I need a team, a new ball, and some more sauce!

Dear Nick,

My sweetest daughter has brought to my attention, a special challenge that you brought up today with her. Now this is very interesting and surprising to say the least. That a Human from another world wants to take on the Storming Strikes in a challenge series. I shall pull some strings and have the match set up at your house. However since this shall be a a official Pony Bowlers Association challenge there is rule and regulations required before hoof. The PBA shall contact you later with the exact date and regulations that you MUST FOLLOW. I hope you can follow through and join us in this amazing event, many brands and VIP's will be there to watch. Diamond also told me about your skill and I personally want to see you bowl. If you're wondering about what the victor gets well I'll leave it like this: losing side must pay 10,000 bits. I hope you have a good day sir.

Sincerely Yours,

Filthy Rich

I throw the letter out the window and fall back onto my couch. I sigh in anger as Twilight sits next to me, trying to calm me down.

"Why do I run my mouth like this? I mean I challenge a little girl like that and completly forget she's froma rich family like that. My gosh I'm so stupid." I ask myself.

"Looks like you'll have to call it off, Nick." Twilight's voice breaks my thoughts, I look up to her with a smile.

"No, I refuse to be beaten by a little one like that! I'll tale the challenge. I know they won't be able to beat me," I look at my Deadly Aim again as I say this.

"But what if you lose? Where in Equestria are you gonna get those bits?"

"There is no, what if's. I'll win end of story."

"Please think for a moment, Nick. Filthy wants this to happen so he can make a ton of money off of you. And before you say it, no I will not give you the bits." Twilight crosses her front legs across her chest and pouts. I just shake my head.

"I would never ask a friend, especially one that is good as you, for money like that. Like I said, I shall try my best and win this thing. I've seen the completion here in Ponyville and not many carry that high of an average,"

"But his team's from Canterlot and they're one of the best in Equestria," she replies.

"Why would you know this? You kinda don't seem like the type who are into bowling as much as someone like me." I ask.

"I read the letter earlier and looked up the team. They haven't been beaten for a very long time,"

"I't doesn't matter how long they've won, anyone can be beaten on any given day." I sink further back into the couch as she shakes her head.

"Well anyway, how have you been enjoying your new job?" she asks.

"It's fine and all bu-" rapid knocking from the front door interrupts me, "-well, who could that be?" I ask. I walk to the door and open it to find a dripping wet Applejack before me.

"What are you covered in, Applejack?" I ask as the terrible smell hits my nose.

"Grease." She replies nervously. Twilight shoots her with a magical bolt and she's cleaned.

"What were you doing, Applejack?" Twilight asks her as she sits in my seat on the couch. I lean up against the wall as Applejack tells us what happened.

"I was trying to make fried pickles. I took some pickles, put 'em in the fryer and then the fryer started shooting them at me! I bucked the machine and the grease splashed all over me. So now I'm here to ask Nick if her can show me how to make some." she looks up to me with a shy smile and I nod to her.

"Lord, come by the alley tomorrow, I'm working snack bar so I'll show you," I reply.

"Ok, thank you. now what happened today with Apple Bloom and her gang?" she asks.

"Well how should I put it?" I begin telling Applejack everything from the confrontation to the letter and so fourth. her reaction was, interesting to say the least.

"Oh sweet Celestia, that's how many bits you could win?!" she screamed.

"When I win them I'll have no point to keep them so I'll donate them to someone or give them back to the team. I have a feeling I'll be sent home shortly."

"And what makes you so sure about that?" Twilight asks.

"You told Celestia. So she'll see me as a problem and will try to find the way home for me. And it's not that I'm sick of this world because I love it here, it's because I shouldn't be out of my dimension and stuff." as I finish Twilight yawns as does Applejack. so eventually we head off to sleep. I write everything down in the journal then fall under. When I awake, the sun is just peaking over the horizion so I gather my stuff and head to work.

I walk in to the very empty alley. My manger calls me in as I walk by so I go in.

"You want me ma'am?" I ask.

"Yes it's about this bet with Filthy and you. There are major stakes on the line here so I figured I'd help. Since we don't open for another hour, start up a lane and shoot as many games as you can then later tonight come back and shoot more. You'll need twenty one to have a official average in the PBA. I also got you the info on the team you're going up against, so you better read it!" she gives me the paper and I do as I'm told. In a hour I finish my thirteenth game.

"Man you can really hold your own up there, can't ya?" I turn around to see the pro shop owner Driller. He's seen me before but hasn't seen my full endurance when it comes to this many games. If you ever need a ball fixed up right he's the guy to do it, as I'm told. Which baffles me since no one needs finger holes in their bowling ball, why would he be called driller. I smile and wave to him.

"How are ya, Driller? I ask him.

"I'm fine but give your ball for a moment." I bring the ball to him and he takes it in his magic.

"Why do you wanna see it?"

"Because I want to get all of it's measurements. So if filthy pulls anything you'll have reliable back up." he starts taking notes on his note pad as a protractor measures my ball.

"How do you know about the bet, thought?"

"The alley's hosting the match, however I have no clue when. I'm going to take this into the shop and continue working with it. Come by after your shift to get it, alright?"

"Sure, and thank you for the help."

"No thank you for going up to them. Since they've been unbeatable for so long, not many teams come around much. So showing that you're not scared means a lot, kid." he walks away as I go to the snack bar and start up the grill and fryers. Working the bar isn't much, little food is needed, mostly people order drinks, which is nice for me since it's fast. So the day moves on with little customers and eventually I hear a very familiar southern voice calls to me.

"Hey partner, ya ready to cook?" I turn around and see Applejack pulling a crate full of pickles. I laugh some as she sets the crate in front of me.

"Well this is a pickle. Sorry I had to say it! But I'm not gonna do all of these. I'll do two but you'll do the rest, Applejack. So lets get started."

We started making the breading and so forth and after two hours we finished. I set them on the table in front of us and we start eating, half-way through I want something more.

"Applejack, did you know we could make a sauce to dip these in?" I ask her.

"But wouldn't that take away from the taste?"

"Here I'll make a sauce and you'll see." I go in the back and whip up my own spicy ranch sauce and put it in a small dipping cup. I set the cup in front of her and she dips a pickle in. She takes a bite of it then her eyes widen, dropping the rest of the pickle on her plate. I wave my hand in front of her face but she doesn't notice. She stares on and on, then she bursts from her chair and starts dipping more in and eating more of the poor pickles.

"OH MY CELESTIA THIS IS AMAZING!!!!" she yells in between bites. After the plates empty she grabs all of the pickles in the crate and throws them at the fryer. I grab her and hold her down, trying to calm her. As I tried that, I failed to notice Twilight and the others walk upto the counter. Safe to say they were stunned by what they saw.

"What did you do to, Applejack?" Rainbow dash asks.

"She had my spicy ranch sauce and now she's going crazy for it."

Twilight picks up Applejack with her magic and zaps her until she's calm. Once everyone is settle Twilight hands me a letter.

"These are the rules from the PBA," she replies.

I start reading them, and as I do, my fear become real.

"So he's trying to get one over me with these great." I take the paper and go into the pro shop, everyone follows as I call for Driller. He comes up front and greats us. I hand him the paper and he reads it.

"I knew, Rich would do this. Always a sly horse. Here I already made you a new one here. It's call Dead Shot, and it carries pins like no tomorrow. You'll enjoy it but I gotta ask, where's the team you need."

"Behind him!" Rainbow dash shouts.

I turn around to see her, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Twilight wearing matching bowling shirts.

"What?" I ask in surprise.

"Rarity, made these really cool shirts for us before we got here," Twilight Explained. "I gathered everypony up before we came here and told them about the team you needed for this. They volunteered to do this becuse we want to help a friend out."

"But this is unfair to you guys though. I really apreciate it but I don't want you guys to be put out in the spot light like this. Plus we don't have a team name!" I point out.

"We already have one!" Rainbow dash shouts.

"What?" I ask

"The Elements of Bowling!" they yell in unison. Driller claps for the name and as do I.

"Who came up with it?" I ask.

"The CMC. They felt bad for getting you into this mess darling, and they wanted to help. So Sweetie, talked to the others and they gave us a name. It's also on the back of your shirts as well."

"How do you know my size?"

"You needed other clothes before remember. That was a disaster too might I add." Rarity rolls her eyes at me and I shake my head.

"Alright since I got a team, we all need to get ranked in the book so we have official results. After my shift I'm allowed to use the lanes later to get my twenty-one games in and all of you need to as well. Are all sure you want to go through with this?": I ask them. They nod in response and the day continued. Once my shift ended they came back and we bowled. Nearly two in the morning until we where done. After that we all went home and went to sleep. I sat down however and wrote more in my journal.

Today I received the rules. Here is what I violated:

1.Ball weight can't surpass 15 lb. Mine's 16.
2. Cover-stock must not have been changed at anytime. Which it was
3.. Ball core must not have been altered in anyway after purchase of item. I replaced along time ago, so it snap better then before.

This was very upsetting and I got angrier as I continued to read. It stated I must have a team of others that have over twenty-one games bowled and have a official average. Well tonight we got it done and everypony is tired, I hope they practice a bit more tomorrow as it'll be our final day or today actually since it's 2 AM. It was scheduled tomorrow and I really see why many don't like Rich. He's very sneaky but that's how many people are from my world.

I'm still scared about not returning but in the long run I would be happy to stay here. These ponies are the greatest friends I've ever had and probably ever will have too. I will miss them, that's for sure. But would they even care for me? Would they even remember me? Probably not and I wouldn't blame 'em.

Applejack tasted my custom sauce today and she is now addicted to it. While we were bowling tonight I showed her how to make it and she's been eating them non-stop. But I must end this entry here, the letters shall remain in this book in the back.

I open the back of the journal and I notice the song lyrics written on the back. It was one of my favorite songs. It was by Atmosphere-Trying to find a Balance, the outro part of the song. I place the letters on it and shut the book. Then I lay across the couch as sleep takes over me.