He wakes up. Lippy makes him something. Lippy leaves. Autumn comes. Autumn makes him feel better. They do things together. Autumn leaves. No pun intended.

Lippy comes back. Lippy ruins his day. Lippy makes him something to eat. He goes to bed.

This has gone on for... a while. With no access to the outside world, he couldn't be sure. The only grounding Crimson has is Autumn and the interactions they share, but even then it's difficult to keep track.

Were it not for her, he'd have gone ballistic. Drastic. He'd no clue what he would have done by now, but he seldom thinks on it. He keeps to his grounding. He keeps to the only bright side of this hellhole, and with the coming of another day, another breakfast of basic plant-based proteins, his captor leaves for the afternoon.

Like a boy at daycare waiting for their friend to appear, he sits on the edge of the bed in anticipation.

And there she is. Autumn comes to the doorframe, peering in with wide eyes and hands behind her back. Crimson can't help but smile at seeing her, and she returns one of her own. Whether it be his mind tricking him into believing this, he swears she has become more expressive as time has gone on. Her idle face is seldom demonstrated, given in for curiosity and glee.

He also noticed himself talking less, though unintentionally. He knows she can understand him perfectly. Enough time seeing her and Lippy interact keens him in that she knows English, or Ponish, as much as your average human back at Earth. There's still so much he doesn't know about humans, and this little visit to the crazy shack netted him nothing. Except spite. Plenty of that.

Crimson acutely observes Autumn's smile wane away which drives in concern. His smile drops right after hers and he tilts his head.

Autumn glances to her left, looking at something on the ground just outside of his view. She leans down and pulls on it, dragging it along the floor, revealing it to be a box with Ponish writing on it. From the looks of it, it's just one big word that labels the box.

The girl comes down onto her knees and pushes the box into the room, manning it all the way towards Crimson who comes off the bed and sits on the ground. Halting the box a few feet away from him, she crawls around it to place herself between him and the box. She puts up an awkwardly tilted smile.

Crimson's simper widens and he crosses his arms, wondering what she's got in store for him today.

The girl spins on her rear and gives her back to him. She opens the box and rummages through it. Taking a single content out, she spins back around and presents what she holds. A yellow bouncy ball.

Crimson looks at it, recalling it to be one of the activities they shared together. Actually, it was their first one. After the whole bucket incident, the day after, this is what they spent their afternoon doing. Tossing the ball around the room and to each other...

"Hmheh," Crimson chuckles at seeing Autumn balance the ball on her nose. It eventually loses balance and bounces off her chin, rolling towards him. He takes it into his hand and bounces it off the ground towards her.

She holds her hands in a clasping motion and grasps it out of the air with a bit of vigor.

Though the catch was clunky, the man nods in approval nonetheless.

Autumn purses her lips and tries to imitate the man's bouncing of the ball off the floor, but she puts too much force into the throw and ricochets it like a bullet.

Eyes widening, Crimson dodges the projectile and watches it zoom to the window near the bed, colliding into the fabric that covers it and cracks the glass on the other side.

Both Autumn and Crimson gawk at each other, eyes dilated.

...

Then they burst into laughter.

Autumn gently bounces the ball on the ground towards Crimson, having him catch it and hold it in his fist. Locking eyes, the man notes her bashful disposition. He catches on to the desires of her unspoken self, and he brings it close to his chest with both hands. Autumn's eyes glitter in response.

She proceeds to flip around and skulk through the box again. Crimson sets down the ball at his side and curiously waits.

She turns back around with another item in hand, another toy that they played around with. A baleros barrel cup. Crimson's smile widens slightly at the memory of that day.

"Mh," Crimson grunts, shaking his head. He takes the baleros cup from Autumn and holds it in front of him from the wooden handle. She watches intently, seeing as the man jerks the cup along the string to catch it with the stick of the handle in one effortless try.

"Wooh!" Autumn vocalizes her awe and clasps her hands together. Crimson offers it back to her and she snatches it quickly. She attempts to flip the cup exactly like he did, only to have it hit the side and bounce off the handle. "Murh!" she huffs her annoyance and tries again. And again and again... no dice.

Autumn holds the handle and the string, moving her hands up and down in one quick motion to flip the cup and land it perfectly back on the handle. The man claps his hands in approval before she hands it to him.

He takes it from her and gives it a try himself. The cup hits the side of the handle and signs off his failure. Sharing a chuckle, Crimson sets it aside.

With a beam, Autumn twirls to the box again. She returns her face to present a blindfold.

Crimson's brows raise at the sight of this weaving of fabric, his mind bashfully recalls that day...

"One... two..." he counts down, blindfold over his face, "... three." He begins his search. Hands out and palms forward, he carefully steps along the slack his collar chain allows.

Truth be told, he already hears her paced breathing. He knows where she is, but prefers to play dumb for the sake of enjoyment. Her presence can be felt near the foot-end of the bed, he assumes she's back against the wall near the window. Still, he walks towards the nightstand, carefully feeling around as to not knock everything over.

"Ghn~"

He hears a suppressed snicker come from the exact direction Autumn is. With a grin, he plays it to be her downfall. He turns and steps towards the sound of the emission. Carefully weaving around the edge of the bed, he extends his arms out and places them on something soft and silky. He keeps his right hand on this thing and lifts the blindfold with the left, revealing that he holds the top of the girl's head. She beams back, almost happy to be found.

They exchange chuckles and turn over the blindfold, now being Autumn's turn to search. Crimson assists putting it over her eyes and tying it to a comfortable level before stepping off to hide somewhere.

It's difficult to be discrete since the chain clamors his movements, but he tries to use it to his advantage. He rattles his chain near the bed then grips it firmly so it stays quiet. He then carefully steps over to the nightstand and props himself next to it, back against the wall just as she was.

"Uhn... nuh..." Autumn 'counts' off, "... mee."

She commences her search with arms splayed out, reaching every which way to touch things constantly. Her first assumption is the bed. Crimson ogles her come to its side and couple her knees against the bedframe. She bends forward and pats at the blankets, feeling around for her competitor.

Nothing. She expresses her displeasure with a grunt and continues searching. She bends down and checks under the bed. Nothing. She turns around and tries towards the middle of the room. Nothing.

Furrowing her brows behind the blindfold, she returns to the bedside and tracks along its length. She winds up bumping into the nightstand and feels around...

... and by sheer accident, she smacks the lamp that sits on it, sending it on its merry way to break on the wooden ground.

Even though it has no lightbulb and isn't connected to anything, having it break would tip off Lippy that something fishy is going on during her ventures out. That can't be allowed to happen. Amidst its fall, Crimson graciously bends down and catches the lamp, lifting it and sitting it back on the nightstand.

Of course, Autumn hears this happen. With a fanged smile illustrating she found her prey, she jogs over to the suspected location and reaches her hands forward. "Maah!"

Squish. Squish, squish.

She feels at the thing she grasps. She knows it to be a texture she felt before, but wonders why it's more firm.

Knowing already that she won, Crimson reaches to remove the blindfold off of her in order to show her she's... grabbing a bit low on his pajama pants. Autumn gawks intently at what she holds - the man's groin. Luckily her hands grasp his length rather than his sensitive pair, no damage done, no foul to be had... though definitely awkward.

Her face is fixed and expressionless. She shows no remorse or disquiet to what she is doing. As a matter of fact, she keeps holding it. ... Though she is no exception to embarrassment. Autumn's already red skin heats up to give her cheeks a pink tint. Still, she says and does nothing. She keeps holding it.

Crimson puckers his lips and waits for her to react. Quite an uncomfortable time passes with her still gripping at his soft shaft, which doesn't stay soft for the duration. It slowly wakes at her gripping hold, but not enough to become impractical.

The man reaches to her wrists and slowly takes her hands off of him, putting up a tilted simper to try and ease her flustered self. Autumn's face stays expressionless though her cheeks picture her trepidity.

Her face is so mindless yet perplexed at the same time. It's... "Mheh. Hehehe~" ... funny. And adorable.

Autumn's glittering eyes look up to see the man chuckling. Seeing him with his silly grin and amused slitted eyes wallows her with placidity. While the flusteration remains, a smirk grows. She ends up chuckling as well.

They both spend uncounted time simply looking at each other exchanging ape-ish laughter.

Rather than pull something specific out, this time Autumn takes the whole box and sets it in front of Crimson. Pushing it towards him, she moves the flaps of the box to reveal the contents inside. Toys of all arrangements: a paddle ball, a jump rope, a mini basketball set, a whiffle bat, and many other small playtime commodities, and all of them they spent with together. Now that he's looking at the collection in the basket... he realizes he's been here for a lot longer than he assumed. A lot longer.

Though it depresses him to know he's been locked away for so long, his only focus is Autumn. He isn't sure what she's doing by giving him all of her toys.

But he spots something at the bottom of the box. Something that he hasn't seen, not something they've played with before. He takes out some of the toys blocking it and sets them aside, revealing it to be... a pink bunny. He shifts his gaze to Autumn, who expectantly stares back.

Eyes back on the plush, he reaches for it and takes it out. He examines it to be exactly like the one that was given to him. Same design and everything, only pink in coloration. He locks eyes again with Autumn. Her lips are pursed together and her head is bowed slightly.

Crimson feels something aching in his chest.

Cli-clack!

The front door. Lippy's back. He hardly has time to register her arrival before she storms into the bedroom with a face-breaking smile. Judging by her anticipation, she expected this. She gasps excitedly, "Oooo! It's happeniiiing!"

"Wh--?" Crimson bounces his eyes between her and the plush. "Happening?"

"The moment of truth! Crimsy, it's all lead up to this! Everything is in this very moment!"

"Quit ramblin' 'n explain."

Lippy takes in a deep breath and holds it, releasing it steadily. Her spastic energy leaves through that breath, her front becomes the most dead-pan he's ever seen it, easily instilling him with concern. Briefly glancing to Autumn, he sees the same expression.

Lippy trots behind the girl and leers, eyes plastered on Crimson without a single hint of gaiety. "Crimsy. The moment you give Autumn that pink bunny, you're swearing an oath. An oath that you can't break, lest you break her heart."

In rising disquiet, He unintentionally squeezes the plush in his hands.

"Listen to me," Lippy firmly states. "I need to tell a little story... if you're willing to listen. You don't have to."

"Yeah, I do. I'm stuck here."

A faint smile grows on the mare's lips. "... Not after today, Crimsy. Like I told you, everything has led up to this moment. Everything I did to you was for her."

Crimson toils to understand what he is being told. ... No, he understands. He understands completely. It's just not... registering. "... You're lettin' me go?"

She nods twice, giving her attention to Autumn. Crimson does as well. "And before you put any of the blame on her, know it's all my fault. I did this to you, I held you captive. Autumn, she... well, she..." she drifts off, her quivering lips close. With the shake of her head, she puts up a weak smile and composes herself. "L-Let me just explain it to you."

"Then do it."

Lippy's incomplete smile remains."... Thank you for your courtesy. I'll start from the beginning, but I'll try not to bore you with the details." She walks to Autumn's side and sits next to her. She and the girl gaze at each other briefly, and Lippy's simper becomes much more genuine. "I used to be apart of the Black Horseshoes."

The man's brows crinkle his forehead.

"Surprised?" Lippy chuckles.

"... Yeah. Really were?"

"Really, really! It was most of my life actually. It was... good. I learned a lot and made great discoveries. But then it was... not good. It was very, very not good. Beaten and abused, drugged, raped, then sold into slavery. The whole ten yards!" she says with a bit more merriment than she should.

Raped, beaten and abused... so that would mean... "... When I yelled at you that while back..."

"Yoouu guessed it! I was screamed at a lot while I was being sexually abused, so, eheh, something inside my head... I dunno! Busted or something! Now that happens when someone yells at me."

"..." He gets it now. She's absolutely insane because... she was made that way.

"But-- Anyways! What was I saying... oh! Right. After I was sold into slavery, I spent my time working at a parlor for some of the richer members of the gang. They'd pass me around with a couple of other mares and did as they pleased with us. Humans were also trafficked in this parlor too. Some of them were abused like us, others got shipped off to be abused somewhere else. Went on for as long as I can remember. Well, one night after the gang members had their fun and left for the night, I was still at the parlor... trying to overdose on... some herbs, eheh~" she nervously rubs her hooves together. "... But as I was trying to get my fill and hopefully end my sad life, a group of Black Horseshoes barged in and put a couple of humans in the room with us. From what I overheard, they were going to be shipped off, so they weren't going to be there long."

Crimson's hands had clutched into fists a while ago, but upon seeing Autumn scoot closer to Lippy and embrace her, he clenches them harder so they pop.

"... And among those humans, little baby Autumn was there! Not even a month old! Hehah~" She uses her hoof to gently stroke the girl's thigh. "... Me and the girls, all of us being abused by the Horseshoes, we were all so tired and numb to a lot of things, but... seeing her. Little baby Autumn. We couldn't sit there and just watch. So, the girls and I stopped trying to get high and put our heads together for a plan to get her out. I was the leader of the plan, and it was agreed on that I would try to make the escape. It was... difficult. Lots of... hush money... favors. It was probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do. ... And what do you know, I made it out! Me and little Autumn made it out of the nightmare! ... But, ehehe... the girls. My friends. They were... caught. And butchered. Every single one of them. I still dream about it to this day... but, at least their nightmare is over too."

Crimson clenches his teeth and feels an anxious pit in his gut.

"... So after I made it out, I got into contact with an old friend that you already know! Lightheart Trot! Goodie-four-hooves Lightheart! Still remember the day she went to university and I left Canterlot to further my studies into humankind. Never knew my life would turn out the way it did. ... After it was all said and done, Lightheart was kind enough to do an old friend a favor and gave me enough money to set up my own little shack out in the middle of no where, with no pony to bother me! Gave me seeds to plant and make my own living. So... now I'm here! Hehe~ Despite all of my regrets and all of the loved ones I lost... little Autumn here was worth it all," she hums while leaning in to nuzzle the girl's cheek.

The man's eyes fall to the ground... until Lippy speaks up again.

"So I guess now you're wondering why I'm telling you all of this, Crimsy! Think back on all of the times I left the cabin and left you alone with Autumn! I wasn't actually going anywhere, haha! I was right outside the whole time, waiting."

Crimson can't believe he didn't realize it sooner. Just as it is today, and nearly every single day he's spend here, it has been raining. Lippy never came home drenched.

"... Waiting. Hoping. Hoping that she'd like you and want to play with you. Share her toys with someone for once! I spent hours outside everyday hoping you two would be getting closer. And you were! You two were playing and getting along so well, I thought I was dreaming! I didn't have to do anything but leave, your relationship was so organic! See, Crimsy, you're not the first human I've brought here. I've tried a dozen times. I've tried to bring a human that, hopefully, Autumn would fall in love with and give him the pink bunny!" Her enthusiasm dips with a distant sigh. "... As you can probably guess, each time was a failure. She just... didn't like any of them. Some of them were super nice too! So passive and well-trained... still, she didn't take a liking to them. We never could figure out why. And it made her sad. It made me sad too, because it was so frustrating trying to get something to work. Autumn has always been such a good girl, she never fights with me or gets demanding. She eats what I give her and never complains. She's always been like that since she was little. Growing up, the only thing she ever wanted was a little one of her own. A little Autumn to nurture and love forever. This was the one thing she was picky with..." her gloomy eyes lift to lock with Crimson's. Her cloudy expression lightens up as they make eye contact. "But now you're here! And Autumn, well, she loves you! Hehah, what a twist of fate, right?"

Autumn crosses her arms over her belly as if she was trying to stave off the cold. Her eyes have stayed on the ground and have not looked up, not to Crimson nor Lippy. The man's plaintiveness grows in weight every passing second.

"In fact, she loves you so much, she tried to undo the chain for your collar several times when you were sleeping. She knew that I was keeping you here against your will and... she wanted to free you. I even had to hide the key from her and tell her to stop, heha! ... So... like I said earlier, all of your hate should be to me. Not precious little Autumn. I kept you here for this long so that she would finally have her own love. Don't get me wrong, aha, I love you too! With your hunky muscles, your alluring vascularity, your perfectly chiseled chin, eheh~" her eyes pulsate as pink hearts until she shakes her head. "But! That's besides the point! ... Crimsy. Tell me. Tell us what happens next."

"..." Crimson grabs his head with his right hand and squeezes to try and suppress his internal war.

"Regardless of what you choose, Crimsy... you'll be let go by the end of the day. Don't feel any pressure to decide! If by some miracle you give me mercy, I'll... keep trying. Keep trying to find someone for my little Autumn."

"I can't," the man grumbles. As soon as he speaks these words, his soul cracks at seeing Autumn squint. The type of squint that attempts to hide the watering of the eyes. Unable to bear this, he speaks up again to try and control the damage. "To give her a child... what kind of a father would I be if I just put one in her then up'n left? I ain't gonna give her a piece of myself and never meet the product of our lives. It just wouldn't be right fer Autumn or the kid."

"Num!" Autumn's shimmering orbs look up to him and she extends her arms forward, as if trying to halt him.

"Exactly, Crimsy!" Lippy agrees. "What Autumn said! We can take care of the child! You don't need to worry! We'll give them all the love and care they could ever need!"

"... But I'd still be a piece of trash for just leavin' a kid I made. What if they ask for their pa'? What're you gonna tell 'em? He's an irresponsible scumbag that booked it after loosin' a load?"

"Nope! I'll tell them that they have the best dad in the world!" Lippy nearly hops. "A hero! Their daddy is Equestria's Angel! And that he loves them very, very much! It's sad that he couldn't be around to watch them grow, but he'd be proud of them regardless! He'll be out saving Equestria so that they can live a fruitful life!"

"Saving Equestria?" Crimson's brows line the top of his eyes. "... How do you...?"

"Crimsy, I know more about you than you might think, thanks to our mutual friend. I could never keep you here forever. Who else will stop the magical anomalies from destroying the land? I'm sure your little one would understand~"

Visages of an unmade future flash in his conscious. A child whose features are blurred - held in the air by both him and Autumn. They run together, play together, rest in the grass together.

And the next flash is of only Autumn and the child. Laying on the grass, she sleeps on her mother's chest, as Autumn herself stargazes into the night sky. He is not present. And never was.

The man now fixes his attention to the girl. A small ember of hope burns in her eyes, pining his mind to have been swayed.

Crimson can hardly speak. His inner altercation wrestles at the speed of light. A cretin of a father that was never there for their child, but assured that he would not be at fault. Even if so, he'd feel less of a man for going through with it.

But now his incessant magnanimity flexes its strong arm. This is what she wants, a love-made child. He'd be selfish to deny something he's capable of giving, moreover, the wish of one's life. He comes to terms that his emotions are striking true. The interactions they had, the games they played, it was a feeling akin to a boy having a crush on a cute girl at recess. A sensation of childlike giddiness that he didn't have the time to feel when he was growing up; a crippling conviction of yearning for that innocence.

Without a doubt the time he has spent with Autumn was heartfelt. Were it not for the position he was in, being with her for the unforeseeable future would be more than imaginable. Lippy is right; this girl is sweet, caring, and definitely a pleasure to be around. She even knows how to throw a meal together as she's done it a few times exclusively for him. She'd... make a great mom.

"... You know," Crimson begins with gravel in his throat, "... the moment you let me go, I'm gonna kill you."

"That's fair!" Lippy joyfully states. "It was really selfish to kidnap you and use you for something so close to me. Looking at you all chained up, I saw a lot of myself! Just like when I was captive!"

"So you know exactly how fuckin' humiliatin' this is. And you still did it. ... Hmh... least I know why now. Y'know, you put a lot of effort to keep your personality plastic. Thought you were just some crazed lunatic fixin' to keep me yer trophy piece."

"I'd like to think I'm still partially sane! Ahah!"

"I could hardly tell. You sure did put up a character."

"Of course! Lots of ponies do it! I need to put up a character. It keeps the bad thoughts away... most of the time."

He shakes his head with dissonant disappointment. "It's the same yarn no matter where you go. Especially people."

"And I don't think it'll change any time soon, Crimsy. We all wear masks. Sometimes it's the only way to make it to tomorrow."

He clenches his fists. "Reckon so."

She catches his expression instantaneously, analyzing his eyebrows, the darting stare of his eyes, the lining of his lips, his clenched fists. The expression of an aggravated human. "I don't blame you for being angry. But... my only fear in life isn't dying - it's Autumn not having the family she always deserved. If I died, she could handle herself. I taught her how to tend to the land and do the chores around the house. ... Really, my life is hers! If something happened to her, I'd... hehe, probably kill myself! So... could... could you promise me one thing? Crimsy?"

"Cherry to oblige," he utters with a hint of sarcasm.

"When I unchain you, do whatever you want with me. But please don't hurt Autumn. Please?"

Stopped in his tracks, Crimson blinks out a chunk of his blinding rage at the request. "... Mm-- ... yeah. I'll, uh..." he shuffles in place to sit criss-cross. "Wouldn't hurt a hair on her head." Though he doesn't look up to see, he knows he's absorbed by Autumn's muse.

"Thank you... Crimsy." A rumble of thunder trembles the world. "... Did... you decide what you want to do?"

Indeed, the war inside is coming to an end. The army of altruism is raising their flag in victory. Crimson looks at the girl who looks ready to bellow in tears. She heard everything he said to Lippy and it isn't easy to take in. The conflagration that this situation has become is charring the walls of everyone's hearts.

Alas, the battle is done. What happens next... a venture time only knows. With the will to put up a half-hearted smile, he leans forward and crawls closer to Autumn, until they are but inches apart. He can see himself in her beautiful dandelion orbs, a gaze that anticipates his voice. "... I know I ain't need tell you this, but... take good care of 'em for me, Autumn." He chuckles listlessly. "Equestria's... number one mom." He offers the pink bunny for her to take.

Lippy reels mouth agape. Not that he needed to see it, but her reaction shines truth for the granted hopes and dreams of a broken soul. "Thank you," Lippy utters as she stands up. She tugs against the urge to cry, but holds it in long enough for her to say, "I'll leave you two to... y-y'know! Eheh. … Thank you... Crimson." She speaks his actual name with a cracked voice. She quickly turns around and takes off to the front door, but stops just before exiting to call back, "Have fun, you two! A-And don't worry about making a mess! I'll get it cleaned up!~" With a wink, she steps out.

Crimson returns his attention to Autumn, who tightly hugs the pink bunny against her chest. Her smile, genuine and jubilant, becomes contagious. His lips turn as hers do.

As he basks in her happiness, she catches him off-guard by plastering herself against him, squishing the bunny between their chests. She envelops him in a tight hug and holds it jealously. Then without the slightest telegraph, she leans up, nearly standing, to press her lips against his cheek. A quick, innocent peck.

It was such an instant, it felt as if it didn't even happen... but the soft tenderness of her lips still remains. The warmth of the breath she blew on him still tingles his face. The sound her lips made was adorable.

The hug she currently gives is adorable. Her hair, her eyes... she's adorable.

And by tomorrow evening, she'll be nothing more than a memory.

Next Chapter: Keeping For the Future Estimated time remaining: 16 Hours, 21 Minutes