Chapters Spike was having the roughest trip in his life.
Sure, he’s faced worse. Fought Nightmare Moon, fought off an Ursa Minor, climbed up a mountain to confront a sleeping dragon, hold back a Parasprite Invasion… Okay, maybe some of them were Twilight’s adventures but still, he still wasn’t having a walk in the park.
His job was simple; find some entertainment for tonight’s fashion show. No big deal. He has lots of connections in Canterlot, friends he’s made while living there. It must have been the request that Pinkie Pie, one of Twilight’s best friends, asked him to do there that was making this trip much more difficult than it should be: Ask another pony to come with him.
“And why exactly must I follow you two to a place like Ponyville out of all places?” asked the first pony, a grey mare with a beautiful dark mane and a pink bow tie.
“No one asked you to come!” snorted the second, this time a white unicorn pony with a mane with striking lightning blue shades and shining red eyes.
“I asked her to come” Spike replied from on top of the white mare’s back.
Vinyl Scratch and Octavia, two ponies who were better off begging for bits at the side of the streets rather than having to share the same room together. Sadly, that’s just the problem. When buying an apartment for herself, it turned out that Octavia had to share the same room with Vinyl Scratch. This was pretty much the beginning of their endless bickering.
“Still, Spike” Octavia said with an air of anger “You haven’t told me why you asked me to come!”
Spike sighed again. Pinkie Pie swear, of course. He was not to tell the classy pony of Pinkie Pie’s request, or else that Pinkie Pie would stop being his friend.
‘FOR-E-VER!’ Pinkie’s voice echoed through Spike’s head.
Since the start of the journey, the trip had been very… interesting for a lack of a better word. The two ponies argue at every single detail. From the Disk Jockey pony's hairstyle Octavia’s humming. There isn’t one thing these two will not argue about. Spike just thought it would be best to keep out of their fights, seeing as he was only close to Vinyl Scratch.
“So, why do you want me?” Vinyl asked Spike out of the blue “I mean, this is a fashion show. Not some rock concert!”
Her point will always be the same; that Octavia would better off play for the fashion show rather than her (it gives Vinyl a reason to escape walking to Ponyville with her anyway). Spike, on the other hand, was always ready with an answer. Everypony wanted something upbeat and happy for the show and Octavia’s music is better for a slow event, preferably a gala.
“You know, I do think that you know the answer to that question” Spike said matter-of-factly, smirking slightly at Vinyl’s exasperated tone.
“How did I even agree to follow you two, anyway?” Octavia snapped “I mean, I could be doing lots of other things. Practicing my cello playing for example. If I were to join the Orchestral Band, I really need to practice”
“Is that ALL you ever think about?” Vinyl sighed “Playing your dumb cello?! Live a little! Have some fun! The Orchestral Band could wait, right?”
“Listen here, DJ Pine Tree” Octavia started “You may be interested in things like going to arcades and watching action movies, but I for one think that it is rather uncouth to do such useless activities”
“Where were you raised, a rock farm?” Vinyl Scratch joked, earning a gleeful laugh from Spike
“Good one, Vinyl” he said between laughs “Really, the only pony I know that was raised on a rock farm was Pinkie Pie!”
The two looked back, quite surprised to find out that Octavia was not following them anymore. She had, instead, stood silently in place as if she was in some trance. Spike jumped off of Vinyl’s back and ran towards the grey mare, hoping that she was okay. When he had reached her, he raised his clawed hand and snapped two of his fingers, bringing Octavia back into reality.
“You okay there?” Spike asked worriedly “You were zoning out”
“Yes, yes. Nothing to worry about” Octavia replied although her face said otherwise.
“Come on, Tavi!” Vinyl said as she trotted up towards the two of her travelling companions “I didn’t mean it! I mean, what the heck is a rock farm anyway? Meh, I guess I’ll ask your friend Pinkie Pie later, eh, Spike”
The mention of the word ‘Pinkie Pie’ had caused Octavia to jump slightly
"Now I know something's wrong" Spike said, trying to act kind towards the classy mare "You've got a history with Pinkie?"
“Pinkie Pie...” the mare said quietly “you mean, Pinkamena Diane Pie?”
“Uh… yeah?” the unicorn pony replied, unsure of what was going on but still worried of Octavia’s sudden question
“Spike, you know Pinkamena, don’t you” Octavia asked again
“Well, everypony in Ponyville calls her Pinkie Pie, but yeah. I know her. In fact, she was the one who asked me to bring you-” Spike quickly covered his mouth after realising what he just said
“And you did not tell me this sooner, why?”
“You never asked?” Vinyl joked, hoping that it would break the tension that was building up "Still, askin' a baby dragon how he knew some mare is a rare question-"
“No, not that. You never told me that Pinkamena was the one who asked me to follow, why ?” Octavia said, her face mere inches away from Spike’s
“Pinkie Pie Swear, I promise!” Spike said, falling knee first onto the ground “PLEASE don’t tell her I told you! Or else, she’ll stop being my friend!” he screamed before quickly adding “FOR-E-VER!”
“Well, what are we waiting for, let’s go!” Octavia suddenly shouted
“Now this is what I’m talking about!” Vinyl said as she picked Spike up using magic and broke into a run, quickly overtaking the slower Octavia. It wasn't long before she had overtaken the cellist.
“Slow down, will you Scratch!” Octavia screamed, trying her best to keep up with the white unicorn
“No way, Tavi!” Vinyl screamed back “DJ PON-3’s gotta practise for tonight!”
Spike sighed again. This was going to be a long trip… At least it was getting more interesting, the better kind that is.
“So then, DJ Pine Tree” Octavia joked as she watched her set up her DJ equipments “How does it feel, to know that you’ll be playing for a fashion show of all things?”
“You know how it’s said” replied Vinyl Scratch, obviously annoyed by her companion’s antics “Why don’t you go hang out with Spike? I’m sure Pinkie’s gonna be with him”
The mention of her sister’s name made Octavia’s heart skip a beat. Since arriving, she had not searched for her sister at all, seeing as their tour guide had disappeared when they met a white unicorn with a beautiful, albeit frizzled, purple mane. Octavia instantly knew that the mare must have been Rarity, seeing as she was muttering something about tonight’s fashion show and was looking like she had not slept in days.
Octavia reluctantly left the disk jockey and walked around, trying to locate the baby dragon. It didn’t take long, due to the fact that he was a purple dragon amongst hundreds of multicoloured ponies and he was following Rarity around like a magnet. With a giggle, she trotted over to the two, thinking that it was best to introduce herself to Rarity first.
“Greetings, Rarity” Octavia started “It is an honour to see you, seeing as-“
“THOSE AREN’T MY DRESSES!”
Octavia blinked, quite surprised at what had just happened. The mare’s screaming had startled her so much her hair was standing on end. Shaking her head frantically, she looked at Spike who seemed to not notice her sudden outburst.
“Oh, I am ever so sorry for scaring you” Rarity said after taking in a few breaths “It’s just that... oh, this fashion show’s going to be a disaster!”
“Spike told me you were great at designing, what makes you think it’s going to be a disaster?” Octavia said, choosing her words kindly to prevent another outburst.
“Ugh, it’s a long story” Rarity proclaimed as she tried fruitlessly to fix her messed up hairdo “Now then, what did you say your name was, dearie?”
“Oh, sorry. I haven’t introduced myself yet” Octavia replied “My name is Octavia”
“Octavia, very nice name you have there” replied Rarity before turning around, trotting over towards a random direction “Sorry, but I must be off, good bye!”
Rarity then ran off, knocking over several stallions in the process and surprising everypony else. Octavia blinked for a moment before turning to Spike.
“Isn’t she wonderful” Spike said in a dreamy matter
“Yes, charming” Octavia noted “Tell me, why does she keep panicking over her designs so much? You said they were always extravagant”
“Yeah, they’re awesome! Eeh, maybe she’s just scared Hoity Toity won’t like ‘em”
The sounds of cheering caught Spike’s attention, meaning that the show was about to start. After promising to talk after the fashion show, Spike ran up the stage with a microphone in hand, ready to announce the show.
Octavia sighed and walked back towards Vinyl Scratch who was already playing a few beats with her turntable. If she was going to surprise her sister (which was probably not going to happen, given the fact that Pinkie was the one that might surprise her) it may be best to see her performance first.
“... Let's hear it for the breathtaking designs of Ponyville's own Rarity!” Spike’s voice echoed throughout the area as hundreds of ponies clopped.
“Scratch, please stop laughing” Octavia muttered
In truth, she was trying her best to hold back her laughter as well. The dresses that Spike’s friends had put on were... unique. It was absolutely not what anypony had expected to see. Still, Rarity’s the designer. Who was she to try and question her designs?
“Come on, let’s go see Spike and see how he’s handling since his girlfriend’s just made a fool out of herself!” Vinyl Scratch joked as she ran off to look for the baby purple dragon.
“In front of Hoity Toity...” Octavia muttered, remembering what Rarity had cried about several minutes ago “Wait for me, Vinyl!”
The two friends had found Spike standing still, staring dreamy eyed towards a crying Rarity behind the stage. Octavia gently tapped the baby dragon on his shoulder, gaining minimal results. She tried to talk to him kindly but still had no luck. In the end, Vinyl took Spike and shook him wildly, still laughing madly. That got Spike's attention.
“Dude, thanks for inviting me here, it was the best laugh I’ve had since, well, ever!” Vinyl laughed as she put the dragon down
“Oh, no problem. It’s always-“ Spike started talking before catching what the unicorn had said “Wait, laugh?”
“Yes, the dresses were hilarious” said Octavia, not even trying to hide her amusement anymore “Honestly, I don’t know how she even thought about becoming a fashionista!”
“What? But her dresses are usually amazing!” Spike retaliated. No one made fun of Rarity while he was around.
“Sorry to say this, but have you even SEEN these dresses?” Vinyl asked, wiping a tear from her eye from laughing too much.
Now that she mentioned it, Spike had not seen the designs. He had seen the earlier ones but those were turned down by Twilight and friends. Well, if it’s Rarity’s, it must be good... right? Slowly, he looked past the curtains and had quite a heart attack.
The dresses, they were terrible. He didn’t understand, Rarity usually had an eye for fashion, not these pieces of destruction.
“But... Rarity’s clothes always looked nice” Spike muttered silently “This looks like a... like a...”
“Like a piled-on mishmash of everything...” Octavia said
“...but a kitchen sink” Vinyl finished off, laughing hysterically at the quote.
“I’m gonna make things right, you guys just wait!”
And with that said, Spike ran off. Octavia and Vinyl Scratch shared a final laugh together as they trotted away from the area. Their laughter was echoed by many others who had also come to see the fashion show.As they walked, they saw several other ponies whispering about the show they had just been to. It was not every day that you get to see such a hilarious event. The two mare finally settled down on a bench after they had finally stopped laughing.
“So, where to, Tavi?” Vinyl asked “It’s too late to go back to our apartment in Canterlot”
“Perhaps my sister’s place would be a good idea” Octavia said as she yawned. It had been quite a day and it was best if she could just retire for the day.
“Where does she live anyway?” replied the unicorn, making Octavia look up in shock
“I... don’t know” Octavia said, she had lost contact with her sister after she had left her hometown
“Then come on! Let’s go ask around town!”
The two musicians walked into a confectionery that could easily be confused as a gingerbread house. By now, the two friends had walked all around Ponyville and the kind ponies all pointed towards the same direction: Sugarcube Corner. Octavia sighed, of course Pinkamena would live here. Why didn’t she think of that earlier?
“Oh, welcome!” greeted a tall stallion with a brilliant amber yellow coat and an orange mane. He was sporting a hat, apron and ever a large red and white bowtie “Sorry, you two but were closing for the day”
“We are not here to eat, dear sir” Octavia said kindly as she walked closer towards the counter “We came to see if a certain pink pony by the name of Pinkamena Pie were to be here at this moment”
“Beg your pardon?” questioned the stallion
“Ugh, we wanna see Pinkie Pie, is she home?” Vinyl retorted, sounding crankier and crankier by the minute. She always did if she had not eaten for a while
“Oh, Pinkie!” said the stallion at last “Sorry, she went out for a few minutes, care to leave a message?”
“When is she coming back?” Octavia asked, wishing that her sister would return home quickly so she would not have to pay for a motel room for the night. She barely had enough bits to buy food for herself, what more a room for two mares.
“I dunno, she usually-“
The yellow stallion was cut off by the sound of the door creaking open and the sound of bouncing hooves.
“Mr. Carrot Cake, I’m back!” said a happy-go-lucky pink mare who was bouncing around. “I need some help with-“
Pinkie Pie stopped dead in her tracks as she watched the two mares in front of her. With a gasp of excitement, she jumped over to Octavia and hugged her tightly.
“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! Octavia, I can’t believe you’re actually here! Wow, you’ve gotten bigger. What’cha doin’? Did you see the fashion show? Oh, I hope not. That wasn’t really a good show, was it? Oh, why didn’t you tell me you were coming over? I could’ve made up my room for the day and all but hey, you’re already here and I was all like (gasp) and you were all like-”
“Pinkamena, breathe” Octavia said quickly, covering her sister’s mouth with a hoof “I’m doing fine, I was just hoping that we could stay with you for a few nights”
“Well of course you can! Come on, follow me!” Pinkie grinned as she bounced up the staircase "Oh yeah, you could just call me Pinkie, everypony does!"
“Wow... how is she your sister again?” Vinyl Scratch joked quietly as she walked up the staircase.
“I don’t know; just accept the fact that we have a place to stay for the night, okay?” Octavia muttered as she followed the two upstairs, thanking Mr. Cake in the process.
“Are you sure about this?” Pinkie Pie asked the cyan unicorn in front of her
“Sure I’m sure!” Lyra replied, nodding her head for emphasis “Now you just go and have fun, okay?”
“Okie Dokie Lokie!” Pinkie Pie replied, bouncing away towards the front door of the confectionery
Lyra sighed again, looking at her surroundings. She started to wonder, just how she got herself caught in this situation.
“Hiya, Lyra!” Pinkie screamed, making the cyan unicorn fall down from the park bench “Wat’cha doin’?”
“Nothing, just waiting for Bon Bon” Lyra muttered as she rubbed her head “What do you want?”
“Oh, it’s just that I have to go out for the day and Mr. and Mrs. Cake are going to this cake convention too so nopony’s gonna be at Sugarcube Corner! I was just wondering if maybe you could take care of the shop for a while” Pinkie said with an excited expression, typical for her.
“What about Twilight, isn’t she your best friend or something?” Lyra asked, sitting back on the park bench in a very awkward manner.
Most ponies wonder just why she sat differently. It looked as if she was trying to copy a monkey at times. Lyra couldn’t answer them, she just liked it. Sometimes, she even had dreams of having these ‘hands’ instead of hooves, each with five fingers. Bon Bon just laughed at the dream when Lyra tried to tell her about it.
“She said she’s gonna go see Zecora, had something to do with tea” Pinkie Pie shrugged and bounced skyward, landing onto an invisible bench next to Lyra.
This was Pinkie Pie’s specialty. She could just appear out of thin air, take things out of some random dimension and sometimes talk to ‘things’ only she could see. The pink pony even stated that Lyra sat like a human, whatever that was. Ponies still commented on Lyra’s strange sitting behaviour more than Pinkie’s even stranger personality. That fact still confused Lyra to no end until this day.
“Fluttershy? Rarity?” Lyra continued on, hoping that she could escape the situation
“Fluttershy’s taking care of the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Rarity’s got these really important dresses to make, so they’re out of the picture. Applejack’s busy with Sweet Apple Acres, if you’re wondering”
“Rainbow-”Lyra was just about to say when she was cut off by Pinkie Pie once again
“She kept on saying something about me dragging her into the basement and turning her into a cupcake” Pinkie shrugged “Whatever gave her that idea”
Lyra sighed; hanging out with Bon Bon could wait. Of course, this is Sugarcube Corner they were talking about. Maybe she could get some free pastries for working there! That thought quickly made Lyra more optimistic
“Sure” the unicorn finally agreed “I mean, what’s the worst that could happen?”
“Ooh, I wouldn’t have said that if I were you~” Pinkie said, getting up from the imaginary bench and bounced away, singing to herself.
Lyra stared blankly at the party pony. What’s so bad about saying that? It couldn’t be curse or anything… right?
Lyra made a smug look as she stood up on two hooves, rubbing her front hooves together. This is gonna be easy! Plus, nopony’s come into the store; maybe it wouldn’t be that bad. All the pastries were here except for a few which the confectionery must have run out of.
“Lyra Heartstrings” the unicorn said to herself, her back against the wall of the store “You are one lucky pony”
The sudden ringing of the doorbell made Lyra jump a bit, making her fall face first onto the floor. She was not expecting any customers to come in yet. Getting up, she saw a grey coated pegasus pony with a yellow mane, golden eyes and seven bubbles for a Cutie Mark trot in. The mare might look perfectly normal, except for her eyes. Her eyes were crossed, or in other words, derped. That was how Ditzy Doo got her nickname in the first place.
“Derpy, what’s up?!” Lyra said joyfully, trying to get back up “Want something?”
“Miss Heartstrings?” the mailmare said although her eyes were looking at different locations “Where’s Pinkie?”
“Look, Derpy” Lyra sighed “Our ages aren’t that different! You don’t need to call me Miss Heartstrings”
“Umm kay” Ditzy said, her right eye looking at some cakes on the left shelf while her left eye was staring at the floor “So, where’s Pinkie?”
“She’s out, so I’m taking care of the shop!” Lyra said proudly, standing back up on two hooves and pumping her chest. After a while, she put a hoof on the counter “So, what do you want?”
“A muffin!” Ditzy said happily “Well, two actually. Dinky wanted one too”
“What about Sparkler?” Lyra asked, noting her of the elder daughter “Doesn’t she want one?”
“Nah, she says she’s full” Ditzy said kindly “So, where are they? I don’t see any muffins here”
“Wait, how did you-” Lyra started but finally gave up “Oh, never mind. I’ll go check out back. Maybe there’s some left”
The unicorn stood on all four hooves again and trotted off into the kitchen. She made a quick search through the entire area but found no muffins at all. With a grunt, she pulled everything out with her magic, making quite a loud mess. After a while, Ditzy’s head appeared through the doors
“Do you have a problem?” she asked “Need some help?”
“Nope, I’m perfectly fine!” Lyra lied as she opened a cabinet, making several pots and pans fall onto the floor “Oh, Celestia!”
“Looks like you’re out of muffins” Ditzy finally said after watching the mare ruin the kitchen “You know, I could go a day without-”
“NO!” Lyra yelled “You asked for some muffins, and I am going to make sure you GET those muffins!”
This was her first customer; she’s not going to mess up this order. After several fruitless minutes of searching, she gave up and took out several ingredients. If she couldn’t find any muffins, she’ll make them.
“Do you even know how to bake muffins?” Ditzy asked, worried at where this situation was heading
“Nope, but how hard could it be?” Lyra said proudly as she pondered for a bit “Now do you know how to make muffins?”
“Nuh uh, I only eat them” Ditzy replied casually
Lyra searched around the kitchen again until she finally found what she wanted, a cook book. Using her magic, she skimmed through the pages until she stopped at a certain page: Cupcakes.
“Hey, how about a cupcake instead?” Lyra asked desperately “There’s nothing in here about muffins”
“Okay, that sounds fun! Can I help you?”
“Sure, sure. Whatever”
Lyra looked at the instructions carefully but couldn’t make heads or tails of it. It seemed like the book was more of a riddle than a guide. In fact, the instructions for cupcakes read:
All you have to do is take a cup of flour, Add it to the mix. Now just take a little something sweet, not sour, A bit of salt, just a pinch.
Baking these treats is such a cinch, Add a teaspoon of vanilla, Add a little more, and you count to four And you never get your fill of…
Cupcakes, so sweet and tasty. Cupcakes, don't be too hasty. Cupcakes...cupcakes, cupcakes, CUPCAKES!
“What in the hay?!” Lyra screamed, throwing the book at Derpy “This doesn’t make any sense!”
“It’s the song that Pinkie Pie sings when she bakes cupcakes” Ditzy said, taking the book off of her face and set it on the floor
“Okay, easy” Lyra said, rubbing her shoulders in order to prepare to cook “You sing and I’ll cook”
“All you have to do is take a cup of flour, add it to the mix ” Ditzy Doo sang
Lyra scanned through the items. Flowers? Who knew you had to use flowers to make cupcakes? After a moment, she saw a bouquet of flowers on the window sill. With great joy, she picked up the flowers and threw them into the bowl.
“Done, next?” Lyra said, wiping sweat off of her head, who knew baking was hard work?
“Now just take a little something sweet, not sour, a bit of salt, just a pinch. ” continued Ditzy, reading off of the book
Sweet… candy is sweet! Lyra took a plate full of sweets and threw them into the bowl. After a moment, she took a few candy canes and threw those in too. Done, sweet not sour!
Now for some salt. Lyra picked up the salt and gently poured some into the mix. She was just about to congratulate herself on a job well done when a box full of cookies fell behind her, surprising her. In her shocked state, she accidentally dropped the entire cup of salt into the bowl. Oh well, maybe she’ll get extra marks for putting more salt?
“Well, that was simple!” Lyra said joyfully, although sweat started trickling down her face “Anything else?”
“Baking these treats is such a cinch, add a teaspoon of vanilla, ” Ditzy sang again
Lyra sighed again. Ice cream in a cupcake? Well, maybe that’s why they were creamy at the top… right? She looked into the freezer and picked up the vanilla ice cream, dropping the entire packet into the bowl. Well, this is a strange recipe.
“Add a little more, and you count to four, and you never get your fill of… ” Ditzy finished singing, throwing the book away as she did “I guess we cook it now!”
Lyra looked at the mix. If she wasn’t mistaken, baking involved the mix to look like batter, not a pile of random food inside a bowl. Maybe she should put them in a blender for a few minutes.
Without thinking, Lyra dropped the entire mix into a blender and turned it on. All the while, Ditzy Doo looked with a surprised expression. Surely Lyra knew what she was doing, right?
When the blending process was complete, Lyra put the batter into the oven and set it to 2 minutes at 150°C, thinking that it might be the perfect combination. The sudden ringing of the doorbell made the mare jump once again.
“I’ll get it. You take care of the cupcakes, Derpy” Lyra said, trotting back to the counter.
She was surprised to see Bon Bon in front of the counter, a wide smile on her face. Bon Bon was Lyra’s best friend ever since preschool. Wherever Lyra went, Bon Bon was sure to be close by. Their close friendship started sparking rumors about a relationship between the two which the two ponies shrugged off.
“Bon Bon! What brings you here?” Lyra piped up
“Well, everypony said that you were taking care of Sugarcube Corner for the day, so I thought-”
BOOM
A sudden explosion could be heard from the kitchen, surprising the two friends. Lyra ran back through the doors, followed closely behind by Bon Bon. What she saw did not amuse her.
The oven was on fire, typically. Ditzy Doo was close by, eyes crossed and face hidden behind her hooves. She was probably hiding from the explosion, a natural defensive reflex anypony would have done.
“Derpy!” Lyra screamed ‘I asked you to take care of the cupcakes!”
“Sorry, Lyra!” Ditzy Doo muttered as she shook her head “They just… BLEW UP!”
Bon Bon looked at the mess and identified several ingredients inside what was supposedly the batter. She took a lick but quickly pulled back as her face turned green. She barfed out some green puke and glared at Lyra, making the mare look taken aback.
“Cupcakes?” Bon Bon asked rather loudly “You call these cupcakes?!”
“Well, we followed what was in the instructions…” Lyra blushed, she was gonna be dead.
“Ugh, you do not put candy canes into cupcakes!” Bon Bon screamed “Here, let me make them, you two clean up”
“Why don’t you just make some muffins” Lyra blushed so hard her face started to look like a tomato “You know, since that’s what Derpy here wants anyway”
“Fine…” Bon Bon muttered, earning a joyful squeal from Ditzy Doo “Just… clean up. Better hurry up, I think I see the Cakes coming back!”
“Oh, come on Nurse-”
“No”
“Just hear-”
“For the last time, no”
Nurse Redheart sighed and rubbed her head with a hoof. Her day at the clinic was going smoothly, what with no patients coming in for the day. With all the random accidents and dangers happening around town, it was a wonder that Ponyville was even in one piece.
Yesterday, she had to deal with several ponies who had fallen off the peculiarly placed cliff in the middle of Ponyville. Honestly, what was Mayor Mare thinking when she instructed the construction ponies to leave the cliff there? More ponies have been injured there, it’s become one of the most dangerous spots in town! At least nopony’s died yet.
But soon after she had the happy thought of an off day, a certain cyan unicorn came in asking for a certain pair of… things called hands to replace her front hooves. Not to mention a device that helped her stand on her back hooves.
“Come on!” Lyra whined, kneeling before the mare in a begging position “You’re a nurse! Your job is to help ponies like me!”
“My job ” Nurse Redheart sighed “is to help injured ponies get back on their feet and get better. NOT to test out some wild experiment of yours”
“She’s right, you know” Bon Bon spoke up. She had followed Lyra into the clinic, knowing fully well that the mare’s crazy plan would surely be turned down.
With an exasperated groan, Lyra stomped out of the clinic. The mare paid no heed to her friend’s callings and trotted back to the park where she would normally be seen trying to sit like a bipedal creature.
“I’m really sorry for my friend’s behaviour” Bon Bon said, apologizing on Lyra’s behalf
“It’s okay” Nurse Redheart answered “Miss Heartstrings just needs some time to calm down. Just… don’t let her get any more strange ideas”
Bon Bon then trotted after her friend, muttering something about blaming a certain pink pony with a balloon shaped Cutie Mark. Nurse Redheart gave another hearty sigh and looked at the door, hoping that nopony else would come in. Her prayers, however, were declined as two pegasi trotted in.
The first looked fine, probably accompanying her friend to the clinic. The other, however, had to slowly hover in an upright position for her hooves were stuck in a way that made her look like a zombie.
Nurse Redheart looked at the second pegasi again with wide eyes filled with shock and surprise. Rainbow Dash, as it seemed, had her front hooves stuck in that position. She looked warily at the two mares, hoping to get a decent explanation.
“What did you…?” the nurse muttered, unable to finish her sentence
“It went a little like this…” the rainbow haired victim muttered
“And I know you’ll just LOVE them! And they’ll love you! And you’ll be best friends forever and ever~” Fluttershy said dreamily, carrying Rainbow Dash by her front legs and carrying Angel Bunny on her tail.
The two mares were on their way to Fluttershy’s house, hoping to get Rainbow Dash a pet of her own. The yellow mare was overjoyed, finally being able to help her dear friend in her field of expertise, knowing that she was too weak and helpless to help with anything else
Rainbow Dash, however, was staring at Fluttershy indifferently, wondering when she would let her go. Dash could reach the small cottage much faster, but she gave up after a few minutes due to Fluttershy’s unwillingness to let go.
“Uh… Fluttershy?” the speedy mare finally said after feeling her legs getting sore “I think I could get to your place by myself”
“Oh no!” Fluttershy gasped and held on stronger, making Dash wince a bit “I just cannot have you being tired when you choose your pet later! You just save your energy until a little later, okay?”
They then continued on their merry way. Or in Rainbow Dash’s case, painfully sore way, towards the beautiful cottage situated near the edge of the Everfree Forest. It wasn’t until much later that they had to take a small pit stop at the clinic due to… unforeseen circumstances.
Nurse Redheart only stared widely at the two as they finished their story. Honestly, a bone cramp for lifting her for too long? Well, there is a first time for everything. The kind mare then pointed off towards her left, giving the two directions to where they should go.
“The Doctor is in the third room on the right” the nurse mare said, still shocked at the Rainbow Dash’s condition.
Fluttershy bid her thanks as the she trotted away to The Doctor’s room, followed closely behind by a grumbling Rainbow Dash. Nurse Redheart gave another sigh as she watched the two disappear behind the walls. What else could possibly go wrong?
Sadly, things always had to go wrong. Especially if they were in Ponyville.
The door to the clinic opened, making the little doorbell ring quietly. Nurse Redheart, who was still getting over the surprise of the first patient, looked at the mare that had just entered.
“Um… Nurse?” said a grey mare with her eyes crossed
Nurse Redheart only stared at the mare with astonishment, wondering how anything else could surprise her even more than the frozen armed pegasus. Instead, here stood Ditzy Doo, the local mailmare with her mane and body on fire. The pale pink mare stood still, staring at the burning mare.
“I put myself on fire…” Ditzy said with a sigh “again”
“So, what are we gonna do next?” Scootaloo said excitedly, still unfazed by the event that had just occurred
“I know!” piped up Sweetie Belle “Cutie Mark Crusaders Potions Maters!”
Apple Bloom gave a knowing nod. She had just managed to conjure up some Heart’s Desire only yesterday. She knew that nothing else could go wrong! In fact, the potion had come off perfectly, other than the disastrous side effect of giving her Cutie Pox and nearly kill herself for being too good.
“Come on, gals!” Apple Bloom, unofficial leader of the infamous Cutie Mark Crusaders said proudly “Zecora’s place is thatta way!”
With a loud yell, the three dove into the Everfree Forest without hesitation and sprinted through the familiar paths. Obviously, these paths were well known to the three fillies, seeing as they spent more time here than all the other ponies in Ponyville combined.
The dangerous forest, known for its tendency to kill most of the ponies that had ventured deep into its bowels without any proper knowledge or protection, has become more or less a playground for the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Day in and day out, the three friends would enter the dense vegetation of the forest in search of their hidden talents, albeit knowing fully well that their professions would have nothing to do with the dangerous place in the first place.
That didn’t stop the fillies anyway, and they took the forest’s dangers as a kind of “Test of Perseverance” to see just how chicken they (mostly Scootaloo) were. Due to this fact, they had been quite accustomed to Zecora and were on speaking terms with the zebra.
The story of Zecora, however, would be for another tale, seeing as we are running astray from the original topic at hoof.
As we have left off earlier, the three crusaders barged straight up into Zecora’s forest hut and knocked excitedly, eagerly awaiting their possible future abilities. Their patience, which was usually as small as their chances of getting their cutie marks by testing out dangerous feats, was soon rewarded as the kind zebra opened up the door with a smile.
“Aah, sweet Cutie Mark Crusaders! I should have known you wouldn’t waver” Zecora said in her rhyming, sing-song tone “What can I do for you? Or do you want a Heart’s Desire or two?”
Apple Bloom shivered at the mention of the flower that had caused the entire town of Ponyville in great distress. However, she soon fixed her composure when she saw her friends almost break into fits of giggles seeing her so weak all of a sudden.
“Well, ah was just wonderin’ if you could help us get our cutie marks in potion makin’” Apple Bloom said with a small blush, hoping that Zecora would forgive her for the previous events
“Are you sure about that, my dear?” Zecora questioned back “A mistake in potion making is all that I fear”
“Come on!” Sweetie Belle said, making her best pouting Rarity impression “Apple Bloom could do it the first time, so why couldn’t we try it again?”
“Tell me, cute Sweetie Belle” Zecora said “How many potions masters are known so well?”
“I know! I know!” This time it was Scootaloo’s turn to speak up “I’ve read about a guy named Stallinus Snape in this book called Harry Colter before!”
She received confused and shocked glances back from her friends and Zecora, making her a little frustrated. What, a filly couldn’t read without getting strange looks from everypony else? She looked at her friends and roughly asked what was wrong.
“Nothing, it’s just…” Sweetie Belle started to say “You don’t seem like the reading type”
“The pony you speak of is only in fantasy, not somepony that you could see” Zecora finally said with a laugh, hoping to break the tension that was forming “But still you have given me an example, maybe you could help me make a sample”
The three girls cheered loudly once more, finally able to try and see if their special talents might be potion making despite it being a long shot from their true talents. With much unneeded haste, they ran into the hut and skidded to a halt right in front of Zecora’s boiling pot, raising some dust from the ground.
The fillies gave a small cough but shrugged it off. It was rare to find help in their mischief, especially after they tried to become Cutie Mark Crusaders Lion Tamers. To this day, nopony knew where they had managed to get the lions and Ditzy Doo had never made another delivery to and from the Canterlot Zoo anymore, especially if the box was trashing around.
“So, what could we do?” Sweetie Belle asked as she jumped up to see the cauldron better “A potion for fixing broken teeth? Making your mane grow? Sprouting an extra leg?”
The mention of her third wanted potion made both of her friends look at Sweetie Belle warily. Sure, maybe the extra hoof would work whenever she had sewn a dress that had five leggings, but other than that it would bring more harm than good.
“What?” Sweetie Belle asked, always slow on the intake.
The other fillies only sighed once more and looked at Zecora, who was setting up some ingredients for them to use. It didn’t look like much, more like flowers and herbs rather than mysterious liquids which were mostly described in books and stories. When she had finished, the zebra turned to see the three overexcited fillies.
“I’m surprised to see you waiting so eagerly, But you must remember to handle the potions gently” Zecora reminded them as she prepared some smaller pots in front of the crusaders “You shall try in small quantities, you see. This way it would not be as bad as it may be”
Disregarding the insult that was hidden inside that sentence, the Cutie Mark Crusaders quickly trotted over to the table and picked up the ingredients, hauling them back towards their respective pots. After trying their best to fill their pots with boiling water which resulted in Apple Bloom requiring a new one, they started on their work.
They then looked at the ingredients sprawled in front of them, all labeled according to what they were. Most of these herbs looked very foreign to them, with names such as lacewing, knotgrass, fluxweed, and many more. Despite not knowing what any of them were used for, they set off to work.
Apple Bloom was the first to brew her potion. She inserted numerous amounts of something known only as a Bezoar and a hoofful of another ingredient known only as wolfsbane. She didn’t dare ask what these were, seeing as they had some strange names. Although, she did think that the stranger the name, the better the potion.
Sweetie Belle tried a different approach. Instead of adding a lot of one ingredient, she took her time to add small bits and pieces of all the ingredients. Her daring act made Zecora wince; some of these ingredients weren’t meant to be put together. Of course, she knew that trial and error was the best way to learn. However, failing drastically on this task might be the last time they would ever be allowed to enter their hut for a while.
Scootaloo, of course, tried the extreme approach. She had taken two ingredients; namely the powdered root of asphodel and a ton of wormwood. She didn’t care what these were, only the fact that they looked cool. Zecora looked at her expectantly, seeing as she was actually making a real potion. That is, until she added some lacewing and fluxweed in it, Zecora shuddered when she did so.
And so they continued on, adding ingredients and stirring their boiling pots. After an hour or so, they stopped and looked at their results gleefully. They had done it, three wonderful potions that didn’t explode upon contact! Or so they thought.
“Zecora, wanna try some of ours?” Apple Bloom asked, her eyes twinkling in hopes that the zebra would do it.
“These liquids are really good… I think” the zebra started to say as she backed off “But maybe the it should be for others to drink”
“Yeah, that’s a great idea!” Apple Bloom continued as she motioned for the other Cutie Mark Crusader to follow her “Come on, this is gonna be awesome!”
Zecora looked at the three fillies run back towards Ponyville with a depressed expression. Honestly, those three were going to be the death of her. Still, she must always look at the positive sight of life. Maybe this could amount to something good?
The three fillies had split up when they entered the colourful town. Strangely, the sight of those three made most ponies quiver. Perhaps it was the terrible misfortunes they always brought, maybe it was the strange vial in their mouths? Nonetheless, the three fillies were oblivious to their surroundings.
Apple Bloom trotted up towards a familiar sight, Ditzy Doo. The kind grey mare was always helpful, and had helped them in most occasions. Surely this simple task wouldn’t be met with a ‘no’.
“Hey, Derpy!” Apple Bloom cried out, making the local mail mare jump
Her face had the usual wall eyes expression, making her seem as if she was looking at two places at once. However, this time she looked rather fearful at the sight of the young filly and decided to fly away.
“Derpy, wait up!” Apple Bloom called back, hoping to catch up to the Pegasus
“No! No more deliveries!” Ditzy Doo screamed before diving towards the ground, hiding inside a bush
“Ah ain’t got nothin’ for ya to deliver today!” Apple Bloom said as she trotted up towards the bush.
Ditzy Doo had other plans in mind, however, as she zipped past the filly in a speed that would make Rainbow Dash proud. She stopped behind another mare, a yellow mare with a bright orange mane. Her cutie mark was a bunch of carrots. It was Ditzy’s best friend, Carrot Top.
“What’s wrong, Derpy?” asked Carrot Top, usually the mother-like mare to most ponies “What’s got you all jumpy all of a sudden?”
Ditzy pointed towards a location, showing an excited Apple Bloom trotting towards them holding the vial. The scene made Carrot Top chuckle, wondering what the Cutie Mark Crusader could have done to make her best friend so scared. She just stood there as Apple Bloom finally stopped, putting the vial in front of the mare.
“Excuse me, Carrot Top?” Apple Bloom said nervously “Mind if ya taste this stuff ah made?”
“Sure, Apple Bloom” replied Carrot Top “What’s the worst that could happen anyway?”
The mare took a big gulp of the mysterious potion, noticing the strange taste in her mouth. It was terrible, as if she was force fed a bunch of live slugs. Worse, it was moving. Covering her mouth desperately, Carrot Top barfed. What made her shocked wasn’t the fact that she had barfed out, it was the very fact that live, wriggling slugs were squirming where she had just puked.
Carrot Top felt another upchuck coming, so she just let it all out. Again, more slugs dropped out of her mouth in a sickening stream. Ditzy Doo quickly held her friend, patting her back in fear of more slugs coming out.
It didn’t stop there. Soon enough, the grass surrounding the three ponies were covered in slugs. When the mares tried to look at Apple Bloom for a solution to their predicament, she had disappeared. Ditzy Doo then did the most logical thing to do: bring her to Nurse Redheart. All the while, more slugs were dropping out of Carrot Top’s mouth.
“Hey, Pip!” yelled out Scootaloo, calling out to one of her friends from school
“Evening, Scootaloo” replied little Pipsqueak with his accent “What’s up?”
Scootaloo, who was riding her scooter, quickly stopped abruptly in front of the colt. His white and brown coat was already dusty from all the dirt that the scooter had kicked up. Nevertheless, he didn’t mind. What was life without a little dirt?
“I need you to drink this up” Scootaloo said hastily, forcing the vial she had brought along into Pipsqueak’s hooves
Pipsqueak looked at the small bottle indifferently, unsure of what to do. Eventhough he had just moved here a few months ago, he was already close friends with the three Cutie Mark Crusaders. Sadly, he’s also heard of their dangerous stunts and acts. This thought made Pipsqueak hesitate.
“You sure about this?” Pipsqueak asked, holding the vial closer to his eyes for a better view
“Sure I’m sure!” squealed Scootaloo as she took the vial back and opened it up “Drink up!”
Scootaloo force fed the vial into Pipsqueak’s mouth, ignoring his screams of horror. When the vial was finished, she threw it away and looked at the colt again, hoping for some changes to occur. However, she gave up when nothing happened.
“Do you feel anything?” she asked, bored of waiting for something to happen
“Where have you been all my life…” Pipsqueak said in a monotonous voice, making Scootaloo look back in surprise
His pupils slowly changed, transforming into big pink hearts. In fear, Scootaloo charged back towards her scooter and zipped off, not realising that Pipsqueak was following her from behind. She took a few detours and dangerous turns, finally stopping after a good ten minutes.
“Hope I lost him…” Scootaloo sighed, scooting away
“Scootaloo, come back!” Pipsqueak’s lovestruck voice yelled out from a distance, making Scootaloo rush away into the Everfree Forest
“So you want me to drink this?” Twilight asked a pouting Sweetie Belle
“Yeah, nopony else wants to…” said the unicorn filly with a sigh “I mean, Zecora helped me make it! I think…”
Twilight Sparkle looked at the vial, wondering what could possibly be inside. Sadly, she did not know. The contents were completely alien to her and she hasn’t read about such a strange looking potion in any books. Still, who wouldn’t fall for that pouting face?
“Okay…” Twilight finally said, lifting the bottle up with magic and popping it open “But just this once”
Sweetie Belle’s face lit up with excitement, finally able to see what her self made potion was capable of. Slowly, Twilight took a few sips of the potion and put it back on the ground, smacking her lips.
There was a strange spicy feeling in her mouth, as if it tasted familiar. Then she remembered a strange memory: The one where Pinkie Pie put hot sauce in her punch during her first time in Ponyville. Slowly, but surely, her face started to turn bright red and her mane started smoking.
With a huge gasp, Twilight jumped into the air. Her mane was ablaze and her body was pale white, indicating the heat in her body. She then zoomed away, trying to find the nearest body of water that could satisfy the burning sensation.
“I didn’t know you were a Rapidash” muttered Sweetie Belle as she trotted back into the Everfree Forest, wondering what was the outcome of her friends’ potions and what just happened before her eyes.
Sweetie Belle’s journey wasn’t a long one, as she quickly found Scootaloo and Apple Bloom stuck together at the base of a tree. Somehow, they were both covered in tree sap. The unicorn still wondered how they ended up in sticky situations, literally.
“How’d your potions go?” Sweetie Belle asked, pulling her friends apart
“Carrot Top’s still burpin’ them slugs…” Apple Bloom muttered
“We’ve gotta go, now!” Scootaloo screamed as she pushed her friends as quickly as possible “Before Pip finds me!”
“Why Pip?” Sweetie Belle asked again, trying to push back
“Don’t ask!” screamed the orange pegasus as they stopped in front of Zecora’s hut
The three of them pushed the door open uninvited, knowing that Zecora would let them in no matter what. Luckily, they found the zebra meditating on the floor, lost in he thought. Her concentration was cut, however, when Scootaloo pushed her to the ground rather roughly.
“It looks like you three are back, how did the ponies react to your little snack?” Zecora said with a fake smile, knowing fully well that it must have been a disaster
“Terrible!” Apple Bloom screamed and added “Can’t ya help us fix it?!”
Zecora shook her head, making the three fillies groan in desperation. This was it, they had probably ruined the lives of their friends. Maybe they wouldn’t even forgive them. Sadly, Scootaloo wondered how she was ever going to go back to school with Pipsqueak.
“Do not fret for they don’t need a treatment, your potions are not permanent” Zecora said with a smile “I’ve seen what your elixirs have become, they will wear off when the time has come”
“So Pipsqueak wouldn’t be madly in love with me anymore?!” Scootaloo said happily, earning surprised looks from her friends “Don’t. ASK!”
“We’re not, okay!” Sweetie Belle finally said before a thought came to mind “Say Zecora, what colour is Scootaloo?”
“Little Sweetie Belle, her coat is orange” Zecora said before realising something.
What word rhymes with orange?
The zebra turned to see the three fillies had, once again, disappeared from view. She tried to say something, but no voice came out of her mouth. Nothing would, until she could find a word that rhymes with the infamous orange. She cursed silently, hoping the three would come back and help her.
Obviously, they won’t be coming back for a while.
Octavia scanned the invitation she had been given thoroughly, hoping this wasn’t one of Vinyl Scratch’s many attempts at failed comedy. After several minutes of flipping through the card, she had finally given up and confirmed it as authentic. Honestly, the classy grey mare didn’t think she would ever be invited back to the Royal Canterlot Castle ever again ever since the fiasco with her sister and her friends last year during the Grand Galloping Gala.
Apparently, Octavia was found guilty for allowing Pinkie’s request to play the Pony Pokey to be played. Needless to say, she had to do many things for quite a while before the snooty upper-class ponies of Canterlot would even decide to consider her existence. It was surely an experience she would not forget any time soon.
‘Give it a rest, Tavi! ’ Vinyl’s voice echoed through Octavia’s brain ‘It’s just a dumb old Garden Party, nothing cool’s gonna happen ’
Of course, this was coming from the same pony that said the Grand Galloping Gala was boring. Then again, maybe Octavia should start listening to her dear friend. After all, she was right about the Gala ending in a disaster...
Multiple times.
Quickly throwing the thought out of her mind, Octavia trotted up towards the castle gates and went to the back garden, where some of the snootiest ponies one could ever know were “enjoying” the party. The grey mare gave a sigh; she missed Pinkie’s crazy and happy-go-lucky parties. Sure, it was a pain to clean up afterwards, but it was totally worth it.
As if an imaginary rope was pulling her, the mare looked inside the castle where a familiar pink pony was running around pushing a blue cannon. Every once in a while, she would hit the top and party ornaments would burst out, covering an area of the interior castle. The classy mare gave a chuckle and trotted away.
Maybe this won’t be so bad after all.
She weaved through the endless amount of posh ponies until she found a familiar face, Harpo Nadermane. The kind purple stallion, usually found near the dining table, was busy stuffing his mouth with various foodstuffs from the table without a care in the world. He ruffled up his blue mane once and continued to eat, eyeing his harp to make sure it was still there.
“Good evening, Harpo” Octavia said with a smile as she trotted up to the stallion “Ready for tonight’s show?”
“Evenin’” replied Harpo casually “Probably, but I don’t really see Brass and Frederic. Didn’t they get the memo?” he then continued with his eating, earning disgusted stares from the other ponies.
This was something Octavia liked about the stallion, his personality and attitude. Despite being born in quite a rich and wealthy family, raised in one of the most prestigious schools in Canterlot and treated like royalty throughout his childhood, Harpo just didn’t give a damn about it all. Sometimes Frederic chided that he was adopted from Ponyville, but Harpo just laughed along. To him, he was happy just the way he is. Money isn’t everything, right?
Octavia nodded and scanned the crowds, hoping to find the other two members of her quartet soon. Frederic Horseshoepin, who would scoff at tardiness and Beauty Brass, who was usually being dragged around by the stallion were indeed nowhere to be seen. Panic started to engulf Octavia, their show was about to start and they were two members short, could this probably get any worse?!
“Bowties” Harpo said as he swallowed his food, pointing towards two ponies in the crowd.
Yes, this was usually the way the Orchestral Band would identify each other. Nopony else in their right mind would wear nothing but a bowtie to a fancy formal party, that’s why the band thought it was the perfect get up. All of this was Brass’ idea, considering the fact that she was usually the one calling the shots.
“Strange, don’t you think?” Octavia muttered to her band mate quietly “Never seen them before”
“Replacements probably” Harpo said with a sigh as he stood up proudly and walked over to the stage “Better tell ‘em to get ready, we’re gonna play soon”
Octavia gave an audible sigh as she watched her friend disappear into the crowd, only to appear onstage. It was a wonder how he was able to switch from casual pony to formal in the blink of an eye. Then again, he was a rather unique stallion.
‘Well, maybe introducing myself wouldn’t be so bad ’ thought Octavia as she trotted over to the two ponies.
One was a mare, no older than she was. Octavia rubbed her eyes in confusion, thinking that she was seeing a mirror reflection of herself. The mare looked exactly like her, right down to the mane and even the tail. Thankfully she had a different colour scheme and cutie mark, or else people might confuse the two ponies. Not to mention her mane was curly while Octavia’s was straight and rather smooth.
The second was a stallion, who seemed to be very intimidated by his company, stood a little bit further than what one would normally call the “comfort zone”. He had a brown coat and an even darker brown mane and tail. By the looks of it, the two were having an argument. And by argument, I mean that the mare was yelling to her companion while the stallion cowered helplessly.
“Alright, we got rid of those two so now we only need to take care of the harpist and cellist” the yellow mare said with a rather violent tone, though her voice sounded sweet and harmonious to the ears
“B- but, they d-do seem pretty... n-nice” the stallion replied all the while stuttering as he talked, he must have had quite a phobia for the pony he was conversing with.
Octavia stopped dead in her tracks. Gotten rid of those two? Take care of the harpist and cellist? What were these two talking about? Octavia slowly sneaked up on them, hoping to eavesdrop on their conversation. She was pretty god in stealth, seeing as she managed to get out of the apartment everyday without fail from Vinyl Scratch every single day without fail. Strangely, the disk jockey would always find her by midday, despite only waking up about ten minutes earlier.
“NICE!” the yellow mare screamed in frustration “Nopony’s ever gotten anywhere by being nice! Listen here, you worthless foal. You might be all sunshine and rainbows about being some dumb old two bit fiddle player, but I’ve trained too hard to get to the goddamn top! You can get your sorry flank off the garden before I make sure I take it out myself! Understood, Concerto?!”
“B-b- behind you...” the Concerto stuttered, his pupils dilating
“Speak up, will you?!” replied the yellow mare, pointing a hoof to the stallion in a violent gesture
“Behind you, Symphony” he squeaked
The mare named Symphony had only just registered what she had been told before turning around, putting on her best smile as she glanced at who was behind her. Obviously, it was Octavia; still stunned by what she had heard. She made a gulp as she too forced a terrible poker face, smiling as if she was being held at gun point.
“The show...” Octavia finally said after a moment’s silence “It’s starting soon...”
“Perfect! See you there!” replied Symphony as Octavia ran off, hoping to get as far away from the maniac as possible
What had they done to Brass and Frederic?!
“How many times have I told you NOT to call me that?” replied an infuriated Frederic as he splashed the water around the boat
“Never mind that” replied the light blue pony as she sat uncomfortably on the small boat “I’m just saying that maybe that mare wasn’t so good at giving directions”
Frederic gave another sigh. They were lost in the middle of the sea with no idea whatsoever on how to get back to Canterlot castle. Hell, they might be stuck here for years! Slowly, he took out a long branch and tied a piece of flax at the end and attached a hook. Better make the best of the situation they were in...
“Have a good show, eh?” the yellow mare said with a sly smirk
“Sure” Harpo said casually, not knowing about the pony’s true colours.
They then started soon enough, playing a sweet melodic tune as ponies around the garden party swayed to their music. Octavia had to admit, the two newcomers were quite good at playing their violins despite scaring her terribly mere moments ago. The classy grey mare then saw somepony through the corners of her eyes, a flustered Rarity running around the garden before entering the castle again.
Octavia, who had already become quite entranced by the music herself, began to lose focus about her surroundings. The only thing that mattered to her right now was her cello and her band mates’ instruments. She was so into the music in fact, that she didn’t see the malicious glint in the yellow mare’s eyes.
‘Come on, just a few more notes ’ thought Symphony Strings as she eyed her companion from the other end of the stage, who was sweating bullets like a mad pony ‘In three, two, one... ’
BOOM
A huge explosion had caused the mare to scratch a few notes, although nopony heard that since they too were surprised at the sudden explosion. Screams of panic could be heard through the crowds as five ponies started to run around, causing chaos and havoc throughout the Garden Party.
“Oh, not them again!” said a pony in the crowds as the Ponyville ponies appeared without much hesitation
There was a pink one, who was pushing around a cannon that fired party props. A cyan blue pegasus, arguing with a stallion about croquet. An orange mare that was pulling out the stray weeds, saying something about gardening. A yellow pegasus that seemed to be attracting all the birds in the nearest vicinity. And worst of all, a purple unicorn pony who seemed to have come from some junk yard dancing some sort of summoning ritual in the middle of the garden.
The mare turned to her colleagues, hoping to get some sort of reassurance from them. Strangely, they were all still playing quietly as if nothing strange was going on around them. Even Concerto seemed to be enjoying himself as well. She cocked her head to Octavia, wondering if she was deaf or blind, maybe both.
“You’ll get used to it” Octavia finally said after a few moments of awkward staring “My sister could get a little out of hand sometimes”
“She’s right you know” said the bright pink pony as she strolled around, cannon in tow.
Just what had she gotten herself into this time? She gave a shudder as the five ponies continued to party as if there was no tomorrow. Honestly, this was worse than the time she had managed to send a Parasprite to Ponyville through the Everfree Forest! At least she had a good laugh during that event.You’ve gotta clean up the library, Spike ' she says ‘You’re the only one that could do it ’ she says. Makes you think this is slavery sometimes!”
“True that” hooted a voice somewhere behind Spike
The baby dragon turned around in surprise, wondering who it could have been. The library was empty except for him, was it a burglar? No, Ponyville’s too nice for those creeps! But... what if this is the first burglar Ponyville has ever had?! Spike gave a scream as he ducked under his bed sheets in fear.
“And you say you’re a dragon” hooted the voice again
This was when Spike finally noted that he was not alone. In fact, he had another companion in the house, Owloysius. Twilight’s pet owl that she had gotten last year perched on top of his post on the table.
“Wait... you talk?” Spike asked, wondering if he was hallucinating
“Who?” Owloysius hooted
“I thought so...”
“Although, I do from time to time”
The sudden speech made Spike jump up in fright. All this while, the owl could talk?! Why hasn’t he told the other ponies about his talent? Surely they would be impressed by a talking owl!
“Wondering why I don’t talk in front of Twilight Sparkle and friends?” hooted the owl once again, as if he could read Spike’s mind. When he received an eager nod from Spike, he continued to talk “It’s because I’m not stupid enough to show my true abilities in front of dear Twilight, you see. If I did, I’ll have to do work as well, just like you”
Spike gave a grunt of defeat, acknowledging the owl’s knowledge. Slowly he got back to the books and picked them up one by one. He has to finish up quick; at least a nap would suffice since he couldn’t meet the love of his life today. Suddenly, he felt something heavy perch on top of his head, Owloysius.
“Although, I feel quite helpful today” said the owl with a hoot “Need some help?”
“Thanks, Owloysius” Spike said with a laugh as the two set off to work “You’re real nice sometimes”
“Who?”
“Come on, I know you could talk!”
"Who?"
"Owloysius!"
Applejack hummed quietly to herself as she pulled the wagon filled with apples behind her. She, along with her best friends, had all pitched in to make sure all of the apples have been bucked and harvested to prepare for Applebuck season. Although, she has been pretty tired after the entire affair, what with trying to do it all on her own before finally giving in to Twilight’s pleas. In the end they had managed to prepare everything just in time.
The orange mare gave a hearty yawn. It was common knowledge that she wasn’t fully rested yet, but her rough personality had made her persistent in making sure that she brings the entire harvest to the barn. Her friends have helped her enough, Big Mac was still hurt from his little bet with Applejack and Apple Bloom was much too young to help her. After all, how hard could pulling a wagon full of apples to a barn be? Speaking of the barn, Applejack wondered if she should have it demolished and rebuilt because it has been looking rather depressing as of lately.
“Ah’ll just ask ol’ RD ta help me on tha’ part” mused the mare with her famous southern accent
She had finally reached the crumbling barn and dumped all of the apples when she heard a strange singsong voice. At first, she thought she was just hallucinating from her tired state. However, she soon started getting suspicious as the noise didn’t seem to be stopping. In fact, it seemed to be getting even louder.
Being awfully nosy for the time being, Applejack trotted away, following the singing voice. She first thought it was somepony singing in the fields, but pushed that thought away as she saw nopony when she left earlier. She continued on her journey until finally she reached the lake that was situated next to the field. Applejack looked around, but still saw nopony there.
“Shoo Be Dooo~” sang the voice again, making Applejack jump up in surprise
That voice, she has heard it before in Ponyville. In fact, the mare that the voice belonged to was commonly known as the Crazy Monkey Mare, due to her strange way of sitting and desires for fingered fore hooves. Applejack wasn’t the type to insult other ponies (besides Rainbow Dash, of course) so she just kept to herself most of the times.
“If ya can’t say sumthin nice, ya’ll better not say nothin’ at all” Granny Smith had told her once. She wasn’t going to go breaking the old pony’s heart just because of a strange pony with a sitting disorder.
“Still, what could tha’ mare ber doin’ over here of all places?” Applejack said to no one in particular once more
Slowly, Applejack surveyed the area. The rivers were running free, supplying water to the Apple household for their daily needs. Behind her, the trees rustled as the wind blew through the leaves on the apple tree. The scene was as normal as it could ever be; no sign of the familiar light turquoise unicorn anywhere. She had just turned around to go back when a voice called in the river.
“Shoo Shoo Be Dooo~!” sang the voice again before breaking into a scream “Yo Applejack, over here!”
Slowly, Applejack turned and looked at the river. She gave a loud scream and ran back to her house, crossing another pony along the way.
“Applejack?” asked the pale cream pony known as Bon Bon “What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost!”
“Seaponies, Bon Bon!” screamed Applejack with pure fear in her eyes as she shook the mare by her shoulders “Seaponies exist! They’re not a whole bunch a mare’s tales!”
And with that, she ran off once again.
Bon Bon blinked multiple times, unsure of what to do or say at the current situation. Applejack was always calm and collected, she would know after buying apples from her almost daily. Whatever she saw, it must have been pretty scary to shake her that bad. Still, seaponies?
Her day started out normal enough, with her going around town and continuing on with her day. After the cattle and bunny stampede, the mass muffin poisoning and the wayward rainbow blob that zoomed through the sky that had happened for the past few days, today was pretty normal.
The only abnormality would be the absence of Lyra Heartstrings, her best friend. The day was already getting pretty late, so Bon Bon thought about looking for her to make sure she was safe. Her search had brought her to Sweet Apple Acres, where Applejack started screaming about seaponies. Could Lyra be involved in all this?
“You’re such a silly pony, Applejack” Bon Bon finally after a few moments silence “Seaponies are just an old mare’s tale”
She then continued her trek to the river, seeing as that’s where Applejack was coming from. Maybe she’ll find some answers there. With a laugh, she started trotting until finally she saw the river and felt her jaw touch the ground in shock.
There she was, her best friend Lyra, swimming merrily in the river. Her fore hooves were replaced by fins, and her rear hooves were now a tail. Most of her body was also covered in scales, which made Bon Bon look even more shocked at the pony. She gave an audible gasp that caught Lyra’s attention, making her wave happily.
“Hey Bon Bon!” said the unicorn seapony with glee “Look at what I could do”
She then proceeded to dive into the water, only to burst back out and jump into the air. She made a few twirls mid-air and fell back into the river. When she came back up, she saw Bon Bon was dripping wet thanks to her stunt.
“Lyra?!” said Bon Bon with shock “How did you… What did you… Seapony… Tail… Water…?!”
“What, you mean this?” Lyra said, wagging her tail as she played with her fins “Well, it’s a long story…”
“Well, I do have A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emareic Switch, is that good enough?” replied Ponyville’s local egghead, Twilight Sparkle, as she looked up from the book she was reading
“No, something more advanced! I dunno, something from Star Swirl the Bearded?” the turquoise unicorn said, hearing the name being used before by Twilight
Of course, the mention of the name made Twilight beam happily as she dropped the book she was reading. Nopony has ever asked for a specific book before, especially Star Swirl the Bearded’s creations! With a joyous squeal, Twilight zoomed past the mare and levitated a book in front of the unicorn, a big dusty book that was already fading in colour.
“Advanced Transfigurations And Transformations, Volume 1” Twilight said with a creepy smile, making Lyra cower slightly “Is it good enough?”
“Uh… yeah” Lyra muttered silently, still freaked out by the crazy pony’s antics.
She carefully levitated the book in front of her and walked to the door, all the while being followed by Twilight’s gleaming eyes. As soon as she closed the library door behind her, Lyra made a mad dash back into her house. She had a big project ahead of her, and it was best if nopony would bother her.
“Bingo!” Lyra said with a smile as she splashed around in the river “I guess I messed up ,but I’m liking this!”
Bon Bon gave another sigh as she trotted away, trying to look for something to help carry Lyra out of the river. After finding a large bucket and filling it with water, she trotted back to the river and forced her best friend into it. Despite her pleas and wails, Bon Bon turned a deaf ear and continued to pull her friend away from the water.
Wait, how did she get to the river from her house in the first place?
“Shoo Be Dooo~”
“For the last time, shut up!”
“But, but, Shoo Shoo Be Dooooo~!”
Carrot Top listened intently to the conversation, confused as to what was happening. She soon saw where the source of the disturbance was coming from, two ponies that were coming from Sweet Apple Acres. The yellow mare was just about to greet them when she had finally realised what was in front of her.
One pony, Bon Bon if she wasn’t mistaken, was groaning as she carried a giant bucket on her back. Stranger still, the form of Lyra Heartstrings was playing around in the bucket. The oddities didn’t end there, Lyra looked nothing like a unicorn pony at all. In fact, she looked like the seaponies that Carrot Top read about in her filly’s story books while she was just a child!
The two ponies continued on their journey, arguing all the way. They had said something about returning a book and getting Twilight to change her back, although Carrot Top wasn’t paying attention at all. She was still dumbfounded by Seapony Lyra’s sudden appearance.
“Are they gone, yet?” said a scared looking Applejack that had just popped up out of nowhere behind Carrot Top. She apparently was sweating bullets and was carrying a bag filled with some medication in her mouth.
Maybe she should get ready with that dinner.
“Why do I have to be here again?” asked a rather impatient and loud voice
“Like I said, you don’t have a sister, so you can’t join the Sisterhooves Social” said another voice, this time sounding more adult despite also having the similar air of impatience and boldness.
Scootaloo gave a rather loud pout, making Rainbow Dash laugh a bit. It was natural for her to feel that way, the older mare would have done the same thing too if she was denied to do something she really wanted. In her heart, Rainbow Dash truly wanted to bring her biggest fan to the Sisterhooves Social event, seeing as the filly’s best friends were also going to be there. Sadly, there was a slight flaw in that plan.
“Listen, squirt” said the rainbow maned pony as she nudged Scootaloo, making the filly wince “Maybe next year. You know, when you’re not all banged up like this”
Scootaloo gave another impatient sigh. Okay, maybe she couldn’t get a cutie mark for ghost riding, but at least she was still alive albeit barely. Her body was covered in nasty bruises and cuts, not to mention the ever popular tree sap. To this day, Scootaloo still wonders how she could be a magnet to the sticky residue.
“Note to self” the orange filly muttered to herself “Never jump off of a scooter while riding downhill. Especially if it’s Dead Mare’s Hill”
Slowly but surely, the two ponies had reached a familiar looking building, the hospital. The two of them had had their fair share of visits to the local infirmary. Too many times, in fact, that they had their own rooms to themselves. Although Scootaloo’s room was always shared with her two best friends after one of their crusades gone awfully wrong.
“Okay then, Scoots” Rainbow Dash said as she pushed the filly through the doors and turned around “You know the drill”
Part of Scootaloo wished that Rainbow Dash could actually stay with her, eventhough she knew that it was a far cry indeed. The mare was very busy, being the weather patrol mare of Ponyville and everything. In truth, Scootaloo hated the hospital. All of the sharp pointy things that the doctors have, and the glaring light thingies, and the strange whirring doohickies that she always heard about. Still, all this information would make for an entire week’s worth of insults by the Cutie Mark crusader’s unofficial leader, Apple Bloom.
Scootaloo gave an audible sigh and walked up to a small table, ringing the familiar bell that had been placed on it. It was painted yellow, orange and white, not to mention having a slightly shriller noise than the other bell on the table. This was another one of the Cutie Mark Crusader’s special items in the hospital: Their own bell.
“Coming!” said a sweet voice through the halls “Oh, Crusader. What did you do this time?”
“Crusader, Nurse Redheart” Scootaloo corrected, followed by a loud groan “Just little old me coming today”
The kind form of Nurse Redheart appeared through the halls, sporting a sort of grimace on her face. She liked foals, really. It’s just that these three fillies were much more than what the ordinary foal had in store for her.
“What did you try today?” asked the kind hearted nurse as she picked up Scootaloo “Sky diving? Roller skating? Demolition specialist?”
“Ghost driving, actually” replied Scootaloo nonchalantly “Say, do you think I could be a good demolition specialist?”
Nurse Redheart stopped abruptly as she felt a shiver run down her spine. She would never wish to see the Cutie Mark Crusaders Demolition Specialists, especially after the events of the Cutie Mark Crusaders Soldiers. Nopony knew where they got all those armed weapons, and most likely nopony wanted to know. Still, soldiers!
“I can’t wait to tell the others! It’s gonna be so cool!” chimed Scootaloo as she was placed on a familiar bed, her own hospital bed “Maybe tomorrow!”
“Well, why don’t you try something less dangerous for a change?” said the nurse meekly, her mind still racing as the thoughts of destruction the three fillies would do raced through her mind “Maybe something like dancers, or singers. Maybe even interior designers!”
“But that’s boring!” chirped Scootaloo once more, huffing loudly as she pouted “Just, help me out today, will you?”
Nurse Redheart only nodded kindly. She was used to the filly’s inconsiderate behaviour anyway. No point in trying to teach her some manners.
After several antagonising minutes, the filly was finally covered in bandages and plasters. It would take a few hours for her to be truly healed; a few hours until she actually had to be fitted with some new bandages. Oh well, all in a day’s work she guessed.
“Looks like little Scooty Wootzy just isn’t so good at ghost driving” Nurse Redheart said as she made an adoring face, making Scootaloo frown rather widely.
The mare had adopted that nickname for Scootaloo for months already, making her fellow crusaders also find some good joke material for weeks. Oh, how she hated that nickname. Not only did it sound girly and disgusting, it wasn’t even cool in the first place!
“Don’t call me that!” yelled Scootaloo, making Nurse Redheart laugh. She liked it when Scootaloo was ticked off.
Boing
The sound resonated through the hospital walls once, making the two ponies perk up. There was only one other mare that had her own special room and bell besides the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Rainbow Dash; a mare that was known widely as the local mailmare of Ponyville.
“Derpy…” sighed Nurse Redheart, slapping her face with her fore hoof “Must be time for her eye test…”
“Not to worry, dear Redheart!” said another voice, a rather eccentric voice that held a sort of enthusiasm “I’ll take care of this one”
The sight of a brown stallion walking past the door could be seen by both ponies in the room. The pony was wearing a doctor’s coat and had a stethoscope slung around his neck. Funnily enough, his wild orange mane looked a lot like a giant muffin. The very thought of it made Scootaloo very hungry.
“New doctor?” Scootaloo asked, realising she had never seen the pony before in the hospital
“Oh yes, actually” answered Nurse Redheart with another sigh “Doctor Muffintop or much rather known as Horse, M.D. He’s a kind fellow, but I don’t think he’s ready for somepony like Derpy Hooves”
“With a hairstyle like that, I’m sure he’s gonna have a real hard time”
“OUCH! Get off me, you!” screamed the stallion from behind the walls, confirming their suspicions.
“Let me tell you this once more, Miss Doo” said Doctor Muffintop rather loudly “My mane is not a muffin!”
“But it just looks so tasty!” said Ditzy Doo as she sat on the doctor, munching happily on the bright orange mane “And it’s real soft and fluffy and… wait, you’re not my octopus”
“I think you mean optometrist, Miss Doo” the doctor said once again as he tried to yank the mare off of his mane “And let me go!”
RIPP!
The sound echoed throughout the halls of the hospital rather loudly, followed by an even louder scream. Doctor Muffintop ran back into his private room, locking the door away and sat in a foetal position as Nurse Redheart and Scootaloo came into view. Eventhough he was locked in his room, Nurse Redheart knew this must be what the doctor was doing; he’s done it tons of times before already.
“Hi there, Redheart!” said the wall eyed mailmare as she spat out a large chunk of orange hair from her mouth “I think it’s time for my eye test!”
Scootaloo sighed once more as Nurse Redheart brought the mare into the eye test room. Maybe she could cross out Cutie Mark Crusaders Doctors from the list; it sure wasn’t worth it to lose a huge chunk of hair from her mane. She then trotted back to her room. Maybe a bit of rest would do fine.
An hour had passed since the tragic hair muffin event, and Scootaloo was pretty sure she was fine by that time. She slowly got off the bed and trotted away, taking off her bandages in the process. Maybe if she hurried, she could make it to see The Race that was the main event in the Sisterhooves Social. She was just about to reach Sweet Apple Acres when an entire hoofful of ponies started going through the gates, leaving the farm behind.
“I didn’t make it…” mused Scootaloo to no one in particular as she started kicking the ground, thinking about her bad luck
“Well, wasn’t that fun?”
“Yeah, Dinky and Sparkler sure did great!”
“Where are those two, anyway?”
“Off celebrating, probably”
She was just about to turn around and head straight home when the sight of two ponies caught her eyes. No, her eyes must be lying. She had just left the hospital, and no doubt she had seen the mare still struggling with her eyes exam. Surely Derpy couldn’t be in two places at once!
“Derpy, how’d you do it?” screamed Scootaloo, running through the crowd and pounced on the unsuspecting mare, knocking her down
“What? What did I do?!” started Ditzy Doo in a fit of panic, unsure of what she had done.
“Be in two places at once! Come on, tell me!” squealed Scootaloo again
The filly was about to ask once more when she felt herself getting pulled upwards. After a few seconds, she was dropped on her flank rather roughly. She looked at the pony that was guilty of doing this when the sight of a light brown stallion with an hourglass cutie mark stared back at her. His eyes were a mix of surprise, fear and confusion.
“Hey there. How’s it goin’?” said Scootaloo sheepishly, obviously intimidated by the stallion before her
“Just pretend that nothing happened, okay?” the stallion said rather quickly “Too much trouble to go explaining about the time space continuum and cause a rip in the very fabric of space and time itself. I’ve had enough time paradoxes already. Come on, Ditzy. Allons-y”
“Coming, Doctor!” said the grey mare after dusting herself off
Scootaloo only watched the two ponies walk away, conversing about some strange events. It was strange, really. She was sure she’s never seen the pony before, but then again maybe she did. There was something really wrong about that brown pony and she was going to find out!
“Hey Scootaloo, what took ya so long?” asked a young filly with a southern accent
“Yeah, you missed the Sisterhooves Social!” said another, this time sounding a little cracked at places
“Guys, wanna go spying?” Scootaloo said as she turned around and faced her two best friends.
The two fillies made hasty nods of approvals, eager to try and earn a cutie mark for spying. They put their hooves together and chanted their team name before running off after the two ponies.
Needless to say, they never got their cutie marks and they went back home covered in eggs and chicken feathers.
Scootaloo looked at the book in front of her attentively, hoping to understand the contents as much and as quick as possible. Sadly, that would only work if you actually opened the book, something that our dear orange filly has only done for books like the Harry Colter series, the Percy Flankson series and even the Lord of The Element of Harmony series. Luckily, she faces the dilemma of opening books which have the word “Twilight” on it, seeing as it insults her friend and monsters in every way possible.
“Ugh, I’ll never get this!” Scootaloo screamed in rage as she banged her head onto the book, causing more harm to her head than the book.
It was at that precise moment, however, that two more fillies came into the scene. These two were known as simply Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo’s best friends and fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders. They were busy chatting, with Sweetie Belle telling her friend about how her day had gone from bad to worse.
“I’m telling you, Apple Bloom” Sweetie Belle said with a sigh “I don’t think I’m cut out to be a librarian. Who knew Rarity’s entire Twilight saga series could burn up in ten seconds flat?”
“Maybe everypony that has a brain in that head of theirs” replied Apple Bloom with her thick Southern accent “I mean, who reads those things?”
Their chat was cut short, however, when they saw their friend sitting hopelessly on the ground. She was starting to sob and a big yellow book was placed in front of her. This scene made the two fillies worried: They have never before in their entire life seen Scootaloo, the tomboy and toughest filly in Ponyville, even let out a sob before. This made them jump straight at her, pounding her with rapid questions.
“Who did it to ya?”
“Was it a filly or a colt?”
“Did somethin’ happen to Rainbow?”
“You finally found out who your long lost parents are?”
“Ya found out you were a chicken after all?”
A loud scream escaped from the orange Pegasus’ mouth, silencing the Unicorn and Earth ponies. She made another audible sigh and pointed to the book in front of her, a look of pure malice and hatred in her eyes. Slowly, Sweetie Belle picked it up and stared blankly at the cover.
“Flying for Screwballs?” she said with a curious expression “I just don’t get it”
This made Apple Bloom hold back laughter, but only managed to make it sound even funnier. This made Scootaloo’s face redden as she took the book back from the marshmallow coloured Unicorn and blew a raspberry.
“Still can’t fly, can’t ya?” Apple Bloom asked between fits of giggles, making Scootaloo even angrier than she let on
“My wings are just too small, that’s why!” yelled the Pegasus, defending her miniscule pride left “I’m surprised if these things don’t even flap!”
“I heard Fluttershy say that Rainbow Dash was small for her age when she was a filly once” Sweetie Belle perked up, giving a warm smile. This only furthered Scootaloo’s shame and Apple Bloom’s laughter.
“Come on, Scoots!” Apple Bloom said after a while “Ah know what could cheer ya up!”
“Sugarcube Corner?” Scootaloo asked, a smile forming on her lips
“Sugarcube Corner!” replied the yellow filly with a wide grin “Come on, ya’ll! Ah heard the Cakes just got foals!”
“Foals?” Sweetie Belle asked with a euphoric smile “I wanna see, I wanna see!”
And without further ado, the three friends galloped away towards the local confectionery. Maybe Pinkie Pie could cheer the Pegasus filly up, she always does! After all, who wouldn’t be happy after being given a party for some obscure reason like “Being The Bestest Pony In The World” or “Not So Surprise Birthday Party Told Three Days In Advance”?
“I’m telling you, Trixie, that wasn’t my foal!”
“Lies! Surely you must have had SOMETHING to do with that foal!”
“I don’t even have a lover yet!”
“Then you must have passed down some of your magic to her!”
The conversation continued on as two ponies, a purple one and a blue one , walked out of the door to Sugarcube Corner. Trixie, I mean, The Great and Powerful Trixie, who had decided to come visit Ponyville for the week... okay, until she gets some more money after getting outshined by none other than Twilight Sparkle, was having a fit after seeing what was in the store. This made the Cutie Mark Crusaders even more curious. After all, what was Trixie doing walking around town with her mortal enemy, Twilight?
“Trixie (“The Great and Powerful Trixie!” a voice could be heard yelling) sure seems pretty angry at whatever’s inside” Sweetie Belle said, pointing out the obvious
“Who would have guessed it?” Scootaloo said sarcastically, getting another giggle from Apple Bloom and a confused stare from Sweetie Belle
And so they entered their destination, happy grins plastered on their faces. Scootaloo had left the book back at the clubhouse per Apple Bloom’s orders; she didn’t want it to be a party pooper for the treat. Well, let’s just say the book wasn’t needed to easily crush and obliterate every single sense of joy in Scootaloo.
“I’m never letting go, Pound Cake!” Pinkie Pie yelled, being dragged along by a flying baby foal with a brown mane “Wait, I mean stop! Stop!”
There was a loud crash as the two ponies crashed into the wall, creating a perfect hole the size of Pinkie Pie being pulled along by a baby Pegasus. From the hole, one could easily see a baby Unicorn using magic to make toys float around and enter her mouth, making her eat it. Gummy could be seen doing the exact same thing as the foal but with a big rubber ball.
“Pinkie Pie! Ya’ll right thar?” Apple Bloom asked, helping the party pony up
“Yeah, just had a bit of a doozy taking care of these kids” she replied while rubbing her head “It’s bad enough they’re potty trained… at the age of one month”
“Wait, foals can’t be potty trained until they’re a bit older” Sweetie Belle said, again stating the obvious “How come these guys could already do it?”
“I dunno, I blame Hasbro” Pinkie Pie said once more after making sure Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake were away from any form of harm “Or maybe I should blame genetics. That never really did make sense”
This statement made the fillies stare blankly at her. Hasbro? Never heard of it. Maybe it was the name of some fancy hospital out of town.
“So anyway, what could I do for you girls?” Pinkie Pie asked with a wide smile that would make even the saddest of creatures smile “Other than these two of course, can’t have you making any more trouble than what the fans say”
“Uh… Pinkie Pie? Fans don’t talk” Apple Bloom reminded her
“What? Oh! Not those fans. I’m talking about the Bronies! You know, those old men and teenagers that watch My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic! Those are the guys that say Trixie (“The Great and Powerful Trixie!”) is actually Twilight’s long lost sister/lover or that I’m related to Octavia eventhough there is no proof whatsoever. Actually, they say a lot more weird stuff about us but I don’t mind!”
Okay, conversation change time. The immense breaking of the Fourth Wall had caused Sweetie Belle to cower behind Apple Bloom, afraid of what she has heard. This was when they noticed something crucial was missing.
“Hey, anypony seen Scoots?” Apple Bloom asked, looking around the shop “I coulda sworn she was right next ta us”
BOOM
The question was instantly broken by a loud grunt, followed by the crashing of another wall. In Scootaloo’s rage, she had forgotten how to use the doors as well. In her hooves was what seemed to be a barrelled thingy with a trigger. Her wild mane was covered in sweat as she panted loudly. Several ponies have hidden behind tables and chairs, expecting danger.
“Buck you, flying baby!” she screamed as she continued to point the gun at Pound Cake
Silence
“I said, buck you!” screamed Scootaloo again, although nothing happened
Soon after, shocked ponies continued on with their lives and desserts; forgetting about the rage-filled filly. The babies too had floated back over to Pinkie Pie, giving her a sweet nudge and confused glances at the Pegasus.
After apologising to the Cakes for breaking the wall and causing mass hysteria for several seconds (and making a certain pink pony with a lily for a cutie mark faint… again), the three Crusaders exited the store with a bag full of sugary delights. If one were to listen closely, they would hear obscene words coming out of Scootaloo’s mouth as she cursed Pound Cake for knowing how to fly. If Fluttershy heard all of that, she might have fainted on the spot. Then she would wake up, only to faint again.
“So, what was that thingamabob?” Sweetie Belle asked as the rode on Scootaloo’s prized scooter. Okay, more like Scootaloo was riding and the other two were in the wagon being pulled along.
“I dunno, something the Crazy Monkey Mare gave me” Scootaloo said with a sigh “Something she called a gun”
“You need a finger to pull those things, you know” Ditzy Doo said from on top of the wagon
“Wait, how’d ya get here?” Apple Bloom panicked when she heard the voice “And what the hay is a finger?”
“I got on, duh” Ditzy simply replied nonchalantly as she gave a shrug “And that’s what The Doctor said, anyway. I’m not even so sure myself”
The three fillies and accident prone mare continued on their way back to wherever they were going. This short trip would soon involve three Manticores, a fishing net, some rock candy and a buffalo herd. Soon, survival experts will use this short trip as a guide on why it isn’t a good idea to leave a loaded gun on a wagon with Ditzy Doo.
Berry Punch, already sober from all the alcohol… wait, I mean punch, she drank, staggered through the streets of Ponyville with great difficulty. Her safari explorer costume hung casually on her body as she crashed into another wall. Hey, that’s Nightmare Night for you. The best excuse anypony could give to get away with being drunk or sober.
She was thinking about the event that had happened only minutes previously, the appearance of the Princess of The Night, Luna. What amazes her greatly would be the fact that everypony seemed to be afraid of her for some reason despite knowing she has changed back into her original form back when Twilight Sparkle first came to Ponyville. However, she would not have any recollection of these thoughts. After all, ponies do tend to get philosophical once they were sober.
After more and more staggering (by now everypony was avoiding crashing into her), Berry finally reached her intended location; the juice bar. She was just about to grab another cup of alcohol… punch, when a hoof stopped her in her tracks. This was very impressive indeed, for nopony has ever dared to stop Berry when it comes to her drinks.
“Haven’t you had enough already?” asked the owner of the hoof, a blue unicorn wearing a dentist costume
“No, I mean yes, I mean… Oh, whatever” Berry recoiled, too tired to even think of an appropriate answer “So, what brings you here, Romana?”
The unicorn, Colgate, gave an audible sigh. So far, Pinkie Pie and Berry Punch were the only ones to call her by that name. It was strange, seeing as the name Colgate had little resemblance to the name Romana. Plus, what does somepony named Romana do? Talk like Romans? Oh well, no use trying to figure that out.
“Ever since Pinkie showed you that so-called computer, you were never the same” Colgate said with a sigh. She wasn’t angry about that, just annoyed by the new name.
Colgate, the only one that would tolerate Berry Punch despite her drunkard state, would be what one would say her Berry’s best friend. Sure, apple cider season puts a whole new perspective to the term “alcoholic”, but what could anypony do? The Apple family trademark cider was to die for! Don’t even get me started on the Cider Shortage of 2010. That was a nightmare which included smoke bombs, a mini zombie apocalypse and Princess Celestia needing to come into the fray herself. And Derpy. Derpy is always involved.
“Pfft, what’s so bad about calling you by your real name, Romana?” Berry said with a smirk “After all, you Time Lords sure have weird names. At least I don’t call you Romanadvoratrelundar”
“I am NOT a Time Lord and my name is NOT Romana!” Colgate fought back, stomping her fore hooves in annoyance “How do you even remember such a long name?!”
“Sure~” Berry said as she giggled uncontrollably “Tell that to your Cutie Mark”
This made Colgate stay silent for a moment. Her Cutie Mark, which was an hourglass, raised suspicious looks from a lot of ponies in Ponyville. Not only does it look exactly like The Doctor’s Cutie Mark (he was always such a mysterious stallion), it also clashed with her profession as a dentist. It was highly ironic that she chose to dress up as a dentist during Nightmare Night too.
“One’s ability is not limited to a mere picture on one’s flank” Colgate retaliated “Surely one pony could have one Cutie Mark but still be a professional at something else”
“Taken word by word from The Doctor’s mouth” Berry said with another laugh “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you like him, Romana”
Colgate blushed madly at the mention of her having emotions for The Doctor. In fact, she barely even knew the pony in the first place… or so she claimed. She opened her mouth to speak again when suddenly a herd of screaming foals led by a giant chicken galloped past them.
“Aaah! Night Mare Moon is gobbling Pipsqueak! Everypony run!” Pinkie Pie screamed , making the ponies scream as well and run away in fright. Everypony; except Berry Punch who had held back Colgate as well.
“Makes you wonder why everypony’s afraid of their own princess, don’t you think?” Berry said, suddenly sounding rather philosophic
“I guess some ponies just like to get scared” Colgate answered, inching away from her best friend
“Don’t you see? Some ponies have that look of pure fear and desperation on their faces. Some even cower and tremble with their pupils dilated. Isn’t that a sign of pure fear? “
“Not only that, Princess Luna has also lost all of her dark powers thanks to the Elements of Harmony?”
“Maybe-”
“Perhaps the only one I might consider playing to be scared would be Pinkie Pie, seeing as she’s the Element of Laughter”
“Well, look at the time! I have some important work to do. I’ll see you around!”
“Okie Dokie!” replied the sober mare once more, losing her temporary intelligent state
She watched as the unicorn trotted away into a random location, looking as unbusy as Rainbow Dash if she wasn’t on weather duty. Of course, Berry just shrugged it off as natural and trotted to her next location: Princess Luna’s royal bat-pony guards.
Ever since Princess Luna spoke in her Royal Canterlot Voice to all the residents of Ponyville and scarring their hearing for life, the two ponies seem to have disappeared from the face of Ponyville. Berry, being the drunkard she is, easily found them during her drunken stupor around town. Apparently, they were standing guard in front of the princess’ chariot which was parked under a tree just outside of town.
“So...” the mare said as soon as she reached the aforementioned tree “You guys are like those Princess Celestia’s guards that can’t even blink without killing everypony that saw, right?”
She then started to laugh joyfully in front of their faces, puling hilarious and mocking expressions in front of them as the bat-ponies only stood still. After five or more faces; which included sticking her tongue out, stretching it to unnatural lengths, a wicked grin that would make Pinkie Pie proud and even waving her flank at them, something happened. A powerful hoof suddenly slammed into her square in the face, sending the sober pony flying into a nearby house.
“Third time this week…” said Caramel, whose house had just become victim to Berry’s flying stunt.
“I suppose you could see that we are not to be compared with those simpleton day guards” one of the bat-ponies said as they trotted over to the mare “We are given permission to attack anypony that poses as a threat to the princess or us”
“Whoa... Didn’t know I was such a big threat” Berry replied as she got up, earning confused looks from the guards as to how she even had enough strength to do so “Cool! Say, care to give me your names. You know, in case I wanna file a report for threatening a weak little ol’ pony like me?”
“I am Sunshine Flowermeadow” said the other guard
“And I am Joyful Trothouse” the first said once more
Berry laughed. In fact, she laughed so hard she soon ran out of breath and looked more or less like a retarded seal.
“Do you think our names are a mere joke?!” Sunshine screamed into the mare’s face, earning no fear-filled face in response.
“They’re hilarious” Berry said matter-of-factly “So, do any of you boys want to hang out with me for a drink? I swear this’ll be a night you won’t forget… If you know what I mean”
The two bat-pony guards, missing the seductive sounding end to that sentence, looked at each other for confirmation. They nodded and followed the purple mare to the nearest drink bar. They shared a toast to the relatively new drink to them and gulped down, not knowing the dangerous effects the drink could pose to them.
The next time they would awaken, they would be in an unknown location and would find the mare sleeping with them. Princess Luna, who didn’t find the two guards, would have learned the joys of slumber parties… after chucking Twilight Sparkle’s Guide to Sleepovers out the window. Sadly, the first scene would be a little bit too mature to be explained in full detail so let’s just say the guards would pretend the night had never happened and never return to Ponyville for the next few years.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Colgate trotted silently as she passed the citizens of Ponyville who had just learned to accept Luna as the scary – but fun – princess of the night. Her destination was clear, the big blue box that The Doctor lived in. She barely left the crowd when a brown stallion crashed into her, making her trip far shorter.
“Sorry, there, Colgate” The Doctor said as he rubbed his head “Didn’t see you there and all that. Have you seen the princess? Oh, now THIS is what I call a party! Too bad nopony brought a banana; now THAT would make it even better!”
“Doctor…” Colgate sighed “You need to get better at hiding our little secret. Did you know Pinkie Pie and Berry Punch already know?!”
The Doctor pondered this for a moment before waving a hoof off. Colgate, or should I say Romana, grumbled loudly as she tried to punch the stallion with a hoof but was easily avoided by him.
“Where are the TARDIS keys?” she then asked
“Well, they’re right here with… me…” The Doctor started to say before realising his keys weren’t with him “Well, this is inconvenient”
That was the moment where the two Time Lord ponies shared a worried look and dashed off to where the TARDIS was located. When The Doctor stated he saw a pink pony in a chicken costume headed to where the TARDIS was located, this made them run even faster. When they got there, the last thing they heard was a wonderful sound, usually called the sound of the universe, and a joyful squeal from a certain pink pony.
Snips and Snails, the Ponyville retarded- I mean, mentally challenged duo, were sitting in front of the school, their eyes staring blankly into the horizon. Their thoughts, as simple as it is, were stuck on the subject of The Great and Powerful Trixie who had just appeared in town and claimed to be the greatest unicorn in all of Equestria. Despite the blatant lie, their simple minded brain only registered the fact that she had good magic.
Talk about too dumb to live.
“If only Trixie would agree to be our girlfriend, that would be amazing!” said Snails dreamily, as would any other hopeless romantic lover
“Yeah!” agreed Snips “then people would actually like us for being with her!”
The conversation continued on, sticking to the only topic in their simple minds. After some time, other foals were getting worried of the two colts’ conversation and started to back off, going to a different section of the school’s playground. It had only been about five minutes since the blue unicorn’s spectacular show, and most others already hated the mare.
“I know!” Snails suddenly said as he jumped up in joy of his new plan “Why don’t you try to get somepony to be your super special somepony, then we could try the same on The Great and Powerful Trixie!”
“That’s a great idea!” Snips agreed before coming to a realisation “Wait, why me?”
“Because you’re cooler! You’re like, the coolest pony ever!”
“Yeah, you’re right!”
The two hoof-bumped and trotted off to find a filly they could try and hit on. Pipsqueak and Dinky, who were watching the two from a distance, could only shrug at their strange logic. The two just decided to continue watching them and see how much damage they would soon cause.
The two colts’ luck was in store as they soon found three fillies playing with a scooter; Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Twist. The former two were best friends while the latter was just… there. Obviously, the two unicorns jumped on the chance.
“Hey, girls~” Snips tried to say seductively but only ended up sounding even lamer “Any of you need a big strong stallion?”
“Not really, nope” Scootaloo said, feeling uneasy
“Well, why don’t you try on Apple Bloom over there? She looks lonely” Sweetie Belle added in, pointing to the filly playing by herself a few feet away
“That’s a great idea!” Snips and Snails said in unison as they finally found their chance at trying to hit on Trixie later. Snails then added in “Do you have any tips?”
“Jutht be thtraightforward!” Twist said with her ever popular lisp “She’ll understand!”
With a nod, Snips ran towards the yellow filly who was playing near a tree. Snails stayed back with the girls to allow the two to have some “alone time” together. After a few moments, Apple Bloom saw the cot trotting over and waved a hoof towards him.
“Well howdy there, Snips!” she said happily “What’re ya’ll doing out here on yer lonesome?”
“I have red hair. You have red hair. Let’s get married and make babies” Snips said matter-of-factly, grinning strangely at the filly.
The other foals only smiled awkwardly at the blue unicorn colt. The simple yet awkward sentence that Snips had said had caused Apple Bloom to buck him right in the face, causing him to get a black eye. Well, maybe that’s why you shouldn’t mess with a member of the Apple family.
“Here’s an idea, be funny!” Scootaloo chimed in “Tell her a joke you heard somepony say somewhere and she’ll be head over heels for you in no time!”
“That’s great!” Snails piped up “Hey, I heard a good one this stallion said once! Listen…”
The taller unicorn started to whisper something into Snips’ ear which made Snips giggle. Obviously, the joke was a good one, and he couldn’t wait to try it. Before long, Snips had already run off to find Apple Bloom once more. Right now, the filly had moved over to the swing set where she played by herself.
When she saw Snips coming over, Apple Bloom immediately tried to run away. Despite her best efforts, Snips still managed to catch up with her even with his large weight and short legs. Don’t ask how, he just did, okay.
“What is it this time?” Apple Bloom asked with an annoyed expression
“Have you ever wondered how I got my Cutie Mark?” Snips said with his weird grin which was only made worse with his black left eye
“Not really” Apple Bloom said in wonder “How did ya get it?”
“By cutting G-Strings!”
The unicorn foal had another ice pack on his other eye. Apparently, Apple Bloom had managed to buck the colt once more after the terrible innuendo pun. His face felt so pain-struck that it was a miracle Snips could even breathe right. Of course, he could be breathing through his mouth and all.
“Well, Rarity always said to accept somepony as who they really are” Sweetie Belle said with a sincere smile “Try it one last time?”
“Don’t worry, buddy. We’ve got your back” Snails continued on as he smiled as well
“I’ll get a nurse” they all heard somepony, probably another colt, say behind them. The all just ignored the spoken words and watched as Snips made a final attempt at flirting.
Right now, Apple Bloom was hiding behind a berry bush situated in a remote location behind the school. By all means, she wanted to escape from whatever plan Snips was going to come up with. Sadly, as if some universal law said so, Snips still found her.
“Hyuck! Well, howdy ya’ll! Ah changed mah accent just fer lil’ ol’ Apple Bloom! Yeehaw!” Snips said, insulting every single cowboy stereotype that was ever made.
“That’s it” Apple Bloom finally cracked “Ya’ll are goin’ to the moon!”
“Lemme guess, Apple family?” Nurse Redheart said with a solid expression. These two were another pair of ponies she was used to, thanks to their idiocy at most times
“Apple Bloom…” Snips muttered painfully
“If you really wanted to get Trixie to fall for you, try getting her something” Dinky said innocently, giggling at the idea
“Yeah, that’s a great idea” Pipsqueak, who had just moved to Ponyville a few days ago, said “Or just talk to her, at least”
“I heard she wanted a smoothie” Snips said as Nurse Redheart put him on a stretcher to go back to the hospital
“Smoothie!” Snails piped up happily as he followed the two ponies from behind
Pipsqueak and Dinky just giggled at the two ponies’ actions. Their frienship was truly a friendship that would last a lifetime.
Today was another lazy and boring day for the ponies of Ponyville. No evil mastermind, no terrible mythological monster, not even a crafty con artist could be seen. This is one of those days that Lyra Heartstrings was practically bored of.
For some obscure reason that nopony could explain, Lyra was sitting at a picnic table, waiting for Bon Bon to come back. In front of her lay a drink, one that she had bought earlier. Simple enough, nothing could possibly go wrong. Seriously, nothing could.
As usual, Lyra’s mind started working its strange ways. As you may have known, Lyra has this strange quirk of trying to act like a monkey at most times; walking on two legs, sitting in a very painful posture, you get the idea. It only got worse when Pinkie Pie told her about the existence of “humans”.
Lyra started to reach out to her drink, flailing her lazy arms stupidly as she tried to grab her drink. She silently cursed, saying that it would be better if she had fingers. Why she wouldn’t just use her magic, well, don’t ask.
“Hey, Lyra!” said a voice the green unicorn knew so well; her best friend Bon Bon “Sorry to keep you waiting, I had some things I had to do first
“No problem” replied Lyra with her rather smug voice “I’m just glad you’re here”
“Yeah, now to wait for Derpy” Bon Bon added as she looked around for the pegasus pony “She should be here by now”
“Meh, you know her. Probably blew up another house and got lost… thrice”
Lyra’s thoughts then drifted off, not particularly registering anything that Bon Bon was saying anymore. At times she would just reply with a simple ‘Yup’ or a ‘Nope’ and sometimes a ‘You don’t say?’. She soon spotted the ever-popular Ditzy Doo, buying some asparagus. Good, she was actually on time. The next thing she saw blew her mind.
“Boy, am I glad you have one cherry left. You see I'm making this special meal for my bunny Angel, he's a very picky eater, and the recipe calls for a cherry on top” said Fluttershy, using her wing to open her saddle bag and take out a coin
“That’s IT!” cried Lyra; amazed at what she had just seen “I wanna be a pegasus!”
Bon Bon only looked at her best friend with a confused expression. Usually, she would exclaim that she wanted to be a human. A few months ago, she managed to turn into a seapony by accident (Bon Bon still had nightmares about that). Now a pegasus? Honestly, Bon Bon wished Lyra would just make up her mind.
“And… why would you want to be one?” Bon Bon asked, hoping it would be a logical explanation. Obviously, it isn’t.
“So I could grab stuff with my wings!” Lyra said with her creepy grin that many were still scared with “That’ll be AWESOME!”
“Wait, so you want wings, not to fly, but to grab things?” Bon Bon asked, unable to comprehend the logic in that statement “How is that practical?”
Lyra was about to answer with her twisted sense of logic when suddenly, a perky voice spoke out. Despite waiting for hours (Lyra had come much too early for her own good), Lyra was glad to see the local mailmare. It was strange, since Ditzy Doo was never close to Lyra and Bon Bon, but it doesn’t really matter that much. In fact, Lyra was the one that called her over to talk about some “things”.
“Hi guys!” Ditzy Doo said in her cheerful and sweet voice “What’cha doin’? Sorry I’m late. Needed to buy some stuff for Carrot Top, but they’re all out of stock. Makes you wonder how they run out of asparagus, tomatoes, cherries, oranges and whipped cream all on the same day”
“Yeah, pretty strange…” Bon Bon said, remembering the last time Ditzy had bought groceriesDitzy stood in front of a burning marketplace with her groceries on the ground, all covered in chocolate and hot sauce. Screams of scared ponies could be heard as they tried to salvage whatever was left of the market.
“I just don’t know what went wrong…”
Ditzy was henceforth banned from buying any more groceries, and others would have to do it for her. Obviously, she never got the memo.
“So, about that little scene you saw nine episodes ago…” Lyra started to say, using her most business-like tone “You are aware that it was all a misunderstanding?”
“Of course!” Ditzy said “I mean, none of the bronies even saw you and Bon Bon do anything that involves shipping and even if you did they would have made, like, 50 fan fics about you guys getting hitched or something vulgar anyway”
Bon Bon sighed as the two continued speaking in their strange lingo. Sure, the two had almost kissed a few weeks ago which was stopped abruptly by Ditzy suddenly coming out of the well and scaring them half to death, but why use the term episodes? It wasn’t like some great entity was recording the lives of six mares for the enjoyment of others in a parallel universe.
That was, of course, what Lyra and several others thought. Pinkie Pie had somehow started a club. The Fourth Wall Awareness Club to be exact. She’s been trying to recruit as many ponies, trying to tell them about a world that exists beyond their own, where creatures watch them for their own amusement. So far, she’s only gotten Lyra, Ditzy, Spike and that strange Minotaur who was setting up a stage for an assertiveness campaign named Iron Will to join. Berry Punch has considered this as well, but would rather abuse her “newfound knowledge” on being a cartoon character and the Fourth Wall to become invincible, incredibly strong and watch a show called Doctor Who. The Doctor and Colgate… well, they try to avoid the subject at best. Nopony else really paid the club much attention, though.
The two continued on with their jolly banter as Bon Bon listened half-heartedly. It was really hard to focus on their conversation when she barely understood half of it. Still, she tried to be a good supportive friend. She was just about to call it quits and ask to go home when the sight of two ponies caught her attention: The Doctor and Colgate.
The two were sweating bullets, panting as if they had just run a marathon. Luckily for the two ponies, none of the ponies nearby had perverted thoughts and they trotted up with no strange remarks on Colgate being “rough in bed” or anything similar.
Okay, now that was just sick.
“Hello, Ditzy!” said The Doctor, sighing as the two ponies slumped onto the table “Fine weather we’re having and whatnot?”
“Hi, Doctor! Colgate!” Ditzy said rather cheerfully “Anything troubling you guys?”
“Just had to destroy the last of the latest edition of the Foal Free Press” Colgate muttered, wiping her head “That’s the last time anypony spreads rumours about me and The Doctor having an affair”
“Or tells all of Equestria about the TARDIS’ abilities” The Doctor added “Good thing Sparkler was nice enough to help”
Lyra and Bon Bon, confused at the statements, simply stared at the two in bewilderment. They were fully aware that the Foal Free Press was the school’s paper, but it was never anything too exciting. It usually had some boring news that was quickly spread by word of mouth earlier on, but columns on affairs and the big blue box The Doctor keeps trying to hide? Now that was new.
“Well, look on the bright side!” The Doctor muttered, still a little out of breath “At least nopony found out your full name’s Colgate Minuette!”
Colgate then responded with punching The Doctor on the face, muttering about loose lips and eavesdropping ponies. By now, the two ponies were getting worried and Ditzy was… well, being herself. Were these two ill or something?
“Umm, guys?” Lyra asked “You do know the Foal Free Press is, like, a kid’s paper, right?”
“Are you guys okay?” Bon Bon said worriedly
This made the two ponies’ eyes bulge in shock. Surely, there couldn’t have been a miscalculation. The Doctor had made sure the two ponies would return to exactly the time and day they had left. The TARDIS must’ve been acting up again.
“Derpy…” said Colgate, starting to get worried “what’s the date today?”
“Umm… 3rd of March 2012, I think?” Ditzy answered “Why? Landed too early?”
“Blasted!” The Doctor screamed, pulling Colgate up and putting her dangerously close to his face “We’ve got to go, Romana! We might have already caused a rip in the fabric of time and space itself! Allons-y!”
With the yell of his catchphrase, The Doctor ran off towards where he came from , Colgate in tow. The blue mare was screaming at The Doctor, reminding him that her name was Colgate. There was a collective sigh from the three companions who were still confused as to what was happening.
“I’m still wondering if that Colgate actually has a relationship with The Doctor, but ponies like to say you do, Derpy” Lyra said, rubbing her chin “Could he be cheating on you?”
“That’s just silly, me and The Doctor are just friends!” Derpy replied
“Friendzoned…” muttered Lyra
“Anyway, just forget whatever they just said. It’s probably just them playing or something”
Bon Bon only nodded as the two new friends then continued to speak about their Fourth Wall Awareness Club. She couldn’t help but shake the feeling that what the two ponies were talking about was extremely important. After a few moments of thinking, she just sighed and joined in on her friends’ conversation. Maybe it was time she tried to understand this Fourth Wall thing.
Let’s just say she still doesn’t believe in it, anyway.
Bon Bon wasn’t feeling all that great. It was bad enough that all the Pegasi in Ponyville need to raise water for Cloudsdale to make clouds this year, but Lyra was making it even worse. Sure, Lyra made everything more complicated, but this was just plain ridiculous. She still wondered why she was friends with the strange mare in the first place.
Why was this whole tornado event such a big problem for Bon Bon? Surely an Earth Pony such as herself wouldn’t even need to mind it at all. She should just make sure to stay away from the water reserve and the water’s path to avoid getting seriously wet. Of course, that was her original plan.
This year, Lyra had managed to turn Bon Bon into a Pegasus.
~Earlier that day~
“So, what’s this big surprise you wanted to show me so badly?” Bon Bon asked as she approached her best friend
Lyra Heartstrings was busy reading a huge book on her favourite bench, monkey-like. By now, Bon Bon avoided that topic altogether. Anypony who saw this event would be incredibly confused about two things.
One: Lyra doesn’t read big books. Ever.
A single memory rushed back into Bon Bon’s head, one of which involved Lyra being a seapony and a terrified Applejack thinking she needs medication. When the Earth pony managed to change Lyra back with the help of Ponyville’s number one egghead, Twilight Sparkle, she made Twilight promise to never let Lyra take the book back.
“Lyra… How did you get that copy of Advanced Transfigurations and Transformations, Volume 1?” the mare asked with a scared and confused expression.
“What, this?” Lyra said, pointing her fore hoof to the book “It’s a long story. Anyway, do you remember what I told you a few episodes ago while we were waiting for Derpy?”
Again with the episodes. Bon Bon needed to have a word with Pinkie Pie after this.
“You said you wanted to have wings…” she said before coming to a realisation “Oh Celestia, NO!”
“Why not~” whined the mint coloured Unicorn
“Remember last time? I am NOT carrying you back to Twilight in a bucket again!”
This made Lyra huff in anger. Sure, the last time was a fluke. However, she wasn’t ready back then. Now she was perfectly ready and well rested for her next experiment, trying to give herself wings!
“Relax, Bon Bon. I just need a test subject!” Lyra said
This made the Earth Pony very scared. Before Lyra could react, Bon Bon had already taken off, running like the wind towards who knows where. There was just one problem with running away from a unicorn that had too much free time to study magic despite it not being her special talent, she could teleport.
A bright green flash surprised Bon Bon mid-run as she came to a stop, crashing into Lyra. She looked even scarier now, with a wicked grin plastered on her face. The Unicorn’s horn glowed with pure energy as she unleashed a blast of green light towards her best friends which fully engulfed the mare. Bon Bon’s screaming did nothing to stop Lyra.
A few moments have passed an the light finally subsided, revealing the cream coloured mare in all her glory. However, there was a distinct difference. The once kind-hearted Earth Pony now had a pair of wings sprouting from either side of her body, just like a Pegasus. Before long, she fainted.
~Real time~
“How did you do this?!” Bon Bon asked, trotting towards the Pegasus training grounds that Rainbow Dash had created just for the tornado event “Even Twilight had trouble giving herself and her friends wings!”
Lyra shrugged as she too followed Bon Bon to the training grounds. She was still a Unicorn, but not for long. She wanted her transformation to be a huge hit, so she was going to do it… in front of all the Pegasi! Bon Bon knew this wasn’t going to end well.
Just as the two reached Spike for signing up, an obvious question came out of the young dragon’s mouth.
“Weren’t you an Earth Pony?”
The two had a hard time explaining the little test that Lyra was trying out. It started to get worse when Twilight came towards them. The appearance of Princess Celestia’s student scared all three of them. After all, Twilight was an egghead. She was sure to ask questions. A LOT of questions.
“Let’s sign you up as somepony else, then” Spike said quickly “How about Bon Voyage?”
“That’s a-” Bon Bon started to say but was cut off by Lyra
“Wonderful name!” the Unicorn piped up “Real great!”
When Twilight arrived, she asked who the new cream coloured Pegasus was. A few lies were passed and the mare just accepted and told Bon Voyage to go to practice. This was when she started to consider Lyra for the first time.
“You’re a Unicorn” Twilight said matter-of-factly
“Not for long! Watch this” Lyra said with a gleeful cheer as her horn started to glow.
A similar flash reoccurred as Lyra started to shine brightly. She started to feel a tingling sensation as she felt her body start to morph. Something was wrong, however. The change was happening too low down her body. She started to feel her fore hooves shrinking… wait, shrinking?
And then it got worse.
Lyra started suffocating, not from lack of oxygen but somehow a lack of water. Somehow, she knew exactly what was happening. Before the transformation was even complete, Lyra teleported away to the only place she knew she could be, the lake behind Sweet Apple Acres.
“Sweet mother of Celestia, they’re back!” an orange mare could be heard screaming at the top of her lungs
“Huh, wonder what that was all about” Twilight said with a shrug.
Bon Bon- I mean, Bon Voyage looked at the situation with dread filled fear. She was stuck as a Pegasus until she could find Lyra again, and she knew she could never find her if she was too tired from all these fight exercises. It didn’t even help that Rainbow Dash was pushing her even harder.
“Are you okay?” asked a lilac mare with a light green mane as she saw Bon Bo- Voyage struggling
“Yeah, you look like you’ve never flown in your entire life!” said another lilac pony, this one with a spiky blue and white mane
Flitter and Cloudchaser, Bon Bo- Voyage knew these ponies. They were two best friends who usually hung out in Ponyville together. Flitter was the kind and soft spoken one while Cloudchaser was the one who acted more like the boss of the two. Bon Bo- Voyage hoped she was talking to the right ponies and not somepony who could end up insulting her.
“Yup, pretty swell” Bon Voyage (Hey, I got that right!) said with a terrible grin “Just tired, is all”
“You know, you look a lot like that mare, Bon Bon” Cloudchaser said as she pondered this for a while
Before the conversation could continue, Rainbow Dash had already barked orders at the three mares, forcing them to go back to training. Quietly, Bon Voyage thanked the rowdy Pegasus for breaking up that awkward tension in the conversation.
“Oh Celestia, where are you?” Bon Voyage said in exasperation
A day has passed and she still hasn’t found Lyra. She’s tried looking all over Ponyville, but only found out what happened when she visited Sweet Apple Acres. Apparently, the seapony from before had returned, according to Applejack. The poor mare had started to go to Twilight’s the therapist for help on her hallucinations. When Bon Voyage looked for Lyra at the lake, she was gone. Lyra must have teleported somewhere else.
“…Okay, everypony! Let's give it all we've got! On the sound of the horn, we take off!” Bon Voyage heard Rainbow Dash shout to every Pegasus there. She knew she needed to get to work.
“Good luck, Bon Voyage!” Flitter told her as she passed by
“Yup, we’re gonna need all the luck we could get” chimed in Cloudchaser
“YEAH!” screamed a white stallion who was obviously on steroids
And so, the next few scenes would look exactly like the one in the episode. To write it all down would be considered copy pasting and so it will be left alone. For those who need to know what happened, just rewatch the episode.
“I can’t believe we did it!” said a stallion
“I know!” Isn’t it great?” said another
Bon Voyage huffed loudly as she tried to catch her breath. It was extremely difficult indeed, but she did it. She actually helped to bring rain to all of Equestria. The only problem now was looking for Lyra, and she was dumbfounded as to where the strange mare could be hiding.
“Are you okay, Bon Bon?” asked a familiar wall-eyed mare
“Derpy!” screamed Bon Voyage in shock “How did you know it’s me?”
“Do you really want to know?” Ditzy Doo asked with a serious expression which scared Bon Voyage greatly
“Umm… never mind. I need to find Lyra, have you seen her?”
“Lyra? Wasn’t she in that lake we just shot at Cloudsdale?”
With a look of utter surprise, Bon Voyage stared wide-eyed at the grey mailmare. It was impossible, Lyra being in there would have meant that they needed more power to lift the water, but they only got eight hundred wing power. Still, Ditzy was known to be a terrible liar and only told the truth.
Some things are better left unsaid.
Princess Luna looked at the vat filled with water at the Cloudsdale weather factory that somehow contained a mint coloured seapony. She only visited because her sister was too busy to come and overlook the rain making duties, but it has turned out rather… amusing.
“Heya, Princess” Lyra said with a smirk “Care to give a hand?”
“Hand?” Princess Luna asked
It was a terrifying time for ponies in Ponyville, as the mass media seemed to be reporting on all of their terrifying and dreadful actions. No, it wasn’t a new journalist out to destroy the lives of everypony she knows, nor is it even in the town’s newspaper, the Equestria Daily. It was coming out… in the school’s newspaper.
Oh, how it sickened them.
The Foal Free Press was always such a boring piece of work, but the new journalist, a pony named Gabby Gums, seemed to be an extremely skilled journalist at gossip columns. Now, the newspaper had become an instant hit with everypony that reads it, but is instantly hated when said pony is featured in the column. I t was even worse for Gibby Gums, who just so happened to have a name almost similar to that of Gabby Gums.
Our tale begins with Vinyl Scratch, also known as DJ PON-3 to most ponies. She held up an article to one of her friends that she made when coming to Ponyville with Octavia, Berry Punch, who was enjoying a nice cup of tea at the restaurant. On it was a picture of Vinyl passed out on the floor, surrounded by other mares and colts as well as several bottles. The headline was even worse, “Party Turns Sour, Drunk Disaster”
“I did NOT spike that punch!” Vinyl yelled out loud, shaking the paper mercilessly in front of her friend’s face “I didn’t even know Ponyville HAD liquor!”
“Vinyl, I’m known as the town drunk” Berry reminded her “Don’t you think it was a little bit obvious?”
“Huh, never even thought about that” Vinyl said as she banged her head on the table “Anyway, how did those school foals even GET this picture?”
“Ponyhoof, or maybe iBrony” Berry stated nonchalantly
“A pony-say-what-now?”
“Nothing, nothing”
Vinyl shrugged off her friend’s action and looked at the paper again. On it, printed in black and white, was the obviously false story of how a party Pinkie Pie and Vinyl Scratch had hosted last night ended with everypony falling drunk on the floor. Apparently, somepony spiked the punch when nopony else was looking and made everyone drunk. Strangely, Vinyl’s view on the event was that the party ended at three o’ clock in the morning, and they were all too tired they fell asleep in Vinyl’s house.
Yes, house. Vinyl Scratch became real good friends with Octavia’s sister and decided to move to Ponyville. Octavia scoffed when the unicorn said that the cellist would miss her. Apparently, she was right. Octavia had come to Ponyville several more times after that, but didn’t dare to come now when the Foal Free Press crisis was still in tow. Obviously, the elder Pie had a few secrets of her own.
“Who the buck wrote all this?!” Vinyl cursed “I’ll slaughter them!”
“Pfft, take a chill pill” Berry joked as she put her tea down “The Cutie Mark Crusaders did nothing wrong”
“Wait, the CMC?”
“Yeah, you know. Those three fillies that run around destroying town trying to earn their Cutie Marks”
Vinyl’s striking crimson eyes widened as she heard this information. Quickly, she asked her friend how she came to this conclusion, or if it was just a rumour spreading around. With a giggle, Berry explained her brilliant theory.
“You could see it from their writing style. Apple Bloom’s is usually simple and straight to the point, poor little redneck. Sweetie Belle uses a dictionary to make things sound way too overdramatic. As for Scootaloo, she has grammar mistakes everywhere”
“Redneck?” Vinyl asked “Whazzat?”
“Oh, you won’t understand” replied Berry “Anyway, they’re being forced to continue writing the columns or else Diamond Tiara wouldn’t accept them in the newspaper team. Honestly, that kid’s worse than her father. I like that stallion; he’s not a total airhead like his foal. Anyway, they don’t even like that job anyway, so you should at least fell a bit of remorse for them”
“Are you on drunk philosopher mode again?”
“Last time I drank was last night. I just checked the story summary on MLP Wikia this morning on my laptop. No biggie”
Ponyhoof, iBrony, MLP Wikia, laptop; Vinyl didn’t understand a thing. In fact, she’s starting to feel worried for Berry. This must have something to do with Pinkie Pie’s Fourth Wall Awareness Club. Hey, Vinyl wanted to join it too but was having second thoughts on it. She put on her sunglasses and started spying on everypony else’s reactions, most of them shocked at the article.
Vinyl liked sunglasses, it was way too easy to spy on others.
“So, when do we break the news to everypony?” asked Vinyl with a sly smirk
“Well, according to the headline, RD’s manicure was yesterday. That means that Rainbow Dash should be flying around town trying to pick up everypony’s paper. The secret should be out in about… tomorrow”
Just as planned, Rainbow Dash zoomed past the two friends with her hooves full of today’s Foal Free Press. She grabs the article from Berry’s hoof and zoomed away. Vinyl Scratch lowered her sunglasses just enough to show her expression of shock and bewilderment.
“How did you… never mind. Hold on, you said you checked the “summary” on that wicky thing, but the events are happening right now. How’s that possible?”
Berry casually took a sip of her tea “I borrowed The Doctor’s TARDIS. Honestly, that guy never explains how it works, I’m sure even he doesn’t even know. Pfft, 49 years and the TARDIS functions are still a mystery”
“Just… forget I said anything”
“Will do”
“So… what now? I still need to save my reputation, you know”
“Simple, we borrow the TARDIS and cancel that party. Not too hard now, is it? In fact, I’m feeling kind of bored. I’ll go find Derpy and do that right now. See ya!”
As the plum mare trotted off, Vinyl only scratched her head in confusion. Still, this strange pony’s behaviour was the entire reason she was even friends with her at all. She had this strange personality that just made Vinyl want to scratch her head and laugh hysterically. However, she seemed to like to raise The Doctor’s name a lot, saying something about Doctor Who.
Just as she was about to leave, she slammed straight into Berry Punch, which was weird since Berry trotted off in the other direction. Stranger still, she looked messed up and pathetic, with an unkempt mane and dirt all over her coat. She seemed to be drunk as well, with her bloodshot eyes and wild stare.
“Have you seen me today?!” she screamed, rather loudly
“Uh… yeah? You just left in about ten seconds flat” was all Vinyl could say to the vague question
“Crap, missed me!” cursed the crazy looking Berry “Come on, V. We need to stop me from stopping that party!”
Just before things could get even stranger, The Doctor and Ditzy Doo appeared as well, both telling Berry that they needed to go immediately. The stallion, seeing Vinyl Scratch, told her that she might as well come and dragged her towards his big blue box.
What happened next was all a mystery, but all I could say is that Vinyl Scratch joined The Fourth Wall Awareness Club and gained her bass cannon. Of course, that is a story for another time.
S2E26 Changeling Situation
Bon-Bon, famous candy maker of Ponyville, was having a blast at the Royal Wedding. She should really thank Lyra for the invitation. If Lyra wasn’t originally from Canterlot or wasn’t one of the bridesmaids, she would never have gotten to come to the biggest event ever in Equestrian history! Or, was that the founding of Equestria? Never mind, it’s still pretty big.
She was standing in the crowd, listening to Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Shining Armour make their vows. She took a quick glance to the bridesmaids, hoping to see her best friend as well as Colgate and Twinkle Shine. Instead, she saw some of Twilight Sparkle’s friends standing at their spot. Confusion overcoming her, she sneaked up towards the nearest one, Fluttershy.
“Psst, Fluttershy!” Bon-Bon whispered “Where are the other bridesmaids?”
“Oh, Bon-Bon!” whispered the quiet Pegasus “Apparently, Princess Cadence decided to replace her bridesmaids because she found out the only reason they wanted to be in the wedding was so that they could meet Canterlot royalty”
This made Bon-Bon extremely perplexed. Lyra could care less about royalty; her ego was probably higher than the royal ponies anyway. She had told Bon-Bon that she wanted to keep an eye on Twilight Sparkle, a personal request from Princess Celestia herself. Apparently, she needed somepony who knew Twilight during her Canterlot days to make sure nothing like the Garden Party or the Grand Galloping Gala happens again. If she could, she never would have come to some lame old wedding.
Thanking the kind mare, Bon-Bon shuffled towards the door. Somehow, the wedding seemed much more boring without her best friend here. Plus, she knew that something was wrong. Oh, why does she even bother trying to save Lyra’s flank anymore?
Her suspicions proved correct when Twilight Sparkle suddenly burst through the palace doors, yelling for the wedding to stop. There was an exchange of words for a few minutes before Princess Cadence suddenly transformed into a black insect-like creature.
‘I’m getting sick and tired of this’ thought Bon-Bon as she quickly ran towards the location of Lyra according to Twilight’s explanation, the Canterlot caves
After a few terrifying minutes of searching for the entrance of the caves while escaping changelings and panicking ponies, Bon-Bon finally spotted it, the entrance to the caves. It just so happens to be directly beneath the kitchen. Why it was there, she didn’t bother asking. After all, life in Equestria was anything BUT boring, especially when the Elements of Harmony are around.
Without any second thoughts, Bon-Bon jumped into the caves. Luckily for her, none of the changelings followed her down. If they did, the whole ordeal would have been much worse.
According to Twilight, the bridesmaids are all brainwashed and are fighting over a bouquet of flowers. Okay, that is SO not Lyra. She was never the type to actually try and do something so… natural. To Lyra, the crazier and weirder the better. She shuddered at the knowledge, wondering how the two became best friends.
To make sure that she would not get lost, Bon-Bon decided to take some icing from the kitchen and a flashlight. She smeared the icing on several parts of the wall knowing that its bright colour could be easily identified. The only thing that could go wrong was somepony would come and eat it all up. Hopefully, this will not happen.
After a few fruitless minutes of wandering, she heard the distinct sound of fighting nearby. She rounded a corner and was surprised by what she saw. The three bridesmaids were fighting over a bouquet of flowers, just as Twilight had said. Bon-Bon’s suspicions grew even more.
Colgate, or known as Romana by both Berry Punch and The Doctor, would never do something to ruin her reputation like arguing over a simple bouquet. Twinkle Shine was too kind to want to hurt anypony else as well. It just seemed so… out of character.
Trying to resolve this as quickly as she could, Bon-Bon jumped out of her hiding spot and yelled at the three bridesmaids. Good news, the three of them stopped. Bad news, they’re targeting Bon-Bon now. With a loud yell, the three mares chased after Bon-Bon with speeds that would never have been achieved by the ponies. Bon-Bon too was using her running lessons she took after so many dangerous events to good use.
She dashed through corridors, cornered corners, scaled walls and even jumped over wide trenches to save herself. However, the three pursuers would not let go of her that easily. Somehow, the three of them just appeared directly behind Bon-Bon no matter what she did to shake them off. She turned left once more and found…
A dead end.
“Oh no, oh no, oh no!” panicked Bon-Bon, seeing the three ponies walking menacingly towards her.
Bon-Bon started tearing up, wondering if she would ever get out of there alive. She started reciting her will when suddenly, she heard a loud thunking noise and all three ponies fell down and… transformed? With a shocked expression, Bon-Bon watched as the three mare transform into changelings. Looking at her saviour, she didn’t know if she should be surprised, glad or angry.
“Yo!” Lyra Heartstrrings, the REAL Lyra Heartstrings, said with a grin “What’s up?”
“What’s up?” Bon-Bon said with anger imminent in her eyes “What’s UP?! I ran in here looking for you because I thought you were in trouble and had to run away from three changelings and all you say is ‘WHAT’S UP’?!”
“Whoa, calm down, girl!” Lyra said, fanning Bon-Bon playfully “Evil Cadence put a sleep spell on the three of us and left us in Luna’s room, which I might add is incredibly comfortable”
“You mean to say that you were SAFE all this time?!”
“Pretty much, yeah”
Bon-Bon, who didn’t feel like trying to strangle her best friend, simply sighed and trotted towards the way she came. She told Lyra to help her find some icing she smeared on the wall and her flashlight she dropped while being chased by the changelings.
“Uh… yeah, about that” Lyra started to say, making Bon-Bon shudder “I sort of, accidentally, kicked a flashlight into the deep chasm and… that cake icing was delicious”
Bon-Bon started weeping, thinking that it was all over. They were going to be stuck down there for the rest of their lives and Bon-Bon would never find the stallion of her dreams. She would never grow up to become Equestria’s most renowned candy maker. She would never even find out what happened to the wedding after she left! Oh, this was terrible!
“Relax, I’ve got it all under control” Lyra said with her mischievous grin as she placed a hoof around her best friend’s shoulder “Trust me, Romana and The Doc are gonna save us alright”
“Wait, I thought only Berry and The Doctor called Colgate Romana”
Lyra was going to say something else when a sound could be heard . Lyra quickly said that it was the sound of the universe, which confused Bon-Bon. That was when something appeared out of thin air, the big blue box The Doctor was famous for. From the door, two bickering ponies came out, a brown stallion and a blue mare.
“Out of all the times you could have modified your biology to pass off as a pony using your Chameleon Arch, you had to choose today!” Colgate, or Romana, or… whatever, yelled at the stallion
“Well, it’s not my fault I was being chased by changelings who had a working vortex manipulator!” The Doctor stated coolly “Honestly, it almost worked last time”
“You mean you’ve done this before?!”
“He said he turned into a human to run away from the Family” said Ditzy Doo who appeared behind the two with her wall eyed expression “He also fell in love with this nurse named Joan, if I’m not mistaken”
“Twice you’ve used it, twice your pursuers have found you, TWICE YOU’VE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH SOME GIRL!” the mare was furious now “Out of all the mares, why Carrot Top?!”
“I don’t know, honestly saying” The Doctor said matter-of-factly “I’m guessing that’s a question for John Smith, not me”
The two would have argued all day if it weren’t for Lyra interrupting. She pulled her best friend into the TARDIS and sat there gleefully, amazed at all the contraptions. Bon-Bon was still trying to get over the initial shock of the whole thing.
“So then, back to the wedding, I presume?” The Doctor asked
“Yay! I wanna see the REAL Royal Wedding!” Ditzy Doo squealed
“Well then, Derpy. Pull that lever and let’s go!”
“You really mean it, Octavia?!” Pinkie Pie said with her air of euphoria
“Yes, Pinkamena. I do” Octavia said with a kind smile as she playfully hugged her sister
“What’s all the hubbub?” asked Lyra
“Octavia just agreed to move to Ponyville and live with Vinyl Scratch!” Pinkie Pie yelled “Isn't this exciting? Are you excited, 'cause I'm excited, I've never been so excited! Well, except for-”
“Pinkamena, breathe” Octavia said as she placed a hoof over her sister’s mouth
Lyra congratulated the classy pony for doing so. She asked her why she suddenly wanted to move, which Octavia replied by saying that she felt a little lonely ever since Vinyl Scratch moved away. There was some chatting before Lyra spotted Vinyl Scratch at the turntable. The group moved towards her, eager to tell the news of Octavia moving.
“Hey Scratch!” Lyra said enthusiastically “Did you- hey, weren’t your eyes red?”
“Yeah, I was wondering that when I pulled her out of my hammer space” Pinkie Pie added
“You keep her in a hammer space?” Octavia raised an eyebrow at the information
“In case of a DJ emergency” was all Pinkie Pie responded
When they turned back towards Vinyl Scratch, they were surprised to see her galloping away. To make matters worse, she suddenly transformed into a changeling who quickly buzzed off into the horizon. Mouth agape, Bon-Bon finally fainted as she muttered something about changelings and time lords.
“Hey guys, did I miss anything?” the real Vinyl Scratch said as she appeared next to them drinking a glass of punch.
“Oh, where is that blasted mare?” The Doctor asked as he tapped his hoof on the pavement in front of his TARDIS
“She’s probably just trying to get Bon-Bon to come with her, as always” said Derpy happily, watching some foals play around under Celestia’s sun
“Yes, but this trip is supposed to be Lyra’s choice for helping me out of that situation with the Chameleon Arch and she isn’t even here yet!” The Doctor flailed his hooves into the air “You know I hate waiting…”
During the Changeling attack on Canterlot a few days ago, The Doctor was in a rather… terrifying situation which involved a Changeling swarm, the Chameleon Arch and Carrot Top. Lyra was the one to finally find the fob watch Derpy and Romana were having trouble looking for inside the wedding cake for some reason, and The Doctor was truly grateful for that. If not, he wouldn’t have been able to repel the Changelings and they would have already enslaved all of Equestria thanks to the “love-powered” beam made by Shining Armour and Princess Cadence. Honestly, attacking creatures who feed on love with even more love? That was as useful as dunking flammable cooking oil into a fire in an attempt to extinguish it.
As the two friends waited, The Doctor recalled back to what Romana had told him. Apparently, she was terribly sick with a fever and could not follow him today. Silly Time Lady, thinking she could hide something from The Doctor. He simply scanned her room on the way out and chuckled silently when he noticed some timey-wimey things were in progress. Whatever she wants to do with Berry Punch and Ruby, he should just leave them alone for the time being.
His attention was brought back to Equestria when Derpy called out to him, saying she sees Lyra bolting towards them in full speed. The Doctor wanted to rejoice as his waiting was finally over and he could finally brag about some cool time stuff when he noticed Lyra’s extra luggage.
“Oh, hell, no…” he muttered
Trotting behind Lyra, telling her to slow down… was Carrot Top.
“Yo, Doc!” Lyra said enthusiastically as she skidded to a stop in front of The Doctor and his companion “Bon-Bon’s too scared to come along after last time, so I brought a surrogate best friend to follow!”
The group’s attention shifted to Carrot Top as she, too, stopped in front of the TARDIS. Her panting was extremely heavy from chasing Lyra around all of Ponyville since Lyra forgot where they were supposed to meet up with the two ponies. As a matter of fact, Lyra didn’t even tell her she wanted to go meet The Doctor. She just tapped her on her shoulder and told Carrot Top to follow her. In sight of the TARDIS, she sighed.
“Is THIS what you wanted me to see, Lyra? Because Derpy already told me about it” Carrot Top grunted as she tried to catch her breath, all the while avoiding The Doctor’s gaze “I’m still having nightmares about the Slitheen, you know”
Hearing the mare’s denial, Lyra couldn’t help but to moan. Maybe it was high time she actually did something alone for once.
“I’m not usually one to judge, but I don’t think that surrogate best friends are actually right” Derpy said “And technically, she’s my BFF”
“But Bon-Bon’s so boring today!” Lyra whined “She wouldn’t even cook breakfast, and I need my 13 pancakes! Can’t she just be my BFF, just for a day?”
“No” the two time travelling ponies said in unison
“Not even for a few hours?”
“No”
“Half an hour?”
“No”
During their conversation, they didn’t notice Carrot Top trotting away from them. Derpy called her back, even going as far as trying to chase her which ended in a tree getting knocked over. Despite telling the yellow mare that this was going to be a ‘fun, alienless trip to someplace super-duper fun!’, Carrot Top only kindly shook her head. She’s had enough adventures for a lifetime, and she didn’t need any more.
“And I need some away-time from… Time Turner…” Carrot Top said with another sigh as se trotted away, leaving the accident-prone Pegasus confused
“Who’s Time Turner?” she asked the remaining two ponies when she got back to the TARDIS “And how is he connected to us?”
“Long story, Derpy” The Doctor muttered “Anyway, where do you want to go, Lyra?”
The three ponies have already entered the TARDIS and the mint mare was already bouncing around excitedly, pressing buttons and pulling levers around which terrified The Doctor. Her response only made the Time Lord panic even more.
“I have no idea!”
“GAH!” The Doctor screamed as the TARDIS tilted sideways
“Wow, I could never do this whenever I’m in control!” Derpy said enthusiastically but with a hint of fear “A-are you sure we’re not going to end up on another planet infested with giant killer potatoes again?”
Before anypony even got to reply to her, the TARDIS landed with a loud CRASH which could even impress Vinyl Scratch. The Doctor sighed as he tried to stand up, thinking back to his choice of companions.
He was fine with Derpy, she was brilliant. Carrot Top was around for a few trips, but she’s too terrified to go for any more (and added with the past situation, he liked this revelation as well), Vinyl Scratch helped with fixing the time-space continuum once and he never saw her since, Bon-Bon was a carry-on by Lyra, Berry Punch was just… creepy, and Lyra was probably the most destructive choice yet. Honestly, can’t he have normal companions like Rose and Martha?
“Are we safe yet?” Derpy asked
“I don’t know” The Doctor said as he rubbed his head “Let me check outsi-IIIIIIDDDEEE!”
Hearing the scream, both mares jumped and ran for the door, only to find the great blue sky and The Doctor barely holding onto the TARDIS with his hooves. After a couple of minutes (and several slip ups), The Doctor was safely back on the TARDIS. He looked at Lyra expectantly.
“We’re on a cloud… we, are on, a CLOUD! How is that even possible?!”
“Well, it is for Pegasi, remember?” Derpy said, rubbing her head which she knocked on the TARDIS earlier on
“But this is a TARDIS, not a Pegasus… Gah, pony physics”
“Anyway, we’re here!” Lyra said as she jumped outside, landing on a cloud with as much grace as a falling hippo “Wow, clouds sure are fluffy!”
The Doctor, dumbstruck and confused, looked at the mint Unicorn with admiration. He almost followed suit when he remembered his past conundrum. To be safe, he took out his Sonic Screwdriver and pointed it at Lyra. After some whirring sounds, he came to the conclusion that she had cast a spell on herself, probably post-saving him, to walk on clouds.
“Care to give me a lift, Derpy?” asked the stallion
“Wait, wait, wait!” Lyra called out “I got this!”
She carefully let her horn glow a bright green colour, building up in potential as time passes by. After a few seconds, she unleashes a mighty yell as the energy flowing within her horn was shot straight towards the Time Lord. The stallion screamed as agonizing pain was shot through his body. He felt extra limbs bursting out from his body and prayed for the best. A few seconds later, the light faded and The Doctor stood. Only this time, he had a magnificent pair of wings.
“Well, fancy that!” The Doctor exclaimed as he gazed at his new wings “Hold on, my voice… Wait a minute, I feel younger than usual!”
“Oh, I guess that’s the aftereffect” Lyra said casually “Bon-Bon had a sudden urge to drink milk after I shot her the first time”
“How do you have great magic again if your special talent is playing the lyre?” asked The Doctor
“I… have no idea…” Lyra said with an air of confusion
“Hey guys, I think I know when we are!” Derpy said, pointing towards a stadium which was decorated with banners “This is two years ago, during the Best Young Flyer competition! This is when Rainbow Dash did the Sonic Rainboom!”
Feeling giddy, the three ponies rushed over to the stadium, hoping to catch the competition. Who knows? Maybe something exciting would happen while they are there. Obviously, knowing these ponies, something exciting is bound to happen.
“Oh, what in blazes?” said a brown stallion as he came out of a blue police box, surveying the scenery in amazement.
The stallion shook his head in disbelief and looked at himself, sighing audibly in the process. Here he was, still in Equestria. He was probably never going to get back to Earth any time soon.
“Excuse me, Doctor?” said the voice of a fine young mare from behind the stallion
The stallion jumped up a bit before looking at the origins of the voice, a white mare with a curly purple mane. Behind her, three young fillies stood gaping at the police box as if it would sprout wings and take off.
“Yes, yes, I am very busy” the stallion said as sweat trickled down his face “Could you come again later?”
“No, not really” Rarity said with a smile “You see, I’m going out of town for a day or two with my friends so I was just hoping that you would take care of these little fillies for a few days”
The stallion surveyed the three playful fillies closely, taking in their looks and descriptions. He was just about to decline once more when Rarity made a pouting face, making the brown stallion sweat. Nopony had yet declined Rarity’s requests when she made that face.
“Oh, very well then” the stallion finally said “I’ll take care of these fine little fillies if I have to”
“Oh, thank you so much, Doctor!” Rarity said again and turned towards the three fillies “Now stay out of trouble, alright? Apple Bloom, you and Sweetie Belle are going to stay with The Doctor here while the girls and I got to Apploosa, okay”
“What about me?” said the young orange filly, Scootaloo “Can I stay too?”
“Well, have you asked your parents?” Rarity asked back but earned no reply, only a frown which made Rarity stop and think for a while “Well… that depends on you, then. If you want to, it’s alright. It’s not like I have any jurisdiction over you”
Scootaloo squealed happily, overjoyed by the fact that she would be able to hang out with her best friends in all of Equestria for a few days. She held her hoof up which Apple Bloom connected with her own hoof, making what seemed to be the pony version of a ‘high-five’ to The Doctor.
“Thank you very much, Doctor” Rarity said again as she trotted off elegantly towards her destination, the Ponyville Train Station “I’ll see you in about a day or two!”
“What is it that you have to do in such a far away village?” The Doctor asked once again, hoping to at least get some answers before having to take care of the girls before him
“Well, it’s all that ruffian Applejack’s idea” Rarity said with a dramatic pose “She wants to plant a tree named Bloomberg over there. Makes you wonder really why it needed such a joyous occasion” she then paused for a while, rubbing her chin “Or why she even named a tree!”
The white mare gave a little wave and trotted off. Barely five seconds passed when the three fillies started running around the area, gaping at the blue police box and making quite a mess of the surrounding.
The Doctor sighed again, wondering just what mess he had gotten into this time. He was better off fighting with Daleks than babysit three girls. Still, you reap what you sow. He motioned the girls to follow him from behind.
“So… what’s your name?” asked Sweetie Belle
“I’m The Doctor” was all that the brown stallion replied
“Doctor Who?” Apple Bloom asked again, wanting to know more about their new babysitter
“Oh, that’s what they all say” The Doctor muttered again “Well, I suppose you three could call me Doctor Whooves, if you must”
“Okay, so why are we going into this small blue- Whoa” Scootaloo started to say but stopped abruptly as they entered the police box
“Welcome to the TARDIS” Doctor Whooves said again “Make yourselves at home but don’t touch anything! You know what, I’ve heard of you and your shenanigans, so I guess it’s best if you don’t make yourselves too much at home”
“What tha hay is ah Tah Dees?” Apple Bloom asked, still staring around the place
“Oh, TARDIS short for ‘Time And Relative Dimensions In Space’” Doctor Whooves replied, smiling as he looked around “Now then, what would you three-”
The Doctor barely had time to finish the sentence as he saw the three girls instantly split up, hoping to see more of the strange place. Doctor Whooves kept a watchful eye over the girls, making sure they didn’t activate anything that could destroy the space time continuum.
“This place is enormous!” Apple Bloom said in amazement, speaking with her cowgirl accent “What do ya’ll do in this here place, Doc?”
“Well, multiple things, really. For example-” Doctor Whooves started to say but quickly caught Scootaloo as she tried to touch his Sonic Screwdriver “I said don’t touch anything!”
“Hey, what’s this?” Sweetie Belle asked, making the Doctor turn in shock hoping that it wasn’t anything valuable or dangerous
“Whoa, it even turns!” Apple Bloom piped up, holding the item
The Doctor gave a sigh. They had found a Rubik’s Cube, nothing too dimensional warping. He let go of Scootaloo who had run off to see the item for herself, gazing at its uniqueness.
“That’s called a Rubik’s Cube, girls” Doctor Whooves started “It’s a fun little toy we played where I came from. You see, all of the sides could turn” he then turned a few sides for emphasis “and all you have to do is turn all the sides until you solve the puzzle”
“How do you solve it?” Scootaloo asked, sounding even more excited about the toy puzzle
“Well, you have to make each of the sides a solid colour, which means that each side must be a different colour than the other. Understood?” The Doctor tried to explain the toy as good as possible
“Sure! Come on, gals. Let’s go and solve this thang!” Apple Bloom said joyfully as she took the puzzle in her mouth and ran outside, wanting to solve the puzzle as quick as possible
“Come on, or are you chicken?” Sweetie Belle joked as she too ran off
“How many times do I have to tell you, I’m NOT a chicken!” Scootaloo screamed back as she followed her friends from behind
Doctor Whooves stared at the three fillies run away, hoping to enjoy themselves with the puzzle. Still, they weren’t doing anything that was too dangerous, right? The Doctor smiled to himself as he went back into the TARDIS. He had some work to do.
“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS CUBE SOLVERS, YAY!” the Cutie Mark Crusaders yelled, making The Doctor trip and fall.
“Maybe I should… Nah” Doctor Whooves thought as he entered the blue box once again
Apple Bloom looked at the Rubix Cube thoroughly by turning it a few places. After a moment, she threw it onto the ground, making the other two confused.
“Giving up already?” Scootaloo joked “I didn’t know you were scared of a cube!”
“Oh, shut your horse apples” Apple Bloom said as she took out a hammer “I’m gonna solvify this cube and get mah Cutie Mark from it”
“Solvify isn’t a word” said Sweetie Belle as she watched the fearless leader hit the cube with her hammer multiple times
“Since when were you a dictionary?” Scootaloo joked “I thought you were a marshmallow!”
“Shut up!” Sweetie Belle yelled and looked at the cube again, which wasn’t any closer to being solved “Here, let me try”
“Almost got it!” Apple Bloom muttered, hammering away as she hoped that something, anything would happen to the cube “It ain’t workin’!”
“Could I try?!” Sweetie Belle squealed, pulling the cube away from Apple Bloom
The yellow filly, who was still in mid-swing when the cube was taken away fell face first onto the dirt road. She spat out the dirt and glared daggers at Sweetie, who smiled meekly and apologized.
“This cube needs something…” Sweetie Belle continued on “I’ve got it!”
Scootaloo looked awkwardly at her friend as she ran over to Rarity’s place, but followed suit so she wouldn’t be left behind. Years of hanging out with Rarity had made the white filly know the place inside and out. Slowly, she crept to the back of Carousel Boutique and climbed up the creaky window above the toilet to get in. The other Cutie Mark Crusaders only shrugged and jumped in as well.
“Are ya sure this is alright?” Apple Bloom asked, looking around the beautiful boutique
“Sure I’m sure!” Sweetie Belle replied, carrying some jewels with the weak magic you’ve got
“Go for it!” was all Scootaloo said as she watched her friend decorate the cube until it could barely be identified among the jewels and diamonds
The white Crusader, still looking intently at the cube, then came up with a great idea. She ran into a box and pulled out what seemed to be a chicken. After swinging it around playfully, she started drastically hitting the Rubik’s Cube as the others covered their faces with their hooves
The white filly continued hitting the Rubik’s Cube with the rubber chicken, hoping that it would bring some sort of difference. When nothing happened, she hit it even harder. In the end, Apple Bloom decided to speak up.
“That’s exactly what ah did!” she said and gave a little sigh “We’re not really going anywhere, are we?”
“Here, let a pro show you how it’s done!” Scootaloo said, taking the cube away from Sweetie Belle and jumped through the open window, albeit missing it and causing a huge hole where it should have been.
Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom jumped after her, looking solemnly at the hole before running off in search of their talent. When they had caught up with Scootaloo, she was already riding her scooter and was zooming around town.
She then rode around the block, performing tricks and stunts as she held on to the Rubik’s Cube in one hoof. Several onlookers ‘oohed’ and ‘aahed’ at her performance until she finally stopped back where Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle stood waiting.
Scootaloo showed the cube to her friends, thinking that she had completed it. Instead of applause, all she got was laughter.
“It looks exactly the same, ‘pro’!” Apple Bloom joked
“Yeah, so much for showing us how it’s done!” Sweetie Belle joked on as she took the cube away from her friend
“Well, it’s not like you two actually got any closer to finishing it!” Scootaloo yelled back
“Come on, there’s gotta be a way to solve this” Apple Bloom said as she took the cube from Sweetie Belle’s hooves.
The three fillies then ran off, hoping to find a solution to the puzzle somewhere else. They wouldn’t stop until they were finished with the cube. Never.
Doctor Whooves opened the door to the TARDIS when he heard a knock on the door. His face had a stern expression on; he was in the middle of an experiment and he didn’t like being disturbed. However, what he saw made up for the disturbance.
“Umm, Doctor Whooves?” Sweetie Belle said sweetly
“Could you help us get uh… unstuck?” Apple Bloom finished off, pointing to the Rubik’s Cube stuck to her cheek with her eyes
Doctor Whooves gazed at the three fillies in shock and amazement. They were all covered in tree sap and were stuck to one another. Surely they were just playing with the cube!
“How did you girls get stuck in all this tree sap?” Doctor Whooves sighed as he peeled the cube off of Apple Bloom’s cheek
“Oh, it’s a long story” Scootaloo answered as the three tried to walk into the small door with little luck
“Trust me, even I don’t want to know” Doctor Whooves said with a sigh.
Taking care of the girls was pretty demanding, but maybe it was worth it. Where else could he see three girls get caught up in tree sap while trying to solve a Rubix Cube puzzle?
S1E16 Confusing Competition
“Tickets for three, please” Derpy told the ticket manager, who only looked at the mare with despair and fear
“You and your Unicorn kids?” the mare asked back, looking around for the two ponies who sometimes came with her with the help of a spell or two
“No, just some friends” the mailmare replied “Dinky’s playing with Sparkler over at the park, so I’ve got a few minutes”
The ticket master looked at the mare with fear-filled eyes, thinking back to some past events which caused the destruction of buildings and historical landmarks. She considered giving the tickets, but remembered the story of how she had put the stadium into total lockdown after she found a stray raincloud, two popcorn buckets and a carrot. Honestly, how was that even possible?
She then remembered the whole reason why Derpy Hooves wasn’t invited to the Best Young Flyer competition, which all Pegasi living in Cloudsdale, Canterlot and Ponyville were invited to. Apparently, the staff had come to the agreement of not letting the mare anywhere near 200 yards of the place in case of unforeseen circumstances. How did she find out? Probably from some friends. Yeah, that’s right. She has other Pegasi friends who might have told her…
But didn’t she work at the post office? That means she must be the one who handed out the invitations, so-
“Hello~” a young mint Unicorn waved a hoof in front of the ticket master “Earth to pony, are you in there?”
“Why, yes!” answered the ticket master, who was creeped out by the sight of the Unicorn “Here you go, three tickets. Enjoy the show!”
The pony then watched as Derpy trotted into the stadium, followed closely behind by the strange mint Unicorn and a brown stallion Pegasus. She looked at the group in fear before getting back to work, only to be greeted by a pony whose coat was the pinkest pink she has ever seen with an ever pinker mane than that. Her cheerful grin was somehow contagious, making her want to smile as well.
“Hi! Ticket for four, please!” Pinkie Pie squealed in excitement
The ticket master gave her the four tickets and when the party pony has left, the next customer was greeted with a sign.
Gone for health issues
The Doctor looked in awe at the stadium laid out before him. It was brilliant, truly brilliant! In all of his years travelling, not once did he ever see an entire city made on top of a cloud! Such workmanship, such creativity. He could stay for a long time just admiring the piece of work if it weren’t for Lyra nudging him on the shoulder.
“Yo, Doc! Guess what” Lyra said with a grin that made The Doctor question her sanity “One of the competitors has the Feather Flu, and they need a new replacement!”
“Oh, that’s not good” The Doctor said, not used to his new voice yet “Who’s the replacement? Fluttershy? Derpy?”
“No, they won’t let Derpy compete in any competition ever since the Great Rainbow Flood of 2005” Lyra said nonchalantly.
“At the weather factory?”
“No, it was a sewing competition” Lyra added “Anyway, they wanted you to join! I already told ‘em yes, so you’ve gotta do it”
“Hold on, I barely even know how to fly! How am I going to compete in a flying competition if I can’t do the simplest trick?”
“Come on, you’re The Doctor! I’m sure you could think of something to do. Now get going!”
The hyper mint Unicorn pushed The Doctor towards the preparation room of the stadium where they were greeted by a female Pegasus who looked rather worried. As soon as he saw the two, she instantly beamed and dashed over, shaking The Doctor’s hooves wildly and thanking him, saying she was eternally grateful for The Doctor.
When The Doctor turned around to look for Lyra, she had disappeared. Reminding himself never to invite her along again, he went to get ready for the competition.
Back at the stands, Lyra had found Derpy and the two sat at a nearby cloud, chatting away. Derpy, too, was surprised when she found out that The Doctor was competing, and was excited to see just what tricks he would do. Lyra, sitting her trademark sitting position, was chomping down buttered popcorn. The two friends waited as the announcer came out and declared the competition to begin.
The two ponies watched as the first contestant came out and started doing stunts and tricks that made them squeal in joy and excitement. When the first one was done, they saw that The Doctor was up next. They leaned in closer as the brown stallion got into the centre cloud and started his stunts. Derpy stated that she should have brought along a camera to record this moment, but Lyra wasn’t listening.
She had noticed something odd in the audience.
“Hold on, Derpy, I’ve gotta get some… uh… popcorn! Yeah, popcorn” Lyra said to the grey mare as she jumped off the cloud and landed on the fluffy ground… cloud.
She turned to the audience and started to sneak past them slowly and stealthily, trying not to make a scene. Of course, she wouldn’t have made a scene if it weren’t for the fact that she bumped into everypony and accidentally dropped a cup filled with soda. Well, at least it wasn’t acid. She remembered the last time that happened. Not so good.
She closed in on the strange pony she saw between the audiences and got ready to attack. What made the pony so strange? Well, she was wearing a big pair of sunglasses, a large hat and a long scarf. Who wears that to a flying competition? Spies, that’s who. and maybe random crazy fashionista… or Rarity, but that’s a whole different story.
With a loud battle cry (“Leeroooooy Jenkins!” she screamed), Lyra jumped the mare and pushed her straight off the cloud. The two landed on another cloud, of course, since extreme gore is not welcome in these kinds of stories… probably. With another shout, she bucked the mare under the chin and got ready to block some attack she knew she was going to receive back. However, the mare inly looked at her in annoyance.
“Just what in Celestia’s name are you doing?!” the victim yelled
She was a pink Pegasus with a dark blue mane. Her Cutie Mark was some blue lightning bolts, and her clothing was already dirty from getting attacked by Lyra. The Unicorn swore she has seen the mare before, but was too embarrassed to think about that for now.
“Uh, stopping you from destroying the competition?” she blushed
“Right, and why do you suppose I was going to destroy this competition?”
“Because you look suspicious! Yeah, nopony goes to a competition in that kind of clothing!”
“I lost a bet, honestly” the Pegasus answered “Really, I would have rather been seen dead than wear this scarf”
Apologising for the small misunderstanding (“You pushed me off a cloud and bucked me, and you’re apologising? Oh, aren’t you a laugh” the victim muttered), Lyra then let the pink pony get back to the competition. She then ran off back to her own cloud, stealing some random pony’s popcorn in the process for good measure, and landed with a loud thud on the cloud where Derpy was waiting. How she made a loud thud by landing on a cloud? Don’t ask.
She was quite surprised to see The Doctor there as well, who was absolutely beaming with glee. He kept on telling Derpy about all the cool tricks he’s done by accident and Derpy answered back cheerfully. Lyra, who was blushing even worse by now, only smiled and nodded when The Doctor was talking to her.
“Honestly, that was amazing! I really feel sorry for anypony who didn’t get to see it” The Doctor said with a smile
“Yeah, how did you manage to cause that cloud to suddenly shoot lightning bolts everywhere but didn’t hit the audience?” Derpy asked
“Simple physics, Derpy” he replied “And did you see when I caught that flower bouquet some mare threw at me that was falling at 80 miles per hour?”
“Yup! Wow, Doctor, you sure are fast with those wings” Derpy added
“Yeah, lightning, physics. Really great” Lyra said with a poker face so bad she made Applejack look like a professional liar
The two ponies looked at the Unicorn expectantly. Somehow, they were positive that something was amiss with their friend. Slowly, Derpy asked why it took so long to get a bucket of popcorn. The Doctor, who was suddenly shocked by the revelation that Lyra was not around to look at his act, quickly looked at her with shock.
“You would rather wait in line for a bucket of popcorn rather than watch my act?!” he exclaimed “How could you?!”
“Eh, it was a… long story” Lyra grumbled
“Lyra, I’ve travelled through all of time and space and I’ve had more companions than the number of times Derpy screwed up and I’m old enough to have met your mother’s mother’s mother. And you still think you could tell me that you have a long story?”
Feeling as if she has already lost the battle, Lyra told them what happened. Throughout the story, Derpy exclaimed several times and The Doctor only kept a straight face. After she was done, Lyra sheepishly threw the bucket of stolen popcorn away, landing on the head of the pony she stole it form in the first place.
“Lyra, you don’t know just how cross I am with you” The Doctor said “I let you ride the TARDIS so we could travel through all of time and space and save worlds, occasionally stopping to watch some event take place or go for a vacation. I did not allow you to follow to let you go and make grudges against random ponies you barely even know”
“Yeah, yeah, I know” Lyra grumbled
“I do suppose you know that this will be your final trip”
“Yes…”
“Hey, what’s going on over there?” Derpy suddenly chimed in
When the other two ponies looked, they saw that it was Rarity and Rainbow Dash’s turn. However, something peculiar was going on. It was as if the butterfly wings on Rarity’s back was slowly dissolving. As if on cue, the wings suddenly burst into flames, sending the white Unicorn plummeting to her death.
Without a second thought, The Doctor took out his Sonic Screwdriver and pointed it at the Unicorn. However, he pulled back when he saw that the Unicorn was flailing terribly and had already knocked out three members of The Wonderbolts. He then noticed Rainbow Dash, dashing in towards the rescue. It was impossible; she would never make it in time.
Quickly, he pointed it at the rainbow-maned mare and pressed the button, making the loud beeping noise as a green light came out of the top of the metal contraption. The longer he pressed, the faster Rainbow Dash seemed to be going. With a mighty yell, he pressed the Sonic Screwdriver harder and Rainbow Dash broke the sound barrier.
“That takes care of that” The Doctor said as he pocketed his Sonic Screwdriver “Now, let’s look for who caused the wings to burst into flames”
“You… you helped Rainbow Dash make the Sonic Rainboom?!” Derpy said in disbelief as her jaw was left hanging wide open
“Now that you mention it, yes” The Doctor said casually “Anyway, come on!”
The three friends ran off towards random directions as they looked for somepony that might have been the cause of the near-death situation Rarity was in. Everypony seemed to be acting the same way, shocked by the drop and amazed by the multi-coloured explosion of rainbow goodness. They looked around even more until Lyra pointed at a pink Pegasus who seemed to be trying to melt into the background, disappearing from the crowd.
They chased after the pony, who seemed to be quick on her wings. Even with The Doctor’s newfound flying abilities, he still couldn’t catch up to the pink Pegasus. Just as the mare was getting away, she slammed headfirst into Derpy’s flank and fell onto the ground-cloud-thing… Oh, you know what I mean.
“Oh, son of a-” the mare was starting to say before Derpy accidentally sat on her
“I knew there was a reason ponies called you the Iron Flank” Lyra said with a grin as she pulled the pony out from beneath the rump of doom “Now, tell me what you were doing trying to destroy the competition?”
“And why do you suppose I was going to destroy this competition?” the mare asked once more, confusing the Unicorn
“We just saw you trying to make your grand escape, what do you think?” Derpy said “Hold on, you do look sort of familiar…”
“Time must run it’s natural course, and nothing could change it” the Pegasus started “History states that Rainbow Dash performs a Sonic Rainboom today, and I only helped assist in the creation of the Sonic Rainboom. Time as we know it would shatter if the event does not take place!”
“Strange, that sounds like something I would say” The Doctor said as he rubbed his chin “Have we met before?”
“Not that I know of” the Pegasus said again
Without warning, Derpy suddenly gasped loudly as she looked at the mare closely one more time. She scanned her closely, taking off her garments one by one and gasping after each one. Finally, she squealed in excitement and hugged the mare tightly, making the pony choke as she tried to get the mare off of her.
“Auntie Firefly! Long time no see!” Derpy shouted at the top of her lungs
“What, who are… Derpy?” the mare named Firefly said in confusion
“You know this mare?” Lyra asked with a bewildered expression
“Well, duh! She’s Rainbow Dash’s mommy!” Derpy said gleefully
“The Doctor told me to help out with this situation, since he says he needs to stop some Necrofrigians over at Crystal Mountains” she muttered
The two mares looked at The Doctor, who only shrugged in confusion. Surely, he’s never met this mare before in his entire life… Oh wait, he hasn’t met this mare yet. Sometimes, he hates time travelling. It causes some confusion. Then he remembers that he’s The Doctor and quickly gets back to adventuring.
“So… what’s The Doctor look like?” The Doctor asked
“Oh, sort of dark brown, with brownish-black mane. Wears a bowtie. Always wears something strange and says that they’re cool.” Firefly said as her face blushed “I recall he’s wearing a fez right now”
“Well, nice meeting with you, then” The Doctor said as he pulled his two companions away “Come on, we better let her continue on with whatever timey-wimey things she’s doing”
“Could you keep a promise?” Firefly suddenly whispered to them “Don’t tell anyone, okay? Just our little secret?”
After a few seconds, the group nodded. They waved goodbye to the mother of the Element of Loyalty and trotted away to get back to the TARDIS. Along the way, nopony spoke. Apparently, The Doctor was still in shock that he had just met his future companion.
“Well, Doctor” Lyra said with a tinge of jealousy “You do have a way of picking up mares, don’t you?”
“I can’t believe you made Firefly fall in love with you!” Derpy exclaimed
“Well, I’m sure I didn’t go as far as marrying her or anything, that’s preposterous!” The Doctor said, hoping that he was right
“If I wasn’t mistaken, RD said her dad was an Earth Pony and she barely ever saw him” Derpy added
“TARDIS is over there, come on!” The Doctor said, skirting around the original topic “Allons-y!”
He threw a key to Lyra, who caught it and looked at it with joy. She couldn’t believe it, it was the key to the TARDIS! Only full-time companions got to hold the key to the TARDIS! Derpy showed her a similar key and they giggled together before chasing after The Doctor.
