>“Anon, come with us. You've really let-”
>The purple batpony takes her friend to the side.
>She mumbles something that sounds like “don't say... he'll be upset he's... of a house.”
>Well that settles it, no way you're going now.
>Not after this despicable visit of insults.
“Nope, not coming.”
>“Aw, why not Anon?”
>The blind bat's puppy eyes game is strong.
“I do have ears, you know! I heard what you were saying! About me being the size of a house!”
>They laugh.
>Dusk Dancer raises her voice.
>'Don't be silly! We were talking about how you've been cooped up /inside/ of a house for the past two weeks!'
>Yeah yeah, inside of a house... two weeks.
>She smiles at you.
>'Come on! It might be fun! Have you ever been to the gym before?'
“No, but there's a reason I've not been. I'd be ridiculed. I'm not muscley, I'm not fit. I'd sweat out my body weight before I'd actually lose any the proper way.”
>“Don't be silly, for goodness sake. You'll do fine.”
>Well, they're not taking no for an answer.
>If you can't beat 'em, you complain some more.
“I just don't want anything to do with treadmills! I'll fall off!”
>'Then you can do weight-lifting with me.'
“Guh, b-but I can't lift anything heavier than 10 kilos!”
>They smile at you in unison.
>Very in sync, those two.
>“It's okay Anon. Nobody judges at the gym, you'll be okay.”
>'Well, not out loud at least.'
>Pom Pom hits her friend.
“Fine. I'll go to the damn gym, but if I humilate myself, you two owe me 5 bits each!”
>“'Deal.'”
>This is going to be a shambles and a half.

>“That'll be three tickets please!”
>The mare at the desk scans the three of you.
>“So... that's two batponies, and... What are you?”
>So sick of this shit...
“A monkey-like creature. That's all you need to know”
>She takes some notes down.
>“Well, we charge sentient pets extra.”
“Hey, I'm no pet!”
>She laughs behind her auburn mane.
>“I was just playing around. Here's your tickets.”
>You snatch yours off of her.
“The cheek of some people...”
>The two bats behind you snicker away to themselves.
“You two, quit it!”
>Into the room, there are treadmills, but not what you imagined them like.
>They're very long and all the operating buttons are down near the bottom.
>Well, it's a ponies world.
>The weights can't be that different, can they?
>In through the other door, you leave Dee Dee and Pom Pom behind to do step-ups.
>“We'll be right here!”
>'If you need anything, just shout!'
>The weights room has lots of stallions yelling at each other about how pumped they're feeling.
>A white pegasus with tiny wings nearly punches you with his enormous forelegs.
>“URGH! MAN, I FEEL SO READY!”
>A feeble looking foal walks by.
>“Yeah! Let's... go eat some carrots!”
>All the older stallions turn around to him and stop their cacophonous roars of self-praise.
>“Yeah, so I'll see you later guys.”
>“Uh, yeah.”
>Well, at least you can have the room to yourself now.
>Which would be damn useful if the weights were human sized.
>The barbells are more like dumbbells.
>And the dumbbells look like they're for your toes.
“This won't be too difficult then.”
>The barbell reads “30pb”
>Pb? Must be some odd pony measurement.
>You bend down to pick it up, but you find that you can't.
>When you heave at it, it feels like your back's gonna snap in two.
>Well, the girls will know better.
>They're still on that damn step-up machine.
“Uh, Pom Pom, what does 30pb mean?”
>She puts a hoof to her mouth.
>“30 pony bodies.”
>Wow. Well no wonder you couldn't lift it.
“Is there anything lighter? That was the smallest I could see and I couldn't lift it.”
>'I, uh... I don't think so.'
>Well, your only option now is the fuckhueg treadmills.
>Everything else looks too strenuous.
>You lean and press a button that reads “QUICK START”.
>Must be for beginners to learn how to use the machine.
>The surface of it gets going, starting slow at first.
>A gentle walk is fine for you.
>Wait a second...
>It's put you up to a jog now.
>Well, that's fine. You'll just have to exercise for less time.
>You can feel eyes on you all around as you start to sweat.
>Damn, who knew 20 seconds of jogging was this difficult?
>How to all them damn athletes do it back home?
>Oh shit.
>You feel it moving up again.
>Now it's a full-blown sprint.
“Uh, girls?! A little help?!”
>They both turn themselves.
>'You didn't press Quick Start did you?'
“Maybe!”
>“That's for the professionals! What the heck have you done, Anon?!”
>Your legs keep going with the treadmill, but you know they're going to slip soon.
“Where's the emergency stop button?!”
>'There isn't one!'
>“You're just going to have to keep going!”
>You're going to die of exhaustion if this keeps up!
>Five more seconds of the workout to go!
>5... 4... 3... 2...
>And then a thud.
>Your face smacks against the treadmill, and you roll off of it, defeated.
>Your so-called friends stand above you.
>“Are you okay?”
>'Are you hurt, Anon?'
“I'll take those 5 bits in coin or cheque please.”