//------------------------------//
// 5 - Fluttershy 
// Story: A Pony's Day on Voyager 
// by Jninja15 
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“There we go.” the EMH said as he began to put away the tricorder. “I give Angel Bunny a clean bill of health.”
Said bunny looked much happier during these checkups than any he’s had on Equestria, especially because these checkups were less intrusive and involved waving what amounts to a magic wand around to determine his health. The ironically named rabbit jumped down from the bio-bed into a pack of small alien creatures, beginning to establish his dominance as the alpha pet.
The Doctor stared at the strange behavior of the bunny and shook his head. “I’ll never understand Equestrian animal behaviors.”
Fluttershy looked at him with a cocked head. “Why not? You said you had bunnies like Angel back on your homeworld.”
“Technically, since I’m a hologram, I don’t have a homeworld, but my programmer was human, and his homeworld of Earth does have rabbits,” he looked at Angel being carried on the back of a turtle-like creature as if he were royalty. “but they act nothing like Angel here.”
“Angel, is that really necessary? Having Timothy carry you around like that?”
The rabbit squeaked a brief guffaw as he waved a paw dismissively.
The sound of breaking glass captured both Fluttershy’s and the Doctor’s attention. They turned to see the cat-like alien creature Fluttershy found on her last away mission with Neelix to find supplies, in one of the medicine cabinets. 
“Jake!” Fluttershy yelled, as loud as she does (which is to say, not very loud) at the creature in the cabinet. “How many times have I told you not to rummage around the medicine cabinet?”
Jake meowed back.
“Don’t you talk back to me, mister. You should know better than to go looking for food in places that have things that can make you sick.”
The cat-like alien’s ears pinned against its head as it shrunk back into the cabinet, trying to look small. Fluttershy took pity on the poor creature and gingerly tiptoed around the broken glass to pick up the ‘cat,’ being careful with its bandaged forepaw, and tiptoed back out.
“Five.” the EMH said flatly.
Fluttershy looked up from petting Jake. “What?” 
The hologram walked over to clean the pile of glass. “Five times. You have told Jake five times to stay out of those cabinets in the past three days.”
“Jake’s a growing boy, he’s hungry, and he’s used to having to scrounge for food where he’s from.” she faces Jake, “but you don’t have to scrounge for food now, you just have to ask me.”
“I do hope you’re keeping him on a strict diet, otherwise, if you give him food whenever he asks, he’ll get overweight.” he paused, “Though, I suppose if he’s overweight, he may not have the capability to jump up into the cabinets and break stuff. So, in that case, feed him to his heart’s content.”
Jake gave an elongated meow.
“Hush you, I know you want to compete with the others in your little climbing races in the hydroponics bay. And you,” she turns to the Doctor, “how could you say something so mean?”
The EMH dumped the bits of broken glass into the disposal, he stood there frozen for a couple of seconds. “I’m sorry,” he said, “It’s just that you’ve brought so many wild animals on board when you came, and then you bring more on every time you come back from an away mission- Despite what you’re used to, this isn’t a very big ship for that.”
“For what?”
“For keeping a zoo! It’s hardly fit for keeping pets. We don’t have the resources to spare. We are thousands of lightyears from home. We don’t know the next time we’ll run into civilization or be willing to trade with us for the resources we need. It’s distressing to have to treat... animals so frequently when there could be a medical emergency for the crew at any time.” Despite being a computer program, it was difficult for Fluttershy not to feel sorry for the Doctor, even if she tried.
Fluttershy put a hand on the Doctor’s shoulder. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I was causing you so much stress. I promise I’ll try to not have any of my animals come in as frequently.”
“And no more animals from away missions?”
Fluttershy pursed her lips and let out a slow whine.
The Doctor raised an eyebrow.
“Ok, fine!”
“Promise?” 
Fluttershy whimpered and held up a hand. “I promise.”
“Pinkie-Promise?”
Fluttershy paled. “Y-you mean- like P-pinkie Pie’s Pinkie p-promise or-?” she held up a pinkie finger.
The Doctor gave her a knowing look.
Fluttershy wilted, then adjusted Jake and took a deep breath, steeling herself before performing the Pinkie Promise ritual. She drew an invisible ‘X’ over her heart with her finger, “Cross my heart.” She then imitated flapping wings with her one free hand, “Hope to fly...” She paused, she looked as though on the verge of crying but quickly steeled her gaze as she held up a hand as if holding something in her palm, and she moved that hand to cover one eye, “Stick a cupcake... in my eye.” She then released a breath that she must not have realized she was holding and held Jake tighter and scratched deeply at the scruff of his neck. 
“There, was that so hard?” the Doctor asked.
Fluttershy stared at him with tired, incredulous eyes. Even with his marginal social ineptitude, he could see that her expression said, “Please don’t ever make me do that again.”