“Permanent Vacation”
May the Best Pet Win or Rehashing the Tortoise and the Hare
Well, it took about a week and a half, but Fluttershy is finally free of her modeling career. Rumors quickly spread throughout Equestria as to the reason why, most of them being that Photo Finish and her had “creative differences”. However, these were quickly silenced when the next star model of Photo’s was discovered somewhere in Baltimare. I chuckle as I shut off the TV during the interview between the interviewer and Photo. How quickly the masses are easily swayed.
Standing up with a groan, I head to the front door and step outside. I haven’t got anything important to do today, but it is very nice out… Maybe Twilight will let me borrow one of her books for a nice relaxing read in the park. With a smile on my face and a spring in my step, I wander over to Golden Oaks. As I step inside, I catch the last bits of conversation between Twilight and Fluttershy.
“Just remember to keep him fed with a nice healthy diet of... Oh, hello, Blake.” Fluttershy waves at me.
Twilight waves to me as well. “Hello, Blake. What brings you here?”
“Well, I was wondering if…” I stare at the owl perched on Twilight’s right shoulder. Pointing at it, I ask, “Have long have you had an owl living here?”
“Oh, Owlowiscious? He sorta just showed up about three days ago. He’s been helping me around the library at night, and he is nice to have around, so I figured I’d adopt him as my pet.”
I nod my head. “And you don’t know the first thing about taking care of an owl, so you brought Fluttershy here to check on him and teach you?”
Twilight raises an eyebrow. “Yeah. How’d you know?”
I shrug my shoulders. “You and I are cut from the same cloth, Twilight. If we don’t understand something, we try to figure it out or find someone who can teach us. Fluttershy, being the foremost expert on animals around here, is the most logical choice for learning about properly taking care of a pet owl.”
Twilight nods her head. “Well, I can’t argue with that logic.”
“Um, if you don’t need me anymore, I really need to get back to my cottage.” Fluttershy glances at the door.
Actually, I think a change of plans are in order. “Hey, Fluttershy?”
“Oh, yes?”
“Is your offer from Christmas still valid?”
She nods her head. “Of course. Whenever you want to, just come over and I’ll help you pick out the perfect pet.”
I jerk my head towards the door. “Well then, let’s go find me a pet.”
Her eyes light up as she makes that adorable squee sound. “Really?! Now?!” I nod my head. She darts over to me, grabbing my arm and vainly trying to drag me out the door. “Oh, you’re just going to love my animal friends! I have so many that are looking for a good home!”
I glance at Twilight to see her giggling slightly at us. With a roll of my eyes and a smile on my face, I allow Fluttershy to drag me out the door.
I don’t know why, but a feeling of serene peace washes over me as we near Fluttershy’s cottage. Maybe it’s the quaint nature of the little woodland cottage, or maybe it’s the scenery surrounding it. Perhaps it could be the animals frolicking about the area without a care in the world. Whatever the case, I enjoy it with every fiber of my being.
After crossing a little bridge over a stream and up a short path to her door, Fluttershy stops outside. “Um, if you don’t mind waiting outside for just a teensy bit, I need to check on my latest friend to make sure she’s okay.”
I shrug my shoulders. “Sure, go right ahead.” With a nod of her head, Fluttershy steps inside. I turn around and lean on a wooden fence, gazing out at the land around me. A bird, not sure what species, lands on the fence beside me. I turn to the bird. “Hello there. Are you one of the potential pets today?”
“I seriously doubt this thing can understand us.”
“What? Don’t act like you haven’t heard people talking to animals before.”
The bird tilts it head, letting out a long, slow chirp that increases in pitch at the end. I can only assume that it’s questioning my, well, question. I nod my head. “I’m here to look for a pet today. Know any good candidates?” The bird perks up. With a chirp, it flies over the cottage.
I hear the door open and shut behind me. I turn around to see Fluttershy standing there. “Please follow me around back.”
I nod my head. Walking around the cottage, I’m shocked at the size of this… Menagerie that Fluttershy has. I whistle. “Wow. Just… Wow. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn’t this.” Everywhere I look, I see nothing but animals. Hundreds of birdhouses dangle from the trees as their occupants dance through the air.
“So,” Fluttershy turns around, her hands clasped behind her back, “Do you have any idea what sort of pet you’re looking for?”
I rub my chin in thought. “Well, I’m sorta torn right now. I want to go with something classic, like a dog, but I also want to try something exotic like,” I point to a toucan, “A toucan.”
“Well, how about we try a few different animals and see what you like?”
I shrug my shoulders. “Sure, why not.” What happens next is a blur of activity as Fluttershy darts around, showcasing various animals in front of me. Toucan, chipmunk, squirrel, cat, bear (Yes, she offered me a pet bear). Anything and everything was fair game to her. I pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh. Yes, some of the pets she offered could work, but they just didn’t feel perfect for me. “Ugh, this is turning out to be harder than expected.”
Fluttershy sighs. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I have the—” Furious barking from behind me causes Fluttershy to look over my shoulder, eyes wide. “No! Bad dog! I told you to stay in the house, Sonja!”
I freeze, my breath catching in my throat as my eyes go wide. It’s impossible… I slowly turn around, seeing a grey furred Norwegian Elkhound bounding towards me. “S-S-Sonja?” If anything, the dog barks even more. It can’t be… but that collar around its neck, the color of the fur, the personality… I spread my arms out and crouch down, tears welling up in the corners of my eyes. “Sonja?!”
Sonja tackles me to the ground, playfully licking my face. “No! Bad girl! Get off of him this instant!” Fluttershy drags Sonja off of me, trying to drag her into the cottage while Sonja whimpers.
“Wait! Please, wait.” Fluttershy stops in her tracks, her head tilted in confusion. “Please, let her go. I… need to be sure.”
Fluttershy nods her head and lets Sonja go. Instead of the previous enthusiasm from her, it is now replaced with slow, deliberate movements as she walks right in front of me and sits down. Gingerly, I reach out for the red bone dog tag hanging from her collar. Upon it is her name, Sonja. It truly is her. I break down, tears flowing freely from my eyes as I embrace my dog. “It’s you. It really, really is you.” I choke out between sobs. Sonja nuzzles her head against mine.
“Blake?” I glance up at Fluttershy to see her pointing to her cottage.
I sniffle and wipe my eyes before standing up. “Yes, inside would be a better place for me to explain.” I pat my left hip. “Come along, girl.” Sonja heels at my left side as we all walk to the inside of Fluttershy’s cottage. Without being prompted to, I sit down on the couch in the center of the room. Sonja jumps up and lays across my lap. Fluttershy sits to my right, running her hand down the back on Sonja’s head.
“So… How do you know Sonja, if you don’t mind me asking?”
I look at Fluttershy as my left hands runs along the length of Sonja’s back. “Sonja was… Is my dog from back home. She was one of the few things I looked forward to seeing each day. She was one of the few friends I had growing up.”
Fluttershy smiles. “I’m so happy you found her again.”
I sigh. “I am too, considering how I lost her the first time.”
“Oh?”
I cringe and feel tears in the corners of my eyes again. Telling this story never gets any easier. “One day, while I was very young, she just stopped eating. She didn’t touch any piece of food we gave her. We took her to the vet to figure out what was wrong.” I sigh. “She had a tumor on her tongue.”
Fluttershy gasps. “Oh my. Couldn’t they do something?”
I nod my head. “Yes, but neither option was going to have a happy ending. She was in massive pain from it at the time, and the size of the tumor was preventing her from eating. Option one was to cut the tumor out, but she would still die in a couple of days since most of her tongue needed to be cut out too.”
Fluttershy gulps, probably already knowing the other option. “And the other option?”
I hang my head. “Was to put her down and end her suffering.”
“And you chose that?”
“Yes. We weren’t gonna let her suffer just to have her with us for a few more days. We left her there while we went home so they could prepare her for the… Procedure. We came back the next day and waited in the operating room. After a little bit, they brought Sonja in. She didn’t look at us, didn’t even acknowledge us, just went over the door and stood in front of it. We said our goodbyes, put her on the table, and then the vet gave her the shot. I watched as the life left her eyes, a friend dying in front of me, and I couldn’t do a damn thing to save her.”
I hear Fluttershy sniffle. “That’s horrible.”
I nod my head. “The entire ride home, nobody said a word. I spent the rest of the day shut up in my room, every little thing reminding me of her. Back then, I couldn’t accept the fact that she was taken from me at such a young age. As time went on, I got over it. But I never forgot her in all that time.”
I feel Fluttershy’s hand on my back. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”
I smile and face her. “Don’t be. It was a necessary evil at the time.” I pat Sonja’s back. “But enough about that time… For now. How’d did you even find her?”
Fluttershy looks out the window. “I have no idea. I was out tending to my chickens when she comes wandering out from the Everfree. I thought she was a runaway dog, so I’ve been taking care of her for about a week now.”
I place a hand on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “Thank you for that. But how is she here? Doesn’t it strike you a bit odd that she dies back home but somehow ends up here, perfectly fine? She is healthy, right?”
Fluttershy turns back to me, nodding her head. “She’s an extremely healthy girl. I give you my word as the foremost caretaker of animals on that. And yes, it is a bit odd, but I’m not sure how she got to Equestria. Even she doesn’t know how or why. Isn’t that right, Sonja?” Sonja lifts her head up and barks.
I sigh. “Well, just chalk it up to magic, I guess.”
“Actually, this time you can.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Is there something you want to tell me?”
“Well, after their rude pulling of you during Christmas—”
“Which I’m still peeved about.”
“Yes, and Kindness understood that. After much convincing on its end, the Elements agreed to get you a sorry gift to make up for it.”
“And their gift was bringing Sonja back to me? How?! They’re playing with life and death, forces that are nigh impossible to control!”
“You forget what the Elements are capable of. They pooled their powers together and brought her back to life.”
“That’s incredible! Why don’t they do things like this more often?!”
“Like I said, they pooled their powers together. Doing so really drains them and they need time to recharge in between. Besides, dogs and ponies are different in the magical sense. That being said, don’t expect any help from them for at least a month and a half till they recharge. That means no weapon drops, magical assistance, or anything similar.”
“Well, they have my thanks. I’m still upset over the Christmas ordeal, but this makes it somewhat better.”
“That’s all Kindness ever wanted.”
I smile. “I’m just glad she’s alive and well, and that I got to see her again.”
Fluttershy rubs her right arm. “Well, I’m happy for you, even if I can’t give you the answers you want.”
I shake my head. “I don’t need answers now that I have her back.”
“Um, about you picking pet… I wouldn’t feel right keeping one of your closest friends from you…”
I chuckle. “I was taking her home with me, no matter what. But still, thank you for allowing me to take her.”
Fluttershy smiles. “I wouldn’t dream of keeping you two apart.”
I look down at Sonja, smiling all the while. “Get up. We’re going home.” Sonja leaps out the couch, bounding towards the front door. I stand up and stretch, hearing a few joints crack.
“Um, do you need anything to take care of her?”
I shake my head. “Nah, I should be pretty good… Actually, I could use some dog food.”
“I have a bag you could have. I’ll be right back.” Fluttershy heads into the kitchen.
Once Fluttershy is out of sight, I feel a thumping on my leg. Looking down, I see a white rabbit glaring at me. “Oh, you must be Angel Bunny.” Angel points at me then to the kitchen, tracing the outline of a heart in front of him, and then making a slow slicing motion over his neck.
“Did that bastard just threaten us?!”
I frown and get down on one knee, glaring at Angel. “Listen bub, I don’t like you and you don’t like me, but we both care for Shy. I won’t do anything to hurt her if you don’t do anything to hurt her either. Truce?”
Angel looks towards the kitchen then back to me before nodding his head. He bounds away just as Fluttershy comes back into the room, struggling to carry the bag of dog food. “Umm… If you don’t—”
I stand up and take most of the weight of the bag. “Got it.” She lets go and I heft the bag up to my right shoulder. “Thanks again for this.”
“Oh, it was no trouble at all. Are you sure you can carry that all the way back to your home?”
I chuckle while walking towards the door. “Only one way to find out. If you don’t mind, I would like to spend some quality time with my dog.”
“I won’t keep you any longer then.” As I head outside and across the bridge, I hear Fluttershy call out behind me, “Wait! I almost forgot. Since you now have a pet, would you like to join the girls and I for our weekly pet playdate at the park?”
I nod my head. “Yeah, I’d like that. What time should I be there?”
“Oh, any time after ten will be fine. We’ll spend a couple of hours spending time with each other, then probably get lunch afterwards if everypony else wants to.”
“Okay then, I’ll see you all tomorrow at ten sharp.”
Yesterday was the best day ever in my life. After digging out all of Sonja’s old stuff, toys, food bowl, leash, and the like, we spent the rest of the day like how we spent my childhood. This mostly consisted of playing with her toys, a short walk, relaxing on the couch, and never leaving my side. Of course, this meant she never strayed too far from my side during our walk across town to the park unless I explicitly stated she could wander around.
Glancing up at the sky, I take a deep breath of the crisp spring air. Ahh, such a relaxing and beautiful day. I honestly think Equestria can never have bad weather, unless of course the pegasi ever call for it. Sonja’s excited barking draws my gaze forward towards the girls, minus Rainbow, at the entrance to the park. Sonja looks up at me and whimpers. Chucking, I jerk my head towards the girls. “Go on. Go see her.”
With no further prompting, Sonja bounds towards Fluttershy. Fluttershy bends over to rub Sonja as she leaps around her. “Hello again, Sonja! Are you happy to be back with Blake again?” Sonja barks a couple of times. “That’s so wonderful to hear!”
I wave to the girls. “Hey girls.”
Applejack tips her head towards me, a dog (Did anyone ever figure out what breed Winona is?) sitting patiently by her side. “Howdy, Blake. Heard about you and Sonja here. Sorry ya had ta go through that.”
“Sonja, heel.” Sonja sits down at my right side. I reach down and rub behind her ears while glancing at Fluttershy. “You told them?”
Fluttershy looks down at the ground. “I’m sorry for doing it without your permission.”
I shake my head. “No, it’s fine. I really don’t like telling that story more than I have to.”
Pinkie leaps over and wraps her arms around me. “That must have been really sad for you! I’m sorry you had to go through that without me there to cheer you up!”
I nod my head after Pinkie releases me from her crushing hug. Think she popped my spine in a few places too… “Pinkie, that was one of the saddest moments of my life. But it was a very defining one for me, so it’s both a blessing and a curse.”
Twilight tilts her head. “How so? What good could come from losing your dog?”
“It taught me loss and acceptance, something that everyone needs to learn at some point. My time came much sooner than it should have. Now, please, can we move on to much happier things and not dwell on the past?”
Rarity nods her head. “Terribly sorry for bringing up this subject. We’ll move on to something else, like introductions.” She rubs the back of the white cat cradled in her arms. “This here is my darling little Opal.”
Applejack gets down on one knee, scratching the back of Winona’s head. “This here is Winona, our faithful family dog.”
“Um, you probably already met Angel…” Angel pokes his head out of Fluttershy’s hair, giving me an icy cold stare. “Isn’t he the most adorable, sweetest bunny you’ve ever met?”
“Yeah. He is something, isn’t he?” I deadpan.
Pinkie pops up right in front of me, causing me to jump back slightly. “Oh, Oh! You haven’t met Gummy yet!” She thrusts the little green gator into my face.
I warily eye Gummy. “Uh, isn’t a little dangerous to have a pet that could, I don’t know, eat your face off?!”
Pinkie giggles. “No silly! Gummy’s teeth are gone, so his bites don’t hurt! Watch!” Pinkie holds Gummy out and points at her right arm. Gummy latches on with no hesitation. I raise an eyebrow as Pinkie doesn’t even change reactions. “See?”
I shrug my shoulders. “Okay… So, where’s Rainbow at?”
Fluttershy plays with a strand of her hair. “Um, actually… Rainbow doesn’t have a pet, so we didn’t invite her.”
I nod my head. “Fair point. Why come to a pet playdate without a pet? I’m sure she’d understand.”
Rarity clears her throat. “Ahem, if everypony is ready, shall we start?” We all nod our heads and head into the park.
Winona and Sonja hit it off almost immediately as they playfully run around. Applejack and I chuckle as we walk. The rest of the pets never stray too far from us. As we near a hill, Owlowiscious flies over it. I think nothing of it until I hear a shout. As the rest of us crest the hill, I see Rainbow sitting at the bottom of a tree, rubbing her head. “Well, speak of the chromatic daredevil herself!”
Rainbow stands up, brushing herself off. “Hey gang.” She looks around at our pets running around. “What’s going on? Did I miss something?”
I shrug my shoulders. “Long story short, it’s a pet playdate, you weren’t invited due to obvious reasons, playdate is here in the park.”
Rarity rounds on me. “Really, Blake, did you have to be so blunt?”
Rainbow shakes her head. “Nah, it’s cool. I totally understand why. I mean, why come to a pet playdate without a pet?”
“Oh thank goodness, I was worried you’d be upset that we didn’t invite you since you don’t have a pet.”
“Like I said, it’s cool. Go on and have your pet playdate, I’ll be napping on a cloud around here. See you guys later.” With that, Rainbow dashes off into the sky.
With nothing more to do, everyone scatters around the area while the pets run around without a care in the world. Since Winona and Sonja kicked it off so well, it only made sense for Applejack and I to talk. “So, how’s the apple crop coming along?”
“It’s coming along nicely. At this rate, we should have more than enough apples ta create even more cider this year. Hoo boy, ah can’t wait ta see this year’s turnout.”
I nod my head. “Good to hear. I may have to try some Apple family cider for myself if it’s drawing this big of a crowd.”
Applejack glances around before leaning towards my ear. “Now don’t go telling everypony, but ah’m gonna share some of our reserves with y’all after the season is over.”
Well, I do have some spare cash… “How much to reserve a full barrel?”
“Can’t say for sure until we see how many we get. Ya looking to buy one?”
I nod my head. “Yeah. Keep a barrel off to the side and I’ll pay whatever you’re charging. Deal?” I hold my hand out.
She eagerly grabs my hand and shakes. “Deal, partner.”
With that out of the way, I place my hands behind my head and stretch. “Hmm, it’s probably been long enough.”
Applejack tilts her head. “Long enough for what?”
I chuckle and start to walk away. “You’ll see.” Walking over to a picnic table, I sit down across from Rarity and Twilight. “So, what’s going on with you two?”
“Well, I just finished telling Twilight here about my latest fashion line I’m showcasing in Canterlot. They’re simply gorgeous!”
“Congrats! Looks like you’re moving on up in the world. When do you leave?”
“Tomorrow morning. I intend to spend the week up there with the upper crust, making a name for myself.”
Twilight raises an eyebrow. “Rarity, aren’t you forgetting something about this week? Something important?”
“Hmm? Whatever do you mean, Twilight?”
I drum my fingers on the table. “Shit, that’s right. It is this week, isn’t it?”
“Rarity, it’s my birthday this week! Pinkie’s throwing a party and everything!”
Rarity gasps. “Oh dear! How could I have forgotten?! I’m terribly sorry about this, Twilight. I’ll cut my trip short so I can be here for you.”
Before Twilight can respond, there’s a whoosh of air behind me. “Hold up! Just because I don’t have a pet now doesn’t mean I don’t want one!”
I look over my shoulder just in time to see Fluttershy nearly tackle Rainbow to the ground. “You do?!”
Rainbow rolls her eyes. “Uh, yeah? Didn’t I just say that?”
Fluttershy squees. “I have the perfect pet for you, I just know it!” She grabs Rainbow’s arm and pulls, not noticing that she’s going nowhere fast. With a sigh, Rainbow relents and lets Fluttershy drag her off to her house, Angel hopping along right behind them.
I chuckle and shake my head. “Oh, Rainbow has no idea what she has unleashed upon herself.”
Applejack and Pinkie come over to the table. “That what you were talking about, Blake?”
I nod my head. “Yeah. Rainbow’s pride has struck her again.”
“So, now what?” Pinkie asks.
I get up from the table. “I don’t know about you, but I’m getting some lunch. Anyone coming with?”
Twilight shakes her head. “I would, but Fluttershy isn’t here. It wouldn’t be right for all of us to go without her.”
“Normally, I’d agree with you. However, she knew we were going to lunch. It was her decision to take Rainbow back to her place to choose a pet. In all fairness, she left us knowing what the plan for today was.”
“But what if they come back and she gets upset we went without her?”
I laugh. “Pinkie, my dear, this is Fluttershy we’re talking about. If she’s upset in any way, I will personally buy her lunch wherever and whenever she wants as a way of making it up to her.”
“Almost sounds like a date.”
“My friend, it will likely never happen. But a man can dream, can he not?”
“Oh, I’ve seen those dreams. And let me say, you’re a perverted man.”
“Says the pervert in my head.”
“Touche.”
“Well, I am mighty hungry… Ah shoot, I’m in.”
With no further objections, we all gather our pets and head into town.
About an hour later, our lunch was rudely interrupted by Rainbow dropping in and announcing that she was holding a contest right now to determine her pet. Suffice to say, we all went to watch. Standing outside of town hall, I could care less about the entire thing. But, Rainbow is my friend and I should be here. With a sigh, I lean back against the wall.
Rarity turns to me. “Something the matter, dear?”
“Hmm?” I shake my head. “Oh, nothing, Rarity. Just thinking about some things right now.” Sonja’s barking draws my attention downwards, where she sits patiently at my feet with a rubber ball in her mouth. Chuckling, I grab the ball and toss it as Sonja runs after it.
“So,” Applejack motions out towards Rainbow and her assembled line of potential pets, “Anypony taking bets on what she picks?”
Twilight points at the falcon. “The falcon would probably make a good pet for Rainbow.”
Pinkie bounces up and down from her position leaning over the railing, giving those of us behind her a bouncing view of her… Lower assets. “Oh, oh! It would be funny it she picked the bat, that way I could say Rainbow has gone… Batty!”
I groan at the horrible pun. “Twenty bits says she picks the tortoise.” Everyone turns to look at me with raised eyebrows. “What?” Again, Sonja is at my feet. I toss the ball again for her.
Rarity clears her throat. “It’s just that Rainbow seems like the type of pony to pick something a bit… Faster, per say.”
I smirk. “We shall see, but I have faith in that tortoise. Gotta root for the underdogs, know what I’m saying?”
“Yo! There you are!” I turn to look at Vinyl walking towards us.
I grin. “What’s the haps, Vinyl?”
She grins back. “I just got word back from the television studio in Canterlot. They want to interview us on Today.”
I nod my head. “Nice! Assuming you agreed, when are we scheduled to appear?
“Eh, sometime tomorrow morning around ten or so. After the interview, they want you to play a song or two for their outside audience. So, pack your bags, we’re heading to Canterlot tomorrow on the first train at eight-thirty!”
I nod my head. “Great! You tell everyone else?”
She nods her head. “Yeah, but they all gotta come back afterwards. I’m staying to spend some time with Octy for a couple of days.”
I hold out my hand for a high five, which she returns. “Sweet! I’ll see you at the station tomorrow!”
Vinyl throws her headphones over her ears as she walks away. “Later, player!”
“Congrats there, Blake.”
“Thanks.” I look at Rarity. “Well, Miss Belle, it seems I will be accompanying you during your stay in Canterlot.”
“Oh, you’re planning on staying?”
I shrug my shoulders. “Yeah, I could use a little vacation. See the sights, learn about the city, maybe do some shopping there too.”
Rarity claps her hands. “Splendid! I’ll make sure the hotel can accommodate the both of us—”
I hold my hand up. “Please, allow me take care of that. You have enough to worry about and paying for the hotel is the least I can do.”
“Why thank you, Blake. I’ll be sure to make it up to you.”
With nothing else to discuss, we turn our attention back to Rainbow’s little event. Things go smoothly throughout the talent contest and obstacle course as Rainbow jots down notes on each pet, little cheers or words of encouragement coming from us on the sidelines. In the end, she manages to narrow down her selection to a bat, owl, eagle, falcon, and the tortoise (Mostly out of pity, partly because of the glares from Fluttershy).
After dismissing every other pet, Rainbow leads us all to a starting line situated on the outskirts of Ponyville near a massive gorge in the earth. Rainbow paces back and forth in front of the potential pets, reminding me of a drill instructor with her stern expression and swift gait. “Alright! Each and every one of you has the potential to be the pet for yours truly! There lies just one more test for you, and I’m not gonna lie, it isn’t for the weak! If any of you wish to back out, I won’t blame you!” She eyes each pet, none of them making a move. “Suit yourself. The final test is a race against me through… Pause for dramatic effect…” She flares her wings and launches into the air, “Ghastly Gorge!”
I roll my eyes. “Who names these places?”
“Actually, Ghastly Gorge was—”
I facepalm. “Twilight, it was a rhetorical question. I don’t actually care why, who, or even how it was named.”
“Alright, alright. Enough chit-chat! Time to find out which pet is as awesome as me!” Rainbow crouches down at the starting line, adopting a sprinter stance as the pets line up beside her. “Somepony willing to start us off?”
“I got this.” Drawing the Ambassador, I aim at a nearby tree. “At the sound of gunfire, the race will commence on my mark. Three, two, one,” I pull the trigger, the bang echoing through the gorge, “Go!”
Rainbow bolts off the starting (which I now realize also functions as the finish) line, the rest of the flying pets right behind her by a couple of lengths. The tortoise… still hasn’t crossed the start. Applejack turns to me, smirking. “Still think the turtle—”
“Tortoise,” Fluttershy and I both correct.
“—Tortoise is still going ta win?”
I chuckle. “We shall see, we shall see.”
“Does anypony have the faintest idea how long this shall take? I still have some last minute preparations to finish for tomorrow.”
I rub my chin. “Judging by the length of the gorge, the speed of Rainbow, and also accounting for a need to showboat somewhere along the way… I’d say about an hour and a half, give or take.”
“Well, it’ll be boring standing around doing nothing for that long! We should do something!” Pinkie gasps. “How about we play a game to pass the time?!”
“Pinkie, we could just play with our pets too.” Thanks for being the voice of reason here, Applejack.
“That works too!”
For what seems like the longest time, we have an impromptu pet playdate… God, I need to call it something else. Playdate just seems too… Childish. Gathering? Meeting? A socially acceptable meeting wherein friends bring their pets for mutual bonding? Whatever the case, Twilight calls out, “Look!”
We all turn our attention to the finish line, watching as the falcon crosses first. The cheers in slowly die in everyone’s throats as Rainbow is nowhere to be seen while the rest of the pets cross the finish line. “Um… Where’s Rainbow Dash?”
Twilight shakes her head. “It’s not like her to be anywhere but first.”
Pinkie pulls out a pair of binoculars from her hair, scanning the gorge. I raise an eyebrow and tap her shoulder. She turns to me. “Yes? Wow, Blake, you look so far away!”
“Pinkie, you have them backwards. Let me do the honors, please?”
She giggles, tossing them to me. “Oopsie, silly me!”
With a roll of my eyes, I scan from halfway into the gorge forward. I spot a massive rockslide about three-quarters of the way through the gorge. I point towards it. “Rockslide, ho!”
“A rockslide? Rainbow could be hurt! Or worse, trapped!”
“You’re right, Rarity! Come on, we need to find her!”
I hold my hand up. “Hold. She’s fine.”
“How can ya be so sure of that?”
I lower the binoculars and turn to everyone. “Trust me, I would know.” Sonja and Winona both bark, drawing my attention back forward. I bring the binoculars back up, then smirk at the sight. Rainbow, bruised and scuffed, walking along with her right wing wrapped in a torn piece of her shirt and the tortoise riding on her left shoulder. “Someone grab the finish line poles. We’re moving it on up for the final two racers.”
I toss the binoculars up, Pinkie flipping over me to catch it in her hair, while Rarity and Twilight levitate the finish line closer to Rainbow. We all cheer for them as they cross, before Rainbow is surrounded by the girls to make sure she is alright. “Rainbow, thank Celestia you’re alright!”
“Of course I’m alright, Twilight, thanks to this little guy right here.” Rainbow scratches the chin of the tortoise, causing it to smile.
“What happened out there?” Applejack asks.
“We saw the rockslide and feared the worst happened,” Rarity adds.
Rainbow rubs the back of her head. “Technically, that was my fault. I wasn’t paying attention and crashed into the wall. When the rocks started falling, my wing got pinned under one.”
I wince. “How bad is the damage?”
“This?” Rainbow ruffles her wing slightly, “Shouldn’t take more than a couple of days to heal.”
Pinkie gasps. “Wait just a minute here! How did you get out from under that rock then?” Pinkie pokes Rainbow in the chest, “Did you teleport cause that would be cool if you did cause if you can do it so can everypony else and then—”
I clamp my hand over Pinkie’s mouth. “Please, go on.”
“Since I couldn’t move, I thought I was gonna die there when along comes this guy! He dug under the rock and lifted it up, freeing me.”
I clap my hands and nod. “A truly remarkable creature if I ever seen one,” Sonja barks at me, “Present company excluded girl.”
“Well, I’m happy that the both of you are safe. And since the race is over, Rainbow, it’s time to meet your new pet falcon!” The falcon lands on Rainbows other shoulder.
Rainbow glances at the tortoise on her other shoulder. I smirk. “Having second thoughts there? Remember, there is a loophole for everything in life.”
Rainbow’s eyes go wide and a grin crosses her face. “Well, I did say my pet was the one who crossed the finish line with me, and this little guy was the only one to do so! So that makes him my pet!” The falcon looks disappointed, but turns to the tortoise and salutes anyway before flying off into the distance.
“Congrats, darling. Have you decided on a name yet?”
Rainbow grabs the tortoise and holds him out in front of her. “Hmm, I’m not sure. This guy was unstoppable! Almost like he was built like a… A…”
I raise an eyebrow. “A tank, perhaps?”
Rainbow nods her head. “Yeah, whatever that is! How’s Tank sound, little fella?” Tank nuzzles up against her neck. “I’ll take that as a yes!”
“But, Rainbow, I thought you wanted a pet that could fly and keep up with you?”
Rainbow sets Tank on the ground. “Well, I did, but I’ll figure something out.”
I rub my chin. “Well, we could… Nah, that’d never work.”
Twilight tilts her head. “What wouldn’t work?”
“I was gonna suggest attaching a propeller to Tank’s shell and magically enchanting it to constantly renew its power and link to Tank’s mind to allow him to operate it. But that is probably out of the realm of possibility—”
“That’s a brilliant idea! There’s probably a book in the library that could even teach me the spell!”
“Seriously?!” I sigh. “I’ve had enough for today. I’m going home to relax before tomorrow.” Turning to leave, I snap my fingers and wave over my shoulder. “Sonja, we’re going. I’ll see you all later then.”
Wandering back through town, I get home and promptly pack a bag for tomorrow. With nothing better to do, I spend some time reading while Sonja lies in my lap before my impromptu meeting tonight.
I let out a content sigh, leaning back into the couch while sipping from a cup of green tea. I glance over at the second cup, filled with coffee, on the coffee table in front of me. Huh, I half expected her to be here by now. A knock on the door of the left wall of my enclosed space draws my attention. “Come in!”
The door opens, revealing Princess Luna with the astral plane behind her. “A fair night to you, Blake.”
I nod my head. “And to you as well, Luna. Please, have a seat.”
She shuts the door behind her before walking over and sitting down beside me. “I heard your call throughout the dream. What is it that you need?”
I smirk and look up at her. “Can’t I spend time with my friend and best princess some nights of the week?”
Now it’s her turn to smirk. “Well, I don’t see any reason not to. You are one of the first ponies to accept me since my return. Though I’m not sure my sister would approve of us meeting like this.”
“Oh, so it’s that kind of night you’re looking for, eh?”
Instead of blushing, Luna just laughs. “I can assure you that I would be too much for you. Few can keep up with the princess of the night.”
I laugh as well. “I’ll keep that in mind. Now, along with hanging out, I have a favor to ask.”
“Yes?”
“I’m going to be spending a couple of days in Canterlot, along with Rarity Belle, and need a place to stay. What better place than Canterlot Palace, if you’re able to house us?”
“Of course, Blake. I’ll make arrangements for the two of you after tonight. Out of curiosity, what is the meaning of your visit?”
“Rarity has some fashion thing going on, and we, as in The All-Equestrian Rejects—”
“Wonderful music by the way, much better than the drab of centuries ago.”
I smile. Praise from Luna about our band! “Thank you. Anyway, we are going to be interviewed on live TV for Equestria to see.”
Luna pats my shoulder. “Congrats, dear Blake. I’ll shall accompany you to this interview and support you from the sidelines, in disguise of course.”
Things just got even better! “Really? Man, can this get any better?”
Luna glances away. “Of course, this all comes with a price.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Name it.”
She sighs. “That night of the Gala was one of the best since my return. Could we maybe do something similar again during your visit?”
I chuckle. “Of course, Luna! You’re one of my best friends! I don’t need a reason to hang out with you. Besides, we can spend nights like this in my dreams. Speaking of which,” I close my eyes and mentally image a PlayStation 4 appearing on the coffee table. Opening them, I see it sitting there, already hooked up and running, “Care to do some gaming?”
Luna rubs the back of her head. “I’m not sure what this gaming is that you speak off.”
I smirk. “Simple, really. There fake realities where you can do whatever and be whatever you want. They’re actually pretty fun, and I’ll be her to teach you every step of the way.”
I snatch the controller and fire up one game that Luna should get addicted to. “Bloodborne? What is this game about?”
I hand her the controller, which she gingerly takes. “You’ll have to find out for yourself, my fair princess. Just know that it will challenge you every step of the way, and laugh at the mistakes you make.”
Luna narrows her eyes and stares at the screen. “This game will dare to insult me?! Then I shall give it a challenge it shan’t forget!”
I smirk. “That’s the spirit. Just… Try not to break too many things in the dream.”