Living The Dream

Right…

I got up and went over to put a hoof on Dali’s back, “It’s alright. You didn’t know and nothing bad happened. We’re all friends at the end of the day.”

She let out a deep breath and held a hoof over her heart, “Oh that’s wonderful to hear. I was so embarrassed when I tried the same with Drax and he had to lecture me.”

I laughed as I went back to my seat. I would’ve loved to hear that go down.

For the next few minutes we talked about random things, as well as caught up on how our lives were going. As the conversation came to its end, I took one of the broken chunks from the safe so I could show Fred later. I’m sure he would want to know about it.

After a hug and goodbye, I flew off towards the castle.

ooo000<^>000ooo

Canterlot royal bathhouse, 8:34 AM

‘So soothing.’ thought Annabel, delicately scrubbing through her mane and coat so it could be its silkiest self. Sure, she could be grime free at the snap of a finger, but it was worth it to do so by hand. She didn’t truly feel clean otherwise.

Her calming ritual was disrupted by a violent gagging noise from her partner in crime. A few feet away Vinetion was thoroughly brushing away at her teeth, practically grinding the gums away. When she was done with the assault, she gargled and spat right into the bath water. Nasty.

“Grrrhhh. I swear if I see even one stallion during this next month, I’ll tear their head off! Ugh!” Vinetion seethed.

Annabel giggled and propped her elbows on the water, “Why so glum, Viney? It got you out of the house, didn’t it?” She said whimsically. Seems her little mare loving buddy was having a rough time the past 3 days. Oh she felt bad of course, how couldn’t she, but it was just too funny! It would’ve hurt her not to laugh.

“Shut it.” Vinetion snapped back, “Unlike you, little miss overpowered lizard cunt, I have to worry about my body fighting against me once a year. Go with a pegasus, I said. It’ll be fun, I said. Bleh! I should’ve gone with a timberwolf, but noooooooo, I just had to fit in.” She finished while crossing her forelegs, leaning back as several of her vines got to work cleaning her.

Oh look at how mad she is. To think she almost had sex with Zorrow. Zorrow! It’s too good.

Annabel rested her head on a paw and snapped the talons on the other hand, “Fufufu, it pays to be smart.” She said playfully. Whatever Vinetion was going to say was interrupted by her suddenly disappearing under the water.

While waiting, Annabel started filing her nails, “Why, the world is practically at my fingertips,” She said, the file going a little too fast and grinding her whole hand away, “...Most of the time.”

Vinetion finally burst out of the bath, but she was no longer a pony. Now she was just the most adorable wooden puppy imaginable. Annabel would’ve pet her if Vine wasn’t the type to bite.

The now canine Vinetion paddled out of the bath, dripping with soapy water, “Real funny.” She growled. Taking a moment to look over her new body, she walked a few shaky steps before giving up and just using her vines to plop her onto a nearby bench. “Nevermind, this would’ve been a terrible idea. Change me back.” She demanded.

“And ruin the fun? Heehee, now to set up a playdate with that brony dog.” Annabel paused and scratched her chin. “What was his name? Lewis? Ah, doesn’t matter.” She said while sliding deeper into the comically oversized bath, only her head visible.

“A dog is a brony?” Vinetion retched “I’m going to kick any dogs that try jumping on me from now on, thanks to you.” She rubbed her head in agitation. “I need a topic change. Where were you the last three days? You gorge on rape like a fat kid in a candy store.”

Annabel fake gagged, “Now now, I don’t love doing what I do. I have no choice, it's part of my nature, after all.” She would’ve stopped if she could, but it was just too damn addicting! Oh the way she hates herself for doing it is like a rotting miasma in her gut, but hey, at least they know what she felt like.

A paper fan poofed into her claw to blow away the unwanted rising heat, “To answer your question, my weekend has been terribly dull. While everyone was having fun I was forced to watch little Nova and Star Chaser. *Sigh*, Freddy was so insistent that they would be in danger, but I know better than to let that happen.” She said wearily.

“Oh boohoo. ~Look at me, I’m Annabel. I can’t fingerblast myself because the kids are watching~. Truly, I’m devastated for you.” Vinetion mocked.

Annabel let out a giggle, “As you should be.” A smile slid onto her face. “I suppose it wasn’t all bad. Nova was a cute little munchkin. Her naivete is admirable in some ways.” She groaned and slid deeper into the water. “Her brother not so much.”

Vinetion was forced to, and don’t you dare say otherwise, scratch at her ear with her hindleg. Nobody told her wood would be so itchy, “Oh yeah, the brat. He’s reason enough why Celly and I don’t want kids.”

“Tell me about it. He’s shaping himself up to be a real jerky prince, like Blueblood before he mysteriously disappeared. The apple doesn’t fall far I say.” Annebel muttered.

Vinetion hummed, “Like that griffin that destroyed Ponyville? I doubt it. From what I’ve seen that kid is practically glued to Fred. He’ll raise his boy to be just like him, if I know him right. Too much of a goody goody.”

Annabel shrugged, “I suppose you’re right. Can’t see it being any other way.”

The two sat in silence for several minutes. Annabel was finishing cleaning her coat, while Vinetion continued to lay on the bench, stewing in her own thoughts. Whatever it was, Annabel didn’t know. Well, she could if she did a light bit of cognitive reading, but that’s just rude.

Out of nowhere Vinetion let out a frustrated groan. Turning her head, Annebel could see the unwilling timberwolf with her face buried in her paws. A clear aura of discomfort and shame radiating off of her.

“Is something the matter?” Annabel asked, somewhat concerned by the sudden change in mood.

“...Can I tell you something? Something private?” Vinetion muttered into her woodgrain paws.

Annabel laughed, her devious smirk clashing with the mood of the room, “If you want to talk privates, I’m your best worst choice.”

Vinetion groaned. She raised her face from her paws and gave off a sincere pleading look, “I’m serious. I can’t talk about it with Celly because she’s a native and doesn’t know better. And I would kill any of the bronies if they ever saw me like this… You’re the closest person to a friend I have here, and I just need to tell someone, ANYONE, about this. You're the only other person from Earth that's not a guy. You’re the only one that could understand.” Vinetion said, looking far from her usual bitchy self.

Shocked stiff was what Annabel was. None of that was anything she expected to hear. And… friend? Admittedly she hadn’t put much stock in being friends with anyone here, besides Fred, of course. If it weren’t for the unearned trust and vulnerability Vinetion was showing at this moment, she would think it a joke.

“Well, I have to hear about it now. Hit me with it.” Annabel said somewhat uneasily, not used to a sincere one on one like this. “But first…”

With a snap of her fingers, Vinetion was returned to her usual pegasus form. She just shivered.

“Thanks…” Was all Vinetion could say.

She swallowed.

“... I know the Heat is natural here. It doesn’t make sense, I don’t get it, but it just is. I… I’ve tried talking about it with other mares, ya know, but nothing came of it. It’s just a part of life to them, but those three days were easily the worst i’ve ever had to go through…” She stopped, her breath slightly shaking.

“It was like I was in a nightmare. For all my life I’ve known I was attracted to women, without a single doubt, but that Heat did things to me. Things I feel sick even thinking about… I just… Do you know what it’s like to be trapped in a body that’s fighting against you? My mind was screaming for it to stop, that I DO NOT like men, stallions, and what else… But my body, I couldn’t stop feeling aroused by it! I was helpless. Even if nothing happened, I feel disgusted with myself. Like I was betraying myself. But it’s not my fault! I didn’t get a choice!” Vinetion spat out, holding back tears.

“If Celly didn’t show up when she did… I would’ve… I would’ve…” Whatever she was going to say was drowned out. She desperately was holding back from breaking down.

Annabel was frozen. That wasn’t funny. Rape was supposed to be funny, but that was just… sad. She laid her head in her hands. That wasn’t funny. That was her friend. That was too familiar, that was too close to home. Why did this have to happen? It’s not funny anymore.

It was never funny.

But this sick part of her wants to laugh at her. It’s so funny! She doesn’t have to laugh at it alone! She didn’t do anything wrong! She’s not weak! She’s not-

She’s not anything.

Annabel sunk deeper into the water, only her face breaching the surface. It brought her back to then, but has she ever really left?

…

“Hey Viney,” She whispered.

A twitch of the ear was all that Vinetion gave.

This would hurt to say, “What you're going through is awful. I can’t imagine a worse thing for you to go through. But… you have to let it happen. Just ignore it and wait til it goes away. You can’t control it, you can’t fight it… Don’t hurt yourself…” Annabel shamefully said. She didn’t want to give her friend false hope. That’s just how things were here.

“No.”

Annabel’s head shot out of the water, “No? What do you mean no?” She asked, confused.

“I don’t know where you got that idea from, but fuck that.” Vinetion said, standing up. “I live the way I want to. I’m not bowing down because this pony body said I had to.” She glanced to the side, a slight smile on her face, “Except when Celly does that little trick. I like when she does that.”

That was a nice way to think of things, if ignorant.

Shooting out of the bath, Annabel wrung herself like a towel. The water and suds falling back down to their domicile. Funny how she feels less clean than before the bath.

“Bah! I adored the talk, but we need to clear out this downer mood!” She announced. Time to go back to not thinking about things.

Vinetion huffed, “Agreed. Don't tell anyone a word of what I just said.” She forced a neutral expression. “So, what do you have in mind?”

Annabel sat there thinking for a minute, only to snap her fingers as a sparkle appeared in her eyes, “Ooo, I just thought of the funniest prank ever-”

Whatever she was about to say was cut off by the sound of her greatest and bestest friend's voice in her head.

“Hey Annabel, I've got a bit of a problem that could use your personal touch. Try to get here soon, eh?” Frederic’s voice asked, before disappearing.

Seems like the fun died before it started.

“Nevermind, Freddy needs me for something. We’ll get into some trouble later, Viney.” She said as she zipped out of the room, leaving Vinetion to herself.

“What a drag.”

ooo000<^>000ooo

New Mane city food bank, 3:17 PM

Peter collapsed on the floor, utterly exhausted. He could feel the grime and food bits sticking to his fur, but he lacked the energy to care.

As per the ruling of the 2 minute trial he was dragged into last night, he had to spend a whole week doing community service. The last 4 hours he had to serve out instant mix gruel to a bunch of jobless low lives. At first he was confused at the sheer number of homeless ponies in the city, but it all clicked when he found out they were mostly bronies. They sure know how to stink up the place.

“What a load of bull. Why’d they have to drag me to this shithole? Not my fault I had to beat off a bunch of mares,” He groaned, before a smile popped onto his face, “Hehehe, beat off. Eh? Eh? Come on, that was a classic, Cody.”

Cody didn’t respond. He didn’t do much else today either. Just kinda went through everything on autopilot. He didn’t even crack a grin when Peter put a firecracker in one of the bum’s soups. Almost got arrested again for that one.

“You could at least try talkin’ about it.” Peter said as he got up to throw all the dirty pots into the sink. He would’ve hated to do dishes himself, but luckily he tricked some ugly loner brony into doing them if they gave him a ride to New Ponyville. Apparently he was friends with Lance, but Peter sure as hell never heard of a Zane until now.

“There’s nothing to talk about.” Cody grunted.

Peter leaned up on the counter next to Cody, “Sure there is. Like how fightin’ for our lives got us a week of soup duty.” He said while picking his teeth. “Hell, I gotta pay for Roseluck’s dental plan for some reason. How ‘bout you don’t walk into my fist? POW! Right in the kisser.” He emphasized with a punch.

Cody grimaced, “That’s the problem. We hurt… I killed… so many. We ruined their lives.”

Shrugging, Peter went back to lying down, “And they were tryin’ to rape us… and hurt Ditzy. You sayin’ you regret it?” He asked.

“Yes…No. I don’t know.” Cody said, letting out a deep breath. “I can’t find it within myself to forgive what happened. I HAD to kill them, but at the same time, I wish that wasn’t a choice I had to make.”

A pensive look found itself on Peter’s face, “I can’t blame you for what you did. If one of those goonhounds did what they did to Rarity… She’s supposed to be delivering in a few months. If I didn’t tell her to stay home, if she was there and THAT happened… I can’t say I would do anything differently.”

Cody signed, “But the guilt remains all the same.”

The two stood there in silence for a few minutes, the topic having reached its conclusion. Not like there was much else to say, neither knew each other too well, but it’s not like either hated the other. Peter signed, this was going to be a long week.

An acrid smell made itself known, alerting the two of their hitchhiker’s presence. Clearly, he didn’t know what a proper shower was.

“I did what you said. Please take me back to Ponyville.” Said the mangy looking Zane, desperation bleeding out of his eyes. The soaked state of his front hooves confirmed that he did his end of the deal, at least for today.

Instead of answering, Peter slammed a pie into Zane’s face, knocking him to the floor. He looked like he needed the calories anyway.

“We’ll talk about it next Monday,” Peter said as he bolted out of the building.

Cody sighed and followed, leaving the now unconscious Zane on the floor.

ooo000<^>000ooo

Canterlot, 4:19 PM

I flew out of the castle front gates, done hanging out with Frederic for today. It was a hell of a time, but I can’t help but feel like I forgot something. Probably nothing.

[You know what that means?]
{Hell yeah! Holding it in for four days was killing me!]
[Time to get our dick wet!]

I burst off towards my house, looking forward to making up for lost time with my wife. Today was going to be awesome!