Gate of Friendship

I tried to calm myself down by familiarizing myself with the new surroundings. I was in a hospital bed with two more beds to my right and three beds in front of me. When I looked to my left I saw the 6 looking at me with concerned looks.

"Trevor, are you okay?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine now,” I replied.

"What happened to ya? One second you're standin’ tall and next you're on the ground coughing up... What did Lyra call it?" Applejack asked.

"Blood?"

"Yeah, that's it."

"We all brought you here to see if nurse Redheart could help," Twilight said.

"At least they didn't cut me open... They didn't cut me open, did they?" I asked half-jokingly.

Twilight giggled.

"No, she just put you on this bed, ran a few medical scans, and healed the small things that were damaged with some healing spells.”

I sighed of relief.

“So how long till I'm out?” I asked.

“The nurse told us that as long as you be careful you should be fine. I took care of the bill already, so we can go whenever you’re ready.”

I swung my body to the right and put my feet on the floor.

“Let's get going then.”

Perhaps I should actually heed a doctor’s word this time, especially since I have no idea what happened.

I got up from the bed and followed the six outside after having to fill out some paperwork. The sun was starting to set and the streets were almost empty.

“How about we celebrate this with a game?” I asked.

“What kind of game?” Pinkie Pie asked excitedly.

“It's like hide-and-seek except with a bit of a twist.”

“What's the twist?” Twilight asked.

“Elimination. Basically if the seeker tags you, you're out.”

“Where would we play at?”

“The forest by your house is abandoned right?”

“Yeah?”

“We'll play there. All of us.”

Rarity and Fluttershy looked a bit uneasy when I said that.

“Couldn't we play somewhere that isn't so... messy?” Rarity asked.

“And scary,” Fluttershy added.

“Well if you'd rather prefer we'd play in town. Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, what do you think?” I asked.

“I'm okay with it if Applejack and Pinkie Pie are,” Twilight answered.

“As long as we can all play and have fun,” Pinkie Pie said with a big smile.

“I'm fine with it,” Applejack agreed.

“Alright, now that that is done. Who shall be the first tagger?” I asked.

“Not it,” Pinkie Pie quickly said.

The rest of the ponies said "not it" before I could comprehend what they exactly meant.

Oh well. Being the first tagger shouldn't be too bad.

“Alright, guess I'll be the first tagger. I'll close my eyes and count to twenty. Then I'm coming after the lot of you, alright?” I asked.

The six nodded their heads and I closed my eyes.

“One, two, three,” I began.

The sound of hooves running and wings flapping away were louder than me counting. Once I counted to twenty and opened my eyes I looked for the nearest rooftop, which happened to be the hospital's. I jumped up and flapped my wings to give me enough height to get on the rooftop and survey the area, but didn’t find any trace of the six, not even a trail to follow. They kept their buildings close enough to each other that I was able to walk from rooftop to rooftop, so I kept looking in the street, trying to find at least one of the six that couldn't find a good hiding spot or place to keep them out of sight. Before I knew it, five minutes passed until I finally found one of them. Applejack was hanging around one of the fruit stands, pretending to check out the food.

Nice try Applejack.

Carefully and quietly, I jumped down from the rooftop and walked up behind Applejack. Once I was close enough I put my hand on the back of her neck, making her jump a little by the sudden feeling.

“Gotcha,” I said.

She looked towards me.

“Consarn it. Was I the first one?” Applejack asked with a bit of frustration in her tone.

“Sad to say, but you were.”

Applejack sighed.

“Alright, where do I go now?”

“Hmm. Is it alright if we all meet at your barn?”

“Sure thing. We can have a little picnic after this.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

She ran towards her barn to prepare for the rest of us.

Now I just need to find the others.

I kept to the streets and walked around. The next one I saw was Pinkie Pie, hiding in a box with glasses, a big nose, and a mustache on it. I went over towards the box, picked it up, and saw Pinkie Pie.

Sorry Snake.

I poked her forehead.

But your mission has failed.

“The tagged are meeting back at Applejack's barn for a picnic,” I notified.

“A picnic!? I can't wait!” Pinkie Pie shouted while hopping up and down.

She hopped towards Applejack's farm.

Two down, four to go.

I surveyed the area once again in case one of the six was watching what had happened, but none of them were in sight. So, I traveled around the streets again, making sure to keep a low profile, and saw a small bit of red and yellow hair. It was Rainbow Dash looking at a Wonderbolts poster.

Your idols shall be your downfall, Rainbow Dash.

I kept walking until I was behind her. I crouched down and was about to get her. Though something seemed off. She knew we were playing this, and she wasn't one for being easily distracted. Plus she kept look to her left and right.

She knows I'm here, well played. Alright, three, two, one.

I jumped towards her but she just kept standing there. I tapped her on the back of the neck and she turned towards me. Once she saw it was me, she looked angry.

“I thought you knew where I was and you were gonna make me chase you,” I said with a bit of a disappointing tone.

“I didn't even see or hear you. So where do I go now?” Rainbow Dash asked in frustration.

“We're meeting at Applejack's barn for a picnic. Pinkie Pie and Applejack await you.”

“Alright. See ya there."

She flew off towards the barn.

Okay, now for the hardest ones. Twilight's will most likely be in a strategic hiding place while Fluttershy should be hiding wherever she can. And Rarity should be... I have no clue. This is gonna be a long game.

I sighed and continued to search. I searched from the rooftops and the streets even in alleyways for half an hour, but I could not find a single clue of their whereabouts. I started looking in more obvious places, like behind barrels, or under boxes like Pinkie Pie did. But I had nothing to go on, until something almost too simple came across my mind.

Where would Twilight be? Behind her house. It's technically in town, plus it's so obvious that it would get overlooked. Perfect.

I ran over towards Twilight's house. When I got there I grabbed one of the lower branches and kept climbing until I reached the near top. I worked my way over to the back and peeked out. I was half right. It wasn't Twilight there, but instead it was Fluttershy.

Hold on. If Fluttershy's here then where is Twilight?

Fluttershy looked around the area and came back to the same spot.

“It's clear,” She said in a whisper.

Twilight suddenly appeared right next to Fluttershy.

An invisibility spell!? You're a crafty one, you are.

“Good. If we keep this up we should be the last ones left,” Twilight concluded.

I don't think so.

I slowly descended down the tree quietly until I was at the end of branches. I jumped down and instantly Twilight and Fluttershy saw me, but it was too late for Twilight. I poked her on the top of her head with my right pointer and middle finger.

“Run Fluttershy! Run!” Twilight yelled.

Without hesitation, Fluttershy quickly ran towards town.

“Don't run Fluttershy, you'll just get tagged tired!” I shouted maniacally.

I ran towards Fluttershy, slowly catching up to her with each step. We made it to the town and kept avoiding ponies left and right, all while Fluttershy was apologizing for getting in the way.

“You can't get away forever Fluttershy. You'll have to accept your fate eventually," I said.

She just kept running, but suddenly cut off from the main path and took a different route.

Clever girl.

I jumped and used my wings to get on the rooftops and managed to re-find her, and kept an eye on her. I looked ahead of her path and saw that she was heading for Rarity's house.

Rarity could be hiding in there trying to pick an outfit for the game or something foolish like that.

The chase continued until Fluttershy ran into Rarity's home. I walked up to the door casually and knocked three times with the back of my hand. No response. I tried the doorknob and it seemed to be unlocked, so I walked in and saw Sweetie Belle, just standing there.

“Who are you?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I don't have time for introductions. Just tell me where your sister and her friend are and we won't have any problems,” I said while looking in different places close to the door.

“Stop!” She yelled with anger.

“Don't test me child. You won't like the result.”

“You take one more step and I'll scream!”

I stopped immediately.

We won't be needing that.

“Look, I believe this is a misunderstanding. I'm a friend of your sister, and we're playing a game right now.”

She looked at me as if I was lying.

“OK, I see how it is. Has she ever talked about me? About the shirt she made me? Anything?”

Sweetie Belle thought about it for a few seconds, but the answer was quick.

“No.”

Note to self: Get revenge on Rarity one day.

“Alright, so this seems bad. But you gotta trust me,” I said calmly.

But her face and vibe were very void of it.

Blast. Okay, verbal negotiations won't work. Tis a shame, I thought stuck-ups were fond of negotiations. Now it's time for their other means of talking. Blackmail... I don't have anything against her. This is what I get for having a permanent evil vibe. Guess I have to abuse that vibe then.

“I suggest you let me search around before I destroy you,” I threatened.

“I'll scream!” She threatened back.

“Go ahead, scream. Your sister can't un-destroy you.”

And scream she did. Her scream was as loud as chalk screeching across a blackboard, and way more painful. I got on my knees and covered my ears as they began to ring.

She's gotta run out of air sometime.

Unfortunately that wasn't the case. She just kept screaming and screaming until she was nearly blue.

“Alright. ALRIGHT! STOP!!!” I roared over her screams.

Sweetie Belle stopped her screaming. I got up and waited for my ears to stop ringing.

“Go ask your sister. Ask her if she knows someone named Trevor!”

“Don't you mean 'somepony'?” Sweetie Bell asked calmly.

“Just do it!” I shouted at her with an annoyed tone.

She left the room in search of her sister.

Curse it all. At least I'll finally get some progress done.

I soon started hearing Sweetie Belle and Rarity arguing about her screaming and how it was unladylike to scream at that volume or something foolish, while Fluttershy tried to keep both of them calm but kept failing at it. When Sweetie Belle came back she looked at me with spite.

“Well?” I asked.

“She said you come in,” Sweetie Bell replied.

That's what I thought.

Though I wouldn't have said that, knowing the tides would turn on me in an instant. I went into the room Sweetie Belle went in to, and saw it was Rarity's design room. There were mannequins with dresses on and different fabrics on the table, and also a wooden closet that was big enough to hold two ponies. I sighed.

And here I thought I would have a little fun hunting the two down.

I slowly crept up to the closet, making my footsteps as loud as I could to scare the two. When I got to the closet I knocked twice.

“Come on. I know you two are in there. Just accept your fate and be done with it.”

No response.

“Guess I was wrong,” I lied.

I started stepping my feet on the ground to imitate footsteps, making them more and more quiet over time. Then I just stopped and silently tip-toed over to the left side of the closet. There was silence for about 5 seconds until I heard the closet door open. I saw a white and a yellow hoof step out of the closet.

“That was a close one. Next time please pick a different place to hide, Fluttershy,” Rarity said.

“Sorry,” Fluttershy apologized.

I tried my best to hold in my snickering. Luckily it proved to work. As soon as I was able to control myself, I closed the closet door behind them. Once the two heard the noise they turned to me with fear in their eyes.

“Good morrow my little friends,” I said, finishing with an evil grin on my face.

Before they could run or scream I jumped towards them and tagged them both.

“Game over," I announced to myself.

“What happens now?” Fluttershy asked, still shaken by the whole ordeal.

“We're gonna meet up at Applejack's barn for a picnic. I'll even go with you two, since you were the last ones.”

The two agreed to this and we left for Applejack's. When we got there, the four and Granny Smith were on a picnic blanket and observing the food. There was apple pie, applesauce, apple fritters, apple muffins, and more. When the four saw us they waved, but when Granny Smith saw me she squinted her eyes.

She must just be having a hard time seeing us or something.

We took out spots with the group and sat down; Granny Smith took another look at me.

“You remind me of someone I knew when we first found Ponyville,” Granny Smith thought aloud.

“Do I now?” I asked, going along with whatever Granny Smith was up too.

She kept on looking at me.

“Big Mac! Bring me the photo album!”

Big Macintosh suddenly came out of the front door of the home with a medium sized book. Big Mac brought the book to Granny Smith and put it on her lap. She flipped through the photo album and stopped on two pages, moving her right hoof through the pictures and stopped on one near the end. It was her as a teenager with a man. The man was about 45 years old. He wore a white sleeve-less shirt, blue jeans, and brown work boots. He had on big, thick glasses, a dog tag, and had blue eyes and brown hair.

“Who's that Granny?” Applejack asked.

“He said his name was Vernon. He was one of the scouters who found the location for Ponyville. Said he was part of… what did he call it? Um.”

“The Navy?” I asked.

“That's it. The Navy. He wanted to get back and see his family again.”

I looked at his dog tag. It was hard to see the full thing but I was able to see a few things. Some letters in his name, and some numbers, most likely for his phone number.

So grandpa was here. I've heard of like father like son, but never like grandfather like son.

I looked at my dog tag. It had my name, phone number, and address. It was a gift from my father when he went to a gun show, but I've worn it in honor of my grandfather.

“Guess killing kories wasn't enough for him,” I joked in a whisper.

I felt a hint of sadness in my heart, but I couldn't help but smile.

“What is that?” Twilight asked, referring to my dog tag.

“It's something my grandfather gave me, before he... went away,” I lied.

That was my own story to the origin of my dog tag.

“Who was your grandfather?”

“The man in that photo.”

The six gasped.

Wasn't exactly the response I was expecting.

“So your grandfather was one of the founders of Ponyville!?” Twilight asked.

“Well, if what Granny says is right, than it appears he was.”

But that raises a few questions. Like, how did he get here in the first place?