what you have to do."
  2305. "I'm not sure what you mean by that, Shiny."
  2306. >"I want you to go ahead and use your belt on me for how I acted earlier."
  2307. "I just told you I would restrict your punishment to what's on the menu for you dinner tonight."
  2308. >he shakes his head
  2309. >"That's not good enough... We both know that just making me eat hay for dinner isn't going to accomplish anything. I'm... I'm asking this as a personal favor..."
  2310.  
  2311. >he hesitates for several moments
  2312. >"...sir."
  2313. >he bows his head slightly
  2314. >the grimace on his face makes it look as though this is the most painful thing he's ever done in his life, but his tone is firm, calm, and resolute
  2315. >"Master. You've shown me such kindness and generosity, and you ask for so little in return. I haven't been fair to you. You want me to submit to you, this is me submitting to you. There's no anger or fear in my request, just respect. I know that I have done wrong. I'm asking you... sir... to give me the punishment we both know I've earned. I promise I won't be angry with you."
  2316. >there's a painful silence, but Shining maintains his respectful posture, giving you a slight bow as he awaits your response
  2317. >you stand up slowly and scoot the stool you were sitting on away
  2318. "You're absolutely sure about this?"
  2319. >he nods
  2320. >"You said you wanted to start over with a clean slate. I do too. It doesn't sit right with me that I've escaped serious consequences for my behavior for this long. I've always believed in the rule of law... and... well, it's taken me this long to realize that as my Master, your word IS law now. It was stupid of me to try to fight that or think I could change it. This is what it will take to clear my conscience."
  2321. >you nod solemnly to him
  2322. "Go wait in my bedroom. I'll meet you in a few minutes after I put Corona's tack away."
  2323. >he gives a short, curt nod before turning and walking to the house
  2324. >you hear him breathe a sigh of relief as he walks away
  2325. >you shake your head, hanging the harness and bridle on a nearby hook on the wall after buffing out the last bit of grime and trudging toward the house
  2326. >as you walk down the hallway toward your bedroom, you hear Corona splashing around a bit in the bathtub
  2327. >you're glad she won't see this
  2328.  
  2329. >entering the bedroom, you quickly shut the door behind yourself
  2330. >Shining is sitting on his haunches waiting
  2331. >you unbuckle your belt and remove it, wanting to get this over with as quickly as possible
  2332. >as one hand takes the buckle and pulls the strip of leather through the loops on your jeans, you point toward your bed with the other
  2333. "Lean over the bed and stick your rump out, Shiny. Keep that tail out of the way too."
  2334. >he immediately obeys, leaning his torso over the bed and stretching his front legs out in front of himself
  2335. >his hind hooves still touch the floor even as he lays down, and he lifts his tail out of the way to give you a clean shot
  2336. >you double the belt up in your hand and take up a position behind him
  2337. "I want you to count them out too, Shiny."
  2338. >he nods
  2339. >you close your eyes and steel your nerves, raising the belt behind your head
  2340. >Shining doesn't tremble or flinch nor give any indication of changing his mind
  2341. >he seems completely resigned to this
  2342. >you have several false starts, finding following through with the swing nearly impossible
  2343. >you don't want to do this, even if he's asking for it
  2344. >you're about to open your mouth to tell him so, when he speaks first
  2345. >"Please, Anon. Just do it."
  2346.  
  2347. >*CRACK!*
  2348. >you deliver the first firm, forceful blow to his hindquarters
  2349. >you suspect if you hold back too much he won't accept it
  2350. >the sudden impact causes Shining Armor's head to raise up off the bed reflexively
  2351. >he seems more startled by the sudden loud noise than in pain
  2352. >"One."
  2353. >you feel your hand begin to shake and a slight sick feeling in the pit of your stomach
  2354. >there's no turning back now
  2355. >you wait several seconds before swinging your arm again
  2356. >again, his head bobs up off the bed as the strip of leather sails through the air and makes contact
  2357. >*CRACK!*
  2358. >"Two."
  2359. >the tone of his voice as he speaks is initially almost one of disinterest or boredom
  2360. >you continue, making sure to pay close attention to his reactions, not wanting to give him more than he can take
  2361. >ten seems like a fair number
  2362. >you give him 20-30 seconds between each swing
  2363. >you don't want to overwhelm him
  2364. >if he whimpers or cries out, you're done
  2365. >though you suspect his pride won't allow that to happen
  2366. >with the fourth stroke you see him bite his lip
  2367. >with the sixth he stomps a hind hoof and flicks his tail
  2368. >by the eighth he's trembling, his eyes are shut tight and his ears are pinned tightly against his head, which gives you pause
  2369. >he refuses to vocalize any kind of pain response, but as he speaks each number out loud his voice wavers a bit more
  2370. >the weight on his hind hooves is shifting back and forth rapidly and his whole back end is bouncing up and down slightly as a result
  2371. >he's also got a front hoof over his eyes and is biting down on the blanket in front of him
  2372. >*CRACK!*
  2373. >"NINE, MASTER!"
  2374. >his voice this time cracks and breaks into a higher pitch as the words catch in his throat
  2375. >the addition of "Master" almost seems like a subtle plea
  2376. >you wince and your jaw quivers as you bite your lip
  2377. >this is breaking your heart
  2378. >you don't want to hurt him any more
  2379. >it'll be over soon enough though, one more and you're done
  2380. >*CRACK!*
  2381. >"TEN, MASTER!" he cries out one final time
  2382.  
  2383. >he's shaking much worse than he was initially
  2384. >he once again tenses up, preparing for you to deliver another stroke, certain that his punishment has only just begun
  2385. >his chest heaves softly and you see a pair of tears squeeze out of his eyes and roll down off the end of his muzzle into the blanket below him
  2386. >he flinches when you place a hand on his back, speaking to him in a soothing tone
  2387. "Shhh... it's over, Shiny."
  2388. >you sit down on the bed next to him and stroke him affectionately
  2389. >no more tears come, but it takes him several moments to stop trembling and regain his composure
  2390. >he refuses to look up at you in the mean time
  2391. "Good boy, Shiny. Good boy."
  2392. >he lets out a deep sigh of relief, his whole body relaxing as you pet him
  2393. >he slowly turns his head, looking up at you with a smile, his ears still laying flat
  2394. >"That... that wasn't so bad. Heh..."
  2395. >he squirms and fidgets, lifting one hind leg up onto the bed, then the other, maintaining the most submissive posture you've ever seen him in as he worms closer to you and rests his chin and forehooves on your lap, closing his eyes, taking a slow, deep breath, and releasing a soft snort
  2396. >his demeanor seems almost apologetic
  2397. >maybe even a little grateful...
  2398. >definitely not behavior you were expecting after what you just did
  2399. >when you were a kid, the LAST thing you wanted to do after your parents disciplined you was snuggle up to them
  2400. >you begin to open your mouth to apologize, but decide against it
  2401. >you don't want him to know how much that got to you
  2402. >after several minutes there's a gentle knock at the door
  2403. "Come in."
  2404. >the handle turns, and Corona steps in with a towel wrapped around her mane
  2405. >"Sorry, Master, I don't want to disturb you but there's no more shampoo and..."
  2406. >she sees you petting Shining Armor
  2407. >the belt still doubled up and held limply in your other hand
  2408. >she'd heard a few of the harder strokes even from the next room, but wasn't sure what it was at the time
  2409. >she definitely knows now though
  2410.  
  2411. >immediately dropping to her haunches, her gaze instantly hits the floor like a ten ton weight
  2412. >"I didn't mean to intrude, sir. Sorry, sir..." she mutters
  2413. >your eyes quickly dart back and forth between the belt in your hand and the mare in the doorway, and you quickly toss it aside
  2414. "It's okay Corona... you're fine," you say to her calmly. "There's another bottle of shampoo under the sink."
  2415. >"yessir... thank you, sir..."
  2416. >she doesn't move or say anything else
  2417. "Corona, look up at me."
  2418. >she slowly tilts her head up and toward you, but doesn't make eye contact
  2419. "I meant actually LOOK at me, Corona," you correct her.
  2420. >she complies hesitantly
  2421. "You have nothing to be afraid of from me, okay? Shining Armor took a belt to the rump as punishment for his behavior earlier. He's accepted responsibility for his actions."
  2422. >"yessir..."
  2423. >Shining opens an eye, his head raising off your lap slightly as he glances over at her, his ears finally lifting from his head as they rotate toward her
  2424. >"I'm fine, Corona. Don't worry about it."
  2425. >she simply nods
  2426. >"Master... if I ever misbehave... you'll punish me the same way?" she asks
  2427. "I don't think that's going to be an issue, Corona," you reassure her
  2428. >"yessir... I know sir... b...but if I do?"
  2429. >you sigh
  2430. "I don't know. Maybe. You'd have to mess up pretty damned badly though. You saw how patient I've been with Shiny."
  2431. >she nods
  2432. >"yessir."
  2433. >you offer her a gentle smile
  2434. "Corona, go finish your bath okay girl? And don't worry about this."
  2435. >"yessir," she says as she nods and stands up, relaxing a bit as she turns and walks back out
  2436.  
  2437. >For the rest of the day, Shining Armor and Corona are both unusually quiet
  2438. >they don't act afraid of you, but neither of them go out of their way to interact with you either
  2439. >after wrestling with thoughts of the day's events in your mind for a while, you convince yourself you did the right thing with Shiny
  2440. >hopefully this new attitude of his sticks and you'll find yourself butting heads with him less often now
  2441. >you spend a little time fixing up their new beds with clean sheets, blankets, and pillows before taking some time to ponder what tasks you're going to assign Corona tomorrow while you're away at work
  2442. >it doesn't take long to realize that she's going to be a bit limited in the tasks she can perform
  2443. >her harness is too complex to allow her to hitch herself to the cart without human assistance
  2444. >you also don't really have any tools or equipment modified to allow for an earth pony to use easily
  2445. >you speak with Corona herself for a little bit, trying to find out if there's anything she's particularly good at or any chores she'd prefer to do in your absence
  2446. >it's a bit disappointing when the discussion ends up being fruitless
  2447. >another phone call to your new vet's office confirms that Shining Armor will need at least 3 more weeks to put on enough weight to safely be put to work at light tasks, and another one to two months after that before he'll have recovered enough to take on heavier work involving carrying or pulling significant loads
  2448. >you look forward to when that time comes, sure that two ponies will make the work go much more quickly than one
  2449. >hopefully he'll appreciate having something to do besides lay around the house watching cartoons all day as well
  2450. >he doesn't exactly strike you as the lazy type
  2451. >after a great deal of consideration, you finally settle on a plan of action
  2452.  
  2453. >for this week, you'll have Corona circle the property's perimeter fence while you're away at work during the day, taking down broken, rotting boards as well as any nearby loose brush and gathering them up into piles to be retrieved later
  2454. >she can simply kick them down with her hooves, no tools or equipment needed
  2455. >in the evenings after work you'll spend some time on the tractor to get some mowing done in the pastures, beginning to combat the rampant overgrowth while Corona accompanies you and clears any debris you come across out of the way so that you don't have to stop and get down to do it yourself
  2456. >when the weekend comes you'll hitch her up and gather up the loose and broken boards and other debris she removed from the fence line
  2457. >you inform her of your decision, and she simply acknowledges it with her typical affirmative "yessir."
  2458.  
  2459.  
  2460.  
  2461.  
  2462.  
  2463. >when it comes time to settle down for the night, you find it unusually difficult to fall asleep
  2464. >you'd grown quite accustomed to having a pony on either side of you as you drifted off to dreamland, and find yourself missing their warmth more than you realized
  2465. >you lay awake for what feels like hours, straining intensely to listen for any signs of disturbance from the other room
  2466. >they never come though
  2467. >you get up to gently crack the door open and peer in at them, and they're both sleeping soundly
  2468. >eventually you find yourself plodding into the kitchen, where you down a couple sleeping pills before returning to your own empty bed in disappointment
  2469. >they're probably relieved not to have to sleep with you any more
  2470. >the sleeping pills eventually kick in, and you drift off to sleep yourself
  2471. >you toss and turn a bit, sleeping through the whole night, but waking up without feeling very rested
  2472. >your ponies, on the other hand, seem unusually chipper and refreshed in the morning
  2473. >Shining even manages to make it through the whole night without any nightmares
  2474. >amazing what something as simple as having your own bed can apparently do
  2475.  
  2476. >after a quick shower and once again going over the plan for the day with Corona, the two ponies see you off to work
  2477. >your first day back to the office, you find it nearly impossible to concentrate
  2478. >discussing the situation at home with some of your coworkers, some of them seem concerned
  2479. >turns out many of them in your situation would see Corona as a liability and definitely wouldn't have taken her in the way you did
  2480. >almost everyone you talk to also seems taken aback that you're allowing her out of the house on her own while you're not there
  2481. >after all, who in their right mind would want to keep a runaway slave, or even if they did, who in their right mind would trust her not to make a break for it the second they're out of sight?
  2482. >you casually dismiss their concerns though
  2483. >trust and loyalty are two way streets, after all, and you're confident the faith you've placed in Corona isn't misguided
  2484.  
  2485. >the day seems to drag on forever, and every time you look at the clock you swear the second hand ticks backwards a few times
  2486. >thousands of years later, your shift finally ends, and you eagerly make your way back home, though as usual rush hour traffic makes that a stressful endeavor
  2487. >when you open the front door to your home and step inside with a relieved sigh, neither pony is anywhere to be found
  2488. >all the lights in the house are out as well
  2489. >you venture out through the back door, out onto your back deck, and glance out over the rolling fields of your property
  2490. >you're sure they're both out there somewhere
  2491. >Shining probably just didn't want to sit in the house all day, and though he can't work maybe he decided to keep Corona company while she does
  2492. >you go back inside and sit down with a sigh, kicking off your shoes and flipping through a few tv channels
  2493. >after a few minutes of rest, you change into a pair of jeans and t-shirt, pulling on a pair of boots as well before making your way out to the storage shed holding Corona's cart
  2494.  
  2495. >parked next to it is an old tractor that, after quite a bit of work, you'd finally managed to get running again
  2496. >it's already hitched up to a mowing attachment
  2497. >you pull the choke, depress the clutch, and turn the key in the slightly rusted ignition, and it roars to life
  2498. >you back it out cautiously, making sure not to hit anything, and make your way to the end of the gravel path toward the nearest field in need of work
  2499. >unsurprisingly, you see both Shining and Corona making their way over a hill in the distance, approaching your position at a casual walk
  2500. >they're talking to each other idly, and seem rather relaxed
  2501. >Corona's ears and head perk up when she notices you, and you see her pick up her pace to a trot
  2502. >Shining lags behind her at a walk, but also heads in your direction
  2503. >when she reaches you, you cut off the engine and hop down to greet her
  2504. >"Hello, Master!" she chirps happily as she sits on her haunches in front of you
  2505. >you've never seen her in such a good mood
  2506. >she's sweating profusely, filthy from head to hoof, and her mane is disheveled
  2507. >her legs have a couple of barely noticeable scrapes on them
  2508. >it's obvious she's been diligently hard at work all day
  2509. >you greet her with a pat on the head and are rewarded with a soft nicker
  2510. >you flash a brief smile in response, it really feels great that she's starting to warm up to the idea of you touching and petting her so much
  2511. >a brief discussion with her confirms your suspicion that Shining wasn't content to sit around all day by himself, and that around lunchtime he'd brought her some hay and decided to join her for the rest of the day, talking to her and watching her work
  2512. >when Shining finally catches up, he simply offers you a respectful nod before asking if he may be excused to return to the house
  2513. >as he departs, Corona seems eager to assist you
  2514.  
  2515. >there's plenty of work to be done, so without further delay you hop back on the tractor and start it back up
  2516. >you send her ahead of the tractor, where she begins clearing large branches, boards, trash, and other debris from your path, stacking it all into a neat pile nearby for later disposal
  2517. >you burn the rest of what little bit of daylight is left, and manage to get quite a bit more done than you were hoping before you call it a day
  2518. >the little mare lets out a happy sigh when you let her know the two of you are done for the day, and trots alongside the tractor, easily keeping pace with you as you make your way back home
  2519. >after a quick shower for you, bath for her, and a quick dinner, the three of you enjoy some quiet time together before bed
  2520. >Shining rests on the couch looking bored, and Corona sits on her haunches next to your recliner as your hand rests on top of her head, gently stroking her
  2521. >you can tell she's exhausted, but she doesn't complain, instead seeming rather content with the satisfaction of a day's work and the feeling of her master's hand caressing her
  2522.  
  2523. >the rest of the week passes in much the same manner
  2524. >little by little, sections of your land are looking slightly more presentable
  2525. >you're deeply impressed by what a hard worker Corona is, too
  2526. >she doesn't complain or hesitate even once the whole time
  2527. >you also find Shining Armor accompanying the two of you more often than not, content to sit on his haunches or lie in the grass while he watches you
  2528. >he and Corona seem to be getting along a lot better now as well, now that he's not actively challenging your authority or disrespecting you
  2529. >he still doesn't fall all over himself to be openly subservient to you, but at the very least the truce that's fallen between the two of you is quite welcome
  2530. >when Saturday finally comes, the three of you sleep in for a change
  2531.  
  2532. >it's almost noon before you get out of bed and get ready for the day's work
  2533. >as you begin strapping Corona's harness to her, Shining Armor calmly approaches you and sits on his haunches, patiently waiting for you to finish hitching her to the cart
  2534. >you climb up into the seat with reins in hand, he stands next to her, and the two of them walk side by side as you gently signal her forward
  2535. >you peek over your shoulder as the house disappears from view with a soft yawn, stretching slowly as you make your way to the first pile of junk to be collected
  2536. >careful to avoid nails and splinters, you collect pile after pile of wood and other debris and dump them into the back of the cart until it's full, finding a spot in a clearing a hundred or so yards away from the back of the house to start dumping it
  2537. >you decide the best way to dispose of it all will be to burn it later on tonight
  2538. >every time you approach the house, you're careful to take an approach that will obscure Corona's view from the back deck
  2539. >she should have a surprise waiting there for her when you get done for the day, and you don't want to spoil it
  2540. >you'd mentioned the little mare's affinity for baths to a buddy of yours at work
  2541. >turns out he was getting rid of a hot tub, as he'd purchased a new one, and he let you have it for a steal
  2542. >you'd paid him a little extra to deliver it and set it up on your back deck while you were away from the house for today
  2543. >you can't wait to see the look on her face when she sees it and you tell her it's for her
  2544. >the thought alone brings a huge smile to your face as you dump the last load and head back toward the house
  2545.  
  2546. >"Y'know, I could help Corona with some of the work around here if I had my magic back."
  2547. >Corona freezes in place and her eyes go wide, the cart jerking to a halt as her head and ears spin around to look at Shining Armor, then back over her shoulder at you
  2548. >it takes the stallion a few steps to notice her no longer keeping pace with him
  2549. >he turns and sits on his haunches, looking at the two of you with a curious expression, tilting his head slightly
  2550. >"What? I could."
  2551. >you stare at him with a puzzled look for a moment before shaking your head with a slight chuckle
  2552. "After the way you've acted?"
  2553. >he shrugs
  2554. >"Just thought it might make things go a little faster is all. You wouldn't have to wait any longer for me to get back to a healthy weight either. Honestly it's starting to bother me a bit not feeling useful."
  2555. "That may be so, but I'm not really in a huge hurry. It's not like we're on a tight schedule here. Besides, there will be plenty of work for you to do once you're up to it, trust me big guy - you're going to miss the days when all you had to do was laze around the house."
  2556. >you give the reins in your hands a casual toss and they snap against Corona's rump just enough to move her forward once again
  2557. >she lets out a soft snort, dismissing Shining's suggestion with a roll of her eyes as she resumes pulling
  2558. >Shining quickly takes up a position a little further back than before and walks alongside the cart next to where you're sitting
  2559. "I didn't even know your magic could be restored. I was under the impression you'd lost it permanently, given this is the first time you've even mentioned it."
  2560. >he nods
  2561. >"Yeah. I was lucky enough that they gave me the implant instead of severing the nerves, or even flat out removing my horn. I've known other unicorns that weren't as lucky. They always have this... this haunted look about them when they come back from the surgery."
  2562. >he shudders intensely and pauses for a moment before he keeps walking
  2563.  
  2564. >"It... it changes them - in more ways than just not being able to use magic anymore. Guess that's one small mercy I should be grateful for, eh?"
  2565. >he forces a smile, but you can see the pain in his eyes
  2566. >you shake your head and direct your attention forward again, watching Corona's hips gently sway with each stride she takes and her tail give an occasional swish, trying not to dwell too much on what Shining just said
  2567. "That's pretty barbaric. I can't imagine what it must be like for them."
  2568. >you sigh
  2569. "Poor ponies..."
  2570. >he snorts in such a way you half expect some snide remark about him being surprised you care, but it never comes
  2571. >"You have no idea, Anon. I mean, it was a pretty big shock to my system just feeling the effects of the implant when they activated it. Was kinda like... having the wind knocked out of you, but way WAY worse. But at least I can still FEEL the magic there, even if it is buried pretty deep and inaccessible. To lose it altogether..."
  2572. >he shudders once again
  2573. >you give a shrug, your eyes still on Corona
  2574. "Earth ponies seem to get along just fine without magic."
  2575. >he immediately frowns and you bite your tongue, wondering why you thought for even a second that was an okay thing to say to him
  2576. "Sorry. I didn't mean anything by that."
  2577. >there's an angry snort followed by a frustrated sigh
  2578. >"Well, just imagine you suddenly went blind and deaf. Now amplify that feeling of loss and helplessness a hundredfold. That still doesn't even come close to describing what that kind of... VIOLATION... means to a unicorn."
  2579. >you nod solemnly, followed by a tense, awkward silence that feels like it stretches out forever, your voice taking on a more gentle tone when you speak again
  2580. "I don't know. Maybe one of these days we can see about having that implant adjusted or even removed once you've proven your loyalty to me. But for right now, I can't trust you with that kind of power, Shiny. I really am sorry..."
  2581.  
  2582. >Corona comes to a halt as you reach the storage shed, tilting her head and her ears twitching as she stares at a large blue tarp covering something on your back deck
  2583. >"That wasn't there when we left," she says curiously
  2584. >you smile
  2585. >Shining clears his throat, not bothering to even look up at you and seeming to completely ignore the object that caught Corona's eye
  2586. >"May I be excused to the house - MASTER?"
  2587. >you cringe ever so slightly at the hint of venom in that last word before nodding
  2588. "Of course, Shiny."
  2589. >"Thanks."
  2590. >he wastes no time, his hooves clattering loudly against the wood of the deck as he bounds up the stairs, ascending them in two strides before disappearing into the house and shutting the door behind himself harder than usual, making sure you and Corona both hear it
  2591. >you climb down from your seat and begin untacking Corona with a sigh as she waits patiently
  2592. >her coat is damp with perspiration, but she hasn't worked up enough of a sweat for it to drip from her body
  2593. >you were careful to take it easy on her today
  2594. >as you unbuckle and remove the last leather strap holding the harness to her body and pull the bridle over her ears, bunching it up in your hand along with the harness for storage, she tosses her head and shakes her whole body with a relieved sigh, giving a wide, sharp swish of her tail as her head lowers slightly
  2595. >she starts toward the house as you move to back the cart into the storage shed, just leaving the harness and bridle laying in the back for now with the intent to clean it later
  2596. >you hadn't given her permission to leave yet
  2597. >any other time you'd have let it slip, but you want her to stay with you for now, eager to reveal her surprise to her
  2598. "Corona," you correct her in a firm but gentle tone
  2599. >she instantly freezes and returns to your side, immediately realizing her slip up, her ears flattening against her head as she bows it to you submissively
  2600. >"I'm sorry Master... I didn't ask to be excused..."
  2601.  
  2602. "We'll forego the whipping just this once," you say jokingly, placing a hand on her head and gently rustling her mane
  2603. >you wince as the mare whimpers softly, trembling under your touch
  2604. >another poor choice of words
  2605. "Shit... I didn't mean..."
  2606. >you mentally slap yourself
  2607. >what the fuck is wrong with you today?
  2608. >you place a hand under her muzzle and direct her eyes to yours
  2609. "I wouldn't whip you over something like that. It was a stupid and insensitive joke and I didn't mean it, okay girl? I'm sorry..."
  2610. >she nods hesitantly as you slowly pull your hand away
  2611. >"yessir..."
  2612. >maybe you should just keep your mouth shut for the rest of the day
  2613. >you'd managed to put them both in a bad mood in record time
  2614. >hopefully the hot tub will earn you some forgiveness, at least from Corona
  2615. >you pat your side a couple times and start toward the house
  2616. "C'mon, girl. I've got a surprise for you."
  2617. >she obeys and is at your side in a heartbeat, matching your steps perfectly as you make your way up the stairs and stop in front of the tarp
  2618. >"A surprise? For me, Master?"
  2619. >you nod as she sits on her haunches
  2620. "Yep, and it's right here. Close your eyes."
  2621. >her eyes close so tight it causes a little wrinkle in her muzzle as you pull back the tarp, her ears flicking wildly at the sound of the crumpling plastic as you set it aside
  2622. "Alright girl, open them!"
  2623. >her head tilts and her jaw hangs open ever so slightly
  2624. >you place a hand on the back of your neck and take a step back
  2625. "It's a hottub! I know how much you like your baths... I mean, it's not for cleaning yourself in, but I figure soaking in that hot water is probably pretty relaxing for you. And this has all kinds of jets that shoot pressurized water all over your body while you rest in it, kind of like a massage, so it'll feel even better!"
  2626. >you point toward some buttons and a dial on the side
  2627.  
  2628. "This controls the temperature, and this one turns the jets on. You can come out here and use it any time you want, girl! I'm so proud of you for what a good girl you've been for me, I wanted to do something to thank you for all your hard work."
  2629. >her head slowly rotates toward you, her jaw quivering violently, eyes glazed over and flooded with tears that threaten to come crashing down her cheeks at any moment, her ears pinned firmly against her head
  2630. >she closes her mouth and swallows harshly, letting out a long, deep, high-pitched whine through her closed muzzle as she blinks, the tears skipping her cheeks completely and splattering onto the deck beneath her as her whole body starts to shake
  2631. >the huge grin on your face starts to fade as you stare into her eyes, tears flowing freely from them now and splashing onto the wood beneath her front hooves almost nonstop
  2632. "What's wrong girl? You... don't you like it? I thought you'd be pleased. I can have him take it back and get you something else if-OOMF!"
  2633. >you're not prepared for the sudden weight that hits you like a freight train, knocking you flat on your back and taking the wind out of you as the mare tackles you hard, sobbing loudly into your chest as she wraps her front hooves around you and squeezes tightly
  2634. >"I never thought... I've never... nobody's ever... You didn't have t... I don't deserve..." she stammers out
  2635. >you stroke her back gently until she takes a deep breath and finally forces out a complete sentence, looking up into your eyes with a heartfelt smile oozing with joy and gratitude
  2636. >"I love it, Master! Thank you, thank you so so SO much! All... all for me and... and... Oh I just... I don't even know what to say!"
  2637.  
  2638. >she lets out a loud nicker followed by an excited whinny as she climbs off of you just as suddenly as she'd knocked you over, trotting over to the hot tub and rearing up onto her hind legs on the side, looking into it and dipping her hoof into the water
  2639. >your friend had been nice enough to fill it and turn the heater on before he left so it'd be ready by the time you got back
  2640. >you stand up, finally catching your breath and press the button on the side, starting up the jets
  2641. >it startles her slightly and she stares at the bubbling water for nearly a full minute before glancing up at you
  2642. >all it takes is a simple nod before she scrambles into the water in such a hurry that she splashes you, causing you to give a hearty laugh at her enthusiasm
  2643. >you briefly see Shining's face in the window looking out at the two of you before disappearing suddenly
  2644. >after squirming and splashing around in the water for a few moments, she settles down, leaning back against the side of the tub when she finds an intersection of jets that hit all her sore muscles just the right way, dunking her head beneath the water momentarily before coming back up, her wet mane clinging to her neck as she lets out a long, drawn-out sigh, slowly turning her head toward you with a look of sheer adoration
  2645. >you reach over and give her a quick scritch behind the ear, deeply satisfied and relieved that she seems to have already forgotten or forgiven your bad joke
  2646. "I'm glad you like it, Corona. You linger in there as long as you want, okay? Just don't fall asleep. I'm going to head inside for a bit."
  2647. >she nods, her eyes rolling back in her head as she closes her eyes, practically melting as you walk into the house, gently closing the door behind yourself to leave the little mare to enjoy her new gift
  2648.  
  2649.  
  2650.  
  2651.  
  2652.  
  2653. ---------------------
  2654.  
  2655. >you didn't even feel yourself beginning to nod off in the soothing water
  2656. >by the time you open your eyes again, it's quickly becoming dusk
  2657. >you're somewhat startled when you look across from you and see your Master relaxing in the hot tub with you, a drink in one hand and cell phone in the other
  2658. >he doesn't seem to have noticed you opening your eyes, completely engrossed with whatever's on the small screen in front of him
  2659. >the water splashes and sloshes just enough to get his attention as you sit up
  2660. >he looks up at you with a friendly smile
  2661. >"Hey girl, hope you don't mind if I join you for a little bit. It looked too inviting to resist a little dip myself."
  2662. >you shake your head
  2663. "N..no, of course not Master. How long have I been in here?"
  2664. >you casually stretch and twist your body, noticing that the intensity of the jets has been turned down some, and the temperature increased ever so slightly
  2665. >"Oh not long. Maybe a half hour or so?"
  2666. >he shrugs, tapping at the screen in his hand a few more times before setting the phone aside next to his drink on a small table he'd set up next to the hottub
  2667. "Oh... well sir, if you'd rather have some time alone I suppose I've been in here long enough to-" you say, slowly starting to climb over the side, flinching when he reaches over and places a hand on your front left fetlock
  2668. >"Please, Corona. You don't have to go on my account. I told you to linger as long as you want, remember?"
  2669. >you give a nervous chuckle before settling back down into the water
  2670. "yessir..."
  2671. >"So I've been thinking," he says, removing his hand and leaning back
  2672. >"Those trees along the southwestern rim of the property, what do you think about getting rid of them?"
  2673. >you blink a few times
  2674. >why does he care what you think?
  2675. >it's his land...
  2676. "Sir?"
  2677. >"I just want your opinion. I mean, that'd clear up some more land for other uses and make traversing that part of the property a little easier."
  2678. >he hesitates
  2679.  
  2680. >"Though I also do enjoy the thought of having some nice wooded trails to go for hikes - or cart rides."
  2681. >he reaches over and takes another drink of the beverage in the tall glass next to him
  2682. "That...um... that's a lot of work for just you and me, Master... wouldn't it take a long time?"
  2683. >he shakes his head
  2684. >"Nah. I found a company that will come and clear the land and even mill the lumber for us on-site. All they want in return is to keep half. That'd also provide us with plenty of boards to start repairing the fence with."
  2685. >he points to his phone
  2686. >"I already sent 'em an e-mail with some aerial photographs of the property to see if they'd be interested."
  2687. >you nod
  2688. "That seems like a good idea, Master."
  2689. >"You really think so? You're not just saying that to appease me?"
  2690. >you quickly shake your head
  2691. "Nosir. That seems like a good way to save some money and uh... free us up for other work?"
  2692. >the uncertainty of your tone gives him pause
  2693. >"You don't sound convinced..."
  2694. >truth is you're not sure what to think
  2695. >you've never had a Master ask your opinion about something like this
  2696. "I suppose it's really up to you, Master. I mean... I'll go along with whatever you think is best."
  2697. >he sighs
  2698. >"Right. Of course you will."
  2699. >he looks down at the water, his head hanging ever so slightly, seeming disappointed with your response for a few moments before looking back up at you
  2700. >"Tell me something, Corona. How do you feel about the work I've been asking you to do so far?"
  2701. >you freeze, your ears flattening against your head
  2702. >is he not satisfied with your performance?
  2703. >or the rate at which things are getting done?
  2704. >is he going to increase your hours or workload?
  2705. >maybe... maybe even start bringing a whip along with him in the cart to make sure you keep up a satisfactory pace?
  2706. >a million things rush through your mind all at once until you hear your name again
  2707.  
  2708. >"Corona?"
  2709. >you shake your head, snapping back to your senses
  2710. >"If it's too much for you, you don't have to be afraid to say so. You can ease up a bit if you need to, we can take things a little more slowly. I don't want you overexerting yourself."
  2711. >your jaw hangs open slightly for a moment and you give him a blank stare
  2712. "Nosir... it's been fine. I mean... I'm not having trouble keeping up. It's nice to have something to do while you're gone, Master."
  2713. >he seems to perk up slightly hearing that
  2714. >"And the cart?"
  2715. >you tilt your head slightly
  2716. "Sir?"
  2717. >"You don't mind the cart?"
  2718. >your eyes look away for a moment, darting around a bit before meeting his again
  2719. "Nosir."
  2720. >"Really?"
  2721. >you shake your head
  2722. "In a strange way, pulling is kind of... satisfying for me, sir. I don't know how to explain it."
  2723. >he raises an eyebrow at you
  2724. "I... I mean, I've always enjoyed staying active, even before I was a sla..." your voice begins to trail off for a moment before you continue
  2725. "I've... always liked to stay active, Master."
  2726. >you bite your lip and look down and away from him, trying to fight back memories of home that are starting to surface
  2727. >when you look back over at him, he's holding his arms out, gesturing toward himself with his fingers, closing them toward his palms a few times
  2728. >seeing you hesitate, he finally speaks up in a gentle tone barely above a whisper, giving a nod
  2729. >"c'mere, girl. It's okay..."
  2730.  
  2731. >you close your eyes and shake your head with a slight whimper
  2732. >when you open them again, his arms have returned to his sides and he's staring off into space
  2733. >he has an expression on his face that can only be described as hurt
  2734. >"Sorry. Just looked like you could really use a hug there for a minute..."
  2735. >he gives a somber smile as he climbs out of the hottub and starts to dry himself off with a towel he'd brought out
  2736. >"Well hey... I don't wanna disturb you any more. I can-"
  2737. >BZZZZTPOP!
  2738. >BZZZTZZTZTPOP!
  2739. >he turns his head toward a faintly humming purplish light hanging over the doorway
  2740. >"Heh... that was a big one. Might want to start thinking about going inside soon, the bug zapper only keeps the mosquitoes away for so long."
  2741. >your pupils constrict nearly to the size of pinpricks and your muscles lock up
  2742. >BZZZTZZTZTPOP! BZZTPOP!
  2743. >the harsh crackling of the electricity sends tremors through your body as it reaches your ears
  2744. >and all of a sudden you're right back in that room
  2745. >that dreaded, horrible, dark slice of Tartarus you had desperately hoped you'd never see again in your life
  2746. >not even in your memories
  2747. >but you're there, the feelings of terror, anger, and pain welling up inside you just as fresh as the very day you'd been tortured
  2748. >you can feel yourself being shocked
  2749. >your muscles screaming in fatigue from being tied up in stress positions far too long
  2750. >searing skin on fire from the tormenting blows of the prod in your master's hand
  2751. >you try to cry out, but find it nearly impossible, your voice catching in your throat, all you're able to manage is a sharp, forceful, soundless exhale
  2752. >BZZZZZZZZTTZTZTZT POP!POP!
  2753. >you feel hands around your body, pulling hard, your limp, wet body slumping over the side of the hottub, and crashing down next to it as you're pulled out
  2754. "NO!! NO, STOP!!!" you finally scream out desperately "YOU'RE HURTING ME!"
  2755. >BZZZT!
  2756. "PLEASE MASTER... NO MORE... NO MORE!!! I'LL DO ANYTHING! PLEASE! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRYYYY!"
  2757.  
  2758. >you feel sick to your stomach, your shallow breaths coming at a nearly impossibly rapid rate as you begin to hyperventilate, numb to the real world as you relive your worst horror
  2759. >Anon falls over as he finally manages you remove you from the hottub completely, and you collapse in a heap on top of him
  2760. >BZZZZT!
  2761. >you can't breathe
  2762. >this is it
  2763. >this is the end
  2764. >Master is going to kill you
  2765. >to torture you to death for running away
  2766. >and for refusing to give up your friend
  2767. >BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZTPOP!
  2768. >your bladder involuntarily empties as you shake uncontrollably
  2769. >"Corona what the hell is wrong with you!?"
  2770. >Anon struggles beneath your weight, but without at least a little voluntary movement of your own finds it nearly impossible to push you off of himself
  2771. >"Everything's okay! You're safe! Calm down girl, please!"
  2772. >mercifully, the humming finally cuts off
  2773. >as the sounds of electric death finally cease, you find yourself slowly snapping back to reality
  2774. >all you're able to do is cling to your Master, squeezing your forelegs around his bare chest tightly as you cry into it
  2775.  
  2776. >you briefly see Shining Armor sitting on his haunches, dropping the end of an extension cord from his teeth before turning to go back inside without a word
  2777. >finally catching your breath, you let out a deep, mournful wail
  2778. >you feel Master's arms wrap around you and squeeze you tightly as he begins rocking you, for the time being completely ignoring the fact that you're now both covered in your urine, though the stench is hard to miss
  2779. >you don't see him grimace, trying to push the feeling of revulsion out of his mind temporarily, knowing you need him right now
  2780. >your chest heaves with each sob, which only serves to tighten his grip
  2781. >you feel his chin press against the top of your head
  2782. >slowly, gradually, the dread and terror are replaced by a feeling of warmth and safety, as well as sheer exhaustion
  2783. >the sobs cease
  2784. >as do the tears
  2785. >Master hasn't said anything to you, giving you plenty of time to work whatever it is out on your own
  2786. >eventually you pull away from him, sitting up on your haunches on the soaked wood of the deck, staring down at the ground and still trembling
  2787. >"You wanna tell me what that was all about?"
  2788.  
  2789.  
  2790.  
  2791.  
  2792.  
  2793. >your eyes slowly blink open
  2794. >you're dry and clean
  2795. >your mane and tail have been carefully brushed
  2796. >there's a faint floral aroma emanating from your coat
  2797. >you look across the room and see the lumpy outline of a body under the blankets in the other bed
  2798. >as it shifts and rolls over you can make out a horn dimly illuminated by moonlight poking from underneath, and hear a brief, faint snore
  2799. >you don't remember how you got here
  2800. >last thing you remember was soaking in the hot tub with Master, and then...
  2801. >everything's a blur
  2802. >you push the blankets off of yourself and sit up in the bed with a slight groan
  2803. "Shining Armor?" you whisper, hopping down from the bed and rearing up at the side of his, poking him with a hoof and giving him a gentle shake
  2804. >he mutters and moans, rolling back over to face away from you, still completely unconscious
  2805. >you give a frustrated little sigh and flick of your tail before leaving the room
  2806. >having noticed the smell of smoke as well as the dim light of a fire bouncing off the window pane, you make your way outside
  2807. >off in the distance, you see Master with a bundle of brush in his arms that you'd helped him gather up earlier in the day, heaping it onto an already raging bonfire that's at least as tall as he is
  2808. >brushing his hands together with a sigh, he turns away and collapses haphazardly into a nearby chair, not seeming to notice you approaching
  2809. >maybe it's just too dark to see you
  2810. >other than the fire and moonlight, it's pitch black out here
  2811. >a far too familiar feeling of gloominess and loneliness wells up in your stomach
  2812. >this brings up too many bad memories of your time on the run
  2813. >hiding in dark, scary woods, never knowing what kind of dangerous creature you might stumble across in the darkness, or what kind of trap might ensnare you at any moment
  2814. >you stop for a moment and nip at your side instinctively
  2815. >stupid mosquitoes
  2816. >thankfully the smoke seems to be driving them away for the most part
  2817.  
  2818. >the sound of crickets and other nighttime creatures is nearly deafening and you shiver a bit, picking up your pace, eager for the safety of the fire
  2819. >...and your Master
  2820. >you almost hate to admit it, even to yourself, but he has this way of calming your nerves...
  2821. >you shake your head, stumbling on an uneven spot in the ground
  2822. >the distant, lonesome cry of a coyote, though not close enough to pose any threat, is enough to make your heart race and make you take off at a brisk trot
  2823. >through either the slight sense of panic, the fact that your night vision isn't quite as good as it used to be, or some combination of both, you plow right into the back of Master's chair
  2824. >not enough to knock him over, but more than enough to startle him, causing him to jump up from his seat and knock it over
  2825. >you whimper and drop to your haunches, rubbing your snout and blinking away the wetness in your eyes, reflexive tears caused by the pain of the collision
  2826. >"Damn it, Corona, you scared me half to death... don't ever sneak up on me like that!" Master says in a stern tone
  2827. "Sorry sir..." you mutter
  2828. >his expression softens immediately and he uprights his chair, sitting back down in it
  2829. >"It's alright, girl. I just thought you were asleep is all. What brings you out here? It's after midnight."
  2830. >you hesitate
  2831. >you weren't sure what made you come outside, to be honest
  2832. >you just say the first thing that comes to your mind
  2833. "I woke up, and... and I didn't want to be alone, Master," you say just above a whisper, taking up a position in front of him, enjoying the radiant heat of the fire on your backside as you sit, looking into his eyes
  2834. >"Shining Armor isn't in his bed?"
  2835. >you shake your head
  2836. "He is, but I didn't want to disturb him."
  2837. >he nods
  2838. >"I see."
  2839. >you bite your lip and look away from him
  2840.  
  2841. "Also... I was wondering what happened earlier, Master. I... I don't remember the last few hours. I remember being in the hot tub with you and then... waking up in bed. I... I hope I didn't cause any trouble."
  2842. >he raises an eyebrow
  2843. >"You don't remember any of it?"
  2844. >you simply shake your head
  2845. >"You don't remember flipping out, peeing on me, me cleaning you up, or the long talk we had afterward? None of it?"
  2846. >you wince slightly
  2847. "I'm sorry, Master..."
  2848. >he sighs
  2849. >"Let's just say I have a pretty good idea why you're so traumatized now."
  2850. >he balls up his fist, anger flashing in his eyes for a brief moment before he relaxes once again
  2851. >your jaw opens slightly, eyes darting around in the darkness
  2852. >you wonder just how much you told him
  2853. >after a few minutes he stands up, picks up a big stick, and starts idly poking at the fire, seeming troubled
  2854. >"You've been through a lot. I knew that much already, but I never imagined..."
  2855. >his voice trails off momentarily before he turns his head to look back at you
  2856. >"You're right to hate us."
  2857. >you tilt your head
  2858. "I don't ha-"
  2859. >he cuts you off
  2860. >"It's okay, Corona."
  2861. >he tosses a few more branches and broken boards into the fire
  2862. >"I won't pet you or touch you anymore. I'll give you your space from now on."
  2863. >your ears flatten
  2864. >why does he sound so guilty?
  2865. >he's not the one who hurt you
  2866. >what had you said to him earlier?
  2867. >...and why do YOU feel slightly guilty all of a sudden?
  2868. "Master..."
  2869. >he smiles warmly at you, speaking softly
  2870. >"Go back to bed, okay girl? We'll talk tomorrow. I... well, I'd honestly rather be alone for a little while right now. If you really need company that badly you have my permission to wake Shiny up and tell him it was my fault his rest was disturbed."
  2871. >you hesitate to comply
  2872. >it's obvious he's lying about wanting to be alone
  2873.  
  2874. >"Corona..."
  2875. >his voice gets a little more strict and he points toward the house
  2876. >"Bed."
  2877. >you swallow a lump in your throat, planting your rump firmly in the dirt and staring into his eyes defiantly
  2878. "Nosir..."
  2879. >he snaps his fingers and shakes his arm emphatically, his tone hardening even more as the smile disappears from his lips
  2880. >"I said BED, Corona."
  2881. >you shake your head, not taking your eyes off of his for a second
  2882. "Nosir..."
  2883. >he unbuckles his belt, and you feel your heart leap into your throat as he pulls it through the loops in his jeans and doubles it up in his hand
  2884. >"I thought you knew better than to disobey me, girl. I'm going to count to three."
  2885. >he snaps the belt in his hand
  2886. >"One..."
  2887. >you take a deep breath, fighting back the instinctual fear and urge to tremble
  2888. >"TWO..."
  2889. >his expression turns from angry to pleading
  2890. >"Don't make me do this, Corona... please just go to bed..."
  2891. >you stand up, taking a cautious step toward him
  2892. >before he can react, you catch the strip of leather between your teeth, giving it a gentle tug
  2893. >it slips from his grasp effortlessly, and you toss it aside
  2894. >an empty threat, as you suspected
  2895. >"What do you want, mare?" he says, taking a step back from you
  2896. "What do YOU want, Master?"
  2897. >his face contorts in bewildered confusion
  2898. >"I told you already, I want you to go to bed and leave me alone..."
  2899. >you advance on him further, causing him to take another step back
  2900. >"We... we can discuss your punishment for disobeying me tomorrow."
  2901. >you shake your head and snort angrily
  2902. "That's a lie. You don't want to be alone at all... In fact, I think that's why you took me and Shining Armor in."
  2903. >he falls onto his rump, tripping over a stray branch as he tries to take another step back
  2904. "You're a sad, lonely little man, aren't you?"
  2905. >"Shut up and go to bed, Corona, I'm not in the mood for games..."
  2906. "You're not going to be happy until we love you back, are you Master?"
  2907. >his eyes go wide
  2908.  
  2909. >"I don't need you to love me, just to obey me. Y...you're my slave. I... I'll do with you as I please..."
  2910. >you stand over him, pressing a hoof against his chest, and he falls back, leaning against his elbows in the dirt as the fire crackles loudly nearby
  2911. "Liar! Just admit it! You never wanted slaves, did you? You wanted companions."
  2912. >"I... I'm gonna... I'm gonna..."
  2913. "You're gonna WHAT?"
  2914. >you push your forehead against his
  2915. "You'd never hit me and you know it."
  2916. >you laugh in his face
  2917. "Just say it already! You love me! You love BOTH of us!"
  2918. >he lets out a furious snort through his muzzle
  2919. >"I... I don't need you!" he squeals loudly, ears flicking in rage
  2920. >you feel his hoof on your chest, trying to push you off of him
  2921. >instead of backing away, you double down
  2922. "Stop lying to me already!"
  2923. >his withers are now flat against the dirt, his long, flowing black mane scattered haphazardly around him as he cranes his neck to maintain his angry gaze into your eyes, his tail flicking angrily against your hind legs
  2924. >without warning, a hoof wraps around your neck, another around your withers as you're pulled down on top of him
  2925. >his muzzle pressing firmly into yours, you feel his tongue snaking into your mouth, first with an angry squeal, followed shortly by a contented nicker when you relent, closing your eyes and melting into the kiss, luxuriating in his embrace
  2926. >you can't remember the last time a stallion held you like this
  2927. >the last time you were WANTED this badly
  2928. >his hot, steamy breath pours through his flared nostrils and onto your cheeks as he continues kissing you, wrapping a hind leg over your hindquarters and forcing your belly against his
  2929. >all too soon you find yourself lost in the heat of passion, your entire body shuddering with desire
  2930. >you've needed this for so long...
  2931. "Oh Master..." you moan between kisses
  2932. >your lips part, and he presses his forehead against yours, both of you panting heavily as you stare into each other's eyes
  2933.  
  2934. >"Corona... I love you so much... this... this is all I've ever wanted... from the moment I brought you home, I couldn't stop thinking about you... about what this would be like..."
  2935. >he kisses you again
  2936. >you feel a mixture of smug satisfaction and overwhelming desire as you allow your body to settle over his, feeling him begin to emerge from his sheath
  2937. >his... his sheath?
  2938. >you pull away from the kiss
  2939. >something's not right
  2940. >"What's wrong, Corona? Don't you want this?"
  2941. >your eyes begin to dart around, even as your now-moist marehood quivers in anticipation of being bred
  2942. >he tries to pull you into another kiss, but you push his muzzle aside
  2943. >your master doesn't have a sheath
  2944. >at least as far as you know
  2945. >...or a muzzle
  2946. >mane
  2947. >tail
  2948. >hooves...
  2949. >what the...
  2950. >who is this stallion you're about to rut!?
  2951. >AND WHY DO YOU WANT IT SO BADLY!?
  2952. >you burst up in bed with a shrill whinny, pulling the blankets over yourself tightly, your heart racing, coat damp with a light sweat
  2953. >you hear soft snoring, looking over to see Shining Armor sound asleep
  2954. >apparently even that little outburst isn't enough to wake him
  2955. >there's no smell of smoke
  2956. >no fire
  2957. >just darkness and the sound of crickets chirping outside the window
  2958. >you bite your lip, your lips curling up in a snarl as you grumble angrily at yourself
  2959. "What the HAY was that all about!?"
  2960.  
  2961.  
  2962.  
  2963. --------------------------------
  2964.  
  2965. >you gently knock on your ponies' bedroom door
  2966. >Corona must have had a bad dream or something, she whinnied so loud it woke you up
  2967. >you kept your bedroom door open to listen for her just in case something like this were to happen
  2968. >hell, after that episode in the hot tub earlier you were pretty much expecting it
  2969. >she'd been almost catatonic immediately afterward, and kept mostly quiet as you bathed her, staring at the surface of the bathwater with a blank, emotionless expression
  2970. >as you dried her and brushed out her mane and tail she started to talk to you
  2971. >and once she got going, she didn't stop for what felt like hours
  2972. >told you some pretty terrible things, and opened up to you in a way that was more than a little surprising
  2973. >you knew she'd been through a lot, but hearing some of the details of her past in her own words was unsettling, to say the least
  2974. >you wait for a minute or so, and when there's no response you knock again
  2975. >"Corona? Shiny? You two awake?"
  2976. >you open the door and flip the light switch, and are immediately greeted by a frustrated groan from the bed nearest to you as Shining Armor pulls his blankets over his head in protest
  2977. >you see Corona sitting up with her back against the wall, blankets clutched tight against her
  2978. >she's trembling and sweating, her eyes locking onto you and widening as you walk toward her and sit on the side of her bed, ears swiveling downward from their upright position
  2979. >"Shhh, easy girl," you say softly, "I heard you cry out. Bad dream?"
  2980. >Shining throws his blankets off with a grunt, hopping down from the bed and starting toward the door, when he suddenly freezes in place
  2981. >he sniffs at the air, his head slowly rotating toward you
  2982. >he lets out a somewhat stifled, half-angry, half-surprised squeal after sniffing at the air a second time, a thousand different emotions flashing across his face before it finally settles on contorting in disgust
  2983. >Corona's eyes briefly meet his and she whimpers, pulling her blankets up to her muzzle and shrinking away from you
  2984. >you momentarily rest your hand on the bed to shift your weight, and that's when you feel it
  2985. >a faint damp spot
  2986. >had she wet the bed or...
  2987. >oh shit
  2988. >loud whinny
  2989. >hesitation to open the door
  2990. >sweaty mare
  2991. >wet spot on the bed
  2992. >the sudden realization dawns on you and you leap up off the bed, beating Shiny to the door as your face turns bright red
  2993. "I didn't mean to interrupt you guys, sorry for barging in like that"
  2994. >you're so flustered you miss the door handle the first two times you reach for it, barely able to stammer out the next sentence before awkwardly closing the door behind yourself before they even have a chance to respond
  2995. "Just... uh... I'll get a lock for your door so next time you can... erm... just be careful okay? I uh... I don't... I can't afford a third mouth to feed."
  2996.  
  2997.  
  2998. --------------------------------
  2999.  
  3000. >"You talk in your sleep, you know."
  3001. >you simply stare dumbfounded at the stallion, unsure of how to reply, frozen in place as you lean against the wall
  3002. "How much did... did you hear?"
  3003. >he shrugs
  3004. >"Enough," he finally manages with a sigh. "Took me a minute to put two and two together, but once I caught your scent..."
  3005. >you give a short, indignant squeal
  3006. "HEY!"
  3007. >he simply shrugs
  3008. >"Just stating a fact, it's not like I was TRYING to get a whiff of you. It's just that it's pretty heavy in the air, even now. Kiiinda hard for a stallion not to notice."
  3009. >you grit your teeth, angrily flicking your tail under the blankets with a sharp snort as he walks over and opens the window
  3010. "I don't... I didn't... that wasn't..." you stammer
  3011. "What EXACTLY did you hear?"
  3012. >"Like I said, enough."
  3013. "It's not what you think it is..."
  3014. >"And what do I think it is?"
  3015. "SHUT UP!"
  3016. >he gets an amused grin
  3017. >"Wow. Somepony's touchy."
  3018. >you give an angry little growl and sink back into the bed, pulling the blankets up over your head
  3019. >"Aw, what's wrong, not in the mood to talk?"
  3020. >you really want to hoof him in the muzzle right now
  3021. >SO HARD
  3022. >the last thing you need is him rubbing this in your face when you haven't even had a chance to properly sort out your own feelings about it yet
  3023. "Just shut up already, PLEASE. Whatever you think you heard, UNHEAR it. I don't need this."
  3024. >"Boy mares sure do get moody when they're in heat. Maybe Anon can give you something for that," he teases
  3025. >you take your pillow in your teeth and whip it at him as hard as you can
  3026. >it instantly becomes impaled on his horn with a soft "floof" noise, down scattering from the newly formed hole and flying through the air as he shakes his head and flings it off
  3027. >you snatch Shining's pillow from his bed before laying back down in your own and turning your back to him
  3028. >"Hey, that's mine!"
  3029. "Not anymore. I warned you to shut up."
  3030. >"Come on, don't be like that."
  3031. "...can't believe he seriously thinks I'd let YOU mate with me," you mutter, "...not even if you were the last stallion in the world."
  3032. >"Why do you care so much about what he thinks?"
  3033. "Good NIGHT, Shining Armor," you snap at him, placing the pillow over your head and covering your ears
  3034.  
  3035.  
  3036.  
  3037.  
  3038.  
  3039. --------------------------------
  3040.  
  3041. >breakfast is quiet and awkward
  3042. >both ponies barely touched their food until you encouraged them a few times
  3043. >the tv drones on in the background
  3044. >coincidentally it happens to be on one of those national news stations, with pundits discussing the ethics and morality of modern slavery over the news that the most recent Equestrian slave rights bill has once again stalled in the legislature
  3045. >you'd think such a topic would have garnered more attention from your ponies, but the only other sound in the room is an occasional crunch as one of you takes a bite of your food
  3046. >after finishing his meal, Shining Armor finally speaks up
  3047. >"I need a new pillow."
  3048. "What happened to yours?"
  3049. >"My horn happened," he replies with a quick glance in Corona's direction
  3050. "Oh," you say with a soft chuckle. "There are a few spares in the closet in the hall, just grab one."
  3051. >he nods and stares at his empty bowl in silence
  3052. >Corona does much the same
  3053. >she's avoided eye contact with you since she got up this morning
  3054. >"We weren't mating, Master," she eventually says softly
  3055. >you cough and grab a napkin, holding it over your mouth
  3056. "You weren't?"
  3057. >"Nosir, I just..."
  3058. >her voice trails off
  3059. "Well, that's kind of a relief, I guess. You uh, you know you can if you WANT to though, right? You have my permission. I'm sure you're both uh... y'know... y'know? I mean, I just don't want you getting pregnant is all. So if you decide to, just consider it a standing order to be careful. Maybe there are pills we can put you on to prevent it? Heh... I'll look into it, I know you probably..." you ramble awkwardly
  3060. >"m...master, please..." Corona groans, hiding behind her forelegs. "I don't... we don't look at each other that way."
  3061. >"Nope," Shining snorts, "I'm not the stallion for her. Besides, I'm married, remember?"
  3062.  
  3063. "Right," you nod, pausing briefly before bringing your hands together with a soft clap, eager to change the subject. "ANYWAY! No work today, Corona, you've earned a break, and I feel like taking a lazy day anyway."
  3064. >her ears perk up
  3065. "Some friends of mine from work are having a cookout this afternoon, so I'll probably be gone for a while later."
  3066. >and then they droop again
  3067. >it doesn't escape your attention
  3068. "What's wrong?"
  3069. >"Nothing, Master," she sighs
  3070. "Oh. Well, you guys don't have to stay stuck in the house all day. You can go outside and enjoy the nice weather if you want."
  3071. >she still doesn't seem satisfied
  3072. >Shining Armor has already made his way to the living room and changed the channel to watch his show, legs tucked underneath him as best as he can manage and head resting lazily on the armrest of your sofa
  3073. >Corona clears the dishes from the table before sitting on her haunches next to you
  3074. >"Can we go with you, Master?"
  3075. >your head tilts toward her
  3076.  
  3077. "Uh... I guess if you want to?" you reply curiously. "You wouldn't be uncomfortable around so many people?"
  3078. >"Not with you there, sir" she says with a smile
  3079. >her gaze lingers on you just a little bit too long before she shakes her head and looks away
  3080. >"If it's a bad idea I'll stay here, Master" she mutters. "I didn't mean t-"
  3081. "I'll call ahead and make sure it's okay with them," you interrupt her warmly, reaching down and scratching her ear
  3082. >"I'd rather stay here if it's all the same to you, Anon," Shining calls from the next room
  3083. >you shrug
  3084. "Actually I think you should come too, Shiny. It'll do you some good to get out and socialize."
  3085. >he predictably grumps over your response, ears down and nose creased with a frown on his muzzle as you enter the living room and take a seat in your recliner, Corona excusing herself to bed to get in a little more sleep
  3086. >it's still pretty early in the morning, after all, and you consider doing the same yourself
  3087. >instead, after a few minutes of silence, you stand up and motion for him to scoot over, joining him on the sofa and resting a hand on his mane, idly stroking him
  3088. >while it's not quite at its former length, it's no longer the same jagged mohawk he had been sporting for so long
  3089. >there's enough length to it that it starts to fall to the side of his neck again
  3090. >his grumpiness eventually subsides as you pet him, and he caves in to your affection, resting his head in your lap and staring at the TV in silence
  3091.  
  3092.  
  3093.  
  3094.  
  3095.  
  3096. "So hey listen, do you mind if I bring my ponies? They're kind of itching to get out of the house and do something."
  3097. "Yeah"
  3098. "Nah, they're good"
  3099. "Yep! Just the two of them"
  3100. "Stallion and a mare"
  3101. "Definitely"
  3102. "Shit, really?"
  3103. "Alright"
  3104. "Mm-hmm"
  3105. "Oh that would be awesome, I'm sure they'd appreciate that"
  3106. "Alright man, we'll see you at 3:00 then?"
  3107. "Perfect"
  3108. "Yep, you too"
  3109. "Bye"
  3110. >you set your phone on the end table next to you, raising your arms as you stretch and yawn
  3111. >Shining just snorts and rolls his eyes when your hand returns to his neck and you continue to pet him
  3112. "So hey, Shiny"
  3113. >an ear rotates toward you but he doesn't turn his head
  3114. "Turns out my boss is coming to this little get together, so I'm gonna need you to be on your best behavior, okay?"
  3115. >"Aww. And here I was, planning on having a good old time biting and kicking everyone there and burning the place down."
  3116. "Sarcasm doesn't really suit you, you know" you deadpan
  3117.  
  3118. >"Who's being sarcastic?"
  3119. >you give a frustrated sigh
  3120. >"Well it's not like I was going to do anything to make you look bad anyway, Anon, sheesh..." he says with a gentle flick of his tail. "Can't even take a joke..." he mutters
  3121. "Mmhm. Just don't forget to call me Master while we're there, okay?"
  3122. >he grunts
  3123. >"Maybe I just won't talk at all, good little slaves are seen, not heard, right?"
  3124. "Oh come off it"
  3125. >"Yes, Master! Of course, Master! Anything you say, Master!"
  3126. >you take an ear between your index finger and thumb and begin rubbing gently
  3127. >"I'll be a good litt-- ...I hate it when you do that," he says with a shudder
  3128. "No you don't."
  3129. >"Alrightalright, you win... just... a little higher?"
  3130. >he closes his eyes and leans into your hand, stretching his front legs across your lap and arching his back slightly downward with a yawn of his own
  3131. "Awww, does Shiny-winy like his ear scritchies? Who's a good boy? Who's Master's little good boy?" you tease
  3132. >"Ugh, don't push it, Anon"
  3133. "Or what, you won't let me keep petting you?"
  3134. >"I hate you," he says with a groan
  3135. "You go right on believing that"
  3136.  
  3137. --------------------------------
  3138.  
  3139. >"Corooooonaaaaa," a voice calls out softly as you feel yourself being gently shaken
  3140. >you murmur and squirm under the blanket, trying hard to cling to these last few moments of sleep
  3141. >"Cooorooooooonnnaaaaa," you're shaken a bit harder this time. "Come on girl, time to wake up!"
  3142. >finally you relent, blinking your heavy eyelids with a long, drawn out yawn as you roll over and look at your Master
  3143. "What time is it, Master?" you ask sleepily
  3144. >"A little after two" he says
  3145. >your eyes shoot open
  3146. >you can't remember the last time you slept into the afternoon like that
  3147. >sure it felt nice, but it also feels like such a waste
  3148. >you'd rather be awake to enjoy your free time
  3149. >after all, you're not used to having much of it
  3150. >you sit up on your haunches and shake your head, running a hoof over your mane
  3151. >it doesn't take long to notice your brush in Master's hand
  3152. >you hop down with a quiet nicker, settling on the floor between his knees as he sits on the edge of the bed and begins brushing out your mane
  3153. >even if you're still not entirely comfortable with him touching you, this always feels nice
  3154. >Merribelle used to do this for you every morning before work
  3155. >of course, your mane was usually a mess again by the end of the day anyway, but you still always found it comforting
  3156. >you could sit here perfectly content to let Master brush you for hours
  3157. >it's so calming you nearly doze off again, until you feel a quick pat on your rump
  3158. >"Alright girl, let's get that tail now"
  3159. >you stand up with a sigh, your mind continuing to wander as he works
  3160. >the lack of tension in your body along with the fact you're not keeping your tail clamped tightly against your backside like usual doesn't escape his notice
  3161. >"You seem pretty relaxed," he says with a soft chuckle, "that nap must have done you a lot of good"
  3162. >you simply nod quietly
  3163.  
  3164. >a few more strokes and he finishes, standing up and setting the brush on the nightstand between the two beds
  3165. >"Such a pretty girl with your mane and tail all brushed out," he says before giving your ear a scratch
  3166. >you blush and smile sheepishly, looking at the floor and your ears flattening
  3167. >"You ready to go meet some new people?"
  3168. >actually no
  3169. >no you're not
  3170. >you're incredibly nervous and uneasy at the prospect of being introduced to even more humans
  3171. >you just didn't want to be left home
  3172. >alone
  3173. >without anything to do
  3174. >and without anyone else to really talk to
  3175. >Shining Armor isn't usually very chatty unless you're out working, and while he might be content to sit around watching TV all day in silence, you're not
  3176. >and honestly, you kind of WANT to spend a little time with Master
  3177. >but he doesn't need to know that
  3178. >besides, if these are Master's friends you're about to meet, how bad can they be?
  3179. >right?
  3180. "yessir..." you reply with a swish of your tail
  3181.  
  3182. >the three of you are greeted at the door by a rotund, balding man with thick framed glasses
  3183. >he's a lot shorter than Master, and you can't help but think his clothing looks a little ridiculous
  3184. >khaki shorts, something called a "Hawaiian" shirt and sandals
  3185. >his booming, jovial voice startles you
  3186. >"ANON! Good to see ya, buddy!" he says as he slaps your Master on the back and guides him through the door,
  3187. >Master nods at him with a friendly smile
  3188. >"Steve, these are my ponies," he steps through the door and turns back in your direction, open palm pointing toward you, "Shining Armor and Corona"
  3189. >"Man, you weren't kidding! Stallion's definitely on the skinny side. Well we'll have to fix that, big fella. Come on in, all three of ya! Steaks and corn on the cob are already on the grill, plenty of food to go around!"
  3190. >he pauses as you and Shining Armor hesitate to follow
  3191. >"Well c'mon already, food's out back! You ponies like corn on the cob, right? There's salad too, if not."
  3192. >you nod and follow behind Shining Armor, doing your best not to let the new man see you trembling
  3193. >Shining just seems uninterested and mildly irritated
  3194. >you make your way through the house, to a sliding glass door leading to the back patio, and freeze in place after Master and Shining step through
  3195. >there's so many of them...
  3196. >you press your tail firmly against your rear and pin your ears flat as you take a few steps back, your heart leaping into your throat
  3197. >oh...
  3198. >oh this was a bad idea
  3199. >SUCH a bad idea
  3200.  
  3201. >"Corona, come girl" your Master calls for you
  3202. >him calling your name only draws more attention toward you
  3203. >you lay down on the floor, every muscle in your body locking up
  3204. >you whimper loudly feeling a hand on your back, turning your head to see a tall, slender woman kneeling next to you
  3205. >she's so heavily perfumed it almost chokes you, and she speaks with a thick, almost fancy sounding accent
  3206. >"Oh bless your petit cour," she says as she strokes you, "there's no need to be afraid, we're all friends here, my sweet."
  3207. >her reassurance does little to soothe you, as your anxiety continues to mount to near critical levels and your eyes lock back on your Master
  3208. >the smell of searing flesh certainly doesn't help matters
  3209. >sure, Master has eaten meat around you before, but...
  3210. >the scent of blood and smoke has never been so intense
  3211. >human olfaction must not be as keen as ponies'
  3212. >you're not sure how they can tolerate it, otherwise
  3213. >it's more than a little nauseating, and you soon feel dizzy
  3214. >"She's had it pretty rough, Camille," your Master says as he mercifully steps back inside, closing the sliding door behind him and muffling the sounds of light conversation as the chubby man tends to the food on the grill. "I kinda expected this. Maybe my ponies can stay inside and keep Grace company for a bit until Corona has had a chance to settle down enough to join us out back, hmm?"
  3215. >the woman practically squeals with delight, as if being struck by a sudden epiphany, striding over to the bottom of a stairwell as fast as her awkwardly high-heeled shoes will allow and calling out in a sing-song voice
  3216. >"Grace, Grace come downstairs my dear! Monsieur Anonymous is here!"
  3217. >when there's no reply, she calls out again
  3218.  
  3219. >"Grace mon cheri, he brought his ponies with him, don't you want to meet them?"
  3220. >you turn your head slowly and see a tiny human appear at the top of the stairs, walking down them slowly, wearing an awestruck expression as she stares directly at you and Shining Armor
  3221. >she's REALLY small
  3222. >come to think of it...
  3223. >"Hi Mister Anonymous," her tiny voice says as she reaches the bottom and approaches you
  3224. >yep, she's a human filly
  3225. >you've never met a human foal before...
  3226. >your ears perk up in curiousity as you stare at her
  3227. >"Corona, this is Steve and Camille's little girl Grace. She absolutely adores ponies, don't you Gracie?"
  3228. >the filly nods excitedly
  3229. >"Can I play with them?"
  3230. >Master nods at her
  3231. >"Just don't be too rough with them, okay?" Master says
  3232. >she giggles with glee as she runs over and throws her arms around Shining Armor's foreleg, snuggling her face into his chest
  3233. >"Mommy he's so soft!" she squeaks
  3234. >Shining stares at you with a blank expression, and you just tilt your head
  3235. >"Shiny, Corona, be on your best behavior. We'll be just outside if you need anything, okay? We'll be keeping an eye on you. Feel free to join us out back whenever you're up to it"
  3236. >before you know it, you and Shining Armor are left alone with the filly
  3237. >and she's still clinging to him as though her life depends on it
  3238. >you can't help but give a little smile as he continues staring straight ahead, looking dumbfounded
  3239. >the sight is enough to make you forget your nervousness for the moment
  3240. >this should be interesting
  3241.  
  3242. >the little filly lets Shining Armor go and takes a step back
  3243. >"Why are you so skinny, pony?"
  3244. >"I... uh..." he stammers, glancing over at you
  3245. "Shining Armor was sick, but he's getting better now," you say
  3246. >she hugs him again
  3247. >"Awwww poor pony! I'm glad you're getting better. I still think you're pretty, mister unicorn!"
  3248. >you stifle a snicker, holding a hoof up to your muzzle
  3249. >"Thanks..."
  3250. >without a word she disappears into the kitchen
  3251. >for a few brief moments you hear a little bit of clattering, followed by the scraping of chair legs across linoleum
  3252. >when she returns, she's holding a little yellow and white box
  3253. >"Mommy says ponies like sugar cubes. Do you?"
  3254. >Shining gives a half-hearted nod
  3255. >you do as well, taking a step toward her
  3256. >she shakes the box against her hand, and a dozen or so sugar cubes go scattering across the hardwood floor
  3257. >"whoops..." she says, picking them up one by one and sticking them into her pocket
  3258. >she takes the last one and holds it flat in the palm of her hand, inches from Shining Armor's muzzle
  3259. >he leans forward, as if about to lap it up, before she closes her fingers around it and pulls it away
  3260. >"Ah ah ah," she says, "first you have to do a trick!"
  3261. >he snorts
  3262. >"I don't do tricks..." he mutters under his breath, but not loud enough for her to hear
  3263. >"Lay down, pony!" she says with a huge grin on her face
  3264. >Shining rolls his eyes with a soft grunt and complies, plopping onto the floor with a light thud, shaking his head and neck with a sigh as he does so
  3265. >the little girl then turns to you
  3266. >"You too, pony, lay down and you can have a sugar cube, too!"
  3267. >you give her a gentle nicker and lay down next to Shining
  3268.  
  3269. >she titters with delight as she offers each of you a sugar cube, patting you on the head after you take it
  3270. >"Good ponies!" she chirps "Good good ponies!"
  3271. >her arms are soon around your neck and she runs her fingers through your mane
  3272. >"You have pretty hair, pony" she says adoringly
  3273. "My Master brushes my mane and tail for me every day," you say with a smile. "And you can call me Corona, little one, it's my name."
  3274. >"Okay, pony- I mean Corona! You can call me Gracie! I mean my name is just Grace but all my friends call me Gracie. And since you ponies are my friends now, you can call me Gracie too!"
  3275. >she gives you each another sugar cube before disappearing once again
  3276. >Shining Armor looks over at you briefly
  3277. >"Let's make a break for it" he whispers out of the corner of his mouth
  3278. >you shake your head and laugh silently
  3279. >she returns once again with a pillow under one arm, and a pink plastic box filled with an assortment of brushes, ribbons, and miscellaneous other items in the other
  3280. >Shining's ears spin toward the little girl as she throws the pillow over his back
  3281. >"What are you-"
  3282. >she takes a hairbrush in one hand, and a fistful of his mane in the other, throwing a leg up over the pillow, wriggling and squirming, pulling herself up onto his back
  3283. >once she's astride him and has herself balanced, she lets out a satisfied sigh and pats his neck
  3284. >even with Shining laying down, her feet don't quite touch the ground
  3285. >"You know just because you're a boy pony doesn't mean nobody should ever brush your hair! Look at it, it's a mess! All tangly and stuff. Don't worry though, I'll take care of that," she says, beginning to run the brush through his short mane
  3286. >she's surprisingly careful not to pull too hard whenever she hits a snag
  3287. >the stallion remains perfectly still, his face unreadable as the little girl starts to whistle and hum
  3288. >Shining's expression eventually softens, and he just stares at the floor in front of himself quietly
  3289.  
  3290. >his mane starts to take a bit of a fluffed up, wispy appearance as she teases the hairs apart, giving it the illusion of volume
  3291. >Master pokes his head through the door for a moment, smiling in your direction before returning to the gathering
  3292. >this isn't so bad...
  3293. >satisfied with her handiwork, she leans over and reaches toward the pink box, the handle just out of her reach
  3294. >"Corona will you help me please?"
  3295. >you tilt your head at her and she points at the box
  3296. >"I can't reach it"
  3297. >Shining just has his eyes closed at this point
  3298. >you're not sure if he's enjoying this or merely tolerating it
  3299. >standing up, you step around the stallion's hindquarters and pick up the box in your teeth, sitting on your haunches and stretching your neck slightly forward so she can reach
  3300. >"Thank you!" she says, petting your muzzle before shoving the brush into the box, coming back out with a fistful of pink ribbons
  3301. >Shining sees this out of the corner of his eye, and his eyes shoot open, though he resists the urge to jump up, not wanting Grace to accidentally fall
  3302. >"I... uh... pink isn't really my color..." he insists, somewhat firmly
  3303. >the hurt in the little girl's voice is quite obvious as she hesitates to reply
  3304. >"I was just trying to make you pretty..." she says. "I... I'm sorry if I made you mad..."
  3305. >he closes his eyes again, gritting his teeth and taking a long, slow, deep breath before releasing it in surrender
  3306. >"I'm not mad at you, I just... ugh... fine, fine... go ahead. Do whatever you wanna do," he says, suppressing a groan
  3307. >her cheerfulness returns almost immediately and she leans forward, wrapping her arms around Shining's neck and kissing his mane several times
  3308. >"I love you, pony!" she practically squeals, tying the ribbons into his mane one by one in astonishingly elaborate little knots and bows
  3309. >Shining swishes his tail several times, silently signalling his protest to you in a way that Grace won't notice
  3310. >you can't even remember the last time you've felt this amused
  3311.  
  3312. >his tail gets the same treatment
  3313. >he gives the closest noise to a whimper you've ever heard him make when she breaks out the purple glitter nail polish
  3314. >but he doesn't make any attempt to resist the impromptu makeover
  3315. >there's only enough in the tiny bottle for his front hooves, so his hind hooves get hot pink
  3316. >mercifully, her father comes in to interrupt just as she finishes
  3317. >"Having a good time with the ponies, sweetheart?"
  3318. >Shining just gives the man a pouty half-glare when he sees the smirk on his face
  3319. >the little girl's curly brown locks bounce up and down as she throws her arms around Shining's neck and hugs him with all her might, burying her face against him and showering
  3320.  
  3321. him with kisses
  3322. >"I love them so much, daddy!" she squeals, "They're so nice, especially the unicorn!"
  3323. >the man looks over at you
  3324. >"Heh. I hope she hasn't given you two too much of a hard time. Little Gracie here can get a little enthusiastic sometimes," he says with a chuckle
  3325. >you instinctually avert your eyes as you reply
  3326. "nosir... Grace has been very polite."
  3327. >Shining gives a little snort
  3328. >"Glad to hear it. Well, Gracie, it's time to eat honey. And ponies, your Master said he would really like for you two to join us outside if you're feeling up to it now," he
  3329.  
  3330. says.
  3331. "I... I..." you stammer
  3332. >"It's okay Corona, I'll stay with you if you feel scared, and you can eat at my table with me if you want! But daddy's friends are really really nice, so I think they'll love
  3333.  
  3334. you just as much as I do!" Grace says to you, softly stroking your muzzle
  3335. >how can you say no to that face?
  3336. >you feel a little of the tension leave your body as your lips curl up in a smile, even as your ears remain flat against your head
  3337. "Okay, I'll come outside with you," you say
  3338.  
  3339. --------------------------------
  3340.  
  3341. [Continued in https://ponepaste.org/3346]

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