The morning seemed to come all too quickly. What felt like minutes after Clover had closed her eyes, a knock on her stall was rousing her from her sleep. She groaned softly into her bit and sat up, her mane falling about her messily and a bit of drool trickling from the edge of her bit. She blinked blearily and looked at the door of her stall where none other than Sophie stood with a smile on her face, "Good morning Pony." She said with a giggle as she looked at the disheveled state of the pony.
Clover nickered softly and rolled over, swinging her hooves off the side of the bed, pleasurable clicks sounding as she set each of them down and raised herself up, she made her way to the door of the stall, the smell of food, finding her nostrils. On the cart sat a plate of eggs, toast, a stack of fluffy pancakes, a cup of coffee, and a large bottle of what Clover assumed was fresh syrup, as well as a bottle of mash sitting next to the tray of food, "Seeing as it's your last day, I figured I'd offer you a bit of a choice this morning. I've got this lovely breakfast the chef prepared, alongside your mash. You can either choose the mash or the plate. One stomp for mash, two stomps for the plate once we untack you."
Clover stared at the food for a long time, especially the coffee. That was certainly one of the things she missed more than a little bit. Her stomach growled loudly and it was clear she was arguing with herself. But, she also knew the right answer. The one she'd come to accept, and knew in her heart.
She raised her hoof and stomped once.
A wry grin spread across Sophie's lips as she leaned in, poking Clover's nose, "That's the right choice, Clover. But alas, I seem to have spilled your bottle of mash earlier, so I guess you're stuck with this lovely breakfast." She winked and unlatched the door, tugging it open and motioning for Clover to follow. She wheeled the trolley back through the barn, turning into the tack room and rolling the cart right up in front of the steel grooming rack.
Obediently, Clover trotted over and leaned into the rack, the food was right underneath her face and the smell washing over her made her squirm just a little. Sophie smiled, "I could make you just stand there, smelling that as I untack you. But other than the small mistake, you've been a wonderful pony these few days. So..."
Sophie reached up, first unclipping Clovers bit and tugging it off her head along with the bridle, she was careful to set it on a small table to the side. From there it was Clover's armbinder. The elegant laces were loosened and the beautifully cared for leather sheathe was slid from her arms. Clover groaned audibly, almost partially glad knowing she wasn't going back into that immediately. She didn't immediately tear into the food. She was an obedient pony. She waited for permission, staring intently at the tray.
Sophie giggled, "Most ponies would have been all over that the second they were free. Good girl. You may eat while I finish untacking you. Try not to eat too quickly or overfill yourself, you're going from a semi-liquid diet back to a solid one. So it could shock your system a bit. Take it slow."
Clover stomped a hoof once and leaned forwards, it took her a minute to figure out how to use her fingers, even after a few days her brain was trying to readjust to being 'human' again. She fumbled the cup of coffee a little and then brought it up to her nose, breathing deeply and then taking a slow sip. It could have been the cheapest coffee in the world, but at that moment it was the most incredible cup of coffee she'd ever had. She practically groaned as the hot liquid hit her tongue.
"Heh, I remember my first time coming out of tack. I made a direct route to the nearest Moonbucks for coffee. It's amazing how much better something tastes when you're deprived of it even for a little while. I imagine that coffee tastes incredible..."
Clearly, Sophie had lived the experience as well, because she had just nailed Clover's thoughts down easily. Clover settled into the food as her body harness and bodysuit were loosened and slid off. She had to restrain herself from eating too quickly as Sophie had suggested, it all tasted so incredible. She paused though as she ate, watching as Sophie set down her harness and bodysuit on the table to the side. It felt like a part of her was being stripped away, much like it had when her tack had first been put on but in reverse. She furrowed her brows a little bit, was it...sadness bubbling up in her chest?
She stared at the tack for a long moment until Sophie's face popped into her view, "Hard to let go huh? You can tell who was meant to be in this lifestyle and who isn't in moments like these. That lament in your eyes when you look at your tack. The fact that you've not said a single word despite me removing your bridle." Sophie flicked Clover's nose playfully, "You'll be back with us before long. I am sure of it."
Clover blushed visibly at the honest accusations and turned her gaze back to her food, eating in silence even as her hooves were slid off tenderly and set out on the table. But untacking wasn't the final step. Sophie took a good fifteen minutes applying fortified lotion from Clover's feet all the way up to her neck and face, "Helps repair while you rest." The woman said with a smile, massaging the lotion into Clover's temples as she slowed her eating, staring at the plate and the bottle of mash that had been left to the side of it.
Sophie moved to the side, taking her time cleansing and washing each piece of Clover's tack and hanging them up on a series of hooks on the wall specially designed to hold the tack properly. Above this hook was a brand new nameplate bearing the name "Clover" etched in silver and trimmed in green. The brand new nameplate implied something deeper about Clover's stay here, but she didn't really read into it much as she took the final bite of food from her plate and gently pushed it away from herself. Her stomach gurgled audibly.
"If you throw up on my floor. You'll be cleaning it up with your tongue." Sophie warned dangerously as Clover ran a hand over her stomach, standing there naked as the day she was born and not at all uncomfortable.
"From this point forward Clover. You're permitted to speak. Your time as a pony at Tall Tails has come to an end. I assure you, the pleasure has been ours to have you." She extended a hand politely to Clover, who reached out awkwardly and shook it.
Clover hesitated to speak until Sophie gave her a poke. Clover coughed a little and smiled, "It...was a pleasure being here Sophie. Thank you for everything."
"Miss Sophie." She corrected.
Clover nodded, "Miss Sophie. Thank you."
Sophie offered her a long grey nightshirt with silver hoofprints running up it in a spiral, which Clover slipped on. She hadn't really been expecting to be given much in the way of clothing but was grateful for the modest the garment provided. She was not however offered any sort of shoes or undergarments. Those were left in her room in her duffle bag. She looked at Sophie with a bit of a smile.
"Oh! Right..." Sophie said quickly, hurrying to the pile of tack and lifting the silver necklace she'd been gifted during her stay. She walked over, wrapping it gently around Clover's neck and clipping it in place, it sparkled beautifully in the light, "Can't forget that..."
Clover ran her fingers over it fondly.
Sophie then gave her a sharp swat on her backside and pointed to the door, "Now get out of my tack room. Only ponies are allowed in here. Surely you know your way to the house and Mistress Aria's office." She threw Clover a playful wink.
Clover stomped her foot once and winked back before walking to the door. Again, her brain hesitated. Ponies didn't open doors. But then, she wasn't a pony anymore. Not anymore. She stared at the door before reaching out and opening it slowly, the smell of the barn washing over her as she stepped out of the tack room, Casting Sophie one final look as the woman tended to her tack on the wall. Clover closed the door and sighed.
She noticed that the barn was a bit emptier than usual. The front few stalls were emptied out and an almost curious silence hung over the barn. She wondered why everyone was gone so early. The answer of course came a few moments later when she opened the man-door to the outside of the barn and was greeted by a chorus of whinnies and hoof stomps. All around the door stood many of the ponies she'd met in her time at the barn, as well as the trainers she'd worked with. All except Hayley and Daydream it would seem. She looked around amongst the group. Blushing softly she offered polite nods to everyone.
Christoph gave her a clap on the back as she walked by, making her stumbled forward a little and huffed at him. He pointed a stern finger at her and then grinned widely before opening his arms. She was surprised at how comfortable she was, stepping in for a hug from the big man, "Y'be safe out there'n the big wide world Clover." He gave her a rough squeeze and released her to the clutches of Eden who held up a finger quickly to Clover's lips.
Eden was quick to crouch down and give her leg muscles a bit of a squeeze, "A shame...I feel we could have really gotten some strength out of these..." She mumbled. She stood up and smiled at Clover, "It was lovely working with you, Clover. I hope to see you back here someday so I might find a reason to tan that hide of yours red." She leaned in and placed a tiny kiss on Clover's cheek and then aimed a sharp swat on her backside to send her walking towards the mansion. At the end of the procession of Ponies stood a familiar redheaded pony. The wind tossed her slightly curled red strands of hair softly to the side and a bit of a sad smile was on the pony's face as she looked at Clover.
Clover smiled and whinnied at her.
Daydream let a bright smile spread across her lips and then hurried up to Clover, burying her head against the taller woman's chest and wrapping her arms around her. Clover ran her fingers through Daydreams' incredibly silky mane and smiled. She could tell the girl was a bit sad at her departure based on the tightness of the hug and the moisture building around where the redhead's face was pressed against her. Clover crouched down a little after loosening the pony's arms and smiled at her, looking into tear-streaked blue eyes, "You've taught me much in my time here and can definitely be counted amongst my friends. Ill miss you little one."
To her surprise, Daydream leaned in and pressed a tiny kiss against her lips, and then pulled back. Pressing a button which let out a loud whinny and then trotted off towards the barn. Clover watched her go and slumped a little bit.
"Someone made a friend." Eden piped up with a smile, "She'll be ok. She'll sulk for a week, but she'll bounce back. She always does."
Clover sighed softly as the red mane of hair disappeared around a nearby corner. With a resigned sigh, she turned and began the long barefoot walk up the paved path. As usual, the cement was hot on her feet, but having spent the last few days in hooves...she'd felt worse. She walked confidently, having to reorient her brain so she didn't walk while raising her knees high and stepping like she was in hooves. It was curious how much her body kept trying to revert to that pony headspace. She giggled a little bit at herself when she stopped and stood outside the mansion doors again, staring at the door until a brown-haired maid opened it and poked her head out, "Everything ok, Miss Clover?"
Clover blinked, "Oh...uhm. Yes. Old habits with doors and all that I guess."
