Chase

by Farenth Vega

Chapter 5

He think this is a game, but you're getting out of here!

All you have to do is solve the magic problem and you're home free! He'd confessed it was some kind of 'new tech' so that must mean some sort of portable generator right? Unfortunately knowing that doesn't change much unless you want to rush his camp and smash the damn thing. Way too risky in your opinion. The best bet is to just try covering enough ground again. Sure you've tried that last time, but that time you were injured and this time you feel great!

Your hooves pound the forest floor as you weave in and out of the trees at breakneck speed! A full belly and a few good night's rest have made you one determined horse!

Normally you just survived day to day out here in the forest. You might get a bite here and there, but it was never quite enough to make you feel full, to make you feel storng.

Things are different this time though though, under his care you haven't been surviving you've been thriving.

Being hand fed veggies, fruit, and even fish in your warm sleeping bag? Yes sir!

Maybe you should have thanked him, but that makes you feel a little... weird. Thanking him for capturing you? Ehhh. Thanking him for caring for you? not as bad, but too late now. It's just as well since the voice in your head tells you that there's probably some stockholm syndrome somewhere in that sentiment.

No time to worry about that though! Upwards and onwards! If you can escape his anti-magic field then you can count yourself free again.

Things are looking up!

---

Things are not looking up!

Even after hours on the move your magic shows no sign of returning.

M-maybe it's time to consider other possibilities... He said he used 'new tech' but not exactly what that means. He opened your first chase with one of those stupid grenades, but unlike the old ones It didn't seem to care about distance. Maybe it had coated your horn in some kind of anti-magic residue?

That doesn't explain how he'd kept your magic suppressed for the past few days or why it was still working now.

Think Twilight, think. What did he do next? The very first thing he did after bringing you down was give you something to drink. Theoretically it was to refresh you after such a long run, but what if it was more?

Drugs?

He had been feeding you generously.

Technically, he has to feed you if he wanted you to be worth anything, but the idea still makes sense. If that's the case what do you do? They'd work their way out of your system eventually, but there's only so much you can do to rush that.

A nearby stream offers you a chance to clear you head and gather your thoughts. You skid to a stop and take a good long drink.

It seems like your only real choice is to keep moving until your magic returns. That's assuming you're right that is. The truth is there's just too many variables. It could be drugs, some residue on your horn, hell he could have slipped some implant into you while you were asleep!

That last one makes you shiver and bound over the stream in an attempt to keep moving.

You can keep theorizing while you run. No matter what you just need to keep moving!

---

Spoiler: You still aren't the most athletic of specimens.

Another two days of hiking has you feeling like you're on the verge of collapse.

The good news is your magic seems to slowly be returning. It's not enough for advanced stuff, but you can at least use basic telekinesis. Even the little bit of progress is encouraging, and tells you your drug theory was most likely correct.

Even knowing that doesn't change the fact that teleportation isn't going to be possible for another day or two. Unfortunately you've exhausted every bit of stamina you ever had at this point so some good old fashion hiding will have to do the job.

A hollowed out tree trunk isn't nearly as comfortable as your sleeping bag, but such is the cost of freedom.

You find yourself grazing on some bland grass as the sun starts to set on day 3 of your newest escape attempt.

Ancient ponies grazed all the time, but for more modern ponies the act was always seen as uncivilized or a last result. You hate to admit it to yourself, but you almost miss being hand feeding like a princess by a certain someone.

Arnold. Sure, he was a monster who wanted to literally sell you, but at least he was someone to carry on a conversation with. You probably shouldn't miss him as much as you do. Having years of solitude finally broken must be messing with your head.

Both your thoughts and your body roam as you think about him, it's easy to get lost in thought while grazing.

It's convenient to write him off as a monster, but is he really? What if hunting is just his special talent? Can you really blame him for using it? Fluttershy might argue it's like hating a bear or a manticore just because they're predators. They aren't necessarily evil or malicious they're just trying to survive.

That doesn't make them easier to love though. They'd sink their teeth into your belly given the chance. You should fear them, respect them, but it doesn't necessarily mean you should hate them.

You shiver a little at the mental image of teeth approaching your vulnerable underside. Humans don't eat pony... right?

If he'd wanted himself a bite of Twilight Sparkle you suppose he already had his chance. Then again he was kind of fattening you up...

Morbid thoughts are interrupted by a sting on your flank, a fly maybe?

Buck.

A green splotch.

You're pretty much bucked at this point, but you try to run anyway. In the end the few yards you manage to cover seem pointless when you come crashing to the ground. It hurts more than a bit, but you refuse to just give up.

"Woah! Don't hurt yourself there sparks!"

You grunt in frustration as you attempt to drag your body forward with your forehooves alone.

A firm human hand on your side puts a stop to that when it pins you to the forest floor.

"Your scraping yourself up sheila, just relax."

"Easy for you to say..."

"Fair enough, but I'm not going to just sit here and watch you hurt yourself. Here, maybe this will help."

He brings out that same bottle of water and bring it up to your lips. Forget that! with what little muscle control you have left you turn your head away.

"It's drugged isn't it, the water and the food both?"

It's nice to be praised, and the hand rubbing up and down your neck feels great too, but you've got to stay mad.

"I don't want to be drugged, do I have to drink it?"

"Well, not right now I guess. I've got a few other tricks for holding you magic types, stuff in the food is just the most subtle. Most aren't as clever as you and never figure it out."

Between the praise and the two handed rub down he's giving you you can't help but relax a little.

"T-thank you..."

You ain't too angry at me for finding you again are you? I had a devil of a time this time I'll give you that. Couldn't find hide nor hair of you all day yesterday and what do I find today? A purple target just grazing along without a care in the world!"

Ok yeah, maybe you got a little careless. You can still grumble angrily.

"Don't be like that, I had fun at least."

"Lucky you..."

He chuckles as he sits down besides you and drags your now limp body into his lap. This is totally molestation.

"How about I make it up to you?"

Ok, one hand scratching your withers and one scratching your neck feels divine. Who knew human fingers would feel so nice digging into your coat.

You actually have to work to keep the breathiness out of your voice.

"Q-quit it."

That was feeble.

"I think someone likes it."

Thank Celestia you've lost all muscle control otherwise your hind leg would be kicking like a dog.

"Why do you know-"

Oh gosh! Deep breaths Twilight!

"Pony sweet spots!?"

"It was more of a guess really. Seems to be working though, huh?"

"Just shut up."

He spends a few more embarrassing moments turning your muscles into jelly, even scratching as far south as your cutie mark. The whole situation is even more intense when combined with the fact you can't even lift a hoof in your defense. He could put those hands anywhere...

No! No bad thoughts!

"What say we get to my new camp before things get dark?"

Really?! Instead of throwing you over his shoulders like last time he's scooped you up in his arms like a baby! Undercarriage exposed! You can't even move your hooves to cover yourself!

"A-arnold really?!"

"Huh?"

"Do you, do you have to carry me like this?"

He shrugs, "How else are we going to get back? You do remember you can't walk right?"

"Just put me over your shoulder!"

The human shrugs and repositions you only...

T-this... this isn't what you meant!

Before he put you around his shoulders with a pair of legs on each side.

Now he's thrown you over one shoulder leaving your tail end up near his face.

"Better?"

"Absolutely worse."

He just laughs.

Comments

[BadTouch]

Really good. Glad you're finally posting prose here instead of that cesspit 4chan thread transitory website that shall not be named.

[TheGrandNil]

9238165
I dont know what you are talking about, 4chan is great... but stories get buried so easily there, so this place is still better.