Vivarium

“Good morning, honey,” Gamma Ray said to her boyfriend with a nuzzle as she passed him on her way to the coffee pot. Packer watched her pass him for a second while he chewed some morning hay. “Hmm, last night was amazing. I didn’t think I’d be able to walk after what you did to me,” she said casually.

Packer blushed and swallowed. “Well, it’s a stallion’s job to please his mare.”

She poured herself a cup with her magic, smirking back at him. “And your mare is very pleased.” She replaced the pot and took a sip of the black liquid before she added some sugar and took another sip. Nodding, Gamma moved to her spot on the floor and took a seat beside her boyfriend. “Maybe we can do it again tonight?”

He chuckled. “Why wait that long?” He asked, lidding his eyes.

“Oh, no you don’t,” she replied with a wave of her hoof. “I’m not going to work with your scent all over me. There’s a reason I took a shower just now, and you know why.”

Packer rolled his eyes. “Because foals ask too many questions,” he practically quoted. “Is it my fault that you have changeling that can smell emotions?”

She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “No, but when they smell your seed and then my emotions, it leads to me having to deflect questions from the entire class to their parents or counselor. I can’t deal with parent teacher conferences again so soon, even if most of the class now knows how babies are made.”

Packer picked up his mug in his hoof and took a sip. “Just a little sample?” Gamma’s magic tipped the cup and he spluttered as warm milky coffee went down his muzzle. “Hey!”

“Oh, thank you for offering,” Gamma quickly slid his plate to her spot and took a bundle of hay with some herbs to her mouth. She smiled while she chewed. “Don’t be a baby, you look fine and it’ll dry off.” He opened his mouth and she stuffed some hay into it to keep him quiet. “You’re cute when you’re upset.”

Packer chewed with a frown that slowly turned to a smile. “Cud attack!” shouted before spitting his chewed food at her. He got up and ran away from her before she could wipe the chewed ball of food from her chest.

Gamma sighed as his tail rounded the corner and she giggled. “Goofball. Karma, I guess.”

…

Gamma stood in front of her class as the young watched her, listening raptly as she read from a book to them. They inhaled in unison when she spoke aloud the climax of the story, before clapping and cheering the success of the lost dog that found its way home. Placing the book down, she looked out the window by chance to see a class of pegasi flying by, low and slow.

“Miss Gamma?” A filly earth pony called. “Can I go to the bathroom?”

“Yes, you may. Take a friend with you,” she advised and watched as two fillies rushed from the room. “Now, who would like to play a game?” The class cheered and hooves went up. “Great! We’re going to play pretend. This will be pretty easy for those of you that can change shape, but this isn’t about changing shape, it’s about imagination.

“When I say a creature, I want you all to imagine to be the creature in your mind and act like you think they’d act like. No shapeshifting,” she stated, looking at the colorful bugs. “Oh, my. I am in the jungle and I see something orange. It has stripes! Black stripes that help it blend in to the background. I see a tiger,” she said as she lowered her front and raised her tail. She growled as deeply as she could and her charges followed suit.

Tiny cute roars and snarls filled the classroom and some ponies pounced on one another, pretending to attack. Within ten seconds it had turned into a full pretend melee with foals roaring and snarling at one another with one little unicorn accidentally rearing up and toppling to the side with a yelp.

“Very good, class!” Gamma announced. “We’re all ponies again,” she called out and the game ended with classmates helping one another up and returning their attention to their teacher. “Now I am in the desert, it’s very dry. I see something on its belly, wiggling along the ground to move. I see a snake!” She dropped to her belly and hissed.

The foals giggled and followed suit, rolling around and crawling with their hooves, bumping against one another as they hissed. One colt bit a filly’s hind leg, but apologized because ‘snakes don’t bite each other.’

The two fillies reentered the room and stopped, watching the scene. Gamma stood up and explained what was happening and the fillies moved into the crowd as Gamma stopped the current exercise. And continued going through several more locations and animals before, thankfully, class ended.

Gamma loved her job, her special talent was in teaching, after all, but after so many hours in a day being dedicated to teaching the young, she was tired. She just wanted to see Packer and be in his presence, to be in the moment instead with another adult instead of having to deal with children all the time.

“Hey, beautiful,” Pack said to Gamma as he appeared from behind a large tree. “I hope you aren’t going to leaf me here, are you?” He joked.

Gamma rolled her eyes and trotted to him, kissing him on the lips earning a dozen ew’s from the nearby children. “I missed you. I thought about you all day,” she said, giving him a nuzzle.

Packer nodded. “I have something to tell you,” he said, reaching behind the tree and producing several colorful flowers, “I have a house for us to look at. It’s a little ways away, but still within an hour of work for us both.”

Gamma took the flowers in her magic and ate one with a hum. “Really? We were talking about staying within twenty minutes because you work so much more than I do.”

He waved it off, then looked at his rough hooves. “Well, being a landscaper is hard work, but I could never do what you do all day. All those beady little eyes watching me, boring into my very soul, waiting for something stupid to ask that would just make me go crazy,” he shivered.

Gamma gave him a playful shove before standing beside him to watch the children pass from school to their parents, or to begin their walk home. “C’mon, they’re not that bad. And you do have little creatures with beady eyes watching everything you do.”

“Yeah, they’re called bugs. If they get on my nerves I can just swat them away. Good luck doing that to some creature’s child.”

Gamma giggled and took another flower to her mouth. “Good point, even though it is tempting at times. C’mon, let’s go home so we can-”

“Actually,” Packer interjected, looking anxious. “I kinda set up the house viewing today.”

“What?!” Gamma shouted, barely keeping her snack in her mouth.

Packer leaned away a little. “I’m sorry, the stallion was very insistent that the house might be gone before we got a chance to check it out.”

“Please, tell me you didn’t put any bits down on this place,” Gamma said, pressing her forehoof into the ground.

“What? No way! I’m not a fool. All I did was schedule the viewing at six o’clock and-”

Gamma growled. “That’s in two hours! We have to leave now to make it and I’m barely done with work.”

Packer draped a foreleg over Gamma’s back and pulled her close. “I brought my cart, I’ll pull you the whole way and you can… I dunno, grade homework or do taxes the whole way.”

She stepped away still sporting a frown. “I don’t just do homework and tax season isn’t for another seven months. But, I guess being taken to a viewing isn’t a bad idea,” she admitted.

“Exactly. It’s just an easy hour trot from here so we have time to get a late lunch and do a little travel shopping before we go.” Packer said, pulling Gamma back in close.

She nuzzled him. “Fine… wait,” she sniffed him and he smiled awkwardly. “Have you been smoking those awful cigars again?”

“It’s just something to help me relax, babe. It’s not like I’d do it in our new house; where we’ll start a family and live happily ever after.”

Gamma rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe I didn’t notice it when I kissed you earlier. It’s such a gross habit, can’t you just chew gum like a normal stallion?”

Packer moved away and started walking. “You didn’t complain last night when my tongue was halfway down your throat.”

“Ew!” A filly pegasus shouted from above them as she passed.

Gamma bumped firmly into Packer’s side. “Don’t talk about anything around here, kids are everywhere and hear everything.”

…

“Goodbye, Manehattan. I’ll miss you,” Gamma called from the back of the open cart. She lowered the paper she was grading to wave at the sign as it approached.

“It’s not like we’re leaving forever, it’s just a couple hours away. Probably less with how quickly I’m going,” Packer said as he pulled the cart down the paved road.

“If we’re not back in time for my radio shows, I’m gonna be upset with you,” Gamma said as she went back to the papers, a black pen held in her magical aura being used to note something.

“If we’re not back in time for your radio shows, I’ll double what I did last night,” Packer said with confidence.

Gamma froze and a grin crept onto her muzzle before she went back to work. “Take your time, honey, it’s getting a bit bumpy back here.”

Eventually, they arrived at an intersection where a blue earth pony stallion was waiting for them. “Hey, that’s Clipper! He’s the one who told me about the house for sale,” Packer said loudly.

“Greetings, friends. I am here to show you to your new home, just follow me.”

“Clipper, it’s nice to meet you,” Gamma said from the cart.

“It is nice to meet you, Gamma Ray. I know you will enjoy living in Green Acres, it’s the last home you’ll ever need,” Clipper said back to her.

Gamma raised an eyebrow and watched the blue stallion walk for a moment before shaking her head. “Weirdo,” she whispered to herself before returning to work.

“Wow,” Packer said breathily, getting Gamma’s attention. Her mouth went slack as they approached a sign announcing their arrival at Green Acres. What caught her attention were the houses. Each was two stories tall, green tinted, and exactly the same as the one next to it going down at least a whole block.

Gamma sat up tall and looked as they entered the community set apart from any she’d ever seen. There were no gates to identify it as being secured, but being in a settled zone near a major Equestrian metropolis didn’t really invite monsters or otherworldly dangers. She felt something cold wash over her as they entered, but she passed it off as chills from enchantments interacting with her own mana.

She tapped the front of the cart and Packer stopped so she could hop to the ground, noting it was packed earth and not asphalt, like she’d gotten accustomed to. She sided with her stallion as they caught up with Clipper and were led several blocks into the community. She noticed quickly that it was very quiet and there didn’t seem to be any pegasi flying overhead.

“Where is everypony?” Gamma asked.

Clipped stopped and pointed to a green house, like all the rest. “There you are, house 42, the best home you’ll ever have.”

Gamma looked at the blue stallion as he grinned and kept pointing to the house beside them. Above the door was the number ‘42’, indicating he was right. With a quick tug, Packer was unhitched and moved to the sidewalk, which was made of some stone or rock she didn’t recognize.

Clipper walked quickly to the door and opened it. “Go in, look around.”

Packer motioned for Gamma to go in first, and he followed. The door closed behind Clipper and he directed them around the small house. “This is the living room, where you will live and make many memories.”

The couple walked in and looked around the room, noting several pictures of the house they were in and a couple pictures of flowers. “What’s that?” Packer asked, pointing to a large black rectangle.

“That’s a television. It’s like a radio you can watch.” Clipper said as he walked in front of it and pointed to the kitchen. “Next, the meal room.”

“Kitchen?” Gamma supplied.

“I’ve heard it called that, too.” Clipper said as he followed them. He went to the refrigerator and opened it with his lips. He moved aside and gestured. “Would you like some wine and cheese?”

Packer’s ears perked but Gamma answered first. “No, thank you. We’re just looking, after all.”

Clipper and Packer shared a disappointed look, but moved on to the next rooms before going upstairs. “The master bedroom, where you will make many babies,” Clipper said as they walked in.

The decor was nice and the bed was just big enough to fit the couple, but they shared a look before looking back to Clipper, who was watching them intently. “Um, okay… that’s kind of a weird thing to say,” Packed said.

Clipper narrowed his eyes. “Are you infirtile?”

Both ponies glared back at Clipper. “It’s not my estrus season, plus it’s none of your business.”

“Yeah, keep our personal lives out of your business.” Packer said.

Clipper snorted and stepped from the doorway. “Besides the bathroom, there’s one last room to show you.” The last room was painted in a swirl of colors that was the most bright thing they’d seen since they’d arrived. What caught their attention was the large crib against the far wall. “For when you start your family, we have provided.”

After a couple of seconds, the couple stopped staring at the crib and looked between one another before looking back. “Okay, that’s just weird, now,” Packer stated. He looked for Clipper. “Clipper?” He asked and shared a confused look with Gamma. “Clipper?” He called out and moved to the doorway with Gamma right behind him.

They looked around the house and even went to the back yard before leaving. “What a weirdo!” Gamma announced. “He leads us around the house acting like we already moved in, talks about our sex life, tells us about having babies, then vanishes! I can’t wait to get home and take a shower… wash this place from my fur.” Gamma shook slightly.

“Yeah, the sooner we’re home, the sooner we can work on our sex life, too.” Packer said as he broke from her side to go to hitch up.

“Is that all you can think about?” She asked as she climbed into the cart.

“Yup.”

Gamma rolled her eyes and settled down for the ride. A moment later, Packer started down the road and turned around, quickly trotting back the way they’d come. Gamma kept looking up to watch Packer’s tail sway as he trotted, grinning at how lucky she was to be with him. She’d never have thought she’d be carted around like a princess by her boyfriend, but there she was.

She picked up her stack of homework and sighed, noting she was only half done with it all when the cart slowed to a stop. “What’s wrong?”

Packer looked back and then smiled. “Nothing, just took a wrong turn.”

“Wrong turn? There were only three turns to get here.”

“Thanks, Gamma, I didn’t know that,” Packer snarked. “Maybe you’d like to navigate us out?”

“Keep your sarcasm to yourself,” Gamma replied as she returned to her papers. “You’re cute when you’re not a jerk.” The cart rumbled on and time passed before she lurched forward. “Hey, what’s going on?”

Packer snorted in frustration. She looked at him, then followed his gaze. “Did you just walk us in a huge circle?”

“I did not!” Packer snapped. “We’ve gone at least ten blocks and I’ve passed house 42 three times.”

“What?”

“I said that there’s no way I’m walking us in circles, but we keep ending up back here.”

Gamma sighed and set her papers down. “Okay, don’t get upset. I’m sure you just missed a turn somewhere. I’ll focus on the path as your trusty navigator and you just lead us home, okay?”

“Fine,” Packer snapped and started trotting faster than before.

Gamma smirked at first, seeing him upset over getting lost so easily. “You know, we can always ask for directions out.”

“I’m not asking for directions!” Packer answered.

She giggled and pointed ahead. “Take the next left, then two more blocks, then take the third right.”

Taking the first turn, Packer slowed to a stop and they both stared ahead of them. Four houses in was house 42. Packer looked back with a smirk. “Who’s leading us in circles now?”

Gamma looked at the house with frustration before she smiled. “I got it! There’s more than one house 42, that’s how we seem to have come across it again. Go past it and I’ll prove it to you.” She said. He went to the house and she went into her saddlebag and pulled out a meal bar. “Goodbye, my love,” she said; kissing it before tossing it onto the path to the house. “Onward, my trusted stud.”

Packer didn’t answer, instead resuming their trot out of the community.

They stopped a few minutes later in front of house 42 again, glaring at the meal bar they’d just left behind. “That’s impossible.”

Packer stomped his hooves on the soft ground. “Impossible? This whole place is impossible! Forget it, I’m taking the lead, again.”

He galloped off, nearly toppling Gamma over in the cart. Turn after turn, every couple blocks led them past house 42. Finally, panting, Packer stopped in front of the house with shaking legs. He pulled the release strap and stepped free from the cart to look at Gamma. “What do we do?”

She gulped and fumbled around the cart before passing him a canteen. “Drink, then we can try some more.”

“More?” Packer asked as he looked up and down the street. Each house was identical and unoccupied. “I can’t go on much more, my legs are starting to burn. Can you pull for a while?” Packer asked with a slight pout.

Gamma smiled and kissed him on the lips. “Anything to save my stallion from the ravages of hard work.”

Packer frowned. “Hey, I’m not lazy.”

Gamma shook her head. “I was just kidding. Honest, I know you’re not lazy. You’re one of the hardest working stallion’s I’ve ever known. C’mon up here, you need to rest your legs before you catch a cramp.”

Gamma climbed down and helped Packer up, where he promptly collapsed and exhaled loudly. “Whew, I didn’t know how tired I was until I got down.”

She went to the front and hitched up. “Don’t worry, your brave heroine will save the day,” she said before starting to trot off.