It was another lovely day in the town of little ol’ Ponyville. The sun was shining, the birds were flying, and Json and H.H. were stocking back up. Needless to say, that dragon quest was a little tiring for them, if not for them never being outside for that long. They needed to get back to their work and prepare for the Gala…mainly for one little issue…
“Useless, empty brain!” Json was still struggling to think of something good to make, particularly one that wouldn’t explode. Of course, there was that flying pack he invented…but that’s just a prototype. He can’t possibly show it off yet. He needed to do something to help him think and get his mind off of it. He heard that his friends are seeing some stage magician or something, and he didn’t know where they were, so he and H.H. were, for the time being, on their own. H.H. puts a hand on his shoulder.
“Yeah, yeah, I know, but…why does life have to be so difficult sometimes?” It’s times like these that make him wish he wasn’t so shy and socially inept. Even if he IS the Element of Courage, he still has his own personal problems and fears that are still there, such as occasional loneliness and whether or not he will ever truly feel unique in this world. However, one thing aside from his friends and H.H. that makes it all worth it is inventing. He loves to spend his days trying to come up with whatever he can, even if they mostly result in blowups. As he decides to go to work on one of his projects, he starts to imagine his passion for invention.
Gear by gear, plate by plate
Screw by screw, wire by wire
I use these for the items
Of which that I require.
To create whatever comes to my mind,
Giving me time for the daily grind…
For you see, everything just fits in place,
Never leaving me in total disgrace!
Everything I work on at my own pace…
And yet, I want to find my place…
H.H. is helping him even as he sings. He’s well aware of everypony’s habit of breaking into song with no discernable music source, and Json is no exception.
Wing and wing, flap and flap,
Bag and bag, clap and clap
Making stuff picks up the slack,
And provides the confidence which I lack.
True, I was never an open stall
But maybe someday grow I shall!
For you see, everything just fits in place,
Never leaving me in total disgrace!
Everything I work on at my own pace…
And yet, I want to find my place…
After that brief musical interlude, Json checks the outside sky and from the looks of it, it’s almost time for Celestia to lower the Sun. He remembers to go on a little trot through Ponyville to help clear his mind before she does. He grabs H.H.’s bag and heads out.
He starts his trot through Ponyville, he couldn’t help but notice Twilight running and looking a little paranoid.
“Hey, Twilight. How-”
“I’m not better than anyone else! You’re better than anyone else! Who said anything about being better than anyone else?!” She stands for a moment before dashing off.
“What was that about,” asked Json, to which H.H. gave a shrug. They just decide to keep walking through town until something happens.
They have walked through town for about 30 minutes and he STILL feels blank over what to make. They then found themselves traveling on the outskirts of the town to see if they could think of anything.
“I really don’t know why it’s so hard to think of something to make all of-” He stops when he hears a chattering noise. He jumps, not knowing where the sound is coming from. “What was that?!” He panics a bit, hoping that whatever made the sound wasn’t angry...or threatening. H.H. points towards a bush that is making a rustling sound. He guides Json towards it, letting him get a little closer. Once the two make their way to the bush, they see...well, they’re not sure. It was a brown-colored creature with a duckbill and beavertail.
“What is it?” Json isn’t really an animal expert, and neither is H.H., so they’re both a little confused. The creature then looks up at them and makes a chattering noise. “That’s an...interesting noise…” The creature then jumps onto his back, startling him. He looks a little startled by something. Json looks around in a quick panic, thinking there was a predator around. The only thing he could see are two colts walking about like they were looking for something.
“Oh,” says Json, relieved. “Hey, don’t worry. It’s just two other ponies.” The only other trouble he could think of is that he doesn’t know entirely what this creature is. But he does know a friend who might…
Moments later…
Json, H.H., and the creature begin to see a cottage in the distance that housed Fluttershy. Json and H.H. knew that if anyone would know who this creature is, it’s her. H.H. extends a hand and knocks on her door. It took a while for her to respond, with her opening the door. She peeks from the side, not knowing who to expect until she sees who knocked.
“Oh, hello Json,” she says, her fear not as strong as she sees someone she knows. “I never expect you to be here at this hour. ...No offense.”
“None taken. Anyway, I have a quick question and favor. See, I found this creature in the woods just now.” He turns to show the creature on his back. “Would you happen to know what it is?”
“Oh. In fact...I do.” She steps back inside her cottage. “Oh, you can come in if you’d like.”
Everycreature goes in, with Json sitting on the couch, H.H. currently separated and sitting to the side of him, and the creature sitting in front of him. Fluttershy is sitting on the opposite end as a couple of animals run around her home.
“That creature you have with you is called a platypus.”
“A...platypus?”
“Yes. They are semi-aquatic mammals with duck bills and beaver tails.”
“Ooohhh...see, at first I was thinking it could be some kind of experiment that escaped.”
“Oh, no. This is entirely natural. Where did you find him?”
“We found him a little further from here. Somewhere near...I believe the edge of the Everfree Forest.” She noticeably pales.
“T-the Everfree Forest? Why were you two over there?”
“We hit a path block. We were trying to think of inventions to create. We were about to call it a night and go back when we found this platypus.”
“Oh. I see. Wait, this platypus looks young. Did you happen to see their parents?”
“Not from what we can recall.” H.H. shakes his...well front, signifying that he didn’t know either. “This platypus was all alone. With no one around to care for…” Json stops as H.H. taps his leg, giving him an idea. He’ll admit that he’s not great with animals, at least to Fluttershy’s level, but he couldn’t just send it on its way. He had to do something. “Unless we could take care of it. At least until his real family comes somewhere.”
“Really?” Fluttershy is a little surprised. “Are you sure you don’t want him to stay here? I can care for him myself until-”
“No, no, no, I insist.” Json felt encouraged to take the little guy in, at least until his real family comes in.
“Oh. O-of course. It’s just...having pets can be a bit...difficult.”
“I’m just going to keep him until his real family comes along. It would be no trouble at all.” Json, at this moment, gets up and prepares to walk out the door, with H.H. carrying the platypus as they exit the cottage.
Moments later…
The trio was traveling along the path, a little tired and hoping to get some rest. As they walk towards the town of Ponyville, they begin to hear screaming. It is coming from behind them…and getting louder. Before they know it, they are then shoved by two colts, screaming as they near the town.
“Ugh,” mutters Json as he gets up. “Hey! Weren’t you told that it’s rude to shove ponies like that?!” H.H. shakes his fist at them as the platypus looks backward. He looks terrified and hops on Json’s back. Json’s shocked at him jumping on his back, but when he sees the platypus looking so afraid, he looks back to see why. And then the three see it...the very large thing that made the platypus so afraid…heading right towards them. There is only one thing they can do now…
“RUN!” Json makes a break for it, with H.H. holding on tight to the platypus. They keep dashing for it as the thing nears them, seeing the town of Ponyville in the distance. If they can reach the town at least, they can head for Json’s home until this creature leaves.
Minutes after they started running, they finally reach the town, seeing the same two colts from before talking to a blue mare. Before Json could run up further to his home, he’s suddenly swatted away by the creature, with the three hitting a wall hard. Luckily, the platypus is unharmed, but Json is dazed and H.H. is now malfunctioning, his arms shorting out before retreating into his saddlebag.
“Oh no, not again! Now I gotta work to fix him ag-” He couldn’t even finish his brief stint of annoyance before the creature roars at him. The platypus curls up against him, tears flowing from his eyes leading Json to hold it within his arms and trying to calm him. “Shh, shh, shh.” He keeps shushing as the creature raises its claws, prepared to swipe at him.
...But after a couple of moments, he opens his eyes. It’s not swiping at them. Instead, his attention seems to be directed at the three ponies he saw before he was smacked. It then made a roar that starts scattering everypony, and attracts only one, with a dragon on her back.
“Twilight…?” He’s still a little dazed from the hit but he manages to get up and follow her to those three ponies, keeping the still-scared platypus steady on his back.
“Json? What are you doing out here?!”
“Well, I was trying to find someplace to think…and then suddenly THIS creature comes out of nowhere for some reason! Like, why is it even here?!” His cool is noticeably missing as he’s trying to wonder why this creature was here.
“Oh, we bought the Ursa here.” The blue unicorn colt says this so casually like their lives aren’t in any danger.
“Wait...you what?!”
“Don’t worry, the Great and Powerful Trixie will vanquish it.” The orange unicorn colt uses the same tone.
“Okay, someone has to catch me up on what I missed!” The Ursa roars at them. “As soon as someone does something. Like, I don’t know, this blue unicorn who these colts claim can vanquish it…” He cowers, as does the platypus on his back.
“I…can’t.” Trixie’s answer catches everypony off-guard.
“What,” exclaims the two unicorn colts, shocked more than the rest of them.
“Oh, I can't, I never have. No one can vanquish an Ursa Major. I just made the whole story up to make me look better!”
“Made it up?!” The exclamation from the two colts (again) fully put them in panic mode, as is everypony else when the Ursa roars once more. The platypus still cowers on his back as no pony knows what to do…but Twilight, after an audible gulp, does. The unicorn and the Ursa staredown at each other until Twilight starts using magic…
Json, still in the dark, observes as Twilight, in one sequence of motion, conjures a gust of wind, causing an audible tone to pacify the Ursa, as well as the platypus to his unknowing, causing them both to start to succumb to slumber, then brings a water tower that appears to be filled with milk to the Ursa, lifts the Ursa up into the air, has him suck on the water tower like a pacifier, and smoothly floats him back to whence he came.
Once she finishes, she’s met with universal applause from everypony, including Json, who’s clapping normally as H.H. is still deactive.
“Heavens to Betsy,” says Applejack amazed.
“‘Heavens to Betsy’ is right,” says Json, amazed as he adjusts his glasses. “I mean, considering you’re a personal student of the Princess, we knew you’re magic was impressive, but that was...was…”
“Magi-tacular!” Pinkie Pie finished for him, jumping in the air.
“I’m sorry,” says Twilight, who was ashamed for some reason. “Please, please don’t hate me.”
“Hate you?” Her friends were all confused, especially Json.
“Why, whatever do you mean, darling,” asks Rarity.
“Well, I know how much you all hated Trixie's showing off with her magic tricks, and I just thought--”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” says Rainbow Dash, stopping her there. “Magic's got nothing to do with it. Trixie's just a loudmouth.”
“Most unpleasant.”
“All hat and no cattle.” Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash looked at Json for his own input.
“I…literally only been here for, like, what, 3 minutes?”
“Oh,” says Pinkie, preparing to go into motor mouth mode. “Trixie is this super rude pony who shows off her magic and thinks she’s above everypony else, especially because she claimed that she once defeated an Ursa Major. Because of this, Twilight seems to have thought that if she showed off, she would be seen as like Trixie which is, like, super ridiculous considering she’s one of the nicest ponies you could ever meet once you get to know her. But anyway, these two colts here thought if they bring an Ursa Major here, she could vanquish it but you saw how that went. That’s why everypony was running and screaming like-” She demonstrates by running around and screaming, leading Json to hold a hoof to her mouth.
“Oookay, I think I’m caught up...I think.” Json’s still a little confused, but now that he thinks of it, he did notice Twilight acting a little panicked earlier today. He decides to step in and provide proper input.
“Listen, I hear a lot of criticism about what I love to do and that I should quit while I’m ahead. You know what I do?”
“What,” asks Twilight.
“Don’t worry about it, and embrace it. Your talents are what make you complete, and your magic is your talent. We’re happy to have an incredibly talented unicorn like you as our friend.” Json gives a little hug using his one hoof.
“And after whoopin’ that ursa’s hindquarters,” says Rainbow Dash, cutting in, “we’re even prouder!”
“You are?” All of her friends, except Fluttershy who seems to be absent, nodded.
“Wow, Twilight,” says Spike, still amazed, “How did you know what to do with that Ursa Major?”
“That's what I was doing when you came looking for me. I was so intrigued by Trixie's bragging that I was compelled to do a little reading up on them.”
“Wait, so it is possible to vanquish an ursa major?”
“Oh, that wasn’t an ursa major. That was a baby, an ursa minor.”
“That was just a baby?” Trixie’s incredulous to find out that her claims have been painted on the wrong creature.
“And it wasn't rampaging. It was just cranky because somepony woke it up.” The two colts sink in shame.
“Wait,” says Json, “If that was just a baby…what does a full-grown look like?”
“Trust me,” says Twilight, “you do not want to know.”
Trixie regains her cool after that. “Huh. You may have vanquished an ursa minor, but you will never have the amazing, show-stopping ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie!” She smoke bombs and runs away as everypony watches.
“Why that little-”
“Just let her go, Rainbow. Maybe someday she’ll learn her lesson.” As Twilight continues, Json yawns, as does the platypus on his back, still asleep. He decides to head off to bed and call it a night, not expecting the long night of being chased by a giant celestial bear.
Json and the platypus make it back to his home, walking to his bedroom. He places the platypus on a bunch of newspapers.
“Sorry that it’s not comfier, but it’s the best I can do…” Json whispers as he himself prepares to go to bed, lifting H.H. up off his back and placing him by his side on the bed. “And I’ll get you fixed first thing tomorrow…” These were his last words before he drifts off into slumber.