//------------------------------// // Dog Days: Home on the Farm, Hot in the Kitchen // Story: Equestrian Eeveelution. // by Symphonicdysonince //------------------------------// [Vince] The sun crested over the trees on the Apples’ farm. A ray pierced through the blinds of Big Mac's room, falling across my eyes. I stirred, then wriggled around to get my legs under me. It looks like it’s going to be a good day. I mused to myself. Cy and I used to take a leaf out of Leo’s book, and sleep the mornings away. Since we’ve been working on the farm, we’ve been getting up earlier and earlier. Now, we are usually up before the sunrise, but go to bed before night fall. The irony isn’t lost on me. Cy nudged me out of my musings. We both turned and made our way downstairs. We sat by our food bowls, joined shortly by Winona. It wasn’t long before the eldest Apple entered the kitchen, and began prepare everyone’s breakfast. As soon as the food reached our stomachs, we went and waited outside. Our usual ‘chores’ were to help Winona with the herding, or joining the Apples with the harvest, headbutting trees. Turns out, today was a free day for us. “Hey, Vince.” Cy tapped my shoulder. “Do ya wanna see if we can go and track down Conner?” I nodded, and led the way to the farm's edge. It didn’t take us long to reach it. We paused when we reached the fence. I looked over my shoulder at Cy. “Hey, watch this! I’m going to do a flip.” I hopped up to the top rail. I had to pause as the wind briefly kicked up, forcing me to regain my balance. I closed my eyes, and then, when the wind died back down, I jumped- “Vincent, look out!” -And got bowled over before I hit the ground. “I’m sorry Vince, I didn’t see you there. I’m sorry….” I heard something Doppler off into the distance. “What fuckin’ hit me…?” I wobbled to my feet. Cy bumped his way under my left foreleg. “I think that was Leo.” “Ya think?” “It was going too fast to get a good look at it.” I felt him shrug. “It was following a rainbow, it’s likely him.” I stumbled a little trying to figure out which paw to move first. “Ya know something. If you had said that a year ago, I wouldn’t’ve… wouldn’t’ve… why are the trees swaying?” Cy started to drag me down the road. “I think that hit you harder than I thought.” “I think they’re having a seizure.” I giggled. “I didn’t know Equistria had epileptic trees.” “Yeah, yeah. Let’s get you to Fluttershy’s.” Time kinda went… Sideways for me then. I came to when Angel dumped a bucket of water on me. “Hey, Angel.” Cy dropped me. “Is Conner around?” The Demon Rabbit pointed towards the back of the cottage. Cy bowed his head, then the traitor ditched me. I watched him leave until a carrot came swinging into view. [Cy] I heard a thwack from behind me, followed by what sounded like a sack of potatoes hitting the ground. A quick glance showed a confused Angel and Vince out cold. Shaking my head, I continued my search for Conner. I spotted him out by the bird feeders. “There you are.” Conner jumped, then scrambled to keep the feeder upright. “Jeez, don’t do that!” He turned to look at me. “Oh, hey Cy. Ah, I heard that you two were looking for me yesterday.” He paused, looking around for something. “Where’s your other half?” I tilted my head. “Eh?” “Vince.” I nodded my head. “He’s out cold. He walked in front of… something on the road. Still, while Nurse Fluttershy fixes him up, could you teach me Dig? We’re going to help Big Mac dig out the mud pits for the Social.” Conner smiled. “Okay, here’s what you gotta do…” [Zann] I watched Pinkie pronk around the Cakes’ kitchen. I held an oven mitt in my mouth and rubber booties. Pinkie was humming a tune as she worked, whipping up another batch for the store. The Cakes try to keep the two of us together. Today, they stuffed us into the kitchen letting Pinkie handle the food, with me keeping an eye on her. What’s the oven mitt and booties for? For taking food out of the oven, of course! Speaking of, it smells like the latest batch is done. I hopped up to grab hold of the oven’s handle. I wriggled a bit until the door popped open. Jumping onto the open door, I pulled out the tray of cupcakes, leaving the muffins alone for now. I quickly hobbled my way over to a counter, where Pinkie swapped them for a batch to go in. I stuck those into the oven as soon as I could, then rushed under the open door, jumping to close it. I fired of a quick Swift at Pinkie. It was only of one star, just enough to sting. I smirked as she yelped. “How did you know I was going to eat one… or three?” Pinkie asked. <> I sniggered. We worked in almost silence for a brief time. Soon, Pinkie broke it. “I keep wondering what you will grow up into, ya know. I thought about the other two, and I think it’s weird that they became two different things. One was at night, and became creepy-spooky, while the other changed in the woods and turned all planty. “Hey, does that mean that if one of you changed in winter, you’d become a snow-doggy? Or a mere-mutt if you changed in the lake! There’s so many possible spontaneous evolutions! I wonder if there’s a magic one of you guys…” I started to tune out the talkative party pony as I moved back to the oven, pulling the muffins and hopped onto a low stool. I carefully leaned against the nearby counter, placing the tray onto it to cool. I hoped down, ducking under Pinkie on my way to the second oven. Looking through the door, I saw the pies inside were done. <> “Oh, and these ones we had cooling are done too! Could you let the Cakes know they're ready?” … I’m going to assume she just put two and two together to figure out what I meant. I fired another Swift at the bell Pinkie had hung in the archway separating the kitchen from the counter. Shortly after it rang, Mr. Cake entered to get the cooled pies. Just after he left, there was a muffled bang, and the second oven started to spew smoke. Pinkie pronked over to the windows to start airing out the kitchen, while I hobbled to the side of the oven and pressed my nose to the rune etched there. “Pinkie, Zann!” Mrs. Cake rushed into the kitchen. After seeing we were okay, she began to help us clear out the oven. “Oooh, the darn thing’s busted again, isn’t it? I’ll have to get the repair pony again.” Pinkie strapped a tube to my back, and carried me to the back door. “Go get Twilight.” She murmured to me. I hobbled off as fast I could, which isn’t saying much with my missing leg. I barely got three steps when a rainbow rocked past overhead. Then I was airborne. “Oh, hey Zann!” Leo barked from under me. “I hope you’re going to the library, cuz I can’t corner well at speed.” I just gripped on as best I could for the next minute. I could see the library coming up through my squinted eyes. Risking a glance down, I saw Leo with his eyes wide open, and his tongue hanging out. My only warning was Leo closing his mouth. The next thing I know, I’m staring out a pony shaped hole in the wall. Leo poked his head in. <> <> I stumbled to my paws. <> <> Twilight stormed around the shelves at that point. “RAINBOW DASH! What have I told you about using the doors?!” The prismatic mare sat up. “Something, something, use them?” Leo and I shared a look. <> I hobbled to the irate librarian, bumping into Twilight’s leg. It took a couple bumps, but I finally got her to break off her tirade. I shook my back and the tube Pinkie tied there. The tube was encased by Twilight’s aura, and a message was pulled from it. “Pinkie needs me to take a look at her oven.” She sighed. “Please stop using my home as a landing point.” Twilight turned away, calling for Spike. Rainbow Dash looked around at the mess of books. Leo hopped through the wall, and together, they began cleaning up the mess. Soon, they were joined by Yomega, Spike, and a sleepy Abes. I hobbled over to do my part, but Leo waved me off. <> I nodded, and decided to take a risk. I jumped out of Rainbow’s newest renovating attempt. I didn’t get much distance, and my side slammed into the ground. That’s going to leave a bruise, and right on my missing leg, too. <> Yomega yelled down at me. <> <> With a flick of my tail, I turned and made my way through town. I passed Twilight on her way home. I heard her muttering something too scientific for me to ever understand. I managed to get to the bakery without hurting myself even more in a few minutes. Pinkie met me at the door, and carried me up to her room. After placing me into my bed and refilling my food bowl, she left me to rest. I didn’t have much I could do but wait to fall asleep. Gummy’s not much for talking, and I find I tire quickly. Hell, I barely made it back home without resting. I looked down at where my front left paw would have been. I never thought that this world could be this cruel. “It may not be the world you know, or thought you knew, but the predators here still need to eat too.” Yeah… I just never thought that I could end up as a tree’s dinner. Pinkie came back upstairs just after I cried myself to sleep.