//------------------------------// // Chapter 13 : Ballet Betrayal Pt. Two // Story: My Little Marriage : Mary is a Mare // by MerlosTheMad //------------------------------// A robin alighted unto the branch of a small tree which sat at the center of the stone-ringed garden Mary currently had her hooves dug into. The mare lifted the cold-sensitive plant out of the earth gently, then lowered it into its new potted home. She wiped her forehead with the back of, what she considered to be, one freakishly flexible pony leg, and looked up at a bird that had curiously come so close to her. It was surprising, the stereo only a few meters away played some classic rock music rather loudly, and she herself was none too quiet either. Mary smirked up at the creature that tilted its head one way and then the other at her. While looking, her hooves dusted themselves off soundly. She frowned down at the pitiful job of it they had done. Note to self... she thought, irritated by the remaining soil, dirt clumps onto fur. Her breath caught when the robin hopped off of the tree and down to the ground right before her. "Hey there little guy." She couldn't help but grin down at the creature that cocked its head to and fro at her, as if getting a good look. "You live around here?" "Eh, sorta lady, I kinda live where ever I want, I hate getting tied down to one spot. You know how it is, I'm sure. You don't strike me as the one guy kinda gal, if you know what I'm sayin'." The robin hopped, wings fluttering slightly as it spoke clear as day. Mary's disbelieving smile quivered, one eye twitched, and her brain had shut down entirely. "Wh-what?" she muttered. Had standing on two legs still been her default, she would have fallen over by now. The bird roughly added, "What, you deaf or somethin' toots? I said-" Mary gasped, and her head shot entirely upright. Bewildered and panicked eyes looked around the back of the house's yard, desperately trying to regain their owner's bearings. Slowly, the near hyperventilated breathing slowed, and her mind calmed itself. It was just a weird dream, nothing but a dream, Mary. She let out a relieved breath. That was a really weird dream... Even weirder than that one a few days ago with the...that other pony thing. The warm afternoon sun beamed down from between the clouds overhead, so much so, that she had fallen asleep and taken a nap, apparently. Her legs all reached out and quivered as she stretched, then reached forwards so that her back could do the same. She frowned a moment, then cricked her new neck as well. "Ah, that's better." A search began as she surveyed what she had been doing. A few bulbs and plants ready to be stored were at home in a few pots, and the decorative shrubs and trees that needed covering had finished plywood awnings over them. They had all been re-used from last year, except for one. Mary wore a satisfied smile as she recalled setting it up. Whatever her hooves' trick was, it wasn't strong enough for the likes of a tool. She walked placidly up the back porch stairs to go inside and get another drink, just thinking about it made her taste the old rubber handle of that hammer again. Mary hummed a happy tune to herself as she walked to the fridge, an idle thought playing through her mind. I wonder if those dreams mean anything. The van rumbled up to the front of the out-of-the-way country home to the tune of heavy metal. The side of the vehicle read "Wayne' Cart" clearly in bold black lettering, the s faded out of existence. Bordering the old van's insignia, were simple animal silhouettes. The passenger side door slammed open furiously, menacingly. A black booted individual lept out from within. His hands strummed an air guitar without abandon. The tallish man was grinning wildly and had a head of salt and pepper gray, shoulder length hair, pulled back and contained in a pony tail. A second man with faded, blonde hair that curled chaotically, hopped out of the driver's side, more reserved but with no less of a wide grin on his face and converse on his feet. Both men also wore the grey jumpsuits signifying their station as Animal Control. Emblazoned on the front of each uniform, were similar markings as those found on the van. Still strumming, the first man rocked his way to the back of the van, and opened the doors to reveal several cages and tools of their trade. His mp3 player continued delivering music, while he and his partner picked up a catch-pole each. They closed the doors, and approached the side yard from the front of the house. The blonde man spoke in a serious tone to his colleague. "Okay dude," His brow drew down in a determined manner. "The customer said that the little intruder was in the backyard, you ready for this?" The taller of the two's eyes widened, then he pulled out his headphones. "Sorry, you say something, man?" The blonde man rolled his eyes. "Dude, I said the little dude said, that the mutated dog was in the backyard. We gotta focus, we'll never enlighten the world with music if we can't even pay rent." "Ooh, yeah." The taller man let out a chuckle, and tucked his headphones away, then put on a look of deep concentration. "How much longer you think until our music brings universal harmony to the world?" His friend shrugged. "Gotta be any day now. Let's do this, you ready?" The gray haired rocker put on an age old smile and turned to face the entrance. "Totally." Together, they kicked in the wooden palisade that was the fence to the remote country home. Mary stepped out of the kitchen, cold lemonade beverage in hoof, when the sudden sound of the side gate opening up made her ears twitch. Who could that be? She thought in response, her mind turning over a few possibilities. After a moment, she shook her head and reassured herself. Don't be silly Mary, you don't have any friends that would just show up, and we never get visitors, it's probably just Agnes. I bet she decided to come back to keep you company. Smiling at having relieved herself of the worry, she trotted to the back door and began undoing the lock to go outside and see who it was. The door creaked open, and who she did see surprised her. "Herbert? What are you doing here?" Mary smiled and used the doorway to easily stand on two hooves, immediately being wrapped up in a hug as she did so. Herbert chuckled and bent over to get his arms around his daughter-in-law. "Ah well you know, thought I'd come over, shoot the breeze, keep you company...have a beer." He winked at Mary who rolled her large pony eyes in response. "Oh, actually thanks, don't mind if I do." His gnarled old hand plucked the lemonade still held in Mary's grasp. "That is a fancy trick you've learned there missy. Still thinking over becoming a super heroine?" "H-hey!" Mary scowled up at the old timer as he took a sip. "Why am I not surprised." She sighed, then made room for him and trotted into the house. "Well, come on in you old goat, and take your shoes off I can see the mud on them. Also, no," she gave him an incredulous look over her shoulder. "I am definitely not putting my powers of inconvenient home life towards fighting crime." Herbert's expression looked disbelievingly down at his footwear. "Sorry, I did a bit of work before Agnes would let me take off and play hooky." Then, he gave her a sinister grin. "Ah excellent, now my league of evil shall arise unchallenged!" Herbert smiled warmly over at Mary while she shook her head, laughing despite herself. Her laughter finally died about the time Herbert managed to get his work shoes off. "Heh, so where are those clothes Agnes made, by the way, Mary? I was looking forward to seeing you in them." Mary blinked, then looked over the bathrobe she'd just donned in order to answer the door. "Oh, they're being washed, Dad. I love the outfit but I still need to clean it, it's the only one I have so far." Her father-in-law nodded sagely and walked further inside slowly, absently continuing to survey the floor and absence of clutter. He observed that the floor itself was impressively clean enough to eat off of, Herbert considered for a moment if that would be a good prank... "Did you just clean?" He grinned while looking, and handed the slightly molested lemonade drink back to Mary. "These floors look good enough to-" "Dad, please don't eat off the floors. It wasn't funny during Christmas and it certainly won't be if you try it again." Mary set her drink on the kitchen's counter, then popped the fridge open to frown at the beers hidden in the can rack. Her hoof was just a little too big to fit into the small slot and work its magic. "Did I do that last year?" Herbert frowned and his mouth hung open slightly below his mustache. "Huh, my memory must be going, I don't really recall that at all." He shrugged, and spotted Mary tapping something in the kitchen. "Guess I'll have to do it again sometime and try harder to remember it." A strange sight caught the old guy's eyes, beside the doorway to the kitchen was a very, very large plant haphazardly replanted into a small plastic trashcan. "Mary, was your Philodendron always this big?" Herbert leaned over and curiously lifted one of the over sized leaves up. Mary took a break from her frustrating attempt at grabbing a drink for him. "What dad? Oh, that thing, uhm..." She gave him a hasty explanation of what she had done, and how the overnight phenomena had come to pass. "So you can control it now?" The old fellow's eyes lit up. "Dad I swear to god I will buck you in the side if you even try to suggest what I think- what I know you're about to." Mary sat and crossed her front legs, staring up at the tall man darkly, before turning with a sigh back into the kitchen. Herbert chuckled and went back to poking the plant. "Alright, alright I'm just kidding about crime fighting anyway. Still, if you can grow plants like this, that's a gardener's dream come true you know." The sound of a clatter from the fridge and muffled cursing made him raise his head towards the kitchen. Chuckling, the old guy stepped up behind his daughter and peered at her around the open fridge door. "Having trouble?" "No!" Mary huffed out a breath, then turned around while smoothing her expression. Her hoof was caught in the can tray of the kitchen appliance. "Kinda, I'm a little out of sorts...like this." Herbert gave her a warm, fatherly smile, then reached in and helped her out, as well as obtained his beer. "How've you been managing Mary?" He opened it quietly and leaned back on the counter, taking a sip from the ice cold can. "...Too well, honestly. It has me more scared than I want to even think about." Mary's rump plonked down on the tile floor. "Aside from some difficulties with these damned hooves," she paused for a moment, scowling, then continued. "I feel right at home, I even go running like it's the most natural thing in the world to me like this." Herbert's face grew serious as she went on, except for one moment where his eyes widened briefly in disbelief. "Mary, you swore." He nodded appreciatively and took another sip. "Dad, to Hell with the swearing, I don't feel like myself anymore! It's... scary, you wouldn't understand." Mary shook her orange head on its longer than normal neck, her ponytail tied mane swaying gently from the motion. "I don't think I'm changing anymore, nothing like that. Thank God it isn't that serious, but, I tried to remember what it was like to grab something with a hand yesterday. I don't think I'd know how if I had them right this instant...all I can picture in my mind are these stupid magnetic hooves." Her expression twisted in disgust for a moment, before she sighed and outwardly cheered up in an instant. "Well never mind, time stops for no one after all." It was quiet in the kitchen, until one tired voice again broke the silence. "A friend of mine..." Herbert began slowly, solemnly. "Not to guilt you now, understand. A friend of mine, lost his legs...towards the very end of our last tour in Vietnam." His mouth drew into a line as he recalled the memory—gunfire and smoke accentuated by a familiar voice's scream of pain. Mary tilted her head up and couldn't help but sigh at having made her favorite gardener recall his war. "I remember, one evening we were enjoying a nice, cold bowl of ice cream." Mary quirked her head. Not beer? The old man continued, "And without warning he suddenly spoke to me, 'Bert, I know it's the craziest thing I'll ever say. But, I am damn glad those gooks took my legs right now. You know why?'" He chuckled and grinned down at Mary, who gave him a nervous smile back. "And I answered him, 'No, why the Hell is that?' To which he replied...'Because, if I still had those damned things, you wouldn't have just had to be the one to go buy this bottle of scotch.'" Mary stared flatly with her smile focused up at Herbert a moment, before replying. "You two were drunk." "Yeah, we were drunk as skunks, but that's not the moral, Mary. The point is, be happy for what you still have, but ah, you know that, you're just venting to me. Sorry for bringing the mood down a notch." Herbert waved a hand and started retreating out of the kitchen, when a hoof caught his flannel sleeve. "Don't ever apologize for trying to help me dad, it's always welcome. Thank you." The blue haired mare smiled lovingly up at the old goat, who returned it with no less heart. Then, he reached down and booped her nose. "Sorry, couldn't resist," Herbert apologized, smirking. Mary scowled up at him. "DAD!" she shouted in protest. "That most definitely did not go well." The curly haired control worker steered the van lazily and wore a despondent expression as he turned his vehicle's wheel. "Well, we had the wrong house, dude." The graying man intoned quietly. A ball bearing squealed noisily as the van pulled up to another, remote country home. Both men leaned over the dash and stared at the front of the home, it looked quiet, and like Wayne had said, no one was home. "So we're positive this is the place this time?" The driver asked doubtfully. The taller man hung himself out of the window before falling back in. "6200 Harmony Ave. bro, most excellent, this is it." He paused a moment and nodded sagely to his friend. "To be fair, we should have double checked the address last time." "Alright dude, you ready to do this?" the first man asked. "Most definitely, my most bodacious amigo," answered the second. Mary's legs began to twitch, she frowned at them over the brim of the book she still fought to try and finish, despite her appendaged handicap. Her back legs stretched over the recliner's footrest, but to no avail, they complained adamantly about being idle for so long. "Hey Dad?" "Hm?" Herbert looked over from where he sat on the couch watching the television, it was playing an old super hero movie, Spiderman. "Did you want to play horse shoes after all?" Mary stared flatly across at him. "Nnno, actually I think I'm going to go for a run." "A run?" Herbert looked thoughtful for a moment while he watched the screen. "Didn't that end badly last time?" "Yeah, it hasn't happened again though, like I said, it seems to only do it when I want to now, and not in the same crazy way." Mary hopped off of the chair and made her way to the backdoor. "Alright, sure. I might come out and watch you, a little sun never didn't do a man some good. Be nice if Bobby learned that." Herbert added in a thoughtfully sad tone at the end. Mary rolled her eyes. "It'd be nice if he learned a lot of things." A sudden thought occurred to Mary, that came along with her running. "Ooh, uh Dad, actually could you wait in here?" "What for?" Herbert looked back at her with a puzzled face, mustache twitching. "Ah well, I don't have anything to run in so...I kinda do it... Well, you know." Herbert blinked a couple times before comprehension settled in. "Ooh, well what the hay Mary, you're covered in fur." "Yeah, I realize that Dad, thanks. Just wait in here, I'll be back in a minute!" Her legs were practically vibrating as she hurriedly made her way to the back door, eager to let loose. "And no more beer, I don't want you to have to stay the night because you can't drive home later!" Herbert listened closely to the sound of the back door opening and closing quickly, then leaned back on the couch finally and sighed, blowing out his scraggly mustache. Well, nap time. Mary let out a drunken giggle of anticipation as she scooted out of her bathrobe in the warm sunlight. At hearing her own anticipatory voice, she coughed and straightened her expression, frowning, before the grin resumed itself only slightly hindered on her face. Her legs ached for a run, and Herbert hadn't professed to mind if she took the break. She took one, final deep breath, then launched herself out into the field behind her house. Mary's breath had started to become labored, she would never have been able to sprint like that as a person. It had been what, ten minutes? Twenty? She jumped up, a single breathless laugh escaping her, and she slid into a tall patch of grass near her house, finished with burning her inexplicable energy. Still, despite the brief euphoria that came with running, it gave her a slight twinge of caution towards itself, if only because it was a change that had appeared with the others. The mare steadied her breathing, and resumed just taking in air through her nostrils. The sound of footsteps behind herself made her look up and towards the house. "Herbert? I thought I told you-" Her voice caught and stuck in her throat. There were two men, both looking for all their worth as if they were trying to sneak up on her, and they had. The pair looked over at one another questioningly as they approached, but didn't slow. A noose like apparatus gently lowered over her neck. "That's a good doggy..." The blonde one leaned over and whispered to the other. "Dude, Wayne wasn't kidding when he said it was a mutated dog." "This is the gnarliest dog I've ever seen, dude... Just look at its eyes." The two continued to stare at her with bewildered faces. Mary's mouth hung open, her throat felt as if it had itself clamped shut, keeping air from her lungs. She couldn't speak, she didn't even know if she wanted to let them know she could speak. This could very well be the end she realized, she'd been seen, found out, everyone would know. Wh-what do I do!? Everything that happened next was a blur, the two people had moved once again, and Mary had done so as well. Her breathing was uncoordinated and panicked as she thundered away from them across the backyard, the wooden pole slapping the ground as she ran. Ohgodohgodohgod! Her eyes searched everywhere for a hiding spot, only to come to the realization there wasn't one out here. Oh God! The late autumn grass stretched in every direction except towards her home and the road. Mary looked back at the house and the strangers, one of them was getting off the ground, while the other was already chasing after her. Legs shaking and mind in full retreat, a clear route of escape wasn't clear to her. The man was getting closer, and both of them were between her and the house, her sanctuary. I need to make a decision. Without another second to lose, she streaked towards her truck. Herbert leaned up off the couch and stretched his tired arms above himself after the nap. A whispy breath escaped him while he thought about his daughter-in-law and her misfortune absently. True, he had taken the change in stride, but only outwardly, only for her and the family. One more person, or anyone panicking over something really, never helped. His eyes glared at the wall while he wore a tired, searching expression. What's really happened to you, girl? The wall didn't answer him, to which his mouth's corners declined more as his reply back to it. I wish there was someone or something that could shed some light on all this pony business. He let out a soured laugh for the phrase he'd used, and leaned forward to stand up. Fat chance of that, it's never that easy in comic books. I guess we just need to wait for the villain to show up before we get an explanation. His tired old body took him up the stairs, trying to find something to preoccupy himself with. Bobby's room upstairs was completely empty, which caused Herbert's eyes to widen. At first, he'd thought he was seeing things, but the room was definitely as clean as polished crystal. "Huh, well I'll be damned." He frowned after a moment, concluding that Mary herself had probably done the cleaning for the kid. "Probably got tired of looking at it." His hope had been to talk to him, but it seemed he wasn't home after all. The door clicked behind Herbert as he made his way back downstairs, his thoughts once more on Mary. A smirk formed on his face, realizing—and not the first time that day—that something unexplainable and fantastic had happened in his life. "Just wish it hadn't been at Mary's expense." Herbert's intrigue and joyful curiosity faded in the bitter thought's wake. His shoeless feet took him to the family room of the house once more. "And why a cartoon looking horse creature?" The spoken thought tickled a memory. "I can't imagine what kind of thing would have a good reason to hurt that poor girl." A gnarled hand grasped the handle, and opened the back door. "Whoa, they trained their dog to open doors?" The man with the gray pony tail stared disbelievingly at the rusty red pickup truck, which was currently home to their quarry. The blonde gave his gray haired companion a stupefied look. "Don't be ridiculous man." His friend looked back at him, confused. "Wayne said that thing was reported as wild, obviously, it taught itself how to open doors." "Ooh right, radical." The friend replied back, grinning. Mary clicked the doors of her truck locked and huddled between the seats. The thing around her neck was getting in the way, but she managed. It wouldn't come off, anyway. Alright Mary, that'll slow them down, but this is a temporary solution at best! She could see the two walk through the back gate and into the driveway, and her teeth clenched in fear. Shit, shit! Her hooves scrabbled at the glove compartment, unwilling to work as they normally would; there was a set of keys in there. Maybe Mary thought, I can get away long enough in the truck for them to leave. A shuddering breath pulled itself into her as she calmed down. "Focus, calm..." After a moment, her hooves finally obeyed, and the compartment clicked open. Yesyesyes! Mary frantically searched the compartment for the spare keys. "No! Nonono! Where are they!?" They were nowhere to be found, though. I swear if Stan took them I'm biting him so hard on the... A tapping came on the glass door, and Mary's breath caught. She looked over into the confused, but insultingly happy eyes of the strange men. Her gaze took notice of what their uniforms read now, Wayne's Animal Control. Oh god, this is fubar. Gulping loudly, she looked at the other side of the truck, sure enough the other man was at that door. Ah! I gotta get to Dad, he can help. "Come on little guy, we don't want to hurt you." On secretive instinct, she tried her best to look the part of a stupid animal, the twinge of pain she felt in her mind coming from doing so. Although, I've probably already ruined my chances of that after getting into the truck... Mary squeezed her eyes shut, thinking about just how royally she had screwed up. Darnit, I just need to get to Dad. Her hooves set determinedly on the passenger-side seat of the truck, ready to burst the door open. She got ready to make a run for it again. No one's taking me from my home. Herbert stepped outside into the expansive, open air of Idaho's rural beauty. He took in a deep breath of the fresh air and then popped open a new, freshly obtained beer. Assurances had already been made to himself that it would be his last one. Curiously, he thought he heard something. His eyes scanned around for Mary, the only other person that would be here. Huh, where is she? The question was quickly answered. "HeeeeEEERBEEEERT!" Mary was galloping across the field at an unbelievable speed. "Wow, you go girl." Herbert nodded appreciatively, then shook his head and cursed. Darnit, I forgot she wanted to run out here in privacy. "Sorry! Sorry Mary, I'll head back in, you enjoy yourself as long as you want!" He bit his lip ashamedly and opened the door to retreat back inside. The sudden clatter of hooves and something else came up behind him though. Herbert gasped as an orange blur shot past him and into the house. Not to mention Mary's frenzied voice. "Closethedoor, closeitcloseit!" The door shut, and Mary leaned up against it long enough to lock it as well. Her breathing was frantic, and her sides heaved. "Mary...?" Herbert's eyes were questioning as he looked down at her. His hand picked up the wooden pole attached to her. "Is this what I think it is?" Mary managed to choke out a simple response. "...Yes." Before resuming her breathing and choking. "People, animal control, outside." Herbert pulled the device off of her. "Please, get rid of them Dad." Mary backed up further into the house, tears visibly forming to go with her frightened voice. The door unlocked and opened once more. "Hello." Herbert's eye peered out the doorway cautiously. Two grinning animal control workers greeted him. "Hey old dude." The two men on the back porch made as if to come inside, as if they were expected to, but were stopped fast by the taller man in their way. "Uh, we saw-" Herbert interrupting him by handing the younger man his catch-pole. "What do you people think you're doing here?" "Oh, well see, we got called about-" Again, the two men were cut off. "Not by anyone that lives here, who exactly was it that called you?" Herbert all but glared at them, he wasn't sure why they were there, if they knew about Mary, or if this was the beginnings of some cliched plot. But he wasn't taking any chances. The two men gave each other blank looks, then stared back at Herbert. "Ah, we can ask Wayne man, but there was just a complaint about some orange dog, man, that was like, seen around this house? They did say they didn't live here...dude." The blonde man gave a nervous chuckle as he patted Herbert's shoulder comfortingly. "Is this like, some big misunderstanding then, or like, you have some neighbors that wanted to get back at your for borrowing their lawn mower?" He nervously laughed again and shrugged. "Possibly..." Who would have called about Mary...Anyone driving past could have done that. Herbert kept his eyes shifting between them warily, uncertain if these two were being serious at all. He tried to recognize them from around town, but couldn't. "Are you fellas new in town?" "Oh, yeah we actually just got this job." They both nodded, laughing. "By the way, dude, that is the craziest dog-" "Look I'm not going to waste your guys' time. I'm sure you're really busy, but you've been pranked, alright?" Herbert reached out and tentatively shook the closer man's hand, banking on them not being secret government agents or some such. If they were....then they were masters of getting in character. "Trust me, I would know, I used to want to open a joke shop, as it is though I own and run Green Thumb's Gardening supplies over off the highway." The two men's eyes widened in recognition of the name. "Oh, alright, cool dude. Huh," the blonde man's jaw hung open, slack. "Well, if it's cool, then could you not tell our boss that we tried grabbing your circus dog?" The graying man of the two gave Herbert a pleading look. "Yeah, we kinda need this job bad, if you know what I mean broheim." Herbert gave them both thoughtful looks and smiled coolly, his shoulder twitched when he heard sobbing coming from behind though. He realized he needed to wrap this up. The older man burst out laughing suddenly, eyes held wide. "Well, rest assured fellas there's nothing wrong or out of sorts here at all, and no hard feelings are here to be had either." He handed his untouched beer out to the grey haired man. "Here, have a beer on me for the trouble, I've gotta go inside and calm the poor dear down, have a good day!" The two men put on shocked looks, and nodded dumbly as the door closed quickly in their faces. "Dude, we can just never get a break. This was the right house, right?" The blonde man scratched his head and tried fishing the beer away from his friend, who batted him away. "I'm positive man, just face it, this whole day's been a complete bummer." The two companions sighed as one and walked around to the front of the house. ... "By the way, dude, was it just me, or did I hear that dog talk?" Herbert turned around from the now shut door slowly, in the corner of the room was a shuddering sobbing heap. That heap just so happened to be his son's wife... "Mary...hey Mary, are you okay?" He knelt down and laid a hand on his daughter-in-law's sniffling head. "N-no, I'm an animal. That's all I am, how could I be okay? I j-just got chased, by pest control!" Mary's green eyes stared up forlornly at Herbert, two rivers of tears matting her fur. "Oogh...I need a shower, I don't feel so good." Herbert helped her up. "Yeah, sure thing." His arms helped her up to her feet...hooves, and he followed her to the bathroom in silence. This was definitely something that didn't need to happen to this family. The old man's thoughts reflected sadly. Bobby sang the lyrics to the song his band was trying to put together, sans any of Jace's yelling or screaming of the words. His skateboard made the same, familiar age old racket as it sped down the last, small hill towards his house which was at last getting close. Either side of the road was just open field with a few trees though, so he'd seen it as far back as a mile away. A grin was plastered to his face as he recalled every adrenaline filled, thrilling second of his performance back at Cory's house. The skateboard kicked up into Bobby's hand as he reached the gravel driveway, and started walking towards the back door. As he went, his fingers on one hand flexed slightly, they were sore from how long he'd played for. The watch on his phone had said it was past five, he'd been surprised that his mom...that Mary hadn't called him to tell him to come home. Usually she got on his case about that shit. Bobby stared a moment at the car in the driveway, one of his grandparents' vehicles sat there behind the pick-up. It was Herbert's, he shrugged, sighing at being reminded of his family and their presence. The back gate swung open easily and clanged shut noisily behind him. Wish Cory had let me borrow the guitar, I want to play again, already. There had been a moment back at the garage, one singular point in time, when he thought the world had frozen for a split second... It had been incredible, he hadn't thought that playing music could give someone that kind of a rush. The sound of crying reached his ears first as he pulled open the back door. Great, Bobby thought, already annoyed. Mary's at it again. Then his eyes widened a little, and he froze in the doorway, realization dawning on him. He had called animal control, on his mom, who looked like an animal. His skateboard found its home in the corner beside the back door while he stood there a moment, mulling over his thoughts. Eventually, Bobby made his way to the living room, following the sounds. Sure enough, laying on the couch was his mother. She was leaning over Herbert's shoulder, who was gently patting her back. Bobby licked his lips subconsciously, making sure once again he didn't taste any alcohol. Oh shit, oh shit... No, they won't know. His fear over being caught had already been crushed by his friend's, but he was having doubts again. He hoped his nervousness didn't show on his face. Mary turned around suddenly to meet his eyes, and let out a final, choked sob. Bobby stood in the living room doorway, unmoving, his eyes were wide. "Hey sweetie." His mom wiped her weird face with one arm...leg-thing, and leaned off of Herbert to sit normally. His grandpa took notice of him as well finally, he had a defeated expression. "Y-your sister and grandmother have already left for her recital, I'm sorry I didn't call I...forgot you were out." Bobby flinched when his mom's voice shuddered and she blew her nose on a tissue. He had completely forgotten about the phone call in his euphoria and walked right into the aftermath. At least she seems fine...not that I care. There was a good chance that he could get the blame. He bit his lip and walked into the room, his eyes flickered over the stairwell that lead up to his room, and safety. "No, uh, that's fine I made it back alright." Bobby looked from Herbert to Mary, both of them were looking at him somewhat intently. Overplaying his part could spell doom, he considered. "Is Dad alright?" Mary's eyes blinked, and she looked over to Herbert with a shocked expression, before calming and letting out another pent up breath of air. "Oh," she began to reassure her son that wasn't what was wrong. "No, Bobby-" She swallowed the lump in her throat, and a pain faced Herbert picked up for her. "Some men tried to grab your mother, kiddo." Herbert laid his hand on Mary's back again. "They seemed pretty clueless though, I think we're in the clear..." Bobby let out the breath he himself had been holding, then approached the couch and sat down next to his mom. "...Are you alright?" Mary blinked away a couple more tears, looking at her son, and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine." She wrapped him up in a hug, her hooves encircling his chest. "I'm just so glad to still be here, there was a moment when I thought I'd lost you baby, lost everyone." Bobby had one big hand on his mother's multi-colored hair and a shocked expression on his face. He looked down at her, while she quietly buried her head into his hoody. Herbert laid a hand on his shoulder over Mary, a sympathetic look on his face, while realization caught up with the teenager. I just got away with it... The teen stroked his mom's sobbing form absently, not sure how to feel. Mary sat with Herbert, laughing uncontrollably at the joke the old codger had just made. "Dad! That doesn't make any sense! What the-" Mary tried talking over her own frenzied giggling, her back hooves kicking in the air in front of the sofa. "Hah!" "No it does, it really does just think- just think about it!" Herbert collapsed over onto his side, clutching at his aching stomach. Nearby, a couple more beers sat, empty. Mary sniffed. "Oh my gosh, you're terrible. You're a terrible, terrible man, you know that? What did Agnes see in you?" "Oh, well if you wanna know about that, it wasn't so much what was in me, as what was in my-" Herbert was cut off mid sentence. "Aaaugh, grandpa no, what the hell." Bobby made a disgusted face and reeled further away from his grandparent from where he sat on his dad's recliner. Mary frowned and smiled over at Herbert at the same time. "That's a little graphic Herbert-" The television beeped suddenly, and began to ring. On the screen Agnes' name and familiar cellphone number bleeped. "Oh, there's mom! Quick, Herbert answer it, answer it!" Mary grinned excitedly and bounced on the sofa. She caught a weak smile from her son in the corner of her eye, which made her settle down, but feel better at the same time, too. The recital that she'd been waiting to see for over a month was about to begin. While Anna and Agnes had been home, she'd steeled herself and cheered her daughter on. It had taken almost too much time, but she had re-assured her daughter that she really couldn't see it in person, though Herbert had suggested some pretty zany ideas to try and sneak Mary in... Mary had been a mess on and off for a few hours, but after Bobby showed up...she'd felt better. The fact that he had stuck around since he got home, which was arguably the most she'd seen of him in a while...helped. Maybe he's over the shock of what's happened to me... She stared silently at a hoof for a moment, then looked back up at the TV. The television clicked on, bathing the now dark living room in light, Herbert's receiving cell phone was plugged into the side. The screen showed a concert hall, and the hushing sounds from a crowd of people washed in from all around. Agnes herself was telling them it was just about to start. The curtains pulled away suddenly, revealing a line of girls. All of them were standing, ready to begin. All of them except for one. The three family members squinted at the screen in confusion. The music had yet to begin, and yet there was one young ballerina already spinning and maneuvering the stage like an acrobat. Not only that, but she was doing things that no nine year old should ever be capable of performing. Mary's mouth dropped open in awe. Is that Annalise?