HPNR

Chapter II: We Interrupt This Program

HPNR had been on the air for nearly two months now, the number of listeners increasing exponentially each day. While Twilight had more important things to do then listen to the radio, such as saving the town from a swarm of parasprites and helping wrap up winter, she always found time to listen to Stryker Z's latest hits.

Throughout winter, HPNR had kept up everypony's spirits with new classics that he deemed "fit for the Season". A personal favorite of Twilight's, "Let it snow" as if she recalled the name correctly, became one of the most popular songs on the winter playlist not long after its first play. Unfortunately, all things had to end and with the passing of winter came the end of "Let it snow". The ponies who happened to tune in to HPNR, however, found themselves surprised to hear their favorite winter song during Stryker Z's 9 'o'clock Power Block. It would occasionally play throughout the year, though when the temperature began to rise it faded into the background.

As the months passed, the station continued to grow and was soon broadcasting outside of Ponyville. Ponies from Canterlot to Manehatten were reported to have picked up the signal of HNPR and, just like in the small town, it quickly became the favorite station in the area. But as more and more listened to these broadcasts sent out by HNPR, more and more questions arose about the station itself. Where was it? Who was Stryker Z? Where did he get all the music he plays? Why hadn't the songs been heard before? And, most importantly, what did HNPR even stand for? Those wondering these questions would continue to do so, as they would remain unanswered for the rest of their lives.

For most, that is.

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Twilight went over her list for the third time, making sure she had everything she would need to bring to Applejack's house for the picnic planned. The orange earth pony who waiting in the doorway rolled her eyes as the student of Celestia verbally checked her list. "Last time, AJ, I swear. Now lets see... Saddlebags? Check. Basket? Check. Bread? Check. Tomatoes..."

As Applejack waited with wearing patience, she couldn't help but tune the purple unicorn out and listen to everything else that wasn't her voice. Her ears perked up at the sound of Stryker Z's voice which came from, what she assumed to be, a radio set on the second floor of the library.

"News time, my little ponies! As it would turn out, the mechanical issues with the crane at the construction sigh proved easy to fix after the forepony discovered that the equipment was just in need of new sprockets. Thank Celestia for mareacles! Am I right? On another note, I have found out that the students of Ponyville Elementary have plans to visit Canterlot as part of a field trip today! If any of you didn't mind the hassle, swing by the castle and say 'Hi' to Princess Celestia for me will ya? Anyways, that's all for now. Now back to the music."

Stryker's voice faded away into nothingness as a song began to play, though Twilight was still reading off her list and had been too busy to pay attention to what the radio disk jockey had said. If she had, the purple unicorn might've made a note to ask Cheerilee if that was true. Since that wasn't the case, Twilight continued to read her list until she was sure she had everything and then left her house, but not before waking up Applejack who had dozed off.

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"So anyways, Big Mac did the math and it seems this apple buckin’' season we'll have twice as many apples to sell! Ah have no idea how he worked that out with his fancy mathematics, but if its true then Ah'll be happiest mare north of Appleoosa!" The stetson-wearing earth pony said to her friend Twilight as they were nearing town square. Applejack figured they might as well go through town square to pick up a claim check for a new set of barrels for this season on their way to the farm.

The purple unicorn, unlike most ponies, actually found this very interesting. "That amazing! How did you get the apples to grow to twice as much, twice as fast? Twilight asked in awe, surprised at what the family of earth ponies could accomplish. Earth pony magic and its abilities would always remain elusive to the her.

"Ah know! I had no idea that this was even possible!" The farmer replied cheerfully.

"Anyway, I did some research into HPNR and found ou--" Twilight found herself interrupted by an angry voice, though it wasn't directed at her. She looked around and saw Mayor Mare yelling at a familiar mare with flowers as her cutie mark.

"What do you mean you're “not going today”?! I thought you had moved it today!" The silver-maned mare shouted, her expression one of shock. She sounded distressed, extremely so. Then again, running an entire town by yourself couldn't be easy.

"Where in Celestia's name did you hear that?! The trip has been scheduled for Wednesday all month! We couldn't afford to reschedule it!" Twilight knew from past conversations with the Cutie Mark Crusaders that the purple mare was Cheerilee who taught them at the local school. She also sounded distressed, which was rare given her normally level head.

"No no no! This is simply unacceptable! This throws off all my plans for the week! I had to move everything around to fit your field trip in for today! I can't move them back now!" The Mayor of

Ponyville stomped her hoof with each “No!” spoken to emphasis just how much she disliked it.

Twilight, seeing how this could only get worse, decided enough was enough and it was time to end this before somepony wound up hurt. With a sigh, Celestia’s student turned to her friend. "Sorry AJ, but it looks like I'll have to take a rain check for the picnic. You do mind, do you?”

The light-orange mare just shook her head with a small smile on her face. "Aw shucks sugarcube, it's ok. Ah know how much these friendship problems mean to ya. Ah’ll save the pie for tomorrow. See ya later!" With a wave of her hoof, Applejack turned away from Twilight and started to head home.

"Bye! See you tomorrow!” Twilight called to the farmare, before focusing at the task at hoof. “Now its time to figure out what’s the source of all this confusion.” With her mind made up, the purple unicorn made her way over to where the two mare. As she walked closer, she could make out the angry words being thrown around and the purple unicorn felt her confidence weaken. Nevertheless, she steeled herself and knew it was for the greater good. Taking a deep breath, she interrupted the argument with a simple question. "Hello everypony, what seems to be the problem?"

Cheerilee opened her mouth, but Mayor Mare was the first to speak. "Oh, hello Twilight! Wasn’t expecting to speak with you today. I was just discussing with Cheerilee about her plans to take her class to Canterlot! I had been told it was scheduled for today, but she says that she had it planned for Wednesday! Two days from now! I went through all that paperwork for nothing!”

"This is absurd! Where did you even get this information!?" The purple unicorn felt a feeling of uneasiness inside her as she could hear the accusation in the teacher’s tone.

"Are you suggesting that I did this on purpose! Now that is absurd! I spent hours on paperwork just so you and your class could go to Canterlot! And as to where I got this information, it was from none other than Stryker Z himself! I heard it during one of his broadcasts.” Both Mares looked at her with their brows furrowed as one thought ran through their minds at the same time: “Mayor Mare has time to listen to the Radio?”

Twilight was the first to realize they were just standing there like foals and resumed talking. "So let me get this straight: You, the Mayor, dedicated to change your plans because a stallion on the radio said that the trip would happen today instead of consulting Mrs. Cheerilee first?”

"Um yes well. This news has been so... accurate in the past and he always seems knowing what is happening where! Not to mention I was already tense with making schedule changes, so I just assumed..."

The student of Celestia let out a sigh at the Mayor’s assumption, though her face brightened up when a solution to the issue came to her in an instant. "It's alright Mayor Mare, we can fix this in no time flat! Cheerilee, we'll make sure your trip is scheduled for Wednesday."

Mayor Mare looked shocked if anything at Twilight’s statement. "But, the rescheduling! It'll take me--"

"Us about twenty minutes or so..." Twilight broke in, calming down the cream-colored mare substantially. "You'd really be willing to help me?"

"Of course!" Twilight said, breaking into a grin. "With the two of us at it, we'll get done in no time!"

"I guess you're right, but are you sure you don't have any plans? I’d hate for you to abandon something of yours just to help me out." Mayor Mare was beginning to calm down, realizing the entire town was not on the brink of disaster, yet.

"No, I'm free for the day, I'd be happy to help you!" Twilight replied quickly. "Cheerilee, we'll handle this, why don't you go tend to your class?"

"Oh! Of course! I had nearly forgotten about them! Thanks so much for everything Twilight!” Cheerilee took off in the general direction of the school so fast the unicorn could’ve swore she saw wings on her back. After a few moments of staring, the purple unicorn shook herself out of it. “Alright Mayor, lets get to rescheduling!”