Ant

by abandoned2123

My Thoughts

My hoof clacks against this hard, bulbous rock, though to monitor such actions is a luxury not worth my long campaign. My right hoof lays against soft soil, drinking in moist comfort. Sticky drizzling liquid runs down my boiling flanks, staining my fur a darkish brown, my mark of a magnifying glass shining against my monarch's baking sun.

An ant crawls along across my path, its tiny limbs driving against this rock's sparkling affinity.

Apart from my own pony, this ant is all that has such vitality to go on.

For a short instant, it stops and looks up to my sopping body, its own horrifying mug looking to my own as if in curiosity.

What can it do? To it, I am but a thing to climb, a mountain with no thought or spark of individuality. It thinks of its own form as a cusp of living, all that is worth to go on.

A hush of frigid air blows upon my soaking fur, and I flinch in shock, my vision clouding.

My companion simply stands still, taking my monarch's gust of wind as if it was nothing but a soft flash of bliss for it to savor.

Wait...

I swing my cranium to and fro in confusion. My companion? Why should I call an ant such a thing?

How silly.

An ant is nothing but a churning apparatus. It has no thought nor capability to carry out any sort of abstract thinking. Its blood is nothing but oil, oil that runs it a-walking on and on.

As I stand upon this rock, I watch as how my 'companion' squirms to my hoof that's grazing upon it. For a short wink, it simply looks at my foot with such scrutiny that I cannot stop from blushing in mortification. Did I disgust it? Did I ruin its normal plan for such a day as this?

No, for my 'companion' is naught but an ant.

And ants cannot go through such horrid irritation. For if my own small hoof is no good, by that logic this rock would act as a colossal insult.

What a fool I am! I turn about and pay no mind to my 'companion'. A good drink will lift such stupid thoughts from my brain!

With happy thoughts buzzing through my mind, I hoist my body up onto this hard slab of craggy rock. Its rough flooring pains my poor limbs, aching but mirthful as I vow our incoming torpidity.

I sit down, my bottom crying out from pain at this rock's sultry touch. I don't mind it any, for it is a fair transaction to sit and obtain such a comforting favor as I am but a lowly patron. Pain is but a cost for my rocky chair.

Out of curiosity, I look back at my cohort.

It has not quit my company, and for a flash I find comfort in that such a thing would find my foolish actions as a good form of satisfaction.

An ant finding joy in pain? How sadistic. I find a laugh bubbling from my plush lips, choking and gritty from my lack of food and drink.

I am so thirsty.

I want a drink.

Badly.

I look at my monarch's sky, compassing all across my clammy form. My stomach growls, and I blanch from such humiliating voracity.

I look to my companion, my ant.

It is looking at my form, its waving curls bobbing at my sad, sad sight.

I think it thinks that I am pitiful.

...

Am I?

I am sick and faint of body.

As I think of this, my companion draws away from my hoof.

It's mocking.

"Why not go away?" I ask, my words billowing harshly from my mouth.

I wait for its justification, though it says nothing.

I frown. "Why not go back to your hill, ant?"

Nothing.

I think it's sad, for its bouncing curls soon grow lax, as if it is hurt in mind.

"I'm sorry," I murmur.

I lift a hoof, a sopping hoof that's slick and sticky to its touch. I hold it to my ant, my poor ant.

It springs back into motion at my actions and runs to and fro. I shush it with a grin and bring my hoof towards it again.

Slowly...

I try to touch it, though my aim is far off. I go on as if I am a drunkard, waving my arm about as I finally bring it down upon my ant's crawling form.

"Got you!" I laugh happily, gasping for air.

I casually lift my hoof so that it may run wild again. Would it catch onto my spunky mood? What fun play!

In an unusual bout of joy, I do not at first grasp that my companion lays unmoving.

"Ant?" I look down at it, my mind all a whir as I look upon its writhing body. Its limbs go about in waving, lunging bouts outwards in agony and pain. "You okay?"

My only companion in this land only gasps, as if crying out for my aid.

I panic.

"H-Hold on!"

Why am I sad?

It is an ant.

Nothing but a simplistic bit of animating cogs and trimmings.

But I cannot stop my frown from coming.

It cannot think, but how do I know?

My horn glows a soft burgundy as I lift my only companion's form to my hoof.

I hold it... him... lovingly.

I try to sing, but a bit of dust strays down my throat as I try. I cough, and drops of my saliva rain down upon my ant's body. It's not moving now, but I try.

Nothing.

My monarch's sun is going down, bathing my hot body in a cool crimson. For a short duration, I don't want a drink.

I'm still thirsty though. My stomach growls, and I cry out. I know by now that such an action will not assist my poor form, but I am crying. It isn't fair.

My Mom wants to look at my mark, wants to know what it is.

Now my Mom will not know, nor will my Dad.

I look back at my ant, and in a fit of sobbing I sit it onto what is also now my rock. It's grown cool now.

I lay down, with my hoof out to touch my ant, my only companion. A sick churning in my gut starts to grow, and my world is going hazy. Colors distort and sway about as my jaw stupidly hangs ajar.

So this is how it is? To go from this world into annihilation with an ant in my hoof?

That's alright.

I try to grin as it all turns to black.

Comments

[abandoned2123]

This is in response to a challenge that Bronymaster put out in the Author Support group. I decided to take a few hours and try my hoof at it. Don't take this too seriously.

[Sirius Dreams]

I shall read, and find the missing letter a mystery!
Damn continuity, damn it to echo side!

*Edit*: I see what you did there...

(Continuity: Definition 3)

[Dragon Emperor Geon]

Welll....crap!

This is such a simple idea, and yet, it's so enticing!

[Sorren]

Wow, this must have been really hard and annoying to do.

[AimBot]

*Whistles* Seems like it must've been a real pain in the ass to do... I think I might need a bit of clarification though... So, this is the end of the world, and a young unicorn is watching an ant during his final moments?

Anyway... This is a nice piece. Deserves my thumb.

[Twifight Sparkill]

Good show! Challenge accepted and well met, I must say!

Magnifying glass, dead ant... hm.

Why is the Pink Panther theme racing through my head? Who dared thumb down without leaving a bloody reason?? Grrr! Where's a Screwloose emoticon when you really need it?? Woof!

Ahem. I'm in a hyper mood apparently. Sorry.

[NinjaBrony43009]

What the...? You did this sad, reflective story that actually manages to have a measure of depth, without using the letter 'e'? That borders on crazy, but in a good way. Definitely a thumb up.

[CelestialScribe]

I'm trying to mirror the story by not adding that which you did not, and God damn is it hard. I'm doubtful that last portion of this quotation was a grammatical win, nor this.

Screw that! I need the letter 'e'! Holy hell, how did you manage that for a thousand words?!
I did actually feel a twinge of sadness for the ant and pony when the hoof was brought down, yet another example of how amazing your work is! You excel at emotive pieces and writing in general- which, like most authors on this site, I am envious of. Have the obligatory thumb and fave.

[Bronymaster]

...Holy crap. Holy freaking crap.

You have met my challenge excellently, good sir. You somehow made an amazing story without the letter "e". Gosh dang, I didn't think anyone would actually attempt that challenge.

Bravo, good sir. Bravo.

[PhoKingAzn]

Congrats bro
717644

I tried before, but it was horrible looking

[abandoned2123]

716689
It was just an exercise, really.

716701
It was. But it got easier as I went on.

716744
It's whatever you want to think, really. I would have put more clarification in, but I just didn't feel like it.

716923
Naw, all my stories have at least one lower thumb. Majority rules though, right?

717110
The concept has been done to death as it is, but I thought that it would provide for an easy base to build from. Thanks!

717196
This stupid story is a grammar nazi's nightmare, but I don't care. To make it completely correct would make the whole thing even more difficult. Still, you flatter me. Have a heart.jpg

717644
I couldn't resist taking it down, and the whole experience really helped serve to improve my range.
So yeah, thanks for issuing it

[Bronymaster]

719035
I'd also like to say that I didn't spot a single grammar error.

Also, I will be issuing more challenges in the future. They may or may not be as difficult as this one, but you will get them. I'll be happy to see you participate. It actually confuses me that you never participated in the prompts.

[abandoned2123]

719052
I wanted to participate, but none of the prompts really gave me any sparkling ideas, and I didn't want to post something bland and uninspired.
I can at least promise you that, now that I have time I'll be able to force myself to answer to one. I guess I'm just not good at them.

[Bronymaster]

719069
We try to leave them as open to creativity as possible, as we do give a score based on creativity.

[abandoned2123]

719080
I know
I promise I'll do my best next time!

[Sirius Dreams]

719035 I know, I was just kidding.

(Echo Side)

[Twifight Sparkill]

719035

You're right of course. Majority does speak volumes. I guess I just... mm.

I just don't see anything worth thumbing down. That's a great undertaking met masterfully, and it just... it just doesn't deserve... arrgh!

Go soak, nasty red line! Soak!

- Love and tolerance, love and tolerance...

[Church]

Um wow.

How long did it take you to write this, and how many strands of hair were pulled from your head in the process?

I would have fallen flat on my face if I attempted this. I think I'll stick to sad, thank you.

[abandoned2123]

885650
Four hours including much-needed breaks, actually.

Honestly, it wasn't as hard as I kept going. You get into a sort of pace with this kind of story, as tedious as it is. Thanks for the comment!

[Church]

885672 sure thing, sure thing.

I'll come back later and read more from you, promise.

[bronystrongwing]

Wish I had this mastery over language you have. My first two stories came out alright, but the third bombed terribly. You, however, can take a simple concept like an ant and turn it into a masterpiece that Shakespeare would be envious of. If I had a cutie mark, it'd be a train wreck. Yours, a golden pencil.

Sincerely,
A fan