Sour Notes

 

 

***

 

“It won’t be easy but if you succeed, you won’t regret a single thing you had to endure.” said The Light.

“I’m ready.” I answered.

 

 

Prologue: So long, black balloon

 

***

 

I wasn't always like this, the state in which I was "found". I used to be a pretty normal kid, a bright one even.

...But that was a long time ago, because things went sideways relatively early in my life.

Since the night my parents died.

Their vehicle was completely smashed to pieces by a train, I wasn’t even allowed to see their bodies one last time.

People said I was lucky I wasn't with them at the time but the truth is,… I often wished I was. Because that was where my downfall began…

It was my 13th birthday, the day I got sent to an orphanage and a depressed individual who’s looking for some kind of escape from reality can easily become hooked up on something unhealthy.

Naturally,..

Afterall, everyday I’ve seen older kids that I lived with smoke and drink, so that was my stepping stone towards my “bright” future. And I started doing harder drugs as soon as I was able to get my hands on them.

I liked to think that it wasn't my fault, ....but I probably could have been stronger.

...

They let me out on my 18th birthday, back to my family house and by that time I already knew how and where to get a hold of various substances:

Smokes, alcohol, weed, LSD, MDMA, ecstasy, meth, crack, even heroin, I didn't care.

Over a single year, I managed to lose most of my heritage and descend even deeper into my addictions. I practically became one of the homeless junkies, passed out on the street, except I had a house.

Destroyed, unkept, almost empty, but I had one

I didn't sleep there most of the time though, it reminded me too much of my parents, so I spent most of my time on the street.

...I think I might have been a little over 19 years old, already a full blown junkie, when the colorful horse invasion began. I didn't watch or even have a TV, didn't know about any previous negotiations with this race so I had absolutely no idea what was happening. By the time they started spawning our cities, I thought I had finally lost it. I was 100% sure that I went completely insane at last. Especially when it was mere minutes after injecting some shit straight into my veins.

“None of this is real!” I thought.

So I ran out into the streets, laughing and screaming like a maniac while the humans and horses were fighting each other all around, with occasional explosions detonating in the distance.

Except it was real, as real as the train that changed my life back then.

I realized as soon as one of the horses noticed me, knocking me down with a single kick. Even though I was high as shit at the time, I remember vividly the moment our eyes met:

My side hurt and… we were both scared. Me, in sudden realization that the pain is real and this might actually be happening… he, because he couldn't bring himself to finish me with his weapon.

Never in his life he had to kill anyone before, I could see that from his strangely humanlike expression. Maybe he'd even spare me if I pleaded.

But I didn't.

I sprang up, fueled by the ungodly amount of crack in my blood, and punched his face so hard he fell unconscious after the first hit.

Scared shitless for the life that I was so eager to throw away before, I started running. Like a wild animal, I ran and ran, outran or knocked out every one of the horses that tried to chase me, even slipped away from their spells.

I didn’t stop outside the city, I kept running, into the forest, into the wild… and in the wild I stayed, for some time. With nothing but the torn clothing I had on me and one last dose in my pocket.

I found a place for myself by a creek so I’d have water nearby and with my bare hands, I dug a hole to live in.

After a couple of hours passed, maybe days, I went looking for some food. ...And I found some berries and bugs.

I didn't need to eat a lot anyway, as long as I was still high but I knew once I run out, I'll be a total wreck, unable to even walk.

And I was right.

All the fatigue and body damage came back to me as soon as the effects of my last dose went away, leaving me laying in my hole like a carrion.

I was still questioning myself if this was real,... or maybe I just overdosed myself, died and this was purgatory. But I got my answer sooner than I hoped.

...

It could have been less than a month when the "birds" started sweeping through areas for survivors and refugees. I was an easy target for them, so I soon found myself locked in a cage, at mercy to one old, smelly gryphon

The first few days, still experiencing the withdrawal effects, I wanted to die more than ever. But they didn't want me to, supposedly I was no good to them dead so they fed me some slush food and even treated some of the wounds.

Later on when I got better, I found out why.

The horses came back to the empty human cities, there were way more of them than gryphons, and started rebuilding it as one of their own settlements. I’ve been a living witness of my old city, being turned into a completely different realm in just a few weeks. And not just a witness, I even helped in rebuilding it.

The old gryphon used to "lend" me, and a few more humans he caught to the horses as a helping workforce.

...We were convenient for some specific jobs to them yet our overall abilities were nothing, compared to the unicorn magic. To see the old houses, being ripped out of the ground with a combined force of only a few of them,… the things they can do just with their minds,.. it filled me with a deep mixture of respect and fear for these creatures.

Not only for the unicorns though, I wouldn't dare to disobey any of the pony races, not pegasi, not even the earth ones with nothing but incredible strength in their hind legs. It didn’t matter they all seem harmless at a first sight,.. they aren’t.

Yet most of my ‘provisionary masters’ were actually kinda nice to me, a dirty wreck of a human being so I always did what I was asked without any rebellion.

I was very aware that it was them, who brought the downfall of a human civilisation in the first place,.. but I never really was that patriotic about my race anyway.

I was a junkie with not too bright of a future even if no invasion ever happened, a few more years like that and I would have been found dead in the street anyway.

Overdosed, beaten to death, stabbed for line of meth… there’s many ways I could have breathed my last breath, sooner or later.

What happened was almost like a second chance at life for me.

...With the emphasis on the “almost”.

Throughout the withdrawal symptoms, I was often wishing for death so all of this would stop but I just couldn’t do it myself. The upside was that it was the only way for me to stay clean. That and the constant work.

It's not like I could get any drugs anywhere now.

Though, the wIthdrawals caused uncontrollable mood swings through which I once even punched one of the gryphons and got harshly punished immediately afterwards.

They called me "Schizo" ever since, poking fun at my mental health.

Sometimes I would hardly care about what's happening to, or around me, other times I was banging my head against the bars. ...After managing to calm myself down, I was all submissive again. Of course all this only added to their thinking I was brain damaged.

But over time I began stabilizing again.

Not just physically from drugs but mentally as well.

That would be,.. somewhat accepting my fate here so I could live on.

I wasn’t exactly finding happiness in it, God no. This was far away from anything close to it.

But I was stabilizing…

 

***

When a horse offers a good enough price to the gryphon, he would sometimes sell him a human for good and not merely for borrowing.

Sure, it would cost a lot more than just one day and it only happened to some that were already favourite among some of our equine masters.

...

”...When we're done here, I’m gonna take you home with me Cindy.” said a stallion, winking an eye at one of the human girls belonging to Goldbeak.

Each day, he demanded specifically this one young girl to be his helper and just as he said, one day I stopped seeing them both.

As the time went on, more humans were getting sold as slaves/pets to the pony workers going home or settling in. Golbeak's thugs were still occasionally bringing fresh humans too, so it slowly turned into a regular slave shop by the time my old city was almost re-built,

Most of my “friends” or acquaintances were gone eventually…

But it was okay for me to stay, I was scared of everything outside my little world.

Until one day, things had to move on,..

Chapter one: Miracle?

 

***

 

 

 

 

 

 

That day a stallion unicorn entered the shop, talking with the old gryphon about something I couldn’t hear but I could sense I was brought up at some point.

When both of them glanced my way, I was sure.

I had to step back and gulp my saliva because of the creepy feeling in my gut as the two of them came closer to my cage so they could have a closer look.

"Like I said: right now, Schizo here is the second best behaving one, the others will need a lot more… ‘guidance’, if you understand….. Though, I’d still recommend buying the shock collar as well." Golbeak continued his speech.

"Is he dangerous..?"

"Mmmno, no... He used to have a real temper, but he's mostly calm now. You see, he was working on this very city, so he's used to commands and obeys without a word... It's just that for your purposes, it's better to be safe than sorry. And it's good to have a way to ‘nudge’ him in case something in his head... you know." chuckled the gryphon.

"Hmm. So,.. and the first best behaved one you mentioned?"

"Right this way, he's a crown jewel of my store. This guy was so eager to serve you ponies, he willingly gave himself to us…"

And they left through the door to the other room…

I exhaled in relief that I get to stay in my boring, yet safe cage for a while longer. But it didn’t take too long for them to return:

"…Yeah, that is expensive indeed, even for me.” the stallion scratched his chin “Guess I'll take this one. Both with the collar, remote and a chip too."

"Of course." the gryphon bowed as elegantly as his old bird body allowed, donning a grin… but in the middle of it, he started coughing like a cancer patient on his deathbed:

"....Pardon me, I'll bring everything right away. Follow me please..."

Soon after that I was leashed and led outside by the aloof looking stallion.

...

I’ve been silent for most of the walk, wondering in fear what exactly is going to happen with me. The uncertainty was the worst.

It could be anything, I thought. From the very best thing you can imagine, to the living hell on Earth or wherever they came from.

"...W-where are you taking me master?" I mustered enough courage to ask at some point.

"So you can speak after all..?" the stallion carelessly glanced my way "...hope it doesn't become a too frequent habit of yours."

And that was all he said to me.

I didn’t dare to ask again.

…

Eventually we reached a newly built train station. I was helping on the construction, so I knew. Yet I never saw their trains before it was finished,

Now I was standing in front of one and it was… well, it was colorful,.. like most of the things the ponies built. They really must like bright colors.

But as silly as their stuff may look to some humans, I kinda liked it.

...It reminded me of LSD trips.

The wagon my master led me to was resembling my old world though. I think it might have even been an old, repurposed freight wagon.

"Get in there Schizo. I am not asking twice." the stallion nudged me into the open door when I hesitated to enter the smelly interior.

Then he clipped the leash to one of the hangers and left, closing the door. Soon the train started moving.

There were two more humans with me at the start of the ride but I barely knew how to conversate anymore, aside from talking to myself when nobody’s listening. The only times I spoke with ponies was when I was asking for next commands and I almost didn’t talk with other humans either, even they thought I was a weirdo.

...So I stayed silent throughout the whole ride, trying to fall asleep

 

***

"Hey, get up Schizo, time to move!" I heard the stallion’s voice, pulling me out of my dreams, and his hoof, dragging me outside of the wagon.

I squinted my eyes at the unusually bright sun but as they got used to the light, I realized I’m in a city full of these equine creatures. It wasn’t the only strange part though, the whole place looked like nothing I ever saw before: The buildings, the pavement, the architecture, everything was in a similar style as what they built over my old city, yet all of it seemed as if it stood there for hundreds of years.

Something was telling me that I’m not on Earth anymore and the feeling in my gut only confirmed it.

As we waited for the next train, all I could do was to stare at everything with my mouth half opened in realization that I must have left the planet I grew up on...

In a few minutes, our transport was arriving, but this time there wasn’t an ugly wagon for humans in the back like the last one, there were only the nice looking pony ones.

...I was still sent into the luggage area though, with a threat that if I touch “anything” in there, I'd get zapped.

With a physical demonstration of how does it hurt. It really does hurt.

...It’s not like I was going to search through any pony luggage anyway

 

***

The train took us nearby some small village and from there we had to go by foot.

And hoof.

We entered a leafy forest on the other side of the train tracks, following a thin, dusty road that took us through the woods, emerging at a small sunlit meadow surrounded by trees. There was a modern looking house at the other side, with a few young fruit trees planted next to it.

My heart jumped in my chest over the initial thought that this might be my new home now, surrounded by nature, right under the sun the whole day.

...As strange as it may seem from an ex-junkie living in the city streets, I do love flora. Maybe especially because of that.

…

My master took me inside the house and it was equally gorgeous there. It was letting in so much light through its big windows on each side, especially the door sized ones, pointing at the little garden with fruit trees and a two seat swing.

Right in front of the view stood a robust chair with another figure sitting there, gazing outside.

Even from behind, all the way across the big room, I could tell it's another pony. A mare. Their manes are just so… pretty.

This pony’s mane was visibly disheveled though, almost uncared for, yet still beautiful because of its bright, goldish-yellow colour.

"Stay here." the stallion stopped me at the door, continuing to the living room by himself.

From peeking over the corner, I could see him tapping on the mare’s shoulder, right before the chair turned around.

The room was stretching over the whole house, so I didn’t see that many details, other than that she doesn’t have a horn or wings and she has a blanket on her lap, covering her rear legs.

From that distance, her face seemed just as young and elegant as any other mare. But it were her eyes with big black circles under them that made her look somewhat… unhealthy.

The stallion faintly smiled at the mare when she glanced at him. Yet she didn’t smile back, her expression stayed almost the same neutral.

I couldn't hear what they were talking about but it probably wasn't about me at the start, just some casual conversation. I could swear I almost saw her smile at some point.

But then the stallion brought up my name, pointed my way and all 4 pony eyes were fixed at me. The mare frowned:

"I don't need an assistant Papyrus! Especially not... something like this!"

The stallion said something I couldn't hear and called me closer anyway.

I hesitated whether I should go. But I went because my master said so.

Up close, I was afraid to look at their faces, even though I was taller than them, so I stared into the ground between us.

"...He's ugly. And he smells..." the mare muttered

"He doesn't need to be pretty to be useful. And he can be washed. More importantly, he's tall, strong and obedient. - Schizo, look up."

I did what I was told to do and glanced at the mare, looking into her big eyes.

Each of them had a different coloured iris, her right one was hazel brown, her left one was yellow, just like her mane. They’d be stunning and glamorous if it wasn’t for the scary looking black circles underneath them and a hostile expression on the mare’s face.

Yet I felt like I knew exactly what’s hiding behind those eyes. Melancholy, bitterness, boredom of living… Like an old man’s gaze, one who’s lived way too long and seen way too much. Except everything else about her seemed way too young for that, as if there was something tragic troubling that mare, causing her wretched appearance.

As if she was longing for her own death while being unable to kill herself, just like-...

...me.

At least back then…

I gulped.

She didn’t care to properly look at me though, just grumpily frowned at the stallion, whether he isn’t going to tell her that this is all just some kind of joke.

Then he would tell me something like: “Good job Anon, you can go.” and we would have a good laugh.

But that wasn’t the case of course.

"...You know I don't have enough time to properly take care of you. He can do many things you can't or make them easier." replied the unicorn to her silent disapproval.

"...So you're only doing this so that you don't have to come home at all, do you?!"

"What are you saying? I'm just trying to help you…"

"If you did, you'd be here yourself!..." the mare angrily yelled, almost as if I wasn't standing right in front of them witnessing it, as if I wasn't even there. ...Pretty sure if she had something in her hoof, she’d throw it at him as well.

But the stallion swiftly asserted dominance with his way deeper voice:

”You know well I have duties in my work that I can’t abandon!! What happened isn’t my fault!”

And then a dead silence filled the room for a few, yet very long seconds.

...

"I know..." the mare sniffled eventually "I'm sorry..."

"... Me too.” the stallion slightly lowered his head and eased up his posture “I know it's not easy… So will you give it a chance?"

To which the mare softly nodded, without even eyeing at me.

"I'll send him to the shower before presenting him. Yeah and I got this for you too." the unicorn called "Papyrus" levitated a remote for my shock collar into her lap and took out a one shot syringe pistol out of his saddlebag "It's so that he won't run away."

"What is it?"

"Use the remote if he misbehaves. And this is to prevent him from fleeing. Hold still, it'll sting a bit." he put the syringe pistol to the mare’s shoulder.

"Wait I don't want that- Ow!"

...The stallion already pressed the trigger.

"..What the hay was that?!"

"If he gets too far from you, the collar will start zapping him. You can set the range on the remote. Pretty neat huh?"

"I don’t like things under my skin. ...Especially if it's connecting me to this weird and stinky creature."

"It was necessary, dear." smiled Papyrus, then firmly looked at me "Come on Schizo. This way."

...

My master sent me to the showertub and left me there with some clean, simple clothes he bought back on Earth.

The size was okay, surprisingly.

I was happy to feel warm water on my skin once again, finally being able to get rid of all the dirt and smell from all parts of my body.

Once I was done, looking almost like a normal human after such a long time, he took me to the living room again, stopping before opening the door

"Schizo, I'm gonna say this only once, so you better remember everything as best as your brain allows it. My wife, Lemon Scribble, is now your new master and the single most important thing in your life, understand? I won't always be here, so your allegiance lies to her. If she tells you to jump, you’re supposed to ask how high. If she tells you to run in circles, you better start running. Any questions?"

...I had a few, but I was afraid of asking them, so I just shook my head, saying "No."

"Good. Better than I hoped for. Now come..."

***

 

Chapter two: So lonesome I could cry

 

***

 

I was once again brought before the mare called "Lemon Scribble", that was still sitting in her chair.

"So,.. Lemon, dear, is he better now?" chuckled Mr. Scribbles, nudging me forward

"... He's still ugly. But least he doesn't smell anymore."

"Fair point... Wanna make him do something?"

"No."

"Come on.”

“No!”

“Lemon, you've got your own personal assistant! He'll do what you tell him. Look: Schizo, go feed our cat."

"I-I'm sorry, but I don't know where everything is y-yet. ...C-could you show me first, master?"

"We don't have a cat!" laughed the stallion, turning back to his wife "Saw how nervous he got just because he couldn’t do it right away? That was hilarious.!"

"Papyrus..."

"Yeah, sorry, I got a little carried away. But the point is: he'd do anything you ask him."

"I saw that..."

"Not impressed..?"

"Not really."

"Then what would impress you?"

...As if something snapped inside of her, the mare suddenly banged her hooves into the armrests so hard her blanket fell off:

"If I had my legs back, dammit!" she yelled with tears in her eyes “Having a sidekick won’t help!”

I had to force myself not to stare at the two short stumps, cut right above her knees. It was obvious to me there was something wrong with the mare but…

"But he could be your legs darling.” Mr. Scribbles stepped closer to his wife “Tell him to lift you up and carry around. He'll do that."

"Don't you understand..? I'm a cripple…" she kept crying "Nothing will ever change that. All of this is making me feel even more miserable. If only I was at least a unicorn, but an earth pony without legs is absolutely useless!!"

"You still got your front ones. It's not restricting you from your talent."

"Fuck my talent! What is it good for?! Fuck everything! You're gone all week and instead of taking a single day off, you just buy me this creature so that you won't have to deal with your stupid cripple of a wife!!"

That must have been too much for Mr. Scribbles and honestly, I couldn’t have blamed him for turning around and walking away.

He was trying to look composed but I knew he was boiling inside. ...And I was left there all alone with the mare, unsure what to do.

"I'm sorry Papyrus..." she whimpered, but her husband was already gone.

Then she noticed me still there:

"Shoo, leave me alone..! Go!"

...

Needles to say I ran out of her sight as fast as I could.

It felt horrible to end up in such a place, I didn't want to be tangled in any of this. All I wanted was to be back in my cage, helping out building the city again,.. or sleep. Forever would be the best.

So I crouched in a corner and closed my eyes, imagining I'm somewhere nice. I wanted to run into the forest outside but I was scared of getting zapped again, I had no idea how far the range was set.

I was stuck.

Stuck with this angry, emotion-driven, amputee horse.

...But then I heard a sound, something I didn't hear since my mother died. ...A piano.

First, just a few simple notes with a long distance between them but soon the strings started to create a soft, slow and… sad melody. Sad, yet, beautiful. ...Never in my life have I ever heard anything so beautiful.

So I listened, slowly following where it was coming from.

...And it was from the living room.

I couldn’t help myself to not peek around the corner to see if there was someone else in the house as well. Someone as beautiful as the song I was hearing.

But to my surprise, I saw my new mistress sitting in front of a grand piano that was previously hidden behind a curtain. I didn’t even notice it before.

The mare was sitting on a high stool because her mobility chair that was now right next to it was too low. It had to take some effort to climb there without rear legs.

Strangely mezmerised, I was watching her play while listening in awe to the bittersweet symphony, wondering:

...How can someone as terrible as her, create something so fair?

...

Eventually, the slow and symphonic melody started getting faster and more distorted until she was just banging random notes and chords in chaotic order, slamming her hooves on the keys as if she wanted to break them.

And she was crying.

Almost as loud as the desperate noises from the instrument, as her tears were falling down, wetting her cheeks

The discordant concerto of sadness continued till her head just tiredly fell down on the black and white keys, still softly sobbing.

...

After a short while, she sniveled in order to compose herself a little and clean her nostrils.

Probably in vain.

...Wanting to turn around on the stool and get back into her mobility chair underneath it, she shakily raised her muzzle. But with a clumsy push of her hoof, away from the piano, she accidentally slipped down, hitting herself over the chair in the process and falling down onto the ground.

“OW!!!!! AAAAAAH, FUCK!!!! FUCK YOU, YOU FUCKING SON OF A BITCH!!! WHY?!!!"

...In her anger and pain, she kept spewing curses and insults into the air for quite a while, needless to say I’ve never seen a pony being so vulgar. But eventually she exhausted herself so much she just caved down on the ground in defeat.

By that time, I'd expect her husband rushing to help her up, if he was anywhere in the house, there was no way he did not hear her.

But no… he didn't come.

...

I wasn't sure what I was doing, but something inside me couldn't just let the mare lie there, so I stepped into the room, hesitantly walking towards her.

She noticed me only when I was standing right in front of her. Then she raised her head up and looked at me with her wet eyes, red from crying.

The black circles underneath them were even more visible than before.

...This “Mrs. Scribbles” looked absolutely dreadful, at least for a pony.

I expected her to burst at me with even more anger but there was nothing more left in her. Her face just cringed into a painful expression, full of shame and self pity before her head fell down into her hooves again.

"Stop looking at me..." she whimpered softly "Go away..."

I gulped my saliva:

"Mrs. Scribble,.. will you allow me to help you up?"

...

It took some time for her to raise her head up again.

And she didn't speak, just slightly nodded, trying to keep as straight face as possible. So I moved behind her, wrapping my hands around her chest to pick her up.

Her body, even though she was smaller than me, was actually just a bit heavier than I expected.

"Ow!! That hurts!" she squeaked as soon I began lifting her

"I'm sorry... are you injured?"

"I hit my back..." she attempted to massage the aching place "....But it should be okay. Help me up."

So I did and I set her back into her chair.

"Now leave me alone Schizo... I need some time alone..." the mare pointed her hoof to the other room.

Her tone was firm and serious again, I didn't hesitate to get out of her sight as soon as possible. But just when I was almost gone:

"...Schizo."

I stopped, turning around.

"Thank you..." she added.

"My pleasure." I bowed for some reason, probably because I saw Goldbeak do it often in front of his customers

And my mistress smiled.

Faint, soft, yet it was definitely a smile. For the very first time I saw her, smiling my way.

And I engraved the image of such a rare moment into my memory very thoroughly...

I felt good, suddenly.

Now when I felt some sympathy for the crippled mare that's constantly yelling at everyone, she didn’t seem all that terrible.

I knew I could work this out somehow, maybe it won’t be such a nightmare living here…

 

 

 

 

Chapter three: Eyes open

 

***

 

After getting to know my mistress a little better, I had a little more confidence to explore my new surroundings.

Gazing at the forest outside, I longed to see the garden up close, to have a fresh breath of oxygen and to step on the soft, green grass. I felt that I deserve this little treat.

So I carefully opened the door, taking very slow steps to avoid getting zapped if the range was too short...

At first I just stood in front of the house, sunbathing in the late afternoon sun, then I made a few more steps, walking around the house in a circle, staying close to its walls. ...And I came across a swing, hung from a tree branch, with a bench next to it

I saw all of that from the living room's giant windows before but now, over the sun's reflection, I couldn't see inside the house, whether my mistress was still there.

Yet I presumed she was. She could probably see me.

I didn't get a zap though, so she must have been okay with it. Hopefully.

But then one of the windows slid open to a side

>....only then I realized it was actually a sliding door

"What are you doing there?" the mare with gold mane asked.

But she didn’t sound angry or upset, rather curious instead.

"Excuse me mistress, I just wanted some fresh air, I-I'll be right back inside.”

"It's okay... Stay there all you want.....Just don't get dirty again, okay?"

"I promise I won't." I clumsily sat onto the bench and closed my eyes towards the sun, absorbing it's rays again.

...But I felt a little uncomfortable, knowing the mare is probably still watching me. I only stayed there a few minutes, planning to move somewhere else when I heard:

"Hey Schizo."

"Yes mistress?"

"Help me outside. I want to sit there as well."

"Right away." I rushed through the opened doors to her mobility chair. But the wheels were too small to cross over those two little steps into the garden or to ride through an unkempt grass. ...Definitely indoor use only.

"Just lift me up, I don't want to switch to my big rig. The belts take forever." my mistress nudged me when she saw how clueless I am.

I had no idea what she meant by the “big rig” either but I did what she asked me to and picked her into my arms, carrying her outside.

...The mare smelled like a freshly cut citrus fruit from up close.

I gently laid her on the bench, sitting myself on the side so that we both had enough personal space.

".It’s a way better to actually be here, than to just watch it through the window..." she exhaled, squinting her eyes at the sun "Schizo..?"

"Yes mistress?"

"...Who gave you such a horrible name? Was it your mother or..?"

"No, it was the gryphon traders. My parents called me "Anon". They both died when I was 12..."

To which my mistress frowned at the grass underneath her.

"Sorry to hear that. ... My father is still alive till now but my mother died. I was 33."

I couldn't help myself, but to glance at her face in disbelief, almost asking a question "How old are you really?"

But I didn't. Not only would it be rude, but I felt I was in no positions to ask questions.

She was the first to ask:

"...So how old are you Anon?"

Hearing her use my human name, something clicked in me. Nobody called me like that in such a long time.

I wanted to thank her but instead I just smiled really goofy:

"I think I’m 19 years old… But the last months were pretty blurry so I might be 20 already…"

"20..? …How long do humans live?"

"About 80 years."

"So you're young."

"Could say that. In our society, I reached maturity just two years ago..."

Which made her softly chuckle:

"I wouldn't have guessed that at all. I thought you're older. At least as old as me."

But just I awkwardly smiled in silence, not sure what to say.

“...”

"Go ahead, ask me." the mare glanced at me with her big eyes.

She knew exactly what was going through my mind, so I said it out loud:

"...Mrs. Scribble, how old are you?"

"Thirty six. Our average life expectancy might be ten or even twenty years longer than yours, but life never really follows statistics...."

"You're 36...?"

She merely nodded.

"...I wouldn't have guessed that either. You look very young."

"It isn’t that uncommon for our kind." chuckled Mrs. Scribble "The very first signs of age usually start to show in our 50's or even 60’s... Though, I probably won’t live that long."

“...”

I stayed silent, unsure what to say, if anything.

The faint smile stayed on the mare’s face a while longer, before she exhaled:

"We'll see... And why did the gryphons nickname you "Schizo"?"

"Mistress, that's a long story. I wouldn't want to bother or waste your time with it."

"Do I look bothered? I've got all the time I could possibly want. So much of it, it's almost boring me to death as of lately. Tell me that story, at least I'll pass some time until my husband returns..."

I wanted to ask her more about her husband, where did he go or what's his job that he's almost always gone, but I started with my own story instead. I told her in short about everything from when my parents died, up to gryphons catching me and later giving me the name I hated so much.

Mrs. Scribble was silent most of the time, only occasionally asking questions about humans and our dead culture. And I was really happy that I got to speak with someone who doesn’t think I’m actually retarded. It almost felt like she cared...

I wasn’t sure but wanted to think so.

...

When I was done, she gently scratched her chin with a little smirk:

"...It seems that trains are a menace to both of us."

"I’m sorry..?"

”It was a train that ran over my legs. By an accident of course, I tripped and fell in front of it. It’s a… curious coincidence that we met.”

...An image of the white mare, staring at her severed limbs in a bloody puddle blinked in front of me in my head. I shivered.

"...They let me out of the hospital a month ago... But sometimes I wish they didn’t save me back then. If only it severed me in half instead of just taking my legs.” she smiled with almost freezing calm.

I hesitated a little but I still said what came first on my mind:

"...I too often wished I was in the car with my parents that night."

"...Is that so?" her expression slightly shifted

"...Yes."

"And do you still-...?"

"No,.. I think I might have accepted what happened by now."

“...”

After a very short while of processing, the mare smiled once more, but this time a way more sincerely than before:

"Thanks Anon..."

The next second I heard a movement from inside the house.

"...Papyrus is back..." Mrs. Scribbles announced softly "I should apologize to him. Will you help me back inside?"

"Of course mistress."

"That's a good boy..."

....

I brought her back into the house and seated her into the chair with tiny wheels which she left by the garden door. Only now I noticed there’s a tiny joystick for riding around. There’s no electricity on it though, so it’s probably magic operated as quite a bit of pony tech.

...

"You're dismissed for now Anon. But do come for dinner later, I'm sure we can find something for you too."

"Thank you mistress." I bowed like I did a few times before and went back into the garden.

The bowing thing came so naturally I stopped questioning it.

And before I closed the door, my mistress was already scooting away on her chair to another room

...

The next half an hour, I spent on the swing that's hanging down from the tree branch. It never mattered to me how childish it might seem to some but I always loved those. Plus, since there wasn't anything else to do, it was a good way to pass some time while enjoying the fresh air which was so precious to me. And I felt pretty good. ...Both about myself and the situation right now.

At least a lot better than I did upon arrival.

My new mistress might not be so bad after all and the life here will probably be much more enjoyable than in the Goldbeak's cage.

No more conflicts, no more problems. I thought.

Boy, was I wrong about that but who could have known back then…

...

...Before the sun set, I heard a master’s voice:

"Schizo! Food! I am not saying it twice!"

I rushed to wherever it was coming from and I found Mr. Scribbles inside the dining room.

Surprisingly, he was smiling:

"I heard you were a good influence. Didn't expect at all to solve this for me so fast. Here you go." he levitated a bowl with the leftovers from their dinner into my hands

It was some kind of fried vegetable mix with seasoning, seeds and noodles.

"Thank you master." I bowed again "Would uh… w-would it be possible I get a spoon as well?"

His eyebrow raised a little in response, I didn’t know what it meant.

"I-I just wouldn't want to stain anything in the house. ...My hands would get dirty if I ate with those."

"Hmm, sure, of course. Here. And off you go." I got what I asked for.

And then I happily rushed back into the garden.

The food was still warm, my first one after who knows how long.

I rarely ate anything even back when I was free,... it's pretty hard to eat on hard drugs.

But now I was enjoying myself an actual meal. Not sure if it was the contrast of all this or if it was so incredibly delicious but I could swear I never had anything this good. It almost made me shed a tear.

I ate slowly and there was just about enough of it for my shrunken stomach to feel satisfied but not heavy. Nonetheless, I still spent some time just laying on the bench and enjoying the feeling. Until I got called inside again.

...

"Schizo, you'll be sleeping here, outside the bedroom so that you'll be close if Lemon might need you." Mr. Scribbles gave me a few pillows to make myself a nest there.

I didn't ask for a blanket, I was used to sleeping without one for a long time and the pillows already felt like a luxury. But even so, Mrs. Scribbles gave me one from the couch.

I was really grateful and wanted to ask her if she might need help getting into the bed but I quickly understood she likes doing the things she can do by herself, without help. ...So that she won’t feel incapable. Plus, she would surely tell me if she needed anything.

"Thank you mistress." I just smiled instead "Good night."

"Good night Anon." she nodded before scooting with her chair into the bedroom, soon to be followed by her husband.

I fell asleep shortly after that.

....

 

 

Chapter four: Breathe in the air

 

***

That morning, after my masters had their breakfast, I got my own share as well. It was mostly what they couldn’t eat but it felt like Mrs. Scribble made too much on purpose.

...Both of the ponies seemed to be in a very good mood the whole forenoon but Mr. Scribble didn't stay with us too long.

I saw him telling his wife he's going to town for something and while she wasn't even close to being as angry as she was before, she was definitely a bit upset:

"I can come with you." I overheard her saying "I won't slow you down."

"No dear, you should rest. Plus, you know you have a little problem with stairs, I wouldn't want you to get hurt." Mr. Scribble answered.

"Come on Papyrus, stop treating me like a kid. I lost my legs, not 30 years."

"Lemon..." the stallion firmly ended the conversation "It will be better this way. I'll be soon back anyway."

It didn't feel like he was really giving her a choice, he simply didn't want her going with him.

And my mistress understood that. ...Didn't like it at all, but understood.

Silently, she turned her chair around and went to another room.

...I felt like she will call for me soon.

But she didn't. Instead, I soon heard her piano again.

The pace of a melody Mrs. Scribbles was playing was a little faster than what she played yesterday and it didn't reflect so much sadness either. It wasn't anything too cheerful though. Yet it was equally beautiful. So I listened from around the corner again because I wouldn't want to disturb her with my presence.

And she played and played...

For at least for 20 minutes. Slowly ending it with a few, repeating notes, fading into stillness…

...

Then, as if the mare felt me watching her, she suddenly turned my way. I quickly hid, but she must have seen me.

"...Come on out Anon, it's okay." her voice resonated almost as softly as the instrument in front of her.

"Mrs. Scribble." I stepped forth

"...Were you listening the whole time?"

To which I cautiously nodded:

"...I couldn't help myself."

"Really?"

"Yes, you’re amazing, mistress..."

"Well,.. it's just my talent. The only thing I’m really good at." she coyly chuckled, touching her flank with a picture of a halved lemon and some notes "....What kind of talent do you have Anon?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Don't you humans have cutie marks?"

"I'm afraid not."

"I see... I probably could have expected that we ponies might be the only species, since gryphons or yaks... nevermind... But you still must be good at something, aren't you?"

"I don't think I excel at anything as much as you do at your instrument.” I lowered my head “My past was completely fruitless,.."

"Then maybe you’ve got yet to find that ‘something’...You’re still young, you said it yourself." she smiled, about to turn back to her playing

"M-mistress, can I have a question?" I hesitantly interrupted her, feeling guilty about it immediately afterwards

Yet instead of getting angry, Mrs. Scribble just stopped and glanced my way again:

"…Yes?"

"Excuse my manners, but how exactly do these cutie marks work? I've seen that all ponies have them and I know they're representing their talent but-..."

...I caught myself staring at her flank, so I nervously looked up

"We earn them once we find our talent. They literally just magically appear if that is your question."

"But… are names and cutie marks connected?”

”To some extent… Before you ask, no. We don’t know how exactly, yet.” my mistress chuckled “It might seem absurd that we don’t know how such an important part of our lives works but then again. - The same can be said about living. You don’t have to know how lungs function to breathe.”

“That makes sense I guess… Forgive me for asking so many questions but can I have one more?”

”That’s okay, ask away. I’m happy you’re curious.”

“...The cutie mark doesn’t always spell the pony’s name, right?”

”No,.. not always. Mine does though, if that’s what you mean.”

"So,.. Lemon Scribble-…music-notes? Is that your full name?"

"I wasn't always a Scribble. Before I met Papyrus, my name was ‘Lemon Note’. It would make a lot more sense for a piano player, wouldn't it?" chuckled the mare "...But I loved Papyrus, so even though it isn’t a necessity here, I gave up my family name with the marriage."

"Y-yeah, that also makes sense…”

The mare nodded understandingly and seeing I have no more questions, her hooves touched the keys once more to begin another melody:

This one started as slow as all the others before but it very quickly started progressing into a faster pace with a cheerful melody.

...I listened in awe,- to every little sound she made her instrument do, wishing I could create something so gorgeous one day as well. ...Mrs. Scribbles always played with her eyes closed, her hooves were moving around the keys automatically, pressing each note with an accuracy of a machine and tenderness of a lover. Like turning raw emotions into music. ...And she was smiling right now, I didn’t even have to look to know because I was smiling as well.

When it ended, I clapped in spontaneous reaction

"That was wonderful!.. Mistress..."

"Thank you Anon." her hoof elegantly closed the wooden cover to protect the keys "…but you've got a big part in this specific symphony."

"I’m sorry?"

"I just made up this one for you." she smiled as softly and mysteriously as ever

One would hardly even recognize her being the same mare that was yesterday more vulgar than half the hobos I used to hang out with...

"I-..It means a lot to me mistress, I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything... Why don't you give it a try as well?"

"Me..? But I've before never even-..."

"Everypony, or a human in your case, has to start somewhere. Get yourself a chair to sit on."

"Right away mistress." I ran into dining room for one, quickly returning to her

...

"That was fast." my mistress chuckled "Now sit here."

So I did so and she grabbed both of my hands with her incredibly soft hooves:

"Look at those weird appendages you've got!” the mare quickly inspected my fingers “It should be even easier for you than for me with those, once you learn to control them. Now... ease them up."

And she softly laid my fingers down onto the keys, moving my arms for me to create a very short, repeating melody. It sounded almost as if she was playing through me.

...

"Now, the same thing, without my help."

"But-"

"No buts. You can do it."

...So I tried, very slowly at first.

But it sounded horrible.

My hands were stiff and inexperienced with anything so delicate. I stopped when I hit 4 wrong notes in a row.

Both of us cringed hearing it:

"...You started almost good. But don't speed up when you can't do it yet. It's not a competition, get as slow as you can." Mrs. Scribbles showed me on her own side of the piano.

Hesitantly, I laid my fingers on the keys again, this time making sure I do everything as correct as I can.

"…Relax Anon, ease up. Relax those hooves completely. As if you were tenderly fondling a young humaness, you must have done that before."

...She had no idea I haven't, but I wasn't going to correct her. I just did my best to “fondle” the instrument the most loving way my hands were able to. But even then, it didn't sound nearly as good as when she was playing.

...

"...I'm sorry mistress, I'm a lost cause."

"Nonsense. I have one more trick for you. Close your eyes and just “try to feel it”, okay?"

"But how will I know what I'm pressing?"

So I closed my eyes, focusing solely on the touch underneath my fingers and the sounds of the piano strings. And then,.. the “magic” happened: It was almost as smooth and beautiful as when my mistress plays.

"See?" I knew she was smiling, even through my closed eyelids "That’s my boy, just like that..."

...

“...And now, try adding your second one." she took my right hand and put it on the keys as well.

...But that is where I failed horribly again:

"I cannot concentrate on both of them… I’m sorry mistress..."

"Yet… I shouldn’t have pressed on you, it's a bit too much to take in for the very first lesson... Did you like it at least a bit..?"

"I did!" I eagerly nodded my head, keeping it down "And I'm very grateful for your patience with me..."

"That's nothing... I always wanted to teach at least the basics to Papyrus so we could play together but he hates it. I can tell, even if he never told me openly. ...After a few tries, I gave up..." her mind wandered somewhere for a few seconds "...So would you like another lesson later?"

"Of course! Thank you so much mistress!"

"Pleasure is on my side." Mrs. N̶o̶t̶e̶ Scribbles, smiled gracefully

Yep, definitely a different mare than the one yelling about whores, assholes and fucktards yesterday. ...I just hoped never to get on her bad side again.

Then the graceful mare sat back in her mobility chair and went to the kitchen to make a lunch for her husband.

...I felt like I’ve been bothering her enough for the time being but I still had nothing better to do than to watch her. It was my only task to be at her side after all.

"Would you mind if I stayed here with you, Mrs. Scribble?" I asked first

"...You were dismissed Anon, you can do whatever you want to."

"But I'd like to stay here if you don't mind."

"... I don't. Under one condition."

"What is it?"

"You will help me cook of course!"

And I was happy to lend a hand once again, even though I wasn't that much of a help. ...But I was good at bringing stuff from different places she struggled to reach, or to save her time by doing some basic tasks while she does the real kitchen magic.

"...Mrs. Scribble, that food I was given yesterday night, did you make that as well?" I asked at some point.

"Yes I did, Papyrus can't really cook for himself… why is it?.."

"It was delicious. The best food ever."

"Come now, it was nothing special." she blushed shortly

"Not for me. It was very special..." I smiled timidly

"Well then, just wait to have a taste of what we're doing now! This is gonna be a lot better."

***

When the food was done, my mistress gave me a wooden spoon to scoop up a bit from the casserole after we took it out of the oven. I hesitated to take it:

"...M-me?"

"Of course. Tell me if it needs something more. Every food can still be improved and I like hearing opinions of somepony else."

So I had a little taste, having to blow some air on it first because it was still really hot:

"...I think it's absolutely perfect as it is, Mrs. Note- I m-mean Scribbles! I’m so sorry…"

...I didn’t know why I said that, probably because of the piano lesson before and her cutie mark still stuck in my head. ...Gryphons would probably slap me in an instant for messing up their name.

For a second, I expected her to do the same, judging by the serious expression of my mistress,.. but..:

"I haven’t been called by my old name in quite a while…” she smiled eventually “Just like you Anon, isn't that true?"

I submissively nodded,.. adding:

"....It's a little different in my case. You said you changed your name out of love whereas my nickname was an insult. I didn't mean to offend you by calling you differently than you chose. It just slipped..."

"That's okay..." her gaze turned out of the window on the green garden, specifically the yellow swing "I do love my husband,.. but I'm not sure if giving up my family name was such a good idea. Ponies can do crazy things out of love…”

...It seemed as if she wasn't going to continue, rather getting lost in her own thoughts. But then she glanced back at me:

”…Now when she’s gone, it’s the only memory of my dear mother… You can feel free to use my old name if you like it better. Just,.. not in front of Papyrus."

I did like it better for some reason, so I smiled and nodded.

"…Anyway, do you think there is something missing in the food? Something to improve it?"

"...Like I said, for me, it's utterly amazing as it is."

"Well you're not much of a help when it comes to critique." my mistress chuckled with good nature before having a little taste as well, using the same spoon

...Which kind of surprised me, I thought she would at least wash it after a human. But maybe she just forgot:

"Hmmm,..it's not bad,.. but how about..." her hoof reached into a nearby spice cabinet, grabbing a pinch of something green and aromatic that I had no idea what was and sprinkled it over the finished casserole

"Try it now." she was handing me the spoon again, so I took it and had a little taste, just like before.

And to my surprise, it really was even better. The change was very subtle but still noticeable enough, even for me.

"...That's fantastic, mistress!" my eyes widened in surprise, as if I witnessed a magic trick

My reaction made her softly giggle.

Just about the time when the door opened with Mr. Papyrus Scribbles standing in them...

"Oh, hey there honey! Me and Anon just finished making lunch. Are you hungry?" my mistress noticed her husband

"Lemon, I..." he eyed on her, then on me, - still holding the spoon so I put it behind my back, striking a servitude pose "…Uhm, well, I had something on my way to the city. Didn't expect you to be such a dear after, we eh-... But of course. I'll have a bit, thanks."

It felt like a time I should leave them alone, so I bowed their way and was about to leave the room before I was stopped by my mistress, handing me a bowl of the food she made with my help. I figured Mr. Scribbles would prefer if I didn't eat with them at one table and I liked eating alone anyways.

I thanked my mistress, softly bowed their way again and left, getting appreciative look from both of the ponies.

"Man this is going kinda smooth." I thought while eating my delicious share

 

***

I've been called by my masters only a few times more that day, since Mr. Scribbles was around and my mistress was happy he's giving her some of his surely precious time.

I did some housework in the meanwhile, washing dishes and things like that, vacuumed the floor too...

While they were in the garden together, I also tried to practice on the piano a little.

...And after the sunset, they left to their bedroom so I went to sleep as well.

It was one of the most peaceful days I had in years...

 

Chapter five: A great day for freedom

 

***

 

 

 

 

 

That night I slept a little longer than my masters and was awakened by a sound of hooves, clopping on the floor around me.

...It was Mr. Scribbles of course, Mrs. Note would be riding in her mobility chair.

"Good morning master." I immediately lifted my head.

"…Yeah, hi Schizo." he scratched his nose and went to the kitchen to read some book until his wife prepared breakfast.

It took less than a minute for her to show up as well.

“Good morning mistress..!” I smiled at her in full attention.

”Good morning Anon…” she smiled back but I could tell that this is one of her fake smiles.

...It didn’t seem as if she’s having too good of a morning for some reason. Which felt strange, the last time I saw her yesterday, she was really happy

"...is something troubling you Mrs. Scribble?" I dared to ask

"…A bit.” she slightly frowned, releasing the pretended expression “But it's not your fault, don't you worry about it."

"I’d still like to help. Is there anything I can do?"

"...I don't think you can help me with this one Anon. But I do appreciate your concern." she softly smiled again, this time sincerely "...Are you hungry?"

"That’s okay, you don’t have to concern yourself with me, I can easily do without breakfast."

"I see. Well,.. there will probably be some leftovers from ours anyway if you change your mind later. There always are…” the mare nodded my way and pushed the joystick on her chair forwards

...

“Maybe she just didn’t sleep too well…” I thought when she was about to disappear around the corner

But she interrupted my thoughts when her head poked out again:

“... One more thing Anon, make sure to brush your teeth, even if you won’t be eating. I'm gonna leave a fresh toothbrush in the bathroom for you to use."

"I will, thank you."

"You're welcome... I wouldn't want your teeth to rot away. It would be both painful for you to eat, as well as for me to see you like that.”

...Little does she know that all my 8' and 7' are gone already and my right canine is fake.

....

After my masters were finished with their breakfast, I bumped into them again on my way out of the garden. They both seemed to be in a lot better mood than they were early in the morning

...Could be they already settled whatever problem they had.

"Anon, me and my wife are going to the city now. Be good in the meanwhile okay?"

"I will." I nodded on my way to clean their dishes.

And it didn’t take longer than a few minutes for them to depart.

Mrs. Note just had to change from her comfy chair into a less comfy but way more practical wheels, strapped to her torso and thighs. -That’s probably what she meant by her “big rig” before.

This way she could use her front hooves to walk and drag her rear part like a wagon through most of the terrain.

...Too many stairs or bigger obstacles would still be a problem though.

…

I was watching through the window as they were about to disappear in the forest when the collar on me started vibrating. It didn’t feel like a good sign, so I glanced at it in the window’s reflection see what’s going on when suddenly:

-I got zapped.

“What the-”

It wasn’t too painful, rather shocking.

...But I felt the next one a lot more.

“OW! For God’s sake what IS-”

The third zap was so strong I fell to my knees. I didn’t need more clues to know what was going on…

“MISTRESS!!! COME BACK!!!!” I cried as loud as I could, hoping she would hear me across the meadow

Then the fourth shock came, and this time it wasn’t stopping.

It kept going, pumping the electricity into my body so hard I couldn’t even move. All I could do was to squirm on the floor in agony.

...A thought that this might be my actual end flashed through my head. I couldn’t possibly withstand this until they return, or could I..? It seemed that I was about to find out…

What a stupid way to die.

But in the moment when I thought I’m about to shatter my own teeth in the spasm-…

The pain stopped all of a sudden, releasing me from the torture just as quick as it started.

...

By the time my mistress stormed back into the house, I was still laying on the ground, shaking with tears in my eyes.

"Anon!! By Celestia, are you okay?!! Please, say something!"

”...He’s gonna be okay, the gryphon said it’s not lethal…” Mr Scribble soon popped up behind her as well.

“M-mistress, I-…” I dazedly reached my hand towards the snow-white mare “you r-returned…”

”I’m so sorry Anon, it’s my fault… I forgot to change the settings of the collar!” she took my hand into her hoof “I’m such a dumb goose! Can you stand up?”

"Now, now, dear.." her husband put his hoof on her while she was trying to pick me up “Don’t belittle yourself in front of the human. He needs to respect you.”

...But she wasn’t really paying attention to him.

With her help, I eventually managed to sit up. Her front hooves might be soft to touch but they’re pretty strong too.

“I-I’m gonna be okay, mistress… Don’t worry about me. I barely felt it.” I tried to crack a smile, wiping my eyes.

It probably didn’t look convincing enough because she was still frowning in guilt.

"…At least you'll remember it better next time, Lemon. One has to learn from mistakes.” Mr Scribbles broke the silence “I'm sure our human can get over it, can’t he?"

"S-sure..." I nodded

"That's a good boy." he turned back to his wife “Come, I’ll show you again how to set it to the house range…”

After that, they left once again.

...

The image of Mrs. Note, caringly glancing over her shoulder at me while walking away stayed in my memory, right next to the one when she smiled at me for the first time.

 

***

When I fully recovered from the shock, I went to the kitchen to get some of the mentioned leftovers from my masters breakfast.

...What happened made me really hungry all of a sudden. Then I spent some time practicing on the piano by myself and doing some chores around the house.

When there was nothing left to do I knew about, I went to just relax in the garden again.

…

Free time is always nice but I kinda started wishing my masters would return soon. It was getting a bit boring without them… especially Mrs. Note.

…

She eventually returned some time in the afternoon, looking all happy.

And after her husband left to his workroom, my mistress warmed up the casserole from yesterday as a late lunch for me, telling me all about her little trip:

They’ve been to market, visited a barber, ate some new restaurant,.. even caught a bit of some show on the city square

It might have been merely half a day but I spent a lot of time thinking about just how solitary those two months must have felt for my mistress. Especially with impaired mobility.

...It’s good that she won’t have to be lonely again once Mr Scribbles leaves.

Sure, it would be better if he could be here instead of me… but I’m probably better than no one at all.

 

***

“Is Mr Scribbles leaving already..?” I asked Mrs. Note when I saw the stallion walking away that afternoon

”Not yet… He’s just going to a pub. …But he’s probably going to return home pretty late, so it’s almost as if he was.” the mare sighed.

“I see…”

”Well,.. he did spend an unusual amount of time with me today so I can’t blame him for running off to catch up with his buddies. I shouldn’t be greedy…” she glanced outside the window, staring into the reddish sun “…Anon, could you carry me to my old swing? It feels like ages since I’ve been on that thing.”

“Of course!”

I picked her small body up and sat her there, then automatically started pushing the swing for her.

...She can’t exactly swing by herself without her rear legs. That’s probably the reason why she mentioned it felt like ages since the last time she used it.

...From her appreciative smile I felt she was glad I didn’t bring that up.

…

….

We have been both quiet for some time, just staring into the sun, listening to birds chirping and enjoying the summer breeze. It was peaceful and compared to the cage in the shady room still in my memory, it was like literal heaven.

”…That’s enough Anon, just sit here with me for a while.” Mrs. Note eventually nodded my way. So I sat right next to her.

...

“…This is one of the few things I got to bring here from my old house in Canterlot… It’s a bit ironic.”

“I’m sorry?”

”Canterlot is our Capital city in Equestria. I grew up there with my parents but I always wanted to live somewhere in nature… So me and Papyrus built this house here. To have a quiet place to return from our work… Back then I had no idea it would turn into a prison one day.” the mare lowered her sight, then glanced up at the sky “…But it’s the prettiest prison I could dream of.”

“Mistress, excuse my impertinence but,.. can’t you leave? I mean, you could have a trip to the city or somewhere else by yourself with your ‘big rig’…”

”Good question.” she pretended to smile “I could, but the truth is,.. that I’m scared. One time I went on a stroll all by myself and one of my wheels got stuck. I had to unstrap myself to break free but I couldn’t put it on again. I ended up crawling my way back, through the entire forest…”

“I see…”

”…I expected you’d ask why the first time stopped me.” she chuckled

“I wouldn’t dare…”

”That’s okay. I know I’m making it even harder for myself but I guess I can’t help it… Fear can make everything way worse than it is.”

“You don’t have to fear anymore mistress, I can go with you. If anything happens, I’ll be there.”

”I know… that’s why I’m so happy now…” the mare warmly smiled my way.

...I think this was the moment when I realized that I might have finally found my place in life.

In serving this lonely pony. Not because I have to, but willingly.

And suddenly I felt strong, not because she was weak but because I finally found my purpose. In a way, it made me free…

For the time being

 

***

Just as mistress said, Mr Scribble returned late in the evening that day

She was waiting for him to say goodnight while I already went to sleep but I still knew when he came back.

...Mostly because of the fact he tripped over me on his way to the bedroom.

 

***

 

Chapter six: First Class

 

***

 

>the next day, both of my masters must have woken up pretty early

>by the time I got up as well, Mr Scribbles was leaving for work, all packed up and ready

>>"…Okay then, bye honey, see you later." he was standing outside the house, saying goodbyes to his wife while levitating some luggage and checking whether he didn’t forget about anything

>then he noticed me, creeping up behind my mistress to see what's going on

>>"...And you, be good Schizo, okay? So far you're exceeding the expectations, so keep it up."

“Thank you, I will do my best.”

>that was so far the biggest compliment I received from him, so I was pretty glad about it

>and with the last nod towards his wife, the stallion left

"....Mrs. Note, is he leaving for a very long time?" I asked when she closed the door

>""… Papyrus is working as a royal scribe at Princess Celestia’s castle, so he's staying in Canterlot most of the time. That also includes weekends, at least two from one month… So he won’t be visiting the next one…” she sighed “Back when I had my legs, we didn’t see each other every single day either but,..”

"..." I stayed silent, waiting for her to finish

>"...but I shouldn't bother you with my problems Anon." the white mare faintly smiled

"That's okay, mistress. It's my only task to be at your service, no matter the kind."

>"And you're doing a fantastic job." her smile gained a little more sincerity again "...What would you say about another piano lesson today?"

"I'd be really happy." I smiled back "I've even been practicing while you were gone! I uh-…I hope you don't mind that I’ve been using your piano without asking. I’m sorry…"

>"That's fine, use it whenever you want. It’s good you’re progressing on your own as well. …But let us have breakfast now."

…

>I wasn’t really hungry but I wasn’t going to protest

>every single food Mrs. Note makes is utterly delicious and I enjoy helping her with it

>but to my surprise, it was already prepared when I entered the kitchen with her

>she must have made it for Mr. Scribbles to eat on the train, leaving the rest for herself

>...and me

>”Come sit by the table Anon, you don’t have to eat in the corner in front of me.” the mare let me sit in one of the chairs

>not the one where her husband usually sits of course but it felt like a big privilege nonetheless

>I felt like I’m getting treated more like a pony than a human

>...though, I was still cautious not to cross the line, not even in front of her

>I knew my place

>I knew it well

>Mrs. Note is kind but I shouldn’t pretend to be something I’m not and ruin it

>this life was already better than all my previous ones, maybe except the one when I was a kid but I barely remembered that

>now I was clean of my addictions because I couldn’t even get my hands on anything here and I had a new purpose too

>true, I still occasionally had “the cravings”, even with her around, but it was always just a second or two before I’d remind myself that I’m no longer the person I used to be

“I’m someone else and I’m far away from everything from my past” I’d always say to myself “Now I'm here to ease life for a good mare that needs me.”

>and in return, I was getting everything I needed

>food, a place to stay, even gentle affection and gratefulness

>I was like an empty canvas for her, hungry for knowledge and experience she was so happy to provide to me

>for that, I gave her everything

>...it was an equivalent exchange to me

>even though I didn't have anything, besides my love and attention, it was exactly what she needed in return...

 

***

***

>...it's been over a week since I was brought to my mistress and while I usually hardly care about what day is it, today I knew it was Tuesday because my mistress mentioned it. …And also that Mr. Scribbles is supposed to visit this weekend

>I never understood how does she keep track of what day it is

...

>”Anon,.. I was thinking we could go shopping on our own today, what do you think?” the mare with a golden mane asked me on our morning stroll around the forest “We surely could just order a delivery pegasus to bring the supplies to us or wait for Papyrus but it’s not as if we have anything to do today… What do you think? Would you like to see the city?”

"I’d very much like that mistress. Especially if it brings you pleasure to go.” I smiled “…How far is it if I may ask?"

>"You surely must have went through there on your way here since the interdimensional train from Earth does stop in Greenwood. Then you must have taken another train to the village nearby, the Old Loom and… well, this area still counts as Old Loom, even though it’s on the other side of the forest.”

“I remember! So the city I first saw after stepping out of the train was where we’ll be going?

>”Yes. It isn’t as big or “royal” as Canterlot but it's certainly bigger than the Old Loom. They don’t even have a market there…”

“I can’t wait to see it then!”

 

***

 

>Right after the lunch we departed for the Greenwood

>with protection of my mistress, it was going to be a completely different experience than the last time when I feared to take a one wrong step

>first we had to go by foot, hoof and wheels, through the forest but it wasn’t long till we emerged, not far from the familiar train tracks

>ones that brought me here

>our train was already there so we had to hurry to catch it

>luckily, the train driver pony saw us and waited

>when we entered, he gave me an odd look but he didn’t comment anything

>from Mrs. Note’s wheels and the bag for the stuff I was supposed to carry for her on the way back, he surely knew I’m supposed to stay by her side, even if it was making ponies in the train uncomfortable

>so this time I got to sit with her on one of the pony seats and conversate, instead of quietly staring out of the window in a luggage area

>it felt really nice

...

>when we stepped out of the train, I was amazed to see the big pony city again

>on a second look, even with its vast differences from our culture, in some aspects it was still resembling a human settlement.

>...yet it seemed way more cheerful ...at least in the most aspects of it:

>I could see I wasn't the only human there but I was definitely one of the best treated ones

>from the few there were, most had leashes whilst I only had my collar

>I tried to ignore the sight of other humans getting treated like literal animals but my mistress could definitely sense my discomfort

>"...Anon, how do you really feel about ponies?" she asked me after a while

"Excuse me Mistress?"

>"About your race getting enslaved like this. ...Don't you hate ponies for it? I surely would in your place."

"I-... don't think I hate your race for it. ..But I do fear you a little. Unicorns, most of all."

>"...Do you fear me too?"

"I used to... But not anymore. You are very dear to me, mistress."

>"I'm happy to hear that. You're dear to me too, Anon." she smiled with mild relief, very gently brushing herself over my thigh while walking next to me "...What would you say about getting a manecut?"

>I rustled through my washed, but still pretty unkempt hair, as well as my equally unkept beard

"..I wouldn't wanna cost you too much. I don't mind my poor physical appearance... Unless it is offending to you, having your assistant looking this way in front of other ponies."

>"Not quite offensive, but I'd personally like to see you looking a bit more dapper.” she smiled, already stepping down from the crosswalk towards the other side of the road “...Plus I might need a manecut as well. There's a barber just around the corner. This way."

...

>>"."...Oh, Mrs. Scribbles!" a barber pony noticed my mistress through the glass door "I haven't seen you since your accident! Please, accept my deep commiserations about what happened..."

>"Thank you dearly, Trim." she softly smiled his way, pulling her wheels up the two-step stairs that lead inside

>...I was gonna offer my help, but she did that herself without too much trouble, so I just quietly followed after her

>>"Did you come for your usual? You husband told me you don't go out too much so-... Is that human behind you yours or-..?" the barber pony noticed me entering too.

>"He is." my mistress kept sweetly smiling "And I'm here also because of him. Even though I could use a bit of your talents as well, he currently needs it more than I do.”

>>"...You want me to trim this human's hair?" he somewhat reluctantly glanced at me "...Well I don't usually do that, but since it's you... Please seat him here, he doesn't bite or throw random punches, does he?"

>"I can assure you that Anon here is the sweetest and most courteous boy in Equestria. I'd like you to make him look the part."

>true, my look didn't really reflect anything she just said

>but I was pretty proud that my mistress spoke so highly of me

>and soon, I could barely recognize myself

>I haven't been to a real barber for years…

***

>"Very outstanding job, Trim." Mrs. Note congratulated the barber pony after presenting the new me to her "I knew I could count on you..."

>it gave me some more confidence, walking next to my mistress and looking like a decent human being too

>…on our way towards the markets, she took me through a beautiful well kept park, that was full of flowers, trees and green grass

>the mare must have been in this city many times before because she was leading the way quite confidently, her front hooves clopping over the ground and the back wheels rolling over the sidewalk

>I felt really safe with her in this strange new world

>and she felt safe with me

 

***

>eventually, we entered a big sheltered bazaar with see through glass roof, that lets in a plenty of light on the busy place

>there were avalible all kinds of supplies a pony might need but also some clothes and other stuff

>merchants with things that didn't fit in the stone shops as well

>in a way, it was reminding me a little of the place I was bought at, but at the same time it was completely different

>while the Earthly bazaar was centered about showing off things exotic, this was mostly about local trade

>and I couldn't see a single gryphon slaver here either,.. maybe they weren't tolerated in the pony cities

>yet..

...

>we bought everything we had on the list but my mistress insisted I pick something only for myself as well

>I didn't know what though

>there were so many strange new things to try, I had no idea what to choose

>the mare could see that on me, so she helped me choose by telling me what some of the things even are or what are they filled with

>I left with some salty bakery and something sweet to counter that, really happy about it

>and to top it off:

>"Oh Look Anon, they've got wine over there!" Mrs. Note suddenly stopped

"...Wine?"

>instead of an answer, she was already heading to the stand, so I hastily followed her

>even with the wheels instead of legs, ponies can get pretty fast, ..talk about impaired mobility

>"…What do you say we have a bottle tonight?"

>with the sight of it, I got a little afraid

>it's not crack, meth or heroin, but still... I had problems with alcohol as much I did with all of those

"I uhm,.. I’m not sure if it's a good idea mistress. At least for me. I'd gladly accompany you, but would you mind if I didn't have any?"

>"Come on Anon, it's just wine." she giggled "I know what you said about your past but a glass or two won't hurt, will it?"

"That's what I'm afraid to find out."

"...Hmm,..” the mare made a long pause “...well I'm still gonna buy it for myself. … While I'd be glad if I could share it with you, I wouldn’t wanna force you. You’ll have plenty of time to decide and you can tell me in the evening …."

 

"Thank you, it means a lot to me, mistress." I smiled with visible embarrassment

>...it really did mean a lot to me

 

***

>that evening, after some time spent thinking about it, I decided to have a glass with her

>not for the sake of alcohol, but for her

>we made a bit more special dinner together as if we were expecting guests or Mr. Scribble but it was just for us this time

>and after I served the food on a table and poured the two glasses of red wine, I sat on the opposite side from my mistress, leaving the bottle in the middle

>it was the greatest honor so far to be there like this

>...I never was a wine expert, but I wallowed the liquid in my goblet a few times nonetheless, smelling it while trying to look mannered

>...it smelled fine, real nice

>that was about all I could tell from it

>my mistress chuckled at the sight of me

>"Cheers Anon."

"Cheers Mrs.Note." I smiled before clanking my glass with her and having a little sip

>...it was a really sweet red wine

...

...

"...Are all Equestrian wines this sweet, mistress?" I asked after a little while

>"...Don't like it?"

"On the contrary, I do. I never liked dry wines too much."

>"Me neither..." the mare softly smiled "But to answer your question, while this one is tad above the average, most are rather sweet-ish.”

"I see ponies have a sweet tooth." I lightly chuckled "Most earthly wines are dry and it's almost impossible to find something like this. I mean, "was"...."

>"I still wonder how did all this happen... The war and everything. On the other hoof, if it didn't I wouldn't have had you here. Tell me Anon, are you content with your place right now?"

"Of course I am. I couldn't ask for a better master."

>"I didn't mean that. ... You really don't mind the life in servitude at all?"

"It barely feels that way..." I smiled "Especially now."

>the next second I was wondering whether I didn't overdo it with what I said

>but she smiled back, showing it's completely okay for me to see it that way

>"...What would you think about having a proper bed too then?"

"You mean it, mistress..?"

>"It feels kinda strange to have you sleeping on the ground next to the door to my room. I was thinking of getting you at least a real mattress to sleep on. For starters."

"You're too kind but-"

>"No buts. I'm very happy with you Anon, so this is the least I can do." she raised her glass my direction once again

>and I humbly did the same

>surely she could see me, getting as red as the wine we drank

>it was either a strong one or it was just me, abstaining for such a long time, because I could already feel it in my head after first two sips

>I didn't really like the feeling though, it was blurring my senses in front of my mistress

>suddenly I feared I might do or say something that could mess this all up

>as perceptive as always, Mrs. Note could sense the discomfort in me:

>"...What is it Anon? You don't have to finish it if you aren't handling it well."

"..I'm just not used to this feeling after such a long time. I'm afraid of saying something too bold or unintentionally doing something disrespectful."

>"Isn't that a point of drinking the wine though? To relax from the stiffness of everyday life?" she rolled the red liquid around in her glass "...I want you to relax. And tonight you can even forget about your role here. Let's just enjoy this like two old friends."

"It's... a little hard for me to relax, Mrs. Note... It's not your fault at all of course! It's me.."

>"Well you could start by calling me just by my first name. There's really nothing to fear."

"I-..." I had to look into her eyes for a moment, as if I needed an assurance she meant it "...Thank you then, Mrs.- I mean: just Lemon."

>which made the mare giggle in amusement:

>"Such a big creature, having trouble not being gentle. That’s adorable… Is it just you, or are all humans like this?"

"I-.. think it's just me... I still have a lot of problems and fears inside my head."

>"Everypony does. It's what's making us pon-.. sentient creatures." the mare chuckled over her own word error "But we learn to overcome them and become better."

>to which I could only timidly, but agreeably smile, automatically scratching my skin under my collar

>"....I'd let you put that thing away if I knew how.” Lemon pointed at the thing on my neck “I know it's not helping you to relax, but Papyrus didn't expect me to want to put it down, so he didn't even bother telling me the code… Only explained to me how to switch between ‘personal’ and ‘house’ mode."

"...You'd really do that?"

>"Well, I don't expect you to just run away as soon as it’s off. I dare to claim that I already know you enough to tell that." the slightly tipsy mare modestly snickered "I'm gonna ask my husband about it when he returns this weekend."

"You're too kind, Lemon." I smiled.

>soon our conversation really did start getting more and more casual and we chatted on and on about all kinds of things

>personal ones too

>and I really could see myself slowly letting go of all the accumulated stress and fear I didn't even know I there was in me

>I had no idea that alcohol can be healthy,.. in safe portions

>or maybe it was just my mistress, that managed to create such an atmosphere

>either way, it felt really good

 

***

>that night, each of us only had two full glasses, leaving the second half of the bottle for some other time

>it was more than enough, we didn’t want to get completely drunk

>gone were the times I would chug two bottles of rum in a single night, I didn't need it at all now

>I was content simply with the presence of a kindred soul that cares, such as her

>since my own parents died, I didn’t have anyone like her in my life

>and I was so very grateful…

 

***

>after we said goodnight, I couldn't fall asleep and kept turning around because my mind would not stop wandering

>until I heard her voice from the other side of the wall

>"...Can't sleep either?"

"Yup, same as you." I replied

>"How about you move it here so we could conversate a little longer?"

"....Into your room?"

>"Yes." she softly laughed "At least for tonight. You can put your pillows next to the bed."

>normally it would be unthinkable, so I hesitated

>but our previous time spent together and the wine we had, gave me enough confidence

"...I'm coming then." I smiled, picking up my stuff

 

***

 

 

Chapter seven: Between two points

 

***

 

>the next morning, I woke up to a sight of white a hoof, hanging over the edge of a bed next to me

>it felt to me as if the whole night, including the evening, was a dream

>because as nice as it was, it wasn't a reality

>I knew my place

>I knew it well

>nonetheless, I was still happy about what happened, it energized me with even more will to live

>plus, I had two glasses of wine and it didn't restart my alcoholism

>...not sure what would happen if I had a line of coke but it was definitely safe for me to have an occasional drink

> and that was nice

...

>with a smile on my face, I was about to creep out of the room with the sleeping white mare, grateful for what she did for me

>but then I heard her voice behind me

>"Anon..?"

"Yes mistress?" I turned around

>"Leaving soon, I see."

"I didn't want to upset you by staying too long. I understand that yesterday's privileges were just temporary."

>"You're a good boy, but you don't have to be this cautious about your behavior.... It was a real nice evening and I'm happy you were there to keep me company."

"I could say the same." I gently bowed her way "...I really appreciate everything you're doing for me, Mrs. Note."

>"Stop with the courtesies Anon." she chuckled casually "How about you help me with the breakfast instead?"

...

>I could see my mistress was in a very good mood that morning, almost frisky

>she was treating me less formally than usual, even cracking occasional jokes

>still though, I was behaving the same as I always did, I didn't want to take advantage of her carefree state of mind

>I knew that she probably wouldn't lash out on me for many things at this point, but maybe I was simply comfortable with having her as someone to be treated with respect

>plus, mister Scribbles was supposed to return this weekend and he surely wouldn't tolerate me behaving any other way than I did… I surely didn’t want to “slip” in front of him

 

***

>That very same day my mistress made a call, ordering a real mattress for me, just like she promised yesterday

>it was supposedly “no big deal”, but it was a big deal for me

>the mattress arrived via mail pony on Friday, a few hours before Mr. Scribble

>I was just about to set it up when I noticed the stallion’s figure, emerging from the forest

>"Papyrus!" Mrs. Scribble stopped whatever she was doing and immediately rushed to him for a hug

>he was really surprised to see his otherwise depressed wife this enthusiastic

>>"Oh Lemon,.. you look good today." he smiled "Even the black circles under your eyes almost disappeared."

>...it's true, throughout the two weeks, they went from looking almost like a gothic makeup, to mere eye shadows

>they never really left completely though, like scars reflecting her past

>"...I know, because I'm happy! And you're here too! Come on inside, I and Anon made lunch for you!"

...

"Good day Mr. Scribbles." I greeted the stallion as well, bowing a little as he walked past me

>I could see him stopping for a split second, deciding whether if he should call me by my real name or the nickname to assert dominance

>"Anon..." he eventually nodded my way, letting me know I'm doing a good work

>it was a gentle gesture, but from this stallion it meant something

>still,.. I was wondering if I'm not doing "too good" of a work

>but on the other hand, I was there to keep his wife happy and I did, so he couldn’t complain

...

>the pair went to the kitchen and while I felt it might not be the best idea to join then, my mistress called me in anyway

>I was summoned, so of course I arrived but I wanted to express what I thought

>before I could do that though, Mr. Scribble was faster:

>>"Dear, do you think it's necessary that Anon would be eating with us?"

>"Well he's been helping me with all kinds of things. I’ve even been to the city thanks to him. It's fair we’ll at least invite the boy to our table."

"It isn't really necessary, mistress." I smiled with growing awkwardness, cringing internally "I wouldn't want to bother your husband with my presence."

>but I could see that she insists, even if she doesn’t repeat it

>with a mere glance at Mr. Scribble, she let him know that

>>"...Fine, let him take one of the seats here." he said after a few seconds of thinking

>surely the stallion didn't want to get into an argument

>...but I felt a bit uncomfortable there

>only Mrs. Scribble, other times so perceptive but now maybe just purposely careless, seemed to be completely relaxed

>she was chatting with her husband about all kinds of things as if nothing, trying to either make him ignore me, or accept my presence

>one one hand, it was nice of my mistress to try and make me a part of the family but I wasn't exactly asking to be there if it should have been forced

>her, occasionally getting more formal when were alone would have been enough for me

...

>>"...So,.. how have you been Lemon? You surely seem to be doing a way better… What have you been doing the whole time?" asked Mr. Scribble at some point

>"...All kinds of things! We've been taking strolls through the forest almost everyday, cooking new things, reading,.. and I've been teaching Anon how to play piano too! He's improving really fast, would you believe that humans can have so many talents?" she eyed onto me, as if she wanted me to say something as well.

"....Miss Scribbles is speaking way too highly of me." I blushed "I'm only getting into the very basics of her art."

>>"Hmm, interesting... And was it your own initiative that you began, or was it my wife's idea?"

"Well, I-... am not really sure. I was really captivated by her playing and she offered to teach me... I think it was kinda both sided."

>>"I was asking because my dear wife tried to teach me too, except I don't really have the patience for it and it's not exactly bringing me as much pleasure as it does to her. Sure, her playing is most exquisite... But I don't think it's for me." he glanced her way "...So it seems you've found your apprentice."

>I wasn't really sure what that look meant, if he was smiling, frowning or just plainly stating

>my mistress didn't seem to care, she just happily nodded

>>"I see." his reaction was still neutral at first,.. but then he smiled warmly " Well I'm happy for you. It was excruciating, seeing you down all the time."

>and that little smile felt like a big win for me that day

>I certainly didn't want to break families apart with my presence

>it was nice to see I’m still doing a good job

 

***

>after the lunch, I immediately offered myself to do the dishes so that my masters can have some time together without me

>I've also tried to not get in their way for the rest of the day

>from what I could tell, they seemed pretty happy

>when they went to bed, Mrs. Scribble was fondly brushing herself over her husband as if they were on their first date

>I liked to think it was partly my success too

 

***

>the next day went in a similar manner, I was trying to give the pair as much space as I could while remaining useful and ready to be called if I was needed

>I spent some time practicing piano while my masters were together on their stroll to Old Loom, at least that’s what Mrs. Scribbles said to me before they left

>...I’ve never been to Old Loom with my mistress, since there was supposedly nothing interesting

>but there was a pub

>so I presumed they went there for a beer or whatever ponies drink

>it might be cider…

...

>they didn’t return drunk though, so it was probably just a one or two drinks

>...or they just wanted to find some nice place in the forest for the more “intimate things”

>it was Mrs. Scribbles idea to go after all and apart from what I knew that she isn’t the kind to enjoy pubs, it would be only understandable of her to long for some love from her own husband

>...but I didn’t exactly need to know, so I didn’t even ask

>the important thing was that both my masters were happy

>if they’re happy, I am happy

>in the evening, I helped with making the dinner and serving it on the table as well

>...then I was invited to join them again

>it made me nervous at first but this time Mr. Scribble didn’t seem as upset as the last time

>they were both in too good of a mood to care about that

>and as I was sitting by the table with them, it kinda felt like…

>...like the last time I dined with my parents

...

>I remember my mother as a woman that was always smiling, in times when I was a kid

>but she didn’t live long enough for me to find out if she’d be smiling even throughout my puberty

>surely, if she could see what happened with me in my teenage years, she wouldn’t be smiling at all

>yet, the things I succumbed into wouldn’t be so tempting to me if she was there in the first place…

>that would be enough for me

>I often wondered about what would my parents think of me if they could see me right now, as I am, after all that happened

>where I am, what I’m doing, what’s my position in life, what happened to Earth…

>don’t know if they’d be proud, most likely not, but they definitely wouldn’t hate me for my weakness in life

>maybe they’d even support me, or help me somehow, even if it was just that one encouraging smile

>...just like my mistress does now

...

>I glanced at her on the left side of the table, Mr. Scribble on the right

>it filled me with some kind of inexplicable feeling of content

>...before I returned to reality

‘No,.. I should definitely not think of them this way…” I thought

>I knew my place…

>I knew it well

 

***

>the sunday morning, Mr. Scribbles stumbled over my new mattress, literally

>it takes up a little more space than the pillows and he wasn’t used to going around it each morning, so he almost fell and even banged his head over a wall

“Are you okay master? I’m sorry I-”

>>”Hush Sch- I mean Anon.” the stallion touched his aching forehead “...Damn, where did you even get this thing?”

“Mrs. Scribble bought it for me...”

>>”I could have expected that… Well, anyway…” he turned around, on his way to the kitchen

...

>can’t say whether it was the reason why he seemed just a little bit upset at me for the rest of the day but when I later asked my mistress, she said it wasn’t my fault

>he supposedly already woke up a little grumpy

…

>just like the last Sunday, in the afternoon he went to the pub to see his friends and returned late at night

>it really might have been a bad day for him because he stumbled over me yet again

>I was sleeping by that time, so before I’d even wake up to see what’s going on, he was already in the bedroom, about to lie down next to his wife

‘The mattress might have not been that good of an idea as it seemed at first.’ I thought to myself...

 

***

 

Chapter eight: It’s called freefall

 

***

 

>after Mr. Scribbles departed the monday morning, I was left alone with my mistress again

>this time she didn’t seem so sad about him leaving, she knew she’ll have me as a company and she was still pretty happy about her weekend

...

>”Anon, I’d almost forget.” the mare stopped when we were walking back into the house for breakfast, right after Mr. Scribbles disappeared in the woods “I know the code to your collar now, how about we take it off? You don’t need it at home.”

“Mistress…” I kneeled to be at the same height with her “You’re way too kind to me, I wish there was some way to repay you everything.”

>”You’re doing that everyday, my human. This is the least I can do for you.”

“I didn't mean only this, I meant all that you’ve done to improve my life. There’s so much of it.” I bowed to get even lower.

>but she just amusedly smiled, reaching her left hoof towards the collar on my neck, pressing a combination of buttons

>then the thing fell down on the wooden floor with a thud and for the first time in months, maybe years, my neck was free

>as if I could breathe deeper than ever before

>”You’re overthinking this too way too much Anon…” Mrs. Lemon picked up the collar and patted my head “Any half decent mare would have done the same.”

 

***

>things mostly returned to where we left off before the weekend and without Mr. Scribble around, I didn’t have to be that cautious about my behaviour.

>... but it isn’t as if I minded him

>in my head, after the Saturday dinner, I lowkey hoped I might actually become a part of the family, just like my mistress said

>I didn’t cling to that idea that much though because deep inside I knew it was kinda naive

>my mistress is really nice but she can’t force her husband to like me as much as she does

 

***

 

>throughout the days, the relationship between me and Mrs. Note grew even further

>...yet I still knew my place

>mostly

>I was trying to be the best friend I could be, while focusing on my service

>but it was her, who often seemed to forget about my role there, occasionally almost erasing the line between a master and a servant

>I felt a bit conflicted about it because even though I’d very much like to get more formal, for some reason it always made me feel somewhat uncomfortable at the same time

>I think I was afraid that if I erase the “distance”, I won’t have anyone to look up to anymore...

>only on our “wine nights”, once each week, I allowed myself to relax completely, knowing tomorrow, things will be the same as they were yesterday

>and while Mrs. Note would want me to be more casual around her, she also respected my decision

>...most of the time

 

***

“Mrs. Note! A mailmare was here, were you expecting anything?” I picked up a letter from our doorstep on Thursday morning that week.

>”I wasn’t!” she yelled from inside of the house, already scooting towards me “...What does it say?”

“I didn’t check, I wouldn’t dare to read your mail... But it’s from Mr. Papyrus.” I opened the seal and handed it to the mare’s hooves

>mistress initially seemed a bit worried when she started reading, since her husband doesn’t usually write her, unless it’s something important or if something bad happens

>but as she kept reading, I saw a smile rising on her face

>”He says that Princess Celestia decided to employ more scribes so that his team would have more free time! He will visit us again this weekend!”

“Really?”

>”Yes! I didn’t even hope for something like that! After the accident, when we almost stopped seeing each other, it felt as if he’s getting more and more distant from me and I can’t do anything about it. But now he might be home three days each week!”

“Oh wow…”

>”Don’t worry Anon, I know he might seem strict now but he’ll learn to like you.” my mistress chuckled “He just needs to know you better and now there’ll be plenty of chances. Maybe we could even have some sort of trip together, all three of us.”

“I don’t think it would be too good of an idea, mistress. I’m really just a servant here and I think Mr. Scribble would prefer if it stayed that way…”

>”Nonsense Anon,.. how about we bake him a cake on his arrival? Together. I’m sure he’d appreciate that. There’s one special recipe I learned when I was just a filly.”

“I can’t really bake though… but I’ll help you anyway I can!”

>”That’s a good boy.” she smiled.

...

...

>and the very same day after lunch, we started baking:

>”It’s a lemon cake with lemon fondue, you can probably guess why I wanted to learn that one.” my mistress chuckled on her way to the kitchen “It’s quite long since I baked it the last time but I should remember it. Papyrus even wanted it for our wedding! Gosh I can’t believe it’s gonna be twenty years soon…”

>it was nice to see my mistress so happy about something

>she must have really loved her husband because not even I could get her this excited about an activity

>so I did whatever I could to keep her in the good mood, helping as best I can while enjoying to see her this way

>to me, the recipe felt really complicated but for her it was relatively easy and in a few hours, we had a delicious looking cake ready for tomorrow

>…we didn’t make any plans for that day but for Saturday, Mrs. Lemon hoped we could visit Greenwood because there was supposedly always something worth seeing each weekend

 

***

>the Friday afternoon, about the time Mr. Scribbles usually arrives, we were already waiting on the porch, watching the trees rustle in the hot summer wind

>but when it was past the usual hour, Mrs. Note started worrying

>her husband was supposed to come via train and we both knew that trains are bad luck, so she was afraid that something might have happened

>just to be sure, we went towards the train stop to check whether there wasn’t some kind of accident but everything seemed to be in order

>the colorful trains were passing by as usual

>…eventually we had to return back home

>by the time we did, we found another letter in the mailbox:

>”I’m very sorry Lemon but in the end I couldn’t make it this weekend. I give my word that the next one I’ll arrive. Papyrus.” my mistress read out loud

>I thought she would comment on it somehow but instead she just frowned and went to the living room to play piano

>she didn’t even unstrap herself from the big wheels she had to put on to go outside, I was surprised she managed to get herself on the piano stool with them

>somehow I knew that I should leave her alone for a while...

>what she played that day wasn’t as nearly as sad or aggressive as the day we met but I could clearly hear her disappointment from it

>when she returned to me after half an hour or so, she seemed a lot calmer

>...almost too calm

>”Anyway,.. it seems we’ll have to finish the cake just the two of us Anon…” Miss Lemon said almost expressionless “...And don’t worry, we'll still visit Greenwood tomorrow, even without Papyrus.”

“Um, okay!” I gave her my best smile, hoping it could cheer her up “...We can just bake another cake next week,.. right?”

>”I,.. sure, of course we can.” she bit her lip as if something inside her hurt but then she softly smiled back “... Would you help me out of this thing Anon?”

>it was the first time she asked me to help her unstrapping her wheels, she always prefered to do it alone to prove to herself she’s still capable

>but now I think she just needed to feel less alone

>and I was glad I could be there for her, even I wasn’t the one who’d she prefer

>after loosening the belts, I lifted her up, about to seat her to the mobility chair, but she stopped me

“Anon, carry me to my swing please. You don’t have to push me or anything but,.. could you stay there with me for a while?”

“I will, mistress.” I changed direction and smiled “I’ll always be here for you...”

>when I laid her there and sat next to her, she leaned her head on my shoulder, watching the sun slowly disappear behind the leafy forest

>...the sight is so pretty it never really gets old

>I was wondering what is Mrs. Lemon thinking about at first but then I realized it’s better I don’t know

>it wasn’t my business, I knew all I could do for her was to be present

>and we sat there until the darkness swallowed the world and a pale moon sat in the empty throne on the sky

>”...Thank you for staying, Anon.” said my mistress eventually, lifting her head and cracking a smile “Let’s go home now...”

 

***

 

>tomorrow we had a third of the lemon cake for breakfast

>it was as delicious as it looked and my mistress was happy that at least I enjoyed it

>I was expecting she’d be still sad about yesterday but to my surprise she must have gone over it

>or she was hiding it better than I could tell

>...just like promised, we also went to Greenwood on Saturday and despite all odds we had a splendid time there

>Mrs. Lemon bought another bottle of wine, because we finished the previous one the Thursday night, then we had a short stroll around the city district,..

>and as mistress predicted, there was an amateur musical concert going on, on one of the squares

>anypony could bring an instrument of their own, or even a whole band, and perform what they prepared in front of others

>as a reward, besides applause, they received whatever the audience donated to the gift box at the end

 

***

 

“Mistress, don’t you ever long to play in front of a live audience again?” I asked the white mare at the end of the concert because I didn’t notice any of the ponies were playing piano or keys

>”That’s a good question…” she chuckled somewhat nervously “Sometimes I do but I never played solo, if you mean that I should try it here.”

“What did you use to play then?”

>”Opera. You see, I was one of the many instruments that created a whole, big composition. ...In the background of something way bigger than just me.”

“Forgive my boldness but... I don’t understand. You’re perfectly capable of going solo with your skills. Why would you want to be in the background?”

>”It was always an art to me… The whole thing, when ponies who sometimes barely know each other can create a piece that tunes, as a one being. It made me feel as if I belonged somewhere. ...I’d very much like to be there again but after I lost my legs, they found another pianist in Canterlot opera and I… didn’t really look for another place. Especially, since I was afraid of leaving my own home just a month ago.”

“But things changed now, didn’t they? You could find something new! I’d escort you, maybe I could move the piano for you somehow too…”

>”That wouldn’t be such an obstacle.” Mrs. Lemon chuckled “At opera houses, they always have their own pianos but I also have a keyboard, just in case. I never used it live though, because the biggest obstacle is in my head, Anon.”

“What do you mean?”

>”I am afraid, my dear human... That’s why I chose opera in the first place. I cannot perform alone in front of ponies.”

“You do perform in front of me though…”

>”That’s different and not because of your species. We know each other and you’re close to me... You see, I fear I might show too much of myself to others through my music. It scares me to open up this much to strangers. So I always preferred to perform music of somepony else instead.”

“But that’s the point..! There’s so much beauty inside of you and it’s such a shame that no one else can be a witness to it!”

>”...Do you actually mean that Anon?”

“Of course I do! Only thanks to you and your music was I able to find some kind of purpose in life…”

>”It… really means a lot to me. You don’t know how much.”

“Thank you mistress. ...If I may be even bolded, to me, it would mean a lot if my opinion was enough to help you overcome that fear and just give it a shot.”

>what I said, made Mrs. Lemon chuckle in a visible amusement

>”Gosh, Anon. Bold indeed. But you’re a good motivator, I give you that.” she actually grinned “...And I guess you motivated me enough to try.”

“I did?”

>”Yes.” the mare laughed “Let’s go sign up for the next one before something makes me change my mind.”

>and we went towards the organizers in the background of the stage to ask when the next concert is gonna be

...

>>”In two weeks, miss.” said a yellow pony with a banjo around his neck “I can reserve you the stage after ‘The Harmonics”. - Nice ponies, these guys. They played here about three hours ago, did you hear them?”

>”Sadly I didn’t, I arrived just as they left.” Mrs. Lemon smiled “...But I’ll make sure to have a listen to them the next time.”

>>”Do so.” he smiled “And I’ll be looking forward to hearing your piano too! What did you say you were going to play?”

>”I didn’t say…” she smiled yet again “Two weeks are a lot of time to write something for the occasion...”

...

>and so it was settled

>Mrs. Lemon was really excited about it

>back home, she went straight to the piano and started playing, making notes for herself and she didn’t stop until it was dark again

>she was like on fire, maybe even more than while baking the cake for her husband

>...it was so good to see her full of purpose

 

***

***

>”...Guess what honey?” ...was the first thing Mrs. Lemon asked her husband, straight in the door when he actually arrived the next weekend as promised “...I’ll start performing again the next week!”

>>”Really?” he stopped, almost as if he didn’t want to actually believe it or if it concerned him instead “...Are you moving to Canterlot? You know there’s a lot of stairs and obstacles everywhere…”

>”In Greenwood, silly!” she laughed “And it won’t be opera! This time I’ll play solo, out there in the streets, with amateurs. I know it’s something completely different but change is good, isn’t it?”

>>”Wow, I’m actually pretty surprised to hear that from you.” the stallion chuckled with a visible relief “But I’m glad that you finally returned back to your talents… Where will it be?”

>”On Sprite square, next saturday at 14:30. Will you come?”

>>”Well,..” her husband very softly cringed to say it “...dear, I’d very much like to, but it turns out the situation won’t be as good as I expected… With more scribes, we got equally more work so it ended up being pretty much the same as it was before...”

>that was when the expression of my mistress lost some of its light

>even Mr. Scribble saw it, so he added:

>>”But I might come to see the next one? It’s just that there will be something important at work this Saturday, something they’ll need me for and I already agreed.”

>”I understand Papyrus.” she hung her head down “I know your job is a big responsibility towards our Princess and the nation.”

>>”Y-yeah.” he visibly stuttered “...I could come to shortly see you at least on Sunday though.”

>”That would be nice of you.” my mistress faintly smiled again “I know it’s not easy for you either.”

>>”That’s nothing.” Mr Scribble coughed before eyeing on me “Anyway,.. how have you been doing here? I presume Anon wasn’t misbehaving since he even doesn't have his collar on?”

>”Of course not! It was thanks to him that I found the courage to try something new! But come on inside, I know you’re surely hungry after the way here and we made some dinner. It’s still hot.”

 

***

>My mistress didn’t tell her husband about her disappointment with her cake last week. She probably thought that it wouldn’t really help anything to burden him with even more things to feel guilty about

>we managed to “dispose” of the cake by ourselves with no effort so it didn't come to waste, plus we had fun baking it

>Mrs. Lemon said we could even start baking more often because it doesn’t hurt to have something sweet ready at home and she could teach me some basics too

>if Mr. Scribble arrives at least for the next sunday, we could bake something simple as banana bread or muffins

>not the lemon cake though because mistress wanted to keep it for special occasions

...

>that weekend went in a similar manner as the previous one with Mr. Scribble around

>Mrs. Lemon wanted to spend time with her husband since she sees him so rarely, so I had a lot of time for myself

>she even played a part of what she prepared so far for the concert to him

>Saturday, she asked him to come for “a stroll to the Old Loom again”, this time they took a blanket with them

>and since they returned all happy again and not even tipsy, I considered my previous judgement correct

>...but I wondered why didn’t they just tell me to stay away from their bedroom or something

>then again, I knew how much my mistress likes nature, so that might have been the real reason why she prefers a blanket under the trees over her own bed

>it wasn’t really my business though, I knew shouldn’t really even think about any kind of lewd things because they don’t bring anything good to me

>never did

>I was just glad that my mistress is happy

...

>as usual, Mr. Papyrus went to a pub that Sunday...

>and departed early in the morning.

 

 

***

 

Chapter nine: When you Rock n’ Roll with me

 

***

 

 

>the week days went pretty much as usual

>me and Mrs. Lemon were doing most of the things together: reading, cooking, taking strolls through the forest… this time she even took me to see the Old Loom

>...the actual village of course, not what she used as an excuse to disappear with Mr. Scribble

>and she was right, there wasn’t a lot to see there, but the path there was really pretty

>between composing the rest of her symphony for the concert, mistress didn’t forget about my piano lessons either so we spent quite a lot of time behind the instrument

>I didn’t mind that at all though, on the contrary, it was great

>I was also there for most of the time while she was writing

>Mrs. Lemon didn’t necessarily order me to stay but she said that for some reason she has better ideas with me around

>and while I wasn’t sure if a thing like that was possible, as long as it made her happy, I was glad to stay

>by Friday, the musical piece was already finished

>then came Saturday, and Saturday was a big day for us

>mostly for my mistress, but for me as too because I felt somewhat connected to her

>after lunch, I brought the old keyboard from an attic, checked twice if it works, packed all Mrs. Lemons’s musical notes, helped her put on the big wheels and we were on our way

>it was pretty early that we arrived to the concert

>after all, Mrs. Lemon did promise to have a listen to the band playing before her

>from their name “The Harmonics” one would expect something classical but it was actually quite a rock show

>we both liked them

>and then it was time to shine for my mistress

>ponies were just a bit surprised about what is human doing on stage with a pony but as soon as I connected the keyboard to speakers and set everything up, I left for the backstage, sneakily watching

>most of the other performers had some kind of talk before they started playing but my mistress merely smiled at the audience, announcing with her soft voice:

>”I named this one: A trail through the snow…”

>then she smiled my way over her shoulder and pressed the first key to start her symphony

>the keyboard, even though it wasn’t a real thing, sounded in her hooves pretty much the same amazing as her grand piano and within the first minute, the whole crowd went silent

>the melody started out slow, cheerful and happy but it progressively transitioned into an flamboyant display of skill that was beautiful in its refined complexity

>yet, as if with its growing epicness, it grew colder and colder each minute

>in its grandest moment, completely different from the way it started, the music out of nowhere stopped with an intentional disharmonic sound that made the audience almost yank with its suddenness

>I saw Mrs. Lemon open her eyes to glance at the ponies in a second of stillness before she continued playing

>the interlude was slow and sad, as if barely staying alive but from there it quickly rose to an aggressive tone, full of wild anger and fury, until it started calming down, progressing into the new, second act

>the second act was completely different, yet it reminded me of the very start of her symphony with its hopefulness that previously disappeared over time

>except now it only kept growing, as if the music shone with bright colours and soon it even outshined the first act with its magnificence

>not through the means of weight and importance but rather through something beautiful that could have easily have been heard and felt but not described with words

>the first act was a like statue of glass, refined and beautiful, but cold at the same time

>the new music felt warm and carefree, like a tree, sprouting its way through the concrete to emerge further than a building, slowly blooming on its way towards glory

>it kept going, gaining on complexity while staying true to its roots and yet coming up with something new each minute

>everypony were listening in awe, curious about what will the third act bring

>yet, the third act never came

>the symphony ended not abruptly, but rather openly, as if the story kept going on but it wasn’t written yet

>not even I have heard the whole thing being played in one piece before, but I knew it was a definitive end now because Mrs. Lemon opened her eyes again and smiled at me over her shoulder

>the audience stayed silent for a while, expecting more to come but when my mistress turned the keyboard off and gently pushed the table with her instrument away, they actually realized it’s over

>then the applause came, and as silent they were throughout her performance, the louder they were now

>the ponies were clopping their hooves on the cobblestone underneath, for the artist who just humbly sat there, blushing and smiling

>when the fans went quiet enough for her to speak, she announced:

>”Thank you everypony, it was a pleasure to be here with you. And I’d also like to thank my human, Anon. Without him I wouldn’t stand here in front of you for several reasons.”

>with that, she bowed looked my way, indicating me the sign to help her pack up

>naturally, I rushed to go help her into her wheels, tightening the belts for her so she could walk away on her own while I unplug the keyboard and pick up all the things

>then she bowed one more time, standing next to me while receiving another round of applause

>and then, we left

>the whole thing, including the packing and unpacking took 36 minutes

 

***

“You were absolutely amazing, mistress! They loved you!” I almost hugged her when we were out of sights.

>”It seems they did…” she smiled back to herself, still a bit red in her face “...but they didn’t know your part in it, I wish they could.”

“Please mistress, it was all you. I merely nudged you to give it a shot...”

>”That isn’t true at all Anon,.. do you know what did the two acts mean?”

“I,.. am not sure. All I could tell they were,.. they were different in almost everything, yet familiar… But the second one felt more sincere and emotional…”

>”Did you like the second one more?”

“I can’t tell,.. they were both nice but the second one was somehow closer to my heart.”

>”That’s because you were in it.” Mrs. Lemon smiled at me “...First act was about my previous life, the interlude was about the accident,.. and then you came into my life.”

“...Do you actually mean that mistress? It can’t be-”

>”It is.” her hoof touched my leg as I laid down the keyboard “You don’t have to say anything Anon, I just wanted you to know it.”

“Thank you mistress. It means everything to me.”

>and the mare just softly laughed with her voice as golden as her mane

>”I just wish Papyrus was here with us, I wonder if he’d even like the whole thing,.. maybe it could help him cross the bridge between the two of you.”

“... You could play it to him when he comes back home next week. ...But please don’t tell him what you told me today.”

>”If you’d prefer it that way, I won’t.” she smiled once more “...What do you think we stay here to hear the rest of the musicians today?”

“I wouldn’t mind at all. If it’s your wish.”

>”...I’m asking you as a friend right now, Anon. Not as your mistress.”

“In that case, my answer remains the same.” I smiled back.

 

***

>and so we stayed there two more hours, till the late afternoon

>then Mrs. Lemon collected the bits that the ponies donated to her at the end of her show and we went for a little stroll through the town

>”I was thinking Anon, it’s almost time for dinner, would you like to visit a restaurant with me today?”

“You’re too kind, but-”

>”No buts. Actually, this time it’s an order.” she laughed “Come with me, there’s one restaurant I discovered with Papyrus a long time ago and we both agreed it’s the best place to take somepony if you want them to discover something even better than their home cooking. We’ve got plenty of bits, so let's go!”

>I left the keyboard and all the other stuff we brought with the concert organizers who said they’ll be leaving tomorrow, so we can pick it up anytime

>and Mrs. Lemon led me nearly to the other side of the whole city

>along the way, we chatted about everything we saw and heard at the concert and my mistress also told me everything she knew about the city parts we walked through:

>supposedly, it started out the same as the Old Loom and other small villages nearby but thanks to its centered position it grew from a tiny pony settlement nearby oak woods, into the city that stands there today

>some of the trees had to be cut down but most of them, especially the old ones, still stand and are preserved in many parks around the city

>...can’t say that we had have a lot of green cities like this back on Earth

>of course, my mistress wasn’t there to see it all happen either, the city is hundreds of years old while she built her house nearby Old Loom merely 10 years ago

>she knew a lot about it from books though

...

>through the thin corridors, wide squares and pretty parks, we eventually found ourselves in front of a restaurant called “Wooden Spoon”

>by that time it was already dark but that was when the city started to shine with its own light… so it was still really pretty

>”I haven’t been here in quite a while, it’s good to see that everything is mostly the same.” Mrs. Lemon led me to one of the tables on the other side of the room, with a view on the picturesque interior as well as through the windows on a nearby square

>but when the waiter pony arrived, he glanced at me with a visible standoff, then spoke to my mistress:

>>”Good evening Miss, and I’m sorry to start this way, but would you mind tying that human outside?”

>”Good evening, actually, I would mind. There isn’t a sign outside that prohibits their kind to enter. You don’t have to worry not about him though, he’s well mannered.”

>>”You have to excuse me, I merely worry about the comfort of our other customers. ...If it’s absolutely necessary, could you at least put his collar on and leash him to your table?”

>”Well,-” Mrs. Lemon raised her hoof in defense of my dignity.

“That’s okay mistress.” I interrupted her and pulled the collar out of the bag on my back and clipped it onto my own neck “We don’t have a leash though, it’s electric.”

>the waiter pony stood there for a while, looking rather surprised to see me do it myself, until he lowered one of his eyebrows

>>”Guess that will have to do…”

>I learned a long time ago that it’s often easier to take a step back in order to avoid having to return the whole way

>...sadly though, were given only one menu because they didn’t expect me to be able to read

>but it didn’t really matter in the end, because I didn’t know what most of the food names represent so I needed Mrs. Lemon to explain to me anyway

>after we both picked something, we had a bit more time to talk

>there was one question I meant to ask sooner but I couldn’t really find the right moment until now:

“Mistress, about your symphony today…”

>”Yes Anon?”

“I couldn’t stop thinking about it, the first act,.. was that really you? I mean: did it really reflect your life back then?”

>”Yes.” she smiled “...Hard to believe?”

“Partly.”

>”Yet it’s true. I used to be quite posh.” an amused chuckle escaped her lips “I don’t think you’d like me back then. Trust me, I’d be the first to complain about being in the same room with you… Actually, I remember that I didn't make exactly a good first impression either. I wish I could take those words back.”

“I understood it was under heavy emotions. And you changed.”

>”Hard times change a pony. ...But Papyrus doesn’t have it easy with me either, I just wish that he-”

>but she didn’t finish her sentence because her husband who she just mentioned, literally entered the restaurant in the very same moment

>...with a mare by his side

>”What the-... quickly hide under the table!” Mrs. Lemon suddenly pushed my head down “What is he doing here with Ink Blossom..?”

>they didn’t notice us and sat down to one of the tables while we kept watching them from where we were hidden

>”...I don’t understand, he said he’ll be busy the whole Saturday. So much that he couldn’t come to the concert,.. why is he here?” she whispered without taking her eyes off them.

“I don’t know but surely there’s some good explanation... You said you know the mare, mistress?”

>”She’s one of his co-workers that lives here in Greenwood… maybe there just wasn’t so much work as he expected and he arrived sooner. And since they usually ride the same train, he went on a dinner with Ink. ...As friends, just like us. ...A-after the dinner, he’ll surely come home…” her heart was beating so heavy that even I could hear it.

>it was as if I could literally feel the growing stress inside of my mistress as she had to watch her husband slowly slide closer to the mare with a black mane

>as he wrapped his hoof around her, whispering something into her ear

>and then, as they kissed and giggled together like lovers

>”This isn’t true…” Mrs. Lemon whimpered “Papyrus wouldn’t-... he k-knows that I…”

>yet she couldn’t finish what she wanted to say

>instead, she wailed a long, painful sound as if something inside of her was dying...

>”He- he wouldn’t-…” she then sobbed, still trying to finish her sentence, even though it was already clear what was happening there

>but as my mistress had to watch her husband kiss the mare again, all of that sadness and desperation turned into something else in a mere blink of an eye

>about the same time, the unicorn waiter came, about to serve us the food we ordered:

>>>”Miss, here’s your-” he started, yet he didn’t get to finish.

>”You fucking asshole!!!!!!!” Miss Lemon flipped the whole table we were hiding under, yelling on top of her lungs at Mr. Scribble over the whole restaurant.

>if the waiter arrived five seconds earlier, both of the meals would be laying on the floor

>it didn’t mean they were saved though...

>my furious mistress grabbed her ‘Green beans in onions sauce with brown sugar’, as well as her delicious looking ‘duchess potatoes’ as a side dish and threw them on her husband with deadly sharp aim and all of her strength

>the plate broke over his head and covered both him and the mare next to him with surely scrumptious food that no one else got to taste that night

>”So you have enough time to slut around with your co-workers??!.. Don’t you even have the balls to say to my face that you don’t give a shit anymore about your crippled, idiot wife??!!” she kept screaming like a mad mare “FUCK YOU PAPYRUS!!!!”

>Mr. Scribble was completely speechless in that moment, not being able to produce a single sound besides staring at her as if he had just seen a ghost

>...it partly could have been because the plate he got hit with was quite heavy too

>and the whole restaurant went silent with him, leaving the furious mare breathing heavily in the center of all attention

>when my mistress realized that literally all eyes were onto her, she seemed to calm down a bit, just enough to stop breaking stuff

>I was still hiding behind the flipped table by that time, frozen about what just happened and what keeps happening

>the waiter laid the second meal that was meant for me into my hands and walked away in fear of getting slapped just for a good measure

>but by that time, Miss Lemon was mostly back to her senses, yet still extremely upset

>she turned at me, awkwardly holding the plate in front of me, and I while I could swear she considered throwing that one as well, instead she reached into my bag to pull out the sack of bits she earned earlier, turn the table back around and slam one hoof full of the coins on it

>”This is for the food.”

>then another two hooves full of bits

>”And this is for the expenses. -Let’s go Anon.” she grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the restaurant

>on the way out, I couldn’t help but to stare at the still speechless Mr. Scribble, sitting in his seat nearby the door

>only outside I realized I still hold the plate of ‘Marinated tofu strips with seaweed and spring salad’ in my other hand

>I quickly laid it down on the restaurant windowsill because I saw Miss Lemon breaking down on the ground in tears

>only with her front part though, because her rear part was still attached to the wheels, keeping her haunches up in the air

“Mistress..?” I very gently laid my hand on her back “Please…”

>but she just kept crying, barely noticing me

>I never really dared to touch her unless she specifically told me to but now I kneeled in front of her and cautiously raised her up, so that she wouldn’t be in such a compromising position

>yet she still refused to look at me, shielding her closed eyes

>”Leave me be Anon…” she whimpered “I’m such a pathetic, naive old horse.”

“Let’s go home…” I picked her whole body up, unstrapping her from the wheels and throwing the whole thing on my back

>and holding the white mare, with stumps instead of rear legs, in my hands, I walked back towards the train station

>she was whimpering the whole way, barely noticing what’s going on, just pressing herself onto my shirt

>eventually she cried herself to sleep

 

***

>by the time we arrived at the station, she was still out cold, as if she was in coma

>luckily, I didn’t have to wait long because our means of getting home was just there, about to depart

>>”What did you do to her, human?!” the train driver stopped me when I tried to enter.

>but when glanced at him, he must have partly understood, enough to know it wasn’t my fault

“Please, I just want to take my mistress home…”

>and the stallion didn’t say anything, merely stepped out of my way

>yet he kept watching me throughout the whole ride

>I didn’t care

>I just closed my eyes, hoping we’d be there soon

>at our stop, I walked out of the train with Miss Lemon in my arms again

>...from there it wasn’t that far to ‘our’ home

>I think that Miss Lemon woke up somewhere on the way but she didn’t really say or do anything to let me know

>so I carried on, pretending that I think she’s still asleep

>back home, I laid her into her bed, had a quick shower to wash away the sweat and emotional dirt, and laid myself on my mattress in front of her door

>hoping, that the morning would be wiser than evening

>boy, was I wrong

 

***

 

Chapter ten: Stay

 

***

>I didn’t sleep well that night, kept waking up and rolling around and I eventually got up a lot sooner than I usually would

>it was already light outside and I couldn't go back to sleep

>my back hurt a bit from carrying my mistress, as well as her wheels, all the way through the city but I didn’t care that much about it

>the very first thing I did, was to slowly open the door to Miss Lemon’s bedroom, to check if she’s okay

>I found her laying on the bed, seemingly sleeping

>she probably wouldn’t have noticed me, if only the hinges did not creak,..

>yet they did and they woke her up

>”Anon…” Miss Lemon exhaled, slowly adjusting herself up a bit

“Yes, mistress?”

>”Come here please…”

>on her command, I walked inside the bedroom to her, kneeling down to be at the same height

>”I wanted to thank you…” my mistress smiled, touching my shoulder with her hoof “...And I’d like to ask you... if you can still remember me the way I was before yesterday evening.”

“I-...Of course mistress, why wouldn’t I?”

>”I just wanted to make sure… Now, can I ask one last thing of you today?”

“Sure, what is it?”

>”Would you make some kind of breakfast for me? Anything will do…”

“I’ll be right on in.” I smiled as I stood up

>her hoof that slid down from my shoulder, touched my leg before I walked away, and as I closed the door, I was given a strange, faint smile

>but I wanted Miss Lemon to feel better after yesterday, so I didn’t pay that much attention to the gesture

>I ran to the kitchen, already thinking about what could be the best breakfast I’m able to make with my limited cooking skills

>surely it couldn’t be anything better than she’d make herself but I still wanted it to be as good as possible when I have a chance to repay her for once

>in less than 20 minutes, I had a plate with some delicious looking toasts and a kettle with peppermint tea

>but when I wanted to open the door to mistresses bedroom so I could present it to her, I found they were locked from the inside

“Mrs. Lemon..? I brought you the breakfast you asked for…” I knocked.

“Mistress..?”

>...yet there was still silence

>my heart started beating in a sudden feeling I couldn’t explain

>I knew something was going on, something bad

>it creeped me out, as if someone was squishing my guts from the inside

“MISS LEMON!!” I kept banging on the door

>but there was still silence

>and I did something unthinkable to me any other time but now

>I laid the breakfast on the ground, mustered all my strength-... and I kicked in the door

>they were as tough as solid wood, but the doorframe wasn’t as sturdy

>the mechanism broke, the door flew open and then I saw it:

>a white mare with a golden mane, the foam pouring out of her mouth and some pills laying next to her, as well as a goodbye letter scribbled nearby

“MISS LEMON!!! NO!!” I yelled, running up to her and shaking with her body to get some kind of response

>it was almost like shaking with a corpse...

>...except she wasn’t a corpse, I knew she was still alive

>I knew it, I just did

>her chest was still softly moving with each of her shallow breaths

>... I did the first thing I could think of

>I shoved two of my fingers up her mouth and tickled her throat to induce gag reflex, just the same way I had to do to myself a few times, back in my junkie days

>and it worked

>I heard a loud “Hrrk!” and the next second there was vomit running down my hand

>I didn’t really care about getting dirty, I had to adjust Miss Lemon so that she wouldn’t choke now

>with my clean hand, I tried to get her golden mane out of the way while keeping her steady

>...as all the poison started leaving her stomach, the mare even opened her eyes, trying to see what’s happening

>she was crying

>I knew well how hard it is to hold back tears while you’re throwing up but I also knew that these were tears of a different kind

>...I saw such immeasurable guilt and sadness in that look she gave me

>as if she’d prefer to die than to be seen like this

>but I had to stay to make sure she’ll live

>I horrible, but I couldn’t lose her

…

>when the whole content of the Miss Lemon’s stomach was on Mr. Scribble’s blanket, I picked her body up and brought her into the bathtub

>I had to leave her alone for a little while because I needed to open the windows in the bedroom and get rid of the ruined blanket so that it wouldn’t soak through, destroying the whole bed

>in less than a minute I was back to make sure the mare wouldn’t attempt to drown herself or finish the job some other way

>...I found her almost lifelessly laying in pretty much the same position I left her but she was steadily breathing

>that was the most important thing for me

>first I rinsed her fur from all the stains and then gave her white coat a good scrub overall to make sure she won’t smell afterwards

>I knew that my mistress was conscious all through the process but she kept her eyes closed because she couldn’t look, didn’t want to see me

>...and I understood that completely because I’ve been in a similar situation before

>I just never thought that I’d see it from this angle as well…

...

>when Miss Lemon was clean, I dried her with a towel and brought her back to the bed, getting rid of all the sheets and replacing them with fresh ones

>there I tucked the pony in because she was starting to shiver, laid the breakfast that I made earlier on a bed table, sat in the chair next to her,.. and waited

>I think I waited for a few hours, occasionally drifting into sleep but I had to watch over my mistress to make sure she won’t do anything foolish again

>...until I saw her waking up

>at first it was just a twitch of her eyelid before both of them slowly opened

>as soon as I noticed, I brought my chair closer and leaned in, hoping-…

>...I wasn’t sure what exactly I hoped for, maybe just for her to smile but I knew that was a naive wish

>when those yellow and hazel eyes registered me, she sighed:

>”Why Anon? Why did you save me? Why do you persist on keeping me here?”

“Because I love you, mistress. You’re like a mother to me…” I answered without hesitation.

>the mare smiled very bitterly, taking a long pause to continue:

>”...I could never be your mother, she would have been a lot better than I was… She would never even think of the things I did... and most of all, she’d never long for the things I started longing...”

“What do you mean..?”

>”I said too much, forget it, please… Leave me…” the mare rolled away, avoiding to look at me.

”No. What is it you long for? Whatever it is, if it helps you, I’ll get it for you.” I stood up from the chair to sit on the bed next to her.

>but Miss Lemon buried her muzzle in the pillow, keeping her eyes tightly shut in shame

“Mistress please, tell me. You can tell me anything.”

>yet there was silence

>”...”

“I understand, I’m sorry…” I sighted eventually.

>...I was just about to stand up when I saw her hazel eye open and glance at me

>”No Anon, you don’t understand, it’s not a thing to ask for. I also,.. used to see you as my own son. While I still had a husband…”

“What do you mean..?”

>“...As soon as I lost him yesterday, I started longing for you instead… I knew how wrong it was, yet I couldn’t help it, not even now I can. It’s so shameful… That’s why I tried to poison myself this morning because I saw no other way out of this. I lost everything. Husband, son, even dignity.”

>...it took me just a little while to realize the full scale of what did my mistress just admit to me

>in the meanwhile, she buried her face into the pillow again

“...”

“...You were right about one thing then, you couldn’t be a mother to me.” I hanged my head down, trying to find the right words, but then I touched her shoulder over the white blanket, hoping she would look at me “...But I’d want to be by your side nonetheless. It doesn’t matter to me, I love you. And if you need a lover, I’d gladly be one. But I beg you, please, live.”

>yet Miss Lemon stayed silent, didn’t even flinch

>”...”

>I didn’t move from her either

>...after a few seconds, I heard her sniffle and turn turn back at me

>”...Anon, don’t. You would seriously-”

“Yes I would, and gladly…” I slowly reached closer to her face with mine, bumping nose to nose as I gazed into her hazel and yellow eyes that were still red from crying, with black circles underneath them

>and she was shaking in nervosity

>never before she looked worse than now but she was beautiful to me nonetheless

>”A-Anon, I’m 16 years older than you. I’m a cripple and were not even the same species. I can set you free, you’ll find yourself a better life, just leave-”

“But there’s no better life for me without you.” I softly interrupted her “If you want me, I’ll be your lover. If you’ll want someone else, I’ll withdraw to being a mere servant again. I’d set myself on fire for you, don’t you understand? I’m yours…”

>”Stop Anon, it’s not fair at all, I don’t deserve you telling me this.” there were tears in her eyes.

“Maybe you don’t, but I don’t care.”

>...and before she could protest any further, I pressed my lips against hers and closed my eyes

>in that moment, Miss Lemon completely froze like a statue

>she felt so cold at first,... yet she didn’t fight me anymore

>as if all the stiffness accumulated inside of her began slowly fading away

>...until it felt like she is literally melting underneath me

>then I laid myself next to her and hugged her, pulling the dainty mare on my body

>...and I felt her tears, rubbing off her cheeks onto mine but I knew those weren’t the tears of sadness anymore

>from the connection we shared, I could feel the life growing inside of her

>for that moment, all the guilt, all the unworthiness, the differences and doubt went away

>there was nothing else besides the most intense “now”

>there wasn’t anyone to judge us, not even our own perceptions, just the two naked souls in unison

>that’s how I knew that this was the right thing

>as if our whole lives led up to this moment

>and I couldn’t be happier to bask in this wonderful feeling we both felt

>when we let go of the kiss, both of us had tears in our eyes but we were smiling

...

>”Anon…” Lemon touched my face, gazing at me in amazement as if I was a piece of art to her “What did you just do..?”

“Something I didn’t know I longed for…”

>”Then do it again…”

>and I did

>I kissed her again, protectively wrapping my arms around the fragile mare

>with my hands, I caressed her body as she fondly touched mine

>I felt the hot breath from her nostrils on my face

>her long, golden hair, tickling my neck

>and her velvet lips on mine

>...I never asked for any of that before, I wouldn’t dare

>but now I couldn’t get enough

>and we kissed for a long time, gently, slowly and full of relish…

***

“Mistress,..I-” I exhaled at some point, kissing her neck

>”Please don’t call me that...” she breathed deeply, stroking my hair “Don’t ever call me that way again Anon…”

“I won’t...” I smiled, my face buried in the fluffy fur on her chest

>...to me, she was always adorable to look at but she was not for touching

>looking into her eyes was always like gazing into an open fire on a cold winter’s night

>she was my refuge from the cold, yet always I feared she’d burn me if I got too close

>just being next to her and loving her platonically used to be enough for someone like me

>but now I longed for her more and more, I craved to love her sensually as well

>because she ravished me like nothing and no one before

>so much that I dared to descend even lower down, kissing and touching her body while listening to her gentle moans of pleasure

>and I wanted to make this mare feel even better

>by the time I had my face somewhere on her underbelly, making my way even lower, she must have realized my intentions, huffing:

>”Wait Anon, that’s-!”

>but she didn’t finish because I was already there

>almost like a hungry dog, with sloppy eagerness I started lapping on her delicate parts that smelled and tasted so delicious to me

>I wasn’t completely sure why I needed to do it but it brought her so much pleasure she couldn’t speak anymore

>the mare was just squirming in pleasure, holding onto a nearby pillow and crying the most delighted of noises

>then I felt her hooves on my head, stroking my hair and shivering as if she was resisting the urge to push my face in, yet her touch remained as gentle and loving as when she plays her piano

>...I knew there has to be some kind of peak to the pleasure I can give her and eventually I reached it

>it was when her whole body tensed up as if there was electricity going through it and she cried one of her longest and most feminine moans

>the next second I had a mouthful of some liquid,.. I had no idea that mares ejaculate and certainly not this much

>I couldn’t possibly catch all of it

>it was pouring down my chin, down onto the freshly changed sheets as I kept lapping onto her until the very last drop and until the tensed up body of Miss Lemon started easing up, melting down like a hot lava

>when I was sure it’s over for her, I wiped my face with the sheets and climbed on top of her, smiling

>”My,..” she exhaled, reaching her hooves toward me “I’ve never in my life experienced anything like this, Anon…”

“Me neither…” I laid next to her, letting her hug me and I pulled the mare even closer to look directly into her eyes “...I love you.”

>”Please, take me then.” Lemon whispered into my ear, kissing my face “I wanna be yours and yours only…”

>...without too much hesitation, I kissed her back

>this time not slowly but zealously instead, full of desire

>there was nothing that I’d desire more than to fulfill her most sincere wish

>I laid her on her back, fondling her chest and belly with my hands before I’d take it any further

>then I traced her magnificent curves down to her thighs, all the way to the point where they should have continued into strong, elegant calves

>...instead there were merely two stumps, as the reminders of old wounds, yet I loved them the same as if she was still complete

>in my head, the mare was perfect anyway

>to show it, kissed the scars that she hated so much and kept caressing her with even more passion before I’d get to the next part

>I was already so excited that it felt as if my erection should burst through my pants

>Lemon was so eager to finally see it, she pulled the clothing down from me, carelessly tearing it in the process

>then my member plopped down onto her, its tip reaching all the way to the button in the middle of her belly

>in her eyes I could see a mixture of surprise and a growing arousal

>“Please, do it, I need you.” she wailed desperately

>and I did what she asked to

>adjusting myself in front of her puffy vulva, I started sliding my manhood in

>...I had no idea just how warm it would feel inside of the mare

>warm and slippery

>her muscles gave in so easily as if her own body was inviting me in and wanted me to go all the way, as far as I could get

>and I didn’t break the eye contact for a single second of it

>I needed to see those different colored irises and her impossibly black pupils the whole time, they meant a world to me

>it felt as if we were going together through some kind of sacred ritual, opening something new and far more beautiful than we both experienced before

>yet it didn’t last very long because with my inexperience, I had almost no stamina to keep up with so much pleasure

>very soon I felt as if the next few pumps will be the final ones too

>at first I thought that I’ll let Lemon down with my underperformance, but from looking into her eyes, if felt as if we were able to share the rising excitement evenly and peak together

>I longed for nothing more and nothing less, so I was delighted to let go of the worries and let go

>and then it happened

>in that moment, the time stood still for both of us, the ritual was done, there was nothing more to do

>together we spent a lifetime somewhere outside of our bodies where spacetime doesn’t exist, as well as the boundaries between “me” and “you”

>it was only “us”

…

>just as quickly it all rose from seeming nothingness, the same fast it all disappeared and we were back, right where we were as if it never happened

>...yet the sweet memory remained

>exhausted, I caved down next to Lemon, nuzzling her adorable snoot

>we were both smiling

>”Thank you Anon…” Lemon touched my face “Thank you so much, for everything.”

“The feeling is very mutual sweetie...” I touched her back.

>I knew that “mistress” won’t do anymore

>...then there was silence but not the awkward kind

>I saw the corners on her mouth rising in unexplainable joy

>like two children we giggled, on and on until we were too tired to even laugh

>at that point we just held each other and closed our eyes, resting

>...I think we might have fallen asleep as well because the time flew really fast

>I remember getting up that morning at 5:44

>when we opened our eyes now, the clock said 12:34

>...we skipped the breakfast time straight to lunch

>but the breakfast I made was still on the bed table next to us, so I just reached for it so we could have something to snack on before getting up because there was a lot to do afterwards:

> we had to change the sheets again, take a shower, make some proper lunch because the breakfast for one, split in two, wasn’t exactly a substitute for it and we were both really hungry...

>...it wasn’t actually so much work but we were eager to do things

>any kind, something to do together

>after lunch we practiced a little piano and then we wanted to take a stroll out to the woods and we would, if we didn’t notice a stallion figure emerging from there

>we didn’t have to guess it was Mr. Scribble...

>so instead of wandering further, we sat on the porch, waiting for him to come closer

>I held Lemon’s hoof, hoping they won’t start arguing but she just softly stroked my hand to make me let go as he arrived

>the white mare smiled at me and stood up, adjusting her wheels to stand straight

>from that smile I had enough confidence in her to stay sitting

>”Hey Papyrus.” she greeted the stallion

>>”Lemon I-” he started, but he was interrupted:

>”You don’t have to say anything. That’s okay.”

>>”Really?”

>”Yes.” Lemon smiled “In the end, you might have done me a service. I wish you and Ink the best. I hope she’ll keep you happier than I could have.”

>>”You mean it… After yesterday?”

>”I failed to realize that each of us went too far in a different direction a long time ago... If it wasn’t for what you did, I would have been foolishly looking for happiness in places there isn’t. At least not for me. I found it elsewhere...” the mare smiled at me.

>I smiled back, fondly touching her wheel next to me as if it was her own body

>>”...So you and that human actually..? By Celestia, that’s-”

>“That’s up to us to find out. So far it’s been lovely…” Lemon simpered, cutting the stallion off “But I want you to know that I don’t hold any kind of ill will against you.”

>Papyrus stood there motionlessly for a second, as if he was processing it

>then he smiled very softly

>>”I am glad and relieved to hear that… I may have lost my way towards loving you but I never wanted to hurt you.”

>”I… think I understand that now. There are things and emotions beyond our control…” the mare momentarily glanced away as if she was recalling something “...But the divorce will still be a necessity.”

>>”I figured that by now. ...I presume you’ll want to keep the house.”

>”Actually, no… You can have it. As beautiful of a place it is here, too many of my memories are bound to it. Good ones, as well as bad the ones.”

>>”That’s rather surprising… Nonetheless, I am fine with it because I still like it here.” Papyrus partly regained his posture

>”I know.” Lemon smiled

>>”...But you have my word I won’t force you out until you find yourself a place to stay of your own. I’d like it if we could stay friends.”

>”Me too… By the way, we made some lunch just before you came, if you’re hungry, there’s still some left.”

>>”That’s okay actually, but I appreciate it from you.” Papyrus glanced at his ex-wife and after a short hesitation, at me “...both.” he added “....I think I’ll be going now…”

>and he left, with a peaceful expression on his face, looking somewhat healthier than ever

>as if a big stone fell from his chest, one that he’s been carrying even before I even met him

>I glanced at Lemon and she also appeared more even beautiful than I remember her in most of her brightest moments

>she sat back down next to me, leaning her head on my shoulder, and sighed in relief

>there weren’t any more words to be said for now

>we quietly watched the stallion go and when he disappeared in the forest, I stood up, offering my mare a hand:

“How about that stroll we planned?”

>she took it and smiled

 

***

 

Epilogue: A new moon rising

 

***

 

>After that day, I never called Lemon a “mistress” ever again

>and while we both might have looked the same on the outside, we were changed beings

>as if the events of past two days were the last piece of puzzle to finish our stages of life, so we could move on to the next one, completely different

>I think I finally found my own strength to be a man and Lemon finally found her true worth that she couldn’t see the whole time

>we were ready to go towards our future that seemed brighter than ever before

>side by side as two friends, lovers and equals

>no more masters, no more fear, no more pretending

>just us, against the world out there

...

>it actually took a over a month till all the matters with Lemon’s divorce were finished though

>but then, even though we could have stayed in her old home longer, my pony girlfriend was so eager to see something new that we departed towards the world anyway

>together, there was nothing that could stop us

>we had the bits Lemon made on the two concerts she performed at, plus the money she received for her half of the house, so we could just travel from town to town, village to village, city to city and get by easily

>on her second and last concert in Greenwood, she presented the third and the fourth act of her symphony too

...

>since we brought the old keyboard wherever we went, Lemon would occasionally make some money on the way through performing

>but she promised to return one day for her piano and a swing, once we find a place to settle in

>throughout that year and a half of nonstop adventure, I learned to play a bit as well

>I wasn’t nearly as good as Lemon though, but she’d always tell me that there’s nowhere to rush, I have the rest of my life to perfect it

>yet I always longed for the day when I won’t have to look at the keys in order to play, when it’ll come so automatic that won’t even have to think about it and most of all: when we’ll play together and create something that belongs to both of us

>I know that day will once come,..

>until then I’ll keep practicing

 

***

 

>at one of the places we took refuge for a short while, we encountered a rainbow pegasus that stood out from the other ponies

>if not through looks, then via something that wasn’t visible to eye

>Lemon explained to me that she’s Rainbow Dash, one of the elements of loyalty who are there to keep balance throughout the Equestrian lands

>I was surprised to see a human by her side too

>he seemed to be in he in his late 20’, had long hair and wore a rugged looking, yet clean and very nice looking poncho

>just like me, he didn’t wear a collar

…

>when we asked her, Rainbow Dash pointed her hoof at the human that was busy drawing some landscape:

>>”Oh, the guy over there? He’s my husband! Sort of…” she chuckled “Not officially though.”

>we were both surprised about her openly saying that so we asked more and eventually got into a long discussion with both her and the guy

>supposedly they were there on some kind of friendship mission, which sounded strange to me at first but it made a lot more sense when they elaborated

>when Ponyville got brought up, being a nice place to check out one day, a flank of the pegasus started glowing

>>”...I don’t know what we did but I guess it’s done.” she chuckled

>they both left that day

...

>after that strange encounter, we travelled to a few more places but something eventually lead us to the village she mentioned

>Ponyville

>it was a small settlement, yet pretty

>it wasn’t what made it special though, the local mentality was

>never before have we seen so kind and welcoming ponies, at least the majority

>in the end, both Lemon and I decided that this might actually be the place to settle in

>and that was exactly what we did

>just like Lemon said, she sent her old piano and the swing all the way from Old Loom to our new home

>and we live there till now

>If you ever happen to come by, feel free to visit for a cup of tea and a slice of cake, it’s delicious!

>Love, Anon.

...and Lemon.

 

THE END.