[copied from https://pastebin.com/PYNcYvC8 ]
[original writer Horses213 (https://pastebin.com/u/Horses213 ) ]
Date NOV 14TH, 2015.
 >--------Helping Hands, Helping Hooves----------<



>Okay, deep breaths, relax.
>You are Anonymous and your doorbell has just rung.
>You are well aware of what awaits you beyond your front door, but you are still struggling to collect your currently scattered thoughts.
>The power of the internet is really fascinating, sometimes you can't believe what you can purchase from the comfort of your own home.
>Several days ago, you gathered up your neetbucks and made an investment in a mail order roommate.
>And by that you technically mean pony slave but you really don't want to think of it like that. 
>You'd been considering buying your own pony for a while now, but you finally jumped when you found a listing within your budget. 
>The site's warnings of "poor physical condition and work ethic" and "withdrawn and skittish" did little to make you second guess your purchase.
>Crippling loneliness probably helped expedite the process some as well.
>Your thoughts are interrupted by your doorbell ringing for the second time. 
>Your hands are sweaty. 
>Come on you autist, just open the door.
>You haven't been this nervous to pick up a pony since your last trip to McDonald's.

>You open your door to reveal a very indifferent and impatient looking delivery man.
>Next to him is a fairly large kennel accompanied by a much smaller postage box. 
>"Anonymous?" 
>The mailman looks at you expectantly while holding his clipboard. 
"Yeah." 
>"Need you to sign for your delivery." 
>You take the clipboard and give the document a glance over. 
>Apparently the postal box contains magic suppressants and an all purpose heavy duty chain for "product storage". 
>"You know, I've delivered a lot of slaves since I started in the live cargo business, but this bitch here might just take the damaged goods cake. Just sat in that there kennel shaking the entire trip, wouldn't eat, drink, speak or nothing. Might get better bang for your buck returning her and buying yourself a nice sex toy pal, but hey I ain't one to judge." 
>You can't think of a response to that in three words or less, so you just nod and sign the document.
>"Well, alright. I hope that works out for you. You have a good one, ya hear?" 
"Thanks, y-you too." 		
>You pick up the kennel and move your pony into her new home. 

>Looking around the inside of your house, you feel bad about bringing another living being in here. 
>Dirty dishes, empty food containers and other types of miscellaneous trash are littered everywhere throughout your living space. 
>Shit can get messy if you don't have to keep up appearances. 
>You clear a space on your floor for the kennel and set it down.
>Well, this is the moment you've been waiting for.
>You can feel your anxiety building up again.
>Breath in.
>Breath out.
>You open up the kennel.
>And nothing.
>You look inside.
>Curled up in the very back of the cage is a small, light blue unicorn.
>Due to the darkness inside the kennel and your efforts to keep your distance it is hard to make out her more detailed features, but she appears to have a two-toned mane and some sort of hourglass on her flank. 
>Her deep blue eyes meet yours, they show nothing but fear.
>You feel horrible about this situation. 
>It takes you a second, but you finally work up the courage to try to say something to calm her or at least get her to exit the kennel. 
"Um, hey. My name's Anonymous, what's your?"
>The poor unicorn just seems to shake more.
"Well, uh, this is my house, and uh I'm excited to finally meet you. I hope that we can have lots of fun together." 
>Your pony just tries to back herself deeper into the kennel.
>This is not going well at all, you really need to think things over before you say them.
>You are not in the mood for spaghetti, you have to get out of here. 
"I-I'm just going to give you your space." 
>You make a hurried exit to your bedroom and close the door behind you.

>The light from your computer screen illuminates your otherwise dark room. 
>You've been locked up in your bedroom since your attempt to make conversation in your living room this morning.
>Getting a pony was a horrible idea. 
>You knew you were socially illiterate, but not even being able to communicate with someone you legally own is a whole new low for you. 
>At least the people on your Chinese Cartoon Forum will get a kick out of it. 
>Are you even going to be able to support this poor little horse?
>Your house looks like some hoarder tier bullshit and your income consists of whatever pity money your family or good ol' Uncle Sam wants to throw at you. 
>You try to block out your worries and actually address the situation at hand. 
>You find yourself resorting to playing out different ways you could try to start conversation with the seemingly broken unicorn in your living room. 
>As time continues to pass, hundreds of different things come to mind, all with the same dismal, embarrassing and inevitable end result.
>You could just, uh... use her like the average slave owner does, but you're not that much of a degenerate no matter what your browser history may suggest. 
>You try to consult google on different ways to help her with her skittishness, but by the time that thought had occurred to you, you were too tired to extract much info from the various pony slave info sites.
>It's probably about time to call it a night... or maybe an early morning.
>Eventually, you turn off the computer and lay down to reflect on the day.
>Feelings of regret slowly turn to loneliness, which is soon consumed by sleep. 
>Maybe tomorrow will be better.

>The sound of very gentle knocking wakes you up. 
>Shit, what time is it?
>You take a quick peek out your window to see that the sun is already beginning to set. 
>Well, fuck you too daylight savings time. 
>There is another set of slightly louder, but still quiet knocks on your bedroom door. 
>You're really grateful that the meek pony finally left her kennel, but it does little to relax you. 
>It's so embarrassing you just woke up, and you're still pretty groggy, hopefully she doesn't catch on. 
"Come in!" 
>After a short pause your bedroom door opens, giving you your first good look at the pony you purchased.
>You cringe a little, it is not a pretty sight. 
>Her light blue coat is spotted with dark bruises and what appears to be the occasional cut or burn.
>The look in her eyes and her frazzled mane practically screams the word terrified, she looks ready to run at a moments notice. 
>The skepticism and fear in her voice when she first speaks just fuels your sense of pity. 
>"H-hey. I'm sorry for bothering you, master. My name is Minuette, I hope you're not mad at me for how I misbehaved yesterday, I'm sorry. I will be a better slave from here on out, master." 
>You can tell she is trying her best to maintain composure, you'd say she's doing a pretty good job given what you can only guess she has been through.
>It's beyond you that she could somehow think that you were mad at her, but you know you need to clear the air in many different ways as quickly as possible. 
>You pause for a moment to try and find the right words to say.
"Oh, no, it's okay. And you don't have to call me master." 
>You really wanted to say more, but all of this was too much to handle at once.
>"I'm sorry, master. I-I mean I'm sorry. What do you want me to call you?"  
"My name is Anonymous, but you can just call me Anon, if you want." 
>At that point Minuette goes silent, but continues to stand uneasily in the doorway. 
>An uncomfortable silence fills the room.
>You have to say something, the silence is killing you.
"Was, uh, there something... I mean, w-why did you knock? Not that I mind, just curious." 
>Smooth.
>"Oh, I didn't want to bother you but I'm really hungry... and pretty thirsty too. I wanted to know what I could do to earn some food or water."
>Your stomach drops at the thought of you not feeding her before you ran off into your bedroom. 
"Did you not eat yesterday after I went in here?" 
>"No, master, I mean Anon, I didn't want to make you mad."
>You look at the nervous, malnourished unicorn in your doorway. 
>There is only one reasonable solution to this problem.

"You have to eat all the eggs." 
>After leading Minuette to the kitchen, you let her sit down at the table and do your best to make her some sort of a meal with the limited amount of non-expired food in your refrigerator. 
>The result of your labor is a slightly burned bowl of scrambled eggs and a glass of ice water. 
>The fearful and slightly confused look on her face was concerning, but after a moment she began to eat from the bowl in front of her. 
>Watching her struggle to hold a fork in her hooves was an adorable spectacle, but you figured it'd be best to look away, you don't want her to think you're looking at her. 
>After a minute or so of staring off into space, Minuette finally speaks up. 
>"W-why are you doing this?"
>Her quiet voice was almost inaudible, but you could still clearly hear the undertones of distrust with every word she had just spoke.
"Doing what?" 
>"Feeding me. I didn't do anything to earn it."
"I... well, uh."
>Great, you started talking before you thought of what you were going to say. 
>Minuette is staring down at her almost empty bowl, looking anxious in the uncomfortable silence you created. 
"Because y-you asked I guess."
>Your responses seems to do little to ease the social tension, it's like the very air in the room is beginning to make you uneasy.
>"I don't think I understand, master. S-sorry! I mean I don't understand Anon. Slaves don't get what they ask for." 
>Focus, deep breathes. 
"Well, I know that I bought you, but you aren't a slave to me, we're equals in this house. If you want anything just ask, and help yourself to any food or water whenever."
>With that response, Minuette looks up from her bowl at you. 
>You quickly turn your head away to avoid eye contact as she speaks. 
>"W-what are you planning on using me for? Why did you buy me?"
>Another question you are going to have a difficult time answering. 
>You have an idea as to why you bought a pony, but it was definitely nothing you wanted to share. 
>What could you say?
>You really have some great options to choose from here.
>'Oh, I bought you because I'm tired of being incapable of focusing on anything besides my feelings of crippling loneliness.'
>Or you could always go with the 'I want someone around to stop me when I inevitably try to kill myself."
>She is staring at you again.
>You answer in a hurried manner.
"I-I don't know, sorry. I'm going to my room, uh, sorry. T-there's a guest bedroom on the other side of the hall, feel free to stay there, or on the couch, wherever you're comfortable is fine. I'll be in my room... I-I guess I already said that. Sorry."
>With that stutter filled excuse for a statement, you leave the kitchen and retreat back to your safe area.

>Darkness has once again found a way to fill your room. 
>Like usual, it seems to have invited its friends loneliness and hopelessness along in with it. 
>You do your best to ignore your unwanted house guests by focusing on the computer screen in front of you. 
>Anything to try and forget your interaction in the kitchen earlier. 
>You can't help but continue to replay the interaction over and over, trying to find ways you could have bettered the living situation between you and Minuette.
>You're honestly not sure who is more dysfunctional. 
>At least she has an excuse, you're just pathetic. 
>You need a drink, maybe a soda will enhance this epic gaming experience. 
>You remove your headphones and stand up from your chair. 
>You open your bedroom door, planning on heading into the kitchen, but can't help but hear a faint sound coming from the living room. 
>Shit, that sounds like crying. 
>Do you go in there and see if you can help or give the poor pony some space? 
>As much as you want to avoid the situation altogether, it would probably be best to see if everything is alright. 
>Once you reach the living room you are greeted by a truly heartbreaking sight. 
>In the middle of your living room floor lies a sobbing, trembling ball of blue pony. 
>Minuette looks like a complete wreck, tears are visibly running down her cheeks and she has deep bags under her eyes. 
"Minuette! W-what's wrong?" 
>Almost as soon as you speak, she practically jumps up off the floor and scurries back into the still open kennel near by. 
>"Please! Master I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please don't hit me master." 
>You've never heard someone actually beg to you, and it's a sound you never want to hear again as long as you live. 
>You swear if you ever meet the scumbag who did this to her, you're going to go full whiteknight on his sorry ass. 
>You know you need to help pull her out of this fit.
>It's difficult to find the words, but you know the importance of resolving this situation, so you try your very best to speak with confidence.
"M-minuette, I'm not going to hurt you. No one is ever going to hurt you again, I promise. Please try to relax, I want to help you." 
>The only sound in the room is that of panicked sobs.  
>You need to bring her back to reality. 
"Listen if you can, wherever your mind is, you're not there right now Minuette. Everything is okay. J-just um, take some deep breaths and slowly count to ten a couple times. I know it sounds stupid but I think it will help. I'm going to get you some water and a blanket, I'll be right back." 

>You take your time making your way back to the living room, you don't think that crowding her would be a good idea right now, given the negative views she probably has towards you and your race.
>Judging by the lack of audible crying, it seems that your advice at least helped her out a little bit.
>You re-enter into the living room with a blanket and water in hand. 
>Minuette is still in her kennel, but her crying has become much less intense.
>"H-hey."
>You're surprised that she was the first to speak, but it is definitely a pleasant surprise. 
"Hey, are you feeling any better?"
>You swear you can almost hear her take a deep breath before responding. 
>"A little bit."
"Do you want to come out of the kennel?" 
>There is a moment of silence before you hear her response from within the depths of her hiding place.
>"Y-yeah."
>She still looks a little scared and like a complete mess, but the worst has past. 
"I brought some stuff for you, let me know if there is anything else I can do to help." 
>She seems skeptic, but quickly drinks the glass of water. 
>You lean forward and do your best to drape the blanket over her withers. 	
>She gives a small flinch.
"Do you want me to leave?" 
>"I-I think that... I just... I'm sorry master." 
"There is no reason for you to be sorry. It's okay." 
>You can't help it anymore.
>You finally work up the courage to do something you've wanted to do since the first time you saw Minuette. 
>You lean in and give her a hug. 
>She looks startled at first, it takes a moment but she returns the embrace. 
>Despite her fur being grimy and matted in places, she still feels incredibly soft. 
>Even in the bleakness of this situation, a small smile forms on your lips.
>You can feel her relax for a moment before she speaks up in a quiet, tender tone.
>"Thank you."

>You wake up the next morning to the sound of hooves on hard tile.
>When you say "morning", you mean around 3 pm, but that's besides the point.
>Your roommate (slave, again with the details) seems to be walking around your house somewhere.
>Almost immediately your still hazy mind drifts back to what happened last night. 
>And while you are proud of yourself for making an effort to journey outside your well defined social shell, you're still disappointed with the general state of things.
>Minuette seems to be a lot more unstable than you would have previously assumed. 
>You really do feel bad for her, no one should have to experience... whatever unthinkable deprived stuff she's probably been subjected to.
>The worse part about the situation is that you don't feel that your relationship with her is strong enough for you to help in any significant way.
>You're used to feeling powerless when it comes to controlling your life, but this is a new low.
>Get your act together man, you suck.
>Might as well start by leaving the bedroom. 
>Hopefully interaction will be smoother after last night.

>You make your way to your kitchen to get some breakfast, lunch, whatever.
>After rooting through a couple cabinets, you're able to find a mostly empty box of stale Lucky Charms.
>Best Thanksgiving leftovers ever, shit is going to be dope.
>You look up from your humble feast to notice Minuette making her way into the kitchen.
>She still looks nervous, her ears are pinned down and she walks close the walls while avoiding your gaze. 
>"H-hey." 
"H-hay is for horses." 
>Silence.
>You seriously suck. 
>Okay, it's cool, you can still save this. 
"So, uh, are you feeling better? How is your day going?"
>Minuette looks skittish, she starts to back her way out of the kitchen. 
>Overcoming the urge to cut off the conversation when the situation presents itself, you speak up again.
"Listen, I know that you're going through tough times, and you probably hate me, but if there is a-anything I can do to help you, please tell me." 
>That statement at least stops her from making her way out of the kitchen. 
>She pauses for a moment before speaking, at very least her voice has gained some confidence. 
>"I don't trust you." 
"W-what?" 
>This time, she speaks the words much more slowly, raising her voice slightly in volume. 

>"I don't trust you." 
>It takes a minute for you to process the words.
>The gravity of having one of the few people, uh, ponies, you've reached out to perceive you so negatively is hard to swallow. 
>Your mind races trying to think of a specific action that could have caused this. 
>You fucked up and can't even remember, great. 
>Minuette speaks up, halting your thoughts. 
>"Y-you're just like the rest of them. Just waiting for me to think I'm safe, I-I know it, you're so quiet, plotting ways to u-use me. T-then when I step out of line, you'll torture me, b-beat me, r-r-rape me, and I can't..." 
>You can see she is about to revert her way back to full breakdown status. 
>Unable to finish her thought, Minuette is once again reduced to a shaking blue mess. 
>You can tell that it is important to pull her out of this, but you can't handle it. 
>Everything is too much, your failures are just piling on top of each other. 
>Holy shit breathing is hard.
>You want to do something, say something, anything, but it is beyond you at this point.

"S-sorry." 
>You do the worst possible thing.
>You start to cry.
>Pathetic, absolutely pathetic. 
>You're almost too immersed in your own fit to notice Minuette giving you a confused look. 
>Come on, words. 
>You manage to choke out a sentence through your own tears. 
"I don't want to hurt you, I-I just wanted someone around to lighten up the place. But I can't even achieve that! I'm completely incapable, I can't help you, or even talk to you because I spend all my time locked away terrified of basic conversation. I'm sorry you were abused, I'm sorry I'm making you live in filth and I'm sorry I'm too much of a degenerate to change the situation. I won't bother you again."
>Minuette just gives you a very wide-eyed look while you pour your heart out. 
>Probably more than you've said in the past few weeks combined.
>And while you can't help but feel you've fucked things up beyond repair, it honestly feels good to get so much off of your chest. 
>But at the same time, you can't help but notice one important thing.
>Minuette stopped shaking.

>"W-wait. You can feel emotion?"
>It's your turn to return her wide-eyed confused look. 
"Yeah, what's it look like?" 
>You've managed to stop crying, but it's still clear that you're a wreck.
>"I-I didn't know. I guess I've always thought you humans were emotionless creatures designed to t-torture or something. I've never heard any of my old masters say anything like that."
>While the statement surprises you, you can at least see the reasoning behind it. 
"No, we can feel. We aren't machines. The only people you've met are just horrible monsters, bad examples. And I'm not great either, b-but I'm not going to plot against you, even if I wanted to, I'm not clever enough to do something like that. I'm not going to hurt you, I'm honestly just an awkward loser who wanted a friend."
>The room is filled with a heavy silence, but you can see Minuette's body language relax the slightest bit. 
>"I still don't think I trust you."
"I-I guess that fair. Trust is built, you can't just trust someone immediately." 
>"Well, hey, m-maybe that's something we can work on, if you're serious." 
>Your heart leaps.
>For once, maybe things are going to work out better for both of you. 
>You're still far from confidence, but you're starting to feel slightly more at ease. 
"Yeah, I mean it." 
>"Permission to speak freely, master?" 
"Equals, remember?" 
>"Right! Old habits, sorry. Well, I figure if we're equals here maybe we can, um, clean this house? It's... really disgusting." 
>As much as the obvious statement embarrasses you, she has a point. 
"S-sure, when do you want to start?"
>"Um... how about now?"
>You look around the kitchen at the filth around you and grimace.
>You suppose things are going to have to get worse before they get better.

>You wake up somewhat in sync with the sun for a change.
>Yesterday was tiring, not just in a mental sense but in a physical sense as well. 
>Cleaning your house was at a difficulty level your out of shape ass considers a work out. 
>You and Minuette really made a great team though.
>Well, you didn't work together but you both put forth a good effort in separate parts of the house. 
>You try to avoid pointing out to yourself how pathetic of an attempt at social interaction the whole encounter was. 
>You felt like everything went okay, but you can't help but worry about how bad you fucked up. 
>The idea makes you realize how pointless the idea of leaving the room is. 
>You don't really need to leave the room for anything, just chill on the computer for a bit then go to bed early. 
>There are even some pretty good threads around today, good green and you could swear a couple generals fell off the board.
>The serene silence of your browsing is interrupted by the sound of hooves on tile. 
>Shit, better close those tabs. 
>Knocking.
>Alright, deep breathes, just apologize for whatever it is you probably fucked up for.

>You open the door and are immediately confused. 
>There are two plates floating in midair accompanied by a timid looking Minuette. 
"H-how are those plates floating?" 
>The awkward moment of silence following your dialogue is interrupted by the soft sound of giggling.
>The sound of Minuette's giggling is one of the most heart warming things you've heard, but it does nothing to help with your confusion about what appears to be floating breakfast in front of you. 
>"Unicorn magic, I'm sorry I know I shouldn't u-use it but I wanted to bring you breakfast and c-couldn't quite carrying it so I thought it'd be okay, sorry." 
>You had heard that these ponies were magical, but you had no idea that they meant literal magic, or at very least magic that was directly noticeable. 
"I didn't know you could do magic. I-it's okay."
>"Well, um, you hadn't been feeding me the suppressants so I figured it was okay. S-sorry." 
>You had been provided with the pills, but kinda forgot about them because you have a problem with being capable of completing simple tasks.  
"Why did you bring me breakfast though, aren't you mad at me?"
>The plates lowered to your nightstand while Minuette gave you a funny look. 
>"W-why would I be upset with you?" 
>It took you a minute to try to remember how you wronged Minuette before remembering you brought that up preemptively. 
>God that's difficult to explain. 
>You take a set on your bed. 
>Okay, don't lose it. 
>Talking, easy stuff no matter how hard you thought you fucked up. 
"I just figured you were mad at me, so I apologized in advance, I-I don't know."

>There is a small moment of silence that spread through the room quicker than you would have liked. 
>"Permission to speak freely?" 
"Y-yeah, please do. Equals remember?" 
>Minuette pauses for a moment, seeming to think about her words carefully.
>"Is everything actually equal between us? I m-mean, I know it isn't, but do you really consider me as your equal?" 
>You don't really have to think long to answer that question at least.
"Definitely." 
>Minuette uses what you assume is her magic to move one of the plates of food towards her. 
>Still not used to that, that's spooky as hell. 
>"I-I know this may sound funny, but as long as I've been here I thought that humans were just dumb predators focused only on hurting other creatures."
>There is a brief pause while she considers how to finish her idea. 
>"I-I think we actually are equals. Your thoughts and emotions are just as complex as my own." 
>You really don't know what to say about that but it seems to be great progress that she is coming this far out of her shell. 
"I'm s-sorry about everything." 
>"Please don't apologize to me, you've done so much good for me already, you definitely don't have a reason to apologize." 
"S-so you don't hate me?" 
>Your ears are once again greeted by the sound of giggling. 
>It really is adorable. 
>"If I hated you, do you think I would have made you breakfast?" 
"I-I don't know, maybe. Old habits?" 
>Minuette somewhat frowns at that statement. 
>"I know I'm d-damaged in a lot of ways, but I can still think for myself you know." 
>Once again, you don't really have anything to add so you decide to remain silent. 
>Minuette claims up onto your bed, bringing her food with her in with magic.
>"Thanks for helping me through my episodes by the way, it's amazing how much better you are at it than my previous mast-, uh, owner." 
>That almost sounds like praise. 
"What did your previous o-owner do?"
>Minuette almost shrinks away at the question. 
>"Kick me, hit me, b-burn me, you know... I-I feel much more comfortable around you. Thanks." 
>You can't think of anything to say.
>Better avoid looking at her at all too. 

>"Master, I mean, um, Anon? Can I ask you something?"
>You just nod, fearing that words will fail you. 
>"Do you feel comfortable around me? Am I do something wrong?" 
>She fidgets a little after asking the question and sets the now empty plate of food back on the nightstand.
"I-It's nothing personal, I just can't socialize. At all. Every time I try I mess up really bad and it's d-discouraging."
>A look of concern spreads across Minuette's face. 
>"Do you really feel like that?" 
"Y-yeah, I thought that was actually a pretty spot on description." 
>You take the moment of silence as an opportunity to set your plate down.
>"You know, I didn't get that impression at all."
"Y-you didn't?"
>"No, I thought you were nervous about something, but I just assumed you were plotting against me." 
>You almost feel like laughing at that, but you feel it'd be poorly received. 
>Usually you try not to laugh, no reason to offend someone who is no doubt more alpha than you. 
"Why would you think I was plotting against you?" 
>Minuette brings a hoof to her chin and looks up like in deep thought. 
>Her natural adorableness is just making you feel more uncomfortable. 
>"Probably paranoid from a-abuse. That might be a crazy reaction, but I think we're both a bit delusional so I figure you understand." 
"D-do you think I'm delusional?" 
>Minuette finally succeeds with making eye contact with you. 
>This is the first time you've been able to stare into her deep blue eyes without instantly looking away. 
>"N-no! I mean... It's just, I'm kind of a pony person, erh, people p-person. I've talked to a lot of different ponies, and you're more enjoyable t-than most of them. I think you just think too poorly of yourself." 
>The statement is very heartwarming, but you still don't see much truth in it. 
>You're such a degenerate that a conversation with your slave is a big deal to you. 

"I-I think you just don't know me well. I really can't talk to people." 
>"I think you can, I-I mean you've been talking to me for a long time now, definitely more than any of my other o-owners." 
>You almost hadn't noticed the fact you'd been talking to Minuette for a while now, despite the fact that neither of you are still eating. 
>"I f-feel like we're both delusional, but... I-I don't know I think if this, l-living situation is going to work we have to be more comfortable around each-other." 
>Even though the small concerning questions in the corners of your mind are trying to disagree, this is definitely a good sign. 
>It really is assuring to see Minuette's personality growing, you can almost sense her regaining confidence. 
>If she can work to overcome her issues, maybe you can do the same, at very least to reward her efforts with better social interaction on your end. 
"I am comfortable around you." 
>You silently fist pimp to yourself for not stuttering. 
>"And I'm c-comfortable around you. I still probably won't t-trust you fully, but I'll try my best to not get skittish." 
"T-thanks for breakfast, it was really good." 
>Minuette gets up and brings the dishes with her as she walks towards the door. 
>"Uh, t-thanks. I'll be in the living room for a bit, I-I'm guessing you'll want to get up and shower." 
>You could have hear you swore her giggle. 
>Wait, when was the last time you showered? 
>It's probably time to start getting your shit a little bit more together.

>Knock knock knock.
>Shit, what time is it? 
>You roll over and steal a peak at your alarm clock. 
>8 am? 
>Why the fuck are you up this early? 
>Right, knocking, time to go back to sleep. 
>You relax your body, but a thought hits you a moment later. 
>You need to see why someone is knocking on your door. 
>God damn your brain is working slow, it's way too early for this shit. 
"It's unlocked! Come in."
>You suppose that's a nice middle ground, dealing with the problem at hand without having to leave the comfort of your own bed. 
>The clip clop of hooves on hardwood fills you room. 
>"Hey Anon!" 
>Oh no, this can't be good. 
>You grunt and sit up and are greeted by the sight of a cheery looking Minuette. 
>The cuteness factor probably made the effort of moving this early worth it. 
>Her facial expression drops a little before she speaks again. 
>"Oh, s-sorry for waking you up I didn't know you w-were still in bed. Please don't be mad." 
"I'm not mad, it's just really early."
>Minuette walks a little closer to your nightstand and steals a glance at the alarm clock. 
>She raises a hoof to her mouth and giggles. 
>"Oh! Sorry. I've always been an early bird, I sometimes forget that. I promise not to bother you again this early." 
>You still feel a little groggy, but honestly waking up obscenely early to Minuette is a direct upgrade from waking up to the sunset. 
>Can't complain. 

"It's alright, Minuette. I need to start getting up earlier anyways."
>You pause to think for a second. 
>Minuette is still here, apparently busying herself with looking at a few items on your nightstand. 
>Come on, conversation, this should be easy. 
"Was there a reason you woke me up? Did you need something?" 
>"O-oh right! Well, um, I had been up for a while and got really bored so I started looking for a way to past the time. And I thought to myself, hey, I could wake mas- I mean, Anon up. I figured I'd treat you to breakfast in bed again but then I went to the refrigerator and... well, I don't think anything in there is, uh, edible for either of us. W-when was the last time you went grocery shopping Anon?" 
>You think on the question for a moment. 
>Wow, that really is embarrassing. 
>Did you ever get around to cleaning out the fridge when you cleaned the kitchen a couple days ago?
>Oh... 
>You can't believe that Minuette saw that mess. 
>At least twice... 
>How was she even able to salvage a fresh (and delicious) breakfast out of that pile of rotting garbage? 
>Even if those groceries weren't a month expired they would still be an off brand and disgusting excuse for food.  
>She probably hates you now. 
>Why do you have to fuck up every half decent social connection you've had? 
>Some words from yesterday resurface in your head. 
>You two are comfortable around each other. 
>You look at Minuette again. 
>She doesn't seem mad, she just looks vibrant and engaged in the conversation. 
>Maybe this is going to be okay. 
>Deep breath. 
"Sorry about that, I haven't gone in a while. I'll make sure to go today."

>"Oh! That sounds fun, c-can I come with you?" 
>You can't help but wonder how that activity could sound fun to her. 
>You dreaded grocery shopping, or any other activities that made you go in public.
>You hate risking running into someone you know. 
>Nothing good can come of that. 
>Minuette doesn't really know anyone here though... 
>You briefly think of giving her a list and sending her to shop on her own. 
>That would be a great solution to the issue, but she is technically a slave.
>You do have to accompany her in public. 
>At very least, having her there will be a nice distraction.
"Uh, sure that's fine. You can help me pick some stuff out that you like. Just give me some time to get ready and we can go."
>Minuette smiles and eagerly trots in place a little. 
>"This is going to be so fun! I always used to love grocery shopping and I haven't got to go in soooo long. I'll let you get ready!" 
>Minuette turns to leave the room, but stops just in the doorway on the way out. 
>"Oh, and Anon?" 
"Yeah?" 
>"T-thanks again for the talk yesterday, I'm glad you're more comfortable around me."
>Huh, it's weird that she brought that up, you were actually noticing that. 
>You were much more focused in the conversation and all around more composed than your usual self. 
"Wait, what made you think I was comfortable?" 
>"I didn't hear you stutter once."

>It's still early when you and Minuette arrive at the grocery store, so the place is relatively empty. 
>And while that is nice, it does little to ease your nerves. 
>There are still far too many people here for your liking. 
>You can't shake the feeling that something is going to go horribly wrong. 
>Having Minuette with you isn't doing much to help. 
>It's nice to see her so cheerful, but shopping with a pony is attracting a lot of stares. 
>You can feel the sweat on your palms. 
>Minuette tosses a bag of carrots into the cart and turns to you.
>"Is everything okay Anon? You seem a little bit on edge." 
>That might be an understatement. 
"J-just nervous. Everyone staring at us doesn't help either." 
>Minuette pauses a moment and looks around the grocery store. 
>Her light giggling really does wonders for lightening the mood. 
>"I really don't think anyone is looking at us Anon, I think you're just a taaad self conscious. Try to lighten up!" 
>Minuette playfully tosses some more miscellaneous greens into your cart. 
>Maybe things will be alright. 
>Deep breaths. 
"T-Thanks for coming along, Minuette, I don't know if I'd have been able to do this w-without you." 
>"Hey, it's no problem! I'm actually enjoying myself a lot." 
>This trip was nothing, in hindsight you feel a little silly about worrying yourself over this. 
>You turn the corner to the next aisle. 
>Oh no... 
>You try to back your way out, but it's too late. 
>"Hey! Anon! Is that you? It's been forever man!" 

>You've been spotted. 
>You knew this was a bad idea. 
>You silently swear to yourself to never run the risk of going outside your home again. 
>Maybe you can run, or maybe just pretend you didn't hear him, or...
>Minuette nudges into you a little and speaks in a very hushed but sweet tone. 
>"Let's go say hi. Trust me, everything will be fine, I promise." 	
>She gives an encouraging wink and makes her way further down the aisle. 
>You follow closely behind her. 
>Okay, got to think of something to say. 
>Just words. 
"H-h-hey Adam, h-how's it h-hanging?" 
>Pathetic. 
>Adam's face falls a little bit. 
>You need to get out of here ASAP. 
>"I didn't peg you for a pony owner Anon." 
>His gaze shifts from Minuette back up to you. 
"W-well, I... uh" 
>Minuette interrupts you, well, if interrupting pointless stuttering even counts as interruption.
>"Hey, I'm Minuette, Anon's roommate! Nice to meet you, are you a friend of Anon's?"
>Minuette extends her hoof and offers a rather physically awkward handshake. 
>You'll have to thank her later for providing you with a socially acceptable opportunity to remain silent. 	
>"Adam, nice to meet you. And yeah! Anon and I were on the chess club together in High School."  
>You cringe a little bit. 
>Minuette giggles. 
>"Anon, you never told me you play chess! We need to play sometime." 	
>"Be careful, he's good!" 
>The attention of the conversation shifts back to you. 

>"So Anon, how's college been treating you so far?" 
>Great, time for your inner degenerate to shine through even more. 
>Everyone is looking at you, you need to answer. 
"I d-dropped out." 
>Adam laughs, you must amuse him, like some kind of monkey in a zoo. 
>"Oh man, really? Me too! Guess college isn't for everyone." 
>That's actually pretty surprising to you, Adam was always a pretty decent student in High School. 
>Then again, you were too... 
"Y-y-yeah I guess."
>Adam speaks up again. 
>"Hey, it's been good talking to you Anon, we should hang out sometime soon, but I got to get going."
>Hanging out is the last thing you want to do. 
>Getting out is much higher up on your priority list right now. 
"S-sure, I'll catch you later." 
>Minuette chips into the conversation. 
>"Nice meeting you, Adam!" 
>"Good meeting you too. It's nice to see a happy looking pony for a change, I'm sure Anon treats you right..." 
>You take the opportunity to start slowly backing away from the conversation to your cart. 
>"Totally! He's like, the best roommate ever." 
>Luckily your back is turned the other way so that neither of them can see you blush while they share a laugh.

>You and Minuette finally make it back to the house. 
>Safety at last. 
>That was a total disaster. 
>You can't help but think of how badly you spaghettied during that conversation while putting away the groceries. 
>You're really lucky Minuette was there to deflect some of the attention away from you. 
>You really need to thank her for carrying on that conversation for you. 
"H-hey Minuette?" 
>Minuette moves away from the refrigerator to look over at you. 
>"Yeah Anon?" 
>You're still a little nervous, but you really are starting to feel comfortable talking with Minuette. 
"I-I just wanted to say thanks helping me with that conversation in the store. I k-know I embarrassed myself but having you there helped a lot." 
>Minuette finishes putting away the last few groceries before responding. 
>"Do you really think you embarrassed yourself, Anon?" 
>You recall talking with Adam and simply nod. 
>"I don't see why... I mean, he just seemed glad to see you." 
>You don't have a way to respond to that. 
>Luckily, Minuette continues talking, but this time in a little more serious of a tone than you are used to. 
>"You know, before I came to earth, I used to be a dentist."

>With that she got your undivided attention. 
>You've actually been curious about Minuette's past but have been way too nervous to ask. 
>You would have never guessed that was her occupation though.
>"I knew that ponies hated going to the dentists and I'd always been very social. I figured to myself, hey, this is a perfect way to meet lots of ponies and maaaybe if I'm nice and friendly I can make it so that they don't hate coming to see me. It seemed like a perfect fit!" 
>Minuette pauses for a second and sighs. 
>You let her continue to speak. 
>"I hate to toot my own horn, but my office was very successful. Ponies actually told me that they looked forward to coming to see me! I still really miss it..." 
>You can see a hint of sadness in her eyes, but none the less she continues to press on. 
>"Point being, when you talk to so many people, you learn how to read them very well. And I know that this may be very hard for you to believe, but I want you to try. I think you are a well received person, Anon. You just seem very likable, well, at least to me... You should really try to nurture your social connections, not severe them."
>Silence fills the room as you try to process her words. 
>It seems very unlikely to you that what she said is actually the case. 
>But at the same time, you... trust her? 
>Maybe taking her advice would be a good idea.

"H-how can I do that?"
>Minuette stops to think for a second. 
>"Well, one thing that I used to do to keep in touch with everyone I knew was I would write down all of their birthdays. Then, I'd check my calendar and wish ponies a happy birthday. That way you have to talk to everyone you know at least once a year!" 
"T-that's actually pretty clever." 
>Minuette smiles a little. 
>"I can't take complete credit for it, I actually got the idea from my friend Pinkie Pie... Anyway though, most people like it when you talk to them. Is there anyway you can easily talk to some people you know just to remind them you haven't forgot about them?"
>There's always the internet.
>As much as you hate to think about it, you do have a facebook.
>You just haven't used it in several months, and well, you never really liked that normie bullshit anyways. 
"I-I guess I could talk to some people on Facebook..." 
>Minuette gives you a confused look. 
>"F-facebook? Where's that?" 
>It takes a moment for you to realize the possibility that she doesn't even know what that is. 
>You figure it is probably easiest to explain through demonstration. 
> * * * 
>It's been a while since the last time you laughed, but Minuette's reaction to the internet is just too much for you to handle. 
>You don't know if you've ever seen someone so genuinely excited while using a computer. 
>"Wait, so you are trying to tell me you can use this box thingy to talk to ANYONE in the WHOLE world instantly?" 
"Yeah, pretty much." 
>"ANON! This is the most incredible thing I've ever seen! Do you realize the networking power you have here?" 
>You just nod. 
"It really is incredible, I guess I'm just used to it at this point." 
>Minuette giggles giddy with excitement. 
>"This is going to make things so much easier! If only I would have had this 'facebook' in Ponyville. Oh Celestia, the possibilities!" 
>You refrain from asking what a Celestia is.
>Logging into your account, you're surprised to see several friend requests and what you'd consider to be a large amount of unread messages. 
>"Look at all the people who want to talk to you, Anon. This is great!" 
>They probably don't actually want to interact with you, but you figure you might as well humor Minuette, you'd hate to somehow spoil her good mood. 

>The two of you pass the afternoon sending pointless messages to a few people you hadn't talked to in a long time.  
>Minuette was definitely enjoying herself.
>The reactions you did receive are fairly small, but positive. 
>Minuette had left your room to go make the two of you pasta a while ago, so you are currently browsing on... well, other sites.
>You hear the sound of hooves in your hallway approaching your room. 
>Better close those tabs out. 
>Just as you make your way back to Facebook, you hear the loud sound of glass shattering. 
>That can't be good, you better make sure everything is okay. 
>Minuette is in the hallway, looking pretty panicked standing over a large pile of shattered dishware and food.
>It's relieving to see someone besides you spilling spaghetti for a change. 
>You are about to take a minute to appreciate the joke you just made to yourself, but Minuette starts speaking. 
>"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Master. Please don't hurt me!" 
>Fuck, this definitely is not good.
"Minuette, please don't worry about it, I'm not mad at you." 
>You move closer to try to comfort her, but she quickly backpedals away, whimpering a little bit.
>"I'm sorry! I d-d-d-didn't mean to!"
>You bend over a little to try to pick up some of the larger pieces of glass, but move a little too quickly.
>Minuette darts into the other room. 
>Fuck, you need to find her. 
>You head into your living room to try to she where she ran off to. 
>You look into the corner of the room to find her curled up in the back of the same kennel from the day she first arrived. 
>You need to do something, fast.
"Minuette, it's Anon. Everything is okay. Relax, I promise I'd never do anything to hurt you." 
>You stop to think for a second in the silence to figure out how to approach this situation. 
"I'm going to sit right here on the couch. I'm here for you, whatever you need, but you need to come out of the kennel. Take your time if you need to." 

>Minutes crawl by slowly. 
>You swear you can hear a clock ticking somewhere.
>You really hope Minuette can pull through this, but you know you need to give her some space. 
>Much to your relief, she comes out of the kennel. 
>She looks like a mess, but you've seen her worse. 
>Wordlessly she hops onto the couch next to you. 
>There is a brief moment of tense silence that is broken when she leans her head into your shoulder and starts crying. 
>You don't know what to do.
>Well, you feel like you know what you need to do but have trouble bringing yourself to do it. 
>You need to help her through this. 
>You tell your inner beta to fuck off and gently run a hand through her mane. 
>Her sobbing subsides and you can feel her relax as you awkwardly do what you can to comfort the mess of blue pony leaning on you right now.
>"I-I'm sorry for f-f-freaking out. My old m-master..." 
>She stops speaking and cries again for a minute. 
"It's okay, if you don't want to talk about it you don't have to." 
>Minuette gulps but continues to work through the thought. 
>"I-I dropped his dinner just l-like that one night, and h-he was not happy. I b-begged him for mercy a-and..." 
>You continue to run your fingers through her mane while she pauses between soft sobs.
>It's incredibly soft. 
>"H-he beat me. I mean, he did that a lot, b-b-but that night was h-horrible. He did e-everything, he'd kick me down then order me to stand b-back up, then b-beat me to the ground again u-until I c-couldn't stand up anymore. T-then when I was on the g-ground he b-brought out a h-hair s-straightener and j-just... I-I-" 
>You honestly can't bear to hear anymore. 
>You gently quiet her, the only sounds in the room are Minuette's gentle crying. 
>After what seems like hours, Minuette finally speaks up. 
>"H-hey Anon?"
>It's very encouraging to her the relative calmness in her voice. 
"Yes?" 
>"Is it o-okay if I sleep with you tonight? I w-want you to be there if I have another episode."

>Wow, that was not the question you were expecting. 
>It's not something you'd normally be comfortable with, but you want to be as supportive as possible. 
>The answer comes to you quickly.
"Of course, that's fine."
>The two of you make it back to your room and waste no time climbing into bed. 
>You make an effort to take up as little space as possible on the edge of the bed. 
>There is a silence that you feel is more heavy and awkward than usual. 
>You feel the need to say something. 
"H-hey Minuette?" 
>She turns over to face you a little and scoots closer to your side of the bed. 
>"Yes Anon?" 
"Thanks a bunch for everything today. I don't know... But you've made me happier than I've been in a while. I j-just thought you should know." 
>Minuette smiles and moves a little closer. 
>You can feel her pressed up against you.
>So warm and soft. 
>You feel the need to move back, but fight against it and stay in place. 
>"I-I feel like I should be thanking you. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. You s-saved me from a living hell. I-I know it's in your p-power to do anything you want to me, but you treat me so well." 
>Minuette breaks the tension in the room by giggling.
>Ever since the first time you heard her laugh, it's been one of your favor sounds in the world. 
>She moves even closer to you.
>"If you were any sweeter to me you'd give me cavities." 
>You feel yourself blushing. 
>You definitely can't think of a response for that. 

>Silence momentarily fills the room again. 
>You can feel yourself getting nervous, you just don't know what to do in this situation.
>You can't scoot further away and neither of you are talking.  
>Maybe you should find an excuse to get up.
>"Hey Anon?" 
>You hope you didn't do something wrong.
"Yeah?" 
>"You're still comfortable around me, right?" 
>Not right now in this moment, but you can't say that explicitly. 
"Y-yeah, but sometimes I s-still just don't know what to say or do." 
>Minuette giggles a little at your expense. 
>"Can I give you hint?" 
"Yes, p-please do."
>Minuette presses herself up even closer to you. 
>You feel tingly, she's unbelievably warm. 
>Every inch of your body that is making contact with her feels absolutely incredible. 
>She looks right into your eyes and gives you a soft look before speaking.
>"Hold me close and tell me everything is going to be okay."
>You work through your nerves and comply, wrapping your arms tightly around Minuette.
>You can feel her melt in your arms as she sighs and lays her head on your chest. 
"Everything is going to be o-okay, I'm here for you." 
>You've never been so comfortable in your life, even the silence of the room does nothing to bother you. 
>"And I'm here for you too. Goodnight Anon." 
"Goodnight Minuette."
>With that, the two of you fall into a gentle sleep in each others warm embrace.

>Sunlight.
>Soft morning sunlight. 
>Damn, you never knew that waking up could feel nice. 
>Time to go back to sleep. 
>You move to re-position yourself only to be met with the resistance of something incredible soft in your bed. 
>Yeah, you want more of that. 
>You wrap your arms it. 
>Your mind begins to slip back to sleep. 
>“Did you sleep well?” 
>Shit, who is talking?
>Your mind kicks into full gear as the events of last night spring forth in your mind. 
>You move with a jolt away from Minuette. 
>Were you seriously cuddling with her? 
>This can't be happening.
>You ruined everything. 
>Giggling.
>Great, now she's making fun of you too.
>“What's the matter Anon? Not used to waking up next to pretty girls?” 
>The silly grin on Minuette's face after her own remark is enough to help you ground yourself. 
>Everything is okay, you're just not used to getting roasted this early. 

“I-I slept well. You're not m-mad, right?” 
>Minuette re-positions herself, resting most of her weight on you. 
>This would be really cozy if you didn't feel extremely awkward. 
>“Why would I be mad? I asked to sleep here, remember?”
>Minuette sighs softly and lays her head on your chest.
>Officially cozy. 
>“If anything I should be thanking you! It's been soooo long since I've slept in a real bed. This is great, I feel so rejuvenated!” 
>As if to emphasize her enthusiasm, Minuette hops down from the bed onto your floor. 
>You're happy to see her in such high spirits, but the loss of her gentle body warmth is hard to cope with. 
>You work yourself into a sitting position to read your alarm clock. 
>The digitized red lines read 8:55 am. 
>You must be the luckiest guy alive, starting off the day with a qt mare and dubs. 
>You look back over to Minuette to see her doing some sort of stretch in the middle of your room. 
>“Maybe if I can wake up feeling this refreshed I can start doing my morning exercise routine again!” 
“Exercise routine?” 
>You hear a couple joints pop.
>“Nothing serious! Just a few stretches, maybe some pushups.” 
>Minuette shifts position.
>You've never really noticed the hourglass mark on her flank. 
>Well, you've seen it before but it never really stood out to you in anyway. 
>You're staring. 
>You look away and blurt out something to try to change the situation as quickly as possible. 
“H-hey Minuette, why is there an hourglass on your coat?”

>Minuette giggles as she continues her stretch. 
>“Would you believe me if I told you it exemplified my delicious curves?” 
>She makes a small gesture to her flank with one of her hooves. 
>You look away again in embarrassment as Minuette bursts into a fit of playful laughter on your floor. 
>“Oh Celestia, it's been such a long time since I've got to use that!” 
>You don't want to ask how that joke has been used before. 
>You try to the change the topic, even though it may be hard for Minuette to take you seriously with how hard you are blushing. 
“Seriously though, what is it? Do all ponies have hourglasses on them somewhere?”
>You thought that your question was pretty high involvement, but Minuette doesn't even pause, answering the question almost immediately.
>“This hourglass is what we ponies would call a cutie mark! Everypony has one, but they are all different because they are visual representations of our personalities.” 
>It's like she already knew where the conversation was headed and had planned her response ahead of time. 
>You don't know if you've ever seen anyone more at ease in a social situation.
>You're envious. 
>“Mine is an hourglass because I'm always punctual. Or at least, that's the easiest way to explain it. I just have a really good understand about how time flows. It's hard to describe to someone who... well, can't do magic.”
>You always forget that she can do magic. 
>That seems like something you'd be more prone to remember. 
>It's not like she uses it often though. 
“S-So, you're born with a cutie mark?”
> “Oh, not born with it! You get it at a young age after a significant event.”
>Minuette pauses for a moment. 
>You consider speaking up, but she continues speaking before you can think of anything to say. 
> “Or... at least that's how it's commonly explained. Not much is really known about cutie mark magic. Most of the great magicians of our time have claimed that our cutie marks appear the exact moment we have decided the reality we want to live and from that moment on we begin to form it. I-if that makes sense.” 
>Seems like something really deeply ingrained into pony culture. 
>You wish that you could relate. 
“When did you get your cutie mark, Minuette?” 
>Minuette giggles and makes her way over to the door. 
>“It's way too early to be talking about cutie mark stories and abstract magical thinking, let's make breakfast. I promise I'll tell you another time.”

>The two of you open the door from your bedroom to head into the kitchen. 
>You are greeted with the site of the shattered dishware from last night. 
>It's weird to have a mess like that be something that stands out.
>It really is a testament to how clean you have been keeping things since Minuette moved in. 
>Normally you'd have just left something like that laying around.
>You can still vaguely visualize some of the messes that used to be a part of your everyday living routine. 
>It's a shame you had to throw out that keyboard...
>Minuette is shakes a little at the sight of the shattered dishware on the floor. 
>You really hope seeing this a second time won't trigger her again. 
>Minuette takes a slightly audible breath. 
>“I-I'm sorry f-for breaking your dishes, Anon.” 
>Oh, thank Celestia. 
>You still don't really know what a Celestia is but you thank it on Minuette's behalf. 
“Let's just eat. I can clean this up later.” 
>Minuette trots over the dishes and continues to the kitchen. 
>“Alright, but clean that soon! Can't have you falling back into old habits, can we?” 
>You swear you hear snickering in the other room. 

>Cooking, cooking is difficult. 
>You'd never had a problem trying to cook before.
>Then again you'd never ventured far from the realm of microwave cuisine. 
>Eggs, hashbrowns and bacon all at once might be too much for you to handle. 
>You'd never really known of all the small aspects of cooking that could make it so annoying. 
>The heat of the stove makes your brow sweat a little. 
>You honestly didn't even know you had this many burners until recently. 
>You almost pick up the wrong tool to flip the bacon. 
>Make sure to keep the bacon grease out of the eggs.
>Ugh. 
>Stupid vegetarian horse. 
>You glance over at Minuette trying to figure out how to use your laptop. 
>Hooves probably make that a difficult task. 
>You don't even know why you volunteered to cook for the two of you. 
>It's not like you're doing it to impress her or anything! 
>Watching her trying to use the track-pad is adorable. 
>Is something burning?
>Shit, everything is burning. 
>You quickly split the food between the two plates on the counter. 
>You carefully carry the plates to the table by where Minuette is sitting. 
>Don't need anymore broken dishes to clean. 
>Minuette's magic floats her fork to take a bite of the eggs. 
>It's nice to see that she is starting to use that more often. 
>“You're getting waaay better at cooking Anon! The eggs are much less burnt, I'm even eating them under my own will this time!”
>You move the internet over to your mental list of people you can't trust. 
>Speaking of that...
“Any luck using the computer Minuette? What exactly are you trying to do?” 

>Minuette continues to enjoy, or, at least tolerate your breakfast before responding to your question. 
“Wellll, since you ask I was trying to figure out if I could use this thingy to meet more people. If more people knew that ponies were just as intelligent as them, maybe we'd be treated a little better.”
>Minuette fidgets with the keyboard for a second before giving up with a sigh.
“I'm also just really bored.” 
>You try not to take that statement personally because there really isn't much to do.
>You're bored for a good portion of the day and you can actually operate a computer. 
>“I'll be honest, the internet gives you the power to make a lot of connections, but those connections are much weaker than the ones you could make in person.”
>You pause and consider your next words carefully, just keep talking you got this. 
>“Maybe you should get out more. We could try to find a way for you to become a dentist again, that's considered a pretty good profession.”
>Minuette takes a drink of some orange juice she must have poured herself.
“Hey! You're right. People would probably hear about that. L-like, in a good way. Would you really help me do that?” 
>Your time is absolutely worthless. 
>Don't say that out-loud you sperg. 
>“Yeah, I'd be willing to help you with that. Maybe we can drop by a couple dentist offices today and see if they need an assistant. You might have to work your way up though.” 
>Minuette giggles. 
“Have I ever told you you're the best, Anon?” 
>You better not be blushing again. 
>Just take the compliment. 
>“Y-you too?” 
>Ah, good enough.

>Dentistry sucks.
>Sometimes the world just has to remind you of that simple universal law. 
>This is the third office that has turned you and Minuette down so far. 
>You'd say morale is low but you are determined. 
>These people have seriously been disgusting you. 
>Every stare or comment at Minuette's expensive has been making you increasingly more upset. 
>'Sir, I'm going to have to ask you and your sex toy to leave my property.' 
>What a way to start the day off. 
>You've never wanted to punch a dentist more in your life. 
>... Probably.
>Minuette looks crushed. 
>You're starting to remember why going outside is a waste of time.
"Can we go home?" 
>You're not accepting defeat that easy. 
>Failure isn't an option here. 
>"One more office, okay?" 
>Silence fills the car. 
"It's useless Anon. All of these people think I'm socially beneath them. No one is going to hire me." 
>Minuette shifts uncomfortably in her seat.
"Thanks for wasting your time on me I guess." 
>You're not giving up. 
>"I'm not giving up." 
>You can see her perk up a little bit.
>"I know you Minuette. You don't want to give up. I'm telling you this is possible." 

>You see her spark up a little more. 
>It's almost like you can see her confidence building. 
>Ponies are weird. 
"One more office." 
>That's the attitude. 
>"I'm willing to go to as many as we need to." 
>Minuette laughs.
>There we go, you almost want to smile. 
"That's sweet Anon! But something tells me we'll only need one more!"
>That's definitely enough to make you smile. 
>The rest of the ride to the office has a totally different feeling to it. 
>It's amazing how much seemingly unspoken energy Minuette commands when she is at her fullest. 
>You really do believe what she said as the two of you walk through the door of the small dentistry office. 
>The waiting room hardly takes notice, but the lady working behind the desk sends a glare in your direction. 
>You glare back. 
>Minuette waves. 
"Hey! Good afternoon, my name's Minuette! How are you doing?" 
>You cringe a little in anticipation for what the universe is about to throw at you. 
>The woman responds in a much gentler tone than you were expecting. 
"I'm managing thanks for asking. How can I help you?" 
>Minuette doesn't miss a beat in her response. 
"I can tell you're busy so I'll be quick. We've been dropping into a couple different dentistry offices today looking for a place to schedule him an appointment."
>Minuette nods in your general direction. 
>Literally what is she doing. 
>You are not paying for that.
>Your neet bucks are limited. 
>Why would you pay for someone to try to make small talk with you while your mouth has stuff in it. 
>As much as you want to intervene you do trust Minuette. 
>Stupid confident horse. 
"Oh! Sure thing, it only takes a moment to schedule an appointment." 
>The desk worker shifts her attention switches over to you. 
"If you could fill out this form that'd be great. I'll schedule you for a random date a few months from now and you can call and reschedule free of charge." 
>You take the form and grab a pen from the counter.
>"Thanks." 

>You and Minuette make your way to the waiting room to fill the form out. 
>"Well, that went comparatively well, but I fail to see why you did any of that." 
>Minuette giggles softly as you fill out the forms. 
"Dentistry is a service Anon. The service industry is all about how you work with people. You just have to get through to people and recognize opportunities. Can you hand me that folder I gave you early?" 
>You'd been absent-mindedly carrying that for a while. 
>You don't even know what's in here. 
"I hope you don't mind I used your computer thingy to make a couple resumés. I don't know how humans format them here but I figured something is better than nothing." 
>You hand the folder over but can't help yourself from taking a copy of Minuette's resumé. 
>The formatting is horrible. 
>It's not surprising, you're actually astonished she figured out how to print this let alone type. 
>Everything is the same font size and the spacial awareness on the page is a mess.
>You wonder if she used her magic on the keyboard. 
>You start to read.
>As ridiculous as the paper looks, she is actually a very qualified candidate. 
>Schooling, years of experience, literal magic, 10/10 would hire.
>"You are really qualified, but I'm not sure if anyone will accept this resumé." 
>Minuette looks confused.
"But you just said I'm qualified. Therefore, I've conveyed that message successfully." 
>You would like to think that logic is more sound than it actually is. 
>"Fair, but people are picky in the business world."
>Minuette shifts in her seat. 
"People just want you to think they are professional. I like to think of it as an act. Real face time is more important. Let's go hand them these papers."
>You can tell she is a little on edge. 
>Confidence and faith can only take you so far. 
>"I better not have to pay for this appointment."
>That elicits a giggle.
"Don't worry, I can get you a huge discount when I work here." 
>Minuette winks at you.

>You and Minuette work your way up the counter again. 
>More social interaction. 
>Great.
>As much as you want to help Minuette, this has been a very taxing day for you. 
>For you.
>Ha, seriously, why are you even allowed to be out in public?
>Focus Anon. 
>You gather yourself before speaking. 
>"H-here's that form you asked for, i-is there anything else I need to do?"
>The woman greets you with a soft smile. 
"Nope, that's all." 
>She pauses and leans forward slightly.
"Please, let me know if there is anything else you need." 
>Anything?
>This isn't one of your chinese cartoons, get your head out of the clouds, you have a task.
>Luckily Minuette speaks up for you.
"Actually, there is. I want to give you my resumé! If you're ever understaffed and need an experienced dentist to help pitch in, please give me a call." 
>Minuette gently floats her paper up to the counter top. 
>The clerk pauses for a second. 
"Y-you? Give you a call?" 
>She looks at Minuette slightly confused. 
"Yep! Me." 
>Minuette giggles a little.
>You can tell she is nervous but her general composure is unwavering. 
"Let me speak to my boss." 
>The clerk leaves you and Minuette waiting anxiously. 
>"D-do you think that's a good thing?" 
>You keep your voice quiet. 
>Minuette seems unphased and simply shrugs a little. 
>You go to talk more but the sound of footprints interrupts your thought process. 

>The man who you assume is the owner of the dental office approaches you and Minuette. 
>Even in his business attire he looks tough. 
>You suspect there are some hardcore tattoos under that nice collared shirt. 
"Hello, Andy Jones, Andy's Family Dental. So you're the pony asking job, huh? I'm a very busy man, I don't like having my time wasted. You have ten words." 
>His voice is the pure personification of gravel. 
>Minuette still holds composure, apparently not in the least bit intimidated despite his direct crudeness. 
"I only need two sir. Free publicity." 
>That seems to have got everyone's attention. 
>Everything pauses for a moment. 
"I'm willing to listen to your pitch pony. Let's move this conversation to my office."
>Minuette follows the owner while the clerk returns back to her post behind the counter.
>You just kinda stand still unsure of where to go. 
>The clerk smiles at you again. 
>Maybe you'll just stay here. 
>You thoughts are interrupted by gravel. 
"Come on boy, this is going to involve you too." 
>You hurriedly catch up, making your way into the smaller side-room. 
>This office is really nice. 
>You can tell this guy really has his shit together. 
>Your only complaint would be that it reeks of cologne. 
>There is a moment of silence. 
>You look at Minuette.
>She looks as if she is about to speak but decides to hold her tongue. 
"I'll be honest. I've already looked over your resumé, miss Minuette? Is that how it is pronounced?" 

>Minuette smiles a little, it must be nice to be addressed as a person for once. 
"Yes, it is. What was your impression?" 
>You can't help but feel like you're in the background of this conversation.
>That's a good sign in your mind. 
>You're surprised he had time to look at Minuette's resumé already.
"Well miss Minuette, my first impression is you sure as hell don't know how to use a computer." 
>Minuette's face drops a little. 
>You hold your tongue.
>The owner continues to assault your ear drums with gravel. 
"My second impression however is that it took a lot of guts for you to come in here and after reading your resumé you are a very technically experienced candidate."
>That gets both your and Minuette's attention. 
>It looks like this may be the exact break she needs. 
“Thank you sir. And yes, I found out that computers are very hard to learn without, uh, prior teaching.” 
>Laughter, finally a completely non-aggressive response from the owner.
“Well spoken pony. But I'm going to address the elephant in the room. You're a pony, I don't even know  if I could legally add you to the pay role.” 
>Minuette continues to razzle, upping her energy level an almost unnoticeable amount. 
“You know, as a previous business owner, I've found that to be successful you have to convert threats to opportunities. The fact that I am a pony is my competitive edge!” 
>Andy seems deep in thought as Minuette continues to speak. 
“People will find out if I work here publicly for an extended period of time. I'm confident that at some point someone will use the fact that I am a pony to push a politic agenda about pony rights. It's been a hot topic in the news lately! When that happens, seems like free publicity to me. Worst case scenario I'd like to think having a fully trained dentist like myself on staff for entry level pay would be much more useful than having a new sign out front.” 

>The room fills with silence yet again. 
>Minuette looks anxious, the owner is incredibly hard to read. 
>She personally sold you, but that is irrelevant. 
>You wish there was a way for you to be more involved in this process but you digress. 
“Alright pony, I'm willing to give it a shot. Consider yourself tentatively hired. I know a good opportunity when I see one. I'm going to have to talk to my buddy who knows the law to iron out the legal wrinkles, but I will contact you when you can start training.” 
>Yes! 
>You smile.
>Minuette continues to hold herself together.
“Thank you sir! You won't regret it. Thank you for your time.” 
>You still don't know why your in here, but you show your appreciation with a nod.  
“I'll contact you by Monday. Have a good day.” 
>After exchanging some still fairly awkward farewells, you and Minuette make your way out of the office back to the car. 
>As soon as the doors are closed the celebration begins. 
>No need to hold composure for any longer, Minuette leans over and wraps you in a tight hug.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you so much! I can't believe that worked! We did it Anon!”

>It's been a while since you've felt the sensation of victory. 
>To apply yourself to a situation and actually get the outcome you were seeking is a nice change of pace to say the least. 
>To share that feeling with someone else...
>Minuette's happiness was contagious. 
>You swear her coat got brighter or something.
>And softer.
>After the initial wave of excitement passed over, you and Minuette decided you'd much rather enjoy a quiet celebration on the couch. 
>You lightly scratch Minuette's back as she leans into you a little. 
>It's nice not to feel awkward when another living being is within a yard radius of you. 
>Minuette sighs.
>"Hey Anon?" 
>You don't miss a beat with your response. 
"Yes?"
>Minuette shifts position to make direct eye contact you with. 
>You suppress the urge to look away. 
>"I-I wanted to tell you that I trust you." 
>You continue to look deep into Minuette's soft blue eyes. 
>Something about this interaction felt different.
>"And I know that may sound weird... B-but I really never thought I'd trust anyone again." 
>You can see Minuette start to tear up a bit. 
>You hold her close.
>You can feel her quiver as she begins to softly cry into your shoulder. 
>There's no need for words. 
>You just silently run your fingers through her mane while she regains composure. 

>After a cozy few minutes of sniffling, Minuette finally speaks up again.
>"It feels nice to let that out."
>Her voice still has a hint of sadness to it. 
"Not easy to be cheery all the time I bet." 
>Minuette giggles. 
>"I don't know... If things keep going the way they have been it's going to be hard to find things to cry over." 
>The two of you sit in silence for another moment. 
>You'd never been the type of person to look forward to the future in anyway, but with Minuette around you can't help but smile at the prospect.
>Your usually optimistic train of thought is interrupted by a yawn. 
>"Sorry, I'm really tired, we should probably get to sleep soon." 
>You simply nod, even though your heart almost skipped a beat on the word we. 
>"But first, I still owe you a cutie mark story!" 
>You'd almost forgot about that.
>The memories of this morning seem faint after everything that happened. 
>You and Minuette share a smile.
"The stage is all yours." 
>Minuette readjusts herself, moving away from you a little to sit up straighter. 

>"Welllll, when I was a young filly I always had a special connection with time. I loved time, it fascinated me. Something so directly measurable but completely intangible. It was otherworldly!" 
>You can't help but laugh a little at her enthusiasm. 
"Like magic?" 
>Minuette giggles a little at your remark. 
>You see her horn light up for a second. 
>"For you maybe." 
>Show off.
>You wonder if they have magic of baneposting in their world. 
>Earth 1, Horse World 0.
>"Anyways, when you pay attention to time at such a young age, you become punctual. Very punctual. I would schedule my entire day weeks in advance. I always assumed other ponies did the same. Funny thing was, I got my cutie mark the first day I was ever late."
>Minuette pauses.
"So, your talent isn't being on time then?" 	
>"We're getting there, promise! The day I got my cutie mark, everything was running on schedule like normal. But that was the problem, everything was going too well. I just couldn't shake the feeling that I was late, despite what my clock said. So I hurried, I got to school as fast as my little legs would take me."
"And you were still late?" 
>"Actually I was early. Too early. I didn't know what to do with myself. I could never stand being bored, so I went on a walk. There was a nice path through the woods behind my school that ran alongside the river. Nopony ever went their, it wasn't really a popular place, always quiet. After a few minutes of walking, I heard something. It was distance, so it took me a moment to realize what it was, but it was somepony yelling for help! I was always told not to go off the trial, but I had to go help."
>Minuette stops to catch her breath as you eagerly listen to her. 
>"I'm glad I did. Turns out one of the even younger fillies, for whatever reason, wandered off the trail and fell right into the river. Now, I've never been a great swimmer, but my levitation spell is second only to Twilight Sparkle's! I never did find out what that Filly was doing back there that early, the idea that two ponies were on that same trial at the same time is an amazing coincidence in my eyes. If I was just a minute later, or if I had stuck to my schedule that day... I-I don't like to think about it." 

>The room fills with silence for a moment again. 
>It takes a moment to process Minuette's entire story. 
"So... Your special talent must be being an angel then?" 
>You see Minuette's horn glow again as she makes a small golden halo over her head. 
>"Hey! I kinda like this look!" 
>You can't help but laugh as she tries to hold composure at her own joke. 
>"Anyhow, after that it took the two of us a long time to find the trial again. Too long actually. I stumbled into my first class late, tired, covered in twigs and mud, but with a brand new cutie mark! Ever since that day, I've always told myself my special talent was being in the right place at the right time." 
>Minuette's lowers her voice. 
>Intimate is the only way to describe it. 
>Time seems to freeze around the two of you.
>"I think that's what happened between us, well, it's the perfect example Anon. I mean, what are the odds I'd end up here? With you... and that you'd be right on time to save me."
>Minuette leans back into you, laying her head on your shoulder. 
>It's makes perfect sense really. 
"Both of us..." 
>You almost whisper. 
>"I love you, Anon." 
"I love you too, Minuette. 
>Goodnight.