>Ponies didn't come to the small town of Ponyville for a quiet life.
>Seems like every week something went wrong.
>When the first human showed up, nobody really knew what to do with it.
>But it was obvious the thing was scared. The small town took it in, cared for it, and tried to understand it.
>Every day another would show up out of the blue, always dressed in different clothes.
>Some had shirts, while others didn't. Thick clothes, thin clothes, some with shoes and some without.
>Try as they may, the ponies just couldn't understand them.
>After a while they stopped trying to understand them, and starting to try living with them.
>Once again, Equestria would earn its place on the world map; home of the humans.
>Soon after, it would earn it a second time.
>In the middle of all this was Hazel Brush, a young earth pony who joined the flock to Ponyville for a new life.
>Hazel never thought she would witness history.
>But ponies didn't come to Ponyville for the quiet life, after all.
 
>Hazel rolled herself out of bed.
>Her snow white mane was distraught, and chocolate brown coat fluffed everywhere. But that's expected on Mondays.
>Every morning when she went to her living room, she was reminded of why she loved this town.
>Equestria's one and only supplier of humans.
>She loved pets, all kinds, and loved to see a hard day's work done when they were clean and shiny again.
>Her very own was spread out on the couch, with its nose buried in a bright, colourful picture book.
>It looked so adorable in the mornings with its shaggy little mane and bright pink collar.
>They weren't sure why, but humans loved books. They even tried to be ponies and read pony books.
>He looked up and waved at her, with a grunty greeting.
>She got busy frying some pancakes. She found her eyes drifting over to her little human every so often.
>Why did they love books so much? It was a book for fillies, just one of five she had bought for him, but he would always re-read it.
>Humans were so silly.
>Some time later she was happily munching on her breakfast, seated in the lap of her little human on the couch.
>He was still lazily flipping through that book, and idly giving her morning ear scratchies.
>She scooped up a healthy chunk of breakfast and held up to him. He leaned down and ate it straight out of her hooves, licking it clean.
>He even made a cute little human noise after she did, his own way of saying thank you.
>This was her every day, and she never tired of it.  It was like living with a big puppy that never grew up.
 
"Come on, time for walksies!"
>She waited by the door, mane and tail freshly brushed, and saddlebags on.
>When he came over she reared on her hind legs to clip on the leash.
>She knew he loved walksies. Every time she tried to clip on the leash he would take it and do it himself, then give her mane a pat and a ruffle.
>Beyond the door and into the wide, wide world of Equestria they went.
>Oh wow, everyone was up early today.
>After the humans came, Ponyville saw a massive boom in population, and it wasn't slowing down.
>Every building was at least two stories now. It had lost some of its charm, but at least it had some proper trade going now.
>The streets were packed with ponies, nearly every one tugging along their very own human. Every human was leashed and collared.
>She noticed how they would always talk to each other, with their weird grunty voices, and loud laughter, and waving their hands everywhere.
>Aww, they think they're ponies.
>Tugging on the leash, she made her way to every human owner's first stop on workday: the park.
 
>Just as her own human, her curiosity never ceased around these things.
>Along the way she saw a pony leaving her's on a bench, next to another busy munching away on a bag of chips.
>Wait for it...
>The human held out the bag, and the other took a handful.
>She would never get over that. They're all so nice without even being trained to be.
>Soon she reached the pet-park. It was the largest park in town, and the place for every pet owner to run and play.
>Humans were different, though.
>She reared up and undid the leash.
"Alright, go on. I'll be back later."
>He knew the routine by now. With a wave he sauntered off play with the rest of the humans in the park.
>Just as she was leaving, she spied a mare teasing her own little human.
>She held it down with a hoof and dangled a cupcake over it. Whenever it would try for a bite she pulled back.
>Others might think it cruel, if they couldn't see the smile of both their faces.
>Hazel carried on to work.
>That's what was different about humans from other pets: they were so easy to train.
>Drop the leash, point a hoof, and your human will stay put for as long as you want it to. As long as they had food and some other humans around, at least.
>They could earn those tricks in seconds. Give them a day and you could even train them to do simple chores like washing and ironing.
>After a week they would barely need your help anymore.
>They could walk themselves and find their way home, and if you forgot to feed them, they would go out and look for food themselves.
>They really were the perfect pets.
 
>The pet shop door rang as she entered. It was a let well lit place, with huge glass panes letting in a generous amount of light.
>This wasn't any small town pet shop, either. Well, it was, but changes were made. It was more like a mini motel now, all thanks to the human influx.
>Humans weren't kept like other pets, either. They loved to be outside, because she supposed the shop did get a little boring if you weren't used to it.
>But they couldn't just sleep on the ground. They had to build dorms just to keep them from wandering off into any pony’s home.
>Puppies, kittens, birds and reptiles were also stocked and taken care of. Not for long, though. Fluttershy comes every week with a bag of bits.
>All this didn't matter much. Hazel worked in the back so pet hair didn't replace the floor tiling.
>The day went quickly. Brushes of all shape and size passed over every type of hair.
>Her boss asked her to move boxes, something a mare of her size had big trouble with.
>Another reason why humans are the number one pet: heavy lifting. Give them a snack and they would move whatever you want.
>So she went out and tugged on the wrists of two fit looking ones.
>"Alright." she started. "I just need you to move that big ol' crate over to the storeroom."
>She pointed out the large crate, almost as tall as her. The two little guys just stared blankly at each other.
>Okay, now that was annoying. They were trained so easily but were still so thick at the same time.
>They caught on, though, like the quick learners they were. On either side they got, and hauled the crate up.
>They shuffled it into the storeroom without a sweat. Hazel whipped out a block of chocolate and handed it to one.
>Wait for it...
>Yup, just like that they split it and walked off. So kind, so full of compassion for each other. If only ponies could be like that.
 
>Just before she left, she met up with her boss. He was a grumpy old stallion, but kind at heart.
>Maybe he finally got tired of working the shop all day.
>"You just keep an eye on the ones out back. Strange going ons these days."
"What'd ya mean?"
>"What, you haven't heard? Eh, I'm not surprised; you don't work the bench that often."
"Well, spit it out."
>"Rumour has it there're poachers around. Human wanders off for a walk one day and isn't seen again."
"Are you sure? They could just be getting lost. They're not the brightest, even for how well trained they are."
>"Well, you know ponies would pay good money to own one without having to move all the way out here."
>It was true. For some odd reason the humans didn't want to leave Ponyville.
>And it wasn't like you could just ship them off somewhere, they fought back whenever you did.
>This meant that ponies had to move all the way out here if you really wanted one.
>Ponies never did find out what their obsession with this place was all about. Maybe they're shy of travel?
"But you really think that they would risk it so close to town?"
>"They'd have to, wouldn't they? And it's not like Ponyville has ever been a quiet town. They could probably move in and just take 'em if they had enough hooves on their side."
>That was...She hadn't thought about that. Ponyville had a small guard post, but it had never been anywhere near top priority.
"But who do you think's doing it?"
>"My bet's on those slippery zebras."
>Ouch. Racist. Well, he did always talk about growing old disgracefully.
>"Wouldn't surprise me. You know how brutal those lot can be with their voodoo magic and dark arts."
"Come one, I'm sure all those stories are just old pony-tails."
>"Just keep 'em on a tight leash is all I'm saying. Everypony else has."
"Well, better safe than sorry I guess. Thanks for the tip."
>"Just doin' my job"
 
>When the day is done, Hazel's boss forks over her bits and she leaves for the park.
>She earned a bit less than she used to. Ponies in Ponyville had to pay a little extra tax to keep all the humans in the park fed.
>They didn't like to be left at home all day, but ponies couldn't just walk out of work to feed them.
>So now any human owner pays a tax and a whole variety of food gets dropped off.
>When she arrived, she called out for her human. She saw him run over from a whole bunch kicking a ball around.
>These little guys want to be like ponies so much they even started copying their games. It made her heart melt whenever she saw it.
>Actually...now that she saw it, a lot of ponies did seem on edge about something. News must have spread fast.
>Ah well, it wasn't like your little guy was in any danger.
>She leashed him up and wandered back home. Life was pretty good right now.
>A great day at work, this little guy all taken care off, got his full of food and exercise...
>Oh, that was another thing about them. Humans would eat almost anything! It made them super easy to feed.
>Fruits, vegetables, sweets, nuts, pastries, breads...Not flowers, though.
>It didn't seem to make them sick when some slips into their food, and they don't notice it either. Why all the fuss?
>"Ohohoh! Look who happened to cross my way."
>Oh by Luna's flanks, not today.
>"Still dragging around that lanky thing you call a pet?"
>Hazel turned, in an all too familiar way, and saw the one pony who had always been a thorn in her side.
>Spotlight Swirl. A unicorn with a talent for the stages. She had a soft green coat and mane made from all shades of indigo to violet.
>Which she totally dies. Hazel refused to believe that's natural.
"Ya know…" she started with a huff "you have a human, too."
>She pointed to the leashed pet by Spotlight
>"Oh, look at that, you can recognize shapes. Good job. But at least I take care of my human. Really, what have you been feeding yours?"
>She does this routine every time she sees you. As soon as humans came to town, she scooped up the biggest; most muscle bound one she could.
>Shows it off, two. Her's almost never had a shirt on.
"You don't buy a pet to show it off, Spots"
>"Not with that kind you don't."
>Scrunch mode engaged. Where did this horse get off flaunting around like this?
"We all know the only reason you got one was because you can't get a stallion."
>Spotlight's eyes went wide at that. Locked on target.
"I didn't know you were one of those owners. I could only imagine how traumatised the little guy must be."
>Spotlight's ears were slicked back. She stared daggers with such ferocity you would think she was trying to raise the sun by sheer willpower.
>All the while, your two humans were casually grunting at each other, oblivious and innocent to the wrath of mares scorned.
>"Well at least I don't come home every day smelling like cat pee!"
>Ohnoshedidn't
>She shoved her face into Spotlight's.
"You bucking horse!"
>"Hoof-licker!"
"Colt-chaser!"
>"Flank kisser!"
>The back and forth was interrupted by a pair a hands around Hazel's waist.
"Woah, hey!"
>"What the!?"
>Their two humans, their pet humans, had picked them up and held them apart.
>With another few grunts they walked right past each other, with both of you in tow.
>Struggle as she may, Hazel couldn't break out. Those two carrying the box weren't special cases, humans were strong. Really strong.
>So she resorted to glaring up at him.
"Hey, put me down. Drop, boy! Drop!"
>It didn't make much of a difference. It only earned ear scratchies from him. How did he get drop mixed up with scratch? Urgh.
>The little guy carried her all the way to her doorstep. All along the way she fumed, at that crabby mare Spotlight, herself, and her little human who wouldn't put her down!
>No treats for him tonight. No treats anymore ever!
 
>When they arrived home, he put her down on the couch and dared to give her another ear scratch.
"No. Get outta here." She swatted his hand away.
>She pushed on him to get him off the couch. Boy, humans were big. And hard to move.
"Go play outside or something."
>Her little guy, on the other hoof, thought this meant she wanted a hug. He wrapped his arms around and pulled her close.
"Urgh. No, I'm not in the mood! Get outta here!"
>Struggling, struggling, still struggling… Nope, he wasn't letting go.
>Then she spied the newspaper on the table behind.
>Would it really come to this? Humans were known for...but she couldn't risk it.
>Deep down she loved him like family. But this wasn't deep down Hazel. This was smack-a-pony Hazel.
>She didn't want to do this, but he brought it on himself.
>Reaching behind she managed to grab a hold, roll it up and did the unthinkable.
"Bad boy!"
>Smack! Right upside the head!
"Get outta here!"
>Two more swift smacks. That got him to let go. He held her out and witnessed a scrunch that would make even a dragon back down.
>It didn't have much of an effect on him. He stared blankly at her, hurt and confused.
>She took that moment to finally shove him away, and he stumbled up into a stand.
"For the last time, get!"
>With her hind hooves on the couch as leverage, she jabbed her hooves into his midriff and ploughed him away.
>He was sent stumbling across the room, with a folly of shuffling legs and swinging arms.
>This was all before he was smashed against the wall, and a loose picture frame came down on his head, giving him a nasty bruise.
>Somewhere deep down Hazel was distraught. She had never had to hit him before, not even when she found him playing pony with the pots and food in the kitchen.
>But on the surface she was bitter and stony. She turned away and refused to meet his sight.
>They both sat there and let the tension cook a solid silence throughout the house. Neither dared to move or speak.
>Then, slowly, her little human rose up and walked out of the house. He didn't even slam the door. Hazel probably would have.
>She spent the rest of the hour on the couch, stewing in her omnidirectional rage.
>She spent the rest of the night in her bed, feeling the heavy seed of regret fester in her gut.
>She just hoped what she had heard was true: that humans always came back.
>They said that no matter how much you yell at them, or glare at them, or give them yucky sprouts instead of sweets, that they always came back.
>Loyal well beyond a fault, they said. Hazel never had to test that theory. She and he were the best of friends ever since they met.
>Her eyes grew heavy throughout the night. She stayed up, staring at the door, waiting for him to come back.
>Or out the window, hoping to see a passing glance of where he might be.
>Or at the other side of the bed, where he would sleep. That's another thing; they didn't roll around in mud like dogs might. A human could keep you warm at night.
>It was a cold night.
 
>Hazel awoke to hooves crashing on her door. This didn't help her morning mood at all.
"Alright I'm coming, sheesh." It wasn't nearly loud enough for the other pony to hear.
>They didn't slow down even when she was right by her door. She creaked it open to find Golden Harvest on her doorstep.
>"Oh thank goodness you're awake. Something terrible is happening!"
>Well, this is one way to start a morning.
"What, what's happening? What time is it anyway?"
>"It's noon, but the humans are acting all crazy! They're stealing everything, not listening to any pony...We even tried squirt bottles but they just took them from us!"
>What horrid beats have you unleashed that can conquer the squirty bottle...
>"We thought that, you know, you're always around them, and you're so good with animals that you might be able to get them to stop or know what's going on I mean I couldn't think of any pony else-"
"Alright, alright, stop! I'll come and take a look."
>All it took was one poke of her head out the door, and she saw what all the ruckus was about.
>Humans everywhere, collared humans, carrying stacks of wood and tools.
>Ponies were dragged along as they bit into their clothing to haul them back. Ponies that stood in their way were picked up and tossed aside.
"What the hay is going on!?"
>"That's what we're trying to find out."
>Oh no...Was this because of her? Did humans all take revenge because one of them got wronged? Oh, she sure prayed not.
"Let's follow them, maybe we can figure out what they're doing."
>"Come on, they're putting it all in a big pile at the park."
>The two galloped through the streets. Even though it was the worst time, Hazel couldn't help but notice how frizzy her mane was.
>They were taking everything. Spanners, wrenches, hammers, wood, metal, one of them somehow uprooted a streetlamp...
>"Stop boy! Drop it!"
>Hazel turned and saw an armour clad guard waving its spear in a human's face. The human was already carrying a pile of logs up on its shoulder. It couldn't fight back.
>Oh no! Please don't hurt it! She had never heard of anyone putting a human down.
>She watched as the human stopped and stared, unamused with the pony in front of it.
>He eyed the spear for a moment, before grabbing it by the hilt, and lifting both it and the guard into the air. A vicious shake made the guard let go.
>The human threw the spear onto its pile and kept moving.
>What in Equestria could they need all this for?
 
>When they got to the park, it was an odd sight. Humans moving everywhere, carrying benches, shouting at each other in their guttural tone...
>It looked calibrated. But you couldn't see a leader. You couldn't even find your own human. What if all this fuss was about him?
>She saw that saddle bags were also strewn about, packed tight with something lumpy she couldn't see.
>"Hey! Hey! Come baaaaack!"
>Hazel turned to see a pudgy baker pony yelling at a jogging human carrying a basket.
>"That big ape stole by bread rolls!"
>Okay, really now, what could they possibly want with those? They were already fed!
"Okay...Well this is certainly weird. But we still don't know a lot about them; maybe it's just an instinct thing, like birds flying south. What about this makes you think it's dangerous?
>"Because we're in Ponyville! Everything is dangerous!
>With timing so convenient only Equestria could allow it, a human stood on the last grounded bench.
>It waved its hands, it shouted for attention. They all stopped and stared at the oddity among oddities.
>This carried on for a bit. After it was over the humans all looked more murmured to each other. Then they moved out.
>Grabbing as much as they could, they started moving their stolen supplies to one end of town.
>The guards renewed their efforts and tried to stop the mad beasts. Like before, they were mostly ignored, or shifted out of the way.
>To think that your own pets could outsmart the royal guard...
>Hazel and Harvest followed their curious behaviour to the edge of town. It was a narrow way out, with a bridge leading in between two large buildings.
>Under the bridge ran a shallow, but muddy, river. Beyond it was a large field, with a brick road cutting through. Before the humans came, it was just dirt.
>They watched, feeling rather helpless, as the humans dumped their supplies. Then, oddly enough, they began to build.
>They built upright X's all along the route into town. Some of them took to the roofs by scaling the gutter pipes.
>They stuck their wooden and iron poles into the mud of the riverbank, angled out towards the field.
>Soon enough, it became clear what they were doing. They were barricading. Atop the X's, they laid spears and sharpened shafts of wood and steel.
>Every human had a saddlebag by their side, still brimming with mystery lumps.
>What could this all be for?
>"See? I told you. Dangerous."
>Then, with their constructions complete, and all lined along their perimeter, they waited.
 
>Ponyville was no stranger to odd happenings, and this was no exception. Those that had been in the town longer than others simply went inside and watched from their windows.
>The newer ponies, like Spotlight, weren't so wise.
>"Hey! Put me down you big buffoon! Do you have any idea who I am!?"
>Hazel turned to see sweet, sweet karma in play. Spotlight was being carried underarm from some poor pony's pet primate.
>The human, also carrying a chair, approached a random door and shifted the pony in his grasp. With a final shriek, she was thrown, head first, into the dwelling.
>It quickly shut the door and barricaded it with the chair, paying no mind to the wails of the pony inside.
>Hazel couldn't help but laugh, and fell to the ground with tears in her eyes. If she had been paying attention, maybe she would have noticed that this treatment was happening to all ponies.
>She squeaked as she was roughly hoisted up by the scruff of her neck, along with Harvest, and carried over to another building.
>What had gotten into these things? Where did all this hate come from?
>She tried to crane her head up to see, but the angle was just too awkward.
>Luckily, she and her friend weren't as much of a pain, so they were let down gently inside. She looked up at her captor, now blocking the door, and her heart stopped.
>It was her human, her little guy. Her little cuddly human, who was her bestest friend, who she had never fought with, who she had cared for and loved...
>She stared up into those cold, adamant eyes with her own, tears stinging the corners. She could see the cold rage in his eyes, the utter contempt for her in that moment.
"Why?" she chocked out.
>Without the least shred of compassion, he shut the door, leaving her in the dark.
>Hazel's tears bubbled to the brim, ears folded back, legs turned to jelly and lip shook uncontrollably.
>Harvest wrapped her up in a hug.
>"Hey, shh, it's alright. He wasn't mad at you."
"Y-yes he was! I'm a terrible owner and now he hates me forever!"
>Hazel collapsed against her shoulder, and soaked it with fresh tears.
>"I saw the way he looked at you. He was worried about you."
"No, no he hates me."
>"What makes you think he hates you?"
"I hit him and he fell down and hurt his head and now he thinks I hate him so he hates me baaaack!"
>"You hit him? Well, maybe he might be a little mad..."
>That wasn't at all the right thing to say, as Hazel let out another cry of despair against her shoulder.
>"Okay, no, I'm sorry. Listen, if this means he hates us, then that must mean that every human suddenly hates their masters."
"You're not making me feel better..."
>"What I'm saying is; what are the odds that every single one, who were perfectly happy yesterday, decided to hate us overnight?"
"Maybe...maybe we're all bad owners."
>Hazel looked up at Harvest's face for an answer, who shook her head.
>"No, I don't think so. I think something fishy is going on here. I think something is really wrong with our little humans and that they need our help."
"You...you really think so?"
>"I do. This is just too crazy to happen, even for Ponyville."
"So...you're saying it's not our fault? And I’m not a bad owner?"
>"That's exactly what I'm saying, Hazel. You're a great owner."
>Hazel took a moment. She sniffled back the tears and unclogged her chest from its twisted feeling.
"Okay...okay maybe you're right. So, what do we do now, then?"
>"Hm...I'm pretty sure we're locked in here, and they're probably not gonna let us out. So let's head up to a window and see what's going on."
>Hazel just nodded, and leaned against Harvest as she was lead up the stairs.
 
>Turns out they were in an old pottery store. The owner must have been captured, too.
>They found a large window upstairs. From it they could see the many other ponies peering out windows of their own.
>Down below, the humans manned their barricade. Benches, furniture, scrap wood, metal, pointed spears, all serving to fortify the little town.
>Hazel let chocked a little as her scanning eyes found her own human. Harvest wrapped a hoof around her again.
>One of the humans on the roof above you shouted something. Even from here, they could see all the humans tense.
>Over the hill came a dark, shifting mass. It wavered back and forth like thick liquid as it approached from the horizon.
>Everyone waited as the mass came into view. It was no mass, no eldritch horror, they were ponies.
>Wait...no, not ponies. Zebras. Carrying weapons. Not so much real weapons as improvised ones. Scythes, pitchforks, slingshots, blowguns, and very large sticks.
>From somewhere deeper in Ponyville, a voice was heard.
>"Ahah! I knew it!"
>The crowd must have been at least a hundred of them, all closing in. At a distance they stopped, and one stepped forward.
>He was wearing traditional zebra battle armour, with its twisting paints and curvy, exotic design. Most of the other zebras were nude.
>"Ponies of Ponyville." His voice was deep and bellowing. "Come out and surrender unto us your human trophies."
>Poachers! But how did the humans know? They weren't...actually communicating through all those cute little noises...right?
>When no pony answered, he spoke again.
>"Ponies! Are you so cowardice as to hide behind your own companions? Send them out to us and your town will not suffer."
>Once again, no pony replied.
>Ponies! My patience grows thin! You will-"
>A meaty slap was heard, the zebra stumbled back a number of steps. He reached a hoof up to his face and pulled it back in shock as it was stained red.
>He looked down and saw the cause.
>"Was that a rock!?"
>His answer was yet another rock.
>Oh sweet Celestia! They're throwing rocks. How could threw throw rocks of all things!?
>"That is it! My soldiers, take the town!"
>A roar bellowed throughout the valley. The noises of thundering hooves were met with throaty rage of the human's own.
>Soon the sky was falling with hail from hell. Rocks, wrenches, spanners, and oddly enough, pastries. Pastries so old they might as well have been rocks.
>As they charged, one by one they turned away. A rock to the face can be very demoralizing for a pony.
>Tears, snot and crimson ran down the zebras muzzles when they turned to run. The stinging pain was alien and all too real for them.
>There were some who were lucky enough not to be struck by that hellfire. They made it to the barricades.
>Not for very long. A rock may hurt, but it can only hurt once. The fury of a fist, the zebras found, came down again and again.
>All it would take is one good swing to send a zebra running, so many didn't make it past.
>The luckiest, or perhaps unluckiest, managed to clamber over, before they were quickly hauled overhead and thrown to the ground.
>Those were the ones who were going to be crying for days over their bruised sides.
>It was the quickest conflict Ponyville had ever seen, yet by far the bloodiest.
>As the last few stragglers ran for the hills, their leader retreated long ago, the ponies watched in objective horror.
>Never before had they seen such cruelty as to spill blood from their foes. Never before had they heard the soft snapping of muzzles when struck without the mercy of pulling the punch.
>From the ragged breathing of the humans came a cheer of glory, and from the ponies, a whimper of empathy.
 
>How could they do that? How could they hurt so many poor zebras?
>Hazel knew they were bad zebras, zebras who wanted to take their humans away, but...
>They didn't really deserve that, did they?
>The humans seemed to think so. They were bantering amongst themselves, with pats on backs and fists in the air.
>These are what they had been feeding, loving and caring for? What they had all been keeping in their houses, letting into their beds?
>Hazel saw their faces twisted into sick grins, their hands naturally stained with red blood, and their teeth so sharp as to stab the air itself.
>To think they were all so stupid as to trust these things. What would possibly happen to her little town now, after what cruel giants they had awoken?
>What would happen to her little guy?
>No...no, she couldn't believe it. They weren't monsters! Her little guy was her friend! She knew he loved her back, she had felt it every night they were together.
>He had always been so happy to see her when she got back from work, always so relaxed in her home, always so comfortable around ponies.
>She knew it had to be so. She reached her hoofs out from the window.
>"Hazel! What are you doing!?" Harvest whisper-screamed.
"I'm going down there to get my little guy back!"
>"Are you crazy!? Did you see what they did?"
>Hazel was dangling from the window sill now, wrapping her hooves around a nearby gutter pipe.
"Yes, I did. And yes, I am."
>With a wink and a smile she said.
"We are in Ponyville, after all."
>Before Harvest thought to stop her, she slid down to the street.
 
>Hazel's hooves were patting soft on the streets of Ponyville, while the humans stomped and cheered.
>When she approached, the ruckus died down. All eyes turned on the small pony, all alone in the street.
>She stopped before them. They returned her curious stare. Neither party moved an inch, neither sure of their own next move.
>The pungent silence came back. The tension clogged the minds and lungs of all who were there. Nobody dared to breathe.
>Suddenly a disturbance came through the crowd. A single human was making its way through. It emerged from the front and stumbled forward a few steps.
>It was him. Her little guy. He looked at her with an expression she had never seen before.
>Sorrow, shame, relief, and joy all smushed together on one pallet.
>Her own face was much the same, a thick concoction of fear and childish hope.
>The moments stretched long between them, before he turned and addressed his crowd.
>She didn't know what those sounds meant, or if they meant anything at all, but many variants of the same sound rang back as an answer from the humans.
>With that, he turned back and started towards her.
>Now the fear sunk its teeth into her, but was restrained somewhat by her hope, deep down.
>To turn tail and run, to lock herself away from the all the cruelty of these things, these scaredy Hazel wanted nothing more.
>But she wasn't scaredy Hazel. She was deep down Hazel, and she would stand her ground to love her little guy no matter what.
>He stood before her, and she waited for whatever to come.
>He leaned down, and from his pocket pulled a long pink cord. He clipped one end to the collar he still bore, and held the other out to her.
>What? They wanted the ponies to take them back?
>After everything they had done to those poor zebras?
>They couldn't take them back!
>They couldn't. It just wasn't right...Was it?
>Hazel eyed the leash of her pet, of her friend. All eyes, human and pony, were on her.
>They...they weren't pets. Not after something like this. They could be so much more than that.
>Hay, she would even bet her bits that they could be treated as equals.
>But they just...didn't want to? Why not? Wouldn't it be horrible to be...just some pony’s pet?'
>The weight on Hazel's shoulders blew a sigh from her.
>Well...She wasn't sure why, but they wanted to be pets. She had no right to turn them away, if not as pets, then as friends.
>With a hesitant hoof she reached out for the leash. Her hoof hovered over it for a moment.
>Her eyes met with her little guy's. She saw no contempt, no regret, no anxiety. She saw the look she had grown dear to, and the new look of a dear friend going out together on fresh horizons.
>She laid a hoof on the leash.
>...
>Hey...it was true...
>Humans always came back.
 
>Nobody moved to Ponyville for the quiet life, but after word had spread of the human's triumph over the zebra poachers, life did become a whole lot quieter.
>Ponyville continued to grow. Over the years it would make its way from small town to small city.
>But for now, here with Hazel and her little buddy, it was just a quaint little pony town under the shadow of Canterlot.
>The humans continued to live under pony hoof. The ponies never did figure out why. They tried to reason with them, to give them responsibilities and freedoms.
>The humans just didn't seem to want any of it. They were happy living under the ponies.
>The daily cuddles, the free food, the many sunny days they spent by the lakes without a care in the world, because they had ponies to care for them...
>The ponies never seemed to notice how easy their little pets had it.
>That night, Hazel returned home with her little guy. Her bed wasn't nearly as cold that night, or any other night.
>Every morning started with her feeding him breakfast, then helping her at work, as humans were now allowed in work spaces...
>Through the many years of life they would share, they would run together, play together, laugh together and cry together.
>They would stay the best of friends until the grave, always being her cute little guy.
>And her, as his little pony.