Why can I not be a monster?by Soma ZeroChaptersChapter 1 Monster in the MirrorChapter 2 Magic I have it.Chapter 3 Drip Drop.Chapter 1 Monster in the MirrorHow am I alive? I heard the gun go off but I live. Mabey he missed, I did ask him to kill me. Do I feel regret? How am I not cold? I open my eyes. My son is not there. I am alone. Where is the snow? No way I just passed out. When I start to move, that is when I feel it. I am not a man or human at all. When I look down at my body it looks equine. I have hooves with gray fur. Yellow blond hair falls into my eyes. I look up and around me, not inspecting my body any further. "Wuut." Even my dark passenger is stumped. "I must be in a coma in the hospital." But the grass feels so real on my hooves. The apple trees look as if they are right there. The blue sky is a back drop to all of it. I try and stand, but fail. "Okay just, don't panic you will wake up soon." I would have not panicked. If i had not herd voices in the trees. "Now y'all know, your granny's gettin' on up there in age, and you two are gonna have to start doin' more of the work yerselves." "We know granny." A southern twang hits my ears. "Yep." This voice is deeper but not older then the second voice. When they come around the tree they all stop and look at me. I most definitely did not scream like a little girl. It was a mighty yell of power. "Applejack, Big Mack go back to the house." What the hell is going on? The horse's can speak! The orange one protests. "But-" "No buts Applejack. Git on back now, I'll be home later." The green older one said. As they leave she sits, not coming to me. "Are you lost, colt?" "I.. I have no idea on where I am. So yes I'm lost." What kind of drug induced high am I on? "Do you know your folks’ names?" My dark passenger is stirring. Stay down. We are an evolving monster. "My parents are dead." She gets a look of sympathy on her face. I fake sadness. "Well does you have a guardian." "No." She looks confused. I forgot I'm not a man. I may be a child by the looks of it. "Did you run away? How old are you? " She has a concerned face. "No. I don't know." My son either just killed me or I'm going to prison for the rest of my life, If I wake up. When. I meant when I wake up. My dark passenger laughs. "Well how about you, a colt that is not a run away come back to the farm. Are you hungry? We have apple pie. Also what do you mean you don't know your age?" I don't have to fake the drool that comes out of my mouth. "I just don't know." I try to walk but fall flat on my face. "Ow." I get back up and try again. This time is better but slower. Even slower then the old mare. "You havin' trouble with your legs?" "Yes, I'll learn. It is just a matter of time." She looks at me with a concerned face. I fake a connection with her. "What about your wings?" My what? I look back to my midsection and do see a pair of wings with the tips of every gray feather having a tinge of red in them. My favorite color. "I never used them, so I do not know." I. Just. Don't. Understand. I can see every tree we walk by, while also seeing the dusty dirt of the road we are on that has been walked on more then 1000 times. We make it to the farm house. It is a modest home. With a porch that wraps around the front of the house. "Do you think you can get those legs up the stairs?" "Yes. It will take me a minute." I start to clime every stair. One by one. I just want some pie it will make this worth it. "I'll whip you up a slice while you get up these stairs." My dark passenger is seething. I force it down. We will go by a new code now. One that is better. No one needs to die for us. I finally get the last of my fumbling legs up the stairs. Now how do I open the door? As I get close, I think that I could use my wing. I splay it out finding that the wing while odd, does not bend like a wing should and yet it does not hurt it feels natural. I wrap my right wing around the handle and open the door. "Neat." When I get inside I see there are more stairs leading to a balcony, to the right is the kitchen. I just head right for it, the apple pie is my goal after all. As I step in I'm greeted by all three. Applejack, she has an orange coat and bleach blond mane. With Big Mack having a red coat and orange mane. Then the granny she has a green coat with little lines of white in her mane. she is going white. Their is one thing that strikes me as odd, they have tattoos. Applejack has three apples, big Mack a big green apple with the seed inside visible and the granny, with what I can assume is an apple pie, on her ass. I walk in and take my seat. Sitting is so weird I have to sit how I think a dog does it. I look down my body again and see I do not have a tattoo like they do. I can smell the food. Oh the food. "That smells, really good." I can feel my body having little jitters in it due to the anticipation. Granny slides a piece of pie to me. "Go on, eat on up." She starts to give out the rest of the food to the other two and with her placing a small milk bottle in a basket. I use my wing to pick a spoon up and shovel the pie in. "What is your name colt." I have to stop my eating and swallow to speak. "Dexter." I finish my food. "That was delicious Mis. Uh." "Just Granny is fine sugar cube. Do you have a sibling? Could you tell me the names of the ponies that were your parents?" My dark passenger is reeling. "Biological mother, Laura Moser, Murdered. Biological father, Joseph Driscoll, Murdered. Biological Brother, Joseph, Murdered. Adoptive father, Harry Morgan, committed suicide. Adoptive mother, Doris Morgan, died of cancer." It is hard to fake grief but one comes easier to not fake. "Foster sister, Debra Morgan, I had to let her go. She was brain dead." I just hope my son can do better them me. Can be better then I was. With out a second moment I am wrapped in a hug from Granny. "Oh, you poor little colt." I can see their faces. Why are they so hard to understand? I know it is normal for them but how could they be trying to connect with me. What purpose does it serve? "Do you need to lie down for a bit, we gotta bed you can rest your head. Just straight down the bottom hallway to the second to last door on the right. "I'll show ya." Granny leads me to a small room with a bed in it, on the ground level. "Thank you, Granny." "If you need somethin, just holler now." The door closes. I do not move to the bed. I go over to a mirror instead. To see a monster needing to be fed. Yes the brown eyes of a monster, I thought was dead. So it will lay its head and not be dead, but go to bed instead, without being fed. Author's Note Wanted to add an image but it is AI and it has blood. :( Chapter 2 Magic I have it.I hear the door open. Waking me up but I do not let them know I'm awake. "Sugar cube. I have a pony here that needs to talk to you for a minute." Psych evaluation. No doubt she call child protective services. Why did I not wake up? How am I still here. Let's just get this over with. I get up and flash a fake smile to her. "Okay." She walks me to the kitchen. While trying to get a connection from me. I give a fake one again. Why does she look unconvinced. I walk in and take the seat I had before. I see a stallion with a brown coat, blue eyes and a dark brown mane. With a green bowtie. "You see Doctor Hooves. Our little sugar cube is right here." "It is just Time Turner Granny." He looks back to me and waves with a hoof. "Hello My name is Time turner, what is yours?" "Dexter." I fake a smile again but I move the ears. Lets think of blood too. Also to get the eyes right lets listen to the memory of their screams. That might be what is making it unconvincing. "Well, I just have some questions for you. If you are okay with that." Good it worked. He has no suspicion. "Yes I am ok with that." "Okay here are some fun ones. What is your favorite. Food, drink and color? "Favorite? I like Red, Coffee and donuts, but Granny makes a really good apple pie." I see Granny show Thankfulness. I let him speak again. "Okay. Now did you runaway." He asks. I am in a coma or I died so no is the truth. "No." He looks at his bag on the table then puts a note down on paper. "So you have had, nopony taking care of you." Their are no ponies that can be parents where I'm from, so yes is the right one to say. "Yes. I have had nopony taking care of me. Well besides Granny here, nopony else." He looks back at his bag confused but notes it down all the same. Lie detector. How? Anything is possible at this point. "Okay last one. If you were here with Granny, would you try and run away?" I don't think I need to and if he can see if I'm lying I need to consider this. "No. The pie is too good to leave." I smile hoping they will see it as a joke that is true. "Haha. Well Granny. What do you say to having a forth sugar cube?" "Oh, I love it." She shows so much love. If only I could show it back. I see him get his bag and start to leave. "I'll be back later to ask more questions. Have a nice day Granny and a nice day to you to, Dexter." He slips her a peace of paper. "Well sugar cube are you ready to start the day?" She shows a smile and I show a less fake one back. I just need to try. "What are we going to do?" I ask genuinely interested. "Well first I'm gonna get you a pony to show you how to use those wings of yours, and past that, I'm not sure but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Now I'm gonna get the other three. I'll be right back." I hop off the chair and look around the kitchen as she leaves. I can see a knife that I can get to. I grab it and grab two of the apples from the basket of apples on the counter. I take them back to my seat. I also get a wooden cutting bord. I don't want to mess up the table. It took time to make it smooth. I put the knife to my right side then get the bord ready and put the apples to my left. I let a second pass and then start. I grab the knife with my right wing. I then move and apple with my left wing and lay the apple down on the cutting bord. I cut it down from the top with ease. Now I have two pieces, then I cut both of them in half. Oh, how the juice from the apple coats my feathers. I start to cut out the cores of all fore pieces one by one. The feeling I have in this moment. Like a high no other. I put my tongue on the back of the blade at the bottom and lick up. If only-No. Just this is enough. It has to be. My dark passenger is hungry. I hear them coming, so I get my act together, and put the mask back on. When they get in the room they start to eat as well. "Now be careful with that knife, it is sharp honey." Granny warns me. Are they too close to me. "I know I'll be careful." No they are not. I can't get them from here. That is good. Applejack moves over to me. "Wow, You can use your wing like that!" I put the knife down and move my body so she can look at my wing while I am not too close to the knife. "Um, I'm talking about how you can hold stuff sugar cube." I pick up an apple slice. "That is so cool." I can see it. The ideas, the need. With one swift motion I could feed my monster. NEVER CHILDREN!. Remnants of the old code that make up my new code, ring in my mind. Like a spike of pain behind my eyes. It is from that monster. It is in pain but it does not matter. "Looks like you have a crick in your neck." She can see the pain. "Must have slept on it wrong." I move back so that I'm not too close. If they are my new family, I need to keep them safe after all. "So Granny who did you have in mind to teach me?" Flying might be nice. "Oh, I have a pony that owes me a favor and she will be in town for a while anyway. Her name is Spitfire." What the hell is up with all the names? Where the hell is a Dave or something? Next thing you know their going to tell me bloomed apple is a name. "Oh have you seen Apple bloom." I crack a smile. I laugh with my dark passenger. Not in malice but out of the coincidence. I do not voice the humor I found. I just smile as they bring her over to me. "No I have not." I see a small foal, With Yellow blond coat and scarlet red hair. The eyes she has are a bright orange. I don't have to fake this? "She is so cute." How? Why? Why is it so quiet right now? My dark passenger is terrified. "Oh, Yes she is." Applejack moves to have apple bloom face her. "You are just a little slice, of apple pie aren't you." She shows and has a better connection them me, but how did I have one with out empathy? No empathy granted to me you see, but how could this be? I take my seat, and feel the heart that beats, with a radiant heat. A seed. The seed in me, of and apple tree, that will show a grate feat. A feat for a heart beat, that holds no empathy to keep, for me, you see. "Um, so Granny. When do I start with Spitfire?" I ask, feeling The dark passengers fear leave me. She walks over to the wall and points at a phone. "Well I made the call this morning. She will be here soon. She is fast so-." We here a knock at the door, but before granny could get it a mare walks inside drenched in sweat. She has a yellow coat and her eyes, mane and tail are fire orange. That must be why she is called Spitfire. "Well, do you need some water, sugar cube? I said get here, not to fly your wings off! You'll need them for what I've got in store for you." "Sorry." She breathes in deeply. "Granny." She hits the floor like a sack of potatoes. "Hello, Kid are you the lucky flyer?" "Um, are you Spitfire?" She is loud but only to me. "Yes I am. Just let me rest for a minute. Yes granny water would be nice." I see granny get the water. How is it so easy for them. She asked of she needed water and all I could think of was that she was loud. I get down from my chair and lay in front of her as granny gives her the water. "So what you doing kid?" She asks with an inquisitive face. "Learning how to rest." If she is as good as Granny thinks then their is a right and wrong way to handle over exertion. She looks at granny. She is asking something with out words but what is it. She looks back to me. "Not many ponies notice that part or care for it. So what is your name?" "Should I ware a name tag? My name is dexter." She gets a blush. She starts to use her left hoof to rub her neck sheepishly. "Um. No just. No." What the hell was that about? The fur around her neck looks like she wares a collar there. I'm not asking why. "So what are we going to do today." "Well first. Can you open your wings for me." My wings are as long as my body is. "Wow. Not many foals have a wing span like that." I look at her wings, they are the same size as mine. "What do you mean?" "Your wings are still growing, So when you are bigger your wings will be the same wing span ratio to your body as you have now." "Oh. okay." Well that is good to know. "Stop confusing the colt with your fancy math and show him how to use those wings." Granny said with a stern tone. Spitfire gets up and I follow. "Yes Mam." We are out side in the front yard and it is still midday. "Okay lets start with your wing control." She picks up and apple and throws it at me and I catch it. "What do I do with this?" "Throw it back." I do as asked. She catches it. "Good, now throw with some magic behind it." I catch it. I look at her with a dead pan face. "What magic?" I ask really what does she want from me make it disappear. I hold the apple in one wing then glide my wing over the other and pick it up with the one I moved over it. "Like that?" She look stumped for a moment. "How? No I mean magic. Where did it go?" I pull the apple out of the wing it just disappeared from and take a bite. "Never telling. What do you mean?" She walks over to me and holds my wing out. She shows me her wing with little lights gliding over every feather. Then she points to mine. I can see little red lights just the same as hers but denser. Magic. I have Magic? "Wow." It is red. My dark passenger is loving the red as I am also loving it. "So this is magic?" "Yes now." She gives me a second apple with out a bite in it. "Take the apple in your wing and put some of that feeling in your wing behind it." I take the apple and do as she asked. As I throw the apple, I start seeing little small point like red lights just trailing behind the apple as it flattens on a tree. "Magic, I have magic!" I look at her. "Teach me more." So tragic, you can have it. The magic. I'll take the blood, that floods like mud. I am a dud of love. But the blood is my love. A dud that loves the flood of blood like mud. That thud, the thud of a heart beat. I can stop it with one fell sweep. Little trickles fickle for me, but a blood flood only to you sounds bleak. My wings are tired but I love it. Some how in this world magic exists and I have it. Spitfire has shown me how to sense the air around my feathers and to put that magic in to use when using my wings, it is different from my normal pleasures. I hope I don't wake up. "Hay kid lets take a brake for the rest of the day. Tomorrow we will see if you get off the ground." Again with the connections. I just want to keep going, it makes that need become easier to carry. I fake a smile. "Okay, I'll just go see what applejack and Big Mack needs." I can see them right now they are getting apples. They have 5 soon to be 6 baskets of apples. I callout. "Hay Big Mack do you and Applejack need help?" "Yep" I think I have heard only two words from him. He must not talk much. "Yeah Dexter, if you could, could you get one of the pair of baskets." I can see Applejack getting the baskets on Big Mack while I come over. "How do I get this on?" I can't move it with my wings they are too tired. "Well you get down on your belly behind it, then you move so you can get the saddle on your back and stand up." I do as she instructed. I then see the straps that are loose so I tighten them. "Now just follow Big Mack. I'll catch up." I can appreciate on how quiet he is. No need for useless words or idle chitchat. No need for- No he is doing it. The need for connection again, even with out words they can do it. So I try again, but a fake is still a fake, even if it is an exact copy. My dark passenger is so, hungry. He points to a spot by the barn. "Should I just dump the apples or do I put the baskets down with the apples in it?" "Dump the apples." Well it looks like he can say more then one word. So I help, not because I care but because the fake me needs to care. If they are my new family then, just trying is all I can do. Even if my dark passenger is gnawing at my mind, at the cage that contains it. My body is shaking not with exertion but with the thought of blood. It will make this go away. It will give me a sweet release. Just a little bit to coat my feathers. Just a little bit to mat my fur. This smile I have of the idea is no fake. We walk up to Applejack. "Well what has you in such a happy mood?" Lie and the truth. "Memories." Chapter 3 Drip Drop.Point of view is Time turner. I hold my head in my hooves at my desk. Nothing? How is their nothing on him? Even the dragon fire message I sent to canterlot gave me nothing. All I have is that he is 14 years old, his magic is unstable and that he has more then he should. I look at the scanning orb. Just a foal with that magic. How did he not level the house by accident? Their is no way he does not know, he has to be holding back. I thought a unicorns magic surge would be bad. I flip through the papers. Their is not one foal on this damn thing that matches him at all. It is like he just appeared out of nowhere. I don't know what to ask him. I can't tell if he is being truthful and I don't trust he did not runaway. The only thing I can think of to ask is about his family but if I trigger a surge It will not be good. I need to wait for a surge protector from canterlot, but that is going to take a week or two and also that means this bill for Granny is going to be high. If he was just biologically hers or in her family it would be free, I hate the Money hungry bureaucrats. Point of view switch to Dexter. Every step I take with the apples on my back sends pins and needles in my legs. "Do you need a moment Dexter?" Applejack askes. She lifts a hoof and almost puts it on me but I move so we do not touch. "Yes. I do." I lay down and try to catch my breath while Big Mack is still going strong. "Well We've gotten a lot more done to day. Thank you Dexter." She smiles at me. So I smile back but I try. It is only right that my new family is given something even if I have nothing. My dark passenger is resistant. "You are welcome, How much longer?" I would like to know when I can rest fully. "Well Big Mack is getting the last of it, but we finished 3 hours early." She looks up for a moment like she is finding something. "Tomorrow is Monday. So we have school. Has granny got you in school yet?" "Crap." Shit. School again! Fuck this place. I hate history. I hate the rules, even when I did nothing we all got in trouble. What the hell was up with that shit. It just made me want to brake them more, at least I would have done it. She winces at my word. "Don't let granny hear you say that. She took away my apple foods when I said that." "What did you eat." This is a natural question, so I need to say it. She gets a disgusted look on her face. "Carrots, Brussels sprouts and tomatoes." "Too bad more for me then." I give a smile with my dark passenger clawing at my mind. "You can have it." She smiles back and gets up. "Well we better get this done." I follow her. I finished the moving of apples with them. "Big Mack do we have rain for today?" "Yep." He said this as he helps get the baskets off my back. I look up and see a clear blue sky. "From where?" "Oh, they will bring it in tonight." This stumps me for a moment then I think magic and it makes sense. "Lets get on in and eat." Applejack is the first to start walking then Big Mack. I follow behind them. Before Big Mack can get up the steps I ask him something. "Where is the bathroom?" "The door to the left of the room you slept in." Right to the point. Just how I like it. I go in to the bathroom and answer the call of nature. I need a shower. I turn on the water with my wing. I let it warm up and then step in. The warm water runs over my face and over the back of my head. It drips off my body and feels so delightful. I take a breath of ecstasy. I feel the water in my feathers. I could dye the water red. It would not be the real thing but it would get me so close. I feel my back legs give out. They are too shaky. I close my eyes. My breathing is so, heavy. I turn around. When the water hits my back I have to stifle a moan. I feel every drop of water on my wings. I can't help that I love this. Little warm storm torn. The pleasure, The ecstasy. Only to you it's a hex you see. Fickle feathers pleasure weathered. Exhausted. The fault is. You. A dent, A divot, A cavity. Will not obey this chastity. Mill it. kill it. All spent. All bent. Broken. I turn the water off. Spitfire showed me how to move air with my magic. So I could just do that to dry off. No need to wait. When I start to use my magic I can see the water fall to the ground leaving my feathers and fur dry. I do need to use a towel for the ground but It is easier then what I thought it would take, to dry off my body. I look at the mirror before leaving. I pay it no mind as my reflection said. "Hello". I walk down to the front of the house and take a left to the kitchen. Big Mack is the only one at the table. He looks up from a puzzle he is doing. "I'm next." He gets up and walks past me to the same bathroom I just came from. I see the cutting bord is still as I left it but the knife has been cleaned and put up. I grab one more apple and the knife again, while taking my seat. I'll start perfecting my new ritual. I lay the apple down and cut from the top to the bottom. Giving me two halves. Juice is dampening my work space, But I don't mind. Then I cut it again in half on both of those pieces. Now I take out all of the cores and lay them all in a neat line to the right of my area. One by one I flay the red skin off all four pieces and lay them all on the left side. I eat one apple slice. Then take two of the skins and eat them as well. I want more, So I take one of the three pieces I have and cut little thin slices off. I can see the knife behind the apple slice, it is so thin. When I'm done with that I take one of the skins and give it eyes. I put it on one of the apple slices and pop the whole thing in to my mouth. The world fades just leaving me with the blood. In my mouth. On my teeth. I love the blood but not the meat. Before I could let it go further my mind is snapped back when I here hooves getting closer. I see Applejacks head poke around the door. "You eaten without me?" "Just an apple. I have not had what granny made yet." I go back to my work, more mindful of the eyes on me. "Well how about we get the monopol-pony set out and get it ready for the game to night?" Wow, Monopol-pony. Why not just say monopoly? "Okay but I have no idea on where that is." "Oh, let me get it, just clean the table up please." I do as asked, but I have a question. "Applejack. When do we eat? Because the way you where talking before we came inside was like, there was food ready." "Sorry, I had a snack but we eat at 8 and it is around 6 I think." "How are you telling the time?" This I am curious about. "Uh, I don't know. Mama always said that an earth pony can always tell the time. I just need to find it." Odd. Wait no, magic. I need more. I need to know how it works. Why it works. "So you just start to look for it and you find it?" "Yes, hold on, one moment. The game is not." She looks up. "Oh, It is up stairs. I moved it when Big Mack stole from the bank." I hear a voice that carries. "Nope." She looks at me and starts to point at where it came from with her hoof. Mouthing the words, Yes he did. She heads up and gets the game. Trials of styled smiles, others pile, we file and dial. Many monsters have mighty manuscripts. But one dip, one slip, one tiny little trip. A surge. An urge to splurge in to bloody little curds. Heed my words, stifle the surge, and mitigate the urge to splurge. Time skip to 10:00. Well in Monopol-pony granny kicked all of our asses. Note to self. Granny is good at strategy and making deals. She made a Spinach cream cheese casserole while also making some Roasted cabbage and brussels sprouts, then with all of that, she made Garlic Bread. Yes it is vegetarian but granny is no slouch when it comes to taste, Although Applejack did not have much of the Roasted cabbage and brussels sprouts. That just means their was more for me. Now if i could get my. Hooves? Wings? Um. My Wings on a pig. Yes that sounds right. Okay I don't like having to use different words for stuff now but it looks like I will just need to get used to it. I am looking outside from the window in the room and seeing a mare on the moon. A pig does sound nice right now. I don't think my body could digest it but it would taste so good. Should I even hunt? I need to figure this out. It does not help being told that I am 14. That almost made the mask slip when granny told me. I get up and move to the mirror. I need to talk with my monster and make some new ground rules. The thing in the mirror looks at me and starts to speak. "Hello. You have been ignoring me." "I'm making a new code. You know what I'm talking about but I need to be sure, we are on the same page." "Well then My little host. What are your terms." "Try to not kill. If we do kill, it is only to save the innocent." It speaks but my mouth does not move. "I have a term of my own little host. We must learn and use magic. Even if I prefer blood this magic you have does feel nice in it's own way. I hope you understand, I will not help you maintain control. I'll always be resistant to you my little host and all your tight leashes." "So are we in agreement monster." It looks at me with the eyes that I can only see as hollow. "Yes, you are the one I have to behave for after all." I feel a black wispy tentacle coil around my face. It is a gentle jester. Its red eyes fallout of my shadow while moving over to me resting next to my head. "Bye for now. I'll still be here even if we can't talk as I always am." I pull away, braking the sweet embrace of my monster. I have school tomorrow with Big Mack. He and I are the same age. After school I'll be with spitfire trying to fly. Lets just get some sleep. I can think more in the morning. Take your sleep and fall in to the inky deep. The culdesac, the cold wraps and hacks by the stack in the max. Little lovely, loves leveled leveraging, likely lacking locks. Every door open, No words spoken. I cuddle, his muzzle, its guttural. "Dexter Time for school." Granny said as I sit up and move off the bed. I heard her come down the stairs. I just waited for her to open the door to get me. "Yes granny." I move to the kitchen and smell eggs? Well that is good. I come around the corner and see Biscuits and white gravy. Most likely with out sausage. I take my seat again and see yes it does not have it. Bummer, but expected. I point to big Mack and back to me. "So Granny. How are we getting to school?" "The cart will come and get all of you." She is holding a milk bottle in the basket. I start to eat. I hear Applejack speak. "Granny do I have to eat eggs. I don't like 'em." "Who will eat them." Granny askes. Applejack looks at Granny as if she is thinking hard. "We could get a dog?" "I'll trade you some of my biscuits if you give me your eggs." I suggest. "Thanks Dexter." She shuffles over and does the switch. "Do you like eggs?" Granny asks. "Yes. With-" I feel my body jump as I hold in my word. Hold on their mouth. You don't say that about pigs unless you know that eating meat is not seen as being insane. "With what?" Applejack asks. "With Grapefruit." I say hoping to dispel suspicion. "What is a Grapefruit?" "It is like an orange but better." "Not better then an apple." She challenges me. "If you were at sea what would you bring with you? Apples, grapefruits or oranges?" "Apples." "Well in around 3 months. You will get scurvy." I see Grannies eyes go wide. Applejack is still curious. "What is a scarvy?" "It is a sickness from the lack of Vitamin C." "We can get sick from eating apples?" "No, you just need to eat and orange now and then. Possibly even a carrot once in a while." "Uh, What is a Vitamin?" "It is like an oil your body needs." "What do you mean?" I move over to a window and point to a tree. "What happens if you don't give water to a tree?" "It don't grow." "So you give it water to grow. But now think that every tree out there only could drink a specific water color." "That is odd." "Well that is what makes and orchard right, having more then one tree." I go to her and point at her body. "And you have an orchard of apple trees in you right now needing different kinds of water. When you don't give them that water what will happen?" She looks at her body. "They won't grow." "Will it be an orchard if the trees don't grow?" "No." "So you need to eat some foods you don't like because you need to water your apple trees." She looks at granny and back to me. "Oh. Granny why did you not tell me?" "Well I just haven't heard it put that way before." She looks at me with interest. Shit. I said too much. "I have been slacking this whole time and nopony told me." She makes a humph. "Granny do you have an egg I can eat." She puts and egg on her plate still looking at me. "Here you go sugar." FUCK. Oranges, would it conform to this. Pain, or is it shame that blames the flame on games making change or chains. Mildly mindful memorable metaphors, morphing monster mind, multiple meaningful mundane mentions.
Chapter 1 Monster in the MirrorHow am I alive? I heard the gun go off but I live. Mabey he missed, I did ask him to kill me. Do I feel regret? How am I not cold? I open my eyes. My son is not there. I am alone. Where is the snow? No way I just passed out. When I start to move, that is when I feel it. I am not a man or human at all. When I look down at my body it looks equine. I have hooves with gray fur. Yellow blond hair falls into my eyes. I look up and around me, not inspecting my body any further. "Wuut." Even my dark passenger is stumped. "I must be in a coma in the hospital." But the grass feels so real on my hooves. The apple trees look as if they are right there. The blue sky is a back drop to all of it. I try and stand, but fail. "Okay just, don't panic you will wake up soon." I would have not panicked. If i had not herd voices in the trees. "Now y'all know, your granny's gettin' on up there in age, and you two are gonna have to start doin' more of the work yerselves." "We know granny." A southern twang hits my ears. "Yep." This voice is deeper but not older then the second voice. When they come around the tree they all stop and look at me. I most definitely did not scream like a little girl. It was a mighty yell of power. "Applejack, Big Mack go back to the house." What the hell is going on? The horse's can speak! The orange one protests. "But-" "No buts Applejack. Git on back now, I'll be home later." The green older one said. As they leave she sits, not coming to me. "Are you lost, colt?" "I.. I have no idea on where I am. So yes I'm lost." What kind of drug induced high am I on? "Do you know your folks’ names?" My dark passenger is stirring. Stay down. We are an evolving monster. "My parents are dead." She gets a look of sympathy on her face. I fake sadness. "Well does you have a guardian." "No." She looks confused. I forgot I'm not a man. I may be a child by the looks of it. "Did you run away? How old are you? " She has a concerned face. "No. I don't know." My son either just killed me or I'm going to prison for the rest of my life, If I wake up. When. I meant when I wake up. My dark passenger laughs. "Well how about you, a colt that is not a run away come back to the farm. Are you hungry? We have apple pie. Also what do you mean you don't know your age?" I don't have to fake the drool that comes out of my mouth. "I just don't know." I try to walk but fall flat on my face. "Ow." I get back up and try again. This time is better but slower. Even slower then the old mare. "You havin' trouble with your legs?" "Yes, I'll learn. It is just a matter of time." She looks at me with a concerned face. I fake a connection with her. "What about your wings?" My what? I look back to my midsection and do see a pair of wings with the tips of every gray feather having a tinge of red in them. My favorite color. "I never used them, so I do not know." I. Just. Don't. Understand. I can see every tree we walk by, while also seeing the dusty dirt of the road we are on that has been walked on more then 1000 times. We make it to the farm house. It is a modest home. With a porch that wraps around the front of the house. "Do you think you can get those legs up the stairs?" "Yes. It will take me a minute." I start to clime every stair. One by one. I just want some pie it will make this worth it. "I'll whip you up a slice while you get up these stairs." My dark passenger is seething. I force it down. We will go by a new code now. One that is better. No one needs to die for us. I finally get the last of my fumbling legs up the stairs. Now how do I open the door? As I get close, I think that I could use my wing. I splay it out finding that the wing while odd, does not bend like a wing should and yet it does not hurt it feels natural. I wrap my right wing around the handle and open the door. "Neat." When I get inside I see there are more stairs leading to a balcony, to the right is the kitchen. I just head right for it, the apple pie is my goal after all. As I step in I'm greeted by all three. Applejack, she has an orange coat and bleach blond mane. With Big Mack having a red coat and orange mane. Then the granny she has a green coat with little lines of white in her mane. she is going white. Their is one thing that strikes me as odd, they have tattoos. Applejack has three apples, big Mack a big green apple with the seed inside visible and the granny, with what I can assume is an apple pie, on her ass. I walk in and take my seat. Sitting is so weird I have to sit how I think a dog does it. I look down my body again and see I do not have a tattoo like they do. I can smell the food. Oh the food. "That smells, really good." I can feel my body having little jitters in it due to the anticipation. Granny slides a piece of pie to me. "Go on, eat on up." She starts to give out the rest of the food to the other two and with her placing a small milk bottle in a basket. I use my wing to pick a spoon up and shovel the pie in. "What is your name colt." I have to stop my eating and swallow to speak. "Dexter." I finish my food. "That was delicious Mis. Uh." "Just Granny is fine sugar cube. Do you have a sibling? Could you tell me the names of the ponies that were your parents?" My dark passenger is reeling. "Biological mother, Laura Moser, Murdered. Biological father, Joseph Driscoll, Murdered. Biological Brother, Joseph, Murdered. Adoptive father, Harry Morgan, committed suicide. Adoptive mother, Doris Morgan, died of cancer." It is hard to fake grief but one comes easier to not fake. "Foster sister, Debra Morgan, I had to let her go. She was brain dead." I just hope my son can do better them me. Can be better then I was. With out a second moment I am wrapped in a hug from Granny. "Oh, you poor little colt." I can see their faces. Why are they so hard to understand? I know it is normal for them but how could they be trying to connect with me. What purpose does it serve? "Do you need to lie down for a bit, we gotta bed you can rest your head. Just straight down the bottom hallway to the second to last door on the right. "I'll show ya." Granny leads me to a small room with a bed in it, on the ground level. "Thank you, Granny." "If you need somethin, just holler now." The door closes. I do not move to the bed. I go over to a mirror instead. To see a monster needing to be fed. Yes the brown eyes of a monster, I thought was dead. So it will lay its head and not be dead, but go to bed instead, without being fed. Author's Note Wanted to add an image but it is AI and it has blood. :(
Chapter 2 Magic I have it.I hear the door open. Waking me up but I do not let them know I'm awake. "Sugar cube. I have a pony here that needs to talk to you for a minute." Psych evaluation. No doubt she call child protective services. Why did I not wake up? How am I still here. Let's just get this over with. I get up and flash a fake smile to her. "Okay." She walks me to the kitchen. While trying to get a connection from me. I give a fake one again. Why does she look unconvinced. I walk in and take the seat I had before. I see a stallion with a brown coat, blue eyes and a dark brown mane. With a green bowtie. "You see Doctor Hooves. Our little sugar cube is right here." "It is just Time Turner Granny." He looks back to me and waves with a hoof. "Hello My name is Time turner, what is yours?" "Dexter." I fake a smile again but I move the ears. Lets think of blood too. Also to get the eyes right lets listen to the memory of their screams. That might be what is making it unconvincing. "Well, I just have some questions for you. If you are okay with that." Good it worked. He has no suspicion. "Yes I am ok with that." "Okay here are some fun ones. What is your favorite. Food, drink and color? "Favorite? I like Red, Coffee and donuts, but Granny makes a really good apple pie." I see Granny show Thankfulness. I let him speak again. "Okay. Now did you runaway." He asks. I am in a coma or I died so no is the truth. "No." He looks at his bag on the table then puts a note down on paper. "So you have had, nopony taking care of you." Their are no ponies that can be parents where I'm from, so yes is the right one to say. "Yes. I have had nopony taking care of me. Well besides Granny here, nopony else." He looks back at his bag confused but notes it down all the same. Lie detector. How? Anything is possible at this point. "Okay last one. If you were here with Granny, would you try and run away?" I don't think I need to and if he can see if I'm lying I need to consider this. "No. The pie is too good to leave." I smile hoping they will see it as a joke that is true. "Haha. Well Granny. What do you say to having a forth sugar cube?" "Oh, I love it." She shows so much love. If only I could show it back. I see him get his bag and start to leave. "I'll be back later to ask more questions. Have a nice day Granny and a nice day to you to, Dexter." He slips her a peace of paper. "Well sugar cube are you ready to start the day?" She shows a smile and I show a less fake one back. I just need to try. "What are we going to do?" I ask genuinely interested. "Well first I'm gonna get you a pony to show you how to use those wings of yours, and past that, I'm not sure but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Now I'm gonna get the other three. I'll be right back." I hop off the chair and look around the kitchen as she leaves. I can see a knife that I can get to. I grab it and grab two of the apples from the basket of apples on the counter. I take them back to my seat. I also get a wooden cutting bord. I don't want to mess up the table. It took time to make it smooth. I put the knife to my right side then get the bord ready and put the apples to my left. I let a second pass and then start. I grab the knife with my right wing. I then move and apple with my left wing and lay the apple down on the cutting bord. I cut it down from the top with ease. Now I have two pieces, then I cut both of them in half. Oh, how the juice from the apple coats my feathers. I start to cut out the cores of all fore pieces one by one. The feeling I have in this moment. Like a high no other. I put my tongue on the back of the blade at the bottom and lick up. If only-No. Just this is enough. It has to be. My dark passenger is hungry. I hear them coming, so I get my act together, and put the mask back on. When they get in the room they start to eat as well. "Now be careful with that knife, it is sharp honey." Granny warns me. Are they too close to me. "I know I'll be careful." No they are not. I can't get them from here. That is good. Applejack moves over to me. "Wow, You can use your wing like that!" I put the knife down and move my body so she can look at my wing while I am not too close to the knife. "Um, I'm talking about how you can hold stuff sugar cube." I pick up an apple slice. "That is so cool." I can see it. The ideas, the need. With one swift motion I could feed my monster. NEVER CHILDREN!. Remnants of the old code that make up my new code, ring in my mind. Like a spike of pain behind my eyes. It is from that monster. It is in pain but it does not matter. "Looks like you have a crick in your neck." She can see the pain. "Must have slept on it wrong." I move back so that I'm not too close. If they are my new family, I need to keep them safe after all. "So Granny who did you have in mind to teach me?" Flying might be nice. "Oh, I have a pony that owes me a favor and she will be in town for a while anyway. Her name is Spitfire." What the hell is up with all the names? Where the hell is a Dave or something? Next thing you know their going to tell me bloomed apple is a name. "Oh have you seen Apple bloom." I crack a smile. I laugh with my dark passenger. Not in malice but out of the coincidence. I do not voice the humor I found. I just smile as they bring her over to me. "No I have not." I see a small foal, With Yellow blond coat and scarlet red hair. The eyes she has are a bright orange. I don't have to fake this? "She is so cute." How? Why? Why is it so quiet right now? My dark passenger is terrified. "Oh, Yes she is." Applejack moves to have apple bloom face her. "You are just a little slice, of apple pie aren't you." She shows and has a better connection them me, but how did I have one with out empathy? No empathy granted to me you see, but how could this be? I take my seat, and feel the heart that beats, with a radiant heat. A seed. The seed in me, of and apple tree, that will show a grate feat. A feat for a heart beat, that holds no empathy to keep, for me, you see. "Um, so Granny. When do I start with Spitfire?" I ask, feeling The dark passengers fear leave me. She walks over to the wall and points at a phone. "Well I made the call this morning. She will be here soon. She is fast so-." We here a knock at the door, but before granny could get it a mare walks inside drenched in sweat. She has a yellow coat and her eyes, mane and tail are fire orange. That must be why she is called Spitfire. "Well, do you need some water, sugar cube? I said get here, not to fly your wings off! You'll need them for what I've got in store for you." "Sorry." She breathes in deeply. "Granny." She hits the floor like a sack of potatoes. "Hello, Kid are you the lucky flyer?" "Um, are you Spitfire?" She is loud but only to me. "Yes I am. Just let me rest for a minute. Yes granny water would be nice." I see granny get the water. How is it so easy for them. She asked of she needed water and all I could think of was that she was loud. I get down from my chair and lay in front of her as granny gives her the water. "So what you doing kid?" She asks with an inquisitive face. "Learning how to rest." If she is as good as Granny thinks then their is a right and wrong way to handle over exertion. She looks at granny. She is asking something with out words but what is it. She looks back to me. "Not many ponies notice that part or care for it. So what is your name?" "Should I ware a name tag? My name is dexter." She gets a blush. She starts to use her left hoof to rub her neck sheepishly. "Um. No just. No." What the hell was that about? The fur around her neck looks like she wares a collar there. I'm not asking why. "So what are we going to do today." "Well first. Can you open your wings for me." My wings are as long as my body is. "Wow. Not many foals have a wing span like that." I look at her wings, they are the same size as mine. "What do you mean?" "Your wings are still growing, So when you are bigger your wings will be the same wing span ratio to your body as you have now." "Oh. okay." Well that is good to know. "Stop confusing the colt with your fancy math and show him how to use those wings." Granny said with a stern tone. Spitfire gets up and I follow. "Yes Mam." We are out side in the front yard and it is still midday. "Okay lets start with your wing control." She picks up and apple and throws it at me and I catch it. "What do I do with this?" "Throw it back." I do as asked. She catches it. "Good, now throw with some magic behind it." I catch it. I look at her with a dead pan face. "What magic?" I ask really what does she want from me make it disappear. I hold the apple in one wing then glide my wing over the other and pick it up with the one I moved over it. "Like that?" She look stumped for a moment. "How? No I mean magic. Where did it go?" I pull the apple out of the wing it just disappeared from and take a bite. "Never telling. What do you mean?" She walks over to me and holds my wing out. She shows me her wing with little lights gliding over every feather. Then she points to mine. I can see little red lights just the same as hers but denser. Magic. I have Magic? "Wow." It is red. My dark passenger is loving the red as I am also loving it. "So this is magic?" "Yes now." She gives me a second apple with out a bite in it. "Take the apple in your wing and put some of that feeling in your wing behind it." I take the apple and do as she asked. As I throw the apple, I start seeing little small point like red lights just trailing behind the apple as it flattens on a tree. "Magic, I have magic!" I look at her. "Teach me more." So tragic, you can have it. The magic. I'll take the blood, that floods like mud. I am a dud of love. But the blood is my love. A dud that loves the flood of blood like mud. That thud, the thud of a heart beat. I can stop it with one fell sweep. Little trickles fickle for me, but a blood flood only to you sounds bleak. My wings are tired but I love it. Some how in this world magic exists and I have it. Spitfire has shown me how to sense the air around my feathers and to put that magic in to use when using my wings, it is different from my normal pleasures. I hope I don't wake up. "Hay kid lets take a brake for the rest of the day. Tomorrow we will see if you get off the ground." Again with the connections. I just want to keep going, it makes that need become easier to carry. I fake a smile. "Okay, I'll just go see what applejack and Big Mack needs." I can see them right now they are getting apples. They have 5 soon to be 6 baskets of apples. I callout. "Hay Big Mack do you and Applejack need help?" "Yep" I think I have heard only two words from him. He must not talk much. "Yeah Dexter, if you could, could you get one of the pair of baskets." I can see Applejack getting the baskets on Big Mack while I come over. "How do I get this on?" I can't move it with my wings they are too tired. "Well you get down on your belly behind it, then you move so you can get the saddle on your back and stand up." I do as she instructed. I then see the straps that are loose so I tighten them. "Now just follow Big Mack. I'll catch up." I can appreciate on how quiet he is. No need for useless words or idle chitchat. No need for- No he is doing it. The need for connection again, even with out words they can do it. So I try again, but a fake is still a fake, even if it is an exact copy. My dark passenger is so, hungry. He points to a spot by the barn. "Should I just dump the apples or do I put the baskets down with the apples in it?" "Dump the apples." Well it looks like he can say more then one word. So I help, not because I care but because the fake me needs to care. If they are my new family then, just trying is all I can do. Even if my dark passenger is gnawing at my mind, at the cage that contains it. My body is shaking not with exertion but with the thought of blood. It will make this go away. It will give me a sweet release. Just a little bit to coat my feathers. Just a little bit to mat my fur. This smile I have of the idea is no fake. We walk up to Applejack. "Well what has you in such a happy mood?" Lie and the truth. "Memories."
Chapter 3 Drip Drop.Point of view is Time turner. I hold my head in my hooves at my desk. Nothing? How is their nothing on him? Even the dragon fire message I sent to canterlot gave me nothing. All I have is that he is 14 years old, his magic is unstable and that he has more then he should. I look at the scanning orb. Just a foal with that magic. How did he not level the house by accident? Their is no way he does not know, he has to be holding back. I thought a unicorns magic surge would be bad. I flip through the papers. Their is not one foal on this damn thing that matches him at all. It is like he just appeared out of nowhere. I don't know what to ask him. I can't tell if he is being truthful and I don't trust he did not runaway. The only thing I can think of to ask is about his family but if I trigger a surge It will not be good. I need to wait for a surge protector from canterlot, but that is going to take a week or two and also that means this bill for Granny is going to be high. If he was just biologically hers or in her family it would be free, I hate the Money hungry bureaucrats. Point of view switch to Dexter. Every step I take with the apples on my back sends pins and needles in my legs. "Do you need a moment Dexter?" Applejack askes. She lifts a hoof and almost puts it on me but I move so we do not touch. "Yes. I do." I lay down and try to catch my breath while Big Mack is still going strong. "Well We've gotten a lot more done to day. Thank you Dexter." She smiles at me. So I smile back but I try. It is only right that my new family is given something even if I have nothing. My dark passenger is resistant. "You are welcome, How much longer?" I would like to know when I can rest fully. "Well Big Mack is getting the last of it, but we finished 3 hours early." She looks up for a moment like she is finding something. "Tomorrow is Monday. So we have school. Has granny got you in school yet?" "Crap." Shit. School again! Fuck this place. I hate history. I hate the rules, even when I did nothing we all got in trouble. What the hell was up with that shit. It just made me want to brake them more, at least I would have done it. She winces at my word. "Don't let granny hear you say that. She took away my apple foods when I said that." "What did you eat." This is a natural question, so I need to say it. She gets a disgusted look on her face. "Carrots, Brussels sprouts and tomatoes." "Too bad more for me then." I give a smile with my dark passenger clawing at my mind. "You can have it." She smiles back and gets up. "Well we better get this done." I follow her. I finished the moving of apples with them. "Big Mack do we have rain for today?" "Yep." He said this as he helps get the baskets off my back. I look up and see a clear blue sky. "From where?" "Oh, they will bring it in tonight." This stumps me for a moment then I think magic and it makes sense. "Lets get on in and eat." Applejack is the first to start walking then Big Mack. I follow behind them. Before Big Mack can get up the steps I ask him something. "Where is the bathroom?" "The door to the left of the room you slept in." Right to the point. Just how I like it. I go in to the bathroom and answer the call of nature. I need a shower. I turn on the water with my wing. I let it warm up and then step in. The warm water runs over my face and over the back of my head. It drips off my body and feels so delightful. I take a breath of ecstasy. I feel the water in my feathers. I could dye the water red. It would not be the real thing but it would get me so close. I feel my back legs give out. They are too shaky. I close my eyes. My breathing is so, heavy. I turn around. When the water hits my back I have to stifle a moan. I feel every drop of water on my wings. I can't help that I love this. Little warm storm torn. The pleasure, The ecstasy. Only to you it's a hex you see. Fickle feathers pleasure weathered. Exhausted. The fault is. You. A dent, A divot, A cavity. Will not obey this chastity. Mill it. kill it. All spent. All bent. Broken. I turn the water off. Spitfire showed me how to move air with my magic. So I could just do that to dry off. No need to wait. When I start to use my magic I can see the water fall to the ground leaving my feathers and fur dry. I do need to use a towel for the ground but It is easier then what I thought it would take, to dry off my body. I look at the mirror before leaving. I pay it no mind as my reflection said. "Hello". I walk down to the front of the house and take a left to the kitchen. Big Mack is the only one at the table. He looks up from a puzzle he is doing. "I'm next." He gets up and walks past me to the same bathroom I just came from. I see the cutting bord is still as I left it but the knife has been cleaned and put up. I grab one more apple and the knife again, while taking my seat. I'll start perfecting my new ritual. I lay the apple down and cut from the top to the bottom. Giving me two halves. Juice is dampening my work space, But I don't mind. Then I cut it again in half on both of those pieces. Now I take out all of the cores and lay them all in a neat line to the right of my area. One by one I flay the red skin off all four pieces and lay them all on the left side. I eat one apple slice. Then take two of the skins and eat them as well. I want more, So I take one of the three pieces I have and cut little thin slices off. I can see the knife behind the apple slice, it is so thin. When I'm done with that I take one of the skins and give it eyes. I put it on one of the apple slices and pop the whole thing in to my mouth. The world fades just leaving me with the blood. In my mouth. On my teeth. I love the blood but not the meat. Before I could let it go further my mind is snapped back when I here hooves getting closer. I see Applejacks head poke around the door. "You eaten without me?" "Just an apple. I have not had what granny made yet." I go back to my work, more mindful of the eyes on me. "Well how about we get the monopol-pony set out and get it ready for the game to night?" Wow, Monopol-pony. Why not just say monopoly? "Okay but I have no idea on where that is." "Oh, let me get it, just clean the table up please." I do as asked, but I have a question. "Applejack. When do we eat? Because the way you where talking before we came inside was like, there was food ready." "Sorry, I had a snack but we eat at 8 and it is around 6 I think." "How are you telling the time?" This I am curious about. "Uh, I don't know. Mama always said that an earth pony can always tell the time. I just need to find it." Odd. Wait no, magic. I need more. I need to know how it works. Why it works. "So you just start to look for it and you find it?" "Yes, hold on, one moment. The game is not." She looks up. "Oh, It is up stairs. I moved it when Big Mack stole from the bank." I hear a voice that carries. "Nope." She looks at me and starts to point at where it came from with her hoof. Mouthing the words, Yes he did. She heads up and gets the game. Trials of styled smiles, others pile, we file and dial. Many monsters have mighty manuscripts. But one dip, one slip, one tiny little trip. A surge. An urge to splurge in to bloody little curds. Heed my words, stifle the surge, and mitigate the urge to splurge. Time skip to 10:00. Well in Monopol-pony granny kicked all of our asses. Note to self. Granny is good at strategy and making deals. She made a Spinach cream cheese casserole while also making some Roasted cabbage and brussels sprouts, then with all of that, she made Garlic Bread. Yes it is vegetarian but granny is no slouch when it comes to taste, Although Applejack did not have much of the Roasted cabbage and brussels sprouts. That just means their was more for me. Now if i could get my. Hooves? Wings? Um. My Wings on a pig. Yes that sounds right. Okay I don't like having to use different words for stuff now but it looks like I will just need to get used to it. I am looking outside from the window in the room and seeing a mare on the moon. A pig does sound nice right now. I don't think my body could digest it but it would taste so good. Should I even hunt? I need to figure this out. It does not help being told that I am 14. That almost made the mask slip when granny told me. I get up and move to the mirror. I need to talk with my monster and make some new ground rules. The thing in the mirror looks at me and starts to speak. "Hello. You have been ignoring me." "I'm making a new code. You know what I'm talking about but I need to be sure, we are on the same page." "Well then My little host. What are your terms." "Try to not kill. If we do kill, it is only to save the innocent." It speaks but my mouth does not move. "I have a term of my own little host. We must learn and use magic. Even if I prefer blood this magic you have does feel nice in it's own way. I hope you understand, I will not help you maintain control. I'll always be resistant to you my little host and all your tight leashes." "So are we in agreement monster." It looks at me with the eyes that I can only see as hollow. "Yes, you are the one I have to behave for after all." I feel a black wispy tentacle coil around my face. It is a gentle jester. Its red eyes fallout of my shadow while moving over to me resting next to my head. "Bye for now. I'll still be here even if we can't talk as I always am." I pull away, braking the sweet embrace of my monster. I have school tomorrow with Big Mack. He and I are the same age. After school I'll be with spitfire trying to fly. Lets just get some sleep. I can think more in the morning. Take your sleep and fall in to the inky deep. The culdesac, the cold wraps and hacks by the stack in the max. Little lovely, loves leveled leveraging, likely lacking locks. Every door open, No words spoken. I cuddle, his muzzle, its guttural. "Dexter Time for school." Granny said as I sit up and move off the bed. I heard her come down the stairs. I just waited for her to open the door to get me. "Yes granny." I move to the kitchen and smell eggs? Well that is good. I come around the corner and see Biscuits and white gravy. Most likely with out sausage. I take my seat again and see yes it does not have it. Bummer, but expected. I point to big Mack and back to me. "So Granny. How are we getting to school?" "The cart will come and get all of you." She is holding a milk bottle in the basket. I start to eat. I hear Applejack speak. "Granny do I have to eat eggs. I don't like 'em." "Who will eat them." Granny askes. Applejack looks at Granny as if she is thinking hard. "We could get a dog?" "I'll trade you some of my biscuits if you give me your eggs." I suggest. "Thanks Dexter." She shuffles over and does the switch. "Do you like eggs?" Granny asks. "Yes. With-" I feel my body jump as I hold in my word. Hold on their mouth. You don't say that about pigs unless you know that eating meat is not seen as being insane. "With what?" Applejack asks. "With Grapefruit." I say hoping to dispel suspicion. "What is a Grapefruit?" "It is like an orange but better." "Not better then an apple." She challenges me. "If you were at sea what would you bring with you? Apples, grapefruits or oranges?" "Apples." "Well in around 3 months. You will get scurvy." I see Grannies eyes go wide. Applejack is still curious. "What is a scarvy?" "It is a sickness from the lack of Vitamin C." "We can get sick from eating apples?" "No, you just need to eat and orange now and then. Possibly even a carrot once in a while." "Uh, What is a Vitamin?" "It is like an oil your body needs." "What do you mean?" I move over to a window and point to a tree. "What happens if you don't give water to a tree?" "It don't grow." "So you give it water to grow. But now think that every tree out there only could drink a specific water color." "That is odd." "Well that is what makes and orchard right, having more then one tree." I go to her and point at her body. "And you have an orchard of apple trees in you right now needing different kinds of water. When you don't give them that water what will happen?" She looks at her body. "They won't grow." "Will it be an orchard if the trees don't grow?" "No." "So you need to eat some foods you don't like because you need to water your apple trees." She looks at granny and back to me. "Oh. Granny why did you not tell me?" "Well I just haven't heard it put that way before." She looks at me with interest. Shit. I said too much. "I have been slacking this whole time and nopony told me." She makes a humph. "Granny do you have an egg I can eat." She puts and egg on her plate still looking at me. "Here you go sugar." FUCK. Oranges, would it conform to this. Pain, or is it shame that blames the flame on games making change or chains. Mildly mindful memorable metaphors, morphing monster mind, multiple meaningful mundane mentions.
