Filly Eyes

by Betty_Starlight

Chapter 23: New Developments

I followed the yellow stallion across the plains of Equestria, after we left Bridlewood. I stare out at the open landscape and see all of the rolling hills and pastures… I smell the flowers on the cool breeze and it goes across my mane and pigtails and I can feel them swaying and lightly tickle my back, like they often do… This is not the Equestria I remember though… This too, is very different...

He looks back at me over his right shoulder and says in his masculine voice, “Well, I gave Twinkle Shine a trot along earlier, but she spent most of her time at the station! Figured we’d take a walk around town before we got to the boring stuff!

“Oh, wow! Do you get a lot of action, walking around town?” I ask him while keeping my eyes trained on the landscape ahead… I see lush vegetation, and lots of new hills, but nopony in sight...

“Oh, not really! Walking around town is almost as boring as the station, but at least you get to meet the ponies and say hi to them! Honestly, meeting other people and making sure they’re safe is my favorite part of this job!”

“Being a sheriff is pretty important right?”

“Sure is, squirt! Without me, it’s a LOT more dangerous!”

I contemplate this for a moment as I keep trotting… There’s nothing else to do and so I think about how as a sheriff’s assistant, I’d be helping keep ponies safe… I blink as I then think about how that’s a heavy responsibility! Oh no! What if I choke? I wonder as my mouth frowns with this new disturbing thought. I shake my head when I remember again, what I keep telling myself! Don’t think too much! Thinking too much is bad!

“You got quiet Little! You okay, little buddy?”

“Oh, I’m fine Hitch! I’m just uh, thinking…”

“What are you thinking about?”

Oh no! I can’t tell him! He can never know! I think before saying, “Oh, just how this will be an interesting new experience for me! I’ve never worked in a sheriff's office before!” and then smiling at him… I think he fell for it?

He looks back at me over his right shoulder and smiles, “Well, the important thing to remember is to relax, kid!"

Oh, easy for you to say Hitch! You’ve been sheriff for like, a hundred years! I’m new! I think before blinking and doing my best to smile and saying, “Oh, okay Hitch! I’m sure this will be just fine! Yes! Fine! Of course!”

He turns back forward as we both continue to trot across the open fields when he stops and smiles as I see a big rusty metal gate in front of me with the words Maretime Bay written in some weird way I can’t quite place. I blink as he says, “Well, here we are! Good old Maretime Bay!”

Oh! Great! This is gonna suck! I think as I gulp and stare forward at the entryway…

<*****>

Oh, golly! And then, this happened! I think to myself as I stare at the passed out blue unicorn filly with her curly multi-colored mane thrown over her side as she laid on her back there, underneath the covers, and being snuggled not only by a small gray kitten on her left flank, but now, a white kitten with tabby markings on spots on its body, on the other side! I frown as I think that even this might be stretching it for the hold I seem to have on Izzy and besides, I really don’t want to burden my mother with anything else! Then, I widen my eyes as I realize that thought could only mean that I truly care for the bright bubbly blue unicorn!

“Un…” Misty says as she stirs underneath the covers… I then see her smile as she bends over and starts to pet the new white kitten with her right forehoof. “I love you Thomas!” she says as her cerulean eyes stay peeled on the new feline…

“Ahem!” I clear my throat as I stand there in front of her bed…

She looks up at me, “Oh uh, hiya Twinkle! What’s up?” she says before smiling nervously at me…

“Oh, golly! I only got you one cat! Where did the other one come from?”

“My fairy god-pony gave it to me!”

My brows furrow as I frown, “Misty!”

“He was a gift from the Mystical Pond of Thornar in the Glade of the Forbidden!”

My gaze raises slightly, “Misty, those aren’t real places!”

Her eyes widen, “Well, they could be!”

I lower my gaze, “Misty!”

She breathes heavily out of her mouth in and out… She finally says, “Well, honestly, this kitten really did follow me home! I was out in Bridlewood at the market… And well, I saw him out of the corner of my eye… He looked at me with his sparkly little eyes!”

I narrow my mouth, “Do you adopt every cute animal you come across?”

She frowns, “Well uh, n-no, I guess I shouldn’t do that?”

“Well uh, how does Thomas make you feel?”

She blinks, “Well, better? And when they’re together, they snuggle and play a lot?”

I raise my left eyebrow, “So, would you say that Thomas there enhances what you already get with Boris?”

She frowns, “Um, that is a good point! I mean, they’re better together!”

I adjust my eyes and nod with a new resolution! “Right! And that’s what we’re gonna tell Izzy! That two kittens can work symbiotically!”

“Symbi-what now?” Misty asks with a frown.

I look at her, “Never mind! No worries, Misty! I’m pretty sure you can keep the kitten!”

<*****>

I stare up at the bright orange alicorn as she reads over my report card at the breakfast table. I magically lift my toast and bring it to my mouth to nibble on the sides…

She frowns and says, “Wow! These grades are REALLY good! And you always come home at about one o’clock?”

I swallow and look up at her with the toast still in my glowing azure grasp to the right of my face, “Well, sometimes, one thirty or even two? Never after two though!” I say before nodding and continuing to eat my toast…

“Hmm? Too bad we couldn’t get you into any sort of special program, to take advantage of your amazing mind?”

I blink and say, “Yeah! It’s almost like intellectualism is discouraged in a fascist society like Maretime Bay, right?” before eating some more of my toast with a slight crunching noise as I first bite into the bread.

She glances at me, “What was that, Jessi?”

I blink, “Oh, nothing mom!” and smile up at her…

She smiles down at me, “I’m still not used to that, but it does make me feel good!”

“Yeah, Sunny! It sure does feel good to have somepony like you around!”

She gives me the warmest smile I’ve ever seen before saying, “Hey, Jessi! Wanna skip school today?”

I frown up at her, “What, mom?”

“Well, why not? You’re already ahead in class, and I don’t have any activism stuff to do today!”

“This won’t become a habit, will it?” I say before thinking that it’s kinda ironic that I’d be the responsible one, here!

She giggles, “Of course, not! Hang on! I’ll go get my board games!”

I widen my eyes when I contemplate what I have just gotten myself into!

<*****>

I trot alongside Sheriff Hitch through the dusty streets of Maretime Bay as I see rows of multi-colored shops and windows on either side. I stare at everything with my eyes wide and I hope I don’t look too nervous as I glance around…

Suddenly, I see a blue earth pony use his teeth to swipe a pink mare’s purse! He gallops down the road and I point with my left hoof and say, “Sheriff! Thief!”

Hitch wastes no time and springs into action to run directly down the road and quickly catches up with the perpetrator before tackling him to the ground as his powerful yellow body slams into his back! He looks back at me and says, “Thanks little buddy! Catch!” before grabbing the purse off the ground by the strap with his teeth and flinging it to me by sweeping his neck from left to right…

I catch it with my teeth and say from between them, “No problem, Sheriff!”

He smiles, “Hey! Call me Hitch now, partner!”

I smile as I imagine the prospect of me and Hitch fighting crime together!

Too bad all of that happened in my mind! I think to myself as Hitch yells at me yet again.

“Little Snack! Still with me?”

I look up at him and say, “Uh, yeah! Sure thing, boss!” and smile at him…

He frowns at me with his eyes wide, “Uh, you okay buddy? You seem kinda out of it??

I smile as wide as I can and say, “Oh, I’m just fine! We’re all fine here! Yes!”

He lifts his left eyebrow, “Well uh, maybe some caffeine will do you some good? Would you like a coffee, Little?”

My mouth shrinks as my eyes grow, “Well, gosh! I’ve never had coffee before! But uh, sure! I’ll try anything once!”

<*****>

I stare up at the blue unicorn wide-eyed and say to her, “Oh, golly! There was a fire and I got burning filly all over me and I had to rescue the kitten and well, its old home is destroyed now and it has nowhere else to go! Can we keep him, PLEASE?”

She’s obviously trying to suppress giggles as she almost smiles and vibrates while staring at both of us, Misty on my left and me there, with the new white kitten snuggling my neck while it lays on my back and vibrates and makes strange noises. “Why do I find that hard to believe, Twinkle?”

I frown, “Well uh, probably because…” I blink, “Probably because it’s a lie mom… Misty got a new kitten and well,” I adjust my gaze up to her, “he seems to get along well with Boris? Can we keep him, too, please?” and then, widen my eyes all the way so they’re big and cute while I smile up at her hopefully.

“Please, Izzy? Can we keep the new kitten?” Misty adds while tilting her head right and batting her eyelashes like I taught her…

Izzy smiles, “Fine, you two! You can keep both kittens, but no more and you gotta clean up after them and feed them!” her eyes widen as her body jumps! “I’m serious! I got craft things to do and you both need to take care of this!”

Misty’s body jitters as she says, “You got it, Izzy!”

While I frown and say lowly, “Weren’t we gonna do that anyway?” before adjusting my eyes back up to her, “Uh, you got it, mom!” before widening my eyes and saying suddenly, “Symbiotically! Yes! They both work together symbiotically!” before quickly wondering why I did that?

Izzy widens her eyes, “What, Twinkle?”

I look back at her, “Oh uh, nothing! Wake n bake was kinda heavy, because um, well, you see, I’m literally having kittens here!” and smile up at her…

She grins and giggles, “Yes! We all have kittens now!”

Misty chimes in, “Two of them!”

I frown when I realize that I was just open and completely honest… And everything actually turned out okay!

<*****>

I stare up at the yellow stallion as I sit down in the wooden chair next to the empty one on my right in front of his desk… My body is slightly vibrating at this point at a fast pace, but I don’t really pay attention to that, “Sheriff Hitch! Can I be honest?”

He looks down at me and smiles, “Sure thing, squirt!”

I widen my eyes while continuing to jitter, “Your job is really boring!”

He giggles, “Yeah, I know, right? Everypony thinks being a sheriff is all about heroics and action and fighting crime with my hooves, teeth, and grit, but most of it is just sitting around doing paperwork and waiting on somepony to call me! Uh,“he eyes down at me. “You okay, little buddy? You’re kinda vibrating down there in the chair?”

I smile, “Well uh, I did drink three and a half cups of coffee? Um,“nature calls and I suddenly widen my eyes. “could you direct me to the little filly’s room, please?”

He giggles and points off to his left with his forehoof, “Yeah, just head back that way, little buddy! You can’t miss it!”

I blink, “Thanks Sheriff Hitch!”

He smiles, “Just Hitch is fine, okay partner?

I smile up at him, “Thanks!” and quickly get off the chair to hurriedly make my way to the back of the station!

I slowly trot back into the main office area while my body shakes slightly from the enormous amount of liquid it just expelled and I can’t help but notice that there’s nopony here!

I trot to the desk where I find a note that says,

“Dear Little Snack,

I had to go on a call and will be back soon! Don’t worry little buddy! I’ll bring donuts for breakfast! Just sit tight!

Sheriff Hitch”

I gaze up from this note and think, Well gosh! He could’ve at least left me something to do!

I hear a strange gurgling noise from behind me…. I turn around and see a humanoid green scaly creature there smiling at me with many horns on his head… I suddenly wonder where the word humanoid comes from, before he smiles and starts walking towards me!

He manages a few paces before suddenly, the door behind him opens and in trots an orange alicorn with wide green eyes and she says, “Hitch! You gotta come quickly! It’s an emergency!”

The baby dragon (I think that’s what it is?) turns around to stare up at her while I gaze her way and keep my eyes open, “Uh, Hitch isn’t in! I’m his assistant!” and smile. “How may I help you?”

<****>

I remained there floating as I, the Staff of Opening, and this new object remained frozen there, in the green forcefield… I don’t know why it wanted me, but all I can do is float here, as I felt strong and powerful energy fizzing inside my horn as it shone white sparks that occasionally fly from it...

The forcefield suddenly pops and I, the golden staff on my left and the new diamond shaped silver plate on my right all fall to the ground! They both land with a clang and a clatter as my hooves go clack against the stone floor of the strange bluish-green cavern I was in…

I raise my body as I stretch my wings and bring them back to my body and lift my neck up to stand upright again… Suddenly, my eyes widen when I realize there’s extra body parts there!

I scream, “AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!”

Suddenly, I see an orange filly galloping into the cavern from the entryway in front of me with two green streaks flying behind her when she skids to a stop and stares at me with wide green eyes from about ten feet away, illuminated by the sickly greenish-blue glow of the cave, “Sunny said you were trapped, but you don’t look trapped to me?” her eyes widen all the way and her neck raises. “Hey! You got wings now! Cool!”

I stare at her in a panic as I gasp and can only stammer out, “WHAT… JUST… HAPPENED… TO ME?”

I see an orange alicorn gallop into Little’s right and skid to a stop before panting for breath and she turns her head left to the earth filly and says to him, “You sure are in good shape, Little Snack! Go slower next time!” before turning her head back towards me and widening her eyes. “What happened Jessi?”

I stare at her with panic in my pupils, “You’re the alicorn! You tell me!”

She frowns, “A filly alicorn? I’ve never heard of such a thing!”

“THAT MAKES TWO OF US!” I shout back at the orange pony on my left with my eyes closed in sheer panic.

The orange pony on my right then frowns and says, “Whoa, neat!” before turning her head right to the adult alicorn and I see her pigtails sway to the opposite direction as she says in a real official sounding voice, that somehow stays squeaky. “So uh, let’s start from the beginning! Tell me what happened, ma’am?”

<****>

“Oh, golly! I’ve never used dabs before!” I say wide-eyed to my unicorn mother and smoking buddy in front of me…

She smiles, “Well, since Misty said she wanted to take a nap, I figured I’d get you out here to try something new!” she nods. “You use the butane torch to super-heat the banger before using this little spoon here to drop in a few drops so it vaporizes with the extreme heat!” she nods down to the mouthpiece on the strange bong like pipe sitting on the table, “As you suck, the vapor gets drawn through the water chambers and it then goes into your mouth and down your throat!” and she finally smiles. “And that gets you high!”

I frown and stare at the dab rig (as she called it) when I suddenly realize it’s gonna be another one of those days…

<****>

I snuggle the blue rainbow maned pegasus plushie to my chest while laying there on my side… I feel her soft body against me and this new source of comfort causes me to smile… Even though I already had two warm furry vibrating reasons to smile, snuggling me from behind while deep inside the covers there… I felt snuggly happiness as I lay there in quiet satisfaction...

(To be continued...)