Moonlight Charm art by floatsam: https://imgur.com/AlQvYrO -- >Be the little mare, also known specifically as Moonlight Charm. >Your master calls you Moon, or Charmy, or sometimes affectionately, ‘my little Charmy’. >It makes you feel tingly when he does that. >You’re one of the lucky mares—You have a master. >Almost a year ago now, a group of radical terrorists from some board on the internet stole a mutagenic chemical, one of the transhuman project derivatives, tweaked it, and set off gas bombs in several big city districts across the east coast. >Everyone in the affected areas was turned into a little, pastel-colored pony. >As far as terror attacks went, it could have been worse, but was still incredibly disruptive to the lives of many people. >For instance, ponies weren’t particularly good at living on their own. >Or doing most jobs, for that matter. >A little magic, flight, and durability didn’t make up for stubby hooves and your pathetically small stature. >Granted, ponies still retained their knowledge of course, but their personalities got a bit more whimsical and childlike, which made them unfit for several roles. >Hard to be an officer of the law or a business owner when you were so little and impossible to take seriously. >But that alone wasn’t even the biggest change. >Being a pony meant you had new needs. >Needs like being held, or feeling the touch of another. >Within an hour of being ignored, a pony would become uncomfortable and anxious. >Within several hours of being alone, they would become agitated and begin to crave touch, like the beginning of withdrawal. >A pony left for multiple days in isolation would become unstable, prone to panic attacks and episodes of emotional distress. >If left alone repeatedly, a pony would eventually develop a powerful separation anxiety and would cling to anyone that so much as acknowledged them. >Or in extreme cases, become unresponsive. >Being a pony meant you weren’t just social creature—you NEEDED to be with someone. >And so the pony caretakers program was launched. >With Google having a detailed personality profile for every human on the planet, ponies and suitable owners could be matched using an algorithm. >It wasn’t perfect of course. >Some masters were better than others, and not all of them even wanted to have a pony to look after in the first place. >Personality mismatches still happened, and there were some cases of abuse that surfaced now and then. >It was hard for a computer to account for all the changes in personality a pony had gone through, or know if a person had a dark side. >Not to mention what a gender swap did to a person’s profile. >You unconsciously rubbed your back thighs together, a small groan coming from your throat at the still-strange feeling. >Gender swaps were common… there were a lot more mares than stallions, after all. >But like you said, you were lucky. >Your master, Anon, was kind, gentle, loving, and always paid plenty of attention to you. >In return, all he asked was that you help with some basic chores around the house while he worked. >Thankfully he worked from home, so you could curl up in his lap whenever you felt a little needy. >And he made good money too, so you were never left wanting when it came to toys or games or snacks. >Compared to your dead-end office job, coming home to an empty house every day with no real future? >This wasn’t so bad. >And having someone who cared about you, someone who made you feel special? >That was indescribable. >It was hard to understate how good it felt to mean something to someone, to be able to greet your master and have him smile and pick you up. >He loved to blow raspberries on your belly and tease you for being cute. >He liked to tickle you whenever you got too sassy and gave you headpats and praise whenever you did something good. >To feel that genuine affection made your heart sore, gave you goosebumps, and sometimes…? >If things got particularly lovey, your chest felt heavy and full and warm in all the right ways. >It was a feeling without compare. >You genuinely loved your master. >Though, the two of you still had challenges in your relationship. >In particular, you had a bad heat problem. >The heats as a pony were like being a hormonal teenager surrounded by hot naked women for years on end without release, all condensed within the microcosm of a week. >Ponies could take the edge off with medication, but you had a naturally high libido even outside your heat. >During that week, your mind was a slurry of slutty, depraved thoughts, and nothing could calm you down or get your mind out of the gutter save for a good power fuck. >Thus far, Anon helped by getting you plenty of toys, but that wasn’t what you needed. >You needed a real, live cock to spread you open. >But Master didn’t want to help when you got lewd like that. >He’d said no the first time, and looked more than a little uncomfortable about the prospect of doing anything sexual with you. >It hurt, but you didn’t want to be a nuisance, so you didn’t ask after that. >Your next heat was approaching in a few days, and you eyed the date on the calendar with dread. >Anon promised he’d look into stronger medications this time, or barring that, a fucking machine. >But while those things were nice, they probably wouldn’t help. >You didn’t have the heart to tell him. >That wasn’t the only cause for concern in your relationship though. >You see, while Anon was by all counts an amazing master, he still had some quirks. >He was a bit messy, for one, an issue that only got worse once you were around taking care of the cleaning. >And he could be stubborn as a mule sometimes, as well as occasionally prone to jealousy when it came to you enjoying the attention of other males. >But that was something you could live with or manage in the case of getting pets from mostly him. >Rather, Anon had one particular flaw that was particularly challenging for you to cope with. -- >You let out a soft moan as you wiggled yourself deeper into the confines of the laundry hamper, basking in the scent of your master. >You could feel the first dregs of need trickling into your system like melting ice as you lay there, inhaling his scent like a drug. >He was going to be upset if you didn’t get your chores finished but you couldn’t help it. >You loved doing this. >Everything felt so soft and warm. >And it smelled so nice. >Anon was busy working on his computer still, you told yourself. >He wasn’t going to catch you. >You shoved your muzzle into a pair of boxers, breathing deep of his intoxicating, male scent. >A shiver ran through you and you clenched your legs tightly. >Ooh, your sense of smell as a pony made this so addicting. >Everyday should be laundry day. >You wormed in deeper, then, using your mouth to pull a pair of pants and a shirt over you, you made a laundry cocoon of sorts. >It was perfection. >A literal envelopment of softness that smelled like master and made you feel comfort all the way down to your bones. >So soft… so nice. >Your eyes began to feel heavy. >Oh wait… no. >You can’t fall asleep now. >You have chores to do. >Your muscles ached to lay still, to not get up from your comfy spot deep in his clothes. >Everytime you made a move to extricate yourself, the thought died halfway, like you were chained down. >Maybe you can just relax for a few minutes? >Yeah that’d be fine. >Just a quick nap and master will be none the wiser. >You nuzzled into a pair of socks, feeling the delightful little pills brushing against your fur . >Just… a few… minutes. -- >Something made you stir. >You blinked, staring blearily around your little cocoon as a yawn spread across your face. >Oh… right. Laundry day. >Everything in your little clothes nest had conformed to your body, wrapping around you snuggly, save for a pocket around your muzzle, and it felt pleasantly warm still. >Gosh, that may have been one of the best naps you’ve ever taken, you thought. >You feel so well rested. >You pushed your hooves out, hearing them pop before curling back up again. >God, why were laundry baskets so comfy and warm and pony sized. >If you could, you’d ask master to replace your bed with one. >But then again, you prefer sleeping next to him. >Nothing like being master’s little teddy pony and getting to feel his steady breathing against your back, knowing he was sleeping soundly because of you. >Master always said you were soft and enjoyable to sleep with. >You let out a sigh and wormed back into your spot. >Alright, just another minute and you’ll finish laundry before master takes a break. >“Charmy, what do you think you’re doing?” >Your eyes snapped open. >Oh no! >You sprung up like a steel trap and stood rigid, a pair of boxer shorts hanging on one of your ears. >You didn’t dare reach for it. >There, squatting in front of the basket, was a stern faced, unimpressed looking Anon. >He rolled his head slightly, resting it on his palm as he looked at you, eyes cutting like knives. >A small squeak, like the air squeezing from a balloon, eked past your lips. >It was then that you noticed the lighting. >Gone was the clean, blue lighting of the afternoon sun. >In its place, the incandescent lights filled the space with a warm, yellow hue, and outside the laundry room window, you could see the last wisps of the setting sun, painting the bottom edge with red and purple. >Oh god, that wasn’t a quick nap at all. >You were asleep all afternoon! >Anon, didn’t say anything for a time, and you stood there, awkwardly shifting your weight back and forth, waiting for the ball to drop. >He simply weighed you with a kind of cold calculation. >That should have set off alarm bells in your head but you were far too panicked to notice. >Eventually he spoke. >“I was looking all over for you, you know.” >Your ears snapped back against your head. >Ohgodhe’ssodissapointedinyou. >You forced down a whine as he continued. >“And here I finally find you, in my unfinished laundry, after I got all worried thinking you’d gotten into trouble or were lost. Charm, I thought something happened to you, and instead, I found out you just decided to shirk your chores and take a nap.” >You sniffled. “I’m s-sorry. Please don’t be mad.” >He let out a long breath through his nose. >”I’m not mad at you, Charm. I’m just really disappointed.” >Your chest felt like someone dropped a weight on it. >No no no! You hated this! >Why did you have to do that? You should have known better. >”This is the third time you’ve done this with my laundry too, so you’re apparently not taking this seriously. No, I don’t think sorry is going to cut it this time. I think we’re going to have to do something about this, and I’m not talking about ‘no TV for a week’ here.” >A strange feeling wormed its way into your gut. >Uh oh... >Anon could be firm with you at times but he’d usually chastise you a bit and give you a minor punishment like taking away your favorite snack or restricting TV time. >If anything, he was a little too light when it came to punishments. >[spoilers]Being cute had its perks[/spoilers] >But every now and then, Anon would get in a mood. >It was then that you recognized the look he had—the smile that touched his eyes and teased at his lips. >Your stomach dropped out from under you. >You see, Anon had one particular personality quirk that wasn’t like the rest. >He was a bit messy, yes, and stubborn and jealous on occasion. >But like you said, those were easy to deal with. >Rather, Anon had one particular quirk that really, truly scared you. >He had a sadistic streak. >It only popped up once in a blue moon, but when it did, you knew you were in trouble. >You tail snapped down between your legs and you felt your skin grow cold as a shiver ran through you. >Anon would never hurt you, of course. >Not once had he ever used pain to enforce a lesson. >You think it was a point of pride for him. >But he could punish you in other ways. >You swallowed. “W-What are you going to do?” >”Oh, I think I have an idea.” >Anon grabbed your forehoof and dragged you up out of out of the basket, slinging you over his shoulder and keeping one hand under your bottom to keep you steady. >He paused for a moment, feeling the faint wetness from your lower lips. >You clenched your eyes shut as a furious blush formed on your face. >Oh god, now he knows you were getting off on it. >If he was disgusted, you couldn’t tell. >Anon simply headed towards the back of the house. >On his way you noticed him grab a strange, white container, with a picture of a horse on the front, but you didn’t have time to read the label as he slung it under his arm and headed into the backyard. >After a few paces onto the cooled grass, he set the container down, and then picked you up and placed you onto a soft patch away from the house. >The butterflies in your stomach had whipped themselves into a frenzy as you looked up at your master. “What are we going to do in the yard, Master?” >”You’ll see.” >Anon grabbed the container, and after instructing you not to move, began pouring the liquid out onto the grass. >He drew a ring around you, with perhaps enough space to fit another pony or two, then came around to the front of you again. >You sniffed the edge of the circle where you could see the dampened grass. >It didn’t smell like gasoline. >In retrospect you feel guilty for even thinking he’d do something so dangerous to you. >He could be mean but master wouldn’t hurt you. >You looked up at him, a question in your eyes. >His only answer was a sweet, yet worrying smile. >Oh, that smile did not bode well for you… >Without a word, he left the container on the ground and headed back to the back slider. >You sat there, furrowing your brow at him for a moment before you stood and went to follow after. >Something stopped you. >Your hoof hovered in midair, somehow unable to push forward. >You lowered it to the ground, then tried to take a step forward again, but something stopped you, just the same as before. >There was no barrier or magic. You could tell that much. >You just… couldn’t. >Anon had stopped at the door and watched you without a word. >You turned, attempting to walk the other way, and again, that same feeling stopped you. >You trotted in circles, trying every angle, each time, unable to take that next step. >A nervous feeling wormed its way into your gut. >You turned to Anon, panic starting to rise in you. “Master,” you said, looking over to him. “H-Help! I’m stuck.” >He simply put his hands behind his back and leaned forward slightly. >His smile was like a little girl with a secret, bursting to let you in on it. >It was then that you noticed the container he’d carried out had been left just outside your circle. >The label had been turned to face you. “Horse repellent?” >You turned back to Anon. >He looked lovingly at you in a way that made your hackles rise. >”Aw, my cute little Charmy. You look so adorable. It almost makes it hard.” >You swallowed, and sat back down on your haunches. >The next move was his… it all depended on how far he wanted to take your punishment. > “Well…” he paused for a good few seconds, savoring the suspense as you held your breath. “Goodnight, Charmy.” >Fear, cold and sharp surged through you. “Master, no please! I’m sorry I’m sorry! Please no!” >Anon turned and headed towards the door. >Tears began falling down your face as you rushed around the circle, helpless to cross the threshold. >NO! You don’t want to be left outside! >You want to be with master and cuddle and go to sleep in a nice warm bed and oh god you were such a bad pony why did you do that you should have known b— >The door shut. >Anon was gone. “Master NO! Please don’t leave me!” you cried towards the house, bawling openly now. “I’ll be good I promise! Just don’t do this!” >There was no answer. >Anon was gone. >No, wait, don’t panic. >This was just a test. >He wanted to tease you a little then he’d come right back, pick you up, and be happy that you didn’t say anything you didn’t mean. >Just be good and wait. >A good pony waits for their master patiently and without whining. >You sat there, staring at the slider door while your body was racked with sobs. >Any minute now he’d be there. >Just be patient. >One minute turned into two, then to three. >Three turned to ten then to an hour, and eventually, the sun’s light began to fade, dowsing the backyard in a gloomy dusk as you sat there, alone. >Your heart ached and a deep sense of dread filled you. >Fresh tears sprung forth as you sat there, stomach grumbling, whimpering for a dinner that wouldn’t come tonight. >The light eventually faded to night. >You watched with horror as the lights in the house progressively went dark until finally, Anon’s bedroom light clicked off. -- >You didn’t sleep. >The entire night you lay there on your little island of grass, desperately hoping against all hope that he’d bring you in. >But no respite came as your mind slowly turned against you. >First came the crushing loneliness. >It settled over you with a gnawing discomfort, a thunderhead looming overhead as it ate away at you. >But you were alone, with only the darkness around you. >It pressed in against you from all sides, taunting you, filling you with dread. >You sobbed and covered your face with your hooves. >Then came the agitation, the panic. >Your breathing and heart rate spiked as you felt the ice cold grip of terror squeeze your chest like a ripe fruit. >What if master forgot about you? >No, even worse, what if he got up the next day and decided he’d rather not bring you inside anymore? >What if he left you here? >These thoughts and more, all irrational, all unthinkable when you were held in his arms, felt all too real now. >What if master didn’t want you anymore? >What if you were really a bad pony all this time? >What if he got tired of you and got another pony? >What if he LEFT. YOU. ALL. ALONE. >Your heart thundered in your chest, threatening to burst as you hyperventilated. “Please please please, Master, please come get me,” you whimpered into the dark. “Please I’ll be a good pony. I’ll do whatever you want. Just touch me, hold me, look at me. Anything but this.” >There was no answer. >You felt like you were suffocating. >And then, as if to punctuate it all, you felt two icy, wet raindrops tap against the side of your face. >Your ears perked up and you looked towards the sky. >And it began to rain. -- >Anon walked out of his back door as the sun peeked over the horizon. >A fog had rolled in, blanketing the world in a thin mist as he looked over at you sipping his coffee. >It was almost like nothing existed here save for you, the yard, and him. >You lay there, fur damp and stuck to you, eyes stinging with no more tears to cry. >Each breath was a fight as you lay there, unable to move, to say a word. >Everything was numb, from your throbbing head to your useless little hooves. >Anon just stood there, a neutral expression on his face. >Would this be enough? >Were you a good girl now? >He took a step forward. >It was all you could do to keep your eyes on him, to keep them open as he came over to you. >He gently brushed the backs of his fingers against your cheek. >You hadn’t the strength to raise your head. >You went to call out to him, to call him your master like you know you should, but all that left your lips was the hint of a breath. >He picked you up. >He held you like he always did, your torso facing over his shoulder, bottom cradled in one, strong arm. >You flopped over his shoulder like a ragdoll and let out a whimper. >God it felt so good just to feel a living being against your fur again. >You let out a shuddering breath and pressed into him with what little vigor you had left. >”It’s okay, Charmy. You’re all done,” he said, rubbing you gently on the back. >”Let’s go inside now. I’ll make you some breakfast.” >A wave of relief crashed over you as he walked towards the house, and you felt your eyes moisten with tears once more as you nuzzled into his neck. >Your name is Moonlight Charm. >Your Master calls you Charmy. >It makes you feel tingly when he does that. >And you’re one of the lucky mares. >You have a master. >And you love him so much.