Saving the ponies Chapter 11: Loss, gain, and uncomfortable discovery
#11 of STP
Saving the ponies
Chapter 11: Loss, gain, and uncomfortable discovery
Maverick awoke feeling more refreshed then he had in days. He smelt a pleasant, fruity scent, which he recognised as Rainbow's shampoo, as well as a muskier, unfamiliar scent. He turned in the bed, gazing at the multi-hued mane in front of him, and buried his face in it, inhaling deeply. She smelled of strawberries and apples and bliss.
He kept at it for a few seconds before realising what he was doing. Surprised, Maverick pulled back. Why had he done that? He waited a few seconds to see if he'd woken his girlfriend, but she didn't stir, to his relief.
After a few moments, he got up. For once he could do something on his own, not needing to wait for Rainbow to kite him around, and as such he searched for his food castle.
Breakfast past in a flash, to Maverick delight. Less of a delight was the fact that he hadn't eaten meat since the hotdog, but Maverick was sure he'd find a way to fix that soon. He moved to put his fruit paradise back in the saddle bags when he realised that there was no reason; may as well leave it in the kitchen.
'In fact' He thought, 'Why no put Rainbow's there too?'
Maverick, ever the helpful little soldier, returned to the saddlebags to get Rainbow's meal. When they were both safely stored on the counter, in plain sight, with nothing guarding them at all, Maverick moved them into the cupboards. Feeling smarter, he returned to the bedroom.
Seeing his still snoozing girlfriend, Maverick decided to explore the house a bit more. A minute later, he had seen everything he'd missed upon earlier exploration; Rainbow really didn't have anything to make her house seem like one. It almost felt cold, as if she never used it, which she had already said. Still, it was an odd feeling for Maverick, who had lived in the same house since birth.
Thinking about home made Maverick think about his family. Now that he was thinking about it, he realised that if he truly wanted to help the ponies, he's never see his parents or his brother again. He'd never see Brandon again. He'd never sleep is his bed, he'd never play his video games, he'd never finish his education. He'd never get a job in video game design, he'd never own a human house and, potentially most distressingly, he'd never have children.
Maverick suddenly understood why most humans left. He fell to his knees as the sense of loss tore him apart. It felt like his insides were clamping down on his stomach, trying to squeeze it out of existence. Tear welled up in his eyes and he curled up into the fetal position as waves of agony (not unlike Rainbow's) passed through him.
His mind was full of sadness, but within it, a spark of hope flared. He might be losing everything he'd ever loved, but in exchange he was getting something even else. It wasn't better or worse, it was just different. Instead of parents and siblings, he had Rainbow. Instead of Brandon and his other friends, he had Twilight and Rarity and the others. His old possessions would be replaced by new ones, some better, some not.
And as for children, well, they'd get to that later. Maverick had no immediate plans anyway.
Moving slowly, Maverick sat up. In a few minutes of thinking, he'd changed more than he had over 17 years of life. It was an odd change, a big change, but not unwelcome.
Now over his little panic attack, Maverick's gaze shifted over to his girlfriend, still sleeping peacefully. A smile graced his lips as he watched her sleep; she was such an amazing pony, so cute, and with a strong will to back her big mouth.
He got up, his eyes shifting over to the saddlebags she'd been carrying. One pair contained his clothes; the other had contained the food. However, did the one with the food still had something in it?
Maverick picked up the saddle bags, confirming that there was still something inside. Something that was shaped in an oddly familiar way, almost like...
'Books?' He thought, pulling them out.
He gave them a quick once over, starting with the cookbook. Looking at it made him smile; maybe he DID have a chance at getting more meat.
His gaze shifted to the book on emotions and relationships. He flipped through it quickly, but once he realised it was full information that anyone with common sense would have, he put it back down.
That left one...
The title left Maverick confused, so he opened the book. The first few pages also contained things he already knew. He was almost ready to put the book back down, until he flipped to the second chapter.
...
'Oh my...'
He began reading, getting more and more confused as he went. Then his face turned red. Surely Rainbow didn't want to-
Behind him, Maverick heard movement. Acting fast, he stuffed the three books back in the saddlebags. He wouldn't have the chance to make it out of the room or back to bed in time, so he jumped to the other pair of bags, pretending to be looking for an ensemble.
"Maverick?" A tired and confused voice asked.
"Yes Rainbow?" He returned.
"Have you been up long?"
"Just a few minutes. I ate breakfast and moved the dishes into the kitchen...thing. I was just looking for when I planned to wear today." Maverick didn't like lying, but he felt that now wasn't the best time for the truth. Besides, it wasn't a big deal, right? Now he just knew that a horse wanted to have sex with him, that's all. Nothing weird, right? He was totally cool with that, right?
...
He'd answer his own mental question later.
"Well, c'mere."
Oh god no...
With this new information buzzing around his brain, Maverick had no desire what so ever to fulfil that request. But logically, if Rainbow wanted to do anything with him, she'd have tried by now, right?
Besides, Maverick still wasn't sure if he was against it.
As such, a few moments later, he was back lying in bed next to his girlfriend, still in his pyjamas, and he was now unpleasantly aware of the fact that she was completely naked. Why hadn't that bothered him before?
She turned to face him, eyes still closed, and reached over to him. Before Maverick could react, he was pulled into a loose hug, with Rainbow gently nuzzling his neck. She sighed happily in her semi-awake state and slowly began drifting off again.
And you know what?
He was totally cool with having sex with a horse.
...
So long as she asked first.