Winona runs away

by Trigger_Finger

Monday morning

Monday, 4:30am:

I awoke as my heart pounded in my chest. An alarm blared inside my home and drove my senses crazy. Sweat beaded down my face and chest. I gasped as I turned my attention to the origin of the sound. My alarm clock, which was blaring the alarm. I let out a deep breath before resting my hoof on the snooze button. My heart rate began to lower itself naturally as my body assured itself I wasn’t in any danger.

As I lay back in my bed, I felt my spine shiver as the damp wetness from my sheets sent cold sensations throughout my body. My breathing finally slowed itself as I reached over and turned off the alarm function on the clock.

I groaned regretfully as my hooves covered my face. “Ugh… Monday… I can’t keep doing this each week…” I muttered under my breath. I let out one final huff before slowly rising out of bed and flumping down onto the floor with a THUMP.

“Ugh… I guess I woke up on the wrong side of bed…” I groaned as I stood to all fours then proceeded to the washroom.

As the sink water ran I splashed cool water into my face to try and better wake myself. I slowly turned off the tap before setting my elbows on the counter and covering my vision with my right hoof while turning on the light with my left.

Somehow, despite my hoof covering my vision, I still cringed as the lights flickered on. My hoof slowly trailed away from my face then I creaked my eyelids open, but only briefly, before clenching them shut from the seemingly unbearable beams of light.

“Yeah… no.” I told myself as I turned off the lights again. I’d rather stay in the dark for the duration of the morning. Something about staying up past midnight reading books then waking up at four thirty to go to work the next morning, didn’t mix.

My legs stumbled along as I tossed on my favourite old brown duster coat then slipped on my black cowpony hat. Apparently the pegasus were planning to make it rain briefly then stay cold for the rest of the day.

I slipped out of my house then began trotting down the streets of Ponyville. Mist covered the ground along with an eerie fog that hid my hooves from view. It felt weird, I felt the ground beneath me but it was as if I was walking high above the clouds. Maybe this is what pegasus felt like.

I continued along the dark streets, only a few shops were open at this hour and the only other source of light were the seldom street lamps scattered around the town. I licked my lips as my stomach grumbled angrily, furious that I had neglected to eat breakfast again.

“Hmm… indeed…” I told myself before trotting over to a brightly lit fast food restaurant. There was a lit sign that read ‘Tim Horsetons’, then below the sign read ‘Always fresh, Always Tim Horsetons’. I had a brief chuckle from the catchy phrase before entering the shop.

There were no other ponies inside and only one mare was at the counter, taking orders.

“Good morning sir, may I take your order?” Asked the pretty cashier.

“Dozen doughnuts… please.” I said with courtesy in my voice. A rather long yawn escaped my lips shortly afterwards.

“Yes sir, that’ll be seven bits.” She told me. I nodded as I handed her eight. “Oh sir that’s eight bits, here…” She offered me back the extra bit but I shook my hoof.

“Oh no, you keep it.” I said with a wink. She blushed furiously then nodded as she operated the register then pulled out a flimsy cardboard box meant for putting doughnuts in.

“Assorted, or would you like to choose them?” She asked in a cute and squeaky voice.

“Assorted, please.” I replied. She nodded then quickly placed twelve doughnuts in the box and handed it to me. “Have a nice day ma’am.” I told her with a nod.

“You too.” She replied back. ‘Yeah, like my Monday is going to be a good day.’ I thought to myself as I exited the building. I looked to the horizon to see that the sun still hadn’t begun to rise.

I let out a tired groan as I began making my way to the farm.

* * *

Minutes later…

“Ech! Why the buck would she give me a maple dip?! No-pony even likes that kind…” I complained. I thought to myself about what to do with the doughnut, thinking maybe Applejack would want it, but then I remembered that she liked the fritters.

I clapped my hooves together as an idea came to mind. My whistle echoed in the silent morning air as I called out, “HERE WINONA, GOT A DOUGHNUT FER YAH!”. Moments later, the friendly mutt came racing around the corner of the barn and stopped in front of me with a fume of dust following her. She tilted her head to one side as she looked to the doughnut in my left hoof. It took a moment for her to realize what it was then her mouth opened and saliva drooled out as her tongue rolled out from her mouth.

She began panting happily then sat on her rump and began to whine as she begged for the morsel. “Okay Winona, gentle… gentle…” I said as I lowered my hoof and presented her with the maple dip doughnut.

Very slowly, she opened her mouth and gently took it from my hoof, making sure not to accidently bite my hoof in the process. After the rather distasteful doughnut was in her mouth, she scampered off to a corner in the barn and began devouring the parcel of food.

I chuckled to myself but then I heard a voice call out to me. “Hey hotshot… right on time, wanna come over here and give me a hoof fer a second?” Applejack asked.

I nodded, “Sure Orange Beauty, whatever you want.” I replied, making her roll her eyes. I followed her out of the barn and to a wagon parked outside which had its front left wheel removed and the entire wagon was tilting to the side missing the wheel.

“Big Mac’s still asleep an ah didn’t want tah wake him, give me a lift would yah?” She asked. I grabbed her from behind and lifted her in the air playfully. “EH! Not that kinda lift , dopey.” She giggled in reply. I gently set her down before trotting over to the wagon. “Alright, you lift, and then ah’ll slip the wheel on.” She stated.

I balanced myself on my hindlegs while I grabbed the corner of the wagon with my front legs and heaved. I grunted briefly as my biceps flexed to their maximum size. Veins slowly formed and pushed out on my skin, making themselves apparent.

“Alright… just a moment… got it.” Applejack stated. I slowly set the wagon back down and wiped my forehead. Applejack nudged me in the shoulder with her own. “What’s wrong, losing your edge?” She laughed playfully. I brought up my right foreleg and flexed.

“Nah, just morning drowse… hey want a doughnut?” I asked as I made my way back towards the barn.

“Ah suppose one couldn’t hurt, but only if it’s an apple fritter.” She replied. I stepped into the barn with Applejack as I proceeded towards the goodies then my eyes went wide as I spotted a figure atop the box of doughnuts.

“WINONAAAAA!” I yelled and the figure stopped then swung its head towards us. Chocolate frosting was plastered around her lips. In a split second, her tongue sprang out and sloshed around her face, licking up the frosting in one slurp.

A wide grin splayed across her face as she bowed down and began to wag her tail playfully, her hind moving to and fro in corresponding motion with the wagging of her tail. “Winona…” I grumbled.

Winona barked happily before hopping off the wagon and dashing away. Applejack and I trotted over to inspect the damage. She had eaten every doughnut except half of a plain doughnut and an apple fritter.

I handed Applejack the fritter then gulped back the already chewed, half of a plain doughnut. “Thanks…” Applejack said as she slurped back the entire fritter in one gulp.

“You’re welcome… darn it Winona…” I grumbled to myself. Applejack sighed as she rested a hoof on my shoulder.

“Listen, ah won’t be around today but ah got muh friend Rainbow Dash comin tah help yah.” Applejack informed me.

“What? Why?” I asked in sudden curiosity.

“Got a date with Soarin, Dash introduced us.” She informed me. My heart seemed to stop. I had been trying for the last year and a half to hook up with AJ and she had always told me she wasn’t interested in a relationship for the time being.

“But AJ… I… you…” I stammered and she rested a hoof on my shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Dash may be a tad bit lazy but ah’m sure yah’ll get the work done today. Now excuse me fer a second, ah gotta get dressed up in something fancy fer muh date.” She said with a blush before trotting off.

I hopped up on the wagon and rested my face in the palm of my hooves. “Oh for buck sakes…” I muttered as my heart continued to lurch. How could she just do something like that?! I can’t believe she’d just…

A paw nudged at my dangling hindlegs. I looked up from my hooves to see Winona sitting there with a smug look on her face. She continued to nudge at my legs, begging for more food. “I don’t have any more food Winona…” I told her in a depressed voice.

She whined sadly as she began giving me puppy dog eyes. “I said, no food…” I told her again as I set my face back in my hooves. She continued to whine and nudge at my legs.

“GODDESS DAMMIT WINONA, GO BUG SOMEPONY WHO CARES!” I lashed out. I wasn’t really angry at her but it just sort of slipped out. She whimpered then scampered off. I sighed deeply as I set my face back into my hooves and muttered to myself, “I buckin hate Mondays.”

Comments

[joebob50]

damnit Aj, friendzoning people

[KiaraKovu123]

A very nice start! Quite a bit more serious than the past two editions, but I like this one just as much! Maybe even more!