//------------------------------//
// The Battle for Breakfast 
// Story: Equestria is a Silly Place 
// by Bootsy Slickmane 
//------------------------------//

	Time was slowing down again; Gummy could smell it. The round bowl seemed to take one nineteenth of an eternity to settle after being placed on the floor. Gummy didn't move, knowing in his gut what was coming. It took even longer for it to finally happen.

It was subtle at first, just a slight bubbling on the surface. Then the oatmeal shuddered in the bowl and took shape. A mighty, lumpy beast formed out of the oatmeal, extending out misshapen arms. It regarded Gummy with its sunken, eyeless sockets. The oatmeal beast opened its gooey mouth and let out a howl that would chill even the bravest of warriors to the bone.

The oatmeal beast held out its arms, each one swirling and twisting into rough cones. Gummy knew he didn't have much time, and sprang forward. The oatmeal beast fired lump after lump of oatmeal at Gummy as he sprinted forward, dodging left and right to avoid the boiling goo.

He knew it would be a difficult leap, but he had no other alternative. Once he was close enough, Gummy hopped up onto his back legs and sprang upward toward the edge of the massive bowl. He wrapped his claws around the rim, but struggled a moment before pulling himself over.

The oatmeal beast moved to the opposite edge of the bowl, having clearly underestimated his opponent. He'd never expected him to reach the bowl under his porridge barrage. The beast knew he only had one shot left to defeat Gummy, mightiest warrior in the known universe. He combined his gooey limbs into one and spewed out a mighty stream of scalding-hot oatmeal. But Gummy was too quick.

Gummy leapt up, flipping backward as he sailed through the air over the stream. He opened his mouth as he came down on his enemy and bit into his throat. The beast thrashed momentarily, then fell still. It had been a harrowing ordeal, as always, but Gummy had earned his breakfast that day.

His eyes turned to his master, the radiant pink pony who never ceased to challenge him. Sometimes he resented her for forcing him to do battle with hideous beasts just to eat enough to live, but he knew that it was for his own good. He knew she was training him to be the best of warriors, and that any lapse in his training could be catastrophic. He thanked the pony silently as he ate.



Pinkie Pie watched Gummy eat his morning oatmeal, waiting for him to finish so she could take his bowl away to be cleaned. He suddenly stopped and stared at her for a few seconds, then resumed normally. Pinkie hadn't said anything to warrant such a look, and she once again found herself wondering just what Gummy was thinking about. He was probably just thanking Pinkie for the oatmeal. That's what Pinkie would do. Yeah, that seemed right. Gummy was such a polite alligator.