>>42989812
Extremely silly hoers

>>42956549
>nomads tried the drink
Black might not be the best choice as an introduction.
>Intor had insisted on
What is she doing there in the first place? I mean Salki or Draga makes no effort to remove her from "power" (by simply not involving her).
>without Thistle's, or Twilight's permission
Authority!
>'gifts'
Just ask Trixie to make some more! I'm sure there is a room in the castle full of teacups.
>You will stay with us.
Whatever Thistle thinks, she should stay for at least the first night. Or take the bath then come back. Also bath scene!
>I promise
Yea, those promises of hers aren't worth much.
>pointed at Willow. "[You. You will go with her.
Seems like Darga has a grudge against Thistle or something. Sending Willow instead of Salki (or literarly anyone else).
>for you and Buygra
Both? The wording is a bit confusing here, I assumed only Buygra comes.

>final bath scene
We will cherish it.

Thanks for the update!

>>42989845
Cute batmaid, would let her nibble on my neck
That's super racist, thestrals are fruit bats not vamponies, but she doesn't say anything because it's an excuse to cuddle.

>>42989958
Orange cat will bite you despite not being a vampire. What about orange horses?

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Mare is for conscription

sex (gentle) with soap bubble

Does anyone have the names of some fics where the characters are used and treated like farm animals (like how real life ponies are small horses used on small farms) despite being sapient in the MLP setting?

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>>42990337
A cutie!

>>42990466
That's kind of rare here despite how obvious it would be. We get a lot of forced employees and personal servants.
https://pastebin.com/nw05bqmx
https://pastebin.com/Er7B33yB
https://ponepaste.org/1747
https://ponepaste.org/2328
These four have farmpones as either a major focus or a side mention. I think there's a couple more but I can't remember which they are. If you're looking for ponies treated like mindless beasts, I think we got one crossover green from the old Hassenfeld thread?

>>42990466
>and treated like farm animals
Not really the topic of this thread. The slave labor ones are as close as it gets to that concept.

>>42990967
Too much blue cubes

>>42991933
Vega when?
I bet on never ever

>>42989992
If this was real, I’d buy it in a heartbeat. God, I wish ponies were real, even in the form of robots.

>>42992472
>$900+ for a medium amount of ram
Have to start harvesting kidneys to purchase a roboponer.

>>42990488
>>42990629
Thanks.

>>42992762
Roboponers are cloud based. All your sins are stored forever on a server somewhere for further evaluation if neccessary.

>>42993399
Hot

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Bed warmer: active

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>>42990337
dont distract her from her duties anon, she takes them very seriously

>>42994486
Cute mare spotted

>>42994213
A necessary purchase for this bullshit weather

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90% cat

>>42994213
And memory foam shaper!

>>42994486
good poni deserves a day of rest

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Nobody wants changelings.
Someone should post the "mile long dildo" pic with lingling. I can't find it.

Are there any ideas you'd like to see more of in spg stories?

>>42996334
I'd like to see more petting of the pony, I think stories where the pony gets a treat are very good, my favourite stories are where the pony does good and Master gives her a treat and scratches behind the ears. I think that's a good kind of story that we need more of.

>>42996334
How horny are we talking?

>>42997764
How horny are you thinking?

>>42999118
hornymaxing

>>42998798
The scowl makes it better

>>42998673
>blleeeeeh-flpfpfpfp

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>she can tell you have treats in your pocket

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Naughty pones get the cone of shame until they can behave.

slide thread

>>42999354
You don't even know what that means, do you?

>>42999258
A salty one.

>>42999604
So what? Slow threads get bumped sometimes.
This thread is a general that's been going for over a decade, of course it's slow as hell.

>>42999708
Which purpose does her master planning to use the brush for?

I've had to do an emergency travel to a branch office, and I'm still airport-ing my way around. It's 1 AM where I am right now and flight at 6 AM. No update this last Thursday, but I did drop an update in the bin the previous week while the thread was ded. Would someone be kind enough to chop it up and post it in the thread while I catch up on 24h of sleep tomorrow? Should go back to normal after Monday, so next update will be ready on Thu.

>>42999908
Take your time

>>42999908
>ould someone be kind enough to chop it up and post it in the thread while I catch up on 24h of sleep tomorrow?
I might give it a go tonight if no one else does by then.

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Ponies are the ideal workforce in many industries.

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It want

>>42999748
Good slaves get it on the head.
Bad slaves get it on the rump.

>>42999946
>>42999908

> The door should have creaked when it opened. There should have been a dusty, moldy smell. Despite everything she had been told about how the portal's time worked, Thistle's gut instinct told her she would walk into an abandoned building. After all, it was her own apartment with its familiar green welcome mat and faded pink door. Nopony would have gone in over the past two years.
> Maybe that was why she hesitated for long heartbeats on the threshold. The inside was gloomy in the night, but she reached for the light switch by pure reflex and the perfectly normal interior was revealed. There was the sofa where she often sat to read the morning newspaper.
> Through the opposite wall was the kitchen and her dining table. The glass was still there, empty where she'd drank orange juice before going for her run. The dish, full of crumbs, was in the sink where she'd left it, only a day ago by Ponyville's clocks.
> Now that she was seeing her old place, everything was exactly as she remembered it. Before she'd entered, she probably wouldn't be able to describe a single room or piece of furniture. She'd lived in tents and out in the open for so long that those scenes had crowded out everything else.
> It was amazing how her old memories came rushing back. The sudden nostalgia for the familiar brought tears to her eyes and she had to blink a few times to see.
> See! She had her spare glasses in the cabinet by her bed! She'd be able to see clearly again!
> That thought, more than the others, spurred her on and Thistle ventured a few cautious hoofsteps inside and the two nomads followed. They both had to stoop a little to avoid banging into the door frame, but the ceiling was tall enough so they could straighten up, if barely.
> They also looked around with amazement, although for different reasons than she.
"[Well...]" she managed at last. "[Come in. We will wash first and then I will make a cot for you.]"
> She walked in the kitchen and glanced at the fridge. There wouldn't be much, but she always had ingredients for a simple tomato, lettuce, and hay salad. Perhaps there would be some cheese and some bread which she could offer her guests. It would still be fresh. She had to force herself to remember that.
> Amidst her incredulity, long-forgotten habits were starting to surface. Mechanically, almost without thinking what she was doing, she went to the cupboard and took out two glasses. She placed them on the table next to hers. There was a fresh carton in the fridge, exactly where she always kept one to have fresh, icy-cold orange juice always available.
"[Close the- close the wood flap!]"

>>43000774

> She would have to start inventing new words, but for now she could adapt familiar terms from the tents. Buygra understood and obeyed, while Willow joined her and picked up one of the glasses. "[What kind of stone is this? It looks like ice, but it is not cold. Is it magic?]"
"[No, it's just this kind of a material. A little like a jewel, but it has no color, and it has been shaped. It will hold water, look.]"
> She poured into the other two glasses and he quickly lowered his to get a share. His tongue was already poking out, remembering some of the interesting drinks he had sampled at the town hall. The glass would be the only new thing for him. Her assistant, having taken one look at her 'guests', had decided to give them the set of wooden mugs and clay ewers, which had been a wise bit of initiative to save their fine crystal glassware from the obviously uncivilized barbarians.
> Both nomads downed their glasses and asked for more, so the juice carton was soon empty and she put it on the counter to deal with later. For now, she needed her own drink to ease her sore, aching throat. She was not used to talking for hours on end, not anymore.
> Could it really have been no more than a day or so since she'd exited that door? Her gaze was drawn to the entrance and she tried to imagine it with the morning sun streaming in the living room window, rather than late at night.
> A huge yawn cracked open her jaw and she arched her back in a luxurious stretch.
> She was home. At times she hadn't believed she would ever return.
> Bath first!
"[I will go and wash myself. You can sit on these- the wooden things. Wait for me. I will make the water for you as well, and then for Buygra.]"
> "[No,]" Willow said. "[Mother said we are not to leave your side. We will both go with you.]"
> It was weird, and having people *in her own bathroom* would make it doubly so, but it wasn't like Thistle hadn't bathed in the stream with nomads around before. She also knew, from experience, that these people weren't particularly squeamish about their modesty. Neither Willow nor Buygra would think much of bathing together, although they probably wouldn't scrub each other's backs, like the women usually did.
> They'd do it for her, though. She could certainly put their hands to good use! She hardly hesitated before discarding her wolf skin cloak and tossing it into the corner.
"[Okay, come on then.]"

>>43000776

> The mirror was the biggest shock. Both men jumped when they glimpsed their reflection, then went through the stages of incredulity, as Thistle had begun to call them. First there was fear of the unknown, followed by wary curiosity. Then came interested exploration as they examined their own faces and tried to see their backs. She put a stop to it when Buygra started to remove his furs to see himself naked.
> After a busy few minutes, while she pillaged her drawers for shampoo, soap, and a series of brushes, came the pretend disinterest. Both men endeavored to display how the mirror was nothing out of the ordinary.
> Their interests diverged after that. Buygra came over to inspect her tools of ablation, while Willow tried to reach the ceiling lamp to see how it worked. She'd told him off when he started looking for something to stand upon.
> She wisely waited until she had both their attention before opening the tap. It was another novelty, prompting the same cycle of shock, curiosity, experimentation, and disinterest. By the time the water had turned hot, the floor tiles were wet and slippery.
> Also, she was getting tired of explaining all these novelties as "magic". True, for a lot of them that *was* the actual explanation, and even she herself didn't know more than that, but plumbing was ultimately graspable, even to nomads. It was just that she was exhausted from talking.
> In the end she'd made a deal with the pair: If they stopped asking and accepted that things just were as they were, she would do her very best to explain them in the morning.
> Gradually, the two nomads became accustomed to the novelty and the atmosphere turned from wary curiosity to an almost jovial one. They'd all laughed when Willow, having smelled her soap, bit into it. It was pear-scented so he thought it would taste like one of Mrs. Cake's tarts back at the town hall.
> She and Buygra had a good laugh at the faces he made, and then the other man, idiot that he was, repeated the experiment. At least he only licked it, and didn't actually bite into the thing! Thistle didn't mind - it did them all good to lighten the mood.
> Eventually the tub was half-full, and she decided that was enough. They'd have to change the water several times anyway, she thought, for each of them.
"[I will go in now. You can help me wash where I can't reach with the soap.]"
> That first step was the most intense, and he breath caught as she lowered her foreleg into the water. She'd made it extra hot, and the touch of that water made her knees go soft.
> She didn't remember when she'd clambered over the edge, but the next thing she knew she was lowering her entire body into the tub. It was like a hug, the heat pulsing against her muscles and drawing *years* worth of tension from them.

>>43000779

> There was splashing and sloshing beside her, and the water level rose. She managed to open one eye and saw that Buygra had joined her. He was naked, but at that point she didn't much care.
> "[This magical water feels nice,]" he commented. "[So warm. Very good.]"
> It was already turning brown, even without any scrubbing. She would begin in a moment, just as soon as she'd let herself enjoy the heat for a few more moments.
> "[Move,]" Willow said, pushing on her nose.
> She pinned her ears down in annoyance, but by the time she looked he was already slipping into the water right in front of her. There wasn't really enough room, and both nomads had to sit upright, with the mare wedged between them.
"[No, we can't all three of us fit! You'll spill-]"
> It was too late and water was already sloshing over the edge. The tiny outlet just below the tap couldn't quite cope with the quick rise in volume.
> She heaved a sigh, but cleaning up the room was a secondary concern, something to think about in the morning. With some trouble she managed to get into a half-sitting, half-leaning position between the two. Leaning on Buygra, to be exact. Somehow Willow found room to bring his arms to her and began massaging her sides.
> The complaints died on her lips. It was nice to be sandwiched like that, almost fully submerged in hot water, and with someone else dealing with the business of cleaning her fur.
"[Mmm. Good. Keep going. Take that white- uh- soft stone. The one you bit. Rub it on me.]"
> Willow looked skeptical, but eventually he did as instructed. The whole room began to smell of pear and the white suds were quickly covering up the dirty water. Of course he had to stop, first when he ran it through his hands to see how the foam was being made, and then again when it slipped out of his grasp.
> She closed her eyes again and barely noticed when one nomad passed the soap to another and the ministration began on her back. It was all she could do to keep her head upright.
"[We will change the water soon. Mm, let me clean my face.]"
> Somehow she lifted her hoof above the water's surface to take the soap, but Buygra instead said: "[Turn around. Face me.]"
> It wasn't easy, but she shuffled around until her back was pressing into Willow's knees.
> "[Close your eyes,]" Buygra said. "[This white thing stings if it gets in them.]"
> She noticed that his were red, and realized he spoke from hard-won experience. Following his advice, she squeezed her eyelids tightly shut.

>>43000780

> There were some wet noises as he fiddled with the soap, then he put his fingers on her muzzle. His nimble, supple fingers, still hot from the water and covered with soap. They smelled, and felt, incredible. A half-sigh, half-moan escaped her and her head lolled forward until Buygra pushed firmly on her nose. "[Stay up!]" he ordered.
> With only a minor scrunch of annoyance, Thistle put in the effort required to hold her head up. The reward was worth it! Buygra worked the soap into the sensitive fur and massaged her in ways she'd never felt before. She worried idly if her face would melt so much that it would come away in his hands.
> The treatment went on for an eternity, then stopped mere seconds after it had begun. A plaintive, wailing grunt escaped her.
> "[Don't look yet!]" Buygra said, anticipating what she was about to do.
> He cupped water and poured it on her face, washing off most of the suds. Now that she understood, she waited patiently, careful not to breathe at the wrong moment.
> "[The water is dirty,]" Willow commented. "[How do we change it.]"
"[Thing. At the bottom. There's a- a- like rope, but made from metal bits. Pull it.]"
> There was some shuffling as he sought, then a pause. "[I am sitting on it. Wait.]"
> The water level went down as he stood and Thistle nearly fell backward as her support vanished. She scrabbled for the edge of the tub and Buygra caught her with a hand around her fetlock.
> Then she heard the telltale sound of the plug being pulled from the drain and the familiar gurgle of the pipes as the tub began to empty.
"[I'll tell you tomorrow where it goes!]" she replied, anticipating the question.
> Hearing Willow's mouth snap shut brought a pleased little smile to her lips.
> Finally she got her eyes open and looked directly into Buygra's smirk. When he saw her looking, he winked. "[Xuan says I am good with my hands, but I usually have to touch her on the other end to make her look like that.]"
"[Shut up! It's just- I haven't bathed like this in a long time. I missed it.]"
> "[I can see why,]" he replied, cupping a handful of water and letting it dribble between his fingers.
> Behind her, Willow snorted. "[It is nice, but it is not something we nomads should do often. Maybe the women.]"
"[Why not? It wouldn't hurt to be clean! You'll see! You'll feel much better when you're clean and dry!]"

>>43000783

> "[Maybe so,]" Willow acceded, "[but having this every day would make us soft. How would a man face winter on the plains if he got used to this warmth? Think of how much wood we would need to gather to heat the water! We would need to carry this thing,]" he rapped his knuckles against the porcelain, "[around with us. Who would do that?]"
> There were obvious answers to all of his concerns, but Thistle's brain was fuzzy from the exhaustion, the crash from the heights of coffee, and the insidious stupor brought on by a hot bath.
> "[Now what? How do we get new water?]"
"[Put the thing back. On the bottom. Make sure it fits tightly. Then lift the metal bit. Yes, that one. Turn it a little to me.]"
> She reached a hoof over to feel the water, then nudged the tap a little more to the hot side. They were all used to the water now, so she could go further. It was almost scalding where it began to pool against her croup and haunches. Just the way she'd imagined it.
> After a moment, Willow sat back down, hissing slightly at the water. "[Are you sure it is not too hot? We don't want to cook our balls!]"
"[It will be fine. You'll get used to it.]"
> Quietly, she thought to herself: 'Now who's soft?!'
"[The soft stone again. Take that handle there, too. The yellow parts can be used to brush my fur. It will make it easier to clean.]"
> More than that, it would function as a deep massage, but she didn't say that part out loud. She wasn't too selfish, though, not with everything she'd had to go through to get this small luxury.
"[You should use it on yourself, too.]"
> "[What should I do?]" Buygra asked.
> She looked at him and bit her lip. In the end, temptation won out.
"[Can you clean my face again? The same way you did? I think it is still dirty.]"
> He grinned knowingly, but didn't object, and she smiled back at him as she closed her eyes.
> Already the heat was seeping deep into her bones as the water level rose, and soon it would fully enfold her like a soft, warm blanket.
> After that, she would have the two rub her down with a towel. It'd be *more* massage. Maybe she should thank Intor for her insistence on having her watched. She'd definitely have to thank the two nomads for their efforts.
> Maybe she would take them to Sugarcube Corner in the morning and get them a few cupcakes. Maybe some chocolates for their special ladies, to make sure they got a proper thanks later, back in the tents.
> She'd need to remember where she kept her bits, but there was probably a purse in one of the kitchen drawers. If not, Mrs. Cake would open a tab.
> Problems for another age, though. For now, Thistle was having a longed-for spa day.

>>43000783

Paste: https://ponepaste.org/11514
>>42999908
Hope I did an alright job with it. Tried to cut it up where there felt like fairly natural breaks.

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My horse keeps looking at me like this and it's making me nervous

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>>42993522
She's a real troublemaker

>>43000790
A bath time years in the making. Oh what luxury!

>>43000972
She might be in heat.

>>43003052
Master should get her a cooler. Can't remember which green it was in, maybe Vega's?

>>42999908
>I've had to do an emergency travel
At least its work related and not health related.

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>>43000110

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Maids!

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>>43000785
>group bath scene
Naughty, naughty Thistle!

>>43005016
Yeah, we know. This isn't a transformation thread.
This is for keeping ponies as pets.

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>>43003948

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Very needy pone

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Extra-strong portable heater

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Worth the investment

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>ignores the toy
>plays with the box instead
Everytime. Why do I even bother.

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>>43006845

>>43006845
This is heresy! Ponies supposed to love baths in this thread.

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>>43008431

It never ceases to amuse me how the general that was all about owning ponies as slaves very quickly became known as 'the white knight general'.
Pretty good case about how not-cruel humans can be desu.

>Your obedient robot waifu is actually not an AGI, it's remotely controlled by changelings in shifts, primary purpose is gathering love remotely, accumulate love until there's enough to overthrow the human order.
Your reaction?..

>>43010231
I think I would quickly notice if something I talked about in the morning would be forgotten in the afternoon, but remembered again in the next morning.

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>>43010379
Tremble, Anon the Horsefucker, i invented ADHD robot

bump

>>43011010
No, I posted it because the thread was on p10 and I didn't have time to pick an image.
Also take your autistic slapfight and go fuck yourself.

>>43010494
Does this mean earth ponies are dumb?

>>43011371
>2015
The golden age.

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Assistant pony

>>43012189
Do ponies with thick fur has to wear protective gloves? Fur is a good insulator.

>>43012201
Not just fur, ponies in general are highly resistant to electrical shocks.
But pony follows the rules even if they don't make sense.

>>43012201
>>43012218
Better safe than sorry.

>>43012201
Because singed fur smells bad and damages her resale value

>>43013053
Why would you want to resell her?

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aislap

>>43000785

> Waking up in a proper bed was like waking up on a cloud. At least that was what Thistle thought when she opened her eyes in the morning. She wiggled her entire body, luxuriating in the feel of clean fur on cotton sheets.
> There was an actual *indentation* of her form in the pliant mattress! She'd forgotten such luxury could even exist.
> With some effort she managed to open one eye - the one which wasn't pressed into her pillow - and saw that the sun was not yet up. The sky was gray and there was light seeping in through the crack between her curtains, but the day hadn't really started yet.
> She contemplated staying in bed for a little longer, but a grumble in her stomach reminded her that she had a fridge full of pony food.
> The mere thought was enough to get her upright, but not before she flipped to her belly, slid her forelegs out from her, and stretched luxuriously, much like a cat. She kept her back arched through a prolonged yawn, then simply collapsed to her side again.
> It was time to see how the two nomads had fared after their bath and their hasty introduction to her couch. There'd been an argument that they should sleep in the same room as her, but she didn't want her first night back in a proper bed to be spoiled by Willow and Buygra's snoring.
> They relented - or rather, Willow relented - once she pointed out that her bedroom was on the upper floor and the only way out was through the living room.
> She rolled out of the bed and headed down.
> The clopping of her hooves on the stairs woke up her guests, but they didn't get up and she saw their ridiculous positions. She'd settled them both on the bed, going off the fact that nomad hunters were used to sharing tents and often placed their cots close to one another for warmth during those long, winter hunts away from the camp. She'd given them each a blanket, and the fully extended couch should have been large enough for them both.
> That wasn't what she saw, though. Buygra was lying on his belly, spread-eagled over the couch. He was completely naked and he didn't even have his blanket anymore. On the floor behind him was Willow on his back, staring at the ceiling with his hands under his head. He had both blankets and his animal fur pants, but was otherwise uncovered.
> Buygra was still snoring softly.
"[Uh, what is this?]" she asked, keeping her voice deliberately low so as not to wake her sleeping guest.
> "[Your pony cot is too soft,]" Willow told her. "[These strange furs are enough.]"
"[What- uh, what about him?]"
> She glanced at the other man, then averted her eyes from his nakedness. Catching a few glimpses in the bath was one thing, but staring while he was sleeping on her couch felt wrong somehow.

>>43014199

> Willow shrugged, even with his hands still trapped under his head. "[He said it was hot. He tossed the fur aside, so I took it. He didn't complain.]"
"[I... see.]"
> Their conversation, quiet as it was, woke up Buygra and he groaned. He got his hands under him and pushed himself upright into a sitting position. The good news was that it removed his rump from her view, but now Thistle had to work even harder to keep her eyes off the dark patch of fur down his lower belly.
"[Good morning,]" she said with forced cheerfulness. "[Sleep well?]"
> "[Too soft and too warm,]" he said, twisting his head to work out the kink in his neck.
"[I told you to use the pillows. I showed you how.]"
> "[Still too soft,]" Buygra repeated. His hand strayed down to his belly for a scratch, making Thistle turn and escape into the kitchen.
> The nomads weren't as concerned with modesty, but she didn't like just how nonchalant he was being about it.
"[I'll make something quick to eat! You get dressed, and then we will go back to the camp.]"
> The man was coming after her! She heard his soft feet pad on the wooden floor after her, and she risked a glimpse.
"[I said get dressed!]" she said rather more urgently than she'd intended.
> Her windows were open to the street, and it was sheer luck nopony was out at this hour! Some of her neighbors might see and then-
> She paused mid-step and Buygra nearly ran into her. Only a hand on her back kept him from falling. "[Hey!]"
> Would her neighbors care? Would they even know anything inappropriate was happening? She risked a glimpse back. Most creatures in Equestria didn't wear clothes, although they usually weren't so obviously... 'on display'.
"[I said get dressed!]"
> Grumbling, Buygra veered off toward the bathroom, where he must have left his furs. The other one had gotten to his feet in the meantime and wandered over into the kitchen. He was staring out through the window into the small back alley behind her apartment.
> "[It will be day soon. Hurry up, we should go and see if there is trouble at the camp.]"
"[It will only take a minute.]"
> She considered her options, then collected half of the loaf she had left in her bread box, a lump of hard cheese, and the small bag of lettuce she'd gotten on the market two days and a lifetime ago.
> Only after it was all on the table did she pause to wander. She'd hardly even thought about it, yet she'd known exactly where to look and what she'd find.
> Was a single bath and a good night's sleep really enough to get her back into her old mindset?
"[Sit,]" she told Willow, mostly for something to say.

>>43014204

> She had to pat the chair with her hoof before he got the message, and then he looked comical with his knees almost up to his chin in the low seat. Her furniture was made for pony sizes. It was pure luck the two nomads didn't bang their head on the ceiling, even if they did have to duck under the door frames.
> Before she could get out the knife with the soft, rubbery handle, Willow had already taken the bread with his hands and tore it into three roughly equal pieces. He was about to try the same with the cheese, but she beat him to it.
"[Wait!]"
> He watched with some interest as she fetched the cutting board and the knife, and as she deftly manipulated the piece into place. After her practice with the animal corpses, slicing it into pieces was even easier than it had been.
"[There. Take two pieces and some- uh, the green leaves.]"
> "[I'm not a pony to eat grass.]"
> She looked at the bag again and wondered if it would be palatable to nomads. It wasn't quite grass, but it was a far shot from the roots and tubers the people normally ate.
"[Huh. Well, you can try it if you want.]"
> Buygra, who had caught the tail end of their discussion emulated his friend and sat on the other chair. That meant Thistle had to stand, since she only had two, but that was fine.
> "[I'll try it,]" Buygra said and quickly picked a large, juicy leaf. He sniffed it, then took an experimental nibble.
> They both watched him intently, Thistle holding her breath and Willow grinning in anticipation of a reaction.
> To both their surprise, nothing like that happened. "[It is good, just a little plain. Maybe it some salt.]"
> She nudged the board with cheese to him, and he picked up a piece.
> Judging purely by his expression, Thistle guessed that the people could, after all, eat lettuce. That was good. It expanded their options before they would start demanding meat.
"[Wait! There are more vegetables you need to try!]"
> She hurried to her fridge and rummaged inside. Eggs were a given, she'd seen nomad children hunting for bird nests in the grass. She picked out a slightly wrinkly tomato and a zucchini. Those would probably work. She skipped hay and the fresh parsley, which she figured were too much like grass. Carrots were tubers, so probably fine. Potatoes- she didn't have any!
> Potatoes would most likely work, if they were cooked or baked. After that, she'd have to go and see what the market had to offer. Fruit, perhaps all types, would be a yes. Alfalfa probably not. Grain and oat in stews, and definitely as bread. Rice if it was boiled.
> She realized the two nomads were busy eating, and pushed the thoughts away for now. Plenty of time later. She had to tend to her own grumbling stomach and dropped the new foodstuffs in the middle for whoever wanted to take them.

>>43014207

"[We will go and get some- uh, some 'sweet breads' for Xuan and Inju.]"
> Buygra smiled at that, and Willow just shrugged.
"[Then we need to make sure there is no trouble with the donkeys. I think 'Cranky' will want to see them as soon as it is light.]"
> She didn't want to translate the jack's name, so she simply used the original. The nomads would have to get used to Equestrian names anyway.
> "[I agree. Let's eat quickly,]" Willow said.
> There was an affirmative grunt from other other hunter, and they both bent over their meager breakfasts. Despite the rush, she saw that they both made sure to taste her new offerings. After none of them showed any bad reaction, she tentatively decided that all of those vegetables were okay for nomads to eat.
> More importantly, they were more than okay for ponies, and she quickly grabbed what was left of the tomato before one of the others finished it off.
> It was shaping up to be a very busy day, but at least she'd start it on a full stomach. Maybe a quick coffee in the Sugarcube Corner would prepare her for anything Ponyville and the nomad camp could throw at her.

> ~~~~

> Spending any amount of time among ponies was an awkward, uncomfortable affair. The conversations fell silent and most eyes were on the two nomads with her, except for the ones focused, sometimes balefully, on her. It wasn't a friendly atmosphere and she saw a lot of quiet murmuring.
> Obviously the news had spread. Buygra and Willow's animal fur vests probably didn't help either, or the long knives they wore openly at their waist. It was a minor blessing they hadn't brought their spears or bows.
> The way the two men now scanned the crowd with their lips pressed tightly shut said they might be regretting that decision.
> Still, she'd promised, so into the bakery they went. Given that her friends didn't have much experience with such things, nor really the language to ask, she simply ordered for them. Coffee, plenty of milk and sugar, and fresh blueberry muffins.
> She knew they would like it, as long as it was sweet. Her own palette had changed in her time with the nomads, though, and she'd found her stomach rumbling alarmingly after the previous day's debauchery. She settled for a simple black coffee, with minimal sugar, and a plain chocolate chip cookie.
> Not to forget, she also asked Mrs. Cake for a box of donuts so her two nomads could bring something back to the camp, like she'd promised them. On that thought, she asked for another set which she could distribute among the children and a few of her friends.

>>43014211

> One benefit of the nomads' notoriety was that service was incredibly quick. She put all of their purchase on her tab, and they barely had time to exchange a few words at the counter before the baker started to deliver the goodies.
> Another small blessing was that Pinkie Pie wasn't around. That one would have been too much for the high-strung hunters. Maybe Twilight had talked to her, or maybe the Elements were having a meeting to discuss what to do about the newcomers.
> It didn't really matter. The important part was that they got their food and drinks and were on their way to the camp before long.
>...
> They arrived not a moment too soon. The Princess was not there, so the pony delegation, led by Cranky, was already clamoring to be let inside. Only the sight of crossed spears in the hands of two large hunters was keeping a semblance of order.
> As soon as she was spotted, the ponies turned to her and their resident donkey said loudly: "Mayor! I demand you let me in to see my kin! Right now!"
"Yes, of course!" she agreed.
> After all, she had promised and Cranky had waited until sunrise, even if barely.
"[Let them through. Why haven't you let them in already?]"
> The guards, Aibek and Bulat, glanced at one another and then the latter spoke: "[We sent Izzet to find the Chieftain. When he put us here in the night he said no one passes without his say so.]"
"[Well, I'm telling you. I'll talk with Salki. The ponies will go with me.]"
> "[That one is a donkey,]" Aibek said, pointing. It was an unfamiliar gesture to the ponies, but they leaned back as if the nomad was casting some kind of a spell.
"[Yes, but he can talk, like me. You should remember that!]"
> To the delegation she smiled and said:
"All sorted. Come, I will take you to the herd and you may inspect them!"
> Fauna looked interested, eager, but the other two, Cheerilee and Rich kept glancing nervously at the spears and the bows. It hadn't escaped them how naturally the nomads wore their weapons, always close to hand. They all fell in step when Cranky pushed forward as soon as the said weapons were lifted up.
> As she was being hurried along, she twisted and walked backward to leave some last minute instructions with her two guards.
"[Give my box to Xuan. Tell her it's for the children! Guuni, Fen Ko, and Ning first. Then the others! Yours, you can do whatever you want.]"
> They grinned and Buygra promised he would deliver it himself, then they were lost behind tents. No doubt Willow would go and report everything he'd seen to his mother, but she trusted that Buygra would do what he said.
> After that she could spare the two no more thought as Cranky kept asking questions which needed careful handling.

>>43014214

> How were the donkeys treated? Were they well fed? Were they being beaten? Made to work? Why were they enslaved? Did they speak the nomads' language, or Equestrian?
> She had to think about each answer so as not to compound his smoldering anger. No doubt once he'd convinced himself that the animals were just that - dumb beasts - she could start convincing him that they weren't like Equestrian donkeys at all. That they were less.
> Until then, she trod carefully, both to keep her newly-washed hooves as pristine as she could, and to keep them out of her metaphorical mouth.
> It wasn't far until they reached where the herd had been tied up, and she immediately saw doubt enter Cranky's face when he caught the smell.
> A day away from it made it poignant even to her long-accustomed nose, and it would be pure shock to him, especially in the summer heat. At least she'd had the benefit of cold weather the first time she was getting used to the camp and its lack of hygiene.
> "Those poor- look how they are tied up!" Cranky muttered.
"Go ahead. Speak with them. See for yourself."
> There was one of the captive Ruslans watching the herd and she walked over to him.
"[Rustam,]" she said. "[Can you untie one of the donkeys? A calm one, please, maybe a jenny. Bring her on a lead, so my friends can see her.]"
> "[Are you trading for them?]" he asked. "[I will need to speak with Nuray-]"
"[No, they are only looking. We will talk about trading with the Chieftain and with Darga. Don't worry. They want to see the donkeys, and we should start with one that won't make trouble.]"
> The pony delegates were staring at her fluid words in the completely alien nomad language. She remembered that, to them, she had only been gone a day.
"We will start with one, okay? I told you they are dumb animals, if we make too much of a commotion they could stampede."
> Cranky was already opening his mouth, but she forestalled him:
"Don't worry! You can personally inspect every one of them, okay? Nothing hidden, no tricks. Take as long as you need."
> The longer he tried to get the donkeys to talk, the longer he would be out of her mane. Hopefully one of the younger hunters with a basic grasp of Equestrian could be made to babysit the delegation.
> For now, Rustam selected a female, smoothly untied her lead rope from the stake in the ground, then deftly brought her over with a few discreet nudges and a light tap of his stick on her withers.
> Cranky Doodle was glaring, but he couldn't really find fault with the treatment, for which Thistle was immensely grateful.
> She smiled widely at the boy.
"[Thank you! You did well. Please go and find Zaur, tell him I need him here. Then go to Buygra and tell her I said to give you one of the sweet breads I brought, okay?]"

>>43014216

> He looked uncertain about abandoning his post, and his hand went to his thigh. No doubt he'd been beaten, or whipped, for shirking his duties in the past, and Thistle's grin slipped.
"[I'll talk to Nuray. I'll watch the herd until Zaur is here, okay?]"
> He offered her the lead rope, and she looked at the pony delegation.
"Mr. Rich, I will ask you to hold this animal, please. I want Mr. Cranky to be absolutely sure everything is quite above board. Dr. Fauna, will you examine the donkey?"
> The stallion was a bit uneasy, but obeyed her command and took the rope in his mouth. He grimaced as he inadvertently tasted it, then spat it out and instead stood on it with his forehoof.
> In the meantime, Cranky was already peering closely at the animal's face, asking if it was okay, if it was being treated well, and what was its name.
> The beast just stared at him blankly.
> Desperate to get some kind of a response, Cranky leaned closer and began to murmur urgently, promising that it would be safe and it could confide in him.
> That last earned him a snort and a hoof stamp, and his face lit up until Fauna said from behind the donkey: "Sorry, I think that was me!"
> The animal had its ears turned back to what the vet was doing, proving her true.
> "Oh. Please be more careful!" Cranky said crossly, then went back to his urgent muttering.
> Thistle allowed herself to relax a little. Things were calm, less chaotic than she'd feared. The camp people were used to ponies, or at least to her, and were able to extend that calm acceptance to her citizens. The morning was early and the donkeys had been fed well the previous evening on the field's lush grass, so they were complacent.
> Glancing at Cranky's anxious face, she knew they'd have to set up a rotation to manage the herd and him. Zaur and Bulat would need to brush up their Equestrian, and Buygra would need to take turns as well. Janus probably not - she'd promised him a smith and she intended to get him together with old Ironshod in his workshop. That'd probably take care of him for a while as he asked his questions and learned how to work iron.
> She, herself, would most likely need to mediate more between the Princess and Salki and Darga, to make sure whatever agreements they reached would be fair to all sides.
> That said, she might not stay in the camp very long. Twilight understood the urgency, what with the swift passage of seasons on the other side of the portal, and the need to go rescue Rainy Day. Salki would simply have to translate for himself and his mother, and one of the other Princesses would need to step in to represent the pony side.
> She looked at the sky, shifting from hoof to hoof, impatient for Twilight Sparkle to arrive so they could put it all in motion.

>>43014218

> Her little indulgence in the bath and the coffee shop was making her feel ashamed when she remembered that Rainy Day was still trapped with the people in the far East.
> Out of sheer anxiety, she began to pace around, but managed to cover it up by inspecting the donkey herd. Undoubtedly Cranky would give up with the jenny and want to see another one.

>>43014221

I didn't have as much time as I wanted, and this was getting long, so it's not extremely editor. Please excuse the occasional grammar or style faux pas.

Paste: https://ponepaste.org/11514

>>43014781
We need more ponies in maid outfits

>>43014473
Do horses like baths?

>>43015552
They usually do
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIqNmbMr8tg

File: 1825120.png (3.27 MB, 1280x7432)

3.27 MB PNG

Uh oh

>>43016818
I really need to get around to watching this episode.

>>43017578
Maid towers are best towers.

>>43010227
>It never ceases to amuse me how the general that was all about owning ponies as slaves very quickly became known as 'the white knight general'.
It's a shame, really. I liked Lithia for the abuse, it was a fresh breath of air. Too bad it's not going to be completed.