Angel’s Day Off
Ah yes now you’ve really done it, you really deserve it. Today was Sunday, it was finally here. My day off. No pony and I mean no pony can stop me. The past few days Angel had been working extra long to avoid have to do anything today. Well, even Fluttershy can’t ruin it today. Angel thought of the previous times he had taken a day out of his month. It had not been for many years, partially due to many ~~bad~~ extremely bad coincidences with time.
Heh heh, oh all of those times there where many that made the rest of them seemed like minor excuses. Well, there was that time that Aunt Cara and the sextuplets came on a surprise visit. Poor Maybell, the poor cow needed 2 weeks’ worth of food after feeding all of those bunnies, and they were here just for a quick snack! Ah, but they were adorable with their little noses smelling everything. Oh, wait what about the time the snakes went on strike? That was too funny. Fluttershy tried her best to get them to eat something other than Mr. and Mrs. Mousey’s cousins. After a few days it turned out that if they went out and lived on their own, they would not bother the other animals in the area around Fluttershy’s cottage and could come to her if they needed any help. Yeah, and since that day when they came and complained about unicorn waking them up from their nap, they were just fine. But I have to say, the worst one was when those little fillies lied about Fluttershy’s mane. That was just rude, and Fluttershy wouldn’t stop crying until they came back and apologized a few dozen times. I couldn’t believe how many tears it took to flood the basement. It took 10 beavers to drain out the house.
Okay, phew, relax, chill, did you do everything that had to be done today? Well, he swept the hallways, fed all the baby animals, did the last of the laundry from yesterday, made Fluttershy’s bed. Made sure there were no strands of fur in her bed. Because she would surely be mad at him for sleeping in his bed while she was away. Set out food for the other critters that where in Fluttershy’s care, took out the trash, put clean bandages on Pewee’s leg, and cleared out all the dishes from breakfast. Yes, everything is taken care of, and when it comes time to eat lunch and dinner, it’s already done and in the fridge, only needing to heat up.
With all of his worries aside angel jumped onto the sofa and began to read all of the latest unread issues of Carrots Monthly. Interesting I didn’t know that 1 out of 5 rabbits can develop a dangerous carrot addiction. Stretching out his legs, Angel went to the fridge to get a snack. Hmm, Carrot juice, V8, crackers with hummus, corn puffs what should I have? Probably something that is unhealthy while Fluttershy is away. Fluttershy, that’s it! Angel narrowed his eyes in glee for his idea of Fluttershy’s secret stash of sweets. Of course most of the other animals that where pretty much permanent residents of the cottage knew of her stash, but no one knew where it was, and since she was a pegasus, it could be anywhere. Well let’s start in her room. Angel bounded up into Fluttershy’s room.
Angel looked around the room. Other than the mess of paw prints on the bed, there was nothing that could hint an existence of a secret panel, room, or even a nook. Well better start somewhere, Angel began to search. After less than an hour, Angel had looked around every piece of furniture, knocked on every wall for a passage, and tested each floorboard for a button or lever. There was nothing left other than the out of reach photo shelf above her bed. It must be up there! But how will I get up there? Or even be able to take the candy down once I get up there? Angel snapped his paws. A ladder is perfect for the job. Angel bounced into the basement to find the ladder.
Okay, steady, steady, good. Angel was precariously balancing on the ladder which was on top of Fluttershy’s bed. Angel scrambled up the ladder and hung on tight as it was wobbling on the anything but flat surface of the bed. Stop, Stop, STOP! Phew okay, let’s see what we have here. As the ladder became stable once again, Angel began to inspect the shelf for any hint of a concealed space. Angel moved one of Fluttershy’s pictures of her and Pinkie Pie. He then noticed a slight rip in the wall paper. Even with the sight of a bird, you wouldn’t see the rip unless you have moved the picture.
Bingo, Angel slowly slid his paw under the rip. To his surprise a window box by the size of a pony was revealed before him. Angel hopped in and climbed down the ladder for a ways that Angel knew he was deep below the house. Finally Angel reached the bottom, and then he turned around. Inside was a large room filled to the brim with taffy, caramel cubes, bubble gum, gummies, jelly beans, lollypops, rock candy, sour candy and many more that Angel couldn’t name. His mouth started to drool, this was more than Angel expected, sure he could think that Fluttershy was a person of sweets and liked her faire of sugar, but this. No way, The Mother load of SWEETS! How did it all get down here? How long has she been collecting this stuff? To this Angel didn’t know the answer to but he knew that Fluttershy would be back by dinner so he had to work fast. Angel found a small bad and filled it to the brim with a variety of candy, slung it over his shoulder, and began the long climb back.
Angel quickly came out of the secret tunnel, dumped his loot onto the other side of the bed and pushed back the secret door above the bed. No wonder sometimes at night I don’t see her, she must be in the tunnel! Angel returned the photo of Pinkie Pie and smiled. Now this makes sense. This must be their shared stash, because Fluttershy doesn’t have that much money for all that candy and taking care of the other animals in the house. This must be a shared secret and the both share the sweets. Pinkie was the one that was making it!
Angel quickly threw his loot on the sofa. Then he ran upstairs to put the ladder away before any other animal noticed it there. WOW! That was so cool! Now with everything looking like it did before, I can enjoy my reward. Angle jumped onto the couch with his treasure. Now which one first? Taffy or caramel? Gummy or lollypop? Whatever, I will pick at random. Angel blindly reached into the bag…
Bang “Oh, Angeeeellll, Auntie Cara is here to seeee you!” a sing-songy voice came from the door. Angel quickly hid his bag of sweets behind the couch, but still held on to the chocolate button in his paw. So that’s what I was going to eat.
A large white form came to Angel and started to give him a hug/squeeze. “Listen I know Angel I wasn’t planning to come but OOOH let me hug you first my little skinny Boo Boo. There you go looking as pale as ever Angel.” She let go of Angel and he started to stand his ground. No its because you hug to hard Auntie. ” Well I was in the area and thought ‘Well I should go check on my little Angel Boo’ until I bumped into your friend Flutterby. So nice that little ‘un you have as a friend. You’re lucky she cares about us animals, not many do especially pegasuses. And anyway she was talk’en to some snake and saying that he could come over for dinner after she checked on her cat friend at some store. She got all worried after a second thought, because dinner was really soon and she had no way of telling you before. So I came up and said ‘Darlin I’ve been meaning to visit Angel Boo, and I can do you a favor and less worry.’ So that is why I’m here.” She finally said. “Angel Boo, are y’all alright?” At the point of the dinner with the Snake Angel froze up. He finally shook his head and looked at the clock. Dinner was usually at 6 and right now it was 5:45.Why, Why, WHY?! Of all days TODAY? Angel pushed Aunt Cara out of the house and began to look for a mop. “Well see you tomorrow Angel Boo at the Picnic.” She shouted at the door. “I wonder what got him. Oh well it must be the guests coming, he quite the clean freak.”
Angel was not a neat freak. He was rushing at the idea of what to have for dinner. There were some leftovers from last night, but not enough to feed a Snake, or be formal enough for a guest, especially a snake. If anything Snakes where very formal with their lives, with everything from eating to sleeping, all very well planned, and slightly fancy.What do Snakes even eat? I know the last time it was... oh. Angel shuddered for he knew. I just hope he ate within the last few days, because for a meal like that, well, not very appropriate for Fluttershy’s Animal Care Cottage.
~~~
“So you see, Angel is a very nice friend and bunny substitute caretaker, if I have to go to the store or drop off a a pet that has healed or cured.” Fluttershy smiled warmly. The Snake was an ambassador, of sorts, because the snakes where willing to apologize and make amends from the past. Diet on the other hoof was something to discuss at the end. “Anyway I should tell Angel not to worry about it since we already are at Sugar Cube Corner.” Fluttershy opened the door to her house and let the snake in. What she saw was unbelievable. The entire cottage was sparkling clean, all the windows where washed, the floor scrubbed, all of the temporary animals where moved into Fluttershy’s room, and the table was set. Fluttershy gasped, almost as loud as she did if she were mad. Sitting at the table was her dear little Angel, panting and looking extremely tired from the long sprint to finish cleaning the house for her guest.
Fluttershy was heartbroken. There was delicious food on the table at everypony’s seat and she just felt the stomach grumble, for it did not have enough room to eat another meal. “Oh Angel,” Fluttershy galloped over to her little friend. “I’m so sorry Angel I really appreciate all of you hard work, but Mr. Snake and I already ate. ”Angel’s expression turned from a happy, relived, smile into a very depressed smile. He got up from his chair, removed himself from Fluttershy’s hooves and walked out the door into the night.
Why? It was all Angel could do. He just kept walking away from the house, the city, his best friend thinking to himself Why? He was walking away from it all, but not toward the Everfree, but parallel to it. He didn’t know how long he was walking until he heard the strange sound of a really sick pony wheezing. Angel turned around and saw a large blue box stand where Angel just walked. What is THAT? Something that resembled a door opened, and a tan earth pony with a short brown mane with a hourglass cutiemark walked out.
“Well was not expecting that, Derpy. As far as I can tell there is nothing here except, Oh hello Angel bunny, there you are, I was not expecting to land this close to you. Oh well, no time like the present, HAHAHA! Like the present, now that’s funny!” The Stallion laughed. What kind of pony is this? Where did he or this box come from? Whaa? The stallion scooped up the confused bunny into his hooves.
“Oh you and I will get along nicely, listen I am the Doctor, and I understand you were planning on a nice relaxing day correct?” Angel was not paying attention he gazed around the room. It was sort of funnel shaped and seemed larger on the inside. Wow, I thought it was just a story, The Boat of the Sea of Time. The ‘Doctorput Angel down on a seat near the middle of the ’box. A grey pegasus sat on the opposite chair she had a cutie mark of bubbles that reminded Angel of a certain mail delivery pony that often came and delivered imported phoenix treats to Fluttershy. Fluttershy would often give the treats to Peewee on his checkups. Poor Fluttershy, I just left her there all alone.
“Now Angel, you wanted a day off right?” Angel nodded “Well, Angel, you can have that day off right now.” The Doctor pulled a lever on a circular table. The same wheezing sound was heard and a slight shaking. All of a sudden it stopped. "Okay Angel something to know, it is right now 11:30, yes we went back in time. Fluttershy is at Rarity's place until about 3:15 then she will leave to go to Sugar Cube Corner. She will stay there until 5:50 then will leave with that snake fellow for home I recommend at 6:00pm you run home, let Fluttershy apologize for rushing you. But be nice and apologetic back to her. Oh and have a nice life. Don't go looking for us, to bribe you, here a 100 bit gift certificate for Lotus & Aloe Spa. Spend the day there. Don't let Fluttershy,Rarity, Aunt Cara or Mr. Snaky-something-or-whatever. So here you go and have a nice day off, you deserve it." The Doctor said with a smile. Angel held his hand out "Oh right certificate." The Doctor pulled out a small piece of paper and a small stick thing with a blue light at the end. He pointed the light on the paper for a second, then stopped. He handed Angel the paper, it was a 100 bit certificate for the spa. Why are you so nice Doctor?"Because I felt the same." "And besides everyone deserves a day off. Now off you go." The doctor pushed Angel out of the box. Angel was in the alleyway next to Lotus & Aloe Spa. Angel heard the Wheezing sound and turned around. The blue box faded from sight. Good bye, Doctor Angel thought to the Universe. Angel happily hopped into the Spa. Today was Sunday, and it was finally time to relax.
