“Thank you so much for inviting me to your home Fang, it was very kind.” A pale yellow pegasus with a rose pink mane and butterflies on her flank said with a quiet smile. She was going to be spending the evening having dinner with a pack of Diamond Dogs. “You know, you aren’t at all as mean as Rarity said you were.” She remarked thoughtfully and the lead colored dog next to her flattened his ears in embarrassment.
“Er… Well, that actually happened Miss Fluttershy, but I swear I wasn’t involved, and neither were any of my pack. Not all us Diamond Dogs are bad, you know?” Fang replied sheepishly as he tugged at the studded collar around his neck. Fluttershy nodded sympathetically, she understood what he meant completely. After all, not all dragons were bad; there were nice dragons like Spike to think of.
“I don’t hold any of that against you; I think you seem very sweet. And again, it was really kind of you to invite me to share Thanksgiving with you, but I’m afraid I’ve never heard of it before to be honest, I’m sorry.” And it was Fluttershy’s turn to look embarrassed this time.
Fang gave the timid pony a toothy grin and waved the apology off with a carefree paw. “Hey don’t sweat it, I didn’t think you would. It’s not like Ponies and Diamond Dogs speak regularly, right?” He stopped in front of a wide hole in the ground that looked big enough for three stallions the size of Big Macintosh to walk through side by side. “Ah, hole sweet hole!” The gray coated canine sighed proudly, holding out his arm politely to the hole.
“After you, Miss Fluttershy.” Fang said in as fancy a tone as his gravelly voice would allow, eliciting a small giggle from his equine guest. She bowed in return and smiled at Fang.
Inside the tunnel that Fang and his pack liked to call home, the smell of cranberries, pumpkin pie, cinnamon and something she couldn’t quite place replaced the normally stagnant cavern air. Fluttershy sniffed at the sir and she could feel her mouth begin to water from the delicious smells.
“It smells so wonderful in here! I’m sure Pinkie Pie would be bouncing all over the walls if she were here.” The yellow pegasus said and immediately bit her lip looking guilty. “Oh, I hope she isn’t mad at me for not inviting her as well, but I just thought it would be rude since it’s your home, not mine and- Oh no, now I’m rambling, and you might have something very important to say and I’m not letting you talk at all and I’m still doing it and oh this is bad, so very bad!” Fluttershy babbled, her voice becoming higher and higher till she finally clamped her hooves over her mouth, but Fang could tell she was still talking, her eyes were flitting back and forth, a nervous twitch accompanying them.
“You crack me up Miss Fluttershy, how about I introduce you to the rest of the family?” The still grinning dog asked, leading her into the main part of the cave where more Diamond Dogs were gathered around a large slab of obsidian that must have served as their table.
The table was something else; it was covered with all kinds of food, even some Fluttershy couldn’t recognize at all. There were mounds of pies, enough to make an Apple jealous in fact; Piles of bread rolls and jars of jellies and butters of varying flavors; Ears of sweet corn were stacked in a pyramid and surrounded by yams; and amidst the smorgasbord of scrumptious snacks was something Fluttershy could honestly say even Pinkie Pie couldn’t have seen before.
It was big, at least as big as her friend Applejack’s little sister, Applebloom. The thing was a golden brown, and glistened in the light from the gems hanging overhead, it was beautiful to say the least. And the smell, oh the smell! Fluttershy couldn’t remember the last time she had smelled something like that, it was so delectable, and she felt her wings start to flutter in anticipation of the meal.
Fluttershy gulped and tried to keep her twitching wings under control as she turned to Fang who was watching her with a satisfied smirk.
“Well? Did we impress you Miss Fluttershy? Heh, just wait till the desserts get out here, then you’ll really be twitching.” Fang winked, beaming with pride. Why shouldn’t he? He was the one who took the time to arrange the table, like he did every Thanksgiving. Not to mention the dessert recipes were his inventions. Fluttershy nodded, occasionally casting sideways glances at the mystery food at the center of the table.
“O-oh yes! I’ve never seen anything like that before!” Fluttershy squeaked and then back pedaled. “N-not that it’s a bad thing! It looks very nice, I didn’t mean to offend you, and oh I’m sorry!” Fang looked at her curiously and tilted his head to the side.
“Are you ok? You look like you’re about to pass out or something… Why don’t you try out some of the food on the table, and I’ll go see what the holdup is in the kitchen. I swear, they do this every year, and I’m always the one who has to get things done…” He muttered, walking off further into the cave.
Fluttershy looked helplessly at the table; she was at a loss for actions.
Oh, I want to take a bite of that golden… thing, but it would be rude to just take it, right? I mean… Fang did say it was okay, but it would still be rude, wouldn’t it? What if I took too much? Or worse, what if I didn’t take enough and he thought I hated it and never invited me over again?
While the petrified pegasus raged an internal fear war on herself, another Diamond Dog with a coarse black coat and an iron studded collar who was larger than most she had seen walking in and out, had entered the dining cave holding a two-pronged fork and a long carving knife that gleamed whenever the light hit it. The Diamond Dog looked from the mare to the table a few times and chuckled.
“If it is slice you are wanting, all you need to do is ask, da?” He asked in an even huskier voice than Fang, almost as if he was from Stalliongrad.
“I w-would like a piece, please? And I don’t mean to pry into your personal life, but you, ah, wouldn’t happen to be from… Stalliongrad?” Fluttershy asked, a red blush overcoming her face, she really hated asking such a personal question.
The large dog barked out a laugh as he deftly sliced off a small portion for the shy mare to have. “Nyet, I have been to Stalliongrad, is not nearly as nice as my home of Krasnodog, much better city, our caverns are much more beautiful when moon light reflects through gems in caverns. We have much rarer gems in Krasnodog, in case you were wondering. Also, in case you were wondering as well, my name is Viktor. Just putting that out there.” The dog now known as Viktor said offhandedly. “I also made turkey, that is my work. Also just putting it out there.” He added, as if Fluttershy was dying to know these things.
She gratefully took the slice of, “turkey” as Viktor called it, and bit it hesitantly. As she chewed it slowly, her eyes grew wider and wider. This was unlike anything she’d ever tasted, it was so juicy, and it seemed to melt in her mouth faster than one of Pinkie’s Crazy Caramel Camel Cubes. She swallowed hungrily and licked her lips, she thought about asking for more, but wasn’t sure if she’d be able to stop herself.
“That’s wonderful Viktor! It’s so very good, you must be very proud to be able to make something so tasty!” Fluttershy exclaimed, another blush creeping its way onto her face and Viktor laughed deeply.
“Da! Is the best thing you’ve ever tasted, eh? Never seen a pony eat meat so eagerly!” The black coated dog grinned as if the funniest joke in Equestria had just been told. Fluttershy started to laugh and then the canine’s words caught up with her.
Did he j-just… s-say m-m-meat?
“M-meat? As in ‘once a living c-creature’ m-meat?” She squeaked and blanched at the thought.
Viktor frowned a little. “Well... Da, we are dogs, dogs eat meat, we eat turkey meat every year. Why is this big surprise?” He frowned a little more as the critter loving pony started to turn green. “You don’t look good, you’re not going to-“
A wet splatter echoed through the cave as Fluttershy did just what Viktor was hoping she wouldn’t do; she heaved violently all over the turkey he had spent hours working on. Fluttershy leaned over the turkey, her back legs shaking slightly and she turned to look at the grimacing Diamond Dog apologetically.
“I’m s-so s-sorry about *herk*” She clamped a hoof over her mouth and swallowed with a shudder. “I n-need to g-go, tell Fang I’m s-sorry!” Fluttershy blurted out as she rocketed past Viktor with her hoof firmly over her mouth again.
Viktor took another look at the now ruined turkey. “If I had not seen it myself, I’d swear it was just gravy… Fang, your pony friend is gone, but she left a not-so-nice gift…” He called out and Fang poked his head in through the entrance of the dining cave.
“What do you- Oh Celestia, is that? Oh that’s sick! Why did she-?” Fang smacked himself in the face with a paw. “Riiiiiiiiight, ponies don’t... eat… meat.” The lead colored Diamond Dog stood beside his much larger pack mate and sighed.
“Tough luck on the turkey Viktor, I know you put a lot of time into it, and now we have to toss it out… Sorry, I completely forgot they don’t eat meat; that was my fault.”
“Da, such a waste, it will never be eaten now…”
As the two stared forlornly at their inedible meal, a mangy looking Diamond Dog in a string collar bounded in from the kitchen. “Fang! Viktor! Can we eat the turkey now?! I loooooooove love love turkey! Turkey turkey turkey!” The new arrival asked excitedly.
Viktor looked disgusted. “What? But that turkey is covered in-“ He started before Fang wrapped a paw around his muzzle to silence him.
“Is covered in delicious gravy Scrappy! See, Viktor here thought you did such a good job making sure our silverware didn’t escape the drawer that he made you your very own turkey with special gravy! Wasn’t that sweet of him to do Scrappy?” Fang asked, giving Viktor a pointed glare. Scrappy gasped and looked at the largest of the three with teary eyes and sniffed nosily.
“You… Made me a turkey?” Scrappy asked, his bottom lip trembling slightly as he clutched the turkey to his chest, smearing himself with… gravy.
Viktor had to fight the urge to throw up his self. “Uh… Da, I did that, just as Fang said I did…”
Scrappy howled with delight and tore into his special prize and Fang and Viktor had to turn away and leave the dining cave.
“Your cousin is very dumb Fang, I worry you might be too…”
“Shut it Viktor, you know he’s inbred, I’m not. Besides, did you really want that thing stinking up the cave? Just let him enjoy it. Besides, we’ve got three hours before everyone shows up to find a replacement.”
Author’s Notes And Why Not, A Bonus Scene
First the boring Author’s Notes.
Hey, Roxxi here. Whew, finally posting again… Gotta say, I’m a little nervous about this, I haven’t been feeling my mojo lately, and it makes me a little wary to put this up for you all. This is what I got out of caffeine and Thanksgiving Day mishap ideas.
Hopefully this will give me the push I need to really get rolling again. Any comments and thoughts you have would be greatly appreciated/feared. Also, would this be a Comedy or a Slice of Life story, and would my D. Dogs be OCs or just Diamond Dogs, because that also confused me.
Couldn't think of a good chapter name, anypony have a good idea?
Sincerely Yours In Paranoia,
Roxxi
Now the Bonus Scene! (Ha, I still love doing these.)
Fluttershy’s Cottage
Fluttershy scrubbed furiously at her tongue. She knew it was clean, but that didn’t erase the sickening feeling in her stomach that came from the knowledge she had… She shuddered, just thinking about it made her skin crawl. She looked at her tongue in the mirror and shook her head; she could still feel the deceptively delectable tasting meat. She scrubbed harder at her taste buds, almost hoping she’d scrub them right off.
Knock! KnockKnockKnock! KnockKnock! Knock!
Fluttershy looked at her door curiously, wiping the toothpaste from her mouth.
“H-hello? Wh-who is it?” The timid mare called out.
“Is it Pinkie Pie? Pinkie Pie is it? Pinkie is it Pie? Pie it is Pinkie! Therefore, it is Pinkie Pie!” A bubbly cheered from the other side of the front door, and Fluttershy smiled meekly at the pink earth pony as she opened the door.
The pastry chef immediately thrust a basket of small swirl patterned candies under her nose. “Try one! They’re called Turkish Delights!”
Fluttershy froze. Did Pinkie… J-just say turkey..?
Pinkie Pie beamed and popped one into her mouth and chewed it giddily. “They’re super tasty! Have you ever eaten one before?”
“I HAVE NEVER EATEN TURKEY!!!” Fluttershy screamed in a panic and slammed the door forcefully, unending the basket and causing all of the candy to stick to Pinkie Pie’s face.
Pinkie Pie shrugged her shoulder and bounced off back to Sugarcube Corner.
“And Dashie always says I’m so random. I wonder what turkey is… I’ll bet it’s super duper tasty!” The perpetually bouncing party pony chirped as she attempted to lick candy off of her face.