"So, boss, you wanted to see me?" Dr. Whooves said as he stepped into his boss's office.

"Yes. Whooves, I understand you have supreme knowledge on clocks and time and stuff like that, but putting a whole nation on alert of an eruption is serious business. If Dante's Little Inferno down there is gonna erupt, perhaps there would be signs, but, there are none so far. Putting a whole nation on alert, and the mountain doesn't erupt... That's not gonna look good on you. It really isn't. Ponies will look at you and question your knowledge on this stuff," his boss implied.

"Yes, but the readings-" Whooves tried to explain.

"I understand you know what those readings said, but you said the probability was 75%. What if the other 25% happens? I was just like you when that legend was first established, but I put a small town, Appleloosa to be exact, on alert, and nothing happened. Everypony looked at me like I was a fool. I don't want that on you, okay? Plus, it'll be bad for business. So just get out there and do your work, alright?" his boss responded.

"Okay, boss," Whooves replied, and walked out of the office.

The rest of Dr. Whooves's work day went by smoothly. Same old, same old. However, when he went outside, he felt hotter, and other ponies started to feel that way, too. Some were even talking about it. "Celestia must thought it was too cold down here," some of them joked.

"Why's it so dang hot out here?" Whooves questioned. He decided to inform Derpy of this.

"Derpy? Derpy, it's me. Open up," Dr. Whooves said as he knocked on Derpy's door.

"What's up, Doc?" Derpy answered.

"Do you think it's gotten... Hotter outside lately?" he asked.

"Now that I think about it... It has!" she replied.

"Do you think Ponyville or Equestria should be put on alert? My readings earlier showed a 75% chance of the volcano beneath the Griffon Mines giving an explosion of hellfire and death, and I think that it has to do with the Doomsday Clock. Maybe it's now close to midnight..." Whooves implied.

"I dunno, Whooves... Putting a whole country on alert seems like seriously huge business... If there are even more events like this, maybe, just maybe, there should be some notice," Derpy replied.

"Okay. Thanks, Derpy," Dr. Whooves replied, and walked away.

As he was walking home, Dr. Whooves noticed that birds were flying away from the vicinity of Ponyville, and lots of them. Clearly, this was not their migratory pattern, nor was it their migratory season. That's odd, he thought.

"Is it...? No. No, it can't be... Maybe they're a new breed," he murmured.

Author's Note

Yay, Looney Tunes reference!

Yes, I am aware that my chapters are usually short! I dunno why, but it still works.

Right?