It was after school and Rarity with the help of Fluttershy was getting the finishing touches for her latest fashion event ready at her boutique.
"I have to say Rarity," Fluttershy said picking up her pet bunny Angel, "a pet and owner fashion show is such a cute idea,".
"It is one of my best ideas, " Rarity said, "it's just a matter of making the cute animals match their owners without over doing it for them, ".
"Oh, how will you make it work for me and Angel Bunny?" Fluttershy asked placing Angel on a pillow in a chair.
"Hmm," Rarity hummed as she pondered her answer, " oh! well I thought maybe a pink dress with soft green lace for you and a matching butterfly hair clip, " she said pulling out the dress from a rack and putting the clip in Fluttershy's long pink hair.
"What about Angel?" Fluttershy asked, "I'm pretty sure he'd never wear a dress,".
"Good point," Rarity said than an idea hit her, "I got it!" she grabbed a small cut of green lace, a button, a needle, thread, and a butterfly clip decoration and went to work. A few minutes she was done, "tada!" she held up a butterfly collar that matched Fluttershy's hair clip and put it around Angel's neck.
"Awe, Angel Bunny you look so cute," Fluttershy cooed as the little bunny just gave her an annoyed look.
"I may make an accessory for each pet, though Tank and Ray might be a bit of a challenge," she admitted. Just as Rarity put up Fluttershy and Angel's Attire for the show Twilight burst in holding Spike.
"We've been looking for you two everywhere!," she informed, "why haven't you answered your phones?".
"We must have left them in our bags in Rarity's room," Fluttershy said.
"Whatever is the matter, darling?" Rarity asked.
"Something awful has happened," she told them. Soon Twilight, Rarity, and Fluttershy (with their pets) met the other five girls in the veterinary hospital lobby. There Rainbow Dash filled them in on what happened. She and Applejack had been hanging out kicking a soccer ball when it rolled away and Winona chased it. Before anyone could do anything a car hit her. She slid across the road a little bit. Applejack scooped her up and ran there. Fluttershy looked over where Applejack was sitting. She wasn't even trying to hide the fact she was crying.
"Applejack," she said sitting next to her, " it's gonna be ok,"
"I should have called for her to come back," Applejack said with a sniffle, "I should have told her not to chase the ball,". She sniffled again.
"Darling, you had no way of knowing this could happen," Rarity soothed, " don't blame yourself,".
"I'm her owner!" Applejack snapped getting up and pacing the floor, "I'm suppose protect and care for her!".
"And you do Applejack," Sunset Chimed in, "you're one of the best pet owners I know,".
"If I was the best owner Winona wouldn't be in here!" Applejack exclaimed as tears escaped down her cheeks.
"Sunset, Rarity why don't you take Applejack to get something to drink over at the sweet shoppe,". Fluttershy suggested.
"Oh, I can whip us all up some of my famous sundae floats! " Pinkie said jumping up and down excitedly.
"I'll stay and help until there is an update on Winona," Fluttershy said.
"I'll stay with her too," Twilight joined in, "Spike likes to visit all the sick or hurt animals,". Sunset, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie, and Rarity all nodded as the gathered around Applejack and headed out to the sweet shoppe.
At the sweet shoppe, the group took a corner booth by a window as Pinkie went to make her famous Sundae floats. She skipped up to the table and handed each girl a float. "I put an extra scoop of vanilla ice cream in yours Applejack," she said as she sat down and grabbed her's.
"Thanks, Pinkie," she said staring out the window.
"You can talk to us Applejack," Sunset said, "you don't have to hide your feelings,".
"I'm just scared is all," Applejack admitted, "Winona has been in my life for such a long time it seems,".
"When did you get her?" Sunset asked. A small smile crossed Applejack's face as she remembered the day she became a pet owner as she told the memory.
"I was about Apple Bloom's age and she was just old enough to waddle around. It was Christmas morning. I sat in front of our tree trying to rub the sleep out of my eyes. Granny Smith came and placed a big box in front of me. It wasn't wrapped or closed up, but it had a bow on it. I set up on my knees and opened the flaps of the box and before I could do anything something started giving me small licks all over my face. When I was able to hold back my cute attacker there she was. A puppy. She looked up at me with those cute little eyes and her tongue hanging out".
"So you've had her since she was a puppy?" Sunset asked. Applejack nodded.
"I remember that day," Rainbow said, "we had a snowball fight later that day and every time I tried to throw one at you Winona would catch it and eat it,". The group all chuckled.
"She has always been a ball of energy," Rarity said, "I remember the first time I met Winona," Rarity said.
"I was putting together costumes for a Christmas play later that day when you came over. I hadn't seen you that excited in a while Applejack. I was laying out red lace for a dress when suddenly a strand of it was pulled out of my hand. I looked down and there was Winona holding the strand in her mouth. I went to grab the lace and she ran. I chased her all around my room. By the time she had stopped she had wrapped the lace strand all around a small mannequin. I was about to tell Applejack to please control her puppy, but when I looked at the mannequin I got an idea, and thus the candy cane dress was created,".
"You mean Winona made the dress I wore in the play that year?" Pinkie asked surprised, "everyone complimented that costume!".
"Until this day it's still in my design book,". Rarity stated siping her sundae.
"Wow Winona sounds like a dog of many talents," Sunset said with a giggle.
"She is," Applejack said tears filling her eyes. The girls knew where her mind was going.
"Don't think like that Darling," Rarity said hugging her, "you gotta be strong for Winona,".
"Yeah, if she senses your worried, it'll worry her and she doesn't need that right now," Rainbow added.
"I know, " Applejack said wiping her eyes, "it's just scary,".
"We know, but she's gonna pull through this, "Sunset said, "I know it,". As if on cue Applejack's phone played a little tune. She wiped her eyes and looked.
"It's a text from Fluttershy," she announced.
"Check it," Rainbow told her. She looked to all the others who all nodded. She clicked on the text notification and the text message popped up and she read it.
"She says Winona is ok!," Applejack said as she jumped up and headed out. The others soon followed. She walked into the animal hospital and looked around. She spotted Fluttershy petting a bird.
"Fluttershy!" she called running up to her.
"Applejack, you're here," she said.
"Is she really ok?" Applejack asked as the other girls walked in.
"See for yourself," Fluttershy said as she opened the door behind her. Applejack walked in and Winona was laying on her tummy, her head resting on her paws. She saw that her left paw was wrapped up. Spike was sitting beside her.
"She just has a sprained paw," Twilight said.
"And she'll be a little sore, " A woman said as she walked in, "Hi I'm Dr. Easy Keeper and you must be Applejack," she shook Applejack's hand and blew a lock of blonde and pink hair from her face.
"So she can go home?" Applejack asked.
"Yes, I'll give you a prescription for pain meds for her," she scribbled down something on her clipboard then ripped the paper slip out and handed it to her, "give her one a day as needed and in a week or so she'll be good as new,".
"Thanks, Doc," Applejack said. Dr. Easy Keeper smiled and softly pat Winona's head.
"Take it, easy girl," Winona barked and licked the doctor's hand before she left. Applejack gently picked up Winona and the dog gave her cheek affectionate licks.
"So glad you're ok girl," Applejack said.
"We all are," Sunset said petting her and soon the others joined in.
A few days later the girls were standing behind a curtain with their pets. The music started and one by one they all walked the catwalk. Sunset walked out wearing a sunset inspired dress with a sun-shaped jewel in her hair and her pet leopard gecko Ray wearing a bandana with the same jewel sewn on it and he was perched on her shoulder. Then Fluttershy and Angel in their attire. Next out was Pinkie in a dress with balloon-shaped sequence sewed on it and gummy with a top hat with the same sequence sewed on it. Rainbow Dash went out next rocking a dark rainbow themed outfit and a rainbow pendant hanging from her neck. Tank rocked the same pendant on his shell.
Twilight picked up Spike and walked out next. Twilight was wearing a starry themed dress with jeweled wore a matching pair of glasses and a star-shaped jewel on his collar. Rarity found Opal and they both walked out. Rarity was wearing a pink rose colored dressed with little diamonds sewed on it at the bottom and Opal wore a matching bow on her head. As she walked back behind the curtain she smiled. "Now time for the last design," she said as she smiled at Applejack.
She walked out wearing a denim topped dress with a flowing light yellow bottom and wearing a pink cowgirl hat with a heart shaped apple jewel on the front. When she reached the end of the walkway she whistled and Winona jumped into her arms wearing the same hat. All the other girls came out with their pets and the crowd cheered as Photo Finish snapped photos.
