Just Hold Still
It was that time of the year again. That time when the seasons change and the temperature drops. Winter was on it's way and the peaceful town of Ponyville was preparing for the cold and arduous season ahead of them. Timber was being gathered for fires. Clothing orders were being made with the town's local seamstress.
Towards the edge of Ponyville lay a cottage. A small cottage with a vibrant exterior and a wide variety of plantlife surrounding it. The interior of the cottage was full to the brim of a wide variety of animal life, ranging from reptiles to rodents, from birds to mammals. The noise that emitted from the cottage could be heard from a far distance so most of the town's inhabitants kept their distance.
The only pony who would set hoof in that cottage is none other than Fluttershy - the town's resident vetinarian. If ever there was a problem with an animal, she was the pony to visit. A broken leg? Fluttershy can help. A mysterious illness? Fluttershy will diagnose it. And right now, her expertise was being used to the limit as every animal that resided in her home required their yearly medicine.
There were liquids to be drunk, pills to be swallowed and vitamins to be taken. For the past three hours or so, the timid butter pegasus had been soothing her animal friends after giving them their nasty, but life-saving, medicine. Cradling a small bird in her hooves, she spoke quietly and calmly to it.
"There, there little birdy. You'll feel fine in no time." She set the bird down on it's perch and smiled as the bird squawked a thank you to her. "You're welcome." She hovered over to her table where a long roll of parchment lay. A list of her animals and certain treatments adorned the roll and each one had a big red tick on it. Fluttershy ticked off the bird's treatment and sighed to herself.
"Just one more to go." She started reading through her list. "I've given Mr Bear his pills. The ferret family have their vitamin pellets. The baby bird has swallowed his medicine. All that's left is...is..." She set the parchement down and gulped. She knew this was going to be a problem - it always was...every year. Glancing to her right, she saw the last animal that needed to be given their treatment - her most treasured pet, Angel.
The furry rodent was sat on his favourite spot on his favourite cushion, eating his favourite food out of his favourite bowl. Fluttershy thought the best thing to do was to make him as comfortable as he can be for his upcoming medical procedure. But this procedure was one that Fluttershy hated performing as it scared most of her creatures. But this needed to be done and Angel was going to have his injection.
Giving one of her precious animal friends an injection was tough of the vetinarian as she felt so bad giving even the slightest hint of pain. She approached the white rodent slowly, making sure not to make any loud noises.
"Angel Bunny, are you enjoying your cherry salad?" she said, friendly as ever. The rabbit lifted his head and nodded at her, shaking his paw as to say 'Yes, now leave me alone'. Fluttershy smiled as her ever so grateful pet dismissed her questions as he always did. "That's nice. Um...can you come with me please? If that's alright with you..."
Angel followed his caretaker as she walked over to the table. In one swift movement, Fluttershy grabbed him in her hooves and held him close to her chest. "Don't worry Angel. Mama's gonna give something to help you and then you can go." She nuzzled his nose as she held him tighter - all the while Angel had an increasing look of worry creeping onto his face. It was only when Fluttershy leant into her medical box and pulled out a small needle with her teeth that he really started to panic.
"Angel, please don't squirm!" she said, desperately trying to hold onto the wriggling bunny. Using her teeth, she dexterously removed the safety cap from the needle and aimed it towards the rabbit. "I'm sorry Angel but this will only hurt for a--"
*CHOMP*
"Ouch!"
Fluttershy lost her grip on the rabbit as he sunk his teeth into one of her hooves. The scampering rodent bolted through the cottage and out of a small hole in the side of the kitchen, leaving Fluttershy rubbing her hoof where he had left two rather large red indentations. It wasn't long until she noticed that Angel had escaped.
"Oh dear...not again..."
"Come on Spike! These books need to go back to the library as soon as possible! I have to re-organise them and set the next set out for tomorrow and..."
Spike had learnt how to drown out Twilight's vexatious rambling when it involved any of the books she owned. All he wanted to know was how much longer he would have to carry them for her. "Twilight!"
"Yes Spike?" the lavender unicorn answered with a smile.
"Not to be annoying but...how many more books are there to carry?" Spike groaned under the immense weight of the tomes. "It's just that I can't carry these books for much longer and--"
"Oh Spike...we're nearly there. Look!" She pointed her hoof at the library that was visible in the distance. "Come on, just a few more minutes then you can rest. I for one know where some emeralds are for you..." she said with a devious grin.
The thought of those green coloured gems instantly caught the young dragon's attention and he began walking, quick march towards the library. "Why didn't you say?" He could taste those gems now. "All those beautiful emeralds...just waiting for me to--AGH!"
A sudden obstruction under Spike's feet caused the reptile to lose his grip on the books and fall backwards, sending them tumbling to the dirt road around him. Clambering to his feet, he took notice of a certain animal hopping away from him. "HEY! Watch where you're going!"
"Spike! Are you alright?" said a worried Twilight. Spike knew the worry was more for her books but he didn't mind. Twilight looked back at the small retreating figure of the white rabbit. "That rabbit of Fluttershy's needs to watch out for other ponies!" She looked back at her scattered books and sighed. "Alright Spike, let's gather these up and--"
*THUMP*
Cream and lavender met as Fluttershy collided with Twilight head on. Rubbing her throbbing head, Fluttershy turned to Twilight. "Oh Twilight, I'm so sorry! Have you seen Angel anywhere?" she said with concern.
Twilight could see that Fluttershy was worried about her furry friend so she pointed a hoof in the direction of where Angel went. "He went that way. But please Fluttershy, watch where you're going next--"
*RIIIIP*
"Thank you Twilight, bye!" replied the galloping pegasus who had something attached to her hoof.
"Huh...I wonder what..." Twilight's speech was cut short as she noticed one of her tomes had a page horribly ripped out of it. Turning 180, she bolted after the pegasus. "FLUTTERSHY, COME BACK!"
Spike shook his head and gathered up the other books, sighing whilst doing so. Drool began to drip as the pictures of those gems clouded his young mind.
In the sweet smelling haven that is known as Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie was working to her limit serving the line of sugar-craving ponies and also keeping an eye on the hoof-made muffins that were baking.
Handing over a small bag of mint chocolate cookies to a small unicorn filly, she gave her one of her trademark smiles. "Thank you! Enjoy those cookies!" The sugar-induced mare looked up at the next customer who was eagerly eyeing up the multitude of pastries in the display cabinet. "Hi there! What can I get for you today?" she cheerily asked.
"Can I have two of your blueberry muffins?" replied a tanned unicorn.
"Yep indeedy! Would you like a bag with..." Pinkie stopped. The sound emitting from her ever moving mouth ceased as her eyes followed a rapidly approaching creature. She followed the movement of the creature as it zig-zagged through the legs of the queuing ponies and going into the back of the shop. "Angel! Where ya going?" Pinkie said as she began to chase after him.
"Excuse me!" the customer shouted. "Can I please have my--"
*WHAM*
"Angel! Where did you go?" The crowd turned to view the visibly distressed pegasus who was craning her head back and forth in search of her elusive pet. "Has anypony seen a bunny? He's white and small and he needs his--"
"FLUTTERSHY!" She wasn't quick enough to dodge the speeding unicorn as she was grabbed by a glowing purple field. She felt a tug on her hoof and was promptly dropped back down. "UGH! This will take an age to re-attach! First I have to find the right spell and..."
Fluttershy got to her hooves as Twilight's mumbling became nothing but a quiet noise in the distance. Shaking her head and getting her senses back, the smell of the sweet treast must have triggered something as her brain clicked and she remembered why she was in here in the first place. "Pinkie! Did you see Angel Bunny come through here? I'm trying to find him..."
"Sure do Flutters!" Pinkie happily exclaimed, getting right in her face. She pointed her hoof towards the back room. "He went that way. He looked really happy! Are you planning a party?! Can I make some--" Before she could continue, the butter coloured pegasus barged past her and sped towards the kitchen where she spotted her target. The rabbit was sat at the top of the stairs, staring her down.
Sharpening her gaze, she breathed slow, steady breaths. "Alright Angel...you've had your fun. Why don't you come home and we can get this tiny little thing out of the way, hm?" She put her front hoof on the first stair and readied herself. Angel remained motionless. "Just one tiny little...pinch and you'll be OK." She put another hoof on the step and Angel quickly scarpered away. "WAIT!"
She quickly clambered up the stairs and heard rustling from a room - Pinkie's room. "Ohh...I've got you now Angel Bunny." she mischieviously uttered. Trotting slowly to the door, she giggled as she knew he had nowhere to go. She slowly nudged the door more and more open. "Oh Angel? Mama's got a--
*SPLAT*
Pink and yellow splotches adorned her face as she was impacted with something soft. Wiping the texture out of her eyes, she caught sight of her pet standing on the windowsill. Angel noticed she had regained her vision and quickly jumped into the street, leaving Fluttershy spitting out the remnants of the cupcake Angel had just beamed at her. Her temper was growing short and her miniscule range of anger was growing.
"You are NOT...escaping this time..."
Tiny paws rapidly tapped the ground as the 'in trouble' rabbit sped away from the bakery as quickly as his little legs could take him. He just had to get somewhere to escape from his carer's clutches. Anywhere to escape that pointy stick that caused so much pain last time. He got his answer as he came across the fields laden with round, red fruit. And that barn looked pretty safe right about now.
The increasingly infuriated pegasus landed just outside of Sweet Apple Acres. Fluttershy wasn't stupid - she could smell her pet's scent anywhere. Years of working with animals and you get a knack for recognising certain animal's scents. Replaying certain events in her mind, she scrunched her nose up when she got too close at finding out what a skunk smelt like. Much was learnt that day!
Walking through the sea of brown, green and red, the smell of apples lingered in the air and gave Fluttershy a much needed air of calmness. Able to think more clearly, she thought about how she could do this.
"Maybe I should offer food. Ooh...no, he wouldn't. Maybe I need to firm. Get angry! Umm...no, not that again, not after what happened last time...ohh I don't know..."
"Howdy Fluttershy! Whatcha doin' out here?" came the voice of one of her best friends.
"Oh um...hi Applejack." Fluttershy shuffled her hooves, avoiding the apple farmer's gaze. "Angel ran this way and I'm...trying to find him." she said, just loud enough so AJ could hear her.
"Angel ran away? Oh Sugarcube, Ah'm a might sorry 'bout that." Applejack put one of her front hooves on her friend's shoulder. "Why did he run?"
"Well it's...um..." Applejack looked at her saddlebags which Fluttershy noticed. "I was trying to give him an...an injection..." she meekly muttered.
Applejack brought a hoof to her face and sighed. "Is that what this is? Every year this happens..." Noticing her friend's lack of a smile, she cleared her throat. "Come on sugarcube...Ah'll help you find him."
The duo made their way towards the orchards, passing the Apple family household on the way. The harvest was nearly completed as most of the trees out this way were bare. Naked. The place looked so different without it's natural beauty.
"Ah tell ya darlin', this happens every year. Why dontcha just lock every..." Applejack stopped as she noticed Fluttershy was no longer with her. Turning around, she spotted the pegasus a distance away with her eyes closed. "Fluttershy? What are ya--"
"SSHHH!" the timid pony replied, holding her hoof over her mouth. Applejack trotted over quietly and waited for any kind of response from her close friend. Slowly, Fluttershy turned towards the barn and opened her eyes. "He's in there. Come on."
"Err...whatever you say..." The country mare followed the path of the pegasus and wondered how in Tartarus she knew Angel was in the barn. Sure, Fluttershy has some amazing animal powers but...she can smell them? "So how are ya gonna catch the little varmint?" Recieving a glare from her friend, she gulped. "Ah mean little guy, little friend eheh..."
"Oh...I'm going to call him out. And when I see him, I'll grab him." She entered the barn, swinging the creaking red door open. "Come on, we need to close the door."
"Actually...Ah've got a better idea." Telling her plan to Fluttershy, she smiled as she knew it would work. After explaining what to do, Applejack climbed up the various barrels and stood above the door frame, holding a rope in the hooves. Tying one end of it to her hoof, she made a lasso with the other half and waited. "All set sugarcube."
Fluttershy nodded and turned to the interior of the barn. "Angel...Angel bunny where are you? Please come out." She nudged a few things with her nose but still there was no sound of the rabbit. "The needle's gone now...I just want you to come home." Even though she was lying, she was starting to feel the tears well up in her eyes. "Please Angel...Mama's sorry...just please come out..."
*CLANG*
A devious smile crept onto her face as Angel gave himself away. Poking her head around a corner, she saw his fluffy white tail sticking out of the edge of an overturned bucket. Quietly creeping up on the bucket, she quickly pushed the tail underneath the bucket and slammed her hooves on the top.
"I got you!" She felt the panicked and frantic movement of her trapped pet. "Oh Angel...I'm sorry. Please calm down..." That seemed to do nothing as repeated bumps and clangs were heard. Fluttershy felt so bad that one of her pets was so scared of what she might do to it. It was scared of her. "Angel's scared of me..." Her bottom lip began to quiver as that fact sunk in.
"Let him go!"
Fluttershy looked up at Applejack who was nodding. She lifted up the bucket and the rodent quickly scampered out, heading towards the open door. He was free again, he was escaping.
"Gotcha!"
The rabbit was stopped in his tracks as a fibrious coil had wrapped itself around his torso. His centre of gravity was ignored as he was pulled back by the apple farmer who had the other end around her hoof. Soon enough, he was suspended in mid-air, being held in front of a very pleased earth pony.
"I told ya that would work!" she gleefully exclaimed. Angel swung at her with his paws as he desperately tried to break free. "You're goin' nowhere pardner." She turned to the approaching pegasus. "Here ya are Fluttershy. Glad to be of help."
Between the both of them, they managed to untie Angel and keep him secure with Fluttershy. Angel struggled immensly in his carer's hooves but he was stuck in her furry embrace. "Oh thank you Applejack. I would have never thought of that." she happily said.
"Ain't no problem. Ah knew if we left the door open, he'd make a run for it." She gave Fluttershy a good pat on the back. "Now git goin'. I don't want to have to--"
"WOOF WOOF!"
Applejack turned to see her most faithful companion approaching her. "Hey there Winona!" Said dog started to sniff around her hooves but then noticed something to be played with. "Winona...that's not for--"
*THUD*
The border collie took the rope in her mouth and tugged it hard, sending Applejack tumbling to the ground as it was still attached to her hoof. "Winona!" Applejack pulled the rope back but Winona did the same, thinking this was a game. "I'm not playing girl! Let the rope...GO!"
Giving another tug, she managed to make Winona fall...but she was having none of it. The dog pulled hard and began to drag Applejack across the ground. "No...wait!" AJ tried her best to get up but Winona was winning the battle. "LET GO!" Fluttershy watched as the apple farmer was dragged around the corner of the barn. "WINONAAAAAA!"
The pegasus hovered out of the barn, watching the dog pull her owner further into the orchard. "Sorry Applejack...but I have to get Angel home." She nuzzled her rabbit's head. "Let's get you...boy Angel...what happened to your...FUR?!" Looking down, she saw that Angel had been replaced by a shiny red apple.
The apple fell from her grasp and her breathing became faster and faster. "Ohhh...Angel...when I get a hold of you..." She followed her pet's scent as her left eye began to twitch.
He was lucky that time. He couldn't believe that he managed to escape again. But after running for so long, his little limbs were starting to feel weak. Finding the nearest place to take refuge seemed to right idea about now. He quickly entered through a small flap in the door frame and found the nearest hiding place...but failed to notice a pair of green eyes watching him wherever he went.
The scent was getting stronger. Fluttershy followed her nose back to the centre of town. "He must be nearby...I'm certain..." she mused. The scent had led her towards the bakery, the town hall and the Quills and Sofas shop but it proved fruitless.
Finding another strong smell, she followed it and found herself approaching Carousel Boutique. She grinned and knocked on the door three times. No answer. Knocking again, she waited for any type of response. "Rarity? Sweetie Belle? Are you there?"
Still nothing. But she was determined. She was certain that Angel was inside and she was going to get him. Finding the upstairs window open, she quickly flew in and shut it behind her. Landing on the carpet, she had a brief look around to see if he was in plain sight. "Oh...of course he wouldn't...where would he--"
*CLANG* *YOWL*
"Who was...Opal?" Hearing the cacaphony of noise coming from downstairs, she exited Rarity's bedroom and listened out for any more noises. "Opal? Opal where are you?"
*SMASH* *HISS*
That sounded bad. Fluttershy gasped and took to the air, hovering down the stairs and into the living area where everything lay askew. A rainbow of fabrics lay strewn everywhere, a vase was smashed on the floor and Rarity's sowing machine was knocked onto it's side. "Oh my..."
*GROWL*
"Opal?" Hearing the growl coming from inside the kitchen, Fluttershy slowly hovered to the doorway and looked at the scene before her. "What's going on in...ANGEL!"
The white rodent, which had been the source of all of today's problems was being slowly back into a corner by Opal. The cat was growling quietly and setting herself into a pounce position. Wherever Angel moved, she blocked his path.
Rearing her back legs, Opal launched herself at the rabbit.
*CHOMP*
And got a mouthful of carpet as a reward. Spitting the vile tasting fabric out of her mouth, she looked up to see Angel in Fluttershy's grasp with the latter looking furious.
"How DARE you!" she scolded. "How dare you try to eat my precious Angel bunny!" she continued, nuzzling said pet. She pointed a hoof at the cat who looked terrified. "You will not do it again. OK?" Opal turned her head at Fluttershy's question but the stare was unavoidable. The stern look on Fluttershy's face got to the cat and she turned 180 and ran for her safety.
Fluttershy held Angel out in front of her and waited for anything to happen. Angel remained staring at his carer, then at the marks on her hoof. And also at the bits of cupcake still in her mane. Fluttershy felt heartwarmed as Angel began to rub where he bit her, giving her a smile.
"It's OK Angel...it's alright now." She brought him close to her and nuzzled him. "I knew you were scared and I'm sorry...I didn't mean to frighten you..." Angel smiled and pointed towards her saddlebags. "Hmm?" She got the connection but was shocked by it. "You mean...you'll take it?" He nodded causing the pegasus to hug him harder. "OK Angel bunny...we'll go home and do it. Then I can make you your favourite meal...how does that sound?"
The rabbit eagerly nodded and chattered a long string of noises at his carer. Exiting the clothing store, Fluttershy took to the air and began to direct them both towards her cottage. "Make the cherry salad again?" She gave him a quick peck on the nose. "Of course my little angel..."