Title:           Goldilocks: A Tatzlpony Tale (Part 5)
Author:          AngryWino
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/0WEHakUY
First Edit:      Saturday 16th of January 2016 11:31:41 PM CDT
Last Edit:       Last edit on: Monday 15th of February 2016 03:55:15 PM CDT

>The sun is starting to go down, and you're not out of the woods yet.
>Literally.
>Trees are still pretty much the dominant scenery as you walk alongside the tracks.
>Obviously the area is sparsely populated - towns are clearly few and far between.
>So your first encounter with living civilization comes as you're rounding a bend in the tracks.
>The rails start to sing their metallic song.
**Is that music?
"No, it isn't."
"I'm not sure what these people are like, so to be on the safe side, let's get out of sight, okay?"
>In the distance, you can now hear a rhythmic huffing and clanking.
/A steam locomotive? They're not even up to internal combustion technology yet?/
**A-anon, the ground is rumbling!
"Come with me."
>You lead Goldilocks to a stand of shrubbery from which you can watch the tracks without being observed.
>The train is coming from the direction you were traveling in, so you decided that observation is your best bet at this point.
>Belching gray smoke from its funnel, the brightly-painted engine heaves into view, iron wheels turning, pistons pumping.
**It's a monster!
>You put a hand on her head and stroke her mane, reassuringly.
/It's a machine, a locomotive./
>As it thunders past, odors of oil and smoke assault your senses.
/It's a wood fire! They're not even using coal!/
>You see figures in the cab, but you can't make them out.
>Iron wheels clack along the tracks as the tender goes by, followed by a windowless carriage you take to be baggage or freight.
>The next three carriages have windows, and you see faces through them, with prominent muzzles, like Goldilocks.
>You sense her excitement as she spots what looks like others of her own kind..
>...tinted with fear, how peculiar.
>The next carriage is an open gondola carrying an assortment of goods and crates covered in canvas or tarpaulin, and a few barrels.
>The last carriage is a caboose.
>You rise from the bushes and watch the train recede into the trees, its noise gradually fading.
 
**They look like me!
"Yeah, kinda."
>The ears were not nearly as long and fluffy as hers.
>You walk back down to the tracks, Goldilocks practically bouncing alongside you in her excitement.
>But you still get that distant spark of fear as well.
**I can't wait to meet them!
"I'd guessed, but take it from me, it's probably best if you don't swallow them, okay?"
>You hear her sigh in your head.
**Who knows? If they're like me they may think that swallowing you is just a friendly way of saying 'Hi'.
"Please, don't even joke about that."
>She giggles, and you can't help but smile.
>A moment later, the trees thin out.
>There is a trestle crossing a small stream, and you decide that now would be a good opportunity to get a drink.
>Not to mention freshen up a bit before barging into town looking like goodness-knows-what.
>You wish you could shave - you have nearly a month's growth on your face now.
>Goldilocks thinks a bath is a good idea too, she races right into the stream and takes several deep gulps of the cool, clear water.
>Racing back to you, she grabs your arm and touches your face.
**Come on in, the water's fine!
"Sure. Turn around first, okay?"
**Oh come on, I've already seen everything...
"Don't remind me! Turn around."
>She rolls her eyes, but complies, withdrawing her tentacle and jumping back into the stream.
>You begin to disrobe.
"No peeking!"
>Finally you get in the stream too, washing up as best you can in the cool water.
>Hopefully in town you can wash up properly, but you don't want to scare anyone.
>Finishing your cleaning, you turn to find Goldilocks sitting serenely on the bank in a direct line between you and your clothes.
/Clever girl.../
"Turn around."
>With a grin, she shakes her head no.
"C'mon, give me a break here."
>Her grin only gets wider as she shakes her head again.
>Sunset is not far off, you don't have time for this.
>So you know what?
>Screw modesty.
 
>Rising from the water you stalk towards your clothes.
>Goldilocks blushes a deep crimson, but her expression quickly changes from embarrassment to approval.
>Dripping, you pass right by her.
>You're faintly surprised not to be molested by tentacles in passing.
>You open the leather satchel and withdraw a towel you had also salvaged from the caravan, and begin to dry yourself off.
"You wanna play games? I can play games too, Goldilocks."
>A tentacle presses to your temple.
**Nice outfit...
>You round on her, snarling and holding up your hands like claws.
"ROWRBAZZLE!!!"
>She yelps in surprise and bounds away from you, laughing.
>Wait, she's not linked.
>The sound isn't in your head, she's actually laughing!
>You go back to drying off and getting dressed.
/So she can vocalize, she just chooses not to most of the time./
/Why is that?/
>The mystery deepens.
/What am I getting myself into?/
 
>You cross the stream on the trestle and finally come to the outskirts of what looks to be an apple orchard, just as the sun is beginning to set.
>Goldilocks has not stopped smiling the whole time.
>One of these days you're going to have to find a way to get her back.
>Goldilocks' ears prick up, and you both halt, getting down low.
"I hear it too..."
>It sounds like children's voices...
>Goldilocks sends you a tentacle.
**Ahead on the left...
>She is in full hunt mode now.
>You nod, and together you crawl silently forward, finally spotting an old treehouse.
>It's very well-maintained, and freshly-painted.
>The voices are coming from inside.
>The door opens and two very small horses come out.
>An orange one with a purple mane and tail, and a white one with a pink and purple mane and tail.
/How can those colors even be naturally occurring?/
>You feel Goldilocks tense up.
/NO. SWALLOWING./
>She gives you a bit of a dirty look, but relaxes.
>You wait quietly for them to leave, expecting that the treehouse will now be empty.
**Okay, so what's your plan?
 
"It's almost nightfall. I think I would prefer to meet the neighbors during the day, so I recommend we camp here tonight."
**Ready-made shelter.  Not bad.
"C'mon, I think the coast is clear."
>As you quietly approach the treehouse, you see that the door is quite small.
>You're going to have to stoop very low indeed to go through it.
/Let's not make a mess, okay?/
**Sure, whatever you think is best.
>As you reach for the door, it opens from the inside.
>A small yellow horse with a red mane and tail emerges and stops dead in her tracks on catching sight of you.
/Shit./
>She has a bright red bow in her mane, and a brand that looks like a shield with an apple.
>She stares at you, and you stare at her.
>Suddenly she shrieks and darts between your legs, jumping to the ground and running, whinnying with fear.
>She never stood a chance.
>In two bounds, Goldilocks has caught her.
>Muscular black tentacles ensnare the small horse, and her cries are suddenly muffled.
"Goldilocks!"
>You leap down to the ground and run up to her...
>...but the small filly is already gone.
"How do you expect people not to treat us like monsters if we act like monsters?!!"
>Her face reacts as though you'd struck her.
>A tentacle darts out to your face.
**I'm no monster!
**I promise you I won't hurt her, just like the bird!
"But she'll be traumatized!"
**No she won't. I'll take away the fear and give her a nice dream, okay?
"Wait, you can do that?"
**I always do that! It just didn't work so well with you.
**Look, you want to know more about where we are, right?
"Oh for the love of..."
**Trust me, this is best way to learn. Just give me a couple of hours, and I promise you, I'll let her go.
>You put your hand to your head and stalk off a few steps, then turn about.
"What's her name?"
**What?
>You point at her.
"Name! Now!"
>Goldilocks concentrates - you feel a slight buzz from her link.
**Applebloom. Her name is Applebloom.
"Remember that, okay?"
 
>Goldilocks sits quietly under a tree, her tail twitching occasionally.
>Above, the sky has changed to deep blue, and stars are beginning to appear.
>A reddish cast in one corner of the sky is the only remnant of that fantastic sunset.
>You believe Goldilocks when she says she won't hurt the filly, but you can't help fretting all the same.
>You decide to have a look inside the treehouse.
>There is a banner on one wall; a blue shield with a yellow silhouette of small horse wearing a cape.
>On the opposite wall, three shield-shaped banners are lined up in a row.
>One shows a musical note inside a star.
>Another shows a lightning bolt.
>The third shows an apple.
>You swallow and look away from the banner.
>There is also a prominently displayed poster of a small blue horse with wings, and a rainbow-colored mane and tail.
>There is yellow writing on the bottom of the poster, but you can't read it.
>The language is unknown to you.
>A few simple furnishings, trophies, a vase with flowers, and other bric-a-brac complete the small homey structure.
>You decide to go see how Goldilocks is doing.
>Going outside and walking up to her, you gently place a hand atop her head.
>She opens one eye and looks at you, then a tentacle extends a brushes your face.
**Sshhh. Almost done.
>The tentacle retracts.
>You go back to pacing.
/Applebloom. I hope you and your family will look kindly on us./
>The longer this takes, the greater the likelihood that someone is going to come looking for her.
>You sit in the grass and pull up a few blades, fidgeting.
>In the grass around you, crickets begin chirping.
>A tentacle brushes your temple.
**Finished!
>You breathe a sigh.
**I learned so much! They call themselves 'ponies'...
"Are you ready to let her out?"
**Oh, of course!
>Withdrawing her tentacle, she turns to one side and spasms, as though heaving.
>Her mouth opens wide, and the little yellow filly emerges, carefully supported by Goldilocks' tentacles.
 
>Goldilocks gently sets Applebloom down on her hooves and withdraws her tentacles.
>Her eyes open and she begins to walk, as though in a daze, or sleepwalking.
>You go to stand, but a tentacle stops you.
"Where is she going?"
**Home. I suggested that she should go home and go to bed.
**She'll feel fine in the morning.
>You sigh.
**Hey, you trust me, right?
>You toss away the blades of grass you had pulled up.
**We're on a farm, called 'Sweet Apple Acres', on the outskirts of a town called 'Ponyville'.
**I learned so much from Applebloom. She's so smart, like you.
"Really?"
>You're still a bit upset.
**I can teach you everything I learned.
"What?"
>She smiles enigmatically at you, then rises to her hooves.
**Follow me.
>She recovers her tentacle and trots over to the treehouse.
>You get up and follow her as she goes inside.
>The lamp you brought from the caravan is on a table, the flame turned low so as not to attract attention.
>Goldilocks turns and steps up to you, looking into your eyes and extending a tentacle to your face.
**First, I have to know that you trust me.
>You sigh again.
"I know, I'm being silly."
"You're right, you haven't hurt anyone, and you've always been truthful with me."
>You reach out and ruffle her mane, she smiles and leans into your touch.
"So yes, I trust you."
**Good. Then put out the lamp, and sit down on the floor.
"Why?"
**Please?
>You have to trust someone sometime.
>So you put out the lamp, then lower yourself to the floor, sitting cross-legged.
"Okay"
>Goldilocks mane shines a bit as she crosses the shafts of moonlight streaming in through the windows.
>She stops right in front of you and sits on her haunches.
**Now close your eyes.
>You do so, and you feel her warm breath bathing your face.
>You peek.
>Her muzzle is just inches from your face.
**No peeking, just trust me.
>You make yourself close your eyes, and you feel another tentacle touch to your other temple.
 
>There is a slight buzzing sensation from the tentacles on the sides of your head.
**Now, just match my breathing. Go on, in...
>You breathe in.
>Her breath smells sweet, like those purple fruits that she likes so much.
**And out. Slowly.
>You exhale.
**And again, in...
>She smells so good.
"Is this like a meditation technique?"
>A tinkle of silvery bells, her giggle, seeps into your consciousness.
**Something like that.
**No talking now, just breathe. In...
>You could get used to this. She really does smell good.
**And out...
>Yes. You can trust this strange being that you only met about a month ago.
**And, in...
>Your breathing matches hers; you feel like a good night's sleep would be just the ticket right now.
**And out...
>The tentacles massage your temples gently.
>Your eyes are closed, so you don't see Goldilocks open her mouth impossibly wide.
>You don't see the tentacles as they coil about you, gently gathering you into their embrace.
>You are only aware of being gradually enveloped by a warm, peaceful, relaxing sensation...
 
>You awaken, feeling refreshed, lying on the floor of the treehouse.
>It's still night - you hear the crickets outside.
>The moonlight is coming in the other windows though, so some time has evidently passed.
>You become aware of a warm weight on your chest.
>Goldilocks is lying beside you, her head resting on your chest, a contented smile spread across her lips.
"What are you up to?"
>She opens her eyes.
>"Sssshhhhhh."
>Did she just shush you?
"Goldilocks..."
>A tentacle slowly emerges from her mouth and slithers up your chest to your temple.
**I'm listening to your heartbeat, silly.
"What is it about listening to my heart that's so interesting?"
>The tentacle caresses your face.
**I miss feeling it inside me, beating right next to my heart.
"Ah."
/Wait - two and two makes.../
"Oh my g... did you swallow me?!"
>The silvery tinkle of her giggle.
**Yes.
 
>You sit up and scoot away from her.
"Holy shit, Goldilocks, why would you do that?"
"You know how I feel about that!"
>That silvery giggle again, as she sits up and regards you languidly.
**Because that was the easiest way for me to teach you what I learned from Applebloom.
>What?
**And come on, be honest.
**It felt pretty good, didn't it?
>She comes over to you and presses her ear to your chest again.
**I got it right this time. At least, I know I feel good.
>She leans into you and purrs.
>You know what?
>You do feel pretty good.
>You reach a hand up to her head and scratch between her ears, causing her to purr more loudly.
>You notice your arm, where you scratched it on some bramble.
>The thin red welts are gone.
**Yeah, I fixed up all your injuries too, just like I did the first time.
"The first time?"
>She pulls her head back and looks you in the eyes.
**Yes. You were in pretty bad shape when I found you.
**I don't know, but I think you might have been dying.
>She leans her head on your chest again.
**I'm glad I took the time to fix you though.
>The mystery deepens yet again.
/What have I gotten myself into?/
>A thought strikes, and you look at the poster on the wall.
"Rainbow Dash."
**Hmmm?
"I can read the writing..."
>You are in actual awe.
>That really is a useful talent she has.
**Do you know what's even better?
"What?"
>Goldilocks looks you in the eyes again.
**I know where we have to go, and who we have to see to get the answers we're looking for!
>You stroke her mane.
"Really?"
**Yes! She lives right here in Ponyville, and her name is Princess Twilight Sparkle!
 
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