MLP/LBT: The Stomping Grounds

by Jongoji245

Rating: everyone
Tags: Original Character, Equestria Girls, Apple Bloom, Crossover, Sunset Shimmer, Main 7 (EqG), Slice of Life, Alternate Universe, Other
Length: 4007

Our dino pals from the Great Valley interact with the Human Equestria

Akin to the shorts released on Youtube (and later on DVD) before and after "Rainbow Rocks" and "The Friendship Games", the following short stories involve the characters from The Land Before Time interacting in the Equestria Girls Universe, learning from each other in the process.

Takes place in the New Timeline after "It Came from the Mysterious Beyond" and may overlap or even occur after "Friendship Games."

Published 2015-10-23 20:10:02 UTC
Last updated 2015-11-01 18:54:27 UTC

Sunset's Safari

Sunset's Log,

Ever since we moved the portal to the Dinosaur World over to a more inaccessible, my curiosity has been getting the better of me. While my first attempt at figuring out how magic works in our world has proven to be somewhat of a bust (and dare I say quite painful), knowing how the dinosaurs can talk presented me with an opportunity to understand an entirely different culture. I asked Twilight if she would like to come along. She couldn't be any bit as happy.

Sunset rose from the other side of the lake and began her trek across the Great Valley. Twilight, having been suddenly changed back into a quadruped, in this case, a Centrosaurus, falling on her heavy forelegs.

"Wow," - Twilight looked at her new form - "guess I know how being a Bison feels like."

The first question I sought to answer was if there had been any anomalies in the world itself without any "third party" involvement."

Petrie was sitting on top of Sunset's "horn" as she listened attentively to his story.

"Me Uncle Pterano touched the Stone of Cold Fire, but no magic ever happened. Cera think it just a dumb old rock. But what we need with magic when we got each other?"

Sunset then observed Mr. Thicknose talking to a group of young children, understanding how the Pachyrhinosaurus presented his knowledge

Oral traditions, while having the same basic idea, vary wildly by each individual.

Sunset and Twilight joined a group of dinosaurs as they listened to a Story Speaker, an Alamosaurus by the name Saro.

"Longnecks originally had short necks and so were the trees that surround us. The Bright Circle liked the song the Tree Stars sang so much that it reached down and pulled the trees closer to him. The following night, the kindness of the Night Circle helped us become Long Necks."

In another part of the valley, Sunset was in the middle of a conversation Pat, an Apatosaurus more or less the same age as Grandpa Long Neck.

"Well, it's something my grandad used to tell me. Seems that a long, long time ago, the Night Circle got jealous of the Bright Circle."

Twilight's history lessons started to click, "How?"

"Oh, how the Bright Circle was much brighter and how folks stay awake for it but go asleep when the Night Circles up and all that." - Pat looked up at the sky - "So the Night Circle grabbed the Bright Circle and threw it from the sky so that it would smash into the world below."

Twilight began to recall the fight between Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon, as shown by her worried look.

"But it just so happened that a herd of Long Necks standing just below them and they stretched their necks up and caught the Bright Circle on their heads, then shoved it back up into the sky."

"And that's how you're kind got their name?" Sunset asked.

"Well that's the story," - Pat chuckled - "Whether you believe it is up to you."

One story did catch Twilight's attention, though...

Twilight and Sunset now were listening attentively to Littlefoot as he spoke his story like the back of his skull.

"And after the Lone Dinosaur defeated the Sharptooth, Saurus Rock rose up from the ground, watching us to this day." - Littlefoot looked in the general direction of the formation - "If you happen to come close to it, you can see a circle of teeth around its neck, from that very Sharptooth!"

Twilight furrowed her brow, "If that Sharptooth appeared, why haven't there been any others?"

"The Great Wall makes it difficult for Sharpteeth to get in."

The Unicorn turned human-turned dinosaur became skeptical about this, "Maybe a dragon flew in one time."

"What's a dragon?" the young Long Neck asked.

"Like a big Sharptooth," - Sunset answered - "but with wings and can breathe fire."

We now move over to the present time, with Sunset Shimmer finishing her log.

"Based on Twilight's experience, I could say that magic does exist in the Dinosaurs World, just as obscured as mine." - Sunset stopped the recorder and looked a the night sky - "Until now..."

Threehorns are the Best

Near the barn at Sweet Apple Acres is a large obstacle track used to give the horses some exercise. While a chore from time to time, there is quite some fun for the experienced rider. Near the gate is a chalkboard that displayed the fastest obstacle times. The highest time was Applejack by two minutes, thirty-five seconds. Following that was Big Mac and Apple Bloom respectively, with Sunset, Cosgrove, and Rarity below them respectively; learning to ride a horse is basically riding a four wheeled bike, a living breathing one, but a bike nonetheless.

With Labor Day Weekend, Apple Bloom now had the free time to break her record. On that Saturday before, the Sophomore rode one of their horses across the obstacle course, jumping over hurdles and trotting quickly between barrels. Big Mac kept a keen eye while holding a stopwatch. Next to him were Cera, who looked in confusion as she watched the human guide an animal through the obstacle course and her half-sister Tricia on the fence watching with delight. As soon as she crosses the finish line, Apple Bloom pulled the reins, slowing the horse to a stop. She watched her big brother mark her time. As soon as he moved around, Apple Bloom's face was just about to beam until she got a closer look at the record. She did beat Big Mac's old record, but just missed Applejack's record by one second.

Before she could asked, Big Mac answered, "Bumped a barrel."

Disappointed, Apple Bloom dismounted the horse and walked it back to the barn, with Cera and Tricia following her.

"I was just this close-" - Apple Bloom gets her fingers a quarter of an inch apart - "this close to beating Applejack's record."

"Well, being close is better than nothing." - Cera stopped Tricia from going too far - "Maybe with a little more practice you could beat your sister's record."

"Aw, thanks, Cera." - Apple Bloom removes the bridle from the horse's mouth - "You're just as optimistic as Pinky Pie."

Cera blushed before raising his nose up, "Well in my world, you're a Threehorn and Threehorns can do anything they set minds to and be best at it."

Apple Bloom was just about to unstrap the saddle when she turned her head around. As honesty runs in the family, the young farmer gave the even younger Triceratops a look.

"If only that were true." Apple Bloom unstrapped the saddle and began carrying to the rack.

"It is true." Cera rebuked before sitting Tricia on one of the haystacks.

At the end of the song, Apple Bloom's ears and "tail" disappeared before the three children began to laugh, not notice Applejack leaning on the open door with a smug look on her face. Big Mac carried a bucket of apples when he stopped and watched the group of children.

Without looking away Applejack asked, "Ye think Threehorns can do anything?"

Big Mac kept his usual blank stare before continuing his work.

"Nope."

Author's Note

Would it be weird to say that if I described Cera's human form she would kinda look like Applejack?

Big Water

With Summer passing on to the changes of Autumn, civilizations have their own methods of preparation. In Equestria, this would be the "Running of the Leaves," but in the Human World, it was a mere last minute agenda. By the time September will end, the local outdoor swimming pool will be closed for the year and so many people come by on weekends. The heat still had some fight left in it, eighty-degree temperatures can be reached by high noon and last through the night.

Six feet underwater in the middle of one such hot day, Diver stood "dormant", occasionally breathing out a few bubbles. When she opened her eyes, a boy of various colors happily swam around her. This was another one of inhabitants from The Great Valley, an Ophthalmosaurus by the name Mo. In both worlds, the Deep Sea Swimmer was just at home in the water. Mo swam up to the Maximal and stared at her, humoring her by rolling belly up. Diver puckered her lips and breathed out bubbles at Mo's purple nose. As he giggled, she pushed herself off the undertow and quickly ascended to the surface. Feeding her starved lungs, the overweight teen paddled to the edge of the local swimming pool. A few seconds after, Mo porpoised himself high into the air, laughter joining the usual soundscape before diving into one of the swimming lanes. Octavia, taking a part-time job as a lifeguard, blew a whistle, though that was moot when Mo was deep underwater.

Diver turned to see Ducky and Spike sitting at the pool's edge, their feet in the water.

"Why aren't you guys coming in?" Asked Diver as she shimmied herself to them "Aren't you a Swimmer?"

Ducky turned to Diver, "I am a Swimmer, I am I am. It's just that whatever Big Water we come across, a mean Sharptooth Swimmer tries to eat us."

Spike acknowledged that with a mumble.

Diver cocked her head, "Like sharks?"

Before coming to the pool, Ducky and Spike have visited the Downtown Aquarium and so could understand what a Sharptooth Swimmer is to the Humans. The humanized Stegosaurus answered again with a nod.

"Well," - Diver heaves herself out of the water and sat next to them - "I can assure you that we are far away from any ocean, no shark's coming here."

"Well, the little girl does have a right to worry." Diver, Ducky and Spike turned to the Dazzlings sunbathing, Adagio with her arm raised "After all, remember what we looked like back in Equestria."

"Uh, hello" - Sonata piped up- "we were like super scary fish demons." - the blue Siren looked to find her sisters and Diver giving her the look - "what, what did I say?"

Diver turned back to the two dinosaurs, "Well, what was it about the ocean that scares you?"

On cue, Pinky Pie pops out of the bushes, takes out a pan flute from her hair and flings it to the Maximal. After she caught it, Pinkie pulled out a pair of drumsticks from her hair before digging into Adagio's massive headpiece. The lead Siren glared at Pinky before she pulled out a drum. Aria lowered her sunglasses, her mouth grimaced. Sonata chuckled before being given the same glare.

"Hey, Flash!" Pinky yelled from across the deep pool, catching the school jock's attention as he tuned his guitar.

Diver lead in with her pan flute before Flash and Pinky Pie took over with their instruments. Sonata also pulled out a vibraslap from Adagio's hair, further angering her sister, and began bopping it.

At the end of their song, Sonata's belly began to rumble.

"This singing really works up an appetite," - Said Sonata before sharply turning to Pinkie - "and you know what that means..."

Adagio face palmed, "Oh no..."

"Taco Dinner!!!" Shouted Sonata and Pinky Pie.

Ducky and Spike helped Mo out of the water before following them to their cars. At the other side of the pool, one member of the "Eco Kids" was packing his belongings when a "googly eyed fish" surfaces.

"Weird..." Said the teenager before leaving. The fish tracks his movements before submerging into the depths of the swimming pool.

Author's Note

The Fifth Land Before Time Movie was the only one of the franchised I owned, so the nostalgia really kicked in as I wrote related works.

Flip Flap and Fly

In a grassy field near Fancy Pant's private airstrip, Rarity, Sweetie Belle, Button Mash, and Guido sat on a picnic blanket while looking up at the sky.

"See anything yet, Rarity?" asked Sweetie Belle

Holding a pair of zoom binoculars, Rarity answered, "Nothing yet, deary."

"Button?" Sweetie Belle turned to find Button Mash playing on a portable console, clearly ignoring today's event.

The Crusader lowered her shoulders, a scared look on her face should anything go wrong up there. A jade green hand was placed on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Sweetie Belle," - Said Guido - "Petrie knows more about the sky than anything else, he'll help Scootaloo out at any-."

"AH!" - Rarity pointed to the sky - "There they are now!"

Five thousand feet above ground, a private jet cruised along the blue sky. Inside the plane were Rainbow Dash, Spitfire, Soarin, Rapidfire, Fleetfoot, Thunderlane, Cloud Kicker, Rumble, Scootaloo, Bulk Biceps, Cloud Chaser, with Petrie and his nine siblings.

"Five minutes before reaching the drop point." Announced Wind Rider in the pilot seat.

"All right, guys," - Rainbow Dash announced - "I know what you're thinking, that you must be crazy to be jumping off a plane. But on my first try, I just jumped out without even a second thought. In fact, our guest of honor had a story like that, right Petrie?"

The crowd looked at one of the younger kids, who became confused before Petrie himself stepped forward.

"Me braved a very mean Sharptooth before me knew how!" - Considering that they knew what a Sharptooth is, they cooed in amazement.
"If Petrie can do it, so can you!"

"Yeah!" - Rainbow Dash added - "So let's get out there and make the largest group skydive ever!"

As soon as Rainbow Dash finished, the red light buzzed green and the doors opened, revealing the world beneath.

"YEAH!!!!" - Screamed Bulk Biceps before charging out the door.

One by one, each of the passengers jumped off the plane, eventually leaving only Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, and Petrie's family.
Scootaloo became excited to skydive with her hero,

"Let's do it, Scoots!" Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo jumped off the plane, followed soon by the group of Fliers.

Performing a nosedive, they quickly caught up with the others as they made a series of stunts. Petrie, literally a master of the air, performed a series of spins that were copied by his friends and family. In her excitement, Rainbow Dash "grew" a pair of wings and tail.

At the end of the song, all of the sky diving group except Rainbow Dash opened their parachutes and slowly descended to the ground. Sweetie Belle ran up to her fellow Crusader.

"How was it?"

"It... Was..." - Scootaloo jumped a few feet in the air - "Awesome!"

Petrie walked up to Scootaloo, "You may not have wings, but you still fly!"

With that complement, Scootaloo hugged the flier before noticing Rainbow Dash land on the ground, her wings and "tail" disappearing. The sports captain gave a thumbs up to her biggest fan, causing Scootaloo to show a large grin.

The Haunting Hour

Well after the Friendship Games, there haven't been any signs of magical phenomena. After a relatively warm October, the cold times finally began to creep in, to the point where the inhabitants breathed out a "ghost sense." This didn't matter, with Halloween approaching, each student at Canterlot High would try to scare each other.

But one student has been taking this a little too far. Having experienced supernatural events three times already, Trixie adds a little more to the fire. The student magician would leave scary posters in her classmate's lockers, novelty items in a desk, and somehow in the Principal's file cabinet. One time, Pipsqueak was walking with Featherweight and Twist when a goblin jumped in front of them. Scaring the daylights, they dropped their books and bags and ran as fast as they can.

Trixie pulled off her mask, "Trixie, the Great and Fearless strikes again."

One lunch period, the Rainbooms, Crusaders, Maximals and Twilight gathered in one table.

"First photobombing, now scaring us?" Said Sunset as she rubbed her temples.

"Trixie can't pull off all the surprises" - Said Pinkie Pie - "I'm the one with the surprises."

"And I must say that she has very poor taste." Added Rarity.

"She did ruin my silent auction." Fluttershy whispered, though her angry expression implied otherwise.

"Yeah!" - Rainbow Dash exclaimed - "Trixie replaced the cracker jacks with streamer toys!"

Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Cosgrove began to snicker.

"That one was actually funny." Apple Bloom chuckled before being given a glare from Scootaloo.

"So... What are we going to do about it?" - The Human Twilight asked.

"We'll give her a taste of her own medicine" - Answered Rainbow Dash, wrapping a hand around her fist.

"How?" - Applejack leaned forward - "Trixie probably done everythin' possible."

"Maybe to a human..." - Rainbow Dash circled her hand

"But not to a dinosaur!!" All of the others, except the Human Twilight, finished

"Dinosaur?" - Twilight cocked her head - "Where are we going to find a dinosaur? They're extinct."

The school bell rang, ending the lunch period.

"Not the ones we know." Cosgrove gave out a toothy grin.

It's now Halloween night, and Trixie was just about to have the biggest scare fest she ever pulled off. Discord and his daughter Screwball have locked the school doors and walked away. The prankster slowly opened the door and crept out into the hallways.

"The Great and Fearless Trixie," - Trixie curled her fingers together - "ready to pounce!"

Trixie walked around the empty school, going through every nook and cranny as a possible hiding spot. But every spot she waited, no one was around for her to scare.

"Trixie has no one to scare," - Trixie began to succumb to the fear of being inside - "and when she has no one to scare, Trixie gets frightened herself..."

Suddenly, a shadow loomed over her. Trixie looked up before a winged figure swooped down towards her. Immediately she screamed and ran to another hall when before spotting three small vicious monsters growling at her. She tried to reach the Girls Restroom before noticing a massive shadow of a horned, three fingered monster started walking out. The magician now scrunched down as ominous sounds filled the hallways.

"You better believe..." - Trixie sang weakly - "I got tricks up my sleeve..." - she begins to turn around - "and I captivate because I'm powerful and-"

In the next area of darkness, she found a pair of blue-green eyes staring at her.

"Oh, it's you." - Trixie calmed herself - "Lost any pets in school?"

The owner of those eyes didn't answer, but instead "grew" taller. Trixie stepped back as a pair of slimy monstrous feet appeared in the light.

This was something no one has seen. The head appeared elephantine, a stiff upper torso with "wings" jutting out from the sides attached to another creature holding a bone in its mouth. Trixie screamed and immediately ran to the front doors. She pushed the handlebars in desperation, never realizing that they were already locked. Trixie turned around to find the "tar monster" hulking towards her at a somehow good pace.

"Get away!" - Trixie hunkered down - "Get way from me!!!"

The monster wrapped the tip of its trunk around her hood and pulled her a good height off the ground.

"Help!" - Trixie begged -" Help!! Anybody around here, help!!!!"

"Trixie," - squeaked a young voice - "it's us!"

Trixie slowly opened her eyes and twisted her body. She found Ducky, Ruby, and Fluttershy drenched in some form of slimy material before giving her a chuckle. Looking down, she found Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Spike, and Littlefoot joining in the laughter.

"What is going on?" asked Trixie as she dangled around when she found Sunset walking around the monster, - "Trixie demands an answer!"

"Much as we love Halloween, scaring people to death shouldn't happen every day." The fire-haired teenager answered as the other contenders revealed themselves to be Petrie, Chomper, the Crusaders, and the Maximals as they made a silhouette of the bathroom monster.

"And also, Trixie there are always bigger fish." Added Applejack

Noticing that the "trunk" was actually a noose, Trixie curled her body upward and untied the rope, causing her to fall onto the tile floor. Pinkie Pie wrapped an arm around her.

"The joke is okay the first time, but when you do it too much, it becomes stale." Pinkie Pie finished.

Trixie began to tear up as she looked at her classmates and foreign dinosaur inhabitants.

"Trixie is sorry for what she has done and would like to make up for her troubles."

Cosgrove tossed her a mop, "We promised Principal Celestia that we keep the school clean."

As the person gestalt made it's way to the showers, the Maximals, Crusaders, and Trixie mopped up the trail.

Star Day Celebration

Over at a grocery store, the students at Canterlot high (sans Fluttershy), along with the Dino Gang of Seven (sans Littlefoot), gathered around the entrance. With Littlefoot's "Star Day" approaching, they decided to have a get together soon, again at Sweet Apple Acres (as the portal to the Great Valley is in the lake). While Fluttershy and Dapplewood keep the young Long Neck distracted, the others walked around to gather the food, though the question does rise for what exactly do their dino pals eat.

The Apple Family and Cera walked together when Applejack herself turned to the young Threehorn.

"Cera, we've never asked any of your pals, but what is your favorite food?"

"I like flowers, yellow ones." Answered Cera just when she spotted a bouquet of them.

"Flowers?" - asked Apple Bloom - "What do flowers taste like?"

Her older sister stopped her, "Much as we respect your favorite foods, eatin' flowers may seem off among us."

Cera snorted before walking ahead of them, "Never hurts to try."

Conga line music began to play as they continued their "browsing." Chomper happily skipped around away from Cosgrove to the sandwich aisle.

Over at the Great Valley, Littlefoot, Dapplewood, and Fluttershy explored their surroundings. Angel Bunny also joined them on accident, changing (or devolving) into a multituberculate. For the time being, he would clamber onto Fluttershy's head for protection against being stepped on or chased by Hidden Runner.

"So, um, Littlefoot" - Fluttershy craned her neck down - "have Sharpteeth ever been in the valley before?"

"Sometimes they have," - answered Littlefoot - "but only when the earth shakes damage the great wall."

"Including any..." - she shivers, almost causing Angel to fall off - "T. rexes?" - Littlefoot turned to the larger Long Neck - "Not saying Chomper's bad."

"I know." - Littlefoot responded - "but you don't have to worry," - he turns to the "Plaza" of the Valley - "no Sharptooth would be dumb enough to take on a herd this size."

"Was there anyone who fought a Sharptooth alone?"

Piano music began to play when Littlefoot hopped onto a rock.

Noticing the Bright Circle receding over the Great Wall, Dapplewood nudged his much larger friend.

"Oh, uh, we should get back." Fluttershy turned her massive body towards the lake.

When Fluttershy and Angel submerged into the lake, Littlefoot turned to Dapplewood

"By the way, why haven't I seen my friends yet?"

Ever the quiet one, Dapplewood shrugged and entered the lake. A little suspicious, Littlefoot joined in, swimming through the portal and changing into his human form. Upon emerging, several party cannons exploded.

"Surprise!!!" - Shouted the party members - "Happy Star Day, Littlefoot!!"

All around the lake are the students and families from Canterlot High along with Littlefoot's friends and their families. Decorations and tables dotted the farmland. In excitement, Littlefoot joined his friends as they played around dinosaur themed pseudo-theme park.

Author's Note

First day of November, this final chapter kicking off the 27th anniversary of The Land Before Time!