Let's see... checklist time...

fed the chickens and gathered all the eggs?

Done and done while at the same time getting extremely dirty.

Fixed the old windmill

also done and almost killed myself doing so.

Made sure the cows had water and let them out.

Also done.

All the major things today have been done and whats left is just some small things. For once I don't have a busy day.

The names Lance... considering I hate my last name I'm not even going to bother telling you. I live on a large farm in Texas where I am almost constantly working. The name of the place was called the Hidden Lance Ranch and yes its where I got my name from. Got it from my grandfather when he died although due to legal means and getting in trouble its, not in my name but my parents.

In this world there is this thing called the Anthro Association... not long ago a portal to another world was opened. It was filled with many types of creatures, and from what people call them they are anthros, that wished for peace... well they didn't get it. Humans overpowered their armies and started to turn them into slaves for this world with a few humans going over to make farms for them to keep them coming, no matter the age. Be it for work, company, sex, anything. For 10 years it has been going on. I am probably the only farm at the moment who doesn't employ anthro workers.

Feeling a vibration in my pocket I pulled out my phone and flipped it open to see the name. Frowning I answered it. "what do you want?" I asked angrily as I leaned up against the gray wooden railing on the porch.

"is that any way to speak to your mother?" I narrowed my eyes slightly.

"what. do. You. Want. Please."

"that's slightly better. Anyways when are you going to buy anthro's Lance? It's been 3 years."

"no mother. I will not employ another species to work on a farm I cared for by myself like grandfather did." I could hear a sigh on the other end of the call I heard a small amount of shuffling before she spoke again.

"Lance. Your father and I have agreed to take the farm from you." my anger burst from my lungs.

"WHAT?! WHY?!" I yelled into the phone.

"its either you get yourself some anthro workers or the farm is taken from you. The fact you don't have anthro workers is ruing our reputation. In 3 days your brother will be coming to see if you have any workers and will check up on you weekly to show that you still have them. You will put them to work or the farm will be taken away. I already deposited the money into your account to buy them as well as equipment should you need it."

"why?"

"your father and I agreed that for you to dwell in the past would not be good for you regardless of what you think we still love you very much." I stayed silent as I slowly turned my head and looked around the large area. "are you still there Lance?" I gave a sigh.

"yeah I'm still here... what do I need to do then?" I asked her.

"considering all your profits are now coming to us the more anthros you have working for you the more money will be deposited into your account every month. The money already deposited should last you this month if you use it wisely and if you see the need for this month we will give you more but not much more."

"limit?"

"at least 10 for now."

"I won't have the room mother... ill have enough for probably 6 but 10 would be pushing it."

"your fault for making us make you son. anyways I got to go I have a meeting to get to. Love you."

"love you to the mother." as I heard the call ended I slowly closed the phone and put it into my pocket and calmly looked out over the farm once more. I was a hermit more or less and this farm meant everything to me. To see it taken away would be horrible. Well, the sooner I go the better although I should have a friend help me out. Taking my phone back out as I walked into the house to grab my wallet and keys as my friend picked up the phone. "This is Ben Sark what is it?"

"Hey Ben it's me," I replied as I walked down the porch steps and towards the truck.

"Lance! How are you doing?"

"not good at the moment. Listen I need a favor." I asked him as I got into the truck.

"sure whatcha need?" he asked.

"my parents one-upped me. I need 10 anthros by the time my brother comes in 3 days." I told him as I turned on the truck and started to drive along the dirt road to the actual road.

"that sack of shit is coming?!" I sighed. I completely forgot that he and my brother aren't on good terms. No one likes my brother anyway. "is the favor to beat his ass cause ill gladly does it!"

"ben I need your help to find 10 anthros to work on my farm. They also cut the profit I am getting from the farm and I now only get money from them."

"parents of the year am I right?" he stated sarcastically as I chuckled. He was one of my only friends from back then. "so you going now?"

"yeah, you off duty at the moment?" I asked him. He was one of the police officers for the town we lived in. he made sure that the anthros stayed in line while helping them out when he can.

"no, but the chief owes me a favor. I'll meet you at the Center." he hung up as I rolled my eyes. The Center was a large circular building which was where one could go to buy anthros the bigger the city the better the living habitats for the anthros in the Center. The Anthro Association also found a way to manipulate the magic inside of ponies to create new technology although it is exclusive only towards them. After about 20 minutes of driving, I made it to the Center and pulled into the empty spot right next to Ben's cruiser. He was leaning against it with a sucker in his mouth as he smiled when he saw me. He was a black man with an athletic build and loved to weigh that over me considering I was only slightly stronger than the average man of my age, that being 21. "Lance! Haven't seen you a few months," he yelled out as some people stared but looked away as people were walking in and out of the center. A few with anthros and a few without.

"I've been very busy Ben." he rolled his eyes.

"sure you have. Ready to get a few new friends?" I scowled at his poor joke as he laughed at my expression. " let's go." I followed him towards the building and as soon as we entered I frowned slightly seeing the state of about 98 percent of the anthros in the room. Some were naked with a leash on their neck on all fours. Others looked beaten as well as skin and bones. We approached the front desk as the woman behind it sneered at a female pegasus anthro being beaten next to the counter. " I have a newcomer here to get at least 10 anthros." the sneer disappeared as it was replaced with a fake smile.

"certainly! Always welcome to people trying out anthros!" she stated. "card of the buyer please." Ben turned to me as I handed them my credit card.

"they take your card to see your history, it shows what kind of person you are by what you have bought and what your lifestyle is like. Its also to keep track on who owns anthros to prevent theft." the woman's smile disappeared as she gave a small gasp as she quickly threw her head up.

"w-w-welcome to the Center mr-" I stopped her by raising a hand as Ben chuckled.

"don't say my last name please." she quickly nodded as she quickly regained a smile although this one was not fake.

"very well. Would you like the VIP treatment today?" I turned to ben with a raised eyebrow.

"the VIP treatment means you get first looks at the anthros who are yet to go on the market. Usually, they get a small group every week of at least 10 anthros. You also can see whats already out on the market and you get a Center Representative to show you around and make your buys immediately. You also get many other privileges that I have no idea about." I turned to the woman for a further explanation.

"you can also request anthro family members if they haven't already been brought over and bought. You can also sign up for a monthly subscription which lets you know when we get new anthros in. those of the highest VIP treatment can also request specific anthros be found and brought over as well as other privileges that will be told to you by the representative."

"and with your name you get the highest treatment," Ben told me.

"very well then." she nodded as she typed away on the screen. "any preferences?"

"there are many types of anthros although for you I would suggest the pony variations," Ben said as I nodded and she typed it down as I turned to ben.

"why just them?"

"well the others would most likely make more problems and some would eat your animals." I nodded at his logic. "plus the ponies are the most commonly brought over as well as the ones that are easiest to take care of and can easily be put to work. Just have to hope you don't grab a very stubborn one."

"the Representative will be with you shortly. Would you please put this around your neck and move to the right please." it was a pendant that she gave me and as we did as we were told a man pushed a yellow anthro and her head collided with the edge of the desk as she fell to the floor bleeding. Ben would have done something if I didn't hold him back.

A man who looked like a drunk approached the desk and he wore a pendant around his neck although his looked silver while mine looked platinum. "I'm returning this piece of shit. I was told she was assertive and she isn't so I demand a refund." he yelled angrily at the woman. "you know we don't take refunds or used ponies, mr Finnegan."

"so what?! I thought the customer was always right here!" he yelled. He must have been coming here often for her to already know his name. "fine then I guess its sleeping with the fishes for you." he pulled out a gun and pointed it at her as she looked extremely afraid. The people around us didn't care but the anthros around us looked at her worriedly.

Curse my sense of justice. "hey!" he turned to look at me as well as the people who were watching. "what the fuck do you think you're doing?!"

"well, I'm doing what I want to this anthro! She's a worthless bitch!" I looked at her as she looked at me worriedly with eyes full of hope. Her eyes also kept darting towards the gun in the man's hands.

"she doesn't look worthless." his face turned red.

"all she can fucking do is take care of animals! That's all she fucking does and nothing else! She isn't fast like a pegasus and she cants manipulate the damn weather!" takes care of animals?

"how much was she?" I asked him.

"she was 500," he stated angrily as a representative approached me.

"Welcome to the Center I am you-" I stopped him midway.

"stop for a moment... how much was she," I asked him as he typed away on his tablet immediately. hm... good service so far. Didn't even ask questions.

"she was 500 sir." he asked. "her name is Fluttershy and from what we knew when she was bought a month ago she was excellent at taking care of animals but has a small problem with her confidence."

"why wasn't I told any of this?!" the man yelled.

"because he is higher tiered then you sir." the representative stated as the man looked at my pendant and paled.

"p-p-platinum..." he stuttered out as he dropped his gun as I raised an eyebrow at him. "here! Take her! I don't want her anyway!" he quickly ran away without his gun as I looked at Ben as he looked at me sheepishly.

"platinum is the CEO of the Anthro Association. It's also for their families so..." I facepalmed before I sighed. I glared at him slightly as he rubbed the back of his head as I approached the mare on the floor. She looked at me fearfully now instead of hope filled eyes. As I reached my hand out towards her she closed her eyes as I noticed bruises hidden just barely by her current clothes. "Add her to my list as bought," I stated still staring at her.

"Certainly sir." he stated as he typed a few times. "would you mind following me sir while I have security dispose of the gun and take her to a loading bay."

"she will be coming with us."

"very well sir," he stated in his same monotone voice. A nearby security officer pulled her to her feet as I got a better look at the wound on her head.

"get her some medical attention then bring her back." the guard nodded as he grabbed her arm roughly before pulling her away. Now that my mind was no longer focused on her I could hear the whispers around me as I turned to the representative. " let's get this over with." he nodded and he turned around as both Ben and I followed him. Soon we reached an elevator and when we walked in he swiped his card and we started to go down.

"sorry for not telling you about the pendant Lance. Knew you wouldn't take it if you knew but you would need all the help you can get on your farm so I thought why not." I sighed.

"just please tell me these things Ben when I need to know them Ben." he gave me a small smile.

"sure thing." I smiled back as the elevator door opened as we entered a dark room with lit up windows on the side.

"the windows are one way and only you can see through them Mr. Pendragon." I scowled at my last name but I nodded. "from what your files show you are a farmer correct?" I nodded. "then may I make a few suggestions."

"certainly," I stated as he typed away on his tablet before handing it to me showing an orange mare.

"her name is Applejack. She is a stubborn worker and has worked on an apple farm in the anthro homeland. She is currently in a circulation going around Texas as owners keep refunding her." I stared at him with a raised eyebrow.

"I thought you couldn't refund them."

"Centers can choose to allow refunds or not if they so choose."

"what about this one?"

"if you wish we can change it sir." my mind flashed back to Fluttershy and what would have happened if I hadn't interrupted.

"change it, please. This mare may I know more?" I asked giving him the tablet back as he nodded.

"she has a much younger sister and an older brother who both also work on the farm but are at the moment not transferred over or bought yet. She tends to work well when not told to do anything and does work anyway." I started to give her a thought as I began to think. Works just about all the time and has a younger sister and brother.

That's a winner.

"put her down as bought and is it possible to reserve the brother and sister if they are ever brought over?" he nods his head. "then please do so. Any other suggestions?" he shook his head. "then I and my friend are going to look around. He nods as both me and Ben walk away with him trailing behind us. We looked into each of the cells to try and find a pony that would interest me.

Although after an hour we found nothing. " I need at least 1 other pony for today at least Ben... I don't want to risk losing the farm." I said exasperatedly at everything that was going on.

"why not just buy ponies and do the work yourself?" he asked.

"mother said they have to be working." he gave me a look of understanding as I watched a naked pink pony be taken out of a cell and restrained. I motioned for the representative to approach. "whats going on over there?" he fixed his glasses as he typed a few times on his tablet.

"Apparently she has been in circulation for a couple years and everyone has refunded her immediately to the point no one wants her. She is going to be put down so we have room for another anthro," he states as I watch them manhandle her as she looks horrified at whats happening.

"what does she do?" I asked him.

"she is a baker with a few living relatives who have been bought except for another one who is in circulation at the moment. Used to be a farmer both her and her sister."

"farming what?" Ben asked.

"Rocks." Ben burst out laughing as I noticed Fluttershy approaching with two guards pulling her. Her head bandaged and all the blood gone. She was looking horrified at the pink pony as I could see the sense of recognition in her eyes.

"bring her over here," I stated not looking away from Fluttershy's eyes. I saw him nod as he put two fingers into his mouth and gave a loud whistle. This caused everyone to look towards us as he motioned for the group of guards to bring her over. As soon as she was over next to us she was put on her knees as Fluttershy ran over but was held back by the two guards. I looked her in her eyes and I could tell she was an easy going person. Suppressing her own personality the best she could in hopes of being bought and not put down. "add her..." I stated as the Rep motioned for them to take off the restraints. As soon as they were off Fluttershy started to hug her as tears came down both of their faces. "add her sister to the list as well..." I whispered as he nodded. "that will be all for today."

"take them to the loading bay." the guards herded them out of the way as I looked at the Rep.

"look into their history and find out if they know anyone else worth noting... ill is back tomorrow to look around again." he nodded.

"my suggestion is to come at noon sir as that's when a new shipment will arrive. It will be a lot bigger than normal as its time to shuffle out ponies in our circulation." I nodded. "you have already been billed and I will look into your requests myself. Please follow me to leave." I nodded as we followed him out.