A Reckless Mare

by TangyTango

Poor Reception

Anon collapses to the ground, clutching his chest, gasping for air.

Reckless sighs at the sight. “It been only few hill.” Reckless nudges Anon with her hoof, pointing to the town limits a mere 100 yards away. “No be baby, almost arrive.”

The “100 yards” quickly turns into a complete nightmare. Anon’s histrionics causes Reckless great grief as she had to repeatedly yell at him to get a move on. Anon eventually falls to his knees, struggling to breathe.

“Reckless… you’ve got to le–” Anon begins, pointing at her back, but Reckless immediately cuts him off.

“No. You not doing that.”

“But Reck, I can’t take it. Just this once.”

Reckless frowns, looking down at Anon as he pouts.

“Please?”

Reckless feigns consideration, before beginning to kick at Anon’s kneecap, forcing him to his feet.

“Long as live, you never ride!” Reckless continues her assault until he’s back to walking. “Never!”

Anon hangs his arms down, with an exaggerated limp in his “injured” leg. Reckless regains her smile as the duo marches back toward the city.

It’s only a few minutes more at the improved pace, and they eventually reach the outermost home in the town. Anon leans up against a wall, heaving for air.

“No worry Anon, maybe town hall made out of chocolate!”

Anon gives Reckless a very, very disgruntled expression, which she laughs at.

“Is only joke. We here anyway, so just bit more and you rest.”

Anon nods solemnly, continuing forward into the town.

---

Anon the lardass collapses in front of the town hall.

Reckless isn’t shocked, she attempts to force his body up the town hall’s steps and move his body inside, which causes quite a stir among the Ponyville populace when his body continues to roll back down.

A particular tan mare takes notice of the commotion, her eyes wide with shock at the horrendous display in front of her. “What is the meaning of this!?”

Reckless looks up the staircase briefly, a sheen of sweat forming from the incredible exertion Anon’s heft provides.

She returns to her task of rolling Anon up the stairs, choosing to speak while moving. “New assignments, glory to Celestia, yada yada.”

“New assignments? As in guards?” The duo’s appearance still dumbfounds the mare, their grody mud-covered appearance isn’t the most reassuring sight.

Reckless glances up once more to the mare. “Assignments to city, yes we are guards. Where is city leader? Do they have hoist maybe?” The momentary discussion causes her to lose leverage on Anon. He tumbles down the staircase once more. Reckless settles on a less conventional way to get him up the stairs.

The mare’s expression only grows more horrified, her voice now a shrill panic. “J–Just… I’m the major, and you need to unho– Unbite that poor ape before you kill him!”

Reckless looks up once more, pausing in her attempt to simply drag Anon up the stairs by the collar.

“Why not say that earlier ma’am? Very sorry about comrade, no PT for months, highly unhealthy.” Reckless pokes at Anon’s face.

“No poking him either. I’m Mayor Mare. I’ve read about you in the papers, Reckless, and whom I presume is Anon.” She points to his limp body on the staircase.

Reckless eagerly nods.

Mayor Mare glances around the duo, clearly searching for something. “Celestia told me two pegasus guards would be accompanying your visit.” She pauses, looking down at Anon once more. “The mud isn’t a good indicator of your safe arrival here.”

“Pegasus leave in hurry, Anon dumped in mud.” Reckless states bluntly, completely disillusioned by the day's events.

Mayor Mare peaks her eyebrow, inhaling sharply as she calls out to the crowd that has formed around the town hall. “I’d like two able-bodied ponies to assist Reckless here with carrying Anon up the stairs!”

A stallion from the crowd shouts back. “The who and the what!?”

Mayor Mare sighs, looking the duo up and down for an apt description. “The green ape goes up the stairs, load the ape onto that tall chestnut mare.”

Two ponies present themselves from the crowd, helping to place Anon on Reckless’ back as he is hauled up the stairs.

Upon reaching the deck, the duo is ushered inside the town hall, the doors are shut behind them by Mayor Mare.

Mayor Mare looks down at her floor, abhorred by the trail of mud. “I don’t even know where to begin, and frankly; your little stunt caused quite a commotion.”

Reckless almost retorts, biting her tongue as the Mayor continues. “Your room and board is in the basement, it says barracks, nopony could miss it. I believe some bedding has been put out. Lie your friend down there. We can discuss this in the evening. I have some cleanup to do.”

Before Reckless can even respond, Mayor Mare has left the building in quite a hurry, addressing the crowd that has now formed around the building. Their shouts of confusion penetrate the walls.

Reckless doesn’t pay it any attention, moving towards the barracks laid out in the basement. The bedding is an utterly pathetic cot, the town clearly isn’t used to a garrison. The barracks itself is a relic of a long-gone era.

Lying her comrade out on the cot, she drapes a blanket over him. Three hours of rest will go a long way for him. Reckless awkwardly sits on her cot, it’s a tight fit, but she recognizes its embrace well enough. Sleep isn’t too hard to find.

First impressions are a tiring labor.

Author's Note:

Whew! Sorry for the horrific delay. When life happens, you gotta deal with it. I hope you guys enjoy.

Comments

[Glitched Grim]

“No worry Anon, maybe town hall made out of chocolate!”

Neat left 4 dead 2 reference.

[Odd_Sarge]

The “100 yards” quickly turns into a complete nightmare. Anon’s histrionics causes Reckless great grief as she had to repeatedly yell at him to get a move on. Anon eventually falls to his knees, struggling to breathe.

I love their back and forth so much. Comfy progress.

[RandomLittleHorse54]

Happy to see another update. Finally good to see a Reckless story (and a quiet well written one) on Fimfic.