//------------------------------// // 94 Atziri's Arsenal, Part Two // Story: Continuity Disrupted // by Doug Graves //------------------------------// Trixie observes with moderate disinterest as Fluttershy flies off towards her cottage, a wide grin on the yellow pegasus. Doug sits, twiddling his thumbs as he watches the herd at play with their pets. Rainbow shuffles awkwardly, glancing between the herd, the food still uneaten, and Fluttershy’s cottage. A low grumble emanates from Rainbow’s throat as she eventually shuffles over to Doug, plopping down next to him. “Hey!” Rainbow Dash exclaims as Fluttershy quickly returns, grabbing hold of Rainbow’s ear. “Watch it!” Fluttershy ignores Rainbow’s command, tugging on the cyan ear. “Ow! Ow. Ow. Ow.” Rainbow’s protests continue with every beat of yellow wing as Fluttershy flies up, dragging the cyan pegasus away. Rainbow takes off, her forelegs crossed across her chest, a frowning pout on her muzzle as she limply follows Fluttershy. Trixie turns to Doug, her eyes wandering to the tablecloth used for the picnic. “So, what do you want to do?” She flops down next to him, rolling onto her back and exposing her belly. “Trixie would not mind being your pet.” Doug stifles a chuckle, trying to keep a serious glare on his face as he turns to Trixie. His traitorous hand goes to her belly regardless, tracing circles in the soft hair as he admonishes, “That sounds like you just want an excuse to poop around the house again.” Trixie tries to keep the pout on her face instead of a heady grin as she writhes back and forth. “Hey, Applejack told me that’s how they fertilize the plants around here.” Doug jabs her in the side, earning a large flinch from the unicorn. “You knew that she didn’t mean the house plants.” “Then she should have specified.” Trixie moans as Doug presses harder, drawing an open eye from Spike. The dragon huffs as he turns to his side, one claw coming up to cover his ear. Trixie’s eyes open as Doug stops. “What? Why did you stop?” “Curiosity,” Doug says as he points towards Fluttershy’s cottage. Fluttershy is darting here and there, gathering one after another and lining them up in disorderly rows. Rainbow Dash is hovering in midair, still crossing her forelegs across her chest. Both of them appear to be… singing. And Fluttershy keeps making wider and wider circles around, gathering bunnies and insects and other critters from all around. “Ugh.” Trixie flops back to her side. “You’d have to be crazy to think that Trixie wants a pet.” “Really?!” Fluttershy exclaims, appearing instantly at Trixie’s side. She rolls over, laying on her back as well and nuzzling the azure unicorn. Trixie blinks a few times, glancing over to where a turtle seems to be in a staring contest with Rainbow Dash. “Oh, that would just make me so happy! Two of my friends finding the perfect pets for them!” Fluttershy excitedly clops her hooves together, beaming up a smile as bright as the sun. “Gah!” yells Trixie, though Doug’s hand prevents her flailing hooves from flipping herself over. She glares, first at Doug as his other hand rubs Fluttershy, then at Fluttershy. “Were you even listening to me?” “Of course!” Fluttershy says, a crazed grin plastered on her muzzle. “You said that ‘Trixie wants a pet!’ And I have so many wonderful choices for you to decide!” She grabs onto Doug’s hand, tugging twice. Doug grunts as he stands, hauling both mares to their hooves. Well, hauling Fluttershy up while Trixie goes limp, now dead weight dragging him down. Fluttershy rewards Doug with a quick nuzzle as she flies up. “Nooo,” Trixie playfully groans, listlessly shaking Doug’s hand back and forth. Doug sighs, dropping Trixie’s foreleg. He firmly grabs her rear leg at the hoof before he drops, rolling his shoulder into her flank, his other hand coming up to grab her right at the thigh. Trixie’s eyes go wide as Doug rolls right across her barrel, letting go of her hoof to grip her foreleg right at the barrel.   “Up and at ‘em,” Doug says as he stands up, Trixie now firmly held on his shoulders. Trixie sighs as Doug starts walking to Fluttershy’s cottage, not yet resigned to her fate. “Doouug,” Trixie whines, lightly whacking her hooves against him. “Yeees?” comes Doug’s drawn out reply. “Come ooon.” Trixie thunks Doug again on the chest. Doug waits for a few seconds before saying, “What would you like?” Trixie asks in a cheery, high pitched voice, “Put me down?” When Trixie doesn’t get a reply she huffs, now a deeper and more commanding, “Put me down.” “Hmm,” Doug says, stretching one of Trixie’s legs to scratch his chin. “Nope. We need to get you a pet!” “Awww.” Trixie pouts, her legs ceasing their flailing. “Please?” “Noo,” Fluttershy implores as she flies next to them. She hunkers down a little, “I mean, unless you really don’t want to…” Trixie’s mouth opens until she spots Fluttershy’s pleading look, her hooves clasped in front of her body. Trixie slowly lets her breath out. “Fine. Let’s get this over with.” “That’s the spirit!” Doug chimes, a bit more of a skip in his step. “So, what kind of pet do you want?” “No idea,” Trixie says flatly, staring as the choices Rainbow has passed on arrange themselves around her. There are all kinds of animals, ranging from tiny insects and small bunnies, all the way up to a large seal. “A seal?” Doug asks incredulously, looking around for a body of water. “Where-” “Oh, do you like him?” Fluttershy asks, whirling around to gaze into Doug’s eyes from just a foot away. “I’ve seen this particular seal catch ten feet of air when he breaches the water!” Doug stops in his tracks for a few seconds, keeping from running into the pegasus. “Cool,” he eventually says, shrugging Trixie up and down. Fluttershy continues grinning at him, her smile widening just a little. Doug stares at Fluttershy. Fluttershy stares back at Doug. Doug finally breaks, a note of resignation in his voice, “And?” “Because we need to get you a pet, too!” Fluttershy motions towards the animals lining up around Rainbow. “Oh, no,” Doug says, shaking his head and taking a step back. “Nonono. I don’t need a pet. I’ve already got too much going on.” “Hah!” exclaims Trixie, her own smirk growing larger. She taps Doug on the head. “Too bad! Pets for Everypony!” “Aww,” Doug says as Fluttershy pushes him towards her cottage. “Really?” “Yup!” Fluttershy, Trixie, and even Rainbow chorus. “Ugh. Fine.” Doug walks over to Rainbow Dash, rolling his shoulders that are just starting to get sore. “Yey!” cheers Fluttershy in a quiet whisper. Rainbow Dash looks over, frowning, as Fluttershy spins around in a quick dance. Fluttershy zips up, a flock of many birds following her. Fluttershy looks down on the group, inspecting the animals. “Now, where did we leave off?” She pauses for a split second before exclaiming, “Oh, right!” Fluttershy flies down to a nearby tree, singing, “I’ve got just the thing in this tree, Dash!” She lifts a brown squirrel in her hooves. “Meet your fabulous new pet, Squirrely!” Rainbow Dash sighs, her hoof coming up to her forehead. “It’s, just a squirrel.” Fluttershy shakes her head, “Not just any squirrel!” She throws the squirrel into the air, “A flying squirrel!” The squirrel spreads her legs, gently coasting to the ground. “... Yeah.” Rainbow Dash sighs, “Like I was saying.” Rainbow Dash takes off into the sky, Fluttershy following just behind her, the flock of birds on her hooves. Trixie grunts as Doug drops her back on the ground. Some of the animals around them are trying to catch her attention, playing little games with each other. Others are watching Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy fly around in the air. The last, a turtle, seems to be trying to get Rainbow’s attention. Trixie’s gaze shifts from one animal to another, trying to find any standouts. Doug watches Rainbow, the smile on his face growing as large as hers as she flits from a wasp to a bat to an eagle. He loves watching her fly, and the joy she gets from that. And a pet that could join her in that? That would be just perfect. He turns to Trixie, idly asking, “So, which pet do you think she’s going to pick?” Trixie flatly says, “The turtle.” Doug gapes. “What?” He shakes his head, “No. No way. A turtle? It’s going to be the falcon.” Trixie shrugs. “Want to bet?” “It’s not even a contest,” Doug continues. “I mean, it’s a close toss up between the falcon and the eagle. Both very strong fliers. But the falcon is faster, emblematic of everything an air force would want.” “You’re on,” Trixie says with a smirk, raising a hoof. Doug taps it with his fist in response, the two now looking at the animals. “So, which animal are you thinking of?” “I don’t know, I kind of want a song and dance routine to help me figure it out.” Doug scratches his chin. Fluttershy flies down as Rainbow inspects the various flying creatures around her. “Oh? You need some help deciding?” Doug and Trixie nod. Fluttershy hums to herself, a hoof coming up to her own chin. She focuses on Trixie. “Well, let’s see.” Fluttershy drops down to the animals, pulling out a white female bunny. “How about Miss Behare? She’s cutesy and wootsy and quick as can be!” Trixie sighs. “Seriously? Because I’m a magician, I need a pet bunny? I use bunnies in my tricks, not as pets.” Fluttershy shakes her head, “That doesn’t mean you can’t do both!” She frowns at Trixie’s flat stare. Fluttershy continues in a sing-song voice, “Trixie, have faith! You see, I will bet you! Somewhere in here is a pet that will get you!” Trixie groans. “Really?” “Really!” Fluttershy flies up, coaxing a white dove from a nearby tree. “This little birdie has your name written all over it!” Trixie’s face falls. “Really?” “Really!” Fluttershy nuzzles the dove. She holds her out to Trixie, beaming a hopeful smile. “It’s another magician animal!” Trixie exclaims, stamping a hoof on the ground. “Oh.” Fluttershy’s smile disappears briefly before she lights back up again. “How about this cute widdle puddy tat?” She holds up a dark gray cat with shining white eyes. “Chorch says he likes you!” “A black cat? Come on.” Trixie shakes her head. “Nope. Not gonna happen.” “Aww.” Fluttershy looks around, still holding the cat. “Hmm.” “Eee!” Trixie yelps, spinning around, one hoof coming to her mane. “Doug!” she spits out accusingly. “That hurt!” Doug merely furrows his eyebrows, “What? I didn’t do anything.” Trixie groans, shaking her mane. A flash of black flicks out from her gray and light blue mane. Her eye focuses on the spot, her hoof rooting around in her mane. Her face lights up as she grabs hold, yanking the black and white striped critter out of her mane. She focuses on her white face, a mask of black fur around her eyes. “Frixie!” Fluttershy admonishes, going to take the ferret away from Trixie. “What have I told you about playing tricks on ponies?” “Tricks?” Trixie says, pulling the ferret away from Fluttershy. “You like playing tricks on ponies?” The ferret’s mouth curls to a smile, exposing her long fangs as she nods. Trixie turns to Fluttershy, letting go of the ferret. She runs along Trixie’s leg, the unicorn wincing a little at the claws lightly digging into her, ending up in her mane and poking her head out to regard Fluttershy. “Fluttershy, dear, Trixie has made her choice.” “Oh. Um, are you sure?” Fluttershy’s frown quickly turns to a smile at Trixie’s nod. “Good! Great! Angel Bunny will sure be glad to not have to keep his carrots safe from her.” Trixie diabolically rubs her hooves together, her eye coming up to stare at her ferret, the two sharing a wink. Fluttershy turns to Doug. “Now, let’s see.” She looks at the cat in her hooves. “Want a cat? She’s generally pretty calm, mostly just lays around. You might even think she was dead.” “Um,” Doug says, the cat glaring at him with a look of pure malice. “Perhaps not. And I think you should get that cat checked out.” Fluttershy shrugs, dropping the cat from a few feet in the air. He limply rolls, landing on his side. He stays silent, not even a yowl as he lays on the ground. “Probably. Hmm, who else would be a good fit?” Fluttershy’s eyes scan over the crowd, finally lighting up. “Oh, I know! I don’t know how I missed you!” Fluttershy flies up to Harry and Barry, the two bears sitting and watching the proceedings. Doug stares incredulously. “A bear? I thought they had a house and everything. Why would they be a pet?” “Oh, no, not them! I just asked them to look after this puppy!” Fluttershy goes past the two bears, leading a massive St. Bernard. The dog, easily as large as the pegasus, smiles at Doug, his long legs bounding towards the human. “I think Coju likes you even more!” “I can see that!” Doug says as he offers a hand. The dog eagerly licks him, forcing his way forwards to try to reach Doug’s face. “Hey, boy. Back. Sit.” Coju’s tongue wags out as he backs up, sitting down and staring at Doug. “Good boy.” Doug’s face grows stern as he looks at Fluttershy. “Coju?” Fluttershy grins. “Yup!” Doug sighs. “Yeah... Hmm.” He looks up at Fluttershy, a bit of a frown. “Any other choices?” “Well, you’ve seen these critters,” Fluttershy says, waving a hoof over the assembled critters. She flourishes as she withdraws a black raven. “And then there’s this fellow!” The raven stares at Doug, a beady black eye haughtily regarding him. His beak opens, though no caw comes out, and begins to preen one of his wings. Doug sighs. “Let me guess. Rondoll Flogg?” Fluttershy raises an eyebrow. “No. Where did that come from?” Doug shrugs, “Theme. What is his name?” Fluttershy nuzzles the raven. “Meh Deeve.” “Hmm,” Doug says, his curiosity piqued. He glances between Coju and Meh Deeve. His hand comes up to pet the St. Bernard, “Well, as much as I this guy, I think I’m going to have to go with the raven.” The St. Bernard huffs, though he looks up at the raven. A paw raises, the raven flying down to shake it. Coju walks back to Harry, disappearing behind the bears. The raven flies over to Doug, landing on his shoulder and giving a quiet caw. Doug smiles a finger raising up to stroke the bird’s feathers. “Nice to meet you too. You don’t mind if I call you Medivh, do you?” The raven shrugs as the five look up to see Rainbow still deep in thought over which pet to choose.