Sleipnir Colony - A Short Story Collection

And so it began.

J.G. could already feel it, it was was uncanny how every colony was the same. Whenever he landed and took that first walk into the town through the streets eyes just set upon him. They just always...stared. It never failed to make him uncomfortable.

The massive ponies always marvelled slightly at his size, years ago he would have been considered slightly chubby, even portly, but now these days? He was regarded as a stick, less weight on him that even the smallest fillies.

Perhaps he wondered if it was a failing of his that he always took a trot around the town to stretch his legs. In the end though it was always the same, the stares, the gasps, the on occasion ponies coming up to him with a burger in hoof offering it to him saying that ‘You look awfully hungry so I thought you could use it more than me’. He would just roll his eyes and silently carry on his walk.

For once though he was actually hungry, it had been a long trip to Sleipnir, even longer with the unscheduled stop. He didn’t much fancy what was on the ship, not that there was much left. The cargo...um, passengers always managed to devour the vast majority of the food stores.

All there was though was the same as every colony, fast food, fattening food and well even more fast food. Usually though he could sniff out something that wasn’t going to instantly clog his arteries, he just had to look for it, which meant more trotting. Not that he minded, it meant seeing a little of the colony and less time cooped up in the ship. He loved the Unity but at the end of the day it was a metal container hurtling through space that you could only leave on planetfall, or if they stopped at a space station or something.

He trotted along, more eyes on him. It always made it hard to take in his surroundings while so many were staring. One mare even covered her daughters eyes and dragged her off into a nearby eatery. He swore he heard her say “If you don’t eat you’ll end up like that pony!” as she pulled her inside, no doubt to push a burger or some other fattening food down her throat.

The town was boring, too focused on eating as most of them where. He still hadn’t found somewhere that he could get something from himself. His belly grumbled beneath him. Sometimes the park was a good place, if nothing he could at least stop and have a sit down.

Exiting the main town as far as he could make out the park was actually fairly pleasant. On most colonies they often went to rack and ruin in rather short order as ponies of size had no use for a large open space made mainly for running and exercising in. Sleipnir’s was different though, paths were kept tidy, grass was cut. There was even a rather nice fountain. Granted it was a strange one, it seemed to work in reverse, the pony in the middle had multiple jets of water streaming towards an open mouth to give the sense it was eating a large amount.

He sighed.

In the distance however he spied a small stand. One mare seemed to be manning it, not a single pony in the park was paying any attention to her and she looked excessively bored, almost flopped over the stand as she waited for a customer. J.G. thought it obvious why. For a start the sign seemed to have fruits on. He made his way over.

“What are you selling here miss?” His question rousing the mare and her eyes darting upwards to meet his gaze. She clearly wasn’t expecting a single soul.

“Oh! Hello! Um...it’s a fruit drink and some fruit pots. I thought ponies might be able to look past the fact it’s healthy and enjoy the taste but, I’m not having much luck…” She sounded defeated.

“You’re trying to sell a somewhat healthy product on a colony filled with obsessive eaters. I don’t think you will. But I’ll give you a hoof today.” J.G. replied and tossed some bits onto her counter. “You’re lucky I like healthy, one of each.” He said with a smile.

The defeated attitude quickly changed, as the mare prepared a small bag containing a fruit smoothie and pot of various colony-local fruits. They looked interesting and tasty, not uncommon actually to fruits you’d get on the homeworld. Just clearly local and suited to growing on the colony. “I think you’re my first customer for a few days!” She said with a large grin. The mare wasn’t exactly small herself but J.G. could appreciate the effort. As he thanked her and began to step back he felt himself brush against something, followed by a short “H-hey! Watch out!”

He turned, and saw behind him a rather small filly. Well, not exactly small. She was still fat like the rest of them but slightly dumpy. She was also alone, strange that one so young should be without a parent in sight.

“Sorry I didn’t see you there little miss…?”

“Booster Rocket.” The filly said rather quietly, J.G. could tell something was up.

“Well that’s a pretty name, you were very close behind me! If I was a big pony you might not have been there much longer!” He chuckled, but he got no reaction out of her. She just stared. They always just stared. He sighed and decided to just explain.

“Look, I know what you’re thinking, I’m…”

“...Thin, yes! I’ve never seen a thin pony!” Booster interjected. The child was obviously interested. “I-I’m trying to be thin myself, it’s why I’m here and alone...my parents don’t know yet.” She said, still a bit quiet. Before he could say anything the filly collected a small bag from the salespony and put it round her neck to carry it off somewhere but she didn’t move, still looking at him.

“Can I ask you things...sorry, I’m just curious about being thin. My teacher said thin ponies are super rare and I wanna ask you stuff before you go! I may not have the opportunity again....” She said, clearly she was being sincere. J.G. thought it no harm.

“Sure, let’s find a bench and we can sit and talk.”

For the remainder of the afternoon J.G. didn’t move from that bench and neither did Booster. The filly had a lot of questions about being thin. What did it feel like? Do you have to eat less? What do you do? Oh wow you’re a spaceship captain! That’s amazing! I wanna do something like that someday! The questions carried on and on. But J.G. was after years of flying a spaceship very patient, he was actually enjoying the change of pace too. Usually questions that came at him were about why he was so thin in a negative way. Never positive. He was taking a shine to filly.

He suddenly noticed the chill in the air, it was also getting dark. Before yet another question came at his ears he thought it best to see if perhaps tomorrow the young thing might like to have some more questions answered.

“Booster, as much as I’d love to keep answering your questions it’s getting late. Won’t your parents be wondering where you are?”

“They know I went out for a while. I often disappear for a little. They just don’t know I’m sneaking healthy food yet…” Well at least she was honest. The stallion rubbed his chin, thinking. He had an idea.

“Can you come to the dockyard tomorrow? Maybe early in the morning? We can carry on then if you like?”

The little fillies eyes lit up, and she leaned herself into him and wrapped her arms around his middle. Probably one of the few ponies she could actually do that to and reach all the way around. “Yes please! I wanna find out as much as I can from you!” She said with enthusiasm, shuffling herself onto her feet and getting off the bench. “Some day I’m not gonna have to waddle anymore! I just...wanna feel like me.” She said before starting to head off home.

J.G. just sat on the bench for a little longer. He’d never had the opportunity to help another pony actually be thin before. Well...nopony had ever asked. Tomorrow was a new day, and he had a few things he could pass on to her that he hadn’t already. But as he noted earlier, it was late. J.G. thought he better get back to the ship.