Morning was late as Twilight had stated at the meeting, and Mud awoke refreshed. The sent of shampoo and wet fur still fresh as she was wrapped in the blankets, funneling the smell around her sensitive nose. Through her own scent she could pick up the intense perfume Brilliant wore lingered in the room, hinting that the maid pony had been her moments ago.

Suspecting the unicorn would return, Mud huffed as she slid off the bed only to lay on the floor. It was cold and uncomfortable with her damp fur, but the overwhelming musty odor was being aired out now. And with facing being awake, her stomach found this the right time to remind her it was time to eat.

Bree met her kelpie in the hall, intercepting the hungry beast to lead her to the castle garden. The two passed the dining hall, the maid pony ignoring the piles of toast, muffins, and pancakes. Mud became confused, watching the door to her breakfast disappear as she followed the unicorn to the outside.

“Where are we going?” Hunger and confusion forcing a whine out of her.
Bree hummed back, opening the door with her magic. “It was Twilights request, ‘you weren’t to eat a bite until after the first couple tests’.”

Not satisfied, Mud suppressed a growl, of which her stomach did. And up on this mountain, in the early morning, the wind was colder. And the doctors and other students stood by, Twilight overseeing while looking over her clipboard.

Bree took quick strides to stay ahead, and stopped beside the princess.

“Madam has arrived!” She peeped without any hint of exhaustion.

Mud’s head hung low as she skulked up and around to stand on Twilight’s other side, sniffing her wings and scarf for any hidden treats. Looking down and nodding at the maid, Twilight smiled. “Thanks, we’ll get this done and you can take her for breakfast.”

Finding nothing in those feathers, Mud looked pleadingly up at her caretaker, letting out a long sigh. Twilight set a hoof under the kelpie’s chin, scratching it side to side. “Just come this way, silly thing.”

She led to a large pannel, where a couple science ponies were standing beside it. Twilight gave an encouraging nudge. “Go ahead and step up here, the sooner we get done the sooner you can eat.”

At that Mud lifted her head and stepped quickly on the plate. It gave under her weight and a small bar in front of her tipped to the side, the small red bead sliding across it. Simultaneously one of the unicorns stretched out a measuring tape, holding it from Mud’s hoof to the top of her head.

The pony measuring eyed the mark, “Two point six meters…”
And the pony who stood in front of the ever-leaning bar, slid the bead over until it stopped.
“375 Kilos…” The bead ticked once more, “Add a point seven.”

Mud glared, remembering when Starlight became strict with the kelpie’s weight, which led to no sweets for weeks. But Twilight, instead of becoming cross, chuckled. “I thought you’d be heavier.”

After some basic tests with listening to the kelpie’s breathing and heartbeat with a stethoscope, checking how clear her eyes were with a small light, and reflexes, which were exceptional. Then some samples were taken, fur, saliva, and hoof shavings. The poking and prodding leaving Mud slightly annoyed but also curious, watching these short creatures running around and writing things down.

Mud had almost forgotten her hunger while watching Twilight and the ponies calibrating some of the bigger machines. Her stomach roared loud enough for the alicorn beside her to smile knowingly. She looks over at Brilliant, who was sitting under a lawn table umbrella.

“Bree!” She called over. The maid pony jumped up, ran over to the princess, skidding to a halt.
“Go ahead and get Mud inside, I think she’s had enough of this cold.” Twilight patted a hoof on the kelpie’s shoulder.

Mud had gotten used to the cold, but her fur was chilled. The mention of warmth reminded her of all the food she missed out on, and she started forward quickly. Bree whipped around and ran after her, leaving Twilight to prepare the next set of tests.

“And don’t fall asleep! We’re not finished yet.” Twilight waved a hoof, calling after the two.
Bree hopped along backwards waving back, “Can do madam!”

After plenty of food, Mud wanted to slink back into bed. Bree stopped her several times, leaving the kelpie no choice but to lay on the floor. Her protest almost successful, as being too heavy to even move, she still was not in bed. After a while, Twilight came back looking to bring Mud back to do more tests.

The afternoon was more measuring and calibrating the equipment. One other test that Mud kind of enjoyed was a bite strength test. All she had to do was bite as hard as she could on a bar, and hearing the ponies’ astonishment at the numbers going higher and higher.

A weight lift machine needing adjustments for her larger hooves, as well as the treadmill so she did not break it while using it. Some of the other devices had no need to be so specific, temperature chamber, the pool, and a tall pole marked with lines to measure her jumping. With the morning gone, and mostly setting up the equipment through the afternoon, did not leave much time in the evening.

Mud got bored watching and tried to play with the ponies, starting with the smallest one, a young stallion. She snapped up his clipboard with her teeth, startling him into jumping back. Around the clipboard went, the kelpie spinning around in circles keeping it high in the air. Twilight and Bree both noticed, the two levitated the clipboard out of her mouth, giving it back to the cowering student.

“Tu are coming with moi.” The maid pony round the kelpie, herding her to the castle.

Twilight follows closely anyway, once stepping through the door she comes up beside Mud. “Hey girl, hope you’re ready.”
She smiled encouragingly.

Mud licked her cold nose, staring at the alicorn.

“Tomorrow the real stuff begins.”

Mud smiled and purred loudly, the rumble traveling through the floor. Twilight ran a hoof back and forth across the top of Mud’s head, speaking in a baby-talk voice. “You so excited, gonna be a big help for us.”

The kelpie’s tongue lolled out as she panted, and licked the princess’s cheek. Bree took a few steps ahead, ready to lead Mud to dinner.

After Twilight left back outside, Mud went back to her room. Bree stood in the doorway with an expectant gaze. “Qu'aimerez-vous madame?”

Mud whipped around, frozen, eyes glowing and pupils small.

“What would you like madam?” Bree repeated in Ponish.

Mud was still a bit confused, “Like what?”

Bree waved a hoof, “La Princess decided you will be capable of deciding what you will want for dinner, as the rest of the company will be occupied for a while.”

Mud slowly began to catch on, ears pricking up and eyes sparkling.

“So, you will be dining in your room, la kitchen is warmed up and at your disposal.” Bree finished, expecting an answer now.

Mud smiled big, and tipped her head as she thought mischievously.

Starlight would lose her mind if she heard that.

Author's Note

Prench pony ^^
i dont know French fluently, so i apologize. i know there's a feminine and masculine spellings, but sentences are a bit different than single words. idk, im trying XD

anyway, Starlight is going to lose her mind lol