//------------------------------// // Cover Me Timbers // Story: Rarity's Colt: A New Life // by Mocha Star //------------------------------// “Wait, everypony,” Silver Spoon said from outside the barn where Big Mac was moving bushels of apples into the hidden door of the apple cellar, “I wanna get Snorelax, I think I owe it to her to tell her her new name, and after everything I’ve said to her and about her,” Silver poked the ground shyly.  “Silver, if you’re gonna be mean to Pup, er, Snorelax,” a frustrated Sweetie Belle stammered, “then we’re gonna be mad at you.” “No, wait,” Snickers held a hoof aside to halt Sweetie Belle, “let’s give her a chance. She’s like me and trying to be somepony better and new.” “Aww,” Scootaloo let slip, then looked away with a tough expression. “I, uh, saw a cool cloud. It’s gone now, though.” “Uh, huh,” Apple Bloom said, “Ah believe that like a mouse playin’ lion.” Sweetie gasped. “Oh, no. My sister was gonna introduce me to her mouse friend that Fluttershy gave her.” Diamond waved her hoof for attention. “Hold up, are you saying your sister has a pet mouse in the same house as a pet cat? How’s that work?” “Easy,” Snickers said, “magic.” He snickered as the fillies rolled their eyes. “Mister ‘don’t say magic as an answer’ over here,” Scootaloo scoffed in good humor. “Hurry up, Silver, before Snickers gets his mark in being bored, or something else lame like that.” Silver giggled and trotted into the barn with a flip of her mane. “Hello, Mister Macintosh, I’m here to get Pup and give her her new mane, er, name. You have a nice mane, Mister Macintosh,” Silver said with a wavering smile. Big Mac seemed to ignore her and motioned with his head to the back of the barn, then went back to work. Silver averted her eyes as she passed the large stallion, her eyes looking up to see nothing but smooth flesh, like a doll. Having the want not-see not spell cast on her and her friends the previous day was a bane and boon for her. It was a choice she made for Snickers; to show him she cared about more than just his body, and to do that, she gave up what she was told was her right as a young mare; a right she had been doubting over the past few days, even before he went missing. Raising her hoof to the side of her head, blocking what she imagined to be there, she moved through the barn to the back where Winona was lying on the floor besides the timberwolf that was watching over her. “Awe, that’s so cute. Hey, Pup, c’mere, girl.” Winona sniffed at Silver Spoon and laid her head back down as she was left alone. “Okay, so… I know we got off to a bad start, and I’ve only known you for a week, and I’m kind of a pain in your twigs, and I hit you, and tried eat your ear once… ugh,” Silver groaned quietly while the timberwolf stood and seemed to blink at her. “Look, I… was a real bad filly, but I’m trying to get better. “I’m sorry, is what I’m trying to say. I’m also here to give you a new name,” Silver said to the wooden pup, “we talked it over and your name is Snorelax, okay?” Snorelax blinked and her ear sprouted a leaf suddenly. Snorelax barked and started panting, her tail grew a thin layer of moss and, as Silver Spoon watched, the timberwolf appeared to round out her body into a more natural shape. “Wow,” Silver said, adjusting her glasses, “you must really like your name, huh?” Shortly after, Silver and Snorelax left the barn to meet five surprised foals. “Snorelax, what happened to you?” Snickers asked, rushing to meet Silver half way. Big Mac looked at the gathering from the barn and smiled before returning to finish his daily tasks. “I dunno,” Silver Spoon said, “She was just, like, standing there and then, like, I dunno; she just started getting all… normal-like.” Snickers looked Snorelax over and let the puppy move closer so his muzzle could brush against the moss covering her body. “Wow, it’s like she’s got fur now. Sweetie Belle, come feel her coat!” “I wanna feel it first,” Scootaloo said and pressed firmly to Snorelax’s side, peeling the moss off to her horror. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry! I’ve got it, I’ll fix it, please don’t be too hurt!” “Scootaloo,” Snickers said hugging the filly from the side, “look at her, she’s fine.” Scootaloo looked at the puppy, who’s expression didn’t convey any disturbance. Scootaloo let the moss go and new moss took its place while the other moss was reabsorbed. “Wow, I’m gonna make a list of all her freaky powers,” Scootaloo gasped happily, “maybe I’ll get my mark in list making this time!” “Alright, now,” Applejack’s voice cut in, “ya go’n try all that tomorrow, ya hear? Apple Bloom, ya come home with [grand-mama]. No but’s, ya can’t snuggle yer stallion every night ’a the week. Now, say g’night ta yer herd and head on in ta help get supper started fer when yer [uncle] and me come in.” Snickers’s ears flopped as he tried to understand the words being said, not what he was hearing, catching Applejack’s attention. “Ya doin’ okay there, stud?” “Hey,” Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara said in unison. Diamond motioned for Silver to continue. “He’s not a bowl of salad, to be passed around the dinner table. He’s a colt, a person, a pony, and isn’t a stud in his prime,” Silver said standing in front of Snickers, “he’s my herd stallion, and my friend.” The other fillies followed Silver’s statement until they were all standing as a wall between the colt and mare. Applejack, unsure of what to say, looked at her brother. Big Mac, standing at the threshold of the barn, moved to stand by the fillies. He looked down at them, and at Snickers, nodded, and gave a proud, “Eeyup,” in favor of the girls.  “Now, Ah didn’t mean anythin’ by what Ah said. Ah guess it’s just a turn of phrase, ya know? Ah already said that mares might have it wrong, as of late, on how we treat stallions. Twilight’s got the Princess’s ear, so Ah’d wager that the gears are startin’ ta move. Yup, should see some changes comin’ along any day now.” Snickers snickered. “Yeah, right. First, my ears were doing that because I had trouble understanding you for a second. Second, the slowest thing in the living world is government; that mare that claimed to be my mother might be at the top, but unless this is a dictatorship, it’s gonna take years to get those gears you’re talking about to move an inch.” Big Mac raised an eyebrow at Applejack, who waved him off. “Well, Ah have faith in the princesses ta get the right thing done as quick as a whip’s crack. Yup, why, by t’morrow there’ll be an article in the paper about the change of equality comin’ ta ponykind fer stallions. Just ya wait.” “And on that word, I’m leaving,” Snickers said, “it was nice to see you, Applejack, , and I hope you have a good night.” Applejack waved at Snickers kindly. “Thanks, the same ta you.” Snickers smiled. “,” he replied and said a kind goodbye to Apple Bloom.  Scootaloo, Silver Spoon, Diamond, Sweetie Belle, and Snorelax followed Snickers and once Applejack turned away, Diamond gave Snickers’s rump a slap. He yelped and bucked behind him. “What the hay was that for?” He snapped and his wooden friend barked loudly, showing her many sharp wooden teeth. Diamond was shaken, but not enough to run away anymore. “You said something really mean to Applejack, didn’t you?” Snickers started walking again. “What about it?”  Diamond raised her forehoof to slap him again, but a glare at her from the colt held her hoof. “Is this ‘cause you like that mare?” Diamond blushed and nodded. Snickers turned his attention to the road ahead. “Well, the fuck’s that gotta do with me? If I wanna call her a sexist cow that’s not good enough for Rainbow Dash, it’s got nothing to do with you.” “Hey!” Rainbow’s voice called out just as a cloud of dust washed over the group. “Say what you want about a lot of ponies, squirt,” she said, standing over Snickers and looking down at him, “but don’t trash talk my mare, got it.” Snickers stepped around her. “I know, I just don’t like her yet.” Rainbow flew around him and kept pace in the air. “How can you not like her? She’s… Aj!” “That’s why!” Snickers shouted and stopped to look into Rainbow’s eyes. “Ever since I met her, all she’s wanted from me is my fucking cum in her sister.” Rainbow grimaced. “Yeah, that’s right. She just wants me to impregnate her sister like a good colt should do to a fine mare. Go ask her, right now, what the color of my eyes are. “Tell me if she knows anything about me besides my coat color and gender. She just wants free farm labor, and if she wants anything else from me, then I’ll eat her damned hat with mustard. Now, excuse me; I have to go home and take a bath because mother won’t have me or my friends sleep together while so dirty.” Rainbow looked at the fillies and they all nodded, each agreeing in various ways. “Okay, look, Snickers. I know Aj can be a bit linear in how she thinks and gets stuck on what she believes, but she’s a good mare and--” “And what?” Snickers stopped to look at Rainbow again. “Change the way she thinks? You and everypony else knows she’s stubborn, what would she get out of looking at me like a pony and not part of a foal factory? How do I know that there’s not a secret mine out there where stallions are slaves and have to hump mares all the time like in that story? “There’s gotta be a reason the pony population goes up so much with only maybe one baby born to a herd every year, right?” Rainbow bit her bottom lip and looked at the barn, then to the mountains in the distance before she landed. “Look, I know there isn’t some underground foal factory. The population numbers add up if you just run them with the census and common herd dynamics; one foal to each three members of a herd. “That means it’s roughly 1.3 foals to 2 adult ponies. The population should reach fifty million by the end of the decade, if you can believe such a huge number in our country,” she giggled and ruffled his mane, getting her foreleg swatted away in reply.  “My mane isn’t something for you to mess up at a whim, use Scootaloo for that, if you don’t mind,” Snickers said, “and I don’t care about your paltry pony population. This is about equality of genders. Just because I’m a minority, why should I be treated like I’m only good for one thing, when there are hundreds of possibilities out there for me?” “Woah, cool it before you get a mark in declarative speaking,” Rainbow said, looking to his flank with the others. “I’ll look into the nature of our society with Twilight, and see about Aj’s views on colts and their uses beyond work and making foals,” she winked at Snickers. “But you need to let it go and just be a kid, okay? “Go get dirty and play, have your fun while it lasts, because you’re gonna be grown up before you know it and you’re gonna miss the days when you just had energy to spare. Not that I have that problem, but some ponies can’t go an hour at my pace.” “Don’t you, like, nap half of every day?” Silver Spoon asked. “Well, just because I’m on a cloud, it doesn’t mean I’m napping.” “Exactly,” Snickers interjected, “there’s times a mare needs to keep a lookout for kids like us doing dangerous things or saying mean stuff. So, let’s get back to my house after getting Scootaloo back to hers, okay? Okay, bye, Rainbow. Thanks for your advice.” Rainbow waved the foals off, smiling respectfully to Snickers before turning toward the barn and flying down the path, nearly colliding with a somber looking Applejack. “Rainbow, Ah heard everything… am Ah really that bad ta males?” … Arriving back home, Snickers slipped his shoes off by the door and went ahead of the others to the kitchen to get a drink of seltzer, seeing Kiwe at the table, reading a book held in his magic. “Hey, buddy. How’s your day been?” Kiwe lowered the book. “It has been unproductive as of late, to be honest. Why have you not taken me with you to find my mark, am I not close enough yet?” Snickers had opened the fridge, but stopped and looked back. “Wait, you wanna look for your mark with us?” He let the door close itself and walked to the unicorn, “I thought you were gonna wait for it to happen, or whatever.” Snickers took a seat across from Kiwe and noticed the book as it was lowered to the table as one of the alchemy books he was gifted. “While that is a good idea, it gets boring waiting… and with being gone a week, I had time to spend with Diamond Tiara and her friends,” Kiwe smiled slightly, not unnoticed by Snickers, “and I feel spending time with all of you will be beneficial for us all. “I can, perhaps, work with Apple Bloom on her potions or Scootaloo with her...” he paused and rolled his hoof as he thought, “... adventurous spirit. Silver Spoon offers wise advice and pines for your wellbeing, I imagine it will only be stronger now that you have expressed your desire to be treated as a pony, and not as a snack,” he giggled at the statement. “Yeah, that’d all be nice for them… what about Sweetie Belle,” Snickers asked, glancing at the doorway to see a totem of fillies listening to the boys talk, “I’m sure you’ve got a lot of ideas of stuff you can do to, er, with her, right?” Kiwe looked at Snickers flatly, biding time as he chose his words carefully. “I thank you for your time, but I have to complete this recipe before I go to bed tonight. Would you like to help me mix the ingredients? My mortar and pestle are in the basement, as it is my workspace.” Snickers’s ears perked. “Wait, what about the stuff down there? Is it all okay? You didn’t throw out any chests, did you?!” Kiwe shook his head. “No, your mother, Miss Rarity, arranged the area and had wooden flooring put in place. It is much nicer than when I first went down… I was not aware a mare could make such a noise over messy hooves, but my lesson was learned and I was taken care of at the local spa. “They mentioned you there,” Kiwe said, “in reference to changing something about how ponies are treated and how to have more male customers.” Snickers nodded while focusing on the basement door and the thought of his little doll being lost pressed on his mind. “I’m sorry, I’ve gotta check something… uh, the basement floor’s not dirt anymore, huh? Why not show me your set up? I bet it’s simply marvelous to look at.” Snickers grimaced a little at the way he spoke, not wanting to sound so posh. The fillies walked into the room giggling, their hooves making too much noise on the linoleum for the silence Kiwe was reading in. He sighed and slid a bookmark into his book, letting his eyes cross the fillies and linger on Diamond Tiara. Sweetie Belle stepped into his line of sight while Diamond was looking at the sink without reason. Silver Spoon rolled her eyes. “Yes, I will show you my workspace as it is now. Come, brother, perhaps you may take interest and earn your mark.” Snickers’s attention was halted on the words Kiwe spoke. Hopping to the floor, Snickers moved to Sweetie Belle “Potion making cutie marks? Wanna try?” Sweetie hesitated. “What about the others, we should try to get them together, right?” Silver giggled. “Oh, c’mon. If you get yours while taking a walk downstairs are they gonna stop being your friends?” Sweetie shook her head. “I guess not. Okay, lead the way… Kiwe.” Kiwe did his best to ignore the sugary tone Sweetie used every time she spoke to him and led the others down to the basement.  “Ew, there aren’t any spiders down here, are there? If I get any webs in my braids, I’m gonna freak out.” Silver whined. Diamond snerked. “Better in your mane than on your face, right, Silver Spoon?” “Uck, gross! Like, nothing’s getting on my face if I have anything to say about it.” Diamond grinned and inhaled to make a joke, but Snickers put a forehoof in her mouth. She leaned back and almost slipped down a step, but his hoof helped steady her. She shoved his hoof from her mouth and rolled her tongue around before rushing down the last steps and spitting under the stairs. “Hey Kiwe, Diamond spits,” Silver Spoon announced. Diamond’s head impacted the stairs and Kiwe’s forehooves crossed, sending him crashing  onto his chest and chin. Snickers barked a laugh while Sweetie inhaled sharply and rushed to her fallen crush. Diamond moved from under the stairs and glared at the laughing filly while holding a hoof to her head. “,” Diamond said. “You know I’m not… I mean, that won’t… just… ugh,” she stomped her rear hoof and moved away from the group, deeper into the well lit basement. Hooves clacked on wood and Snickers smiled, thinking of how his pony-pedi would be preserved when he next went to the spa. He quietly sighed and looked at Sweetie Belle, motioning her close so he could ask her a personal question. “Sweetie, am I different then when we met?” Sweetie nodded fervently and responded quietly. “Yeah, thank Celestia. If you kept being a jerk like you were, I don’t think you’d still be here. Anything I can help with?” Snickers looked for the trunk he had found Aries in, finding the wall area clear. Unable to find the chest, he sullenly turned to Sweetie, who had waited patiently. “No, I’ll be fine. I just wanna talk to Kiwe about his potion stuff, I guess.” Silver was standing by Kiwe, looking over his shoulder as the colt ground some herbs and the shell of a walnut together. The nut itself lay on the floor with several others. “Silver, as you can see, I can grind into a mix all three. The powder, when mixed in this brew, makes a nice elixir that helps bugs stay off of you.” “Well, now. That certainly is something I can’t wait to have for the next time I go walking into the forest,” Snickers mused; his ears lowered at the expressions he received, none of which were amused. “If you go into that forest alone ever again, I’ll nail your hooves to Rarity’s floor,” Diamond Tiara said from a far wall, looking through boxes. “I’m not joking, Snickers. I’d spend a week grounded without any food and a glass of sparkling water before bed before I let you get lost again, so stop making it into a joke, you jerk!”  Diamond finalized her statement with a stomp of her hoof on the floor so hard, the wood cracked noticeably in the comfortable light.  “While I agree with the words Diamond has said, I would not do something to cause such dread. I may, however, mix up a brew that will create a fear of the dark for you.” “Hey! Like, don’t even talk about poisoning the love of my life,” Silver said, shoving Kiwe and spilling the powder he’d made as the mortar moved with his motion. “Keep your polished hooves of my stallion,” Sweetie shouted and pushed past Snickers.  The three started arguing and Diamond gave Snickers a shove. “Don’t think I hate you, , but if you almost get yourself killed again…” she looked away, getting Snickers’s full attention. “You’ll what?” She clenched her jaw several times and looked at the arguing trio, then motioned to the boxes she was at. Once there, she faced him, but looked at the boxes. “I don’t have many real friends, I never have. I haven’t known you that long, and don’t think I want to know what it would be like to be one of your mares, because I don’t,” she said, looking at him with narrowed eyes, “but, I like you.  “I want to be your friend more than I’ve ever wanted to be friends with anypony else, and we still have to have our tea party with Kiwe, and I haven’t really slept over yet. At least,” she said quickly and blushed just a little, “not beside you. Not that I want to, or anything, hmph,” she lifted her snout as though looking down on the idea. “Okay, so you like me, but you don’t like me, like me. That’s fine by me, I’ve already had too much affection from the fillies in this town. I like you, too, so don’t worry. I meant what I said about not pushing you for anything or taking advantage of you. I wanna be a better pony, and so do you… so let’s be better together, okay?” Diamond looked at the hoof he’d offered and her blush grew to dominate her cheeks and her tail swayed. She licked her lips and then raised her eyes, not making it to his before she stepped back and laughed awkwardly, rubbing her mane with her left forehoof. “Ha, you’re such a dork, Snickers. We don’t have to bump on it, you’re totally fine. It’s... it’s totally fine, what you said… about us.” Snickers smirked at the filly, then noticed the other three moving for a group hug. “They’re over their argument, should we go back?” Diamond nodded and turned to her left, losing balance because she hadn’t put her hoof on the floor from a few seconds earlier. She was caught from falling onto her chest by Snickers’s body moving under her at the last moment . She got her hooves under herself and cleared her throat.  “Thank you for catching me.” “I did what, now?” Diamond waved him ahead. “Just go, I’ll be right behind you.” Snickers took the lead and Diamond’s eyes watched his tail sway, catching a glance of what hung out of view for the briefest of moments. Her blush returned to encompass her cheeks again and her eyes darted side to side, trying to find something to look at that wasn’t a reminder of the spell she’d said she’d taken. I am not into stallions, or colts for that matter. I’m just curious, is all. That’s right, just like the books said; I can wonder what it’s like to be with a male, and it’s my choice to act on that, and I’m not gonna do that… even if he does give me those tingles sometimes. Silver Spoon looked at Diamond and her glasses slipped down her muzzle slightly as she saw the conflicted expression the pink filly had, one she remembered from the previous year’s spring estrus. She stepped from the hug and embraced Snickers in one as soon as he was close enough, giving a little kiss on his cheek while meeting Diamond’s eyes, watching for a reaction. Diamond rolled her eyes, sending Silver’s suspicions away. I guess I was just seeing things where there wasn’t anything to worry about.