The Dimension Travelers X: The Pony Gambit

Dimension Travelers X: The Pony Gambit

Today, we get to see the start of the fallout from last chapter, which will set the stage for season 2 and Discord. Hold onto your hats, because if you blink, you're toast. So without further ado, I have to attempt to write for Pinkie Pie…*shudders*. Please forgive me if I don't do so well.

Pinkie Pie's POV

So I was tellin' Twilight about Rainbow Dash's latest super-duper awesome trick when I saw Rainbow Dash fly overhead, so I tried to tell her to look out for the mountain she was about to fly into, but that silly willy filly wouldn't listen and crashed into it anyway!

Later that day, I needed to find Rainbow Dash for help on a prank, but when I found her, she flew away. But I wasn't going to let her get away that easy. Eventually I got her to agree to help and so we managed to startle Spike into getting the hiccups with a teensy weensy little bit of thunder and lightning. It was hilarious! He then hiccup-sent all the scrolls he was carrying! Then while I was laughing, Rainbow Dash got me with the same trick!

That was the beginning of a beautiful pranking partnership. We got Rarity with some sneezing powder in flowers we left her! Twilight fell victim to the classic invisible ink gag! Sweet Apple Acres and all the apples in it got a visit from two budding young artists, until Applejack started trying to pelt us with the newly painted apples that is. Everything was going smoothly, but then we came to our attempt on David.

Rainbow Dash and I had our cream pies at the ready as we hit the doorbell and ducked behind some bushes for cover. He opened the door and I let the first pie fly! However, it didn't land where I hoped it would. David spotted the incoming pie and dodged it, but he didn't stop there. He then redirected the pie and it got me instead!

"Arg, they got me! Everything's goin' black…good-bye, Rainbow Dash. You were…the best pranking buddy…a pony ever…had," I then pretended to die

"NOOOO! PINKIE PIE! Don't worry Pinkie Pie, I will avenge you!" Rainbow Dash declared and then threw all our remaining pies at David…, which he stopped in mid-air using telekinesis. He then nailed Rainbow Dash with each and every one of them, covering her whole body in cream pie goodness.

"Let this be a lesson, grasshoppers. If you wish to challenge a master, you must first make proper preparations! What do you two say to seeing how a real master of the art of pranking goes about it?" Of course, we weren't going to turn down the chance to see what David had to offer, so we watched as he meticulously chose his target, Doctor Whooves, prepared the prank itself, and stood back to watch the prank unfold.

Step 1: Lure Doctor Whooves into a disserted alley (preferably a dead-end alley); this was accomplished with an apple tied to a string. Step 2: Have something to scare Doctor Whooves towards the other end of the alley when he tried to leave after the apple 'disappeared'. Finally, Step 3: Have a big tub of mud/water/whipped cream ready at the end of the alley, hidden by paper painted to look like the end of the alley. The result: Doctor Whooves plunging himself, unwittingly, into a tub of whipped cream.

After that display of pranking prowess, Rainbow Dash and I were eager to get back to our own pranks. Which were on each other! I got Rainbow Dash with the old black eye telescope gag and she got me back later with the water bucket on a door trap.

The next day, I was ready to continue our prank-crusades, but when I went to Rainbow Dash's house, I found she had company; a griffon named Gilda. Rainbow Dash told me they had been friends since flight camp and even did a little chant and routine. It gave me an idea for a prank, but they already had plans.

Later, I found them resting on a cloud, so I set up a trampoline.

"Pinkie Pie, you are so random!" Rainbow Dash said when my head popped up through the cloud. But then Gilda suggested they race up to a higher cloud. So I got a big bunch of balloons and followed them up there. But Gilda popped some of my balloons, so I got my flying machine. Gilda then got Rainbow Dash to do some tricks, but it was really just a distraction.

"Don't you know how to take 'get lost' for an answer? Dash doesn't need to hang with a dweeb like you now that I'm around. You're dorking up the skies, Stinky Pie. So make like a bee, and BUZZ OFF!" After that, Gilda grabbed my propeller and I crashed.

I decided to go to the library and talk to Twilight about it and found David there as well. I told them what had happened.

"So, Pinkie Pie, are you sure this friend of Rainbow Dash is really so mean?" Twilight asked

"Um, yeah! She keeps stealing Rainbow Dash away, she popped my balloons, and she told me to buzz off! I've never met a griffon this mean!" I cried, "Well, actually, I've never met another griffon before, but I bet if I had, she wouldn't be as mean and grumpy as Gilda!"

"I'm inclined to believe Pinkie Pie on this one. Pinkie makes friends with everyone. So if Pinkie Pie considers someone mean, then that translates to a regular person saying this Gilda is…well perhaps Mr. Ravenscroft put it best when he said 'your heart's a dead tomato splotch with moldy purple spots'," David remarked, "Or maybe 'your soul is an appalling dump heap, overflowing with the most disgraceful assortment of deplorable rubbish imaginable, mangled up in tangled up knots'."

"I don't know. Pinkie Pie, I think you might just be jealous," Twilight said

"Jealous?!" I shouted

"Green with envy, or in your case pink with envy," Spike quipped

"Well, yes, jealous. Listen Pinkie, I don't want to upset you, but just because Rainbow Dash has another friend doesn't make Gilda a grump. I mean, perhaps it's you, Pinkie, who needs to improve her attitude," Twilight told me and I was not happy with Twilight.

"I think this requires personal observation. I'll come with you Pinkie and see if we can't get to the bottom of this," David said while snapping a book he had shut. We left, but I started doubting that Gilda was mean and started thinking that I was just being judgmental. However, it was taken out of my hooves when Gilda was left alone when Rainbow Dash had to take care of some weather jobs and we watched as Gilda pulled a somewhat mean-spirited prank on Granny Smith, but then stole and apple! But I still wasn't ready to blow the whistle. It was only when Fluttershy accidentally bumped into Gilda and Gilda started being really mean to Fluttershy, even though she could have gotten out-of-the-way at any time! Then Gilda roared at Fluttershy and she flew away crying!

"I think it's safe to say that Gilda is a grade 'A' slime ball," David remarked

"Nopony gets away with treating Fluttershy like that! It's time for extreme measures: Pinkie Pie style!" I exclaimed and so we got to work setting up a party and I even got Rainbow Dash to set up all the pranks.

"Um, Pinkie Pie, about this party for Gilda," Fluttershy started as I was greeting guests, "Do you really think it's a good idea?"

"Don't worry your pretty little head about mean old Gilda. Your Auntie Pinkie Pie got it all taken care of!" I assured her

"I'm a year older than you," Fluttershy grumbled, but just then, the guest of 'honor' showed up. So I opened up with a joy buzzer hoofshake. Rainbow Dash found it just as amusing as I did.

"I know what you're up to," Gilda told me

"Great!" I said

"I know what you're planning," Gilda tried again

"Well I hope so; this wasn't supposed to be a surprise party!" I giggled

"I mean, I've got my eyes on you," Gilda said

"And 'eye' got my eyes on you!" I returned and then I introduced everypony to Gilda. Gilda then ended up the victim of Rainbow Dash's pranks of putting pepper in the vanilla lemon drops and lemonade served in a dribble cup! Rainbow Dash then lured Gilda into opening a container of popping snakes and Gilda was so startled that her feathers poofed out! Next on the prank list were trick candles! Rainbow Dash really knows how to use the golden classics! Gilda thought I was behind it, so she grabbed me and said

"I'm watching you like a hawk."

"Why? Can't you watch me like a griffin?" I asked and then came the game of pin the tail on the pony. Gilda thought I was leading her into another prank, so when I tried to point her in the right direction, she turned around, slipped on some icing, and wound up crashing into the kitchen while the tail was perched on her beak, looking like a moustache. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. Gilda roared.

"This is your idea of a good time?! I've never met a lamer bunch of dweebs in all my life! And Pinkie Pie…You! You are Queen Lame-o with your weak little party pranks! Did you really think you could make me lose my cool?! Well, Dash and I have ten times as much cool as the rest of you put together! Come on, Dash, we're bailing on this pathetic scene!" Gilda ranted, but Rainbow Dash wouldn't go with Gilda. Then she told Gilda that she was the one who set up all the pranks.

"So I guess I'm Queen Lame-o," Rainbow Dash remarked and then said that while the pranks weren't meant to all fall on Gilda, that's how it happened. Karma strikes again!

"But Pinkie Pie set up this whole party to trip me up!" Gilda protested

"I thought a good party would improve your attitude! I thought it might turn that frown upside down!" I told her and then she left, telling Rainbow Dash to call if she decided to stop being uncool. After that was all over with, Rainbow Dash and I joy buzzed each other and Twilight apologized for jumping to conclusions. With that, the party started back up again and the whole incident was soon forgotten about.

David's POV

After the party, I gathered up the six plus Spike. I had given a lot of thought to what I was going to do next, with the possible threat looming on the horizon. Once we were safely in my place, Rainbow Dash asked the question that was no doubt on all of their minds.

"So what's up? What's going on?" She asked

"Does this have to do with that 'Bad Wolf' thing?" Applejack asked

"Yes. This has a lot to do with Bad Wolf. I want you all to know what to expect and I need to know how you all wish to move forward. The first thing you need to know is that I'm dangerous. There are things out there that would do anything to see me suffer and die, not necessarily in that order. Other that lust after the power and knowledge I posses. They are above nothing. Because of this, I'm going to give you a choice: you can either continue as you are, completely unaware of what might be after you, but much safer because you don't know anything; or I can tell you everything and prepare you as best I can for anything. You don't have to answer right now, but the more time you take is less time we have to make the needed arrangements," I told them, "Twilight, you've already chosen, but you can take this opportunity to change your mind."

"Like I told you before, I want to know. Now that I know that, there are dangers out there that will want to hunt you down, I want to know even more and there are the other ponies in Ponyville and maybe even all of Equestria that could be put in danger. If I can help protect them, then I'm definitely in," Twilight answered

"I'm in! Beating up the bad guys and saving the day sounds right up my alley! And I'd rather know what might be coming after me and my friends," Rainbow Dash said to no one's surprise

"Sounds like y'all will need all the help you can get and if Sweet Apple Acres is in any danger, then I gotta do all I can to protect it," Applejack responded

"I wanna help all my friends and after that, we can have a big victory party!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed

"I can't, in good conscience, let all of you put yourselves in danger while I sit on the sideline. Besides, sooner or later you'll all need proper adventuring clothes and I'm the only pony around who could do that for you," Rarity remarked after a bit of thought

"I want to help, but I don't know if I could actually fight…" Fluttershy said

"You don't have to fight, every party needs a white mage," I responded, and got funny looks in return, "The one which takes care of healing and defense." That they understood

"That sounds perfect," Fluttershy responded

"So you all want to learn, despite the danger?" I checked

"I think I speak for everypony when I say that not knowing would be a lot worse," Twilight answered and all the others nodded in agreement.

"Alright then, I'll get the necessary stuff and we should start tomorrow. So go home and rest up, because tomorrow I'm going to push you to your limits to see what needs to be worked on," I warned and then showed them out.

Later that night, Luna showed up, right on time.

"Hello, David Thomas, from what I've heard, you've been quite busy," Luna greeted

"Busy? Where'd you hear that from?" I asked

"A few nights ago I had to endure my dear sister monologue about you and your 'utterly disrespectful ways'," Luna answered and I was amused

"Next time you see her, you should tell her that monologuing and/or going on tirades about me only encourages me to tick her off more," I commented

"Noted, but I assume you invited me over here to do more than talk about your gift for getting on my sister's nerves," Luna remarked

"Indeed, but the subject is related to what has your sister so peeved at me. But first, I'm going to give you the same choice I gave Twilight and the others. I'm an exceptionally dangerous individual to be around and it's only a matter of time before my enemies catch up again. They'd do anything to see me suffer or dead and to get as much power and/or information out of me as they can. If I tell you anything, that puts you in more danger, but if you know, I can teach you to defend yourself from those threats; or you can remain oblivious and infinitely safer," I told her

"You are teaching the Elements of Harmony to fight? My sister would wish for your head on a platter if she found out," Luna commented and gave herself time to think

"Why do you think I'm talking to you instead of her, besides our already strained relationship? Also, you seem to be the more 'take action' type of the two of you and action is something I can't afford not to take," I said

"If there is a danger to Equestria, then I wish to know how to protect against it to the best of my ability and to do that, I must know what it is that we are facing," Luna decided

"Good. We'll have to work around your duties as a princess and whatnot, but it shouldn't be too difficult. Once that is taken care of, we'll get started," I told her and we said our goodbyes and she left. I didn't know if this path we were about to take was the right one, but I had given them a choice and they had chosen this. Now we'll just have to deal with the consequences.

Well, David's wasting no time. He knows the beating of the war drums when he hears them and now we just have to find out who's beating them. Or rather, you guys have to. I already know. Being the author is awesome sometimes.