//------------------------------// // Sandra // Story: Lack of Loyalty // by BioQuillFiction //------------------------------// “How many floors does this make?” Sandra asked. Over the past year Sandra tore Donovan’s parents mansion apart, til finally, they found a secret pathway that led deep, DEEP underground. Floors larger than the mansion going down god knows how far. Government has been aiding in checking and destroying the illegal genetic experiments. So far they only made it six floor down. Each floor held more grotesque, horrid secrets this company held. In that time, Sanda became, distant, in a way. She trained with the army’s best that where helping her crack down on each floor of this labyrinth of a laboratory. Hand to Hand combat was second nature to her now, ranged combat was her weak spot, but she wasn’t sloppy either. “Seventh floor.” An armed military man said. “If the map reads true, this floor should house all their records and equipment regarding Donovan.” “Perfect. Let’s not waste anymore time.” “Ah crap.” I groaned. Not a day after Celestia changed my appearance, and the fucking blue coat and Rainbow mane is sprouting back up. Half my coat and mane/tail are already back to before. When Celestia saw this l was examined over by her and Twilight for a while. Turns out there’s something about whatever made me look like Rainbow Dash that keeps me from any permanent changes. Well shit. SO, here we are now at Ponyville’s spa. If i’m not able to have a different entire look then I can at least have a different mane style. “Welcome to Ponyville spa and Mane care services, how may we-” And she gasped. “P-princess Celestia! Well this is an honor.” Aloe, I think, spoke. “Greetings Aloe, my...acquaintance and I would like to request some services. Donoven here would like a mane makeover and I would like a simple steam room treatment.” “Nothing to fancy, just something different.” I said simply. “Alright then. Princess please follow me, Donovan wait here and a mane stylist will be here shortly to escort you to the mane styling room.” I nodded. “Thank you.” I said, wanting to be polite to the people that own the place so nothing bad happens to my mane. Celestia followed Aloe to the back room for her steam and I waited here for a bit. After about two minutes a unicorn mare, pink mane, green coat and a hairbrush cutie mark came up to me. “Hello, I am Snip Clip, welcome to Ponyville spa. Are you Donovan?” “Yes I am.” I nodded. “I presume your the hair stylist here?” “One of them yes. I am going to redo you mane today. Please follow me.” I followed her to through the hallway, and into a room where three other ponies where getting their manes cut. I sat in the open seat, it was a lot like the ones on earth, and noticed she had a photo on her desk...wait, Snips? “That’s my son. Takes after his father in looks.” She smiled. “Didn’t expect to meet Snip’s mother today.” I said honestly. “Oh, do you know my son?” She asked. Shit, forgot that I haven’t met everyone yet. “No, but I’ve heard of him.” I said, not lying on the most technical level here. “Oh yes, about his...little misadventures with that Trixie huh? I apologise in advance for that. He can have a one track mind sometimes. And that leads him to trouble more often than not.” She said, pulling out the scissors. “So, any recommendations for your mane?” “I’m not much of a mane enthusiast, what do you recommend?” I asked honestly. “Cause to be honest I’d rather just have anything different than this.” “Hm… I have an idea.” She said, and started cutting, brushing and styling away. While she did that I was looking around at the place. They never showed this room on the show. Huh. Weird. “Done.” She said as I looked in the mirror. “Huh…” I said while looking it over more. “Looks good to me.” “Great. Princess Celestia said that she would pay after she has her steam. You are free to go or wait for her in the lobby, but that will take some two hours.” “Geez is she getting a message at the same time or something?” I asked, thinking that the ‘steam treatment’ was a lot longer than I originally thought. “That is what she reserved when she arrived.” Clip said shrugging. “If I were you I’d think about coming back after two hours.” “Yeah, I’m not gonna sit here for two hours.” I frowned. “Then be back by six, that’s when she’ll be out.” She said with a nod and a smile as I headed out. I decided to check in at my new work. ‘Mom’ was at the bar table as usual, Vinyl was at the tables, playing some songs she had me record and I took a seat at the bar. “Hey there Donovan. Nice mane.” ‘Mom’ said as she passed me a cup of seltzer water. “Thanks.” I said while taking the cup. “How have things been here?” I asked, taking a sip of the seltzer water I was given. “Pretty good. Ponies come in for your songs and stay long enough to order some food. Those that order the booze stay longer. You about saved this place.” “That’s great to hear.” I said, glad to have helped out a lot given I’m working here. “So, was thinking with Hearts and Hooves day coming along you and Vinyl could make a few love songs so we can have a couples night here. Last time there was one here was when I was a teenager.” “I think I can come up with something.” I said honestly. “Great. Vinyl will be over at your place tomorrow to work on the music to go along with your lyrics. Oh, and for the live performance half, you don’t happen to have a dress do you?” I groaned. “Do I have to?” I asked, not really wanting to wear a dress, I maybe a mare physically but I’m still a guy damn it. “Well it would help with the vibe and decorations. I’ll be in a dress, and Vinyl in a tux. It’s just for the night, you come in, put it on and when we close you take it off and you don’t have to think about it again til next year.” I sighed out. “Alright.” I said, not wanting to argue against the one that both gives me money for my work and allows me to work here to begin with. “Good. If you can’t afford one Vinyl’s marefriend Octavia has a bunch she rarely wears, I’m sure if you ask she’ll let you borrow one. Hmm...You are a tad smaller than her though, but it’s nothing some simple stitchwork can’t fix.” “Can’t wait.” I said. “So make music for Hearts and Hooves day, and wear a dress...sounds simple enough.” “Yeah, it’s just for the holiday. Who knows, you might meet somepony~” She said, pouring some more seltzer for me as she went to refill somepony else’s mug. I took another sip of my seltzer water, thinking about the one friend I made back on Earth when she talked about meeting somepony like I was supposed to immediately get a date or something. ”Hope she’s okay…” I thought to myself. “Well...who knows.” I finished the drink and just sat there listening to the music. It was kinda weird, hearing your own voice booming from the speakers, other ponies bobbing their heads in rhythm with it. I tried not to think about it too much. ”Now...what love songs do I remember?” I thought to myself, having to think of all those things to bring up with Vinyl later. ”So many songs…” I thought. “Holy shit!” Somepony yelled, running into the building. “There’s this huge wall of light just outside the Everfree!” At that most ponies started murmuring. “Just another Saturday morning then?” ‘Mom’ said, rolling her eyes. “Just another Saturday?” I asked, not entirely sure if I heard about this strange wall of light. “A lot of crazy stuff happens in this town, even before Twilight Sparkle moved here. At this point most ponies like myself are just used to it, other times some ponies  still get rolled up at the sudden unexpected event going on. Honestly unless it’s a giant monster attack I don’t find much reason to be alarmed.” “Does anything happen with this wall of light?” I asked curiously. “Just it, like, threw up this blinking box with a wire attached to it, going back into the wall.” The pony answered. “Come on, if we hurry we can see what Twilight and them are gonna do!” And with that over half the bar stormed out of here. “Hm, can’t argue, half the time it’s a good show.” ‘Mom’ said, taking a shot if whiskey she poured herself. “You gonna go watch?” “Well I have two hours to kill before Celestia finishes her spa time so why not.” I shrugged. “Best hurry up then. All the good view spots will get taken fast.” Nodding, I headed off, flying, wings are fun at least, off to where I saw other ponies heading too. When I arrived this wall of light looked less like a wall and more like Stargate portal, missing the thing it appears in. The flashing box was… is that my toy truck with a camera taped to it? “What the?” I tilted my head in confusion. “What’s my toy truck doing here?” I questioned while moving over to the toy truck. ”Why is there a camera on it? Is...is someone trying to reach me?” I thought to myself, hoping  that would be true. “Donovan?!” I heard...her voice...Sandra?! It came from the portal. “Sandra!?” I called out. “Sandra! Are...are you there!?” I called, hoping she heard me through this portal. Rather than answer, I saw her jump from that thing, and almost crush me as she grabbed me into a hug. “Donovan! I thought you were gone forever!” She said, holding me and crying. “Oh my god...Sandra!” I hugged back, not believing I got to see her again. “I...I thought I wouldn’t see you either…” “Heh, ditto kid...ditto.” She said, holding me closer. “So this is the Sandra you keep on about.” Celestia said, she, Sandra and I back home, seating with tea and snacks. “Yup.” She said. “My very first friend.” I said. “But...how?” “Oh, investments. Hired the right wackjobs. Once scanning multiverses became a real technology some drool from your pillow and coat and mane fuzz was enough to track you to this one.” She said...it makes sense but...it doesn't feel like that’s what happened. I also noticed her clothes looked...official, like police or… government. “And...what, were you a secret agent or something?” I asked. “You look way too official.” “Huh, oh. Well rich girl gotta learn to escape her own kidnappers.” She waved off. “So, Celestia, how has Donovan been since he arrived?” “A handful.” She admitted. “He has only been in my own custody for a day but before that with miss Dash he has become quite independent. He has a job, and fully stocked her kitchen when there was little.” “Really?” Sandra asked, looking at me with a smile. “Good to know you can take care of yourself.” “I have to when Dash is pretty bad at upkeep.” I rolled my eyes. “So, what else are you here for? Cause while it’s great to see you I have a feeling your…’benefactors’ are pretty excited to jump on the chance to be here as well.” I said, knowing full well that even though the face of the operation is well intended the backers are scheming something. “Oh no, this was all private. Remember, after you vanished and your parents got arrested your will swooned the courts and judge to name me sole owner of all their money. I did as promised, and burned that massive mansion to the ground. After that I was searching for you. You and I can hop back and forth whenever we want. I even brought you something.” She said, reaching into her side pocket- My Ipod! “Figured you’d miss your music. And Princess, I’d be happy to share technology with your world, cause I know this one here must be dying without the internet.” She said, ruffeling my new mane do as I turned on my Ipod. ”Oh thank god for the hope of the internet.” I thought to myself happily as I gently batted her hand away with a little chuckle. “Thanks, I knew I could trust you with all that.” “Well on behalf of my world I happily accept. What can we do in return?” “A house for me and Donovan, if that’s not too much.” She said, taking Celestia and I both by surprise. “My time with him...and then losing him… made me realize Donovan isn’t just my friend, he’s basically my son. I’d like to raise him properly, in a world his new form is suited for, while having access to the world he was born too.” “Well, I would love to fulfill that wish, but Donovan is already in my custody. The paperwork and the news scandals would be...not easy.” “Hmm… In that case, Princess Celestia, would you like to go on a date?” “P-Pardon?!” “Are...are you serious?” I asked in surprise. “All because she has custody over me?” “Well as princess of this world undoing something she just did would bring bad press. Plus I imagine the paperwork involved would suck. Besides, you look like my favorite pony.” Sandra said, messing with my mane again. “But Celestia is best waifu.” “Waifu?” Celestia asked. “Wife material.” I answered simply. “Oh…” She said, blushing. “Well, you are the first to ever ask in hundreds of years...and this would prove a strong political move in the long run… Yes, I think I shall.” “Great.” Sandra said. “So, Donovan, as your eventually soon-to-be legal mom, you doing anything I should know about?” She asked, elbowing me with a cheeky grin. I groaned and put my head in my hooves. “Somebody shoot me…” I groaned, not believing my very first friend is gonna be my legal mother. “Oh, that reminds me. You need your shots for Equestrian illnesses.” Celestia said. “Since ponies typically get them when they’re a young foal, you need them soon. I'll take you to the hospital tomorrow.” I thought for a moment about if I had those hots, but I didn’t voice it cause I didn’t entirely want any shots at the moment. “That reminds me, since Donovan had literally no records back on earth I best get a doctor to give him the human shots every child gets.” Sandra said. “Crap…” I muttered. “I’m sure I got my shots.” “No records to prove it, sorry Donovan, tomorrow you are getting a barrage of standard medical shots.” Sandra smiled...now I do feel like her son… On the other hand it’s nice to feel like I actually have a mom now...two counting Celestia...huh, maybe this won’t be too bad. “Well...alright.” I sighed out, but smiling a little bit. It was late. Celestia, and Donovan were asleep. Sandra took this moment to do the only thing to keep her friend...her son safe. “Okay, link up.” She said, a pc on her lap. Donovan’s eyes glowed, opening to reveal blackness with lines of code running across. “Let’s see. Change priority, absorb energy to a minimum. Reroute purpose to self healing and ability generation. Set growth rate to standard. And lastly, lock new directive...be your own person.” Donovan blinked, eyes flashing again as he fell asleep. Sandra, smiling, closed the PC, and kissed him on the forehead. “You’ll be safe from them now.” Then, she opened the PC, and snapped it in half. “And I’ll be burning you later.”