Equestria Girls: A New Generation

by Naughty_Ranko

Chapter 13: Who Let the Dogs Out?

“Why not?” Sunset demanded, spreading out her arms.

“Because I said so,” Celestia replied calmly, sitting behind her desk.

Sunset crossed her arms and looked at her boss. “I’m not one of your students anymore, Celestia. That answer’s not good enough.”

“I gave you a proper answer already. I don’t put first year teachers in charge of clubs as a matter of policy. You’ve still got things to learn about how this job works, and you’re already stretched thin by teaching your German elective plus the AP History class you’re doing for the seniors.”

“This isn’t about me,” Sunset countered and stood up from the chair in Celestia’s office to vent her frustration, “the drama club was Luna’s baby since before I got here. Are you really gonna let it die while she’s not even here to defend it?”

Celestia steepled her fingers together and refused to meet Sunset’s eyes while answering. “I know Luna won’t be happy about it, but she’ll understand my decision when I explain it to her.”

“I know there’s only two of them, but how is the club gonna get back on its feet if you don’t give them an advisor?” Sunset was nearly pleading at this point. “Even if it’s just Pipp and Rufus, this is important to them. So there’s not enough members for a play, but I can run them through some improv exercises and help them recruit members for next year. Why not keep the ball rolling? I’m here. Just put me in until Luna comes back, coach.”

Celestia looked back at her with a raised eyebrow. “Coach?”

Sunset wobbled her head a bit before replying: “Ran into Dash the other day. You know what I mean. I can handle it. I know you’re not this person, Celestia. You’re not a Saturday morning cartoon villain who’ll stamp on their students’ hopes and dreams just because the plot demands it. So why?”

The principal sighed and rubbed her eyes before giving Sunset a genuinely pained look. “Sunset, I love seeing you fight for your students like that, barely a few weeks into your tenure at this school. It honestly makes me so proud of the woman you’ve become. Twenty years ago, I might have been standing exactly where you are right now, having it out with my old principal. But the harsh truth is, things look different from an administrator’s perspective than they do from a teacher’s.”

“How?”

“Do I really have to spell it out for you?” Celestia gave a stern look. “Money. And don’t pretend like you don’t know it. You admitted to me on your first day that you would have loved to teach at Crystal Prep. So would I. But CHS is a public school, and I’m not Cadence. I can’t just call up a wealthy parent and ask them to conjure up some extra funding out of thin air. If I leave the drama club in place, we pay more insurance for the use of the auditorium, play or not. It means I have to ask for funds from the school board, even if the club only exists on paper, which means less money in the budget for necessities like the refurbishment of the bathrooms or new equipment for the chemistry lab.”

“This never used to be a problem when I was a student here.”

“Or maybe you never realized it because you didn’t have the full picture as a student,” Celestia pointed out. “Pay no attention to the wizard behind the curtain.”

Sunset took a few deep breaths, as if to marshal a new set of arguments, but she wasn’t able to get another word in as Celestia sat up straight and adopted a hard look in a rare display of authority, reminding Sunset through sheer body language who was the boss here and who was the new hire.

“Ms. Shimmer, this conversation is going around in circles. I have made my decision, and that decision is final. Now, I believe you have some detention to oversee.”

In a new personal best, Sunset straightened her spine and weathered that look for a full three seconds before her shoulders slumped slightly. “… Yes, Principal.”

---

Sunset walked through the halls, slowing her step deliberately in an attempt to let go of her frustration before she entered the classroom where detention was being held. Finally, she stopped altogether and pulled out her phone, opening a new group chat with three of her friends. She shot off a quick initial message: “Sparky, Rares, AJ. I need a favor from each of you. Can we meet at SCC this weekend? My treat.”

That done, she took a deep breath and entered the classroom. She was greeted by two more contrite faces than she expected to see.

“Hitch, what are you doing here?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

He slumped a little. “Mr. Macintosh caught me trying to sneak out before P.E. class.”

“Uh-huh. How about you, Rufus?”

“I’m here because Mr. Turner doesn’t appreciate showmanship,” Rufus replied archly.

“Showmanship.” Sunset dead-panned.

“Indeed. Apparently he couldn’t see the artistic value in the smoke bomb I used to enhance his physics experiment.”

Sunset shook her head. “And apparently your cousin needs to give you some remedial lessons on the sleight-of-hand part of your craft, … not that she was any good at it when she was your age. Alright, do some homework, you two. As for you,” she said, pointing at Sprout, “you’re gonna write me a 500 word essay on why it is you think you’re here.”

Fidgeting a little in his seat and not meeting Sunset’s eyes, Sprout asked: “Would this be about the chalk thing or …?”

Sunset placed her hand on his desk and leaned in, forcing the boy to look up at her. “What do you think?” she growled in a low volume. “Also, the word count just went up to 750.”

Sprout coughed and took out his writing pad. “Right, I’ll just cover all the bases,” he said and put his head down to start writing.

She could see Hitch turn around with a curious look and mouth the words “What did you do?” at him from the corner of her eyes.

Rubbing her eyes, Sunset withdrew to the teacher’s desk and sat down. Waiting a couple minutes, she realized that the three troublemakers were actually getting on with their assignments and wouldn’t need to be called to order at least for the time being. Glancing at the clock, she cringed a little at how long she’d be here and took out the piece of paper she’d confiscated earlier in the day from her pocket.

Sunset regarded the sketch for a good while, actually really looking at it for the first time. The fact that the subject of the sketch was clearly recognizable with barely a glance coupled with the other teachers’ comments sparked the artist in her to give it an objective look. And she had to admit to herself that, setting aside how inappropriate it was, it was actually rather tasteful and showed some innate talent.

“By the way, Sprout,” she said about fifteen minutes into detention in spite of herself, unable to keep herself from dispensing some advice to a budding artist. “Your linework is pretty solid, but your shading technique still has room for improvement. Maybe try a mechanical pencil for your crosshatching next time and really think about where your light source is.”

Sprout looked up, saw the piece of paper in Sunset’s hands, blushed and doubled his writing pace.

Putting the sketch away, Sunset was about to pull out her phone to see if any of her friends had responded yet when a loud screeching noise and a crash could suddenly be heard from the outside, followed by the sound of a car engine revving. She turned to look, but could only make out the tail lights of a car speeding off.

Hitch on the other hand, who was sitting in a window seat, bolted upright as he looked out towards the street. After a moment, he opened the window, put his foot on the windowsill and jumped out of the ground floor classroom.

Flabbergasted, Sunset got up and opened the window closest to her. “Hey! I’m the only one who gets to jump out of windows around here!” After she’d shouted that, she let actions follow words and vaulted over the windowsill. “Hitch, what do you think you’re doing?” she asked as she caught up to her student.

Having dropped to his knees on the curb next to the road, Hitch turned toward her with something cradled in his arms, and now Sunset could see what had spurred him on. It was a small dog, blood matting his pale green fur and whimpering in pain.

“Oh.” Kneeling down beside him, she reached out a hand. Half-closed purple eyes looked at her in a pained expression as a wet nose touched her knuckle before retreating again.

“What’s going on?”

Sunset turned when she heard Rufus’ voice and saw the other two boys coming to join them, fighting the urge to facepalm at seeing yet another classroom window open.

“Ms. Sunset, he’s hurt bad,” Hitch said as the other two knelt down to take in the situation.

Rufus looked up at Sunset. “We’ve got to help him, Ms. Sunset.”

“Should I get Nurse Redheart?” Sprout asked.

Sunset was staring at the road, trying to catch another glimpse of the hit-and-run driver, but the car was long gone. “She’s already gone home for the day.” Sunset looked at the three boys who seemed at a loss of what to do and turned on her heel. “Wait here.”

She couldn’t have recounted her sprint to the parking lot later if she’d tried to, but she’d brought her car around in less than a minute, opening the trunk to get out a blanket to wrap the dog up in. Hitch was simply staring at the dog and all the blood.

“Hitch!” Sunset barked in a tone that brooked no argument and snapped her fingers in front of him while simultaneously trying to recall her mandatory first aid course and apply that knowledge to a dog as best she could. “Look at me. Keep him warm, keep his head turned to the side and try not to let him move too much. Rufus, show me your hands.”

Wordlessly, Rufus held out his arms and Sunset rooted around his sleeves until she found what she was looking for, a set of colorful handkerchiefs knotted together which she placed on what seemed to be the deepest wound.

“Keep pressure on it to stop the blood flow as best you can,” she instructed while putting his hands over the cloth. “Everybody in the car!”

She drove off as soon as her three students had piled into the Ford Fiesta and closed the doors, then said to Sprout, who had taken the front seat next to her: “Reach into the inside pocket of my jacket and grab my phone.”

“Right.” Sprout reached out gingerly to move the side of Sunset’s leather jacket.

“Other side,” Sunset said while keeping her eyes on the road.

It took a moment until she could see him reach out across her chest. Just then, she had to turn a corner and she could feel the back of his hand brush against her bust. “Sorry, sorry, sorry! I didn’t mean to!” he blubbered, pulling back immediately.

She looked at him from the corner of her eye, all flustered and wide-eyed. “Focus, Sprout,” she said calmly as the situation she’d found herself in overrode any embarrassment in her brain. “Just get the phone. I need you to find the entry called ‘Flutters’ in the contacts and make a call.”

Swallowing hard, he nodded and reached out again, finding the cellphone and navigating the menu after retrieving it. He put it on speaker without prompting after dialing the number and held it out towards Sunset while it rang.

“Come on, pick up,” she muttered under her breath.

There was a moment of static followed by a very quiet voice. “Sunset? This isn’t a good time. I’m still at work.”

“That’s what I was counting on, Fluttershy. I’ve got a dog that’s been hit by a car in the backseat, and I’m about five minutes out from your clinic.”

The change at the other end of the line was as apparent as it was immediate, the soft near-whisper changing to a clearly audible no-nonsense attitude. “Right. What are the injuries?”

“Talk to my student,” Sunset replied and jerked her head, indicating for Sprout to pass the phone to the backseat.

Sunset barely glanced back as she heard a frantic shuffle, the phone having been dropped as she hit a speed bump. She could hear Rufus going “Got it!” before Sprout demanded her attention, shouting “Light!”

Sunset saw the yellow light, made a split-second decision and floored the accelerator, her little car revving up to cross the intersection in between honking horns from either side. “I better not hear about any of you driving like this when you take your driving test next year,” she said while grimacing.

“Hello? Are you still there? There’s a lot of blood,” Hitch said breathlessly into the cellphone that Rufus was holding up for him while cradling the dog.

“Calm down, young man,” Fluttershy’s voice said in a calm yet firm manner amidst the static. “What’s your name?”

“Hitch, ma’am.”

“Hitch, take a deep breath. Sunset’s gonna get you where you need to go. In the meantime, tell me what you can. Start with what you can see.”

A couple of minutes later, Sunset’s car screeched to a halt in front of a building downtown with the words ‘Canterlot Animal Clinic’ written across the glass double doors. Sprout and Rufus held the doors open as Sunset helped Hitch gingerly carry their patient inside.

At their entrance, a woman with long pink hair and wearing a white lab coat looked up and hung up the phone. “Doctor, they’re here!” she called towards a backroom from the reception desk and went to meet Sunset and her students halfway into the waiting area. She took out a small flashlight and began inspecting the quivering bundle in Hitch’s arms. “Alright, tell me where it hurts.”

Sunset saw her friend clutch a pendant hanging in front of her chest and knew instinctively that Fluttershy was prone to the same habit she’d found herself in when she wished she could fall back on her old magic.

A few moments later a bespectacled man of middle age, also clad in a white coat, joined her. “What have we got, Ms. Fluttershy?”

“Pupils normal, no sign of a concussion. Blunt force trauma to the left side, probably broken front paw. Large laceration above the left shoulder blade amidst other smaller cuts.”

He nodded, moving some of the fur aside where she had indicated. “Looks worse than it is. I don’t think it nicked any arteries.”

“He said he’s having trouble breathing,” Hitch suddenly spoke up.

Fluttershy looked up startled, meeting Sunset’s eyes who furrowed her brow at the choice of words. They both looked at Hitch again.

“I mean,” he began, trying to express his thoughts, “he was whimpering when we got in the car, but then he went quiet. I could hear some gurgling.”

A look passed between the doctor and Fluttershy and she muttered a soothing “I know, it hurts, bear with me, puppy,” as the dog whimpered beneath her ginger touch, looking to confirm something. “Third rib.”

The doctor nodded, going over his patient with the stethoscope. “Must have punctured a lung. It’s filling up with blood. Good catch, young man.” He paused and pushed up his glasses. “Who’s the owner?”

The boys looked at each other uncertainly, until Hitch said: “I think he’s a stray. I’ve seen him around the school grounds once or twice.”

There was a long sigh from the man. “We can try to operate, but I’m giving him 50-50 odds. Normally, I’d leave it up to the owner to decide. It might be kinder to just give him something to go to sleep. For a stray …” He left it hanging there, scratching the back of his neck.

The moment that followed felt like an eternity to Sunset as the three teenagers stood there in worry and confusion while the three adults in the room knew exactly what he was getting at, Sunset doubly so after her earlier conversation with Celestia. The thought of crushing her students with the reality of the situation after they’d acted so admirably, and just when the finish line was in sight, almost broke her heart. She found herself saying it before she’d finished the thought: “I’m the owner.”

The doctor looked at her. “So he’s not a stray then?”

Sunset shook her head. “Not as of ten seconds ago, he isn’t. Please try to save him.”

He held her gaze for a moment to confirm something and then nodded resolutely. “Very well. Ms. Fluttershy, get the patient prepped and x-rayed while I get the OR and anesthetics ready. Scrub in and meet me there when you’re done.”

Fluttershy looked up at the taller man and gulped. “You mean?”

He nodded. “You’ve been itching to assist during a surgery since you got here. Today’s the day. I’m gonna need a second pair of hands on this one.”

Sunset could see the momentary panic behind her friend’s eyes which was quickly replaced by a steely resolve. “Yes, doctor.”

Fluttershy took the dog carefully from Hitch and turned towards the double doors in the back while the doctor held them open for her before following behind.

Sunset and her students stood silently in the waiting area as the adrenaline crash washed over them, leaving them with a sudden exhaustion.

A voice broke the silence eventually. “Don’t worry, boys.” They turned to see an elderly woman they hadn’t noticed earlier sitting in the waiting area next to a carrying box that held a rotund tabby cat. The cat regarded them with that supreme indifference only a feline was capable of, but the woman smiled a reassuring smile at them. “Dr. Paws is the best there is in Canterlot, and that Ms. Fluttershy is young, but she knows what she’s doing.”

Sunset smiled at the woman and gently laid a hand on Hitch’s shoulder. “Hitch,” she said, indicating the door to the restroom with a nod of her head, “why don’t you go get yourself cleaned up?”

The boy looked down on himself, seemingly noticing for the first time that his hands and shirt were covered in blood. “Right,” he said quietly and walked off.

Rufus and Sprout were still staring at the doors Fluttershy and the doctor had vanished through, and Sunset cleared her throat to get their attention. She fished a bank note out of her pocket and handed it to the boys. “Here’s twenty bucks. There’s a thrift store around the corner. See if you can find some clean clothes for Hitch to change into. I’ll wait here.”

---

They had returned ten minutes later with a pair of jeans and an over-sized Power Ponies t-shirt that made Hitch look ridiculous coupled with the letter jacket Sprout had also lent him. But at least he didn’t look like he’d stepped out of a slasher movie anymore.

The large clock in the waiting area ticked by as fifteen minutes became half an hour and then an entire hour. Sunset sat stoically and mostly silently. She hated sitting and waiting for something that was out of her hands as a matter of principle. But this place … She wondered how Fluttershy could stand working here. It was a little different, of course, but the waiting area and the smell of disinfectant reminded her far too much of Canterlot General Hospital, threatening to bring memories to the forefront that she dared not show in front of her three young students.

The boys mostly fidgeted with worried expressions on their faces. Every once in a while the old woman would engage them in conversation about her cat, apparently sensing that they could use the distraction, for which Sunset was grateful.

The phone rang twice while they waited, startling the boys every time, and kept on ringing at the abandoned reception desk until it went to the machine.

It was during one of the quiet stretches that Sunset decided to speak up. “Whatever happens, you three,” she said, trying not to let her own thoughts that every additional minute that went by was a bad sign show through, “I want you to know that I’m proud of you. Skipping classes, playing pranks in school, that stuff’s ultimately not so important. But when you saw a living being in distress, you did everything in your power to help. Be proud of that.”

It was that exact moment when the double doors opened and a tired looking Fluttershy stepped out. The boys stood up as one person and so did Sunset after a moment. Noticing, Fluttershy held up a finger, asking them to wait, and disposed of a pair of bloody gloves and a surgical mask in a nearby hazmat bin. She ran a hand through her long hair and stepped over to the old woman with a tired smile. “Thank you for your patience, Goldie Delicious. You can take Mr. Boots to Examination Room 2. The doctor will be with you in a minute.”

The old woman nodded and hefted the cage with her cat, giving the boys another reassuring nod before heading towards the back as Fluttershy put her hands into the pockets of her lab coat and made her way over to Sunset’s group with an unreadable expression.

“What’s the word, Fluttershy?” Sunset asked, worried that her students might explode in a puff of anxiety if they had to wait any longer.

“It went well,” she said with a nod, and Sunset could hear three held breaths being exhaled next to her. “We drained the blood from the lungs, set the broken leg and stitched up all the cuts. He’s resting now.”

“So he’ll be okay?” Sprout asked.

“He’s not out of the woods yet,” she replied, hedging a bit. When she saw the worry return to the young faces, however, she quickly added: “But the doctor is liking his chances. There wasn’t any damage to other major organs as far as we could tell. The biggest danger was always losing him on the operating table. We’re gonna need to keep him here for at least a week, make sure he gets his antibiotics and manage any risk of infection. But he’s a young dog, and that works in our favor. Barring any unforeseen complications, he should heal quickly.”

“Can we see him?” Hitch wanted to know.

“Sure.” Fluttershy led the group towards the back and indicated a window into a room. Inside, the pale green puppy was resting quietly in a pet-sized bed, with a cast around his front paw, several bandages across his small body and a protective pet cone attached to his neck.

The three boys literally pressed their noses to the glass. “Look how small he is,” Rufus whispered, “I didn’t realize in all the commotion.”

“Heh,” Sprout said, “look at his nose twitch. You think he’s dreaming?”

Standing back a little next to Fluttershy, Sunset suppressed a chortle. “I didn’t know teenage boys were physically capable of cooing.”

Fluttershy gave her a look. “You kidding? I see about about one or two grown men cry every week in this place. Come on, let’s give them a moment.” With that, she led Sunset towards the reception desk, sat down and started typing some things into the computer in front of her. It wasn’t long until the printer behind her sprang to life. “I’m gonna give you some registration forms. You can fill them out at home and drop them off later. We’re gonna make sure he gets all his shots once he’s recovered a bit.”

Sunset leaned on the counter and sighed. “Yay, paperwork. My favorite,” she said sardonically. “I guess I need to give Sparky a call and get some tips on how to take care of a dog now.”

Fluttershy smiled to herself. “That was really great what you did back there. I don’t think your students even grasped all the implications when you said you were the owner.”

“Yeah, well,” Sunset mused. “Let ‘em believe the universe rewards every good deed for a little while longer. They’ll have to grow up soon enough.”

Several more printouts joined the pile as Fluttershy worked. When she held up the last one, she hesitated for a moment. “It was really great what you did back there,” she repeated. “Let me cover half of this medical bill.”

“Nonsense,” Sunset replied and snatched the paper from her friend. “I made my bed, I’m gonna sleep in it.” Her eyes wandered down to the bottom line and widened as she took in the number written there. “Hurk! Question,” she squeaked, “does your clinic offer payment plans?”

Fluttershy responded by gently yet firmly taking the page back. “I’ll cover half. I’m still getting those residuals from that modeling job I did in college. Might as well put it to good use.”

Sunset waged a brief internal battle in which her pride was overrun, rounded up and summarily shot by her student debt. “Please and thank you,” she finally said, “I’ll get you the rest by the end of the month.”

Glancing at the clock, Fluttershy said: “My, it’s gotten rather late. I can finish up the rest here by myself. Do you need to get your students home?”

It took a moment for that question to really hit Sunset’s mind full force. But then she turned rapidly as white as Fluttershy’s lab coat and her eyes widened even more than when she had seen the medical bill. “Oh, fuck me running!” She turned towards the back of the clinic and barked while clapping her hands: “Boys! To the car, on the double! Let’s move it!”

---

“Ms. Sunset, is everything alright?” Hitch asked as he and the others followed Sunset’s quick steps after getting out of the car and making their way around to the front entrance of CHS. The setting autumn sun had already begun casting the campus in long shadows.

“Huh? Sure, why wouldn’t it be?” she asked in a forcefully chipper voice.

Sprout quirked an eyebrow. “Uh, you probably shaved a full minute off your time on the return trip.”

“Indeed,” Rufus said, “I didn’t know a Fiesta could go that fast.”

“Well, it’s getting late,” she replied, “you boys should head straight to the classroom and get your … shit.” Sunset stopped abruptly as she rounded the corner and spotted Celestia standing by the front doors with her arms crossed in front of her chest and a dark look on her face. Sunset closed her eyes for a moment and muttered under her breath: “Being a teacher was nice while it lasted. Wonder if the sushi place at the mall is hiring.”

Once she’d collected herself, she resolutely marched forward, dragging forward one heavy foot at a time and wondering if this was how Marie Antoinette had felt on her way to the guillotine.

“Ms. Shimmer,” Celestia said coldly while drumming her fingers on her upper arm.

“Principal, what a surprise running into you here.”

“Yes, I suppose it is,” she replied with a blank stare. “I was just doing my final rounds before locking up for the day. Imagine my surprise when I walked by your classroom and finding it empty except for three backpacks and with three windows standing wide open.”

There was a long silence as Sunset deliberated on whether to go down the list of all the school regulations she’d broken one by one or simply offer her resignation outright. Before she could decide, she suddenly felt Hitch push past her and deliberately put himself between his teacher and principal with a determined look on his face. “Principal Celestia, I’d like to lodge a formal complaint about Ms. Sunset.”

“Hitch, what the fuck are you doing?” Sprout hissed.

But Hitch went on undeterred. “I believe having us pick up litter all over the school grounds during detention constitutes a cruel and unusual punishment for our infractions.”

Celestia raised an eyebrow at that.

“What the? Litter?” Sprout asked in confusion and took an elbow to the ribs from Hitch for his trouble.

“Quite so,” Rufus, much quicker to catch on, chimed in. “Why, we never even saw a single soul as we went around the perimeter to clean up. It’s like she found the most remote corners that were still on school property to have us pick up trash, and yet she watched us like a hawk. Never left her sight.”

Sprout still looked somewhat confused, but Rufus and Hitch stared daggers at him for a good long while. “Ohhh,” he finally said when the light went on, “yeah, what they said.”

Sunset smiled sheepishly.

Celestia gave each of the students a suspicious look in turn, then stared at Sunset as she delivered her verdict. “Form and duration of detention is up to the discretion of the supervising teacher,” she quoted from the school regulations verbatim. “Your complaint is noted and dismissed, Mr. Trailblazer. Ms. Shimmer.”

“Yes, Principal Celestia!” Sunset said, her voice about an octave higher than usual.

“Do be so good as to lock up once you’ve let your students out. You’ll be doing so for the remainder of the month as well.”

“Yes, Principal. Understood.”

Celestia nodded, sighed as if to say something else, then seemed to think better of it and simply walked off.

There was about thirty seconds of silence. “Is she gone?” Sunset asked, afraid to turn around and check for herself.

“Yep,” Hitch confirmed after a moment.

Sunset doubled over and let out an explosive breath as she held on to her shaking knees with her hands. “You know, as your teacher, I can’t condone you lying to the principal,” she said half-heartedly.

When she looked up, she found three grinning faces staring at her.

Standing up, she double-checked that Celestia was truly gone and added: “Thank you. Your detention is officially served. Now wipe those grins off your faces, get your stuff and get outta here. I’ve got about fifty doors to lock up.”

Author's Note:

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-Daedalus Aegle

Comments

[Moproblems Moharmoney]

Sprouts pretty much a MC in a slice-of-life anime right now. Uses his artistic talents to get in trouble? Gets complimented on them in a way which will only engender his crush? Accidentally touch a boob? Go on wacky-but-memorable-values-affirming adventures? Check, check, and checkaroonie!

[Comickook]

Excellent work on this latest chapter. Absolutely loved the work going into the exchanges, characterizations and future chapter set-up. Definitely appreciated Sunset making the attempt to speak to Celestia about keeping the drama club going long enough to get new members, even if those efforts were in vain for the time being. Then trying to call up Twilight, Rarity and Applejack for favors before she, Sprout, Hitch and Rufus noticed that badly injured dog and going to help. So this is how they ended up meeting this universe's version of Sparky. And Hitch's reading of the dog's body language was a good Mythology Gag/possible foreshadowing to him ACTUALLY gaining the ability to talk to animals. Glad they were able to get the pup to the vet in time and also glad Fluttershy was able to help out so much. That was also great of Hitch to provide Sunset with a cover story to allow her to keep her job after Celestia noticed she and the three students left the school grounds. Granted, the cover story still ended up getting Sunset a lecture, but it was A LOT better than her getting fired for trying to help out an animal in distress.

Definitely looking forward to more of this.

[Zaveryn]

Awww, cute chapter. I'm loving the introduction of Sparky. I wonder if Hitch can actually 'hear' him or not? And Sprout is showing artistic talent, huh...