Seth watched the foal’s corpse ebb and bob within the coffee pot for several minutes, wishing for that spark of joy that fluffy abuse usually brought him. But with his mind firmly on what he might lose that day, his heart wasn’t truly in it. Pouring the kettle into the drain, Seth let the red foal’s lifeless body tumble into the sink with a light thud. Running the faucet, he washed out the kettle before tossing it in the garbage. Then, taking the sprayer in his hands, Seth let the water flush away all the coffee that was still in the dead foal’s fluff. Once Seth was satisfied that it and the sink were clean enough, he grabbed several paper towels and lightly dried of the cadaver before bundling it over and wrapping it several times.
Taking the swaddled foal’s corpse, Seth decided that he’d check up on Ash and Starburst first. Making a quick stop to pick up his first aid kit from the hobby room, Seth made his way to the saferoom.
Opening the door, Seth heard absolute silence from within. Walking past the fluff-proofed fencing, he saw Ash’s body splayed across the floor, a small pool of blood next to his head. “Damn it…” Cursing his own lack of self control, Seth knelt over the fallen stallion and opened the medical kit. Turning Ash’s head slightly, he could see that the eye had indeed been torn from it’s socket, but the wound had already sealed, so he was past the risk of bleeding to death. As Seth ran his hands along the stallion’s cracked orbital socket, he began to groan and wince, despite being unconscious.
It would need to be set or Ash would be useless today, thought Seth. Grabbing a small tube of glue from the kit and removing the cap, Seth firmly held the stallions’ head in place, forcing the cracked bones back in place, with Ash lightly writhing as his other eye began to flutter open. Moaning slightly, Seth could tell that while clearly pained he wasn’t fully aware just yet. Taking the tube, Seth carefully ran the tip across the breaks, allowing a small bit of the adhesive to soak within the cracks. Once a fair amount had been used, Seth put the tube down and simply held firm until the fractures were finally set.
Once Seth was satisfied that the bone would hold on it’s own, he made a makeshift covering for Ash’s empty eye socket. While the thought of the stallion scaring Starburst was fun, he’d need to manage their torture carefully today. Placing a cloth bandage over Ash’s ruined eye, Seth then wrapped it firmly in place. As Seth was finishing up, the stallion slowly roused, his groaning raising in pitch as his eye began to focus.
“…aSh hAb wOwsTeSt oWwiEs iN sEe pWaCe…wAi aSh nU sEe gUd…”
Even as Seth placed his hand on the stallion’s chest, Ash weakly pulled away, still aware enough to remember loathing his owner. “You lost one of your eyes last night Ash. You misbehaved and were punished…” Seth minded his tone, as even though he wanted the rebellious stallion to regret his behavior yesterday, he didn’t want to give in to his anger again. Seth’s overreaction had nearly cost him today’s fun, and had forced him to kill Sassy ahead of schedule. Trying to manage the maelstrom of conflicting emotions within, Seth took a deep breath as he leaned over and retrieved the red foal’s cadaver. “…Now today is very important to me, and I will not have you ruining it Ash. So if you disobey me today, then I will take this…” Seth held the wrapped fluffy up to the stallion’s remaining eye, even as he flailed lightly, struggling feebly to get away from the dead foal. “…And I will put it in Starburst’s sorry-box, right along side her. Do you understand me?”
Shaking slightly, Ash’s breathing had become rapid as Seth dangled the deceased fluffy inches from his face, the stallion quietly tearing up as he hesitantly began to nod.
“nU pUnISh sTaWbUwSt sEff…aSh bE gUd…”
Throwing on a sudden smile, Seth hid the body away in the medical kit. “Good! Now I think it’s about time to let Starburst out. And since your being so reasonable right now, I’ll get you two some food and water…” Taking the top off the cooler, Seth could see the beaten pillowed mare, her flank bruised and her breathing shallow, the melted ice now soaking her fluff. Directly on her snout was Ash’s disembodied eye, the discarded tissue having long since deflated. Placing it on the cooler’s lid for the moment, Seth hefted Starburst’s dripping unconscious body out of the sorry-box and placed her on her pillow, the wet mare occasionally shivering and mewling, even in her sleep.
“I’ll go get a couple of towels while I get your breakfast. In the mean time, you may want to keep her warm…” Struggling upward, Ash trotted slowly over to Starburst, climbing her bed and feebly wrapping himself around her, his teeth chattering as his body made contact with hers.
“iT aM oTay sTaWbUwsT…aSh aM heWe…nU bE cOwDiEs…”
Seth gathered the icebox and carried it to the other side of the fence, leaving it out for the moment, just in case Ash forgot himself. Grabbing the stallion’s lost eye, he made his way out of the room, pretending not to watch as Ash warmed Starburst. It had taken four years to bring the pair to this point, with each and every trial and tribulation pushing them to the point of breaking mentally. And still he loved her. Despite all the pain that it brought him, he still loved her. Making his way to the kitchen, Seth opened the garbage and discarded the lost organ. Was he making a mistake? Could Plucky truly replace Ash? It had only taken two days and the pegasus had nearly wanted to murder Sassy. While Plucky was truly growing on him, Seth was starting to second guess himself, his concerns for the future weighing heavily apon him.
Filling a small jug with tapwater, Seth pondered his decision, wondering if he was making the right choice. If only fluffies lasted longer, thought Seth. He knew that is was his fault, that he could have controlled himself better, but Ash had made Seth so furious. Never in all the years they had been together had he been so obstinate, so openly defiant of what Seth told him. But now he was sure that Ash wouldn’t make it to tomorrow, his injuries making todays plan far more difficult. Seth feared that the wounded stallion’s heart wouldn’t truly be in it, and struggled to think of some way to even his odds for later. Turning off the tap, Seth grabbed the water jug and made his way back to the bathroom, lost in his thoughts. Grabbing a pair of towels, Seth then returned to the saferoom.
Opening the door, Seth walked over to the fence, hearing Ash try and console the quivering Starburst. While not yet fully conscious, the trembling mare was whimpering in her sleep, her slumber uneasy. Even as she trembled and mewled, Ash draped himself over Starburst, trying in vain to calm her and dispel whatever demons haunted her dreams.
“…nU cWy sTaWbUwSt…aSh aM hEwE…aSh wUv sTAwBuwSt…”
Seeing Ash’s attempt to comfort his former special friend, Seth suddenly smiled, as the answer came to him. It was so diabolically simple. Walking heavily as he crossed over the fence, Ash yelped from surprise, his arms tightening around Starburst as he eyed Seth nervously.
“…aSh bEiN’ gUd…p’WeAse nU gIb hUwTieS sEff…”
Finding him self in a rather good mood, Seth put the jug and towels down and leaned over, his hand reaching out towards Ash. Wincing as he covered his eye, the stallion shrieked, moving over to protect Starburst from the perceived attack. His eye firmly shut, Ash was surprised to feel Seth gently petting him, the stallion twitching under his touch but far too frightened to pull away. “You can use those to cover her up and dry her off. And afterwards you should eat up and then get some rest buddy. You’ll need it for later. Don’t forget what day it is…” Filling up the food and water dish, Seth then made his way out of the saferoom, humming slightly as he left Ash to his breakfast, the stallion’s fear now growing into mortal dread.
Seth was elated, his sour disposition from before nearly forgotten. As he walked from the saferoom to his living room and crossed over the gate, he smiled as he saw Cyclops, laying on her side. Stifling a yawn, the mare looked up to Seth as she fed two foals, her face brightening as she gazed up at him.
“Gud bwite time daddeh…Cycwops am su biz’ee dis mown’in…Nebah hab su mani babbehs tu gib miwkies befow…an’ am such gud babbehs tu…”
Casting a gentle smile down to the mare, Seth took a quick glimpse around the room gauging where the other fluffies were. Nearly all the foals surrounded Cyclops , most chirping happily, with their bellies full. Next to the food bowl, farther down the tarp, was Raptor. Gently lapping up water, Seth could see how even just kneeling over pained the little pegasus. But as Raptor rose from the bowl, Seth was surprised to see the white foal, blindly waddling along as the pegasus made his way back to Cyclops. As it chirped and peeped, struggling to keep pace with the adolescent pegasus, Raptor would look back and adjust his stride, allowing the foal to catch up. Seth was loathe to admit it, but it was pretty damn cute that the foal and Raptor had taken a shine to each other. It had probably happened while the little white fluff was stuck in the carrier with Raptor for so long.
His attentions now back to Cyclops, Seth sat down next to the nursing mare, petting gently. “Good morning sweety! I see you’re taking good care of the new babies. Have they all been good so far?” Despite his nefarious intentions for the majority of the foals, it did please Seth to see how happy caring for them made Cyclops. But with the gratuitous number of fluffies in his living room, Seth already knew that he’d have to greatly thin out their numbers, and soon.
""Babbehs am su gud daddeh! Cy’cwops feew sowwy fow huwty babbehs doh…Tu wingie babbehs am missin’ wan of deww wingies! Cy’cwops gib dohs babbehs wots of wuv! Giv wots of wuv tu haff weggie babbeh tu!
As she spoke of the fluffies that were injured and maimed, Cyclops’ tone lowered, clearly not wanting the poor things to overhear her. Turning as she noticed Raptor approaching, the mare simply smiled to the pegasus.
“Nyu mummah? Am dohs babbehs fuww nao? Waptow’s widdew bwudah am hungwy an’ nee miwkies…”
His head turning upward, Seth smiled slightly as he saw Raptor begin to tremble, the pegasus trying to stifle an audible gulp as he noticed his owner. Oblivious to Raptor’s trepidations, Cyclops lightly nuzzled the pegasus from his stupor, careful not to disturb the surrounding foals.
“Babbehs awmost dun Waptow…den it am widdew wite babbeh’s tuwn.”
His head only turning slightly to meet her’s, Raptor never took his eyes off Seth, the pegasus still lightly shaking despite his new mother’s kind presence. Cyclops reached downward, unlatching the foals that had been nursing, their bellies lightly distended as they peeped and chirped happily, and placed them beside her with the rest of the foals that had already eaten. Then, gently grasping Candyfloss’ neck with her teeth, Cyclops slowly worked the wriggling foal to her teats. Despite her attentiveness however, Candyfloss began to scream as she was lifted from the ground, flailing wildly as her rest was abruptly halted, her eyes opening to the sight of Cyclops’ maw.
“*screeeeeee!!! …*chirp…chirp…mun’sta!!! …*chirp…*chirp…mun’sta wan num ba’beh 'gain!!! …*chirp…*chirp…hewp!!! …”
Shocked from both Candyfloss’ sudden screaming and flailing, Cyclops struggled against the peeping foal. Despite her tiny frame, Candyfloss had surprised her new mother and writhed and kicked herself nearly free. Before Seth could intervene, Raptor rushed forward in a blind panic, snatching Candyfloss and then running past the tarp and to the gate, trying desperately to find a way past.
“Munstah nu huwties babbeh! Munstah nu huwties babbeh!”
It was clear that the pegasus was horrified, with Candyfloss’ screams and protests pulling his mind back to the hobbyroom. Convinced that she was in danger, Raptor tried in vain to protect her from the only monster he had ever known, Seth. Walking up to the screaming pegasus, Seth loomed over Raptor, grasping the foal away from the confused fluffy. Petting the chirping foal, Seth calmed Candyfloss as he glared towards Raptor, trying to decide his punishment.
