>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.