//------------------------------// // Exotic Pets // Story: Before the Dawn // by Thunderblast //------------------------------// "You bought a ... WHAT?!" Skillshot shouted, his eyes opening up wide. "Shush!" Thunderblast whispered. "We can't attract attention. Yes, I bought a White Bengal tiger. He needed a home, just look at him!" Thunder raised his hoof and turned back to the smaller animal, which continued to rub against his hind leg and purr softly. Skill then raised a hoof to his face and shook his head into it. "You don't just buy exotic rainforest animals, Thunder. You could get in serious trouble for this." "What? I've seen a few ponies who have tigers as pets, I don't see why I can't." "You want to know why? Because he will eat you alive!" Flashpoint yelled, glaring slightly towards them. "Hey, he's just a cub! And however old he is, I doubt he has the basics to living in the wild. Besides, don't you see how he acts? He rubs against me, he purrs, he even meows sometimes! And after I stepped up to him, I was the only one in that shop he let feed him. Not even the store manager was able to feed him, but I was somehow able to!" Thunder then sighed. "Come on, it won't be bad. I'll go to somepony to train him if I have to." "Its not that," Skill said. "Then what is it?" "You'll have a hell of a time trying to explain this to the lieutenant." "So, let me get this straight. I gave you all a day off to go to Manehattan and enjoy your time, and you come back with a ... a tiger?!" Sparkplug said with a deadly glare on his face as he looked between the three ponies across his desk. "Actually, sir," Thunder started, Sparkplug turned to him. "It was me." "And what in your right mind made you think it was a good idea to bring a tiger cub to an active military base, conscript?" "Sir, the shop he was at was doing its best to take care of him. After seeing how poorly he responded to the manager's attempts, I gave it a try, and he did not show hostility at all towards me. In fact, after that, he began acting like a house cat." "And your point is, conscript?" Sparkplug stared with an uninterested look. "My point is, sir, I would like to train him to be combat ready, even if it is just for when I return to the Royal Guard in Canterlot. And with all do respect, if you have a problem with that, then I have no problem with being shipped back. I am not forcing you to help me train him, but it is your decision," Thunder stared at the lieutenant with a straight face, despite knowing the possible consequences for talking back to a high ranking officer. "Hmm..." Sparkplug narrowed his eyes onto the pegasus. "Normally, I would have tied you up and tossed you into a pit of quicksand for talking back to me. But, you do have a very valid point. If your 'pet' can be trained for combat situations, then I will be more than happy to help. Although, it will take more time. Animals are a whole lot harder to train, especially exotic ones. You may need an animal expert." "Well, I do know one...but she lives back in Ponyville, sir. And besides, she isn't one to train animals to hurt when ordered to. What about the canine trainers here?" "It could work. Hence how I said it could. Very well, we shall try that. Dismissed." Sparkplug stood from his chair and saluted them. The three stood up as well and saluted back, then left the lieutenant's office and walked out into the hall, with the cub close behind. "I honestly cannot believe you managed to talk him into doing it!" Flashpoint turned to Thunderblast with widened eyes. "I can't either. Do you think he's alright?" Thunder turned to the both of them. "I hope so. He isn't usually accepting to others talking back to him without permission. You got pretty lucky, I'll say." Skillshot said. "Yeah, the last time somepony did that, he actually did throw them in a pit of quicksand! They didn't die, but it took a while to get them out. They were discharged afterwards." Thunder lightly gulped. "I hope he isn't planning anything other than helping me train Fluffy." "... Fluffy?" Skill stopped and turned to Thunder again. "Yeah, Fluffy," Thunder pointed back to the cub, who stopped to lick his paw. "Fluffy? You named him Fluffy?" Flash began to snicker. "Sure, why not? It isn't creative, but its better than something that sounds hostile." Flashpoint simply laughed. "Fluffy! I can't believe you named him ... hahaha ... Fluffy!" He pushed through the main door of the building and outside. Thunderblast simply stared blankly at the grey earth pony as he walked outside, while Skill rolled his eyes and nudged Thunder with his elbow. "Don't listen to him, he finds something to laugh at a lot." "Yeah, like me," Thunder grumbled and trotted outside. "But he doesn't anymore! Dude, dude, dude," Skill followed Thunder outside. "Flash has really opened up to you. Haven't you noticed how you two are able to hold a conversation without being hostile to each other?" "I've noticed, but he still finds his ways." "Well, yeah, but he doesn't mean it like he used to. Trust me, I've known him for almost two years. He laughed at me for a little bit and played pranks on me, but after boot camp, we became the best of friends. Heck, I don't know anypony else that knows as much as he does about me. That's how much I trust him, and you should too." "He hates pegasus ponies, remember?" "Only those he doesn't talk to. Those couple of times when you walked out on us a month or two ago, he would say to me that he likes you. Not in that kind of way, but you get the idea. It might be because you are easier to train than the rest of us. You are, after all, a royal guard, and you had to have came here for a good reason. They don't just send ponies from Canterlot without a reason to, unless they are in need of discipline. But, you said you're a sergeant guard, correct?" Thunderblast nodded. "Then there you go. They sent you here because they want you to expand your expertise in weapons training. Thunder, this could mean they're preparing for something. Or, they are finding a new way to start some sort of 'super soldier' program we don't know about." "Me, a super soldier? Pfft, please. They wouldn't even try to do that to me. They already know I never wanted to come here, even if I've gotten used to it. Don't get me wrong, I still hate this place." "Well, whatever you say," Skill said, before his ears perked to the low rumble in the distance. He looked up, watching as dark storm clouds built to the west. "We should get back before the weather gets bad."