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StAugustine6 — Writing is Magic -- Chapter 7: Pet and Parcel
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Published: 2013-04-22 19:28:16 +0000 UTC; Views: 176; Favourites: 2; Downloads: 0
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Autumn is by far my favorite season of the year. The multi-color leaves on the trees, the crisp, cool air, how it is not too breezy, just enough to get the leaves rattling. It was a perfect such day, a day where a pony could sit in the shade of a big oak tree and be at one with their thoughts. Or at least, as at one as one can be when there are sounds of happy ponies and animals alike all around.
You see, a perfect day such as this one isn’t only good for relaxing and thinking, it’s also perfect weather for some pony-pet playtime, or at least that’s how Applejack says it. All of my good friends had close pets, Applejack has her herd-dog Winona, Fluttershy with her Angel bunny, Pinkie Pie has a toothless alligator named Gummy, Rainbow Dash has a tortoise named Tank, who got around with a magical helicopter propeller attached to his shell, Rarity has her cat Opalescence, and Twilight, of course, has her assistant-slash-pet Owlowiscious.
“You sure they won’t be bothering you,” Twilight asked as Owlowiscious perched on my out-stretched front leg.
“Don’t worry about it. Watching you all play with your pets is a good way to empty my mind, so to speak.”
“Think the only pony bothering him right now is you,” Applejack interjected, throwing a stick for Winona to fetch.
So Twilight and Owlowiscious returned to the others in the autumn sun while I sat back under the tree. It’d been months since I had made the decision to write a book about writing, and I hadn’t made much progress. In my process, I have to write everything in order. I can’t write the last chapter first and the introduction last, everything has to come out in order. As such, if I can’t think of an introduction, it can take me forever to get anything done.
“Hey Art,” Pinkie said, bouncing over, “you know what I think? I think you’re going about this writing stuff the wrong way.”
“Wrong way? I do my best work when my mind is clear, which is what I’m trying to do. Do you think I would work faster if I thought about nothing else?”
“Oh I’m not saying that, and you’re the writer after all, not me.”
“So what are you suggesting?”
“Hear me out here, but I don’t think the idea of clearing your mind is working. You want to keep your mind off the task, but I think you need something or maybe somepony to keep your mind on instead.”
“Pinkie,” I raised an eyebrow, “I hardly think somepony is going to resolve the issue.”
“Just throwin’ it out there, pal.”
“Maybe what you need is a furry little friend like we have,” Fluttershy suggested.
“Me? Have a pet?”
“Why not,” Pinkie got even more excited, “if Fluttershy can get Rainbow Dash a pet, she can get you one.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I like animals. But I’m not exactly the kind of pony to have a pet.”
“But it wouldn’t hurt to look,” Fluttershy insisted, “I have plenty of animals you could meet.”
“OK, but there’s no need for you to carry me to your cottage like the last time, I’m fine walking.”
…
“Now let’s see,” Fluttershy said when we made it to her cottage, “what kind of traits would you be looking for?”
“Well it has to be something fairly independent, something that won’t mind if I’m gone for awhile at some point. Also, something that’s not very high maintenance, I don’t want to have to pay the kind of money Rarity does to keep Opal pristine at all times.”
“Well that’s pretty easy. No pet needs all that stuff, but you know how Rarity is.”
“What am I doing? I don’t even live in my own house. I can’t possibly bring another pet into Rarity’s home, which would be doing her a disservice. Besides, you think Opal could get along with any other animal? I don’t think so.”
“But you get along with Opal, don’t you?”
“Nopony ‘gets along’ with Opal. Opal chooses whether or not to accept the existence of another creature.”
“Oh, I’ve got just the pet!”
Fluttershy flew upstairs. I went through in my mind all the different animals I knew she had from the census we had done. And I couldn’t think of anything that would make any sense. Soon, Fluttershy returned, holding a small white creature in her arms.
“Here she is,” the Pegasus announced, “your perfect pet.
It was a cat, well a kitten. All white and fluffy, with big, bright blue, eyes.
“Cats are very independent creatures, and they don’t take as much work as you might think from Opal.”
“Hold your horseshoes,” I protested, “I’m not the animal expert, you are, but if I know anything it’s that the very last thing you want to bring into a house that has an established feline is another, smaller, feline.”
“Oh nonsense. Opal has met Sapphire before. In fact, it was Opal who gave me the idea for her name.”
“They’ve met here?”
“Yes, does that matter?”
“Yes, Fluttershy, it makes a difference. Before, Opal was in your house, under your watchful eye, or should I say stare. The dynamic is totally different when they’re in Opal’s territory.”
“You worry too much,” Fluttershy scoffed as Sapphire nuzzled my leg, “see, she likes you.”
“OK. But Opal takes one swipe at this little kitten, and the experiment is over.”
…
Opalescence is a big, light gray Persian cat and pampered almost to a fault. Rarity about has a heart attack any time one of the cat’s hairs is out of place. Opal is also very defensive and stand-offish, often hissing at Rarity and taking a swipe at anypony who gets near her without her permission. Fluttershy is about the only pony who is on her good side at all times.
“Rarity,” I called when we got back to the boutique, “Fluttershy and I are back.”
“Oh splendid, how did it go?”
I turned slightly to show the kitten sitting on my back. Rarity’s eyes got big and doe-like when she saw her.
“This is Sapphire,” Fluttershy explained, “I think she’ll make an excellent pet for Art.”
“Well she is quite cute,” Rarity agreed, “But what about Opalescence? You know how she can get.”
“Opal’s met her before. Besides, I’ll be here to make sure the initial meeting goes smoothly.”
The three of us went up to Rarity room, where Opal spent most of her time. When we entered, she was on Rarity’s bed. Surprisingly, she wasn’t asleep. Fluttershy picked Sapphire off of my back and glided over to Opal, placing the kitten beside her on the bed.
“Hello, Opal. You remember Sapphire, right?”
Opal sat up, looking down at the smaller feline. She then raised her right paw above her head. I winced, expecting a clawed swipe to follow. However, to my utter amazement, Opal brought her paw down and patted the kitten on the head. She then proceeded to lie back down and fall asleep. Sapphire followed in kind.
“See, no problem at all,” Fluttershy beamed, shutting my wide open mouth with her hoof, “tell me if there’s any trouble.”
“But, but, how did,” I stuttered.
“Opal moves in mysterious ways,” Rarity added, following the Pegasus downstairs.
