Alternate Beginnings: Year Three

by Doug Graves

7 Requisition a Pet

April 2nd, 995

Fluttershy's cottage is a stark contrast to the dark and foreboding trees of the Everfree Forest. Lying close to the border, the verdant thatching makes her home appear at first glance to be an actual house made from a tree. Dotting the landscape are burrows dug into the ground, some reinforced with custom hoof-made habitats, and others dug by some of the more enterprising creatures. A babbling brook flows past the front yard, a dirt covered wooden bridge along the path to her front door. Birds are flying around, heralding the morning as they flit between the various feeders.

Sitting out in the front yard are the two front runners, the two animals that after a long amount of consideration Fluttershy thinks will make the best pets for her herdmates. Fluttershy smiles to herself as the birds above sing their choruses, relishing the feeling of a job well done. Rarity will be so happy. The unicorn has been very specific as to what kind of pet she will allow into her house. She wants a pet that will be able to help her around the store, fetching materials for her, and even give her advice as to how her designs look. And, just as a bonus, her little white face matches Rarity's coat so well!

Fluttershy looks to the other pet, destined for Applejack. The farmpony has been a little apprehensive about having an animal helping out around the farm. Instead, she wants a pet to help her relax, won't need a lot of care, but also one who will help with the critters when Fluttershy isn't able to come over. Her coat doesn't match Applejack's nearly as well as Rarity's new pet does, but fortunately Applejack won't mind. Why, Applejack will appreciate how independent and free-spirited her new pet is!

"Come now, little ones. Let's go meet our new friends! I'm sure they are going to love you and take good care of you. Oh, they'll be so happy!" Fluttershy grins as she starts down the path to Ponyville, her two companions following close behind. The long walk goes quickly, Fluttershy practically skipping down the road to the Carousel Boutique. She opens the door, the bell above chiming merrily. Rarity peeks out from behind a screen; she seems to be helping another pony with a dress, the unicorn merely smiling at Fluttershy before going back to her work.

A few minutes later and Rarity's work is complete, the earth pony customer thanking her and carrying her dress outside. Rarity moves over to Fluttershy, "Darling, good to see you! How are things?"

"Oh, things are going very well, Rarity. I brought a friend who will be very happy to see you!"

Rarity smiles as Fluttershy turns, revealing her new pet. Rarity gasps, "Oh, she's so precious! Aww, who's a good girl? Yes you are!"

Winona gives a short bark, grinning madly, her tongue panting out. Rarity moves over, nuzzling the dog who happily licks her face. Rarity giggles, smiling as she says, "Oh, Fluttershy, she's perfect!"

Fluttershy nods, "Winona sure seems happy to see you, too, Rarity! I brought over a bag of food for her, to get you started, just let me know if you need help with anything."

Rarity moves over, giving Fluttershy a hug before moving back to Winona. "Alright, girl, a few commands. Sit." The dog sits down, staring at Rarity and panting. Rarity smiles at Fluttershy, "And well trained, too! Thank you again, Fluttershy!"

Fluttershy nods, replacing her saddlebags on her back. "You're very welcome. Have a good day, you two!" Fluttershy smiles to herself; she just knows Applejack will love her new cat as much as Rarity loves her new dog!

Rarity holds up a dress, "Now, Winona, what do you think of this dress?" Winona gives a happy bark and nods her head, Rarity nodding along with her, "Oh, yes, I do believe this one is very good, but it needs some sort of accessory. Which of these two ribbons goes better with it?"

Rarity levitates over two ribbons, looking at Winona. The dog sits there, staring at Rarity before she says, "Oh, you think I should decide?" The dog continues staring at Rarity, who cocks her head to the side, examining the ribbons, "Hmm. You don't like either ribbon, and instead I should use this bracelet?" As she levitates the bracelet Winona gives a happy bark, Rarity grinning, "Oh, yes, that will be perfect! Who's a good girl?"

Fluttershy walks through the streets of Ponyville, humming a tune to herself. A few other ponies seem to join in, humming along, tapping their hooves, but Fluttershy shies away. Oh, what if she messes up the song? And the other ponies will see her sing, and...

Fluttershy nervously glances around, sighing to herself. Even when she is doing so well, she still doesn't have the confidence to lead a song. Well, maybe she can rehearse it with her birds a few times?

Fluttershy glances back at Opalescence, the cat napping in her saddlebags. Yup, a perfect companion for Applejack, a pet to help remind the hard working earth pony to slow down and relax. Fluttershy spots Applejack sweating while she works in the east orchard; she makes her way over, gently coaxing Opal out of the bag. She hovers over, holding the grumpy cat in her front hooves and saying, "Good morning, Applejack!"

Applejack wipes her brow, looking over at Fluttershy, "Oh, hey 'Shy! Who is this?"

Fluttershy sets Opal down, the cat looking disdainfully at Applejack. "This is Opalescence, or Opal."

Applejack moves over, looking at Opal. "So," she starts, "You like apple trees?"

Opal stares blankly at Applejack.

Applejack says, "How about... apple buckin?"

Opal lifts a paw, licking it.

Applejack puts a hoof to her chin, "Apple baskets?" before looking at the baskets scattered around, some full of apples.

Opal turns her head, rubbing her paw against her face and moving it from side to side.

Applejack looks over at Fluttershy, "You sure about this?"

Fluttershy nods, "Oh, yes, I'm sure you two will find lots of things you have in common."

Applejack turns; Opal has taken a perch on top of an overturned apple basket, napping in the morning sun. "Aww, look at her. So purdy."

Opal opens one eye, glaring at Applejack, before closing her eye and looking away. Fluttershy removes a bag from her saddlebag, "I'm sure you have plenty of food around here, but Opal can be a little particular with the kind of food she eats. I included some instructions as well."

Applejack nods, "Eeyup. Ah'm sure Ah'll figure it out. Thanks for everything, and have a good day, 'Shy!" Applejack looks over to Opal, saying to herself, "Low maintenance, exactly the thing Ah need around here. Now, where did Apple Bloom run off to?"

Fluttershy smiles, waving cheerfully as she walks back to her cottage. Along the path, Mr. Robin flies up to her, chattering excitedly. Fluttershy peers up, "But, Mr. Robin, we just got the new nests in. What do you mean they are broken?" At Mr. Robin's twitter, she picks up her pace.

Fluttershy shakes at the destruction in front of her: twigs scattered carelessly across the ground, the remnants of several of the nests that Rarity had made during Winter Wrap Up. Ribbons litter the area, their colorful corpses a stark contrast to the green and brown of the ground. A flock of birds, many different colors, are flitting back and forth around one of the trees, one she knows Mrs. Robin has made her home in.

"Excuse me?" Fluttershy tentatively asks, looking around, "What's going on here?"

Fluttershy gasps as she sees a nest soar from the tree, still containing two white eggs. She dashes forward but her haste is unnecessary, as ten of the birds beat her to it and gently bring the nest to the ground. Mrs. Robin chitters thankfully at the birds, before turning her attention back to the tree and flying into the branches.

Fluttershy takes to the air, rage on her face as she spots the perpetrator, a fat black bird with a red head. She Stares at the turkey, shouting, "Excuse me! You Do Not, I Repeat, You Do Not Knock A Nest Out Of A Tree!"

The turkey looks blankly back at her, unfazed by her Stare, merely gobbling unintelligibly. He shifts back and forth on the branch, casually making his way to the next nest in his way. Fluttershy gasps, this nest containing three eggs, and she swoops to grab it just before the turkey kicks the nest out of the tree. She turns, glaring at the turkey, "Excuse me!"

The turkey gobbles again, turning around and raising his tail feathers. Two of the three female turkeys fly up next to him, enough space on the branch for each of them to sit. They stay there, staring at each other as Fluttershy puts the nest on the ground next to the other one. She flies back up, "Now, listen here, Mr. Turkey, just because you are bigger than the other birds doesn't mean you can boss them around." The turkey sits there, staring past Fluttershy at one of the other branches.

She slowly flies closer to the bird, "You need to be able to share the trees with the other birds." She looks around, motioning to the various trees, "There is lots of space for everypony here, you just need to find a nice, unoccupied branch for you and your harem."

The turkey lunges at Fluttershy, spreading its wings and letting loose a loud warble. Fluttershy shrieks, flying away faster than she has ever flown before. She glances back; the turkey is still on the branch, preening its feathers.

Hours later, Doug walks by the road to Fluttershy's house, a backpack jingling with metal on his back. He spots Fluttershy by the stream, the yellow pegasus staring into the water. As he gets closer he says, "Hey 'Shy, Rainbow said you wanted to see me?"

Fluttershy nods, still staring into the water. She sighs, "Yes. I don't know what to do, Doug, I'm at my wits end." A wing spreads out, hovering over the water while dark shapes move back and forth. "There are a few new birds, and they aren't playing well with the others." The wing briefly dips into the stream, flicking back out with a cascade of water. "They don't listen to me, and I just can't seem to get them to leave the other birds alone." She moves to the fish, now out of the water and flopping back and forth, picking it up with her mouth. "I jus' don' kno' wha' oo do." She casually bashes the fish's head again a rock, the flopping stopping immediately. Fluttershy sighs, the fish dropping from her mouth as she moves back into position. "What do you think I should do?"

Doug stares at the fish, then back to Fluttershy as she repeats the process with a second fish. He asks, "So, what are the fish for?"

"Oh, they're a house warming present for Harry, he decided to move in to the house we made for him. Would you like to meet him?" Fluttershy gathers both fish in her mouth, starting to walk towards the Everfree.

"Sure, I guess. Never met a bear before, well, outside of a teddy. As far as the birds... what kind of birds are they?"

" 'urkey."

The two make their way to the one room house, nestled between two trees and covered in dirt and grass. Fluttershy moves up, knocking on the door with a hoof. The door opens, revealing a large brown bear, as tall as Doug but easily five times his weight. He is wearing an apron, and gives a toothy smile at seeing Fluttershy. Doug gives a nervous wave, the bear loping up to him and embracing him in a hug.

Doug does his best to hug back before the bear releases him, Fluttershy saying, "Hello Harry, this is my stallion, Doug. He helped build you this house!" The bear gives a grateful roar, giving Fluttershy a hug before picking the fish off the ground. Fluttershy asks, "Do you need anything else?"

The bear looks behind him at the room; it is enough space for him to move around, with a few pillows in one corner and a picture of Fluttershy smiling on one wall. He looks back to Fluttershy, holding his paws about a foot apart before moving them to about two feet apart. Fluttershy looks at him, "You want more space?" The bear shakes his head, then nods his head, grunting. Fluttershy nods her head, "Ohh, you will need space once you find a lady friend." The bear nods, Fluttershy grinning at him, "Well, just let me know when that happens, I would be more than happy to help you expand your home."

The bear smiles again, waving one of his paws at the two. Fluttershy and Doug wave back, turning to a different section of the forest. Doug asks, "So, what's your policy on harming animals?"

Fluttershy looks up at Doug, puzzled, "I would never harm an animal. Why would you think that?"

Doug shrugs, "Well, you killed two fish, for Harry. What differentiates those fish from birds, or ponies?"

Fluttershy looks back towards Harry's home, "Hmm. I never really thought about it; I just would never want to harm something that has a name. And those fish, while alive, don't think enough to talk or have names."

Doug makes a circular motion with his hand, "And if these turkeys don't talk to you, or have names..."

Fluttershy looks up at Doug, "Are you suggesting that we... kill the turkeys?"

Doug flips one of his hands over, palm raised upwards, "Well, if you can't reason with them, and they don't respond to anything but force, then it sounds like that or give up the tree and wherever else they decide to roost."

Fluttershy looks apprehensive, "But, I'm not sure, that seems wrong, somehow." The two make their way to the clearing, Fluttershy again gasping at the carnage ahead of her. The two nests containing eggs are no longer in one piece, one of the hens ripping a nest apart. Fortunately none of the eggs can be seen, broken or otherwise, as Fluttershy rushes forwards. "Stop!" she yells as she approaches the hen, the bird not seeming to care as it continues ripping. "What are you doing?"

The tom leaps off its branch, yelping at Fluttershy as she backs off. He continues approaching, wings flaring from his body and tail sticking straight up. He charges after Fluttershy as the mare turns and flees, briefly taking to the air as she flies up. The loud clap of metal on metal briefly startles the tom; he turns, looking down at the new aggressor and charging again.

Doug watches the bird come towards him, raising a hammer in one arm and wondering how stupid this bird is. Once it gets in arms reach he swings, missing the head but impacting the body. The turkey putts in alarm, trying to get away. Doug is quicker, swinging again and braining the turkey, the limp body falling to the ground. Doug moves over, grasping the neck and twisting as Fluttershy cautiously moves close to him. "Is it... over?"

Doug nods, "For him, yes." He looks over at the rest of the hens, the three seemingly uncaring at the fate of their tom. Two are roosting in the tree and the last continues shredding the nearly destroyed nest on the ground. Doug sighs, pulling out a blade, making his way to the hen on the ground, "Well, I hope you don't mind blood on the grass," as the various robins and jays sing happily.

Comments

[Heidao]

Such a reversal of fates in terms of pets, and Doug just got himself some free protein

[FanficReader920]

Rarity smiles as Fluttershy turns, revealing her new pet. Rarity gasps, "Oh, she's so precious! Aww, who's a good girl? Yes you are!"

Cool! Rarity's finally getting Opal....

Winona gives a short bark, grinning madly, her tongue panting out. Rarity moves over, nuzzling the dog who happily licks her face. Rarity giggles, smiling as she says, "Oh, Fluttershy, she's perfect!"

.............

Doug (both the character and the author) just took canon and shredded it. Well, can't say this story is predictable. The CMC are now the love children of Pony and human (which makes WAY too much sense) and Opal and Winona have swapper owners. What next?!

[RDDash]

Lol, I guess Doug has no choice but to kill turkeys

[Silent_Knight]

9396680
Wat next you ask? Well i think discord will be an upstanding member of society and chryssi will be a welcome addition to herd cadence... Im losing my mind OPAL WITH AJ AND WINONA WITH RARITY AHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[Doug Graves]

9808608
Did you read ahead? I think you read ahead.

[chibilink]

"Well, just let me know when you that happens, I would be more than happy to help you expand your home."

Next, Tank will be with Pinkie, and Rainbow will get Gummy.

[DarkPhoenixx]

9808608
Lmao
Thats what i was thinking!!!

[DarkPhoenixx]

9808769
Oh plz tell me that youre joking i mean for one thing theres this:

And, just as a bonus, her little white face matches Rarity's coat so well!

Or did Winona become a white dog suddenly?

[Doug Graves]

10117261
Re Winona: Not so much; really, it's just her snout and tail and feet that are white, the rest brown.

You'll just have to keep reading to find out! Dun dun dun...

[Jack-Pony]

Doug, probably.

[PirateLord93]

Well at least the jays and robins are happy.