It was about a week after the presentation that you got the call from her. She was sobbing. Hard-fucking-core. So, you went over to her place to find out what the matter was..
"It's gone.." She was curled up on her crappy little mattresses, holding her stomach.
You got the idea.. and really.. at your age.. it hurt more than it should have. You had.. PLANS, now.. real plans.. intentions and desires. All based around what happened after falling in love with what used to be your bully.
And now, the lynchpin of those plans.. was gone.
All you could do was curl up in bed behind her, and hold her as she cried. Neither of you had told anyone, yet. You were still thinking about how you were going to explain this all to your parents. How you basically violated the unspoken rule: Don't get a girl 'in trouble.'
After about an hour of sobbing into you, rolling over and sobbing seperately, then rolling into you for quiet hugs, Sunset finally spoke up.
"In a way.. don't.. think bad of me.. but.. I'm glad it's gone.." She finally said, her voice choking.
"What!?" You gave her a perplexed look that really defies words.
"Let.. me explain." She looked up at you, biting her bottom lip. "When I had it inside me.. I felt something. I had.. dreams. I had desires. I had things I'd never felt before. It made me realize that.. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." She shrugged a little. "That's not the hormones talking. I'm serious. You're the first human who ever treated me.. so nicely. Even after everything that I did, you still.. you cared. You showed me love. Friendship. Stuff I didn't think I deserved." She shifted a little. "We almost had a kid." And nuzzles your chest. "I want to be with you, Anon. But, now.." *Sigh* "..I realize that I want to wait to have kids, until we're both ready. Until we can support ourselves.. AND them. I don't want them growing up like.. this." She waved a hand at her shitty studio. "You were right when you said money isn't everything.. but it's a necessary thing." *Sigh/whine*
"You know, Sunset.. I.." You rolled over and dug something out of your backpack. "..I thought the same thing. I bought this.. I.. I was going to give it to you this weekend." A ring box. You opened it and showed it to her. Your Christmas Money, of course, plus a little from your bank account. It was a simple silver ring with a cheap ruby and yellow beryl gems in it. "Sunset.. my mind hasn't changed.. would yo-"
She kissed you, and slipped the ring on.
"You don't even have to ask, Non." She cuddled into you as hard as she could. "Of course I will." *Sigh* "Now.. we just have to focus on survivng high school. What do you want to do after that?" She shrugged a little.
"Trade school." You say, without hesitation. "I don't have the patience or ass-kissing ability to do finance jobs, like my mom does." A small nod. "Blue collar work is honest, good-playing work. And I won't make the same mistakes my parents made - I'll be damned certain to be there for our kids." A small smirk. "How many you want?"
"I dunno.. three.. maybe four.." She smiled, and shifted position again, trying not to fall asleep. "..I think I can do finance. It attracts me. Playing with money, like that. Takes skill.. knowledge.. networking.." She shrugged a little. "..you have to be good. Be the best." She nodded, firmly. "And I promise the same thing. We'll never miss a moment - not between the two of us."
"There's just one problem, Sunset." You frown a little. "Technically, you don't exist." And shrug a little. "Social Security card, ID, credit history, things like that. You don't exist. I have no idea how you even got into the school."
"Ehh.. a little magic.." She shrugged. "..maybe one day, if I can ever show my face in Equestria again, I'll show you real magic." She looked up at you, smiling. "Not that you didn't pull some off in my life already."
"Thanks." You smile. "You've come a long way from calling me Nerdboy."
"Now you're MY Nerdboy." She ruffles your hair a little. "Maybe I'll share a little. I dunno. I want.. because of you, now, I want to try all sorts of new things. New experinces. I.. I feel like I deserve to be happy."
"I'll do whatever I can to make sure you ALWAYS feel that way." You hug her. "..what about.." The week-old thing that was a combination of your DNA.
"I decided the only way I can do right by it, is by moving on. No names, no stupid memorial plates, no silly BookFace pages.. just.. a memory.. that it showed me that I deserved to HAVE a life." She rolled over so that she was on top of you, looking into your eyes. "It. And you." Her hands snaked into your hair, but she immediately cramped up and held herself. "Fucking.. period.." A groan, and she went for the bathroom, staggering. "Estrus was easier to deal with!" She snorted. "I love you, now. I really do. But no fooling around for a while, okay?" She whined. "Too much pain. That and I need Birth Control, now."
"Estrus, eh?" A small smirk. "Yeah, I understand." About the sex thing. "I think I know how to break this to my parents." The idea suddenly came to you.
*Grooooooooooaaaan* "Uh-huh.." She moaned from the bathroom.
"First of all, you got any Mydol or anything?" You sit up in the bed and dig through your backpack.
"Mydol..?" Such an inquisitive tone of voice!
"My study buddy. Caffiene, pain killer, light muscle relaxant." You dig out your bottle, and go to her bathroom.
"I'm on the toilet, you know!" She looked offended a moment, but it softened.
"It's not like I haven't seen you naked." You smirk. "Here, take these. Need water?" You put the pills in her hand.
"No.." She gulped them down. "..this'll help?"
*Chuckle* "It's meant to help women on their periods. But it's the best headache medicine on the market, too, and with a couple Mountain Dews or something, it'll keep you going even on just a couple hours of sleep." A shrug. "Just wait about.. twenty or thirty minutes, you'll be fine."
Sure enough, in no time, she was.. improved. Not 'better' but improved. You also took her over to your house - a rare day, both of your parents were home.
"Mom? Dad?" They were in the front room, watching TV. "I got someone I want you both to meet."
"Eh..?" Your dad is the first to look up. "Aw, Jesus, Son! You DIDN'T!" His face screwed up in both confusion and not-sure-if-mad.
"No, no, Dad. We're not in trouble." You bring Sunset out from behind you. "Not THAT kind of trouble."
"Uh.. hi. Sir. Ma'am." She nodded to them, sheepishly.
"Hello, dear! You must be the one that Anon was talking about - you two did that project together." Mom grinned a little.
"Yeah, uh.. can I just sit down and explain this all to you guys?" You give them both a concerned look.
*Grunt* "You sure you didn't get her in trouble, mah boy?" Your dad wags his finger a little.
"I'm sure, Dad." You take a seat. "Shoot.. where do I begin.." You look at Sunset.
"The beginning would be nice, honey. Can I get you anything to drink?" Mom asks Sunset.
"Anything that'd help with my period.." She rubs her tummy some.
THAT seemed to put your Dad at ease - if she's having a period.. anyhow, your mother went and got you both something to drink.
"It all started with the winter storm." You begin. "We.. did some things.. I admit it.." You clear your throat a little.
"I'm guessin' you used protection, mah boy?" Dad cocks a brow at you.
"Uh.. yeah.. about that.. uh.. Dad, you remember the time when I was about nine and I screamed and ran away from your bedroom that one night?" A little embarassing, this moment was..
"Ye-Ah.." Dad takes a moment to recall. "..why?"
"Well.. ah.. I remember specifically, that night, Mom said you wouldn't fit in a.. condom.. and well.. let's just say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, in that regard..." You give your Dad a sympathetic look.
"Oh? OH!" *HA-HA!* "MAH BOY!" He leans over and pats your arm real hard. Pride? Yes. He leans back a bit and strokes his big, orange beard.
Both Mom and Sunset blush a little, look at each other, pass sympathetic looks back and forth, blush a little more, and recline back a bit.
"Go on." Dad encourages you.
*Ahem* "Anyhow.. uh.. we got lucky and stuff, but that's not the point. Now.. I know I'm not even 18 yet, but.. well.. we both decided we want to be together for the rest of our lives. I mean.. I know you and Mom both got married right out of High School - you two didn't, like, decide all that in the week after graduation, so.." You gesture a little.
"Uh-huh. Naw, ah.. we kinda made our minds up about the same time you two did.." He smirks a little.
"..anyway, uh.. Sunset IS in some kind of trouble, but she's not Pregnant.. she's.. she doesn't legally exist." You give your dad a confused look. "It's hard to exlplain - her folks were these hippie survivalist types that didn't trust the government. So, they gave birth to her at home, and never got her a Social Security card or anything. She doesn't even know how they got her in any schools, but they did, and they were all weird places. Anyway, when she was about to enter High School, they up and moved here and got her into Canerlot High. She doesn't even know how. Then.. well.." You pull out your phone and bring up the bookmarked article. A house explosion about a month before your family moved in. "..their house exploded. She wasn't home at the time." Sure enough, a Jane Doe and a John Doe's remains were recovered from the wreckage. "Thing is, she's been afraid of.. you know.. going to anyone about this. Her folks were involved in some shady stuff, and she doesn't really know anything. She doesn't want to have to get uprooted again, and maybe never finish high school or go to college, for being detained in some FBI safe house for years and being questioned about things she doesn't really know anything about." You take a sip of your drink as your parents take this all in. "She's been supporting herself with a job at the mall - Devil Dog Hot Dogs - but it's.." You look at your mother. "Mom, her apartment is a studio in downtown, the bad part. She's got a fridge that barely works, one pot, one frying pan, two plates, a fork, and a knife. She's got six outfits of clothes, her heater barely works, and the car she managed to get with the last of her parents' money completely broke down right before Christmas." You shrug. "She.. she can't really make it on her own. She can't get a job that pays enough for the hours she can work including school.."
"I don't mind working." Sunset chimes in. "It's just a pain in the ass juggling work, school, and Community Service." She shrugs.
"What'd'you get Community Service for?" Dad asks.
"I made a big mistake. I let my jealousy over someone I used to know, go to far, and I kinda damaged the school." She looked at the floor. "I did it because I felt she was to blame for what'd all happened to me - in a way, she was, but not like what I was thinking - and I felt I didn't deserve to really.. you know.. have a life. Or be happy. Or anything. So, I took it out on her." She hugged herself. "Getting caught was the best thing that ever happened to me, until I met Anon. It showed me I didn't have any right to.. make others suffer for my life. Anon.. showed me I deserved to have a life. And to be happy. To be honest, without him, I wouldn't have any idea what to do.. he showed me what it means to be truly happy for the first time in my life. My parents.." She looked at you. "..they were never home, much, or they left me with someone - different people all the time - and sent me off to tutors or 'special' schools, they called them.. they were never there for me. I can't even remember them once saying that they loved me." She hugged herself a bit.
"Oh, you poor dear.." Mom goes over to hug her, and - thanks to Period Hormones - Sunset cries at the drop of a hat.
"Hm.." Dad gets thoughtful, and scratches his beard a little. "Son, come join me on th' porch - let the wimmenfolk have themselves a good cry." He nodded, and led you out there. Once he did, he cracked into his beer chest and - gasp! - handed you one. "I think you earned this, mah boy. Don't think I didn't see that ring on her finger. What'd'at set'cha back?"
"I.. used all the Christmas Money you guys gave me, and some of my savings. I.. I wanted it to be special." You shrug and crack open the beer. "I guess this is your way of saying 'You're almost a man today, mah boy?'"
"Yeah. Almost." He pats you on the back. "Where're you two goin' after this?"
"I want to go to trade school. Welding, probably, and some in engine mechanics." You shrug. "She wants to do finance.. investment banking, like Mom." You give him a bit of a smirk. "She likes the idea of winning the money game."
"Mm." He nods. "I want'cha make me a promise, Mah Boy." He drinks some of his beer. "Promise me you two get set up real good before you start havin' kids." And he looks out over the snow in the yard.
"Dad..?" You look at him, questioningly.
"You prolly don't remember, but when you was still in diapers 'n stuff, I was workin' ten, twelve hour days to keep us fed and a roof over our heads." He shrugged. "I got lucky when you turned five - that's prolly what you remember. I got that job with that big construction company and got moved up to Site Foreman in a year. That's when we started doin' alright." He looked at his beer, drank a bit, and continued. "That's when your mom decided to go back to school. That's when I started savin' up to start my own business." He shrugged. "It's why we ended up movin' out here. I didn't want you to go through your teen years without havin' the best in everything. I remember what it's like, bein' the poor kid at a good school, how it feels to be looked at like yer a leper or someshit." He frowned a little.
This explains everything. It really does. Your folks wanted you to have a clean slate for the four years that really matter, and be remembered as being as well-off as the other kids. Give you a chance to make connections, and get a leg up in the world.
"..thanks, Dad." Was all you could say. "And, I promise." You nod.
"Good. Finish yer beer, eh, and we'll go inside and work this all out." He gave you a grin and you finished your beers togther.
Back inside, Sunset and Mom are talking about investment banking in her office - they were clucking away like hens. Dad gives you a look, and you two go into her office together.
"Sunset, yeah?" Dad starts, as he gets into the room.
"Yes?" She turns and stands to face him.
"First of all, no future daughter-in-law of mine's gonna be livin' in no cheese box." He hugged her. Dad never hugs anyone but family.
*AHH!* Sunset squeals happily, and hugs him back.
"Second of all, you best start callin' us Mom and Dad. Since you never really had no proper folks, we're gonna take that role." He patted her on the back. "Honey, I.. think these two can share Mah Boy's room and all, but we best get'em a bigger bed." He gave her a wink.
"DEAR!" Mom gave him a look, and swatted his arm playfully.
"Ah'm right, and you know it. We ain't gonna be able to stop'em from bein' teenagers an' screwin' like rabbits, so, let's just make sure they don't have to suffer for it.. you know, since Mah Boy got somethin' off'a the family tree." He pats you on the back.
"Yeah. A big, thick Redwood." You give him a bemused dirty look.
*AHAHAHAH!* "THAT'S MAH BOY!" He pats you on the back, harder. A nod to both of you. "Now you listen up, lil' girl, I want you focus'n on your studies full time, so, you go quit that crappy job right away so you can focus on your school work. You best start gettin' good grades - both'a you - I know Mah Boy's no dummy, so between you, I expect top marks, ya got me?"
"Yes, Dad." You both answer at the same time. She just flushes a little, being able to say that.
"Good. Good." Dad gave you both nods. "You two can split Mah Boy's chores. You ever been huntin', lil' girl?"
"Uh, no.. my parents-" She started.
"I git it, I git it. You wanna give it a go?" He smirked a little.
"Sure! I mean.." Sunset gestures to you. "..ever since I met Anon, all I've wanted to do is get to try new things." She smiled at Dad. "I'm not like my parents. Really. I.." She shrugs. "..I don't want to end up like they did."
"No problem, lil' girl." Dad gives her a nod. "We're goin' huntin' this weekend. Nothin' big - just gonna track some hogs, maybe shoot a few. Invasive species - don't need no license or nothin'. You ain't got a felony, right?"
"No, the charge wasn't prosecuted. I was given Community Service - 'voluntarily' - instead of being prosecuted at all. I have another four weeks to go." She shrugs a bit. "Once it's done, I'm free."
"GOOD!" Dad nodded.
"Dad hunts. We get some of the meat, and the rest gets donated." You shrug.
"The good bits, and some sausage." He nods. "One'a the things 'bout money.. ever penny you save, is a penny you earn."
"That makes sense." Sunset nods. "Make the most of your resources, rely less on active income, and more on passive generated income, until the passive income is large enough, that you don't need the active, if something happens."
"Oh! Honey!" Mom grins. "I think you get it." She looks at Dad. "She'll be a natural at this, Dear."
"Good!" Dad laughs a bit. "GOOD! Now, fer now, son.." He pulled out the keys to the SUV. "Go git her stuff. An' take 'er out on a date while yer at it. Go celebrate between you two. We'll have us a family celebration this weekend."
"Oh! Thanks, Dad!" You.. NEVER get to drive the SUV.
Your parents were extending you a LOT of Credit, here, with the expectation of great returns. Grandkids, sooner or later, and both of you having the right start in adulthood.
It was amazing.
The weeks flew by like a hurricane. Your uncle was called in by Dad, and he worked some government magic to get her an identity. Family favors traded for this, to keep it under the noses of his superiors, and Sunset was a legal U.S. Citizen.
Summer Vacation came. The two of you were living like a couple - doing the house chores, doing your school work, making great grades - especially since you could study as a couple, even on subjects you didn't share. End of the Year report cards? All 'A' marks.
Your mother's sister got into an accident one week into Summer Vacation. Having been left by her deadbeat husband with two little ones, Mom and Dad volunteered to fly out to North Carolina to take care of her for a month. While gone, Dad and Mom expected you two to keep the house clean, answer the phone, and if needed, grant the Foreman, Jim, access to Dad's office trailer (which he normally kept secured like a bank vault, but had all the company paperwork in it).
"Well.. a month alone." You say, sliding a dish of ice cream in front of her, as she relaxes flopped over the ottoman.
You can't help but admire the presented ass.. and grope it gently.
"Anon!" She giggled, though. "You're incourrigable!"
"Uh-huh. Sure am. I've got the prettiest girl at school gonna be my wife some day." You lean in and give her a casual kiss. "Of COURSE I'm admiring. That ass is alllllll mine." You smile.
There was a knock at the door.. a Cop Knock, no less.
Odd. You weren't expecting company.
The both of you look out the window, and see there's three oddly dressed people out there - two males and a female. You exchange looks, and she examines closer. They can't see the two of you with the blinds and curtains obscuring vision, especially with the light reflecting off the glass, but you've got a GOOD look at them.
"Anon.. that.. those are.. like.. Human versions of Royal Guard uniforms." She frowned. "And that woman is dressed like a cop.. a detective."
"Royal Guard..?" You ask.
"From MY world, Nerdboy." She frowned.
They knocked again. Harder.
You stand, and pace over to the door. Just in case, you type in the Delay Panic code into the house alarm system - if you don't input the cancel in two minutes, the police will be summoned.
Sunset.. slips her hand under the couch for the shotgun hidden under there.
With that, you open the door.
"Hi! Can I help you?" You ask, chipper.
"Detective Copper Top." She nods. "We're here for Sunset."
"Mm.. got a warrant? Maybe some ID?" You tilt your head - you know your rights.
"Listen, human, get out of our way." She leans in a bit. "SUNSET! DON'T MAKE THIS ANY HARDER ON YOURSELF! COME OUT HERE!"
She does, with 12 gauges of justice aimed at their guts.
"So, Princess Celestia sent her Diamond Dogs to fetch me?" She smirked, cocky, like her old-old self.
"Princess Celestia is no longer our sovereign. The current princess has decided you need to leave this place." She narrowed her eyes.
Thirty seconds, then a five minute response time.
"No." She blinked a bit. "Now, leave. The human police are on their way." She shrugged a bit. "And I'd rather not have to scrape your hides off my lawn."
YOU lean back in with Dad's .44 Magnum in both mitts.
"Same. You're covered. We're letting you go. Now, go." You just kinda rolled with it.
Sirens.. ooo.. maybe a patrol officer was closer than normal..
"Detective?" One of the Guards asked.
"We have orders - no confrontation with the local wildlife." She snorted. "This isn't over." And they hoofed it.
"Local wildlife?" You snort. "THEY'RE supposed to be the horses!"
"I don't know what's going on." She frowned.
The local Sheriff's Deputies had been just up the road, watching for speeders when the alarm call came in. Ring Doorbell Camera and outside cameras showed three strange individuals come up to the house, knock, but leave after being (righteously) threatened with force.
Given the situation with your parents being out of state, the Deputies take the report, call your dad, inform him that some strange people came around, but you chased them off.
"What'd they WANT, son?" He asked.
"They wanted Sunset for some reason. They didn't explain why." You shrug. "No other words, just, we want Sunset. Sunset, come here. Come with us. You need to come with us, now. We told them to fuck off, showed them the artillery, and used the alarm system to call for the cops." You frown, talking on the phone.
"Well, isn't THAT odd!" He snorted. "You two gonna be okay?"
"Ah, we'll be fine. I'm sure it was just a couple'a weirdos that might've known her parents or something. Now that they know we're armed and have a good security system, I don't think they'll bother coming back. They were real scared of the guns and the cops." You nod, holding the phone.
"Aright, son.. you be CAREFUL, okay?" He grunted. "Anything happens, call Uncle Jim and his boys to come over." He meant, if the next confrontation didn't involve police, but ended up with the Census being a few names lighter.
After all, the "hippie survivalist militia" wasn't exactly someone that'd bother calling the cops themselves, and your Dad would much rather not have the hassle of a self defense case. 'Shoot, Shovel, Shut-Up' was a viable and used plan, when judiciously applied.
After a couple of days, though, something odd happened.
"Anon!" She came in from the kitchen.
"What is it, Sunset?" You stand, already a bit on edge.
"One of those Royal Guards is in the back yard.. uh.. just kinda standing there." She shrugged.
"Seriously?" You deliver flatly, and go and fetch the Colt .45 this time. "Cover me." You nod.
She takes up the Glock 19.
"I gotta say.. I really like guns, now." She grinned. "I mean, they give anyone - not just unicorns - the ability to protect themselves. Er.. not that you have unicorns here.." She shrugged.
"I'm glad! Yeah, they do, huh?" You smile and slip the Colt into your waistband Mexican Carry style - after all, you were a pretty fast draw from this position.
Over to the back door, and you do check the Camera app on your phone to make sure there's no ambush around the outside of the house. Clear, you open the door.
"What do you want?" You ask him.
"The name's Stiff Shield. I'm one of the Royal Guards of Equestria." He stated. "Has Sunset told you the truth, human?"
You nod a bit.
"She needs to come back with us, okay?" He shrugged, and showed his hands were empty. "She doesn't belong here! She's one of US, not one of YOU!" He gestured.
"Nope. That woman you're talking about is my fiancee." You nod firmly. "I'm going to marry her and we're going to start a family. YOU on the other hand.." You nod to him. "..both have no authority here, and no REASON to want her back. She's not hurting anything. She's HAPPY here!"
"That's kinda the point. She's supposed to be learning a lesson." He shrugged. "She's escaped her punishment, and our Sovereign feels-"
"We have no Sovereigns here." You cut him off. "NO LORDS, NO MASTERS, NO KING BUT GOD! GOD BLESS AMERICA!" You bellow. "Now. You need to stop coming around here. You don't know what kinda fire you're dealing with. Right now, the Federal Government has no idea you exist. You kidnap an American citizen, and I lead the FBI or whomever to whatever little magical portal you have? The United States Military is going to invade your little backwater shithole of a planet, strip it of every resource, throw you in labs to be cut apart to see what makes you tick, and your prime real estate is going to be bought, sold, conquered, and turned into giant factories by the richest and most powerful men in the country. THEN.. we'll let the rest of Earth know where to find you." You shrug. "All over one girl. We'll smear you all over the ground and turn you into hamburgers. Is that what your 'sovereign' really wants? The destruction of your civilization?"
"You can't.. mean.." He started.
"Look around, DUMBASS! We humans CONQUER nature! We don't live alongside it! WE bend the EARTH to our WILL! WE make giant grey blobs in the green for our cities. WE make WAR over DIRT! YOU don't have a damn PRAYER if humanity finds out the truth!" You give a dismissive hand wave. "And if you think for one second I give even HALF a Rat's Ass what happens to YOU, or YOUR PLANET or YOUR SPECIES if YOU threaten MY girl, MY family?!" You give a short sniff. "You don't know what it means to be human. I'll burn it ALL down. Every bit. To get her back."
He was visibly shaken.. he looked out over the edge of the hill, to the city of Canterlot, CO. Then how it had carved into the terrian, redirected a river, chopped off part of a mountain, had oil derricks in the distance, and a large factory towards the very edge of town.
He blinked. Realization set in. This was not his world.
"I.. will.. speak to my Sovereign about this." He shook his head.
"Good. Go on, now. You didn't come here to start anything, you can leave." You dismiss him.
"Thank you." He nods, and leaves peacefully.
You went back inside as he left, and were all shaky and breathing heavy. You weren't some highly trained special forces dude, or some politician or something, you're a high school kid. This is WAY above you.
"That.. was hot." She slithered up to you, setting the Glock aside. "I've never had anyone.." She nuzzled you. "..care like that, about me, before."
"Oh, really?" You suddenly calm down, feeling them teenage horomones perk up. "That earn me anything?" You smirk.
"Oooohh.. that earns you.. LOTS.. of things." She bited her lip, and drags you to the sofa.
Sadly, it wasn't over by a long shot.
About four days before your parents were due to return home, they tried something a bit more direct.
Actually, a lot more direct.
Middle of the night. Windows open because it's cool at night, and you don't need to run the A/C, they just plain go for it. You weren't sure why or how or what..
..but, you wake up to being held down by three of them, Sunset screaming her head off, the sight of your window screen torn off its mounting, and Stiff Shield giving orders.
"Get her subdued! And don't hurt that human!" He orders. "This isn't HIS fault, after all. Just hold him down!"
"YOU FUCKING BASTARDS! WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!" Sunset screams.
You, can't. A particularly large one with red hair has his huge hand over your mouth. Not that you aren't wriggling like a fish. But, they have you. Three huge dudes, they easily weigh six times what you do, and could each bench press a Mack Truck.
"QUIET!" Shield orders. "Get her out of here, and be quick about it."
"What do we do with the string bean, sir?" One of the huge ones asks.
"Once we have her out of here, tie him up loosely. Make sure he can get out with a bit of effort. Delay him long enough for us to get back, then run for it." He snorted. "If she'd just left the mirror open, this wouldn't even be an issue. Remember, we can't keep this portal open very long!"
"Tie him LOOSELY?" The second one asks, a bit flabbergasted.
"Do you SEE any other humans living here? If you tie him up too tight, he could well die of thirst before he's found. That would raise too many questions. Something worse could happen. Plus, would you be the one to take his life for no reason?" Shield pointed out.
"I guess not." The red haired one said. "Still, I mean, it's not like he's a pony."
"This situation is not his fault. He will not be treated like an animal." Shield insisted.
"Fine." The red haired one stated.
After a few moments, they pull out rope, and go to pull you off the bed. Once down, they tie you up, your wrists together, ankles together, and both tied down to your bed. Indeed, you could probably undo these knots with your teeth, given a few minutes. Not that you didn't have other plans..
"Let's get out of here." The first one states.
Just as they get to the window and have their backs turned, you slide your hands under the bed for your Boy Scout knife. Faster than chewing the ropes, you get the pen blade out, and cut through them. Cutting away the rope around your ankles, you grab for the Colt .45 you'd stuck between the mattresses.
You get to the window, and observe them all running over the rise in the back yard, towards the valley to the west.
You COULD get your boots on and give chase.. but..
You get a better idea.
"Shield said something about a mirror." You say to yourself. "What if he meant that big mirror Sunset had?"
Instead of following them and maybe walking into a trap, why not do exactly what they don't expect and invade them?
Again, you're no soldier. You're a high school kid. And this story is something out of a video game. Even with Sunset's book, you could never prove a darn thing about what happened. Not to anyone that mattered.
You need Chuck Norris or something.
Or.. a really good plan.
You get dressed, stuffing extra magazines into your cargo pants pocket and jacket pockets for your .45 and extra shells for your Remington 870. You weren't sure how much ammo you'd need. But, the plan was simple. They kidnapped your future wife, you'd kidnap someone from their world.
Then? Trade.
Simple.
After getting ready, you dig out the mirror Sunset had, and give it a look. Interesting. It DOES look otherworldly. You touch it.. and it almost feels like your hand is going to go through it. Just to be on the safe side, you push your hand into it.. and you can see.. it go to the other side.
Satisfied you're not going to turn into a pony or something, you set the mirror against the wall, on the floor, and stick your head through.
You can see a cartoonishly decorated store room of some kind. You feel your face, and realize you still have fingers. Good enough. Through it, you crawl.
Standing, you take the safety off of the shotgun.. you really did not want to use this, to.. well.. hurt someone. They were sentient creatures. And Shield was right about one thing - this isn't their fault, either.
Let's see.. any pony would do, you supposed. You walk towards the door as quietly as possible (Solid Snake, you are NOT), and give a listen.
"Ah swears, Rarity.. she weren't like this when we was young'n's." An old, southern-accented voice complained.
"Verryy.. true.. darling." An equally old, refined voice put in.
They sounded like.. well.. Rarity was in your Geography class. And that sounded like Applejack. You knew her brother, Mac. He'd graduated two years ago, and worked for your dad. Why did they sound so old!?
"Mm.. sis, I wish Celestia'd come back." A very mature southern accent put in.
And that sounded like little Apple Bloom, as an old lady.
"Maybe.." Applejack said. "..if'n the others was still here.. we'd'a be able.. t'make'er see she's.. changed."
Friends? Well, certainly.. something. You open the doors carefully.
"It's a bit worse than that, I'm afraid." You say, plainly.
You see three women, alright. Three ponies. Mares. All three of them are very, very old, and the one with crisp white fur is sitting in a wheel chair. The one with tan fur is sitting on the couch, but she has a four-leg walker next to her. The one with yellower fur has a cane.
They have the same tones as the humans you know. BUT, HOW?! Oh.. the book.. right.
Still, this is so weird!
"OH! Land sakes.." Ancient Applejack says. "..who are you?"
"I'm Anon. Anon Y Mous. I'm here because people kidnapped my fiancee, Sunset." You shrug. "One of them was named Stiff Shield, he says he's some kinda Royal Guard."
"You.. you see, darling? She's.. she's that far gone." Rarity shook her head, tears sliding between wrinkes along her snout.
"This is so weird. I mean, I know you all.. but.. you're like.. MY age! I'm 17, you two are-"
"Ninety seven, sugar cube." Applejack says, looking down.
"Holy moley! Eighty years?!" You blink.
"Ah'm ninety two!" Apple Bloom cackles. "Ah'm still young!"
"Hesh, sis." Applejack wheezily corrected her. "Listen here, young'un, cuz.. Rarity an' I too old t'do anything t'stop her. An' we's ain't got too much longer."
"Alright." You shrug and sit down on an ottoman.
"Twilight Sparkle, our Princess.. she used t'be our friend, sixty year ah'go.. then, she got t'be an Alicorn, then Princess. Our old Princess, Celestia, stepped down. Twilight dun took over as th' Princess a' Friendship." She snorted. "Only, last ten year're so.. she ain't been much'a friend. Took me'n Rairty in.. but.. not t'take care'a us. She keeps us here. Watches us. Tries t'use magic t'keep's us alive." She frowned.
"I've.. lost.. my beauty, darling.." She lowered her head. "..it should have been.. my time.. long ago. When I.. I could still leave a pretty.. pretty corpse." She was still crying.
"This is insane! She's a Despot! A Dictator!" You're stunned.
"Pretty much, sugar cube." Applejack says, dejectedly. "Our other friends.. mah wife.. she done.. they done passed on. But, she ain't lettin' us." She snorted, wheezily.
"I've got to stop her." You frown. "I mean, originally, I was just going to take a hostage and force her to trade me for my fiancee, but.." You shook your head. "This is wrong and it needs to stop."
"Good luck getting past her bodyguard, darling." Rarity says with sudden vigor. "My former lover.. is.. very strong. A dragon, they only get stronger with age."
"I don't.. want to have to hurt anyone.." You blink. "..I'm going to have to hurt people." And frown.
"Y'all don't got much choice." Applejack scowled. "She ain't who she used to be." And sighed. "Don't know what she is, no more."
"Where can I find her?" You state.
"Throne room. Down that hall, to th' left." Applejack nods to the door.
"That easy?" You shrug.
"Oh, it won't be." Applejack frowns, then narrows her old eyes. "If'n that pipe there's's dangerous as yer kinda hintin' at.. be ready t'use it."
"Great!" You frown.. then look down, and nod slowly. "..I'd do anything to save her." You look up, and nod to the elderly ladies. "Thank you, Ladies."
"Hee hee.. ah'm a pretty lil' pony!" Applebloom grinned.
It was then that you read a bit more into the tragedy of their forced survival. Applebloom was.. in end stage dementia. She stared vacantly at the wall. Like, something was there that you couldn't see.
You lower your head and put your hand on the door handle.
"I hope you find peace." You say, opening the door.
Out into the hall you walk. No guards, but you pass a couple of maids, that yelp, and scurry away. The throne room was close. You could hear Sunset bitching like it a Karen demanding the CEO personally check her out at the Supermarket.
"YOU FOUL BITCH!" You hear her. "YOU'RE A FUCKING NUTJOB! I HAD A LIFE BACK THERE, YOU BITCH!"
"Be that as it may, you don't belong there." You can hear a voice, cold, detached, reply to her. "You will be provided a home and pension, since you didn't gain any skills there. I'll have to bob your horn, though, so you don't get any funny ideas."
"You fucking come NEAR ME-"
"Princess, is that necessary?" You hear Stiff. "She's broken no law that would warrant-"
"SILENCE!" The cold one ordered. "Spike, get the tools, hm?"
"Yes, Mommy." He states, and you can hear him come towards the door.
You level the shotgun at head height, not knowing where else to point it.
He opens it, and just as he sticks his head out, you fire, putting a hole in the wall about eight inches in front of his face. Yeah, he a BIG BOI.. at least six and a half feet tall.. and wide.
"NEXT ONE'S YOUR HEAD! TURN AROUND AND FACE THE WALL, REAL SLOW!" You demand, racking the slide by punching the shotgun forwards and holding the slide firm.
"Who are YOU!?" He demands, but he looks to the side, then turns as instructed.
"Sunset's fiance." You reply. "Keep your damn hands where I can see them. Don't look at me. Ever. Got it?" You DO know that, of course, Dragons SPIT fire, so.. "You turn your face to me, you LOSE it."
"WHO DARES?!" She, the Cold One, bellows.
"HONEY!? ANON!? GET IN HERE AND GIVE ME A GUN, SO I CAN BLOW THIS BITCH TO HELL!"
"I'm coming, Sexy!" You yell you. "You. Move. Don't try anything stupid."
"Mommy's going to kill you for this, human." Spike replied, but complied.
You march with him into the throne room.
"HUMAN!" Stiff Shield - now a pony - seemed surprised, and somehow.. happy. He looks at his precious Sovereign a moment..
"Do any of you horses realize this psychopath has three of her friends locked in a room down the hall? And one'a'em's so far gone with dementia, all she can do is stare at a wall!?" You look at not only Stiff, but the other guards.
"THAT'S FOR THEIR PROTECTION!" The Cold Bitch replies, and you can see, she's... purple.
"You're that purple bitch that ruined Sunset's life!" You nod to her. "Speaking of purple bitches, Spike, don't fucking move." Then you look back at.. what was her name?
"Twilight? Is that fucking TRUE!? Who's IN there!? She shrieked.
"Applejack, Rarity, and Applebloom." You report. "And Applebloom's all checked out, upstairs. They WANT to DIE! They're almost 100 years old! FOR GOD'S SAKE, LET THEM GO! THEY'RE SUFFERING!!"
"Princess Twilight!?" Stiff pipes up.
"SILENCE!" She snorts at him. "Do not question me!"
"Oh?" You look at her, stunned. "The fuck!? You're a damn psycho despot, alright!" You shake your head a bit. "I'm taking Sunset and going home. You all can deal with this psycho bitch."
"YOU. WILL. NOT. DEFY. ME!" She yells..
..that causes you to switch your aim to her..
..which causes Spike to try and whip around to blast you..
..which causes Stiff to DIVE TACKLE him!
"HUMAN! GET OUT OF HERE! SHE'S MAD WITH POWER!!" Stiff yells. "GUARDS, LET SUNSET GO! WE HAVE A BIGGER PROBLEM!"
They step forwards to help Stiff, and you run over, and grab up Sunset, a knife quickly cutting her reins. She.. uh.. not a furry, but DAMN that's a NICE ASS in her pony form.
She levitates the Colt from your shoulder holster, and starts advancing on Twilight, with Spike and Stiff now locked in combat. The rest of the Guards are breaking them up.
"GUARDS! SIEZE THEM!" Twilight shrieks.
"NO! ARREST THE PRINCESS!" Stiff orders. "She's GONE MAD! W-"
Suddenly, he's launched into the wall with a laser bolt from Twilight's horn.
Without thinking, you level the Remington 870 at her and pull the trigger.
She's hit, hard, with a 12 Gauge 3" slug, and instantly folds in half. After all, she's maybe YOUR size. Blood GUSHES from the wound.
Everyone stops.
You rack the shotgun again.
"MOMMY!" Spike suddenly throws all the Guards off of him, and the second he tries to come for you?
Sunset magically fires the Colt all eight times, and puts eight holes in his head. 185gr +P .45ACP ammo is real good medicine for almost everything. Including six foot tall dragons, it seems.
He falls dead.
Twilight coughs, weakly.
"Shh... shit.." You're already shaking, this just makes things worse.
Sunset levitates a fresh mag from your pocket, and reloads. It seems her magic, here, works like hands. And she's very adept at having hands, now.
Stiff isn't moving, either.
"STIFF!" You yell out, back-walking towards him, and put your hand on him.
He's already very cold.
"YOU! YOU KILLED HIM!" You yell out.
"He.. questioned.. me.." Twilight wheezes.
"What are the rest of you going to do, now?" You glare at them. "Your Princess is a monster! I don't think I killed her, either. You gonna listen to her, or me?"
"What do you want of us, human?" The Guard that'd been at the door of your house a while back, stepped up.
"I don't know! I don't live here! I just want to go home! And be LEFT ALONE for the rest of our lives! We're HAPPY over there! And she kidnapped my fiancee!" You shrug. "You gonna let us go!?"
"..fine, sure.." The Guard shrugged.
"She murdered one of you. What WE did was self-defense." You point out.
"Yeah, but.. she's a princess!" He shrugged.
"SO?! MY people elect their leaders! We HAVE no Lords or Masters." You nod to Twilight. "Looks to me, like she's been oppressing you all. Maybe you should think about doing what we do - one pony, one vote, one voice. Elect leaders. Because picking the strongest bitch seems to work SO VERY WELL here."
"Maybe.. you're right." The Guard sighs. "Arrest the Princess. She's gone insane. And get a few Magic Restrictors, if she regains her power, she's going to try and kill US, too!"
"That's more like it." You nod. "Come on, Sunset."
You lower the shotgun, and she hands back the Colt.
"You're.. that was the bravest thing I've ever seen." She smiles. "I hope you know, I'm never going to forget this." She tugs at your jacket, though. "Come on, let's get out of here."
So, that's how you lost a baby, got your fiancee kidnapped, and ended up shooting an Alicorn Princess, and starting a Revolution in a land filled with Ponies.
Nothing High School can throw at you, can ever compare to this, now can it? No matter what Life has in store for Sunset and Anon, this act of badassery has cemented you two as a Power Couple for all time.
Life? Should be easy mode now. Right?
~ The End?
