Barnyard Buddies (tag: Harmonia)
Philotes wandered through the store, agog at all the various things that were contained within what was essentially a giant pole shed. When it said it was a “farm supply” store, she really hadn't expected more than some feed, maybe some fence poles or something. But this? This was awesome! It had clothing and boots and hats, it had pet supplies for everything from cats to dogs to hamsters, it had tools, it had automotive stuff, it had toys, it had hunting and camping supplies, it had dishware and baking sets, it had cleaning goods. It had all of that plus the sort of things one would need on a farm. Truthfully, Fleet Farm was one of the best places Friendship had ever discovered.
She already had a book on backyard goat raising in the cart, along with the sort of feed that the internet had told her would be best for him. She'd probably get something different, better, for him once she read the book but she had to start somewhere. Which is why she had already talked to somebody about fencing and something called a calf hutch, though she thought he needed his very own miniature barn. But the hutch would give him shelter for the moment. Lottie just wanted to give her new pet the very best of everything, especially since he'd sort of been a present from Vidar.
The goat still didn't have a name, though Lottie had a list. That she kept adding to. The problem was, other than ornery, he really hadn't shown much of a personality yet. So she couldn't tell if he was a George or a Fluffy or even maybe a Spike. Lottie was still collecting data on her new buddy. She knew he hated cars, most people, and rabbits. And he love Fritos, cucumbers, and the silly belled collar she'd bought for him.
At first, watching him prance and bounce around, Philotes had thought he didn't like the bell at all. After letting him have some time to get used to it and noting that he was still jumping about, she decided to take it back off him. She wasn't going to make him wear something he didn't like. But as soon as she removed it, he started following her around, bleating plaintively. It took a few minutes for the thought to occur to her that he wanted his collar back. And once Friendship had fastened it around his neck once again, off he bounced, bucking at the air and kicking up his feet. So she'd decided he must really like it, and left it on him. He'd taken to shaking his head just to make the clapper hit the sides of the bell. Silly goat.
After picking up a few toys she thought he'd like, and a t-shirt and a billed cap for herself, Lottie made her way to the font of the store. Somewhere along the way, she also picked up a large bag of star shaped chocolates. The cashier smiled and chatted in a way that Lottie found very endearing, and she made a note to come back to Wisconsin again to see if everybody in the area was just as friendly. Then she made her way outside where she had a truck waiting, and once she'd driven far enough she'd pull herself and her purchases home through Concept. But she needed to give the appearance of leaving in a “normal” fashion, so she wouldn't startle the mortals that were still shopping.
Once outside, however, those plans got completely derailed. Because there was a little girl there, with her father, and a box full of adorable. That apparently needed a new home. Philotes couldn't help the little squeal that escaped her lips. “Oh, how cute! Are you giving them away, or are they for sale?”
“Sale,” said the farmer bluntly. “Her older sister brought one home, didn't know it was pregnant, but now we have these little ones.”
“They're called Royal Dandies!” the little girl chimed in.
“We're just trying to cover the vet costs for the births,” her father explained. “Don't know if they're purebreds or not, since we don't know who the father was. So they're going for pretty cheap here. Have a look.”
And Lottie did. They were all so cute, it was hard not to pick them up and cuddle the stuffing out of them. But she knew if she did that, the whole box would be going home with her, and she was still getting the goat used to his new home. He probably wouldn't appreciate another critter in his space just yet. Maybe in a few months. Still, she couldn't bring herself to leave all of the adorable creatures homeless. Philotes wracked her brain as to how she could save at least one of them, and in a flash of brilliance, she found it.
She paid the farmer more than he'd been asking, and scooped up the cutest little miniature pot-bellied pig out of the box. Which was hard, because they were all so darling she could just die. But this one, the one she'd picked, was going to be absolutely perfect for her best friend. Harmonia just didn't know it yet. She would very soon, though.
It took a bit more effort to get everything and the little piglet into the Pony, because she really hadn't planned on bringing anything live home with her. But once she managed it, she drove away, turned down a quiet road and with a fair amount of concentration move everything with a burst of will. The gravel of her driveway on top of a Greek mountain crunched under her wheels, and the air was suddenly clearer, cooler, and much less humid. As soon as she brought the vehicle to a complete stop, there was a thunk against the back bumper.
“Hi, um, goat,” she called cheerfully, since she knew that was the source of the thud. It was why she began driving the 1982 NAMCO Pony-Citroën, rather than one of her newer, nicer vehicles. She really needed to name the goat, though. “Harmonia? You home? Come out here! See what I got!”