My Little Pony Monthly Issue 23 (February 1,
1999)
My Little Pony Monthly
Established June 1997
This Newsletter is Child-Friendly
E-mail Tabby (TabbyMLP@aol.com) to be removed from the mailing list.
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Issue 23
February 1999
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Letters to the Editor
ThundrPny1@aol.com-- HI! I just wanted to thank you for your great newsletter
and for running all the want ads in it, too. I just got my blue bow shoes that I have been wanting
for so long. It seems like I have gotten a lot of my hardest to find things from people who have
seen my ad in your newsletter. I know it must take a lot of your time to put it all together and I
want you to know how much it is appreciated. So, I guess I have to think up a new ad before the
end of the month :)
Thanks again,
Li'l Tot ~:)
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All The Pretty Little Ponies
(A Revisionist Interpretation of the MLP Mythos)
Chapter 12
by
C. Alan Loewen
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
For Candice and Allison
Synopsis: Megan, an eleven-year-old orphan who lives with her Aunt Constance,
has been given guardianship over seven magical ponies also known as the Seven Sisters. Megan
and the seven ponies have discovered that the ponies are the enchanted daughters of King Arthur
and Queen Guinevere, turned into ponies by Arthur's evil half-sister Morgan. Megan is now
taking the ponies back to their parents through the Wood of the World that can take them to any
time and any place on Earth. Megan and the ponies are accompanied by Madra, an Irish
Wolfhound; Spike, a baby dragon; Aunt Constance; and Sarah, a distant granddaughter of
Morgan. In an encounter with a bumbling trio of Morgan's henchmen, Medley was left with a
broken leg. Comments and constructive criticism may be sent to cloewen@pa.net
The next morning, Starlight and Bowtie took their turn in the traces and pulled the
wagon as Medley winced at each small bump in the road. Aunt Constance kept an alert ear out for
the start of coughing in the wounded pony, and jumped when Medley so much as cleared her
throat.
Once again, Spike insisted on riding in the wagon with Medley, curled up alongside
her. The dragon didn't sleep or talk, but simply sat keeping an alert eye for nobody knew
what.
Toward early evening as the light began to dim, they all sighed with relief when they
noticed that the wood was changing once again. The air had a distinct chill and the leaves had just
begun to change colors. The trees were thinning out. Hurrying to reach whatever destination the
Wood had taken them to, they eventually found themselves on a windswept moor.
Worried, Megan looked around. "We won't be able to see anything in a few
minutes. Does anybody see any shelter at all?"
Sarah and Aunt Constance both pointed toward a distant hill at the same time.
"There's something over on that hilltop," Aunt Constance said. "I can't make it out, but it'll be
shelter from this cold breeze."
Starlight and Bowtie pulled at the harnesses as the wheels of the cart began to
become mired in the soft ground. With the ponies unable to lend a helping hand, Megan, Sarah,
and Aunt Constance were soon adding their strength as they pushed the cart and the other two
ponies pulled. Just as the last fading light disappeared, they reached the circle of massive gray
stones that stood like silent sentries on the hilltop. A lone rook, its black eyes matching the shade
of its black feathers, stared at them, croaked once, and flew off into the night sky.
Ember stood close to Megan and shook. "This is a scary place," she said.
"There, there," Starlight said. "Nothing that a little light can't make better." After a
few moments of concentration, her tiny horn shone like a candle in the darkness. It did very little
against the whole of the night sky, but it glowed with a comforting light.
"Well, we'll have to make the best of things." Aunt Constance patted the side of
one of the massive megaliths. "These big rocks can shield us from the breeze; and though those of
us who can't eat grass will go to bed a little hungry, tomorrow we'll be able to see where we
are.
"Strange," she said, looking about her," but I'm sure I've seen a picture somewhere
of these rocks."
Sarah's face suddenly brightened. "I thought so, too, and I know what they are.
This looks like a place called Stonehenge. We read about it in school. It's in England."
Megan and Aunt Constance brightened. "England?" Megan said, clapping her hands
in delight. "We're where we're supposed to be. If we're in the right time, we can get the ponies
back to where they belong."
A combined chorus of delight from the ponies drowned out the sudden noise Megan
heard at her feet. Looking down, she could see Madra sitting at her feet, his hackles raised and
growling while looking toward the top of one of the ancient monoliths.
"Hush," Megan ordered. Except for Madra's growling and the whistling of the
breeze through the standing stones, the place became quickly silent.
A woman's voice, cold and distant, broke the quiet. "I welcome the seven daughters
of Arthur and Guinevere back to their island home of Britain. I see that regardless of the bumbling
efforts of my great-granddaughter and that old woman and her silly daughters, you have been able
to come so close. A pity. You will come no closer."
"That voice!" Sarah whispered to Megan. "That's Morgan!"
A small spark flickered to life and suddenly Morgan's staff burned with a yellow
flame, illuminating her where she stood on top of one of the stones.
With cries of alarm and shouts of warning, the ponies, Megan, Sarah and Aunt
Constance clustered around the cart as they stood staring up at the enchantress whose robes blew
around her in the strong breeze. Madra, growling, stood his ground. Megan's heart sank when she
saw Spike slink off the cart and crawl underneath it, presumably to hide. Maybe, she thought, I
had placed too much faith in a baby dragon.
Morgan waved her flaming staff, and muttered some words that were answered by
the sound of distant howling.
"Wolves!" Twilight whispered to the surrounding ponies. "If Morgan is sending
wolves, we must stand with our backs to them. We may be able to keep them away with our
hooves."
Madra began to growl even more, but the distant howling of the wolves called to
his blood and his breeding. He was, after all, an Irish Wolfhound trained to deal with his wilder
cousins. With a deep rumbling snarl, Madra bolted outside the stone ring into the darkness.
Morgan laughed and clicked her tongue. "A shame that mutt is so easily distracted.
One hindrance down; now for the rest." Again, she waved her staff and every stone in the circle
began to glow with an unearthly red radiance.
But the ponies and the women never discovered what evil surprise Morgan may
have had up her sleeve. With a roar, Spike bolted from underneath the cart and, with a leap, easily
reached the top of the monolith where Morgan stood. Without a moment's hesitation, he threw
himself upon the enchantress and, with a scream from Morgan, they both tumbled off toward the
far side of the stone.
"Quickly," Megan yelled, "Help Spike!"
Having been the first to run, Megan reached the enchantress first where she
wrestled with the dragon on the ground. Her staff continued to glow and Megan, knowing she
was no physical match for the enchantress, did the first thing that came to mind. She picked up
Morgan's staff, the touch of it horribly cold. With a shout, ignoring the outraged screams of the
enchantress, with all her might Megan brought the staff down on one of the standing stones. With
a silent explosion of blazing light, the staff shattered and Megan fell to the ground in a faint.
With a cry of alarm, Aunt Constance ran to where her niece lay motionless on the
cold grass. Holding her closely, she heard distant trumpets.
"Look," Sarah cried, and the ponies cried out with her. Coming closer, the
flickering torches held by men on horseback illuminated the standard bearing the symbol of the
Pendragon.
King Arthur had come for his children.
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Chapter 1:
The Arrival
by Merry Treat
Serena, Raye, Lita, Mina, and Amy were having a scout meeting at Raye's temple.
"No way!" Lita said. "The Negaverse hasn't done anything in weeks. How can they
be planning another attack?"
Everyone looked at Luna, expecting an explanation. "Trust me; I know what
they're up to," Luna told them.
"Well, yeah, but they have left us alone for a while... what are the odds of that?"
Mina added.
"Well, I say we listen to Luna!" Amy said. "After all, she could be right."
"Can we please stop arguing and get on with the meeting?" Raye asked, pushing
back her long, black hair.
* * *
"Ha! I beat you! I beat you!" Baby Cuddles shouted in a sing-song voice as she
raced through the door.
"Well, that's not fair! You have four legs and I only have two!" Spike panted as he
caught up with his friend.
Baby Cuddles was no longer a little baby pony who often skipped words when she
spoke. She was now at what would be about seven in human years, and one of the fastest runners
in the Estate! Baby Cuddles laughed. "Well, maybe if you were a pony, you'd run faster!"
Spike rolled his eyes. It was useless to argue with her; after all, she was half right.
Baby Cuddles smiled as she went back out the door. "Let's try it again, Spike," she
said.
"No thanks," Spike answered. "I'm gonna take a nap; maybe later we can race
some more."
Baby Cuddles started walking around the area when something caught her eye.
It looked like some kind of an animal was sneaking around in the bushes. She
trotted over to investigate.
What she found surprised it more then it surprised her!
It was a small black cat with a white chin, chest, and paws. She noticed a yellow
asterisk on its forehead.
"Oh, hello, kitty. Where did you come from?" she asked.
To her surprise, it spoke. "My name is Athena, and I have been watching you," it
said.
Baby Cuddles stared at it in amazement. "Y-you can talk!" she stammered.
The cat, which appeared to be a kitten, cleared her throat. "Ahem, I believe you are
Sailor Asteroid! Sailor Scout of the Asteroid Belt!"
Baby Cuddles blinked. "Uh... that's great; but, uh... may I, by chance, ask you who
Sailor Asteroid is?"
Athena simply smiled. "Why, Baby Cuddles, YOU are Sailor Asteroid,
sweety!"
Baby Cuddles's eyes grew wide.
Athena jumped in the air, and did something that looked like a triple axle. When
she landed, a dark violet pen appeared right where she had just spun. It fell to the grass in front
of Baby Cuddles, who looked dumbfounded.
"Wow! I've never seen anyone do that!" she exclaimed as she picked up the pen to
examine it. "Athena, what does it do?"
Athena smiled. "That's your special transformation pen. You use it to help you
fight the evil forces."
"What evil forces?"
"The ones invading this planet. You must fight them with the help of the rest of the
Sailor Scouts, Baby Cuddles."
"Oh, you mean like the witches?"
"Not exactly. Though the witches are a pretty big threat, the evil I'm talking about
poses a greater threat."
"You're kidding, right?"
"I'm afraid not, Baby Cuddles. This is a big responsibility. You can't tell anyone
who you really are. Not even your best friend."
"But that's not fair! Me and Spike tell each other everything! We never keep
secrets from one another."
"What would you rather have: a good friend who is loyal and true, even if it means
keeping secrets; or evil forces coming to destroy you both?"
Baby Cuddles sighed. "Oh, okay. You've got a point... I guess. Now, how does
this thingamagigy work anyway?" She picked up the pen again.
"Hold it up and shout ‘Asteroid power transform!' "
"Ooookay! Ahem... here it goes..." Baby Cuddles took a breath. "Asteroid power
transform!"
The symbol on the lid glowed brightly and began to spin. It came off the lid and
spiraled around her. Baby Cuddles spun with the spiral as a white leotard formed on her body. A
dark violet bow with a black button appeared on her chest. A black bandana burst out of the
button, and went around her neck. She raised her right hind-leg as she brought her forelegs over
her head. Long white gloves appeared on her forelegs with three black folds on the ends.
Knee-high dark violet boots appeared on her legs. She stopped herself from spinning by stamping
her
hoof. A black skirt appeared around her waist; a dark violet bow was in the back of it. She
opened her eyes as a tiara with a black gem in it appeared on her forehead. A dark violet collar
and a cool mask finished the outfit. She posed proudly.
"I must be dreaming..." she said slowly as she realized that she'd also turned
completely white.
"Aha! I knew I was right! Baby Cuddles, you are Sailor Asteroid!" Athena said
happily. "You'll soon begin to remember."
"Remember what?"
"The Silver Millennium."
"The Silver what?"
"The Silver Millennium. Oh, I do have quite a bit of explaining to do, don't
I?"
"Yeah. Ummmm... how do I turn normal again?"
"Just think about yourself; the uniform will disappear."
Baby Cuddles closed her eyes, and the outfit began to fade. When she opened
them, she was normal again.
"Athena, do you have anywhere to stay?"
"Actually, no. You see, I'm officially your guardian. Only because I happened to
find you first. I'll help you train."
"In that case, you're coming with me!" Baby Cuddles scooped up Athena, and
went inside.
* * *
"Oh, Lita, I'm never gonna get this right!" Serena whined.
"Oh, come on, Serena; just try it again," Lita laughed.
Lita was trying to teach Serena some cooking tips, but it really wasn't going very
well.
"Here's another can; now try again," Lita ordered, handing Serena another can of
tomato soup.
Suddenly, Serena's communicator beeped. She picked it up, and pushed the
blinking button. "Mina, what is it?"
"Luna was right; the Negaverse is attacking!" Mina panted; she sounded as if she
was trying to catch her breath. "I need your help now!"
Lita leaned over to see what was going on. "Mina, where are you?"
"Uh... I think I'm right outside the drugstore. But please hurry!"
"We're on our way!" Serena said quickly; then she and Lita were off.
When they got to Mina, she had already transformed. "Good, you're here! Now
transform, you guys!"
Serena held up her hand and Lita held up her pen.
"Moon Prism Power!" Serena shouted.
"Jupiter Power!" Lita cried.
"Now hurry! This way!" Sailor Venus shouted.
When they got to the scene, Sailor Mars and Sailor Mercury were already there.
The two were standing and looking around in confusion.
Sailor Mars turned around. "Did you guys see where he went?" she asked.
"Where who went?" Sailor Moon asked.
"Malachite, of course!" Sailor Mars stated.
"Girls, wait!" Luna and Artemis called to them as they came running up. "Artemis
and I were getting a bad feeling here," Luna panted.
"I don't like the sound of that," Sailor Mars commented.
Suddenly the wind picked up.
"What's going on?" Sailor Venus gasped.
A big black hole appeared in the sky.
"Yikes!" shrieked Sailor Jupiter.
A strong force came from the hole, lifting the five girls and two cats off their feet.
* * *
Sky Skimmer and Dancing Butterflies were chasing their butterfly friends in the
meadow when they heard a noise.
"What's that?" Sky Skimmer asked.
"I don't kn-- AIIEEEE!" Dancing Butterflies screamed. "Look up!"
Sky Skimmer gave her a funny look, thinking, Either she's been around
Paradise too much, or she's lost it.
She looked up, skeptically, and screamed as a big black hole appeared in the sky
above. "AAAAA! It's an alien!" Sky Skimmer shrieked.
"Let's get out of here!" Dancing Butterflies yelled, dropping her net and running.
This is my first fan-fiction. I have written up to chapter four already, but I am stuck
on future chapters. Any advice would be wonderful (e-mail to MeryTreat@aol.com)! Your help
will not go un-noticed; trust me. Thank you so much!
~MT~
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The Killer Duck
by Tabby
Tabby was hanging out at the receptionist desk in the vet clinic, between visits.
"...really, Sugarberry! Can you believe that?" she was telling her friend, who was also the
receptionist at the clinic.
Sugarberry was busy consulting the appointment book. "Slugger should be bringing
in his pet duck any time now."
"Oh, he has a duck?" Tabby questioned. "I hadn't heard of that before."
"He must have just got it recently," Sugarberry said. "Oh, look, there they are
now!"
So it was. Slugger had just walked through the doors, carrying an old, beat-up cat
carrier. Tabby looked into it and saw a mallard duck pacing around inside, with his head shining a
brilliant green. The animal stared at Tabby. This made her feel slightly uneasy.
"Here's Quackers," Slugger said as he followed Tabby into the appointment room
and set the carrier up on the counter. "Not a very creative name, but it does the job."
Tabby opened the carrier door and the duck slowly walked out. Quackers glanced
around the room.
"What's wrong with him?" Tabby asked as she stroked Quackers' soft
feathers.
"Well, nothing, really," Slugger said. "I just found him in the Dark Forest, and
wanted him checked over to make sure he's not sick or anything."
"The Dark Forest?" Tabby quickly drew her hoof away from Quackers and opened
her eyes wide.
"Yeah." Slugger shrugged.
Tabby was much more cautious now as she checked over Quackers. "Well, he
looks all ri--" she started but was cut off as the duck suddenly flew off the counter and onto the
floor. Tabby stared at him in shock and wasn't quite prepared when Quackers lowered his head
and came charging at her.
"AIEEE!" Tabby shrieked and backed up against the door to get as far away from
this crazed animal as she could. Quackers ran right up to her and began pecking at her
hooves.
Slugger watched, somewhat amused, as Tabby swiftly opened the door and dashed
out into the hallway. Quackers followed, close behind her.
"NOOO! He's after me!" Tabby streaked into the waiting room where
Sugarberry looked up in surprise from her deskwork.
Tabby whirled around to face the insane duck. And, as suddenly as he had come
after her, he stopped. Dead in his tracks. He stared at Tabby.
Slugger came out into the room after the two, laughing. "You should have seen the
look on your face when--" He stopped when Tabby cast an evil look in his direction.
"Look at the cute duck," Sugarberry cooed. "What a beautiful creature."
"But, Sugarberry!" Tabby argued. "He was--"
"What'd you do to him that made him chase you like that?" Sugarberry
prodded.
"I didn't do anything! He just suddenly--"
Sugarberry laughed, too. "Oh, Tabby! I'm sure he's not capable of chasing you for
no reason."
Tabby looked at her friend, furious. "I'm telling you! He's--"
"What's going on here?" Thomas said as he entered the room.
"That thing--" Tabby pointed her hoof at Quackers and glared at the
animal, "was chasing me."
"Come on, Tabby! It's just a duck!" Thomas looked down at Quackers, who was
looking rather innocent.
Munchy also came out into the room after Thomas, holding her pet poodle.
"Really, Tabby!" she giggled. "You think that a duck would run after you without being
provoked?"
Tabby glared around at them all. They were making her out to be a fool! "He's
evil!" she cried out.
The gathered group just laughed.
Tabby stared into the duck's eyes, which seemed to say, "What, you scared a' me?
I'm just an innocent little duck." But she knew that behind the look there was vicious
intent.
* * *
It was a few days after the incident with Quackers, and Tabby was spending the
evening at home. Suddenly, she heard knocking on her door. She jumped up from her chair and
trotted over to her front door. The sound continued, but Tabby stopped in her tracks. Something
wasn't right about the knocking... it didn't sound quite like a hoof; it was almost like a
woodpecker pecking at a tree. And it sounded like the noise was at the bottom of the door... yes,
something was wrong here.
Tabby cautiously peered out the window on the door and choked back a gasp when
she saw what was down there. Why, it was-- Quackers!
Her eyes opened wide with fear. What was she going to do? This mad duck was
after her; she was sure of it. Quickly she made sure the door was still locked, and then ran
towards the phone.
The pecking, or knocking continued. That duck was going to break down her
door! Tabby dialed a number on her phone.
"Look, Slugger!" she said into the receiver. "Quackers is trying to break down my
door."
"Quackers is over by your house? Oh, that's good! He escaped from his pen and I
was getting worried about him--" Slugger started.
"But he's breaking down my door!" Tabby insisted.
Slugger laughed again. "Breaking it down, huh? How's he doing that?"
"He's pecking at it from the outside persistently!" Tabby explained. "He's after me;
I tell ya!"
"Well, I'll just come over and pick him up... would you mind letting him inside? I
don't want him to run off again," Slugger said.
"Let him inside?" Tabby echoed. "I'm not letting that crazed duck take one step
inside my house!"
"You're exaggerating; I'm sure he's not after you," Slugger said.
"But he is!" Tabby went on. "Just get over here; quick!"
"All right; I'll just pick up his carrier and come over for him." With that, Slugger
hung up the phone.
Tabby waited in breathless suspense for Slugger to arrive to take this dreaded duck
away. When a hoof knocked on her door, she breathed a sigh of relief.
She peered out the window again. There was Slugger; good, Quackers was already
in the carrier. She opened the door.
"Okay, I've got Quackers in the carrier," Slugger said, pointing at the duck.
"Good!" Tabby exclaimed. "Now get him out of here!"
"I don't know why you're so scared of him," Slugger said. "He's a perfectly nice
duck."
"That's what he wants you to believe! But underneath it all, he's pure evil!" Tabby
said venomously.
Chuckling, Slugger went off.
* * *
It was the middle of the night, and Tabby was peacefully sleeping. She was
suddenly awoken to the sound of... knocking. Yes, every few seconds, there was a knocking
sound on her bedroom window.
Tabby leapt out of bed and ran over to her window. "Oh no!" she exclaimed out
loud. There was Quackers again. He was flying up to the window and pecking at it.
Tabby fled from the room and locked herself in the bathroom for the rest of the
night.
* * *
In the morning, as soon as Tabby woke up from her restless night in the bathroom,
she called up Sugarberry (who was also her nextdoor neighbor). "Sugarberry!" she cried into the
receiver.
"What is it, Tabby?" Sugarberry questioned.
"I had two more run-ins with Quackers in the past night!" Tabby quickly
explained.
Sugarberry smiled. "Oh, really? What happened this time?"
"First, he was pecking at my door early on in the evening-- nearly broke it down, I
tell ya! Slugger came to pick him up, but in the middle of the night that duck was back pecking
on my window!" Tabby exclaimed in outrage.
"Sounds like he just really likes you," Sugarberry laughed. "He's following you
everywhere."
"Hey, can you see him around my house now?" Tabby asked.
Sugarberry was silent while checking out her windows. She came back to the
phone. "Yeah... he's sitting right outside your front door."
"Great! Just great!" Tabby said sarcastically. "Now I'll have to call Slugger again
to pick him up."
"You'll survive," Sugarberry said gleefully.
* * *
Early the next evening, Tabby and Sugarberry were having a snack at the Satin
Slipper Sweet Shoppe, like they did most nights. Tiffany was usually with them, but today she
couldn't make it.
Tabby was just beginning to enjoy her strawberry sundae when suddenly she saw
someone come in. Her spoon went clattering into her dish.
"Sugarberry," she whispered, "Quackers just came in."
Sugarberry looked up, "Why, you're right!" she said. "Isn't he so cute?"
"He's evil-- pure evil!" Tabby said dramatically as Quackers came charging straight
towards their table.
"I think he's just having fun," Sugarberry commented. Quackers began pecking at
Tabby's hooves.
"Oh, no!" Tabby exclaimed. "Get him away!" She kicked at the duck.
"Better call Slugger again," Sugarberry advised.
Tabby kicked off Quackers again, and ran for the phone, quickly dialing Slugger's
number. "Get over here to the Satin Slipper Sweet Shoppe and take your duck away!"
"But I was just heading out for baseball practice," Slugger complained. "Can't it
wait?"
"No! No! You're not leaving me here with this insane duck!"
Slugger sighed. "All right, I guess I can come, in a little while. Just fight him off."
With that, he hung up.
Tabby turned back to Sugarberry. "All right, I'm supposed to fight him off while I
wait for Slugger. How'm I supposed to do that?"
"Get up on the chair," Sugarberry suggested.
"Okay." Tabby shrugged, pulled out a chair, and placed all four hooves on it.
"Quackers can't get at me now!"
But this couldn't keep Quackers off. He flew up onto the table, and puffed up his
feathers, looking tough.
"There's no way to get away from him!" Tabby groaned.
Sugarberry looked at her sympathetically. "Maybe you are right about him. Why
does he only go after you, though?"
"Because I'm the only one who knows of his true, evil nature," Tabby explained.
"He must eliminate me."
Sugarberry grinned. "Whatever, Tabby."
"Tabby!" Scoops called. "Could you get that duck off the table, please?"
"But he'll come after me!" Tabby called back.
"I'm sure he wouldn't hurt you," Scoops giggled. "He is an awfully cute duck.
Look, he's smiling!" It did, indeed, look like Quackers was smiling.
At that point, Slugger came into the shop with the old cat carrier. "Quackers is
beginning to become a nuisance," he grumbled.
"Get rid of him," Tabby suggested.
"Hmm..." Slugger considered this.
"Hi, everybody!" said Sundance as she entered the shop as well. "I'm just back
from the Dark Forest; I was visiting my brother, Butch."
"How's Butch doing?" Sugarberry questioned.
"He's doing fine," Sundance said.
"How would he like a pet duck?" Tabby asked brightly.
"A pet duck?" Sundance echoed. "He's never mentioned wanting one
before."
"Come on, anybody'd want a pet duck!" Tabby exclaimed. "I mean, wouldn't you
just love to have a pet duck?"
"Well..." Sundance thought about it. "Like this duck right here?" She pointed at
Quackers.
"The exact same," Tabby said.
"He is pretty cute," Sundance admitted. At that moment, Quackers puffed up and
began to preen himself. "Oh, look! Isn't that adorable!"
"So what do you think? Why not take him over to Butch?" Tabby prodded.
"I suppose that might not be a bad idea," Sundance said. "How would I get a duck
over to his shack?"
"In that carrier there." Tabby pointed to the old cat carrier Slugger was holding on
to. "Why not take him over now?"
"Well, I just came back from the Dark Forest," Sundance said. "I'm not sure I'd
want to go again in the same day-- and it'd be dark by the time I got back."
"Get someone else to do it, then," Tabby suggested.
"Slugger, why don't you take Quackers over to Butch?" Sugarberry asked.
"I don't know how to get there!" Slugger said.
"Aw, come on, it's easy," Tabby said. "All you do is go to the Dark Forest, and
wander around until you find his shack. Simple!"
"I'm not so sure about that," Slugger said slowly. "Why don't I wait until morning
when Sundance can show me the way?"
Tabby sighed. "I suppose that'll have to do..."
"Okay, then." Slugger pushed Quackers into the carrier. "Then it's settled. We
take Quackers over to Butch in the morning."
And so, they all headed off in their separate directions.
* * *
The next morning, Tabby woke up. Hmm, she hadn't had any run-ins with
Quackers over the past night. But wait... what was that? She froze in terror when she head
ominous pecking noises coming from outside.
Nervously, she walked over to her window and looked out. Well, she couldn't see
Quackers anywhere... but what was that pecking? Then she looked over at the large elm tree in
her yard. Oh, it was just a woodpecker pecking!
Tabby sighed with relief. She knew she wouldn't have to meet up with Quackers
anymore... assuming he wasn't sitting outside her front door. She ran through the rooms to
check. Nope, no Quackers.
"All right!" Tabby cheered, and prepared to eat breakfast.
On her way to work at the clinic, Tabby met up with Sundance and Slugger.
Slugger was carrying the carrier with Quackers in.
"Hi!" Sundance greeted Tabby.
"Taking Quackers over to Butch now?" Tabby questioned them.
"Yes," Slugger said. "It'll be good to be rid of him."
Tabby had to agree with that!
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Clever Clover's Pokémon
by Clever Clover
Clever Clover walked into the new Ponyland vet clinic. "Good morning,"
Sugarberry greeted him.
"Hi-ho, is Thomas in?" asked Clever Clover.
"Yes, but he's in an appointment. Tabby's available, in examination room
two."
"Yeah, she'll do."
Tabby had just walked into the room. "What do you mean, I'll ‘do'?"
"It's just that you're not a specialist. But there aren't any specialists in Ponyland,
so you'll have to do." Clever Clover explained.
"Whatever," said Tabby. "Just bring your pet... where is your pet?"
"Right here," said Clever Clover as he held up a red and white ball the size of a
large marble.
"Huh? This is a veterinary clinic, not a game store."
"C'mon, I'll show you." Clever Clover walked into the examination room; Tabby
shrugged and followed. In the room, Clever Clover held up the ball, which grew from marble size
to softball size and split open. A sphere of energy flashed out of the ball and to the examination
table where a purple rat appeared.
Tabby's jaw dropped. "How... what is that?" she stammered.
"It's my new Pokémon, Rattata," Clever Clover explained.
"Pok-e-man?" Tabby wondered.
"Yeah, I've been training him for a couple of weeks now; but lately he's been a little
sluggish. I think he might be sick," said Clever Clover.
"What are you training him for?" Tabby asked as she began to examine the
Rattata.
"Fighting, tournaments; what else?" Clever Clover answered.
"You're training him to fight?" Tabby gasped. "As a pet care specialist, I must
protest."