“Guys, ya won’t believe this!” Apple Bloom cried as she ran into the Clubhouse and skidded to a stop in the center of the room.
Snickers peeked down from the small upstairs access, Sweetie Belle looked up from several cutie mark attempt idea’s she’d been coloring in, and Scootaloo hopped awake from the corner, where she had been taking a nap.
“I’m awake! Let’s go, Rainbow Dash!”
The others ignored Scootaloo. “What’s up, <Apple Bloom>? Find a new way to earn our cutie marks?” Snickers asked, “Cuz, I’ve gotta get Kiwe, if we are.”
“No, nothin’ like that. Ah just found out about, and helped mah family start settin’ up fer, the Apple family reunion!”
“Wow, that’s great, Apple Bloom!” Scootaloo cheered and joined Sweetie in hugging her. Snickers set his hind hooves on the main room’s floor, then joined the celebratory hug.
“Yeah, so… what’s a family reunion?” Snickers asked, once the hug ended.
“What?! How can ya not know what a--” Apple Bloom noticed Scootaloo making a motion to stop talking, that Snickers noticed.
“Well, anyway, Ah’d be mighty proud ta have ya help me out; bein’ my herd sisters and alpha, and all,” Apple Bloom said as she scratched the floor lightly.
The others looked between one another, then each spoke up.
“I’m sorry, Apple Bloom, but my parents are coming back and I’m gonna introduce Snickers to them, finally,” said Sweetie Belle.
Snickers shook his head and stood beside his aunt. “I’m sorry, darling, I have to meet my grandparents. It’s been over a month and I have yet to see more of them than a photo. It seems as though Mom has sent them some letters and photos, letting them know of our situation. I can’t miss a moment with them, or Mom will look foolish.”
Snickers blushed when he finished speaking, and Sweetie Belle giggled, “My nephew’s been talking a little more like Rarity over the past few days.”
Scootaloo moved to Snickers’s other side and teasingly nuzzled him, giggling when he blushed brighter. “Ever since he had the sleepover where Diamond fell onto Kiwe, they’ve all been acting weird. But, I can’t help you out, either. I’m sorry, <Apple Card>, I’ve gotta go out of town with my aunts.
“We’re going to some kind of expo; something about quilting… Aunt Holiday’s going because Aunt Lofty’s going, so I’m going because they want me to come along. I asked to stay with Sweetie, but she’s not staying with Rarity, and I guess now I know what’s going on with you, so you won’t be able to watch over me,” Scootaloo shook her head. “Not that that’s a problem,” she insisted, “I was actually thinking hanging out with them would be a good thing, not that I don’t love you girls, and guy.”
Scootaloo laughed nervously when she looked between her friends.
Apple Bloom waved her friend’s concerns away. “Don’t worry, y’all. Ah know what it means ta be busy. Ah know I’ll be fine handlin’ this with mah sister, so y’all go have a good time. As fer now, though; what’re we doin’ ta get our marks today?”
Snickers reared and clapped his forehooves together. “It’s my turn, so I choose…”
…
Scootaloo groaned and fell onto her back, groaning louder in boredom. “Why did we agree to do this?” she whined.
Sweetie Belle, standing outside the small drawn circle, hushed her, “It’s my turn, don’t break my concentration.”
Sweetie lined up her shot with the marble in the frog of her left hoof to aim, and with a flick of her right hoof, the marble soared through the air and into several other marbles, sending four of them from the ring.
“Yes!” Apple Bloom shouted with Sweetie Belle as Snickers looked at the marbles that had been knocked out.
Snickers hopped in place. “That was great, Sweetie Belle! Kiwe, wasn’t that a great smash?”
Kiwe nodded and took the large marble into his right forehoof, lined up a shot, and flicked it. Striking with expert precision, the rest of the marbles rolled from the circle; like a pool player sinking every ball in a single move. “Ah, I seem to have had a lucky strike. Best five out of seven?”
“Even being smug, he’s humble,” Sweetie huffed and looked away from him. “Whatever, did it work?” She asked, looking at her flank
She joined the others with a groan, “No, another bust.”
Snickers collected the marbles. Kiwe piled them into a sun-yellow bag with a drawstring, then Apple Bloom took it and slid it into her saddlebags. “Alright, y’all… what now?”
Riding her scooter, Scootaloo, circled her friends, intentionally kicking up dust in her wake. Her friends, who were coughing and waving forehooves in front of their muzzles tried to talk, but Snickers was the first to speak. “Stop it… Scootaloo!” Snickers shouted between coughs.
Scootaloo skidded to a stop, grinning. “Let’s have a race! First one to Sugarcube Corner gets to pick what the last pony gets!”
“No,” they all said in unison.
Scootaloo crossed her forelegs with a pout. “Aww, you never do what I wanna do. How about swimming?! We haven’t used the Pony Launcher in a while.”
Kiwe spoke up, “It is under repair. It seems something is wrong with it, something to do with the air. A pony has a need to breathe, and they can not while on that thing.”
Sweetie’s tail visibly swayed far more than it should have and Kiwe averted his eyes. Being close to Sweetie Belle, the brown colt began to blush and he inhaled deeply.
Sweetie Belle, wearing a sly look, stared at Kiwe. “You know, Kiwe; I’m almost seven. That means,” she moved closer to the colt, walking around him and letting him smell her tail.
Nickering, Kiwe followed Sweetie Belle with his head as she walked around him once. “Yes, Miss Belle, so I have heard you tell, again and again; without a seeming end.”
Sweetie giggled, sweetly. “You know what? My birthday is a couple weeks after Spring’s mare season. Maybe you could find some time to come back into town and have a long, deep, fulfilling talk with me about… oh, whatever comes up?”
Kiwe inhaled deeply and then exhaled, loudly. “No, Sweetie Belle, my heart beats for another. You are sweet and kind, but you must unwind. You want me far too much, and my brother, Snickers, has helped with his expert touch.”
The attention was on Snickers, who shook his head and stepped back. “Woah, I’m not gay! Well, I’m bisexual, but I wouldn’t--”
Kiwe held a hoof up, silencing Snickers. “What I meant to say, is that while you want me to have have sex, I would rather you be happy with a stallion that loves you as much as you love him.”
Sweetie Belle’s eyes watered and she ran from them. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo gave Kiwe a scowl, then chased after their friend. Kiwe looked at Snickers. “Have I made a mistake?”
Snickers shook his head while staying silent. He watched the fillies running and quietly spoke, “Fuck.”
…
Rarity walked up to Snickers, who was reading in the boutique’s lounge, as they didn’t have a living room or den. “Snickers, I have to wash Laxxie, she’s beginning to reek of nature in ways that aren’t conducive to a successful business.”
“Yeah, okay. This’s a good book.” Snickers answered, dismissively.
Rarity whistled a short note. Laxxie hopped to her wooden paws and followed Rarity from the room. Snickers turned a page, then reached to his side to pet Laxxie. He sat up quickly and looked around the room in a panic. “No… no, no, no!”
Snickers ran to a window, looking out to see life in the town like normal. Ponies talking, shopping, working; the sight didn’t calm him down.
Snickers ran across the room, tripping over the tea table, spilling the cups and shattering the tea pot as he leapt onto the couch, knocking it over. The cushions landed on him, casting darkness around him, and he screamed. Panicked, fearful, desperate screams that broke through his rational mind and nearly pushed him to instincts he didn’t know he had.
Rarity’s magic enveloped the couch and threw it off Snickers, out of the front window and into her yard. “Snickers?!”
Rarity was bowled over when Snickers outright tackled her, making her fall over and choke with a gagging noise. Quickly, Rarity used her magic to force Snickers’s forelegs from her neck so she could breathe. “Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy…” Snickers repeated and went from shouts to whispers of the same word.
Rarity held him as she got to a seated position and looked at the room, resisting the urge and desire to freak out on her own at what she’d done to her window and couch. Laxxie, wet and slightly swollen with stored water, leapt in through the broken window and slipped to a stop past Snickers, jumping back and siding with her alpha.
Laxxie nuzzled Snickers and whimpered sadly, looking to Rarity for any help.
“My little prince, what happened? Why are you so terrified?” Rarity asked softly and kindly.
“...mommy, mommy. I was alone,” he whispered. “Not again, the monsters will get me if I’m alone. I can’t let the monsters get me, mommy. I need a fire, and a spear, and a knife to be safe; it’s the only way to be safe.”
Rarity shook her head, imagining for a second as Snickers walked down the stairs sporting a spear across his back, a knife hidden under his foreleg sleeves, and a flint and steel necklace. She thought of a color change to his outfit, then pushed the thought aside and hugged Snickers tighter.
Alpha, what is wrong? Laxxie asked through their link. She waited several seconds before she got a short answer from Snickers.
I was alone, where the monsters will get me.
Laxxie’s branching ears fell back and her head lowered at the knowledge that she left her alpha alone and he was scared, in mortal danger, and unable to defend himself. She was swelling with water while he was alone, and she felt terrible for allowing her charge, her pack leader, to become so scared.
Laxxie’s fangs snapped into position and she growled at herself, her failure, and mostly at the monsters that had scared Snickers.
Rarity watched with growing fear as Laxxie growled and looked around the room, sniffing the area for some reason. After several seconds, Laxxie returned to Snickers’s side. Alpha, the area is safe. The den is without dangers, and I will stay vigilant.
That was when Rainbow Dash flew into the room. “What the hay happened in here?! Snickers, are you alright? Woah,” Rainbow Dash shouted as she flew higher to stay away from the growling wolf in their midst.
“It’s alright, Rainbow Dash. Laxxie, Rainbow’s a friend; stop it,” Rarity said sternly. Laxxie relaxed and returned to Snickers’s side, watching Rainbow warily.
“Look, there’s a couch halfway out of your shop with broken glass everywhere. I could hear Snickers screaming from my cloud and came as fast as I could. Now, can anypony tell me what happened?”
Rarity nodded. “He was left alone and was scared of being attacked. I think he still feels terrified of that wretched forest, and how he had to survive the nights must have been simply ghastly for him. Four nights in that place, three of them alone without anypony, or wolf. Why, I’ve heard of ponies going somewhat crazed after a day alone… my poor little prince. I had no idea.”
Snickers squeezed Rarity, then let her go and moved to stand under her. “Mommy, I didn’t know I was scared of bein’ alone, too. It just... happened. I’m sorry I was such a bother to you, and made you break your home. I’ll go to my room until you’re ready to punish me.”
Rarity closed her forelegs around his head and looked down at him sternly. “You are not in trouble for this, young stallion. You are not at fault for the window, that was entirely me. As for the mess in here; let’s chalk it up to redecorating. I’ve been meaning to change the colors to match the season, after all. You were just unintentionally helping me.”
Snickers pulled his head free and stepped from under Rarity. “No, Mom. I went too far and made a huge mess of things.”
Rainbow hovered over Snickers. “Hey, listen here, dude. You have no reason to feel bad about any of this. Autophobia is a serious mental disorder that can affect you for the rest of your life, Snickers.” Rainbow relaxed and landed, moving to stand over him in support. Snickers accepted the position and stood under Rainbow, for the feeling of safety. “Now that we know, we can help you become better. I’ll tell you what, Rarity can take you to Sugarcube Corner to get you some chocolate. Meanwhile, I’ll get some ponies to help fix this up.
“Hey, who can help me get this place fixed up?” Rainbow called out of the window to the various ponies that were looking in to see what had happened.
Several forelegs rose, so Rainbow moved to Rarity’s side and let Snickers move from under her to his mother. Rainbow felt her heart warm when Snickers nuzzled the back of Rarity’s leg.
“Thank you so much for this, Rainbow Dash. I’ll be sure to repay, somehow,” said Rarity.
Rainbow shook her head. “Nah, I don’t want, or need, any of your frou-frou stuff.”
Rarity bit back a response, the reminder of the colt under her and the quiet whispering he was making was enough to stay her tongue. “Very well, Rainbow Dash, but we’ll have a talk about that ‘frou-frou stuff’, as you call it, when I get the chance. Come along, Snickers,” Rarity said, using her magic to pick him up and move him so he was sitting on her back.
The move startled Snickers into looking around the room with a rational mind. “Oh, no. I did that much? I’m so sorry, mommy.”
Snickers started sniffling, but was kindly hushed by his mother. “Hush, my little prince, let’s go and let these nice ponies help clean up this mess while we relax and take your mind off this matter. Would you like that?”
Snickers nodded. “C-can Laxxie come with us?”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way, darling,” Rarity said cheerfully, turning to leave with the timberwolf eagerly following; her glowing eyes looking for any creatures that could bring harm to her alpha was her only concern.
…
Pinkie set two milkshakes on the table, one in front of Rarity, the other in front of Laxxie. A fruit smoothie was set in front of Snickers, and nudged several times by Pinkie until Snickers looked at it and pulled it to him with his forehooves.
Laxxie took a bite of her ‘shake’, which was nutrient rich soil held together with ice and hope. She chomped it down into her body and took a second bite, then stopped and whimpered. She fell to her side and broke into sticks, scaring most of the adults in the room while the foals just watched.
“Laxxie?!” Pinkie cried. “Oh, no… not again,” she said desperately as she started to try to fix the sticks into Laxxie’s form. “No, please, no,” Pinkie started crying and scooped the sticks to her body as the ponies in the room watched, unsure of what was happening.
“Um, Pinkie?” Rarity said softly. “You do know she does that every time she has ice cream, right? It’s how she handles ice cream mouth, since she doesn’t make any body heat of her own.”
Pinkie sniffled and looked at Rarity with eyes that struck the mare to her core. “H-he’s not dead?”
Snickers shook his head. “No way, she’s like me; a fighter. Give her a few more seconds, and her legs back, and you’ll see.”
Pinkie let the parts she held go and watched as they rolled back to the timberwolf. She reformed and shook her body back into place.
“There, see? No need to worry, Pinkie Pie,” Rarity said.
Snickers blinked and sat taller to reach the straw in his smoothie. “Pinkie, that went dark really fast. Is there anything you’d like to talk about?”
Pinkie hopped up and giggled as though nothing had happened. “I was just having a moment. They happen; right, everypony?” She asked the room, to which many heads hesitantly nodded. “Okay; I’m off to do some more baking, see you laters, gators. Gummy, how’d you get on my mane?” Pinkie turned and, where he wasn’t five seconds before, Gummy was indeed biting on Pinkie’s mane as she pronked away.
Snickers and Rarity shared an ‘it’s Pinkie’ look, then went back to their drinks.
“Snickers, would you like to talk about what happened earlier?”
Snickers shook his head. “No, Mom. It was just a freak out. I guess I haven’t been alone for a couple weeks, so this is how I had to find out I’m… what did Rainbow call it? Auto-alone-liness?”
Rarity tittered at his trying to say the word. “I haven’t a clue. Psychology isn’t my forte. As t’were, had I a choice in the matter, I’d put off all my work and tasks to devote my entire being upon you and helping you through this bump in your life. I will, however,” she stopped to eat a spoonful of her shake, “do all I can to make certain you know that our home is a safe place, and to let you know that you’re never alone.”
Laxxie barked in agreement. Even though she didn’t understand everything said, she could feel the resolve in Snickers growing into confidence. Alpha’s mother is a very good alpha, she must have a large pack somewhere that can take care of themselves. I wonder if I’ll ever meet them. I’ll ask Alpha Snickers, maybe Beta Sweet Bell can come, too. She’s fun, for a pony.”
Snickers was talking about what he’d remembered during his panic when Laxxie’s message crossed his mind. Rarity noticed Snickers’ attention going to his pet. “Snickers, is everything alright? Do you feel your connection with Laxxie again?”
Snickers looked at Rarity. “When are we meeting my grandparents? Laxxie just reminded me.”
Rarity looked out of the shop’s window and hummed. “I was going to take you this afternoon, but with the damage to my shop and my concerns about your wellbeing--”
Snickers interjected himself. “No, mommy, I wanna go. I simply dread not meeting them at this rate. Sweetie Belle has spoken of them so little, Mother, that part of me is more curious to meet them than an apple to learn what cider is.”
Rarity smiled and flicked her ear. “Very well. Finish your smoothie, darling, so we can go to the toy store.”
Snickers smirked. “What, Mister Ed isn’t enough?” His smirk turned to a grin when she started to blush.
“I’ll have you know, young stallion, that, thanks to my friends, I haven’t spent time with my friend for two days. In fact, since last month’s intervention, my time with him has decreased dramatically. Only when I’m truly stressed or in the mood, and thanks to having foals under my hooves at all hours, those urges are thankfully-- what am I doing, talking to you about this?
“Perhaps you’d like a doll, or maybe some… comic books?” Rarity cringed, trying to keep the topic clean. Snickers looked away from Rarity, slurping his smoothie. “Is there something else you’d like?”
Snickers’s ears twitched before he looked at Rarity, coconut banana smoothie on his lips. “Mom, can I get,” he looked around quickly, “a doll? Not, like, a girl doll,” he said in a hushed whisper to keep it between them, “but… well, in the basement there was this dollie I found…”
Rarity gasped and covered her mouth. “You mean Aeries? My doll from when I was a filly?”
Snickers’s mouth fell open and he stared at Rarity, unblinking.
“Snickers, are you feeling well?” Rarity asked.
“W-wait, you named your doll, what?” Snickers asked, sliding his smoothie aside to look at her with wonder in his eyes.
“Um, Aeries? Is that a problem?” Rarity asked while scratching her mane, carefully.
Snickers slowly smiled. “That’s what I called her, mom. When I was in the basement and found her, I had a feeling that I’d like to call her that; but it’s the same name you gave her. Isn’t that crazy?”
Rarity and Snickers shared a smile, then Rarity spoke quietly, “I was going to give her to you as a gift, once I’d cleaned her up. I guess I now know why she had muck and dirt across her body,” she gave Snickers a pointed look, “but she’ll be cleaned up soon enough. Unless you really want a new doll now, I can take you to get one.”
Snickers shook his head. “No, no. That’s okay, I can wait for a doll, for Aeries,” he giggled, “what are the odds?”
Rarity ate from her smoothie again. “Very slim, if I had to wager a guess. Mmm, nom, this is heavenly. I must find out what kind this is for my stockpile. Pinkie, darling?”
Knowing Rarity was about to start talking, and it didn’t involve him, he tipped his drink up and gulped it all down with a cold exhale of air afterwards. He hopped to the floor and, with Laxxie beside him, left the bakery to do something. His mind raced. The idea of helping Twilight with something electronic made him excited.
Sure, he’d had to start at the lowest, most basic, and annoyingly over simplistic skills and techniques he could think of, so as to not overwhelm her pony mind with the technology he knew of. But, they had made some advancements, and his ‘teach by thinking’ method worked wonders with Twilight.
All he had to do was propose an idea, how it could be effective, and prove it through math; then she’d take it from there.
With a bit of prancing to his gait, he made his way to the library.
…
The door was locked, the sign was turned to announce that the library was closed, but the windows were open. Snickers could hear voices inside and, feeling a little naughty, he moved to a low window by a bush, crouched down to be hidden, and listened to the apparent mares inside talking.
“...ing. You agree with me, right, Fluttershy?”
“Um, yes. Or, no… do I have to be a part of this?” Fluttershy’s timid voice spoke.
“Hey, what about us? We’re trying to help, but it’s not getting easier like you said it would, Rainbow Dash.”
Snickers was lying down, but he sat up at the sound of Scootaloo’s voice.
“He’s supposed to be a normal colt by now, you said. He’s not normal at all, is he?” Scootaloo said, sternly.
“Woah, sport. I think you’re getting ahead of yourself. All I said is that Snickers is special and he needs friends to help him fit in. You’ve been treating him like a normal colt, right?” Rainbow’s voice said.
“Yeah, and I think he’s doing really good. At least, until Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon came in and messed it all up.” Scootlaoo stated with disdain.
“What do you mean? Aren’t they friends, now?” Twilight asked.
Sweetie spoke up next, surprising Snickers and leading him to believe the others were there, too. All my friends could be plotting against me. Snickers thought.
“It’s not that bad, Scootaloo. They stopped being bullies and are nice now, and they’re really doing what they can to be better themselves.”
“Well, Ah still think we should tell ‘em,” Apple Bloom said, “they outta know about Snickers and his past. His real past.”
Snickers felt his heart land in his stomach hearing that. What does she mean? Snickers asked himself, the feeling of sadness was weighing heavily on him.
“Ah dunno about that, sugarcube. If they’re doin’ fine on their own, Ah say let them be. Ah haven’t seen anythin’ goin’ wrong with them around. Not since ya told me about Diamond makin’ nice with ya, anyway.”
Applejack, too? Snickers wondered who wasn’t in on this conversation with them.
“Well, darlings, I feel as though he’s made quite the improvement. Why, as we speak, our friend is distracting him with sweets so we can talk, even a planned outing to the toy store after that whole event at the boutique. Why, if I hadn’t been able to swap out, I’d be there and unable to defend my little prince.”
The last two words echoed in Snickers’s mind, a sense of vertigo struck him with tinnitus for a fun little add on to his confusion and torment. Snickers leaned against the tree and listened; that was all he could do as the world blurred and fell apart around him.
Rarity spoke confidently. “I do not agree with this any more now than I did when Fluttershy offered it as a form of therapy. We cannot play this anymore, and I choose not to lie to my son any further. He is who he says he is, and this is not some abused child creating a fantasy to hide from the troubled life he’s had.”
“Rarity, um, if you don’t mind?” Fluttershy asked quietly, barely audible through the distance. She continued after a second. “I know how you feel, I often feel the same when interacting with my animals. But, there’s a time for denial and this is not one of them.” Fluttershy’s voice began to sound more firm and confident.
“That is a poor, sad, broken colt that you have living with you. And now, on top of the sad life he’s trying to hide from, and start over with us, we find out that he looks and smells exactly like Princess Celestia’s child? Do you have any idea what that must be doing to him right now, in ways that even he doesn’t know?
“We’re not dealing with a normal foster, Rarity. This is a broken colt that’s been brutalized to extremes that break my heart. Just thinking about the medical reports he must have… I’m glad we don’t have access to them, because I don’t feel we could handle them, to be honest. Girls,” there was a second of silence, “I know it’s been hard, but we’re doing a very good job with Snickers.
“He’s been acting like a normal pony for the last couple weeks. He’s made friends with a timberwolf--”
“Which is mega-awesome,” Rainbow and Scootaloo said together. Snickers could hear the sound of them sharing a hoof bump.
“Anyway, I’m just saying that there’s a chance he can still be coaxed to reveal his past and accept it, instead of running away from it. You have something to add, Twilight?”
“Yes.” Seconds passed after Twilight spoke that single word, and Snickers began to wonder if they’d left or had been put under a silence spell. “Okay, I have my evidence here. As you can see, it’s a toy pony, or is it?”
“Oh, can I play with it?!”
“No, Scootaloo. This is a demonstration model that Snickers and I have been working on. Watch this, and no magic will be used.”
Snickers smiled sadly, imagining seeing the toy they’d been designing for weeks, finally in motion.
“Pompom, are you happy? Where is my mouth? How many ponies are in this room? That is Sweetie Belle, that is Applejack; point to Applejack. Wave to Sweetie Belle. Sit down and rest for a moment. Can you please clap for me? No! I said clap!” There was laughter from Rainbow, but the room was silent otherwise, save for Twilight dismissing the pony toy by tossing it from the window, onto Snickers’s flank before it bounced to the ground.
He picked it up with a forehoof and looked at the toy, sized to be held in a foal's mouth, or by an adult, it looked at him with a blank expressionless face. Snickers quietly cried when it held its forelegs open for a hug, which he gave and took. Just large enough to reach across his barrel, Snickers held the toy while listening still.
“-rry about that. The spells aren’t filtered for language yet, but that’s what he and I came up with. Do you think a troubled foal would create that?” Twilight said, in his defence.
There was more silence. “Um, excuse me, Twilight?” Applejack said, “but ya didn’t prove yer case. Ya… kinda made it worse. What with that toy gettin’ frisky like that, and you havin’ ta do almost all the work… well…”
“Well what, Applejack?” Twilight somberly asked.
Rainbow answered, “Are ya sure he didn’t just give you ideas that you made into this toy, so he could act out his past with them? Setting up toys to clop isn’t what a normal foal would do.”
“No, Rainbow Dash; I won’t believe it. I stand with Rarity and say that Snickers isn’t a colt. He may not be a human, like he says, but he’s not a colt. Maybe he’s an adult that found a fountain of youth? Maybe--”
“We don’t fix maybe’s, Twilight,” Rainbow shouted, “we fix problems.”
The words cut through Snickers like a knife, right through his very being as he cried onto the toy. It’s silicone exterior was hydrophobic, by his suggestion; another thing they would use against him, he believed. Regardless, he was thankful Twilight had taken his advice, and that he now knew the truth of what those he was closest to thought of him.
A hand wrapped around Snickers’s muzzle while another pulled him down to the ground in a single move, keeping him stunned and silent. Looking up, Snickers saw a short brown dragon looking down at him, holding a claw to his lips and whispering ‘shh’.
Laxxie stood behind the dragon drooling sap with her hackles up and a fury in her expression. Snickers quickly quieted her, just before she bit the dragon in its neck with intent to kill.
With a beckoning motion, Snickers followed the dragon across the street and down the next block. Plenty of ponies noticed the new dragon, but weren’t worried because it was just like Spike, only colored differently. Laxxie stayed close to Snickers, watching the dragon closely and warily watching the area around, as well.
The dragon walked up the steps to a vacant house and went in, leaving Snickers just outside. Unsure if he should enter, the dragon moved back to the doorway and waved him to follow.
“C’mon, you’re safe with me.”
Snickers, having nothing tying him to his life at the moment, walked in, having put the toy on his back. It held his mane with its forehooves, another feature he’d come up with. “Okay, I’m here. You gonna eat me, or foalnap me? Either way, the world’s better off without me.”
The dragon sighed after leading them to the main room. Snickers sat in a spot the dragon had gestured to. “Are you thirsty? Perhaps a little snack? No, didn’t think so. Look, I know everything seems like it’s pretty rough right now, but if you just--”
“Just what?! I just found out everypony in my life has been lying to me! I’m alone in this world, just like I was when I got here. I shouldn’t have come here in the first place, I should have just died like the rest.” Snickers fell to his side on the wooden floor.
“Well, when the world gets too tough, the weak should leave. Where can you go to get away from all this? It doesn’t sound like you have any family nearby; maybe your mom or dad can pick you up?”
Snickers shook his head and slacked into his spot, then he lifted his head. “Wait, I think I do have a mom that can come help me out. But… I don’t want to make her life any harder than it already is.”
The dragon shrugged. “How hard can it be? I mean, whoever she is, she can sure do better than what you’ve been getting here, right?”
Snickers sat up, the toy holding his mane still. “Yeah, all I have to do is send her a letter and no… one can stop me. She said so! Thanks, I gotta get packed,” Snickers hopped to his hooves and galloped to the door and back into the village. As the dragon watched him go, a green flame danced up his body and a pony stood where the dragon was a second before.
“I hope you find your way, I’ve done all I can for now to help you.”