Midnight

If I was not aware when signing for the package and observing the size, Midnight made sure I knew what the large and unwieldy cardboard box contained.

The leaf springs for the Trailduster arrived well ahead of schedule, and she wants no part in dilly-dallying to get them installed.

Fair enough.

As the lift in the garage bay slowly rises from the ground with the truck at the whims of its might, Midnight is already tearing up packaging like a kid on Christmas.

Albeit wielding a box cutter.

I'm pretty sure I saw her teeth get in on the action as well.

Damn savage.

"Just a reminder, if we don't get this done by evening, you're carrying me around while we pick parts," I joke.

"I never agreed to that, so bite me," Midnight strikes back.

"Should have read the fine print - deal's a deal."

"Do you listen to yourself when you talk? That makes absolutely no sense," she snorts.

"I try not to listen - that way I don't know when I say something stupid. Then it's deny, deny, deny."

"Yeah? And how does that work out?"

"How does what work out?"

Midnight starts to react as I watch those metaphorical gears in her head start to grind. But she stops herself, catching onto my subtle, idiotic ruse.

"Funny guy," she says unenthusiastically.

"Aw, thanks. I'll be here all week."

Midnight just shakes her head as she starts sorting out parts and pieces. Nevertheless, she can't hide that mildly amused grin.

Maybe she isn't trying. After all, things are... different. A few nights ago, when she decided to sit beside me on the couch - well, that was just a joke for five minutes before putting the normal space between the two of us, right?

Doesn't seem like it. Every night, her spot has been on the cushion next to me, rather than the opposite end.

I know better than to point it out, though. More than likely, she would clam up again and revert to old habits. It's only a move of a foot or two - but there is an increased sense of solidarity just in that closeness.

In addition, whether it's because I inquired that same night about our friend status or on her own accord, Midnight has also been keen to show me things she finds of interest, or asking more questions about a topic. It has become less about the occasional banter and conversation between periods of silence, and more about conversation with some banter - and the occasional silence.

That speech about friendship was undeniably lame, but it seems like it struck a chord with her, for whatever reason. Who knew she could be such a softie?

That comment, if uttered aloud, could very well result in lost digits, though. But jokes aside, hopefully it's a step in the right direction.

That direction, at least in part, is to get the rest of the trauma she's experienced out of her. There is something that I find really haunting about the tale that she described. How everything was suddenly...

Alien.

Just the thought of having my brain cranked on to the point where nothing is the same - but not understanding why...

A chill runs up my spine, making me let go of that ugly musing.

My focus returns to the present as I start looking over fasteners that will require removal. Well, they're all rusted, but that's to be expected for something dating back to the '70s. I have seen far, far worse out of decades-newer cars, so I won't complain one bit.

With any luck, we won't have any major casualties in terms of broken bolts or stripped heads.

"So, are we dropping the axles?"

The question makes me chuckle as Midnight joins my side underneath the vehicle. Her focus is on the workspace, rather than me - so my chuckle doesn't irk her at all.

"No way, that's way more work than we need to do," I reply. "I'm going to get some chains or heavy straps and lash both axles in place on either side, and we'll take off one leaf spring and shock absorber at a time. Otherwise, we would be removing drive shafts, brake lines, and steering linkage. I want no part in that."

"So, you're corner-cutting," she says, unimpressed.

"No, we're doing this the smart way rather than by the book - there's a reason that mechanics make a fair bit of dough - they get paid by the hour."

I look over to Midnight, who still does not seem convinced of my ways, preferring to leer at me with a healthy dose of skepticism.

"If you really want to do it the proper, technical service manual way, I'd be glad to - but it's gonna cost you some money."

"Money that I don't have," she reminds me with a smug edge to her voice.

"Good, we're on the same page," I cheer, clapping my hands together.

However, I take note that Midnight appears to remain quite dissuaded by the logic I have fed her thus far.

"In all seriousness Midnight - doing it this way is fine. I get being a stickler when it comes to the official manual - but remember how they don't even go in-depth on topics like trim," I remind her. "If it was something where we were truly at risk of cocking something up or hurting ourselves - then no, I wouldn't do it this way."

"So it is a legitimate shortcut, rather than you being lazy?"

"Swear on it. Maybe it looks lazy and jacked up to strap the damn things up there, but we would otherwise be draining the transmission to get the driveshafts out and refilling them, and then having to purge and bleed the brakes. And I'm a walking hazard when it comes to dealing with automotive fluids."

"Well, when you mention that, I want to see how much of a clusterfuck you can create," she ribs me.

"Believe me, you'll see it sooner or later. And you'll help me clean it up."

"Nuh-uh," she says, shaking her head while turning back to her prior organization of parts.

"Where the hell are you going?"

Pivoting on the spot to look back at me, Midnight looks lost as she cocks her head sideways.

"What do you mean?"

I point at a few key bolts that have to be removed. "You wanted to do this, didn't you?"

"Of course!" The way she perks up instantly at the question is undeniably adorable. I don't think I have ever seen someone so happy to do work. But hey, who am I to complain?

"Get started on breaking loose those U-bolts around the axles, the bolts on either end of the leaf springs, and the shock mounts top and bottom while I get something to tie up them axles," I explain, thumbing over to the storage room. "Impact gun or ratchet, your choice - just try to be cautious as much as you can. I'm sure I have some bolts to replace whatever gets busted, but I dunno where they are for sure."

"The leaf springs came with new bolts," Midnight chimes in. "Both the U-bolts and mounting the shackles to the frame."

"Sweet. That's an unexpected but welcome surprise."

This may go even better than anticipated.

As Midnight trots over to my battered red toolbox to select her choice of tools, I wander my way over to the storeroom and head inside. Right away, I spot a few tow straps - but they're the smaller kind.

I would prefer something beefier when it comes to drivetrain components hanging over my head.

I shuffle further in, barely able to walk straight forward within the tight proximity all of these shelves are located.

I should have reconsidered and had Midnight do this. Not because I don't trust her with getting started on the truck - but because she's much more lithe than I am when it comes to getting through this shit.

Someday, I should get another building put up - solely for part storage. Or make this one a bit more tidy.

Yeah, someday...

Finally, I stumble upon the heavy-duty shit in the back corner. I grab a few chains and a couple of sets of straps, silently cursing why I had to put them all the way back here rather than right inside the door like the other tow straps.

Having not heard the rattling tune of the impact gun yet, it's safe to assume Midnight went with the physical route of a ratchet.

... is it really physical for her though?

Regardless, I am not surprised - she's complained before about the volume and the racket it creates.

Her hearing is probably more sensitive. But an impact would have been the safer option to break those bolts loose.

As I stumble along back to the entrance with my prizes slung over my shoulder, I can hear the murmur of a voice out in the garage. I don't think it's Midnight though...

"John!!"

That one is. The sheer volume of her shout quickens my pulse, even without any context. I haven't heard her shout like that before, and she's dealt with customers on more than one occasion now, with the obvious one that comes to mind being-

It's Theodore.

I hustle as quickly as I can through the corridor, banging my arms once or twice on parts that stick out beyond their respective shelves. Whether she's flipping her shit just from pent-up stress and anxiety with his appearance or if Teddy is trying something nefarious doesn't matter right now.

I am not dawdling or taking chances.

Reaching the open door and sprinting out into the garage proper, I find Midnight has everything under control...

Relatively speaking.

I do indeed recognize the elder gentleman, even as he stands just a few steps inside the building. With a pair of weathered khakis and a vintage GM shirt, he certainly doesn't come off as a crazy scientist.

Midnight has him standing at a fair distance from herself. Her ears are pinned back while she bares her teeth at our guest, her deep blue and violet-highlighted tail swishing back and forth with irritation as her eyes are locked on him like a target.

Well, she certainly isn't scared of him, in a sense.

"Midnight," I call to her in a calm voice.

She doesn't turn or move, but I can see Midnight's tensed muscles in her shoulders and hips relax just a bit.

"I uh... I didn't do very well in my first impression, did I?" Theodore quips in a surprisingly lighthearted southern drawl. For his part, the guy doesn't look too concerned about being stared down by someone prepared to attack.

I allow myself to relax a bit while closing the distance between me and the two of them.

"Yeah, Midnight has been... a little bit stressed," I admit as I pass beside her. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see her gaze shift to me, snorting once before putting tucking those sharp pearly whites away.

All that fuss about being called a guard dog...

I stick my hand out to greet our awaited guest. "I know we've already talked before, but I guess this is a bit more formal," I say, feeling awkward. "You must be Theodore."

"Oh please - this isn't that formal. Call me Teddy," he replies with a chuckle and a grin while accepting my gesture.

"Of course, you and Midnight have met," I announce, turning back to her. She's calmed down now but remains guarded, her posture straight and stiff.

So much for giving the guy a chance...

"Yeah, I guess my bedside manners aren't very good. They never really were," he wisecracks.

"You're a doctor?" I ask, surprised and perplexed by the off-the-wall comment.

"That's what the degree says, anyway - not an actual doctor like in a hospital or anything like that," he clarifies, reaching behind his back and pulling out his wallet. "But before I forget, I ought to get those parts paid for and in the back of my truck. Is that ok?"

"Of course - got em back here behind the counter," I say, waving for him to follow me as I head in that direction.

Midnight quickly meets my stride as I pass by her, sticking close. Whether that's more for my protection or hers - I'm not sure. She doesn't say anything, but just a peek at her tells me she remains none too pleased about this whole situation.

I need to talk to her again - and Teddy heading out to his truck with his purchases will present the perfect opportunity.

After presenting the parts to him and finagling just a bit on the price, Teddy hands me the cash and heads back out for the time being with his acquisitions.

I spin around to Midnight, who is practically my shadow at this point.

"Midnight, what was that all about?" I ask, more concerned than disappointed. "I thought we agreed that we would give him a fair shake."

"I'm not going with him, John!" she blurts out angrily, stomping a hoof down with a reverberating crack. "I have fought for this place, I'm still fighting for this place, I have you - I don't need anything else, no matter what he offers!"

She pauses to take a seat on her haunches, while I'm left utterly dumbfounded by the small avalanche she just unleashed.

"I could live without you, if need be - but you're a perk living here, I'll admit that," she quickly adds, ruffling her wings with mild anxiousness.

"Who the hell said you were going to leave?" I grill her, getting down on a knee to achieve a closer eye level.

... Midnight has to bring her head down just a tad to meet me now.

Regardless, I get a better look at the torment, fury, and instability that swirls in those magnificent blue eyes- which have begun to glow as her tirade resumes.

"He said he would take me away from here if this wasn't suitable to me if you were a dickhead or something like that - I don't know," she snarls. "But fuck him! I'm not leaving! This is my home, and I will end him and anyone else that gets in my way!"

I've only seen her this carried away with seething fury once if the sheer luminescence of her eyes is anything to go by. The first night, when I called her 'princess.'

This is almost as scary. Particularly as her breathing is on the verge of hyperventilation.

"Well dammit, you never told me any of that," I tell her. Only now do I realize I have started running my hands through her mane in an attempt to temper her rage. "Goddamn girl, you need to talk about this kind of shit. I keep trying to get that through to you, I'm here to listen to your issues. Keeping that kind of shit in doesn't make you stronger, and talking about it doesn't make you a wuss."

As I speak to her, Midnight begins to come to her senses, her inhales and exhales coming slower and deeper.

"You're fine, Midnight. You got this, I got your back, alright? One step at a time here," I encourage her, trying to pep her up as I pat her shoulder. "You and me."

Midnight doesn't say anything, only nodding slightly at my words as her eyes begin to dim back to normal.

"I got this," she reiterates after a moment. "You have my back."

"Exactly."

Having helped Midnight reel herself back in, I feel confident enough to stand up. As I do so, I see Teddy has returned - albeit standing at some distance. I feel embarrassed and vulnerable.

How long has he been back, and how much did he hear of that?

My answer comes in his reaction. Teddy puts his hands up and palms out toward me. 'Sorry,' he mouths out.

I return my focus to Midnight, who stands back up straight. Curious about what I had been looking at, she follows my prior gaze over to Teddy...

A little bit of tension returns to her body, but that's about it. She remains much calmer than just a few minutes ago.

I follow her example, ready to iron out what I expect to be an interesting discussion with our guest.

"Why don't we sit down and have a little chat?"

I'm not used to having company - but there are always seats to be found in a junkyard. Maybe a little dusty, but they are more comfortable than any lawn chair.

In the shade of the garage, I set up the three of us with our own seats from cars long gone. Despite the comfort and space, everyone shares uneasy looks with each other, waiting for someone else to speak up.

"Well, I guess I'll start by saying I didn't mean to come off the way I did to you, Midnight," Teddy apologizes, rubbing the back of his head.

"How did you mean to, as you say, 'come off,'?" Midnight interrogates, making it clear there is still much skepticism in her mind.

"I was just... impressed. I can't say I've seen anything as - well, natural as you. And I've been around for a while."

"You worked with ponies, I'm assuming?" I speak up.

Teddy nods. "Yeah, most of my working life. Obviously not around here, mind you," he says with a chuckle, highlighting his accent with a bit more drawl than normal. "I graduated from college and started in the field of robotics well before manufacturers even thought of creating pony bots - but I was there when they began."

Teddy chuckles again as he reminisces about the past. "I thought my company was batshit when the idea was proposed, figured there was no way the company I was with would find any sort of profit margin in em - how wrong I was, huh?"

"I can't say I'm really familiar with any of it," I admit. "Never had any interest in... well, any of that robotic stuff. Ponies - well, forget it. Where did you work?"

"Well that's alright - it isn't for everyone. But... all I can really say is the company I worked for was pretty early in the game. Can't say much more than that."

I find little comfort in his reluctance to answer one of my first questions.

"So because you finger-fucked the internals of a few robots means you can tell from a glance what I am, huh?" Midnight interjects with a scathing comment.

I try my damndest not to laugh despite her blunt rudeness - but Teddy doesn't bother. He unleashes a hearty guffaw, much to Midnight's surprise.

"Wow, she's a firecracker, isn't she?" he asks, looking over to me.

"She's got a bit of snark in her," I agree, looking over to Midnight. She doesn't look too happy about the exchange.

Perhaps because he asked me, instead of talking directly to her.

Like I'm her owner.

"That's a question better discussed with her, though," I add, motioning over to Midnight. Pleasantly, I see her give the faintest of smiles - for only a split second. After that, the stone-faced mare returns.

"Ah, I'm sorry about that," Teddy says to her, understanding my hint right away. "Here I am crowing about you to start with, and then I'm acting like you aren't on our level."

"I would argue I'm above, but duly noted," she replies.

Dammit, Midnight...

At least Teddy doesn't seem to take offense.

"Anyway, I specialized in the - well, I guess you could call it the brain," he continues, scratching his temple. "We all did a little bit of everything in the development group, though. But with the brain, it's not only about getting everything to work together as far as limbs and movement, it's about the personality, too. That was a really big focus since all of the models we made were based on characters of the show."

I nod in understanding. Behind the scenes, I can't even begin to fathom how different the personalities could be between miniature talking horses. From a kid's show.

"Obviously at the start, things were rough - we were going for as 'real' or 'alive' as possible, but that sort of thing takes time. A few tweaks here or there, better actuators for more fluid movements, variances in voice modulation for better tone shifts, that sort of thing."

"So you did that kind of stuff with the actual robots they sell, but you know of others like Midnight?" I ask.

Midnight nods at my question, eager as I am to understand how it all fits together based on his previous talk with her.

"You can spend all the money in the world for the best materials and the best scientists - but there is no replacement for the real thing, is there?" Teddy sighs. "It took about ten years, but we hit a brick wall when it came to improving the product any further. Not just us - all the companies doing this sort of stuff. So naturally, people started looking into bioengineering."

"Which is against the law," Midnight states in a disapproving voice.

"Not when we started doing it - that was a grey area. Humans were off-limits, but companions or pets..."

Teddy has to trail off as Midnight takes exception to those words, sporting a glare that could cut through steel.

"I know that seems like I'm being offensive. But that is what - ponies as pets were the end goal, you know?" he pleads.

"Midnight, he's not being a dick, just cut him some slack - it's just the world we live in," you explain.

Midnight huffs, but after making eye contact with me, drops her shoulders and relaxes her pinned-back ears.

"That doesn't mean I have to like it," she mutters.

"No, you don't have to like it - and I didn't like it either," Teddy replies, shaking his head.

"So you worked on trying to make bio-ponies a reality? How the heck does a company go from robotics to genetic engineering?"

Teddy turns his attention back to me. His expression is that of someone pained by the inquiry - or the explanation he has to tell.

"Well, we weren't solely into making robo-ponies - no one really is that dug in on one thing. We also had a big part in making prosthetics - not just for looks, but function. And a lot of that takes an understanding of biology and how the brain works in order to connect everything and make an arm function as it should. Besides that, I guess if you can figure out how to make a living pony for a pet, imagine what else you can do. And the amount of money you could sell that research and information for?"

"And you're proud of that."

Midnight is proving to be relentless in her verbal shaming of Teddy.

"No, no I'm not. Mind you, I didn't do any of the genetic engineering - I guess I was more of an overseer of sorts based on what I had accomplished with the robots. But overall, I took a back seat, mainly helping with how the movements of our robots already in production worked, explaining that to the lab rats that were trying to duplicate that in flesh."

He takes a deep breath, as if hesitant to continue. Just the sickened look on his face tells me nothing particularly pleasant lies ahead.

"Go on," Midnight urges him, her interest piqued to the point that she is leaning forward now.

"Just like robots, you're not going to get things right the first time. My god, some of the poor things that came out of the beginning stages -" He shakes his head, collecting his thoughts for a moment. "That's why I had such an issue with going down that road. Robots - sure, they're circuits and servos, but not actually living, breathing creatures, you know? Even the robo-ponies, a defective irreparable one... I found it hard to deactivate em without feeling some sort of sorrow for the thing. They really are something else."

Just listening to his works makes me feel a bit ill. Midnight doesn't look so intrigued by what this discussion entails, either.

"They at least got to a point where the ponies they were creating could actually - they could actually walk and function, as disturbing as that sounds. I had enough early on and well before that point, so I was relieved when the government stepped in and outlawed any sort of bioengineering of creatures."

"It didn't end there," Midnight reminds him.

Teddy cringes at that comment. "No, I'm afraid it didn't - just went further behind the scenes, in secrecy. That legislation they passed was a pretty volatile topic, and it wasn't universally praised - it barely passed, if I remember right," Teddy explains. "I can't speak for everyone, but my company was still pursuing the development with the sense that the law could be repealed or modified at some point - and they all wanted to be ahead of the game. Or see what else they could learn. I didn't."

"You stepped back on your own?"

"In a way. Frankly, I had seen enough and I couldn't bear it anymore. I spoke out against it, bitched at every upper management member I could about how what we were doing was wrong - and the best they could do to appease me was an early retirement package with the stipulation that I don't take up any employment with another company for at least five years, and to never speak about that ongoing project. Or mention the company name where I worked."

"So, is talking about it now..."

"I'd appreciate it if you kept this between us," he says with a nod. "I got far away from that place and ended up here about four years ago. So what they're up to now - I have no idea. I don't want to know."

He clears his throat, turning his focus squarely upon Midnight.

"So to answer your earlier question - I've been around a lot of robots. Seen how they move, they act, so on and so forth," he elaborates. "How you act, how you talk, your movements - far beyond what a robot could do, unless these companies have made incredible strides in the last half-decade. And I doubt that. But with everything that I've been through dealing with robo-ponies, and to a lesser extent, bio-ponies - I keep my eyes open."

"Curiosity of how far science can go, I would assume," Midnight suggests.

"No, to try to help. I was skeptical when I first started developing em, but as I said - there is something special about ponies. I can't deny it. I've settled down here in this area, but for a year or so, I wandered a bit, traveled a bit - saw more than a fair share of discarded robo-ponies. Done what I can, because it really does pull at my heartstrings. Been fortunate to find em homes sometimes, or at the very least improve their life. And then there's the rare few like you..."

Midnight cocks her head at the way Teddy trails off.

"But that's a story for another time. I am legitimately curious about you, because as I said the last time we spoke - you're well above any other that I've encountered."

Despite the flash of cockiness she showed earlier, Midnight is a bit embarrassed by Teddy's notation, fidgeting a bit in her seat while she glances at me. Her bashful demeanor dies away, leaving her with a look of skepticism.

You get she's cautious, but Teddy seems pretty genuine...

"You can tell him, I'd rather not revisit that," she says, devoid of emotion. "I'll work on the Trailduster as I planned."

She gets up and saunters back toward the lift without another word.

I sigh, empathetic to her pain that lingers.

"That's the sad thing about the whole market with companions, be it robots or biological," Teddy says quietly. "For every one that is in a good home, there's at least one or two that end up tossed to the side."

"Just like traditional pets, except these can actually talk," you reply.

"Yep. The other big reason I was against delving into bio-ponies - but where there's potential money to be made, businesses are going to gun for it. Sorta makes me regret doing a lot of that work over all the years, seeing where everything led."

"Midnight's been through the wringer, I know that much. It's why she's got such an attitude."

"Yeah, I've certainly seen that," he says with a chuckle. "Suppose that's my own fault. I didn't mean to cause either of you any trouble."

"I guess the biggest thing that had her bothered was, aside from you identifying her as something other than robotic - I guess you mentioned taking her away from here? What was that about?"

I keep my voice calm and courteous - but I want an answer to that before anything else.

Teddy shifts uncomfortably at the inquiry. "Like I said, these ponies - they tug at my heartstrings quite a bit. Just feel a bit - like I'm the one responsible for their plight, you know? My company was the first to market with em, and I was a big part of that project," he sighs. "If it wouldn't have been us, it'd have been another company, but still -"

"With all due respect, Midnight's been focused on that idea that you would take her from here - and she's been festering on it because she doesn't like to talk about her issues," I interrupt with a firm voice. "She doesn't like seeming weak, even though that isn't true. What happened earlier, that you walked in on - that was the breaking point there. I don't know what she's really capable of, but you've seen the dental work she's packing - and this was her last stand, as far as she was concerned. So please cut to the chase."

Teddy wrings his hands, looking rather ashamed as he glances behind me, undoubtedly to where Midnight is at work.

"Boy, she really does enjoy doing that sort of stuff, huh?" he asks, managing a small smile.
I turn my head to follow his gaze, as Midnight hovers a ratchet up into the belly of the truck.

Even from this distance, I can see the relaxed grin that has graced her face.

"That's what she spent months reading about in the back of the junkyard before I stumbled upon her," I explain, turning back to him.

"That was my biggest concern, particularly because she's not some servant robot - she's a living breathing being. I'm sorry, I didn't mean any offense to you. Or her, for that matter. But after watching you help her earlier - you really care about her, don't you?"

"Of course I do," I blurt, almost hurt by the rhetorical question. "I wasn't too thrilled to find her at first because I've got no interest in ponies or robots - none of that. And it was pretty rough, but... yeah, there's some charm to her, in a weird way. And I want to help her because she's been through hell."

Teddy nods, sporting an ear-to-ear grin as I finish.

"Ah, sounds like a road familiar to this old fart," he says with a chuckle. "So she was out in your junkyard?"

I briefly explain where I think she came from, some of the experiments they did, as well as when and how I discovered her.

"So that really isn't all for show? Midnight's an actual carnivore?" Teddy asks toward the end of your tale.

"More or less. She's had a few other items here or there, but meat is her default," I say with a shrug.

"Man, that's just awful what they put her through, but her attitude makes a lot more sense to me now."

"Yeah, life treats you like shit, and you tend to treat everyone around you like it, I guess."

However, Teddy shakes his head in disagreement.

"No, it's - I realize you don't know much about ponies from the show, but they all have distinctly different personalities. Having two chips or personalities, I would have to believe they sort of feed off of each other - and perhaps interfere with each other. That's not to say she isn't an individual, but she certainly has familiar quirks and mannerisms from those chips that tie into her personality as a whole."

That does sound like what she mentioned about her mind being overly active...

"So, you mean kind of like how she has a strong pull toward learning new things, reading and shit, yeah?" I ask.

"Yep, that sounds an awful lot like Twilight Sparkle. As well as the anxiety, to a certain degree. But I'd assume the other chip is Luna?"

"I... think so? What makes you guess that?"

"Well, to be fair, I'm not completely familiar with the manufacturer you mentioned, but everyone gravitates toward the same set of traits or personalities for certain ponies. Luna models tend to be a bit more independent and a little reserved - but fiercely loyal and protective. I certainly see that in her, and tying in with a Twilight model's sometimes spastic behavior - well, no wonder she's such a fiery mare."

Teddy chuckles at his own quip, before settling down into a more serious tone.

"John, I'm awfully glad you found her and took her in. You seem like you have a good heart," he says. "And just the way you talk about her, how you look at her, I can tell you love her an awful lot already."

The way he says 'love,' it feels like there's a different connotation to it...

"I think you might be looking too much into that, dude," I say with a half chuckle, waiting for him to give me a light ribbing as I begin to feel a bit warm.

But Teddy remains relatively straight-faced. "Oh come on, there ain't no shame in it," he says in a sympathetic tone. "I saw the way you were stroking her mane, how concerned you were despite how - well, pardon me for saying it, but how terrifying and wild she looked. You were focused on her, beyond that. Been there, done that."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask, unsure of where this odd road of conversation is leading...

"Like I said, I've only seen a select few like her, and I've been down your road," he says, a wink of his eye following shortly thereafter.

Right...

This is getting weird now.

"Well, I appreciate you at least explaining uh... well, everything, I guess," I say quickly, getting up to my feet.

"Figured I owed it to ya, to settle both your mind and hers," he says, waving a hand dismissively.

As he slowly stands up, he abruptly starts patting down the front of his shorts.

"Oh shit, I almost forgot," he says, reaching into his right pocket. He pulls out a silvery chain with a pendant.

"Now, this isn't completely foolproof, but it will certainly keep her a lot more inconspicuous," he says, grabbing onto the pendant itself and showing it to me.

The silver chain matches the pendant - which is in the shape of a crescent moon, much like the marks on Midnight's rear. It's fairly large, about the size of a half-dollar coin, and has some thickness to it, which gradually tapers off toward the points.

"Erm, jewelry?" I ask, even more perplexed after the conversation moments ago.

"It's got an RFID chip inside of it," he says quietly, pointing to the pendant. "It's not foolproof - after all, she's not a production model, let alone a bot - and it doesn't have your name, address and all that on it, either. But it will at least keep her safe in case of passive scanners like at restaurants or stores - basically average public places. I just try to find something that fits with the pony in question, and I'd say this fits the bill for her, huh?"

He hands it off, allowing me to inspect it.

There's the slightest seam separating the front and back of the moon but otherwise appears as a solid piece of sterling silver. The chain itself is a bit heftier than a standard jewelry necklace - it wouldn't surprise me if it was made specifically for ponies.

Well, bots.

"I'm sure I'll need more parts at some point - my Cutlass is coming along nicely, but it was nothing short of a basketcase when I got it," he says with a laugh. "I take it you still have my number?"

I nod.

"If you need anything for her, give me a call. I can take care of some things, and I have a couple of friends that I trust with this sort of sensitive stuff. Just above all, try to keep her possessing a somewhat low profile - I can't say what would happen to her in a legal sense, but I can guarantee wherever she came from - well, those people would rather not get caught experimenting with bio-engineering because of her existence."

While that is a thought that crossed my mind, hearing someone else mention it causes me to shudder with dread. Even with the added security of an RFID chip, Midnight is not completely safe.

"Will do. I appreciate it," I thank Teddy, shaking his hand again.

"It was nice meeting you, Midnight," Teddy calls over to the mare.

While still remaining rather standoffish, Midnight at least takes a moment to stop and offer a half-hearted wave of a hoof.

With that, Teddy wanders back outside, while I consider everything he's told me.

But first things first...

"Hey Midnight, got something for you," I try to entice her.

"Unless it's chains to hold up these axles, I don't have any interest right now," she chastises. "I'm waiting on you now."

Despite the attitude, Midnight shifts her attention from the undercarriage of the Trailduster to me as I approach. I hold the chain in my hand, allowing the silvery crescent moon to dangle for her eyes to see.

"Did you seriously buy me jewelry? The fuck?" she spouts, recoiling a bit in apprehension.

"No, it's an RFID chip, inside of this," I explain, pointing to the pendant.

"Inside of fucking jewelry." she reiterates.

"Alright, I'll just throw it out then," I say, putting it in my pocket.

Midnight sighs in frustration. "Give the damn thing here. Weirdo."

Try as she might to hide it, there's a distinct look of awe in her eyes when I pull the chain back out.

"You know Teddy is the one that got this, right?" I remind her.

"Yeah, and who's the one keen on throwing it around my neck? To go out to a restaurant? That sounds like some pretty odd desires..."

I bite my tongue as my face grows warm again, kneeling down and unfastening the chain.

While I expect to hear some more taunts, she says nothing as I loop it around her neck and snap the clasp back into place.

It really does look good against her dark coat...

She looks down at it, lightly batting at the pendant with her hoof.

"I guess it will do," she says in a restrained voice. "This does not make me your pet, though."

"You're your own mare, Midnight. Just a little bit safer."

"I hope so," she says. "Now seriously, I'm chomping at the bit to get this done - come on."

With gusto, I stand up and get back to the original plan of the day. Albeit a little more comfortable, a little confused, and a little unsure of my feelings...