Pony Addiction

For days two and three in Equestria I hid in my room. I caught up on my sleep, I ate my fill in every meal, wrote in my diary and read my book. I only left my room to eat and use the washroom.

I admit I walked slowly and searched for any sign of Candy when I did leave my room. She never appeared again.

I guess she wasn't able to talk her way out of her predicament. It was regrettable. It wasn't fair.

But that's just how things go sometimes.

On the morning of the fourth day I went to the communal room were the other humans where.

Colourful walls and clear bright lighting. A dozen humans sitting at tables chatting idly and quietly playing board games.

The humans where a clear cross section of a North American metropolis. No one looked genuinely rural.

There was a poisonous tension in air. A dash of hopelessness and despair and a large dollop of decay. Not an unfamiliar feeling.

There was one other person alone in the room. Gazing off into space and looking lost and alone. He was overweight, balding and reeked of money.

“Hey,” I sat down next to my chosen conversation partner.

He looked away.

“Sure is a funny place.”

He responded with more silence.

“The grub isn't all that bad here. This place really kinda okay in places.”

“Go away.”

“Are you sure? There's nothing here but this or to out there with the ponies, isn't there?” I wasn't awake enough to deal with them yet. Maybe after another cup of coffee.

“Yeah, you like this don't you? I bet you're fucking loving it.”

“I haven't even left the zoo since I got here. I think I'm hiding.” I took a soft yielding hand to our verbal sparing.

He laughed before catching himself.

“But I finished my book. I'm going to have to go out today.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“I was wondering if you knew a good bookstore in town.”

“No, I don't.”

“Or maybe you knew a good place to go...”

“I don't know about that either.”

“Or maybe just some advice for getting through the city?”

“My advice is not to go.”

“I could use some company-”

“I'm not going! They're nothing but animals! They act like people, but they aren't! You can't trust them!” His face was beat red and his eyes were wet.

Candy wasn't like that. Most of the ponies I had met had been decent folk.

Not that first pony of course. And of course he was talking about ponies like that first pony. Maybe.

“I'll wear my gloves,” I said excusing myself.

“I miss my wife, my house, my car and my job. Not my intern though. He was worthless. But everything else I miss.”

“I miss...” damn it.

I suppose this whole thing was harder on normal people.

* * *

I was slowly simmering under the light of the sun. My search was getting confused. The city hadn't been built on a grid of streets but apparently a series of curves that reflected the terrain.

“Excuse me, do you know where I can find a book seller?” I asked a couple of ponies conversing on the corner.

The reaction was humorous, or would have been from a third persons perspective. Each one, turned saw me, gaped in shock and took a step directly away from me and froze. The fact they did this in near sequence made it as adorable as it was terrible.

“A book seller,” I prompted.

A hoof pointed down one of the four directions that the streets went.

“Thanks,” I tipped my head and I was off. I could have used some verbal directions. But hey, don't scare the normals, right?

Half a block latter I found a book store. I suppose the directions had been sound.

The store was small, part of a larger storefront and stuffed with tall book cases. It was dark, dusty and smelled of old books.

“Hi,” I greeted the clerk, “Fiction?”

None of the books had covers with pictures and all where hard bound. I grabbed one at random. “Shadow in a Ponies Heart.” Neat.

“Oh, and I probably need a history book of some kind.”

By the time I picked up a copy of “Rule of the Sisters” I was feeling a little flushed. The ventilation in the store was non-existent. Still my experience with Candy suggested that I was good for a good twenty minutes or so.

Books down before the clerk I reached into my pocket for the small purse of coins I had been given as part of my stipend.

“What do I owe you?”

“It's a pretty hot day out isn't it?”

“Pretty hot, yeah.”

“On a nice hot day like this, I usually like to hang out at the park, but I'm stuck working inside today. Can you believe the luck?” The clerk had an odd smile on.

“It's not all that bad I suppose. Every job has it's perks. I remember I used to enjoy chatting with customers back when I was working till.” I smiled back catching her game.

“I like that too, it really helps the day go faster doesn't it?”

“I have noticed that the local population has a lot more females then males.”

“It's about 83% female. Give or take. Just like everywhere else.”

“Neat, It's about 52% female back home.”

“Isn't that fascinating? The differences I mean,” she said putting a hoof over my gloved hand.

“Indeed.” Wait was this okay? “The differences and the similarities.” Maybe, it wasn't okay. This was relying on the cascade's effect. “Certainly very thought provoking.” Times up. Make it okay. Fast. “My name is John.”

“Nice to meet you. Can you take off your glove for me?” Her eyes where large and bright. Green eyes contrasting neatly with a reddish coat.

“I think I might enjoy that, Miss...?” I swallowed.

“Take off the glove.”

I smiled a brittle smile and pulled my hand back.

“What do I owe you for the books?”

* * *

I panted for breath on a park bench. I wasn't a good jogger and running on a hot day wearing a coat was especially taxing.

The lust showed it's self to be false as it rapidly faded as I regained my breath.

But the books where in hand and paid for. I had won. I had kept my dignity intact.

It was kind of fun though, to be wanted. Even if it wasn't for anything I had done. Maybe it was kinda like being a drunk girl at a party.

A pony ushered her progeny away protectively while shooting me mean looks.

I kinda wish I hadn't seen that right then, but whatever. It was fine. Nothing new.

Actually... relaxing on a park bench, check... disgusted looks, check... basking in the glorious warmth of a sunny day, check... smoke, not check...

I pulled a medicated lollipop out of my pocket.

Smoke alternative, check.

Just like home.

A winged pony flew by leaving behind a colourful contrail to the sound of a distant roar.

Close enough.

But I should find someone to talk to. Or somepony I guess. Sometimes you need to snack on some social interaction.

Just pick somepony cute... Well they where all cute in a way. Visual cues weren't helping me pick one.

Somepony not dragging around a kid... That narrowed down the list pretty good. This was apparently a popular destination for family outings.

Not the one hanging out with her boyfriend.

There a pony reading under a tree. How sweet.

How to start the conversation?

“Hi, whatcha reading?” “Why no, I've never read that title, heard of that author or even conceived of that topic because I am from a different world.”

Fuck, I could just walk over there, take off these stupid gloves and run a finger down her neck. Simple, easy and straight forward. Even if she didn't want to she'd change her mind right quick.

That's what I'm out here for isn't it?

Of course it is...

Wait.

“Why hello there. How rude of me not to notice you.” I welcomed the tan and grey pony hiding behind the bench with a genuine and predatory smile.

“Hi,” it squeaked. It was hiding it's face under it's hooves.

“Whatcha doin'?” I asked as I ran a gloved hand over it's ears and tousled it's mane.

“Didn't mean to.”

“Yeah, we all do things we don't mean sometimes.”

“I didn't know.”

“You didn't know? Do you know what happens if I touch you without my gloves on?”

It shook it's head. How adorable, how precious.

“And you know that I know exactly what you're feeling right now?”

It whimpered in shame and curled into a ball. I saw it's erection as it shifted.

Lust struck decades of cultural indoctrination in a storm of violence. I stood in the calm eye.

“This wasn't your idea.” My voice was empty but my hand was still working the pony's ears.

It nodded.

I tore my eyes away from my poor creature and spotted a small group of ponies that where watching the proceedings with amusement.

Oh, so that's how it is.

He squeaked in pain as my grip tightened on his ear.

“Sorry, didn't mean to do that,” I did want to do it again though. “I need you to run away.” I wouldn't be able to ruin everything if they caught up with him.

He looked up at me.

“Right now,” I closed my eyes and smiled a toothy grin.

He took off like an arrow.

I headed over to intercept the group of oh so amused ponies before they could follow him.

I contemplated taking my time and letting the cascade fade. But it didn't feel right. It felt more hateful to do it this way.

“Hi!” I greeted cheerfully. Three out of four ponies jumped back in surprise as I stepped into their midst.

The slow one got an elbow to the face and hit the ground.

The rest gets a little blurry.