Chapters Anton Post - 'Toni' to his friends - lay on the bare mattress in his basement, watching motes of dust flare into points of light as they floated past the window. The sun was well on its way to noon and the small square of blue sky he could see promised it would be another hot, summer day. He'd eschewed a blanket, partly on account of the heat, and partly because the purple, furred body draped across his midriff provided plenty of insulation, even during the night. One of his hands idly caressed an ear, while the other rested lightly on a star-shaped cutie mark. He glanced down briefly to reassure himself that Twilight Sparkle was still asleep, then returned his gaze to the tiny window near the ceiling. It was by no means early, but he didn't have anywhere to be so it was okay to lounge around a little. Particularly since it was probably the last day he could enjoy the company for a while. He looked at the sleeping mare once more and spotted a fleck of dirt. His hand left the ear it was scratching and slid down to Twilight's muzzle. He tugged whatever it was free from her fur and flicked it away.
Probably a bit of dried snot, he told himself. Toni wasn't squeamish, not after so many other unsavoury fluids spilled and cleaned in the past. His action did, however, wake the sleeping mare and she opened one eye. The iris appeared gray in the dim light and her pupil was round and large. Twilight blinked a few times and focused on him. Then she breathed in, a long, luxurious inhalation which caused her fur to slide across Toni's bare chest. She stretched out her hind legs, but soon curled them back up and tried to shuffle her hooves under his body.
"I'm cold," she said. "Where's the blanket?"
"I'll go grab it. Slept well?"
She shook her head a little. "I didn't sleep, but it was still relaxing. Don't worry about it. Blanket?"
Toni looked across the room, but couldn't spot it anywhere. "Must be on the couch again. I should probably head out soon, anyway."
Her ears folded back as she considered those words, and her eyes seemed to shimmer with quiet pleading. "Already?" she asked. "Must you?"
Toni traced his fingers down the lines of her face and brought his other hand closer to cup the purple muzzle for a moment before answering: "It's nearly time, you know that. I'll sleep upstairs until you're back."
It wasn't what Twilight wanted to hear and she averted her gaze. Her mouth curled with the beginning of a whine, but she stopped herself and sighed instead. She plopped her head back on Toni's belly. "I know. I just wish I didn't have to go."
"You don't. I mean- you could be back tonight. I really don't mi-"
"No," she interrupted in a flat voice. "Heartswarming. We said after Heartswarming and that's what it's going to be. It's been hard enough as it is."
"I know, I'm just saying-"
"Please stop trying to talk me out of it, Toni. You know I don't want to go, but I have my-" Her voice hitched and Twilight let out a shuddering breath. "I have my subjects to consider," she finished.
"Okay," Toni gave in, just like each time before. "I guess I'll see you then."
Twilight scrunched up her muzzle and her ears flattened even more, but she didn't argue.
"Want some breakfast?"
"I'm not hungry," she replied, sounding distant and disinterested. Toni understood why she was in a bad mood, but he also knew there was no point in trying to argue. The best he could do was to give her room to work it out on her own. Twilight was a... complicated pony. Instead, he twisted away from the fuzzy body, making sure to carefully lower her down to the mattress. He pushed himself up to his knees and adjusted his boxer shorts into a slightly more comfortable position. His hand went out to give Twilight a friendly pat, but Toni paused before he touched her mane.
"I wish I could sleep in a real bed, with you," she murmured without looking up.
"Yeah, me too, but you know we can't risk letting anyone see you upstairs."
"I know." With that he closed the last bit of distance and patted the side of her head. "We'll figure it out soon, you'll see. It's just a problem we have to solve, you said so yourself."
This time she did twist on the mattress so she could look up at him. "I'm no longer so sure. I- I forget a lot when I leave, and it feels like I have to learn everything again when I'm back. Besides-" She didn't finish the last sentence and instead bit her lip. Instead, her gaze slid away from Toni's face and her ears lowered. It was obviously an unpleasant thought for her and he could guess what she was afraid of.
He finished it for her, making sure to keep his voice gentle: "You're afraid your mind is starting to go." He'd been listening and heard her breath catch. He also felt the mare tense under his hand.
She didn't deny it. "Yes."
"Don't be. You're still the most brilliant person I know, either pony or human. I don't think that's going to change."
She didn't exactly beam at him, not like the first few times he'd told her that, but Twilight's mouth still quirked up into a hint of a smile, which was good enough. She brushed her face against his palm and gave it a lick. Her tongue was raspy and very dry and Toni resolved to bring her some water before he left. "You're working today?" she asked him.
"No, it's Saturday. I think I'll walk down to the swimming hole and cool off a little."
"I wish I could come with." Before Toni could say anything, Twilight added in a disappointed tone: "I know, I know, nopony can know. Maybe someday, when- when this is over."
"Yeah, I'd like that. I'll check down here when I'm back, but just in case you're already gone: I love you."
These words did make her smile, even after all this time. Twilight caught his hand with her hooves and placed a few kisses on his palm. "I love you too. I'd give you a real kiss, but..." she indicated her mouth with her hoof.
"Breath."
"Yeah." She poked him in the ribs with the edge of her hoof. "Your morning breath isn't much better, you know?!"
They both laughed and Toni leaned down to place a kiss at the tip of her nose. "That should tide you over until you're back."
She closed her eyes and let his hand go. "Mmm, thank you. I'll see you."
His keys clinked as Anton threw them into the bowl by the front door. He felt his way along the shelf until he found the familiar plastic rectangle and turned on the light. He heaved a sigh and kicked off his shoes, which still felt like they were filled with hot coals. Sometimes he envied the ponies their hooves, especially on these searing, summer days when the ground itself felt like a stove top. He'd checked the calendar by the city hall and there would be no rain to relieve the heat until the weekend. At least the inside of his house wasn't stifling hot, thanks to a combination of the architect's skill and a bit of magic Twilight had added to the wooden interior walls. Toni laid his palm on the rough, whitewashed surface. It was cool to the touch. It wasn't quite like air conditioning the humans had invented, but it was a lot better than nothing.
He shuffled his way to the combination kitchen and living room and gave the bookshelf a distrustful glance. Twilight had made him promise he would read while she was gone, but Toni didn't feel like it, not today. Ponyville was far less cut-throat than New York, but he still had to work. These days it meant standing under the too-small shade of the Apples' stall in the market and being his cheerful, charming self to customers.
Instead of a book, he needed a shower, but even that sounded like too much effort. It was best to simply head to bed. He didn't have to work the next day, which meant he could go jump in the lake and cool off.
Toni heaved a sigh and turned back to the narrow corridor and its quaint staircase to his bedroom in the attic. His gaze went to the door at the end of the hall, the one which led into the basement. She was gone, he knew that. Even the house itself felt empty. Toni shook his head and muttered to himself as he began to climb.
"Don't need a reminder..."
At least tomorrow promised to be better.
Anton was floating in the water on his back, his eyes closed against the mid-morning sun. The river was a lot more comfortable than his bed, not to mention significantly cooler. He debated whether he could get away with staying out there for the rest of the day. It would cut down on the amount of heat he'd need to tolerate. If he could keep himself comfortable until evening, there was one more day of work, and then some cool, refreshing rain on the weekend.
Something bumped his shoulder and Toni jerked in surprise. The sudden movement dunked his head under water and he inhaled an ungodly amount of water. He surfaced with much splashing and coughing, which fully occupied his attention before he could really look around. The perpetrator was staring at him in consternation and alarm. She was a light blue pony, with a stubby horn poking up from her two-toned, white and navy mane.
"Gosh! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to scare you, I was just curious!"
It took Toni a few more minutes to hack up the rest of the water, along with his lungs and a few other internal organs he probably didn't need, before he could talk. "It's fine," he said in a raspy voice.
He had to pause for more coughing and the effort was starting to make him dizzy, so he struck out for the shore. The new mare kept pace with him, legs kicking in a steady rhythm. She still looked alarmed, and her voice betrayed her consternation: "A-Are you alright? I'm really sorry!"
"'s fine! Some water went the wrong way. I'll live."
He was breathing heavily by the time his feet struck and he could stand up. At least that freed his arms and he could wipe some of the water from his eyes. That allowed him to take a better look at his would-be assailant.
The mare looked sheepish and flashed him an uncertain grin. "Are you the human?" she asked.
"What gave it away?"
She quickly blushed a pleasant pink, highly visible on her light coat, and her ears splayed in embarrassment. "Yeah, I guess that was a stupid question..."
"Name's Anton. Toni for short."
He held out a hand and the pony paddled closer to him until she could reach out. He grabbed her foreleg and shook. "Minuette," she replied. "Sorry, again."
"Don't worry about it. You're not from Ponyville, are you?"
She slipped from his grasp and swam closer to the shore, until she could stand too. Toni obligingly followed, but he folded his legs underneath him so he wouldn't loom above the mare and so he would remain submerged in the clear, cool water.
"Just visiting. I'm heading back to Canterlot tonight, in fact."
Anton glanced around, but there was no one except for the two of them. The spot wasn't well known among the ponies in Ponyville, which made Minuette's presence even stranger. "How do you know about this place, by the way? Most of the townsfolk bathe on the other side of the village. The river's closer that way and there's a proper bank, with sand and everything."
"I've been here a few times with Pinkie Pie."
"Oh, you know Pinkie?"
Minuette gave Toni a strange look, accompanied by a raised eyebrow. This time he felt silly for asking.
"Sorry. I keep forgetting. Everyone knows Pinkie."
"That's who I visited. I come down every now and then for a cupcake and a chat."
"Sounds nice."
"Mhm."
Toni didn't know what else to say, so he began looking around the lake instead. He didn't mind sharing this bit of the river, but he was thinking of swimming a bit further out this time to give them both some space. He saw that Minuette was doing much the same, but then her ears lowered and she turned her eyes on him once more. "Anyway, I saw the newspaper articles, but I've never seen a human before. That's why I- you know. Just now?"
"Nearly drowned me?" Anton made sure to smile as he said it and the mare picked up on the joke. Her mouth split open in a mischievous grin. "Not intentionally," she whined, "I just never thought humans were such bad swimmers!"
"Bad swimmer my ass! I can swim better than you."
Her eyes narrowed and her ears lowered, even as her grin widened and became almost shark-like. "Prove it," she said.
"First one to the other side of the river and back?"
Minuette looked to gauge the distance, then gave a sharp nod. "Loser has to buy the winner ice cream back in town!"
"Deal!"
Toni turned to get ready, but Minuette laid a hoof on his shoulder to stall him. "No fancy human magic, okay?"
"I don't have any. No fancy unicorn magic!"
She looked almost offended at the suggestion. "I would never cheat!"
"Count us down."
They both dug into the river bank to kick off, and Minuette did as she was told: "Three. Two. One. Go!"
Evening brought welcome relief from the heat and Toni accepted Minuette's invitation to walk to the train station with her, which was the least he could do. She had kept her word and paid for their ice cream. Not that he'd been worried about that - pony folk tended to be extremely honest and trustworthy as a rule. More importantly, she wasn't a sore loser. After he'd edged her out by a nose on their little swimming race, Minuette hadn't been upset by it, and she'd happily conceded that Toni's long limbs gave him the edge. She'd asked to examine his hands and feet, too, and he'd obliged her curiosity. It wasn't a common request, at least in the recent past, but it also wasn't unheard of.
Now they were strolling through the park to the train station as the light slowly bled out of the sky.
"When did you say the train leaves?"
Minuette levitated a pocket watch from a pack strapped to her side and flicked it open. "Twenty minutes," she said, but her voice was doubtful and it almost sounded like a question.
"Yeah, don't worry, we can easily make it."
"Hmm?" Minuette had to create a tiny ball of light so she could see where to stow the watch, but it vanished as she glanced at Toni.
"You sounded worried," he explained.
"Oh, it's not that," she reassured him with a quick grin. "I'm-" She fell silent again and Toni thought she was biting her lip as they passed by one of the magical lanterns along the path.
He tried to guess what the problem might be and why she would be reluctant to say it: "If you don't have enough money for the train-"
Minuette's amused snort silenced him mid-sentence. Her tail flicked and she took a deep breath. "It's not that either. It's just- Toni, it was nice meeting you. I don't know what I expected, but this was nice. The ice cream was nice."
"Already blocked the memory of your defeat?"
"Pfft!" the mare blew him a raspberry. "We were about tied, I was just too polite to argue. Also, I didn't mind buying you ice cream. Your world sounds so interesting!"
"Tied my ass..."
"Oh, hush and let me say this!" They both fell silent and Minuette turned those large, sapphire eyes on Anton. "I had a nice time. We should do this again sometime."
"Yeah, I'd like that."
Their pace hadn't been particularly fast to begin with, and now Minuette had completely stopped. Her forehoof dragged a few lines in the sand before her. "You know, I took tomorrow off, too. Kind of like an extended weekend."
"That's nice. You'll get a chance to rest up after that gruelling race."
He could clearly see how her eyes rolled, but Minuette's smile remained in place. "What I was going to say, Toni, is that maybe I don't really need to catch this train. M-Maybe, I go back and take a room in town, just for the night. I haven't bought the ticket yet anyway, so it doesn't matter when I go back."
He could guess pretty well what she had in mind, and Toni's stomach suddenly clenched. He would have to gently let her down. Hopefully she'd take it well and he'd get to keep a friend. "Minuette-"
She ignored him and simply continued talking: "We could grab some coffee tomorrow, and I could take the mid-morning train. We could talk some more today. I'd like to hear more about your movies."
Anton blinked a few times in surprise. He'd been expecting an invitation to her hotel room, and had been bracing himself to decline. It was never easy, not when these equines were so utterly charming and adorable. Besides, he was lonely after Twilight had gone, and it would be some time before he saw her again. Some company did sound nice.
"I guess that could work. I'm working tomorrow, but we could take a coffee in the morning. I'm sure AJ won't be mad if I'm a bit late. I can stay up a little longer."
"Yeah! We can go back and take a table outside the Sugarcube Corner, maybe take a couple of donuts, or a muffin."
"Or, we could have dinner. Something that isn't sweets."
Her ears had been completely flat, but now they perked up and Minuette's eyes widened in delight. "Yeah, a nice, friendly dinner." Just as the silence was becoming uncomfortable again, she broke it: "Look, I read about what happened with Twilight. I'm sorry, and I'll understand if you- if it's too soon. It can just be dinner."
"Yeah, that's probably a good idea."
The temptation was as powerful as it ever had been. Toni knew very well what he'd promised Twilight, but Minuette was right there and she wanted to get to know him better. Her eyes gleamed in the soft moonlight and her ears were splaying as she caught his gaze. Her mane was untidy, messy from the water, and would likely require a lot of brushing to get it in order, but Toni thought it was more beautiful this way. Less artificial. The cold lump in his belly began to thaw a little as he considered where the night might go. It didn't have to go anywhere. Minuette was right, and it could just be a dinner between two new friends. A flick of her tail told him she might ask for something more, but Toni didn't think she would push too hard, not if he didn't want her to.
After all, he'd promised Twilight...
"Okay, you paid for ice cream, so I'm paying for pizza. They know me at the Hay Burger so I can get one without, you know, hay."
"You don't eat hay?"
Toni shook his head and turned on his heel to begin walking back to the town. He didn't know exactly when he'd decided to keep talking with Minuette, nor how far he wanted to go, but he knew the evening wouldn't end quite yet.
"Humans generally can't eat hay. Don't worry, the pizza they make is still great."
"Okay, and you're paying?" Minuette asked slyly.
"You'll have to get a hotel room just to chat with me, it really is the least I can do."
His concern made the mare titter and she pranced a few happy steps. "Don't worry, I get a decent salary. I can afford a hotel."
"Where do you work, by the way?"
"I run the store for a watchmaker, and I help with repairs."
Toni snapped his fingers and pointed at her saddlebag. "Oh, I was wondering about the pocket watch. It's a nice one!"
Minuette's horn began to glow and she pulled it out again and floated it to Toni. "Yeah, it was an anniversary present for ten years working there."
The watch landed gently in Toni's palm and he gingerly examined it. It was mostly gold, at least judging by the weight, and there was an etched inscription on the inside cover. He couldn't read it in the dim light. "Very nice," he complimented. He held it up to his ear and tried to hear the ticking, but couldn't catch anything. The mechanism was probably extremely fine. Toni turned the watch around a few times, then held it out to Minuette.
Her magic enveloped his hand with a familiar tingling sensation as she accepted it. "Where do you work?"
"Haven't I said? Right now I'm helping AJ sell their wares. They're always short-handed in the summer. I kinda move from job to job, wherever my talents fit in best."
"Oh, that's right! You did say. Sounds exciting, though! I bet you get to try your hooves at all kinds of stuff."
They were about to go down the wrong path and Toni held an arm in front of Minuette to redirect her.
"This way. The Hay Burger, remember? Oh, unless you want to go to the hotel first to drop off your bag?"
"No, let's go eat first!"
The sun was only just peeking over Ponyville rooftops, and most shops were barely being opened, but Anton and Minuette were already sitting at an outside table in front of the Sugarcube Corner. True, he had had to take the table and chairs out himself, but the shop was open. He'd always suspected that Pinkie never slept, and seeing her bright-eyed smile behind the counter at six in the morning went a long way toward proving it. He'd barely sat down when the aforesaid pink menace bounced out the door with a tray of muffins and coffee which somehow didn't fall of her back, or even spill a single drop.
"I thought you went home yesterday, Minuette!" Pinkie was saying. "It's so nice of you to stay longer! I've always said Toni looks too gloomy by half, it's about time somepony cheered him up!"
Luckily he was used to her antics and had gotten adept at ignoring her undisguised attempts to hook him up. Toni just politely waved and smiled. "Mornin', Pinkie!"
She plonked down beside the table with a thump which somehow sent the mugs and pastries soaring through the air, only to land neatly in front of Toni. This, too, he was used to.
Minuette, having exited the shop a few steps behind Pinkie, flashed him a guilty, ears-down smile. "Don't mind her, you know how Pinkie is."
"I know."
"I was just saying , you're lonely," Pinkie's hoof pointed at the other mare, "and you're lonely," her other foreleg shot up toward Toni as she straightened up to stand on her hind legs. "But together, you're- you can be lonely together!"
Toni glanced from Pinkie to Minuette, then they both burst out laughing. "We're just friends, Pinkie. Thanks for the coffee, though."
Luckily this didn't faze Pinkie. It was almost impossible to bring her down, and she just threw her hooves up in apparent defeat. "Well, okie dokey. Friends is fine, too! Holler if you want anything else, okay?" With that she bounced back to the shop, stopping only for a moment to bump Minuette's rump with her own.
Toni relaxed back in his chair and began to divide the items on the table as Minuette made her way over and sat opposite him.
"Sorry about her," she apologized. "You'd think she ate a bag of sugar and washed it down with a kettle of coffee, but she doesn't really touch the stuff."
"Really?!"
Minuette blinked in surprise at Toni's shocked tone, but then her ears flopped and she grinned a little sheepishly. "Well, okay, the sugar yes, but she doesn't drink coffee anymore. I know you can't tell, but it's really mellowed her out."
His hand with the muffin was about halfway to his mouth, but Toni paused so he could shudder. This was Pinkie without coffee? What would she be like on it? The horrifying thought must have been plain on his face, because even Minuette, unused to human expressions, picked up on it and gave him a wry grin.
"Yeah, it was pretty bad. Her friends had to have an intervention. Twilight-" She suddenly fell silent and her ears splayed out. "Sorry," she said, looking fixedly down into her coffee cup.
"It's fine, I don't mind."
Minuette took a deep breath. "Thanks. Anyway, Twilight said Pinkie was liable to break physics if she kept chugging down coffee the way she was. A normal pony would give themselves a heart attack, but that wouldn't work with *her*."
"I can totally see it happening. Are we sure she isn't breaking physics as it is?"
The mare had bitten into a pastry, so she shook her head while she hurriedly swallowed. "No, I think it's- this is just a theory, okay? I'm not a magical scholar!"
"Noted."
"Anyway, you know how everypony has magic inside them? For us unicorns, it's obvious. Pegasi can fly really fast, and earth ponies are super strong and have a connection to the land."
"Yeah, I know about that."
Minuette leaned a little closer and lowered her voice. "I think Pinkie has really strong magic, and it's coming out through these... 'abilities', I guess you can call them. I guess if she were a unicorn, she'd be one of the really powerful ones."
This was a novel idea and Toni gave it some thought. It also allowed him a few moments to take a sip of coffee, before he gave a nod. "I can see that, yeah. Like- things she can do aren't that weird, not with magic. That's kinda the definition of magic. It breaks physics."
"Exactly! I guess all that energy she eats in the form of sugar is just coming out in these weird little ways. I don't think she's even aware she's doing it!"
The pair shared a grin and fell silent, partly to enjoy the delicious muffins, and partly because the mare in question was back outside and it would have been rude to keep talking about her. Pinkie paid them no mind as she pranced in and out of the shop to lay out the rest of the tables and chairs. It was still early, but Toni knew how seriously she took her job at the Sugarcube Corner.
Eventually it was Minuette who broke the silence: "So, what's the plan today?"
"I gotta work. Sorry, but I promised AJ I'd help run the stall. It's Friday, so I think she'll close early. Say, about three or so? I guess you'll be gone by then."
Minuette suddenly looked coy and her gaze slid away from Toni's gaze. "I might not be."
Her quiet voice, with the undertone of secret promise sent a fresh wave of butterflies through Toni's stomach. The townsponies all thought he hadn't been with anyone after Twilight, and he had promised to keep the secret. Undoubtedly Pinkie had told Minuette that, or at least hinted at it strongly.
It didn't make it easy to turn down offers like this one. He wasn't made of stone. "What- uh, what did you have in mind? Look, I don't want to keep you, you were supposed to go back yesterday."
"It was supposed to be a vacation. A quick visit to Ponyville, then some relaxation back home. I don't really have any plans. I could relax here, just as well." Minuette's cheeks reddened as she gave him a shy smile. "I like the company. I don't wanna go yet."
"Yeah, but the hotel isn't cheap," Anton pointed out.
She fluttered her eyelashes a little and her grin slipped a fraction. Her eyes went down to Toni's hands clutching the coffee mug. "Um, do you have a guest room or something like that?"
There could be no doubt anymore. They'd both said 'friends', but Toni feared it was growing to be something more, at least in Minuette's mind. He still didn't know how to put her down gently and, what was worse, he wasn't sure he wanted to. Twilight was gone, and she would be away for a long time yet. She hadn't planned on coming back for at least a few more months. Surely she'd understand that he was lonely?
Surely she'd forgive him? She knew what her absences were doing to him.
Besides, even if he offered Minuette a room to sleep in, that didn't mean it had to be anything more than that. They could still change course. He could keep her from making this big mistake.
"I have a spare couch, yes."
"Okay, so - and feel free to say no, okay? What if I stayed a bit longer? I wanted to swim around in the river a bit more anyway. I can do that today, we can watch a movie or two, and I'll take the train on Saturday morning."
"If it doesn't turn into Sunday morning..."
His comment drew a quiet 'eep' from the mare, and her ears went down, but she took a deep breath and looked back up at him. "Maybe. I don't have any plans, and no one is waiting for me back home. I just have to be in for work on Monday."
He could show her one or two of his meagre collection of movies he'd managed to bring from Earth. They could talk some more. Minuette was smart, charming, and well educated. She was a delight to speak to, even when there was no intention to make it into anything more. Anton didn't know too many ponies from out of town, and her description of the Canterlot night life, and her circle of friends, were genuinely interesting.
"Okay, a movie and I let you crash on my couch. I guess that's fine."
Her smile widened and Minuette's eyes gleamed in anticipation. Her tail would have been swishing, Toni suspected, if she weren't sitting on it. "Thanks! I'll return the favor, you know? If you wanna visit Canterlot for a bit, I'll offer you my couch. I don't have a spare room either, but it should work for a day or two, so you can take in the sights!"
"Thanks, I'll- I'll think about it."
Minuette gulped down what was left of her coffee and slid from her stool. "Okay, I'll go swim around, maybe sunbathe a bit. Wanna meet up for lunch?"
"Sure! Come to the market around one, we can grab something right there. You gotta try one of AJ's apple pies!"
Her laughter was musical and Toni could swear Minuette's mane sparkled in the light as she tossed her head. "See? That's why Applejack hired you. You're quite the salespo- um, sales-human!"
"Heh, I guess you're right!"
He watched her walk away, nearly empty mug of coffee in one hand, and the last bite of his muffin in the other. Just before she turned down a different street, Minuette glanced back, flashed him a grin, and flicked her tail in goodbye.
Anton shot up from his sofa at the sound of a hoof knocking on his front door. There was only one pony it could be, and a mixture of excitement and fear sent a tingle down his spine. He hurried to the short hallway and yanked at the handle.
"Hi! You came! Come in!"
"Thank you!" Minuette flashed him a smile and cast a curious glance around the inside of the mysterious human's dwelling. She was laden with two slim and stylish bags, which hung from a couple of straps across her back and hugged her sides. They looked rather more streamlined and expensive than the square, lumpy bags Ponyville residents usually wore. A lady's travelling pack, Toni couldn't help thinking. After all, Minuette was a unicorn from Canterlot.
She saw his stare and glanced back at her bags in confusion. "Um, I'll just drop these by the couch, that okay?"
"Oh, yes. Sure, yeah, no problem!"
Minuette slipped past him while Toni closed the door. Once inside, she paused to take a longer look around the place. Her eyes scanned the meager furniture he had in the hall - a small wardrobe, a cabinet for shoes, and a wooden box for firewood. Then she saw the open door to the living room and headed that way.
"Make yourself at home. Want anything to drink?"
"Whaddya got?"
Toni was just about to list water and fruit juice, when he realized she probably meant something a little stronger. His mind raced as he tried to remember the contents of his kitchen. "Uh, I think there's one bottle of cider left, but I don't know if it's still okay. It's been nearly a year. Oh, and I think I have a bottle of red wine."
He went to rummage through his cupboards and fridge, just in case, and heard the thump of Minuette's bags hitting the wooden floor by the sofa. A few moments later there was the gentle ping of the springs as she climbed on.
"We can open the cider and find out," she called out. "I'm not sure wine is a good idea right now. Maybe a little later?"
Anton shrugged to himself and grabbed the bottle from a shelf above his kitchen table. He went back to the living room and paused on the threshold to take in the sight. His guest was lying on her side, propped up with a couple of pillows and covered by a woolen blanket she'd found on his couch. The way she was lying, only her hind hooves and the tip of her tail were sticking out from underneath the fabric. She was watching him with an expectant smile.
When he didn't move for long seconds, her ears splayed and she asked: "What?"
That jerked him awake and Toni hurried forward. He put the bottle on the coffee table, then realized he hadn't brought any mugs. He'd become too used to living alone and drinking straight from the bottle. "Damn, we need glasses. Sorry."
He was about to rush back to the kitchen, but Minuette's magical aura gripped his hand. "Wait," she said. "I don't mind. You aren't afraid of cooties, are you?"
They both laughed at the word and Toni sat down on the other side of the sofa. "I'm okay with it if you are."
Minuette's cheeks tinged lightly with pink and she quickly covered it by grabbing the bottle in her magic and examining the label. It was quite a plain one, hoof-written by Applejack's little sister the previous fall. It just said 'Apple Farm Cider'.
"Employee and customer?" Minuette asked.
"I guess. I mean, it's the only cider in town. I don't think anyone would dare import any, and I know for sure Filthy wouldn't dare sell anything but Apple Cider, even if it wasn't in the contract."
"Sounds like quite a monopoly. The Apples must make mint!"
"You'd think so," Toni replied thoughtfully, "but they don't gouge the price. AJ's too honest for that."
Minuette turned the bottle around to inspect the other side and pursed her lips in thought. "Yeah, I think I heard something about that. Shall we open it?"
"Go ahead."
The magical glow extended up the neck of the bottle and concentrated around the cork. There was a quiet 'pop!' and Minuette took a careful sniff. "Still good, I think, here, you smell!"
It came closer and Toni inhaled the sweet, heady aroma of genuine Apple Cider. "Yup, it's fine," he confirmed. Minuette kept the bottle floating near him, but Toni pushed to back to her. "Ladies first."
That made her giggle, but she didn't argue. Instead, the mare tipped the bottle up and took a long, content swig. She kept it in her mouth while she offered the next sip to Toni. One she'd swallowed, her pink tongue darted out to get the few errant drops from her lips, and she sighed. "It's good. Wow, I guess Rainbow wasn't bragging about that."
Toni was forced to agree. He'd drank all the bottles he'd bought in the first week, and only saved this one for a special occasion. His eyes met the smiling mare's, and he decided the occasion was special enough. There wasn't much alcohol in pony cider, but the taste more than made up for it. He leaned back and took another small sip, before offering the bottle to Minuette again.
She had been looking around the room, so Toni had to tap her side to get her attention. "Oh!" she said and gratefully accepted the drink back. Her eyes went back to Toni's TV as she raised the cider. "That the thing you mentioned? Movies you can watch at home?"
"Yeah, I got it from home - Earth, I mean. Surprised it even works with your pony version of electricity."
Minuette was still staring. "I heard they had these over in Manehattan, but I don't think anyone in Canterlot has one. Too- well, you know."
"Too what?"
She gave a small, self-deprecating laugh, before continuing: "You know how most unicorns get. Well, at least the ones rich enough to afford stuff like this. 'Traditionalists', they'd say, but really it's just stuck up, old conservative farts."
"I wouldn't call you 'stuck up'."
The mare snorted in annoyance. "I didn't mean me , obviously. I'm also not rich enough to buy a home movie set!"
"Eh, they'll get cheaper. We went through pretty much the same thing back home. Before I was born, though."
Minuette nodded thoughtfully, then sipped more of the cider. There wasn't much left in the bottle and she offered to to Toni, but he just pushed it back with a smile. She returned the grin and emptied it. "So," she said as she returned the empty bottle to the coffee table, "what movies are you going to show me?"
Toni's gaze went to his treasured collection of DVD's. It would not be possible to get any more and he lived in constant fear of the day his portable player would finally conk out. Ponies had the early version of television, but they didn't have any broadcasts in this part of the world, at least none which his set could pick up. Once the DVD player was done, that'd be it. He'd already promised Celestia to donate both it, and the TV, to the Canterlot Castle so pony scientists could try and learn from human technology. He'd already given them his useless cell phone for the same purpose. To date they had yet to replicate any of the device's functions, but maybe the TV would prove to be an easier first step.
He realized he'd been staring at the DVD cases for several seconds, so Toni stood up and walked over. "What'd you like? Something funny? Action?"
Minuette glanced down at her hooves and played with the sofa's fabric for a few moments. Her ears were completely flat and her smile was nervous when she looked back up. "You said you had something romantic..."
"Oh. Yeah, sure! We can watch that."
He found the right disc and very carefully slid it into the device. While it spun up and the title started, he returned to the couch and plopped down right next to Minuette's hind legs. She lifted herself up into a sitting position, careful to rearrange her blanket to stay around her shoulders, and drew nearer. She was so close that Toni could feel the occasional light tickle of her soft, fluffy coat on his arm. He remained perfectly still, unsure of whether she wanted him to touch her or not.
For that matter, did he want to do it?
It was an impossible question. In some ways, he'd already taken things too far. It was a big risk, taking Minuette in for the night, even if the intention had been nothing more than a friendly sleepover. She seemed to want more, but didn't know how to make the first move.
"How long is the movie?" she asked quietly.
"About two hours."
Her nose wrinkled. "Huh, my legs will get sore sitting like this. Mind if I lay down?"
She'd already been lying down a minute before, so Toni gave her a confused look. "Make yourself at home," he told her again.
He quickly understood why she'd asked, when Minuette slid her hind legs away from him and laid her head on his thigh. She stretched luxuriously, pushing all four hooves over the edge of the sofa. Her magic glowed briefly as she straightened her woolen cover and tucked it neatly around her body. For a few minutes she watched the screen, where the opening credits were playing over a shot of some houses, then her eye swiveled to his hand, which Toni was still holding aloft.
"You hand goes on my shoulder, by the way. Underneath the blanket."
"Oh. Sorry."
He did as instructed, guiltily revelling in how soft her fur felt to the touch. He stroked it with his thumb for a few moments, then gave the mare a pat and let his hand lie still. Minuette felt incredibly warm, and Toni couldn't help but wonder how she'd feel draped across his chest and belly. The nights were still too hot for that, at least up in the attic, but she would be delicious during the cooler parts of the year.
His daydream was interrupted when Minuette asked: "What are those shiny things all over the streets?"
"They're called cars. It's like carriages, but they don't need anyone pulling them. They just go on their own."
"Huh. Interesting," she murmured.
Toni concentrated on watching the movie and began to lightly brush his fingers through Minuette's fur again. From the corner of his eye he saw her tail flick once, but then the actors began talking and she became engrossed in the story.
Their second movie was coming to its conclusion, and the pair on the couch had shuffled into a much more comfortable position. Toni was sprawled against the armrest, and Minuette was on her back, nestled against against his side and clutching the bundled-up blanket to her belly with all four legs. His arm was around her neck and resting against her body, his fingers placed lightly on her cutie mark. There had been very little conversation, except for the occasional question about Earth, or the places in the movie. It had been a success and Minuette was completely enraptured by the story.
Seeing that it was about to end, Anton took a deep, luxurious breath and stretched out both arms above his head. He held the position, and his commentary, until the credits began to roll. His guest let out a shuddering sigh, then she flopped to her side and pushed the blanket away, which allowed her to complete the roll to her belly. She was smiling, and her eyes sparkled in the dim light of the TV. Toni couldn't help but brush his fingers against her muzzle.
"You said something about wine?" she asked. "I could go for some of that."
"Oh! Right! I'll go get it."
He was about to rise up, but Minuette made a small hop and landed with both hooves on his chest to pin him down. "I'll get it. Where is it?" Her tail was swishing from side to side, and there was a slightly hungry twist to her grin. Her ears flicked back, but she immediately got them under control and focused them on him again.
"Shelf above the kitchen table."
"I'll be right back!"
Toni watched the mare go, her hooves thudding quietly against the carpeted floor. He saw the dark blue glow of her magic in the kitchen, then Minuette poked her head out. "Where is the light switch?"
"Oh. Sorry! Left side of the door, it's human height. Should be around your head."
The switch clicked and Minuette vanished. Not long after that, the light went out and she came prancing out with the bottle held securely in her magical aura. He reached out to steady it while Minuette climbed back on the couch and recovered the blanket, but she had it under control and simply deposited it on the coffee table.
"Why didn't you just make a light spell?"
That question earned him a shocked expression, quickly followed by a faint blush. "Didn't think of it..."
He chuckled and patted her mane, careful not to bump the horn. He let his hand slide down and trace the shape of her head. Minuette was just a dark outline to him, against the bright DVD menu screen.
"Do you want another movie?"
As she shook her head, Minuette's long mane tickled his hand. "Too distracting. They're great, but I don't want to spend the whole night watching movies."
"You're probably right. How early is the train? Maybe we should turn in."
This shut her up and the mare blinked a few times in surprise. She turned to look at the wine she'd brought. "It's not that early," she mumbled. "Oh, do you have work?"
"No, it's Saturday. No market on Saturday."
"Then, how about-" Minuette began and stepped over the still-prone man so she was straddling his belly. The blanket from around her shoulders slipped off, unheeded, and Toni pushed it to the armrest. Her horn began to glow and the bottle lifted smoothly from the table. "How about we give this a taste and, um, talk some more?"
Her intentions, her desires hadn't exactly been a secret before, but now there was no longer any doubt whatsoever. Toni's heart began to beat faster and he tried to will himself to say no. It had been fun, and Minuette was a nice mare, but the situation with Twilight would make it bad. All he had to do was stop thinking with his libido, put Minuette down gently, and let her sleep on his couch. He could salvage a friendship out of this mess.
The words never came. He watched silently as the unicorn mare uncorked the bottle and took a swig of the sweet, red wine. Then she leaned down and kissed him. In his shock, some of the precious liquid trickled down Toni's chin, but he responded automatically and got a mouthful. It was a rich, fruity vintage, and Minuette's own slightly spicy taste made it all the better. He didn't stand a chance. He would just have to apologize to Twilight later, and hope she would understand.
Almost without his volition, Toni's hands rose up to caress the mare's sides, and his touch made Minuette moan quietly against him. She pulled away, and he made one last ditch attempt to save them both from the inevitable pain: "Movie?"
Minuette glanced at the screen behind them, then whispered back: "Run the same one again. It won't be distracting and it's got some nice music."
Toni fumbled with the remote. He had to press play several times, since the batteries were slowly dying, but eventually it took and the screen changed to black.
In the sudden darkness, Minuette's fuzzy face came back, and she teased another little kiss from him. "More wine?" she asked.
"Yes."
The bottle brushed his hand and Toni lifted it to his lips.
"Don't swallow right away," Minuette said. She bent down and invaded his mouth once more. Again they spilled some, probably staining the couch, but neither of them cared.
Minuette plucked the wine from him and floated it away. "Put you hand to a better use," she murmured huskily, and her magical aura guided his fingers back to her flank.
She didn't need to ask twice and Toni began eagerly exploring the softer fluff on her belly. Minuette gasped in delight and straightened up to give him better access. Her midriff was grinding heavily against his belly and Toni was beginning to strain against his pants himself. While she was up, Minuette floated the bottle closer and drank greedily from it. She had to moan through her nose as Toni brought both hands down her belly, to where their bodies were pressed together.
Her fur thinned out and his fingers were searching for a very specific place. He would have found it, but Minuette bumped the bottle against his forearm again. "Wine?" she breathed out.
It was perhaps his last chance to get a taste before she completely emptied it, so Toni took a few swallows, before Minuette snatched it away and lifted it up again.
"It's so good!" she moaned.
"The wine or what I'm doing with my hands?"
That got her to giggle. "Both!" She put the little that was left back on the coffee table, then fell against Toni's chest once more to seek out his lips in a passionate kiss. His hands were trapped between them, but that was fine. Toni simply let the mare do what she wanted. It took long minutes before she was satisfied and lifted herself up with hooves pressing into his chest. "Wanna- wanna take 'dis somewhere more comfor- comfy?"
There was the tiny bit of slur in her words, a combination of the cider and the copious amounts of wine she'd drunk. It seemed to be giving her more of a drive, or perhaps it was simply removing her inhibitions and this was who Minuette always had been under her polite, unicorn facade.
"Let's go to my bed."
She stole another small kiss, before lifting herself up with a regretful sigh. She slipped to the floor and her magic tugged at Toni's hand to make sure he would follow. Minuette led him to the hallway and this time she remembered to create a light with her magic so she wouldn't have to search for the light switch. Behind them the movie was still playing, but neither paid it any mind. They came to the end of the hall and Minuette turned to climb the stairs to the attic, but Toni put his free hand before her.
"The basement," he said.
"Hmm? What? I thought you said your bedroom is in the attic."
He shook his head and took a step to the other, closed door, at the very end. "Too hot up there in the summer since the cooling spell's worn off. It's nice and cool down there, so I got a makeshift bed."
Minuette smiled, even if it was a little uncertain, and took her hoof of the first step. "Okay, I don't mind makeshift. Lead the way."
He pulled the handle and let the door swing open. The switch was on the outside, and when Toni flicked it, the light revealed carpeted steps leading down to a brightly-lit room. It was mostly bare concrete, but there were some pieces of furniture, and a shag rug was just visible off to one side.
Minuette hesitated for a moment, but then walked down a few steps. "It's nice," she commented. "I like what you've done with the place."
"Sure. Uh, there's a bed down there, make yourself comfortable, I'll just use the toilet real quick."
The mare released her magical grip on his hand and winked back. "Hurry back," she said, and flicked her tail out of the way for a single moment, granting Toni a good look at just how much she needed him. She'd timed it perfectly with a different kind of wink, waited to see his reaction, then descended down the stairs, giggling softly. She didn't notice the black, sound insulation foam on the door so she didn't ask why it was there.
Toni waited until she was at the bottom, then quietly shut the door. There was a large, metal key in the lock on the outside, and he turned it carefully, so it wouldn't make any noise. His heart was hammering like crazy and he leaned his head against the door for a moment.
"Fuck, I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry, Minuette."
He could just make out her words, muffled by the insulation: "P-Princess!?"
There was a low growl and Toni jerked his head away. His ears caught some muffled, shouted words while he hurried away and into the living room. He shut that door, too.
It was just in time.
The faint, distant screaming started a moment before he raised the volume on his movie with a trembling hand.
Anton couldn't focus on the TV. He never could under these circumstances. The movie had dampened the worst of the sounds, and his basement had gone thankfully silent after the first few minutes, but he kept the volume up and put in an action movie DVD just to be sure. Only when the two hour film was over, and there hadn't been any noise from the basement for a while, did Toni dare to go back to the hallway. He made his slow, shuffling way to the basement and, with a hand which was trembling badly, unlocked it.
For a long while he just stood in front of the closed door and tried to get his rattling heart to slow down. His palms were sweaty and it was hard to breathe. More than once he placed his hand on the door handle, but each time he let it go and took an involuntary step away. Ultimately, there was no choice. He had to go down there and face it.
His stomach was clenched into a tiny, frozen ball when he finally found the guts to open the door. The light was still on and Toni cast a nervous, fearful look down the stairs. He couldn't see anything out of the ordinary, so he took a step forward. His legs felt like they were made of lead, and all sensation was gone from his toes. He nearly toppled and his hand shot out to steady himself against the wall.
"T-Twilight?" he tried to call out, but his throat was dry and all he could make was a raspy whisper.
A few more steps brought it into the view, and Toni froze. Bile threatened to rise and he had to look at the wall and take deep breaths to keep from vomiting. The pathetic blue fur was torn and bloodied, and the entrails were strewn across the tiled floor.
There was a large puddle of blood, some of it soaking into the carpet.
Perhaps the worst part was that he recognized some of Minuette's navy blue mane in the middle of it.
A faint, sobbing cry made him open his eyes and take an involuntary step forward. Someone else was suffering just as he, which made Toni finish his descent. He kept his eyes firmly averted from the mess and he hugged the wall once he reached the floor.
She was in the corner, as far away from the blood as it was possible to be. A heavy, iron chain jingled softly as Twilight Sparkle's shoulders shook.
She was back.
There was no doubt and Toni hurried to her without hesitation. The thing she turned into would never be able to cry. He knelt beside the weeping pony and put a hand on her withers. Twilight's heartwrenching sobs stopped for a moment and she lifted her head to look at him. Her face was a mass of blood and viscera, smeared liberally with snot and tears, but Toni ignored those. He focused instead on her beautiful, deep violet eyes.
Neither of them spoke, not right away. Toni reached into his pocket and fished out the key for the heavy collar around Twilight's neck. It jangled as it fell to the floor. He scooped up the unresisting mare and stood up on unsteady legs. She gave a small squeak as her eyes caught what was left of the body, but then she pressed her face into his shirt and began to cry once more. Toni didn't mind, even if she was smearing unspeakable grime into his clothes.
As quickly as he could, he carried the mare back to the stairs and up. He was breathing a little easier as they emerged into the hallway, and some of the horror had started to recede from his mind, just like it always did. He pushed the bathroom door open with his shoulder and looked at the tiny window to make sure a curtain blocked the view from outside. Only then did he enter with the still-shuddering pony in his arms.
Twilight didn't resist, nor comment, as he climbed into the bath tub with her. He put her down, and she just curled up into a ball while Toni hurriedly removed his clothes. He grabbed the shower head and turned it away from them as he twisted the tap for hot water. It would take a minute for it to heat up and he inspected Twilight while he waited. Other than her face, her chest and forelegs were completely smeared with sticky, half-dried blood. Her mane was splattered with it too, and her sides were dripping with some clear, yellowish liquid.
He didn't dare guess where it might have come from.
His finger brushed a speck from her cheek. He washed his hand off with the nozzle and found the water already warm.
It was good enough to begin.
"C'mere, let's get you washed off. Come on."
With his gentle coaxing, he got Twilight to uncurl enough so he could lift her into a sitting position. She kept wanting to fold down, until Toni turned her around and leaned her back against his belly. He brought the shower head up and let the water soak her lustrous, rich velvet fur. When she felt the grime and viscera being washed off, Twilight began to rub her own hooves in her barrel and against each other, urgently trying to get the blood off.
"Easy, easy. I'll help," he cooed to her.
She didn't stop, so Toni quickly reached for a shampoo bottle and filled his palm. He laid the shower nozzle down on Twilight's thigh so he could use both hands to lather up her belly and sides. He jerky motions eased once the ugly red of gristle was at least partially covered by the white foam. Twilight let her hooves fall, but she was still breathing heavily. Toni took the opportunity to spread the lather along her forelimbs, then quickly moved up to scrub her neck.
"F-Face," she whimpered.
Toni obeyed, but first he squeezed a fresh glob of shampoo in his hand. Twilight closed her eyes as he carefully began to brush his fingers through the fluff on her face. He guided her chin up, and she obeyed quietly to give him better access to her muzzle and throat. Those were the most caked-in areas, and Anton had to rinse her off to make any progress at all. He quickly poured more shampoo and lathered her face up again.
It went better this time, and bits of crusted blood separated from her fur. Every now and then he would liberate a bit of torn flesh, or a patch of blue fur. The mere thought of the ferocity of what must have happened made Toni shudder, but he persisted and kept scrubbing until his fingers could no longer find anything but Twilight's own, soft fur.
"Here, turn around. Let me see."
Twilight braced her hooves on his knees and twisted her body, but she kept her eyes closed. Toni reduced the flow of water and carefully rinsed off her cheeks.
"Wait, there's a little bit left," he told her.
Another glob of shampoo was smeared into Twilight's nose and she opened her mouth to keep from inhaling foam. That meant some of the soapy water was flowing on her tongue, but she didn't complain. Her breath nearly made him gag, but Toni had his hands full, so he simply breathed through his mouth and focused on his work.
There were bits of dried blood even on Twilight's forehead, and he pried them clean carefully, not wanting to hurt Twilight's eyes. It took a few minutes, then he rinsed her head off again.
"I think that's it. We'll have to clean your teeth, too."
That brought up unwelcome memories and Twilight gave a sob. He was immediately sorry and put both palms against her muzzle to comfort her.
"It's okay. Don't think about it. It's going to be okay."
"It isn't," Twilight quietly countered. She took a deep, shuddering breath, then opened her eyes. Toni shifted the water spray away just in time. "It's never going to be okay," she said miserably. "Toni, that was Minuette! I- she was my friend. I knew her!"
"Oh, fuck, I didn't realize. I'm sorry."
The pitiful, miserable stare turned hard and Twilight bared her teeth. "Minuette, Toni! She was one of the sweetest, kindest ponies I knew in Canterlot! Dead!" Her hooves flew to her mouth and Twilight's ears folded down tightly. "I ate her, Toni. I *fucking* ate her alive!"
This was always a hard thing to get through, and Toni simply sat and listened quietly. He didn't know what to say, or how to help. What Twilight was feeling was so much worse than his own guilt at luring them down into his basement.
"What day is it? We said not until winter, Toni! It's too warm. How long?!"
He looked away and refused to answer. His hands fell into his lap and Toni twisted his fingers together to keep them still.
"Toni," Twilight repeated slowly, quietly. "How long?"
His throat felt constricted and he swallowed a lump. "A- a month. A little more. It's- it's mid August."
Her hoof slammed against the tub and an angry growl wrenched itself from Twilight's throat. She looked furious. "WHY?!" she demanded. "We said not until winter! We said! You promised!"
"I'm sorry." His words were more than halfway to weeping, and Toni's fingers were turning white from clenching them so hard. "She was just- here. She- she came on to me. She wanted to sleep over. I don't know. Fuck, Twilight, I missed you. You know I love you!"
The fire seemed to go out of the mare and her head slumped. "If you really loved me," she said quietly, her words accentuated by dripping water, "you'd have let me die. You wouldn't make me kill and eat my friends."
At those words Toni rushed forward and wrapped his arms around Twilight. "I c-can't lose you. Not again!"
"We can't keep doing this," she went on, as if she hadn't heard him. "It's evil, Toni. We just can't. Please, please, let me go."
His hug tightened until he was pressing her muzzle into his chest, as if he was trying to silence her. "I won't lose you again. I'm sorry Twilight, but it's the only way."
She let out a sigh, but didn't respond. Instead, Twilight pushed free from Toni and turned away. "Minuette, oh merciful Celestia! Minuette..." Her voice cracked and she began to weep again. Toni quietly stood up. He knew Twilight would be like that for a while. It was similar each time, although she hadn't personally known any of the others, so perhaps this time it would be worse.
He plugged the drain in the tub and let the water run. It would make it easier to clean the rest of her when he was back, not to mention himself. There was still an ugly, messy, gruesome task for him to do. Ignoring the puddles his dripping shorts were leaving on the wooden floor, and on the living room carpet, Toni went to the kitchen. He opened the cupboard under the sink and took out a pack of strong, heavy black bags and a fresh, unopened pack of thick yellow gloves. There was a mop and a bucket in a broom closet, and a faucet and sink right in the basement.
He hated this part, but it came with the territory. Later that night, he would bury what was left deep in the Everfree forest. He owed Minuette at least that much.
Then he would talk to Twilight.
She had to understand he loved her. He did it all for that simple, powerful reason. Even this - the unholy, murderous life she led now - even that was better than death. It had felt as if a piece of him had died that day they had buried her. Now that he'd gotten it back, he wasn't going to ever give it away again. No matter how many others it took.
Twilight would just have to understand that.
She didn't have a choice.
The night was nearly over by the time Anton returned from his grim excursion into the Everfree Forest. He walked numbly into the house, completely ignoring the muddy footprints he left on the hallway tiles. He barely had the presence of mind to kick off his shoes before treading dirt into the living room rug, too. Twilight was there, sitting on the couch and looking out through the window. The sight made Toni's breath catch in his throat. He'd forgotten to draw the curtains shut!
"Did anyone see you?" he demanded.
An ear flicked in his direction, but Twilight didn't turn to look at him. "No one came by," she eventually answered, her voice flat and lifeless.
Anton sat down next to her and put his face into his hands. He didn't notice that he had just smeared mud on his cheeks, nor would he have cared if he knew.
"Fuck," he swore quietly.
At his tone, Twilight turned partly and fixed him with a steady look. As if he could feel her gaze, Toni let his hands fall and turned his stricken, tear-filled eyes on her.
"It was fucking awful!"
In his mind's eye, he was back in the basement, where he could feel the cold, slimy gore even through his thick rubber gloves. He'd tried to mop up the pieces into a garbage bag, but there was no way to avoid touching some of it. At one point he found what was left of Minuette's head and he couldn't take it anymore. He'd vomited at that point, barely managing to turn it away from the pool of entrails and blood. Her face had been partially eaten, the flesh on one cheek shredded until the white of bone showed underneath. One eye had been missing and the other had stared at him in that frozen rictus of terror and disbelief.
After his stomach had nothing more to give, Toni had come cautiously back and managed to push the head into a bag with the handle of his mop. The rest of his work had been easier, but the image had persisted in his mind. That accusing stare had remained fixed in his memory even as he carried the heavy black bags into Everfree. He couldn't stop himself from replaying every conversation with Minuette as he dug her shallow grave.
Could she have done something different? Toni hadn't wanted to sacrifice Minuette. He'd quite liked the mare, but she had been so forward, so eager to spend time with him. She couldn't have known the dark, dangerous secret Toni harbored in his basement. To her, he had simply been a novel, interesting person. Someone she'd read about in the papers. Twilight's lover at the time she had died.
No, Toni decided, Minuette shouldn't have been so trusting with a stranger. Even so, she hadn't deserved this gruesome fate.
Twilight hadn't deserved death, either. He himself hadn't deserved to lose someone like Twilight Sparkle.
Toni swallowed and looked up, eyes sliding from Twilight's hooves on the couch, past her clean and dried chest fluff, up to her eyes. They gleamed in the faint light from the street. He couldn't help it. He lunged forward and threw his arms around the mare. His face sought out hers, as he tried for a desperate kiss, then changed his mind and simply pressed his forehead against her shoulder.
The shuddering came, and with it her strong forelegs wrapping around his waist.
She still hadn't spoken.
"I'm sorry. Minuette! God, I'm so sorry," Anton said.
Twilight finally responded: "We have to stop doing this, Toni. You have to! I don't want this!"
"I won't lose you again!" Toni choked out, squeezing the mare more tightly against himself. "Better them than you! I won't leave you like that- like you were!"
She had started shaking her head. As he went on, Twilight pushed him away and glared angrily. "It's wrong! I don't want to live like this, Toni! I don't want to be this monster. You have to let her go!"
"Her?"
The mare pulled away from him and turned to face the book case at the far end of the living room. "Her. Twilight. She's-" another sigh wrenched itself from her lips and Twilight's ears folded down.
"I don't understand."
"This- this corpse isn't her, Toni. I'm not her. Not all of her. Something important is missing. It's gone. I think-" she hiccuped and wiped her nose with a fetlock before continuing: "I think her soul left when I- when I died."
"We brought you back."
There was silence for a while. When Twilight turned back, there were streaks of tears flowing down her cheeks, and her eyes shimmered like pools of violet moonlight. "You brought something back, but not her. Not the part that matters."
"You're you! I know you are! Twilight, I love you!"
Toni leaned forward to hug her again, but the mare smoothly slid away. "Shut up and listen to me! Toni, she's in pain!"
"Who is?"
The lavender mare rolled her eyes at his slow uptake, and forced her tone to be calm and patient. "Twilight is in pain, Toni. She's trapped, just on the verge of- of- there !"
"What are you talking about?"
She ignored his question and focused her eyes on the window again, staring up at the night sky. The stars were not visible because of the street lights, but she stared at the empty patch of darkness and remembered what they had looked like.
"I don't know if I can explain. All I get are impressions. Feelings. It's like trying to remember a dream you had a week ago. Even after all these times, I still don't know what it is!" He didn't interrupt and waited for her to continue. After a while Twilight tore her gaze away from the window and laid a careful hoof on Toni's knee. "When it happened, when I died, I think I went there. It's like a journey - like flying. It's this pull and you can't resist it."
"Where? Where did you go?" Some of the pain was gone from Toni's face and his eyes had lit up with interest. He clasped her fetlock with his hand and Twilight slid a little bit closer. She lowered her voice to a near whisper.
"It felt wonderful. It was supposed to happen. It's - not a place exactly. Maybe it's a state of being? I don't know what to call it. Unity? Oneness? It would accept me, and I would become a part of it."
Toni shrugged a little and asked: "You mean like heaven?"
The mare shook her head forcefully. "No, nothing like that. There's no time. Nothing changes. It's- it's peace. I don't know what else to say. I was supposed to join with it, but you- this-" She lifted up her other foreleg and tapped her own chest with her hoof. "The black magic brought me back. Some of me. I'm still connected to that part, and it is connected to me. Imagine a line, stretched taut, pulling at both of us."
Twilight shuddered and closed her eyes. More tears dripped from her eyes. "For her it's keeping her just away- just outside of that... 'Oneness'. She yearns to become a part of it, to complete her journey, but she's being held back."
"A-And for y-you?"
"It's pulling me away. Like a weight tied to my soul, if you want to call it like that. I can't hold it, and it will win. Except it can't - not completely. There's always something left, but the more time that passes the less it is me. Something else fills the emptiness. The hunger. It's why I always turn, eventually."
"I don't care. I'll do whatever it takes to get you back. We'll go and find a better spell. We can make you whole, Twilight."
She shook her head and leaned her face even closer to Toni's. "You can't, not ever. She won't come back. Nothing can bring Twilight back, Toni. All you're doing is torturing her. She can feel what I do. She knows what we've become." Her hoof was sharp as it forcefully pressed on Toni's leg. "You have to end it. You have to let us go!"
Toni raised his hand and cupped her cheek. His thumb brushed away a stray tear. His own eyes were moist, and twin lines of fluid had left furrows in the dirt on his face. "I can't, Twilight. I'm sorry. I can't lose you again."
"You lost me a long time ago. You need to accept it and move on. Please!"
"No!"
Twilight drew back in horror. "Please, I can't do it myself. If you won't kill me, then..." she fell silent and her head lowered. Her ears splayed. "Release me and I'll go to the Princess myself. Celestia will-"
"No!" This time the word was filled with fear. It was not the first time Twilight had asked for her old mentor, but this time it had sounded like a serious plea. He couldn't let her do that. It would bring immeasurable pain and horror to her friends, her parents, even her cherished mentor, Celestia. The sheer terror she would inflict on her entire nation had held Twilight back and she'd kept herself a secret. What kind of misery would prompt her to change her mind!?
"I d-don't know."
Twilight's head jerked up, her eyes full of hope. "Please, Toni," she begged anew, her words rushed, full of uncertain hope. "We have a few more weeks, but when it's over - this time when it's over - you have to end it. You have to kill this thing I'll become, once and for all. Please, I can't go on like this."
He put both hands on her muzzle in a vain effort to hold it shut, to keep away the terrible words she was saying. "Please don't make me do this!"
"You have to! I don't want to live like this, Toni. It hurts! It hurts more than my death ever did! I'm suffering. You have to know that!" She didn't resist his embrace and laid her head on Toni's shoulder as they both wept. "Promise you'll end it this time. Promise you'll do it!"
"It's going to be fine! This always happens the first night, Twilight. You tell me to end it each time you come back, but then it's fine."
She shook her head again and her ears splayed. "It's not fine. I just lose all emotion as my equinity drains away. I get numb and I stop caring. This is the only time- the closest I am to being me , Toni. Please, listen."
"It'll pass. Let's sleep on it. We'll talk in the morning."
"No! You have to promise me, Toni!"
He stood up and backed away from the couch, from Twilight's angry snarl. She jumped to her hooves and fluffed out her wings.
"You weakling!" she raged. "Let me go! I don't deserve this! I want to die, you- you fuckwit !" She tried to lunge for him, but was caught short by the metal collar around her neck. The chain rattled loudly as it yanked her back.
Toni hurried to the window and twitched the curtains closed. Then he went to the door.
"Don't leave me here! Kill me! End this misery, Toni! You owe me!"
He wasn't listening anymore. The house was sound-proofed, a necessary little spell given his lifestyle and his secret. The chain was strong, not even an earth pony could break it. Twilight had no magic, not since her death. Perhaps it was the part of her she'd said was missing. The same thing kept her from flying, too. It made it easier to control her. Toni shivered as he shut the living room door and hurried to the stairs. She was always like that when she came back. Depressed, miserable and angry.
He couldn't blame her, not really. Not after what she'd been through.
Toni didn't know exactly at which point Twilight regained her mind during her feedings. He hoped it was after the butchery was over, but even so it was a horrible way to wake up. No wonder she wasn't herself. It always passed within the first day or two, and then she was back to normal. He would have her company for a few blissful, beautiful weeks, before it was time to chain her back down in the basement. She was angrier than usual this time, but that was because he'd brought her back too early, and because she'd known Minuette. They'd agreed to wait until after Heartwarming, and that it would always be strangers, ponies she didn't know.
Twilight would just have to accept it.
When the morning sun shone into his eyes, Toni sat bolt upright. Memory of the previous night came flooding back and he shuddered at the mental image of Minuette's mutilated remains. His hand reached out automatically for Twilight, but she wasn't there. He'd let the mare sleep in the living room while he took the attic. Neither of them would feel comfortable in the basement for a while, not so soon after Minuette. He would have to clean it a few more times before every trace was fully gone. They couldn't risk the upstairs room either, not with how many pegasi flew around Ponyville these days. A few times he'd done it, but neither of them felt comfortable with the constant threat of being spotted, despite the curtains.
There was nothing to it; the sooner he could get the basement clean, the sooner they would sleep in the same bed. More importantly, the basement had the strong chain embedded in the concrete floor. Other than the metal ring driven deep into the hardwood under the couch, no other place in the house was equipped like that. Even if Anton had been willing to risk them being seen in his bed, Twilight had been too angry to move upstairs. It meant his night had been cold and lonely and Toni consoled himself with the thought that it wouldn't be much longer. She always calmed down after the first day, two at the most.
He firmly pushed the thought away and hurried downstairs to check on his love.
She was sitting pretty much where he'd left her, staring at the sliver of sunlight peeking through a slit between the curtains.
"Morning," Toni said cheerfully, "how did you sleep?"
"I don't sleep," Twilight replied flatly. "You know that. I can't sleep."
He almost asked her if she wanted breakfast, but thought better of it. Twilight couldn't stomach regular food, and it just resulted in her being sick. The thought of what she might throw up made his own stomach queasy.
"Feeling better?"
The mare pierced him with a silent stare, as if unable to believe what he'd just asked. Her muzzle scrunched up and Toni thought she would snarl at him, but then her ears splayed and her gaze went to her hooves. "Are you going to let it end this time?" she asked quietly.
"I can't. Twilight, you know I can't! Not after everything we'd done!" He came over and sat beside her at the couch. He reached out his hand, but then hesitated inches before touching her back. When he finally laid his hand on the mare, her fur was cold to the touch. "Here, you're freezing. Come, let me warm you up."
Twilight didn't fight as he pulled her closer against his side and wrapped his arm around her withers. She let out a comfortable sigh as his body heat seeped into her.
"Thanks. Um, could you get me some water?"
Toni reached for the blanket, which was hanging across the arm rest, and paused when he remembered how it had slipped from Minuette's shoulders. She'd been straddling him, and all he could think about was how to get her into the basement. He squeezed his eyes shut for a few seconds to collect himself, then draped the cloth around Twilight. She didn't object, but neither did she help him settle the blanket on her. It would soon be too hot for the aging cooling spell on his house, but for the moment he desperately wanted to keep Twilight warm. Without his body heat, she quickly became cold.
Cold like a corpse.
Toni jumped to his feet and hurried to get that glass of water. Keeping busy helped against these horrible thoughts. He soon had it back, and held it to Twilight's muzzle so she could drink.
"Thanks," she said after she'd drained about half. "I need to brush my teeth again. Will you help me?"
"Yes, of course!"
His hand went to the chain, but Twilight's hoof on his arm stopped him. "In a bit. Let's just sit here for a little longer."
"Yeah, whatever you want, Twilight."
"Toni," she began, and paused until he turned to face her. Her eyes, still beautiful and violet, stared straight into his soul. "I don't want to keep doing this." Immediately he tensed up and opened his mouth to argue, but the mare caught his hand between her forehooves and gave it a light squeeze. "Hush, let me talk," she implored. After his jerky nod, she continued: "What we're doing is bad, Toni. It's really bad. It worse than Tirek or Sombra ever were. I don't want this."
"You said you love me..."
Twilight kept her gaze on his face. "I did. I do. We had something really special. Had ," she emphasized. "What you're doing now. Minuette. Rainy Day. Cherry. It's evil, Toni. We have to stop. You have to go and tell the Princesses."
He was shaking his head, but at least he hadn't interrupted her, which Twilight took as a good sign and plunged on. Her hoof sought out his cheek and she stroked the fresh stubble.
"I forgive you. What we did is horrible, but I forgive you, okay? It's gonna be fine. Celestia will know what to do."
"She'll toss me in jail for the rest of my life, or worse!"
Twilight didn't respond immediately. She watched his face, and then her shoulders slumped. "Okay, so we don't tell her. You were right. It would break her heart. We can't do that to her. We still have to stop. You have to end this, Toni. I need you. Let me go."
"No, stop talking like that!"
Toni was about to say something more, but he was interrupted by a knock on his front door. His gaze went to the curtains to try and gauge what time it was. Early, even if the sun was already up.
"Mailmare, probably. You know how they pride themselves on the personal touch."
He briefly considered hiding Twilight in the basement, but decided against it. It would take too long, and probably cause noise. Not to mention that he couldn't fully trust Twilight while she was like this. No, he would get rid of Muffins, or whoever it was, and then he'd finish his talk with Twilight. Already she was a lot less angry than last night. She would soon come about. Toni paused in the hallway and adjusted his shorts, then briefly debated whether he should get fully dressed before opening the door. That would also take time, and might cause whoever was out there to worry and try to come in, so Toni settled for snagging his bathing robe from a hook on the bathroom door, and threw it over his shoulders. It wouldn't matter - the ponies walked around naked most of the time anyway.
The knocking sounded again, and he hurried to the door. "I'm coming, I'm coming!"
He threw the door open, mouth already shaping the question why they were bothering him at such a time, but the complaint died on his lips.
For long seconds he couldn't comprehend the scene before him. Rising sun glinted off gold armor. The silver spears glittered in the dawn like ice. The mare before him stared him right in the eyes as her rainbow mane billowed out in the ethereal wind.
The look in her face was harder than steel and her voice was icy cold: "Anton Post, you are hereby placed under-"
Toni reacted mindlessly. He swung the door shut in her face and turned to run. His foot truck the edge of the cabinet, but he ignored the pain and pushed himself from the wall to gain that little bit of extra speed. In a shock he realized the terrified gibbering was coming from his own mouth.
The door exploded behind him and Toni dove for the floor. A yellow glow of magic wrapped him up before he could hit the hard wood.
"Toni?!" came Twilight's shout from the living room. The chain rattled as Twilight climbed over the backrest to see better. Their gazes locked and her eyes widened when she saw his terror.
"Twilight Sparkle?!" came the astonished question from just behind him. Toni was flung forward and he shut his eyes as the door at the end of the hall hurtled toward his face. The magic jerked him to a bone-jarring halt just before he smashed against it, then slammed him against the floor with an impact which drove all breath from his lungs. He couldn't see what was happening behind him, but he could hear hooves clattering on the floor.
"Princess! Please help! You have to kill me. You have to end it! We- I've- I'm sorry!" Twilight's words devolved into relieved, wordless sobbing.
Toni began to scream, too, but a part of the golden magical cloud which was still pushing him against the hardwood forced its way into his mouth, effectively shutting him up. He struggled, but there was no escaping Celestia's vice-like magical grip. All had gone quiet and Toni strained to turn his head, to see what was happening. That was when the magic picked him up and threw him across the hall, and Toni caught a glimpse of Celestia standing just inside the living room, wings outstretched so they almost touched the walls. He couldn't see her face, but her horn was blazing with light. There was a golden aura around Twilight, too. It was only a momentary image he could see before Toni landed in the dirt outside his house.
"Hold him, Aegis. Nopony is to enter this house! Wait for me outside! He's dangerous, do not let him escape!" Celestia's voice was ice cold, but had an urgent edge to it. There was no question whether it would be obeyed.
The magical grip around Toni was replaced by a bright blue one, and the force on his back increased, as if a pony was physically standing on him. It made it hard to breathe and the view he struggled to get of his front door was wavering. As soon as he was out of the house, a shimmering surface of white light covered the entrance, and moments later every window Toni could see from his prone position.
Once again he tried to struggle, but the unicorn guard who was holding him in his magic bared his teeth, and the magical grip tightened, making it even harder to breathe. He began to fear he would pass out from the lack of oxygen. He tried to plead, but there was not enough air in his lungs to make a sound. The unicorn had taken Celestia's orders to heart and was not taking any chances.
All Toni could do was watch the silent house through blurry eyes, as tears flowed freely down his face.
It was over.
They would kill his Twilight. This time Celestia would make sure he couldn't get her back.
~ END