Pony Tales - Clover - Day 16

What a way to spend an afternoon. Cuddled with a pony you barely knew, on the roof of a barn in the pouring rain, watching lightning streak across the sky. It was both incredibly relaxing, and perhaps a bit tense since they were sitting atop a steel platform. But the lightning never seemed to make it quite close enough to matter. It stayed in the distance, echoing to them moments after each lightning strike. The pair of them sat there in silence just watching. Clover wished she could ask why Daydream seemed to like her so much, but with a bit that wasn't possible, perhaps she'd ask when her trial was up, then again the other pony never seemed to speak or make noise despite her constant lack of a bit.

The storm lasted well into the evening, past the point of the barn being done for the day. The creak of a door behind Clover and Daydream brought the pair back to reality as the sky grew darker. Standing in the doorway was Aria with her arms crossed over her chest and a rather stern look on her face, "Two hours. For two hours we've been looking for the pair of you! What in God's name are you doing up here!" She asked in a stern voice.

Daydream helped tug Clover to her feet, getting the pair of them away from the edge of the roof. Daydream rubbed her head and stood in front of Clover a little protectively.

Aria raised an eyebrow, "Your idea then Daydream? Why is that not surprising. For two hours we've been freaking out trying to find you. And you of all ponies should know better about how scary a missing pony can be!" Her voice was raised and more than a little bit sharp.

Daydream diverted her eyes to her hooves quietly.

"Well. This little get-together is over. You'll go to your stall RIGHT NOW Daydream and wait for me there. As for you Clover, I hope you understand this is no joke. We've been accident-free for a very long time and I have no intention of losing a pony while I am in charge." She stared intently at Daydream who squeaked and trotted off past Aria, down the spiral staircase and disappearing into the dark.

Clover stomped once nervously.

"Good. Then you'll understand why you'll be eating slop for dinner and be stall bound the entire day tomorrow. Hopefully, that instills the lesson into your head. Ponies do NOT open doors, nor do they disappear to the rooftops in the middle of a storm. Especially without anyone knowing." Aria looked over her shoulder to where the sound of hooves moving down the stairs faded, "Daydream knows better. It was a situation similar to this that had her end up the way she is."

Clover tilted her head, not quite understand the last statement.

Aria waved a dismissive hand, "Nevermind. Get to your stall, now. I will have a groom come sort you out for the evening and your day tomorrow. I assure you, it won't be the most pleasant day you've had. A shame too as it's the last day of your trial. But we take rules here quite seriously. Now go." She pointed to the door. Clover hurried past her, stumbling on the first step but managing to catch herself as she headed down the spiral staircase and into the barn.

Aria followed close behind, pulling a crop from her belt and cracking it into Clover's backside as they reached the bottom to keep her moving, "Stall. Now." She warned, following her all the way to her stall and giving her a bit of a push into it. Aria closed the door of the stall heavily, latching the bolt across and looking in at Clover. She paused a moment, looking her up and down. Part of her felt bad for depriving her of her final day, but she had to learn. Had to understand the rules they had in place and why. Not that it mattered, Clover would be back. She doubted the girl would even opt to leave at the end of her trial. Aria had prepared for as much.

Turning on her heel, Aria would disappear through the barn, seeking out Daydream next.

Clover watched as Aria stomped off through the barn and sighed slightly. She'd been doing so good, and then had gone and screwed it up. Good job Clover. She slumped against the side of her stall, sliding down onto the soft mattress that had been left in her stall. She spotted a small green apple candy sitting on the headrest part of the mattress and tilted her head. She looked around for a moment, wondering if Christoph had left it there for her? She leaned down and sniffed at it curiously before lipping it into her mouth and sucking on it as she sat there.

Slop and a day spent in her stall. That sounded crummy. She sighed a little bit, having hoped she'd at least get to try her hand at some more advanced skills. But it seemed fate had no interest in allowing that. She leaned against the wall and looked up at the roof and letting her mind wander. Other than her obvious mistakes, her experience had been incredible so far. She'd seen so much, learned so much, and discovered much about herself. She wasn't even sure if this was all 'for her' when she'd first gotten to messaging Aria. She'd loved the idea of ponyplay for years, but had never taken the steps to try. But then, a close friend of hers had nudged her. Made her send an email, something that, as she sat here, she'd always be thankful for.

She smiled a little bit, making a note to thank that friend when she returned home on the last day of her trial. It was strange, although she was looking forward to her own bed, her own home, her own shower, and clothes. She wondered how easily she'd be able to say her goodbyes on that final day. She wondered if she'd even be able to come back. She rocked her head back and forth a little, a tiny smile slipping onto her lips as the idea of remaining at Tall Tails indefinitely flitted about her head. How nice would that be? To spend the rest of her life, living out her deepest desire. To leave Alexandria behind and spend the rest of her life as Clover.

It was a thought that made her smile.

She wasn't sure quite how long she sat in her stall, her hooves, and knees curled up to her chest and letting herself get lost in her mind. But it was the knock on her stall door that snapped back to reality. Standing at the door was none other than Hayley with a rather disappointed look on her face, "You know Clover. I did say not to wander off..." She sighed a little bit and unlocked the door, stepping into the stall and walking over, clipping a bottle of mash to the wall next to Clover.

"Eat up. Then we can get you prepped for tomorrow, then again, prep isn't exactly difficult. Mistress Aria has decided to be fairly lenient on you this time with some stalled time and well..you'll find out in a few moments." Hayley shrugged and went about cleaning up Clover's stall while the pony turned to the bottle of mash.

Aria had mentioned slop and so the unassuming bottle made her admittedly a bit nervous. She leaned in, nudging the straw around her bit and taking a long hesitant draw of the liquid within. What hit her mouth was absolutely horrid. Gone were the unique flavors and what was left was...exactly what you'd expect. Fortified oats mixed with milk, protein powder, and a multitude of crushed-up vitamins and minerals. It was like trying to eat salty chalk.

Clover coughed and spluttered, pulling her head back from the bottle and staring at it.

"Eat Clover. Or I'll strap your head to the bottle until you're finished. It might be gross, but you still need the proper nutrients. You've got...." Hayley checked her watch and rocked her head back and forth, "Let's say ten minutes until I get back. I expect that bottle empty by then or I will add to your punishment for the day tomorrow." Hayley turned on her heel and exited the stall, walking off through the barn to fetch a few things.

For a long few moments, Clover sat and stared at the disgusting bottle of mash. She wrinkled her nose a little bit and sighed. Based on Hayley's threat she was going to have to eat it anyways whether she liked it or not. She leaned forwards and did her best to power through it, sucking back as much as she could before taking a moment to cough and hack a little bit. It did not go down nearly as easily as the good mash. Eventually, she did manage to drain the bottle with one final push. Grumbling audibly and curling up on her pillow.

"Yeah, not pleasant is it? It's a punishment usually only get once, or at least try their best to avoid a second time." Hayley had a few items slung over her shoulder. She stepped into the stall, setting down a steaming bucket on the ground and snapping her fingers, "Up and to the back of the stall Clover."

Clover hurried to her hooves, moving to the back of the stall and facing the female with a tilt of her head.

With a quick movement, Hayley lifted and latched Clover's bed to the wall, "Disobedient ponies don't get to lay down at night." She said simply as she stepped forward, placing the steaming bucket next to Clover and dipping a white cloth into it, "We've to wipe you down before bed. I'm afraid you've been denied a full groom-down today. No point in it since you'll be in your tack for the evening and day tomorrow."

Clover slumped visibly at her words.

"Don't try to look all pouty. You broke the rules and as you know, that has consequences. So just take it as a lesson." Hayley said this as she began to wipe Clover down with the warm cloth, making sure to wipe off beneath each piece of tack from tip to toe. The only exception being her hooves which were not removed. It would seem she would just have to deal with any discomfort from sweat in those. After a few minutes of wiping Clover down, Hayley tossed the cloth into the bucket with a resounding splash.

"Alright, next and final two pieces. First off..." She took a leather lead and clipped it to a ring on the wall and then to the metal ring on the bottom of Clover's bridle, "This will keep you in place. It is long enough that if you fall it's not going to strangle you, but short enough that you won't be sitting until it's undone, so I hope you're comfortable in those hooves." Clover shuffled her hooves uneasily in response, Hayley gave her a reassuring pat.

"Last but not least." She held up a piece of thick black fabric with a clasp on two ends of it, "Blindfold. Think of this punishment as Mare-lite." She said before tugging the blindfold roughly about Clover's eyes. This made her panic a little, tugging at her bridle. Hayley held her tightly and whispered, "Easy girl. I know. It's a bit scary. Just relax." She spoke in a soft and calming voice. After a few moments of struggle, Clover did in fact stop struggling as she calmed down. She hadn't been expecting to lose her sense of sight as well.

Hayley reached into her pockets, rolling around the pair of earplugs Aria had given her. It was her judgment call on whether she used them and based on Clover's reaction to the blindfold, she pushed them back into her pocket and smiled a little bit. They didn't need to scary the pony off.

Hayley gave a reassuring pat on her flank and scooped up the bucket on the floor, "Do enjoy your evening Pony. Next time, try not to break the rules."

The last thing Clover heard was the sound of her stall door being closed and latched, The click of Hayley's heels echoing as she walked off through the barn. Leaving Clover with only her sense of hearing left, a rather grumbly stomach from the mash, and some already sore feet.

It was going to be a long night and an even longer day.