Ten Months Later

by Z-A-C

Chapter 7: Becoming A Citizen

Despite her decomposing flesh, she is actually pretty nice. She had a gray coat with a dark green mane and tail, and in this light I could tell she had a countless amount of cutie marks, and that she was quite literally covered in blood, and also that she was an earth pony. She was telling me that I needed to check in with the mayor to see if there's anything that needs to be done. She also said the reason we needed to go to the mayor is that she wasn't sure what needed to be done because they almost always have an undead pony wander into town and they're almost automatically apart of the community. But never anything else. I said why not and here we are, on our way to the town hall.

I was the most interesting thing that has ever happened to this town in forever it seems. All of the undead ponies looking at me was....unnerving to say the least. A few of the more friendly ones waved at us and some of the rest called me fresh meat, which was nothing unlike when I was in prison before the rumors started going around. It hit me that I never asked for her name. So why not ask her now?

"Hey."

"What is it?"

"You never told me your name."

"Hmm....I guess I didn't did I?"

"Nope."

"It's.....I can't seem to remember."

"Really?"

"Yes it's been awhile since I had to tell somepony my name. I guess I kinda forgot."

"That's unfortunate. I'm Seth by the way."

"Nice to finally officially meet you Seth." She smiled

"Like wise. So how long until we're at the town hall?"

"Oh right. You wanted to become a citizen. Well I think I forgot to tell you that there isn't a town hall."

"Oh ok. Well where is the mayor at?"

"There isn't one, I was messing with you."

"Then how can you assure me I won't be eaten if I stay here tonight and how can you assure me that I wont be hunted down when I leave?"

She kinda chuckled. "As one of the founding members of this town, I think I have every right to make that decision."

"Are you really? How old is this town?"

"The town itself is 100 years old. I'm probably...let's see I died sometime after the feud between....the two 'Divines' and that was about 980 years ago, so I would be somewhere around 955 years old."

My jaw dropped and if I was in the same condition as her it probably would have fell off. "Really?!? You don't look a day over, well if I would guess I'd say somewhere around your 20's."

"I did die when I was 25. After the initial death you kinda stop aging."

"I imagine that being the case. So where are you taking me then?"

"Back to my house." I froze and bells started going off in my head. "That way we can get you settled in, and..." She noticed I wasn't following her. "Oh what's wrong now?"

"How do I know you're not going to try to do anything funny?"

"You have a point, I am pretty bad at jokes."

"You know what I mean. How do I know I can trust you?"

"Hmm....lets see here: I've shown you nothing but kindness ever since you showed up, I'm offering to make you a member of our community so you wont be hunted down, and I'm offering my guest room to you. What have I done wrong in the time I've shown you around here? Unless it's.....oh I see now. So tell me, how did you come across our little town, hmm? Just wandering through the forest carelessly, am I right!?"

Where is this coming from? "No I fell from Canterlot." She raised an eyebrow and cocked her head. "I was being held in the lowest, filthiest part of the dungeon, I managed to escape but I got boxed in and jumping out the window was my only option. I got knocked out on impact with the water and washed up on the river not to far from here. So no I didn't come here on a whim. It doesn't 'tickle my fancy' to be here! I just want to go home!!" I stopped as I remembered what happened between me and Fluttershy. A tear formed but didn't go anywhere. "Except....I don't have a home...I won't ever be able to go but and live a normal life....all because of the 'Divines'. I hate them. So much."

"That's quite the story, Seth. If you didn't have the injuries to prove it I would say you were lying to me. I hope we have this misunderstanding out of the way. Come on follow me." I snapped out of it and silently followed her.

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We arrived at her house about five minutes ago. It was alright, It was falling apart at places but I figured it was because they didn't have any access to much lumber save for the trees around the town. She showed me the guest room and what wasn't very reassuring was the remnants of her last guest on the bed. She apologized and went to wash the sheets while I made myself at home. I have decided one thing though: I'm not going to go to sleep for awhile. Well technically I don't need sleep but it's still a nice luxury.

She was letting the sheets dry out side, and we were talking in her living room. We were having a conversation about how things have changed and the history of the town. Apparently when she came back to life she came here and built a small hut. Some 800 years later some more undead ponies showed up and they started building a few houses and upgraded the hut to the house we're staying in now. She did admit that since nopony here can die, it's difficult to expand and house everypony. But she also said that not many ponies are wrongfully dying in this day and age and that things slowed down and they don't have to expand that much anymore.

"Hey do you sleep at all?"

"Sometimes. I mean I'm undead so I really don't need to, but it's nice."

"Would it be to much to ask if you went to sleep same time I go to sleep?"

"Not at all. I may be old but I still remember my manners."

"Ok good."

"But may I ask why?"

"So I know you wont try anything. I appreciate your kindness but trust takes time."

"You are wise Seth. Not like our other visitors." God that was creepy.

"Um...thanks?"

"It's not a compliment I give out often, so you are welcome."

She went to check on the sheets and I stayed here to get familiar with the house. It was similar to a Victorian style house. So what if it was falling apart at places. That kinda made it fit with the rest of the town. While I was exploring the house, I went into the kitchen. It was well kept, with minimal blood stains on the table cloth. I was going to check the fridge but I turned around when I saw a human sized eyeball in a wine glass. I knew it wasn't a human but still. I went back into the living room and sat back down. I looked around the room and big surprise nothing changed.

She walked back in and just looked at me with a unreadable expression. After a few seconds she turned into the kitchen and came back with the glass with the eye in it. When she started drinking from it, I about lost it. I started retching and looking for the bathroom. I found it just in time and lost what ever food I had eaten, which was prison food. Vunderbar. She came casually walking over to the bathroom, no longer holding her drink.

"You ok?"

"Blood, I can most definitely handle. Organs, I can handle alright as well. Ever peeling the flesh from bone I can handle. But something about eyes and brains that just fucks me over." The thought of brains made me puke again.

"I'll keep that in mind. When you're done with that, we can make you a citizen."

"What needs to be done?" I said as I sat down on the floor. Trying not to vomit again.

"Well you need eat with us and you need to be undead, but I guess we could make an exception."

"I am an undead, so you don't need to worry about that."

"You are?" She said with genuine curiosity.

"Yeah, about a year or two I fought a hydra to protect my marefriend at the time," It hurt to say that. "And I failed....she died right infront of me and it torn me up."

"I thought you said you were undead."

"I am, I used a life force transfer spell to save her. I gave my soul so that she could live."

"Very noble of you. How did you come back?"

"Believe it or not, the Grim Reaper Pony gave me a second chance."

"Hmm....I can tell you're telling the truth. He doesn't do that very often, but he is a bit of a softy when it comes to sacrificing ones self for a loved one. You are lucky my friend. Truly, truly lucky."

"You know the Grim Reaper?"

"Yes, we all do. I wouldn't call him a friend but we know him."

"I guess that makes sense, huh?"

"Sure does. Seeing how we are undead. So if you're feeling better, we can start with the citizenship ceremony."

"Ok."

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I was sat on a small rickety stage somewhere in town. The mare I will be staying with told the town about it's soon to be member. I wasn't sure about all the undead looking at me, it made me uneasy. I started looking around to see where she was but I couldn't see her. I looked at the audience and met their stares. Some had eyes, some didn't, some were even missing jaws. I had no idea what the fuck was going on.

She came up onto the stage in a slight gallop.

"I'm sorry about that, we had a little....problem. We'll get to that later. But now we have a new member to our community to initiate." She stood up on her hind legs and pointed both of her hooves like she was presenting me, she probably was. "Here we have Seth. He is obviously not a pony but he is an undead all the same. He will stand up and tell us about himself and then you can ask questions, if hes ok with it." She looked over at me. "You ready?"

I stood up and looked around. "As I'll ever be."

"Stage is all yours, my friend."

I scratched the back of my head. "Well...um...my name is-" I was cut off

"Your name is 'Fresh Meat'!!"

Those two words swam around in my head a bit and I spaced out. I felt a searing pain in my left eye. I snapped out of it in what felt like minutes and continued. "...Seth. My name is Seth. She is right, I am not a pony. I am what is known as a human and according to," I tried to think of something beside their names. "Sources, I am the only one in recorded Equestrian history. Any questions?"

"Yeah! When do we get to eat?!"

"Questions for me, I meant."

"I know! When do we get to eat you!?"

I walked over to The Mare, my left eye still hurting. "I'm done. What next?"

She walked back to the front of the stage. "It seems that somepony has upset our newest member." Upset? What does she mean? I felt liquid running down my left cheek. I checked to see what it was. It was blood. "Now if we can get passed the foalish and petty stuff, we can get on with it." She looked at me. "Soon he will eat with us and become apart of this town!"

There were mixed responses. Some cheered, some didn't and some didn't do anything. Just stared. I walked over to her. "What about that problem you mentioned?"

"Oh right! Yes, as I mentioned before, we had a small situation. Which is why I was late. I captured a wanderer on the outskirts of town. Who wants to see her?" There were cheers and whistles. "Alright. Bring her out!" They wheeled out a wagon with a cage on it. inside was....was....What is she doing all the way out here?!

I calmly leaned over to The Mare and spoke. "What are you going to do to her?"

"Oh nothing. Maybe scare her a bit, that's all. We don't eat other ponies like the stories might say. We just eat meat."

"Good but she doesn't scare well."

"Hmm? You know her?"

"Yeah shes a friend."

"I see. This is interesting." She looked over at the crowd. "But now we will eat!" The crowd turned their attention to her and cheered. She turned back to me. "Hope you like manticore."

Ugh god. "How much do I have to eat?"

"You'll find out."

"Great."