Izzy's Ponygirl Journey

"Where are you looking at?" Matheus asked his daughter, who turned to him briefly. She looked back at the hill, but Bastian was gone.

His face, however, was burnt into her retina and would probably remain so for a while. She had expected anything, but seeing curiosity in his eyes had thrown her completely off balance for a moment. Of course, there was the familiar look of disgust that she was all too used to seeing in people, but curiosity? What had he expected from her life after seeing her as a horse in the school lesson? And why was he interested at all? What had he been doing on this hill when no human ever came here - except as an animal. If he wanted to see her humiliation, why this reaction?

Izzy blinked and remembered that her father had asked her something. She tilted her head and mumbled something until her father finally got the idea to take the horse bit out of her mouth. "It's... I've seen Bastian."

Her father scratched his chin thoughtfully. "It's not like no one amongst the humans knows what happened to you. But I understand why it makes you uncomfortable. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not today," Izzy replied, but before she could say more, Kreks had woken up and was obviously in a fighting mood.

"This isn't over yet! I'm going to get Buttercup, you'll see!" But to Izzy's astonishment, it wasn't Grall who knocked some sense into him, but his father. He slapped him hard on the back of the head and hissed: "Haven't you brought enough shame on you and me yet? Forget this horse already, it will only bring you bad luck. No horse is worth that." He dragged his shrieking son behind him by the ear, and Izzy could only hope that was the end of the matter.

"What are you looking at me so strangely for?" asked Matheus as Izzy focussed on him again.

"Did you leave the horse bit in with my mother if you didn't want to listen to her, too?

Matheus suddenly blushed. "Well... maybe sometimes. She must have felt the need in her later years to make up for everything she couldn't say before. She was an angel, but the horse bit was occasionally a blessing." He looked at her guiltily, but Izzy just grinned. Her father was a good-natured man, and she could well imagine her mother accepting it just for his sake, to keep him happy. "Anyway, I'll go congratulate your rider."

"You really are the fastest horse in the whole neighbourhood," Grall slurred. It must have been his third beer, and the spontaneous celebration was only just beginning. Word of the victory had spread quickly among the goblins - even among those who weren't interested in horse racing. The celebration was spontaneous; everyone brought something, a small group played music and the rest danced, celebrated and laughed. Izzy and Lisande were extremely popular, they were always being given treats and stroked, but they were still not guests: they stood - together with Albaea and Sunshine - tied to a post at the edge of the square and could only watch the hustle and bustle. Izzy hadn't expected anything else by now, but at least they had been treated by a vet beforehand and given a few medicinal herbs so that they were no longer in pain.

Lisande had become visibly more relaxed since the race, now that she had realised that her life was back on a better course - even if she would remain an animal for all time.

"You deserve a reward, my sweet. What do you want?' said Grall, taking the horse bit from Izzy's mouth, which had been reinserted in the meantime.

She stretched her jaw and relished the freedom. "You promised me that I could be human again. You owe me something for this trouble here. I want to be human among humans again. But not here, too many people know by now that I'm..."

"That you're a horse? Fine, fine, if that's what you want, we'll do it together. I promise! We'll travel a bit further away, where people don't know you."

"Can't I go alone?" Izzy asked sharply.

Grall raised his hands in defence. "Yes, but I also have to take a few things to the bank, and I thought you'd like to do something with me again. As friends, of course."

"Friends don't bet each other," Izzy reminded him, grumbling slightly.

"Won't happen again." He turned to Lisande, swaying. "Welcome back. You did well at the race, congratulations. Nice of you to lose, though." He hiccupped. "After the party, you'll be in a nice, clean stable. Strange, last week I didn't have a ponygirl, now I'll soon have two." Lisande neighed uncertainly.

"Do you look after your horses?" asked Oozol in a warm voice. He obviously liked his son in this role; not unusual for a man who wanted to inherit his farm at some point. "It's good if you practise."

Grall crossed his arms in front of his chest and Izzy guessed what would follow. "While we're on the subject of experience with ponygirls, you could use a little practice too," he said in a voice loosened by alcohol. "Your training methods are bad. Bad, bad, bad!" Mexi listened in the background and nodded.

"What?" asked Oozol surprised. "You want to teach me a lesson about ponygirls?" The old goblin puffed himself up, but Grall stabbed him in the chest with his finger so hard that his father literally ran out of breath.

"Exactly like that! Admit it, you're afraid you'd like a ponygirl as much as Buttercup's mother again. That's why you haven't had a steady horse for all these years." Grall waited for his father to say something, but he just looked at him with wide eyes. "Gotcha! You need your own ponygirl again so you don't forget what it's all about. And as luck would have it, I've got one here! You need to change a few things about yourself, and that's a good start." He attached a lead to Lisande's horse bit and handed it to his father, who continued to look at his son speechlessly. "Have fun. And no excuses. Lisande is your permanent ponygirl now. Be good to her - she's mine and I'll be really angry if you're not nice to her!"

Izzy watched the spectacle in silence and admired Grall's courage in standing up to his father. Even though Oozol was rather small for Izzy, she also had respect for him - and not just because of the whip.

Oozol kept looking from his hand to Lisande and back. "That's... you never cease to amaze me, my son," he finally said, scratching Lisande's head. "All right, I'll give her a chance."

"No, I'll give you one," Grall said, chuckling. Another small beer had disappeared into his stomach. "She'll serve you well, I'm sure of it. How about you take her for a ride right now?"

Oozol swung himself into the saddle and actually took Lisande for a short ride, and Izzy couldn't help but smile as he did so. Although Oozol had all the horses in the world at his disposal, something seemed to have changed for him. Perhaps he really hadn't got over her mother all those years, Izzy mused, and Lisande was now a new beginning for him. The connection of goblins to their ponygirls would probably remain a mystery to Izzy forever; the strange mix of submission and affection - at least among the good goblins - just didn't make much sense if you weren't a goblin.

The party then continued to develop splendidly. Luckily for Izzy, there were no humans to be seen, but that was little consolation after Bastian's gaze from the hill. Hundreds of goblins already knew her as a ponygirl, she was registered and even living that life, and it was only a matter of time before the last human knew about it. A way back seemed increasingly difficult, even if Grall agreed. It was a depressing thought, but she wasn't ready to give up hope just yet. There was always a possibility, no matter how unlikely it seemed. Even if Grall was now her friend again, it was still the life of a ponygirl, and she didn't want to rule out the possibility that one day she might have to take a more extreme step. But how far would she have to travel before no one knew her anymore and she would no longer be returned to the goblins - and her owner?

Late in the evening, Izzy was taken to the stables with Lisande. They shared a stable for the night and, to their surprise, both had their horse bits taken out of their mouths on Grall's orders. They talked excitedly until the morning. As expected, Kreks hadn't told Lisande about the bet or the conditions, instead he had threatened her with a severe punishment if she lost.

"He tricked me," Lisande grumbled. "You almost got caught too!"

"It doesn't matter now, he can't hurt you anymore," Izzy reassured the other mare. "You're Oozol's horse now." She bit her lower lip. It still felt strange to say something like that to another human, but yet it was the truth. Like Izzy herself, Lisande was a horse, and Grall had every right to lend or give her away like that. As the hours passed, they found new topics and eventually Izzy dared a peek at Lisande's butt, something she had strictly avoided until now. She already knew from shy glances out of the corner of her eye what she would find there, and yet it felt like a harbinger of her own future.

It was a brand.

Krek's mark was emblazoned on the pale skin and would forever remind Lisande of her former owner.

"Did it hurt much?" Izzy asked cautiously.

"Are you asking out of pity, or because you're unsure when you'll get yours?"

Izzy raised an eyebrow. "That's not going to happen!" she said seriously, although of course she knew it might not be her decision forever.

"If you have any say in the matter," Lisande said. "The branding was terrible. It's one of the worst things the goblins can do to us. And they're so terribly proud of it. You'll see, Grall will press the hot brand on your ass with his own hands."

"Never!"

Lisande laughed out loud. "You're sitting here with a tail stuck in your ass and you really think it's up to you? It's all right, you'll survive. Still, I've never quite understood why they're doing this to us. I've seen ponygirls with multiple brandings. What's the point?"

Izzy shrugged her shoulders. "I think they just like to see us with their mark. Especially if it's forever."

Lisande looked at Kreks' mark. "Forever..." She swallowed. "Do you think Grall will give me his brand? Or Oozol?" She shivered, but Izzy didn't know the answer to that.

In the morning, Lisande was taken out of the stable first - her wounds were already well again thanks to the medicine - while Izzy was freed from her bridle and got her dress back. Her leg was a little better by now, but she was still left in the pony boots to protect it further, but Pexo removed the horseshoes. The boots disappeared almost completely under her dress, only those who looked closely could see them. It was strange for her to be able to swing her arms while walking again after such a long time. Some other things were also unusual, her ponytail was missing, even her head felt unusually light and free without a bridle. There was only one thing that still bothered her. Izzy reached between her legs, undid the last straps and threw the chastity belt across the square into a corner. It was a liberating feeling, but she also felt strangely naked now. Of course, everything was covered, as it should be, but the loose fabric did not give her the same security as the tight straps and her saddle. Lisande seemed to notice and neighed in amusement.

Titan looked out of his stall and didn't look amused that his mare was dressed up. Izzy winked at him and looked at the chastity belt lying in the dirt, and the stallion snorted happily. Izzy grinned back, even though she remembered Grall's words well... as a human, she wasn't meant for a stallion.

Grall hobbled over to her and waved a piece of paper. 'My dad just brought me this, it's the new ownership documents.' He was beaming from ear to ear and his eyes shone bright as the sun as Izzy read the certificate of ownership with her name - Buttercup - and dates. So it was official: Grall was her owner. How strange that felt, Izzy thought, her whole body shaking; she was wearing a dress and yet she was property. Her friend, on the other hand, was beside himself with joy, but he had also just received a valuable animal and hadn't been given away like a sack of potatoes. But she couldn't entirely blame him either, she understood by now that this certificate was also a sign of his affection for her, even if she didn't share his enthusiasm. But at least she was no longer owned by Oozol. She had respect for the old goblin, but she couldn't help the feeling that she was safer with Grall - despite his many stupidities. Grall would never sell her, she was sure of that.

"So, where are we going?" asked Izzy to change the subject.

"To Udamos. Wait. I know what you're going to say, but it's a good start. They've probably forgotten about you by now and no one from the village will meet us there. If there's any trouble, we'll leave immediately. I promise."

"And how do we get there?" asked Izzy uncertainly. She actually wanted to ask about the brand for Lisande too, but it seemed better if the other horse wasn't around in case the answer was bad.

'We'll take a cart,' Grall explained and Izzy noticed Lisande being harnessed to a small carriage. The mare looked uncertainly at Izzy, who could only smile back awkwardly. Sometimes things changed very quickly.

"Don't worry, we can always go for a ride. You miss it already, don't you?" he said in a silly tone and she blushed, even though she knew it was just a joke. Or so she hoped. He gave her a kiss on the forehead. "If necessary, I can even ride you back. My father reminded me of a little trick." With nimble fingers, he pulled a travelling horse bit and some straps from his pocket. "I can ride you bareback anytime with these, isn't that great?"

"What, no! No way!" hissed Izzy, who had the strangest feeling she'd seen these things before. Something at the very back of her mind screamed out loud, and she was absolutely certain that she wouldn't just let him make her his horse anytime, anywhere - even if she was legally always his ponygirl anyway.

"Don't worry, I've got Lisande with me today. But hopefully we'll try it out soon, it'll be fun!" he said, but Izzy just rolled her eyes. Of course he would have fun with it, but he wouldn't be turned from human to horse in seconds either. Goblins, Izzy thought, and snorted. The two climbed into the wagon and Grall signalled Lisande to start running. The ponygirl looked over her shoulder at Izzy once more, then trotted off. It was obvious that she was inexperienced at pulling carts, but Grall gave her enough time to slowly get used to it.

"Take good care of both of them," Oozol called after his son. He looked at them from his rocking chair. "And don't lose Izzy again right away. A city is dangerous, keep her close to you." Izzy guessed that the old goblin wasn't too keen on this trip - she could see it in his eyes - but at least he wasn't preventing it. "Bring me Lisande back safe and sound, too. I'm not giving my heart away carelessly to a ponygirl."

Lisande stamped her feet, which was probably a sign of approval.

For the first few meters, Saxea accompanied the carriage on Sunshine. It was a nice feeling for Izzy to be among friends - the two goblins, but also the two ponygirls. It was a rare peace that everyone had earned; even if Grall did have that awful travelling horse bit in his pocket.

Just for a moment, Izzy thought back to Bastian; she pushed the thought aside. The class had already seen her as a ponygirl, how much worse could it get?

"Udamos is far away, we should hurry," Grall said, spurring Lisande on. She sprinted off while Saxea said goodbye and disappeared into the forest with Sunshine.

Izzy felt the breeze under her dress and leaned back and relaxed. It was nice not to have to do the work herself, even if the sight of Lisande's rhythmically swaying buttocks reminded her of what it felt like to pull a cart. She knew she wouldn't be able to run as fast in the dress, but it was a small price to pay for her freedom. The word lingered in her mind; it wasn't easy to think about it openly while another woman had to pull the cart in front of her as an animal. She knew very well the feeling of being just a means of transport, a workhorse at the service of the goblins. And now she was benefiting from it herself. But on the other hand, it was also a pleasant day, and Grall would have used Lisande for the journey anyway. Nevertheless, she decided to buy Lisande a small gift at the end of the journey if there was enough money left over.

The three of them had been travelling for hours before the city walls appeared before them. Izzy gulped as she recognised the guards: They were the same ones from her previous visit, and she didn't like that at all. But as Grall had noted earlier, with so many people it was practically impossible for most of them to recognise anyone. The guards were more concerned with Lisande - who cost 80 thalers deposit after all - and waved the empty cart through. The town was as noisy and crowded as ever, and Grall suggested they split up; he wasn't a big fan of shopping sprees anyway, especially not for women's stuff, he noted with a grin.

"But your father warned us," Izzy reminded him, and Lisande nodded in agreement.

"He's overreacting as usual. Besides, you're very strong now. One kick and all will be well. Meet me at the gate in two hours, all right?" he suggested.

"If you say so. I just want to buy a new dress. Speaking of which... I forgot to bring money!"

His big grin really got on Izzy's nerves, but at least he took a wallet out of his pocket and tossed her a few coins. "You're not allowed to have money either, it's forbidden for a... you know... to have money. That's my money there, and you're buying something on my behalf." He winked, but Izzy wrinkled her nose.

'Yes, master,' she said, making an exaggerated curtsey.

"You're being silly. See you in two hours." Grall urged Lisande on again and Izzy watched the cart go by. The other ponygirl braced herself against the weight of the cart, sweat pouring down her body. They had been so similar that night, and now their lives were so different again. She felt how unfair that was, and a slight pang of guilt rose up inside her. Sure, life with Grall was better than under Kreks, but a ponygirl was still a ponygirl. As a horse, she would never wear a dress again, or be truly free. The only question was whether Izzy could be free again, or whether this was just an illusion.

The city was buzzing with life, merchants everywhere selling their wares, people doing their business - sometimes in more than one way... - while humans and goblins rushed through the streets. No-one seemed to remember Izzy, but that was a silly idea really, with thousands of people wandering the streets seemingly aimlessly. On her last visit, they had probably only recognised her because they had gone back to the blacksmith in a short time. Today she had a different destination: she had learnt that there was a separate district where mainly clothes were sold. Surely there would be a shop there with some pretty dresses? She asked for directions and soon found herself in an alleyway where one shop followed the next. The houses were tall and cast deep shadows on the broken cobblestones. The shops were busy - with humans and goblins - and Izzy browse through them. Some, to her disappointment, only had things for goblins, others were exclusive men's shops, others only sold hats, shoes or handbags. She probably had little use for the latter anyway - her arms were usually hidden under a saddle after all. But a ponygirl in a hat would certainly look funny.

"Excuse me," Izzy asked three goblins who were talking outside a shop. The first one turned round and Izzy took a step back. The goblin was very dirty and glared at her. He was missing a few teeth and his clothes were full of holes.

"What do you want, human?"

"It's just... oh, not that important. I just wanted to know if there were any shops for dresses around here."