>"Good morning, class!" Miss Cheerilee greeted with a warm, motherly smile
>"Good morning, Miss Cheerilee!" Everypony greets in unison
>Everypony except you
>Cheerilee turns around, moving down to grasp a stick of chalk between her teeth
>With experienced swiftness, she writes in large letters on the chalkboard, leaning on her back hooves to reach the higher part of the board
>NEW STUDENT!
>Setting the chalk down, Cheerilee faces the class once more as she moves to the side of the chalkboard
>"Some of you may have noticed a new face in class! Why don't you come up and introduce yourself?" Cheerilee invites 
>You can feel every filly and colts' eyes laser-focused on you as you make your way to the front of class
>Your eyes dart between all the unfamiliar faces as you think of what to do


A. "My name is Anon."
B. Make up a pseudonym
C. "Anon's the name, kissin' fillies is mah game!" 
D. Stare silently



A was attempted, but D was chosen

>You opened your mouth to speak
"Ah-I-I'mmnmm..."
>But an immediate stutter strangled your words
>Your eyes keep jumping from pony to pony, intensely staring each one in the eye
>A few silent minutes later, Cheerilee cleared her throat
>"Well, it seems our new student is a little shy. Class, this is Anon."
>Cheerilee places a gentle hoof on your withers, giving a reassuring pat when she realizes how tense you are
>"Anon here is new in town, and I expect you all to give her a big, warm Ponyville welcome. Understood?"
>Everypony nods, a few Yes Ma'am's sounding out as well
>"Good. Now go ahead and take a seat, Anon. We've got plenty of learning in store for us."
>You stay stock-still, staring stupidly at your classmates
>Cheerilee's smile dims a tad as she sighs softly
>You let out a small "eep!" when the ground suddenly leaves your hooves
>Looking back, you realize that Miss Cheerilee has your scruff between her teeth
>The sight makes some of the other foals giggle and smirk
>She pays them no mind as she walks over to your desk and plops you into your seat
>A gentle pat on top of your head and Cheerilee returned to the front of class
>"Alright. Now, onto our lesson."

-=-=-=-=-

>*RIIIIING*
>"Recess time, everypony!" Miss Cheerilee announces, prompting all the students to clamber off their chairs and gather their lunches before pouring out into the schoolyard
>You follow suit, being the last one out
>You take in the sight of the fenced-in playground, teeming with fillies and colts playing, eating, and talking
>The brown paper bag in your mouth crinkles as you decide on what to do

A. Go to the swings
B. Go to the slide
C. Go underneath the tree
D. Find a spot against the fence
E. Walk around aimlessly



>You walk in no particular direction, your eyes surveying the edge of the yard along the fence
>Your eyes are passing over the swings when THMP, POMF!
>You hold your aching head in your hooves, whining like a foal as you glare at the tree you'd run into
>Looking down at your sack lunch lying in the dirt, you see a semi-circle area missing
>Right where you'd been holding it
>A couple smacks of your tongue confirm your suspicion
>You've just swallowed a mouthful of brown paper bag
>And it...wasn't terrible
>Pony tastebuds are a trip
>The pain from your head-on collision has worn off now
>You scooch yourself over so you're leaning against the tree and open up your lunch bag
>Daisy sandwich, an apple, and a juice box
>It's grape too, score!
>Munching on your sandwich, your eyes scan the schoolyard
>All your classmates are enjoying their own recess, nopony paying any attention to you
>Heh, if your iPod had come with you, it'd be exactly like growing up
>Well, the first time, that is
>Oh geez, does this mean you have to go through puberty again?
>What's pony puberty even like?
>As you rack your brain for any memory of whether horses can get acne, your wandering eyes land on something odd, something in the tree's branches
>Holy moly, you think you see a hornet's nest!
>It's hard to tell from way down here, but there's a blob of brown that's a different brown than the tree
>Swallowing the last of your sandwich, you look around your spot for some rocks to throw
>No luck
>You raise your head back up to see if you can see any stones anywhere else in the yard
>Your search is brought to a halt when you see two ponies coming your way
>A pink filly with a tiara and a grey filly with glasses
>They both look viciously determined
>"Hey, you." the pink one starts once they're in speaking distance, pointing a hoof at you
>"You're Anon, right?"
>The grey one snickers to herself
>You shove your apple into your mouth whole to give yourself some time to think of how to respond

A. Nod silently
B. "Yeah, that's me. Who's asking?"
C. Keep chewing
D. "Fuck off."



>Instead of answering, you continue chewing
>You may have overestimated how quickly you could eat a whole apple
>"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" The pink filly teases, her eyes squinting predatorily
>The only sound from you is the munching of apple within your maw
>The grey one takes a hoofstep forward, her smirk widening smarmily
>"She's probably just scared of st-st-STUTTERING again!"
>Both fillies cackle haughtily as horrid witches
>Your apple-stuffed muzzle scrunches
>You'd probably tell them to fuck off if you weren't still busy chewing
>You start chewing faster
>"Aw, now she's never gonna talk again." The grey one tilts her head with an exaggerated pout
>"Aw, such a shame," The pink one's voice is sopping with sarcasm
>"I was so sure that she was an amazingly interesting pony with so much to say!"
>The fillies giggle again and glare deviously
>They're waiting for your response
>The apple's more manageable now but still chunky
>As the silence drags on, their grins melt into disdainful frowns
>"Ugh, let's go, Silver Spoon. This one's no fun."
>The pink one turns her nose up and struts away, the grey filly-Silver Spoon, you now know-following suit
>"What a freak..." You hear one of them mutter as they leave you be
>At this point you're just swishing bland applesauce around in your mouth
>You go ahead and swallow it
>As soon as you do, you hear another *RIIIIING* to signal the end of recess
>You ball up the paper bag from your lunch and follow everypony inside

-=-=-=-=-

>Your first day of school is finally over, and you are now loitering in front of the schoolhouse
>Besides being accosted during lunch, it was a pretty uneventful day
>Miss Cheerilee told you she wouldn't assign you homework for your first week
>That was nice of her
>"Anon!"
>Your ears perk up
>Turning towards the sound, you see your de facto guardian making her way to the schoolhouse

A. Lyra Heartstrings
B. Berry Punch
C. Shutterbug
D. Derpy Hooves



B+C were chosen

>Once she's a little closer, you can see her more clearly
>"Get up. I'm taking you back to the house." Shutterbug orders
>You nod, slowly standing from your prone position and stretching out like a cat
>After a few quiet pops from your stiff joints, you quickly toss on your ratty saddlebags and rush to Shutterbug's side
>She'd started walking away when you were midstretch
>Your eyes drink in the passing scenery as the two of you walk in silence
>Not many ponies out
>You take a deep inhale in preparation to sigh, only to have the warm scent of freshly baked bread make its way into your nose
>The smell makes the dull emptiness in your stomach all the more noticeable
>You frown when you realize what you're feeling
>You look over to Shutterbug
>She has a polite smile painted onto her muzzle but her eyes are half-lidded with boredom
"Hey, uh, Shutt-"
>Your words are cut off when her eyes shoot over to you, a worrisome sharpness within
>Right, almost forgot
"Miss Shutterbug, ma'am." You correct
>"Continue." Shutterbug responds, her eyes returning to the path ahead
"I, uh, I was just wondering...what's for dinner, ma'am?"
>"Food." Shutterbug answered, her eyes remaining forwards
>Her non-answer makes your snout scrunch
>You grumble as you face forward once again
>You go back to admiring everything around you
>You've been here for a while now, but it still blows you away
>This land of sentient horses is nothing like Earth
>Not just because of the magic or the fact that you're a little kid again
>But every color and hue is...louder
>The leaves are greener, the sky is bluer, and the sun is brighter
>Yet nothing really stands out too much from anything else
>Everything just works in...unity?
>Tandem?
>Hm...
>Trying to think of the right word occupies your mind for the rest of the walk home

>Soon enough, the two of you reach Berry's house
>A cozy little thing, closer to the edge of town
>It needed some TLC here and there, but it was still nice
>As Shutterbug pushes open the door, the muffled sound of music can be heard
>Following her inside and to the kitchen, you're welcomed by an unusual sight
>Berry Punch was at the stove, stirring something in a steaming pot and swaying her rump out of time with the music blasting from the record player
>It sounds like some mix between smooth jazz and swing
>The scent of tomatoes and herbs with a savory undertone invades your nostrils, making your mouth water
>Berry hasn't noticed you two, humming and dancing as she stirs
>"Berry."
>She keeps dancing.
>"Berry!"
>No answer
>Shutterbug growls and stomps over to the record player, the music interrupted by a record scratch when she aggressively shoves the needle off the record
>Berry Punch keeps dancing for a few moments more before realizing the situation
>"Oh hey, Shuts!" Berry waved at Shutterbug, eliciting an even deeper frown from the unicorn
>"I've picked up the foal. She's your responsibility for the rest of the evening." Shutterbug about-faced and headed down the hallway, soon followed by the sound of a door opening and closing
>Berry Punch quirked a brow and looked around the kitchen, her eyes widening happily when they landed on you
>"Kid!"
>Berry shuffled over to you and shoved her face into your cheek, messily nuzzling you
>You try not to gag at the acrid stench of cheap wine coming off of her
>Berry pulls away, staring down at you ecstatically
>"How was your first day of school, Kid?"

A. "It was good."
B. "I got bullied..."
C. Start sobbing
D. "Are you drunk?"
E. "What's cookin'?"



>Your brain overflows with thoughts of how to respond to Berry's question
"It was good." You answer almost too quickly
>The image of being berated by those two fillies flashes before your mind's eye
"Hey, uh, what's cookin'?" You nod in the direction of the stove, "Smells pretty good."
>"Hm? Oh yeah!" Berry rushes to the stove, giving the pot some extra quick stirs as if doing so would make up for it being unattended
>You absentmindedly rub your eyes as you walk to Berry's side
>Her booze breath must've been making them water
>"Here. Taste this."
>Berry leans down, wooden spoon in her mouth
>The bowl of the spoon is a dollop of chunky red something
>You give it an exploratory sniff, only getting the same smell from earlier but far more potent
>You tentatively lean in and take the spoon's contents into your mouth
>Your eyes shoot open, a pleasured groan rumbling in your throat as you savor the flavor
>Berry giggles, "That good, huh?"
>You nod fervourously, getting another giggle from Berry
>"Alright, Kid, go and sit down." Berry gestures to the table as she steps over to one of the cabinets
>You quickly make your way over to the table, clambering onto a chair
>Looking back over to the stove, the added height lets you see an empty wine bottle lying on the counter
>Before your gaze can linger on it any longer, your attention is stolen by the sound of two bowls being placed on the table
>Berry takes her seat as you examine your bowl, various vague shapes hidden by that same red sauce
"What is it?"
>"Spaghetti and mushrooms!" Berry exclaimed as she threw her hooves in the air
>You can't help but let out a small giggle at Berry's antics
>She might be a drunk, but at least she's a fun drunk
>"Eat up, Kid. I made it special for your first day." Berry gives you a warmly crooked smile
>You smile in return and take a bite of your food, humming approvingly when you note how the sauce is uplifted by the taste of the juices gushing out of the roasted mushrooms
>In spite of how many times you've tasted it, Berry's cooking always surprises you
>As you eat, you're careful to not get any sauce on your fur
>Berry eats from the bowl like...well, like a horse
>The kitchen is silent save for the pleased sounds of eating

A. Talk to Berry [Write what you want to say]
B. Finish dinner silently



>You silently watch Berry eat for a few moments before a thought enters your brain
"Hey, uh, Berry?"
>"Mm?" Berry hums as she lifts her head from her food, red sauce and stray bits of noodle painting her muzzle
>You giggle softly at the sight and continue
"I was just wondering..."
>So many questions on your mind
>Best to start simple
"How was your day?"
>"How was my day? Mmm..."
>Berry hummed as her eyes raised to the ceiling in thought
>"It was...good." Berry casually licked some of the sauce from her snout
"Good? You get a lot of work done today?"
>"N-no, but um, I..."
>Berry dragged out the "I" as her attention meandered about the kitchen, hooves gently tapping the table
>"...I, got things in order. To do work. Yeah, uh, scheduling stuff, y'know?"
"Scheduling stuff?"
>Her wandering gaze landed on the pantry, prompting her to hop out of her seat and beeline for it
>"Yeah yeah, scheduling stuff." Her muffled voice repeated from within the pantry.
>After only a moment, Berry made her way back to the table and set down a bottle of cheap wine with a *THNK*
>"Gotta make sure nothing overlaps, y'know?" Berry placed a hoof onto her chair, hesitating as she glanced towards you, her brow pinched in mild contemplation
>A small huff from her nose and she went to fetch a wine glass from the cupboard
>You couldn't help but note how she moved to grab a glass with far less enthusiasm than she had grabbing the wine
>Once she's back in her seat and filling her glass, you speak up again
"What else did you do? I'm pretty sure we didn't have mushrooms this morning." You gesture to your bowl of food
>"Oh, Coni had some left over after the market closed."
>Coni...She must be talking about Conifer Cap, your neighbor with the mushroom butt photo
>Berry brings the glass to her lips and takes a great gulp of the stuff, followed by a sigh deep enough to make her eyes flutter closed
>She's silent for a beat before opening her eyes again, a smile returning to her face with a renewed serenity
"She was happy to let me take some off her hooves."
>You nod, satisfied with that answer as you lean down to take another mouthful of food
>You realize you were a bit too ambitious with that bite when you feel the fur around your mouth matted with sauce
>You mentally shrug it off
>You're a kid, you're allowed to be messy
"So, uh.." You start, your mouth still half-full of food, "Shutterbug seemed pretty peeved when she picked me up from school."
>"Oh yeah?" Berry smirked as she quirked a brow
>You nod, swallowing your mouthful before continuing
"Yeah. Did something happen, or...?" Your question trails off
>Berry chuckled
>"She woke up, that's what happened." Berry chuckled harder at her joke and finished off her glass
>"No, but um, apparently something kinda went teats up with her work today. She never told me what though."

>Hmm...
>Shutterbug did tend to get obsessed with her work
>Even more so than most ponies you've met
>Speaking of meeting...
"Berry, would you mind telling me a...a story?"
>Ugh, you felt like such a baby asking something like that
>Berry chuckled at your question, her unfocused eyes drifting over to the window
>Seeing how late it was, Berry shrugged
>"Guess you could use a bedtime story. What kinda story?"
"Um, how about you tell me how you and Shutterbug met? Again?"
>Berry gives you an incredulous look, "Seriously?"
>You nod
>Berry shrugged again, "Alright..."
>"There I was, Berry Punch, doing what I do."
>Berry filled her glass back up to the top as she spoke
>"Sitting in the bar," Berry took a sip, "Drinking."
>"And sittin' next to me, was this sad little unicorn. She was nursin' on some cider or something. The cheap stuff that tastes like pisswater, y'know?"
>"I mean, guess you don't know. Hope you don't know." Berry muttered, giggling to herself
>She must've been pretty drunk when you got home if she's already slurring this much
>"Anywhos, she was sittin' there, lookin' all sad and stuff. I asked her what was goin' on, 'nd she started tellin' me about how she came to Ponyville to 'hit it big' in the...the uh...the picture business, or whatever."
>"But then she tells me 'bout how she lost ALL her money 'n' ALL her luggage on the way here! Can ya believe it?"
>"And I...Well, I-I try to be a good pony, a good mare. Always be a good mare, Anon, always. Ya gotta...ya gots to be a good mare..."
>Berry stared into her glass for a moment with a drunken smile
>"A good mare..." Berry brings her head back up to look at you again
>"I go ahead and offer her a place to stay. She says 'I can't pay rent', I say 'Fuggedaboudit!'"
>"And now, uh...Now she lives here!" Berry swung her front legs into the air, giggling.
>Her joy is so intoxicating that you can't help but giggle with her
>Once she comes down from her giggling fit, Berry glances at the clock
>Berry squints her eyes to read it
>"Yeesh, that late, huh? Head to bed, Kid."
>You look down at your half-empty bowl, grimacing at the sight of how much spaghetti was left
>Berry had served you both enough for a grown mare, but you suppose your filly body still couldn't handle quite that much
>You looked over to Berry and she simply shook her head
>"Don't worry about it." 
>You smiled gratefully and hopped down to the floor
>Berry leaned down from her chair to give you a goodnight nuzzle that you returned
"Night, Berry."
>"Night, Kid."
>You head down the hallway in the direction of your room
>Once you're roughly halfway down the hall, your eye is caught by a red glow seeping out from beneath Shutterbug's bedroom door
>It's not unusual, maybe every other night or so she leaves that light on

A. Go straight to bed
B. Get ready for bed and sleep
C. Knock on Shutterbug's door



>You take a step closer to Shutterbug's door
>You lift a hoof and give a gentle knock
>No answer
>You knock again, a bit harder this time
"Shutterbug?"
>No answer
>You lean in slowly, turning your head and swiveling one of your ears as you do so
>You cup your ear against the cool wood, holding your breath as you listen closely for a few moments
>You can only make out a near-imperceptible buzzing from within
>Pulling your head away, you sigh and step away
>You decide to leave her be for tonight
>A sudden yawn reminds you how late it is
>You quickly wash up and crawl into bed, falling asleep as soon as your head touches the pillow

-=-=-=-

>In your peripheral vision you can see your knuckles turning white from how tightly you grip the steering wheel
>Keeping your eyes on the road, you dart your hand to the dial to turn up the music
>It's as high as it'll go
>You still can't hear it
>All you hear is the rain

-=-=-=-

>Your eyes flutter awake as you feel the warmth of the sun dancing on your back
>Laboring to get on all four hooves, you stretch and groan and writh your tired muscles back to life
>You rub your bleary eyes and take in the sight of your room
>No furniture other than the bed you're on, a writing desk against the wall, and a chest in the corner
>No decorations either
>Not even curtains to let you keep that damned sun out
>The word that comes to mind is "barren"
>Though that word puts a bad taste in your mouth, so you go with "spartan" instead
>Way cooler
>With that, you hop to the floor and trot over to your door
>Opening it, the scent of something being cooked wafts in your face
>You follow the scent to the kitchen
>Arriving there, you see Shutterbug at the stove, spatula in her magic and stirring something in a pan
>"Took you long enough." Shutterbug said, her focus remaining on the pan
>A few more minutes of stirring and Shutterbug levitated over a plate, pouring the pan's contents onto it and placing it on the table
>You scramble onto a chair, looking down at the plate to see it full of scrambled eggs
>You take a bite, your face scrunching something fierce at the taste
>Not a speck of seasoning, and overcooked to the point of rubber
>At least it's not burnt
>You look over towards Shutterbug, whose back is facing you as she does something on the counter

A. Finish your food silently
B. Ask about Berry [Write your question]
C. Ask about Shutterbug [Write your question]
D. "Do I really have to go to school?"



>You watch Shutterbug for a moment
"Miss Shutterbug, ma'am?"
>She doesn't respond, but one ear swivels to your direction
>You take this as a sign to continue
"Were you always a photographer? Ya know, before you came to Ponyville?"
>Shutterbug doesn't respond, the ear pointed towards you giving a flick
>You're about to repeat your question when she speaks up
>"No. I had a variety of hobbies before finding my cutie mark. Once I did, I became a photographer full-time."
>Shutterbug turns around, revealing a brown lunch bag in her magic
>Your eyes follow as it floats over to and into your saddlebags next to the front door
>"You haven't eaten."
>Your head spins around and you nearly gasp when you see just how close Shutterbug is, standing next to you and glaring down at your plate
>She must've walked up when you were distracted
>Shutterbug's eyes dart to yours, instantly causing your heart to double its pace
>Your mind rushes at Mach 3 as you try to respond
"I-i...It's not my favorite food."
>Shutterbug's eyes continue boring into yours
>You can almost hear your heart pounding in your chest
>The ticking of the clock is the only sound as moments pass
>Shutterbug's eyes roll derisively as she steps away
>"Foals..." Shutterbug mutters as she levitates your plate into the fridge 
>She walks to the front door, opens it, and looks at you expectantly
>You hop down from your seat and rush to your saddlebags
>You decide to pipe up again as you go about putting them on
"What's your favorite food, Miss Shutterbug, ma'am?"
>Shutterbug raises a brow at your question
>"Why do you ask?"
"Um..."
>Maybe you can play up the kid thing
"...I dunno."
>Shutterbug huffs from her nose, "Of course you don't."
>She ushers you out the door, her magic closing it behind her. "And it's 'don't know'." 
"Huh?"
>Shutterbug plants on a polite smile as she starts on the walk to the schoolhouse
>You follow close behind, having to speedwalk to keep up
>"You said 'dunno'. That's not a word. You are meant to say 'don't know'." Shutterbug explains as she smiles and waves to a couple of passing ponies
>The gall of this horse to correct you
>You'd try something if she weren't at least twice your size
>"Honestly, what do they even teach you in that shack they send you foals to?" She asks
>The way she says it tells you that she doesn't really want you to answer
>You walk in silence, Shutterbug politely greeting any passing ponies
>You're nearly at the school when you realize you still feel irked by Shutterbug correcting you
>A smirk makes its way onto your face as you think up a plan to mess with her
"Hey, Shutterbug."
>Shutterbug stops in her tracks, blowing an aggressive snort and spinning around to face you
>You can feel a fire in her eyes
"Is it true that you're planning on world domination?"

>That fire is immediately extinguished
>You feel a shiver up your spine, your smirk disappearing with your previous bravado
>Her smile is untouched but her eyes are cold now
>Cold and trained on you like a hawk
>Shutterbug takes a deep, controlled inhale
>"I didn't quite hear that, Anonymous."
>Shutterbug's words are strained and you can see the effort it's taking for her not to clench her teeth
>"Care to repeat that?"

A. "I said, is it true that you're planning on world domination?"
B. "I-I-I said, is it you that's wanting a, uh, award nomination?"
C. Stare silently
D. Piss yourself in fear



>You furrow your brow and take a deep breath, keeping your voice as steady as you can
"I said, is it true that you're planning world domination?"
>Shutterbug narrowed her eyes and she slowly leaned in, her muzzle mere inches from yours
>"You petulant pony..."
>Shutterbug's voice is hushed and sharp, the corner of her smile twitching
>"I have half a mind to string you up like a-"
"Boop!"
>Shutterbug falls deathly quiet when your hoof makes contact with her nose
>Shutterbug's eyes drift towards your hoof, still pushing her snout in
>A moment passes, and your ears twitch and swivel when you realize you can hear a muffled, rapid clicking sound
>You think it's coming from...Shutterbug?
>Before you have a chance to question the odd noise further, you catch a glimpse of movement out the corner of your eye
>"Good morning!"
>Both you and Shutterbug look over to the sound to see a white, purple-maned mare and a filly of like complexion with a lavender-streaked mane
>Shutterbug's head shoots up, her face of enraged perplexion instantly morphing into one of casual enthusiasm
>"Good morning! Lovely day, isn't it?" Shutterbug responds, all trace of animosity gone from her voice
>"Oh, it absolutely is, Darling."
>The mare takes a second look at the both of you, "Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but I don't believe I've ever seen you before. Are you new in town?"
>Shutterbug giggles and nods
>"Yeah, I guess you could say that. I'm Shutterbug, and this is Anon."
>You let out a yip when you feel Shutterbug's cold magic nudge you forwards
>"Go ahead and introduce yourself, Anonymous."
>The mare smiles at you expectantly, the filly staring curiously from her side
>You look between Shutterbug and your new acquaintances a few times as you think of what to do

A. "Hi, I'm Anonymous."
B. "Damn, you're pretty hot."
C. Stare silently
D. "No."
E. "STRANGER DANGER!"



>You keep looking between Shutterbug and the other two ponies
>Your mind is torn in every which way as you try to think of what to do
>Your heart starts racing, your chest moving nearly in rhythm with it from your hyperventilating
>With your brain scrambled in a soup of nerves and fear, your darting eyes land on the waiting mare 
>You holler out the first words your instincts can cobble together
"STRANGER DANGER!"
>All three ponies around you are physically taken aback, sharing flustered glances between themselves
>"F-forgive her, she's..." Shutterbug trails off with a shake of her head, clearly at a loss for words
>As you wind down from your outburst, your eyes drift towards the frightened filly
>Your gaze traces along her tense form
>Instinct takes the reigns once more
"Damn, you're pretty hot."
>The filly's face flushes with embarrassment, the mare scoffs, and Shutterbug coughs and gags
>"Shutterbug, was it?" The white mare started as she magically moved the filly further away from you
>"I'd recommend you teach your daughter some manners, Miss Shutterbug. Before she says the wrong thing to a less forgiving pony."
>"I didn't, Sh-she's not!..." A mortified Shutterbug tries to explain as the mare marches away towards the schoolhouse, blushing filly in tow
>Once they disappear behind the schoolhouse door, Shutterbug groans and facehoofs
>She turns to you with a disdainful glare, her snout scrunched up in disgust
>You stare back with an innocent grin
>Shutterbug picks you up by the scruff in her magical grip and harshly whispers into your ear
>"I don't know what game you think you're playing, but know this: I am not one to be toyed with."
>She levitated you over and plopped you directly in front of the school entrance
>"We will discuss your...everything, after school." 
>And with that, Shutterbug turned away and left
>Now you have that to look forward to
>You push open the door and walk inside
>You see that you're much earlier than yesterday
>Only a few foals are here, already seated and chatting with their friends, while Miss Cheerilee is nowhere to be seen
>Every other seat is empty

A. Sit next to Silver Spoon and the pink filly
B. Sit next to the white filly from earlier and her friends
C. Sit in one of the other empty seats



>You feel overwhelmingly compelled to sit next to that white unicorn filly you'd "introduced" yourself to
>Her and her two friends are too wrapped up in their discussion to notice you walking over and setting yourself up at the desk right next to their little "L" arrangement
>"-and then Ah asked him why he was wearin' a dress and hidin' in a closet, and 'e said-"
"Hi."
>All three fillies look over at you, the sudden undivided attention catching you a little off guard
"I'm, uh, Anon."
>A few silent moments pass, the white unicorn's face slowly growing pink with blush
>The yellow filly seated in front of you was the first to break the silence
>"Why'd ya call Sweetie Belle hot?" She asked, giving you a confused look and gesturing towards Sweetie Belle -- the white unicorn
"Um, well that's cause she's..."
>You glance over at Sweetie Belle, seated at your left as she avoids eye contact
>You take another look at her as a whole
>Her smooth, immaculate coat, the color of polished ivory
>Her streaked mane curling just so to frame her adorable face 
>The curves of her youthful flesh, her shapely flank devoid of the weird butt tattoo every pony else seems to have
>You're not really sure what is attractive to horses, but something deep in the more primitive structures of your mind incessantly repeats a single word
>And you find yourself nodding in ecstatic agreement
"Hot."
>The orange filly seated in front of Sweetie bursts into a fit of laughter, the yellow one joining soon after
>Sweetie Belle's snout scrunches hard and she glares at her two friends
>"It's not funny!" Sweetie squeaks
>This only pushes them to laugh even harder
>The infectious noise urges you to giggle along with them
>Realizing you three weren't going to stop, she crosses her front legs and lets out a "Hmph!", turning away with her ears flat against her skull and her snout heavily scrunched
>The sound of a door squeaking open amidst your laughter barely catches your attention
>Glancing over you see the white mare from earlier stepping out of Miss Cheerilee's office
>Her pleasant smile flips into a frown as she glares at the four of you
>Her expression makes you take another look at your situation
>An upset filly surrounded by laughing foals
>Realizing the terrible optics, you look back towards the mare to maybe try and explain yourself
>Looking around the class, you can see that every other student has already arrived, but the mare is long gone
>A moment later, Miss Cheerilee exits her office to start the school day
>"Good morning, class!"

-=-=-=-

>*RIIIIING*
>"Recess time, everypony!"
>Once again, you're the last one out to the school yard
>Taking in the familiar sight, you see everypony playing and eating like usually
>You see Sweetie Belle and her two friends -- Applebloom and Scootaloo, you learned -- talking and eating beneath the slide
>You also see Silver Spoon and her friend alone on the swings

A. Go hang out with Sweetie Belle and her friends
B. Confront Silver Spoon and her friend
C. Eat alone under the tree
D. Walk around aimlessly until something happens



>You keep looking around, feeling a brief urge to insult Silver Spoon's eyewear as your gaze passes over her
>When you look over at the slide, Applebloom notices you and waves you over
>Might as well keep a good thing going
>You trot over, lunch bag in your mouth
>"Heya, Anon!" Applebloom greets
>"What's up, Anon?" Scootaloo says
>Sweetie Belle stays silent, grimacing as she watches you
>You plop yourself down on your rump, dropping your lunch in front of you as you do
>You open your mouth to greet-*BANG!*
>All four of you, along with everypony else in the schoolyard, jump and stop what you're doing to look over at the source of the burst
>There, by the tree, is a busted dodgeball and a perfectly round indent in the bark
>It's at about head height
>A pink filly with purple pigtails approaches the remains of the ball, prodding it and cringing in shame and embarrassment
>Scootaloo lets out a groan, "Great, another ball busted. It'll be a month before we get another one!"
>Scootaloo shook her head ruefully and buried her face inside her lunch bag
>A simple paper bag like yours
>"Had to happen eventually." Applebloom comments as she pushes open the lid of her lunchbox - a repurposed, rusty old toolbox
>You look over at Sweetie Belle, expecting her to chime in
>She remains silent as she unzips her bejeweled lunch tote with a flick of her magic
>"Whaddayou got, Anon?" Applebloom asks as she brings out a thermos
"Uh..."
>You open up your lunch bag and list off its contents
"Dandelion sandwich, banana, and a juice box."
>You reach a hoof inside to check the front of the juice box
>Damn, cherry
"What about you guys? You girls?"
>Neither of those felt quite right
>"Soup!" Applebloom chirps, popping off the top of her thermos, and releasing a tiny cloud of steam
>Sweetie Belle levitates a plastic container from her tote, lifting off the lid to reveal a yummy-looking salad
>Scootaloo pulls her head out of her bag, revealing a mouthful of plain hay before diving back in
>You chuckle at the sight as you return your attention to your lunch
>You take a moment to wonder where to start

A. Main course, dandelion sandwich
B. You could go for some fruit right now
C. Hydrate with some juice first. Even if the flavor's subpar
D. Eat the bag



>You glance over at Scootaloo with her head stuffed into her lunch bag
>You're reminded of how Berry had eaten her spaghetti last night and a wave of impulse rushes through you
>Without even a second thought, you dive into your lunch bag
>Your snout sniffs and twitches as you blindly seek out your meal
>Your prehensile lips work their magic, maneuvering the dandelion sandwich into your mouth
>It's only when you start chewing that you hear ripping and the subtle taste of paper backpacks on that of the sandwich
>It does nothing to deter your feasting
>You chomp away at your sandwich, getting the occasional bite of bag as you do
>"Uh...Anon?"
>You shift your head inside the bag to peek an eye out of one of the holes you've chewed into it
>Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle are staring at you
"What's up?"
>Sweetie Belle shares a concerned look with Applebloom as Scootaloo cautiously resumes chewing the hay in her mouth, still maintaining eye contact with you
>"You, uh..." Applebloom starts, "Ya alright there?"
"Yeah. Why do you ask?"
>You take another bite, tearing some more paper out of the bag as you do
>"Um...no reason." Applebloom answered, her words stilted
>All three fillies slowly returned to their own food
>"So, life-guardin' cutiemarks were a bust."
>"Yeah," Scootaloo swallows her mouthful, "So what's next?"
>"Mmm..." Sweetie Belle takes a thoughtful bite of her salad. "I dunno."
>The sound of slurping from a juice box makes all their ears perk up and swivel towards you
>Applebloom hesitantly looks at you, head still in your lunch bag
>"Do you got any ideas, Anon?"
>Sweetie Belle's lunch drops out of her magical grip
>"H-Hey, you can't ask her!"
>"Well, why not? Ya'll ain't comin' up with nothin'." Applebloom counters
>"You can't ask her! Because, um..."
>Sweetie's eyes dart around before landing on your flank
>"There!" Sweetie points a hoof at your butt, "That's why!"
>The other two fillies crane their necks to take a look at what Sweetie Belle's so adamant about
>Their curiosity peaks your own and you pull your head out of your bag and examine your ass for yourself

A. A question mark, wavy and flowing
B. A question mark, jagged and angular
C. A question mark, perfect and smooth
D. A question mark, but only barely so



>There, presented plainly upon your pristine posterior was a perfect piece of punctuation
>A question mark, crisp and clean on your fur
"What the..."
>You flip your head around only to see the same on the opposite flank
>Its immaculate sharpness made it look as if you'd been lying on a typewriter's carriage as it typed
>"Oh hey, ya already got yer cutie mark!" Applebloom chirped
>Scootaloo turns her head to the side, gazing at it strangely, "What does it mean?"
"Mean?"
>"Well yeah, silly filly." Applebloom chuckled as she stepped closer to you
>You flinched when she reached a hoof to touch it
>"What's it mean?" Applebloom repeated
"Um..."
>You're quiet for a few moments as you stare at your...your "cutie mark"
>You don't recall ever seeing it before
>You don't recall ever not seeing it either
>"Anon?"
>Whipping your head toward the sound of your name, you see three concerned-looking fillies staring at you
>How long had you been staring at it?
"I, um...I don't know."
>The three shared a brief, confused look before Sweetie Belle scoffed incredulously
>"Wh-what do you mean you 'don't know'?"
>You can't help but give a glare from her tone
"I mean, I don't know."
>"How do you not know?" Scootaloo interrogated, "What were you doing when it happened?"
"I told you, I don't-"
>*RIIIIING*
>The four of you shared a mildly suspicious glare before gathering your things and heading back inside

-=-=-=-

>Another schoolday through, you're sitting out in front of the schoolhouse
>Munching on your leftover banana from lunch when you spot somepony approaching
>It's Shutterbug, trotting up with the same polite smile she has whenever she goes out
>Stopping a few feet in front of you, she stares at you for a few moments before speaking
>"Get up."
>You scrunch your snout at her bluntness but oblige, tossing your banana peel away and slipping on your saddlebags before you follow Shutterbug
>Her eyes remain forward as you walk, while yours do their usual routine of taking in every sight they possibly can
>After a few minutes of silent walking, you think of something to say

A. "What's for dinner?"
B. "What'd you do today?"
C. "What did you wanna talk about?"



"Miss Shutterbug, ma'am?" You pipe up
>"Yes?" Shutterbug responds, her eyes remaining forward
"What's for dinner?"
>"Food." She responds curtly
>You roll your eyes
>You're less annoyed that she would answer that way and more annoyed that you expected differently
>Maybe a different question?
"Miss Shutterbug, ma'am? What's a cutie mark?"
>"It's a symbolic representation of your special talent."
"My special talent?"
>Shutterbug gave you a puzzled look before returning her attention to the road ahead
>"Yes, your special talent. A soldier may have a sword, a topographer a map. And you have..."
>Shutterbug's words trail off as she stops and examines your cutie mark with a furrowed brow
>"A question mark." She states
>You take a look at your cutie mark as well
>Its presence still feels strange
"So...what's my special talent?"
>"What, you don't know?" Shutterbug asked as she resumed walking
>You shake your head and resume following her
>You glance at Shutterbug's flank, seeing a ladybug with three leaves beneath it
>Now it's your turn to be confused
"What's your special talent?"
>"Photography." Shutterbug answered immediately
"Okay, and what does a bug have to do with taking pictures?"
>Shutterbug's smile twitched at the word "bug" but remained firm
>"It's a beetle. And I primarily take photos of insects."
"Hm." You grumble, your snout scrunching dubiously
>You don't really feel like that qualifies as a "special talent", but you also don't know enough about them to call her out
>As your eyes wander about, you notice a purple tail ducking into a large, merry-go-round-looking building
>The sight reminds you of Shutterbug's words from this morning
"Miss Shutterbug, ma'am? What did you wanna talk about?"
>"Whatever do you mean, Anonymous?" Shutterbug responds as she smiles and waves at a passing stallion
"This morning you said we were gonna talk about stuff after school."
>"At the house."
>You furrow your brow
"Why not now?"
>"Private matters are discussed in private places."
>Shutterbug's words are burdened with a hint of venom as she speaks
>"Hasn't your mother taught you that much, at the very least?"
"What sort of private matters?"
>Shutterbug doesn't respond
"I said, what sort of-HRRK!"
>Your hooves fly to grasp at your throat as you feel a cold aura envelop it
>After a few panicked moments, you realize you're breathing perfectly fine
>You glare at Shutterbug
>Noticing the glow of her horn, you open your mouth to chew her out, only to have a quiet squeak escape
>You try again
>No luck
>She's...
>Somehow, Shutterbug's stolen your voice!

A. Continue following quietly
B. Make your feelings known. Physically.
C. Run away
D. Start sobbing



>Shutterbug, through sketchy horse magic, has stolen your voice
>Reflexively, you attempt to flip her off, only to be faced with your entirely meaningless hoof
>You quickly switch it into a bras d'honneur
>That's right, you know that word!
>Shutterbug doesn't seem to notice
>She simply keeps walking, adding to your steadily growing ire
>Following after, you do your best to bark obscenities at her
>All that comes out is a series of squeaks
>Dear Lord, you sound like a chew toy
>Shutterbug giggles, her smile taking on a bit more authenticity as she does
>"You're far more tolerable this way. Perhaps all foals should be like this?" Shutterbug mused
>You let out a growling squeak
>Deciding to up the ante, you dart in and out of Shutterbug's moving legs, squeaking all the while
>Several times you cause Shutterbug to nearly trip over you, forcing her to take hasty, awkward steps to avoid stepping on you
>"Wha-No, don't-Anon! Sto-by the-brat!" Shutterbug tumbles over her words
>A few more moments of this before you feel her, now familiar, cold magic grab ahold of your scruff and lift you to her glaring eyeline
>"Stop that!" Shutterbug whispers harshly, "You're making a scene..."
>Shutterbug's eyes dart around, searching for potential onlookers
>You're levitated up and over her head, Shutterbug hesitating a beat before groaning and dropping you onto her back facing her tail
>"Now behave yourself. We're almost to the house."
>Shutterbug resumes trotting her way home
>Your snout scrunches as you glare at Shutterbug's bouncing tail
>Your eyes follow it down to her flanks
>Desperate times call for desperate measures
>"Stay still, Anon." Shutterbug orders as you scoot closer to her dock
>"Dropping you in public is the laAAAAHH!"
>Shutterbug's shrieking and bucking tosses you off of her, the sudden airtime forcing you to release your teeth from Shutterbug's flank and land roughly on the road, the impact between the dirt and your back enough to knock the wind out of your little body
>Before you have a chance to roll over and catch your breath, Shutterbug's face is a hairsbreadth from yours
>Shutterbug's panting is rough and growly, her teeth bared and grinding
>Her eyes are crazed, the green of her irises deeper than before and her pupils are now unsettling ovals
>"That is it!" Shutterbug spits
>"I have had it with your incessant...with you!"

A. Try to call for help
B. Boop
C. Smooch
D. Start sobbing
E. Piss yourself in fear



>"I'm going tear you apart piece by piece!" Shutterbug growled
>"Once I'm through with you, nopon-"
"MMMMMWAH!"
>You cut Shutterbug off by planting the strongest, sloppiest kiss you possibly can on her snout
>Pulling back, you can see that Shutterbug is stunned, staring at you with one eye twitching
>You also notice that her eyes are back to their usual selves now
>As you stare back, you realize you have feeling in your throat once more and say the first words that come to mind
"You taste lovely, by the way. Like a chicken nugget."
>Shutterbug stares for a moment more, and you think you can hear that weird clicking sound again, just like this morning
>Shutterbug silently pulls her head away, her gaze rising to look off into the distance
>She softly shakes her head as she turns in the direction of your house and slowly walks off
>You scramble to your feet and run to catch up
>At her side once more, you can see that Shutterbug is still staring forward as you walk in silence
>Soon enough, you've reached your home
>Shutterbug magics the door open, letting you trot in and drop your saddlebags by the door before you rush to the kitchen
>Empty, save for a few more empty bottles of wine than usual
"Where's Berry?"
>You hear the front door close and the deadbolt lock
>"Passed out. She won't be waking for some time." You hear Shutterbug answer from the front of the house
>You step over to the fridge, pulling it open to look inside
>As you're perusing the perishables, your ears swivel around to focus on the slow sound of hoofsteps making their way into the kitchen
>The steps stop and everything is silent before Shutterbug speaks up a hushed voice
>"...You're not a pony..."
>Your head spins around to look at Shutterbug
>Her brow is furrowed up in confusion, her eyes meticulously examine your person, and her lips are twisted into a suspicious scowl
"Wh-what?" You ask without a second's thought
>"You're not a pony, are you, Anonymous?"

A. Play dumb
B. "How'd you know?"
C. "L-let me explain..." (Confess everything)
D. "L-let me explain..." (Lie your tail off)


E. "Neither are you."

>You're not a pony...
>Shutterbug's words echo in your mind as you slowly shut the refrigerator door
>How could she...
>Unless...?
>Your brow furrows as you give Shutterbug a once-over
>A thin smirk stretches across your face
"Neither are you." You state, your voice oozing with smugness
>Shutterbug narrows her eyes and starts taking measured steps towards you
>"You seem rather confident in making such an...accusation."
>Shutterbug's lips twist even further, her glare sharpening even further
>If looks could kill, you're certain you'd be roadkill by now
>You'd never seen so much disgust and vitriol on a pony's face before, but you held firm
"Really? You don't." You tease
>Your smug demeanor only slightly wavers as Shutterbug stops within a leg's reach from you
>"Confidence in superstitions is what one would call paranoia, little filly."
"You think I'm just superstitious? Why's that, Shutterbug? If that's even your real name."
>Shutterbug leaned in close, bringing her lips close enough to your ear to graze its edge as she hissed a hushed whisper that raised your hackles
>"Because you cannot prove it, Anonymous."
>Shutterbug pulled her head away, revealing her newly planted grin.
>"If that's even your real name." She repeated, having seemingly stolen your earlier smugness for herself
>Your face fell as it sunk in
>She was right
>You really didn't have anything to back up your words
>It was nothing more than a hunch, foal's imagination really
>Shutterbug chuckles darkly to herself as her horn buzzes to life, pulling the fridge open again and levitating something over to the table before shutting the door
>Shutterbug lifts a hoof to her muzzle, performing an exaggerated yawn
>"Dinner is served, filly. Be mindful not to bother me for the rest of the night."
>Shutterbug walks off down the hall, leaving you alone in the dimly lit kitchen

A. Eat dinner
B. Go straight to bed
C. Explore the pantry
D. Wake up Berry



>You trot over to the kitchen table and climb halfway onto a chair to take a look at what Shutterbug took out of the fridge
>Your muzzle scrunches at seeing the untouched plate of eggs from this morning
>You avert your gaze, lest your tongue recalls the experience
>Your attention lands on the pantry doorway, open and inviting
>Deciding to take your chances, you trot over
>You have to jump a few times before you're able to flick the lightswitch on, the incandescent bulb casting a warm glow on the plethora of foodstuffs
>Shelves filled with cans, boxes, and bags of all sorts, along with a couple of crates of fruits and vegetables
>Your eyes meander through the multitude of munchies, and you wonder what you might be able to whip up for a meal
>Though, that train of thought stops in its tracks when you notice some peculiar products
>There, on a shelf that was roughly twice your height, sat a mildly concerning amount of alcohol
>Boxed wine, bottled wine, champagne, spiced rum, cider, and probably even more that were too far back to see
>You smack your lips, your throat suddenly feeling especially parched
>You swiftly push a crate of turnips over to the shelf and clamber atop it
>The tubers make for a rough platform, but you manage not to lose your balance
>Once more studying the shelf of spirits, your mind races at the possibilities
>Eventually, you land on taking one of the dozen or so bottles of wine
>There was a good chance Berry wouldn't notice one of those go missing
>Having to keep all four hooves planted for balance, you carefully lean over and grip the neck of the closest bottle with your teeth
>It takes all the strength in your tiny filly being to lift the wine with only your neck
>You start pulling it back, and your breathing quickens as your muscles start shivering from the exertion
>Your legs twitch, your strained neck feels like it's on fire, and you're taking quick, shallow breaths
>Suddenly, a turnip shifts
>First one, then all four of your legs fall out from beneath you, sending both you and the bottle tumbling to the floor
>After a split second of chaos, everything is still once more
>You groan as you lift yourself back onto all fours
>Surveying the scene, you cringe at the sight
>Wine and glass blanket the floor, the remaining half of the bottle lying next to you
>Looking at yourself, you grimace further at your now sticky, wet fur.
>You smell even more like wine than Berry
>You glance over at the half-broken bottle and you notice it still has about a fifth left inside
>There's probably glass dust floating inside there
>You know you shouldn't

>Those are the sorts of passing thoughts you think as you lift the bottle as high as you can and let a splash of blood-red liquid fall into your gaping maw
>You nearly drop it again as your muzzle instinctively scrunches more than it ever has before
>The burning bitterness of the pinot sparks a foggy feeling in your mind, like a distant cousin of deja vu
>Powering through the urge to gag, you force the swig of wine down your throat
>As soon as you do, a deep warmth spreads through your chest, and a hot shiver up your spine
>You shake your head, already feeling the alcohol's effects creep into your brain
>As soon as the experience starts to fade, you lift the bottle for another drink
>Soon enough, you've downed most of the remaining wine
>Your head sways, your vision struggles to focus, and you can't even try to wipe the grin off your face
>A yawn tumbles from your mouth and you realize just how tired you are
>You sway from side to side as you stand back up, your legs feeling light as a feather
>Slowly - and very unsteadily - you stumble out of the pantry and start shuffling your way down the hall
>Halfway to your room, you trip and barely catch yourself before you faceplant
>Raising your head back up lets you see that you've coincidentally stopped right next to Shutterbug's door
>That same red glow bled from beneath her door
>As your bleary eyes examined the door, you couldn't stop the frown forming on your face
>Shutterbug knows you're not a pony
>Shutterbug stole your voice
>Shutterbug made you shitty eggs!
>You stomp up to Shutterbug's door, rear back your head, and-
>*THMP*
>-headbutt the door as hard as you can!
>You pull back again
>*THMP*
>And again!
>*THMP*
>Three headbutts!
>That oughta teach that...that...
>...what is she anyway?
>You hum to yourself in thought, the hum continuing as you stagger your way to your room
>Diving into bed, you wrap yourself in your blanket like a little filly burrito, your humming growing content and quieter
>Before you even notice, you slip off into sleep

-=-=-=-

>You feel a bottle slip from one hand as your other runs its thumb across the ridges of your keys
>You blink
>You're pulling open the driver-side door, sheets of rain pouring down
>You blink
>You're sat inside your car, staring at a house
>You're focusing on the lights and shadows in one of the second-story windows

-=-=-=-

>The waking world makes itself known by driving a railroad spike through your skull
>Your hooves sluggishly move to grip your head in anguish
>You find that your brain is not, in fact, being buttfucked by an eggbeater
>It just feels like it
>You slowly open your eyelids, squeezing them shut when the blinding sunlight pierces them
>You keep them shut and wriggle your way out of bed, the sheets and blankets sticking to your matted fur as you do
>Somehow you make your way down the hall and to the kitchen

>At the stove, Berry Punch is stirring a saucepan of some steaming something
>Berry pipes up when she hears your heavy hoofsteps
>"Heya, Kid. How'd you sleee.." 
>Her words trail off as she looks over at you, her slightly buzzed demeanor giving way to shameful disappointment
>Her eyes dart to the pantry before landing back on you
>"A-Anon, Kid. You, uh...Anything you wanna say?"

A. "I got drunk."
B. "No."
C. "You're up early."
D. "What's for breakfast?"
E. "Shutterbug did it."



"I..."
>You cast your gaze downwards, unable to look Berry in the eye
"...I got drunk."
>You can hear Berry's breathing hitch
>You're both quiet for a minute, the only sound in the kitchen being the sound of the ticking clock
>"...You can't go to school looking like that. Go clean yourself up. " 
>You'd expected scolding, or yelling even, but instead, Berry's voice was quieted with disappointment and shame
>It made you shrink into yourself some, but you nodded and shuffled away to the restroom

-=-

>Once you'd washed up, you found Berry Punch patiently standing beside the front door
>She's wearing sunglasses; they're large enough and dark enough to hide her eyes completely
>"We're gonna be late, come on."
>You trot over and pull on your saddlebags
>Berry opens the door for you and follows you out, shutting the front door behind her
>A dull gray blanket hides the usual bright blue sky, the sun no more than a bright spot in the clouds
>The outside air is heavy and thick
>The both of you walk in silence for some time
>You occasionally glance over at Berry Punch
>Berry's face is stiff, her usual tipsy grin replaced with a terse line
>The tension of the moment is getting to you

A. "...Sorry."
B. "Are you mad at me?"
C. Stay silent all the way to school
D. "Am I in trouble?"