64 - May the Best Pet Win Part Two
Twilight put a hoof over the book. "One thing. I have an owl, you've both met him. An owl's first thought on any mouse would be a quick snack. Is that safe?"
Fluttershy squeaked. "That is true... But you'd hardly be the first time they brought together a pair of animal friends that, in the wild, would never tolerate one another. It just requires some extra love at the start. You have to introduce them to each other, and keep the owl well-fed. Animals don't hunt for the fun of it, usually. When they get used to the mouse being around, they may even become friends."
Moon adjusted her glasses in a moment of consideration. "And the mouse's side?"
"If they feel safe around you." Fluttershy pointed a hoof at Moon. "They will start to assume you'll protect them, even from an owl. And if they get used to one another, then they could become friends. The younger the mouse is, the more likely it will look to the owl as a member of its family." She clapped with a sudden excitement. "You really do know what you want. This is much easier."
Twilight lifted an ear at that. "Is Rainbow Dash being... herself?"
"Oh, yes..." Fluttershy shrank with a blush. "Don't tell her I said that..."
Moon circled in place. "Where do I get a mouse? Do you have advice for how to introduce them to our existing pet with minimal friction?"
Fluttershy hopped to her hooves and trotted swiftly over to a wall. Knocking on it summoned a mouse into view. "Hello, sorry to bother you." The mouse waved at her, no annoyance on display. "This may sound a little odd... But my friend." She pointed back at Moon Dancer. "Would like to adopt a mouse and care for them."
The mouse tilted their head abruptly to the left, then the right. Without a sound, they scurried back into their hole.
Moon came up aside Fluttershy. "Was that a sympathetic response?"
Fluttershy raised a hoof up flat. "I think he's checking with his family. Mice have very large families. There's no promise they have one the right age, and the missus has to be alright with the idea too."
Speaking of that, a new mouse popped free and looked up at the ponies standing there. "There she is." Fluttershy lowered herself as close to the mouse's level as she could. "Hello there."
The little she-mouse scurried up to Fluttershy and whispered the quiet little squeaks of mouse at her.
Fluttershy pointed to Moon Dancer. "Her. She is a nice pony, and a wonderful mother. She's raising a baby dragon right now, and doing a good job of it."
The mother mouse looked suitably impressed, but was also examining Moon critically. She didn't look ready to give up one of her children without hesitation. "Moon." Fluttershy sat up slowly. "Do you promise to give this mouse the absolute best life you can give?"
Moon looked to the little mouse. "I should speak to her, yes?" With Fluttershy's nod, Moon leaned in closer. "I will do my best. I hope to foster a relationship of friendship. I will protect them from predators and they will never want for food or company."
The mouse was still a moment.
"She's thinking," advised Fluttershy, eyes not leaving the rodent.
Without a word, even one Fluttershy could hear, the mouse retreated into her hole. It was quiet a moment before she returned, a bundle on her back, a little bundle of furred critter. That mouse was young, very young. The mother gathered the bundle, hugging them close with a nuzzle.
Fluttershy sat up. "Oh my... That is a very young mouse. You will have to care for it very intensely for the first moon or two. Are you prepared for that?"
Moon went in closer, nose twitching as she took in the scent of the infant rodent. Her eyes widened a moment. "I accept this."
The mother set the bundle atop Moon's snout and fled before anyone could see the equivalent of little mouse tears.
Moon sat up, every motion slow. She had a little delicate life perched on her nose. "Fluttershy... I hope you can assist in creating an ideal resting place for them."
"Of course!" Fluttershy started for the door, holding it open. "This way, slowly." She smiled at Twilight. "Isn't this exciting?"
Twilight followed at Moon's side. "Very, but we should speak to Owli about this too. It seems he's becoming a big brother to a very small mouse." She gently nudged the tiny creature. "So small..." She looked to Fluttershy. "Can they eat solid food? Neither of us are equipped to provide a baby mouse with the alternative."
Fluttershy colored faintly as she jumped. "Good thought." She looked to the mother mouse, repeating the question. "We don't want the little guy to be hungry."
Moon crossed her eyes to look at the mouse on her nose. "They're a male? Hello, little mouse..."
Fluttershy and the mouse exchanged quiet words before she sat up. "She says they've been enjoying solid foods. It's a little early... But they are weaned."
Moon let out a relieved noise of a sigh. "Good. Um, thank you?"
She couldn't know if her meaning was heard, leaving with her precious cargo. The mouse awoke on her nose, looking around curiously. It fixed on her, little ears lifting and unfolding into their full roundness. "Hello," spoke Moon. "I'm Moon Dancer. You are..." She walked along, watching the mouse as she went. "We have to decide a name. Twilight?"
"Let's give them a chance to show their name." Twilight brushed Moon gently from the side. "Nothing says we have to give a name right now."
Fluttershy nodded swiftly. "Oh, yes. That sounds much better. I'm sure his name will become clear to us, if we give him a chance." She reached up to pet the stirred mouse. "Aren't you a cute little thing?"
Twilight advanced to the fore. "I'll let Owloiscious know we're coming." She hurried ahead to the library and closed the door behind her. "Owloiscious? There's a new little friend coming." The owl landed just in front of her, peering with its deep eyes. "There you are." Twilight gently stroked her beloved owl. "Now, I know they will surprise you, but you musn't hurt them. They are you little brother. They aren't taking your place."
"Who?" Owlie inclined his head sharply.
"They don't have a name yet... They're very young, and they will be scared. Can you help them feel at home?"
Owlie jumped to Twilight's back, perching there. Twilight took that as an agreement and went to open the door just in time for Fluttershy and Moon to enter. Owlie leaned in to peer at the strange little furry thing on Moon's nose. "Who?"
"We're working on that." Moon took the time to gently stroke over Owlie's head. "But they're joining our family. I hope you two will get along."
Fluttershy put out a wing, barring the view of Owlie to the mouse. "I know you feel... an urge to hunt, but Twilight feeds you well, doesn't she?"
"Who?"
Fluttershy nodded, not at all tripped up by the word Owlie preferred. "She will keep doing that, and loving you very much. They aren't taking that from you." Owlie hopped closer for a better look at the mouse, and avoiding the barring wing.
"Think of them as your little brother," advised Fluttershy, following the others. "They will need your care, but they'll love you too."
With her help, a little mouse nesting of soft fluff in a warm place was put together at their shared hooves. The mouse crawled into it curiously, looking around. Moon smiled at the infant mouse. "How old is this mouse, in pony years? Do you know?"
Fluttershy tapped at her chin. "Think of them like a pony about half the age of Apple Bloom. They will grow quickly, mice do that... Expect him to be finished in a moon and a half. Then they will be a grown mouse. To feed him..." She helped them secure mouse food and water the mouse could reach easily. "And they will need a lot of care and attention, like most children of any species."
"Hey!" A knocking at the window got their attention where Rainbow was hovering. "Flutter! I got an idea."
Fluttershy gave a weary smile. "I had best see to that." She went out to hear Rainbow's grand idea for a pet race.
Owli landed next to the mouse next and reached out a foot, talons grabbing and adjusting the fluffing in a moment of particularness. Twilight inclined her head at the behavior. "Aw... I think he's trying to help." She pet her owl gently. "That's very nice of you. You are the best owl in the world."
"Who?"
"You, of course." They shared a little nuzzle and went off together to resume studies with satisfaction on either side.
"What's that?" Spike came over with a crown bouncing on his head. He jumped with surprise when the little mouse moved. "Woah! What...?"
Moon gestured at the little mouse. "Spike, excellently timed. This little mouse is in need of a big brother." She waved at Spike. "And here's the best big brother I am aware of."
Spike colored faintly at that. "Aw... cut that out." He dropped into a crouch, peering at the mouse. "What's their name?"
"I was trying to discern that..." Moon tapped at her chin. "But he's so young, he hasn't had a chance to display what his name should be yet." Moon smiled at Spike. "Are you alright then? I didn't ask you before I did this... Also... what are you wearing?" Her eyes lifted to the new crown.
Spike grabbed the crown self-conciously. "Oh, um... Diamond got it for me." He tipped it and struck a pose. "How's it look? She wanted me to match her, you know? She wears a tiara, so she got me--"
"--a crown," finished Moon with a nod. "Very nice. Do you like it?" She adjusted her glasses. "I'm hardly the first pony one should approach for fashion advice. Have you considered asking Rarity? She would give far more nuanced a review."
Spike slapped one hand against the other, turning into a snap of his fingers. "Great idea! I'll check with her later. About the mouse." He reached in and put his hand close to where the mouse could sniff and explore it. "It's... kinda neat..."
"He."
"Oh." Spike inclined his head at the little fur ball. "Hey, little dude." The mouse climbed his hand and Spike curled his fingers, soon cradling the little thing. "Aw... I think he likes me. Um, hate to ask, but why? They're cute and all, but why?"
Moon sat up. "Two reasons." She lifted a hoof. "One, I wish to engage with the other ponies in pet-related activities."
Spike nodded softly. "Alright... Little guy's gonna have to grow a lot more before he does much with most of them. Isn't one of them a cat? I'm not sure he's gonna be ready to play with a cat and a dog..."
Moon flipped an ear back. "You... raise an excellent point... I didn't think that through... However, the second part is still entirely within his reach. I want to take notes on the friendship between a pony and a pet from start to finish. I will add the findings to by general documentation on the nature of friendship."
Spike smiled brightly. "Hey, that's adorable. I never had a pet either... Can I help?"
"I already asked." Moon touched her nose to Spike's cheek. "I will be their adopted mother/big sister. You can be their big brother. Are you ready for that responsibility?"
Spike saluted sharply. "You can count on me." He raised his other hand, holding his new brother. "You too." He giggled as the little whiskers of the mouse tickled with the little thing sniffing and exploring at him.
The treebrary family had grown.
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Pet names. In the pony world, pets are the most likely to have Proper Nouns for their names, as apposed to pony's Common Noun names. (i.e. Winona vs Apple Bloom)
Casey, Matthias, Martin, Dewey, Issac, Newton. Those are my suggestions.
Mickey, Mike, Stuart are my suggestions
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But then you have
Opalescence
. There's also Tank?
Matthias. Like in the Redwall books...
Suggestions: Jonathan, Timothy, Brisby, Justin, or Nicodemus.
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And some ponies will have names like Maud and Cadenza. It's a trend and custom, not a rule.
They could just call it mouse.
Moon needs even more help when word choosing.
I'm guessing since animals in Equestria have a degree of sapience, their consent when being adopted as pets might be a legal requirement.
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One wouldn't want to be mean to them, right?
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Obviously. But does sapience bring with it a degree of legal protection?
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If this were human lands, this would be a question in need of immediate answering.
Ponies are, overall, nicer folk, usually, but, also, ignorant of how animals work outside of a few special cases like Fluttershy. Most would be inclined to just be nice to be nice. But if you grab an animal and make a pet of it, most wouldn't notice right away anything wrong.
If the animal shows obvious signs of unhappiness, they might maybe notice that?
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Maybe.
Dewey for the Dewey Decimal system!! Twilight and MoonDancer both enjoy that system and he's the smallest of the family, the Decimal point, if you will.