//------------------------------//
// Actions Have Consequences S1E7 
// Story: The Many Philosophical Musings of Gummy the Alligator 
// by Ironskull 
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“Oh Gummy!  Where are you?  Wait 'til you here about today!  There was this dragon and-  *GASP*!  Gummy!”

Pinkie hurried to her pet's side.  Next to him were three tubs of ice cream.

“Oh.  My.  Gosh Gummy!  Did you eat one bucket of vanilla ice cream, one bucket of chocolate ice cream, and one bucket of strawberry ice cream, all while I was away having a super-spectacular adventure with my friends?”

Yes.  Ughhhhh...

“Gummy, you should know better!  Shame on you!  Why did you do it?”

I was attempting to determine which is superior in taste experimentally.  I tried the vanilla first, and it was delicious.  And I tried the strawberry second, and it tasted even better.  And then I tried the chocolate, and it tasted the best of all.  But then I realized that it is fairly unlikely that I would stumble upon the correct order of ascending superiority on the first try, and decided that perhaps I had made a mistake.  And so I tried the vanilla again in order to make sure.

That was when I discovered that the vanilla tasted better than the chocolate.  And then I tried the strawberry again, and it was better, and then the chocolate, and it was better.

At this point, I tried to trick the pattern by going backwards.  I want back to strawberry after the chocolate, and I discovered that it was better.  Naturally, I was quite baffled by these conflicting results, and I resolved to keep testing until I discovered whatever anomaly causing the strange results.

It was only after I finished all three buckets that I realized what the anomaly was.  Time.  Time was what was causing the strange results.  Whichever flavor I had tried most recently was the one that tasted best.

“Well, was it worth it?” asked Pinkie chastisingly.

Maybe.  That depends on how long this misery will last...

Oh, who am I kidding.  This was a such a dumb idea!  And the only reason I didn't figure out what the anomaly was sooner was because I'm such a selfish gator.

“I'll go see Fluttershy and ask her for some medicine,” said Pinkie seriously.  “You can stay here and think about this.”

I always do.

Pinkie Pie turned back around, but before she could open the door, she stopped herself.  “You know, you could use some friends when I'm not around to keep you company.  And to keep you out of trouble.”

I am in no position to argue.

Pinkie finally opened the door and left the room.

Well, I suppose now would be a good time to remind myself that hardships can make me a better gator.

They CAN.  That doesn't always mean that they WILL!