Pine Meets Fink and Brightbill

This image was done as a commission by the lovely MissEus. Thank you so much for drawing it for me!

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the DreamWorks Animation masterpiece The Wild Robot. In order to commemorate this milestone for one of my favorite animated movies of the 2020s, I've commissioned this wonderful piece of crossover art, featuring my pony OC interacting with two of the film's characters.

As previously established, Pine Thunderoak is a very adventurous pony, always looking for new lands to explore and new creatures to meet. One of the most interesting places he visited was a mysterious island located far outside of Equestria. According to his research, it was home to a wide variety of animals that had actually formed a unique community together. There was even a legend they were once saved by a robot who had washed up on the island. While the fact it was so far away from Equestria was a little intimidating, Pine found the story behind the location really intriguing, so he decided to fly there himself and see what it was like.

It was a long trip getting to the island, but Pine had plenty of directions and thus was able to find it without much hassle. Upon landing, the pegasus immediately started exploring, and was quite amazed at what he saw. The island was absolutely massive, containing forests, mountains, and rivers that were not only expansive, but very beautiful as well. He also encountered lots of different wildlife, including bears, squirrels, raccoons, skunks, possums, beavers, otters, deer, and many others. Of course, Pine has the ability to speak to animals (much like another animal-loving pegasus), so he was able to have some fun conversations with them. They told him all about the community they'd formed, saying that while predation was still a thing, many of the predator and prey animals got along pretty well with each other. In fact, there was a no-hunting zone on the island that contained a shelter where they could all spend time together. The animals also confirmed the legend about the robot saving them was true, and if the pegasus wanted to know the details, he should speak with the two creatures she was closest to: a fox named Fink and a goose named Brightbill.

Eager to learn more about the robot, Pine did some asking around, eventually tracking down Fink and Brightbill. Upon meeting the fox and goose, both of them expressed great curiosity about his species, especially Brightbill. While they were familiar with horses, they had never seen one with wings before, and the goose was excited about the prospect of having a new flight buddy. Pine proceeded to tell Fink and Brightbill about himself and where he came from, which the two of them found extremely interesting. He then asked them about their connection with the robot, and the creatures lit up with delight. They said the robot's name was Roz, and in addition to saving many of the animals on the island, she also helped form the community by convincing them to "become more than [they] were programmed to be." Fink in particular mentioned that Roz helped him become more caring and social, while Brightbill mentioned she taught him how to fly, and that if it weren't for her, he probably would've died at a young age. Pine was very touched by these stories, and asked where Roz currently was. The fox and goose explained she returned to where she came from, but promised to come back to the island one day, and that Brightbill often sees her during his annual migrations. With a gentle smile forming on his face after hearing the explanation, the pegasus offered to be friends with the two creatures and promised to visit them on a regular basis, which they were both quick to accept. Brightbill hopped up on Pine's back and gave him a big wing hug, while Fink leaned his head against the pegasus as he petted him with one of his hooves. All of them were being very affectionate towards each other, and they knew they'd soon develop a strong bond.

Since then, Pine makes sure to visit Fink and Brightbill whenever he can. The three friends always have the best time together, whether it be playing games, talking with one another, going on flights in the case of Pine and Brightbill, digging holes in the case of Pine and Fink, or even cuddling each other in the shelter. While the pegasus is aware he can't replace Roz as the fox and goose's closet companion, he can at least be the best friend possible to them when she's not around. Who knows, maybe one day Pine himself will meet that special robot.