Title:           Goldilocks: A Tatzlpony Tale (Part 13)
Author:          AngryWino
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/nEh2ApDY
First Edit:      Friday 26th of February 2016 02:31:08 PM CDT
Last Edit:       Last edit on: Friday 26th of February 2016 05:00:33 PM CDT

>The ride over to the Apple family farm gives you a chance to think.
>Back home, when you took off your uniform for the last time, you swore to yourself to be a man of peace from that point on.
>But the situation you’d just been in today…
>All of that training and experience had rushed to the fore.
>Even now, you find your mind drifting to thoughts of routes of approach and retreat, defensive strategies, and the logistical challenges of evacuating the town.
>You hope that won’t be necessary, but annoyingly, you can’t get your mind to shut up about it.
>Besides, where would they go?
>No, the Princess is right.
>Whatever it is she has in mind, the stand has to be made here.
>But this isn’t even your world.
/So why did I say I would stand with them?/
>This is not a situation you ever wanted to be in again.
>Ahead the barn and farmhouse come into view, their carefully painted surfaces tinged orange by the lowering sun.
>The same sun also kisses the tops of the apple orchards stretching as far as you can see, lending an almost surreally beautiful cast to the scene.
>Somewhere among the apple orchards, you hear children laughing and calling to each other.
>Big Mac turns off the road, headed towards the barn now.
>”Well, it sounds like they had a good day, anyhow.”
>You can only grunt in agreement until you see the game.
>Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo break from the tree line, all running pell-mell towards the farmhouse, laughing hysterically.
>A moment later, you see Goldilocks break the tree line as well, a determined look upon her face.
>Scootaloo is lagging a bit behind, and suddenly Goldilocks pounces upon her, tentacles streaming froth from her mouth and seizing the little pegasus filly.
>Your blood runs cold.
/Oh no. She wouldn’t./
>But instead of pulling the squealing pegasus into her maw, Goldie’s tentacles tickle the little orange filly, producing peals of laughter.
 
>Scootaloo’s chums reach the house and turn to watch, also laughing.
>Goldie wraps her tentacles around the little filly and lifts her up, then trots around the yard with her held aloft like a prize.
>Scootaloo sticks out her hooves and flaps her wings.
>”Look! I’m flying!” she calls to her friends.
>This produces more laughter from Applebloom and Sweetie Belle, as Goldie runs around with Scootaloo in the waning daylight, laughing with delight.
>You dismount from Big Mac’s cart, feeling lump forming in your throat.
/This./
/This is why I stand with them./
>These are your friends, which is more than you can say for the people you wound up fighting for back home.
>Goldilocks notices you then and skids to a stop, then carefully sets Scootaloo on the ground.
>As soon as she has released the little pegasus filly, she runs towards you.
>At speed, you suddenly notice.
“Oh, shi—“
>You barely have time to brace yourself before Goldie leaps onto you, knocking you to the ground and covering your face with kisses.
>Yeah, that hurt a bit, but you're not angry. You can’t be.
>You reach up and rub her mane and ears, causing her to nuzzle into you, purring.
>Two of her tentacles stream to your head, and you feel waves of happiness and mirth flood into your mind.
**I missed you! I had a lovely day, but I wish you had been here to share it with me!
>You pull her head to you and kiss her back, but she tenses.
**What’s wrong?
>Not surprising. She can read your thoughts and feelings.
/Big Mac and I ran into some old friends of yours./
>Goldie pulls back and examines your face, hers a clouded mask of unreadable emotion.
**You’re not hurt, are you?
>And with that she is fussing over every little scratch and bruise she discovers.
>Including, embarrassingly, the ones she just caused.
>From her reaction, you’re starting to get an idea of just how badly you got banged up on your little adventure.
 
>You hadn’t thought about it; you’re used to working through the pain to get the job done.
“Seriously, I’m alright. I feel better just being here with you.”
>Goldie steps aside, retracting her tentacles, and lets you get back onto your feet.
>As you stand, you notice Big Mac approaching with an elderly pony by his side.
>”Granny, this here is my friend, Anon. He helped me get out of a really sticky situation today.”
>You feel faintly embarrassed as the wrinkly green pony scrutinizes your face.
>”Well, he is kinda funny-lookin’, but any friend of an Apple is a friend of all us Apples!”
>You give her an embarrassed smile.
“Thank you.”
>”Well, thank YOU, for lookin’ after my kin.”
“Ah, well, we were on a job of mine, so I felt a degree of responsibility…”
>”Aw, never mind that, let’s get you in the house and get you cleaned up. And you and your lady-friend are stayin’ fer supper, ya hear?”
>You can tell just from the tone of her voice that resistance would be futile.
“Thank you very much, we would love to stay for supper.”
 
>For the second night in a row, you and Goldie are treated to a hearty Apple family home-cooked meal.
>Granny Smith had insisted on tending to your injuries first, with some help from Applebloom.
>The atmosphere around the Apple family table is more boisterous, but no less congenial.
>Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle have also stayed for supper, giving it more of a family feeling, especially since they seem to have some sort of competition going on to see which one of them can get you to laugh the hardest.
>Applejack does her best to reign in their shenanigans.
>Applebloom and her friends tell you about the sights and small-town attractions they saw with Goldilocks that day.
>Their schoolhouse, the fairgrounds, town hall, the train station, and Fluttershy’s cottage.
>Goldilocks had apparently quite enjoyed meeting all of Fluttershy’s animal friends.
 
>They’d also shown her where the old Golden Oak Library used to stand, and told her stories about the things that had happened there.
>Then they had come back to the farm to see the rodeo field, where Applejack had put on a show of her skills, and the apple orchards.
>Goldilocks discreetly passes you a tentacle.
**They also showed me their clubhouse, but I’m not supposed to tell you that.
>She smiles discreetly at you.
**Apparently it’s a secret clubhouse, but it’s also where we spent our first night in Ponyville.
/Ah yes, I remember that./
>Goldie leans over and nuzzles your chin, retracting her tentacle.
>All in all, Goldilocks and the Cutie Mark Crusaders seem to have hit it off pretty well.
 
“Hey, Applejack, before we go…”
>Applejack trots over to you as you take a knee.
>”Yeah, pardner?”
“There’s an army coming, and they may be foraging, so it would be a good idea to lock up the house tonight, and bring your family into town..”
>Applejack grins and playfully drives a hoof into your shoulder.
>Her well-meant friendly gesture nearly knocks you over.
>”Shucks, you’re awful sweet to worry about us, but this is our land, and we’ve faced down worse before. I’m sure Twilight’s plan will work. You’ll see!”
“I wish I had your confidence, Applejack.”
>”Well here, lemme lend ya some,” she says, and then she rears up and gives you a hug, to your surprise.
>You pat her back self-consciously, mindful of Goldie watching you both.
>”Now you and Goldilocks get some sleep, ya hear? Tomorrow’s gonna be a big day.”
>The tan farm pony drops back onto her hooves.
>”And thanks again for takin’ care of ma brother!”
>She waves her hat as you rejoin Goldilocks and head out the gate, back to Ponyville.
“Sometimes I wonder if I’ll ever get used to how friendly ponies are.”
 
>Goldilocks draws closer to you, extending her tentacle.
**Maybe it has something to do with the Princess of Friendship.
“I suppose it could, at that.”
/Maybe more than a fatuous title after all…/
>You feel momentarily bad for having misjudged these technicolor equines.
>They are built of sterner, more genuine stuff than you would have guessed on seeing them for the first time.
**Hey. Are you sure you’re okay?
“Aside from being chased by soldiers and tackled into the ground not two hours ago, and then stuffed full of country cooking, yeah, I’m fine.”
>That silvery giggle of hers in the link, again.
>No, not in the link, she’s giggling out loud.
>You stop to look at her, and noticing your scrutiny, she becomes self-conscious and stops as well.
**What?
>You reach out and give her a scratch behind the ears.
“Nothing, I just realized that I love the sound of your voice. You should use it more often.”
>Bingo. Blush activated.
**Stop it, you idiot…
>She can’t stop smiling though.
“Yeah, you say that now…”
>You resume walking, and Goldilocks bumps into your side as she catches up to you.
**Thanks.
“Don’t thank me yet, you haven’t seen your present.”
>New excitement sizzles in her link.
**What did you bring me?
“Aw, I can’t tell you, it would spoil the surprise. Wait until we get to the castle.”
**Meanie…
>She deliberately bumps you , and you laugh.
“We’ll see how mean you think I am when you see your present.”
>The moon seems to follow you as you walk back to town.
 
>Arriving at the castle, you find Spike waiting in the main hall, giving a pointed look to the clock.
>”Did you notice how late it is?”
“Sorry Spike, we were at Sweet Apple Acres. I imagine you know how their hospitality is.”
>”Lucky for you I do. Twilight has already retired for the night, but she wants to see both of you at breakfast, so make sure you’re there, okay?”
“I will, and thanks for waiting up.”
>”Hmm. Good night Anon, good night, Goldilocks. Whoa!”
>Goldilocks couldn’t resist picking Spike up and giving him a cuddle with her tentacles.
>”Okay, you too Goldie, now put me down, please.”
/Hmm, this place even seems to have had an effect on her as well./
/I wonder if it’s had an effect on me?/
>It’s an interesting point to ponder.
>If you ran into the people who knew you from your old life, would they say you’ve changed?
>You head up to the room, finding the things you and Big Mac brought back from the caravan carefully stacked by the window.
>Removing the twine from the big music box, you open the lid and look inside.
>Immediately you frown.
>The mechanism has become dismounted from its proper location, and the main spring practically leaps out of the cabinet at you.
>That rough ride was probably too much for it.
>So now you have a fix-it project ahead of you.
>Well, it’s a chance to try out those tools anyhow.
>You close the lid and carefully cover it, then pull one of the smaller boxes from the pile.
**What are you doing?
>She’s snuck up on you again.
>It’s almost creepy how quiet she is.
>Her breath washes over the back of your neck as two tentacles slowly slide around your chest.
“Your present.”
>You hold the smaller box out to her, winding the key beneath it.
>Her eyes shine on seeing the intricately carved woodwork, and she leans in and gives you a kiss.
>It still feels weird being kissed with a mouthful of tentacles, not that you mind.
>Goldie takes the proffered music box in her tentacles and opens the lid.
>The box begins to play.
>( https://soundcloud.com/alpha-99/music-box-lullaby-for-a-princess-short )
>It’s not the one you were hoping to give her - that’s going to need some repairs first.
>But this simple lullaby still has the effect you are hoping for.
>Goldilocks is transfixed with wonder, and sits on her haunches.
>Her link becomes filled with colors.
>Tears form at the corners of her eyes.
**It’s sad… what does it mean?
>You quickly reach out and wipe the tears away from her cheek with your thumb.
“It’s a lullaby.”
>Goldie looks at you, blinking away the tears, and leaning her head into your hand.
“Mothers sing them to their children, to assure them that they will see them again in the morning.”
>She looks back at the box.
**How can something so beautiful make me feel like this?
“Sometimes sad things are beautiful. And sometimes beautiful things are sad.”
>You lean in and kiss away a fresh tear from her face.
**I love music. I want to hear more…
>You rise from the floor, her eyes following you.
“Tomorrow. We really need some sleep now.”
>You give her another kiss, then break the link so you can get undressed.
>She watches as you go over to the wardrobe and begin to disrobe.
>You hear her winding up the box again.
>”Can I bring my music with me?”
>You sigh.
“Okay. It’s a lullaby, so it’s fine for… hang on…”
>You turn to face her, shirt in hand.
“You said that out loud.”
>Her eyes widen, but she doesn’t say anything else.
>Dropping your shirt on the chair, you go back to her and look her in the eyes.
“Say something else!”
>Goldie backs up a step, her eyes widening further.
“Oh come on, please?”
>Goldie looks away, shaking her head.
/What is this hang-up she has about making sound out loud?/
>You wrap your arms around her neck and draw her into your chest, so she can hear your heart beat.
>You feel her cheek, still damp with tears, on your chest.
>A soft purr is your only response.
“Okay, fine. In your own time, then.”
>And the music box plays on.
 
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