Toby's awakening was brutal. There was no sign of Jessica, and he was in a strange house, with some unfamiliar little girl stroking, gently rocking and cooing at him..
"My little hopkins," she said affectionately to him, looking at him with a mix of adoration and pride of any little girl who thought she owned the cutest toy in the world..
Toby flinched and darted a flaming look at her. "Don't touch me!"
Akina was startled enough to put him down. She didn't back away and let him alone, though. Instead, she waited a few moments, then reached out to pick him up again.
"I said don't touch me!" Toby bellowed at her, with a glare to match.
Akina shuddered, quickly withdrawing her hand. She looked at him with disappointment, then left her room, shutting the door.
The window was also shut, so for now, there was no way to escape.
Kitri awoke in the same state of horror, and hers was made even more intense by the environment.
Jasmine's room was as girly girl as it gets, pink and white canopy bed, lacy curtains at the window, a dresser with shelves above it containing all sorts of stuffies. Not only that, but many of those were My Little Ponies!
Kitri's eyes went wide in terror, and she gasped.
"Oh, you'r so adorable! Jasmine said, holding her close.
"No, I'm nauseous." Put me down." Kitri demanded.
Jasmine looked taken aback, but did as Kitri told her.
Kitri got sick, making Jasmine grimace.
But it didn't take long for Jasmine to resume trying to be Kitri's new owner. "I think I'll put you up here with Pinkie," Jasmine said to the furby as she moved to put her up on a shelf right next to Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash.
Big Macintosh was also nearby, and he leered at her from his place on the shelf.
Kitri shuddered and cringed, a wave of nausea and horror overwhelming her. She wanted nothing to do with the infamous ponies of the awful 4chan "Cupcakes", "Rainbow Factory", "Sweet Apple Massacre", etc. My Little Pony creepy pasta horror stories. She wanted no association at all with anything My Little Pony. Recoiling in horror, she rolled off the shelf and plummeted to the floor as soon as Jasmin's hand and eyes were off her.
But it wasn't soon enough. To Kitri's great disgust, Jasmine had put her so close to Pinkie that they had actually touched.
Before Jasmine could bend to pick her up, Kitri rolled away at a desperate speed, getting under the bed where Jasmine wouldn't be able to reach her, and got sick again.
Sighing, Jasmine turned and left the room, leaving it open.
She went down to the kitchen, rummaged in a drawer and took out a ruler. She was going to try to reach Kitri and get her out from under the bed that way.
Kitri saw her chance and bolted from the bedroom. But until she could find a way out of the house, she would have to keep hiding, or at least out of reach.
The shelf above Jasmine's dresser shook with snickering My Little Ponies.
The phone rang, and Jasmine answered it.
Soon, she was heard talking and giggling loudly to one of her friends.
Kitri made a beeline from behind the bathroom door, rolled down the stairs, and ducked into a front entrance closet, where she hid behind some large men's shoes. She had to roll to the side to keep her stickup mohawk from showing above the shoes. Normally, she really liked that mohawk and took pride in it, but now it was a big pain. Compounding that problem was she had to fight to keep herself from gagging out loud and giving her location away.
Unfortunately for Kitri, her revolting experience had just begun. Something had followed her into the closet and settled down next to her.
"Everypony wants you to stay, you know." it said slyly.
Kitri shuddered and dared to look at her pursuer.
It was the MLP colt, Big Macintosh. He of the infamous "Sweet Apple Massacre" creepy pasta story.
"Especially me." He said. "What's your name, pretty lady?"
Whatever Jasmine decides, I guess," the surly Kitri replied.
My name's Big Mackintosh, but you can just call me Mack.
Kitri made no response. This was a mind-numbing, living nightmare, and she had no idea how to get out of it.
"Whatever she calls you," Big Mackintosh said, his hungry, creepy gaze fixed on Kitri, "You look absolutely ravishing."
Kitri shot him an acid look and spat at him, then, turned toward a closet wall so she wouldn't have to look at him.
"Beautiful." Big Macintosh said, eying her heaving form.
"Drop dead!" Kitri spat back.
"Oooooh." Big Macintosh moved closer so he could touch her.
Appalled, Kitri moved away until she was right up against a back corner.
But Big Mackintosh wouldn't give up. He kept bothering Kitri until she finally bit him, and then Jasmine was heard hanging up the phone.
"OH, clopity clop." Big Macintosh fumed, frustrated. "I have to get back before she finds I'm not where I should be. And you should too."
Kitri didn't answer, but watched first Big Macintosh flee to the bedroom, followed a few moments later by Jasmine, who didn't suspect anything was amiss.
much to Kitri's relief, Jasmine shut her room door. Now, the coast was clear. If only that front door was open, Kitri could make the getaway. And she would in a second, even if she was feeling horribly unwell.
Back in the bedroom, Jasmine was utterly confounded, not being able to find her new toy anywhere. She was sure she saw her roll under the bed, but the furby was not there now. Nor was she under the dresser, in the closet, or anywhere near the register. And she was nowhere in plain sight.
Kitri got an unbelievable break when Jasmine's younger brother Tim, and their father came through the front door with a load of new hockey gear. There was a sporting goods store within walking distance, and it had apparently been a nice enough day for the father and son to just walk down and get it rather than drive.
Kitri watched the two as they lugged in their purchases and chatted happily about the prospects of the next hockey season and how cool it would be showing up with new equipment.
As they brought the stuff in, they left the door open, intending to shut it as soon as everything was put down.
It was now or never.
Kitri scrambled out the front door and took off, rolling, running and leaping for all she was worth.
She carried on for blocks and blocks, dodging in and out of trees and behind buildings and parked vehicles.
Eventually, she was perched high in a tree that happened to be near a burial site, and took time to rest.
She tried to clean herself up, not just from all the rolling and making her fur messy, but also from the encounter with Pinkie Pie and especially Big Macintosh. Not easy since she kept heaving, and she was finding it difficult to keep her footing and balance too.
"Phew. My Little Pony germs. Bleckh…" She coughed. "Not even Toby would want to come anywhere near me now."
Shortly before dinner, Akina took a break from her homework. She got off the bed and went to open the door. When she did, she grimaced. "Oh yuck." She muttered, shutting the door again, "Salmon casserole."
"Mmm, yum." Toby's response startled her.
"What - you like that stuff?"
"Love it."
"Really?"
"M-hmm."
"Well, you can have mine. If only I could give it to you." Then she got an idea. Maybe that was how she could get him to allow her to pick him up and even stroke him. "Hey, maybe I can, if you come with me to the dinner table."
"Supper's ready!" Akina's mom called.
"Coming!" And she turned to pick up Toby, who for once, didn't object, and brought him to the table with her.
"Having any luck with him?" Akina's mom asked.
"Not really, but he might want something to eat, so I brought him out here."
"Oh," Akina's mom chuckled, "Well, just don't let him eat it all, you've got to have some too."
"Yes, Mom." Akina muttered.
Akina's dad came in and sat down. He said nothing, but looked curiously at Toby, who noticed, and shot a sharp glance back at him.
"So, that a new toy?" Dad asked.
"Yeah, his name's Hopkins. Hoppy." Akina said, smiling at her dad.
"Uh-uh." said Toby.
"I don't think he likes what you named him." Dad laughed.
"Uh-uh." toby said again.
"I just don't think he likes me." said Akina.
Toby rolled his eyes and sniffed, pretending to cry.
"Uh-oh, a furby with a 'tude." said Dad.
"Here you go, Akina," Mom dished up a plate of casserole for her.
"Thanks." Akina muttered, and slowly, without interest, picked up her fork.
Toby ignored Akina's dad. If he thought he was going to get some kind of rise out of him, he had another thing coming. Instead, Toby wasted no time diving in and helping himself to the casserole, much to the hilarity of Akina and her parents.
Their laughter was easy enough to ignore, but Akina's continued attempts at affection were another thing.
As Toby continued eating, Akina snuck a hand around back of him and tried to stroke him.
Toby bristled and turned a suddenly angry face at her. "Don't touch me!" He warned.
"Aw, crap." Akina said dejectedly.
Toby resumed chowing down.
"Sure isn't the friendliest little thing, is he?" Dad mused.
"and what are you gonna do about that?" toby shot back through a mouthful.
Dad smirked. "Feisty too."
"As if you aren't." Toby fired back.
Mom burst out laughing, then said, "Akina, you eat something too."
"Yeah, yeah," Akina sighed, and shoved her fork around in the plate, lifting it up to her mouth, eating little, but pretending to eat most of it. She really wanted Toby to finish it off.
The phone rang.
Mom got up to answer it. "Hello?" A moment later, she hung up. "Stupid nuisance calls."
Dad grinned. "Next time we get one of those, we should let him handle it." He indicated Toby, who surprised him with a fiendish chuckle and grin.
About the friendliest Toby got that day was just after dinner when he and Akina had just finished up, and Mom cleared the dishes away. When she went to take Akina's plate, Toby looked at her and said "That was delicious."
Mom chuckled and grinned, pleased. "Thank you."
Eventually, Kitri got herself cleaned up as best she could, and might have taken a nap up there among the branches, but something looked unnerving about one of the graves.
Kitri made her way down to check it out, hoping she was wrong.
On the grave marker was written Jessica's full name and age, and date and manner of death.
Kitri had held out some hope until now, but couldn't shake the nagging feeling that the worst had happened. Jessica never would have just abandoned her. She knew that. So there had to be a reason all of this happened.
And now she knew.
There was no hope now.
Her Jessica was dead.
As Kitri climbed feebly back into the trees, an appalling sadness overwhelmed her. It felt like it was going to rip her into little pieces.
"My poor Jessica." Kitri choked. She uttered Jessica's name a few more times and sobbed, probably for the first time in her life.
Toby wouldn't sing and he refused to play any games Akina suggested that evening. He remained uninterested in making conversation. Except for the brief exchange concerning the casserole, and "No." "Who cares?" "I don't feel like it." or "Don't touch me." he was quiet as a mouse, and whenever she looked at him, his expression was glum.
By bedtime, Akina was getting impatient with his unfriendliness and her inability to break him out of it. Akina thought if she just picked him up anyway and put him in to cuddle with her, that he would come around.
"I told you don't touch me!" Toby screamed at her.
"Smarten up, Hoppy," Akina said to him. "You'll learn to like me."
"I don't want to." Toby replied irritably.
Akina looked hurt. "Why?"
"You're not Jessica." he said.
"Who's Jessica?"
It was an innocent question, but it only seemed to set him off. "Never mind!" he snapped, shooting her a resentful look. "I want Jessica, *not* you!"
Akina looked devastated. She thought her cute little bunny furby would do cute things and be loving and nice.
So, she tried once again to appeal to him. "I'm gonna tell you a secret. Sometimes I get a little scared at night. If I had you here with me, you could help me not to be."
"You don't need me for that," Toby replied coldly, "Just grab one of your plushes."
"But they don't talk. They can't tell me it's okay or sing me a song."
"I can't tell you it's okay either, because it is not."
"You know, you're starting to scare me."
"Then let me alone."
"Hoppy,"
He growled, frustrated. "Will you stop calling me that?"
"Then tell me what should I call you."
He sighed impatiently. "My name is Beethoven, if you must know."
"Really? Neat. But why did Jessica name you that?"
"Don't matter. You talk too much."
"I wish you would like me." Akina said.
"That's your problem. Just don't make it mine."
"But I just want you to be my friend." Akina said glumly.
"Toby scoffed. That's too bad. we can't always get what we want." He said bitterly, rolling out of bed as Akina tossed and turned.
Akina tried again. "Well, you could pretend I'm Jessica."
toby grimaced. "Ugh. No, I could not."
"I didn't think you'd be so mean." she said unhappily.
He raised his voice again. "and I didn't think I'd wake up in a strange house with strangers all around."
"Wow, I didn't know furbies could get upset by that." akina said in wonder
"Now you know they can." toby replied. "How would you like it if you fell asleep one night and woke up in a totally different house with nobody you know, and some stranger getting in your face and trying to love on you as if they were the person you knew, asking questions and trying to replace your family?"
Akina shuddered. "I wouldn't. I'd be really scared."
"Now you know how I feel." said Toby more gently.
"Ugh." said Akina. "I hope you feel better soon."
He didn't reply.
"Goodnight, Beethoven," she said.
He didn't respond to her.
Akina resigned herself to just try going to sleep. Not so easy with her heavy heart. Knowing that he was actually more scared than angry helped, but she still had the problem of wanting to make him feel comfortable enough to be her friend, and not knowing how.
When Akina's breathing became slower and heavier, indicating she had fallen asleep, Toby snuck around the bed until he reached the wall where the window ledge was, and leapt onto it to gaze out the window, feeling utterly distressed. "Jessica? Kitri? Everybody? Where are you?" He whispered, and soon sobbed quietly. He continued this way and calling out for his friends via electronic frequency signals that are sometimes barely audible to humans as soft whistling/beeping tones. This was a special electric type sound signal furbies could hear and understand, and It could travel farther and penetrate walls and windows too, much better than a normal shout.
A few hours later, Akina had to get up to go to the washroom and get a drink of water.
She was surprised when she came back and heard a voice from the window ledge.
"Akina,"
"Hop - I mean, Beethoven. How did you get up there?"
"I jumped."
"I didn't know you could do that."
"Me and my friends aren't exactly your average furbies." He startled Akina by jumping and landing on her shoulder.
She jumped and took in a sharp breath.
"Shh," he said quietly.
Akina turned her head to look at him. His expression was much softer, he looked sad rather than angry, but maybe he just had a sleep and she woke him up. She still half expected him to yell at her.
"I'm sorry if I woke you up. I didn't mean to."
"You didn't. I haven't slept yet. And it's me who's sorry."
"Huh?"
Toby sighed, looking downcast. "You were right about me, you know. I wasn't even thinking about it at the time it was happening, but I was really mean to you ever since we met. You didn't deserve that, and I'm sorry."
Akina's mouth fell open, and she looked surprised and relieved. "Really?"
"Yeah." said Toby. "I don't know where I am, where my friends are and what happened to them, and it's making me feel like going insane. But it's not your fault, and I shouldn't have taken this out on a nice kid like you."
Akina couldn't help the huge smile that broke over her face. Maybe there was hope now. "Does that mean - we can be friends?"
"Yeah." toby replied.
Instantly, he almost regretted it.
Without warning, Akina took Toby and gave him a tight hug out of excitement. "Thank you, Beethoven," she said.
"Ack! Take it easy, I said friends, not that-close friends."
"Sorry," Akina let him go. "I just got excited. but if I could find Jessica for you, would you let me hug you then?"
"Definitely."
"Can you tell me about your friends?"
Not without breaking down." Toby's voice faltered. He took in a shaky breath, then leapt back onto the window ledge.
Akina looked at him sadly.
The two remained like that until Akina eventually dropped off to sleep again.
Toby went from gazing out the window to glancing at her from time to time until he was sure she was sound asleep. Then he turned toward the window and sobbed softly until he finally fell asleep.
All night, Kitri too, remained high in the tree near Jessica's grave, crying off and on until she eventually fell asleep.
Comment options: