...
>An unremembered name.
>An orphan.
>Ward.
>A zero-tolerance policy.
>A failure.
>A freak.
>Horsefucker.
>Mall cop.
>Gun nut.
>Killer.
>Impending lay-off.
>Spree...
>Let's take it back a few days. To where something good finally happened in your miserable life.
>"Friendly!"
>You bolt awake.
"What's happening? Are you okay?"
>"Yeah, yeah I'm alright girl. You looked scared, everything alright?"
"Oh, yeah..."
>"You don't have to sleep at the foot of my bed now, you remember? I smoked the peace pipe with our pursuer."
"Oh, yeah..."
>You rub a little sleep from your eyes, but you're still so tired
"I want to. It makes me feel more useful. I want to thank you for all you've done for me, plus I'm an insomniac at the best of times."
>"You would've stayed up if that were really true."
>You hide your face in your hooves.
>Doc has a weird sense of humor and a weird way of comforting you, again, even at the best of times.
>"Oh, I didn't mean it like that. Something with my head... I should probably get it looked at."
"No, you're right. If I were really such an insomniac I'd have had less trouble staying awake for tonight's watch. If I needed coffee I'd have asked for some. I fucked it."
>"Wanting a night's sleep isn't selfish. Come here."
"Are you sure? I always-"
>He scoops you up and pulls you in close to his chest.
>The light of the moon envelopes the both of you as you nestle into the soft fabric of his pajama t-shirt.
>You wrap your forehooves around him like you've done it a million times...
>Is it really true that less than a week ago you were...
>Yes, but it does feel unreal.
>"For this next week, I want you to stop thinking you need to protect me so much, alright? You're good at it, lots of credit to you. But I can tell it's wearing on you."
>He ruffles your camo mane and you let out a little sigh of relief
"If you really want me to, you're my owner after all. What you say goes."
>"Damn right. Oh, and also..."
>He pushes himself further under the covers, until your head is just barely poking out from beneath soft sheets.
>"It's a week 'til Christmas."
>Christmas...
>You haven't thought about Christmas in a while. It's not like you had anyone to spend it with.
>You had a cynic outlook on it all, it's a consumerist holiday after all. Jesus wasn't born in the winter.
>But now that you have someone...
>It's an enigma. You don't know what to think of it all.
>Regardless, you find the idea of spending time with someone comforting... potentially mutliple someones.
>Doc said you were all going on a 'business trip' tomorrow with that guy who's been trying to kill him.
>He says you don't have anything to worry about, that he couldn't bring himself to hurt ponies, but he still kinda freaks you out.
>It's not like Doc is perfect, but he saved your life. That's worth a whole lot to you.
...
>"Well, this is goodbye for now then."
>Doc and his weird drug-dealer friend shake hands. You don't really get what his deal with the man is.
>He's not an addict.
>You recall something about there being a financial incentive for friendship, you get it. You've been there.
>It sucks and doesn't last after finances are more stable.
>But people who sell drugs have tempers.
>You'll worry about the implications of it all later.
>The man who has told you to call him 'Master' (you won't) loads Spanish, catatonic in the daylight, into the back of a beat-up rental truck.
>You think the last truck got torched. It's probably a sore subject.
>Moony and Greeny follow. Moonflower makes a good mom.
>You...
>The windows are tinted on the wagon Doc has borrowed from his friend. The seats are a bit uncomfortable, but at least you won't be confined to below the window sightlines like the rest.
>You've been told the views along the way are breathtaking.
>Everything packed, you climb up into the passenger seat.
>"I'm going to put on the radio for a bit, yeah? Keep us awake."
"You might want to grab some coffee or an energy drink."
>"I will, this is just until I get through town."
>Doc drives, you absentmindedly listen to Blink-182 and Panic at the Disco on the "alternative" radio station.
>What next, The Cure?
>Lovesong actually does come on next, and you giggle a bit.
>"Want to change the channel?"
"Nah, just amusing. I've heard music that would probably give a college radio DJ a hernia."
>Doc laughs.
>"I'm sure you have. I'm gonna pull off for a coffee before we hit the highway, do you want anything?"
>You think for a moment.
"Is this a Starbucks?"
>"Yeah."
"Could I get one of those bagels with cream cheese?"
>He nods and walks inside, the Master joining up with him.
>A few minutes later, Doc walks out with a coffee and a bag, and the Master walks out with a coffee.
>The door squawks as it opens, and Doc gently places the bag in front of you.
>You open it up as best you can, eager for the treat, but your ears fold with disappointment when you look inside.
"Uh, sorry. Can you give me a hand with this?"
>He takes a look and winces.
>"You would think they'd foot the labor of spreading the cream cheese."
"One would think..."
>He gives you back the bagel in a corrected state, and you affectionately nuzzle his hand as thanks.
>"Well, Dr. Robotnik is following us not the other way around."
"Just like old times."
>He laughs and runs his hand along your back.
>"You've got a handle on that bagel? Ready to get going again?"
"Sure thing."
>The orange tips of the early-morning mountains gradually blue over the next few hours.
>You and Doc talk about anything and everything.
>School, work, home life.
>Movies and television.
>Science and engineering.
>High explosives.
>Terrorism.
>Baking.
>Eventually, the roads stop snaking and everything gets a lot flatter.
>The look in his eyes kinda leaves.
>He gets over into the left lane, accelerates 20 over the speed limit.
>You don't particularly worry until he starts hitting the warning bumps.
"Doc, you okay?"
>He says nothing, just keeps staring into the distance. He's driving on the median now, the way an ambulance does.
"Doc, please tell me what's going on."
>"Plastic deformation. Yield strength."
>You take a deep breath, look over to the right, then pull the steering wheel hard with both your forehooves.
>This seems to snap him out of it, whatever "it" is.
"What happened?"
>"I don't know. It felt right."
"You were fully lucid."
>"Yeah."
"Are you okay to keep driving?"
>"I'm okay. Don't... mention this please."
"Whatever you say to me is a secret, but um..."
>"Yeah?"
>He sounds a but miffed, you put your face in your hooves.
"He probably saw, he's following us."
>"Oh. Yeah."
>It's another two hours before you all stop again.
>When you do, you can only watch on with horror as the Master sucker punches Doc in the middle of a gas station parking lot.
>You want to run out, make sure he's alright, comfort him as he writhes on the ground in pain, but you're under strict orders to never leave the inside of the car until arrival.
>When he finally composes himself enough to get up, you see him pick up a note that was left at the scene of the crime.
>He reads it, visibly winces, and walks back to the car.
>Once he's inside, the watergates open. He doesn't say a word as you cry your eyes out and hug him and tell him how worried you were.
>He sighs and pulls out the note. It's short.
>"I barely care what happens to you, so long as it doesn't affect her."
>It's a while before the next real stop
>You're allowed outs in secluded areas to relieve yourself in the grass or next to a tree
>By now, it's dark again. Dusk.
>You left in the cold early morning twilight.
>It's a crackhouse, basically.
>It also seems to be an app rental.
>You watch both Doc and the Master check the place carefully for cameras before entering, probably doing the same inside.
>After about 10 minutes, they exit with a bag each full of scrapped cameras and start unloading.
>You ponies are allowed out to stretch your legs.
>Green Thumb seems to have fallen asleep, as she's rubbing her eyes with a forehoof and holding on to her Moonflower plushie.
>The real deal is watching her carefully. You trot over to them.
"How're y'all holding up?"
>She sighs, but gives you a more genuine smile than you'll usually get out of her.
>"Fine. Things are going to be okay, just kinda sore from riding in the truck bed. The pillows and blankets help with the cold, but it's still bare metal underneath."
"Doesn't sound too comfy."
>You'd offer to swap places with her filly so the poor girl doesn't have a rough ride, but you doubt Moonflower would appreciate it. The two have been inseparable.
>Someone had the foresight to put medical eyepatches on Spanish, you can see the Master removing them.
>In this darkness, she seems fine. Docile, happy.
>The eyepatches will need to go back on once you get inside and have the lights on again.
>The six of you eat a dinner of frozen pizza at a ratty table like a true fucked-up family. It's pretty much dead silent other than the sound of chewing and the two humans present periodically getting up to feed different ponies.
>You and Moonflower have your technique down well enough to get by without help, but Spanish is hopeless with her induced blindness and Greenie is a literal child who already had somewhat poor coordination.
>You wonder if the Master will ever figure that out.
>You wonder if he'll try to kill Doc again if he does.
>You bite into the pizza again and make a face.
>There's a bit of meat on it, it must be a factory error.
>You remember when you used to love pepperoni, now you can't even get a single piece in your mouth without feeling an intense desire to spit it out.
>So you spit it out on the plate, nobody seems to care or blame you.
>...
>Another night sleeping at the foot of Doc's bed on guard, he said you could sleep this time but given the sketch factor of the area he'd like you to remain on guard.
>You're not sure if you'll be sleeping for a while.
>It's cold and you're feeling a bit tired... but also paranoid.
>Doc is already asleep, and it's not like you'd be betraying him if you got up and stretched your legs a bit more.
>Careful with the creaky door, and you're out.
>Making your way to the kitchen, you're greeted by the Master.
"Hey."
>"Hey."
>Neither of you have really talked much, but you walk over to him and he puts down his glass to stroke your mane.
>It feels really nice...
>"You want to watch some television? Usually helps me calm down."
"Yeah, okay."
>He flicks on the old CRT tube and you hop up on the couch next to him.
>"Any requests?"
"Don't suppose ponies are on this late?"
>"Nah. Not unless a local station shows them. Let's check anyways."
>You just kinda watch him as he flips through channels.
"I was kinda terrified of you for a while."
>He laughs.
>"I have that effect on friends to those who cross me."
"You punish them?"
>"Naturally."
"What's the worst punishment you've ever given out?"
>He laughs again.
>"What you already got, pet."
"You were planning to kill my owner, weren't you?"
>"That or turn him. Figured he had it coming. Thought twice when I saw you."
"Your note earlier..."
>"I care about ponies. Even if I disagree with their owners, the right to care for a pet is theirs. So long as the pony is taken care of, never hurt. Never put in harm's way."
"So, you wouldn't have turned him if you saw me? There was never a risk?"
>"No, it was the unique situation you put me in that changed my mind. If I had gotten my guy in, I'd probably have that drug dealer killed. Take you and your master back to my place. Care for you and lock him in my basement until I made him a mare. Sell you together if a buyer wanted it. Sell you separate if one didn't."
"He had a mare oc?"
>"He had a filly oc. Same difference and I promised never to do more fillies. Zephyr is going to kill me..."
>He chuckles at that, and the channel flipping stops.
>"Well, what do you know."
>It's a season 9 episode of My Little Pony. You haven't actually seen it yet.
>You find yourself curled up on his lap as you watch. It's cold, and he's warm.
>He drapes a nearby frayed blanket over your back and you feel cozy as you fall asleep to the background noise of Twilight's friendship school...
>You feel strange as you wake up into the early morning orange gradient.
>You... fell asleep in a man's lap who wasn't your owner.
>Embarrassed, you climb off the sleeping olympian and scamper back to your Doc's bedroom.
>What have you done?
>It was only sleep. You didn't fuck him.
>Did you want to?
>Damnit...
>You climb back into bed and close your eyes, but no more sleep comes.
>...
>"Rise and shine."
"Mmn... do I really shine?"
>A chuckle follows your remark.
>"I suppose you're more special in your resilience to shine. Come on, it'll be time to hit the road soon."
>You'd find the remark rude if not for your camouflage coat.
>Breakfast is cereal with re-hydrated milk. It's...
>Okay.
>and quiet.
>Soon it's time to get back in the car.
>...
>Doc stops at a bowling alley. He offloads a pallet of something to one of the guys who works there.
"What was that?"
>"Month's worth of weed. For a favor. Something called blue dream."
"You have any extra?"
>He pauses.
>"Maybe, if you're a good pony."
>...
>...
>You've been driving through breathtaking mountain backroads for hours and hours.
>The road is maintained decently well, it's not like the car needed an engine snorkel to keep going.
>It's still somewhat quiet between you and Doc... you hope he's okay but you'd rather not ask. Doesn't seem like a good pony thing to do.
>The phone starts to ring.
>You can hear the Master's voice faintly as it's picked up.
>"-false foliage-"
>"-after the second curve coming-"
>"-be there soon."
"He likes his secrets."
>"Ha. I didn't find this way directly either, I only discovered that it existed after I went through some satellite cam data. Even then, you can only really see the road if you know to look for it."
"Intergasting."
>"Isn't it 'intergasting?'"
"It's retard-speak. Don't appropriate my culture."
>"Well, my little invalid, we're on the 'home' stretch. Take a gander."
>You put your forehooves up on the dashboard and look up. Just over the ridge of the road, you can make out a really nice house.
>You're nervous as you pull in.
>What if the residents hate you?
>This could be a very, very miserable Christmas if that's the case.
>The door pops open and you hop out onto the cold ground, shivering a bit as you watch the others be unloaded.
>Nobody advances as the Master opens the door.
>and shuts it.
>You can hear muffled yelps of excitement, crying, skittering hooves...
>He's well-loved. So is the company he keeps.
>Finally, he opens the doors.
>"Bit of an odd arrangement this time. From left to right, these are ̵̺̆ ̶̨͓̥̕͝ ̴̝̤̑̾ ̷̱̣̈ ̸̺̥̃͝ ̵̡͙̜̈́̽́̎ ̸̝̑̿̊ ̷̨̟̝̓̇̒ ̸̪͚̼̋̌͘ ̸̯͛ ̶̠̖̝̱̈́ ̷̛̮̮͔̻̏͑ ̷͍̗̘́ , Friendly Fire, Green Thumb, and Moonflower."
>The smiles drop on both mares' faces as soon as they see Doc.
>"Master, you brought him back here? He hurt Zephyr! He stole from you!"
>The white pegasus flits her wings, seemingly in agreement with the tan earth mare.
>"Admittedly, this wasn't quite what I expected when you told us you were bringing ponies home. I thought if he was coming back, he would no longer be a he."
>Doc narrows his eyes.
>"Now listen here-"
>In a jolt of courage, you walk forwards and hold out a hoof to the pegasus.
"I'm Friendly! Nice to meet you...?"
>"Zephyr..."
>She shakes your hoof, but doesn't take her eyes off of Doc.
>"Master, why is one of them a filly?"
>The tan one drops her scowl upon noticing the filly, trotting over to her and cooing at her.
>"Hi! I'm Autumn! You're so pretty, I love your mane!"
>Moonflower actually seems to take this in stride, shocking you.
>"She's a little gardener, like me. Moonflower, happy to make your acquaintance."
>"We've been thinking of starting a garden, isn't that right Zephyr?"
>"Uh, yeah."
>The Master clears his throat.
>"There's one last pony, but she's undergoing treatment currently. She'll be moved to the dark room, Zephyr, can you grab the air mattress for her?"
>Zephyr, clearly eager for any excuse to get away from Doc, bounds back into the house.
>You look back to Doc and point in her direction, he just nods.
>You gallop to catch up with the aerialist.
"Hey."
>"Hey."
"Need some help with that air mattress?"
>"I think I've got it."
"Come on, I've been cooped up in a car for the better part of two days now. You'd be doing me a favor if you let me help."
>She gives you a wry smile as she works the closet door handle.
>"This whole thing is an anomaly. ̵̺̆ ̶̨͓̥̕͝ ̴̝̤̑̾ ̷̱̣̈ ̸̺̥̃͝ ̵̡͙̜̈́̽́̎ ̸̝̑̿̊ ̷̨̟̝̓̇̒ ̸̪͚̼̋̌͘ ̸̯͛ ̶̠̖̝̱̈́ ̷̛̮̮͔̻̏͑ ̷͍̗̘́ is an anomaly. The filly is an anomaly."
>She jabs you, gently but firmly, right in your side.
>"You, you are a fucking anomaly."
>You feel a pang of hurt shoot through your chest.
"What... how could you tell?"
>"Master never picks ponies with coats as busy as yours. Master never brings home ponies that have targeting reticles... on their fucking rumps."
>You stare at her in shock as she pulls the deflated mattress down from the third shelf.
>You feel like you're kin. You and the goddamned mattress.
>"But that's just my two cents."
>Like an earthen dam cracking, you break down.
>It's humiliating, messy, and probably a pain to deal with.
>It stops Zephyr in her tracks though.
>"Maybe you're not such an anomaly..."
>"Hey. HEY. It's okay. You're okay."
"I- I- I didn't ask for this."
>"I know. None of us did. It's okay, hm."
>She smiles and brushes your mane out of your face a bit.
>"You have really pretty eyes..."
"You... don't have to gas me up."
>"Gas... you up?"
>An ugly laugh interrupts your ugly crying.
"Like... complimenting me. Saying I'm better than I am."
>"Nah, I mean it. Also I should probably be a bit more up to date on slang... it's been a while since I was human."
>"Zephyr, is the mattress-"
>The Master looks at the two of you and then just walks away.
"We should probably get this thing set up now, sorry for distracting you."
>"Don't worry about it. Hey, wanna do something after dinner? I think you'll like what I've got in mind."
>Everypony gets dinner on the floor. It's good, reheated frozen vegetables and a few apple slices for dessert. Your pony tongue loves it.
>After everything is cleaned up, Zephyr whispers something to Master, who nods.
>"Come on, it's pretty dark already. Perfect time for it."
>She grabs a satchel on her way out the door.
>The two of you trek for a little while along a dirt trail, Zephyr motions for you to stop at a flat outcrop.
>She gets a few mechanical parts out of the satchel and begins to screw them together with surprising efficiency. You hope you get that good with your forehooves and mouth someday.
>When it's assembled, you can see that it's a small telescope. The eyepiece is low to the ground for observation.
>"Lay down next to me, Friendly Fire."
>You shimmy underneath the telescope and Zephyr wraps a forehoof around you casually.
>"Look at the sky, not through the scope yet. Just take it in."
>You do.
"It's so... clear."
>She nods.
>"We're the only light source for many miles. I think the closest is a firewatch station 40 miles east..."
>She gets to work at the telescope, adjusting it as she looks into the eyepiece.
>Eventually, she smiles at you.
>"Take a look now."
>You peer into the scope and gasp.
"Mars, right?"
>"Mhm!"
>It's a little bit small, but still recognizable and beautiful.
>"Master and I like to come out here and look at the night sky a lot. Astronomy is basically just physics and trigonometry, so he's really into it. I like watching him geek out about it."
>Her face shifts to a little bit more solemn of an expression.
>"I like to think about how all my friends from over the years are out there, somewhere. They can look at the same night sky."
"You see a lot of ponies come and go, hm?"
>"Yeah... it's part of the job as one of Master's favorites. Autumn and I play a different game, but it hurts us both the same when we have to say goodbye. You're going to be the same, aren't you?"
"Wha- what do you mean?"
>"I'm not stupid. That guy you came here with, you rode in with him. Sat in the front seat. The other ponies weren't knocked out. They're being handled by your guy's rules, not Master's."
>She adjusts the telescope again.
>"You're being handled by very few rules. You're favored."
>She pushes your head, making you look her directly in the eyes.
>"You're going to have to watch them go. It's going to hurt, so so badly. You won't be able to see them again, probably ever, but you can't let them go. You just have to wish them the best, okay?"
>Apparently it's her turn to cry, you wrap a hoof around her and she pulls you in, squeezing you close like a big stuffed animal.
>She laughs through the tears.
>"Why are you the one comforting me? I've been through it more, I should be more desensitized..."
>"Because ponies don't get desensitized. You're tightly-wound little bundles of emotion. For better or for worse."
>You look up, seeing Zephyr's Master standing above you.
>"Zephyr, I'm going back inside. Show her Venus, why don't you?
>Zephyr wipes the tears off of her face.
>"Could you take the telescope then?"
>You're confused as the telescope is lifted.
"Won't we need it to see it up close?"
>"No, of course not. In fact, Venus can be as close as we want her to be."
>Oh.
>Rape.
>Zephyr pins you to the rock and locks her muzzle with yours, aggressively pushing her tongue inside.
>You're on-board, honestly, but she'll probably find it hotter if you struggle a little.
>...
>You find it a bit hard to stand up after Zephyr gets off of you.
>To spare the details, you're feeling very warm despite the outside temperature.
>"Did you enjoy Venus?"
>You snort.
"You'll have to show me Venus again sometime soon."
>She laughs.
>"Glad you liked it. We can't have you getting too mopey, right?"
>She embraces you again, this time non-sexually.
>"I'm sorry about earlier. Saying you're an anomaly."
"No... you're right."
>"I made you cry, that's not me."
"You've been under a lot of stress lately."
>"So have you. Didn't make what I did right."
"No, I... I really am an anomaly. There are things about me that you don't want to know. I'm not a good person."
>"Neither was I, particularly. You're not a good person currently because you aren't a person. Being a pony takes some... shrinking pains."
>...
>You're curled up on the couch, on top of Doc.
>He's snoring, and despite your fatigue from 'stargazing' earlier, you're having difficulty sleeping.
>A look across the room at the other couch reveals that Moonflower is having a similar issue.
>You carefully get off of Doc and trot over to her.
>"Hey."
>You hop up on the couch and sit next to her.
"How're you holding up?"
>"Fine, you know... better than dead I guess. That's probably what I would be if Poindexter over there hadn't intervened."
>It's silent for a while.
>"You ever think about second chances?"
"Well, more recently. I suppose we both got one."
>"Yeah, ha. You've got your future as some nerd's pet and I've got mine as someone's wife..."
"Is it better than what you had before?"
>"Hell, I don't know. Things weren't perfect, but at least I had the control. At least I had the agency and the drive. There's something to be said about being busy, it keeps you sane."
>She scratches her flank, right above the flower mark.
>"They say that a lot of people just drop dead after a cushy pensioned retirement. They watch TV and sit around all day and just... stop having a will to live."
"I think Vonnegut said something similar. I don't remember the exact wording."
>"You and him and Vonnegut, god."
"Borrowed his copy of Mr. Rosewater on the way up. It says a lot about the rich, the poor, the insane..."
>"What's the takeaway?"
"Help those where you can if you have the means, I think."
>"That's a good moral."
"It is."
>You lay your head down on Moonflower and she lets you.
>Pretty soon it's morning.