Your Human and You: I think, Therefore I Am

Sunbathing in the backyard with nothing but shorts on is quite relaxing. The cool breeze, warm sun and the feeling of grass on your back, it's just one of many no-cost things to do when you want to get away from it all. The only thing that would make this even better would be a good book. Unfortunately reading outside was a no-no for obvious reasons so I have to settle with what I can do. Most of my family were away from the house. Dad was working, Badge was hanging out with friends and Sweeper was dong...well Sweeper things. Mom, the only other family member at home was in her workshop filling out a order. Who requests a wooden sled in the middle of spring anyway?

I was just about to doze off when the sound of a door banging against it's frame brought me back to the land of the living. It wasn't from my house. It was close but not that close. Based off what direction I believed it came from I turned my head to the right to look at my neighbor's house. I didn't see anything but that was because I couldn't see anything. A four foot wooden fence blocked my view and when laying down on the ground a four foot fence blocks a lot.

The battle of curiosity vs. disinterest began and ended in a matter of seconds. Thank the heavens that I'm not a cat. I rose to my feet stretching my muscles as I did. They were still a little sore from my morning exercise but not enough to hinder me. Once again I fix my sights on my neighbor's backyard now in my higher and better point of view. I saw something that I did not suspect to see. Humana.

How was this possible. The house belonged to a stallion by the name of Orebody. He was a miner who worked in the local mine and  mostly kept to himself. The only time he really ever interacted with others was during Winter Cleanup. Enough of that though, no matter how odd it was, a beautiful mare was not to far away.

She didn't notice me as she sat down with her legs underneath her. It was a good thing she didn't because I probably looked creepy staring at her. Unfortunately I couldn't just strike up a conversation with her so I had to force myself to duck down again. That was what I was going to do until I notice something about Humana. She had something white sticking out of one of her nostrils. It was a tissue and I could see a bit of blood coming from the end that was in her nose. I was drawn away from her nose when she lifted a foreleg up to her eye an rubbed it hissing a bit as she did. Once she place the hoof back down I finally notice it. I didn't see it before because her midnight blue coat but with her drawing my attention to it I could see discoloration around her eye. I couldn't ignore it. I couldn't lay back down and push it out of my mind. I had to do something. . . so I did.

Humana didn't notice me till I had jumped the fence. It only took her a moment to recognize who I was and oh how her smile made my heart melt. "Luke, Come here boy." she called out to me patting the ground next to her. Who was I to deny her request. I jogged up to her only slowing down when I got close to her. I looked down at her and she looked up at me. Those emerald eyes looked a lot brighter then they did not to long ago.

squatting down I leaned in and nuzzled her neck. She let out a squee noise before returning my nuzzle with one of her own. I enjoyed the happy moment but I wanted answers. I can't ask her the normal way but that doesn't mean I'm out of options.

I remove my head from her neck which in turn caused her to look at me curiously. Gently I lifted a hand and slowly placed it on her nose with the utmost care. She flinched slightly at my touch but did nothing else. Part one is successful now on to part two. I whimpered. At first Humana looked bewildered but that was soon replaced with understanding.

"Oh this, it's nothing. You should see the others." She giggled to herself. The giggling stopped short when she took on a more sheepish expression. "I have to thank Candy and Rhythm for stepping to help though." She said to herself. The names  Candy and Rhythm sounded familiar but I couldn't place the names to any faces, never-the-less I was thankful for them too. Why would anypony want to beat up a beautiful young mare. Unable to directly ask who attacked her I had to settle with what she had said. At less until I could get Badge to help me. Once again I snuggled up next to her and she accepted.

Time when by as we just laid there. Humana eventfully started petting me on the back of my head. It's not something I really like ponies doing but for Humana I would go along with it. Once again I began to drift off to dream land only to be yanked back to full awareness. "Humana? Are you home?"

  It was a voice I recognized, a voice that belonged to the owner of the property I was in. Orebody.  While Orebody isn't hateful to humans he's not kind to them either. I needed to go. Escape method 23.

I was on my feet in seconds and running to the fence. There was little to no time to crawl over the it so I leaped over it. I cleared the fence with centimeters to spear. Landing with a roll to keep myself from face planting the ground I then checked to see if I was truly ok. Once I deemed myself safe I turned my hearing toward Orebody's house while I stayed hidden behind the fence.

The backdoor opened and Orebody spoke again. " Have you eaten lunch y-dear heavens what happened to you."

For the longest time I didn't hear a response. I even began to think that Humana had replied but I didn't hear it. That was until the sound of her sweet but hurt voice reached my ears. "I...I got into a fight."

Again silence descended only to be broken, but by Orebody this time. "They were making fun of your talent again weren't they."

"..."

"..."

"Yes"

I was left completely shocked. How dare they, how dare anypony make fun of another's talent. I was horrified to think that Humana who so far was a kind hearted mare be bullied. If I wasn't a human I would have made sure to find who ever did this and make them pay. In my anger I almost missed Orebody speak.

"Ah...let's...let's get that eye taken care of." Not long after I hear the back door open and close again. About a minute later I stood up and looked at Orebody's backyard. No pony was there. No longer in the mood to relax I made my way to my house. Hopefully Badge would come home soon so I could talk to him about what I found out.

Three hours went by before Badge got home. A quick dash to my room for privacy and I recounted my findings. He remained quite throughout my story. Only when I reached the part about other ponies picking on her did he react. His head jerked back and he look at me in disbelief. even though we no longer wear those rose colored glasses that we once did as colts it still surprises us to hear about physical bulling.

Shining Badge's ears drooped and he shook his head disappointedly. 'I'll talk to Humana about it. See if I can get anymore information though now that I think about it Humana could have been the one who threw the first blow." See the blank look on my face we quickly added. "But that's just an assumption. I can't just assume that these bullies are at fault for everything."

As much as I wanted to deny it, he was right. Plus it sounds like he wants to do an investigation. Can't talk down a will-be police office from an investigation now can I?

"Oh do you know the ponies I mention?" I asked him hoping he could jog my memory.

"Candy and Rhythm? Yea I know them. They were at Family Park Picnic day last ye-" A knock at the door stopped Badge form going any farther with is explanation. The door open a second later revealing dad. His steely features told us instantly that something was up. Dad's gaze fell on me before moving to Badge.

"Badge, we got some visitors who want to see Luke. We need to bring him down now."

Badge and I looked at each other then back at dad. "Who are they?" he asked.

Dad stepped back from the door frame and to the side giving us clear passage through. He didn't say anything but we knew. He wanted us out of the room. It wasn't a request it was a demand. "Dad?" Badge spoke again.

"Royal Guard, Badge, the Royal Guard."