Pandemic: Of Mares and Madness

The day after Jess fell ill, Amy had talked her parents into having her stay over while she spoke with Jess’ parents about the symptoms of ETS, and how it spread. She was chased away, being told that “She could take their useless daughter and the fad and shove it up their plot.” Amy returned home, both saddened by this, and happy that Jess was free of the horrible fosters that she had been living with for the past year as she informed Jess of the news.

“Ugh… Typical. I used to believe that bad parents were a joke until I met those two… ACHOO! Ugh… Sorry, Amy…” Jess said, her nose clogged so thoroughly that she had to breathe through her mouth just to get any air.

“It's fine… And yeah. There are people out there that hate kids to a similar degree of those that hate pit bulls,” Amy replied as she wiped herself off, smiling faintly at the freedom Jess now had.

“What, you mean not all chihuahuas are ankle biting rodents?” Jess asked, her voice carrying a faint undertone of a joke, getting Amy to smile faintly.

“They are small, and cute. Unlike you!” She joked back. The two laughed and chatted for a bit before Amy had to leave to get ready for school again.

“Why don't they just close the school? Nobody is going anymore…”

“While that may be true at other places, our school has to keep up appearances…” She replied, getting ready to head out.

“Amy! The school called! It's finally closed until the government finds a cure!” Amy's dad called from the living room.

“Great… Just as I get ETS, the school closes…” Jess said, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Well… At least that just means you don't have to worry about homework or make up work anymore, right?” Amy said, going back to sit with Jess.

Jessica simply smiled and booped Amy, watching her face scrunch up from the act. Amy now had deep purple eyes and the ears, along with the tail. She wouldn't admit it, but she had lost a couple inches as well. Jess already had a couple strands of blue hair in the back of her head already. And since they weren’t glass like, she figured she wasn’t going to be a Crystal pony.

“So… Plans for when we change?” Amy asked, rubbing her nose to make the boop go away.

“Aside from running away from the foster system? Not a whole lot honestly…” Jess replied.

Amy looked up at her ceiling and hummed a little tune as she thought. She thought of the places they could go, the sights they could see, the foods they could eat… And then she stopped humming as she thought about the other side of things. The places that they likely would never be allowed to go. Foods they could never enjoy again.

“You know, the more I think on it, more I realized that we will have to give up alot of stuff, jobs and the like, if we become ponies…”

Jess smiled and snuggled up to Amy, knowing she likely wouldn't catch the flu part again and hugged her as she said, “Yeah, but at least you'll have me to look after you, right?”

Amy smiled back, blushing a little, before carefully returning the hug as she gave a meek affirmative. The cute moment was interrupted by both of their stomachs growling in perfect sync. While it made them both jump briefly, it brought Jess to the realization that she could breathe normally again, and that she didn't feel as sick or sore.

Amy got up first to head to the kitchen while Jess played there for a couple minutes before getting up and throwing a couple air punches her real dad showed her when she was younger. When that didn't exhaust her immediately, she went on to some simple yoga stretches that her real mom showed her just before the crash. Seeing as that exhausted her a little more than usual, she realized that she had already gotten over the flu part and went downstairs in a mild daze.

“Hey Mr. and Mrs.Miller. Hey Amy.” Jess said as she went to sit down next to Amy, still a little dazed by the revelation.

Amy stared at Jess, mouth agape. Mrs.Miller was similarly shocked, but not because of Jess’ sudden recovery. Mrs.Miller was surprised that she had addressed them before Amy. Mr.Miller raised an eyebrow but put it back down when he noticed the streak of blue creeping up the back of her head.

“Morning, Jessi- Jess.” Mr.Miller said back, stopping himself from using her full name on accident. The girl treated her full name like most people treat a family heirloom.

“It's alright Mr.Miller. You guys are more family than the idiots I was living with. I… I would actually prefer that you had been my fosters instead of them,” Jess said, giving him a weak, albeit warm, smile.

“Oh, we would've gladly taken you in, Jessica!” Mrs.Miller said, smiling widely as she pulled her into a hug. Amy joined in on the hug, smiling as well at the trust and love Jessica had placed in them.

She also had to fight back tears of sorrow as her heart shattered. If Jessica viewed her as a sister, then she wouldn't be able to understand Amy's feelings for the other girl.

“I know your secret, Amy,” Jess whispered very quietly in her ear, causing her to jolt slightly and blush heavily as she went about eating. Jess smiled as Mrs. and Mr.Miller both took it as a sign to start eating as well.

After the food was finished, Jess complaining, jokingly, about the lack of meat, the two adults went off to bed, saying they had been feeling more and more tired lately. This left Jess and Amy to take care of the dishes.

“I-I… L-look, Jess, i-it's not what it looks like! I promise!” Amy started, panicking slightly as Jess approached her.

“Oh~? So you don't have a crush on me?” Jess teased her. What happened next was not what Jess had expected. Amy turned so red, that she collapsed and fainted, leaving only Jess to take care of the dishes.