by G. M. Berrow
“Oh, um,” Fluttershy replied, backing away. “Thank you. Bye.”
Fluttershy looked around the busy fairgrounds and suddenly felt hopeless. She was never going to find Angel in time! Everypony was going to be so disappointed. She began to trudge back toward the fields when she heard some very silly music. It sounded familiar.…
“Why do I know this song?” said Fluttershy, trotting over to the bandstand. There was a stage set up, and tons of ponies were watching and stomping their hooves to the beat. Fluttershy pushed her way to the front. Up onstage was none other than Pinkie Pie dressed as a chicken! She had five of Fluttershy’s chickens clucking around next to her, performing choreography with their wings. Elizabeak was even wearing a sparkling boa around her little neck.
And in the front row was Angel Bunny, sitting between eight tiny Crystal ewes. They were all bouncing back and forth in time with the music. They didn’t look nervous at all! Suddenly, she realized that what she’d been thinking about the competition this entire time was wrong.
“Maybe I’m the one who’s been making everysheep stressed out,” Fluttershy said aloud to herself. “The Fine Furry Friends Fair is supposed to be fun. It’s no big deal what everypony else thinks, as long as Angel and I have a good time together.”
“That’s what we’ve been trying to tell you all along, sugarcube!” said Applejack, stepping up next to her. Twilight, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash all joined her, nodding their heads.
“Now, are you ready to have a good time?!” Applejack hollered.
“Absolutely!” replied Fluttershy with a smile. “I, um, just have to go round up my sheep first.” She pointed her staff at the tiny flock. They were all bleating happily for Pinkie Pie and the chickens, who were taking their final bows.
“Oh, darling.” Rarity gasped. “Hearing you say those words while wearing that costume has shown me how misguided the whole look was! I must have been subconsciously channeling one of Sweetie Belle’s bedtime nursery rhymes. Please don’t wear that during your herding trial.”
“Whew.” Fluttershy sighed. “I’m really glad you said that.”
Angel Bunny hopped up to Fluttershy and nuzzled her leg. Then he pulled out his pocket watch and looked at it, and his eyes grew huge. Angel pulled down on his ears in shock.
We’re going to be late!
“Not if I have anything to say about it.” Fluttershy puffed up. “Angel… go by!”
The little bunny saluted Fluttershy and hopped off toward his tiny flock. He drove them all to the field without a single hitch.
CHAPTER 11
Trials and Errors
“That was Cromwell with his border collie, Ripley!” the announcer pony bellowed into the microphone. “All the way from Vanhoover!” The ponies in the bleachers whistled and hooted, waving little flags showing their support for the farm ponies and their pups. Cromwell, a gray Earth pony stallion wearing a newsboy cap and a plaid vest, looked satisfied as he trotted off the field with his happy brown dog. Their routine had been simple, but perfectly executed. Both Applejack and Fluttershy were starting to feel the pressure.
“Do y’all think he did better than Cousin Braeburn and little Albus? Or Spring Song with that fluffy white pooch, Pearl?” Applejack asked, looking at her program. There were only a few minutes left before her turn. Last up would be Fluttershy and Angel.
“Spring Song and Pearl had great style, but I think the team to beat is that pony Corral and his dog, Scout,” Rarity enthused. “Did you see those backflips she did in a circle to round up the flock? Très magnifique!”
“It’s called the Flip Pup Loop.” Twilight nodded in agreement. She held up a dusty old book with a sheep on the cover. “And according to this book on the history of sheepdog trials in Trotland and Bales, it’s a maneuver that’s hardly ever attempted in competition based on its difficulty factor of eleven-point-five.”
“Well, the Bleating Heart is a twelve!” said Applejack proudly. Winona wagged her tail. “We got this, girl.”
“Everypony, please welcome Applejack and her dog, Winonaaaaaa!”
“Woo-hooo!!” cheered Pinkie Pie, still wearing her chicken costume. “I mean, cluck, cluck!”
“You can do it, darlings!” shouted Rarity, waving a sparkling flag with an apple on it.
“Complete all your elements correctly!” Twilight giggled, holding up the book. “It says the elements are the most important part!”
“Yay,” said Fluttershy as loud as she could.
Over the next fifteen minutes, Winona darted and dashed. Applejack called and corralled. The dog and pony swerved through the sheep to create amazing lines and shapes. Applejack read the flock perfectly, calling out commands and staying quiet when she needed to.
When there was just one minute left on the clock, the whole audience held their breath as Winona wound around the flock, molding the fluffy sheep into a perfect heart shape. Then Winona barked three times, and the whole flock let out one big “Baaaaaah!” together.
“I don’t believe it!” the announcer shouted into the microphone. “The Bleating Heart! Nopony in the history of the Whinnyland Herding Association has ever performed this element!” He laughed in wonder. “Now I’ve really seen it all, fillies and gentlecolts.” Little did he know, he was about to see something else equally unbelievable—in the form of a shy yellow Pegasus and a tiny white bunny who were taking the center of the field.
Fluttershy trotted down the line of tiny ewes and gave little words of encouragement to each one. “You’re going to be great! Have fun! I love you!” When she got to the front of the flock, she turned to the whole group. “Um, I just want to say that no matter what happens out there, I’m proud of all of you.”
She brushed her pink mane away from her face and looked to Angel, who was jumping up and down with anticipation. He was ready to go. “Especially you, my sweet little guy. I’m lucky to have such a talented bunny like you as a friend.” She nuzzled his face.
Their moment was interrupted by the music signaling the next contestant. The announcer’s voice echoed through the speakers. “And last but not least, Fluttershy and Angel Bunny from Ponyville!”
Fluttershy looked to her friends one last time. They gave her reassuring nods, and Rainbow Dash pushed her out onto the field. “Don’t forget to smiiiiile!” shrieked Pinkie Pie.
The meek yellow Pegasus bit her lip as she trotted out, wondering what the reaction might be when the crowd realized Angel wasn’t a sheepdog. The small bunny hopped out after her with his pink nose held high. He adjusted his blue vest and turned to the audience. Angel gave a deep bow with a flourish and took his place across the field from the scattered prismatic herd of tiny Crystal ewes.
A wave of whispers and a rustling of papers rolled through the crowd. The ponies checked their programs in confusion. “Wow! Would you ponies look at that?” the announcer marveled. “It appears we have a Fine Furry Friends Fair first—a bunny is going to herd sheep! Miniature Crystal ewes at that!”
The audience erupted in laughter.
Fluttershy started to shake. She felt like flying straight off the field and back into the tent. But a second later, the whistle blew, and Angel looked to her for a command. It was showtime! I can do this, she told herself. For Angel.
“W-w-w-way to me, Bunny,” whispered Fluttershy, pointing her hoof at the flock. More laughter came from the stands.
Angel nodded and darted off toward the sheep. Fluttershy had never seen him look so happy in his life. From that point on, it was easy. Fluttershy trotted and smiled, calling out to Angel. “Steady!” she commanded. “Hop up!”
The tiny Crystal ewes sparkled in the sunlight as they ran around the field, following the lead of their unlikely herding team. And the audience grew more and more quiet as they watched the bunny leap and hop his way to a beautiful finish, penning the eight tiny ewes in the custom gates in a perfect two-by-two arrangement.
The buzzer sounded, signaling their time was up.
�
��Folks—have you ever seen anything so astonishing?!” the announcer bellowed in his deep voice. “Give a round of applause for Fluttershy and Angel—the amazing sheepherding bunny rabbit!”
Everypony’s jaw was still practically on the ground from shock. It was almost a full minute of silence before the ponies began cheering and stomping their hooves on the ground in appreciation of the little bunny and his pony. “And that concludes the twenty-eighth annual Whinnyland Herding Competition! What a finish!”
Fluttershy grinned. This rush was better than riding the Radical Rainboom!
“We did it!” Fluttershy hugged Angel Bunny and swung him around. “See? You’re the most special, talented bunny ever! Not because you did the routine perfectly but because you followed what was in your heart and didn’t let anypony stop you from achieving your goal.” Fluttershy knelt down to him. “I think that’s what makes you the best bunny of all.”
Angel smiled wide. Thank you, Fluttershy.
CHAPTER 12
Singing a Different Tune
A few days later, Mayor Mare held a big celebration in the Ponyville town square for the winners of the herding competition. DJ Pon-3 was playing music, and everypony was dancing and drinking apple cider. Two of their very own had triumphed over the best sheepherders in Equestria!
Even though first place had gone to Winona and Applejack, it seemed Angel was so happy that he had not taken off his red second-place ribbon since the competition. Mayor Mare presented the winners to the town, and Fluttershy stood up on the stage next to Angel. She wasn’t even the slightest bit nervous.
When the Pony Tones quartet got up onstage to sing a celebratory tune, Fluttershy even joined in for a few verses! “When you do, doobie-do, what’s in your heart-heart-apple cart!” they sang. “The sky’s no limit, for what you can do, do, doobie-do!” The Pony Tones swayed back and forth. Angel Bunny danced around with his red ribbon. “Whether you’re flat-hoofed, feathered, or furred… You, you, just youuuuu… You’ve got the stuff, shoobie-do-wop, to lead the herd!”
When the song ended, two tall ponies with red manes made their way to the front. One of them had a mustache. The residents of Ponyville knew that neither of them was to be trusted. “Say, Mayor Mare, is that a special bunny you’ve got up there?”
The mayor looked down at Flim and Flam through her glasses. “Well, yes. Angel Bunny’s just won—”
“He looks marvelous!” said Flim.
“Fabulous!” chirped Flam.
“Glorious!” they said together.
“Young pony, I’ve got a proposition for you! Would you like your pet to join our incredible bunny cabaret?” Flam leaned in close to Fluttershy. “We’re always on the search for new talent!”
Flim winked. “Rising stars like him!”
“Oh, I don’t know. Well, um… Angel?” Fluttershy turned to Angel. He looked up at her with wide, intense eyes. Then the little bunny turned straight to the two brothers, stuck his tongue out, and shook his head.
Everypony laughed.
“Come on, pal!” Flim begged. “We’ll put on a whole new show just for you.”
“Ahem.” Fluttershy cleared her throat and turned to Flim and Flam with a sly smile. “No,” she said loud enough for everypony in the whole town to hear.
“Woo-hoo! Go, Fluttershy!”
“Tell ’em!”
As the ponies pushed Flim and Flam away from the crowd, Angel jumped up next to the DJ booth and started to spin a tune. DJ Pon-3 smiled and stepped aside, letting the bunny try his paw at a new skill.
“This song is awesome!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, shaking her tail back and forth to the beat. “Angel’s a pretty sweet spinner.”
“Looks like you might have a sheepherding, DJ bunny on your hooves now!” Twilight Sparkle laughed, bobbing her head in time with the music. Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie joined in, and soon everypony in the whole town was dancing.
“Maybe…” Fluttershy giggled, looking up at her bunny in admiration. “I bet there’s all sorts of new skills he’ll want to try out now. I don’t care if he herds sheep or bakes cookies or makes music. As long as he’s doing what he loves, he’ll always be number one to me.”
“That’ll do, Fluttershy,” said Applejack with a smirk. “That’ll do.”
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Contents
Cover
Title Page
Welcome
Dedication
CHAPTER 1
The Top Hat Bunny Cabaret
CHAPTER 2
Just a Frog and Bunny Show
CHAPTER 3
A Little Bunny of Little Talent
CHAPTER 4
Taking Flock
CHAPTER 5
Sheepbunny in Training
CHAPTER 6
The Warm, Fuzzy Truth
CHAPTER 7
Sugarcube Cornered
CHAPTER 8
Ewe Can Do It, Fluttershy!
CHAPTER 9
The Fine Furry Friends Fair
CHAPTER 10
Alone at the Fair
CHAPTER 11
Trials and Errors
CHAPTER 12
Singing a Different Tune
Copyright
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
HASBRO and its logo, MY LITTLE PONY and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro and are used with permission. © 2015 Hasbro. All rights reserved.
Cover design by Steve Scott
In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
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First ebook edition: January 2015
ISBN 978-0-316-27724-2
E3