A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Chapters

Learn to Fly
Commanding Officer
Don't take off the glasses

Learn to Fly

Scootaloo nervously fluttered her wings as she looked over the edge of the cliff she had landed on. Her scooter lay in a wreck behind her, one of its wheels still turning pathetically in slow circles.

‘Well I guess none of us are getting our over sized slingshot cutie marks.’ Scootaloo thought to herself still transfixed by the view from precarious perch. ‘Although I might get my mountain climbing cutie mark if I want to get down from here.’

She sat down, mulling this thought over as she took in the view. ‘You can see the whole town from up here. There’s Applejack’s farm ,’ Scootaloo could make out two figures in the distance, bucking some apple trees. ‘And Fluttershy’s cottage,’ she could see the yellow mare and another white figure walking beside her. ’And I think I that’s Rainbow Dash!’ Scoot shot up off the ground as soon a she saw the blue mare resting on a cloud a ways away. ‘Maybe I can get her attention and she can rescue me, that would be so cool!’

“Rainbow dash!” Scootaloo shouted. The blue mare didn’t even glance in her direction. Scoot frowned and tried again, “Rainbow Dash!!!” Nothing. Scootaloo took in a huge breath for one final try “RAINBOW DASH!!!!” the blue mare turned over and continued her slumber. Scootaloo just fell down on her rump, a rather large frown on her face. ‘It’s alright, the girls will run back to town and find someone and then Rainbow Dash will come to rescue me.’

And so Scootaloo waited. And waited. And waited.

By now Scootaloo was pacing nervously around her island in the air. ‘What if they don’t know where I landed, or if it gets dark and they can see me, or something horrible attacked Ponyville and they forgot about me!’ Scootaloo wanted to cry, but she held the tears in. After all the super awesome ponies, like Rainbow Dash, didn’t cry. ‘Ya but unlike you, Rainbow Dash isn’t a flightless chicken,’ a little voice in the back of her head said.

Scootaloo stopped her pacing, “I am not a chicken,” Scootaloo muttered to herself. She took several steps toward the edge of the cliff, “I am not a chicken,” she said, louder this time. Heart racing she ran to the opposite edge of the cliff and leaped off, “I am NOT a CHICKEN!” Scootaloo shouted as she beat her wings as hard as she could. And for a brief moment the wind blew past Scootaloo and gravity loosened its grip upon her. For a moment Scootaloo flew.

Then Scootaloo fell.

***

The next thing she knew Scootaloo woke up in the Ponyville hospital. Her body ached all over and she could feel bandages all over herself. “She’s awake, she’s awake!” Applebloom cheered. Sweetie Bell, Applebloom, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash were all gathered around her bed.

“Ah think we can all see that Applebloom,” Applejack replied but smiling never the less.

“The doctor said that you were really lucky that we found you so soon, you were all bruised and had all of these broken bones, and-“ Applejack put her hoof over Sweetie Bell’s mouth to stop her from going into too much detail.

“And ya flew Scootaloo! Ya really flew! Not fer very long, but ya still flew!” Applebloom cheered.

“I did,” Scootaloo said quiet, but excited.

“Uh-huh, ya did. Not fer long, and then you fell and-“ Applejack put her hoof over Applebloom’s mouth now.

“Ah think we should give Scootaloo some time to get better girls,” Applejack said and started to steer the two crusaders out of the room, both giving highly enthusiast good-byes.

Scootaloo waved good bye, and when the door closed her attention snapped to Rainbow Dash. “Were you with Applebloom and Sweetie Bell and Applejack when they came and got me? Did you see me fly?”

Rainbow Dash gave her a sad little smile, “Yup, saw the whole thing.”

Scootaloo’s whole face lit up with pride, and then started to blush, “I guess that means you saw the whole falling thing too, huh?”

“I did Scoots, and let me tell you something,” Rainbow Dash got closer and put a hoof on Scoots head, “I wasn’t born the most awesome flier in Equestria, I had my fair share of falls, but the difference between me and other pegusi was I got back up each and every time. That’s how I know you’re going to be an awesome flier one day,” Scootaloo smiled. “I was also able to get back up in one piece each time, be careful, alright?”

Scootaloo nodded, “You got it RD.”

***

Picture: Learn to fly

Artist: wonderlandfreak

Commanding Officer

Down in the bowels of the Everfree Castle, Luna sat her desk, quill scribbling frantically over parchment. ‘If thine night is not suitable for my subjects I must do all that is in my power make it so.’ A knock at the door interrupted the sound of quill on paper. “Enter,” Luna said without glancing up.

Celestia opened the door, a worried look on her face, “Sister this is the fifth night that thou has retreated to thine chamber, bathing in candle light instead of the moon’s glow. What is it that ails you?”

“That our subjects still fear and shun the night. That it is a time of danger, and that creatures from ages past make it their home instead of our kin. That is what ails us sister,” Luna said, her voice cold, her gaze not once straying from her parchment.

“Then, pray tell, what does retreating under the earth accomplish?” Celestia asked.

Luna got up, placed the quill back in its ink pot, and rolled up the parchment with her magic, “It has given us time to prepare. Now I and our guard shall strike back against those foul beasts which make out beautiful and glorious night vile and repulsive those we care for.”

Celestia stood there for a moment, “As thou wish, dear sister,” she walked up to Luna and gave her a hug. “Stay safe, and may the stars give thou strength.”

“Yes, I’m certain they will,” Luna did not return the hug, and simply left, her scroll floating behind her.

***

“Are thine troops ready, my captains?” Luna asked her five captains, all standing at attention in line.

“Yes my liege, our twenty strongest fighters are assembled and waiting for thine orders,” the captain in the center replied.

Luna nodded, “Good. Tonight we shall clear the Everfree of any and all enemies to pony-kind. Here are thine orders,” Luna floated out five scrolls, depositing them in her captain’s mouths. “You shall meet back with me at moon set. May the night vale you,” her captains all gave her a quick bow and filed out of the war room. Once gone, Luna went about changing into her own armor. It had been forged for her from a fallen star by her Equestrian’s most talented artisan blacksmith. It was both beautiful and strong proving, time and time again, to be all but indestructible.

Luna trotted over to her mirror, making sure that all of the pieces were properly connected. She gave herself a once over and nodded. Finally Luna tapped each of the mirrors four corners. In an instant the mirror’s reflective surface vanished, exposing a hole carefully hidden behind her mirror. In it stood a sword which glowed like the moon in the sky above.

“I swear by the moon and the stars that I will not rest until our subjects love the night forever more,” Luna whispered to the sword. And with that she trotted out to face pony-kinds greatest enemies.

***

On most nights the Everfree Forest was a peaceful place, but tonight it was filled with the screeches and shouts of combat. Monsters of all kinds fell to the onslaught unleashed by the night guard. They fought with fangs, claws, and magic, but the ponies had their weapons and their armor to guard them. The guard did lose lives, but for each life lost they took a hundred of the creatures. To speak nothing of Luna, whom nothing could harm, and would simply be cut down if they dared tried.

Hours into her campaign Luna was pleased with their progress. ‘If we keep this pace then all of Equestria’s beasts will be dispatched in a fortnight,’ Luna thought to herself with a small smile.

The moon had almost set signaling the end of, what Luna hoped, would the first step toward making the night more acceptable for her subjects. As she was about to fly back to the castle one of her captains landed before her, “Lady Luna we have a crises on our hooves!”

“What is it Captain Stronghoof?”

“An Ursa Major my Lady!”

Luna was stunned, “But that’s impossible, they had gone extinct in the Years of Chaos.”

“Unfortunately that has proven false, one is very much alive, and I was just able to escape with my life. More than can be said for the rest of my men,” Luna could see a look of great despair cross is face.

She thought about this grave news for a moment, “Captain, go and inform the other squads to retreat back to the castle.”

“And what of you my Lady?”

“I have a beast that is threatening the livelihood of all that cross its path to attend to. Now fly, and bring word to the others!” and with that the two went their separate ways.

***

There the Ursa Major stood among the dead ponies that had tried to vanquish the mighty beast. It roared with rage and crushed all that stood in its path.

“HALT FOUL BEAST! THINE RAIN OF DESTRUCTION IS AT ITS END!” Luna shouted, using her royal voice to get the attention of the Ursa.

The massive star bear turned and swatted at Luna, nearly hitting her. Luna strengthen her magic grip upon her sword and slashed at the paw as it passed, leaving a small wound in the Ursa’s paw. It roared in pain and tried to swat the princess down with its other paw with the same results.

Luna then flew strait at the enraged beast ready to piece its monstrous heart. The Ursa had other plans and caught Luna in between its two paws. The princess screamed, for the monster’s blood was both burning hot and icy cold, sending waves a pain down through her body.

The beast roared once more, as applied more and more pressure in an attempt to squish the princess of the night. With her sword pinned against and the beast’s strength far greater than what she could muster the princess seemed to have no options left. As the beast brought her closer and closer to its maw, ready to devour her, the Princess’s anger and frustration rose, “Thou has slain thy subjects and made a mockery of our beautiful stars with thine horrid form.” Fury consumed Luna’s thoughts, anger bubbled through her veins. Drawing upon this blind rage she unleashed a burst of magical might that forced the Ursa’s paws to part. “NOW THOU SHALL FEEL OUR FURY!”

Luna used her magic to send her flying forward like a missile. It tore its way through the Ursa’s starry coat and came out the other side, then it circled around and went sliced open another gaping wound. The beast was in a frenzy and tried its hardest to swat down the blade, but the task proved to be impossible because of Luna’s nimble magical control over the sword. Then the sword pierced the Ursa’s heart, and with one last roar the beast fell, never to rise again.

Luna stared at beast’s mutilated form, cold fury in her eyes. Then her gaze softened as she turned it to her fallen guard. “I’m sorry,” Luna murmured. With that she brought her sword back to her side, the soft glow it radiated now red with the Ursa’s blood, and flew back to her castle.

***

Picture: Commanding Officer

Artist: PhoenixSwift

Don't take off the glasses

“Vinyl, there’s a question I’ve been meaning to ask you for a while now,” Octavia and Vinyl Scratch were having breakfast together in their apartment, when Octavia finally decided to ask a question that had been on her mind for days.

“Is it about how you are overwhelmed by my sexiness and finally want to admit your undying love for me?” Vinyl asked.

“Not in the slightest Vinyl,” Octavia deadpanned. “You know that I am not a fillyfooler, and neither are you for that matter.”

Vinyl poured herself some more Sugar Hooves (Now with 20% more sugar!), “Hey, never said I wasn’t open to experimentation.”

Octavia just shook her head, “Going back to my actual question, what’s the color of your eyes?”

Vinyl’s spoon froze in the air, midway to her mouth, “I-I’m sorry what?”

“Your eyes, I’ve never actually seen them. You always have those sunglasses on, I’m not even sure if you ever take them off.”

“Uh, well Octy I’m not sure that I’m ready to tell you such a deep and intimate secret of mine,” Vinyl said sweating under her coat.

“Your say that, even though we’ve been roommates for the past three years, you can’t tell me a ‘deep and intimate secret’ like what you eye color is?” Octavia arched an eyebrow.

“Yes,” Vinyl said completely serious.

Octavia rolled her eyes, “Oh just let me take them off for a second.” When Octavia went for Vinyl’s sunglasses, Vinyl leaned further and further back in her chair, keeping out of Octavia’s reach.

“Oh hey look at the time I have that really important thing at the place with the person, so I’ll see you later!” Vinyl said and quickly ran out the door.

Octavia frowned. ‘What could be so important that she can’t take off those darn sunglasses? Well if she won’t tell me I’ll just have to find out for myself,’ she thought to herself as she started cleaning breakfast and started formulating at plan to remove Vinyl’s sunglasses.

***

About an hour we see Vinyl as she is walking down Main Street in Canterlot’s business shopping district. ‘I think I gave Octy the slip, there’s no way that she could spot me with all of these ponies here!’

“Hey Vinyl Scratch!”

Vinyl jumped and quickly turned around to see a certain sea foam green pony with a lyre on her rump, “Oh Lyra it’s you, I thought you we Octavia for a second.”

“Hehe you two have some kind of falling out?” Lyra asked, as they started walking together.

“I guess you can say that, but it doesn’t matter too much,” Vinyl gave a small shrug. The two started talking, and unknown to Vinyl they had someone tailing them. Octavia was a few steps behind her fellow musicians, subtly talking into a headset.

“Alright Lyra I’m in position,” Octavia whisper. “Remove the glasses on my signal.” Lyra gave a subtle nod as she continued talking to Vinyl Scratch. “Ready and-“

“Gloves! Come get your gloves here!” a street vender shouted, hawking his wears.

Lyra’s head snapped in his direction, “Gloves?”

“Yes indeed little miss, perfect for all your claw using friends!”

“Do you have any gloves for… fingers,” Lyra was now leaning over the poor merchant’s cart practically nose to nose with him.

“Lyra what are you doing? Lyra? Lyra!” Octavia whispered furiously into her head set, trying to get her partner’s attention. When she looked back up Vinyl was nowhere to be seen.

“Look Octavia! Hands!” Lyra held up one of her hooves now clothed in a glove. Octavia facehoofed and let out a defeated groan.

***

Vinyl was just sitting down for lunch, a large Celestia-salad sub in front of her. ‘I wonder if Octy’s mad at me for running out on her this morning.’ Vinyl pondered this for a moment, ‘Naw probably not,’ finishing that thought Vinyl started to devour her sub, unaware that Octavia was watching her from high up on the rooftop behind her.

Octavia pulled out a fishing rod, and slowly unreeled the line, ‘All I have to do is lower the hook then once the glasses are hooked I’ll reel them back up and gallop on down to catch Vinyl before she has time to find another pair.’ Vinyl didn’t notice the hook that was dangling directly in front of her eye wear, her attention completely devoted to her sandwich.

Octavia felt the line snag something, and quickly reeled it in. ‘My, her glasses are quite heavy, how in the world does she wear these all of the time,’ Octavia thought as she struggled to at reel the line in. Finally something popped up over the edge, “I have you now… Baby?” Instead of Vinyl’s glasses, a baby pegasus slowly spun on the end of her line, giggling.

“My baby where did my baby go?” a concerned parent called from down bellow. Octavia slowly lowered the baby back down to earth.

***

Hey Octy I’m home! OOF!” as soon as Vinyl walked in the door she was tackled to the floor by Octavia, huffing and puffing with a mad glint in her eye. Vinyl was shocked for a second, but recovered quickly, “Well see if you had just admitted to your love for me this morning we could have gotten out of the way hours ago.”

“I have been following you all day trying to get those infernal sunglasses away from you! All! Day! They come off now!” and with the rant out of the way Octavia made several furious attempts to remove her roommate’s spectacles.

“No Octavia you don’t know what your-“ Finally Octavia removed Vinyl’s glasses.

***

Miles away in Ponyville.

“Ooo! Itchy nose and twitchy mane! Looks like someone got Vinyl Scratch’s glasses off!” Pinkie Pie told Gummy and continued his bath.

***

“AHHHHH!” the two musicians screamed together as two massive laser beams shot out of Vinyl’s unshielded eyes. “My shades! Give me my shades!” Vinyl shouted at Octavia.

“Here take them! TakethemtakethemtakethemTAKETHEM!” Octavia shouted back and thrust them into Vinyl’s outstretched hooves.

Vinyl quickly put them back where they belonged, “There, whew! That was fun.” She gave a nervous giggle.

Octavia just gaped, “You just… with the PEW! PEW! And and…”

“Ya they’ve always done that. Reason I got the shades, waaaaaay back when I was little,” she looked up. “Our fellow apartment goers might not be so happy with the renovations we made though, heheh.”

“I… I… I! I need to lie down,” and with that Octavia fainted right where she stood.

***

Well that ended up being more crack-y than I expected. Crack-y but fun.

Picture: DON'T TAKE OFF THE GLASSES

Artist: Atomic-Chinchilla