• Published 1st Apr 2016
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Group Precipitation - FanOfMostEverything



Stories set in the Oversaturated World, some silly, some less so.

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Lordly Might, by FoME

The town of Bloodstone sat on the opposite side of Crystal City from Canterlot. It was a little rougher, a little dirtier. Shining Armor’s sedan bounced along the battered pavement, contributing to his foul mood. “You’re sure about this?”

Twilight sighed from the backseat. “Completely.”

“I just don’t like the idea of my little sister being in this rough a neighborhood.”

“I understand that, but I can blast holes in concrete with my mind. I think I’ll be fine.”

“What about your friend?”

“I’ll be fine,” Fluttershy said from next to Twilight. “Mr. Atarkason seemed very nice in our e-mail exchanges.”

Twilight crossed her arms. “You know, after all I’ve done, I’d expect you to back off a little. Mom and Dad never worry this much.”

“I’m worried because of all you’ve done, Twily." Shining couldn't help but smile. "And some of it’s for whoever tries to mess with you.”

“Yeah,” said Spike. “They’ll have to deal with me.”

The humans all laughed at that, even if Shining’s still sounded uneasy. Spike whined. “I was being serious.”

Twilight pet him. “I know you were.”

“Still getting used to that,” Shining muttered.

“Look at it this way,” said Fluttershy. “He could always talk. Now you know how to listen.”

Shining considered this. “I can’t tell if that’s really deep or really hokey.”

Fluttershy smiled. “Can’t it be both?”

After that, they rode in thoughtful silence for the better part of a minute. Shining parked opposite a squat building surrounded by a barbed-wire fence, dozens of dogs roaming about the expansive yard. “Well, this is the place. 67 Flamecano Street. I’ll be here if you need me.”

Twilight rolled her eyes as she got out. “We’ll be fine, Shining.”

A blood-red Trottweiler threw itself at the fence, barking and snapping at them.

Fluttershy giggled. “Absolutely fine.”

A Hosstralian-accented voice boomed out of the building. “SHUT IT, YOU EVIL BASTARD, OR I’LL POUND YER FECKIN’ FACE IN!”

“He’s definitely passionate,” said Spike.

Shining tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “If you have any trouble at all—“

“Shiny, I’m basically a high-level mystic theurge with my patron deity on speed dial, my familiar ready to call for help, and a druid for backup. We’ll be fine.”

“Natural ones happen, Twily.”

Twilight just rolled her eyes and got out of the car, Fluttershy and Spike following suit. Twilight was reaching for a button by the side of the gate when the shelter’s front door all but flew open.

“DON’T BOTHER!” An immense, dull blue man walked out of the building, ducking his head to fit through the doorway. Spike and the girls tilted their heads back as he got closer, taking in his sheer enormity. The man huge; not fat, just built at a larger scale, perhaps seven feet tall and with shoulders wide enough that he’d nearly needed to come out of the door sideways. His mop of hair started blonde at the roots and shaded to auburn at the tips, aside from the central bald spot.

“M-Mister Atarkason?” Fluttershy squeaked.

The man’s rough features shifted into a smile like a good-natured rockslide. “Call me Torch; Mister Atarkason was me father.” His wide-nailed fingers unlocked the gate, and he held it open. “I take it you’re Fluttershy, then?”

Fluttershy bit her lip and nodded.

“Well, don’t stand there like a bunch of lumps! Come in, come in! I’m very excited to be a part of your organization.”

They came in. Some of the dogs watched them. Others snarled. The Trottweiler started to stalk towards them until Torch fixed it with a glare. “Don’t mind Garble,” said Torch, still staring down the dog. “All bark.”

“No bite?” Twilight found that she’d positioned herself such that Fluttershy stood between her and Garble, felt ashamed, then found she felt no need to move elsewhere.

“Not anymore. Garble? SIT!

Every dog inside of the fence immediately sat. Including a gobsmacked Spike. “Yowza.”

Torch looked down and smiled. “And there’s the pup of the hour! I’ve been lookin’ forward to meetin’ you, Spike.”

Spike sprang back up, tail wagging. “You have?”

“Oh yes. But this is hardly the place to discuss business.” Torch opened the door to the shelter proper and ushered everyone inside.

The smell inside was about as good as it could be, considering. The front desk was neat, though the young woman standing behind was the sort of disheveled that took hours to pull off properly. Also blue, with darker blue hair frosted white at the tips, she regarded the newcomers with slit pupils that marked her as one of the rare night-variant pegasus aspects. “Looking for a pet?” She glanced at Spike. “Another pet?”

“This is me daughter Ember,” said Torch. “Ember, these are the folks from PAULDRONS.”

Ember quirked an eyebrow, then spread her shadowy wings, rose a few inches, and made a point of looking behind the group. “What, behind the teenagers?”

Torch scowled. “Yer only twenty yerself, girl.”

“Whatever.”

Torch sighed. “Don’t mind her.”

“Why would you like to join PAULDRONS, sir?” said Twilight.

“And how come you were looking forward to me?”

“I love animals. Respect ‘em. But the things I’ve seen done to ‘em…” Torch shook his head. “If it isn’t man-shaped, some people don’t respect it at all. I’m already a member of the ALPACA. Figure you’re the next logical step. Besides, the way things are goin’, one of my tenants will start complainin’ about accommodations any day now. I want someone I can ask for help when that happens.”

“We’re happy to have you, Mis— er, Torch.” Fluttershy held out a hand.

Torch shook it, nearly grabbing Fluttershy’s wrist along with it.

“Oh yeah. That’s nice.”

All eyes turned to Spike. And to Ember, who at some point had moved out from behind the desk and was now scratching him behind the ears. She flushed. “Um… This isn’t what it looks like?”

Author's Note:

ALPACA is, of course, the Amareican League for the Prevention of Any Cruelty to Animals.

Why do Torch and Ember get to be human when all the other dragons are dogs? Dragonlord's privilege.

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