[Continued from https://ponepaste.org/3345]

--------------------------------

"...so then Steve turns to me with a dead serious expression and goes 'you mean this is cotton candy? I knew I shouldn't have taken the bus this morning!'"
>the guests around you begin laughing hysterically as you finish your story, many of them holding an assortment of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages
>it's pretty easy to tell which is which just by how hard the individual is laughing
>your attention is soon grabbed by your two ponies approaching side by side, Grace walking between them with her hand on Corona's withers
>you stifle a laugh at Shining Armor's appearance
>you knew exactly what you were doing leaving him alone with her
>he stares at you as they approach, your amusement definitely not escaping his notice
>if looks could kill...
>some of the other guests take notice, but surprisingly they seem to largely ignore the ponies' presence
>that may be for the best for now though
>Corona still looks absolutely terrified
>"Mister 'nonymous?" the little girl says, stroking Corona's mane as they stop in front of you, "I told the ponies they can eat with me, is that okay?"

>Corona is staring at the ground, doing her best to avoid looking at any of the people present, including you
"Of course, that's fine," you say softly. "Have they been behaving for you?"
>"Oh yes, they're very very good ponies!" she gushes, "they're sooo friendly! And Corona helped me with Shining Armor's ribbons!"
"Good," you say as a plate with a steak and two ears of corn is plopped down on the table before you, prompting your mouth to begin watering. "Can you do me a favor, Grace?"
>she gets a curious expression
"Can you make sure they both eat something, please? I know they're hungry, but they might not want to eat around so many strangers."
>she beams at you with a mile-wide grin
>"Oh yes, I can do that! I'll take good care of your ponies, mister 'nonymous!"
"Thank you, sweetie. Just don't give them any meat, okay? Ponies only eat-"
>she rolls her eyes
>"Well duh! I'm almost seven you know, I'm not a baby anymore, I know stuff! Like ponies are urba.. urba... herr-bih..."
>"Herbivores," Shining mutters
>"Yeah, that!" she says as she pats his neck, "herbivores!"
>you give her a nod before turning to your plate and buttering your corn
"Alrighty then, just let me know if they give you any trouble, okay?"

>you find it difficult to focus on conversation from that point on, your eyes almost never leaving the smaller kid-size table a few yards away
>its height is amusingly inadequate for the two ponies sitting on their haunches next to the little girl, but that's of little consequence
>Corona is very reluctant to take any food from the plate that's set in front of her at first
>but you see Grace petting her and she whispers something in her ear, then picks up a corncob and holds it up to her muzzle, and the mare begins to nibble
>it's pretty heartwarming to see the effect she has on her
>actually, the effect they have on each other
>Grace tends to be a little shy around other kids her age
>it's made it difficult for the poor girl to make many friends
>seeing the way she lit up when she met your ponies was intensely rewarding
>you're actually really glad to have brought them here, despite Corona's obvious discomfort
>this'll be good for all three of them
>though you are curious why she was so eager to accompany you in the first place, given her reaction upon actually arriving
>your thoughts are interrupted by a firm pat on the back, and you look over your shoulder to see your host
>"'nother steak, Anon? There's plenty left,"
"I don't think I could eat another bite, I'm stuffed, thanks though Steve," you politely decline
>his attention soon turns to where yours had been moments ago
>"Man, I've never seen her so engaged before. It's nice," he says, pulling his plate and beverage over and taking a seat next to you
>you simply nod in agreement
"You could get her a pony of her own, you know," you suggest idly. "I'm sure there's hundreds of them out there that would give all four of their legs to be so loved."

>he puts his hand on his neck and looks away, the volume of his voice lowering considerably
>"Yeah yeah, well... y'know... with the divorce 'n all..."
>oops
"Shit, man. Camille is still going through with it? I thought you two worked it out? Wasn't she supposed to have been moving back in this weekend?"
>"Heh... I thought so," he says in a melancholic tone
"I'm sorry..." you offer
>"Hey, don't be. These things happen, not really much anyone can do about it y'know?"
>he stares down at his food, suddenly not very interested in eating
>"Grace keeps asking when mommy's coming home to stay... we've managed to keep her out of it for the most part but..."
>he lets out a hard sigh, choking back tears as you place a hand on his shoulder and give him a firm shake
>he manages to keep the tears from falling even as his voice begins to crack
>"...just don't know how I'm gonna explain it to her when she leaves again tonight is all..."
"I wish I knew what to say..."
>"Me too..." he mutters
"You know you guys are welcome over at my place any time, right? I mean, whether you wanna come help out with the work that needs done or if you wanna just sit back and shoot 

the shit while Grace plays with the ponies, my door's always open."
>he nods
>"I appreciate that, Anon."
>his palm meets his forehead and he takes a deep breath, steadying himself
>"She's gonna be heartbroken. They'll be a good distraction for her..."
"Heh... if my stallion can survive her antics, that is," you say with a light laugh, trying to lighten the mood
>it works momentarily, bringing a smile to his face, but doesn't completely cut through the heavy feeling in the air
"SO, uh... they managed to get final approval for the telecommuting initiative, did you hear?" you say, trying to change the subject

--------------------------------

>you eat your salad in complete silence, occasionally glancing across the table and watching the human foal feed Corona
>you've been humiliated and degraded before, but this?
>to be treated like a common pet by a child?
>this is on a whole new level
>granted, you can't really hold it against her
>there's no malice or ill-intent behind her actions
>she's just doing what girls do
>and hey, she wasn't even born yet when you became a slave
>she's a total innocent
>and compared to other humans, she's leaps and bounds more tolerable
>so you have no good excuse not to like her
>and that somehow bothers you
>with Anon, you could at least pretend to justify your unwillingness to cooperate by reminding yourself he's one of the oppressors
>one of those responsible for your subjugation
>and for taking your family away from you...
>even though rationally you know he had nothing to do with any of it personally
>this little girl though
>Grace...
>you sigh
>she's got your number
>and you know it
>you give a frustrated swish of your tail
>all these years of resistance
>the high and mighty Prince Shining Armor
>the defiant, unbreakable stallion that has always refused to submit
>no matter how many times they whipped you
>threatened you
>worked you nearly to death
>you refused to show them the brokenness they were so eager to see in you
>the brokenness and eagerness to submit that you see in Corona...
>and now, what good has all your struggle done you?
>you're about to be brought to heel by a mere whelp
>you know you can't hurt this little girl
>nor do you think you'll ever be able to willingly hurt her feelings
>you don't have it in you
>so the only option you're left with is to comply with her requests
>as harmless - yet undignified - as they may be right now, you know there's a chance she could grow up to be like the others
>the ones thave treat you as mere property
>if you show patience here, you can steer her away from that path
>help her empathize with ponies
>maybe even make her see you as equals
>"Good boy, Shiny!" she says, stroking your muzzle as you munch on the last few bits of salad, leaving an empty plate in front of you

>you heave a deep, heavy sigh, staring at your empty plate in silence
>"What's wrong, Shiny?" she asks, continuing to pet you
"Nothing, nothing at all"
>tiny kisses pepper your cheek and her arms wrap around your neck once again
>"I love you!"
>you just close your eyes
>and nicker
>after a few moments your ears begin to swivel like tiny radar dishes, picking up snippets of chatter here and there, just barely opening an eyelid to see a growing number of eyes fixed on you
>"isn't that just precious?"
>"awww... hey Anon, looks like you're going home with one less pony"
>"that's just the cutest thing..."
>you don't even grumble or groan
>snort or roll your eyes
>there's no point
>without warning, your thoughts turn to your own daughter
>little Flurry, still a foal the last time you laid eyes on her
>and you hope above all hope that she's safe somewhere out there
>maybe even being loved like this
>you know the odds are against it
>but thoughts of the alternative are just...
>you start to tremble
>your lower lip quivers, ears flatten
>you raise a hoof and place it around Grace's back, chin pressing gently against her shoulder, pulling her tightly against you
>and a pair of tears roll down your muzzle, dripping onto the ground behind her

>you feel a muzzle against your cheek, somewhat startled when you open your eyes to see Corona staring at you knowingly
>steeling yourself, you manage to stem the flow of tears before Grace or any of the other humans take notice
>this is not the time 
>and most certainly not the place
>there will be plenty of time to cry when you're alone
>even though as the little girl squirms and giggles in your embrace, you can't help but to hear Flurry's tiny voice...
>it's eerily reminiscent of how she used to do the same when daddy tickled her belly
>you grit your teeth, your entire body rocking with an intense shudder as you once again force down the swelling tide of emotion that threatens to sweep you away
>when you release her, you simply give her a somber smile, grateful that she didn't catch on to your near-breakdown
>"Shiny can I ask you something?"
>you nod quietly, unable to voice a response for the moment
>"Would it be okay if I come visit you and Corona?"
>after a great deal of hesitation you reply
"Well, you'd have to ask Ano-- ...Master about that"
>"No no, I know that," she shakes her head, "but I just wanna know if YOU'RE okay with me coming to visit you"
"You don't need my permission, Gracie..."
>"But-"
"I don't get to make those kind of choices for myself."
>"...don't you like me?"

"Actually, I think I like you the most out of any human I've ever met,"
>it's not technically a lie
>the huge grin on her face hearing you say that is infectious
"it's just..."
>you look into her eyes, knowing you really should keep this to yourself
>let her cling to her simple worldview for a while longer
>you won't play a willing role in taking away some small piece of her innocence
>"just what?"
"Nothing," you sigh
>"so you're okay with me coming to visit?"
>you nod
"Sure. I think I'd like that, actually."
>"YES!"
>her arms are around your leg once again
>she has quite a strong grip for such a little thing
>placing her tiny hands on either side of your muzzle, she stands on the tips of her toes and gives you a big kiss right on the end of your snout
>"MMMUAH!"
>you stare at the ground quietly as she takes off toward her father - and Anon
>"Daddy! Daddy!"
>you guess it could be worse

>the rest of the evening winds down uneventfully
>after getting the okay from Anon and reassurance from her father that she'll be allowed to come visit you, Grace was right back at your side
>she's the only human here besides Anon that Corona seems unafraid to make eye contact with
>though she's just as kind to Corona as she is to you, she seems to have mostly escaped the little girl's attention 
>you're not sure if you should envy the mare for that or not
>much to Anon's disappointment, introducing the two of you to his friends doesn't go as well as he seems to have hoped it would
>none of them take much interest in getting to know you
>which is fine with you
>Corona herself barely manages to stammer out more than a couple of words whenever one of the other humans addresses her anyway
>which leaves you wondering what her actual motivation was for this in the first place
>coming here was her idea
>you have a vague feeling about that, but you don't give it much serious thought
>that's unlikely to ever happen

>Grace eventually wears herself out with her enthusiasm for her newfound pony pals, leaning against your side as an occasional yawn escapes her lips, fighting to keep her drooping eyelids from staying closed for too long
>she protests emphatically when she's finally pried away from you, her father insisting it's time for her to start getting ready for bed even as she whines that she isn't tired
>tomorrow is a school day, after all
>unsurprisingly she isn't satisfied to go without one more final hug, which she almost refuses to break
>"pried away" isn't far from the reality of the situation as her father has to pull her arms away from your neck and pick her up
>resting her head on his shoulder as he carries her away, he barely makes it two steps before she's out like a light, and you breathe a silent, satisfied sigh as she disappears into the house
>it comes as a small relief when you're finally in the back seat of Anon's car once again
>he'd at least granted you the dignity of removing the ribbons from your mane once Grace was out of sight
>but you'd forgotten about your hooves until you catch sight of them sparkling in the dim glow of the vehicle's interior light
>"I'll pick up some acetone on my way home from work tomorrow," he reassures you when you prod him about it

--------------------------------

>"I appreciate you guys being nice to Gracie, and especially you for being so patient with her, Shiny. Heh, I'm kinda surprised she didn't try to ride you," Master says with a chuckle. "She's a great kid, real shame about her parents though..."
>he's essentially been talking to himself since he pulled out of the driveway
>the ride home isn't a very long one, but he still seems unsatisfied to let it pass in silence
>"you two are being awfully quiet"
>Shining just grunts in acknowledgement and swishes his tail, making it clear he doesn't have anything to say at the moment
>and then Master's attention turns to you
>"So I noticed you didn't really seem very eager to talk to anyone at the cookout. I figured once you had a chance to settle down you might be a little more social. I was kinda hoping you'd at least talk to my boss a little bit"
"I didn't get you in trouble, did I, Master?"
>"Huh? What? No, she was just really curious about you is all. She was disappointed that you weren't more chatty"
>there's a brief pause before his next words
>"Did you really want to come tonight?"
>how are you supposed to answer that?
"y...yessir" you lie, avoiding his eyes as he occasionally takes them off the road to look at you
>you're thankful he doesn't press you further, shifting the car into park and shutting off the engine as you arrive home
>err, back at Master's house
>not home
>this isn't home
>it's just where you happen to live at the moment
>Equestria is home...
>"You gonna sit in the car all night or are you coming in?"
>you shake your head and look up, seeing Master holding the door open for you
>jumping down from your seat, you avoid looking at him as he lets Shining Armor out of the back, waiting for them before you dare take a step toward the house

>your muscles ache as though you've been pulling an overloaded cart all day
>and it's only just now that you feel like you can breathe easily
>had you really been THAT tense?
>you stretch and give little whimpers and groans as the soreness seems to radiate from every part of your body
>you could really use a soak in the hot tub right now
"Master?" you say softly as he plops down into his recliner
>"hmm?"
"May I use the hot tub?"
>he shrugs his shoulders
"I feel..."
>you sigh
"I'm sorry, Master, I lied earlier. Today was really stressful for me and I could use some relaxation"
>"I figured as much. You don't have to ask me every time you want to use it, though, you know"
"yessir..."
>he takes the book resting on the end table next to him into his hand as he lets out the foot rest
>noticing you haven't left after reading for a few minutes, he raises an eyebrow at you with a curious glance
>"You're still here?"
>you don't respond
>"Corona?"
>again you remain silent, lost in thought
>"Coroooona?"
>when you still don't reply, he raises his voice just enough to get your attention
>"CORONA!"
"YES MASTER" you gasp, jumping to your hooves and heading toward the back door
>"Just don't stay out there all night, okay? I want you in bed by ten, we need to get some more work done tomorrow"
"Yessir," you call out as the door closes behind you

>even as the heat surrounds you and the jets knead your muscles, you find it difficult to relax
>you lean your head back and stare up at the cloudy sky which obscures the stars, much to your dismay
>somehow you don't notice the sound of hooves on the wooden deck
>"Hey"
>your head snaps forward as you're momentarily startled
>"You mind some company?"
>you simply shake your head, and Shining tilts his to the side
>"That a yes or a no?"
"I don't care," you mutter
>you're somewhat surprised by how much space the stallion takes up as he clumsily climbs in with you
>"How can you stand this water so hot?" he gripes
"You're the one that wanted to join me," you say, leaning back and closing your eyes. "Besides, it's not THAT hot, stop whining"
>he snorts and avoids looking in your direction, occasionally making little noises here and there
>"Anon went to bed already," he says idly
"...and?"
>"...and what? I just thought you'd like to know"
>he drags a forehoof back and forth through the water and his ears flatten
>"I was also kind of hoping maybe we could just talk a little bit. Pony to pony," he says hesitantly
>you sigh
>it had been your intention to have a little time alone
"What's on your mind?"
>"Nothing... everything..."
>he slumps a bit
>"actually, I was thinking about my family"
>your eyes shoot open
>"Mostly my little filly... well, I guess she wouldn't be so little any more... heh..." he says somberly. "That is... if she's even still... still..."
>he can't bring himself to finish the sentence
>"if I just had some way to know she was safe..." his voice trails off

"You're not the only pony that's lost family, you know..."
>hardly a comforting response
>"Did you have... back in Equestria I mean, did you have..."
"A mate? Foals?"
>you shake your head
"No... and in a way I'm glad. It's made surviving all of this a little easier, I guess"
>he forces a faint smile
>"That's a shame. Being a parent... it's exhausting, sort of terrifying... but also very rewarding. The first time you lay eyes on your first born... it's... the feeling just can't be described... everything, EVERYTHING changes from that moment on"
>he blinks away a few tears
>"Your life is no longer your own... when you see that little filly, you just know... if it ever came right down to it, you'd lay down your life for her in a heartbeat..."
>the silence that follows is a heavy one
"It's not your fault, you know" you offer
>"I should have died protecting her..."
"Shining..."
>"I just..."
>he looks into your eyes, his whole body trembling
>"I want to go home, Corona. I want my Cadance... I want my little Flurry... I just want things to go back to the way they were..."
"They can't... they won't..." you say just above a whisper, "you know that..."
>he nods slowly
>"I'd take every beating... every lash of the whip... every hardship I've faced here... I'd suffer it all a thousand times over, if it just meant... if I could just send THEM home..."

>some time passes before either of you say anything else
>though when you do, you're eager to change the subject to something a little lighter
"Grace really likes you," you say with a grin
>"Yeah. I couldn't exactly make her go away..."
"Sure you could have. But you didn't"
>"I didn't want to hurt her feelings, she's..."
"A human?"
>"...innocent. She doesn't understand."
>you nod
"She made you feel loved, didn't she?"
>he rolls his eyes
>"And Anon makes YOU feel loved"
>you try not to blush
"Master... he cares about both of us. I've seen him petting you before. And the way you react when he scratches your ears..."
>he looks surprised
"What, you really think I didn't know?"
>it's his turn to be embarrassed
>"I was hoping so, yeah..."
>he snorts
>"at least I don't want him to rut me," he says with a chuckle
>you give a sharp, indignant squeal
"WHAT?"
>"You KNOW what," he says with a smirk
"THAT WAS JUST A DREAM!"
>"mmhmm..."
"I don't... I didn't... I WOULDN'T..." you snort
>"Okay"
"SHUT UP!"
>you splash water at him angrily, only succeeding in causing his laughter to intensify
>the light bulb above the back door of the house bursts and shatters with a loud pop and sizzle, causing both of you to jump
>it's suddenly dead quiet, save for the gentle hum and splashing of the hot tub
"Shining?"
>"shh..."
>you see his eyes dart around and ears rapidly twitching in the little bit of moonlight that manages to peek through the clouds
>"I think... I think we need to get inside. Now."
>you shiver despite being mostly submerged in steaming hot water
"Y...yeah..."
>before either of you can move, you're surrounded by a dark red glow, finding yourself frozen in place
>"Don't move..." a strange voice says. "I don't want to hurt you."

"We-"
>"-pst" you're cut off abruptly. "Shut up. How many humans?"
"Just one... our Master" you reply sheepishly
>"...and he's asleep, it's just the two of us out here," Shining Armor adds
>you feel the magical aura surrounding you drop in intensity, if only a little
>"That's good, that's good..."
"Can you let us go? Please?"
>you hear the careful, hesitant clopping of hooves in the darkness gradually grow closer
>"as long as you ain't collaborators..."
>"We're not," Shining snaps
>"...dunno if I can take your word for it,"  the voice says
>eventually you see the dimly lit face of an older unicorn stallion
>rusty red coat, short two-tone dandelion mane
>cutie mark appears to be a forge and bellows, though it's hard to say for certain
>his face bears a tired, worn look
>and his neck, like yours, the brand of a runaway, the sight of which causes your jaw to drop slightly
>you raise a hoof to your neck, pulling your mane back to show the stallion your own mark
>the aura continues to gradually diminish until both of you are released
>"So you're a runaway too?"
>you shake your head
"Was... was a runaway, not anymore..." you correct him
>careful not to make any sudden movements, you slowly extricate yourself from the hot tub, shaking yourself off and reaching for a nearby towel, Shining doing the same
>"...don't want any trouble... just passing through, need someplace safe to rest for the night... maybe some food and-"
>"You can't stay here."
>Shining's tone is surprisingly harsh
>and his words come as something of a shock

>"...if you're afraid of a single human-"
>"I'm not," Shining snorts. "You just can't stay here. Anon's a nice guy, but he won't knowingly harbor a fugitive"
>"I recognize you. Don't really care who you are though," he says. "Or who you used to be... and... and that wasn't a request, either... You start trouble for me, I... I won't think twice about-"
"-you don't have to be afraid of us..." you say calmly, sensing the stranger's desperation as you take a step toward him. "I've been in your horseshoes before, I know how terrifying it is... please, just try to relax, I promise you, you're safe for the moment..."
>"I ain't afraid, I just don't trust you... don't have no reason to..."
"I understand. Can you at least tell us your name? Mine's Corona... and I believe Shining Armor needs no introduction,"
>"That your slave name or your Equestrian name?"
"It's the name my parents gave me" you say, sitting on your haunches
>he takes a step backward, his eyes darting back and forth between the two of you, eventually resting on his own haunches with a sigh
>"Sparky Cinder. Friends call me Sparks... least they used to..."
>the stallion is gripped by an intense shudder, and seems to zone out for a moment
"So... mister Cinder..."
>"Sparky's fine..."
"Alright. Sparky. How long have you been on the run?"
>"lost track after three months..."
>your head tilts
>how had he managed to evade capture for such a long time?
>he scrambles to his hooves when a faint light is suddenly cast from the nearest window, and you hear footsteps approach the back door

>"I THOUGHT YOU SAID IT WAS ASLEEP!" he says angrily through gritted teeth, pinning his ears, his horn beginning to glow as he adopts a defensive posture
"DON'T!" you gasp
>"You can still run..." Shining says hesitantly
>"...too late, it's seen me..."
>the door handle begins to turn
"You have to leave, NOW!" you blurt out, trying to push the stallion toward the steps
>he doesn't budge
>the door swings open, and you see Master standing in the doorway out of the corner of your eye
>everything after that is a blur
>there's a bright flash
>the smell of smoke
>you hear Master yell out in confusion as he flinches and falls flat on the floor behind him
>by the time you turn your head again, Shining Armor is on top of the stallion, and has him pinned
>"...the HELL is going on out here!?" you hear Master yell out angrily as he gets back on his feet and reaches back through the door, fumbling for a switch on the wall
>there's another bright flash that knocks Shining off of Cinder, the darker stallion deciding at this point to hoof it
>he barely makes it a couple strides before he goes crashing to the ground again
>the pair freeze momentarily when they're hit by a flood light
>you squint at its brightness, holding a hoof over your eyes to shield them
>when your pupils adjust, you briefly see Master with a bewildered look on his face as he disappears into the house
>you stare in shock at the sight of Shining Armor on top of the other stallion, an ear clenched between his teeth and foreleg around his neck, tightening his grip as the stallion beneath him begins thrashing once again

>this doesn't feel real
>Master reappears holding something in his hands, advancing rapidly on them
>before you realize it, he has Shining Armor's halter and lead rope on the new stallion, who puts up a fierce struggle to get away
>he even manages to drag Master a few feet, even though he has both hands on the rope and is digging his heels into the ground in an attempt to keep his footing
>this has to be a dream...
>you know all too well the panic and horror going through his mind right now
>you've been there before
>the stallion lets out a shrill, desperate, bone-chilling whinny
>too weak to cast another spell
>or to put up much more of a fight
>you lose control of your body
>against your will you find your hooves carrying you forward
>not at a walk or trot
>a full-on gallop
>within seconds you collide with Master, tackling him to the ground and causing him to lose his grip on the rope as his head bounces off of the dirt
>the stallion doesn't think twice about taking off into the night as fast as his legs will carry him, dragging the rope behind him
>Shining looks as though he's about to pursue him, but stops after a few steps
>"CORONA!" Master's voice is strangely weak, even though you can tell there was forceful intent
>you don't resist as he pushes you off of himself, and you roll onto your back
>he sits up in a daze, both hands on his head
>and it's only now that you notice he's bleeding


"Master-I-I-I didn't-I..." you stammer
>"Shiny goget... myphone..." he says as his head wobbles, slowly losing the struggle to remain conscious "bedroom..."
>Shining darts into the house as you grab one of the towels you had used minutes ago in your teeth and rush back to Master's side
>he takes it and presses it against his head to stop the blood flow, hooking an arm over your withers and leaning into you
>"donlemme... pass out" he groans
>your whole body shakes with anxiety
>what have you done?
>he blinks his eyes, each time taking longer than the last for his eyelids to reopen
>his weight begins to feel heavier against you as well
"Master..." you whimper, nuzzling against his cheek as his arm begins to slip from your back
"Master you have to stay awake..."
>you feel panic begin to well up inside of you
>your stomach twists up in knots as you repeat yourself
"you have to stay awake..."
>he simply groans as you lean into him, trying to keep him from slumping over
>Shining finally returns, dropping a small rectangular object in Master's lap
>to your relief, this seems to get his attention as he forces his eyes back open and picks it up with his free hand
>"now goget'em" Master growls
>the stallion nods, shooting you a worried glance before disappearing into the darkness in the same direction Sparky had fled, the moonlight his only guide as he leaves the range of the flood light
>Master fumbles with the object in his hand, mumbling something unintelligible before dropping it
>he makes a noise unlike anything you've ever heard before blacking out completely
"Master... MASTER!!" you squeal, gently lowering him to the ground
>your hooves try to take you in a million different directions as a surge of adrenaline courses through your veins, your heart leaping into your throat feeling as though it may choke you
>an ear rotates toward the device he'd been holding just seconds ago when you hear a voice coming from it

>"...hello? Is anyone there? What is the address of your emergency?"
"HELP!" you scream into the phone at the top of your lungs, lowering your head to the ground next to it, listening for a response for a fraction of a second before shouting again. "HELP!"
>you run your hoof over the screen several times
>you have no idea how these things work
>it seems to flash on and off, different little pictures appearing on it
>eventually what looks like a microphone shows up briefly on it, changing color as the voice becomes much louder and clearer
>"..ry to remain calm. I need your address t-" it continues
>HOW CAN THEY EXPECT YOU TO BE CALM AT A TIME LIKE THIS?
"PLEASE HELP HIM!" your voice cracks as you break down into desperate sobs, "YOU HAVE TO HURRY!"
>"Okay-ok-ma'am? Ma'am?"
>you begin to hyperventilate
"PLEASE!"
>"I need you to give me your address, I'm trying to ping the cell phone's GPS loca-"
"I DON'T KNOW THE ADDRESS!" you wail, "PLEASE! HE'S DYING!"
>"Are you at a residence?"
"WHAT?"
>"A home? A business?"
"A HOUSE! A HOUSE!"
>"is the victim responsive?"
>you look over at Master, his form still as the night air
"NO!"
>"can you go to th- ok, ok I'm getting a hit on the GPS now, hang tight for me ma'am, I'm sending help"
"HURRY!"
>"Stay on the line with me okay? Help is on the way, they'll be there as soon as they can."
>you pick it up in your teeth, nudging yourself up under Master's arm and lying on the ground next to him, dropping it in front of yourself, weeping softly
"Please be okay... please be okay..." you whisper, shivering as your voice catches in your throat and you close your eyes tight
>"can you tell me what happened?"
"M...my Master... he's hurt..."
>"Master?"
>there's a brief pause
>"you're a pony?"
"y...y...y... yes ma'am..."
>"Okay. Okay, I want you to know you've done the right thing. I need you to breathe and try to calm down for me, okay?"
"I... I ca-...what if he..."

>"What's your name?"
"C...Corona"
>"Corona listen to me, just stay there with your Master and everything is going to be okay. How was he hurt?"
"Th...there was another p..pony.. a... a stranger and..."
>"He was assaulted?"
"He... I... I..."
>"Corona?"
"I didn't... I couldn't... he... he fell and hit his head and..."
>"Corona I need you to check on your Master, is he still breathing?"
>you lay your head on his chest, which is rising and falling slowly
"Y...yes ma'am..."
>"Did you get a good look at the other pony?"
"I... it was dark..."
>"Corona, can you give me any kind of description at all? Anything helps-"
"he...he was... kind of a reddish color with a yellow mane..."
>your ears rotate toward the house, picking up the very faint sound of approaching sirens growing at a painfully slow rate
>can't they get here any faster?
>"What do you look like, Corona? I need to let the responding officers know you're not the attacker-"
"but I..."
>"What color are you?"

"B...blue... wi...with a white mane.. and... and there's another stallion that belongs to my Master... he's... he's white with a brighter blue mane... his name is Shining Armor and... he... I think he went after the other stallion..."
>"Do you think he might be trying to escape?"
"N... no... he's trying to catch him... Master ordered him to chase him before he passed out"
>"Okay. Alright, Corona, you're doing great, just keep an eye on him and let me know if anything changes, if he starts moving or stops breathing or anything."
"He... nothing's changed. Are they almost here? Please tell them to hurry..."
>"The closest unit is about three minutes out, they're going as fast as they can, okay?"
"Okay..." you whimper
>"You're a good girl for trying to get your Master help instead of taking the chance to try to run off. Your Master's going to appreciate that..." the voice tries to reassure you
"I'm not..." you whisper
>"I didn't hear that, sweetie"
"I'm not a good pony... oh Celestia... why... why did this have to happen?"
>you start to see red and blue flashing lights faintly flashing through the trees by the road, laying your head on Master's chest and closing your eyes tight

--------------------------------

>stupid stallion
>why didn't he just run?
>he just had to go and try to hurt Anon...
>you give an angry snort as you maintain a brisk trot
>trying to find Sparky out here is almost certainly hopeless
>but something pushes you to keep going
>if only a few months ago anyone had told you that you'd be chasing after another pony
>for assaulting a HUMAN
>you'd have laughed
>called them crazy
>Anon has treated you well, sure
>but he's still one of "them"
>the enemy
>or so you thought
>you've begrudgingly come to admit to yourself that maybe things aren't as black and white as they seem
>he's a slave owner
>and your Master
>but he has a good heart
>he did save your life after all...
>seems only fair that you return the favor
>this though?
>what you're doing right now goes beyond simply returning the favor
>it should trouble you how willing you were to obey his order to give chase
>at least, the thought of turning over another pony to human "justice" should give you some pause
>but for whatever reason, it doesn't
>Sparky brought this on himself
>you gave him ample opportunity to buzz off and not stir up trouble
>but he insisted on staying to pick a fight
>and it's one that you intend to see through

>you shake your head, coming to an abrupt halt as you hear the rustling of leaves, the snapping of twigs as you approach the woods
>along with angry grunting and panting
>it's very faint
>your ears swivel to try to get a fix on it
>those blasted sirens though
>they're close enough now that they're starting to drown it out
>you grumble, taking step after hesitant step until you're completely surrounded by trees and darkness
>it never even crosses your mind to concern yourself with what kind of wild nocturnal creatures might be lurking out here
>waiting in ambush to snap you up for their next meal
>you see the slightest hint of a red glowing aura
>it lasts less than a second, but it's more than enough
>you've got him
>taking off with a burst of speed, you lock onto your quarry, a satisfied - almost vicious - grin spreading across your muzzle as you close in on his location
>leaping over a downed tree, you nearly run right past him
>his breathing is heavy
>panicked
>his horn glows again as you spin around to face him, but he's unable to cast a spell
>the momentary illumination is enough for you to see the end of your own lead rope ensnared by one of the tree's limbs
>as well as the pony at the other end desperately pulling against it
>try as he might, he can't escape
>the halter isn't very tight on him
>had he been an earth pony or pegasus he probably could have slipped out of it with enough struggling
>however despite the slack, it's impossible for him to get the crown piece over that horn of his
>by the time the thought occurs to him to try to snap the limbs, it's already too late
>you'd already been given the time you needed to catch up to him

>"All this time... free for so long, just to be caught by a bucking collaborator..." he huffs as he ceases struggling
"You shouldn't have tried to kill Anon," you say, pawing at the ground as you approach him
>"That wouldn't have killed him, just wanted to stun him... maybe... y'know... blind him for a minute or two, knock the wind out of him..."
>that's a lie
>there was anger behind that spell
>maliciousness
>and almost a hint of sadistic glee
>you could see it in his eyes
>this was a stallion that wanted to make someone else suffer
>to hurt them as badly as he could
>he hadn't held back
>you shake your head with a grim look on your face
"I'm not buying it. You wanted him dead," you state coldly
>Sparky laughs
>"...really wasn't my intent but I can't say it would have exactly broken my heart if I'd managed to get a lucky shot... I would have been doing you a favor."
"Killing is wrong, no matter who's doing it," you snort
>"It's us versus them," he says matter-of-factly. "They should have never came to Equestria in the first place, they all deserve whatever happens to them," he stomps. "ALL of them."
"This isn't the way," you reply hesitantly. "If we stoop to this kind of violence we're no better than-"
>"WE DIDN'T ENSLAVE AN ENTIRE RACE!" he roars furiously
>you can't help but think of Grace
>how there was nothing but sheer adoration and love exuding from her the entire time you were with her earlier
>SHE certainly hasn't enslaved anyone
>what if SHE'd been the human this miscreant had stumbled across instead of Anon?
>or another innocent like her?
>would he have attacked her just as readily?
>it's unsettling to think there are ponies out there that would so eagerly harm someone who'd done them no wrong to save their own hide...
>but somehow you doubt this stallion would have lost much sleep over it if it kept him on the lam another day

"They're not... they're not irredeemable," you say as you sit on your haunches
>"You and I both know if you let them catch me, they'll make ME wish I was dead."
"I think you're exaggerating a little. Besides, Anon wouldn't have done that if you'd just given him a chance... talked to him. You don't even know him... it's your fault the authorities had to become involved in this at all."
>he struggles weakly against the rope for a few moments
>eventually he tries to turn around to kick at the branches to break them, but there's not quite enough slack in the rope to allow him to maneuver into place
>"Hey, whatever helps you sleep at night," he sighs, lowering his ears in a state of surrender as he lies on the ground
>it only lasts a moment though before he's back on his hooves
>you see the beams of two different flashlights, hearing the sounds of voices and the occassional brief hiss of radio static approaching rapidly
>he starts frantically pulling once again, biting at the rope
>he's terrified
>"Please..."
>he strains and whimpers, his hooves beginning to leave deep ruts in the dirt as he struggles
>"PLEASE..." he begs
"Don't do anything stu-"
>"I can't go back... I CAN'T!"
>his voice wavers and cracks
>"Don't do this, I'm begging you, one pony to another, PLEASE don't do this..."
>for the first time your resolve falters
>can you really let them take him?
>you don't really know what's going to happen to him...
>none of this is your fault

>but what if they torture him
>or worse...
>they wouldn't do that to him though, right?
>those sworn to uphold the law, surely they'd have higher standards than your run-of-the-mill slaver
>but what if you're wrong?
>would your conscience let you live with yourself knowing there's even the tiniest possibility that might happen?
>"Sheriff's department..." a voice calls out firmly but calmly
>before you have time to dwell on it any further, your teeth are on the loose end of the halter sticking through the buckle of the crown piece
>"What are you-"
"Shh, don't struggle, I think I can-" you mutter through your gritted teeth, bringing a hoof up and pressing on it as you give a hard tug
>"hurry... HURRY" he says, practically trotting in place, his breaths becoming rapid and shallow, nostrils flaring as his whole body shakes
>you nearly lose your balance as all at once the halter falls to the ground and Sparky bounds away from you
>"getdownGETDOWN!" you hear one of the voices bark harshly
>the stallion only makes it a few strides before he's suddenly illuminated by the glow of a flashlight
>there's a loud pop, followed by several rapid clicks and buzzing
>and then a loud whimper as his muscles all tense up at once before he hits the ground on his side hard
>"DON'T MOVE! STAY THE FUCK DOWN! DON'T MOVE!"

--------------------------------

>they've taken Master away
>and refused to let you ride with him
>you only asked once, deciding that begging might not be such a good idea
>some humans get easily frustrated by that
>you don't want to make them angry
>sitting in the back of the police car, your ears prick up when you see the two officers that had departed earlier returning
>one of them is leading Sparky at the end of a halter and lead rope
>the other walking behind them, never taking one hand off whatever that thing is holstered at his side
>you're taken aback by how subdued the stallion seems, considering how desperate he was to get away
>Shining Armor walks freely alongside him
>both ponies are staring at the ground silently
>"Alright girl, I think we're about to wrap things up here. Looks like we got our suspect" another officer - a woman - says to you
>in these circumstances, she'd explained, ponies typically aren't left on their own
>most likely due to concerns over some that had escaped in the past in the absence of an injured Master
>since he'd been unconscious and left no written instructions about who to contact to watch over the two of you, it's department policy to take you down to the station and hold you in custody until your Master recovers
>when you'd uneasily asked if he was going to be okay, the best she could do was a nonchalant "I don't know,"
>the indifference in her tone angered you, but you made sure not to let it show
>you're apprehensive about being taken to some strange place
>and to be held there for an unspecified amount of time
>but you really don't have much of a choice
>refusing isn't an option
>and any kind of protest will just make everything worse
>the slight sense of relief you feel seeing that Shining Armor is unharmed is all too fleeting
>Sparky's hooves are bound as some kind of device is placed on his horn, and he's roughly tossed into the back of another waiting car
>"Hey Lisa, you interview the mare yet?" the man Shining is with says in your direction
>she looks down at you briefly before replying
>"Nah, figured I'd let you take care of that down at the station. It's close to the end of my shift anyway. I just want to get back."
>"I gotcha. So you want this one with you or-"
>"Probably best to keep them separated until we've had a chance to interview them both. The stallion can ride with you." 
>he simply nods, Shining shooting you a questioning glance before being escorted to the back of a third cruiser
>as they pull away, she smiles down at you, gesturing for you to back away before gently closing the door and taking her seat behind the wheel

>the rope they'd looped around your neck as a makeshift leash to lead you into the station is uncomfortable to say the least
>and they haven't removed it as you're escorted to a small, barren room with concrete walls
>a lightbulb buzzes overhead, a long mirror curiously adorning the wall next to the door
>there's a small table that appears bolted to the floor, the rope tied to one of its legs
>the floor bears an icy chill, but eventually you give in and lay down on it
>you wish they'd come in and do something to you already...
>waiting like this
>it's painful
>finally the door opens, the same officer that had driven off with Shining Armor earlier entering
>you haven't seen either stallion since you arrived here
>he appears to be an older human
>salt and pepper hair that was probably once raven
>a winkle here and there around his brown eyes
>he clears his throat as he calmly closes the door behind him, staring down at a clipboard in his other hand as he takes a seat across from you at the table
>"Miss - Corona is it? Sorry to have kept you waiting for so long. I just got done talking to your friend Shining Armor,"
"Is he okay? Where is he? Can I see him?"
>he holds up a hand to silence you
>"Ah-ah... he's fine. Resting. I just need to get your side of the story," he says, putting on a pair of glasses and clicking a pen that he pulls from his pocket, flipping over to an empty sheet of paper. "As long as everything checks out I see no reason why you can't join him."
>you swallow hard, beginning to tremble
>"Are you alright?"
"y...yessir" you mutter
>"You don't have anything to be scared of here. I'm not going to hurt you. We're all on the same team - we just want to find out what happened to your Master."
>you nod quietly


>the questions start out simple enough
>how long have you belonged to Master?
>how long have you been a slave?
>how many owners have you had?
>they start to edge more and more toward uncomfortable as the interview continues
>what happened to your cutie mark?
>how exactly had Master come to own you?
>who had you branded?
>why did you run away from your former Master?
>how does Master punish you when you misbehave?
>have you ever attacked a human before?
>your nervousness and increasing reluctance to be forthcoming with your answers doesn't escape notice
>and then your heart feels like it stops cold in your chest
>"Tell me, in your own words, exactly how your Master got hurt tonight."
>you tell him everything as your eyes begin to tear up
>about how Sparky had come out of nowhere
>asked for food and a place to stay for the night
>how Master had interrupted your conversation
>and everything that happened after that was a blur
>he's not satisfied with that response though, and presses you to continue
>when you hesitate and stammer just a little too much, the atmosphere changes dramatically
>"You know, we DO keep a whip around here - in the event we take a violent or uncooperative pony into custody."
>you whimper and wince, no way of knowing if the threat is legitimate
"s...said you wouldn't hurt me" you say just above a whisper
>you jump when his fist hits the table and the chair flies out from under him
>"That was when you were being a GOOD pony!" he yells. "But you're REALLY starting to test my patience. Now stop stalling and TELL ME what happened to your Master. And I can promise you this - if you leave anything out, ANYTHING, I'll have you whipped into a bloody mess until we get the TRUTH out of you!"
"p... please..." you beg, closing your eyes tight "I wanna go home..."

>when you make a feeble attempt to scamper under the table to hide, he approaches you angrily and tugs on the rope until you're forced back out
>there's a sudden loud banging coming from... the mirror?
>he exits the room without saying a word
>when he comes back he's going to hurt you
>you thought for so long you'd never have to fear the sting of the lash again
>you tried so hard to please your Master
>to be a good girl for him
>and it had paid off
>life hasn't been so bad...
>but you went and threw it all away in the blink of an eye
>for a stallion you didn't even know
>a stranger
>what had come over you?
>it... it was a mistake
>you never wanted anyone to get hurt
>Master will understand, right?
>he's different from the others
>he loves you
>he HAS to forgive you
>you wrestle with your thoughts for what seems like ages
>he... yeah, a nice long talk and apology... and-
>the door opens again, startling you
"sir... p..please don't hurt me..." you squeak
>he simply walks past you and picks up the clipboard with a sigh
>"We're finished here for now. We're turning this case over to Homicide. If you have anything else you want to say to me before-"
"Homicide?"
>your head tilts as your eyes slowly open
>"Hospital called. Your Master didn't make it. Traumatic brain injury. We're charging the red stallion with murder, you and the other stallion are being held as potential accomplices."
>you hear the words, but it takes you a moment to process their meaning
"NO!" you squeal
>"You should know they're not gonna be as nice as I was when interrogating you. This is pretty serious..."
"NO!" you repeat, "NONONONONO!"
>he stands up and begins to walk toward the door
"This can't... he can't be... I... I didn't... I don't..."
>you fall to the floor wailing
>why couldn't he have just whipped you?
>broken your legs?
>zapped you with electricity?
>anything but this...

"I NEVER MEANT TO HURT HIM!"
>he freezes in place with his hand on the doorknob before turning back around to face you, then calmly returning to his seat
>"If you tell me exactly what happened, I can tell the judge you cooperated. I can't help you if you keep resisting-"
"I just wanted Sparky to get away..." you moan. "I didn't want to hurt my Master... I NEVER meant to hurt him... please" you sob, curling up into a fetal position. "Please please PLEASE... he can't be gone..." you nearly scream, hoping that maybe somehow if you just admit what you did it'll make this all go away
>"I think that's understandable. You saw a pony in trouble and wanted to help him," he concedes. "I can word the confession however you want, we can take our time. Make sure we get it right. Tell me what you did, Corona."
"Master... he... I... he had him. He had him... he caught him. He was holding his rope... struggling with him..."
>you hesitate momentarily before your body is racked with uncontrollable sobbing
>it takes you several minutes to calm down enough to resume
"I tackled him... I knocked him down and made him hit his head... I killed my Master... I KILLED MY MASTERRRRR!" your hoarse voice laments mournfully
>when you manage to finally stop weeping, the only sounds in the room are the scratching of pen against paper, along with an occasional sniffle from you
>"Alright. Alright, I think I got everything I need from you now, Corona," he says, removing the glasses and setting them next to the pen on the stack of papers. He unties the rope and leads you out of the room, into a small cramped cell with no bars or windows.
>no bed
>no toilet or sink
>you don't even bother to ask what's going to happen to you
>whatever it is, you deserve it
>Master took you into his home
>cared for you
>loved you
>...trusted you
>and now he's gone

>you wince, temporarily blinded by the sliver of light that enters when a slot near the bottom of the door is opened, a bowl of water and few handfuls of hay shoved through before it's abruptly shut once again
>you don't move from your spot lying against the back wall
>the hay has started to form a sizeable pile
>you don't deserve food
>or water
>there's no way to know for sure how long you've been confined
>long enough that the lack of proper facilities has been brought to the forefront of your awareness
>a drain in the floor in the middle of the cell is the only thing preventing you from laying in a puddle of your own urine right now
>you've tried your best to keep the manure in one corner, but even though there's not much the smell is starting to get to you
>a minor inconvenience
>the discomfort is nothing compared to the way your heart feels
>or what you deserve...
>you know you'll never be the same after this
>how can you ever forgive yourself?
>you haven't been able to sleep since they shoved you in here
>nobody's said anything to you either
>you don't care though
>you just don't care
>long periods of silence are interspersed with soft sobbing as your grief hits you in waves
>you'll never feel his hand on you again
>you doubt your next owner will care enough to pet you and brush your mane
>if you even have a next owner
>a runaway that killed her Master?
>you'll probably be in here the rest of your life
>or worse...
>you know they sometimes put humans that kill other humans to death
>maybe they'll grant you that small mercy
"Ma...Masterrrrrrr..." you wail pitifully, long having spent most of your energy in various displays of grief and heartache

>you can't fight it any longer
>the natural instinct to survive is too strong to allow you to continue refusing to drink the water you're offered
>and you've never been so exhausted in your life
>even after your hardest days of working for your most demanding Masters
>eventually you cave in to your body's need for sleep
>it's a restless sleep that comes in short bursts
>you don't dream
>it almost feels as though your eyes are open again as soon as you close them
>but you know you've slept some, because you've caught yourself snoring a few times now
>usually accompanied by a whimper when you snap back awake and the reality of the situation sets in just as fresh as the moment you'd heard that Master had died
>the worst whippings you've ever been dealt
>the electric prod
>none of them hurt like this
>you try to think happy thoughts
>remember better times
>in times of great suffering, you've always tried to remove yourself from the moment
>think back on some fond memory of Equestria
>but that's not where you go this time
>the first place your mind takes you is back to the first night you'd slept in Master's bed with him
>how you'd cringed and squirmed uncomfortably as he held you until he took his arm from around you and wiggled away to give you your space
>you wish he was here right now
>holding you

>you'd give anything for that
>anything to feel his touch one last time
>"mymyMY CORONA!"
>a smile spreads across your muzzle as you let out a soft giggle
>you don't even remember any of the other words in that stupid song
>but how ridiculous he acted that day is something you won't soon forget
>being silly, dancing with you
>just to try to cheer you up...
>the smile softens, but lingers as you remember
>how nice it always felt when it was just you and him out for a ride in the cart, peacefully enjoying the sights and sounds of nature all around you
>the way you felt when he surprised you with the hottub
>you were only with him for a matter of weeks
>but it feels like a lifetime's worth of memories
>every time he'd pet you
>scratched your ear
>brushed your mane and tail
>complimented you
>you make sure you'll never forget any of it
>the fond memories are enough to keep the grief at bay just long enough for you to relax into a deeper sleep
"I love you, Master..." you barely mumble, finally drifting off into a more solid state of rest

--------------------------------

>beep
>beep
>beep
>beep
>beep
>your vision is blurred
>bringing a hand up to your eyes, you slowly rub with an index finger and thumb as you squint them shut with a low grumble
>trying to lift your head from the pillow is a mistake
>the room rocks and sways as hot metal spikes are driven through the base of your skull
>or at least that's what it feels like
>carefully resting your head back on the pillow, you feel something get snagged as you try to move your other arm, once again opening your eyes to see an IV needle stuck in the back of your hand
>"Mr. Anonymous" a man's voice says with a laugh, "glad you could join us today!"
"whaarrrhggrrrnmmmmbbb..."
>you're pretty sure that was supposed to come out as "Where am I? What happened?"
>"Now now, take it easy. You had a pretty nasty bump to the head. Don't strain yourself."
>it's coming back to you now
>though it's fuzzy
>the image of a red unicorn stallion struggling at the end of the rope in your hands
>the feeling of suddenly being knocked off your feet and seeing stars
>Corona
>you frown
>closing your eyes and focusing intensely on moving your mouth to shape the words correctly, you speak slowly and deliberately
"Where... are... my... ponies?"
>the doctor standing over you raises an eyebrow
>that must have sounded a lot nastier than you intended
>"They're being held down at the county jail until we release you."
>you stare at him blankly
>"You sustained a concussion and have a few stitches in the back of your head. Your CT scans came back fine, no bleeding on the brain, but we have to keep you for observation for at least another day. You got lucky, it could have been a lot worse."
>you're in no shape to argue with that
>he sits down at a nearby computer, typing and clicking the mouse in silence for several minutes

>"I've put in a referral at University Hospital downtown for you to see a neurologist after you're discharged from here. Looks like they finally got back with me to confirm your appointment."
>you rest your palm against your forehead with a sigh
>groaning in protest doesn't accomplish much
>as you take a deep breath and force yourself to try and relax, you find your words come a little easier, though it still takes some focus to get them out in an intelligible manner, still speaking slowly and with a noticeable slur
"Can't take a lot of time off work... urgh. What's this gonna cost me? Too much to do at home..."
>he shrugs
>"I don't know what to tell you. I want you off your feet for at least another week. I'll prepare a letter for your employer if they need verification, but you need to take it easy for a while. As far as the cost, I'll have someone in finance come up and talk to you about what your insurance covers."
>he rolls in his chair over to you, clicking a pen light that he shines in your eyes
>"Follow the light for me"
>your head begins to turn, but you're quickly corrected
>"Ah, just with your eyes please."
>you comply to the best of your ability, but still feel your head trying to move along with it as it goes left to right, up and down
>"Mmhmm, good, good."
>he holds up an index finger a few feet from your face
>"Follow my finger"
>you nearly go cross-eyed, tracking the fingertip until it almost touches your nose
>"Very nice," he says, scribbling onto some paperwork before holding his palm flat in front of you
>"Grab my hand and squeeze as hard as you can"
>you do
>"Mmhmm, now with your right hand"
>you roll your eyes, but do as he asks, as he continues nodding
>"Good, good" he says, rolling backward

>"Alright, now I'm going to run a swab over different parts of your feet and legs, I want you to tell me which side I'm touching the moment you feel it."
"Left."
"Left."
"Right."
"Left."
"Right."
>you grow increasingly impatient as the examination continues
"How long have I been in here anyway?"
>"You came in two- ah sorry, three days ago."
>you try to sit up, eyes widening in surprise
>"The sporadic short term memory loss is why I'd like you to see a neurologist. This is the third time we've had this discussion."
>there's a brief pause as he notices the concerned look on your face
>"That'll get better with time. Nothing we've seen here so far indicates you've suffered permanent damage, but it's important that you get enough rest while your body heals. You've regained quite a bit of function since I first examined you, the neurology referral is just a precautionary measure. I still want you monitored after you leave our care, just in case there are any unexpected complications."
>his attempts to reassure you are only partially successful
"...there a phone I can use?"
>he nods, taking the phone from a bedside table and placing it in your lap, adjusting the bed to more of an upright position
"Thanks. What's the soonest I'll be able to get out of here?"
>"I have other patients to see, but if you can stay awake and alert, eat something without any help - and if you have someone that can come pick you up, we'll see about getting you discharged first thing in the morning. Your appointment with the neurologist is the next day, anyway."
>he rolls the chair back over to the computer and stands up as you click the television on
>"Your nurse will be in to check up on you in an hour or so. Let us know if you need anything else," he says, pausing in the doorway for a moment
"Thanks doc," you say as he gives you a quick nod and departs

--------------------------------

>"Alright stallion, let's take it from the top. You unbuckled that halter, you're just as-"
"We've already been through this," you say with a frustrated growl, staring at the floor, ignoring the short rope holding you in an uncomfortable position in the interrogation room. "My answers aren't going to change."
>you try not to let the officer see that the solitude is starting to get to you
>it's not the worst thing you've ever had to endure though
>the lack of light in the tiny cell has made it difficult to know just how many days have passed
>and it feels like every time you doze off, they're dragging you out of the cell to be interrogated again
>it's disorienting, but they're going to have to do a lot worse
>they've screamed at you
>threatened you
>but always stop short of actually striking you or roughing you up
>if they could have whipped you, you're pretty sure they would have by now
"I'm done cooperating until you let me see Anonymous," you snort
>he goes through the whole routine again
>yelling
>jerking the rope, pulling it tightly against your neck
>kicking the chair across the room
>grabbing you by the horn and drawing back his free hand as though he's about to strike you
>assuring you that the only way to escape being euthanized along with the other two ponies involved in this is to cooperate

>but you remain stoic, and eventually he storms out of the room
>says he'll give you some time to think about it
>but there's nothing to think about
>their initial deception to try to get some sort of confession out of you had failed
>you didn't believe for a second that Anon had succumbed to his injuries
>and they'd slipped up by making some comment in passing confirming he was still alive
>regardless, your conscience is clear
>you did your duty in protecting him
>trying to let Sparky go free might have been an error in judgement
>but you won't let them guilt you into accepting responsibility for Anon getting hurt in the first place
>as far as you're concerned, you haven't done anything wrong
>and you're confident that things will work themselves out as long as you're patient
>eventually you're returned to your cell
>there's no shortage of grumbled expletives and angry glares from the officer handling you
>you sit on your haunches as the rope is removed from your neck
"It's been fun, as always. Let's do this again real soon," you say with a smirk before the door is slammed in your face

--------------------------------

"Just cut the bullshit, I want my property returned to me immediately. I'm not pressing charges so you have no reason to hold them."
>"I'll be happy to," the woman behind the glass says, "right after you pay the impound fees."
"I'm not paying five hundred bucks, I haven't committed any crime here, nobody asked you to hold them in the first-"
>"Then the fees will continue to accrue."
>you try to stand up from the wheelchair, but immediately regret the attempt when you're overcome with dizziness, nearly falling onto the floor
"This is robbery... extortion..." you grumble, fumbling for your checkbook. "Don't know where you people get off... you got some nerve..."
>a metal drawer just below the window is pushed out, and you toss the signed check into it angrily
>"Sir, the exact amount due is five hundred dollars twenty three cents."
>your eye twitches
>Steve puts a hand on your shoulder, pulling a quarter from his pocket and tossing it into the tray before you forcefully slam it
>"Easy Anon, don't get yourself too worked up. Sooner we get your ponies and get out of here, the better."
>a clipboard with paperwork is pushed back through to you
>"Just need your signature on the first, third, and fifth pages, initials by the x on page two and four, and I can release them into your custody"
>you hastily scrawl your name and initials in the required locations, tapping your knee with a hand impatiently as it's carefully scrutinized
>"Everything seems to be in order here," she says, grabbing the radio clipped to her uniform and muttering something inaudible into it
>a few minutes later there's a loud buzz, followed by a solid metal heavy door nearby swinging open

>Shining Armor is standing there flanked by two officers, a rope looped around his neck held by the one to his right
>the stallion's ears perk up when he sees you, and he gives a swish of his tail
>you give a relieved smile as the rope is handed over to you
"Hey big guy..." you say softly, placing a hand on his muzzle as he sits on his haunches in front of you. "They treat you okay?"
>"I'll live," he replies bluntly, looking over his shoulder with a glare and a loud snort.
"Steve, take Shining out to the car, would you? They'll be bringing Corona out any time now."
>"Sure thing Anon," he nods, taking the rope
>the stallion doesn't hesitate or say anything
>instead you see a wave of relief seem to wash over him as your friend escorts him out through the entrance
>the officers have already disappeared back through the door they emerged from
>as the minutes pass, an awkward silence falls over the room
>the woman behind the glass seems content to ignore you completely
>you become painfully aware of the ticking of a clock on the wall above the door, grinding your teeth impatiently
>what's taking them so long?

--------------------------------

>you squint in the light as the door of your cell swings open slowly, not even bothering to lift your head from the cold concrete floor
>"On your feet, mare"
>you sigh softly, ignoring the command
>"I said on your feet" the voice repeats angrily, the officer closing the space between you in less than a second
>that damned rope is looped around your neck again, and it chokes you as it's pulled hard, trying to force you onto your hooves
>you cough and lift a hoof, putting just enough pressure on the rope to allow you to breathe as your eyes begin watering
>"Damn it, stop being difficult. It's time for you to go."
>you slowly sit up on your haunches, still refusing to budge
>you gasp in surprise as you catch a shoe to the underside of your rib cage
>not hard enough to hurt, but enough to cause you to stand up in reflex
>your legs wobble, refusing to carry you forward as you fall to the cell floor again in a crumpled pile, weeping softly
>what's the point?
>wherever you're going, wherever they might be taking you, it doesn't matter
>Master's gone...
>maybe if you don't move for long enough they'll leave you alone
>just let you lay here and die
>"Do you want to go home or not?"
>you hear the words, but they carry no meaning, just more background noise
>the man signals to another officer, who steps into the cell with the two of you and wraps his arms around your midsection, straining as he lifts with all his might

>you're not given any slack, the rope pulled tight the moment you get to your hooves again
>forceful slaps to your rump prevent you from laying back down as you're pushed from behind, urging you forward
>every step feels like you're dragging your hooves through mud up to your belly, the weight of your despair making it a monumental task just to get down the corridor
>tears drip from your muzzle as you stand before another solid metal door, hearing a loud buzzing, then a click as it slowly swings open
>you simply sniffle, not even bothering to look up
>"It took you guys long enough"
>you feel as though you're struck by lightning, instantly recognizing that voice
>though you're terrified to lift your eyes to reveal its owner for fear your weary mind is playing some cruel trick on you
>your ears slowly rotate toward its source, your head lifting, eyes lagging behind but eventually following
>he's sitting in a chair with wheels, a bandage wrapped around his head
>the harsh squeal that catches in your throat is so sudden it causes you to cough and sputter, the word erupting from your throat like a volcano
"MASTER!" you whinny, practically roaring as you rear up, exploding against the rope and knocking both officers down, your outburst catching them both completely off guard
>in your eagerness you trip over your own hooves, nearly losing your footing, scrambling across the floor as you just barely manage not to plant your muzzle into the ground
>the chair rolls half way across the room backwards, nearly tipping over as you collide with him, wrapping your forelegs around his chest as tightly as you can, closing your eyes tight and hyperventilating, your whole body rocking as you let out a series of stunned squeals and whinnies in short bursts, completely overcome with emotion, tail flailing wildly

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry... Master oh... oh Master... I'm so so so SO sorry..." you whimper
>"Easy, Corona, easy girl," he murmurs softly to you, giving you a gentle squeeze before calmly trying to push you out of his lap. "Down, girl."
>ignoring the command, you hook your front hooves over his shoulders, nuzzling his cheek with a long, drawn-out nicker
"I don't know what to say... I... I messed up... I thought you were... you were..." you choke through your tears. "Please... please Master... don't hate me for what I've done... I'll do anything, ANYTHING to make it right... p...please don't ever leave me... or send me away... I... I can't... I don't..." you squeak
>he pulls you into a tight hug
>"Shhhh, easy girl, easy. Nobody's sending you away and nobody's leaving you. You're mine forever, remember? We'll discuss your punishment when we get home, okay?"
"Yes Master" you coo, feeling your trembling subside as he strokes your back
>you don't even care when he mentions punishment
>all you want to do right now is get as far away from this place as you can
>and never let Master out of your sight again
>whatever powers control this universe, they saw it fit to give you a second chance with him
>and you're going to make absolutely certain you don't blow it
>"Now, down girl" Master orders, once again nudging you away
>you climb down from his lap, laying on the floor and staring up at him, unable to take your eyes away

--------------------------------

"So, what about the other stallion? The one that attacked me, what's going to happen to him?" you say to the one officer that's remained in the room
>"Sparky? We ran his brand through the system and tracked down his owner. He was livid, and long story short he doesn't want him back, so he'll serve some time for the assault and then probably be auctioned off. They're recommending he has surgery to permanently disable his magical abilities."
>you look down at Corona for a moment, but she doesn't move a hair or say a word
"Doesn't he get a trial or anything?"
>the officer shrugs
>"Nah, not really. Court system is overburdened as it is. It's on us to handle most slave related issues, they don't have a right to a trial unless there's the possibility of an execution. Now, if you wanna take his owner to civil court, I'd say you have a pretty good case to recover some damages from him, ya know for medical bills and the impound fees, but I'm not a lawyer. Just sayin' if I were you I wouldn't hesitate to do it."
>you ponder his words for several moments before speaking up again
"I still don't want to press charges against the stallion. Does that make a difference?"
>"Not really. We got all we need from interrogating the three of them. It's an open and shut case, once the Chief goes over the specifics he'll decide on the sentence. If for some crazy reason you want to put in a good word for him though, I'm sure he'll take that into consideration."
>Steve reappears eventually, having wandered back inside wondering what was taking you so long
>you hand the rope attached to Corona over to him, and once again ask him to escort her out to the car
>both he and the mare give you a questioning look
"I still have some business to attend to here before we go," you explain before turning back to the officer, wheeling toward him as they depart. "I'd like to see him, can you arrange that?"
>he regards you with a puzzled look on his face before replying

>"Well, if you really want to, I guess. The slave holding wing is blocked off from the rest of the jail so it's not a violation of protocol to let you go back," he says, looking past you and making a gesture toward the glass barrier, the door buzzing open soon after. "I wouldn't want to deny a man the right to look his attacker in the eye. Follow me."
>as you wheel yourself down the narrow corridor, it's eerily quiet
>door after door crammed side by side
>these holding cells must be so tiny it borders on cruelty
>you're relieved when you're told that Sparky is the only pony inmate currently residing here
>when you reach the very last door on the right at the end of the corridor, he fumbles with his keys, inserting one and turning the lock, the hinges creaking loudly as it's opened
>you have to turn your face away in disgust, a blast of foul odor causing you to cough and gag
>your nose curled up in disgust as you attempt to fan the stench away, you turn your head back toward the door to get a good look
>there he lies
>a harsh metal collar around his neck, attached to a chain that's only three links in length, the other end of which is bolted to the floor, making it impossible for the stallion to stand up or move, forcing him to lie in his own filth
>he's wearing a muzzle with leather straps pulled tight around his snout, a metal bit clipped to it pulling up at the corners of his lips
>some kind of device with a black metal ring digging into the base of his horn
>he's definitely far from comfortable
>you'd even say this is downright inhumane
>his nostrils flare angrily as the door comes to a rest, now fully opened
>his eyes lock on the officer, giving an angry snarl as he bites down on the bit so hard it causes a tiny trickle of blood to form at the corners of his mouth, occasionally lurching forward against his restraint, hooves slipping and sliding as he tries to stand up

"Sparky, that's your name, right?"
>his eyes lock onto you, and the snarling silences
>the officer steps aside, leaning out and looking around
>"You wanna get in a couple shots, there's nobody else around. Just don't leave any marks or it's my ass."
>he begins whistling as he slowly strides down the corridor away from you, and you shake your head in disgust
>the stallion is perfectly still, his eyes still staring daggers at you
"I'm not going to hurt you, Sparky. I just wanted to talk."
>he rolls his eyes, flicking them toward the bit in his mouth, grumbling and snorting
"Well, you don't really have to talk, I guess, but I wanted you to at least hear what I had to say."
>you carefully scoot out of the wheelchair, sitting on the cold, hard ground in front of him, looking directly into his eyes
>he stares back, ears flat in anger as breath after furious breath heaves through his nostrils
"I'm sorry you're in here, in this position. I wouldn't have wanted this for you..."
>cautiously you reach a hand forward
>he tries to snap at you through the muzzle to appear intimidating, but it only serves to make him look even more pathetic
"I know you've probably had a hard life, I won't patronize you by saying I understand what you've gone through, because honestly none of us probably ever could," you say as your palm settles on his forehead, fingers parting around his horn
>when you begin slowly stroking down to his muzzle, he gets a bewildered, confused look on his face, even as you feel a slight release of his tension

"If I take this bridle and muzzle off of you, will you try to bite me?"
>the stallion hesitates, looking away from you for several moments, eventually shaking his head
>looking back over your shoulder you can hear the whistling is still at the far end of the corridor
>the deputy seems to be in no hurry to get back to you
>slowly, carefully you unbuckle the snaps and buckles holding the stallion's muzzle closed
>as you slowly pull the device from his head, his mouth opens slightly, allowing you to slide the bit out of his mouth as well
>licking his lips and moving his mouth around, he gives a brief sigh of relief, avoiding your gaze for as long as he can
>he seems stunned when you place your palm on his forehead again
>"You might have those other two ponies whipped into believing you're something you're not, but I see right through you. At the end of the day, you're a human. A slaver. The enemy."
"I'm not YOUR enemy, Sparky. I didn't even know you until you showed up on my property, and attacked ME."
>"Didn't have a choice. It was the only way I could have escaped... for what good it did me."
"The only reason the authorities got involved is because someone got hurt. Calling them probably wouldn't have been my first choice. What were you running away from that's got you so desperate not to go back, anyway?"

>"Slavery," he snorts. "But like you said, I don't expect a human to understand..."
>you shake your head, continuing to stroke his muzzle
"From what I'm told, your old Master doesn't want you back."
>his ears perk up slightly
>"First I've heard of it. Doesn't matter though, they'll just sell me to someone else - probably just as bad as..."
>he shudders
"I'll ask them to take it easy on you in handing down judgement," you offer
>he rolls his eyes
>"Don't waste your breath. I don't want your pity or your sympathy, human. I find your offer to beg for mercy on my behalf offensive. If you didn't exist, I wouldn't be here right now. None of this would have..." his voice trails off. "I'd be back home with my family."
"Would you have killed me if Shining Armor didn't stop you?"
>"I'm not a murderer," he sighs. "I already told your little collaborator puppet I was just trying to stun you. He didn't believe me."
"I'm not sure I do, either," you admit
>"I don't care. What do I have to gain by lying? I know what my intent was."
>your head slowly turns side to side, eventually you remove your hand from the stallion's muzzle
"You could be in here for a while, you know. They've already found you guilty. You don't get a trial, I-"
>"I know my 'rights,' I don't need you to sit here and explain to me what's going to happen or pretend you care."
>you let out a deep sigh, shaking your head slowly

"I don't know if this means anything to you at all - but... before I leave, I wanted you to know I forgive you," you say, climbing back into the wheelchair. "If circumstances were different, I wouldn't mind even getting to know you a little better."
>you wheel yourself backward, leaning your head through the doorway
"Hey officer? Can you come down here?"
>the stallion grinds his teeth, emitting a low growl, his hackles rising once again immediately upon seeing the deputy
"Can someone clean him up, please? This is too much..."
>he shrugs
>"No. Now, if you're done I- why is his muzzle off?"
"I wanted to talk to him."
>"Fan-fucking-tastic. If this bastard bites me..."
"I doubt you'd have to worry about that if you just treated him with some basic fucking dignity."
>he pulls your wheelchair out of the cell, slamming the door shut, Sparky's eyes come to rest on you for a brief moment before you're cut off
>"Alright, alright, I've been more than accommodating. You got your ponies, I think it's time for you to leave now," he says, pushing you back down the corridor at a brisk pace. "What happens to the stallion is none of your concern any more."
>you grumble in frustration
"Fine. I'll be making some calls later, I want it on the record that I'm not pressing charges and asked for leniency."
>"That's your right. I wouldn't hold your breath though," he says with a wicked grin as the door leading to the lobby is buzzed open and you're wheeled out. "You have a real nice day now, Mr. Anonymous," he says, slamming the door back behind himself

>despite his words, the look on the stallion's face as that door was slammed shut is one that's going to be burned into your memory for a while
>he was afraid
>the thought that his fate is out of your hands - that there's nothing you can realistically do for him - does little to ease your mind as you make your way back out to the car, which is idling in the parking lot
>you can't say you didn't try
>your two ponies in the back seat are crammed together uncomfortably, there's definitely not enough room for both of them
>Shining by himself typically takes up most of the back seat
>Steve gets out of the driver's seat, helping you into the passenger side before stowing the wheelchair in the trunk
>"Now that that's taken care of, I bet you're eager to get home! Did you get a chance to eat before they discharged you, Anon? You guys wanna stop for something on the way back to your place?"
"I don't want to keep you any longer, Steve. I appreciate you taking the time off to help me out," you say as the car rolls out of the parking lot, "but I think we all just want to get back as soon as possible. I know I'm looking forward to some familiar surroundings and sleeping in my own bed again."
>you motion to the ponies in the back seat
"Besides, they're crammed in like sardines back there, wouldn't want them to get a cramp or something," you say with a soft chuckle





>"Alright buddy, I'm gonna head back to the office now - I only took a half day off. I'll give you a call later tonight to see how you're doing though. Take it easy man," Steve says, patting you on the shoulder as he stands in the doorway.
>just as he begins to turn around and leave, he turns back to you just as suddenly
>"Oh yeah, one other thing - Gracie has been driving me up the wall asking when she can come see the ponies again. She doesn't know you got hurt..."
>you glance over at Shining Armor with a smirk - some of the glitter nail polish from his previous encounter with the little girl still lingering on all four hooves
"Why don't you bring her over after my appointment with the neurologist tomorrow?"
>"You sure you're going to be feeling up to having visitors?"
>you wave a hand dismissively
"I'm fine, really Steve. Besides, after these last few days I'm sure Shiny over there would love to see his little friend."
>Shining doesn't smile, but he does give a faint swish of his tail when he overhears the conversation
>"Sounds good, Grace will be thrilled," Steve says, glancing over at Shining Armor. "Hope you don't mind - you're all she's talked about ever since Anon brought you guys over, heh."
"We'll see you tomorrow then," you say, nodding at each other before he departs and closes the front door behind himself
>clearing your throat, you make your way over to your recliner, closing your eyes and letting out a massive sigh of relief as you sink into it, propping out the foot rest
>damn it feels good to be home
>though there is one other item you need to deal with before you can relax completely
"Shiny, will you please excuse me and Corona for a moment? I need to have a little chat with her."
>the stallion glances back and forth between you before giving a curt nod, making his way toward the ponies' bedroom where you hear the door close behind him

>Corona sits on her haunches next to you, looking up at you expectantly, head tilting slightly to the side
>with a heavy sigh, you rest your head back into the recliner, staring blankly up at the ceiling, waving a hand in the air as you speak
"I don't even know where to begin with you," you say, allowing your hand to fall onto your lap
>her ears flatten as she stands up, placing her muzzle on the armrest, eyes looking downward in shame
"Well?" you say, sitting up some and staring directly at her, "Do you have anything to say?"
>"M...Master..." she whimpers, placing a hoof next to her muzzle, her tail giving a single swish before she tucks it tightly against her rump
"Don't 'Master' me like that," you almost growl, causing her bottom lip to quiver briefly. "I don't think I need to tell you that what you did was bad," you say calmly, lifting your arm out of the way when she tries to nuzzle your elbow. "I can get over being hurt physically... that part is no big deal. I'll heal."
>you sit fully upright in the chair, pushing the footrest back in as you twist in your seat, wedging your hand under her muzzle and tilting her head slightly upward
"Corona, look at me, girl."
>her eyes roll in their sockets slowly until her pupils meet yours
>at the same moment they flood with tears as she presses her ears against her head even tighter
"I trusted you."
>she tries to glance away, but is stopped when you firmly but gently pull her muzzle back up
"Nah ah, you look at me, girl."
>her nose twitches, a gasp catching in her throat as she tries to hold back her tears
"That's the part that hurts the most. Worse than any bump on the head ever could. I trusted you. I took pity on you, and against my better judgement, I took you into my home, gave you a chance. You've been such a good girl for me up until now, and I was sure I made the right choice. And then, just when I start to think of you as FAMILY, you go and do something like this."

>her eyes squint shut as if she's just been slapped
"What would have happened if I hadn't managed to call for help? If Shiny couldn't find my phone or I blacked out before I could dial it? I want you to think about that and let it really sink in," you say as you release her
>she lets out a long, drawn out whimper, clenching her jaw shut as her body shakes with her choked back sobs
"As for your punishment, I'm still trying to decide on that..."
>those last words seem to bounce right off of her
>"I'm sorry, Master..." she squeaks
"You should be. You could have lost everything you had here, and-"
>"Not...not because of that..."
>you snap your fingers
"Don't interrupt me. I don't have a will or heirs. If I'd died, you'd have been sold off, maybe even ended up somewhere worse than you were before. You don't know how much the thought of you going back into the hands of someone that would mistreat you breaks my heart. Shiny, too. You would have robbed him of a good home and a Master that cares for him."
>"M...Mast-" she huffs, dropping to the floor and covering her eyes
>"They t..t..told me you w..were..d...d..."
"Well, I'm not," you cut her off dismissively, taking a deep breath as you try to soften your tone. "Listen girl, I care about you, that's one thing that won't change so long as I draw breath, but I can't just wave this off like it never happened..."

>"I...I know..." she sniffles, rubbing her eyes. "I wish I could take it ba-"
>she stops speaking instantly when you raise your hand to interrupt her once again
"Your hot tub and bath privileges are revoked. You can take showers to clean up, and when you're not working I want you in the house."
>she nods, inching toward you on her belly, slowly looking back up at you through teary eyes
"That's something you can have back when I decide you've earned it."
>you hesitate to continue, wrestling with your thoughts about your next words
"And while I was really hoping I would never have to do this, I think some swats to the hindquarters are in order as well."
>"Yessir..." she replies just above a whisper, not uttering a single whimper, grunt, or word of protest in response to your judgement
>there's a heavy silence that lingers and stretches out into eternity
>eventually she sits up on her haunches, giving you a questioning look, as though expecting there to be more
>instead, she nearly breaks down again as you slowly reach over and place a hand on top of her head
>not petting or scratching her, just letting it rest there
>a small gesture to show her that even though you're upset with her, she's still your girl
"That'll have to wait until I'm feeling better, though. I just want you to know it's coming so you're not surprised when it happens."
>"Y...yessir," she replies, gradually beginning to smile at you as she blinks away fresh tears


--------------------------------

>"SHINNYYYY!"
>once again you find tiny fingers locked together around your foreleg, and the face they belong to snuggling against the front of your neck
>at least you're ready for it this time
>it's not an unwelcome gesture
>after all, it's been a pretty rough week
>Corona hasn't been very talkative since the two of you got back yesterday
>come to think of it, neither has Anon
>save for when he's asking for help with something
>he looked troubled when he arrived home from his appointment with the doctor
>and he was gone a lot longer than he said he would be
>but whatever's bothering him, he's keeping it to himself
>at least for now
>Corona seems torn between the desire to be stuck to him like glue, and wanting to vanish from the face of the planet
>you thought she might come out of the bedroom when Grace showed up for her visit
>but even when you'd knocked to let her know she was on her way, she hadn't said anything
>sure she's got plenty to feel guilty about
>but sulking like this isn't going to help her patch up her relationship with Anon...
>"I missed you soso much!"
"It's good to see you too, Gracie" you say with a smile
>"I told EVERYONE at school I was best friends with a unicorn pony now, and they didn't believe me!" she huffs and rolls her eyes as she lets go of your leg
>you sit on your haunches and tilt your head
"Is that so?"
>"YEAH! Like why would I make that up?"
>the little girl's words become a droning background noise, your mind wandering as she tells you every last detail about her week
>you shake your head and snap back to reality as her father and Anon approach the two of you

>"Why don't we head out back? That'll give you two room to play while me 'n Steve chit chat on the porch."
>"Yeah! We can play hide and seek, I bet you won't be able to find me!" Grace chirps before taking off toward the back door
>you start to give a nod, but find yourself quickly jumping to your hooves when Anon's legs wobble, his hand coming to rest on your withers as he nearly hits the floor
>"Good catch there, Shiny" he says as Grace's father brings the wheelchair over to him
>he's been stubborn about using it, insisting he's fine to walk on his own
>but this is the third time today you've broken his fall
>as he takes a seat, he gives you a firm pat on the shoulder when he notices the look of concern on your face
>"I'm fine, big guy. Go entertain your friend."





"Oh boy, I wonder... Where oh where could little Gracie be hiding THIS time?" you say in an exaggerated tone, rolling your eyes with a big smirk as you walk back up onto the porch 
>you feign cluelessness as you hear suppressed snickers when you pass a pair of tiny white sneakers with pink laces shifting about beneath the tarp covering the hot tub
>your ears rotate toward the two men sitting nearby now and then as they clank a pair of brown glass bottles together, laughing as they each take a drink
>the snickering grows even louder as you walk past a second time
"I dunno, I guess she's not up here..." you say, snatching back the tarp in one quick motion with a sudden "GOTCHA!"
>the little girl falls over in a giggling fit as you gently poke a hoof into her belly
>"hey not fair!" she squeals between laughs, "you saw my shoes, that's cheating!"
>she stands back up, stroking your muzzle a few times as her laughter dies down
>"Okay Shiny, now you go hide!"
>she spins around, covering her eyes as she counts out loud slowly
>"Ooooone.... twooooo...."
>looking back over your shoulder as you descend the steps, you shake your head with a silent laugh as she peeks through her fingers
>"threee....fourfivesixseveneightnineten!"
>you pick up your pace to a trot hearing her accelerate her countdown, laughing as she comes bounding after you
>though when that laughter is cut off abruptly, you instantly spin around
>just in time to see her laying flat at the bottom of the stairs
>she rolls over, sitting up on the ground holding her leg, tears already welling up in her eyes
>before Steve can even make it two steps, you're already crouching next to her, nuzzling her cheek as you look down and see a dirty scrape on her knee

>"Grace, baby, I know you're excited but you gotta be more careful!" he says as he approaches her, picking her back up to her feet and dusting her off "You okay sweetheart?"
>she rubs her eyes and nods as she takes his hand
>"That top step is steeper than it looks, sorry Gracie..." Anon says. "There's some peroxide under the bathroom sink and bandaids in the medicine cabinet..."
>Steve gives Anon a quick nod as he leads his daughter into the house
>but when you attempt to follow his hand is suddenly blocking your path
>"Shiny stay out here for a sec, would you?"
>you turn to face Anon with a curious glance
>he picks up the bottle and swirls the contents idly as the door softly closes
>"Just thought you should know, I saw a lawyer and had a will made up today."
>his free hand meets the back of his neck and he looks away from you
>"If something happens to me..."
>his head snaps back in your direction suddenly, holding up his hand
>"IF, I mean - right now I'm fine, so I don't want you to concern yourself over this needlessly.... but IF... I just wanted you to be aware what's going to happen to you, should that day come."
>you sit on your haunches and stare at him as he looks away again
>"Steve's agreed to take you in. Now technically on paper you'd belong to him, but the reality is you'd be Gracie's pony. I can't possibly think of a better home for you..." he trails off

"...and Corona?" you ask hesitantly
>"He'll take her too, but just long enough to find her a new home... with the divorce he just can't afford two more mouths to feed."
"I don't get it Anon... if you're okay, then why bring this up right now?
>he shrugs
>"Dunno... now seemed like as good a time as any. I thought it might put your mind at ease to know you're never going back into the auction system."
>he shakes his head, reaching over and scratching your ear
>"Don't read too much into it though, okay pal? If there was something serious going on with me, I promise I'd let the two of you know."
>he rests his palm on your forehead just beneath your horn
>"I also want you to know how much I appreciate what you did for me... I never did thank you."
>it had been an instinctual reaction to tackle Sparky, honestly
>you couldn't have known for sure if the spell he was casting was lethal, but you weren't about to find out
>human or not, it was the right thing to do
>you flick your tail and look away momentarily, wondering if Anon would be half as grateful if he knew that you'd unbuckled that halter in a split second of remorse and empathy...
>that's a detail you decide to keep to yourself for the time being
>pushing the thought aside, you offer a simple nicker in reply

>standing up, you give a stretch and a shake, an ear flopping as you notice Corona standing in the doorway out of the corner of your eye
>"Master?" she says softly, looking at the ground. "Will our guests be joining us for dinner?"
>Anon nods
>"Yeah, I'm just gonna order pizza. Pepperoni for us and veggie deluxe for you and Shiny. If you'd rather have hay one of you will have to pull a bale down from the loft in the storage shed."
>Corona shakes her head
>"Thank you Master..."
>as she turns to step back inside, Anon speaks up to stop her
>"Corona, I'd like you to stay out here for a while, actually. You've been cooped up in that room for too long."
>she tilts her head
>"But Master... my punishment... in the house when I'm not working..." she mutters
>"Well I'm making an exception this once. Grace wants to see you."
>she takes a few hesitant steps outside, avoiding eye contact with her Master as she approaches you
>"I heard them in the house..."
>you nod
"She scraped her knee," you explain. "I'm sure they'll be back out in a minute or s-"
>right on cue, Corona jumps, startled by a sudden hug around the neck from her side
>"Hi Corona!"
>a quick glance downward and you see a pair of bandages stuck to the little girl's knee
>"I was wondering when you were gonna come outside! Now you can play with us!"
>"O-oh, I d-don't know if I'd be m-much fun right now, little one," Corona stammers
>"What's wrong? Are you not feeling good?" Grace observes, feeling the mare's forehead. "I don't think you have a fever, don't you wanna play?"
>"Now Corona," Anon interjects, "don't be rude.

>"I'm sorry Grace..." she apologizes, "I'm just... a little tired, that's all. I didn't mean to... I'll play if you want to," she says, sitting on her haunches. "What game are you playing?"
>"We were playing hide and seek! I'm winning!" she says with a toothy grin
>when Corona doesn't respond, it slowly fades
>she soon finds her muzzle being lifted by a pair of little hands
>"Why do you keep looking at the ground?"
>her eyes flick toward Anon, but Grace doesn't notice
>as she speaks again her voice goes up in pitch
>"You look so sad!" she says, wrapping her arms around the mare's neck, planting a kiss on her mane and petting her. "We can play a different game if you want. What games do YOU like to play?"
>"I... can't think of anything at the moment. I really am sorry, I don't want to ruin your fun."
>"It's okay, Corona! You can watch me and Shiny play if you're not feeling good. I won't be mad!"
>she flashes a brief smile, closing her eyes as her muzzle is stroked affectionately
>"Thank you, Gracie."
>an arm hooked over Corona's neck as she leans against her, she looks back to you
>"I was getting bored with hide and seek anyway. Do you wanna play something else, Shiny?"
>you shake your head
"Whatever you wanna do is fine with me, Gracie."
>she shrugs her shoulders, looking over at Anon

>"Hey mister Anonymous, daddy said there's pizza coming, do you know how long it'll take?"
>he nods
>"Antonio's was pretty busy and they're the only ones that deliver out this far, they said it'd be about an hour."
>she groans
>"Awww..." she says with a raspberry. "Darn."
>she gasps and places a hand over her mouth. "Oops! Language! Sorry! I'm just getting kinda hungry."
"There's some fruit cocktail in the fridge I was saving for later if you want a little snack before the pizza gets here," you offer.
>"Naw, that's okay Shiny, I don't wanna waste your food, I can wait."
"Okay then. Have you thought of a game to play until dinner gets here?"
>she rubs her chin with a loud "hmmm," rolling her eyes around and tapping a foot
"I dunno about games, but there's one thing," she says sheepishly. "I don't know if you'd think it's fun though."
>you tilt your head in curiosity
"I'm listening"
>"Well," she says hesitantly, kicking the toe of her shoe against the ground and looking away from you
>"I 've been meaning to ask... would you be okay with giving me a pony ride?" she requests bashfully, still not looking up
"Hah! Is THAT all?" you say
>"If you don't wanna I understand... I just never got to ride a pony before and-" her voice trails off
>"Gracie, the vet said Shiny needs to fill out a little more before it's safe to carry any weight on his back," Anon says
>she gives a little dejected sigh
>"Oh..."
>"Once he's in good enough shape though I'm sure he won't mind, maybe in a few more weeks."
"I don't mind at all!" you reassure her. "I mean, I could probably carry you right now, I really don't think it would hurt, but it's up to Anon."

>Anon shakes his head
>"I don't want to take a chance on something happening until you're in a better place physically," he insists. "Shiny's a good size pony, too. I'm worried about you falling, Gracie. If he's gonna give you rides, then I want you to have a saddle so you don't lose your balance."
>your nose twitches and ears flatten in embarrassment for a moment at the mention of a saddle, but you shrug it off
>her father nods in agreement
>"Okay..." she finally concedes. "I guess I can wait."
>"Well... I'm healthy enough," Corona offers. "I'm pretty strong, and I'm lower to the ground for her..."
>the way Grace's face lights up when she realizes what the mare is saying melts your heart
>Anon shrugs
>"If Corona wants to give you a pony ride, and it's alright with your dad, then that's fine with me," he says before turning his attention to the mare. "Just take it slow and be careful with her, okay?"
>"Can I, daddy? PLEEEASE?" she says, bouncing up and down on her heels as she stares in her father's direction
>"Alright, sweetie. I don't see the harm. But you be nice to Corona, okay? Don't go kicking her sides or anything."
>"YES!!!" she squeals, giving a series of fist pumps as she closes her eyes. "YES YES YES! Thank you, Corona, you're awesome!" she says, embracing her again, drawing a relaxed smile from her
>"Corona, why don't you go fetch your bridle from the shed? I'll slip it on you real quick so Gracie has some reins to hold onto instead of just your mane," Anon suggests
>"Yessir..." she nods

--------------------------------

>the bridle is easy to find, hanging on a hook near where your cart is parked next to the tractor
>you sigh, rearing up and grabbing the polished bits of brass and strips of lustrous black leather in your teeth, returning to where the eagerly awaiting youngster is continuing to dote on Shining Armor
>she's clearly trying to contain her excitement, though she's doing a poor job of it as she fidgets about, staring in your direction as Master slips the bridle around your muzzle and over your ears 
>"These reins are way too long, they're supposed to be used on a pony pulling a cart, not one being ridden by a child. Can't have them dragging the ground and risk you tripping" he says, holding them up and running them through his hands
>you sit patiently on your haunches, staring down at your hooves
>it's still nearly unbearable to look at him
"I have a suggestion, Master..." you offer quietly
>he pauses, waiting for you to continue
"If you remove one of the reins, then loop the free end of the other into where it attaches to the bridle-"
>"-and tie it off, she'll have one shorter continuous rein to hold onto," he interrupts, finishing your sentence. "Good thinking, girl" he says, giving you a quick pat on the withers. 
>you rise to your hooves as he slips a finger under the leather straps in different places, giving one last final check to ensure a good fit
>you lean forward in an attempt to give his hand a quick nuzzle, but he pulls it away too fast
>"Alright Corona, stay where we can see you and behave for little Gracie, okay? Once she's on your back, she's the boss"
>your ears flop downward for a moment as you reply
"yessir..."
>after you descend the stairs, her father lifts her up onto you
>she's heavy enough that you couldn't possibly forget she's there, but you're sure you've carried much more weight than this before
>as long as your little ride doesn't last more than a half an hour or so, you won't be too tired afterward

>even if it lasts longer, a good workout isn't going to kill you
>besides, it'll be nice to get out and stretch your legs after being locked away in a tiny cell for days, then cooped up in the house ever since you got back
>she wobbles for a moment, squeezing her legs firmly against your sides trying to steady herself
>you shift your weight and take a step to your right, trying to make up for her lack of balance
>there's no real risk of her falling since she's still holding daddy's hand
>but it shows them that your reflexes are quick enough to compensate for her lack of experience
>after a minute or so, she feels confident enough to let go of his hand, leaning forward and hugging you around the neck before sitting up tall and picking up the rein hanging over your withers
"Just give a little tug to let me know which way you want to go, okay Grace?"
>"And I can say 'whoa' to stop and 'giddyup' to go, right?"
"Yes ma'am, if you want to" you reply. "If I feel you start to lose your balance I'll make sure I stop, so don't be worried. I promise I'll take good care of you."
>"Got it! Now giddyup Corona!" she says, bouncing up and down gently and giving your sides a light kick before squeezing tight with her legs - a grip that only tenses up further as you take your first few tentative steps forward with a soft nicker
>"No kicking, Gracie" her father reminds her as he returns to his seat next to Master
>"Sorry!" she says before letting out a series of loud giggles, already apparently having the time of her life as she squeals with delight
>"Yeeeeeeeehaw! Giiiiddyup Corona!" she hoots excitedly, her heels swinging up past your shoulders a few times before returning to your sides. "Giddyup giddyup giddyup!" she calls out rhythmically with each stride, emphasizing each 'giddyup' with another bounce

>the rein draws the bridle snugly against your muzzle as she clings it to her chest tightly, but the leather is soft and supple enough that it's not painful, just mildly uncomfortable
>you can ignore it for now
>it will take some time for her to learn to balance herself properly, after all
>besides, the sheer joy in her voice is more than worth a little discomfort on your part
>and it's not like she's trying to hurt you on purpose or anything
>the two men sitting on the deck continue talking and give a couple of laughs just loud enough for you to hear
>you're not sure what they're saying, but you imagine they must find her enthusiasm quite amusing
>it fades away entirely as you reach the edge of the nearest fenced pasture, which is quite a distance from the house, but still just barely within sight of Master
>"Right... now left... now right!" she yells, tugging sharply on the rein, your body instinctively following in the direction your muzzle is being pointed
>you snort softly, obeying every little command as it comes
>you make a few loops in each direction in the big open grassy area between the house and the pasture, each time skirting the fenceline before passing the pile of brush and trash you'd helped Master gather up days before that he still hasn't gotten around to burning
>this isn't bad at all
>Grace seems to be slowly getting the hang of keeping her balance as well
>you're sure after a few rides she'll have developed a more confident seat
>maybe Master will even trust you enough to take her down some of the paths leading around the property, give her a real proper trail ride
>your ears flatten as the thought passes your mind
>IF he ever trusts you that much again...
>you shake it off before she has a chance to notice
>after twenty minutes or so, your breaths become heavier and more labored, but you're still far from exhausted

>in fact, it would feel so good to trot right now
>or even canter
>really give those muscles a good stretch and burn off some of this pent up energy...
>she's definitely not ready for that though
>your head turns suddenly as you come to a halt, finding Shining Armor breaking from a trot as he catches up to you
>"How's our little cowgirl doing?"
"She's a natural," you say with a smile, looking back at her over your shoulder as she reaches forward and strokes your neck. "I think she's having a good time, too, aren't you Grace?" you ask with a flick of your tail
>"This is the best thing EVER!" she cheers, her arms and fists flying into the air as she drops the rein. "I could do this all day long! Aren't you getting tired though, Corona?" she asks, leaning forward. "We've been riding for a long time."
>you shake your head, giving a quick chuckle under your breath
"It hasn't been very long at all, I'll be fine," you reassure her half-heartedly. "Besides, like Master said, when you're on my back you're the boss! We're done whenever YOU want to be done, okay?" 
>she leans forward and wraps her arms around your neck once again, bombarding your mane with a flurry of kisses
>"You're the best! I love you, Corona!"
>you nicker at her warmly and briefly shudder as you close your eyes
>it warms your heart to be appreciated like this
>you never imagined a human could be capable of showing you this much genuine affection
>even if she isn't Master, she's someone you feel yourself quickly becoming attached to, already looking forward to her next visit even though this one isn't even over yet
>"Do you think I can still ride you sometimes even after I start riding Shiny?" she asks as she sits up, head tilting slightly as she lets her legs idly swing back and forth along your sides
"I can't make any promises, little one. We... we still have a lot of work to do around here, I'm not sure how often I'll be able to..."

>sensing her disappointment even without being able to see her face, you eagerly add on a small reassurance to your statement
"But I'm having fun, too! As long as it's okay with Master we can go for a ride any time you want, okay? I won't ever say no."
>Shining sits on his haunches and rolls his eyes with a huff
>"Well, once I'M in good enough shape I bet you won't even WANT to ride that short stubby little earth pony mare any more! Especially once you get better at it and want to go faster than a boring old walk," he says, standing up and circling you. "I've seen her trot, it's wayyyyy too choppy, she'll bounce you all over the place! And her canter is just a sad, clumsy mess. Besides, a princess like you deserves a big strong white stallion to be her noble steed!"
>for a moment, you squint an eye and your jaw opens slightly at his bizarre statement and behavior
>you almost take offense until you realize he's just hamming it up for the little girl sitting astride you
>two can play at this game
"Oh yeah?" you scoff as your lips curl into a wry grin. "And when's the last time YOUR lazy flank even DID any real work, hmm? Hard to give a proper pony ride if you get pooped out and cry to be done after ten strides!"
>You tilt your head upward and close your eyes, snootily lifting your muzzle straight up into the air and lifting a front hoof to your chest haughtily
"We EARTH PONIES are used to hard work though! Not like you namby-pamby prissy unicorns. I bet you'd break a sweat before she could even get a saddle on your back! Not that she even WILL be able to get a saddle on you," you say, poking a hoof into his chest, "if you keep eating everything in sight like a living pony vacuum and end up turning into a big chubby pony shaped blob!"
>"Corona!" Gracie says, giggling uncontrollably as she slaps your shoulder playfully, "Don't be meeeeean!"
>her hands lift up to her mouth, cheeks bright red as her laughter intensifies when the exchange continues 

>Shining lets out a squeal, his ears flattening, eyes widening and mouth hanging open with an exaggerated look of shock and offense
>"HMPH! Well... I'm... taller! And taller ponies are better for riding! I'm not gonna let you steal my new best human friend away from me so easily, you know!" he mock-pouts
>"Awwww, don't be jealous Shiny," Grace says as she finally catches her breath and gets her giggling under control, "I still love you too!"
>his bottom lip curls up, ears flattening against his head, playing on her sympathy
>"e...even if I don't give the best pony rides?" he sulks
>"Yeah!" she chirps. "Even if I NEVER get another pony ride we'll still all be friends, silly!"
>he nickers as he steps to your side, pushing his muzzle up under her hand
>she lets out a sigh, leaning over and wrapping her arms around him, resting her cheek on his snout
>"I wish you were my ponies... I don't ever wanna leave..." she says, her tone taking a sudden sharp turn toward morose, causing both of you to stop putting on this little show for her
>she sniffles, stifling a sob, a tear rolling down her cheek and onto Shining's face as she squeezes him tighter
>"Hey now... what's wrong Gracie?" the stallion says softly to her, his voice dripping with concern, "we were just teasing each other, having fun... we didn't upset you did we?"
>"mm-mm" she mutters, wiping her cheek before embracing the stallion again, wobbling for a moment as she nearly loses her balance on your back
>you slowly lie down on the ground, Shining's movement matching yours so that the little girl clinging to him for dear life doesn't have to let go
>"You wanna tell Shiny what's bothering you?"
>she doesn't answer, but eventually slowly releases him, swinging her leg back over your side, resting her elbows on her knees and face in the palms of her hands
>"You two make me so happy..." she speaks up hesitantly
"Why does that make you want to cry, little one?" you ask her

>"cause I shouldn't be happy... mommy's leaving and it's all my fault..." she whimpers before erupting into loud sobs
>you and Shining exchange worried glances, neither of you sure what to do or say next
>"Hey hey hey now," Shining says, resting his chin on her shoulder, prompting her to hug him once more and cry into his neck. "I don't know what's going on with your mommy, but I KNOW whatever it is can't possibly be your fault," he tries to console her
>out of the corner of your eye you see her father standing by the deck railing, leaning against it and staring in your direction intensely with a hand on his forehead
>"b...but it is... they don't think I hear them fighting... but I do... I always heard them fighting... and they still fight... and I promised mommy I'd be better... I wouldn't ever be bad again if she just stays with me and daddy... b...b...but it wasn't enough and n...now"
>she pulls away, trembling wildly as she stares into Shining's eyes with a guilt-ridden expression
>"Why doesn't mommy want me any more, Shiny?"
>Shining lifts a hoof, pulling her back into his embrace, pressing his chin into her shoulder, her tiny little body rocking heavily with each sob even as it's muffled into him
>"Shhhh, shhhhh... it's gonna be okay Gracie... we're here for you, let it all out..."
>when you look again, her father is standing at the bottom of the stairs, occassionally talking over his shoulder to Master, who has also wheeled his chair to the edge of the top step.
>Steve looks extremely troubled, though he seems hesitant to head in your direction
>this is a conversation he's probably had to have with her with her dozens of times, but you're sure each time is just as painful for him as the last
>you don't pretend to fully understand what's going on, but you know from experience that sometimes the only thing you can do when you feel so overwhelmed is to cry it out in the embrace of a good friend, someone that makes you feel safe and warm and loved

>gradually her cries die down, her grip on Shining Armor slowly loosening as well
>she sniffles as she rubs her eyes and cheeks before wiping them with the bottom of her shirt
>"You gonna be okay there, Gracie?" Shining asks
>"Mm-hmm," she murmurs through closed lips
>your ears swivel as you hear a sharp whistling coming from the direction of the house
>turning your head you see Master beckoning you to return, a hand in the air waving toward himself
"I think dinner's here, little one. We better head back, now"
>she doesn't reply, but you feel her swing her leg back over your withers and shift her weight as she takes up the rein in one hand, a fistful of your mane in the other, legs wrapped tightly around your sides as you stand up
>there's no giddyness, giggling, bouncing, or hooting and hollering on the ride back
>instead there's only an uncomfortable silence, the little girl's sadness almost palpable as she stares down at the back of your head while Shining walks alongside you
>as soon as you arrive she slides off of your back, stumbling as her feet hit the ground, and runs toward her father, hugging him tightly, still sniffling
>"Pizza's here," Master says, rolling toward the patio table on the deck with two large square boxes resting in his lap, setting them onto it along with a few paper plates and some napkins
>"Did you have a nice ride, sweetheart?"
>she nods
>"...I saw you crying baby, were you thinking about mommy again?"
>she looks down at her feet and hesitantly nods once more
>her father squats down to eye-level with her and whispers something into her ear
>even with your acute sense of hearing you're not able to make out what he's saying, though it does take a while, and you see Grace nod several times before eventually taking a step back and slowly turning toward you, a somber smile on her face

>"Thank you for giving me my first ever pony ride, Corona" she says 
"It was a pleasure, little one" you say with a slight bow of your head
>just as you're about to start toward Master to have him remove your bridle, you feel a tug on the rein
>"Corona, wait! Daddy, can you take our picture?
>you bend your front legs and lean down toward the ground to make mounting easier for her, expecting her to try to scramble up onto your back again, but instead she hooks an arm over your withers, holding out the other and motioning for Shining to join the two of you
>you sit on your haunches as Shining lays on the ground next to her, scooting closer as she rests her free arm over his neck, leaning into him and pulling both of you closer
>"Alright, big smiles everyone!" Steve says as he takes a step back, holding a similar looking device to Master's phone sideways with both hands
>"cheeeeeeese!" the little girl says with a toothy grin
>Shining tilts his head slightly just before there's a bright flash, causing you to blink your eyes a few times before it flashes again
>after ascending the stairs, you look back just in time to see her give Shining one last peck on the cheek before dinner
>you flinch when you feel a hand on your withers, feeling the bridle tighten for a fleeting moment before loosening and slipping off of your muzzle entirely
>you turn your head to see Master with a slice of the veggie pizza on a plate in his lap, looping up the lengths of leather in his hand as he removes the bridle and hangs it on the railing next to the stairs
>"Alright Corona, say goodbye to your friend and then go on and take your dinner into the house," he says, setting the plate nearby
>"Awww, why does Corona have to go inside mister Anon? Can't she stay out here and eat with us?" Grace asks, sitting at the table as her father pushes her own slice of pizza in front of her

>"Corona's on punishment, Gracie. She was a bad pony a few days ago, so now she has to stay inside the house when she's not working," Master explains as he rolls himself over to the table
>she gets a curious look on her face and gives a little gasp
>"Bad pony? What did she do?"
>"Grace, honey, mind your own business, okay?" her father says to her, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Go on and eat your pizza."
>"But Corona's a good pony! I don't underst-" she protests before her father interrupts her
>"Grace, enough. Eat your-" 
>"It's alright, Steve," Master says calmly. "Sweetie, it's a personal matter okay? Corona knows what she did, and why she's being punished. She misbehaved and broke the rules, and I have to discipline her when she does that. That's my responsibility as her Master, so she learns from her mistakes."
>she looks over at you sympathetically
>"You only let her come outside to give me a pony ride?"
>Master shakes his head
>"I didn't know she would offer to give you one, I let her come outside because I know you wanted to see her. But now it's time for her to go back in the house."
>your head droops, ears folding flat against your head
>"Can I go inside and keep her company then? I don't want her to be all lonely and stuff after she was so nice for me..."
>Master sighs
>"I'm sorry Grace, I have to insist. Corona," Master says, pointing toward the house, "Inside. Now."
"It's okay little one, I'll be fine. It was nice to see you again," you say before taking the plate in your mouth
>"I love you Corona! I'll come see you again soon okay?"
>you look back over your shoulder at the group one last time before the door is closed behind you

--------------------------------

"Yep, hope you had a nice visit. Thanks again for all the help," you say, standing in the front doorway on wobbly legs. "Grace isn't too disappointed that Corona had to spend the rest of her visit inside, is she?"
>"Nah, I'll talk to her about that. She'll understand... I think. If not, she'll just have to accept that it's none of our business how you discipline your ponies. She knows you don't mistreat 'em or anything."
>you put a hand on the back of your neck
"Yeah well, her punishment has a... physical component to it as well..."
>he pauses for a moment, then shrugs
>"Like I said, none of our business."
"The only reason I bring it up is I'm kind of concerned what kind of impact it'll have on Grace if she finds out. I mean, I'll order them not to talk to her about it, but if she DOES find out-"
>"Gracie loves your ponies, Anon, but they're still YOUR ponies - YOUR slaves. If she finds out you have to take a whip to them now and then, I'll have that talk with her when the time comes. But I think for now I've got enough on my plate with her to deal with..."
>you nod your head awkwardly
"Right," you say with a sigh. "Sorry. Standing here rambling on while... erm... is Camille still planning on moving back to France?"
>"...yeah, and she wants to take Gracie with her now. So that's going to be a big mess..."
"Good luck with all of that," you say, avoiding looking at him when you hear the frustration and sorrow in his voice.
>"I think things will turn out okay eventually. It's just going to be really hard on our little girl... I really appreciate you letting her spend time with your ponies. It's the only time I ever see her smile anymore. Even so, I'd just hate for her to get too attached to them and then have to..." he says, his voice wavering as it trails off

"Hey, she's welcome to them any time," you offer. "The work that needs done around here can always wait. Giving Gracie all the support she needs to get through this is much more important."
>"Even though the mare... y'know..." he hesitates
"I guarantee she's safe with her," you reassure him. "I won't ever let them out of my sight."
>"I wasn't really worried too much about that. I mean, I watched them like a hawk today, and she took good care of her. I was just going to say though, if she's restricted to the house, how-"
"We'll figure something out. Shining can keep her company when she comes over for the most part, he seems to be her favorite anyway. If she wants a pony ride I'll let Corona out of the house for that, since it's technically work. Here in a few weeks though I think Shiny will have put on enough weight for some light riding. I'll have him fitted for a saddle so she can start taking him out for rides instead."
>"You're gonna keep the mare inside that long?"
>you let out a long sigh
"I haven't decided yet. We'll see how things go. To be completely honest, after what happened I would really rather Grace spend her visits with Shining anyway. I think he can be trusted with her without my supervision, and that'll also free me up to take Corona out to get some work done while he entertains her."
>he nods as the wind starts to pick up, chilling the both of you as a few drops of rain start to patter onto your surroundings
>"Okay then," he says, briskly rubbing his arms. "Well, we better get back before this storm rolls in. Take care, buddy"
"You too. Be safe driving back" you say, closing the door as he turns toward the car where his daughter is waiting. 
>He just barely manages to take a seat behind the wheel in time to keep from getting soaked as the storm clouds overhead really open up, the house shaking with a long roll of low, rumbling thunder

>Shining is laying on the couch watching tv, letting out a satisfied sigh as he yawns and stretches, reveling in the warmth of the house and the sensation of a full belly
>he doesn't even seem to notice when you walk right past the wheelchair in what, to an outside observer, might appear as a drunken stupor, and plop down into your recliner
>you glance over at the tv and roll your eyes, not at all surprised at what's playing out on the screen
"Don't you ever get sick of this show?"
>he shifts around until he's laying on his side, shrugging his shoulders with a soft snort and flicking his tail as his hind hooves dangle over the edge of the cushions
>you place a hand on your forehead as you lean back and close your eyes, hoping the throbbing in your skull that's developing passes instead of erupting into a full blown migraine
>"So I'm just gonna be a little girl's riding pony now?"
>you suppress a groan
"Shiny please, not right now..."
>"I wasn't trying to be sarcastic or anything, Anon," he says apologetically in a somewhat softer tone.
"You're still going to be helping me and Corona with stuff that needs done around here, eventually. I think taking Grace for some rides will be a nice way to ease you back into work, if nothing else."
>"I'm okay with that actually... I mean, not that you asked for my opinion or anything"
"You really like her, don't you?"
>he smiles
>"She brings out my paternal side, I guess. I'll probably never get to see my little Flurry Heart again... well, she's probably not so little anymore, she'll have grown quite a bit since the last time I saw her... wonder if she'd even remember me..." he says morosely, pausing and shaking his head. "Anyway, spending time with Gracie is the closest thing I'll ever get to being a daddy again..."
>he doesn't seem to be paying attention to the tv anymore when you open an eye and glance over at him

>"Hey Anon, why don't you have a family?"
"That's a pretty personal question, Shiny"
>"I was just curious is all, I meant no disrespect."
"I just never got around to it, I guess. Less hassle, nobody to have to worry about taking care of or disappointing... nobody depending on me or missing me when I'm gone."
>"You say that like it's too late to change your mind..."
>you just shrug
"I'm not getting any younger, Shiny, and I'm not much of a ladies' man either. I can't be assed to start chasing women again at my age, I just don't have the patience or the energy for all the bullshit and mind games that go along with it. It's just not worth it."
>"I don't know if I really agree with that. Maybe it's different with humans, but when you love somepo- someone..." his voice trails off. "I don't know, I'll guess I'll shut up now."
"You must really miss your wife..."
>"Can we please not talk about her?" he nearly whimpers. "Let's... let's just change the subject."
"Sorry."
>"If you were really sorry you'd be helping me try to find her..." he snaps at you harshly
"Hey, watch that tone of voice," you chide. "Don't forget who you're talking to."
>"I know, Anon... I just... don't YOU think I've forgotten what I am here, either. Stuff like that is going to slip out from time to time. And believe me, my status is something I think about a LOT ever since Sparky... I betrayed one of my own kind for you. Maybe YOU shouldn't forget about THAT or take it so lightly."
"Enough, Shiny," you command. "I told you I'm not in the mood for this."
>"You know, if you'd never had slaves in the first place you wouldn't have gotten hurt the way you did."
"Shiny..." you grumble threateningly
>"So in a way, it's kind of your own fault that-"

>*CRACK!*
>the unicorn wears a stunned expression on his face as he slowly turns his head to look at you, your arm shaking and hand stinging from where it connected with his hindquarters
>you're even surprised yourself that you managed to leap from your seat and close the distance between the two of you so quickly
"Go... go to your fucking room, Shiny. We're done. I told you I'm not in the mood for that attitude right now, you ungrateful little shit, now GO!" you bark angrily, rubbing your temples for a moment, and still trembling as you point toward the hallway.
>"Anon, you don't look so good..." he says, hopping down from the sofa, shrugging off the slap to his rear end like it was nothing
>you close your eyes tight, gritting your teeth as you rub them with a thumb and middle finger
"Don't make me repeat myself, Shiny. Go to your room. Now. And tell Corona to get her ass out here," you growl, pulling your belt through the loops holding it in place on your pants before returning to your seat and leaning forward with a hand on either side of your head

--------------------------------

"No."
>Anon slowly turns his head to look at you
>"What?"
"I said no, Anon. I don't know what's gotten into you, but this... this isn't you. I'm not going to send Corona out here to-"
>his eye twitches
>"That's none of your business, Shiny. Just do as you're told or I'll whip your ass right alongside hers."
>you snort and sit on your haunches in front of him, refusing to budge
>he stares at the floor in a daze for a few moments, and you take the opportunity to snag the belt from his grip
>suddenly he smiles, lifting his head and slowly shaking it as he gives a soft chuckle under his breath, bringing a hand to your chin
>"Shiny Shiny Shiny..." he says with a sigh, leaning in close to you. "Such a stubborn little horse."
>his other hand reaches up and begins softly stroking your muzzle
>his lower jaw begins to tremble, and a pair of tears roll down his cheeks
>"I'm sorry I hit you just now, buddy."
>before you can reply, he's on his knees in front of you with his arms wrapped around you in a tight hug and crying softly
"Uh... there there?" you say in a baffled tone
>"You're a good boy, Shiny. My little buddy," he says as he strokes your neck, back, and withers
>he pulls back, and your head reels as the back of his hand strikes your cheek harshly
>"DON'T YOU DARE FUCKING DISOBEY ME!"
>you wince briefly, that really stung
>whatever's going on right now though, you'd rather he get it out of his system on you than Corona
>you shudder to think how badly he'd hurt her in such an unstable state
"I think you need help, Anon," you say, taking a few steps back and rubbing your cheek with a hoof
>"I don't need any help, I can whip your ass on my own!" he growls, stumbling toward you as he picks the belt back up
>he loses his balance, and you take a step to the side, allowing him to plow face-first into the floor
>"Hold... still"

>standing over him, you place a forehoof between his shoulder blades and press him into the floor
>"Damn it Shiny, get... off me!"
>you're hardly even putting any weight into it
>he begins laughing hysterically
>"Hahaha! Okay okay," he says, his entire body shaking with each laugh, "you got me, buddy, you got me! You win!"
>he tosses the belt aside, spreading his arms out in front of him
>"I surrender, you smelly little stallion!"
"I think you should go to bed, Anon. Sleep this off."
>"Don't you tell me what to do, SLAVE!" he growls harshly
"Or what?"
>"I'll whip you! I'll whip you so hard that... that..."
>he goes completely silent and simply stares off into space
>"Shiny? What's going on?"
>you blink a few times, not responding
>"How'd I get on the floor... why are you pinning me do-"
>"Did uh... did we get into a fight or something?" he stammers
>you cautiously remove your hoof, allowing him to roll over and sit upright
"You really have no idea what just happened?"
>he shakes his head
"Well, you hit me. Twice, actually. And I'm pretty sure you were about to beat Corona until I stopped you.'
>he places a hand on the side of his head and groans loudly
"Why don't we get you into bed, Anon... I think you need some rest..." you urge
>thankfully, he doesn't resist this time, nodding in agreement
>"Yeah."
>he places a hand on your withers, pulling himself to his feet as you stand next to him
>"Steve's bringing Gracie over for a visit tomorrow. She's been wanting to see y-"
>You tilt your head as you turn your neck to look back at him as he continues to steady himself by leaning on you
"That was today, Anon... actually, they just left not too long ago."
>"Oh..." he says nearly at a whisper. "Right... So, what do you want for dinner?"
"We already ate, Anon. We all had pizza. You ordered it yourself."
>"I did?"
>you have a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach as his confusion only seems to intensify

>Anon's odd behavior combined with what he'd told you earlier... well, it's more than a little troubling
>he might be worse off than you thought
>"My mind is just so foggy right now..."
"Shh... no more questions. Let's just get you to bed, okay? Maybe by morning the fog will have lifted."
>"Okay."
>slowly the two of you make your way down the hall, and to his room
>"You're a good boy, Shiny," he says as he takes a seat on the edge of his bed. He reaches forward and gives your ear a scratch. "Love ya, pal."
>he blinks a few times, eyes darting around the room for a moment before he smiles at you
>"Oh, good morning Shiny! I'm not late for my doctor's appointment, am I? You know, Steve was going to bring Gracie by afterward and..."
>you climb up on the bed next to him
"Anon... lay down."
>"But..."
"Please just lay down," you plead with him softly
>"I need to take a shower, maybe I'll make us pancakes for breakfast and... why do you sound so worried?"
"Anon, I'll explain everything later. Just trust me for now, okay?"
>"Of course I trust you, Corona. Let's get you hitched up to-"
>you pull back the blankets
"Sleep, Anon."
>"I don't wanna..." he says, sounding like a stubborn foal even as he swings his legs up onto the bed and rests his head on the pillow
"Anon, sleep," you say more firmly, draping the blanket back over him as he closes his eyes and begins to mumble
>you get the feeling it's going to be a long night

--------------------------------

>you stretch and yawn loudly, joints snapping in the cold morning air
>it's been a while since you slept so well
>you find yourself gravitating toward a nearby source of warmth, still not opening your eyes as your body fights to cling to a few more precious seconds of rest
>instinctively you wrap your arms around the warm body next to you, murmuring and muttering as your eyes slowly open
>the first thing you see is the white coat of the stallion lying on top of the blankets beside you
>he takes slow, deep, steady breaths, his nostrils flaring and a breathy nicker escaping his throat as his lip quivers, still sound asleep, an ear subtly twitching as he dreams
>you don't remember him climbing into bed with you
>maybe he had another nightmare or something
>you sit up in bed, careful not to disturb him
>though your effort is in vain, as he's soon lifting his head, blinking his eyes open with a deep yawn of his own
"Good morning, Shiny."
>he sits up on his haunches, arching his back as he stretches his neck toward the ceiling
>"Let me guess, you don't remember anything about last night, do you?"
>you hesitate for a few moments as you attempt to recall the events of the previous day
"I just remember Steve was over, we had a few beers and..."
>your eyes shoot open
"I didn't try to uh... do stuff with you, did I?"
>his expression matches yours the instant he realizes what you're thinking
>"Oh CELESTIA no, nothing like that..." he says with a frustrated snort
"Oh thank heavens..." you say, putting a hand on your forehead and closing your eyes. "Don't know how I'd be able to look at myself in the mirror again if I tried something like that with one of you..."
>you chuckle
"I get kinda lovey dovey sometimes when I've had a few too many and-"
>"You weren't. You didn't," you're abruptly interrupted
>he hops down from the bed

>"And you weren't exactly affectionate, either," he says as he starts toward the bedroom door
"Oh... Why were you in here?"
>"Someone had to keep an eye on you. You were totally out of it. You hit me. Angrily," he says
>you bite your lip as you swing your legs over the edge of the bed, resting your hands on your knees as your head hangs with a hint of shame
"I don't remember that..."
>"Well I do. You weren't yourself. I figured it was because of that bump on your head, so I can't really blame you for it too much I guess. But you should know, you probably would have hurt Corona badly if someone hadn't intervened."
>Corona...
>you quietly hope you weren't too harsh with her yesterday
>better go check on her to make sure
>you stand up, noticing that it's a little easier to keep your balance than it had been for the last couple of days
"I appreciate it, Shiny..."
>he simply shrugs
>"I don't expect a pat on the back for exercising a little common sense... and besides, keeping an eye on you was as much for my and Corona's sakes as it was yours, so my motives weren't entirely selfless. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to snag some of that leftover pizza for breakfast."
>following closely after him, you slowly turn the handle to their bedroom door as you and Shining part ways

>the little mare is sound asleep on her bed, and you quietly slip into the room, sitting down next to her, just watching her sleep
>her eyes open as your weight shifts on the bed, and right away her ears flatten as her head lifts off the pillow
>"Master... I'm sorry... did I oversleep?"
"No."
>she flinches when you reach toward her and gently scratch her ear
>"P...please don't, Master..." she says, shrinking away from your touch
>her demeanor isn't fearful, but full of shame as though she feels she doesn't deserve any expression of affection from you
"Corona, I think it's time we cleared the air between us."
>she avoids eye contact with you, not moving or saying anything in response
"I want to make you an offer," you say as you scoot closer to her, and she flicks an ear in your direction. "I don't need to hear excuses or explanations about what happened. It's in the past now. I just need to know I can trust you to never do anything like that again, no matter what. I can tell you regret it... whether that's for my sake or yours, I don't really care. I know you're sorry."

>"Yes, Master..." she mutters
"I gave Shiny a chance for a clean slate, so I guess it's only really fair that I offer you the same thing."
>"Clean slate?"
"A chance to start over. For us to both move past what happened."
>she slowly tilts her head toward you
>"Start over?"
>you nod
"Why don't we go ahead and get that belting out of the way, and after that we can pretend nothing ever happened. Your punishment will be over. You can have your tub and outdoor privileges back as well. I don't want this to keep hanging over us and causing tension... maybe this will assuage your guilt a little as well."
>"I don't know if I can ever forget, Master..."
>you shake your head
"I don't expect you to forget. I don't think either one of us will. I just want to put this behind us, and I'm sure you do too."
>"I... I don't know, Master... I..."
>you place a hand on top of her head, and she flinches again
"I just need a yes or no, Corona. Are you ready to move on or not?"
>she begins trembling, swallowing a lump in her throat as she finally looks into your eyes
>"yessir..."

--------------------------------

>you hop down from the bed, following closely on Master's heels, your head drooping as your heart climbs into your throat
>in a way, his offer comes as something of a relief
>you know he's right
>this is the only way you're ever going to forgive yourself for hurting him
>well, maybe not forgive yourself
>but at least be able to look at him without your stomach twisting up in knots with guilt
>you shudder as he closes and locks his bedroom door behind him
>briefly glancing up at him, you see no joy or pleasure in his expression
>in fact, you see nothing but doubt and hesitation
"W...what should I do, Master?"
>"Just lean over the bed for me, girl. Keep your tail out of the way and don't squirm around too much."
>you bite your lip as he takes the belt in his hand and doubles it over
>it's not a whip, but you're still shivering in anticipation of the pain
>regardless of how much you feel like you deserve this, you start to have second thoughts as your eyes dart between him and the door
>something doesn't feel right...
"Master..." you whimper, scooting back on your haunches
>"Shhhh..." he says calmly as he approaches you. "Lean over the bed, Corona. Let's get this over with."
"I... I don't..." you say, clamping your tail tightly against your rump
>"Don't make this any harder on either of us than it already is. Lean over the bed," he says a bit more firmly.
>your efforts to steel your resolve are fruitless, your shaking and trembling intensifying as you slowly turn around, laying on your belly on top of his bed
>your hind legs dangle over the side, tail still clamped down tightly as you close your eyes
>you jump when Master places one of his pillows underneath your head
>"This is gonna hurt, Corona. It's supposed to hurt. But I promise you'll be okay. If you need to cry out you go right ahead."

>you bite a corner of the pillow, already pressing your face into it as Master takes a step back
>"Now move your tail, girl," he says softly. "Move your tail out of the way for me."
>when you fail to comply, you feel him tug on it, lifting it to the side
>"Keep it right there."
>all at once the sound of the leather implement sailing through the air, followed by a deafening "CRACK!" meets your ears
>you're taken aback, unprepared for the sharp, sudden pain on the skin of your rump as the first blow is delivered, which the soft winter coat that's just starting to grow in on your hide does little to cushion
>a gasp catches in your throat, but before you can utter a sound a second "CRACK!" as loud as a gunshot echoes off the walls of the room
>your body flinches and a loud whinny finally erupts from your muzzle, a whinny which quickly breaks down into a stuttering sob as a third "CRACK!" mercilessly assaults your ears, followed by a fourth and fifth in rapid succession
>your tail immediately moves to block the next blow, but you feel it tugged up and out of the way once again - and held there this time
>every instinct is telling you to jump from the bed and burst through the door, to escape the searing pain on your hindquarters
>or to buck
>kick
>bite
>fight back with all your strength
>anything to make the pain stop
>but you grit your teeth and force yourself to endure it, your front hooves curling over the pillow in front of you, pulling it tightly against your muzzle as your body heaves with loud sobs
>you lose count after the fifteenth stroke, hyperventilating as the pain becomes overwhelming
>it's too much for you to handle, and you feel yourself scrambling up onto the bed, trying to climb over it
>though a pair of hands quickly wraps around your hind fetlocks and pulls you back into position
>you look back over your shoulder just as two more strokes connect, the sound of each every bit as harsh and merciless as the lash of a whip

>there's considerable force behind the swings, though you still see no hint of emotion on Master's face as he delivers several more blows
>it occurs to you at some point that you'd begun to beg him to stop, though your pleas for mercy fall on deaf - though not unsympathetic - ears, as you see tears welling up in his eyes
>his face is red, and he's beginning to sweat and breath heavily with exertion
>he wavers and wobbles, stumbling for a moment before swinging again, this time connecting with your hind legs just above your hocks, where you immediately feel a fresh pair of welts rising on what up until now had been an untouched area
>you gasp and choke on your cries, just wanting the pain to stop
>nobody's hurt you this bad since... since...
>you try to shake off the thought
>Master is different...
>CRACK!
>he's not like the others...
>CRACK! CRACK!
>he...
>CRACK!
>he has to be finished soon...
>CRACK!
>surely he's seen by now that you've had enough
>CRACK! CRACK! 
>he knows how sorry you are...
>CRACK!
>that you've been punished sufficiently
>CRACK!
>you hear a loud banging on the bedroom door, the sound of your cries having long since stopped
>it takes considerable effort just to inhale, feeling yourself on the edge of consciousness
>CRACK!
>your entire backside is on fire
>from your croup and tail dock
>all the way down the backs of your hind legs
>he's worked you over good
>you didn't know it was possible to be in this much pain
>it doesn't even matter how many more blows he delivers at this point
>you let out a low, long and mournful wail when you finally manage to catch your breath
>each welt throbs and stings, feeling as though the blows are continuing every time
>even though you realize by now that Master has finally stopped

>you choke, and cough, and sputter
>you just want the fire in your backside to be put out
>but this is what happens, isn't it?
>when you're a slave
>when you disobey your Master
>when you hurt him
>you deserve this
>and if he decided to lash you with the belt a thousand more times
>or even take a whip to your miserable hide
>you'd deserve that too
>you belong to him
>you're his slave
>just a slave...
>a stupid, disobedient little slave...
>he's sitting on the bed next to you, a hand resting on your withers as your tail flails and swishes wildly, uncontrollably from the agony
>he calmly pulls you into his lap
>you'll be a good girl from now on
>you don't ever want to hurt this badly again
>you hear yelling, and in a haze of suffering you briefly lift your head to see Shining Armor sitting on his haunches next to the bed
>you can't tell what he's saying, but he's very angry
>he should be careful not to take such a tone with his Master...
>but Master doesn't seem upset or angry
>instead he focuses on you
>though he does nothing to soothe or stop the pain still pulsing through your backside, he begins softly stroking your back as he pulls you close
>"It's over, girl. It's over. It's all over," he says to you softly
>"I forgive you..."

>you writhe in his grasp, and finally - mercifully - the pain begins to dull little by little
>a wave of relief washes over you as he repeats himself
>"I forgive you, Corona. I forgive you..."
>Shining is still carrying on, but you don't even care
>all that matters is that you're forgiven
>your Master forgives you
>he's not going to get rid of you
>he doesn't hate you for what you did
>you nearly killed...
>you nearly...
>it doesn't matter now
>you're forgiven
>you're forgiven...
>a smile tugs at the corners of your mouth, and your trembling ceases as you relax into Master's embrace
>and it IS an embrace, he's not simply tolerating your presence
>he's hugging you close
>stroking you affectionately
>he didn't enjoy what he just did
>he never wanted to hurt you
>he's here for you
>he's different
>he's not like the others...
>they wouldn't have cared how badly they just hurt you...
>they wouldn't hold you like this
>they wouldn't love you like he does
"I love you, Master..." you coo with your eyes closed, in an exhausted and delirious state even as the throbbing on your rump continues "I love you, Master..."





>the wind whips and howls furiously against the outside of the house, sounding as though a beast from Tartarus itself is perched on the roof, bent on ripping the entire structure from its foundation
>peering through the window yeilds little more than an eyefull of blinding white, there's no question that winter has arrived in full force
>it's been almost two months since... since your punishment
>you try not to think back on it too much
>but on bleak, dreary days like this it creeps into your mind, along with even less pleasant memories you wish you could somehow leave buried in the past and never ruminate on again
>Master hasn't laid a hand on you in anger since that day
>it was something of a relief that he'd dismissed your murmurs of affection with a wave of his hand and never brought it up again
>to this day he probably has no idea...
>you wish you didn't feel this way
>but his tender touch
>his calm voice
>his gentle demeanor
>all of it...
>you've only continued to spiral deeper and deeper, hopelessly in love
>any trace of the shame you'd felt about it before has long since evaporated
>nothing else but Master's approval seems to even matter anymore...
>"...and we're seeing record low temperatures across the tri-state region as winter storm Hugo rages across our entire viewing area, some areas seeing as much as 16 inches of snowfall over the last 48 hours, with the worst still yet to come..." the television drones on in the background
>your ear twitches and flicks as you give a soft sigh, your breath casting a light fog over the windowpane in front of your muzzle as you stare out into the nothingness
>you don't understand this human predilection with naming weather phenomena
>the cold weather isn't something you're very fond of
>but Merribelle used to love the snow
>so did your sisters, back in Equestria

>your eyes squint closed painfully as you push back tears that struggle to escape, ears flattening as your mind continues to wander back to the ponies you love
>or loved...
>poor Merribelle...
>you can't help but wonder
>was there anyone there to comfort her as she drew her last pained, dying breaths
>how terrified she must have been...
>how lonely
>and how senseless her death was
>Merribelle was such a gentle soul...
>never would have raised a hoof against any human, regardless of how she'd been treated
>it's just not fair that fate had been so cruel
>sometimes you wish it'd been you instead of her
>even if she never got to savor the sweet taste of freedom, at the very least she deserved a home with someone that would care for her the way you've been cared for by Master
>you whimper and shiver, jumping as a warm and fuzzy blanket is spread over you, startled for a fraction of a second until you feel Master's hand on top of your head
>"You should really come away from that window, girl, you'll be warmer over here by the fire with me and Shiny."
>you simply nod in response, but remain where you are as you continue to stare
>Master sighs, taking a seat at what you've learned is called a "computer," and fritters away his time with some task you can't even begin to contemplate
>it's been nice to have him home
>there were some lasting effects as a result of his... his "incident"
>some short lapses of memory
>temporary confusion
>nothing too serious
>enough that he prefers to avoid travelling anywhere now though
>there had been some concerns that tough times might be ahead when he mentioned the possibility of being forced out of his job due to his circumstances
>but thankfully, his superiors were kind enough to allow him to do his work from home for the forseeable future
>you're still not sure exactly what it is that he does...
>work around Master's property has come along quite nicely

>faster than he expected, you think, as he showers you with praise for all the hard work you put in just about every chance he gets
>Shining Armor even started to pitch in and help however he could as his figure filled out a little more day by day
>he's come a long way as well
>a far cry from the scrawny, weak pony he had been all those weeks ago as a result of earlier neglect
>he now stands a powerful, imposing and impressive figure of a stallion
>hardly a trace of fat anywhere on his solid, muscular body
>his mane and coat pristine and immaculate
>most of the scarring and whip marks on his body have blended with his fuzzy winter coat in a way as to render them rather inconspicuous
>at first glance you'd never have guessed he'd ever been treated poorly, abused or neglected
>Master seems quite proud of him, too
>they butt heads far less frequently as of late, and Master often sits alongside him on the sofa with an arm around his back or withers as they watch television together
>you've even caught him enjoying a good ear scratch now and then when he thought you weren't looking
>they work quite well together as a team, too
>much to your surprise, Shining hadn't balked at the idea of doing work for Master when the time came
>he even smiled a bit when he started asking him to get out and help the two of you, glad to finally have something to do or feel useful, you'd imagine
>you'd watched them in awe as they did things that were a little too labor intensive for you to do alone
>before this cold snap settled in, they'd tackled some pretty demanding tasks
>they knocked down that old barn all on their own, as you hauled cartload after cartload of debris away
>Shining is shockingly good at pulling
>you imagine he'd even give a few regular Earth-native workhorses a good run for their money
>his harness is similar to yours, although with more chains usually attached to some kind of long metal bar at the back that would simply drag the ground when not in use

>bigger, heavier chains would be attached to that bar and secured to whatever the payload happened to be at the moment, which varied quite a bit on a day to day basis
>the first time he was ever hitched to it was the day the three of you tore down the old barn
>you'd watch him struggle and strain against the leather of the harness, working up a significant sweat that would lather up into a foam on various parts of his body
>Master stood behind him, a long pair of reins in his hands that he almost never used for anything other than reassuring Shining that he was still right there with him, shouting words of encouragement that to some might sound harsh, or the type of yelling a cruel taskmaster would inflict on an exhausted slave too tired to finish their task
>but Shining seemed to bask in it, strangely
>that satisfied smirk on his face as section after section of the rotted old structure came crashing down due to his efforts is the only time you can ever remember seeing a pony in chains actually smile, even as he stood huffing and puffing, shaking from the strain and dripping sweat
>there had been a large stump in the ground not too far from the old barn that he'd taken upon himself as a personal challenge
>the first few times he'd tried to pull it up were fruitless
>regardless of how much hacking and digging Master did around its base, the snaking tendrils of roots continued to secure the stubborn old tree base firmly into the ground
>one day before you'd even gotten out of bed, you could faintly hear a bit of yelling coming from outside
>when you went to investigate, you'd found Shining all harnessed up, chained to that same old stump in the ground, Master standing behind him as always
>except this time they both looked angry
>shining squealed, snarled, snorted, flicked his tail wildly, groaning and grumbling loudly as he pulled with every ounce of strength he had in his body against the seemingly immovable object

>Master snapped the reins harshly against the stallion's rump time and time again, yelling until his voice was hoarse
>"HAH! HYAH! HYAH! GET UP 'ER SHINY, GET IT! GET IT!" he barked harshly
>the stallion whinnied and roared as his hooves began to dig deep ruts in the dirt beneath him
>the scene before you was somehow both mesmerizing and terrifying
>Shining would falter, take a moment or two to catch his breath, then go right back to pulling as the reins lashed against his hindquarters with a sound far too reminiscent of a whipcrack
>although if it was painful, he never let it show, as he seemed to be worlds away mentally, entirely focused on the task at hand
>eventually you heard the creaking and splintering of wood as the old stump, with great protest, began to relinquish its hold on the earth below
>"'AT'S IT SHINY, IT'S COMING! HYAH!" Master's voice filled the air with newfound excitement, resounding throughout your surroundings with a lasting echo
>again, the whiplike reins kissed at the stallion's croup, the sound like a gunshot echoing through the air right alongside Master's voice
>"C'MON BOY, GET IT! GET IT! GET THAT SONUVVA BITCH!" he yelled
>with a loud CRACK the first large root, nearly as big around as your foreleg, snapped in two and rose from the ground, large busted up pieces of sod raining down from it as the stump continued to slowly lurch forward at an agonizingly slow rate
>"GET IT! GET IT BOY, GET IT! HYAH! YAH! YAH!" Master continued. "YOU GOT THIS, BOY, YOU GOT THIS! GO GO GO! GET IT! GET IT!"
>finally, with an unceremonious whine and crackle, the stump laid over onto its side, all but a few of the smaller roots hanging in the air in defeat, which quickly snapped in two after a couple of whacks from Master's shovel
>at that moment, Shining began to buck and kick in his harness, whinnying and laughing in celebration

>"GOOD BOY! GOOD BOY SHINY, GOOD BOY!" Master said, patting him on the withers as the two of them struggled to catch their breath, Master almost catching a hind hoof to his midsection from the stallion's celebration
>you're still not entirely sure what the whole thing was about, but it definitely seemed to be a bonding moment for the two of them
>a smile tugs at the corners of your mouth for a brief moment
>though he would never admit it, the stallion is finally learning to accept his life here
>and slowly learning to find his own happiness in it
>you're fairly certain the relationship he has with little Gracie has helped with that by quite a bit
>she visits as often as she can
>and you can't help but to think what a wonderful father Shining Armor would have been to his filly whenever she's around
>it makes the secret you've been hiding from him that much more difficult to maintain, and it continues to eat away at your heart even now
>if he knew where his wife and daughter were... he'd throw all of this away, you're certain of it
>something about keeping their whereabouts hidden from him still feels wrong though
>maybe it's not your right to keep this information from him, but you refuse to knowingly take a part in destroying the little bit of happiness he's finally managed to find in his bondage
>and besides, Master knows as well
>and a call like that is his to make
>you're certain he'll tell Shining when he feels the moment is right
>Master sits back in his chair with a stretch and a yawn, the device in front of him crackling with static electricity as it powers down
>"Damn, work was irritating today" he grumbles as you casually turn your head to look over at him again. "Corona, come girl," he beckons you over as he makes his way over to the recliner, which he's positioned closer to the fireplace

>the blanket draped over you drags the floor, and you begin to feel the radiant warmth of the fire warming your body as you approach, Shining napping on the floor a little closer to it
>you lie down on the floor as well, next to Master's chair as he strokes your mane with one hand, holding a book in the other, the next couple of hours passing in complete silence, save for the sounds of crackling firewood
>eventually he leans forward, gently prodding the sleepy stallion in front of him to wake up as he folds the book and sets it aside
>"Shiny, wake up buddy" he says softly as he rocks the stallion from side to side with his foot, the stallion's tail barely rising and falling to the floor in a tired swish of protest
>eventually he sits up, stretching and yawning as Master leaves the room for several minutes, returning with a couple of decoratively wrapped boxes
>"You two know about Christmas, right?"
>you both nod, having heard enough about it in your years here to have a pretty good idea of what it is
>sounds a lot like Hearthswarming back in Equestria, though the religious component is somewhat puzzling to you
>"I don't usually like to celebrate it... heck, don't usually have much reason to. And it's still a few days away anyway, but hey. I figured now is as good a time as any. I got each of you a gift," he says, pushing the smaller box toward Shining Armor. "Go on Shiny, open it."
>the stallion's curiosity is piqued and he eagerly begins tearing away the wrapping paper clumsily with his hooves and teeth, but eventually gets the box open
>a small, metallic circular device falls out of it and onto the floor in front of him
>"Uh... thanks, Anon... it's uh... it's... nice, I guess?" Shining says in confusion
>Master laughs
>"You have no idea what that is, do you?" he says, picking the device up and holding it in the palm of his hand
>Shining shakes his head, still looking confused
>"Look at the insert that was inside the box," Master urges him

>Shining glances down at the small piece of paper he'd somehow missed before
>"Equitek Unicorn Implant Attenuator" he reads out loud, before looking back up just as confused as before. "I still don't know what this is, Anon..."
>Master gets down on his knees on the floor in front of Shining Armor before crossing his legs and sitting down in a comfortable position, reaching forward and stroking the stallion's neck for a few moments
>"Shiny, I want you to know how much I appreciate you. And how much you mean to me, buddy. Some have told me this is a bad idea, but it's something I think is long overdue..." he says, slipping the device over Shining's horn
>he continues to stare, giving you a quick glance before turning his attention back to Master as he fumbles with his phone
>"Give me just a second here, Shiny..." he says, looking through the paper that fell from the box and occasionally fiddles with the device
>all at once Shining gasps loudly as though someone kicked him in the belly and his eyes go wide
>he snorts, trying to catch his breath and his eyes tear up
>you can't tell if that's a look of shock or fear on his face
>he sits on his haunches, each breath as heavy as though there were a two ton weight on his chest
>Master places a hand on the back of his neck and looks away for a moment
>"These things are pretty goddamned expensive," he says with a chuckle. "But hey, you're worth it, pal."
>you gasp loudly, seeing the unicorn's horn begin to glow as he trembles and shudders
>and then casts a spell
>a barrier spell
>then simple levitation

>"this has been in the work for a few weeks now... couldn't wait any longer, heh... the look on your face right now is just priceless..." Master says
>"Anon... Master... I... I don't know what to say... I..." Shining stammers as tears flow freely down his cheeks
>"I know it only dampens the implant a little bit, and it doesn't work unless you're wearing it... but hey, it's a start. I'm told if you can demonstrate you can be trusted with your magic - and the attenuator will track every time you use it - then I can have your implant removed surgically after 30 days with this, and I don't see that being a problem for you... so... Merry Christmas, Shin-OOMPH!"
>he nearly knocks Master over as he throws his forelegs around him and wraps him in a tight hug
>"THANK YOU! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANKYOU!" he says, followed by a long, drawn-out nicker as his tail swishes back and forth happily
>eventually he calms back down, laying down with his forelegs over Master's lap, leaning against him as Master idly strokes his side, not a single care in the world given about what you might think of his display of appreciation and affection for Master as he gives a contented sigh, closing his eyes
>Master scoots the other box over to you
>you're so flabbergasted by what just happened you'd entirely forgotten that there even was a second box
>whatever he's gotten you, how can it possibly compare to the gift he just gave Shining Armor?
>nervously, you begin tearing away at the wrapping paper


>the box underneath the colorful wrapping paper is just a plain, brown cardboard box, with a long strip of packing tape down the middle
>after a few failed attempts to get ahold of the end of the tape in your teeth, Master leans over and gets it started for you
>peeling it away, the top of the box pops open quietly, and you tilt your head to the side curiously, slowly poking a hoof inside, shuffling around bits of crumpled up paper, a piece here and there popping out over the edge as you rummage around
>eventually your hoof meets something soft and fuzzy
>peeking inside you see the end of a piece of dark red fabric, but can't tell what exactly it is quite yet
>grabbing the end of it in your teeth, you carefully pull until the object inside is released, spreading it out on the floor in front of yourself
>you look over at Master, who is now wriggling out from under Shining Armor and scooting closer to you
"It's a beautiful scarf, Master... thank you..." you say to him with a soft nicker
>"I know it can't really compare to the gift Shiny got, and I hope you're not too disappointed," he says, kneeling next to you and picking the fuzzy wool scarf up, setting it around your neck and tossing one end over the other
>you gasp slightly, realizing your tone had been less than enthusiastic
>you didn't mean to sound ungrateful
"Oh no, Master, not at all... it's lovely, I-"
>he places a hand gently over your muzzle
>"This scarf, it was hand-knit for me a very long time ago," he says with a warm smile, looking into your eyes as he gently brushes a few stray strands of mane away from your face, "by someone who loved me very, very much."
>a warmth begins to creep over your cheeks, and you feel your heart beat just a little faster
>"I had almost forgotten I even had it, but I came across it a few days ago going through some old stuff of mine, clearing out some space out in the storage shed."

>he takes the end of the scarf in his hand and slowly rubs it between his thumb and fingers, letting out a somber sigh
>"it wasn't doing anybody any good out there. Heh. It looks nice on you, too," he says, even as he looks slightly away from you
"Master?" you say softly, "if I may ask... who made this for you? You seem so sad thinking about them..."
>he clears his throat, rubbing his eyes for a moment before looking back at you
>"Heh, I'm fine... just reminiscing on old childhood memories... to answer your question, my grandmother gave this to me, heck it must have been... twenty years ago now? Boy, time sure flies..."
>he hesitates for several moments
"You two were close, weren't you?"
>Master simply nods
>"Yeah, she practically raised me. Me and grandpa never really had much to do with each other, but grams spoiled me rotten... heh..."
>there's another brief silence
>"She used to make me stuff like this all the time. Sweaters, scarves, socks, other stuff... but this one, well, it was the last thing she made for me right before she passed away... so it's special. I mean, they're all special, but a lot of the other stuff doesn't really fit me anymore. There were a couple other scarves I still had but I was sure I'd lost it all in the move, until I found this one."
>you look down, placing a hoof on the scarf around your neck, it's super warm and cozy, and with the sentimental value, something you can't help but think Master should keep for himself
"But... if it means so much to you... why... why give it to me, Master? I'm... I'm not even family... I'm just a pony... I don't... I mean, I'm not... shouldn't you keep this?" you stammer

>"I want you to have it. I could have gotten you any old store bought trinket, but this is from the heart. I know things haven't always been perfect here, but... well, I've tried my best to give you and Shiny a good life here with me. And maybe I'm not the best at always showing it, but you're special to me, girl," he says as he places a hand behind your ear and gently scratches, sending a shiver down your spine. "You're not 'just a pony.' And you ARE family."
"Oh Master..." you whimper, feeling your lower lip quiver as he presses softly on the back of your neck, guiding you into a tight hug and stroking your back
>he holds you for what feels like years as you close your eyes tight, blissfully melting into his embrace
>"Shhh, that's my girl..." he murmurs to you softly, pressing the side of his face against your mane as you let out a series of staccato nickers, overwhelmed with emotion but somehow managing to hold back tears of happiness as he lovingly strokes you, "thaaat's my good girl."
>finally he releases you, your trembling subsiding as he pulls away, though your heart is still in your throat
>"Promise me you'll take good care of it - don't let it go dragging through the dirt or lose it or anything," he says, idly adjusting the scarf around your neck
>you nod, staring into his eyes
"Y...yessir... I will. I... I'll cherish it..."
>finding yourself uncharacteristically emboldened, you quickly close the little bit of distance he's put between you and plant your lips firmly on Master's cheek, your eyes suddenly going wide as you realize what you're doing and pulling away with a soft smack a few seconds later 
>you gasp before hastily sitting on your haunches and scooting backward several inches, looking away from him with flattened ears, your stomach twisting up in knots as Master places his hand on his cheek and stares at you with a raised eyebrow

>It's Master's turn to blush now, which is something you're not sure you've ever seen him do
>you can't bring yourself to look at him, but you're sure he must be furious
>you went and took it too far, it's the belt for you for sure
>wincing for a moment and expecting a reprimand, you hold your breath and squirm in place, but it never comes
>instead, Master gives a soft chuckle and shakes his head
>"Yuck, now I got mare slobber all over my face, hah!" he laughs, continuing to wipe his cheek
>he's not... he's not mad?
>you turn your head back toward him, painfully slowly
"Sorry, Master... I didn't mean to... I was just... I was..."
>you go silent and close your eyes tight as he takes an ear between his index finger and thumb, rubbing so vigorously it takes all of your willpower to keep a hind hoof from starting to kick on the floor in reflex
>"Heh, silly girl..." he coos when he sees a hind leg start to twitch ever so slightly in response to his ministrations
>"Ugh. Why don't you two lovebirds get a room?" Shining scoffs, rolling his eyes, prompting yours to shoot open again as you instantly become mortified
>"Oh hush, Shiny, don't be gross" he says, reaching over and bopping Shining playfully on the muzzle, causing him to cross his eyes for a split second before shaking his head with a snort as Master begins laughing once again
"H...HAH HAHHAH...h..heh....y..yeah Shin..n..ning Armor... d...don't b...be..be gross... HAH..hahah...ah..." you blurt out awkwardly, tail swishing wildly as you let out a series of snorts and squeals
>Shining sits up on his haunches, getting a sly grin on his face, clearly enjoying watching you squirm
>"Gross eh? Hmmph..." he says before muttering something undecipherable

>"Seems more to me like somepony loveshermaster*COUGHCOUGH*" he says, his expression becoming more and more impish as his voice trails off once again
>shutupshutupshutupshutupshutupshutUPyoustupidsonofajenny
>"Alright, alright, Shiny, stop teasing the poor mare," Master says, his laughter gradually dying down, your embarrassment practically tangible by this point
>Shining Armor shrugs and curls back up next to the fireplace, stretching and yawning before resting his head and closing his eyes
>"Fine, fine, far be it for me to smrmrhrmmrm..." he mutters under his breath
>without even realizing it you'd backed yourself all the way into a corner on the other side of the room, still hunkering down and trying to find the nearest hole to crawl into
>"Besides, weren't you the one climbing into my lap like a puppy dog just a few minutes ago?"
>Shining lets out an obnoxiously loud, fake snore, and Master rolls his eyes
>"Pfft yeah, okay, whatever," he says, before finally noticing how far away you are
>"You alright, Corona?" he says, patting the floor next to him, "Whatcha doing all the way over there?" He asks with a slight chuckle. "Come here, girl, it's alright, I'm sure Shiny didn't mean anything by it. All in good fun, yeah?"
>he motions toward himself, wriggling his fingers and patting the floor again as you creep back toward him, hunched over with your tail clamped tight against your backside and ears pinned as flat as they'll go, looking like a scolded filly
>when you're within arm's length of him he reaches over and hooks an arm around you, pulling you over so you're leaning into his side, his arm resting around your back
>you let out a tiny "eep" when he pulls you close, unable to look at him as you begin trembling again
"I..." you gulp, swallowing a lump in your throat, "I... I DO love you... Master..." you squeak out
>what are you doing?
>"Master loves you too, girl," he says with a squeeze.

"I mean... I... I really... really love y-"
>you shake your head, trying to pull away, only to be interrupted by being pulled more tightly against him
>"Sssshhhhhh... hush," he orders in a bit more of a firm tone. "Just sit here by the fire with your Master. No more words."
>you find your mood changing quickly from nervousness to confusion, your mind starting to race
>does he know?
>has he known?
>that you don't just love him... but you LOVE him...
>maybe he just doesn't want you to say it...
>what if he doesn't feel that way?
>what if he can't?
>he just said you're family to him, right?
>family
>you don't... you don't get romantic with someone you consider family...
>a sudden wave of disappointment washes over you
>oh...
>he DOES know, doesn't he?
>that's why he said to be quiet...
>if you go any further... try to say... say how you really REALLY feel...
>well then it gets awkward
>because that changes everything
>knowing that... that you don't just see him as family... but
>but...
>you shudder
>he doesn't see you as an equal...
>and
>and...
>because of that, he could never see you as a mate
>he doesn't want things to change...
>just wants you to be his quiet little good girl
>or does he?
>maybe... maybe he...
>if you just explain...
>he might... he might give you a chance and...
>m...maybe he's more open minded than you think and...
>oh this has to stop
>this is torture
>it has to stop
>this has been bothering you for too long
>you just want to know...
>you NEED to know...
>but with another squeeze
>another long, drawn out "SSSSSsssshhhhhhhh...."
>you're subdued
>any fleeting iota of courage you might have had evaporates
>and you crumble, burying your face in his chest and crying softly as he comforts you

--------------------------------

>it would be a lie to say you hadn't suspected something like this for a while now
>though you had sort of hoped it was just a phase
>something that would go away on its own if you just ignored it
>no such luck though
>how do you even begin to deal with a slave being romantically interested in you?
>the little quivering mare continues crying softly into you as you gently run your hand over her back
>she couldn't have just hit it off with Shiny and fallen for him instead...
>you sigh, glancing over at Shining Armor, who's doing his best to ignore Corona's whimpers
>he squirms around, ears twitching, twirling, folding flat
>probably regretting teasing her the way he did
>doesn't feel good, you imagine
>someone treating your love as a joke...
>you told Corona you loved her back though
>and that wasn't a lie
>it's just not the kind of love she wants from you
>why couldn't it be enough for her?
>why couldn't she just be content with the way things are?
>your troubled mind continues to wander as you try to allow her cries to become background noise
>she'll eventually wear herself out and fall asleep
>you hope so, at least
>despite your best efforts, it quickly becomes clear that you're not going to be able to shut it out though
>she's hurting, and she didn't do a damn thing to deserve it
>and even though you technically didn't do anything wrong, you know you're the one that's hurting her, and it's not fair
>to either of you
>you can't just sit here and not say anything to her, this isn't going to go away by ignoring it
>clearing your throat, you gently pull away, delicately wiping her cheeks with the back of your hand as you do so
"I'm sorry, Corona."
>she bows her head, but you lift her chin to look into her eyes
"What can I do to make this hurt less for you?"
>she shakes her head, and you pull your hand away
>"I don't really see what the issue is."
>your head turns sharply

"Shiny?"
>the stallion stands up and takes his time stretching, turning his rump toward the fire and backing toward it, swaying back and forth, casually warming himself as he speaks
>"Correct me if I'm wrong, Anon, but didn't you tell me one time that you hate the mind games and whatnot that comes along with pursuing a relationship with human women?"
"Not sure I see your point..."
>he rolls his eyes
"I didn't take Corona in to be a sex slave, Shiny," you say indignantly. "Besides, there-"
>"So after all this time is that still how you think of us? Just slaves?"
"It's... it's not that simple..."
>you make your way over to the sofa and plop down on it in exasperation, before looking back over at Corona, who hasn't moved a muscle
"You're much, MUCH more to me than that, you both are... Damn it to Hell, I thought tonight proved that... I just-"
>"If Corona were human, would you give her a chance?"
>that stops you cold
"Oh no you don't, this isn't about race, I won't let you turn this into-"
>"Isn't it, though?"
"No," you grumble, gritting your teeth. "And you know what? I don't owe you an explanation, either. So just can it!"
>he starts to walk toward the hallway
>"Alright, I'll be quiet. But only because I want to give you and Corona some time to talk."
"Why do you even care? It's not like-" you yell down the hallway at him, trying to get the last word, only to be silenced by the sound of the bedroom door closing
"Think if I had him gelded he'd settle down and learn his place? Heh..."
>no reaction from Corona, as you place your hand on the back of your neck with a sigh
"Not the time for jokes, right. So then, DO you want to talk, Corona? I wanted this to be a happy evening for all of us, but it turned sour real quick. I can't help but to feel like a bit of an ass for that."
>"I've been a good girl, Master... I try so hard for you..." she finally says just above a whisper. "Maybe... maybe I should have known better though... I shouldn't have let myself..."

>you start to wring your hands, slumping forward in your seat and staring at the floor
>it hurts your heart to hear her sounding so tormented
"I wish I knew what to say, girl, I really do. I don't think there's anything I CAN say though."
>you give a half hearted smile
"There for the longest time I was kind of hoping you and Shiny would get together. Find some comfort in each other, you know?"
>you hesitate
"I mean heck, at least he could give you a foal if you wanted one. You could be a family."
>"I don't love Shining Armor though, Master. Not... not like I love you..."
"I know, I know..."
>you sit up, then immediately sink back into the cushions behind you, staring up at the ceiling
"You don't choose who you fall in love with. If only it were that simple..."
>"What would I have to do for you to... to want me, in the same way... that... that I... that I want to be with you?"
>you shudder
"Have you stopped to think about this rationally, Corona?"
>you sit up again, crossing your arms over your chest and looking off to the side, avoiding eye contact with her
"You have no reason to love me. NO good reason at all. I mean... I OWN you... I had you branded..."
>"It was just a freeze brand..."
"Whipped you..."
>"Just a belt... just one time... didn't... didn't hurt that bad..."
"Strap you into a cart and work you into a tired, sweaty mess..."
>"But you're right there working alongside me, Master..."
>she slowly approaches you, resting a chin on your knee, softly swishing her tail
>"And... and honestly... I like helping you..."
>a hoof now rests on the other knee as she sits on her haunches, looking up at you through the bits of mane that have fallen over her eyes
>"I don't... I don't feel like a slave... not when I'm with you..."
>you place a hand on the top of her head, and she nickers contentedly
"You're a good girl, Corona."
>she closes her eyes, lifting her chin from your lap to press her head into the palm of your hand

"But... this, I just... I need time, okay? Time to give this some thought. Try to be patient for me, girl."
>"yessir..." she murmurs
"I'm not making any promises here, either. I don't want to give you any false hope."
>"yessir..." she repeats, wriggling further and further into your lap, a foreleg resting around your hip as she presses the side of her face into your chest
>sensing no resistance, she climbs the rest of the way up onto you, pushing her muzzle up under your chin
>with a defeated sigh, you wrap your arms around her, pressing your chin down onto her muzzle
>not because you necessarily want to cuddle her at the moment, but because you can tell she needs it
>the silence that follows is awkward, as you're not quite sure what else to say to her
>thankfully the tiny glimmer of hope you'd dangled in front of her seems to have mollified her for now
>even if you're not sure it's genuine
>kicking the can down the road like this will surely have consequences
>but you'll just have to deal with that when the time comes
>your head nods for a moment or two, and then jerks back up, just barely catching yourself falling asleep
>when you glance up at the clock, it's nearly midnight
>Corona is sound asleep in your lap, content in your embrace
>though your position on the sofa and the way you'd fallen asleep is giving you a nasty cramp in your neck
>you really should get to bed
>giving her a gentle shake, you speak softly to her
"Hey girl, wake up for me..."
>she murmurs and wriggles in protest for a moment, her nose scrunching as she clings to sleep
"Coronaaa..." you say a little louder, rocking her once more "it's late. Come on..."
>gradually her eyes blink open, and she lets out a long, drawn-out yawn
>"Oh... y...yessir..." she says with a tired, raspy voice, clearing her throat as her ears flatten and she starts to pull away from you
>"I... I suppose I should be getting to bed..."
>you sit up and stretch, letting out a yawn of your own

>she hops down and takes painfully slow steps away from you, looking back over her shoulder as if waiting for something
>"g...good night, Master"
"Good night, girl."
>she takes another step
>then looks back at you
>"s...see you in the morning..."
"Yep."
>another step
>further hesitation
>"I... I hope you sleep well, Master..."
"Thanks, Corona."
>this time, she doesn't take any more steps, but continues looking at you over her shoulder, the faint hopeful smile she'd been wearing slowly fading away
>placing your hand on your forehead and rubbing it, you finally catch on
"I guess, if you really want to, you can sleep in my bed tonight."
>she immediately spins around, sitting on her haunches and her ears locking onto you intently
>"But where will you sleep, Master?"
"That's not what I meant..."
>her head cocks sideways, trying to play dumb
"I meant you can sleep with me, okay? Just no funny stuff. It'll be just like when you and Shiny used to share my bed..."
>she stands up, unable to suppress an excited gasp as she grins widely at you
"Just for tonight though."
>hearing this she deflates slightly, but it's hardly even noticeable, she still got what she wanted for now
>"y..yessir.. thank you, Master..."
>she patiently waits for you to stand up and start down the hallway toward your bedroom, following closely on your heels
>you open the door and have Corona hop up into your bed while you go brush your teeth and put your pajamas on
>when you return, she's right where you left her, sitting near the foot of the bed with an adoring smile as she stares eyes half-lidded at you
>climbing into bed and pulling the blankets over yourself, you soon find her squirming into your arms, wriggling her back and rump into you until she's nice and snug
>with a satisfied sigh, she pulls your arm over herself, tucking it between her forelegs as she nestles into the pillow and closes her eyes
>"Goodnight, Master" she coos with a slight twitch of a hind leg and a whisper-soft nicker

--------------------------------

>Corona has spent these last few nights in Anon's bed
>it's been kinda nice to have the bedroom all to yourself, and the privacy that goes with it
>flashing to life, your horn glows, pulling the blankets over your head as the sun peeks through the window
>you grumble silently to yourself, even though it should be a relief to see some sunshine after the harsh winter storms that have been so relentless for the last week
>flicking and rotating, your ears fixate on the sound of faint, feminine giggling outside 
>lifting your head and pushing the blinds away, squinting as the light bounces off the fields of white and assaults your eyes, you see her
>a blue blur bouncing around through snowbanks up to her chest, fuzzy red scarf rippling around her neck with each hop
>didn't she say she hated the snow?
>with a snort, you fall back onto your pillow
>before you even have a chance to close your eyes, there's a knock-knock-knock on the bedroom door
>"Hey Shiny, it's almost noon. You gonna come hang out with us or what? It's Christmas Day!"
>you groan, flicking your tail as you pull the pillow out from under your head and cover your face with it, hearing the door handle turn as Anon steps inside
>"Come on, Scrooge, get your horsey hiney out of bed and come spend some time with us," he says
>a cold, wet sensation suddenly smacks into your exposed belly just as the blankets are ripped away
>you gasp, letting out a sharp whinny as laughter rings in your ears
"Oh come on, Anon, that was a cheap shot," you nearly yell, hopping down from the bed and shaking vigorously to remove the icy cold slushy remains of the offending snowball
>you're able to cast a weak shield just in time to deflect a second one that was heading straight for your muzzle
"I'm up, I'm UP, stop with the snowballs already," you grunt as you lazily wander toward the door, following Anon down the hallway

>"SHINYYYY!!!" a squealing voice takes you by surprise, the sudden weight slamming into your shoulder and tiny arms around your neck nearly throwing off your balance. "Merry Christmas, Shiny!"
"Gracie? Hey... Merry Christmas to you too," you say, sitting on your haunches and turning toward her, pressing your chin into her back as she hugs you again. "What are you doing here, though, shouldn't you be spending the holiday with your fa-"
>you're interrupted by the stomping of boots against the floor and a cold gust of wind as - right on cue - Steve steps in through the open front door
>"Hey there, hoss" he says with a friendly smile, hanging his coat on the rack nearby as he stomps away the last bits of snow clinging to his boots
>you nod toward him, giving a slight roll of your eyes as you do every time you hear that nickname
>"The little one here's been dying to see you and-"
>the tension around your neck increases as you're squeezed even tighter, and you can't help but to give a soft chuckle at her enthusiasm, even as her grip begins to slightly strain your breathing
>"-Daddy promised we could come visit you today so I woke up super early and opened my presents and- MMMMWAH!" she gushes as she pulls away and kisses your cheek before resuming the death-grip around your neck, "I'm so so happy to see you, Shiny, I love you!"
>you let out a gentle nicker as she finally releases you
>"What's that weird thing on your horn, Shiny?"
"That was Ano- my Master's Christmas present to me," you say to her. "It lets me use some of my magic aga-"
>"OH! OH!" she gasps, clapping her hands excitedly, "MAGIC!? Can I see, CAN I SEE?"
>the little girl stares transfixed at your glowing horn as you levitate a cup of hot chocolate that Anon offers you up to your lips and take a sip
>"woooooow" she says, awestruck, "that's soooo COOL!"
>licking the chocolate from your lips with a smile, you offer her the empty cup, which she takes eagerly, rotating it around in her hands

>"there's no strings or anything, it's really real magic," she says giddily as you levitate another full cup toward her, Anon and Gracie's father taking a seat on the recliner and sofa nearby, both occasionally glancing over at the two of you as they talk
>you simply nod
>"can you do any other tricks with your magic, Shiny?"
>she jumps, startled as the two of you are suddenly surrounded by a dim magical barrier
>Steve stares over at you curiously as Gracie marvels at the feat, slowly pressing her hand into the shield in amazement, holding it there for a few seconds before you drop it
>"so does that mean you can keep yourself safe if anyone tries to hurt you?"
>you nod once more
"Yeah, but that's not something I have to worry about too often, I don't have much to be afraid of around here, after all."
>she slowly reaches toward your horn, touching it for a few seconds right where the attenuator ring is fixed solidly in place
>"I don't get why you need this thingy to use your magic though, Shiny... why couldn't you before?"
>you look over her shoulder at Anon hesitantly before replying
"Erm, it's complicated, Gracie. Let's just say some humans are afraid of ponies with magic when they don't know if they can trust them, so they take it away. Some other - bad people - did that to me before Anon took me in, but that doesn't matter now. My Master trusts me enough that he wanted to give me my magic back, and this little ring I'm wearing helps with that. He knows I won't hurt anybody with it."
>"Do some unicorn ponies hurt people with their magic? I still don't understand..."
>there's an awkward silence before you try to rapidly change the subject
"SO, did you like your Christmas gifts? Get everything you wanted?"
>"Huh? Oh yeah, they were okay I guess..." her voice trails off
>"Oh, that reminds me," Anon interrupts, "Gracie, Santa Claus brought something by here with your name on it," he says with a mile-wide grin

>he pulls out a decent sized gift-wrapped box from behind the sofa, and sets it on the floor in front of her
>"I tried to tell him you didn't live here, but he insisted on leaving it here for you - said he wanted it to be a surprise. I wonder why?" he says, glancing over at you for a moment
>you tilt your head in curiosity as she begins tearing away at the wrapping paper
>her eyes go wide when she sees the contents of the box, and her head whips around to face you
>"SHINY!! Come look what Santa brought us!"
>'us?'
>you step toward her and take a look for yourself just as she pulls the box over onto its side and starts pulling out its contents
>oh
>that's what she meant by "us"
>there's a brown leather saddle
>bright pink saddle pad to go with it
>a bitless bridle with reins
>various brushes and grooming tools, all also different shades of pink
"Oh... how nice..." you say with feigned enthusiasm
>"Oooooh, thaaat's why he wanted to leave it here," Anon says with a laugh. "Ya know, I told Santa I promised you more pony rides once Shiny was healthy enough, and mentioned you didn't have a saddle or anything for him," he says, winking at you, "so he must have figured you'd like one!"
>"I love it! I can't wait to try it out," she squeals with excitement. "Shiny, do you wanna try this stuff on?" she says, looking at you eagerly, trying to gather everything up all at once in her arms, but inevitably failing
"Uhh...." you mumble hesitantly, shooting Anon a subtle annoyed glare
>"It's still okay if I ride you, right Shiny?" she says, "if you changed your mind it's okay... maybe mister Anon can take this stuff back to Santa for me and see if he wants to bring me something else... I'd understand..."
"Oh no, Gracie, it's fine," you reassure her, "I'm a pony of my word. I'd just almost forgotten, I guess"

>she places her hand on your muzzle, softly stroking it
>"Only if you want to, okay Shiny? I still love you!"
>you can't help but smile and nicker once again
"Okay, Gracie. Let's see how my new saddle fits."
>she begins by taking one of the brushes and running it over your back in long strokes, and you're unable to resist closing your eyes, your head drooping ever so slightly in relaxation, bottom lip quivering here and there
>it feels really nice, and you find yourself leaning gently into the brush's bristles with every stroke
>"I watched lots and lots of videos on how to do this, you gotta start with brushing the pony really really good to make sure his coat is nice and smooth. It's gotta be clean and laying flat so his back and belly don't get irritated by the saddle and straps rubbing him there," she states matter-of-factly, as though she's giving Anon and her father a lesson
>after thoroughly going over your back, sides, and belly, she reaches for a different brush, and starts working your mane with it
>"He should look nice too, so you brush his mane and tail to make sure there's no tangles in it and it's nice and smooth and fluffy. It also helps keep them from getting snagged on bushes and stuff if you go riding in the woods"
>you ignore Anon's amused expression, continuing to revel in being pampered like a show pony by your little pal, gently swishing your tail with a soft sigh
>she reaches for your front left hoof, and you instinctively pick it up without even noticing, allowing her to inspect it
>"And you gotta check the pony's hooves to make sure there's no rocks or anything stuck to the bottom that'll hurt him"
>you allow her to repeat the process with the other three hooves, even though you already know they're clean
>she's enjoying grooming you more than you imagined
>soon enough though, she's reaching for the saddle pad and placing it carefully on your back

>"The saddle pad has to go so that the front corner is about half way up his shoulder," she says, sliding and adjusting it, "right about here. That way when he moves his front legs it's not uncomfortable and his shoulder isn't rubbing on anything too much."
>she struggles some with the saddle, but manages to get a good grip on it, lifting it up onto your back
>"You want some help getting that on hi-" Anon offers, but silences himself when he sees Gracie setting to work tacking you up as though she's done it hundreds of times before
>surprisingly it's lighter than you'd expected as it comes to rest on top of the saddle pad
>it's also a lot more comfortable than you thought it would be at first
>you stand perfectly still as she continues unassisted
>"You sure she's never done this before?" you hear Anon ask her father
>even the tightening of the cinch around your barrel isn't unpleasant
>when she holds the bridle up to your face, you lower your head and she slips it around your muzzle, pulling your ears through the opening at the top one at a time and straightening out the strands of your forelock that get caught underneath as she goes, before finally tossing the reins up over your neck and resting them around the horn of the saddle
>"You look great, Shiny! How does it feel?"
>you shift your weight on your hooves, arch and wiggle your back against the soft pad, before walking around the room a bit, eventually returning to her
"Not bad, actually. Snug. Kinda comfy. Almost reminds me of..." your voice trails off
>"Reminds you of what?"
>you shake your head
"Nothing, never mind Gracie..." you say. Stepping to the side and bending your front legs toward the floor, you look back at her over your shoulder. "Wanna climb aboard?"
>"Be careful Grace, take your time," her father says, "don't get so excited you make yourself fall"
>she already has a foot in one of the stirrups before he can finish his sentence

>she struggles to pull herself up onto the seat, but you give her a little boost with your magic, and she's soon resting comfortably astride you, though you can feel the tension and anxiety in her muscles even through the saddle
>she's not heavy at all, in fact you'd hardly know she was there if you weren't keenly aware of her nervousness
>her grip on the reins is far too tight - fearful even - pulling your neck into a slightly uncomfortable bend, and you encourage her to ease her grip and relax
"Take it easy there, Gracie. I'm not gonna let you fall, okay?" you reassure her. "Shiny's gotcha."
>"y...you're s...so much t...taller than Corona..." she stutters, starting to tremble, fear evident in her voice
"Shhhh... it's okay," you say, continuing your attempts to ease her tension. "I won't let anything happen to you, I promise. You're safe with me."
>Anon and Steve are completely silent, seemingly content to let you handle this on your own, though standing at the ready in the event the little girl on your back starts to panic
"I'm just gonna stand right here perfectly still for you, okay? I'm not gonna take a single step until you're ready. And if you want down just say so, alright?"
>"mhmm..." she murmurs with a slight nod
>it takes a few more minutes, but eventually her trembling stops and her tension subsides
>you feel her reach down and pat your neck as the pressure on the reins slowly releases, and you're finally able to rest your head in a more natural position
"How you doing now, Gracie?" you ask, looking back up at her over your shoulder
>"better... it's not so bad... I... I just gotta get used to it. I didn't expect it to feel so different from Corona is all. You're a big pony."
>you give a gentle snort, lowering your head submissively for her, trying to build her confidence and let her feel even more in control

>it would be easy for a pony your size to hurt her badly if you decided to, and she has to be feeling intimidated on some level
>but you're intent on doing everything in your power to show her she can find comfort in your strength, and that it will never ever be used against her
>she continues stroking your neck
>"Good boy, Shiny... good boy..."
>you offer her a gentle nicker, closing your eyes
>"Heh... ol' hoss is practically purring like a kitten for her," you hear her father say to Anonymous
>you hadn't even noticed Corona come back inside, curious how she'd managed to slip by you unnoticed when you finally see her laying next to Anon's recliner, smiling at you
>"Whatcha think, Gracie? Wanna take him for a spin outside?"
>you look at Anon, about to mention you don't think that's a good idea yet until Gracie speaks up
>"not...not yet, mister Anon, just inside for now is okay... I gotta take my time, like daddy says. I... I just wanna sit here for now, if that's okay with you, Shiny..."
"Of course, Gracie. Whatever you want," you say with a lazy swish of your tail.
>after a few more minutes of sitting still, stroking your neck, she speaks up again
>"I... I think I'm ready to get down now, Shiny"
>strangely, you're almost disappointed to hear her say that
>but you comply with her wishes, lowering yourself to the floor slowly and laying down to make it easier for her to dismount
>her arms are around your neck once again the moment her feet are back on the ground
>"maybe next time we can walk a little bit... thank you Shiny..."
>you nod, nuzzling her cheek as she pulls out of the hug and quietly begins the process of removing your tack

--------------------------------

>your head jerks upright and shakes from side to side
>it's hard not to doze off next to this cozy fire
>and the inexplicably soft rug placed in front of it
>your ear twitches and flops, hearing the steady sound of running water down the hall as Anonymous showers, having seen your guests for the day off
>glancing over at the saddle and grooming supplies piled in the far corner of the room, you sigh softly
>"You know, you always get this paternal glow about you whenever Gracie's around. It's nice."
>Corona sits on her haunches in front of you
>"And you get mopey when she leaves."
"She's a good kid."
>"Mhm. It's sweet how much she adores you."
"Never thought I'd say this about a human, but the feeling's mutual."
>the mare smiles at you as she lays down
"if we weren't slaves, I..." your voice trails off, quickly subdued by the disapproving glare shot at you
>breaking the awkward silence that follows, you change the subject
"You've been spending a lot of time in Anon's bedroom lately," you say with a coy smile, tail flicking in amusement as her ears immediately lay flat and she averts her eyes. "You having any luck there?"
>"T...that... that's... I don't know what you're...."
>you chuckle
"You're hopelessly in love and have been for some time. It's a secret to nobody that lives in this house at this point. Why is it so hard for you to talk about?"
>clearing her throat and flicking her tail rapidly a few times, she lets out a heavy sigh
>"He's never going to love me like that."
>you shrug
"Give it some time. He hasn't pushed you out of his bed yet, so clearly he's getting something out of it."
>her eyes flit from side to side as she mulls over your words
"You could always try being a little more aggressive..."
>her pupils dilate and lock on you
>"I don't... I don't think that's such a good idea..."
"Why not?"

>"He... I don't want to anger him..."
>you shrug
"You want Anon to see you as a mate? You gotta act the part. You keep up the boot-licking, he's never going to be able to look at you as anything more than a pet."
>she frowns and her brow furrows
"Hey, just telling it like it is."
>you stand up and disappear into the kitchen, returning with two cups of fresh hot chocolate
"I mean, you could start by just calling him 'Anon' instead of 'Master' all the time," you suggest, levitating one of the cups toward her
>"That's... that's not appropriate..."
"In that case, neither is a human mating with a pony," you say flatly
>she winces and her head droops
>that stung
"Look," you say with a snort, "I don't know how different humans are from ponies as far as courtship goes, but let me give you a stallion's take on this."
>her ears perk up, but eyes remain on the floor
"If my wife had acted like you when we first met... meek, submissive, kissing the ground I walked on... I don't think anything ever would have sparked between us."
>you get a faraway look in your eyes, hesitating for a moment before continuing
"Half the fun of getting with a mare you fancy is the chase."
>she sighs, barely reacting to your words
"If he knows he's already won, what's the point? You have to make it interesting."
>"Not really in a position to do that..." you hear her mutter
"What do you have to lose by trying?"

>"Don't listen to him, Corona."
>you jump, nearly spilling your hot chocolate hearing Anon's voice sooner than you'd expected
>he usually takes much longer in the shower
>the mare bows her head
>"M...master..."
>"I can't stand that 'chase' nonsense. It's ridiculous."
>one towel around his waist while he vigorously dries his hair with another, he casually strides over to his recliner and takes a seat as steam billows down the hallway from the open bathroom door
>"I like my good girl just the way she is."
"Yeah, that's the problem. You *like* her. That's all."
>"Something wrong with liking my ponies?"
"She doesn't want you to like her."
>"I know what she wants, Shiny."
>you take a step toward him with an impish grin
"Then why don't you give it to her?"
>"because I ---GODDAMNIT SHINY!"
>"SHINING ARMOR!"
>the two admonishing you in unison does little to assuage you as your teeth clamp down on the corner of the towel surrounding his waist and give it a firm yank, slipping right through his fingers as he reacts a split second too late
>he leaps up from the recliner, seemingly forgetting about the towel wrapped around his head as he starts after you, one arm outstretched angrily in your direction, the other cupping a hand over his crotch
>you dodge and evade, unable to suppress a hearty laugh as you yank the bit of fabric just out of his reach time and time again
"Come now, Anonymous, I never was very impressed by human modesty. We ponies walk around with our bits exposed all the time! What could a big, strapping fellow like yourself possibly have to fear from being seen nude by his slaves?"

>"Shiny I'm going to whip your ass raw when I get ahold of you..."
"Sure you are, sure you are," you laugh, darting across the room one final time and tossing the towel into the fireplace
>"SHINY!"
>in a purely reactionary move, both hands fly toward the towel in a futile attempt to save it from a fiery end
>bounding around him as he nearly loses his balance, now angrily trying to grab a handful of your mane, your tail, any piece of you in a blind fury, you rear up and snap the towel off his head
>unable to contain yourself, a playful whinny erupts through your flaring nostrils as you once again find yourself bounding about the house, managing to stay just out of his reach
>a dim magical aura surrounding the front door knob, you manage to wad the towel up into a ball and hurl it outside with the force of a small cannon, far out into a snow bank a good distance away before slamming the door shut again
>Corona, to your disappointment, has covered her eyes with her forelegs and is shaking wildly, not having moved from the spot where you left her
>you don't think you've ever seen Anon's face so red before, unsure whether anger or embarrassment is more to blame
>he throws his arms up, eventually giving up on his pursuit, and his hands return to his crotch
>"What are you trying to prove here, Shiny? Fuck's sake..." he grumbles through gritted teeth
"If Corona won't come up to your level, I figure bringing you down to hers is the next best thing if you two are ever gonna progress in your relationship. What better way to start than by breaking that silly little habit of human modesty?"
>"You have no freaking idea how much trouble you're in right now..."
"Pfft..." you roll your eyes, "I've been in worse," you say, sitting on your haunches, almost daring him to try to catch you again

>instead, he starts toward the hallway, yelling out in bewilderment when he hits a low-intensity magical forcefield blocking his path
"Oh come on, Anon, seriously. Lighten up a little bit," you say, the amusement in your voice slowly giving way to a calm and serious - but serene - tone
>still fuming and balling up his fists, he looks half-tempted to start in your direction again, but hesitates, clearly feeling a bit vulnerable in this state
"You really think either of us is bothered or shocked by your nakedness? You flatter yourself," you say with a huff.
>"Twenty strokes with the belt," he says angrily.
"An empty threat and you know it."
>"You drop that magic field or it's going to be thirty..." he grumbles
>"Shining Armor, please..." Corona begs under her breath "What in Celestia's name has gotten into you?"
>you see Anon shiver briefly, and his hand bounces off another magical shield as he reaches toward you
>"That attenuator ring is fucking gone. You've lost it with this stunt, Shiny."
>you roll your eyes
"Getting cold, Anonymous?" you say with a grin. "Sure would be a shame if you had to share body heat with somepony by the fire to keep from catching a chill," you say as your horn glows, opening windows in the living room and kitchen one at a time

>"Forget the belt, I'm going to find that whip and split your hide open with it..."
>the air temperature in the room drops rapidly as the wind howls through the curtains of the open windows
>Anon is steadily shivering at this point, arms wrapped around the sides of his torso, rubbing vigorously in a vain attempt to prevent the loss of any more body heat
>"Shining Armor come on... he's cold... this isn't funny..."
"Then you better get to warming him up, hadn't you?"
>her eyes go wide, head whipping back and forth from you to Anon
>"Are you INSANE? Shiny cut this out before he skins us BOTH alive..."
>you simply ignore her, Anon's frustration growing exponentially as one escape path after another is cut off by a sudden swat from your magic
>"GOD I'm going to take my time when I flog you, you stupid nag..." he says, finally relenting and approaching Corona, "should have known that goddamn ring was going to be a fucking mistake..."
>boy, if looks could kill....
>"Come on girl... next to the fire with me before I fucking freeze to death..."

--------------------------------

>surely there's no way this can end well...
>before you can say a word, Master has a handful of your mane, guiding you toward the fireplace as Shining Armor sits nearby with a triumphant smirk plastered across his muzzle
>his shivers travel down his arm and into your neck as he wriggles his fingers around, digging them deeper into your mane, searching for warmth, before sitting cross-legged in front of the fireplace
>"Just... sit behind me, girl. No need for this to get awkward."
"Yes, Master..." you reply sheepishly, hesitantly sitting on your haunches behind him as his teeth begin to chatter and he scoots closer to the fire, reaching his arms toward it and rubbing his hands together vigorously before looking over his shoulder at you
>"C'mon girl, Master needs you right now," he says almost pleadingly, patting his shoulder. 
>feeling a bit of heat come to your cheeks and your heart thump hard in your chest, you glance once more over at Shining Armor, who is watching with what almost seems like some sort of disturbing voyeuristic glee, before rearing up and hooking your forelegs over Master's shoulders, pressing the warm, fuzzy winter coat of your chest and belly against his back
"Oh... m..my..." you mutter, feeling him wriggle into your chest as he pulls your hooves over his shoulders 
>you give a short yelp as the ice cold skin of his back makes contact with your teats, shifting your weight on your hind legs back and forth rapidly, flicking your tail and squirming until the discomfort subsides, Master seemingly unaware of the sensitive part of your body he's touching
>his shivering causes your entire body to quake as you slowly settle in to your position on his back, pressing yourself against him a bit more to try to offer him more of your warmth, giving a nicker as you finally start to relax and let yourself enjoy the most intimate contact you've ever had with him

>"Good girl, Corona... thanks..." he says to you softly, shifting his eyes over toward Shining and half-heartedly muttering, "still whipping your ass when this is over, Shiny..."
>his train of thought is interrupted when he feels your muzzle against his cheek
>"d...definitel...y.. g..etting..."
>and again as you slowly rub your cheek against his with your eyes closed, letting out a long, drawn out nicker as you release a hot breath through your nostrils which cascades over his cheek and chin
>"t...the whip..."
>the tone of his voice falls off in a rapid decrescendo, followed by a heavy silence, the only sound present the crackling of the fireplace, and the barely perceptible breathing of the room's occupants
>the silence is only broken some time later with the brief sliding of wood and creaking of glass as, one by one, the windows are all closed up tight once again, Shining Armor also somehow finding a way to slip out of the room completely unnoticed
>it doesn't take long for the air in the room to return to its former toastiness
>curiously, even though his shivering has long since ceased entirely, Master has not attempted to move away from you or push you off
>he just stares off into space with a vacant expression 
>you're not sure if he's tired and numb or deep in thought
>there's no more mention of whipping the ornery stallion that forced you together
>his attention seems to be on more important matters
>at least, you think so...
>it's hard to tell what's going through his mind most of the time
>your weight rests almost entirely against him now, as he's slightly slumped forward to prevent you from falling away from him
>this is heaven - your muzzle firmly planted under his chin, cheek against his neck, listening to his rhythmic breathing, the ear that's not crumpled up under his throat giving a content little flick here and there
>you don't ever want to move from this spot
>he feels so wonderful...

>all too soon though, your bliss is interrupted, as you feel him begin to tremble once again
>"Master... are you cold again?" you murmur just above a whisper as you gently lift your head, eyes just barely cracking open as you bump your muzzle up against his chin and stretch and squirm, pressing your forehooves into his chest as you pull yourself tighter against his body
>"you really love me, don'tcha girl?" he says softly, bringing a hand up to caress one of your hooves and resting it there
"yessir..." you whisper
>"even after everything you've been through... that we've been through... that I've... I've done..."
>you respond with a dreamy sigh and lazy swish of your tail
>your body bobs gently up and down as he lets out a chuckle under his breath, slowly shaking his head
>"don't suppose there's any way to change your mind on that, is there?"
"nosir..."
>"heh... fuckin' Shiny..." his voice catches in his throat for just a moment, but he seems to think better of whatever it is he's about to say, instead settling on a deep sigh before finally pulling away from you, gently guiding you off his back as he turns to the side and pulls you around to where you're sitting in front of him
>as he looks into your eyes, there's a softness in his you're seeing for the first time, the firelight glimmering and dancing in them as he lifts his hand, gently guiding a stray strand of mane away from your face, causing you to avert your gaze with a deep blush
>though you only manage to tilt your head away for a fleeting moment, as he's soon directing your gaze back to his with an index finger and thumb under your chin
>"My Corona..." he whispers to you as he begins closing the gap between the two of you
>all at once you forget how to breathe, a sharp gasp lurching deep within your lungs, heaving your entire body before it recoils immediately to its former position, the tension in every muscle soon matching the tightness in your chest

>your beloved Master
>the stall- 
>the MAN you worship
>the only thing you care about in this wretched world...
>when his lips meet yours, it's as though a fuse box blows in your mind, sending electricity to every nerve ending in your body, a sharp half-whinny dying the moment it leaps from your throat
>you tilt your head to match his angle, eyes rolling back into your head as he places a hand behind you and pulls you into the kiss with a soft grunt
>his tongue pokes past your velvety muzzle and lips
>tentatively prodding at first
>but soon forcefully intruding, snaking around yours as the taste of his saliva mingles with your own
>your body roils and quakes, a flood of emotions bursting forth from where you'd been forced to dam them up for so long
>as he finally pulls away, slowly breaking the kiss, you feel faint, the word "Master" hanging on your lips in a trickling whisper
"I love you, Master..." you say with a deep shudder, "Oh I love you..."
>for a few moments it feels as though you are floating on air
>though you quickly realize your Master has slipped an arm beneath your hindquarters and lifted you up off the floor
>and is soon carrying you away to bed for the night

--------------------------------

>that may not have been the smartest thing you've ever done
>but hey, it worked, didn't it?
>you glance over at the empty bed next to you in silent contemplation
>now neither of them have to be lonely any more
>for a brief moment, you begin to second guess your attempt to play matchmaker
>after all, that was always Cadance's domain...
>a smile crawls across your lips as you give a sleepy yawn, imagining how your wife would playfully chastise you if she were here
>telling you to keep your muzzle out of the love lives of other ponies
>she would probably poke you lightly on the withers with a hoof and giggle, teasing you and calling you a big softy, a hopeless romantic 
>closing your eyes you can almost see her face as she stares at you adoringly, and leans in for a kiss
>as your eyes crack back open, the smile is slowly replaced by a crestfallen look
>Anon
>...your Master
>he may not be as amused by your antics as the Princess of Love would have been
>you're sure it's entirely possible you?re going to end up with welts on your hindquarters in the morning
>once Anon has had a chance to really think about what you just did

>you toss and turn a bit, before hopping down, inching your way over to your mostly barren closet
>fetching a thin, long, black implement with a nylon lash at the end
>the driving whip you'd hidden when Anon first took delivery of Corona's cart
>he never did try to find it
>you cringe ever so slightly as you levitate it back over to the bed, hopping back up as you inspect it
>the lash isn't very long
>you give it a quick flick in mid-air, causing it to emit a light pop
>long enough to be cracked though
>this would definitely sting quite a bit worse than a belt
>though it might not hurt quite as bad as the heavy leather lashes that have met your back and rump so many times before
>you sigh, hanging your head a bit
>if it had been any of your prior masters, you'd probably still be at the whipping post at this very moment for such brazen defiance 
>even if your heart was in the right place
>you shudder for a moment, then roll your eyes and snort quietly to yourself
>after a few moments of silence, you give the whip another light crack
>and you shudder, imagining a pony recoiling in pain at the other end of the lash
>if it turns your stomach just THINKING about whipping another pony, you wonder how anypony could ever actually USE something so cruel on another of their own kind
>and you also begin to seriously wonder if Anon's threat was sincere...
>would he use this on you over what you did tonight?
>lifting the edge of your mattress and sliding the whip underneath to better conceal it - just in case - you roll back over and try to get comfortable again
>though your troubled thoughts make it difficult, after another hour of tossing and turning, you finally manage to fall asleep

>there's muffled laughter outside of your dark, cramped cell
>it's difficult to get comfortable on this dirty, threadbare cot
>the shackles around your hooves and whatever this metal thing is that's bound so tightly around the base of your horn it's giving you a headache make it nearly impossible
>you've figured out by now that your magic has been rendered useless
>it seems these humans are more adept at sorcery than you had ever imagined
>none of the reports you'd read ever gave any indication they'd possessed the capability to neutralize unicorn magic
>it's a very disturbing thought that does not bode well for the future of Equestria
>the humans might call this a "training camp," but that seemingly benign designation belies the horrors that you have witnessed here, and the facility's true purpose
>they mean to break the lot of you and sell you into slavery
>to many, a fate worse than death...
>but you've faced hardships before, and dealt with fiercer enemies than these hairless apes
>without their gadgets and devices they're so fond of, they'd be easy to-...
>your train of thought is interrupted as the heavy metal door of your cell clangs open, and you feel yourself seized by a hind fetlock
>dragged harshly off the cot, hitting your jaw on the floor and getting the wind knocked out of you as you're forced out of it
>you don't cry out or whimper, remaining defiantly stoic even as you're fully aware of what's coming
>fighting back is useless without your magic

>"Forty lashes with the bullwhip. Tear his fucking back to ribbons. Take your time and make sure he feels every. Single. Lash. This stallion will break before he leaves my charge, one way or another. Understood?"
>"Yes, Master. As you command."
>the effortlessness with which your limp body is hoisted up, surrounded in an ethereal glow, is both demoralizing and enraging as you are hauled down the hallway, to a slightly more well-lit room with a pair of wooden posts in the middle
>you are taken straight to the nearest one, the loop formed by your forelegs and the shackles that bind them hooped around the top, your body situated so that your forelegs are forced to hug the bloodstained whipping post in front of you
>the shackles are secured to a bolt and latch built into the back of the post near the top, suspending you from the heavy wooden post as ropes are looped around your hind legs and pulled so tight that even your wildest thrashing will prevent you from securing the briefest respite or reprieve from the impending torment, stretching out your body into a terribly vulnerable position
>glancing over your shoulder, you feel a sense of utter revulsion as you catch a glimpse of the stallion who?s been charged with the task of breaking you
>it still seems unreal to you, that ANY pony would betray their own kind...
>you wonder what the humans could POSSIBLY be offering these collaborators for them to be willing to look upon the suffering they are abetting with such cold indifference
>even as your stomach churns with fear and contempt, you manage to utter a few words to the stallion about to carry out your sentence
"tell me... is your magic worth the price of your soul?"
>he simply smiles at you, giving an entertained huff through his nostrils as you hear the leather whip unfurl next to him, followed by the clopping of hooves as he assumes his position behind you
>you see stars, a crack as loud as a gunshot ringing in your ears

>you cringe and tremble violently, your body's instinctual urge to coil up in agony cut off by the bindings securing you, preventing all but the most feeble of flinching as you're racked with searing pain
>as the next lash is delivered, your diaphragm spasms causing a short, shrill scream to leap from your throat
>never would you have imagined this kind of pain is possible; nothing else you've experienced in your life even comes close to matching it
>you hear laughter
>looking back over your shoulder with a pleading expression, the stallion stares at you with a maniacal grin as he swings the whip in the air again
>he's enjoying this...
>the braided leather sings through the air with a high pitched whine before snapping against your back once again, a tuft of white hair tinged with blood leaping into the air and slowly floating to the dirt floor beneath your hooves
>*CRACK!*
>"You'd better get used to this 'your highness,' with your attitude there's bound to be plenty of whippings in your future"
>*CRACK!*
>*CRACK!*
>"Though you could save yourself a lot of trouble if only you would submit..."
>*CRACK!*
>"Bow to your betters..."
>*CRACK!*
>"A slave should know his place, after all!"
>*CRACK!*
>a mixture of sweat, blood, and urine coat the ground beneath you
>you haven't lost control of your bladder since you were a foal, but at some point the pain just became too much to bear
>"They could have made your life quite comfortable, you know... I know they made you the same offer they made me. I can't imagine, for the life of me, why anypony would choose this over a life of ease and comfort..."
>the whip falls to the floor behind you; as you pant heavily, quivering in pain and exhaustion, a cup of water is brought to your lips

>even through the haze of suffering, you remain defiant, grabbing the vessel containing the water in your teeth and flinging it violently to the side, coating the stallion's face and neck with it
"You?re a traitor to all of ponykind," you spit angrily. "Kneeling down, kissing the boot of your masters... I would sooner be whipped to death than EVER submit... to EVER put another pony through this to save my own hide..."
>you feel the whip dragged lazily over the raw, bleeding flesh of your back and let out a hiss of pain
"How many of our kind have been brutalized? How many have DIED?"
>you struggle angrily in your restraints, desperate to get a hoof free, wanting nothing more than to snap this stallion's horn off and shove it up his...
>*CRACK!*
>you howl in agony
>*CRACK!*
>"SUBMIT!"
>*CRACK!*
>"SUBMIT, SLAVE!"
>*CRACK!*
>"You WILL break!"
>*CRACK!*
>"I PROMISE you that!"
>*CRACK!*
>you lose count somewhere after the 25th lash, writhing and squirming, every muscle in your body tensed against the shackles and ropes binding you
>by now, you're full-on sobbing, unable to do anything but quiver under this unbearable torture
"STOP! STOP THIS! PLEASE!!"
>*CRACK!*
"HAVE MERCY... HAVE MERCY..."
>*CRACK!*
"MERCYYYYY!"

>you sit up in bed in a cold sweat, breathing harder than a stallion that's just galloped a marathon
>the wind whips and howls furiously against the window and causes the walls of the house to creak and moan in protest as another harsh winter storm seems to be sweeping through the area
>you find it hard to catch your breath, hopping down from your bed and exiting the room, venturing a short way down the hall
>careful not to disturb his sleep, you open Anon's bedroom door and peek inside, a dim glow of your horn illuminating the room just enough for you to get a good look
>Anon has his pajamas on, and Corona is pulled close to him under the blankets
>a quick sniff at the air uncovers no evidence that they've gone any farther than just cuddling
>with a sigh, you gently close the door before proceeding to the bathroom, running some warm water into the sink and splashing it on your face, looking at yourself in the mirror
>your well-groomed mane
>pristine but shaggy winter coat hiding the evidence of years of torment
>the words you spoke all those years ago echo in your mind as you stare down at the running water, heart beginning to race once again as you close your eyes tight
>"I would sooner be whipped to death than EVER submit..."
>the traitor's words soon begin to torment you as well
>"they could make your life quite comfortable... can't imagine... why any pony would choose this over a life of ease and comfort..."
>"ease and comfort..."
>when you look back up into the mirror, your reflection has been replaced by the visage of the pony from your nightmarish memory
>you squeal and fall backward onto your haunches, trembling violently and shaking your head in rage
"I'm not like him... I'm not like him at ALL..."
>you rear up suddenly, striking out at the mirror with a hoof
"I'M NO BUCKING TRAITOR!"

>the mirror shatters in a cobweb pattern, but surprisingly remains intact
>you wince seeing the damage, hoping the commotion doesn't wake Anon up 
>after holding your breath for what feels like hours with one ear rotated toward the hallway, there is no response
>guess that's one more thing he's going to have to be angry with you about in the morning...
>your horn glows, and you shut the bathroom light out as you head back down the hallway to your bedroom, trying to clear your mind as you shut the door behind yourself
>finding yourself pacing and flicking your tail in agitation, it's some time before you finally find your way back to bed, unable to fight the exhaustion that is taking hold
>as you lay under the blankets and finally begin to settle down, your mind begins to wander back to thoughts of your family
>the images of Cadance stirred up in your mind earlier return with greater intensity, refusing to leave you alone
>and along with them, memories of happier times - phantasms of the past that arise from their resting place to dance in your mind and torment you worse than the lash of the cruelest whip that has ever kissed your back
>how awkward and nervous you were on your first date
>your first kiss
>the day you proposed to her
>and your wedding
>the indescribable passion of your lovemaking as you worshiped each other's bodies
>the day little Flurry Heart was born...
>you shift around in bed, a soft sniffle escaping your muzzle, sliding your cheek backward to escape the growing dampness on the pillow beneath you
>could either of them have survived this long?
>your beautiful wife... your precious daughter
>do they know how much you miss them?
>how much you love them?
>would they...

>your thoughts begin to take a darker turn as doubt and even a hint of self-loathing begin to churn your stomach
>...would they be ashamed of your growing complacence?
>that you're allowing yourself to find any happiness in your subjugation?
>or that you find yourself growing more and more fond of the man that owns you with each passing day?
>what would they think of the now-undeniable and rapidly intensifying paternal love you have in your heart for little Gracie?
>...and for that matter... if your past self could see you now, how ashamed would he be?
>what ever happened to Sparky?
>a pony that you betrayed...
>your body rocks with quiet sobs
>you swore to yourself you would never become a collaborator
>you would never submit to slavery...
>but things are... complicated
>if only none of this had ever happened...
>if only you could go home to Equestria...
>the sleep you get through the rest of the night is dreamless, and restless
>by the time you open your eyes again, the storm has died down, and dim beams of sunlight are beating through the frosted window above your bed
>you slowly stretch and yawn, sitting up in bed before hearing the sound of someone clear their throat
>looking over, you see Anon sitting on the side of Corona's bed, watching over you
>"Shiny, we need to have a little chat."

>the sound of your Master's voice is enough to fully rouse you from any lingering exhaustion, your lips first turning up in a sheepish smile, then a slight smirk, your tail rising and falling against the bed lazily as you speak
"Good Morning, Anon. Did you sleep well last night?"
>the half-hearted smirk on your face as you ask the question soon fades, the man's expression remaining unchanged as he stares at you in angry silence and slowly crosses his arms
>you offer a simple snort as your ears flatten and you slowly lay back down on the bed
>"Shiny?" he says firmly, "I'm waiting to hear a damned good reason I shouldn't rip that ring off your horn this INSTANT and go get my money back for it."
>you sigh and look away, biting your lip for a moment before replying
"Corona loves you, you know."
>he brings his palm to his forehead and shakes his head slowly as he closes his eyes
>"Don't try to change the subject. You violated my trust, Shiny..."
>you wince as the words leave his mouth, for the first time feeling the slightest hint of real shame over your actions
"I wouldn't have hurt you, Anon. You know that."
>his arms fall into his lap as he stares at you
>"Oh? How can I be sure now? What happens the next time I don't do what you want me to, hmm? How much further are you going to take it than opening some windows and giving me a nasty chill?"
>your brow furrows and you frown
"It was a little harmless fun, Anon! I didn't mean anything by it! You needed a little push and I gave-"
>"That's not for you to decide, Shiny." *he interrupts sharply, his voice booming as he holds his hand up*

>an awkward silence hangs over the two of you for several moments before Anon clears his throat and speaks again
>"What am I going to do with you, Shiny?" he asks in exasperation. "Fuck's sake, you know I don't like to be the 'bad guy' but you've put me in a hell of a spot here, I can't just pretend this never happened!"
>you slowly look at him once again, hopping down from the bed and sitting on your haunches in front of him
"Anon..."
>you say softly as you stare up at him with a genuinely remorseful expression
"...Master. I don't regret pushing you and Corona closer together, but if it means anything at all to you, I really AM deeply sorry for breaking your trust in the process."
>you avert your eyes and let out a deep sigh
"That was never my intention at all. I could tell you both wanted it, but something was holding you back. I felt like if I didn't do something..."
>you falter for a few moments as you struggle to find the right words, surrendering with a frustrated snort when they evade you
"...I don't know. You both deserve to be happy."
>he sits silently as he mulls over your words, eventually patting Corona's bed to signal you to join him
>you hesitantly hop up on the bed next to him, hooking your forelegs over his lap and looking up at him curiously
>"I understand what you were trying to do, Shiny, but the way you went about it... was wrong. Dead wrong. I don't mind a bit of playfulness or a snarky attitude here and there, but when I gave you this..." he says as he places his finger and thumb on the ring around your horn, giving it a little twist before letting his hand fall limp again, "it was with the implicit understanding that you would NEVER use your magic against me. I never second guessed my decision to give you this gift until now."
>the tone of hurt and betrayal in his voice causes a lump to form in your throat, shame taking hold of you once again as your ears flatten

>his hand hesitantly finds your withers, and he slowly strokes your back in silence for some time before he speaks to you again
>"...we've come so far, Shiny. YOU'VE come so far. I honestly thought we were past this sort of th-"
"You're going to punish me, aren't you?"
>he doesn't chide you for the interruption, but his hand stops and you feel him tense up for a moment
>"Yes, I am."
>his tone is not angry, but clear and resolute
>you snort and look away, trying to remove your forelegs from his lap, but he holds you there as you grumble under your breath
>"Hold on," he grunts as you try to squirm out of his grasp, raising his voice just enough to be sure he gets your attention "HEY!"
>you stop your struggle when he yells, though you hadn't made much of a genuine effort to get away from him
>"Just listen to me before you start pouting."
"I don't pout, Anon!" you retort with a growl
>the man rolls his eyes "Yeah, actually you do sometimes."
>his hand resumes stroking you as your tail flicks sharply in frustration, your horn glowing moments later and the man giving a curious look as the mattress on your bed is lifted
>the whip you had stashed there to hide away emerges in the aura of your magic, and you toss it on the floor in front of him

"Am I always going to be a slave to you, Anonymous?" you ask flatly, careful not to sound accusing or sarcastic
>he groans and sighs, kicking the whip away from his feet, seemingly not in the mood for this back-and-forth that always ends the same way
>"You didn't even give me a chance to say what I was going to say. I want to give you a choice, Shiny-"
"-What, the choice of which of your belts you're going to beat me with?"
>that causes his eyebrows to furrow angrily and he gives you a firm shake
>"Hey, that's not fair and you know it. Just fucking listen to me, would you?"
>you snort
>"I was going to take away your attenuator for a month, but I know how important your magic is to you. So if you'd RATHER have a belting..." his voice trails off
>your face contorts in disbelief as you look up at him again
"That's some 'choice,' Anon! Give up the very thing that defines me as a unicorn for a month, or be whipped like an animal? I know I made you mad but-"
>he raises his voice again as he cuts you off abruptly
>"This isn't about me being 'mad' Shiny! I want you to understand JUST how deeply you wounded me!"
>with that you sit up on your haunches on the bed as you stare into his eyes furiously
"I KNOW I screwed up, and I apologized for it already! Anon, if I really wanted to take advantage of your gift in the way you're implying, we wouldn't be sitting here talking right now! Why can't you get that through your thick human skull?!" you lean forward and rap a hoof on top of his head, and he swats it away

>he stands up with an angry grunt and crosses his arms as he walks over to the window and looks out of it
>you give him a hard stare, and though he's not facing you it's clear he feels your eyes on him
"Anon, you told me way back when you first bought me that you wanted to be my friend. I thought that's what we were becoming. You even said once you were starting to think of us as family."
>you give an exasperated scoff before you continue
"Celestia help me, I can't bring myself to hate you! But things like this-"
>"-I know Shiny," he interrupts without turning to face you. "But you should have stopped and thought about what you were doing. Did it never even occur to you to have a conversation-"
>"Master?" you hear the mare's voice interrupt softly from the doorway, sitting on her haunches with her ears flat "I woke up and you were gone..."
>Anon turns and walks toward her, kneeling down and placing a hand on her cheek, giving her a quick kiss on her forehead
>"Go back to bed, girl."
>she leans around him and gives you a concerned look, hesitating to leave
>"Something wrong, Corona?"
>her ivory mane falls over her eyes as she looks toward the floor and bites her lip
>"You don't... regret kissing me last night, do you Master?"
>he frowns and slowly stands up
>"Corona, we can talk later. Please... just go back to my room and lay down."
>she gives a little whimper
>"but if you're going to punish Shining because of me-"

>you hop down from the bed and push past both of them, making your way toward the kitchen
"Yeah, great, whatever, you two have a lot to chat about I'm sure, I'm getting breakfast."
>"SHINING ARMOR!"
>you're not sure you've ever heard such harshness in Anon's voice, and it causes you to wince and freeze in place
>Corona, too, you notice
>he storms down the hall after you, a hand reaching out the moment he's within arm's reach
>"If you don't want to make the choice, I'll do it for you."
>the sensation of the implant attenuator ring being slid off your horn is worse than a mule-kick straight to the gut, taking your breath away as you're overcome with a sudden hollow, sickeningly empty feeling, falling to your haunches as your lower jaw starts to tremble
>your voice catches in your throat as you try to speak, the completely overwhelming feeling of being "less than" drowning your words before they can form
>"You can have this back in a month, when you've SHOWN how sorry you are."
>by the time you regain your senses, you are alone with Corona, the mare sitting on her haunches in front of you with a deeply worried expression
>"Shining Armor? Shining?" she repeats as she waves a hoof in front of you "I said are you okay?"
>a barely muttered "Ooooohh...." is all you can manage to respond with as your gaze falls to the floor
>"It's just a month, Shining... you'll be okay, you'll see. He'll give it back!"
>the tone of her voice is almost panicked as she reaches a hoof toward you tentatively, pulling it back suddenly as she's unsure what else to do or say





>Shining Armor finally rises from his haunches, pacing up and down the hallway with an utterly lost expression
>your ears swivel toward the kitchen as you hear Master's coffee pot sputter to life, the pleasant smell of freshly brewed coffee tickling your muzzle a few moments later
>after quite a bit of hesitation, you make your way toward the kitchen, stopping only for a moment to glance over your shoulder at the stallion - what could you possibly say to him right now that would make him feel any better?
>"Come, girl." Master says as he makes his way past you and into the living room carrying a steaming mug of the brew
>you comply without hesitation, following him as he sits in his recliner, hopping up into his lap when he gives it a pat
>he drops the attenuator ring he'd had in his hand on the end table next to him, takes a quick sip from his mug before placing it on a coaster, and slowly runs a hand through your mane
>when he reaches your withers, he presses down firmly in an attempt to get you to lay down, but instead you sit up in his lap and turn to look into his eyes
"I... I think... about last night... M...Master..."
>your stammering is quickly cut short as the man presses a finger over your lips
>your ears flatten, and you remain silent for a few moments, steeling your nerve before speaking up again
"Master... you said you don’t regret what we did… you don’t regret kissing me..."
>despite your resolve it comes out through trembling lips on a shaky voice as you slowly rest yourself against his chest, hooking your forehooves over his shoulders as you stare into his eyes
"You... meant that, right?"
>his eye twitches subtly as the question leaves your muzzle, and he puts the foot rest of the recliner out as he tilts the back to let you rest more comfortably against him
>rather than respond right away, he simply stares back into your eyes, gently stroking your mane and back, maintaining a deep, quiet look of contemplation

>”...where does this go from here, Corona?”
>your head tilts in response to Master’s sudden question
>”-you and me. What kind of future do you see in this? I can’t give you a family, I can’t marry you…”
>a deep warmth rises in your cheeks, your skin tingling from the very suggestion of marriage or having a family
“That doesn’t matter, Master” you reply calmly after taking a few moments to consider your reply, resting your head against his chest with a soft sigh
>he offers a simple hum in response as he slowly strokes your back, giving you a quick pat on your croup
>when his finger traces over the scar where your cutie mark once was, you shudder intensely and close your eyes, opening them only when you hear a grunt and snort from the hallway where Shining is still pacing, glancing over at the ring sitting on the table nearby
“Master… I… I wish you would reconsider punishing Shining Armor…”
>the disapproving glance he gives you is enough to cut that topic of conversation short, your ears flattening apologetically for a few moments
>he gives a frustrated sigh and slowly raises a hand, gesturing over you
>"There's also this," he almost groans, prompting another curious glance up from you
"'This?'"
>"Yeah, 'this.' This submissive attitude of yours. You know what makes me hesitate the most about all of this, Corona? It's the fact that if I indulge you, I truly don't know if you'd tell me 'no' if I tried something you didn't want to do - or at a time you weren't feeling up to it."
>out of the corner of your eye you see Shining walking past and into the kitchen
>your gaze follows until you're silently glancing over at him as he sits on his haunches, resting his chin on the kitchen table with a loud sigh before you turn your head once more to look into Master's eyes
"I... I guess you're right about that," you admit hesitantly, even as you push your muzzle up under his chin with a sigh, your tail lazily swishing against his lap

"Would it make it easier if I promised to say 'no' sometimes?"
>he hugs you tightly and kisses the top of your head
>"Remember what I said about needing time? Let's just keep taking things slow and-"
>you give a snort and sit up, gently pulling away from him
"I... I don't WANT to take things slow anymore!"
>the shocked look on his face at your outburst does little to dissuade you
"YOU kissed ME, Master! A...and you enjoyed it! Why are you so afraid to admit that!?"
>his mouth hangs open in stunned silence as he stares at you
"Y...you either love me or you don't! You desire me or you don't! It's as simple as that! It's... it's not fair to keep stringing me along like this!"
>your muzzle scrunches up and your brow furrows, your bottom lip trembling as you fight back tears, swatting his hand away when he reaches to stroke your cheek
"No! Don't try to comfort me right now! If you don't love me, if you don't want to be with me like that - if the thought of intimacy with a SLAVE disgusts you so much, at least be MAN enough to admit it for once!" you demand, trembling as hot, angry breaths pour from your flaring nostrils
>that struck a nerve, as his eyes narrow and he immediately frowns
>"Corona, calm down"
>the command is issued in a low, firm tone
>you wince, but only for a moment
>if he sees that you ARE willing to stand up for yourself sometimes...
>with a gulp, you shake your head
"No."
>the firmness of your reply surprises even you as you lean forward and force an awkward kiss that he's quick to pull away from
>he pushes you out of his lap and you fall onto the floor on your back with a soft "OOF", but your forehooves are on his knees before he can stand up, locking your eyes on his with a desperate, frustrated expression
"That's what you wanted, isn't it? To know I can say 'no' sometimes? I just p...proved that I can! Please, Master..." you practically beg, your ears flattening as you lay your head in his lap, but keep your gaze fixed on his

"...just tell me what you want from me to make this happen! To... to make 'us' happen!"
>you blink away a pair of tears that roll down your cheeks, sniffling and closing your eyes as he brings his hand to your cheek once again and strokes it gently with the back of his hand
>"...what exactly do you want from me, Corona?"
>the question comes across as less than sincere, but Master seems at a loss for words otherwise
>your breath hitches in your throat and your whole body tingles as you struggle to reply
>it's clear what you want
>mares have needs
>but to actually say it out loud...
"I... I want you to... to..."
>your eyes open, but you look away from him as you run a hoof slowly up and down his thigh, your voice falling to a whisper as your body quakes with fear and desire
"I... I want you to touch me. The way... the way a stallion touches his mare, and only HIS mare."
>the warmth in your cheeks spreads like a raging fire through your whole body as your tail thumps against the floor
"...is... is that clear enough, Master? You're not... you're not going to make me beg, are you?"
>the desperate, pained whine that follows seems to finally break his defenses, as he brings his palm to his forehead and shakes his head slowly
>"Please don't beg," he grumbles, glancing over at Shining Armor, intentionally avoiding eye contact when he looks back at you and begins stroking you once again
>you close your eyes tight and lean into his touch with a soft nicker
>"Let's... eat some breakfast first, at least?" he says with an awkward, hesitant smile
>you can't be sure how much he really means that, but it's enough to disarm you, at least for now
>sitting more upright and slowly lifting your head from his lap, you give his hand a quick nuzzle as you take a deep, calming breath
"y...yessir"






>Shining Armor remains completely silent as you walk past him into the kitchen and begin pulling out various items from the cupboards and fridge to get breakfast started
>oatmeal with fresh apple slices for the two ponies; bacon, eggs, and hashbrowns for yourself
>the stallion normally has a snide remark for you any time you prepare meat, but this time he simply curls his lip in disgust at the scent of the sizzling bacon and looks away from you
>Corona sits at her usual spot at the table and stares at you with a dopey grin while you cook, her tail gently swishing as an awkward silence hangs over the room
>setting the two bowls in front of them before taking a seat yourself, you feel both sets of eyes resting heavily on you, clearing your throat as you stand up to pour yourself some orange juice
>you've finished off the bacon and are half way through the hash browns and eggs before either pony makes a move toward their own breakfast; Shining simply sniffing at the bowl with a snort before resting his head back on the table, prompting you to drop your fork on your plate with a sigh
"Eat. Both of you. Before it gets cold"
>despite the firmness of your tone as you give the order, neither of them comply
>Shining just glares at you, and Corona seems too lost in her thoughts to pay attention to anything you say
>though when she finally notices your eyes on her, she shakes her head and snaps out of it, lowering her muzzle to the bowl and eating quietly
>"What do you think Sparky Cinder is up to right now?"
>you raise an eyebrow as your head jerks in Shining's direction, taken aback by the mention of Sparky out of nowhere
>Corona's hackles rise instantly upon hearing the name, a very faint snarl coming to her lips as her ears flatten
>"You remember Sparky, right? The stallion I protected you from," he says with a huff. "You know, the one who attacked you with HIS magic."

>when you simply stare at him in confused silence, he continues
>"...I suppose you must have forgotten him already. Guess maybe that's why you can't tell the difference between a pony that means you harm and one that doesn't anymore," he scoffs
"Eat your breakfast, Shiny" you finally manage to growl in response as your fist hits the table, causing Corona to gasp and flinch
>Shining Armor just stares ahead stoically as you stand and scrape the rest of the contents of your plate into the trash, your appetite leaving you in a hurry
>you scoot your chair a little closer to the stallion when you sit back down and lean toward him, resting your arms on the table as you clasp your hands together
“Look, Shiny. I get what you’re saying. Maybe what you did isn’t all that bad, especially given what some ponies - like Sparky - would do with their magic if they had the chance, but you’re still missing the point.”
>the stallion’s eyes flick toward you and he snorts, giving an angry flick of his tail
“And I don’t need you rubbing Sparky in my face, either. Believe me, I know the difference between you and him. That’s why he’s in a jail cell, and you’re getting a slap on the-”
>”Let me stop you right there,” the stallion says with a grunt, lifting his head and pointing a hoof at you, “YOU don’t know what it’s like to lose something you’ve never had, Anon. So don’t sit here and patronize me with some speech about what a benevolent slave owner you are by giving me such a ‘light’ punishment.”
>his eyes narrow and he snorts
>”I may not be in a prison cell or in physical chains, but taking a unicorn’s magic away like this - it might as well be the same thing.”
>he raises a hoof to cut you off before you can get a word in edgewise

>”You might not have put this thing in my head” he says, gently rapping on the top of his head with a hoof, “but you hurt me just as badly as the humans who did when you took that ring away from me just now.”
>that statement is enough to give you pause and look away from him, prompting the stallion to continue to push his advantage in the discussion
>”A unicorn’s magic isn’t some toy or accessory to be given and taken away as casually as you might slip off a pair of shoes or a jacket, Anon.”
>Shining rises to his hooves, stepping into the living room and returning a few moments later with the attenuator in his muzzle, tossing it on the table in front of you before sitting on his haunches again
>”Trust me, if I had known you’d react so harshly to a little bit of harmless fun, I would have been a lot more careful with how I used my magic.”
>he gives you a slight smirk
>”I’d have just found some other way to force the two of you together.”
>thankfully, his expression softens a bit as he steps closer to you
>”I know you wouldn’t have done this if you knew how much of an impact it would have. You already know I used to be captain of the royal guard, and prince of the Crystal Empire. Part of those positions meant accepting consequences for my actions when I made a mistake, so I don’t want you to think of this as me trying to flaunt your authority or weasel my way out of a punishment,” he says with a sigh. “But… what you did went too far, Anon.”
>Corona clears her throat softly after a few moments of awkward silence 
>”Master… I’ve finished my breakfast… s...should I leave you and Shining alone to talk?”
>the stallion slowly grows more and more impatient at your silence as you ponder his words, huffing and snorting as his tail swats the floor

>you nod your head in response to Corona’s question as you pick up the horn ring and roll it around in your palm with a sigh, looking down at it as she takes her bowl to the sink, then gives you a quick bow before making her way back to the living room and hopping up on the couch
“This thing really means THAT MUCH to you, huh boy?”
>a silent, firm nod is the only response you get from Shining Armor
>”...I’m not going to beg for it back, Anon… but I at least wanted you to know that this is a big deal to me,” he says with a bit of a defeated sigh as he looks down at the floor
“You also just got done telling me you’re willing to accept the consequences of your actions. So what would you suggest? This is one thing I’m not just willing to completely forgive and forget as if it never happened, Shiny. I want to leave a lasting impression on you about how serious this was to me.”
>the stallion snorts and rolls his eyes, mulling over your words a while before responding
>”Look, Anon… Master. If you really still feel the need to punish me… I don’t know. Just belt me or something. But don’t take my magic away from me like this…”
>when you don’t immediately respond, the stallion stands and disappears down the hallway, returning some time later with your belt clenched in his teeth, dropping it on the table in front of you
>”If this is really a trust thing…” he says as he nods toward the ring in your hand, “...put the ring back on me before you do it. Let me prove to you that I won’t hurt you with my magic, even when I’m in pain or angry at you. That’s the most important thing to you, right? Showing you I can be trusted with my magic?”
>you pick up the belt and look into the stallion’s eyes, which betray the slightest hint of desperation even as the rest of his expression remains stoic

>eventually you waver and sigh, setting the belt aside and placing your hand on his forehead, quietly stroking his muzzle before sliding the ring over his horn, tapping the controls on the app on your phone to reactivate it
>this time he does a much better job of maintaining a tight rein on his emotional reaction even as the sensation of his magic returning to his control threatens to overwhelm him
>you stand up to pour yourself another cup of coffee, turning and leaning against the countertop as you nod toward the belt before taking a sip
“Take that thing back to my room, I have some things to get done before I start back to work after the holiday weekend is up. You and Corona… I dunno, just keep yourselves busy today. Find some work to do, go outside and play in the snow, I don’t care - I just want to be left alone for a while. I’ve got a lot on my mind and I just want to clear my head.”
>he takes a few steps toward you, looking up at you quietly for several moments, before pressing the side of his face against your chest and letting out a whisper-quiet nicker
>you roll your eyes and set your coffee aside, giving his ear a quick scratch
“Yeah, yeah. Stop trying to butter me up you big lug, you already got what you wanted,” you say with a sigh. “We’ll do things your way. I’m still gonna take the belt to your rump later - that’s the deal you wanted.”
>the stallion doesn’t even flinch when you remind him he still has a punishment coming
>”...yes Master, that’s fine,” he says with a relieved sigh, lifting his muzzle to nuzzle the side of his face against your chest a couple of times as he closes his eyes. “Thank you for listening to what I had to say, and… well, for reconsidering.”
>you reach down and give him a quick pat on the neck
“You’re welcome, I guess. Alright, then, off with ya,” you say as you gently brush him aside, taking your coffee and heading toward your computer as you shoo him away





>by now your food has gotten cold, but that's really your own fault
>maybe your little confrontation could have at least waited until after you ate, but it doesn’t matter much now
>it's something of a strange feeling - to be relieved by the knowledge you're going to take a strapping over something you've done
>but considering the alternative...
>shaking your head quietly, you dip your muzzle into the bowl and quickly finish your breakfast as Master dresses himself and sets to work on some task at his computer
>heeding his instructions, you and Corona make your way outside, the mare throwing her scarf around her neck, touching a hoof to it and staring at Master lovingly for several moments before stepping through the open door
>you shiver briefly from the cold winter air, but with your warm and shaggy winter coat that’s grown in it doesn’t take long to adapt
>for a few moments you looking out over the property, giving a soft snort as steam rises from your nostrils
"I suppose Anon would appreciate it if we cleared some of this snow, huh?"
>when there's no response you glance over at the daydreaming mare and clear your throat harshly, prompting her to shake her head and come to her senses
>"Yeah... I hadn't realized it snowed so hard..."
>the response is almost immediately followed by the mare's attention wandering once again
>you give her a quick swat on the shoulder with your tail as you pass her
"Come on then, let's get to work"
>Corona snorts and nods her head, following you out to the storage shed where you retrieve a pair of snow shovels
>manipulating the tool with your magic, even still restrained to the degree it is, is a simple task, and you begin tossing loads of white powder into messy heaps along the side of the driveway as you work your way toward the road methodically, Corona doing the same as she manipulates her shovel with her mouth

>as though nature itself is mocking your effort, a fresh snow begins to fall just as you near completion of the task, drawing a frustrated sigh from you as you finish up
>no matter, Anon's probably not going anywhere today anyway
>and Corona's distracted silence leaves you alone with your thoughts as you work
>thinking back to earlier, you shudder when you realize just how close you had come to begging Anon for the ring back
>stupid humans, they have no idea what it's like...
>storing the shovel back into the storage shed, you sit at the end of the driveway and look down it toward the eerily quiet road, your work already covered by a thin layer of freshly fallen snow
>unfortunately, the break in activity is all the memory of last night's nightmare needs to come creeping back into your mind
>and not just the nightmare, the memory of the actual experience itself
>your ears pin angrily and your tail swishes sharply against the concrete below
>if you'd been on the verge of begging just now, you begin to wonder just how far you'd ever go to keep your vital essence from being stolen away ever again, finding your own words echoing in your mind
>'...is your magic worth the price of your soul?'
>snorting and stomping as you rise to all four hooves, you toss your head and mane, shaking free a bit of the snow clinging to your coat as Corona sets to work organizing and cleaning out the storage shed
>you haven't sold your soul - nor would you ever, you quickly reassure yourself
>Sparky had been... a unique circumstance
>not that you don't understand his anger - far from it
>hey, there had even once been a time when you might not have even tried to stop him
>but living here has done something to you
>it's forced you to come face to face with the reality that things aren't always as black and white as they seem
>sure, you're still a slave
>and Anon is your Master
>but you rarely feel truly 'oppressed' by him

>he certainly didn't deserve to face Sparky's wrath, paying for the sins of his race with his life
>after some time you start to realize that your hooves have carried you away from the house and the storage shed, wandering aimlessly around the edges of the pastures, down the fenceline as your head pans around to take in your surroundings, pristine glistening snow banks unspoiled by anything but the tracks you leave behind as you walk
>you stop as you near the edge of the woods, recognizing clearly the very path you had chased Sparky down, causing a chill to run down your spine
>despite what happened, you somehow hope the humans aren't being too harsh with him, though you know the likelihood of that is slim
>once again your hooves are carrying you forward, slowly wandering amidst the towering skeletons of trees that had been stripped bare by the changing seasons quite some time ago
>the workings of the weather and nature here still seem so foreign despite how long you've been on this world
>in a remote part of the woods, you find a quiet area to rest near the frozen-over creek that runs through your Master's property
>eventually you manage to gather up enough dry sticks and limbs to start a small fire after considerable effort, giving a brief smirk of satisfaction before clearing away a bit of snow to lay with your side facing it, idly poking at the fire with a stick levitated by your magic, occupying yourself with keeping the fire burning as your thoughts wander and carry you away
>Anon wasn't the only one that needed some time alone to think about everything

>your thoughts drift to Corona while the fire before you crackles and pops as you stoke it
>she’s been through so much at the hands of these… beasts
>but she still fell in love with one of them...
>and while your relationship with Anon may be complicated, even at times strained, you can't deny the affection that's grown within you for him
>if you do let yourself enjoy the little bit of happiness you’ve found here, is that really such a bad thing?
>the thought is immediately followed up by dreadful guilt and a sense of duty as you think not only of your wife and daughter, but the countless ponies out there that are still suffering
>and then deep shame as you’re forced to admit that after all this time, at least part of you is tired of rebelling
>as well as a begrudging acknowledgement that if ponies ever are to be truly free, it very likely won’t be through their own doing
>it will depend on the kindness of humans who empathize with your plight
>humans like little Gracie
>you have to admit, she’s ignited a little spark of hope in your heart that perhaps some day, your kind CAN live in peace alongside humanity
>as equals
>you rest your head again with a soft sigh

>some time later, your ears swivel in the direction of the house as you hear a faint whistling, a brief delay before the whistle repeats and is followed by a voice
>you can't make out what's being yelled or by who, but from the tone and the rise and fall in intonation, even at this distance you can easily pick up that it's Master calling for you with his typical whistle followed up by a long and drawn out "Shiiiii-ny!"
>your head rises and turns toward the sound, a smile tugging at the corners of your mouth and your tail swishing gently a couple times in reflex
>a quiet half-nicker falls out of your muzzle as you stand up and shake the snow off yourself, piling a bunch over the fire to put it out before trotting in the direction of the house, hearing the whistle and call repeated once again as you near the edge of the trees
>there’s a subtle contentment in hearing him call out for you like this - a gentle reminder that you are wanted here, and missed when not present
>and while you may be a slave, you are valued as something much more
>you'd even be so bold as to say your Master considers you irreplaceable 
>as the house starts to come into view you see him standing on the back deck leaning against the railing, lifting a hand to his lips he whistles for you again, prompting you to pick up your pace to a trot, then a light canter, stopping when you reach the stairs and bounding up them in two strides, walking through the door without a word as he holds it open for you and follows you back in where you sit on your haunches patiently just inside the door
>"What have you been up to out there, boy? You've been gone half the day..." he says as he grabs a towel kept near the back door and gives you a quick rubdown with it to get the snow and dampness out of your coat, also wiping the dirt and snow from your hooves before tossing it aside

"Nothing Anon... I uh... we cleared the driveway, then I just... wandered off to do some thinking. I didn't realize how long it'd been I guess, sorry."
>glancing past him you see Corona curled up by the fireplace, lifting her head for a brief moment to look over at you before resting it once more
>"I started to get worried when you didn't come back for lunch..."
>he hums softly as he looks you over, giving you a quick pat on the withers before crossing his arms
"...not too hungry right now, I guess" you respond with a sigh as you look away silently for a few moments, eventually looking up at him once more "hey Anon? You think we could... go ahead and just get that punishment out of the way? I just want to be done with it..."
>after quite a bit of what seems like hesitation, he eventually nods
>"You're sure that's what you want, Shiny?"
>without hesitating, you nod firmly
"Yeah, Anon. I just want things to go back to normal between us. I want to put this behind us... I want you to be able to trust me again
>he nods his head with a sigh and ruffles your mane
>"Alright then. Go wait in your room, I'll be there in a few minutes."
>with a grunt and confirmatory snort, you stand and walk past him, your ears flicking backward only for a moment as you head for your room, laying over your bed in complete silence, slowly assuming the position with a couple of deep breaths
>you hear the sound of the door open and close, followed by footsteps as Anon takes up a position behind you
>no words pass between the two of you at first, and you don't even bother to look over your shoulder at him as you hear the belt pulled through the loops on his pants, closing your eyes and holding your tail out of the way
>even though Master’s voice is firm and calm, there’s an obvious uneasiness to it
>”Alright boy, are you ready?”
>you give a curt nod, still not looking back
>”...are you sure you don’t want to just give up the ring? I’ll cut the time in half, two weeks?”

>the attempt to bargain causes you to snort and stomp a hind leg, flicking your tail impatiently
>thankfully, he sees no need to make you count out the strokes this time, allowing you to maintain some level of dignity as the punishment commences, the loud and familiar crack of the leather against your backside meeting your ears moments later, followed by the immediate stinging pain in your rump, causing your body to flinch quietly
>he delivers a few more strokes before hesitating once more, prompting you to look over your shoulder in frustration
“Come on, Anon, just get it over wi-”
>CRACK!!!
>ouch, that one really got you good, your hind legs wobbling momentarily as a hiss of pain escapes your muzzle
>he’s given you plenty of chances to change your mind, but given your insistence he continues, and you find yourself holding your breath, then eventually panting as the biting sting of each new stroke merges with the growing throbbing and aching fire that's accumulating in your hindquarters
>there’s little reprieve, the strap lashing your hide once more the moment you begin to adapt to the sensation 
>despite his reluctance, he delivers each blow forcefully, causing you to start shaking and squirming after the seventh or eighth stroke
>your flinching has turned to lurching forward against the bed, grunting and groaning as your hind legs begin to dance
>when the tenth stroke is followed by an eleventh, then a twelfth, you're taken aback that he's decided to keep going
>another glance over your shoulder reveals his face contorted in discomfort, and a hint of pain as he continues
>clearly he considered this much more serious than any of your previous defiance, as he also picks up the pace of his swings
>after fifteen, you start to yelp and whimper with each stroke as the pain reaches a level that makes it nearly impossible to hold still for him
>”hang in there, Shiny…” he says reassuringly, his voice wavering as he delivers another stroke

>after twenty, your horn sparks to life briefly in reflex as tears stream down your cheeks, summoning all of your strength and will to hold back the urge to cast a shield to protect yourself from the assault, intent on keeping your word no matter what
>by the time he reaches thirty, you're writhing on the bed, ears pinned hard against your head, eyes shut tight, grasping and biting at the blankets in front of you, letting out a brief howl of pain with each stroke that follows
>at thirty five you've reached the limit of what you can force yourself to endure unrestrained, crying out loudly and hoarsely, your tail clamping hard against your backside as you leap onto the bed and turn to face him, shivering in pain
"PLEASE, MASTER! I'M *SORRY!*"
>you hunker down against the bed, flattening your body as much as possible as your muzzle rests between your forelegs, damp eyes meeting his pleadingly
"I SAID I'M SORRY, NO MORE!"
>he's already threading the belt back through the loops on his pants before you can even make your second statement, his own eyes glistening with tears, arms trembling
>moments later he sits down on the bed next to you as you cry, running his hand over your withers and back
>you don't flinch away from his touch, accepting that this was what you asked for, even if you hadn't realized it would be so harsh this time
>your hind legs stretch out behind you, the muscles and skin of your hindquarters rippling in reflex as the pain throbs and burns relentlessly
>"shhhh, shhhhhh..." Anon says as he pulls your muzzle and front hooves into his lap, hugging and stroking you "good boy, Shiny... good boy. It's over now, good boy, Shiny. GOOD boy."
>you feel a pair of tears drip onto the back of your ear as he leans over you
>”do you… do you understand now? Don’t ever… EVER… betray my trust like that again Shiny, PLEASE… don’t ever break my trust again...”
>his pleading tone is accompanied by a hard sniffle as he squeezes you tightly





>for some time, you sit in silence with the shaking stallion, leaving only long enough to get an ice pack for his hindquarters
>though he doesn't make any attempt to take it from you when you offer, drawing a sigh from you as you set it aside on the nightstand between the two beds
"You gonna be okay here if I get up, boy? It's about time to get dinner started..."
>his ear flicks and he lets out a soft huff through his nostrils, scooting his front end back off of your lap to let you up
>you offer a few reassuring pats on his withers as you stand, clearing your throat awkwardly
"Hey pal, why don't I whip up some of that green bean and spinach casserole you like so much, hmm?"
>his ears swivel toward you, and for a few moments a faint smile curls the corners of his lips, accompanied by a pair of tail swishes and a nod
>it's all the reassurance you need that he'll be fine, returning the smile and nod as you turn to leave the room to prepare dinner
>in your absence Corona has moved to the couch, and managed to turn the tv on
>though whatever she's watching must not have been terribly interesting to her, as her eyes are on you the moment you re-enter the room
>"Is Shining Armor okay, Master? I... heard him all the way in here..." she asks softly, her ears flattening for a brief moment
"He's fine, girl" you reply with a heavy sigh, walking past the living room and into the kitchen, hearing the gentle thudding of hooves against the carpet as the mare hops down from her seat to follow you
>before you can turn around, you feel her press the side of her head against the small of your back as you retrieve various items from the drawers and cabinets, setting them on the counter
>"Are YOU okay, Master?"

>her ears are still flat, but she smiles up at you when you turn around
>"I... I know you don't enjoy punishing us"
>you simply nod before turning toward the refrigerator and gathering what you need from there
"I'll be okay, girl. I'd rather not think about it."
>her muzzle meets the back of your hand just long enough for a quiet nicker to escape her lips before she turns back toward the living room, taking her former position on the couch and remaining there quietly as you work
>Shining Armor wanders into the kitchen not long after, heading straight for the fridge, but stopping to look over at you
>"...not too much cream this time, Anon, it was a little runny last time. You might wanna leave it in the oven another five minutes or so, too"
>you roll your eyes as you turn to face the stallion, only seeing his rump as his front end is obscured by the open fridge door
>when you hear gulping a few moments later you fling the oven mitt on the counter at him, striking his cutie mark with a soft "whap"
"Dammit, Shiny! How many times have I told you to use a glass!? That's a fresh gallon of milk!"
>he perks his head up over the top of the door and smirks at you as he takes a few more gulps, then sets it back inside
>"What, you're not scared of my pony germs are you Anon?"
>stepping over and picking up the oven mitt, you gently swat his muzzle with it as you shoo him away
"Go on, out of here while I'm cooking! Go watch tv with Corona or something."
>"ugh" he snorts, "no thanks ...she's watching that dumb mare stuff again" he says as he glances toward the TV, rolling his eyes as he begins to sit on his haunches
>though the moment his rump makes contact with the floor a hiss of pain escapes his muzzle and he flinches, realizing his mistake a moment too late
>with all he's been through, he's learned to hide when he's in pain well
>maybe a little too well if the welts on his rump slipped from his mind even momentarily like that

>the sight causes you to wince and quickly turn away from him to resume the task at hand, leaving an awkward silence hanging between the two of you
>by the time you finish up and stick the dish into the oven to bake, you notice he hasn't moved from that spot
>and he's still watching you silently, his ear occasionally flicking as you wipe down the counter 
>feeling a growing awkwardness with his eyes on you like that, you eventually toss the towel aside with a sigh, turning to face him and lean against the counter
"Look, Shiny..."
>"Shut up, Anon, I'll live," he interrupts as he raises a hoof. "-it's hardly the worst thing I've ever been through."
>the stallion gives you a slight smirk as he glances at the oven and nods toward it
>"and it means something to me that you're feeling bad enough over it to treat me to a nice dinner. I think it goes without saying, but my former Masters... well, they wouldn't have given it a second thought. Nor would many of them have stopped when you did... a lot of them would have just kept going until..."
>his voice trails off, and eventually he shakes his head and lets out a short suppressed squeal before taking a few steps closer to you
>"...you're not a cruel man, and you do have a conscience. If I must live my life as a slave, if your world really has no other place for me... I don't know..." he says with a reluctant sigh and a snort "I guess... I guess I'm glad I belong to you... to someone that I don't ever have to be truly afraid of."
>that earns him a smile and a thorough ear scratch as he steps closer to you once more, hesitantly resting the side of his head against your chest as his eyes drop to the floor
"Good boy, Shiny. That's my good boy."
>a soft huff of air escapes his nostrils as he closes his eyes
>if his backside weren't still throbbing so much, that might have even been a nicker
"good boy, Shiny. Shh, good boy" you repeat as your other arm wraps around the side of his neck, pulling him into a half-hug

>after a few minutes, he clears his throat softly, taking a step back as he sighs
>his ears are flat against his head, bottom lip trembling as he looks up at you, finally making eye contact
>"...Master" he says quietly with a quick bow of his head, turning to slowly leave the room
>you give him a few steps' lead before following him into the living room where he curls up by the fireplace, turning your attention to the mare watching him curiously
"so... whatcha watchin', girl?" you ask as you approach her and take a seat on the couch next to her, though you cringe internally when you see the Lifetime logo in the corner of the TV screen
>her eyes look to you, then dart toward the screen and back up to you
>"Oh! It's... it's this movie about a woman that... that was in a really bad relationship. And how nobody believed her that her mate was hitting her, 'cause he was a police officer. And she took their foals and ran away from him, and now he's after them and they're afraid he's gonna find them and-"
>your eyebrows raise and you clear your throat to interrupt her
"Corona... Corona, are you sure you should be watching something like that, girl?"
>her ears lower and she silences herself before looking away
>"...it... it's okay, it's just a story... and it'll have a happy ending, won't it Master?"
>putting your arm around her withers, you pull her into your lap with a sigh as you take the remote
>she looks up at you and smiles, giving a little nicker as she rests her head against your chest, closing her eyes tight
>"...she'll have a happy ending, right? She'll keep running and running and she'll find a big strong stallion to love and protect her and everything will be-"
"I don't know girl, but... I'd rather not take a chance. Do you mind if I change the channel?"
>she repositions herself to get more comfortable, and shakes her head as she softly mutters "mm-mm"

>flipping through the channels to find something more relaxing, you settle on some nature documentary 
>you're not even sure what it's about, but the host has a calming voice and the background music is gentle and relaxing
>it becomes background noise as you rest your head against the back of the couch, idly stroking Corona's neck and playing with her mane as her muzzle and ears twitch with contentment
>soon you find yourself dozing, the three of you suddenly startled back to consciousness by the loud, blaring beep of the kitchen timer
"Up, girl" you say as you gently shake Corona, her muzzle stretching in a yawn as she pulls out of your lap and sits up on her haunches
>entering the kitchen you pull the pan from the oven, giving its contents a few tentative pokes with a fork before whistling for the two of them
"Shiny, Corona, dinner!"
>the mare is the first into the room, taking her usual position at the table with a huge smile as her tail swishes happily, the stallion lagging slowly behind her, giving you only a cursory glance as you begin plating the food
>Shining's horn glows, and he digs in, taking his time to savor the meal, both ponies eating quietly as usual
>he finishes first and helps himself to seconds, and by the time the three of you are finished there aren't any leftovers for the next day
>you go to gather up the plates to take them to the sink, but are surprise when they're pulled from your grasp surrounded with an ethereal glows
>"You made dinner, I got the dishes, Anon" Shining says as he steps over to the sink and fills it with water and soap
>the unexpected gesture makes you raise an eyebrow, but eventually you shrug it off
"Thanks, buddy, I appreciate it"
>when you look over to Corona, she's already starting down the hall, glancing over her shoulder at you and hesitating to take another step

>she gives a little swish of her tail as she clears her throat awkwardly to make sure she has your attention
>"Master?"
>there's a long pause before she speaks again
>"...I was... about to go for a bath, and I was wondering..."
>she slowly turns to face you and sits on her haunches, directing her gaze at the floor
>"if... if maybe you would... maybe you... you would..." her voice trails off
"You want me to give you a bath, girl?"
>the smile and swish of her tail accompany her nod as she slowly looks back to you
>chuckling softly you shake your head
"Alright alright, go fill the tub and I'll join you shortly"
>she emits an excited nicker as she nods and rises to her hooves
>"yessir!"



>by the time you enter the bathroom, she has already thoroughly wet her coat, mane, and tail, sitting on her haunches in the tub and looking at you expectantly 
>her eyes follow you as you take a seat on the toilet, eventually meeting yours with what can only be described as a lovesick gaze
>as though it's a reflex as natural as breathing, the eye contact immediately sets her tail to swishing and gently sloshing the water around her rump
>she nickers softly at you before resting her cheek against your outstretched hand, closing her eyes with a contented sigh
>it many ways it seems impossible that this is the same mare that used to recoil and shudder in fear and disgust from your touch
>but here she is, practically melting into your hand as your fingers curl to give a light scratch
>your other hand slowly travels down her back, gently exploring her slickened body, fingertips tracing over little imperfections and scars
>though they are normally hidden by her coat, they now stand out in its dampness
>while some are no doubt the result of normal wear and tear on the body or unavoidable mishaps, others were unmistakably left by the lash of a whip
>the mare shudders almost imperceptibly and presses more firmly against you, but she does not flinch or protest when your fingers continue their journey, breaking the water’s surface and moving to her flank and hip where the most glaring scar of them all rests
“You really trust me, don’t you Corona?” you ask her softly as your hand moves back to her face, gently stroking her forehead as her nostrils twitch with slow, steady breaths
>her cheek pushes hard against the hand that never left it as she lets out a barely whispered half-nicker in reply

"You ready for that bath then, girl?"
>she nods, reluctantly pulling herself away from your touch to grab a nearby bottle of shampoo in her muzzle, placing it in your hand before standing up and turning to the side
>the cap flips open with a soft "pop," and she shudders from the slightly cool sensation as you leave a trail of it all the way down her back
>kicking your shoes and socks off and rolling up your pant legs, you swing your legs over the side of the tub, letting them rest in the soothing hot water beneath her
>one hand resting on her withers as you lean forward, with the other you begin to massage it into her coat, drawing a series of coos and nickers from the mare as she basks in the sensation
>her neck turns to rest her head against your arm as she begins to tremble and moans softly
>"mm....mmmm... that's nice..." she sighs, her muscles rippling reflexively as your fingers dance all over her back and sides
>as you near her croup and tail dock she gasps, and once again a throaty nicker is drawn from her, this time accompanied by her tongue darting out for a fraction of a second and gliding over your skin

>a quick glance to see her tail beginning to raise ever so slightly up and to the side makes it clear that this is about more than just a bath
>when you pull your hand away from her withers and she no longer has your arm to lean against, she clears her throat gently and her ears flatten
>she tucks her chin coyly and looks away as you work to diligently scrub her mane, doing your best to ignore her increasingly obvious overture
>after giving her a thorough rinse, she turns around to give you access to her tail
>she lowers her head submissively, almost to the point her muzzle is in the water, and shoots you a backward glance as you begin washing her tail
>cupping water over her tail dock and letting it run down, you ensure every single strand of her tail is dripping wet
>but when you reach for the bottle of shampoo you pause, and feel your heart slowly climbing into your throat at the sight before you
>her sides are heaving, nostrils flaring as she cranes her neck to look back at you even more
>her breath catches in her throat, causing her to grunt softly as she begins to spread her hind legs
>and moments later they bend, the slightly hiked position of her tail shifting to one that holds it straight up and completely out of the way, her sopping wet tailhairs falling forward and clinging to her croup
>your eyes widen when you see a little nub dart out of the bottom of her marehood, giving you a brief flash of pink along the length of her slit as she looks at you with hungry, desperate eyes
>"M... Master..." she calls out with a heavy breath, which is accompanied by a soft whimper as the action repeats itself

>her muzzle dips into the water, a few bubbles escaping her nostrils before she pulls it back and shakes her head
>her stance widens further and her clit darts out again with a faint but audible squelch, remaining there for a few seconds before retreating back inside again
>and this time it leaves a faint, musky trail of arousal that slowly oozes and drips into the water below
>she shudders deeply and lets out a whine when you start to pull away
>"Please..." she begs as she rocks her hips back until her rump meets your hand, shivering when she makes contact
>when you don't pull away, she grunts and shifts her weight, and all at once you feel the heat of her sex pressing against your knuckles as she winks once more
>trembling wildly and hearing your heart pound in your eardrums, you slowly turn your hand over, curiously tracing your index finger all along the length
>and then feeling it suddenly enveloped as she rocks her hips back into you hard, driving it deep inside with a loud gasp, hooves skidding in the tub as she nearly loses her balance
>with your other hand, you reach up and gently pat her croup, withdrawing your finger and examining the warm and almost sticky substance left behind on your hand
"Easy, girl... easy..."
>she whimpers loudly once again as her body shakes wildly
>"Master... pleeease..." she mewls pleadingly
>this has already gone too far for you to just leave her aching and desperate for release
>it only takes a moment to stand and lock the bathroom door, turning to find the mare presenting to you once more, her head lowered submissively, body shaking wildly, nostrils flaring as she looks back at you
>you kneel next to the tub, placing a hand on her croup again and swallowing the lump in your throat
"Corona, if this hurts at all I want you to say so and we'll stop, okay?"
>the only acknowledgement you get is a stomp of a hind hoof and a frustrated, sharp flick of her tail
>she had made it clear she wanted this...

>with a pair of fingers, you trace over her slit once more, before dipping them inside and curling them downward, pressing down forcefully as you start to work them in and out in rhythm with her winking
>almost immediately her juices start to trickle down the insides of her thighs, running down her legs and mingling with the soapy bath water, her tunnel squeezing your fingers tightly every time her clitoris peeks out
>her efforts to stifle her moans and snorts are futile, as are her efforts to remain standing on all four hooves
>her front end has already collapsed, most of her body weight pushing her face and shoulder into the back wall of the tub as she squeals and grunts, biting her lip and closing her eyes tight
>it's over less than a minute later, the mare letting out a shrill whinny as a thick, copious gush of fluid rushes out of her, filling the air with a strong musky scent before she collapses into the water panting heavily
>her orgasm snaps you back to your senses as her still-winking marehood slides away from your fingers, the mare looking over her shoulder at you in a complete daze
>you clear your throat awkwardly when you realize what you've just done, and you quickly stand up and turn around
>it's impossible to even look at her as you hurriedly wash your hands in the sink, before stumbling out of the bathroom without another word
>the door to the ponies' bedroom is closed, and you have to assume Shining heard (...and probably smelled) what just happened
>Corona wasn't exactly quiet in her enthusiasm
>gripped with a sudden shame, you stumble into your bedroom and let yourself fall into the bed
>though you turn to face the opposite wall, you listen closely for any noise coming from the direction of the bathroom
>a sick feeling twists your stomach, waiting to hear soft cries at any moment

>but they never come
>all you hear is a bit more running water
>some more splashing
>and eventually the sound of a hair dryer, some ten or fifteen minutes later
>you don't roll over when your bedroom door opens, but you find yourself holding your breath
>there is some hesitation, but eventually you hear the door close
>followed by the feeling of the mattress behind you sinking under the weight of another body
>a soft muzzle resting against your neck and a hoof over your side as the mare presses herself into your back
>hind legs intertwining with yours
>tail coming to rest over your hip, gently rising and falling against you
>and as she finally settles in, a warm, wet, ticklish sensation as she tilts her head and begins to nibble on your ear, letting out a soft nicker as she coos softly
>"I love you, Master"

>when you awaken the next morning, you quickly notice that Master is no longer in your embrace
>but the smell of coffee wafting down the hallway and tickling your muzzle tells you he hasn't gone far
>when you roll over to face the door, you see Shining Armor stop in the doorway as he passes by
>the neutral expression on his face quickly twists into a wicked smirk as he steps into the room
"What do you want?" 
>"So... you had a nice bath last night, hmm?"
>you grunt and roll over
>really not in the mood for his taunting this morning
>but he doesn't relent
>"You know, if the neighbors lived any closer I'm pretty sure they'd have heard you carrying on like you were."
"Now now, Shiny, give it a rest. Besides, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were jealous."
>the sharp squeal of indignation from the stallion that follows is enough to send you into a giggling fit as you roll back over to find Master now standing in the doorway sipping at his coffee
>"Hate to disappoint you, but my barn door doesn't swing that way, Anon" the stallion grunts, his tail angrily swatting the bed as he turns to face Master
>the man sets his cup on the night stand by the bed before sitting next to you with a sigh, his hand finding your ear and fingers soon working their magic
>the simple display of affection draws a series of soft half-nickers from your muzzle as you close your eyes and lean into his hand
>"So, the two of you ready for breakfast?"

...

>Corona is in better spirits than you've seen her in quite some time
>she's practically floating as she follows Anon down the hall and to the kitchen
>taking your usual spot at the table, your muzzle finds the bowl of oatmeal and fresh fruit slices right away, Anon rolling his eyes and shaking his head
>he lets out a soft chuckle as he digs into his bacon and eggs
>"You know, you *could* have some manners and use a spoon now," he says as he flicks the tip of your horn

>a snarl crosses your muzzle for a fraction of a second at the unexpected gesture, but it vanishes almost immediately with an irritated flick of your tail
"Don't do that, Anon."
>Corona gives a little giggle hearing the irritation in your voice as she enjoys her meal
>Master's phone rings a few moments later
>"Yeah?"
>"Oh, hey Steve..."
>he takes another bite and sets his fork down, dabbing at his mouth with a napkin
>"Mm-hmm..."
>pausing for a few moments, his eyes flick over to you
>"Yeah, I dunno. You sure that's necessary?"
>his throat vibrates with a soft hum as he tentatively takes another bite
>"Hmm, yeah I see your point. Alright, I'll talk to Shiny about it. See you at the New Year's party then?"
>your ears flick at the mention of your name, but you're still too focused on your food to give it much thought
>"Alright then. Yep, you too. Bye."
>your horn glows, taking the now-empty bowl in front of you in your magical grasp as you head toward the sink
"So, what was it you were saying you had to talk to me about just now, Anon?"
>he rubs his neck a few times as you head toward the fridge, twisting the cap off the milk and taking a few swigs before setting it back inside
>"Well, that was Gracie's dad-"
"Yeah, I gathered that much" 
>your head tilts as you sit on your haunches and wait for him to continue
>"He wants her to take riding lessons."
>for some reason you can't quite put your hoof on, you feel your hackles beginning to rise
”What does that mean, exactly?”
>”It just means Gracie would have a professional instructor to teach her proper riding technique”
“On some other pony or…”
>”No, Shiny, on you.”

>the snort that follows signals your feelings on the matter quite clearly
"I don't like the idea of some stranger telling Gracie how to treat me."
>"She told her dad she was a little scared when she was up on your back the other day,” he says with a shrug. “You're a big pony, Shiny," he says as he reaches forward to pat your shoulder "if she took a tumble off you she could really get hurt."
>you actually wince hearing that
"She doesn't have to be afraid with me, I'll keep her safe..." you mutter
>Anon takes a sip of his coffee and nods in agreement
>"I know that. You know that. I'm pretty sure even Gracie knows that. But that's still an intimidating position to put a little girl in," he says as he pokes your chest, "atop all that muscle, raw power, and rock hard thundering hooves."
>you sigh and hang your head
"If it’s just about learning proper technique, can’t she learn some other way? With another pony? Or an Earth horse?”
>Anon shakes his head
>”It’s not just about technique, Shiny. She needs to build up her confidence with YOU. Not some pony or horse she’s probably never going to see again after her lessons finish.”
>after a few more moments he elaborates further
>”Shiny, I know that she’s your friend. That this whole riding thing is BECAUSE she’s your friend. But she also needs to feel like she’s in control of the situation, knowing that she could get hurt at any time. I think it’s the only way she’ll get over any fear or anxiety she might have about your size, and truly be able to have fun riding you.”
>you hate to admit it, but you see his point, even if you’re not sure you entirely agree with it

“I understand. But… again though, I'm not sure I like the idea of some strange human teaching her how to... 'interact' with me, Anon."
>the disgust on your face is readily apparent, the mere thought of someone else interfering in your relationship
>of them warping her innocence and instructing her that commanding you, treating you like a slave, is the 'correct' way to go about things?
>your tail whips against the floor angrily
"When I agreed to the riding thing I kind of assumed we'd work things out just between the two of us, me and her..."
>Anon seems unsure of how to respond to your trepidation, giving it some thought before he replies
>"I understand. But that's really all it would be about, Shiny. Building Gracie’s confidence. Just a few lessons until she really gets her bearings, it doesn't have to be a long term thing."
>you roll your eyes, raising your voice in protest
"But I can teach her confidence myself! I did it for my guards all the time, what makes you think I can't do the same for a filly? Even a human one?"
>"I don't doubt you, Shiny. But her dad considers it a safety issue too. He wants her to have SOME kind of proper training if this is going to be a regular thing. Don't get me wrong, he trusts you with her, or he wouldn't let you near her in the first place," he says with a sigh
>he looks down and swirls the bit of liquid remaining in his cup as he continues
>"but in the end she's HIS daughter, and he knows her better than either of us. If he thinks she needs this, there's no doubt in my mind he's thought it through - and that she really does. I won't force you or order you to go along with it, pal. But I think you should at least consider it. Ultimately it's up to y-"
"Fine," you say with a huff as you tilt your head once again to look at him. "For Gracie... fine."
>Anon smiles and gives your withers a good pat and scratch as he stands up to take his plate to the sink
>"'atta boy, Shiny."

>it really should bother you what a disarming gesture that's becoming
>but at least you catch the nicker before it can leave your lips this time
>despite Anon’s reassurances, you still feel unsettled about this
>it just feels… wrong somehow
>bringing in an outsider to meddle in your relationship with your friend
>but if this will help Gracie to feel more safe and comfortable with you when she starts riding...
>well then, you suppose it’s worth a little discomfort
>and even the little bit of indignity that this is going to put you through
>Gracie is innocent, and she genuinely loves you
>there’s no doubt in your mind about that
>and by now you’ve already accepted that she’s also so special to you that you’d move mountains for her
>whatever ultimately happens, you know you can have faith in your little friend
>maybe it won’t be so bad...
>after noticing a few awkward glances between Anon and Corona, you clear your throat and promptly excuse yourself to go flop on the couch and see if your show is on
>though you can't help but to revel in a bit of voyeuristic satisfaction, keeping the television volume low as one ear stays locked on the kitchen, occasionally hearing snippets of their conversation
>a blush comes to your cheeks as you catch a detail here and there that probably wasn't meant for your ears
>but if they cared at all about privacy they'd have surely taken their chat somewhere else by now
>maybe this thing between them isn't exactly healthy
>but you realize it's probably the closest thing to a true romance the mare's going to get to experience
>maybe for the rest of her life...
>your muzzle falls to the armrest of the sofa and you let out a sigh as your mind wanders to thoughts of your own beloved
>and you can't help but think that maybe Corona's actually lucky to love someone that can't be ripped away from her so easily




>the ride over here was quiet
>and you're thankful that you, Corona, and Anon are among the first guests to arrive to the party
>not exactly in the greatest of moods
>and a crowd of humans certainly won't help that
>what Anon had said about Gracie taking "lessons" has been bothering you ever since he brought it up
>one uneasy hoof in front of the other, you carry yourself up the staircase toward the girl's bedroom
>you sit on your haunches and give a little snort
>she has no reason to be afraid of you!
>maybe you can figure out a way out of this arrangement
>with a sigh, a hoof rises and raps on the door
>there's no answer at first, but just as you're about to knock again, it slowly cracks open
>you hear a sniffle, then a tiny set of puffy, red eyes peer through the crack
>eyes that light up the moment they see your face, despite the tears staining her cheeks
"Hi Gracie..."
>"Hi Shiny!" she says with a smile as she wipes the tears away, opening the door the rest of the way for you to come in
>fatherly instincts kick away your concerns over the lessons as you give her a nuzzle and lay on the floor in the middle of her room
"Gracie, what's wrong? You've been crying" you ask softly
>she nods her head and then wanders over to you sadly
>looking into your eyes wordlessly before she sits on the floor between your forelegs
>and after a few moments, leans back against your chest with a deep sigh, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks as she stares down at her hands in her lap
>breaking your heart as her tiny voice cracks and squeaks
>"I miss mommy..."
>you wince and your tail swishes sharply
>that's always a difficult topic
>one which leaves you struggling for words most of the time
>so instead, you simply rest your head over your shoulder
>and press your chin into her, bringing her back firmly against your chest and neck
>giving her a soft, affectionate nicker as her tears flow

>a tiny hand resting on your leg, squeezing now and then
>silently thanking you for your comforting presence
>you hear footsteps coming up the stairs some time later
>"hey Shiny, you comin down for the party?" Master's voice echoes from the stairwell "just about everyone is here, come down and socialize! Bring Gracie down too, you don't wanna miss the ball drop-"
>when he pokes his head into the room and sees you comforting her, he gives you a quick, knowing look, and nods before he pulls the door almost all the way closed, quietly turning and heading back down the stairs
>you give a soft huff, bringing a hoof around her front to give her a quick hug as you sigh
>the idea that anyone would just walk away from their family
>ESPECIALLY when you'd give anything just to know yours is alive
>is enough to make your blood boil
>makes you want to give both of her parents a piece of your mind
>her mother in particular
>it's probably for the best if you don't cross paths with her again
>no doubt you'd earn yourself a good thrashing with Anon's belt for sticking your muzzle where it doesn't belong
>but for the moment, all you can do is talk to the innocent little girl whose heart is being torn apart by forces beyond her control
>you can relate to that feeling
"Gracie... I know it hurts..." you speak up hesitantly
>she sniffles a bit, having finally started to calm down enough to talk again
>"did... did your mommy leave you too when you were little?"
"No," you reply with a heavy-hearted sigh
>she looks over her shoulder at you with a confused expression, waiting for you to elaborate
"I... I had a family too, Gracie. A wife... a little daughter"
>you subconsciously pull her a little closer
"Flurry Heart... my Little Gem..."
>your own voice wavers, lip trembling as hot tears sting your eyes
>but you force them back
>"what... what happened to them, Shiny?"

>a hard swallow, a soft snort, and you shake your head, damming up your emotions before they can sweep you away
"So Gracie, Anon tells me you want to take riding lessons?"
>you can tell she's disappointed by the deflection, but to your relief she doesn't push for any more details about your family
>can't be strong for her if you let yourself start falling apart, can you?
>"Yeah, Shiny. It was mostly daddy's idea..."
>the girl slowly pulls away from you and stands up, wandering over to her bed and flopping on her back onto the mattress
>head hanging over the edge, looking at you upside down as you sit up on your haunches
"He said you were scared the first time you got up on my back, when you got your saddle for Hearths- ...for Christmas. Is that true, Gracie?"
>she looks away from you, rubbing her hands together awkwardly
"You know I'd never let anything happen to you, right?"
>she nods, but still doesn't look at you
>you take a couple of steps closer, and return to a laying position, muzzle inches away from her face
>giving a soft huff when she still doesn't answer
>"it... it's not that I don't trust you, Shiny... I just... I don't wanna get hurt. Daddy says, if I take lessons, there's less chance that can happen, 'cause I'll know how to keep my balance and what to do if I fall, and stuff like that."
>your mind wanders as you sit up on your haunches
>glancing back at your cutie mark
>remembering how you used to sometimes take Twily on your back when you were both young
>how she’d give little squeals of delight and go into giggly fits as you’d give her tiny little hops and bucks to bounce her up and down when she was still a foal
>or sneak into the kitchen to raid the cookie jar, before she’d cling to your neck as you raced back up the stairs to keep from getting caught
>how she never once doubted that her big brother would look out for her
>keep her safe…

>Gracie gives you a questioning look when you glance back at your flank again
>and you give her a warm smile
“Has anyone ever explained to you what a pony’s cutie mark is, Gracie?”
>she simply shakes her head “no” in response
“We aren’t born with them. We get them when we discover what our special talent is in life.”
>you nod toward your flank
“When we discover our destiny - the one thing we are meant to do more than anything else in the world. You see how mine is a shield?”
>you wait for a nod before continuing
“It means my special talent is protecting others. Keeping them safe.”
>you look back at her, and she seems to be pondering what that means
>though she keeps quiet, still looking unsure
>but you feel like you’re starting to get through to her
>and may be able to avoid those lessons altogether
>she just needs a little nudge
>...or a big nudge
>when you want to go swimming but the water’s too cold…
>isn’t it better to just jump in and get it over with all at once, rather than meekly dipping a hoof and hoping you adjust?
>maybe what she really needs is a demonstration for your words to really sink in
>so after a few more moments, you stand back up, giving a good shake, then nudging her with your muzzle as you bring yourself parallel to the bed
"Gracie, get on my back."
>she stares back at you with a nervous expression, hesitating to move
"Go on, it's okay. Just hold on to my mane, it won't hurt me."
>she reaches over, scratching your withers and grabbing a fistful of your mane before sliding a leg over your back
>gripping your sides tightly with her legs, fists balled up in your mane so tight her knuckles go white
>she really is afraid of falling off of you

>the same as before, you lower your head, taking a slow, deep breath and releasing it with a nicker
"Gracie, you trust me, don't you?"
>she nods her head and gives a shakey "mm-hmm" in reply
>you turn and nudge her leg with your muzzle, before stepping forward
>the sudden movement causes her to gasp and hunker forward over your neck
>"S...Shiny...." she whimpers as your magic pushes the door open
"Shhh, it's okay Gracie"
>when you head toward the top of the staircase, her eyes go wide
>"Shiny I don't think I ca---SHINYYYYYY!" she cries out as her body tilts forward when your hoof finds the first stair
"Lean back a little, Gracie, I gotcha"
>your magic already surrounds her, holding the girl firmly in place
>"Shiny I'm gonna FAAAALLLLLLL!" she cries out again, as now all four hooves are now on a different stair
"Gracie, listen to the sound of my voice," you say to her firmly, stopping just before you're half way down the staircase "You're safe with me. I promise you, I won't let *anything* happen to you"
>your magic tilts her backward slightly to help her keep her balance
>"NOOOO I'm gonna FAAAAAAALLLLLL!" she cries as you continue forward
>thankfully her cries aren't loud enough to attract any attention over the sounds of the party, and before she can protest further you're at the bottom of the stairs
>she's shaking like crazy, her eyes shut tight and legs threatening to squeeze the life out of you, but she's not crying
"There we go, Gracie. See? I'll take care of you, you don't have to worr-"
>"y...you didn't listen to me, Shiny!" she cuts you off abruptly
>her tone makes you wince
>that's the first time she's ever sounded genuinely upset with you
>"Bad pony! Very bad pony!"
>you frown, glancing over your shoulder at her with a disapproving look and shaking your head
"Gracie, I was just trying to show you that I can protect you"
>"How can I trust you if you won't listen to me, Shiny! Now put me *down!*"

>she fights against your magic grip, grunting and squirming
>rather than escalate things, you lower yourself to the floor, and your horn slowly dims
>she scrambles off your back, and stands in front of you with a pouty expression and her arms crossed
"Gracie, you're my friend, that means I'd never hurt you."
>"I... I know that, Shiny, but you... you're supposed to listen to me when I ride you! Remember what Anon said when I rode Corona? When I ride you I'm the boss, you scared me!"
>you frown and give a soft huff, ears flicking backwards
"Alright, alright. I'm sorry for not listening to you, Gracie. But I was just trying to help you not be scared of me"
>she holds her hard glare as your eyes go to the floor and your head dips
>but as your ears flatten and a saddened expression falls over your face, hers finally softens
>she sighs, and brings a hand to either side of your muzzle, touching her forehead to yours just below your horn
>"I still love you, Shiny. Just… don’t surprise me like that, okay?" she says before looking over her shoulder, toward the part of the house where the din of the party is coming from
>she then turns from you, walking toward the staircase 
>"I don't wanna be around all those people, I'm going back to my room. If you wanna leave and go to the party cause I yelled at you, I won't be mad..."
>you look in the direction of the party as well, then glance back at her
>it's not even a question of where you'd rather be
>by the time you see Steve heading in your direction to check on the commotion he must have heard when she cried out, you’re already following Gracie back up the stairs, gently nudging her back when you catch up to her half way
>she gives a little giggle, turning and kissing the end of your muzzle before scampering to her room with you in tow