>>43468043
>No, that's a lie. You SENT her to do that because the doting is being compounded by her silly guilt over being in on that surprise party...
>Okay, you poked at it a bit cuz you're still mad at her lying about having a paying job.
>Point is you sent her off for mutual health and safety.
>Rainbow Dash actually tried to stick around, but you told her to just rest and go help Derpy with her bed tomorrow.
>Had to tell her THREE FUCKIN TIMES but it did eventually stick
>Mission accomplished, you're alone in the ER and you're lowest priority.
>Fuckin' hell
>Magazines, let's see-
>Oh thank FUCK you still have feeling in your horn. Okay-
>Chewing the Cud? Maybe. Give you something to talk about with the cows.
>Mare's World? Eh, nah, too much traditional femininity for your liking, but- oooh, new potato soup recipe?
>Gah! No, don't tempt yourself! Potato bad for babbo! Even if she did literally kick the shit out of you!
>
>Chewing the Cud it is! Oh shit they're making a Daring Do movie? Cool.

>Trixie rejoins you a few minutes before they call you back
>A very red-eyed Redheart, joined by a unicorn doctor you don't recognize, run a bunch of scans.
>You're mostly fine. Baby's healthier than she has any right to be and you need some bedrest and...
"Flylenol? I usually just chew on willow bark or something..."
>Redheart turns around, a bottle of pills with an overly-muscled flexing filly mascot in her mouth. "Please tell me you haven't been taking any form of aspirin..."
"Wha? No, not in the last few months, well, I took some right after getting home from the spa but... No, doctor, I haven't been taking blood thinners with the baby."
>"Okay. Good. Continue not doing that, use these instead."

>Twilight's waiting for you. Cleaned up, and with some kind of medical thingy on her horn, saddlebags bulging with whatever they prescribed her.
>Shuffling around under the weight of an awkward question, it seems.
"Come on- out with it."
>"Eh, could I stay at your place tonight? Before you ask, yes this is about the orphanage, and despite my ulterior motive I believe I could be of assistance when you-"
"Yeah, great, just one problem: what about Spike?"
>"Um... Can't he stay there too?"
"Uh, he's not in the car, isn't he.. at... the..."
>"We forgot Spike at the chapel!"
"We forgot Spike at the chapel."

Fin for now

>>43468062
All's well that ends well and.. OH SPIKE!

>>43468091
Yep. But like there is an Anonstallion thread There shall be an Anonmare thread as well! Anonfilly as well of course, but yeah /PTG/ is more general purpose last I remember. Could post in there for all of the above but eh sometimes you just want to be specific. Though if we get smaller we'll probably all have to join together.

>https://ponepaste.org/11999
Updated the paste :D Thinking I might move stuff around, maybe cut the POV orphanage stuff into part 1 of what leads into the series premiere, replace it with something more in-line with the episode's short cutie mark stories so we don't have nearly an entire thread's worth of flashback posts separating the slice of life act 1 from the escalating demon bullshit
>>43468219
It's not an Anonpony thread if we don't have the wannabe thread cop posting the copypasta

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Maremaremare
>>43468244
>It's not an Anonpony thread if we don't have the wannabe thread cop posting the copypasta
Hey, at least he's bumping the thread.

>>43468296
Not only that, he's upholding a sacred tradition of shitposting. It's the champagne bottle smashed against the hull of our collective retardation.

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>>43468296
>>43468309
Honestly true. A bump n a shitpost.. I hope they come back again later, they probably will.

pre bed
>>43468409
That gif could lure me into a bug zapper

>>43468296
CUTE MARE!

>>43468052
where do the marbles from after all? magic?

>>43469851
It's A Secret™

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>>43468309
Speaking of tradition, posting Anonmare's loving family for good luck.

>>43470129
A mare secret?!

>>43468062
Congrats for finishing another massive green. The orphanage backstory part was my favorite, comfy, slow, just day to day life in the pony world. Anon experiencing her new life bit by bit and making friends.
By now I know this is how you write, but again - some sections could've been skipped or compressed and nothing of value would be lost IMO.
I think this could actually be the first story I've read where Cheerilee plays any significant role. I love this about horse fanfiction, authors taking background characters and giving them backstory and personality. Still can't believe a former psych ward patient would be allowed to take care of children, but I guess that's Equestria for ya. I hope their friendship will be rebuilt after recent events.
I'm getting kind of tired of the frequent use of Remmie and guns. Equestria is an utopia precisely because it's quiet, pure and safe, so cars and guns kinda break the immersion. Does Trixie really need to carry a gun at all times? It's your story so do whatever you like, it just feels wrong to me.

>>43470630
Yeah I did kinda realize guns are a crutch, that's why HE only got staggered once and the rest was up to the resident max level cleric.
I kinda disagree with Equestria being a utopia; I understand why you think that but also there's so many things that can kill you or steal your soul or whatever, just casually laying around. The dangers persist and that makes the persistence of the mares more beautiful.
Trixie only has a few bullets left (Anon had like one box of .45 in the car) and Anon can't make any more (gunpowder is easy, primers are basically impossible to make by hand) so Anon will eventually be stuck using a muzzleloader or a crossbow.

For lore reference since I dunno how to organically put this in without Anon just reading it out of a book, guns are pretty uncommon for multiple reasons. Griffons love them and every race has artillery and emplaced weapons to some degree, but ponies have a lot of trouble using them and a unicorn who expects a fight tends to have a lot more options anyway. Even the Apples only had theirs as a deterrent and to scare off animals.
(Yes I know Pelinal Whiteyak let Mayor Mare go because *her ancestor* stopped the griffons from getting muskets for several centuries. Dude was meant to be a straight ripoff of Pelinal from TES, i.e. he's from the distant past but also kind of out of time and place)

Sorry/not sorry about Remmie though, she was meant to be the way Anon (and twiggy and rara and probably Flutters) can get to places in the timespan the show implies despite them being out of shape, slow, and too scared to use their own built-in fast travel, and I love when vehicles end up being characters in their own right (with or without being haunted). Like, sorry Faust, I don't really believe Twilight and co. can dead sprint to the badlands, nonstop, in like an hour. That means either your world is tiny or ponies have absurd capabilities.

Cheerilee was originally just a throwaway line but I couldn't not expand on it. I had originally meant for her to be lowkey psycho and have gotten off on some technicality or family friend but that just. didn't feel right. at all.

Anyway, playin the new star wars xcom but will start on FiM 101/102 in the next day or two, thanks for reading there will be more weird sexual escapades and plenty of slice of life.

>>43470606
Mare-be it's natural, mare-be it's mare-belline

>>43470630
Remmie is best car waifu

Bedpost

>>43471435
To get oral from a car you have to stick it in the gas tank

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>Be Anonyoungmare
>Fresh outta the orphanage.
>Well, that implies you can't go back, which isn't true, but you are old enough to fuck off in any direction
>Which you have not done yet, since you're waiting on a place to live.
>The newly elected Mayor Mare comes and gets you one Thursday evening, Fluttershy in tow.
>Right, Flutters also lived in a cute little tree-house.
>Yep. That's Flutters. Lanky, future supermodel, possible animal fornicator. She detects your big tit energy and immediately eeps into the background.
>Looks a little bruised, too. Makes sense since she hit a cloud of butterflies at terminal velocity.
>Nasty things, those butterflies.
>Right, time to go land speculating?

>"Now, ladies-" The mayor speaks clearly, confidently, but without the arrogance you expect from politicians. "It would be remiss of me not to remind you- there's a reason land on the outskirts is so cheap. First and foremost, of course, the simple danger of being near the Everfree-"
>>"Oh, I'm sure I won't mind being so close to nature." Fluttershy half-mumbles while staring in awe at a pair of big tits fucking on a branch.
>"Yes, you both seem to have, ah, 'it' or I honestly wouldn't be entertaining this. Now- the second reason... might be more pertinent..."
>She trails off, possibly embarrassed?
"Uh, utility lines?"
>"Y-yes! Can't guarantee you'll have access to city water or power, are you both CERTAIN you can 'rough it' as they say?"
>Fluttershy mumbles incoherently, her eye drawn to a fox swallowing an entire family of moles like a snake. You cannot tell if she's scared, academically fascinated...
>..aroused?
>Please no
>Ahem. "Ladies?"
"Oh, yeah, the nuns make sure we all know how to forage and survive without tap water. Melilot basically runs an unlicensed Filly Guides troop."
>"Ha. Gonna pretend I didn't hear that, for her sake... and mine..."
>>"I, um, grew up in Cloudsdale, so, um, I think I can.. probably deal with my own water, if that's okay."
>Mayor Mare sees right through Flutters, isn't fooled even for a second. "Uh huh. Well, just to do my due diligence, let's make sure you have a well dug..."

>Apples ahoy!
>It's been a couple months. Moons. Whatever.
>You did odd jobs for a while, mostly keeping their backlog of cow work from turning into a lawsuit or migration, but when Applejack finally made it home it was pretty clear they needed to be alone.
>Now, they seem to have their shit together, at least enough to be presentable when the Mayor needs work done.
>Granny Smith and the baby are dressed up in weird, gaudy druid robes with bunny ears and there's a cart full of pots and pans nearby.
>Big Mac and a few cousins (you assume) have their own cart of building supplies. Windows, floorboards, essential furniture, pipes and whatnot.
>And Applejack? Equally lanky and very sad.
>Your first thought is to ask if she's ready to work, but no-
>Farmer's pride and all. That's the last thing she wants to hear from you.

>>43472622
Stop posting dog shit.

>>43472633
I see that the troll is back, as usual ignore him.

>>43472622
>Oh damn, she's wearing the iconic tragedy hat. Looked so natural on her it didn't even register for a sec.
"Uh, you wear your dad's hat pretty well. He'd be proud."
>What the fuck is wrong with you?
>"Ah like ta think so.. jus' wish he'd handed down the hat proper-like, instead of..."
>>"Alright, lil fillies, enough with th' pleasantries, we gots lotsa hoofin' and workin' today." Granny starts bunny hopping down the road, away from town.
>She doesn't wait up, so y'all better move your asses.
>Task failed successfully?
>You're so relieved you almost fail to notice Mooriel taking up the rear of your real estate tour
>Mayor Mare rushes ahead at the last second, turning to address everyone, not just you and Flutters.
>"Now, don't take this as any kind of accusation, but you HAVE discussed payment, yes?"
>>"O-oh, no, I thought- but you said the land was-" Flutters says between sudden bouts of flop sweat.
>"Untaxable as-is, and therefore free in every way that matters. Correct. That is not what I'm getting at-" Mayor Mare turns to Granny Smith, "-Miss Apple, I have a responsibility to this town's economic health, it would be wrong of me to let you work for free, especially on a pair of immigrants I more or less encouraged to move here."
>>>"Ohhh, don't yew worry none, Miss Mayor- and call me Granny Smith, everypony does. No relation, he he."
>There's an ever so slight edge to Granny's voice, like 'hey fucker don't assume we're too dumb to ask for payment.'
>Mayor Mare winces a little, clearly getting the message as Granny continues.
>>>"Anon here's been a real help lately, during our time of mourning. Been payin' her fair, but, uh, not quite *good* so... Well, this is the least we can do."
>"And, Miss Fluttershy?"
>>>"Oh, she helped us find Winona a week or so ago... And took care of the chickens.... Forest critters seem t'like her too, way ah see it she'll be paying off big for everypony." Granny Smith glares at Mayor Mare, "Good enough?"
>Mare sweats a little but gets her composure back quickly. "Y-yes, of course."

>Past Sweet Apple Acres, past a few twists and turns, you find the little brook in the woods
>As was ordained, Fluttershy immediately falls in love with the area and starts making noises in the vein of 'ooh right here right here-'
>Except that's way too enthusiastic, but you get the idea
>Mayor Mare gives the area a once-over, probably running down an OSHA checklist in her mind, before nodding.
>Granny Smith has the pots and pans ready, bringing them together for the first gong of whatever weird little song and dance they're doing-
>"Now h-o-o-old on just a second." Mooriel's voice sends Granny to a sudden stop, the expected clang of pans becoming a soft, flaccid 'tink.'
>"Thank yo-o-ou." Mooriel turns her giant head towards Fluttershy. "You s-u-u-re this is the place for yo-o-u? There's a couple spots a little ways from here, they're gettin' tunnels dug. But not here- that brook's real cute but we can't-"

43472633
I know a shartynigger when I see one
>>43472699
>She stops herself, a slight flash of panic on her face, before correcting herself. "That is, we, me an' the girls, well the lineponies chatter a lot, they can't dig here, least not in th' fo-o-orseeable future. The brook gets in the way, an' theres a lotta registered animal nests, it'll take decades to sort out a solution. Er, so I've heard..." You note that her eyes dart around suspiciously, but whatever.
>She probably screws a few of the lineponies and doesn't want a reputation, yeah, that's obviously it
>The Apples make no effort to question her, either. Probably don't want to be pissing off an important tenant by prying.
>Fluttershy, on the other hoof, is more alive than you'd ever expect to see her. "OH YES YES YES YOU HAD MY ATTENTION BUT NOW YOU HAVE MY ENTHUSIASM! PLSPLSPLSPLSPLS-"
>She runs off, sticking her nose into all manner of bunny burrow and weasel warren and one extremely wide foxhole which, you guess, is very temporarily a molehill. Least until the fox sleeps them off.
>The responsible adults all look around, shrug, and get to work

>Pots are rattled and smashed like drums, a pony just on the edge of being Really Fucking Old bounces around like a newborn brat-
>The stallions hauling the tools and wood start bouncing side-to-side on their hind legs, singing some eekum-bokum type shit while sparks dance up from wherever their hooves touch the ground
>It's chaos and it hurts your ears but it eventually reconciles into something vaguely like Gaelic chanting-
>And at the end of this shit, a timber wolf (!!!!!) runs out of the woods with a tree cottage in its mouth, like a dog playing fetch.
>"Good girl, now, drop it!" Granny Smith puffs up her chest. "Ah said, drop it missy!"
>She gives it a few more seconds, then beats her cast iron pans together. "DROP DROP DROP! GO ON NOW!"
>The wolf yelps, twists its head a perfect 90 degrees and sets the cottage frame down on its roots, which immediately begin worming into the earth and the slight wilting in the leaves turns to fresh, deep green.
>"Good girl! Catch!" Granny pulls a live rooster out of the pot cart, holding it to the ground like a football for Applejack to buck right into the wolf's mouth. "Don't go too far, we'll be needin' ya again!"
>The wolf barks cheerfully and seems to fade into the treeline as it leaves. The stallions all come down from their freaky dance high and get to work.
"Alright, well, anything I can do for, uh, finishing it?"
>>Big Mac mutters through some nails in his mouth as the other boys start dragging in a hearthstone and some washbasins. "Hm? Nah, we got this. No offense, but ain't a good idea t'introduce unicorn magic so soon after planting."
"Eh, no skin off my ass, you know better than me."

>>43472622
DTAnon never sleeps. Off to the new adventure, yay!

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>>43472786
>DTAnon never sleeps
Ha ha, yeah....

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>>43472834

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>>43472622
Damn, new green already?

>>43473325
It's kind of new, kind of a direct continuation of the orphanage story that'll time skip around into S1-E01, but yeah. I'm an autistic fuckwad who daydreams too much.
Doesn't hurt that the parts that follow canon are insanely easy to write- we know Fluttershy immediately moves in when she falls out of Cloudsdale so just connect that to previously established lore and boom I'm vomiting words again.

>>43472706
The blessed green continues!

bed bump

>>43473933
>Bumping on the bed
L-lewd

>>43472945
mare smoking a ciggy

Postbed

>>43474366
Perhaps a fag, even

>>43475702
The ass was fat, indeed

>>43476456
Outwardly, Twilight's grumpy about Anon's slovenly disregard for her own health
Inwardly, Twilight's grumpy that she didn't share

>>43475702
That's one round butt.

Noon.5

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>>43468052

>>43477412
Cute

>>43472706
>Ponies come in and out for the next hour
>Windows are carved out, windowpanes installed, a little metal chimney pokes out of the roof
>Slowly but surely, Fort Fluttershy takes shape
>Granny Smith nudges your flank, bringing you out of your observational daze. "Eyes up, missy. Got a job fer ya." She jabs her muzzle at Applejack, who is struggling to set up some kind of... doohickey?
>Fluttershy is there too, looking on with slightly less-mild-than-usual horror, occasionally reaching out with her hooves only to stop and shrink back.
>Aight, not like you got anything else to be doing. Nor can you afford to piss off the ponies who'll be building YOUR house in an hour.
>Trot on over.
>
>Right as you get close enough to make out voices clearly, Applejack grunts about some 'peeving pile-driver assembly,' prompting a horrified eep from Fluttershy.
"Hey, Granny sent me to help with.. the hell is this, actually?"
>AJ looks up from her confluence of contraptions, sweat dripping from her red face. "Oh, hey, we're diggin' Fluttershy's well. Trees told me ther's an aquifer down below."
"Naturally." You say with... okay, a tiny bit of sarcasm, but you're mostly rolling with the bullshit today.
>"Ayep, naturally. Now- hol' this upright fer a sec." AJ holds out some kind of giant umbrella-like machine, a big telescoping rod with a bunch of accordion-style expandable arms jutting out.
>You take it with a shrug, holding it with the end of the rod pressed firmly against the spot she had her hoof on.
>"Alright, now keep it like that fer jus' a sec, ah gotta hook up the belt."
>Sure enough, she pulls a tangled mess of belts and a treadmill out of the pile...
>...and almost immediately fails to hook it all up.
>"CONSARN IT! FLUTTERSHY, GIT OVER HERE AND HELP!"
>Of course, this sends Fluttershy squeaking into hiding behind her wings.
>Ugh
>"Oh fer-" Applejack screams into her hat before continuing. "Fluttershy, ah need her help with the BELT, all ya gotta do is hold this thang upright and tight!"
>Predictably, Fluttershy just shakes harder
>They're gonna go like this for a while, and you have no idea what to say.
>You start looking around for Granny or the Mayor, and notice a piece of paper sticking out of The Pile. Instruction manual, maybe?
>Set the thingy down for now, float that over aand-
>Instruction manual! You start hungrily skimming the pages
>Yep
>Uh huh
>Naturally
>Okay. Applejack is kind of stupid sometimes.
"Hey, AJ, the instructions say you're supposed to hook the belt up first."
>"Uh, eh-DUH? How can ya use it without puttin' it together? City folk, ah swear-"
"Number one, I've been to Canterlot exactly once to see a holiday show and right after that we were stuck camping on the railroad tracks overnight in the dead of winter. YOU went to Manehattan and lived with the richest orange moguls in the country for, what, a month?"
>"Well if ya wanna use fancy facts n' logic, ah guess..." she grumbles

>>43478494
>Ignoring that
"Number TWO, it specifically lists putting the drill up on the well site as step 3. Oiling the parts and putting it together being one and two, respectively."
>AJ does not take being outmaneuvered very well, throwing her hooves up before stomping over to you.
>"GIMME THAT- lemme see-" she starts mumbling as she mouths the words, eyes darting across the pages.
>You can tell the exact moment she realizes you're right, as she smacks her head and starts laying out cables and belts for you without a word.
>With Applejack holding the drill firm, and the instruction manual at hand, it's pretty easy to set up.
>Magic, baby
>You wonder how the hell an earth pony is supposed to do this without help. Probably has some tools that came with it and they lost.
>Regardless, the machine takes shape.
>A bunch of rube goldbergian gears and cams and belts connecting a treadmill to a giant...
>Well, not really an umbrella now. And yet more of one?
>Those scissor lift legs are linked into a circular wall with little scoops and gardening tools all over it.
>Makes you think of a giant fan but instead of moving air, it moves dirt?
>"Alright, stand clear o' the mound!" AJ starts running on the treadmill and you watch, with mild fascination, as the thing digs a perfect circular hole straight down.
>All the dirt gets funneled through the nightmare of scoops and ramps, ensuring it flies into a neat pile.
>Neat except for the occasional rock of course.
>Finally, AJ slows to a stop, letting the treadmill carry her off with its last bit of momentum, grabbing and downing a gallon jug of water.
>"HOLE'S DUG!" She calls, and Granny comes and does a similar song and dance to before.
>Pots, pans, chants, sparking hoofsteps, the works. The ghostly words sound different though.
>No wolf materializes out of the forest edge, instead roots come circling up from the bottom of the half-finished well, circling and twining together until they form something like a covered stone well. But, y'know, made of roots-
>No, wait, they're fusing together and petrifying before your very eyes. Looks almost indistinguishable from stone now- Big Mac even comes and paints the roof to look like treated wood.
>Granny comes down from her dancing mania, surveying the area with a satisfied twinkle in her eye.
>After a minute or two, she speaks up. "Mmmhm, okay, let's break fer lunch then go lookin' fer Anon's land..." She eyes Fluttershy with the barest hint of disapproval. "Normally ah'd make yew stick with us, but, er, ah think we got it under control... Fancy new drills, weren't this easy back in mah day, nosiree, pa just handed me a shovel an' pointed at a hill and if it weren't a well by sundown, well-"
> Granny's grumbling trails into old mare muttering as she walks back towards Sweet Apple Acres, Mayor Mare lingering behind to spout a 'welcome to Ponyville' speech.
>You catch Fluttershy barely squeaking out a 'thank you' as she zips into her new house.

>>43473960
BUMP BUMP BUMP

>>43479680
Bump in the night!

Morb

9

>>43479680

>>43480743

>>43478565

>You follow Granny back to the farm, specifically to a bunch of picnic tables all scooched together with food laid out.
>Lunch is apples. Apple fritters, apple pie, apples (fresh), apple-fried portabella mushroom, eggs over apple, sun-dAppled tomatoes, apple butter and jelly sandwiches.
>Apple jelly, of course.
>So, basically, applesauce between two slices of toast. Which is pretty great, you're not complaining, you're damn sure not too good to enjoy cheapass desserts, no-
>It's the putting on airs that bugs you. Just call it applesauce on toast!
>You don't say any of this out loud, you're not stupid enough to complain about free food, especially when given by country folk who grew every single thing you're stuffing into your face
>But it does cloud your mind a little.
>You're hangrier than you thought, and end up scarfing yours before everyone else is half-done.
>Excusing yourself, you wander off to find the outhouse, then wander the perimeter for a while. Don't want to go out of earshot, but you don't feel like sitting around either.
>Nothing much happens really. You end up sitting down, listening to distant sounds of rural life.
>Eventually the lunch group breaks. Out of the corner of your eye you see Big Mac and the unnamed cousins loading another cart of hardware.
>Time to get a move on. You turn around and almost run into Applejack. "Oh, good, Granny sent me t'getcha."
"Figured. Saw your brother packing up."
>"Yep."
"Yep."
>You like Applejack. She gets you, you think.

>Later
>Mayor Mare shows you a map of Ponyville. Land in the borderlands is basically free, though depending on how the town expands it could put you in a tax bracket some day.
>The apple farm is south of town, and they're your primary source of employment, so maybe....
>Mooriel nudges you, hissing in your ear. "East. Little north of the yellowbelly's house."
"Huh? Why? Sweet Apple Acres is-"
>"Payin' yo-o-ou to fix stuff for us cows, and us cows are being moved out to a nicer barn."
>She catches your face screwing up and quickly elaborates- "Don't worry, it's nothing so dramatic. The Apples are fixin' to expand. More apple trees for them and more space for us. And a shorter commute to work, most days, for you. I reckon."
>Hm
>You actually wanted to avoid living too close to any of the element bearers... ha. Hahaha-
>Ahem
>"Huh? Wha?"
>Shit you said that out loud you fucking re-
>"Oh, the pegasus- eh, she seems like a homebody t'me. Plus with how the forest roads twist around, it'll be a lot farther unless you're willing to cut thro-o-ough the brush."
>Good point?
>Whatever
>>"Got a site picked out?" Mayor Mare's sudden voice in your ear makes you damn near jump outta your skin. "Uh, sorry?"

>Onward!
>You pass by the road up to Flutters's house, and pass another bigger road down which you can see the skeleton of a Really Fucking Big Barn
>And past some fences, enclosing a clearing, with occasional signs to the effect of "future Apple apple annex, git out!"

>>43481935
>Finally you reach the half-wilderness where only crazy or poor ponies want to live (you're both!)
>"Okay, well, nothing here has been claimed yet, so just call out when it feels right and I can start- oh, she's-" Mayor Mare's voice trails off as you speed ahead.

>Ponyville's backwoods feel eerily familiar. Almost homey, to you. The way you can see the gentle rolling hills of the Vale's border through the trees.
>Or the very occasional howl of a Timber Wolf (which is, you assume, not the same as the timber wolves a'howling)
>Yeah you're not beating the crazy hermit horse allegations. Like, ever.
>Still, that 'almost' is doing a lot of work.
>Wandering around for tens of minutes at a steady trot yields nothing.
>Nope
>Nope
>Nope
>There's nothing particularly wrong with any of these sites but they don't feel *right*
>One site almost felt nice... until you spotted the ice-blue blooms of poison joke.
>Yeah let's get the fuck away from that, right now!
>Run run run as fast as you can!
>Oh. Wait, you left the others behind.
>Oops.
"Hey, guys?"
>Nothing
>Yeah you definitely lost them. Dipshit.
>You're about to call out louder when you hear the heavy panting of some kind of almost-but-not-quite-canine creature-
>Shadows fall over you. The creaking of wood. A few stray leaves in the breeze, smelling like a wet dog if a wet dog was a druid.
>A ha ha ha
>Turn, slowly, and face the timber wolf-
>Okay, maybe try opening your eyes too, dumbass?
>Blink-
"H-hey there, uh-"
>The wolf is... passive?
>It doesn't really seem to do much, though it tilts its head when you acknowledge it.
>Well. You theorized, and today have seen proof, that they're more nature spirits than rabid animals. Which... doesn't explain why they keep attacking the-
>No! Bad! Stupid assumptions put ponies in the psych ward, remember!?
>
>Still, it's.. very unsettling.
>Like, in the back of your brain there's a scared little rabbit trying to make you run and you can just barely suppress it.
>The one Granny summoned didn't freak you out, but... well, that one was summoned.
>Welp, in for a penny, in for a pound. Lean in for a closer examination.
>Why???
>Shut up!
>The animal sits on its haunches, watching you but otherwise acting like part of the scenery.
>You don't... why are you doing this? You're not an arborist or a zoologist, what are you hoping to find?

>>43482050
>...Nothing in particular, which is what you should be looking for.
>Yeah that's right, just take it all in at once and see if anything breaks the patterns you expect....
>Silver.
>There's flecks of silver in this one's leaves.
>There were bits of silver and gold in the summoned one, you're realizing now. Nothing obvious, just the way it shimmered a little in the light, you ignored it assuming it was part of the magic.
>No gold here.
>No- there's a little bit of...
>Red. Or, black? No, red-
>The wood of its teeth are stained red-black.
>
>
>Strange.
>This place feels right.
>You're no earth pony, yet, for just a second you understood how they perceived magic.
>The forest, observing itself. Observing you.
>You don't even need to say anything- the wolf leaves for a moment, coming back with a sturdy oak treehouse it plants in the clearing.

>The others catch up with you a couple minutes after the wolf leaves
>All of them covered in foamy sweat, Mayor Mare slightly annoyed but trying not to show it.
>"Anon, poison joke doesn't get up and chase you, there was no... need..."
>You haven't turned around but you assume she's registering the treehouse shell already digging its roots in.
>Yep. Rustling of papers, she's trying to figure out who claimed this patch of land.
>You figure you hear her start over three times before you finally turn around- "This makes no sense, this land isn't- Granny, did you-"
>>"Nope, ah'd 'member doing so, ah ain't QUITE that old yet." She responds with a good-humored chuckle.

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>>43482053
>Mayor Mare looks around with an increasingly desperate expression, to her papers, the house, her papers, you, her papers, Granny-
>Granny Smith just walks up to the tree and puts her hoof on the trunk, muttering to herself. "Mhm, yep, okay- uhuh."
>The stallions shrug and start hauling stuff in, though you catch Big Mac side-eyeing you. Meanwhile, Mayor Mare's routine now includes a squeaking death-rattle as she constantly fails to find any words.
>You should probably say something. You're about to say something when a pair of old green hooves clamp around your temples.
"Uh, can I help you, Granny Smith?"
>"Oh, jus' checkin' sumthin honey. Mhm, yep, that all passes muster. Okay, just had ta make sure. I'll tell Miss Mare ta calm down, go find AJ... 'less you don't like having water, fer some reason..."
>
>O-kay.
>Yeah. Good plan, you pick your hoof up and start to-
>"Just what in sam hill was that about!?" Seems Applejack found you first. You turn around to see AJ-
>Coming out of the bushes?
"What do you-"
>"Nope! Don't gimme that! Ya might've been too self-absorbed ta notice, but ah kept up with ya! Figured if you were runnin' off like a bullet, ah oughta do the same!"
"Wait, really?"
>She scrunches up, pawing at the ground. "Wh- yeah!? Ah dove fer the bushes while yew were tryna get killed! What the hay were ya thinkin'? Walking up to a wild wolf like that!?"
>She has a point, you know
>Still-
"I guess I wasn't thinking.. It wasn't hostile, though."
>Your reward for that is a bap to the head. Except this is Applejack so it leaves you with double vision for a few seconds. Ow.
>"Yeah, but that ain't a good reason to- look, didn't the nuns ever tell you not to risk ticking the Everfree off? It ain't natural! The clouds just... move!"
"Okay, but your grandma summoned a wolf to lay the foundations for Fluttershy's house."
>"Tha-ats different! Old traditions, divine laws and such, you know what you're gettin' and what it costs and most importantly A. Pony. Is. Callin. Fer. It." Her words are sensible enough, you suppose, but there's an increasingly manic desperation, a weird crazy wobble, seeping into her eyes.
"Oh for-" Facehoof. "Look, you're right that it was crazy, I felt crazy, but that's what I do- I'm gonna keep sticking my nose into stuff until something kills me!"
>"Uh huh."
"Y'know, speaking of nuns, I remember- they told me a timber wolf carried me to the orphanage. See this scar running down my neck and shoulder?"
>It takes some effort.. until you remember you have magic... to part the fur and show off. AJ's eyes go wide for a split second before she reverts to her mix of disdain and concern she'd been wearing.
"Yeah- I sat funny in its teeth or something, it cut me while running, but if it actually wanted to kill me I'd be... do carnivorous plants shit? Whatever-"
>"Ah fail ta see how that-"

>>43482774
"Shhh, because, that wolf had a red tooth. Stained red, I should say. And something else funny- it was all silvery in spots. The one your granny called was silvery and gold."
>AJ starts to say something but stops, planting her rump on the ground and scratching her chin. "Okay.. Well, ah suppose that explains yer.. extreme lapse in judgment. But..."
"But what?"
>"Why in the hay would the same timber wolf help ya outta nowhere, and do it TWICE??"
"Hey, I never said I was SURE it was the same one-"
>"It was real heavily implied, ya dolt."
"Would it help if I said I feel absolutely zero fear when I think of nature managing itself? Even a weird kind of inner peace out here?"
>Ah shit
>Mistake
>She's all bug-eyed, staring at you
>"No. No that... Look, ah know you well enough, but if ah hadn't seen ya riskin' yer neck ta help a pony, ah might.. be considerin'..."
"Calling an angry mob?"
>"Callin' an angry mob, yes, thank you." She sighs and fiddles with her hat. "Ah'd be careful about sayin' things like that. Ah know ah was just givin' ya lip, but ah'd hate ta find ya run outta town or somethin'."
>>"Probably doesn't hurt that yer ol' Granny Smith ain't findin' anything out of sorts, too, huh?" The old mare's voice rings out to your left.
>>She chuckles at AJ jumping at the sudden noise, then gets serious. "Ok you two, go sort out th' water, and buy some firewood."
"Can't I just-"
>>Granny locks you down with a single glance. "Maybe ya could, but ya already tempted fate once today. Play it safe. Fer our sake, if not yers."
>"She's right. Let's get the wood first, shops might close on us, we can do the well as long as we got daylight."
"Yeah, makes sense to me."

>AJ starts hooking a little red wagon up when Mooriel lumbers towards you.
>You turn to ask her what's up and she waves some kind of map in your face.
>Yep, that sure is a map of some kind. Bunch of lines, some kind of diagram for some kind of mechanism or system of-
"Mooriel, what is this? I can't-"
>"Map of Po-o-onyville's utility tunnels. Mayor forgot about it, but, well I said we chat with the maintenance crew didn't I?" Yet again her eyes dart around all shifty-like.
"Okay, and- oh. Shit." The added context makes the map make sense. Your house is right next to-
>"Yeah, ya seem ta get it, so why the long face? Can't dig a well, do-o-n't need to-o-o. We can talk to the county office about ho-o-oking you up.
"Oh, shit, that's right!"
>The realization that you won't have to be drawing buckets of water has you grinning ear to ear all the way into town
>AJ is less happy, more confused. Spends most of the trip arguing with herself.
>When you cross into Ponyville's more developed center, she finally shouts out. "Why in the HAY are there tunnels goin' that far out!? Carrot Top's farm still gotta dig a hole fer business and she's a lot closer to town than that!"
>>"Oh, I can answer that, Applejack!" Mayor Mare calls out from behind, bringing everyone to a halt as she catches up.

>>43482815
>>"Sorry, just realized there was nothing more for me to do back there, didn't intentionally follow you! Although, come to think of it, there's some papers to sign... Uh, be a dear and let Fluttershy know to come in, next time you see her?"
"Uh, I dunno-"
>"Yeah ah dunno when anypony's gonna see that worrywart."
>>>"I'm still surprised she didn't explooode like a ripe to-o-omato-o-o when she fell."
>>Mayor Mare grits her teeth but doesn't retort. It seems she was aware of that too. "Well, it's not urgent, perhaps I should visit her tomorrow, it's getting a bit late.."
"Sure. You were saying? About the tunnels or-"
>>"Hm?D'oh! Right, yes, I have iiiiiit- right here!" She roots around in her saddlebag for some paperwork, mumbling as she skims over it. "Mm, mm, ah! Yes, in preparation for the expansion of Sweet Apple Acres, the Ponyville tunnel crews are prioritizing the area for irrigation. Which, of course, requires the base water and power infrastructure before doing anything more specific."
>Applejack leans in, "Basically the new orchard's big enough that nopony's gonna risk pegasi forgettin' ta water it, so we gots fancy sprinklers."
>>"Ahem. It's more that the new agricultural base is too big to justify the weather teams making special trips. Either we handle it on-site or not at all."
>You catch Mooriel muttering to herself. You only catch something like 'uh huh.... ever not.... our own...'
>>"Yes, Mooriel, I haven't forgotten. We can finalize the hookups for your new barn too." Mayor Mare puts a hoof on Mooriel's massive shoulder, while Mooriel just looks around suspiciously. Again.
>Weird. Whatever, she's a slightly shifty cow, that's not a crime. Even if it is, she's treated you right, you wouldn't turn her in even for a six figure reward.
>Seven? Maybe a seven figure. Come on, you're only human. Or, equine. Or, actually some bizarre amalgamation of both, on a philosophical level? Bah. Stop that.
>Town Hall awaits!
>"Oh, uh, nah we need ta get that firewood. Ya got lights and water, what're ya gonna cook with? A lightbulb?"
>Right
>Yeah
>Technically, an easy-bake oven is just a giant lightbulb in an enclosed space. So, yes, given a large enough- oh you get the idea.
>Sadly, you'll have to bask in being technically correct without any witnesses this time- you're the only person in the world who knows what the fuck an easy bake oven is.
>She IS correct, though, you need a stash of wood unless you're fine with eating naught but cold grass and hay.

>The rest of the trip goes off without incident.
>A few earth ponies have a side hustle selling 'fresh' firewood. Fresh meaning harvested from a proper gods-fearing pony farm, not scavenged from the terrifying wilds where only strange pagan faith allows any kind of control over your circumstances. Duh.
>Applejack shoos you off to deal with the formalities while she haggles.
>Town Hall? Just as quietly, orderly-chaotic as last time.

>>43482885
>You sign your title deed, spelling your name in Simplified Equestrian script and drawing your cutie mark next to it. In triplicate.
>Urgh. Makes you shudder. Whatever ink they made you use must be magic, the take-home copy keeps emanating a feeling of belonging at you. Since when the hell does real estate paperwork EMANATE?
>With that dealt with, there's just the utility company left.
>There'll be ponies by to link up your house tomorrow morning, but you'll have no lights or running water until then. You think about buying takeout, but you gotta go back to the orphanage to grab your shit and you just KNOW they're gonna feed you whether you like it or not.
>As you leave, AJ is waiting on the porch/deck/thing, wagon piled with a few cute little fireplace logs. You also spot a matchbook and an old tinderbox tucked away.
>"Nah, don't worry about it, call it a housewarmin' present. Only a few bits anyway. 'Sides, ya...."
>AJ shuffles about, looking unsure. "Ya saved us a lot more grief n' income than Granny's lettin' on. Y'know, keepin' the cows happy an' all."
"Yeah, and? She paid me a fair rate. Sure, it coulda been more but whatever, I was willing to do it for free. BUT, I'll happily accept your wood, if you insist."
>"Well yes, ah do believe ah insist ya take mah wood."
"Alright, then. I will take your wood, with gusto."
>Wait
>...She's smirking.
>
>Goddammit.
>YOU'RE SLIPPING!
>Shoulda seen that from a mile away!

>AJ stays with you as you make one last return to the orphanage.
>"Job ain't done til you're home fer the night." She says. "Jus' a professional courtesy."
"Uh huh. Y'know, the tsundere act really doesn't suit you."
>"Soonderwhatnow? You been talkin' ta Fluttershy or somethin?"
"Nothing, nevermind. Just admit you're being nice because we're friends."
>Scoff. "It can be both!"
"Uh huh, so you admit it."

>Just as you assumed, the nuns have a big going-away party.
>Full Trottingham breakfast for dinner, with enough extra for Applejack (who is extremely grateful as she obviously didn't think this far ahead)
>You don't own much. Most of it fits in your saddlebags; your thicker books are bundled and lashed to the top of the wagon pile. Your scarf? Eh, it's cooling down as the sun dims for the night, you can wear it home.
>You find yourself lingering at the main hall. Hard to believe you've spent like 20 years here.
>AJ slows to a halt as she looks around for you, but she just nods when she realizes what you're doing.
>Party's over now, hugs have been given, goodbyes said, all that shit. Now they pay you little mind, life goes on.
>You're just moving into the town this place is right next to. You know it, they know it, that's why the party wasn't so insistent upon itself.
>A formality, really. A young mare SHOULD have a little feast before moving out.
>Still, it's a little melancholy, this transitional moment. The gravity of it all, knowing the second you step out that door you're an adult.
>Right.

>>43482887
>NOW you're an adult, and not earlier when you were surveying land, or signing papers in your own name-
>Alright
>Stop wallowing. Get out the door before AJ decides to run off with your tools.

>The sun is at its dimmest before nightfall when you get back.
>House is all set up. Windows, doors (with locks!). All checks out.
>You head inside. Keys are in a bowl right next to the door.
>It's rather bare, but not unfurnished. Kitchen has a stove and a sink. AJ drops the wood into the bin, tips her hat and heads home.
>Upstairs, there's a bathroom (with a big GO OUTSIDE FOR NOW note taped on the door) and your bedroom. Bed's a bit mediocre, but it was practically free. Can always upgrade later.
>Books slide neatly onto the shelves. There's a couple gassed-up lanterns but you could probably just collapse in bed just fine.
>Yep. It's a house. Not much bigger than an apartment, but plenty of space for one.
>And it's YOURS.
>Your inner ape beats its chest in triumph. Ancestors of a body now dead surround you and cheer, for YOU are living the dream. YOU own PROPERTY and are GAINFULLY SELF-EMPLOYED.
>Fuck yeah.
>Take that well-deserved sleep in your own fucking bed under your own fucking roof on your own fucking land-
>
>
>Goddammit it's quiet.
>And the crickets, THE CRICKETS HAVE FOLLOWED!
>Sleep comes uneasily. Consider investing in some kind of soundproofing. And maybe consider not drinking 4 full trucker mugs of breakfast tea for dinner.

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>>43482890
That satisfying feeling of having it all in your name..

Thanks for keeping it going DTAnon! love ya. Enjoying the comfy slice atm.

>>43482890
very nice green anon keep it up :D

>>43483033
That mug's a bit small. By trucker mug I mean those giant 64oz plastic thermos mugs.

>>43482890

>Days blend into weeks. Months. Not quite a year, though.
>Water and power aren't terribly expensive and you can forage whatever food you can't buy, so you live at your own pace.
>Life's pretty great, all things considered. Might need to find a personal project. Or advertise, so you can afford more expensive hobbies.
>And, of course, there's the occasional urges. Maybe every few months, getting more intense in springtime.
>Just seems to be how it works for ponies.
>Coincidentally, you sometimes find yourself yearning for attention. Even more coincidentally it seems to rise and fall right in line with that cycle.
>Yes siree, you just happen to be lingering at Sugarcube Corner right when your back end is feeling sensitive and high-maintenance.
>You certainly aren't hoping you catch some mare's eye, or some stallion, or some combination-
>Ha.
>Ha ha.
>...
>Yeah it's getting lonely.
>Still, can't complain much. Leagues better than the life you lost.
>Melilot does occasionally wander near your house, with her weekend hiking group. They don't stop for long unless they really REALLY need water, but it's nice to see them.
>And of course you spot the occasional group in town, but as your peer group ages out of the orphanage you kind of stop associating with the nuns.
>There's never any singular moment when you cut them out, you just kind of realize one day that you're hanging out with your work friends/employers most of the time.
>Not like you were close with most of them anyway, they were basically a pack of sisters, with all the love and hate that brings, compounded by you being the class lone wolf.
>Speaking of lone wolf, you haven't seen that redtoothed one again.
>Or have you?
>Might be the forest noise fucking with your horse brain, but you could swear you could spot a silvery shimmer in the brush, some nights.
>Eh.
>It'll come out if, and when, it wants to. This is probably one of those things you're not capable of controlling, so just...
>TRY and get over it?

>Summer turns to autumn
>You somehow end up helping build a stage for the school play, the one where Rarity debuts her fashion.
>It's annoying as shit working around the teacher, and the younger foals, but the money is good and the good rep with the city council is even good..er.
>Wait. You've had your house for at least a full season. Like 3 months?
>Huh. That's a long time between the rainboom and her fashion show. Well, she is making a bunch of costumes, it probably did take a while-
>You're doing the thing again!
>She's also visibly younger than you. At least by a couple years?
>Must be in her last year or two of school? Otherwise it just doesn't add up-
>AHEM. The THING? Stop.

>Middle of autumn.
>Got some flour, rice, oats, and a couple big haybales stashed in a little shed you built.
>Considering getting a cat to keep the rats out, but it hasn't been a problem yet.

>>43484580
>Point is, your winter food supply is reasonably secure. You'll need to buy fruit and cheese closer to the Fall Finale, keep it in said shed to keep it cold.
>In the meantime, though....
>Pumpkin Spice.
>Or rather, seasonal foods. Which means cider, not pumpkin spice.
>Ponies have access to nutmeg and cinnamon year-round, somehow, so seasonal spice is kind of a silly idea.
>
>
>Better get out early!
>Check your bags, lock your door, get moving
>Hum a tune. Doesn't matter what, let's go with Country Roads, Take Me Home.
>Lalala
>Trees are beautiful. The Everfree is undergoing the natural, slow color shift of its deciduous trees, giving the forest a haphazard mix of green and orange and red.
>Meanwhile you see some ponies with clipboards and paint swatches inspecting the managed trees in the other direction.
>Yep, it's fall. Because leaf fall down. Ha.
>Wonder when the rest of the Mane 6 will-
>OOF.
>You barely get down the road to your house before running into a pony's ass. The line's that fucking long.
>Fuck this, no food is worth this level of hassle!
>What's even so special about it? The orphanage had cider in the dead of winter, why do the Apples only sell it right now?
>Aargh
>Head to Sugarcube Corner instead, with this many hungry horses seeking inebriation, the line is sure to be short!
>
>
>Town Square ahead!
>Sugarcube Corner....
>Fucking closed due to "renovations"?
>Dammit. Okay, there's some fine print on the bottom of that sign, let's see here-
"Seeking apprentice baker, for whom we are currently installing- d'oh, dammit."
>Wait
>That stall over there, next to the flower shop, that's AJ?
>She's locked eyes, waving you over. Okay, this should be-
>As soon as you get up to her stall, she thumps a bunch of thermoses onto the counter. "Cider, 2 bits. I'll give ya 2 for 3."
>Unexpected, but lovely.
"Alright, I'll buy, but I got two questions-" you say as you drop three coins onto the stall.
>"It's made with zap apple dregs leftover from jam season. Aaaand it's a little 'incentive program' for family friends. Keep our workers happy n' all that."
>Well, yeah, that was-
>The expression on her face says 'yes, you are that predictable.'
>Take your damn ciders. Holy shit it's good.
>Aaaalmost worth waiting in line all day, but not quite, in your opinion.
"Wait, what incentive program? You sure you're not just-"
>"Nope. That'd be mighty inappropriate, cider season's supposed to be fair."
"Uh huh." You crane your neck as you notice a cow-shaped silhouette in the background; Mooriel is also chugging cider from the same kind of thermos while she chats to a smaller heifer with a braided mop of hair.
>"Yep, uh huh."
"So... you can't be holding that many ciders. What're you actually doing here?" Sip
>"Produce sales don't stop til winter, even for cider season. Somepony's gotta mare the stall, an' ah'm old 'nuff to pull mah weight proper-like."
"Fair enough. I just got my food stash squirreled away, kinda takin' a day off unless-"

>>43485064
>You don't get to finish that thought, as Applejack freaks out, jumps over the counter and throws the both of you clear-
>CRASH!
>>"I'm okay! I think- ow- yep- nope- yep, yep, okay."
>Standing in the ruins of the Apple family market stall is none other than Rainbow Dash, checking her fresh scrapes and plucking bits of wood and nails out of her mane.
>"WHAT IN TARNATION- YOU BETTER PAY FOR THAT, YA DAMN VARMIT!"
>>Rainbow Dash looks genuinely shocked... at AJ's anger. "What? Just stick it back together!"
>She starts squishing the piles of wood together, occasionally going 'ow' or 'what the heck is this stuff-'
>Meanwhile AJ can only fume harder while you watch the entire affair in a serene sort of bewilderment
>>"Hey, uh, hat pony, your crummy little stall is broken, you should yell at whoever sold you these defective clouds, not me."
>"Wh- juhu- AHAWAPDHIAD-THBPPPT-" Applejack is turning into a red delicious. Repeat, the mare is red and possibly mealy and bad inside.
>>"Uh, yeah, anyway, this is kiiiind of an emergency, I'm looking for-" She's cut off by a lasso binding her wings. "WOAH, TAKE IT EASY! WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM!?"
>"MAH PROBLEM? YA WRECKED MAH STALL!"
>>"JUST PUT IT BACK TOGETHER!" Dash seems to think AJ is crazy (she might not be wrong) and starts looking about
>Desperately
>Pleadingly, as the steaming mare stomps towards her just as fast as she can scoot backwards
>Her eyes settle on you-
>>"Hey, magic horse, can you fix these busted... what do you call it?"
>"WOOD!"
>>"WHAT? You made a building out of what shelves are made of? Why would you do that!?"
>The sheer absurdity gives AJ enough pause for Dash to get the lasso off her.
>>Rainbow points at Sugarcube Corner. "Wait wait wait, you did? Is THAT made of wood!?"
"Wood, metal, stone, uhhhh I think the outer facade is some kind of fancy plaster. But yeah, basically, wood."
>AJ continues to be bewildered, but she's calming down a bit. Must think Rainbow Dash is too retarded to have moral responsibility for herself.
>She hoofs her nose, sighs deeply. "Got dang it. Have you never left Cloudsdale in yer life, or somethin"?
>>"Yeah?" Dash sits, eyeing you both curiously, licking her dry mouth and lips.
>Fuck it. You give her your second thermos, without warning her it's alcoholic.
>Future you will regret that.
>AJ grumbles incoherently but doesn't try telling you what to do with what you bought, at least.
"Okay, there's no way it's an emergency."
>>"Whatchu talkin' bout, wizard?"
>"Heh, this should be good." AJ sits smugly.
"I imagine you're looking for Fluttersh-AAAUGH GODDAMMIT!" You get sprayed with cider as Dash does a spit-take.
>>"HOW DID YOU KNOW!?"
"She's from Cloudsdale, you're from Cloudsdale, you're about the same age...Call it a hunch, or a lucky guess."
>"But how is it an emergency? She fell months ago, had time to move in. Woulda figured folks'd be lookin fer her back then..."
>>Dash awkwardly scratches her head. "Y-e-e-a-a-h... we all... kinda... forgot."

>>43485127
>You share a glance with AJ. "Yeah, that tracks."
"Yep. She lives in a cottage in the northeast, got a little brook with a stone bridge, can't miss it."
>>"Thanks! Uh, what's stone? Is it like clouds? Or beds?"
>Applejack has to stuff her entire hoof in her mouth to stop from cackling like mad.
>Your composure holds a little better, and you can answer after a few snickers.
"It's gray, heavy and it hurts like a bitch if you try to bust through it."
>>"Cool! Definitely gonna remember that!"
>Dash goes low like a panther, then shoots into the sky with an audible crack.
>You watch her swerve around and crash in the new Cow Settlement Zone of the Eastern Orchards. Much mooing and screaming of Rainbow Dash ensues before the rainbow blue takes to the air again.
>AJ turns to you, pangs of sympathy plain on her face. "Sheesh... th' way she was talkin', even Fluttershy's own parents forgot ta look fer her."
"..Yeah. Shit... She also never did a damn thing about your stall."
>"Yep. You available?"
"Sure but what the hell do I do with all these broken planks? I ain't a miracle worker, I'm just good at grabbing stuff."
>"Figured, but ah had ta ask." She says with a half-growl, half-sigh. "Ah well, it was time fer a new stall anyway. Jus' bring the thermos back at some point, or pay us 10 bits. Ah know yer good fer it, just get to it on yer own time."
>You nod as AJ tips her hat and stuffs the cashbox in her bags, trudging towards home to tell the bad news.

pre bed

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>>43484069
Will do soon as I can get back to my favorite big ass gas station.

Side note power outages suck

>>43486055
Oof yea

>>43486055
Which one is it? Beaver? Wawa?

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Board is fast rn

>>43486797
Beaver! I've heard good thing about Wawa from friends definitely will check em out when the stars align.

Power still being worked on. Love the green as always btw

>>43487664
Yeah I made the pilgrimmage to Buc'ees when we went to chicago earlier this year. Got some souvenir coins and jerky and a bigass solar power charger.

>>43485143
Chapter 3: In which I realize I forgot to label the individual vignettes in the green posts even though I rembered to separate them in the future ponepaste file
OR:
The Pink Mare Cometh

>Big Mac comes around the next day, with materials pay and a contract penned by Granny Smith. Wants a new stall in the next week, you manage to get it done in 3 days.
>Magic, bitch.
>Another week or two go by.
>Rainbow Dash must've gotten the job like you expected, as you see her zipping around punching clouds semi-frequently.
>She must be an overall positive influence on Fluttershy, too, as you see her venturing into town more often, and flinching less when she does.
>Hm
>Maybe Fluttershy could understand timber wolves? Worth an ask. Thus you set out on a brisk Saturday with butterhorse in your sights.
>Perhaps Zecora would be a better option but 1: you don't know if she lives here yet (or if she even will) and 2: as painful as it is to admit, you don't need the loss of social credit that'd come with associating with her early.
>
>Your house is a bit of a hike from Ponyville, but nothing as extreme as the orphanage. Not like it matters, pony society moves on pony time.
>But you forgetting a canteen will be a persistent problem.
>
>Town center ahead!
>Ponyville on a market day is noisy and colorful, perhaps too much so for your liking, but it's the best time to catch Fluttershy without having to go to her house and knock
>...Okay maybe she's not the only one with social issues so stop judging her.
>She's actually pretty easy to make out, even in a crowd. Her coloration isn't particularly special but there's something about the curve of her face and barrel that makes her quite distinctive to ponies.
>You head to the farmers' market, buying up some onions, turnips and carrots and-
>Oh shit that's potatoes. You need potatoes.
>For some reason the fuck-hick selling all the tasty things asks you like 5 times if you're planning on having a foal before selling.
>Goddammit you're not ready for a family and even if you were, you're not gonna pick a mate in 10 minutes over some fucking tubers.
>Knowing the cows pays some real dividends, you manage to pick up an entire wheel of cheddar at wholesale prices. Fuck yeah gonna make chili cheese fries...
>Well, just as soon as you figure out how to make fish chili? Urgh, workshop it.
>
>...And Fluttershy's not in the farmers' market, though you do see Applejack there for the first time since Rainbow smashed her stall.
>"We crunched the numbers... Granny's gettin' older, produce sales slow down around now, jus' ain't worth tryin' ta be in two places at once during Cider Season." She tells you as you purchase a sack of Fijis. "If ya need apples around cider season, just cut the line, but don't try and buy cider too or ah'll personally escort ya to the back o' the line."
>Yeah you figured but it's good to know.
>Okay. You have no pending contracts and only one random personal goal today, so where should you look next?

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I made a little sketches of a gurren laggan anon mare, testing the water if I should continue to work on it. Opinion ? It's rough sketches with line work for pose and angle.

>>43487953
Anonmare with kamina shades very based, I like your idea anon, although maybe she needs a big ass horn so she can pierce the heavens better.

>>43487953
Dew eet

Oh boy 3AM!

>>43488367
The wonderful time when it's actually almost tolerable outside and my computer isn't a blast furnace colluding with the evil sun

Oh boy, 5:40am!

File: anon outcold.jpg (1.08 MB, 3000x3553)

1.08 MB JPG

>>43487953
Go Anonmare go!
>>43488505
Yep time for sleep while it's at least a little cooler..

Postbed

8

>>43490160

>>43487953
I would like to see the finished product anon. Gurren Laggan is sick.

>>43487688
>Sugarcube Corner? Seems as likely as any other place. Surely they're open by now?
>You make for the western avenue out of the market square, passing between Sofas and Quills, and Wyndham's Wind Machines (closed for the winter!)
>Sugarcube Corner is a few streets over, you can clearly see the lit candles peeking over the intervening rooftops. They MUST be open by now!

>On your way over, you pass by a nun group. You don't recognize the nun leading the foals, and the only foal you recognize is Taffy. Still wearing that red cloak, she hugs you and almost knocks the potato sack off your back.
>You return the hug but don't stop and chat. The whole situation makes you feel melancholy.
>A zoomy noise overhead alerts you to Rainbow on patrol. You call out, wave to her, but she seems to be actively ignoring you.
>Yeah, her ear flicked at you but she's just not answering.
>The fuck? Well fuck you too? Sheesh.
>Actually, maybe if you-
"Hey, is Fluttershy okay? I wanted to talk to her, figured-"
>"LA LA LA LA LA LA LA CAN'T HEAR YOU!" She makes a big show of burying her head in a cloud.
>Fine. Whatever, dunno what her problem is.
>Sugarcube Corner's dead ahead, anyway, containing the solution to at least one of your problems.
>Huh. Looks like ponies are coming in and out fast. Mayhap a certain pink pony is helping. Also giggity.
>The door opens with a little bell ring and a blast of fresh bread scent. Sure enough, behind the counter, Pinkamena Diane Pie is giving a parcel to Time Turner or Doc Hooves or whatever the fuck his name actually is.
>"HIYA, NEW PONY! WELCOME TO SUGARCUBE CORNER!" Pinkie's body erupts as much as her voice, her flailing forehooves causing moderate distress to the ponies who WOULD be ahead of you in line if they weren't backing off right now.
>Mr. Cake smiles and rolls his eyes, taking Pinkie's place at the register seamlessly while she leaps over and approaches you.
>"I've been working here for THREE whole DAYS and I haven't seen YOU before! I know it because I never forget a new friend and every customer is a friend because it's basically impossible not to like somepony who hands you a box of delectabilities!"
>Oh god she's a thousand times worse in person. RETREAT, RETREAT!
>You can feel your mouth scrunching involuntarily as she gets close enough to press your eyes together
>Those baby blues, they will haunt your dreams tonight...
>"Sowhat'llitbe?cupcakeforone?cupcakeforTWOOOO?cupcakeforTWENTY????ormaybe-WOAH!"
>>"PINKIE!" Mrs. Cake pokes her head out from an under-stair pantry, yoinking Pinkie by the tail. "Sorry, Anon, our new apprentice is a bit... enthusiastic. She's actually a natural in the kitchen, what she really NEEDS to learn is customer relations."
>"Yeah that's why I'm TRYING to make a new friend!"
>Ugh
>Just let her have the win. The last thing you need is PINKIE PIE on a mission.
"Yeah, that's... whatever, I've dealt with worse... Uh, just get me one of the daily special and a coffee?"

>>43488375
Real.

this fucking heat wave has reversed my sleep schedule, now 6am is a pre bed boop

8

>>43491925
Brit, French or American?

>>43493031
American. Euros think they're somehow too good for AC, wheras mine's busted.

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>>43491385
>"Sure thing, one lemon cake muffin and... one cream, no sugar, right?" Mr. Cake calls out as you approach the counter again.
"Yeah, thanks."
>You float 3 bits over and stand in the little waiting area to the side, awaiting both your food and the inevitable pinkening of the pie.
>Who's here?
>An extremely pregnant Derpy is sitting near one of the bay windows, snarfing off a plate of 5 muffins. Amethyst Star, smol and markless, is eating a slice of cake at the same table.
>Mayor Mare is nursing a mug while spoonfeeding a toddling Silver Spoon. Also juggling that with talking to-
>Is that Blueblood? No fucking way! No, that's just some other random unicorn built like a tank with glorious blonde hair that makes you feel kind of funny. Sure.
>...Look, we've already established you have a thing for ditzy himbos, ok? Just accept it.
>But if that's not Blueblood, who could it be?
>Hum. Been a while since you've used your eldritch spying powers, come to think of it- you even managed to miss Applejack hiding in the bushes around your new house (though to be fair you WERE facing away from her the entire time)
>But it all comes back. As soon as you're trying to listen in, it becomes a little easier. You catch things like 'new MP' and 'Canterlot posting.'
>Heh, guy's way too nervous to be Blueblood. Plus, way too affectionate, given the way he keeps glancing longingly at Derpy- could he be the father?
>....That would explain how she POSSIBLY ends up at the Gala despite wearing a fucking paper bag for a dress.
>Who else? Who else? Oh- there's Davenport. He's a decent guy to work for, not nearly as chummy as the Apples but you've done a few repair subcontracts for him. The way he talks and walks, you think he might have army experience or something. Little bit of a drill sergeant type but he pays above market rates and on time.
>The flower trio comes in, wincing at every little sudden noise, but Daisy makes eye contact and visibly relaxes.
>Drink it up, Anon, big damn hero. Still don't know what happened to them but what can you do?
>Alright, that's about all the ponies you- huh.
>Was that? Look over there, the far corner of the seating area, was that Cheerilee?
>Yes. Yes it is- she's staring at a piece of paper, alternating between drooping at it and scowling in your direction.
>...Your gut tells you it's a rejection letter, or a failed background check, or something along those lines- look at the stamp, you can barely make that out from here. Looks REAL official.
>Well. That makes you sad.
>You said you didn't blame her and you meant it. You still mean it right now. There's gotta be something you can-
>Suddenly, a wall of pink intrudes on your vision.
>"DAILY SPECIAL AND A STOUT BLONDE RIGHT HERE! THANKYOU!"
>You take your tray off Pinkie's back and note that she does not appear to be leaving.
>"I know what you're thinking and the answer is I'm on break! You COOOOULD send me away, or complain to the Cakes, or just ignore me, buuuuuuut...."

>>43493512
>Pinkie gets up really close. Just close enough to be almost, but not quite, entirely rude and intrusive.
>"I think you're looking for somepony. I can help!" She whispers.
>You do not answer immediately. Partially out of mild annoyance, partially due to having a mouth full of muffin.
>Predictably, Pinkie begins predicting your needs with her trademark sing-songy cheer. "Well let's see- I don't think Miss Doo wants to be bothered-"
>Wow, so she DOES occasionally understand that?
>"-Mayor Mare and Representative Prince Blueblood (not actually a prince that's literally his name) are talking about important stuff, so, uh-"
>....Okay. You were right the first time.
>"Davenport's on his way out, so if you're looking for him you should probably run off and catch him right now. No? Okay, then, hum-diddly-hoo-"
>She does realize if you had already seen who you're looking for, you'd have approached them by now, right?
>"You're probably wondering why I'd be guessing from the list of ponies I saw you looking at and the answer is pretty simple: you look super duper awkward and possibly waiting for your new friend Pinkie Pie to break the ice!"
>Of cou- wait. Maybe she could go ask Cheerilee what's up. Not.. the WORST idea you've ever had.
>"Anyway- oh, I wouldn't talk to Cheerilee if I were you. She freaked out and tried to killy a filly and just got out of... jilly? Jilly being brain jail for crazy ponies. She said she wanted to be a teacher so-"
"I KNOW! I'm the filly!"
>Ponies glance at you momentarily, but soon return to their food. Cheerilee is burying her head in her forelegs now.
>Pinkie Pie stares at you for slightly longer than a normal pause, then continues on. "Oh.. then I DEFINITELY wouldn't talk to her if I were you. You need me to be a bouncer? A bouncer is a bodyguard that bounces a lot, right? I can totally do that, especially if I get to wear a bowtie and sunglasses, everything is more fun with bowties and sunglasses, except maybe-"
"PINKIE! I was kind of looking for Fluttershy! Know her? Know where she is?"
>"OHHHHH!" Pinkie rolls her eyes, putting her whole body into the motion. "Why didn't you say so? She came in with Rarity an hour ago, then left."
>"It had the air of a-" She looks around like an actor in a silent spy movie, then leans in to whisper, "Business brunch!"
"Okay, thanks, any idea where-"
>"I didn't ask but I think she'd be at Carousel Boutique. Fluttershy doesn't seem like the kind of pony to run a normal business out of her house, you know?"
"Yeah, I met her a couple times already, I get it. Thanks..."
>Pinkie's eyes go wide with anticipation. She starts doing a rising squeaky... noise.. as the pressure in her builds up.
>Sigh
"...Friend."
>You head for the door as Pinkie shoots up with a confetti cracker sound, embedding her head in the ceiling.
>"Wow! I can see my house from here! Because I live here! teehee!"
>The last you hear from the shop is Mr. Cake resignedly calling out 'she did it again!'

>>43493576
i love ur green :D

>>43491925
>now 6am is a pre bed boop
Try 10AM. At this point I should apply for night shift somewhere.

>>43494400
God I wish I could sleep from 10 to 6, that'd outright skip the shitty part of the day for me and it'd be cooling down right when I'm usually ready to turn my PC on. Unfortunately, I'm a little bitch and can't sleep if it's too hot, best I can do is sleep through the start of it and suffer for only 5-ish hours instead of 10+

>>43494403
Speaking of which: pre-bed

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>>43493046
Our houses are just not made of cardboard, so the good old method of "open windows at night, close during the day" solves the problem most of the time. Though in last few years there seems to be more days where the average temperature gets so high that I wish I had an AC. Stay strong dude.

>>43494862
this.
my house has foot thick solid stone walls, with the modern addition of polystyrene foam insulation tacked onto the outside. the ground floor never gets above 18-19 celsius (about 63 bald eagles) even in terribly extreme weather, the second floor and attic especially can get a bit toasty though when there´s a ridiculous heatwave.

yuros get a sense of supperiority because we don´t NEED AC most of the time... and the time we do wish we had it is basically just what would be called a "once in a century heatwave" like 30 years ago.

>>43488883
that's a lot of chicken nuggies

>>43493576

>Carousel Boutique
>Big merry-go-round of fashion
>A store big, and niche, enough that you question how Rarity could ever afford it, even in Equestria's idyllic tax and land laws.
>Questions for another day, perhaps. Right now, you have a butter horse to find.
>Sign says open, so open ze door!
>The bell doesn't so much ring as tinkle, and Rarity's melodious voice rings out from across the show floor. "Be with you in a minute, darling!"
>You hear her and, yes that's Fluttershy's, voices lower into whispers. There's fishing nets draped across a ponyquin next to them.
>From this distance, it seems your freak ears aren't triggering, and it sounds exactly like generic whisper mumbling. The kind you'd hear on a TV show. Is that what everypony else hears?
>You could inch closer and eavesdrop but, why bother? You ARE a little snoop and sometimes you just need to cut it out.
>Doesn't hurt that your tendency to think aloud makes having less information less troubling for you in the long run...
>Yeah. Let's be normal for a change!
>...Well. With nowhere to go, your thoughts turn entirely to how awkward this is going to be.
>"Yeah I'm standing here, stinking up your shop because I need to talk to a customer and I don't give a rat's ass about your life's calling." Ha ha ha ha-
>A voice, young and squeaky, cracks across your perception. "What're YOU doing here? You really don't look like my sister's usual-"
>>"SWEEETIE BELLE! That was uncalled for!" Rarity swoops in, hastily shoving Sweetie Belle towards the stairs in a visceral scene of marshmallow on marshmallow vehicular mareslaughter.
>>"Now then, welcome to Carousel Boutique, how may I- oh, er-" Rarity taps her hooves awkwardly as she side-eyes Fluttershy. "Actually, Anon, right? I've seen you around town, hard to forget a fellow unicorn who works with tools, right? Ha ha-"
>You note Fluttershy pawing and glancing around in an approximation of impatience.
>>"Ahem. Fluttershy here was hoping I knew you, I presume due to the aforementioned broad similarities we share. I don't believe she meant any offense, it's just..."
>She trails off, one hoof mid-air, mid-gesture, trying to find a polite way to say whatever's next
"Uh, no offense, I was actually looking for her, not you..." You say with a scratch of your neck. "Not really into fashion, my scarf's the fanciest thing I own. Sorry..."
>>Rarity pauses just long enough to spook your autism, but she laughs it off when she speaks up again. "Oh, that's quite alright, truth be told I'd prefer if you never came in unless you had- oh, but, I don't mean to sound rude, I just-"
"Yeah, I think I get it, you're an artist first and foremost. And I just admitted I don't give a rat's butt about your medium. No offense taken."
>>"Oh, ha ha, yes, I'm glad we have an understanding." Rarity's laugh is just slightly desperate, painful. "Truly, I'm not offended, it's the PHILISTINES who act like they care that deserve ire!"

>>43496127
"I get it. If some guy paid me to make a fancy manager's desk with all the most expensive wood, only to use it as a chair? I'd die a little inside."
>>"Precisely, no hard feelings. Now- er, Fluttershy dear, are you going to let me keep speaking on your behalf or.."
>Fluttershy eeps, meeps, and peeps from behind her wings. Jesus how does this mare live next to The Violence Factory?
>"Um, yes, I- that is, the otters, really- need this net mended, I thought Rarity could do it since she works with thread-"
>You catch Rarity softly scoffing, but Fluttershy either doesn't notice or doesn't confront her.
>"-But, well, she makes clothes..."
>Fluttershy scrunches and looks at the floor, not finishing her sentence.
"...And you thought maybe I could. It's been a while, but I might-"
>Floating the net over, you immediately notice what's wrong: Nothing.
"...Fluttershy, this net isn't broken."
>"What? No, I can't catch anything, what am I doing wrong!?"
"Um. For starters, this is a net made for boats. You drag it behind the boat and catch big fish like tuna."
>>Rarity facehoofs. I tried to tell her the same thing, darling.
>"R-really?"
"Yep." You put a hoof through the giant square holes for emphasis. "There's no way you'll ever catch small river fish with this. Who sold you this? They shoulda-"
>"Um, I didn't get a name, a-are you sure you can't modify it?"
"I have no idea? Probably not, I'm not a professional angler, I haven't fished in years actually..."
>Fluttershy's growing despondence gnaws at your resolve.
>As does Rarity's growing need to scoot the two of you out the door and work on whatever paid work she has backed up.
>She's up to two polite coughs a minute, now.
"Okay, I don't think I can help with this net, but I can probably build you some fish traps... Assuming I can find a book about them, cause-"
>You HAVE done it before, years ago, you're not confident. It's a past life thing.
"Eh, long story, but it'd be much better if I have a reference to work from."
>"Oh, really? Well, if you think that would be best, but- um, I don't-"
>Flutterscrunch2.jpg
>"I spent my fishing budget on that net.... He made it seem like such a good deal, too."
"Uh.. okay... Yeah, I can still do it, you can pay me in fish later. So, let's go."
>You start gently corralling Fluttershy towards the door with you as Rarity mouths a silent 'thank you'
>"U-um, 'we?' what?"
"Otters need to get fat before winter, right? Let's do it today."
>"O-oh but I don't-"
"Not a bother at all, besides, I vaguely remember making fish traps out of sticks, they're not gonna be easy to transport. Better to make them on-site."
>"R-really, it's fine, I'll-"

>A couple hours later
>You went and asked Davenport if he, by any chance, had some survival manuals. Just a hunch based on his army bearing.
>He did, in fact, have a manual with step-by-step instructions for making a fish trap, in case you get shipwrecked on an island with not enough greenery to sustain you.

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>>43496227
>Weren't no thang, really.
"Hey, Davenport, were you in the military? You kinda got that vibe."
>"Yes, actually, coast guard diver. Why?"
"Got any survival manuals I could borrow? Fluttershy here needs to catch fish for the forest critters."
>"Sure. Bring it back whenever."
>It's nice when life can actually be easy for once.
>Anyway
>You tried asking Fluttershy about timber wolves on the way to her house. She knows less than you do.
>Shit.
>Oh well, at least you tried. And now you have work, albeit work that'll be paid in fish futures instead of cash presents.
>It takes some time, and some strategic stewardship of the creek topography, but now Fluttershy has a scattering of neat little twig boxes along the banks.
>For all her absolute shrinking pushover shit, Fluttershy is a decent learner, and after watching you long enough she's able to assemble her own trap.
>Slower and a little cruder, but she's working with wings not a free-floating multi-point telekinetic field, so cut her some slack.
>You take her up and down the banks, inspecting the traps while you paraphrase from the survival manual-
"You gotta check 'em regularly. Baiting will help but you don't absolutely need to, since fish are pretty goddamn stupid, but if you leave 'em in there too long they *might* escape, or some greedy critter will take more than their share- ah, you get it."
>The fish are INCREDIBLY stupid, it seems, since the first one you set up already has a prisoner. A nice, fat freshwater cod practically breakdancing in the wooden cage.
>Fluttershy runs inside and gets the morning newspaper to wrap it. "Here, um- oh." She starts to hand you the fish but realizes you don't really have the space to carry it.
>"If you stay, we could split it now? I... forgot to eat today." Her stomach growls with that perfect timing you've come to expect from this world.
"Yeah, I don't have anywhere I have to be right now. You want me to-" You cut yourself off as Fluttershy drops the fish-paper on a stump and flenses it expertly. You have no idea where she was keeping the knives.
>"Oh, yes, please go light the stove, that would be lovely."

2:36

>>43496965
five

9

Eet

>>43496290

>Okay. Fluttershy's house- slightly smaller than yours, but laid out the same.
>Stove's right there. Matches, matches, where are-
>Oh. She's got a survival lighter, like an old sailor might have. Cool. You should get one too, some day.
>Flick
>Flick
>Urg-
>Got it.
>You're blowing on the fire when Fluttershy comes in with a tray of fish filets. She eeps a bit.
>"Oh, I thought you would just, um, use a spell... Sorry, is that racist?"
>...Is it?
>How hard are fire spells?
>You've never tried. Never tried a lot of spells.
"Uh... I dunno? Magic came to me real late, and hard..."
>"Oh. I didn't mean to... You know, I've never been great at flying.. despite being born in Cloudsdale..."
>You successfully suppress the urge to blurt out 'yeah I know all that'
"That explains the fall, I guess. Whole town must've heard you.. sorry I didn't come to help, I was.. on a job... boss told me you must've died instantly..." Much better.
>You float a cast iron frying pan onto the hot stove. Behind you, the scent of butter and salt mixes with the raw fish.
>"Mmhm, I'm honestly surprised it didn't happen sooner... Or that I didn't get attacked in the woods anyway."
>Fish are in the pan, sizzling. Fluttershy's voice gets muffled as she starts shaking the pan constantly. "What really hurts is my own parents didn't even look for me. Even my best friend forgot for months..."
"Guess they all figured nobody survives a fall like that?"
>"Probably. I know I wouldn't have even bothered to look for me... Still..."
"Is your best friend Rainbow Dash by any chance?" She nods. "Yeah I met her when she crashed into Applejack's market stall, looking for you. Also apparently didn't know that wood is used for more than shelves."
>"I didn't, either. Cloudsdale is almost entirely, um, cloud... I suppose I just wanted to learn quickly.... But I was as surprised as she must've been, seeing where wood actually comes from."
>She takes the pan off the stove, tipping a fat, steaming slice of cod onto a plate for you.
>It's great. Little charred and amateurish but it's got soul, like any home cooking should.
>Midway through your impromptu fish luncheon, Fluttershy speaks up again. "Um, don't take this the wrong way, but did you give Rainbow Dash cider by any chance?"
"Yeah? She was staring at my spare mug, aggressively- no, AGGRESSIVELY licking her lips. Why?"
>"Oh, that explains it. She got yelled at by her boss for failing a drug test..."
"...From one cider she must've had hours, if not days, before?"
>"No. From blowing her entire month's worth of money from her parents, on a single keg, and drinking it all."
"Well, how is that my fault? She chose to do that!"
>Simmer down, Fluttershy's barely even capable of making accusations and you know it.
>"O-oh, no, I didn't mean it like that- Cloudsdale's, um, kind of a dry county. They don't want alcohol and the weather factory mixing."
"That... yeah. Okay. Makes sense I guess, so she has no idea what booze is and just-"

>>43468052
wtf why is Filly dying her mane?

>>43498782
>"Worse than that. They teach you alcohol is horrible burning poison that makes you immediately run off to get pregnant and die crashing into a mountain..."
>Great. Cloudsdale has abstinence-only alcohol education? Well, look how THAT worked out.
>Still-
"They're not... exactly... WRONG.... But yeah I get what you mean. So when Rainbow DIDN'T do exactly that, she assumed it was just juice."
>"Yes. Gourmet ground pony juice, which she bought as much of as she could afford and now she starts her new job on probation."
"I have... no idea how to respond to that."
>"Neither do I. I fear this will become a problem in the future."
>
>
>"So, should I not drink around you?"
>"Oh, no, I don't care. I wouldn't move back to Cloudsdale even if I weren't scared of flying, and I don't think I'm eligible for weather conscription. It'd have to be something REALLY bad, or some local jerk trying to win a record, to put me on the draft."
"A local jerk like Rainbow Dash?"
>Fluttershy's face flashes with anger for just a moment, until she actually thinks about it with a sigh. "...Yes. I could see her doing something like that, if she somehow got the power to do it."
>
>After a slightly uncomfortable pause, "She means well... when she remembers to think."
"So once every harvest moon?"
>Fluttershy stifles a laugh, somehow turning into a hacky burp, eyes wide in embarrassment. "Oh, that's horrible... I think she gets one thought in per season, at least." She says with a catlike smirk.

>Fish is consumed. Fluttershy insists you stay for peppermint tea.
>Well, don't want to be rude.
>She uses far less sugar than you would've guessed.
>That's... that's it. No scathing remark, you just assumed she had a sweet tooth. Tea's fine, as far as uncaffeinated leaf water goes.
>A few more minutes pass. You start thinking about making excuses, but to your surprise-
>Fluttershy gets up first, walking to the door. "Well, I have traps to check and burrows to furrow and moles to console... Thank you for the company and the fish traps, I'll make sure.... Davenport?" You nod. "Davenport gets his book back. I'm sorry I didn't have any information for you, but I'd love to hear anything you find."
"Yeah, sure, thanks for the fish... and sorry about Rainbow Dash?"
>Fluttershy sighs as she holds the door open for you. "Yes, I'm sorry too...."

>>43498784
why not

Where are all of our drawfags. They ain’t been posting

>>43499192
Drawing is hard. You can't expect many with such skills to be around at any given time.

>>43499192
I kinda figured they were at Mare Fair or Galacon

bep

>>43499716

>>43499919
amazing

>>43499919
Cute!!!

>>43501254
Mmm, An ice cold Arizona with Anonmare.. that's a good day.

>>43501345
If you want her to insert it before you drink it, that costs extra

>>43501679
can I pay in sex and plap her while it is stuffed in the hole I am not using?

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Anonmare somewhere

>>43501900
Vividly pastoral I suck at art critique but I like this

>>43501679
I got 20$ and a dream.

>>43501900
At peace with existance.

>>43502018
Anonmare in need is a friend indeed. Definitely needs a damn hug.

>>43501900
very lovely scenery and mare, nice art anon!

8

>>43502872
anonmares jumping around in the grass field!

>>43498826

>The Fall Finale Festival inches closer as weeks go by.
>Running of the Leaves comes and goes. You spectate, but don't join in; for all your strength and toughness, you can't run for hours on end.
>Pinkie Pie and Applejack both ran, with Pinkie being disqualified from the race pretty quickly (she's still allowed to run but they take her number off)
>Why, you ask? Well, it's not for pulling a Pinkie and teleporting to the finish line, because she didn't do that. No, she stole Mayor Mare's mic and dedicated the entire race to Wil E. Coyote (of course that's a god here, why not)
>Which ITSELF wasn't even the disqualifying event- part of His doctrine is the eternal chase so that just adds up and ponies kind of expected it, no, what got her disqualified was the actual temple of Coyote calling her out for speaking on their behalf and ruining their planned opening ceremony.
>Ponies.
>Huh. looking back, you didn't actually see Pinkie cross the finish line...
>She DID teleport towards the very end, but not to the winner's podium, no, she was arguing with the priest who disqualified her.
>...The guy left the event looking very spooked and contrite, but that's what you get for messing with The Ponk.

>Cheese and fruit are secure. You waited just slightly too long, so it was more expensive (and lower quality) than you hoped, but eh, not like you had to go into the red or anything.
>Rainbow Dash has apparently decided you're the source of all her problems, though
>It started a week from when you met Pinkie Pie, in the market.
>One second you're buying a book on Everfree folklore, the next you're soaked and your book is ruined. So is the seller's stall, so naturally he backs you up when you file a complaint.
>And naturally, Rainbow Dash can't comprehend the idea of being the problem in a situation so this just pisses her off more-
>Enough that she tries launching a lightning bolt at your house, which... isn't that attempted murder? Or at least arson?
>Might have worked, too, if a freak rainstorm didn't put the fire out before it could get bigger than a lit match. And she'd have gotten away with it if Fluttershy hadn't happened to see it from her own house.
>Okay, not that you're not glad to be alive, but this just raises further questions about why the forest is protecting you, which makes it even more annoying that you lost that damn book
>It was just expensive enough that you can't justify just buying another copy, at least not until Rainbow Dash finishes paying off her restitution. In installments.
>So now, you assume, she's been kicked back down to clearing duty, can't requisition storm clouds anymore, and she's probably blaming that on you, too.
>Surely she'll grow out of this, or get a lecture from Twilight in a few years, but until then? You need a defensive line.
>That copy of Evening Star is still mostly unread- you sort of stopped reading it one day, it never felt applicable to your situation, but maybe it'll be good for brainstorming?

>>43503342
>
>The bookmark is still where you stopped reading, years ago
>Feather Fall. A cool idea but how?
>Even with an arcanist's dictionary, an abacus, some graph paper, you can't make sense of the technical instructions.
>Lower the effect gravity has on mass. Naturally, you do that with TK all the time. Well, kind of- it's both a weird localized antigravity effect AND like an arm coming out of you.
>The farther away from you something is, the heavier it feels and the more energy it takes to keep it aloft, kind of like trying to hold a 20 pound bucket at your hip vs with your arm stretched out?
>The more detailed description, though. Matrix like a bird's wing- what?
>A lot of complex spellcasting seems to involve making a machine of sorts out of magic energy. Lights, TK, igniting fires, those are all simple effects, the book alternates between calling them 'base interactions' and cantrips.
>But feather fall? It specifically recommends preparing it ahead of time, so, what, Dungeons and Dragons rules? Except instead of math demons in your head it's all the mechanical framework for a spell, waiting to be powered?
>Sure. That actually does make sense now that you're so far removed from the frustration of your youth.
>What doesn't make sense though, is all the goddamn math and instructions at the bottom.
>This is so... fucking STUPID! Why go through a 50 step Lego instruction booklet!? Why not just, cast TK on your feet and pull up super hard?
>
>
>...Why not indeed?
>.....Because you'll break your idiot legs if you get it wrong? But you'd do that if you got the proper spell wrong, too, y'know.
>Pinkie Pie probably has a trampoline or bouncy castle you can borrow, and this gives you an excuse to maintain your relationship, which will be beneficial in the long run because it means she's less likely to go straight-mane psycho stalker on you for forgetting your fifth tuesdayversary or some shit.
>Aight. Got plans for the day after all, get moving!

>A mad dash to Sugarcube Corner.
>Watch the skies, traveler.
>Negative contacts. Good.
>Door open. Bell ring. Ponkler at the counter, "Welcome to Sugarcube Corner, Nonny! You're just in time to be the last customer of my shift!"
"Hey, uh- actually, I wanted a favor from you, personally..."
>"Oooh, sorry, you're gonna have to waaaaait-" she laboriously peeks at the clock, "-another 3 minutes 24 seconds. Unless you wanna buy something, then we could talk while-"
"Yeah, fine, gimme a slice of cheesecake!" You slam down a 5-bit coin, a little harder than you meant, but Pinkie pays it no mind.
>"C-o-o-oming right up!" After a quick glance to confirm that there's nobody in line behind you, she starts reaching back for the cheesecake in the icebox display, veeeery slowly, pointedly wiggling her ears in your direction.
"Yeah, uh, you got a trampoline or something I can borrow?"
>"For a party????????"
"No! Sorry, I just need to use it for a few minutes to test a magical theory."
>"OOOOH, Wizard Party for One!"

>>43503441
"N- ugh. Fine, sure, whatever. Uh, I also need somewhere high to jump off of."
>"I live on top of the cupcake and I got a big board you can walk out on!"
>Pinkie turns around, and the cheesecake saucer clinks on the counter. "In aboooout 2 and a half minutes, that is. Enjoy!"

>You're halfway done with your cake when Pinkie clocks out, zipping up the stairs while the proprietress takes over the counter.
>Rarity comes in a moment later, nodding to you, "Oh, hello Anon, were you able to help Fluttershy? Yes? Oh, marvelous-"
>A sharp cough from Mrs. Cake snaps Rarity's attention forward. "Er, right, might I get a chocolate eclair? But filled with ice cream? Overfilled, even?"
>Thud, thud, thud, swear, thud- Pinkie's trampoline comes bouncing down the stairs, followed by Pinkie bouncing right after it
>Rarity's eye turns for just a moment. "...Not even going to ask. Now, when I say overfilled, I mean I just had a client cancel on me, and I HATE myself, darling- I want to get FILTHY with it, you understand?"
>>"Yes, Rarity, you want your Monday usual, I get it, we don't have to-"
>Rarity leans over the counter, both hooves on Mrs. Cake's muzzle. "Ap ap ap, I don't know what you're TALKING about, darling! Ha ha ha ha ha ha-" She slams 8 bits on the counter, gritting her teeth and whispering loudly, "I've NEVER ordered this before!"
>Bits are scooped into the register with a roll of Mrs. Cake's eyes, and Rarity turns to you. "Alright, perhaps idle curiosity IS getting the better of me. Any idea what on earth Pinkie is doing?"
"Oh yeah she's helping me jump off the roof. Safely."
>Rarity adopts a passive, small smile, blinking blankly a few times.
>
>
>"I'm positive I didn't hear that correctly, darling."
"No, you did, I'm gonna jump off the roof to test a spell. The trampoline is a failsafe for if I fuck it up."
>"I-" Rarity picks up a hoof as if to gesticulate, but trails off mid-stride. "Er- No- That is..."
>A soggy, bloated eclair is set down before her, and Rarity plants her hooves as she picks it up. "No.. no... better if I don't get involved..."
>She walks off to find a seat, right as Pinkie sticks her head in the front door, beckoning with rapid jerks of her snoot as she walks upstairs.

>Pinkie's room is surprisingly spartan, even knowing she's lived here for only a few months at this point
>There's no piles of gadgets or balloons or anything, except...
>A baby alligator flops onto your face as you cross the threshold, apparently having been lounging around on top of the doorframe.
>"Oh, don't mind Gummy, I'm... technically... petnapping him... from my sister, which makes it ok."
"Uh... what?" You say as you lean over Pinkie's bed, gently peeling the gator off.
>"Right, most ponies don't know.... uh, technically a whole lotta stuff is legal if you're doing it to prank your sister. Dunno why, but it means we could liberate Gummy from some meanie wizardpants. Or is it wizard meaniepants? I dunno."

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>>43503313
How about walking in a snowfield. Last one I haven’t posted

>>43503501
>She starts grunting as she walks around, heaving a diving board through the window.
>"HNNG- yeah, he was some HNNNG experiment at her college, HNNNG, I think she said something about HNNG homonculocomputermajigs or something? There's lotsa cool magic stuff that's really hard for HNNNNG non-unicorns to control, and Gummy's supposed to be some kinda... universal remote? Anyway, board's set up! Uh- one sec-"
>She leans out the window with one eye bugged wide open, then crawls out on the diving board with her head over the end-
>Back she comes in a few moments. "Okay, just making sure! You're gonna wanna drop straight down, though, don't jump too fast forward or you'll hit the ground. Or somepony. Either one would be pretty bad."
>Before you can even answer, she zips out onto the roof with the sound of metal bars and springy fabric. Gummy's gone, too.
>Okay
>Set your purse and saddlebags to the side, don't need anything getting flung away from you.
>One hoof on the board. You can do this.
>One more. Then two more. Your entire body is on the board, now just easy does it-
>Out the window you go. Pinkie and Gummy have set up lawn chairs, Gummy is wearing a #1 Foam Finger on his tail.
>Phew
>Really high up, but that trampoline is HUGE
>Alright
>So, your plan is to.... what, just... pull up, right?
>Right.
>Okay, no, you're retarded, this was a bad idea, you need to crawl backwards, thank Pinkie Pie for the effort and just-
>>"Anon what the HECK are you doing now!?" Rainbow Dash's voice next to your ear, angry, grating, startles you off the platform.
"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-"
>Boing
"-UUUUUUUUUUUUCK!"
>>"Oh, I see, it's not enough to-"
"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU"
>Boing
"-UUUUUUCK"
>>"Mess up my new job with your-
"FU"
>Boing
"UCK"
>>"stupid groundpony cider, now you gotta-"
"FU-"
>Boing
"Awgoddammit-"
>>"Try and take the skies from me, too!?"
>She keeps yammering at you in 1 and 2 second bursts while you come to the grim realization that you're not losing any momentum with each bounce
>Of fucking course Pinkie has a perpetual motion trampoline, it's your fault for not asking!
"OHSHITI'MNOTSLOWINGDOWN!"
>>"HA! Serves you right! This is what you wanted, right? I'm just gonna go do my job, gotta earn them wages so you and that egghead can garnish 'em, right? HA HA HA HA-"
>For fuck's sake-
>You know, you're pretty loyal.
>You COULD tar and feather her and just take her place.
>Being a main character would be such a small price to pay for getting rid of her, right?
>Now, now, let's not do anything rash. You can still call out for Pinkie, or maybe Derpy will see you- Derpy... just gave birth and is probably staying at home. Shit.
>"Uh, hey, you're swearing a lot, do you need help?" That pro wrestler-lookin' pegasus stallion, the one who makes your back end feel funny, is nodding his head as he maintains visual contact
"Uh, ha ha, nope, I'm totally fine, really don't need you touching me!"

>>43503564
>"Oh... Alright then, have fun with.. whatever you're doing." He shrugs and buzzes off, tiny wings roaring like a prop plane, leaving you still bouncing with an awkward grin and probably flushed cheeks.
>Wow, you idiot, you coulda been in his arms for a bit. Sure, your frontbrain would've been mortified but your backbrain woulda been happy.
>But now none of you is happy, because-
>You fucking retard you forgot you were doing this to test a spell! Or a spell-like ability, or- whatever you'd call it!
>Okay.
>Gather power. It's kind of like flexing muscles, when you think about it.
>But instead of reaching out for something, reach down, flatten that area-
>You probably can't *fly* like this, or every unicorn would be doing it, right? You just want to make airbrakes or a parachute or something like that, which you already know is possible!
>"Um, Nonny-" Boing "Are you-" boing "Okay?" boing. Pinkie has somehow gotten closer, saying one word every time her giant blue eyes come into view.
>Right, she must have crawled onto the diving board at some point. Leaning down low, like a cat ready to pounce.
"Ha ha, yeah, sure, I've almost got it I think-"
>Just center yourself. You've been bouncing for at least a full minute by now, it's no longer new and terrifying, so-
>The sparkle-warble sound rings out. Your fall begins slowing down and you can feel the air shimmering as you bleed momentum-
>Every boing is less boingsterous, less boingant, less terrifyboing.
>Yes, yes, it's working!
>Eventually, you just softly land on the trampoline, feeling the world wobble up and down a little more as you bleed that last bit of vertical motion.
>Rarity is observing, clapping her hooves. "Marvelous! I've always wanted to learn feather fall but I never could find a way to safely practice!"
"Uh, sure, yeah, same here. Ha." Your voice is as unsteady as your gait, wobbling your way off the trampoline, and now the ground won't stop wobbling.
>Rarity looks straight up, calling out with a voice like an opera singer. "Oh PIIIINKIE PIIIIIIIE! Don't clean up just yet, I'd like a go!"
>Some earth ponies also chime in, but Mr. Cake shuts that down quickly. Grumbling about liability this and not running a funhouse that.
>Making accusatory glares in your direction-
>Your need to get away from here before he starts blaming you is countered by the lack of weight around your neck- you forgot your stuff!
>Shit!
>Pinkie will bring it back, she's a lot of things but not a thief, except-
>DOUBLE SHIT! YOUR KEYS ARE IN THAT BAG!
>The crushing disapproval of the shop owner is like an iron curtain over the door. You're not getting in that way, your legs won't let you, but what if....
>Is it possible to climb with TK? If it truly extends from your body, then maybe if you latch onto something super heavy it will pull you to it?
>HNNG!

>>43503578
>Well, if you target the wall and pull as hard as you can, it does drag you to it. But targeting the top of the wall feels too difficult, and the bottom floor is too sheer to climb with your hand magic, but...
>What if...
>You combined the two?
>Yeah! Use your horn like it's a pulley, while you scarper up the wall with those green energy claws you used to climb trees with as a filly-
>WOOOHOOO! You're almost flying upwards! You shoot over the diving board, hoist yourself forward and land in Pinkie's room with an awesome tactical roll....
>That Pinkie is not present to see. Gummy gave you a 10/10, though.
>"Hey, Anon!? ANON?" Pinkie's voice rings out, outside and below. "I brought your stuff out here! ANON!????"

>Well. That was an embarrassing discussion.
>The fact that you *appeared* to have your shit all planned out (ponies seeing you do the awesome TK-rappel ascent helped) and did it all when Pinkie was off the clock helped your case, so you aren't in danger of getting banned or even getting glares from the owners.
>Still, the Cakes would really appreciate you not giving ponies more ideas, and you can't exactly argue.
>Gonna have to find a different building to jump off of in the future, if you ever need to do such a thing.
>All in all, though, this went pretty well. Now that you've done it, and you know that it works, you're 100% confident you could do it in an emergency. Just like reaching out at all, it's such a simple thing that you wonder how it took you this long to do it.
>You waltz out of Sugarcube Corner feeling a kind of spiritual wholeness, and you didn't forget your bags this time either!

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>>43503515
>>43503623
Thank you both for keeping the thread alive!

>8

>>43503515
Mare alone amid vivid colour, cold and wonderous, will she find solace?

>>43503515
super cozy, amazing art as usual drawchad!

>>43503515
Frosty. Nice.

>>43502018
Is mare okay?

>>43503342
>And she'd have gotten away with it if Fluttershy hadn't happened to see it from her own house.
Turnabout Storm reference? Or is just Dashie trying to murder ponies with clouds near Everfree while Fluttershy watches a common trope

>>43505436
More of a scooby doo reference, and fluttersy living close to anon as the crow flies

>>43505582
Rainbow Dash is retarded due to parental toxic positivity and not seeing a non cloud structure until she was 50, not intentionally murderous

>>43504347
I dunno bout you but for me that cold would itself be solace

8

>>43506245
cute mom

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Party mare spotted on one of the create canvases.

>>43506878
That's a lot of halos, is she an alicorn candidate?

>>43506931
The three colors of glowstick represent the three tribes. Her ascension is imminent.

boopa

>>43506878
Perky butt

9

8

>>43503623
>You get some nasty looks on the way home
>Moms don't approve of mares implicitly condoning stupid behavior, it seems
>Might be a good idea to stay cooped up until they inevitably move on to a new problem of the week
>This is fine. Gives you more time to experiment.

>The Fall Finale was yesterday. The song sucked, it was just "autumn leaf is falling down" to the tune of London Bridge.
>No wonder it wasn't good enough to be in the show. You feel embarrassed even thinking about it.
>Now the snow is piling up as winter begins, and thanks to being a unicorn, nobody in Ponyville wanted you fucking with the season.
>Ah, that beautiful country racism giving you a day off-
>Knock knock.
>A very cold and frosty Mooriel at your door. "Ain't got time to chooooo the cud, we need repairs. Some idiot birdbrain wrecked the east wall."
"Blue pony, rainbow mane?"
>"Yep. I'll pay overtime, just get it done today."
>Woohoo, overtime! Could maybe buy the stuff to make a still with this payday!
>Note to self: remember to burn-check the liquor! Anything but blue means throw it out!
>You grab your toolbag and head out the door-
>Oh goddammit the snow is neck-high
>Mooriel side-eyes you. "Yeah, it's this bad everywhere. Hotshot weather brat must be compensating for something..."
>Fuckfuckfuck no wonder she needs it done right now-
>Mulling it over does you no good. Just hitch up your cart of scrap wood, walk behind Mooriel if the snow gets too cumbersome.

>Down the road from your house. Before you lumbers a massive moo-beast, tramping down the snow she already trudged through on the way to your house.
>You, the little boat in her wake. This isn't so bad.
>Heh. Walking in her footsteps, in the snow. Reminds you of that old carol, Good King Wenceslas. You find yourself humming it a little louder than you normally would.
>Mooriel's head tilts back. "Hey, never met a pony who knew Good Queen Wencescow before."
"Oh, yeah, uh, I know all sorts of random shit. Some of it I even know why I know!"
>"Better than knowing nothing."
>Of course. Never change, o land of stupid puns.

>Hoo boy
>The new and improved cow barn is fucking enormous.
>Like, 'impossible for anyone but you to fix in one day' enormous.
>Well, not entirely true, you've heard great things about that family construction company... All great except the prices, which are frankly silly.
>Hell, they probably built the damn thing, but Ponyville insurance doesn't (yet) cover Acts of Dash
>Regardless, it takes a lot of climbing, and hoisting of boards, but thanks to your recent advancement in the realm of Shit I Can Do With My Mind, it's not too harsh of a job
>Leaves you worn the fuck out, but the cows not only have a fat sack of coins for you, but also a big canister of milk.
>You try to explain that there's no way you could drink that much before it goes bad (or freezes solid, if you leave it outside) but they're insistent.

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>>43508629
>In fact, the cows are so happy about not enduring blizzard winds for another day, that you find your empty woodcart now laden down with a can of milk, a wheel of cheddar, a bucket of pickled pigs' feet, some cream cheese-
>Wait what the fuck?
>WHAT was that third one!?
"Uh, not sure if I can eat these... I mean, we eat fish a lot, but-"
>Daisy Jo yammers nervously as her eyes dart around. "Oh, ooooh, right, we were just-"
>>"How the heck did THOOOOSE get in there?" Mooriel hisses into Daisy's ear, "We were holding those for, uh, a griffon? Yeah...."
>All the cows are looking around nervously, except Daisy Jo, who is now sweating like a stuck pig
>Eh.
>They're cows, they probably don't eat pork, and even if they do, so what? It's not like it's sapient parts. Just stupid pig feet. Pigs are almost as dumb as fish and even Fluttershy doesn't give two shits about fish rights.
>Best not to ruin a good relationship.
"Don't know, don't care, not the weirdest thing I've seen in a client's house." You say with a shrug. "Might wanna keep those outside now, since your house will be warming up."
>You trot off with your haul, with a heading towards Sweet Apple Acres. Surely Apple Bloom can keep all that milk from going to waste?

>Goddamn, the wind is driving. You almost lose the road before even getting out of the eastern orchard territory, but luckily there's a lot of old tracks to follow.
>Oh hey, there's a cow very surprised to see you on the road. Wearing some kind of fancy boilersuit, must be to keep warm.
"Hey Mootilda, barn's all fixed up. Nice suit."
>"Ha ha ha ha yeah thanks honey, ha ha be careful in this wind."
"Yep, you too."

>Fucking hell.
>Barely to the fork outside the orchard and you're already getting shit on by the weather!
>That gust almost knocked you over. Would have, too, if you hadn't been hauling twice your weight in dairy, and it still sent you stumbling sideways into a tree.
>You're thinking about just following the tracks back home when the wind finally lets up
>A few moments later, the snowfall settles and you can clearly see Ponyville through the treeline, now covered in its regulation winter snow.
>You must, begrudgingly, admit that Rainbow's plan is efficient, if rather unsafe.
>Alright then, time for Appul!

>>43477412
Ay dis nigger draws some pretty good porn

>>43508312
Sad mare ;(

preemptive 7 boop since the board went from 0 to 60 outta nowhere

Nein!

>>43508675

>Sweet Apple Acres rises over the horizon, the barn looking almost like a frosted gingerbread house
>Applejack is out front, chopping wood from a pile of logs
>You open your mouth to call out but snap it shut as a rainbow blur zips overhead
>Too late- she stuffs a snowball in your mouth, but the signal had already left your brain, leaving your mouth clamped around-
"MMMMMMMMMMF! BRNFRZ! BRNFRZ! BCH! MMMMMMMF!"
>Dash zips away, cackling about a slam dunk, while you desperately spit out the offending ice
>Applejack snickers, but brings a flask of hot coffee without hesitation. "Here, drink this."
"Thanks-" The heat melts the snow and the bitterness clears the shock of it all. "Has she been fucking with you, too?"
>"Lil bit. Took a potshot at her with a dummy arrow, though." AJ says, taking her thermos back. "Coated it with paint, winged 'er on the, er, wing. She learned some manners real quick, lookin' at the red on 'er."
"Damn, nice shot."
>"Nah, snuck up on 'er. I'm a decent shot, sure, but not good 'nuff ta hit a pegasus like HER midair." Sip.
>You notice Applejack making no attempt to hide her nosing around your cart. "So, what brings ya here? Looks like you're all loaded up... Huh, you havin' a baby or sumthin? Ain't like ya ta buy this much milk at once.."
"Wh- ahda0waaho? No!" The sheer audacity of such a question leaves you cheery red and involuntarily hiding your face.
>"Heh, that was... mostly... a joke. But seriously." She scratches her chin while she squints at your dairy-laden cart.
>>Before you can answer, clattering in the farmhouse draws your eye. Granny Smith stumbles out, bag-eyed and cranky. "What in blazes is goin' on out here? Anon? The heck're you doing with a big milk can?? The cows live-"
"In the east, now, I know. Actually just came from there, guess who busted the barn wall?"
>Granny Smith starts scowling at you, muttering accusingly-
"Not me! Rainbow Dash!"
>"Aw, got-dang that mare!" Applejack stomps and snorts
>>"Okay, that explains why yer here, but why'd ya bring a milk can? W-wait, busted? Oh, come on in, I'll get Big Mac, you two go on down-" Granny cuts off as Apple Bloom starts crying inside the house. "Oh, dang it. ah just got her to sleep. AJ, you handle this, yer a big filly now."

>The door shuts behind Granny while AJ stands around awkwardly, scratching her head. "Alright, well, uh... How much did Mooriel say we'd-"
"Already fixed the barn. Mooriel came straight to me... uh, sorry, I wasn't thinking about it at the time."
>"Oh..kay... And that don't answer mah question.." AJ narrows her eyes, muttering, 'you'd better not be pullin' some horseapples here.'
"Huh? Wh- oh. Uh, she already paid me."
>AJ scoffs and bops you upside o' yer head. "Ya let her pay ya in milk? Fer a job THAT big?"
"Um.. no? I let her pay me in a big pile of cash. She came to my house, banging on the door, saying she'd pay overtime rates... I was too busy thinking about the parts I could afford to question it..."

>>43509754
>"But she already gave you money."
"Yes. The dairy was just a completion bonus, I guess."
>"And the job is complete."
"Yeah? Said so just a second ago?"
>AJ grumbles and paces around, making a nice oval trench in the snow as she orbits you and your cart. Keeping her in view starts to hurt your neck.
"Uh... did something illegal happen?"
>"Mmfmffffmmm no? Technically the cows pay rent, they sublet that barn so... ah guess it's... fine? fer them ta be hiring workers?"
"Okay... then... what's the problem?"
>"Ugh." She stops pacing, letting your neck whip round and round as it unwinds. "oop- y'alright?"
"Ow. Think so." Got a crick in your damn neck, to say nothing of the nausea from the sudden spinning.
>"Well. There's not really a problem- it's just... Ah dunno how th' cows got that much money? Don't- don't go botherin' 'em with this. Ah'm sure they just had some cash squirreled away, ah jus' hope they don't try ta take us ta court ta get it repaid."
"I'm sure they won't pull that kinda shit. They're kinda weird, not crooked."
>"Yeah. Ah'm just paranoid... So... what ARE ya doin' here?"
"Huh? OH. Yeah I was gonna give this milk to you. No way I can drink it all, but you've got a baby... toddler... something. Right?"
>"Ooooh, uh, ah 'ppreciate it but..." She shuffles around, looking embarrassed. "We already got more milk than we need, and Apple Bloom's still on formula."
>Formula? Wha?
>"Ey, don't look at me like that! Granny's too old ta nurse and ah'm too young. Ah asked, but the doc said pills or no pills ah'm still growin', put too much strain-"
"Woah woah I wasn't judging I was just confused for a sec! Sorry!"
>"No, yer right, jus' a touchy subject is all. Feels wrong not providin' for her th' way nature intended."
>She scrapes her hooves on the ground, not looking at anything in particular.
"Hey, you could have Big Mac do it." You pop your best shit-eating grin, but-
>Oh no she's mad. Teeth clenched, snorting steam in the early winter air-
>Deep breath. "Anon. I wanna smack ya fer even jokin' like that, but in light o' you saving our farm that one time, i'mma let ya off with a warning."
"Yeah.. sorry... So, know anyone who needs a can of milk?"
>Hoof to mouth. Thoughtful appul is thoughtful.
>"Hm, try Fluttershy? Ah bet she's got a ton o' cats or whatever."
"D'oh! That's so obvious! I feel so dumb right now!" You smack yourself for emphasis.
>"Heh. Suppose we're even now. Alright, git, 'fore ya turn into a ponycicle out in this!"
>You're already turning back down the road, eager to be away from the fallout of that shitty joke you made.
>"And watch out for Rainbow Dash! She's been on the warpath lat-OW! DAMMIT YA VARMIT! GIT DOWN HERE AND FIGHT LIKE A MARE!"
>Part of you wants to speed up and get away, but-
>No. The sound of Applejack being pelted with hail is really pissing you off.
>Perfect opportunity to try that thing you've been cooking up. Unhitch your cart, bitch. But put the brakes on first-

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>tfw two for one deal at Sugarcube Corner

>>43469851
She gets one every time she blows the

>>43509824
The... what? Marble Pie?

8

>>43507769

>>43508066

>>43509778

>Flashback time!
>Magic for the Evening Star, chapter 4: Practical Defense
>Entry 3: Shielding
>There's apparently many ways to make the force field thing Twilight and Shining Armor use so much
>Of course, most of it makes no sense to you. Invoke the Castle Star? Convert to Aether to create a wind funnel? Seems overly complicated.
>The instructions to make a dome out of solid force actually DO make sense, once you trim out all the boring math and fruity language.
>The problem with that last one is just...
>Well, you managed to get it working! Even had Applejack kick it!
>And you nearly puked from the effort. Felt like taking a hammer right to the hand, but, y'know, on your forehead.
>Just standing there, taking it like a champ. A vomit-covered, dizzy champ.
>Mmmmaybe that math and matrix bullshit was important? Oh..
>No, it says right there, don't do this because it's very inefficient, only an alicorn can hold this up for long.
>Well then.
>This ain't gonna work.
>But...
>Making a wind funnel? That gives you a little inspiration. It's more efficient because it knocks it away instead of taking it head on, right?
>There's a chapter on sensors later on. A lot of it is, unsurprisingly, math and nonsense. But like the force field dome, the fundamentals make enough logical sense for you to work with.
>Remember when your horn first, uh, woke up? You ran around just touching everything with a magic field that wasn't firm enough to pick stuff up.
>That's like, active sensing, right?
>You can almost, ALMOST, feel the act of stringing the two together. How the energy flows, how you have to react. Less of a math construct and more like...
>A martial art kata. A sword move. The ol' one-two punch.
>
>
>It takes some talking to get AJ willing to kick at you again, but you're wearing armor made from Rarity's old fainting couch and some Pinkie-grade pillows.
"Look, I got padding on, I can't practice without some live fire."
>AJ leans way back, appraising you with a stink-eye and a cocked head. "Uh, and why's there a mattress to the side?"
"Gonna judo-throw you."
>Somehow that makes her more confident. "Alright, long as yer not tryna break yer neck on our land. You ready?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm ready."
>She waits to see your horn glowing before she turns around.
>That touch-beyond-touch takes in every detail as she leans forward, rear muscles tense.
>Magic as math doesn't parse, but the concept of a snare trap or a reflexive motion does.
>IF incoming force > [threshold] THEN initiate reciprocating field
>A simple enough concept to do with raw magic. Any idiot with a working horn could, upon seeing an incoming attack, attempt to grab it with TK.
>The trick is getting it to an unconscious reflex. To link those two distinct actions into a single act.
>Well, here comes a rock solid hoof-
>Sensor sweep
>Estimated force: ouch
>Threat: recognized
>Contingency engaged
>Reciprocating field at mach fuck
>Threat: Missing

>>43511255
>Sensors detect one mare-weight of pony nearby, requesting visual confirmation
>
>You glance over to the mattress, where Applejack is swirly-eyed, legs shaking as she gets up
>"Daddy cracked corn an' I... why ain't he crackin' apples, huh?" she sputters out in a daze.
>Hit: Confirmed
>Threat: Neutralized
>Exercise declared successful

>Back in the present, you realize too late you forgot to put the brakes on.
>Your cart rolls down the hill and hits a rock. Probably not damaged, but the noise attracts a certain blue bitch.
>Yeah, that's right, look over here.
>You leave your mouth open, intentionally, and like clockwork she leans down to make a snowball, almost too fast to see-
>Your horn glowing makes her pause, tense, for a second. The snowball is dropped and she flies off-
>Well. It was that easy? Why the hell didn't-
>POP POP POP POP POP POP-
>Little hailstones bounce harmlessly away from you. "AAAAH, STOP CHEATING YOU DUMB CONEHEAD!"
"Then quit flying and come down here like a mare!"
>She tucks her entire body onto her (probably stolen) hail cloud. "YEAH, YOU'D LIKE THAT, HUH?"
>This is really pissing you off-
>Y'know, hail doesn't even hurt that much, especially when it's only like 10 feet above you.
>You can afford to widen your senses...
>Woah this is fucking weird-
>"HEY WHAT'RE YOU DOING!? QUIT MAKING MY FUR STAND UP!" Dash leans over her cloud, scowling down at you
>...which means her rump must be over the middle of the cloud. You can't really grab the cloud, but all the ice crystals stuck in it? That's just water, baby.
>Get ready to shove in 3, 2, 1-
>"ANSWER ME! WHAT ARE- EEEEEEEEEP!"
>She zips off, screaming about the cold, a veritable fistful of ice now compacted against her cooch and tits.
>"Wait, what'dja do, did you-" Applejack immediately keels over in a laughing fit "YOU DID! HA HA HA"
>The shadow of her sweet hat falls over you as she approaches, wiping a tear from her eye. "Alright, that was almost worth all the shit she was flingin'. Let's go to Fluttershy, yer cart don't look too banged up."
"Together? Don't you have chores or something?"
>"Pfft, already chopped wood n' checked the fences. Buck else am ah s'posed to do? It's winter!"

>>43509813
one really happy mare for sugary delights

9

>>43511301
Now that'll get er to chill out a minute lol. I like this "calm" time you got going on right now. Especially the girls getting to hang out even if they aren't on the "best" of terms right now. Betting bits RD is gonna come back for more later and I'm all for a great time in the snow while nothing needs doing, certainly takes the mind off the heat IRL.

pweeb

>>43512346
sleep well

>>43512676
Fat chance but thanks

beep

boop

>>43514082
they make anonmare so fucking hot in the marefair animations holy shit, every time i watch them i get awestuck by it

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>>43514156
I liked waitress anon.

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Also it was fun to spot Jargon with Anonicorn.

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This one too.

>>43514162
Ah one of my favorites as well.
>>43514167
Hoping we'll be able to play spot the mare next year as well.

>>43511301

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAYhNHhxN0A
>MissionImpossibleDundunDUN.mp3
>You and Applejack channel your best Pinkie Pie as you dart from tree to tree, always watching the sky, as you skirt around Ponyville
>...Well, you try to, anyway
>Your cart is heavy and you're not wearing any kind of snowshoe, leading to a lot of slipping and wheel spinning as you try to get moving
>Dun dundun-dun-dun DUN DUN
>Scream into the sky, but all that comes out is synth notes, in an infuriatingly familiar tune
>Grit your teeth as you face a big hill. Even with AJ pushing from the bottom you're basically punching your hooves into the dirt to get any traction
>Finally, you crest the-
"AJ STOP PUSHING STOPPUSHINGFUCKFUCKFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-"
>Down the hill you go
>Watch out for that-
"OW"
>Tree.
>Somebody better be laughing, cuz you ain't
>
>Shit. There's a gigantic pile of snow blocking the perimeter trail. Gonna have to dip into Ponyville on a detour.
>At least the roads inside the town are properly maintained and salted and such. Your cart won't be a liability until you're back in the treeline.

>Deedeedee, DEEDEEDEE
>The shadow of wings outstretched sends you running to take cover in... an abandoned schoolhouse!?
>Eh, whatever works
>...this place has bad memories. YES, in spite of you never being here before!
>Peek out the door, scanning for threats-
>There! Power-napping on a cloud!
>Every other snore she opens one eye, looks around, and goes back to sleep for the next breath.
>Honk-shmii
>You only opened the door a crack, so...
>Well, you can stay here, but you really don't want to. Even without the Cheerilee association, it's fucking cold in here and there's no fireplace. Plenty of desks and pencils you could burn, but no hearthstone or chimney.
>Honk-shmii
>Peek out again, come on, there's gotta-
>Aha!
>Bushes! Time to try something stupid!
>Wait for her eye to close
>Honk-shmii
"NOW!"
>Squeak
>Clip Clop
>Pomf!
>Tink, tink, your eyes blink. Once the customary cloud of scattered leaves settle, it's weirdly easy to see out of this bush. Yet Rainbow Dash fails to notice you.
>The fact that you have a legitimate superpower regarding that is... more depressing than anything else, really.
>Regardless, now you can red light/green light into the forest, stopping whenever Rainbow's eye opens

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>>43514548
>Tiptoetiptoetip-
>HONK-shimimimi
>Tiptoe-
>HONK-shmi
>Tip-
>"Hey, wait a second..."
>Shit
>You share a worried glance with AJ as a powerful flip-flap turns into the lazy wingbeats of a hovering pegasus
>The wind of her wings is tickling your face-
>Hnng
>Shitshe'sgettingcloser
>"This bush looks outta place...." Rainbow Dash squints.
>Sweat.webp
>"Yeah, there's already 3 of these right here...." Her squint turns to an accusatory glare.
>
>"Must've gotten extra! Fluttershy needed a bush for something, I'll just- HNNNNNNG!"
>Your world lurches forward a bit as Dash fails to pick the bush up. Probably because you're holding onto the trunk for dear life.
>"Dang, plants are heavy! No wonder houses hurt so much when I hit them!"
>Rainbow Dash's wingbeats accelerate, almost buzzing like a hummingbird, as she strains against the effort of pulling you.
>"Okay, come on, stop fighting with me ya dumb dwarf tree! HNNNNNG!"
>Another lurch as you scrape forward a few inches.
>"You're only making this harder on yoursHNNNNNNNf!" Scrape. Lurch. "Come on, you got a date with... I dunno, HNNNNNNG, a swarm of hungry rabbits or something I guess? HNNNNNNG-"
>You and AJ both stare forward, dumbfounded. It's really working?
>That goddamn spy music crescendos as Rainbow Dash hauls you the rest of the way to Fluttershy's cottage
>It really fucking worked.

preb

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>>43514555
Get played RD! Loving the green as always keep em coming.
PS: I hope the is finally letting up on you Anon!

>>43514809
THE HEAT the BURNING FRIGGIN SUN damn, I'm sleep gonna pass out. night Anons

>>43514821
Heet

>>43514821
Yeah, it is. Dont die, i feed on (You)s

9

>>43515489

>>43515108
Here, chew on mine.
>>43514555
Checked and I was wondering why are they suddenly avoiding Dash, while both want nothing more than to confront her. Anon could probably come up with a way to grab or otherwise immobilize her with magic if she tried any more weather attacks.

>>43516015
>Immobilize
Theoretically yes but I've never liked the way the show handles it, TK is simultaneously the weakest shit ever (see: Swibble bapping Rarity's horn) and an instant win button (every time Twilight picks someone up and carries them off).
It's never been directly stated in the text but ponies are capable of shrugging off certain spell effects, either through inner magic or just physically forcing their way through it. Call it a spell or will save if you want to use game terminology, but Dash is absolutely a strong enough flyer that anyone but Twilight would lose more energy than it's worth trying to restrain her.
There ARE spells to restrain ponies- compare gambling everything on trying to tackle a guy vs a proper counter into a chokehold (and cuffs or a rope), but as has been repeatedly established, Anon can barely cast the equivalent of 1st level spells without basically reconstructing the entire spell in a different method.

Or she could tie her up with a rope, but Applejack left her rope inside while she was chopping wood.
>Want to confront Dash
Overall yes but Anon spent hours hauling planks around with her magic and hammering nails with her mouth and hooves, she wants to not escalate, at least not today. Shoving ice down Rainbow's metaphorical pants was a knee-jerk reaction to seeing Applejack being hailed on.

>>43514162
cute

>>43516058
>Theoretically yes but I've never liked the way the show handles it, TK is simultaneously the weakest shit ever (see: Swibble bapping Rarity's horn) and an instant win button (every time Twilight picks someone up and carries them off).
I don't really get your problem with this. The ponies that ragdoll ponies with TK are Twilight and Luna and the creatures that do something similar are Discord and Chrysalis. Fluttershy is strong but she's not Princess Luna strong.