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// Prompt #145: Epic 
// Story: Ponywatching 
// by ThunderTempest 
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Morning broke over ponyville, and streams of light fell into the bedroom of Pinkie Pie, and illuminated Gummy's sleeping bed. The diminutive alligator blinked awake, and his tongue flicked out and licked his eyeballs.

It was time for him to begin the sacred quest that he had known was coming. As was tradition, he would not be allowed any tools beyond what he already had: his ferocious mind, and powerful jaws. They would be all that he would need to see him through this great undertaking. With slow, ponderous steps, he crawled his way out of the half-cocoon of blankets that he had covered himself in during the night.

His steady, ponderous plod took him further and further away from the comfort of his blanket, and away from the warmth of the sun streaming in through the window. His journey took him further and further from his warm home, until he came to a great cliff face, extending out below him, and for a moment, he wondered if he would ever make it back from this journey, but he remembered why he was undertaking this quest, and pressed on.

With as much precision as he could muster, he  began the long climb down the cliff, pausing on flat sections in order to recover his strength, and after what seemed like an age, he reached the bottom.

As he crossed the great plains, the sun shone on him, invigorating him, and hastening his journey until he reached the great mesa that was his destination.

Gummy craned his neck back as far as he could, and stared up at the distant flat top, knowing that he would have to climb the precarious surface if he was to ever achieve his ultimate goals. With a small croak of encouragement to himself, he began his climb.

****time****

With a final great exertation, Gummy pulled himself up onto the giant mesa, his feet sinking into the semi-soft surface. The final destination was within his sight, and with another lick of each of his eyeballs, he set off. He climbed over mounds and dips, eventually arriving at the highest point in the area.

Gummy summoned up all of his mighty resolve, opened his mouth, and bit down on the protrusion just next to him.

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Pinkie Pie jerked awake, her eyes crossing as she looked at her nose.

"Hi Gummy!" chirped Pinkie Pie, "Thanks for waking me up. You're the best alligator a pony could ever ask for.

Gummy maintained his blank stare, and continued to gum Pinkie Pie's nose.