A wrapped up scoop

Quill Lines dug her hooves deep into her sleep deprived blue eyes, any longer staring at this computer screen and she’d have square eyes… That would be a talking point. Quill Lines, an Earth pony reporter, was waiting for an assignment from her branch in the Manehattan’s newspaper printers. But she had yet to receive it, instead she had spent pretty much the whole morning twirling a long white quill, very much like her cutie mark, around in her fiery red mane.

The golden mare almost jumped out of her seat when the phone buzzed, she waited for the second buzz, so it would seem like she was busy to her boss, but not too long that it was rude.

“Hello, Quill Lines speaking.” Quill said, the small line like sand paper in her throat from speaking it so many times over her career.

“Quill? It’s Pad, I’ve got your assignment.” Pad was the manager of Quill’s branch, kind of her boss since he funnelled all the jobs to various employees, but he wasn’t top.

“About time.” Quill thought grumpily.

“We received… An odd photo, I’ve sent a copy through to your computer, have a look.” On cue Quill’s computer beeped, a red message popping up, red for her boss, blue for co-workers and green for family… Quill got very few green messages…

Quill clicked the single thing within the message, a small paperclip indicating a picture, what popped up made Quill pause.

“Lovely quality.” Quill muttered.

“That’s how it came, ran it through all our best here… It’s authentic, coming out one of those old fashioned cameras that prints the photo on the spot.” Pad said.

The picture was rather odd, appearing to have been taken within some sort of forest, though very little of the forest could be seen, the would-be photographer appeared to have been sprinting at incredible speeds, judging from the motion blur all around, however what they had caught was rather focused.

Quill couldn’t really name it, waist up it appeared to be a pony, bright blue with green eyes, but they were contracted in rage and a line of sharp teeth shined from its mouth. A cape of green hair, with a large yellow highlight, was flying behind the creature as it moved at great speed, it looked like it had been tugging bits out when it grew too long, resulting in it looking poorly cut. However it was what was waist down that drew Quill’s attention.

The change was natural where it joined to the pony’s waist, the naked eye would be unable to tell where fur started… And where this creature’s long snake tail began. A great blue and white bellied tail was crashing along with this creature, black spots along the top, Quill could see a tree, split by the very base of the trunk as this THING pursued the camera pony.

“What in Celestia’s name is that thing!?” Quill asked in a slightly high pitched voice.

“According to our research, the creature falls under the term lamia slash naga, a creature of the wild split between pony and snake… A good looker huh?” The stallion joked.

Quill simply stared at the picture for a minute, taking in its appearance. It was… terrifying yet strangely alluring, like a wildflower you couldn’t touch… Shouldn’t touch.

“What do you want me to do?” Quill asked, surprised at her own calm, steady voice.

“Simple, the big brass wants a good picture and a rough draft about its habits, you’ve been given a temporary home close to where it was sighted, a small quaint town called Ponyville, nice place for a summer holiday if you like the peace and quiet… Least that’s what I liked about it. Anyway, I’m sending a ticket down for the next train there, along with the house key, so pack up you’ve got two hours, when you get there you have seven days.” A flash of white light and a small red ticket sat upon the top of Quill’s empty in box, a second flash and a small jingle signalled the arrive of the key “Make it good Quill, I’m putting my neck on the block here after your fiasco at the Gala…” Neither spoke, but somewhere in the distance an oddly mismatch creature had a sudden chuckle at a similar memory.

So it was because of that, one hour and fifty minutes later, Quill stood upon the concrete station as the train puffed in, two bags either side of her hooves. Quill wasn’t moving so she had simply packed one holiday bag and a small satchel with her reporter gear, which included a pad of paper, various quills (for nostalgia) and pens (for when she got tired of dipping her quills in ink again and again) her camera and a couple tools for exploring dark places. Quill also had a rough map from her apartment to where the naga had been sighted.

Quill looked up as a train conductor called on passengers for Ponyville.

“What have I got myself into?” Quill wondered slipping onto the train with the other passengers, finding a sleeper bedroom for the overnight ride.

Miles away, within the depths of a dark forest, with twisting vines and giant looming trees drawing monstrous shadows with the fingers of their branches, a great clump of rocks form an archway into the depths of a dark looming cave. Within the paths split, some dead ends, others leading to more tunnels that would eventually twist back on themselves, but, in the very centre, was a large cavern, curled within the middle, on a large raised section of rock like a stage, a great twisted shape rose and fell in a steady rhythm…

Quill was jerked awake by the whistle of the train and the call of Ponyville. Quill unceremoniously rolled off her bed onto the floor, the smack with the ground better than any eye rubbing… But more painful certainly. Quill groaned pushing herself up onto her hooves, pushing her tangled mane behind her head, taking a brief few seconds to flatten it against her head so it wouldn’t bother her. Quill grabbed her twin luggage from under her bed and proceeded down the train to the closest exit.

Pad had been right, Ponyville was really quaint, like a little countryside postcard, with wonderful clear blue skies, tiny cottages sitting in spaced out rows side by side, farms with lush fruits making dots of colour over the green, and Canterlot in the distance. Amazing. Quill unfolded the small map, glancing down, she found the little train symbol for the station then looked for the X that marked her house.

It was a lovely walk, ruined, slightly, by Quill’s train of thought. She couldn’t get the flashing white of that naga’s fangs out of her mind. And she was walking right towards them. Quill ran a hoof over her neck, her mind suddenly wondering if it would hurt or would he use a venom to cease the pain… Maybe he would crush her, like that tree that had been like a twig within a foal’s hooves. Quill only broke free of her fear induced trance when she walked head first into the door of her apartment. The scared golden mare fished around in her bag for the key Pad had provided, fitting it into the lock.

“My hooves are shaking…” Quill noted in a slightly monotone voice as she opened the door.

The apartment was simple, nothing to write home about but not bad either, Quill walked into the living room and dumped her bags on the sofa, before walking slowly into the kitchen. The cupboards were stocked as was the ridge with recently bought food… Guess Quill really would be focusing entirely on the assignment. The mare pushed her front hooves up and leaned against the work surfaces, staring towards the forest through a small window, even from here… It was an unappealing place, but Quill’s job was in tatters held together by prayers, luck and a lot of tape, if she let so much as a gust of wind hit it, it would crumple like it was made of sand. And then what? What could she do? She was only good at journalism and she loved her job…

Quill sighed sadly, she’d have some breakfast then head out… No sense delaying the inevitable.

The clock turned over to the next hour, chiming softly to signal this fact, and still Quill remained in her seat staring into the dregs of milk in her bowl, head held up by a hoof, the other spinning her spoon like a baton. Quill miss judged the spinning and the spoon fell, clanging against the bowl, before falling in, handle in the dregs. The mare didn’t even bother to reach down and pick the spoon up, she simply carried the bowl over to the sink, turned and walked slowly back into the living room, before silently clipping her bag onto her back.

“Celestia protect me.” Quill whispered the prayer, not a pony to normally ask for godly assistance… But, she was terrified and it brought a little comfort to believe anypony could be watching over her.

Quill barely registered the feeling beneath her hooves changing from carpet to gravel, she only noticed she was outside when her hooves sank into soft mud, the little trail into the forest. Quill glanced at her map, there was a small line of text scribbled by the X marking the forest.

“Look for an archway of stone, dipping down into a cave, it’s a little beyond a pond with a tree with snow white leaves, its lowest branch will point the way.” It was the only thing Quill had to work with, the pony must have gotten lost… Also, was he having a laugh trying to sound mystical with the tree pointing the way? Ah well, no sense delaying, Quill had done enough of that in her house.

Quill walked, there was little else to do. Quill had taken out her flashlight and was glad she had done so rather than ending up fumbling with her bag when she needed it. The slightest twitch from the bushes made Quill whizz around, but it was generally just a bird, fleeing into the sky from the light. Finally Quill stopped randomly, she wasn’t going to find this cave on the path… She knew as much, but staring into the depths of the forest… It was like somepony was whistling softly through the branches, taunting her.

Quill took a deep breath and place one hoof off the path, intending to do it one at a time to build up her nerves. Then something behind her screeched loudly and all thought vanished as Quill screamed, galloping for all her worth, the screeching followed and Quill changed direction to her left, the screeching sounded from in front of her and she turned right. Quill’s mind was blanked out except for the thoughts ‘Run, survive, run, hide!’ she couldn’t think of more than singular words, her brain clouded by her fear of this place.

“What am I doing here!?” Quill blubbered before the ground beneath her disappeared.

Quill kept moving, her legs flailing wildly trying to run on thin air before she crashed, stomach first, into a body of water with a loud splash. Quill spun under the water, rolling once. The white cloud of fear had faded as soon as it had appeared. Quill realised it had to be something magical, there was no other explanation, it had happened the second she went off the path. Slowly the mare kicked her way to the surface, thrashing to reach the edge of the lake she had fallen in. Quill threw her bag onto dry land before dragging herself up, flopping onto her stomach as she coughed, it felt like her stomach had twisted itself in knots, liquefied then turned into a solid mess.

Quill rolled over and stared up into the cloudy sky above.

“Wait… That’s no cloud.” Quill muttered after a minute, thinking out loud.

The golden mare sat up, staring at the bright white tree, rustling softly. Its leaf tips had red dots and Quill followed the tree down, its branches formed spirals up and around the trunk before breaking away in random directions… Except one branch, the very bottom one appeared to be trying to escape the tree, pointing away from where Quill thought she had come from, like a long finger pointing. Her guide.

Quill glanced over at her bag, she gently clicked the damp satchel open and glanced inside. Quill sighed sadly, pulling out the pad she’d brought, she had a spare back at her apartment… And this was something she was unlikely to forget any time soon. Quill dumped the ruined pad at the bottom fishing out the rest of her stuff. Her camera, mercifully, was watertight and shockproof. Quill could’ve landed on it between a rock hidden under a body of sand and it would still work. Her pens however had burst and Quill’s quills had snapped along the spines. So aside from her camera she now had a bag full of useless junk, wonderful. Her torch could probably still work but it had sailed off to Celestia knows where, likely the bottom of the lake, so there went Quill’s light source. Quill walked up to a nearby branch and clipped the damp bag onto it, water dripping onto the grass below. She only needed her camera now, so Quill slung it over her neck and continued on her way.

It didn’t take long. The ‘nature’s archway into its belly’ quickly appeared in Quill’s view, and it took less time to reach the entrance than it did to find. Quill stared up towards the top of the arch… It was huge! A dragon could’ve stretched its arms over its head in this!!! Quill’s breathing began to quicken again, her camera beating gently against her chest. Finally Quill gulped down a small glob of saliva, trying to steady her nerves.

Quill bowed her head as she stepped into the shadows cast by the archway. Quill made gradual, slow progress as the ground was slippery and a random stone could send her tumbling into the dark depths.

Quill soon reached the bottom of the slope which quickly flattened out. Quill stood, blinking rapidly, the sound of her breathing echoing around the small chamber she stood in, willing her heart to slow down. To distract herself Quill reached down and clicked her camera on, manually setting the flash so it acted like a small torch. Now able to see Quill moved the metal box around the room, two tunnels, one curving off and one straight. Quill had no way of deciding which was suitable so she simply followed the straight tunnel.

It was a maze and it was making Quill dizzy following it. The straight tunnel split into three more tunnels, the middle one, which Quill followed, curved around and Quill swore she was going back the way she came!

Soon Quill was hopelessly lost, simply praying to find the entrance she had come in, the light on her camera did little to help as the walls all looked the same, cracked and natural with the weight of crushing earth above making Quill nervous. However Quill soon found her camera light beam sailing off into nothingness, the far wall to distant for the small light to reach… She had entered a large cavern that the tunnels led to... Perhaps… The naga was in here…

Quill tilted the beam of light down. The nervous mare held her breath. At first Quill thought her breathing was still echoing back… But no… There was something else in here with her! Quill took a shaky gasp of breath, her instincts, and good sense, told her to run like the wind and never look back, but her professional, stubborn side refused. She would not lose her job, she would simply make up what this naga did. Take a picture then leave, it was asleep no need for it to be disturbed by her.

So, with another deep breath, Quill began to follow the rough direction the breathing was coming from, swinging her camera light in slow arch’s, trying to catch a glimpse of the blue scales and black dots. As the breathing became louder Quill began to notice how steady it was… Natural, calm… It was oddly relaxing just to hear, comforting to know the beast was asleep, in a world where it couldn’t harm Quill. But the mare still jumped when something in the corner of the beam of light shifted, a few loose rocks making soft clanging sounds as they fell.

Quill aimed the beam back up away from the rocks and gasped, before almost kicking herself for her stupidity. Within the beam of light was what Quill had been afraid to find and also what she’d been looking for. A bright blue tail, with black dots and a white belly. Quill watched as the tail shifted, it approached her a little bit and the mare took three reflexive steps back. Quill felt her hoof sink into something soft, squishy and yet smooth. Quill wrenched her camera around to look at the coil she’d stepped on… She didn’t see the beam pass by the head of the beast.

Sine, as the naga was called, was woken from a dreamless sleep by something impossible in his cave. Light, like the sun but more concentrated and smaller. Silently the naga’s eyes opened. It didn’t take him long to find the source of the irritating light, but he was still a little surprised. There was a mare waving some sort of box with a light shining from one end onto his tail, she was breathing rapidly, in fear… But clearly not enough as she had the guts to disturb him! Well she would learn very quickly… But Sine didn’t jump onto the mare, no… he was going to ‘play’ with her first.

Quill took quick, heavy, breaths through her nose, trying to bring some sense of calm back. But her attempts were punctured as she heard scales sliding over scales and rock. Part of her mind told her she shouldn’t, but she couldn’t help it, it was likely somepony else was in control of her movements. Quill turned and raised the beam of lightly slightly, it feel upon a long coil as big as she was on her hind legs. The light illuminated all the armour over the muscular scales, but… Something reflected the light back as well… A pair of round… Scowling eyes.

Quill’s hooves locked, as did the rest of her, as she traded stares with the serpent, her camera falling down onto her chin, hitting the off button. At once the pair were plunged into darkness… Quill prayed the snake couldn’t see in the dark.

For a minute all Quill could hear was her fast breathing and the naga’s slow breathing. Then a new noise joined in, a low hiss, emanating from the eyes Quill could still faintly see in the dark. A chill spread up Quill’s spine and when it reached her neck, she unlocked. The mare spun on one hoof and dropped down to run, but after two steps building speed, her back left hoof was jerked back along with her whole body. Quill slammed into the stone ground with a whoosh of air escaping her lungs. As she gasped trying to recover, Quill felt the cold scales of the naga curling around her legs, up towards her body and around her flank.

Quill screamed, a plea for help, for somepony to hear, but there was nopony but this creature to hear. Quill clawed at the ground as she was dragged backwards towards her doom, she screamed, tried to thrash, to roll away, ANYTHING! But her attempts were little more than amusement to the naga. Quill felt a coil curl under her neck.

“NO! PLEASE!” Quill begged, then the coil tightened and Quill gulped as her throat was contracted forcefully.

Quill tried to pull against the naga’s strength. Quill had the power of Earth pony blood in her… But in comparison to the snake she was little more than a puppy in a foals hooves. The snake batted her hooves off the ground and Quill sailed into the air. The mare’s chest was coiled and she reached down pushing against the coil, before another coil began to push in on her hooves, bending them at a weird angle. Quill cried out in pain then let her hooves drop to her sides, relieving her of the pain, but the naga instantly trapped her hooves to her sides. Quill felt the coils around her slide past, leaving her body, they grew thicker, until simply two coils firmly held the mare. For the moment they were squishy and, had Quill not been fearing her life, she would’ve felt rather comfortable, the muscly coils were loose, sinking in around her neck to cradle her head like some sort of solid liquid.

Sine smirked, the mare was completely immobile now, trapped in his coils. She was making rather cute whimpering sounds… She wouldn’t be making much noise in a few seconds though. Sine let off a low hiss, a warning if the mare tried to struggle it would get worse… She wouldn’t understand but then again Sine didn’t really care. But before he did so he curled his tail tip down and pulled the little box off from around the mare’s neck, Sine was curious what it did and would investigate later. After the mare had been taught a lesson!

Quill tried to shift, to move something, she tried to get a hoof free to do anything! But her attempts were fruitless, doing nothing. Eventually she began to shake. Was it going to kill her? Quill looked up, her eyes now accustomed to the low light, she could see its shadow looming over her. He was grinning at her fear, he was enjoying this! Quill whimpered then gasped. She had felt the change in the naga’s tail. Before it had been cradling her, curling around her body. Now it pressed in, at first it was bearable, then Quill started to notice it was harder to get the air she wanted and needed down, she began to breath faster as a result, but this didn’t help. The naga was going to crush her alive!

Already the soft muscles had changed to something like rocks and now they were pressing in, Quill groaned, it was impossible to hold the air in her lungs in.

“Please… Want… Live…” Quill croaked softly, her voice quieter than a whimpered whisper.

Quill tilted her head up, in the vain hope this would help, it didn’t. She felt like she was being pressed between some scaly smooth boulders that were all around her, only wisps of air were making it down now, Quill was making odd coughing and wheezing sounds as she suffered, her face turning blue.

The poor mare’s vision began to darken more. She stared up into the grinning beasts eyes, reflecting the dim light within the cave. He was approaching her… Approaching his soon-to-be dinner. Quill managed one more futile groan before the snakes eyes dipped out of her slightly. She felt his breath, so calm, steady and unappreciated by the naga, on her neck.

Quill didn’t feel the stab of pain as Sine dug his fangs into her neck like she should, her brain was so deprives of oxygen it was shutting down. Quill was only aware of an odd trickling from her neck, and a soft warm tongue lapping at her neck. She couldn’t see but Sine was making a meal of her neck, the taste of her blood delicious to the odd naga.

Sine continued his feeding for a few minutes, Quill’s vision becoming darker and darker, her hearing becoming twisted and disproportionate. She could hear the sounds Sine was making but it was as if she were at the bottom of a well, the same with her vision, it was so narrow.

Finally Sine pulled back, satisfied in both his meal and that the mare had learned a valuable lesson, do not disturb him ever again! Quill felt the stone crushing coils loosen, as if the tension within them was fading, Quill took great thankful gulps of air, wheezing and coughing.

Sine’s tail pulled away and Quill fell like a sack of potatoes onto the floor, laying sprawled like a dead bird. The mare registered a soft throb in her neck and managed to turn her head enough to see the naga. He was staring down at her, frowning judging by the reflection of his eyes. He lowered himself to the ground and turned away from Quill. The tip of his tail scraping through the dirt on the stones around them. Sine turned back to Quill and backed up from where he had been scribbling, he pointed with a hoof and hissed.

“Read it.” Was the clear message. Quill nodded sluggishly in understanding and dragged herself with her front hooves around to read.

The naga’s tail writing was horrendous, but, then again, it was unlikely he ever practised it. But, despite this, the message was still understandable… And was rather simple.

“Leave my cave never look back! If you return will punish you!” The message read, while a bit odd due to the naga’s poor English Quill still understood, she looked up at Sine and nodded in understanding

“I-I get the picture.” She whispered, which reminded her of her camera, she had lost it when the naga stole it… Ah well, better the box than her life!

Sine curled his tail back and slapped Quill away, hissing softly.

“Go, leave while you still can.” Quill nodded madly, scrambling to her hooves she turned and sprinted in a random direction away from the naga.

Behind Quill, Sine took a deep breath and let out a sort of mix between a loud hiss and a roar, this was all the encouragement Quill needed to pick up the pace of her fleeing. Quill looked back, Sine had reared up on his tail standing several ponies high on his long thick tail, letting out another hiss-roar. Quill turned dipping her head for extra frantic speed. Quill disappeared down a tunnel and smacked into a dead end, with no split offs. Quill turned to find another way out when a third echoing roar bounced around the small tunnel she was in. Quill’s hooves turned to jelly and she fell onto her haunches. She couldn’t go back lest she face the naga’s wrath, more severely and weakened… And she couldn’t go forward through stone.

It was hopeless. It all crashed on Quill like an anvil dropped from a wagon. She was dead, she could either stay here and starve or go out there and be slowly crush over a period of who knows how long! Quill could no longer support her own weight, she slowly curled down into a ball and pulled her tail around and began to sob, clutching the hair close for some form of comfort in the cold stone around her. Tears flowed freely as her emotions finally cracked through the weak dam, Quill tried to remain quiet though… She was afraid the naga would hear, hear and investigate… Hear her, find her… And then kill her. And the fear made her more miserable, making her cry more, making more noise.

Sine watched the tunnel for a few seconds after his last threatening roar. That should see her off for good. Sine turned back to finish his nap, placing the odd light box with a few other bits and bobs he’d found and taken from previous visitors. It was then that he heard her, she was still in his cave!? The stupid mare, Sine turned to hiss down the tunnel she’d fled when the sound she was making processed.

She was crying? Whatever for? Yes he had scared her, but that was simply because Sine preferred his privacy, and he had made that clear. Her reaction was clear that she understood… So why was she still here crying? Sine, curious, slid down from where he had been lying, stretching the sleep out of his coils and sliding towards the tunnel the little mare had fled down. Sine leaned around the corner, his naga hunting eyes excellent for seeing in his cave, excelling anypony, even ones with light sources. Sine could see why the mare was crying, she was afraid she would die, she was trapped between a rock and a hard place… or a hard naga.

Sine had pinned her in with no way out, and her shredded nerves had finally taken one too many strikes… She had broken down into tears. Sine felt an odd sense of pity, but also anger. She had invaded HIS home! She was in the wrong not him! Then she looked up, through her blurred tears Quill saw the eyes of the naga, she gave a scared yip and backpedalled into the wall, pushing herself into the furthest corner before covering her head with her hooves, one eye peeking out, which was red from crying.

“I-I wanted to leave, I was going too I swear! I just went down a dead end! I’m sorry! I’m sorry for intruding just let me leave, please!” Quill said, breaking into sobs as she finished the last word.

Sine sighed, deciding he’d take pity on the mare, she’d gotten the picture no need for more of this. Sine slid fully into view in front of Quill who tried to make herself smaller, she began to quiver all over when Sine began to reach out with the end of his tail towards her. Quill covered her eyes, she didn’t want to look at her end, she felt Sine’s tail curl around her neck and it began to slide down her body, pushing on her front hooves. Quill kept her eyes firmly shut but submitted to Sine’s demands, slowly lowering her hooves, Sine’s tail curled figures of eight around them like hoofcuffs, the loop around Quills neck getting rapidly thicker, pushing her chin up despite Quill wanting to have it against her chest while she cried.

Quill felt Sine slip a thick muscly coil up her back legs, stopping under her front hooves, the single coil clenched down fully coiling the tiny pony up, a second coil wrapped underneath it, supporting Quill’s hooves and keeping her off the ground as the naga lifted her up into a sitting position. Quill’s front hooves were still bound but remained hanging over the front of Sine’s coils, they had sunken deep into the coils though, which Quill was surprised hadn’t tensed up to crush her. Then Quill got another surprise, Sine’s tail began to move, sliding up and down her body in a wave like pattern. Quill’s eyes snapped open and she groaned, not in pain, but from the pleasant sensation of scales against fur.

“What are you doing?” Quill whispered, confused. Sine stared at Quill for a few seconds, then, his tail still following the relaxing wave pattern against Quill’s body, he lowered himself down to the floor and began to scribble again, before backing away.

“You have served punishment, simply calming. I won’t hurt you now.” Quill choked, an odd cross between a laugh and a sob.

“T-thank you?” Sine scribbled again, one word.

“Sine.” Quill tried for a small smile.

“I-I’m Quill Lines, nice to meet you Sine.” Quill could’ve been wrong but she thought she saw a small ghost of a smile on Sine’s lips, then she got distracted.

Sine was strangling her! Quill took a deep breath and tried to hold it, looking at Sine fearfully, but he simply raised an eyebrow. Sine didn’t put stone pressure on Quill’s neck, instead he simply gradually pushed in with the flexible coil and Quill, on instinct, slowly breath out. Quill was afraid she would feel the sensation of air being restricted from her, but found that Sine’s tail expanded as she breathed in… Then contracted as she breathed out… Rippling along with her breathing. Quill’s breathing began to slow thanks to Sine’s gentle coaxing and soon the mare’s head started to dip and Sine grinned triumphantly. Then he tilted his head, wiping his tail along the previous message, clearing it. When Sine was done he allowed the mare the leverage to look down, Sine’s tail becoming almost as squishy and flexible as a water bed, covering up to Quill’s nose.

“You visit again once a month or I find you once a month and I won’t be happy if you make me look!” Quill looked at Sine.

“Does this count as this month’s visit?” Sine bared his teeth in a grin and shook his head “Alright.” Quill didn’t have much choice, better to make the naga happy. But as soon as she had nodded Sine began scribbling again.

“But don’t visit when shedding! I get grumpy.” Sine ran his hoof along his neck when Quill looked up and she nodded in understand, wait till after shedding to visit.

“Alright, deal… But… Can I have my camera back, please?” Quill asked, Sine raised an eyebrow “The um… Little box I shined light at you with?” Sine shrugged and turned, Quill suddenly found herself staring at the floor as Sine carried her overhead, Quill screamed once in surprise and Sine looked up grinning. He shook her around a little and spun her around until she screamed again, clearly enjoying her fear.

Sine held Quill upside down as he dug around for the little box, Quill’s mane hanging down like a red curtain. This was so embarrassing, Quill felt like a squeaky toy to the snake. Sine finally found the little box and turned Quill the right side up, her mane falling all over the front of her head. Quill dipped her head before throwing her mane back and Sine paused to watch, but kept moving once Quill looked at him. He held out the box and Quill raised her bound hooves, managing to grip the little thing, slowly she managed to click it on, shutting the light off first.

“Okay I’m going to point this at you and take a picture, there will be a brief flash so be ready and… Smile.” Quill said giving an example. Sine smirked giving a smile, with a little bit of fang showing.

Quill gulped but raised the camera, like she said there was a click then a flash. Sine blinked, his vision white, waiting for it to return to normal, Quill was fumbling with the camera and he approached her. The little screen glowed and Quill held it out to Sine, on the screen was a grinning blue pony who’s lower half broke into a blue snake’s tail with black dots and a white belly, curling all around the cave and behind the camera.

“Do… Do you like it?” Quill asked, Sine nodded slightly “You… Don’t talk much… or at all.” Sine suddenly looked sad, his ears folding against his head “Can you talk?” Sine opened his mouth, made a soft hiss then shook his head, but Quill could tell he had tried to twist the hissing into words. Quill looked down at the camera, then back at Sine.

“Tell you what, I’ll go back to my place where I’m staying and get this sorted out then… I’ll see if I can teach you a little English, how does that sound?” Sine raised an eyebrow and shrugged, though internally he was smiling a little “Great… Um… One thing…” Sine grinned evilly, knowing the question and answer.

“Where’s the exit?” Quill asked Sine shrugged with a smile “Sine, come on!” Quill said, struggling in her cocoon.

Sine chuckled and began to slide down a random tunnel, once again carrying Quill upside down. Quill remained still, pouting a little at the humiliating situation she was in, but better humiliated than crushed. However, soon enough, Quill began to see something above that was definitely light! The surface!

Quill felt the change instantly, from the stuffy cave to the sweet fresh air outside, it was made better by Sine having the decency to turn Quill the right way around. Quill took thankful gulps of air, sighing softly. Sine also appeared to be enjoying the fresh air. Slowly the naga lowered his newest toy to the ground, pulling the bottom coil away so Quill stood on the floor, barely, with her own hind legs, the coil around her chest was pulled off over her head, her hooves were set free… Then Sine pulled Quill into the air by the coil leash he had around Quill.

Quill coughed slightly in discomfort, reaching up and gripping the granite like coil, Sine, frowning, wrote in the dirt.

“Once a month.” Quill nodded and Sine gently set her down, briefly massaging her neck before letting her go to drop back onto four hooves.

“But, how will I find you again?” Quill asked. Sine turned, nodding his head.

“Follow me.” Quill stood up and, nervously, followed beside her new companion.

Sine led Quill back to the bright white tree that stood not far from his home, reaching up the naga broke a branch full of bright white leaves off, instantly all the leaves began to turn towards the branch they had been snapped from. Sine held the branch out to Quill, and she gently took hold of it. Sine tilted his head and smirked.

“No excuses now.” Quill nodded

“Yeah… I’ll see you soon Sine.” Sine turned and began to slide away “Hay Sine!” Quill called.

Sine turned around, eyes half open as if bored but they widened as the golden mare smacked into him, her hooves wrapping around his back and Sine’s own hooves reflexively closing around her back.

“Thank you for not killing me.” Quill whispered.

Sine smirked pushing Quill back, tapping her nose with the end of his tail before hissing softly, but he was smiling so it was less threatening.

“Run little pony, run while you still can.”[/]> Quill actually laughed, waving goodbye, she tugged her satchel down on her way, enjoying the air more than she had when entering. Oddly though, her mind was more on how she’d teach this strange creature to speak than the article she’d have to write… A first.

Sine turned away when Quill’s figure had disappeared into the trees… He had a new toy and a mobile food port to boot… And there was an odd feeling in Sine’s pit whenever the mare was close… He’d have to work out what it was, but for now he was feeling a little peckish… He’d think about it later…