/bootleg/ Jacky Part Twelve


                                            "Duh... duh duh, duh duh duh... no, that's the wrong tune..."

                                            "Duhhh, dun duh duh, duh duh? Dun duh duh duh duh duuuuhh..."

                                            >That's the way that sounds

                                            >Ever since she started singing you to sleep, you haven't been able to get it out of your head

                                            >Between that and... other things, the latest harmony quest has fallen a little to the wayside

                                            >And by "a little", you mean almost two months

                                            >All it took was one lazy Saturday

                                            >Lazier than Saturdays usually are, actually

                                            >Rather than wake up, you decided to just lay there and sleep

                                            >You recall Jack trying to wake you up

                                            >And failing

                                            >And then Shine trying to wake you up

                                            >And failing

                                            >And somewhere in between all of that you ate a few biscuits

                                            >They were good

                                            >But not good enough to keep you awake for long

                                            "Gah... that's not right either is it..."

                                            >"Talking to yourself in the dark again, I see. Do the voices speak back?"

                                            >Of course, it is the only other nocturnal beast in the apartment

                                            >Not counting Prism

                                            >You aren't sure when exactly her sleeping hours are

                                            "Yeah, they tell me red pony hide would look bad ass as a set of chaps."

                                            >"You want me wrapped around your waist that badly, huh."

                                            >Her tongue is as sharp as ever

                                            "Maybe. I could go further about a stretching joke but I think we're both too tired for that."

                                            >"Speak for yourself."

                                            "Ok. I could go further about a stretching joke but I am too tired for that."

                                            >"Better."

                                            "Thanks."

                                            >The room is pitch dark

                                            >It hasn't been this dark in a long time, due to one of the computers being on at almost all times

                                            >Movie nights have made a comeback, but you've avoided them because they're all chick flicks

                                            >And you love Jacqueline enough to sit through exactly two of those

                                            >And boy howdy, were those two long evenings

                                            >Shine's horn starts to glow

                                            >Just enough to make it out in the zombie-infested abyss

                                            >She sits on a pillow and faces you

                                            >"Does the light help?"

                                            "Tiny bit."

                                            >Do you look like the sort of guy who needs a pony night light?

                                            >...

                                            >Better to not want an answer to that

                                            >"How you doing?"

                                            "Ehh..."

                                            >"Articulate, aren't we."

                                            "Hey, lay off. It's almost three AM. I should be sleeping by now."

                                            >"And I should be doing suspect things while you're sleeping."

                                            >Ever since those girls' movie nights, she's been getting notably more...

                                            >Herself?

                                            >You try to look for an excuse but the fact of the matter is that she's been getting increasingly personal with her banter

                                            >It has led to Jack getting some good comebacks in so you suppose you don't care all that deeply

                                            "Guess that explains the magical residue, huh..."

                                            >You lean your back against the wall

                                            >You can't see it but you've actually cleaned your room up a good deal

                                            >You keep thinking of getting outfits for them to wear but the topic never comes up

                                            >And they never press it

                                            >And you don't even know where to find pony-sized outfits

                                            >At least the room is clean

                                            >Ish

                                            "I'm... I'm kinda stuck."

                                            >"Do I want to sarcastically ask if you're actually sitting on sticky sheets or is this a real thing?"


                                            "First off? Ew. You know I wash these sheets religiously, and they're new."

                                            >"They're not new anymore."

                                            "Yeah, because you spilled a bag of popcorn less than three days after they were put on."

                                            >"...ok. No comment."

                                            "So n'yeah."

                                            >You think Shine has a sixth sense for sniffing out your bullshit

                                            >She could before, but it seems like she hones in on it now

                                            >Jack does too but you tend to goof around with her so much that those issues tend to be forgotten

                                            >That is not a bad thing

                                            >Prism will ask if you're doing fine but she doesn't press it

                                            >Which is fine, you've come to meet some mutual agreement about keeping things at arm's length

                                            >Even if a drunk night did lead to you hugging her

                                            >Worse, she hugged back

                                            >It makes for good joke material to the other two but you know that was just...

                                            >Not a slip up

                                            >Maybe a temporary gate opening?

                                            >"Hey, no going silent on me. Speak up already."

                                            "About what?"

                                            >"I know you are constantly distraught by the heaven that is living with three ponies and that you mentally flog yourself over how much love and attention we give you. But you gotta have something else going on upstairs this time."

                                            "You're half-right. I just think about flogging said ponies and applying ginger for more lively reactions and added flavor."

                                            >Shine's horn flickers bright for almost long enough to be a split-second

                                            >"...you're a cruel man, Anon."

                                            "Thank you."

                                            >They aren't the only one learning anatomy lessons

                                            >You let out a sigh that's too heavy given how comfy your daily life is

                                            "I still feel guilty about the harmony quest pausing. And ever since we spoke about jobs and all that, I..."

                                            >You shrug and throw up your hands

                                            >Not that anyone can see your gestures

                                            "It's a lot to take in."

                                            >"At least you didn't forget my unboxing day this year."

                                            "Hey, I didn't forget. You said you wanted a pony, I got us Prism."

                                            >"I said I wanted you to act like a pony, not to get her."

                                            "Neigh."

                                            >She doesn't like to call it her "birthday"

                                            >You can get that

                                            >Neither of you say anything for a while

                                            >If it wasn't for the dim glow of red, you could believe that she just wandered off

                                            >Or maybe slept

                                            >...nah

                                            >She wouldn't do that

                                            >You can almost feel her eyes on you

                                            >The focus

                                            >The intent

                                            "I didn't want to say anything but I think I might swap to something I can bring you girls on."

                                            >"For work?"

                                            "Yeah. I mean, if you want to."

                                            >You hate even contemplating this topic

                                            >Are they freeloaders?

                                            >Technically, yes

                                            >Can they work?

                                            >Technically, yes

                                            >Do you want them to?

                                            >Not really

                                            "I... I don't want to talk about that."

                                            >"Mr. Motormouth still doesn't want to talk about it? You really are all choked up over it, aren't you."

                                            "No."

                                            >You squint at her glow

                                            "Yes."

                                            >You say both words with the same level of defensive aggression

                                            >"Alright. But can I sidestep the police line and at least ask why?"

                                            "Because I don't want you, or Jack, or Prizza to worry about it."

                                            >"...Prizza?"

                                            "Yeah."

                                            >"How does that even fit?"

                                            "Because the "R" is silent."


                                            >"...huh. I guess that fits. You really aren't doing so hot if even your nicknaming is getting rusty."

                                            >Another sigh

                                            >You like that she doesn't give you much wiggle room

                                            "I guess. The other thing about the harmony quest stuff... I'm just worried, ok?"

                                            >"Anon, look at me."

                                            >You look around the darkness of the room and give the glow a hard squint

                                            "Do you know where we are?"

                                            >"Shut up, you know where I am."

                                            "Alright. Fine. I'm looking just below the red."

                                            >"Good boy."

                                            >Her dismissive yet amused tone has become more of a comfort than you'd like to admit

                                            >If Jack is who you can get all romantic and cuddly with, Shine is who you can fling shit the hardest at with no concern of the stench

                                            >"Now we had some rough times. I can admit that. But look around."

                                            "Dude, seriously?"

                                            >"Shut up, metaphorically speaking look at how we are."

                                            >She has a point

                                            >Much like before, it seems like you're the only one honestly concerned about someone crossing a line and things getting rocky

                                            >Or worse, breaking down

                                            >You can't help but feel like you've always had that concern around people

                                            >Your friends of back then

                                            >Your family

                                            >You huff hard to push those topics out of your head

                                            >"Yeah, exactly. This isn't like... other things. Prism gets mad but she doesn't say things like she used to. And trust me, she used to be very vocal. She's willing to get over herself and at least try to help, once she cools off. It's her way of burying the hatchet."

                                            >You haven't even seen her get that mad

                                            >Not lately, anyway

                                            >"And Jacky... good grief, I'm telling you I'm rolling my eyes hard because-ha ha dark room-because she is just so... freaking fairy tale princess sometimes."

                                            >That makes you smile

                                            >You can't avoid letting out a "heh"

                                            >"See? And I bet you embrace that silly crap too. But... well, it works. She has her one or three topics that she is kinda weird on but that's usually it."

                                            "Wait, which ones?"

                                            >"...you telling me there are more than three topics."

                                            "N-no."

                                            >You and Jack talk about so many things, both good and bad, to the extent that you can't think of only three things that she gets weird with

                                            >"...I'm just gonna pre-emptively go "ew" and move on from that."

                                            "Not all of them are gross!"

                                            >"Yeah, no. You sound guilty as all so again. Ew."

                                            >Whatever

                                            >It isn't like she's above going into "ew" territory

                                            >"I mean it though. I can feel like I'm going to blow a hole in the ground and she can still get me to smile. I don't know how she does it. It's like she has no shame."

                                            >You find yourself nodding

                                            >Yeah

                                            >She really is quite open with things, isn't she

                                            >"And then there's me and... well, I'm me. So of course I keep everyone together with my awesome personality, wit, creativity and understanding."

                                            "HA!"

                                            >Not even a second goes by and your gut instinct is to laugh

                                            "You play video games whenever you can, where is this "creativity" you speak of?"

                                            >"It's going to flood the inside of your head with wit. Besides, do you know how hard it is to find new ways to use magic?"


                                            "...uh... no? I don't."

                                            >You hear a stifled Shiner noise

                                            >Like she had a comeback prepared but she lost it

                                            >"...ok well, neither do I. It kinda just... happens. I don't even understand how I had issues anymore."

                                            >This time she sighs

                                            >"But that doesn't matter for this, the fact is that we're all tougher than we used to be. And let's face it, whatever issues we have really aren't so massive. Thankfully none of us really wish we were back in the stink of living like sewer rats. You keep that sort of thing in mind and it acts like a good bullshit-detecting compass."

                                            "So in this case does the compass point toward or away from the sewer rat lifestyle?"

                                            >"Whichever makes for the more clever analogy."

                                            "Gotcha."

                                            >You bring up a hand to cover your mouth while you yawn

                                            >Which is silly because it's not like you care for manners around your mares

                                            >Least of all Shiner Sixtyniner

                                            "You know I think this is at least the third night you've talked to me about that."

                                            >"I know. You still think it is an issue worth worrying over too. So I have to spend my precious time around you and remind you that you're just being nutty."

                                            "You're welcome, by the way. I'm a very interesting guy."

                                            >"Oh yeah, clearly."

                                            >It is almost comical just how thick she'll lay on the sarcasm

                                            >It is a good sign

                                            >It means that she isn't taking it all that seriously

                                            >You really shouldn't either

                                            >But

                                            >You will

                                            >You're ok with that being a flaw

                                            >That relief washes over you from left to right until you feel like forty pounds of Chill landed on your head and didn't even bother to bring Netflix

                                            "Jack is still talking about the quest at least."

                                            >"Yeah, and she has like a dozen ideas now. See what happens when you don't keep her on a tight leash?"

                                            "Consider yourself lucky I never trained her with commands."

                                            >"I'm... not going to joke about that."

                                            "Smart move."

                                            >You emit a loud yawn

                                            >Short but forceful enough to hurt your sternum

                                            >You hear a yawn, mimicked in force

                                            >"For your information, I'm only sounding tired because you're tired."

                                            "Yeah, then be prepared to act like you're sleeping soon."

                                            >You bring up a pair of pillows and set them on your lap

                                            >It has been so lukewarm to cool that you haven't felt the need to bundle up

                                            >The horn glow begins to fade

                                            >"Hey Anon."

                                            "Hey J-er-Shine."

                                            >"Wow, ok."

                                            "Sorry, I'm blaming fatigue."

                                            >"Whatever."

                                            >You feel a pillow get thrown at your side

                                            >Then you can hear movement

                                            >Feel weight at your side, near the pillow

                                            >Or on top of it

                                            >"Don't zone out so much. Ok? None of us worry but sometimes it's a little obvious that you aren't paying attention to things."

                                            "Is it that bad?"

                                            >"Bad enough that you don't even have witty remarks half the time? Yes. Jacky thinks you're in a crisis if I don't make fun of her."

                                            "Don't make fun of the poor girl."

                                            >"Until you get out of your funk? You literally don't even know when I'm doing it."

                                            "That's."

                                            >Another yawn

                                            >You even felt the side of your jaw pop

                                            "Mean."

                                            >"It's ok, I make her pancakes so I'm allowed to be mean."

                                            "Good point."


                                            >You close your eyes

                                            >Knowing that you aren't alone in the abyss helps

                                            >You certainly aren't afraid of the dark

                                            >But

                                            >Sometimes, you wonder

                                            >You would rather not look too deeply, because of what might be looking back

                                            >"Your breathing is off. Calm your butt and just relax already. Save the panic attack for the daylight."

                                            >She sounds wiped, doesn't she

                                            "Wouldn't most people consider that weird?"

                                            >"I don't care if I incinerate a thousand people."

                                            "Now you just sound worse."

                                            >"You're welcome. Go to bed."

                                            >A soft scoff

                                            >It makes you feel better, knowing that you actually have someone watching out for you like that

                                            >It feels good to know you have someone that has your back

                                            >You let the unorthodox warm feeling melt into your core, like a dollop of butter melting on toast

                                            "Thanks, Spar."

                                            >Her only answer is a nuzzle against your leg

                                            >Your ability to form thoughts fad, like a bubble bath going down a drain

                                            >One straggler of a concern refuses to sink like the rest

                                            >Or maybe it is just idle musing

                                            >Where would you even be without these girls?


                                            >Movie night

                                            >The first in...

                                            >How long?

                                            >Far too long

                                            >Just you and Jack

                                            >It isn't any of the classics

                                            >Neither the theatrical classics or personal favorites

                                            >But something new

                                            >Something...

                                            >Bad

                                            >"So how do the six fingers make them advanced aliens again?"

                                            "No, no, it's not that. It's that they all have dreadlocks."

                                            >"What about their fancy guns?"

                                            "Nope. It's all the locks."

                                            >You've gotten barely more than a half hour in

                                            >With her draped over your lap and using your forearm as a head rest, she has no option but to look at the monitor

                                            >"...is it just me or is everything slanted a little to the side?"

                                            "That's because the way you're laying, dear."

                                            >"...you sure?"

                                            "No. It's also on that way on purpose."

                                            >"..."

                                            "..."

                                            >There is a little bit of tension

                                            >Not a lot

                                            >But enough for your animal instincts to pick up on, like the faint smell of smoke on the wind

                                            >"This movie sucks."

                                            >Jacqueline's words come out as a dull surprise

                                            "Y... yeah, it does. When it came out, everyone hated it but supposedly it was a big deal because Travolta was a big name back then."

                                            >"The thespian?"

                                            "Yup."

                                            >"When you were still learning to PET MY MANE!"

                                            >Her outburst leads to her spearing a hoof up into the air

                                            >"I... was being trained... to conquer GALAXIES!"

                                            >You snort at her apt flamboyancy and go to stroke her mane with your free arm

                                            >Jacky sighs

                                            >"I'm glad you didn't show me this for my first movies. What made you wanna show me westerns, anyway?"

                                            >You get the feeling that this isn't going to focus on just movies

                                            "You know? I don't know. I haven't watched any in a long while. I think we moved away from movies."

                                            >"I guess so. I'm... kinda really not feeling this one. So I'm gonna keep talking."

                                            "I wouldn't stop you."

                                            >Jackovich kicks her hind legs out, inhaling before letting out a relaxed sigh

                                            >You've still never seen someone get so completely relaxed

                                            >Not around yourself, anyway

                                            >"...do you remember when we used to watch movies every night, Anon?"

                                            "Yeah. Of course I do."

                                            >You go from stroking her mane to petting her from shoulder to flank

                                            "Two and a half years, and yet it feels like last week that Angel Eyes spooked you."

                                            >Her body tenses up

                                            >"...hey, you telling me that wouldn't scare me? I had no clue what humans were like. And then I see one shoot another in the face-twice-with a pillow over his head!"

                                            >Your petting leads to her side relaxing

                                            >"And all the while, I got someone who gave me food, a home, found my friends and..."

                                            >This seems like it is going somewhere

                                            >Maybe this is why she hasn't been speaking to you all that much lately

                                            >Depending on where she's going

                                            >"...I miss those days."

                                            "Being alone all day until I come home?"

                                            >"W... well. No. Not that."

                                            >She brings her front legs up and begins to knead against your leg

                                            >You've found that it's her method of petting you

                                            >"But I miss having you to myself. Things were simpler. A lot simpler."

                                            >The tone in her voice

                                            >She doesn't sound sad

                                            >You don't remember what a sad Jack sounds like


                                            >"There were..."

                                            >The way she trails off

                                            >You know there is more to her thoughts than that

                                            >Specific examples?

                                            >Personal aspects that she isn't fond of?

                                            >"...just less to think about."

                                            "The good news is that you don't have to think more."

                                            >"But I gotta. When it came to you losing family. Us starting the quests. Our campaign. Our movie marathons. Trying out a ton of food..."

                                            "Do you wish you had less choice or memories?"

                                            >"...I don't know."

                                            >She stops the kneading and twists until she's laying on her back

                                            >Her eyes focus on you rather than the monitor

                                            >Her gaze is focused

                                            >More focused than you could see Shine give

                                            >The unicorn is one for scheming and looking for opportunity

                                            >But your Jack?

                                            >Her purpose is clear

                                            >>"Is that weird?"

                                            "Kinda. But I get you. I miss my earlier days too."

                                            >Whether this was her target or not, you shrug at the notion of sidestepping the conversation

                                            "I really miss them. They were a lot simpler back then. I had to worry about so little."

                                            >"That's how I feel."

                                            "What would you want to pull the clock on, then?"

                                            >"...I think Dashie and Sparky being here."

                                            >That's big

                                            >That's very big

                                            >"I should feel bad for saying that, but I don't. You know? Because it would mean that we would still find them, once again. And we had an easy time so we could just get them whenever we felt like it."

                                            "I don't know if that's how that works, Jay."

                                            >"I know... but I just wish we could do it all again."

                                            "Like a speed runner?"

                                            >Jack thinks it over...

                                            >And nods

                                            >"Kinda."


                                            >"Get lost, we're having together time."

                                            >"Get lost, I have a superboss to kill."

                                            >"Get lost, I'm going to do unspeakable things."

                                            >"Get lost, I'm going to kill unspeakable things."

                                            >Five minutes of a constant back and forth

                                            >Five

                                            >Minutes

                                            >The gamer mare eventually won out, leading to you and Jacky taking a walk in the garage

                                            >At least it has turned into a win/win, because you still get to spend time with her

                                            >Things are not awkward

                                            >But they are...

                                            >Odd?

                                            >You get the feeling that something is off

                                            >The way she has been sticking to you like glue has helped both when it comes to your concerns and also when it comes to feeling relaxed

                                            >That gaze of hers, too

                                            >It almost feels like a light flipped in her head

                                            >It isn't just how she looks at you, of course

                                            >She speaks with more authority

                                            >She acts with pride

                                            >Of course, she was never shy but you can tell she isn't who she was

                                            >But she's still Jack-in-a-Pan

                                            >"I know it's been a bit but have you been thinking about the harmony quests?"

                                            "Of course. Sorry I was... unable to keep up with that."

                                            >"Nah, it's alright. Every one of us kinda wanted to take a break from it too. Being all serious and trying to play up being heroes and stuff like that... it's kinda silly, you know?"

                                            "Sorta. But it's still important to you, isn't it?"

                                            >"Sure is. That's why I'm ready the minute you are."

                                            "Antsy as all getout, eh?"

                                            >"You know it! I've already thought of everything. With my brains and your leadership, we can beat the tar outta any quest!"

                                            >You aren't sure which is more silly sounding, her brains or your...

                                            "Leadership?"

                                            >After walking a third circuit, you hold out your car beeper to unlock the doors

                                            >"Yeah. I don't know if you've noticed but... you kinda control the flow of things around the house. When you're kinda just doing things or not feeling so hot and social, we just do our own stuff. And it's nice."

                                            "It really is."

                                            >"And when you're more active and want to do stuff, we all kinda snap to attention and we do it."

                                            "Well-oiled machine, huh?"

                                            >"I guess so. I think it's funny. We never really used to fit that sort of thing."

                                            "Yeah, I recall. Could you imagine knocking over an entire city and making off with untold riches with me at the helm?"

                                            >You open the passenger door for your right hoof mare

                                            >With a short stretch of one of her hind legs, she leaps onto the seat

                                            >If you knew all of them back then

                                            >Knew her

                                            >...How much would have changed?

                                            >Would you be meeting her as you are now, or who you were before?

                                            >You certainly couldn't have made a difference if you met her before you did

                                            >And that's ok

                                            >It's a part of growth

                                            >Supposedly

                                            >You open the driver door and plop inside

                                            >Jack chomps onto a rag you tied to the door

                                            >With a quick yank, it is closed and secure

                                            >Deciding some privacy is better than none, you close your door as well

                                            >"Imagine us... robbing bakeries, delis, whatever farm we came across."


                                            "Heh. Eating as many fancy things as we liked. But I don't think I would want to be known as a continental crook."

                                            >"No?"

                                            "Nah. Too much notoriety means copycats sullying our good, bad names."

                                            >Her cheeky grin is exactly the sort of expression a master cannoli burglar would have

                                            >"Oh yeah, no doubt we had a ton of humans lurching around. Just throngs of Anons hitting on poor, innocent ponies."

                                            "Innocent? Psh. Lady, you were a stone cold killer. Don't lie."

                                            >"I'm not! You have no evidence anyway."

                                            "Oh yeah?"

                                            >You take out your phone

                                            >You hardly mess with it these days

                                            >Snap

                                            >Yup

                                            >That one is definitely going into your mare compilation

                                            >Perfect that it captures a modestly surprised face

                                            >"What was that for?"

                                            "For keeping."

                                            >You take another picture of her

                                            >Seeing that you have no intention of stopping, she slinks up against the seat and smiles

                                            >It's less than sultry

                                            >It is attractive

                                            >But it's not overt

                                            >It's more than cute

                                            "A picture's worth a thousand words, you know..."

                                            >You take another

                                            >One of her face zoomed in more

                                            >She giggles at your nod of approval

                                            >"Want a new wallpaper or something to show off?"

                                            "Kinda.  I think I just want something to help with memories."

                                            >"Memories?"

                                            >Her ears perk up at what had to be an odd choice for words

                                            "Yeah. You know how once upon a time she took a picture of us?"

                                            >"Who, Spark?"

                                            "Yeah. Check this out."

                                            >You lean together, shoulder to shoulder, so you can show her that picture from...

                                            >How long ago was it?

                                            >Your hair was a little different

                                            >Kinda

                                            >Jacky's smile is big and goofy

                                            >Shiner's smirk is downright wholesome

                                            >"Wow... look at us."

                                            "Yeah. It feels like it just happened."

                                            >"You're right. I didn't think about that."

                                            >You chuckle and double tap the screen

                                            >You look like a freaking dork

                                            >You weren't at all expecting that to happen

                                            >Maybe that's why it stands out so much

                                            "What do you think?"

                                            >Rather than reply, she watches the picture

                                            >Is there something specific she's wanting to find?

                                            >"I kinda wish I could talk to my past self. Just to send her a little message."

                                            "Time travel, huh. What would you say to past you?"

                                            >Jack smiles

                                            >For a split second, you understand just how mature she looks

                                            >"That it'll be ok."

                                            >A lot of people would benefit from being told that by their future selves

                                            >You could have used that bit of advice

                                            "That would probably help. Were you worried?"

                                            >Jacqueline shakes her head

                                            >The way she exhales, she's comfortable

                                            >"I wasn't. But every little bit helps too, you know?"

                                            "Yeah... I get you."

                                            >This wasn't the sort of time together you were expecting but you really can't complain

                                            >You could never complain about the time you get to spend with your lame, awesome dork

                                            >"Hey, Anon. Turn the phone back on yourself. Let's take a few pictures of you."

                                            "Of me?"

                                            >"Yup. Non-negotiable."

                                            >You don't argue

                                            >Though it takes a little coordination, you tilt the camera the right way and make a variety of faces that are pleasing to her

                                            >These are for her

                                            >Just as the ones you took are for yourself


                                            "And now..."

                                            >"Together."

                                            >A picture is taken, of you and her

                                            >Shoulder to shoulder

                                            "Come 'ere."

                                            >You pull back and she hops onto your lap

                                            >Compared to how she used to be, she's picked up a fine amount of finesse

                                            >Rather, she has just refined her technique to the point you don't fear for stray hoof stomps

                                            >More pictures are taken

                                            >Each one with a different set of faces

                                            >A pair of crooks

                                            >Derp-eyed twins

                                            >Soylent consumers pointing at something from behind

                                            >A duo, both strong and confident

                                            >By the time picture time is taken, both you and her are giggly about the results

                                            "Ahhh... that's a great one. Shiner's gonna get a giggle out of that."

                                            >"Nah, no."

                                            "No?"

                                            >"No."

                                            "Ha. Just for us then?"

                                            >"Yeah."

                                            >Jackernaut inhales and puffs out her chest

                                            >"Warm like this car, I feel your heart beat so hard."

                                            >The ease at which she slips into her singing voice brings a chill up your spine

                                            >You can tell she knows what she's doing

                                            >"And it belongs to me. Only me."

                                            >Her words are so smooth they could be scalpels

                                            >"Only me."

                                            >She crooks her head back, an inch away from your face

                                            >"Not even you."

                                            >She starts the kiss

                                            >Boy, does she start it

                                            >But you will help her finish it


                                            >Hours

                                            >Days

                                            >Entire weeks

                                            >That's all it took to set things into motion

                                            >It was so simple, all you had to do wa-

                                            >Clonk

                                            >Jacky's coconut of a head donks against yours

                                            >Whatever you were thinking, it was gone

                                            >Not the first time that happened

                                            >Both of you have been listening to the same song on repeat for the last few hours

                                            >The rhythm of it has led from everything to melodic head bobbing, to synchronized "doo"s and "da"s

                                            >For this last hour it has descended into wordless vocalizations

                                            >The lyrics have lost all meaning

                                            >You're sure you heard Prismantic calling for Jack earlier

                                            >Neither of you responded but you were prepared to call out that she was busy because you were Jacking it

                                            >Which was neither correct nor wrong at the moment

                                            >You hear some knocking on the door

                                            >Going from the ferocity of it, it has to be a unicorn

                                            >"Hey, it's pony protective services. It's dinner time and you've been blasting music all day."

                                            "Did you hear something?"

                                            >Jackenstein's answer is a vocalization that extends and escalates into a frenzied yawp of a yawn

                                            "Thought not."

                                            >"Ok, this is just-"

                                            >The entire bedroom door glows bright red, illuminating the dark room

                                            >You expect it to be torn off of the frame but it calmly opens

                                            >The magical mare huffs and stares at you laying flat on the bed with Jacky laying with the top of her head rubbing against yours

                                            >You'd like to see her laying on her back, but you're on your back too

                                            >Therefor

                                            >You can not see

                                            >"...is this a bad sign? Do we need an intervention?"

                                            "Nah, it's fine."

                                            >"Is it dinner time?"

                                            "Yeah, is it dinner time yet?"

                                            >It's an aural feast to hear how lax and lazy your mare is, compared to the barely contained irritation of the gamer mare

                                            >The gamemare, even

                                            >Your wit has sharpened this day

                                            >"One, yes. Two, what is going on? You two have been attached at the hip-"

                                            >"And the skull."

                                            >"And the sk-what? Ew."

                                            >She really seems wound up

                                            >"What is going on? Why have you been home all week and locked in your room?"

                                            "I quit."

                                            >You say what you've been hiding with such a casual tone you are almost as shocked as Shine

                                            >"...what?"

                                            "Yup. I did."

                                            >"He did."

                                            >Jack mirrors your aloof energy

                                            >Or lack thereof

                                            >Your eyes stay focused on the ceiling

                                            "I was talking to Jack about it and... well, it's for the best."

                                            >"The be-"

                                            >Shine interrupts herself with a sputtering that makes you wish you could see her

                                            >"The best?!  How is that the best? What are you going to do now? What caused this?!"

                                            >You and Jack share a sigh

                                            >She takes the shared sigh as a sign

                                            >"Don't you... Jacky, what the hell did you do?!"

                                            >You're surprised she isn't reacting stronger

                                            >Maybe she's just in shock

                                            >You were a little in shock when you did it too

                                            >The last week and a half, specifically, the weight of your decision really stuck with you

                                            >Thankfully she's been with you for every minute

                                            >You needed it


                                            "She didn't do anything. We were talking about stuff and decided-"

                                            >"Decided that you're going to just quit working?! I don't even care about the money thing but you decided to make this decision without telling me? What the hell am I to you? You didn't even tell Prism, Jacky?"

                                            >"Nope. I decided that we should tell you two together."

                                            >That makes you smile

                                            >It's such a simple thing

                                            >It's that sort of simple thing that has kept you from freaking out more at the worst

                                            "Guess we should tell them now?"

                                            >"Might as well, we got three days left."

                                            >"What happens in three days, Jacky?"

                                            >With another shared sigh, your hand finds it's way to the closest keyboard's space bar

                                            >With the brain worm of a song paused, you finally feel like you're back in reality

                                            >You sit up and look at the plain white wall

                                            >You really gotta go through with spilling the beans

                                            >You've slept so much this last week, it has been impossible to keep track of time

                                            "Alright, I'm up."

                                            >You awkwardly stand up and step off of the mattress

                                            >You've only had it for a few years but it's already beaten up

                                            >It almost always has at least one pony on it, and a human

                                            >Maybe one day you should get a new one

                                            >You step past Shiner, listening to her follow you close

                                            >With a "hup", Jackula wiggles to her front and rushes to keep up

                                            >With shots poured for every pone and human, the group assembles officially

                                            >"Going off of the shouting, I'm guessing we will need the alcohol. So, Jacky talked you into quitting your work?"

                                            "Nope."

                                            >With a bitter grimace and a dark stare, Sparkler downs her shot in record time

                                            >"So you quit without her words."

                                            "Nope."

                                            >With a shallow swallow, you take your shot

                                            "So after talking for a bit, we decided that..."

                                            >It normally isn't so difficult to talk about these topics

                                            >Maybe it's because it doesn't effect just you

                                            >"We got new jobs! And by "we" I mean Anon, me, and you two too!"

                                            "...well, if you want, I mean."

                                            >You don't think you've ever seen Faint "D-bash" Prism make that sort of face

                                            >It's the sort of face that says "oh shit" on the level of the soul

                                            >Shine, in comparison, just looks like she needs another drink

                                            >"...oh."

                                            >"...crap."

                                            >This is part of what you wanted to avoid

                                            "I should probably explain."

                                            >"I should think so too! What compelled you to make this sort of decision without discussing it with us?"

                                            >Despite her broken composure, she is making a genuine effort to sound stalwart

                                            >The slightest tint of panic doesn't convince you of her will

                                            "Well, Jack and I went out a few times and we kept talking about how..."

                                            >You shrug

                                            "Nice. It is. To just hang out and stuff. And I mean not just here but out there. It's a lot more comfortable and I think enough of the neighbors are used to it that it no longer makes me feel weird."

                                            >"Helps that I told them to get over it."

                                            "That you did..."

                                            >You sigh with a stare that goes only straight ahead

                                            "With colorful language, you did..."

                                            >"It worked, right?"

                                            >Just remember, Anon, they won't always be your neighbors


                                            "Too well, I'm afraid. Anyway, you wanna explain the rest of it for me?"

                                            >Jack smiles

                                            >This is a new level of joy

                                            >"Anon's gonna be a library mechanic!"

                                            >You're lucky you resisted the urge to drink your shot while she was speaking

                                            "N...no, it's a technician."

                                            >"Aren't they the same thing?"

                                            "In this case? No."

                                            >"Oh."

                                            >You down your drink before you have the time to taste it

                                            "Keep going Jakatoa."

                                            >"Oh y-ok. Anon's gonna be a library technician! And weeeeeeeeeee're gonna help him! We're techs too!"

                                            >Bursting with joy, she hops up to her hind legs and poses in sheer triumph

                                            >Neither pegagus nor unicorn share her enthusiasm

                                            "Technically, the three of you are gonna act as receptionists and help desk. And sorta unofficial field trip wranglers."

                                            >Since the bottle is nearby, you pour another shot and down it

                                            >"Wrangling! Helping! Receptive to the core!"

                                            >Between the visible and audible shaking, Jacky is a pound of tannerite short of exploding into the lower atmosphere

                                            "The good news is that..."

                                            >You pour and down another shot

                                            >Nothing stirs confidence in others like needing alcohol before speaking

                                            "...that while I'm full time, you guys are all part time. Which means you can work as little as twenty hours a week, up to forty."

                                            >"And it pays a whole ton!"

                                            "Well, if all of us were to work full time hours for a month, it would eclipse my usual savings rate by... a factor of five almost?"

                                            >You fill-and take-another shot

                                            "And, of course, it doesn't need to be that way. I'm thinking if you can at least toss over a quarter-"

                                            >"Half!"

                                            "No, a quarter i-"

                                            >"HALF."

                                            >Bottle, reveal more of your secrets to Anonymous

                                            >This is so painfully awkward you don't know what to do

                                            "...Jack wants to give half of her pay to what we've been tossing around as a sort of... family coffers type situation. Something that is the usual of taking care of the monthly bills and all that."

                                            >Jack finally settles down enough

                                            >Enough to at least chug her shot without somehow swallowing the glass itself

                                            "And that by itself would help a whole ton. Say if it's only ten hours per pay period, that's still sixty a month."

                                            >"So you finally decided on it..."

                                            >Shine speaks up

                                            >Now that the mare is out of the bag, she seems less bothered by the situation

                                            >"Well... I guess I don't mind. I mean, we've all talked about wanting to help out before. Right?"

                                            >The one shot seemed to have enough of an effect on her

                                            >Only Prism is resisting the temptation of smooth brown fire water

                                            >"I guess I just wish that I could have been told sooner so I could prepare..."

                                            >She gives you a side glance

                                            >"Can I play games there?"

                                            "At the volume you do? No, not inside."

                                            >"Ugh..."

                                            >Prism clears her throat

                                            >More than enough to make it apparent she wants to be the talking one now

                                            >"You mentioned a thi..."

                                            >She trails off when met with a quick death squint from Jack

                                            >"...half... of our pay would go to help out with things. I trust that is food and other things. What... exactly are we supposed to do with the other half? Our own money...?"

                                            "Ahh..."

                                            >You scratch the back of your head

                                            "Whatever you want, I guess. You wanna order food, go for it. Wanna buy something nice for yourself? Make sure it's sent here or we know where to go. Save it up for a rainy day?  It's yours."

                                            >Emboldened by the volume and strength of drink you've drank, you're comfortable in your own skin despite not yet being drunk

                                            "As Jack and I talked about it... you guys aren't pets or anything like that. You really aren't. And I've... maybe not treated you like animals, but I've kept things pretty dull and locked up. And that wasn't right of me."

                                            >"It wasn't right of you to protect us from a harsh, alien world?"

                                            >Her tone isn't aggressive, but it is argumentative

                                            "I don't know, man. I'm trying to figure this shit out as I'm going along."

                                            >Jacqueline clears her throat

                                            >Apparently that is the way of the day to make oneself heard


                                            >"Think about it this way. We all know how much Anon has spent to keep us fed and warm and strong and other things, right?"

                                            >The "other things" leads to a slightly bitter glare from Shine

                                            >Jacky flashes her a quick shit-eating grin and continues

                                            >"And whether or not I want to live in movies or Sparky wants to live in her video games and as fun as it really is... we kinda gotta help out, you know? I remember when Anon would come home from work and just... lay there. And I know it wasn't all just work that piled up on him but it certainly added weight! And then he went and bled his savings dry for all of us to be together and to even have easier cooking stuff and even more than that!"

                                            "You really don't need to keep bringing that up."

                                            >"But I want to! And it's true! We ain't gonna go away anytime soon. I ain't, least of all. An' with that being the case, we gotta buckle down and learn some real world skills! Pronto!"

                                            >Oh boy, she's channeling the power of Ma

                                            >And to think that you once wanted any other type of pony

                                            >"My own money means I can buy a VR headset..."

                                            "Bruh, I'll split the money with you and we'll get the hardware to handle it on the highest settings."

                                            >"Deal. See, Jacky? Problem solved."

                                            >"No, not problem solved. Not yet."

                                            >The Winged One is the only resistance to this

                                            >"So... how do we know for sure our money is ours...?"

                                            >Her deliberate wording wounds but makes sense

                                            "Well, I already thought of that. Checks can be direct deposited, right? I just set up three new accounts, and then we split the pay whichever way we will and then. Bam, proof and tracking. I won't touch anything that isn't the pooled account unless you ask me to."

                                            >"Two accounts."

                                            "Eh?"

                                            >"I told you, I just want my check to go into the main account."

                                            "But what about your half?"

                                            >"I'll make you work for it if you really want to spend it."

                                            >The sly grin she gives is downright villainous

                                            >She ripped out that entire chapter from Shiner's playbook

                                            >But

                                            >Why does it work so much better when done by a goodie two-hooves?

                                            "You're going to make me drink a whole lot more, you know that."

                                            >The room finally descends to something resembling a calm

                                            >You are glad that none of them asked you about your now-last job

                                            >To be fair, you personally won't be losing or gaining all that much more

                                            >Which is not a proud point you wish to make

                                            >"So... what does a tech do, exactly? Will we be able to see you or ask you for help if we need it? Are we going to be safe there?"

                                            "Me? I'm just gonna be a paper pusher, basically. Helping out higher ups. You guys are more going to act as welcomers. Putting away books, helping people find books. Movies too, mostly DVDs."

                                            >You know that there are going to be some pitfalls

                                            >...

                                            >Because of their lack of social and professional skills

                                            >You hate to even think it, but those two sides are lacking severely

                                            >Thankfully you were able to bullshit your way into them all getting hired at almost minimum wage

                                            >Of course, it isn't that low

                                            >With even the three of them combined, it leads up to a pretty penny's worth

                                            >You may have also stretched the truth on their singing and reading aloud skills, to make them more of an entertainment package

                                            "I... I kinda still feel bad about it, don't get me wrong. But between her and I, it just seems like that maybe... two years is long enough to get acclimated. And maybe it'll all help us out. It'll help make sure that the world doesn't seem so scary and full of... less than nice animals."

                                            >Are pets allowed at libraries?

                                            >The sudden passing image of Shine igniting an annoying kid or Prism bucking a service dog does not sit well in your gullet

                                            >"Don't worry, it'll be fine! It's part time, and Anon is the only one paying for benefits so we get all of our checks!"

                                            >Another thing you don't want to admit

                                            >They're getting paid under the table

                                            >No taxes

                                            >No benefits

                                            >Just straight pay

                                            >As long as that doesn't lead to issues, everything should be fine

                                            >Should be

                                            >Hopefully

                                            >You take a hard swig from the bottle directly

                                            >God help you if this doesn't work