Part One.

>Christmas season
>technically
>ordered an Applejack because she reminds you of home
>home didn't have all of this fucking snow
>heft the box inside
>thankfully blank packaging so power level is hidden
>open and
"What"
>My Little Poney on the box
>It's Applejack
>but
>she's yellow with orange mane
>are those fucking tomatoes on her butt
>the hat is a third of the size of her head
>reach out to poke her face
>her eyes pop open
>"What'd'ya think yer doin' lad?"
>what the hell
"What the hell."
>she stumbles out of the box, having lurched over from a laying position
>packing peanuts spill out as the box tips over
>"An'a right g'marnin' t'y'too. Talkin' 'bout hell when y'should be greetin' me. D'ya know jus how long I've been cooped up in t'damned box? Thought I'd have me a new friend and what doth my shiny eyes find? Some slackjawed ninny about to pluck them out!"
>the painfully Irish TomatoJack takes a defensive stance, speaking almost too quick to understand all at once
"Now hold on a minute, what are you doing by insulting me as soon as you wake up? I didn't know you were just pretending to be asleep."
>The wee bonny horse prances in place, her eyes crossing. "Oh, and y'thought that being jostled around and left in t'cold wouldn't wake sleepin' beauty, aye? Maybe y'thought a wee little kiss would awaken the fair maiden?"
>her eyes straighten to stare
>mostly straighten
>"Well too bad! I ain't y'princess or whatever y'think I am!"
>...
>the room goes silent
>awkwardly silent because you just got told off by some Irish tomato queen
>you shake your head and sigh
"Let's... restart. I'm Anon. I..."
>what did you want?
>no, really, you're an adult living in an apartment
>you haven't even seen the show in five years
>your last relationship was lukewarm at best and the one hug that took place in it was due to you being sly under an umbrella
>you work, sleep, shitpost and play video games
>what the hell were you going to do with a technicolor talking horse?

"I... I wanted a friend. I miss home. I miss talking about you guys with my old friends. I thought that if I could hang out with you I'd... be better off. And I'd hope that I'd be a good friend in return."
>you sit down after saying all of that
>better to not tower over a talking cartoon come to life
>if the cartoon was stolen by China, send over to an animation company in Vietnam and funded by a cheap French company
>The neigh-sayer visibly lost her edge and sits down too
>"...y'know y'look a little rough around the edges."
>thanks, multiple hundreds of dollars spent
>"...guess it wasn'too proper o'me t'just burst out like that, huh."
>you shrug
"Well you did get left in this cold, I'll let you have that."
>she nods and shrugs in return
>"Aye... anyway, m'name's Jacky. Y'know t'rest of m'gang then? Sparks, Dash, all've'em then?"
>you exhale
"I... think there's a regional difference in the names. But I kinda know about you and the others, yeah. I think."
>except when in the holy hell did a farm focus on a tomato orchard
>did tomatoes even grow on trees?
>more silence
>"...so how'd'ya imagine this'd go? That I burst out o'me box here and we go have adventures?"
>kinda
"Not really."
>you nod your head to the side
>lot of heavy plants brought in for the winter,
"I was hoping that maybe we'd hang out and stuff during the winter and maybe go plant some stuff once the snow melts and... yeah."
>Jacky looks over all of the plants
>she looks back at you
>"...you DO need a friend, don't ya."
>you nod after a minute
>she wasn't exactly nice but she wasn't wrong
>"...how about w'talk over a pint, aye?"
>You look at her and narrow your eyes
"I don't have beer. But I have whisky."
>you don't know what happened next but you're on your back
>she's on your chest, stamping her hooves on your ribs
>"Ay we'll be t'best'o'friends, just you wait! Set'm'up and I'll knock'm'down!"
>while you could breath, you didn't get the chance to tell her that the whisky was Japanese

>+1 whisky bottle
>Jacky bounces around you at the sight of it, humming another irish drinking song
>no, not that one, the other one
>you walk back to your room, also grabbing a bottle of v8 smoothie to wash it down and cleanse the palette
>modest size, enough to hold a desk and a queen size mattress
>you step over an old folded blanket and collar and expertly fold your leg down to sit down on the squishy haven
>Jacky, in tow, leaps onto the springless bed with a "wuf" when she lands
"Now it's important to drink in moderation... don't do anything I wouldn't do."
>As soon as you finish, you pop off the top and give it a solid gulp
>it's probably more than a shot but it is enough to fill your mouth complete
>delicious, and you weren't even that big a whisky fan
>"Alright, y'had y'drink, share the wealth lad! Who knows how long it's been since I a drink?"
>against your judgement, you give the possibly inorganic pony the bottle by lowering it and tipping the neck toward her
>she lurches up and takes the entire top of the bottle!
>her entire front dips down as she loudly gulps down
>once
>twice
>thrice
>defaq
>you level the bottle up and take it away from the most assuredly alcoholic
>was she "programmed" like this?
>she lets out a vaguely raspy roar of success
>whatever you drank, she at least tripled it
"...huh. Nice. Good thing you don't drive anywhere."
>you pop the top back onto the bottle and chase it with fruity v8
"So... tell me about yourself."
>Jacky sits down and rolls her tongue around, taking in the flavor
>"I'll tell you that you have a very unique sense of taste of what good is, Anon."
>she seemed to calm down, enough to sound like a normal person-horse-cartoon
>"Y'ever find yourself stuck somewhere? Inna box, for instance?"
>she gives you a queer glare and you shake your head
>except that one time but now wasn't the time or place

>"Well I was. And I dinnot like it a bit. It was hard to breath in. I didn't know where or when I was. I didn't talk because everyone who spoke was in another language."
>she shakes as if getting water off of her coat
>"Good stuff, now that I let it sink in..."
>you stay silent, not exactly sure of how to butt in
>"...y'know, I know."
"Know what?"
>"I know I'm not who y'wanted."
"You're kinda cooler. I don't know what I expected."
>another awkward silence
>you meant that, though you didn't expect yourself to
"What all do you want, now that you're... uh, free?"
>She gives you another queer look, more of shock than anything else
>"...maaaaaaaaaaybe another drink, eh? We're too sober to talk like this."
>good point
>the top squeaks off and you give yourself another mouthful of glorious nippon paint thinner
>while swallowing it bit by bit, you tilt the bottle over to her
>she rests her front hooves on your leg and you raise the bottle to tilt it toward
>gulp
>gulp
>ok, she's going to drink you dry at this rate
>you pull away the bottle, mouth empty but tongue tingly
"Good thing I'm not driving too."
>you're such a responsible drinker

>she gulps it all down and her head rockets from side to side like a dog drying off
>Japanese-flavored horse spittle hits your arm and shirt
>"Thassa good brand y'got there, lad. Y'know, I don't think I've ever had a real drink before. But y'ever get t'urge t'do something without knowing why?"
"Sure, most people do."
>"Y'say that, but you didn't come from a box, did you?"
>silence
>you point at her with your hand while she points at you with her hoof
>both of you give a knowing "ahhhhhhh!"
"Maybe I don't know what you mean, exactly. But I guess I got a good idea."
>without thinking, your hand goes up to pet her mane
>it is rather soft
>She gives your arm the queer eye but leans into it ever so lightly
"See? I can't control myself now."
>you smile at her and she smiles back
>"Aye, fair enough. So, what about you? Y'gonna tell me y'life story now so we connect on some conveniently deeper level?"
>you give a single "ha"
"Man and pony, together again under the umbrella of alcohol and remorse at life circumstances.. isn't that enough?"
>you share a laugh but you give a slight sigh at the end
>"G'n lad, y'earned y'piece to speak."
>you oblige and tell her about your life now
>and your life then
>your friends
>your lack of family
>how utterly screwed you were before you moved for work
>and how even your current work doesn't pay you all that much compared to anyone with even basic connections
>and that you used to have a buddy
"I ain't got no buddy, but my buddy boy."
>that was your saying to him
>until it happened, and you were left with no buddy
>then you found out about possibly satanic witch-powered ponies that were friends that were unlike anything else out there
>while talking all about it, she lays her head on your lap so you can pet her
>you're sober enough, though your head swims ever so slightly
>she seems pleased with herself, her nodding sluggish and slow
>when you finish, you feel a bitter taste in your throat and pressure behind your eyes

>you clear your throat, fighting back the pressure
>you've had a lot of pressure, and it left you regrettably sterner and more solid because of it
>maybe numb
>but maybe a technicolor southern pony would be your way to maybe reconnect with happier times
>when your friends made slightly more of an effort to talk to you
>when you didn't have to worry about living out of your car
>when you didn't know if you would keep going despite it all or if you would just call it good and be done
>"Done, eh... until we finish that bottle, y'aint endin'anythin'nless it's t'damned bottle of fruity juice y'got."
>her tone is far softer than before, and while the words are a bit more slurred than before, the caring words make you nod
>the pressure behind the eyes come up again
"Yeah... so that's the long and short of it. I'm not really hurting for much. But I'm kinda just spinning my wheel. Working now to work for more, to work for more and then... well, until it just ends, you know?"
>Jacky stays silent, but you can feel her give a long exhale
>"Y'know, lad, I can't imagine having a life like that. I have these memories of having friends but obviously th'aint here, now are they. An'when I was in t'damned box, I wished that they would be there t'help me. And th'never found me."
>she sighs, nudging against your hand that's been left on auto-pilot pet mode
>"But y'did. You did. Not them. That counts for something, now don't it?"
>you can imagine what it was like, in the way that you can visualize and imagine Harlan Ellison's story
"Yeah..."
>you both remain silent in the room, letting all of the words said sink into your brains, burning spots into the grey matter until they become moments you can't forget even if you tried
>the shame of it all and being left vulnerable leaves an even bitter taste in your mouth
"...so in light of all of that, you haven't ever seen a video game, right?"
>no reply
>you look down and she's knocked out on your lap

>while Jacky slept you occasionally took more liquid sleep, still petting her mane
>she kinda had a weird, sterile smell of cardboard and some sort of resin
>what was with the tiny hat too
>was it even a cowboy hat?
>you shrug and lean against the wall behind you
>you could hear her breath
>you missed being in a room and hearing someone else breathing
>pressure behind the eyes welled up again
>you cleared your throat and took a swig of the v8
...
>you yawn and realize you actually dozed off
>your hand is on the bed, and not rustled in orange mane
"Jacky?"
>you clear your throat of morning congestion and stumbled off of the bed, feeling your joints pop and creak
>walking back out into the living room, you see her staring at her box
>the tiny hat you thought about isn't the only thing she came with
>bonnet
>beret
>toque
>a fucking matador hat?
>even a ushanka
>you didn't even know what a ushanka was, yet there it was, with a tomato on the front of it
"...Good morning, Jacky. Y'know, I'm surprised you could drink that much. Do you... gotta go to the bathroom or something?"
>faint inhale revealed that she hadn't just randomly relieved herself
>she turns her head to see you and smiles "Oui, bonjour Anon"
>wat
"Wat."
>she shakes herself and stands up, "I said bonjour Anon! Do you have ze sleepiness still?"
>she seems pretty pleased with herself
"...didn't you sound different yesterday?"
>you question whether or not you should've said that, since you're not sure why she would have changed
>she has this expression that comes up from her face
>not sad
>but not really that happy either
>"I'm sorry... I'm still trying to figure out which one is me."
>you look over her and notice more of the box, now that it was tipped over
>"New and Improved, Bold Poney!" "I really talk!" "Europe and US approved!" "不得转售" "I like all kinds of things!"

>you both look over the box and the spilled contents
>different hats for different nationalities
>and even different accents
>what the hell were those moon runes even?
>you sit down next to her and resume petting her, like you were last night
"Nice hats. I know a game you'd be into if you're a collector."
>you don't look for a reaction but you hear a bit of a reaction
>possibly a quarter of a laugh
>"I know I'm supposed to have an accent. I've heard the show before, you know."
>you can't find it in yourself to say anything quippy or somewhat intelligent
>"I know I'm supposed to be kinda rowdy, stubborn, and that I'm supposed to sound funny."
>now that she's speaking without an accent, her voice sounds different
>not even really like Applejack, even if you ignored the obvious accent change
"...does this mean you didn't actually like the booze?"
>you did lose a lot of it last night and it wasn't cheap
>"It tasted kinda... woody. But it did taste good and I was thirsty."
"I can get you something better if you want."
>would it be polite to offer it in a bowl or a cup?
>what do you even do with the box
>what do you do with the hats
>they don't even fit you
"How about this... you got hats. Why don't you try them on and see what feels natural?"
>you feel her head rotate and turn to you, though you focus on looking ahead
"I mean it. I already said, you're actually kinda cooler than I thought. And you nailed down the 'angry ginger' bit pretty well."
>she was technically a ginger with the color scheme, to be fair
"Maybe you just do whatever, based off of your mood. Or maybe you just sound like how you do now."
>silence
>more head petting because you lack discipline
>"...Are the Irish and Scottish really that closely related?"
>you notice a small map on the box listing off the countries
>the highlighted ones have a small print saying "hat included"
>they share the same hat
"Probably."
>"Does the accent really matter?"
"Probably not. Slur your words and it's fine."

>after more silence, you clear your throat
"Well, regardless, you're here. And I bet you'd like some breakfast too, right?"
>you sound rather nonplussed about all of this
>it IS a big deal but you've almost only ever dealt with big deals
>"You don't mind?"
"Should I? You're home now, so all that matters now is that you just need to get comfy. With me, with here, with yourself, whatever you need to do."
>you speak these words without hesitation or thought
>you've spoken words similar to these before
>they've helped before
>you stifle a frown at the passing thought that maybe she wouldn't want this to be her home
>you look at the box and the spilled packing peanuts
>you wanna ask her to clean up since she made the mess but now wasn't the time
"Well... I'm gonna get up and get started on some stuff for breakfast. I normally lack the discipline and responsibility to eat properly, but I can do that with the main excuse of fixing you something so everyone wins."
>you don't really try to be funny or goofy, you just speak without thinking into it
>you say that, but you stay sitting right where you are, at Jacky's side
>your hand still petting her mane, occasionally scratching behind her right ear
>she hasn't said anything but you can tell that she's just staring at the box
>you are too, outside of the occasional glance at her, to remind yourself that you aren't talking to yourself
>again
>maybe she's thinking
>her expression isn't unreadable, mostly because you don't know how to take notes regarding colorful horse faces
>before you know it, enough time has passed to the point that the sun stopped bursting through the nearby window
>still no reply
>still no breakfast
>still not complaining
>"Anon... I'm hungry."
>she finally speaks
>a croak that was so quiet that you're pretty sure it was just your imagination

>you nod anyway and stop petting her
>you're pretty sure your fingers have turned into pure brush at this point, but you can stand to stop molesting her head
>you stand up, stretching your legs before standing up fully
>she really is pretty small compared to you
>maybe would be a bit above your waist if she were on her hind legs
>the hats didn't really seem to fit her either, at a glance
>some seemed big enough for your head, some seemed like they'd be a party hat for her
>the less you think about it, the better
>lord knows what's going through her mind about all of it, so the least you can do is be a rock
>and fix the god damned breakfast already
>thankfully your fridge is stocked
>bacon, eggs, even some apple cinnamon oatmeal
>it takes more waiting than anything else, so you occasionally poke your head out around the corner to watch your Jack
>after your third peek, she adjusted herself from sitting and staring to laying and... still staring
>occasionally she'll look around and study the room for what it is, mostly bare and fairly spacious due to it being more a rectangle
>focusing more on finishing than keeping clean, you eventually produce a massive tupperware container's worth of oatmeal and two large plates that each have a five-egg omelette and four strips of bacon each
>you ate at least three strips while they were cooking because you're more hungry animal than man
>you lean down to put a plate in front of her, a plate next to her, and then the bowl of oatmeal between
>you sit down and successfully fight the urge to touch the top of her skull
"I got a variety of stuff. For eggs... just a bit of salt added. I kinda like red pepper flakes with mine and I don't want to burn your tongue off or anything."
>you sound a bit upbeat, mostly because you already had delicious bacon
>her ears perk up and she sits up, looking all over it
>"Is this... all mine?"
"Well not all of the oatmeal, no... but if you ate only most of that, I'd be fine with it."

>you both begin to eat with little ceremony
>for a bit
>after you both taste browned egg, all pretense of civility ends and pure feasting begins
>bacon soon follows
>you quickly pour some oatmeal onto your plate and she dunks her head into the bowl to devour what was left
>jesus christ what an animal
>both of you
>good lord, don't mix your oatmeal with bacon grease
>before too long, you flop onto your back, more full than a pre-oven Thanksgiving turkey
>you feel something land on your lap
>It's Jacky's head
>a glance shows that she copied you completely
>"Gaw-lee Anon, that was a good'un."
>another accent
"Oh hell yeah it was."
>you hear her licking her face clean
>makes sense, she didn't even use the fork you had in the oatmeal
>you can't act like it didn't work, especially when all of your spoons were in the sink, along with half of the knives
"So, penny for your thoughts?"
>"What's a penny?"
>you purse your lips... not a bad question
>"Thanks for the meal, pal. You're a real friend, see?"
>oh god a bad Chicago accent
>like that purple foot from that Courage episode
"Oh god... just don't send me to start swimming with the fishes and we're fine."
>you pat her chest with your hand without thinking
>not that she minds
"Let's let our stomachs settle... and then we'll clean up. Deal?"
>you yawn as you finish, somehow content enough to lay on a badly carpeted floor
>before you can stop yourself, you feel your senses fading out
>must've still had some of the alcohol in your system
>the last thing you feel is something brushing up against your face
>it feels warm
>it smells like cardboard, your bed, and apple oatmeal

>you eventually wake up again, finally clear-headed from the excessive drinking
>you don't normally do so much but it was a bit of a time to celebrate
>you exhale and open your eye, only to see orange
>these aren't your glasses
>you blow out your mouth and the tail flickers way
>"Y'finally up anon?"
"Mmhm."
>not completely yet but you know you aren't keen on enjoying the floor any longer than you have to
>the plates and bowl are completely licked clean, which should make things... easier?
>is it better or worse that the only thing to wash off is pony slobber?
>you stretch your arms out and almost immediately your right hand gets headbutted
>"Howdy par'ner, ready to skedaddle?"
>something resembling a proper southern accent?
>Jacky seems pleased as pie with herself
>even her face is cleaned up
"Yeah... yeah, let's get this cleaned up, yeah? Tackle the box, I'll tackle the kitchen. If there's any bacon left, let's split it when all's done."
>you aren't completely sure there is any bacon left but it's good enough incentive to make the cuddle-me-Jacky trot in place
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand go."
>insert montage here
>you even play some comfy music on your phone
>you enjoy singing along with some of it while you hear more quiet "ba ba ba babababa" go along with the tune
>after a while, everything is finished!
>box is set up, the packing peanuts are gathered, dishes are cleaned of saliva, and even the stove top is clean!
>and there is exactly one slice of bacon left over as a reward
>a man of your word, you split it and eat it at the same time, savoring the meaty, greasy fruit of labor
"So... I got an idea."
>and what an idea it is
>going back to the bedroom, you boot up your laptop and start a very particular movie
>not your favorite, but it'll show her exactly what you come from
>technically, movies were hardly ever realistic interpretations of history
>For A Fistful of Dollars
"Aw yeah, prepare for the greatness that is... Squint Eastwood."

>the title and credits roll at the beginning of the movie
>I drag Jacky onto my lap and wrap her up in a loose hug
"This is the good stuff right here."
>The uniquely western theme makes her ears perk up and her eyes focus
>time passes by and the movie plays out without pause
>the entire time, you're both enthralled
>even though you know the story inside and out
>when it finally finishes, Jacky looks up at you, having gotten comfortable in your lap
>"Holy shoot, anon... can you really hammer out a plate like that?"
>you give a sage nod
"The secret is for me to know and for you to find out, young cowpoker. There's a sequel, you know."
>her jaw drops
"You know what's next."
>For A Few Dollars More starts up
>similar music and opening
>this time all of her hooves move on your lap like a cat kneading to the tune of the music
>the events of the sequel play out, causing little remarks or exclamations
>at the crescendo of every action scene, she growls and tries to sound threatening
>"Aim for the heart..."
>she doesn't really know if anyone shot actually got shot in the heart or not but it did bad ass
>eventually that, too, ends
>by the end of it, she bounds off of your lap and runs around in a circle.
>"YEEEEEEEEEEEE-HAW, anon! That was some rootin' tootin' gawd-awful shootin'!"
>she expects an answer but goes ramrod stiff as soon as you squint at her
>she squints back
>you slowly raise a hand, rubbing your index finger and thumb together
"This room ain't big enough for the both of us, pilgrim..."
>...
>...
>...
>DRAW
>you whip your hand to the front but get cut off with her barking a loud "BANG" while pointing her hoof at you
>theheavyisdead.jpg
>you fling yourself back, kicking your legs up only to go limp
"G...y'got me... bury me with my moneyyyy..."
>you gurgle out one last breath, stifling a short cough to clear your throat
>"Aim for the heart, partner..." she growls with as much gravel as she could muster from a bag of marshmallows

>over the next few days you and Jacky hang out more
>there is the occasional goofy accent she attempts but you don't mind them
>one time she slid from Italian to full Swedish and ended up nearly Russian
>you even join in once you think of ways to compliment them
>you watch more westerns together, running through every Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and John Wayne movie you can legally torrent through the most official and commercially approved channels
>not because you want her to be like the Applejack you were expecting, but because you just really like the movies
>you have someone to share that with now
>you haven't thrown out the box yet, for some reason
>all of the odd hats are still in there
>Jacky occasionally stares at the box, like she's trying to figure something out
>if she has, you haven't been told about it
>you eat together as if it were nothing
>you even showed her where the bathroom was and... from what you know, she took to using it fine.
>you're fine with not thinking about it too hard
>when you sleep, you do so at the same time
>the first night that didn't include alcohol, she laid at your side like it was natural
>the second night, you were already back to back and using the same pillow
>when you had to go to work, you told her about it and what you did
>and that if you come back smelling a bit like grease or ether, it was normal
>not preferable, but normal
>you also set up your laptop so it was easier to mess with for a miniature horse
>to a degree
>it was enough to access movies and stuff anyway
>you still feel a little bad when you left in the morning
>did you need to put out water for her? Dried food? She wasn't a dog and she wasn't some animal
>she was a toy
>that thought didn't sit right with you, but what other answers were there?
>you knew there would be responsibilities but you just didn't think that much about it at the time

>you occasionally send a message through your Discord to a backup account
>it's a bit one-way but you're able to let her know how you're doing and when you'd be back
>you do get one reply, around noon
>DHGUFGYDGSYFHFDTGFDTGFHBV GFDAAETSGDFHJKJIKHMNHJKUMKKIJKJKJLJKJL;L
>you think she was giving it a shot but it didn't turn out for the best
>you eventually return home and hear the sound of... Toy Story?
>you collected a lot of old animated movies as well for your collection but you didn't think she'd be able to manage around with a mouse
>you walk into your room after stripping your winter outer layers and boots
>the mouse is shiny from a distance with slobber of unconfirmed origin
>"And YOU, my friend, are responsible for my rendezvous with Star Command!"
>you notice that she's completely immersed in it
>eating chips?
>did you leave that bag of chips for her?
>you could've sworn they were on top of the fridge
>"YOU. ARE. A. TOYYYYYYYYYYYY."
>oh no
>"You aren't the real Buzz Lightyear, you're a... you're an action figure!"
>you wanna draw her attention away from the movie but you don't want to be a dick more than you want to get those words out of her head
>"You are a child's PLAYTHING."
>"You are a sad, strange little man. And you have my pity. Farewell."
>you almost expected something sad but instead you hear a guffaw that came from a mouth full of chips
>you shrug and sit down on the mattress, joining her
"Chip thief, thy name be Anon."
>you reach around the relaxed pony and grab a chip
>bag seems chewed open
>maybe it was at the top of the fridge earlier
>"You have acquired fantastic sustenance, though they required substantial force to be freed from their packaging."
>wat
>what was that half-assed Buzz Lightyear impersonation
>it sounded like if Tim Allen had been turned into a chaotic good cleric loli
"I'll... keep that in mind. Didn't break anything?"
>"Negative."
>well alright then

>you watch the rest of the movie with her, grabbing an extra pillow to have on your lap
>the movie ends on a good note
>freed from the clutches of the screen, Jacky curls her neck around to view you
>"That was a funny movie. Do toys really do stuff like that when no one's looking?"
>it is a very uncanny question to be asked, and you are really not sure how to answer it
>but you keep a good poker face
"Honestly? I kinda thought so, myself... would explain how they get lost on their own. But they're usually found soon without any issues too, you know?"
>she nods, eyes wandering across your room
>your desk and chair are covered with papers and extra blankets, respectively
>your dresser has some things on top of it displayed in an orderly pattern
>your closet is more or less in good shape
>no toys to be seen, however
>"Where are your toys, anyhow?"
>you keep a poker face
"Well... they're in storage. Climate-controlled too."
>"Boxed up?"
"Most of them, yeah."
>"Why?"
"To keep them safe. And my mom said that it's important to keep those around so you could give them to your kids when you have them. Well, if I ever have them. If and when I guess."
>"Was it like the box I was in?"
"Less packing peanuts, they're mostly all together in one place. Lot of little metal cars too. I had a lot of those."
>"Am I a toy like in the movie?"
"No. I don't think so."
>"What am I then?"
>the rapid fire question and answer session finally came to a stop
>you weren't really thinking of your answers because they didn't seem to relate to her
>but you were worried it would come to a question like that
>you really can't say the wrong thing
>she's smart
>really smart, for anyone
"I don't know."
>you have a few ideas that she might be
"I wasn't really sure what to expect, like maybe you could be a robot or something."
>there wasn't advertisements about AI or anything
"But you are Jacky. And you're my friend."
>you wouldn't accept that answer if you were her

>Jacky stops asking questions after you tell her that you're her friend
>she looks at the laptop screen, the scenes still fresh in her mind
>"Sparks... Dash. I... don't think I've ever met them?"
>she speaks slowly as if it hurts her to say those
>like hearing her own voice admit that took away a security blanket
>"Like, maybe they're just... I don't know."
>her ears fold down
>she manages to keep a straight face but her voice is trembling
>what can you say?
>the memories might be fake
>you don't know her exact origin, either
>maybe she's actually met them
>maybe it was just her continuity
>maybe it's part of something you might even could gauge is part of her defect
>because she is one
>not as advertised
>not what you paid for
>not what you were expecting
>but what you wanted
>you put your hand on her shoulder
>do horses have shoulders?
"Don't worry about it, Jack. You are who you are, and nothing can change that. For good and for bad, you're you. And I'm glad you are."
>she looks at you, her horse faced facade cracking
"I'm half my mom and I'm half my dad. Biologically, even. I've had one of them dislike me because I was half of the other person They said so.. I don't know if it was just a reflex on their part or maybe I reminded them of something. But that stuck with me. It was hard to deal with. You can't really just logic or reason that away, you know? It goes deeper than that."
>you feel something tug at the back of your head
>you feel a little light-headed
>almost like you're kinda zoning out of your own head
>it's not an unfamiliar feeling but it is weird

>you continue despite yourself
"You... maybe you are based off of someone else. But you aren't them. If you wanna think about it, the pony you're similar to.... maybe she's kinda like your mom, you know? You're half her, in certain ways. But you're your own person. Horse. Herson. Porse."
>you frown and narrow your eyes
"You are your own, Jacky. And I like that. I really like that about you. I can't give you any answers, but I can tell you that it doesn't have to matter."
>you look at the laptop screen, the only illumination in the room
>she looks at it too
>you both remain, borderline still as a painting
>both of you look at the different open folders, the shortcuts on the desktop, the wallpaper, the date
>anything to look at that would extend the silence
"Gimme a chip, Jack."
>she turns a little and looks at you out of the corner of her eye
>she rustles her head into the bag and pulls back, a few poking out from her mouth.
"Grassy ass."
>You pluck a few from between her lips with your fingers and chomp them down
>it doesn't really click to you as an odd way to exchange snacks
"Wanna watch more movies?"
>a pause
>"you said that western had a second sequel, right?"
>you look down at her
>and squint your eyes
>she takes a second before she starts to squint back
>your hand on her shoulder raises up, index finger and thumb rubbing together
>she licks her lips of chip debris and visibly shakes her front right hoof
>...
>...
>DRAW

>The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
>one of the greatest movies of all time
>after winning in the draw and exclaiming the obvious that she is dead, and that it was not a big surprise, you got up and proudly strutted toward the kitchen
>the chips were adequate but drinks were required
"Go use the toilet if you gotta, gonna get us some drinks."
>and to check the damage to the fridge
>you check the side of the fridge while contemplating what would do well for the night
>defaq
>a pair of hoof prints have actually pushed into the side of the wall of the snack containment box
>maybe a few millimeters but you can feel the dents
>not an apple tree but you're still impressed with what she did
>why did she have to kick it though
>you grab a half gallon, quarter-filled container of cranberry juice and fill it with water
>delicious watered down juice
>while contemplating whether or not you should add another drink or snack to the mix you hear the toilet flush
>...
>...
>did she wash her hooves?
"Alright, less thinking more preparing!"
>you drop down on the bed while Jacky turns around herself a few times, stamping down half of a pillow and the mattress
>scooting the screen back a bit, you go to the right folder and double click
>before it starts up proper, you make sure that the screen is maximized
>from the first whistle, the room is filled with orange from the opening credits
>the whistling and gunshots immediately make Jacky restless, shifting around herself while the title comes into view via cannon firing into the background
>then the music swells
>the vocalizations join in
>more gunshots
>you're almost afraid to tell her that you have a gun in the closet because she may try to shoot it at everyone
>by the end of the opening credits, she's enthralled in it
>...
>only for everything to be silent and for the scene to focus on three men walking into a bar
>CRASH
>enter The Ugly

>the movie continues, much to Jacky's amazement
>you've seen the movie dozens of times but it never fails to captivate
>but you're almost more keen on watching her reactions
>she's like a kid finding out about Santa Claus and Wes Craven at the same time, leading to some unusual world view that Santa Claws was coming to town and that he left mutated presents for kids who knew better than to split up a group while investigating
>enter The Bad
>the shots through the pillow made her visibly jump
>you could tell that she wanted to say something but couldn't break the spell of the movie
>enter The Good
>relatively good, anyway
>Jacky gave a queer eye at the screen when she saw two of them acting like enemies, only to split money after
>until they don't
>"HIJO DE UNA GRAN PUTAAAAAAAAAA!"
>Jacky's eyes nearly pop out and dart to you
>"W-what did he just say there?"
>you smirk and hold up your finger to your mouth
>The Ugly, Tuco--your favorite one by the way--causes the occasional chuckle out of her
>she's shocked by his actions since he is an obvious criminal, but he's funny
>even Blondie isn't all that good, making her give his scenes a weird look
>Angel Eyes though
>almost every scene he's in, a chill goes up her spine
>the glare and tone he has obviously freaks her out beyond any reasonable level
>not enough to ask for a break but it's obvious that she doesn't exactly have the level of bravery to look him in the eyes when he glares at the camera
>as the movie goes on, you both relax against one another, watching the trio go about their ventures
>sometimes independent of one another
>sometimes against each other
>sometimes even cooperating!
>then it comes to the church scene, after Blondie saved his own hide by knowing a name
>while Tuco knows a place
>one of the most classic saves a hero could make
>then the scene between Tuco and his little brother, Pablo
>Tuco's cheerfulness and jovial humor made her smile
>until they argued about their paths in life

>you could hear Jacky give a faint whimper at the end of their conversation
>she obviously has no family
>no siblings
>no cousins
>no farm
>no mom or dad
>but she has you
>but you aren't them
>you couldn't be, even if you tried
>"Even a tramp like me, no matter what happens, I know there's always a brother who won't refuse me a bowl of soup."
>you give her flank a pet during the following scene
>Tuco is obviously lying about his encounter with his brother
>he probably won't ever see or speak to his brother again
>his parents are dead
>his wife, or wives, probably don't exist to him anymore
>yet he's the same as he was throughout the last hour, smiling and proud of what he says he has
>you don't make a deal of it but you can see her shed some tears
>the movie continues still, on a roller coaster that has gone from jovial, to action-packed, to terrifying and even heart crushing
>then the bridge
>and the Union captain
>while she's seen smaller encounters before, the sight of hundreds of men rushing to face death by cannon fire, bayonet or bullet make her tense up
>for someone who's probably only ever seen violence through the exposure you gave, it can't have been easy to watch without wanting to ask so many questions
>but the money's on the other side of the river
>even the mention of how much the money was made her ears perk up
>you watch silently when she sheds more tears, this time for the Captain
>and the young man soon after
>until finally the finale
>Tuco, Blondie, and Angel Eyes
>three men staring each other down in a stand off
>the music swells as every hero and villain observe one another
>she squints her eyes as everyone else does
>at the end of their journey, and her journey through the movie, she keeps her eyes squinted and focused, even when it comes to The Bad's killer glare
>she readjusts herself, her front right hoof shaking by some reflex
>the tension is building so thick that you can feel yourself wanting to join in

>thumb and index finger rubbing together, you both watch as the tension increases to the point that nothing else matters
>POW
>Angel Eyes is shot
>POW
>Angel Eyes is dead
>POW, POW
>Jacky stares in disbelief at how easily a gun and hat could be shot from such distance!
>after the gold is collected, and the last gun is fired, there's only one thing left to do
>a hanging?!
>Jacky looks terrified as she watches Tuco struggle to maintain himself, screaming and whimpering at the notion that he might really be at the end
>POW
>Tuco's scream goes back to his given name, The Ugly
>Angel Eyes's body is shown once more, The Bad
>the smirking anti-hero Blondie, The Good
>"JUST A DIRTY SUNUVAAHHHHHH-AHHH-AHH-AHHH-AHHHHHHHHHHH"
>the song from the beginning starts up again, signaling that their journey has come to an end
>almost immediately Jacky pounces up like a cat and tackles your side with the force that very easily could have put that dent in your fridge
>stamping on the side of your ribs, she looks like a pony possessed
>"HOWDIDTHATHAPPENBLONDIEAIN'TTHATGOODATALLHOWISTUCOGONNAHAVETHATMONEYWHATABOUTTHEARMIESTELLMETHERE'SANOTHERSEQUELPLEASEANONINEEDTOSEEMOREOFITINEEDONEMORE!"
>she stamps into you at the speed of her rhetoric, like an expert DDR player that lost a hundred pounds by playing that little butterfly song and Feel Good Inc
>you can almost feel a rib start to crack under the strain
>caught up in the excitement, you grab her sides and violently shake her
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?! THEY'RE RICH I TELL YOU, RICH! TUCO DOESN'T HAVE A PONY OF HIS OWN, HE CAN'T CARRY ALL THAT MONEY, DID YOU KNOW THE ACTOR LIKES HORSES TOO, THOSE ARE REAL GUNS BUT NO ONE GOT SHOT IT'S A MOVIE YOU GOOBER DID YOU KNOW THOSE CHIPS ARE REALLY GOOD?!"
>the combination of excitement leads to both of you babbling to each other in increasingly unsafe levels
>she's unable to take it all in without questions
>her energy is contagious and you like using the time to make fun of her

>after a while longer of her exclamations while getting more aware of the silliness of the situation, she whips her head around along with your shaking, making her head loll around like a ragdoll
>she even slips into a southern accent, then Mexican like Tuco
>by the end of it, you're both tired
>finally shaken enough to satisfy James Bond's toughest martini recipe, she collapses on your chest
>her eyes derped out from being so dizzied, she giggles and tries to stare right ahead
>it doesn't work
>"That was a fun movie. There's more, right?"
>you pet her head, sighing
"I wish... there's more movies like it. But that's the end of the trilogy."
>she gave her head a violent shake until she could see straight again
>"That was crazy, anon..."
"Yeah... it's been a while since I first saw it. But it still gets me."
>you both lay there in place, letting the adrenaline die down
>neither of you grabbed a drink or snack during the entire three hour journey
>"...wanna watch it again?"
"Oh hell yes, little pony momma."
>it begins
>AGAIN
>you both stay up far too long, watching it at least two more times, leading to a nine hour marathon
>you fucking nerd
>correction
>you two fucking nerds

>Cooking with Jacky
>starring you!
>and Jacky!
>and an oven pizza!
>you haven't gone to the store since she came, which isn't terrible because you like to keep things stocked up
>you also question how you can excuse away walking into a store with a tiny talking horse
>worse yet, one who might pretend to shoot people if they give her the wrong look
>oh well, you can burn that bridge when you get to it
>you open up the creaky door and slide it in
"And then you just pop it in like that and... what, twenty minutes?"
>you clap your hands and nod, proud of yourself
>her reaction though
>less than impressed
>"I thought we were gonna start cooking?"
"Well... it's technically cooking..."
>"Yeah, and you're technically a dork. So what do we do while we wait?"
>that's a good question
>the last week or two have gone by in a flash
>movies, serious talks, booze
>neither of you have really gone outside
>she hasn't even seen any other humans outside of you
>no one has texted or called you in weeks as is
>fuck, it feels good to have a social life
>you lean against the sink, looking down at her
>she's really tiny now that you're not on your back and she's on top of you
>you let that thought sit
"So... what's with the tomato?"
>she gives you a weird look
>"What's a tomato?"
>wat
"Wat."
>you point at her butt
"Well the thing right there."
>she looks at it and frowns, as if it was the first time she ever noticed it was there
>"What th--when did that get there!?"
>you shake your head and kneel down, poking at it
>it looks like it has a certain sheen to it
"Wait, hold on..."
>you pick at it
>the corner seems to fold a little
>wat
>you peel it off?
>the fuck is this
"It's a fucking decal..."
>now that you get rid of it, she looks a lot more normal
>since when is a yellow mini-horse normal, even to you
>having never liked stickers, you stuff it in the trash

>"So what was that from?"
"I guess it would've been safer than a tattoo..."
>the thought hits you
>she doesn't exactly smell bad, but...
"After we eat, how about a bath or something?"
>her ears perk up
>"Anon, now hold on now..."
"What? A little scrub, soaping up, I got some oatmeal shampoo that I still have for dogs and--"
>"We ain't close enough to bathe together, simmer down!"
>wat
>it takes you a few moments to get the implications
>and they hit you
"...Ok, that wasn't what I was referring to."
>"But you were referring to bathing me."
"Well sure."
>"Which means..."
"Which means...?"
>"..."
"...you know we already sleep together, right?"
>she stamps her foot down
>"Well that's different!"
>you're not sure how but ok
"Well alrighty then. Then after we eat, I'll set you up and you can go at it and all's good, right?"
>she nods after a moment to think it over
>though you didn't care much about it, she did remind you that she was a chick
>a female
>this puts a lot of new twists on the things you've done together
>not bad twists, per say
"Say, Jack."
>your mind shifts gears again
"Wanna go out?"
>her expression of disbelief intensifies
>"What the heck are you saying by that?"
"Well nothing, but it'd be cool to go hang out outside one of these days. Lot of outdoor places so no one should pay any mind to you, just mind your manners and all that."
>what's with her?
>you do leave her alone throughout the day while she has access to the internet
>you've found out that she's pretty good with a mouse, if not slow
>"Well, I kinda wanna see what's what out there..."
"See? I can dig it, you can dig it."
>there's a bit of silence between the two
>you don't have any problems talking to chicks but she's definitely a different type of one
>but she still is one
>technically
"...so does this mean you want your own bed now?"
>she scoffs
>"Well hold on now, let's not do something we'll regret!"
>you share a laugh

>you're glad, though
>hearing someone breath next to you is comfy
>your buddy boy used to sleep a ton too, giving off that quiet white noise for hours at a time
>she isn't a pet, though
>of course she isn't
>but does it mean it's good or bad that you see her as a girl and not just a friend?
>does she see you as an obvious guy, too?
>given the movies she watched, probably
>you shrug at it all
"Well, regardless, don't go complaining when you're cuddled up going 'oh anon, please keep me warm when it's so cold out, my little pony body can't handle it'!"
>you sway back and forth, holding out your hands
>she takes a flustered step back
>"I-I do not sound like that!"
"Oh right, how was it... 'oui oui anon, please do not let ze frost bite go to my, how do you say...'"
>you adopt a bad French accent that hadn't aged well since your highschool days
>"Hey, one time I did that! One!"
"Yeah and it was enough to make me buy you a baguette and a bottle of wine!"
>she was a little hot under the hoof before, but you did the unthinkable
>you didn't tell her what a baguette was
>"Alright you, come get it!"
>she charges at you in full gallop!
>for maybe four human steps
>then butts her chest into your leg
>you stare at each other, poker faces engaged
>may you stand unshaken
"...y'done?"
>she takes a few steps back, avoiding eye contact
>"...it's a lot more effective when you're on your back."
>...
>you both point at each other giving a knowing "ahhhh!"
"Well how about this, after our healthy, five-star dinner and after your bath, you can trample me all you like."
>"Add on that High-Something-Drifter movie that you told me about and deal."
>you haven't seen that movie in ages but you recall the twist
>you're not sure how you're rubbing off on her, but she's becoming the major cinema dork
>it's not the most productive trait to have, but you like that about her
>hopefully she likes it too

>over the next few days, something seems different
>Jacky smells better, which is nice
>now that she doesn't smell like cardboard, old food and the faint scent of tree, she has a somewhat neutral scent that has left it's mark in your apartment
>especially your bed
>though you teased her about it, she's seemed to take a liking to laying on your chest or near your head
>you even taught her a random fact
>if you pick her up and hold her to your ear, you can hear her scream
>it was more out of surprise than anything else, but you had a laugh over it
>she was rather light, too
>but she did act a little bit more differently
>or maybe she was just comfy 
>either way, you were happy
>another week went came and went
>you still had food to eat but the fridge and freezer was starting to get low
"Hey Jack!"
>you called out to the napping shin kicker
"Kitchen's getting bare, wanna make a supply run with me?"
>you heard something of a response but you had no clue what it was
>"Up! Up up up, totally up."
>you hear a drowsy voice and hear uneven clipping and clopping
>along with what sounded like a head bonking into a wall
>you peek your head around the corner, almost afraid of what you'll find
>she looks cute, despite being tired
>you haven't offered to brush her hair in a while with your hand in a bit so it looks a bit on the messy side
"I said, you wanna grab miniature equine yum-yums with me?"
>she gave a sleepy nod, yawning in the middle
>speed it up and she'd make a good headbanger
"Groovy, we'll take the car, drive over there, I'll hold them up and you go for the safe. Anyone tries to stop you, gun 'em down."
>she kept nodding, giving an even bigger yawn
"After that I'll ride you off into the sunset and make an innuendo about you being my little pony."
>that woke her up
>"Now what in Sam's Hill is that supposed to mean?!"
"Sam's Hill isn't where we're going, nor is it Fiddler's Green or Hell, Michigan. We're going to the store. Maybe five minute drive, we go in, we grab our stuff, we go out, head back, good to go, yeah?"
>she gives a thoughtful expression
>"Well sure but how do I know what I'd want?"
>that's a good question
"We look around. There's not gonna be any rush to it, you know? Though maybe we should get you some saddlebags... would be nice to get a hand and keep it to one trip."
>you stroke your chin while appraising her
>maybe your old messenger bag from your highschool days could be useful if you altered it
"Either way, let us go! To the food depository!"
>"To the suppository!"
>you both aim at the door in silence
>you don't want to tell her what the difference is between what you said and what she said
>after being reminded to get dressed, you both head out
>it's the first time she's been outside and not in a cardboard prison
>it won't be her last, you hope
>you go to your car, a fine specimen of mediocre economy-class automobile, and present it with a slight pose
>the talking shrimp with fur seems unimpressed
>"Y'know Toy Story had cars in it too, right."
>...
>so much for making some grand gesture about what cars were and how they worked
"Alright, you think you know everything... hop in."
>you open the driver door and she actually manages to clear a jump into the seat rather easily
>she then sits down and smiles at you
"...well dang, nice. But hop your happy hind to the other side, I gotta drive"
>you sit down as she hops to the other seat
>outside of clipping her cloppers on the ground she's as clean as can be
>besides, you haven't had the interior washed in a while
>starting the car up, she finally takes the time to look out the window and into the wider world beyond her home
>it's not an impressive sight, honestly
>nearly a dozen other cars where you parked, some trees that have lost their leaves, and more apartment buildings that seem similar to yours
>"This... ain't like those movies."
>you shrug
>it really isn't at all like where you grew up, where it would get so hot that the very earth cracked
>where it would hail in the middle of a bright, shiny day and cause steam to erupt from the asphalt
>where triple digit heat was the norm and snow was a sign that the town would be shut down for everyone's own safety
"We're a long way from home... but it's where the work is. That's kinda all that matters here."
>you creep out of your parking spot and head down the street, giving her more views of the rather dreary real world
>"Why not just drive around and pick up jobs? Gun down some rascals and varmints, fight a war, move onto the next town and do it again?"
>it sounds appealing to be honest
"Well... life just isn't allowed to be like that anymore. I guess it's partially a reason why those movies got so popular, you know? A less complicated era. Not simple, but definitely not as much stuff holding you back."
>"When are you going home?"
>you don't answer
>you aren't really sure how to answer
>the scenery outside doesn't seem to change any, even though you've left the apartments
>just more asphalt roads, large intersections and the occasional lumps of concrete-shaped buildings
>"You got a home, don't ya?"
>you don't answer for a bit
"Well sure. I feel like I'm at home when you're around."
>you can't really bring yourself to sound all that happy about it, but it's true.
>Jacky sways with the car whenever you make a turn
>"Then what about when I wasn't around?"
"Didn't have one."
>you say as simply as you can
"I haven't really felt like I had a home in a long time. I have a place where I store all of my stuff, as you saw, but... it doesn't hold much value to me."
>she nods
>it's likely that she has similar feelings to you about all of that
>it's been a while since your last awkward silence, but this was most certainly one
>you make it to the store, trying to ignore the silence and what caused it
>you get out and hold open the driver door, watching her use the seat cushion to bounce from passenger seat, to your seat, to the ground
"Bravo, you even stuck the landing."
>she bows after giving her hair a shake
"Still not clapping."
>she gives you a dirty look, like you personally wronged her somewhere in life
>"Next time I'm jumping, I'm gonna jump on you."
"You want some? Let's-a go!"
>you both strike fighting poses
>a small family of three walk by, having come out from a nearby minivan
>they try not to stare as a collective while you square off with an oddly colored pony
>both noting how outsiders aren't keen on your antics, she drops her stance first
>"...there's a good reason why we haven't gone out in public before, isn't there."
"...yes. Yes there is. Onward!"
>with a penchant for dramatic flair, you aim for the front of the store
>she gets onto her hind legs and kicks out with her front "Leave nothing behind!"
>you both casually, at a normal pace, toward the store
>neither of you are up to the idea of running and to be honest there's already the vague sense of alienation that comes with being such an odd pairing
>she follows you, at your four o'clock, as you enter
>she looks around at the vast produce section as you grab a shopping cart
>"Hey, is a lot of this stuff good?"
"Sure. We can grab whatever looks good and see if we can chop it up into something edible."
>you didn't notice before but a foreign woman with a kid is nearby
>she stares at you like she witnessed a murder
>said foreign child is terrified beyond belief
>you say nothing but just glare at them
>...
>they walk away
>Jacky saw but didn't want to particularly do anything about it
>"...should I be talking?"
"Well you already are. Besides, they'd freak out if you were a tiny dog that didn't talk."
>you go through the produce isles, picking out some red potatoes, carrots, the usual
>while going from produce to the bakery and deli, Jacky laughs to herself
>"Hey anon... should I practice a demonic voice? Y'know, to have some fun with it."
>you smile and shake your head
"Of course you should, that's a terrible thing to do."
>you clear your throat
"O̶ŃȨ ̕͡Ḿ̶͞ỜR̵E̕͜ ͘͢͢G͟͞ÒD̶ ̡R̶͜É͢J̷͝E̢Ć̷Ţ̶E͠D̸͠"
>Jacky lets out a cry and bounds away from you
>even Angel Eyes didn't warrant such a reaction
>"What the HECK was THAT?! Who are you?!"
>you give an evil cackle
>you practiced that voice for years now
>a mix of inhalation, a little throat control, and the willingness to risk making your throat raw for days in exchange of a few seconds of success
"Oh, I'll teach you... I'll teach you so good."
>the woman at the deli counter, the entire time, stared at a man and talking horse with neutral helpful expression that could only come with decades of experience of customer support
>"You know if you're hungry as a monster, we got a deal on our cheese! One pound of sliced meat, half a pound of cheese of your choice!"
>score
>the reactions you get through the store is mostly mild
>outside of the obvious chances to goof around, it's just a routine visit to the store
>your first official outing together in any capacity
>and it feels normal
>normal is good
>after going through the freezer section and deciding on some other smaller snacks, you end up waiting in line to get everything paid for and bagged up
>you hate the self-checkout line when you have more than a handful of items
>"Hey, are you in the mood for some chocolate?"
>Jacky's stuck on the last minute candy buys that are so expertly placed that they tempt the stomach and tongue as much as they tempt the wallet
"Hm... I think we have some back home."
>"What about gum?"
"I haven't really cared for gum in the last while."
>"Chips?"
"We picked out three bags."
>"...skittles?"
"I'll taste your rainbow if you keep it up... but ok, toss a bag."
>with everything paid for, you start back to the car
>with everything bought, it's most certainly something that can all be brought up in one tip
>"Well that was fun."
>outside of a few awkward glances, it really was nice
>it didn't feel special, but it felt like you were with someone
>in what way... well, details didn't matter
"It was. Now imagine being stuck in there all day."
>"I really would like to not have to ever be stuck in there for a full day... did you know how badly that one area stunk?"
"What, not a fan of fish?"
>"No way Jose, I'll take a big, ripe chicken any day of the week."
>the ride back is a lot quicker this time around
>there's no awkward feelings
>there's no worrying about anything
>there's only the curiosity of what would happen next, once all of the food is put up
>you still haven't gotten to show her many games
>hell, you haven't even watched that many movies with her
>a lot of time together, it's just being around each other
>it's hardly structured, ideal, or picturesque
>but it's how it is
>"Penny for your thoughts, anon?"
>evidently you were smiling enough to catch her attention
"It's nothing big. I'm glad we could do this."
>you don't really notice it but she smiles to herself
>"I am too."
"...by the way, no skittles until after dinner."
>"YOU MONSTER!"
>she bounces into you from her seat, nearly causing you to miss your turn and drive into an oncoming car
>you didn't have work today
>today was a special day
>ok, it wasn't particularly special to you, but it was a holiday
>Jacky didn't even seem to mind since she was still asleep
>normally you'd have your alarm go off and you'd sneak up
>depending on where she was around or on you at the time, this was more difficult than usual
>this morning, she was on your chest, sprawled out with her head near yours
>reaching over to your phone, you stealthily turn off your phone and go back to sleep
>you bring up your arm to wrap around Jacky's lower torso
>eventually, you feel something shifting around
>"WAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUP"
>you grumble something about it being a holiday, only to feel a quartet of tiny hooves thundering down
>you yawn and grab hold of the yellow and orange horse's front, lifting her up
>she's still kicking the air
"I'm off today. Stop trying to kill me."
>after a few seconds, the air stomping stops
>"...oh. Happy holiday then, anon!"
>you shake your head, yawning again
"No, it's Thanksgiving, specifically. Means that we celebrate by being lazy, cooking, and eating birds, hams, and the occasional chicken bbq pizza."
>"We have the last two! Does that mean we're doing it right?"
"That's exactly what that means."
>you set her down and sit up
>seems like you slept around four hours past your usual wakeup time
>you describe the basic intricacies of the holiday to her, more or less covering the important parts and why it's important
>and that it's usually a good time for families to stick together, even if they don't really like each other
>you're incredibly aware that it's just you and her in the room
>in the entire apartment
>"so, what do you feel like doing?"
"Well, to get the formalities of the way and to avoid things from getting awkward... I'm thankful for you. Completely and utterly, you've been a fantastic friend to me, and I feel like without you I'd have just slept in all day, maybe play a game or watch a movie, and consider it like just another random day that people with families use to enjoy each other, even when they normally don't."
>you say all of this with a relatively normal expression
>you'd eviscerate yourself if you weren't honest with yourself
>especially if you weren't honest with her
>she's mostly silent, sitting and listening when you speak
>after a moment, she does speak up
>"Well, what can I say? I don't really remember living before you. I don't even know if I was living before I met you. You've been the only real person I've known, and you've completely been fine with me. I don't have a full life like you, it's been like a movie to me, where things just start and... you know, there's only so much I can think about it. Where I am is where I am, and the life I have now is the life I was given."
>she puts her head down on your leg
>"There may be dozens out there just like me. Maybe thousands. But you're my friend, and you're my anon. There may be many like me, but this pony is yours. And there are many weird looking humans like you, but you are my human."
>...
"Did you watch Full Metal Jacket without me?
>her eyes widen and she tries to shrug
>"M-me? Of course not. I know you wanted to show it to me, and..."
"You did! I know that line and you aren't clever enough to come up with that on your own."
>she's full flustered and angry now
>she stands up, pointing a hoof at you
>"Oh yeah?! Well you just quote movies all the time too! Remember that time you said that you'd be back?"
"Wha, since when is a three word phrase a quote and not just a statement?!"
>"Since it was said by you!"
"Oh yeah? What are you gonna do, aim for the heart?"
>that struck her
>you aimed for the heart on that one
>she squints and goes stuff, prepared to tackle you
>you squint and bring up your arms
>there's no finger banging competition now
>thems were fighting words
>...
>...
>...
>DRAW
>she charges you and you lean forward, arms extended
>she tries to jump into you and you wrap your arms around her
>this leads to you squishing her against your chest
>the advantage of being a human is obvious
>"L-let go and let me pound you!"
"Not if I pound you first, I'm gonna suplex you if you keep this up!"
>she raises her voice into a scream
>"PONESAW IS READYYYYYYYYY!"
>you stop and look at her
>she stops and looks up at you
"That was terrible."
>...
>she nods
>"Ok that didn't come out as good as I wanted it."
"Let's go stick something in the oven, as per Thanksgiving tradition. Then we're going to watch a movie you claim you didn't see. Then we're going to see just how hard a human can suplex and-or pound a pony."
>the innuendo flinging has been going back for days now
>neither of you particularly mind because any notion of embarrassment is dead from longstanding mutual teasing
>"We're at each other's throats and already made up... is this what Thanksgiving really is?"
>you think about it
>you squeeze her 
"Yeah. It's really not that out of the norm. Happy Thanksgiving Jack."
>"Happy Thanksgiving anon."
>you thought things were fine
>you thought your holiday break would go swell
>you thought that Jacky wouldn't get out of hand
>you were wrong
>"No no no, cast the defense spell! You're taking too much damage!"
"No, screw you, we need to lower their numbers or we'll keep getting hit!"
>"I'm going to hit you if you let your healer die one more time!"
"It's fine!"
>"You're wasting revives!"
"It's fiiiiiiiine!"
>you introduced Jacky to vidya
>worse, to RPGs
>you've been playing one in particular for days
>not only were they movies, but they were interactive movies!
>you swear you'll kill yourself and then her if you taint her to David Cage shit
>after hunkering down during the day-long riot of Black Friday, you both go to the local game store to pick up old used games
>the employees, funny enough, seem to welcome her as they would anyone else
>she tried to ask you about the Fortnite pony dolls but you told her that was dark magic at work and that she should view it as heresy
>after the first day, Jacky was hooked on just how action-packed every cutscene was
>after the second day, which began after a small nap, she was humming the random battle music
>neither of you eat all that well because the siren call of the game is too much
>for you, it's a classic that you've hungered to play again for years
>for her, it's a movie that is infinitely longer than even the longest western marathon
>doesn't help that due to the critical hits and bombastic nature of the character, her "aim for the heart" growl of a catchphrase became a battlecry
>you finally complete the boss fight and lean back, mentally exhausted
>a backseat gamer who doesn't even know how to mess with a controller is hard to deal with
>Jacky, now practiced with her battle victory dance, jumps from side to side, rearing up onto her hind legs
>and dabs
>you're not sure why you introduced the game memes to her but you did to help explain what was fun about it
>now she fucking dabs on enemies
>and on you
>you eventually reach a save point after another hour of running around and going through cutscenes
>you look at the clock
>god damn it
>you lay in bed, turning off the console and TV
"Jack... this ain't gonna work. We gotta pace ourselves with this."
>Jacky, wired with the adrenaline of a fight that she felt personally engaged with, jumped onto your chest
>you're used to it now but it still leaves you sore
>"Come on you can't quit now! What about escaping from that baldy? How do we know we're safe?"
>the chronic case of adventure has messed with her sleep schedule and completely skewed her priorities and interests
>you can't blame her
>you blame the music
>and the story
>and your own hype, which was effectively adding jet fuel to a bonfire
"Jaaaaaaaaaack..."
>your arms reach up and wrap around her
>you tug her down to your chest, her legs falling out from under her
"I'm tired, Jaaaaaaaaaack. I didn't think we'd spend so much time on it in only three days."
>Jacky wriggles on you, more to get comfortable than to escape
>"What's eighteen hours, anyway? That's just a big marathon a day."
"I know! I'm glad we're having fun but holy crap we're hitting the ground in a full sprint."
>the only complaint you genuinely have is that you still have work in the morning
>the break felt like a day and a half, tops
"We gotta pace ourselves... and plan out steps where we can. There are a lot of games I like where one mistake can mean death."
>her ears perk up
>"Well... why don't you just revive them?"
>you noticed that over the last week or two, she stopped making up accents
>she adopted your accent, to an extent
>normal American but with the occasional southern bend with certain words or specific sounds
"In those games? You can't... one is all you get."
>"...woah..."
"Yeah..."
>you planned on introducing vidya to her a little more slowly, but you just couldn't pace yourself
>at least you didn't introduce her to Red Dead for her first game
>the room completely dark, you tighten your hug around her
>while the romance subplot led to her chortling at how the characters can't seem to spit it out or talk things through, she seems to appreciate your affection
>close contact has become just one of those things that are normal now
"Hey Jack."
>"Yeah, anon?"
"...do you ever wonder how it'd be to live in an RPG like that?"
>"What, with death? Magic? Weirdos coming together to fight a big bad guy with a beard like yours?"
>...
>you did recently shave to look like an almost stereotypical scene-chewing villain for a referential joke
>you never got a chance to tell the joke
"Yeah."
>"Well of course! Applejack, my sorta-ma, she did that sort of stuff all the time!"
>her sorta-ma was indeed pretty brave and fought a lot
"Yeah...hey Jack?"
>"Yeah, anon?"
"I'm sorry you're stuck in this world. You could've been like your ma or you could've been in a different world, or someone else could've come across you and be some sort off soldier or athlete or whatever."
>...
>you didn't feel remorse for having her
>but you did wish that you had more to offer her
>"Yeah... I'm sorry too. I still don't know who I want to be. I don't really have any skills and I can't use anything you have without making it dirty or messing with it. I can't help you buy things or anything either."
"Well hold on now, that doesn't bug me any. I'm more than fine taking care of you."
>"And I'm more than fine being with you, too. Who else would care enough to bring me into movies and games?"
>probably a lot of people
>"Besides, you do take care of me, and I try to take care of you."
>to be fair you did have a headache yesterday and she brought you a drink
>she even figured out a good way to get into the fridge without further denting it
>...
"I think I'm just tired. My head's not on straight."
>"I'll say, I can see it from here."
"Wait, what?"
>a hoof lands on your face, nearly stomping your eye
>"Shhhhhhhh.... shhh shh shhhhh."
>her hoof slides over your face, making you sputter and try to avoid her from pushing your face in
>"Silly human and your heads. Sleeeeeeeeeeep-ahh."
>well, whatever
>her convincing argument leads you to relax, inhaling and adjusting your shoulder to get comfortable
>your bed has long since gotten tainted with Jacky's scent
>it's nice
>you're glad she cares
>you're glad you care
>you doze off sooner than you thought you could
>the last thing you are alert enough to hear is some evil cackling
>and the console coming back on
>"Gonna show you how to beat a boss, tell me what does and doesn't work..."
>you hope that you're in the middle of a nightmare and that she isn't going to utterly screw your save file
>it's one of those days
>actually, today is The Day
>work goes by quickly, and Jacky even gave you a kiss before you left
>you're not sure what the correct context of that was but she gave you a headbutt when you asked too many questions
>you've been checking your browser and video history and she's been going to romance movies lately
>maybe she was just doing it to try it out
>it kept you pretty happy though
>she's changed a lot, depending on what she watches
>you still wonder what she's really like
>you have a handful of good ideas, given the consistencies between everything
>she's definitely closer to you than before
>you like it too, and you've relaxed around her a whole lot
>she still gets shy about bath time, but she's competent enough to where you don't second guess her habits
>the hugging usually intensifies after that for the night
>she's gotten awkward about sitting on your lap too, but not when she's tired
>she hasn't yet watched the show she was... technically made from
>she also hasn't asked to see the site you got her
>there's still a lot of things that haven't been answered or figured out
>neither of you bring it up though
>things haven't been eventful but they've been comfy
>you worry about some of the deeper things, like if she is bored of you, or if she wants to live somewhere else
>or maybe find others like her out there in the world
>you don't want to be selfish but you're scared of that
>you return home without the worry on your face
>almost immediately, you hear galloping that leads to her taking down your knee from behind!
"What in Robbie Rottarnation is with you?!"
>you aren't toppled but you're brought down a few levels
>Jacky circles around to your front
>her hair is neat
>in a pair of twin tails
>how the hell did she manage that, anyway?
>she looks at you with a flustered face
>"And why didn't you tell me it was your birthday?!"
>wat
"wat"
>"wat? No, not wat! You knew it was the day and you didn't let me know!"
>you sit down from your kneeling position, taking off your boots, shrugging
"Well it's not a big day to me so... I didn't want to bring it up and bring you down was all."
>your reasoning doesn't fly with her
>"And you thought I didn't wanna celebrate it with you!"
"No, it's not that..."
>"Then what, anon? You gotta let me know stuff like that!""
>well now you kinda feel bad about it 
>your birthdays never felt like a big deal, though you used to treat them like the one day you could be outwardly selfish
>kinda didn't see a point in it when only you cared about them to begin with
>you shrug again
"I'm sorry, alright? I am. I was kinda hoping that I could chill with you like usual and... well, kinda just that."
>she mulls over what you said, that fire she had dying down now that she knew it wasn't for a bad reason
>"Well... it's special to me. And..."
>she averted her gaze hard
>"Aaaaaaaaand you'rrrrrrrrrre kinda, maybe, sorta... maybe the day is only as special to me as you are."
>your eyebrows raise
>what was that weird confession?
>what was that from? Or did she think of that on her own?
>why were you having issues thinking that she was capable of her own thoughts?
>you treated her like a normal unrealistically colored talking horse
>like a friend
>like someone to bully
>like someone to come home to
>would it really be that hard to imagine that maybe she's finding her way?
>you thought about it before, sure, but you didn't put time into it
>"S...say something. Don't just look at me like that."
>were you looking at her in a weird way?
>you didn't know, you just wanted to look at her
>it must've taken her a long while and some sort of trick for her to even mess with her hair styling
"...can I ask for a present?"
>she stamped both of her front legs down
>"Well of course you can, that's what I got all dolled up for!"
>you squint at her
>she squints at you back
>"..."
"..."
>"Anon, I..."
"...do the French accent again."
>her eyes widen and her jaw drops
>"Wait now, you can't mean that!"
"Come on, speak to me in the language of love."
>her face went from anger to sheer terror
>"Don't say it like that!?"
"Speak to me in the language of surrender."
>"Don't make this weird, dang it! I'm trying to make today special!"
"Talk to me as if you have tapioca pudding in your mouth and you swallowed most of it but not all so it kinda gives you a funny sound."
>"HOW IS THAT EVEN FRENCH TO YOU?"
"OPEN MOUTH, NO BARS HELD, ALL THE WAY, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW."
>she looks absolutely flabbergasted 
>"Wh...WHAT? IS THAT EVEN WHAT YOU ASKED ME?!"
"DEEP TISSUE, DEEP DISH, YOU KNOW YOU WANT IT."
>"ANON GET YOUR HEAD TOGETHER I'M NOT PREPARED FOR THIS SORT OF THING!"
>the screaming and shouting grows mutual
>you keep a fantastic poker face on while she gets riled up
>the argument eventually leads to ordering pizza and her adopting the French accent for the rest of the night
>with free reign for you to give belly rubs
>you knew that no one would judge you because it's hardly a bad thing compared to what some weirdos out there like
>you wanted to add a maid outfit to the mix but you didn't have one at all, be it for horse or human
>you settle for an apron you got from a randomized box of good-brand cookware
>it fits around her neck and stomach, adding to the allure brought on by the twin tails
>"Sacre bleu, Anon! You have been ze sleepy boy, oui? Ohh hon hon hon~"
>you laid in bed while waiting for the pizza to show up
>Jacky's sitting above your head, massaging her front hooves into your shoulders
>you're grinning like an idiot while she gives you a bit of a wry smile
>it's shameless but you're completely enjoying it
>she is too, after realizing that you weren't completely doing it just to embarrass her
>"You know, we still have ze-how you say-pizzazaza~"
>she shakes her head with the word, smiling at the silliness of it
>the French accent sounded natural, no way she practiced it
>you nearly doze off with her massaging while she speaks to you in her accent
>you don't feel shame in asking what you did
>...
>you eventually wake up, a pizza box sitting near you
>a corner is slightly chewed up
>"Naughty naughty~ You sleep, and you do the weep!"
>out of the two boxes, the corner-chewed one is mostly safe
>the other one is already empty
>Jacky's face is a bit less clean than before, like she rubbed it against a towel to clean up or hide the evidence
>you yawn and sit up
"You nappa, you get slappa."
>"You catch up on some zeds, you get out of my heads!"
"You slumber, a cucumber!"
>you're glad you've introduced her to even more shows
>even if it makes her adopt weird personalities for a few days at a time
>you drag her onto her wrap and stick your hands under her apron for unprecedented belly rubbing
"Alright, pick a movie."
>as if to answer, she lets out a short, sharp tune of a whistle.
"Waaaah, waaaah, waaaahhh..."
>you hear her lick her lips and failing to whistle a few times before she returns the tune again
"Waaah, waaaah, waaaaaah!"
>you start the movie to end all movies up again, both embracing the bombastic opening
>"...by ze way, must I keep ze accent all night?"
"...well you don't have to but if you do, I get to bathe you tomorrow."
>"ZE WILD WEST WILL NEVER END, HON HON~"
>it was a completely absurd night, and even a neighbor stopped by to ask to keep the shouting down
>but it was great
>it was the best birthday you had in... you don't know how long
>another weekend
>another morning of sleeping in with horse head laying on your neck
>you're pretty sure there's a movie about a horse head in a bed that wasn't all that comfy
"Jjjjjjjjjaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack-eeeeeeeeehhhhhh..."
>you rasp and grumble out her name, going from the deepest tone you can
>the vibrations and the noise causes her to stir
>she looks at you, half-asleep
>you smile at her
>"...d'y'gotta be up so early..."
>you did wake up early, even on the weekend
"Jaaaaaaaaack-eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..."
>you repeat yourself, going into a yawn at the end
"I'm thirsty. And hungry."
>she puts her head on your chest
>you've been using her body as a pillow for the last few days
>you're not sure why but it's warm, fuzzy, and smells like her
>you can even hear her heartbeat when it's completely silent
"Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack-eeeeeeeeeeeee-iiiiiiiiii-eeeeeeeeeee-iiiiiiiiii-ooooooooooo..."
>"I'm sleepy, anon... last night was rough, ok?"
>last night, you finally brought up some of the last good westerns made
>Unforgiven
>it had an air of depressed reality all throughout it
>a blind kid who was quick to call himself a killer
>an old farmhand that actually was a killer
>and the farmhand's friend, who did just as much evil in his hayday
>it went into the myths of the wild west
>the reality of killing or shooting someone
>during the cliffside shootout scene, Jacky pressed her head against you hard
>she even closed her eyes when she listened to the victim's friends saying that they wanted to give him water
>then the ending, showing just how efficient a killer could be when he wanted
>it was by far the least romantic, least adventurous journey she had been through yet
>you bring up your hand to her head and stroke her mane
"Want breakfast? We're out of bacon but still got eggs and other stuff."
>"Don't get shot, ok?"
...
"You know that's pretty unlikely to happen to me, right?"
>she lets out a long exhale
>"I know..."
>you roll your head back and forth on her side
>it's an efficient, yet lazy way to pet her
>"You get shot and..."
"You've seen action movies, right? Guy like me, you need an entire magazine and a rocket launcher to take down!"
>she doesn't seem convinced, but she does turn her head to you
"And this includes a five minute long knife fight that is timed by an explosive on a load bearing part of the building I'm on. And it requires a one-liner and a finisher, otherwise I regain 30% of my health and it keeps going."
>she tilts her head at you, squinting
"And if there's a sequel? Forgettabout it, I'll have a lot of cybernetic augmentations."
>she scoots her head closer to you, like some furry snake
"Don't forget medical advancements, you know..."
>she stops just before reaching your chin, actively straining her neck
>her discerning, squinting stare isn't one of approval
"...ok. I'll be careful. Stop with the neck stuff, you're kinda freaking me out."
>her head sprung back to a far more natural position
>you're not sure what can get her out of her slump
>you're seriously not
"How about this. I get shot, I give you a gun and you avenge me."
>nothing
>until she nods, squinting harder
"Wait, you won't care about shooting someone if it's to avenge me?"
>"Aim for the heart..." was her only response
>she had a vicious look to her
>as vicious as a sleepy pony could be
>that's weird
"So, ready for breakfast?"
>she nodded again, her face returning to a neutral expression
"Wanna get off me so I can go make it?"
>she shook her head
"Don't make me eat you instead."
>"I don't taste good."
"I'll have you know that in the south, sometimes we eat horses. And I don't have to start from the top."
>that got her up
>"okI'mgonnagotothebathroomandtakeabath"
>you don't see it but you hear her kick the bathroom door closed
>you're getting a bit tired of seeing hoof prints on your stuff
>at least you're awake and up
>another decently-average breakfast
>another weekend more than halfway over
>you and Jacky almost never leave your room except for food or other pressing issues
>neither of you complain, though
>you set up your old laptop for her to read and watch things on while you have your more recent one to yourself
>occasionally she'll stop what she's doing and watch you, or you'll do the same and silently question how good an idea it is to give a horse a machine
>turns out the answer is that it isn't all that great an idea
>but she is getting used to the track pad you bought her
>a lot of the day burns by with no events
>no deep conversations
>no revelations
>no drama
>you don't know why people complain, it's pretty damn comfy
>you slap Jacky's butt
"Hey Jack."
>she tilts her head back until she can nearly see you
>an upside down you
>"Ah?"
"Do you, uh... y'wanna watch the show you're from? Or, your ma?"
>it's hard to believe but you really haven't shown her the show yet
>you haven't seen it in forever so you don't remember much outside of the freakout episodes
>you drag her into your lap and go to the latest streaming site
"Alright, time to check this shit out."
>the episode starts
>the first episode
>as Celestia talks about the origins of sisters, Jacky gives it a queer look
>she look at you with that same queer look as soon as "elements of harmony" is uttered
"Listen... it's actually a good show."
>then the opening starts
>the speakers, having been turned up to hear the monologue, blast the song
>Jacky gives you this
>evolving
>look on her face
>of confusion
>you maintain a poker face
>and grab her head, rotating it back to the screen
>you keep your hands on her head to avoid her questioning Medusa's gaze
>part of you is rock hard
>sadly it's only your face that has turned to an unreadable expression of stone
>then the mane six are shown off
>Applejack is shown kicking a tree
>"M-ma?!"
>Jacky chirps at the realization that she just saw her progenitor
>you watch the first few episodes with Jacky
>after the first one, she seemed to not mind that an adult man was showing her a cartoon such as this
>she visibly got excited whenever Applejack popped up to do anything
>or say anything
>"Hey Anon! Do ah sound like ma now?"
>you look down at her, your eyes bugging out
>defaq
>she sounds exactly like the original, just without the occasional stuttering due to the buffering
"That's... yeah. Freakin, bravo, lady."
>you were caught off guard with that bigtime
>Jacky was your almost singular focus for so long that you forgot her origin
>you had long stopped seeing her as anything but herself
>who else could she be, but herself?
>who else would enjoy hanging around you so much, but her?
"That's a helluva trick, Jack."
>"Aww shucks, you don't gotta say that!"
>it's a little spooky how exact the voice is
>well, it's always been the same voice
>but the inflection and accent is totally different
>it's like that scent with Mystique and Nightcrawler with that "even their voice" line
>you watch the first two seasons together, without a single break
>by the end of it, you both sing the opening
>every episode you each try to tackle different lines or try to sing at the same time
>"Aw man, Applejack is so cool! Fluttershy is too cute! Twilight is a dork but she's cool too!"
>at least she has good taste
>it's kinda funny hearing Jacky talk like Applejack and rating the other members as the mane six
>still a little weird
"So... does that clear up some questions you might've had?"
>"Yeah... ma's a really cool person. I can see why you like her."
"Yeah."
>"Yeah..."
"I think I told you a little about my family and all that, right? I never had a farm. Was never even all that big a fan of the outside. It's freaking hot down there, I'll have you know. And I had awful allergies to dirt or grass or something, and it would lead to a lot of really bad itching. But now that I'm up here, all I can think about is how I'm no longer there."
>"Sure, but you got old pictures or something, don't you?"
"Well yeah, old ones of my friends... who don't contact me. Or message me. Or check up on how I'm doing, or to say anything at all. I miss them, Jack. And I wonder if they still miss me."
>you ruffle her mane, focusing more on your hand doing the ruffling than anything else
"Applejack's whole shtick being that she's your standard southerner, hard-working-in-the-sun sort with a hat and funny accent is kinda the caricature that helps keep those memories alive, and helps keep those friends in my thoughts."
>Jacky gives a light scoff
>"Well come on now, give them some credit! They understand the magic of friendship, they introduced you to the show right? I bet they're thinking about you all the time, just like you are!"
>you understand what she's going for
>but
"If that's true... why haven't any of them talked to me? Or return any of my messages?"
>"Well, maybe they're...busy... o-or, uh..."
>the Applejack-twang and tone of confidence starts to fade until it's just normal Jacky
>"I wish I knew, Anon."
"I do too, Jack. I kinda got back into the show and eventually found you, I guess as a way to try to reconnect with one of the last things we all really enjoyed, as a group. As a real group of goofy fucking nerds."
>neither you nor her say anything
>you worry that you might've said too much, or that it might somehow put her in a negative light
>"...you've at least tried talking to one recently, right? To keep letting them know you're still up here?"
>it sounded like she was just reaching for a positive note
"Sure. I left a message to one and he just never got back to me."
>more silence
>"Well you got me, Anon. That won't ever change."
>a bit of confidence in her voice
>not a lot
>but enough
"Yeah. Same, Jack."
>you don't have it in you to say anything more
>you don't have any quips
>or comebacks
>or any urge to touch or manipulate her in any suspect manner
>you just keep staring at your hand
>you haven't yet recovered from your downer mood
>you normally do a good job to stay positive
>positive enough to call it being positive
>but when it drops, it drops
>you trudge back into your apartment, yawning
>Jacky greets you as always, happy to see you
>she can read your dulled face and turns worried in the blink of an eye
>"Hey, Anon! Welcome home... what's wrong?"
>you put your boots on the plastic tray you always put them on
"Jack... today's just not a good day for me."
>you're frustrated with a lot of things
>your job, your direction in life
>how you were reminded just how little you make in relation to everyone else
>you made do, but that's because you knew the internet well enough to make it work for you
>you hadn't gone hungry in a very long time
>you did a lot of things
>you even got Jacky
>neither of you are lacking for food or entertainment
>but
>you're once again painfully aware of your shortcomings and what you never had a chance to have
>"Well come on! You listen and do stuff for me, how about I do for you?"
>she looked around, walking to the kitchen
>"we got some alcohol, that'll help, right?"
>you guffaw and shake your hand at her
"No, I'm good. I barely drink as is. But I did drink a lot with you that first night."
>it was uncharacteristic of you to guzzle down that much in one sitting but it was a special occasion
>"Well then there's something good you must want, right?"
>you lay down in the entryway as she's looking around
>you put a lot of stuff around waist level or lower so she has easy access to it
>you even attacked a towel to the fridge so she could reach in and grab her own stuff
>and you keep the chips away from the top of the fridge too
>you close your eyes
"I'm alright. I just need to kinda... rest my eyes."
>you feel so tired
>your eyes feel heavy
>you could easily sleep like this for a while and probably not care
>you feel a long face nudge against your cheek
>"Aw, you don't really wanna lay there, do you? Bed's nice and warm for you..."
>you don't respond
>you're not asleep, but you feel too drained
>you still don't feel like quipping or goofing around
>you don't even really want to tell her what's wrong, because it may make things worse
>friends tell friends their problems
>except
>sometimes you have to shoulder your burdens alone
>it's why you make such a good support beam
>for your friends
>your family
>you're confident in your ability to stop a meteor from crashing down on the world
>but right now you would be fine if that happened too
>except that means something bad would happen to Jacky too
>"Come on... you're worrying me Anon. Was it work? You can tell me things."
"Yeah... I'm sorry."
>you finally speak up
"I'm just kinda tired. I've been doing a lot of stuff for a while, and it's been rough."
>"What's been rough, Anon?"
"Continuing."
>it isn't positive but it's the most plain way you can explain it
"Everyone has visibly more success. They outright demand more. And they seem to get it because they know people. Or when they were my age, they had an easier time getting in."
>you feel very fatigued
>you feel like your head is floating away from your body, like it's going to the side and living up
>you're sure you aren't moving
"I don't want to bother you with a lot of the details, Jack. I've done that before and it never goes well. No one can ever seem to relate to me or my problems. Or they don't want to. And it just ends up with me feeling alienated and them feeling annoyed or something."
>you feel Jacky get ontop of you
>she lays down on you, kicking out her legs until she's resting her head on your chest with her hooves on your shoulders
"I'm not weak. But I feel powerless. Everything I've done somehow doesn't count because the goal post moves again. It's like it's happening on purpose."
>no reply
>but you can feel her nuzzling your chest
>"So what will help?"
"I don't know. I've already made a fresh start. I gave up a lot of stuff just to come up to this frozen wasteland. And yet somehow I'm still just unable to really get a break. "
>maybe it was just bad timing
>maybe you did just need an arbitrary amount of more experience
>maybe you lacked connections or relatives
>maybe you aren't supposed to get ahead or improve beyond a point
>maybe your place is to struggle because you don't have any other option
>except that option
>the nuzzling continues
>"You can sleep here for a while if you want. I'll make sure I can keep you comfortable."
"Thanks Jack. I'd pet you but I don't think I can move my hand."
>you both lay there for far too long
>you know that you have food in the fridge so she isn't at a disadvantage if she gets hungry
>you have picked up cooking more, if only to take care of her needs
>it's easier to care about her than it is to care about yourself
>you know that isn't a good mindset to have
>you begin to doze off, hearing some sort of humming
>you can only bring yourself to focus on her, and to wonder if she's more bothered than worried
>you could hear a movie in your room playing
>and here you had to interrupt it
>you leave the land of the lucid and end up sleeping
>maybe tomorrow will be better
>you just need to regain your strength
>then you'll be ok


>be me
>Jacky
>I wake up again in my bed, with a blanket over my body and a pillow under my head.
>How did I always end up taken care of every morning? I always laid on or under Anon, and he hasn't ever complained about it.
>I yawn and kick out my legs, bucking the blanket off of me.
>Bucking feels natural. Especially since Ma is a pro when she does it!
>I shake my head back and forth until I can't see straight. It helps wake me up and it gets my hair all natural and wild.
>I try to walk forward, stepping off of the mattress to the floor.
>"Well dang... that woke me up. Maybe ah should try to go fer a run?"
>I lick my lips, trying out Ma's accent again. It seems really natural to change my tone. I can't change my voice but it feels like something I can just switch over.
>I feel my face warm up when I try my next morning accent.
>"Oh hon hon hon, Anon~ You know zat I am but a poor pony! Shouldn't you be looking at... ze women? Ohh ho ho ho ho!"
>I swish my hips and squint my eyes while speaking.
>I think I sound good... but that laugh at the end doesn't sound right. But maybe...
>I bring up a hoof to my mouth.
>"Ohhh ho ho ho ho! A human like you with a mare like me? Only in your dreams... unless you do this! And this!"
>I stamp down my hoof, imagining it to be Anon.
>"Ohhh ho ho ho~!"
>After a few moments of playing pretend, I stop and clear my throat. Maybe that was a little unusual but that would probably be useful for something right?
>"Hm... but this is too, right?"
>I speak in a more normal, neutral tone, what I'm used to sounding like with Anon.
>It kinda sounds a bit like him. Some minor twang in some certain words or phrases, but not anything that would show up in a cartoon.
>I trot around the apartment for a while to get it out of my system. Anon's apartment is really big for me but I'm pretty sure it's small for him.
>It's pretty sparse, to be honest. We always just hang out in his room, unless he takes me out to the store or something.
>Outside the apartment is... cold. Kinda lonely too. It has a lot of people but so many of them look and sound so different. I'm not sure I could talk to them if I tried.
>None of them seem all that friendly either. Which makes sense but in the movies people are always up for a conversation or have some information to drop off.
>I stop in front of the box I came in and sit in front of it.
>I don't remember much before getting shipped out from wherever I was.
>I remember talking to others like me, through the boxes.
>Sparks and Dashie come to mind, but were they really who I thought? Were they who they really thought?
>I wasn't who I thought it was.
>What happened to them? Were they shipped out or are they still there? Do they miss me? Was I really their friend? Were they my friends? Are they cold? Are they hungry? Did they know where I went? How long have I been gone? Don't they know that there are people out there like Anon?
>I see myself in the box, in an eternal stance with a stupid smile on my face.
>Am I was Anon wanted? Does Anon regret me? Does he care about me? Will I be thrown away? Why is the box still here? Why hasn't he thrown it away? Am I defective? Am I wrong? Am I wrong? Am I wrong? Am I wrong? Am I wrong? Am I wrong?Am I wrong? Am I wrong? Am I wrong?Am I wrong? Am I wrong? Am I wrong?Am I wrong? Am I wrong? Am I wrong?
>I shake my head and throw my vision away from the box. I feel sick.
>I walk over to the kitchen and look at what Anon set up for me: a few closed plastic containers of food, a few bowls of juice and water, and a small note that reads "Do you prefer apple or cranberry? One's apple, other is cranberry. Let's go to the store after work so we can stock up for the weekend!".
>It's kinda weird handwriting but I can read it fine. Almost every morning he writes something for me that has a question for the day.
>It doesn't feel weird to drink from the bowls. He sometimes uses bowls too when we share drinks.
>He even stole my drink once! The gall, to offer me something new and gulp it down after a sip.
>The food isn't the hottest it was originally but it's nice. Potatoes and eggs mixed together again.
>It's really basic, but that sort of food is comfortable in how it's routine. I can request other stuff too and that adds a ton.
>I squint while eating thinking back to when Anon introduced hot sauce.
>He spoke of it like it was some sort of almighty seasoning and it was hell in a bottle!
>He got me milk pretty quick so it evened out but still.
>I close the plastic container after eating it and fling it up into the sink from below. Mouth-eye coordination comes natural, just like bucking. Maybe it's another thing from Ma.
>I head back to the room, jumping onto the bed.
>I keep jumping on the bed, thinking of what to do next. If it were less cold out, I'd ask if Anon could keep the two glass patio doors somewhat open so I could laze around outside.
>This cold snow business really did not do me any favors. I can see why Anon doesn't like it that much.
>I flop over next to the laptop Anon set up for me. It's a little awkward to use but it's cool!
>I watch more episodes of the cartoon I came from. Ma came from. One of us came from that. Maybe it was based off of real events?
>Seeing Ma hang out with her friends and do stuff with everyone makes me feel sad.
>I wish I had friends like that. I wish I had a farm in a really neat town like that too.
>But not if it meant Anon wouldn't be there too.
>He's fun, and cool. I'm still not sure why someone like him watches something like this, but it's not a bad thing right?
>The movies we watch together are awesome, Ma probably never saw those before.
>What would Ma do against Angel Eyes?
>I read through the list of movies that Anon has on the laptop. It's really a big amount. He can't have watched all of these already, could he?
>I start one of them at random after fiddling with the trackpad for a while. I have better luck with my nose than I do my hooves.
>Before ten minutes into it, I hear the door open. It's Anon!
>I bounce off of the bed and trot over to him.
>He looks... tired. Really tired.
>"Hey, Anon! Welcome home... what's wrong?"
"Jack... today's just not a good day for me."
>What could have happened? I could always make him smile but some sort of sixth sense tells me that he's really hurting somehow.
>"Well come on! You listen and do stuff for me, how about I do for you?"
>I regretfully pull away from him and check the kitchen. The first night we were together, we had something good.
>"We got some alcohol, that'll help, right?"
>He gives me a handwave and a laugh. But not a smile.
"No, I'm good. I barely drink as is. But I did drink a lot with you that first night."
>I smile at the mention of him remembering that first night.
>"Well then there's something good you must want, right?"
>I hope I don't sound desperate.
>I watch Anon just get down on the floor and lay on his back and close his eyes.
>My heart drops. He looks like someone who's been shot outside of a saloon.
>I nudge my face against his cheek.
>"Aw, you don't really wanna lay there, do you? Bed's nice and warm for you..."
>Normally he has something to say back but he doesn't.
>You glance at his chest and stomach. He's still breathing. Of course he's still breathing. There's no reason why he wouldn't be.
>"Come on... you're worrying me Anon. Was it work? You can tell me these things."
"Yeah... I'm sorry."
>He finally speaks up. But I kinda wish he didn't. What he says worries me even more.
"I'm just kinda tired. I've been doing a lot of stuff for a while, and it's been rough."
>I stifle a whimper and force myself to continue.
>"What's been rough, Anon?"
"Continuing."
>What does that mean? Continuing to be around me?
"Everyone has visibly more success. They outright demand more. And they seem to get it because they know people. Or when they were my age, they had an easier time getting in."
>I listen to him speak and vent.
>I feel like I'm not in my body anymore.
>I feel like my head is expanding and growing more narrow until the only thing I can stand to look at is Anon's sad, hopeless face.
>I have to be brave. Ma would've been brave.
>Help me be brave Ma.
>I stutter out an answer, doing my best to sound like I'm someone he can go to.
>I get on top of him and spread out until I can almost imitate his shape.
>"So what will help?"
"I don't know. I've already made a fresh start. I gave up a lot of stuff just to come to this frozen wasteland. And yet somehow I'm still just as unable to really get a break."
>Hearing that nearly broke my heart.
>I make an effort to stroke my face against his chest.
>He isn't alone. He isn't weak. He isn't powerless. He took care of me and has done a lot for me. He got a lot of stuff, even if it's only things that we care about.
>I'm here for him.
>"You can sleep here for a while if you want. I'll make sure I can keep you comfortable."
>I try to sound strong.
"Thanks Jack. I'd pet you but I don't think I can move my hand."
>That admittance makes my stomach feel like it dropped out onto the floor.
>I keep nuzzling him, fighting the urge to sneeze from the smell of truck fumes on his coat.
>I've long forgotten the movie was even a thing.
>I was still full since I had breakfast for lunch.
>I wasn't really eager to do anything except to see his mood improve.
>After a few minutes I can feel Anon's body relax. He's asleep?
>I drag myself up to him, pulling myself by his shoulders
>I lay directly on him, face to face.
>"Tomorrow will be better, Anon. I'll find a way."
>Ma would've said something like that.
>I'll never be like Ma.
>But she'll never get to have Anon either.
>be you
>who else would you be?
>you spent a few days in a slump
>not a lot helped
>but Jacky did
>not once were you left alone or stuck inside your own head
>not once were you left cold or hungry
>not like she could cook, but she was quick to get you something if you dared to ask
>neither of you really did that much that was exciting or noteworthy
>you watched videos and rewatched movies together, occasionally introducing something new to her like a video game
>you come home from work, feeling a little happier
>a little more eager to be awake and alive
>mostly because you want to get back to playing the game you introduced to Jack
>you open the door and step in, stepping out of your boots after stepping onto a plastic tray made for snow-bound footwear
>out of nowhere Jacky cartwheels out from around the corner and awkwardly lands on her rear legs
>she points her hoof at you, a genuinely angry expression on her face
>"Time to shuffle up and deal!"
>she rotated on one leg, preparing to stomp your face in from ten paces away
>"I've got a killer hoof!"
>you match her pose and reply in a high, squeaky voice that sounds almost like her
"I've got a killer hoof!"
>she growls and stamps her lower legs down, taking a step and adopting a new combat pose
>"You're gonna get it!"
>you take a step forward and adopt her pose, albiet more fluidly because you are man and not, in fact, a horse
"You're gonna get it!"
>her face gets even worse and she gets down on all fours, trampling the carpet
>"Quit imitating meeeeee"
>you began stamping on the carpet with your two human feet
"eeeeeeeeeeeeeee"
>you suddenly stop and point at her
"Ahh... this is dumb."
>THUMP THUMP THUMP
>both of you look at each other with surprise as it came from... below
>who knew that all of the stomping and goofing around would be loud enough to bother someone
>mother
>stumping
>God Hand
>unsure of how to introduce video games proper to her, you decided to go with the most pure example
>crazy moves
>crazier enemies
>luchadore gorillas
>a fat Mexican demon named Elvis
>poison Chihuahuas
>and the Mad Midget V
>set to impress, you taunted foes until Lv3 and slowly build up the hype train that consisted of avoiding attacks, launching foes, and taunting
>by the end of the first level, you already reached LV DIE
>by that point, chaos filled the screen and it introduced Jacky to a whole new genre of action
>there weren't any gunslingers
>there weren't any cannons or civil wars with men dying for some damned bridge
>there weren't even any stare downs
>there was just one man launching himself into entire groups of thugs and beating them so soundly that even the game itself was cheering when you dodged enough!
>by the end of the second screen, you had to take a break... it was taxing on your nerves and you haven't played it in so long
>but it was enough to impress her
>pretending to be exhausted while you genuinely did have a few frayed nerves, you lay back on the bed and extend your arms conveniently around her curled up form
>"you're unreal, Anon... I don't think I saw half of what you did near the end there."
"Yeah, well, having thumbs is pretty cool you know."
>"Yeah... if I could play that stuff, I think I could beat you."
>you scoff, rubbing your face against her flank
"Psh, I'm Alexander the Great."
>"I thought you were Anon?"
>you pause
>you really didn't show her a whole lot of the game
"It's... uh, it's just something the guys say in the game to intimidate you."
>her voice came out unsure
>"Is that... a strong guy then?"
>you shrug
"Well, a really famous boxer said that, so I guess so."
>an even more unsure tone came out
>"So... was this boxer really strong?"
"Sure, he could punch my lights out pretty easily if he wanted to.
>"Why would he do that?"
"Because he's not Alexander."

>For the first time I wake up before Anon.
>Yesterday he seemed kinda slow.
>Not "dumb" slow, but really like moving hurt to do or something.
>I laid at his side last night instead of under his head.
>I vaguely recall sleeping through his alarm of "I̛ ͟͞͝h̵͜av̢̛e̶͠ ̢y̧ǫ͟u̸r͟ ba̕ck ̸t͜o ̨t̸h̸́e ̢w̶a͠l̵l̸", which I always did, but him sleeping through it too was weird.
>"Hey Anon... y'alright?"
>I prod his chest with my hoof.
>He kinda looks awake but not all there.
>He grumbles something a few times, trying to clear his throat.
"Yeah...hey Jack. Can you grab one of those green plastic bottles of soda?"
>Last time we went to the store, we got a lot of six packs of soda for some big discount.
>We weren't even out of what we already had, but he said that he liked having the variety.
>It tastes good but drinking too much made me burp.
>Too much.
>I rub my nose against him, hoping that affection might help wake him up more or something.
>"Sure, wait right there, ok?"
"Eyup, gonna stay right here."
>His voice sounds terrible.
>I trot to the kitchen and bite onto the towel he attached to the fridge door.
>What the heck.
>The green soda is in the fridge but it's an entire six pack that's still bound together with some plastic ring.
>I bite onto the lid of one bottle and tug it free from the fridge, only for my head to drop since it's weighed down six times over.
>I try to tug the bottle free to no avail.
>The bottle god mocks me.
>I tug harder, putting one hoof on one of the other bottles.
>Anon needs this and I'm being foiled by paper-thin plastic rings.
>I whip my head back and forth like a dog trying to tear apart a slab of meat.
>ANON NEEDS THIS AND I WON'T FAIL HIM.
>After an enraged assault, the bottle finally breaks free!
>And the cap was twisted off in the process.
>I quickly duck my head down and press my tongue into the neck of the bottle to keep it from making a mess everywhere.
>I eventually make it back the bed and hold the bottle against Anon's hand.
>He grasps it and gives it a short tug.
>I forgot to let go and do, not thinking anything of my personal security measure to keep the carpet clean and the soda safe.
>He leans up and drinks at least a third of the bottle, sputtering every few gulps to clear out his throat.
>Satisfied with what he had, his head drops back down to a pillow.
>He's still holding the bottle up with his hand despite the small tremors it has.
"Thanks Jack."
>He sounds a little better, but still a little hoarse.
>I sputter out a stifled laugh at the realization.
>"You really wanna hold the bottle? I'll take it for you."
>I bite onto the top of the bottle and tug it away from his hand after a few attempts.
>I put it on the short chest behind his head.
>His hand is still in the upward position.
>To secure Anon, I place myself under his arm, my head on his stomach.
>His hand eventually lowers.
>We stay like this for hours.
>I doze off after a bit, but wake up at the slightest movement from him.
>Eventually, the sun is high up in the sky and even his blinds don't block out all of the light.
>He grumbles something that I don't quite get.
>"What was that?"
>I half yawn out my question. Normally I'd be watching something or goofing around but I couldn't abandon him.
"Gonna go take a shower. Wanna help me up?"
>Do I?!
>I clamp onto his wrist and take heavy steps backward.
>It must have worked perfectly because he sat up with almost no issue!
>He stumbled to his knees, shuffling along to the bottom of the best before standing up fully.
>At his peak height, I watch and feel small. Every now and again it was another surprise at how massive he was.
>Compared to me, he could probably suplex a train, or a full grown horse.
>The initial shock of seeing him play God Hand might have had a hand in my beliefs of his prowess.
>I follow him as he takes his sweet time going from our room, to the closet for a towel, to the bathroom.
>He closes the door in my face, probably not even aware I was following.
>"H-hey! Let me in!"
>I speak without thinking, scraping my hoof against the door.
>Some grumbling and throat clearing is made behind the door.
"No way, you don't want me to bathe you, you don't get to watch me shower. My vulnerable, human frame is a prime target to some pony with ulterior motives."
>My face turns red hot.
>"Wh-Who has an ulterior motive?!"
>I can hear hoarse cackling.
>Is he messing with me, even at a time like this?!
"I'll be fine... I just gotta shower. Then I can fix us something."
>Food is the last thing I have on my mind.
>Besides, we still have leftovers from two nights ago.
>We decided on cooking big meals and reheating whatever was left, so there was left time taken to spend in the kitchen and more time to spend goofing off.
>"Well fine... but I hear you drop, I'm kicking this door down."
"You kick this door down, you'll see something your mind can't possibly fathom."
>I scoff at the notion.
>But...
>After watching In The Mouth of Madness, I did become wary whenever he joked about that.
>I sit at the door and listen to the shower turn on.
>Taking a bath was obviously superior because it was more fun but the tub was big for me.
>I hear coughing.
>I hear retching.
>I hear things that really don't sound good or healthy.
>I knock against the door.
>"Y'alright Anon?"
>No reply but I hear the shower water fall in different ways so he's still moving around.
>No heavy thud either so I know he didn't fall.
>Eventually the shower stops.
>He opens the door after a few more minutes, a towel wrapped around his waist.
>He looks more red than usual, and steam bellows out from behind him.
>I take a few steps back, looking up at him.
>He still looks terrible, but his hair is at least combed back and he sounds like he can breath better.
"The towel isn't coming off."
>I scrunch my face and headbutt his leg.
>"You shut up, I just don't want you falling over!"
>Though it seems like a delayed reaction, he acts like he's going to fall backward!
>"Anon!"
>He stops after leaning back a few inches.
>More sick cackling.
"You don't want me to fall but you charge at me hard enough to break my shin... I'm getting mixed messages from you."
>This type of teasing just isn't anything I can ever defend against.
>"I'll mix your message, get your butt to bed!"
>He nods at me and shuffles back to bed.
>He practically falls into it, and I follow with a jump.
>He shifts to lay on his side, focusing entirely on breathing.
>I can tell because normally he's almost inaudible.
>It sounds like he should be on a breathing machine or something.
>"There's gotta be something else I can do. Tell Nurse Jacky what's wrong with you."
>I try to sound playful but it's hard to not be worried.
>He shook his head, reaching out to pat the side of my face.
"No no no, oh no. Nurse Jacky isn't someone you should be. Pill popping isn't a good thing."
>What did that even mean?
>He made a lot of references to things I didn't get.
>A lot of what we watch gives me insight to what he means.
>I slide up him from his waist to his chest and plop down.
>"Then I'll keep a close eye and ear on you."
"This is just your chance to lay with me when I'm nearly naked, don't lie."
>Flabbergasted, I fail to sputter out an answer and headbutt his chin in the process.
>He goes limp and his head rolls back.
>Oh god.
>"A-Anon?!"
>I have no words.
>I have no thoughts.
>I stand up and push him onto his back, stamping down on his ribs
>"Anon?!"
>His head darts up, causing me to jump back.
"...you really gotta be kinder to a sick guy. That nearly killed me."
>He lets his head drop again.
>Maybe I am overworrying but how could I not? I've never seen him like this before.
>I drop down again, sighing.
>"You're right... you'll be ok. But..."
>I feel a hand on my head, ruffling my mane.
"I'll be ok. Now you say it."
>"I'll be ok?"
>His ruffling intensifies until my head sways back and forth.
"No, you dork. I'll be fine. This isn't the first time I've been sick. I just need some time to recover. You don't need to panic. I'm not going to go away or anything like that. And I don't need a lot of tools or whatever."
>It hits me that he's right.
>The last time I heard or seen anyone like this was in the movies.
>It always was when someone was shot or stabbed or hurt and they were going to die.
>Anon isn't going to die.
>"You aren't going to die..."
>I repeat my thoughts by speaking. It wasn't a silly worry out of nowhere. But maybe it was.
"Nope. Not unless you keep tackling and smacking me. Abusing a sick man is just terrible."
>His tone is joking but I can't help but feel guilty.
>I lean against him, searching through everything I've seen about people being sick.
>I can't really remember anything about basic illnesses that haven't been the main plot or something terminal.
"How about this. Give me a few hours to sleep a bit more and we'll watch something. Sound good?"
>I nod almost instantly.
>"Sure."
"Cool. Keep an eye on me, alright?"
>I nod again, this time rubbing my face against his stomach so he can feel it.
"And Jack... I have one request for you personally."
>My ears perk up.
"No matter what... don't mess with the towel."
>He gives another tortured chuckle and winds down.
>I purse my lips and get ready to say something as a retort but... it's fine.
>He always messes with me like that and I do the same.
>Everything's normal, he's just a little sick is all.
>I close my eyes and contemplate that.
>And wonder how I can get back at him for teasing me.

>Christmas Day
>And you slept in just like it was a normal weekend morning
>Or any weekend day for that matter
>Or any weekend evening
>You used to sleep a whole ton before Jacky came into your life, like an automatic hibernation mode between work days
>Felt good to actually do that with someone
>You got a good sized package in the mail yesterday, but rather than show Jacky, you stuffed it in the hallway closet
>Jacky woke you up first on this most commercially celebrated of days
>She went from laying near your leg, to laying near your side, to laying on your chest, to laying on your face.
>What woke you up wasn't that her rump on your face
>"Hey Anon... I'm tired of sleeping. Wanna do breakfast?"
>She sounded a bit off
"Sure, Jack."
>Today felt like a day to be comfy, not to be snarky
>After a quiet breakfast in the living room, the ponelord spoke up
>"Anon... what's in the box?"
"Box? What box?"
>Ah crap, she either saw or sniffed it out
>"Is there someone in the box?"
>wat
"Wat."
>"You heard me. You aren't gonna replace me, are you?"
>Where did this come from?
"What's this about?"
>"My box is still here..."
>You avoided Jack's gaze for a bit to try to play it off but now it sounded like this was something that was seriously bugging her
>The look on her face is that of a defensive pokerface
>But you can tell there's something sad behind it
>She hasn't had enough chances to practice a poker face on something serious
"Yeah, it is... I don't know how much you're connected to it, and those hats seem kinda cool. I don't want to throw it away and leave you with nothing."
>Her mask cracks but holds
>"It's been almost a month... you technically could still send me back if you had the box and package."
>Does she genuinely think you're going to get rid of her?
>You feel sick at the very notion of it
>Besides, the box you brought in isn't anywhere near as big, nowhere near big enough to hold a pony in
"Listen Jack... why don't I just bring in the box and I can show you. Then we can ditch both that and your box in the trash and never see them again."
>You get up and the mask cracks even more
>What you could see as panic is behind the cracks
>"Wait, Anon, don't. Let's just go back to breakfast and..."
"No, I'm gonna whip it out and you can't stop me."
>Whatever her worry was, it was unacceptable
>How could you possibly just toss her away like a toy?
>She isn't some random toy
>Technically she is but her place is at home
>Which is with you
>Hopefully
>You bring out the box and hold it in front of Jacky before sitting down with it
"Bring your butt over here, I want you to see this.
>The mask cracks until it's mild panic
>"No Anon, I promise it's ok, you don't need to open it."
>You ignore her and undo the tape with your hands and open it
>Nothing but bubble wrap
>And something wrapped in plastic
>She visibly flinches when you pull it out
>She surely never thought you'd whip out something with such gusto
>It's a... hat
>A black cowboy hat, to be precise
>A black Stetson fur and felt hat, to be even more exact
>You know your cowboy hats
>And it's far from cheap
>Technically cost more than she did
>You slip it out of the plastic and turn upside down
>A large "Jacky" is stitched into the inside, near the hem so it isn't obvious
>Jacky's expression is that of complete shock, compete with a slacked jaw
>Without ceremony you pop it on her head
>It fits pretty well
>It better, it took entire mornings of you to get measurements of her head and a sleeping horse head isn't the easiest thing to measure all around
>As if it spoke for itself, you pursed your lips at her and held your arms out
>She doesn't react
>You don't move
>Both of you just sit there with your appropriate expressions
>"So... I'm not going anywhere?"
"You're gonna go outside after I fling you from the patio if you keep looking at me like that."
>"But... the box. The return warranty."
"What the hell am I going to return? Is there something I'm not happy with?"
>The question has no answer
"Besides, that tiny cowboy had you had didn't fit you. Almost none of it did. I wanted something I was sure you'd want. Because you'd have zero shame about avenging me if I got shot, I got you a black hat because that's some Josey Wales shit right there."
>Wait, did you even see that movie together yet?
"So... yeah. It's Christmas today. And I wanted to give you a gift. So there you go, you have a hat that I know for sure fits you, rather than some... goofy shit that you might not even be aware of."
>You shrug
>"And I didn't throw away your box because I thought you'd want to keep it around. Or maybe because you wanted to take down any information. If you want to throw it away, we can do that. I don't mind. Your home is here and...with me."
>A now hatted Jacky pounces you
>Knocks the air out of you, actually
>She wraps her legs around you in a tight hug
>You hug her midsection with one arm and pat her shoulder with the other
"Merry Christmas Jack."
>She doesn't reply for a while
>Or at all
"I said, Merry Christmas Jack."
>Nothing
>You shake your head and grab the top of her hat and pop it from her skull, her ears now revealed
"I SAID MERRY CHRISTMAS JACKY."
>She scrambles from the shout in her ear to no avail
>"D-don't need to shout at me, I couldn't hear you!?"
>Fair enough, you would have to figure out a way to modify it... which was a polite way to say that you'd have to take a knife to it because you were most certainly not a tailor of any type
>You resume the hug, hat in hand
>After a few moments she speaks up
>"Anon... what's a Christmas?"
>After giving her a tl;dr of the holiday and taking the boxes downstairs into the garage dumpster area, you return with renewed energy
>Both of you have renewed energy, actually
>She was able to begin a new at life with no apprehension about where she belonged or where she was going to be in the near future
>You gave her a really bitchin' hat that you had kept in your head for weeks now
>You couldn't have brought it up to her beforehand because it would've spoiled it
>Maybe next time you'll give her at least a vague hint
>Though it took some communication, she managed on having her hat tilted back, kinda like what Applejack would do with her hats
>Her ears pop out from the side and while she mentioned that she can hear herself really well, she can at least hear you too
>It would take some time, but it would help mold to her unique head
>You tried to explain it but that only succeeded in weirding her out about the idea of a hat molding and changing shape
>"So Anon... who's Josey Wales?"
>You squint her eyes at her
>She squints them back
"You, uh... you sure you wanna know that, pilgrim? He ain't no hero. He's an outlaw."
>With the expression she made at the word 'outlaw', you're sure you could imagine a rattlesnake rattle going off in her head
>"He a bad guy, then?"
>You shrug
"Some say that. But the man's done a fair amount of good too. No one's a bad guy in their own story. Just like Tuco."
>"Or Angel Eyes?"
"Exactly... even Angel Eyes."
>"So... who is he then?"
"Let's grab some snacks and I'll show you just who he is."
>That was all you had to say
>She galloped full blast to your room
>You could hear a sudden silence of noise and then a muffled 'oof'
>At least your mattress could take a beating, otherwise you'd be worried with how often you find her jumping on it
>Eventually you return to your room with a bag of chips, a pair of bottles of birch beer, and a long plastic bottle full of lemonade
>Well, half lemonade, half water
>It's the most restorative vending machine drink from the old Pokemon games so it's surely good enough for you
>You set up the video while Jacky looks for a good place to lay or sit
>The best place to sit or lay that would allow her to keep her hat on, of course
>Given how she looks, you made the right choice
>You only really went out to work and to the grocery store every now and again so you never really got an excuse to wear your appropriate southern hat
>Besides, that was your hat
>You aren't giving your hat to anyone
>You start up the movie and it begins... at a very low note
>A man loses his wife and child from a company of Union soldiers wearing red boots
>It took her a moment to realize it, but the dialogue fills her in
>Her ears twitch
>"Hey... is this like the civil war? Like that bridge battle?"
>You nod
"The one and the same..."
>After buying his own family, Josey Wales gets picked up by a Confederate band and joins them in fighting the war
>Until it ends
>The entire band he rode with surrenders in a Union soldier camp, only to get cut down by a gatling gun
>Then Josey rides in, bringing hell with him and single-handedly slaughters a good portion of the camp
>A young man, part of Josey's band, convinces him to leave the camp
>It's a far more cruel, one-sided look at the Civil War
>Even the once-leader of Josey's band, Fletcher, got roped into chasing down the vengeful murderer
>Jacky watches all of this with a more skilled mind and eye than the previous movies
>No longer does she get scared or sad from the combat and death
>But the young man was shot in the crossfire
>The journey continues
>The pair meet a white-coated salesman that positively oozes slime
>They outsmart Fletcher and the Union soldiers
>There's already something of a sense of infamy about him
>Both from his deeds, and from Union soldiers painting him as a demon
>Jacky cheers at the scene where Josey shoots at a ferry
>Rather, the rope that keeps a ferry from hopelessly floating down the Missouri River
>Her happiness is short-lived though
>The young man is on his last leg
>Talking about the history of his shirt
>How his father did the embroidery work on it
>He begins singing in an almost delirious state until a pair of bounty hunters ambush them!
>They have Josey pinned down and held at rifle point with no escape and no way to fight them
>Until the young man starts singing again
>And confuses one of the bounty hunters while talking about... gold
>"Gold? When did they rob a bank?!"
>You say nothing, because just as soon as one of the bounty hunters goes to the young man, he pulls away his blanket and shoots one of the men!
>Josey shoots the other one and they take off without even burying the men
>"That's cold..." Jacky murmurs
>Indeed, the traveling pair were criminals, being hunted down and in enemy territory
>Not just from the Union military, but from anyone with a gun and the dumb courage to shoot a dangerous man for a bounty
>Compared to the previous protagonists we saw, Clint Eastwood was playing more of a villain again
>Almost like Unforgiven
>Josey and the young man camp out in the rain and after a short conversation, the young man passes from his wounds
>You spy the surprise on Jacky's face
>He seemed like a main character, and surely he could've healed from it!
>But the scene from Unforgiven pops up in your mind, and surely hers
>Getting shot at all can be nasty business, even if it takes days for it to come to a head
>You lean back and pop open one of the bottles of birch beer for her
>Josey meets a wide number of quirky characters, involving an old Indian in a top hat, a female Indian that seems to know barely any English, and even a rich old woman and her daughter
>They all end up sticking together despite Josey's infamy
>They even fight along him, or cover his identity when they can
>The movie overall gives a rather sympathetic view to the Indians, the frontier, and the Confederate side of the Civil War
>Not that Jacky particularly knew the history of it all to begin with
>When it ends, she looks up at you as if waiting for an answer
>What to watch next?
>Watch it again?
>Was this the same character as the other movies because it was the same actor?
>Why did the Indian have a horned toad giving him directions?
"Wanna watch another?"
>She nods, the hat jostling on her head
>You get a weird feeling
"Hey Jack... for this being Christmas, shouldn't we watch something like a real proper Christmas movie?"
>She shrugs
>"I guess. What's a good Christmas movie though?"
>You grin
"Jacky... you know what we're gonna do for the rest of the night?"
>She looks at you with a surprised expression
>"W-wait, I'm not ready yet..."
"That's right."
>"Anon, no."
"Yes, Jack. It's gonna happen right now."
>"Anon, just because I got a hat you can't possib--"
"We're gonna DIE HARD."
>She squints at you, lost in thought
>As if you just gave some secret code of an analogy
>"I... how? We're going to what?"
>You raise your arms in the air and screech with the sheer might of autism
"YIPPEE-KI YAY MOTHERFUCKER!"
>This isn't much of a Christmas
>In fact, the snow has been melting outside for the last few days
>It looks kinda crummy out
>And there's no sign of real holiday cheer in your home
>It's really only a holiday in name because there's only you and her and neither of you are concerned about stocking stuffing or present giving
>You don't even have any turkey or ham or big dinner to worry about
>You just have sodas, snacks, a pizza in the freezer and bratwursts in the fridge
>But God damn it if it isn't the best day of the year for you both

>New Year
>What a year it's been already
>You forgot to tell Jack about it because it really didn't mean much to you outside of having another few days off work
>You had to explain it when nearby fireworks caused her to freak out
>They hardly sounded like gunfire but that was the only point of reference she had
>It's now 2020 and...
>Neither of you are doing anything
>The mellow yellow ponelass lays across your lap, watching an anime series you brought up in a passing conversation while you focus on your own laptop to play some tower defense game involving monkeys
>Funky monkeys
>The anime is one of your oldest favorites, Outlaw Star
>As action-packed as it is, Jacky seems far more interested in the character Melfina
>She was found in a box too
>Just a very expensive metal box, instead of cardboard
>She didn't come with any hats though
>"Hey Anon... how does a Caster gun work? Is it magic or just really powerful bullets?"
>You focus on your challenge run, your right arm resting on her flank while your left hand has been petting her mane ever since she started
>You extended your fingers and became an organic brush
>It really wasn't necessary since her hair was very soft but that was part of the appeal
>Every now and again you'd go to her ear, just to feel her lean into it
>Neither of you seem to mind such open intimacy, despite having seen sexual scenes in movies
>Both consensual and not
>No one brings it up so where's the harm in it?
>You know she enjoys it too
>And you know she knows you enjoy it
>As long as no one mentions it, the spell of silence and secrecy remains
>"...Anon?"
>You shake your head to clear your mind of other things
"Caster shells are... both, really. They are magic and they are really bad ass bullets. You saw what it did in the first two episodes, right?"
>She nods, eyes glued to the screen
>You think you've turned her into a computer addict
>"The gunshot sounds are the same as the movies too... are those stock sounds?"
"Yup, they are. It's pretty wild how much stuff you can pick up on after a while."
>"Mmm."
>This continues for a few more episodes
>You enjoy listening to the scenes but they begin to blend together between the mix of your arm on flank and the monotony of doing challenge maps
>This has become something of a norm to you both
>There's still the occasional big movie reveal and marathon, but with your backlog of games and her ever-increasing backlog of movies and shows, it's become more the norm to end up entangled in one another with both laptops going
>Occasionally there's snacking or the decently made dinner that lasts for a few days
>But, in Jacky's words, it cuts into your "her time"
>And it cuts into her "your time"
>You can't argue against it
>Sleeping together has always been a thing but she's recently stopped being your pillow
>You're kinda happy to have a normal pillow that doesn't grumble or jostle around
>She's either taken to laying on you, or at your side
>Usually facing you
>She has to be on equal face level as you
>She requires an arm around her, even if your arm falls asleep
>She prefers a blanket that's only half on her
>When you wake up before her, you have to wake her up and let her know that it's time to get ready for work
>Somehow your SMT alarm doesn't do anything for her but you nudge your arm enough and she just looks at you like something shocked her
>She wasn't really like this before
"Hey jack."
>"Mmm?"
"I'm gonna beat your butt like a bongo drum."
>"Mmm."
>Welp
>You didn't expect that
>She doesn't seem to completely enthralled in the anime to not notice
"D'you hear me? I'll play Babaloo on your butt. Hands are gonna go there and nothing's gonna stop it."
>She shifts on you
>Not really enough to do anything
>More like she's adjusting herself or something
>"Mmm. Okay."
>Normally you'd have some sort of resistance by now
>Or comment
>You shrug to yourself and slide your arm back until your hand is on her flank
>You give her a few pats
"Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ba loooooooooo..."
>You're not Cuban so you can't bring yourself to go all in with the energy of a Ricardo
>Nothing
>Not a thing
>Her tail flicks around a few times but that's it
>You give her butt a few more pats
"I like you, Jack."
>"I like you too, Anon."
"I really like you, Jack."
>"I really like you too, Anon."
>This is just getting... uncomfortable
>For you
>Not because you don't like it but you just can't help but something else is up, or that she's just distracted
"If you can hear this, don't repeat it."
>You wait
>"If you can hear this, don't forget that I have two sides."
>She's not zoning you out
>She's consciously fine and good with what you're doing
"...Hey Jack."
>"...Hey Anon."
"...Did something... change? What's up?"
>Her tail flickers around a bit more
>Did it used to do that before?
>It usually flicks up and to the side
>"Well... no. I just don't dislike this stuff with you."
"Oh... what about sleeping differently now?"
>"I like sleeping with you and... I guess I want you to know that I'm not just an animal or something."
>You feel unusually tense
>What is this power
>You're pretty good about being smooth but this is just something you're just plain not used to
>"Hey Anon."
"H-hey Jacky."
>"...do you like me more when I have the French accent?"
>wat
"Well... it's cute, yeah. Definitely. But I like your normal voice too."
>"But do you like that accent a lot coming from me specifically?"
>You guffaw
"Oh hell yeah. You could melt an iceberg with that voice."
>"What other accents do you like?"
"Iiiiiiiiii'm not sure. A lot I suppose."
>Your mind immediately goes toward a certain maiden, clad in black with wax over her eyes
>You can't help but chuckle at sticky white stuff
>The answer and chuckle finally makes her head turn to you
>She isn't really blushing but she is smiling
>"You know... Valentine's Day is just around the corner."
>Wait what
"Valentine's Day? That's more than a month away."
>"Yeah... I know. I've been studying some stuff about holidays."
"And... you focused on Valentine's Day? Why's that?"
>You try to maintain a poker face but you can't keep it up
>"Well it's the next holiday on the list of things, right?"
>It was
"Oh... well yeah. Obviously. Totally."
>"Obviously..."
>You catch her eyes and they lock onto each other
>You're pretty good about staring contests and not blinking but this makes you feel like a complete neophyte
>You avert her gaze
>You bring up your right hand to your face to bring your elbow to her flank
"...so what do you want to do for dinner? We don't got that much for leftovers."
>"You're poking me pretty hard right now."
>What the hell did she mean by this
>You can't confirm or deny that you are, in fact, poking her with anything
"W-wait, what?!"
>"Your elbow is poking into me..."
>Your eyes go down and of course you're leaning into your arm, causing it to prod into her
>Your arm goes back down out of a growing sense of shame
>Since when were you ever the ashamed type?
>"Thank you."
>She shifts again, making you visibly flinch
>She's making herself comfortable, you don't need to think about anything about it
>"Hot Ice Hilda..."
>Your attention focuses back on her
"Hilda? What about her?"
>"I didn't know that her having that sort of sultry attitude actually worked."
>WHAT
>She grins at you
>"Just like how Gene can't handle her if she's serious, you can't handle me if I'm serious."
>What the hell?!
>Was this some sort of prank?
"Oh shove off!"
>You give her flank a swat, like you would to a horse to make her quickly flee
>Instead she yelps
>An honest to God female yelp that's a little less focused on pain than you would think
>You're not sure you expected that reaction
>"..."
"..."
>"..."
"...I'm blaming you for exactly what is happening right now. And that too."
>The 'that' in question was exactly what you meant
>"...I'm sorry."
"...No you're not."
>"Not really."
>You shake your head until you're dizzy and clear your throat
"You know, your ma would..."
>"You know, you thinking about my ma right now of all times..."
"That's not what I meant, man!"
>"I know. How's it feel to be on the other side of it?
"Pretty damn spooky when I don't know how far you'll go with it.
>"And you're worried how far it'll go?"
"Well no, not with you but..."
>"But what?"
>You hesitate
>You aren't a virgin
>But you've never gotten that much intimacy
>Or affection
>You enjoy being a bit of a cad but you don't honestly think anything of it
>It's just all in good fun
"...Well I like you. I like you a whole bunch. And I don't want you ever thinking that you're 'done' here, or that you should move on."
>Her teasing and worse finally subsides
>"Wait, why would I ever do something dumb like that?"
>A tiny bit of a southern twang pops up
>It's become her default angry or frustrated tone
>Kinda like how her French accent has become her default when she's really sleepy
>"What would I move on from? Living with my friend? My family? My--"
>She audibly stumbles to shut herself up
>"...human?"
>You purse your lips and give her a squinting look of dubious understanding
"...you what."
>"My... male. My h-human male."
>You feel stupid
>As much as you fool around and dance around certain topics, you still really don't know how she thinks, or what she thinks
>You feel very stupid
>But you can't bring yourself to think that it's without warrant
"And you are my friend. My female... horse?"
>It doesn't exactly sound romantic when you put it that way, does it
"But... I'm pretty sure we're more than friends."
>"Well duh, y'ain't ever slept with someone you didn't like as more than just a friend, right?"
>You hold up a finger
"I have slept with my friends at previous conventions, that isn't the best rubric."
>"A what?"
"A con is... listen. I'm just... worried about things going wrong. Of you deciding that you regret being around me.Or you decide to just... switch yourself off and you're no longer interested in me no matter what I try to do or say. Or you try to tell me that it didn't mean what I thought it did. Or... just something else happens and I don't know, I'm rambling."
>You're normally so good at being stoic and calm and in control of yourself but you can't help but sound... what can only be described as "pathetic", from your point of view
>You already let her see too much of you when you were on the floor that one time
>...
>Did you really just think that?
>Did you think that it was a good idea to keep yourself from her when she has ever only been open and honest to you?
>You must have some sort of expression on your face because Jacky finally got up
>If only to sit on your lap, facing you
>"You're worrying... you know you don't have to, right?"
"Iiiiiiii want to believe that."
>"Do you not trust me?"
"I do trust you. But I am worried about a lot of stuff that I can't help. It isn't because of you at all. It has a lot to do with just... how things were for me for a long time. It's a reflex. An instinct, or what feels like one. It's like a series of hairs standing on the back of my neck, like it's a danger sense. Something that's telling me that I'm vulnerable and if I'm vulnerable, something bad is going to happen."
>She headbutts your chest
>"D'ya feel that?"
"...yeah. Hard to not feel that rock head of yours."
>"I'm here, right in front of you. I don't have a thing in the world to gain by being anyone but myself to you."
>Ironic that she would say that when she's just a fake copy of Applejack
>You feel a bitter sickness from your gut for even thinking something so pessimistic to her, for even a split second
"I know... trust me, my conscious mind knows. I actively know and believe in that. But it's not something I can immediately control"
>"Are you... afraid to... be more than friends?"
"Me? No. Of course not. No. Good God, no."
>...
"I... am afraid that it may not mean anything to you. That it may mean more to me than to you."
>She gives you this look like you outright insulted her
>But she doesn't reply with anger
>"...you really have had something like that happen?"
>You can't do anything but nod at her
>A lot of guys would be proud of free reign of certain things like that
>But you never wanted that sort of unattractive freedom
>It made you feel like you were worth less
"I'm... very. Very... incredibly very far and away from being some prude or puritan."
>"I'll say, I've seen your browser history."
>Your face contorts
>You do not have a reply for that
>Maintain the course, man
"And... I..."
>Your voice audibly strains
"I... would like to enjoy just how things are. And have things happen because it just seems natural to do. And then have things just stay good like that."
>You tried to ignore the sensation before
>Your head was spinning but now it feels like your entire body is floating
>Not particularly in a good way
>She keeps you grounded by not getting off of your lap
>"...I think I missed an episode by now."
>You both glance over and it seems like an episode is already at the end
>You haven't been paying attention to which episode was playing
"...sorry for killing the mood."
>For being so goofy, you were aware of how weird it was that you took so much so seriously
>Before you know it, you have horse face pressed against yours
>A kiss
>Wait
>Wat
>A kiss?!
>As soon as it registers in your head, it ends
>So that's what that feels like when someone you really like does that
>You can't ever remember of when you've experienced that
>You hold up a finger, lips prepared to speak
>You draw a complete blank
>An absolute blank
>Whatever you do, you can't lick your lips
>Not when she's staring right at you
>Pleased as a plum pie on a windowsill
>"Better?"
>Who did she think she was?
>Who said that a kiss like that would just make you feel better?
>In what world would something out of the blue like that mean so much to just wipe your worries and woes away?
>Who the hell did she think she was?!
"...Yeah. Yeah... must better."
>Evidently she was a pony named Jacky and evidently you were proven that yes, something so pure and simple was enough to help
>"So...wanna go back to us just doing our thing? Or do you wanna do something else?"
>You pause
>You look at her
>You squint your eyes at her
>She squints her eyes at you
"You better not..."
>"Aim for the heart..."
>She growls at you, trying to imitate a grumbly, gravely voice
>You close your monkey defense game and set up your favorite movie
>You must've seen it at least a dozen times with her already
>What's one more time?
>And another after that?
>Does it really matter how many times you watch it, as long as it's with her?
>The laptop answers for you
>AHHH AHH AHH AHH AHHHHHHHHHHH
>Jacky whistles the appropriate followup tune
>God damn it, she's amazing
>You spend the rest of the evening with her on your lap, watching the same movie again and again

>You had a good day
>Work was good
>You stopped by your apartment on your lunch break and surprised Jacky
>You even remembered that the weekend existed!
>Far too hyped to hang out with Jack now that you've officially crossed into a new realm, you burst through your front door
>Jacky's in the kitchen, in mid-bite of the lunch you forgot to take
>Her look is one of surprise
"The flinch in your eye calls your bluff."
>You point at her, taking an aggressive stance
>"W-what? You didn't eat this so I thought it'd be better if..."
"Feel free to die when you've had enough!"
>Jacky looks to her sides to see if you really are talking to her
"Useless cause is breaking your back."
>You take a step toward her, the front door still open
>"Anon, you forgot the--"
"Your life will end when you attack!"
>"What in Sam's Hill are you going on about--"
>You close your eyes and shout over her
"Make the move, ma̢ke your̵ sta̶n̛d, make ͜t̷hé wi͢n, ha, like you can!"
>You glare at her and pounce!
>In astonishing luck, you tumble with her until you land on your back
>Jacky's a bit dazed from the sudden attack but is looking at you with a stern glare of incomprehension
>"...what the heck just happened?"
"Uh... see the war, see me rule?"
>You're a little out of it, yourself
>You didn't expect yourself to leap at her like some sort of predatory feline
>You certainly didn't expect her to roll with you
>Ow your back
>Your everything
>Why did you do this
>"...are you finished there?"
"See the... yeah I am. You pounced me a few times, so I thought I'd return the favor for once or something."
>Jacky bounces on your torso, making you cough up what feels like a lung before bouncing off of you
>"I'm like a third your size, I can get away with it!"
>You watch her go to the door and nudge it closed with her face
>You lay on your back, questioning what about your day led you to this exact situation
"...well one of these days I'm going to glue stilts to your legs, then we'll see who's bigger and is susceptible to attack."
>You say that as it is a matter of when it'll happen rather than if
>Jacky watches you... and goes back to the plastic lunch container that you luckily avoided when you launched yourself like E.Honda
>She lowers her head and deliberately eats it in front of your defeated frame
"That's... just insult to injury now."
>"Yeah? Well you hurt yourself so now I'm gonna eat your lunch on purpose."
"You were already eating it on purpose!"
>"I was but now it's to teach you a lesson."
"Wha... what?! I haven't learned a thing!"
>You futilely thrash on the ground for a second before realizing you still have your boots on and don't want to cause a racket
>"Ahhhhhhhhm nom nom, Anon's lunch. I bet he wouldn't even want this given he has the energy to divebomb a pony..."
>You weakly lift a hand to try to stop her, shaking as hard as you can
"I... was saving that... for dinner..."
>You give a death rattle and exhale
>You can only hear her eating your lunch
>Loudly
>On purpose
>She doesn't even check on you
>Or loot your pockets for your wallet
"...you know that's just cold to watch a man die."
>You sit up, stretching out your arms
>They pop and crack slightly, as they have for years now
>"You're fine, an action hero like you needs to be stabbed at least."
>You grimace
"...boy am I glad you're not a unicorn sometimes."
>She finishes your food before replying, not that there was much in there to begin with that you saw
>"If I was... would you still like me the same?"
>You scoff
"Of course I would. You saw how Twilight and Rarity were, right? You could probably bench press me if you were one."
>She mocks an offended tone
>"What, you think I can't do that right now?"
>You scoff again, tilting my head back
"Psh! A soft, dainty, pretty pony like you? You'd put your hooves on me and ask me to be gentle."
>She struts over to you, imitating Rarity's accent to an uncanny degree
>The voice is wrong but she has the rich, froufrou tone down like a mimic
>"Oh puh-leaaaaaaaaaseA If I were a you-knee-corn, you would be at my beck. And. Call!"
>She strikes a pose and rotates her head to the side until her mane goes loose and nearly reaches the ground
>It... kinda sounds attractive
>A lot of her imitations sound attractive as hell
>The showmanship helps sell it
"Yeah yeah... as if I'd ever fall for that sort of thing."
>Squinting at you, she dramatically tumbles over like you until she lands on her back
>"I've fallen... and I can't get up!"
>The last of her words come out like a squeal of pain
"You've fallen and you refuse to get up. If you had a horn I'd just throw you at the wall like a dart. Then my lunch would be free."
>Disappointed that the most you do is give her tummy a few rubs, she works herself back up a sitting posture
>"Alright then... what about if I were a pegasus?"
>You shrug
"...eh? I'm not much of a bird guy."
>She gives you an incredulous look
>"But... pegasus are horses."
"But they have wings, so they're birds."
>She looks at you like you said something insane
"But... I would be a horse. Just with wings."
>You nod as if it all makes sense
"Yeah... or, in other words, a bird with hooves."
>She stamps her front legs down
>"Not everything with wings are birds! Dinosaurs have wings!"
>You continue to nod
"Yeah, but dinosaurs evolved into birds."
>She stares at you, unable to believe what you just said
>"N...no they didn't?"
>She sounds unsure of herself
"Dude, they totally did. Every single one of them. Especially raptors."
>"Wha... ho... whe..."
>She shakes her head and gives out a cry of frustration, deciding to let diplomacy fail
>In favor of violence
>She headbutts your arm
"...was that supposed to hurt?"
>She jerks her head back and headbutts your arm again
>and again
>and again
>It's like that time Ed was a woodpecker
>Except with dirt
"...You're not gonna stop until I say it hurts are you."
>She keeps going
>You're really not sure how she has the head for violence
>Must be all of the violent movies and video games
"Ow... please stop. My tender human body was made for love, not war."
>You speak in as dull and as monotone a voice as you can muster
>Only then does she stop
>She brings her head up and her mane is a mess
>Her eyes are vaguely derped out
>She's smiling
>"Aaa-aa-aand I knew it! I shaaa-aaa-aaall accept your defeat."
>You ruffle her mane and shake her head, intensifying her daze
>She actually falls over, unable to stop you
>You watch her lay there
"So, what'd'ya wanna do today?"
>She doesn't reply, laughing a little
>"Ahhh don't know."
"Neither do I..."
>You both stay there
>You don't even really rush to take off your boots
>Everything's doing pretty well, all things considered
>After a few minutes of admiring the silence you speak up
"Wanna lay together and watch a movie but not really pay attention to it for reasons?"
>Her head picks up
>"Can it be that one movie based off of that fighting game so we can only really pay attention to the fight scenes?"
"Deal. Now prepare thyself, because once we get started I will..."
>You squint at her
"Test your might."
>...
>...
>She just stares at you, expecting a followup
>"Is... that a thing from the game?"
"Yes."
>"Like, a real saying, or just a little random thing you picked up?"
"No, it's from the actual game."
>"You're sure? That doesn't sound like anything I'd put if I made a game an--"
"Just get your butt to bed so I can take off my boots and we can pretend to watch it already!"
>She bolts as if that was the only thing she needed to hear
>You hear... a thud?
>A muffle "got dang it!"
>The sound of some things getting ruffled about
>Did that sound like a bag of chips?
>That better not be your bag!
>You strip down from your pants and boots and charge to your room, ready to pounce again
"MORTAL KOMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!"

>Home
>Finally
>You trudge in, dragging yourself to where you kick your boots off and unceremoniously plop down onto your mattress
>Jacky, having sprawled out on said mattress, jolted upright when you landed
>"Zuh-zombies!? Ahmma buckin' a..." she let out a loud, unlady-like yawn before finishing her threat
>You return the yawn through fabric until it's more vibration than sound
>"Welcome home, Anon... something up?"
>You repeat the yawn and go into a long, detailed explanation about work and how exhausting it was, both physically and mentally
>You tell her what's on your mind and that you just want to eat something nice and hug her and other things and just relax because the rest of the week will probably go terribly, terribly bad
>It all comes out as a muffled mess that does not translate into anything audible
>Jacky, ever the polite and kind, waits until after you finish
>She pokes your head with her face
>"...y'know I ain't heard a lick of that, right?"
>Muffled scream intensifies
>You wrench up your head, nearly bonking her nose in the process
>You roll your eyes up and exhale, causing her to flinch
>After a nearly zombie-like groan, you focus on her
"Wanna go eat out somewhere for dinner?"
>The sudden ask makes her scrunch her face
>"Like... a date? Dinner date?"
>You drag yourself up into a sitting position
"Yeah, I wanna take you out and be... not exactly fancy, but do something... official. You know. We don't really go out all that often except for the store and... well, that's all the excuse I care to mention."
>Jacky gives you an unreadable expression, her face still scrunched up
>Did she learn that by watching the show?
>"...can I wear my hat?"
"Jack, if you don't wear your hat, I'll wear it."
>She gasps and rears her head down to headbutt you
>"Do that and I'll wear you as a hat!"
"Like I wore you like a hat?"
>The comeback flabbergasts the yellow pony
"Ooooooooooooh! Owned!"
>You extend your arms up and wobble to stand without stabilizing yourself
>You turn your back to her
>You really shouldn't have
>She charges at you and hits the back of your knee
>You barely have time to think 'what the hell' until you're already on your back
>A squished Jacky underneath you
>You remain there, letting the consequences of her actions soak in
>You feel movement under you after a while
>"G...get... offa... me!"
"You know I said that but you sure never listen..."
>"You've never said that!"
"Yeah, well... yeah, that's true. Fair enough. Grab your hat and we'll splitskies."
>You roll off of her and change into something a little more presentable while she tackles her hat
>You're aware of the tiny bite marks on one part of the hat... but it is hers so you don't really think it's anything to worry about
>You lock your door with her leading the way out
>You've only gone out with her a few times for short trips
>You feel a tiny bit guilty for not going out with her more to do anything but you just aren't the sort to go out all that often
>Going out usually cost money
>And it usually involves a lot of time spent
>And this fucking yankee winter isn't that appealing to you or her either
>But you do want to do more with her
>You want to see her smile from more things
>And you're really not in the mood to cook
>You both wait in the elevator while it goes to the first floor
>She looks cute in her hat
>It's a different style than what her Ma would wear, and the black offsets her yellow body well
>The bits of orange hair poking out from around her face doesn't hurt much either
>Due to the hem, she can't tell that you're looking at her
>Staring would fit as another word
>Or gawking
>The elevator dings and you snap to attention
>Keys, phone, wallet, your hands search everywhere for everything
>All's good to go
>You take the lead and exit the building, holding the door open for her
>Given the number pad on the glass doors, she'd probably be unable to get back to the apartment without help
>Unless she just bashed in the glass
>An unpleasant thought since she'd probably end up hurt
>You shake your head and beep the car's lock
>As always, you open your door and watch her hop in by going from the ground, to your seat, to hers
>You grimace a little about the snow and all that out there... but you kinda need to get the inside cleaned out anyway
>Eventually
>When's the last time you were able to think so much to yourself, anyway?
>You scoot in and reach over to pull the seat belt over Jack's chest
>She smiles and nods, the hat sticking firmly to her head
>It's forward a little, giving her a bit of a menacing look but you can see that it clears up a little on her ears
>Maybe it's a little too big
>Or maybe it's because it's made for a human head and her brainbox is a bit different
>"Uh... where are we going, anyway?"
>You realize you didn't start the car, you were just looking at her
"Oh. Uh... yeah. I was thinking an international house of cuisine. Sounds fancy, but it's a decent place."
>She looks at you and her ears perk up as much as they can against the hat
>"Really? What do they got there?"
>You shrug
"A lot of stuff... pancakes, mostly. But other things too."
>You start the car, feeling a small sense of embarrassment that you haven't felt since your very first date
>A fucking IHOP
>You're taking your yellow pony date to a fucking IHOP
>And she's going to wear her hat the entire time, you just know it
>And it is going to be goofy as hell
>But
>Fuck it
>You start the car, finally, and turn the heater on a few hairs below full blast
>The drive is pretty calm, all things considered
>Traffic is minimal
>Talk is minimal too
>Is she looking forward to it?
>She really doesn't have too much social experience outside of you and movies
>And the rare grocery store trip
>You make it to the "international house of cuisine"
>It's borderline empty
>These god damned yankees don't know what's good
>You turn off the car and reach over to undo her seatbelt
"So... behold. IHOP."
>You can see her glance at you from under the hat
>This really isn't the place that you hyped it up to be
>But it is more or less the one place you would reliably go to for the occasional dinner, even when you were otherwise making packing peanuts for pay
>"It looks... uh... empty."
"Yes. Yes... it does."
>"Quicker service at least, right?"
"I sure hope so."
>Neither of you are that quick to leave the car
>It feels awkward on so many levels
>It's not at all like the romantic scenes from the movies
>But maybe they're a little too true to life when it comes to other genres
>You eventually undo your seatbelt and clear your throat, causing her to focus on you
"It's warmer in there than it is in here, let's go, eh?"
>You get up and stand to the side, watching her pounce from cushion, to cushion, to ground
>You're really going to go into a place like this with a tiny, travel-sized equine companion that is not at all like what was properly advertised
>God damn it, you can't think that
>She's Jacky
>And whether it feels weird or not, you gotta show that this would be cool to do and not a mistake
>You don't think it's a mistake, despite the twist in your gut
>You're worried that she may think it's a mistake
>You head inside with her, getting the doors to make sure that she doesn't bonk her hat into anything and knock it off of her head
>You muster up your years of gained chutzpah, suave, confidence and raw ego as you cross the threshold into the eatery
>You're so confident you can even consider a restaurant an eatery
>You classy man, you
>A waitress makes her way from the kitchen to you almost immediately
>As hard as it is to be seen through the crowd of no one and nothing
>"Hold on!" She calls
>You idly nod, glancing down at Jacky
>Since you're both standing up, it's probably a bit awkward to have the incredible height difference
>When she steps around and comes into view of you and her, she falters for a second
>"Uh... o-one, or two?"
>Jacky looks up at her, squinting
>The squint and the hat really doesn't make her out to be the friendly dork you know
>"...that's two... ma'am."
>She growls but it sounds hilarious impotent to you
>The waitress, for some reason, folds to the challenging voice of a cuddlebug scorned
>"R-right, of course... u-uh... booth?"
>You finally step in
"Yup, corner if you have one?"
>Outside of a pair of old men sharing a pot of coffee and another aged couple in each half of the restaurant, everything is open and available
>"Corner? Oh yeah, yup, we got those! Please, if you would?"
>You can tell that she's making an effort to keep eye contact on your human body
>You don't particularly blame her for that but you can't help but think that Jacky's maybe not so appreciative
>The human woman leads you and agitated pone to the nearest corner booth, around the entrance and immediately seated
>You can even see your car with a clear view, it's so direct
>Jacky hops onto the seat, sitting opposite of you
>"Do you guys, uh... know what you want to drink?" The waitress asks, a little hesitant to incur the wrath of the black-hatted banana-flavored marshmallow
>Jacky begins to say something but you speak before she can
"Two unsweet teas, thanks. She's new so we'll take a few minutes for menu reading.
>The waitress manages to crack a slight smile and nods
>"Sure, take your time. Thanks."
>You've always tried to be a cool guy to waitresses and waiters and whoever had to deal with the mass public on a daily basis
>Except the place was kinda dead today
>After a few moments, she returns with a pair of drinks and a pair of menus before scampering off
>You don't want to chastise Jack but she is making too good a use of her Angel Eyes-styled stare
>You kinda wanna laugh but you decide against it
"Hey Jack, we're indoors... chill with the hat, yeah?"
>She looks at you and any edge she could possibly have melted away
>"Oh... oh yeah, sure."
>You both sit there and watch each other
>And wait
>"...Can you grab my hat and keep it nearby?"
"Sure, lemme just... bam."
>You pop her top off and put it on the seat next to you, against the wall
>As if anyone would stop by to try to steal it for themselves
>After plucking one of the straws and putting it into her cup, you open the menu for her
>You barely look at it
>You already know what you like
>"Hey, there are a lot of pancakes here... and other stuff too."
"Yeah... to be honest? I really question how international they are. Where are the asian pancakes? Or the Brazillian? Or Canadian?"
>You're not sure if that was supposed to be a joke
>You can tell that the mood is a little tense
>"Hey Anon..."
"Hit me."
>"Should I worry about the price? A lot of this stuff looks pretty fancy and I don't wanna worry you about..."
>You chuckle and wave your hand
"Come on, don't worry about it. I usually buy enough to have leftovers for a day or two. Order whatever you like."
>You want to add 'within reason' but you want her to enjoy herself
>She is a girl
>A very tiny, furry girl
>With a neat hat you got her
>You eventually order, getting your usual while she decides on banana pancakes, some french toast, an omelette, and a burger
>That's... far more than you order, but you did say that it would mostly be leftovers
>The waitress visibly goes pale when Jacky rattles off her items
>Maybe she's unnerved by the talking horse
>Maybe she's not sure why there are so many things being ordered at once
"Hey, uh... Jack. Why don't we get your two most wanted items now and then the rest to go later?"
>You not toward the waitress who pipes up
>"Oh yeah, that's a great idea! That way it's nice and fresh an-"
>Jacky squints and stares down the poor woman
>But she turns her attention to me, smiling
>"Sure, Anon, that's a pretty smart idea. I kinda forgot about lunch since I was napping a lot so that's just me ordering with my stomach."
>That settled, she orders only the french toast and omelette
>You can't help but smile at the choices she made
"So, think you'll be able to eat all of this stuff? It's pretty big portions for a gal like you."
>Did you just call Jacky a gal?
>"Hur... yeah..."
>What was that dorky response?
>It was getting to be evident that neither of you were... entirely natural or comfortable about all off this
"...it's ok to be nervous, Jack. I am too. But I'm glad we're able to go out like this."
>She grumbles something before taking a sip from her tea
>You watch as she has to visibly stand up to make sure she can drink from the draw without knocking the glass over
>You didn't even know she could drink from a straw like that
>"I'm not nervous, I'm just... I want to make a good first impression."
>You look around, as if you expected someone from behind
"To who, me? Safe to say you've wowed me already, I can't really imagine a bad impression."
>She turns flustered a bit
>"Well no, not that. Just... this is a human world, right? I kinda stick out a tiny bit."
"Psh, as if. Have you seen me around humans? I stand out pretty hard."
>She laughs at it
>She laughed at a joke that lame?
>She must really be nervous
>You think she may be playing it up a little
>You almost expect her to call you a debonair, honorable man
>She goes quiet
>"I know what you mean but... you can drive. You can operate doors. Look someone in the face and have them talk to you like normal. And you can even operate those computers without slobbering all over them."
"Hey, you haven't seen what I've tried to do when I was tired before you popped up..."
>Another laugh
"But... yeah. I understand what you mean. It's stuff I've kinda thought about before but... why should I let that bother me, you know? I'm spending time with you, big bonus by the way. I'm out eating somewhere I like, another good thing. Best of all? I'm showing you... just more of the world I guess. Even if it's kinda cold and lame out, there's still stuff worth going to."
>"...I didn't want to mention it but it's really cold out. I don't know if you noticed but I'm naked under that hat!"
>You laugh
"Yeah, well..."
>You gulp down half of your tea in one go
"I... am going to be thinking of that for a while now. Thanks."
>She smiles, more of a grin
>"You? Are welcome."
>You can't tell but a glance with that grin tells you that Jacky is very possibly staring at the waitress
>Your half-worry is validated when she comes up, a little hesitant to speak
>"Re-refill on your drinks...?"
>You feel a bit bad for how out of her element this must be
"Sure, I can go for it."
>You gulp down the rest and shiver from the cold jolt that goes down your spine and rests squarely in your sternum
"Please."
>Jacky shakes her head as the only answer
>The glass vanishes off of the table
>You continue to make small talk while waiting for the food
>You talk about more... basic, pedestrian things
>The weather, what to watch when you get home
>It's kinda funny how things just kinda... go on
>It's small talk, but it's fun
>Eventually the food is done and is delivered
>"Omelet du fromaaaaaaaage~"
>Jacky sings the words while swaying from side to side
>For some reason you can't help but giggle as if this were your own personal Lesson Zero
>You had your own thing, which was... the same, actually
>Both too hungry to fake civility, you both devour your respective omelets, leaving the pancakes to the side and leaving the french toast for the second round
>The old couple nearby watches the two of you go at it like starved primates
>Eventually you do finish
>You make good use of your silverware while Jacky made careful, selective use of... her face
>Both full, you lean back into your respective seats, sighing
>"This is some pretty good stuff... it's not even breakfast time."
"It's always breakfast, Cracker Jack."
>You both sit in the afterglow of a good meal
>Until the waitress shows up again
>You really get the idea that Jacky does not like that woman
>"Are we... uh, ready for to-go boxes and the order to go?"
"Sure, hit me with the check too."
>Jacky silently nods, glaring daggers at the human
>Eventually you pack up your remains, feel your stomach drop at the price, and feel keen to blow the international house of popstands
>While Jacky is eager to leave, she didn't even ask about her hat
>Which you popped onto your head
>Yeah, and it still doesn't fit right
"Y'all have a good 'un, y'hear?"
>You drop to a baritone voice to the waitress
>You left a generous tip because... well, she soldiered on well enough
>"Man, what was with that woman? Couldn't she see that we were on a date or something?!"
>Jacky waits until leaving the warm building to start complaining
>You kinda wish she could at least carry all of the extra stuff she ordered, but you don't mind
"Jack... she kinda worked there, I think. The uniform gave it away."
>She scoffed, tilting back her head.
>"Ha! And you didn't think she could just be some... spy?"
"Why the hell would a spy be interested in us?"
>She stops in her tracks
>Only to rear her head back even further and laugh harder
>You shrug and beep the car a few times to unlock it
>You open her door first, putting the leftovers at the floor of the car
"Don't fall on that stuff, that's good stuff."
>Expensive stuff too
>You slide into your seat from the other side and start the journey back home
>"...this was fun, Anon."
>You smile, tilting the head back.
"I reckon it was, Jack. I liked it too."
>"Next time... wanna just order pizza? And stay under a blanket? And stuff?"
>You discreetly put more weight onto the gas to get home faster
"Yeah... that sounds better. We still got a lot of stuff to watch."
>You make it home
>Or the parking lot outside of your home
>Jacky bounces out of the car while you grab the spoils of war
>You both show visible anxiety to get back into the realm of the protected, warm, safe, comfortable apartment
>As soon as you open the front door, she bursts in
>Taking a stance, she gives a... questionable roar or some sort of screech
>"FRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeedoooooooooooooom!"
>William Wallace would be proud
>You didn't close the door behind you in time though
>Your closest neighbor probably heard some of that
>You dumped the bags into the fridge and fling her hat like a Frisbee onto the living room table
>And it sticks the landing!
"Oh yeah, baby!"
>You point at Jack to get her to see what an awesome thing you did, only to see her watching you
>"Hey, uh...after a date. Dinner comes before a movie, right?"
"You read my mind."
>With that, she gallops full force and bounce onto the bed, bouncing a few times
>You walk in a far more slower pace to your room, wheezing and gasping
"Too much... food... I can't keep up..."
>"Dessert hasn't even been served, what do you mean too much food?"
>You decide to stop playing and hurry to your room
>You close the bedroom door
>Because a closed room is better for movie audio, of course

>Be me.
>A pretty happy pony, who ordered too much for leftovers.
>At least Anon put the microwave on a small stool so I could open and use it.
>But I still forget that the steam isn't the only hot thing to watch out for.
>I lay on my side, my tail idly swishing back and forth.
>I enjoy typing things to him when he's at work, though I've discovered emotes and have just been using those instead.
>He kept open his laptop for me so I have the power of two!
>Mine has the messenger window and a wiki page of what show I came from.
>His is playing some really funny, but catchy music by a guy also named Jack.
>I kinda wanna learn some of his songs.
>Maybe singing them with that French accent would help?
>That Jack on the laptop singing goes through a lot of voices, which is a really neat trick for a human to have.
>I thought about what would funny to surprise Anon while dressed like the singer but realized it would take too much work when I saw a big, bushy beard.
>The wiki is a trip to read.
>So many of the episodes feel like they're really familiar to me, but a lot of them sound like things I would never do.
>But I haven't done any of those things, right?
>Only Ma and her friends have done them.
>I scrape my face against one of Anon's thick quilts a few times, searching my memory.
>I almost remember what I was talking about when I first met Anon, but it feels like the longer I go on, the less I remember about my past.
>My supposedly past.
>I remember the warehouse, and talking to others like me.
>But not directly.
>None of them really were like any of the so-called Mane Six.
>But a lot of them sounded the same.
>Like how Ma sounds like me.
>Or probably how I sound like Applejack.
>She isn't my ma.
>But I want to believe that she is.
>That makes more sense and doesn't hurt nearly as bad as any other explanation.
>Anon doesn't mind thinking that way, but I don't know if he does it to be nice or if he believes it.
>I don't know if I could believe it, knowing how stifling that box was.
>If she was my ma, she would never have allowed something like that.
>But if she wasn't, and she most likely wasn't, who was my ma?
>My pa?
>What about everyone else?
>I keep scraping my face back and forth, feeling moisture leak from my eyes.
>I don't feel comfortable talking to Anon about this sort of thing yet, but I want to.
>He's shown me a lot of stuff that I wouldn't have shown if I were him.
>I mean, I would have, but it would be putting a lot of bother on someone to trouble them like that.
>Not that I'm troubled by him opening up like that!
>I'm glad he did.
>After rubbing my face against the quilt enough to dry my face, I use my masterful nose to boop the mouse in the right ways.
>I sent a hug, a heart, and a house emote to Anon through his messenger.
>He usually replies pretty quick but he's been kinda tired looking from work.
>Compared to the holidays to now, he seems a lot brighter.
>I feel bad for not wanting to go out that much but I enjoy being around him and relaxing.
>I could never run an orchard or anything like that.
>And having five friends around all the time?
>That would be incredibly exhausting!
>Maybe another friend would be nice but I enjoy my alone time.
>I was never alone in the warehouse.
>Never.
>I used to cry a lot.
>And scream.
>And a few other things.
>After so long, it feels like an entire life ago.
>I look at Anon's laptop.
>That singer also named Jack is opening his shirt, revealing some weird clay-looking face that sings along with him.
>"Dead weight!"
>"Dead weeeeeeiiiiiiiiiiiaaaah..."
>The song is really catchy but it kinda... hurts to listen to.
>I don't want to be dead weight.
>I don't want to poke around his stuff.
>But.
>Maybe he still has that website he bought me from.
>Maybe I can find something out about that warehouse.
>That alone spurs me to action.
>In the relative terms.
>I roll over to the other side, facing away from the laptops, and drag myself in a semi-circle until I'm facing Anon's laptop.
>If he knew how I moved when alone, he'd probably make fun of me.
>Not in a bad way.
>I nudge his purple and red glowing light mouse, looking over his browser history.
>A lot of his browser history is stuff he watches when I watch stuff too.
>Not all of it clicks but a lot of it is really good.
>I keep searching down the list, going months back.
>Around the time just before I met him.
>E-bay?
>Really?
>I could be bought off of an E-bay?!
>WHAT EVEN IS E-BAY.
>I click the page that focuses on the merchant's account.
>There isn't a profile image but the profile description has at least a dozen full languages on it!
>The English one reads "Pony and a bro! We have the best friends you need! Friends? Family? Other intents? They can do it all!"
>I get a sinking feeling in my stomach.
>What does it mean by "other intents"?
>The description continues.
>"We have multiple warehouses across the globe! Africa! Europe! Asia! America!"
>Those places sounded familiar from the warehouse but it's too muddled.
>"Based off of Hasbró's world-famous series, My Little Pony! Friend of a lifetime!"
>I can't help but feel ill at the page.
>How many more were just like me and... left there?
>I click through the merchant page.
>There are a lot of drawn references of ponies, but no photo images.
>There are only a few item selections: Europe/American, African, Asian, Arab, Australian
>I check the description of each one.
>Each one has a really vague description about how they're "good at local language!".
>I scrunch my face, remembering that Irish accent I had.
>Wasn't it just English in an accent?
>And the French too?
>Tuco spoke another language and it wasn't just a funny accent.
>Could I actually speak in another language too or was it just some sort of surface level imitation?
>I feel my head swirl.
>What made him find this sort of page specifically?
>I saw that there were different "types" on the pages to specify but what did that mean?
>To what degree could someone choose a type of living thing like me?
>Anon did that too.
>But he's different.
>He hasn't really been bad at anything.
>And I can't forget the face he had when we first met.
>He had that same face that day he just laid on the floor.
>That was only two times, so he had to be doing better.
>And I remembered where he said I reminded him of his old friends.
>He probably remembers them a whole lot better than I can remember anyone from the warehouse.
>I nudge the mouse around until I can close out of the tab.
>I didn't even notice that a different song was playing.
>I feel uneasy.
>Not against Anon, but against... wherever I came from.
>I focus on my laptop and see a message from Anon!
>Almost immediately, the cloud over my head starts to scatter.
"It's hilarious how today has been going. Don't eat all of the pancakes, I want some too!"
>I wasn't tired of them, but they didn't taste good without the blue syrup.
>I send him an... oops.
>A Santa emote.
>That wasn't the right one but whatever.
>I shake my head and go back to the wiki.
>Maybe when he comes back I can ask him about that merchant.
>But I'm ok if I don't either.
>I'm really happy where I am, and the less time I spent even talking about that place, the better.

Part Two.

>Be you
>Be pretty good
>Hell, you're more than good!
>You've been with Jacky for almost two full months now
>You've improved a ton since then, if only emotionally
>Not that there was all that much wrong with you to begin with
>Jacky has been pretty happy too
>You've both come to the conclusion that you're very good friends
>More than friends
>Easily far more than friends
>But still friends too
>You swooce through your apartment door, happy to be off from work for the week
>It's the same as it ever was, except a bit different
>All the more reason to celebrate it being the end of the work week!
"Yah-die-ya-la-da-da, it is good day to be not dead!"
>You stand proud, lightly frosted from snowfall outside
>...
>You don't see or hear anything
>You kick off your boots and shake off your coat, looking for any signs of yellow pony
>Defaq
>You tiptoe to your room, noting that the door is halfway closed
"Oh ho..."
>As you poke your head through the gap you feel a nose boop against the back of your leg
>"Pow! You are dead!"
>The color drains from your face
>You awkwardly open the door and fall over
>You make sure you take another step or two to make sure that you fall onto the mattress
>When you bounce onto it, you proclaim with a mouthful of blanket
"I am dead!"
>You taught Jack about the memes
>It was the funniest thing you've done with her so far
"This blanket smells funny."
>You pull up your head to dramatically gasp for air
>Only to feel her jump onto your back and push the side of her face against the back of your head
>"It only smells funny because you got up early, you know."
>You clear your throat
"Alright... good point."
>You feel her fan out on your back, resting her head on yours
"So, what do you wanna do today?"
>You turn your head so you can still be heard, though she seems intent on using your head for a head rest
>"Can we hang out on the patio?"
"The patio that's covered in snow and only getting more covered in snow?"
>"Yup."
"The patio that would take some time and effort to clean up?"
>"The very same."
"...you know I got those two rag-woven section rugs in the bathroom. Wanna grab those and we can set those down and sit on the snow?"
>"Hm...I'll be cold."
"Yeah, believe it or not, snow is cold."
>"But you're not."
"No, not often."
>"So why don't I just sit on your lap outside?"
"Well... that's a good question."
>"Wanna do that?"
"I can't do that if you won't get off of me."
>"I know."
>You snort
"Pft, so... wanna get up?"
>"No."
"Well... alright then. What's up?"
>"I looked more into that dealer. You know, the one you got me from."
>You grimace
>A few weeks ago, when you came home she asked a lot of questions
>Not about you and her, necessarily, but more about where she came from and as many details as you knew
>Granted, you really didn't know a whole lot about it all
>You did have a few emails back and forth, since you had to specify who you wanted
>You handed over those to her, and even made her a personal email account so you could forward things to her and she could do her own investigation into it
>When around, you type for her
>Otherwise, she tells you what she wants to type through the messaging you two do when you're at work
>She's getting better at using a keyboard, somehow
>So far, she's managed to talk to the seller and ask rather specific questions
>You don't think they suspect anything, since they seem rather open to answering things
"Yeah? What're those knuckleheads up to?"
>"Well... they said that if I'm really so curious, I can visit them."
"We can visit them."
>"Right."
"...sounds kinda risky."
>"True."
>You shift slightly
>She's completely dead weight on your back, though you can feel her tail swish around every now and again
"Maybe a weekend, eh? How far are they?"
>"I think a few hours."
"Think you'll recognize anyone?"
>"Unless it's Sparks or something... I don't know."
>You both sigh, almost in unison
"This is gonna answer a lot of questions at least."
>"And give more questions."
"That too."
>It seems like once you both settled on your respective places in relation to each other, and tackling the question of where she came from, you two synced up pretty hard
>Not that you mind
>Horses make good empathy animals or whatever so maybe that has something to do with it
"...we still can't go to the patio if you're stuck on me."
>"Then... you're a patio now."
>You had no real answer to that
>You feel two hooves slide up your shoulders until they hook around your neck
>Jacky squeezes, giving you a hug
>"I'm scared. But I want to know."
>You bring up one of your hands to her legs, giving her a slow, soft pat
"Yeah... tell me about it. We gotta make sure they don't get us alone for even a second. You aren't going out of my sight. Even if the lights go out, you're gonna have something that glows in the dark."
>You feel her mash her face into your head, nodding
>"I would like that. But what would work? A watch wouldn't work... and a hat is too obvious. Or a shirt."
"How about a collar?"
>You feel the faintest of tingling on your back
>"W-what? And treat me like a dog?"
"You're only a dog if you bark for attention and beg for treats."
>You say that with a smile and she can tell
>Both of her hooves grasp your head and grind you into the bed
>"That... ain't... funny!"
>You let out a string of syllables and sounds that could almost translate to 'it's funny to me'
>She finally stops and shifts back to a hug
>"...A collar, huh. Does this have anything to do with those other types of collars?"
>You imitate a gasp of shock
"Jacqueline, daughter of Applejack, Son of Sam I Am and Niece of Uncle Lister, fister of his sister. I am shocked, shocked, I tell you! That you would think such a naughty thing of me."
>She huffs and tightens the hug until it becomes something of a choke hold
>Thankfully she doesn't have the reach to turn it into one
"But maybe. Besides, maybe it would be a good way to get you into more public places..."
>You haven't taken her out much
>The store a few times, sure, when she feels like leaving the sanctity of the home
>But a lot of places don't allow animals and while she's completely a person... she is still a weirdly-colored sentient pone
"Be like a therapy animal or something and no one can say shit. Besides, you speak up once or twice and you'll cause them to freak out and we can say that whatever mental illness I have is contagious."
>You hear a hushed, dark, goofy giggle behind your ear
"I'd dig that. Even ignoring other prospects."
>You feel somewhere turn into a full squirm on your back
"Hey now, I like this shirt. Don't get too fancy with it, y'hear?"
>"Oh please, like you wouldn't be proud of it?"
"I'll be proud of that French accent and ready to show it if you don't get off me."
>The near-choke hold ends
>You feel her roll off of your back, landing beside you on her own back with a soft 'oof'
>You keep your head turned to the side
>At least now you can see her face
"So... if we do this, we gotta go all in. Do you think you're ready?"
>Jacky turns her head to face you
>She looks like she's changed so much in the two months
>Her face is the same but her hair is wild, and not at all like her ma's
>Her eyes are sharp, clear and wide
>When a movie before would spook her, she's now wanting to see her origins
>No matter what that may include
>Of course, it's the way she looks at you too
>It's enough to make you lose your composure
"Hey Jack."
>She smirks at you
"Hey Anon."
>You smirk at her
"Jack with a snack pack."
>"Anon in the salon eating a bonbon, today hair tomorrow gone."
"Jack in a--ok, fuck it, that was a good one."
>You give a short 'ha' of a laugh and lean your face against hers
"No matter what happens from that... we're leaving together. Alright?"
>She pushes her face against yours until the gap is closed
>"Yeah... can you bring your rifle?"
>You exhale hard through your nose, tickling hers
"Hell no. We're here to gather intel, not blast them away."
>Due to both of you worrying about how dangerous or negative it could be, it's been hard to imagine it as anything but a Shadowrun encounter waiting to happen
>She still doesn't know about Shadowrun but she's been fed dozens of action movies by now
>Almost all of them involve the good guy shooting dozens of bad guys
>Her tongue slides out of her mouth, washing over your face
>You close your eyes and sputter through your lips
>She doesn't seem to stop, especially when her tongue washes over your mouth
>After far too long, she finally stops
>"How's that for being a dog?"
>You sputter harder, your tongue poking out
...
>You lick your lips
>Your eyes closed, you put on a wide frown
"Alright, a shock collar it is. Once it zaps you into next week you'll glow no matter how dark it is."
>The last week has kinda been like this
>Both of you want to do things but the energy drains as soon as you start bickering and bantering back and forth
>You know how far to go, and what to get into
>You also know what is and isn't a joking matter, so some things are never said or thought
>It's surprisingly... healthy
>It's a real relationship, so of course it feels real to you
>Far more real and natural than anything else you've had
>You open your mouth to yawn, turning away just enough so she can't sneak attack your mouth
"We got time until then... how should we prepare? Do we prepare?"
>"I don't think so. Whoever I'm talking to seems interested in the customer we're pretending to be too. And I think I dropped enough details in to give them a tip off of what's going on."
>You nod
>It kinda does feel like it's some sort of exotic reconnaissance
>On the off chance that it does turn out dangerous... you think that you're ready to risk it
>For her at least
>You'd kinda be ok if you just didn't go out on a road trip to wherever

>Another Sunday, come and gone
>You ordered Jacky an 'adaptive' controller since you were starting to go back to playing games and while she seemed super interested in them, a normal controller just wouldn't do a thing for her
>You sit on your mattress with your back to the wall
>Jacky is laying under your right leg, her head resting on your left
>Due to the mission you two are going to embark on, it's only fair that you train up on your stealth skills
>Naturally, Hitman is the game of choice
>"Hey... shouldn't you take that screwdriver with you?"
"Huh? Why's that?"
>"Well you got him last time by pushing him into the river... wasn't there a trap you could set when he's in the meeting to go off?"
"Aaahhh... sneaky."
>There was a tension in the room
>You made a big deal about staying under cover and not bringing attention to yourself
>You stick to your targets like glue, picking up clues and information along the way
>Jacky keeps track of your inventory and what items would be worth picking up
>For the hours that you've playing, you haven't once pulled out your gun
>Your left leg tenses as your target enters the runway to give a speech about some sort of fashion brand
>Jacky seems to pick up on this and rubs her face against your thigh
>"You saw how inaccurate the handgun is. Do you really wanna take the shot?"
>Your thumb slides over the D-pad
>You want to take him down
>But you're near dozens of people
>The target's bodyguard is around
>As is additional security
"...all it takes is one shot."
>"Can you get up to a higher level and shoot down?"
"I don't know. He's halfway through his speech, I don't think we can get there in time."
>You can feel Jacky's front legs brace over your right shin
"I'm gonna go for it. The woman's taken care of, we get this guy, we run through the entrance, we get out."
>...
>"I'm with you."
>In a second you draw your silenced handgun, take aim
>Fire
>Fire!
>FIRE!
"Got him!"
>The target falls... and all attention is on you
>"Exfiltrate! Turn around, vault the railing, run along the side to the front!"
>You both jolt upright as you haul ass away from the crime scene
>You were dressed up as a fashion star so the goofy outfit and full facial makeup would be a good enough alibi as anything else
>Technically no clue as to who it'd be
>"Watch the police! Don't shoot, just run!"
"Cover behind the car!"
>The tension is rising between you as the music blares, gunfire rings out, and the cueball assassin takes more damage
>You make it!
>As the ending to the level plays out, both of you slump down, loose and exhaling
"Now that's what I call a Showstopper."
>"Aim for the heart..."
>This has got to be the fifth time that you've finished the same map
>Every time you replay it, you play as a new type of assassin
>Or blatant killer
>The two brains working together lead to very creative ideas
>A good chunk of them lead in death
>But a few work out well
>You put down the controller and bring up Jacky's head until it's directly on your lap
>She looks up at you, as mentally fatigued as you
>"All of this mayhem..."
"I know. What do you think is more dangerous, a gunslinger attacking a position, or an assassin that can't be tracked?"
>She frowns at the question
>Obviously she has her preference
>"Well... a gunslinger is only as slow as his reloading and firing."
"But an assassin can reach his target."
>"So can a gunslinger!"
"Sure, but after making a lot of noise."
>"Grrr..."
"I'm far better at being stealthy. To sneak around and find my target."
>As you speak, your hand slithers from the controller, over the mattress blanket, to her flank
>"And then you take it like a thief?"
>You give her rump a squeeze
"And then I go for the kill!"
>She lets out a pained cry from the squeeze!
>She gives a long, drawn out inhale
>And then drops dead, exhaling with a loud, heavy 'eeeeehhhhhh' that lasts a little too long due to her over-inhaling
>You politely wait for her to finish dying before she gives one last limp kick
>You nod and bring your other hand to her, brushing at her mane
"I gotta show you the Styx games... that's some hardcore stealth action right there."
>Your hand doesn't move away from her flank
>Rather it begins to go toward her tail
>Still no signs of her moving, though you can feel some of her hind end muscles twitch
"That type of stuff is also very punishing too... so we gotta be careful when it comes to killing. Some enemies can't even be killed."
>Your hand reaches the base of her tail
>She remains silent but you can hear her inhale
"Hey Jacky... I'm gonna steal something right now."
>You lean down, your hand moving from her tail once again
"And y o u c a n ' t s t o p m e . . ."
>As soon as you touch IT, her head bolts upright
>"N-not my snacks?!"
>She looks flustered and embarrassed
>You smile at her
"Yes. Your snacks. Including that peanut butter popcorn ball I got you."
>She shuts her eyes hard and kicks out with all of her legs
>"NOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooo...!"
>She goes limp again
>You're tempted to continue
"Hey Jack."
>She eventually opens one eye and looks at you
>"Yes?"
"I can't believe you like that popcorn."
>She pushes her lips out and blows a raspberry at you
>"I can't believe you have lame tastes."
>You recoil from the insult
"You're terrible."
>"And you stopped."
"And what is it I stopped?"
>She doesn't answer, but her tail flickers a few time
"We should replay that map one more time, you know..."
>"But we need a break... right?"
>Well you did spend the entire morning and noon playing it
"We do... alright, you've convinced me"
>She reaches for the mane brushing hand and clamps it between her teeth
>She looks at you and huffs through her nose
>She doesn't seem to like being loud at all
>But she does a good job at communicating
>In her own quiet way
>As quiet as she can be, anyway, when you're pushing limits

>Another day closer to the road trip
>Jack's been lively and eager to joke around but you can tell that with every passing day she's starting to hesitate
>Today's no different
>Another Hitman map, another evening spent just wandering around and coming up with new, increasingly creative ways to eliminate targets wearing the most absurd things
>Neither of you seriously considered doing anything violent or illegal, but it helped take the edge off
>It all made it out to be something to get excited for, rather than be afraid of
>Of course, you were worried too
>But you wouldn't let her know that
>Not unless push came to shove
>You had a fun time creating a dynamic with her when it came to playing, too
>She's look up the full map and tell you were entry/exit points were
>Where items of interests were
>And where targets usually spent their time
>It was a bit of a subtle way to help teach her how to look for ways to escape a room if she had to
>Again, not that you expect anything wrong to happen
>But you know where your limits lie
>You can't let anything bad happen to her
>"Hey, uh... Anon? Are you gonna choke that guy out?"
>You blink back to the moment at hand
>47 has a guy in a choke hold
>But you haven't finished it yet
>"Is.. that a gun in your pocket? I hope it's... a gun..."
>Oops
>C R A C K
>"Wait... didja mean to kill him?"
"He'll die never knowing if it was, indeed, a gun in my pocket."
>You speak with a stern, monotone voice
>You hide the body and swap into his clothing
"Right... so, from where I am, what's my closest route to our first target?"
>Glancing between you, 47 on the TV, and her laptop, Jacky nudges the touch screen to scroll down
>"Going off of your outfit and your loadout... head out to the left, keep covered, and from there camp out for a bit. If you shoot well with your rifle you'll take him out in one hit. Make sure you move after firing but not too quickly."
"Roger dodger."
>It isn't the most realistic application, but getting her to read blueprints and maps is neat
>A shame you don't think you can ever get her into Etrian Odyssey since the handheld console is far too human-centric
>But there's always Grimrock...
>Or Minecraft
>You put 47 behind a hedge, letting off the controller to crack your fingers
"I think we should try one of those challenge contracts next. Some people have some really demanding goals out there."
>"Yeah... keep your eyes on, alright?"
>She's gotten good at using the track pad
>You've been thinking of getting a bigger one and one of those pens that have touch screen nubs on the end, she could probably use that
"I see him on the radar. What do you want for dinner?"
>She shrugs, turning to watch the target enter the clearing
>"We got those pizzas on sale... how about that?"
"You eat nothing but pizzas and you'll turn into one. All greasy and cheesy..."
>"You must be half pizza then. There he is, aim!"
>You fumble to grab the controller, readying the sniper rifle
"And..."
>"Not yet."
"Come on, he's right there..."
>"Wait until his bodyguard steps away so you don't get him by accident."
"I don't see one."
>"Because you're zoomed in. Wait for him to pass."
...
...
...
>You fire
>Target eliminated
>"Sneak out!"
"Fleeeeeeeeeeeee...!"
>You awkwardly spin 47 around in circles and creep back with the finesse of a drunk while everyone starts to freak out about the immediate assassination
>You go back to where you were before, with the corpse of the poor man that died wondering what was rubbing up against his back
"Alright... so what's next?"
>She yawns
>She's been spending a lot of time staying up later than you
>You can tell that you've turned her onto the stealth game genre since she's been looking up guides to do more complex things
>Or rather, she's been looking up guides for you to do more complex things
>"Well... you can save and quit, right? How about we take a break for the evening?"
>You nod and stretch, exiting out of the game after saving
>She stretches as well, kicked out across the bed with her head on your leg
"So Jack... about that place. Do you still wanna go?"
>You feel her head twitch a little
>"Uh... yeah. Of course I do..."
>She clears her throught
>"I... uh, I think Sparks may be there. Y'know, m'lass Sparks?"
>She's starting to slip into that Irish accent
>It must be natural
"Sparks... yeah. So what's she like?"
>"Ohhhhhh y'know how the gang is... she's the kinda red-pink one. Horn, quick temper, lit her own house on fire when we first met."
>She slips out of it as she keeps talking
>Her words slow
>"And... you... don't know, I guess."
"How well do you remember her?"
>"I'm not sure. I remember 'adventures'. But... this is the real world, isn't it. So I don't think those were real adventures. But I recall so many details, like tastes. I remember the taste of my favorite food."
"Favorite food, eh?"
>You pat her side
"What'd that be? We can see about grabbing it."
>Jacky hesitates before answering
>"I don't remember. I would remember it if I had it, but I don't know what it looked like. Or when I had it."
>You've talked about her past before, but from the sound in her voice, the quivering that's being forced back, it hasn't gotten that easier
"Then we'll have to scout around and check out as much as we can then, huh?"
>It was a one-in-a-million shot, but it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye open
>"Sure, that sounds alright."
"So... why the name Sparks? What made her torch her own house?"
>Jacky suddenly giggles
>"That dork... she has no control over magic, right? So the first time we met was during a cooking competition. She wants to barbecue up somethin' fierce so I agree to go hunt down some ducks, right, and she's trying to figure out how to magic up a bonfire out of nowhere. Well the hot head gets all flustered and just as she sees all of the ducks I have, she just goes FWOOM!"
>Jacky splays out all of her legs, making a muffled explosion noise
>"Turns out, she got so jealous that I got done so quickly when she hadn't even a spark to her name that she just went up and above and beyond. Since then... she's always been Sparks to me. And it fits. I bet you could chip her horn with steel and get flint."
>She laughs more, reminiscing with a smile
>"Ahh... we kinda fought and butted heads a lot. Sometimes she had a point or magic was the answer. Sometimes I had a scheme or a trick and that would do it."
>She curls her head back until she's looking at you from a 90 degree angle
>"Anon... do you think if we find her, she'll be able to use magic still?"
>She looks like she knows the answer
>Her eyes are misty
>But her smile is wide
>You nod
"Honestly? Yeah. You're pretty strong for your size, you know. A unicorn that can actually cast a spell or something, or a pegasus that can actually fly. Sure seems like it could be possible, right?"
>"Yeah... yeah!"
>Jacky's smiling wider, though tears start to slide down the side of her face
>"Just you wait, we can show her all sorts of stuff, like-a-like a lighter! Can you imagine how sore she'd be to be outdone by a little tool like that?"
>"You know, I bet she'd make a firestorm if she were miffed enough. We gotta make sure our fire fighting skills are... up to snuff..."
>Her voice falters
>She tries her best to sound happy
>To sound excited
>But she can't stop crying
>You lean down and scoop her up
>She isn't the lightest but you aren't the weakest either
>You let her rump slide onto the mattress
>She leans against you, her head draped over your shoulder
"It's alright Jack... we'll find her. Both of you guys can figure it all out and go from there, right? We'll leave together, and with her too. She's your friend, and I know she wants to listen about all of what you've done here."
>You smile
"And hey... we can show her a few key movies. Can you imagine what she'd do when the fighting starts?"
>She stays quiet
>Then she lets out a 'hur hur'
>"She's definitely Tuco..."
"You think she'd like the fire water? We still got that bottle of mead, and whisky..."
>Neither of you drank all that often
>Partially because it just never came to mind
>More 'hur hur hur' laughs from her
"And imagine if we can get her to teach her to use her magic in less... inflammatory ways. Would be neat to see what she's capable of doing, right?"
>Jacky nods, rubbing the side of her face against your shoulder
"So there we go... one more reason to go, right?"
>"...yeah."
"And then after that... Dashie, right? Are there three more that we're missing?"
>Jacky sniffles and shakes her head
>"No... we were kinda it. But we were all we needed, you know? Causing trouble, getting into adventures..."
>You nod
"Yeah... we'll see what happens."
>It's getting closer to the road trip
>You haven't asked a lot about her past since you could take stabs in the dark of what she does and doesn't know
>You like learning about her
>You want to hope that they have some basis in reality

>Today is the day
>With how often you and Jacky have been talking about it, that 'maybe a weekend' became 'this weekend'
>The contact was fine with it, since the "branch" is open on Saturdays
>As usual, you wake up first
>Jacky was laying on you but some time when you were sleeping you rolled to your side
>She looks like a Looney Tunes version of roadkill
>Her tongue is hanging out the side of her mouth with her legs splayed out
>She's laying on your arm too
"Hey... Jack."
>You wiggle your entombed arm
>Nothing
"Jaaaaaaaaaaack...?"
>You lower her head to her hoof and move toward her body
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...?"
>Your head goes from her shoulder to over her face
>Still nothing
>You inhale and give a short, sharp blow to her nose
>"AJAIEHGREJ"
>She springs to life, her snout bonking into your face
>"Monsieur Anon, not in front o--"
>She freezes, taking note that she was woken up
>She looks at you rubbing your nose
>"...Well good morning."
"Yeah-huh... morning."
>You slide your arm out from under her while she rolls to her stomach
>"So... are we really doing this today?"
"Yeah. Unless you don't want to?"
>She looks apprehensive
>Only after a minute of laying there, waiting for an answer, does she speak up
>"No, I... I want to. Gotta figure it out sooner or later, right? And if I can find out about Sparks or Dashie, or just learn who my ma and pa really are, then I owe it to them to go through with it."
>"Besides."
>She grins at you
>"This is an adventure! Tuco and Blondie, look out, Anon and Jacky are on the trail!"
>You bark out a laugh and ruffle her mane
>It's grown out a fair bit over the months
>Everything from voice, mannerisms, and habits have changed from when she was first here
>You could tell that she was an Applejack-type... imitation
>But now? She looks like her own mare
"So... wanna take a bath first and I'll go after? Then we can split, gas up, find a bite on the go and see what today will do for us."
" That collar and leash came in so we'll have to find the right way to fit that too. Glow in the dark, reacts well to light like those safety jackets, it'll make sure nothing'll happen."
>You watch Jacky shake herself awake and stretch out her legs
>"Yeah... I guess things like that would be normal for me to wear.
>She curls her head to you
>"...I can wear my hat, right?"
"Darn tootin', lady. Now go do your deal, I gotta look over some stuff."
>She trots off the mattress and around the corner into the bathroom
>You stock half of the towels under the sink so she can have access to them
>While it's not completely settled in, you've done a fair bit in terms of accessibility
>Tied towel on the fridge door
>Chips within pony reach
>You're still a little sore at the dents she put into the side of the fridge
>Her mood still changes depending on the movies she watches, but it's a lot less extreme
>You dare say you've seen her shape her own personality, away from what she was
>The funniest thing?
>You gave her a tomato once and she hated it
>Doesn't even really like ketchup
>To you, that does indeed show that whatever she was packaged up with didn't define her in the least
>If you and her really do find that Sparks pony, you can't just leave her there
>But would you really want to have two?
>To be fair, cats and dogs always do better when they have company
>You know Jacky would love to have one of her friends with her
>You're her friend
>But you work
>And you aren't from her previous life, or her memories of her previous life
>And you're still a human
>It really won't hurt you, financially
>It will really liven up your apartment and your life, to be sure
>The apartment complex is pet friendly but... how do you explain away two talking ponies?
>You could try to excuse them away as being toys but come on
>There's no way Jacky could be some mesh of plastic and wiring
>What about Sparks, though?
>From the sounds of it, she sounds like a Twilight copy
>You can't really imagine it
>What sort of... accent would she have, even?
>What accents, plural, rather?
>Jacky seemed to be a one-size-fits-all sort, with all of the little hats she had and the accents she could cycle through
>What was her original accent like?
>She seems to favor the French one but that's probably in part due to you favoring it
>Given what that dealer's page said, if Jacky is the European enigma, is it possible that Spark would be from another continent entirely?
>How would that even work in her memories?
>You'll probably find out when you go there
>Of course it won't lead to anything terrible or violent or dangerous
>But you can tell why she may worry about it
>Even if it were a normal warehouse to you, to her it could be a prison
>Even if it's just a normal nine to five worker, she may freak out over their voice or how nonchalant everything is
>You don't really want to encourage or stoke that sort of worry
>But you know it would be completely tactless to tell her to stop worrying
>What's weird is that you aren't even worried about it all
>You might have concerns, sure, but you feel like it'll turn out alright
>A bit of a shave before a shower may help you look a little less mangy too
>Maybe she'll want a haircut later too
>You hear Jacky call out to you, finally
>It feels like she spent hours in the bathroom
>Almost nineteen hours to be exact
>Or maybe it's your own nerves
>You aren't worried about anything, but her apprehension has become yours, to an extent
>You shake it off as you get up
>You've been through far worse, for people far less important
>A shave, shower, and dressing later, you're ready to go
>Leaving the apartment, both of you are quiet
>There's not much to do in the way of quips or jokes at this point
>You got the address down, it'll take a bit away
>Certainly won't be a day trip at least
>Jacky settles into the passenger seat
>She tries to tilt her head forward to stop her hat from hitting the car door, the seat belt, or the back of the seat
>"Darn... thing..."
>You watch her try to maintain some serious facade until she settles into some brooding, forward leaning position
>Before you start the car you pop her hat off of her and toss it to the back
"Better?"
>"...yeah..."
>She leans her head back until she reaches a more genuine position
>"It's hard to wear that thing indoors..."
>You stifle a chuckle and nod
"We can save the badass looking hat wearing and glaring for cowtippers and bank robbers."
>The two of you head out to the gas station for drinks, breakfast, and to fill up your tank
>Both chomping on some steaming hot breadsticks, you journey forth
>Your goal?
>To learn everything you can
>To learn about this Sparks friend
>To hopefully hit lunch somewhere nice after
>You're already looking forward getting rid of this dark cloud of anxiety
>You enjoy having a real goal with her, and you can only hope that she's going to be glad that she did this
>But you also miss just goofing around too
>Especially given how work is
>Maybe you could take some vacation time soon, to keep an eye on her and to celebrate and unpack everything that'll happen
>"Anon?"
"Yeah?"
>"You alright? You haven't been talking much, and you look kinda serious right now."
"...I do?"
>"Yeah... you look like Blondie at the three-way standoff."
>You chortle
"As if. I'm just wondering how long it'll be before you're bored of sitting in the car for so long."
>"Well I've never been driven so far. But it'll be pretty cool to see all what's out here!"
"True. Lot of dead and hibernating trees, so not a lot of greenery. But we may see a lot of snowy landscapes."
.>"Yeah... so..."
"What's up?"
>"...what is there to do while driving?"
>That's a good question
"I think I know what we can do."
>A half hour of driving later
>"Praise to my father, bless by the water, black night, dark sky, the devils cry!"
"Life of vengeance, a passive test! Until the grave I will rest! Engage the pressure until it crumbles! The existence of the lifeless black souls!"
>Having left city limits and surrounded by snowy farmland, you scream down the road with the stereos absolutely blasting
>The only real option is music
>Hooking your phone up to the car via auxiliary port saves you battery life too
>Your practiced vocal chords sync up with the singing
>Years of driving and being alone has paid off since you're given extra incentive to sound good to impress
>Jacky's singing is still awkward, going between her natural tone and trying to sound more in tune though some of it sounds forced
>More miles go by as you two liven up the road with your killer tunes
"YOU CAN NOT KILL ME!"
>"I am Omeeeeega!"
"YOU CAN NOT KILL ME!"
>"I am Subhuuumaaaan!"
"YOU CAN NOT KILL ME!"
>"I cannot erupt!"
"I AM OMEGA!"
>"I must control!"
>YOU CAN NOT KILL ME!"
>"I cannot erupt!"
"I MUST EXP͠LOOO̵ƠO͡OO͝OD͝È!"
>The longer the drive goes on, the more brutal the music becomes
>Her headbanging and thrashing has made a mess of her mane
>She looks angry, snarling like you've never seen before
>You're more surprised at how well she can keep up
>When that ends, she leans back into her seat, huffing
>You take a swipe at your water bottle and take a quick chug
>Both of you are smiling
>You continue to point out songs to sing to, going from positive, happy ska made by a five man band of superheroes, to songs meant to be played while fighting demons, to even a few tunes that only a cyborg ninja would hear while fighting against the power of magnets
>It's a good way to make the drive seem that much shorter
>It's also a good way to de-stress and get all of that excess energy out
>After changing to a more lax tune befitting a glamorous cityscape at night with a definite early 90s vibe, you couldn't help but notice that Jack dozed off
>Still sitting in her seat as usual, but her head lolled to the side
>This was a good idea
>Not just to go out and really do this, but to go the music route instead of any discussions or talking or worrying
>Sometimes you gotta just go for it from a different angle
>You check your phone
>Technically illegal to do but you're alone on the road
>Another half hour
>You remember when driving in the city was enough to make you panic
>It still worries you but you've become so used to it all that it's more relaxing than anything else
>Still would've preferred to show Jacky a more colorful, appealing world than a frozen wasteland but spring isn't so far away
>You swap to a new song
>A really neat, unique song that's really just another remix of an old 80s song to the point that it sounds unique and innovative
>It's not someone slowing down some music and calling themselves an artist at least
>...
>You finally reach your destination
>A rather unassuming building that looks to be as big as a warehouse
>It isn't rundown or anything
>But it looks almost abandoned
>But there is a sign on the front office
>"Hasbró" with each letter being a different color
>Hard to ignore that brand name when it seems the same but that goofy accent mark
>You park outside of the front office
>Outside of one other car it's all empty
>It seems spooky, you can't lie
>You wordlessly shake Jacky's shoulder
>She snorts and her head bolts upright
>"I'm up, I'm uuuu....uuup. Where are we?"
>She yawned in the middle
"We're here."
>Your eyes are stuck on that brand and the door
>It's a glass door with windows all over the place so it's not like it's some concrete prison
>It looks... as normal as you'd expect it to look
>You both get out of the car, stretching after the time spent just sitting in one place
>Only then do you realize
"Ah shit, did I bring the collar or did you have it?"
>"The what? Oh! No, I forgot about it."
>Nice
>Well, what's the worst that could happen? It's not like it's completely required or something
>"We're finally here, huh..."
"Yup... let's go."
>You lead while she's a few steps behind you
>You go through the front door and it has a bell tone like something out of Animal Crossing
>"Ja, just a minute!"
>A male's voice
"Yeah, uh... alright, no problem. You've been getting my emails, right?"
>You couldn't exactly tell the voice that it was your pony authoring them
>Jacky keeps quiet, subtly hiding behind you
>Until you both hear something resembling clopping
>"Ja, guten tag!"
>A bulky looking blonde pony steps into the room
>Not really bigger than Jacky but certainly heavier with more visible muscle
>A really hard looking chin too
>"I am Hanzel, I am glad to help wi--ach mein gott."
>His eyes focus keenly on Jacky
>She... doesn't know what to do
>She doesn't even move
>You've never seen that expression on her face before
>"You've already got a friend! Wunderbar! We thought those questions were a little too detailed for you to know nothing! Sneaky sneaky..."
>He seems completely affable
>Finally Jacky speaks up
>"...do you like having that accent?"
>She sounds normal
>Hanzel looks visibly caught off guard
>He gives a bit of an awkward laugh, his accent slipping
>"Ja, well... I am on the clock..."
>A woman's voice rings out
>"Hanzel, is that our customer?"
>Hanzel gives you and Jacky a glance before licking his lips and refocusing
>"J-ja, I think you should answer his questions!"
>"Well alright, give me a second!"
>Hanzel gives you an awkward smile
>You're still really not sure how to respond to any of this
>"I am sorry, I'm still... er, in training."
>Jacky seems to mirror your mindset
>Neither of you are sure of what the hell
>A sleepy looking woman walks in from the direction Hanzel came out of
>She's in mid-yawn when she sees you
>"Oh, it's you! Mr. Jack, right?"
>You can tell she looks you over, and notices Jacky
>This surprises her as well
>"Oh... you told me you didn't have one yet."
>You remember the contents of the emails
>This probably did seem a bit suspicious
"Yeah... about that, I gotta ask some things. Or rather--"
>"Where is she?!"
>Still hiding behind you, Jacky lets out a scream aimed at the woman
>She and her muscled pony are surprised at the outburst
>"I'm sorry... what?"
>The woman doesn't look all that malicious either
>Just a little slow on the uptake
>It is still technically early in the day you suppose
"Listen... you got a place we can start over on? I think we should start from scratch."
>"Ja, of course sir. Zat is fine, yes?"
>He looks up at the woman
>She nods
>"Yeah, sure, of course."
>You lean down and pat Jacky's head
"It's alright, let's just start from the top"
>You follow the duo into a conference room
>You notice the Hanz guy doesn't have a cutie mark on him either
>Jacky had a sticker that came off, was probably the same for him or something
>The four of you settle in at a table
>You help lift Jacky into a chair near you while Hanzel nearly falls over from launching himself into a chair
>"So... what can we help you with?"
>The woman extends a hand to you to start everything off
"Alright... so, I'm Anon. This is Jacky. A few months ago I got her and... I suppose at this point we just have questions about her, and her friends."
>Jacky looks like she's a mix of angry and on the verge of tears
>It makes sense, given this is her first real confrontation with anyone
>No amount of goofing around or psyching up can ever prepare you for a situation that's in your face
>You know this all too well
>Probably why you're able to stay so calm about it
"To begin with... we would like to know where she's from. Who her parents are. Secondly, you said that you had a pony named Sparks or something like that."
>"She's MY friend!"
>Jacky barks
>Her voice quivers, like she's trying to stop herself from crying
"Yes... sorry the emails were a little off but I guess... neither of us knew what to expect. All of this really is kinda out there, you know?"
>The woman, while a little shocked looking, nods
>"Yeah, I totally get you. I was looking around and yeah. Reddish unicorn, right? Hanz, would you mind if...?"
>Hanzel, in all of his magnificent bulk, looks like he's a complete empath
>He's teary-eyed, but maintains a straight face
>"Ja... do not worry, Jacky. It will be fine. You too, Anon."
>He looks down at the floor and... tries to move off
>The wheels under the chair are far too eager to glide and he almost falls flat on his face to get off
>"Ach!"
>He glares at the chair before stomping off
>You can hear him muttering under his breath without that German accent about 'bucking wheels' and 'chairs'
>Now there are only three
"So, miss..."
>"Nona."
"Miss Nona. What's the deal with these ponies? Where are they from?"
>You tug Jacky's chair over and wrap your arm around her to give her a slight hug
>She looks at you with surprise for a bit but them calms down
"It's been a few months and she's... kinda the best friend I could have. She eats and drinks and sleeps like normal but, obviously, this isn't your normal pony right?"
>Nona nods
>"That's right! To be honest, I'm not really sure, myself... but I love it all the same! Hanzel and I have been together for over a year now and I've... just not figured out anything. They're just like you and me. I started working for the company partially because I wanted to learn more."
>She gives you a smile
>A bit of a sad smile
>"Partially because he told me what it was like too..."
>She focuses her eyes on Jacky
>You can feel her flinch, her muscles retracting and flexing
>"I know you really weren't happy with how things were... it broke my heart when Hanzel told me about how it was. I had to find out about him, like your Anon does for you. I'm afraid I don't have any answers for you that you two might not have already found out."
"Well... what can you tell us? You have to know something since you're working for them, right?"
>'Them' being whoever could be behind all of this
>"Well, I do know that something in the box can put them into a sort of stasis. Kinda like those sleeping pods in Alien? You don't need to eat or drink nearly as much in those. I don't know how it happens but it does. I keep a close eye on the ponies here and they're just... there. You could never guess that they'd be real and like anyone else."
>She folds her arms and puts her head on the desk
>Not the most professional but it's not like you were anyone of particular importance
>"But... you force Hanzel to pretend to be someone he ain't!"
>Jacky calls out, scrunching her face in an attempt to control her words
>Nona laughs a slow, casual laugh
>"Hanzel pretending, or being forced? You couldn't force that buck into anything! Did you know that he kicked in my refrigerator door? He got so frustrated when I was out that he couldn't get his lunch out that he just-bam-kicked it in."
>You glare at Jacky out of the corner of your eye with a side smirk
"Imagine that..."
>Nona shrugs
>"Hanzel is a bit of a showman. He found out that a lot of his memories were faked and that he'd slip out into Russian or Polish accents, on top of the German and... I guess it's just his way of having an identity. Nothing has really changed for him or I for him to stick with that. But he enjoys defining himself. And I think it's cute too. That's kinda all you can do, right?"
>You nod
>Jacky seems to get it too
>But you can tell that she still isn't in the best mindset
"Jacky was the same. Even after that first day, I was glad that she was who she was. I saw the masks slip off and... well, Jacky's Jacky. There's no one else out there like her, and I wouldn't want it any other way."
>Jacky hangs her head, averting your gaze
>You laugh and tighten your hug on her for a second before releasing
>"Aw, she's embarrassed!"
>Jacky mumbles something as her only response
"So... about Sparks. I guess... do you guys take credit card or..."
>It sounds awkward as hell to ask something like that, but you know it has to come up sooner or later
>Jacky looks up at you, then at Nona, surprised
>Nona gives you a wink and a smile
>"Whaaaaat, why would you do that? You aren't buying anything, it's just customer support. Besides, you're just here so you can take your friend home."
>She nods to Jacky
>"Right?"
>Jacky tries to speak but can't
>She settles on a nod
>"Well then alrighty! We're not going to play that sort of game here. You have friends so that's what matters. I'd never forgive myself if I didn't let old friends reunite."
>She tries to make herself chuckle
>It's very much forced
>"Hanzel doesn't know anybody or recognize anything... almost like he was supposed to be some one-note background pony. He isn't the type to be jealous but I know that he really would have liked it if he saw anypony he knew. It's not just his muscles that are strong, right?"
>The room falls silent
>This is so unlike anything you thought would happen
>Jacky looks... as she did before
>Torn
>As much as you discussed it being some sort of risky venture, it seemed like such an anti-climax
>There were no answers to her origin
>There were no answers to her heritage
>There were no answers to her
>Except the one you built up together with her
>That bitter taste of reality must have hit in full force
>You hear a male practicing certain phrases and words
>Hanzel enters the room again, giving a wide smile
>"We have found the right pony! She is in her box out front. Now will that be cash or cred--"
>Nona gives him a loud shush that went clear across the room
>Hanzel looks at the woman with a furrowed brow and a complex expression
>Like he's trying to figure out how magnets work
>"Anon and Jacky are taking their friend home. That has nothing to do with our company.... right?"
>Hanzel takes a few seconds to get it through his head
>When he does he nods and tries his best to smile
>"Oh, ja! Of course, it is important to be with friends!"
>He looks at Jacky, then at you
>"I hope we can be good friends! I am excited to see someone like Nona, and extremely pleased to see that Jacky is doing well! A little scared but all hawks begin as chicks!"
>He lets out a boisterous laugh at his own joke, walking back to Nona's side of the desk
>He looks like he's going to jump back onto the chair... but mumbles some curse and decides to get onto his hind legs, his front hooves resting on the edge of the table
>"So, what did I miss?"
>He seems happy to be included
>You shrug
"Nothing, Nona was just telling me how you needed a cuddle toy to sleep."
>A joke
>But Hanzel looks absolutely stunned
>He looks at Nona
>Then at Jacky
>Then at you
>"T-that's silly! I would never require a miniature panda doll to sleep... ha ha ha!"
>Nona averts her eyes, blushing
>Jacky snickers from the stuff going on
>Hanzel picks up on that
>"Oh come on, you know how important a panda doll would be! If you needed one to sleep!"
>Jacky shakes her head, picking up on the tone of the room
>"Nope... can't say that I have..."
>The powerful stallion slumps his face down
>"This is a witch hunt..."
>You pat the table, surprised
"Wait... you have a panda doll?"
>Hanzel tries to give an excuse but every attempt dies in his throat
>He shrugs, putting on his toughest face
>"I merely admire the Kung Fu Panda and the combat prowess he holds..."

>Everything seems to be a whole lot better than you or Jacky could've ever imagined
>Nona and Hanz seem pretty cool, all things considered
>The conversation is a little awkward about the ponies' backgrounds, but it doesn't seem to matter a whole lot either
>Hanz seems like a cool guy to you
>You can't put a finger on their dynamic but it does seem like a sneaky way to get double the money for one job
>You'd actually enjoy working in some sort of semi-abandoned building, yourself
>Imagine all of the games you could play
"So, do you have any... advice? Where can we find out more? You have a direct line to people, surely."
>Nona shrugged
>"I come in and handle calls and... visitors like yourself. And I get paid. I don't want to push things too much for myself, you know?"
>Visitors like yourself?
>Has anyone else been here?
"Visitors like myself?"
>Jacky glances at you when you ask that
>Hanz nods, pushing himself up to help remind everyone that he's a part of the conversation
>"Ja! You're out first one! This is a very... uncommon thing that we have. Jacky and I are very rare, very valuable."
>He nods to himself
>Jacky sees this and nods as well, nudging your arm with her hoof
>As if you didn't already value her to such an extent
"I suppose I can see that, sure... so do you really not mind us leaving with Sparks?"
>You still don't particularly believe it
>Hanz defers to Nona
>She nods, giving you an animated thumbs up
>"Of course! Think about it this way... Jacky is an amazing girl, and she looks really happy when she looks at you. On top of that, she's from a different type of series. It's only fair that she has her friends with her, you know?"
>Hanz clears his throat
>Nona turns in her chair and wraps her arms around him
>"And Hanzilla here is one of a kind!"
>You get the feeling that you and Nona are more alike than you initially thought
"Well, I gotta...say thanks for that. We both appreciate it. It's a lot for me to be able to help Jacky out like this."
>"Yeah... yeah. I don't know how to thank you for this. I really don't have a clue how I could make it up to you. I don't remember hardly anything concrete... but Sparks... Dashie. They're all I remember and all that I know have to be real."
>Nona's eyebrow went up
>"Dashie?"
>"Yeah. Me, Sparks, Dashie... triple threat trio."
>Jacky chuckles to herself
>"We really weren't the Mane Six at all."
>Hanz clops a hoof down on the table
>"You were like ze Cutie Mark Crusaders, ja!? I love Scootaloo!"
>You instinctively laugh at his outburst
>Jacky's a bit taken aback by well
>Trying to maintain a straight face, she nods
>"Now that you think about it... kinda?"
>The musclehead pushes his hoof into Nona's shoulder, pushing her a fair few inches
>"We have to find out where this Dashie is! We do not have her already, do we?"
>Nona grabs the edge of the table, dragging herself back into place
>"No, not that I know of... but then again, we didn't really check that much either. When you mentioned Sparks and went into such detail, it was easy to settle. Otherwise... I really don't know."
>Jacky deflates a little
>"Oh... yeah, that makes sense. But, you know, she is out there. I'm sure of it."
>Hanz nods
>You didn't really notice before but his mane is cut almost to be like a mullet, where it's cut short on top
>"Everyone we are meant to meet is out there. It is only a matter of time before this Dashie can crashie into your life."
>All three of you watch him
>He seems proud of himself
>"That's right, I write my own material too. You may praise my creativity."
>Nona pats his head
"Well... mind if we go see her then? I mean, she won't be awake I take it?"
>Nona gets up, clapping her hands together
>"Of course! We can help her into your car too if you wish?"
>"Ja, let us impress you further!"
>You look at Jacky and shrug
"Ready to go?"
>She nods
>"Yeah, let's go home!"
>You stand up while she awkwardly jumps out of the office chair
>Following Hanz and Nona, you end up at the front of the building again
>Your car is still in sight
>Nothing seems out of the ordinary
>Except the large box that's tilted against the wall
>"Sparks! Sparky! It really is you!"
>Jacky dashes up to the box
>Sure enough, a thin plastic layer is all that separates the two friends
>She looks pretty familiar too
>Twilight Sparkle, except she's all one single color
>That bright pink, almost red color that's from the streak in her hair
>Her eyes are closed but you can tell that she's smiling
>You don't recall Jacky smiling when you got her
>Hanz nudges your leg with his head
>"Between you and me... I would invest in shatter proof kitchenware, ja?
>It isn't exactly a whisper but it is something that no one else notices
>"Look, she twitched! She can hear me! Sparky, it's me! It's going to be ok, there's so much cool stuff! You gotta meet Anon, he's the greatest, and Blondie! And Tuco too! And, and movies! And 47! You gotta..."
>Jacky finally calms down, looking around
>Embarrassed, she stammers over an attempt to explain herself
>"W-what are you looking at? You'd do the same if you hadn't seen a friend in forever!"
>You shrug and clear your throat
"Hanzelman, wanna get the door and I'll grab Sparks?"
>"Jawohl, Herr Anon! Let us show these ladies how to do it!"
>With gusto, he... pushes the door open with the side of his face
>It really isn't the heaviest door in the world
>But you can't help but feel invigorated by his moxie
>You squat down and lift up the pony containing box
>It isn't all that heavy either
>You don't really see any accessories around her
>After a step, you see a loose booklet sliding around that has her cutie mark
>What you presume is her cutie mark, anyway
>A set of fireworks that looks pretty similar to Twilight's nebulous star mark
"Hey there, firefly. Jacky's gonna be happy to hang out with you again. Let's be careful about that horn of yours, huh?"
>The horn itself is purple, which is odd since everything else is that pink-red color
>With a clear way, you step out into the chilly, fresh air
>You set Sparks on the top of your trunk and unlock your doors
>You fit her into the back, sitting up
>Just for good measure you wrap the seatbelt around the box
"There we go... better safe than sorry, right? You'll be pretty impressed with how things are. We'll fix you up something good to eat as well."
>You hear Jacky running up to you
>She looks as happy as can be
>"Can we go? I wanna head back so we can get her out of there!"
>Hanz and Nona are outside as well, but they aren't more than an arm's length away from the door
>Hanz gives you a bold salute while Nona waves
>"Come back later, alright! We'll email you if we ever find out about that Dashie friend of yours!"
>You give one last wave before settling into the car
>You tap at your phone, figuring out a route back home
>Jacky's visibly antsy, looking behind her to the unicorn
>"Anon, we gotta watch movies with her? Do you think she'd like them?"
"Psh, yeah, of course. How else will she get how derpy you've become?"
>Jacky sputters
>"As if! I've become far more well-rounded since then. Remember when Angel Eyes scared me?"
"Yeah, like it was yesterday."
>"Y-yeah, well, that was old Jackie! New Jackie would buck him off a water tower without blinking!"
"Yeah huh... that's if his glare didn't cause you to drop horse apples on the spot."
>"Now listen here, I'll have you know that...!"
>The drive back home is far, far quicker than the drive away
>You keep talking back and forth without pause, occasionally asking Sparks rhetorical questions
>When you look back to her, you see that the smile is still there
>Hopefully she's able to hear everything going on
>Things are gonna get a lot more lively moving forward

>You turn your car into the underground garage, glad to finally be home
>Jackly loudly yawns with a musical flourish
>"I wanna go back one day."
"Yeah? When?"
>"Iunno. But... not for at least a few weeks, ok? Even if that place doesn't look that bad... I don't know. Nona is nice but I don't know if I believe her all the way."
"What, still think she's hiding something or isn't fully legit?"
>You pull into your spot
>Thankfully no one else around so they won't see you and your pony bringing in a second pony
>"I think she wasn't happy to see us."
"So what about Han Solo? He seems like a cool guy."
>You get out and Jacky bounds over to your seat and onto the concrete
>"Pshh yeah, guy could probably bench press your car."
"Or half the apartment complex."
>"Ja, und he sounds like zis!"
>Jacky pulls off an almost spot on German accent
>You scoff and clear your throat, opening the back door
"Ja, das boof pony. He wants to PUMP"
>You clap and point at Jack
"YOU UP!"
>She looks at you with a blank expression
>You shrug after maintaining a pose
"Over your head, huh?"
>She purses her lips and nods
"Alright, fair enough."
>You reach in and grab the pony-inna-box
"So... what did you expect over there?"
>You bump your door with your hip and start your way to the elevator
>Jacky trots beside you
>"I don't know... I mean, I knew we weren't going to have to fight demons or break spells or have to assassinate a target and then botch it at the last second because SOMEONE WOULD TRY TO GET FANCY..."
>You shoot her a dirty look
>She beams at you as if she were the most innocent creature on earth
>"But... I was afraid. I can't tell you how frightened I was when we were going to that office room."
"You think we'd both end up in a box?"
>"I think I was going to be boxed and you were going to be shot."
>You laugh and nudge the corner of the box into the elevator button
>She isn't laughing
"...you really think that would happen?"
>"Is it that hard to think that it wouldn't happen?"
>You don't answer
>You didn't really want to consider that open, realistically, but you just didn't get any bad vibes from either of them
>Maybe that Nona chick was a little too ok with just giving you Sparks
>But Han just seemed cool
>You could tell he wasn't around other guys that often
>Given his lack of hands he might not be the best spotter at a weight rack
>Once the elevator door slides open, you both step in
>You nudge the box into the right button
"So... where's she gonna sleep?"
>"With us, obviously. We only got the one bed, right?"
"Yeah..."
>"Think she'll mind us?"
>You chortle with a loud "ho!"
"She's your friend! What would she do if she ever saw you cuddle up to a guy and then some?"
>Jacky gives an awkward laugh
>"I... don't know. I never met a guy I liked all that much to matter. They were kinda just... like NPCs in a game from what I recall?"
>The elevator dings and stops at your floor
>She leads the way, looking back to make sure you don't ding Sparks against anything
>"You're the first one I've felt something before. Sleeping with you felt like sharing a bed with a friend."
"The alcohol helped, right?"
>"Psh, obviously! A guy like you that can drink with a pony and get all mopey and emotional?"
>You can't see her face but her tone falters
>"I knew how you felt... and I just really wanted a friend too."
"And now we have each other."
>You're pretty bold to say that in the hallway down to your apartment
>Someone could've heard but you didn't particularly care
>Jacky picks up her pace, trotting into almost a skip
>"Sure do! And I'd buck that Nona nerd into next week if she tried to change it!"
>She really did not like human women that well, did she
>You stop at your door at the end of the hallway and gently lower Sparks onto the floor
>You unlock and open the door
>Jacky waits, watching the Sparks-in-a-box
>She looks excited
>And maybe a bit apprehensive
>What's there to worry about, anyway?
>You hold the box by the top corners and waddle in, taking care to not bang your knees into her
>You move to the living room and hear Jack nudge the door closed
>At least she didn't kick it
>You set the box down and sit in front of it
>"Hey, no opening!"
>She rushes to your side, watching your hands
"...so are we just gonna watch?"
>She mumbles something
"Come again?"
>"What if... we open it wrong?"
"How could we possibly open a box wrong?"
>"It could happen. She could come out wrong..."
"Yeah, she'll come out like you."
>"Wha-you like the way I came!"
"Yeah I do."
>You smile at her
>She tries to act annoyed or shocked but she gives you a sheepish smile
>"...You always gotta get the last word in and say things..."
>You tilt your head and nod
>It was true
>"...alright, set her down and open the top. We can slide her out and then she'll wake up. I think."
"Roger roger."
>You set the box down and rotate it so the top is facing you
>You tug away the tape from the flap and open it
>Jacky moves forward and bites the corner of the box
>You tug on the cardboard card that's under the unicorn and pull her free
>Sure enough, the only item she has with her is a booklet
>Jacky came with a variety of hats... why only the book?
>Without thinking you reach for it
>Sparks' eye opens
>It's bright red, far more intense than the near monochrome hot pink body and mane
>"Hands off y'bloody nonce."
>A thick Cockney accent
>You can't help but jerk your hand back with a surprised "GAH!"
>Her head darts up, as if her body hasn't completely woken up yet
>She looks around, not looking behind her to see Jacky
>"Oi, where is that little tart Jacky? You done anything bad to 'er and I'll make your innards yer outtards!"
>Jacky looks at you with a look of shock
>You return her look and shrug
>She jumps up, and onto, Sparks with a squee
>"Sparky! It really is you! I knew I'd find you again!"
>The sudden hug causes Sparks to give a short, panicked screech
>Until she notices that it's indeed Jacky on her back
>She calms down
>But only a bit
>"YOU CHEEKY SWINE, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING GET OFFA ME BEFORE I BLAST YOU, YOU..."
>She exhales
>Almost as if that did the trick, she stumbles to her hooves
>Jacky drags herself to end up behind Sparks, front legs still wrapped over her
>The hot pink unicorn looks around, expecting... something
>She looks at you
>"So... who are you supposed to be?"
>You feel like you're flat-footed
"Iiiii.... I'm Jacky's..."
>"Sparks, Anon's my stallion! My man! My guy! My butt buddy!"
>Wait
>Your her what
>Sparks gives you a twisted, disdainful glare
>"Ew, him!? Where's even his tail! Where's his horn!"
>You give Jacky a hard glare, clearing your throat
>You want to give her a chance to explain things before you go and say something you would say
>"Don't ask about his horn, he's sensitive."
"Jacky!"
>Jacky gives you a mischievous grin
>It's the first time you've seen her give something quite like that unique smile
>"He's very special to me, Sparky. He bought me a hat, he broke me out from that box prison..."
>Her energy peters off, her tone turning more somber
>"He was there for me when I didn't know where you or Dashie were. He's the best type of guy I could ever have asked for. And, because of him, we get to hang out again! You don't know how long I've been scared about what was going to happen to us."
>Sparks looks you over again with a newfound rubric for appraisal
>She seems a bit impressed
>Jacky tightens her hug, effectively putting Sparks in a choking headlock for a good few seconds
>"Now apologize!"
>You really aren't sure how to react to any of this
>They're going at it like cats but you can't really help but think that's normal
>Sparks gargles out something, unable to speak
>The both fall and roll over each other
>In a flurry of pink and yellow, Sparks ends up on top
>She has one of Jacky's hind legs in some sort of leg lock
>"Ye numpty tosser, did you forget who you're up against?!"
>Jacky cries out with an actual whinny
>The two end up rolling over each other again
>The two end up on the opposite situation, with Jacky on top
>She has another headlock, and is giving Sparks repeated short, low-power headbutts to the side of her face
>They're both pretty agile
>It's almost like watching a live-action cartoon or something
>"Apologize! Your stupid pink hide would be stretched out in a hunter's trophy room if it weren't for him!"
>Sparks gargles out something that sounds like 'crab apple gibbon'
>Jacky lets go
>She happily trots over to you, grinning
>"And you thought you always won because you got something called 'skill'..."
>You blink a few times, unable to fully believe everything that you just saw
"That... you got some fine moves. That was a real, bonafide Jack Attack".
>Jacky bows as if she were giving a performance
>Though Sparks got up, giving her backside an evil glare
>Her eyes actually start to glow
>Oh shit
>You quickly grab hold of Jacky, scooping her up
"Hey, turn that spooky looking shit down!"
>You know she's Jacky's friend but you aren't her friend
>Not yet, anyway
>You aren't going to let anything escalate to a dangerous level
>Sparks changes her target to you
>She growls and points her horn at you
>Jacky doesn't have time to say anything
>"BURN, THE BOTH OF YOU!"
>Her eyes turn bloodshot
>The glow they have is enough to make your skin crawl
>This is it
>Your animal instinct says you're fucked
>Sparks growls and... her eyes immediately go back to normal
>. . . . .
". . . . ."
>". . . . ."
>All three of you stay in place, like time froze
"...what in the fuck was that."
>Jacky bursts out laughing, pointing at Sparks
>"You dummy! Magic isn't real in the real world! Ha ha ha, look at how angry you were! And you even lost on top of it!"
>Sparks grumbles, almost as if she expected this outcome
>"Fine... you're an alright lad, Aaron. Thanks for letting me out of that hell in a cardboard cell."
"That's Anon."
>"Yeah I know."
>Sparks looks over the room, sighing
>"...do you know why I don't remember anything?"
"I don't, no. Jacky had the same... situation as you. But she sure remembered you, and you sure as shit remember her."
>Jacky nuzzles up to you, quite taken with how you protected her from the fizzled spell
>"...why does Jacky sound different from the Jacky I know?"
>The pony in your arms squirms her way out of your arms, opting to sit in front of you
>"Y'mean like this, aye? Or do you mean... like zis?"
>She goes from her Irish accent to French
>"I found out that I was kinda... I don't know. No one's watching us. We're in the real world now and we're kinda... just stuck here. So I guess I felt like I had to stop pretending. Anon really is great, he doesn't mind if you aren't... a character. You're you. And you're my friend. At least, we both remember being friends. We can be friends again, right? I promise you that you would like it."
>All of that seems to his Sparks in the gut
>She glares at both of you, moving her attention from you to Jacky and back
>She lets out another growl
>But her eyes start to water up
>"I don't get what you mean... only I'm me! I'm not some character! I'm Sparking Shine and I'm the best there is at what I do!"
>Her voice falters
>She starts to lose her accent
>"The last time we spoke, we were... I-I don't recall but don't tell me that I'm some pretender! I'll burn brighter than either of you and I'll prove that..."
>Her legs go out and she ends up dropping onto her stomach
>"I'll prove that..."
>She whimpers and starts a mournful wail
>"Mom... moooooooom... don't tell me..."
>You scoot over to her side, Jacky staying closer to you than her
>You hesitantly rest your hand on her head
"It's alright... Jacky's here. I'm here. Your friends are here."
>This only makes Sparks bawl louder
>After everything wound down, you find yourself in the kitchen
>You set out a little pillow and blanket bunker and the two of them end up surrounded by comfort
>Leaning away from the oven, you see the two of them laying right next to each other with each claiming her own pillow
>You really don't know how to act with this, so you don't
>This has got to be a huge thing for Jacky, and you really aren't one to stop people from having fun
>You're glad to see all of the horseplay
>And that little book is still undefended
>You return to the oven
>You made it out that you were going to make them both a big lunch but all it really amounts to is putting a kettle on and finding the right packets
>Apple cinnamon for Jacky
>Blueberry for Sparks?
>You haven't a clue what she'd like but maybe it'll work
>You've more or less been fiddling with your phone while you've put the kettle on a light simmer
>You don't really want to wake them up but you don't want to just go to your room and blow them off either
>Eventually you hear the faintest of whistle from the kettle and immediately take it off
>Picking the two widest containers you have, you empty the packets into their respective bowls and add the water
>You've always preferred chunky and it'll be easier for them to eat too
>After mixing them into delicious clumps of fiber, return to their fronts and set the bowls down
"Hey Jack. Spark. Y'guys hungry?"
>Jacky stirs first, a warm smile on her face
>"Mm? Yeah, yeah I am slept well."
>She frowns and shakes her head
>"I, uh, yeah. I am hungry, and I slept well."
>She looks at Spark, who's still sleeping
>She rears her head to headbutt her but I shake my head
>"Let her sleep. When she's hungry, she can eat."
>Jacky shrugs and dips her head into her bowl to eat
>You nudge the bowl closer to Spark's face
>You're tempted to eat it for yourself, but you don't want her to think anything bad
>Though the floor isn't all that comfy, you lay on the floor and put your head on Jacky's side of the bunker
"Glad she's back?"
>She loudly gulps and nods
>"Well of course."
"...think she can use magic?"
>No answer, just more eating
>Maybe it's a silly question to ask, but you can't help but wonder what if
>Her eyes didn't glow and light up out of nowhere
>After a few more audible gulps, you feel a large head land on yours
>"She's kinda angry, ain't she?"
"Seriously."
>"She's just like I remember..."
"Yeah... but you're different."
>"Because you've changed me."
"You're welcome."
>Jacky giggles
>"It was kinda scary, at the beginning... but it will be easier for her. She has us. And when we find Dashie, we'll all be together again."
"Will the bed really fit us all?"
>"Well if you have that other room, right?"
"Sure."
>"We can help get it all set up for her."
"That's fair."
>"Mmhmm."
>Jacky's head nuzzles against yours
>Her mane spills over your face, blocking your sight
"Hey Jack."
>"Mmhmm?"
"You think she likes movies?"

>It's been a day or two since Sparks graced your home
>She's been bickering with Jacky, and Jacky's been bickering with her over smaller things
>What music to listen to, what movies to watch, what to have for dinner and she doesn't seem nearly as happy as Jacky when you come home
>Honestly you like how lively it is
>The way they argue and fight over the smallest things remind you of how things were when you were younger
>"Let's go back to watching the other show!"
>"What, why?"
>"The guy could snap his hands and make fire! I used to be able to do that when I was focused!"
>"You ain't never done that!"
>"Yes I did!"
>"You ain't even got fingers, how the heck would you do that!"
>"Shut up before I cook you!"
>"You couldn't boil an egg if your horn depended on it!"
>They're at it again as you walk through the door
>"Anon, tell this nerd that alchemy is fake!"
>"It isn't! I've done it!"
>Slipping off your boots, you toss your coat over your door's corner and judge them with the height of a higher being
>One with superior taste
"Bounty hunters in space are obviously cooler than crippled alchemists"
>Jacky, laying on her side, guffaws
>"See, I told ya!"
>Sparks is sitting right next to the relaxed yellow pony, like a cat
>"Both of you suck..."
>She grumbles
>After her crying, she warmed up to the place
>From what you could ask from Jack in private, she used to be pretty close to her mom
>Idolized even, since she was the real deal when it came to magic
>You both agreed to wait before showing her the FiM episodes, on account of it being a little... much
>You practically fall onto the bed, both of the girls staring at Jack's laptop
>Evidently they're in the middle of watching anime but neither of them are so focused that they can't bicker in the middle of it
"How many episodes are you in?"
>"Well the first ones were boring so we skipped ahead."
>Sparks speaks up first
>She kinda looks like Twilight
>She sounds exactly like her, as Jacky sounds like Applejack
>Or rather, they just sound like their voice actresses
>But it's a bit harsher, like she has a bit of a chip on her shoulder about something
>"She seriously doesn't get the importance of narrative of theming..."
>The thespian once known as Jacky mutters to you, having always been disdainful of skipping ahead in things
>Or skipping cutscenes in any game
>It seems like they're watching an action-oriented episode
>The slightly messier cut of Spark's mane is plain to see, but it more looks like it's the result of rough housing with no after-action brush
>Jacky's has always looked more wild so nothing looks new
>It is a lot longer though
>You want to zone into the anime but you can't help but keep your attention on the two ponies on your bed
>Having Jacky was one thing, but with Sparks included?
>More so, hearing them talk back and forth like this?
>It kinda does your head in
>Sparks notices and looks at you with an eyebrow crooked
>"You staring at my horn?"
>You shrug
"Just getting used to you. You remind me of someone, and you even look pretty familiar. How do you like here compared to where you were before?"
>Sparks shifts herself to face Jacky, with you on one side and the laptop on the other
>For all of the rough housing and noise, she seems intent on sitting properly
>"My mom had a really awesome place... far bigger than here. But it's not like it's a dump."
"Thanks, I wanted to impress a unicorn with my impetuous style."
>"And his impregnable defenses."
>Jacky snickers with her comment
>"Well I'll give it a pass this time. I guess I'm not used to all of this techie stuff you got either. If I could just... focus, I could use all of those buttons far easier."
>Sparks grins
>"Watching Jacky fumble around with those clunky hooves was enough to give me a hernia."
>"You don't even know what a hernia is... and shut up anyway! As if you know what to look for..."
>Jacky lazily lifts up a leg to kick into Spark's general direction but it falls too quickly
"So... if you can get yourself to learn magic, what would you want to do about it?"
>Looking over the two, it's a bit obvious to you now just how scrawny Sparks looks
>Or maybe Jack is just more muscular
>In a raw fight or feat of strength, you know who you'd bet on
>"Well... I'd wanna find mom, obviously. And I guess I'd find a good place and zap me up a home."
"And then what?"
>"What do you mean, 'and then what'?"
>"He means, what are you gonna do with your life? We're not in our own world, Sparky. Humans like Anon are the ones who run the show, and they're kinda... like our alien overlords. And I, for one, welcome that."
>Sparks pretends to gag with a knowing expression on her face
>"Yeah, you really bend over for him don't you... I see how you guys sleep."
>You feel your face get warm while Jack looks back at you with a smile
>"That's right, you do. And I'm quite alright with that."
>Though you and Jacky have your own method, Spark's decided her default spot should be the corner section of your bed, opposite to your head
>You aren't against it, obviously, but you feel like she should have something more
>You've offered an extra pillow or blanket but she hasn't been interested
"She's right, you know. I really don't know how much you can get away with on your own. We don't have anything made to work with ponies. The laptop and all that... well, that's just Jacky's pure skill. Now if you can magic up some... er, magic, I'm sure you can be pretty brutal when it comes to typing or playing games. But there's no rush to that, you know?"
>You don't really want to shatter her hopes but for all you know, fuck it, maybe it is possible
>But if it is, you want an extinguisher handy
>"I guess... would it be a problem for you guys if I stay, anyway? I know I'm not part of your... thing. And I kinda don't want to be part of that sort of thing too."
>You can't help but feel a bit of disgust grow in your stomach
>It's something visceral, enough to make you frown
>Jacky looks more surprised by the implication
>"Excuse me, but why would I share Anon?"
"I mirror that sentiment, except with Jackenstein."
>Sparks just shrugged
>"Well, I don't want to cramp your guys' style. I just gotta stay here until I get my magic back, and then I can still visit and all that. I'll just also be able to get back to doing what I want to do."
"Sure... but you guys are friends, right? What's wrong with living with a friend?"
>Sparks shifts again, showing signs of obvious discomfort
>"That's asking a lot. She can sleep with you and make worth you keeping her around worth it."
>That further implication causes a special kind of caustic bile to rise in your throat
"Now you hold it, it ain't like that."
>Sparks exhales like she was holding back
>"Oh please, if it wasn't, then what possible reason could you have to have such weak things like us around?"
"Because... I wanted Jacky to be my friend. I still do want her to be my friend. She may be more than a mere friend, but that doesn't change how I feel about her. You're her friend, still, hopefully, and I want to be your friend too."
>Jacky gets up, only to shift and lay the opposite side
>With her head against you
"I don't know what all she told you, but living alone, on your own, away from your friends and family... it can take a toll on you. It can leave you feeling alienated from what you're used to. You find yourself questioning if you're even a part of your friends' lives anymore. Or if you even have friends anymore. Or if they've moved on. Or cut you out of the group. Or anything else."
>Sparks shifts again
>Some of what you've said has had an effect on her since she avoids eyecontact
"There is no... end goal here. I'm here. She's here. You're here. If we all hang together, I think we'll all be far happier."
>You still occasionally get small worries that Jacky may be interested in leaving
>Or worries that she may lose interest in you
>It has, after all, only been a few months and you've had worse happen after longer
>But you try to be more positive about it
>You've also had no reason to continue thinking that, outside of what you could admit is just irrational fear
"There isn't some scheme or ulterior motive or... whatever it is you implied. But due to Jacky's detective work, we found you. And we wanna find Dashie too."
>Sparks gives an exasperated sigh
>"Oh come on, that layabout? She's useless! I can at least use magic."
>"Alright, let's see a fireball Sparky."
>Jacky gives Sparks the worst smug face possible
>"Hey. Buck you."
>You couldn't help but snort at just how serious she sounded
"It's not about being useful. It's about... I guess being happy. Just something to chew on, yeah?"
>Though you don't get a reply, you do get a nod
>At this point, the anime episode had long since ended
>No one really seems all too keen on starting something up
"How about I look into some sort of vitamins or something you can take, yeah? If you need more reset your body or meditate more, I'd be pretty keen on seeing what you can do."
>Jacky looks at you
>"Really, Anon?"
>Sparks looks at you too, in disbelief
"Well sure. You got your skills, Jack. I wanna see what Sparkplug can do. If she can re-focus her magic and learn how to do more stuff, she'd be able to play games and that would be cool to see. The more you guys can do on your own, the less... I guess you feel helpless."
>Sparks scoffs
>"Or useless."
"That too."
>Jack nods
>"Yeah... I guess that makes sense. Ma may be all full of get-up-and-go, but... I kinda like being lazy, you know? A lot of stuff you got here is far beyond anything we've ever seen. I'd rather watch a movie of an adventure than go out on one... they're kinda scary."
"I'll second that."
>Though your biggest outing turned out well, there's still a bit of unease between you two when it comes to making sure no one just busts down the door and goes ham
>Sparks shakes her head
>"Well I'm not useless."
"We know, and right now you don't gotta do anything but get better. Spending time in that box must've--"
>Sparks growls
>"Don't talk about that. And get rid of that stupid thing, anyway. Don't you dare think about putting me back into it."
>You can feel Jacky press her head against you
>She had the same apprehension
"Tomorrow morning when I head off to work, I'll toss it and you'll never see it again, alright?"
>"Good."
>Talking with her feels awkward because you can't really be that friendly just yet, so banter is off the table
>You can't imagine what's in her head or how she's taking all of it either
>But hopefully tomorrow will be better
>You also gotta be more careful in the mornings if you can't tell if she is or isn't watching or listening...
>Saturday nights are always a comfy one
>You and Jacky had plans of getting into one of the comfiest games you recently bought
>It involves a whole lot of walking around with a few hundred pounds of random shit on your back
>With some other weird elements
>While you and Jacky enjoyed the experience, Sparks instead read from her little book
>You wanted to sneak a peak at it but whenever you got the urge, you felt something jolt up your spine
>Maybe it's best to not and say you didn't
>After a few hours of finding a bike and buzzing around, Jack's out cold
>A patented Jack Nap, going by how she went from laying on her stomach, to laying on her side and snoozing, to laying on her back and mumbling in her sleep with her legs splayed out
>She takes up a very big chunk of the bed up when she does this
>After a while of playing further, you realize you've run on empty for your water bottle
>Deciding that if the protagonist always has some energy drink on hand, you may as well refill too
>You ease out of the bed without disturbing the yellow pony and tiptoe across the multitude of wires that connect all of the controllers, laptops, and whatever else you have
>Once in the kitchen, you stretch and feel your shoulders pop
>Thinking about all of that weight on your back would be murderous
>Though it isn't all that far removed from what you used to do
>You still surprise yourself at times of what you've been able to do, though sometimes it has led to injuries
>You're surprised at a lot of what you've done with your life, looking back on it without giving yourself shit for the failures and half-assed successes
>"Thinking hard, aren't we?"
>You jump a little at the voice and look at the source
>It's Sparks
>She's mellowed out the last few days, since you've been giving her a lot of vitamins and those fish oil pills
>She basically looked online for things with Jacky's help and sent you out
"Yeah... I guess so. Would you believe I used to be a box jockey like Sam?"
>She snorts
>"That explains a lot, doesn't it?"
>You frown at her
"What, that I don't like a camera pointing at my crotch, no matter how funny it may always be?"
>"No, that you look like you're being held down by something heavy."
>You wanted to laugh but she wasn't exactly wrong
"Yeah well... you're perceptive, aren't you. How're those gummies and stuff working out for you?"
>You made fun of her for getting most of the vitamins in gummy form, but you also got some for yourself for kicks
>Even Jacky joined in, though it's not like she ever had any issues to call for them
>"Wanna see a neat trick?"
"Eh?"
>You don't look at her as you open the fridge, taking out your filtered pitcher and a bottle of cranberry juice
>"I know what you dreamed of last night."
>You laugh and nod
"Alright, you got me. That is a good one."
>"And when you first woke up, you were wondering why your dog was gone."
>That wasn't nearly as funny
>You pour the juice with practiced precision before setting it to the side
>You sigh
"You telling me you can read my mind now or something?"
>Sparks stares at you with focused pink, almost red eyes
>"I'm saying that I know things. Things Jack doesn't know about."
>Well that sounds ominous
>You fill the rest of your container with water and leave the juice and water on the counter
"Yeah... guess it's about time that I suppose I have a talk with you about some things, huh?"
>"I guess it is. Patio?"
"Sure."
>You take your container and go over to the wide set of double glass doors
>You shoveled and swept the snow off, but the seats are still a tiny bit less than ideal but it's not like your sweat pants are made for anything but lazy lounging
>You open them and step out into the chilly air and take a seat
>Sparks jumps what you have to step over and bounds onto a chair
"So... where do we start?"
>You close the screen door, more just to stop anything from coming in or going out
>As if anything was out there that could move around in all of that snow
>"When are you going to tell Jacky the truth?"
>You laugh
>A bit of a less than thrilled laugh
"About?"
>"That you don't have any intentions of moving back down south."
"Did I tell her that we were going down there?"
>"No, but she's talked to me a lot and she sees it as an adventure."
"Well yeah, I'd like to take a roadtrip with her one of these days to just see things. A lot of westerns have that feeling of freedom, you know? And I'd like to do that too."
>"When will you do it?"
"I don't know. Whenever I have the vacation timed up. Maybe plan it around a holiday so I can get an extra day. Is this what's got your horn tied up?"
>"What about your friends?"
>You shrug
"What about them?"
>"You were talking about going out with them and her, and doing all sorts of things. A lot of cider and games."
>It's kinda eerie how monotone she is
>Almost like she's testing you for something
"Y... yeah. Lot of good types of ciders. But alright, I am worried that they may not let me buy for a talking pony, and I know the arcade cabinets won't be big enough for her."
>Unphased by your answers, she keeps going
>"When's the last time you even spoke to your friends? They don't know anything about her."
"They don't know about a lot of things..."
>You feel your stomach drop but you're used to this feeling
>This feeling of your head floating, that staring ahead into the trees is just an illusion
>"How long has it been, Anon?"
>You glance at her and put up a lame smile
"So maybe it's been a few years. What's that between friends who've always been into that one-for-all shit?"
>Her blank expression doesn't do much to show you she's buying it
"Yeah, maybe it's been a long time. But I'm sure they're busy too."
>"Busier than you?"
"Well no, probably not. No."
>Neither of you speak for a bit
>The cold, fresh air is as bitter as the undertone in your words
>Sparks doesn't even seem to shiver
"...so has Jacky been looking forward to seeing the company I used to keep around?"
>"Very. She's been excited to be more social ever since I came here from what she told me. She was worried that you may end up as one of those types that work and sleep."
>You clear your throat
>For some reason it's that sentiment that makes a crack on your shell
"Yeah... well we all gotta sacrifice sometimes, right?"
>"Some more than others, evidently."
"Alright well... maybe I don't have the friends to introduce her to. But I can show her pictures."
>"You have pictures of your friends?"
"Well yeah, obviously. Not many since we didn't always have photo opportunities. But yeah, I got one."
>"Are you included in on it?"
"Of course not. When I don't want to feel alone, I don't go looking for my ugly mug. I want to see their faces."
>You clear your throat again
>You feel something slide down from your eye, to your nose, and drip off
"So... what, are you gonna grill me on that sort of thing? It's technically a personal matter you know. She has enough to worry about without that sort of thing."
>Sparks finally lets out a laugh
>As bitter as your tone
>"And what does she have to worry about, what to eat for dinner, or how to drape herself around you for max coverage? Why not tell her that?"
>You shrug, holding up your bottle
"Because... it's embarrassing. What kind of guy loses his friends, when he's known them all his life? Literally?"
>Your voice remains steadfast but another drop falls from your noise
"You and Jack... she doesn't remember a whole ton but she sure as hell remembers you. And you definitely remember her and more, by the sounds of it. And then you got Dashie out there, somewhere. All of these shows and games and shit always focus on getting and keeping friends, never about losing them. Whenever that happens, it's always some temporary spat, like a rivalry."
>You motion around with your bottle as you speak
>When you finish, you set it down on the snowy ground
>You didn't go out wearing any shoes but the cold is as numb to you as your heart on the matter
>Or so you want to believe
>"But it isn't a little spat is it."
"Probably..."
>You clear your throat again
>That's becoming a habit now, if only to force the words out of your mouth
"...not. Probably not, no. But this isn't the first time we've had arguments or disagreements or outright fights. Why should this be any different?"
>"Well you're a world away."
"And that's stopped people before?"
>"Well I can see it won't stop you. But I don't think you're the one who would keep things divided."
"Yeah. Maybe."
>You look at Sparks again, trying to ignore the muddled sections of your vision that wash away details and leave blurred colors
>She looks sad
"What, regretting asking me now?"
>You force a short laugh
>Despite it all, it's not like you've broken down
>You wouldn't let yourself be that pathetic
>Again, anyway
>"I don't think I could be like you, Anon... that look hurts."
>She looks away this time
"Oh come on, like this is anything. I always look this way, if that fish oil has helped your memory."
>She doesn't respond
>You keep on the offensive
"Don't be so serious... don't be so seeeerioooous..."
>You chant that tune that started at the beginning of your game
>You laugh again
>A bit more genuine this time
"Maybe it'll get better... maybe it won't. But I've handled worse, right?
>Still no reply
"Come on, you wanted to ask the hard stuff, right? What else you got?"
>Sparks sighs
>"...you really like Jacky, don't you?"
"Yeah, I do."
>"Did you expect to?"
"As much as I do? Not really. I thought we'd do more gardening and plant work."
>Most of the plants in your apartment are still alive and well, maybe one or two need new soil but that's hardly anything that would take longer than an hour at most
>"...so what's she going on about her mom, anyway? She never really... had a mom that was around."
"Is that so? Well... uh... there's a pony that really looks like her. On a show. There's one that looks like you too."
>"Wait, what?"
>She went from monotone to surprised
>It almost seemed like she was only monotone when she was staring at you
>Weird interrogation tech but alright
"Yeah. We were kinda gonna show you the show later, once you got all settled in. What'd you do to find out about that stuff, anyway?"
>Sparks chuckled, swaying a little in the chair
>"Magic's coming back~ I could kinda... grab your dreams. I saw them. I didn't think I could do that."
>You can't help but feel a chill go over your body
"Yeah, that's fucking spooky."
>"That's nothing. Wanna see something else?"
"Do I wanna know?"
>Before you know what's what, your water-juice bottle is floating in front of your face
>You do not move a single muscle
>You can't even find yourself finding a witty one liner to say
>"Take it already, it's kinda heavy."
>Almost by reflex, you grab it with both hands
"That... is really cool. And really fucking spooky."
>"Thanks. I didn't think that stuff would do the trick."
"Or maybe you're just still getting used to being up and about?"
>"Could be either."
"...gonna tell Jacky all of this?"
>"Why would I? She's over there?"
"What?"
>You turn to the screen door and see Jacky sitting right in front of it
"...oh. Hey there Cracker Jack. Cat's out of the bag, huh?"
>She looks like she's been crying
>You slide open the screen door
>Jack drags herself over it, not seeming to have the energy to jump over
>She stops and sits in front of you, between your legs
>None of you speak
>The third floor view is really nice
"Don't be so serious..."
>"Don't be so serious..."
>Jacky joins in
>Smiling, you look over at Sparks
>She looks at you... then at Jacky
>"You freaking...."
>She huffs
>"Don't be so serious."
>Who else but friends would do something so lame, anyway?
>Sunday came and went
>After last night's events, you and your two ponies unwinded through music and goofy videos
>You were more than fine with acting normal, though Jacky was far more close to you than normal and Sparks kept watching you as if she were expecting something to break down
>You bring out the booze after an hour of goofing around
>Sparks gets knocked out after a gulp or two while you and Jack finish off the last third of the bottle
>You woke up with Jack's mane on your face and her legs hooked over your body
>Alcohol must affect unicorns differently because while you and your gal were fine, she spent all day grumbling with a blanket over her head
>Or maybe she was just a lightweight
>With dear Sparky claiming the bed to recover in, you and Jack take to the living room
>It's not nearly as well wired up but taking a laptop and a few of the pillows and unclaimed blankets made for a nice temporary chill area
>You have a very mellow, comfy tune going on
>You and Jack lay together, on your backs with the patio screen door right behind
>"Hey Anon."
"Hey Jack."
>"I'm sorry."
"What for?"
>"I should've asked more questions about your friends and stuff... I think. I didn't know you had stuff like that to worry about."
"Nah, don't apologize. I haven't said anything about it because... well, there's nothing that could've been done about it. I didn't want to worry you."
>"Well that makes sense, but what if you told me and I could've... helped or something?"
"Well you're with me now. You give me more than a spring in my step and you're really more than I deserve."
>You hear some awkward "hur hur"s
>"In zat case... maybe... some kees-kees iz in order, non?"
>Jacky switches to her French accent and makes kissing noises
>You laugh but... lack the energy to utterly jump on her and demolish, wreck, and explode
"Oh trust me, I want to. But, thinking on it... I kinda just lack the energy right now."
>"Oh... you are le tired... le tired...such a cruel fate!"
>She gets up, only to drape herself across your stomach and put one of her front legs over her face
>She gives a pitiful, fake sob until she gives a fake death rattle
"Aw crap..."
>You raise your hands in the air and rest them on her chest
"Vivify!"
>...
>Nothing happens
"Aw crap, you're gonna drain all of my MP aren't you."
>You bring your hands up and clap them together
>You rub them together for a minute and slap them back down on her
>You can tell that surprised her because you hear her go 'oof'
"Clear!"
>You give a loud "BZZZT" and she jolts upright, front legs extended
>"I LIVE. AGAIN!"
>Due to sheer momentum, she ends up on her back legs, walking a few steps forward like a ponified Frankenstein
"They all doubted me. They all called me mad!"
>The Frankenjack slowly steps back and forth, awkwardly trying to rotate without falling over until she's facing you
>"FOOOOD!"
>You let out the manliest girly scream you could muster as she falls onto you
"My God, will man never learn from their fatal folly?!"
>You gargle your last breath while she gnaws on your shoulder
>You are wearing a shirt so it's not like she's getting the best taste
>You lay there while she keeps gnawing
"...Psst. Hey Frankenjack."
>She stops to look at the face of a talking dead man
>"Grr?"
"You're goofy."
>For some reason that's what gets her to burst out laughing
>She sits on her hind end, watching how you've barely moved at all during all of the struggle
>"It's ok to tell me stuff, you know. I know I can't do that spooky magic mind melding that Sparks can but you know I'm here."
"I know... it was just embarrassing to me. I'm ok with it being a laughingstock or a loser. But when something just... cuts to the bone, that's where I feel like I gotta try to save face."
>"That's true... I get you on that."
"Do you?"
>You hear a little huff
>"Yeah. I think I snuck up when I heard but Sparks said that I didn't know my ma very well. That's true. I only just barely remember a mare that kinda acted like my mom. Sparky's mom is a really powerful unicorn, but not really famous. I'm kinda... well, I had schemes and stuff. Pranks, too. Just stuff that was really fun."
>She sounds like she's trying to convince herself
>"Dashie's known me a bit longer than Sparks, but we never did anything together. Just read books and talked about getting rich or finding a really hot stallion to... uh..."
>She sputters out and tries to stop herself
>"W-well, uh, I mean, I kinda found one by now..."
"...do I wanna know where that thought is leading?"
>"Nowhere! It leads nowhere."
>Her tone turns cautious
>"I just thought, at the time, that we were both lazy and worth only half a pony. So... we'd team up on everything, including that."
>You chortle with a 'ho ho'
"Well that's a thing, isn't it."
>"W-well we never went through with it! I just thought, at the time, I could only find someone if I had a little extra... something to make me more valuable."
>You snake your arm out and yank her into your chest
"I'd say you're more than three handfuls of fine."
>You finally look away from the patio glass door to look at Jacky
>She looks embarrassed to no end
"I like you for you. Just as you hopefully like me for me."
>You clear your throat
"And... whenever we find Dash, we're just gonna have to explain to her... that you're no longer a random, scrappy pony looking to make it big from some scheme. Right?"
>With how she is now, it's hard to believe that she was some petty mastermind
>It was hard to imagine any sort of pony character that had such an aimless life
>Jacky squirms under your arm
>"Yeah... but, for reference, when that happens, don't tell her I said that."
"Sure, yeah. So... were you the brains and she was the brawn? How did that exactly go?"
>Jacky grins
>"More like I was the wet work master and she was the perfect damsel! Picking pockets or breaking into a bakery, you name it. She would be the poor, sad-eyed filly that was so weak she couldn't even fly... and I'd sneak in, all snake-like, and make off with the dough!"
"Like... actual... bread dough...?"
>No answer for a few beats
>"W-well... yeah..."
"Did you... know how to cook it?"
>You look at Jacky
>She does her best to avoid your eyes
>"Well... I mean, not just anyone can take dough and make bread with it."
"...really, Jack."
>She headbutts your chin
>"H-hey, knock it off! It tasted perfectly fine!"
>You just barely succeed in stifling any condescending laugh
"Alright, alright... so did Sparks join in during all of that?"
>"Well... no. That was way, waaaay before. When she joined in, we definitely got... uh..."
"Smarter?"
>"Shut it!"
>She headbutts you again
>Not enough to knock you out but that one did have some real silencing force to it
>"She kinda gave us more ambition because we had real skill and power there now. Before it was just two random city ponies slinking around. But then you had the daughter of a really strong unicorn and it was like we were able to do so much more."
>Your arm loosens on her, petting her from shoulder to flank
"Yeah, I can imagine. What are some capers you guys got away with at that point?"
>"Well... we still stole food. We stole a lot of small stuff. You know, uh... what's his face?"
"Who?"
>"The guy who screams and climbs all kinds of stuff?"
"Nathan Drake."
>"That's the one."
>You both share a laugh
>"We kinda did stuff like him. Where everyone would have their own skills and places. Dashie was the pretty face and wings, Sparky was the technical one."
"And then we had our daring Jacky: slugger, drinker, and pointmare extraordinaire."
>She giggles at your serious tone
>"Yeah, you had me. We got away with a lot less big things. But we never really lost either."

"That's... a lot of stuff to remember. Didn't you say you didn't remember much before?"
>The yellow pony thief nods
>"Yeah. Talking with Sparky really reminded me of a lot of things. And then we talked about a lot of old things. She remembers them far better than I do, especially stuff that happened before you."
"So... what is Dashie like?"
>Jack sighs
>"A real prima donna. Pretty though. Not good at running or flying, and she'd freak out about walking on dirt and gravel for fear of breaking a hoof."
"Why's her name Dashie?"
>"Well it's like... I guess calling really strong a wimp, or someone giant tiny. Early, when it was just her and I, we got caught. I hauled the hay out of there and she just... sauntered off. She didn't get caught I guess, since I was the real suspect. I've never seen her run for nothing. So I called her that."
>You let out a prolonged 'huh'
"So... what's her real name?"
>Jack inhales
>She exhales
>"Iiiiiii don't..... know?"
"You don't know."
>"Well dang it, Anon, we known each other for so long I know her more by that name than any other!"
>You nod at her
"No, no that's fair. One of my friends, I've called him a nickname for so long since we were kids. It has no meaning since the context of the name was from way back when. But the nickname stuck."
>"So... your turn now. Tell me about your friends."
>For the first time, you feel uncomfortable with her
"I'd... rather not."
>"Why not? I bet you know them well enough, better than I know either of those two mare ner-do-wells."
"I probably do... but that's why I can't. Gets me thinking about them."
>You return your gaze to the seemingly upside down patio glass door
>"Well that don't make sense. You didn't just drop off the map to them, did you?"
"Of course not. I left messages, I left calls and texts and all that."
>"Did they answer them?"
"Well yeah. At first."
>Jacky sounds apprehensive
>She definitely doesn't have the stoic nature to ask the harder questions
>"Did... they stop?"
"Pretty much."
>"...oh."
>She doesn't have anything else to say to that, evidently
>Not that you particularly want to delve too deeply into it
>"...so did you guys ever go on any capers like I did?"
>You scoff
"Like what, stealing stuff?"
>"Yeah!"
"Well... no. We were all very responsible socially-stunted nerds. But I suppose one got caught stealing from a store."
>"That's the stuff, was it some sort of really fancy thing?"
>You laugh and shake your head
"No, it was fucking playing cards. Even when it came to any attempted crime, it was something nerdy."
>"Wow... that's kinda..."
"Lame?"
>"W-well no, if they were rare or..."
"They weren't."
>"O... oh... hm..."
>She audibly struggles to say something as a reply but it seems like she didn't expect something so petty
"But... I will say that I've made some really good hauls. Some of them happened when you were here and I bet you didn't even notice."
>"Wait, what?!"
>You struggle to keep your cool when she pounces onto your chest
>"What'd you nab?! When?! How!"
>You reach up to take hold of her, if only to stop her from dancing on your ribcage
"Chill, chill, it's nothing so extreme... but it is thanks to the internet."
>Jacky freezes
>"...was it a lot?"
"Oh you better believe it, butterbun."
>You finally look from the glass door to her
>She looks to be in complete awe
>"...Teach me."
"On one condition."
>"Name it!"
"Call me 'Captain', me hearty. We're gonna sail the seven seas of the interweb."

>It's been a short week for you
>Work buzzed along as well as could be expected, and whatever you did in your free time, you did it with Jacky
>Which meant spending entire evenings on the same game with hardly any breaks outside of dinner, small restroom breaks and route debriefing.
>While Jacky was your cartographer, cargo tracker, and lore mistress, Sparks was... less than impressed
>While the setting was truly magical to you and her, the unicorn capable of real life, genuine magic saw it as parlor tricks
>But she was interested too
>You stopped into your private room in-game, going through the usual motions of preparation before going out again
>"Hey, Anon. Lemme play a bit."
>Sparks finally mustered the courage to speak up
>"You forgot to pick up that stuff at the ravine, I can get it for you."
>You turn your head to her and shrug
"Nah, it'll be fine, I already maxed out the level for that guy."
>"No, really, I insist."
>"It's a waste of time to do it, and we still got that mountain to climb."
>Jacky, laying on her back to your right, has had her eyes glued to the screen the entire time
>Somehow she's able to keep track of your directions like that
>"Oh you be quiet, you can't even play it!"
>"I could do better than you, dorkicorn."
>"You want to be horse burger?!"
>Doing your best to avoid laughing, you remind yourself as the mediator and keeper of the mystical plastic console controllers
"Hey now... Sparks does bring up a good point. Maybe this would be a new way for her to get more used to using her magic? Kinda like how you can train your physical reflexes, maybe this would be a mental work out that would leave with nothing broken or burnt."
>Maybe
>Sparks juts her chest out and sticks her head up high
>"I'm glad Anon has a brain."
>Jacky rolls to the side, facing away from you two with the intent of snapping back but you speak up before she can orient herself
"But... you're gonna have to fight me for it. You're here all day, it's not my fault you don't play when you have the chance."
>Sparks sputters and looks at you like you're crazy
>"You want to... fight for the ability... to play a video game."
"You're damn skippy I do."
>Jacky finally got up, having spent too much of the day stationary or napping
>"Wait, hold on now! I can be an assist, right?"
>At the same moment, you and Sparks answer at the same time
>"No, cheater!"
"Sure, bring it."
>A look of growing frustration from such grand injustice spreads on the hot pink pony's face
>"You two sicken me."
>You give your best evil laugh, raising your arms to the sky
>Jacky joins in, cackling away
>There's no thunderclap or evil organ music but you give it your best
>Jacky keeps cackling, trying to sound like an old witch but she stops a little too soon
>She looks at Sparks, who stares at you with a squinting gaze of pure disbelief
>Your laughing turns maniacal, to the point that you sound like Brad Dourif
>After an entire minute, your arms finally lower back down to your side
>Jacky looks amazed
>Sparks looks at you like you're a moron
>"That... must've taken practice."
>Jacky isn't too sure of what to do
"Kinda. You never know when a good laugh is required."
>"You know, I don't doubt that... is this related to being a pirate?"
"Kinda."
>You solemnly nod, content in such esoteric, sagely knowledge
>Jacky nods with you
>Sparks isn't sure what to say, but her face says it all
>"..you two are bucking idiots, you know that."
"You're just jealous your horn is poking you in the brain so you don't understand our humor."
>"How does that EVEN--"
"So, here's the thing."
>You close out of the game, making Sparks jump with a sudden 'hey!'
"I'm gonna set us up with a versus game. Two of three bouts. I win, you watch us collect hand-shaped crystals and we purposely make more box jokes."
>Jack nods while Sparks sighs
>"Ok... and when I win?"
"When, and if, you win, I can show you what we got to play and you can choose."
>The killjoy unicorn grins
>"And I get to play for the rest of the night, tomorrow, and the weekend without interruptions."
"If you think you can handle it, sure. But breaking controllers means you forfeit, so watch your magic."
>"Deal."
>You take a few minutes to swap in a disc on one of your older consoles
>Technically you could use an emulator for it but you have everything unlocked on the actual console
>You hold out a controller to her
"Take hold of it, or do... whatever you do."
>Her horn starts to glow bright candy red, as does the controller
>You hesitate but you eventually let go of it
>It's actually floating
"That's still really fucking spooky, but I'm glad you're getting a handle on it again."
>"Well yeah. Magic isn't new to me."
>Though she seems confident, her face goes stoic
>It probably does take some form of conscious concentration
>Jack goes between watching the TV and watching you
>No one but you has a clue of what the contest will be in
>"WELCOME TO THE NEW STAGE OF HISTORY!"
>"SOUL CALIBUR! THREE!"
>Neither pony expected the booming voice, but you were more than prepared
>Skipping through the menus, you go to the character select screen and immediately choose Nightmare
>Sparks only just now realizes what you've done
>"Wait, who do I choose?"
"Whoever looks cool I suppose. That's how I first got started."
>"What does it say about you that you chose a monster with a creepy sword?"
"It says I'm going to haunt your dreams and give you... Nightmares!"
>Neither of them notice that the character's name is indeed Nightmare
>"You're really getting in your fill of theatrics, huh."
"I haven't played multiplayer against anyone in a long time, you're gonna have to deal."
>After another sigh of defeat, Sparky focuses on the controller
>It takes a few seconds, but she's able to move around to look at the different characters
>Each fighter look so absurd in their own rights, wielding or wearing such unorthodox items
>She eventually settles on Maxi
>"By the power of his eyebrows, you're going down..."
>She growls at you, an edge growing in her voice
"Now you're talking... get ready for box jokes."
>You hit Random for the stage
>"VERSUS. MAXI."
>The narrator waxes poetic about fate, swords, and souls while both characters do their opening poses and statements
>"ROUND ONE. FIGHT."
>Maxi starts to immediately flail around
>Sparks has absolutely no context of what does what
>You look over to her concentrating
>"Give it up, Anon's a pro!"
>Sparks shoots Jacky a dirty look but looks back up to the screen
>You're well out of range of any random fumbling she has
>Until she manages to hit you with a surprise running slide!
"Ok, it's on."
>Though she's magically flailing with the buttons, the combos you memorize make the first round embarrassingly one-sided
>To add insult to injury, you continue to attack even after you've won
>"Hey, stop that! That's cheating!"
"Nope, I'm going to show you what my Nightmare looks like."
>"ROUND TWO. FIGHT."
>Sparks goes flailing again, but she starts to chain together attacks
>None of them are in range of you, but she's doing a maddening pace of controller inputs
>You can hear all of the clacking she's doing
>Despite that, you win again
>"ROUND THREE. FIGHT."
>You don't notice, but Spark's eyes begin to glow that murderous flavor of red when she wanted to fry you that first day
>She stops flailing
>The first attack you throw her way, she... parries it?
"Well, that's new. Finally figure it out then?"
>She side-steps your vertical attacks, steps back from your horizontal attacks, and keeps moving in erratic motions to bait out attacks
>Something isn't right
>It's like she knows what you're going to do next
>"Whatever you're thinking, you can't surprise me... I didn't know you knew how to play as Maxi. Now we're equal, aren't we."
>Jacky stares at Sparks, her jaw dropping
>"A-Anon, she's reading your mind again!"
"I think I figured that out!"
>As you know Maxi, you play him as a complete maniac, knowing which ways to keep attacks going from high and low
>You were caught off guard to the point of losing
>"Looks like I'm a better you than you, huh."
>That smug sound in her voice is more painful than any loss
"You keep talking, I'll turn that horn into a toothpick..."
>"ROUND FOUR. FIGHT."
>You pull out all the stops for your Nightmare
>Doesn't help that he isn't even one of your top two characters
>Though it is close, you still end up losing from a throw of all things
>"Come on Anon, I know you can do it!"
>"FINAL ROUND. FIGHT."
>Two wins on each side
>This one will decide the bout
>You end up trying to focus too much on special moves and lose
>Sparks copies your evil laugh with her own variation
>Far more slower, deliberate, and condescending
>"I'm halfway there... if you surrender I'll go easy on you."
"Alright, you're going down."
>You go back to the character select screen and choose your top main
>Siegfried
>The hose of Soul Edge, and the original Nightmare
>Sparks sticks with Maxi
>While the fight is loading, something causes you to zone out
"I'm here now... I'm doing the best I can. Where are you now?"
>Sparks looks at you, puzzled
>Whatever is going on in your head, it's distracting her
>"What are you singing?"
"Did your dreams come true? Here we go!"
>"ROUND ONE. FIGHT."
"SPARKING!"
>You belt out the lyrics to Tekken 5's opening
>For some reason, it's the one thing that came to mind
>You focus on another character entirely, forcing the song to stick to your grey matter like glue
>While she's still using Maxi like you would, you don't know how to handle Siegfried
>And his stances, since you only know how fluid they are to change from one to another
>"Stop singing, that's cheating!"
"SPARKING!"
>You bark that out as your only retort
>Due to fresh combos and different moves, you win the first round
>"H-hey, that one didn't count!"
"SPA-KING!"
>That is still your only thought put into vocal format
>"ROUND TWO. FIGHT."
>"Break down!"
"Everything day by day!"
>"Freak out!"
"Anything step by step!"
>The match gets drawn out as the two of you seem to end up in sync of one another
>Attacks get countered, perfect guards are used to parry, throws are broken
"Break down!"
>"Make my story!"
"Get down!"
>"They call history!"
>Sparks has officially lost her cool, her horn, eyes, and controller glowing in a dire crimson
>Though it's close, she wins the round
>"I'm Sparking Shine and you're going down damn it!"
>"ROUND THREE. FIGHT."
>You fight for your life as best as you can, albeit with a rusty memory of your moves
>Thankfully your hands remember the way to go
>Despite your best efforts, you lose the round again
>Due to how Sparks is playing, it's almost like you're going up against a tool-assisted speedrun
>"SPARKING!"
>She roars out her name like a victory cry, causing her red aura to pulse
>"ROUND FOUR. FIGHT."
"You're a walking corpse! I'll extinguish that spark!"
>"SPARKING!"
>Neither of you can land a solid hit on one another
>Even through your dancing between stances, you're unable to land a hit through any sort of mix up you can go to
>She keeps on the pressure until she lands a hit
>And another
>And another
>And even another
>Before you know it, you're unable to keep up
>"PERFECT."
>She beat you again
>Not only that
>But she won both bouts
>And she got a flawless on you on the last round
>Just like that, the tension in the room exploded
"You lucky twat, I'll own that shit next time, just you wait."
>"You thought I'd lose to a human, you're even dumber than I thought! Play me again, I'll incinerate you!"
>"Holy hell, Sparks how did you do that?!"
"I'll shove that horn up your ass, try that again without cheating!"
>"Eat it, loser! What made you think I could lose against a commoner like you!?"
>"Do it again, I bet a day's worth of laptop use!"
>The three of you bicker all in a chorus of hype, salt, shock and awe
>You eventually do play more bouts, both going to the random select option for fighters
>Like a pair of old rivals, you constantly one up each other with each win, trash talking with the worst of the worst comments
>Jacky loses all sense of loyalty to either of you and cheers on whoever is winning, magnifying every shocking victory or defeat
>The energy in the apartment is enough to bake a turkey in
>By the end of it, it's been nearly two hours
>Spark's magic faded into a more of a hot pink like the hue of her body, while your wrists and fingers are feeling the strain
>Throughout the dozens of bouts, it comes down to a 21 wins to 21 wins
>You sigh and put down the controller
>Sparky closes her eyes, the controller dropping onto the mattress
"You fucking suck... you know that, right?"
>"Suck my horn, loser. A deal's a deal."
>Despite the vitriol, you are impressed beyond capacity for her
>Not only was she going off of what was in your head, but she was able to nearly master characters you never even touched, outside of the mandatory arcade mode run
>But she wasn't invincible either
>You lean back, shaking your head
"That... was some brutal action. Alright, I'll allow you to win this time. But next time I'm going to make you regret touching a controller with that freaky-deaky voodoo you do."
>Sparks yawns, her eyes bloodshot from focusing so much
>"I'm your better. Just get over it already and get ready for tomorrow when I play all I want."
"Yeah huh... I'll wrap the charging cord around your neck and hang you like some mistletoe."
>Even though your and her energy is completely spent, there's just no quenching the embers of what was once a gloriously competitive fire
>Jacky laughs and bellyflops onto you
>You wince and let out a pained whimper
>You were sitting in one place but you were so tensed up everywhere that any impact like that would hurt
>"You guys were awesome... that was crazy, I thought the controllers would explode!"
>Sparks yawns again, taking one wobbly step toward you before she falls over, her head landing on Jacky's side
>"Both of you... quiet. Your superior needs her sleep."
"Superior... pain in the ass."
>Wiped out, on a work night even, you throw back one last verbal bomb her way before you fade out
>The last thing you can make sense of is Jacky hugging both your side and Spark's head
>"I love you guys."
>With Sparks taking control of the TV and consoles for the weekend, you weren't sure what she'd play
>You'd expect her to stare at everything for hours and think of what would be best
>Or for her to be confused at the dozens of odd titles
>Instead, she settled on more Soul Calibur
>You could use a break, anyway
>Carrying a pair of plates of potatoes and chopped kielbasa, you sit down on the corner of your bed
>Sparks had been focusing on the TV since she woke up and just doesn't move outside of sudden jerky movements to her head and grumbling threats to whoever she's facing
>Jacky switched from cuddling up against you and watching Sparks play
>While you're used to a lot, watching a pony play a video game purely with magic is still a little hard to swallow
"Hey scissor sister, I got your grub."
>You even have a fork dug in, since she can make use of it
>You lean over and set it beside her
>You lay down from the lean and set the other plate in front of your stomach, near Jacky
>"And our plate. Don't know about you but I'm still mostly good from breakfast so I'll take whatever's left over."
>You've found yourself comparing the two ponies together
>Jacky's far more lax and happy to sleep the day away, and is far more filled out when it comes to weight and muscle
>You've never seen her have issues from jumping to the ground to your car seat, for a good example
>Sparks on the other hand just seems more physically fragile
>You haven't really ever pet her, but you can kinda see a faint outline of her ribs
>You're not sure if this is due to more personal differences or just because the different types would probably have different forms
>It wouldn't shock you if a psychic or something similar got really weak and frail due to using their mind for everything
>Magic was probably the same thing, right?
>Lost in thought, you feel Jacky poke her face into your chest
"What's up?"
>"I said you alright? You aren't that sore that Sparky beat you, are you?"
"Wha-sore? Me? Please. I'm more surprised at how she hasn't really stopped, or how she hasn't really reacted to anything we've done."
>Of course, you two did spend at least an hour doing a variety of things to try to distract her, to no avail
>From goofy to explicit to goading and even bribing with a brand spanking new container of shoe polish that could probably work with horns
>Absolutely nothing distracted her
>"She's really driven, huh..."
"Yeah she is. Far more than you are."
>Jacky gives an awkward laugh before nudging the mostly empty plate away to lean against you
>"Is that bad?"
"No, not at all. Hearing about what you guys had to deal with before... this has got to be far more comfortable and fulfilling than stealing food, right?"
>"For sure. I didn't want to grow up and be a princess or anything, and I certainly can't fill Ma's shoes when it comes to running an orchard, farm, ranch, and all kinds of stuff. Being here, being with you, that's far better than anything I could've imagined."
"So you don't mind?"
"Not at all! But I am... jealous. Watching Sparky and you go at it on the big screen without missing a beat was like magic. And if she scanned your mind to learn how to play just like that, who knows what else she learned? Anyone would be jealous of just having the ability and access to do that sort of thing. It doesn't cost her a thing to be like that."
>You lift your arm up, only to drop it around her
>You give her a tug with your arm as a hug
"Do you wish you were some dorky unicorn then?"
"Well... not really. If I weren't me, you wouldn't have met me, right? I can't do a lot of what you can do. But you don't really seem to mind it. And I don't really mind it."
>She doesn't sound sad, she just sounds like she's accepted that fact of life
"Well there's that controller I got you."
>You did get a more simplistic controller that has allowed her to play older games
>Game Boy Advance titles are definitely her favorite, but you haven't seen her play much
>"True. I guess I'd rather be support than on the front line, with games."
"Big bad dough thief turned soft?"
>She scoffs and yawns
>"Big bad dough liberator always wanted to be able to eat without stealing. But I don't think Sparks would feel the same. She's... ambitious. She never liked being lazy."
"It isn't a bad thing, just gotta figure out the best time to do it."
>Sparks had been playing on that custom character campaign mode for a while now
>She made a heavily armored female character covered from head to toe in bright, fiery pink
>She chose the heavy sword as her weapon of choice too
>Guess her horn could technically be a giant sword
>If it were a few feet longer at least
>Though she makes obvious mistakes, it seems like she's learning to play without piggybacking off of your memories and experiences
"So Jack... do you think she's happy?"
>It was bold, to ask that when she's right there
>But you kinda don't mind asking that either
>"I think so, not before Thursday. She would hate to just idly watch movies all day. She has to stick her hoof into someone's pie, or make her own and then move onto a third off somewhere in the distance. She kinda is like Twilight, in a way."
>"Right... like how you're Applejack, in a way."
>"That's right! You... do mean that as a compliment?"
"Sure did."
>"Thank you."
"What do you think both of you will do, once we find Dashie?"
>"Who knows? Maybe we'll live like a pair of house cats and enjoy luxury we didn't ever imagine possible while Sparks plays video games all day. That wouldn't be the worst, right?"
"It does sound enviable."
>"You could join us. Doesn't it get boring to work every day?"
"It can. But I get to come home to you, so that helps. And it kinda helps me improve things too. I do want to get better at what it is I do."
>"That sounds like that wouldn't be bad... how do I self improve?"
"Depends on what matters to you I suppose."
>Feeling the strongest weekend fatigue, you yawn and grab a pillow to put under your head
>You resume petting Jacky
"I want to get better for my sake and yours. The more I can accomplish, the more I can do for myself, and the more I can do for you. Even if you only ever ask for me and my attention..."
>You yawn again
"I want to get better at that too. Only in that way do I know that I'm giving you everything you deserve."
>You don't know why, but you always got romantic thoughts when tired
>She doesn't know how to react to your courageous words, except to nuzzle you all the harder
>"Don't go to sleep yet... it's only, uh... what time is it?"
"It's ten, Jack."
>"Yeah, it's only ten!"
"At night."
>"Y-yeah... uh... I knew that."
"I am a bit tired. But it means that until the second I doze off, I will have you in my mind, and your fur in my hands."
>You were petting her before but your hands have stopped to the point that they merely grasp her
>You yawn once more
"Tomorrow, I will do only more for you. For Sparks too, since she's our friend. We should seek to improve ourselves and each other so everyone is happier off."
>"Dang... that's some deep insight. How do I even get started on that?"
>You think you answered her but you can only hear yourself mumble something
>After a few minutes you grumble something
"Remember, Jacky Snacky. all for one, one for all. We're all in this together and we make a really good team."
>Everything blurs out as you lose consciousness
>Though the Soul Calibur announcer is as loud as ever
>"YOU WIN!"
>At least she's doing well
>Maybe she's in her own little world but still listening

>Winter is starting to end
>You, Sparks, and Jacky are on your patio, staring out into the treetops
>They're all barren, brown, and seemingly lifeless but at least most of the snow and ice is gone
>Who knew that winter wonderland could so easily turn into a muddy, brown wasteland?
>"It really don't look much better now, does it..."
>Jacky is sitting in your lap
>You've leaned back in your seat with your leg crossed, right ankle to your left knee, allowing her an entire lap to sit on and then some
"No... not really, no. But the birds are starting to come back."
>"Really?"
"Sure. Two crapped on my car yesterday, they gotta be around here somewhere."
>That gets a laugh out of her
>"So now that it's getting less cold, what's there to do out there?"
>Sparks, cleansed of her vidya-based bloodlust, has gone back to a more stoic mood
>Actually whenever she's outside, she's far more reserved
"Well... how would you guys like a road trip?"
>Jacky crooks her head back in an attempt to look at you directly from behind
>But it doesn't work
>She keeps her balance and looks over her shoulder
>"Roadtrip?! Like... the other one we did?"
"Better."
>"Whoa... neat."
>"And where exactly would we be going?"
>You shrug
"I have no clue. But I have time off, I'm definitely wanting to get away from work and just go be a bum for a bit. Maybe we can go camping or something."
>"Roughing it in the woods or something? Is that smart?"
>Sparks looks over you, appraising the concept
"Well sure. I mean I have stuff for it. I have a battery bank for the phone and I'll probably buy a second one, just to be paranoid."
>"Why for the phone though?"
"Well, Sparkly, a phone has GPS. Lets me call people. Has entertainment on it. Weather updates too."
>Jacky gives a dark chuckle
>"Even I knew that much..."
>Your hand find's Jacky's ear
>You give it a slight rub
>Before tweaking it
>She bends her entire body
"Ow ow ow ow..."
"I highly doubt you did."
>"I did, honest!"
"Did you though."
>"I swear!"
>You look over to Sparks
>Sparks nods
"...alright."
>You let go of her ear and go back to rubbing her ear
>It flickers against your hand but she doesn't move away from it
>"You know... that would be fun. With a party of three, we should be able to take on any wildlife, right?"
>You snort
"Taking on wildlife? We're not going hunting. Fishing... probably not, but definitely not hunting."
>"Well why not?"
"Because it can be dangerous if not done correctly. And hunting is pretty regulated for a lot of places."
>"Is it regulated for where we would be going?"
>You massage Jacky's ear with all of your fingers, undulating pinky to index finger
>Jacky practically purrs at the attention, her left hind leg twitching
"I don't... know..."
>You haven't gone camping or fishing in years, but you've always wanted to
>But you never had much incentive to do it alone
>With two ponies, that wouldn't be the worst of ideas
>Especially if one really could use magic
>Make no mistake, you've seen a ton of it so far to know it's real
>But you also wonder just how far that ability goes
"But. If you want, we could also see about stretching those magical muscles of yours."
>The tip of Spark's horn shines, just long enough to be noticeable
>"Y... yeah?"
>She tries to sound neutral but you can hear the excitement in her voice
"Yeah. Keep it under control and you'd be able to go in. I can even take a video of it and show it to you after."
>The gleam intensifies, like a gem being caught just right by a ray of light
>You watch her fidget in her seat
>"S.. sure. I mean, if you feel the need to..."
>Jacky bites her lip and giggles
>"Show off..."
>She leans into your hand harder, almost entirely leaving the mortal realm for new heights of aural ecstasy
"What magic do you know, anyway? Is it... like spells? Or more you just have a pool to draw from?"
>Due to the low energy, comfy setting of the soon to be deep night, everyone speaks softly, not having to compete against anything save for a TV that a neighbor below you
>Sparks opens her mouth to speak
>But shuts it
>But opens it again
>Only for her to shut her mouth again and frown
>"I... well. Spells, like... incantations?"
"Well whatever they do, how they do. I mean, it is magic so it's kinda whatever, right?"
>"I... guess? So... you know how awesome my mom is, right?"
>Sparks readjusts herself on the chair as she speaks, puffing out her chest
>Maybe it's just you but you've noticed that Sparks has slightly longer fur than Jacky
>Or rather, Jacky has more of a velvet body
>You never thought about it before just because you didn't think different types of ponies would feel differently
"Not really. Supposedly she's a big shot, right?"
>Sparks nods
>"A huge deal! With her, she could do all sorts of magic. Teleportation, fabrication, all sorts of stuff. And the elements... man, she could do anything!"
>You shrug, nodding
"That sounds pretty versatile. Has Jacky ever met her?"
>"Oh, no. No, she's... uh... she's always been busy. You know how it goes."
>You don't intimately know what she means but you've seen some people that had to grow up around that
"Sure. So what about you?"
>"What about me?"
"Well, what magic can you use?"
>Sparks looks at you funny for a second
>"Well... whatever my mom could do. Obviously."
"Obviously."
>"That's right."
>Something seems off about that
"What's her name?"
>"Who?"
"Your mom. What's her name?"
>"No way am I telling you! You'd probably fawn over her."
>You chuckle
"Why, does she have pegasus wings as well as a horn?"
>Sparks frowns at you, as if it were a joke in bad taste
>"Is that a thing?"
"Supposedly it's a thing."
>"N-no, she's not something weird like that..."
"So what's she like?"
>"I said she's powerful."
"Yeah."
>"And... she's never really failed any spells."
"That's useful."
>"And... I'm like her, because I'm her daughter."
"That's how having kids work."
>You pull your hand away from Jacky's over-molested ear
>She looks at you with a visible glazed look in her eye
"Hey... Jackenstein. Have you ever seen Spark's mom before?"
>She gives you a drunk shake of the head
>"Nuuh."
>Her ears flap back and forth, adjusting to freedom from your digital oppression
>That seems odd, that no one has really seen her
"So... is that little black book of yours like a spellbook or something?"
>"You're getting awfully pushy about this magic thing."
"Can you blame me for being curious?"
>"Yeah."
>You shrug and drop the topic
>For being so proud, she really doesn't have much to say about it all
>You look out into the hibernating treeline
>It feels good to be outside and to just relax with friends
>You don't think you ever did this sort of thing with your old friends
>None of them were particularly fond of the outdoors
>Or being outside at all
>Given southern heat, you couldn't blame them
"I'd like for us all to go out, when weather permits it. I would enjoy that."
>"Oui oui, I would follow you to ze ends of ze earth, monsieur Anon!"
>Jacky has gone full French, nuzzling her face into your chest
>Sparks shakes her head, astonished at her mannerisms
>"Why does she sound like that?"
"It's... it's a thing. Don't worry about it."
>You give her a minor handwave, moving as little as you can to allow the yellow mare to rub herself against you
>"Do you guys... uh... do I need to go inside?"
"No."
>"Oui."
>You and Jacky speak out at the same time
>You look at each other
>Both you look at Sparks
"Yes."
>"Non."
>You speak out again
>Sparks rolls her eyes
>"You nerds. I'm gonna go back to playing stuff."
>She takes a moment to jump off of the chair before trotting back inside
>She's hardly agile but she at least didn't plant her face into the wood
>Speaking of wood
>You give Jacky a hug, enjoying her writhing and movements
>You make a note of her ear weakness

>You decided on something new today
>With the bathroom to yourself, you go for a shave
>A real shave
>You always just trim things up and keep a beard but you want to try a new look
>You leave the bathroom once the deed is done, listening to the TV that the girls must've set up
>You normally shower and all that in quick time to get ready for work, but on the weekends?
>You take your time
>You hear a rising scare chord as you creep back to your room, towel around your waist
>Sounds like a slasher movie or something
>You can see Jacky curled up in a tight ball with her eyes glued to the screen
>Sparks looks apprehensive, the tip of her horn glowing enough to make out in the dark room
>Just as the scare chord reaches it's peak and the reveal of the killer is made, you jump into view!
"JACKY!"
>You point and shout, grumbling something after for added intimidation
>Already spooked, Jacky looks over to you and screams
>"ANON'S BEEN GOT!"
>You slap your face with one hand and scream
>She screams even more
>Sparks finally looks at you and screams as well
>You slap your face with your other hand, eyes going from pony to unicorn
>You make an effort to turn your scream into something far more pained and insidious
>"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOUR FACE?!"
>You stop and your hands drop down
"I shaved."
>Both of them scream again
>Eventually they settle down, with you sitting between them on the bed
>While Sparks focuses on the movie, Jacky just can't help but stare at you
>You already know you made a mistake because your face feels rough all over
>You don't even have a beard to stroke anymore
>How will you think or pontificate?
>You try to focus on the movie but you feel a blanket move up your side
>Jacky is on her hind legs, pushing a blanket up to your face with her hooves
>When it covers your face, you can hear a sad, quiet "yes..."
>You grab the blanket and tug it away, revealing your face
>"No..."
>She slides the blanket back up to cover your face
>"...yes..."
>She sounds like she's on the verge of tears
>You pull it away again, grimacing
>It took seconds to undo weeks of growing, and it hardly looks flattering on your face
>"...no..."
>Her reaction sounds how you feel about it
>Eventually you allow her to cover part of your face with a blanket
>She nods, trying her best to smile
>"...yes... better..."
>She cuddles up to you hard
>Sparks, on the side of you that isn't covered with a blanket, glances at you every now and again
>You shake your head at her, daring her to say a word on the matter
>The rest of the movie goes by without any outbursts
>When it finishes, Sparks speaks up
>"Anon... why did you get rid of your face?"
"Shut it."
>"I'm serious."
"So am I."
>Jacky joins in, only whimpering
>"You look so weird..."
"I always look weird."
>"You do but still..."
>You lean back, sighing
"Neither of you know much about humans I take it."
>Neither of them really answer
>How would they?
"I wasn't born with hair on my face, you know. Took time. But I shaved because... well, I guess I wanted a new look."
>"A new look."
"Yeah. Aren't you guys used to haircuts and all that? Fashion changes? Grooming?"
>The two ponies peek over you to look at each other, then they look up at you
"...you guys suck."
>"Hey, Anon. If we play another few rounds of Soul Calibur and I win, can I ban you from shaving?"
"Oh come off it already, it isn't that bad!"
>You glance to Jacky
"Right?"
>She looks at you and you haven't yet ever seen her look so viscerally sad
>Her neck pivots away to look at you from the side
>Where the lower half of your head is obscured by blanket
>"...yes..."
>Ouch
"Alright you fucking nerd, let's play. But if I win, I'm cutting the hair on both of you."
>"Deal."
>Sparks is confident
>"Don't include me in on this!"
>Jacky isn't nearly as on board

>Everyone is on your bed, watching your TV
>For a while now you've introduced both of them to cinematic video games
>Video games with the action, drama, scripting, and camera angles of a movie
>They're fun and definitely a hit for a movie buff like Jacky
>The focal point series has been Uncharted
>There's absolutely no words exchanged during the finale of the fourth game
>Even at the epilogue, there's no wise-cracking
>Or insults
>Or questions
>Or backseat gaming advice
>As soon as it reaches the credits, the room explodes
>"How did he survive that?!"
>"What about the money!"
>"How could anyone survive that!"
>"Imagine having that much money!"
>"I bet I could do that with some training!"
>"You could train to be anything with that much money!"
"You dorks, neither of you could handle that sort of situation! Which one of you can even swim?"
>"Like you'd last a minute!"
>"Anon, I don't know if you could climb those cliffs..."
>"You'd get shot up in an instant!"
>"I mean, you saw how he used that grappling hook too! How can you even untangle that?"
>Jacky bounces her front hooves on your leg, wanting answers for her dozens of questions
>Sparks smiles at you with a smug air, confident that she would be able to do it all and more
>It all dies down after Jacky realizes that the credits are still going on and there's just no more game to look at
>"What a way to end things..."
"Right? And to think, that picture lasted all that time..."
>"What's with that camera, anyway?"
"Well it's a really old sort, you used to flop around whatever came out so it would actually show."
>"That's crazy... they didn't have cameras like that back then?"
"Not at all."
>Sparks pipes up
>"Pictures sure are important, aren't they..."
>"Well obviously! Didn't you see the old picture from the first game?"
>"They sure looked happy."
"Well you'd be happy too if you were sitting on that much treasure."
>"Treasure, huh..."
>You wanted to ask what Sparks was thinking but Jacky keeps pushing for your attention
>Ever since Sparks won the last bout of fighting, she's been that much more energetic
>And to be fair, you would've felt bad for cutting her wild hair
>How would she even show off her twin tails if you cut her mane short?
>"Anon, what's next on the list? How could anything top that roller coaster?"
"Well, there's a lot of stuff out there that's really neat to watch and play through. What sort of genre are you wanting?"
>"Something with a ton of explosions and stealing valuables! And romance, too!"
>"Jacky, now's our chance, do it!"
>Wat
>Without hesitation, Jacky headbutts your chest full force!
>She knocks you against the wall and kicks herself back, sitting on her hind end with her head nudged right against yours
>Face touching face, she smiles as much as she can
>FLASH
>FLASH
>You're temporarily blinded from the flash from some obscure source
>Jacky is too, though she's giggling
"What the hell was that?"
>Sparks pokes her head up, nudging against your shoulder opposite of the blinded, giggly pony
>"Smile, Anon."
>FLASH
>FLASH
>Your IQ drops in half for a few seconds, trying to figure out what it was
>Then you see it
>A black rectangle floating a few feet away from you
>Surrounded by a red aura
"Hey, that's my phone!"
>"Sure is. I think I might have 'accidentally' figured out what your combination number on it was."
>"Jacky leans forward, pleased as pie
>"Sparks told me about it a few days ago and I've been waiting for it ever since!"
"Hey!"
>You snatch your phone out of the air, looking at whatever pictures were taken
>Sure enough, there are two pictures of you and Jacky
>You look confused but happy
>Jacky looks happy and dazed
>Then the other two with Sparks included
>She has a knowing smile that says 'I told you so' even with her head being in shot sideways
"Oh... aw man."
>Seeing those two being happy, with you included
>It hits you right in the chest
>It hits you hard
"Come on... if I want to see you two, I wouldn't want to put myself into it. Look, you see my mug is ruining the mood."
>Jacky sobers up, stifling another giggle
>She looks at you a little funny but she's having a good time of it
>"Well now next time you want to see us and messaging us from work isn't enough, you got something better!"
>"Don't complain, you know you wanted it."
"Yeah but... come on, I'm--"
>"Usually the one to take the pictures? Well now you get to star in a few for once."
>For the first time in a really, really long time, you've been caught off guard and surprised with something good
>You don't even remember the last time someone did something like this for you
>You don't know what to say
>You don't know if there is anything you can say
>Jacky nuzzles against your side
>"You haven't taken a picture of me at all... and I kinda wanted you to have one. So now you have one of us together! That's far better, right?"
>"And I thought I'd poke my head into a few so, you know, you know who to thank."
>You inhale deep and try to exhale a laugh
>But it sounds a little too shaky to be genuine
"Come on... I just don't know what to..."
>"Say thank you."
>"And no more talk about cutting my hair either!"
>"Yes, that too."
>You attempt to argue some point of how you just don't look good enough to be in a picture
>Or that it would be better to take a picture of just them together
>Or anything that would allow you to reason away the painfully strong amount of feels the images give you
"Yeah... thanks, guys. I never thought I'd..."
>Though Jacky is high energy and Sparks is pretty happy, you can't stop yourself from deflating
"These are... I'll have to get these framed or something."
>The energy starts to bleed out of the room when it's apparent that the act impacted you harder than anticipated
>"Well, it's not like these are the only pictures of us that we'll have, right?"
>"That's right, Anon. If you don't keep your phone safe and secure, I'll be sneaking all kinda of pictures of you two love birds."
>Normally you'd threaten to throw her like a dart into a wall, or that you'd set her horn on fire and see if it burns like a candle
>But you just had no clue that they would have ever planned something like this
>Of course, it didn't cost them anything
>It didn't require anything but a few seconds of the right place at the right time
>But it means more to you than any ancient treasure or untold, supernatural source of wealth
>It means that they really are your friends

>Be me
>Be... not sleepy, but not fully awake either.
>Sparks is on her corner of the bed, reading from her little black book.
>It's another day in the good life.
>I roll onto my back, taking a break from a western-based show that Anon introduced me to
"This is the life, eh Sparky?"
>Sparks looks at me out of the corner of her eye.
>She takes a minute before answering, like she decided that her reading was more valuable.
>"You really enjoy staring at a screen all day?"
>I laugh like it's a silly question
"Well sure! It sure beats how it was back home, right?"
>She doesn't seem impressed with my answer.
>"How much do you remember about our home, Jacqueline? Really remember."
>I writhe on the beautifully comfortable bed.
>I don't remember much at all, honestly.
>The accents are kinda funny since they feel like they came out of nowhere, but all of them muddle things.
>Ever since I found Sparks with Anon, some things have become more familiar again.
"Almost nothing, I guess. I remember you. And Dashie. That's kinda it. But since you've been here, I remember more."
>I roll onto my front, my mane as wild and as unkempt as ever.
>Anon likes it almost as much as he likes the twin tails.
>He had to be joking about cutting it short.
"I remember... sleeping on the ground a lot. I remember eating literal scraps of what used to be food."
>I feel embarrassed saying all of that. It feels like it was another lifetime ago.
"I still remember crying that one time you ran away when you failed to trip that guy chasing me."
>Sparks looks at me.
>She looks annoyed at first but it gives way.
>She looks away from me.
>"If both of us were caught, we wouldn't have had anything to show for it."
"Yeah... so instead you felt the need to gloat that at least you succeeded while I failed because I chose to rely on you?"
>I'm smiling.
>I'm still pretty happy with the day.
>I'm happy that Sparks is with me.
>But I remember that.
>Not really what led up to that or what happened after, or even if we kept fighting.
>But I remember.
>She doesn't answer, so I keep talking.
>Anon is strong when he's talking, and I liked hearing him talk with her about something that must have really hurt.
>I'm happy but remembering hurts.
"I know I don't have magic... and I know that you remember at least your mom well enough to feel so proud of yourself for it."
>I sit up, assuming a more proper posture.
>Anon doesn't sit all that proper but when he's serious he sits straight.
"I know that there isn't a whole ton I can physically do with hooves when everything is so big and awkward here. I can't be like you. But I can be myself, and be happy to be myself. Do you know why?"
>Sparks doesn't reply to me.
>She doesn't even really want to look me in the eye.
>But she isn't looking away fully either.
"I'm happy to be myself, because Anon is happy that I'm me. And because thanks to me being me, we found you. And because thanks to you and me, and him, we will find Dashie too."
>I smile.
>I smile really big.
>It's almost cathartic but the thought of being together is just too much to contain.
>I smile but I can feel tears going down my face.
"I'm happy because we will still be friends. Together. And we can be Anon's friends. Whatever stupid, petty issues we had about stealing food and cheap entertaining things and books and everything else we got... they don't matter! They don't! We were given a free life, Sparks! You may miss your mom but I don't miss anything! If I spend the rest of my days in Anon's arms and never want for anything, I will never once regret not being able to use magic, or to play video games with him, or to be able to fix a meal for him as a way to show my unbelievable amount of appreciation! I can be as useless as I am, and know that I will still never be a burden."
>The tears fall a bit more.
>And my smile droops just a little.
"I eat clean, every day. I can have unlimited baths! He even got me a thing so I can play some games! Not a lot, but some!"
>My smile comes back, but only a fraction of what it was.
"I... I don't remember anything at all, beyond little snippets and details. And I don't like them. I wish I could forget. I wish Applejack was my mom so I could be super proud of her and act like I'm someone important."
>I audibly deflate, exhaling a whimpering sigh
"How did we survive that long... what would have happened if we didn't end up here? What if this is just one big dream? Or, worse, if we're dead and this is heaven?"
>Another whimpering whine comes out, much to my own surprise.
"What happens if Anon gets overburdened? What happens if I don't do enough? What happens if you don't do enough? I know he would never do anything bad, but what about us? What if we do something bad?"
>"Jacky, enough already!"
>Sparks whips her head at me.
>She's crying too.
>"I don't know my mom any better than you know yours! I just said that so you'd look up to me and trust me with bigger responsibilities!"
>I visibly recoil.
>Since when was that the case?
"Wait, what?"
>"Yeah! I saw you and Dashie and both of you were just... losers. And I was just the same. And I couldn't be. So I made up that my mom was some... arch-something and that she was awesome and powerful and..."
>Her own voice falters, like the words are strangling her.
>"And... that she was too important and busy to ever see me. Which is why I was always around, if you remembered. I had to be someone... I couldn't be a nobody."
>Everything's a blur, visually and mentally.
>We end up hugging.
>And crying.
>A lot of crying.
>By the end of it, we're both hoarse.
>A little hoarse, as Anon would probably put it.
>I sputter out a small laugh.
"We sound hoarse... just a little hoarse."
>Sparks laughs too.
>Both of us sound terrible post-cry.
>Neither of us speak for a while, outside of throat clearing and light coughing to recover.
>"Anon... you don't know."
>Sparks finally speaks up, her voice raspy.
>"Anon thinks the world of you. He would never do that."
"How... do you know that for real?"
>My own voice sounds terrible.
>It's not even an accent, it's just terrible.
>"I scanned his head to win that fighting game, remember? And that talk..."
>She clears her throat again, trying to regain some self-indulgent dignity.
>"He wouldn't. He would do terrible, disastrous things before he would let you go. Or me. We're his friends, but you especially..."
>She laughs after trailing off.
>An amused giggle.
>"Jacky, you have to find out for yourself what's going on up there. If I could handle the alcohol I'd drink until I forgot every bit."
"Wh... what?!"
>The tone shifted entirely without thinking about it.
"Take those things out of your head right now! What we did isn't for your stupid eyes!"
>My front legs instinctively tighten around her throat.
>"I didn't look at that on purpose you moron! Get off!"
"No! Not until I choke those memories out of you!"
>We struggle and wrestle, though she's unable to break free.
>We end up on our backs.
>After a mutual stalemate of my superior strength versus her bony elbows and sharp screeches, we stop.
"Do you know 110% that Anon... thinks that highly of us? Of me?"
>Sparks lets out a decidedly unladylike retch from the attempted murder.
>"Oh for fu--yes! He does! Last happy memory I saw inside of that cavernous pit of a head was probably from when he was a kid. Last happy memory YOU-sized, anyway."
>She jabs one of her hooves against my side.
>The lady is made out of pony needles, I swear.
"Wow..."
>"Right? What could he ever like in some urchin like you anyway?"
"Who are you calling an urchin, you lying urchin!?"
>The fighting begins again.
>"I'm as much a liar as you are a saint!"
"I've prayed tens of times!"
>"For food, you muscleheaded simpleton!"
"I'm gonna buck that head off!"
>"You aren't Anon, don't even try!"
"I'm at least twice as viscous you little-"
>The fighting begins again.
>Longer than last time, now that we've gotten all of the sad energy out.
>I remember that she and I used to fight a ton.
>Over the most stupid things.
>Over the most minor details.
>We fought or argued or butted heads so often it just ended up how we worked things out.
>It would hurt more physically than emotionally but it was always better than using words.
>I think that's why she became my best friend.
>Outside of Dashie, that is.
>And outside of Anon, obviously.
>Whatever ends up happening next, I'm sure we'll fight about it.
>And I'm sure we'll still be side by side, no matter what.

>Anon came back a little late last night, but he brought dinner!
>He didn't exactly know what happened with Sparks and myself, but he knows that something happened.
>After another night of playing games and cheering on my two virtual gladiators, everything winds down and I end up splayed out over Anon's chest again.
>The following morning, I wake up with him, share affection that Sparks isn't able to see, and go back to sleep by the time he goes out.
>After yesterday's talk, I found out a good way to at least send Anon off!
>When he's getting dressed, I grab those small, square bags of oatmeal that he uses for weekend breakfasts.
"For lunch!"
>It's a far cry from something home made but it's more than nothing.
>I feel so awkward just giving him packets but he mentions how he can use his work's water cooler to fix it up for a warm lunch.
>He gives me an extra kiss before he leaves.
>He doesn't lock the door and I can hear him go down the stairwell right next to our apartment.
>I stand there for a few minutes, just... maybe hoping that he's forgotten something, or would have an excuse to come back.
>My smile shrinks after a few more minutes.
>Deciding that he's probably off to work for real, I trot back to bed and spread out on it.
>It's still warm.
>Yesterday felt like forever ago.
>I think Anon suspected something bad happened.
>I was a bit clingy and he was more than happy to keep at least one arm around me.
>I think I even kissed his arm.
>I start to roll around on the bed.
>Was it too much?
>Am I too hopeless?
>What if Sparks has an issue with it?
>Why would she get to tell me what to do anyway?
>How much should I tell him?
>How much does it matter?
>"Stop thinking about Anon, you're going to roll a hole in the bed."
>Sparks in her usual grumpy morning self is finally awake.
"No, you."
>I rebut in meme and roll harder until my hooves scrape against the wall.
"I'm worried."
>I say flatly, watching the wall.
>"Why?"
"Because we had that talk."
>"And what was wrong with having that talk?"
>She loudly yawns.
>She still sleeps like a cat does, when she should really relax more.
"Because it got me... thinking. Not about anything specific. But I just worry now. Like talking about it at all broke some sort of taboo."
>I can hear her sigh.
>"You know, I didn't take you for a worrywort."
"I'm not a wort."
>"Sure you aren't. But I never thought you'd be so worked up over a guy. Especially one so... er, different."
"Well I didn't... expect it. But things kinda just escalated."
>"...do I want to ask how, from your perspective?"
>I can't help but awkwardly giggle, my mane covering a good portion of my face.
"It was awesome. You saw those movies we watched, right?"
>"And watched at least six times since I came here? Yes."
"Imagine if we had that sort of life instead. Did you know that Josey Wales was a murderer and still got to have a happy life?"
>"Who the hell is Josey Wales?"
"He's the man with no name!"
>"But... his name... is Josey Wales. You just said that."
"Yeah well... different continuity. Or something."
>I feel a hook knock against my butt.
>"If this doesn't have a point I'm going out onto the patio."
"Wait, hold on!"
>I scramble to get up, a stray leg scraping against the wall
"Sparks, you know movies are just so unbelievable and cool, right?"
>"Sure?"
"I always felt like I was in a movie, or a dream or something. But talking to you... about everything. It means it's real. This isn't just a movie or something!"
>Sparks looks at me like I said something monumentally stupid.
>She quints.
>And her mouth hangs open.
>"How long does the alcohol keep in your system?"
>I scrunch my face at her, returning the squint.
"Listen... have you ever kinda just trucked along with life, only to one day... just get it?"
>I poke at her with my hoof as soon as she sighs and turns to go away
"Come on, hear me out! I went along with everything or... no, more like I enjoyed everything. I didn't think much about it because it just was all in the moment and it wasn't at all thought out."
>I purse my lips and inhale.
"Only just now... it clicks. Like it really clicks. It's been months and only around now have I put it in perspective. Because with you, I remember of how I was. Who I was."
>Sparks keeps her eyes on me, but the disdain melts away.
"I don't know how else to explain it, Sparking. But you gotta understand. Before you came back-came here-whatever, things were kinda just... going along. But now I remember you better, and I remember what we did, and I remember how I was. And I know how I am now. And where I am now. I remember who I was, so I better know who I am now."
>"When did you become so philosophical?"
>I open my mouth to speak.
>And close it.
>I raise my front right hoof and open my mouth to speak again.
>And close my mouth again.
>I shrug.
"Since I had someone worth being philosophical over."
>"I don't know whether or not I should be proud for you or afraid for him."
>Chuckling, Sparks shakes her head and walks off.
>She stops after two steps.
>"Actually... scratch that. I'm not sure if I should be proud of him or afraid for you."
>I get out of bed and follow her, only able to partially see due to my messy mane.
"Wait, what do you mean about that?"
>"Something's gotta give and Anon's a man, you know."
>The implication makes my entire body heat up, leading to a shiver
"N-no, I don't know! Tell me what he's been thinking!"
>"Ew, God no!"
"Come on, do it!"
>"I'm going outside, I'm going to read, I am going to purge my head of whatever gross stuff you think I know."
"It's not gross, it's fun!"
>"I SAID I'M GOING TO PURGE MY HEAD!"
>I chase after her, watching the patio glass door slide open with her red aura
"IT'S NOT GROSS IF IT'S LOVE, SPARKY. BATHING CLEANS EVERYTHING."
>Sparks lets out a disgusted scream and leaps out onto the patio, the door slamming behind her
"HELP ME WITH MY LOVE, SPARKING!"
>I do my best to hide my urge to laugh.
>I picked up this skill from Anon.
>I used to not get why he'd tell me such things, even as a joke.
>But now I see.
"IT'S NOT DIRTY IF IT'S LOVE!"
>And her reaction, muffled screaming to mute my screaming, makes it all the better.
>I think it's really love.

Part Three.

>It's been a while since Sparks joined you and Jacky
>While it was rocky at times, you've noticed that she's not so above it all when it comes to being goofy and having more... simplistic forms of fun
"Hey Sparks."
>"What."
"Jack and I are zombies. What do you do?"
>You're laying on your bed, flat on your back
>Jacky's laying on her back at your side, her head resting on your upper arm
>Sparks is laying on your other side, with her hind hooves on your other arm
>All of you are just staring up at the ceiling
>After replaying the first Resident Evil remake, their first forays into The Survival Horror, everyone has been spent when it comes to energy
>"I don't know. I find your rifle and I use it."
"But you don't know how to use it."
>"And we're coming right for you."
>Jacky's started sticking to her twin tails when it comes to her mane
>It hasn't ever even been trimmed, and the style works to make it more manageable
>Both you and her also know that it only improves her already stunning visage
>They still argue over everything but any real frustration or animosity has been quelled
>It's really just verbal shitposting now
>"Well both of you are laying down so you need to take a few seconds to get up."
"So are you though."
>"And you're within reach."
"And you're small."
>"And you're weak."
"And I'm hungry."
>"And he eats ponies for dessert."
>You stifle chortle
>Sparks kicks one of her legs out in frustration
>"Well that's not fair. If anything, both of you would probably be locked in different rooms."
"I guess that's true."
>"These doors ain't all that strong though, are they?"
"Not really."
>Sparks fidgets again
>"How well does magic work on zombies?"
"What type of magic?"
>Sparks lets out a prolonged 'hmm'
>"I could burn you."
>"Zombies don't burn well, do they Anon?"
"Well sure they do, but that means that they don't immediately die. And they can catch other stuff on fire. Or grab you and now you're on fire too."
>Sparks grumbles something, frustrated
>"I just leave you guys to rot then."
>Jacky gasps
>"And leave all of the cool stuff Anon has?"
"Yeah, you might need a headlamp, or a big knife, or a rifle."
>"Well if I have eight inventory slots, that's three right there, right?"
>"Technically four for a stack of ammo."
"Right you are, Jacken H'ghar. That's half an inventory right there, but it's good stuff."
>"But I can make my own light."
"It's not as good as a headlamp."
>Sparks sighs
>"Where would I even carry those things? Your rifle doesn't even have a sling."
"Can you just levitate it all?"
>"Yeah, can't you, like, fire all guns at once with that?"
>"I can't do that. Magic isn't that easy."
>She's never stopped popping those vitamins and fish oil pills, by the way
>It seems like whenever she doesn't have them, she just can't use magic at all
"Lame..."
>"Totally..."
>"Yeah well I can at least use magic. Jacky's screwed unless she can buck zombies to death."
"No, she's like my familiar."
>"Yeah."
"Like my druid's pet."
>"What?"
"Like my Dogmeat."
>"What in tarnation, Anon?"
>Sparks giggles, only adding to Jacky's confusion
>"I got it."
>"You cheat, I don't get it."
"It's from the Fallout games."
>You nod sagely
>Jacky follows your lead, still trying to figure out how she would compare to dog meat
"Ok, new one. Say the end of the world happens. We still get electricity and water for a year, everyone else is gone. After the year, water and electricity shuts down but you can find generators, gas and batteries."
>"Well, I guess we do everything we already do. Except you don't have work anymore."
>"That would be cool."
"What about other people?"
>"Who cares?"
>Sparks shrugs with her answer
>"I mean, outside of you two... there's kinda no one I care about here."
"That's heavy."
>"She has a point, Anon. When we go out, everyone kinda looks at us funny and they don't really seem all that happy to talk to us."
"Well people look at me funny all the time."
>"Jacky's talking about us, dork. We look at you funny too but we're normal."
>"Yeah, that's what I mean."
"You guys are cruel..."
>You stretch, your upper back and arms popping
>Your arm curls around Jacky, giving her a tight hug
"Alright... well, would you want to travel or just stay at home? No real dangers out there."
>"What about animals?"
>"Sparks is right, wolves and lions will still eat us."
"Well we'll all be armed to the teeth."
>"And you can shoot a dozen guns at once!"
>"I told you I can't do that."
>"Well that's because you're a quitter."
"That's true. Spitters are quitters."
>The random addition of your comment makes her spits out a laugh
"See?"
>"You lack discipline. I never--"
>"I'm not letting you finish that sentence."
>"Quit."
>Everyone goes silent
>"You suck."
"See, you want us to stop making comments but you just leave yourself open to them."
>The two ponies laugh in their own ways, either from amusement or defeat
"I think it would be cool."
>Jacky squirms a little, adjusting herself on your arm
>"Hey... where would Dashie be?"
>She sounds a little hopeful
"Hopefully close by."
>"We haven't searched for her a lot. I think we need to figure out where we can find her."
"I've been waiting on you guys for that. I wouldn't have a clue where to start. Nona said she doesn't know of any pony named Dashie."
>Jacky squirms again, frowning
>"But... here's the thing. When we went there for Sparks, we didn't ask for Sparking Shine. We asked for Sparks. A nickname worked for her."
>"Wait, really?"
>Sparks flops over and sits up
>Her mane is a mess
>She brushes herself to keep it styled like Twilight's, partially because she doesn't seem to like randomly trying new styles
>"You guys picked me up from that Nona woman and you didn't even use my full name?"
>She shoots you a dirty look but you shrug
"Hey, I didn't know."
>Her look slides to Jacky
>She gives an innocent smile
>"Well... I mean it worked, right?"
>Sparks grunts, laying down again
>This time with her head on your stomach
>"You guys are so lazy! Doesn't this make you think that Dashie is there, we just don't know it?"
>Jacky looks at the ceiling like she didn't exactly consider it
>You shrug
>You really had no clue, but you did question it a little
"Well... that's a good point. But Nona had a good point too. If we don't know Dashie's real name, we can't do a ton."
>A dimly lit bulb goes off in your head
>You blame the comfy setting for your slow mental reaction speed
"You guys remember what she looks like at least?"
>Neither of them answer you
"...right?"
>Sparks turns her head away from you, sighing
>Jacky shrugs
"...nice."
>"Don't be mean, Anon. When it was just you and me, I didn't remember much. I remembered Sparks and Dashie but only vaguely. Like they were far off, muddled memories."
"I guess that's true... since Sparks came back, you've recalled a lot more."
>Sparks huffs
>"I hate to admit it too but I really didn't remember a lot to start either. I remember a small selection of... character traits, almost. But being around and talking to Jacky again jogged my memory pretty well."
"So... what does that mean? That you guys, when separated, don't remember much at all? What if that, in of itself, is some sort of magic?"
>"Woah..."
>That blows Jacky's mind
>"Is that possible?"
"Well we have two talking ponies. One of which is a real unicorn and can use honest to God magic."
>"Is that so unnatural?"
"Yes."
>You and Jacky wait for Sparks to speak up but she doesn't
"So... say Dashie is there. How do we get her?"
>"Would Nona just give her to us?"
"Maybe."
>"What if she doesn't?"
"I've been saving up. We could just grab her like I got you and that would be the end of it."
>"I guess..."
>Sparks finally speaks up
>"We steal her if we need to."
"Come again?"
>"I said that we steal her if we need to."
>"But how? She seems like a nice lady. And that Hanzel guy looks strong."
"For a pony."
>"Sure but stronger than both Sparky and I."
>Sparks scoffs
>"Please. We've dealt with worse. And we have Anon to keep one or both of them occupied."
>Jacky looks at you for a moment before stumbling up into a sitting position
>"...are you serious?"
>"Well yeah. This is Dashie we're talking about. If that place disappears, how do we find her again? What if we wait too long and lose our chance? We aren't going to leave her alone."
>You're the only one still laying down
>Partially because your lower stomach is being used as a pillow
"...ok. Say if we do plan to break into a warehouse and steal a pony."
>"Pegasus."
>"She's a pegasus, Anon."
"Pegasus pony. What do we do if we have the cops called on us? Or something else happens?"
>Jacky looks down and sighs
>"He has a point... Anon has something to lose if that happens."
>Sparks finally sits up, putting her hoof down
>The sudden stomp on your stomach leads to a recoil and a sudden 'oof!'
>"O-oh, er, sorry."
>She puts her hoof down again
>Which leads to nothing because the bed is soft
>It isn't nearly as dramatic
>"We need to get this figured out, whether or not it's risky. We all do, or have done, legally questionable things, right? This is important. It isn't for entertainment, and this isn't for food. This is for a friend."
>You scoot back and sit up, finally able to defend your gut in the event of another stray stomp
"Ok, we're stopping this conversation until we settle exactly one thing."
>Both of the girls look at you
"We need to be sure enough that she's either there... or we will know where to find her. We go there and botch it, our ass is going to get handed to us and worse. Depending on things, could be far worse."
>Neither of them reply
"So... if we're serious about this. Let's brainstorm. Who, exactly, is Dashie?"

"So can I call you tonight? I'm trying to make up my mind."
>After a rather fruitless Sunday of planning and scheming overly improbable things like pitfall traps, ancient evils and magical terror, you and your little ponies decide to just chill and drink a tiny bit
>A tiny enough bit to make Sparkbug sprawl out on your bed, dead to the world for the next ten hours at least
>A tiny bit enough for you and Jacky that both of you are comfortably in control of just enough of your physical faculties and loose enough mentally to not mind anything silly
>You idly sing to her while she lays on your torso
>You strum her side like a guitar
>Both of your heads are bobbing to and fro to the song playing on your laptop
"Just how I feel... could you tell me what's real? I hear your voice on the phone, now I'm no longer alone."
>Jacky spurts out a laugh when you reach that part
>"Could you imagine being stuck on the phone? It's just, how do you even hold one?"
>The thought of it amuses her to no end
"Psh, it's rough, but you do it if you're talking to someone who's worth it."
>You keep strumming Jacky's side, though she's not convinced
>"Yeah right. Have you ever been on the phone with someone you liked enough to bother with working one out?"
"Sure I have."
>You break tempo of the song and raise one of her front legs
"WICKED SOLO!"
>You tickle under her arm letting out a vaguely slurred 'weedlyweedlywee'
>She evolves to full on guffawing
>That dies down and you go back to strumming, only to the next song on the playlist
"My bros. We used to talk for hours and hours over the phone, enough to drain three home phone batteries over the course of a weekend."
>Jacky's laughter dies down to a pleasant sigh
>"That's crazy, man. What is there to even talk about for so long?"
"Well that's the funny thing. We didn't talk all the time. Sometimes we just had the phones on speaker and just... let it sit like that. We'd watch our own things or play our own games and sometimes say stuff but that was kinda it."
>The strumming devolves into idle petting
>"That sounds kinda lame."
"Sure, but we do that too."
>"Yeah, but we're not far enough to require phones."
"True, but if we were, I'd want to be on the phone with you."
>Jacky stretches out on you, one of her hind legs shaking
>"I guess that would make it ok then..."
"Hey Jack."
>"What's up?"
"You think Dashie would like being here? I know this place isn't all that big, and I kinda feel bad that we don't have more... grand adventures."
>"You crazy? It snowed two days ago! I'm not going out in that when I could be right here."
"That's true. But still. It must be boring cooped up in here all the time."
>Jacky stretches again
>You can feel her inhale and exhale
>"You aren't bored though, are you? We barely go out and outside of work you're right here with me."
>You give a single half-effort 'ha'
"Yeah right. What's out there for me? I got a ton of vidya, movies and other stuff I haven't even begun to touch."
>"And me."
"Exactly."
>It's a little late before you realize her point
"Alright well... just because I'm ok with it doesn't mean I shouldn't ask. That's what..."
>"Couples?"
"...yeah. That's what couples do, I guess."
>"You guess?"
"Listen here, tiny yellow twintailed pony. I am too sober to admit these sort of things with a straight face."
>Sensing weakness, she turns to lay on you, belly to belly
>"So much for being bold, huh?"
"Hey, we're talking about Dashie."
>"You are."
"Shouldn't I be? She's your longest known friend, right?"
>That question finally broke her out of her flirtatious mood
>And stopped her hind hooves from rubbing against you
>"Can I really say she's my longest known friend if I can't even remember her name?"
"Sure you can. No friends are perfect."
>"I guess. What if she doesn't remember me?"
"You remember more about Sparks now that she's been here compared to it just being you, right?"
>"I guess. What if we can't find her?"
"We will."
>Jacky looks directly into your eyes
>"How do you know?"
>You pat her sides with both of your hands
"Because none of us are giving up on her. You three are a true blue group, and I'm honored to join in as the fourth party member. That means I'm in as much as you are, and as much as Sparks is."
>You doubt you'll ever see your friends again
>You're not even sure if they'll even want to see you again
>But you know that Sparks and Jacky are your friends
>That means Dashie's going to be your friend too
>And friends don't abandon friends
>Friends never abandon each other
>Not if they're serious
>Your thoughts must be playing on your face because she curls her front legs around your neck, giving you a tight hug
>Maybe a little too tight
"But once she's here... yeah, I'm done being a hero. That Hans guy seems neat but that Nona chick kinda worries me."
>Jacky lets out a quick, short chuckle
>"He seems nice."
"For sure. I just hope he doesn't get in our way."
>"What if he does?"
"Then we go through him. Or around him."
>"What if he takes it the wrong way?"
"Then we tell him that it's for our friend and let him... come to his own conclusion."
>"What if he comes to the wrong conclusion?"
>You sigh and return her hug
"Gonna have to take that chance, honestly. If he were our friend, he would probably feel the same way."
>"Ffffffffffffffffor fffffffffffffffffffffffff-sake."
>Sparks grumbles, weakly kicking the air in your general direction
>"SSSSSSssssshaddip."
>You purse your lips and lean your head to the side
"THANKS FOR RUINING THE MOOD, SPARKY. THANKS FRIEND."
>Jacky snickers before joining in
>"KEEP DISTRACTING HIM SO I CAN---"
>The twin sources of aural torment cause Sparks to kick at the air with all of her legs
>She lets out some pained, profane pony noises
>It's more funny than anything else because the poor girl can't even open her eyes or lift her head off of the bed
"WE LOVE YOU SPARKY. NIGHTY NIGHT."
>"DON'T MIND US, WE'LL BE QUIET NOW. I'LL BLOCK HIS MOUTH OFF WITH MINE."
>Sparks lets out a frustrated, dazed scream and kicks out her legs all at once
>Her horn sparks to life once or twice but doesn't last long enough to show that she's capable of doing anything about it
>Sometimes friends just have to be their own worst enemies

>It's been a lot slower than you thought when it comes to intel gathering
>Neither Sparks or Jacky can really speak much on Dashie
>Like she's a physical shadow that has distinct characteristics but everything else is a blur
>You and Sparks are out on the patio
>Jacky ate more than enough dinner to end up in a mini food coma
>She's always so excited and thankful when it's dinner time
>Sparks ate, but not nearly as much
>She looks like she's been trying to say something, or maybe it's just you
"Hey Sparky."
>The unicorn glances at you before returning her gaze to the trees
>"Yeah?"
"Something you wanna talk about?"
>"What? Why?"
>You shrug
"Well Iunno. You can read my mind and probably Jacky's too, but you have us at a disadvantage."
>"I don't read her mind."
>You scoff
"Why, she too smart for you to handle?"
>She returns the scoff
>"I can tell what she's thinking by talking to her."
"What, you can't with me?"
>You lean back into the camping chair you recently bought
>It's a better option than the white plastic lawn chairs that were out on the patio when you first moved in
>"You keep too much secret."
>The thought makes you laugh
"Right."
>You let the thought stew in your stomach for a few minutes
"You really telling me that you don't have secrets too?"
>"Well of course I do."
"Wanna share? You tell me one, I'll tell you one."
>Sparks chuckles
>"Alright... you first."
"Easy; I'm scared of you guys leaving. I've been happier with you two than I've been in the last seven years."
>"It's more than seven years, Anon."
"See? You cheat, and this is probably an obvious thing to you."
>"Maybe."
>The conversation dies down for a while
>Sparks adjusts herself in her seat
>She's gotten more used to jumping onto and off of chairs and tables now, but she's still just not there when it comes to sense of balance
>"You know what secret I want to know? How can you admit your flaws and faults so openly like that? Don't you have any shame left?"
"Should I? You wanna know a real secret, Sparkplug?"
>You glance to her
>The trees are starting to come in green again but most of them are still dead and brown
>She gives a short nod
"If I've learned how to be exactly one thing in my life. It's to be a failure."
>The unicorn frowns at you
>"Come on, don't be so--"
"Let me finish."
>You wave your hand at her
"First off, what is a failure?"
>She cocks an eyebrow and shrugs
>"I don't know... someone who doesn't succeed?"
"Exactly."
>You wait for a snide remark or a comment but she doesn't make one
"Sparks, every achievement I have is flanked by failures. Possibly overshadowed by botches, mistakes, missed chances and half-assed successes that tend to be a net zero in whether or not I mean anything in any greater sense."
>You wait
>Still no commentary
"If I've learned one thing to make me anything resembling competent-not successful-but competent. Is that I've fucked up far more than I could ever hope to succeed. And because I know that, I'm not ashamed to admit it. If I screw up, I can gladly admit it. I won't not fix it, or attempt to. I could fail at that too, who knows. But. I don't have that fear either."
>You smile at Sparky and shrug
"So that's my secret. I can be shameless. I can be bold. Because the worst thing that can happen to me is yet another failure. If I'm used to that, I'm invincible."
>You sound quite proud of yourself
>But you're not smiling
"So that's a pretty big secret. What do you got?"
>Sparks doesn't answer you
>She doesn't even want to look at you
>"My secret... I keep a few."
"I'm open if you want to share."
>"I wish I were a little more like Jacky."
>You didn't expect that
"Alright... why's that?"
>"Because she's... happy."
"How's that a secret?"
>"You know about what... how we were before, right?"
"Sure, I guess. "
>"She doesn't have a past or a home to care about or return to."
>She sounds surprised
>"I mean, I guess I don't either. I wanted to go back home and out of wherever this place is, but you know... I don't think anyone misses me? Why would they?"
"What about your mom? I bet she misses you."
>Sparks meanders before giving an answer
>"Maybe she does... but I don't know for sure."
"Why wouldn't she?"
>"I don't know. Why doesn't your family care about you?"
>She says that with far more of an edge than she thought, given she immediately shirks back
>"Oh... sorry. I didn't mean anything by that."
>You shrug, enjoying the chair
>This is hardly the hardest topic for you
"No, you got a good point. I guess they do, to an extent. But they have their own stuff to worry about too, you know? I can't be on their minds all the time. If they don't ever ask how I'm doing or what I've been up to, or want to have a conversation in which I do more than listen... well, that's just how it turns out, right?"
>You smirk, sight focused on the treeline
"This is about your secret, not mine. Right?"
>"Right."
>She inhales, as if it's taking genuine effort to come cleane
>"I don't want to go back to where I came from. If I really came from another place. I... want to stay here. I want to not have to worry about where my next meal is coming from. I want to... not feel like a failure."
>She waits a few moments before speaking up again
>"I used to not be able to use magic at all, you know. First time I really 'succeeded', I burnt something somewhere. It was bad. This was before I met Jacky or Dashie."
>She clears her throat
>"I hate vegetables. I love sleeping in. I like those dumb songs you play on your computer. I like rough housing without anyone judging me. Those vitamins make me feel stronger. I hate looking into the darkness. I get angry when I watch Twilight Sparkle because she's got a lot of friends, a big home, can do anything with her magic and it doesn't even look like she's trying most of the time."
>That last one makes you laugh
"Seriously, you're jealous of Twilight? Remember Lesson Zero?"
>She stamps her hoof down on the chair
>"Exactly my point! She can make anyone love her doll, like she could surely do with herself, and her issue is... what, exactly? That she's paranoid about homework? I've never had to do homework and it looks like it's just writing a letter!"
>She brings up her hooves, speaking in a deep voice
>"Dear Princess Celestia, today I learned that if it's yellow, keep it mellow. Dear Princess Celestia, today I learned that what comes after the number two is 'electric boogaloo'."
>She throws her hooves up in the air
>"Freaking, get a clue! Learn something of value! Something that could save a life, not about how friends bicker and hate each other sometimes. Everyone knows that!"
>Her normally cool, sarcastic persona melts away in impotent frustration
>"She's... such a main character!"
"Yeah, totally. NPC for life, right?"
>You raise up a fist in solidarity
>She gives you an evil eye but her normal ferocity is defanged
>"You know what I mean. She's skilled but she's also given so much. I mean, who's to say that she would ever amount to anything if she had skill but no one to recognize it? Where's her montage of learning how to lift a cup? Where's her montage of screw ups?"
"Well... that entire episode was about her causing a screw up that compounded onto itself. She was pretty damn paranoid about it too. I don't think that's a virtuous pony you're plinking at."
>"I know! It's so..."
>She huffs
>"I'm jealous."
"Why?"
>"Because I look like and sound like her but I'm not. I'm... a discount version of what seems like some messiah."
"Doesn't help that she gets wings later."
>Sparks looks at you with the most disgusted look in her eye
>"She. Gets. WHAT?! HOW DO I COMPETE AGAINST THAT?!"
>She's escalated into a full scream
>"How is that fair?! What the hell, why?!"
>She slumps down in her seat
>"Where are my wings? Where's my rewards? Where are my shiny trinkets that work off of the power of friendship and nebulous traits like... being honest?"
>You shrug in your seat, having successfully melted into it
"Let's be honest... would you be happier if you had that sort of stuff? Does it matter that much to you?"
>"Well... no? But..."
>She deflates, your question deflating her rage
>"But why does she get to have all sorts of good stuff when I didn't?"
>Her tone is that of a defeated unicorn
>There are no tears, but there is one solitary sigh of resignation
>"Why wasn't I good enough when I practiced?"
>You lean over in one fluid, sliding motion and pat her shoulder
>She flinches at first
"Embrace the reality of it, Sparking. You don't deserve less than her. You don't deserve worse. But you don't deserve better either. A lot of that... we just can't control it. She has lifelong friends, a decently-sized family, she's only gotten more and more powerful like an RPG. And then there are... more normal ponies, like you. And more normal people. Like me."
>You pause
"I mean sure, you're a little abnormal, but that's not bad either."
>Due to your nonplussed, neutral tone and how backhanded a compliment it is, she laughs
>"You're one to talk. You talk about being a loser is some sort of hidden zen state."
"Am I wrong?"
>You hold your arms out, as if to show the fruits of your labor
>She laughs again
"I'm not saying to sit there and let yourself be stifled because you might not ever become as powerful or as popular as her. You've gotten better at magic lately because of those video games and cooking, right?"
>She thinks about it for a bit before nodding
>"Well I guess so, sure."
"Then there you go."
>She looks at you like she's not convinced
>"I don't get it."
"You're improving, Sparky. Whether or not you see it, you are. It might not look like a lot, it might feel like it's hardly worth it. But you are improving. That's enough. You can only move at the speed of yourself, you know?"
>The hot pink pony takes your words in
>Processes them
>"It doesn't mean I like it..."
"I know... trust me, I do. I'd kill to be anyone but myself. Not anymore, thanks to you and Jackolantern snoozing back there. But before? You butter believe it."
>"Did... you say butter?"
"You butter believe."
>"Butter believe."
>She repeats your words slowly, looking at you with a squint
"Yeah."
>She stares at you
>You stare back at her
>And smile
>She laughs again
>"You're stupid, you know that?"
"Sure do. But I'm getting better."
>"Right... and I guess I am too."
>You snort
"Barely. You're slipping on your Maxi game."
>That cut her to the core
>She erupts from the chair, her horn enflamed with red magical aura
>"You wanna go a few rounds you wimp? I'll cremate you!"
>You stand up and clap your hands together
"Alright you little night light, let's fucking go. When I win, you can take care of tomorrow's dinner."
>What better way to work off a dinner than a dozen rounds of Soul Calibur?
>The best part?
>Dear little Sparky skipped her vitamins today

>Anon didn't go to work today
>I didn't mind since I just slept in as usual, but after his shower he just crawled back into bed.
>He was dried off but still just in a towel, muttered something about having texted his manager.
>I was too sleepy to really tell what he was going on about but he went to sleep near me so that was enough.
>Eventually, once the sun was up, I woke up.
>Anon was still sleeping.
>Sparks was up too, she was in another room or something.
>I squirmed my way out from under the blanket and gently stepped off the mattress.
>He slept like a rock under the best conditions, so he probably wouldn't miss me for a few minutes.
>I arched my back and stretched, letting out a loud yawn.
>Ever since I decided to keep the twintail hair style, it's been easier to keep track of my mane too.
>Less bed head.
>Practicing to sway my hips for a few steps, I hear someone go 'ohhhhm..."
>I sway my hips again, too hard to the point that I go off balance and bump into the wall.
>"Go back to bed Jacky. I'm not in the mood for distractions today."
>It's Sparks.
>She's sitting like normal, except she's leaning out with her front hooves cupped together.
>It looks a little awkward.
>She looks like she's close to tipping over.
>"Ohhhm...."
>"W...what are you doing?"
>Sparky opens one of her eyes, frowning.
>"I'm training."
>"Training for what?"
>"I'm training to hone my mastery of The Force."
>You blink at her a few times.
>"Say wut."
>Rather than repeat herself, she increases her "OHHHHHHHHHHMMMM" in volume
>The Force
>As in... Star Wars?
>We've all been watching more old movies and settled on Star Wars
>"Sparky... you know... that's just a movie, right? It ain't real."
>Even the ones that were based off of true stories.
>Anon told me so.
>Sparks opens her eye again, grimacing.
>"Yes it is."
>What?
>How did she know?
>"N-no it ain't... Josey Wales ain't real, what makes you think The Force is real?"
>"Because my magic is real. And magic is just something that's only shown in movies too, right?"
>She wasn't making much sense.
>But she was making sense.
>"But... The Force ain't magic."
>"Yes it is."
>I try to talk back to her but she sounds sure of herself.
>"W-well... Anon says it's just a movie. So it ain't real."
>"He also said that it never snows down where he came from but I checked and it snowed almost an inch once two years ago."
>My ears flatten down as I try to think of a way to defend his word.
>But she's just really sure of herself.
>And she technically wasn't even wrong there.
>"W... well alright. What can The Force do?"
>"Anything. It's just magic."
>"But... the guys who use it aren't unicorns."
>"Exactly. So it should be easy for me. Ohmmm..."
>Something about this doesn't sit right well with me but I just can't think of the proper way to refute it.
>"I don't believe you... but. And a big but here, but what if it was?"
>"Then you're interrupting me from getting it."
>"Caaaaaaaaaaaan I learn how to use The Force too? Since I'm not a unicorn?"
>"Sure."
>Awesome!
>If I could learn to use magic, I could do so much.
>Not just things like opening and closing human-size doors, but things for Anon too.
>I could finally surprise him with something big!
>"Teach me, Sparks! How do I figure it out?"
>Sparks opens her eyes and leans forward, dropping her posture.
>"I don't know, I'm just trying out some meditative posing."
>"I didn't see Luke doing that... he did wear that helmet though. Wait, we got any helmets?"
>"For flying like he had? No."
>"Dang. What else we got?"
>I look around and see one of Anon's t-shirts from a few days ago, thrown to the side.
>The living room didn't have a ton but it did make for a good laundry room.
>"Hey, Sparky. Why not cover my eyes with his shirt?"
>She gives me a wry look.
>"Is this just an excuse to do something weird?"
>I didn't think of it before but the excuse did sound solid.
>I shake my head, clearing my throat.
>"No, duh... it's because Luke was blinded. So I gotta do the same. You sitting there and going 'ohhhm' like a dork ain't gonna cut it."
>I puff my chest out and wait to hear an argument.
>Instead, she shrugs and nods.
>"Alright, good point."
>Though it's just a shirt, Sparks stares at it for a good solid minute.
>I look around myself, expecting some sort of trick.
>"Y... y'alright, Sparkie?"
>"Shh."
>I glance around again, my body tensing up.
>Nothing's happening.
>After another minute of solid silence I speak up.
"Sparks... did you take your vitamins today or something? Normally you can just whisk that stuff around."
>The unicorn glares at me.
>"I'm stronger than I was before, you know. I don't need those nearly as much. Just watch."
>I wait and watch.
>A few more minutes pass.
>Sparks went from a neutral expression to grimacing, to outright angry gawking.
>Nothing.
>Not even a spark from her horn.
>I purse my lips, trying my best to smile despite the awkward feeling in the air.
>"I think you just need your--"
>"No! I don't need them!"
>Sparks barked out at me, her frustration audible.
>I don't remember a ton but I get the vague sense of deja vu with this.
>"Sparks, it's ok if you can't. Why don't you just take a break?"
>"I said I'm fine, just... give me a second."
>I do.
>I give her a lot of seconds.
>The shirt still just lays there.
>"It was working fine a few days ago... what the hell is the problem now? "
>She was playing a lot of games a while back with Anon.
>He told you about it and how he actually won the majority of the matches.
>Eventually she stops glaring at the shirt and sighs, hanging her head.
>"I can't believe it... how do I have problems after all this time? I can cook, I can play games, I can type way better than you, and I can even work the doors."
>She's put down but I don't really see that big a deal of it.
>I'm jealous of not being able to use magic but I don't get any joy of her lacking it either.
>"Well... maybe it's based off of the moon? Like you're a magical werewolf? A were...mage?"
>Sparks looks at me with a furrowed brow.
"A... were-witch?"
>I smile widely at her.
>It doesn't really do anything.
>I shrug, looking at the shirt.
>"Maybe something's in it, making it heavy?"
>You sure don't think that could be the case but she actually trots over to it.
>She nudges it with her nose.
>She turns to face me, shrugging.
>"It looks fine to me, nothing's wrapped up in it."
>I feel a cold chill go over me.
>Ice cold.
>"S-sp-Sparks..."
>I look at her with a horrified expression
>She doesn't seem to see the cause for alarm and looks at you with a dull look.
>"What now?"
>"Sp..sp...SPIDER!"
>A tiny spider had crawled onto the tip of her nose and was sitting there, pleased as can be.
>Spark's eyes dilate to pin pricks.
>She lets out a terrified scream and her entire body erupts in red!
>Covered in her blindingly red aura, all of her energies focus to her nose.
>The tiny spider, at least big enough to be noticed, gets drowned in the light.
>I don't know if she crushed it or not but the light blinks out after compressing into an astonishingly tiny red gleam.
>I blink a few times.
>"Whoa... you killed that spider. You sent that thing to another dimension!"
>Sparks shivered hard, letting out a collection of disgusted, disturbed noises.
>I hear something loud behind me and turn around.
>Anon is standing in the hallway, wielding a large knife.
>He still looks sick and the towel around his waist is still wrapped and folded over, but looks disheveled.
>He sees me.
>And he sees Sparks flailing about while crying to herself about how she's been poisoned.
>He looks at me again, and sighs.
>Without even commenting on the situation, he goes back to his room.
>I can hear him literally fall onto the mattress.
>"I'm... gonna go back to sleep with Anon.. you, uh... good luck on that Force stuff, ok?"
>I back away from the manic unicorn, flinching and double checking every shadow in the corner of my sight.
>If a spider were to get on me, I'd be finished.
>Following Anon's example, I hop onto the mattress.
>With him face down, I burrow under his arm until it's over me.
>"My hero, you came to save me, didn't you?"
>He mumbles something, his face full of pillow.
>I chose to believe it was true.
>Even if The Force does exist, I don't really need it.
>But then again, magic can kill a spider.
>With that thought in my head, I end up spending hours watching the corners of the bed and the walls.
>Surely spiders know better than to invade a bedroom.
>Right...?

>It's day two of Anon being sick.
>I'm not that worried since he doesn't seem like he's dying but he isn't doing anything beyond sleeping or drinking hot tea.
>I helped guide him to the bathroom earlier.
>I couldn't honestly do much but I did carry a towel for him.
>Once he got out, I led him back to bed and promised him some oatmeal.
>And by promising him, I knew just the unicorn for the job.
>Sparks sighs, sitting on a bar stool.
>She took her vitamins today, so she can use magic like normal again.
>Ever since she gotten over being poisoned by that poor spider she crushed to oblivion, she put off her training.
>I sit on the floor, watching her from below.
>"Now not too hot, ok? I ain't gonna feed him something that's gonna lead to a burn."
>"Jacky, it's on the stove. It has to burn to cook."
>"You got that whole pyromaniac thing going on, I'm really not sure I believe you..."
>I really don't like sitting around in a real time of need but there isn't much I can do.
>"Sparky... Anon's actually sick. He's taking stuff and he doesn't look like he's all that bad off but..."
>I sigh.
>"What can I do about this? You get magic and you can make things. I can't."
>Sparks shrugs, watching a large metal spoon go around and around in circles.
>The red aura looks eerie, even after being so used to it.
>"Honestly? I don't really know. This apartment really isn't made for ponies. This world isn't really built up for us. You haven't, we haven't, gotten sick too, so there's that. We're talking ponies in a world full of humans and the second Anon, our human, goes down for the count? We're... kinda useless."
>She speaks plainly and with her eyes focused on the spoon.
>She doesn't even really sound sad about it.
>It does drag me down pretty hard though.
>"But... there's gotta be something. There's never a situation where you can't just do nothing. Right?"
>I really do hope that she has the answer.
>The right answer.
>But I think I know the answer too.
>"Maybe. But things happen all the time without us being able to honestly do anything about it."
>I give a heavy sigh.
>Of course that was the right answer.
>"Do you think we ended up here by fate or just by... accident?"
>Out of nowhere, Sparks asks that.
>Which is the right answer?
>"Well. I don't know. But it's a good accident if it is one, right?"
>I smile with my answer.
>"Even if you end up in a world where you're incapable of most things?"
>"Be honest with me, Sparks. Could we do much when we were home? We were bottom feeders. We both know this. Asking me if I'm happy to be here or not... it's kinda not a fair question."
>She doesn't seem all that bothered either way.
>She's just focusing on the spoon.
>"Doesn't it bother you that we look similar to cartoon characters?"
>I smirk.
>"Should it? It means we're pretty popular. We could be famous if we ever went public."
>"Or we could be hunted."
>Such a pessimist.
>"Think about it though. With you looking like Twilight and me looking like my ma, we-"
>"She isn't your mom, cut it out."
>I frown.
>"She is if I say so. What if it's true?"
>"It isn't true."
>"Neither of us know that."
>"But it sounds stupid."
>"I think you sound stupid."
>My retort finally causes a reaction.
>Her face flinches into a scowl, but only for a moment.
>"...Maybe I do. I don't really miss our world. I'm happy I'm here. But now that I am, I just can't find anything to care about. If this is heaven and we're both dead, what's the point of going on?"
>The sentiment does bother me, but I know the answer for sure.
>"The point? It's to enjoy ourselves, Sparking! To find Dashie and bring her here to us, our home! And after that... who cares? Who's judging or grading us? Who's going to punish us if this is heaven and we're long dead and gone? Should I be worried about that?"
>That's right, Dashie is still our goal.
>Even if I relax and take my time with pretty much everything, I haven't forgotten about her.
>"Sparky, I get that you're smarter than me and you like to rub it in... but you said that maybe there are things that we can't control."
>I fidget in place.
>It feels kinda weird to go on the offensive with her.
>This courage wasn't there before.
>"If we can't honestly do anything about some stuff. Should you really focus so much tie on worrying? Have you spent even half this much effort thinking about Dashie?"
>"Of course I have."
>"Somehow I doubt it..."
>"Think what you want."
>The conversation more or less dies there.
>Maybe it's the episodes of the cartoon, but this being the end of the conversation bothers me.
>"Sparks... I'm sorry. You're my best friend."
>No answer.
>Until she does answer.
>"I know, Jacky... you are too. I just wish things were a little different."
>She sounds... not sad.
>But not happy either.
>The metal pot she cooked in starts to glow and sinks down to the floor.
>"There you go. Be careful when you carry it, ok?"
>The spoon's still in it too.
>It seems a little on the chunky and dehydrated side.
>But it looks like it's enough to feed all of us too.
>"Thanks. Wanna give it to him with me?"
>Sparky doesn't move from her seat.
>"No. No... that's ok. He's gonna get you sick if you keep around him like that, you know."
>I smirk and stand up, stretching.
>"If I do, I'll trust you and Anon to take care of me. Just how Anon and I will take care of you."
>I chomp down onto the handle of the pot and strut back to the sick human.
>Maybe if he doesn't eat all of it I can have the rest.

>You've felt sick for a few days but it was really nothing too terrible
>Jacky and Sparks both kept you company, one more than other depending on the time
>You've been sorta half up for a while now, your eyes glued shut
>You are feeling better, but you just aren't all that up to moving around more than you absolutely have to
>The towel you've been wearing more or less undid itself, but you've still been covered by a blanket
>With the headache that you avoid by keeping your eyes closed, you've been doing a good job at playing Manbat and sensing everything around you through sound
>Jacky's been curled up on your left side for a while now
>She might be awake, you've felt her fidgeting or moving for a while now
>You've been sorta half-petting her since that seems to be the limit of your motor functions
>Sparks has been watching some sort of anime for a while now
>You recognize some of the voice actors and you know that it has Steve Blum in it
>You rotate to your left slightly to hug the shivering pony
>And poke your forehead against something
>A... horn?
>Wait
>Is this Sparks?
>Your hand rubs over her backside again
>Her skin, her fur, is different
>You contemplate stopping or shifting back but before you do, you feel her lurch forward
>She nuzzles her face against yours
>Hard
>You can hear her breathing
>You give her a hard squeeze of a hug and relax yourself
>You're not too sure of what to think, of what you should or shouldn't do
>You've slept with her nearby, sure, but this is new
>Is this alright?
>Sparks stops mashing her face against yours long enough nod
>That's spooky
>Wait, she's read your mind before, right?
>She nods again, huffing out an exhale into your ear
>This was just eerie
>But you're still tired and out of it enough to not really worry
>This is Sparks, of course
>You can trust her
>You do trust her
>But this is unusual for her
>She's normally so aloof or distant, physically or otherwise
>Where was Jacky? Was she really on the laptop?
>Sparks nods again
>You didn't really know that she was up that late
>Maybe you sleeping all day and night hasn't been the most entertaining thing for her
>They've been able to eat and all that normally with you out of commission, right?
>Peering into you in a way you never thought possible, she nods again
>That's good
>That makes you happy
>Your mental capacity has been almost completely filled by the two girls
>You even got up when you hear Sparks scream, grabbing one of the old military blades you've been collecting
>When you saw that it was just shenanigans, you dropped your happy ass back to bed
>You don't remember much else
>You remember Jacky bringing you oatmeal
>A ton of it
>But you know that she didn't make it either
>It was Sparks
>She nods again, shifting her attention to your neck and shoulder
>What she's doing is undeniably affectionate
>Your thoughts are so scattered that you aren't able to reliably parse it
>You're thankful for Jacky
>You're also very thankful for Sparks too
>She really has livened up the place, and brought a lot to the table
>Her magic is neat too
>If you had magic, you probably could do stuff even while sick
>What feels like an hour passes
>During that entire time, Sparks never once stopped moving
>She always shifted or adjusted or pushed herself against you, coming danger close to kissing the side of your neck
>For a lot of it, you lost any capacity to move
>Some of it, you blinked out with your only thoughts revolving around the anime
>It wasn't quiet but it wasn't loud
>To you it was loud but it wasn't really that loud
"....mmph. Hey Jack."
>Instantly, Sparks goes still as the grave, her face tucked into your neck
>You hear a loud yawn and feel a hoof nudge against your side
>"Anon, you up?"
>You aren't able to answer immediately but you eventually nod
"...anime good?"
>"Sure is, yeah! I couldn't sleep all that much and I wanted to keep an eye on you so I've been watching this and I've been having that soda. You don't mind that I'm on my third bottle, right? I know they come in only four packs."
>You take a second to comprehend all of her words and nod
>"Alright! Do you need anything?"
>You nudge your face left and right
>You can hear her laugh a little
>"You're super sleepy but don't you worry, I'll get you anything as soon as you want!"
>You nod a few times longer than what you probably should have until your neck decides you're done and shuts down
>She's a good girl
>Does she wake up early?
>You wake up early and she's taken to waking up with you
>Man, you feel sorta bad because you'd want her to sleep in more
>Your attention shifts back to Sparks again
>Only now do you realize that she's been moving again
>Kissing the side of your neck, no less
>That's weird
>Hey Sparks
>Does Jacky get up early sometimes?
>She nods
>You can feel her mouth open against you
>You shiver at the feeling of something warm and slick whip across your collar bone
>Hey Sparks
>You've been thinking about opening a store where everything is blueberry or blue or berries
>What soda would go best with that?
>She doesn't answer
>Or if she does, you can't comprehend it
>You feel like your thoughts are starting to space out further and further
>Your body reacts to Sparks' attention
>You feel that much more at peace
>That much harder to shake off the fatigue
>You just realized that you can breath through your right nostril but not your left
>Fuck being sick sucks
>If this were an RPG you'd be better by now because sleep always helps
>Sparks would definitely be your high damage mage
>Jacky would be a rogue for sure
>Man they'd love D&D wouldn't they?
>You gotta introduce that to them better
>You haven't had pineapple in a long time now
>What's with the warm massaging going on around your neck and rising?
>Your mind spirals and spin cycles into mush
>Sleep is coming over you again
>Your arm is still around Sparks but you forget where she is
>But you're happy she's here with you and Jacky
>You could use a drink
>You doze off with your mouth open, snoring in the first time in who knows how long

>Morning
>You wake up with a terribly dry mouth and immediately reach for a cup you left on your desk
>Except you can't because your arm is occupied
>Crap
>You reach out with your other arm
>You can't because it's also occupied
>Double crap
>This really sucks
>You look to your left and see Sparks curled up, with her head on your arm
>You look to your right and see Jacky more sprawled out, her head on your arm
>You've had this conundrum before with cats
>Your eyes have a hard time adjusting to everything
>It's not the brightest setting in the room but any light stings
>You can breath a bit better but you can feel congestion in your throat
>It feels like you've been sleeping for days
>Why were you thinking of blueberry soda?
>You try to clear your throat and lay your head back down, closing your eyes
>Entering something resembling a zen state, you recall a previous stage in your life
>Feeling yourself loosen up, you start to slip your arms out from under the ponies
>Slowly
>Awkwardly
>So awkwardly it actually kinda hurts
>Over the course of a minute of snaking your limbs back, up, and out, until they are freed
>You softly exhale and karate chop the air
>You still got it
>You begin to slide down the bed itself, going under your blanket
>Another skill you had was leaving your bed without alerting any animals on it
>Talking ponies surely count
>After another minute of dragging yourself down, you're free
>You drag yourself to your feet and stretch
>Everything pops
>Your knees, your upper back, your arms, your neck
>Given you aren't even wearing a towel now, you are as free as humanly possible
>You are invincible!
>On the note of invincibility, you should really introduce the girls to James Bond
>Stumbling only slightly, you make your way to the bathroom and bathroom
>It's kinda nice, to see how well used everything is
>Towels are laid out with your little sectional rugs
>You can see hoof prints imprinted on the towels
>You never put thought into it, but you're glad they can use the toilet
>The tub, too
>You forgot about it, but you're happy to see that they're always clean and cared for
>Sparks can cook too, but you gotta figure out a better way for them to take care of themselves for hunger and all that
>Especially because once you bring Dashie in, it'll be four total
>You stop your morning routine, the realization hitting you
>You got Jacky after mulling it over for weeks, months
>And because you got her instead of Applejack, or an Applejack, everything just sorta fell into place
>Where do you go from here?
>How do you know you can take care of everyone adequately?
>You aren't some caretaker but you know that without you, they might be in danger if something really bad ever happened
>Not that you think that they're incapable either
>But they are in an alien world
>You never had time to sit down and contemplate all of it but they aren't just knock off toys
>It would be insulting to call them toys
>So then what are they?
>How do they have such a connection between each other?
>What if they're really from another world?
>What if they want to go back?
>What if you want to go with them?
>You've gone from the bathroom to a steaming hot shower to clear your throat and nose, thinking the entire time
>Maybe it isn't so bad
>Nona wouldn't have any answers
>Or she told you she didn't have any answers
>What about that Hanzel guy?
>He seemed happy to be around another guy for once
>Is he from the same origin as them or is he from something else entirely?
>Does it matter?
>You finish your shower sooner than you thought, your mental faculties revving back up to normal
>You still don't remember much of anything during your time of being sick outside of standing in the hallway with a knife
>You recall Sparky crying about something regarding poison and thinking it was just a prank
>You gotta ask about that eventually
>With a new towel wrapped around your waist, you head to the kitchen
>You know what's funny, you were never much of a cook before you got Jacky
>You were a lot less focused in a number of things
>But now?
>It feels like you've improved a lot
>Not in every way possible
>But in enough avenues that your past self wouldn't recognize you
>You still get sad sometimes
>But ever since that day you kinda just came back and laid on the floor, you knew that you just couldn't do that again
>No matter what, you couldn't put anyone else in that position again
>You can deal with your issues on your own
>No, that isn't the right way to think
>You can count on your two friends to help you out
>You just don't want to bother them
>But that isn't right either, is it?
>It isn't going to bother them
>Not if they're real friends of yours
>And they are
>You feel confident in believing that
>It hasn't been that long, though
>And you've known people for much longer that mean far less to you
>Or better to say that some people have known you for far longer and you didn't mean much to them
>Before you realize it, you've chopped up and grilled potatoes, added a pack of bacon too all of it, and a tin of biscuits for the side
>Damn you're good
>You forgot you even had the biscuits
>You strut back to your room, refocusing yourself so the present
>Your little ponies are still where they were before, sleeping
>You get the urge to autistically screech or something to wake them up but you really don't want to be that cruel
>Instead, you step over to the opposite side of the bed and put a hand on each of their shoulders
"Arise chicken. Chicken arise."
>You shake them in a rhythm while deepening your voice
"Chicken arise. Arise. Chicken."
>Sparks wakes up first
>She smiles when she sees you
>"Oh Good morning, Anon."
>She uncurls and stretches out
>You haven't seen her happy like that in a while
>"Are you feeling better?"
"Yeah. Mostly better, anyway. I got breakfast up and ready. As a way to thank you two."
>She nods
>"You don't need to thank me. We're friends, right?"
"Damn straight. You got any clue of what happened last night? She seems out of it."
>You stopped rubbing and poking at her
>You see that three soda bottles are empty too
>What does sugar do to a pony, anyway?
>"That anime, I think. Still hot, right? Let's eat, there will still be enough when she wakes up."

>Sparks ate with Anon
>He was much more skilled than her when it came to cooking, but she knew it was only because he had been cooking for longer than her
>He tried to wake up Jacky but she stayed up really late to marathon the anime series
>He really does care about her
>Sparks contemplates this while eating, watching the corner, waiting for the man to appear once more
>He cares for her too, but she knows that it isn't the same
>Not to the exact extent
>She's gotten better at reading his mind in more subtle ways
>She is pretty empathetic, and while she doesn't invade Jacky's mind, she can't help but feel comfortable in the human's
>He is to blame, of course, for challenging her to something without giving her a fair chance
>The longer she's been around, the happier she's been to know him
>She is happy to be reunited with Jacky
>Of course she is
>But a darker part of her mind wonders what might have happened if she had been first
>If there would have been any suspiciously quiet moments
>If there would have been any solo adventures and bonding time that she knows happened with Jacky
>She knows because she's been told a lot about it
>And she saw it from his side of things
>She knows so much more about him than he or Jacky knows
>He really is stronger than he appears
>Far stronger than he acts
>After a minute too long for it to be a minor checkup, he walks back out
>He's carrying his phone, a handheld console, and a pair of cords
>That explains how long it took
>She goes back to eating
>She's been happy since she woke up
>She's been happy since last night too
>She knew she was risking a lot, but he was deliriously tired and Jacky was completely absorbed
>No one would know
>Did that make it ok?
>Was she bad if she never told anyone?
>Anon shrugs at her and sets down his stuff
"Guess she's not really feeling up to food. Said her stomach is a little 'gurgly', and not in the good way."
>He shrugs
"But she said she'll have some later, so we'll set aside what we don't eat for her and she'll just get more than a few shares. Sound good?"
>He still sounds a little raspy
>"Sure, that sounds fair. Last night she kinda just dove into it. Do you remember watching it with her or something?"
>Anon shrugs, sighing
"If I did, I wish I do. All I remember is... blueberry soda. Either I wanted to try making it or I wanted to drink some."
>Sparks gives him a funny look
>He did ask her something like that but she didn't pay it any mind since he wasn't doing anything to stop her
>Besides, she didn't do anything bad
>She was just a bit pent up
>Emotionally
>It's by and far not the worst thing she's ever done
>By the time both of them finish eating, Sparks turns her attention to the outside
>It seems like Spring is officially here, despite it still being every other day
>"Hey Anon... wanna take a walk with me outside? It looks really nice out there. We can find a good place to bring Jacky since she's only used to outside looking dull and dreary and dead."
>He was in the middle of plugging in his phone when he looked at her
"Oh? Well yeah, it is kinda nice out, isn't it..."
>She tried not to but she could tell that he was thinking a thousand thinks at once
>Some of it about Jacky
>Of course
>But some of it about her
>And even some of it about Dashie
>He really was motivated when it came to them
"That sounds good. I could use the chance to kinda clear my head and my throat too."
>She smiles and nods to herself
>"I had a feeling you would like it."
"Lemme get dressed and I'll be good to go."
>He was still wearing only a towel
>A very firmly put in place towel, she had to note
>He didn't mind it
>Jacky didn't mind it
>Why should she?
>She watched him walk off and sat there, knowing that he really didn't have much sense of shame when it came to getting dressed or undressed
>This was his home, after all
>And both her and Jacky were technically naked at all times anyway
>He just made a good effort to not look anywhere particularly visceral
>But she knew he didn't dislike any views he may have been given
>When he came out, in a pair of old sweat pants and hoodie, she stretched and stood up
>The sleeves were halfway rolled up and there was a good few strands of long pony hair on his outfit but it was the type of comfywear that he usually wore during the winter
>"Alright, let's go check things out!"
>She is letting herself be happy today
>Like Jacky said, there are just some things she can't help herself on
>So she isn't going to
"Oh yeah, grab my phone since you're near it? That way if Jack wakes up or needs anything we'll know."
>Ever the conscientious type
>She focuses on it and it drowns in red, sparkly aura
>She trots up to him and raises the phone up until it lands in his hand
"I tell you, that's some pretty neat stuff. How's those vitamins and stuff been treating you?"
>She follows Anon out of the apartment, watching him close the door
>And lock it
>She feels a bit sorry for Jacky being stuck in there
>She wouldn't let a locked door stop her
>"Good, thank you. Do you... happen to remember yesterday?"
>He scoffs
"Yeah, when you were being poisoned by something?"
>She blushes and averts her gaze from him
>Not that he was looking at her to begin with
>"It was nothing. I was... trying a new way to meditate. And... a spider ended up on me."
>She shivers hard, hard enough to stop walking for a moment
>"Spiders are seriously dangerous."
"Well whenever we all go camping, there will be a lot of spiders out there. Not enough bug spray in the world to stop all of them, you know?"
>Sparks let out an awkward laugh
>She knew that, to an extent
>But now that she came close to death to such an extent, she wasn't so eager to fight nature
>She still had no clue what she even did with that spider
>She smiles, chuckling
>"My hero. I guess I can let you shine once and a while, right?"
"Once and a while? I'm a spider pro. I still got a bb handgun in one of my old bags in the closet. One time, down south? I saw a spider and bam."
>His hand turns into a finger gun and juts forward to hit the elevator button
"Jelly."
>"Well you'll have to give me that later. I learn how to use it, and I can be your backup gunner in a pinch."
"Alright, now we're talking!"
>He seems in high spirits, happy to not be so put out of action
>They take the elevator down to the ground floor and step out
>Sparks looks around, unsure of where to start
>Anon just starts walking to the left, toward the street
>She quickly follows
"So, Sparkplug. Can you tell me more about Dashie? Did you two think of any real plans or remember anything about her?"
>Sparks internally sighs
>A chance to be out and alone with him for a real conversation or experience and he's already focused on something else
>But she doesn't see that as a bad thing
>"Well... kinda. Not really, but kinda."
"That's... comforting. What do you got?"
>Sparks keeps up, sticking to his left side
>She just kinda defaults to that side
>Also means that she's walking on grass and not on asphalt
>"Well, we all know that she's a pegasus. I tried thinking of the color of her mane and coat and... you know Rarity?"
"Yeah?"
>"She's white, like her. Rarity doesn't have wings but she just kinda looks like her regarding color."
>It was a start
>She can feel the gears in Anon's head turning
"Alright... who does she sound like?"
>"Excuse me?"
"Well, I mean there's no getting around it. You sound pretty similar to Twilight. And Jacky sounds pretty similar to AppleJack. This means that she has to sound like someone, right?"
>She can tell that he's not trying to offend
>He has a point too, as unsettling as it is
>"Well... I don't remember. But she wasn't rowdy like Rainbow Dash. But she also wasn't really cowardly like Fluttershy either. I don't know what to make of that."
"Makes sense. Jacky really isn't like Applejack, when you look at how they are and what they prefer."
>He shrugs, chuckling
"And you're no Twilight."
>She was about to take that as an insult but mental imagery in his head tells her that he thinks she's pretty
>He's pretty happy about how she and Jacky look, due to how they're different
>While Sparks does feel a little inferior, Anon likes her more than Twilight
>Because she's real and Twilight is just a cartoon
>Obviously
>She wouldn't be jealous of a cartoon
>"No, I'm better than her."
>That makes him laugh
"Yeah, sure are. But come on, don't tell me you wouldn't want to sleep with a Smarty Pants doll."
"As if!"
>Things feel normal between them
>She likes that
>It isn't a heavy conversation or anything important
>It's just a man and a mare waltzing around the block
"So... got any thoughts on how we can grab her and make out like bandits?"
>That phrasing makes her flinch
>"W-what?"
"How're we gonna get away with it, Sparks? You're the seasoned thief, right? How would you do it?"
>Obviously his thoughts show that he wasn't talking about anything else weird
>"Oh, well, we only have two people to worry about."
"That we know of."
>"Right, that we know of."
"And one is a pony, the other is a human."
>"Right."
"And we can't just fight them. We can't turn to violence, especially toward someone that's been really friendly and helpful to us. We owe Nona for letting Jacky and I make off with you."
>Though she wasn't there, she could see through Anon's eyes that he was happy to see her in that humiliating little box
>It didn't even look like it was a finished box, there were decals and letting missing
>He called her 'firefly' too
>She remembered that word when she was in the box
>When she was dreaming
>She wasn't dreaming anything in particular but she was sort of aware of what was going on in the outside world
>Anon's voice stuck out the most
>She could hear Jacky too
>She remembered being so angry when she first woke up, too
>Maybe it was good that she wasn't good with magic, otherwise she might have hurt both of them before even knowing who they were or where she was
"Your thoughts?"
>"Huh?"
>She nodded
>"Yeah, we can't hurt them. But if they can't help us, we can't let that stop us either... right?"
"Right. We got to focus on our goal."
>He doesn't speak the rest but she can tell that he's worried
>He's worried for them
>And for himself, if only because if he's put out of action, they'll be stuck too
>He thinks more of himself now, she's noticed
>If only because he feels responsible for everything
>She isn't sure of what to say to him
>A distraction will probably help
>"Hey, you know that Jacky's been watching over you a lot. You mean a lot to us, her especially."
>He smiles, stretching in stride
"I'm glad. It's nice to be wanted, you know?"
>She wants to be wanted
>But then again he does want her
>Just not in the same way he wants Jacky
>This doesn't not bother her, but she doesn't let it show
>"Yeah, it is... when it was just three, I don't think anyone cared about us beyond us. Did Jacky tell you that she and Dashie had a scheme to find a guy and tagteam him? Dashie's charisma, Jacky's skills and bravery. They were convinced that they could find someone if they put their heads together."
>This makes Anon chuckle
"Yeah, she told me about that alright... she told me to keep that a secret, in the event Dashie doesn't remember."
>She laughs too
>Being only barely invasive, she pokes into his mind until she can find a tiny crumb of him wondering if she was going to be a part of that or not
>"But you know, I never agreed to such a shameful plan."
"Is that so. What was your plan then?"
>They completed one lap so far
>Most of the grass is still more yellow than green
>Most of the seasonal trees are still dead
>But she doesn't particularly care all too strongly for the scenery
>"Well, I was the biggest thief out of all of us. I liked taking more than what I needed. Because... I guess I thought I deserved it. Those two liked stealing just what they needed but I liked going for more than just food or lame stuff like that."
>She puffs out her chest
>"I thought that if I ever found someone... I would steal him."
"Ha!"
>Anon laughs
>He imagines her swooping in and stealing some sort of limp-legged blueblood
>He laughs harder suddenly
>Something called "The Redfield Bloodline" pops up
>What was the Redfield Bloodline and what did it have to do with some asian woman?
"Ahh... that's funny. I guess you'd use rope and a ransom note or something?"
>Though amused by his mindset, she only smirks
>"No no, nothing that silly. I would just... steal him like how I would steal anything else. Timing, effort, knowledge, and a little luck."
>She sounds confident
>He doesn't suspect anything
>Of course, why would he?
"Well, I guess you have a new cast of rich saps to aim for. I suppose it'll work, but you gotta be careful about that sort of thing, you know?"
>As if she would go for someone who was rich and useless
>She wanted someone strong and capable more than someone weak and in need of protecting
"Well, for now, let's focus on stealing Dashie. And then after that... I don't know. We can kinda just enjoy life. That's the point of all of it, in the end, isn't it?"
>Was it the point?
>"Would you be interested in stealing anyone else from there?"
>Anon furrows his brow and shrugs
"Not really. It's just you three together, right?"
>She prods, paying attention to his face as much as his mind
>"Well yeah but... are there any other types of ponies that you would want to see? I bet you could even find Celestia at the warehouse. Or a pony that looks like her."
"Why would I want that? I have Jacky as a friend. I have you as a friend. I'll have Dashie as a friend. All you three guys will be together again. That sounds better than I deserve already."
>He means it too
>She wasn't surprised
>But she is happy
>A passing thought he has that she can grip onto is that his bed isn't big enough to hold much more than himself and a third pony
>Another passing thought she can tell is that he still enjoys his privacy and would prefer a smaller group
>"I'm glad. I guess we can burn bridges over there then and it'll be ok."
"I hope..."
>She walks another two laps with Anon, talking about some of the games and movies that he introduced to them
>He smiles when he talks about that sort of stuff
>She can tell that he's used to talking to that sort of stuff, especially to his old friends
>She's happy that memories of her and of Jacky have been usurping the memories of his old friends
>She wants him to only have happy memories moving forward
>She wants to be a big reason for it
>As she thinks, her face remains a little less expressive
>A little more calm
>She's a very cerebral pony, and a very detailed planner
>She isn't going to fail

>Be a sleepy you
>You feel far better today than you did yesterday
>You even left the window uncovered, letting in some natural light for once
>But it's snowing now
>Again
>Good thing you had that walk yesterday
>You move your arms to cover your yawn, only to find yourself struggling
>Again
>As before, Jacky is on your right side
>...Sparks is on your left?
>Well she is under the blanket
>And the apartment has been cold, you can tell because of how dry your throat is
>She looks like she's having a nice sleep at least
>But now you're stuck
>You nudge your head to the right, your hair going against Jacky's nose
>She inhales and sputters for a moment, her head jerking up
>"Ahm up, mom grab the pie fo..."
>She looks around, perplexed
>And sees you
>"Ooh.. hey, Anon. Good morning! I was, uh... er..."
>She looks around again
>"I thought I was making a pie for you with ma..."
>She sounds a little let down
"A pie, huh... you know what we should do today?"
>You pull your head back, only for her to move her head forward
>"What's that?"
"Make an Easter pie."
>Her eyebrow raises
>"What's an Easter?"
"It's a holiday where we celebrate by making a pie and eating peanut-butter chocolates that are in the shape of eggs. And other things chocolate-themed."
>Your explanation leads to Jacky's pupils constricting
>Then dilating
>"Do... we have... chocolate eggs?"
"Yup. I stashed them in my car. We got a few cases."
>Slowly, she starts to vibrate
>In an instant, she leaps up and flies across your chest to land next to Sparks
>"SPARKSWAKEUPIT'SEASTERWEGETCHOCOLATEEGGSANDPIEWAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUP"
>Her hooves thunder down on the bed faster than the God Hand can punch, leading to an ungodly earthquake
>You forget that this pony is the reason why your fridge has a sizable dent in it
>After the third second of excitement, Sparks jolts upright
>Another second of master level DDR stomping leads to her screaming
>The unicorn tackles Jacky, launching herself from a laying position
>"WHAT'SWRONGWITHYOULETMESLEEPIWASHAVINGAGOODDREAM"
>"IT'SEASTERWEGETCHOCOLATEEGGSDOYOUKNOWWHATTHISMEANS"
>"I'LLFRYYOUREGGSYOUCHUNKHEADIDON'TEVENKNOWWHYYOUDOTHIS"
>You watch in amazement at the two ponies barking at each other
>Over each other
>Seeing your chance, you start to slide out of bed
>You successfully do so, and start to turn to walk out
>"HOLD IT"
>Both of them shout at you
>Aw shit
>"Hand over those eggs, Anon!"
>Jacky points at you with her right hoof, a look of manic determination on her face
>"You better have enough or you're in trouble."
>Sparks points at you with her left hoof, grimacing with a major case of bed head
>Oh no
>You take a step backward
"Y-yeah... they're just in my car... so I'm going to go get them..."
>You are not at all dressed enough to go outside
>The fact that you're wearing anything at all on a Sunday morning is a miracle in of itself
>"Eggs."
>"Now."
>They are unified at long last
>Two pairs of eyes glaring at you; one with excitement and one with irritation
>Not like this
"S-seriously, I'll take the stairs down and... you know..."
>"Jacky?"
>"Yes, Sparky?"
>"Go for the legs."
>"Only if you go for the keys."
>"He isn't holding his keys."
>"We'll get him to tell us where the keys are."
"THE KEYS ARE ON T--"
>Both of them launch themselves at you
>You have learned this day, the true power of their cooperation
>Trampled in both body and spirit, you could only watch as Jacky struggle snuggles you while Sparks steals your keys and makes off
>She returned later with three cases of peanut butter and chocolate eggs
>They were supposed to last for months
>Instead, with a face full of yellow pony, you were powerless to stop them from devouring two thirds of it in minutes
>By the time they finished, you actually didn't mind Jacky laying on your face
>You get the idea she didn't mind it either
>By the time she left your head, both of them looked so pleased with themselves
>Over two dozen eggs
>Gone
>Just like that
>You sat up, staring in disbelief
>The third egg carton is at least untouched
>Sparks gave you a smug, yet pleased smile
>Jacky was on cloud nine, presumably due to either you or the chocolate eggs
"...you two are unbelievable. Truly."
>"Ooh... Anon. I love you so much right now. They were so good..."
>Jacky swooned, unable to imagine the belly ache she might dive head-first into when three sodas did her in
>"You really are something, that's true... better take your share before we get them."
>Sparks sounded so smug it was painful, like she really would devour your share if you didn't protect them
>Defeated, you took the last carton and hugged it close
>Your stockpiling ways, defeated by a pair of mares, one of which who wasn't even afraid to use herself as a deadly weapon
"Monstrous..."

>Revenge is sweet
>Revenge also takes time
>It took most of Easter day before the two little rapscallions realized that eating an entire carton of eggs was bad news
>Sparky was the first to feel the wrath of a chocolate coma
>Jacky had poked her to see if she was still alive and only got the most painful of groans
>You'd be lying if you didn't feel a tiny bit of sadistic glee since she's the one who grabbed your keys
>Jacky wasn't laughing for long
>Swearing that death was coming for her, she clung to you as hard as possible
>You didn't feel as smug about her being in pain
>But
>She did cause the initial panic
>You spent the rest of your Sunday petting Jacky's belly, telling her that she wasn't going to die
>It took a good few days for them to recover
>By the time Friday came, you had only had three eggs
>After watching them, you didn't really want to overindulge
>Besides, you only had one third of your initial hoard to deal with
>Work was pretty light, which was nice
>Your little ponies were stuck in recovery mode so almost no talk was had about Dashie
>You've been getting antsy
>Not only was there the anticipation that something might go wrong, but you keep thinking that the longer you wait, the worse it will be
>Maybe she won't even be there
>Maybe she'll be worse than what Jacky was like
>Maybe she's waiting for someone to save her and you're the only one still focusing on getting her
>All throughout your day, you've been thinking of possibilities in the form of risks, costs and what to say
>Sparks could use magic too
>That might bring up additional questions
>By the time you clocked out for the day, your mind was made up
>Now was time to bust her out of that warehouse, or find out where she was
>You didn't have a name but you had a description
>A white pegasus
>That had to narrow things down given how many color schemes there are of technicolor ponies
>How was it that you were able to get Sparks, anyway?
>You did mention that she was a reddish unicorn
>Was that really enough to go off of?
>You didn't know anything resembling her real name but that worked enough for that buff guy, Hanzel
>Now that you're more used to the girls, along with how wonderfully Jacky has grown and how Sparks has acclimated, it should be far easier
>There are still questions you would like answers for
>Questions they would want to ask too
>But you're no longer so fixated on answers
>To an extent, you've found your own answers
>You enter your apartment, kicking off your boots to their designated mat
>You haven't gotten any noise complaints in months now
>Could be that the person under you finally moved out
>Good thing, given you hear Sparks swearing up a storm
>You sneak to the archway of your room and poke your head in
>She's playing God Hand
>You remember telling Jacky about that game
>"You're still not Alexander."
>"SHUT UP!"
>"You can beg for mercy if you want. It makes the game easier."
>"I'LL DIE BEFORE THAT HAPPENS!"
>"You've been dying on this spot for almost an hour now..."
>"THEY FREAKING CHEAT! EVERY TIME I BREAK THAT BOX SOMETHING DIFFERENT COMES OUT!"
>"Sounds like you're relying on random chance..."
>"IT'S NOT CHANCE IT'S A VALID STRATEGY."
>Jacky doesn't even sound smug anymore
>She just sounds bored
"Psst. PSSSST."
>Jacky looks at you, needing a double take before realizing it's you
>"Hey Sparks, quit sucking, Anon's back!"
>"I DON'T SUCK, YOU SUCK!"
>You purse your lips and widen your eyes, darting back from the screen to Jacky
"So... did she reach the gorilla yet?"
>Jacky sighs, shaking her head
>"She keeps forcing herself to play on Level Die. She was fine until I told her that you can play on it for some of the levels."
"You mean Level DIE."
>You belch out the 'DIE' with a demonic, guttural rasp
>You even bring up your hand, clenching it into a claw as you speak
>"Level DAH."
>Jacky brings up her hoof and shakes it, making more of a...raspy whisper
"DIE."
>"DAH."
"DIE!"
>"DAH!"
"DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEE!"
>You throw your head back and bring up your hands, rending your throat for the sake of sounding properly monstrous
>"ANON I WILL THROW THIS CONTROLLER THROUGH YOUR FREAKING SKULL, SHUT THE HELL UP!"
>Given the intense red aura drowning the controller, you're a little worried she may do it
>You look at Jacky and tilt your head back
>Picking up on your cue, she stands up from her lazy sitting position and trots off
>You close the bedroom door behind her, leaving Sparks to fume and git gud
>"ORANGE, WHERE'S MY ORANGE?!"
>Poor creature
>You share a chuckle with your fellow dork
"Gotta give her credit, she's a diehard."
>"No, she dies easy. She just likes retrying."
"Sounds about right."
>You find a blank spot in the living room and sit down
>Jacky immediately hops between your legs, facing you with her hooves on your stomach
>"Welcome home."
"I'm glad to be home, Jack."
>You lean slightly to give her a hug
>You're grateful for her
>You really are
"So Jack, I've been thinking."
>"What's up, Anon?"
"How about this... you remember where that warehouse is, right?"
>"Too well. What about it?"
>You muster your courage, nodding to yourself
"It's about damned time we go get her and be done with that place."
>Jack's ears fold back, her face turning to a concerned frown
>Was she always this easy to read or have you just gotten used to her face?
>"W-well hold on now... shouldn't we be planning things out more? What about escape routes? How we deal with if we can't get her?"
>You lean back, shrugging
"If those are things to be concerned about... we'll figure it out on the fly."
>"Anon, this is a serious thing, we can't just go up and do it!"
"I know it's a serious thing. That's why I'm not comfortable just... sitting here and waiting. We don't even discuss it like it's a priority every day like we should. We get too distracted or just get preoccupied."
>Jacky meanders like she wants to make an excuse but nothing comes to mind
>"I know but..."
"But nothing, Jack. We're going to get her and we're going tomorrow morning. If this was for your sake, I'd already be down there raining hell down."
>"I know... I wanna see her again too..."
"Then what's the worry?"
>"If she ain't there... I might not ever see her again."
"And if she is there, she's waiting for us. Waiting for you, her friend. You said that you've known her longer than anyone else, right?"
>"Yeah... I just got a bad feeling is all, ok?"
"You're not the only one..."
>You pull her in for another hug until she's almost completely vertically against you
>"FUCK YOU, I'M ALEXANDER THE GREAT."
>You hear a muffled screech from your bedroom
"And that... is where I worry."
>Jacky giggles at the timing
>"Worst comes to worst, she can just burn the place down, right?"
"That... is attempted murder, arson, and would possibly burn a lot of ponies."
>"Ew. Ok, nevermind then."
>You tighten your hug on her
"We got the address, we got each other, and I've been saving up if we need cash. We'll be fine."
>The two of you share a quiet, comfortable moment
>"...hey Anon?"
"Mm?"
>"I forget... did we go there during the week or on the weekend? They got business hours or something, right?"
>Well fuck
"Yeah... yeah, I suppose they do."
>"Do you remember?"
"The longest lived memory I have is of you telling me that if you die from chocolate overdose that I can have your hat."
>Jacky goes silent
>"I... I didn't say that."
"Oh yes you did."
>"But... it's my hat."
"Only until you die. Then it's my hat."
>Jacky whimpers
>"Stupid eggs..."
>You shush her and stroke her twintails
"Shhh... it's ok... it's what you get for eating all of them at once..."

>While Sparky wasn't too keen on quitting anytime soon despite her screeches descending into hoarse groans and grunts, you were able to grab your laptop and bring it into the living room
>You decided to just watch videos on YouTube
>Or have it as a decent source of background noise
>With three pillows and a blanket spread out, you and Jacky lay on your sides, her back to your front
>With your hand on her lower belly, idly stroking a specific patch of skin, you get a slow, growing sense of dread
"Hey Jack... with our place getting more full, do you think we'll be able to still have privacy?"
>She shrugs, absorbed into the video
>It's about some guy in shorts digging out an entire pool and covering it with some sort of grass and dirt roof
>"Do... we really need it?"
"I suppose not."
>She inhales, stretching
>"Don't tell me you're getting shy now..."
"Me? No... not at all. But I wouldn't want to weird anyone out."
>"Pft. You weird out everyone whenever we go out."
"Sure, because I have a goofy looking pony at my side that snarls at anything female and human."
>"Hey."
>Jacky bucks her hind end against your lap
>"That's a low blow."
"What's weird is how you could get jealous yet when Dashie comes here, she may still think that you want to share."
>Jacky fidgets
>"Well that was then."
"How would that even work, anyway?"
>"What do you mean?"
"I mean you can only date one person at a time. Is she skilled at... things?"
>"Not... really? I mean, she's a lot better than I am when it comes to talking. She's a lot more charismatic and attractive."
"So she isn't some domestic goddess?"
>"Dashie? Ha... ahhh... no. She's as useful as I am. She at least has a better sense of beauty."
"You're pretty hard on yourself and her."
>"Well I mean... sure."
>She lolls her head back and forth, eyes glued to the monitor
>"I look up to her, you know. She's like an older sister to me. I always took the brunt of the aggro but when it came to distractions? She was on top of it all. She could talk her way into anything. Of course, she didn't steal or take anything. She had a really good sense about keeping up appearances, even when we both lived... as we did."
>Were these new memories, or just something she only now wanted to open up to?
>"I'd buy extra food to squirrel away. She would buy soaps and oils. There was some overlap on what we would share, if the need arose, but she made sure that I had food before she had soap."
"Good thing you got both now, huh. How did you two guys meet, anyhow?"
>Your little pony lets out an elongated 'hmmmm'
>"I don't know."
"Really?"
>"Really. I guess we were together for so long that I don't remember a time before her."
>You get the feeling that it would be silly to ask
>But you ask anyway
"Do you have any... memories of anything like your family?"
>"Well... I guess the only right way I can answer that is to say that I'm with my family now."
"Yeah... that's fair enough."
>"It's kinda weird, that you ask that. Not to offend but you have... an entire life's worth of experiences and memories. I don't think I do."
"I was worried that might be the case."
>"Anon."
>She sounds calm despite the heavy topic
>Must help that you've been petting her through all of this and she's effectively pushed herself as hard against you as she can
>"Should I be worried if my memories of Sparks and Dashie are fake?"
"Honestly? I wouldn't be. It's only been... what, five-six months? And I like to think that we've shared a lot of positive memories."
>She lets out a pleased sigh
>"Oh big time."
"And, once we got Dashie back, you can all discuss things and... I suppose go from there. It isn't perfect, but it's a start."
>"That's true. I didn't think I had so much baggage to worry about..."
>You give her a squeeze with both arms until she lets out a squeaky exhale
"Everyone has their own stuff going on. What's important... and I guess, rare, is that you can still enjoy being around someone regardless."
>"And you enjoy being around me."
"Damn straight I do. I don't miss being alone, you know. There's absolutely nothing I miss from being in a place that's so painfully quiet that you can hear dust settle."
>"BOOM BITCH, CHAIN YANKER!"
>Sounds like Sparks is doing better
"See what I mean?"
>Jacky nods
>"I... may have egged her on a little too hard. Do you think so?"
"Naaaah, not at all. She could use a good distraction."
>Jacky kicks out her hooves, curling her neck to the side before going limp
>"Ahh... it really does feel like home here. It was nice with just you, we didn't really need to be sneaky with anything. But when you went to work I just felt lonely. Even if we messaged each other. Or when I... tried to message you."
"Tell me about it. Even back then, I was worried about how you would adjust. I know I would be driven up the walls if I was surrounded by stuff I couldn't reliably use. I don't remember a single thing I did by myself, since I could instead do it with you."
>Jacky giggles and squirms against you
>"Well when you put it like that it sounds almost romantic..."
"Almost. Why'd you start laying on and next to me, anyway? You were a good pillow."
>You nod as you speak
>You enjoyed hearing her heartbeat
>But you never mentioned that particular detail
>"I wanted to. I liked hugging you and I wanted to hug you more. And I didn't like waking up and not knowing when you woke up. So by doing that I made it impossible for you to sneak off."
>Quite sneaky
"You have my approval. Of course, you don't have to stop doing that."
>"Wouldn't even if you told me."
>It feels alien
>It feels downright... weird
>But she's attracted to you
>As attracted as you are to her
>Rather than be pessimistic, you just accept it without question
>You can't bring yourself to question her
>You have no reason to question her too
>And that kinda freaks you out just a little bit
>More than just a little bit
>As you've always done, you speak before thinking through your words
"You know I still find it hard to believe that you like me sometimes. That you'd want to chill with me instead of..."
>What else could she do, she can't exactly go out and be social
"...anything I guess."
>"Is it supposed to be weird?"
"No, not at all. Just... well, you know. You got baggage. I do too. It's not great."
>"I couldn't tell. I thought the man who would buy a talking pony to cuddle with and make kissy faces at would be a well-balanced productive member of society."
>She curls her head up and grins at you
"Hey, I am productive! I pay taxes. But... I guess I did look like a complete wreck for a while, huh..."
>"You needed me, I knew that much."
"Yeah I did."
>You cling to her and give her another hug, burying your face into her neck
"Tomorrow's gonna be a big deal. You gonna be ready?"
>"Sure. We did it once already, and we got Sparks now."
"Good. You know what usually happens before a big event in movies, right?"
>Jacky wiggles against you, keeping a poker face
>"I don't knooow... which ones?"
"Lemme remind you..."

>You wake up before everyone else
>As usual
>You didn't expect to doze off on the floor, blanket or no under you
>But Jacky didn't leave you much choice, by the time you finished everything
>As usual, she was laying on top of you
>Poor thing got tuckered out before you
>You fight gravity to bring your hand up to her side
"Jack... Jack...! The eco! The dark eco, Jack!"
>The pony mumbles something, yawning in between incomprehensible explanation
"Boy, you can sure say that again."
>"Mmm?"
>She's definitely slow on the draw today
>Until she remembers to remember
>Her head bolts upright
>"Dashie!"
>Thrown out of balance from her head whipping up, and a little dizzy from the action, she loses balance and flops off of you
>You sit up, popping all of your joints and bits
"Exactly. I'm gonna go shower, then you can take a bath, then Sparks, then we haul ass."
>The idea doesn't sound too good to her
>"That will take all morning! We gotta hurry up or we'll get there too late! What if we get there and they close?"
"Then we better hurry."
>You stumble to your feet
>Evidently YouTube deigned that the situation called for a Dino Crisis speedrun within the last hour
"Wake up Sparks for me, will ya?"
>You hurry off to the bathroom, noticing that Sparks still has the game on
>Evidently she fell asleep in the game's training arena
>Well she can sleep in the car
>You shower as if you're late for work, taking less than ten minute to go through every avenue, every angle, and to cleanse from everything
>Including pony residue
>Sometimes Jacky just drools in her sleep
>You can only imagine what types of dreams she has
>You finish up and step out with a towel wrapped around your waist
>The shower's still going too
"Alright, nerds and nerdettes, shower's going!"
>Jacky and Sparks trot up
>The unicorn looks rough
>"Are we really going today? Do we gotta?"
>She sounds wiped out
"Yes."
>"Can't we do it..."
>She lets out a loud yawn that almost sounds like the first few chords from the God Hand theme song
>"Tomorrow? Next weekend? She's fine."
>Jacky, displeased with the idea, knocks the side of her head into Sparky's
>That lady really does have a head of stone, doesn't she
>"OW! Freaking... chunkhead!"
>"If you ain't going with us, we'll leave without you. And then you can explain to Dashie why you were too tired to save her.
>"I wasn't serious... damn..."
>Sparks, head hanging low, sighs and makes for the shower first
"I'll grab a few bottles of water and some breakfast stuff. When she gets out, get a quick wash in. We can worry about your mane later since we'll have time in the car."
>"Aye-aye, cap'n."
>Jacky gives a hard salute, eyes straight ahead
"Atta girl."
>You get dressed in a flash, using the same shirt and pants you've used for the last day
>Light work so it's not like you particularly smell like any sort of chemical fume
>With a plastic bag set up, you grab a trio of bottles of water and a few handfuls of oatmeal and grain bars
>They may not be the most balanced sources of food but they work
>Better you use them outside of work too since your desk is stocked up with the shit to the point of bursting
>After a small check and close of the laptop, a reminder from the holy traveler's guide that is Google Maps and a small damage report on why you may have to wash your blanket again, everyone is ready
>Mostly ready
>Sparks looks like she's in hell with a drippy, uncombed mane and reddened eyes
>"If she's not there I'm blowing up everyone and then myself."
"Yeah well you should blow yourself up first so you get neat ghost powers."
>Jacky trots out, still dripping wet all over
>"Alright, I'm ready, let's go!"
>Like a dog of all creatures she whips herself every which way
>One of her wet, heavy twintails slaps Sparks on the face
>Multiple times
>When she finishes, Sparks just looks defeated
>"I love you both, I would NEVER think about wearing your heads as a horn warmer..."
>"Good! I would never do that either because I'm not a psychopath."
"And I would never do that because I'm not a unicorn."
>"Yeah, imagine being stuck with a toothpick on your head."
>The grimace she gives you is one in a million
>"Can we please go already? We're in a rush but not so much of one that you guys can't shut up"
"Talking's a free action, Sparkplug."
>Choosing to ignore the amount of water that Jacky threw everywhere by her shenanigans, the three of you leave
>You really hope the place isn't closed

>A half hour out and things aren't so bad
>After sticking her head out the window for a half mile, Jacky's mane seems far more normal
>If a little fluffy due to you gunning it for that duration
>Sparks chose to remain vaguely soggy, still trying to fume as silently but as obviously as possible
>"So do you we even have a plan?"
"Sure do. We go in, we get her, we leave."
>"Wonderful."
>Jacky leans back in her seat
>You pulled the seat back pretty far, enough that she could lean and lay on her back
>"Aw don't be so critical! We kinda had the same plan when we got you. We thought a lot of stuff and... overthought it I guess. It really wasn't so bad!"
>"You SAY that..."
"Think about it this way. If something bad happens, you can hold me accountable and I'll do exactly one, and only one, thing for you. Regardless of context or cost. Ok, small restriction on cost."
>You're pretty confident in things, despite the smoldering ball of concern you have in your gut
>There's no answer from the unicorn for a moment
>"...promise and deal."
"Well then there we go."
>You didn't think she'd go for it but you suppose a blank check is a blank check
...
"Slicing through thugs with my shockwave!"
>"Shockwave!"
"More beheadings than a guillotine, headslicer!"
>"Headslicer!"
"My arm,"
>"My arm,"
>My arm,"
"MY ARM,"
>"MY ARM,"
>"MY ARM,"
"WILL SUMMON UP THE POWER OF THE GOD HAND!"
>All three of you screech the last line of the song
>With windows rolled down and volume maxed out, you punch forward with your right arm
>Jacky punches out with her left front leg
>Sparks punches both of the front seats with both of her upper legs
>Now that the music started up, excitement and energy levels topped the charts
>Emboldened by everything, the idea of waltzing in and coming out with a pegasus seems like cake
...
"Doin' ballet like West Side Story in your matchin' outfits, oh look it's Jacky and Sparky the Double Faggoty Twins!"
>"Well listen up Anono, you fuckin' homo! Fat-headed, pencil-leaded, I'll stab your ass bro! You're goin' down in the hole, you don't even know. Jump, blast to the face, takin' you down with one blow!"
>Keeping up the theme of aggression, you've been cycling through a variety of songs
>Some of which more appropriate than others
>Sparks seems to like it though
>She sounds like she could murder someone
>Jacky, on the other hand, is enjoying the more smug, toned down parts
>"Oh no little foal you killed Anono! There's somethin' that I think you should know before we go: I am the SHADOW MARE."
>"No!"
>"Yeah sure, why not."
>Jacky turns her head back to look at Sparks
>"And while I'm at it, your human thinks I'm totally hot."
>You can see a familiar red aura start to form from her horn
>"Well if that's how it's gotta be then I'mma take you down too! I thought you were my sister, now you're dead, fuck you!"
>"Fuck me?"
>Jacky's smug tone goes beyond perfect with the song
>"Haha bitch, fuck me? Let's take it outside girl, then we'll see."
...
>After a few more choice songs, you default to a little Summer Love for more comfy driving music
>Not like you want to show up ready to fight
>The windows were rolled back up and the heat was put on
>Reclining so back in the seat did Jacky in, given how she was sleeping
>At least her seat belt was on
>"Hey Anon."
>It was Sparks
>She definitely looked more like her usual self, if not a little ruffled from the wind
"What's up?"
>"Are you really ok with Dashie being here?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
>You can't really look at her directly but you can see her in the mirror
>She's sitting in the center of the back seat area, leaning her head against the headrest of the front seat
>Even she can't resist the chance to lean against something
>Must be tiring to just sit there too
>"Well I know the apartment isn't all that big... and we're going to be eating more than you at this point."
"So? You're my friends. Well, she isn't my friend yet but I hope that she will be."
>"Yeah but... shouldn't we be bringing something to the table? Like... a job or something?"
"Why?"
>"Because you already gave us a ton, and you are giving us more. Without even asking for anything."
"Why would I ask for something that I want to do anyway? I'm not the sort to help you out then expect a prize."
>"Well I know, but... there's gotta be something."
>Though you look at her through the mirror, her eyes are focused on the back of your head
>Good thing the rural roads up north are so barren
>The greenery is still mostly dead
>But it looks far nicer than the winter wasteland it was months prior
>If only slightly
"Well, if you really wanna go above and beyond, you can help out with cooking. I'm really not much of a cooker. I'm not exactly eating healthy but I am eating better just because I make things that I want to make surer are good for you and Jack. Being a unicorn is pretty neat, it lets you do a whole lot of things."
>"I guess... is that all you would want from me?"
>That's an odd thing to ask
"Well... I guess you can watch out for Jack and Dash when I'm at work. If anything bad happens, your magic can do the most to get them out or whatever the situation may be."
>An apartment fire with them trapped would kill you
>You wouldn't even want to think of what you would do if you came home to find them gone like that
>Whatever you owned wouldn't matter that much
>It would suck but it wouldn't ever compare to losing your friends
"Can I rely on you to have my back, and theirs too?"
>Whether or not it was the music, Sparks looked forlorn
>At your question, you see a faint smile spread on her face
>"Yeah. Of course you can. I wouldn't let you down on something big like that."
>You smile too
"Then there we go. Be like a lion in a pride. A lot of the time they don't do much but when push comes to shove? They're the vanguard and don't let a single thing stop them."
>It felt good to know that she would have your back
>For whatever reasons outside of her having magic, she is by and far the most serious of the two
>You get the idea that she has a lot to prove, but she doesn't need to prove much to you
>You've seen how fierce and dedicated she is to a cause she cares about
>To break the atmosphere, Jacky cacks up something and rolls to her side, breathing deeply before
>"Jesus... what a chunkhead."
>You scoff
"Right? But she's our chunkhead. Gotta be thankful she thinks so highly of you. Without her, I would've never known about you."
>"And I... would've never known you either."
>The way she says it sounds like it's almost a revelation
"Exactly. What a goofy network we have..."
...
>With a new song playing, you see that you're nearly there
>Maybe another half hour
>You've long since let your foot off of the pedal, allowing cruise control to do it's thing
>Hard to believe that you drove all the way from the southern border to the north without once realizing that this existed for your car
>Better late than never, supposedly
>Sparks, lulled to sleep by the song, remained in a sitting position with her head against the front passenger seat's headrest
>You're used to waking up before the sun but you keep forgetting that they aren't
>Jacky is, if only to wake up enough to bid you a good morning
>Sparks certainly isn't
>Especially after last night
>You gotta check out the controller and make sure she didn't crush it or something
...
>Having slowed considerably, you turn your way into the parking light of the ominous building
>It's kinda what you remember
>No signage
>Only one car
>Might be Nona's, you don't recall what her car was like
>Though only for a glimpse, you see what looks like Hanzel walk by
>Seems he didn't notice you driving up
>You park a few spots away from the only other car there, in front of the door you entered last time
>You feel an ice cold chill down your spine
>It's probably your imagination but something about this place just makes you freak out a tiny bit
>Not Darkest Dungeon levels of unsettling
>But you would not want to be here every day
"Alright girls... we're here. Time to get up and get ready."
>You reach over and shake Jack's side while your words were enough to make Sparks stir
>"Already, huh..."
>The unicorn grimaces, picking up the same vibes you are
>"This must be what it feels like to enter a real dungeon..."
"Except we don't want to have a boss fight."
>"I'm up, I'm up."
>Jacky flails around a bit, forgetting for the moment that she's constrained by the seatbelt
>Sparks had one on too but it was only going over her lap rather than her lap and chest
>You reach over and press down on the belt release, eyes focused forward
"Rule one, don't get separated. If I gotta talk to Nona or something alone, you two keep together as if your life depends on it. Don't go somewhere you shouldn't, don't pick a fight... and if something happens, call for me."
>Your tone is deathly serious
>It may be your imagination
>Or your collective worries all bundled up into a paranoid mess
>But you really can not afford to mess up anything or lose anyone

>"Way to inspire confidence, fearless leader..."
>She's being sarcastic but it doesn't sound like normal vitriolic Sparks
>She knows you mean it
>"You got it. But let's try to not get separated at all, ok?"
"An even better plan."
>You get out first, shaking all of the nerves out
>You did this once before and all was good
>What do you have to worry about?
>You wait to hear the other doors open
>Two sets of hooves meet concrete
>Almost like an RPG Jacky, and then Sparks, follow you into the building
>It's as quiet as it always was
>You've worked spookier places, frankly
>Neither of your little ponies know what to say or do so you clear your throat and call out
"Hey, Hanz, you around? Jacky and I came back for a few things!"
>"Who's Hanz?"
>You could just barely hear Sparks whisper
>"Oh, he's the guy who man-handled you into the car along with Anon."
>"Wait, he what?!"
>You hear some heavy trotting coming toward you
>Enter Hanzel, stage left
>Or maybe stage right since he's coming from your right side
>You were never a drama club type guy anyway
>He sees you first and his somewhat bored face lightens up
>He rears up, front legs kicking out
>"Herr Anon, it is you! I knew that a friend of Hanzel Gruber would return!"
>He doesn't even seem to notice the two ponies at first
"Hanz Gruber, eh? What is it that the cowboys always say?"
>"Ah, yes, it is the 'yippee ki yay'!"
>You share a laugh
"Ahh... nice to see you again my guy. Is the Gruber part new?"
>"Ja, Frau Nona has been watching movies with me lately and I decided zat his last name would fit me well."
>It did but Hans Gruber was a villain
>"Hey Hanzy, remember me too?"
>Jacky finally pokes out from behind you, sensing an opening
>He gasps enthusiastically
>"Und Jacky too! Tell me how you have been, fellow pony friend!"
>He really seems happy to see you again
>"Super! It's been a blast these last few months! Wow, listen to me, it has been months, hasn't it!"
>"Und yet it feels like it was merely yesterday and a few hours! You must tell me what you've been up to! How has your friend been, the sparky one?"
>Sparks takes her cue and reveals herself
>Though she's a little incredulous of the stallion's sheer size and muscle mass
>The accent must be a little weird too
>He has gotten better at it though
>"Hey, uh... Frands. Why do you sound so funny?"
>In a flash, Hanz charges her, leading into a pony-sized bear hug
>"You are awake and well, zis is magnificent news! Herr Anon has cried tears over your state last he was here!"
>Sparks lets out a panicked yelp, struggling to get away from him
>"OkokokgetoffmeIgetit!"
>Hanzel releases her, guffawing with a proud smile
>"You talk much more now than you did before! This is good, ja!"
>Sparks gives you this queer look
>A look that says 'is this guy fucking serious'
>You merely nod sympathetically
"So, where's Nona? I admit, we did come here for something but if you guys aren't too busy, we'd love to hang out for a bit too."
>Jacky seems happy to talk to the buff pone but Sparks just seems unfamiliar with the entire affair
>Or maybe she's just being cautious
>"Yes yes, she is here. I couldn't be here if it was merely me, after all!"
>"Where is she, if you know? I gotta thank her for finding Sparks for us."
>Hanz taps his hoof on the floor, as if deep in thought
>"Ja... what a good question."
"You don't know?"
>He shrugs
>"She goes many places around here, I don't know them all. But I can send you to... what is it, the reception area?"
"Well last time we were here, we just used one of those empty conference rooms. Is that still around?"
>"Ja! I almost forgot!"
>Hanz gives a hearty chuckle
>"I remember so much but not the minor details, no? I recall where it was, I think. Follow and I will find Frau Nona after!"
>Your party of three look among themselves and shrug
"Sure, sounds good to me. Lead the way."
>You take the lead and follow Hanzel into a hallway, glancing around every few steps
>Your girls do the same, keeping less than three steps behind
>Maybe those old-school RPGs had the right idea
>The hallway is as memorable as last time you were here
>Which is to say that it looks mostly empty
>No shrubbery or posters
>At least it still looks clean
>He stops four doors down, and to the left
>Was this the same room you went into last time?
>"In here will be nice, has enough seats for everyone."
>He walks in without hesitation
>You glance back at the pair
>They're still there
>"So... do we go for it?"
>Sparks whispers at you, expecting leadership
"Sure, he's been good to us so far."
>That seems to be enough for her, though she isn't particularly calmed down
>It's ok
>You're still a little on edge too
>You enter, stepping to the side for the yellow and red duo
>Sure enough, it looks like a conference room
>More than enough chairs for five visitors
>Hanz smiles and nods at everyone
>"Good, ja? This room hasn't been used since you were here last, if memory recalls. Please, sit! I will find Frau Nona and bring her immediately."
>He begins to trot out before stopping in place
>"Unless, that is, she is busy. Then I will bring her immediately."
>He takes two steps and stops again
>"Unless, that is, she isn't that busy. Then I will ask if she can put it on hold."
>He nods to each of you
>"On that note, relax! Speak freely, you are among friends!"
>He trots out, thankfully not stopping for another last minute note
>Everyone waits for a few seconds before you close the door
>In a secured room, Sparks exhales
>"Geeze... does he really have to keep that accent up?
>She heads to one of the chairs
>Given the practice she's had, she's able to scamper onto it without too much issue
>You take a seat near her, so that she's on your left
>You turn a chair around and watch Jacky pounce up onto it like a cat
>She even stuck the landing
>With everyone seated, you sigh a breath of relief
"Well that's not too bad so far."
>"I guess. Can we trust that guy?"
>"Well I think so. He was nice last time, why wouldn't he be now?"
>They both rotate to scan over the room while you stay focused on the door
"It's good to see he's doing fine, in either case. He seems like a real cool guy."
>"That accent though."
>"Come on, don't be mean. He works hard on it."
>"He sounds like you when you force that French accent."
>"Hey! Anon happens to like that accent, thank you very much!"
>"Exactly, he has shit taste!"
>"You have shit taste!"
>They sure are bickering like usual
>You lean back, yawning
"I wonder if they got security cameras everywhere..."
>Jacky stops arguing, her ears perking up at your voice
>"Well why wouldn't they? We're pretty valuable."
"Sure. And... not completely natural to most people or places."
>"Oh... right. Well still, why wouldn't they?"
>Sparks verbally fumes for a while longer, refusing to let it go
"I guess it's none of our business, all the same."
>"I guess so..."
>What feels like minutes pass
>With no Hanz
>And no Nona
>Sparks has been spinning herself in her chair using her magic
>Jacky nudged and headbutted the air until she managed to sit closer to you
>You just wait there, right leg folded with your ankle on your left knee
>Given how this place is, how busy could she really be?
>What would she even be busy with?
>Would you really want to know?
>Without warning, the door knob turns
>Sparks stops the chair, lurching forward from the momentum
>Her eyes unfocused and slightly derped out, she tries to focus on the door
>"Finally!"
>The door opens and in steps a woman
>She looks kinda like the Nona you spoke with
>"Oh hey, Anon and... Jacky! And is that your friend too? Hi there!"
>The voice seals it, it definitely is Nona
>But the color of her eyes and her hairstyle is completely different
"Hey there... hi again."
>Hanz steps in after her, beaming
>"You wouldn't believe where I found her!"
>You kinda don't wanna know
>You spin your chair, along with Sparks' and Jacky's to face Nona once she sits down at a chair opposite of you
>Hanz gives an impressive grunt and leaps up onto the chair
>Or tries to
>After two more strenuous efforts he manages it
>You can't imagine that solid bulk muscle helps all that much
>"So, guys... what's up? What brought you over here?"
"Well, I--"
>"Why do you look different?"
>Jacky blurts out without forethought
>Your eyebrows raise and then lower
>Smooth move
>Nona laughs at the question, posing her hand as if to show off
>"Contacts and a vintage style, you like? Can't be too careful these days, am I right?"
>You aren't sure
>Is she?
>Jacky seems a little unsettled by her answer but does her best to just nod with an open mouth
>"Oh, uh... right."
"Aside from that... I guess we just wanted to check up on you guys. We had a few questions about--"
>"Dashie, right? Or what was her name?"
"Well that's the thing... we aren't sure of her real name. But we know that she's a white pegasus."
>"Really, you don't? Are you sure?"
>Jacky nods
"Yeah, I ain't got a clue. With Sparky with me, I've been remembering a whole ton about stuff but nothing about Dashie."
>Sparks speaks up
>The tone of her voice is very iffy
>"Y-yeah... hi there..."
>Nona's gaze fixes onto Sparks, making her visibly flinch
>"Oh my, aren't you looking far better these days! I remember when you were still in your box, you looked a little... underfinished?"
>Sparks looks proper unnerved
>Her ears flatten against her head
>She squints
>You don't hear a drop of anger in her voice
>Or even irritation
>Just pure cautious, carefully chosen words
>"Yeah... lucky me, heheh..."
>Something isn't right about this
>As far as you know Sparky, she really isn't the type to get spooked
"Anyway, Nona, Hanz. Jacky's been far happier lately now that she's been reunited with Sparks. But they aren't... complete, I guess. They're missing their last friend, Dashie. I remember us talking to you before about her, I think."
>Nona only nods
"I know before was special circumstances but... well, I can't ask for something like that again. But we gotta have Dashie. They gotta have their friend again."
>She leans forward, putting her elbows on the desk
>Out of the corner of your eye you can see Sparks flinch
>Jacky's more stoic, but you haven't seen her stare at something so hard before
>"I see... you know, I won't want to be a jerk, but I can't honestly say that we're a charity."
"No, I know. I wouldn't ever ask you for that. I didn't before, either."
>The woman smiles
>Hanz seems to just be enjoying the company
>He's the only one who doesn't seem to have any form of ulterior mindset going on
>"That is true... but my, how unique is it that you have two ponies already that seem to be doing so well but you want a third too?"
"Well it isn't for me."
>"Yes, you said something like that."
>Sparks speaks up, her throat audibly dry
>"M-miss Nona... she's important to me and Jacky. Far more than we need anyone else. She's the glue that keeps us together."
>Jacky chimes in
>"She's the gunpowder in our bullets."
>"The peanut butter in our sandwich."
>"The punchline to our jokes."
>Sparks manages to ease up just enough to glare over at Jack
>"You're the only punchline here to come up with that..."
>Jacky points her hoof at Sparks
>"S-see what I mean? Our shtick gets old if it's just us!"
>Whether or not they're doing this on purpose, they're doing beautifully
>Nona chuckles
>"I get you, I do. Well, I guess you've made your case."
>No one speaks for a few moments
>What does that mean, exactly?
"So... what do you think?"
>"Well it seems to me like you guys just want to have her and have a few formalities with us to be diplomatic."
>Well shit, she's not exactly wrong
"Well... yeah, I guess so."
>Hanz deflates a little
>"This is such a serious talk... I thought we would have more friendly topics by now."
>Almost as if that triggered a change, Nona giggles and ruffles his short mane
>"You're as friendly as it gets, you know!"
>"Oh stop, you know what I say, that my memory is a steel trap!"
>So nothing in, nothing out?
>The three of you wait for them to get over their own little interactions
>So this is what it feels like to watch a person and a pony almost flirt in front of you
>You glance over to Jacky
>She glances back at you
>Same wavelength and same expression of 'are we like that?'
>Nona ends it with another ruffle of her pony's hair, sighing
>"Ahh... well, I guess you guys do have a good reason. Anon, you remember when you got Jacky, right?"
"Sure, what about it?"
>"Five times."
>You furrow your brow
"Come again?"
>"Five times Jacky's price and you're set."
>You feel the color drain from your face
>You DO have that much
>But you're going to lose your entire nest egg too
>"Anon, how much is--"
"Alright, you got it."
>Despite the pit in your stomach, you force a grin
"Mind if I run a portion on credit card then the rest on debit?"
>Nona looks visibly surprised
>"Wow, you weren't kidding were you."
"I said she's important to us. My friends and I. I do owe you for Sparks, regardless of what you said, and I think it's more than fair in your favor."
>Your little ponies watch you
>You never did mention how much Jacky cost you
>It wasn't a small amount
>It wasn't overly massive, like 'new car' massive
>But it wasn't small
>Five times as much may be pushing it to that line though
>"Hanz, can you get the credit card reader? Over near the kitichen, the paperweight on top of all of those other papers?"
>It takes the lad a few seconds to digest the information before he nods
>"Jawohl! I will return shortly!"
>He jumps off of the chair
>Only for the chair to kick back under him, causing him to unceremoniously bellyflop onto the floor
>No one laughs, which makes his pratfall that much more painful
>"Gottverdammt stück scheiße ich hasse stühle..."
>He angrily grumbles to himself as he limps out the door
>Due to how the handles are, and his size, he's able to get on his hind legs and put his weight down, opening it enough for him to fit his head through and push his body after
>What a guy
>Everyone left in the room, you included, remain silent
>The way Nona watches you and Sparks is really setting off some sort of sixth sense shit
>Jacky's paying close attention but she doesn't seem to fully get it
>"So Sparks. You can use magic, can't you?"
>The question makes her flinch
>The corners of her mouth twitch
>"N-not really... I need... vitamins."
>"Is that true? That's a shame..."
>Something's going on that you aren't able to see
>"So, you like being with Anon and Jacky?"
>Sparks doesn't answer but instead just nods
>"Good... good. You know, if you ever get bored of being there..."
>Sparks speaks up, her tone anything but steady
>"N-no thank you. I like it with Anon and Jacky. I won't get bored."
"I like to think I keep the boredom levels down."
>You interject to help deflect the attention off of your unicorn
>"Oh, I hope so! Such an expensive hobby, keeping ponies around. Especially now that you have a third. Can't imagine what your home must look like..."
>This time Jacky speaks up
>"Hey, our place looks great! We're the loudest things there so you know it's a good neighborhood!"
>Butter smooth Jacko
>Nona laughs and nods
>"Alright, I'll take your words for it then. I'm glad that you guys are all on the same page. I really didn't expect it, I gotta say."
>You jump slightly from a series of hard knocks on the door
"Mind if I...?"
>Nona nods
>"Please, thank you."
>You stand up and stretch out a few steps to open the door
>Hanz trots in, still muttering something under his breath
>Holding a rather new looking credit card reader in his mouth too
>You've seen something like that once or twice before
>He 'hands' it to Nona before sitting at her side
>"I don't even like these stupid chairs, I'm fine right here, I can still see..."
>You can barely see his eyes from how you're sitting
>Poor guy
>Nona stands and leans forward, plugging the card reader into an outlet
>"Alright... so credit card first you said?"
>You end up sliding your cards through after she punches in the numbers and asks you to confirm them
>You've lost a lot of money before but this is going to hurt
>Lot of years' worth of meager saving up
>You are going to be very happy to see everyone be happy, though
>Nothing about this is anything you would regret
>But you hope nothing else pops up in the next few months too
>Once it's all said and done, you have a pair of receipts that you tuck into your wallet
"Alrighty then... not a problem. Like before, mind if...?"
>"Oh, yeah, of course! Hanz, can you go get 'Dashie'? Anon and his friends will wait out front. I'm gonna get back to where I was before. Can I trust you to get it settled?"
>"JAWOHL!"
>Hanz shouts out, his voice reverberating against the underside of the table
>So it's settled now
>You can't help but feel relieved
>But
>You also feel a bit sick at knowing you've basically put yourself back to having less than a hundred bucks for funds
>At least your place is as stocked as can be
>You grab hold of the two chairs your ponies are in, having learned from Hanz
>They manage to hop off without issue and immediately stack up behind you
>You open the door and let Hanz out first before you take your leave
>"Pleasure seeing you again, guys!"
>Nona just seems happy to wave, not moving from her seat
>You follow Hanz back to the entrance, glad that it's almost over now
>"If you please, I will return herr Anon!"
>Hanz gives you a salute
>You return one in kind, making him grin before he runs off
>After a few moments of silence, you feel Sparks nudge the back of your leg with her head
"Anon... please give me the keys. I want to go to the car now."
>Uh oh
>That downright meek tone of hers bother you far more than anything else
"Yeah... sure. Front seat so you can chill once we get going and turn on the AC or heat or whichever."
>You fish them out of your pocket and hold them out
>The magical red aura immediately envelopes them
>You hurry ahead of her and open the front door
>You watch her leave and open your front passenger door
"Jack, she has the right idea... how about you go out to the car with her and keep her company, yeah?"
>Jacky nods
>"She's not like this normally... hurry back with Dashie, alright?"
"You got it."
>You open the door again for her, turning so it will close behind you
>Now it's just you in here
>You feel a lot less safe in here
>You hear your car start up and you whip your head back
>It's just Sparks, with Jacky in the back seat
>How the hell did she figure out how to start your car?
>You wait for a painfully long time before you hear something like a cart being pushed along with more grumbling
>"These blasted things... what I would give for some of ze magic..."
>Hanz stops pushing once the cart, and the box on top of it, is in front of you
>"And there is is, herr Anon! An impossible feat for a pony of lesser skill and stature!"
>Sure enough, a pale white pegasus is in the box
>It looks exactly like Jacky's box
>The brand name
>The weird, out of place looking accessories
>Just instead of hats it's a mix of brushes, combs, and empty bottles that claim to be filled with magical substances
>There's even little wire ties around her torso, neck, and around her torso, keeping her wings in place
>Jesus Christ
>Have they been getting prepped up to look like toys?
>"Herr Anon, you are stunned by her beauty too, ja? Sly dog, when you already have two!"
"Wait, what?"
>You shake your head, your eyes going to her face
>Her slimmer, rounder face is different from Jacky or Sparks
>It is definitely... unique
>You can see why she was the face of their operations
"Alrighty then... wanna help me like old times buddy?"
>"Jawohl! Let the ladies see what true strength looks like!"
>With Hanz getting the door, you grab hold of Dashie in her box
>Moving a little awkwardly, your face is mere inches from hers
"H-hey there. Jack an' Sparks sent me. Let's get the hell out of here, huh?"
>You whisper to her between steps
>Whether or not you're sure, you can almost see her smile
>The back passanger door is already open, courtesy of Sparks and with a little help from Hanzel, you manage to squeeze the box in without banging any corners into the car frame
>You close the door, sighing
>Good weekend workout
>"Ah... herr Anon, you were barely here! And I was hoping we would be able to do more..."
"Yeah... trust me, I wish I could stay longer too. But with this... well, us guys have obligations to those we love, don't we?"
>"Ja, we--"
>His expression changes from confusion, to shock, to unabashed glee
>"Ahaha! I knew you were that sort of man! Ha ha! Next time you will tell me all the details, yes? Spare no thought from me!"
>You can't help but laugh with him
>If anyone would enjoy the stories you had to tell, it'd be him
"Not while we're sober you dog!"
>You both nod
"Well... you take care, yeah? I don't know if we'll have a reason to come back here, but--"
>"But this is not good bye!"
"Exactly."
>You turn to face the door to the building and flinch
>Nona is there
>Not really smiling or frowning
>Just staring
"Any...way... I'm gonna go ahead and split. You keep things safe on your end too, yeah?"
>Trying to avoid the woman's gaze, you swooce into your seat
>You move to turn the keys and realize that, of course, the car's already on
>"Drive."
>That was Sparks
"Eh?
>"Drive. Drive. DRIVE. DRIVE. FUCKING DRIVE! DRIVE ALREADY!"
>Sparks starts to repeat herself, her panic building until she's in a full hysteric scream
>Every time she repeats herself you can hear her voice her entire lungs empty to the point that she's almost hyperventilating
>You glance to where Sparks is staring and it's Nona
>She's staring at Sparks
>Again, with no particular expression on her face
>Her eyes focus on (You)
>(You) feel something go down your spine
>"PLEASE ANONYMOUS GET ME OUT OF HERE!"
>Without a second thought you shift gears, reverse, and nearly peel out of there and onto the road back home

>The car is almost deathly silent for almost a half hour
>Jacky's been in a silent panic since Sparks screamed
>You've been unable to stop from shivering every now and again
>Sparky's breathing more normally but she was hyperventilating for almost ten minutes
>You kept a close eye on her in your peripheral during the entire duration
>You're pretty sure she made herself pass out for a moment or two, which would explain how she managed to calm herself down
>No one is saying anything, and with no music going on, you have no real choice
"Is everyone alright?"
>A silly question
>Jacky nods, stammering just enough to sound shaken
>"Y... yeah. I'm ok. What happened?"
"Sparky?"
>Sparks doesn't say anything but she nods
"Atta girls."
>Something about Nona didn't sit well with you, this?
>This was something else
>Sparks was by and far the most cautious out of you
>Was it for good reason?
>Why was Nona just staring so hard at her?
>And at you?
>At you?
>At you?
>At (You)?
>You shake your head, grimacing
>That was just... not right
"Alright..."
>Your knuckles turn white at how hard you've been holding onto the steering wheel
>Evidently you've been at a steady 90mph
>To give yourself a bit better mileage you turn on cruise control and slow down to 80
"Alright... hey, we did it! Right? Jack, how's Dashie doing?"
>Jacky looks over the box, you watch her from your rearview mirror
>"Yeah, she looks fine! But... her name isn't even on here either. Our names weren't on our boxes, were they?"
"I don't think so, no. Not that I recall, anyway."
>Used to driving with your left hand, your right hand ends up on Sparking's mane
>She flinches and looks at you with wide eyes
"You did good, firefly. You did real good."
>She nods and leans into your hand
>You continue the drive without any music or banter
>Your hand never leaves Sparks
>Jacky never leaves Dashie's box
>You get the feeling that none of you really knew what happened
>Was it just instinct?
>Some sort of primal warning?
>Sparks didn't even act normally during the conversation
>Did she have some sort of sixth sense?
>Obviously, she had magic, but how would that give her such a freak out?
>Why was she just staring?
>She didn't look happy or sad
>She didn't look irritated or angry
>Hanz seemed alright, which made it all the more jarring
>He probably is alright
>You hope
>You make it back to your apartment garage quicker than you thought, able to park away from most types of prying eyes
>Both Jack and Sparks ended up sleeping after the first hour
>You kinda wished that you could retrieve your hand but the panicked unicorn needed it more than you
>When you park, you let out a loud, bestial yawn
"Man was that good! I slept through the entire trip!"
>Sparks is the first to bolt upright
>She looked all over before resting her eyes on you
>She's not impressed
>"Don't tell us you actually fell asleep..."
>You shrug, scoffing
"Maybe I did... maybe I didn't. We're here anyway, aren't we?"
>Sparks rolls her eyes and looks behind her seat
>Jacky is still out, breathing through her mouth
>Sparks looks at you, unable to help but smile
>"Anon... thank you. I don't know what would have happened if you weren't there."
>She sounds so genuine
>"Yeah... thank Jacky too. We all did this together."
>She shakes her head
>"Don't kid yourself. You're the only reason we're all together now. You're the only one I can rely on with this type of thing..."
"What, driving?"
>Your thickheaded angle seems to exhaust her
>"...sure. Let's wake her up and get back in, I need some fresh air..."
>Ironic, given you're going from outside to inside
>Behind a locked door
>While she undoes her seatbelt and hops out of seat, you lean back to nudge Jacky
"Hey. Jackolantern. We're home."
>She lifts her head off of Dashie's prison, yawning
>"Yeah-huh, I heard you. I'm up. I'm uuuuaaaaaaahhh..."
>She yawns in mid-sentence, her eyes squinty
"Tell me about it. Come on, let's go."
>Carrying Dashie, the four of you go from garage, to elevator, and finally back to your apartment
>Home sweet, quiet, chaotic home
>Except it's actually pretty quiet now
>Everyone's drained in one way or another
>Sparks immediately goes to your bed, hunkering up against one of your pillows
>Jacky flops onto your bed, spreading out without much care
>You swear that it's their bed, you merely rented it until they claimed ownership
>Deciding that your room is the place to be, you set Dashie down in the corner
>Knowing the trick to it by now, you set her down with the plastic front window of the box facing the ceiling
>You slide out the cardboard rack that is tied to the white pegasus and grab your pair of safety shears
>You snip away at the wire ties, taking extra care around her wings
>You haven't really teased Sparks about her horn or... touched it
>But you presume it's like actual bone or something
>The wings are another game entirely
>With her free, you shake the bed, alerting your little ponies
>Both of them flank your sides, all eyes on the sleeping pony
"Hey... Dashie. Are you alright?"
>"Dashie, it's me, Jacky! You're home now!"
>"Dashie, it's Sparks. She's not lying, it's home. It really is."
>Slowly, her eyes open
>Purple eyes
>Without a word, she at the three of you
>And smiles
>"Good morning."
>It's technically past noon now but sure
>The two are silent
"Yeah... how're you feeling? Do you recognize these two?"
>Dashie looks from one to the other, but her eyes rest on you
>"Did you save me?"
>She sounds so mellow
"I... uh... I guess we did, sure."
>"I knew you would... I am Faint Prism. But Jacky and Sparking Shine know me as Dashie."
>Jacky stomps her hoof down
"T-that's it! Your name is Prism! Dashie, it seriously is you!"
>Sparks is less impressed
>"Wait... really?"
>You're more focused surprised at how she doesn't have a really weird accent
>She sounds very proper, and her rhetoric speed is slow
>Jacky had her weird accents
>Sparks had her little outburst
>Dashie... just wakes up normally?
>The pegasus slowly works her way up to her hooves but fails
>Instead, she sits on her side, half-laying on the box
>Her mane is as white as the rest of her body
>Her hair isn't like any of the mane six that you're aware of
>Compared to her name, she seems very much different from Rainbow Dash
>Wait a second
>You glance over her flank
>Sure enough, a cutie mark
>A rainbow that twists into a white ribbon
>She notices where you look and giggles
>"My, I can't stop you from looking, can I?"
>You purse your lips and immediately shake your head
"Wait, hold on now. That cutie mark... you didn't have that before, did you?"
>She looks over herself
>"Would you look at that... who do you think put that there?"
>She doesn't even really seem to care
>The two ponies at your side dog pile Dashie, suffocating her with a dual hug
>"I missed you, I didn't think I'd ever see you again!"
>"It was terrifying, you would never believe what Anon did!"
>"I love you Dashie, never go away again!"
>"You're gonna love it here, we have everything now!"
>They speak over each other, surely having a million things to say in the span of seconds
>"Oh my! I didn't think either of you would miss me that much..."
>She looks at you
>She looks downright serene
>"I really thought that I was dead. If I'm not, this is very lucky!"
>Can she really say that so easily?
"No, you're very much alive, Dash. Let's keep it that way, huh?"
>"Yes, let's!"

>Dashie really lives up to her name
>While Sparks and Jacky were quick to move from the slightly crowded bedroom into the living room, the newly freed pegasus took her time, examining her surroundings with every step
>Not that there was all too much to look at
>"So... where exactly are we, again?"
>You keep behind her, bringing up the rear of the unorganized pony train
"Well... home, I suppose. An apartment complex in a small-ish city, specifically."
>"I see... how unusual."
>What's unusual is how she's acting
>Sparks and Jack are acting like kids seeing their best friend again after a summer break
>But she's keeping up some sort of poise, like she doesn't want to get excited
>Or maybe she is excited but is just too mellow to go bouncing off the walls
>When everyone finally gets into the living room, the trio sit in a triangle, facing each other
>If they're going to summon some sort of demon you're jumping out the window
>Jacky's by far the most relaxed one, smiling like it's nothing
>With her keeping her main in a twin tail style, she's really does stick out the most
>Sparks sits with a straight back
>Her hair is a mess but her eyes are alert
>Dashie sits on her side, her hind legs splayed out on the floor
>"So... what have I missed?"
>Sparks and Jacky look at each other
>Jack speaks up first
>"Well... I came here first. Anon got me and... well, we're really close. Like, really close."
>She lets out a dorky chuckle, much to Spark's dismay
>You shrug and decide to sit behind Jacky, wrapping your arms and legs around her
>Fully embraced, she lays against your side
>"See?"
>You nod, looking down at the yellow pony
"That's right. I got Jacky... I suppose on a whim. It's pure chance that we ended up together. And from day one, she didn't know a whole ton but she knew that she had her two best friends. 'Sparks an' Dashie' or something like that, in a goofy accent."
>Jacky gives Dashie an embarrassed smile
>"To be fair, it was a good one!"
>"Not really."
>Sparks adds in a quip, grinning
>"You shush... it was good."
>You nod, as if their quibbling is a point proven
"So... after a few months, I think it was, we decided to look for you two. Sparks came first because... I guess that's just how it turned out. We got her and after a while, it seems like Jacky started to remember more."
>Jack nods
>"That's right. I hardly remembered anything about how things were back home. I didn't even really feel like myself either. But Anon stuck with me through it all. Once Sparky came back to us, I started to remember... well, not everything, but a lot."
>Her smile turns sad
>"And... I felt terrible because we were missing you. So we weren't complete. Memory-wise, I started to not care about what I forgot. But I couldn't forget you."
>You ruffle her mane, nodding
"Yeah..."
>Sparks clears her throat, scooting over next to you until she's sitting right against your leg
>"And don't forget me. Obviously, they wouldn't have gotten anything done without me."
>You shrug
"She helped out a tiny bit."
>"Really she kinda hurt more than help."
"I mean, let's not get wild now."
>"She burnt food once when she was learning how to cook."
"But yeah, she can cook."
>The dual attack leads to the unicorn's horn igniting like a lighter
>"...do you see what I deal with every day with these morons?"
>Dashie brings her hoof up to her mouth and laughs
>"Oh my! Well, it sure seems like every day is an adventure!"
>Jacky nods, beaming
>"But it sure ain't the same without you!"
>Dashie nods, glancing over the gang
>You're part of said gang, of course
>Feels nice
>"Well... if you really want me to, I would love to be a part of the group again."
>She smiles
>But something bugs you about the way she's smiling
>It's her eyes
>She's not really smiling with her eyes
"We did miss you. Well, they did. I really wanted to get to know you since you've kinda been Jacky's big sister for so long."
>You've heard enough to know that without her, Jacky would've ended up far more worse for wear
"And you see how these two knuckleheads are. I'm gonna need some help herding them around, you know?"
>Both Jack and Sparks retort with a 'hey!'
>That takes the pegasus by surprise
>The smile begins to reach her eyes
"See what I mean? I gotta have a second pair of eyes with these two."
>"Well, if you insist..."
>She sounds convinced
>She's visibly relaxing too, you can see it in her form and how her wings aren't hugging so closely to her
>"He does!"
>"I don't think we NEED someone to look out for us when we're home..."
>"You need a marshmallow stuck to your horn so you don't get any funny ideas..."
>"You need my horn up your ass!"
>"Is that a euphemism for my butt being a marshmallow?"
>"UGH, YOU'RE UNREAL!"
>You look down at the two bickering mares and glance at Dashie
>Surely she knows what you mean
>She nods, sharing your sentiment
>You hold out your left hand
"You're home, Dash. Your friends are here, and I'll do whatever I can so you can adjust. It'll be very different from where you came from, if even half of what Jack said is true, but I think we've been doing good so far and we're only getting better."
>After some consideration and quiet contemplation, she reaches out and puts her hoof in your hand
>"I'm happy to be home. If you're really such good friends with those two, then I know we'll be great friends too!"

>Once all the introductions were done and out of the way, you and Sparks retreated to the kitchen
>Now that there were four mouths to feed, and there was a chance to celebrate, a feast was required!
>Kielbasa, red potatoes, grits, some blueberry bread mix to make some bread
>Kinda goofy mix to have, but you didn't really prepare for anything else
>While Sparks takes to peeling potatoes on her stool, you've gone to mixing the bread mix
>"Anon... you know she might not just let us be."
>She speaks almost too quietly for you to hear
>With Prism and Jacky out on the patio, you nod
"Yeah well, she got more than enough coin to handle everything. Transaction's done."
>It sounds like they're catching up pretty well
>You haven't seen Jacky be sad in a long time now but she looks downright ecstatic now
>"Anon... should you really have done that? Won't you need the money for anything else?"
"That's not for you to worry about."
>"But it is! I can't just expect it to be fine and normal, can I?"
"Absolutely."
>"But that's stupid."
"Not really. It's just not something for you to worry about. We'll be fine. We have one more pair of eyes to all watch out for each other, and if we waited, we may have never found her."
>"That's true... but..."
"No buts, Sparks. What I'd do for Jack, I'd do for you. What I'd do for you, I'd do for Prism."
>Prism sounds a bit better than Dashie, you think
>You don't really see her being the sort to joke around all that much
>Maybe it's just because you don't know her much
>"You say that..."
"Do you think I don't mean it?"
>She huffs, scraping at the potatoes
>Given how you can hear the peeling slice from where you are, you're glad she doesn't have fingers to worry about
>"No, but... shouldn't you be more careful? You couldn't work out a payment plan or try to talk her down? Who's looking out for you if something happens?"
"You mean you'd rather deal with Nona for longer? And I try to strike a deal, she's gonna think it's not important. I could afford it, so I took it and that's that. And when it comes to looking out for me, I got you three."
>"We can't even go to the store and get you medicine..."
"That's fine. You know how to use the internet, you can order some online."
>"Let me worry about you."
"Why?"
>"Because Jacky won't, dammit!"
>You pause before answering
>They seem stuck in their conversation outside so they probably aren't listening
"That's mean to say."
>"No it's not. Nona was staring us down that entire conversation and she just didn't pick up on any of it. She didn't see what was going on in the car."
>Now was a good a time as any
"Spark, what did you even see that made you freak out like that?"
>She doesn't answer
>But you can hear her peeling the fuck out of those potatoes
"You know you can tell me."
>"I know I can..."
"So what was it?"
>"Anon... you know how we had a life supposedly before here, right? That's how we all know each other?"
"Sure. It's really weird but... well shit, everything else is weird so nothing is anymore."
>"Right... what would you tell me if I said that Nona was in our world before?"
>What?
>"...I'm not saying she was. But let's pretend."
"I... am not sure... I guess my first question is if she was still.. a human?"
>"Well no, she wasn't. Obviously."
>Right, obviously
>"But... those eyes. That stare. She knew I knew. She knew!"
"I'm not saying I don't believe you but... there's gotta be more to it than that, right?"
>"Yeah... you know how I kinda... maybe dip into your mind for reasons?"
"Yeah. It's why I'm pretty comfortable with trusting you with important matters, you know exactly what my plan is."
>"And other things..."
>You barely get that
"Come again?"
>"I said, I kinda dipped into hers... and she told me to cut it out."
>That's... spooky
"Well... if that's true... what else do we got for proof that she's really the one who you met before?"
>"Well, when we were in the car... she said she was angry. She said she was really angry. She didn't want you making off with Dashie. That's why she gave you that high cost, she didn't think you could afford it."
"Why would she be angry, though? A pony gone and out of her hair is a pony gone and out of her hair, right?"
>"I don't know... again. Let's pretend. We're pretending right now."
"Fair enough."
>"If she was angry... it might have been because you have us all together. Because we remember where we came from, and we remember each other. I mean, that's pretty important information to keep secret, right?"
"Maybe. Who'd ever believe a trio of ponies though?"
>Sparks sighs
>"I guess. But if I can use magic, that has to make you wonder."
"Don't worry, it does."
>She laughs at how nonchalantly you say that
>"Well... then I guess that's kinda that. Then..."
"Good thing I can trust you to keep an eye on things here, right?"
>She sighs
>But you can see her smile
>"Right. You can count on me."
"I'm glad. Jacky's strong but you're her eyes. Together, you two can knock anything out of the park."
>Out of the blue, another thought hits you
"Hey Sparks."
>"Yeah?"
"How far do you think that mind reading trick can work... you think you can talk to me through it?"

>With dinner finished, everyone funneled back to your room
>There was only one movie that would fit the evening
>"And look, there's Tuco! He's so cool!"
>"Wow, he... did he kill those men?"
>"Well one of them yeah but he didn't die, he's just knocked out!"
>With your back to the wall, you get to watch Prism and Jacky talk all throughout the movie in front of you
>Sparks stuck to your side like glue
>She's been spending a lot of time next to you, you've noticed
>She's been sleeping near you like Jacky
>Even now, she's letting them goof off when she's laying against you
>Is she even really watching the movie?
>'I can hear you.'
>You jump with a start
>You look down at Sparks and her horn is glowing
>Not the brilliant red as it was before, but you can tell she's doing something
>You thought you heard her voice
>'You did.'
>This is... weird
>Well, if she was doing it on purpose, she'd look at you and do something
>As quickly as you finish that thought, Sparks twists herself to lay on her side
>She looks at you and winks
>She can read you right now, can't she
>The unicorn nods
>Spooky
>Neat
>Speat
>'It's because I'm touching you but I can read you. You can read me too, otherwise you wouldn't have stopped yourself from thinking about why I've been so close to you lately.'
>She says that but you can't get into what she's thinking, you can just hear her
>'Well shyeah, you think I want you in my head?'
>You shrug
>You watch Jacky practically walk Prism through the movie, scene by scene
>You know
>It really doesn't feel right to have this sort of thing going on
>What would Jacky think about it?
>'This is an important matter, so what if she doesn't understand it yet? We have a connection and we should strengthen it in case Nona comes for us.'
>That's not a good thought to have
>It really does rain on your parade a little
>You want to celebrate but it seems like you're kinda left out of the loop on this one
>'Well I'm left out of it too, right? They go back super far. As far as they care, I'm a neat background ornament'
>Oh come off it
>You would never believe that
>If they really came from some other world, it would have to be important how connected they are to each other, it doesn't make sense otherwise
>'I guess. But for now they wouldn't notice anything short of an explosion.'
>You are happy to see Jacky so happy like that
>She's still the same pony you knew from day one, but she seems different now
>Compared to being alone, to being with Sparks, to having even Prism back, you've seen her evolve and round out things
>'You sure think about Jacky a lot Anon.'
>Maybe she should stop poking around in your head regarding matters that don't concern her
>'Why do you like her so much, Anonymous? Isn't she loud and rowdy?'
>As much as Sparks is
>'Hey, I am not!'
>You watch Tuco leading Blondie into the desert, shooting his canteen
>'Do you like her more than me because she came first?'
>You aren't going to have this conversation
>'We're closer right now than you've ever been with her, you know that.'
>You really don't like her pushing
>If she can read your mind, she can see everything you've gone through with her to make her so close to you
>'Ew, I don't want to see those things. It's not like I would go through every thought and memory you have.'
>But she'll argue with you, in your own head
>She isn't even speaking but you can hear the jealousy
>'I'm not jealous!'
>She sure is super jealous
>Sparks flails a little and rotates to lay with her back against you, conveniently hiding her face
>'I'm not jealous of Jacky of all ponies. I just think she doesn't fit you.'
>So who does fit you?
>'Somepony smarter.'
>Well you can't think of anyone who fits that description, except maybe Dashie if she's as collected as she looks
>You can hear Sparks growl and grumble something
>You can also hear the scene between Tuco and his brother play out
>You can tell that speaking through magic like this really kinda messes with your sense of time
>'Are you that dense, Anon?'
>You are
>But you also don't want to broach the possibility that Jacky's friend is jealous and you don't even finish that thought
>'I'm not jealous.'
>Super jealous
>But she has a point
>Whether you like it or not, you need to be able to communicate nonverbally in the event of any dangerous situation
>'If you found me first, I bet you'd think about me like how you think about Jacky.'
>Now hold on a damned minute, she can't just-
>You glance down at Sparks and her horn stopped glowing
>You can see her stomach rise, only to flatten in a loud huff
>Jacky finally notices and twists around, nudging Sparks
>"Hey, Sparky... get up, you're missing the movie!"
>"Not now Jacky... I'm stuffed and tired. And I've seen this movie like a dozen times now because you keep rewatching it!"
>"Duh, because it's awesome?!"
>She points her hoof at you
>"Right? Anon agrees!"
>Rather than answer, your eyes narrow into a killer squint
>Jacky immediately returns the squint
>Your head lowers to get more level with hers
>She raises her head up for the same effect
>She brings her hoof up and nudges and pushes against Dashie, to show off the staredown
>"I couldn't imagine wanting to--what's wrong?"
>The pegasus watches the staredown
>"...did I miss something?"
>You raise your eyebrow and adjust your squinting deathglare to Dashie
>Almost as if she can read your mind, Jacky does the same
>"W...what? Did I do something?"
>Jacky waggles her left front hoof
>The fingers on your right hand dance and twitch
"POW!"
>"BANG!"
>In unison, you point your appendages at Dashie, who just looks like she's at a complete loss
>"W... ok? Is it my turn to do that now?"
>Jacky stops her squint and leans in
>"We shot you, you're dead now."
>Silently gasping, Dashie nods and smirks
>Jacky returns to her previous position, re-aligning her stare
"Oh my, oh... oh!"
>Even in a series of overly-dramatic death throes, Dashie seems like such a girl
>She throws herself over, the impact leading her to bounce once on the bed
>You and Jacky glance at each other
>You widen your mouth and frown, shrugging
>She shrugs and nods
>So she's always been that theatrical
>"Aim for the heart..."
>She growls as hard as she can
>She's gotten a lot better at practicing that
>It almost sounds threatening now
>If you were a pony and didn't have the obvious size advantage
>You both watch her just... lay there
>"Hey... Dashie. You can come back now, we still got a lot of movie left."
>She reaches out to poke the pegasus and as soon as she does, her wings erupt, spreading hard and majestically
>Her wings are actually pretty big
>"Waah?!"
>Jacky stumbles back, caught off guard
>Dashie giggles, opening one of her eyes
>"Didn't expect a wing shield to save me, did you?"
>"Wh...what?! You can't do that!"
>Dashie sits back up, smirking
>"Looks like I just did..."
>Jacky looks at you with a defeated expression on her face
>"She... she can't do that!"
You tilt your head toward her and scratch your nose with your finger
"Yeah well... I got one better."
>"What?"
>They reply in unison
>You reach down and act like you're bringing up a tube
>A very large tube
>A very heavy tube
"Rawk-it lawn chair!"
>"Oh shit."
>"What chair?"
"BUAH!"
>You fire off your missile and the impact sends you bouncing off the the wall behind you
>"WHOA, YOU GOT DISTROYED!"
>Dashie's a little slow on the uptake
>"Wait, is that better than a gun?"
>"Dashie a rocket launcher is like where guns come from! It's the gun of guns! It's a gun that kills guns!"
>Jack goes off the deep end, explaining away all sorts of guns that she's seen in action movies and video games
>The movie, for once, is ignored for banter and imaginary gunfights
>Pegasi are freaking OP though, they seem to be able to withstand everything
>You're pretty sure you and Jack threw more at her than you've thrown at the Nemesis too
>By the end the movie, Jacky demands that you put on True Lies next
>Among other things, it has a lot of scenes with a lot of types of guns
>It's fun to listen to her nerd out about guns
>She even goes into detail about how she would personally load and use them, despite having no hands and no real accurate way to fire them off outside of being so cool she just does whatever and it works anyway
>You don't mind, you like the goofy action movies as is
>The evening turns into a Schwarzenthon, playing goofy action movie after goofy action movie
>Even Sparks comes out of her moody funk to watch by the time you get to Commando
>Watching Jack and Dashie together, you can get why they meld so well
>Jack's full of piss and vinegar, quick to overact and take the lead
>Dashie's far more... well, feminine and reserved
>You can only imagine the trouble they got up to
>It also kinda makes sense now, when Jacky mentioned that their initial plans were to double team a guy
>Dashie isn't necessarily more attractive than Jack
>But she isn't really... a bootleg of Rainbow Dash, no matter how you look at her
>Her face is really different
>She's roughly the same size as the other two girls
>And she has wings
>Who from the show has wings and that longer, more narrow face?
>You put the mind on the backburner
>You can worry about that later
>If what Sparks said is true, the connections they have to the show could be completely nebulous and coincidental
>But that doesn't sound like that fits either
>"Anon!"
>You snap out of your head
>It's Dashie
"What's up?"
>"Jacky said that you have a gun... may we see it?"
>Oh shit
"No. If Jacky ever tries to find it, you stop her."
>"Wh-what?! Come on, you can trust me! I don't even have fingers, I'd never even get to load it! Come on, you trust me right Dash!?"
>Dashie looks at Jack
>Then at you
>You slowly shake your head
>"I'll trust Anon on this one..."
>Betrayal looks like a shocked Jacky
>"Wh...how could yo..."
>She sputters and tries to emulate your actions of pulling out a rocket launcher
>"DIIIISTROYAAAAAAA!"
>She aims it at you instead of Dashie
"Oh shit."
>Before you know what's what, a pegasus wing blocks your face
>"Pegashield!"
>You peek over the shield to look at the two
>Dashie smiles at you
>Jacky looks like a movie villain that just realized that her evil plans were foiled
>She deflates into a puddle of herself
>"Man... I wanna go shooting real guns..."
>She will
>One of these days
>Once you figure out how you can put your hearing protection on her
>And find pony-sized eye protection
>It almost sounds silly once you start to think about the details required

>Morning
>Late morning, anyway
>You don't fully recall last night but you do remember creating a form of Rock-Paper-Scissors that involved nineteen weapon types and the OP Pegashield
>The sinister meta came from there being two weapons that could overturn Pegashield, but one beat the other, so a careful player would gravitate toward the Pegashield slayer
>You move to stretch but can't
>Jacky is cuddled up hard on your right side, her face against yours
>Sparks is cuddled up to your left side, her flank on your upper arm and her head under the covers
>Dashie, not so above it at all, has now claimed your lap for herself, her wings relaxed and spread out fully
>They're really not small
>You kinda wonder if she can fly
>You don't ever recall hearing that she can
>But now you're in a pickle
>You're surrounded, crucified, on all sides
>And you are thirsty
>Now that you think about it, your nose is starting to itch
>You might need to go to the bathroom too
>Oh god
>Now you have the urge to cough and sneeze
>Panic
>PANIC
>Before you explode into an autistic flail, you rotate your face to Jacky, your nose against hers
"Psst... pssst. Hey. Hey."
>You whisper against her lips
"Jack...eeeeeeeeeeeee..."
>You exhale against her mouth, letting out the whining 'e' noise
>Her lips twitch a few times, like she's trying to say something
"Jack...hey Jack... I'm in trouble. You gotta save me."
>You whisper more to her
>Her lips twitch more, opening
>She barely pushes her face against you, initiating a lazy, sleepy kiss
>This doesn't exactly help you but you wouldn't turn yourself away from such an offer
>Every now and again you pull your face back, only for her to push forward
>A lot of your instant worries that came from being immobilized melt away, now that you're sufficiently distracted
"Hey Jack... Jacky Chan."
>She finally opens her eyes, a warm smile spreading on her lips
>"Hey... g'mornin'Non."
>She leans in to kiss you again
>And she would have connected if not for one quiet, hushed word
"Pegashield."
>That sufficiently cockblocks her
>She looks at you, her expression slowly morphing from glee to surprise to frustration
>"...you suck."
"Jack... I'm stuck. Help me out."
>She uses all of her power to lift her head a few inches
>"Heh... Sparky's mooning you."
"Be lucky you don't do that or else."
>"Or else what..."
>She isn't impressed with your threat
>She looks down at Dashie having claimed your lap for herself
>"Aw... she likes you too..."
"Until you do something wrong, then she'll be waking up! Come on, help me out!"
>Jacky yawned, mouth opening wide before pressing her face against yours
"Pegash--"
>She kisses you before you can finish that statement
>"Bmmsmm"
>She moans into your mouth
>How could she counter Pegashield with Bonesaw at a time like this?!
>You aren't happy
>But you aren't fighting her
>You aren't really resisting at all, even
>She reaches up with her upper legs, clamping onto your shoulders like a praying mantis
>One of her hooves slap down on Spark's flank
>Almost immediately, you hear something, or some pony, stir from underneath the blanket
>'So early, Anon...?'
>Oh God damn it
>HELP, JACKY HAS YOU CAPTURED
>At the speed of thought, Sparks starts to physically stir and move around
>You hope that stops her but the twintailed pony intensifies her kiss!
>But only until Sparks tries to circle around
>Before her head pokes out, Jacky finally pulls away with a soft 'buah'
>She quickly rubs her lips against your pillow and buries her head against your neck
>Sparks glares at the two of you
>"...Did I hear something...?"
>Jacky violently shakes her head, hiding from the unicorn
>"...alright then... good morning..."
>The slow way she speaks tells that she's very much aware of what was going on
"...can both of you get up..."
>Jacky shakes her head again
>Sparks frowns, glaring at her
>Then you
>Her horn glows faint, almost as if it's too faint to notice in the stray strands of sunlight
>'I'm not jealous.'
>She super is
>She glares at you harder
>"Jacky... if you don't get up, I'M going to have to kiss Anon. And we both know you don't want that...."
>Jacky finally lifts her head up
>Her face is still red
>"You ain't got the guts..."
>"Yeah? Watch me."
>You feel something slithering up your body, from your lap to your chest
>Sweet Jesus help, they're conspiring against you
>A white leg wraps around Spark's neck, making her yelp with a 'waaagh?!'
>"Good morning everyone... poor Sparky... if you really need a morning kiss, I could give you one..."
>Sparks flails, trying to break from by whipping her head around
>"G-get off me you flocking bird brain!"
>"Aw, don't be so mean to me Sparky! I've been cooped up for so long and we're such good friends..."
>"No we ain't, I'm not kissing a girl!?"
>It's not revenge
>But it's still sweet in a cathartic sense
>She finally releases the rabid unicorn, her mane left messy and displaced
>"Why are we all up so early? Is it something special?"
"No.. I normally wake up this early."
>"Oooh..."
>Dashie seems impressed
>"It was a normal morning thing, I don't know why everyone's panicking..."
>Jacky averts her eyes with her excuse, pushing her lips out to pout
>"My butt it wasn't, someone spanked me!"
>That was definitely Jack
"It wasn't me, my arms were pinned down."
>Sparks smirks at you
>"Yeah, as if you'd be brave enough to give me a good thwack..."
>"Well he hasn't thwacked me quite yet... but then again..."
>"Oh my, Anon... you're popular, aren't you."
"OK CAN YOU EQUINE FEMOIDS GET UP, I NEED TO PEE, SNEEZE, AND GET SOMETHING TO DRINK AND I'M HAPPY TO DO ALL OF THOSE AT THE SAME TIME."
>All three of them stare at you
>Jacky sighs
>"I miss being alone sometimes..."
>She rolls away from you, shaking as she stretches
>"Whatever..."
>Sparks ducks her head under the blanket again, rubbing her face against the side of your chest
>At least she's off your arm
>Dashie remains on top of you, smiling right at you
>"I could get you a drink if you like?"
"RELEASE ME FROM MY PRISON OF PONY FLESH, WHITE ONE!"
>She giggles and slides off of you, allowing you to finally get up
>You pull some frantic acrobatics as if you were a Kingdom Hearts Nobody, sliding out of the bed and into the bathroom
>You're pretty sure that Jacky didn't want you to get up, Sparky was trying to swooce in, and that Dashie is just having fun teasing everyone involved
>You will have your revenge if it's the last thing you do
>And you seriously have to figure out how to get better sleeping arrangements for everyone

>After your morning routine, you have a little powwow with Sparks when it comes to breakfast
>You could skip by with yourself or with yourself and Jacky
>But with an official full house-apartment-home, you really can't afford to be heartless
>Wait
>You called your apartment your home
>You guess it kinda is your home
>Home is where the heart is, and your heart is with your girls
>Your friends
>Your Jacky
>"You know, you can trust me with making breakfast now."
"Yeah? Are you still taking the vitamins and all that?"
>Sparky puffs out her chest, cocking her head to the side
>"Well... you know what they say about muscles and using them."
"Easier to think they're strong when you're taking steroids?"
>She deflates, grimacing
>"No. I'm only taking half of what I did before!"
"Really? Well damn, congrats. Is it still challenging to do all of your voodoo or are you getting attuned to the feng shui of the atoms and all that?"
>She looks at you like you're a moron
>Lucky for you, you're immune to that look
>"I'm just... getting used to it is all."
>She sways back and forth, having learned to balance herself on the bar stool
>"You know... before we came here, I could hardly use magic at all. I was kinda... useless."
>She says that like it's nothing
>"Why useless?"
>"Because a unicorn that can't do magic is useless. It's like..."
>She glances to the living room, where Jacky and Dashie are goofing off
>"...A pegasus that can't fly."
"Well, everyone's capable of what they can do. Sometimes they just need the right motivation to, you know?"
>Jacky purses her lips and pauses in her swaying
>"You said that in a weird way but I get it."
"See? That's what you get for poking around in my head for too long."
>"I'm happy though. I'm getting to the point that I may not even need them anymore. I'm seeing successes. I'm seeing improvement. I have motivation to keep going. I can... kinda begin to overlook my failures, y'know?"
>To anyone more normal, you could see them treating her phrasing as negative
>But you get her completely
>It might sound negative but the message is positive
"So, in that case... what's on the menu for today, chef Spark?"
>"Iunno. What's... I guess filling and what do we have?"
"Well..."
>You lean over and pop open the fridge door
"Eggs are still good. A few more kielbasas. Got some leftovers, somehow. We still got a ton of grain-oriented stuff too. I guess we'll have to go to the store and grab whatever sounds good."
>The thought hits you
"Oh God... how will it be for a guy to show up with three talking ponies? It'll be like herding cats."
>Sparky nods
>"Me to the ow, Anon... but don't worry, I'll make sure you aren't left alone to grab too much candy."
"Hey, it was a perfectly fine amount of candy, thank you very much. Blame the two goobers that ate them in less than an hour and went 'oh a-bloo-hoo-hoo, my poor tumtums!'"
>You grab your stomach and whimper, mewling out your words
>The unicorn is not amused
>"Don't make me kick you."
"Please. Jacky told me how you slept, you're more likely pretend it's a kick and try to expose yourself or something."
>Your eyes widen at your own words
>Sparks looks at you as well, a bit surprised
>"So... you have been looking..."
"I said Jack, not I!"
>You should really have a talk with her one of these days about how she lays
>You choose to believe that it isn't on purpose
"Well... I guess lemme know if you need anything else. I'm gonna go grab ideas for what would be good to stock up on."
>"Yeah huh. No chocolate eggs!"
"They're out of stock anyway!"
>You shout behind your shoulder, catching the tail end of their conversation
>"...and my back was sticky."
>What had you just walked in on
>Dashie, blushing, shifts her eyes from Jacky, to you, back and forth a little too quickly to be natural
>Jacky finally looks behind her and jumps at how close you are to them
>"...oh. Hi there! I was... telling Dashie about... yeah..."
>You sit down behind Jack, wrapping your arms around her
>You forcefully pull her against your front
>She doesn't resist one iota
"Hmm...."
>You begin to stroke her from her cheek down her chest and to her belly
>You can tell Jacky's trying to not make any noises but she squirms against you
"So... sticky backs? How did that wacky thing happen?"
>Dashie stifles a laugh
>You tilt your head down and lean to the side to look at the poor mare
>She has a deer in the headlights look
>"Well... I mean..."
"Mmm? Story time now, is it?"
>Dashie claps her hooves together
>"Yes, it was! Jacky was just telling me that one time you--"
>"D-Dash, chill!"
>You and the Pegashield abuser smile at each other
>Oh yes
>Revenge is, indeed, sweet
"You know, Dashie... Jacky told me something really surprising. About you, and her."
>Dashie pretends to gasp, bringing her hoof up to her mouth
>"Do tell! Did it involve... a stallion, too? Or, I should say, the thought of one?"
>You emulate her shocked expression, your face forming an o
"Oh ho... I believe it did!"
>Jacky starts to squirm against you harder, but your petting subdues her too much
>"S-stop, it ain't funny now!"
"Oh Jackeroo, it is very funny."
>You nod, waving your hand in a circle at Dashie
"Prism, if you may. Please continue."
>"Oh, of course I will! Jacky..."
>She leers at the subdued pony
>"And I have thought that... if we ever found a nice colt, we would... both strive to make him happy. Jacky would have her own ways, and I, of course, would have mine."
>Jacky's in full thrash mode
>But a second hand petting her subdues her once more
"And, pray tell, what was going to be Jacky's talents for attraction?"
>"Well... you see, she used to practice using he--"
>"IF THERE'S SOMETHING STRANGE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WHO YA GONNA CALL?!"
>You aim to silence her with dual petting from her chest down to her lower belly
>Jacky shivers from your touch
>"GhOsTbUsTeRrRrRsSs!?"
>You and your fellow torturer share a laugh at her attempt to distract from the most interesting of story times
>She is fun, you'll give her that
>You give Jack another tight hug, letting your hands rest on her chest
"Interesting... but that reminded me of a good movie."
>Taking the initiative, Jacky speaks up
>"That's right! There's a hundred movies that you gotta see with us!"
>Jacky did find out the most about your world through movies... along with her sense of violence and locations to target for said violence
>"Well, why don't we make a day of it? I don't think I have much else to do. Anon, do you ever have any chores you require of us?"
"No, not really. I suppose I never thought about it until Sparks brought up ways to help get used to using magic. I suppose... no, you're fine."
>That makes her smile
>"You really are too kind. Once, Jacky and I..."
>She trails off, a little perplexed
>"That's... odd. Jacky, what was that one time we did normal chores for food?"
>Jacky shrugs, having slid back into a lazy laying position against you
>"I... Iunno. We did a lot of stuff to take food but I don't remember ever having... like a real job or chore."
>Dashie doesn't seem satisfied with the answer
>"I guess I did hear about memory loss. I'll be honest, I hardly even recognized Jacky! I know that I heard your voice, Anon, and... I guess I was here. It was kinda like waking up without realizing I went to sleep."
>She definitely seems a bit more articulated than either of the two dorks you've known for longer
>But then again she's had a head start by not being alone or by missing any pieces of the proverbial puzzle
"So... you didn't have any nightmares? Or dreams?"
>Seemingly at peace with it, she shook her head
>"No, not really. It kinda just... happened."
"Wiggy..."
>You give Jack another squeeze
>She pokes out her tongue as a response, happy to let you vaguely manhandle her
"So... you'd know better than anyone else. Do you think I'm good for Jacky?"
>Jack's tongue slips back into her mouth
>"Hey, what does her opinion matter?"
"Well you're biased as all, why would I listen to you?"
>"Wh-that's abusive!"
"Shaddap!"
>You slide your hand up to slap her but it's more your hand sliding up her chest, up the side of her neck, and patting her cheek a few times
"Abuse this, fair mare!"
>"Eeek! Ponice, I'm a nut being a-salted!"
"Salt this!"
>You pat her cheeks with both hands, nudging her face back and forth
>You kinda forgot that you asked Dashie until she cleared her throat
"Oh yeah. Can't do that when witnesses are watching."
>Dashie shrugs, still smiling
>"I don't know. I certainly don't know you, and it's possible she doesn't really know you. You could tire and get rid of her one day. You could decide you want a mare of your own species. You could even be using her for something else."
>The sweet, amicable way she says that is... it's something alright
>You aren't too fond of her implications but you do understand them
>You'd probably ask the same thing if you were her
>Jacky doesn't seem to like it though
>"Hey, he wouldn't do that!"
"No, hold on, she's right."
>Jacky sputters like it's the most inane nonsense
>"Since when?!"
"Well I'm not saying she's right about me. But she is right to not trust someone she just met. I mean... well, obviously, you're here out of nowhere. You see your two friends getting along, and some weird alien creature with monstrous worm appendages. I'd be a little weirded out too."
>Jacky's unconvinced
>But Dashie smiles
>Such a serene smile
>"See, you understand. Nothing against you personally... but I have no reason to trust or believe anything you say."
"Fair enough... well, I suppose it'll have to come down to time then, won't it?"
>"It most certainly will, Anon."
>Jacky doesn't seem all too happy with this conversation
>She squirms out of her position to go back to sitting
>"Dashie, you don't know what you're talking about... you don't even know Anon."
>She looks up at you
>"He's really saved us. He hasn't ever asked a single thing of me. All he wanted, when I first came here, the very first hour, was a friend. And I was that. Anything else that happened... just kinda happened."
>The way she looks at you, it's almost like she sees you as her hero
>It's pure adoration
>You can't help but wonder about how she really was before, to view you so positively

>Having a full house is weird
>Seriously, it's weird
>You can hear Jacky and Dashie goofing around in the living room
>Sparks is playing a game on your main TV
>You're just laying on your side, watching YouTube stuff
>It reminds you of when you used to hang out with your friends
>Four guys in a single room, either watching the same thing, playing a game, or splitting attention by playing multiple games with music going on, leading to an audible mosaic
>But the thing is that it was three guys
>Now it's three chicks
>Ponies
>But chicks
>You didn't really think about it before but now that Jacky's entire group is here, you're starting to get minor flashbacks to growing up and being the only guy around
>Not that you mind, really
>You switch from your laptop screen to what Sparky's playing
>God Hand, but a separate save file that's on Easy
>You'd normally make fun of her but it seems like she's trying to focus on making her own moveset for max style rather than consistent, quick damage
>She's also a girl
>But the look on her face is never one of... what you'd expect a girl to see
>Granted, you could hardly tell the expressions Jacky had at the start of everything but now you pick up on all of the minor details that go from face to body
>It's a little uncanny, you gotta admit
>Sparks finally notices you watching her and quirks an eyebrow
>"What?"
"Oh, nothing. I never went into the style side of things until NG+. Just because by then you get access to everything so you can have your selection."
>You hear the two other ponies giggling in the living room
>Sparks grimaces at them
>"Ugh... they're such girls."
"Yeah well... so are you. Last time you checked, presumably."
>She gives you only a minor death glare
>"You know... they're probably talking about you."
>You shrug
"Most likely. And they're probably talking about you too."
>The corner of her mouth raises and she shrugs
>"Somehow I doubt it. When we were stealing stuff, they really liked that I could... kinda use magic. They liked keeping me around. But I don't think I fit in."
>Your intuition kicks in
"Did you try to be social with them? You really weren't that happy when we first found you."
>She huffs and grimaces
>"No... but it's kinda... embarrassing, don't you think? Imagine being a trio of poor, hungry ponies in a sprawling city. Nothing to do, nowhere to go. It brings attention to you."
"What about your mom? Didn't she have a place that you could at least stay in?"
>Sparks flinches
>"...My mom... right..."
>She shrugs
>"As if she cared. She probably wouldn't have known that I existed unless my name was carved onto her headboard."
"That busy, huh."
>"I guess. I never..."
>She trails off, her face contorting in thought
>"I never..."
>She sighs, shaking her head
>The aura from her controller dissipates
>"I never knew my mom. You know that Jacky doesn't, and seems happy that a cartoon could be her 'ma'. I don't think Dashie knows her mom either. If she does, I've never heard her talk about it. She doesn't like talking about her self. Not to me, anyway."
>Somehow you get the idea that the mysterious Faint Prism wouldn't be so bold and open with herself from how she speaks
>Her words tend to be very deliberate
"What about your dad? Or siblings? Or... anything else? Families aren't just moms and their kids you know."
>She rolls her eyes
>"I know where babies come from, thanks Professor."
"Valid question though."
>"I know. No, none of us know any of relatives at all."
>Neither of you speak for a few minutes
>Compared to the jovial talk out there you can only barely make out, the tone in the room is a mite heavier
"It's rough, being alone."
>"Yeah it is."
>You had a feeling that she'd rag on you since you technically do have relatives you know of
>But the quality of said relationships really aren't anything worth bragging about
"So..."
>You stretch out on the bed
"What are your thoughts on all of this?"
>"Where, what do you mean?"
"Just... this. All of you guys being here. Alien world, with an alien guy, everything's pretty much new or gone and all fuckered up."
>She shrugs, letting out an apathetic 'eh'
>"What's to hate? Food, shelter, entertainment, security. Far better than what I'm sure any of us have had, so there's no reason to complain there."
"Sure but what's to love?"
>She smirks at you
>"Food, shelter, security, entertainment."
"Right. Silly question, I know."
>"No, I get what you mean. I'm the one closest to you, remember?"
"Well you are sitting right next to me so... yeah, right now you are."
>Neither of you laugh but it wasn't a bad joke
"So... what's with this mind reading shit? You did that when we first played some SC3. Can you just do that to anyone? That telepathy connected to it too?"
>Sparky shrugs, watching a strand of her mane get in front of her face
>She stopped meticulously combing herself over the last few weeks
>Despite there being faint streaks of a different shade of red, her hair seems to part almost down the middle due to her horn, giving her a bit more symmetry
>"I did it once or twice before... to people I really shouldn't have. Forbidden knowledge is a real thing, you know. Some people are extremely unsettling. Even a peek inside, and you find out a really gross amount of details."
>Well that's comforting
"So you know just how trash tier I am?"
>She smirks and locks her eyes on you
>"Oh. Oh yeah."
>She breaks visual contact, going to stare at her controller
>You bought one just for her so she can trash it and it wouldn't bother you specifically
>"But you're not the worst guy in the world. You haven't done anything worse than we have. I don't really care how you treat your own... kind? So... I guess that kinda separates things."
>She sighs, tilting her head to the side, back and forth
>"And I know exactly how you view all of us. Me, Dashie... Jacky. I can tell that you would do something drastic and put yourself in harm rather than see us hurt. Probably because you like animals more than humans. Probably because we're you're friends and you really are the type who should be more selfish."
"Hey, I'll have you know I'm plenty selfish. I get you to do the shit I don't want to do, right?"
>She raises her hoof to speak
>She puts her hoof back down
>"Ok that's fair but I also get something out of it too so... you know, it's whatever."
"That thing about seeing you as animals... I don't know. I mean, you aren't human. Obviously. But... well, I don't really mind that. But you also know that you could drop me into an alien world and I'd find a wife pretty easily."
>"As long as they aren't alien praying mantis."
"You really do know me well."
>But yeah. At the moment? I just wanted to kick your ass. But then you started singing and that... I guess forced a lot more of your memories into my head. It wasn't all coherent, of course, I had to kinda find the context for all of it. But connecting to you helped. Like looking at a picture versus really studying it."
"So you're telling me you're an art major on Anonymous Memories."
>"Kinda."
"Wiggy."
>You listen to the living room
>They're still talking out there but they aren't completely shouting or making weird horse noises
"So what's the deal with the telepathy again?"
>"Oh. Right. I don't know."
>You chuckle
"Yeah?"
>"Yeah. I'm not Twilight, remember? I don't know how magic works. I need stupid vitamins to use it."
"That's true."
>"I guess... it has to do with that mental connection? I guess think of it like trying to remember where you live. If you're ten feet away, you know where to go. If you're down the street, you can guess. If you're on the other side of town..."
"Google Maps."
>"Except you don't have that. So it's... I don't know. I guess the only thing I can say is that it's familiarity."
"So... why not poke into Jacky or Dashie's head?"
>Sparks shakes her head hard
>"No... no way. That type of thing makes or breaks a friendship hard. I know you thought I was some sort of psycho when I first popped up, or that you thought I really would harm you guys. And... I guess, yeah, I am really bad for having had that first reaction to things. But I've known them for a whole lot longer. We've had a lot more fights. And..."
>She smiles at you
>But you know that smile
>It's the bastard cousin of a smile
>"I'm afraid that if I did that, they wouldn't be my friends anymore. Then I really would be alone. More alone than them because they've known each other for far longer than either of them have known me. I'm the weakest relation link."
>You avert your eyes to your laptop's red glowing keyboard
"You know... just because you've known someone the longest doesn't immediately make you the most valuable one. Old friends can change a lot. Either you change or they do. And even if you don't mind, they might."
>She waits before speaking
>"Your old friends... they ever-"
"No, nothing yet. But, you know, any day now right?"
>"Sure..."
>You sigh and roll onto your back, closing your eyes
"Friends fucking suck, man."
>You feel Sparks flop onto her back as well, the length of her body against the outside of your left leg
>"Tell me about it... I shouldn't have a single worry, yet here I am."
"Here we are..."
>You're quite content with not saying anything more
>"Hey, Anon?"
"Yeah?"
>"You ever gonna tell Dashie how much you spent to get her out of that place?"
"Hell no. That's none of her concern. Or yours either."
>"It might be if you're in a pinch and she, or we, can't help enough to matter."
"If that's the case, I knew the risks."
>Silence, except for the music from the game
>"What happens if something bad does happen?"
"You already know."
>You hear her try to say something but she stifles it
"Hey, hornpone."
>"Longpig?"
"What d'you want from the store? I haven't made a list yet and Jacky's acting like a complete chick so she isn't able to tell me anything. And I'm still not sure how to talk to Dashie because she has her stupid pegashield up."
>Sparky snorts
>"I really don't care. There's food and drinks here already. I'd burn an entire city down for this sort of life."
"Sure but you're free to have more than what I consider to be the bare basic."
>"I know."
"Brainiac."
>You loudly yawn
>Today has really been a lazy day
>A lot of weekends are
>But especially this weekend
>Maybe because all of the socializing has left you exhausted
"Think I should get three small mattresses or something?"
>"Why?"
"Iunno. So everyone has their own sleeping space. Better to have the choice than not."
>"I guess. I really don't mind it."
"Sure. Jacky doesn't either. But say if we split off or if everyone's doing something or if we're playing stuff in here and someone's tired. We gotta make sure that they're able get a decent sleep, right?"
>"I guess you got a point..."
>You yawn again
"Remind me to check for mattress sales later."
>She yawns too, loud like you
>"Remind me to care."

>Another morning
>Another round of trouble because you can't move
>Except you can?
>You don't remember putting a blanket over you but you are covered
>A quick turn of the head over shows that Jacky isn't on your right
>Sparks is on your left arm again, head under the covers and hind legs close to your shoulder
>You lift your head and see that she's laying near the foot of your bed, with Dashie
>A large, white wing is covering her
>They really must have missed each other
>Why does Spark keep mooning you anyway?
>One of these mornings she's going to knock your head off by accident and that'll be the end of you
>You pat her back under the blanket, shifting and arching your back to make your shoulders pop
>It's spring but the mornings are still so chilly
>That game is still going too
>Must've been the perfect tune to sleep to, given it has a nice, smooth jazz sound
>'I keep laying like this because I like my face warm'
>Oh great she's in your head again
>'Good morning to you too. Don't worry, I wouldn't knock your head off. Not by accident.'
>How charitable
>What happened last night?
>'You didn't want to wake up so I covered you in your blanket and went to bed too. Jacky and Dashie must have come back in later.'
>They're sleeping huddled up to each other
>'Yeah, they always used to sleep like that. No room for Sparky.'
>You're sure that's probably how they used to sleep when they were alone in the world
>You can understand that
>'Sure. Tell that to a filly me who had to find her own place to sleep.'
>Filly Sparky was probably such a nice girl
>'I was.'
>And now look at her
>'Hey, screw you.'
>Love you too, Sparky-poo
>You just noticed that the sun had actually come up now, given the light entering your room
>Does this telepathy crap really take so much time to focus?
>'Iunno.'
>Since you're connected, shouldn't you be able to see into her thoughts and memories?
>'Iunno.'
>You could make fun of her for flying blind
>'You already do.'
>But instead you'll agree that she is quite the innovator
>'...thank you.'
>Now get your scrawny butt off or you'll have Jack slap it again
>'Whatever, your own arm is free...'
>She writhes and contracts, curling up into a ball under the blanket
>'If Nona comes back, we need to be ready.'
>Why is she so focused on that?
>'Because she's the first of possibly many dangers, going forward. And we need to stay connected like this and chisel out the ability to keep in contact.'
>You're pretty sure that she could operate a phone better than set up quasi-permanent residence in your head
>'Well I like this better,'
>Because it gives her more magical EXP to level up with?
>'Well that reason too.'
>A lot of your thoughts are starting to gravitate toward the same question
>Does Jacky know about this?
>Would she approve?
>'Who cares? This is for security reasons.'
>You care
>And you know that it's not for strictly professional reasons
>She doesn't say anything for a bit
>'Let me have this. Please.'
>Ah... crap
>You aren't good at handling these sorts of situations
>'It's so if I can't use a stupid phone and if we're in danger, or if we can't talk and need to think of something fast, we can. It's a strategy that will help us win.'
>It almost sounds like she views it as a video game perk
>'Well it kinda is. Come on, you know this is cool. What do you care what I get out of it?'
>Because you want to be honest
>'So be honest. And say it's an ace up your sleeve.'
>You're really not so sure of this
>But she's already gleamed through almost everything, presumably
>You wait for an answer for what feels like hours
>But it's not because you couldn't just lay there for hours
>Maybe she left the group call
>Wait
>A group call
>What if Sparks could somehow connect everyone, get a sort of magical group chat?
>How neat would that be?
>Sparky?
>Oh great
>Anon, you're talking to yourself again
>Last time this happened, you...
>You sit up, grumbling about the lack of water nearby
>You should really refill that little camping canteen
>Water by the bed is never a bad thing
>The blanket slides with you and reveals a curled up Sparks
>She has a really red face
>"Turn the lights back off, just because you're awake doesn't mean I am..."
>Sounds as annoyed as always
>But is it just a verbal act?
"Go for it."
>You slide the blanket off of your body and pile it onto her
>You hear a muffled word and you're pretty sure she called you a dick or something
>But that's fine
>You scoot and lean forward, peering over at the Dashn'Jack formation
>Though they're the same size, roughly, Jacky seems to be the little spoon
>That wing is pretty big too, now that you see just how much of a pony's body it can cover
"Hey Jack. You comfy?"
>Jacky's head twitches at the sound of your voice
>"Eh? Whasat?"
>She lifts her head and squints at you
>"Anon is so late in the morning... ah can see the sun."
"Yeah... you comfy there?"
>She nods
>"Feels like home."
>You're glad for that
>Guess it makes sense, she now has the one person-pony-whoever that she's always had
>You kinda wanna spy on their conversations, just to see what it's like
>You reach out and poke Dashie's butt
"Hey. Heeeeeeeeey. You know we got blankets and stuff, right?"
>Dashie, evidently awake but pretending to still be asleep, yawns
>Even her yawns are dainty and quiet
>"And where would I find more blankets?"
>You look at the pair
"Y...you're laying on one of them. It's not as big as the main one but it's there."
>Dashie's eyes open abruptly
>"...really?"
"Really."
>You tug the blanket under her to emphasize the point
>It's more to cover the bed but it's perfectly serviceable as an actual blanket too
>She looks ahead, still just a mite surprised
>"...Might I ask that you more properly introduce me to what you have here later today? I feel a little silly now."
>Her wing slides up, covering her face
>"Hey, I'm losing warmth over here!"
>Jacky's the first to complain about lack of coverage
>Pegasus wings can't be that warm anyway, can they?
>You shake your head
"Whatever. You three nerds can sleep in, I'm going to make some tea and fix a snack because I don't feel like putting in the effort to eat correctly."
>You slide off the side of the bed and head to the kitchen in a manner that only hints at minor inebriation
>Or you're more tired than you thought
>Or that mind melding bullshit actively effects you

>With a tea and snack, your morning was pretty good
>Since no one else was going to, you took a shower too
>Everyone else came to on their own, each having their own goals for the day
>What few goals one could have living the easy life, anyway
>One shower later and you find Dashie waiting for you
>How long was she waiting?
>Was she listening to the music you had your phone playing too?
>"Good morning Anon."
"Morning... something up?"
>"Yes. A moment?"
"Sure."
>Rather than talk to you then and there, she struts off
>You follow
>She and you stop in the living room
>"A seat please?"
>Though it's a little awkward, you sit down without flashing her
"So, what's on your mind?"
>"I think what matters is what's on yours."
>You tilt your head at her
"I'm not following."
>You're kinda used to your ponies getting to the point quicker
>She keeps a nice smile
>"What are your intentions with Jacky?"
>Oh God it's The Talk
>You're being Talked to
>Guess it's not the worst topic to have
"I... don't know. She's my friend. More than my friend."
>"Oh, I've heard..."
>She smirks at you
>"What sort of human goes for a pony...?"
>You purse your lips, shrugging
"I think.... a lot of guys would."
>She looks surprised
>"You're sure?"
"Sure I'm sure. Has Jacky shown you the cartoon yet?"
>She looks downright perplexed
>"No... but she has brought up her 'ma' a lot. And this is the first time I've ever seen her talk of her mother."
>She blinks
>"That... I remember."
"Well there you go. In this world, at this time... I suppose a lot of guys prefer fictional characters because they're better than the women we have access to."
>"Fictional characters... like Jacky, Sparky and I?"
>This feels kinda meta
"Well... yeah. We don't have talking horses in this world. I think she would've mentioned that already."
>"Well there might be, if we just aren't aware of them."
>She sounds dubious of her own claim
"If you find anymore outside of you three, and Hanz Gruber, you let me know."
>"Yes, the muscular pony... I don't know him."
"But intentions... I don't know. She's awesome. I'm proud and happy to have her in my life and I hope I've done the same for her. Nothing really happened on purpose. Which is to say that I didn't plan for anything in particular."
>"But you still got her."
"I did."
>"Why?"
"Because... look at the state of my life. If you don't know, I work and I come home and I play video games, watch shit on the internet and pretty much nothing else. Who wouldn't want a friend when you live such a monotonous life?"
>"She mentioned you have friends."
"Have, had, maybe. It's been years since they contacted me. The few times I contacted them I got pretty much nothing in return."
>"That doesn't sound particularly friendly."
"Tell me about it."
>"So where does Sparking play into this?"
"In what way?"
>She gives a polite laugh
>"Don't play coy, Anon, I see how she looks at you."
"She looks at me like I'm retarded."
>Another laugh
>"Maybe so, but she sees more in you than that."
"Am I supposed to help that?"
>"I guess not."
"They're both my friends. And I'd give what little I have left for them."
>"And how little left do you have to give, I wonder?"
>There's something about her tone that really bugs you
"I don't like your implications.I'm guessing you handled the diplomacy between their shenanigans."
>"Maybe."
"I suppose your next question is who I'd save in a burning building right?"
>"Sure, let's use that example."
"Well, I'm not a pony. So I'd save both, or slap them hard enough to make sure they help each other."
>"But then who saves you?"
>She is starting to annoy you
"Who fucking cares?"
>The sharp edge to your words catches her off guard to say the least
>Her nice smile fades
>"So, why did you get me?"
"What sort of question is that? You're the last corner to this triangle of dorks. You're Jacky and Sparky's friend, and if we didn't get you, there's no telling if we'd ever get another chance to find you again. Even if you don't like me for whatever reason, They need their friend and I'm no friend if I didn't help them with that. I was able to, so I did."
>She watches you with a neutral, almost sad face
>"Jacky said it was scary to get me. And that it cost you a lot."
"It was a bit spooky but I've handled worse. And it cost enough that I could afford."
>"How much was it?"
"What's it matter to you? You don't know how much money here is a lot."
>"I suppose you have a point."
>She changes gears yet again
>"If you need to choose between me and Jacky, you choose Jacky."
"If I need to choose, I'll choose both and trust both of you to not be so stupid that you make my choice invalid."
>That gets a laugh out of her
>"You must think really highly of us."
>You don't want to be anymore rude than you've already been, but you can't really stop yourself at this point
>"I see why Sparks likes you. You're hardheaded enough to fit right in."
"And I like her."
>Dashie's eyes widen
"But I love Jacky. And if you're going to ask me who I choose, it's not a choice. I may trust Sparky with more things. When push comes to shove, I may even prefer her with me in a real fight because I think she can do more and stay safe while at it."
>You
>In a fight
>With a fucking pony
>That's a bit of a laughable idea
"I trust them both, completely. I know they won't turn their back on me or sell me out."
>"For a human who's known them both for so long you sure go all in, don't you?"
"They make my life worth going forward. Of course I'd risk it for them."
>She looks amused
>Or apologetic
>It's an expression you can't pin down, and an expression you don't particularly like
>"I can see why Jacky likes you too... admirable traits to have, no matter how you look at it"
"We done here? I get you're worried but I can't say I exactly appreciate you giving me the third degree like I'm going to turn around and sell you guys to the circus or some shit."
>You can see that she wants to say something else but she doesn't
>You're aware of just how goofy you sound but this is more or less the one singular thing you care enough about to have convictions toward
>Not like you have much to give left at this point, thanks to her
>But you aren't going to think that way
>You have no reason to spite or dislike her
>You'd be just as annoying and scheming if you were her
>If not more so
>She's definitely looked out for everyone in the past
>Dashie looks past you, smiling
>"So, anything else you wanted me to ask him?"
>wat
>You turn and see both Jack and Sparks
>Just sitting
>Chilling
>Watching you and her rant like morons like it's a God damned movie
>Where once you felt annoyance, now you just feel stupid
"Don't tell me this was a setup..."
>Sparks avoids your glare while Jacky beams
>"See? I told you he was the real deal."
>The twin-tailed pony prances up to you and sits at your side
>"He's just like the guys in the movies, straight shooter and willing to throw down."
>Well not really
>You get any form of jail time and who knows how they're going to last
>Sparks grumbles something and sits on your other side
>She looks embarrassed, like she's been found out
>But you don't think they know about the mental note passing shenanigans
>"And where's space for me?"
>She gives a mock gasp
>"Do I get the lap?"
"You get my boot up your ass for pulling this trick."
>You're embarrassed too
>"You mustn't be so serious, Anon!"
"Oh shut it. All of you. I'm turning you to glue first, feather face."
>"Don't be so serious...~"
>Jacky speaks in a singsong voice
>"Don't be so serious...~"
>Now Sparks too
>"Don't be so serious~"
>And now fucking Dashie
>This is some brutal karma you've asked for
"That's it, I'm having horse burger tonight."
>You get up, walking off
>"It's ok Anon, I told her that you eat horse!"
>"Jacky, too much."
>"You did but I thought you weren't being literal..."
>Their collective laughing fills the apartment while you sulk off to contemplate putting them in Saw-esque traps
>But you can't help but be happy
>They're really fucking crafty as a team

Part Four.

>"Alright, how are we doing today Mr. Anonymous?"
"Just call me Anon."
>"Sure, Anon. We want you to feel like you can be safe and happy here."
"Sure."
>"Now we're still getting a few things settled so for now... why don't you take a few minutes to acclimate?"
"Sure."
>The nurse gives you her best smile and walks out of the room
>The bed you're sitting on is not only a bit too tall for you to easily climb into but it's only one deviation softer than the hard floor
>It's just as cold
>Your eyes glance up to the small semi-sphere of a security camera
>You really don't have anything resembling privacy while here
>Which makes sense, some of the other people here just look... unwell
>But you're really not doing so bad
>You just had an accident is all
>You watch the wall
>The nurse comes back in
>Along with... something else
>A plastic looking... pony?
>Except it's moving on it's own
>The way jostles when it moves, it sounds almost like a knight in a suit of tin armor
>You don't let it show but you recognize the pony
>Kinda
>It looks like a plastic, moving Pinkie Pie
>Except it's so faded that it's translucent faint pink
>Her eyes lock onto you
>You flinch
>Her eyes look real, not some cheap sort of thing
>They dilate and constrict while focused on you
>"This here is Missy Pie! She isn't made of pie but she sure loves to help out our newest friends and patients! Would you be ok with her helping you out? I know you're a boy but pink is in style with everyone these days."
>Of course you don't mind
>But your poker face is strong
"Sure, I guess."
>"Great! Now she'll help keep track of your medicine times and also act as your companion while you're here and feeling better. You don't gotta worry about charging her, she's a smart little pony and can do it all."
>Missy Pie stands still once she's in front of you
"Sure. Thank you."
>The nurse smiles and walks out
>"And remember, don't close the door!"
>Of course
>Missy Pie smiles at you, as if she likes what she's looking at
>In some feat of profound acrobatics, she jumps up onto the tall bed without difficulty
>She sits next to you, facing your side
>You don't really say anything
>You aren't sure what to say, even
>"Anon, hiya! Are we playing a quiet game?"
>You don't want to be rude to the plastic pony
>She, or it, is hospital property but you can't just shirk it away
"Not really. I kinda just don't know what to do here."
>She smiles at you
>As much as she clicks and clacks around, she's able to give you a real smile
>"Are you just visiting or are you a patient here?"
"Me? No... no, I'm a patient."
>You get to wear your normal clothing but the plastic bracelet on your wrist is pretty hard to overlook
>The edges kinda irritate your skin but you can't do much about it
>"Whatever happened? You look healthy as a horse!"
>She laughs, the sound having an uncanny echo inside her own plastic shell
"I... uh, I guess I haven't done anything."
>The plastic pone tilts her head, eyes shifting size at you
>"Well that's silly, what happened?"
"I guess I almost did something. And I was found. So I'm here now."
>You feel Missy Pie sidle up to you
>She feels warm
>Plastic, but not hard plastic
>And warm
>"Please don't."
>That's all she says
>That's all it takes, really
>You wrap your arm around her and your built up emotions pour out
>You're here for at least a month
>You aren't alone, at least
>You're not sure what will happen but in that moment, you feel like the pony might actually be the first real friend you've had

>Missy Pie sticks to your side all day and evening
>For dinner time, you sit in a small seating area
>It's all in the same wing of the hospital so you don't walk further than down the hall and around a glass wall
>Everyone else that's a patient is also seated, paired up with their own funky looking pony
>Some look a little worse for wear
>Some of them don't look nearly as happy or as positive as Missy
>They all look familiar to you but there are enough obvious changes and alterations that they seem just vaguely familiar
>"Yay, dinner time! Rub a rub dub, here comes the grub!"
>She watches one of the nurses give you a small tray that holds a plate and a set of plasticware
>Just a fork and spoon
>Of course
>All of the other patients seem... odd
>Most look normal enough, if a little older than you
>Some are younger
>One of the younger patients looks completely far gone
>But you know you aren't far gone
>You just wanted out
>You weren't being crazy or anything
>You knew it wasn't a good thing
>But you just wanted to be done
>You don't do anything but stare at your food
>The pony bot notices
>"You look like you're really tired... sleeping can be done later but you should really eat up for our next adventure!"
>You never really had any adventures
>No positive ones anyway
>By the end of dinner time, you haven't touched a single thing
>One of the nurses comes up to you and Missy Pie silently shakes her head
>You aren't looking at her but you can see her out of your peripheral vision
>The nurse takes your food away
>"Alright, just don't complain if you're hungry later! Last chance!"
>You're largely unresponsive
>"Alright... looks good though. Someone worked hard for this."
>The nurse walks off
>You only feel worse for being stuck here
>Sorry, whoever made the food
>It really should've gone to someone more worth it
>You don't react but the pony's pink body begins to flash between pink and blue
>"Anon, it looks like your body is reacting to something... what are you thinking? Are you ok?"
>You shrug, your eyes glued to the now-empty table
"I suppose, sure."
>She lifts up one of her hooves and puts it on one of your hands
>"You can't have fun if you aren't honest... you can tell me, you know."
>She says that
>But you know that at least two nurses are watching you
>Evidently her flashing lights act as a warning system of some sort
"Yeah... I know. I'm sorry."
>"Aw, don't apologize... it'll be ok."
>It's nice to hear but you don't believe it
>After a little bit longer of just watching and sitting, you're led back to your room
>Climbing the unusually tall bed isn't the greatest
>Especially since Missy Pie can get to the top of it in one hop
>At least her alert colors subsided
>You sit on the bed, looking down at the paper-thin sheets on it
>It's really as hard as sitting on the floor
>Missy Pie watches you, always smiling
>Maybe not a big, cartoonish smile
>But it's a sign of positivity
>"Wanna play a game?"
"I'm not really good at games."
>"Hm... how about Donkey Kong! You can hop around the room and I'll pretend to throw barrels at you!"
"No, that's ok. I wouldn't want to break anything."
>The medical pony giggles
>"You wouldn't break anything! I know you like video games! You got a whole lot of creativity, to like those!"
"I guess."
>You really don't mean to be so difficult
>But you just don't have the will to move
>Your will won't, technically
>The pink pony watches you, studying you
>Who knows what she's thinking about you or how you're bothering her
>"You know, you really aren't a harm to me. I enjoy helping. I can understand how it is to feel so lost. I've gotten lost dozens of times here!"
>You see why she's trying to be funny
>But you just aren't feeling it
>You close your eyes and begin to lean back until you're laying on your back
>Almost immediately you can hear her lights start to flash
>There's a small whining coming from her
>Probably an alarm
>"Anon, you can't sleep just yet! We still have the entire evening! And you haven't even introduced yourself to your friends!"
>The whining from her starts to increase in volume
>You really do lack the energy to move
>You can feel yourself drifting off, leading you into a different world entirely.
>"Anon, wake up! Now isn't the time to sleep! It's not how you play any games either!"
>Sorry, pink horse
>You really don't have the will to stay in this waking world
>"Anon... Anon! Help, I need a hand!"
>You don't know what she's worrying over
>You aren't going to do anything
>You just want to go to sleep
>The last thing you hear is a nurse running in the room, asking what's going on
>Anything else is pure blank

>"Anon, good morning! Good morning, Anon! Bright and shiny day!"
>You can hear an excited, gleeful voice
>That pony again
>You somehow managed to sleep despite how hard the bed was
>You felt warm too
>That doesn't make too much sense given how thin the sheets are
>You try to move but your left arm is stiff and hurts
"...ow."
>Missy Pie is sitting to the right of your head, her tone faltering a little
>"We... had to draw some blood. I hope you don't mind! Starting today, you'll be taking some medicine, yay! And due to how hard you slept and how we couldn't wake you up, we thought you might be dangerously low when it comes to blood sugar levels so we just gotta make sure!"
>Great
>No, really, you love being stabbed in your sleep and left with an arm that might snap off at the elbow
>"And... well, I hope you don't mind... but we also maybe gotta draw blood every night for the next week. We gotta make sure you take your medicine and that's the easiest way to confirm!"
>Nice
>You finally manage to sit up
>You're still in your normal clothing
>Everyone else you saw were dressed normally
>You were expecting to be stuck in a gown or something equally degrading
>Missy Pie flashes green for a single pulse and smiles
>"Yay, morning circle time!"
>She bounds off the bed and clops onto the hard floor, taking a few steps before turning to watch you
>"Up and at 'em, Atom Anon!"
>You probably don't have an option to lay in bed all day
>You wish you were home
>Except because you were at home you were tricked to being stuck here
>You follow the medical pony into the hallway
>Seems like you're late
>At the end of the hallway it opens up
>The entrance is there
>And heavily monitored
>And locked
>But remember, it isn't a prison
>Just feels like one
>"Well now, good morning. Anonymous, right? Every morning, we introduce ourselves and we talk a little more about why we're here. Since I'm sure you're still shy, why don't we let you go last?"
>You're offered an empty chair and take it
>As if you have a choice
>Everyone who's too young to be staff is sitting down
>Each have their own pony
>All of them have the same frizzy, curly mane and hair
>But each one is a different color or has a vaguely different face
>Yours seems like the closest to the true Pinkie Pie
>By a loose definition of "closest"
>One by one, they seemingly go down a list
>Their names
>Why they're there
>How they're doing
>What their goal is for today
>Everything you don't want to talk about
>Until it's your turn
>You just sit there
>A trio of older girls, all of them in for anorexia, just watch you
>As does another group
>Seems you're number seven
>Lucky day
>After enough silent staring, you finally speak up
"I'm... Anonymous. I'm here for depression and..."
>You aren't being completely truthful but you've never said anything more detailed, so they wouldn't know
"... thoughts of suicide."
>You feel so warped out of your own head due to the situation that you swear you can see behind you
"I... don't feel happy to be here. My goal is to go home."
>That's all you say
>You don't mention anything like hobbies or interests
>Missy doesn't speak up either, but she is looking right up at you
>Probably scanning everything and anything about you to learn how to game you better
>"Hi Anonymous."
>Almost everyone says in their own way
>"Very good. Now we can't promise that you get to go home today... but you get better and get a few things done and you'll be out of here before you know it!"
>You doubt it
>But you really aren't in a position to do anything about it
>The rest of the day is a complete blur
>School's out so there's no real requirement for enforced learning
>Someone's in the TV room, a room that's surrounded by giant glass panes for walls and even has a window leading outside, watching a movie
>So you can't get in there
>A glance at the window tells you that you have to be at least six floors up
>One of the more rowdy, unstable kids ended up in the 'safety room'
>A literal fucking padded room just yards away from the eating area
>This place is a mad house
>You really don't belong here
>You just wanted to be done
>That's nowhere near the level of crazy you're hearing, bashing against the walls and screeching
>The kid's Missy Pie is more green and looks depressed
>"Wow, he's energetic today huh... you could sure use some of that energy slowpoke!"
>Your Missy Pie gave you a small tour of the wing, though it's maybe a grant total of five areas
>One of which being your room
>Since it's 'free time' for a few hours, you just go back to your bed
>"Anon, it's not sleeping time yet! Are you still hungry? If so, dinner's in a few hours!"
>You did have breakfast
>A tiny plastic container of cereal and skim milk
>You normally have 2%
>But they only had whole and skim
>And you don't like whole
>You evidently don't like skim milk either
"Yeah... alright."
>You just sit there or an hour or longer
>Most likely longer
>Missy Pie just watches you, visibly anticipating you getting up and wanting to play
>But you don't
>As young as you are, you haven't felt like a kid in a long time
>Besides, you don't have anything with you
>No games
>No books
>You don't even have an extra set of clothing
>Eventually, Missy Pie makes another leap of faith onto the bed from the floor down below
>"You know Anon... your mom should be here soon to drop off your stuff. She loves you, you know. I do too."
>You don't say anything
>You're stoic
>You want to be strong
>But your eyes water and soon you can't even see
>But you aren't weak
>The loud, sudden 'hic' doesn't count
>Missy Pie sits near you, nuzzling your side
>"I understand... being alone is ok sometimes. We all need our time to decompress, don't we?"
>She doesn't sound like she's lecturing you or something
>She sounds like she's asking you
>You don't have an answer for her
>For all of your swirling thoughts words don't once come up

>The day goes by quickly, given you've kept zoned out
>Missy Pie did her very best to get you to smile, even once, but you just didn't have it in you
>By the time dinner rolls around again, you eat maybe a fourth of it before stopping
>Mostly because you were also given medicine
>Pro-something and something-quil
>You can't swallow pills so the best you can do is chomp them down and try to not retch from the bitter, lingering taste
>One's a solid pill while the other is a capsule containing the most vile of white powder
>The sheer taste of it knocks the sense of reality back into your head
>Missy Pie watches in stunned silence as you stubbornly devour the medicine despite how violently it assaults you in retaliation
>What little you do eat, doesn't eliminate the taste
>When you finish, you grimace at the plastic pony
>She goes out of her way to try to smile at you but it looks as terrible as you feel
>"That's... ok... wow, that's a first. You sure are... brave, Anon!"
>You grimace
>This bitter taste in your mouth is what's real, no matter what you're being told about how you could be out in a week, or that you're stuck here
>No matter that you were brought here on a lie
"I've been told that it takes more muscles to frown than smile."
>Your words catch Missie Pie off guard
>"That's... yeah, that's right! It's super easy to be happy, a lot easier than being sad all the time!"
>The bitter taste in your mouth isn't going away
>Most of the pill and powder is gone
>But the taste remains
"I don't want to be happy."
>You look at her directly for the first time
>Since you're with your pony, none of the nurses really pay you much mind
"I want to be strong. And I'm too weak. I'm too weak to help at home. I'm too weak at school. I'm too weak to even..."
>You sigh, shaking your head
"I can't be happy and weak."
>Your words cause an unusual effect on her
>She isn't smiling
>She looks at you like she's meeting you for the first time
>"Anon... honey... you don't need to be strong. You're a kid. Adults should be strong for you!"
>If only they were
>Not a single adult you knew stopped you from being bullied and tortured
>At home or at school, none of them did anything, but you were in trouble if you fought back
>You were weak
>You are still weak
"I need to be stronger."
>That's all you say to her
>You want to mention all of that to her
>But she wouldn't get it
>She really wouldn't understand you
>None of the nurses here would
>No one here would, regardless of age, they're all stuck because they don't eat or they puke after eating, or they think they're best friends with Phil Collins
>"Well... how about this! When I need help, I'll ask you for it! There's nothing wrong with helping someone, right? Friends help each other all the time!"
>For some reason that makes the corner of your mouth twitch
>She seems to pick up on it, smiling again
>"You know, we are friends! I promise I'll help only as much as you want, and if I need it, I'll come to you!"
>After a few minutes of watching her, you finally nod
"Yeah... alright."
>The next few days go by quick
>A little too quick to tell
>You have a schedule but you absolutely lose track of time, relying on the nurses and Missy Pie to tell you where to head next and what needs to be done
>Your mom visits
>A few relatives visit
>You've gotten used to thinks to the point that you've even been cutting up and joking around a little
>Whenever your family visits, they laugh like it's the best stuff they've heard
>You even joke about being some sort of freak because you're stuck in the hospital
>Not even a half hour away from home, which helps a bit
>You do feel nice because they laugh
>But you know they're doing it for your sake
>Missy Pie helps you out, learning to be a great comic foil for you
>A lot of the anorexic girls there think you're weird, but "in a good way"
>More days pass
>Weeks, even
>You've kinda stopped caring about the state of your life
>Every morning, you repeat the same things in the circle
>Effectively admitting that you're a failure
>They may phrase it differently but it's true
>You couldn't do it so you're stuck
>Worse, you have to deal with having failed at even that
>Though, in your defense, you didn't attempt it
>You knew there were risks of it not working
>So you just planned it out as much as you could
>And evidently you were caught, either planning or something else came up
>Whatever it was, all that mattered was that you failed
>You're still here
>After enough time, some of the older girls start to cycle out
>Every one of them gets a little booklet of sketches and writings
>You don't really know what to put down since you don't socialize with any of them
>So you just write your name down
>When it's finally your turn to leave, even you get a little booklet
>Evidently Missy Pie started it up, proud and happy that you're paired up with her
>The green one that you recalled, that looked depressed, went away when that nutty kid did
>The anorexic girl that left had a blue one that looked like Fluttershy
>You haven't seen her anywhere either
>With your meager belongings packed up and your mom in some other place signing paperwork, you're alone in your room again with Missy Pie
>"Well, today's your last day! Aren't you excited?"
>You try to smile but you can't
"Not really... why can't you come with me?"
>If it weren't for her, it would have remained a hell to be here
>It still was
>But it was manageable and almost even fun, with her
>She offers you an apologetic smile
>"Well... you know how you've helped me? It's my calling to help others!"
>Her calling meaning her job
>Of course you knew that it was her job
>But it still sucks
"Then... how about I visit here again?"
>She stops smiling
>"No, Anon... honey, please. You don't wanna be here again or for longer!"
"I know but..."
>You can't spit your words out
>You're still too weak
"Alright..."
>You eventually leave the hospital
>You end up home again
>But it doesn't feel like home
>Once more, you're without a friend
>The following six months are outpatient visits
>A therapist too
>It doubles as your 'school', but it doesn't help much
>You've lost your motivation to focus on grades
>You even lost your motivation to stay at school
>You're still too weak
>Or maybe, this is the beginning of your strength
>Rather than being told to stay at school, you just leave after your favorite classes
>Rather than be told to deal with bad classmates, you just stop going to school
>You've wanted to ask about what ever happened to Missy Pie
>But you could never bring it up
>Your mom always looked at you funny when you brought her up
>So you learned to stop talking about her
>But you never forgot
>The stoicism
>The inability to rely on others to make the effort to understand or connect to you
>It became your strength
>Your lonely
>Cold
>Stone-faced strength
>You learned a lot about computers during those years
>You wanted to find her, but you couldn't
>You didn't have a clue of what to do
>Your friends could never relate
>Eventually, that time you spent with Missy Pie
>In the hospital
>It became something only you knew about
>Something you'd never tell anyone
>Why would you?
>They wouldn't understand
>Until you figured out that bootleg, unusual ponies were available to buy
>Kinda like Missy Pie
>By that point, it had been almost fifteen years since then
>She'll never see how strong you've become
>As much as it hurt
>And as much as you wished you had succeeded back then
>You wanted her to see how strong you were
>One day
>After having spent years meandering
>You got a pony of your own
>You finally did it
>You would have a friend again, at your lowest point
>You were willing to overlook the details
>You wanted that type of friendship again
>Like before
>Except...
>"What'd'ya think yer doin' lad?"
>What the hell
"What the hell."
>A yellow pony with an orange mane and some bad picture of tomatoes on her butt stumbles out of the box she came in, spilling out packing peanuts that kept her case safe
>"An'a right g'marnin' t'y'too. Talkin' 'bout hell when y'should be greetin' me. D'ya know jus how long I've been cooped up in t'damned box? Thought I'd have me a new friend and what doth my shiny eyes find? Some slackjawed ninny about to pluck them out!"
>The way she moves
>The way she talks
>The way she looks
>It's completely different from Missy Pie
>Or any pony you've physically seen
"Let's... let's restart. I'm Anon."

>For once, you don't wake up first
>You feel a pair of hooves on your chest, shaking you back and forth
"What... what? I'm up."
>You just barely manage to mumble out something
>"Anon, you were having a really bad dream... Sparks told me, uh..."
>"That it was like a hot needle you were poking my head with."
>"...right... you got any clue what she's on about? Are you ok?"
>You attempt to open your eyes but think otherwise as soon as you realize you can't see out of them
>Tears were in the way, enough to obscure your vision
"Me? Yeah, I'm fine..."
>You immediately move to wipe your eyes, failing to hide a sniffle
"Gah, morning allergies, huh..."
>You struggle to sit up, composing yourself in record time
"Alright... alright alright alright... what's up, what time is it?"
>You glance at both ponies at your sides, clearing your throat with a rumbling grumble
>Neither of them are convinced of your act
>"Anon... what's up?"
>Jacky's as worried as can be, looking at you like the time you more or less decided to spend an evening laying on the floor
"I, uh..."
>You see that Dashie isn't around
>Not that you particularly care
"I... yeah, I, I. I guess I had a dream from... a long while ago."
>"You should tell her abo-"
>Sparks begins to pipe up but she cuts herself short
>"About what? What don't I know about?"
>The rising concern in your little pony's voice is heart rending
>You aren't surprised that Sparks would have known about it
>If you weren't woken up, who knew how much worse it would have gotten
"So... a long while back I was... weak. And that led to me being in a pretty bad place. I kinda only made it out because of it, her."
>"Her...?"
>Jacky's eyebrow raises at you
>More surprised than anything accusatory or concerning
"A... pony, that was in the hospital. A robotic one, really. Was made of some sort of soft plastic, helped me keep track of medicine intake and... well, yeah. I was a stupid kid. So I ended up in a stupid situation."
>At the mention of you having another friend, a pony even, Jacky smiles
>"Hey, that's awesome! Where is she?"
>You avoid her gaze
>You have only heard or read rumors
>But supposedly her line of medical aid ponies ended up self-terminating
>Ironically, putting ponies that were created to spread joy and cheer and pairing them with suicidal or mentally unwell children would lead more often than not lead to depressed ponies
>Even if they were synthetic made with digital minds, that destroyed you
>Like a bomb going off under a mountain
>No visible damage but a lot of what's under the crust was destroyed or left gaping, empty, and hidden by darkness
"Jacky, I... I don't know. It was a very long time ago and I..."
>You don't want to finish that sentence
>You really can't
>It still feels like talking about the recent death of a relative or a loved one
>Worse, it's still recent and you weren't allowed at the funeral
>"She's... probably gone, Jacky."
>Sparks covers for you
>But hearing that
>Man that stings
>Jacky looks to you for some form of confirmation
>The only thing you can do is turn your face away from her and nod
"Yeah... yup. It, uh, yeah."
>The rumors and supposed information was less than five years old
>Which means that if you were smarter, quicker, or cared more, you might have still had time
"Anway, what're we doing? Where's Prism?"
>Whether or not a defense mechanism or a quick way to change the topic, you focus on the obvious
>"Anon..."
>Sparks trots off the bed and out of the room
>"She's on the patio, talking about her wings or something stupid. I'll fix breakfast this time so you can take your sweet time waking up."
>She sounds a bit caustic but the inflection of her words at the end hint that she's just teasing you
>Now that it's you and Jacky, she pushes her face against her side
>"It's ok... you don't gotta say any more about it."
"Yeah... I know."
>You wanted to say that you 'were fine'
>But that'd be a lie
>And you just can't or won't lie to her
"Hey Jack..."
>The strongest effort is going into sounding like you aren't broken up over it
>"What's up, Anon...?"
>You should tell her
>But is this really the time or place
>What is the proper time and place?
"I... uh."
>There's no way you can really work your way up to talking about this
>You look down at the bed, choosing to not look her in the eyes
>You usually do pretty well when it comes to eye contact
>An old habit, avoiding eye contact, feels like it never left
"When I was a kid I was pretty sad all around. And I just wanted things to end so... well, I didn't succeed at that. And some people noticed. So I kinda spent seven or eight months with a lot of people watching over me pretty closely like it was their job-and it was."
>There are no brakes on this emotional train
"And the pony I had as my sort of... professional friend and well-being monitor. I worry that a lot of my negative thoughts and urges might have had a hand in something bad. I remember this green plastic pony and it... she, whatever, whoever. She looked like she was ready and willing to just shut down for good. And the one that watched over me, I wasn't always good. And I said some really bad stuff that even then I could tell hurt. I was really good at that, saying just the right thing to hurt someone."
>It feels like all of some incoherent rambling that is only barely connected together
"And if I fucked so bad that it affected someone else, even if it was some... program. I don't know, Jack. I'd be perfectly fine with sacrificing the worthless little shit that I was if I didn't leave such negative impacts."
>Somehow, it was the long and short of it
>Except not really
>A lot of it was just bottled up thoughts and self-stabbing regrets that just never really went away
>No matter how hard you insisted it was gone
>She watches you throughout the entire spiel, eyes focused on you without once leaving
>As it progresses, you can see her expression change
>From supportive, to neutral
>To finally despair
>She hugs your side with all her might
>Which isn't a tiny amount, your fridge can attest to
>"Anon... if you did that, you wouldn't be here. We wouldn't be here. You've done a ton of good..."
"Yeah... yeah. But it isn't enough. You know?"
>"Sure it is, Anon... I'm happy. Sparky's happy. Dashie's warming up to you just fine and she's happy."
"Sure..."
>You would never shoot her down
>You know how to do that
>You know how to make it sting too
>Being more a listener than talker has its perks
"Thanks. I didn't really mean to have that pop up."
>As if you had a choice in the matter
>"It's alright, trust me! You gotta listen to all of us screw up and you see how it's gone, right? It's more than fine!"
>She sounds like she's trying to convince you hard
>Hearing the tone in her voice is more than enough to remind you that you gotta be better for her
>Not for yourself
>Sometimes, fuck yourself
>But for who genuinely cares for you
>That's enough of a reason
"Yeah... I get you."
>You grab your discarded shirt from last night and blow your nose in it
>You needed that
>"Remind me to not sleep on that one for future reference..."
>You scoff
"That's hardly the worst thing out of me that you've slept on."
>"Sure but at least you weren't fully awake for it."
>And just like that, you're back to goofing off
>Your mood isn't all that lifted
>But you are focusing on something other than yourself
>It's better that way
>You lay back down
>Jacky jumps onto you as soon as it's able
>She immediately circles around once, and lays down on your chest
>Her face near yours
>"Y'tired...? It is still early..."
>You sigh
"The sun's already up, isn't it?"
>"Well I guess you could describe it as that..."
>You nod, exhaling
>For a split second, the bed feels so hard it may as well be concrete
"Yeah... let me keep going for a few more minutes. When Sparks makes breakfast..."
>You give out a long, fatigued yawn
>That sleep and dream left you more tired than you were last night
>And it wasn't even all that sociable or active
>"I will... I'll be your protecting angel."
>That's right
>'People with ropes around their necks don't always hang' was the quote
>You've been swaying in the wind
>But you do seem to have an orange haired pony that's looking after you

>You feel like you slept an entire night's worth, with Jacky on your chest
>It almost feels like it was just a bad dream, telling her all that you did
>You didn't regret telling her all of that
>But part of you worries
>Not a big part
>But more than nothing
>With your senses at ease, you react quickly to a pony-sized face rubbing against yours
>"Hey Anon... Sparky said she fixed some stuff. She's doing really good with magic now, ain't she?"
>You absentmindedly nod
"Yeah... she's great. Both of you are..."
>You yawn, your arms stretching out to pop and re-adjust
"Really something."
>You still feel like you're in a deep, claustrophobic pit
>But with her there, it feels like it's just a cave that's perpetually climate controlled
>You're worried about how she may see you now
>But you've introduced more personal, weirder things
>You struggle in vain a few times to sit up
>She's still on your chest and she doesn't seem to want to budge
>"Anon... are you sure you're ok? You can sleep in today. No one will mind, we can keep the volume down."
>You wipe the corners of your eyes, some thoughts still lingering
"Sure... yeah, I'll be alright. I guess I just needed to get that out there. In case push came to shove and you had to make a decision or something."
>Thinking on your daily life and how things are, there's really no chance of any serious situations popping up
>Jacky kisses the front of your throat
>"Come on... what are you even saying? I think you're almost sleep talking at this point. Nothing's changed. You're still you, I'm still me... and we're still us. There's no reason to think anything has changed. I just wish I could tell you more about my past and stuff, to kinda make it a little more even."
"Yeah... I know. I appreciate it, darling."
>You want to get up but you feel fatigue weighing you down five times beyond your limit
>Everything feels loose, like most everything has given up or shut down
>A good mirror to your mental state
"Hey Jack..."
>"Anything, Anon."
>She didn't even pause in replying with that
>Where were all of the girls like her before?
>Did they even exist in human form?
"I... I kinda forgot, honestly."
>She giggles and kisses your throat again
>"You're so silly when you're sleepy."
"Yeah..."
>You thought you were ready to get up but no dice
>You bring up your hand, clasping onto one of her hooves
"Jackolantern... if/when I doze off again. Don't let go, ok?"
>You can feel Jacky's head lean against your hand
>"Of course I won't. You could be on a cliff side and I would still dive in and grab onto you."
>How?
"How? You don't have hands?"
>"You just leave the thinking to me... I'll have a plan."
>Leave the thinking to her?
>You must really be out of your mind
>You chuckle at that thought, without any external context
"That's my Jack."
>You feel everything fade away again
>Except for the silhouette of her
>You've found yourself getting closer and closer to her still, despite all of the logistics and questions between man and mare
>Then the thought hits you
>A blinding white knife of light in the darkness, cutting out a path
>A necklace
>Or something
>You should get her something like that
>She deserves that much as is
>But what about money?
>You're pretty much broke again
>Fuck it
>You really are not in a coherent mindset
>But you want to give her something
>As if you haven't already spent five digits for and on her all around
>Jacky can't hear you think
>But you wish she could have even more
>You don't need much anyway, so you can use it toward her
>That sounds like a plan
>You shut down once more, sleeping just enough to feel like you're floating
>You gotta find her favorite type of food before making it too
>A big feast all for her
>And the others too
>That sounds good

>Be Sparking Shine
>After enough time with everyone, you've found your... thought processes changing
>You really aren't all that eager to leave anymore
>You never really were
>But especially now you don't want to
>You can still hear Anon mumbling in a half-delirious state
>He must really be tired to go into that mushy word salad crap
>It kinda burns you up that you have to be the responsible one
>But it shouldn't because he wouldn't be able to trust Jacky with breakfast and actual, real responsibilities
>Jacky's able to do her part for him
>You can too
>After trotting into the kitchen you see Prism laying out on the patio, with the door still open
>Something about her really bothers you
>Anon didn't say how much he spent to get her, but you know
>You know what some would say is too much
>And it makes you very angry that he has no intention of telling her
>He deserves to have his action be recognized
>That stress was part of the reason why he had that nightmare again
>Why you jolted awake before anyone else
>Why you kicked Jacky awake and told her to help you get Anon to wake up
>That entire nightmare was like watching a horror movie, with no way to stop or skip it
>Entire months skipping by in what was probably hours, searing your mind with his thoughts, urges and regrets
>You wanted to cry
>But maybe some of Anon's strength rubbed off on you too
>Even if it didn't, you couldn't be the weakest link
>Without really thinking about it, five things happen at once all around you
>You still take vitamins every now and again, telling Anon that it's because you're still learning
>But when you really want to, you can almost be as magically attuned as Twilight
>She annoys you too
>You glare at Prism with a growing sense of hatred
>She's so ungrateful and she hasn't even been worth it
>Friend of Jacky or not, she's interrupted everything
>Whether or not the nightmare's lingering emotions are the cause of your shaking, you stop out to the patio, closing the door behind you
>You don't worry about the kitchen
>Jacky isn't going to leave Anon's side and Anon isn't going to see that you have at least seven things moving all at once
"Prism. You useless layabout..."
>The pure venom in your voice is paired with a furious quivering of your lips
>Prism, seemingly oblivious to what's ailing you, curls her head back until she sees you
>"And a good morning to you, Sparking. Is something the matter?"
>Her polite, fabricated air of sophistication is maddening
>She's as much as a worthless street filly as you are
>Were
>She tried putting on airs without ever actually trying to be useful
>Her looks were her only skill
>Her femininity and 'oh please help a poor girl like me' act
"Anon's in there having nightmares, he's stressed, and he's all... all over the place. Because you're here!"
>Her eyebrow quirks at the mention of Anon
>"Oh? This is the first time I've heard of this. Jacky tells me only the best of the man. You'd think he walks on water."
>The faintest flavor of condescension stokes your fire only further
"Get off your ass and look at me directly! Do you know what he's given up to get you out of that death trap?!"
>Prism waits a few moments before getting up from her half-laying position, only to lay down again
>Facing you at least
>"Jacky told me it was a lot... should I feel guilt if he chose something of his own free will?"
>Without pausing to mull over the answer, you burst out
"YES! Show gratitude or... something!"
>You're at a loss for words but she's the most acceptable target for your outrage
"You don't know him at all. Jacky doesn't either! Only I do!"
>You start to lose focus, fuming over everything all at once
"You're... useless! You're as useless as you were when we were kids! It's always been me and Jacky getting shit done and getting what we need! All you did was stand there and look pretty and when there were consequences you were always conveniently off and..."
>You can't even string your words together
>Maybe this is something that's been bottled up for a long time now
>Not only are you remembering more by the day, but Anon's nightmare put everything under so much more of a strain
>Prism looks at you
>Almost like she's looking through you
>"Sparking Shine... have you ever wondered why we weren't all arrested despite us always being the same three filthy ponies scamming anyone and everyone that would give us the time of day?"
>Because you always outran them, obviously
"No, tell me."
>You scoff at her, as if she could honestly have an excuse
>"Even guards are only stallions."
>She doesn't sound sad
>Or even mad
>She just states it like it's a fact
>You wanted that sentence to fly over your head
>But it hit you harder than anything you could imagine
"That's... but you weren't even a part of..."
>"If I've been... unfair or ungrateful to Anon. Or, I should say, if you think I have been, then I'm sorry you see it that way."
>She smiles and glances off to the distant treeline
>It doesn't go into a forest but it is a good distance before it goes into someone's back yard
>"Jacky's as happy as she's ever been, you know. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen her so happy. Her belly's full, her heart is full of lovely fluff and sunshine, her head is full of violent movies and she talks about what she would do if she were the hero in all of them."
>She glances back to you
>The way she's staring at you makes you take a step back
>She isn't angry
>But you get the feeling that she's not afraid to hurt you
>"Do I owe Anonymous for making my Jacky the happiest mare in the world? I do. Do I owe him for getting me? No. Not for my own sake."
>She blinks only once
>"But I do owe him for 'saving' me, on behalf of Jacky. More so, if it's because of all of us being together, you owe Anon even more than I do because without him, you wouldn't even remember as much as you do now."
"That's..."
>You try to find a hole or two in her argument
>You know there's a lot
>She isn't smarter than you
>But she's calmer
"Then... then do something about it..."
>All of that fire led up to only hot air
>"And what can I do? Jacky would regretfully sacrifice you and I for his sake, I think. We may be her friends... but he's more than a friend. And I think we need to accept that before we get any..."
>She stares at you, as if she's appraising something flawed
>"...ideas."
>And what does she mean by that?
>Anon wouldn't sacrifice anyone if push came to shove
>He'd sacrifice himself with a smile
>"He has you, and he trusts you. It's obvious what you've been doing. But either both of them are too oblivious or they don't really care. But you shouldn't lay the way you do."
>Your face flares up as much as your mood
"You shut up! I..."
>Where does she get off, addressing you so blatantly?
>When was she ever the type to do that?
"I sleep better with my legs elevated!"
>Prism nods sympathetically
>"Oh, of course you do, darling... you just also want to hope that he gets an eyeful so he'll be tempted. Right?"
>The disgust on your face has slowly melted away
>But now it has completely transformed into astonishment
>"You're not as smart as you think, Sparky."
>She spreads out, her wings spreading before they retract again
>"I really don't know why you're wasting time talking to me anyway... I'm a useless lump, right? You're the real MVP here. I think you should go back to being useful so you can earn your keep."
>She doesn't sound like she's mocking her
>But you know she is
"This isn't over, Prism."
>"I know. And I'm ever so happy to talk to my good friend who calls me useless. Just not in front of those two, ok? They're happy and that's more than what either of us could ask for. Isn't it?"
>She turns her head away from you, content to nap in the morning's sunlight
>Without another comment, you open the patio door and trot back in
>You finish up breakfast, because you said you'd make it
>She's wrong
>She's wrong about a lot of things
>You'll show her that she's wrong
>But maybe you did want him to notice you like he notices Jacky

>Anon spent the day in bed, even after breakfast
>You left him and Jacky alone, taking one of his handheld consoles to the living room so you'd have something to do
>Magic has almost become natural to you now
>But you still hide it from Anon
>You like how he compliments your efforts
>So you... maybe under perform a little
>You're not really proud of it
>But you enjoy the feedback
>Of course Dashie knows that you downplay yourself
>Jacky probably doesn't
>From what you've seen, she's only gotten happier and bubblier and more carefree
>You're happy for her
>Really
>Honestly
>But you want to be that way too...
>Dashie finally comes in, but only due to rain starting to come down from outside
>She sits next to you, watching you play
>It's just an RPG
>You do your best to ignore you, huffing in frustration
>"Sparking."
>You don't answer
>"I'm sorry."
>The corner of your mouth twitches
>But you don't say anything
>"Whatever we were before... that's who we aren't now. If we have anything to believe in, it's that things are going to be different."
"...I know."
>You don't have any interest in talking to her
>"This is a new start. For you, for I, and for Jacky. And we've already seen just how much Jacky has changed."
"...yeah she has."
>"So maybe we need to change too. I need to."
"Sure."
>She sounds genuine but you just want to focus on your game
>You feel a hoof on your shoulder
>The corner of your mouth twitches again
>"You said that I owe Anon... we owe Anon. I don't know how often he spends all day in bed but maybe we need to do something to help him. You're close to him, far more than I am. What do you think he would like?"
>Once again, she blindsides you
>She has a point
>You finally look away from the game to Dashie
>She looks sad
>You just do not understand this pony
>You always remembered her to be cold and sorta detached
>She was by far the most 'professional', whereas you and Jacky were bums with empty bellies
>Of course, she was the exact same
>But she looked like a normal pony, just a bit more thin
"So... you really care?"
>"Because of... no, not because of how he affects Jacky. Because we're all together again, I do care. Whether or not I fit with you three or not, I can't let myself be the reason things go wrong."
>You look at her like she's stupid
>How could she be the outsider?
>It's always been...
>Well
>Actually it's always been Anon and Jacky
>And then you came in
>And now then Dashie came into play
>Is this some sort of trick going on?
"I don't... I don't get you, Prism."
>The way she talks circles around you is tiring
>You shake your head at her, huffing
"You aren't the odd one out... Anon doesn't want you to be that at all. He just wants us all together and to..."
>You sigh and roll your head on your shoulders
>"Be happy and silly like Jacky?"
"...yeah."
>Dashie smiles at you
>Her silky white mane looks like it's as meticulously brushed as ever
>She just looks so proper
>Who is she putting on airs for?
>"Is that so bad to be?"
>Is it?
>What would be so bad about being happy?
>The more you think on it, the more annoyed you are
"Shut up..."
>You just want Anon to feel better
>And you want to be happier too
>That's where it hits you
"Wait."
>You stand up, your eyes going wide
"Shut up!"
>Dashie cocks her head at you
>"I am?"
"No! No no no, hold on! I got it!"
>Without waiting to explain it to her, you gallop to Anon's room to get the second laptop
>He's dead asleep on the bed
>Jacky's draped over his right shoulder
>Her twintails are undone
>You can't even see his face due to it being covered with her mane
>You're not jealous
>You just wish she was somewhere else so you could be there
>But that's not important right now
>You have the idea and you're going to make it happen
>The laptop levitates off the corner of the bed, and over your head
>You trot back, thinking of some of the more... unusual things that Anon likes
>This is going to take a lot of work
>And it's going to really be sorta embarrassing
>But you're going to make it happen, whether or not Dashie wants to be a part of it
>After getting on and accessing the wonderful world of the internet, you show Dashie a specific page
>A specific video
>And tell her your plan
>"Oh... oh my..."
>Dashie looks at you, aghast
>"You're... goodness, Sparking. You're serious."
>You grimace, lips twitching into a dark smile
"I'm as serious as a heart attack, Prism. We're going to surprise Anon with this once he comes back from work tomorrow, or I'm going to roast you alive."
>Now that you have a proper goal, you're hyped up to eleven
>Now that you've managed to surprise Dashie, you feel in control of the pace of things again
>This is far better
"Now you have five minutes to prepare your throat."
>"But what about Jacky?"
"She's sleeping. It's just going to be you and me doing this."
>"I don't know about this, Sparking... this really is not you or me. This is really something that she would be a natural at. Maybe we could-"
"No! She can watch, we're doing this and that's that!"
>Just wait until tomorrow, Anon!
>If this won't make him happy, nothing will

>Be a tired, workhouse Anon
>You've been pretty stressed lately, truth be told
>The nightmare that plagued you all of yesterday didn't help either
>You kinda hoped that no one saw you speaking lovey crap to Jacky whenever you were awake for a few minutes
>You even think that she fed you breakfast
>This morning, it was just you and her in bed
>You saw Sparks and Dashie sleeping with YouTube playing so maybe they've been hanging out
>Good for them
>You were concerned about how everyone would gel together but it seems like Dashie just isn't all that social
>Worn down, you drag yourself from your car to your apartment door
>Alright Anon
>Get out your cool guy face
>No, not that one
>With a heavy sigh and a hard shake all around, you head in
"Alright, who's ready fo--"
>As soon as the door closes behind you, Jacky runs up to you, beaming as widely as she can
>"ANON, YOU GOTTA SEE THIS!"
>You hear Sparks screaming from the living room
>"YOU SHUT UP OR ELSE!"
>Jacky 'eeeee's and stamps her hooves down on the floor
>Either the neighbor has learned to live with the noise or they've left
>"Come on, quick! Hurry!"
"Yeah, yup, alright."
>You kick off your boots and follow Jacky into the
>Living room
>Possibly?
>The speakers from your TV in your room is set up on a small tower of boxes
>Some of your thinnest bed sheets are
>Oh shit
>Someone somehow pinned them to the ceiling
>It doesn't even reach the carpet, but it does leave the other side of the room pretty obscured, minus a foot or two to see four pairs of hooves behind it
"Am I just in time for something?"
>"S-SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN. JACKY, NOT A WORD OR I'M BLASTING YOU TO CHINA."
>You shrug and sit down
>Jacky sits down next to you, of course
>She leans in, giggling
>"I know there's a Chinese place a few streets away from the online maps so that ain't far at all."
"True enough but they eat everything there."
>"Including pony?"
"Especially pony."
>"Well that's not so bad..."
"As in cannibal eating."
>"...oh."
>As you derp around with Jacky, you can hear frantic whispering from behind the strung up blankets
>Sparks sure sounds nervous
>Or agitated
>It's hard to tell the two apart
>Even Dashie sounds a little hesitant
>What is this supposed to be, a play or a comedy act?
>The two go at it until Sparks stamps down her hoof
>"NO, IT'S THE OTHER ONE."
>Jacky guffaws at the anticipation
>Whatever's going on, she must've had a front row seat to it
>So that's why she didn't get a chance to return any of your messages
"Should I grab some popcorn for this? Should I come back until...?"
>"N-no need, Anonymous, we're just about ready."
>You hear a hushed whisper
>"We are ready, aren't we?"
>"O-OF COURSE WE ARE, STOP DOUBTING IT."
>That borderline frantic tone in her voice tells you that it's a big deal
>She must've been focused to find a way to somehow stick your sheets to the ceiling
>You lean back, getting comfortable
>Whatever this is, you really can't excuse yourself to get up for even a drink
>But they keep talking behind the blankets
"If you guys are gonna need a minute, I can-"
>"NO, WE'RE READY. AND A ONE TWO THREE FOUR"
>wat
>Your speakers kick to life, absolutely blasting a... familiar song
>But you're too blasted away by the volume to recognize the first few seconds
>"SHIT SHIT"
>You can almost make out Sparks screaming something
>The volume tanks down to maybe 10% of that to where it's above a whisper
>"Sparking, just..."
>"NOT ANOTHER WORD."
>The volume levels out to something that fills the room but not so much so that it's at ear raping levels
>Wait a second
>You absolutely know this song! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsccjsW8bSY [Embed]
>The intro begins to play
>Jacky's head bobs back and forth to the tune
>She must've been listening to it all day if what they were preparing involves it
>On a practiced cue, Sparks jumps out while Dashie struts from behind her side like a model
>"Home, is where I want to be~"
>They're singing in unison
>"Pick me up and turn me 'round~"
>They both rear up on their hind legs and turn around, back to back
>"I feel numb, born with a weak heart, I guess I must be having fun!"
>Dashie's smile seems serene, while Sparks can't help but grin
>But you can tell that the lyrics are affecting her far more
>"The less we say it about it the better! Make it up as we go along."
>"Feet on the ground, head in the sky~"
>They get back on four legs with their heads held high
>"It's ok, I know nothing's wrong, nothing"
>"Oh! I got plenty of time!"
>Even Jacky's joining in for the chorus!
>But you think that's more just her being excited to be in it rather than her being part of the act
>"Oh! You got light in your eyes!"
>Due to their choreography, they step in unison until they're side by side
>"And you're standing here beside me! I love the passing of time!"
>"Never for money!"
>They shake their heads the same way
>"Always for love!"
>They nod with smooth opposing timing
>"Cover up and say goodnight! Say good night..."
>With a bit of a musical interlude, Sparks does her best to avoid the gaze of her audience
>Dashie seems like she's having fun with it, though her wings haven't really moved from their stowed away position
>Jacky sways to the music but she's...
>More than a little off beat
>You're surprised those two are doing so well together
>"Home, is where I want to be, but I guess I'm already there!"
>The two show ponies walk toward one another, Sparks head hanging low
>"I come home, she lifted up her wings, I guess that this must be the place!"
>Dashie's wings spread out just as the lyric comes up
>Even though she hits one of the hanging blankets
>Those are some seriously sizable wings
>"I can tell one from another! Did I find you, or you find me?"
>Jacky nudges you while singing along
>Feeling a little put on the spot you can't help but smile
>All of them put in a ton of effort just for you
>"There was a time, before we were born! If someone asks, this is where I'll be, where I'll be~"
>Both of them twirl about face, facing away from each other again
>"Oh! We drift in and out!"
>They spin again, face to face
>Maybe a little too close together since Dashie's neck is a little longer than Sparky's
>"Oh! Sing into my mouth!"
>They turn to you and Jack
>"Out of all those kind of people? You got a face with a view!"
>They start to step forward
>Jacky's singing along, hugging onto your arm tight enough to cut off the circulation
>You're too mesmerized by it all to even react
>"I'm just an animal looking for a home and, share the same space for a minute or two!"
>All three of them sing out, loud and proud
>Sparky by far has the deepest or heaviest voice out of the three
>Dashie's the complete opposite, light and serene
>Jacky's somewhere in the middle, where the passion outweighs the practiced precision
>"And you live me till my heart stops! Love me till I'm dead!"
>They trot to the tune until they're sitting at your sides
>Everyone's swaying to the tune
>You included
"Eyes that light up, Eyes that look through you! Cover up the blank spots, hit me on the head I got oooooooo-ooo-oo-oooh!"
>You join in for the last lines, hitting the high note like a skilled howler monkey
>You did enjoy singing while alone
>And you were alone a lot
>But not anymore
>You're not alone
>And none of them are, either
>Everyone's where they should be
>This apartment, that you considered as mere storage for your crap and a place to sleep
>It's home
>All four of you sit there while the outro plays
>The song ends and the speakers die down
>Two of the three are giggling
>Sparky isn't
>Her face couldn't be more red
"That was... holy shit, girls. How long have you been practicing this?"
>"Well you see, Anon, Sparks came to me and..."
>Dashie purposely trails off, giving her best shit eating grin
>"And it's none of your business how or why it happened!"
>"It was awesome, Anon! You should've seen the practicing! Sparky was a total drama queen!"
>"It's true. Every single misstep was an earful from her. I'm surprised her voice didn't give out..."
>"Well you know, she's always been the screamer."
>"It's true. Half of her threatening aura is just how loud she can be."
>The two rib on the poor unicorn who's just not able to deal with it
>You lean over and pat her on the back
>She jumps at the attention and looks at you
>She doesn't say anything but her eyes say enough
"You did great. Thank you."
>Her lips tremble and she whips her head away again
>You chuckle and wrap your arm around Dashie, since she's closer
"And you too! How the hell did you manage to get this going? I didn't know you guys were so theatrical!"
>The pegasus smiles and tilts her head
>"Well... I guess anything is possible if you're motivated enough, right?"
>Jacky climbs over your lap to hug onto Dashie
>"She's awesome, right? Dashie can do almost anything!"
>You notice that Sparks is on your other side, alone
>She stands up, as if to walk up
>Before she can leave your range, you scoop your arm under her belly and drag her into your lap
>She lets out a frantic cry but doesn't exactly stop you
>You don't relent until she's sitting on her butt, with her back to your stomach and your hand on her chest to keep her propped up
"Both of these weirdos are! Can you imagine our little mastermind concocting up something so great?"
>Jacky flops over your leg, nuzzling against Sparky's belly
>"It's true, I've never seen her more focused!"
>Dashie circles around to the other side of you, assaulting Sparks with nuzzling from another angle
>The unicorn is completely trapped between one man and two mares
>You can hear her squeal out something that attempts to sound angry
>"G... get off me! I'll cook all of you! I swear it!"
>All three of you let out a collective 'awww' and intensify the attention
"What, not used to being the center of attention?"
>"She's so awesome!"
>"I think someone's in need of more love, poor thing!"
>Sparks tries to fight against the three-pronged assault but her motions get weaker and weaker until she's whimpering death threats and insults
>You get the feeling she really isn't used to all of the positive reinforcement
>It's not teasing
>Well it is
>But you mean it
>You know that the other two mean it as well
>Once everyone runs out of things to say, it all becomes one pile of aftermath
"You girls did great. All of you."
>Sparks shrugs, trying her best to sound rock solid
>But she sounds about as soft as a melted chocolate
>"Jacky was keeping an eye on you so she didn't have enough time to actually join in on the practicing..."
>Dashie nods
>"And it was hard enough for two. Three would've required a more energetic song."
>Jacky shrugs
>"And honestly I'm pretty sure I'd have more fun watching it than actually doing it."
"Was this... because of yesterday?"
>You didn't want to worry them about that, as impossible an ask as that would've been
>"Not really. We wanted to do something for you for a while now. And... you like the song so we rolled with it."
>Jacky chimes in
>"And it's kinda spooky how well the lyrics match up so well with how things really are, right?"
"Yeah... songs are kinda timeless like that. Music can be pretty amazing motivators."
>For some reason the speakers kick to life again
>"LOOKATME,HEREFLYINGAROUNDTHEROOM,BRINGINGDOOM,ASMYBIGREDBALLOONCOMESDOWN"
>Everyone jumps at the rapid fire rap that comes out of nowhere
"...is the Autoplay still on?"
>Sparks, renewed and taking advantage of the distraction, leaps out from your collective clutches and runs to behind the laptop
>"BRINGITONITAIN'TNOJOKEWHENIFLOAT,YOU'DBETTERLISTENTOTHEMOTHERFUCKIN'LYRICSIWRO--"
>The song cuts off
>She pokes her head out from behind the hanging blanket
>"I... uh... I forgot the autoplay was on."

>Another week come and gone
>Ever since the little music and pony show, spirits with everyone have been high
>The "stage" area has been kept up
>Even from down the hallway you can just barely hear music coming from your door
>Given the music, TV and other crap people play, you certainly aren't the odd one out for producing aural shrapnel
>As soon as you sneak in, you hear one of the girls going at it
>"I'LL BURN IT, I'LL BURN IT, I, I, I'LL BURN IT DOWN!"
>Quietly slipping off your boots, you bellow out
"Metal, blood, noise, and fire! Tell me what you most desire!"
>"A-ack?!"
>"Hey, Anon's back!"
>Jacky's the first to greet you
>"Hey Anon! Did you hear Sparky going at it? She's becoming a big star with how much she's singing now!"
>Sparks trots like a madmare from behind, panic on her face
>"Y-you shut up! I am not! I'm just killing time!"
>"You've certainly killed a lot of it then. Care to join us, Anon?"
>Dashie's head pokes out from around the corner
"Sure, I wanna chill with you guys."
>Jacky bumps Sparks out of the way, trotting back to her spot
>Sparks, likewise, gives her a dirty look before following
>She's been doing a lot better this week
>She still occupies your left side when you sleep
>But she hasn't really been intrusive with her magical mind melding crap
>As far as you're aware
>The living room looks completely transformed from what you remember it being
>Rather than being sparse and borderline empty, it seems like a new campground for ponies
>The blankets are still stuck to the ceiling
>The speakers are still in place
>There are a ton of blankets and pillows splayed out everywhere
>Most of them were just sitting in your closet so you're happy to see them getting used
>You sit down next to the biggest mass of pillows
>Jacky bellyflops onto your lap, bending and twirling in place until she manages to lay on her side, back to your stomach
>Sparks watches her flail around without shame until she's comfy
>"You're such an animal sometimes, you do know that."
>"Oui oui, je suis une cheval!"
>She poses with a proud smile
>She glances up at you
>"I've been practicing, you know."
>You chuckle and nod, patting her ribs
"J'ai faim et soif."
>Jacky beams
>"It's almost four, thank you!"
>Your smile grows wider
>You look at Sparky
>She returns the smile
>"Yeah, I know."
>Your smile returns to Jacky
"You know, I still remember some of my old stuff from high school. Maybe we can find some movies that I recall from my school days? It's all in French; it's about some guy that romances his cousin or something."
>"Ew, his cousin?"
>Sparks doesn't seem all too enticed
>You shrug
"It's... well, it's French. That's kinda how it is with them. It's all family wreaths rather than trees."
>Jacky snickers
>"If I were your sister, we could be a French couple."
>You raise your index finger to object
>But it wouldn't be incorrect
>Wouldn't not be wrong
>But it would be apt
"...ok, fair point."
>"You sure are more than you appear, aren't you Anon?"
>Dashie seems content to spectate in your shenanigans rather than to join in
"Well sure. Isn't everyone? You're only as strong as your weakest point. Jack of all trades, master of one."
>"How do you even learn all of that, though? Where can you pick it up?"
>Sparks seems interested in it, and she's surely poked around enough to have a deeper understanding of your shallow breadth of knowledge
"Well I guess the internet helps. It's gotta be something you're interested in. Or maybe something you just want to figure out."
>Jacky huffs and arches her side, wiggling against your hand so it covers more of an area
>Out of every pony, she definitely has the least amount of fluff or fur, but her longer mane and tail more than makes up for it
>You didn't want to mention it but it seems like Dashie's pretty tufty and fluffy
>You aren't exactly close enough to her to start poking around
>Sparky's fur seems to be growing out a little compared to the first time you noticed her differences
>Maybe you should look into grooming them or something
>Is that something you should even attempt to do?
>"What good is knowledge that you can't use?"
>Jacky pipes up
>"I mean, it's neat and all, but if it just makes you more stressed or worried then... well, I don't know."
"Ignorance is bliss?"
>"Haven't you heard, a fish is worth a thousand words!"
>You nod to yourself
"Gal's got a point."
>Sparks seems unconvinced to say the very least
>Dashie simply smiles and nods
>"You two certainly seem like two minds of a same kind."
>"Thank you."
"Same. I think that's a compliment, anyway."
>You keep patting Jacko's chest, playing her ribcage like a steel drum
"So. I got a bit of a thing going on, and in a few weeks I'm gonna work a little differently."
>Dashie and Sparks tilt their heads at you
>Jacky doesn't really seem to care less with you tenderly brutalizing her side
"I found a new place. And... when it comes to work, it's gonna be a little different. But it is gonna pay more. So my savings and all of that will come back a lot quicker. And it means we'll be able to do more stuff, once the ball gets rolling. It's also... marginally safer work. So that's a thing."
>"Oh, congratulations Anon. How did that happen?"
>"Yeah, when did this start?"
>You shrug
"Well, I guess it's been going on for a while. I've been looking around for stuff that's better and I suppose I found it."
>Sparks gives you a queer look
>"When I was..."
>She cuts herself off, pursing her lips
"Hey, I got a mind like a steel trap, lady. Nothing goes in, nothing comes out."
>You squint at her and stop patting Jacky to tap the side of your head
"Nothing in... and nothing out."
>You say as if the off-brand comment is supposed to be impressive
>Pleased, Jacky shivers on your lap and shrugs
>"So... what even are you gonna do?"
"You remember that gun shop Tuco went to?"
>"Yeah?"
"Kinda that, except far more guns, far less banditos, and more computer work."
>"Whoa... cool..."
>Jacky's eyes widen, impressed at the mental imagery only she could produce
>"I didn't know you could do that."
>You shrug
"Neither did I. But I guess we'll find out."
>"So what, exactly, does that mean for us, Anon?"
>Dashie, ever the responsible one, doesn't seem to mind cutting to the chase
"Well I guess I'll be working later. Which means I'll get to sleep in more. But that means I leave later and show up later."
>"How late?"
>Sparks seems dubious, which is fair
"Late enough where I'll probably miss dinner."
>No one likes that answer
>"Well screw that, I'll just make dinner later!"
>"We get to sleep in together every day?!"
>"Making dinner later won't be an issue. It's not exactly like we have any schedules to follow, ourselves."
>Everyone has their own points and opinions on the matter
>It'll certainly help you recover on your bank account side, which kinda led to you making the change
>You'll be missing out on comfortable familiarity and goofing off but you can't let yourself get too complacent either
"So... yeah. I guess that'll be a thing."
>"Well... should we celebrate?"
>Sparks looks around, as if suddenly aware that nothing looks all that special
>"I mean, we should, shouldn't we?"
>"With what?"
>Dashie's new to the Anon household celebratory fashion
"Jacker?"
>"Anononon?"
>Jacky meets your gaze
"Get the Japanese bottle."
>Jack's eyes widen and she flops off of you going at full sprint to your room
>Sparks rolls her eyes at the sight of the bottle
>The first one you had has long since passed, but his son hasn't even been opened yet
>The bottles are definitely expensive but it's worth it
>Dashie has a blank look on her face, as if she's expecting an explanation
>"Am I missing something?"
"Oh, yeah. Whiskey?"
>"Who?"
>Sparks lets out an aggravated 'ugh'
>"It's crap... I would avoid it."
"You just can't hold it, you flounder-weight."
>The unicorn's eyebrow twitches
>"Is that an insult?"
"It's me calling you a wimp."
>She stare turns more intense
>"Alcohol's flammable you know."
"And with it I'm gonna burn brighter than you could imagine."
>Dashie's head pivots back and forth like she's watching a ping pong match
>"So is it good?"
>"No way."
"Absolutely."
>You and Sparks speak at the same time
>Her bitter glare combats your smug grin
>Jacky gallops back into the room, whinnying with the full bottle hanging out of her mouth
>You pop the neck of it out of her mouth
>Sure enough, the seal is still there
>With a flick of the wrist it is undone, as is the cap
"To it being a Friday night in which I say 'fuck it', and celebrate a new beginning."
>Jacky beams at the bottle, eager for her turn
>You don't drink often and as much as she enjoys it, she doesn't feel the urge to drink by herself
>Except that one time...
>You take two solid gulps and immediately convulse
"Yo ho that's good brain killer."
>"Gimmegimme!"
>You tilt the bottle and Jacky's lips wrap around it
>She gulps
>Again
>Again
>God damn girl
>You tug the bottle away after the fourth gulp
"You're under watch, that's expensive drink. Gotta savor it."
>"I'll savor you in a few minutes, watch me."
>"Jacky!"
>Dashie seems utterly shocked
>The conflicting stories on the booze, paired with Jacky guzzling it down, doesn't sit well with her
>"It's fiiiiiiiine! I hardly ever even get into the stuff. You should try it!"
>You nod approvingly and move your arm to the pegasus
"Just a sippy sippy?"

>"Sippy sippy!"
"Sipperoo."
>Dashie looks at the both of you, perplexed as to if she should cave to peer pressure
"Sippy Longstockings?"
>"Siptanic?"
"The Good, The Bad, and The Sip?"
>"Sipbusters!"
"Just the sip."
>"Just the sip?"
"Just the sip of the sip."
>You can see the confusion clear as you and Jacky go back and forth
>"I... if it's safe for Jacky..."
>You and your party pony let out a triumphant 'yeah!'
>Sparks sighs
>"I'm going to watch this trainwreck unfold this time. At least one of us has to be responsible."
>"I don't see a reason not to so..."
>Dashie's head leans down, tilting upward
>You put the bottle to her lips and tilt it upward
>After a second, you pull the bottle away
>Dashie gives you a queer look, mouth full of whiskey
"Now you gotta swallow."
>"Gulp it down!"
"The sooner the better, honestly."
>Dashie, deciding that she's already in too deep to stop now, gulps
>And shivers hard, snorting through her nose
"Almost!"
>"Yeah!"
>She gulps hard again and sputters out, bringing her hoof up to her mouth
>"What did I just drink?! How could either of you stand that?"
"It's the good shit, that's how."
>"And come on, it tastes good too!"
>Dashie looks at Sparks for some form of confirmation
>"Are they serious?"
>The unicorn bitterly frowns
>"Deathly."
"Ahh... man, what I would give for a projector. Do you know how awesome it'd be to watch a movie that's as big as your wall?"
>You and Jack chat about the utility of having a home theater while Sparks and Dashie listen
>A lot of it probably goes over their heads
>Then it hits you
"Hey Prismus."
>"Wha?"
>Though it hasn't been too long, you can see that the drink is starting to have an effect on her
>She looks more relaxed and more than a little less alert
"Have you ever seen our favorite movie?"
>Sparks furrows her brow
>"Wait... have you seen it yet?"
>The unicorn slowly shakes her head, trying to clear the fog building in her head
>"I... I don't know? I don't recall."
"In that case... to the bedroom!"
>"To the... hey, wait a second."
>Jacky gets up to move with you but plops back down
>"... the speakers are out here... and the TV is in there."
"That's true, isn't it..."
>"Yeah..."
"Sparks."
>"Sparky!"
>The red pony puts her hoof to her forehead
>"Dear lord they're becoming the same person...yes, what is it?"
"Can you unhook stuff and bring the TV out here?"
>"Or undo the speakers and set them back up in the room?"
"Either or."
>"You're awesome, you can do that."
"And you aren't drinking, so you can be trusted."
>Dashie giggles at the antics that seem to only intensify once alcohol comes into the picture
>"And we'll be far more comfy on the bed."
"There we go!"
>"She gets it!"
"Set us up, Franz Ferdinand?"
>"Who?"
"Guy sings about fire."
"Oh!"
>Every back and forth leads to a greater and greater sense of frustration for her
>"OK I'LL DO IT, WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP ALREADY?!"
>Dashie giggles further
>"You really are the best."
>"YOU TWO, NUMBER THREE."
>You get to your feet and stretch
>It'll take more than one solid gulp to do you in but you're excited for the night
>Jacky, on the other hand, is hitting it hard
>You have no clue how she can hold her booze despite being so much smaller
"Onward, troop!"
>Jacky gallops ahead of you
>Dashie brings up the rear
>She is walking in a straight line but you can see that she's being very deliberate in her steps
>Just as you round the corner toward your room, you see Jacky pounce from the ground to your mattress!
>She soars
>Like a freshly intoxicated bird
>And half lands on the bed with a muffled 'oof'
"Y'alright?"
>"She really is energetic, isn't she."
"When she's happy and on the inbound train to be drunk? Yes."
>Dashie sighs
>It's a sigh like she's finally letting off weight from her shoulders
>"You really are special to her."
"Well she has you too. And she has our dear little Sparkplug. Anyone would be happy, wouldn't they?"
>You confidently stride toward the bed, only to lean forward and bellyflop onto the bed, mimicking Jacky's finesse
>You can hear Dashie trot into the room
>"Should I... jump onto the bed too?"
>You raise up your hand with a thumbs up gesture
>"Well... alright!"
>You hear a 'fwoof' of wings spreading and hear her let out a loud noise
>Somehow, she jumped so well that she lands on your back
>The less than graceful landing leads to her chin hitting your shoulder and her hooves landing close to your head
>"That was great! Are you ok?"
>You mumble something resembling an 'ow' sound
>Jacky propels herself forward with her hind legs like a ferret until she's against your side
>"Impact! Boosh."
>She swings her head into your side
>You say something to her but it all comes out muffled
>"Sparks...Spaaaaaaaaarks! Speakers!"
>"Sparking, I want to watch a movie with them!"
>You let out a prolonged, muffled scream that is only barely audible
>"Sparky!"
>"Sparking!"
>Another long, muffled screech
...
>Nothing
>"I think she's ignoring us..."
>"Loser... hey Anon, did you bring the bottle?"
>You didn't
>But you don't say so
>Whether or not you really intend to, you find yourself just being far too comfortable to carry on shenanigans
>It feels nice having Dashie lay on you
>You have no clue if her wings are out or not but it's just cool enough in the room to warrant a light horse blanket
>Or a light horse acting as a blanket
>Without realizing it, you're out like a light


>Be me
>I've gotten more used to drinking
>Anon usually keeps me going, when it comes to momentum
>Anon doesn't answer me
"Hey Anon... kaboom."
>I drag my head against him again, going from a side headbutt to a nuzzle
>Maybe it was because I didn't have dinner or water but my head feels that much more fuzzy than usual
"Anon... you didn't die, did you?"
>"Jacky... this is some fun stuff."
>Dashie sounds like she's affected
>She's not slurring her words but she sounds abnormal
"Right? When I first met Anon and I was naught but a wee lassy talki' aboot ma box, I had a strong thirst if ye believe."
>I naturally slip into my Irish/Scottish accent
>The more time that has gone on, the less I recall about it
>Anon likes the French accent the most so I just haven't bothered to keep up practice on the other ones
>She laughs at my weird voice
>"You are both so fun. I'm so happy that it's like this."
>I nod, inhaling the scent of bed
"I am too."
>I clear my throat
"Dashie... you know how we used to talk about sharing everything?"
>"Like it was all yesterday."
>That makes me smile
"I want Anon to love all of us and I want us all to be happy."
>I bury my face against Anon's side, as if Dashie could see my face anyway
"But... I don't want to share him when it comes to being especially his. What we're like... what we do when we're alone..."
>"Like drink and act silly?"
>I nod
"And... more."
>"I understand. You really don't need to explain any further."
"Thank you... but can we still talk about stuff like we did before?"
>"When he caught us talking and embarrassed you?"
"Y... yeah."
>Dashie lets out a surprisingly loud bark of a laugh
>I had never heard her laugh like that
>"My Jacky... you really do love this creature of a man."
>I don't reply
>"Remember when that bakery colt gave us bread whenever you'd talk to him or I'd flash a smile at him?"
>I nod, my face rubbing against Anon's side
>"I was worried that we would both be left to scraps and the charity of strangers. But you escaped that. I couldn't be happier for you, sister."
>For the longest time I really did think it would be like that too
>Not once did I imagine I would get a chance like this
>Not even once
>Maybe that's why I'm so happy to confront everything head on
>He believes in himself and in me
>In an 'us', frankly
>I want to believe too
"You aren't alone either Dashie... but... I don't know if I could live with myself if I shared him. I know he and Sparky has got some bond. I'm jealous."
>Dashie snorts, yawning loudly
>She's rather unladylike after her drink
>"Whatever she has to offer, you can blow out of the water, darling."
>"Yeah... I can't compete with you alright..."
>A bitter Sparks speaks up
>The pair of hefty speakers are floating above her
>"Don't worry about me..."
>My vision turns from Anon's side to Sparks, though my eyes just can't focus on her
"Sparky... you know I don't mean anything by it.."
>"Whatever. Anon and I are friends, same as he is with everyone else. I can't compete with you on what you do and we both know that."
>She begins to set the speakers up again, without even looking at them
>When did she get so good at magic?
"Dang you're getting good. Anon likes you too, Sparky. You know that!"
>"Whatever... you two do whatever you want."
>She gets onto the bed and rests at Anon's side, right behind you
>"I'm not stopping what I'm already doing.."
>What does that mean?
>I laugh, feeling my head spin ever so slightly
"That's so silly. What is there to stop and not worry about?"
>I try to talk more to Dashie about Anon but she soon stops answering
>Sparky isn't answering me about anything at all but she still sounds awake
>Unable to really figure out m y thoughts, I retire at Anon's side
>I was looking forward to seeing Tuco shoot those banditos again
>The first thing I feel is a hoof pressing against the back of my head
>I try to lift my head up but said hoof keeps pushing me down
"Git... git off'a me dangit!"
>I channel my inner Ma and shake my head
>"Jacky..."
>A pathetic whimper of voice calls out
>"Jaaacky... Anon's dead..."
>What?!
>I jerk my head up
>And immediately fall over again
>It must not have been that long since I fell asleep, I can still feel the alcohol
>A little more now than I did before
>I raise myself, my head lolling along
>Dashie's still spread out over Anon's back
>But she looks like she's been crying
>"Anon's deaaaaaad Jacky!"
>True, Anon isn't moving
>I land my head on his side
>And rotate to where my ear is up against the side of his ribs
>And...
>He's breathing
"He ain't dead, Dashie. He's just sleeping."
>"Ooh noooooo! Anon, come back to us!"
>I haven't heard her sound so sorrowful in so long
>Given how droopy her face looks and how her wings are splayed out and loose, the drink hit her hard
>To be fair Anon doesn't ever have beer so it must be a bit of a system shock to her
>If the room energy were higher I know I wouldn't feel so affected
>Some food would help too
"Dashie you washie, Anon ain't dead!"
>I punch Anon's side with my front hoof
>Though delayed, he lets out a long, low groan
>Dashie throws back her head as if her one wish in life was granted
>"HE LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVES!"
>Her head falls back onto his back, her entire body going limp
>"Thank goodness..."
>I sputter a laugh at her
>Why would she be so theatrical?
>At least he is ok and isn't dead
>I awkwardly roll back and forth until my back is against Anon
>Feels weird to sit like a person
>I lean over and nudge the curled up Sparky
>She can't be out of it, she didn't even have a snooze
"Hey. Heeey magic mare. Don't make me touch your butt."
>You poke her flank with your hoof
"Boop. Heheh."
>Sparks brings her head up
>Is her horn glowing?
>How long has that thing been glowing?
>She has got to lay off those vitamins
"Hey Sparky..."
>I hear a sigh
>"Yeah?"
>Though my muscles are a little too loose to be dexterous I give her a lopsided smile
"You know we'll always be friends, don't you?"
>I don't get an answer
"I'm the happiest pony in the world, Sparky. And I wanna make sure everyone important to me is the happiest they can be too. I don't want you to hate me."
>The glow on Sparks' horn fades
>"...Of course I know that."
"I don't want us to be like Anon and his friends."
>While he used to talk about them a lot when it was just him and I, he never talks about them anymore
>And I did hear a good chunk of the conversation he had with Sparks about his friends not contacting him
>He really does not get a lot of time to be completely alone
>So I know he never has to answer his phone for messages or anything
>Except for emails of things on sale
>"...We won't be, Jacky."
>I smile more, even though she isn't looking at me
"If we had a big fire... ignoring any pony who would start it, I would save you as quickly as I would save Anon or Dashie. If I could only save one of you I'd try to save all of you or die trying. That's my choice."
>I keep poking her flank with my hoof every other word
>She's kinda bony
>But poking her feels fun
>Sparks sighs again and sits up, scooting out of reach
>"I'm glad you say so..."
"We're in this together, Sparky spoon."
>I nod as I speak
>And even after I speak
>"You're a lush, Jacky."
"Thank you."
>I nod and accept the compliment with authority
>She looks over at Anon and Dashie
>"He's stressed."
>I could tell
>But I didn't want to say anything
>If I did, it might just make him more stressed
"He's just... you know. Tired."
>I try to smile again
"And I know. I do what I can. What little I can."
>"Hey Jacky."
"What's up?"
>I abandon my previous train of thought and focus on her
>"How about I go grab that bottle... we're at half strength. But how about we watch that movie?"
>After dodging a drunken lunch of a hug, she backs away from me
>"I'll... take that as a 'yes'."
>She returns with the bottle of Japanese whiskey and glares at it
>Then me
>She pops off the top
>Gives a heavy sigh
>And takes the smallest sip
>I'm not even sure she did anything but taste it
"Alright Sparky! One of us! One of us!"
>I swish from side to side, cheering for her
>It's usually more effective if others were joining in
>"Oh shut up... I don't see what any of you like in this... something tells me Dashie's gonna drink more of this in the future too."
>I giggle
"Yeah, Dashie's a super lush."
>Sparks just stares at me
>"You're an idiot."
"And you love it!"
>Sparks frowns at me
>But shakes her head and chuckles
>"Yeah, I do."
>Due to how good her magic is, she sets up the movie without fumbling around once
>With the speakers reinstalled, everything is set up perfectly
>The whistling
>The 'aaah ahh ahh ahhh ahhhh'
>The gunshots
>The opening is awesome, no matter how many times I see it
"Anon! Dashie! Get up! Get UP!"
>I nearly scream, though it's only fitting given how loud the movie is
>Anon, hearing the proud, thumping music, screams a muffled 'aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh ahhh ahhh aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah'
"Waaa wa wa waaa!"
>He drags his face up
>Poor thing looks tired
>Until he sees the sights and sounds of the opening
>He tries to move but Dashie's limp body stops him
>"Quick... get her off me! Dashie!"
"DASHIE!"
>"Dashie, get up and watch this with us!"
>Dashie can only barely move, but she does rub her head against Anon's shoulder
>"Anon, you're so nice to come back to us. Jacky thought you were dead."
>I can barely hear her but I heard enough
"That's a lie! Wake up, we're gonna watch the movie!"
>Anon shakes back and forth until she practically falls off of him
>On screen, the three bounty hunters at the beginning are starting their walk of death to capture a certain ugly guy
>Not a good guy
>Or a bad guy
>But an ugly guy
>Squashed between Anon and the wall, Dashie whinnies and flaps one of her wings
>"Don't crush me, I'm alive too!"
>Anon notices the bottle of whiskey and nabs it, taking a short swig
>"Good on ya, girls. I was wanting to see this again."
>It's amazing how many times we could watch the same exact thing and never get bored
>Every time we watch it, it's a truly unique experience
>Now we get to watch it with our friends
>Dashie, her feathers ruffled and hair less than ideal, drags herself to a sitting position, on Anon's right
>I'm to Anon's left
>And Sparky's to my left
>We all watch the scene of Angel Eyes walking into the man's home
>"Why do they live in that awfully old home?"
>"It takes place in the past."
>"Oooh..."
"Back then shirts were really messy too."
>"Ew."
>Sparks gives one of her trademark 'ugh's
>"Are all of you going to be talking all throughout this?"
"Yes."
>"Yup."
>"Well I would like to know more."
>I hear a flustered growl to my left
>"...so why's his hat shaped like that anyway?"
>I knew she wasn't so above it all

>Be Anon
>Be a very... contemplative Anon
>You haven't started the new job yet, but you're already eager to start the new work schedule
>You kinda missed working late evenings
>You've been sitting in your car for the last half hour
>You're right outside the apartment, and you're sure everyone is having fun
>But you've found yourself starting to worry
>It's been fantastic to have Jacky, and to even have Sparks
>Of course, you wanted to grab Dashie too, before she was gone or something happened to her
>But
>It's led to your quiet, lonely apartment to become full of life, energy
>And noise
>You would never want them to quiet down or feel like they have to restrict themselves
>It's their home too
>But you just can't help but feel..
>Lonely?
>Tired?
>You don't know what to call it
>Especially when you realize just how little you've actively done
>You loved taking Jacky out on your date but you haven't even thought of it due to getting Sparks and Dashie up to date and socialized and through whatever their stuff is
>You're happy to be there
>You really are
>But you kinda wish you could just go out with her again and enjoy each other
>Going so low on your savings hasn't helped either
>And you're getting close to needing to stock up on stuff again
>There's so much that has escalated so quickly and you don't know if you've been able to accurately adjust
>You're happy to have your girls
>Your ponies
>Your friends
>But you just want some breathing room too
>Some time to recoup
>But you can't really do that right now
>You head up to your door, cheesecake in hands
>You couldn't really decide on a reason for it
>But you kinda wanted to treat them
>Both for kicks and almost for an apology
>You slip through the front door and immediately hear Jacky and Sparks singing "I Did It My Way"
>You gotta admit that the little stage they set up has done wonders for bonding together
>You sneak through the kitchen and peek your head out

>"For what is a mare, what she has got, if not herself then she has not!"
>Sparks is really giving it her all
>Jacky follows up, stamping her hoof down
>You're pretty sure the apartment below you in condemned now with how much noise everyone causes to them
>"To say all things she truly feels, and not the words of one who kneels! The record shows, I took the blows!"
>She puffs out her chest to finish off the song strong
>Except she sees you
>Her serious expression melts into that of familiar love and glee
>"But Anon did me hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis wayyyy!"
>Dashie, the captive audience, peeks over her shoulder to see you and smiles
>"So he did! Welcome back!"
>Sparks mumbles something to herself, blushing at the radical change in lyrics
>She's the last to notice you've returned and her blush burns all the brighter
"Had fun, I see. Well, I got cheesecake when you're all ready."
>Dashie's the first one to get up
>From the surprise on her face, it seems like that's a direct hit for her
>"Wait, real cheesecake? For what reason?"
>You shrug
"Because... why not? I kinda worry that I don't do enough for you guys so... I guess it's a bit of a special something cool to snack on."
>You don't see the big point of it
>Jacky and Sparks don't seem all that impressed
>"Is cake with cheese supposed to taste good?"
>Dashie smirks at Jacky
>"Of course it is! Remember the rich kitchens we used to borrow from? Cheesecake is fit for an aristocrat!"
>Well it used to be a bit more fancy, sure
>Jacky, excited to try it, immediately gallops to the kitchen
>Sparks looks less impressed
>"Do we have to eat it by nibbles too or are we allowed to eat it like regular ponies?"
>You set everyone up with a slice, though you opt out of one
>With everyone eating at their own pace, Jacky smiles at you
>"Now why do you gotta worry that you don't do enough for us or anything silly like that? You've done a ton!"
>Sparks nods, silently eating
"Well..."

>It feels a bit awkward but you've said or done more awkward things before
"We don't really go out... we haven't really gone out in a while. Here it's Spring and we haven't done much. Time's gone by, we've all been focused on other things, but..."
>Sparks speaks up, a levitating fork dangling back and forth
>She's really been getting better with her magic you've noticed
>She doesn't seem to struggle at all anymore
>"Now don't go giving us that. We've all been busy with..."
>"Me."
>Dashie speaks
>Sparky nods
>"Exactly, with her. And with me... and with Jacky. To be honest, it feels almost like yesterday that I first got here. But I know it's been a long time. And I know we've all done a lot of stuff too."
>Jacky, ever the eloquent speaker, is stuck licking her place
>It'd be hard to imagine her acting froufrou in any capacity
>She brings up her face, content with herself
>"That really is good stuff... and they're right, you know! We haven't been missing out on stuff!"
>She sighs and rolls onto her back
>"It's nice having air conditioning and heating and fans and stuff... I've spent so much of my life outside I'd be fine with never stepping hoof outside again. This is really like we're rich now. Cheese cake, beds, movies and stuff. I mean what have you been depriving us of?"
>Now you feel guilty and stupid
"Well... I guess I'd want to go out. Have everyone goof around. I don't want you guys to feel like you're cooped up. You know? You guys aren't prisoners or anything."
>To your surprise, the pegasus speaks up the loudest
>"Excuse me but if any of us are prisoners, I would love to see what condemnation looks like."
>She smiles at you
>She looks completely satisfied
>But she's only eaten a third of her slice
>"You've done a noble thing by doing right by all of us. Don't act like you need to give us everything we want and even more without us even asking for it."
"I guess. I just want to make sure that everyone's happy."

>"Don't you worry, bucko, we're great!"
>Jacky trots in the air, her back wiggling against the carpet
>"But you're doing ok too, right?"
>Though it seems like an off-hand question more than anything else, you hesitate
>Her legs slow down while waiting for an answer
>"I mean... you are ok, right?"
"Yeah, of course I am. I just... well."
>Your floundering to speak concisely leads to her rolling back onto her side so she can focus on you better
"I guess I'd like to go out... grab some soil for the plants. Maybe go out once as a group. Another date would be nice too. Maybe do some other stuff..."
>At the word 'date', Jacky perks up into a full standing position
>Sparks rolls her eyes so hard you'd think they might pop out of her head
>That'd be a spooky thought
>"Well why didn't you say so?! It's been a super long time since we went out to that international place!"
"Ihop."
>"Yeah! Wait, that was the name of the place?"
>She seems unsure and brings her hoof up to her chin
>Sparks butts in
>"ANYWAY, what other things would you want to do? It's more than fair that we do things you want too. Didn't you mention camping once before or something?"
>You probably did but you...
>Wait
"Was this when you were talking about killing wolves?"
>Sparky grins
>"Free experience points, Anon."
"We're not going to kill wild animals that could tear our throats out!"
>Dashie, in thought, raises her hoof to speak
>"Are you telling me that you take care of all of these plants?"
>They aren't a lot
>You've had to prune one
>You're pretty sure another needs to be transplanted because some of the leaves are starting to droop
>At least your cacti is standing strong after ten years
>Too much water led to a huge growth spurt over the span of only a few months
"Well... they don't take much effort. But it's something to do. Keeps me from being too isolated from nature, you know?"
>None of them seem to follow you
>"When can we do our date?"
>Points for Jacky being so excited

"I don't know. When are you free?"
>A dumb question but you've been so used to asking that for pretty much doing anything with anyone
>Even your friends, when you still had them, seemed to have to juggle their busy schedules of borderline NEETdom to hang out with you
>Jacky seems surprised
>But that surprise turns to confident smugness
>She cocks her head to the side and giggles
>"Well... you know just how popular I am... I got friends all over the place, and we got movies to watch..."
>She sidles up to you as subtly as she can
>Which isn't much since everyone watches her in mutual silence as she takes one big side step after another until she's right up against you
>She overestimated just how many steps it'd take
>Baby smooth, Casanova Jack
>"How about... whenever you feel like it?"
"Tomorrow evening?"
>"Deal!"
>She glomps onto you with full force
>Sparks doesn't look impressed
>"You two dorks really do fit together, don't you."
>Dashie seems to be a bit more proud
>In the way that a parent might be proud of their child getting a task mostly right
>"Well... she's learning, and that is what's important."
>The twintailed chunkhead doesn't seem to mind their vocal judgement of her
>You don't mind, either
>She's a really goofy pony
>You knew this pretty quick
>You wrap your arm around her and nod
"Don't wait up for us. You know how things turn out."
>Dashie laughs with a grin
>"Oh don't worry. You do something bad and I know where you live."

>Today's the day
>Work went by at a snail's pace, but it made you that much more excited
>Though you probably should've done it far sooner, you had a second date with Jacky planned!
>You... didn't know where would be good
>Ihop again?
>She liked it
>You could bring back a lot of stuff for the other two nerds
>But is it good to go to the same place once?
>You don't know how this normal 'dating' shit goes
>You've had anything but normal experiences
>She'll enjoy it
>And it is just an excuse to go out together anyway
>But you want to make it memorable too
>Fuck it
>You'll blunder through it like you've done with everything else
>You open your front door and
>It doesn't open
>Defaq
>The knob twists but the door itself is jammed
>You knock on it a few times
>After a few seconds you hear something shift around
>The door opens
>Sparks and Dashie block the way, stopping you from entering your apartment
>"Oh, hello Anon. What brings you here?"
>Dashie seems as cool as usual
"What bring me h-I live here, equine Einstein."
>Dashie turns her head to look at Sparks
>Sparky seems just as cool, with a judging expression on her face
>Both of them look at you again
"Whatever you're doing, it can wait. I gotta talk to Jacky so we can-"
>"Oh! You're the Anon we've heard about!"
>Dashie gives a mock gasp, covering her mouth with her hoof
>"Well why didn't you say so! She speaks about you all the time!"
>"She says she's got a date with you."
>Sparks finally speaks up
>What's with that crazy southern drawl?
"...ok, what type of shtick is this. Is she alright?"
>Dashie seems to ignore you
>"Now Mister Anon, Jacky is very important to us you know. We would be terribly upset if we found out you weren't the right sort of man for her."
>Sparky glares at you
>"She's aint fixin' to be sad, right?"
>"I mean, it would be terrible if something happened if you didn't make her happy."
>"You look like you burn good, mister."
>Dashie continues before you get a chance to butt in
>"And, knowing her, she would let you hurt her."
>"Yew like fire, mister?"
>Sparky's southern hick is becoming less hillbilly and more sentient banjo
>"If she ends up hurt, Mister Anon..."
>"You look hot already, Anon."
>That causes you to give Sparks a double take
>Dashie looks at Sparks too, as if that wasn't part of the act
>Only when the two of you look at her does her face change from a rural golem to an embarrassed mess
>"I... that came out wrong."
>Without waiting to hear any commentary, she walks off shaking her head
>You can hear her muttering something
>Soon it's only you and Dashie
"...did you watch that Mystery Science Theater sketch again?"
>"...well we wanted to give it a shot. This is the first time we've seen her go out on a date and family cares about who their relatives date, right?"
"I..."
>Well, they're supposed to
"Alright, fair point. That stare Sparky was giving me was kinda creepy, good chops on her."
>"Yes, she is a little on the naturally crazy side, isn't she..."
>"I HEARD THAT."
"Don't worry, you're naturally crazy awesome!"
>"YOU LIE!"
>You had your fun with Sparks for the day
"So... Jacky? Can I finally enter my own place again?"
>"Oh! Oh, certainly. Sorry there."
>After backing up, you enter
>You aren't exactly dirty but if you're going on the official route, you'd like to have a bit of something different than work attire
>At least a better shirt
>Kicking off your boots, you rush to your room to find something better to wear
>You didn't really plan to go now but... well, it's the middle of the week
>No matter where you go, it'll be more empty than not
>You hear some pleasant humming from the bathroom
>That's probably where Jacky is
>You decide on an orange button up shirt
>It has a bit of a checker pattern but you think it'll work fine
>Almost the same color as her hair too
>After your labor-intensive wardrobe change, you head to the living room
>You may as well wait for her to present herself, especially if she's going with the whole thing
>Dashie looks over your change in attire and slowly nods
>Sparks avoids eye contact, focusing on the pseudo-stage sheets that have since become show curtains
>You still don't know how those are stuck to the ceiling
"So... what... is next in part of this shenanigan before we go out?"
>The pegasus glances over her shoulder to Sparks, as if waiting for her to continue the charade
>"Well... we were going to threaten you some more. And then ask you things like your family, your intentions with her, which body part you'd hate to lose the most..."
>Jesus
"Is this really what you'd ask someone who'd want to date Jacky?"
>Dashie smiles at you with a leer
>"No, we'd just do something to chase him off. Or worse. Depends on how much she would miss him if he were to just vanish."
>God damn
"God damn. You're serious too, aren't you."
>Dashie shrugs, rolling her eyes in a coy fashion
>"All that matters is that you pass so far. Isn't that right, Sparking?"
>She finally speaks up
>"Y-you got matches for Sparky?"
>She tries the stare again but it lasts for maybe a second at most
>She frowns and sighs
>"Oh damn it, I lost it... you know, I was practicing that for you."
"Yeah, you were doing good."
>"Can we start again?"
"No."
>"Damn it..."
>She harshly whispers to herself
>Who knew she was so theatrical
>The ever-protective Prism returns her attention keenly on you
>"So... where are you going with her?"
"I have no clue. I was thinking of talking to her and figuring out if we should go to where we were before or... a burger joint or..."
>"Are those fancy places?"
"Well... they're good places."
>You'd sooner go for a place that's good than fancy
>"I see... you know, I still don't see you two as... an item."
"Should I be offended?"
>"Oh no, not at all. You two seem more like a pair. The sort that would..."
>She pauses, glancing you over with a smile
>"Watch movies or spend all day together and not once care about something as official a date."
"Thanks. I think."
>You didn't really want to come across as that sort
>If that's even a bad sort to be
>You aren't sure
>You're just glad you've had your time with her, as much as you've had, no matter how you had it
>"Something you want to say, Anon?"
>From the look on her face, she seems aware of your thoughts
"Yeah, sure. When will she be ready?"
>"Oh, she's been ready for a little over an hour now. We just told her to go into the bathroom and to goof around until we called her."
"And she went along with it?"
>"Are you surprised?"
"...no. And I'm not sure if I should be."
>Dashie inhales and calls out
>"Jacky, we have a suitor!"
>In the span of seconds you can hear a bonk against the bathroom door, then vigorous trotting
>Jacky dashes into the room, bright-eyed and excited
>Her mane, normally done in loose twin tails, is now a pair of braided tails
>Her tail has been braided too
>Rather than wearing the cowboy hat you got her, she has one of your bandannas wrapped around her head
>Lime green
>Kinda looks nice on her
>"Well if it ain't mah Anon, come to pick me up an-"
>Despite her having a variety of accents to call upon, she sounds like she's trying the Southern Bell one too hard
>"Jacky, it's... it's ok. We stopped doing the bit."
>Jacky, about to say her next line, stops
>"Wait... we are?"
>"Yes."
>"Oh..."
>She sighs
>"We weren't even halfway through!"
>Just what the hell were they doing all day?
"So... aside from this... uh..."
>You're not sure where you should step in with this
"Wanna head on out?"
>Jacky squints and tilts her head, as if she's contemplating it
>"Well, since you asked..."
>She rears up on her hind legs
>"Let's go, partner! The town awaits!"
"Right on!"
>"Tubular!"
"Radical!"
>"Twisted!"
"Reaganomics!"
>"Tu-what?"
>You shrug
"I don't know, it sounds funny and the more I look at you the more you look like a hippy."
>She looks over herself
>"Is it the bandanna?"
"Yes."
>"Oh..."
>"Well I thought it looked nice..."
>Dashie speaks up as if to defend the fashion choice
"On that note... come with me if you want to live."
>You lean down and scoop up Jacky in your arms
>"Eeek! I'm being foalnapped!"
"You know you can say 'kidnapped', right?"
>"Sure but wouldn't that sound silly, coming from me?"
"Everything you say sounds silly coming from you."
>"And yet you get it!"
>You waltz out of the apartment as you and her go back and forth, officially and effectively blocking out the rest of the world from your interactions
>You have everything you need in your pockets or in your arms so you know you're ready to have a good time

>With Jacky in your arms, you walk down the hallway to your elevator
>For some reason you get an uneasy pain in your heart
>It reminds you of a rough time
>You never forgot about it
>But you certainly recall it now
>You squeeze Jacky while walking
>"You alright?"
"Yeah, why?"
>"Because you're looking dead ahead and you kinda look like you saw a ghost or something..."
>You blink a few times and look down at her
>She is
>Adorable
>More than adorable
>No matter how bad things were then
>Or how long the bad times lasted
>She's here with you now
>That gives you strength
>That makes you happy
>But not just happy
>A strawberry ice cream and sugar cookie sandwich can make you happy
>She makes you feel
>Content
>Proud
"Yeah... yeah, sorry. I guess every now and again I gotta remember..."
>How lucky you are?
>There's more to it than that
>"How to walk and speak at the same time?"
>You stop and look down at her
"Yes."
>After getting settled into the car, Jacky shifts around until she's sitting on her butt like a human
>"So... where we going?"
"I... well. I don't think I decided. So why don't we decide?"
>Jacky glances around
>Purses her lips
>Blows air out from her mouth
>And shrugs
>"Anywhere's good with me. Where can we go that offers a lot of stuff to go? We can grab stuff to go for everyone!"
>That makes a light go off in your head
"Hey... how about this. Wanna to see a movie and then hit a fast food place so we can all eat together?"
>"Yeah! That sounds awesome! What are we gonna watch?"
"I... I have no clue..."
>You haven't paid attention to recent movies in so long
"We really didn't plan this out all that much."
>Jacky shrugs
>"I don't mind. We get to go out and we'll figure out... hey, I got an idea now!"
"Shoot."
>"Why don't we go to the park, walk around and watch a movie on your phone? The weather looks great and you get to show me off!"
>The beam she gives you is pure gold
"Yeah... that sounds like a plan to me!"
>You have no clue what movie will work but you'll find something
>Though you have a game plan, you don't yet start your car
>You feel like you still have more to say that you can't just ignore
"Jack... Whether or not you hear it enough, I'm very, incredibly grateful for you being around. I've never been more grateful for anyone being in my life. Without you, I don't know where I'd be, or what would be going through my head for the most part. I owe a lot to you. And regardless of what I have or haven't done for you... I know that I should do more. Because I want to, for you."
>You turn from staring at the steering wheel to sort of looking at her as you speak
>As confident as you normally are, you can't help but feel a little
>Embarrassed
>Just a little
>"Oh Anon..."
>She brings her hooves up to one of her twin tails, doing a pony's best impression to play with her hair
>"I... I can't even start. You know how it was before..."
"Yeah..."
>There isn't tension in the air
>But a sense of mutual awkwardness
>Everything has been far more natural and fun without needing to discuss or talk everything over
>When it comes to sitting alone and sticking to words, it feels like it's an entirely new world
>"I'm with you to the end, Anon. No matter where that leads us or what happens."
>She gives you a sly smirk
>"Or who catches us. We're like Sully and Drake!"
"Damn straight... I'm the Sully, right?"
>"Well sh'yeah. I think you'd rather look at me wearing a wetsuit."
"And I'd rather pilot a seaplane."
>"And I scream good."
"Ye..."
>Her smirk evolves into a real grin
"Yeah... I'm gonna start the car now, and you're gonna keep that mouth of yours under control."
>"At least until the park, right?"
>This pony, man
"That goes without saying."
>"Onward!"
>She points a hoof forward
>Only for your car to actually back up
>"Oh, er... backward!"
>She twists to point her leg back
>After pulling out from your spot, you drive off
>"Oh for the love of... onward again!"

>Driving outside is nice now, compared to the winter
>Jacky's visibly in awe at the countless trees and occasional pond or glimpse of a lake
>Given how nice it is, you've even rolled down the windows
>"Man... it sure is different now, ain't it? People are out walking and on bikes, you got birds, you can see the ground too! Is the park we're going to nice?"
"Well... I think so, yeah."
>Jacky keeps watching out the window, waving at a now-confused couple
>"What, you don't remember it?"
"Well, I saw it from Google Maps once or twice before... I wanted to go but I guess I never got around to it. I never saw much of a point to go out and do stuff on my own when I could wait and experience that with someone else. You know?"
>It was a sad excuse but it was true
>As much as you've wanted to do since you moved up here, you simply haven't
>You'd rather play vidya or watch or listen to things rather than go out, burn up gas, spend money, be social
>Having no friends or really anyone was a good way to turn you into what was effectively a working hermit
>Despite the less than positive thoughts, you don't stop yourself from smiling at Jacky waving to everyone she sees
>Most don't seem to notice her but some do
>"Well that means we get to explore it together! Ain't nothing wrong with that!"
>As jovial as she is, she sounds like she's starting to channel her Ma a bit
>Only a few streets away, you stop at a barely occupied parking lot
>The concrete walkway really only connects to a covered pair of vending machines, and a branching path that goes into the trees
"Well, up for adventure? It's sort of a trail that circles around a decently sized lake. Or pond. It's one of the two, I don't really know for sure what the differences are."
>As soon as you get out of your seat, Jacky bounces from hers to yours, and then onto the ground
>Trotting in place, her head bobs from side to side
>Is she muttering something?
"Casting a spell or something?"
>Her head bobs a few more times before realizing you asked her
>"Wha? Oh, no, no it's not that. Ever since Sparks'n'Dashie set up that stage, we've been singing a ton of stuff!"
"Yeah? Did you guys set up the speakers again or something? I wasn't paying attention."
>"You know it, hombre! Sparks is super great with magic, I don't even think she needs those vitamins anymore!"
>That's good news to hear
>You haven't really caught up on her in a while about how she's getting along with that sort of thing but with how often she 'speaks' to you, you aren't surprised
>Rather than head to the path, you make your way to the vending machines
"Hey, wanna drink and snack?"
>"Oh! Date snacks!"
>In an unshakably positive mood, Jacky bounds and hops over to you
>With how often she's looking around, you half expect her to run off and chase something
>At least no one will get the drop on you
"So, what'll you have my happy lassy?"
>She looks at both of the machines
>Rears back onto her hind legs
>And slams her hooves into them
>"This one and that!"
>You feel a cold wave go from your jaw down to your gut when you hear her hoof landing on the glass barrier of the snack machine
>You thought you heard a crack
>She doesn't seem to notice
"...right on, twin tailed mama. But I gotta slip my card in first."
>Jacky, watching your hand holding your wallet, rotates her head like a swivel until she sees the card readers for the machines
>The spiderweb crack from her hoof catcher her eye too because she immediately stumbles back and sputters out an apologetic giggle
>"S-silly me... I... I knew that."
>You sorta feel awkward that as long as she's been around, you really haven't explained a ton of the world to her

>You really haven't treated her as well as you should
>You're not sure if this means that you've been selfish or busy before
>Or that maybe you think more of her to the point that you want her to fit in better
>Whatever the reason, you want to slow things down a bit and help her get used to actually having a life
>Whatever that looks like
>Or maybe you just feel like you should do more
>Whatever the reason, you hold your bottle of water and can of root beer in one hand and a twin pair of milky ways in the other
"Alright... these..."
>Jacky watches your hands like a hawk, only to frown when you dip the bars into your pocket
"Are for when we're halfway. Don't wanna have them too quick, right?"
>"Yeah, I guess..."
>She pouts now but you may be saving her stomach if she devours it now
>Helps that it at least isn't a full carton of chocolate eggs
>"So, can we head off into the unknown and go get chased down by an ax murderer?"
"Jacky..."
>You frown at her implication
"We're surrounded by yankees. They're far more likely to have hunting rifles. Or empty beer cans. Honestly it could go either way."
>You both start to walk to the start of the trail
"But if we find one of those log cabins... then yes, we'll find an ax murderer."
>Though none of the trees old over to give you a canopy, you do quickly find yourself unable to see your car
>Or even hear traffic for that matter
>You can hear a lot of birds at least
>Jacky keeps with your pace, occasionally slowing down or trotting off to the side to inspect whatever is nearby
>You don't think she's gotten much, if any, outside exercise or activity since you got her
>You do feel guilty but you're also willing to argue that there were other circumstances behind neither you or her going out
>Slipping your water bottle into your free pocket, you switch hands with her soda can
"So Jack... how are you doing with everything?"
>Jacky eventually trots back to your side, chest puffed out
>"Well I'm on a date with my man, I think I saw a squirrel humping another one, and I'm pretty sure that we're gonna have an awesome time once we get back because we gotta have the room to ourselves."
>You're not dissatisfied that no one heard that
>But you're glad that no one really heard that
"Well... that is true I suppose. But how are you doing outside of that?"
>"Well, I think you know that I grew up in the city. Did I tell you that? I never really went out into the wilderness or anything like that, partially because there really ain't any nature trails or vending machines or cars to be driven around in. Unless I was working or other things, I kinda just stayed where Dashie and I lived."
>Wasn't she a thief?
"What kind of job did you have?"
>Jacky's confident withers by a degree
>"Well... jobs, multiple. I guess I tried a lot of stuff but it didn't stick with me. Or I didn't stick with it. Really hard stuff for so little pay I'd have to work an entire day just to eat... and if I was already hungry, what good did it do for me to do only just barely enough to keep going?"
>She had a point
"Yeah... I get you on that, no doubt. What about where you lived? Where was that?"
>"Under a bridge."
>She sounded so casual about it
>"Or in an old pipe system, when it was cold... it was clean, of course. Clean-ish, anyway..."
>She trots ahead of you, keeping her eyes ahead as if she's the one to lead you
>"We had a few places and.. we never really thought about it. We never talked about having a permanent home. We never talked about having a real place or a family outside of ourselves and certainly ain't no way we would've ever gotten to have stuff like what we've had recently..."
>You can hear her voice falter just a hair, some of her vowels sound off
>"But... you know? I'm really excited. This is like... like, you know."
>You are focusing on her words but the way she's trotting is a little different
>She has a sort of sway in her hips
>Time and place, Anon
>Time and place
"Yeah... I know, Jack."
>You aren't trying to 'save' her or anything
>Whether or not you did or didn't, she's here with you now and she has her friends
"So. What're your plans? Our biggest journey so far was getting the gang back together. What do you want to do next?"
>After a few moments to get her emotions under control, her pace slows until she's keeping to your side
>"Well, be with you and the gang, of course. I'd like to learn new things and do more but... I really don't have a clue what I can even do. Sparky has magic, Dashie has... well, her brains and wings. I kinda don't have skills like them."
"Sure but you have charisma."
>"Me?"
"Sure do. You got great friends and I can't resist you if my life depended on it."
>Maybe you could resist her in front of a crowd
>But only 'maybe'
"You know, you don't gotta rush stuff. We got... well, hell, we got the rest of our lives to help figure out things. Days, weeks, months, years will go by, but you'll still be right beside me, right?"
>Jacky gives you an awkward giggle, her pace audibly turning unsteady
>"Man, you got a way with words... big ol' romantic..."
"I can't not be with you. We're in it for the long haul, you and I. As much as you might want it, I'm not going to hold back on you."
>You know how silly you sound
>But you sure aren't going to try to stop yourself
>After a while of just walking and occasionally watching each other, you find an old smoothed out rubber and wood bench
>And a helpful sign that basically says 'you're a third of the way there!'
"Alright, wanna have a sit down for a bit?"
>Your answer is Jacky galloping up to the bench, jumping onto it, and immediately sitting down with a loud sigh
>"I think I've gone this far when running from people... but you really got stamina to go this far."
>You sit where there's space and pat her flank
"Well, you read the sign. We're a third of the way there."
>"Yeah... dang nature being so open..."
>Jacky shifts to the other side, sitting with her shoulder on your thigh
"Yeah... "
>You both watch the path
>Though you're tempted to, you keep your petting to her stomach and shoulder
>Without saying anything, she reacts every now and again with a shiver or a pleased sigh
>Listening to the birds is nice too
>Everything is nice
>"Hey, Anon?"
"What's up?"
>"I..."
>She trails off
>She sounds like she's trying to say something but she can't
>Or she's having difficulties
"Want your soda already?"
>"Y-yeah."
>You pop the lid and old it down to her mouth
>"T... thanks. Tilt back?"
>You watch her put her lips to the can and tilt her head back, nudging the can back
>You watch her gulp all of it down in record time
>She's a small mare but she has the big thirst
>She lets out a heavy, content sigh and lays her head across your lap
>"Oh Anon... I never had root beer back home... let me just stay here for a while..."
"Of course. We're in no rush."
>You stop paying attention to the world around you, eyes keenly focused on the pony
>You aren't here to admire the nature, after all
>You're here to spend time with your mare
>It still sounds awkward when you think of her as one rather than just a girl but you feel a little braver when you think of it that way
>It sounds a little more official
>You pet her from her ear, down her neck, to her ribs
"You and me, Jack. You and me..."

>You don't know how much time passed but after a while you stop petting her
>Is she sleeping?
"Psst... hey Jack."
>Nothing
>Guess she may be out then
>You don't mind
>You're happy to see her out and about
>You aren't worrying about the state of her friends or your financial status or much of anything else
>You wonder if this will become a normal thing
>If this'll give you reason to go out more
>Would she even want to go out more?
>As you think in circles, you hear a guy jogging down the path
>He slows when he sees you and the miniature pony napping on your lap
>He doesn't seem all that bothered but the sight does cause him to come to a stop
>Here we go
>"Hey... is that a horse?"
"Yeah."
>"That's kinda weird. Is she wearing a bandanna?"
"Yeah."
>"Why?"
"Listen, I'm from Texas ok?"
>For some reason, that seems to be enough of an answer to satisfy him
>He shrugs and starts back up
>"Well, have a good one."
"Sure."
>After a while, you can't hear him anymore
>It's still just you, Jacky, and the plentiful sounds of birds
>It's nice
>The weather's nice
>The sun's out but it isn't trying to kill you
>You twirl one of Jacky's twin tails around your fingers
>She really is knocked out
>Where would she be if you didn't pop up?
>Where would you be if she didn't pop up?
>Though it's a little awkward, you fish out your phone and check through your usual; messages, mail, weather
>No new spam, no messages, and clear day ahead
>You pass time reading stories and looking at memes
>Jacky occasionally twitches or mumbles something
>If all of her past was so bad, did she ever get such deep sleep before popping up?
>You kinda wanna get up and keep going
>Or do something
>But you really can't just wake her
>May as well make yourself comfortable

>Be Sparking
>Ever since Anon and Jacky left, you've been a little uneasy
>You aren't worried that they're going to get lost
>But what if they do
>What if they get robbed?
>What if they get caught doing things?
>You grimace at the idea of them doing things that would be bad to be caught at
>You've been stuck on a boss in one of those hard fantasy games Anon introduced to
>You know what you're doing wrong but you're just so... distracted
>"You know it's normal for them to go out on a date."
>And then you died again
"Damn it Prism... you made me die again."
>The controller falls to the floor, no longer in your red aura
>"This is good for them. Gives them some time away from us. And gives us some time away from them too."
>Given she's getting onto the bed and sitting down, you aren't going to be alone for a while now
"Oh shut up..."
>You can't help but have an audible edge to your words
>You aren't jealous
>You aren't
>You're just mad
"You always act like you have little nuggets of wisdom to dispense."
>Prism sighs
>"Well I do it to tease you sometimes. But... this does bother you, doesn't it."
>You stare at your human character
>You really don't want to talk about this
"It does."
>But you feel more frustrated by keeping it in
"I just... you know."
>"I know."
"...Are you not jealous?"
>"Of what?"
"Of Jacky."
>"Should I be?"
"Well yes! How could you not be?"
>You aren't looking at Prism
>You can see out of the corner of your eye that she's not looking at you either
>But neither of you are focusing on anything else
"Why do you act like nothing affects you? You aren't some untouchable monolith. You're a pony with wings. And I'm a pony with a horn. And Jacky's..."
>"A pony with a human?"
>You don't want to say anything to that
"What do you want to do?"
>"How do you mean?"
"Here. This place. Away from where we were."
>Prism sighs and shrugs
>"I have no clue. Jacky was always my top priority and now... she doesn't need me. I'm as happy as can be for her."
"But?"
>"But... nothing. She's happy. And I'm happy to be here for as long as she wants me around."
>You scoff
>As high and mighty as she acts, you can't help but feel good at poking at her
"Yeah well..."
>You want to poke a little hard
>But you're unable to
"...she really is happy because you're here."
>"You really think so?"
"Yeah. When it was just me, her, and Anon, she was all excited about finding you. We all were, really."
>You watch the pegasus from the corner of your eye
>Rather than looking cool, calm, collected, she looks surprised
>"Why?"
"What do you mean, 'why'? You know why?"
>"I guess I do."
>Neither of you say anything more
>How birdbrained would she have to be to not realize how important she was?
"Why don't you fly?"
>"Excuse me?"
"Why don't you fly, Prism?"
>"Why did you stop yourself from using magic until Anon started helping you out?"
"Shut up."
>That makes her laugh
>"You're a good friend to have, Sparking."
>Since when were you friends?
"Is there something you wanted to talk about or did you just come in here for kicks?"
>"No... I guess I'm just lonely is all. If we don't have each other, we don't have anything. It's because of our mutual friends that we lasted this long and made it this far."
"Oh..."
>Now you feel a little guilty
"What do we do?"
>"I don't know. Did you ever have any sort of life goals before?"
"You know, not really. You?"
>"None."
"Did Jacky?"
>Prism giggles
>"You know? She kinda did. Not a lot of things. But she kinda kept a positive attitude, like winning a lottery or being chosen for some sort of... thing."
"Thing?"
>"She wasn't exactly articulate about it
>You sputter out a laugh
"Yeah, she isn't exactly the smartest one in the world, is she."
>"No... no she is not."
"Maybe that's why he likes her?"
>"Maybe... but there's far more to it than just that."
"Like what?"
>"Well, have you seen just how well they... sync together?"
"Seen it? I've..."
>You stop yourself from saying that you've been seeing how he sees her through his thoughts
"I've... well, yeah."
>"It's ok to be jealous, Sparking. I'm jealous too."
>You both sigh
"What do you think they're doing right now?"
>"I don't know."
"Don't you want to know?"
>"Not really."
>You watch your avatar standing at a bony bonfire
"What if I got you a way to spend the day going out with Jacky? Can just be like old times with you two."
>"And do what?"
"I don't know. I guess we'll have to ask them what they're able to do when they get back."
>Prism lingers before answering
>"Why do you ask?"
"Well... if you're hanging out with Jacky and goofing around like usual. I get to hang out with Anon. By myself."
>The corner of your mouth twitches into a smile
>Everyone gets what they want that way, right?
>"...I don't think I appreciate what you're implying."
>That kills your smile and then some
"I'm not implying anything! I'm just talking about how you two can just do stuff like before! We're here, we're not going anywhere anytime soon, none of us aren't happy living here rather than in the trash! So what's wrong with just asking if we could get you and Jacky to hang out?"
>You shake your head and growl, getting back to your character
"Just... freaking forget it... you're such a pain sometimes..."
>You try to focus on your game but you watch her curl up on the bed
>"I know... I'm sorry, Sparking. You aren't my enemy. Anon isn't either. You're both my friends."
>Now you feel bad
>You didn't think you'd feel bad about anything with Prism
>But she really is your friend
>She's your family
>Same as those two morons that are surely sucking face somewhere
"...you are too. But... just think about it."
>It's not a crime to hang out with Anon alone
>Just like it isn't a crime for her to hang out with Jacky alone
>There's nothing wrong with it
>Nothing at all

>Be an Anon with a leg that's almost asleep
>You must've been sitting here for an hour or longer by now
>You don't know what Jacky's been up to for the day but she hasn't budged an inch
>You've kept petting her and just reading or watching things on your phone, which suits you fine
>This is your time together, after all
>If she wants to spend it sleeping on you and relaxing, you are perfectly fine with it
>But those pins and needles feeling is just bothering you to no end
>Like a cat kneading your leg for an hour straight
>Deciding that you won't end up finishing the route, you decide to take out your candy bar
>After opening the wrapper you get an idea
>You don't actually want to spend the rest of your evening here
>You lower the caramel and chocolate bar down to Jacky's mouth
"Jaaaack-eeeeee... candy baaaaaaaar..."
>You wave it back and forth in front of her mouth and nose
>Sure enough, her nose twitches
>As does her lips
>She opens her mouth a fraction, just in time for you to pull it away
>You can almost hear something like a whimper
"Gotta wake up if you want candy."
>She fidgets but her eyes don't open
"Alright... I guess I'll have to eat mine. And yours too."
>That does the trick
>She babbles something incoherent and opens her eyes
"Party all day or something? You've been out for a while."
>Jacky lets out a long, warbling yawn before lifting her head up
>"I'm... I'm sorry. This was kinda... like something in a movie, you know? Us hanging out in the wilderness, no one around for miles..."
>She gives you a warm, sleepy smile
>It's not true at all since at least one or two other people saw you since she dozed off
>But the forested areas up here are pretty pristine
"You're not wrong... but because you're up, I'm guessing you want your bar now?"
>"You're darn right!"
>Rather than going to devour your hand, she just waits and watches the bar
"What?"
>"...is that one yours or mine?"
"Hm... good question."
>You take a bite, chomping down a quarter of it
>She watches you with a great sense of anticipation
>While you have the urge to tease her about it, you hold out the bar for her to take a bite
>She watches it for a second and smiles, taking a quarter of it for herself
>You both polish off the rest of the bar, going back and forth until it's empty
>You wash it down with your bottled water
>Same with the candy, she watches your hand
"Could you a drink, too?"
>"Yeah yeah!"
"Sure, but I don't recall you sharing your soda..."
>"I'll share it next time, don't worry!"
>She drinks from your bottle, but thankfully not enough to empty it
>She licks her lips, looking at your face
"What?"
>"Anon."
"Eh?"
>Jacky smiles
>"We're still on a date, right?"
"Well sure. Still tired?"
>"No way."
>Her butt wags back and forth a little
"What's up?"
>"Aim for the heart."
"Wh-"
>Before you can answer her, she pounces you with enough force to knock you off your center
>Without fanfare, one-liner or a joke, she kisses you with a particularly strong sense of desire
>You lose track of time or yourself at that moment, and until the kiss ends
>Evidently you saw fit to grab her shoulders, but you didn't pull her away from you
>She huffs and gives you a sleepy smile
>"We should be alone more."
"Well, let me tell you something here, lady..."
>Your voice is stern, taking her by surprise
>You initiate another kiss, showing her aggression that she isn't able to compete with
>Nor does she fight it
>When you do end it, you pull her away
>She was prepared on the first round but the second left her dazed, for lack of a better word
"Now are we gonna keep walking or go grab dinner and head back home?"
>Jacky tries to think, squinting at the choice
>"I vote... we stay here, say we went on a walk and watched a movie, then get dinner and head home and all eat and watch a movie."
>She lunges for you and starts a third kiss
>She pulls away, her breath short and her eyes starting to glaze over
"In that order?"
>"Whatever, you know what I me-"
>You cut her off with a fearsome fourth round
>She ends it by squirming back, though a lot of her strength was siphoned off
>"I... am I tasting candy?"
>She looks so confused, like a half-asleep student trying to answer a test question
"Must explain the sweetness."
>You start a fifth bout
>Except
>You hear something resembling a gasp
>You both look to the source and see a middle aged woman in dated exercise gear in mid-power walk
>"What are you doing?!"
>You try to think of a valid excuse as to why it'd be fine to be seen making out with a pony but Jacky swoops in with a save
>"WE'RE MAKING OUT LADY, YOU WANNA GIVE US A LITTLE PRIVACY?! BUZZ OFF!"
>Nice save Jackenstein
>She sounds furiously desperate
>The woman, taken aback by the talking pony and her tone, takes a few steps back and starts power walking away with the most mellow of quickness
>"Come on, some people! A mare can't enjoy her guy out on a date? What's the world coming to?! What next, it star-"
>You cut her off with the fifth round, causing her to finally melt
>You could call it pent up frustration
>Or the joy of liberation without being judged by friends nearby
>Whatever it is, it's what makes your date peak from a normal outing to an experience to remember
>In the back of your mind, you're thankful that there was only some random woman around to bear witness
>Hopefully that won't cause any stories to pop up

>You and Jacky eventually cool off
>Relatively speaking
>She's resigned to sit on your lap, right side laying against your front with her head pressed against your collar bone
>You haven't really watched any movies but she watched you fiddle on your phone all the same
>She or you would chuckle at a joke or something and read together
>She occasionally asks about what she's reading, or whatever you're looking at
>Mostly window shopping for computer hardware
>The occasional pony-sized thing with a stray comment on if she'd like it, or if it would fit well on her
>Neither of you speak above a whisper or grumble, just loud enough to be heard
>Whenever you speak, she presses her face into your chest
>You think she enjoys the rumble in your chest
>You haven't been paying attention but you do pick up that the sun is starting to go down
>The sky doesn't even really turn all that orange, like it does down south
"Hey Jack."
>"What's up?"
"Wanna grab dinner and head home?"
>"Mmm..."
>She doesn't particularly answer
>"Can we please do this again soon?"
"Absolutely.
>Another ten minutes pass with neither of you moving
>You've been hanging out and doing things since November
>But only now does it feel like it's all real
>You couldn't do this in the winter
>She doesn't even have any winter wear either
>Maybe you should get her some clothing
>Would that bring more allure to her, since she doesn't wear anything normally?
>She's not wearing anything at the moment, now you think on it
>Jacky perks up and smiles at you
>"Penny for your thoughts, Anon?"
>Your body betrays your stealthy thoughts
"Right... now, if something happens right now..."
>Don't do it, man
>Not here anyway
>Not yet
"...we won't be able to get dinner..."
>"Mmm....?"
>Jacky wiggles on your lap
>Dammit
"...and you may end up melting that other candy bar in my pocket."
>"But I know this isn't a candy bar."
"That is gonna make you melt if you keep it up."
>"That's ok, you can carry me."
>You give a long, slow exhale
"Alright...we're gonna get up now."
>You pat her flank a few times, shifting to stand up
>"Aw... you're no fun..."
>Jacky practically slides off of you, landing on her hooves on the ground
"You know I'm very fun, this is just being sensible."
>"It's teasing me..."
"That too. I won't say it isn't."
>She watches you adjust yourself while you walk back onto the trail
>"You're a weird man, Anon."
>She's grinning
"Yeah? How's that?"
>"Because... we're together. We're a thing."
"How's that weird?"
>She grins again, trotting a few steps in front of you
>Though it's still awkward, she's able to sway her hips back and forth in tune with her steps
>Her tail swishing in and out of the way of viewing doesn't help
>Or it does help
>"Because I'm a pony."
"A very attractive one."
>"And you're a guy."
"A hugh mann, even."
>"And you'd prefer me over anyone of your shape or size."
"Easily."
>She stops suddenly
>You stop with her
>She arches her back and bends down, stretching
>With her hind end raised and obviously presented to you
>You don't say anything to her
>But it is good
>After... what feels like entire minutes, she starts trotting again
>You follow, eyes focused far more on her and far less than anything else
>She's still on the path so that's all that really matters to you
>"What are we gonna do for dinner, anyway?"
"I was thinking... burgers and fries? Enough for all four of it."
>"Burgers?"
"Yeah."
>You never really got them for her, have you
>You haven't really done much for eating out at all, since she came about
>Did you ever even order pizza with her?
>You really shouldn't have deprived her of so much
>But at the time you didn't really know better
>You think
"Hey Jack."
>"Mmm?"
>Say it
>You feel it, say it
>Why aren't you saying it?
>Seconds have passed now and you aren't saying it
"...you know what I'm thinking."
>"I do..."
>You keep walking, unable to really tear your eyes away
>Compared to that first day you had her
>The first morning when she said she was still trying to figure out how she was supposed to sound
>The first night she slept at your side rather than as a pillow
>Even that first night, she was sleeping with you
>Just in a different context
>She's gotten so much happier now
>You love it
>And her
>"Hey, Anon?"
"What's up?"
>"I do too. A whole ton."
>You never did expect it to turn out like this
>But you're glad it did
>Though you haven't kept track of anything but Jacky moving, you do hear her sigh
>"Finally, your car... I gotta say, walking and nature seeing and all kinds of stuff is nice... but dang it, I like laying around like a lump better."
>You finally stop yourself from focusing on her and scoff
"Please. Could you imagine being in the US during the 1800s? You'd be carrying me, our clothing, supplies, ammo, tools, all sorts of stuff."
>Jacky returns your scoff
>"What am I, a horse? I'll make you carry me and we can just travel light."
"Why, can't handle me riding you for days at a time with only small rests and sleeping in between?"
>You use your fob to unlock your door
>"...ok, you make a good point. Maybe I could keep it up for a while. But having a farm or something would be better than wandering around, right?"
>You open the door for her
"Sure but I'll still have to hook you up to some farming equipment so you can work the land."
>She looks down, scrapes her hooves against the asphalt, and bounds up to your seat, bouncing over to the passenger side
>"Plow dirt so you can sow your wild oats?"
>You give your seat a quick wipe before taking your seat as the captain of this road roaming ship
"Of course."
>"Hey Anon."
"What's up?"
>You turn to face her
>She smiles at you
>"You know what I'm thinking..."
"I do."
>"Isn't that freaky?"
"Not really. Just goes to show that we're in sync, you know?"
>"Like a pair of clones?"
"Or cyber commandos."
>"Or a... uh..."
>She frowns
>"... dang it, start the car... you got me all distracted."
>You do, reaching over to set up her seat belt
"My poor little pony..."
>She snorts out a pout
>"You can just shush."
"And not be the Johnny Cage to your Sonya? Not a chance."
>She frowns more
>"It's your fault I couldn't think of something!"
"Nah, it's your fault."
>That level of nonchalant rebuttal trips her up
>"Wh-as if it's my fault?!"
"Don't deny, small fry."
>"Don't make me go all Sparky on you!"
"And do what?"
>"Make you feel all hot!"
>Unusual interpretation
>But you don't mind it
>With your own seatbelt up, you drive to the best burger place you know
>Well it's not the best, since your favorite burger place is down south, but it's the second best by far
>Compared to the time you spent together, you end up at the apartment almost instantly
>Jacky keeps eyeing the bags of noms you grabbed, sniffing above them
>Thankfully the moving vehicle and seatbelt is keeping her from stealing anything
>Four bags
>One for each of you
>"Hey Anon, why haven't we gotten this stuff before?"
"I guess I just never thought about it at the time. I was so focused on you... then I was so focused on you and Sparks. Then Dashie too. I guess I got so roped up in you gals I forgot about a lot of things that I used to do, or used to have."
>Carrying the bags are easy enough, and she is able to help with the doors
>Though the elevator up is still her bane since the buttons are too high up
>"Well I didn't want you to go without or anything..."
"I haven't. I haven't gone without anything of value or consequence since things started. If I went without them, then they weren't as important to me, right?"
>That insightful nugget leads to her reflecting
>You can tell since she just stands there for a second
>"...that's deep."
"You're just hungry."
>"Ok that too."
"Go get the door open, yeah?"
>"You got it!"
>As soon as the elevator doors open, she gallops off down the hallway
>Just like when you left with her, you get another familiar sting in your chest
>You've been living in this place for too long, you have a lot of old memories that still come out at you every now and again
>But it's not like you want to move either
>Not yet, anyway
>Jacky slaps her front hooves against the door, causing a decently sized racket
>"Hey open up we got dinner!"
>The door opens by the time you're halfway down the hallway
>You can already hear Sparks giving some sort of semi-scathing remark about why she has to be so loud
>You can hear Dashie too but that's about it
>By the time you make it to the open doorway you squint and hold up your hands
>Two bags in each hand
"Who's hungry?"
>While Sparks is leering with a grimace at Jacky, when she sees you she bursts into a wide smile
>You think it might be because you have food
>But she isn't really looking at the bags
>"Hey, why didn't you say so? Get in already! I practiced a little at Double Dragon, let's play it after we eat!"
"Hell yeah, red rider. Think you can handle the labs now?"
>"Well I upped my Desperation and powered up my Fire Ball, no way am I gonna get beaten off those platforms so easily!"
"I can dig it. But for now we got our stuff so let's--"
>You pick up on Jacky's voice
>"Hey Anon, Dashie brought up a good idea. Mind if her and I talk about stuff and eat in the living room? We'll join you after confidential debriefing."
>This can only go so well
>Not like you haven't caught them talking about other things as is
"Sure, go for it. Don't make too much of a mess, alright?"
>You lean down to offer two of the bags and the two ponies take one before going off to the living room turned stage
>"Come on, let's chow and talk strategy!"
>Sparky's pretty energetic today
>You would be too over some burgers and fries
>You sit together on your bed
>You fondle through the bag and pull out a burger
>Sparks uses her magic to make one unwrap itself and hang in the air
"I'll still never get used to that. Must be a neat trick though."
>"So how did your date go?"
>That was quick

"It was... it was nice. I got to be outside for a while and I'm really not outside that much."
>"How else did it go?"
>You're a bit surprised she cares
>You're also surprised that she isn't just reading your mind or something either for a quicker answer
"Jacky slept a lot."
>You chuckle between burger bites
"We found a nice bench a chunk into this path we were in and she just kinda... fell asleep on me."
>You nod with a warm smile
"It was nice. I mean, both of you share the bed and blankets and stuff. But there it just was nice."
>You stifle a snort
"And a few people noticed. I keep forgetting how... I guess rare it is to see ponies anywhere."
>Sparks eats, but the way she's watching you is a little odd
>"These are good."
"Glad you like them."
>"Can I come with next time?"
>The thought makes you laugh
"Like what, you tag along?"
>"Well I guess, or just you and me go next time?"
>That doesn't sound like a bad idea
>It's really not fair to take Jacky out but to leave the other two dorks alone and stuck inside
"Well sure, I don't see why not. What about all of us going out, make a field day of it all or something?"
>Sparks stops in mid-bite
>"...well sure. They can pair off, we can pair off, we can meet up wherever."
"I guess so. But how will we keep in contact if we get separated?"
>She huffs hard through her nostrils
>"Well I don't know, they can take care of themselves."
"I'm not taking that risk."
>"Ugh..."
>The unicorn wraps up her burger and drops it
>"Let's go out on a date, Anon."
>The world comes to a sudden stop
>Before you even contemplate it, your reflex speaks for you
"Not happening."
>Time doesn't freeze because you can hear your heart beat in your ear
>You face Sparks, who's doing her very best to keep a neutral expression
"You're one of my very few..."
>You sigh
"Real friends. Because... my old friends don't really seem to exist anymore. Or they don't think that I exist anymore."
>You recall that one conversation you had with her
>You're strong, of only because you have to be
"There's no way I'd want to endanger any of you."
>You really don't want to have this conversation
"And that means... well, that means that I'm not going to go behind anyone's back, or try to be sneaky or some underhanded shit."
>Her neutral expression isn't so neutral
>You smirk at her out of nowhere
"Besides. If I were so easily stolen away, would you really want someone so flimsy?"
>That takes her off guard
>She looks like she wants to say something
>Or scream at her, as she's often eager to do
>Instead, she laughs too
>"You know what? I knew you'd say that."
"You read me like a book, red."
>"Yeah..."
>A red aura-covered burger floats back up
>She goes back to eating
>"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Aside from Jack, you're really the only person, pony, whoever, I can trust with anything. I can rely on you. Maybe more than I can rely on Jacky, due to your magic. We're a team. You and I. She and I. You and her."
>"I know... I get you."
>She doesn't really sound defeated
>She kinda sounds relieved
>"But why her?"
"Because it's because of her that you and Dashie are here. It's because of her that my life has improved so much. I wouldn't have you in my life if it weren't for her. That's a huge thing to give someone, wouldn't you say?"
>She spurts, tiny fragments of burger sputtering from her lips
>"Oh yeah, sure, I'm such a national treasure now."
"Well sure, I'd break into a top security place to steal you. Hopefully you'd do the same for her and I."
>And just like that, the mood had lifted again
"But I'd be fine with us going out to hang out on our own."
>Sparks' ears twitch
>"Wait, really?"
"Yeah. Winter's over and... to be honest, we've kinda had a lot of heavy shit pop up in the meantime when it comes to getting all of you together. Over the last few weeks all of you seem like you're... more than what you were before. I don't know what it is. Maybe everyone just had to get used to life. Get used to it being real, and not just a dream or a short fad or something. You girls are here to stay, I hope. I'm ready to do whatever I need to, to make sure no one goes away."
>Sparks shakes her head, hoovering up the mess she made with her magic
>"Man... you say all of that crap so easily."
"I know. You know I've said worse."
>"Yeah..."
>The both of you eat in silence for a while, to let things soak in
>"These are good."
"Oh yeah. I... didn't know how you guys were with meat and all that."
>"Why?"
"Well... I guess ponies and meat seems weird to me."
>"I've eaten meat before Anon."
"...well that's news to me, ok."
>The talking dies down again
>You can hear Jack and Dashie giggling about something in the living room
>"They're a happy pair."
"Yeah, they are."
>"Can you see why I didn't really fit in as well?"
"Kinda. Seems more like Dashie just... has her preferences."
>"And her dislikes."
"Be honest. Would you really have gone to such lengths to get them together with us, even if you didn't like either of them all that much?"
>Sparks doesn't answer for a while
>"Oh, these fries are salty..."
>At least she likes the fries
>"I probably would try, but not as hard. And after that crap with Nona... if I knew the risks? No. I'd keep you to myself and consider that just a chapter of my life ended."
"That's cold."
>"I don't even know my mom's face. My fondest memories before you involved me stealing stuff that didn't belong to me because it made me happy. I could stop being jealous of someone if I saw them lose things that mattered. Or if I had what they had."
>She says this rather easy, similarly to how easily you said your piece
>"I don't want to hurt Jacky... or even Dashie. Not really. But I see how happy she is... and I want to be her. I want to have what she has. That's really all there is to it."
>She doesn't have an edge to her voice
>She doesn't sound defeated
>She's just being honest
"And lose what you have now?"
>She watches her bag of half-eaten fries and second burger
>"I really do have it good now, don't I."
"I'd say so. You're my best friend. We get to hang out and play stuff that Jacky isn't really interested in. You see a side of me that you enjoy that she doesn't, to whatever extent of her not joining in on it."
>"I guess that's true."
"It is."
>"But I want more."
"Why?"
>"Because no matter what I have, I'll only ever still be just me."
"And I'd sacrifice as much as required for you."
>That makes her smile
>"If I were worth that much, I wou-"
"No matter what you were or weren't worth then, that's what you're worth now."
>That ends the conversation for a while
>She finishes her fries and takes her second burger out of her bag
>"I'll have this later."
>You finish everything
>She leans over and rests her head on your arm
>You don't stop her
>"Anon."
"What's up?"
>"Don't tell them I was weak."
"Who's weak? That horn isn't for show, not just anyone can speak up like you do."
>"Gee, where did I learn such a thing."
"I don't have a clue but you better watch what you learn, or else you'll turn out weird."
>You finish and start to clean your hands via conveniently plentiful napkins
>Sparks watches your hands
>"Can I lick your hand?"
"See what I said about turning out weird?"
>A short, single chuckle comes from her
>"Oh trust me, you think of worse things daily."
"You know what I'm thinking now?"
>"No. What?"
"You wanna get to licking, let's give Bimmy and Jammy a licking they won't forget."

"Grab that soda!"
>"No, I need low health for the damage boost."
"Grab that soda dammit, you're on your last life!"
>"Then just revive me if I die!"
"I can't, I got two of those bitches on me right now, grab the soda already!"
>Though the first two runs were fun, and gotten by with little risk, Double Dragon difficulty was something entirely new
>Most real fights were massacres, and every health pickup was the difference between victory or bitter defeat
>And Sparks comes in with the spinning kick, freeing you up!
>But immediately gets smacked in the back of the head and dies
>"Revive, you're free!"
"God damn it pony, if you're leaving me to solo the level again I'm going to slap your ghost."
>You mash button as fast as you can to bring her back
"Got it!"
>She rolls to the side to avoid another slap to the back of the skull
>You duck
>And reward the foe's whiff with a flying knee
>Sparky's character sets up for a high five
>You hit that shit
>You both shout with a true sense of accomplishment
"Gleam!"
>After every close call, it's celebrated by the two bro protagonists to high five
>Sometimes it's to split life and prepare for the next segment
>Sometimes it's just to show off
>It helps sync you both up too, neither of you are incapable of handling pressure but your stats are more focused on countering while hers is focused on higher damage at lower health
>Needless to say, she plays too close to the fire and gets downed quicker
>Bimmy and Jammy went down, with some difficulty
>The plant boss also went down with a little struggle
>Now there were only two levels left
>The graveyard
>And the final palace
>With the roadblock of progress cleared away, both of you sigh
>It's a little taxing on the nerves to focus so much on the highest difficulty
>You lean back and set down the controller, cracking your fingers
"So, did you max out any other special moves outside of fireball?"
>"Lightning strike is almost maxed out... and training wheels is my second highest style now, in case I need to tank. I can aggro if you want with that."
"Nice. What's your spin kick at?"
>"Maxed, same as yours."
>You close your eyes and nod
>You can hear music in the living room
>Jack and Dash must be tuning it up
>More and more of your spare blankets and pillows are being transferred out there, which is fine
>It looks like a perpetual sleepover out there
>You feel Sparks putting her head against your arm again
>She's really not holding back with this sort of thing
>"What do you wanna play next once we take down Skullmageddon one last time?
"That's a good question... ever play Resident Evil 5?"
>"I never played video games before coming here, Anon."
"...right, silly question. We gotta play that next then."
>"Is it hard?"
"There's a harder mode to it."
>She rubs the side of her face against your arm, either trying to pet you or pet herself with you
>"This is nice."
>You finally open your eyes
"Sparky... should I be concerned about how you're acting?"
>"No."
>You glance down at her and she's looking at the TV
"Should I think there's any ulterior motive to this?"
>"Nope."
"...does this have any connection to how you sleep and leave parts of yourself visible?"
>"Not at all. But you're welcome."
"It's really not a great idea to do that, by the way."
>"Jacky doesn't do it though."
"That doesn't matter."
>"Don't worry about it, you worry too much."
>You pull your arm away and stretch
"You're gonna need a talk with Jacky soon."
>She huffs and distances herself from you
>"Well, I'm ready for the next level when you are."
>This is a bit uncomfortable
"Sparking."
>She doesn't look at you
"This isn't something you need to try to steal or go after."
>No answer
"If this is going to be an issue we can hang out there with them until we've cooled off."
>"Ok, let's go see them."
>Sparks gets up and walks over your lap
>Except her back legs give out
>Making an effort to not look at you, dragging herself from her chest, to her stomach, and hind legs over your lap
>It looks incredibly awkward but it looks like she's doing it on purpose
>After crossing over you, she trots into the living room
>You're really not sure how to proceed with this sort of situation but hopefully this will be for the best
>You get out of the bed and head to the living room as well
>You see Jack and Dashie, both sprawled out, head to head and sharing a pillow
>Going off of the wrappers on the floor and the pleased, almost dazed look in their eyes, they must've entered a food coma
>Even Dashie looks... unflattering
>One of her wings is splayed out
>Sparks, containing some form of spiteful energy, sits herself down with a loud 'oof'
>Jacky only just now noticed that she was there
>Doesn't seem like she notices you quite yet
>"Oh hey... it's Sparky! Hey Sparky!"
>She slides her head to one side, and knocks it into Dashie's head
>The pegasus lets out a low moan, her mouth opening
>"Dashie, Sparky's here!"
>Dashie does not seem too interested in the situation
>"Please don't ask me to greet her too... I can't believe I ate all of that so quickly..."
>When you get closer to the gang, Jacky lets out an enthusiastic gasp
>"Hey, it's Anon too! We're all together!"
>Jacky, laying on her back, tries to trot to you with her front legs but stops after a few 'steps'
>"Anon... why were those burgers so good?"
>Given what's normally eaten around here, it must be a bit of a system shocker
"Hey there, Jack Attack. Did you guys like your stuff?"
>Jacky nods
>Dashie lets out a warbling 'eugh'
>Sparks looks at then, then you
>Her expression is less than friendly
>"Hey Jacky."
>"Eh?"
>Jacky squints and lifts her head just enough to rotate it before letting it fall again
>"Whassap?"
>Sparks looks like she's going to say something less than friendly
>She looks at you out of the corner of her eye
>You return the look
>The two are out of action like it's a full Thanksgiving dinner, now wouldn't be the appropriate time to start anything
>The unicorn sighs
>"You should really eat slower. I have a burger left over."
>"Gimme."
>Jacky reaches out with her legs and pulls them back, trying to grab
>Sparks frowns
>"What? No."
>"Gimme."
>The bandanna-clad dork repeats her gesture
>"No!"
>"I'm gonna take it from you."
>Jacky tries to wobble to lay on her stomach but it doesn't go
>Sparks sputters out something
>"Screw you, you aren't getting my burger!"
"Sparks."
>You finally interject
>She opens her mouth to speak but the look in her eye says that she might've realized something
>"...damn it."
>You finally sit down with them
>Specifically between Sparks and the other two
>"Anooooooon..."
>Jacky burbles out the singular word like it weighted a ton
"What's up?"
>"Rub my belly... it's full."
>You snort and place your hand on her stomach
>Just the contact alone causes her to deflate
>"Tha's nice... hey Dashie. You should get a belly rub."
>Compared to how... classy Dashie's always presented herself, you can see her eyes roll back into her head
>She tries to speak
>"E e e u g h . . ."
>You can see a tiny little bulge in her stomach
>You can feel a food baby in Jack's stomach too
>"Spaaaark-eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..."
>Jacky writhes on the floor, failing to move more than an inch in place
>Sparks, watching this, glares at you
>Rather than playing a game, she's watching this play out
>"Get your belly rubbing on. It makes everything feel so much better..."
>That makes her eyes widen
>"...you're serious?"
>"Yeaaaaaahhhsss..."
>Sparks looks at you
>You just shrug
>You had no idea how so much food would affect them
>It's new type of food, too
>Maybe it was too much for their first time
>Before you can question their stomach capacity further, you see Sparks practically roll over like a dog
>"Oh... yeah. My stomach... totally hurts. Isn't that right Prism?"
>Dashie lets out another gurgle of a noise
>The unicorn looks at you expectantly
>"You heard her, Anon."
>"You heard me, Anooooooooon."
>God damn it
"Alright, sure, whatever."
>You scoot a bit to reposition and you set your hand on Spark's stomach
>You sigh and begin to stroke both of their bellies at the same time
>Gently, almost like trying to row a boat by hand
>Jacky lets out a heavy sigh, one of her eyes closing
>"Don't let me eat so much again... I'm seeing stars."
>The almost trippy easy listening being auto-played on the speakers probably isn't helping her
>Sparks silently shivers from the petting
>"...maybe it's a good thing I didn't eat that other burger."
>She sounds like she could almost be concerned
"Yeah... it's a learning curve."
>Good thing you only got everyone two singles
>You're not sure if this is supposed to make things more or less comfortable but you're sorta stuck here now anyway
>Compared to Jacky, who's properly KO'd, and Dashie, who's completely down for the count and may need smelling salts if she doesn't stop looking totaled, Sparks is just taking advantage of the situation
"Hey Jack."
>"Don't make me talk with my mouth..."
"...ok, fair enough. Keep your food in your stomach."
>Your hand moves to pat her stomach but it twitches to a stop
>Really better now
>You just decide to keep petting her
>You pat Spark's chest a few times
>Not hard
>But not soft
"Feeling better?"
>She looks victorious
>"So much better."
>You can hardly believe her
"Hey Jackolantern... Sparks and I are gonna play some vidya. Are you gonna be alright chilling here?"
>Jacky stretches, kicking out her legs hard
>Thankfully there's nothing in range of her
>Instead of speaking, she nods
>You glare at Sparks, who's milking this for all it's worth
"You ready to kick skeleton?"
>She smiles at you but refuses to answer
>"Ohhhh maaaan... my tum tums... super hurt. Super full."
"Oh come off it, nerd."
>You lift your hand off of her
>It's almost immediately enveloped in red magic
>Kinda tingles, actually
"...hey, leggo my hando."
>She shakes her head
>She isn't able to bring it to her, but you aren't able to pull away either
"Do it or I'll eat your burger."
>You can hear her voice in your head
>"She's asking you to do it."
>Shove off
>"Five more minutes."
>No
>"Five minutes and I'll stop."
>No
>"Five minutes and I promise I'll stop being a pain."
>She isn't being a pain but you aren't really ok with this
>"Just for the duration of the next song."
>The songs do seem to be pretty short, outside of the ads
>You blink hard and shake your head
>Alright
>She lets go of your hand and you resume petting her, as you've been doing with Jacky
>The current tune cuts off to something new
>You glare at Sparks
>She's doing something
>"This is the song that never ends! It just goes on and on my friends!"
"Really."
>Sparks smiles even wider than before, puffing out her chest
"Fucking really."
>The unicorn closes her eyes and exhales
>Thankfully you can lean back and look at the clock on your microwave
>You aren't going to let her cheat with this

>Saturday
>Starting Monday will be your new job
>It all feels normal but you know for sure that the shift in work hours will be a little rough
>You must've walked around your block twice now, with Jack and Dashie
>Sparks got into another game and she insisted that you leave her alone or else she'd melt your face
>You've taken to walking behind the two girls, partially because Dashie asked you for some 'privacy'
>It's not like you can't decipher what's been going on
>To an inaudible beat, the pegasus sways her hips as she walks for a few trots, then turns her head to Jack and says something
>Jacky tries to sway, but it isn't nearly as natural
>It isn't that she's too stiff about it
>More like her swaying is uneven, or too hard in one direction that threatens to trip her up
>You'd comment on that but evidently you're not allowed to speak on the matter
>But you can still judge
>And watch
>You're really not sure what else has been going on in the world outside of watching yellow hips sway
>It's not a bad thing
>If she was doing a bad job, you wouldn't be watching
>No, that'd be a lie
>You'd still watch, you'd just have more pointers
>After the fourth circle around the block, you shake your head hard enough to go dizzy for a step
"So!"
>You clear your throat to gather your thoughts
"How'd you two like to go grab some stuff?"
>The two stop
>Jacky's content with herself
>Dashie's glare tells you that she knows you've been staring at them
>Tough luck sister, you've only really been staring at one
>"To the store you mean? That'd be awesome! What are we gonna grab?"
"Buns."
>A beat passes before you speak more
>Dashie isn't impressed
>Jacky's expecting more of an answer
"I mean... I wanna grab some burger patties and buns. So we can try out our own, rather than do fast food. That'd be cool right? And it's the last time we went out to the store in general and... well, I'd like to see what you want. Gotta mix things up, right?"
>"We can make our own burgers?! Can we ma-"
"We aren't going to make so many burgers we pass out and later drag ourselves along the floor."
>Jacky looks embarrassed
"...Dash..."
>Your eyes go to not the earth pony, but the pegasus
>Her eyes widen for a moment before she politely coughs
"But... yeah. Eight or ten patties would be more than enough for everyone. Especially if we can do something like fix half today and then half tomorrow. Good way to enjoy the weekend, right? Add in some snacks, drinks, you know."
>You've never really been that good a shopper
>Frugality is a virtue but it stifles selection
>"Y'got your keys already?"
"Right here, Jackenstein."
>You pat your left chest pocket
>Your phone is in the right chest pocket
>Wallet left pocket
>You've kept the same things for so long you don't even think about it anymore
>But you check everything everywhere just to make sure
"Yeah, I got them."
>You point at Dashie
"You fine with sitting back seat?"
>"Back seat where?"
>"Anon's car! We aren't gonna walk, we're gonna ride!"
>She gallops, full force, to the parking lot and stops right behind your car
>"It's awesome, hurry up!"
"She's in a good mood."
>Dashie's response starts with a short scoff
>"She's always in a good mood."
"Sure but I can tell this is different."
>"And how is this different?"
>She looks you over while walking
"Well I can see the look in her eye. How much she smiles, or the way her smile's a little lopsided. Tone of her voice, how light or heavy her steps are."
>She doesn't look like she believes you
>"You can tell all of that by just glancing at her."
"Well sure. Can't you?"
>The conversation ends there
>Jacky bounds into her seat well enough, already used to the ritual
>After opening the rear driver door, the Dashie just looks at you
"Hop up?"
>"I'm not hopping."
>"Hop up, Dashie! I know you can do it!"
>"No!"
>She doesn't pout
>But it sure looks similar to one
"Really?"
>You're at a loss
"Want me to... lift you?"
>She doesn't answer
"...well alright then."
>You're not really sure why she's being weird but ok
>You crouch down and grab her both at chest and flank
>The grab leads to a shriek and the white horse leaping from the confines of your arms and onto the seat
>"How dare you?!"
>Her posh lady mode has been activated fully
"..what?"
>"You know well what!"
"What? I lifted you like how I used to lift my dog. He was a cool guy."
>"You think I'm a dog now?!"
>Jacky's confused face says enough
>She isn't making a scene for kicks
>She sounds actually angry
>"Dashie... what's up?"
>"This... beast of a man thinks he can just grab me!"
>What is this accent she's trying to pull
>It isn't some accent you've ever heard before in your life
>And you've listened to the Jojo dubbed episodes
"Alright, how should've I gotten you into the car? You weren't going to do it on your own."
>"You be quiet!"
>She starts to say something to you but you close the door in her face and mute whatever it is she had to say
>Ain't she just a bundle of joy
>You sit in your seat and turn the car on
>You didn't exactly know why she went off the deep end like that but it sure killed the mood
>Jacky watches you, and Dashie, but doesn't say anything
>Dashie doesn't say anything either
>Hopefully this doesn't last
>When you park, Jack hops out without much worry
>Despite your better judgement to leave her there, you open the rear door
"Coming out?"
>She looks at you
>Then at Jacky
>"...help me down."
>Really
"Really."
>"...really?"
>Even Jacky is concerned
"Why can't you just... jump?"
>"I do it all the time!"
>Dashie looks
>Well it's hard to tell how she looks
>She looks a little confused
"Allllright..."
>You sigh and crouch down, holding out your hands
"Hooves here."
>After a moment to contemplate her options, she does so
>You crouch down further and lean over until she's off-balanced
"Anytime you're ready."
>She awkwardly takes a step forward with her hind legs
>Her hind hooves nearly slide down the side of the seat until they're on the lower frame
>She looks almost concerned
>With a bit of a hobbled step, she lets herself onto the asphalt
>She takes her hooves off of your hands and sputters out something that sounds like a thanks
>You glance at Jacky with the corner of your eye
>She purses her lips and returns the glance with a shrug
>Well alright then
>You lead the way to the store, keeping a pace where the ponies are to your left
>Dashie looks like she's regained her poise but this is a very good reminder that you really don't have any clue about who she is
>Going off of Jacky's reactions, you're kinda wondering what she's thinking
>You grab a shopping cart and
>For some reason you get an idea
"Hey Jack."
>"Huh?"
>She looks at you, and the cart
"...wanna ride in it?"
>You can see
>In slow motion
>That her eyes dilate
>"...can we do that?"
"No one's gonna stop us."
>You crouch and swing down, taking her up in your arms
>On the continued swing, you stand back up
>She lets herself be carried by the momentum and kicks off of your arm at the last second
>She lands in the basket of the cart and sticks the landing!
>The cart itself doesn't seem pleased but other than it bouncing once or twice, it seems stable and solid
>"That was awesome! Dashie, you gott-"
>She looks down at Dashie before cutting herself off
>"...er, nevermind..."

>People are getting used to seeing you stroll around with a pony in tow
>They are not, however, used to you having more than one with you
>Captain Jacky points to your next destination, wanting to check out everything that catches her eye
>She didn't really ever show any interest in snacks before, but you ended up getting a half dozen boxes of various snack cakes, a few four-packs of fancy sodas, four bags of chips, a bag of shredded cheese, a pack of flour tortillas, some ice cream and a bunch of bananas
>Dashie was largely silent, but did agree with most of the items
>Of course, you still got the hamburger patties and the buns for them
>With the cart being as full as it is, Jacky went from hopping in the cart to sitting while half-buried in food
>She seems happy with it though
>"Hey Dashie, what do you wanna have for dessert?"
>The pegasus idly glances up to her
>She looks like she's been on edge
>You decided against calling attention to it
>A lot of people have been watching her, just as she's been watching them
>You really haven't put any thought into her getting...
>Is 'socialized' the right word?
>Kinda
>She isn't some feral beast
>But other people
>Humans
>She's outgunned and outmuscled no matter how you look at it
"Hey Dashington."
>She glances at you for a second
>"Yes?"
"You're alright... you know that, right?"
>"I'm not worried about myself."
>She doesn't sound all that confident
>Well she surely isn't worried about you
>"Relax! The worst that could happen is that they ask us to stop taking all of the good stuff!"
>Jacky chirps out, nuzzling a bag of barbecue chips
>"Jacky, I'm serious."
>"I am too! Did you know that these are limited edition?"
>Dashie's wings twitch and flap once
>Those almost never move
>"...are we ready to go yet?"
>She sounds annoyed
>But something else too
"Sure... yeah, we got everything. Right Jack?"
>"Well, we could really go look at pasta and sauces for..."
"Yeah, we're done."
>"Aw..."
>If there's been one good thing, it's that some of the checkout people are used to seeing Jacky
>You really haven't gone out with her as much as you should've
>On the plus side, she's easy to remember
>How many yellow ponies pop up anyway?
>"Well hello there, Jenny!"
>"It's Jacky!"
>"Right! How we doing today, huh?"
>The yankee old timer is a pretty neat guy
>Evidently he grew up around horses
>Never had one that could speak though
>He doesn't at all seem to notice Dashie, who's far below eye level
>"So this is a lot. You guys throwing a party?"
>"No... but it's a good idea! Anon is gonna make burgers for everyone tonight!"
>He laughs and points to the wrapped up patties
>"I see that! Looks like you got enough to feed a dozen of you!"
>They're causing a bit of a scene with how loud they're being
>You suppose it's natural, she's pretty rare a sight
>Hopefully it helps ease the soul sucking burden of working in a grocery store
>"You know, you should really get a reward card! I see you eyeing the candy, some are free after enough points!"
>"No way?!"
>Oh God damn it
>You are not going to let her get talked into signing up for things
"Yeah, that's a solid 'no' bossman. I good to swipe?"
>"Or insert if you got the chip, chief!"
"Right on."
>With everything bagged up, including a spare paper bag for Jacky because she wanted one, you head out
>You double check to make sure that Dashie's with you
>She is
>But she really does not look comfortable
"Y'alright, Dasher?"
>She doesn't answer until you leave the store
>Once in the parking lot, her wings shake and flap
>"...There's a lot of people in there."
"Sure are."
>"How do you know they're safe?"
"What do you mean by that?"
>She huffs and shakes herself hard from nose to tail
>Well, whatever
"So Jack, you really think all of you guys can eat all of this before it goes bad?"
>"I bet your beard on it, bucko!"
"Don't bet that of all things."
>Jacky helps you load up the car
>Kinda
>You pass her bags and she sets them down in the trunk
>Though you have to reiterate that it wouldn't be safe for her to sit back there while driving
>She bounds out, hooves clopping on the asphalt
>"Alright, let's go home!"
>You open the driver side doors and push the cart into the back of a line of carts
>You see that Jack is fine
>But Dashie is still just... standing there
>Staring at the car like it's something out of her reach
>You stand behind her
>And watch
>After a moment too long, you clear your throat
"Something's up with you and this. The sooner you mention it, the sooner we can go home."
>She starts to say something
>But stops herself
>"...I can't just jump up into there."
"Why not? Jack's just fine. Sparky's a little... less... agile. But she's able to do it fine enough."
>"Yes well they're..."
>Again, she stops herself
>"Kneel down."
"What, really?"
>"Please."
"Alright, lady. Just don't make a scene again."
>You take a knee and hold out your palms, creating a three-step Anon ladder that goes from the ground to the seat
>Step by step, Dashie climbs the manmade stairs until she takes a seat
"You're welcome."
>You shut the door and sit yourself in the captain's chair
>Is Jacky the only normal pony out of the three?
>"Hey Anon."
"Ah?"
>"I think I ate some the plastic wrapped around one of those snack cakes..."
"How the hell did you sneak one of those?"
>Nevermind, none of them are normal
>The trip back home was blissfully short
>You decided to park in the garage, so it'd be easier to move everything up
>Jack hops out as soon as you get out of your seat
>She had been clearing her throat for minutes now, and finally managed to cough up the plastic
"Nice."
>"Don't you hate when that happens?"
"Jacky, I have never once done that!"
>"There's a first time for everything, Anon! I ain't some plastic manipulating mastermind!"
"You continue to impress and terrify me. Run upstairs, grab Sparks so she can help us get all of this in one trip."
>You wait until she kicks open the stairwell door and trots away
>You really need to teach her restraint
>With her out of earshot, you open the back door and purse your lips at Dashie
"Alright, we're gonna talk."
>"About what?"
>She's sitting in place
>She doesn't look like she knows what you're referring to
"Don't give me that. Why did you spaz out about me picking you up? What's your deal?"
>She looks uncomfortable
>She certainly isn't in any favorable position
>"Don't insult me."
"What?"
>"Don't talk to me like I don't know Jacky. I know her better than you ever could."
"Yeah? Did you know she'd scarf down a snack that's 90% sugar, plastic included?"
>She tries to answer
>But she can only really tilt her head
>"...she... is a mite carefree at times, isn't she."
"Sometimes. Why are you so bent if I know her in a way you don't?"
>"Because I'm her best friend. We've been friends our entire lives. And..."
>She finally looks at you directly
>"And then I see that she has... you! And she's more friendly with Sparking, to top it off!"
"Is that supposed to be a bad thing?"
>"YES!"
>Her face shifts to an angry snarl
>But only for the duration of her word
>She averts her gaze from you and sighs
>A mournful sigh
>"We were alone in the world except for each other. It was her and I against everyone else. And she just... moved on without me. She found someone without even asking for my opinion."
"That someone is right here in front of you."
>She doesn't answer you
>"We're supposed to be a team... and she just up and forgot."
"That doesn't explain your inability to enter or leave a car."
>"And worst of all, all she talks about is you. Or Sparking. We don't even talk about what we used to."
"And what sort of life did she lead before?"
>"One where we were sisters!"
"And she isn't your sister now, because she has other friends aside from you now? Grow up."
>You understand her
>You can almost see part of yourself in her
>But, because of that, you feel the need to react stronger than you normally would
"No one's perfect friends here. You haven't really tried being anyone's friend since you got here. Maybe you did when you first popped up but you don't really want to include yourself too much."
>"Because what you do isn't what we used to do."
"And what did you do? Steal shit, get caught, and revolve your days around finding more things just to subsist while you put on airs? Jack's happy and... borderline childish levels of happy because I don't remember ever once being so happy and carefree. I don't know why, maybe she wants to be happy, maybe she has everything s he wants. If you got beef with me or you don't like that I know her differently than how you know her, that's your problem. Talk it out with her."
>Neither you nor her say anything
"You haven't lost a friend. You never lost your friend. She's just gone through some stuff since you were gone. Maybe she's changed but she's still Jack."
>She doesn't reply
>She shakes her head and tries to get out of the car on her own
>She ends up landing wrong
>Her front right leg bends too much and the side of her face hits the concrete floor with a thud
>She really looks sorta frail
>Sparks is scrawny
>But looking at Dashie now
>Her fur must hide her physique
"I would've helped with that."
>"You've helped enough, Anon."
"No such thing, birdbrain. Next time you got an issue with me, let me know. No more of this... prissy temper tantrum shit."
>"Ugh... you sound like Sparking."
>She's a bit on the difficult side
>But you understand her
>How are you supposed to know if your friends have grown away from you?
>How could anyone deal with that when they've never had anything else?

>Sunday
>Finally
>More so, it's the start of your new job tomorrow
>This week felt like this has been going on forever
>Yesterday was nice at least
>The last of the burgers were eaten
>Soda was had
>As with snacks
>Thankfully you hid them out of reach and out of view
>Jacky is laying on your right side, her head on your chest
>Sparks is laying on your left side, her head on your shoulder
>Dashie is laying across your legs, her neck draped over your left knee
>"So Anon. What's it like working so much?"
>Jacky finally broke the silence
>She was first to lay with you, then the other two came in
>Sparks seems to just prefer your left side
>She's mellowed out, after you asked her about Dashie's temper tantrum
>Dashie didn't exactly apologize or anything but things calmed down with her
>There's some YouTube video playing in the living room but you can't hear enough of it to know what it is
"It's... fun, actually."
>"Really?"
"Yeah. If it's work you like, it can be neat. Coworkers can make it fun too."
>"Are they your friends?"
"Well not really. I suppose they're not bad guys. But I guess I wouldn't call them friends."
>Sparks scoffs
>"How boring."
"Well it can be boring too. But you learn stuff."
>"Is it anything worth knowing?"
"Sometimes. But it can also include learning stuff like... how to talk to people better. How to be a bit more productive and how to multi-task."
>Jacky lets out a loud 'hmmm'
>"Should we get jobs?"
>It would be nice if they could add a few bucks here and there
"Nah, you guys are fine. Besides, I don't want anything bad happening to you. To any of you."
>"Is it that dangerous for a pony to get a job?"
"Well... maybe not. But if something happened, you wouldn't be able to use a cell phone or anything. And while you are strong, you wouldn't be able to fight off someone who really wanted to hurt you."
>"Oh... well that's true... and it's not like we can just shoot them."
"Not really. This isn't the wild west anymore."
>"Boo."
>Sparks speaks up
>"So what if we go to work with you? We can help out then, right?"
"Well... I'm not sure. I don't think they'd pay you."
>"Why not?"
"Because they'd see it as volunteering. Or as me bringing a pet to work."
>Sparks scoffs and shakes her head
>"I'm more than just a pony. I bet magic would change their tune."
"It might but let's not test our luck."
>She nuzzles your shoulder hard, her pride struck
>Not by you, but just by living among humans
>"But you do not view us as pets, do you."
>Dashie finally speaks up
>She speaks like she already knows the answer
"Right."
>"How is it that we earn our keep then?"
>You've thought about this question for a while
>You are feeding four mouths
"I don't know. When I got Jackeroo, I never once thought about her having to ever do anything like worry about bills or money. I don't want any of you to, really."
>"But what if we want to help?"
>Jacky turns her head to face you
>She looks like the pony you've known for the greater half of a year now
>So much of her expressions are easily readable to you when before it just was difficult to gauge her
>Of course, you've done a lot of things with her too, to bond
>And other things
"I don't know... I really didn't think that far ahead."
>"Should you really have gotten us if you weren't prepared?"
>Dashie doesn't sound irritated but she sounds a bit confused
"Jacky missed you and Sparks... so that's all I cared about."
>Sparks starts to speak up
>"Prism... let's be honest with ourselves. If we weren't so close to Jacky, we'd still be... wherever we were."
>You can feel her body twitch
>She's probably thinking about that place
>About that woman
>"I suppose you're right."
>"Well I'm glad you guys are here with me. Nobody but Anon would've done that!"
>Jacky watches you as she speaks
>It's kinda just hits you how unusual it is to watch her speak English
"I'm just glad I have you for friends."
>The room falls silent again
"Hey Jack."
>"Mm?"
>She slides the side of her face against your chest
>Her twin tails are starting to become the norm
"What were you guys like before being here?"
>Jacky frowns
>Sparks scoffs
>Dashie sighs
>"It wasn't happy, Anon... we were angry at each other a lot. We didn't get along. We rarely slept or stayed together. We didn't share often."
>"We did, Jacky."
>Dashie's wing flaps open once, and close
>"Well, right. Dashn' I shared. But we had been together since... as long as I can remember."
>So much has changed
"You know. I think I was kinda the same."
>Sparks scoffs and smirks at you
>"You really think so?"
"Well not really. But my childhood really sucked. I didn't feel safe in my own house, and it's not like I could just leave whenever I wanted."
>"Oh."
>"Did you have anyone to help?"
>While Sparks flops to her other side to stop any eye contact, Jacky focuses keenly on you
"Not really. There was no one there to ask for help. And after a while... you just learn that you can't ask."
>"I understand that... we used to beg a lot, before we went to other alternatives."
"Alternatives being stealing."
>"Yeah."
>Dashie speaks up
>"It's not like we enjoyed it, Anon."
>Jacky's face spreads to a cheeky grin upon hearing that
>"Well... some things were fun... remember the candy store?"
>Dashie chuckles
>Far more refined than how Sparks chuckles
>"I do. We were bouncing off the walls for a month."
>"One time, Dashn' me stole from a candy store. Think that chocolate egg stuff you got us, but a thousand times bigger!"
"God damn."
>"Right? We couldn't sell it, obviously, so we just had to eat it all before it would've gone bad."
>Dashie finally stirs, dragging herself from your legs to your right side
>She sits up, watching the back of Jacky's head and your face
>"Brownies, muffins, weird breads... hard candy, soft candy, taffy, cake slices, pie slices, and a few bottles of syrup."
"Doesn't syrup last forever?"
>Dashie looks at you with a queer eye
>"...does it?"
"Well... yeah. It's stuff from a tree, right?"
>"I... I suppose it is, yes."
"Yeah. You could've spread that out pretty long."
>Dashie's eyes fall
>"Oh... guess that explains a few things."
>They were clueless
>You flex your left arm
"Hey Sparks."
>"Mm?"
"Wanna join in with the story time?"
>"No... not really. I was so weak then. I don't like thinking about it."
"It's alright. We're all weak, at some point. It's through that, that we learn to get stronger."
>Jacky nods, eyes ever-present
>"I agree."
>"You are so whipped."
>Sparks giggles
>Jacky sighs and nods
>"I agree."
"Hey Jack."
>"Yeah?"
"Would you want to learn how to do things at home? Depending on how you all work, maybe we can figure something out. More money all around means you guys can grab stuff you want, right?"
>"And what could we buy?"
>Dashie looks at you with a furrowed brow
>"Who would accept our money?"
"Well you could order stuff online."
>"You can do that?"
"Sure. Gotta love computers, right?"
>"We didn't have computers back home."
>Jacky speaks like it's nothing surprising
>It kinda isn't
"So... are you guys from Equestria? Like the ponies from the show?"
>Sparks turns her head to the right, to look at Dashie
>Dashie doesn't have an answer
>Jacky doesn't have an answer
>"I... I don't know. I never heard of that name before."
"Fair enough. Where did you guys live?"
>I don't remember that either. Do you guys remember?"
>No answer come from Dashie or Sparks
"I see... did you ever even go to school or something, if they have that?"
>"No. I don't think it would've done a lot anyway."
"Yeah... point."
>Where could they have come from?
"Were other people ponies or like me?"
>"Definitely ponies. A lot of stuff was in reach..."
"Makes sense I suppose."
>You close your eyes
>You're not really tired
>Even if you were, you don't have to wake up at your super early time anymore
"Listen... if worse comes to worse, all of you will be taken care of."
>"Like what?"
"Just in case anything happens."
>You yawn again
>You're not tired
>But still
>You feel Sparks nuzzle your arm
>Jacky starts to pet your right arm with her hooves
>Dashie sits there, looking down at you
>"I'm going to listen to some more music in the living room. Anyone coming with me?"
>Sparks shakes her head
>Jacky doesn't even reply
>You open one of your eyes to see a negative reaction on her face
"We'll join you in a minute. I guess right now is... well, it used to be bedtime."
>She doesn't seem to like your answer and struts off
"She needs to take the stick out of her butt..."
>Sparks gives a single 'ha'
>"She needs an arm to lay on..."
>"I think she just needs time.
"Yeah... I want things to be better for all of us. Including her.
>Your eye closes again
>You feel yourself drifting off
>You can feel Jacky slide on top of you until her head is right at your jaw
>"Don't worry. We'll keep guard over you while you sleep."
"What, afraid that a ghost will get me?"
>"Well..."
>Sparks speaks up once Jacky trails off
>"It's a job. Pay us in the morning so we can help out with bills."
>That's funny
"Alright... keep an eye on me then."
>"You got it chief."
>Sparks yawns
>Jacky yawns too
>Somehow, you yawn as well
"Aw hell, a yawn spiral..."
>When Sparks starts to yawn one more, your hand slides up to her mouth to cover it
>All seems safe
>Until you yawn again
"Crap..."
>"Get some sleep Anon. You have work tomorrow. And it's a new place too! Let us watch out and kick any nightmares' butts."
"Thanks. I knew I could cound on the Jack Attach squad."
>You wish Dashie wasn't by herself
>But you can't control her
>Maybe tomorrow you can think of something to help her

>The new job was
>Interesting
>The later start time wasn't too bad, but it wasn't as late as they first claimed it would be
>Between that and being taught the bare basics, the week passed in the blink of an eye
>The atmosphere of the apartment is...
>Uncomfortable
>Sparks has been sociable enough, and has stopped laying at you flank-to-face
>Mostly
>Neither you nor her have brought any attention to it on purpose
>She hasn't been probing your mind either, you don't think
>Jacky has been as happy as usual, but something tells you that she's being extra cheerful as a way to cheer up everyone
>Not that you're particularly in a low mood, yourself
>You're excited for the new work, but the standard newbie mistakes do wear on you
>Dashie has been...
>Not well
>She's been keeping herself distant
>As distant as one can be in a small apartment
>You can hear a song that's been on repeat for at least an hour now
>Jacko and Sparks have been laying together so your arms are yours to use
>You use those man-sized arms to sneak out of bed and into the hallway
>Peeking your head out, you see Dashie on a miniature throne made up of all of the blankets and pillows
>If it weren't for the kitchen light and the laptop, you wouldn't be able to see anything
>You creep up to her side, theatrically sneaking
>She's looking straight ahead but you're sure you're in her peripheral vision
>You switch to an Ace Ventura style of sneaking, swaying your arms back and forth
>Not even a smile
>Well damn
>You resign yourself to the fact that you can't make her smile and sit beside her
>She's watching a visualizer that's on the laptop screen, set in front of the 'stage' curtains
"What's up, Prismatic?"
>She doesn't really react to you
>"I'm losing my friend."
"Jacky?"
>She nods
>It's a physical reaction so you're getting somewhere
"How are you losing her? She's in bed snoozing."
>"She isn't like how I remember... she's changed."
>She sounds defeated
>"You've changed her."
"She's done a lot of changing on her own."
>"I've seen."
>You think it's kinda humorous that she's sitting in her throne like a human
>Really good pillow placement to be able to just plop back like that
>"I miss how things were."
"How things were?"
>"When it was just her and me. And then Sparking would sometimes show up."
"Didn't you guys live... well, survive wherever?"
>"That's right."
"What do you envy about those times compared to what you have now?"
>"We were closer back then. I would give up everything now if I could go back in time with her. And just do things that we used to do, for all the good and bad that followed. I would be willing to make that sacrifice."
>You know that feel
>You know it all too well
"Yeah... you know, I wish the same things too."
>She finally glances in your general direction
>"Jacky told me you have friends that aren't around anymore."
"Had. Knew them for more than half of my life. Knew one for more or less all my life."
>She nods
>"Then you know."
"Yeah. Some days, I think of what I've done. Of how I've changed. Some days, I wish I could undo all of it and do whatever it took to keep them around."
>"So why didn't you? They were your friends, were they not?"
"Of course they were. And... I think that's what the issue was. My interests. My hopes. What I wanted my future to look like. It was always the same exact same thing."
>You lean forward and crawl a step to grab the mouse and change it to some random lofi playlist that was up next anyway
"Talk about earworm..."
>You lean back and retake your place beside her
"The ways I changed, I always thought would be so I could continue to be the big brother sort. You know what I mean. Let everything bad happen to yourself, so they're protected. So they can learn from your mistakes. Be the first guy in and the last guy out. Be the one who has those scars so when you give really stupid sounding advice there's proof that there is method to the madness."
>Your eyes get misty
"Not a day goes by that they aren't in my thoughts. Even if it's just a little. I'm sentimental like that, you know."
>"Jacky did say that you keep a certain picture of all of you close."
"That's right."
>You clear your throat
"So, anyway, I changed. I know I did. I became more proud to be the big brother. I saw myself as the type of rival that they might need sometimes, to push themselves further at whatever pace they were comfortable with. I wanted all of us to succeed."
>You give your nose a quick wipe
>Just in case
"So... during all of this, they changed too. The same things that we all liked for years and years... they no longer liked. They grew to kinda hate a lot of what we liked. Really stupid stuff, but it was fun. Still is fun, I think."
>You find that it's getting a bit more difficult to focus but you soldier on
>You've been good at doing that
"So... the things they no longer like. I suppose they stop liking me as well. Because I still like those things. Or, in some instances, they dislike that I don't dislike what they do. And all of the goofy arguing and bitching and fighting we used to do. That's no longer on the table."
>"Jacky told me that they just never contacted you. She never said anything about this."
"Yeah... I know."
>She sniffles
>She doesn't look like it, but she is crying
>"I can't let that be me. I can't lose her."
"And you aren't, you won't. Trust me, no one here wanted you around more than her. I didn't even really know about you. Sparks... well, she has her things that she's working through. You are too. We all are with this shit."
>That causes more of a sniffle, and a barely-hidden cough
"Jacky's changed since she's first been here... yeah. But she hasn't stopped being your sister either. She hasn't ever once stopped being your friend. She hasn't once ever stopped being Sparky's friend either. That's why we're all together, it's because of her. No matter how she's changed, what she's into, what memes she'll randomly spout, she's still your friend. She's still the dork she's always been."
>She lets out sharp 'ha'
>"She really has gotten sillier..."
"You can't blame me all for that, that's all I'm saying."
>"Yes I can."
>She flashes a faint smile
"Alright, maybe you can a little."
>You both watch the video
>It's full of trippy rainbow visuals over a SNES game
"I told you what I did..."
>"You understand being the oldest."
"Right. I do. I never meant to insult you or anything like that. And I'm definitely not bogarting into your territory. She'll always need her sister, there's no way that's going to change."
>"What happens when she doesn't need an older sister anymore?"
"If that ever changes, somehow. Guess what, you'll still be her friend. Her buddy. Whatever it is, or whatever you wanna call it."
>Her crying hasn't stopped
>But she is smiling more
>"What do I do then? Wait for it to happen? Occupy myself with meaningless hobbies that only serve to kill time?"
"Sure. What else do you call living past the point you thought you'd be dead by?"
>She looks at you again
>"Appropriate words, Anon..."
>She blinks hard and shakes her head
>"Those colors are hypnotic..."
"Yeah, they kinda make the minutes go by quick."
>Both of you sit there, watching the seizure-inducing blend of 16-bit gameplay and swirling rainbows
>"I don't know if I can just... occupy myself and wait."
"That's fine. You don't have to. You can hang out with us and roll your eyes at our antics if you don't want to immediately join in."
>You shrug and nod to yourself
>It sounds like a good idea to you anyway
"We're all adults. Whatever that is supposed to amount to. That means that our lives and the way we live it is in our hands."
>You glance at her
"Hooves. Whatever you grab shit with."
>You couldn't handle losing your thumbs
"You guys, as far as I'm concerned. You guys can do whatever you like. Whatever's fun. You aren't... pets or something. I mean, obviously there are some things lost in translation between pony and human. Like the car thing."
>She shakes her head
>"No, I understand. I apologize for that."
"Right. You guys aren't prisoners here either... it's nothing at all like that. I just want everyone to be able to enjoy themselves. With this week..."
>You exhale hard through your mouth in a huff
"If I don't myself canned by fucking up... we'll be able to sit pretty well. And go out or whatever sounds good. We won't be reliant on scraps or stealing shit or anything like that, so don't worry about it..."
>You hold out your hands and shrug
"But... I also know that you probably will worry anyway. And that's ok. I appreciate it. But there's nothing wrong with focusing on yourself too."
>She doesn't answer
>After a few more minutes of watching the trippy video, you pat her pillow throne
"Right... well, I'm tired so I'm gonna head to bed. I still do wanna grab another mattress so there's more variety between... well, my bed, out here and whatever. It's lack of foresight, not intentional."
>Prism chuckles
>"Oh, I don't think anyone's complaining. Your bed is nice."
>She hangs her head, leaning to the side, away from you
>"I just don't like seeing her like that. I'm not ready, I don't think."
"I get it. Just let us know if anything's up, ok? You're not alone in this. You never were, and you never will be. You got your friends."
>With that, you stumble to your feet and sneak back, ever so masterfully, back to your room
>It's kinda cute to see Jack and Sparks sleeping next to each other
>The mess of manes thankfully doesn't dominate the mattress itself so you can lay back down
>At least the video is playing good music, from what you can hear
>You check the clock and see...
>It's Sunday
>When you wake up, you should really do something big for breakfast
>Or something
>After talking to her, you could use a little cheering up too
>You never want to see them go through what you did

Part Five.

>"Jacky! Jacky, are you ok?"
>Dashy comes up to me. Her right wing is bent a little funny. I snort hard, a wad of blood spraying out onto the cobblestone.
"I'm... yeah. I'm ok."
>Everything hurts. Taking some freely given food led to a few ponies getting mouthy. Sparks started it but she did have a point. So what if they always got the freshest food first before?
>That reminds me.
"Sparks?! Where's Sparks?"
>It's hard to see through the thin layer of red, and harder still to focus. I see Sparking limping away, giving me one last glance.
"There she is, come on! Let's-"
>Dashie stops me, extending her good wing.
>"Don't worry about her, she can take care of yourself. You got kicked in the head... let's go home and rest. I'll see if I can get you some medicine."
>I try to trot past her but Sparks is already out of view
"No, you don't get it, she's my friend!"
>Dashie doesn't let me past.
>"No, you don't get it. You're hurt and she's always been fine on her own. We can meet up later... things aren't going to be easy for a while. The best thing is to split up and just lay low for a while."
>Feeling angry, while unfamiliar, fills me with energy. I glare at the two ponies that had issues with having to share for once, or be second to get food.
>They're still breathing but one has a busted jaw. I kicked him hard enough to be sure. The other one got stabbed by Spark's horn and quit when she threatened to blow him up from the inside.
>I know she would never do that. But she sounded like she meant it this time.
>That's why I need to find her.
>But Dashie keeps guiding me away from the scene, into a sewer opening
>"I'll come back for the food, as soon as you lay down. We take too long and all of it will be confiscated anyway."
>I don't like her logic but it makes sense. Even if I keep thinking that Sparks looked really bad.
"We gotta get Sparks... we gotta."
>I repeat to myself again and again, mumbling the same thing as if it will change her mind.
>Before I know it, I'm on my bed. Not a real bed but a lot of fabrics and discarded quilts that have a tendency to collect bloodstains and smears.
"We gotta get Sparks... Sparks and..."
>My legs go weak and I collapse. I can hear Dashie saying something but I can't really hear her.
>Sparks isn't the only one I'm worried about. It was Sparks and...
>My eyes close too soon, fatigue winning again.

>I wake up with a jolt
"Sparks?! Anon!"
>Sparks turns her head back to you from your game
>"Anon went to work a few hours ago. He's working later in the day now, remember?"
>Why does everything feel so sluggish?
>In mid-panic, I scramble over to the unicorn and wrap my front legs around her stomach
"You're safe... oh man..."
>"Uh... should I be concerned about this?"
>I spend a while to calm down
>Evidently long enough for her to pause her game
>"What happened? Did you have a nightmare or something?"
"Sparks, I didn't mean to leave you behind that time. Dashie stopped me and... and I couldn't think straight. I couldn't walk straight!"
>I sound far more frantic than I realize
>Sparks wriggles out from my grip, looking at me funny
>"What are you even talking about?"
"The fight! The food!"
>Sparks squints at me
>And frowns
>She looks like she's thinking hard on something
>"...don't worry about it, you just had a weird dream."
"It was weird but it wasn't just a dream! It felt real! See? Look, I was snorting blood like-"
>I snort against her, almost exactly as I did in the dream
>"Wha-ew?! Don't do that on me, you freak!"
"No, listen! Listen!"
>I reach out and squeeze her tight
>Tight like if I wasn't holding onto her, she would vanish
"I know that stuff happened. I swear it did. You and me and Dashie were fighting ponies for food and we won. But Dashie took me away while you just limped off. I thought you were going to die."
>The discomfort and annoyance on her face says it all
>"...What do you want me to do, make you beg for forgiveness? Act like it was ok? Offer me some bread like it makes up for it?"
"No, Sparking, I swear... I didn't..."
>She looks at me
>Not with pity or annoyance
>I don't think she is displaying an emotion at all
>"What happened then... it really doesn't matter. Where we are now matters. And that sort of thing isn't ever going to happen again. You won't and can't make anything up to me. And I don't want you to either."
>"Besides... Anon would hate it if you did something stupid for a stupid reason. Now let go!"
>She wriggles out of my hooves again, distancing herself
>"Go get something to eat or whatever. You look like you had a rough time."
>I want to argue in favor of doing something for her but I listen and hop out of bed
>My body feels so strong and light, compared to then
>Sure, all I do is lay around and be a mare-do-well
>But it's so much better than anything I did before
>Ma would be proud
>I miss her
>Maybe I'll watch her later
>I see Dashie in the living room, watching a pair of red birds flutter around on the patio
>I have the urge to sneak up on her
>But I have to know something
"Hey Dashie..."
>The pegasus looks over her shoulder and smiles at me
>"Good afternoon, Jacky. I thought you'd be asleep all day."
>Instead of being nice or sensible, I let my words blurt out
"I had a dream about a fight we had... and you left Sparks to limp away. She looked like she was gonna die."
>Dashie flinches at your words
>"I... don't know what you're referring to."
>I press harder
>I can't be the only one who'd remember something that important
"You better not be lying to me... there was Sparks and... and another pony. I know it. I felt it all. It wasn't just a dream."
>Dashie turns around to face me
>She looks a little sad
>"Jacky, it was probably just a dream. If it weren't, wouldn't my wing be off or still hurt?"
>She spreads both of her wings
>I squint at her
>She has a good point
"Yeah... well..."
>I sigh
"It just felt like a real dream, ok... I've never had one so strong like that."
>Dashie quickly changes topic, giggling to herself
>"Oh? You haven't had a dream about Anon that felt as real?"
>I huff and stamp my hoof down
"Well of co..."
>I see what she's doing
>I see through her scheme
"I ain't telling you! As if I'd share something like that..."
>I grumble
>I did have dreams of Anon
>But being awake was far more rewarding than any dream
>Even then...
"Dashie... if something like that actually happened. You'd tell me. Wouldn't you?"
>She nods empathically
>"Of course I would. I don't have anything to gain by lying to you. There's no reason to, especially now."
>She shrugs as if it was just a fleeting thought
>"We're where we are now... and I don't think it's been anyone but us. It's certainly only us now, right?"
"Well, with Anon, obviously..."
>Something about this doesn't sit well with me
>It doesn't sit as well as it should, in any case
"... this new work schedule of his sucks. We gotta be able to help him out somewhere."
>"Oh? Is that what this is really about?"
"Well... no? But yeah. We gotta do something. I remember hearing him talking to Sparks about some stuff a few days ago... it sounded important."
>"Probably about money. From what I remember, it did cost a lot for him to get me out of that place..."
"Exactly!"
>I still have no clue of where I'm going with this, but the gears are turning
"What if we..."
>I sit down, stuck in thought
>What can I do?
"What if we... make money? Anyone can do that, right? Even we made money sometimes."
>She grimaces
>"...yes we did... sometimes."
>I smirk at her
"We have music from the internet now... add my hat and you can sing while we-"
>"Absolutely not! I'm never doing another one of those... song and pony shows!"
"But you did one with Sparks for Anon!"
>She sputters out an attempt to rebut
>"That was different!"
"He would've tipped you!"
>"That's him giving us his own money!"
"And?!"
>"That kills the point of getting money to help out with!"
"...oh. Well yeah, I guess if you put it that way..."
>Dang it
>I really thought I had something there
>I'm not deterred though!
"There's gotta be something... something inside is telling me that I can't just sit here and do nothing. He don't deserve that out of me. All of us really gotta figure something out..."
>I trot away, into the kitchen
>Maybe a brunch will help

>Something still sits weird with me, even after eating
>Knowing Anon won't be home for a few more hours doesn't help
>Dashie doesn't really want to talk about stuff with me
>Sparks is...
>Well she is honest
>And it sounds like she's playing something fun too
>I slink into Anon's room
>And sneak onto the bed, watching her focus on something that looks far too technical for me to do with hooves
>I still do use that bulky controller that Anon got but it really just doesn't compare to magic
>I wish I had magic
"Hey Sparks."
>"Hey."
>She doesn't stop her game
>There's a lot of things that I want to ask her
>But I don't really know if she's the best one to ask
"How good friends were we?"
>She doesn't stop playing
>She doesn't even answer me
"I wasn't that bad, was I?"
>Nothing
>I lay down, my ears flattening back
>That dream really just...
>Flipped a lot of things around
>Did I ever do that sort of thing to someone?
>Bucking and kicking always did come naturally to me
>I never hurt anyone, did I?
"Sparks... we're still friends, aren't we?"
>That finally gets her to pause
>After a few seconds
>"Jacky... you're not the only one who's had those dreams. I think. I've had a few too. And I'm sure Prism has."
>My ears perk up at her answer
"What do they mean? Did we actually do stuff like that?"
>"Is it that hard to believe? We were... scum. We really didn't do much with ourselves. And... we didn't really live. We just kinda..."
>She shrugs
>"Did whatever."
>I feel a bit better that I haven't been the only one with dreams like this
"Does Anon know about these dreams? Have you talked to him about those?"
>She scoffs
>"No? Why would I?"
"Well... maybe he wants to know? I mean, we are dangerous."
>The way I say that makes her smile
>She squints and nods
>"Oh yeah, you're a real killer. I am too. Between the three of us, we're really a trio of psychopaths.Just wait until we get hungry and there's no food left, Anon will be our dinner."
>I stare at her
"...did we eat people too?"
>Her smile fades
>"You're lucky that you're the cute one."
>That doesn't answer my question
>I reach out to poke her flank with my hoof
"I'm serious, we never did that. Right?"
>"Not that I remember..."
>She gives you a sly grin
>"Guess Anon better watch out. Or else I might eat him all up."
>I feel faint
>The blood drains from my face, leading to a cold rush going from my nose down to my chest
"You wouldn't."
>"Oh, I totally would."
>I just stare at her
>What if she's serious
>What if she's done that before
>What if I've done that before?
>The growing discomfort and panic on my face must have had an effect because she eventually sighs
>"Don't worry about it. We did some things but we never went down that road...I don't think we would be here now if we were so far gone."
>That helps
"Yeah... I think so too. We can't have been that bad if we ended up here."
>I relax, kicking my hind legs out
"We're still friends though, right?"
>"Yes we're still friends you freaking dork. You worry too much..."
>What a relief
"Is worrying so bad? If I didn't worry, something bad might happen."
>"I never took you for a worrying sort. Especially not with Anon around."
>She goes back to her game
"Well yeah, someone's gotta be the brains of this operation."
>Whatever Sparky was doing, she absolutely got wrecked
>She opens her mouth to speak
>Shakes her head
>And sighs
>"Ok Jacky."
"Heh heh..."
>I feel satisfied
>Less worried too
>I watch her play
>Though I feel uncomfortable
>I want to talk to Anon
>I want to do... something
>Anything
>As long as I've been here, I've been relaxing
>But Anon has been working
>There has to be something I can do
>Or something Sparks can do
>Or Dashie too
>Or maybe all three of us can do something
>I watch until the front door knob jostles
>In an instant, I'm off the bed and rush to the door
>As soon as he opens it, I dart out into the hallway
"Anon, let's go for a walk!"
>"Eh? Oh, sure."
>I look up at Anon and beam
>He looks a little tired but it is a bit later than his normal time off
>He punctuates my thoughts with a short yawn, keeping pace behind me
>"How'd your day go?"
"Good, but I wanna talk about it... maybe in your car where it's ok?"
>"The car? Sure, you wanna head somewhere?"
"Not really, but... it's kinda important."
>Doing the leading, I reach up and slap the elevator button a few times with my hoof
>I can't risk talking to him about this sort of stuff with the others nearby
>He doesn't seem to mind at least, which is great
>After casually rushing outside and ending up in the car, I sigh
"Anon..."
>"What's up, Jack?"
"I had a dream that I kicked a pony's jaw to pieces, that Sparks almost killed another pony with her horn, Dashie had a broken wing that looked like it was twisted around and it was all over some food and I'm scared that I might have actually hurt someone and it's been scaring me all day since I woke up because what if I did something worse and you aren't safe."
>Anon looks at me with wide eyes and blinks a few times
>"...that must've been one helluva dream. Why do you think it was real and not based off of something else?"
>He's taking me seriously
>I'm glad
>He's always been serious about these sorts of things
"Because... I think there might've been a fourth one of our group. I don't think it used to be just three of us. But..."
>I can see worry on his face
>I can tell immediately that he's worried that I might ask for his help again
>When he's already given so much and more
"N-no, I don't mean to act like I want us to do anything. I think... I think she might have died because of us. Because of me. But I don't know and even if I knew, how could I know if it actually happened? This isn't like a thing of 'oh no, I stole her food now she's gonna be hungry in the tummy for a few days', but I think she actually might have gotten hurt to the point that she... she died! I could've been behind that! All of us could have!"
>Normally everything is so much more slower paced but I can't stop myself from talking and speaking as fast as I can without offering him time to respond or to take it all in
"I'm scared, Anon... dreams like this don't just... happen."
>Rather than speak, he leans over to the passenger seat where I am and wraps his arms around me
>I keep forgetting just how strong he is, human or no
>He drags me onto his lap
>I certainly don't resist him
>He strokes my twin-tail mane
>I've defaulted to that style for so long now that it's just kinda the norm
>I like it too
>I keep waiting for an answer, tense at the possibility of his reaction being less than positive
>But his petting relaxes me far too much
>He keeps petting me until I'm as limp as a noodle, my head bent back to rest on his shoulder and to expose my throat to his hand
>I really don't know what I would do without him
>"Jack."
>He finally speaks
>My ears flicker and twitch to tune into his voice
"Mm."
>That's all I can really do to speak up
>If I speak or move enough, the petting might stop
"That sounds... spooky. But you don't have any scars or anything, do you? I mean, I've never seen or felt any. The other two seem fine too. It could have been a dream."
>He pauses
>"But. It could have actually happened too. Some things, you just can't forget. What happened last night or this morning to freak you out? Maybe there's a link?"
>A link sounds plausible
>But what link would Sparks or Dashie have to trigger any dreams like that?
"Well... I don't know. We watched that Wicker movie."
>"John Wick?"
"Yeah."
>"Well... that was a violent movie."
"Sure but we never had guns... and that was a lot of gun stuff.
>"It was... really not anything close to the westerns."
"Not at all..."
>I sigh, closing my eyes
>He's doing too good a job at calming me down
>I have to stay focused
>I wriggle on his lap, regaining some focus
"Outside of that... I didn't really sleep well. I kept waking up, expecting your alarm."
>"Yeah, I woke up pretty early too, all things considered."
"What if that had something to do with it too?"
>"Maybe."
>It isn't the most insightful conversation but what else could be said?
>I sigh again
"What if I got a friend killed..."
>"There's no real way to know that, for better or worse."
>I don't like that answer
"There has to be a way to know."
>"Maybe you can start a journal or something? Jot down things you recall. Jot down things that Sparks or Dashie will tell you too?"
>That doesn't sound like a bad idea
>"Actually... do you know how to... write?"
"Like, with a pencil?"
>"Yeah."
Obviously I can read
"I... don't know. I mean, I can type. Sorta."
>"Sorta."
"But I never tried... writing. I guess I never really got the chance to try."
>"Huh. Wiggy."
>He casually takes my ear between his thumb and index finger
>My right eye twitches and my lip curls upward
>If he can't see, it's fine
>I try to speak but as long as he does that, I just can't
>"Well... why not type it out, since you've typed to me before?"
>I try to answer but I can only attempt a throaty growl
>He finally stops and chuckles
>Did he do that on purpose?!
"I think that's a good idea. But it has to be password protected. If just anyone can read it..."
>"Yeah, you have a point."
>It feels so weird to go from panicked to
>This
>"What else is on your mind?"
>Of course he'd know something else was up
>Or maybe he's just asking
"You work a lot. And you've always worked. I don't work... none of us do."
>He nods and shifts in the driver's seat
>"Yeah... but you really don't need to."
"It's not about need, Anon. I want it. I want to do a lot of things. But... it's hard."
>"Because hands?"
"Right! Because I just... I can't do anything. Sparks can do whatever she wants, she has magic out her wazoo. Dashie just... I don't know what she does. But she can fly. I think. She could just leave and come and go as she pleased through the patio. And I'm... I'm stuck by a wooden door..."
>I'm not even sad
>I'm just frustrated
"If I can't even use utensils to make food like Sparks can and if I can't even play games like she does, or do anything you can do..."
>I don't want to say it
>But it needs to be said
"What... what good am I?"
>Anon scoops me up into his arms and gives me a hug hard enough to make my tongue pop out
>I exhale just as hard
>"Heh, squeaky toy."
>I grumble and slip my tongue back into my mouth, huffing through my nostrils
>"I've been thinking of that sort of thing too. Believe me, I have. There are some things out there that can help. And I have been thinking of setting up some stuff that'd be more in your guys' range and stuff. As long as you've been here, I really have not been... helpful."
>I disagree but I let him continue
>"Now for money... well. Honestly? I'm fine with you not working. I guess I have some views that would make it appropriate."
>I raise an eyebrow at that
>He's never really mentioned something like that
>"But... if you guys can take care of things and hold down the fort. That would be pretty good for me and you."
"But would it be enough?"
>"Jack, you're enough already. You weren't my friend for some sort of long list of reasons. I never planned on you having obligations and other crap that I'd thrust onto you just because."
>His words really do a number on me
>He's right
>He wanted a friend
"Anon?"
>"What's up?"
"Are we... a healthy thing?"
>"You mean... relationship-wise?"
"Yeah... should we have gotten as close as we have?"

>I'm still not used to waking up before Anon has to go to work
>He's not used to it either
>We usually spend the mornings listening to stuff on YouTube, or get in some extra sleep
>My question from before still pops up in my head
>But I don't want to lose what I have either
>But I don't want him to be so close to... what could've been a killer, or a violent pony
>If that really was who I was
>I haven't had any dreams since then that were that detailed
>Sparks and Dashie don't want to talk to me about it
>I really think that they might know more than they're willing to say
>Maybe if...
>While watching, laying on Anon, I see Sparks creep her head into view
>She's looking dead ahead
>It's kinda spooky
>I stare at her
>Anon stares at her
>"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!?"
>Anon just stares
>Sparks stops screaming and smiles with a sense of contentment
>What the heck was that about?!
>"Something up?"
>"Yeah. Prism helped me make breakfast. It's not gonna be delivered to you so come get some."
>"Cool, thanks."
>"Sure."
>With that, her head pulls back and she hops off the bed, chuckling to herself
>I give Anon a concerned look
"Is... is she ok?"
>He nods
>"She's been getting into spooky games now."
>I shiver, shaking from my head to my flank
"Scary stuff... let's go do breakfast!"
>I straighten out my legs and roll down his body like a log until I stop at the foot of the bed and hop off
>The lumbering man takes a little longer to get up but he quickly matches my stride
>Astonishingly, most of the food is at eye level!
>For me!
>"It's kinda neat to not have to do everything on a stool so-"
>"Sparking took the wheel, as it were, and I helped with more finer mixing and cleanup."
>Dashie looks happy too, puffing out her chest with a dignified smile
>"I'm honestly surprised it was so easy to work with her."
>"Well sh'yeah! I'm awesome, I've done it a lot by now."
"That's great, guys! Can I help next time?"
>They look at me
>I can tell that the burst of enthusiasm they had immediately seeped
>Dashie's smile turns more mild
>"Well of course, Jacky. It's an important skill to learn. Imagine us, cooking!"
>Sparks smirks
>"Yeah, bet you never thought we'd learn real skills, right?"
>I can hear sounds in the bathroom
>I thought Anon was right behind me?
>I look around to check and see that he isn't
"...real quick... guys, do you remember anything more about that dream I told you about?"
>Just like that, the entire atmosphere of the room changes
>Dashie looks concerned
>Sparky just averts her eyes
"Come on...! You know what happened as well as I do!"
>"Jacky, please... let's just have breakfast for now."
>Dashie's voice is low
>My ears fold back and flatten
>I can feel my tail flicker nervously
"But... the dream..."
>"BEHOLD, I. HAVE. AWAKENED."
>Anon bellows out
>Before stumbling over himself
>"Boy, aren't you as graceful as an angel."
>"You shut it, horn horse. What's on the menu for today?"
>"Pancakes, bacon, ham, grilled pineapples, instant mashed potatoes, those bratwursts you had in the fridge, we put tea on the kettle and we were going to add toast but we're out of bread."
>Dashie lists off everything, counting down the list by tapping her hoof down on different parts of the floor
>My jaw drops
>I look at Anon and he's done the same
>"...dang. What the hell convinced you to cook everything and the kitchen sink?"
>Sparks shrugs
>"Well we had to test out everything, right?"
>I look at what they cooked on
>It's a full camping set's worth of stoves, pots and pans
>I heard about it all being set up and even helped Anon haul a lot of boxes from down the hallway into the apartment itself
>But I didn't know all of that was in there
"Wow... how long were you guys making this?"
>"As soon as we woke up, I suppose. You and Anon always sleep so soundly together that we decided we could surprise you two."
>Dashie speaks while Sparks sets up a plate with her magic
>Lacking any proper table area, Anon opts to sit on the floor with a fork
>"Well that's pretty awesome of you guys. Thanks!"
>A big plate is prepared for me next, set up near him
>I am happy but something makes me frown
>"The longer you wait, the colder it gets."
>Sparks chides me, smiling
>"Once we get more used to these, we aren't going to have another feast unless it's a special occasion."
>She has a point
>And I am hungry...
>After eating, the rest of the morning is spent with everyone talking
>Well, I don't join in all that much
>I do add in comments here or there but the topics are a bit above my skillset
>When Anon finally goes off to go take a shower, I watch the two visibly relax
>Something just... feels off about all of this
"Dashie... Sparky... please..."
>I whimper, trying to make sense of all of this
>Almost as if she knows exactly what I'm thinking, Sparks stares at me
>Dashie does the same but she looks more concerned
>"Jacky, we all had the same dream... and we're trying to figure it out. The last thing we need is Anon worrying about this. And anything we tell you, you'll tell him. So, for your sake and his, just relax and do stuff like normal. We don't want you-know-who to even be brought up."
>You-know-who?
>I scan the room with a hard squint
"....uh? Who?"
Sparks sighs and shakes her head back and forth hard enough to make her stumble a bit to the side
>"NO! The..."
>She leans in
>Dashie leans in too
>Because both of them are doing it, I lean in as well
>"Nona. We can't let Anon contact her about this. Call it a dream from a movie. Anything, but don't say it's real. Not until we understand what that means."
>Though it takes a second, clear memories of her come flooding back
"Oh! I had almost forgotten about her..."
>"I've never met her... but I'm willing to trust Sparking on this."
>"You better or she's going to come here and do who knows what!"
>Spark's whispering is harsh and almost too loud to be a whisper
"Come on, Anon would never let that happen..."
>"We know, Jacky. But if Sparking is even a quarter correct on... whatever vibes she's getting..."
>She sighs
>"Regardless, we're remembering things. And whether or not we want to, not all of it is good. We need to figure out what is means."
>I feel so relieved!
"You should've told me... I was panicking about that!"
>"We know, Jacky... how much have you told Anon?"
>I stumble over my own words
"W-well... I mean... not a lot..."
>I avert Dashie's eyes
>"Ahh... crap... that means he knows everything."
>Sparks shoves her way close to me
>"You... need. Need. Ne-ee-ee-ee-ee-d. To keep this secret from him. We're gonna figure this point... but he's got enough going on. And... well, this doesn't concern him."
>Sparks looks at me and Dashie
>"If we got some unfinished business... or we're a lot worse than we thought we were... it doesn't leave us."
>She pauses
>"..until we know it's safe for Anon. Or that we know that him knowing won't endanger us."
"But that doesn't make any sense, why would we be in danger from Anon knowing?"
>What could we have possibly done to make him rethink anything?
"I mean... so maybe we had fights. We stole stuff too, he already knew that. It wasn't for fun. It was so just we would have things to eat and live!"
>They look at me
>And they look at each other
"...right?"

>I lay on Anon, splayed out
"Eughhh..."
>"Blaaaagh..."
>He's been matching my noises for the last ten minutes
>Sparky and Dashie are really getting into the cooking, since they have a kitchen that's more for ponies
>Anon even set up a few small shelves and got a big plastic mat to help with spills
"Blaaaaaaaaablerraaaaaaaa...."
>"..."
"..."
>"...loud exclaim of fatigue."
>I scoff and nuzzle my head against his chest
"Anon?"
>"What's up Jackenstein?"
>I've been thinking about it for a while
>And I can't hide things from him anymore
>It hurts to do that
"I can't cook like them. I can't use magic. I can't make money..."
>I feel his hand rest on my shoulder
"That dream made me realize that I might have even been violent before. Or that I might have hurt someone before. Or worse."
>I pause but he seems intent on listening
>He's always listened before
>Both of us have listened to each other
>That's why I know I should keep speaking despite the growing lump in my throat
"What am I supposed to do with my life? I didn't know I had a life until... basically you."
>It hurts to say that
>But it hurts more how distant I've been
>It doesn't feel good
>It doesn't even feel natural to keep things hidden
>"Jack... if I knew, I'd give you a few tips. But I don't know."
>What?
"What? But you're doing a ton with your life, aren't you?"
>He shrugs under me
>His other hand goes to my stomach
>"I guess. You know how I have a place and... how I just work and kinda goof around on my off time, right?"
"Sure do, I goof around with you too!"
>"And I'm always happy that you do! But... objectively speaking? It's really not a lot."
>I look around
>His room is pretty full of stuff
>And a lot of electronic things too
>Though it sounds funny, I don't laugh
"...really? This isn't a lot of stuff?"
>He shakes his head
>"Well, it's not a house. My savings... which were kinda drained to the last drop... was enough to take care of a list of possible issues but it wasn't a great amount either. My skill set and experiences are... not useless. But far from useful enough to warrant great pay."
>He has mentioned some of his new work but it seems a lot more complicated than shooting shoplifters or stuff like that
>"You and I... we don't really come from good families."
"I... didn't have much of a family. I only really had Dashie and Sparks."
>"Yeah... growing up I had my friends and that was kinda it."
>I don't get it
"Didn't you have a mom and relatives and stuff?"
>"Sure. But they were pretty hostile to each other. The best thing I could do about it was to stay in my room and just do... whatever."
"Oh..."
>"Where I am now? I'm able to have my friends live with me. And I think that's pretty great. But I know that on a wider scale of things? I'm... kind of a nobody. And I may stay a nobody."
"But you aren't nobody, you're Anon!"
>"It's true. But I just can't do things that other people can. I don't have parents that own multiple homes or their own homes. I don't have relatives that own boats. Everything I own is in this place, or my car."
"That... uh... do you own me too?"
>I don't move my head but I do try to look at him from the corner of my eye
>Anon waits
>And nods
>"Yes. I hope you can accept that."
>I smirk
"I'll deal with it."
>I inhale hard and exhale
"A boat, huh..."
>"Yeah. A lot of people own boats so casually. They have big family reunions, summer and winter homes."
"Do you want all of those things?"
>"Not really, no."
"Oh."
>Neither of us say anything
>"What do you want to own, Jack?"
"Me?"
>"Yeah."
>What could I really want?
"Well... I don't have parents or a family. Everyone I know is under this roof."
>I sigh
"I guess I just want to feel like... I have a place in this world. I didn't have one before. I have a hard time feeling like I have a place right now because I just can't do a lot for you. And you do so much for me. Just because... you're physically capable of it."
>"What would you like to do?"
"What wouldn't I like to do! I'd love to be able to go to work with you. I would want to..."
>I frown
"Ok, I wouldn't want to drive..."
>I feel at a loss for words
>I can use a laptop
>Kinda
>I can play some games really well now
>Mostly
"I... I don't know what I want I guess. I don't want a lot of stuff either. I wouldn't know what to want. I guess I just want a family. That's good enough, right?"
>Despite the conversation, I notice that both of our voices are pretty calm
>He does really well at keeping me relaxed during even really tough topics
>"Yeah. I think that's enough. It's what I want too. The friends I had. The guys I called my brothers. The nerds I would've gotten shot for. My longest term goal, outside of making a set amount of money? Just living all under the same roof. Knowing that if I wanted to, I could hang out with them. That we could set up a big, cool movie or anime marathon. That we could play games together as often as we wanted. That we could always cover each other and be there."
"That sounds nice..."
>"It does. I always thought that even if my blood relatives left me in the dirt. Even if they decided they wanted money for being there. Even if they backstabbed me. I'd have my friends. My brothers. The guys I considered my real family."
>He finally starts to sound like it's getting to him
>"But... here I am now, you know? I know you and the other two nerds don't always get together perfectly. But you gotta remember that all you have are each other. You lose that and... you lose a lot. You lose a lot of a lot."
>His hands slide off of me
>I've worried about losing my friends for a long while
>I worried about losing them so much that even when I didn't know anything else, I still knew that I had them
>Maybe we did fight a lot
>But we fought together too
>We shared some of our wins too
>And a lot of losses
"Anon... I wish your friends could have met me. And Dashie. And even Sparky! I think they'd love us."
>His hand pats my stomach
>"Yeah."
>That's all he can say
>He does not sound happy
"I'm... I'm gonna get up real quick. Want me to bring you a drink?"
>"Yeah."
"Alright."
>I slip off of him and get onto my hooves
>No matter how many times I've done it, I still can't help but bounce off of the very last step from the mattress
>I slowly trot into the living room
>And see Sparks and Dashie whispering to each other
>That's new
>Dashie notices me with a quick glance but she doesn't say anything
>I trot up and rear up, grabbing both of them in a tight hug
>"Ack--Jacky?! Get offa me!"
>Sparks is as energetic as ever
>Dashie doesn't seem to mind nearly as much
>"Are you ok?"
"I love you guys."
>I didn't realize it but a tear dropped from my face
"I'm sorry. I'm just a little emotional and Anon and I were-"
>"You can apologize by LETTING GO AND-"
>I squeeze both of them together harder, Sparky's words turning into a garble of strangled syllables and most likely at least one threat
>"Jack...y... air, honey..."
>I ease up on the leg wrapped around Dashie
>But not Sparks
>It wouldn't be normal if I didn't tease her just a little extra
>It's what friends do

>Since Anon came home, we've been laying in the living room
>Sparky has been in his room playing video games all day
>Dashie has been in there too
>I think they left the apartment earlier today for some reason
>I stretch out, my head resting on his arm
>The ceiling isn't a lot to look at but we've been watching it while listening to trippy sounding music
"Anon?"
>"Mm?"
"I've been looking up stuff online today."
>"Oh nice. What've you been looking at?"
>I glance at him with pursed lips
"..."
>"...?"
"...why do they call it a member?"
>I can see Anon's eyes nearly pop out of his head
>He glances at me
>"That's... a good question."
"...you've never called it that."
>"No... no, I haven't."
"...does it have a name?"
>I grin
>"What? No. Why would it?"
"Well Iunno... it would be cool I guess."
>"To name it."
"Yeah!"
>"...well why don't we name your stuff?"
>I spurt out a laugh
"S'yeah right. Like what?"
>"Exactly."
>I frown
>He had a good point
>Both of us stay silent for a bit
"...what about Tuco?"
>"Are you calling it ugly?"
"What? No! Just that Tuco is..."
>"..."
"Ok... how about Angel Eyes?"
>"I do not even know how that would fit."
"Well Angel Eyes scared me at first."
>"Ok, that doesn't help."
"I wasn't but a wee pony..."
>I slip into the accent I had when I first met Anon
>Accents are still really easy to do for some reason
>"That wasn't even! You..."
>He growls out some string of sounds that almost sound like words
>"That nickname fits you better anyway."
>That makes me smile
>I giggle and fidget on the ground
"How about..."
>Not a lot of names stick out
"...The Man With No Name?"
>"...what?"
"Yeah! Like..."
>My eyes widen
"Like.. it's a legend."
>I wave my hooves around from right to left
"Like a story, a fable, that everyone has heard of. Yet never seen up close. Except for a choice few who continue the legend..."
>He doesn't immediately react to your burst of creativity
>"...you telling me that everyone's heard of it but it might not exist?"
>I shrug
"Well isn't it a compliment?"
>"Not if the implication is that it doesn't actually exist."
"Oh..."
>You like the name of it
>Both of us stay quiet for a while longer to enjoy the music
"... is it weird that we're a human and a pony?"
>"Not really. There's weirder out there."
"Well yeah, like talking dogs. But, this isn't the usual, is it?"
>He shakes his head, but brings his arm up to give me a light squeeze
>"It definitely isn't, no."
"Is that really ok with you?"
>"It is."
>I idly nod
>He's weird
>But I really would not want that to change
"What if I were human?"
>"You'd still be you, right?"
"Totally!"
>"Then I would still dig you as much."
"What if I was just as small and still had a tail?"
>He smiles
>"Oh yeah..."
"Y-yeah?"
>That takes me by surprise
"That's... weird though. That's not a normal human shape."
>"No, but it would be hot."
>I almost feel jealous that I'm not human-shaped with a tail
"What if... human body, but same size, same tail, pony face?"
>Now I'm curious
>"It's still you, so obviously I would dig it hard. And it'd give me an excuse to buy you cute clothing to wear."
>Well at least he's creative about--
>Wait a second
"...wait, you can't dress me up now?"
>"Well, sure, but I don't know what would fit you. I don't know what's out there for ponies."
>I tilt my head and nod
>He has a point
"Alright... so... what if I..."
>What's the weirdest thing I can come up with?
"What if I were human, your size, pony head, tail, and could use magic."
>"How would you use magic?"
"Like... handwaving stuff. Or a wand?"
>"Why not be a unicorn in that case then?"
"Because that's not the same!"
>"I guess you have a point."
>He really is kinda hardcore
"Alright, well..."
>"Wait now, what about you? What if I were a human-sized horse all over?"
>I stifle a giggle
"Theeen... things would definitely be the same. But a bit different."
>"Oh yeah, I bet. What if I were human all over, but pony-sized?"
>I gasp
"You could ride me into battle..."
>"With what, a steak knife?"
"Well... sure. Until we win enough battles and you level up your gear."
>"Neat. Do you get armor too?"
"Obviously."
>The conversation dies again
"Anon. Are you really ok that I'm a pony? There's a world of difference and..."
>And he did get me with Applejack in mind
"And I ain't my ma."
>"Yeah. Maybe we aren't doing things perfectly. But we have clear communication, don't we?"
"Well shoot, I sure think so. I guess... someone like Ma would be more confident with this sort of thing."
>I don't feel too confident despite the conversation
"I guess I just worry."
>"That's alright, I don't mind. If I got your ma instead of you, I don't know how things would've turned out."
"Yeah... maybe you'd get that planting stuff done."
>The few plants that Anon has still look ok
>As far as I can tell
>"Eh, they're doing fine. They're watered often enough. Transplanting them would just kinda help with the bigger ones."
"Why don't we do it tomorrow?"
>"Yeah?"
"Yeah! That would be cool to do, and I bet I'm a natural!"
>"I can dig that, let's make a day of it then."
>That sounds great!
"Awesome!"
>I relax, leaning my head back until I watch the wall directly behind me
"Thanks for getting me instead of Ma. And for getting Sparky. And Dashie. I don't know what I could do or say to express that."
>Despite how much it does mean to me, I sound as casual as he does
>"And I'd do it again if given the chance. Same with the other two nerds. But next time.. .let's steal Dashie and save me some money."
>I give a mock gasp
"Stealing is a sin, Anon!"
>"And we're both sinners. We fit pretty well then, don't we?"
>Dang, he has a point
>I bend my neck back and rest the side of my face on his chest
>"Is it ok to do nothing on nights like this?"
"Sure. We're spending time together. I would really prefer to be around you than to be alone. I'm alright when I'm alone. But I'm comfortable when you're around. I'm happier with you around."
>That really makes you smile

>Anon got a lot of dirt the other day
>It doesn't smell like any dirt I'm used to smelling but maybe it's just higher quality
>We didn't get around to actually moving any plants around though
>I kinda wanna surprise him and do a little transplanting, myself
>Doesn't seem too hard to do, anyway
>After watching some YouTube on Anon's bed, I gallop into the living room
>Maybe I can get help from D-
"...hello?"
>She isn't in the living room
>Sparks isn't here either
>I rush back to Anon's room
>Of course they aren't in there either
>I sneak through the second, smaller and empty bedroom
>The bathroom
>The shower
>The fridge
>The closets
>They're nowhere
>I sit down in the hallway, unable to honestly figure out what's going on
>It almost feels like how things were before we found Sparky
"Sparky... Dashie..."
>I whimper
>Anon couldn't have taken them to work and not me too
>Or
>... they weren't kidnapped, where they?
>I look over my shoulder
>What if they were?
>Who would I report it to?
>Who would Anon report it to?
>In the middle of my panic, the front door opens
"WAAAAAGH! HELP, IT'S A-"
>Dashie walks in first
>Then Sparks
>She's levitating a pillowcase above her head
>I leap into Dashie, giving her the tightest hug
"I thought you guys were gone!"
>The pegasus chuckles and welcomes my hug, sighing
>"If I knew you'd be so happy to see me, I might have to leave a little every day."
>Sparks scoffs, as usual, and slinks into the living room
>I let go and follow her
"Hey, where did you guys go? Why didn't you let me know?"
>The bag she has lands on the ground with a slight jingle
"Oh, what's in there?"
>I reach for it and Sparks slaps away my hoof
>"Geez, we're gone for like a few seconds and you freak out! Will you just... go away already?"
"No! You went out with Dashie and didn't even ask to bring me!"
>"Yeah, because you'll freaking blab about it to Anon!"
"What? What's wrong with going out for a walk?"
>I reach for the bag again and manage to push it before Sparks headbutts my leg
>It jingles and opens up on the end
>A lot of coins spill out
"Oh neat! Where'd you get them?"
>Sparks grunts out a frustrated 'UGH'
>"For crying out loud, Jacky!"
>Dashie strolls into the room, watching the fighting
>"Anon could use some help with money... so we just went looking for some. "
>I frown, confused
>Money doesn't just sit around like in video games
>Right?
"Where'd you find all of it? That must be like..."
>I don't really know what they have or how much of it they have but it reminds me of bits from the show
"...like a ton!"
>"We just found it."
>Dashie smiles at me
>She's always had a way with words, and there's no way she would lie to me
>"An awful lot of people tend to leave small coins on the ground. I guess they don't think it's worth it. So we went around, picking up what we could and here we are now. It was very boring, you wouldn't like it at all."
>"What she said..."
>It does sound boring
>But I wanted to be a part of it too!
"Well I guess you have a point but... come on, you know I'd help out too!"
>"Of course we do, you'd do anything to help Anon. We know that."
>Her smile never falters
>"But we also gotta make sure that someone holds down the fort, right?"
>She makes some really good points but I still wish that I could've been a part of it
"Alright... I guess."
>I sit down, huffing
"I guess you two did work well together if it was serious. And helping Anon with money really is a serious thing."
>I watch the bag
"So... what do we do with it? Do we just give it to Anon?"
>Dashie and Sparks look at each other
>Sparks shrugs
>"I guess? I mean... I'm sure he can use these. He's always used a card or paper money. If there's a way to turn coins into either of those, we're set."
"What if he can't?"
>"Well, money is money, Jacky. We'll find a use for it for sure."
>Dashie sits near me and extends a wing to hug me
>"But it's nothing to worry about. It will work out fine, just you see."
>I nod, smiling
"Oh yeah, definitely."
>I watch Sparks spill out the bag, putting various coins into groups based off of how they look
>After a few minutes it does get a little boring to watch
"Hey... Dashie?"
>"Yes, Jacky?"
"If Sparks is gonna spend all day counting, wanna hang out and watch a movie with me?"
>"Absolutely!"
>We both get up and leave the grumbling unicorn
"I saw a few cool things on the internet we can watch and I think Anon would like them too."
>Dashie chuckles and nods
>"I bet he would.My, what would you do with yourself if you didn't have him to think of?"
>I grin
"Hey, you can't blame me! It's like... I don't know, a first chance."
>I feel bad for asking what I did before
>Once we enter the bedroom, I nudge the door so it's more closed than open
"Dashie... I gotta ask... were we ever the bad guys? I mean, I know we did what we had to just to eat and... it ain't our fault that we were like that."
>I did ask her something like that before, I think
>No one's really wanted to talk to me about the dream stuff since it happened
>At least it was kinda just the one dream
>At least for me
>"Should you really worry about that sort of stuff? It was a long time ago. Or it may as well be, given how things are now."
"Well, no, I shouldn't. I should be happy with how things are. But... I guess Anon is rubbing off on me. He always talks about all of that deeper meaning stuff and... maybe there's deeper meaning to find from back then? Iunno..."
>I feel kinda awkward for trying to think like he does
>We did speak about that sort of stuff
>I think
>But I haven't told him everything either
>Dashie ruffles my mane with her hoof
>"He's made you smarter, there's no doubt there. But he is introspective, isn't he..."
>She nods to herself while sitting on the bed with me
>Rather than sitting how I do, she half-lays down
>"He asks a lot of questions, too."
"Well yeah, wouldn't you too if you were him?"
>Dashie shrugs
>"Maybe. I'm afraid I might be afraid of the answers."
"Why?"
>"Because sometimes it's better to not know things."
>It sounds like a riddle
"...what could you know that you wouldn't want to know?"
>Dashie doesn't answer for a few moments
>"Well... are there things you know that you wish you didn't?"
"Like the dream?"
>"Like the dream."
>Would I be better off if I didn't know about the dream?
>Would it be better if I just didn't know how I might've hurt someone or worse?
"I... I don't know. I mean, if it was real. Then it was me. But... I don't want to hurt anyone now. There's no reason to."
>"Would you hurt someone for Anon's sake?"
>I look down
>I don't like that question
>But I also don't like some questions Anon asks too
>If it was for his sake, then it had to have a good reason behind it
>Right?
>Dashie giggles
>"Oh don't get all morose on me, darling. What shall we watch?"
>I shake the gross feeling away
>But not the question
>I'll have to figure out the answer to that later
>But it would be for a good cause
>It would have to be

>Today Anon and I are playing a strategy game
>Or, more like he's playing it and I'm his most valuable adviser
>Right now it's just a pair of people that crash-landed on an ice sheet
"So... how do they survive?"
>"Easy; you see that steam geyser?"
"Yeah?"
>"Well we're gonna have them build a home with that at the center, to give heat."
"Wait, how?"
>"Well, you see all of the steel we have, right?"
"Yeah?"
>"So they build walls from that."
"Oh... how do they know how to do that?"
>"Space knowledge."
>In no time, he makes a few rooms that are loosely kept together
>The game says the temperature is so cold that it's in the negatives
"So... where's food?"
>There was maybe a dozen meals at the start but I've seen how quickly that can run out
"Well, Jackernaught, we're gonna have to find some soil and make a place warm enough to grow food... we can also do cannibalism."
>I grimace
"So... one of them has to eat the other?"
>"Oh no... nothing like that. We can just wait until raiders and then eat them."
>That sounds even worse!
"How are there raiders out on this block of ice?!"
>"Well, how are we on the ice?"
"We crash-landed!"
>"Exactly."
>I grumble while he plays, dissatisfied with the logic of it all
>Though he makes really quick progress despite neither of the people being competent builders
>I go from sitting to laying with my head on his lap as he plays
>He has a desk and a chair but I personally like the bed better
>After a few more in-game days, everything is made and actually pretty comfortable
>He even made a little farm plot for rice
>A lot of it really kinda goes over my head just because of the resources that are being kept, preserved and used
"...so when do we get to the action?"
>"Jack, my dear. This is the action."
>I blink hard a few times
"What?"
>"This is kinda just a relaxing game, once you get used to it."
"Oh... well that's alright too. I'm relaxed."
>I sigh when I feel Anon's hand go to my head
>I've let my mane go back to normal instead of the twin tails
>It feels different enough to feel fresh again
>"By the way, Jack. Can you keep an eye on the place when I'm at work?"
"Mm? Why?"
>I close my eyes and nuzzle his leg
>"Well... keep it between you and me but there have been a few reports of a few vending machines down stairs that were vandalized. Same with that laundry room change maker. I doubt it'll be a big deal but... just don't answer the door if you hear someone knocking, alright? If it's management, they can slip paperwork under the door like normal."
>I nod, inhaling
"I'll keep us safe. I bet Sparky would try something silly like setting him on fire."
>"Yeah... and then everything gets on fire. Just be careful for me, ok? I don't want you girls getting hurt or worse."
>He worries so much
>I nod and exhale
"I'll keep us safe until you come back. I promise."
>"That's my Jack."
>The music from the game puts me into a comfortable half-asleep lull
>Until a loud alarm blares
>"Jack, we got a raid!"
>My head bolts upright, though my eyes aren't able to focus
"Aim for the heart, no survivors!"
>"Check out this warlord, we're gonna have a close call!"
"Fill him full of... holes..."
>He clicks on the singular raider
>He's wearing what's basically a loin cloth and wielding a steel shiv
>A shiv?
"Hey, Anon. What's a shiv?"
>"Tiny knife."
>I squint and watch the lone raider make his way to the base
>Or try to
>Halfway through his journey, he falls over
"...what happened?"
"Guy's dying of hypothermia, seems like. It is like negative thirty out."
>I give Anon a wry look
"...you really wanna call this action?"
>"...well he can become food."
"Ew."
>"Delicious food."
"Ew!"
>"They're both cannibals anyway, it's one of their three traits."
"Ew?!"
>Anon chuckles at my reaction
>"Don't worry, there are wild animals nearby they can shoot too. And once the rice comes in, we'll be set for food as long as we keep it going."
"Well that's better, kinda..."
>I lazily thrash back and forth until I rest on my back
>Anon's thigh makes for a good pillow
>"Anon... what would you do if I could get money for you?"
>"I'd appreciate it. But I wouldn't expect you to do it. You wouldn't have to. Spending time near me... that's really what keeps me going the most. Even if I don't always say it."
>I close my eyes, trying to hide a big smile
"I feel the same way. One day I wanna find ma and introduce you to her. I think she would really like you."
>I feel so comfortable
>I kinda wish I did have ma around to talk to
>She might have some good advice for stuff like this
>Applejack really would be the best ma
>I feel Anon's hand go to my throat and under my chin
>"Yeah... I wish I had a family to show you off too..."
>I listen to the music in the game for a while
>It sounds like western music
>Like a space western
"Anon."
>"What's up?"
"If we land on an alien planet or something, can I have a gun?"
>"How will you fire it?"
"Iunno. Space western tech."
>"Fair enough."
>Though I don't notice when it happened, Sparks ended up on the bed
>Anon keeps petting me so it's hard to focus
>It sounds like something about coins
>His hand stops petting and scratching my chin
>I try to speak up but I feel so tired that I can't even see straight
"Wait... for me."
>I mumble out something
>You gotta remind Sparks and Dashie to not go out, otherwise they might come across whoever was damaging the things
>Just after a nap you'll update them

>Dashie and I decided to go out with our scooters. We went pretty far from home and ended up on a big road somewhere. It was nice and there wasn't anypony else on the road.
>We stopped when we saw what looked like a fallen power line. I had seen electricity before, a lot of really big buildings had it.
"Oh Dashie, check that that thing! It's whipping around like a snake!"
>Dashie looks at it and at me. She isn't too confident about it since we could be blamed for it by some passing authority figure.
>"I don't think I like the looks of it... what do you think we should do?"
>My eyes widen. I've seen stuff like this before!
"Let's launch over it! It'll be awesome!"
>I get ready to scoot off toward it but freeze when I see... is that Anon?! What is he doing here?
>He's near what looks like some utility van. He notices me and grabs some sort of pair of scissors on a long stick. He smiles at me.
>"Who wants a body massage?"
>I star at sheer shock as he comfortably tests out the stick. Dashie scoots up to me while Anon approaches the fallen power line.
>"...what did he just say to us?"
>Anon, in some sort of smooth singing mood, idly vocalizes while trying to grab the whipping line. He looks pretty comfortable with it even though it could really be dangerous.
>I watch him successfully grab onto it. He whips it out of the road with a strong grunt.
>"Mr. Body Massage machine, GO!"
>"Um... what the hell?"
>Dashie looks at me like it was the most alien thing in the world. I look at her the same way but I can't take my eyes off of Anon for long.
>He puts his fists on his hips and winks at me. He seems proud of having taken care of the threat.
>"Body massage."
>I bolt upright with a yelp
>What the hell was that?!
>I frantically look around, just to see that I'm in bed
>Blanket on me, pillow under my head
>An unappealing saliva smear on the pillow
>Anon pokes his head around the hallway corner, into the room
>"Y'alright, Jack?"
>I stare at him like he was some sort of freaky ghost
"Y...yeah... did you give me a body massage?"
>He looks at me a little funny
>"No... but I'm all for giving one if you like."
>I feel a little funny
"L-later..."
>It is a little too early for that
>And I don't think I would be able to handle two body massaging Anons in my head
>After going to the bathroom and waiting to cool down, I join Anon in the living room
>Of course, Sparks and Dashie are in there too
"What's up? It's still kinda early in the morning, isn't it?"
>Anon pats one of the pillows beside Sparks
>Sparks and Dashie are on a pillow
>I join them but can't notice that Anon is out of grabbing distance
>"Now I wanna talk to you girls about something."
>My ears immediately go flat at that tone
>That's a serious tone
>Sparks looks bitter
>Dashie looks worried
"What... what for?"
>"Well, Sparks was kind enough to have found some spare change for us."
>His eyes focus on her
>She doesn't return the eye contact
>"But. Turns out, her finding money fit the story pretty closely to the string of petty vandalism and even attempts at robbery that have been going on around. Both in this building and the ones nearby."
>Sparks scoffs at the implication
>I know exactly what this is about
>"Now... I asked Sparks and she said her and Dashie went out to grab stuff. Granted, for us, but still steal things."
>He looks at Dashie
>She really looks guilty
>"But... Dashie said she had nothing to do with it. That it was all Sparks and she could be the only one to do it even though Sparks says otherwise."
>He looks at me
>The weight of his stare is deeply uncomfortable
>"But what's more interesting is that neither of you said that Jacky is included. So, Jack, do you know what happened with all of this crap?"
>I audibly gulp
>I'm not guilty of anything, he must know that!
>But why are they claiming something different?
>I glance over at the two
>Sparks glares at me
>Dashie keeps a straight pokerface
>She shifts her head to the side a little, almost trying to be as subtle as possible to shake her head
>What's wrong with Dashie?
>I would never lie about either of them!
"Well..."
>"Eyes on me Jack. Please. This is a serious matter. If anyone caught any of you, there would be no doubt of where you came from. If that led to trouble with us keeping the apartment..."
>He sighs
>"To be honest, I don't have the coin right now to afford another place and all of the crap that would be included. Same with a moving vehicle."
>Well that would be true
>And it would really hurt everyone if that happened, most of all him
>I can't lie to him
>Especially on something like this
"I... I saw both Dashie and Sparks come back inside the apartment, once."
>Out of the corner of my eye I can see Sparks smirk
>And Dashie hang her head
"I was so worried that I was alone or caught in a nightmare or something and... they just kinda came back in. But I didn't really get a clear message. I was told that a lot of people just dropped coins and stuff and didn't care."
>Anon looks at me
>Almost like he isn't sure if he believes me
>That look really doesn't feel good
>"People have dropped an entire bag's worth of coins?"
>I shrug, trying to remember what Dashie told me
"Like... remember that one time you dropped a dime and you didn't really care? I thought it was just something like that. So... I didn't worry about it..."
>Anon sighs
>His judgement focuses on Dashie
>She looks twice as guilty now, but I try not to stare
>"So... wanna try again on what's been going on? Sparks seems to be telling the truth. Her details match Jack's."
>Dashie doesn't speak for what feels like hours
>But Sparks and Anon are still just watching her
>This doesn't feel right
>Dashie wasn't right for trying to throw Sparks under the bus
>Again
>She did this before
>"I need to repay you... you spent a lot of money getting me out of wherever I was."
>"And in the process you put everyone here in danger. Including where we live."
>Anon turns to Sparks
>"Same goes for you. You think being honest is supposed to absolve you from this shit? What would you do if someone caught you? Either of you? None of you have any identification, none of you have any way to contact me if I'm not around, most likely no weird normie cares if you guys get sent to... who fucking knows where?!"
>Sparks averts her eyes and sighs
>"Well them maybe you should put a collar on us."
>"...honestly, maybe I should."
>Both Sparks and I look at him
>I look at her and she looks at me
>We're both blushing
>Dashie is the only one who doesn't really seem to care
>"Honestly, I'm not too sure what else would be the best. I don't mind you guys going out or whatever. But you need to stay safe. That's my priority. If it means having a little tag or something to help identify you to me to others... well, we may have to do that."
>"Does that mean leading us around on a leash too?"
>Sparks leers at him with a grin
>Is she taking this seriously?
>"I'm gonna dunk your head in the toilet and give you a swirly if that's what it takes."
>Anon really does not sound happy
"I'm sorry, Anon..."
>He shakes his head
>"I don't want any of you to apologize. Apologies won't undo any of this. I just want all of you to be safe and careful. That's what matters to me."
>Sparks goes back to frowning
>"So... do we return the money?"
>Anon looks at her like she put a shoe on her head
>"What? No, of course we don't. They find out it was us, we're screwed. No it's..."
>He sighs and shakes his head
>"We're just going to keep it. Find a Coinstar or something and then convert it to whatever in dollars. And then never do it again. Or else."
>None of us speak up to him
>We can pretty reliably guess what 'or else' means
>Even if it's coming from him and not some uncaring guard
>All of us sit there, looking at each other
>"So... since this is all settled. And since I know for a fact that none of you would want to endanger any of us... who wants breakfast?"
>Like a bunch of kids, all of us raise our hooves
>"Alright. Dashie."
>She looks at him
>"Let's go grab something, you and me. You can help me carry whatever bags."
>She looks at me
>And Sparks
>And gets up
>When Anon gets up, she follows him
>Sparks and I sit and wait in silence until they leave the apartment
>We wait longer before I finally speak up
"...do you really think we're gonna have collars or something?"
>Sparks sighs
>"Oh I hope so..."
>Now that it's just her and I, I growl
"Sparky... knock it off."
>"No."
"I mean it. That sort of stuff really makes me uneasy."
>"And I get jealous whenever I hear you two doing anything, or talking about doing anything. Like body massaging?"
>My ears finally perk up
"W-wait, that wasn't an innuendo!"
>"Wasn't it?"
"No!"
>I tell her about the dream in a flurry of motions and attempts to deepen my voice
>By the end of it, she just looks at me like I was stupid or something
>"Jacky."
"Yeah?"
>"You're so freaking weird sometimes..."

>I wait in the living room for Anon and Dashie to come back
>After five minutes, Sparky mutters something under her breath and wanders off
>I don't like just... sitting here
>But I don't know what else I can do
>Why did Dashie lie?
>Maybe she wasn't completely truthful before
>Maybe all of us left another behind at least once
>Sparky left me behind once
>I don't remember a lot about it
>I don't want to
>I'm not a criminal like that
>Not anymore
>Anon's probably giving her one of those long talks
>He likes those
>She's not really as talkative
>I finally stand up and check the clock on the laptop that's been hiding behind the makeshift stage curtains
>I don't even really remember how long the stage was made
>It was Dashie and Sparky that were working together to practice singing
>I thought they were getting along so much better
>Even though it's not the same as the laptop I use, I nudge my nose against the track pad to bring up the browser
>Playing some music wouldn't help
>Not really
>Going through the playlist is nice, though
>And there are other tabs
>Wait
>Other tabs?
>I nudge the mouse over and click on them with a boop of the nose
"Dealing with loss... what?"
>Was that something Anon had up?
>He haven't used this laptop in so long
>Sparky wouldn't have done that either
>She's loud and kinda mean sometimes but she hasn't lost anything
>I poke at the next tab
"I feel alone..."
>I go to the next tab
>The next
>The next after
>All of these are about feeling isolated or alone
>There's no way this was Anon
>And there's no way I'd use this laptop or even search for those things
>It would have to be either Sparky or Dashie!
>I gallop, full sprint into Anon's bedroom
>And trip into the mattress, my face slapping into the soft corner of it
>Sparks just looks at me out of the corner of her eye, a controller hovering in front of her
>"Remembered that beds are soft?"
>I get back up, shaking my head hard
"Now ain't the time for jokes, Sparking Shine!"
>Sparky looks at me funny
>And puts down the controller
>"...alright Jacky. What's going on?"
>I climb onto the mattress, staring at her for any signs of... anything that might help
"Do you use the laptop out in the living room?"
>"I haven't touched it in a while, no. I would rather use the one in here or Anon's computer. It's not like I can't use a keyboard without touching it. And I don't know why I would go on the internet when I have games here now. Why?"
"Come on, quick."
>I bounce on the bed once... twice, and then jump off of it
>I don't often get chances to jump on the bed and Anon isn't here to stop me this time
>I gallop back to the living room laptop
>Though Sparky isn't going as fast as me, she is following
>She joins me behind the blanket-turned-curtain and looks at the laptop
>Using some weird shape of shimmering red magic, she looks through the tabs I did
"I don't think Anon looked those up."
>Sparks doesn't really seem to have any sort of expression on her face
>"No... he probably didn't. When this was first set up there weren't any tabs open at all."
"If I didn't do this, you didn't do this, Anon didn't do this..."
>"Then it was most likely Prism."
"Sparking... what do we do? Did you know about this?"
>"Can't say I did, no."
"What do we do? Was she acting weird when you two were out?"
>Sparky sighs and shrugs
>"I really don't know. She acted the same way as she always does. Kinda quiet. Acts like she knows better than you. Let me do most of the work."
>I nod
"Well... magic is kinda really useful around here..."
>She looks at me
>But she really isn't as worried as I am
"What do we do?"
>"I don't know. Neither of us are Anon so I doubt we could pull some speech about understanding out of our asses."
>Her deadpan snark makes me snarl with a snort
"Oh enough of that! We need to help her as ourselves, none of this acting like we're someone else!"
>I look behind me to the curtain, almost expecting them to come back any moment
"We're all friends, none of us are alone! None of us have ever been alone! We've always had each other and we have each other now, and then some!"
>"Should I play some triumphant music for you too?"
>My front legs tense up
>She could really do with a solid kick right about now
"This ain't no time for games, dang it! Why are you making light of this?!"
>Her eyebrows rise up
>"What's with that country accent..."
>She shrugs with a sigh
>"Jacky...I get it. If this really is Prism's work... I get how she feels."
>She averts her gaze from me
>"But... I don't know how to talk to someone who has that sort of thing going on. I don't know how to even talk to myself about that stuff. I don't think I have the tools or skills or whatever I should call it. I hang out with you, Anon, sometimes Prism... and I play video games. And I'm happy with that. I'm happier doing that than I've ever been nursing my wounds on my own, of seeing you two only if there was a job with something in it for me."
"Well I get that... but Dashie's one of us. We ain't us without her. She ain't her without us."
>"I guess that's true. Without her around, I don't think any of us would end up remembering things."
"Ma wouldn't sit by and let this happen... we can't either. We gotta do for her what you and she did for Anon."
>"Jacky, Applejack isn't even..."
>She sighs
>"Alright... so do you have any ideas or plans?"
>I smile at her
"Not a single one."
>"What the hell are you smiling at, then!?"
"Because this can't be some long, convoluted plan. Now they may be back any minute now..."
>"Or they could even be down the hallway."
"Right! So when she gets back... let's just love her!"
>Sparky's eyes widen
>"What?"
"Yeah! Let's just... like... give her some hugs. Massage her wings. Just... whatever we can do that might really help her out. Show her that we care."
>"Are you sure she even wants that?"
>I thrust my hoof out at the laptop
"I'm sure she ain't happy and I'm sure we need to do something about it or else we really aren't friends and if we aren't, we ain't got nothin'!"
>She smiles more and more from my growing attempt at a vaguely southern accent
>"You're really going all in on that, aren't you."
"Darn tootin' I am, now help me figure out the best way to get us into her heart so she ain't lonely no more!"
>Sparky exhales and shakes her head
>"Ok, you can lay off it now, you're going too strong."
"O-oh, ok."
>"But... I guess you have a point. I'm no mind reader but we both know her well enough. But let's not make this such an obvious thing, ok? If I were her, and I'm glad I'm not, I would feel really self-conscious if I were suddenly the center of attention. And she's never been the center of anyone's attention unless it was bad."
"Well I guess that's true too..."
>My eyes wander back to the browser tabs
"...do you think she's opening up to Anon about this?"
>"Probably. He could talk about a rock and it would be interesting."
"Why would you want to talk about a rock?"
>"Jacky, you..."
>She pats your shoulder with her hoof
>"Just worry about what's going on for now. When they come back... let's split up. I'll take Anon and start some information probing. You hang out with Prism and try to gauge her mood. Get a feel for what's on her mind. If she's open to any of us, she's probably been the most open to you due to how close you are, right?"
"Right."
>"Right. So do that and... whenever you and I are alone, we compare notes and go from there. If we're serious about this, we'll be doing a lot of good."
"And we are. I am. Anon is too."
>"Are you speaking for him now?"
"Well come on, you know he would lose sleep over it!"
>"True... well, let's-"
>Your ears perk up and twist to the side
>The front door!
"Save the chatter, let's do it!"

>Sparky and I duck out from behind the stage curtain
>She tosses herself onto a pile of pillows and loudly yawns
>Just in time for Dashie to come into view, with Anon right behind her
>"Hey there, we're back. Didn't decide on what was good so I grabbed some biscuits and delicious biscuit sammiches. Dashie decided on some new stuff so it may be a hit."
>Sparks immediately hops up, pretending to sway a little
>"Oh, awesome! Hey, Anon, I need some advice on where I'm stuck. I kinda napped while waiting for you to come back. Mind if we eat and play?"
>That was pretty smooth
>I didn't know she was so natural with acting like that
>But then again wasn't she playing a game before I talked to her?
>Anon seems to buy it, his eyebrows rising
>"Yeah? Sure, we can do that. I need to talk to you more too about this coin stuff."
>At least he doesn't sound mad or anything
>He sets down the bag and grabs two wrapped up items
>Sparks trails behind, two more full wrappers leaving the bag in an aura of red
>That all sorta just happened without me, didn't it
>I shift my focus to Dashie and she looks...
>Sad
"Well hey, Dashie! What's up? How did it go?"
>Though I did sound cheerful, I was worried
>Dashie basically drags herself to a pillow before plopping down
>I chomp down onto the bag and drag it toward her and take a seat opposite of her
"Dashidoo... why'd you lie? Didn't you go out with Sparky to get that stuff?"
>She looks guilty
>"I... I don't think I meant to."
>That doesn't make sense
"Why? He ain't gonna report us or anything like that."
>Something pokes at the back of my head
>I don't really remember anything like this
>But I speak before I can really think about it
"...You know there ain't any guards here, right? Those types we dealt with before aren't a thing anymore."
>She smiles at me for a moment, relieved
>But her smile doesn't last
>"You really don't need to worry about me, Jacky. You should be hanging out with Anon and doing more normal things than cheering me up."
>I laugh at her with a 'ha!'
"Dashie, cheering each other up is what we all do! If I've learned anything, it's that it's good to talk about things. To not let it all be cooped up."
>She doesn't look completely convinced
>"You've changed. I keep having to remind myself of that."
"Changed?"
>"I suppose I should say that you've grown."
>I puff out my chest
"Well of course I have!"
>A smile returns to her face
>"Jacky... do you remember how we were when we were younger?"
>When we were younger?
>I strain to think back as far as I can
>Anon comes up
>Easily, Anon comes up
>But a few fragmented memories pop up too
"I guess I remember..."
>Us sharing food from the first time we stole something
"...Well, I remember that bakery we stole from. You told me that it would just be for us."
>Her warm smile grows
>"That's right. That was when I decided that we had to do more. That I had to do more."
>I nod, my head leaning to the right
"Yeah... and... I guess before we knew it, that's how we always ate."
>"We sure did eat good, at least."
"Hur, yeah. Sometimes..."
>Her smile melts away
>"I never wanted you to get used to that sort of thing. I tried to keep you out of as much as possible. But I needed help... and you were so strong. So much stronger than me."
>I giggle at the ego stroke, stretching out my back legs
"Yeaaaah, I guess you could say I got ma's bucking prowess down, alright."
>I feel a slight drop in my stomach
>I think back to the dream of kicking someone
"I... uh... I guess I was good at fighting too..."
>"You were. But never for no reason, or to be selfish. It was always to help protect me."
"I guess..."
>I don't really know what to say to her
>I don't know where her head is at
"Dashie... do you really miss those days?"
>Her wings ruffle once
>She doesn't answer immediately
>"Is it bad if I do?"
"Well..."
>What was there to miss?
>It was doing a lot of bad things
>But it was a lot of fun too
>Our lives were really tough
>And a lot of things hurt too
"I don't think so... I kinda see why you would like that."
>I look at the bag of biscuits
>They actually smell really good
"But where we are now... I mean, isn't it all awesome that we have food? Water? Safety? Friends? Comfort?"
>"What do we do with ourselves, Jacky?"
"What do you mean?"
>She sounds like she isn't too happy with everything
>"You have Anon. Sparking has her video games and an entire world that can yield to her magic. I..."
>She trails off, like she wanted to stop herself
>"I don't have a purpose anymore. Even if I stole for hunger, I at least had a goal. I had a place to go to, something to do. Don't you feel like being here is just... listless?"
"Whatless?"
>I furrow my brow
>I understand her
>It's difficult to get used to things
>It's difficult to know that I can't just leave the apartment on my own and visit Anon at work, wherever that is
>It's difficult to feel cooped up
>And I am jealous of the bond Sparks has with Anon
>I want to play video games with him too and do more than be a mere bystander
>I repeat my worries to her, each truth hitting my heart from a new angle
"I don't have a horn... and I don't have wings like you, Dashie. All I have is..."
>I gulp down hard
"All I have is a connection I want to believe exists between me and the pony Anon initially wanted."
>Now that it's said and out there in the world, I feel both lighter and heavier for it
>Dashie still looks sad, but I think it's for another reason
>"Darling, you can look at that... man, and realize that it's only you he's looking at in such a way. I don't think you could ever lose against a cartoon."
>I feel unusually defensive
"Ma ain't just a cartoon! She's...."
>I thought I was going somewhere with that but Dashie's right
"She's... I want her to be real... I want to be more than just a... a gutter pony."
>I remember a guard calling me that
>Not to my face
>But I remember that name clearly
"I know it isn't perfect here... but it's so much better than anything else. And I think we're still better off now than we ever have the right to be."
>I get the feeling of something poking the back of my head
>Wait!
"And... well, about that coin stuff... can you tell us about that stuff before you do it? Even if it was Sparky's idea, can you let Anon and I know? It's not just safety and all of the stuff he said but... well. We're all friends. Almost... like..."
>I start to stumble over my words
"Like... a family? Because that's kinda close, ain't it?"
>I sound hopeful
>I really do like the idea
"I mean, how about it? We've always had each other no matter what! And now Sparky means more to us, Anon's here too. Together, we got all sorts of neat skills and stuff! Like a team!"
>I feel like I've lost the point of trying to cheer her up
>Dashie picks up on what's on my mind
>"Jacky... you worry too much. It really isn't like you to think so hard."
>I squint at her
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
>"It means that Anon's rubbing off on you... let's call it growing pains."
>She smiles at me
>"I guess we're both trying hard, aren't we..."
"Well... yeah. I want to be better. I remember who I was before and it scares me how bad I was."
>"Jacky?"
"Yeah?"
>Dashie leans down and nudges the bag with her nose
>"Let's eat and listen to some music, ok?"
>Just like that, the weight lifts off my shoulders
"Can we listen to that one song you sang?"
>"Of course... by the way, keep this a secret but Sparking chose that song."
>For some reason that revelation cleared my head of the entire conversation and all of my concerns
"That's... wow."
>"Just remember that next time she gets mad at you. She's a big softy inside."
"Is it bad if I want to make fun of her now?"
>"Yes. Make sure Anon and I are around first."

Part Six.

>Damn it Jacky.
>Damn it Prism.
>That fight was serious. You watched one of those bastards kick Jacky in the head, and the other bite into Prism's wing, nearly ripping it off.
>Jacky got one. She's a good kicker. She's always been a strong pony.
>You don't feel bad about stabbing the other. You wish you could have just killed him. You're going to regret only threatening him with it.
>You feel disgusted with yourself. You feel disgusted at having to fight. This isn't you. You never wanted this to be you.
>It feels hard to breath
>You keep below the bridge and stone streets, so at least on one will see you like this
>You try to breath deep and violently sputter
>You can taste blood
>You can smell it too
>Blood and urine and dirt
>The whirlwind of sensations and thought that you could have died or killed someone catches up to you
>You collapse after a few more steps and vomit on the ground
>Damn it
>You're going to get them for this
>Jacky didn't start this, she didn't deserve this
>Prism...
>She could have stopped Jacky from getting kicked
>You need to use magic
>You need to stay awake
>You can mend yourself again
>You can feel where it hurts
>You'll
>Get
>Through
>Your vision fades
>The last thing you're able to see is a growing puddle of red
>Bastards

>Your wake up with a bad taste in your mouth
>You fell asleep with your mouth open again
>You yawn and cough, lifting your head off of Anon's chest
>No sign of Jacky or Prism
>Both of them are probably in the living room
>For a while now they've been sticking together like glue and laughing and having fun
>You don't mind, you've been busy with your own stuff
>And it means that you've gotten Anon to yourself
>Your turn your head to watch Anon's face
"Heeeey..."
>You flop your head onto him
"Heeey. Get up."
>His head bolts up, but the rest of him stays flat
>"Mm?"
"Get up. You were having a bad dream."
>"...I was?"
>His eyes are still closed but he sounds and looks confused
"Yeah. You should really..."
>What did you do last night?
>A co-op game?
"...uh... watch it with the zombie stuff."
>"Braaaaaaaaaaaaaain."
>Anon rasps and drops his head back onto his pillow
>He yawns out the start of a song and stretches out
>His head pats your shoulder
>"Ask the Jackerroni what she wants for breakfast."
>You roll your eyes
"She can do breakfast on her own now. Prism's been showing her how to do the basic stuff, even with hooves."
>He inhales and nods
>He hasn't been saying anything but you know that he's been stressed
>Or just burnt out
>You don't think it has anything to do with what goes on in the apartment
>Except for when you and Prism grabbed all of those coins
>Even though it was mostly you
"Hey Anon..."
>"Mmmm."
>This makes you feel so stupid
"...I really am sorry about the coins and all that."
>"Is alright. I understand why you did it."
>He said that every time after your first apology
>It bothers you so much that he hasn't tried to do anything about it
>Or maybe you just feel guilty
"I mean it, you know..."
>"I know you do, Spa-King. But it's done and done, right?"
"I guess."
>"Then is done and done."
>He pets your shoulder more
>You want a reason to feel angry but he just isn't giving you one
>Even if he's completely in the right
"...can I ask you something?"
>"Mmm."
>You don't want to keep bothering him but you want to talk to him
"You... got today off, right?"
>"Mmm... Saturday?"
"I think..."
>You look at the big, ever-illuminated desktop monitor
"Yea-yes, yeah-hmm. Saturday's the twelfth."
>"Eeeeeeegg-zack-lee."
>He doesn't say more than that
>You can hear Jacky talking about stuff
>She sounds happy
>Everyone was in such a slump but now everything is leveling out
>Whatever Anon had going on, he hasn't spoken on it to anyone
>You could have read his mind
>But you didn't want to do that to him for something important
>You can't even really remember the last time you used your magic on him for that sort of thing
>Maybe you've been feeling more confident about speaking out genuinely
>Or you're starting to respect his privacy
>You don't like the possibility that it's the second option
>You always respected his privacy
>Kinda always
"Anon."
>"Sparkbug."
"...Do you wanna tell me what happened?"
>You can see anon's chest rise
>And hear him sigh
>"No... nah."
"Why not?"
>"Because you guys got your own stuff going on."
"Jacky does... I don't."
>Anon's hand slides up your shoulder
>Up your neck
>Into your mane
>And slides over your face from the top of your head down to the front of your snout
>You spit and sputter and lean back
>"Heh heh heh..."
>You grown and thrust one of your front hooves at his side
"You ass..."
>"Love you too, angry gamer pone."
>You finally decide to get up, leaving Anon to his relaxation time
>You stretch as you walk, reminded of the bad taste in your mouth
>You really could use a drink
>You stop when you see Jacky and Prism practicing some sort of maneuver
>"I know the feel when we used to run! And then you..."
>Jacky squats down and Prism awkwardly tries to sidestep over her
>"And then I go... let's pack a meal and play in the sun!""
>"Yeah yeah, like that, but... faster?"
>"Jacky, I don't want to end up hitting you..."
>"You won't, because you're gonna go fast and it'll look awesome!"
>"It was easier with Sparking because she and I... oh, good morning."
>Prism notices you first and smiles
>Jacky looks up at the pegasus and then at you
>"Oh, hey Sparky!"
>You blink a few times
>Jacky is still squatted down below Prism, between her legs
"Pictures are worth a thousand words, aren't they."
>Prism got the picture and quickly stepped to the side fully
>"Is Anon still tired?"
>Jacky is so oblivious sometimes
>That ignites the tinder inside
"Obviously, otherwise he'd be up and about."
>Don't be so mean
>You don't want to sound so bitter about it
>Jacky doesn't seem to mind, but her smile doesn't seem as vibrant
>"I think something's up with him... has anyone noticed that he's been kinda... different?"
>You look at her
>You catch Prism giving you a certain look
>You shrug
>"Well Jacky, you've changed too you know."
"Yeah... you have. But you're still a chunk head."
>"And Anon likes chunky grits so... you know. Chunky heads are in season too."
>Jacky smugly smiles and nods at you
>That doesn't get you angry
>She's never made you all that angry
>She's not stupid
>Sometimes she just gets on your nerves
>In some ways, she knows a lot that you don't
"Yeah..."
>You disengage and walk past them into the kitchen
>"...oh wow. I didn't think I would win that one."
>"Surprises happen all the time, Jacky."
>Rather than getting a cup, you pour some water from the filtered pitcher into a ball contained by magic
>It looks kinda neat
>And it keeps you from having to use any sort of cup
>Ever since you've been here, you've been wanting to improve
>You aren't afraid of magic anymore
>You aren't really afraid of what you're capable of either
>You compress the ball of water until it's the size of a marble
>If you were better then like you are now, you wouldn't have let all of that happen
>The marble of compressed water shrinks further into a bead
>You aren't angry at any of them
>You really do value them
>Without your friends, where would you be?
>Would you have even made it this far without them?
>You feel a strong spike of jaw-clenching anger
>You compress the ball of water as much as you can
>You've made things difficult for them
>Every single fucking mistake you've made has left a mark on yourself, and on them, and on whatever your track record could look like if anyone cared enough to criticize your every failure
>If only this ball was...
>It's not really even a ball now
>You release your magic
>It swirls back to it's original volume, violently swirling about
>It still just looks like water
>You can see the glimpse of a reflection of yourself
>You wish you could have changed more
>But you're still only just you

>After squirting the water into your mouth, you return to Anon's room
>He's still laying there but at least he's awake
>"Hey there, good morning."
"It's not even morning anymore."
>"Potato, grenado."
>You climb onto the bed and sit on his lap
"I'm gonna play some RE5... you want to play with?"
>He hasn't played that in a while
>He hasn't played that many games at all
>He'll watch you and help out but you haven't done anything cooperative in a while
>You lift a controller up to Anon's face
"You know you wanna... and what're you gonna do otherwise, right?"
>"Hmmm..."
>He squints at you
>You squint back
>He squints harder
>You squint so hard you can't even see
>He goes limp and starts to loudly snore
"Wha-hey!?"
>You poke the controller into the side of his face
"Wake up! You aren't escaping me this easily!"
>On the third poke he grabs the controller and does his best to sound like an old man
>"Bahh, when I was your age, I'd have let an old man sleep! Now you wake me from my crypt to shoot gators!"
"Last time we played we didn't even get that far! Now come on."
>After a little more bickering, the two of you finally get into it
>Anon always preferred the close-range loud and heavy weaponry, which means explosives, hand cannons, and shotguns
>So you backed him up with automatic weaponry and sniper rifles
>Of course, aiming was a cinch for you
>With your magic, you're pretty confident that you're one of the best players in the world
>But Anon is also really good despite being slowed down by having to use his hands
>Even though you like his hands
>You like sitting on his lap too
>"Alright, before I hurl you, take some handgun ammo."
"Mind if I have that herb too?"
>"Sure, grenade too. Clear a path and head down, I'll be down there."
>You smirk
"Kiss for luck?"
>Rather than getting one, Anon's Chris hurls your Sheva across a frankly impressive distance across to another building
>Anon isn't built anywhere resembling Chris but you still find it hard to believe that humans can just fling each other so far
>Compared to the adrenaline pumping violent action going on screen, both of you are still just sitting there
>Anon's still laying on his back but he has started to twist over to see the screen better
>He told you once before how much he used to play it so you're not that surprised
>Everything goes off without a hitch
>Despite having both of your own weapon loadouts, you both have at least a handgun
>It's the only shared resource to worry about, since healing items and grenades tend to come and go as required
>With little communicative grunts and the occasional "gah damn it!", you clear the area and strip it clean of all treasure
>Since it's technically a save file from a cleared game, nothing's stopping you from blazing through with fully upgraded guns
>To keep the challenge, both you and Anon started by buying base stat guns and sticking with them
>The harder difficulty mode helps balance it out
>After a few other maps, you end up in a series of mines
>A very dark series of mines
>Dark enough where either you or him have to hold a light
>Which means no attacking
"Alright, want me to take the light?"
>"Yeah, pause real quick."
>You so do and 'wah!'
>He turned to lay on his side and put his hand on your chest, letting you slide off of his lap without falling over
>He pats your chest a few times
>"Alright, now I'm more focused."
>You're tempted to ask if you were distracting him
"Alright... I'm relying on you now."
>As many times as you've played through the segment, you always feel uneasy
>You aren't afraid of the night
>But you are afraid of just how sheer pitch dark it is
>If the light doesn't touch it, it just doesn't exist
>Except it does
>And whatever it is, it watches you from the dark and somehow knows how to traverse the abyss
>But Anon is with you
>Only when you pass it and leave the light behind do you shiver
"I'll never get used to that..."
>"Seriously... alright Al, focus on those guys we can't reach with your rifle. After that, pretty much a free-for-all."
>Who?
"Who?"
>It takes Anon a second to realize what he said
>"Ah... yeah. Sorry."
>You don't press it and pick off whatever poor sobs cross your hairs
>You can't help but notice that Anon's play style is so different
>Especially now
>He always wears melee armor while you would prefer the extra inventory spot
>Every other attack is a shotgun blast to someone's head
>He enjoys the melee attacks too
>You snort at the sight of him chucking a grenade at a crowd of enemies
>He really isn't subtle, is he
>He's never been subtle
"Anon?"
>"Mm?"
"Y'having fun?"
>"Mm."
>A handful of enemies do come your way, of course
>But Anon's aggro puts him in the center of a slaughter
"...y'need some backup?"
>"Mmm... nah. I think I'm good."
>You pop the heads off of any enemy threatening his flank but for the most part he manages to take care of whatever remains
>Until there are none left and just a half dozen glowing circles signalling treasure and ammo
>Anon exhales, sighing
>"That wasn't so bad."
"...yeah. You didn't even touch the grenade launcher."

>It's another night
>Anon's tired but happy to hang out with you
>While Jacky and Prism spent all day doing their thing, you focused more on an RPG
>You've been hopping from game to game for weeks now, trying to find something that feels right
>Giant wars where you're the chosen one from some long, forgotten group feel... boring
>Small-time, rag-tag groups that end up fighting massive militaries and worse feel like a useless power trip
>You found an interesting answer
>Shin Megami Tensei
>Something about it appeals to you
>A normal person who ends up fighting monsters with nothing but normal person equipment
>And gaining the power of demons in the process
>More so, making pacts with them
>Gaining dominance over them
>Sacrificing them when it's appropriate
>For all of the urges and thoughts you've had, this feels like a nice outlet
>The music is nice too
>Anon's sitting behind you with his back to the wall
>Jacky said that she would come in later to sleep with him but from the sounds of the living room, she probably went to sleep on a pillow instead
>"What do you think of your team so far?"
>Anon's been watching you play without too much comment
>Some fights have been frustrating
>A lot of them have been
>But whenever you growl or sigh, he gives you a bit of insight as to what might work
>Of course he would know
>But he isn't saying anything unless you more or less ask for it
"It's... strong against force."
>"One of your demons is strong against force."
"Right... but if it gets hit, it can end the enemy's turn."
>"Exactly. What else?"
>You squint at your roster
>You don't have any real 'favorites'
"...almost all of them can heal?"
>"Not all."
"Well the three in my party do."
>"And they're only as good for that when they're alive."
>You grumble
>It's such a pain to keep track of so many demons
>Some of them evolve and change too, so you aren't even sure of which ones to keep
>It's fun though
"Hey Anon..."
>You're stuck grinding for the next while anyway, no reason not to focus on talking for a while
>"What's up?"
>Keeping your eyes on the screen, you stand up and start to back up toward him
>You keep going until you end up in his lap, at the center of his crossed legs
>You nod to yourself and rest your head on his knee
"If you had demons... and if you could take advantage of creatures that hold immense magic. Would you use them?"
>"Yes."
>That was quick
>How quickly he said that makes you smile
"What for?"
>"Well. Presuming that all hell was breaking loose and that reality as I knew it was crumbling away... I suppose I'd use demons to strengthen myself. Learn their ways through their demonic whispers, fuse them as I saw fit, and make sure that I keep getting stronger, to command even better demons."
"What about their wants and needs?"
>"Who cares? They're demons."
>You smile more
>He's almost sadistic about it, isn't he?
>"I suppose that's the wrong wording... specifically, if they become my demons, then that means that my goals are their goals now."
"What if they get bored or change their minds?"
>"Then I destroy them."
"I suppose it is that easy to do, huh..."
>You watch a few battles go by
>Progress is so slow
"So... say you had a demon, but only one. What would you do with h... it?"
>"That's a good question... depends on the demon I suppose. In a few games of the series, you're a pretty normal person and you can become astoundingly rich by fighting demons. In some other games, they subsist off of something called magnetite. You can turn that into money. So I suppose I'd find a way to get rich."
>He says that but he had a long talk with you about how stealing wouldn't help anything and was an actual bad idea
"So you'd just worry about money?"
>"For a time. But then I would want to find out about more demons. See what their abilities could really consist of. Learn what I could through them, if it's even possible. A lot of protagonists can't use magic at all so they're stuck with swords, guns, and whatever items they come across."
>You shift and readjust in his lap to get more comfy
>He pats the side of your stomach
>It feels nice
>You always feel a lot more calm around him
>Far more at peace
"So... what after? Would you worry about humans getting alienated from the demonically super-powered Anonymous?"
>He chuckles
>"Honestly? Not really. Throughout a lot of the games, since most tend to focus on the alignment scale of Law and Chaos... I find myself abiding by the chaotic characters more."
>That doesn't make a lot of sense to you
"So... between good and evil, you prefer evil?"
>"No, good and evil have nothing to do with it."
>You turn your head to look up at him
>Your expression of confusion and 'are you kidding me' says enough to make him laugh
>"Listen. Is everything lawful good?"
"Psst... obviously not."
>"Exactly. And is everything chaotic bad?"
"Well... no... but?"
>You get what he's trying to make but it still sounds awkward to listen to
>"Well, but nothing. A lot of things in the SMT games go beyond morality of 'here, this is evil, you are evil if you do this'. After enough games and playing through so many scenarios... I don't know. I suppose I could trust demons more. Or, I guess 'trust' is a strong word. Who, and what, they are is on the outside. Not the inside."
>That sounds deep
>Far deeper than you thought you'd ever care to think about on a game like this
>"What about you?"
"Huh?"
>"What would you do if you had a demon?"
>What would you even want a demon for?
"Well... I have magic. You know that."
>"I do."
"So... what do I need a demon for?"
>"Well they're strong. And big. A lot are bigger and stronger than you. Some know magic you don't."
>That uncomfortable truth bothered you
"Yeah well not all magic is equal... so who cares if I'm lacking a certain type?"
>"Well, not all magic is equal. But can you Media?"
"That all-heal spell?"
>"Yeah. If we're all hurt, can you do anything about it?"
>You grumble
>Of course you can't
>You never even really... tried to do magic
>It's always been sort of reflexive to you
>It would be nice if you could just cast Fire or Agi and let it just happen
"Well... in any case, if I had a demon. I guess I'd do the same. Except I don't really care about money. I have everything I want already."
>That's a lie
>But you're ok with telling just a little lie
"Maybe I would want to get stronger too, to defend what I wanted."
>You focus on the three demons on your team
>Your best one is some weird winged thing wearing unusual clothing
>It also wears a mask that has a long nose
"I... don't think I would be friends with them. They look too weird."
>"You'd just them by looks?"
"Given they're murderous demons from who knows where? Yeah. Wouldn't you?"
>"...point. I guess I'm used to seeing them."
>He shrugs and pets your stomach again
"What if... you were a demon?"
>"That's a good question. I suppose I would just have to be myself."
>That makes you laugh
"You're already yourself."
>"Sure, but I wouldn't ever hide anything."
>That makes sense
>It's been hard to fight the urge, but you haven't poked into his head for a long time now
>You kinda miss it
>You want to know what he's thinking right now
>You want to know what his issues are
>You just want to know more
"If I were a demon... I think I would do that more. I would just get stronger and get what I wanted. After all, what can stop a demon, right?"

>It's another night playing SMT with Anon watching
>Like last night, you got into his lap again
>Jacky and Prism have been on their own movie marathon
>Disney movies, last time you checked
>You made some progress, though it was slow
>After a few more areas, you come across...
>A message
>It reads "The flames of the [Candelabrum of Sovereignty] are flickering wildly...]
"W... Anon?"
>"Yes?"
"...what does this mean?"
>"Don't you remember why you got it?"
"I... uh... maybe?"
>After walking around more, another message appears
>It reads "You can feel the presence of a terrifying demon..."
>Given everything you've come across so far, you're maybe a little worried
>You've come close to death far too many times to be comfortable
>And unlike other games, once you're dead, your demons abandon you and that's the end of it
"Uh, Anon? Little translation here?"
>Your voice raises
>Did you heal up everyone?
>How is your MP reserve?
>"Uh oh."
"Uh oh?!"
>"Uh oh, big time."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN UH OH."
>You continue the game's dialogue
>Except now someone's talking
>Not really talking, it's all text
>"The flames of the candelabrum beckon me to the battlefield!"
>"I do not know who you are, but... if you have a candelabrum, it is our destiny to fight."
>"Let us duel to the death within my realm, where no one can interrupt us!"
>Just like that a red circle forms around your character and they drop into it!
"UH OH."
>"Uh oh."
"OH NO, ANON I HAVEN'T SAVED."
>Your character gracelessly drops into a blood red plateau where lightning, or what looks like lightning, strikes the ground all around
>"The victor shall claim the loser's candelabrum, and return in triumph."
>The Mysterious Voice speaks more until it reveals...
>A skeleton?
>A human skeleton!?
>One named Matador
>"I challenge you to a duel, to see which of us is truly worthy of the candelabra... I swear, by my sword and capote, that I will once again prove victorious!"
>You whip your head back to Anon
>He has to give you some advice, right?!
>He looks at you and shrugs
>"This didn't happen the last time I played it..."
"WAIT, WHAT?! HOW?!"
>You focus back on the screen
>The high-tension music is really starting to get to you
>"Now, let the battle begin!"
>Just like that, you're forced into a battle
>The high-tension music morphs into something far more...
>Menacing
>Faster paced
>You watch as he maximizes his agility on the first turn, as his first action
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!"
>"Better make your moves and make them count... you really aren't going to escape from this."
"WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!"
>You set your Tengu, Jack Frost and Uzume to action, focusing the most on keeping your health high
>Your magic state is high but you don't know the skeleton's weaknesses
>Your blood turns ice cold as the song erupts with ghostly vocalizations that steal your breath
>This can't be a fight you're supposed to win
>But if you lose... you die
>You struggle to hit him for various turns
>And then it happens
>Andalucia
>Though it's one attack, the skeleton unleashes a literal barrage on your entire team!
>Jack Frost is killed!
>Uzume is killed!
>He then uses an attack that increases your attack
>But it also drops your defense
"Wh... WHAT THE FUCK?! ANON, HELP ME!"
>"You see that he's using force attacks. Don't you have a demon that's immune?"
>Like a ray of sunlight through the storm, he reminds you of that demon with the long nose you kept around but stopped caring to level up
"I got it!"
>You summon that to the fray and keep a righteously desperate struggle to stay alive
>Though you think you're doing enough damage to kill a normal demon twenty times over, it just isn't ending!
>You revive or summon backup where you can
>Maybe one demon out of your active party of four can afford to attack
>With the tengu demon out, Matador's Mazan attack is nullfied!
>Everyone else still takes damage but it affects his turns!
"Just die! JUST DIE!"
>You haven't saved in hours and this sort of in-your-face horror is so far and beyond any other game you've played
>Unable to use anymore MP, you command your Tengu to attack the Matador
>And it dies!
>You hold your breath, unsure of what that means
>Your answer comes in the form of the spoils screen!
>Everything still alive, your character included, level up at least once
"YES, EAT IT! YOU FREAKING... FREAK! YOU FREAK!"
>All of the pent up energy you had explodes all at once
>You jam your hoof out forward, as if to show the humanoid skeleton what for
"YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD BEAT ME?! I AM THE DEMON!"
>You can hear Anon
>"Demi-fiend, Sparkoo."
"I AM THE DEMI-FIEND. FUCK YOU! AND YOUR SONG!"
>Shivering with leftover adrenaline, you carry on with the game
>You obtain another Candelabrum
>Your character starts to hear a Lady's Voice, talking about how the candelabrums attract one another and that there's some labyrinth to go to next
>Once it ends, you're left off exactly where you were before
>Weakened
>Still a little scared
>But stronger for it, objectively
>You shiver and go completely limp in Anon's lap
>You drop the controller, your mind fried
>Now that you've been having to keep track of MP, you start to wonder if you have MP as well
>You must be getting low
"Anon... can you pet my mane?"
>"Sure. Want me to cruise you over to the closest save point too?"
"No... no, I'll do that. I just need to... man. Those zombie guys were fun to shoot but that's because it was with you. And even then, we had such awesome stuff to kill them with. But this... I don't feel safe. I feel like a single slip up could do me in."
>"That's the SMT charm alright. I gotta admit, it's really great to watch someone play through this."
>You sigh
"Well I'm glad at least you like it..."
>You can feel Anon sliding his hands through your mane
>You never bother to brush it or anything so it usually looks really messy
>It helps differentiate you from that Twilight character so you like it
>It's grown too, so it's not entirely like hers anymore anyway
>She would probably never get half as far as you
>You chuckle to yourself
>It's not a petty thought, you're just being honest
"My MP is tapped... where are the chakra drops?"
>"You have MP now?"
"Yesss... and it's empty."
>You didn't really know how magic worked before
>For the longest time you just didn't want to use magic
>You didn't want to hurt yourself
>Or anyone else
>You never even really read up on unicorns or how they did magic
>After so many demons having so many spells, and after learning so many moves, you realize that there's a whole lot more to magic than what you ever thought
>What would you even classify the magic that you do have now?
>Your self-conscious internal audit ends when you feel Anon's hands leave your head
>You look up at him and smile
>"Feel better?"
>You nod and rest your head on his knee, curling up into yourself hard
>"I'm gonna get you to a save point..."
"Alright. I trust you."
>You sigh and inhale
>You feel so accomplished
>You didn't really do a lot throughout the day when Anon was at work
>But when he was there to watch?
>You felt like you won a real fight
>You feel better than when you won a real fight
>This must be what he feels when he plays games like that
>"...oops, I got you killed."
>Your eyes burst open
"YOU WHAT?!"
>You whip your head to the screen
>...you're fine
>You whip your head to Anon
>He's smiling at you
>Smirking
>"You know I had to do that at least once."
"Ugh... you suck..."
>You jab your head at his arm, winning a glancing blow
>Your horn isn't actually all that sharp
>Maybe it'll get sharper once you level up or something

>It's another evening playing games with Anon...
>Except Jacky is around this time
>Already a little bitter that you can't sit in his lap, you resign yourself to his left side
>Jacky's sitting on Anon's lap, her lower legs resting over his and her front legs in the air
>Anon's been controlling her like a puppet ever since she sat down
>It's annoying how in sync they are
>"So... you went through that branch already, right?"
>He moves his arm, making Jacky point with her hoof at the right side of the screen
>"The real right side here or the last one?"
>"Either."
>It's obvious that she has no clue what she's looking at
>But to be fair even you're having difficulties trying to remember where you've been to before
>The map system doesn't really seem to help
>"Maybe..."
>"That way."
>She speaks and he finishes her sentence, using her to point
"It's not that way... that way is the dead end that took like twenty battles to realize and come back from..."
>"Damn..."
>"It..."
>If they're trying to be funny, it really isn't
>Time slips by as you wander throughout the confusing dungeon
>"I love what I can see... what's expected of you, what's expected of me?"
>He holds up Jacky's front legs, bringing them down
>One points to the side to you
>One points to herself
>She doesn't actually look like she cares what he's doing
>She just looks... happy
>Another half hour passes
>"Duhh duh duh duh!"
>"Ah am yer lord an' savior!"
>"Duhh duh duh duh!"
>"Ah have yer back, to tha wall!"
>"Duhh duh duh duh!"
>"Strike without grace!"
>As stupid as they've been, you've been pursing your lips to stop from smiling
>Anon's been giving deep "duh"s for at least seven fights now
>While shaking her hooves and shoulders, she bleats out the lyrics with her best Applejack impression
>"Duhh duh duh duh!"
>"Drink of the wine of the wrath of Ma!"
>"ONE MORE MA REJECTED!"
>"AH AM THE LORD AN' SAVIOR!"
>"ONE MORE MA REJECTED!"
>"AH HAVE YER BACK, TO THA WALL!"
>"ONE MORE MA REJECTED!"
>After more than a few headaches, you end up at the dungeon boss
>Compared to before, they're both silent
>Except for the little grunting they're doing
>Anon moves Jacky's legs in tune with the lyrics of the boss theme
>She wriggles back and forth in tune with it, squinting whenever the enemy gets another turn
>You're able to focus
>Obviously
>But you can't help but think of how stupid they look
>Anon's smarter than this
>But he's just so... content with something so basic
>Jacky, shocking no one, is just happy to be there
>She occasionally asks him questions but it's always in a whisper that breaks their little playing
>You would never want to be played with like some sort of doll
>Even if he hugs her
>Or occasionally kisses the side of her head, behind her ear
>Or mentions how he has an itch on his face, then moves her hoof to scratch it, and thanks her
>They look stupid
>Absolutely stupid
>Your main demon finally scores a fatal blow and the enemy dies
>You wish he could do that with you too
"Finally! Screw you and your two sisters!"
>"Yaaaaay!"
>Jacky lets out a quiet cheer while Anon waves her hooves back and forth
>"Very nice, Sparkler. It seems like you have a pretty reliable dynamic going on."
"Yeah... I guess those fiends really do come in handy."
>You can't help but feel like it's a hollow victory
>If Jacky were back out in the living room with Prism you'd be able to have... tried something
>You aren't sure what
>But you feel
>Alone
>Like you, the titled Demi-Fiend protagonist is alone in an alien world
>The people you know seem to be doing fine and are safe and sound
>But you're the one who has to wander without aid
>"Sparky?"
>"What's up Sparks?"
>You don't reply
>It's not fair
>You can do more things
>You can use magic
>You've been able to help out more too
>You want to cry
>But instead you just feel angry
>Demi-fiend never once cried
"I'll win..."
>You growl to yourself
>"Spooky."
>"Well you sure got a team plan down to debilitate and buff."
>More time passes
>Anon and Jacky went to sleep while you stuck to your game
>He basically just flopped onto his back and she slithered halfway up his chest before passing out
>While you're tired too, that smoldering anger keeps you from being able to wind down for the night
>You glare at the pair every now and again, expecting one of them to notice your schemes
>Without wondering if you should, you begin to reach for Anon with your magic
>Like you did when you were first fighting over the right to play games whenever you wanted
>Ever since that peek into his head
>Into his life
>Into who he is
>You've wanted to see more
>You've wanted to feel more
>You wanted him to think of you more
>You watch him as you peer into his mind
>He hasn't been wanting to open up to you for a while
>That's fine
>You'll let yourself in
>All at once, you see and feel everything that he's been up to
>Fatigue
>A sense of loneliness that feels similar to your own, somehow
>Concern
>Worry?
>Why would he worry about any of you dying?
>You disconnect and stare blankly at the screen
>It's not any of you that are dying
>It's one of his kind
>Family
>You sorta forgot that he even had human relatives
>You don't think he ever really mentioned them
>A cold wave of panic goes down your neck
>What do you do with this?
>How can you help him?
>What could you say?
>What could any of you say?
>You barely resist the urge to shake him awake
>You couldn't do that and just ask him something like that out of the blue
>But you can't do nothing either
>You watch him sleep with Jacky
>He acts so dumb sometimes
>Like nothing could ever get him down
"You... idiot..."
>You can't be mad.
>You can't be anything
>Like the Demi-fiend, all you can do is move forward
>You can think, at least
>Plan
>You'll find a way to make a difference
>The only question is if you should tell Jacky and Prism about what's going on too

>It's another night with Anon
>Now that you know that he's been worried about family dying, you've been noticing every single cue
>Every delayed smile, like it's a conscious effort
>Every zoned out look at nothing, like he's contemplating something
>Jacky's back in the living room with Prism again
>The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly is playing
>You can hear them both laugh at certain parts
>They're probably trying to do that MST3K thing
>Anon would probably love doing that too
"Hey Anon."
>You turn back to look at him with a smile
>It's a real smile, not a smirk
>You're doing your best to make sure of that
"Don't you wanna go out there with those two goobers and make fun of Blondie or Tuco?"
>It takes a second for him to reply, sitting with his back against the wall again
>Given how much you and him sit on his mattress, it may as well be a flat couch
>"Me? Nah.. no, that's alright."
>As goofy as he is normally, this feels like a big shift
>It's not just fatigue, otherwise he'd have taken a nap
>He looks right past you, at the monitor you've been playing on
>You've hit a wall in progress and have spent the day grinding on and off
>Whether or not it's the game itself or for other reasons, you haven't been able to just back out of it and do other things
>Jacky and Prism have been doing everything together again
>Which is good
>You're happy for them
>But you can't help but feel like it's back to the old days
>"Trying to grind up for a fiend?"
>You give a heavy sigh
"I keep dying... and every new boss is getting harder to just skate by. So I want stronger demons. I like some of them... but I need to become stronger."
>"Tell me about it."
>You raise an eyebrow at him
>He notices your accusatory look and shakes his head
>"Digital Devil Saga 1... I spent at least a solid... I don't even know, at least 20 hours grinding at the end of the game. Because I wanted to have 100% cleared skills for the transfer save bonus to the second game."
>You grimace
"Holy crap... was it worth it?"
>Anon's eyes go wide
>He slowly shakes his head while mouthing a large 'NO'
>You scoff at his answer
"I couldn't do that... "
>"You sure as hell shouldn't. Shit sucked. Out of all of the games I played of this series, that was my first title. And it really whipped the shit out of me."
"Why?"
>"Because it was really difficult. It required a ton of thinking and pattern recognition. It wasn't at all like the slugfests that you've been dealing with of heal-attack-heal-attack."
>Personally you always preferred just going at it and giving it your all
"It sounds difficult..."
>Even though you're stuck on trying to figure out how a puzzle boss would go since it's in combat, you say something without really meaning to
"Anon, I love you. No matter what's going on, you have me. You have Jacky. And you even have Prism. So... I guess just remember that if nothing else. Ok?"
>You're taken off guard by your own words but you watch Anon for any sort of reaction
>You can't believe you just did that
>What's he going to think?
>He just watches you
>He finally gives you a smile
>It looks like it hurts
>You remember that smile
>You remember being out on the outside balcony with him like it was yesterday
>That smile still makes your stomach wrap itself into a knot
>"Yeah... I love you too, Shine. Just like I love Jacky."
>He pauses on purpose
>"And yeah, even Prism too."
>Was this a confession?
>Of course it wasn't
>But what if it was?
>Obviously it wasn't
>But what if he proved it?
>Obviously he wouldn't
>Before you can ask yourself anymore questions, you feel a pair of strong, human arms scoop you up
>Your focus is completely erased and your controller falls onto the bed
>You close your eyes and pucker your lips expecting something but
>He just hugs you close to his chest
>With your tail near one shoulder and your head near his other
>Your heart beats a mile a minute at this move, even if it wasn't what you thought it'd be
>He buries his head into your side
>"If this really is happening, I may be the last one, Shine. And I don't know what I'll do once that happens. I'm a man without a country already. Take away what little family I have left and... that'll just be it. It'll end with me."
>Though he's partially speaking into your side, you can hear him perfectly
>Every part of you focuses on him
>His breathing
>His grip
>The tremors in his hands
>How quiet he is
>How you can feel his closed eyes pressing into your ribs
>You don't need magic for this
>You lean your head to the side against the front of his shoulder
>What can you say?
>You know you don't have any family
>If you ever had family to begin with
>You know that you... don't even know where you came from
>But he did
>Probably
>He must have, at some point
>"This is some rough shit, Shine..."
>You absolutely love him calling you that
>You really don't know what caused it
>But you want it to stay that way
>You can shine for him
>Easily
"...wanna play some Soul Caliber? Remember the first time we did that?"
>You don't really get a reply out of him
>Just a tightened grip on the hug
"I'm here now... doing the best I can."
>You aren't great at singing but you remember the lyrics like the back of your hoof
"Where are you now? Did your dreams come true...?"
>You hear a heavy sigh into your side
>Anon's breath feels like fire
>"Here we go..."
>It feels like forever passes
>He doesn't say anything
>You don't say anything
>You're just enjoying his hold on you
>Except
>The way he's squeezing down on you
>It's different
>Anon's breathing is changing too
>The hair on the back of your mane starts to stand on end
>This is no longer something loving
>This is tension
>This sort of tension makes you shiver despite the warmth of the room
>Your legs tense up
>Your ears twitch, as if to pick up any of the most minor of movements
>...
>...
>NOW!
>Anon launches you up into the air the same second you kick off of his forearms
>Though you're in the air for only a second, you spin around and move to hit him with a dive kick!
>He punches up, his knuckles meeting your hoof
>For that split second, you see it
>The fierce, burning soul of a fighter
>That exact moment in time will never leave you
>Your mouth opens as he does
>You both know what time it is
>You both know that neither of you are going to back down, no matter what you are to each other
>There is only one way to settle this
>Your voice bellows out with him
>There's only one thing that needs to be said
"SPARKING!"

>Despite it being a Saturday, you haven't been doing nearly as much with Anon as you wanted
>He's been napping all day long, waking up only long enough to go to the bathroom, drink something, or ask you what's up
>You like it, since you've been grinding away in your game while either sitting on him or laying across his torso
>Jacky really hasn't been around him a lot
>Which means that Prism has been doing her part
>With the sun going down, everything in the apartment feels so much nicer
>Deciding that you may as well be social, you slowly slide off of Anon's body
>Whether or not Jacky would approve...
>Well, she isn't here, now is she?
>You smile to yourself
>You're his Shine
>You've never been called that by anyone
>You've never really had enough people around you for any of them to even attempt to call you something like that
>The only living thing that's been close to you, back then, was... just Jacky
>But even then it's not like you were really that close
>Maybe it would have been nice if you were closer
>You're still solid friends now, so does it matter?
>While making your way to the living room, Jacky zips by
>"heytheresparkybyetheresparky!"
>You scrunch your face at how close she was to knocking into you
>Well, whatever
>You come across Prism, who is so eloquently draping herself across a few pillow
>"Good evening, Sparking. It's nice to see you come out of your Anon cave."
>It sounds like it's a bit of a prod but you don't really feel that aggressive today
"Good to see you too, believe it or not."
>You both smile at the light sparring
>Things really do feel like they're beginning to fit into place
"So hows your side of the plan?"
>Prism smiles, her wings shifting on her back
>"Wonderful! I feel like we're little fillies again. I really do miss it..."
>She sighs
>"I doubt you remember, you didn't know either of us well. But remember that time I tried to act like some noblemare's daughter?"
>You vaguely remember something like that
>It was one of Prism's first attempts at her main skill
>Lying
>You were sort of weary of her for the longest time because she always made these tall tales or came up with these extravagant dreams of how things would be
>You never liked them
>Jacky did
>Maybe she came up with all of that stuff to keep morale up
>Looking back on how things were, maybe you can't blame her
"Yeah... not really."
>You shake your head, still smiling
"You know, I just... didn't get you two. I really didn't. I could imagine having a friend that was that close and thought I was that valuable. I really could. But I never thought I'd get one. Not while I was some... creature living off of crusts."
>"And now look at us..."
>The look on Prism's face is one of supreme victory
>You nod
"Yeah... look at us now..."
>"Speaking of us... how's Anon? I admit, I feel a little bad for how I've been before toward him. It seems like he just does his thing while we do our own. Is he really always like that?"
>Of course he isn't
>When it was just you and Jacky, they were all over each other
>They still technically are, but they've been separated successfully to the point that it's more common that only you get to sleep near him
>Neither of them know about what's going on with his family either
>As important as that is...
>You can't be the one to tell them
>You can't be the one to tell Jacky that
>But Anon hasn't had the chance
>Maybe... he should
"He... he's ok. Yeah."
>You can't help but feel something resembling guilt
"Hey, listen... he's not a bad guy. He's really not. If you think you can go a night or something without Jacky, let's let them have a little alone time, huh?"
>"We'll see. I'm in no rush to give her up again. Did you know that there are books in spoken format too? We've been listening to dozens of them! And some on this world's history, too... do you remember much about where we came from?"
"I... no. Not really. Last thing I remember of there..."
>You get an uncomfortable feel in your chest
"Do you remember that fight we were in? It feels like... well, it felt like I died there. What happened to Jacky?"
>Prism's smile shrinks
>"She was bucked in the head a good time or two... honestly, I was worried."
>She makes herself smile
>"To be honest maybe the kick made her smarter."
>But the smile vanishes
>There's no happiness in her eyes
>"I was scared to death... I don't remember what happened to me. I didn't care, honestly. But I needed to find a way to help her."
>You remember that she looked roughed up bad
>And her wing...
>"You know, Sparking... Jacky was worried about you. Up until..."
>She blinks hard a few times
>"Up until... would you call it 'the end'?"
>The morbid tone she takes upsets your stomach and your chest severely
>Specifically, you can feel your ribs
>Or rather, you can feel how they were
>You blink hard and remind yourself that you can breath like normal now
"T... that wasn't the end of anything. We recovered from that, right?"
>You really can't remember anything from between that point to... waking up in Anon's apartment
>His voice was familiar though
>When you woke up, you knew who you were talking to
>You recognized his voice faster than you recognized Jacky's
"Prism, what do you remember after th-"
>"I'M BACK BABY AND BETTER 'AN EVER!"
>You instinctively duck down
>Jacky soars overhead, bellyflopping onto a well-squished pillow
>You were wondering why that one looked particularly beat up
>It must've been her training dummy
>"Sparky, come watch with us!"
"Watch what?"
>"War documentary!"
>With the faint feeling of broken ribs still in your mind, you back away with a hesitant shake of the head
"No... no, I'm alright."
>"Aw come on... you like games with guns and stuff too, right?"
>"It's alright if she doesn't want to join us, Jacky. It'll just be her loss, right?"
>Prism gives you a wink
>Jacky smirks
>"Ahhh... yeah. It'll just be your loss if you don't do it."
"Yeah... I'm losing out on a lot, alright. Not like I care about history anyway. We're here now, that's all that matters, right?"
>You trot away with a smile
>You want to believe that, anyway
>You return to Anon's bed and climb on top of him
"Hey... hey wake up."
>You push down on his chest with your front hooves and rock back and forth
"Anon... come on, wake up."
>Anon, with what can only be practiced reflexes, snatches you and holds you down against him
>"Mmm in a minute Jack."
>His voice rumbles in his chest, right into your ear
>Wait a minute
>Did he call you Jacky?
>Did you do a Jacky thing of all things?!
>You squint with your mouth open
>After letting the knowledge ferment in your head, you thrash about
"I'm not that chunkhead you idiot! Get up so I can ask you something!"
>"Mehh meh meh meh mehh..."
>Anon mocks you while rolling his head back and forth
"DON'T MAKE FUN OF ME, I WANTED TO BE SERIOUS!"
>"Meh meh meh meh meeeeehh! Meh mehh meh meh!"
>The way he contorts his face doesn't help at all
"THAT DOES IT, I'M-"
>"Calm down, Shine... I'm sorry for sleeping in so much."
>Just like that, you're defused
>You swear you had more than enough energy to spare to flail around but you just can't do anything more but lay limp like a ragdoll
"...you're calling me that thing again."
>"So Shiny... shiny like my heinie."
>Wait what
"...did you just call me your butt."
>"Yes."
>Maybe you've been getting a little too emotionally invested in his words because right now you aren't sure what to feel
"Anon?"
>"Yup?"
"Are you finally up?"
>"I didn't have a choice."
"Good. I hate you."
>Freaking Anon
>You wanted to ask him something you thought might be important but you can't just do that now
>"Whip it out."
>What
"...what."
>"Whip it out, babe."
>He speaks in some sort of nasally... accent?
>"Jacko ain't got her sword-o."
"I swear if this is another joke of yours, I'm going to-"
>"AKU-KU-KACHOO BABE!"
>The funny voice and weird words make you regain all of the energy you had and then some
>You scream and flail all of your legs around, whipping your head back and forth until he lets go of you
>"Woah... razzmatazz with a spazz... what's up, spark in the dark?"
>You move back to a sitting position, glaring down at him
"You..."
>You sigh and shake off your excess energy
>At least he's looking at you now
"Listen... do... do you wanna help me learn more about my past?"
>"Your past?"
"Yeah..."
>"Where in your past?"
>That was... a good question
"I.. don't know. The last thing I remember."
>"What about the rest of your past?"
"Well... that's sort of a longer story."
>"I'm awake."
>Would you be fine with telling him what you remember?
>Wait a minute
"Hey don't try to distract me! I'm talking about what I last remember and how I got here?"
>"And... what even is that?"
"I-"
>You forgot that what you and Prism and Jacky know isn't exactly what he knows
>Whatever he does know about your past, or Jacky's
"...nevermind."
>"Oh come on, don't tempt me like that. Why not just start from the beginning?
"Eh... haven't you heard something like that from Jacky?"
>"Maybe. I haven't heard that sort of thing from you."
>He has a point
>And it is a way to get closer to him
"Alright... I guess I can, since you pushed me so hard on it."
>"Oh yeah, totally. I woke you up and went 'please sing to me the song of your people'!"
>He stares at you
>You stare at him
"...I hate you."
>"Then smite me with your history already."

"I'll smite you, you..."
>You grumble and sigh
"I just... I feel like I'm nothing, you know? Without a past, roots, I'm kinda just here. And I want to know more of who I was. What I did."
>"Yeah... I get that."
"Do you really?"
>"Sure. My family is so worthless that a lot of the time it feels like I'm the only one of my... what, clan? Like I'm really all I will ever amount to. No generation-passed knowledge, wealth or land. What I have here is pretty much all I've ever had, and most likely will be all I ever do have. Just as my physical family..."
>He pokes your nose with his finger
>"Is you three. If I have cousins or extended family, I don't know them, they don't know me, and there's absolutely no value there for either parties."
>You hate how easily he can say something like that
>How could anyone be so... proud of that?
>But the tone and smile he has doesn't say that he's proud either
"...well I guess you do know."
>"Yeah. But I also kinda know my family's history, so there's that... but what good does it honestly do me, right?"
"I guess. But... I would like to know mine. I want to know why I ended up where I did. I want to know why I couldn't have just been born... better?"
>"To grow up and not feel like you're trash?"
"Yeah..."
>"I wouldn't blame you. If I could have, honestly? I don't know if I wouldn't mind having a cosmic re-roll on life."
>That sounds nice
>Except
"But then we wouldn't be here."
>"Exactly."
"And if I had a re-roll too..."
>"You'd be living in peace, have a few thousand suitors and have never learned how to style on foes in God Hand."
"That would suck."
>It really would, too
>You really aren't too sure of what you want
"I want to learn about my past... but. Do you honestly think it will make me happy?"
>Anon looks at you
>Like he's studying your face
>He doesn't look like he's trying to joke or make a silly expression
>"What would your past give you that you don't already have now?"
>That question
>How are you supposed to answer that?
"Well... closure."
>"On what?"
"Why I..."
>Oh come on
>He's really just not shying away from this
>Maybe you need to be stronger too
"Why I was abandoned. Left to crawl around the muck and pick rat shit out of my mane. Left to learn magic on my own, and to nearly kill innocent ponies with it. Which freaked me out so much I just couldn't so much as move a cup. Which made me feel even more weak and worthless. Which made me rely on Jacky and Prism for nearly everything that I couldn't solve by sneaking around and stealing pathetic little things so I could suffer to the next day and why I couldn't have just have grown up normal like other ponies and not be such... trash."
>It all comes out in one solid head rush
>It's a weird sensation
>Like you're not even in your own head
>Kinda like you're floating a little and your mouth is just moving on it's own
>The really weird thing is that you aren't even crying
>Crying wouldn't help you
>It didn't help you then
"I want to know why I had to be born and live this life, Anon."
>"Do your think your parents would have an answer that's good enough to satisfy you? That deep gut flame that's burning you from the inside out?"
>You can feel your ears flatten
>The out of touch feeling comes back and hits you from the back of your head
>You bare your teeth
>You aren't able to help yourself
"They'll have MY answer. I'll make them regret it."
>The anger you've felt before really doesn't compare to this feeling
>This is fury
>You want, so badly, to cause whoever left you in the sewage inconceivable harm
>You want to be the worst you can be, and show them a fraction of what you've had to endure
>You want it so bad you're shaking
>For a split second, you can almost see Anon as the one who brought you into this world
>If he knew what he did by bringing you into the chance to remember, he'd
>No
>No, you can't think that
>The quaking in your hooves and the tense stress you've been putting into your legs die down
>Your hooves keep trembling though
"I want to know why it had to be me that turned out so bad. I want to know why they didn't care enough to do more for me. To do at least the baseline of care. If I had foals, I'd never even think about abandoning them..."
>"That's a tall ask... what else do you want help to remember?"
>You can tell that he's trying to be helpful
>You appreciate it
>You really do
>But you want to scream at him because you feel like you need to badmouth the ponies you don't even know
>What else matters, really?
>What you can remember, is blurry
>A lot of it is
>But a lot of it also feels like it's the exact same things
>It's the same cycles
>Getting hurt
>Devouring fresh hauls almost instantly
>Lazing around
>Watching ponies go home to their families
>Seeing kids get things passed down to them from their parents
>Getting older and seeing others your age excel to the point that you can't comprehend how you could have gotten to even half of their level alone
>Realizing that it's because they weren't alone, that they were able to excel
>Picking fights
>Picking bad fights
>Trying to steal from your two only sorta-friends
>Who had more than you ever could
>They had each other
"...nevermind... maybe it's not worth it, to remember."
>Normally you'd see if you could get some sort of edge on Anon and make him do something that you would want that Jacky wouldn't allow
>But you just feel drained
>You slide off of Anon and just lay, limp, on the mattress beside him
"I keep hoping that, in part of my past... I have some amulet. Or a sigil. Or a ring. Or something that hints to me being more important to the world than I really am. I keep hoping that if I really remember some... stupid words of wisdom from infancy, it'll put everything into perspective. Like all of those years were just a test. And that everyone is waiting to celebrate me and tell me how great I am for suffering through things no pony would ever imagine."
>"Instead, it's just how life was for you."
"And that not every pony had to steal to feel like that they had something. Not every pony cried themselves to sleep. Some never did, you know? Some never once had a single rumbling stomach. Some never once were left out in the rain. Some never once got sick. Some never once felt lonely."
>"But you did... and you knew it wasn't normal."
"It was normal... to me it was. Just forget it... Jacky probably has good memories because she had Prism... Prism knew some ponies. She was good with her mouth, anyway."
>You feel Anon shifting around
>His arm drapes over your side
>"Think about it this way... birds of a feather flock together. So trash like us? Gotta stick together like glue."
>You don't know if he's joking or not but you kinda find it... funny
"So you think I'm trash too..."
>"I don't think you're trash at all, Shine. Just as I'm... ehhh, maybe sixty percent sure you don't think I'm trash. But I have a few good reasons to believe I am. Some of them aren't as extreme as your experiences. Some of them are worse. So, without arguing and having a pity party, you think you're trash. And I think I'm trash. So it works out."
>That makes you feel better
>In a roundabout way
>You're not sure if you should feel better
>He did call you trash
"...do you love me, Anon?"
>"Of course I do."
>Like he loves Jacky?
>You should ask that
>You need to ask that
>Say it
>Say it
>Say it before you lose your chance
"I love you..."
>Don't say that!
"...and I love Jacky too. And even... Dashie..."
>Don't lose focus
"I wish I was better, Anon... that's really all. I wish I was a better friend to them."
>Stop pretending to be strong
"I want to be better for them."
>You aren't Anon
"I want to not feel so guilty because they're around me by choice."
>You don't have to act like this
>Ask Anon if he loves you like he does Jacky
>If you don't, you'll never have another chance
>You'll end up that much worse because you don't have what she has
"I'm... sorry if I ever really bothered you, Anon. I really didn't mean to."
>Stop
>If you get stronger, he'll have less reason to care about you
>You'll be strong and alone
>Do you want to be alone forever?
>"It's alright, Shine. I know what you mean... I really do. It's... just sort of a process, you know?"
>The guilt is overwhelming
>Your face feels warm
>It isn't a lot
>But you can feel a few tears going down the side of your face
"I just want to be better. I want to be worth it."
>You can lie
>You can scheme
>You can really try to get Anon to fawn over you instead of Jacky
>But if you did
>You wouldn't be happier
>Merely thinking about that makes you feel like you aren't even in control of yourself
>Your eyes close
>"You are, Shine. Never forget that you're worth it to us, no matter what happens."
>His voice is so soothing
>It's a voice of reason
>A voice that still hurts to hear
>Probably a voice that still hurts to speak in too
>"Later, let's go hang out with them. I think we could both use some real time with friends."
>Sure, Anon
>Sure
>But right now, you really just want to sleep
>Maybe
>When you wake up
>You'll be someone different

>Today feels different
>You woke up normal
>You evidently slept between Anon's legs, in the little canyon his legs formed
>You didn't even have your head on his lap
>You know that you would've done that by default normally
>But today feels a little different
>You woke up before him, and before Jacky and Prism too
>Jacky was laying on her side, clutching a pillow
>Prism was flat on her stomach, legs all kicked out, wings spread
>And her entire head under a pillow
>They were criminals, once
>Just like you
>And yet, here you all were
>As peaceful as could be
>Healthy
>Well, healthy-ish
>Anon has gotten better about food variety but you haven't minded
>None of you have, probably
>It was always there
>Always ready, hot or cold
>It wasn't some new revelation but it was something that surprises you every now and again
>You sit in front of the pony-convenient kitchen area
>It's a few nice camping utensils and other things, but it's all genuine
>You've used it a good few times too
>You wonder what would happen if you made breakfast for him
>Just him
>How would you wake him up?
>Would you make him sit up to eat or would you feed him directly?
>What would you talk about?
>What would you do after eating?
>Would he really be happy?
>Would you be happy?
>You stare at the utensils
>The wide-brimmed bowls
>The pants that have over-sized handles
>So easy a pony can do it
>And that's what you are
>An animal
>Not even a natural one
>Maybe breakfast would be nice to make
>A distraction
>Instead, you get up and walk away from it
>You sit in the hallway
>Anon's sleeping
>He sleeps a lot
>You don't blame him
>He's almost here as much as you are, and it's as isolated as it can be
>Almost enough to make you forget that the world is full of humans and more
>He isn't the only human, but he may as well be as alone as you
>As alone as Prism and Jacky are
>You have a new life, a lot of it is really nice
>But sometimes you think it's too nice
>Like you don't deserve it
>But you bet Anon would say that you do
>Jacky would say that too
>Your eyes wander to the front door
>You could leave
>You could just leave and see what the world had to offer
>Meet other humans
>Maybe become a nomad
>Like in an RPG, wandering around, taking odd jobs and winning awesome stuff
>But this world doesn't work that way
>You know that much from Anon
>That's why he's where he is
>It's probably why he got Jacky
>He wanted a friend
>You're still unsure of how you would feel if he got you first
>You saw what happened through his eyes, when you were in his mind
>He never did get around to replanting some of those plants
>They're still alive at least
>You don't know enough about them to guess at how happy they are
>Your eyes leave the door and go to his boots
>He does have a job and go to work, doesn't he
>For money
>Should you get a job?
>The thought lasts maybe a full second before you sigh
>Of course you shouldn't
>You don't want to work
>The only time you've had to work for anything was to steal
>Stealing is bad, though
>Of course, you know that it's bad
>You aren't some career criminal
>You don't really feel bad about having done it before
>But you want to be better too
>You go from the hallway to the bathroom
>Specifically, the tub
>The faucets start to glow red from your magic and twist to full blast
>Rather than filling the tub, it flows directly to you
>After a few minutes, you're covered up to your neck in a bubble of softly swirling water
>The faucets turn off, eliminating any noise they made
>You close your eyes and exhale
>You can feel the water marble start to mold and shift until it curls over your head and submerges your mane without getting your face wet
>Without anything more than a passing thought, the water swirls, pushes, scrapes and hugs you
>You like the hugging the most
>Before you end up drifting off to sleep, you let the water loose
>Mostly loose, anyway
>It silently sinks down to the bottom of the tub and slinks down the drain
>You're as dry as you were before you started, but far cleaner for it
>You hop out of the tub and step onto the bathroom rug
>It's a really nice rug that Anon bought a long time ago
>It looks like it's made out of the scraps and strips of countless other sources of fabric
>You sit down on it and levitate the rug up until you reach the mirror
>Your mane is...
>Messy as always
>You brush yourself with a faint imagination of what a brush would feel like
>Jacky's mane and tail have gotten longer but you've done a few things to not-quite trim yourself
>You comb your mane until you look like Twilight Sparkle
>The flat, neutral expression on your face really isn't like the perpetual smile or grimace she wears
>She's some magical prodigy that can do anything
>Make friends anywhere
>Be successful
>Have whatever she wants
>And then there's you
>You look like you have a question you want to ask
"...you can't leave. It would mean leaving them behind."
>That seems to be your answer
>You violently shake your head back and forth until it's the loosely presentable mess that you've always had
>Your magic rug ride ends and you sneak back into Anon's room
>Whether or not you think you should, you won't bother him about anything
>Maybe later
>But for now you just want to feel like you've improved
>That you've done something worthwhile
>Something to be proud of
>You quietly boot up the desktop and get a game going
>That RPG you've been playing that involves you fusing, killing, and avoiding demons
>You carefully raise the volume until it's comfortably loud
>With a playful smirk, you load a save state and bump Anon's arm with your rear
"Hey, Anon! Is it better to drain or repel?"
>Your delayed answer is an undulating yawn
>A hand reaches out and lands on your side with a dull slap
>"Braaaaaaaaains..."
"No, not brain. Drain. As in you hit me with a fire attack and I heal from it?"
>Another elongated yodeling act of a yawn
>"Draining steals enemy turns, heals you, and stops you from getting hurt. Repel can lead to your foe healing itself."
"Well... wake up and check my A-team. And my B-team. And that pixie."
>A third yawn
>A full on three-act play of a yawn, complete with some theatrical flourish at the end
>You scoff and shake your head
"Yeah, good going. Great stuff."
>"You still haven't fused that pixie yet?"
"Isn't she important?"
>"Well sh'yeah. But you can fuse her too. What's the worst that could happen?"
"I lose someone important?"
>"Nah, it's fine though."
>Anon does something, including a final warcry of a yawn, and shifts to lay on his side
>"So what am I goofing with?"
"Check my demons. Half are good but they're close to useless now. The skills are good but they keep dying too quickly."
>"Are they getting their shit rocked due to weaknesses?"
"Not even that! They're just really... wimpy."
>"Alright, well, let's see what we can do with some fusing."
>It doesn't take long before you're smiling and goofing around with him like everything's normal
>And it is
>This is normal
>It's not a lot but it's a lot for you
"Hey, Anon?"
>"Wat?"
"Thanks."
>"For what?"
"Being a doofus."
>"Just doing my duty, citizen."

>You might not be the best you can be yet
>But you're trying
>You've been on the laptop behind the makeshift curtains that have since cut off the living room in half for a while now
>Thankfully Anon helped you transfer over your game and save data so you can keep playing at your current rate
>Prism has been laying nearby, watching you
>You don't think she's too happy with you
>She hasn't said anything since Anon helped you set up shop and went back to his room
>With Jacky
>And closed the door
>Though you've had the urge to be mean, you've decided that it would just be best to ignore her
>"Sparking..."
>Here we go
"Yes, Prism?"
>"Wasn't out deal that you keep Anon occupied so Jacky and I could do things together?"
>You did make a little bit of a deal with her
>Though you felt bad about it, both of you set up little... clues
>The browser pages set up for Jacky to find were your idea, among other things
>At first, of course you were on board with the idea
>You wanted to become what Jacky was
>What she still is
>But that wouldn't be right
>He wouldn't deserve something like that
>Not from you
>Not from a real friend
>You shrug, smiling to yourself
"I guess I just messed up then. Besides, haven't they gone long enough without getting a chance to be themselves?"
>"No."
"Well... too bad."
>You go back to playing
>You feel yourself smiling more
"Prism. Did you know that in this game you fight against and with demons?"
>"Demons?"
"Yeah. They're... well, they're like mythical creatures. Or devils. Or angels. Or just things from nightmares that people in this world have."
>"Interesting."
"What's really interesting is that they're capable of changing. Or evolving, I guess I should say. In a lot of other games, where they don't, demons are what they'll always be. Forever and ever, up until their death."
>"What are you getting at, Sparking?"
"I'm getting at... that maybe we aren't demons after all."
>The irritation growing in Prism's voice sounds delicious to you
>You're able to bother her with this in such a new way
>You kinda like it
>It feels a little like revenge, for what happened back then
>"Are you calling me a demon, Sparking?"
"I'm calling all of us demons."
>As much as you're smiling, your tone is serious
"We were terrible ponies, Prism. Jacky... I'm jealous of her. I really am."
>"Then bring her back out here and do whatever it is you feel the need to do."
>You would still want to have that
>Of course you would
>You haven't changed completely
>But you know better
>You know what Anon needs, too
>And he needs Jacky
"No. I'm not her. And... I never will be. But she'll never be me either. And I'm ok with that."
>You pause when you say that
>It's true
>You really are ok with it
>It doesn't even make you think twice
"The deal's done, Prism. If Jacky wants to hang out with Anon more again, we shouldn't stop them. I won't stop them anymore."
>The unicorn doesn't do much but a short glance behind you shows that she's angry
>Angry like you would be
>"If I lose Jacky because of this..."
>You roll your eyes
"Oh come off of it! You aren't going to lose her, you're never going to lose her. Not unless... I don't know, you chase her off and do something bad. Do you genuinely believe that you'll just up and lose access to her and that you'll be left alone? Really?"
>She doesn't reply
"...I get it. I do. But this... whole thing. Trying to fight each other or trying to screw over who brought us here and gave us a new life. It just isn't right."
>"What makes you qualified to lecture me on what's right and wrong?"
"Nothing. I just want to be better. And I think telling you about what I believe might help."
>"And what would that help, you?"
"Not really. But it would help my friends. Our friends, Prism."
>Her wings rustle against her body
>"...what's gotten into you, Sparking? Really. Is this another scheme?"
"No... I kinda wish it was."
>Jacky will tell her
>But you feel like you should tell her first
"Prism... Anon's going through some really hard things. Some really bad things."
>She doesn't look like she cares
>But she doesn't disregard it either
>"In what way, exactly?"
"He's losing what we never had to begin with... family."
>The words make her visibly recoil
>"W-what...?"
"He hasn't really... told anyone. But I found out."
>You really weren't sure if you should tell either of them about this
>But you have to
>Otherwise she just won't get it
"He doesn't want to bother us with that stuff... he thinks it's too... I don't know, unimportant or something."
>Prism seems upset
>But it's for a different reason
>"How does he think he can just keep us in the dark about something like that? When is he going to tell Jacky? She isn't going to be used to that."
"Come on, do you really think he doesn't know that?"
>Her face looks indignant
>"We were playing our dumb games and had utterly no clue..."
"Quite a change there... now you care?"
>You don't sound impressed at all
"Listen... keep this between us, ok? If Jacky knows, then we all know. If she doesn't... well, it's not for us to tell her."
>"But it's for you to tell me?"
>She gets up, concerned determination on her face
>"We must apologize to him at least."
>You get up as well, shaking your head
"Whoa whoa whoa... no you aren't. Anon closed the door. They can be having a heart to heart talk right now, us barging in won't help anything."
>"And if he's alone while she's sleeping like a rock, without a care in the world?"
"Then we just let them freaking be! We let them calm down and enjoy whatever it is they enjoy. If they're not worrying about it or not talking about it... let him have that. If they are talking it out... then they'll handle that together."
>Prism doesn't look like she believes you
>But she does sit back down
>"...what's it even like, losing family?"
"It must be hard."
>"Given... circumstances. I suppose it is indeed best if we don't push for anything. We should make things a little easier for them."
"Yeah, thanks for repeating what I've been saying."
>You aren't mad but you do give her the full force of your sarcasm
>She looks around the room, as if to look for a new focal point
>"So... this game. Demons are in it, you said?"
>You make a face at her
>She seems to be doing her best to at least look vaguely interested
>You sigh
"Yeah... a lot of them."
>"Tell me about them. Maybe one will give us some insight on how to help Anon."
>Since when did she become such a friendly force?
>But this is a step in the right direction
>You hesitantly go back to sitting where you were, keeping your eyes on her
"Well... let me show you. But no funny business, alright?"
>"What could I possibly do to you, Sparking?"
>You thought about an answer to that
>But do you need one?
>She's still a demon
>Until she gains enough experience and evolves, she isn't going to change
>Like the protagonist, you're aware of that
>It means you can at least help steer her away from bad things
"You could ask me really dumb questions... so here is the first one, Black Frost..."

>It's another day you've been spending out in the living room
>The cat's more or less out of the bag at this point, about Anon
>About what he's going through
>The feel of everything has turned sour
>Or maybe it's not that it's turning sour but it's just drained the normally casual atmosphere
>Prism has been quiet about it
>You've been trying to focus on being better
>But Jacky
>Jacky has not been happy about it
>You tried to cheer her up or casually mention how you've stopped hogging Anon all to yourself but she hasn't reacted
>You've seen her that sad maybe once before, maybe
>Now that it's been said out in the open, Anon hasn't been in the same mood as usual either
>Not that you enjoy being humiliated, but you've even opened yourself up to some of his dumb jokes
>None of the opportunities worked
>Prism has been sticking to you a lot lately
>You aren't that sure why
>Probably to give the two space
>"So... which is your best demon?"
"Best? Hard to say. All of them have weaknesses and their uses."
>"You make it sound so impersonal..."
"Yeah. Maybe. They're useful until they're not, then I fuse them."
>"I see..."
>You can hear music from Anon's room
"Hey, Prism."
>"Yes, Sparking?"
"What do we do?"
>"About what?"
"You know what."
>You focus on the screen to the point that you don't even care what she does
>For some reason it feels like her concern isn't genuine to you
>"I wouldn't begin to know where to start on this type of situation."
"Yeah... me neither..."
>Time passes while you play
>You can tell it's been a few hours due to the play time
>But you haven't once looked away from the monitor
>"Hey Sparky... y'got a minute?"
>Jacky
>Without thinking about it, you blind hard and turn your head to face her
>She looks like she's been crushed by a boulder
>Not physically, of course
"Huh? Oh. Sure."
>You just now notice that Prism has been laying near you, sleeping
>Looking at the clock on the computer, you're not surprised by how late it is
"What's up?"
>Jacky looks defeated
>"Can we... go for a walk outside the apartment? I asked Anon and he said it's ok, as long as we don't go that far."
>This is a first
>But it's not unwelcome
"Well... sure. Ok."
>You move your cursor over to save the game's state and close out of it
>You get up, yawning with a hard stretch
>You aren't the most physical pony so a walk will do you some good
"So, what's going on?"
>She waits until you're outside in the hallway outside of the apartment to answer
>You don't have a key but you can manipulate the door lock without anything more than a passing thought
>She's been watching the floor since you saw her
>"...there ain't a medicine that'll help this, huh. And there are no competitions or journey for us to go out on to find a miracle."
>It's only natural that this would be what was on her mind
"No... I'm afraid not, Jacky. The real world doesn't really work that way."
>"Yeah but... well, if we were from Equestria. They got magic far more than what you can do. There's all kinda of awesome things there!"
"Maybe. But can we even say we're from Equestria?"
>"Well where else could we be from?"
>The elevator dings and the metal door slides open
>You both step in
>Despite not having the height required to push any buttons, magic makes it as easy as can be expected
"Who knows... but we're here now."
>"Yeah..."
"How's Anon doing?"
>"Not the best... I miss when he was happier."
"Yeah. I do too. But that part of him isn't gone. It's just hard to keep it going."
>The elevator dings
>Jacky follows you out the passcode-protected front doors, into the cool night air
>You enjoy the little patio up in the apartment but you do feel a little more free out here
>Jacky takes the lead and starts to walk across the parking lot into a circular grassy area
>It has a few thin branches sticking outside of the ground
>You think they're supposed to be trees
>"Why can't we do anything to help? What the heck am I supposed to do while this is happening?"
>Now that you're both out in the open, she kicks her leg out into the dirt
>She makes a nice hole out of it
>You always forget just how powerful she is when she wants to be
>"Anon brings me here, gets you, gets Dashie, gets us all kinda of cool stuff and... we ain't able to do a single dang thing!"
>You might have had the passing thought that while she's useless, you aren't
>But you're better than that
>Now
>Instead of answering, you remain silent
>"He's gonna be the last of his kind, he said. Now I know he ain't really the last one, this world is full of people like him. But... what the hell? Why? Why can't we change that?"
>She doesn't really look at you for an answer
>Instead she just starts walking along the outline, where concrete meets grass
>You follow
>"I bet that Nona could help... I bet Celestia could help too."
>A cold shiver goes down your spine at the mention of...
>That woman
>"Celestia would help him... Luna would, too."
>You're not too sure either of them have the ability to save lives the way she would want them to
>Jacky stamps down on the ground and shouts
>The sudden aggression takes you for surprise
>"WHAT THE HELL GOOD ARE YOU TWO IF YOU AREN'T HERE?! WHY CAN'T YOU EVER LISTEN TO ME?!"
>Where did that come from?
"Have you... prayed to them before?"
>Jacky sighs
>Whatever aggression she had melted away
>You can't say you can honestly remember how many times Jacky has genuinely gotten angry
>She's always been a happy simpleton
>As long as you've known her, anyway
>"Maybe... I don't know. I don't know if it was them or not. But I used to pray."
>That's something that surprises you
"That's... huh. Did Prism ever know about that?"
>"Nah... no. Dashie never liked the idea of begging for help. So I just did it when I was alone."
>Guess she does seem the type who would do that
>She's always been the most...
>Normal
>You're not afraid to admit it, you were really the average unicorn
>Even if you weren't such gutter trash
"And they never answered, huh..."
>"Not a single time, Sparky..."
>You follow Jacky for a few laps
>Once or twice, she breaks out into a full gallop
>You're almost able to keep up with her, but you lag behind pretty hard without much chance of catching up
>You do get back up to pace when she slows down
>"You know something, Sparky?"
"Ha... what, Jacky?"
>You're still out of breath
>"I'm mad."
"Really... I couldn't have guessed."
>You're trying to be better
>But it's a work in progress
>"I'm so mad... I just can't do anything to stop this. Or to help it."
>As much as you're inclined to agree
>You don't
"Jacky... Anon likes you. Even if you aren't anything resembling Applejack... at all. Dear lord, are you not her... you make a big difference."
>"I don't care what you or your deer lords think! How do I make a difference?"
"Jacky, I..."
>It's not worth it to try to explain yourself
"It's not about what I think. It's what Anon thinks. And he thinks you make a world of difference."
>"...how could you know that."
>She drags herself for a few more steps but nearly drops to the ground after one last push
>She isn't breathing heavily
>She doesn't look exhausted either
>She just looks done
"Because I do. I know a lot more than I should."
>"That explains your big head..."
>Jacky grumbles, her face rubbing against grass
"I..."
>She really isn't afraid of going all out, is she
>This isn't the time to turn this into a bickering match
"...well, for one, I think you're just jealous. Freaking chunkhead."
>You clear your throat, maintaining your composure.
"Secondly... let's be honest here. As honest as it takes for it to hurt. What would Anon be doing if we weren't here for him?"
>The question finds a mark
>"...I worry about that."
"I know you do. I do too. That's why I want to focus on how he isn't alone."
>"Yeah..."
"Answer the question Jacky."
>Jacky stifles a noise
>"He'd... he'd probably not be in a good place..."
"And?"
>"...I get it."
>She lets out a heavy, fatigued sigh
>You're surprised she could make such a noise
>You've never known her to be so agitated or obviously bothered
>"But... I'm not doing enough to help."
"Jacky... when is it ever honestly enough? If we could do anything and everything in our power, how much would it take before we felt it would be enough?"
>"Well... I don't know."
"Look at Anon and what he's done. Do you think he's done enough?"
>Her head perks up
>"Well of course he has!"
"But does he think so?"
>The question makes her head drop down again
>She kicks out her legs
>"...probably not. He's always talking about how he can do more stuff, or figure out ways for us to feel more natural or at home."
"I hope he doesn't mean sticking us in a tunnel..."
>That makes her laugh
>Just a little
>"No... nothing like that. He wants us to live like Twilight does."
>As much as you still hate the comparison, you've been playing video games like Twilight reads books
>He's sorta succeeded in that respect
"What about Prism?"
>She shakes her head
>"He doesn't know what to do with her. I don't either... I've never known how to impress or really make her feel content or all that happy. She's always been the one focusing on me."
"Then why don't we all talk and figure something out?"
>It's not the most useful solution, maybe
>But it it would give her something to focus on
>It would give him something to distract himself with, too
>Helping out Prism would be purely incidental
"Come on. You know how helping his his weakness. And this gives you a chance to show him how much you appreciate things
>You wait
>And lower your head near her
"Come on... Anon's waiting for you. You gotta be there for him, right?"
>"Yeah..."
>Jacky stumbles to her hooves, yawning
>"Man... I'm tired."
"Yeah, I bet. You ran like you were chasing down a pie with legs."
>"I could sure go for some, too..."
>What a freaking simpleton
"Maybe strike up a conversation, see about making one with him? I don't think he'd say 'no' to you, of all ponies."
>You shrug
>You really don't feel jealous
>It's weird
>You don't fully understand it yet
>She nods, sighing one last time
>"...I just wish they could have helped me. Helped him. Answered at least one prayer. I don't ask for a lot, Sparky. I promise I don't."
>You hug her
>She's as surprised as you are
>You don't know where this came from either
"I know, Jacky. You're in good hooves. Anon is too."
>You don't know if that is true or not
>But you're capable of making a difference
>You know you are
>This is your time to Shine

"Hey Anon."
>"Ah?"
"Ah?"
>"Eh?"
"What?"
>"Oh?!"
"...whatever."
>You're playing games again in Anon's room
>You gave him and Jacky some time to be alone
>Evidently he told her
>And then told Prism too
>She pretended like she heard it for the first time, of course
>Now that it's out in the open, things feel a little less... bad?
"...is there anything you wanna talk about?"
>You've been sprawled out on your side on his bed
>He's been sitting with his back to the wall, either playing on his phone or watching you
>"Anything specific?"
"I don't know, you tell me."
>You aren't really sure how to bring up asking how he is
>What would he do?
"Tell me what's bothering you already."
>Yeah
>That's what he'd do
>He chuckles, ending with a 'huh'
>Then he sighs
>"I don't know. It's kinda how things are already, you know?"
"I guess? But don't you want to talk about it anyway?"
>He doesn't answer
>Not immediately
>"Would it really behoove you to focus on something like that?"
"Behoove?"
>"Yeah."
"What's that mean?"
>"It means you have hooves."
>You let out a disgusted sigh
>Your sigh leads to him laughing
>"With you guys being from Equestria or wherever... how did you guys deal with sickness and crap?"
"Well..."
>You look down at yourself
"Well... uh... rest and food usually did it for me I guess."
>"You've never been sicker than the occasional cold?"
"Not that I remember, no. Medicine and stuff was really rare for any of us to find. I never bothered to steal stuff like that because it was kinda difficult to get without getting into trouble."
>"Makes sense. So... did you ever know any ponies that got sick?"
>You shrug, drawing a blank
"I honestly don't know. Other than Jacky and Prism, I don't remember any faces. If I knew anypony and they got sick and..."
>And died?
>Better not say that word
"And... well, if they got better or not, I wouldn't know. None of us really had any social circle. It was kinda for the best to not group around, you know? And the whole 'honor among thieves' thing only really lasts until someone gets touchy. Then all bets are off."
>"Sounds like something you might've partaken in."
"Anon... I partook in a lot of things that may have hurt others."
>"Yeah... I know. I vaguely recall Jacky telling me that once or twice you left her behind."
>He doesn't sound mad at you
>Or even really irritated?
>Your ears flatten against your head, expecting something negative
>Anon reaches over and pats your chest
>You wish he'd pet a little lower
>"Don't worry about it. I know how things were back then. How it was is just... how it was. I know a thing or two about that."
>You scoff
"Do not."
>"No. No, I do. I was a really shit kid."
>From his tone, he doesn't sound like he's kidding
"Oh."
>"So, you ever used magic to heal yourself or something?"
"Healing?"
>"Sure. Casting dia or cure or something like that."
>He gestures with his wormy fingers, like some old-school wizard
>You shake your head and hold up your controller, which has been drowned in your reddish aura
"Honestly? I don't know if magic works like that."
>"Ok red Twilight, school me."
>You shoot him a dirty look
>Your tone drops to a serious level
"Don't call me that. I'm better than her."
>He gives a half smile and nods, holding up his hands in a defensive posture
>"Sure, yeah. Won't do it again."
"So... the way I do magic... it's weird. you know?"
>The controller spins in place
>It's wireless so nothing is stopping it from turning whichever way
"I... I don't think I have MP. I don't feel tired anymore when I do stuff."
>"How have you gotten so good at magic, anyway? That used to be a thing you just really didn't like to do. Or something you wouldn't do."
>You turn your head away from him and grimace
>You knew that sooner or later this would come up
"I... was scared, alright?"
>"Of your unlimited power?"
"Of hurting people."
>"Have you ever hurt someone through your magic?"
"Sure. I'm sure Jacky may have told you something about it."
>"Something like that. Any examples that you want to mention?"
>Your head sways back and forth
"I... may have threatened to blow up a thug from the inside out."
>"...you can do that?"
"I don't know. But I stabbed him with my horn."
>"Brutal."
>His nonchalant comment leaves you wondering if he actually cares or if he just doesn't mind that you've been violent like that before
>"So could you have actually done that?"
"Maybe."
>You shake your head
"So... anyway. So..."
>You really don't know how to word it right
"I don't have MP. So it's more like... a muscle? Maybe?"
>"You don't sound convinced."
"Because I'm not."
>The controller spins faster in the air
"Like this? What I'm doing right now? I'm thinking about it, but I'm not... doing anything. This isn't a spell. I'm not casting anything. It's..."
>"It's like telekinesis then?"
"Yeah!"
>"What about the other things you do?"
"Like what?"
>Anon doesn't reply
>He scratches the side of his face
>"...I don't know. I guess a lot of stuff you do is kind of a form of that, isn't it."
>You nod
"I guess so, sure."
>"Bufu."
>You quint at him
"What?"
>"You heard me. Bufu."
"You want me to cast an ice spell."
>"Bufu me, baby."
>That third word brings a mighty fire to your face
>He smirks at your reaction
>"Bufu my drink on the desk. That'll be a cool thing to do."
>Bufu is an ice spell
>You roll your eyes hard
"Ok..."
>You roll onto your hooves and stand up
"Ok... ok ok ok..."
>"Think cold thoughts."
"Shut up."
>You set the controller down and stare at the soda can
>Think cold thoughts
>Chilly
>Not just chilly but frigid
>Frigid enough to make bone snap like a fragile toothpick
>A frozen hell that surpasses even the hottest fire
>The soda can doesn't move
>Damn it
>DAMN IT!
>You're embarrassing yourself, in front of Anon at that!
>Freeze
>Lose all hope and warmth
>Leave the world of light
>...
"..."
>You pick up the can and bring it to yourself
>Anon reaches out and touches it
>More than that, he takes the can and shakes it a little
>You watch with slight irritation
>He drinks like it's fine
>"...yeah, seems like it's pretty normal."
>You let out a frustrated sigh
"Damn it..."
>"Alright... so another option."
>You raise an eyebrow at Anon, who's twisting a napkin over itself a number of times until it looks like a thick wick
>"Agi."
>You look at the napkin
>Like lighting a match, the tip ignites
>"Hey hey! Alright, near instant reaction time."
>Anon licks the finger and thumb of his free hand and kills the flame
>You puff out your chest, as easy a feat as it may have been
>"So what about zio?"
"Like... electricity?"
>"Sure."
>You shrug
"I wouldn't even know how I'm supposed to do that."
>"Fair enough. Zan?"
"Wouldn't that just be me pushing you?"
>"...damn, I guess so."
>Anon sighs
>"Ah! I know. What about..."
>He taps the air, squinting
>"Ah... what's that thing..."
>You wait for him to finish his thoughts
>He shrugs
>"Yeah, I got nothing."
>You shrug in return
"See? I mean, I didn't even really think about lighting that thing up. But for cold..."
>You sigh
"I thought really cold thoughts. I even tried to think of it like a spell or something. I tried to kinda psych myself up for it."
>"But nothing came of it, huh?"
"Not a single freaking thing...
>"Well that's fine. Guess if your magic is a muscle, we gotta get it to flex or something, right?"
>For some reason you think of impressing him with your horn growing longer or something
"...s-sure..."
>You watch each other for a moment
>"..."
"..."
>"Maybe you're a fire type."
"I guess."
>"I'm glad you didn't set us on fire when you first came around."
>You hate that memory more than you hate your past
>You didn't mean to
>Or maybe you did
>But you didn't have the will to follow through with something like that
>It was sort of a bluff
>But it was also just something that you really felt the urge to do
"...I'm sorry."
>"Don't be. It would've sucked for you far more than it would've for me."
"You would have died."
>"And then Jacky would have punted you out the window and worse."
>You wince
"...I've... not been the best friend to her, have I..."
>"That's not for me to say, honestly."
"But in your opinion..."
>"In my opinion? It's not for me to say. Talk to her yourself on that. I have my views on being a friend but I'm biased. And look where it's gotten me as far as my friends too, right?"
>That sounds mean-spirited
"You're a good friend."
>"Yeah, that's why I'm known far and wide and everyone likes me."
>He shrugs and taps the tip of your horn with the singed napkin
>"Talk to Jackoober the goober whenever you feel up to it. She likes talking about you."
>You can't help but feel self-conscious
"Alright... I guess I'll do that later."
>You look around
>You weren't paying attention but Anon put the soda can on the floor near the mattress
"Hey, about that soda can... think I should practice with it?"
>"Sure. Practice what?"
"I don't know yet... but I want to see what I can do. If I can't do elemental stuff, I gotta be able to do something else. Like... changing it into gold?"
>"Now that would be neat. Sure, go nuts with it whenever. Just be careful, alright?"
>You nod
>Maybe you can "learn" new magic
>Or maybe you just need to figure out how you can do what you can naturally do
>Maybe you'll find a way to impress Anon more

"Anon?"
>"Eh?"
"Why is does she have tentacles on her head?"
>"That's... a good question."
>Jacky speaks up
>"Anon?"
>"Eh?"
>"Why are there tentacles coming out of her back too?"
>"That is also a good question."
>Prism speaks up
>"Anon?"
>"Eh?"
>"Why does Leeloo have orange hair?"
>"Because she's Mila Jovovich and she looks good with any color hair."
>You chuckle at Anon's comment
>Jacky, who's been sitting in his lap, gives him a squint and wriggles around until he clears his throat
>"And, you know... I dig orange hair in general. Sometimes things are just fated to be."
>Jacky nods to herself and smiles
>You shake your head and scoff
>You can't believe how... open they are
>But you're not really jealous
>You glance over to Prism
>She does her best to ignore it but you can tell that she's not the most amused pegasus
>You're happy to see Anon smiling like this
>He hasn't said much but everyone has noticed that he's been quiet
>So you insisted on a little group movie night
>You've had the urge to speak to him privately, through the ability you've just decided to just call telepathy
>But you're a little hesitant to
>It's not that you've stopped wanting to be closer to him
>But you haven't connected that way in so long
>A lot has changed in his head, you're sure, if only due to this whole family thing
>You're really not sure how that would affect you
>This, right here
>Two other ponies and a human
>This really is your family
>And when you think about it, it's kind of the ideal size
>It's not too big
>It's not too small
>Maybe you haven't been the best, but no one's been their best
>The two main characters in the movie kiss and the female lead vomits out some sort of white beam of... magic?
>Energy?
>The beam evaporates a giant fireball in space, which you will admit is impressive
>You could still probably do better
>Probably
>Once the movie ends, Prism gets up
>"Don't count me out, I'm just getting a drink."
>Jacky hops out, her tail flickering to and fro
>"And we need snacks!"
>"Can't argue with that... grab that bag of pretzels while you're out."
>"Yup!"
>"And the gummy worms!"
>Maybe he went overhead when it came to buying snacks and candy for the weekend, since there are a few plastic bags full of stuff
>He said 't'is the season' when you asked so you just let it stay at that
"Add those jelly beans too, the variety pack!"
>"Roger!"
>Jacky shouts from the kitchen
"Ahh... it's nice having someone to do the legwork."
>"Tell me about it..."
>With it just being you and him in the room, you feel...
>Anxious?
>Excited?
>No
>More like worried
"Anon... how are you feeling?"
>"Me? well, I'm watching movies with my gal pals. Never thought I'd say that phrase but here I am now."
"Heh, it sounds kinda silly. But... really. Don't you miss being around your own kind?"
>He gives an awkward sigh and shrug
>"Eh... kinda? I mean, I miss my old friends. I really do. I'm not the sentimental sort of guy but I've seen their faces in a lot of things that just remind me of them for some reason. I can't really explain it."
"Not sentimental, huh... then why do you have that picture of you, me and Jacky as your phone wallpaper?"
>He gives you a hard squint
>"Because the smug smile you had then gives me enough energy and spite to want to come back here after work so I can slap you in your everlasting gob stopper."
>You give him the smuggest smile with half-lidded eyes
"Well gee, when you put it like that..."
>"Yeah..."
>He clears his throat again and sighs
>It's a heavy sigh
>"But nah. Yeah. I kinda miss being around other humans. But not really. I always grew up around animals. Not that I see you guys as animals or whatever... but you know what I mean."
"I'm glad... I don't think any of us have ever seen any humans before you. Or... I guess anything that wasn't human that even vaguely resembled you."
>"So how are you guys so... comfy around me?"
>You shrug
"Iunno. It's just kinda... comfy. You're comforting. I mean, there are griffons and... well, it kinda really makes me feel weird. But..."
>You don't like bringing up the show
>You haven't wanted to think about it
>Because of Twilight
>You're not her
>Obviously
>And she isn't you
>But you look so similar at a glance that it bothers you
"Well... in Equestria. From... the cartoon. There were a few other things like that. A lot of things that weren't ponies that could still talk. Never saw a baby dragon before though. Or knew any pony like Pinkie Pie... thank God for that."
>"Yeah, I'd question reality too if I had to be around some goofball like that."
>You turn your head to the left, just in time to see a big bag of gummy worms slap against your face
>You heard Jacky trotting and expected something more... dexterous.
"Speaking... of..."
>Prism comes back in, a number of water bottles in a plastic bag that's hanging by her mouth
>Jacky grabbed far too many bags in her mouth and evidently decided to just fling them into the room
>You duck down, narrowly avoiding a pretzel bag smackdown
>In a rush of activity, everyone's back in their place
>Plus a few pounds of food
>And water
>"...you know, I got a question for you guys."
>Anon speaks up, holding up one of the bottles
>"This here bottle... has a screw top."
>He unscrews the bottle cap
>"And... I have here with me, fingers."
>He scans over you and the other two
>And finally down to Jacky
>"How are we gonna make this more ergonomic?"
>Jacky's only response is to tilt her head up, open her mouth, and to go 'aaaaaah?'
>Prism looks at you, visibly displeased
>You look between the two and then up to Anon
"Well... I can operate them. If Prism needs access, I can just-"
>"I can figure it out, thank you. I'm not some animal."
>Her tone has an unnecessary edge to it
>Jacky doesn't seem to mind, though Anon gives her a side glance
>He shrugs and tilts the bottle over, into Jacky's mouth
>"I don't mean to be a dick about it, Dashie. I just... want to figure out how things can go more smoothly, that's all. This isn't a thing where this is my home and you guys are just in it. I want it to be home for everyone. I might not have really made that point in the past. And I'm sorry if that seemed like the case. You guys are family."
>Family
>It's one thing to say that you're all his friends
>But family?
>That's a big shift
>Jacky nods and leans back
>You swear, if she didn't have happy thoughts, she wouldn't have thoughts at all
>You like making fun of her
>You know she isn't that dumb
>That outburst she had the other day was enough for you to ease off of the snark for once
>Prism doesn't say anything
>You can't really think of anything to say about that either
>He's always fond of these big, important-sounding speeches
>Makes you think that he's the crutch character that ends up dying with one last word of wisdom
>You've played at least three games now where that sort of thing has happened
"...so what's our next movie?"
>"Welp... t'is the season. Time to introduce you girls to Halloween. And I know just the movie."

>Anon reaches over to his mouse and clicks away through a few folders
>He leans back, satisfied with himself
>His hand on Jacky's chest pulls her back
>She resists as much as jelly and slips to half lay and sit on her side
"So what is this supposed to..."
>As soon as you start to answer, what looks like a TV commercial plays
>Along with the mention of a company that makes countless items
>The company's name is Umbrella
>Not what you're expecting, it plays like some sort of business sitcom
>Until something goes wrong
>And everyone seems stuck
>Or worse
>The sudden ram of a woman's head into the top of an elevator makes everyone jump
>Except Anon
>"Oh, this is gonna be good... heheh..."
>He mumbles, patting Jacky's chest
>When the camera focuses on a completely new character... you're not sure what to expect
>She started in a shower, on the floor, and ends up in a dress
>The thumping music of the scene puts you on edge
>Jacky too
>Bit by bit she's been pushing her face into the side of his arm for reassurance
>Even Prism has been ruffling her feathers, slowly readjusting herself
>Then some guy pops up out of nowhere!
>And humans wearing all black!
>The tonal shift makes you lean forward, trying to understand what's going on
>Evidently the cop isn't the good guy in it, because he's been put in handcuffs
"What is this..."
>"A dining room..."
>The way Anon says it, it's like he's trying to imitate someone
"That's no dining room..."
>Jacky whispers at the sight of some high-tech, all metal train
>Most trains you've seen were... well, from video games or the cartoon
>This one just looks like it's not even for people
>After a jump scare, you catch a few seconds of electronic touch screens and other things that kinda look like Anon's phone
>Nothing really comes out at you to make this a Halloween movie
"Hey Anon... what's Halloween supposed to be about, again? Because this isn't really scary."
>"Well, Halloween is about spooky things, and candy."
"Well we sure got enough candy..."
>"And this doesn't seem so spooky..."
>The way Prism sounds, she expect something to happen
>"Ohh my little ponies. Just you wait..."
>A menacing tone doesn't reassure you
>It's actually enough to bother you
"Shut up..."
>The talking subsides just around the time one of the humans gives a rundown on something called The Hive
>It's put down so deeply under the earth that it sounds like an entire city
>It's pretty hard to imagine
>At the mention of nerve gas, you snort
"Stuff like that doesn't exist..."
>"Maybe..."
>Jacky doesn't sound so sure
>Your breath catches in your throat as soon as the humans enter a pitch dark room that they opened
>Until it lights up and reveals some sort of room with...
"A view to the outside?! I thought they were underground!"
>'Makes it easier to work underground, when you think there's a view' says one of the characters
>Well you kinda feel... dumb
>You shuffle to the side until your flank is pressed against Anon's hip
>Nothing scary has happened yet, but there is a lot of tension
>Including a queen that killed everyone?
>Your attention snaps back to the movie on a scare chord
>A body is suspended in some gross orange water!?
>No one says anything but there's an obvious heightened sense of danger
>You don't get it
>You've seen people get shot before in all of those westerns
>Why is seeing just the one body hanging there bothering you?
>Talk of floods and schedules reminds you of Twilight
>Whatever they're doing, they can't sit around
>'poor bastards' a female says
>THEN THE BODY REACHES FOR THE WINDOW?!
"G-GAGH?!"
>You jump
>Jacky flinches and presses her face into Anon's arm more
>Prism's neck goes low, like she's trying to lay in wait of an ambush
>Anon chuckles
>The bastard
>He knows what's happening, doesn't he
>When the group split up and enter some big area full of metal pillars, the character in the red dress finds... something... meaty?
>"What in the world..."
>Prism sounds both disgusted and intrigued
>A giant hallway lights up as one of the humans enter
>The music keeps you tense
>If you were there you'd have so much of an easier time
>You could just blast everything to bits and it would be fine
>These humans only have guns
>What chances could they have?
>What chance would someone like Anon have?
>A few more humans, carrying a bag, enter the hallway
>The hallway closes
>"Uh oh..."
>Anon whispers
>Uh oh?!
>An alarm starts to blare
>'what's that?' a human asks
>And then a freaking laser happens?!
>What you see is something so terrifying you're not sure when you'll be ok
>The laser slices off a few fingers of one human, the head of another, and it cuts another in half!
>Just when you think it couldn't get any worse, the fourth human gets...
>Eviscerated, into squares
>You have no clue what you just saw
>Jacky's eyes are wide and glued to the screen
>Prism looks like she's been driven mad
>You do a doubletake on her and her stone faced expression is there
>But it's the eyes
>Something's in her eyes that tell you she is not fine with what just happened
>"Holy shit..."
>Jacky finally whispers
>"Those guys got..."
>Their mission, whatever it is, continues
>To be honest, you kinda forgot
>'get out get out, you can't be in here'
>A red holographic girl pops up
>She sounds kinda funny
>'you're all going to die down here'
>The flat, expressionless delivery of that line makes you feel sick
>The tip of your horn starts to glow, until all of the lights in the facility come back on
>Anon nudges you with his arm, reminding you to breath
>"Remember... just a movie. Right?"
>Your ears twitch and try to stop themselves from going flat
>You give a little nod
>Jacky seems to be handling it better than you, but only because her front hooves are gripping onto Anon's hand
>You don't envy him given how strong she can be
>The other group of humans start to split up or something, looking for a noise
>One finds a person all in white
>What's with that breathing?
>The person in white BITES one of the humans?!
>After trying to talk the thing down, the two humans fire their guns at it
>The amount of firepower they fling toward one person feels like overkill
>You've seen people die in other movies from a single bullet
>Having dozens of bullets fired into one person?
>'because blood doesn't coagulate until after you're dead'
>What does coagulate mean?
>Was that person dead?
>A second weird human in white shows up, wielding an ax and walking with a broken foot or something
>Then more pop up
>Including one where part of his face is gone
>Then another that looks severely damaged
>One of the good humans gets grabbed by one but basically snaps it's neck
>Loud, hard-sounding music starts to blast as all of the humans open fire and shoot everything coming near them
>So many of them firing and not even really thinning the group is insane
>How could that happen?
>One of the towers explode
"How did that explode!?"
>Your only answer is seeing that some of the bad humans are now stumbling around while on fire
>"Aren't there guns any good?"
>Jacky mumbles
>"The guns are good... but those aren't people they're shooting."
>That's impossible
>They look just like humans
>The roaring and groaning that they do is inhuman
>One opens up a locked door, only to get pulled into a massive group of them!
>They start biting into him, and the female human that still wants to save him
>The camera shows just a mass of hands and heads going to eat and claw
>You avert your eyes from the scene, only for Jacky to scream
>"W-what was that thing?!"
"What was what?"
>You hear something bashing against metal but didn't see it in time
>The remaining humans argue and bicker about everything
>They mention that all of the humans that attacked them are dead
>Moving and biting and eating
>But dead
>One of the humans throws her gun to the floor
"Doesn't she need that?"
>"Ammo..."
>Anon and Jacky speak almost in tune
>The one in the red dress wanders off, only to get ambushed by some sort of... red, meaty dog
>And a dead human!
>Before you can feel panic, she...
>Jumps in the air and spin kicks him?
>"Woah..."
>Prism just says what you're all thinking
>The red human grabs a gun off of the dead human and ends up surrounded by those red dogs
>She shoots them like it's nothing
>And then drops the gun
"...no ammo..."
>You know how that works now
>The human-woman-in red kicks another dog and the scene ends there
>You shake your head, blinking as hard as you can
"Who can do that sort of thing?"
>Anon shrugs
>Jacky leans over and nudges you with her face
>"Hey... I bet I could do the spin kick."
"Can not..."
>"I bet you a chocolate egg..."
"...you don't have any."
>"But Anon does..."
>She grins at you
>You squint and grin back
"Deal."
>If she can sweet talk her way into giving you an egg, it's his loss
>Some exposition with a dead human happens about the Umbrella company but you're not really sure what it's supposed to amount to
>You don't even know the names of the characters
"Shouldn't they be... running?"
>"From?"
>You look up at Anon
>He's smiling
>He's enjoying this so much
"Humans that look as ugly as you."
>"At least I don't try to eat you."
>Jacky nods
>She doesn't say anything but you know exactly what she's thinking
>Jacky, that's just gross
"All of this talk about a virus... how do you sell a virus?"
>Why was money the entire reason for this?
>All of the humans meet up again, somehow
>'they seal shut in just under an hour'
"O..oh... oh no..."
>If they're stuck under there, with all of the dead humans...
>You don't want to think about it
>Some talk about computers goes on and the red girl's weird voice comes on again
"What is this accent?"
>"British. I have no clue why."
>Anon doesn't sound like he's joking on that
>'it brings the dead back to life?' the multiple bitten human asks
>'the need to feed'
>That line is said with the same emotionless cadence as 'you're all going to die down here'
"...does this mean... dead people are coming back just to eat others?"
>"That can't just happen... not once you're dead."
>Jacky doesn't believe it
>You don't either
>Somehow, they end up in a sewer, and immediately end up under attack
>You're a little dubious about everything because when they had rifles and guns, nothing was being done
>But the one in the red dress just uses her hands and it's as easy as can be
>You feel a growing sense of panic at the last human
>She's been bitten so many times now and she's the only one that's in range of the dead
>You feel a growing sense of disgust at the sight of the one that was bitten over and over dripping her blood into the horde of the dead down below
"What is this... what can you do in this? How do you ever get this to happen?"
>If you had magic, you could take care of them
>Probably
>You could just burn them all
>Even if the ones on fire didn't actually show any signs of damage
>No one likes getting set on fire, so it should work
>Another human falls into the horde and gets surrounded
>Somehow, he's able to make an escape
>All of them look so hurt and scared out of their wits
>Could you four get out of this situation?
>The stranded human puts his gun in his mouth
>Thankfully, before you even think of what that means, he shoots the dead that was about to attack him
>If you were stuck in a situation like that, would you be able to kill yourself?
>You've had it rough before but that was completely different
>"This is nightmarish..."
>Prism gasps in disbelief
>As soon as she said 'nightmarish', you saw something climbing on the walls
"What the hell WAS that?!"
>"You saw it too, that was the thing!"
>Jacky stabs her hoof into the air, pointing at the monitor
>It lasted not even a full second but you're sure of what you saw
>It looked like an animal
>Barely
>After a flashback one of the humans has, it's revealed that there's an antivirus
>A cure, basically
"Wait, can a virus be fixed that easily?"
>"She's been bitten a lot..."
>Prism sounds weary
>She's been unusually silent, even during all of this
>But you've seen her head duck and sway, like she's trying to avoid all of the dead
>Her wings have been hugged tightly to her, almost to the point of a feathery cocoon
>One of the humans grabs the only gun they have
>Evidently he was evil?
"Why are they threatening each other? The dead doesn't care!"
>"Humans are greedy, Shine... it's pretty bad."
>Without a noise, a dead human rises from the knee-deep water they've been in
"Oh no..."
>Jacky flinches at the surprise bite from behind, even though it was well telegraphed
>To us it was, at least
>You wouldn't let something like that sneak up on you so easily, would you?
>You let out a shriek at the sight of the bad human getting ambushed and eaten by the fleshless animal
>You see it in all of it's glory
>As if seeing it wasn't enough, it 'mutates'
>Changes
>"It must be the boss of the dungeon..."
>You don't know why, but that's the only thing that comes to mind
>Demons and monsters under your control and wanting to devour you is one thing
>But you've had magic and demons on your side
>These people are stuck without demons or magic
>Or even guns, evidently
>'you're gonna have to kill me'
>The infected woman offers to let herself be killed, just as the mutated animal starts bashing on a window
>The voice screams to 'kill her', everyone's screaming and violent
>And then the lights go out again
>The animal is gone
>What the hell just happened?
>The once-abandoned human shows up to save the day, thankfully
>They leave the locked room just as the mutant smashes it's way in
>The escalation of this has been immense
>It was a really short time, they're back at the train
>But they all look so worn down and chewed up
>Literally
>The bad one was dead but came back, rasping and screaming
>It was killed though
>Or was it still a he?
>"Eight minutes left..."
>Anon warns
>Eight minutes until the gates shut
>If they end up stuck down there after everything...
>The mutant, out of nowhere starts to claw at everything
>The surprise causes another cry from
>You, actually
>You didn't take yourself to be so jumpy
>The boss fight against the mutant really doesn't seem to last though
>It gets stabbed in the tongue and dropped out of the train from the bottom
>Where it's... set on fire...?
"How does that happen? What set it on fire?"
>"The electricity, I think."
>As soon as it began, the boss fight was won
>At the cost of half of the party dying
"Balm of Life..."
>That would have to work, even in that setting
>They seem to make it just in time too, and end up back in the mansion
>At least everything's done
"Man... what a ride that was..."
>There are only two of the humans left
>The two share a weird moment until the man's arm starts to twitch and make gross, meaty noises
>Then... humans in white are coming in? From some white room?
>You don't really get what they're doing there but the two are defeated
>This counts as a game over, right?
>And yet the movie continues
>To the point that the woman in red is now naked, on some sort of slab, covered in needles
>Including one in her head
>Jacky's slowly shifted from leaning back, to curled up around his arm, to requiring both of his arms for protection
>Yet she never once looked away
>You haven't been able to maintain yourself to that degree
>Maybe it's just you but you haven't been able to follow half of the movie as far as plot
>The camera pans out to a security room where it's completely empty
>Except for a passing figure
>The half naked woman leaves the white room, and explores whatever building she's in
>It's completely white
>Sterile, even
>That should be a good thing but the music says otherwise
>You lean forward at the reveal, once she leaves the building
>Vehicles are wrecked
>Things are on fire
>It's completely abandoned and destroyed
>She grabs a gun from a wrecked vehicle and the camera pans out, showing that the entire street is abandoned and in ruins
>But not just the street
>Buildings are covered in blood with broken windows
>It cuts out with one last musical sting
>As soon as the credits start, some weird hard-sounding rock song comes on
>Like that, the spell of cinema is lifted
"WHAT THE FUCK?!"
>"ANON THAT MOVIE WAS AWESOME!"
>"I can't believe this was fake..."
>You've been scared half-witless at some moments
>Jacky looks like she had the time of her life
>Prism looks like she's been disturbed and then some
>"Alright! That is movie... number... one..."
>Oh no
"What do you mean number one..."
>"It means that there are more movies to watch in this series. Sequels."
>Jacky lurches out and latches onto you
>"Awesome, we get to watch more!"
"What?! No, no way! I'm not watching anymore of this crap!"
>Undeniably skittish, Prism gets up and darts past everyone
>A flap of her big wings give her a bit of a boost
>"Dashie, don't leave us!"
>Jacky trips while leaving Anon's lap, her head landing against the mattress with a bounce
>She gives chase, tearing around the corner after the pegasus
>Leaving you with Anon again
"Don't tell me you watch these movies on purpose..."
>"Didn't you fight the embodiment of death itself and win a few days ago?"
>Anon sounds surprised that you'd feel anything less than sheer excitement at the movie
"Yes. But it didn't look like freaking this! This was horrifying!"
>"Yeah."
"Sickening!"
>"Sometimes."
"I felt like I might die just by being there!"
>He smiles at you
>You have the urge to stab him
>Or to kiss him
>Or to jump out the window, just in case the building was infested
>If it was, there was no way you four could handle it
>Anon's guns may as well be toothpick launchers
>"Calm down, Shine... it's alright. If any were here, we'd hear them first. And we're as secure as can be. With your magic, my ammo, Jacky's legs of granite and Dashie's..."
"Wings?"
>"Y-yeah..."
>He clears his throat
"Between all of us? We could get through it. Don't even worry."
>That helps
>Not in that you think it might not ever happen
>But that if it did, you would be able to come out of it alive
"...but what if any of us get bitten?"
>"Oh... oh no... Shine... Iiiiiiiiiaaaaaaauuuuuuuughhhh..."
>You watch
>Paralyzed
>As Anon's jaw goes slack
>His eyes roll up into his head, leaving only the whites
>He grabs onto your shoulders and lets out a long, dry rasp
>You scream with every ounce of your essence
>You don't even think to use magic, you struggle against his iron grip until you manage to slip through
>You sprint out of his room, joining the pair
>The scream of life-threatening terror reached them, obviously
>Jacky just looks confused
>Prism looks at you like you're a ghost
>She's already pale but she looks faint
"A-a... Anon's one of them!"
>As if that was the last straw, Prism drops and faints on the spot
>Jacky gives you a dubious look
>"Oh come off of it, Sparky. Anon can't become of those things. It was just a movie!"
>You spin about face at the sound of something falling over in the kitchen
>Anon pokes his head out and lets out another rasping roar
>His face looks as white as a sheet
>Both you and Jacky scream
>"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM!?"
"I DID SOMETHING?!"
>The towering human lurches forward with an uncanny finesse, then pulls back
>You can hear his spine crackle and pop from where you are, the fabric curtain to your backs
>"Jack....ee̢e̛e̛èeeee̷eeee̢e͝eee͜e̛e͡e̵e̡ęeeeée̷eeee͞e͡eé..."
>Or to jump out the window, just in case the building was infested
>If it was, there was no way you four could handle it
>Anon's guns may as well be toothpick launchers
>"Calm down, Shine... it's alright. If any were here, we'd hear them first. And we're as secure as can be. With your magic, my ammo, Jacky's legs of granite and Dashie's..."
"Wings?"
>"Y-yeah..."
>He clears his throat
"Between all of us? We could get through it. Don't even worry."
>That helps
>Not in that you think it might not ever happen
>But that if it did, you would be able to come out of it alive
"...but what if any of us get bitten?"
>"Oh... oh no... Shine... Iiiiiiiiiaaaaaaauuuuuuuughhhh..."
>You watch
>Paralyzed
>As Anon's jaw goes slack
>His eyes roll up into his head, leaving only the whites
>He grabs onto your shoulders and lets out a long, dry rasp
>You scream with every ounce of your essence
>You don't even think to use magic, you struggle against his iron grip until you manage to slip through
>You sprint out of his room, joining the pair
>The scream of life-threatening terror reached them, obviously
>Jacky just looks confused
>Prism looks at you like you're a ghost
>She's already pale but she looks faint
"A-a... Anon's one of them!"
>As if that was the last straw, Prism drops and faints on the spot
>Jacky gives you a dubious look
>"Oh come off of it, Sparky. Anon can't become of those things. It was just a movie!"
>You spin about face at the sound of something falling over in the kitchen
>Anon pokes his head out and lets out another rasping roar
>His face looks as white as a sheet
>Both you and Jacky scream
>"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM!?"
"I DID SOMETHING?!"
>The towering human lurches forward with an uncanny finesse, then pulls back
>You can hear his spine crackle and pop from where you are, the fabric curtain to your backs
>"Jack....ee̢e̛e̛èeeee̷eeee̢e͝eee͜e̛e͡e̵e̡ęeeeée̷eeee͞e͡eé..."
>His wheezing word freezes your blood
>Jacky looks at him like everything she ever knew crumpled away
>"N... no way... this isn't real... t-this only happens in movies!"
>Anon takes a lurching, awkward step toward you and her
>It looks exactly like in the movie
>EXACTLY LIKE IN THE MOVIE!
>"I... what do I do...?"
>What can she do?
>What can you do?
>The seconds feel like they last for entire minutes
>You can see Anon lurch forward again, taking another step
>Jacky looks like she might die then and there
>This is it
>This is how you're going to die
>You can't use magic on him
>You could never
>Not even on his dead, reanimated body
>You can't do a thing
>Anon takes one last step before getting into range
>But trips over one of the multiple pillows strewn about
>He gracelessly faceplants onto the floor, making a hard, heavy thud
>You're
>You're not sure what to think
"I... is he dead?"
>Before you can even contemplate what that means, he reaches out and grabs Jacky by her hooves!
>Both you and her let out an existentially horrified shriek
>"WHO SAID YOU COULD BET MY CHOCOLATE EGGS?!"
>He screeches out while raising his face, his raspy voice ending by the word 'chocolate'
>"I'M SORRY I DIDN'T MEAN TO REANIMATE YOU BY BE...tting... a..."
>Something doesn't look right
>Half of the whiteness of his face looks gone
>Like it was smeared off
>Nerves on high alert, you scan over his features
>Face reddening from falling face first onto the carpet
>That white film on his skin looks uneven and like something that isn't even a part of his face normally
>His arms look fine but one of his hands has that same white crud on it
>Despite your pulse, you look over at Jacky
>Jacky squints
>At him
>Then at you
>Then at him again
>"....yer sure gonna pay for this, pardner..."
>She growls at him using Applejack's signature drawl
>He smiles, nodding to himself
>He looks so satisfied
>"I'm ok with that. Happy Halloween, girls."
"I can't believe you... I hate you so much right now."

Part Seven.

>You've never really felt like you had a home
>Even when you were too young to do anything, the place where you lived didn't feel like a home
>Homes were happy
>Homes were a place you felt secure
>Homes had people that were happy to see you
>You lean back in your car
>For a while, on and off, you've been sitting in your car for a few minutes longer than you should
>Not because you don't like being... there
>With everyone
>But because you're having a hard time adjusting
>You believe that you have a home
>And you're worried that you could lose it
>You recognize the irony of the situation
>You check your phone again
>You ordered a little something but it's taking longer than you wanted
"God dammit..."
>You can't let it be late
>You have a few days left, but still
"Alright... time to head in."
>You slip out of your car and shake yourself awake
>You don't think you need to go shopping for anything anytime soon
>You've gotten a wider variety of foods, now that you're paying more attention to everyone's wants
>Even down the hallway, you can smell them
>It's kinda like when you realized that your first girlfriend had a unique, distinct scent to her
>You can tell them all apart
>You're really not sure if your neighbors have noticed or cared that your apartment has become a constant party house of sorts
>You don't particularly care, to be honest
>You're outside your door
>You can hear some music going on and some bickering
>You're so used to being alone
>Of having a silent place, outside of what little sounds your computers make
>You would be lying if you said you didn't miss it
>But
>All of these sounds make this hole in the wall your home
>With another hard shake, you open the door
>You recognize that song
>"Come on, Sparky, you're being silly!"
>"Oh can it already! We've been at it since lunch!"
>"You too! You've just been watching us!"
>"Not all of us have your energy, Jacky. Besides, isn't that dance sort of... much?"
>"Is it?"
>"Don't listen to her, Jacky... it's gonna work out really well."
>Oh boy
>You're not sure if you should or shouldn't intrude on that
>To be conveniently present, you clear your throat like an overly-enthusiastic trumpet player
"Boy, I sure hope nothing weird is going on here!"
>You can hear Jacky sputtering
>Shine clearing her throat
>Nothing from Dashie
>You take a few steps into the hallway and poke your head around the corner, looking into the living room
>All of them are sitting on a pillow
>Jacky gives you her best, innocent smile
>It's a little too wide to be normal
>Shine rolls her eyes and gives you a smirk
>Dashie just gives you a shrug with a blank expression
>She's always been a bit spacey, you think
>You take note of how messy Jacky's mane is
"You should definitely get a haircut one of these days."
>You give her a squint and an accusatory finger point
>Her smile widens
>You cross the hallway intersection, your squint fixed on her
>Until you whip away
>You kneel and fall onto your mattress
>It feels nice to finally lay down
>You should at least kick off your boots but you aren't worried too much
>After a few moments, you feel a pony leap onto your back
>With a practiced tempo, said pony pushes down on your shoulders and back, slowly trotting and kneading in place
>With a long, low groan you drag your hand up and give a thumbs up
>"Heh, getting better?"
>You rotate your head, resting on the left side of your face
"Oh yeah... thanks Jack."
>"Heheh, don't worry about it. Were you serious about a haircut?"
"Sure. We have your twin tail style."
>"And that's a crowd pleaser."
"Definitely."
>"How short were you thinking?"
"Short enough so we have one less source clogging the tub drain."
>The slow stepping and massaging melts
>She lays on your back, kicking out her legs
>"True enough... you know, I don't really remember how I cut my mane before. I think Sparky just had a knife or something."
"Yeah?"
>"Iunno. Probably. That excuse makes sense though, right?"
"Sure."
>Over the last while, you've learned a lot about the girls
>About Jacky
>It seems like there really aren't that many more secrets or revelations to discover
>Which is fine
>At least you know that she wasn't some sort of serial killer or something in her past life
>Just a petty criminal that occasionally got into dangerous situations
>And who could honestly say they didn't have that sort of situation in their life at one point or another?
>You can feel her shaking on top of you
>She had let out a long, tired yawn and stretches
>"So... Anon...?"
"What's up?"
>"...are you doing ok?"
>You reply without thinking about it
"Well sure."
>"Really?"
>This time you wait before answering
>Well, of course it's hard to say
>You're losing someone
>You've seen them and just how far it's gone
>But work is going well
>But you're feeling a little awkward about coming back into your own apartment
>But you've never really felt happier, because of what and who you return to every day
"Yeah... I am, Jack. I'm doing ok, thanks to you and the other dorks. I'm doing a lot better than if I were by myself. What's that song... 'I'd rather be with you than be alone'?"
>"I've never heard that song before."
"Yeah, me neither. I think."
>She lays her head right below your left shoulder and nods
>"You really like your weird songs."
"Oh, you don't know the half of it."
>You both lay in silence for a few moments
>The bed smells like her
>Like Shine too
>And you can tell that Dashie's been sleeping here recently, probably when you're at work
>But it smells like Jacky
>It brings you comfort
>"Gonna go to sleep already?"
"Mmm?"
>"I recognize that exhale."
"Is that right?"
>"Mmhmm."
>She rubs her face against your shoulder again
"I'm blaming you."
>"Hey Anon?"
"Mmm?"
>"How long has it been since I've been here?"
"Almost a year."
>"...wanna do something to celebrate it?"
>You've already been planning a way to celebrate it
>You've been planning out some things for almost a month now
>Not that you'd ever tell her
>Or Shine
>Or Dashie
"Well, I was thinking about it... how about this Saturday?"
>"Aw... at the end of the entire week?"
"Yup."
>"It's gonna be forever before Saturday."
"Only three quarters of forever. Sunday would be legit forever."
>She giggles and sighs
>"I don't know where I'd be without you, Anon."
"Me too, Jack. I don't know where I would be right now if I didn't have you. I don't know what I'd be doing. I'm sure both of us would be still breathing."
>"Probably."
"Yeah, probably. But I wouldn't be happy if I didn't have you. Especially with... well, you know."
>"Yeah... you've lost a lot."
>You don't feel particularly inclined to answer that
>You have lost a lot
>And you're in the process of losing more too
>It just isn't happening in front of you
"I've gained a lot."
>"Oh you... I ain't much."
"I wasn't talking about you. I was talking about Shine and Dash."
>You hear a shocked gasp and feel a hoof press into your head
>It's hard enough to push your head into the bed but not so much so that it actually hurts
>"You wanna run that again by me, pardner?"
>Here comes the Applejack southern twang
>She's gotten almost perfect when it comes to imitating her ma
"I said..."
>Your head gets squished into the mattress, your face covered by part of a blanket
>You repeat yourself as well as you can, given the circumstances
>She pulls her hoof away from your head
>And instead puts her head on yours
>Despite her being a fraction of your size, her noggin is pretty sizable
>She blows air through her lips in a hard huff
>"You got some cheek, talking to me like that."
"Yeah, catch me on my back and you'll see me do more than talk."
>Both of you stay quiet and enjoy the new positioning
"Do you really enjoy being here? Do you have any thoughts of wanting to branch out and live on your own or something?"
>"Me?"
"Yeah. Or all of you, as a group or something."
>"Nope."
>That answer was quick
>"This is our home, Anon... you make this a home for us."
>You're not surprised
>But you are happy
>And relieved
"Bold of you to speak for everyone."
>"It's not bold, just honest."
"I'm glad. You make this place a home for me too. Shine, too. Dashie, too. All of you little weirdos."
>"What are you two doing?"
>That's Shine's voice
"I've got a monkey on my back. Send help."
>"Oook ook?"
>Shine scoffs
>"Right... what are we doing for dinner?"
>You feel additional weight on you
>You try to look out of the corner of your eye
>She's laying down on Jacky
>Who's laying down on you
"No clue."
>"Why are you laying on me, Sparky?"
>"Because you can't stop me."
>"Anon, Sparkler's bullying me."
"Good."
>Shine scoffs again
>"Dashie, get in here! Help!"
"Aw crap..."
>"Why do I know where this is heading..."
>You hear light, quiet steps
>"...well this is a weird pyramid."
>"Get on Sparky, quick!"
>"Don't you dare, Prism."
"Yeah, Prism. Don't you not dare."
>"Who's side are you on!?"
"I'm on my front side because you two nerds won't get off of me!"
>You feel the bed yield from yet another intruder
>And more weight landing resting on your torso
>"Freaking unreal..."
>"Oh my... it's quite comfortable up here."
>"Ha ha! How's them apples, Spark?"
>"I'm still laying on top of you at least."
>"Tch..."
"Didn't think that one through, did you."
>"Jacky isn't the best for thinking, you know that..."
>The playful, condescending tone of Dashie leads to Jacky trying, and failing, to thrash about
>"D-don't you say that?!"
>"It's true, Jacky."
>"Dreadfully true, dear..."
>You can hear her flap once
>You can't see the pony pile on you, but you can see that her wings have finally been let out, acting as a sort of blanket
>Those really are some big chicken wings
"...so is everyone just gonna lay here now?"
>"Yeah."
>"Yup."
>"It seems that way."
>All of them reply at once
"...well alrighty then."
>You exhale, feeling parts of your back pop
>The weight feels nice
>The warmth
>The company
>You really believe that you're home
>And you believe that they're home too
>Nothing could ruin this

>It's Christmas season
>Technically
>You ordered something and have been keeping it in your car to be safe
>It's not that you don't believe that it wouldn't be safe in your home
>You just don't want Jacky to see it
>You don't think anyone has caught onto it
>You don't even know if Jacky's aware of what today is
>They were all surprised when snow first came down, though it wasn't until this week that there were enough layers to turn the atmosphere grey and bleak
>What's noteworthy is that unlike last year, everyone's actually pretty happy and content
>You know you are
>Despite everything bad that has happened
>Whether or not you'd like to admit it, your apartment has become a home
>You don't think you've ever had such a home
>You aren't ever apprehensive
>Scared
>Angry
>The few issues that have popped up ultimately weren't the worst things in the world
>And everyone got through them
"Alright... alright alright alright."
>Are you nervous?
>Nah, that doesn't make sense
>You definitely aren't nervous
>You just hope she likes it
>She has no reason to not like it
"You're not nervous."
>You repeat to yourself, shifting back and forth in the elevator
>You also have some groceries
>You still aren't a master chef
>Compared to last year, you really haven't cooked that many quality dinners
>365 days have passed and while you can say that your life is better, you haven't grown in the ways you necessarily wanted
>That's ok
>You've still grown in other ways
>"You're not nervous. You're just worried."
>You mumble to yourself as you enter your apartment
>What used to be a cold, quiet, vaguely messy place is now a warm, comfortable, certainly messy den
>You're not nervous
>You say your 'hi's and get them in return
>Jacky and Dashie are goofing around in the living room
>After filling the fridge with tonight's planned dishes, you shake off your coat and boots
>And maybe shake off some of your nerves
>You head to your room and plop down onto the mattress
>Shine is playing another game
>It involves a girl hunting giant robots with normal bows and arrows
>And something about technology
>You stopped caring about the plot of it
"Hey Shine."
>"Hey."
>You're not nervous
"Hey, uh... listen. Today's an important day."
>"Yeah? What's today?"
"It's Jacky's... birthday I think."
>"Birthday? Since when did she get a birthday?"
"I don't know. But it's been a year since she's been here. And I want to celebrate it."
>"Oooh... well aren't you caring."
>She leers at you out of the corner of her eye with a smile
"Alright, you can officially can it."
>She gives you a mocking gasp
>"Did you buy her roses too?
>...
>You glare at her
"God damn it... I knew I was forgetting something."
>You sigh and shake your head
>"Oh... oh wow. You mean it."
>She looks surprised
>"I didn't think you would keep track of something like that."
"Well... why wouldn't I?"
>"Fair enough I guess."
"So... when you can, can you find a way to lure her into here?"
>She lets out an elongated sigh
>It isn't a real one but she's enjoying the minor inconvenience she's causing
>"You want an audience?"
"Later, sure."
>"Sure. When?"
>Right now
>You wouldn't say
>You're really not sure if you want to do this right now
>You're really not sure if she would like it
>You're really not sure you would like it
>Obviously you would
>But maybe it's a little much
>Is it appropriate?
>It wasn't exactly expensive
>But it wasn't cheap either
"In a few min...ah..."
>You visibly deflate
"Not right now. But later tonight."
>Without turning away from her game, she nods and smiles wider
>"Don't worry about it, ok? You could've bought her a shiny plastic spoon and she would treasure it."
"It's no spoon, alright..."
>"Yeah... I bet. What are you gonna get me for my birthday?"
>She sounds hopeful
"Oh don't worry, I'm planning something for you too. And boy, you're gonna get it."
>She finally pauses
>After a second, she starts going through menus, as if to purposefully look for something
>"...that's cool."
"And don't you worry. Everyone is going to see it happen. Jacky's going to see and you're not going to know how to possibly respond to her reactions."
>She shifts on the bed, clearing her throat
>"...well alright then."
>You can return the teasing at least
>What she doesn't know is that you actually have been Christmas shopping
>The first time you've done so in you don't even remember how many years
>What you have in your pocket is for Jacky
>But you also have other things on the way for all of them
>Hopefully all of it will turn out well

>You've been watching Shine play her save file for...
>Too long
>She doesn't seem to mind it, though she looks back at you every now and again to make sure you're still awake
>After another successful side mission done, she lays down on her side and kicks her hind legs out
>"Sun's already gone down..."
"Yeah... winters up here are pretty harsh sometimes."
>"It's still warm in here though."
"Free heating, gotta enjoy it you know?"
>"Definitely."
"..."
>"..."
"..."
>"I'm gonna get Jacky in here."
"...thanks, Shine."
>"Don't worry about it."
>She goes through the motions to save and closes out of it, putting the console into sleep mode
>You personally don't understand why you wouldn't just put it in sleep rather than always shutting it down
>She stretches once more and yawns
>"Getting sleepy earlier too... you better be getting us some blankets and stuff."
"Don't worry, I'll add it to the list."
>She still sometimes does certain things that might not be the best but she's gotten a lot better
>More helpful, certainly
>Hopefully she'll continue to improve
>You slip your gift out from your pocket and put it to your side, under a blanket
>You really should have some sort of words prepared but it would just be too silly if you did that
>After what sounds like some joking around, you hear Jacky trotting toward you
>More so, you see her speeding toward you!
"EN GARDE, FUCCPONE!"
>She squints and pushes down on the ground, leaping into the air like only she can
>Good lord are her legs strong
>Still sitting, you prepare your reaction
>One arm goes around her neck, like a hug
>The other goes to her belly
>Letting her momentum carry you, you fall sideways
>Effectively suplexing her
"AS GOD AS MY WITNESS SHE IS BROKEN IN HALF!"
>Jacky gives some sort of autistic screech that sounds like a buzzard getting hit with a tennis racket before exhaling with a gurgle
>You lay on your side, your hand petting her belly
>She lays there, her head against your chest
>Your head against her shoulder
>What counts for a pony shoulder, anyway
"Hey Jack."
>"What's up?"
>Say it
>Come on, you've said goofier things before
>What makes this so different?
>You give her belly drum a few more pats before sitting back up
"Listen... do you know how long you've been here?"
>Rather than get up, she just looks at you
>"Not really. A pretty long while, I guess."
"Yeah... it feels like it's been no time at all."
>That look in her eye
>She looks completely content
>Content with her live
>Content with this place
>Content with her friends
>Content with you
"I... uh, well. I've been counting the days. And today marks a full year since you've been here. So I got you something. Not really for any huge reason, but I just thought that I should. It'd go well with your hat, you know?"
>You reach under the blanket, which thankfully avoided the suplex, and pull out a little black box
>Catching that this is something important, she flips onto her stomach
>Her ears twitch at the sight of it
>It's certainly not a big box at all
>"I... you're serious? You've been keeping track of all of this time?"
"Not counting the seconds or anything, but... yeah. I guess it's a sort of custom here."
>"Well, I mean... I guess it's a custom back there too..."
>She tries to focus on both your hand and your face
>From the twitch of her tail and her ears, you can tell she's a little nervous
>"...should it be opened here, or...?"
"Well... no reason not to, right?"
>You open the box and reveal what looks like a round, oval silver coin
>With another, smaller, oval stone in it
>"W... what is that?"
"Well, Jackeroo..."
>You set down the box and pry it out
>The silver oval is connected to a cord, which is capped with silver lengths that end in little bell shapes
"It... well, it's a bolo tie."
>"A what tie?"
"Bolo tie. Like your hat, it's a big of ol' west fashion. Kinda what your standard Texan would wear at a formal gathering."
>You rotate the pendant over to show her the front and back
"The end studs and the pendant itself is silver. The little stone there is... uh..."
>This is going to sound stupid, now that you have to explain it
"It's apple coral. It's called that due to the color. And, you know, I thought it's something that your ma would wear. So I think it's something you'd enjoy wearing as well. The orange goes well with your hair, even if it's a little darker. And next time we go out... you know, with that and the hat included..."
>You trail off
>She keenly focuses on it, a certain expression on her face
>She isn't ready to pounce on you and say that she loves it
>She isn't going to go into some death match staredown
>She looks...
>Maybe it's your imagination, but she looks a little sad?
>Without saying anything, she moves up to your side and hugs her face against your chest
>"Oh, Anon..."
"I know, Jack..."
>"I don't know what to say. You've done so much already over this year."
"I know."
>"And you have your family stuff going on too..."
"I know."
>"And..."
>You bring your arms up to hug her, pulling her a little into your lap
>"...you know Applejack isn't my mom. I know it too. I just want to think that it's true..."
"I know... but does that really matter?"
>"Well. You wanted her."
"Sure. But, thankfully for me, I got you instead."
>"You know, we never got around to that sort of gardening stuff... not really."
"Nope... and we never really went camping either."
>"You don't mind?"
"You kidding me? I wouldn't trade the time I've spent with you for anything in the world. You've kept me going through the worst of things. You've made me want to excel and improve. You've made me want to be better, so I can give you better."
>You give her a tight hug
>She inhales as you exhale
"You are exactly what I wanted, and what I needed."
>You hear something snap, to your left
>Both of you turn to the left
>Shine's holding up your phone
>Dashie's sitting nearby
>"Aaaaaaaaand that's a wrap."
>"Such a touching moment... I've misjudged you, Anon. May I see the bolo tie?"
>You
>Are very irritated with them
>"What'd'ya think yer doin' lass?"
>Oh God
>That's an accent you haven't heard in a while
>You look down at her
>She has a crazed look in her eyes
>"I try'an have a special moment with my bes' man an' you two come and spoil it."
>"To be fair... what I recorded is really sweet. And the picture is really one of a kind."
>Shine gives her a wide, shit eating grin
>Her eyes go to yours
>She knows exactly what she did
"Jacky."
>"Aye lad."
"Kick her ass."
>"Aye."
>You point at Dashie
>Her ears flatten
"I'm gonna cook your goose, chicken wing."
>You don't remember how the rest of the night went
>After an all-out brawl that must have leveled the city block, you all called a cease-fire
>Fatigue and vaguely bruised joints healed quicker when there were distractions to focus on
>Which meant a very specific trilogy of movies
>You still love those movies
>But there's no topping the trio that is The Dashing, The Sparking, and The Jacky

>Though it's still cold outside at night, you found yourself out on your patio
>You brushed off all of the snow from the little bench you have, so it's not like you're going to have a wet butt when you get up
>You've been keeping track of things on your phone, regarding your family event
>With how positive everything has been, you wouldn't want to spoil it
>Especially since Jacky's been flaunting her stuff with her hat and bolo tie
>She's been experimenting with new hair styles too, thanks to Shine working her... magic
>Actual magic
>She has no higher capacity for hair-themed fashion, it's all been Jack giving her instructions and coming up with ideas
>You return a text regarding a recent medical turn and sigh
"Ah... God damn it..."
>It's something you say so often it may as well be a catchphrase
>It kinda used to be, before Jack
>Old habits die hard when things get rough
>"Excuse me. Mind if I join you?"
>Speaking of rough
>It's Dashie
>You haven't actually socialized with her all that much
>Not since that little stealing stint she and Shine pulled
"Eh? Yeah, sure, I don't mind."
>She nudges open the screen and steps out
>It's not the coldest out currently, so you didn't see the immediate need in closing the door
>Besides, you get free heating and the two boneheads are either in your room or the bathroom
>You sigh and put away your phone, wiping the wide of your face
>"Did I interrupt something?"
"Nah. Nah, no, it's... uh."
>You exhale, failing to enunciate with your hands
"Well I'm sure you know what's going on. There just isn't a ton I can do about it. I got some updates and some other things."
>"Good news then?"
>She fluffs out her chest, doing her best to smile
>Her optimism is admirable
>You scoff
"If only. No, it's going worse. How much worse, I genuinely can't say. Could quickly go to the worst case scenario. Or could keep at it's current level."
>Her smile drops like it was a well-trained mask
>"Oh... I'm sorry Anon."
"Nah, don't be. It would've happened regardless, you know?"
>She doesn't look like the topic is affecting her all that strongly
"Hey, D. How much have you hid from Jacky, when you two were growing up?"
>She doesn't look at you
>She looks like she's focusing on something else, out in the trees
>You don't really hear any birds though
>"A lot. To this day there are things that I never want her to know."
>That doesn't sound too good
"That's fair, I understand that."
>"Have you been telling her about these updates?"
"Nah... she has her own things to worry about."
>"Like her latest hair style?"
>You chuckle
>That makes you smile
"Like her latest hair style, yeah. And the best way for her to wear her hat and tie."
>"I'm proud of you."
"You're proud of me?
>"Yes. I've had my doubts about you. I really did. I had my doubts about you bringing me here. And I thought you were manipulating Sparking."
"You know what? That's fair. If I were you, I think I'd be paranoid too. Did you think I was some monster playing Hide The Hands with Jacky?"
>She looks at you
>Sort of a blank stare
"...on second thought, don't answer."
>"For the best."
>You rub your eyes with your thumb and index finger
"So."
>You're really not sure what to talk to her about
>You've been losing a lot of your focus lately due to everything
"There something you particularly want to talk about?"
>Her wings ruffle and shake once
>"No... just that I want to apologize."
"Eh, don't worry about it. I think at this point you're pretty set on your opinion of me so no reason to overthink it."
>An uncomfortable look grows on her face
>"You don't hate me, do you?"
"Me? No, of course I don't. Without you, she wouldn't be here."
>"Without you she wouldn't be here."
"And neither would you be here. Which means I wouldn't be able to thank you for doing what you've had to do for her sake so she'd... remain her. Save me the semantics."
>Your attention focuses to the living room
"I would enjoy it a fair bit if we could be more... friendly to each other."
>"Like how Prism wants to be friendly to you?"
"Hopefully no. I kinda don't like that you'd default to that."
>"Then how do you mean friendly?"
"Friendly as in 'hey, let's not get that ozone smell when we need to talk'."
>You can catch a smile out of the corner of your eye
>"We can work on that."
"Preferably with a third party present."
>"Why a third party?"
"Because if it's just you and me, I get the feeling I'd say something a little too mean-spirited."
>It's not that you don't like her
>But you understand that there are a few rough spots
>"We may not be friends, Anon... not as much as you are with them."
"But we're not enemies either. Here's hoping you remember that."
>"I will."
"Good... now kindly go away for a bit. A lot's on my mind."
>You don't feel good about the bitter tone you stuck to
>"Anything you'd like to discuss with me?"
>She sounds... hopeful
>This really would be a good chance to have a sort of real discussion with her
>Maybe a chance for her to understand you better directly, rather than through the rose-tinted glasses of someone's interpretation
"...no. Not with you. Not with Jack or Shine either. Just leave me alone for a bit."
>"Oh... ok."
>She sounds dejected
>She gets up and nods
>"I hope you don't talk to her like this."
>Whether it was a warning or a stray comment, you don't know
>You don't really care
"Good night, Prism."
>It's going to take a while for things to improve with her
>At least she did ask

>It's Thanksgiving
>A lot of families are together, even if they only see each other once a year
>Your Thanksgiving...
>So far has included you just sleeping throughout the day
>You wake up every now and again, either to answer a question or to check your phone
>Given the job change, you don't have an extended weekend
>It's actually maybe today and just that until next weekend
>You haven't told the girls yet
>There's a number of things you haven't told them lately
>Not for any particular reason, of course
>It's a lot of little reasons
>Not only is this another Thanksgiving without your relatives
>It's the last possible Thanksgiving you could have with one
>And you're here, while they're in a hospital
>Once the sun set, you finally woke up for good
>Your laptop isn't in sight, so it was probably shifted out into the living room
>Stumbling out of bed let you know that your body wasn't ready move around
>Something smells good
>"How's the oven going?"
>"Another twenty minutes, I think."
>Sounds like D and Shine
"Got some oven stuff going?"
>D gives you a glance and walks off without answer
>Guess you don't blame her
>It's been a while since the last time you spoke with her
>You haven't felt any better about it
>"Oh, Anon! Happy Thanksgiving!"
>Eh?
"Thanksgiving?"
>You don't recall telling her about the holiday
>"Yeah. You celebrate it, right?"
>You used to
"Eh... I guess so. Last year..."
>"Yeah, Jacky told me you guys just cuddled up and did questionable stuff."
"It was nice, for sure... where is she, anyway?"
>"She's in the garage downstairs. Since she hasn't been able to really wake you up, she's been off trotting around."
"Oh... guess I should go check her out then."
>"Well don't take all night. Turkey's gonna be done soon. Sorta."
"Yeah, you know, I was kinda... wondering about that. You guys go to the store?"
>"Yup."
>She flashes you a quick smile that doesn't go up to her relaxed eyes
"...did you at least use my card this time?"
>"Yup."
"Groovy. Well, I'll be back."
>"Sure."
>You did have a few questions, but you weren't all that energetic enough to ask
>Ignoring that you were only in boxers and a slightly stretched out shirt, you go down the stairwell that is right next to your apartment door
>At the bottom of the stairwell you can hear galloping
>Guess it makes sense
>You haven't seen her since Tuesday
>Literally
>You're not sure why but whenever you've tried looking for her, she's always been out of sight or doing something that required lack of visibility
>You're hoping that you didn't screw up something
>You open the door a crack and swooce right in
>You really don't like how cold the concrete floor is but it's whatever
>You hear her coming
>To your left and behind a wall
>You crouch down
>Extend your arms
>She's coming
>The second you see the tip of her face poke out from around the corner, you swing yourself to the left as hard as you can
>You scoop her up and squeeze her as hard as you can
>You expected it to turn out better
>Except she's screaming
"GOTCHA, I'M THE-"
>You see her
>Her twin tails are gone
>What her mane consists of makes you scream
>She screams again when she realizes it's you
>The both of you make rather unflattering noises until you stop and shake her
"STOP IT I GET IT ALREADY."
>Her screaming stops, leaving her looking at you like she's expecting big news
"That's..."
>Her mane has been cut considerably into a sort of bobcut
>Except it looks more like a sort of hair helmet
>Her ears popping out from the top of the mane looks cute though
"..."
>"..."
>Adjusting her so your arm is around her back while her hooves press against your torso, you part her hair a little to the side
>Shine did a pretty good job
"..."
>"..."
>You're so close to saying something, but you aren't able to get the words out
>She looks like she's expecting something
>Good or bad, who knows
"...looks good on you."
>You can see her eyes dilate
>"You like this?!"
>She sounds in disbelief
"Yeah."
>"Oh."
>You hold her
>You can feel how relaxed she is, only keeping strength in her legs so she doesn't slide off of you
"...when'd you get this done?"
>"I... finally got it done yesterday."
"...how's the downstairs look?"
>You admit, you were thinking it, but you didn't think you'd actually say it
>The look on her face more or less confirms that she wasn't expecting it
>"You mean my-"
"Your tail, yes."
>"Well it's not as long as it was..."
"..."
>"..."
"Lemme see it."
>"W-wha, no!"
>She laughs and squirms out of your grip, landing on concrete ground
>Because you have the self control of a spoiled child, your eyes immediately travel to her flank
>Her tail's length has been cut in half it looks like it's been braided
>Decent change from how long and unkempt it was before
>You enjoyed brushing it when you had a bad case of the idle hands but it looks nice too
>She catches you gawking and smirks
>"Really couldn't help yourself, could you."
"Is that a real question?"
>Without really considering the consequences, you lean back and sit down on the concrete, sighing
>Jacky winces
>"Should you really be sitting there?"
"No. Because now my butt's cold and I think a little wet."
>She stands in front of you, looking you over
>Appraising you, it feels like
>"How're you feeling?"
"Well... I got work for tomorrow and probably the weekend."
>"Seriously?"
"As serious as a bad joke, Jack."
>"That's not good..."
"Not really."
>You've come a long way to getting used to pony facial expressions
>She looks like she wants to ask a big question
"I see you guys went to the store."
>"Oh, that... yeah."
>She looks embarrassed
"I'm glad you guys got everything without much issue."
>"Well a lot of people stared. And without Sparks we couldn't have actually... gotten most things."
"Sure, that does suck. But I'm glad that if something ever happened to me, you guys would be able to get along."
>"Y... yeah..."
>You just look at each other
>"Have things... gotten better?"
>That's really the only question that matters, isn't it?
"I... I don't think so, Jack. I think it's a slow slide down an icy hill. Stopping isn't really in the cards."
>"Oh..."
>The cold floor doesn't feel good but it isn't the worst source of numbness
>"Is it really something that can't be stopped?"
"Yeah."
>You had the urge to say more about it, but you feel drained from just thinking about it
"So what were you running from?"
>The question catches her off guard
>"Huh?"
"Why the running around?"
>"Oh."
>She gives a half-hearted shrug
>"I can't have big, meaningful talks like you. And I can't play games as much as Sparks can. And Dashie is kinda spending more time with Sparky so it's not like I can butt in and..."
>She shrugs again
>It's a defeated sort of shrug
>"I don't know how to deal with these things... I kinda miss how it was back then. I kinda miss when it was just you and me. I miss seeing you be so happy and... well, without worry."
>You extend your arms
>She trots into your lap and leans against you
>"I'm powerless to stop it. And I'm powerless to change anything."
"You're not powerless to make me feel better. Things suck. They really suck. And I think by the time this is all done, it'll change me into a different person entirely. But you'll still be around. And I'll still be around."
>You want to hug her tighter but you feel what little strength you gained by sleeping for so long drain
"I just hope that I'll be able to bounce back. I hope things improve."
>"They have to... as bad as things were for me, they eventually got better. Even when I believed they never would."
"Yeah..."
>Your eyes close
>As cold as the garage is, Jacky's warm
>That warmth is enough
>"You know, they've been cooking that dinner up there..."
"I know."
>"Think having a real Thanksgiving dinner would be good? You wouldn't be around your relatives... but you'll be near us."
"Yeah..."
>"Will it make you feel better?"
"I hope so."
>You feel more at home with ponies than you do with other people, at this point
>You thought it was so weird, a year ago
>Even thinking back to... when you were a lot younger, you thought having Missy Pie nearby was weird
>You almost feel the same warmth from then, now
"You know the gimmick about Thanksgiving?"
>"What?"
"It's all about giving thanks for stuff. Kind of a highly sentimental sort of holiday."
>"Where does the turkey fit in?"
"I have absolutely no clue. Some people stick with ham."
>"...but... ham isn't anything like turkey."
"I know."
>"I'm thankful for you, Anon."
"And I'm thankful for you, Jack."
>"And I'm thankful for Sparky."
"And the job she did with your mane."
>"And I'm thankful for Dashie."
"I do need to apologize to her."
>"Wanna head up yet?"
"No... not yet. You're warm. I just want to feel warm for a while longer."
>It is close to winter, if it isn't already classified as winter
>It's getting harder and harder to stay warm
>The numb cold that you've been feeling lately has all been on the inside
>Soup, tea, blankets and showers don't do a thing to stop that chill
>But this hug
>This warmth from Jacky
>It helps
>It allows you to feel again

"Alright... how about now."
>"No."
>Both Jack and Shine answer at the same time
"Seriously?"
>"Yes."
"...alright. Shut it down again."
>You've spent an hour trying to get an upgrade to work right
>After long enough, you resign to the fact that the new hard drive is just crap
"Ah... damn it. Well, time to start the RMA process."
>"The what?"
>Since you gave your approval of Jacky's mane cut, she's been less skittish about it
>But it still is a little surprising to look at her every now and again
>It's sorta like something an actress or supermodel would have
>You think so, anyway
>You've never seen anyone all that normal sport the specific style
"Well, RMA stands for... return... something something."
>You give her a stern look with a small nod
>She nods in turn, narrowing her eyes into a squint
>"Does this happen a lot?"
>Shine paid more attention to the process, though it really wasn't more complex than connecting and reconnecting two cords to a little metal lump
"Not really. Last time I had this issue, it was because I was trying to change my operating system to a solid state drive but I still had my hard disk drive and the original instance of my operating system on it. And I just didn't unplug the old one. So I made my own error."
>Jacky looks like she understands all, and comprehends the greater perils of computer hardware maintenance
>Shine looks at you like you're an idiot
>"What."
"Exactly."
>"Obviously."
>You and Jack nod with a content smile
"See, she gets it."
>"I..."
>The unicorn looks like she's going to say something
>She shakes her head, rolling her eyes upward
>"Nevermind. So what happens, now that you started the process?"
"Ship it back out, they look at it, and then they give me a refund. And I suppose I'll buy a different type of hard drive."
>You pry the faulty drive out, grumbling at how much it cost
>"So... do you do these sort of things with laptops too?"
"Not really. The newer one, I put in a solid state drive... and conveniently enough, the hard drive it originally came with died pretty quickly. So good timing for that."
>"A... solid state?"
>She sighs and shakes her head, hard enough to ruffle her hair
>"You know what? I don't want to know."
"Exactly. But no, most laptops don't have room for that sort of customization."
>"Kinda like a revolver versus a cannon?"
>You didn't expect that from Jack
"Kinda... yeah, actually."
>You give her an incredulous look but it makes sense
"You can swap out the cylinder, barrel, trigger, hammer, whatever. But the cannon's... a cannon."
>"So the laptop is as cannon, even though a cannon is stronger than a revolver and you're calling the desktop a revolver."
>You contemplate the irony for a moment
"Yes. The desktop is a forty pound revolver and the laptop is... what, a four pound cannon."
>Jacky smirks at Shine with a leer
>"Guess you need to study up on your stuff... you ain't the smartest one now."
>Those words cause a very specific sort of reaction to Shine
>She looks...
>Aghast
>Like it was the forbidden insult
>Without saying anything, she gets up and walks off the bed
>Every other step is a bit of a wobble on account of the mattress squishing under her
>She almost trips on the last step down onto the floor
>Jack scoffs at the sight
>Shine holds in some sort of obvious intent to murder because she tried to speak but her first word was some sort of angrish pony noise
>Only when she walks away does your attention focus elsewhere
"Nice analogy there."
>"Thanks."
"What made you think of cannons and revolvers?"
>Her answer is a telltale whistle
"...oh yeah. There was a cannon at the end, wasn't there."
>"There were a lot of cannons."
"Yeah... damn, those things must be loud."
>You finish putting everything back to way it should be, grumbling at the state of dust
>Thankfully any pony-length hairs have been caught by the cases
>The desktop case, the laptops, even the consoles
>You're surprised the normal fans you have don't have little weird bundles of pone hair on them
"Wonder when the other mane cuts will happen..."
>"Huh?"
>You take the little bundle of hair and push it into a nearby empty mail envelope
>You're so happy most of your mail is digital these days
"I noticed that you gals are leaving evidence behind. Lotta long hairs."
>"Seriously? How?"
"I'm guessing it's just stuff that happens."
>"Oh... sorry."
"Nah, it's nothing to apologize about. It's why I keep my hair short-ish too."
>You scoot backward, still in your sitting position, until you awkwardly fidget your way back onto the mattress
"I get my hair cut maybe twice a year. But I suppose I'm getting close to due, myself..."
>It doesn't grow the fastest, but it's still something
>"What do you think Sparky should get her mane cut like?"
"Me? I'm the wrong guy to ask."
>"Sure, but you like what I got."
"Sure, but you and her decided on that."
>"Sure, but she said you'd probably like it."
"Sure, but... wait, why?"
>Jack gives you a shrug
>"Iunno."
"Well, she wasn't wrong."
>You aren't sure what to do now
>You planned on working on your computer but now it'll be put off for who knows how long
>You feel a pair of hooves press against your back
>"Massage?"
"Sure."
>Your inner shitposter wants to ask if she's using her front or hind hooves
>But you're better off not asking
>You're also worried that she may buck your spine into powder
>After a few minutes, you sigh
"Things are really rough."
>"But we're helping out, aren't we?"
"Yeah, of course. But it's hard to want to be helped."
>"Is it pride?"
"Not really. More I'm just used to dealing with my issues on my own. Or more or less having to deal with things on my own."
>"Should we keep asking about things?"
"Well... yeah. I like being shown that you care. And I should be better by not being so... blah."
>"Blah?"
"Blah."
>"...blah..."
"...Thanks Jack."
>"Blah!"

>It's close to Saturday
>The Day
>You've been in your room, goofing around on your laptop
>You asked to be alone for a bit so you've been shitposting and looking at things to torrent and probably never actually play
>So much has changed in the last year
>Where as you used to want to be selfish on your birthdays, this year you just want some semblance of...
>Of what?
>Objectively speaking, you've improved
>Mostly
>You miss your old friends
>You still think about them
>Maybe you've thought about them more, the longer it's been
>Soon you'll be the last male of your family, too
>It's impossible to describe what that's doing to you
>It's made you visibly distant from the others
>You already feel bad for being rude to Dashie
>You wouldn't be able to abide by doing the same to either of the other two
>This time last year... it was just you and Jack, wasn't it?
>And this time last year, you recall her giving you some really goofy talk about wanting to know about such a day
>You really didn't expect that
>You didn't expect any of this year, from start to finish
>You lean back, having made a quilt cocoon around yourself
"I'll really be the last one..."
>Every time your mind wanders, it goes back to how you'll be the last male of your line
>What do you do with this knowledge?
>What's the lifespan of the girls?
>What's the rest of your lifespan?
>Does it matter?
>Do you just call it good when their time is up?
>What else is left?
>You feel downright frigid when you try to contemplate such extreme morbidities
>Where will you be this time next year?
>Will there be a next year?
>You close your eyes, sighing
>You've had The Outlaw Josey Wales playing as background noise
>Maybe the end is closer than you realize
>Could you be content, if that were the case?
>After you had so much struggling to reach what low level of relative success that you have?
>Part of what kept you going was your friends
>You were like a big brother to them
>You fancied yourself the sort, anyway
>Maybe...
>You feel someone climbing onto your lap
>Probably Jack
>"Hey, bro."
>That's not Jack
"Hey Shine."
>She sounds unusually upbeat
>"...you know. I know you and Jacky and a thing... and Prism is kinda like Jacky's older sister."
>She plops down on your lap sideways
>There's more than enough layers of quilt on you that you probably make a decent bed
>"But... I don't know. I wish I had a mom. Obviously I wasn't close to them like they are with each other..."
>You remain silent
>It sounds like she's trying to push a mood of some sort
>"...you're kinda the closest I've had to a big brother. I think."
>You're not sure what to think of that
>You don't think you can even really respond
>"I mean... yeah... I... well. You know how I was."
>Too true
>"But I've seen what you've done. I guess I've seen more of your history and your past than Jacky ever has."
>She inhales
>"And I guess I was jealous."
"Of her?"
>Your response catches her off guard, since you can feel her flinch
>"Didn't expect you to respond... and yeah. But also of your friends."
"My friends, huh..."
>"Remember our first game of Soul Caliber?"
>That makes you smirk
"That I do."
>"You know the... thing I did? With looking into your mind?"
"So you could cheat?"
>"So I could play on equal footing as you, yes..."
>That casual tone of annoyance makes you chuckle
>One of your friends used to have that exact same tone
>"I saw how you spent your birthdays with them. I felt what you felt."
>To be honest you don't remember a ton about her little mind reading gimmicks
>"...I know it's early for birthday presents. But I..."
>She sounds audibly awkward
>"Uh..."
>She fidgets, her attention honing in on the movie
>Half of your screen consisted of loading bars so there wasn't all too much to look at
>"...mind if I see you as... my brother?"
>Wat
"Wat."
>You tilt your head to the side and try to gauge Shine's face
>She actively refuses to look at you
"Where did this come from?"
>"I know you're missing your friends... your bros."
>You aren't really going to ask her why she thinks that
>But she isn't wrong
>"So... I want to be your friend. Like how you were with them."
>Oh
>A hard weight sinks on your chest
>It has nothing to do with the pony laying on your cocooned torso
"I don't know what you're going on about, Shine."
>You sigh, shifting so the pillow against your back moved a few inches to the left
>You hear her struggle to make a comeback but you cut her off
"You're already a bro to me. With how much stuff we watch and play together... you remind me of my friends when we were kids."
>You swallow hard
>It's rough to think of the days back then
"Way way, way back when... we used to watch a ton movies together. Really nothing much else, for a while. Just movies, anime, cartoons, games..."
>You chuckle
"We wasted our childhood playing games. Usually solo stuff, but we'd always compare notes, strategies, have dick waving contests about who's teams were better."
>You see her
>And you see the movie
>But you're looking past them
>You can still remember a lot of it
>You remember a lot of it like it was yesterday
>Sometimes you remember those days better than you remember the previous weekend
>Maybe this is what it feels like to be getting old
>"-on?"
"Huh?"
>"I said, what's on your mind?"
>Shine's still watching the movie
>Which is preferable to her trying to give you some doe eye treatment
"Well... you know how it goes. Some memories you really can't stand. Other memories..."
>You really would give anything to be able to have another elongated phone call that really was just mutual ranting at each other about goofy RPGs or whether or not Kreia was really all that wrong
>"I guess so... do you think you'd be able to share those sorts of memories and stuff with us?"
>You think
>If Shine was a bit more selfish, she would've said 'me'
"Yeah... yeah, of course. I would love it if we all could be like that. I guess we just need to find out a better way for them to use controllers."
>That would be cool
>Even though you were really the only one who had such a diverse taste in games
>Everyone had their niche, but you liked playing a bit of everything
>Besides, you couldn't imagine spending thousands of hours in a single game when there was so much to try out and go through
>"Well, from what I saw... it was a lot of talking about games without everyone having had to play them. Right?"
"I guess you're not wrong there..."
>"...hey Anon."
"What's up?"
>"Do you think your old friends would have stuck around if they knew about us?"
>It's hard to even think of that
"I don't know. I like to think so. They got me into the show to begin with, all those years ago."
>You can feel her fidget
>"...did any have Twilight as their favorite?"
>You chuckle
"You know? I really don't recall."
>You chuckle again
>It doesn't feel good
"There's a lot of things I can't recall about them. I remember so many things we used to do, the things we've said and near-misses we had with danger."
>Your throat feels like it's trying to close up
"But I don't recall the last time we ever just... genuinely talked and enjoyed being around one another."
>You bury your head into the excess bundle of quilt near the side of your face
>You can feel something warm slide down your face
>You don't want to make a big deal about it
>What's done is done
>But
>You miss them
>And you know that you miss them more than they miss you

>You didn't really want to wake up
>You tried to, you set your alarm for a normal time
>But you just kept dozing back off
>Both then and now, you haven't seen anyone
>You grumble and sit up
>No Jack
>No Shine
>No D
>No one
>While you're completely aware of the fact that they're most likely in the living room
>You can't help but feel...
>Deflated
"Gah... slept like the dead."
>You speak out loud
>You wait
>For just a moment
>For some sort of response
>You watch the hallway out of the corner of your eye
>Nothing
>Damn...
>You're thirsty but you don't want to get up
>Some unexplainable worry sticks to your head
>You know it would never be the case but you worry that if you got up and went to the living room, that they'd be gone
>Or that they were never there
>It's one of the goofiest worries you could have
>But it's almost a possibility
>So, instead of getting up and getting a drink, you just get onto your laptop
>Some morning birthday shitposting will suffice for now
>It'll also give you a good chance to get out of your early morning funk
>Maybe the girls were just up late last night or something
>After a few hours of shitposting, you decided that... nothing much was going to happen
>So you went to the bottle you kept in your room
>A third-full bottle of vodka that you and Jack shared a month or two back
>After downing most of that last third, you devolved from shitposting, to listening to music
>Specifically the same few cycles on repeat
>It's been repeating to the point that your loosened up self control has led to you singing the lyrics
"YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN, THE PRICE OF EVIL. AND IT HURTS TO KNOW, THAT YOU BELONG HERE.... YEAH!"
>You rock back and forth, belting out with the best of them
>You've been so into it that you haven't noticed a sleepy Jacky sitting in the doorway to your room
"PEACE OF MIND IS LESS THAN NE-"
>You stop in mid-screech, head bobbing just enough to the music to make her visage a little less than focused
"Hey Jack... I was worried you were gone."
>You hold up what little was left in the bottle
"Wanna join me?"
>She yawns and look at you
>She looks exhausted
>But, drawn to the bottle, she hops onto the mattress toward you
...
...
...
>The funky Billy Joel tune starts to kick up again
>Only for some other guy's vocals to kick on
>"DRAGGED YA DOWN BELOW"
"DOWN TO THE DEVIL'S SHOW"
>"TO BE HIS GUEST FOREVER"
"PEACE OF MIND IS LESS THAN NEVER!"
>With Jacky in your lap, she ways left whenever you go right and right whenever you lean left
>Given the song's been on repeat for who knows how long now, it's something both of you are picking up on with ease
>"HATE TO TWIST YOUR MIND"
"BUT GOD AIN'T ON YOUR SIDE
>"AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE SEVERED"
"BURN THE WORLD YOUR LAST ENDEAVOR!"
>You grab Jacky's shoulders and violently shake her back and forth with that last line
>She really can't do any sort of threatening tone compared to you, but the alcohol-filled fervor is there
"FIGHT! NOT TO FAIL, NOT TO FALL, OR YOU'LL END UP LIKE THE OTHERS!"
>"DIE! DIE AGAIN! DRENCHED IN SIN! WITH NO RESPECT FOR ANOTHEEER!"
>The more the song replays and replays, the more in sync the both of you sing
>When you aren't shaking Jack, she's whipping her head back and forth, barking out the words
>Every new pass, the music becomes that much more groovy
>The lyrics become that much more angry and venomous
>After one final round of singing the song, all goes quiet
>You've been manually resetting the song's place but now, after the... who knows how many runs, it has ended
>Jack leans to the side and looks up at you
>While the singing and screaming has woken her up, she still looks visibly exhausted
>And a little loosened up from the bit of vodka that she had
>Neither of you have drunken so much that there's been a resistance built up
>"Well Happy Birthday to you, Anon."
>You nod, giving her a complete bear hug
>She's real
>And she's right here with you
>You worried over nothing
>Not that you were worried
"And a happy birthday it's been..."
>One hand shakes away from her and toward the mouse
>There's another song you want to go to
>"Sorry for the late awakening... we've been working on something for you and-"
"OH MY GOD! PLEASE HELP ME, KNEE DEEP IN THE RIVER TRYING TO GET CLEAN"
>"HE SAYS WASH YOUR HANDS, GET OUT THE STAINS"
>It's a song you've introduced her to before and she snaps back to attention
>In unison, you both continue without missing a beat
>"AND I'M ALL ALONE AND THE FIRE GROWS!"
>By the time you reach that line, you thought you heard a third voice
"AND I'M ALL ALONE AND THE FIRE GROWS!"
>You point to the newcomer, Shine
>She looks...
>Messy
>She has some sort of yarn or cord wrapped a few dozen times around her horn
>Looks almost like paracord
>During the last half minute of the song, she lets out the angriest yawn and awkwardly climbs onto the bed
>Both of them look like they've been up for who knows how long
>She goes behind you, sitting down on your right
>With a light sniff and another yawn, she gives a tired glare at Jacky
>"Could've woken us up."
>Jacky shrugs, content with keeping in your lap
"Alright... ready to hit it for real this time?"
>"Aye-aye!"
>"Sure."
>You restart the song and take the lead on singing
>Both of them follow up, shouting or barking whenever is required
"AND I SAW MYSELF STARIN' BACK AGAIN!"
>"AND I SAW MYSELF STARIN' BACK AGAIN!"
>The longer the song goes, the more angry Shine gets
>The louder you go, the more Jacky rocks and bangs her head
>The more the speakers are turned up, the more Shine's horn glows
"SWING SWEET SERAPHIM, TAKE ME BACK AGAIN, OR WATCH ME MAKE THE MESSES OF MEN!"
>The two ponies chant out alternating "la"s, combining relentless, infectious energy with smoldering, burning hot fury
>After yet another turn of the tune, you finally feel like a lot of your frustration has been vented out
>Jack and Shine yawn at the same time, still in sync
>You lean back, giving a heavy yawn
>You aren't tired but the booze and the singing did wear you down a little
"Where the hell were you two?"
>"Come into the living room and find out. I almost thought you left in the morning or something because you were too quiet."
>"But his boots were still here."
"And I'm not going to work or anything on my birthday."
>"Oh shut up, both of you."
>"Or else what?"
"Or else... you'll tie Jacky up with the cord on your horn?"
>"Wait, what?"
>"...deal."
"Sweet."
>"Wait, why me?!"
>"You asked."
"It's true."
>Shaking her head at the casual absurdity of the conversation, Shine stretches hard and stands up
>"Whatever. Follow me, both of you. We all worked on something for you."
"Must be true if even she said that, huh?"
>"Yeah! Come on, we worked hard on it!"
>Guess they really were doing stuff for you
>Made sense that they weren't around last night
>After a hard rub of your nose, you work yourself to your feet
>You do manage to drag yourself to the living room before you just plop back down on a pillow
>There's at least a dozen pillows out here now
>And half a dozen big blankets that used to be in your closet
>As messy as it looks, it looks like a really comfy nest of sorts
>D is still sleeping
>Or dead
>Her head is covered but you can see her wings that are splayed out
>"Dashie, we're finally back and all up!"
>You hear a light, wispy series of...
>Words?
>Coming from her
"She seems wiped as much as anyone else. What were you guys doing all night? What's with the cord?"
>Your answer is met with a floating quartet of... what looks like bracelets float up in front of your face
>One green
>One red
>One yellow
>One blue
>"I hate this cord you have, by the way."
>They look like a variety of handmade paracord bracelets
>What's particularly interesting is that each one has a different pattern to them
>The pattern isn't just how the paracord itself is woven, but each one has a different array of...
"Feathers?"
>"Dashie's feathers!"
>"Evidently she's been collecting them when she does her weird bird cleaning thing."
>You hear another muffled reply from the pegasus
"That's... huh. Wait, why are these all different sizes?"
>"Because the green one is yours. Red one is mine. Yellow is Jacky's, and blue is Prism's."
>You pick the green bracelet from the magical fog and slip it onto your left wrist without thinking of it
>The bracelet itself is at least a good two inches wide
>There are a half dozen feathers woven all along one side of it, like it's meant to be on the outside of your wrist
"These are neat..."
>The yellow one floats up and sits itself on Jacky's head
>After a rough shake of the head, it seems to fit into place better
>It looks like a headband with the same number of feathers poking up and back on her left side
>"Like the Indians wore! Pretty cool, right?"
>The red one stretches a bit
>Shine tries to keep a neutral expression but even she smiles when it slips down her neck
>Three feathers poke out to the back on each side
>The blue one seems to be the smallest
>Shine's magic lets it gently drop onto the pillow covering her head
>"So... we were thinking of what to get you."
>"Without grabbing your card and sneaking out."
>"Or stealing."
>Dashie pushes the very edge of her face out from under the pillow and joins in finally
>Though she sounds like it's taking all of her energy to just talk
>You fiddle with the bracelet and shift it back and forth
>You've never even worn a wrist watch, so this will be a big adjustment
>Something about the feathers seem kinda funny
>They're stark white, like the rest of D's wings
>But if you jostle your bracelet fast enough, you could almost swear that you see other colors
"This is... trippy..."
>"So we decided on... what's normal."
>"Turns out 'normal' means 'spending all night trying to figure out how to make these patterns."
>"Please don't let us do this again..."
>It's kinda neat how well the three can talk, with one picking up right where the last one left off
>It reminds you of how you used to aggravate one friend while the other two actively joined in and rebounded off of everything being said
>"They're friendship bracelets!"
>"Jacky had the idea, Prism had the spare feathers to add to it and I..."
>Dashie picks up
>You can see the smallest smirk
>"Sparking had the inability to stop when she knew it would be for you."
>A red-enveloped pillow slaps down on her
"Wow... so what's the things about the feathers?"
>You slip the bracelet off and wave the bracelet back and forth
>If it's fast enough, you can see a variety of colors
>Really like it is some sort of white prism that descends into colors, except it isn't reliant on what angle you look at them act
>It's not even like they leave a trail of color behind, but more they actively change colors themselves when moving fast enough
>By the time you stop gawking at it while flailing your arm around like a jackass, you get an answer
>"My wings are... different, in that way. If I fly, they tend to shift like what you see there."
>"It's super rare! We once tried to sell her feathers but..."
>"The less said about that, the better. Right?"
>Sounds like they have some sort of mutual history going on with that
>The blue band ends up slid up D's left hind leg
>It reminds you of a garter
>The feathers on that one are so woven in that they don't stick out at all
>That probably makes sense since she still has two wings full of them
>"So what do you think, Anon?"
>Jacky looks pleased as pie, hoping for a good answer
>Shine looks content with her work
>Dashie looks...
>Well she looks like she's about to drop dead, since her mane is more than a mess and her wings are ruffled enough to look like she'd drop like a rock if she tried gliding
>But she looks happy too
"...hear me out... this is some mythical level shit: made with magic, has pegasus feathers in it..."
>You squint at the trio
"...will this give me magical powers?"
>Jacky looks completely surprised
>"COULD IT?!"
>Shine rolls her eyes
>"Get real."
>Dashie looks confused
>"What?"
"I'm serious. This is some Hercules-class stuff. Thanks. Thank you, everyone."
>"I do realize this kills the mood... but what time is it? It was dark when I went to sleep an-"
>"You mean passed out?"
>"...y-yes, thank you Jacky. It was dark when I... slept... why is it still dark out?"
"It's just the way of winter."
>You haven't really bothered to eat anything all day either
"Listen, how about this. I order us some pizza, we watch some movies... and then just call tonight a wash so we can just stay chill and relaxed?"
>The two supernatural ponies look more than fine with that
>Though Jacky seems distraught
>"But it's your birthday! Shouldn't we... celebrate? Or something?"
>You nod, stretching
"Eh, why worry about making it a big deal? We'll have food, we'll have movies... I'm around my best friends. What else could I want for a birthday?"
>Everyone seems happy with the answer
>Dashie seems so happy with it that she just falls back over and nuzzles her pillow
>"I agree. Let me know when the festivities start and I'll be... right there."
>The promise of pizza
>The movies
>The intense fatigue shared by everyone mirrored only by the eagerness to do things together
>You still miss your old friends
>But you're doing the exact same things now that you did with them
>This familiarity
>This unique sense of comfort
>This is really all you could want
>This is your real present
>And, of course, the possibly magical artifact that you were bestowed
>You never know, right?

>You've been paying a lot of attention to your bracelet since you got it
>Or maybe it's more keen to say it's an armlet
>Armlets are more manly
>And it's pretty thick to be a mere bracelet anyway
>Given everything you've been taught by video games and fantasy movies, you've tried everything to see if you've been bestowed any grand, wonderful powers or enchantments
>Sadly it's only paracord with pegasus feathers
>The feathers do shine in a really weird way though
>It's kinda like they go through colors whenever you wave your arm around fast enough
>You've been doing that for the last five minutes now, at the very least
>You're sure that there's something to it
>You just aren't sure what
>"Are you still wagging your arm around?"
>It's Shine
"Yeah? There could be some serious mojo to this, you know?"
>"What, do you think it's some... power bracelet or something?"
"Well unicorn magic with pegasus feathers."
>"And paracord."
"And the modern magic of paracord. Doesn't it sound like something that could have some fancy stuff attached to it?"
>"... not really."
>She climbs onto your mattress
>You've been stuck on a pause screen for a while, waving your arm like you just don't care
>Except you have cared
"Well... I think there's something fancy about it."
>"... you know it's not the biggest thing in the world."
"Sure, but who else has gone out of their way to make me something?"
>"I don't know?"
"Well neither do I. So there you go."
>She sits next to you, on your left
>"What you got playing this time?"
"Yakuza."
>"Who-za?"
"It's a series about criminals and gangsters. Some of them are really bad guys, to the core."
>"Sounds riveting."
>She doesn't sound that excited
"But some guys... a lot of the guys. They've had to deal with violence before. Some of them are really good at it. Sometimes it's the only way they can genuinely communicate what's important to them. Best of all? Even the hardest, stone cold-looking killer is really just a goofy guy. And he might not even be a killer."
>You wave your arm around a few more times and finally give it a rest
>You're able to see maybe three different colors in the feathers, at most
>"That sounds... kinda romantic."
"Yeah. Romanticized to hell and back, given criminals today."
>You unpause, giving her a view of a frizzy-haired looking guy and two others
"So here, you have your idiot who's good for nothing but has a good heart... and then another idiot that threw his life away for someone who didn't even really like him... and then a third idiot that couldn't do what his honor demanded... so he spend decades giving his money to someone to invest in them as an apology for his self-perceived incompetence."
>"...that's rather charitable of you."
"Hey, it's all true."
>You show off the characters
>"They're... old."
>That makes you laugh
"Tell me about it. The main character has had basically no life to live and he's in his 40s..."
>Shine frowns
>"You're telling me he's over forty?!"
"Yeah. That's kinda crazy, isn't it?"
>"...and how old are you again, Anon?"
>You go silent
>And clear your throat
>"...how old, Anon?"
>She glares at the side of your face
>You're doing everything you can to ignore it
"...sure as shit not even in my 30s yet..."
>You're not too sure of what you would do if you were in any of their situations
>You never thought that you were 'ambitious' but you've looked back on your past and you can tell that's what you've become
>You think
>If nothing else, you've become ambitious enough to have three ponies live with you
"Hey Shine."
>"Eh?"
"How old are you?"
>You turn your head to give her a full-faced look
>She... doesn't look insulted at least
>"...isn't it rude to ask a girl that?"
"Well you're a pony girl so it's ok."
>The squint she gives you could melt a glacier
>She inhales
>Holds
>Shrugs and exhales
>"Honestly? I do not know."
"How old is Jack?"
>"Don't know."
"Dashie?"
>"Older than both of us, but not by much."
"Oh.. that's brutal."
>You scratch the back of your head
"So... how many years do you think you spent on the streets?"
>Shine shrugs
>"Honestly? I don't know. Either I didn't ever care, or I stopped counting. It's hard to keep track of time when so much of it is worthless to you."
>You nod
>You know that feel all too well
"Yeah... well, it doesn't feel like it's been a year that Jack has been here, and it feels like yesterday that she popped up."
>"And?"
"Well that time wasn't worthless to me."
>"I didn't say it was."
>The conversation dies there
>She watches you play for a while
>You spend a lot of your time wandering around, helping out random people, and beating up thugs
>"That's a pretty lively city... and this guy's a criminal?"
"Well... not really. I mean, technically he was a thug, at one point."
>"But he isn't?"
"Not really. He's just a nerd."
>"Like you."
"Nah, he's a snappier dresser. But my hair's better."
>She looks up at you
>"...ok, true."
>She watches you goof around more
>"He's pretty cool, to help out so many people."
"Yeah he is."
>"Doesn't he have a job?"
"Not really, no."
>"Where's his home?"
"Doesn't have one. Guy's a hobo."
>"...a hobo with a bat, beating the stuffing out of thugs for pennies?"
"Yeah... gotta scrape by somehow, right?"
>Though she didn't say anything, you could tell that was starting to get her attention
>"How far are you in the story?"
"Not so far. If you want, I can start a new file, from the beginning."
>"You'd do that?"
"Sure. Want me to?"
>"Please."
>So you do
>You go through the first few hours of it with her
>She's silent for all of it
>No real quips
>Insults
>Some scoffs and laughs
>But nothing else
>By the time you enter into the main map, she looks worn down
>"Anon..."
"What's up?"
>"How can you face these stories with a straight face?"
"Well... life is pretty rough sometimes."
>"So why not focus on something like Final Fantasy?"
"Because the guys... the men in this game, and the others in the series. They're willing to fight and even die for their beliefs. Their codes of conduct, personal standards, and honor."
>"But what would you do if you gave away your life like that?"
"I'd be proud. Just as he is. Sometimes, all a guy can do is to find a cause to throw himself into. Body and soul. That way, every failure hits him the hardest, every success is the best, and if he dies? It's for a valuable cause. The most valuable cause."
>You don't know if she likes that answer
>It doesn't seem to sit well with her
>"If you had nothing but the cause, would you be happy with that? Could you be happy then?"
>You think that's not a rhetorical question
>It takes even you a moment to consider it
"You know. If I had feedback that I was doing the right thing, yeah. I think a lot of guys, when they were kids, had fantasies like I did. Of being a hero. Of standing up for justice, love, friendship."
>You gulp down some stray saliva
"Of... sacrificing yourself, for what could be considered a greater good."
>"Who dreams of sacrificing themselves for others?"
>You're starting to get that familiar feeling
>Like you're looking forward from the back of your head
>Or maybe that you're falling backward but still sitting up
"Kids that have nothing else to live for."
>By your tone, you aren't joking
>From the way her ears are down, and the...
>Shocked expression on her face
>Maybe that's not something she expected to hear from you
"But hey, the hero always sneaks out at the last second and lives on, right?"
>You give her an apathetic half-smirk
"That's usually a benefit of plans like that, anyway."
>She doesn't take the bait
"You know how it goes... gotta believe in something when you have nothing."
>She doesn't answer
>You've never really tried to analyze anyone's face while talking to them about this sort of thing
>Going off of Shine's one expression, you've felt enough heat well up in the back of your eyes to remind you why you don't
"But... look at him. He's focused. Given purpose. And from what you saw, he'll have some pretty goofy adventures going on soon."
>You attempted to make it sound better than what it was
>More upbeat and comedic
>But at the end of the day, the main character sacrificed a lot
>Though his story hadn't even started yet, he had already lost so much
>The look on Shine's face
>If you could read minds, you could guess that maybe she was wondering how someone could live after sacrificing so much for apparently nothing
>You didn't expect to, but maybe this is the right sort of game for her

>It's been a Friday alright
>So much a Friday that you've had some vodka
>Because it's getting close to Christmas, you stuck a candy cane in it
>Shine has been playing more of Yakuza, sitting to your right
>Jack has been sitting in your lap, sharing the festive booze
> Dashie has been sitting to your left, going between watching Jack and the screen
>She's been stuck on it all day, apparently
>You had a feeling she might
>"So what classes are we?"
>Dashie seems like she's been deep in thought, since she spent the last half hour trying to bring up that question
>Jacky nods, more than a little loose from the drink
>She only really drinks as often as you do, and that isn't much these days
>"Buckin' Beautiful Bronco, I bet."
>Shine scoffs
>"Fire Elemental, obviously."
>Dashie herself looks unconvinced
>"...what would I be, Thief?"
>You nod
>Not necessarily to agree with her, but to think about what you would be
"...Weirdo?"
>Your skillset certainly isn't the norm, nor are your interests
"I'd say that two out of three of these names are fine... but Shine, you aren't made of fire."
>"I can use fire magic."
"Well, sure, but..."
>"You're a nerd."
>Jacky states, in no uncertain terms, with a pair of squinted eyes and an accusatory hoof point at the unicorn's back
>This shouldn't be shocking to anyone
>But it is
>For a second
"...gal's got a point."
>"It's true."
>You and Dashie reply at the same second
>Shine turns her head and gives you a dirty look out of the corner of her eye
>You smile at her
>And slowly raise a thumbs up until it's right up against your face
>"Guh... whatever..."
"It's fine. We're all a bunch of dorks anyway. So we have a..."
>You look down at Jack
>She beams at you
>"A dork. A thief. A nerd. And a weirdo."
>You nod and pet Jack's chest
>She wraps her front legs over your arm, like a cat
>Thankfully minus the claws
"Honestly? That's not the worst thing. Look at Ichiban's party."
>Depending on how far back you want to go, technically all three of them could count for the Homeless Guy class
>Or Homeless Pony, rather
>Thankfully none of them smell like the hobo in the game
>But there's a skill-less thug
>A hobo
>A long-retired cop
>And a barmaid
"I think we could take them if we were all even-leveled."
>"You think so?"
>Dashie definitely doesn't seem the combative sort
"Sure. You got wings, and you can always run distraction. Or fly and drop things on their head."
>You lean forward and poke Shine's flank
"Our resident nerd knows honest magic, so that's actually a legitimate skill they can't beat."
>You try to break your hand free from Jack's grip
>You fail
"And our bronco girly here can aim for the heart."
>As if to prove it, she lets out a loud POW and kicks out one of her hind legs
>You're worried that she could've clipped you and still done massive damage
"And... well, I have guns. I have tools. Though to be honest, I'd really like to not get hit in the face too..."
>The pegasus shifts her wings
>"...so who should take on who?"
"Well you take on the chick. Shine, you take on Namba. Jack takes Adachi. And... I guess I get my face pummeled in by Ichiban."
>You aren't looking forward to the theoretical beatdown
>Mostly because you don't think you could start and follow up on a fight with a guy like that and not feel regret
>"You know, they'll probably gang up on one of us to start with..."
>Shine has a good point
"Alright, so change tactics. Who do we start on first?"
>"Nanba. He can heal the others."
"Do you know any healing magic?"
>"Iunno."
>She's surprisingly attentive despite playing a game
>Though she's basically grinding for levels and money
"Alright... who next?"
>Dashie chimes in again
>"Adachi-san is pretty tanky. And he deals a lot of damage. So him next, right?"
"Adachi-san?"
>"It's what he's called."
>Shine scoffs
>"Nerd..."
"Well... sure. I guess she has a point. So that leaves Ichiban and the chick. Who's next?"
>Jacky kicks out again
>"DEFINITELY GO AFT-"
>You reach your hand up and smear your palm over her face, causing her to descend into vague gibberish
>You chuckle
>Revenge after her stealing your arm
>You finally stop
>She gives you a hard squint but she blows you a kiss soon after
>"Definitely Ichiban next. He's the hero, right? And... wait, no!"
>She stares straight up at the ceiling, like it's some massive revelation
>"We three take on the chick... and then it's one-on-one smashdown between Anon and Ichiban."
>Dashie leans back, impressed
>Shine looks over her shoulder, raising an eyebrow
>You aren't so sure this is so great
"...so no pressure, huh."
>You roll your shoulders, sighing
"Well... I suppose if he has his bat, I'm having my rifle. If he's bare-fisted, I suppose I am too."
>Your wrists and back is hurting just thinking about it
"What are my odds?"
>"Well... he's older. Leaner. Stronger, since he's fought for decades. Probably willing to risk it all."
>Shine sounds like she's actually enjoying listing off how screwed you are
"Sure... but I have the power of friends."
>"So does he."
>Fuck
"...I have the power of love."
>"He does too."
"Wait, how?"
>"Iunno, but it's probably something to do about justice?"
>Fuck
"...well I have a gun."
>"Getting shot doesn't seem to bother him that much to be honest."
"That's just RPG mechanics."
>"Well if RPG mechanics are in play, wouldn't a punch to your jaw just deal HP damage and not be worse?"
"...point."
>Leave it to the party nerd to logic away any risks and benefits
"So you guys are really just gonna watch and stand back?"
>"Well yeah."
>"We have to."
>"Like you need our help!"
>They all reply at once
"Ah... God damn it. I guess there's no helping it."
>Jacky gives you a cruel grin
>"You could suplex him like you suplexed me..."
>Dashie gives you a questionable look
>"Excuse me, you did what to Jacky?"
"...you know, that's true. I've watched some wrestling. Ichiban has too."
>Jack gasps and grapples for your arm again
>"Awesome, it'll be a wrestling match! Shirts off, bare-knuckled, no holds barred, no tapping out!"
>"I have no idea what half of that means."
>"Anon, what did you do to Jacky exactly?"
>You do the best and decide to focus on the most obvious detail of all of that
"First off... it's gonna be embarrassing going toe to toe against him with my shirt off. He looks cool and he has the tattoo. I don't."
>"Hairy chest though. Obviously that's more manly than a tattoo!"
>"Anon, will you answer me?"
>Jack still seems on task
"Secondly... if it's coming down to him versus me, do we really need some massive gang brawl? I don't want you guys getting hurt. And he wouldn't want his friends to get hurt."
>"And you're as huge a nerd as him when it comes to having friends."
>Shine sounds like she's enjoying these cheap shots too much
"You shush your mouth up, nerd. But I guess that may be a point too..."
>"You and Ichiban are kinda similar."
>Dashie says what you were worried about hearing
"I freaking hope not! Guy's a complete block head."
>"Well you-"
"Nope, not hearing it."
>"But you both-"
"Nah."
>She growls and ruffles her wings
>"Accept the compliment, Anon."
"No way fag."
>Jack snorts at your lightning quick retort
>"That's rude."
"You started it."
>"See, he's rude too."
>You sputter out some failure of a response
"Whatever... when I suplex him, I want everyone to cheer."
>"How?"
>Jack seemed to calm down and let go, leading to you rubbing and patting her belly
"Like... freaking out like a set of fangirls. He won't have that if he slap chops my shit to Okinawa."
>"You really think we would freak out?"
>Dashie doesn't sound convinced
"It's not about getting all that hyped up, but it's ego. It boosts my confidence, shaves away his. It allows me to fight harder. And it means that I could do a follow up."
>"I think I get it..."
>Shine sounds like she's trying to understand
>This really changed track pretty fast
>But at least it's no longer a full-on street fight
>Jacky looks up at you, pointing up at your mug
>You bring it down
>She gulps down... what's frankly a very fair share of vodka
>"So... does this mean you can't have your gun?"
>You frown
>And gulp down some of the booze, yourself
"That fight better have a two drink minimum."
>"You guys don't get to drink. We do."
>Jack's unsettlingly serious in tone about that
"Jesus... did I ever mention that you're a sadist?"
>She beams at you
>"Think about it this way, the more you get hurt, the more I get to take care of you!"
>"...Anon, what did you do to Jacky? What's a suplex?"
"Again with the suplex... God damn it."
>You still have so much to show them, after even a year

Part Eight.

>"We gotta get Sparks... Sparks and..."
>Jacky dropped onto her 'bed': a collection of loose fabrics, discarded garments and scavenged blankets
>Faint Prism watched her little sister collapse
>They weren't going to recover from this
>She knew this
>They had scraped by for so long, and had ultimately accomplished so little beyond filling their bellies and gaining a reputation
>Prism was not fond of her reputation
>Her wings were her one saving grace, and they were now broken
>Half in sheer shock and of acceptance of her fate, she left the only consistent home she knew
>The two ponies were gone
>The food was gone too
>This was all because of those two unicorns
>She sat down, the poise she had built up for years crumbling in seconds
"You can't have taken this from me... not when there's nothing to even show for it."
>She didn't bother to look for Sparking Shine
>The rowdy unicorn was never meant for much, Prism knew that much
>She was an extra pair of hooves, a source of magic, and a necessary distraction for Jacky
>The only issue is that if her body is found nearby, they'll have to come up with an excuse
>Prism's lip quivers
>If she goes back inside and finds that Jacky isn't moving...
>She can't think that
>But she is
>It's too difficult to stay strong when there's no one to be strong for
>"Did you get any food out of all of this?"
>It's one of the unicorns
>Not Sparking, but the other
>A green pony, with a black mane
>She looks like she's been kicked around, but her injuries pale in comparison to Jacky's
"Do you see any food here?"
>The green stranger looks around before shrugging
>"I guess not."
>She had appeared seemingly out of nowhere and claimed to just some sort of vagabond
>Jacky was happy to have a new friend so Prism let it slide
>She had even brought food a few times
"I don't need food... I need medicine."
>"For your wing?"
"No. Let my wings rot. Jacky needs help."
>Prism speaks with the confidence of someone who knows that she's already dead
>"Can medicine really fix what happened?"
"It has to."
>Something about the unicorn's facial expression is unsettling
>Despite getting roughed up and running away from the fight, she's acting like nothing bad happened
>"I can help."
"And your cost?"
>Everyone had a price
>To offer themselves, or their services, there was always something they wanted in return
>The only time Prism had ever seen otherwise was when Jacky helped her
>Of course, she always helped Jacky without hesitation
>They were the only ones who they could trust
>Even if Jacky didn't know better, Prism did
>"My cost?"
>The unicorn sounded amused
>Disgustingly so
>"Nothing. Besides, you don't have anything to really offer, do you?"
>Prism looked down at the blood-stained cobblestone
>"Let me rephrase... you don't have anything to offer that I could want."
>She spoke with an even more vile tone
"Help her."
>"And what about you?"
"I don't care what happens to me."
>Prism replied without hesitation
>She was a dead pony walking
>She had been for as long as she could remember
>But Jacky had a chance, a future
>That chance had to survive
>"Iiiiiii see. What about Sparking?"
"Am I supposed to care about her now?"
>"I suppose not..."
"Help her. Before it's too late."
>Time was running out
>Jacky had taken a few bumps to the head before, but she always recovered
>She was strong, ever since she was a filly
>Strong enough where she probably didn't even need Prism to survive
"I'm begging you."
>Those last words caused something to dislodge itself from the guardian's throat
>She fell over, her energy finally drained
>Her eyes focused on the blood clot that Jacky expelled
>"Alright, I'll take care of her. But you gotta remember that you asked for this. Don't get mad at me."
>Faint Prism's eyes focused on the blood clot
>She listened to the unicorn move toward the sewer entrance
>She tried to speak again, but she couldn't bring herself to muster the power
>Prism's vision started to blur
>And then fade

>"LET'S GET READY TO RUUUUUUUMBLLLLLLLLE!"
>Prism snorts and jerks her head up
>It was that dream again
>Sounds like Jacky
>"IN THIS CORNER, THE PONY THAT BRINGS HOME THE BALOGNA, THE RED HOT RUMBLER HERSELF, SPARKING SHIIIIIIIIIIIIINE!"
>After a moment of silence, she can hear what sounds like a pre-recorded series of cheers
>"AAAAAAAAAND IN THIS CORNER! THE MAN WITH THE PLAN, HAS TWO HANDS AND KICKS SAND, AHHHHHHHHHH-NOOOOOOOOOOON!"
>Kicks sand?
>"Kicks sand?"
>Anon's voice comes up
>"Yeah, well... you know. It rhymes."
>"See, she gave you a crummy intro because you're going to lose."
>Sparking speaks up
>They must be having another little gaming competition
>Though it took time, she was warming up to the unicorn
>She was warming up to Anon too
>Or trying to
>She understood that he was going through things she couldn't hope to replicate
>She wanted to be on a better level with him, if only for Jacky's sake
>"You kidding me? I get the worse intro, I'm the underdog, that means it'll mean that it'll be a huge upstart when I win! I didn't even get an applause!"
>"Oh... crap..."
>The applause audio starts back up, but it doesn't start at the beginning
>The illusion isn't nearly as convincing, even she can tell
>"...thanks Jack."
>"Ah... sorry... uh, ANYWAY. MAN VERSUS MARE. TWO LEGS VERSUS FOUR. LET'S SETTLE THIS LIKE TRUE WARRIORS AND GET IT ON!"
>A blasting song out of nowhere starts
>Or, more like they unmuted the TV
>It sounds like one of those fighting games
>In no time at all, mutual trash talking erupts
>Prism pulls herself up, sitting in the living room
>Anon has so many blankets and pillows that she was able to more or less recreate their home
>As much as a home could be when it was a dry, relatively scent-less section of tunnel
>Part of her wants to join in
>To be one of the gang
>Something stops her from moving
>She always feels so weak after those dreams
>Like the dream never ended
>Her wings ruffle
>Of course, they're fine
>She's examined them time and time again, and every time they're completely fine
>Maybe a little stiff from not being used
>They still shimmer too
>She used to be so proud of them
>Anon seemed impressed too
>That little bracelet they cobbled together for him sent him over the moon
>Of course, the headband and necklace were... interesting to see
>Same with the garter she still kept on her hind leg
>It was relatively so little, and took hardly any time at all to make
>But everyone enjoyed it
>Maybe that was enough
>Prism nudged a few blankets into place and laid back down
>"EAT MY HORN, LOSER!"
>"EAT MY LOSER, HORN!"
>"THE SALT IS FLOWING! AS GOD AS MY WITNESS, SHE'S BROKEN IN HALF!"
>"SHUT UP, I'M STILL-"
>"DEAD, FUCK YEAH!"
>The mocking, anguished, excited screams fill the apartment
>It's comforting, in it's own way
>Jacky is happy
>Sparking may as well be a new pony
>And Anon...
>Anon is keeping everything together
>She is thankful for him
>And maybe even thankful to the other unicorn
>No one seems to talk about her
>The name is difficult to remember
>She isn't even sure if she does remember it
>Maybe it was just her imagination, reaching out for anything
>But maybe it happened
>Or maybe her dream was nothing except a dream
"...N..."
>It wasn't worth worrying, surely
>Otherwise she would know the name

>Sparking Shine usually has her video games
>Jacky has her movies and music
>But they both also have Anon
>Prism knew well that they got along swimmingly
>And that she was the odd mare out
>Perhaps it wasn't by active measure but more merely personality affinity
>Jacky was more than happy to roughhouse, as she always was
>Sparking hated getting hurt but the pair bickered and fought as often as they got along
>As much as they could have gotten along, given circumstances in the past
>To an extent, Prism felt left out
>Like sometimes her only true friend had forgotten her
>The smile she wore was greater and brighter than anything the pegasus had ever seen before
>It didn't hurt to see her smile in such a way
>It just hurt that she wasn't the cause of it
>It didn't hurt nearly as severely as it did before
>Maybe it was just a fact she had to work around
>She wasn't out of the fight just yet
>"YAHAR ME HEARTIES!"
>Prism grimaced
>Anon got a new bottle of alcohol
>Of course he would guzzle it quite freely and proudly
>Jacky followed him nearly gulp for gulp
>She didn't understand how such a smaller body could contain so much of the spirits
>Maybe it was because she was always trying to be in high spirits
>"GUT ALL YE SCHALLYWAGS WHO DON'T BOW TO THE CREW OF ONE PLUS TWO!"
>Oh no
>Sparking joined in on the drinking
>The trio stomp out from around the corner, in the hallway
>Anon's wearing a green bandana
>Jacky has a yellow one around her head, leaving her ears poking out and a fluff of her hair coming out to cover half of her face
>Sparking's red bandana is lopsided, going over one of her eyes
>"THE BIRD. YAR SHE BLOWS."
"Blows?"
>Like a pair of minions, the two ponies from behind him spring forward!
>Sparking leaps first, emitting what could only generously be called a warcry
>Prism ducks to the side, missing contact by a hair
>From the sound of it, she landed fine on a pillow
>"YOO-HOO, YAR-HAR, A PIRATE SHIP IS JUST THE WATER EQIUVALENT OF A CAR!"
>Jacky stopped her assault to do a small wiggle of a jig
>When she saw that the rhyme and dance only caused a smirk on the pony, she crossed her eyes and let out a cry
>She rammed her head forward, only to be stopped by the one trick Prism always had up her sleeve
>Up her wing, rather
>It WAS her wing!
"Pegashield! Brigands like you can't even afford my down!"
>As quick as Prism deployed the wing, Jacky slowed her motion down to a crawl
>She slowed and deepened her yowl, only to gently slide her face into the bundle of wings
>With the most minor of flaps, Jacky flung herself back as dramatically as she could
>Thankfully her nearly backflipping ended up with her face sliding along a quilt
>She thunked to the floor gracelessly, which wasn't surprising because she could only control so much of herself for slow motion
>Anon glared at her
>"Aye... you've done goofed now, lass. FOR I WILL SLAY YE AND CLAIM MY BOOTY!"
>Sparking snickered behind Prism, insisting on staying laid out
"If you think you can... try me. Your prized pony crew haven't harmed a hair on my head. What could a human captain do?"
>"I'LL... DO THIS!"
>He whips out something from his back pocket in his shorts
>It's... a small length of metal with a rubber grip and a... brush at the end?
>Like it's an ancient art, he pulls his arms out while holding onto the rod
>It extends to four times its original length
>"SCRATCHING BACKS, BACKING SCRATCHES, I'LL USE YOUR FUR IN MY SAIL PATCHES!"
>Wielding the extendable back scratcher like a claymore, he steps menacingly toward her
>The crazed look in his eye tells her that he isn't the same human that so intently dismissed her when they had a chance to speak
>The crazed look in his eye also told her that he had drank more than what was his norm
>The cheering from minutes earlier must have had something to do with it
>"EAT THIS!"
>Anon rears back and swings overhead
>His swing is as slow as Jacky's attempted skull crusher of a headbutt
>"Captain, noooooooooooooooooooooo...!"
>Jacky holds up a shaky hoof, holding onto the 'ooo' note as long as she could
>"Avenge meeeeeeeee...!"
>Sparking has a rougher time trying to hold her 'eee' tone, her voice audibly trembling
>The stereo sound of the girls letting out their own earworms could only last so long
>Surely
>Anon's blade of itch eradication stops three quarters of the swing
>Amused, he shifts his attention to the two ponies
>Both of them are making rather awkward faces, trying to hold onto their note for as long as required
>Prism notices his viewing and smirks
"Waiting for something?"
>He pivots the rubber grip in his fingers, presumably to scratch his back
>"They can really hold a note, can't they..."
"Must be all that singing..."
>As quiet as they were, it was no doubt impossible to listen to normal words when screeching such sounds
>Both of them admired the dedication
>The eyes closed
>The warbling voices
>After almost a full minute of listening to their voices fail, Anon clears his throat
>It half sounds like an attempt at a roar
>Immediately the two subordinates stop and look at him
>"Let's parley. Better to not spill blood when not needed, aye?"
>"Aye... aye-aye, cap'n!"
>Jacky closes her eyes when she speaks up, her throat thoroughly put through its paces
>"Blech... I'll survey this pillow here."
>Sparking sounds gassed, like she was giving it her all
>Anon sits down, crossing his legs and putting his hand on his knee
>The gesture makes him look a bit more bigger than he is
>"Aye... grab the Stoke. First mate Shiny be defeated. But she never flee, see...?"
>He squints at Prism as he speaks
>She would have to admit that all of this is rather entertaining for being impromptu
>They had been goofing around for the better half of an hour prior so they must have had something to build up to
>"AYE AYE!"
>Jacky cries out with her eyes closed, fighting through the croaking in her throat
>She wobbles to her hooves and wanders off after a hard, quick yawn and a shake of the head
>Prism peeks over Anon's slumped shoulder, watching her wander off back to the bedroom with less than keen dexterity
>He sighs
>He seems relaxed
>Certainly more relaxed than he's been for days now, probably longer
"Letting off some steam and playing around, I see?"
>"What can I say, it's not rum but I was feeling a little like a scallywag."
"I can tell. Enjoying Jacky's haircut?"
>Anon holds up a straight finger, leaning into the palm planted on the side of his knee
>"I will have you know that it is indeed a work in progress... and that the more messy it is, the more appeal there is for various enterprises."
>Prism's smile crinkles and her eyes narrow
>She isn't displeased but it is a little more information than she would like to know
>Presuming she knew what he was referring to
>And presuming what he was referring to was what she was thinking of to begin with
"I see... well. What would you like to parley about?"
>Anon gives the pegasus a stern glare
>One that looks like genuine frustration or anger
>As soon as it comes up, he shrugs
>"Iunno. I thought you were being left out."
"I don't mind. The alcohol you have is... certainly stronger than what I've had before."
>She did sneak into a handful of small, upper-class parties
>Back when the trio were far more ambitious and had stars in their eyes
>After having been swat down one times too many, and far harder than usual, Prism made sure that they didn't try anything again
>Jacky was almost never punished or harmed from their schemes and attempts
>Prism would never admit it to anyone
>She broke her body for Jacky
>Even now, when she was sure that there was no pain
>Part of her just couldn't let go of the stiff, stinging sensations that came with certain movements
>She was proud of it
>It was the sort of pride that came with the understanding that it could never be uttered in public, or to any living soul
>That pride kept her going
>The pride of not just being Jacky's best friend, not just her sister for all intents and purposes, but to be her shield from harm
>She was the pony's shield from some of the most vile, disgusting, sadistic evils of the world
>The world as she saw it, anyway
>The world as they experienced it
>The limited world that they couldn't escape, no matter how hard they tried
>Prism shook her head
"I have had alcohol before we came to you. Can't say I'm a fan."
>She smiles at him, as if that were that
>"Ah... well dang. I suppose that's fair. Shine doesn't have a stomach for it but that's nothing a little peer pressure can't fix, eh?"
>He waits for an answer
>Prism twists her head around to look at the plundering unicorn
>She's out like a light, with the bandana over both of her eyes
"Well now... you're down one crew."
>"Aye... it sure seems that way, doesn't it. Well, bless her for that dive, truly magical."
>Who would have thought that a pony like Sparking Shine would ever end up in such a lofty position in life?
>And yet she seemed to hunger for more still
>Prism wasn't jealous, and didn't pity her
>She really didn't feel anything at all
>Maybe a twinge of companionship, when they sang and danced for Anon
>An appropriate reward for his deeds, of course
>She worried that she was just too worn down, and remembered their clashes too well to put them behind her
"Yes... I'm happy she's here. I can't imagine her being happier anywhere else."
>"Thanks, I suppose. You know, you're making me sober. JACKY, WHERE BE THE LIQUID GROG FOR MOTION SLOG?!"
>Jacky let out a wooping mix of... syllables from what could only be presumably his room
>"...well I guess she's taking a bit of a break too."
"Well you are quite the slaver driver of a captain."
>"Aye... aren't we all?"
>Maybe
>None of them would ever be playing so roughly and so freely, if she had her say so
>Of course, there was no plans to pour over or thefts to attempt
>To an extent, Prism felt like she just couldn't let go of her own life
>How could she?
>How could anyone ever get over what had happened in the past?
>These thoughts and more swirled around the pony's mind
>She was nothing if not a thinker
>It allowed her to stay one step ahead in most situations, even when her body refused to follow her commands
>Despite the constant questions and probes, her smile remained
>He didn't seem to notice that at all about her
>Good
"You don't drink all that often... is there a special situation?"
>"Aye! Christmas in two days! I've gifts to give, work to not go to, on account of the white blight out yonder, and time to sleep in!"
>His boisterous voice and vague accent starts to peel off but he still seems amicable
"I see... that is a lot of good news."
>Before she can tell why or when, Anon lurches over
>He holds her in a tight hug, both of his arms squeezing her wings to her body
"...can... can I help you?"
>"I love you, D."
>What in the world caused this revelation!?
>"You're my friend. I'm sorry I'm not the easiest to talk to at times, and it seems like I keep a lot of things locked inside. I just try to do what I can to make sure I don't drag anyone here down. For a friend like you, I would gladly ride a train to hell, and endure whatever flames may bake me for your wellbeing."
>He releases her from the bear hug
>Part of her wishes that the hug could have continued
>"Same with Shine an' Jack. For all of you, my sword and my rifle are there for your just cause. Anything less is a false fluke of friendship that I wouldn't wish on even my worst enemy."
>She can't help but feel an air of finality from him
>She's felt this sort of seriousness before
>This tone and weight wasn't unfamiliar, but it was alien
>What did she ever do to warrant such fealty?
"...this is the alcohol speaking, isn't it."
>Anon rears himself back and then lurches forward, waggling a finger
>"Yes... and no. This sort of good stuff doesn't make me say anything fake. I just feel more boisterous. What man could drink such substance and not feel pride for what value he has in his life? If he wouldn't fight for such sustaining ideals and relations, what would he fight for? What could he fight for?"
>For all of his words, she seems to understand his point
>Probably
>Some of it sounds similar to her
>"I know you have secrets. I know that as the older sibling, you've gone through hell and stepped on landmines so those younger to you can stay innocent and safe for longer."
>His smile widens as he say that
>But he's not looking at her
>It's like he's looking at something that only he could perceive
"E... excuse me? And how do you know that?"
>"Because, I'm an older brother! And older brothers and sisters like us, we're aware."
>His smile fades
>But the look in his eye remains
>"I... suppose I should say that I was an older brother."
>His eyes slide down to Prism's face
>The growing wetness behind his eyes causes her to avert her gaze
>"Cherise the bonds you've forged through fire and pain. You forsook tools, shortcuts and sacrificed only yourself. You were the brains and the invisible guiding hand. Only you could give the best advice."
"I... think you should either get some rest or try to at least ease off of the drink."
>"Aye... my first mate will keep you captive."
"If Sparking Shine is your first mate, then what is Jacky?"
>Anon mumbles something and scratches the side of his face
>That mumbling turns to a cheerful laugh
>"Ah... she's my right hand. Where I go, she goes. There's no rank when it comes to her and I."
>He's certainly more earnest than normal
>"Anyway... a captain drinks with his right hand! Haha!"
>He stumbles to get up
>Fails
>Tries to get up again
>Succeeds
>And awkwardly gets to his feet
>He sighs like he let off some massive weight and stumbles off
>Or maybe the sigh was him putting back on a weight
>Prism watches him wander off, her ear flickering and twitching to listen to Sparking snore
>She had worried that Jacky may have told him something about her
>But... maybe he had a point
>He had lost his little siblings, in a way
>He was a big brother as much as she was a big sister
>If he didn't have them, what would he have left
>More so, if she didn't have Jacky, what would she have left?
"...I suppose there are more similarities than I gave him credit for...big brother Anon, hm?"
>She smiled
>There was no way he could have done so much good
>Not compared to her
>If she had nothing else, she knew that she succeeded in her every effort

>Prism enjoyed sleeping in beds
>But they weren't her favorite
>The firm, solid floor was something solid for her to spread out on
>She didn't have to worry about falling off
>And she could share her space without having to worry about constraint
>"Hey... hey Faint Prism."
>Prism nuzzled the blanket that she used as a pillow
>After balling it up and mashing it flat, it was the best
>"Hey.. pspspspspst... look at me."
>Who could be bothering her?
>It doesn't sound like it's Anon
>Or either of the other two girls
>Groaning, she barely opens one of her eyes
>The one in her face is a human... possibly?
>With a big, long red cap that has white fur on it
>And a big, long beard that obscures the face
>"Hey... ho ho ho."
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"
>Her wings shoot out and her body goes stiff
>"Wait, no... shit, hold on..."
>Her scream continues, eyes locked to the panicked human
>"No... presents... fuck, be quiet, or you'll wake them up!"
"JACKY HELP ME!"
>Her tone was so full of genuine fear that the bearded human recoiled back
"JACKY IT'S AN INTRUDER! SPARKING, PLEASE!"
>"No, shit, fu..."
>The human scrambles off, leaving through the front door with a slam
>Jacky stumbles out of Anon's bedroom, with Sparking in tow
>"Wha happened? What was that slam?"
>Jacky's cautious and half-alert
>The unicorn doesn't even bother to open her eyes, taking tiny steps to stop from bumping into somethingi
>Prism finally manages to stand up, running toward the front door
"HE WAS HERE, AND THEN HE-"
>The front door opens
>Prism nearly screams again... at the sight of Anon
>Anon holding a bag
>"Geeze... some big guy in red just ran past me. Crazy times."
"Anon! Thank goodness, you saw him!? He was in here, he was in my face an-"
>"Nah, don't worry about it. That was just Santa Claus."
>Anon closes the door behind him, preventing any pony from giving chase
>Not that two thirds of them seem to care
>"Anyway, enough about him, I have presents!"
>That finally makes the the unicorn perk up enough to open her eyes
>"Presents? Why?"
>"Because... Christmas!"
>That comment makes Jacky perk up next
>""It's Christmas again? Awesome!"
>She bounds off to the living room but she's the only one who seems to understand that
>"Come again?"
"Presents? This is no time for presents, Anon someone broke i-"
>"Yeah yeah, I saw him. Don't worry about him, he's gone."
>Something about this is... off
>Prism follows behind the human, her energy spike starting to taper off
>Anon sits across from Jacky
>Sparking sits right of Jacky
>Prism sits right of Sparking
>All of the ponies look tired to some degree
>Anon looks wide awake
>Excited even
>"So... presents. First off, Jackonaught!"
>She puffs out her chest when her name is called
>He pulls out two nondescript boxes that are covered in flamboyant red and green... paper?
>Two are set down in front of her
>"Next, our very own Shiner..."
>He produces two more box... but one is obviously bigger than either of Jacky's
>The smug unicorn chuckles with a sly grin, like she won the contest of bigger boxes
>"And, of course... D-live rocker."
>What did he just call her?
>The two remaining boxes he pulls out are...
>Well, they really aren't any bigger
>They're actually rather small, in relation to Sparking's one big box
>At least they're all covered in the same wrapping
>"So... that Santa guy threw these at me on his way out. I don't know what's in them so... I guess we just gotta see what's in them!"
>That's really all that needed to be said
>Jacky was quick to almost headbutt her presents, tearing at them with reckless abandon
>Sparking's magic causes the wrapping to pull apart in a quick whirlwind of red
>Even though she isn't physically touching it, she seems to enjoy the destruction
>A little less worried if that Santa character really did have intent on giving them gifts, Prism got started on her boxes too
>Anon beamed at the trio ripping and shredding
>All of the boxes, when stripped from their wrapping, lack detail
>Normal white boxes
"This is... interesting."
>"Gotta open them, bonehead."
>Prism couldn't help but notice that Anon has no presents of his own
"Where are your presents, Anon?"
>"Me? Ah... eh, Santa said they were on the way. But don't worry about me, check them out!"
>Jacky opened one of her boxes and let out a squealing... noise of joy
>The sound was completely alien to her
>She brought up the box's contents with her front hooves, revealing... her?
>Not her
>The fur and mane colors are inverted
>And thee little western-style hat on the plushy doll is brown
>"IT'S MA!"
>She hugs the doll as tight as she can
>The doll lets out it's own squeak
>The doll squeaks...?
>"AND MA SQUEEE-EE-EE-EEEAKS!"
>She falls over to the side, hugging the doll repeatedly
>It's maybe half as big as her
>It looks well-made too
>"Jack, don't forget your other present."
>Anon's smiling as wide as he can but he's managing to hold it together in front of her
>Unable to control herself, she flings herself onto the other box and effectively vaporizes it
>She holds open the contents: a folded up... blanket?
>Anon pries it from her mouth and unfolds it
>"Poncho. Same pattern as Blondie's, so now with this and your hat..."
>Jacky neighs some sort of response and leaps at him, knocking him clear over
>The two start talking over each other in an audible mosaic
>Prism looks over to Sparking
"...have you seen her this happy before? I really... I'm sort of at a loss for words."
>"Yeah... she told me that Christmas was supposed to be a big fancy deal with family. But last year they didn't really do anything."
"...well, shall we open your presents next?"
>"Sure. But I don't really know what would really make me all that excited..."
>Their attention shifts back to Anon
>He flings Jacky back, with the poncho equipped
>It's orange with a yellow pattern sewn into it all over
>She lands on her back and scrambles around until she captures the Applejack doll
>She coils around it and gives it a Jacky-strength squeeze
>It squeaks in what could only be presumed glee
>Or pain
>Even if she wasn't frail, Prism wouldn't want an extra-strength Jacky Squeeze
>"So... I think she's happy. Alright Shine, you're up."
>Sparking shrugs and opens the smaller box first
>"Alright but I don't know wha-WHOA!"
>The smaller box's contents raise up into the air
>It's a red hat with yellow lettering
>The lettering says "GET SMOKED"
>She lifts it up and places it onto her head, in awe
>It doesn't fit well due to her horn
>"Hold on, let's..."
>Anon leans forward and turns the cap backwards before settling it on her head
>It still doesn't fit well since it was presumably made for humans but her horn keeps it in place
>"That's some pro gamer gear right there, Shine. Trash talk, fashion, and it hangs off your head like.... a... well, like a hat on a horse."
>Sparking rears back onto her hind legs, front legs shaking
>"I WILL BRING THE FIRE!"
>From what she has heard and see, Sparking certainly fits the description of someone that would wear... a hat like that
>Her red aura starts to undulate from her body
>"GET SMOKED, BOX!"
>The bigger white box gets shredded apart so quickly it practically explodes
>The confetti of thin, white cardboard reveals her second present
>A...
"...what is that?"
>"A fight stick controller. Allows you to play fighting games and stuff like you're in an arcade. A lot of pros actually use those rather than normal controllers. Since you have magic and all, I guess ergonomics don't mean a lot... but hey, just in case, right?"
>A vicious grin spreads on the unicorn's face
>"Oh Anon... I'm going to beat the crap out of you with this... you can't hope to win now."
>The gaming pad lifts up, covered in red
>She gallops out of the living room at full speed, cackling like she was gifted a death machine
>The last thing Prism could see was the 'GET SMOKED' text on her new hat
>A small cloud of cardboard confetti followed in her wake
"...oh dear..."
>"Yeah... I'm an enabler. But joke's on her because she'll have to get used to the control layout and she can't steal intel on that from me because I never got around to using one."
>He gives the pegasus a knowing smirk, like he outwitted his opponent
>"Anyway... yeah. Your turn."
"Well, I suppose I should prepare myself for any embarrassing acts of..."
>The first box she nudged open was filled to the brim with bottles, jars, and even a big brush
>"A few scented oils, shampoos and stuff for fur/mane/hair care and... a brush. For wings too, maybe? I'm... not sure how wings work. Or how you deal with them. So I'd hope that you'd know how to mess with these in the best way."
>Prism nudges through the bottles
>A lot of them are pretty scattershot when it comes to scents and themes
>Some sound far more appealing than others
"That's... that's very thoughtful of you. Thank you."
>"Yeah, sure, don't worry about it. And then your second one too..."
>Intrigued by what he could come up with next, she nudges the top off the second box off with her hoof
>Inside is a rectangle
"What... what's this again?"
>He reaches inside and holds it up
>It has a glass pane in the center and has some sort of wood lettering that says 'Sisters' on top and 'Always best friends' on the bottom
>"Picture frame! Granted, we gotta get a picture but... you know, for you and Jack. Pictures are important, right? So with something like this, it'll just be really nice."
"Oh... Anon, that's..."
>"Merry Christmas."
>As wholesome as the moment is, it's broken when they can both hear Jacky squeezing her doll
>"...I don't think she's paying attention."
"...so is that doll meant for people, because...?"
>"Of the squeaker? No... it's for dogs."
"You bought Jacky... a dog toy."
>"I bought Jacky... a Jacky toy."
>He points a pair of finger guns at the unicorn and smiles wide
>A squeak from the Applejack toy just seems to cap it off
>Unable to help herself, Prism bursts out in modest laughter
"Ooooh boy... we're going to hear that squeaking forever, aren't we."
>"Yes. Yes we are."
"Ahhh. Thank you Anon."
>"Ho ho ho, D."
>Prism's warm feeling turns to an icy chill that bolts down her entire body
"W... what was that, Anon?"
>"Nothing, D. Merry Christmas."
>"ANON! HOW DO I GET THIS THING TO WORK?!"
>"Aaaand that is my cue... make sure she doesn't eat her ma, too much, ok?"
>Anon slips into a rising step and heads to his room
>Presumably to spend the rest of the morning playing games with Sparking
>"Yeah yeah, you won't be able to win with it anyway. But let's see what buttons do what."
>Left alone with the hugging strangler herself, Faint Prism sighs at the remnants of all of the presents
>There was really no build up to this at all
>As far as she was aware, there was no build up to this
>He certainly never went around asking them what they wanted, to her knowledge
>Jacky sighs, nuzzling the Applejack doll
>The hat has already been knocked off from the doll
>"Christmas is awesome, Dashie..."
"I agree! But what does Santa Claus have to do with Christmas?"
>Jacky stops her squeezing of the doll
>The look of intense concentration on her is admirable
>Even if it ended not three seconds later
>"Don't remember, don't care!"
"That's ok. Merry Christmas, Jacky."
>How many Christmases have they missed out on?
>Maybe that shouldn't matter too much now
>Maybe it's ok to live in the present more

>As quickly as the festive Christmas spirit came, it was already gone
>Sparking's new fighting game pad has dominated her waking hours
>Between that and the silly hat, she has gotten... very passionate about her video games
>Jacky has been squeaking the Applejack toy consistently
>She hasn't been wearing the bolo tie, as she said that was for going out, but she hasn't taken off the poncho except for when she takes a bath
>The two have been exceptionally happy
>But something doesn't sit well with the pegasus
>Anon had set up a laptop in the living room, to give Sparking control over the desktop computer and bigger TV
>And to presumably get some more peace and quiet
>Prism sat next to the half-laying Anon, who was playing some sort of 2D game
>She cleared her throat, trying to think of how to act toward him
>She was used to having plenty of faces and personalities
>The longer she stayed, the harder a time she had lying
>Acting
>Pretending
>When Anon didn't react to her throat clearing, she repeated the gesture
"Anon... how did today go at work for you?"
>"Eh? Oh it was fine I suppose. What's up?"
>The insistent squeaking makes her frown
"Is... isn't Jacky a little too old to have some toy like that?"
>"What makes you think that?"
"Well she... isn't..."
>Prism trails off, trying to figure out the best way to word herself to convince him
"She isn't a filly... not anymore. And I suppose I..."
>She can't just say that she's annoyed by the squeaking
>Or that she's jealous because she hadn't seen Jacky be so happy in so long
>Or that she feels embarrassed by proxy
"Is it healthy for her?
>He pauses his game, rotating to read her face
>"What do you mean?"
"It is of Applejack and she still believes that it's her... well, you know."
>"Is that a problem?"
>He doesn't sound mad about it
>He sounds genuinely inquisitive
"Well... it isn't true."
>She pats the floor with her hoof
>"I suppose it isn't."
"It isn't."
>"What else don't you like about it?"
>With her chance to speak freely more or less granted, she leaned forward and lowered her voice
"It. Is. A. Dog toy!"
>"A Jacky toy."
"No, Anon! It's a toy for animals and she needs to...!"
>She isn't sure what Jacky should be playing with
>If she should be playing at all
>She never had time to play
>She couldn't allow herself to play when there was food and safety at stake
>Something about all of it just didn't sit well with her
"She needs to... do something better."
>"Better... like what?"
"Well. You have bills. Isn't it time that we do something to help with that?"
>"Eh."
>He shrugged with a smile
>"Nah. It'll take a hot minute before my savings raise back up... but I think we're getting along fine as is, unless something's a problem."
"But you could use more."
>"Not really. Money's nice to have but when push comes to shove, I really shouldn't make such a huge deal out of it. I'm kinda used to not having a ton. So I make do as is. And I think it's nice that I can make do, slowly build back up, and then still get you guys stuff."
>She doesn't really have an answer to that
>It's also veering off course from Jacky and her toy
>Sighing, she sits up straight and adopts a more formal posture
"I think Jacky's too old to be playing with a toy like that. And I think she should be more responsible. Same as Sparking and myself."
>"...eh. It's not a priority."
>The nonchalant answer makes her deflate
"Come again?"
>"It's not a priority, so don't worry about it. You guys don't really add a lot to the bills as is and... I guess it's kinda cool to have you three around. Work can be pretty stressful. And if I come home and if anyone else is stressed from work or bothered, it kinda compounds. And I guess... Iunno, I don't know how to word it. It just isn't a priority to me that any of you work. Enjoy yourself, you know? Do what you like. Don't worry about having to take care of issues."
>He sounds confident in his words but he is getting visibly uncomfortable
>If she keeps pressing, she may be able to convince him
"It would only be fair, wouldn't it? None of us are useless, w-"
>"It's not about being useless, man."
>His tone is neutral but his reaction is a quick snap
>It is enough to surprise her
>"Just... don't worry. Give it some more time to just get adjusted. If you're really that dedicated to making some scratch, we can look into methods. But just don't worry about it. It isn't a requirement, I'm not asking for it, I've never had the intent of any of you doing that."
>He focuses back to the game on his laptop
>"You guys are my friends. And it was Christmas so t'is the season for gift giving and all that."
"But wouldn't you like something in return?"
>His discomfort is palpable
>"I want my friends to be happy. There's no reason to worry about me."
>It could be selflessness
>But it could also be something else
>She's seen enough to know that the 'something else' most likely isn't malicious
"Alright then..."
>He shifts, trying to nudge off some invisible weight
>"And about Jacky and her toy... let her have it. Everyone's goofy in their own ways. If you don't like it, talk to her about it. Not me. I like that she has it, and I like how happy I've been able to make her. I wouldn't ever ask her to stop it. It doesn't bother me all that much. Same with Shine. The hat..."
>He chuckles to himself
>"Maybe I went a little far with the hat. But it does psyche her up and it fits with her smack talking."
"Well I don't really care about her."
>Her reply came out so fast it was obvious she really didn't care
>"Then there you go."
>While she was soundly defeated when it came to her topics, she did seem to strike gold in addressing things he really did not want to go into
>She sat down behind his back and leaned against him
"I am glad that you see me as a friend. I do appreciate the things you got me."
>"Yeah, I can tell. Didn't think Jack would smell so nice with lemongrass."
"I'm still content with smelling of cherries."
>"...yeah. That is nice too."
>Prism smiled and leaned against his back more with her side
>Her wing extended out, covering the top of his side
>"Something else up?"
"No... just acting as a blanket. I used to do the same with Jacky when we were much younger. Before we gathered so many scraps and fabrics and blankets."
>Prism looked over the mess of a nest she made of the living room
"It took... many months. And a lot of cleaning. And some stealing. We lived in what was basically a sewer tunnel. So we used whatever scented items we could. And we just had a little... hole in the tunnel that we called home."
>She immediately feels regret at saying such things openly, in her own voice
"Until we got enough... I would just cover her. And keep a few oranges or apples near her face so she would have something better to smell."
>She sighed
"I... guess she used to get on my nerves back then too. She was very active... and I was often too tired or hurt to play with her. Or worried."
>"Yeah... you did good, D."
"Thank you."

The End.