An hour or so later your curled up on the couch watching TV with him. Guess the 'no ponies on the couch' rule doesn't exist when he wants somepony to give back scratches to.
Jokes on him you use the couch every time he leaves the house anyway. it's not like he can tell, despite purring like a cat sometimes you don't shed like one. You remember reading somewhere that cats don't naturally purr, it was all just to trick humans into giving them attention. Works for them and works for you, humans really are too easy.

You'd be a bit more self conscious about the whole thing, but you gave up on the whole 'dignity' thing after being manipulated back into a good mood via something as simple scratches.

He scratches under your chin and receives a hand nuzzle for his efforts. "You sure are affectionate tonight."

Ok if even he's noticed then you're letting yourself over do it. You freeze mid nuzzle, blink, and you sit back up straight so you can awkwardly cough into a hoof. "Yeah well today didn't really go as I planned but you checked up on me... and you did say you were sorry about everything... That's a first you know."

"What's a first?"

"You saying it, that you were sorry. You've never apologized to me before."

He gives you a kinda weird look. "I've never said sorry to you before? Ever?"

Hmm gotta play this carefully, you don't want to insult him somehow. "Well no, not that I recall. It's no big deal it just... It kinda me feel I don't know valued or something..."

The more you say the sillier it feels, you turn your head so you don't have to look him in the eye.

"Hey look at me. Do you think I don't value you?"

You turn to look in his direction but keep your eyes and ears low and submissive. "No, of course not it's just... I don't know, you can be so strict and in the end I'm just a... you know..."

The weight of the collar and Rarity's cold attitude echo in your mind.

"I'm strict because, if you remember, our first few months together were not so great."

Ok so you still had a little fire in you back then, who can blame you?

"But I didn't just get you because you were cheap. Ok to be totally honest you really were a really good deal, but that's not the point." Eloquent. Good to know you were a bargain bin steal, the value of your life dreams and ambitions reduced to a 50% off sticker.

"The point is I do value you. You're a great little worker when you set your mind to it and you've made my life a lot easier!"

You know his intentions are noble, but in the end what he's saying is slowly breaking your heart even more. He doesn't like you as a pony, or an individual, he likes you as a slave.

"T-that's very kind thank you master." The response comes across as automated as you retreat further into yourself.

"Woah wait I'm sorry. What did I say wrong?" He puts a hand under your chin and turns your face towards his.

Gone is the happy tail wagging catpony he had a few minutes ago and he can tell.

What do you even say? He's your 'owner' for celestia's sake there's no way he'd ever understand. To him ponies are probably just useful pets to train up and make his life easier. The funny thing is you don't even consider him a bad person. He'd never seriously injured you, he fed you, hell gave you luxuries some ponies would kill for. He'd invested thousands in your room, entertainment and collar. Even bought you pony only foods you enjoyed.

But he still enslaved you. No matter how sugar coated it is he owns your life destiny and fate. There's no malice in his eyes though. ignorance maybe? naivete. Can he be taught anything else? Can any human?

You knew humans used to enslave each other but now it was considered abhorrent. How many generations did it take for that sentiment to grow though? Can you teach an old dog new tricks, or is it too ingrained in the current cultural mindset? Nature vs nurture they say but you never really cared for the soft sciences.

He looks so sincere right now though...

You suppose it never hurts to try.

"I... Well you..."

"Come on you can tell me."

Nevermind this is dangerous, this is very dangerous. What you say right now could redefine your entire relationship with Anon forever, for better or for worse. The easy thing to do is play it safe, tell him everything's fine and he's great. Keep wasting your time surfing the web, watching TV, doing the chores, and being a quiet happy little slave.

A slave with no future, no hope, and no life worth living.

Buck it.

"You value me as a slave and not as a pony Anon. Before coming to earth I had hopes, dreams, ambitions, friends, a life! Then I'm being hunted like an animal, drugged, conditioned, shoved into a cage, sold for next to nothing! Do you know how many nights I cried myself to sleep? How much I miss my family and friends? I like you, you're good to me, but I'm still just your little slave running errands her whole life! What kind of future do I have? Am I just an animal to you? Your pet? Do I get my own family? Friends? Choices? Please Anon if this is it then I... I just don't know! What's the point!?"

Whew that was a mouthful! You take a few deep breaths because, well you need them, and to help calm your nerves.

H-he's just staring at you.

Shit he even stopped scratching your back. Did you go too far? Is it no longer your place to question your status in the world? An outburst like that would earn some slaves a beating you know for sure. You'd had your own share when you'd first been captured... P-please not again...

When he speaks it's not in anger, it's more... Shock?

"I, wow... I, ok... I didn't know you felt that way..."

Your ears flatten against your head and you look away. You and your big mouth, you had a good thing going and now you've ruined it by being an ingrate! Don't cry don't cry don't cry!

"Hey it's ok don't look away." You keep your eyes low but turn back towards him.

It takes every fiber of your being to not prostrate yourself and beg for forgiveness. Gods above just how much you've changed. You told yourself you wouldn't let the conditioning at the training camp get to you, but right now to grovel more than anything in the world.

Your heart beats slow and loud in your ears as the inner turmoil churns away.

"Ok I'm not really sure what to say... Maybe I... I dunno maybe I didn't think this whole thing through. You're not just a pet or an animal to me you're... well... you. And, ok, I don't really know what that means, man I suck at this. I'm sorry. Just like what do YOU want then? What can i do?"

Moment of truth filly. Ask for an allowance raise or shoot for the moon.

"I want to be free..."

There you said it.

He just stares at you for until you break eye contact. Most of your mind is screaming at you to beg for forgiveness, to tell him that he's the best thing that's ever happened to you and that you love being his. But there's a proud unicorn in there somewhere still surrounded by her friends and family that tells you otherwise.

That things CAN be better.

"I... See... I'm sorry Twi I just... need some time to think about all this is that ok? I think I'm gonna turn in why don't you turn off the TV when you're done?"

Well all in all could have gone better, could have gone worse. You give him a firm nod and levitate over the remote.

"Yes sir, sleep well."

"Yeah you too."

He looks uncertain as he gets up and leaves for his bedroom.

Maybe, just maybe, things can change.

Author's Note

Pretty sure this and the last chapter used to be one, but I didn't notice and picked the wrong breakpoint. It doesn't really matter, just makes them both short. As most of you have probably noticed chapters are short as they were originally written to be posted a few times a week in a 4chan thread. They'll get a bit longer later on but never huge.