//------------------------------// // 7. It's Always Sunny in Canterlot // Story: Dash of Humanity 3: Consequences // by Kaidan //------------------------------// The receptionist had given me a key to room 112 at the hotel. It was on a small ring making it suitable to run one of my feathers through and hold onto it while I walked down the hall. The carpet was a deep burgundy and felt an inch thick, which was a first for me. There hadn’t been carpeting in Ponyville as the buildings opted for simpler wood flooring. Even the walls seemed nicer here than in Ponyville, though that was just a facade made by oriental wallpaper. They must have gotten a lot of visitors from far and wide here to have chosen to decorate it so exoticly. I had thought about what I wanted to say to Dash and Fluttershy, but I still found myself standing at the door and pausing. A few deep breaths and I willed my doubts aside, flicking my wing out and grabbing the key. I inserted it into the door and turned, pushing it open. Inside on the bed Dash was bouncing a ball up in the air, counting under her breath. She was around three-hundred something when I caught her eye. The ball came down, hitting her head and rolling across the room towards Fluttershy. She was in a recliner near the window watching something outside. “Oh, hey Dawn,” Dash said. “Sup?” She rolled over and kneeled on the bed once right-side up. I had to admire Dash’s attitude, she always seemed so laid back that I suddenly wondered what she’d say if I chose Fluttershy. “Dash,” I’d say, “I talked to Applejack and realized something. I’m not in love with you anymore, I love Fluttershy.” “Whatever,” Dash would say. “We’re still cool.” “Dawn!” Fluttershy got up and walked over towards us. “I’m glad you made it here okay, the hotel is a bit confusing.” There wasn’t much doubt what Fluttershy would have said if I’d dumped her right there. “I’m sorry, Fluttershy, I choose Dash.” “Wha—wha….” Fluttershy would break down in tears and make me feel like the worst pony on the planet. Dash would probably dump me for hurting Fluttershy’s feelings leaving me all alone. Luckily none of these stray thoughts could be true. I’d chosen not to choose, that I wanted to be with both of them. I pictured that in my head for a moment. “Welcome home, Dawn,” Fluttershy would say, belly distended from pregnancy. In her lap would be two nursing fillies, one from Dash, one from me. “Oh, is that dinner I smell?” I’d ask. “Yep! I cooked something AJ taught me,” Dash would reply. “You better hurry up and eat, it’s not fair Fluttershy gets to have a baby and I’m not pregnant yet!” “Hey, Dawn,” Dash said. “You there?” I blinked and looked to her, returning from my fantasies to reality. “Oh, yeah. I was just imagining something. I wanted to chat with you and ‘Shy.” Pulling the nearby chair out, I sat down on it. “Oh of course, what is it?” Fluttershy asked. “Well I’ve sorta felt this pressure since we started living together to choose who I wanted to love… I felt so strong about Dash and then you came and helped me out of a bad situation, Fluttershy, and we’re going to have a foal. I didn’t want to decide and I felt like you’d think I was playing favorites if I did…” I gulped and looked up at them, expecting one or the other to be upset. Perhaps it was just my human inhibitions that I believed having two girlfriends in the room together was recipe for disaster, or a violent T.V. show segment. “Oh, we wouldn’t make you choose. I’m happy just the way things are with us three living together,” Fluttershy said. “Yeah,” Dash added. “It’s not like we’re starting a flock or anything…” She smiled and looked between the two of us, probably trying to gauge our reaction to the idea. At least she had said it and not me. “Heh, yeah,” I replied. My stomach began to growl as I realized I had missed dinner, having some snacks on the train instead. “The three of us have something special, Dawn, and don’t think it would end over something silly like who you spend the most time with,” Fluttershy said. “Yeah, what she said,” Dash added. “You’re pretty much mother to both foals so you’re not going anywhere.” I smiled and felt another rumble from my stomach. “Man I’m hungry, did they have a restaurant here?” “Hmm, maybe. Try asking the front desk,” Dash said. She stood up and stretched out on the bed, spreading her wings until her primaries nearly touched the ceiling. Since she was higher up than me I got a good view of her belly, which had a noticeable bulge now. It looked out of place on the athletic pony between all four thin legs. “Okay, I’ll be back in a little bit.” I gave both a smile and turned to walk towards the door. I figured the two of them would want to talk and with the weight off my shoulders I felt much better about it. Fluttershy was right, our relationship was too strong to be broken by something like playing favorites. As I got out into the hall and started walking towards reception, I ran into Spike. He was coming out of Twilight’s room a door further down the hall. “Hey Spike.” He turned and walked towards me. “Dawn! Good to see you.” Once he reached me I stopped. “You too, Spike. I’m just on my way to get some food.” “Oh? So am I. Mind if I tag along?” “Not at all.” I started walking down the hallway again, with the dragon in tow. “I think they have a restaurant here.” Spike nodded. “Hmm they might, but I was thinking of going to Donut Joe’s.” We passed several ponies in the lobby until we reached the middle and I looked around. There did not appear to be anywhere to eat in the hotel. Part of me was still used to having a Starbucks, McDonald’s, and gift-shop in every commercial building. “Hmm, donuts you say?” “Yeah, he makes these special gem-dust donuts just for me when I visit.” He licked his lips and looked towards the door. “It’s just a couple blocks.” “Sure,” I replied. “Let’s go get some food before the sun sets.” “Great, follow me!” He led the way out the doors onto the sidewalk. The roads were a smooth cobblestone, leaving them quite level, while the sidewalks were concrete. It gave the city a unique appearance as most of the stonework seemed to have been cut out of the mountainside. As more mountain was mined to build the city, there was more room to expand. Looking up towards the peak I marveled at how they literally built one of the largest cities in Equestria into the side of a mountain. I looked down at Spike, “So, what have you been up to?” “Well, I just read the new Power Ponies comic. I got into an argument with Scootaloo over whether or not Saddle Rager could pick up Zapp’s necklace. The lightning bolt Mjolnir can only be worn by she who is worthy. Saddle Rager may not be worthy to rule the pegasi or anything, but she’s strong enough to hold up a building that collapsed while the other Power Ponies escaped! Surely she could lift up a silly little necklace.” I nodded, having gotten lost somewhere around Power Ponies. I was familiar enough with comic books to know that anything other than agreement would lead to an entire night spent debating fictitious characters. “I agree.” “Thank you! Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like Radiance would be lifting it up or anything. Besides, she’s beautiful enough as is.” “I think I heard Dash mention something about you all getting sucked into a comic book... and you are still reading them?” Spike nodded. “Yeah, now I know not to read the words on the last page anymore. As long as I don’t do that, nopony will get sucked inside.” “Good to know. I’d hate to accidentally get sucked into one.” I felt my ears swivel at some sound I’d heard but not quite registered. We were walking past an alleyway between two buildings when I heard it again, it sounded like a filly whimpering. I felt drawn towards it, deep down wanting to find this lost filly and help her out. Before I knew it, I’d trot down the alleyway looking around for some sign of trouble. So far I didn’t see anypony. If I’d been paying enough attention, perhaps I’d have realized somepony had seen me. “Hooves up, and give me all your bits!” a deep masculine voice growled. I spun around and saw a unicorn about Big Mac’s size standing there, his horn glowing blue. My heart began to race but old habits died hard. “You can have my bits, but first I’ve gotta ask, what makes you want to live this kinda life?” The stallion blinked and tilted his head. “What?” He thought for a moment as he looked at me, probably trying to decide if I was insane. “Oh, well I don’t have any bits so I’ll be going now. Ain’t no rest for the wicked and all that, bye!” I turned and started to trot away, noticing Spike at the end of the alley coming this way. With the dumpster to my side he couldn’t tell there was a unicorn behind it who had threatened me. The street was only twenty or so feet away so I could easily get out into public where this creepy stallion wouldn’t follow me. As I beat my wings to take off towards the street I felt a sharp pain followed by a rough grip on my wings. I flailed my legs as I hit the ground with a thud, looking back only to see my wings encased in a blue aura. The feathers were ruffled and a few broken, and from behind the dumpster the stallion stepped out. My breathing became rapid as adrenaline flooded my system. This wasn’t the typical pony with little desire to hurt anypony. He clearly wanted money, or more, from me. I struggled to my feet against the weight of his magic, gritting my teeth. “Back off, fucker!” I shouted. The blue unicorn stepped out from behind the dumpster. “Fucker?” “I don’t have anything to steal, I don’t even have my saddlebags!” “Well, I’ll find something else of yours to take,” he replied. “Get away from her!” Spike shouted. I turned to look at him, realizing he’d broken into a sprint and arrived by my side already. The stallion looked down at him and laughed. “Get lost pipsqueak or you’re next.” Spike took a deep breath and shot an emerald flame at him, taking out a large chunk of his hair. Whether or not the hair would get teleported to Celestia I didn’t know or care. “I warned you!” The stallion yelped and looked at the dragon with a fire in his eyes to match that which had just brushed past his neck. “I warned you too!” His horn glowed a bright blue and I felt my wings released. Spike was surrounded by magic, though he seemed to be flailing partly through the aura that was lifting him. Spike landed in the dumpster and the stallion slammed the lid shut. He turned to look at me and I felt the ice in my veins. “Now, I believe we were discussing payment for the annoyance you caused me by not carrying any bits to steal. Stay quiet and I won’t have to take you by force.” As he stepped towards me I retreated, feeling the wall against my backside. By now the adrenaline had reached every corner of my body, and the familiar weight of my wings getting held closed returned to me. With one of my two options eliminated, I could only fight. As he loomed over me I had a sudden flash of memory back to dark times, to the last time a stallion had hurt me. That one flashback was all I needed. In half a second I had lunged straight for him screaming, one of my hooves connecting with his eye. He fell backwards and I tumbled with him, his magic disrupted and my wings freed. I spread them out as I stood and lunged towards him again before he got up. With both hooves I aimed for his eyes and horn, not caring much which I hit. There was a loud cracking sound as the horn was hit, and the stallion yelled out in pain. “You won’t hurt me again!” I yelled. He hadn’t gotten up yet, having received a blow to the horn stunning him. I turned and bucked his stomach with both hind legs, hearing a satisfying thud as he hit the wall across the alley. “Dawn!” Spike had pushed the lid open and was watching in horror. I dove again, pummeling his face with my hooves. “You’ll! Never! Hurt! Anyone! Again!” There was a sharp pain as my forehooves cracked from repeatedly pounding into his skull. He wasn’t yelling or trying to get up anymore but I was blinded by my fury and anger. Nopony should ever have to suffer what I went through. With that thought I looked down to his groin and picked up a nearby rock. I’d make sure he never hurt anypony else. As I brought the rock down I felt the familiar weight and tingling of magic surrounding me. The stone fell to the ground and I turned to look at who was attacking me now. I was quite a sight, forelegs stained in blood, feathers in disarray, an unconscious stallion laying before me. Without thought I growled at the newcomer before noticing they were clad in golden armor. They must have been cops or military but right now they were cornering me while my only instincts were to fight for survival. “What’s going on here?” he asked. Spike jumped out of the trash and walked slowly towards the guard. “It’s okay, that stallion attacked us!” I heard a groan and turned to see the stallion stirring. I tried to lunge at him again but the guard was much more skilled in his magic, holding me still. “It looks quite the opposite.” He glanced at the singed mane and bloodied pony. “You’ll both be coming back to the station with me.” My frustration was building as I struggled against the magic to protect myself and my foal. “Let me go!” The guard seemed to be straining to keep his hold on me but only a second later his horn flashed and caused me to black out. I awoke to the feeling of pain in my hooves and wings, and a scratchy blanket laying over me. Without thinking I tried to go back to sleep, my mind not yet having fully rebooted. The aches were an annoyance I thought I could make go away. As I tossed and turned in the bed the pain helped clear the mental fog and I remembered that I had been attacked. Opening both eyes I found myself in a cell with bars blocking any escape. I stood up and examined myself as my heart began to race again. My hooves had been bandaged, and it looked like someone had pulled the damaged feathers for me. I recalled the guard and the stallion and told myself I was just in prison. The cell seemed awfully small though. I reached out and touched the far wall, realizing it had gotten closer to me. I stepped back and bumped into the wall behind me. As I tried to breathe I began to suffocate. The anger and fear were back as I fought to get air. The room seemed to spin and the walls seemed to close in further. I moved my legs and wings, trying to prove to myself that they were still there. If I could move them, I still had room. My legs began to hit the walls in the corner of the room with the bed. This began to convince me I was going to be crushed soon as the walls shrank. I was breathing rapidly and shallow and realized if I wanted fresh air, I had to make it to the bars. I saw a guard walk up to the cell and his mouth moving but couldn’t hear what he was saying. My vision had also blackened out until all I could see was the guard right in front of me as if through a telescope. “Let me out!” I screamed and dove for the bars. My forelegs went between them but my head and body hit the bars with a painful thud. “You can’t do this to me!” The guard jumped back, clearly scared. At the same time I saw the door at the end of the hall open and light flood through. “I don’t care,” Twilight shoved her way past a guard and began to walk over towards me. “You’re letting her go right now or I’ll personally send your whole precinct to the moon!” “Help! They’re gonna rape me!” I began slamming at the bars with my hooves trying to open them up. Horrific images of Soarin were flashing through my mind, drowning out any rational thought. “Celestia help us, look at what you did to her! Dragging an abused mare off and throwing her in a cell for defending herself?” Twilight scolded the guard. “Unlock that door now and bring me the arresting officer!” The pony in charge caught up with her, clad in his golden armor. “I’ll take this straight to Celestia if you don’t leave the precinct right now!” “Be my guest, we’ll go there together so you can start the search for a new job!” Twilight shouted. I shrank back into my cell and found myself under the bed as the two ponies yelled at each other. I fidgeted to stay comfortable, trying to remind myself the walls weren’t closing in. They didn’t notice me and if I stayed quiet they wouldn’t hurt me. As I watched the shouting match Dash came in with a key in her mouth she had gotten from one of the guards. She walked over and unlocked my cell, dropping the key to the floor. I felt a sense of relief as she came over to me and laid down, stroking my mane. “It’s okay, Dawn, nopony is going to hurt you. You need to calm down so you can come back with me, we’re very worried about you.” Nodding, I slid slowly out from under the bed, closer to Dash and her soothing touch. “That’s it. Just relax and let Twilight handle it. We’ll have you ready for the hearing in no time.” I suddenly snapped back to reality as if I’d left my brain back in the alleyway until now. The hearing was the day after I’d arrived in Canterlot, and I’d been arrested that night. For all I knew the hearing was in thirty minutes. I wrapped my forelegs around Dash and began to cry as all my stress was relieved. I hardly noticed all my other friends as they surrounded me and walked me back to the hotel. Just having them be there to comfort me was enough to clear my mind of the traumatic experience.