Defend with me

[orbislife]

Who: Zenyatta, Rainbow Dash, others
What: Rabitten quest
Where: General Store, Domina
When: Day 17, midday
Other: If you are taking part in the quest, hop in if you'd like to

Having taken to occasional long walks to the town, Zenyatta hums as he browses the marketplace. He is not alone. Curled around his neck is a tiny flowering vine. It is actually a newly hatched Lullabud, dozing away, very still. Jennifer's grumbling does not go unnoticed, and soon Zenyatta has an earful (if he had ears) of grievances. Bothi (the Lullabud) is surprisingly resilient towards staying asleep.

"I would be happy to help. I will head to the general store to look." Zenyatta gives a shallow bow and makes his way toward the store.

Comments

[orbislife]

Lacing his fingers together before him, he tilts his head at Rainbow Dash's tone. Maybe she was more press-ganged into helping rather than volunteering, but this does not need to be a negative, or violent, experience.

"I was also asked to help remove the rabite from the store. Shall we work together to find a peaceful solution?"

[elementofloyalty]

Thing is, Rainbow didn't have to say yes. She had.

"Oh, cool!" The pony promptly perked up at the promise of assistance, specifically more social and diplomatic assistance than her. That freed HER up to be a little more direct if nothing else. "Yeah, we can get this bunny out of here together!"

[orbislife]

"Wonderful! While time is an illusion, I believe they will appreciate having their store back to normal as soon as possible."

Zenyatta walks to the door and holds it open for Rainbow Dash. He does not have to worry about accidentally setting the rabite "free." If it ran away on its own accord, then their problem would be solved.

[elementofloyalty]

In she zipped -- them promptly (and audibly) screeched to a halt in midair, before backing up slightly. She hadn't actually SEEN a rabite before.

"Whoa. 'Big bunny' was a little understatement."

[orbislife]

"It is adorable," says Zenyatta, like he is supposed to be at a petting zoo. He moves closer, and the rabite stops gnawing on the corner of a wooden crate. Its ears perk up with alarm. With a solid thump, the rabite turns to face them.

"Greetings!" Zenyatta wants to pet it....

[elementofloyalty]

"Hey there, bunny. You gotta get out of here, okay?" Rainbow, taking the direct approach, drops to all four hooves to walk over to it. "You're causing trouble, you know? You gotta -- WAIGH!"

The bunny opened its mouth wide. Really, really wide, and Rainbow scrambled backwards in flailing alarm as it snapped at her, looking like it could swallow her head whole. Look out for the flailing, retreating pony, Zen!

[orbislife]

"Please do not be alarmed. We mean you no har--" Zenyatta is interrupted by Rainbow Dash's sudden tactical retreat. He will try to steady her and prevent her from falling over if allowed. If not, he will try to stay out of her mini escape.

The rabite snaps its jaw closed.

[elementofloyalty]

"Zeeeen," Rainbow said from behind his back where she'd retreated to peer over his shoulder. "How does a rabbit have a mouth that big? I mean I know it's a big rabbit but that was a big mouth!"

[orbislife]

"Perhaps this creature dines on trees instead of grasses and carrots." He turns his head slightly to look back at Rainbow Dash. "Could you bring over a tasty looking branch. We could try tempting away it with other food."

There is a start of a plan at least.

[elementofloyalty]

"Maybe it dines on ponies." Not normally this quick to fear, Rainbow couldn't help but be unsettled by how UNNATURAL it all was. A rabite was close to something from home, but very different in one or two horribly unsettling ways.

Still, she shook her head to clear it, then nodded. "Yeah, I'll go find something." On that note she was off, leaving a rainbow wake.

[orbislife]

"I do not think that is the case..." Zenyatta says, but he is too late the get the words out. Rainbow Dash has dashed away all ready. Bothi stirs a little around Zenyatta's neck, and he places a hand lightly on their blossom head. "Do not fret, little one. I will not let the rabite dine on you either."

When Rainbow Dash returns, she will find Zenyatta sitting on the floor and watching the rabite sniff around curiously. It has never smelled an Omnic before.

[elementofloyalty]

Rainbow had one heck of a branch clutched in her hooves and another smaller one gripped firmly in her teeth. She offered both of them up very carefully to Zen, staying well out of nomming distance.

[orbislife]

He quickly takes the small branch from Rainbow Dash and allows her to move away. Holding out it our toward the rabit, Zenyatta keeps the branch at an arm's length and still. The rabit stops investigating the new smells in favor of something it can actually eat. (Besides the boxes.)

"Place the larger branch just outside the door but still in view, please."

[elementofloyalty]

"Oooh, I get it." With her ears and tail perked up now that she saw how this was gonna work, Rainbow zipped back outside, dropping down the bigger branch right outside the door. "Branch in position!"

[orbislife]

The rabite takes a rather large bite of the branch Zenyatta is holding, and as it is chewing, Zenyatta moves back towards the door. It finishes chewing and then looks for the branch again... which is a few feet away from where it sits. The rabite follows.

The "trick" works for the first two bites, but then the rabite sees the larger one outside. It hops with amazing speed towards it.

Rainbow Dash should have the opportunity to slam the door shut once the rabite is outside.

[elementofloyalty]

The only delay came from Rainbow quickly getting on the inside of the shop. The door banged shut behind her as she kicked at it with a hoof. "All right! That's one evicted bunny! Great plan, Zen!"

[orbislife]

Bothi jerks fully awake at the door slam and curls their vine legs tighter around Zenyatta. He pats their blossom head and whispers comforting words.

"Thank you. You did well, Rainbow Dash. Jennifer and Mark will be pleased to know the rabite has left their shop." And Zenyatta is pleased that they were able to come up with a peaceful solution to the problem without harming the rabite.

[elementofloyalty]

Rainbow wished Fluttershy were here -- she'd have scolded or coaxed the rabite out no problem at all.

But hey, the two of them had done really good! And that definitely went a long way towards making up for the disaster that had been the whole cutie mark swap thing. Flitting over, she stuck out a hoof for Zen to slap. "Looks like we're the heroes of the day!"

[orbislife]

And give a high five/hoof is what Zenyatta does, though the impact is very light and barely enough to make a sound. He did not want to risk hurting Rainbow Dash. "We should look out the window before we leave. It would do no good to let it back in after evicting it."

(Of course, it is possible that the rabite will wander back in for another group to deal with.)

[elementofloyalty]

"If I know rabbits, it'll get sick of waiting and wander off once it eats that branch."

But, in a rare moment of honesty, Rainbow added after a moment, "...not that I really know them that well. I'm more of a tortoise lover myself."

[orbislife]

"A tortoise lover? I would not have guessed." There is a smile in his voice. He really would not have guessed that such a speedy pony would have a pet that was not. "I am partial to butterflies and birds."

Bothi stirs and nuzzles the side of Zenyatta's head. "And plants, of course."

[elementofloyalty]

"You and Fluttershy would totally get along." Maybe that's why Rainbow liked Zen, she mused; he reminded her of her pegasus PFF a little. "But if you ever saw Tank you'd totally see why he's my pet."

[orbislife]

"Do you think so? I am honored." He tilts his head slightly, not quite a bow but a kind humble all the same. "Tank has a good caretaker."

And he does not doubt it. Rainbow Dash liking a creature so slow means she looks beyond surface characteristics to the true self inside. A good trait to have.

[elementofloyalty]

"So, how 'bout we go see how grateful what's-her-name is now that we saved the day?" Rainbow said, zipping back over to the door to check for the rabite. Nope, all clear!

[orbislife]

"Yes, let us do that. I am sure Jennifer is eager to get her store back in order." And maybe they can offer the advice of luring the rabite out with food.

[elementofloyalty]

All but slamming the door open, Rainbow shot off at speed!

...then returned, sheepishly, a moment later, having gotten way ahead of herself. Heh heh, whoops. They ought to go together.

[orbislife]

Zenyatta does not have a chance to even move forward before Rainbow Dash is back. He gives a soft, lighthearted laugh but draws no further attention to the oversight. She is eager, and fast. He is slow and knows this.

They leave the store together, and Zenyatta makes sure to close the door behind them. Their hard work would be for naught if they left it open, and the rabite returned.