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Shiny and Corona Part 2, by SomeWriteFag

By SlavePonyGeneral
Created: 2021-01-05 21:53:00
Expiry: Never
anonshining armorocsadromancensfw/spg/drama

  1. [Continued from https://ponepaste.org/3345]
  2.  
  3. --------------------------------
  4.  
  5. "...so then Steve turns to me with a dead serious expression and goes 'you mean this is cotton candy? I knew I shouldn't have taken the bus this morning!'"
  6. >the guests around you begin laughing hysterically as you finish your story, many of them holding an assortment of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages
  7. >it's pretty easy to tell which is which just by how hard the individual is laughing
  8. >your attention is soon grabbed by your two ponies approaching side by side, Grace walking between them with her hand on Corona's withers
  9. >you stifle a laugh at Shining Armor's appearance
  10. >you knew exactly what you were doing leaving him alone with her
  11. >he stares at you as they approach, your amusement definitely not escaping his notice
  12. >if looks could kill...
  13. >some of the other guests take notice, but surprisingly they seem to largely ignore the ponies' presence
  14. >that may be for the best for now though
  15. >Corona still looks absolutely terrified
  16. >"Mister 'nonymous?" the little girl says, stroking Corona's mane as they stop in front of you, "I told the ponies they can eat with me, is that okay?"
  17.  
  18. >Corona is staring at the ground, doing her best to avoid looking at any of the people present, including you
  19. "Of course, that's fine," you say softly. "Have they been behaving for you?"
  20. >"Oh yes, they're very very good ponies!" she gushes, "they're sooo friendly! And Corona helped me with Shining Armor's ribbons!"
  21. "Good," you say as a plate with a steak and two ears of corn is plopped down on the table before you, prompting your mouth to begin watering. "Can you do me a favor, Grace?"
  22. >she gets a curious expression
  23. "Can you make sure they both eat something, please? I know they're hungry, but they might not want to eat around so many strangers."
  24. >she beams at you with a mile-wide grin
  25. >"Oh yes, I can do that! I'll take good care of your ponies, mister 'nonymous!"
  26. "Thank you, sweetie. Just don't give them any meat, okay? Ponies only eat-"
  27. >she rolls her eyes
  28. >"Well duh! I'm almost seven you know, I'm not a baby anymore, I know stuff! Like ponies are urba.. urba... herr-bih..."
  29. >"Herbivores," Shining mutters
  30. >"Yeah, that!" she says as she pats his neck, "herbivores!"
  31. >you give her a nod before turning to your plate and buttering your corn
  32. "Alrighty then, just let me know if they give you any trouble, okay?"
  33.  
  34. >you find it difficult to focus on conversation from that point on, your eyes almost never leaving the smaller kid-size table a few yards away
  35. >its height is amusingly inadequate for the two ponies sitting on their haunches next to the little girl, but that's of little consequence
  36. >Corona is very reluctant to take any food from the plate that's set in front of her at first
  37. >but you see Grace petting her and she whispers something in her ear, then picks up a corncob and holds it up to her muzzle, and the mare begins to nibble
  38. >it's pretty heartwarming to see the effect she has on her
  39. >actually, the effect they have on each other
  40. >Grace tends to be a little shy around other kids her age
  41. >it's made it difficult for the poor girl to make many friends
  42. >seeing the way she lit up when she met your ponies was intensely rewarding
  43. >you're actually really glad to have brought them here, despite Corona's obvious discomfort
  44. >this'll be good for all three of them
  45. >though you are curious why she was so eager to accompany you in the first place, given her reaction upon actually arriving
  46. >your thoughts are interrupted by a firm pat on the back, and you look over your shoulder to see your host
  47. >"'nother steak, Anon? There's plenty left,"
  48. "I don't think I could eat another bite, I'm stuffed, thanks though Steve," you politely decline
  49. >his attention soon turns to where yours had been moments ago
  50. >"Man, I've never seen her so engaged before. It's nice," he says, pulling his plate and beverage over and taking a seat next to you
  51. >you simply nod in agreement
  52. "You could get her a pony of her own, you know," you suggest idly. "I'm sure there's hundreds of them out there that would give all four of their legs to be so loved."
  53.  
  54. >he puts his hand on his neck and looks away, the volume of his voice lowering considerably
  55. >"Yeah yeah, well... y'know... with the divorce 'n all..."
  56. >oops
  57. "Shit, man. Camille is still going through with it? I thought you two worked it out? Wasn't she supposed to have been moving back in this weekend?"
  58. >"Heh... I thought so," he says in a melancholic tone
  59. "I'm sorry..." you offer
  60. >"Hey, don't be. These things happen, not really much anyone can do about it y'know?"
  61. >he stares down at his food, suddenly not very interested in eating
  62. >"Grace keeps asking when mommy's coming home to stay... we've managed to keep her out of it for the most part but..."
  63. >he lets out a hard sigh, choking back tears as you place a hand on his shoulder and give him a firm shake
  64. >he manages to keep the tears from falling even as his voice begins to crack
  65. >"...just don't know how I'm gonna explain it to her when she leaves again tonight is all..."
  66. "I wish I knew what to say..."
  67. >"Me too..." he mutters
  68. "You know you guys are welcome over at my place any time, right? I mean, whether you wanna come help out with the work that needs done or if you wanna just sit back and shoot
  69.  
  70. the shit while Grace plays with the ponies, my door's always open."
  71. >he nods
  72. >"I appreciate that, Anon."
  73. >his palm meets his forehead and he takes a deep breath, steadying himself
  74. >"She's gonna be heartbroken. They'll be a good distraction for her..."
  75. "Heh... if my stallion can survive her antics, that is," you say with a light laugh, trying to lighten the mood
  76. >it works momentarily, bringing a smile to his face, but doesn't completely cut through the heavy feeling in the air
  77. "SO, uh... they managed to get final approval for the telecommuting initiative, did you hear?" you say, trying to change the subject
  78.  
  79. --------------------------------
  80.  
  81. >you eat your salad in complete silence, occasionally glancing across the table and watching the human foal feed Corona
  82. >you've been humiliated and degraded before, but this?
  83. >to be treated like a common pet by a child?
  84. >this is on a whole new level
  85. >granted, you can't really hold it against her
  86. >there's no malice or ill-intent behind her actions
  87. >she's just doing what girls do
  88. >and hey, she wasn't even born yet when you became a slave
  89. >she's a total innocent
  90. >and compared to other humans, she's leaps and bounds more tolerable
  91. >so you have no good excuse not to like her
  92. >and that somehow bothers you
  93. >with Anon, you could at least pretend to justify your unwillingness to cooperate by reminding yourself he's one of the oppressors
  94. >one of those responsible for your subjugation
  95. >and for taking your family away from you...
  96. >even though rationally you know he had nothing to do with any of it personally
  97. >this little girl though
  98. >Grace...
  99. >you sigh
  100. >she's got your number
  101. >and you know it
  102. >you give a frustrated swish of your tail
  103. >all these years of resistance
  104. >the high and mighty Prince Shining Armor
  105. >the defiant, unbreakable stallion that has always refused to submit
  106. >no matter how many times they whipped you
  107. >threatened you
  108. >worked you nearly to death
  109. >you refused to show them the brokenness they were so eager to see in you
  110. >the brokenness and eagerness to submit that you see in Corona...
  111. >and now, what good has all your struggle done you?
  112. >you're about to be brought to heel by a mere whelp
  113. >you know you can't hurt this little girl
  114. >nor do you think you'll ever be able to willingly hurt her feelings
  115. >you don't have it in you
  116. >so the only option you're left with is to comply with her requests
  117. >as harmless - yet undignified - as they may be right now, you know there's a chance she could grow up to be like the others
  118. >the ones thave treat you as mere property
  119. >if you show patience here, you can steer her away from that path
  120. >help her empathize with ponies
  121. >maybe even make her see you as equals
  122. >"Good boy, Shiny!" she says, stroking your muzzle as you munch on the last few bits of salad, leaving an empty plate in front of you
  123.  
  124. >you heave a deep, heavy sigh, staring at your empty plate in silence
  125. >"What's wrong, Shiny?" she asks, continuing to pet you
  126. "Nothing, nothing at all"
  127. >tiny kisses pepper your cheek and her arms wrap around your neck once again
  128. >"I love you!"
  129. >you just close your eyes
  130. >and nicker
  131. >after a few moments your ears begin to swivel like tiny radar dishes, picking up snippets of chatter here and there, just barely opening an eyelid to see a growing number of eyes fixed on you
  132. >"isn't that just precious?"
  133. >"awww... hey Anon, looks like you're going home with one less pony"
  134. >"that's just the cutest thing..."
  135. >you don't even grumble or groan
  136. >snort or roll your eyes
  137. >there's no point
  138. >without warning, your thoughts turn to your own daughter
  139. >little Flurry, still a foal the last time you laid eyes on her
  140. >and you hope above all hope that she's safe somewhere out there
  141. >maybe even being loved like this
  142. >you know the odds are against it
  143. >but thoughts of the alternative are just...
  144. >you start to tremble
  145. >your lower lip quivers, ears flatten
  146. >you raise a hoof and place it around Grace's back, chin pressing gently against her shoulder, pulling her tightly against you
  147. >and a pair of tears roll down your muzzle, dripping onto the ground behind her
  148.  
  149. >you feel a muzzle against your cheek, somewhat startled when you open your eyes to see Corona staring at you knowingly
  150. >steeling yourself, you manage to stem the flow of tears before Grace or any of the other humans take notice
  151. >this is not the time
  152. >and most certainly not the place
  153. >there will be plenty of time to cry when you're alone
  154. >even though as the little girl squirms and giggles in your embrace, you can't help but to hear Flurry's tiny voice...
  155. >it's eerily reminiscent of how she used to do the same when daddy tickled her belly
  156. >you grit your teeth, your entire body rocking with an intense shudder as you once again force down the swelling tide of emotion that threatens to sweep you away
  157. >when you release her, you simply give her a somber smile, grateful that she didn't catch on to your near-breakdown
  158. >"Shiny can I ask you something?"
  159. >you nod quietly, unable to voice a response for the moment
  160. >"Would it be okay if I come visit you and Corona?"
  161. >after a great deal of hesitation you reply
  162. "Well, you'd have to ask Ano-- ...Master about that"
  163. >"No no, I know that," she shakes her head, "but I just wanna know if YOU'RE okay with me coming to visit you"
  164. "You don't need my permission, Gracie..."
  165. >"But-"
  166. "I don't get to make those kind of choices for myself."
  167. >"...don't you like me?"
  168.  
  169. "Actually, I think I like you the most out of any human I've ever met,"
  170. >it's not technically a lie
  171. >the huge grin on her face hearing you say that is infectious
  172. "it's just..."
  173. >you look into her eyes, knowing you really should keep this to yourself
  174. >let her cling to her simple worldview for a while longer
  175. >you won't play a willing role in taking away some small piece of her innocence
  176. >"just what?"
  177. "Nothing," you sigh
  178. >"so you're okay with me coming to visit?"
  179. >you nod
  180. "Sure. I think I'd like that, actually."
  181. >"YES!"
  182. >her arms are around your leg once again
  183. >she has quite a strong grip for such a little thing
  184. >placing her tiny hands on either side of your muzzle, she stands on the tips of her toes and gives you a big kiss right on the end of your snout
  185. >"MMMUAH!"
  186. >you stare at the ground quietly as she takes off toward her father - and Anon
  187. >"Daddy! Daddy!"
  188. >you guess it could be worse
  189.  
  190. >the rest of the evening winds down uneventfully
  191. >after getting the okay from Anon and reassurance from her father that she'll be allowed to come visit you, Grace was right back at your side
  192. >she's the only human here besides Anon that Corona seems unafraid to make eye contact with
  193. >though she's just as kind to Corona as she is to you, she seems to have mostly escaped the little girl's attention
  194. >you're not sure if you should envy the mare for that or not
  195. >much to Anon's disappointment, introducing the two of you to his friends doesn't go as well as he seems to have hoped it would
  196. >none of them take much interest in getting to know you
  197. >which is fine with you
  198. >Corona herself barely manages to stammer out more than a couple of words whenever one of the other humans addresses her anyway
  199. >which leaves you wondering what her actual motivation was for this in the first place
  200. >coming here was her idea
  201. >you have a vague feeling about that, but you don't give it much serious thought
  202. >that's unlikely to ever happen
  203.  
  204. >Grace eventually wears herself out with her enthusiasm for her newfound pony pals, leaning against your side as an occasional yawn escapes her lips, fighting to keep her drooping eyelids from staying closed for too long
  205. >she protests emphatically when she's finally pried away from you, her father insisting it's time for her to start getting ready for bed even as she whines that she isn't tired
  206. >tomorrow is a school day, after all
  207. >unsurprisingly she isn't satisfied to go without one more final hug, which she almost refuses to break
  208. >"pried away" isn't far from the reality of the situation as her father has to pull her arms away from your neck and pick her up
  209. >resting her head on his shoulder as he carries her away, he barely makes it two steps before she's out like a light, and you breathe a silent, satisfied sigh as she disappears into the house
  210. >it comes as a small relief when you're finally in the back seat of Anon's car once again
  211. >he'd at least granted you the dignity of removing the ribbons from your mane once Grace was out of sight
  212. >but you'd forgotten about your hooves until you catch sight of them sparkling in the dim glow of the vehicle's interior light
  213. >"I'll pick up some acetone on my way home from work tomorrow," he reassures you when you prod him about it
  214.  
  215. --------------------------------
  216.  
  217. >"I appreciate you guys being nice to Gracie, and especially you for being so patient with her, Shiny. Heh, I'm kinda surprised she didn't try to ride you," Master says with a chuckle. "She's a great kid, real shame about her parents though..."
  218. >he's essentially been talking to himself since he pulled out of the driveway
  219. >the ride home isn't a very long one, but he still seems unsatisfied to let it pass in silence
  220. >"you two are being awfully quiet"
  221. >Shining just grunts in acknowledgement and swishes his tail, making it clear he doesn't have anything to say at the moment
  222. >and then Master's attention turns to you
  223. >"So I noticed you didn't really seem very eager to talk to anyone at the cookout. I figured once you had a chance to settle down you might be a little more social. I was kinda hoping you'd at least talk to my boss a little bit"
  224. "I didn't get you in trouble, did I, Master?"
  225. >"Huh? What? No, she was just really curious about you is all. She was disappointed that you weren't more chatty"
  226. >there's a brief pause before his next words
  227. >"Did you really want to come tonight?"
  228. >how are you supposed to answer that?
  229. "y...yessir" you lie, avoiding his eyes as he occasionally takes them off the road to look at you
  230. >you're thankful he doesn't press you further, shifting the car into park and shutting off the engine as you arrive home
  231. >err, back at Master's house
  232. >not home
  233. >this isn't home
  234. >it's just where you happen to live at the moment
  235. >Equestria is home...
  236. >"You gonna sit in the car all night or are you coming in?"
  237. >you shake your head and look up, seeing Master holding the door open for you
  238. >jumping down from your seat, you avoid looking at him as he lets Shining Armor out of the back, waiting for them before you dare take a step toward the house
  239.  
  240. >your muscles ache as though you've been pulling an overloaded cart all day
  241. >and it's only just now that you feel like you can breathe easily
  242. >had you really been THAT tense?
  243. >you stretch and give little whimpers and groans as the soreness seems to radiate from every part of your body
  244. >you could really use a soak in the hot tub right now
  245. "Master?" you say softly as he plops down into his recliner
  246. >"hmm?"
  247. "May I use the hot tub?"
  248. >he shrugs his shoulders
  249. "I feel..."
  250. >you sigh
  251. "I'm sorry, Master, I lied earlier. Today was really stressful for me and I could use some relaxation"
  252. >"I figured as much. You don't have to ask me every time you want to use it, though, you know"
  253. "yessir..."
  254. >he takes the book resting on the end table next to him into his hand as he lets out the foot rest
  255. >noticing you haven't left after reading for a few minutes, he raises an eyebrow at you with a curious glance
  256. >"You're still here?"
  257. >you don't respond
  258. >"Corona?"
  259. >again you remain silent, lost in thought
  260. >"Coroooona?"
  261. >when you still don't reply, he raises his voice just enough to get your attention
  262. >"CORONA!"
  263. "YES MASTER" you gasp, jumping to your hooves and heading toward the back door
  264. >"Just don't stay out there all night, okay? I want you in bed by ten, we need to get some more work done tomorrow"
  265. "Yessir," you call out as the door closes behind you
  266.  
  267. >even as the heat surrounds you and the jets knead your muscles, you find it difficult to relax
  268. >you lean your head back and stare up at the cloudy sky which obscures the stars, much to your dismay
  269. >somehow you don't notice the sound of hooves on the wooden deck
  270. >"Hey"
  271. >your head snaps forward as you're momentarily startled
  272. >"You mind some company?"
  273. >you simply shake your head, and Shining tilts his to the side
  274. >"That a yes or a no?"
  275. "I don't care," you mutter
  276. >you're somewhat surprised by how much space the stallion takes up as he clumsily climbs in with you
  277. >"How can you stand this water so hot?" he gripes
  278. "You're the one that wanted to join me," you say, leaning back and closing your eyes. "Besides, it's not THAT hot, stop whining"
  279. >he snorts and avoids looking in your direction, occasionally making little noises here and there
  280. >"Anon went to bed already," he says idly
  281. "...and?"
  282. >"...and what? I just thought you'd like to know"
  283. >he drags a forehoof back and forth through the water and his ears flatten
  284. >"I was also kind of hoping maybe we could just talk a little bit. Pony to pony," he says hesitantly
  285. >you sigh
  286. >it had been your intention to have a little time alone
  287. "What's on your mind?"
  288. >"Nothing... everything..."
  289. >he slumps a bit
  290. >"actually, I was thinking about my family"
  291. >your eyes shoot open
  292. >"Mostly my little filly... well, I guess she wouldn't be so little any more... heh..." he says somberly. "That is... if she's even still... still..."
  293. >he can't bring himself to finish the sentence
  294. >"if I just had some way to know she was safe..." his voice trails off
  295.  
  296. "You're not the only pony that's lost family, you know..."
  297. >hardly a comforting response
  298. >"Did you have... back in Equestria I mean, did you have..."
  299. "A mate? Foals?"
  300. >you shake your head
  301. "No... and in a way I'm glad. It's made surviving all of this a little easier, I guess"
  302. >he forces a faint smile
  303. >"That's a shame. Being a parent... it's exhausting, sort of terrifying... but also very rewarding. The first time you lay eyes on your first born... it's... the feeling just can't be described... everything, EVERYTHING changes from that moment on"
  304. >he blinks away a few tears
  305. >"Your life is no longer your own... when you see that little filly, you just know... if it ever came right down to it, you'd lay down your life for her in a heartbeat..."
  306. >the silence that follows is a heavy one
  307. "It's not your fault, you know" you offer
  308. >"I should have died protecting her..."
  309. "Shining..."
  310. >"I just..."
  311. >he looks into your eyes, his whole body trembling
  312. >"I want to go home, Corona. I want my Cadance... I want my little Flurry... I just want things to go back to the way they were..."
  313. "They can't... they won't..." you say just above a whisper, "you know that..."
  314. >he nods slowly
  315. >"I'd take every beating... every lash of the whip... every hardship I've faced here... I'd suffer it all a thousand times over, if it just meant... if I could just send THEM home..."
  316.  
  317. >some time passes before either of you say anything else
  318. >though when you do, you're eager to change the subject to something a little lighter
  319. "Grace really likes you," you say with a grin
  320. >"Yeah. I couldn't exactly make her go away..."
  321. "Sure you could have. But you didn't"
  322. >"I didn't want to hurt her feelings, she's..."
  323. "A human?"
  324. >"...innocent. She doesn't understand."
  325. >you nod
  326. "She made you feel loved, didn't she?"
  327. >he rolls his eyes
  328. >"And Anon makes YOU feel loved"
  329. >you try not to blush
  330. "Master... he cares about both of us. I've seen him petting you before. And the way you react when he scratches your ears..."
  331. >he looks surprised
  332. "What, you really think I didn't know?"
  333. >it's his turn to be embarrassed
  334. >"I was hoping so, yeah..."
  335. >he snorts
  336. >"at least I don't want him to rut me," he says with a chuckle
  337. >you give a sharp, indignant squeal
  338. "WHAT?"
  339. >"You KNOW what," he says with a smirk
  340. "THAT WAS JUST A DREAM!"
  341. >"mmhmm..."
  342. "I don't... I didn't... I WOULDN'T..." you snort
  343. >"Okay"
  344. "SHUT UP!"
  345. >you splash water at him angrily, only succeeding in causing his laughter to intensify
  346. >the light bulb above the back door of the house bursts and shatters with a loud pop and sizzle, causing both of you to jump
  347. >it's suddenly dead quiet, save for the gentle hum and splashing of the hot tub
  348. "Shining?"
  349. >"shh..."
  350. >you see his eyes dart around and ears rapidly twitching in the little bit of moonlight that manages to peek through the clouds
  351. >"I think... I think we need to get inside. Now."
  352. >you shiver despite being mostly submerged in steaming hot water
  353. "Y...yeah..."
  354. >before either of you can move, you're surrounded by a dark red glow, finding yourself frozen in place
  355. >"Don't move..." a strange voice says. "I don't want to hurt you."
  356.  
  357. "We-"
  358. >"-pst" you're cut off abruptly. "Shut up. How many humans?"
  359. "Just one... our Master" you reply sheepishly
  360. >"...and he's asleep, it's just the two of us out here," Shining Armor adds
  361. >you feel the magical aura surrounding you drop in intensity, if only a little
  362. >"That's good, that's good..."
  363. "Can you let us go? Please?"
  364. >you hear the careful, hesitant clopping of hooves in the darkness gradually grow closer
  365. >"as long as you ain't collaborators..."
  366. >"We're not," Shining snaps
  367. >"...dunno if I can take your word for it," the voice says
  368. >eventually you see the dimly lit face of an older unicorn stallion
  369. >rusty red coat, short two-tone dandelion mane
  370. >cutie mark appears to be a forge and bellows, though it's hard to say for certain
  371. >his face bears a tired, worn look
  372. >and his neck, like yours, the brand of a runaway, the sight of which causes your jaw to drop slightly
  373. >you raise a hoof to your neck, pulling your mane back to show the stallion your own mark
  374. >the aura continues to gradually diminish until both of you are released
  375. >"So you're a runaway too?"
  376. >you shake your head
  377. "Was... was a runaway, not anymore..." you correct him
  378. >careful not to make any sudden movements, you slowly extricate yourself from the hot tub, shaking yourself off and reaching for a nearby towel, Shining doing the same
  379. >"...don't want any trouble... just passing through, need someplace safe to rest for the night... maybe some food and-"
  380. >"You can't stay here."
  381. >Shining's tone is surprisingly harsh
  382. >and his words come as something of a shock
  383.  
  384. >"...if you're afraid of a single human-"
  385. >"I'm not," Shining snorts. "You just can't stay here. Anon's a nice guy, but he won't knowingly harbor a fugitive"
  386. >"I recognize you. Don't really care who you are though," he says. "Or who you used to be... and... and that wasn't a request, either... You start trouble for me, I... I won't think twice about-"
  387. "-you don't have to be afraid of us..." you say calmly, sensing the stranger's desperation as you take a step toward him. "I've been in your horseshoes before, I know how terrifying it is... please, just try to relax, I promise you, you're safe for the moment..."
  388. >"I ain't afraid, I just don't trust you... don't have no reason to..."
  389. "I understand. Can you at least tell us your name? Mine's Corona... and I believe Shining Armor needs no introduction,"
  390. >"That your slave name or your Equestrian name?"
  391. "It's the name my parents gave me" you say, sitting on your haunches
  392. >he takes a step backward, his eyes darting back and forth between the two of you, eventually resting on his own haunches with a sigh
  393. >"Sparky Cinder. Friends call me Sparks... least they used to..."
  394. >the stallion is gripped by an intense shudder, and seems to zone out for a moment
  395. "So... mister Cinder..."
  396. >"Sparky's fine..."
  397. "Alright. Sparky. How long have you been on the run?"
  398. >"lost track after three months..."
  399. >your head tilts
  400. >how had he managed to evade capture for such a long time?
  401. >he scrambles to his hooves when a faint light is suddenly cast from the nearest window, and you hear footsteps approach the back door
  402.  
  403. >"I THOUGHT YOU SAID IT WAS ASLEEP!" he says angrily through gritted teeth, pinning his ears, his horn beginning to glow as he adopts a defensive posture
  404. "DON'T!" you gasp
  405. >"You can still run..." Shining says hesitantly
  406. >"...too late, it's seen me..."
  407. >the door handle begins to turn
  408. "You have to leave, NOW!" you blurt out, trying to push the stallion toward the steps
  409. >he doesn't budge
  410. >the door swings open, and you see Master standing in the doorway out of the corner of your eye
  411. >everything after that is a blur
  412. >there's a bright flash
  413. >the smell of smoke
  414. >you hear Master yell out in confusion as he flinches and falls flat on the floor behind him
  415. >by the time you turn your head again, Shining Armor is on top of the stallion, and has him pinned
  416. >"...the HELL is going on out here!?" you hear Master yell out angrily as he gets back on his feet and reaches back through the door, fumbling for a switch on the wall
  417. >there's another bright flash that knocks Shining off of Cinder, the darker stallion deciding at this point to hoof it
  418. >he barely makes it a couple strides before he goes crashing to the ground again
  419. >the pair freeze momentarily when they're hit by a flood light
  420. >you squint at its brightness, holding a hoof over your eyes to shield them
  421. >when your pupils adjust, you briefly see Master with a bewildered look on his face as he disappears into the house
  422. >you stare in shock at the sight of Shining Armor on top of the other stallion, an ear clenched between his teeth and foreleg around his neck, tightening his grip as the stallion beneath him begins thrashing once again
  423.  
  424. >this doesn't feel real
  425. >Master reappears holding something in his hands, advancing rapidly on them
  426. >before you realize it, he has Shining Armor's halter and lead rope on the new stallion, who puts up a fierce struggle to get away
  427. >he even manages to drag Master a few feet, even though he has both hands on the rope and is digging his heels into the ground in an attempt to keep his footing
  428. >this has to be a dream...
  429. >you know all too well the panic and horror going through his mind right now
  430. >you've been there before
  431. >the stallion lets out a shrill, desperate, bone-chilling whinny
  432. >too weak to cast another spell
  433. >or to put up much more of a fight
  434. >you lose control of your body
  435. >against your will you find your hooves carrying you forward
  436. >not at a walk or trot
  437. >a full-on gallop
  438. >within seconds you collide with Master, tackling him to the ground and causing him to lose his grip on the rope as his head bounces off of the dirt
  439. >the stallion doesn't think twice about taking off into the night as fast as his legs will carry him, dragging the rope behind him
  440. >Shining looks as though he's about to pursue him, but stops after a few steps
  441. >"CORONA!" Master's voice is strangely weak, even though you can tell there was forceful intent
  442. >you don't resist as he pushes you off of himself, and you roll onto your back
  443. >he sits up in a daze, both hands on his head
  444. >and it's only now that you notice he's bleeding
  445.  
  446.  
  447. "Master-I-I-I didn't-I..." you stammer
  448. >"Shiny goget... myphone..." he says as his head wobbles, slowly losing the struggle to remain conscious "bedroom..."
  449. >Shining darts into the house as you grab one of the towels you had used minutes ago in your teeth and rush back to Master's side
  450. >he takes it and presses it against his head to stop the blood flow, hooking an arm over your withers and leaning into you
  451. >"donlemme... pass out" he groans
  452. >your whole body shakes with anxiety
  453. >what have you done?
  454. >he blinks his eyes, each time taking longer than the last for his eyelids to reopen
  455. >his weight begins to feel heavier against you as well
  456. "Master..." you whimper, nuzzling against his cheek as his arm begins to slip from your back
  457. "Master you have to stay awake..."
  458. >you feel panic begin to well up inside of you
  459. >your stomach twists up in knots as you repeat yourself
  460. "you have to stay awake..."
  461. >he simply groans as you lean into him, trying to keep him from slumping over
  462. >Shining finally returns, dropping a small rectangular object in Master's lap
  463. >to your relief, this seems to get his attention as he forces his eyes back open and picks it up with his free hand
  464. >"now goget'em" Master growls
  465. >the stallion nods, shooting you a worried glance before disappearing into the darkness in the same direction Sparky had fled, the moonlight his only guide as he leaves the range of the flood light
  466. >Master fumbles with the object in his hand, mumbling something unintelligible before dropping it
  467. >he makes a noise unlike anything you've ever heard before blacking out completely
  468. "Master... MASTER!!" you squeal, gently lowering him to the ground
  469. >your hooves try to take you in a million different directions as a surge of adrenaline courses through your veins, your heart leaping into your throat feeling as though it may choke you
  470. >an ear rotates toward the device he'd been holding just seconds ago when you hear a voice coming from it
  471.  
  472. >"...hello? Is anyone there? What is the address of your emergency?"
  473. "HELP!" you scream into the phone at the top of your lungs, lowering your head to the ground next to it, listening for a response for a fraction of a second before shouting again. "HELP!"
  474. >you run your hoof over the screen several times
  475. >you have no idea how these things work
  476. >it seems to flash on and off, different little pictures appearing on it
  477. >eventually what looks like a microphone shows up briefly on it, changing color as the voice becomes much louder and clearer
  478. >"..ry to remain calm. I need your address t-" it continues
  479. >HOW CAN THEY EXPECT YOU TO BE CALM AT A TIME LIKE THIS?
  480. "PLEASE HELP HIM!" your voice cracks as you break down into desperate sobs, "YOU HAVE TO HURRY!"
  481. >"Okay-ok-ma'am? Ma'am?"
  482. >you begin to hyperventilate
  483. "PLEASE!"
  484. >"I need you to give me your address, I'm trying to ping the cell phone's GPS loca-"
  485. "I DON'T KNOW THE ADDRESS!" you wail, "PLEASE! HE'S DYING!"
  486. >"Are you at a residence?"
  487. "WHAT?"
  488. >"A home? A business?"
  489. "A HOUSE! A HOUSE!"
  490. >"is the victim responsive?"
  491. >you look over at Master, his form still as the night air
  492. "NO!"
  493. >"can you go to th- ok, ok I'm getting a hit on the GPS now, hang tight for me ma'am, I'm sending help"
  494. "HURRY!"
  495. >"Stay on the line with me okay? Help is on the way, they'll be there as soon as they can."
  496. >you pick it up in your teeth, nudging yourself up under Master's arm and lying on the ground next to him, dropping it in front of yourself, weeping softly
  497. "Please be okay... please be okay..." you whisper, shivering as your voice catches in your throat and you close your eyes tight
  498. >"can you tell me what happened?"
  499. "M...my Master... he's hurt..."
  500. >"Master?"
  501. >there's a brief pause
  502. >"you're a pony?"
  503. "y...y...y... yes ma'am..."
  504. >"Okay. Okay, I want you to know you've done the right thing. I need you to breathe and try to calm down for me, okay?"
  505. "I... I ca-...what if he..."
  506.  
  507. >"What's your name?"
  508. "C...Corona"
  509. >"Corona listen to me, just stay there with your Master and everything is going to be okay. How was he hurt?"
  510. "Th...there was another p..pony.. a... a stranger and..."
  511. >"He was assaulted?"
  512. "He... I... I..."
  513. >"Corona?"
  514. "I didn't... I couldn't... he... he fell and hit his head and..."
  515. >"Corona I need you to check on your Master, is he still breathing?"
  516. >you lay your head on his chest, which is rising and falling slowly
  517. "Y...yes ma'am..."
  518. >"Did you get a good look at the other pony?"
  519. "I... it was dark..."
  520. >"Corona, can you give me any kind of description at all? Anything helps-"
  521. "he...he was... kind of a reddish color with a yellow mane..."
  522. >your ears rotate toward the house, picking up the very faint sound of approaching sirens growing at a painfully slow rate
  523. >can't they get here any faster?
  524. >"What do you look like, Corona? I need to let the responding officers know you're not the attacker-"
  525. "but I..."
  526. >"What color are you?"
  527.  
  528. "B...blue... wi...with a white mane.. and... and there's another stallion that belongs to my Master... he's... he's white with a brighter blue mane... his name is Shining Armor and... he... I think he went after the other stallion..."
  529. >"Do you think he might be trying to escape?"
  530. "N... no... he's trying to catch him... Master ordered him to chase him before he passed out"
  531. >"Okay. Alright, Corona, you're doing great, just keep an eye on him and let me know if anything changes, if he starts moving or stops breathing or anything."
  532. "He... nothing's changed. Are they almost here? Please tell them to hurry..."
  533. >"The closest unit is about three minutes out, they're going as fast as they can, okay?"
  534. "Okay..." you whimper
  535. >"You're a good girl for trying to get your Master help instead of taking the chance to try to run off. Your Master's going to appreciate that..." the voice tries to reassure you
  536. "I'm not..." you whisper
  537. >"I didn't hear that, sweetie"
  538. "I'm not a good pony... oh Celestia... why... why did this have to happen?"
  539. >you start to see red and blue flashing lights faintly flashing through the trees by the road, laying your head on Master's chest and closing your eyes tight
  540.  
  541. --------------------------------
  542.  
  543. >stupid stallion
  544. >why didn't he just run?
  545. >he just had to go and try to hurt Anon...
  546. >you give an angry snort as you maintain a brisk trot
  547. >trying to find Sparky out here is almost certainly hopeless
  548. >but something pushes you to keep going
  549. >if only a few months ago anyone had told you that you'd be chasing after another pony
  550. >for assaulting a HUMAN
  551. >you'd have laughed
  552. >called them crazy
  553. >Anon has treated you well, sure
  554. >but he's still one of "them"
  555. >the enemy
  556. >or so you thought
  557. >you've begrudgingly come to admit to yourself that maybe things aren't as black and white as they seem
  558. >he's a slave owner
  559. >and your Master
  560. >but he has a good heart
  561. >he did save your life after all...
  562. >seems only fair that you return the favor
  563. >this though?
  564. >what you're doing right now goes beyond simply returning the favor
  565. >it should trouble you how willing you were to obey his order to give chase
  566. >at least, the thought of turning over another pony to human "justice" should give you some pause
  567. >but for whatever reason, it doesn't
  568. >Sparky brought this on himself
  569. >you gave him ample opportunity to buzz off and not stir up trouble
  570. >but he insisted on staying to pick a fight
  571. >and it's one that you intend to see through
  572.  
  573. >you shake your head, coming to an abrupt halt as you hear the rustling of leaves, the snapping of twigs as you approach the woods
  574. >along with angry grunting and panting
  575. >it's very faint
  576. >your ears swivel to try to get a fix on it
  577. >those blasted sirens though
  578. >they're close enough now that they're starting to drown it out
  579. >you grumble, taking step after hesitant step until you're completely surrounded by trees and darkness
  580. >it never even crosses your mind to concern yourself with what kind of wild nocturnal creatures might be lurking out here
  581. >waiting in ambush to snap you up for their next meal
  582. >you see the slightest hint of a red glowing aura
  583. >it lasts less than a second, but it's more than enough
  584. >you've got him
  585. >taking off with a burst of speed, you lock onto your quarry, a satisfied - almost vicious - grin spreading across your muzzle as you close in on his location
  586. >leaping over a downed tree, you nearly run right past him
  587. >his breathing is heavy
  588. >panicked
  589. >his horn glows again as you spin around to face him, but he's unable to cast a spell
  590. >the momentary illumination is enough for you to see the end of your own lead rope ensnared by one of the tree's limbs
  591. >as well as the pony at the other end desperately pulling against it
  592. >try as he might, he can't escape
  593. >the halter isn't very tight on him
  594. >had he been an earth pony or pegasus he probably could have slipped out of it with enough struggling
  595. >however despite the slack, it's impossible for him to get the crown piece over that horn of his
  596. >by the time the thought occurs to him to try to snap the limbs, it's already too late
  597. >you'd already been given the time you needed to catch up to him
  598.  
  599. >"All this time... free for so long, just to be caught by a bucking collaborator..." he huffs as he ceases struggling
  600. "You shouldn't have tried to kill Anon," you say, pawing at the ground as you approach him
  601. >"That wouldn't have killed him, just wanted to stun him... maybe... y'know... blind him for a minute or two, knock the wind out of him..."
  602. >that's a lie
  603. >there was anger behind that spell
  604. >maliciousness
  605. >and almost a hint of sadistic glee
  606. >you could see it in his eyes
  607. >this was a stallion that wanted to make someone else suffer
  608. >to hurt them as badly as he could
  609. >he hadn't held back
  610. >you shake your head with a grim look on your face
  611. "I'm not buying it. You wanted him dead," you state coldly
  612. >Sparky laughs
  613. >"...really wasn't my intent but I can't say it would have exactly broken my heart if I'd managed to get a lucky shot... I would have been doing you a favor."
  614. "Killing is wrong, no matter who's doing it," you snort
  615. >"It's us versus them," he says matter-of-factly. "They should have never came to Equestria in the first place, they all deserve whatever happens to them," he stomps. "ALL of them."
  616. "This isn't the way," you reply hesitantly. "If we stoop to this kind of violence we're no better than-"
  617. >"WE DIDN'T ENSLAVE AN ENTIRE RACE!" he roars furiously
  618. >you can't help but think of Grace
  619. >how there was nothing but sheer adoration and love exuding from her the entire time you were with her earlier
  620. >SHE certainly hasn't enslaved anyone
  621. >what if SHE'd been the human this miscreant had stumbled across instead of Anon?
  622. >or another innocent like her?
  623. >would he have attacked her just as readily?
  624. >it's unsettling to think there are ponies out there that would so eagerly harm someone who'd done them no wrong to save their own hide...
  625. >but somehow you doubt this stallion would have lost much sleep over it if it kept him on the lam another day
  626.  
  627. "They're not... they're not irredeemable," you say as you sit on your haunches
  628. >"You and I both know if you let them catch me, they'll make ME wish I was dead."
  629. "I think you're exaggerating a little. Besides, Anon wouldn't have done that if you'd just given him a chance... talked to him. You don't even know him... it's your fault the authorities had to become involved in this at all."
  630. >he struggles weakly against the rope for a few moments
  631. >eventually he tries to turn around to kick at the branches to break them, but there's not quite enough slack in the rope to allow him to maneuver into place
  632. >"Hey, whatever helps you sleep at night," he sighs, lowering his ears in a state of surrender as he lies on the ground
  633. >it only lasts a moment though before he's back on his hooves
  634. >you see the beams of two different flashlights, hearing the sounds of voices and the occassional brief hiss of radio static approaching rapidly
  635. >he starts frantically pulling once again, biting at the rope
  636. >he's terrified
  637. >"Please..."
  638. >he strains and whimpers, his hooves beginning to leave deep ruts in the dirt as he struggles
  639. >"PLEASE..." he begs
  640. "Don't do anything stu-"
  641. >"I can't go back... I CAN'T!"
  642. >his voice wavers and cracks
  643. >"Don't do this, I'm begging you, one pony to another, PLEASE don't do this..."
  644. >for the first time your resolve falters
  645. >can you really let them take him?
  646. >you don't really know what's going to happen to him...
  647. >none of this is your fault
  648.  
  649. >but what if they torture him
  650. >or worse...
  651. >they wouldn't do that to him though, right?
  652. >those sworn to uphold the law, surely they'd have higher standards than your run-of-the-mill slaver
  653. >but what if you're wrong?
  654. >would your conscience let you live with yourself knowing there's even the tiniest possibility that might happen?
  655. >"Sheriff's department..." a voice calls out firmly but calmly
  656. >before you have time to dwell on it any further, your teeth are on the loose end of the halter sticking through the buckle of the crown piece
  657. >"What are you-"
  658. "Shh, don't struggle, I think I can-" you mutter through your gritted teeth, bringing a hoof up and pressing on it as you give a hard tug
  659. >"hurry... HURRY" he says, practically trotting in place, his breaths becoming rapid and shallow, nostrils flaring as his whole body shakes
  660. >you nearly lose your balance as all at once the halter falls to the ground and Sparky bounds away from you
  661. >"getdownGETDOWN!" you hear one of the voices bark harshly
  662. >the stallion only makes it a few strides before he's suddenly illuminated by the glow of a flashlight
  663. >there's a loud pop, followed by several rapid clicks and buzzing
  664. >and then a loud whimper as his muscles all tense up at once before he hits the ground on his side hard
  665. >"DON'T MOVE! STAY THE FUCK DOWN! DON'T MOVE!"
  666.  
  667. --------------------------------
  668.  
  669. >they've taken Master away
  670. >and refused to let you ride with him
  671. >you only asked once, deciding that begging might not be such a good idea
  672. >some humans get easily frustrated by that
  673. >you don't want to make them angry
  674. >sitting in the back of the police car, your ears prick up when you see the two officers that had departed earlier returning
  675. >one of them is leading Sparky at the end of a halter and lead rope
  676. >the other walking behind them, never taking one hand off whatever that thing is holstered at his side
  677. >you're taken aback by how subdued the stallion seems, considering how desperate he was to get away
  678. >Shining Armor walks freely alongside him
  679. >both ponies are staring at the ground silently
  680. >"Alright girl, I think we're about to wrap things up here. Looks like we got our suspect" another officer - a woman - says to you
  681. >in these circumstances, she'd explained, ponies typically aren't left on their own
  682. >most likely due to concerns over some that had escaped in the past in the absence of an injured Master
  683. >since he'd been unconscious and left no written instructions about who to contact to watch over the two of you, it's department policy to take you down to the station and hold you in custody until your Master recovers
  684. >when you'd uneasily asked if he was going to be okay, the best she could do was a nonchalant "I don't know,"
  685. >the indifference in her tone angered you, but you made sure not to let it show
  686. >you're apprehensive about being taken to some strange place
  687. >and to be held there for an unspecified amount of time
  688. >but you really don't have much of a choice
  689. >refusing isn't an option
  690. >and any kind of protest will just make everything worse
  691. >the slight sense of relief you feel seeing that Shining Armor is unharmed is all too fleeting
  692. >Sparky's hooves are bound as some kind of device is placed on his horn, and he's roughly tossed into the back of another waiting car
  693. >"Hey Lisa, you interview the mare yet?" the man Shining is with says in your direction
  694. >she looks down at you briefly before replying
  695. >"Nah, figured I'd let you take care of that down at the station. It's close to the end of my shift anyway. I just want to get back."
  696. >"I gotcha. So you want this one with you or-"
  697. >"Probably best to keep them separated until we've had a chance to interview them both. The stallion can ride with you."
  698. >he simply nods, Shining shooting you a questioning glance before being escorted to the back of a third cruiser
  699. >as they pull away, she smiles down at you, gesturing for you to back away before gently closing the door and taking her seat behind the wheel
  700.  
  701. >the rope they'd looped around your neck as a makeshift leash to lead you into the station is uncomfortable to say the least
  702. >and they haven't removed it as you're escorted to a small, barren room with concrete walls
  703. >a lightbulb buzzes overhead, a long mirror curiously adorning the wall next to the door
  704. >there's a small table that appears bolted to the floor, the rope tied to one of its legs
  705. >the floor bears an icy chill, but eventually you give in and lay down on it
  706. >you wish they'd come in and do something to you already...
  707. >waiting like this
  708. >it's painful
  709. >finally the door opens, the same officer that had driven off with Shining Armor earlier entering
  710. >you haven't seen either stallion since you arrived here
  711. >he appears to be an older human
  712. >salt and pepper hair that was probably once raven
  713. >a winkle here and there around his brown eyes
  714. >he clears his throat as he calmly closes the door behind him, staring down at a clipboard in his other hand as he takes a seat across from you at the table
  715. >"Miss - Corona is it? Sorry to have kept you waiting for so long. I just got done talking to your friend Shining Armor,"
  716. "Is he okay? Where is he? Can I see him?"
  717. >he holds up a hand to silence you
  718. >"Ah-ah... he's fine. Resting. I just need to get your side of the story," he says, putting on a pair of glasses and clicking a pen that he pulls from his pocket, flipping over to an empty sheet of paper. "As long as everything checks out I see no reason why you can't join him."
  719. >you swallow hard, beginning to tremble
  720. >"Are you alright?"
  721. "y...yessir" you mutter
  722. >"You don't have anything to be scared of here. I'm not going to hurt you. We're all on the same team - we just want to find out what happened to your Master."
  723. >you nod quietly
  724.  
  725.  
  726. >the questions start out simple enough
  727. >how long have you belonged to Master?
  728. >how long have you been a slave?
  729. >how many owners have you had?
  730. >they start to edge more and more toward uncomfortable as the interview continues
  731. >what happened to your cutie mark?
  732. >how exactly had Master come to own you?
  733. >who had you branded?
  734. >why did you run away from your former Master?
  735. >how does Master punish you when you misbehave?
  736. >have you ever attacked a human before?
  737. >your nervousness and increasing reluctance to be forthcoming with your answers doesn't escape notice
  738. >and then your heart feels like it stops cold in your chest
  739. >"Tell me, in your own words, exactly how your Master got hurt tonight."
  740. >you tell him everything as your eyes begin to tear up
  741. >about how Sparky had come out of nowhere
  742. >asked for food and a place to stay for the night
  743. >how Master had interrupted your conversation
  744. >and everything that happened after that was a blur
  745. >he's not satisfied with that response though, and presses you to continue
  746. >when you hesitate and stammer just a little too much, the atmosphere changes dramatically
  747. >"You know, we DO keep a whip around here - in the event we take a violent or uncooperative pony into custody."
  748. >you whimper and wince, no way of knowing if the threat is legitimate
  749. "s...said you wouldn't hurt me" you say just above a whisper
  750. >you jump when his fist hits the table and the chair flies out from under him
  751. >"That was when you were being a GOOD pony!" he yells. "But you're REALLY starting to test my patience. Now stop stalling and TELL ME what happened to your Master. And I can promise you this - if you leave anything out, ANYTHING, I'll have you whipped into a bloody mess until we get the TRUTH out of you!"
  752. "p... please..." you beg, closing your eyes tight "I wanna go home..."
  753.  
  754. >when you make a feeble attempt to scamper under the table to hide, he approaches you angrily and tugs on the rope until you're forced back out
  755. >there's a sudden loud banging coming from... the mirror?
  756. >he exits the room without saying a word
  757. >when he comes back he's going to hurt you
  758. >you thought for so long you'd never have to fear the sting of the lash again
  759. >you tried so hard to please your Master
  760. >to be a good girl for him
  761. >and it had paid off
  762. >life hasn't been so bad...
  763. >but you went and threw it all away in the blink of an eye
  764. >for a stallion you didn't even know
  765. >a stranger
  766. >what had come over you?
  767. >it... it was a mistake
  768. >you never wanted anyone to get hurt
  769. >Master will understand, right?
  770. >he's different from the others
  771. >he loves you
  772. >he HAS to forgive you
  773. >you wrestle with your thoughts for what seems like ages
  774. >he... yeah, a nice long talk and apology... and-
  775. >the door opens again, startling you
  776. "sir... p..please don't hurt me..." you squeak
  777. >he simply walks past you and picks up the clipboard with a sigh
  778. >"We're finished here for now. We're turning this case over to Homicide. If you have anything else you want to say to me before-"
  779. "Homicide?"
  780. >your head tilts as your eyes slowly open
  781. >"Hospital called. Your Master didn't make it. Traumatic brain injury. We're charging the red stallion with murder, you and the other stallion are being held as potential accomplices."
  782. >you hear the words, but it takes you a moment to process their meaning
  783. "NO!" you squeal
  784. >"You should know they're not gonna be as nice as I was when interrogating you. This is pretty serious..."
  785. "NO!" you repeat, "NONONONONO!"
  786. >he stands up and begins to walk toward the door
  787. "This can't... he can't be... I... I didn't... I don't..."
  788. >you fall to the floor wailing
  789. >why couldn't he have just whipped you?
  790. >broken your legs?
  791. >zapped you with electricity?
  792. >anything but this...
  793.  
  794. "I NEVER MEANT TO HURT HIM!"
  795. >he freezes in place with his hand on the doorknob before turning back around to face you, then calmly returning to his seat
  796. >"If you tell me exactly what happened, I can tell the judge you cooperated. I can't help you if you keep resisting-"
  797. "I just wanted Sparky to get away..." you moan. "I didn't want to hurt my Master... I NEVER meant to hurt him... please" you sob, curling up into a fetal position. "Please please PLEASE... he can't be gone..." you nearly scream, hoping that maybe somehow if you just admit what you did it'll make this all go away
  798. >"I think that's understandable. You saw a pony in trouble and wanted to help him," he concedes. "I can word the confession however you want, we can take our time. Make sure we get it right. Tell me what you did, Corona."
  799. "Master... he... I... he had him. He had him... he caught him. He was holding his rope... struggling with him..."
  800. >you hesitate momentarily before your body is racked with uncontrollable sobbing
  801. >it takes you several minutes to calm down enough to resume
  802. "I tackled him... I knocked him down and made him hit his head... I killed my Master... I KILLED MY MASTERRRRR!" your hoarse voice laments mournfully
  803. >when you manage to finally stop weeping, the only sounds in the room are the scratching of pen against paper, along with an occasional sniffle from you
  804. >"Alright. Alright, I think I got everything I need from you now, Corona," he says, removing the glasses and setting them next to the pen on the stack of papers. He unties the rope and leads you out of the room, into a small cramped cell with no bars or windows.
  805. >no bed
  806. >no toilet or sink
  807. >you don't even bother to ask what's going to happen to you
  808. >whatever it is, you deserve it
  809. >Master took you into his home
  810. >cared for you
  811. >loved you
  812. >...trusted you
  813. >and now he's gone
  814.  
  815. >you wince, temporarily blinded by the sliver of light that enters when a slot near the bottom of the door is opened, a bowl of water and few handfuls of hay shoved through before it's abruptly shut once again
  816. >you don't move from your spot lying against the back wall
  817. >the hay has started to form a sizeable pile
  818. >you don't deserve food
  819. >or water
  820. >there's no way to know for sure how long you've been confined
  821. >long enough that the lack of proper facilities has been brought to the forefront of your awareness
  822. >a drain in the floor in the middle of the cell is the only thing preventing you from laying in a puddle of your own urine right now
  823. >you've tried your best to keep the manure in one corner, but even though there's not much the smell is starting to get to you
  824. >a minor inconvenience
  825. >the discomfort is nothing compared to the way your heart feels
  826. >or what you deserve...
  827. >you know you'll never be the same after this
  828. >how can you ever forgive yourself?
  829. >you haven't been able to sleep since they shoved you in here
  830. >nobody's said anything to you either
  831. >you don't care though
  832. >you just don't care
  833. >long periods of silence are interspersed with soft sobbing as your grief hits you in waves
  834. >you'll never feel his hand on you again
  835. >you doubt your next owner will care enough to pet you and brush your mane
  836. >if you even have a next owner
  837. >a runaway that killed her Master?
  838. >you'll probably be in here the rest of your life
  839. >or worse...
  840. >you know they sometimes put humans that kill other humans to death
  841. >maybe they'll grant you that small mercy
  842. "Ma...Masterrrrrrr..." you wail pitifully, long having spent most of your energy in various displays of grief and heartache
  843.  
  844. >you can't fight it any longer
  845. >the natural instinct to survive is too strong to allow you to continue refusing to drink the water you're offered
  846. >and you've never been so exhausted in your life
  847. >even after your hardest days of working for your most demanding Masters
  848. >eventually you cave in to your body's need for sleep
  849. >it's a restless sleep that comes in short bursts
  850. >you don't dream
  851. >it almost feels as though your eyes are open again as soon as you close them
  852. >but you know you've slept some, because you've caught yourself snoring a few times now
  853. >usually accompanied by a whimper when you snap back awake and the reality of the situation sets in just as fresh as the moment you'd heard that Master had died
  854. >the worst whippings you've ever been dealt
  855. >the electric prod
  856. >none of them hurt like this
  857. >you try to think happy thoughts
  858. >remember better times
  859. >in times of great suffering, you've always tried to remove yourself from the moment
  860. >think back on some fond memory of Equestria
  861. >but that's not where you go this time
  862. >the first place your mind takes you is back to the first night you'd slept in Master's bed with him
  863. >how you'd cringed and squirmed uncomfortably as he held you until he took his arm from around you and wiggled away to give you your space
  864. >you wish he was here right now
  865. >holding you
  866.  
  867. >you'd give anything for that
  868. >anything to feel his touch one last time
  869. >"mymyMY CORONA!"
  870. >a smile spreads across your muzzle as you let out a soft giggle
  871. >you don't even remember any of the other words in that stupid song
  872. >but how ridiculous he acted that day is something you won't soon forget
  873. >being silly, dancing with you
  874. >just to try to cheer you up...
  875. >the smile softens, but lingers as you remember
  876. >how nice it always felt when it was just you and him out for a ride in the cart, peacefully enjoying the sights and sounds of nature all around you
  877. >the way you felt when he surprised you with the hottub
  878. >you were only with him for a matter of weeks
  879. >but it feels like a lifetime's worth of memories
  880. >every time he'd pet you
  881. >scratched your ear
  882. >brushed your mane and tail
  883. >complimented you
  884. >you make sure you'll never forget any of it
  885. >the fond memories are enough to keep the grief at bay just long enough for you to relax into a deeper sleep
  886. "I love you, Master..." you barely mumble, finally drifting off into a more solid state of rest
  887.  
  888. --------------------------------
  889.  
  890. >beep
  891. >beep
  892. >beep
  893. >beep
  894. >beep
  895. >your vision is blurred
  896. >bringing a hand up to your eyes, you slowly rub with an index finger and thumb as you squint them shut with a low grumble
  897. >trying to lift your head from the pillow is a mistake
  898. >the room rocks and sways as hot metal spikes are driven through the base of your skull
  899. >or at least that's what it feels like
  900. >carefully resting your head back on the pillow, you feel something get snagged as you try to move your other arm, once again opening your eyes to see an IV needle stuck in the back of your hand
  901. >"Mr. Anonymous" a man's voice says with a laugh, "glad you could join us today!"
  902. "whaarrrhggrrrnmmmmbbb..."
  903. >you're pretty sure that was supposed to come out as "Where am I? What happened?"
  904. >"Now now, take it easy. You had a pretty nasty bump to the head. Don't strain yourself."
  905. >it's coming back to you now
  906. >though it's fuzzy
  907. >the image of a red unicorn stallion struggling at the end of the rope in your hands
  908. >the feeling of suddenly being knocked off your feet and seeing stars
  909. >Corona
  910. >you frown
  911. >closing your eyes and focusing intensely on moving your mouth to shape the words correctly, you speak slowly and deliberately
  912. "Where... are... my... ponies?"
  913. >the doctor standing over you raises an eyebrow
  914. >that must have sounded a lot nastier than you intended
  915. >"They're being held down at the county jail until we release you."
  916. >you stare at him blankly
  917. >"You sustained a concussion and have a few stitches in the back of your head. Your CT scans came back fine, no bleeding on the brain, but we have to keep you for observation for at least another day. You got lucky, it could have been a lot worse."
  918. >you're in no shape to argue with that
  919. >he sits down at a nearby computer, typing and clicking the mouse in silence for several minutes
  920.  
  921. >"I've put in a referral at University Hospital downtown for you to see a neurologist after you're discharged from here. Looks like they finally got back with me to confirm your appointment."
  922. >you rest your palm against your forehead with a sigh
  923. >groaning in protest doesn't accomplish much
  924. >as you take a deep breath and force yourself to try and relax, you find your words come a little easier, though it still takes some focus to get them out in an intelligible manner, still speaking slowly and with a noticeable slur
  925. "Can't take a lot of time off work... urgh. What's this gonna cost me? Too much to do at home..."
  926. >he shrugs
  927. >"I don't know what to tell you. I want you off your feet for at least another week. I'll prepare a letter for your employer if they need verification, but you need to take it easy for a while. As far as the cost, I'll have someone in finance come up and talk to you about what your insurance covers."
  928. >he rolls in his chair over to you, clicking a pen light that he shines in your eyes
  929. >"Follow the light for me"
  930. >your head begins to turn, but you're quickly corrected
  931. >"Ah, just with your eyes please."
  932. >you comply to the best of your ability, but still feel your head trying to move along with it as it goes left to right, up and down
  933. >"Mmhmm, good, good."
  934. >he holds up an index finger a few feet from your face
  935. >"Follow my finger"
  936. >you nearly go cross-eyed, tracking the fingertip until it almost touches your nose
  937. >"Very nice," he says, scribbling onto some paperwork before holding his palm flat in front of you
  938. >"Grab my hand and squeeze as hard as you can"
  939. >you do
  940. >"Mmhmm, now with your right hand"
  941. >you roll your eyes, but do as he asks, as he continues nodding
  942. >"Good, good" he says, rolling backward
  943.  
  944. >"Alright, now I'm going to run a swab over different parts of your feet and legs, I want you to tell me which side I'm touching the moment you feel it."
  945. "Left."
  946. "Left."
  947. "Right."
  948. "Left."
  949. "Right."
  950. >you grow increasingly impatient as the examination continues
  951. "How long have I been in here anyway?"
  952. >"You came in two- ah sorry, three days ago."
  953. >you try to sit up, eyes widening in surprise
  954. >"The sporadic short term memory loss is why I'd like you to see a neurologist. This is the third time we've had this discussion."
  955. >there's a brief pause as he notices the concerned look on your face
  956. >"That'll get better with time. Nothing we've seen here so far indicates you've suffered permanent damage, but it's important that you get enough rest while your body heals. You've regained quite a bit of function since I first examined you, the neurology referral is just a precautionary measure. I still want you monitored after you leave our care, just in case there are any unexpected complications."
  957. >his attempts to reassure you are only partially successful
  958. "...there a phone I can use?"
  959. >he nods, taking the phone from a bedside table and placing it in your lap, adjusting the bed to more of an upright position
  960. "Thanks. What's the soonest I'll be able to get out of here?"
  961. >"I have other patients to see, but if you can stay awake and alert, eat something without any help - and if you have someone that can come pick you up, we'll see about getting you discharged first thing in the morning. Your appointment with the neurologist is the next day, anyway."
  962. >he rolls the chair back over to the computer and stands up as you click the television on
  963. >"Your nurse will be in to check up on you in an hour or so. Let us know if you need anything else," he says, pausing in the doorway for a moment
  964. "Thanks doc," you say as he gives you a quick nod and departs
  965.  
  966. --------------------------------
  967.  
  968. >"Alright stallion, let's take it from the top. You unbuckled that halter, you're just as-"
  969. "We've already been through this," you say with a frustrated growl, staring at the floor, ignoring the short rope holding you in an uncomfortable position in the interrogation room. "My answers aren't going to change."
  970. >you try not to let the officer see that the solitude is starting to get to you
  971. >it's not the worst thing you've ever had to endure though
  972. >the lack of light in the tiny cell has made it difficult to know just how many days have passed
  973. >and it feels like every time you doze off, they're dragging you out of the cell to be interrogated again
  974. >it's disorienting, but they're going to have to do a lot worse
  975. >they've screamed at you
  976. >threatened you
  977. >but always stop short of actually striking you or roughing you up
  978. >if they could have whipped you, you're pretty sure they would have by now
  979. "I'm done cooperating until you let me see Anonymous," you snort
  980. >he goes through the whole routine again
  981. >yelling
  982. >jerking the rope, pulling it tightly against your neck
  983. >kicking the chair across the room
  984. >grabbing you by the horn and drawing back his free hand as though he's about to strike you
  985. >assuring you that the only way to escape being euthanized along with the other two ponies involved in this is to cooperate
  986.  
  987. >but you remain stoic, and eventually he storms out of the room
  988. >says he'll give you some time to think about it
  989. >but there's nothing to think about
  990. >their initial deception to try to get some sort of confession out of you had failed
  991. >you didn't believe for a second that Anon had succumbed to his injuries
  992. >and they'd slipped up by making some comment in passing confirming he was still alive
  993. >regardless, your conscience is clear
  994. >you did your duty in protecting him
  995. >trying to let Sparky go free might have been an error in judgement
  996. >but you won't let them guilt you into accepting responsibility for Anon getting hurt in the first place
  997. >as far as you're concerned, you haven't done anything wrong
  998. >and you're confident that things will work themselves out as long as you're patient
  999. >eventually you're returned to your cell
  1000. >there's no shortage of grumbled expletives and angry glares from the officer handling you
  1001. >you sit on your haunches as the rope is removed from your neck
  1002. "It's been fun, as always. Let's do this again real soon," you say with a smirk before the door is slammed in your face
  1003.  
  1004. --------------------------------
  1005.  
  1006. "Just cut the bullshit, I want my property returned to me immediately. I'm not pressing charges so you have no reason to hold them."
  1007. >"I'll be happy to," the woman behind the glass says, "right after you pay the impound fees."
  1008. "I'm not paying five hundred bucks, I haven't committed any crime here, nobody asked you to hold them in the first-"
  1009. >"Then the fees will continue to accrue."
  1010. >you try to stand up from the wheelchair, but immediately regret the attempt when you're overcome with dizziness, nearly falling onto the floor
  1011. "This is robbery... extortion..." you grumble, fumbling for your checkbook. "Don't know where you people get off... you got some nerve..."
  1012. >a metal drawer just below the window is pushed out, and you toss the signed check into it angrily
  1013. >"Sir, the exact amount due is five hundred dollars twenty three cents."
  1014. >your eye twitches
  1015. >Steve puts a hand on your shoulder, pulling a quarter from his pocket and tossing it into the tray before you forcefully slam it
  1016. >"Easy Anon, don't get yourself too worked up. Sooner we get your ponies and get out of here, the better."
  1017. >a clipboard with paperwork is pushed back through to you
  1018. >"Just need your signature on the first, third, and fifth pages, initials by the x on page two and four, and I can release them into your custody"
  1019. >you hastily scrawl your name and initials in the required locations, tapping your knee with a hand impatiently as it's carefully scrutinized
  1020. >"Everything seems to be in order here," she says, grabbing the radio clipped to her uniform and muttering something inaudible into it
  1021. >a few minutes later there's a loud buzz, followed by a solid metal heavy door nearby swinging open
  1022.  
  1023. >Shining Armor is standing there flanked by two officers, a rope looped around his neck held by the one to his right
  1024. >the stallion's ears perk up when he sees you, and he gives a swish of his tail
  1025. >you give a relieved smile as the rope is handed over to you
  1026. "Hey big guy..." you say softly, placing a hand on his muzzle as he sits on his haunches in front of you. "They treat you okay?"
  1027. >"I'll live," he replies bluntly, looking over his shoulder with a glare and a loud snort.
  1028. "Steve, take Shining out to the car, would you? They'll be bringing Corona out any time now."
  1029. >"Sure thing Anon," he nods, taking the rope
  1030. >the stallion doesn't hesitate or say anything
  1031. >instead you see a wave of relief seem to wash over him as your friend escorts him out through the entrance
  1032. >the officers have already disappeared back through the door they emerged from
  1033. >as the minutes pass, an awkward silence falls over the room
  1034. >the woman behind the glass seems content to ignore you completely
  1035. >you become painfully aware of the ticking of a clock on the wall above the door, grinding your teeth impatiently
  1036. >what's taking them so long?
  1037.  
  1038. --------------------------------
  1039.  
  1040. >you squint in the light as the door of your cell swings open slowly, not even bothering to lift your head from the cold concrete floor
  1041. >"On your feet, mare"
  1042. >you sigh softly, ignoring the command
  1043. >"I said on your feet" the voice repeats angrily, the officer closing the space between you in less than a second
  1044. >that damned rope is looped around your neck again, and it chokes you as it's pulled hard, trying to force you onto your hooves
  1045. >you cough and lift a hoof, putting just enough pressure on the rope to allow you to breathe as your eyes begin watering
  1046. >"Damn it, stop being difficult. It's time for you to go."
  1047. >you slowly sit up on your haunches, still refusing to budge
  1048. >you gasp in surprise as you catch a shoe to the underside of your rib cage
  1049. >not hard enough to hurt, but enough to cause you to stand up in reflex
  1050. >your legs wobble, refusing to carry you forward as you fall to the cell floor again in a crumpled pile, weeping softly
  1051. >what's the point?
  1052. >wherever you're going, wherever they might be taking you, it doesn't matter
  1053. >Master's gone...
  1054. >maybe if you don't move for long enough they'll leave you alone
  1055. >just let you lay here and die
  1056. >"Do you want to go home or not?"
  1057. >you hear the words, but they carry no meaning, just more background noise
  1058. >the man signals to another officer, who steps into the cell with the two of you and wraps his arms around your midsection, straining as he lifts with all his might
  1059.  
  1060. >you're not given any slack, the rope pulled tight the moment you get to your hooves again
  1061. >forceful slaps to your rump prevent you from laying back down as you're pushed from behind, urging you forward
  1062. >every step feels like you're dragging your hooves through mud up to your belly, the weight of your despair making it a monumental task just to get down the corridor
  1063. >tears drip from your muzzle as you stand before another solid metal door, hearing a loud buzzing, then a click as it slowly swings open
  1064. >you simply sniffle, not even bothering to look up
  1065. >"It took you guys long enough"
  1066. >you feel as though you're struck by lightning, instantly recognizing that voice
  1067. >though you're terrified to lift your eyes to reveal its owner for fear your weary mind is playing some cruel trick on you
  1068. >your ears slowly rotate toward its source, your head lifting, eyes lagging behind but eventually following
  1069. >he's sitting in a chair with wheels, a bandage wrapped around his head
  1070. >the harsh squeal that catches in your throat is so sudden it causes you to cough and sputter, the word erupting from your throat like a volcano
  1071. "MASTER!" you whinny, practically roaring as you rear up, exploding against the rope and knocking both officers down, your outburst catching them both completely off guard
  1072. >in your eagerness you trip over your own hooves, nearly losing your footing, scrambling across the floor as you just barely manage not to plant your muzzle into the ground
  1073. >the chair rolls half way across the room backwards, nearly tipping over as you collide with him, wrapping your forelegs around his chest as tightly as you can, closing your eyes tight and hyperventilating, your whole body rocking as you let out a series of stunned squeals and whinnies in short bursts, completely overcome with emotion, tail flailing wildly
  1074.  
  1075. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry... Master oh... oh Master... I'm so so so SO sorry..." you whimper
  1076. >"Easy, Corona, easy girl," he murmurs softly to you, giving you a gentle squeeze before calmly trying to push you out of his lap. "Down, girl."
  1077. >ignoring the command, you hook your front hooves over his shoulders, nuzzling his cheek with a long, drawn-out nicker
  1078. "I don't know what to say... I... I messed up... I thought you were... you were..." you choke through your tears. "Please... please Master... don't hate me for what I've done... I'll do anything, ANYTHING to make it right... p...please don't ever leave me... or send me away... I... I can't... I don't..." you squeak
  1079. >he pulls you into a tight hug
  1080. >"Shhhh, easy girl, easy. Nobody's sending you away and nobody's leaving you. You're mine forever, remember? We'll discuss your punishment when we get home, okay?"
  1081. "Yes Master" you coo, feeling your trembling subside as he strokes your back
  1082. >you don't even care when he mentions punishment
  1083. >all you want to do right now is get as far away from this place as you can
  1084. >and never let Master out of your sight again
  1085. >whatever powers control this universe, they saw it fit to give you a second chance with him
  1086. >and you're going to make absolutely certain you don't blow it
  1087. >"Now, down girl" Master orders, once again nudging you away
  1088. >you climb down from his lap, laying on the floor and staring up at him, unable to take your eyes away
  1089.  
  1090. --------------------------------
  1091.  
  1092. "So, what about the other stallion? The one that attacked me, what's going to happen to him?" you say to the one officer that's remained in the room
  1093. >"Sparky? We ran his brand through the system and tracked down his owner. He was livid, and long story short he doesn't want him back, so he'll serve some time for the assault and then probably be auctioned off. They're recommending he has surgery to permanently disable his magical abilities."
  1094. >you look down at Corona for a moment, but she doesn't move a hair or say a word
  1095. "Doesn't he get a trial or anything?"
  1096. >the officer shrugs
  1097. >"Nah, not really. Court system is overburdened as it is. It's on us to handle most slave related issues, they don't have a right to a trial unless there's the possibility of an execution. Now, if you wanna take his owner to civil court, I'd say you have a pretty good case to recover some damages from him, ya know for medical bills and the impound fees, but I'm not a lawyer. Just sayin' if I were you I wouldn't hesitate to do it."
  1098. >you ponder his words for several moments before speaking up again
  1099. "I still don't want to press charges against the stallion. Does that make a difference?"
  1100. >"Not really. We got all we need from interrogating the three of them. It's an open and shut case, once the Chief goes over the specifics he'll decide on the sentence. If for some crazy reason you want to put in a good word for him though, I'm sure he'll take that into consideration."
  1101. >Steve reappears eventually, having wandered back inside wondering what was taking you so long
  1102. >you hand the rope attached to Corona over to him, and once again ask him to escort her out to the car
  1103. >both he and the mare give you a questioning look
  1104. "I still have some business to attend to here before we go," you explain before turning back to the officer, wheeling toward him as they depart. "I'd like to see him, can you arrange that?"
  1105. >he regards you with a puzzled look on his face before replying
  1106.  
  1107. >"Well, if you really want to, I guess. The slave holding wing is blocked off from the rest of the jail so it's not a violation of protocol to let you go back," he says, looking past you and making a gesture toward the glass barrier, the door buzzing open soon after. "I wouldn't want to deny a man the right to look his attacker in the eye. Follow me."
  1108. >as you wheel yourself down the narrow corridor, it's eerily quiet
  1109. >door after door crammed side by side
  1110. >these holding cells must be so tiny it borders on cruelty
  1111. >you're relieved when you're told that Sparky is the only pony inmate currently residing here
  1112. >when you reach the very last door on the right at the end of the corridor, he fumbles with his keys, inserting one and turning the lock, the hinges creaking loudly as it's opened
  1113. >you have to turn your face away in disgust, a blast of foul odor causing you to cough and gag
  1114. >your nose curled up in disgust as you attempt to fan the stench away, you turn your head back toward the door to get a good look
  1115. >there he lies
  1116. >a harsh metal collar around his neck, attached to a chain that's only three links in length, the other end of which is bolted to the floor, making it impossible for the stallion to stand up or move, forcing him to lie in his own filth
  1117. >he's wearing a muzzle with leather straps pulled tight around his snout, a metal bit clipped to it pulling up at the corners of his lips
  1118. >some kind of device with a black metal ring digging into the base of his horn
  1119. >he's definitely far from comfortable
  1120. >you'd even say this is downright inhumane
  1121. >his nostrils flare angrily as the door comes to a rest, now fully opened
  1122. >his eyes lock on the officer, giving an angry snarl as he bites down on the bit so hard it causes a tiny trickle of blood to form at the corners of his mouth, occasionally lurching forward against his restraint, hooves slipping and sliding as he tries to stand up
  1123.  
  1124. "Sparky, that's your name, right?"
  1125. >his eyes lock onto you, and the snarling silences
  1126. >the officer steps aside, leaning out and looking around
  1127. >"You wanna get in a couple shots, there's nobody else around. Just don't leave any marks or it's my ass."
  1128. >he begins whistling as he slowly strides down the corridor away from you, and you shake your head in disgust
  1129. >the stallion is perfectly still, his eyes still staring daggers at you
  1130. "I'm not going to hurt you, Sparky. I just wanted to talk."
  1131. >he rolls his eyes, flicking them toward the bit in his mouth, grumbling and snorting
  1132. "Well, you don't really have to talk, I guess, but I wanted you to at least hear what I had to say."
  1133. >you carefully scoot out of the wheelchair, sitting on the cold, hard ground in front of him, looking directly into his eyes
  1134. >he stares back, ears flat in anger as breath after furious breath heaves through his nostrils
  1135. "I'm sorry you're in here, in this position. I wouldn't have wanted this for you..."
  1136. >cautiously you reach a hand forward
  1137. >he tries to snap at you through the muzzle to appear intimidating, but it only serves to make him look even more pathetic
  1138. "I know you've probably had a hard life, I won't patronize you by saying I understand what you've gone through, because honestly none of us probably ever could," you say as your palm settles on his forehead, fingers parting around his horn
  1139. >when you begin slowly stroking down to his muzzle, he gets a bewildered, confused look on his face, even as you feel a slight release of his tension
  1140.  
  1141. "If I take this bridle and muzzle off of you, will you try to bite me?"
  1142. >the stallion hesitates, looking away from you for several moments, eventually shaking his head
  1143. >looking back over your shoulder you can hear the whistling is still at the far end of the corridor
  1144. >the deputy seems to be in no hurry to get back to you
  1145. >slowly, carefully you unbuckle the snaps and buckles holding the stallion's muzzle closed
  1146. >as you slowly pull the device from his head, his mouth opens slightly, allowing you to slide the bit out of his mouth as well
  1147. >licking his lips and moving his mouth around, he gives a brief sigh of relief, avoiding your gaze for as long as he can
  1148. >he seems stunned when you place your palm on his forehead again
  1149. >"You might have those other two ponies whipped into believing you're something you're not, but I see right through you. At the end of the day, you're a human. A slaver. The enemy."
  1150. "I'm not YOUR enemy, Sparky. I didn't even know you until you showed up on my property, and attacked ME."
  1151. >"Didn't have a choice. It was the only way I could have escaped... for what good it did me."
  1152. "The only reason the authorities got involved is because someone got hurt. Calling them probably wouldn't have been my first choice. What were you running away from that's got you so desperate not to go back, anyway?"
  1153.  
  1154. >"Slavery," he snorts. "But like you said, I don't expect a human to understand..."
  1155. >you shake your head, continuing to stroke his muzzle
  1156. "From what I'm told, your old Master doesn't want you back."
  1157. >his ears perk up slightly
  1158. >"First I've heard of it. Doesn't matter though, they'll just sell me to someone else - probably just as bad as..."
  1159. >he shudders
  1160. "I'll ask them to take it easy on you in handing down judgement," you offer
  1161. >he rolls his eyes
  1162. >"Don't waste your breath. I don't want your pity or your sympathy, human. I find your offer to beg for mercy on my behalf offensive. If you didn't exist, I wouldn't be here right now. None of this would have..." his voice trails off. "I'd be back home with my family."
  1163. "Would you have killed me if Shining Armor didn't stop you?"
  1164. >"I'm not a murderer," he sighs. "I already told your little collaborator puppet I was just trying to stun you. He didn't believe me."
  1165. "I'm not sure I do, either," you admit
  1166. >"I don't care. What do I have to gain by lying? I know what my intent was."
  1167. >your head slowly turns side to side, eventually you remove your hand from the stallion's muzzle
  1168. "You could be in here for a while, you know. They've already found you guilty. You don't get a trial, I-"
  1169. >"I know my 'rights,' I don't need you to sit here and explain to me what's going to happen or pretend you care."
  1170. >you let out a deep sigh, shaking your head slowly
  1171.  
  1172. "I don't know if this means anything to you at all - but... before I leave, I wanted you to know I forgive you," you say, climbing back into the wheelchair. "If circumstances were different, I wouldn't mind even getting to know you a little better."
  1173. >you wheel yourself backward, leaning your head through the doorway
  1174. "Hey officer? Can you come down here?"
  1175. >the stallion grinds his teeth, emitting a low growl, his hackles rising once again immediately upon seeing the deputy
  1176. "Can someone clean him up, please? This is too much..."
  1177. >he shrugs
  1178. >"No. Now, if you're done I- why is his muzzle off?"
  1179. "I wanted to talk to him."
  1180. >"Fan-fucking-tastic. If this bastard bites me..."
  1181. "I doubt you'd have to worry about that if you just treated him with some basic fucking dignity."
  1182. >he pulls your wheelchair out of the cell, slamming the door shut, Sparky's eyes come to rest on you for a brief moment before you're cut off
  1183. >"Alright, alright, I've been more than accommodating. You got your ponies, I think it's time for you to leave now," he says, pushing you back down the corridor at a brisk pace. "What happens to the stallion is none of your concern any more."
  1184. >you grumble in frustration
  1185. "Fine. I'll be making some calls later, I want it on the record that I'm not pressing charges and asked for leniency."
  1186. >"That's your right. I wouldn't hold your breath though," he says with a wicked grin as the door leading to the lobby is buzzed open and you're wheeled out. "You have a real nice day now, Mr. Anonymous," he says, slamming the door back behind himself
  1187.  
  1188. >despite his words, the look on the stallion's face as that door was slammed shut is one that's going to be burned into your memory for a while
  1189. >he was afraid
  1190. >the thought that his fate is out of your hands - that there's nothing you can realistically do for him - does little to ease your mind as you make your way back out to the car, which is idling in the parking lot
  1191. >you can't say you didn't try
  1192. >your two ponies in the back seat are crammed together uncomfortably, there's definitely not enough room for both of them
  1193. >Shining by himself typically takes up most of the back seat
  1194. >Steve gets out of the driver's seat, helping you into the passenger side before stowing the wheelchair in the trunk
  1195. >"Now that that's taken care of, I bet you're eager to get home! Did you get a chance to eat before they discharged you, Anon? You guys wanna stop for something on the way back to your place?"
  1196. "I don't want to keep you any longer, Steve. I appreciate you taking the time off to help me out," you say as the car rolls out of the parking lot, "but I think we all just want to get back as soon as possible. I know I'm looking forward to some familiar surroundings and sleeping in my own bed again."
  1197. >you motion to the ponies in the back seat
  1198. "Besides, they're crammed in like sardines back there, wouldn't want them to get a cramp or something," you say with a soft chuckle
  1199.  
  1200.  
  1201.  
  1202.  
  1203.  
  1204. >"Alright buddy, I'm gonna head back to the office now - I only took a half day off. I'll give you a call later tonight to see how you're doing though. Take it easy man," Steve says, patting you on the shoulder as he stands in the doorway.
  1205. >just as he begins to turn around and leave, he turns back to you just as suddenly
  1206. >"Oh yeah, one other thing - Gracie has been driving me up the wall asking when she can come see the ponies again. She doesn't know you got hurt..."
  1207. >you glance over at Shining Armor with a smirk - some of the glitter nail polish from his previous encounter with the little girl still lingering on all four hooves
  1208. "Why don't you bring her over after my appointment with the neurologist tomorrow?"
  1209. >"You sure you're going to be feeling up to having visitors?"
  1210. >you wave a hand dismissively
  1211. "I'm fine, really Steve. Besides, after these last few days I'm sure Shiny over there would love to see his little friend."
  1212. >Shining doesn't smile, but he does give a faint swish of his tail when he overhears the conversation
  1213. >"Sounds good, Grace will be thrilled," Steve says, glancing over at Shining Armor. "Hope you don't mind - you're all she's talked about ever since Anon brought you guys over, heh."
  1214. "We'll see you tomorrow then," you say, nodding at each other before he departs and closes the front door behind himself
  1215. >clearing your throat, you make your way over to your recliner, closing your eyes and letting out a massive sigh of relief as you sink into it, propping out the foot rest
  1216. >damn it feels good to be home
  1217. >though there is one other item you need to deal with before you can relax completely
  1218. "Shiny, will you please excuse me and Corona for a moment? I need to have a little chat with her."
  1219. >the stallion glances back and forth between you before giving a curt nod, making his way toward the ponies' bedroom where you hear the door close behind him
  1220.  
  1221. >Corona sits on her haunches next to you, looking up at you expectantly, head tilting slightly to the side
  1222. >with a heavy sigh, you rest your head back into the recliner, staring blankly up at the ceiling, waving a hand in the air as you speak
  1223. "I don't even know where to begin with you," you say, allowing your hand to fall onto your lap
  1224. >her ears flatten as she stands up, placing her muzzle on the armrest, eyes looking downward in shame
  1225. "Well?" you say, sitting up some and staring directly at her, "Do you have anything to say?"
  1226. >"M...Master..." she whimpers, placing a hoof next to her muzzle, her tail giving a single swish before she tucks it tightly against her rump
  1227. "Don't 'Master' me like that," you almost growl, causing her bottom lip to quiver briefly. "I don't think I need to tell you that what you did was bad," you say calmly, lifting your arm out of the way when she tries to nuzzle your elbow. "I can get over being hurt physically... that part is no big deal. I'll heal."
  1228. >you sit fully upright in the chair, pushing the footrest back in as you twist in your seat, wedging your hand under her muzzle and tilting her head slightly upward
  1229. "Corona, look at me, girl."
  1230. >her eyes roll in their sockets slowly until her pupils meet yours
  1231. >at the same moment they flood with tears as she presses her ears against her head even tighter
  1232. "I trusted you."
  1233. >she tries to glance away, but is stopped when you firmly but gently pull her muzzle back up
  1234. "Nah ah, you look at me, girl."
  1235. >her nose twitches, a gasp catching in her throat as she tries to hold back her tears
  1236. "That's the part that hurts the most. Worse than any bump on the head ever could. I trusted you. I took pity on you, and against my better judgement, I took you into my home, gave you a chance. You've been such a good girl for me up until now, and I was sure I made the right choice. And then, just when I start to think of you as FAMILY, you go and do something like this."
  1237.  
  1238. >her eyes squint shut as if she's just been slapped
  1239. "What would have happened if I hadn't managed to call for help? If Shiny couldn't find my phone or I blacked out before I could dial it? I want you to think about that and let it really sink in," you say as you release her
  1240. >she lets out a long, drawn out whimper, clenching her jaw shut as her body shakes with her choked back sobs
  1241. "As for your punishment, I'm still trying to decide on that..."
  1242. >those last words seem to bounce right off of her
  1243. >"I'm sorry, Master..." she squeaks
  1244. "You should be. You could have lost everything you had here, and-"
  1245. >"Not...not because of that..."
  1246. >you snap your fingers
  1247. "Don't interrupt me. I don't have a will or heirs. If I'd died, you'd have been sold off, maybe even ended up somewhere worse than you were before. You don't know how much the thought of you going back into the hands of someone that would mistreat you breaks my heart. Shiny, too. You would have robbed him of a good home and a Master that cares for him."
  1248. >"M...Mast-" she huffs, dropping to the floor and covering her eyes
  1249. >"They t..t..told me you w..were..d...d..."
  1250. "Well, I'm not," you cut her off dismissively, taking a deep breath as you try to soften your tone. "Listen girl, I care about you, that's one thing that won't change so long as I draw breath, but I can't just wave this off like it never happened..."
  1251.  
  1252. >"I...I know..." she sniffles, rubbing her eyes. "I wish I could take it ba-"
  1253. >she stops speaking instantly when you raise your hand to interrupt her once again
  1254. "Your hot tub and bath privileges are revoked. You can take showers to clean up, and when you're not working I want you in the house."
  1255. >she nods, inching toward you on her belly, slowly looking back up at you through teary eyes
  1256. "That's something you can have back when I decide you've earned it."
  1257. >you hesitate to continue, wrestling with your thoughts about your next words
  1258. "And while I was really hoping I would never have to do this, I think some swats to the hindquarters are in order as well."
  1259. >"Yessir..." she replies just above a whisper, not uttering a single whimper, grunt, or word of protest in response to your judgement
  1260. >there's a heavy silence that lingers and stretches out into eternity
  1261. >eventually she sits up on her haunches, giving you a questioning look, as though expecting there to be more
  1262. >instead, she nearly breaks down again as you slowly reach over and place a hand on top of her head
  1263. >not petting or scratching her, just letting it rest there
  1264. >a small gesture to show her that even though you're upset with her, she's still your girl
  1265. "That'll have to wait until I'm feeling better, though. I just want you to know it's coming so you're not surprised when it happens."
  1266. >"Y...yessir," she replies, gradually beginning to smile at you as she blinks away fresh tears
  1267.  
  1268.  
  1269. --------------------------------
  1270.  
  1271. >"SHINNYYYY!"
  1272. >once again you find tiny fingers locked together around your foreleg, and the face they belong to snuggling against the front of your neck
  1273. >at least you're ready for it this time
  1274. >it's not an unwelcome gesture
  1275. >after all, it's been a pretty rough week
  1276. >Corona hasn't been very talkative since the two of you got back yesterday
  1277. >come to think of it, neither has Anon
  1278. >save for when he's asking for help with something
  1279. >he looked troubled when he arrived home from his appointment with the doctor
  1280. >and he was gone a lot longer than he said he would be
  1281. >but whatever's bothering him, he's keeping it to himself
  1282. >at least for now
  1283. >Corona seems torn between the desire to be stuck to him like glue, and wanting to vanish from the face of the planet
  1284. >you thought she might come out of the bedroom when Grace showed up for her visit
  1285. >but even when you'd knocked to let her know she was on her way, she hadn't said anything
  1286. >sure she's got plenty to feel guilty about
  1287. >but sulking like this isn't going to help her patch up her relationship with Anon...
  1288. >"I missed you soso much!"
  1289. "It's good to see you too, Gracie" you say with a smile
  1290. >"I told EVERYONE at school I was best friends with a unicorn pony now, and they didn't believe me!" she huffs and rolls her eyes as she lets go of your leg
  1291. >you sit on your haunches and tilt your head
  1292. "Is that so?"
  1293. >"YEAH! Like why would I make that up?"
  1294. >the little girl's words become a droning background noise, your mind wandering as she tells you every last detail about her week
  1295. >you shake your head and snap back to reality as her father and Anon approach the two of you
  1296.  
  1297. >"Why don't we head out back? That'll give you two room to play while me 'n Steve chit chat on the porch."
  1298. >"Yeah! We can play hide and seek, I bet you won't be able to find me!" Grace chirps before taking off toward the back door
  1299. >you start to give a nod, but find yourself quickly jumping to your hooves when Anon's legs wobble, his hand coming to rest on your withers as he nearly hits the floor
  1300. >"Good catch there, Shiny" he says as Grace's father brings the wheelchair over to him
  1301. >he's been stubborn about using it, insisting he's fine to walk on his own
  1302. >but this is the third time today you've broken his fall
  1303. >as he takes a seat, he gives you a firm pat on the shoulder when he notices the look of concern on your face
  1304. >"I'm fine, big guy. Go entertain your friend."
  1305.  
  1306.  
  1307.  
  1308.  
  1309.  
  1310. "Oh boy, I wonder... Where oh where could little Gracie be hiding THIS time?" you say in an exaggerated tone, rolling your eyes with a big smirk as you walk back up onto the porch
  1311. >you feign cluelessness as you hear suppressed snickers when you pass a pair of tiny white sneakers with pink laces shifting about beneath the tarp covering the hot tub
  1312. >your ears rotate toward the two men sitting nearby now and then as they clank a pair of brown glass bottles together, laughing as they each take a drink
  1313. >the snickering grows even louder as you walk past a second time
  1314. "I dunno, I guess she's not up here..." you say, snatching back the tarp in one quick motion with a sudden "GOTCHA!"
  1315. >the little girl falls over in a giggling fit as you gently poke a hoof into her belly
  1316. >"hey not fair!" she squeals between laughs, "you saw my shoes, that's cheating!"
  1317. >she stands back up, stroking your muzzle a few times as her laughter dies down
  1318. >"Okay Shiny, now you go hide!"
  1319. >she spins around, covering her eyes as she counts out loud slowly
  1320. >"Ooooone.... twooooo...."
  1321. >looking back over your shoulder as you descend the steps, you shake your head with a silent laugh as she peeks through her fingers
  1322. >"threee....fourfivesixseveneightnineten!"
  1323. >you pick up your pace to a trot hearing her accelerate her countdown, laughing as she comes bounding after you
  1324. >though when that laughter is cut off abruptly, you instantly spin around
  1325. >just in time to see her laying flat at the bottom of the stairs
  1326. >she rolls over, sitting up on the ground holding her leg, tears already welling up in her eyes
  1327. >before Steve can even make it two steps, you're already crouching next to her, nuzzling her cheek as you look down and see a dirty scrape on her knee
  1328.  
  1329. >"Grace, baby, I know you're excited but you gotta be more careful!" he says as he approaches her, picking her back up to her feet and dusting her off "You okay sweetheart?"
  1330. >she rubs her eyes and nods as she takes his hand
  1331. >"That top step is steeper than it looks, sorry Gracie..." Anon says. "There's some peroxide under the bathroom sink and bandaids in the medicine cabinet..."
  1332. >Steve gives Anon a quick nod as he leads his daughter into the house
  1333. >but when you attempt to follow his hand is suddenly blocking your path
  1334. >"Shiny stay out here for a sec, would you?"
  1335. >you turn to face Anon with a curious glance
  1336. >he picks up the bottle and swirls the contents idly as the door softly closes
  1337. >"Just thought you should know, I saw a lawyer and had a will made up today."
  1338. >his free hand meets the back of his neck and he looks away from you
  1339. >"If something happens to me..."
  1340. >his head snaps back in your direction suddenly, holding up his hand
  1341. >"IF, I mean - right now I'm fine, so I don't want you to concern yourself over this needlessly.... but IF... I just wanted you to be aware what's going to happen to you, should that day come."
  1342. >you sit on your haunches and stare at him as he looks away again
  1343. >"Steve's agreed to take you in. Now technically on paper you'd belong to him, but the reality is you'd be Gracie's pony. I can't possibly think of a better home for you..." he trails off
  1344.  
  1345. "...and Corona?" you ask hesitantly
  1346. >"He'll take her too, but just long enough to find her a new home... with the divorce he just can't afford two more mouths to feed."
  1347. "I don't get it Anon... if you're okay, then why bring this up right now?
  1348. >he shrugs
  1349. >"Dunno... now seemed like as good a time as any. I thought it might put your mind at ease to know you're never going back into the auction system."
  1350. >he shakes his head, reaching over and scratching your ear
  1351. >"Don't read too much into it though, okay pal? If there was something serious going on with me, I promise I'd let the two of you know."
  1352. >he rests his palm on your forehead just beneath your horn
  1353. >"I also want you to know how much I appreciate what you did for me... I never did thank you."
  1354. >it had been an instinctual reaction to tackle Sparky, honestly
  1355. >you couldn't have known for sure if the spell he was casting was lethal, but you weren't about to find out
  1356. >human or not, it was the right thing to do
  1357. >you flick your tail and look away momentarily, wondering if Anon would be half as grateful if he knew that you'd unbuckled that halter in a split second of remorse and empathy...
  1358. >that's a detail you decide to keep to yourself for the time being
  1359. >pushing the thought aside, you offer a simple nicker in reply
  1360.  
  1361. >standing up, you give a stretch and a shake, an ear flopping as you notice Corona standing in the doorway out of the corner of your eye
  1362. >"Master?" she says softly, looking at the ground. "Will our guests be joining us for dinner?"
  1363. >Anon nods
  1364. >"Yeah, I'm just gonna order pizza. Pepperoni for us and veggie deluxe for you and Shiny. If you'd rather have hay one of you will have to pull a bale down from the loft in the storage shed."
  1365. >Corona shakes her head
  1366. >"Thank you Master..."
  1367. >as she turns to step back inside, Anon speaks up to stop her
  1368. >"Corona, I'd like you to stay out here for a while, actually. You've been cooped up in that room for too long."
  1369. >she tilts her head
  1370. >"But Master... my punishment... in the house when I'm not working..." she mutters
  1371. >"Well I'm making an exception this once. Grace wants to see you."
  1372. >she takes a few hesitant steps outside, avoiding eye contact with her Master as she approaches you
  1373. >"I heard them in the house..."
  1374. >you nod
  1375. "She scraped her knee," you explain. "I'm sure they'll be back out in a minute or s-"
  1376. >right on cue, Corona jumps, startled by a sudden hug around the neck from her side
  1377. >"Hi Corona!"
  1378. >a quick glance downward and you see a pair of bandages stuck to the little girl's knee
  1379. >"I was wondering when you were gonna come outside! Now you can play with us!"
  1380. >"O-oh, I d-don't know if I'd be m-much fun right now, little one," Corona stammers
  1381. >"What's wrong? Are you not feeling good?" Grace observes, feeling the mare's forehead. "I don't think you have a fever, don't you wanna play?"
  1382. >"Now Corona," Anon interjects, "don't be rude.
  1383.  
  1384. >"I'm sorry Grace..." she apologizes, "I'm just... a little tired, that's all. I didn't mean to... I'll play if you want to," she says, sitting on her haunches. "What game are you playing?"
  1385. >"We were playing hide and seek! I'm winning!" she says with a toothy grin
  1386. >when Corona doesn't respond, it slowly fades
  1387. >she soon finds her muzzle being lifted by a pair of little hands
  1388. >"Why do you keep looking at the ground?"
  1389. >her eyes flick toward Anon, but Grace doesn't notice
  1390. >as she speaks again her voice goes up in pitch
  1391. >"You look so sad!" she says, wrapping her arms around the mare's neck, planting a kiss on her mane and petting her. "We can play a different game if you want. What games do YOU like to play?"
  1392. >"I... can't think of anything at the moment. I really am sorry, I don't want to ruin your fun."
  1393. >"It's okay, Corona! You can watch me and Shiny play if you're not feeling good. I won't be mad!"
  1394. >she flashes a brief smile, closing her eyes as her muzzle is stroked affectionately
  1395. >"Thank you, Gracie."
  1396. >an arm hooked over Corona's neck as she leans against her, she looks back to you
  1397. >"I was getting bored with hide and seek anyway. Do you wanna play something else, Shiny?"
  1398. >you shake your head
  1399. "Whatever you wanna do is fine with me, Gracie."
  1400. >she shrugs her shoulders, looking over at Anon
  1401.  
  1402. >"Hey mister Anonymous, daddy said there's pizza coming, do you know how long it'll take?"
  1403. >he nods
  1404. >"Antonio's was pretty busy and they're the only ones that deliver out this far, they said it'd be about an hour."
  1405. >she groans
  1406. >"Ahttp://www..." she says with a raspberry. "Darn."
  1407. >she gasps and places a hand over her mouth. "Oops! Language! Sorry! I'm just getting kinda hungry."
  1408. "There's some fruit cocktail in the fridge I was saving for later if you want a little snack before the pizza gets here," you offer.
  1409. >"Naw, that's okay Shiny, I don't wanna waste your food, I can wait."
  1410. "Okay then. Have you thought of a game to play until dinner gets here?"
  1411. >she rubs her chin with a loud "hmmm," rolling her eyes around and tapping a foot
  1412. "I dunno about games, but there's one thing," she says sheepishly. "I don't know if you'd think it's fun though."
  1413. >you tilt your head in curiosity
  1414. "I'm listening"
  1415. >"Well," she says hesitantly, kicking the toe of her shoe against the ground and looking away from you
  1416. >"I 've been meaning to ask... would you be okay with giving me a pony ride?" she requests bashfully, still not looking up
  1417. "Hah! Is THAT all?" you say
  1418. >"If you don't wanna I understand... I just never got to ride a pony before and-" her voice trails off
  1419. >"Gracie, the vet said Shiny needs to fill out a little more before it's safe to carry any weight on his back," Anon says
  1420. >she gives a little dejected sigh
  1421. >"Oh..."
  1422. >"Once he's in good enough shape though I'm sure he won't mind, maybe in a few more weeks."
  1423. "I don't mind at all!" you reassure her. "I mean, I could probably carry you right now, I really don't think it would hurt, but it's up to Anon."
  1424.  
  1425. >Anon shakes his head
  1426. >"I don't want to take a chance on something happening until you're in a better place physically," he insists. "Shiny's a good size pony, too. I'm worried about you falling, Gracie. If he's gonna give you rides, then I want you to have a saddle so you don't lose your balance."
  1427. >your nose twitches and ears flatten in embarrassment for a moment at the mention of a saddle, but you shrug it off
  1428. >her father nods in agreement
  1429. >"Okay..." she finally concedes. "I guess I can wait."
  1430. >"Well... I'm healthy enough," Corona offers. "I'm pretty strong, and I'm lower to the ground for her..."
  1431. >the way Grace's face lights up when she realizes what the mare is saying melts your heart
  1432. >Anon shrugs
  1433. >"If Corona wants to give you a pony ride, and it's alright with your dad, then that's fine with me," he says before turning his attention to the mare. "Just take it slow and be careful with her, okay?"
  1434. >"Can I, daddy? PLEEEASE?" she says, bouncing up and down on her heels as she stares in her father's direction
  1435. >"Alright, sweetie. I don't see the harm. But you be nice to Corona, okay? Don't go kicking her sides or anything."
  1436. >"YES!!!" she squeals, giving a series of fist pumps as she closes her eyes. "YES YES YES! Thank you, Corona, you're awesome!" she says, embracing her again, drawing a relaxed smile from her
  1437. >"Corona, why don't you go fetch your bridle from the shed? I'll slip it on you real quick so Gracie has some reins to hold onto instead of just your mane," Anon suggests
  1438. >"Yessir..." she nods
  1439.  
  1440. --------------------------------
  1441.  
  1442. >the bridle is easy to find, hanging on a hook near where your cart is parked next to the tractor
  1443. >you sigh, rearing up and grabbing the polished bits of brass and strips of lustrous black leather in your teeth, returning to where the eagerly awaiting youngster is continuing to dote on Shining Armor
  1444. >she's clearly trying to contain her excitement, though she's doing a poor job of it as she fidgets about, staring in your direction as Master slips the bridle around your muzzle and over your ears
  1445. >"These reins are way too long, they're supposed to be used on a pony pulling a cart, not one being ridden by a child. Can't have them dragging the ground and risk you tripping" he says, holding them up and running them through his hands
  1446. >you sit patiently on your haunches, staring down at your hooves
  1447. >it's still nearly unbearable to look at him
  1448. "I have a suggestion, Master..." you offer quietly
  1449. >he pauses, waiting for you to continue
  1450. "If you remove one of the reins, then loop the free end of the other into where it attaches to the bridle-"
  1451. >"-and tie it off, she'll have one shorter continuous rein to hold onto," he interrupts, finishing your sentence. "Good thinking, girl" he says, giving you a quick pat on the withers.
  1452. >you rise to your hooves as he slips a finger under the leather straps in different places, giving one last final check to ensure a good fit
  1453. >you lean forward in an attempt to give his hand a quick nuzzle, but he pulls it away too fast
  1454. >"Alright Corona, stay where we can see you and behave for little Gracie, okay? Once she's on your back, she's the boss"
  1455. >your ears flop downward for a moment as you reply
  1456. "yessir..."
  1457. >after you descend the stairs, her father lifts her up onto you
  1458. >she's heavy enough that you couldn't possibly forget she's there, but you're sure you've carried much more weight than this before
  1459. >as long as your little ride doesn't last more than a half an hour or so, you won't be too tired afterward
  1460.  
  1461. >even if it lasts longer, a good workout isn't going to kill you
  1462. >besides, it'll be nice to get out and stretch your legs after being locked away in a tiny cell for days, then cooped up in the house ever since you got back
  1463. >she wobbles for a moment, squeezing her legs firmly against your sides trying to steady herself
  1464. >you shift your weight and take a step to your right, trying to make up for her lack of balance
  1465. >there's no real risk of her falling since she's still holding daddy's hand
  1466. >but it shows them that your reflexes are quick enough to compensate for her lack of experience
  1467. >after a minute or so, she feels confident enough to let go of his hand, leaning forward and hugging you around the neck before sitting up tall and picking up the rein hanging over your withers
  1468. "Just give a little tug to let me know which way you want to go, okay Grace?"
  1469. >"And I can say 'whoa' to stop and 'giddyup' to go, right?"
  1470. "Yes ma'am, if you want to" you reply. "If I feel you start to lose your balance I'll make sure I stop, so don't be worried. I promise I'll take good care of you."
  1471. >"Got it! Now giddyup Corona!" she says, bouncing up and down gently and giving your sides a light kick before squeezing tight with her legs - a grip that only tenses up further as you take your first few tentative steps forward with a soft nicker
  1472. >"No kicking, Gracie" her father reminds her as he returns to his seat next to Master
  1473. >"Sorry!" she says before letting out a series of loud giggles, already apparently having the time of her life as she squeals with delight
  1474. >"Yeeeeeeeehaw! Giiiiddyup Corona!" she hoots excitedly, her heels swinging up past your shoulders a few times before returning to your sides. "Giddyup giddyup giddyup!" she calls out rhythmically with each stride, emphasizing each 'giddyup' with another bounce
  1475.  
  1476. >the rein draws the bridle snugly against your muzzle as she clings it to her chest tightly, but the leather is soft and supple enough that it's not painful, just mildly uncomfortable
  1477. >you can ignore it for now
  1478. >it will take some time for her to learn to balance herself properly, after all
  1479. >besides, the sheer joy in her voice is more than worth a little discomfort on your part
  1480. >and it's not like she's trying to hurt you on purpose or anything
  1481. >the two men sitting on the deck continue talking and give a couple of laughs just loud enough for you to hear
  1482. >you're not sure what they're saying, but you imagine they must find her enthusiasm quite amusing
  1483. >it fades away entirely as you reach the edge of the nearest fenced pasture, which is quite a distance from the house, but still just barely within sight of Master
  1484. >"Right... now left... now right!" she yells, tugging sharply on the rein, your body instinctively following in the direction your muzzle is being pointed
  1485. >you snort softly, obeying every little command as it comes
  1486. >you make a few loops in each direction in the big open grassy area between the house and the pasture, each time skirting the fenceline before passing the pile of brush and trash you'd helped Master gather up days before that he still hasn't gotten around to burning
  1487. >this isn't bad at all
  1488. >Grace seems to be slowly getting the hang of keeping her balance as well
  1489. >you're sure after a few rides she'll have developed a more confident seat
  1490. >maybe Master will even trust you enough to take her down some of the paths leading around the property, give her a real proper trail ride
  1491. >your ears flatten as the thought passes your mind
  1492. >IF he ever trusts you that much again...
  1493. >you shake it off before she has a chance to notice
  1494. >after twenty minutes or so, your breaths become heavier and more labored, but you're still far from exhausted
  1495.  
  1496. >in fact, it would feel so good to trot right now
  1497. >or even canter
  1498. >really give those muscles a good stretch and burn off some of this pent up energy...
  1499. >she's definitely not ready for that though
  1500. >your head turns suddenly as you come to a halt, finding Shining Armor breaking from a trot as he catches up to you
  1501. >"How's our little cowgirl doing?"
  1502. "She's a natural," you say with a smile, looking back at her over your shoulder as she reaches forward and strokes your neck. "I think she's having a good time, too, aren't you Grace?" you ask with a flick of your tail
  1503. >"This is the best thing EVER!" she cheers, her arms and fists flying into the air as she drops the rein. "I could do this all day long! Aren't you getting tired though, Corona?" she asks, leaning forward. "We've been riding for a long time."
  1504. >you shake your head, giving a quick chuckle under your breath
  1505. "It hasn't been very long at all, I'll be fine," you reassure her half-heartedly. "Besides, like Master said, when you're on my back you're the boss! We're done whenever YOU want to be done, okay?"
  1506. >she leans forward and wraps her arms around your neck once again, bombarding your mane with a flurry of kisses
  1507. >"You're the best! I love you, Corona!"
  1508. >you nicker at her warmly and briefly shudder as you close your eyes
  1509. >it warms your heart to be appreciated like this
  1510. >you never imagined a human could be capable of showing you this much genuine affection
  1511. >even if she isn't Master, she's someone you feel yourself quickly becoming attached to, already looking forward to her next visit even though this one isn't even over yet
  1512. >"Do you think I can still ride you sometimes even after I start riding Shiny?" she asks as she sits up, head tilting slightly as she lets her legs idly swing back and forth along your sides
  1513. "I can't make any promises, little one. We... we still have a lot of work to do around here, I'm not sure how often I'll be able to..."
  1514.  
  1515. >sensing her disappointment even without being able to see her face, you eagerly add on a small reassurance to your statement
  1516. "But I'm having fun, too! As long as it's okay with Master we can go for a ride any time you want, okay? I won't ever say no."
  1517. >Shining sits on his haunches and rolls his eyes with a huff
  1518. >"Well, once I'M in good enough shape I bet you won't even WANT to ride that short stubby little earth pony mare any more! Especially once you get better at it and want to go faster than a boring old walk," he says, standing up and circling you. "I've seen her trot, it's wayyyyy too choppy, she'll bounce you all over the place! And her canter is just a sad, clumsy mess. Besides, a princess like you deserves a big strong white stallion to be her noble steed!"
  1519. >for a moment, you squint an eye and your jaw opens slightly at his bizarre statement and behavior
  1520. >you almost take offense until you realize he's just hamming it up for the little girl sitting astride you
  1521. >two can play at this game
  1522. "Oh yeah?" you scoff as your lips curl into a wry grin. "And when's the last time YOUR lazy flank even DID any real work, hmm? Hard to give a proper pony ride if you get pooped out and cry to be done after ten strides!"
  1523. >You tilt your head upward and close your eyes, snootily lifting your muzzle straight up into the air and lifting a front hoof to your chest haughtily
  1524. "We EARTH PONIES are used to hard work though! Not like you namby-pamby prissy unicorns. I bet you'd break a sweat before she could even get a saddle on your back! Not that she even WILL be able to get a saddle on you," you say, poking a hoof into his chest, "if you keep eating everything in sight like a living pony vacuum and end up turning into a big chubby pony shaped blob!"
  1525. >"Corona!" Gracie says, giggling uncontrollably as she slaps your shoulder playfully, "Don't be meeeeean!"
  1526. >her hands lift up to her mouth, cheeks bright red as her laughter intensifies when the exchange continues
  1527.  
  1528. >Shining lets out a squeal, his ears flattening, eyes widening and mouth hanging open with an exaggerated look of shock and offense
  1529. >"HMPH! Well... I'm... taller! And taller ponies are better for riding! I'm not gonna let you steal my new best human friend away from me so easily, you know!" he mock-pouts
  1530. >"Awwww, don't be jealous Shiny," Grace says as she finally catches her breath and gets her giggling under control, "I still love you too!"
  1531. >his bottom lip curls up, ears flattening against his head, playing on her sympathy
  1532. >"e...even if I don't give the best pony rides?" he sulks
  1533. >"Yeah!" she chirps. "Even if I NEVER get another pony ride we'll still all be friends, silly!"
  1534. >he nickers as he steps to your side, pushing his muzzle up under her hand
  1535. >she lets out a sigh, leaning over and wrapping her arms around him, resting her cheek on his snout
  1536. >"I wish you were my ponies... I don't ever wanna leave..." she says, her tone taking a sudden sharp turn toward morose, causing both of you to stop putting on this little show for her
  1537. >she sniffles, stifling a sob, a tear rolling down her cheek and onto Shining's face as she squeezes him tighter
  1538. >"Hey now... what's wrong Gracie?" the stallion says softly to her, his voice dripping with concern, "we were just teasing each other, having fun... we didn't upset you did we?"
  1539. >"mm-mm" she mutters, wiping her cheek before embracing the stallion again, wobbling for a moment as she nearly loses her balance on your back
  1540. >you slowly lie down on the ground, Shining's movement matching yours so that the little girl clinging to him for dear life doesn't have to let go
  1541. >"You wanna tell Shiny what's bothering you?"
  1542. >she doesn't answer, but eventually slowly releases him, swinging her leg back over your side, resting her elbows on her knees and face in the palms of her hands
  1543. >"You two make me so happy..." she speaks up hesitantly
  1544. "Why does that make you want to cry, little one?" you ask her
  1545.  
  1546. >"cause I shouldn't be happy... mommy's leaving and it's all my fault..." she whimpers before erupting into loud sobs
  1547. >you and Shining exchange worried glances, neither of you sure what to do or say next
  1548. >"Hey hey hey now," Shining says, resting his chin on her shoulder, prompting her to hug him once more and cry into his neck. "I don't know what's going on with your mommy, but I KNOW whatever it is can't possibly be your fault," he tries to console her
  1549. >out of the corner of your eye you see her father standing by the deck railing, leaning against it and staring in your direction intensely with a hand on his forehead
  1550. >"b...but it is... they don't think I hear them fighting... but I do... I always heard them fighting... and they still fight... and I promised mommy I'd be better... I wouldn't ever be bad again if she just stays with me and daddy... b...b...but it wasn't enough and n...now"
  1551. >she pulls away, trembling wildly as she stares into Shining's eyes with a guilt-ridden expression
  1552. >"Why doesn't mommy want me any more, Shiny?"
  1553. >Shining lifts a hoof, pulling her back into his embrace, pressing his chin into her shoulder, her tiny little body rocking heavily with each sob even as it's muffled into him
  1554. >"Shhhh, shhhhh... it's gonna be okay Gracie... we're here for you, let it all out..."
  1555. >when you look again, her father is standing at the bottom of the stairs, occassionally talking over his shoulder to Master, who has also wheeled his chair to the edge of the top step.
  1556. >Steve looks extremely troubled, though he seems hesitant to head in your direction
  1557. >this is a conversation he's probably had to have with her with her dozens of times, but you're sure each time is just as painful for him as the last
  1558. >you don't pretend to fully understand what's going on, but you know from experience that sometimes the only thing you can do when you feel so overwhelmed is to cry it out in the embrace of a good friend, someone that makes you feel safe and warm and loved
  1559.  
  1560. >gradually her cries die down, her grip on Shining Armor slowly loosening as well
  1561. >she sniffles as she rubs her eyes and cheeks before wiping them with the bottom of her shirt
  1562. >"You gonna be okay there, Gracie?" Shining asks
  1563. >"Mm-hmm," she murmurs through closed lips
  1564. >your ears swivel as you hear a sharp whistling coming from the direction of the house
  1565. >turning your head you see Master beckoning you to return, a hand in the air waving toward himself
  1566. "I think dinner's here, little one. We better head back, now"
  1567. >she doesn't reply, but you feel her swing her leg back over your withers and shift her weight as she takes up the rein in one hand, a fistful of your mane in the other, legs wrapped tightly around your sides as you stand up
  1568. >there's no giddyness, giggling, bouncing, or hooting and hollering on the ride back
  1569. >instead there's only an uncomfortable silence, the little girl's sadness almost palpable as she stares down at the back of your head while Shining walks alongside you
  1570. >as soon as you arrive she slides off of your back, stumbling as her feet hit the ground, and runs toward her father, hugging him tightly, still sniffling
  1571. >"Pizza's here," Master says, rolling toward the patio table on the deck with two large square boxes resting in his lap, setting them onto it along with a few paper plates and some napkins
  1572. >"Did you have a nice ride, sweetheart?"
  1573. >she nods
  1574. >"...I saw you crying baby, were you thinking about mommy again?"
  1575. >she looks down at her feet and hesitantly nods once more
  1576. >her father squats down to eye-level with her and whispers something into her ear
  1577. >even with your acute sense of hearing you're not able to make out what he's saying, though it does take a while, and you see Grace nod several times before eventually taking a step back and slowly turning toward you, a somber smile on her face
  1578.  
  1579. >"Thank you for giving me my first ever pony ride, Corona" she says
  1580. "It was a pleasure, little one" you say with a slight bow of your head
  1581. >just as you're about to start toward Master to have him remove your bridle, you feel a tug on the rein
  1582. >"Corona, wait! Daddy, can you take our picture?
  1583. >you bend your front legs and lean down toward the ground to make mounting easier for her, expecting her to try to scramble up onto your back again, but instead she hooks an arm over your withers, holding out the other and motioning for Shining to join the two of you
  1584. >you sit on your haunches as Shining lays on the ground next to her, scooting closer as she rests her free arm over his neck, leaning into him and pulling both of you closer
  1585. >"Alright, big smiles everyone!" Steve says as he takes a step back, holding a similar looking device to Master's phone sideways with both hands
  1586. >"cheeeeeeese!" the little girl says with a toothy grin
  1587. >Shining tilts his head slightly just before there's a bright flash, causing you to blink your eyes a few times before it flashes again
  1588. >after ascending the stairs, you look back just in time to see her give Shining one last peck on the cheek before dinner
  1589. >you flinch when you feel a hand on your withers, feeling the bridle tighten for a fleeting moment before loosening and slipping off of your muzzle entirely
  1590. >you turn your head to see Master with a slice of the veggie pizza on a plate in his lap, looping up the lengths of leather in his hand as he removes the bridle and hangs it on the railing next to the stairs
  1591. >"Alright Corona, say goodbye to your friend and then go on and take your dinner into the house," he says, setting the plate nearby
  1592. >"Awww, why does Corona have to go inside mister Anon? Can't she stay out here and eat with us?" Grace asks, sitting at the table as her father pushes her own slice of pizza in front of her
  1593.  
  1594. >"Corona's on punishment, Gracie. She was a bad pony a few days ago, so now she has to stay inside the house when she's not working," Master explains as he rolls himself over to the table
  1595. >she gets a curious look on her face and gives a little gasp
  1596. >"Bad pony? What did she do?"
  1597. >"Grace, honey, mind your own business, okay?" her father says to her, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Go on and eat your pizza."
  1598. >"But Corona's a good pony! I don't underst-" she protests before her father interrupts her
  1599. >"Grace, enough. Eat your-"
  1600. >"It's alright, Steve," Master says calmly. "Sweetie, it's a personal matter okay? Corona knows what she did, and why she's being punished. She misbehaved and broke the rules, and I have to discipline her when she does that. That's my responsibility as her Master, so she learns from her mistakes."
  1601. >she looks over at you sympathetically
  1602. >"You only let her come outside to give me a pony ride?"
  1603. >Master shakes his head
  1604. >"I didn't know she would offer to give you one, I let her come outside because I know you wanted to see her. But now it's time for her to go back in the house."
  1605. >your head droops, ears folding flat against your head
  1606. >"Can I go inside and keep her company then? I don't want her to be all lonely and stuff after she was so nice for me..."
  1607. >Master sighs
  1608. >"I'm sorry Grace, I have to insist. Corona," Master says, pointing toward the house, "Inside. Now."
  1609. "It's okay little one, I'll be fine. It was nice to see you again," you say before taking the plate in your mouth
  1610. >"I love you Corona! I'll come see you again soon okay?"
  1611. >you look back over your shoulder at the group one last time before the door is closed behind you
  1612.  
  1613. --------------------------------
  1614.  
  1615. "Yep, hope you had a nice visit. Thanks again for all the help," you say, standing in the front doorway on wobbly legs. "Grace isn't too disappointed that Corona had to spend the rest of her visit inside, is she?"
  1616. >"Nah, I'll talk to her about that. She'll understand... I think. If not, she'll just have to accept that it's none of our business how you discipline your ponies. She knows you don't mistreat 'em or anything."
  1617. >you put a hand on the back of your neck
  1618. "Yeah well, her punishment has a... physical component to it as well..."
  1619. >he pauses for a moment, then shrugs
  1620. >"Like I said, none of our business."
  1621. "The only reason I bring it up is I'm kind of concerned what kind of impact it'll have on Grace if she finds out. I mean, I'll order them not to talk to her about it, but if she DOES find out-"
  1622. >"Gracie loves your ponies, Anon, but they're still YOUR ponies - YOUR slaves. If she finds out you have to take a whip to them now and then, I'll have that talk with her when the time comes. But I think for now I've got enough on my plate with her to deal with..."
  1623. >you nod your head awkwardly
  1624. "Right," you say with a sigh. "Sorry. Standing here rambling on while... erm... is Camille still planning on moving back to France?"
  1625. >"...yeah, and she wants to take Gracie with her now. So that's going to be a big mess..."
  1626. "Good luck with all of that," you say, avoiding looking at him when you hear the frustration and sorrow in his voice.
  1627. >"I think things will turn out okay eventually. It's just going to be really hard on our little girl... I really appreciate you letting her spend time with your ponies. It's the only time I ever see her smile anymore. Even so, I'd just hate for her to get too attached to them and then have to..." he says, his voice wavering as it trails off
  1628.  
  1629. "Hey, she's welcome to them any time," you offer. "The work that needs done around here can always wait. Giving Gracie all the support she needs to get through this is much more important."
  1630. >"Even though the mare... y'know..." he hesitates
  1631. "I guarantee she's safe with her," you reassure him. "I won't ever let them out of my sight."
  1632. >"I wasn't really worried too much about that. I mean, I watched them like a hawk today, and she took good care of her. I was just going to say though, if she's restricted to the house, how-"
  1633. "We'll figure something out. Shining can keep her company when she comes over for the most part, he seems to be her favorite anyway. If she wants a pony ride I'll let Corona out of the house for that, since it's technically work. Here in a few weeks though I think Shiny will have put on enough weight for some light riding. I'll have him fitted for a saddle so she can start taking him out for rides instead."
  1634. >"You're gonna keep the mare inside that long?"
  1635. >you let out a long sigh
  1636. "I haven't decided yet. We'll see how things go. To be completely honest, after what happened I would really rather Grace spend her visits with Shining anyway. I think he can be trusted with her without my supervision, and that'll also free me up to take Corona out to get some work done while he entertains her."
  1637. >he nods as the wind starts to pick up, chilling the both of you as a few drops of rain start to patter onto your surroundings
  1638. >"Okay then," he says, briskly rubbing his arms. "Well, we better get back before this storm rolls in. Take care, buddy"
  1639. "You too. Be safe driving back" you say, closing the door as he turns toward the car where his daughter is waiting.
  1640. >He just barely manages to take a seat behind the wheel in time to keep from getting soaked as the storm clouds overhead really open up, the house shaking with a long roll of low, rumbling thunder
  1641.  
  1642. >Shining is laying on the couch watching tv, letting out a satisfied sigh as he yawns and stretches, reveling in the warmth of the house and the sensation of a full belly
  1643. >he doesn't even seem to notice when you walk right past the wheelchair in what, to an outside observer, might appear as a drunken stupor, and plop down into your recliner
  1644. >you glance over at the tv and roll your eyes, not at all surprised at what's playing out on the screen
  1645. "Don't you ever get sick of this show?"
  1646. >he shifts around until he's laying on his side, shrugging his shoulders with a soft snort and flicking his tail as his hind hooves dangle over the edge of the cushions
  1647. >you place a hand on your forehead as you lean back and close your eyes, hoping the throbbing in your skull that's developing passes instead of erupting into a full blown migraine
  1648. >"So I'm just gonna be a little girl's riding pony now?"
  1649. >you suppress a groan
  1650. "Shiny please, not right now..."
  1651. >"I wasn't trying to be sarcastic or anything, Anon," he says apologetically in a somewhat softer tone.
  1652. "You're still going to be helping me and Corona with stuff that needs done around here, eventually. I think taking Grace for some rides will be a nice way to ease you back into work, if nothing else."
  1653. >"I'm okay with that actually... I mean, not that you asked for my opinion or anything"
  1654. "You really like her, don't you?"
  1655. >he smiles
  1656. >"She brings out my paternal side, I guess. I'll probably never get to see my little Flurry Heart again... well, she's probably not so little anymore, she'll have grown quite a bit since the last time I saw her... wonder if she'd even remember me..." he says morosely, pausing and shaking his head. "Anyway, spending time with Gracie is the closest thing I'll ever get to being a daddy again..."
  1657. >he doesn't seem to be paying attention to the tv anymore when you open an eye and glance over at him
  1658.  
  1659. >"Hey Anon, why don't you have a family?"
  1660. "That's a pretty personal question, Shiny"
  1661. >"I was just curious is all, I meant no disrespect."
  1662. "I just never got around to it, I guess. Less hassle, nobody to have to worry about taking care of or disappointing... nobody depending on me or missing me when I'm gone."
  1663. >"You say that like it's too late to change your mind..."
  1664. >you just shrug
  1665. "I'm not getting any younger, Shiny, and I'm not much of a ladies' man either. I can't be assed to start chasing women again at my age, I just don't have the patience or the energy for all the bullshit and mind games that go along with it. It's just not worth it."
  1666. >"I don't know if I really agree with that. Maybe it's different with humans, but when you love somepo- someone..." his voice trails off. "I don't know, I'll guess I'll shut up now."
  1667. "You must really miss your wife..."
  1668. >"Can we please not talk about her?" he nearly whimpers. "Let's... let's just change the subject."
  1669. "Sorry."
  1670. >"If you were really sorry you'd be helping me try to find her..." he snaps at you harshly
  1671. "Hey, watch that tone of voice," you chide. "Don't forget who you're talking to."
  1672. >"I know, Anon... I just... don't YOU think I've forgotten what I am here, either. Stuff like that is going to slip out from time to time. And believe me, my status is something I think about a LOT ever since Sparky... I betrayed one of my own kind for you. Maybe YOU shouldn't forget about THAT or take it so lightly."
  1673. "Enough, Shiny," you command. "I told you I'm not in the mood for this."
  1674. >"You know, if you'd never had slaves in the first place you wouldn't have gotten hurt the way you did."
  1675. "Shiny..." you grumble threateningly
  1676. >"So in a way, it's kind of your own fault that-"
  1677.  
  1678. >*CRACK!*
  1679. >the unicorn wears a stunned expression on his face as he slowly turns his head to look at you, your arm shaking and hand stinging from where it connected with his hindquarters
  1680. >you're even surprised yourself that you managed to leap from your seat and close the distance between the two of you so quickly
  1681. "Go... go to your fucking room, Shiny. We're done. I told you I'm not in the mood for that attitude right now, you ungrateful little shit, now GO!" you bark angrily, rubbing your temples for a moment, and still trembling as you point toward the hallway.
  1682. >"Anon, you don't look so good..." he says, hopping down from the sofa, shrugging off the slap to his rear end like it was nothing
  1683. >you close your eyes tight, gritting your teeth as you rub them with a thumb and middle finger
  1684. "Don't make me repeat myself, Shiny. Go to your room. Now. And tell Corona to get her ass out here," you growl, pulling your belt through the loops holding it in place on your pants before returning to your seat and leaning forward with a hand on either side of your head
  1685.  
  1686. --------------------------------
  1687.  
  1688. "No."
  1689. >Anon slowly turns his head to look at you
  1690. >"What?"
  1691. "I said no, Anon. I don't know what's gotten into you, but this... this isn't you. I'm not going to send Corona out here to-"
  1692. >his eye twitches
  1693. >"That's none of your business, Shiny. Just do as you're told or I'll whip your ass right alongside hers."
  1694. >you snort and sit on your haunches in front of him, refusing to budge
  1695. >he stares at the floor in a daze for a few moments, and you take the opportunity to snag the belt from his grip
  1696. >suddenly he smiles, lifting his head and slowly shaking it as he gives a soft chuckle under his breath, bringing a hand to your chin
  1697. >"Shiny Shiny Shiny..." he says with a sigh, leaning in close to you. "Such a stubborn little horse."
  1698. >his other hand reaches up and begins softly stroking your muzzle
  1699. >his lower jaw begins to tremble, and a pair of tears roll down his cheeks
  1700. >"I'm sorry I hit you just now, buddy."
  1701. >before you can reply, he's on his knees in front of you with his arms wrapped around you in a tight hug and crying softly
  1702. "Uh... there there?" you say in a baffled tone
  1703. >"You're a good boy, Shiny. My little buddy," he says as he strokes your neck, back, and withers
  1704. >he pulls back, and your head reels as the back of his hand strikes your cheek harshly
  1705. >"DON'T YOU DARE FUCKING DISOBEY ME!"
  1706. >you wince briefly, that really stung
  1707. >whatever's going on right now though, you'd rather he get it out of his system on you than Corona
  1708. >you shudder to think how badly he'd hurt her in such an unstable state
  1709. "I think you need help, Anon," you say, taking a few steps back and rubbing your cheek with a hoof
  1710. >"I don't need any help, I can whip your ass on my own!" he growls, stumbling toward you as he picks the belt back up
  1711. >he loses his balance, and you take a step to the side, allowing him to plow face-first into the floor
  1712. >"Hold... still"
  1713.  
  1714. >standing over him, you place a forehoof between his shoulder blades and press him into the floor
  1715. >"Damn it Shiny, get... off me!"
  1716. >you're hardly even putting any weight into it
  1717. >he begins laughing hysterically
  1718. >"Hahaha! Okay okay," he says, his entire body shaking with each laugh, "you got me, buddy, you got me! You win!"
  1719. >he tosses the belt aside, spreading his arms out in front of him
  1720. >"I surrender, you smelly little stallion!"
  1721. "I think you should go to bed, Anon. Sleep this off."
  1722. >"Don't you tell me what to do, SLAVE!" he growls harshly
  1723. "Or what?"
  1724. >"I'll whip you! I'll whip you so hard that... that..."
  1725. >he goes completely silent and simply stares off into space
  1726. >"Shiny? What's going on?"
  1727. >you blink a few times, not responding
  1728. >"How'd I get on the floor... why are you pinning me do-"
  1729. >"Did uh... did we get into a fight or something?" he stammers
  1730. >you cautiously remove your hoof, allowing him to roll over and sit upright
  1731. "You really have no idea what just happened?"
  1732. >he shakes his head
  1733. "Well, you hit me. Twice, actually. And I'm pretty sure you were about to beat Corona until I stopped you.'
  1734. >he places a hand on the side of his head and groans loudly
  1735. "Why don't we get you into bed, Anon... I think you need some rest..." you urge
  1736. >thankfully, he doesn't resist this time, nodding in agreement
  1737. >"Yeah."
  1738. >he places a hand on your withers, pulling himself to his feet as you stand next to him
  1739. >"Steve's bringing Gracie over for a visit tomorrow. She's been wanting to see y-"
  1740. >You tilt your head as you turn your neck to look back at him as he continues to steady himself by leaning on you
  1741. "That was today, Anon... actually, they just left not too long ago."
  1742. >"Oh..." he says nearly at a whisper. "Right... So, what do you want for dinner?"
  1743. "We already ate, Anon. We all had pizza. You ordered it yourself."
  1744. >"I did?"
  1745. >you have a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach as his confusion only seems to intensify
  1746.  
  1747. >Anon's odd behavior combined with what he'd told you earlier... well, it's more than a little troubling
  1748. >he might be worse off than you thought
  1749. >"My mind is just so foggy right now..."
  1750. "Shh... no more questions. Let's just get you to bed, okay? Maybe by morning the fog will have lifted."
  1751. >"Okay."
  1752. >slowly the two of you make your way down the hall, and to his room
  1753. >"You're a good boy, Shiny," he says as he takes a seat on the edge of his bed. He reaches forward and gives your ear a scratch. "Love ya, pal."
  1754. >he blinks a few times, eyes darting around the room for a moment before he smiles at you
  1755. >"Oh, good morning Shiny! I'm not late for my doctor's appointment, am I? You know, Steve was going to bring Gracie by afterward and..."
  1756. >you climb up on the bed next to him
  1757. "Anon... lay down."
  1758. >"But..."
  1759. "Please just lay down," you plead with him softly
  1760. >"I need to take a shower, maybe I'll make us pancakes for breakfast and... why do you sound so worried?"
  1761. "Anon, I'll explain everything later. Just trust me for now, okay?"
  1762. >"Of course I trust you, Corona. Let's get you hitched up to-"
  1763. >you pull back the blankets
  1764. "Sleep, Anon."
  1765. >"I don't wanna..." he says, sounding like a stubborn foal even as he swings his legs up onto the bed and rests his head on the pillow
  1766. "Anon, sleep," you say more firmly, draping the blanket back over him as he closes his eyes and begins to mumble
  1767. >you get the feeling it's going to be a long night
  1768.  
  1769. --------------------------------
  1770.  
  1771. >you stretch and yawn loudly, joints snapping in the cold morning air
  1772. >it's been a while since you slept so well
  1773. >you find yourself gravitating toward a nearby source of warmth, still not opening your eyes as your body fights to cling to a few more precious seconds of rest
  1774. >instinctively you wrap your arms around the warm body next to you, murmuring and muttering as your eyes slowly open
  1775. >the first thing you see is the white coat of the stallion lying on top of the blankets beside you
  1776. >he takes slow, deep, steady breaths, his nostrils flaring and a breathy nicker escaping his throat as his lip quivers, still sound asleep, an ear subtly twitching as he dreams
  1777. >you don't remember him climbing into bed with you
  1778. >maybe he had another nightmare or something
  1779. >you sit up in bed, careful not to disturb him
  1780. >though your effort is in vain, as he's soon lifting his head, blinking his eyes open with a deep yawn of his own
  1781. "Good morning, Shiny."
  1782. >he sits up on his haunches, arching his back as he stretches his neck toward the ceiling
  1783. >"Let me guess, you don't remember anything about last night, do you?"
  1784. >you hesitate for a few moments as you attempt to recall the events of the previous day
  1785. "I just remember Steve was over, we had a few beers and..."
  1786. >your eyes shoot open
  1787. "I didn't try to uh... do stuff with you, did I?"
  1788. >his expression matches yours the instant he realizes what you're thinking
  1789. >"Oh CELESTIA no, nothing like that..." he says with a frustrated snort
  1790. "Oh thank heavens..." you say, putting a hand on your forehead and closing your eyes. "Don't know how I'd be able to look at myself in the mirror again if I tried something like that with one of you..."
  1791. >you chuckle
  1792. "I get kinda lovey dovey sometimes when I've had a few too many and-"
  1793. >"You weren't. You didn't," you're abruptly interrupted
  1794. >he hops down from the bed
  1795.  
  1796. >"And you weren't exactly affectionate, either," he says as he starts toward the bedroom door
  1797. "Oh... Why were you in here?"
  1798. >"Someone had to keep an eye on you. You were totally out of it. You hit me. Angrily," he says
  1799. >you bite your lip as you swing your legs over the edge of the bed, resting your hands on your knees as your head hangs with a hint of shame
  1800. "I don't remember that..."
  1801. >"Well I do. You weren't yourself. I figured it was because of that bump on your head, so I can't really blame you for it too much I guess. But you should know, you probably would have hurt Corona badly if someone hadn't intervened."
  1802. >Corona...
  1803. >you quietly hope you weren't too harsh with her yesterday
  1804. >better go check on her to make sure
  1805. >you stand up, noticing that it's a little easier to keep your balance than it had been for the last couple of days
  1806. "I appreciate it, Shiny..."
  1807. >he simply shrugs
  1808. >"I don't expect a pat on the back for exercising a little common sense... and besides, keeping an eye on you was as much for my and Corona's sakes as it was yours, so my motives weren't entirely selfless. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to snag some of that leftover pizza for breakfast."
  1809. >following closely after him, you slowly turn the handle to their bedroom door as you and Shining part ways
  1810.  
  1811. >the little mare is sound asleep on her bed, and you quietly slip into the room, sitting down next to her, just watching her sleep
  1812. >her eyes open as your weight shifts on the bed, and right away her ears flatten as her head lifts off the pillow
  1813. >"Master... I'm sorry... did I oversleep?"
  1814. "No."
  1815. >she flinches when you reach toward her and gently scratch her ear
  1816. >"P...please don't, Master..." she says, shrinking away from your touch
  1817. >her demeanor isn't fearful, but full of shame as though she feels she doesn't deserve any expression of affection from you
  1818. "Corona, I think it's time we cleared the air between us."
  1819. >she avoids eye contact with you, not moving or saying anything in response
  1820. "I want to make you an offer," you say as you scoot closer to her, and she flicks an ear in your direction. "I don't need to hear excuses or explanations about what happened. It's in the past now. I just need to know I can trust you to never do anything like that again, no matter what. I can tell you regret it... whether that's for my sake or yours, I don't really care. I know you're sorry."
  1821.  
  1822. >"Yes, Master..." she mutters
  1823. "I gave Shiny a chance for a clean slate, so I guess it's only really fair that I offer you the same thing."
  1824. >"Clean slate?"
  1825. "A chance to start over. For us to both move past what happened."
  1826. >she slowly tilts her head toward you
  1827. >"Start over?"
  1828. >you nod
  1829. "Why don't we go ahead and get that belting out of the way, and after that we can pretend nothing ever happened. Your punishment will be over. You can have your tub and outdoor privileges back as well. I don't want this to keep hanging over us and causing tension... maybe this will assuage your guilt a little as well."
  1830. >"I don't know if I can ever forget, Master..."
  1831. >you shake your head
  1832. "I don't expect you to forget. I don't think either one of us will. I just want to put this behind us, and I'm sure you do too."
  1833. >"I... I don't know, Master... I..."
  1834. >you place a hand on top of her head, and she flinches again
  1835. "I just need a yes or no, Corona. Are you ready to move on or not?"
  1836. >she begins trembling, swallowing a lump in her throat as she finally looks into your eyes
  1837. >"yessir..."
  1838.  
  1839. --------------------------------
  1840.  
  1841. >you hop down from the bed, following closely on Master's heels, your head drooping as your heart climbs into your throat
  1842. >in a way, his offer comes as something of a relief
  1843. >you know he's right
  1844. >this is the only way you're ever going to forgive yourself for hurting him
  1845. >well, maybe not forgive yourself
  1846. >but at least be able to look at him without your stomach twisting up in knots with guilt
  1847. >you shudder as he closes and locks his bedroom door behind him
  1848. >briefly glancing up at him, you see no joy or pleasure in his expression
  1849. >in fact, you see nothing but doubt and hesitation
  1850. "W...what should I do, Master?"
  1851. >"Just lean over the bed for me, girl. Keep your tail out of the way and don't squirm around too much."
  1852. >you bite your lip as he takes the belt in his hand and doubles it over
  1853. >it's not a whip, but you're still shivering in anticipation of the pain
  1854. >regardless of how much you feel like you deserve this, you start to have second thoughts as your eyes dart between him and the door
  1855. >something doesn't feel right...
  1856. "Master..." you whimper, scooting back on your haunches
  1857. >"Shhhh..." he says calmly as he approaches you. "Lean over the bed, Corona. Let's get this over with."
  1858. "I... I don't..." you say, clamping your tail tightly against your rump
  1859. >"Don't make this any harder on either of us than it already is. Lean over the bed," he says a bit more firmly.
  1860. >your efforts to steel your resolve are fruitless, your shaking and trembling intensifying as you slowly turn around, laying on your belly on top of his bed
  1861. >your hind legs dangle over the side, tail still clamped down tightly as you close your eyes
  1862. >you jump when Master places one of his pillows underneath your head
  1863. >"This is gonna hurt, Corona. It's supposed to hurt. But I promise you'll be okay. If you need to cry out you go right ahead."
  1864.  
  1865. >you bite a corner of the pillow, already pressing your face into it as Master takes a step back
  1866. >"Now move your tail, girl," he says softly. "Move your tail out of the way for me."
  1867. >when you fail to comply, you feel him tug on it, lifting it to the side
  1868. >"Keep it right there."
  1869. >all at once the sound of the leather implement sailing through the air, followed by a deafening "CRACK!" meets your ears
  1870. >you're taken aback, unprepared for the sharp, sudden pain on the skin of your rump as the first blow is delivered, which the soft winter coat that's just starting to grow in on your hide does little to cushion
  1871. >a gasp catches in your throat, but before you can utter a sound a second "CRACK!" as loud as a gunshot echoes off the walls of the room
  1872. >your body flinches and a loud whinny finally erupts from your muzzle, a whinny which quickly breaks down into a stuttering sob as a third "CRACK!" mercilessly assaults your ears, followed by a fourth and fifth in rapid succession
  1873. >your tail immediately moves to block the next blow, but you feel it tugged up and out of the way once again - and held there this time
  1874. >every instinct is telling you to jump from the bed and burst through the door, to escape the searing pain on your hindquarters
  1875. >or to buck
  1876. >kick
  1877. >bite
  1878. >fight back with all your strength
  1879. >anything to make the pain stop
  1880. >but you grit your teeth and force yourself to endure it, your front hooves curling over the pillow in front of you, pulling it tightly against your muzzle as your body heaves with loud sobs
  1881. >you lose count after the fifteenth stroke, hyperventilating as the pain becomes overwhelming
  1882. >it's too much for you to handle, and you feel yourself scrambling up onto the bed, trying to climb over it
  1883. >though a pair of hands quickly wraps around your hind fetlocks and pulls you back into position
  1884. >you look back over your shoulder just as two more strokes connect, the sound of each every bit as harsh and merciless as the lash of a whip
  1885.  
  1886. >there's considerable force behind the swings, though you still see no hint of emotion on Master's face as he delivers several more blows
  1887. >it occurs to you at some point that you'd begun to beg him to stop, though your pleas for mercy fall on deaf - though not unsympathetic - ears, as you see tears welling up in his eyes
  1888. >his face is red, and he's beginning to sweat and breath heavily with exertion
  1889. >he wavers and wobbles, stumbling for a moment before swinging again, this time connecting with your hind legs just above your hocks, where you immediately feel a fresh pair of welts rising on what up until now had been an untouched area
  1890. >you gasp and choke on your cries, just wanting the pain to stop
  1891. >nobody's hurt you this bad since... since...
  1892. >you try to shake off the thought
  1893. >Master is different...
  1894. >CRACK!
  1895. >he's not like the others...
  1896. >CRACK! CRACK!
  1897. >he...
  1898. >CRACK!
  1899. >he has to be finished soon...
  1900. >CRACK!
  1901. >surely he's seen by now that you've had enough
  1902. >CRACK! CRACK!
  1903. >he knows how sorry you are...
  1904. >CRACK!
  1905. >that you've been punished sufficiently
  1906. >CRACK!
  1907. >you hear a loud banging on the bedroom door, the sound of your cries having long since stopped
  1908. >it takes considerable effort just to inhale, feeling yourself on the edge of consciousness
  1909. >CRACK!
  1910. >your entire backside is on fire
  1911. >from your croup and tail dock
  1912. >all the way down the backs of your hind legs
  1913. >he's worked you over good
  1914. >you didn't know it was possible to be in this much pain
  1915. >it doesn't even matter how many more blows he delivers at this point
  1916. >you let out a low, long and mournful wail when you finally manage to catch your breath
  1917. >each welt throbs and stings, feeling as though the blows are continuing every time
  1918. >even though you realize by now that Master has finally stopped
  1919.  
  1920. >you choke, and cough, and sputter
  1921. >you just want the fire in your backside to be put out
  1922. >but this is what happens, isn't it?
  1923. >when you're a slave
  1924. >when you disobey your Master
  1925. >when you hurt him
  1926. >you deserve this
  1927. >and if he decided to lash you with the belt a thousand more times
  1928. >or even take a whip to your miserable hide
  1929. >you'd deserve that too
  1930. >you belong to him
  1931. >you're his slave
  1932. >just a slave...
  1933. >a stupid, disobedient little slave...
  1934. >he's sitting on the bed next to you, a hand resting on your withers as your tail flails and swishes wildly, uncontrollably from the agony
  1935. >he calmly pulls you into his lap
  1936. >you'll be a good girl from now on
  1937. >you don't ever want to hurt this badly again
  1938. >you hear yelling, and in a haze of suffering you briefly lift your head to see Shining Armor sitting on his haunches next to the bed
  1939. >you can't tell what he's saying, but he's very angry
  1940. >he should be careful not to take such a tone with his Master...
  1941. >but Master doesn't seem upset or angry
  1942. >instead he focuses on you
  1943. >though he does nothing to soothe or stop the pain still pulsing through your backside, he begins softly stroking your back as he pulls you close
  1944. >"It's over, girl. It's over. It's all over," he says to you softly
  1945. >"I forgive you..."
  1946.  
  1947. >you writhe in his grasp, and finally - mercifully - the pain begins to dull little by little
  1948. >a wave of relief washes over you as he repeats himself
  1949. >"I forgive you, Corona. I forgive you..."
  1950. >Shining is still carrying on, but you don't even care
  1951. >all that matters is that you're forgiven
  1952. >your Master forgives you
  1953. >he's not going to get rid of you
  1954. >he doesn't hate you for what you did
  1955. >you nearly killed...
  1956. >you nearly...
  1957. >it doesn't matter now
  1958. >you're forgiven
  1959. >you're forgiven...
  1960. >a smile tugs at the corners of your mouth, and your trembling ceases as you relax into Master's embrace
  1961. >and it IS an embrace, he's not simply tolerating your presence
  1962. >he's hugging you close
  1963. >stroking you affectionately
  1964. >he didn't enjoy what he just did
  1965. >he never wanted to hurt you
  1966. >he's here for you
  1967. >he's different
  1968. >he's not like the others...
  1969. >they wouldn't have cared how badly they just hurt you...
  1970. >they wouldn't hold you like this
  1971. >they wouldn't love you like he does
  1972. "I love you, Master..." you coo with your eyes closed, in an exhausted and delirious state even as the throbbing on your rump continues "I love you, Master..."
  1973.  
  1974.  
  1975.  
  1976.  
  1977.  
  1978. >the wind whips and howls furiously against the outside of the house, sounding as though a beast from Tartarus itself is perched on the roof, bent on ripping the entire structure from its foundation
  1979. >peering through the window yeilds little more than an eyefull of blinding white, there's no question that winter has arrived in full force
  1980. >it's been almost two months since... since your punishment
  1981. >you try not to think back on it too much
  1982. >but on bleak, dreary days like this it creeps into your mind, along with even less pleasant memories you wish you could somehow leave buried in the past and never ruminate on again
  1983. >Master hasn't laid a hand on you in anger since that day
  1984. >it was something of a relief that he'd dismissed your murmurs of affection with a wave of his hand and never brought it up again
  1985. >to this day he probably has no idea...
  1986. >you wish you didn't feel this way
  1987. >but his tender touch
  1988. >his calm voice
  1989. >his gentle demeanor
  1990. >all of it...
  1991. >you've only continued to spiral deeper and deeper, hopelessly in love
  1992. >any trace of the shame you'd felt about it before has long since evaporated
  1993. >nothing else but Master's approval seems to even matter anymore...
  1994. >"...and we're seeing record low temperatures across the tri-state region as winter storm Hugo rages across our entire viewing area, some areas seeing as much as 16 inches of snowfall over the last 48 hours, with the worst still yet to come..." the television drones on in the background
  1995. >your ear twitches and flicks as you give a soft sigh, your breath casting a light fog over the windowpane in front of your muzzle as you stare out into the nothingness
  1996. >you don't understand this human predilection with naming weather phenomena
  1997. >the cold weather isn't something you're very fond of
  1998. >but Merribelle used to love the snow
  1999. >so did your sisters, back in Equestria
  2000.  
  2001. >your eyes squint closed painfully as you push back tears that struggle to escape, ears flattening as your mind continues to wander back to the ponies you love
  2002. >or loved...
  2003. >poor Merribelle...
  2004. >you can't help but wonder
  2005. >was there anyone there to comfort her as she drew her last pained, dying breaths
  2006. >how terrified she must have been...
  2007. >how lonely
  2008. >and how senseless her death was
  2009. >Merribelle was such a gentle soul...
  2010. >never would have raised a hoof against any human, regardless of how she'd been treated
  2011. >it's just not fair that fate had been so cruel
  2012. >sometimes you wish it'd been you instead of her
  2013. >even if she never got to savor the sweet taste of freedom, at the very least she deserved a home with someone that would care for her the way you've been cared for by Master
  2014. >you whimper and shiver, jumping as a warm and fuzzy blanket is spread over you, startled for a fraction of a second until you feel Master's hand on top of your head
  2015. >"You should really come away from that window, girl, you'll be warmer over here by the fire with me and Shiny."
  2016. >you simply nod in response, but remain where you are as you continue to stare
  2017. >Master sighs, taking a seat at what you've learned is called a "computer," and fritters away his time with some task you can't even begin to contemplate
  2018. >it's been nice to have him home
  2019. >there were some lasting effects as a result of his... his "incident"
  2020. >some short lapses of memory
  2021. >temporary confusion
  2022. >nothing too serious
  2023. >enough that he prefers to avoid travelling anywhere now though
  2024. >there had been some concerns that tough times might be ahead when he mentioned the possibility of being forced out of his job due to his circumstances
  2025. >but thankfully, his superiors were kind enough to allow him to do his work from home for the forseeable future
  2026. >you're still not sure exactly what it is that he does...
  2027. >work around Master's property has come along quite nicely
  2028.  
  2029. >faster than he expected, you think, as he showers you with praise for all the hard work you put in just about every chance he gets
  2030. >Shining Armor even started to pitch in and help however he could as his figure filled out a little more day by day
  2031. >he's come a long way as well
  2032. >a far cry from the scrawny, weak pony he had been all those weeks ago as a result of earlier neglect
  2033. >he now stands a powerful, imposing and impressive figure of a stallion
  2034. >hardly a trace of fat anywhere on his solid, muscular body
  2035. >his mane and coat pristine and immaculate
  2036. >most of the scarring and whip marks on his body have blended with his fuzzy winter coat in a way as to render them rather inconspicuous
  2037. >at first glance you'd never have guessed he'd ever been treated poorly, abused or neglected
  2038. >Master seems quite proud of him, too
  2039. >they butt heads far less frequently as of late, and Master often sits alongside him on the sofa with an arm around his back or withers as they watch television together
  2040. >you've even caught him enjoying a good ear scratch now and then when he thought you weren't looking
  2041. >they work quite well together as a team, too
  2042. >much to your surprise, Shining hadn't balked at the idea of doing work for Master when the time came
  2043. >he even smiled a bit when he started asking him to get out and help the two of you, glad to finally have something to do or feel useful, you'd imagine
  2044. >you'd watched them in awe as they did things that were a little too labor intensive for you to do alone
  2045. >before this cold snap settled in, they'd tackled some pretty demanding tasks
  2046. >they knocked down that old barn all on their own, as you hauled cartload after cartload of debris away
  2047. >Shining is shockingly good at pulling
  2048. >you imagine he'd even give a few regular Earth-native workhorses a good run for their money
  2049. >his harness is similar to yours, although with more chains usually attached to some kind of long metal bar at the back that would simply drag the ground when not in use
  2050.  
  2051. >bigger, heavier chains would be attached to that bar and secured to whatever the payload happened to be at the moment, which varied quite a bit on a day to day basis
  2052. >the first time he was ever hitched to it was the day the three of you tore down the old barn
  2053. >you'd watch him struggle and strain against the leather of the harness, working up a significant sweat that would lather up into a foam on various parts of his body
  2054. >Master stood behind him, a long pair of reins in his hands that he almost never used for anything other than reassuring Shining that he was still right there with him, shouting words of encouragement that to some might sound harsh, or the type of yelling a cruel taskmaster would inflict on an exhausted slave too tired to finish their task
  2055. >but Shining seemed to bask in it, strangely
  2056. >that satisfied smirk on his face as section after section of the rotted old structure came crashing down due to his efforts is the only time you can ever remember seeing a pony in chains actually smile, even as he stood huffing and puffing, shaking from the strain and dripping sweat
  2057. >there had been a large stump in the ground not too far from the old barn that he'd taken upon himself as a personal challenge
  2058. >the first few times he'd tried to pull it up were fruitless
  2059. >regardless of how much hacking and digging Master did around its base, the snaking tendrils of roots continued to secure the stubborn old tree base firmly into the ground
  2060. >one day before you'd even gotten out of bed, you could faintly hear a bit of yelling coming from outside
  2061. >when you went to investigate, you'd found Shining all harnessed up, chained to that same old stump in the ground, Master standing behind him as always
  2062. >except this time they both looked angry
  2063. >shining squealed, snarled, snorted, flicked his tail wildly, groaning and grumbling loudly as he pulled with every ounce of strength he had in his body against the seemingly immovable object
  2064.  
  2065. >Master snapped the reins harshly against the stallion's rump time and time again, yelling until his voice was hoarse
  2066. >"HAH! HYAH! HYAH! GET UP 'ER SHINY, GET IT! GET IT!" he barked harshly
  2067. >the stallion whinnied and roared as his hooves began to dig deep ruts in the dirt beneath him
  2068. >the scene before you was somehow both mesmerizing and terrifying
  2069. >Shining would falter, take a moment or two to catch his breath, then go right back to pulling as the reins lashed against his hindquarters with a sound far too reminiscent of a whipcrack
  2070. >although if it was painful, he never let it show, as he seemed to be worlds away mentally, entirely focused on the task at hand
  2071. >eventually you heard the creaking and splintering of wood as the old stump, with great protest, began to relinquish its hold on the earth below
  2072. >"'AT'S IT SHINY, IT'S COMING! HYAH!" Master's voice filled the air with newfound excitement, resounding throughout your surroundings with a lasting echo
  2073. >again, the whiplike reins kissed at the stallion's croup, the sound like a gunshot echoing through the air right alongside Master's voice
  2074. >"C'MON BOY, GET IT! GET IT! GET THAT SONUVVA BITCH!" he yelled
  2075. >with a loud CRACK the first large root, nearly as big around as your foreleg, snapped in two and rose from the ground, large busted up pieces of sod raining down from it as the stump continued to slowly lurch forward at an agonizingly slow rate
  2076. >"GET IT! GET IT BOY, GET IT! HYAH! YAH! YAH!" Master continued. "YOU GOT THIS, BOY, YOU GOT THIS! GO GO GO! GET IT! GET IT!"
  2077. >finally, with an unceremonious whine and crackle, the stump laid over onto its side, all but a few of the smaller roots hanging in the air in defeat, which quickly snapped in two after a couple of whacks from Master's shovel
  2078. >at that moment, Shining began to buck and kick in his harness, whinnying and laughing in celebration
  2079.  
  2080. >"GOOD BOY! GOOD BOY SHINY, GOOD BOY!" Master said, patting him on the withers as the two of them struggled to catch their breath, Master almost catching a hind hoof to his midsection from the stallion's celebration
  2081. >you're still not entirely sure what the whole thing was about, but it definitely seemed to be a bonding moment for the two of them
  2082. >a smile tugs at the corners of your mouth for a brief moment
  2083. >though he would never admit it, the stallion is finally learning to accept his life here
  2084. >and slowly learning to find his own happiness in it
  2085. >you're fairly certain the relationship he has with little Gracie has helped with that by quite a bit
  2086. >she visits as often as she can
  2087. >and you can't help but to think what a wonderful father Shining Armor would have been to his filly whenever she's around
  2088. >it makes the secret you've been hiding from him that much more difficult to maintain, and it continues to eat away at your heart even now
  2089. >if he knew where his wife and daughter were... he'd throw all of this away, you're certain of it
  2090. >something about keeping their whereabouts hidden from him still feels wrong though
  2091. >maybe it's not your right to keep this information from him, but you refuse to knowingly take a part in destroying the little bit of happiness he's finally managed to find in his bondage
  2092. >and besides, Master knows as well
  2093. >and a call like that is his to make
  2094. >you're certain he'll tell Shining when he feels the moment is right
  2095. >Master sits back in his chair with a stretch and a yawn, the device in front of him crackling with static electricity as it powers down
  2096. >"Damn, work was irritating today" he grumbles as you casually turn your head to look over at him again. "Corona, come girl," he beckons you over as he makes his way over to the recliner, which he's positioned closer to the fireplace
  2097.  
  2098. >the blanket draped over you drags the floor, and you begin to feel the radiant warmth of the fire warming your body as you approach, Shining napping on the floor a little closer to it
  2099. >you lie down on the floor as well, next to Master's chair as he strokes your mane with one hand, holding a book in the other, the next couple of hours passing in complete silence, save for the sounds of crackling firewood
  2100. >eventually he leans forward, gently prodding the sleepy stallion in front of him to wake up as he folds the book and sets it aside
  2101. >"Shiny, wake up buddy" he says softly as he rocks the stallion from side to side with his foot, the stallion's tail barely rising and falling to the floor in a tired swish of protest
  2102. >eventually he sits up, stretching and yawning as Master leaves the room for several minutes, returning with a couple of decoratively wrapped boxes
  2103. >"You two know about Christmas, right?"
  2104. >you both nod, having heard enough about it in your years here to have a pretty good idea of what it is
  2105. >sounds a lot like Hearthswarming back in Equestria, though the religious component is somewhat puzzling to you
  2106. >"I don't usually like to celebrate it... heck, don't usually have much reason to. And it's still a few days away anyway, but hey. I figured now is as good a time as any. I got each of you a gift," he says, pushing the smaller box toward Shining Armor. "Go on Shiny, open it."
  2107. >the stallion's curiosity is piqued and he eagerly begins tearing away the wrapping paper clumsily with his hooves and teeth, but eventually gets the box open
  2108. >a small, metallic circular device falls out of it and onto the floor in front of him
  2109. >"Uh... thanks, Anon... it's uh... it's... nice, I guess?" Shining says in confusion
  2110. >Master laughs
  2111. >"You have no idea what that is, do you?" he says, picking the device up and holding it in the palm of his hand
  2112. >Shining shakes his head, still looking confused
  2113. >"Look at the insert that was inside the box," Master urges him
  2114.  
  2115. >Shining glances down at the small piece of paper he'd somehow missed before
  2116. >"Equitek Unicorn Implant Attenuator" he reads out loud, before looking back up just as confused as before. "I still don't know what this is, Anon..."
  2117. >Master gets down on his knees on the floor in front of Shining Armor before crossing his legs and sitting down in a comfortable position, reaching forward and stroking the stallion's neck for a few moments
  2118. >"Shiny, I want you to know how much I appreciate you. And how much you mean to me, buddy. Some have told me this is a bad idea, but it's something I think is long overdue..." he says, slipping the device over Shining's horn
  2119. >he continues to stare, giving you a quick glance before turning his attention back to Master as he fumbles with his phone
  2120. >"Give me just a second here, Shiny..." he says, looking through the paper that fell from the box and occasionally fiddles with the device
  2121. >all at once Shining gasps loudly as though someone kicked him in the belly and his eyes go wide
  2122. >he snorts, trying to catch his breath and his eyes tear up
  2123. >you can't tell if that's a look of shock or fear on his face
  2124. >he sits on his haunches, each breath as heavy as though there were a two ton weight on his chest
  2125. >Master places a hand on the back of his neck and looks away for a moment
  2126. >"These things are pretty goddamned expensive," he says with a chuckle. "But hey, you're worth it, pal."
  2127. >you gasp loudly, seeing the unicorn's horn begin to glow as he trembles and shudders
  2128. >and then casts a spell
  2129. >a barrier spell
  2130. >then simple levitation
  2131.  
  2132. >"this has been in the work for a few weeks now... couldn't wait any longer, heh... the look on your face right now is just priceless..." Master says
  2133. >"Anon... Master... I... I don't know what to say... I..." Shining stammers as tears flow freely down his cheeks
  2134. >"I know it only dampens the implant a little bit, and it doesn't work unless you're wearing it... but hey, it's a start. I'm told if you can demonstrate you can be trusted with your magic - and the attenuator will track every time you use it - then I can have your implant removed surgically after 30 days with this, and I don't see that being a problem for you... so... Merry Christmas, Shin-OOMPH!"
  2135. >he nearly knocks Master over as he throws his forelegs around him and wraps him in a tight hug
  2136. >"THANK YOU! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANKYOU!" he says, followed by a long, drawn-out nicker as his tail swishes back and forth happily
  2137. >eventually he calms back down, laying down with his forelegs over Master's lap, leaning against him as Master idly strokes his side, not a single care in the world given about what you might think of his display of appreciation and affection for Master as he gives a contented sigh, closing his eyes
  2138. >Master scoots the other box over to you
  2139. >you're so flabbergasted by what just happened you'd entirely forgotten that there even was a second box
  2140. >whatever he's gotten you, how can it possibly compare to the gift he just gave Shining Armor?
  2141. >nervously, you begin tearing away at the wrapping paper
  2142.  
  2143.  
  2144. >the box underneath the colorful wrapping paper is just a plain, brown cardboard box, with a long strip of packing tape down the middle
  2145. >after a few failed attempts to get ahold of the end of the tape in your teeth, Master leans over and gets it started for you
  2146. >peeling it away, the top of the box pops open quietly, and you tilt your head to the side curiously, slowly poking a hoof inside, shuffling around bits of crumpled up paper, a piece here and there popping out over the edge as you rummage around
  2147. >eventually your hoof meets something soft and fuzzy
  2148. >peeking inside you see the end of a piece of dark red fabric, but can't tell what exactly it is quite yet
  2149. >grabbing the end of it in your teeth, you carefully pull until the object inside is released, spreading it out on the floor in front of yourself
  2150. >you look over at Master, who is now wriggling out from under Shining Armor and scooting closer to you
  2151. "It's a beautiful scarf, Master... thank you..." you say to him with a soft nicker
  2152. >"I know it can't really compare to the gift Shiny got, and I hope you're not too disappointed," he says, kneeling next to you and picking the fuzzy wool scarf up, setting it around your neck and tossing one end over the other
  2153. >you gasp slightly, realizing your tone had been less than enthusiastic
  2154. >you didn't mean to sound ungrateful
  2155. "Oh no, Master, not at all... it's lovely, I-"
  2156. >he places a hand gently over your muzzle
  2157. >"This scarf, it was hand-knit for me a very long time ago," he says with a warm smile, looking into your eyes as he gently brushes a few stray strands of mane away from your face, "by someone who loved me very, very much."
  2158. >a warmth begins to creep over your cheeks, and you feel your heart beat just a little faster
  2159. >"I had almost forgotten I even had it, but I came across it a few days ago going through some old stuff of mine, clearing out some space out in the storage shed."
  2160.  
  2161. >he takes the end of the scarf in his hand and slowly rubs it between his thumb and fingers, letting out a somber sigh
  2162. >"it wasn't doing anybody any good out there. Heh. It looks nice on you, too," he says, even as he looks slightly away from you
  2163. "Master?" you say softly, "if I may ask... who made this for you? You seem so sad thinking about them..."
  2164. >he clears his throat, rubbing his eyes for a moment before looking back at you
  2165. >"Heh, I'm fine... just reminiscing on old childhood memories... to answer your question, my grandmother gave this to me, heck it must have been... twenty years ago now? Boy, time sure flies..."
  2166. >he hesitates for several moments
  2167. "You two were close, weren't you?"
  2168. >Master simply nods
  2169. >"Yeah, she practically raised me. Me and grandpa never really had much to do with each other, but grams spoiled me rotten... heh..."
  2170. >there's another brief silence
  2171. >"She used to make me stuff like this all the time. Sweaters, scarves, socks, other stuff... but this one, well, it was the last thing she made for me right before she passed away... so it's special. I mean, they're all special, but a lot of the other stuff doesn't really fit me anymore. There were a couple other scarves I still had but I was sure I'd lost it all in the move, until I found this one."
  2172. >you look down, placing a hoof on the scarf around your neck, it's super warm and cozy, and with the sentimental value, something you can't help but think Master should keep for himself
  2173. "But... if it means so much to you... why... why give it to me, Master? I'm... I'm not even family... I'm just a pony... I don't... I mean, I'm not... shouldn't you keep this?" you stammer
  2174.  
  2175. >"I want you to have it. I could have gotten you any old store bought trinket, but this is from the heart. I know things haven't always been perfect here, but... well, I've tried my best to give you and Shiny a good life here with me. And maybe I'm not the best at always showing it, but you're special to me, girl," he says as he places a hand behind your ear and gently scratches, sending a shiver down your spine. "You're not 'just a pony.' And you ARE family."
  2176. "Oh Master..." you whimper, feeling your lower lip quiver as he presses softly on the back of your neck, guiding you into a tight hug and stroking your back
  2177. >he holds you for what feels like years as you close your eyes tight, blissfully melting into his embrace
  2178. >"Shhh, that's my girl..." he murmurs to you softly, pressing the side of his face against your mane as you let out a series of staccato nickers, overwhelmed with emotion but somehow managing to hold back tears of happiness as he lovingly strokes you, "thaaat's my good girl."
  2179. >finally he releases you, your trembling subsiding as he pulls away, though your heart is still in your throat
  2180. >"Promise me you'll take good care of it - don't let it go dragging through the dirt or lose it or anything," he says, idly adjusting the scarf around your neck
  2181. >you nod, staring into his eyes
  2182. "Y...yessir... I will. I... I'll cherish it..."
  2183. >finding yourself uncharacteristically emboldened, you quickly close the little bit of distance he's put between you and plant your lips firmly on Master's cheek, your eyes suddenly going wide as you realize what you're doing and pulling away with a soft smack a few seconds later
  2184. >you gasp before hastily sitting on your haunches and scooting backward several inches, looking away from him with flattened ears, your stomach twisting up in knots as Master places his hand on his cheek and stares at you with a raised eyebrow
  2185.  
  2186. >It's Master's turn to blush now, which is something you're not sure you've ever seen him do
  2187. >you can't bring yourself to look at him, but you're sure he must be furious
  2188. >you went and took it too far, it's the belt for you for sure
  2189. >wincing for a moment and expecting a reprimand, you hold your breath and squirm in place, but it never comes
  2190. >instead, Master gives a soft chuckle and shakes his head
  2191. >"Yuck, now I got mare slobber all over my face, hah!" he laughs, continuing to wipe his cheek
  2192. >he's not... he's not mad?
  2193. >you turn your head back toward him, painfully slowly
  2194. "Sorry, Master... I didn't mean to... I was just... I was..."
  2195. >you go silent and close your eyes tight as he takes an ear between his index finger and thumb, rubbing so vigorously it takes all of your willpower to keep a hind hoof from starting to kick on the floor in reflex
  2196. >"Heh, silly girl..." he coos when he sees a hind leg start to twitch ever so slightly in response to his ministrations
  2197. >"Ugh. Why don't you two lovebirds get a room?" Shining scoffs, rolling his eyes, prompting yours to shoot open again as you instantly become mortified
  2198. >"Oh hush, Shiny, don't be gross" he says, reaching over and bopping Shining playfully on the muzzle, causing him to cross his eyes for a split second before shaking his head with a snort as Master begins laughing once again
  2199. "H...HAH HAHHAH...h..heh....y..yeah Shin..n..ning Armor... d...don't b...be..be gross... HAH..hahah...ah..." you blurt out awkwardly, tail swishing wildly as you let out a series of snorts and squeals
  2200. >Shining sits up on his haunches, getting a sly grin on his face, clearly enjoying watching you squirm
  2201. >"Gross eh? Hmmph..." he says before muttering something undecipherable
  2202.  
  2203. >"Seems more to me like somepony loveshermaster*COUGHCOUGH*" he says, his expression becoming more and more impish as his voice trails off once again
  2204. >shutupshutupshutupshutupshutupshutUPyoustupidsonofajenny
  2205. >"Alright, alright, Shiny, stop teasing the poor mare," Master says, his laughter gradually dying down, your embarrassment practically tangible by this point
  2206. >Shining Armor shrugs and curls back up next to the fireplace, stretching and yawning before resting his head and closing his eyes
  2207. >"Fine, fine, far be it for me to smrmrhrmmrm..." he mutters under his breath
  2208. >without even realizing it you'd backed yourself all the way into a corner on the other side of the room, still hunkering down and trying to find the nearest hole to crawl into
  2209. >"Besides, weren't you the one climbing into my lap like a puppy dog just a few minutes ago?"
  2210. >Shining lets out an obnoxiously loud, fake snore, and Master rolls his eyes
  2211. >"Pfft yeah, okay, whatever," he says, before finally noticing how far away you are
  2212. >"You alright, Corona?" he says, patting the floor next to him, "Whatcha doing all the way over there?" He asks with a slight chuckle. "Come here, girl, it's alright, I'm sure Shiny didn't mean anything by it. All in good fun, yeah?"
  2213. >he motions toward himself, wriggling his fingers and patting the floor again as you creep back toward him, hunched over with your tail clamped tight against your backside and ears pinned as flat as they'll go, looking like a scolded filly
  2214. >when you're within arm's length of him he reaches over and hooks an arm around you, pulling you over so you're leaning into his side, his arm resting around your back
  2215. >you let out a tiny "eep" when he pulls you close, unable to look at him as you begin trembling again
  2216. "I..." you gulp, swallowing a lump in your throat, "I... I DO love you... Master..." you squeak out
  2217. >what are you doing?
  2218. >"Master loves you too, girl," he says with a squeeze.
  2219.  
  2220. "I mean... I... I really... really love y-"
  2221. >you shake your head, trying to pull away, only to be interrupted by being pulled more tightly against him
  2222. >"Sssshhhhhh... hush," he orders in a bit more of a firm tone. "Just sit here by the fire with your Master. No more words."
  2223. >you find your mood changing quickly from nervousness to confusion, your mind starting to race
  2224. >does he know?
  2225. >has he known?
  2226. >that you don't just love him... but you LOVE him...
  2227. >maybe he just doesn't want you to say it...
  2228. >what if he doesn't feel that way?
  2229. >what if he can't?
  2230. >he just said you're family to him, right?
  2231. >family
  2232. >you don't... you don't get romantic with someone you consider family...
  2233. >a sudden wave of disappointment washes over you
  2234. >oh...
  2235. >he DOES know, doesn't he?
  2236. >that's why he said to be quiet...
  2237. >if you go any further... try to say... say how you really REALLY feel...
  2238. >well then it gets awkward
  2239. >because that changes everything
  2240. >knowing that... that you don't just see him as family... but
  2241. >but...
  2242. >you shudder
  2243. >he doesn't see you as an equal...
  2244. >and
  2245. >and...
  2246. >because of that, he could never see you as a mate
  2247. >he doesn't want things to change...
  2248. >just wants you to be his quiet little good girl
  2249. >or does he?
  2250. >maybe... maybe he...
  2251. >if you just explain...
  2252. >he might... he might give you a chance and...
  2253. >m...maybe he's more open minded than you think and...
  2254. >oh this has to stop
  2255. >this is torture
  2256. >it has to stop
  2257. >this has been bothering you for too long
  2258. >you just want to know...
  2259. >you NEED to know...
  2260. >but with another squeeze
  2261. >another long, drawn out "SSSSSsssshhhhhhhh...."
  2262. >you're subdued
  2263. >any fleeting iota of courage you might have had evaporates
  2264. >and you crumble, burying your face in his chest and crying softly as he comforts you
  2265.  
  2266. --------------------------------
  2267.  
  2268. >it would be a lie to say you hadn't suspected something like this for a while now
  2269. >though you had sort of hoped it was just a phase
  2270. >something that would go away on its own if you just ignored it
  2271. >no such luck though
  2272. >how do you even begin to deal with a slave being romantically interested in you?
  2273. >the little quivering mare continues crying softly into you as you gently run your hand over her back
  2274. >she couldn't have just hit it off with Shiny and fallen for him instead...
  2275. >you sigh, glancing over at Shining Armor, who's doing his best to ignore Corona's whimpers
  2276. >he squirms around, ears twitching, twirling, folding flat
  2277. >probably regretting teasing her the way he did
  2278. >doesn't feel good, you imagine
  2279. >someone treating your love as a joke...
  2280. >you told Corona you loved her back though
  2281. >and that wasn't a lie
  2282. >it's just not the kind of love she wants from you
  2283. >why couldn't it be enough for her?
  2284. >why couldn't she just be content with the way things are?
  2285. >your troubled mind continues to wander as you try to allow her cries to become background noise
  2286. >she'll eventually wear herself out and fall asleep
  2287. >you hope so, at least
  2288. >despite your best efforts, it quickly becomes clear that you're not going to be able to shut it out though
  2289. >she's hurting, and she didn't do a damn thing to deserve it
  2290. >and even though you technically didn't do anything wrong, you know you're the one that's hurting her, and it's not fair
  2291. >to either of you
  2292. >you can't just sit here and not say anything to her, this isn't going to go away by ignoring it
  2293. >clearing your throat, you gently pull away, delicately wiping her cheeks with the back of your hand as you do so
  2294. "I'm sorry, Corona."
  2295. >she bows her head, but you lift her chin to look into her eyes
  2296. "What can I do to make this hurt less for you?"
  2297. >she shakes her head, and you pull your hand away
  2298. >"I don't really see what the issue is."
  2299. >your head turns sharply
  2300.  
  2301. "Shiny?"
  2302. >the stallion stands up and takes his time stretching, turning his rump toward the fire and backing toward it, swaying back and forth, casually warming himself as he speaks
  2303. >"Correct me if I'm wrong, Anon, but didn't you tell me one time that you hate the mind games and whatnot that comes along with pursuing a relationship with human women?"
  2304. "Not sure I see your point..."
  2305. >he rolls his eyes
  2306. "I didn't take Corona in to be a sex slave, Shiny," you say indignantly. "Besides, there-"
  2307. >"So after all this time is that still how you think of us? Just slaves?"
  2308. "It's... it's not that simple..."
  2309. >you make your way over to the sofa and plop down on it in exasperation, before looking back over at Corona, who hasn't moved a muscle
  2310. "You're much, MUCH more to me than that, you both are... Damn it to Hell, I thought tonight proved that... I just-"
  2311. >"If Corona were human, would you give her a chance?"
  2312. >that stops you cold
  2313. "Oh no you don't, this isn't about race, I won't let you turn this into-"
  2314. >"Isn't it, though?"
  2315. "No," you grumble, gritting your teeth. "And you know what? I don't owe you an explanation, either. So just can it!"
  2316. >he starts to walk toward the hallway
  2317. >"Alright, I'll be quiet. But only because I want to give you and Corona some time to talk."
  2318. "Why do you even care? It's not like-" you yell down the hallway at him, trying to get the last word, only to be silenced by the sound of the bedroom door closing
  2319. "Think if I had him gelded he'd settle down and learn his place? Heh..."
  2320. >no reaction from Corona, as you place your hand on the back of your neck with a sigh
  2321. "Not the time for jokes, right. So then, DO you want to talk, Corona? I wanted this to be a happy evening for all of us, but it turned sour real quick. I can't help but to feel like a bit of an ass for that."
  2322. >"I've been a good girl, Master... I try so hard for you..." she finally says just above a whisper. "Maybe... maybe I should have known better though... I shouldn't have let myself..."
  2323.  
  2324. >you start to wring your hands, slumping forward in your seat and staring at the floor
  2325. >it hurts your heart to hear her sounding so tormented
  2326. "I wish I knew what to say, girl, I really do. I don't think there's anything I CAN say though."
  2327. >you give a half hearted smile
  2328. "There for the longest time I was kind of hoping you and Shiny would get together. Find some comfort in each other, you know?"
  2329. >you hesitate
  2330. "I mean heck, at least he could give you a foal if you wanted one. You could be a family."
  2331. >"I don't love Shining Armor though, Master. Not... not like I love you..."
  2332. "I know, I know..."
  2333. >you sit up, then immediately sink back into the cushions behind you, staring up at the ceiling
  2334. "You don't choose who you fall in love with. If only it were that simple..."
  2335. >"What would I have to do for you to... to want me, in the same way... that... that I... that I want to be with you?"
  2336. >you shudder
  2337. "Have you stopped to think about this rationally, Corona?"
  2338. >you sit up again, crossing your arms over your chest and looking off to the side, avoiding eye contact with her
  2339. "You have no reason to love me. NO good reason at all. I mean... I OWN you... I had you branded..."
  2340. >"It was just a freeze brand..."
  2341. "Whipped you..."
  2342. >"Just a belt... just one time... didn't... didn't hurt that bad..."
  2343. "Strap you into a cart and work you into a tired, sweaty mess..."
  2344. >"But you're right there working alongside me, Master..."
  2345. >she slowly approaches you, resting a chin on your knee, softly swishing her tail
  2346. >"And... and honestly... I like helping you..."
  2347. >a hoof now rests on the other knee as she sits on her haunches, looking up at you through the bits of mane that have fallen over her eyes
  2348. >"I don't... I don't feel like a slave... not when I'm with you..."
  2349. >you place a hand on the top of her head, and she nickers contentedly
  2350. "You're a good girl, Corona."
  2351. >she closes her eyes, lifting her chin from your lap to press her head into the palm of your hand
  2352.  
  2353. "But... this, I just... I need time, okay? Time to give this some thought. Try to be patient for me, girl."
  2354. >"yessir..." she murmurs
  2355. "I'm not making any promises here, either. I don't want to give you any false hope."
  2356. >"yessir..." she repeats, wriggling further and further into your lap, a foreleg resting around your hip as she presses the side of her face into your chest
  2357. >sensing no resistance, she climbs the rest of the way up onto you, pushing her muzzle up under your chin
  2358. >with a defeated sigh, you wrap your arms around her, pressing your chin down onto her muzzle
  2359. >not because you necessarily want to cuddle her at the moment, but because you can tell she needs it
  2360. >the silence that follows is awkward, as you're not quite sure what else to say to her
  2361. >thankfully the tiny glimmer of hope you'd dangled in front of her seems to have mollified her for now
  2362. >even if you're not sure it's genuine
  2363. >kicking the can down the road like this will surely have consequences
  2364. >but you'll just have to deal with that when the time comes
  2365. >your head nods for a moment or two, and then jerks back up, just barely catching yourself falling asleep
  2366. >when you glance up at the clock, it's nearly midnight
  2367. >Corona is sound asleep in your lap, content in your embrace
  2368. >though your position on the sofa and the way you'd fallen asleep is giving you a nasty cramp in your neck
  2369. >you really should get to bed
  2370. >giving her a gentle shake, you speak softly to her
  2371. "Hey girl, wake up for me..."
  2372. >she murmurs and wriggles in protest for a moment, her nose scrunching as she clings to sleep
  2373. "Coronaaa..." you say a little louder, rocking her once more "it's late. Come on..."
  2374. >gradually her eyes blink open, and she lets out a long, drawn-out yawn
  2375. >"Oh... y...yessir..." she says with a tired, raspy voice, clearing her throat as her ears flatten and she starts to pull away from you
  2376. >"I... I suppose I should be getting to bed..."
  2377. >you sit up and stretch, letting out a yawn of your own
  2378.  
  2379. >she hops down and takes painfully slow steps away from you, looking back over her shoulder as if waiting for something
  2380. >"g...good night, Master"
  2381. "Good night, girl."
  2382. >she takes another step
  2383. >then looks back at you
  2384. >"s...see you in the morning..."
  2385. "Yep."
  2386. >another step
  2387. >further hesitation
  2388. >"I... I hope you sleep well, Master..."
  2389. "Thanks, Corona."
  2390. >this time, she doesn't take any more steps, but continues looking at you over her shoulder, the faint hopeful smile she'd been wearing slowly fading away
  2391. >placing your hand on your forehead and rubbing it, you finally catch on
  2392. "I guess, if you really want to, you can sleep in my bed tonight."
  2393. >she immediately spins around, sitting on her haunches and her ears locking onto you intently
  2394. >"But where will you sleep, Master?"
  2395. "That's not what I meant..."
  2396. >her head cocks sideways, trying to play dumb
  2397. "I meant you can sleep with me, okay? Just no funny stuff. It'll be just like when you and Shiny used to share my bed..."
  2398. >she stands up, unable to suppress an excited gasp as she grins widely at you
  2399. "Just for tonight though."
  2400. >hearing this she deflates slightly, but it's hardly even noticeable, she still got what she wanted for now
  2401. >"y..yessir.. thank you, Master..."
  2402. >she patiently waits for you to stand up and start down the hallway toward your bedroom, following closely on your heels
  2403. >you open the door and have Corona hop up into your bed while you go brush your teeth and put your pajamas on
  2404. >when you return, she's right where you left her, sitting near the foot of the bed with an adoring smile as she stares eyes half-lidded at you
  2405. >climbing into bed and pulling the blankets over yourself, you soon find her squirming into your arms, wriggling her back and rump into you until she's nice and snug
  2406. >with a satisfied sigh, she pulls your arm over herself, tucking it between her forelegs as she nestles into the pillow and closes her eyes
  2407. >"Goodnight, Master" she coos with a slight twitch of a hind leg and a whisper-soft nicker
  2408.  
  2409. --------------------------------
  2410.  
  2411. >Corona has spent these last few nights in Anon's bed
  2412. >it's been kinda nice to have the bedroom all to yourself, and the privacy that goes with it
  2413. >flashing to life, your horn glows, pulling the blankets over your head as the sun peeks through the window
  2414. >you grumble silently to yourself, even though it should be a relief to see some sunshine after the harsh winter storms that have been so relentless for the last week
  2415. >flicking and rotating, your ears fixate on the sound of faint, feminine giggling outside
  2416. >lifting your head and pushing the blinds away, squinting as the light bounces off the fields of white and assaults your eyes, you see her
  2417. >a blue blur bouncing around through snowbanks up to her chest, fuzzy red scarf rippling around her neck with each hop
  2418. >didn't she say she hated the snow?
  2419. >with a snort, you fall back onto your pillow
  2420. >before you even have a chance to close your eyes, there's a knock-knock-knock on the bedroom door
  2421. >"Hey Shiny, it's almost noon. You gonna come hang out with us or what? It's Christmas Day!"
  2422. >you groan, flicking your tail as you pull the pillow out from under your head and cover your face with it, hearing the door handle turn as Anon steps inside
  2423. >"Come on, Scrooge, get your horsey hiney out of bed and come spend some time with us," he says
  2424. >a cold, wet sensation suddenly smacks into your exposed belly just as the blankets are ripped away
  2425. >you gasp, letting out a sharp whinny as laughter rings in your ears
  2426. "Oh come on, Anon, that was a cheap shot," you nearly yell, hopping down from the bed and shaking vigorously to remove the icy cold slushy remains of the offending snowball
  2427. >you're able to cast a weak shield just in time to deflect a second one that was heading straight for your muzzle
  2428. "I'm up, I'm UP, stop with the snowballs already," you grunt as you lazily wander toward the door, following Anon down the hallway
  2429.  
  2430. >"SHINYYYY!!!" a squealing voice takes you by surprise, the sudden weight slamming into your shoulder and tiny arms around your neck nearly throwing off your balance. "Merry Christmas, Shiny!"
  2431. "Gracie? Hey... Merry Christmas to you too," you say, sitting on your haunches and turning toward her, pressing your chin into her back as she hugs you again. "What are you doing here, though, shouldn't you be spending the holiday with your fa-"
  2432. >you're interrupted by the stomping of boots against the floor and a cold gust of wind as - right on cue - Steve steps in through the open front door
  2433. >"Hey there, hoss" he says with a friendly smile, hanging his coat on the rack nearby as he stomps away the last bits of snow clinging to his boots
  2434. >you nod toward him, giving a slight roll of your eyes as you do every time you hear that nickname
  2435. >"The little one here's been dying to see you and-"
  2436. >the tension around your neck increases as you're squeezed even tighter, and you can't help but to give a soft chuckle at her enthusiasm, even as her grip begins to slightly strain your breathing
  2437. >"-Daddy promised we could come visit you today so I woke up super early and opened my presents and- MMMMWAH!" she gushes as she pulls away and kisses your cheek before resuming the death-grip around your neck, "I'm so so happy to see you, Shiny, I love you!"
  2438. >you let out a gentle nicker as she finally releases you
  2439. >"What's that weird thing on your horn, Shiny?"
  2440. "That was Ano- my Master's Christmas present to me," you say to her. "It lets me use some of my magic aga-"
  2441. >"OH! OH!" she gasps, clapping her hands excitedly, "MAGIC!? Can I see, CAN I SEE?"
  2442. >the little girl stares transfixed at your glowing horn as you levitate a cup of hot chocolate that Anon offers you up to your lips and take a sip
  2443. >"woooooow" she says, awestruck, "that's soooo COOL!"
  2444. >licking the chocolate from your lips with a smile, you offer her the empty cup, which she takes eagerly, rotating it around in her hands
  2445.  
  2446. >"there's no strings or anything, it's really real magic," she says giddily as you levitate another full cup toward her, Anon and Gracie's father taking a seat on the recliner and sofa nearby, both occasionally glancing over at the two of you as they talk
  2447. >you simply nod
  2448. >"can you do any other tricks with your magic, Shiny?"
  2449. >she jumps, startled as the two of you are suddenly surrounded by a dim magical barrier
  2450. >Steve stares over at you curiously as Gracie marvels at the feat, slowly pressing her hand into the shield in amazement, holding it there for a few seconds before you drop it
  2451. >"so does that mean you can keep yourself safe if anyone tries to hurt you?"
  2452. >you nod once more
  2453. "Yeah, but that's not something I have to worry about too often, I don't have much to be afraid of around here, after all."
  2454. >she slowly reaches toward your horn, touching it for a few seconds right where the attenuator ring is fixed solidly in place
  2455. >"I don't get why you need this thingy to use your magic though, Shiny... why couldn't you before?"
  2456. >you look over her shoulder at Anon hesitantly before replying
  2457. "Erm, it's complicated, Gracie. Let's just say some humans are afraid of ponies with magic when they don't know if they can trust them, so they take it away. Some other - bad people - did that to me before Anon took me in, but that doesn't matter now. My Master trusts me enough that he wanted to give me my magic back, and this little ring I'm wearing helps with that. He knows I won't hurt anybody with it."
  2458. >"Do some unicorn ponies hurt people with their magic? I still don't understand..."
  2459. >there's an awkward silence before you try to rapidly change the subject
  2460. "SO, did you like your Christmas gifts? Get everything you wanted?"
  2461. >"Huh? Oh yeah, they were okay I guess..." her voice trails off
  2462. >"Oh, that reminds me," Anon interrupts, "Gracie, Santa Claus brought something by here with your name on it," he says with a mile-wide grin
  2463.  
  2464. >he pulls out a decent sized gift-wrapped box from behind the sofa, and sets it on the floor in front of her
  2465. >"I tried to tell him you didn't live here, but he insisted on leaving it here for you - said he wanted it to be a surprise. I wonder why?" he says, glancing over at you for a moment
  2466. >you tilt your head in curiosity as she begins tearing away at the wrapping paper
  2467. >her eyes go wide when she sees the contents of the box, and her head whips around to face you
  2468. >"SHINY!! Come look what Santa brought us!"
  2469. >'us?'
  2470. >you step toward her and take a look for yourself just as she pulls the box over onto its side and starts pulling out its contents
  2471. >oh
  2472. >that's what she meant by "us"
  2473. >there's a brown leather saddle
  2474. >bright pink saddle pad to go with it
  2475. >a bitless bridle with reins
  2476. >various brushes and grooming tools, all also different shades of pink
  2477. "Oh... how nice..." you say with feigned enthusiasm
  2478. >"Oooooh, thaaat's why he wanted to leave it here," Anon says with a laugh. "Ya know, I told Santa I promised you more pony rides once Shiny was healthy enough, and mentioned you didn't have a saddle or anything for him," he says, winking at you, "so he must have figured you'd like one!"
  2479. >"I love it! I can't wait to try it out," she squeals with excitement. "Shiny, do you wanna try this stuff on?" she says, looking at you eagerly, trying to gather everything up all at once in her arms, but inevitably failing
  2480. "Uhh...." you mumble hesitantly, shooting Anon a subtle annoyed glare
  2481. >"It's still okay if I ride you, right Shiny?" she says, "if you changed your mind it's okay... maybe mister Anon can take this stuff back to Santa for me and see if he wants to bring me something else... I'd understand..."
  2482. "Oh no, Gracie, it's fine," you reassure her, "I'm a pony of my word. I'd just almost forgotten, I guess"
  2483.  
  2484. >she places her hand on your muzzle, softly stroking it
  2485. >"Only if you want to, okay Shiny? I still love you!"
  2486. >you can't help but smile and nicker once again
  2487. "Okay, Gracie. Let's see how my new saddle fits."
  2488. >she begins by taking one of the brushes and running it over your back in long strokes, and you're unable to resist closing your eyes, your head drooping ever so slightly in relaxation, bottom lip quivering here and there
  2489. >it feels really nice, and you find yourself leaning gently into the brush's bristles with every stroke
  2490. >"I watched lots and lots of videos on how to do this, you gotta start with brushing the pony really really good to make sure his coat is nice and smooth. It's gotta be clean and laying flat so his back and belly don't get irritated by the saddle and straps rubbing him there," she states matter-of-factly, as though she's giving Anon and her father a lesson
  2491. >after thoroughly going over your back, sides, and belly, she reaches for a different brush, and starts working your mane with it
  2492. >"He should look nice too, so you brush his mane and tail to make sure there's no tangles in it and it's nice and smooth and fluffy. It also helps keep them from getting snagged on bushes and stuff if you go riding in the woods"
  2493. >you ignore Anon's amused expression, continuing to revel in being pampered like a show pony by your little pal, gently swishing your tail with a soft sigh
  2494. >she reaches for your front left hoof, and you instinctively pick it up without even noticing, allowing her to inspect it
  2495. >"And you gotta check the pony's hooves to make sure there's no rocks or anything stuck to the bottom that'll hurt him"
  2496. >you allow her to repeat the process with the other three hooves, even though you already know they're clean
  2497. >she's enjoying grooming you more than you imagined
  2498. >soon enough though, she's reaching for the saddle pad and placing it carefully on your back
  2499.  
  2500. >"The saddle pad has to go so that the front corner is about half way up his shoulder," she says, sliding and adjusting it, "right about here. That way when he moves his front legs it's not uncomfortable and his shoulder isn't rubbing on anything too much."
  2501. >she struggles some with the saddle, but manages to get a good grip on it, lifting it up onto your back
  2502. >"You want some help getting that on hi-" Anon offers, but silences himself when he sees Gracie setting to work tacking you up as though she's done it hundreds of times before
  2503. >surprisingly it's lighter than you'd expected as it comes to rest on top of the saddle pad
  2504. >it's also a lot more comfortable than you thought it would be at first
  2505. >you stand perfectly still as she continues unassisted
  2506. >"You sure she's never done this before?" you hear Anon ask her father
  2507. >even the tightening of the cinch around your barrel isn't unpleasant
  2508. >when she holds the bridle up to your face, you lower your head and she slips it around your muzzle, pulling your ears through the opening at the top one at a time and straightening out the strands of your forelock that get caught underneath as she goes, before finally tossing the reins up over your neck and resting them around the horn of the saddle
  2509. >"You look great, Shiny! How does it feel?"
  2510. >you shift your weight on your hooves, arch and wiggle your back against the soft pad, before walking around the room a bit, eventually returning to her
  2511. "Not bad, actually. Snug. Kinda comfy. Almost reminds me of..." your voice trails off
  2512. >"Reminds you of what?"
  2513. >you shake your head
  2514. "Nothing, never mind Gracie..." you say. Stepping to the side and bending your front legs toward the floor, you look back at her over your shoulder. "Wanna climb aboard?"
  2515. >"Be careful Grace, take your time," her father says, "don't get so excited you make yourself fall"
  2516. >she already has a foot in one of the stirrups before he can finish his sentence
  2517.  
  2518. >she struggles to pull herself up onto the seat, but you give her a little boost with your magic, and she's soon resting comfortably astride you, though you can feel the tension and anxiety in her muscles even through the saddle
  2519. >she's not heavy at all, in fact you'd hardly know she was there if you weren't keenly aware of her nervousness
  2520. >her grip on the reins is far too tight - fearful even - pulling your neck into a slightly uncomfortable bend, and you encourage her to ease her grip and relax
  2521. "Take it easy there, Gracie. I'm not gonna let you fall, okay?" you reassure her. "Shiny's gotcha."
  2522. >"y...you're s...so much t...taller than Corona..." she stutters, starting to tremble, fear evident in her voice
  2523. "Shhhh... it's okay," you say, continuing your attempts to ease her tension. "I won't let anything happen to you, I promise. You're safe with me."
  2524. >Anon and Steve are completely silent, seemingly content to let you handle this on your own, though standing at the ready in the event the little girl on your back starts to panic
  2525. "I'm just gonna stand right here perfectly still for you, okay? I'm not gonna take a single step until you're ready. And if you want down just say so, alright?"
  2526. >"mhmm..." she murmurs with a slight nod
  2527. >it takes a few more minutes, but eventually her trembling stops and her tension subsides
  2528. >you feel her reach down and pat your neck as the pressure on the reins slowly releases, and you're finally able to rest your head in a more natural position
  2529. "How you doing now, Gracie?" you ask, looking back up at her over your shoulder
  2530. >"better... it's not so bad... I... I just gotta get used to it. I didn't expect it to feel so different from Corona is all. You're a big pony."
  2531. >you give a gentle snort, lowering your head submissively for her, trying to build her confidence and let her feel even more in control
  2532.  
  2533. >it would be easy for a pony your size to hurt her badly if you decided to, and she has to be feeling intimidated on some level
  2534. >but you're intent on doing everything in your power to show her she can find comfort in your strength, and that it will never ever be used against her
  2535. >she continues stroking your neck
  2536. >"Good boy, Shiny... good boy..."
  2537. >you offer her a gentle nicker, closing your eyes
  2538. >"Heh... ol' hoss is practically purring like a kitten for her," you hear her father say to Anonymous
  2539. >you hadn't even noticed Corona come back inside, curious how she'd managed to slip by you unnoticed when you finally see her laying next to Anon's recliner, smiling at you
  2540. >"Whatcha think, Gracie? Wanna take him for a spin outside?"
  2541. >you look at Anon, about to mention you don't think that's a good idea yet until Gracie speaks up
  2542. >"not...not yet, mister Anon, just inside for now is okay... I gotta take my time, like daddy says. I... I just wanna sit here for now, if that's okay with you, Shiny..."
  2543. "Of course, Gracie. Whatever you want," you say with a lazy swish of your tail.
  2544. >after a few more minutes of sitting still, stroking your neck, she speaks up again
  2545. >"I... I think I'm ready to get down now, Shiny"
  2546. >strangely, you're almost disappointed to hear her say that
  2547. >but you comply with her wishes, lowering yourself to the floor slowly and laying down to make it easier for her to dismount
  2548. >her arms are around your neck once again the moment her feet are back on the ground
  2549. >"maybe next time we can walk a little bit... thank you Shiny..."
  2550. >you nod, nuzzling her cheek as she pulls out of the hug and quietly begins the process of removing your tack
  2551.  
  2552. --------------------------------
  2553.  
  2554. >your head jerks upright and shakes from side to side
  2555. >it's hard not to doze off next to this cozy fire
  2556. >and the inexplicably soft rug placed in front of it
  2557. >your ear twitches and flops, hearing the steady sound of running water down the hall as Anonymous showers, having seen your guests for the day off
  2558. >glancing over at the saddle and grooming supplies piled in the far corner of the room, you sigh softly
  2559. >"You know, you always get this paternal glow about you whenever Gracie's around. It's nice."
  2560. >Corona sits on her haunches in front of you
  2561. >"And you get mopey when she leaves."
  2562. "She's a good kid."
  2563. >"Mhm. It's sweet how much she adores you."
  2564. "Never thought I'd say this about a human, but the feeling's mutual."
  2565. >the mare smiles at you as she lays down
  2566. "if we weren't slaves, I..." your voice trails off, quickly subdued by the disapproving glare shot at you
  2567. >breaking the awkward silence that follows, you change the subject
  2568. "You've been spending a lot of time in Anon's bedroom lately," you say with a coy smile, tail flicking in amusement as her ears immediately lay flat and she averts her eyes. "You having any luck there?"
  2569. >"T...that... that's... I don't know what you're...."
  2570. >you chuckle
  2571. "You're hopelessly in love and have been for some time. It's a secret to nobody that lives in this house at this point. Why is it so hard for you to talk about?"
  2572. >clearing her throat and flicking her tail rapidly a few times, she lets out a heavy sigh
  2573. >"He's never going to love me like that."
  2574. >you shrug
  2575. "Give it some time. He hasn't pushed you out of his bed yet, so clearly he's getting something out of it."
  2576. >her eyes flit from side to side as she mulls over your words
  2577. "You could always try being a little more aggressive..."
  2578. >her pupils dilate and lock on you
  2579. >"I don't... I don't think that's such a good idea..."
  2580. "Why not?"
  2581.  
  2582. >"He... I don't want to anger him..."
  2583. >you shrug
  2584. "You want Anon to see you as a mate? You gotta act the part. You keep up the boot-licking, he's never going to be able to look at you as anything more than a pet."
  2585. >she frowns and her brow furrows
  2586. "Hey, just telling it like it is."
  2587. >you stand up and disappear into the kitchen, returning with two cups of fresh hot chocolate
  2588. "I mean, you could start by just calling him 'Anon' instead of 'Master' all the time," you suggest, levitating one of the cups toward her
  2589. >"That's... that's not appropriate..."
  2590. "In that case, neither is a human mating with a pony," you say flatly
  2591. >she winces and her head droops
  2592. >that stung
  2593. "Look," you say with a snort, "I don't know how different humans are from ponies as far as courtship goes, but let me give you a stallion's take on this."
  2594. >her ears perk up, but eyes remain on the floor
  2595. "If my wife had acted like you when we first met... meek, submissive, kissing the ground I walked on... I don't think anything ever would have sparked between us."
  2596. >you get a faraway look in your eyes, hesitating for a moment before continuing
  2597. "Half the fun of getting with a mare you fancy is the chase."
  2598. >she sighs, barely reacting to your words
  2599. "If he knows he's already won, what's the point? You have to make it interesting."
  2600. >"Not really in a position to do that..." you hear her mutter
  2601. "What do you have to lose by trying?"
  2602.  
  2603. >"Don't listen to him, Corona."
  2604. >you jump, nearly spilling your hot chocolate hearing Anon's voice sooner than you'd expected
  2605. >he usually takes much longer in the shower
  2606. >the mare bows her head
  2607. >"M...master..."
  2608. >"I can't stand that 'chase' nonsense. It's ridiculous."
  2609. >one towel around his waist while he vigorously dries his hair with another, he casually strides over to his recliner and takes a seat as steam billows down the hallway from the open bathroom door
  2610. >"I like my good girl just the way she is."
  2611. "Yeah, that's the problem. You *like* her. That's all."
  2612. >"Something wrong with liking my ponies?"
  2613. "She doesn't want you to like her."
  2614. >"I know what she wants, Shiny."
  2615. >you take a step toward him with an impish grin
  2616. "Then why don't you give it to her?"
  2617. >"because I ---GODDAMNIT SHINY!"
  2618. >"SHINING ARMOR!"
  2619. >the two admonishing you in unison does little to assuage you as your teeth clamp down on the corner of the towel surrounding his waist and give it a firm yank, slipping right through his fingers as he reacts a split second too late
  2620. >he leaps up from the recliner, seemingly forgetting about the towel wrapped around his head as he starts after you, one arm outstretched angrily in your direction, the other cupping a hand over his crotch
  2621. >you dodge and evade, unable to suppress a hearty laugh as you yank the bit of fabric just out of his reach time and time again
  2622. "Come now, Anonymous, I never was very impressed by human modesty. We ponies walk around with our bits exposed all the time! What could a big, strapping fellow like yourself possibly have to fear from being seen nude by his slaves?"
  2623.  
  2624. >"Shiny I'm going to whip your ass raw when I get ahold of you..."
  2625. "Sure you are, sure you are," you laugh, darting across the room one final time and tossing the towel into the fireplace
  2626. >"SHINY!"
  2627. >in a purely reactionary move, both hands fly toward the towel in a futile attempt to save it from a fiery end
  2628. >bounding around him as he nearly loses his balance, now angrily trying to grab a handful of your mane, your tail, any piece of you in a blind fury, you rear up and snap the towel off his head
  2629. >unable to contain yourself, a playful whinny erupts through your flaring nostrils as you once again find yourself bounding about the house, managing to stay just out of his reach
  2630. >a dim magical aura surrounding the front door knob, you manage to wad the towel up into a ball and hurl it outside with the force of a small cannon, far out into a snow bank a good distance away before slamming the door shut again
  2631. >Corona, to your disappointment, has covered her eyes with her forelegs and is shaking wildly, not having moved from the spot where you left her
  2632. >you don't think you've ever seen Anon's face so red before, unsure whether anger or embarrassment is more to blame
  2633. >he throws his arms up, eventually giving up on his pursuit, and his hands return to his crotch
  2634. >"What are you trying to prove here, Shiny? Fuck's sake..." he grumbles through gritted teeth
  2635. "If Corona won't come up to your level, I figure bringing you down to hers is the next best thing if you two are ever gonna progress in your relationship. What better way to start than by breaking that silly little habit of human modesty?"
  2636. >"You have no freaking idea how much trouble you're in right now..."
  2637. "Pfft..." you roll your eyes, "I've been in worse," you say, sitting on your haunches, almost daring him to try to catch you again
  2638.  
  2639. >instead, he starts toward the hallway, yelling out in bewilderment when he hits a low-intensity magical forcefield blocking his path
  2640. "Oh come on, Anon, seriously. Lighten up a little bit," you say, the amusement in your voice slowly giving way to a calm and serious - but serene - tone
  2641. >still fuming and balling up his fists, he looks half-tempted to start in your direction again, but hesitates, clearly feeling a bit vulnerable in this state
  2642. "You really think either of us is bothered or shocked by your nakedness? You flatter yourself," you say with a huff.
  2643. >"Twenty strokes with the belt," he says angrily.
  2644. "An empty threat and you know it."
  2645. >"You drop that magic field or it's going to be thirty..." he grumbles
  2646. >"Shining Armor, please..." Corona begs under her breath "What in Celestia's name has gotten into you?"
  2647. >you see Anon shiver briefly, and his hand bounces off another magical shield as he reaches toward you
  2648. >"That attenuator ring is fucking gone. You've lost it with this stunt, Shiny."
  2649. >you roll your eyes
  2650. "Getting cold, Anonymous?" you say with a grin. "Sure would be a shame if you had to share body heat with somepony by the fire to keep from catching a chill," you say as your horn glows, opening windows in the living room and kitchen one at a time
  2651.  
  2652. >"Forget the belt, I'm going to find that whip and split your hide open with it..."
  2653. >the air temperature in the room drops rapidly as the wind howls through the curtains of the open windows
  2654. >Anon is steadily shivering at this point, arms wrapped around the sides of his torso, rubbing vigorously in a vain attempt to prevent the loss of any more body heat
  2655. >"Shining Armor come on... he's cold... this isn't funny..."
  2656. "Then you better get to warming him up, hadn't you?"
  2657. >her eyes go wide, head whipping back and forth from you to Anon
  2658. >"Are you INSANE? Shiny cut this out before he skins us BOTH alive..."
  2659. >you simply ignore her, Anon's frustration growing exponentially as one escape path after another is cut off by a sudden swat from your magic
  2660. >"GOD I'm going to take my time when I flog you, you stupid nag..." he says, finally relenting and approaching Corona, "should have known that goddamn ring was going to be a fucking mistake..."
  2661. >boy, if looks could kill....
  2662. >"Come on girl... next to the fire with me before I fucking freeze to death..."
  2663.  
  2664. --------------------------------
  2665.  
  2666. >surely there's no way this can end well...
  2667. >before you can say a word, Master has a handful of your mane, guiding you toward the fireplace as Shining Armor sits nearby with a triumphant smirk plastered across his muzzle
  2668. >his shivers travel down his arm and into your neck as he wriggles his fingers around, digging them deeper into your mane, searching for warmth, before sitting cross-legged in front of the fireplace
  2669. >"Just... sit behind me, girl. No need for this to get awkward."
  2670. "Yes, Master..." you reply sheepishly, hesitantly sitting on your haunches behind him as his teeth begin to chatter and he scoots closer to the fire, reaching his arms toward it and rubbing his hands together vigorously before looking over his shoulder at you
  2671. >"C'mon girl, Master needs you right now," he says almost pleadingly, patting his shoulder.
  2672. >feeling a bit of heat come to your cheeks and your heart thump hard in your chest, you glance once more over at Shining Armor, who is watching with what almost seems like some sort of disturbing voyeuristic glee, before rearing up and hooking your forelegs over Master's shoulders, pressing the warm, fuzzy winter coat of your chest and belly against his back
  2673. "Oh... m..my..." you mutter, feeling him wriggle into your chest as he pulls your hooves over his shoulders
  2674. >you give a short yelp as the ice cold skin of his back makes contact with your teats, shifting your weight on your hind legs back and forth rapidly, flicking your tail and squirming until the discomfort subsides, Master seemingly unaware of the sensitive part of your body he's touching
  2675. >his shivering causes your entire body to quake as you slowly settle in to your position on his back, pressing yourself against him a bit more to try to offer him more of your warmth, giving a nicker as you finally start to relax and let yourself enjoy the most intimate contact you've ever had with him
  2676.  
  2677. >"Good girl, Corona... thanks..." he says to you softly, shifting his eyes over toward Shining and half-heartedly muttering, "still whipping your ass when this is over, Shiny..."
  2678. >his train of thought is interrupted when he feels your muzzle against his cheek
  2679. >"d...definitel...y.. g..etting..."
  2680. >and again as you slowly rub your cheek against his with your eyes closed, letting out a long, drawn out nicker as you release a hot breath through your nostrils which cascades over his cheek and chin
  2681. >"t...the whip..."
  2682. >the tone of his voice falls off in a rapid decrescendo, followed by a heavy silence, the only sound present the crackling of the fireplace, and the barely perceptible breathing of the room's occupants
  2683. >the silence is only broken some time later with the brief sliding of wood and creaking of glass as, one by one, the windows are all closed up tight once again, Shining Armor also somehow finding a way to slip out of the room completely unnoticed
  2684. >it doesn't take long for the air in the room to return to its former toastiness
  2685. >curiously, even though his shivering has long since ceased entirely, Master has not attempted to move away from you or push you off
  2686. >he just stares off into space with a vacant expression
  2687. >you're not sure if he's tired and numb or deep in thought
  2688. >there's no more mention of whipping the ornery stallion that forced you together
  2689. >his attention seems to be on more important matters
  2690. >at least, you think so...
  2691. >it's hard to tell what's going through his mind most of the time
  2692. >your weight rests almost entirely against him now, as he's slightly slumped forward to prevent you from falling away from him
  2693. >this is heaven - your muzzle firmly planted under his chin, cheek against his neck, listening to his rhythmic breathing, the ear that's not crumpled up under his throat giving a content little flick here and there
  2694. >you don't ever want to move from this spot
  2695. >he feels so wonderful...
  2696.  
  2697. >all too soon though, your bliss is interrupted, as you feel him begin to tremble once again
  2698. >"Master... are you cold again?" you murmur just above a whisper as you gently lift your head, eyes just barely cracking open as you bump your muzzle up against his chin and stretch and squirm, pressing your forehooves into his chest as you pull yourself tighter against his body
  2699. >"you really love me, don'tcha girl?" he says softly, bringing a hand up to caress one of your hooves and resting it there
  2700. "yessir..." you whisper
  2701. >"even after everything you've been through... that we've been through... that I've... I've done..."
  2702. >you respond with a dreamy sigh and lazy swish of your tail
  2703. >your body bobs gently up and down as he lets out a chuckle under his breath, slowly shaking his head
  2704. >"don't suppose there's any way to change your mind on that, is there?"
  2705. "nosir..."
  2706. >"heh... fuckin' Shiny..." his voice catches in his throat for just a moment, but he seems to think better of whatever it is he's about to say, instead settling on a deep sigh before finally pulling away from you, gently guiding you off his back as he turns to the side and pulls you around to where you're sitting in front of him
  2707. >as he looks into your eyes, there's a softness in his you're seeing for the first time, the firelight glimmering and dancing in them as he lifts his hand, gently guiding a stray strand of mane away from your face, causing you to avert your gaze with a deep blush
  2708. >though you only manage to tilt your head away for a fleeting moment, as he's soon directing your gaze back to his with an index finger and thumb under your chin
  2709. >"My Corona..." he whispers to you as he begins closing the gap between the two of you
  2710. >all at once you forget how to breathe, a sharp gasp lurching deep within your lungs, heaving your entire body before it recoils immediately to its former position, the tension in every muscle soon matching the tightness in your chest
  2711.  
  2712. >your beloved Master
  2713. >the stall-
  2714. >the MAN you worship
  2715. >the only thing you care about in this wretched world...
  2716. >when his lips meet yours, it's as though a fuse box blows in your mind, sending electricity to every nerve ending in your body, a sharp half-whinny dying the moment it leaps from your throat
  2717. >you tilt your head to match his angle, eyes rolling back into your head as he places a hand behind you and pulls you into the kiss with a soft grunt
  2718. >his tongue pokes past your velvety muzzle and lips
  2719. >tentatively prodding at first
  2720. >but soon forcefully intruding, snaking around yours as the taste of his saliva mingles with your own
  2721. >your body roils and quakes, a flood of emotions bursting forth from where you'd been forced to dam them up for so long
  2722. >as he finally pulls away, slowly breaking the kiss, you feel faint, the word "Master" hanging on your lips in a trickling whisper
  2723. "I love you, Master..." you say with a deep shudder, "Oh I love you..."
  2724. >for a few moments it feels as though you are floating on air
  2725. >though you quickly realize your Master has slipped an arm beneath your hindquarters and lifted you up off the floor
  2726. >and is soon carrying you away to bed for the night
  2727.  
  2728. --------------------------------
  2729.  
  2730. >that may not have been the smartest thing you've ever done
  2731. >but hey, it worked, didn't it?
  2732. >you glance over at the empty bed next to you in silent contemplation
  2733. >now neither of them have to be lonely any more
  2734. >for a brief moment, you begin to second guess your attempt to play matchmaker
  2735. >after all, that was always Cadance's domain...
  2736. >a smile crawls across your lips as you give a sleepy yawn, imagining how your wife would playfully chastise you if she were here
  2737. >telling you to keep your muzzle out of the love lives of other ponies
  2738. >she would probably poke you lightly on the withers with a hoof and giggle, teasing you and calling you a big softy, a hopeless romantic
  2739. >closing your eyes you can almost see her face as she stares at you adoringly, and leans in for a kiss
  2740. >as your eyes crack back open, the smile is slowly replaced by a crestfallen look
  2741. >Anon
  2742. >...your Master
  2743. >he may not be as amused by your antics as the Princess of Love would have been
  2744. >you're sure it's entirely possible you?re going to end up with welts on your hindquarters in the morning
  2745. >once Anon has had a chance to really think about what you just did
  2746.  
  2747. >you toss and turn a bit, before hopping down, inching your way over to your mostly barren closet
  2748. >fetching a thin, long, black implement with a nylon lash at the end
  2749. >the driving whip you'd hidden when Anon first took delivery of Corona's cart
  2750. >he never did try to find it
  2751. >you cringe ever so slightly as you levitate it back over to the bed, hopping back up as you inspect it
  2752. >the lash isn't very long
  2753. >you give it a quick flick in mid-air, causing it to emit a light pop
  2754. >long enough to be cracked though
  2755. >this would definitely sting quite a bit worse than a belt
  2756. >though it might not hurt quite as bad as the heavy leather lashes that have met your back and rump so many times before
  2757. >you sigh, hanging your head a bit
  2758. >if it had been any of your prior masters, you'd probably still be at the whipping post at this very moment for such brazen defiance
  2759. >even if your heart was in the right place
  2760. >you shudder for a moment, then roll your eyes and snort quietly to yourself
  2761. >after a few moments of silence, you give the whip another light crack
  2762. >and you shudder, imagining a pony recoiling in pain at the other end of the lash
  2763. >if it turns your stomach just THINKING about whipping another pony, you wonder how anypony could ever actually USE something so cruel on another of their own kind
  2764. >and you also begin to seriously wonder if Anon's threat was sincere...
  2765. >would he use this on you over what you did tonight?
  2766. >lifting the edge of your mattress and sliding the whip underneath to better conceal it - just in case - you roll back over and try to get comfortable again
  2767. >though your troubled thoughts make it difficult, after another hour of tossing and turning, you finally manage to fall asleep
  2768.  
  2769. >there's muffled laughter outside of your dark, cramped cell
  2770. >it's difficult to get comfortable on this dirty, threadbare cot
  2771. >the shackles around your hooves and whatever this metal thing is that's bound so tightly around the base of your horn it's giving you a headache make it nearly impossible
  2772. >you've figured out by now that your magic has been rendered useless
  2773. >it seems these humans are more adept at sorcery than you had ever imagined
  2774. >none of the reports you'd read ever gave any indication they'd possessed the capability to neutralize unicorn magic
  2775. >it's a very disturbing thought that does not bode well for the future of Equestria
  2776. >the humans might call this a "training camp," but that seemingly benign designation belies the horrors that you have witnessed here, and the facility's true purpose
  2777. >they mean to break the lot of you and sell you into slavery
  2778. >to many, a fate worse than death...
  2779. >but you've faced hardships before, and dealt with fiercer enemies than these hairless apes
  2780. >without their gadgets and devices they're so fond of, they'd be easy to-...
  2781. >your train of thought is interrupted as the heavy metal door of your cell clangs open, and you feel yourself seized by a hind fetlock
  2782. >dragged harshly off the cot, hitting your jaw on the floor and getting the wind knocked out of you as you're forced out of it
  2783. >you don't cry out or whimper, remaining defiantly stoic even as you're fully aware of what's coming
  2784. >fighting back is useless without your magic
  2785.  
  2786. >"Forty lashes with the bullwhip. Tear his fucking back to ribbons. Take your time and make sure he feels every. Single. Lash. This stallion will break before he leaves my charge, one way or another. Understood?"
  2787. >"Yes, Master. As you command."
  2788. >the effortlessness with which your limp body is hoisted up, surrounded in an ethereal glow, is both demoralizing and enraging as you are hauled down the hallway, to a slightly more well-lit room with a pair of wooden posts in the middle
  2789. >you are taken straight to the nearest one, the loop formed by your forelegs and the shackles that bind them hooped around the top, your body situated so that your forelegs are forced to hug the bloodstained whipping post in front of you
  2790. >the shackles are secured to a bolt and latch built into the back of the post near the top, suspending you from the heavy wooden post as ropes are looped around your hind legs and pulled so tight that even your wildest thrashing will prevent you from securing the briefest respite or reprieve from the impending torment, stretching out your body into a terribly vulnerable position
  2791. >glancing over your shoulder, you feel a sense of utter revulsion as you catch a glimpse of the stallion who?s been charged with the task of breaking you
  2792. >it still seems unreal to you, that ANY pony would betray their own kind...
  2793. >you wonder what the humans could POSSIBLY be offering these collaborators for them to be willing to look upon the suffering they are abetting with such cold indifference
  2794. >even as your stomach churns with fear and contempt, you manage to utter a few words to the stallion about to carry out your sentence
  2795. "tell me... is your magic worth the price of your soul?"
  2796. >he simply smiles at you, giving an entertained huff through his nostrils as you hear the leather whip unfurl next to him, followed by the clopping of hooves as he assumes his position behind you
  2797. >you see stars, a crack as loud as a gunshot ringing in your ears
  2798.  
  2799. >you cringe and tremble violently, your body's instinctual urge to coil up in agony cut off by the bindings securing you, preventing all but the most feeble of flinching as you're racked with searing pain
  2800. >as the next lash is delivered, your diaphragm spasms causing a short, shrill scream to leap from your throat
  2801. >never would you have imagined this kind of pain is possible; nothing else you've experienced in your life even comes close to matching it
  2802. >you hear laughter
  2803. >looking back over your shoulder with a pleading expression, the stallion stares at you with a maniacal grin as he swings the whip in the air again
  2804. >he's enjoying this...
  2805. >the braided leather sings through the air with a high pitched whine before snapping against your back once again, a tuft of white hair tinged with blood leaping into the air and slowly floating to the dirt floor beneath your hooves
  2806. >*CRACK!*
  2807. >"You'd better get used to this 'your highness,' with your attitude there's bound to be plenty of whippings in your future"
  2808. >*CRACK!*
  2809. >*CRACK!*
  2810. >"Though you could save yourself a lot of trouble if only you would submit..."
  2811. >*CRACK!*
  2812. >"Bow to your betters..."
  2813. >*CRACK!*
  2814. >"A slave should know his place, after all!"
  2815. >*CRACK!*
  2816. >a mixture of sweat, blood, and urine coat the ground beneath you
  2817. >you haven't lost control of your bladder since you were a foal, but at some point the pain just became too much to bear
  2818. >"They could have made your life quite comfortable, you know... I know they made you the same offer they made me. I can't imagine, for the life of me, why anypony would choose this over a life of ease and comfort..."
  2819. >the whip falls to the floor behind you; as you pant heavily, quivering in pain and exhaustion, a cup of water is brought to your lips
  2820.  
  2821. >even through the haze of suffering, you remain defiant, grabbing the vessel containing the water in your teeth and flinging it violently to the side, coating the stallion's face and neck with it
  2822. "You?re a traitor to all of ponykind," you spit angrily. "Kneeling down, kissing the boot of your masters... I would sooner be whipped to death than EVER submit... to EVER put another pony through this to save my own hide..."
  2823. >you feel the whip dragged lazily over the raw, bleeding flesh of your back and let out a hiss of pain
  2824. "How many of our kind have been brutalized? How many have DIED?"
  2825. >you struggle angrily in your restraints, desperate to get a hoof free, wanting nothing more than to snap this stallion's horn off and shove it up his...
  2826. >*CRACK!*
  2827. >you howl in agony
  2828. >*CRACK!*
  2829. >"SUBMIT!"
  2830. >*CRACK!*
  2831. >"SUBMIT, SLAVE!"
  2832. >*CRACK!*
  2833. >"You WILL break!"
  2834. >*CRACK!*
  2835. >"I PROMISE you that!"
  2836. >*CRACK!*
  2837. >you lose count somewhere after the 25th lash, writhing and squirming, every muscle in your body tensed against the shackles and ropes binding you
  2838. >by now, you're full-on sobbing, unable to do anything but quiver under this unbearable torture
  2839. "STOP! STOP THIS! PLEASE!!"
  2840. >*CRACK!*
  2841. "HAVE MERCY... HAVE MERCY..."
  2842. >*CRACK!*
  2843. "MERCYYYYY!"
  2844.  
  2845. >you sit up in bed in a cold sweat, breathing harder than a stallion that's just galloped a marathon
  2846. >the wind whips and howls furiously against the window and causes the walls of the house to creak and moan in protest as another harsh winter storm seems to be sweeping through the area
  2847. >you find it hard to catch your breath, hopping down from your bed and exiting the room, venturing a short way down the hall
  2848. >careful not to disturb his sleep, you open Anon's bedroom door and peek inside, a dim glow of your horn illuminating the room just enough for you to get a good look
  2849. >Anon has his pajamas on, and Corona is pulled close to him under the blankets
  2850. >a quick sniff at the air uncovers no evidence that they've gone any farther than just cuddling
  2851. >with a sigh, you gently close the door before proceeding to the bathroom, running some warm water into the sink and splashing it on your face, looking at yourself in the mirror
  2852. >your well-groomed mane
  2853. >pristine but shaggy winter coat hiding the evidence of years of torment
  2854. >the words you spoke all those years ago echo in your mind as you stare down at the running water, heart beginning to race once again as you close your eyes tight
  2855. >"I would sooner be whipped to death than EVER submit..."
  2856. >the traitor's words soon begin to torment you as well
  2857. >"they could make your life quite comfortable... can't imagine... why any pony would choose this over a life of ease and comfort..."
  2858. >"ease and comfort..."
  2859. >when you look back up into the mirror, your reflection has been replaced by the visage of the pony from your nightmarish memory
  2860. >you squeal and fall backward onto your haunches, trembling violently and shaking your head in rage
  2861. "I'm not like him... I'm not like him at ALL..."
  2862. >you rear up suddenly, striking out at the mirror with a hoof
  2863. "I'M NO BUCKING TRAITOR!"
  2864.  
  2865. >the mirror shatters in a cobweb pattern, but surprisingly remains intact
  2866. >you wince seeing the damage, hoping the commotion doesn't wake Anon up
  2867. >after holding your breath for what feels like hours with one ear rotated toward the hallway, there is no response
  2868. >guess that's one more thing he's going to have to be angry with you about in the morning...
  2869. >your horn glows, and you shut the bathroom light out as you head back down the hallway to your bedroom, trying to clear your mind as you shut the door behind yourself
  2870. >finding yourself pacing and flicking your tail in agitation, it's some time before you finally find your way back to bed, unable to fight the exhaustion that is taking hold
  2871. >as you lay under the blankets and finally begin to settle down, your mind begins to wander back to thoughts of your family
  2872. >the images of Cadance stirred up in your mind earlier return with greater intensity, refusing to leave you alone
  2873. >and along with them, memories of happier times - phantasms of the past that arise from their resting place to dance in your mind and torment you worse than the lash of the cruelest whip that has ever kissed your back
  2874. >how awkward and nervous you were on your first date
  2875. >your first kiss
  2876. >the day you proposed to her
  2877. >and your wedding
  2878. >the indescribable passion of your lovemaking as you worshiped each other's bodies
  2879. >the day little Flurry Heart was born...
  2880. >you shift around in bed, a soft sniffle escaping your muzzle, sliding your cheek backward to escape the growing dampness on the pillow beneath you
  2881. >could either of them have survived this long?
  2882. >your beautiful wife... your precious daughter
  2883. >do they know how much you miss them?
  2884. >how much you love them?
  2885. >would they...
  2886.  
  2887. >your thoughts begin to take a darker turn as doubt and even a hint of self-loathing begin to churn your stomach
  2888. >...would they be ashamed of your growing complacence?
  2889. >that you're allowing yourself to find any happiness in your subjugation?
  2890. >or that you find yourself growing more and more fond of the man that owns you with each passing day?
  2891. >what would they think of the now-undeniable and rapidly intensifying paternal love you have in your heart for little Gracie?
  2892. >...and for that matter... if your past self could see you now, how ashamed would he be?
  2893. >what ever happened to Sparky?
  2894. >a pony that you betrayed...
  2895. >your body rocks with quiet sobs
  2896. >you swore to yourself you would never become a collaborator
  2897. >you would never submit to slavery...
  2898. >but things are... complicated
  2899. >if only none of this had ever happened...
  2900. >if only you could go home to Equestria...
  2901. >the sleep you get through the rest of the night is dreamless, and restless
  2902. >by the time you open your eyes again, the storm has died down, and dim beams of sunlight are beating through the frosted window above your bed
  2903. >you slowly stretch and yawn, sitting up in bed before hearing the sound of someone clear their throat
  2904. >looking over, you see Anon sitting on the side of Corona's bed, watching over you
  2905. >"Shiny, we need to have a little chat."
  2906.  
  2907. >the sound of your Master's voice is enough to fully rouse you from any lingering exhaustion, your lips first turning up in a sheepish smile, then a slight smirk, your tail rising and falling against the bed lazily as you speak
  2908. "Good Morning, Anon. Did you sleep well last night?"
  2909. >the half-hearted smirk on your face as you ask the question soon fades, the man's expression remaining unchanged as he stares at you in angry silence and slowly crosses his arms
  2910. >you offer a simple snort as your ears flatten and you slowly lay back down on the bed
  2911. >"Shiny?" he says firmly, "I'm waiting to hear a damned good reason I shouldn't rip that ring off your horn this INSTANT and go get my money back for it."
  2912. >you sigh and look away, biting your lip for a moment before replying
  2913. "Corona loves you, you know."
  2914. >he brings his palm to his forehead and shakes his head slowly as he closes his eyes
  2915. >"Don't try to change the subject. You violated my trust, Shiny..."
  2916. >you wince as the words leave his mouth, for the first time feeling the slightest hint of real shame over your actions
  2917. "I wouldn't have hurt you, Anon. You know that."
  2918. >his arms fall into his lap as he stares at you
  2919. >"Oh? How can I be sure now? What happens the next time I don't do what you want me to, hmm? How much further are you going to take it than opening some windows and giving me a nasty chill?"
  2920. >your brow furrows and you frown
  2921. "It was a little harmless fun, Anon! I didn't mean anything by it! You needed a little push and I gave-"
  2922. >"That's not for you to decide, Shiny." *he interrupts sharply, his voice booming as he holds his hand up*
  2923.  
  2924. >an awkward silence hangs over the two of you for several moments before Anon clears his throat and speaks again
  2925. >"What am I going to do with you, Shiny?" he asks in exasperation. "Fuck's sake, you know I don't like to be the 'bad guy' but you've put me in a hell of a spot here, I can't just pretend this never happened!"
  2926. >you slowly look at him once again, hopping down from the bed and sitting on your haunches in front of him
  2927. "Anon..."
  2928. >you say softly as you stare up at him with a genuinely remorseful expression
  2929. "...Master. I don't regret pushing you and Corona closer together, but if it means anything at all to you, I really AM deeply sorry for breaking your trust in the process."
  2930. >you avert your eyes and let out a deep sigh
  2931. "That was never my intention at all. I could tell you both wanted it, but something was holding you back. I felt like if I didn't do something..."
  2932. >you falter for a few moments as you struggle to find the right words, surrendering with a frustrated snort when they evade you
  2933. "...I don't know. You both deserve to be happy."
  2934. >he sits silently as he mulls over your words, eventually patting Corona's bed to signal you to join him
  2935. >you hesitantly hop up on the bed next to him, hooking your forelegs over his lap and looking up at him curiously
  2936. >"I understand what you were trying to do, Shiny, but the way you went about it... was wrong. Dead wrong. I don't mind a bit of playfulness or a snarky attitude here and there, but when I gave you this..." he says as he places his finger and thumb on the ring around your horn, giving it a little twist before letting his hand fall limp again, "it was with the implicit understanding that you would NEVER use your magic against me. I never second guessed my decision to give you this gift until now."
  2937. >the tone of hurt and betrayal in his voice causes a lump to form in your throat, shame taking hold of you once again as your ears flatten
  2938.  
  2939. >his hand hesitantly finds your withers, and he slowly strokes your back in silence for some time before he speaks to you again
  2940. >"...we've come so far, Shiny. YOU'VE come so far. I honestly thought we were past this sort of th-"
  2941. "You're going to punish me, aren't you?"
  2942. >he doesn't chide you for the interruption, but his hand stops and you feel him tense up for a moment
  2943. >"Yes, I am."
  2944. >his tone is not angry, but clear and resolute
  2945. >you snort and look away, trying to remove your forelegs from his lap, but he holds you there as you grumble under your breath
  2946. >"Hold on," he grunts as you try to squirm out of his grasp, raising his voice just enough to be sure he gets your attention "HEY!"
  2947. >you stop your struggle when he yells, though you hadn't made much of a genuine effort to get away from him
  2948. >"Just listen to me before you start pouting."
  2949. "I don't pout, Anon!" you retort with a growl
  2950. >the man rolls his eyes "Yeah, actually you do sometimes."
  2951. >his hand resumes stroking you as your tail flicks sharply in frustration, your horn glowing moments later and the man giving a curious look as the mattress on your bed is lifted
  2952. >the whip you had stashed there to hide away emerges in the aura of your magic, and you toss it on the floor in front of him
  2953.  
  2954. "Am I always going to be a slave to you, Anonymous?" you ask flatly, careful not to sound accusing or sarcastic
  2955. >he groans and sighs, kicking the whip away from his feet, seemingly not in the mood for this back-and-forth that always ends the same way
  2956. >"You didn't even give me a chance to say what I was going to say. I want to give you a choice, Shiny-"
  2957. "-What, the choice of which of your belts you're going to beat me with?"
  2958. >that causes his eyebrows to furrow angrily and he gives you a firm shake
  2959. >"Hey, that's not fair and you know it. Just fucking listen to me, would you?"
  2960. >you snort
  2961. >"I was going to take away your attenuator for a month, but I know how important your magic is to you. So if you'd RATHER have a belting..." his voice trails off
  2962. >your face contorts in disbelief as you look up at him again
  2963. "That's some 'choice,' Anon! Give up the very thing that defines me as a unicorn for a month, or be whipped like an animal? I know I made you mad but-"
  2964. >he raises his voice again as he cuts you off abruptly
  2965. >"This isn't about me being 'mad' Shiny! I want you to understand JUST how deeply you wounded me!"
  2966. >with that you sit up on your haunches on the bed as you stare into his eyes furiously
  2967. "I KNOW I screwed up, and I apologized for it already! Anon, if I really wanted to take advantage of your gift in the way you're implying, we wouldn't be sitting here talking right now! Why can't you get that through your thick human skull?!" you lean forward and rap a hoof on top of his head, and he swats it away
  2968.  
  2969. >he stands up with an angry grunt and crosses his arms as he walks over to the window and looks out of it
  2970. >you give him a hard stare, and though he's not facing you it's clear he feels your eyes on him
  2971. "Anon, you told me way back when you first bought me that you wanted to be my friend. I thought that's what we were becoming. You even said once you were starting to think of us as family."
  2972. >you give an exasperated scoff before you continue
  2973. "Celestia help me, I can't bring myself to hate you! But things like this-"
  2974. >"-I know Shiny," he interrupts without turning to face you. "But you should have stopped and thought about what you were doing. Did it never even occur to you to have a conversation-"
  2975. >"Master?" you hear the mare's voice interrupt softly from the doorway, sitting on her haunches with her ears flat "I woke up and you were gone..."
  2976. >Anon turns and walks toward her, kneeling down and placing a hand on her cheek, giving her a quick kiss on her forehead
  2977. >"Go back to bed, girl."
  2978. >she leans around him and gives you a concerned look, hesitating to leave
  2979. >"Something wrong, Corona?"
  2980. >her ivory mane falls over her eyes as she looks toward the floor and bites her lip
  2981. >"You don't... regret kissing me last night, do you Master?"
  2982. >he frowns and slowly stands up
  2983. >"Corona, we can talk later. Please... just go back to my room and lay down."
  2984. >she gives a little whimper
  2985. >"but if you're going to punish Shining because of me-"
  2986.  
  2987. >you hop down from the bed and push past both of them, making your way toward the kitchen
  2988. "Yeah, great, whatever, you two have a lot to chat about I'm sure, I'm getting breakfast."
  2989. >"SHINING ARMOR!"
  2990. >you're not sure you've ever heard such harshness in Anon's voice, and it causes you to wince and freeze in place
  2991. >Corona, too, you notice
  2992. >he storms down the hall after you, a hand reaching out the moment he's within arm's reach
  2993. >"If you don't want to make the choice, I'll do it for you."
  2994. >the sensation of the implant attenuator ring being slid off your horn is worse than a mule-kick straight to the gut, taking your breath away as you're overcome with a sudden hollow, sickeningly empty feeling, falling to your haunches as your lower jaw starts to tremble
  2995. >your voice catches in your throat as you try to speak, the completely overwhelming feeling of being "less than" drowning your words before they can form
  2996. >"You can have this back in a month, when you've SHOWN how sorry you are."
  2997. >by the time you regain your senses, you are alone with Corona, the mare sitting on her haunches in front of you with a deeply worried expression
  2998. >"Shining Armor? Shining?" she repeats as she waves a hoof in front of you "I said are you okay?"
  2999. >a barely muttered "Ooooohh...." is all you can manage to respond with as your gaze falls to the floor
  3000. >"It's just a month, Shining... you'll be okay, you'll see. He'll give it back!"
  3001. >the tone of her voice is almost panicked as she reaches a hoof toward you tentatively, pulling it back suddenly as she's unsure what else to do or say
  3002.  
  3003.  
  3004.  
  3005.  
  3006.  
  3007. >Shining Armor finally rises from his haunches, pacing up and down the hallway with an utterly lost expression
  3008. >your ears swivel toward the kitchen as you hear Master's coffee pot sputter to life, the pleasant smell of freshly brewed coffee tickling your muzzle a few moments later
  3009. >after quite a bit of hesitation, you make your way toward the kitchen, stopping only for a moment to glance over your shoulder at the stallion - what could you possibly say to him right now that would make him feel any better?
  3010. >"Come, girl." Master says as he makes his way past you and into the living room carrying a steaming mug of the brew
  3011. >you comply without hesitation, following him as he sits in his recliner, hopping up into his lap when he gives it a pat
  3012. >he drops the attenuator ring he'd had in his hand on the end table next to him, takes a quick sip from his mug before placing it on a coaster, and slowly runs a hand through your mane
  3013. >when he reaches your withers, he presses down firmly in an attempt to get you to lay down, but instead you sit up in his lap and turn to look into his eyes
  3014. "I... I think... about last night... M...Master..."
  3015. >your stammering is quickly cut short as the man presses a finger over your lips
  3016. >your ears flatten, and you remain silent for a few moments, steeling your nerve before speaking up again
  3017. "Master... you said you don’t regret what we did… you don’t regret kissing me..."
  3018. >despite your resolve it comes out through trembling lips on a shaky voice as you slowly rest yourself against his chest, hooking your forehooves over his shoulders as you stare into his eyes
  3019. "You... meant that, right?"
  3020. >his eye twitches subtly as the question leaves your muzzle, and he puts the foot rest of the recliner out as he tilts the back to let you rest more comfortably against him
  3021. >rather than respond right away, he simply stares back into your eyes, gently stroking your mane and back, maintaining a deep, quiet look of contemplation
  3022.  
  3023. >”...where does this go from here, Corona?”
  3024. >your head tilts in response to Master’s sudden question
  3025. >”-you and me. What kind of future do you see in this? I can’t give you a family, I can’t marry you…”
  3026. >a deep warmth rises in your cheeks, your skin tingling from the very suggestion of marriage or having a family
  3027. “That doesn’t matter, Master” you reply calmly after taking a few moments to consider your reply, resting your head against his chest with a soft sigh
  3028. >he offers a simple hum in response as he slowly strokes your back, giving you a quick pat on your croup
  3029. >when his finger traces over the scar where your cutie mark once was, you shudder intensely and close your eyes, opening them only when you hear a grunt and snort from the hallway where Shining is still pacing, glancing over at the ring sitting on the table nearby
  3030. “Master… I… I wish you would reconsider punishing Shining Armor…”
  3031. >the disapproving glance he gives you is enough to cut that topic of conversation short, your ears flattening apologetically for a few moments
  3032. >he gives a frustrated sigh and slowly raises a hand, gesturing over you
  3033. >"There's also this," he almost groans, prompting another curious glance up from you
  3034. "'This?'"
  3035. >"Yeah, 'this.' This submissive attitude of yours. You know what makes me hesitate the most about all of this, Corona? It's the fact that if I indulge you, I truly don't know if you'd tell me 'no' if I tried something you didn't want to do - or at a time you weren't feeling up to it."
  3036. >out of the corner of your eye you see Shining walking past and into the kitchen
  3037. >your gaze follows until you're silently glancing over at him as he sits on his haunches, resting his chin on the kitchen table with a loud sigh before you turn your head once more to look into Master's eyes
  3038. "I... I guess you're right about that," you admit hesitantly, even as you push your muzzle up under his chin with a sigh, your tail lazily swishing against his lap
  3039.  
  3040. "Would it make it easier if I promised to say 'no' sometimes?"
  3041. >he hugs you tightly and kisses the top of your head
  3042. >"Remember what I said about needing time? Let's just keep taking things slow and-"
  3043. >you give a snort and sit up, gently pulling away from him
  3044. "I... I don't WANT to take things slow anymore!"
  3045. >the shocked look on his face at your outburst does little to dissuade you
  3046. "YOU kissed ME, Master! A...and you enjoyed it! Why are you so afraid to admit that!?"
  3047. >his mouth hangs open in stunned silence as he stares at you
  3048. "Y...you either love me or you don't! You desire me or you don't! It's as simple as that! It's... it's not fair to keep stringing me along like this!"
  3049. >your muzzle scrunches up and your brow furrows, your bottom lip trembling as you fight back tears, swatting his hand away when he reaches to stroke your cheek
  3050. "No! Don't try to comfort me right now! If you don't love me, if you don't want to be with me like that - if the thought of intimacy with a SLAVE disgusts you so much, at least be MAN enough to admit it for once!" you demand, trembling as hot, angry breaths pour from your flaring nostrils
  3051. >that struck a nerve, as his eyes narrow and he immediately frowns
  3052. >"Corona, calm down"
  3053. >the command is issued in a low, firm tone
  3054. >you wince, but only for a moment
  3055. >if he sees that you ARE willing to stand up for yourself sometimes...
  3056. >with a gulp, you shake your head
  3057. "No."
  3058. >the firmness of your reply surprises even you as you lean forward and force an awkward kiss that he's quick to pull away from
  3059. >he pushes you out of his lap and you fall onto the floor on your back with a soft "OOF", but your forehooves are on his knees before he can stand up, locking your eyes on his with a desperate, frustrated expression
  3060. "That's what you wanted, isn't it? To know I can say 'no' sometimes? I just p...proved that I can! Please, Master..." you practically beg, your ears flattening as you lay your head in his lap, but keep your gaze fixed on his
  3061.  
  3062. "...just tell me what you want from me to make this happen! To... to make 'us' happen!"
  3063. >you blink away a pair of tears that roll down your cheeks, sniffling and closing your eyes as he brings his hand to your cheek once again and strokes it gently with the back of his hand
  3064. >"...what exactly do you want from me, Corona?"
  3065. >the question comes across as less than sincere, but Master seems at a loss for words otherwise
  3066. >your breath hitches in your throat and your whole body tingles as you struggle to reply
  3067. >it's clear what you want
  3068. >mares have needs
  3069. >but to actually say it out loud...
  3070. "I... I want you to... to..."
  3071. >your eyes open, but you look away from him as you run a hoof slowly up and down his thigh, your voice falling to a whisper as your body quakes with fear and desire
  3072. "I... I want you to touch me. The way... the way a stallion touches his mare, and only HIS mare."
  3073. >the warmth in your cheeks spreads like a raging fire through your whole body as your tail thumps against the floor
  3074. "...is... is that clear enough, Master? You're not... you're not going to make me beg, are you?"
  3075. >the desperate, pained whine that follows seems to finally break his defenses, as he brings his palm to his forehead and shakes his head slowly
  3076. >"Please don't beg," he grumbles, glancing over at Shining Armor, intentionally avoiding eye contact when he looks back at you and begins stroking you once again
  3077. >you close your eyes tight and lean into his touch with a soft nicker
  3078. >"Let's... eat some breakfast first, at least?" he says with an awkward, hesitant smile
  3079. >you can't be sure how much he really means that, but it's enough to disarm you, at least for now
  3080. >sitting more upright and slowly lifting your head from his lap, you give his hand a quick nuzzle as you take a deep, calming breath
  3081. "y...yessir"
  3082.  
  3083.  
  3084.  
  3085.  
  3086.  
  3087.  
  3088. >Shining Armor remains completely silent as you walk past him into the kitchen and begin pulling out various items from the cupboards and fridge to get breakfast started
  3089. >oatmeal with fresh apple slices for the two ponies; bacon, eggs, and hashbrowns for yourself
  3090. >the stallion normally has a snide remark for you any time you prepare meat, but this time he simply curls his lip in disgust at the scent of the sizzling bacon and looks away from you
  3091. >Corona sits at her usual spot at the table and stares at you with a dopey grin while you cook, her tail gently swishing as an awkward silence hangs over the room
  3092. >setting the two bowls in front of them before taking a seat yourself, you feel both sets of eyes resting heavily on you, clearing your throat as you stand up to pour yourself some orange juice
  3093. >you've finished off the bacon and are half way through the hash browns and eggs before either pony makes a move toward their own breakfast; Shining simply sniffing at the bowl with a snort before resting his head back on the table, prompting you to drop your fork on your plate with a sigh
  3094. "Eat. Both of you. Before it gets cold"
  3095. >despite the firmness of your tone as you give the order, neither of them comply
  3096. >Shining just glares at you, and Corona seems too lost in her thoughts to pay attention to anything you say
  3097. >though when she finally notices your eyes on her, she shakes her head and snaps out of it, lowering her muzzle to the bowl and eating quietly
  3098. >"What do you think Sparky Cinder is up to right now?"
  3099. >you raise an eyebrow as your head jerks in Shining's direction, taken aback by the mention of Sparky out of nowhere
  3100. >Corona's hackles rise instantly upon hearing the name, a very faint snarl coming to her lips as her ears flatten
  3101. >"You remember Sparky, right? The stallion I protected you from," he says with a huff. "You know, the one who attacked you with HIS magic."
  3102.  
  3103. >when you simply stare at him in confused silence, he continues
  3104. >"...I suppose you must have forgotten him already. Guess maybe that's why you can't tell the difference between a pony that means you harm and one that doesn't anymore," he scoffs
  3105. "Eat your breakfast, Shiny" you finally manage to growl in response as your fist hits the table, causing Corona to gasp and flinch
  3106. >Shining Armor just stares ahead stoically as you stand and scrape the rest of the contents of your plate into the trash, your appetite leaving you in a hurry
  3107. >you scoot your chair a little closer to the stallion when you sit back down and lean toward him, resting your arms on the table as you clasp your hands together
  3108. “Look, Shiny. I get what you’re saying. Maybe what you did isn’t all that bad, especially given what some ponies - like Sparky - would do with their magic if they had the chance, but you’re still missing the point.”
  3109. >the stallion’s eyes flick toward you and he snorts, giving an angry flick of his tail
  3110. “And I don’t need you rubbing Sparky in my face, either. Believe me, I know the difference between you and him. That’s why he’s in a jail cell, and you’re getting a slap on the-”
  3111. >”Let me stop you right there,” the stallion says with a grunt, lifting his head and pointing a hoof at you, “YOU don’t know what it’s like to lose something you’ve never had, Anon. So don’t sit here and patronize me with some speech about what a benevolent slave owner you are by giving me such a ‘light’ punishment.”
  3112. >his eyes narrow and he snorts
  3113. >”I may not be in a prison cell or in physical chains, but taking a unicorn’s magic away like this - it might as well be the same thing.”
  3114. >he raises a hoof to cut you off before you can get a word in edgewise
  3115.  
  3116. >”You might not have put this thing in my head” he says, gently rapping on the top of his head with a hoof, “but you hurt me just as badly as the humans who did when you took that ring away from me just now.”
  3117. >that statement is enough to give you pause and look away from him, prompting the stallion to continue to push his advantage in the discussion
  3118. >”A unicorn’s magic isn’t some toy or accessory to be given and taken away as casually as you might slip off a pair of shoes or a jacket, Anon.”
  3119. >Shining rises to his hooves, stepping into the living room and returning a few moments later with the attenuator in his muzzle, tossing it on the table in front of you before sitting on his haunches again
  3120. >”Trust me, if I had known you’d react so harshly to a little bit of harmless fun, I would have been a lot more careful with how I used my magic.”
  3121. >he gives you a slight smirk
  3122. >”I’d have just found some other way to force the two of you together.”
  3123. >thankfully, his expression softens a bit as he steps closer to you
  3124. >”I know you wouldn’t have done this if you knew how much of an impact it would have. You already know I used to be captain of the royal guard, and prince of the Crystal Empire. Part of those positions meant accepting consequences for my actions when I made a mistake, so I don’t want you to think of this as me trying to flaunt your authority or weasel my way out of a punishment,” he says with a sigh. “But… what you did went too far, Anon.”
  3125. >Corona clears her throat softly after a few moments of awkward silence
  3126. >”Master… I’ve finished my breakfast… s...should I leave you and Shining alone to talk?”
  3127. >the stallion slowly grows more and more impatient at your silence as you ponder his words, huffing and snorting as his tail swats the floor
  3128.  
  3129. >you nod your head in response to Corona’s question as you pick up the horn ring and roll it around in your palm with a sigh, looking down at it as she takes her bowl to the sink, then gives you a quick bow before making her way back to the living room and hopping up on the couch
  3130. “This thing really means THAT MUCH to you, huh boy?”
  3131. >a silent, firm nod is the only response you get from Shining Armor
  3132. >”...I’m not going to beg for it back, Anon… but I at least wanted you to know that this is a big deal to me,” he says with a bit of a defeated sigh as he looks down at the floor
  3133. “You also just got done telling me you’re willing to accept the consequences of your actions. So what would you suggest? This is one thing I’m not just willing to completely forgive and forget as if it never happened, Shiny. I want to leave a lasting impression on you about how serious this was to me.”
  3134. >the stallion snorts and rolls his eyes, mulling over your words a while before responding
  3135. >”Look, Anon… Master. If you really still feel the need to punish me… I don’t know. Just belt me or something. But don’t take my magic away from me like this…”
  3136. >when you don’t immediately respond, the stallion stands and disappears down the hallway, returning some time later with your belt clenched in his teeth, dropping it on the table in front of you
  3137. >”If this is really a trust thing…” he says as he nods toward the ring in your hand, “...put the ring back on me before you do it. Let me prove to you that I won’t hurt you with my magic, even when I’m in pain or angry at you. That’s the most important thing to you, right? Showing you I can be trusted with my magic?”
  3138. >you pick up the belt and look into the stallion’s eyes, which betray the slightest hint of desperation even as the rest of his expression remains stoic
  3139.  
  3140. >eventually you waver and sigh, setting the belt aside and placing your hand on his forehead, quietly stroking his muzzle before sliding the ring over his horn, tapping the controls on the app on your phone to reactivate it
  3141. >this time he does a much better job of maintaining a tight rein on his emotional reaction even as the sensation of his magic returning to his control threatens to overwhelm him
  3142. >you stand up to pour yourself another cup of coffee, turning and leaning against the countertop as you nod toward the belt before taking a sip
  3143. “Take that thing back to my room, I have some things to get done before I start back to work after the holiday weekend is up. You and Corona… I dunno, just keep yourselves busy today. Find some work to do, go outside and play in the snow, I don’t care - I just want to be left alone for a while. I’ve got a lot on my mind and I just want to clear my head.”
  3144. >he takes a few steps toward you, looking up at you quietly for several moments, before pressing the side of his face against your chest and letting out a whisper-quiet nicker
  3145. >you roll your eyes and set your coffee aside, giving his ear a quick scratch
  3146. “Yeah, yeah. Stop trying to butter me up you big lug, you already got what you wanted,” you say with a sigh. “We’ll do things your way. I’m still gonna take the belt to your rump later - that’s the deal you wanted.”
  3147. >the stallion doesn’t even flinch when you remind him he still has a punishment coming
  3148. >”...yes Master, that’s fine,” he says with a relieved sigh, lifting his muzzle to nuzzle the side of his face against your chest a couple of times as he closes his eyes. “Thank you for listening to what I had to say, and… well, for reconsidering.”
  3149. >you reach down and give him a quick pat on the neck
  3150. “You’re welcome, I guess. Alright, then, off with ya,” you say as you gently brush him aside, taking your coffee and heading toward your computer as you shoo him away
  3151.  
  3152.  
  3153.  
  3154.  
  3155.  
  3156. >by now your food has gotten cold, but that's really your own fault
  3157. >maybe your little confrontation could have at least waited until after you ate, but it doesn’t matter much now
  3158. >it's something of a strange feeling - to be relieved by the knowledge you're going to take a strapping over something you've done
  3159. >but considering the alternative...
  3160. >shaking your head quietly, you dip your muzzle into the bowl and quickly finish your breakfast as Master dresses himself and sets to work on some task at his computer
  3161. >heeding his instructions, you and Corona make your way outside, the mare throwing her scarf around her neck, touching a hoof to it and staring at Master lovingly for several moments before stepping through the open door
  3162. >you shiver briefly from the cold winter air, but with your warm and shaggy winter coat that’s grown in it doesn’t take long to adapt
  3163. >for a few moments you looking out over the property, giving a soft snort as steam rises from your nostrils
  3164. "I suppose Anon would appreciate it if we cleared some of this snow, huh?"
  3165. >when there's no response you glance over at the daydreaming mare and clear your throat harshly, prompting her to shake her head and come to her senses
  3166. >"Yeah... I hadn't realized it snowed so hard..."
  3167. >the response is almost immediately followed by the mare's attention wandering once again
  3168. >you give her a quick swat on the shoulder with your tail as you pass her
  3169. "Come on then, let's get to work"
  3170. >Corona snorts and nods her head, following you out to the storage shed where you retrieve a pair of snow shovels
  3171. >manipulating the tool with your magic, even still restrained to the degree it is, is a simple task, and you begin tossing loads of white powder into messy heaps along the side of the driveway as you work your way toward the road methodically, Corona doing the same as she manipulates her shovel with her mouth
  3172.  
  3173. >as though nature itself is mocking your effort, a fresh snow begins to fall just as you near completion of the task, drawing a frustrated sigh from you as you finish up
  3174. >no matter, Anon's probably not going anywhere today anyway
  3175. >and Corona's distracted silence leaves you alone with your thoughts as you work
  3176. >thinking back to earlier, you shudder when you realize just how close you had come to begging Anon for the ring back
  3177. >stupid humans, they have no idea what it's like...
  3178. >storing the shovel back into the storage shed, you sit at the end of the driveway and look down it toward the eerily quiet road, your work already covered by a thin layer of freshly fallen snow
  3179. >unfortunately, the break in activity is all the memory of last night's nightmare needs to come creeping back into your mind
  3180. >and not just the nightmare, the memory of the actual experience itself
  3181. >your ears pin angrily and your tail swishes sharply against the concrete below
  3182. >if you'd been on the verge of begging just now, you begin to wonder just how far you'd ever go to keep your vital essence from being stolen away ever again, finding your own words echoing in your mind
  3183. >'...is your magic worth the price of your soul?'
  3184. >snorting and stomping as you rise to all four hooves, you toss your head and mane, shaking free a bit of the snow clinging to your coat as Corona sets to work organizing and cleaning out the storage shed
  3185. >you haven't sold your soul - nor would you ever, you quickly reassure yourself
  3186. >Sparky had been... a unique circumstance
  3187. >not that you don't understand his anger - far from it
  3188. >hey, there had even once been a time when you might not have even tried to stop him
  3189. >but living here has done something to you
  3190. >it's forced you to come face to face with the reality that things aren't always as black and white as they seem
  3191. >sure, you're still a slave
  3192. >and Anon is your Master
  3193. >but you rarely feel truly 'oppressed' by him
  3194.  
  3195. >he certainly didn't deserve to face Sparky's wrath, paying for the sins of his race with his life
  3196. >after some time you start to realize that your hooves have carried you away from the house and the storage shed, wandering aimlessly around the edges of the pastures, down the fenceline as your head pans around to take in your surroundings, pristine glistening snow banks unspoiled by anything but the tracks you leave behind as you walk
  3197. >you stop as you near the edge of the woods, recognizing clearly the very path you had chased Sparky down, causing a chill to run down your spine
  3198. >despite what happened, you somehow hope the humans aren't being too harsh with him, though you know the likelihood of that is slim
  3199. >once again your hooves are carrying you forward, slowly wandering amidst the towering skeletons of trees that had been stripped bare by the changing seasons quite some time ago
  3200. >the workings of the weather and nature here still seem so foreign despite how long you've been on this world
  3201. >in a remote part of the woods, you find a quiet area to rest near the frozen-over creek that runs through your Master's property
  3202. >eventually you manage to gather up enough dry sticks and limbs to start a small fire after considerable effort, giving a brief smirk of satisfaction before clearing away a bit of snow to lay with your side facing it, idly poking at the fire with a stick levitated by your magic, occupying yourself with keeping the fire burning as your thoughts wander and carry you away
  3203. >Anon wasn't the only one that needed some time alone to think about everything
  3204.  
  3205. >your thoughts drift to Corona while the fire before you crackles and pops as you stoke it
  3206. >she’s been through so much at the hands of these… beasts
  3207. >but she still fell in love with one of them...
  3208. >and while your relationship with Anon may be complicated, even at times strained, you can't deny the affection that's grown within you for him
  3209. >if you do let yourself enjoy the little bit of happiness you’ve found here, is that really such a bad thing?
  3210. >the thought is immediately followed up by dreadful guilt and a sense of duty as you think not only of your wife and daughter, but the countless ponies out there that are still suffering
  3211. >and then deep shame as you’re forced to admit that after all this time, at least part of you is tired of rebelling
  3212. >as well as a begrudging acknowledgement that if ponies ever are to be truly free, it very likely won’t be through their own doing
  3213. >it will depend on the kindness of humans who empathize with your plight
  3214. >humans like little Gracie
  3215. >you have to admit, she’s ignited a little spark of hope in your heart that perhaps some day, your kind CAN live in peace alongside humanity
  3216. >as equals
  3217. >you rest your head again with a soft sigh
  3218.  
  3219. >some time later, your ears swivel in the direction of the house as you hear a faint whistling, a brief delay before the whistle repeats and is followed by a voice
  3220. >you can't make out what's being yelled or by who, but from the tone and the rise and fall in intonation, even at this distance you can easily pick up that it's Master calling for you with his typical whistle followed up by a long and drawn out "Shiiiii-ny!"
  3221. >your head rises and turns toward the sound, a smile tugging at the corners of your mouth and your tail swishing gently a couple times in reflex
  3222. >a quiet half-nicker falls out of your muzzle as you stand up and shake the snow off yourself, piling a bunch over the fire to put it out before trotting in the direction of the house, hearing the whistle and call repeated once again as you near the edge of the trees
  3223. >there’s a subtle contentment in hearing him call out for you like this - a gentle reminder that you are wanted here, and missed when not present
  3224. >and while you may be a slave, you are valued as something much more
  3225. >you'd even be so bold as to say your Master considers you irreplaceable
  3226. >as the house starts to come into view you see him standing on the back deck leaning against the railing, lifting a hand to his lips he whistles for you again, prompting you to pick up your pace to a trot, then a light canter, stopping when you reach the stairs and bounding up them in two strides, walking through the door without a word as he holds it open for you and follows you back in where you sit on your haunches patiently just inside the door
  3227. >"What have you been up to out there, boy? You've been gone half the day..." he says as he grabs a towel kept near the back door and gives you a quick rubdown with it to get the snow and dampness out of your coat, also wiping the dirt and snow from your hooves before tossing it aside
  3228.  
  3229. "Nothing Anon... I uh... we cleared the driveway, then I just... wandered off to do some thinking. I didn't realize how long it'd been I guess, sorry."
  3230. >glancing past him you see Corona curled up by the fireplace, lifting her head for a brief moment to look over at you before resting it once more
  3231. >"I started to get worried when you didn't come back for lunch..."
  3232. >he hums softly as he looks you over, giving you a quick pat on the withers before crossing his arms
  3233. "...not too hungry right now, I guess" you respond with a sigh as you look away silently for a few moments, eventually looking up at him once more "hey Anon? You think we could... go ahead and just get that punishment out of the way? I just want to be done with it..."
  3234. >after quite a bit of what seems like hesitation, he eventually nods
  3235. >"You're sure that's what you want, Shiny?"
  3236. >without hesitating, you nod firmly
  3237. "Yeah, Anon. I just want things to go back to normal between us. I want to put this behind us... I want you to be able to trust me again
  3238. >he nods his head with a sigh and ruffles your mane
  3239. >"Alright then. Go wait in your room, I'll be there in a few minutes."
  3240. >with a grunt and confirmatory snort, you stand and walk past him, your ears flicking backward only for a moment as you head for your room, laying over your bed in complete silence, slowly assuming the position with a couple of deep breaths
  3241. >you hear the sound of the door open and close, followed by footsteps as Anon takes up a position behind you
  3242. >no words pass between the two of you at first, and you don't even bother to look over your shoulder at him as you hear the belt pulled through the loops on his pants, closing your eyes and holding your tail out of the way
  3243. >even though Master’s voice is firm and calm, there’s an obvious uneasiness to it
  3244. >”Alright boy, are you ready?”
  3245. >you give a curt nod, still not looking back
  3246. >”...are you sure you don’t want to just give up the ring? I’ll cut the time in half, two weeks?”
  3247.  
  3248. >the attempt to bargain causes you to snort and stomp a hind leg, flicking your tail impatiently
  3249. >thankfully, he sees no need to make you count out the strokes this time, allowing you to maintain some level of dignity as the punishment commences, the loud and familiar crack of the leather against your backside meeting your ears moments later, followed by the immediate stinging pain in your rump, causing your body to flinch quietly
  3250. >he delivers a few more strokes before hesitating once more, prompting you to look over your shoulder in frustration
  3251. “Come on, Anon, just get it over wi-”
  3252. >CRACK!!!
  3253. >ouch, that one really got you good, your hind legs wobbling momentarily as a hiss of pain escapes your muzzle
  3254. >he’s given you plenty of chances to change your mind, but given your insistence he continues, and you find yourself holding your breath, then eventually panting as the biting sting of each new stroke merges with the growing throbbing and aching fire that's accumulating in your hindquarters
  3255. >there’s little reprieve, the strap lashing your hide once more the moment you begin to adapt to the sensation
  3256. >despite his reluctance, he delivers each blow forcefully, causing you to start shaking and squirming after the seventh or eighth stroke
  3257. >your flinching has turned to lurching forward against the bed, grunting and groaning as your hind legs begin to dance
  3258. >when the tenth stroke is followed by an eleventh, then a twelfth, you're taken aback that he's decided to keep going
  3259. >another glance over your shoulder reveals his face contorted in discomfort, and a hint of pain as he continues
  3260. >clearly he considered this much more serious than any of your previous defiance, as he also picks up the pace of his swings
  3261. >after fifteen, you start to yelp and whimper with each stroke as the pain reaches a level that makes it nearly impossible to hold still for him
  3262. >”hang in there, Shiny…” he says reassuringly, his voice wavering as he delivers another stroke
  3263.  
  3264. >after twenty, your horn sparks to life briefly in reflex as tears stream down your cheeks, summoning all of your strength and will to hold back the urge to cast a shield to protect yourself from the assault, intent on keeping your word no matter what
  3265. >by the time he reaches thirty, you're writhing on the bed, ears pinned hard against your head, eyes shut tight, grasping and biting at the blankets in front of you, letting out a brief howl of pain with each stroke that follows
  3266. >at thirty five you've reached the limit of what you can force yourself to endure unrestrained, crying out loudly and hoarsely, your tail clamping hard against your backside as you leap onto the bed and turn to face him, shivering in pain
  3267. "PLEASE, MASTER! I'M *SORRY!*"
  3268. >you hunker down against the bed, flattening your body as much as possible as your muzzle rests between your forelegs, damp eyes meeting his pleadingly
  3269. "I SAID I'M SORRY, NO MORE!"
  3270. >he's already threading the belt back through the loops on his pants before you can even make your second statement, his own eyes glistening with tears, arms trembling
  3271. >moments later he sits down on the bed next to you as you cry, running his hand over your withers and back
  3272. >you don't flinch away from his touch, accepting that this was what you asked for, even if you hadn't realized it would be so harsh this time
  3273. >your hind legs stretch out behind you, the muscles and skin of your hindquarters rippling in reflex as the pain throbs and burns relentlessly
  3274. >"shhhh, shhhhhh..." Anon says as he pulls your muzzle and front hooves into his lap, hugging and stroking you "good boy, Shiny... good boy. It's over now, good boy, Shiny. GOOD boy."
  3275. >you feel a pair of tears drip onto the back of your ear as he leans over you
  3276. >”do you… do you understand now? Don’t ever… EVER… betray my trust like that again Shiny, PLEASE… don’t ever break my trust again...”
  3277. >his pleading tone is accompanied by a hard sniffle as he squeezes you tightly
  3278.  
  3279.  
  3280.  
  3281.  
  3282.  
  3283. >for some time, you sit in silence with the shaking stallion, leaving only long enough to get an ice pack for his hindquarters
  3284. >though he doesn't make any attempt to take it from you when you offer, drawing a sigh from you as you set it aside on the nightstand between the two beds
  3285. "You gonna be okay here if I get up, boy? It's about time to get dinner started..."
  3286. >his ear flicks and he lets out a soft huff through his nostrils, scooting his front end back off of your lap to let you up
  3287. >you offer a few reassuring pats on his withers as you stand, clearing your throat awkwardly
  3288. "Hey pal, why don't I whip up some of that green bean and spinach casserole you like so much, hmm?"
  3289. >his ears swivel toward you, and for a few moments a faint smile curls the corners of his lips, accompanied by a pair of tail swishes and a nod
  3290. >it's all the reassurance you need that he'll be fine, returning the smile and nod as you turn to leave the room to prepare dinner
  3291. >in your absence Corona has moved to the couch, and managed to turn the tv on
  3292. >though whatever she's watching must not have been terribly interesting to her, as her eyes are on you the moment you re-enter the room
  3293. >"Is Shining Armor okay, Master? I... heard him all the way in here..." she asks softly, her ears flattening for a brief moment
  3294. "He's fine, girl" you reply with a heavy sigh, walking past the living room and into the kitchen, hearing the gentle thudding of hooves against the carpet as the mare hops down from her seat to follow you
  3295. >before you can turn around, you feel her press the side of her head against the small of your back as you retrieve various items from the drawers and cabinets, setting them on the counter
  3296. >"Are YOU okay, Master?"
  3297.  
  3298. >her ears are still flat, but she smiles up at you when you turn around
  3299. >"I... I know you don't enjoy punishing us"
  3300. >you simply nod before turning toward the refrigerator and gathering what you need from there
  3301. "I'll be okay, girl. I'd rather not think about it."
  3302. >her muzzle meets the back of your hand just long enough for a quiet nicker to escape her lips before she turns back toward the living room, taking her former position on the couch and remaining there quietly as you work
  3303. >Shining Armor wanders into the kitchen not long after, heading straight for the fridge, but stopping to look over at you
  3304. >"...not too much cream this time, Anon, it was a little runny last time. You might wanna leave it in the oven another five minutes or so, too"
  3305. >you roll your eyes as you turn to face the stallion, only seeing his rump as his front end is obscured by the open fridge door
  3306. >when you hear gulping a few moments later you fling the oven mitt on the counter at him, striking his cutie mark with a soft "whap"
  3307. "Dammit, Shiny! How many times have I told you to use a glass!? That's a fresh gallon of milk!"
  3308. >he perks his head up over the top of the door and smirks at you as he takes a few more gulps, then sets it back inside
  3309. >"What, you're not scared of my pony germs are you Anon?"
  3310. >stepping over and picking up the oven mitt, you gently swat his muzzle with it as you shoo him away
  3311. "Go on, out of here while I'm cooking! Go watch tv with Corona or something."
  3312. >"ugh" he snorts, "no thanks ...she's watching that dumb mare stuff again" he says as he glances toward the TV, rolling his eyes as he begins to sit on his haunches
  3313. >though the moment his rump makes contact with the floor a hiss of pain escapes his muzzle and he flinches, realizing his mistake a moment too late
  3314. >with all he's been through, he's learned to hide when he's in pain well
  3315. >maybe a little too well if the welts on his rump slipped from his mind even momentarily like that
  3316.  
  3317. >the sight causes you to wince and quickly turn away from him to resume the task at hand, leaving an awkward silence hanging between the two of you
  3318. >by the time you finish up and stick the dish into the oven to bake, you notice he hasn't moved from that spot
  3319. >and he's still watching you silently, his ear occasionally flicking as you wipe down the counter
  3320. >feeling a growing awkwardness with his eyes on you like that, you eventually toss the towel aside with a sigh, turning to face him and lean against the counter
  3321. "Look, Shiny..."
  3322. >"Shut up, Anon, I'll live," he interrupts as he raises a hoof. "-it's hardly the worst thing I've ever been through."
  3323. >the stallion gives you a slight smirk as he glances at the oven and nods toward it
  3324. >"and it means something to me that you're feeling bad enough over it to treat me to a nice dinner. I think it goes without saying, but my former Masters... well, they wouldn't have given it a second thought. Nor would many of them have stopped when you did... a lot of them would have just kept going until..."
  3325. >his voice trails off, and eventually he shakes his head and lets out a short suppressed squeal before taking a few steps closer to you
  3326. >"...you're not a cruel man, and you do have a conscience. If I must live my life as a slave, if your world really has no other place for me... I don't know..." he says with a reluctant sigh and a snort "I guess... I guess I'm glad I belong to you... to someone that I don't ever have to be truly afraid of."
  3327. >that earns him a smile and a thorough ear scratch as he steps closer to you once more, hesitantly resting the side of his head against your chest as his eyes drop to the floor
  3328. "Good boy, Shiny. That's my good boy."
  3329. >a soft huff of air escapes his nostrils as he closes his eyes
  3330. >if his backside weren't still throbbing so much, that might have even been a nicker
  3331. "good boy, Shiny. Shh, good boy" you repeat as your other arm wraps around the side of his neck, pulling him into a half-hug
  3332.  
  3333. >after a few minutes, he clears his throat softly, taking a step back as he sighs
  3334. >his ears are flat against his head, bottom lip trembling as he looks up at you, finally making eye contact
  3335. >"...Master" he says quietly with a quick bow of his head, turning to slowly leave the room
  3336. >you give him a few steps' lead before following him into the living room where he curls up by the fireplace, turning your attention to the mare watching him curiously
  3337. "so... whatcha watchin', girl?" you ask as you approach her and take a seat on the couch next to her, though you cringe internally when you see the Lifetime logo in the corner of the TV screen
  3338. >her eyes look to you, then dart toward the screen and back up to you
  3339. >"Oh! It's... it's this movie about a woman that... that was in a really bad relationship. And how nobody believed her that her mate was hitting her, 'cause he was a police officer. And she took their foals and ran away from him, and now he's after them and they're afraid he's gonna find them and-"
  3340. >your eyebrows raise and you clear your throat to interrupt her
  3341. "Corona... Corona, are you sure you should be watching something like that, girl?"
  3342. >her ears lower and she silences herself before looking away
  3343. >"...it... it's okay, it's just a story... and it'll have a happy ending, won't it Master?"
  3344. >putting your arm around her withers, you pull her into your lap with a sigh as you take the remote
  3345. >she looks up at you and smiles, giving a little nicker as she rests her head against your chest, closing her eyes tight
  3346. >"...she'll have a happy ending, right? She'll keep running and running and she'll find a big strong stallion to love and protect her and everything will be-"
  3347. "I don't know girl, but... I'd rather not take a chance. Do you mind if I change the channel?"
  3348. >she repositions herself to get more comfortable, and shakes her head as she softly mutters "mm-mm"
  3349.  
  3350. >flipping through the channels to find something more relaxing, you settle on some nature documentary
  3351. >you're not even sure what it's about, but the host has a calming voice and the background music is gentle and relaxing
  3352. >it becomes background noise as you rest your head against the back of the couch, idly stroking Corona's neck and playing with her mane as her muzzle and ears twitch with contentment
  3353. >soon you find yourself dozing, the three of you suddenly startled back to consciousness by the loud, blaring beep of the kitchen timer
  3354. "Up, girl" you say as you gently shake Corona, her muzzle stretching in a yawn as she pulls out of your lap and sits up on her haunches
  3355. >entering the kitchen you pull the pan from the oven, giving its contents a few tentative pokes with a fork before whistling for the two of them
  3356. "Shiny, Corona, dinner!"
  3357. >the mare is the first into the room, taking her usual position at the table with a huge smile as her tail swishes happily, the stallion lagging slowly behind her, giving you only a cursory glance as you begin plating the food
  3358. >Shining's horn glows, and he digs in, taking his time to savor the meal, both ponies eating quietly as usual
  3359. >he finishes first and helps himself to seconds, and by the time the three of you are finished there aren't any leftovers for the next day
  3360. >you go to gather up the plates to take them to the sink, but are surprise when they're pulled from your grasp surrounded with an ethereal glows
  3361. >"You made dinner, I got the dishes, Anon" Shining says as he steps over to the sink and fills it with water and soap
  3362. >the unexpected gesture makes you raise an eyebrow, but eventually you shrug it off
  3363. "Thanks, buddy, I appreciate it"
  3364. >when you look over to Corona, she's already starting down the hall, glancing over her shoulder at you and hesitating to take another step
  3365.  
  3366. >she gives a little swish of her tail as she clears her throat awkwardly to make sure she has your attention
  3367. >"Master?"
  3368. >there's a long pause before she speaks again
  3369. >"...I was... about to go for a bath, and I was wondering..."
  3370. >she slowly turns to face you and sits on her haunches, directing her gaze at the floor
  3371. >"if... if maybe you would... maybe you... you would..." her voice trails off
  3372. "You want me to give you a bath, girl?"
  3373. >the smile and swish of her tail accompany her nod as she slowly looks back to you
  3374. >chuckling softly you shake your head
  3375. "Alright alright, go fill the tub and I'll join you shortly"
  3376. >she emits an excited nicker as she nods and rises to her hooves
  3377. >"yessir!"
  3378.  
  3379.  
  3380.  
  3381. >by the time you enter the bathroom, she has already thoroughly wet her coat, mane, and tail, sitting on her haunches in the tub and looking at you expectantly
  3382. >her eyes follow you as you take a seat on the toilet, eventually meeting yours with what can only be described as a lovesick gaze
  3383. >as though it's a reflex as natural as breathing, the eye contact immediately sets her tail to swishing and gently sloshing the water around her rump
  3384. >she nickers softly at you before resting her cheek against your outstretched hand, closing her eyes with a contented sigh
  3385. >it many ways it seems impossible that this is the same mare that used to recoil and shudder in fear and disgust from your touch
  3386. >but here she is, practically melting into your hand as your fingers curl to give a light scratch
  3387. >your other hand slowly travels down her back, gently exploring her slickened body, fingertips tracing over little imperfections and scars
  3388. >though they are normally hidden by her coat, they now stand out in its dampness
  3389. >while some are no doubt the result of normal wear and tear on the body or unavoidable mishaps, others were unmistakably left by the lash of a whip
  3390. >the mare shudders almost imperceptibly and presses more firmly against you, but she does not flinch or protest when your fingers continue their journey, breaking the water’s surface and moving to her flank and hip where the most glaring scar of them all rests
  3391. “You really trust me, don’t you Corona?” you ask her softly as your hand moves back to her face, gently stroking her forehead as her nostrils twitch with slow, steady breaths
  3392. >her cheek pushes hard against the hand that never left it as she lets out a barely whispered half-nicker in reply
  3393.  
  3394. "You ready for that bath then, girl?"
  3395. >she nods, reluctantly pulling herself away from your touch to grab a nearby bottle of shampoo in her muzzle, placing it in your hand before standing up and turning to the side
  3396. >the cap flips open with a soft "pop," and she shudders from the slightly cool sensation as you leave a trail of it all the way down her back
  3397. >kicking your shoes and socks off and rolling up your pant legs, you swing your legs over the side of the tub, letting them rest in the soothing hot water beneath her
  3398. >one hand resting on her withers as you lean forward, with the other you begin to massage it into her coat, drawing a series of coos and nickers from the mare as she basks in the sensation
  3399. >her neck turns to rest her head against your arm as she begins to tremble and moans softly
  3400. >"mm....mmmm... that's nice..." she sighs, her muscles rippling reflexively as your fingers dance all over her back and sides
  3401. >as you near her croup and tail dock she gasps, and once again a throaty nicker is drawn from her, this time accompanied by her tongue darting out for a fraction of a second and gliding over your skin
  3402.  
  3403. >a quick glance to see her tail beginning to raise ever so slightly up and to the side makes it clear that this is about more than just a bath
  3404. >when you pull your hand away from her withers and she no longer has your arm to lean against, she clears her throat gently and her ears flatten
  3405. >she tucks her chin coyly and looks away as you work to diligently scrub her mane, doing your best to ignore her increasingly obvious overture
  3406. >after giving her a thorough rinse, she turns around to give you access to her tail
  3407. >she lowers her head submissively, almost to the point her muzzle is in the water, and shoots you a backward glance as you begin washing her tail
  3408. >cupping water over her tail dock and letting it run down, you ensure every single strand of her tail is dripping wet
  3409. >but when you reach for the bottle of shampoo you pause, and feel your heart slowly climbing into your throat at the sight before you
  3410. >her sides are heaving, nostrils flaring as she cranes her neck to look back at you even more
  3411. >her breath catches in her throat, causing her to grunt softly as she begins to spread her hind legs
  3412. >and moments later they bend, the slightly hiked position of her tail shifting to one that holds it straight up and completely out of the way, her sopping wet tailhairs falling forward and clinging to her croup
  3413. >your eyes widen when you see a little nub dart out of the bottom of her marehood, giving you a brief flash of pink along the length of her slit as she looks at you with hungry, desperate eyes
  3414. >"M... Master..." she calls out with a heavy breath, which is accompanied by a soft whimper as the action repeats itself
  3415.  
  3416. >her muzzle dips into the water, a few bubbles escaping her nostrils before she pulls it back and shakes her head
  3417. >her stance widens further and her clit darts out again with a faint but audible squelch, remaining there for a few seconds before retreating back inside again
  3418. >and this time it leaves a faint, musky trail of arousal that slowly oozes and drips into the water below
  3419. >she shudders deeply and lets out a whine when you start to pull away
  3420. >"Please..." she begs as she rocks her hips back until her rump meets your hand, shivering when she makes contact
  3421. >when you don't pull away, she grunts and shifts her weight, and all at once you feel the heat of her sex pressing against your knuckles as she winks once more
  3422. >trembling wildly and hearing your heart pound in your eardrums, you slowly turn your hand over, curiously tracing your index finger all along the length
  3423. >and then feeling it suddenly enveloped as she rocks her hips back into you hard, driving it deep inside with a loud gasp, hooves skidding in the tub as she nearly loses her balance
  3424. >with your other hand, you reach up and gently pat her croup, withdrawing your finger and examining the warm and almost sticky substance left behind on your hand
  3425. "Easy, girl... easy..."
  3426. >she whimpers loudly once again as her body shakes wildly
  3427. >"Master... pleeease..." she mewls pleadingly
  3428. >this has already gone too far for you to just leave her aching and desperate for release
  3429. >it only takes a moment to stand and lock the bathroom door, turning to find the mare presenting to you once more, her head lowered submissively, body shaking wildly, nostrils flaring as she looks back at you
  3430. >you kneel next to the tub, placing a hand on her croup again and swallowing the lump in your throat
  3431. "Corona, if this hurts at all I want you to say so and we'll stop, okay?"
  3432. >the only acknowledgement you get is a stomp of a hind hoof and a frustrated, sharp flick of her tail
  3433. >she had made it clear she wanted this...
  3434.  
  3435. >with a pair of fingers, you trace over her slit once more, before dipping them inside and curling them downward, pressing down forcefully as you start to work them in and out in rhythm with her winking
  3436. >almost immediately her juices start to trickle down the insides of her thighs, running down her legs and mingling with the soapy bath water, her tunnel squeezing your fingers tightly every time her clitoris peeks out
  3437. >her efforts to stifle her moans and snorts are futile, as are her efforts to remain standing on all four hooves
  3438. >her front end has already collapsed, most of her body weight pushing her face and shoulder into the back wall of the tub as she squeals and grunts, biting her lip and closing her eyes tight
  3439. >it's over less than a minute later, the mare letting out a shrill whinny as a thick, copious gush of fluid rushes out of her, filling the air with a strong musky scent before she collapses into the water panting heavily
  3440. >her orgasm snaps you back to your senses as her still-winking marehood slides away from your fingers, the mare looking over her shoulder at you in a complete daze
  3441. >you clear your throat awkwardly when you realize what you've just done, and you quickly stand up and turn around
  3442. >it's impossible to even look at her as you hurriedly wash your hands in the sink, before stumbling out of the bathroom without another word
  3443. >the door to the ponies' bedroom is closed, and you have to assume Shining heard (...and probably smelled) what just happened
  3444. >Corona wasn't exactly quiet in her enthusiasm
  3445. >gripped with a sudden shame, you stumble into your bedroom and let yourself fall into the bed
  3446. >though you turn to face the opposite wall, you listen closely for any noise coming from the direction of the bathroom
  3447. >a sick feeling twists your stomach, waiting to hear soft cries at any moment
  3448.  
  3449. >but they never come
  3450. >all you hear is a bit more running water
  3451. >some more splashing
  3452. >and eventually the sound of a hair dryer, some ten or fifteen minutes later
  3453. >you don't roll over when your bedroom door opens, but you find yourself holding your breath
  3454. >there is some hesitation, but eventually you hear the door close
  3455. >followed by the feeling of the mattress behind you sinking under the weight of another body
  3456. >a soft muzzle resting against your neck and a hoof over your side as the mare presses herself into your back
  3457. >hind legs intertwining with yours
  3458. >tail coming to rest over your hip, gently rising and falling against you
  3459. >and as she finally settles in, a warm, wet, ticklish sensation as she tilts her head and begins to nibble on your ear, letting out a soft nicker as she coos softly
  3460. >"I love you, Master"
  3461.  
  3462. >when you awaken the next morning, you quickly notice that Master is no longer in your embrace
  3463. >but the smell of coffee wafting down the hallway and tickling your muzzle tells you he hasn't gone far
  3464. >when you roll over to face the door, you see Shining Armor stop in the doorway as he passes by
  3465. >the neutral expression on his face quickly twists into a wicked smirk as he steps into the room
  3466. "What do you want?"
  3467. >"So... you had a nice bath last night, hmm?"
  3468. >you grunt and roll over
  3469. >really not in the mood for his taunting this morning
  3470. >but he doesn't relent
  3471. >"You know, if the neighbors lived any closer I'm pretty sure they'd have heard you carrying on like you were."
  3472. "Now now, Shiny, give it a rest. Besides, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were jealous."
  3473. >the sharp squeal of indignation from the stallion that follows is enough to send you into a giggling fit as you roll back over to find Master now standing in the doorway sipping at his coffee
  3474. >"Hate to disappoint you, but my barn door doesn't swing that way, Anon" the stallion grunts, his tail angrily swatting the bed as he turns to face Master
  3475. >the man sets his cup on the night stand by the bed before sitting next to you with a sigh, his hand finding your ear and fingers soon working their magic
  3476. >the simple display of affection draws a series of soft half-nickers from your muzzle as you close your eyes and lean into his hand
  3477. >"So, the two of you ready for breakfast?"
  3478.  
  3479. ...
  3480.  
  3481. >Corona is in better spirits than you've seen her in quite some time
  3482. >she's practically floating as she follows Anon down the hall and to the kitchen
  3483. >taking your usual spot at the table, your muzzle finds the bowl of oatmeal and fresh fruit slices right away, Anon rolling his eyes and shaking his head
  3484. >he lets out a soft chuckle as he digs into his bacon and eggs
  3485. >"You know, you *could* have some manners and use a spoon now," he says as he flicks the tip of your horn
  3486.  
  3487. >a snarl crosses your muzzle for a fraction of a second at the unexpected gesture, but it vanishes almost immediately with an irritated flick of your tail
  3488. "Don't do that, Anon."
  3489. >Corona gives a little giggle hearing the irritation in your voice as she enjoys her meal
  3490. >Master's phone rings a few moments later
  3491. >"Yeah?"
  3492. >"Oh, hey Steve..."
  3493. >he takes another bite and sets his fork down, dabbing at his mouth with a napkin
  3494. >"Mm-hmm..."
  3495. >pausing for a few moments, his eyes flick over to you
  3496. >"Yeah, I dunno. You sure that's necessary?"
  3497. >his throat vibrates with a soft hum as he tentatively takes another bite
  3498. >"Hmm, yeah I see your point. Alright, I'll talk to Shiny about it. See you at the New Year's party then?"
  3499. >your ears flick at the mention of your name, but you're still too focused on your food to give it much thought
  3500. >"Alright then. Yep, you too. Bye."
  3501. >your horn glows, taking the now-empty bowl in front of you in your magical grasp as you head toward the sink
  3502. "So, what was it you were saying you had to talk to me about just now, Anon?"
  3503. >he rubs his neck a few times as you head toward the fridge, twisting the cap off the milk and taking a few swigs before setting it back inside
  3504. >"Well, that was Gracie's dad-"
  3505. "Yeah, I gathered that much"
  3506. >your head tilts as you sit on your haunches and wait for him to continue
  3507. >"He wants her to take riding lessons."
  3508. >for some reason you can't quite put your hoof on, you feel your hackles beginning to rise
  3509. ”What does that mean, exactly?”
  3510. >”It just means Gracie would have a professional instructor to teach her proper riding technique”
  3511. “On some other pony or…”
  3512. >”No, Shiny, on you.”
  3513.  
  3514. >the snort that follows signals your feelings on the matter quite clearly
  3515. "I don't like the idea of some stranger telling Gracie how to treat me."
  3516. >"She told her dad she was a little scared when she was up on your back the other day,” he says with a shrug. “You're a big pony, Shiny," he says as he reaches forward to pat your shoulder "if she took a tumble off you she could really get hurt."
  3517. >you actually wince hearing that
  3518. "She doesn't have to be afraid with me, I'll keep her safe..." you mutter
  3519. >Anon takes a sip of his coffee and nods in agreement
  3520. >"I know that. You know that. I'm pretty sure even Gracie knows that. But that's still an intimidating position to put a little girl in," he says as he pokes your chest, "atop all that muscle, raw power, and rock hard thundering hooves."
  3521. >you sigh and hang your head
  3522. "If it’s just about learning proper technique, can’t she learn some other way? With another pony? Or an Earth horse?”
  3523. >Anon shakes his head
  3524. >”It’s not just about technique, Shiny. She needs to build up her confidence with YOU. Not some pony or horse she’s probably never going to see again after her lessons finish.”
  3525. >after a few more moments he elaborates further
  3526. >”Shiny, I know that she’s your friend. That this whole riding thing is BECAUSE she’s your friend. But she also needs to feel like she’s in control of the situation, knowing that she could get hurt at any time. I think it’s the only way she’ll get over any fear or anxiety she might have about your size, and truly be able to have fun riding you.”
  3527. >you hate to admit it, but you see his point, even if you’re not sure you entirely agree with it
  3528.  
  3529. “I understand. But… again though, I'm not sure I like the idea of some strange human teaching her how to... 'interact' with me, Anon."
  3530. >the disgust on your face is readily apparent, the mere thought of someone else interfering in your relationship
  3531. >of them warping her innocence and instructing her that commanding you, treating you like a slave, is the 'correct' way to go about things?
  3532. >your tail whips against the floor angrily
  3533. "When I agreed to the riding thing I kind of assumed we'd work things out just between the two of us, me and her..."
  3534. >Anon seems unsure of how to respond to your trepidation, giving it some thought before he replies
  3535. >"I understand. But that's really all it would be about, Shiny. Building Gracie’s confidence. Just a few lessons until she really gets her bearings, it doesn't have to be a long term thing."
  3536. >you roll your eyes, raising your voice in protest
  3537. "But I can teach her confidence myself! I did it for my guards all the time, what makes you think I can't do the same for a filly? Even a human one?"
  3538. >"I don't doubt you, Shiny. But her dad considers it a safety issue too. He wants her to have SOME kind of proper training if this is going to be a regular thing. Don't get me wrong, he trusts you with her, or he wouldn't let you near her in the first place," he says with a sigh
  3539. >he looks down and swirls the bit of liquid remaining in his cup as he continues
  3540. >"but in the end she's HIS daughter, and he knows her better than either of us. If he thinks she needs this, there's no doubt in my mind he's thought it through - and that she really does. I won't force you or order you to go along with it, pal. But I think you should at least consider it. Ultimately it's up to y-"
  3541. "Fine," you say with a huff as you tilt your head once again to look at him. "For Gracie... fine."
  3542. >Anon smiles and gives your withers a good pat and scratch as he stands up to take his plate to the sink
  3543. >"'atta boy, Shiny."
  3544.  
  3545. >it really should bother you what a disarming gesture that's becoming
  3546. >but at least you catch the nicker before it can leave your lips this time
  3547. >despite Anon’s reassurances, you still feel unsettled about this
  3548. >it just feels… wrong somehow
  3549. >bringing in an outsider to meddle in your relationship with your friend
  3550. >but if this will help Gracie to feel more safe and comfortable with you when she starts riding...
  3551. >well then, you suppose it’s worth a little discomfort
  3552. >and even the little bit of indignity that this is going to put you through
  3553. >Gracie is innocent, and she genuinely loves you
  3554. >there’s no doubt in your mind about that
  3555. >and by now you’ve already accepted that she’s also so special to you that you’d move mountains for her
  3556. >whatever ultimately happens, you know you can have faith in your little friend
  3557. >maybe it won’t be so bad...
  3558. >after noticing a few awkward glances between Anon and Corona, you clear your throat and promptly excuse yourself to go flop on the couch and see if your show is on
  3559. >though you can't help but to revel in a bit of voyeuristic satisfaction, keeping the television volume low as one ear stays locked on the kitchen, occasionally hearing snippets of their conversation
  3560. >a blush comes to your cheeks as you catch a detail here and there that probably wasn't meant for your ears
  3561. >but if they cared at all about privacy they'd have surely taken their chat somewhere else by now
  3562. >maybe this thing between them isn't exactly healthy
  3563. >but you realize it's probably the closest thing to a true romance the mare's going to get to experience
  3564. >maybe for the rest of her life...
  3565. >your muzzle falls to the armrest of the sofa and you let out a sigh as your mind wanders to thoughts of your own beloved
  3566. >and you can't help but think that maybe Corona's actually lucky to love someone that can't be ripped away from her so easily
  3567.  
  3568.  
  3569.  
  3570.  
  3571. >the ride over here was quiet
  3572. >and you're thankful that you, Corona, and Anon are among the first guests to arrive to the party
  3573. >not exactly in the greatest of moods
  3574. >and a crowd of humans certainly won't help that
  3575. >what Anon had said about Gracie taking "lessons" has been bothering you ever since he brought it up
  3576. >one uneasy hoof in front of the other, you carry yourself up the staircase toward the girl's bedroom
  3577. >you sit on your haunches and give a little snort
  3578. >she has no reason to be afraid of you!
  3579. >maybe you can figure out a way out of this arrangement
  3580. >with a sigh, a hoof rises and raps on the door
  3581. >there's no answer at first, but just as you're about to knock again, it slowly cracks open
  3582. >you hear a sniffle, then a tiny set of puffy, red eyes peer through the crack
  3583. >eyes that light up the moment they see your face, despite the tears staining her cheeks
  3584. "Hi Gracie..."
  3585. >"Hi Shiny!" she says with a smile as she wipes the tears away, opening the door the rest of the way for you to come in
  3586. >fatherly instincts kick away your concerns over the lessons as you give her a nuzzle and lay on the floor in the middle of her room
  3587. "Gracie, what's wrong? You've been crying" you ask softly
  3588. >she nods her head and then wanders over to you sadly
  3589. >looking into your eyes wordlessly before she sits on the floor between your forelegs
  3590. >and after a few moments, leans back against your chest with a deep sigh, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks as she stares down at her hands in her lap
  3591. >breaking your heart as her tiny voice cracks and squeaks
  3592. >"I miss mommy..."
  3593. >you wince and your tail swishes sharply
  3594. >that's always a difficult topic
  3595. >one which leaves you struggling for words most of the time
  3596. >so instead, you simply rest your head over your shoulder
  3597. >and press your chin into her, bringing her back firmly against your chest and neck
  3598. >giving her a soft, affectionate nicker as her tears flow
  3599.  
  3600. >a tiny hand resting on your leg, squeezing now and then
  3601. >silently thanking you for your comforting presence
  3602. >you hear footsteps coming up the stairs some time later
  3603. >"hey Shiny, you comin down for the party?" Master's voice echoes from the stairwell "just about everyone is here, come down and socialize! Bring Gracie down too, you don't wanna miss the ball drop-"
  3604. >when he pokes his head into the room and sees you comforting her, he gives you a quick, knowing look, and nods before he pulls the door almost all the way closed, quietly turning and heading back down the stairs
  3605. >you give a soft huff, bringing a hoof around her front to give her a quick hug as you sigh
  3606. >the idea that anyone would just walk away from their family
  3607. >ESPECIALLY when you'd give anything just to know yours is alive
  3608. >is enough to make your blood boil
  3609. >makes you want to give both of her parents a piece of your mind
  3610. >her mother in particular
  3611. >it's probably for the best if you don't cross paths with her again
  3612. >no doubt you'd earn yourself a good thrashing with Anon's belt for sticking your muzzle where it doesn't belong
  3613. >but for the moment, all you can do is talk to the innocent little girl whose heart is being torn apart by forces beyond her control
  3614. >you can relate to that feeling
  3615. "Gracie... I know it hurts..." you speak up hesitantly
  3616. >she sniffles a bit, having finally started to calm down enough to talk again
  3617. >"did... did your mommy leave you too when you were little?"
  3618. "No," you reply with a heavy-hearted sigh
  3619. >she looks over her shoulder at you with a confused expression, waiting for you to elaborate
  3620. "I... I had a family too, Gracie. A wife... a little daughter"
  3621. >you subconsciously pull her a little closer
  3622. "Flurry Heart... my Little Gem..."
  3623. >your own voice wavers, lip trembling as hot tears sting your eyes
  3624. >but you force them back
  3625. >"what... what happened to them, Shiny?"
  3626.  
  3627. >a hard swallow, a soft snort, and you shake your head, damming up your emotions before they can sweep you away
  3628. "So Gracie, Anon tells me you want to take riding lessons?"
  3629. >you can tell she's disappointed by the deflection, but to your relief she doesn't push for any more details about your family
  3630. >can't be strong for her if you let yourself start falling apart, can you?
  3631. >"Yeah, Shiny. It was mostly daddy's idea..."
  3632. >the girl slowly pulls away from you and stands up, wandering over to her bed and flopping on her back onto the mattress
  3633. >head hanging over the edge, looking at you upside down as you sit up on your haunches
  3634. "He said you were scared the first time you got up on my back, when you got your saddle for Hearths- ...for Christmas. Is that true, Gracie?"
  3635. >she looks away from you, rubbing her hands together awkwardly
  3636. "You know I'd never let anything happen to you, right?"
  3637. >she nods, but still doesn't look at you
  3638. >you take a couple of steps closer, and return to a laying position, muzzle inches away from her face
  3639. >giving a soft huff when she still doesn't answer
  3640. >"it... it's not that I don't trust you, Shiny... I just... I don't wanna get hurt. Daddy says, if I take lessons, there's less chance that can happen, 'cause I'll know how to keep my balance and what to do if I fall, and stuff like that."
  3641. >your mind wanders as you sit up on your haunches
  3642. >glancing back at your cutie mark
  3643. >remembering how you used to sometimes take Twily on your back when you were both young
  3644. >how she’d give little squeals of delight and go into giggly fits as you’d give her tiny little hops and bucks to bounce her up and down when she was still a foal
  3645. >or sneak into the kitchen to raid the cookie jar, before she’d cling to your neck as you raced back up the stairs to keep from getting caught
  3646. >how she never once doubted that her big brother would look out for her
  3647. >keep her safe…
  3648.  
  3649. >Gracie gives you a questioning look when you glance back at your flank again
  3650. >and you give her a warm smile
  3651. “Has anyone ever explained to you what a pony’s cutie mark is, Gracie?”
  3652. >she simply shakes her head “no” in response
  3653. “We aren’t born with them. We get them when we discover what our special talent is in life.”
  3654. >you nod toward your flank
  3655. “When we discover our destiny - the one thing we are meant to do more than anything else in the world. You see how mine is a shield?”
  3656. >you wait for a nod before continuing
  3657. “It means my special talent is protecting others. Keeping them safe.”
  3658. >you look back at her, and she seems to be pondering what that means
  3659. >though she keeps quiet, still looking unsure
  3660. >but you feel like you’re starting to get through to her
  3661. >and may be able to avoid those lessons altogether
  3662. >she just needs a little nudge
  3663. >...or a big nudge
  3664. >when you want to go swimming but the water’s too cold…
  3665. >isn’t it better to just jump in and get it over with all at once, rather than meekly dipping a hoof and hoping you adjust?
  3666. >maybe what she really needs is a demonstration for your words to really sink in
  3667. >so after a few more moments, you stand back up, giving a good shake, then nudging her with your muzzle as you bring yourself parallel to the bed
  3668. "Gracie, get on my back."
  3669. >she stares back at you with a nervous expression, hesitating to move
  3670. "Go on, it's okay. Just hold on to my mane, it won't hurt me."
  3671. >she reaches over, scratching your withers and grabbing a fistful of your mane before sliding a leg over your back
  3672. >gripping your sides tightly with her legs, fists balled up in your mane so tight her knuckles go white
  3673. >she really is afraid of falling off of you
  3674.  
  3675. >the same as before, you lower your head, taking a slow, deep breath and releasing it with a nicker
  3676. "Gracie, you trust me, don't you?"
  3677. >she nods her head and gives a shakey "mm-hmm" in reply
  3678. >you turn and nudge her leg with your muzzle, before stepping forward
  3679. >the sudden movement causes her to gasp and hunker forward over your neck
  3680. >"S...Shiny...." she whimpers as your magic pushes the door open
  3681. "Shhh, it's okay Gracie"
  3682. >when you head toward the top of the staircase, her eyes go wide
  3683. >"Shiny I don't think I ca---SHINYYYYYY!" she cries out as her body tilts forward when your hoof finds the first stair
  3684. "Lean back a little, Gracie, I gotcha"
  3685. >your magic already surrounds her, holding the girl firmly in place
  3686. >"Shiny I'm gonna FAAAALLLLLLL!" she cries out again, as now all four hooves are now on a different stair
  3687. "Gracie, listen to the sound of my voice," you say to her firmly, stopping just before you're half way down the staircase "You're safe with me. I promise you, I won't let *anything* happen to you"
  3688. >your magic tilts her backward slightly to help her keep her balance
  3689. >"NOOOO I'm gonna FAAAAAAALLLLLL!" she cries as you continue forward
  3690. >thankfully her cries aren't loud enough to attract any attention over the sounds of the party, and before she can protest further you're at the bottom of the stairs
  3691. >she's shaking like crazy, her eyes shut tight and legs threatening to squeeze the life out of you, but she's not crying
  3692. "There we go, Gracie. See? I'll take care of you, you don't have to worr-"
  3693. >"y...you didn't listen to me, Shiny!" she cuts you off abruptly
  3694. >her tone makes you wince
  3695. >that's the first time she's ever sounded genuinely upset with you
  3696. >"Bad pony! Very bad pony!"
  3697. >you frown, glancing over your shoulder at her with a disapproving look and shaking your head
  3698. "Gracie, I was just trying to show you that I can protect you"
  3699. >"How can I trust you if you won't listen to me, Shiny! Now put me *down!*"
  3700.  
  3701. >she fights against your magic grip, grunting and squirming
  3702. >rather than escalate things, you lower yourself to the floor, and your horn slowly dims
  3703. >she scrambles off your back, and stands in front of you with a pouty expression and her arms crossed
  3704. "Gracie, you're my friend, that means I'd never hurt you."
  3705. >"I... I know that, Shiny, but you... you're supposed to listen to me when I ride you! Remember what Anon said when I rode Corona? When I ride you I'm the boss, you scared me!"
  3706. >you frown and give a soft huff, ears flicking backwards
  3707. "Alright, alright. I'm sorry for not listening to you, Gracie. But I was just trying to help you not be scared of me"
  3708. >she holds her hard glare as your eyes go to the floor and your head dips
  3709. >but as your ears flatten and a saddened expression falls over your face, hers finally softens
  3710. >she sighs, and brings a hand to either side of your muzzle, touching her forehead to yours just below your horn
  3711. >"I still love you, Shiny. Just… don’t surprise me like that, okay?" she says before looking over her shoulder, toward the part of the house where the din of the party is coming from
  3712. >she then turns from you, walking toward the staircase
  3713. >"I don't wanna be around all those people, I'm going back to my room. If you wanna leave and go to the party cause I yelled at you, I won't be mad..."
  3714. >you look in the direction of the party as well, then glance back at her
  3715. >it's not even a question of where you'd rather be
  3716. >by the time you see Steve heading in your direction to check on the commotion he must have heard when she cried out, you’re already following Gracie back up the stairs, gently nudging her back when you catch up to her half way
  3717. >she gives a little giggle, turning and kissing the end of your muzzle before scampering to her room with you in tow

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