>Up late, trying to write great American novel >Stupid neighbor kid is firing BB gun at 2AM >He is killing stray neighborhood fluffies as they cross the road >You don't care about the damn things but he is so goddamn noisy >His dad won't stop him because the redneck bastard's a hunting nut and shit >Frankly you're scared of the guy >Hear noisy tap on door >If he's shooting your house it's the last straw >Tear open the door >Tiny, charcoal-and-goldenrod fluffy unicorn is staring up at you with tears in its eyes >It's so small, probably still counts as a foal >You're about to slam the door, but then it talks >"Mista hooman, fwuffy can nu find mommy." >You spend a second realizing its mother has probably already been shot >Only reason this one is alive is likely that its coloration hid it on the road >It takes your pause as a chance to add, "Gotta owwie on weggie. See owie jooce?" >Sure enough, it has a dripping score mark on its leg where a BB grazed it >That fucking kid >Two luminous eyes meet yours. "Hewp pwease?" >Maybe you should boot it off your stoop >But none of them have ever talked to you before >You weren't even sure they could talk >The internet is full of so much bullshit >Patch him up >Find out his name is Sparks, because he can make all of three sparks come from his horn >Easy to feed, not too messy >Let him run around on your lawn while you watch >Not even a week later, a loud crack interrupts your playtime >Sparks starts crying >Neighbor kid took a shot at him, took off the very tip of his left hoof >Pick up your pony while neighbor kid comes across the street, not too fast because it is busy >He's small, you're not afraid to yell at him, holding the shivering Sparks in your arms >Kid has a smarmy smile on his face while you curse up a storm >His dad stalks out from behind their house, crossing the street and looking pissed >Holy shit is he big, cars actually stop for him instead of the other way around >Starts yelling at you >You cower and stammer as though your pet getting shot is your own fault >He says soon his son will be old enough to use a real gun, and accidents should be avoided >Gives a very poignant look at you when he says 'accidents,' like you're in the line of fire too >Taps you on the head for emphasis >You can't meet his eyes >Little Sparks fucking loses it >"NUU BE MEAN TO DADDY!" >He gets glowing-white Twilight eyes >His horn turns yellow and shakes >He releases the biggest blast of sparks a fluffy pony has ever fired, to your knowledge >It's not a tenth of what a real unicorn could manage with ease, but it makes your douchebag neighbor blink and take one step back >He's close enough to the busy street that a car catches his arm, spinning him around and disorienting him >His son reaches out to steady him >Being a manly man, the neighbor tries to push his kid away >Kid stumbles over a lane of the road >Speeding bus flattens him into red paste >Horrified father staggers towards remains of son he just killed >Giant truck, honking, spreads him all over its grill and drags his dead body for fifty feet before stopping >Long pause, watching cars hurry on or stop >"Daddeh, dey full of owie-jooce!" >Big laughs >Sparks gets a fluffy mark of a few yellow dots >Pet ownership kicks ass