Booker rapped on the wooden door before him, glancing down at his daughter before the door creaked open, a smiling, grey pony with wings on the other side. The horse's cross-eyed stare caught his attention immediately, and the brilliant gold coloring on its mane and tail right after.
"Er, I'm here to see about a living arrangement?" Booker asked, Anna attempting with all her might to hug the colorful pony.
The equine in question stared at him for a moment, the wonky eye shifting slightly as the pony smiled.
"Oh, of course!" she exclaimed "I'm so glad somepony decided to take up my offer! Please, come in!"
Booker eyed her as he entered the small building, holding onto Anna tightly as he did so. Taking notice of dozens of pictures lining the walls, he spied the cross-eyed mare with two other ponies- both of them being unicorns. One was a bit shorter than the gold-maned pegasus, donning a bright-pink coat, with a purple mane.
'How the hell does that work?' Booker wondered to himself 'Genetics are going to be a bitch to figure out...'
The other pony was considerably shorter than the other two, with the same coloring as the pegasus. Booker could just make out a small stump sticking out of its mane.
"So, what brings you to Ponyville?" 'Ditzy' asked cheerfully as she led him down the hall.
The pair entered a small living room, equipped with a three-person couch, a coffee table, and a love-seat against the far wall.
"Work." Booker responded curtly, wincing afterwards.
'Better learn to be a bit nicer around her,' the man thought as his head brushed against the low ceiling 'if she will be my future landlord.'
"I know how that goes..." the mare responded, her ears flipping to faintly slap against her skull.
Booker was surprised, seeing the pony be able to empathize with his...unique...situation. He resolved to get used to it, knowing he'd rather have a conversation with a pink pony than drunk and rowdy at the nearest saloon. Well, maybe he wouldn't go that far.
"Well," the mare began "The bathroom's down the hall, third door on the left, the guest...er...your...room is the second on the right. Mine is the second on the left."
"Good to know," Booker stated, rubbing his chin "anything else I need to know?"
"I've got a daughter, she's eight," Ditzy said "her name's Dinky, would you like to meet her?"
'Not really.'
"Of course."
The pegasus turned, trotting to the back of the house, leaving Booker and Anna alone in the small living room.
"Well, what do you think?" Booker asked rhetorically, looking down at his daughter as he did so.
"Pretty." Anna responded simply.
Booker face-palmed, grunting to himself as he readjusted the bag over his shoulder.
'Keep forgetting she's a kid...' he thought.
The blonde pegasus returned, the same, small unicorn from the pictures trailing behind her. She stopped dead in her tracks when spying Booker, making the man suddenly uncomfortable as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Muffin," the mare began "this is...um...uh..."
"Booker."
"This is Booker, and his foal...um...er..."
"Anna."
"Anna! This is Booker and Anna; they'll be staying with us for a little while!"
The small unicorn scuffed her hoof on the floor as she stared downward, barely making any eye-contact with either Booker or Anna.
Ditzy looked at Booker, then at the unicorn, then back at Booker. A huge smile suddenly split her muzzle as she flitted into the air.
"Oh! I know! Muffin, why don't you go and play with Anna for a little bit? Mr. Booker and I can talk out here for a little while."
The unicorn hemmed and hawed, before finally relenting with her mother's decision. She motioned for Anna to follow her, though appearing to be as unenthusiastic as possible about it.
Anna looked up at him, pleading with him to let her go and play, like a normal child. Booker thought for a bit, then deemed it safe for his daughter to go, releasing her hand. The effect was immediate- Anna shot to the unicorn, making the latter rear back in surprise. The unicorn bolted down the hall, his daughter following her.
"Can I get you anything?" Ditzy asked "Water? Tea?"
"No, thank you," Booker said.
"Well come on in and sit down," the pegasus said, motioning to the couch "I'd really like to hear all about you."
'Shit...'
"I'm a...private investigator." Booker finally said.
"Ooh, that sounds exciting!" the cross-eyed pegasus exclaimed.
'More than you know...'
"Momma, I'm hungry." Dinky stated as she trotted into the room.
"Oh dear, is it that late?" Ditzy stated, surprised as she stared up at the clock on the opposite wall.
"No, Anna and I just wanted to have a snack." the filly stated.
Ditzy sighed in relief, and turned to Booker.
"If you'll excuse me..."
"No problem-" Booker said, standing.
The man bashed his skull against the ceiling.
'God dammit...' he moaned inwardly, rubbing his throbbing scalp.
"I'll help with whatever you need." Booker said, offering his assistance.
"No no, I insist!" she replied, her wings flitting "You're my guest!"
"Not for long," Booker responded "if we live here, we split everything."
'You're pushing it, Booker- you're not even living here yet.' he thought to himself, wondering is there were some way he could reverse what he'd just said.
"That's...that's so nice of you..." the mare said, almost too quietly to hear.
Booker cocked an eyebrow, and shrugged.
"Nothin' I wouldn't a' done." he said.
"Oh...well...there're some crackers in the cupboard in the kitchen, an-and some peanut butter!"
Booker waved, acknowledging that he'd heard her as he headed into the kitchen, Anna and the filly following.
'Since when the hell did I become a babysitter?' he thought, spying the filly following him.
He assumed he'd better get used to it, because he had a feeling that this entire pastel-colored world was out to get him.