Pinkie Tales: The Awesome Wizard of An
Pinkie Tales:
The Awesome Wizard of An
Written By: Nocturn Dreamwrite
Created By: Magpiepony
Based on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
And
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic created by Lauren Faust
Pinkie Tales:
The Awesome Wizard of An
Pinkie Pie: Hey Pound and Pumpkin! Are you ready for tonight’s bedtime story? Yes you are! This one’s about an emerald city, witches, and a walking, talking scarecrow.
Once Apon A Time:
Narrator: Glory lived on the open prairie of Plainsville with her father who was a baker and her mother who was a baker’s wife, and her sister Melody. Glory was a white unicorn with a purple main and tail. She loved her family, but she was not interested in baking. She wanted to be a trend setting fashonista, and had even set up her own boutique in Plainsville where she would make fabulous dresses and outfits. Being a generous pony, Glory would sell her work at low prices, and sometimes would even give outfits away for free, but unfortunately, most of the ponies of Plainsville, which was surrounded by fields of grain, liked being…well…plain, so there weren’t very many customers at her boutique. Glory wasn’t one to give up easily though, so she spent more and more of her time in her boutique trying with all her might to create a fashion line that everypony would enjoy, but as time passed her hope for this grew only dimmer. Finally, one day, she decided that if her business was to succeed, she would have to take up shop someplace else, and broke the news to her family:
Glory: I wish I could stay darlings, I really do, but business her is failing with everything so plain… I must move to a place where my work and talents will be appreciated. Somewhere far, far away. Well maybe not too far away since all the roads around here are dirt.”
Glory’s Father: “Glory, you know we appreciate you, and we love you and your wonderful talent.”
Glory’s Mother: “Must you go dear? Who knows what could happen to you out there, and where will you go?”
Glory: “Oh, I was thinking New Yorkshire. That’s where all the fashion stars do their best work.”
Melody: “Please don’t go Glory.”
Narrator: But all their pleas to convince Glory to stay were in vain, and the next day, Glory found herself in her boutique packing for her move.
Glory: “Now I wonder if it’ll be cold in New Yorkshire. Should I pack warm? I suppose I should pack both warm and light just in case, and I’ll need at least six long dresses, and twenty pairs of shoes… oh, all that packing… it wears a mare down. Still, fashion is my home, and wherever my home is I must be prepared.”
Narrator: Glory was so busy with her work that he didn’t notice what was happening outside. In the distance a tornado had formed, and it was coming straight for Plainsville growing bigger and stronger as it went. All the ponies of Plainsville ran to the nearest storm shelter they could find as the storm tore down the dirt road of the down ripping up fences, kicking up dust, and lifting anything loose up into the sky. Glory had finally gotten everything packed. She opened her front door with her magic just a crack, but to her surprise the sudden wind flew it wide open.
Glory: “Sweet Celestia! What’s happening!... Oh no! A Twister!
Narrator: Glory forced the door back shut with her magic and locked it.
Glory: “I must find someplace to hide!”
Narrator: She spotted a large basket full cotton clothing material and didn’t hesitate to dive into it wrapping herself with the fabric. Moments later, the tornado was right above her boutique, but instead of ripping it to pieces the tornado lifted it off the ground. Glory had built her boutique to be sturdy so it stayed intact as it rose higher and higher into the air and round and round. With all the doors and windows shut all Glory could hear was a windy whistling sound. She poked her head out from the fabric once to see what was happening, but when a donkey flew by her window, she hid herself again tighter than before. After some time, the whistling stopped, but Glory could feel something different. The boutique was no longer rising, it was falling and fast! Glory held her breath and braced herself for the end. Then with a crash it was over, and everything was still. It took Glory a moment to realize she was all right, and when she did, she bravely lifted the peeked under the fabric and looked around. She gasped, everything in her boutique was scattered, wrecked or ruined. The building itself, though still standing after that fall, was fit to be condemned. The windows were all shattered, there were holes in the roof, and the whole boutique had an uncharacteristic lean to its left side.
Glory: “Oh my! This is dreadful! I’ll have to pack all over again and then, wait”…
Narrator: she paused.
Glory: “The town! My Family!”
Narrator: She rushed to the door.
Glory: “Please be all right, oh please be all right!”
Narrator: Glory opened the door and stopped in her own tracks. She gasped for the second time, and slowly walked out. The scene before her eyes wasn’t like any place she had seen or heard of before. She was completely taken back by what she saw. Instead of the endless white fields of grain, Glory saw a land with green grass, rolling hills, flowers of every color, and trees that seemed to sing sweetly with the breeze. The boutique had also landed within a few steps from a village, but it looked nothing like the wooden or occasional dark red brick village of Plainsville. The houses in this village were all tiny just about right for her sister, if she had a playhouse that is. The houses looked like they were made of stained glass with every color Glory could name, and others that even she couldn’t (and she could name a lot). The one thing the houses all had in common was that their roofs were all blue.
Glory: “I have a feeling I am not in Plainsville anymore.”
Narrator: She said to no one in particular.
Selena: “Indeed not.”
Narrator: Glory jumped. She hadn’t noticed the pony whom had seemingly come out of nowhere. The pony before her was slightly taller than her. She was a blue alicorn with an even darker blue, flowing mane and tail that sparkled as if there were stars in them. She wore a silver tiara on her head along with a gold, chain necklace which bore the letter “N” for North, and slippers made of glass. She smiled sweetly at Glory.
Selena: “Though I’ve never heard of a place called “Plainsville.”
Glory: “Who are you?”
Selena: “Oh, I’m sorry, my dear, I am Selena the Good Witch of the North. I welcome to the land of An. Whom might you be?”
Glory: “My name is Glory and, wait, this is the land of An?”
Selena: “It is indeed, my dear, well part of it. You see the land of An is divided into four parts: The North, my home, and the home of the Charmkins, The South, home of my sister Majesty, and the Sweetkins, The West, home of the Delightkins, and lastly, The East, here where we are standing.
Narrator: Selena tapped the ground with her hoof.
Selena: “The home of the Cuitekins.”
Glory: “The Cutiekins?”
Selena: “They are the wonderful little ponies who live here.
Glory: “But…where are they?”
Selena: “They are here, but they are hiding. They wish to thank you, but first we must know… Are you a good witch or a bad witch?”
Glory: “I beg your pardon?”
Selena: “Are you a good witch or a bad witch?”
Glory: “I’m not a witch at all. I’m a fashionista. I make dresses. I do have some magic, but nothing like yours, I’m sure.”
Narrator: She retreated a step.
Selena: “Don’t be afraid. I’m a good witch. I use my magic to help other ponies, but are you sure you are not a witch? I heard that you came from the sky and you’re not a pegasus.”
Glory: “Please believe me. I’m telling you the truth. I am not a witch. I came here not of my own accord. A powerful storm blew me here. I need to get home as soon as I can to see if my family is all right. Then I need to find my to New Yorkshire so that I can get back to making more dresses for ponies who want them.”
Narrator: Selena looked all over Glory. She studied her hard, and then she smiled and nodded her head.
Selena: “Yes, from what I gather you are a good pony, and you have spoken the truth, and so… we can trust you.”
Narrator: She turned and looked toward the small houses.
Selena: “Come on out my friends it’s all right! Come meet our new friend Glory!”
Narrator: Little by little, Glory saw the tiny heads of tiny ponies pop out of the houses, and even the bushes. She was surprised at how many there were. They were all dressed in blue as was the color of their country. The came out of their places and three in particular approached her with a bouquet of flowers which they gave her.
Selena: “Glory, these are the Cutiekins. Cutiekins this is Miss Glory who saved you.”
First Cutiekin (Applebloom): “We can’t thank you enough Miss Glory for saving us.”
Second Cutiekin (Sweetie Belle): “Please accept this as a token of our gratitude, we only wish we could do more.”
Third Cutiekin (Scootaloo): “Yeah, after what you did. Say, would you like to be our Queen?”
Glory: “Thank you darlings. This is lovely, and it lovely to meet you all, but, Queen? I suppose that would be nice, but I’m afraid I don’t know much about running a country, so although I thank you for the offer, I must refuse. Though it is tempting, the gitz, the glammor, a crown, but wait…I’m afraid I don’t understand. What did I save you from?”
Selena: “Why the Wicked Witch of the East of course.”
Glory: “Who?”
Selena: “Some time ago, Mock Pie, the Wicked Witch came to this land and enslaved the Cutiekins to dig up rocks for her.”
First Cutiekin: “Your house came out of the sky and she’s under it so you must have hit her square on the head.”
Third Cutiekin: “And since she’s not moving she must be dead!”
Glory: “Actually it’s a boutique, and… wait, what!”
Narrator: “Glory took a good look at the base of her boutique and gasped for the third time for there sticking out from under her boutique, and seemingly lifeless, were four hooves each one wearing a sparkling silver slipper.”
Glory: “Oh my Celestia! I’m so sorry! I didn’t know!”
Selena: It’s all right. She was a wicked witch. Now she is no more, and the Cutiekins are all free.”
Second Cutiekin: “And we owe it all to you Miss Glory!”
Narrator: Suddenly there was a flash of light, and then a cloud of red smoke appeared out of nowhere with the sound of a thunderbolt. All the Cutiekins fled back into their hiding places, as out from the red cloud stepped Pinkamina the Wicked Witch of the West.
Pinkie Pie to Narrator: “Hang on a second here!”
Narrator: “Pardon?”
Pinkie Pie to Narrator: “Yeah you! I don’t want to be the bad guy. I was already the giant in the Beanstalk episode, and I was one of the stepsisters in Cindershy. Why do I have to play the bad guy! No one likes playing the bad guy!” She removes her pointed black hat and sits facing away pouting with her forelegs crossed.
Narrator: Ah Pinkie, I’m surprised at you. You’ve never been one to turn down a role that involves a lot of fun.
Pinkie to Narrator: “Fun! What fun? Everyone knows the bad guy always looses in the end. What fun is that?!”
Narrator: Come, come now Pinkie, the bad guy always gets to have tons of fun. You get to pretend to be evil, and break all the rules. You get to come up with clever plans and tricks. You get to live in a scary castle where you can party all night, and most importantly, you get to pop in and out of this story whenever you want at random, and I know how much you love being random. I would think that being the Wicked Witch would have your name written all over it.
Pinkie to Narrator: “Well, when you put it that way,” she turns back showing interest, but considering her options. “And I do like being random and having parties, buuuuuuut, still. Eh, I don’t know.”
Narrator: Tell you what, how about a deal. “You play the Wicked Witch, and I’ll let you add a song to this story.
Pinkie to Narrator: “Really!” She brightens up. You mean it! A song for me!”
Narrator: Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.
Pinkie to Narrator: “Hey that’s my line!” She laughs and puts her hat back on. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”
Narrator: Pinkie Promise?
Pinkie to Narrator: “Pinkie Promise!”
Narrator: There you see now my fellow narrators she can be reasonable. Very well. Proceed with the story. Animators, you may melt her when ready.
Pinkie to Narrator: Shocked. “What!?”
Narrator: You’re far too trusting. A song is actually a cheap price to pay for your cooperation, but don’t worry we’ll get to your demise soon enough.
Pinkie to Narrator: “But…”
Narrator: Ah…Ah…Ah…Pinkie Promise.
Pinkie to Narrator: Sighs. “Pinkie Promise.
Narrator: Thank you, and Checkmate. Now back to the story:
And out from the red cloud stepped Pinkamina the Wicked Witch of the West. She wore a black cape which only partially hid her pink body and a pointed black hat, and she held a rather large rubber chicken in her right fore hoof. Around her neck she wore a necklace similar to Selena’s only it bore the letter “W” for West. Glory retreated behind Selena while Selena stood her ground, her face clearly showed that she was both displeased and annoyed with this pony’s sudden appearance.
Glory: “Who is that?”
Selena: “That would be Pinkamina the other Wicked Witch from the West.”
Pinkamina: “What is this? Who killed my sister the Wicked Witch of the East? And what is this ugly thing supposed to be?”
Narrator: She asked looking at the structure before her.
Glory: “Ugly?! I’ll have you know that building is a boutique of the finest quality, or at least it was.”
Pinkamina: “Oh! So it was you who killed my sister Mock Pie!”
Glory: “I’m so sorry about that. It was an accident, and there is no way I could have prevented it, but there is no cause to just walk up to a boutique that has given such good service for so long and insult it.”
Mock Pie: “I am not dead.”
Narrator: Everypony jumped, surprised.
Selena: “What did you say?”
Mock Pie: “I said, I am not dead.”
Glory: “But I thought the boutique had killed you. If it didn’t then why are you under it?”
Mock Pie: “Your Boutique uncovered a whole pocket of igneous rocks. That is what I am doing: examining the rocks. Any other explanation as to why I am under here would be highly illogical. Oh, by the way, you can have my slippers. They don’t really go with my plain dress.”
Narrator: Mock Pie kicked off her sparkling silver slippers then she slid hooves and all under the boutique.
Selena: “Well that was very… interesting.”
Narrator: “Pinkamina however was looking at the silver slippers Mock Pie had left behind.”
Pinkamina: “Oooh! Sparkly! I must have them!”
Pinkie to Narrator: “Wait, why are they called slippers? Shouldn’t they be horseshoes?”
Narrator: No. These are pony slippers. Horseshoes are shaped like the letter ‘U’ and just stick to the bottom of a hoof. Pony slippers actually slip onto the hoof itself. The Princesses wear these, and you and some of your friends wore them too at the Gala.
Pinkie to Narrator: “Ohhhhh.”
Narrator: Selena had to think fast.
Selena: “Pinkamina, look! Balloon Animals!”
Pinkamina: “Where? Where? I want to see them!”
Narrator: While Pinkamina was distracted, Selena turned to Glory.
Selena: “Hurry. Put on the silver slippers.”
Narrator: Glory didn’t ask any questions. She quickly slid her hooves into the silver slippers and waited.
Pinkamina: “I don’t see any balloon animals. Oh never mind, now about those slippers…”
Selena: “It’s too late. Their owner has already claimed them.”
Pinkamina: “Wait, what?!”
Narrator: She looked down at Glory’s hooves.
Pinkamina: “No! You tricked me! No fair! Give me those! I love sparkles!
Selena: “That’s quite enough of that! Now be gone before another…er…what was it again?”
Narrator: She asked Glory.
Glory: “Boutique.”
Selena: “Yes, another boutique falls on your head.”
Narrator: Pinkamina quickly looked up to check the sky then sneered at Selena.
Pinkamina: “Very well. You may have won this game, but this party is not over.”
Narrator: She glared at Glory.
Pinkamina: “I’ll be back. Just you wait and see, and I’ll bring a cupcake too!”
Narrator: With that, Pinkamina hopped onto the large rubber chicken and flew away into the sky laughing as she went. The Cutiekins slowly came out again after she had gone. Selena turned to Glory.
Selena: “I’m afraid she’ll probably pester you all the while you are here, but the silver slippers now belong to you, and you must not let them fall into the wrong hooves, they possess magical powers that may help you some day.”
Glory: “Thank you. I must say that these slippers are simply fabulous! But I must really be getting back to Plainsville. Do you know how I can get there from here?
Selena: “I’m afraid I don’t know where this Plainsville is, and even if I did I know that it would be impossible to walk there since An is surrounded by a great desert.
Glory: “Oh no!”
Selena: “But perhaps there is another way. You should go to see the Wizard of An. He may be able to help you get home.”
Glory: “The Wizard of An? Would he be good or bad?”
Selena: “He’s a good Wizard, but very mysterious. He lives in the Emerald City which is right in the center of An.”
Glory: “A City of Emeralds? Incredible! Now that I have to see! So, how do I get there?”
Selena: “Just follow the road of yellow bricks.”
Narrator: She pointed with her hoof, and for the first time Glory noticed a road of yellow bricks that led out from the Cutiekin town and off into the distance.
Glory: “Huh. How did I miss that?”
Selena: “Since you’re on hoof it may take you some time to get there, but just stay to the road and it will take you right to the gates of the Emerald City. Farewell my dear, and I wish you the best luck.”
Narrator: And with that her horn glowed, and she disappeared in a flash of light that faded into tiny sparkles. Glory would have started down the road right away but she could see that it was already beginning to get dark.
Glory: “Oh my. I suppose I shall have to wait until morning.”
First Cutiekin: “We’d be honored if you’d stay the night with us. Our house might be small, but it sure is cozy.”
Glory: “Why thank you. You are all very kind.”
Narrator: So that night Glory stayed with the Cutiekins and the next morning she returned to her boutique to prepare for her journey to the Emerald City. Realizing that there was no way she could possibly take everything she would have taken to New Yorkshire, she settled on a simple saddle bag with just a few essentials such as bread, a few basic sewing needles, threads and patch cloths, and her hair brush. She was just a little sad to have to let go of all her work in fashion, but, on the bright side, she would make a good appearance and look fabulous with her silver slippers. The boutique itself she had decided to give to the Cuitiekins along with anything useful they could find in it. Despite the mess, Glory still placed the flowers she had been given in a vase next to a window as a final touch of beautification. With that done, she bade farewell to the Cutiekins and began her journey down the yellow brick road. Glory had a long way to go, but after a while she realized that thanks to her silver slippers, which she found were very comfortable, and sparkled with every step she took, her hooves never got tired, so she could keep walking for hours on end. After a while she decided to stop next to a corn field so she could have a small bite to eat. While she was sitting on the roadside, she suddenly heard somepony shouting.
Applecrow: “Hey! Go Away! Leave me alone!”
Narrator: Glory jumped, surprised. She stood up and looked around, but besides all the corn in the cornfield all she could see was a scarecrow that was shaped like a pony with several crows flying around it. Then she noticed that the crows were attacking the scarecrow by pecking at it with their beaks.
Applecrow: Stop that! Just leave me be!
Narrator: Glory was surprised. The scarecrow was alive! It had just spoken, but despite being made of straw the scarecrow was still a pony, and Glory knew she couldn’t stand idly by and watch it be bullied like that. She hurriedly ran into the cornfield straight for the scarecrow.
Glory: “Here now! Stop that at once! Leave it, I mean, leave her alone!
Narrator: The crows were startled by Glory’s sudden appearance and flew away leaving Glory alone with the scarecrow. She noticed that the scarecrow was not only in the shape of an earth pony but a mare as well.
Applejack to Narrator: “I’m only in this story because I made a deal with Pinkie Pie that I’d be given a role that makes sense, and I gotta say, so far this story does make sense. I mean for once there are no apples. I mean I like apples, but why would somepony put a scarecrow in an apple orchard? That wouldn’t make any sense, but a cornfield makes all the sense in the world. We’re actually on the right track here. Ok back to you.”
Narrator: Glory and the scarecrow starred at each other for a short while both just as surprised to see the other. The scarecrow’s body was actually a blue shirt and blue pants sewn together and stuffed with straw, and each of her legs ended in boot also filled with straw. Her head was a cloth that had been stuffed with straw as well, fashioned into the shape of a pony head, and tied tightly at one end where it was attached to her body by a rope collar. Her pleasant face had been painted on, her main and tail were strips of yellow cloth, and upon her head she wore a blue Stetson. Finally Glory spoke. She shook her head and said:
Glory: “I’m sorry darling. It’s not polite to stare. I’ve just never seen a, well, a talking scarecrow before. If you’ll forgive me for mentioning it.”
Applecrow: “Oh that’s all right sugarcube. I didn’t know that myself. Then again, there ain’t much I do know, but thanks for scarring away those crows.”
Glory: “Well I couldn’t let them bother you like that could I?”
Applecrow: “I don’t know could you?”
Glory: “No. Of course not darling, but tell me, why were they bothering you in the first place?”
Applecrow: “It’s because I don’t have a brain.”
Glory: “You don’t have a brain? Why is that?”
Applecrow: “Well you see, I was made only two days ago, but the farmer forgot to give me a brain. I only have straw in my head. Since I have no brain, the crows told me that I was not clever enough to be a scarecrow and so I am nothing but useless. I had a brain maybe I could help other ponies, but… well… I don’t and so I can’t.”
Glory: “Well, I’m on my way to the Emerald City to ask the Wizard to help me get home. Perhaps he could also give you a brain.”
Applecrow: “Would he really?”
Glory: “I don’t see why not, but it’s surely worth a try.”
Applecrow: “Well, then, Yes! Yes of course! If you’ll just help me down surgarcube. Oh, by the way my name’s Applecrow.
Glory: “My name is Glory.”
Applecrow: “Pleased to meet ya!”
Narrator: Using her magic, Glory managed to untie Applecrow’s restraints, and once she was down, Glory helped her stand on her four hooves. Applecrow stumbled at first, but she soon mastered walking.
Applecrow: “Much obliged Miss Glory.”
Glory: “Please, ‘Glory’ is just fine, and you’re very welcome. Now, off to see the wizard!”
Narrator: With that, Glory and Applecrow continued to walk down the yellow brick road, and considering that she was alone in a strange world, Glory was happy to have made close friend. After some time, the corn fields gave way to green fields, and then a forest. Glory and Applecrow had just walked under the first trees when Glory heard a strange sound.
Tin Mare: “Umph!”
Glory: “Did you say something darling?”
Applecrow: “I didn’t say nothing, I think.”
Tin Mare: “Umph!!”
Applecrow: “What did you say?”
Glory: “That wasn’t me.”
Tin Mare: “Umph! Pheess!”
Narrator: It was just then that Glory and Applecrow noticed a figure between the trees for the first time. It was a pony, and it was also a mare, an alicorn in fact, but this pony from the tip of her horn to the tip of her tail and down to her hooves was made completely of tin. Glory didn’t stare very long this time though, after all she was in a strange land, and was traveling with a walking, talking scarecrow, so why shouldn’t there be a tin pony as well? She and Applecrow decided to investigate. The tin mare was standing in a very awkward position, and upon closer inspection they could see that she was trying to shield a book which lay on the ground with her body.
Tin Mare: “Umph! Ee! Pheess!”
Applecrow: “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think this pony was alive.
Glory: “I’m convinced she is darling.”
Narrator: She looked into the tin mares eyes.
Glory: “Was that you dear?”
Tin Mare: “Ees!”
Glory: “How can we help?”
Tin Mare: “Voil van!”
Glory: “Pardon?”
Tin Mare: “Voil van!”
Glory: “Boil fan?”
Applecrow: “Loyal man?”
Tin Mare: “Ohil aan!”
Glory: “Oil can? Oh! Of course! What was I thinking? Oil Can!”
Tin Mare: “Ees! Ees!”
Narrator: Not far away Glory spotted an oil can and quickly began to oil the tin pony’s joints.
Applecrow: “Oil can. Yes that makes a lot of sense. Tin and oil.”
Narrator: Once the tin mare was oiled down. She took a few steps forward, creaking a bit, then she turned around and spoke.
Tin Mare: “Thank you very much for helping me. I’ve been stuck there for a long time.”
Glory: “Your welcome darling. I’m glad we could help.”
Tin Mare: I don’t know what I would have done if you two hadn’t come along.”
Applecrow: “Just stood there?”
Tin Mare: “Admittedly, quite possibly. My name’s Tin Mare, what are yours?”
Glory: “My name is Glory and this is Applecrow, but tell me how did you get stuck there in the first place. The position you were standing in looked very uncomfortable.”
Tin Mare: “It was, but I’ll start at the beginning. My story I’m afraid is truly a sad one. I was built years ago by a powerful unicorn magician. He built me and brought me to life to be his research assistant. My job was to read and to take books back and forth from the library, but I wanted to be more than an assistant, I wanted to be his friend, but I soon found out that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t, because the magician hadn’t given me a heart. I never stopped trying to be his friend, but ultimately I failed. Some time ago I was taking books back to the library for him, but suddenly it began to rain, I ran as fast as I could, knowing that water would rust me, but I couldn’t make it.”
Applecrow: “Is this the book you were trying to return?”
Narrator: Applecrow pointed to the book still lying on the ground. The title of the book was The Art of Friendship. Tin Mare walked back over and picked it up.
Tin Mare: “No, I was already on my way back. This is mine. It’s my only possession, and my favorite, besides my oil can. On the day I was caught in the rain, I knew once I began to creak that I was done for, but then I tripped and lost both my oil can and my book. I struggled just to cover my book with my body to save it from the rain, but it was too late to reach my oil can because I rusted solid right there, and I remained there until you saved me. I guess this means that the magician really never did see me as a friend, since in all the time I was stuck here he never came looking for me. I don’t think he was a bad pony, he once told me I was his greatest creation, my horn can perform magic and I can even fly, though sometimes it’s difficult, but I think I understand. How could he or anypony be friends with a pony that has no heart?”
Narrator: A small tear came into Tin Pony’s eye. Glory took a small cloth out of her bag and wiped it away.
Glory: “There, there, don’t cry. You’ll rust yourself.”
Applecrow: “It could be worse. After all that readin’, it sounds to me you have a brain.”
Tin Mare: “That may be true, but friendship is something I have to feel, not think, and I can’t do that without a heart.”
Glory: “Well, if you like, we’d be happy to be your friends.”
Tin Mare: “Thank you. I’d like that very much. I really would, but without a heart I know that true friendship is impossible.”
Narrator: Glory thought about all of this for a moment, and then said:
Glory: “You know dear, we’re on our way to see the Wizard of An. He’s going to help me get back home.”
Applecrow: “And he’s going to give me a brain!”
Glory: “If he can do that, I’m sure he could give you heart darling.”
Narrator: At that Tin Mare brightened up.
Tin Mare: “Really! Do you think he would? I mean, if I had a heart, I could love and share friendship with everypony.”
Glory: “I’m sure he would. Will you join us?”
Tin Mare: “Oh yes! Absolutely!”
Narrator: With that settled Glory, Applecrow and Tin Mare walked together down the yellow brick road and into the woods. Glory carried Tin Mare’s Oil can in her bag in case she rusted, but Tin Mare kept her book which she held with her magic. The woods got darker the further they went but at least they had each other for company. Day however, finally turned into night, and the three friends camped for the night, or rather Glory did. Only she needed sleep. Applecrow being a scarecrow, and Tin Mare being made of tin didn’t need sleep so they simply talked quietly amongst themselves a short distance away from Glory so as not to wake her, but they both kept an eye on her to make sure she was safe. When morning came Glory woke up, stretched, brushed her mane and tail, and had a bite to eat, and a drink from a nearby stream, before they started off again down the road. She offered to share her food with her friends but they politely refused since they didn’t need to eat. Glory did however braid Applecrow’s main and tail for her when she accepted her offer. The forest got darker the further they went into it, and they were glad for each other’s company. In fact it seemed as though that things couldn’t get much darker when suddenly they were startled by a loud boom along with a random puff of red smoke as Pinkamina appeared on a tree branch.
Pinkamina: “Well, if it isn’t Miss Glory fancy pants herself, and look she’s even made a few friends. How, totally useless.”
Glory: “Oh, it’s you again.”
Pinkamina: “So you do remember me! Well that’s nice, then you must remember that we have unfinished business.”
Glory: “Unfinished business?”
Pinkamina: “Yes. Give me those sparkly slippers you’re wearing. I want them and I want them now.”
Glory: “No!”
Pinkamina: “What!?”
Glory: “I said ‘no.’ I don’t move for self-centered bullies.”
Pinkamina: “You call me a bully!?”
Glory: “Yes. Only a bully would go around manipulating others to give them their footwear and anything else they might want.”
Pinkamina: “Let me remind you that you’re alone now. Selena isn’t here to protect you. I’m a witch and you’re just a mare from nowhere with nothing.”
Tin Mare: “Hey! She has us, and we don’t like that kind of language!”
Applecrow: “Yeah!”
Pinkamina: “Big words for such little flawed ponies. I suggest you go your own way and leave Miss Pretty here alone while you still can, because if you don’t I can always uses you scarecrow to play pin the tail on the pony with, and you tin pony I can use you as a permanent piñata. Oh and by the way my pretty, here’s that cupcake I promised you.”
Narrator: With that, Pinkamina produced a cupcake out of thin air and threw it directly at Glory and her friends.
Glory: “Watch out!”
Narrator: Glory and her friends all leapt a different direction to avoid the pastry before it landed right where they had been standing and exploded as if it had been filled with firecrackers.
Narrator: All right Pinkamina, that’s quite enough for now.
Pinkie to Narrator: “You again!”
Narrator: Yes, it’s me, and that’s enough. You’ve had your fun. The slippers belong to Glory, not you. Now move on to your next scene.
Pinkie to Narrator: “But, there so sparkly!”
Narrator: Pinkie! Don’t forget that I can always put you in the bad Pinkie corner, or I could revoke your song if you missbehave.
Pinkie to Narrator: “Okay, okay. Take it easy, will ya? I was just kidding around you know. Heh, heh.”
Narrator: Good. Then let us continue. Shall we?
Narrator: Pinkamina looked down from her branch at Glory and said:
Pinkamina: “This isn’t over my pretty. We will meet again, and I’ll have those sparkly slippers.”
Narrator: With that Pinkamina disappeared again with another loud boom and a puff of red smoke. Glory joined her friends back on the yellow brick road and said:
Glory: “Thank you for standing up for me.”
Applecrow: “Ah shucks surgarcube, that’s what friends do. If that witch messes with one of us, she messes with all of us.”
Tin Mare: “That’s right, I read that in my book, and we’ll make sure you make it to the Wizard, we all will. It’ll take more than a witch to stop us.”
Applecrow: “Shall we go?”
Glory: “We shall!”
Narrator: With that they were on there way again down the road and deeper into the forest. Some time passed, and there was still no sign of the other side of the woods.
Glory: “My, this creepy forest just seems to go on forever.”
Tin Mare: “It seems to. I’ve been though here before. It pretty much makes a circle around the center of An, but it won’t last forever.”
Applecrow: “I hope not, I miss seeing the sun.”
Tin Mare: “We will see it again soon enough, we just have to keep going.”
Glory: “You said you’ve been through here before. Have you seen any wild animals?”
Tin Mare: “Just a few. Some lions, tigers, and bears, but they never bothered me because I’m made of tin.”
Glory: “Bears!”
Applecrow: “Tigers?”
Tin Mare: “And lions. Yes. But, not to frighten you or anything.”
Applecrow: “Uh… Tin Mare? You did say ‘lions’ right?”
Tine Mare: “Yes I did.”
Applecrow: “Like the one sniffing at Glory’s bag!?”
Narrator: Glory, and Tin Mare immediately looked over to see a yellow lion with a pink mane and tail right up next to them sniffing at Glory’s saddle bag.
Lionshy: “Oh! Um…, excuse me?”
Narrator: Glory, Applecrow, and even Tin Mare screamed at being suddenly so close to a lion and not even realizing it, and they all dashed for the nearest tree. To their surprise though, the lion also screamed and dived behind a large rock.
Lionshy: “Oh! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to frighten you, I was just looking for something to eat and…”
Glory: “Something to eat! Help!”
Narrator: Glory, Applecrow and Tin Mare screamed in fright again.
Lionshy: “No no! Please! That’s not what I meant at all! I would never eat you! I caught the scent of bread, and that’s all I was looking for. Please believe me I’m more afraid of you than you are of me.”
Tin Mare: “Then, why didn’t you make your presence known sooner?”
Lionshy: “I’m sorry I should have, but once I caught the scent of bread, that was all I could think about. Now you’ll run away from me. Oh… I scare away everything including myself. I am such a coward.”
Narrator: Lionshy buried her face in her paws and began to cry, but she was surprised when she felt a hoof on her shoulder. She looked up to see Glory standing beside her.
Glory: “We’re nothing to be afraid of darling, and I’m sorry we screamed. I’m Glory, and this is Applecrow and Tin Mare.
Lionshy: “My name is Lionshy.”
Glory: “Now don’t cry, here…”
Narrator: Glory took a large piece of bread out from her bag and gave it Lionshy.
Lionshy: “T-thank you. But I don’t deserve this. I don’t deserve anything for being a cowardly lion.”
Applecrow: “Why is that?”
Narrator: Lionshy lifted her head and wiped her eyes with her paw.
Lionshy: Well, as long as I can remember I’ve always been afraid of everything. I must have been born that way. When I grew up I was supposed to become Queen of the Forest, but I was told I was too much of a scaredy cat to possibly rule. They even gave my crown to a laughing hyena until I can prove myself to be brave.”
Tin Mare: “Pardon me, but shouldn’t that be ‘King of the Forest’?”
Lionshy: “Um, I’m a lioness.
Tin Mare: Oh… right.
Glory: “None-the-less, take the bread, dear. Honestly, it looks like you need it.”
Narrator: Lionshy looked around at the three ponies still a bit uncertain, but then she quickly scarffed down the bread and swallowed it with one gulp.
Lionshy: “Thank you. You’re very generous.”
Glory: “Your welcome.”
Applecrow: “Say, I know I don’t know very much, but since we’re going to see a wizard who can get me a brain…”
Tin Mare: “And me a heart…”
Glory: “And me home…”
Applecrow: “Why don’t you come with us and ask the wizard to give you some courage?”
Glory: “That’s a wonderful idea! Will you dear? We’d be more than happy to accompany you.”
Lionshy: “Oh… I don’t know. A wizard? That sounds scary. Really, really scary!”
Glory: “But he’s a good wizard, and I’m sure he would help you if you’d only ask. It’s at least worth a try.”
Lionshy: “Well…I wouldn’t want to be a burden for you.
Glory: “You won’t be. Trust me darling. We can do it together.”
Lionshy: “All right. Count me in.”
Narrator: She said as she rose.
Lionshy: “I must admit that it’ll be better than sitting here.”
Applecrow: “Then let’s get gone!”
Tin Mare: “To the wizard!”
Glory: “The Wizard of An!”
Lionshy: “Um…yay?”
Narrator: And once again they were off. Sure enough, just as Tin Mare had said, it wasn’t long after that the woods began to thin, then the edge of the forest became visible, and then finally, Glory and her friends emerged from the forest as the yellow brick road lead into a green meadow, and then right through a field of bright, red flowers.
Glory: “Oh my, these are lovely.”
Narrator: Said Glory as she sniffed at a few unknowing of what she had done. Only a short time later, she began to feel very sleepy.”
Glory: “This field must be ‘yawn’ larger than I thought. How long have we been walking in it?”
Tin Mare: “About five minutes.”
Glory: “Oh dear. I’m so sorry, but ‘YAWN’ but for some…strange…reason…I must rest…for a while.”
Narrator: And with that, to the surprise of her friends, Glory suddenly laid down on the road next to the flowers and fell asleep.
Applecrow: “Come on now Glory, now’s not the time to sleep. Wakey wakey. We must keep moving,”
Narrator: She said as she tried to shake her awake but with no response.
Lionshy: “Excuse me but, ‘yawn’, I’m starting to get tired too.”
Narrator: Applecrow and Tin Mare looked at each other. They both had the same thought.
Applecrow: “Something’s wrong! I can’t wake Glory, and now Lionshy’s falling asleep too.”
Tin Mare: “And I think I know why.”
Narrator: She said as she leaned down to examine the flowers.
Tin Mare: “Just as I thought. This is bad. These are poppies.”
Applecrow: “Why is that bad?”
Tin Mare: “Poppies have a very strong, potent scent that cause ponies to fall asleep.”
Narrator: Tin Mare turned to Lionshy and quickly said:
Tin Mare: “Hurry! Get out of this dangerous field before you succumb to sleep!”
Lionshy: “Oh! I knew these flowers were scary.”
Narrator: She said as she hurried on down the road.
Tin Mare: “Wait for us when you get to the end!”
Applecrow: “What about us? We’re still here.”
Tin Mare: “I’ve read about this. The poppies won’t effect us because we’re a bit different. You’re made of straw, and I’m made of tin, but for other ponies like Glory…well…”
Narrator: She paused.
Applecrow: “Well what? What will happen to Glory?”
Tin Mare: “As long as she stays here, she’ll never wake up, and if she doesn’t wake up, she can’t eat, and if she can’t eat, she’ll die.”
Applecrow: “No! We can’t let that happen! We gotta get her out of here!”
Tin Mare: “We will. Now I think I can carry her, but I need you to help me slide her onto my back.”
Narrator: With a bit of a stuggle, Applecrow, with a little help from Tin Mare’s magic, managed to marshal Glory onto Tin Mare’s back. Glory’s head and tail hung limp on either side as Tin Mare slowly and carefully began to walk with Applecrow close behind carrying her book. The journey just to get out of the poppy field look a long time since Applecrow and Tin Mare didn’t want Glory to fall off and get hurt, but at last they reached the end where Lionshy was waiting.
Lionshy: “Oh no! Is she all right! I’ll never to be able to forgive myself if something happens to her!”
Applecrow: “Simmer down, sugarcube. She’ll be all right, I think.”
Tin Mare: “Yes. She’ll be fine, now that she’s out of danger. We just have to find some way to wake her up.”
Applecrow: “How do we do that?”
Narrator: She asked as she tried shaking Glory again with no response.
Tin Mare: “I think I have an idea. Here let me try this.”
Narrator: Tin Mare bent down close to Glory’s ear and said:
Tin Mare: “Glory! When you fell asleep you lay down in a mud puddle, and now there’s mud and dirt all over your coat, and your mane is ruined!”
Narrator: Glory’s eyes shot open and she sprang to her hooves.
Glory: “What!!! No! Get it off! Huh?”
Narrator: As she quickly checked herself all over, Glory was surprised to see that her coat and mane were both still clean and in perfect order, and then she was surprised all over again when her friends all suddenly embraced her in a hug.
Applecrow: “Thank Celestia. I’m so happy you’re not dead.”
Glory: “Um…thanks? Darling. But…what happened?”
Lionshy: “You fell asleep in a deadly poppyfield, and Tin Mare and Applecrow saved you.”
Glory: “Oh my! Thank you my friends. Thank you for helping me even though I didn’t even know that I needed it.”
Tin Mare: “You’re welcome.”
Applecrow: “It was nothing really.”
Narrator: It was just then that Glory noticed something.
Glory: “Sweet Celestia! Look everypony!”
Narrator: Applecrow, Tin Mare, and Lionshy all looked down the yellow brick road, and for the first time they all saw it together. There, at the end of the road, was the Emerald City. The city was indeed green as emeralds are, and, as a whole, the city looked like a giant castle with towers and one central tower that had to be the palace. Besides being green, the city was also covered with emerald gemstones, and each tower bore an emerald shaped into a lightning bolt.
Applecrow: “The Emerald City!”
Tin Mare: “It’s incredible!”
Glory: “It’s fabulously beautiful!”
Lionshy: “And totally terrifying!”
Applecrow: “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go see that wizard.”
Narrator: “And with that the four friends hurried down the last stretch of the yellow brick road and were soon standing in front of the gates of the Emerald City.”
Glory: “At last. The sooner we see the wizard, the sooner he’ll help all of us, and then I’ll be on my way to New Yorkshire.”
Applecrow: “So how do we get in?”
Glory: “Simple darling, we knock.”
Narrator: Glory stepped forward and knocked lightly on the large city doors. A moment later a small round door just above their heads opened and a gray, pegasus mare with a yellow mane and wearing a green sash, stuck her head out.
Guardian of the Gates: “Who knocked on the door!?”
Tin Mare: “We did.”
Guardian of the Gates: “Didn’t you read the sign?”
Applecrow: “What sign?”
Guardian of the Gates: “The sign right…er…um…
Narrator: The mare suddenly realized that there wasn’t a sign on the door so she ducked back in and a moment later popped out again and hung a sign on the door, then she disappeared closing the little round door behind her. Glory read the sign aloud.
Glory: “Door out of order, please pull bell rope.”
Narrator: Glory and her friends all quirked their eyebrows at this and gave each other a strange look trying to make sense of this odd presentation, but then Glory saw a long rope and pulled it. Instead of hearing a bell ring, however, the gray mare popped her head back through the little door with a pair of cymbals in her hooves which she banged together loudly right above Glory and her friends heads and said in a loud voice:
Guardian of the Gates: “Welcome to the Emerald City, please state your business and…”
Glory: “Oh, I say Darling, no need to shout, or bang cymbals over us, we’re right here.”
Guardian of the Gates: “Whoops. Sorry. My bad. Ahem. So how can I help you?”
Glory, Applecrow, Tin Mare, Lionshy: “We want to see the wizard.
Narrator: The mare laughed.
Guardian of the Gates: “That’s a good one. Nopony ever comes to see the Great An.”
Tin Mare: “Well we did.”
Applecrow: “That’s right.”
Guardian of the Gates: “All right now, seriously. What do you guys want?”
Glory: “But darling, we are being serious. We’ve come all this way to see the Wizard of An. We want to ask him for help. Please let us in.”
Guardian of the Gates: “And just who are you to disturb the great An…oh!”
Narrator: The mare stopped and took a good look at Glory’s hooves.
Guardian of the Gates: “Are those the magical silver slippers?”
Glory: “Why yes, darling, aren’t they fabulous?”
Guardian of the Gates: “I’ll open the door right away and announce you to the Great An.
Narrator: With that the mare disappeared, and a moment later the doors of the Emerald City opened and Glory and her friends stepped inside.
Glory and her friends had already thought the Emerald City was impressive from the outside, but the Emerald City on the inside was beyond words. It was incredibly beautiful. Everything was green besides some of the ponies that lived there, and those that weren’t green still wore something that was green. The ground was like a continuous sheet of green glass. All the buildings were studded with emeralds, and some looked as though they had been carved out of large emeralds. There was just so much to see, and yet it was too much for a mare, a scarecrow, a tin pony, and a lioness to take in all at once. The mare whom was the guardian of the gates led them right to the gate of the royal palace.
Guardian of the Gates: “Please wait here. I’ll let the Great An know you’re here.”
Narrator: With that she disappeared through the palace doors which closed behind her.
Applecrow: “Well, we made it.”
Tin Mare: “And we’re actually this close to the wizard himself.”
Glory: “I can see New Yorkshire now.”
Lionshy: “You know something? I’m actually beginning to feel really excited about this. Really! There’s at least a chance I may go in there a coward, and come out a queen. I’m so excited, I feel like shouting. Whoo Hoo!”
Narrator: Though it should be said that her shout was barely louder than a whisper. Just then the Guardian of the Gates reappeared and banged her cymbals again causing everypony to jump before saying:
Guardian of the Gates: “The Great An is occupied at the moment, but he suggests that you visit Emerald City’s Spa while you wait to freshen yourselves up after your long journey. All expenses on His Royal Wizardness. I’ll let you know when he can see you.”
Glory: “Well, a spa treatment would be nice.”
Tin Mare: “I’ve got to admit, I haven’t had a proper polish for the longest time.”
Lionshy: “Are you sure this is a good idea?”
Glory: “Of course darling. Some relaxation will do us all some good.”
Applecrow: “Hmmm…”
Narrator: Said Applecrow as she rubbed her chin with her rubber hoof and looked thoughtfully at the doors of the palace.
Glory: “Are you coming Applecrow?”
Applecrow: “What? Oh yes, yes.”
Narrator: She said as she dismissed her thoughts and joined her friends.
Glory was right. Some treatment and relaxation did do them all some good. They were all mended and tended in their own way, and felt very special. Applecrow was restuffed with fresh new straw, while Tin Mare was oiled down and polished until she gleamed. Lionshy relieved a light grooming, although she was very shy about it. Glory decided to get the works. She received a hoofacure, a mudbath, a steambath, a massage, a grooming, and joined Lionshy for a soak. When the four friends met again, they all felt ready to meet a king, or a queen, or a wizard.
They were just leaving the spa when the ponies of the Emerald City began to shout frantically with surprise and confusion. It didn’t take long for Glory and her friends to find out why. There in the sky, high above the city and riding on her rubber chicken was Pinkamina. As she flew she laughed and pink smoke began to fume out from the end of her rubber chicken. The smoke created letters which spelled ‘Give Up Glory!’ Applecrow, Tin Mare, and Lionshy gasped. Glory simply closed her eyes, placed a hoof on her forehead and shook her head.
Glory: “Oh dear. Everypony is about to panic.”
Narrator: And panic they did. All the citizens of the Emerald City rushed to the doors of the palace with shouts of “Who’s Glory?,” “The Wizard will explain it!,” “Save us Wizard!” The Guardian of the Gates had to bang her cymbals together three times before everypony quieted down and listened to her.
Guardian of the Gates: “Please everypony! There’s nothing to fear. The Wizard has everything under control. You can all go home and… have a muffin?”
Narrator: As the crowd dispersed, Glory and her friends made there way up the palace doors.
Glory: “Please, may we see the Wizard now? The situation has become quite urgent dear.”
Narrator: She asked the Guardian of the Gates. The mare paused, then said:
Guardian of the Gates: “Yes. Yes, I think you should.”
Narrator: With that she pushed open the doors and allowed the four friends to enter. The palace was a lot different they had thought it would be. In contrast to the brightness of the city, the palace was dark and foreboding. Lionshy was already trembling like a leaf when a voice boomed down the hall.
Wizard: “Enter and hurry up! I haven’t got all day!”
Narrator: Now Lionshy was breathing hard. The four friends rounded a bend and there was the royal throne, or rather floating above it, was a giant, smoky, pony head. Two cauldrons on either side of the head held blazing fires that occasionally flared.
Wizard: “I am An. The Great and Awesome! Who are you and why do you seek me!?”
Narrator: By now Glory and all her friends were shaking. This Wizard may have been great but he was also terrifying. None-the-less, Glory approached slowly. She gulped and said:
Glory: “I am Glory, fashonista and trend setter. I have come here to ask for your help to send me home so I can go to New Yorkshire.”
Wizard: “Enough!”
Narrator: Glory jumped back.
Glory: “Sweet Celestia Above!”
Applecrow: “Y-Y-Your Wizardness, with all respect, I ask for a brain.”
Wizard: “Seriously!?”
Tin Mare: “Your Majesty…. If you be willing,… I humbly ask of you a heart… so that I can love and share friendship.”
Wizard: “Honestly!?”
Narrator: Lionshy just stood with a blank look on her face.
Wizard: “Lemme guess. You want courage don’t you? Well!?”
Narrator: At that moment Lionshy’s eyes crossed and she fell over, fainted. Applecrow, Tin Mare, and Glory immediately rushed to her aid. This was just too much for Glory. While Tin Mare and Applecrow revived Lionshy, Glory faced the Wizard and shouted:
Glory: “You really ought to be ashamed of yourself! Frightening the poor dear when she came to ask you for help! This is just unacceptable behavior!”
Wizard: “Silence mare! No need to shout! The Great An is willing to grant you your requests! But first! Can you pay the price?!
Glory: “Pay? Oh dear, I know as a fact we don’t have any money.”
Wizard: “Humph! But perhaps I might consider a trade?”
Glory: “A trade you say? Such as what for what?”
Wizard: “Well… how ‘bout all that cool stuff you requested for…oh…your slippers?”
Glory: “Indeed not! You’re almost as bad as the Wicked Witch of the West.”
Wizard: “Splendid! A wonderful suggestion! I’ll agree to that! I’ll give you what you all asked for if you bring me the rubber chicken of the Witch of the West!”
Glory: “Wait a moment! I didn’t mean…”
Wizard: “Silence! That is the deal. Now be gone!”
Lionshy: “Wha-? What was that?”
Wizard: “I said BE GONE!!!”
Narrator: Lionshy needed no encouragement. She jumped up and ran straight for the door with Applecrow, Glory, and Tin Mare several feet behind her. Lionshy only stopped because she ran right into the Guardian of the Gates and they collapsed into a heap. Applecrow, Glory, and Tin Mare were soon on the scene.
Glory: “Oh my dear! I’m so, so sorry.”
Lionshy: “Me too.”
Narrator: Said Lionshy as she quickly got off the mare.
Lionshy: “Are you hurt? “I’m sorry?!”
Guardian of the Gates: “Eh. I’m OK. So, how’d it go?”
Narrator: The mare asked as she closed the palace doors.
Tin Mare: “Don’t ask.”
Narrator: Glory and her friends all took a minute to stop breathing hard, before they all realized the impossible task before them. Glory felt terrible.
Glory: “I’m sorry my friends. This is all my fault. If I hadn’t talked back, we wouldn’t be in this mess. I’ve let you all down.”
Applecrow: “No you haven’t surgarcube. You were just defending Lionshy. Any of us would have done the same.”
Tin Mare: “She’s right. We wouldn’t have even made it this far if it hadn’t been for you.”
Glory: “I’m afraid it seems that if there is any hope of me getting home, I shall have to find the Wicked Witch of the West. I understand if you don’t want to come. I’ll take care of this myself.”
Narrator: Glory turned away but then she felt a wing on her shoulder. She looked up to see Tin Mare beside her.
Tin Mare: “You won’t have to.”
Narrator: Tin Mare said with a smile. This made Glory feel better and she smiled back.
Tin Mare: “We’ll all be there for you. All of us.”
Applecrow: “That’s right!”
Narrator: Applecrow said as she joined them, and put her hoof over Glory’s other shoulder.
Applecrow: “We’re sticking to you like a husk on a ear of corn.”
Narrator: They all looked back at Lionshy.
Applecrow: “Come on Lionshy. We’ve got this.”
Lionshy: “You mean going to find a scary wicked witch, in a spooky castle, in a forbidding land we’ve never been to before?!”
Tin Mare: “Lionshy, I know you’re scared. We all are. But we’ll all be there for each other, because we’re friends and that’s what friends are for. So, are you with us? Come on, we’ll be right with you every step of the way.”
Narrator: Glory and Applecrow nodded in agreement. Lionshy thought about it for a minute, and then she took a deep breath and said:
Lionshy: “All right. Let’s go.”
Applecrow: “Yes!”
Narrator: With that Lionshy joined friends who all gave her a warm hug.
Glory: “Thank you all.”
Tin Mare: “Like I said, this is what friends are for: we’re in this together.”
Guardian of the Gates: “Awww.”
Narrator: Glory and her friends broke from their hug so that Glory could talk.
Glory: “Pardon me dear but, could you tell us which is the way to the land of the West?”
Guardian of the Gates: “Follow me.”
Narrator: The mare said as she led them back to the gates of the city. She opened the gates, let them out and said:
Guardian of the Gates: “There isn’t much of a road. Just follow the trail of popped party balloons. You can’t miss them. They’ll lead you straight to the land of the Delightkins and the Wicked Witch of the West.”
Glory: “Thank you darling. We’ll see you again soon. I hope.”
Narrator: She added as they departed. As they were leaving though, Applecrow paused for a moment. She looked back at the Emerald City with that same questioning look she had before.
Applecrow: “I wonder… I really wonder…”
Narrator: She said before she joined the others as they began their journey to find Pinkamina the Wicked Witch of the West.
The road to the West was just a dirt road, but as they had been told, Glory and her friends found there way by simply following the popped balloons they saw in the trees. The deeper they journeyed into the West, the more balloons they found. Finally Lionshy asked the question that they had all been too nervous to ask.
Lionshy: “So, um…when we find this witch, how exactly are we supposed to get her rubber chicken?
Narrator: Lionshy, Tin Mare, and Applecrow all looked at Glory.
Glory: “Honestly, I have no idea, but it can’t be that hard. Can it?”
Applecrow: “Well, I’m pretty sure she’ll have something to say about us just showing up and taking her chicken, and being a wicked witch we’ll probably have to find some way to prevent her from fighting back.”
Tin Mare: “You mean kill her?”
Applecrow: “Well…maybe not like that, but we’ll have to do something to stop her.”
Lionshy: “Um… maybe if we just asked her really, really nicely?”
Narrator: Applecrow and Tin Mare just gave Lionshy a quick look, and she said:
Lionshy: “Oh, never mind.”
Glory: “Wait a moment darlings, she may have a point. Pinkamina may have been bullying us, and me in particular for my slippers, but if we just show up and take her rubber chicken, doesn’t that make us the bullies?”
Tin Mare: “She’s right. There must be a rational and reasonable way for us to handle this.”
Applecrow: “I suppose so, but it all depends on if the witch is willing to be reasonable.”
Narrator: Meanwhile, Pinkamina the Wicked Witch of the West, was hanging upside down by her tail in her spooky, but, on the inside, party themed castle. She gazed into her crystal ball watching Glory and her friends advance into her territory, listening to everything they said.
Pinkie to Narrator: “You like my crystal ball? I just got it.”
Narrator: (Unimpressed) Fascinating.
Now Pinkamina had enslaved the citizens of the West, the Delightkins, who all wore yellow, by placing a spell on them that forced them to party continuously all day and all night, with the exception of her personal guards, and so the land of the West had been neglected, and become dull and gray.
Pinkie to Narrator: “Oh come on! You sound like Johnny rain cloud when you say it like that. The point is the fun never stops. Haven’t you ever noticed how sad everypony is when the party’s over. This way nopony has to feel sad and everypony’s having the time of their lives.”
Narrator: Pinkie, too much of anything is bad for you, and it’s not a real smile if you’re forced to smile.
Pinkie to Narrator: “Humph! Say’s the party pooper!”
Narrator: Careful Pinkie. Don’t forget I’m still in charge of this story.
Pinkie to Narrator: “Yeah, but don’t you forget that I still have a song coming.”
Narrator: All right now, back to the story.
Pinkamina looked at the four friends in her crystal ball and sneered.
Pinkamina: “Ha! Me? Reasonable? Never! I’m random, and unsystematic. I do things my way and nopony else’s. And on that note, this is actually turning out better than I expected. Instead of me going to that fancy mare to get those sparkly slippers, she’s coming to me. This is perfect, and so exciting! But now that she’s in my territory, let’s give her a proper welcome. Shall we?”
Narrator: Pinkamina jumped down and hopped onto a window and looked out.
Pinkamina: “Gummys! Oh Gummys! Where are my babies!? Oh, oh there they are!
Narrator: She said as twenty rather large baby alligators with wings appeared in the sky circling over head.
Pinkamina: “Find those three trespassing ponies and their lion! Do what ever you like with the other three but bring the mare to me!”
Narrator: The Gummys looked at her with blank faces, but Pinkamina understood.
Pinkamina: “Bring me the real mare! Ok, they’re all mares, but, the one that isn’t made of straw or tin! Now Fly! Fly!”
Pinkie to Narrator: “Ok! It’s time for my song!” (Sing-song voice.)
Narrator: Very well Pinkie. If you must, you must.”
“Fly! Fly!”
Sung by Pinkie Pie
(Lyrics by Nocturn Dreamwrite)
Vs. 1
My lifelong parties are always the best
Cake and punch and games and song.
All hail the voice of the Witch of the West
Party! Party! All day long!
Chorus:
Fly! Fly! High in the sky!
Bring her here for party time.
I say Fly! Fly! High in the sky!
Those sparkly slippers will be mine!
Vs. 2
Those foolish ponies want to stop my fun
When they see my Gummys they will run run run!
Bring me the mare and wreck her friends.
This is the party that never ends!
Chorus:
Fly! Fly! High in the sky!
Bring her here for party time.
I say Fly! Fly! High in the sky!
Those sparkly slippers will be mine!
Narrator: And so, with Pinkamina singing them off, the Gummies flew away to hunt down Glory and her friends.
Elsewhere, Glory and her friends were steadily making their way through the western woods.
Tin Mare: “Now be on alert everypony. We are dealing with a witch here, and she could spring on us at any moment with anything. Not to mention that I have tingling feeling that we’re being watched.”
Lionshy: “Um! Does ‘anything’ include flying alligators!?”
Glory: “Good one Lionshy.”
Applecrow: “It’s no joke! Look!”
Narrator: They all looked up to see a flock of flying alligator Gummies closing in on them.
Glory: “Oh My Stars!”
Applecrow: “Flying alligator lizards? What is this? Ventura Highway?
Lionshy: “What?”
Applecrow: “Never mind.”
Tin Mare: “Scatter! We’re under attack!”
Narrator: Everypony jumped and ran this way and that trying to avoid the Gummys who were right on their tails. Lionshy dived behind some bushes, while Applecrow and Tin Mare ran opposite ways until they were surrounded and then they fought with their hooves as best as they could until they were scooped up in the mouth of one Gummy or another and dropped back to the ground. They were just picking themselves up when they heard Glory scream.
Glory: “Help me!”
Narrator: It had taken some time, but the Gummys had finally caught up with Glory and as soon as one of them scooped her up in her mouth, they flew away with their prize with Glory shrieking in fear. She stopped though once she realized that the alligator holding her had no teeth, but she was still not amused by the fact that she had been ponynapped against her will and was being held prisoner in an alligator’s mouth. As soon as the Gummys were gone, Applecrow, Tin Mare, and Lionshy regrouped.
Lionshy: “Is it over?”
Applecrow: “Did you see that?! Did you see that?!”
Tin Mare: “Yes I saw it all! They took Glory!”
Lionshy: “Those awful things took Glory!? Oh no! I’ll never forgive myself. We have to save her!”
Applecrow: “You bet your boots we will. We just gotta come up with a plan on how to do it.”
Tin Mare: “Standing around here won’t help. We’ll have to come up with something as we go.”
Narrator: With that the three friends hurried in the direction the Gummys had flown.
Applecrow: “I hope Glory can hold her own until we get there!”
Lionshy: “Oh, I hope we’re not too late!”
Narrator: Meanwhile, back at Pinkamina’s castle, Glory had just been spat out by the Gummy holding her right on the floor of Pinkamina’s private party chambers.
Glory: “Honestly! Was that really necessary?! Are you trying to ruin my mane?!”
Narrator: She yelled at the Gummy who was already flying away, before she realized that she had bigger problems. She took a quick look around the room. The castle walls and floor were made of stone, but there place was littered with streamers, balloons, party favors, and so much more.
Pinkamina: “Welcome Miss Nambsy Pansy to my party. It wouldn’t have been a party without you.”
Glory: “Oh dear. It’s you!”
Pinkamina: “Yes it’s me, and you’re you, we’re here, and you’re just in time for your party.”
Glory: “My party? What do you mean?”
Pinkamina: “Oh just the ‘Glory gave Pinkamina the Witch her sparkly slippers so she can use them to turn all of An into one big party’ party.”
Narrator: Said Pinkamina as she reached out her hooves to grab Glory’s silver slippers.
Glory: “Oh no you don’t!”
Narrator: Said Glory as she jumped back out of Pinkamina’s reach.
Glory: “These are my slippers and you’re not getting them.”
Pinkamina: “Says the mare who thinks she’s so pretty, and comes her to steal my prized rubber chicken.”
Narrator: Pinkamina said as she held her large rubber chicken close as if it was a baby.
Glory: “Just a minute! I didn’t come here to steal anything. I came here to ask politely if I could borrow your…quaint…rubber chicken, but if you’re going to be like that then I’m leaving.”
Narrator: Glory started to walk toward the door, but was surprised when Pinkamina suddenly closed it with and slam and locked it with her magic from where she was standing on the other side of the room by simply waving her hoof.
Pinkamina: “You’re not going anywhere. Not until you give me what I want, and I want those sparkly slippers.”
Glory: “Now see here…!”
Pinkamina: “No you see here! This is my castle, and my rules. We’re going to play a little game.”
Narrator: Pinkamina walked over to a table and sat down in a chair. On the table in front of her was a cake. A large, three level, marble cake with white icing and purple icing roses to be exact.
Pinkamina: “You see this cake? Well I’m going to eat this entire cake in front of you piece by piece and crumb by crumb. You have until I finish the last bite to give me those sparkly slippers. If you don’t there will be terrible consequences. So have a seat, relax, kick your slippers off, you’ll have nothing to worry about it you do.
Glory: “Seriously darling? I didn’t agree to play any game. I don’t like your idea of a party, and I’m not giving you my slippers.”
Pinkamina: “We’ll see my pretty.”
Narrator: Said Pinkamina as she cut the first slice of cake with a grin on her face.
Pinkamina: “We’ll see.”
Narrator: While all this was happening Applecrow, Tin Mare, and Lionshy had finally arrived on the outskirts of the Delightkin town. They could see Pinkamina’s castle just ahead, but they still had yet to come up with a plan to rescue Glory.
Tin Mare: “All right. All of them, and three of us.”
Applecrow: “The towns people don’t look like they’re gonna bother us considering the fact that they never stop partying, but we still have the guards and the Witch.”
Tin Mare: “If we’re going to do this, we’ve got to be fast. The faster the better. If we can surprise the Witch we may be able to rescue Glory and escape before she can stop us.”
Lionshy: “Do we all have to do this. I mean I can stay here and…stand…guard?”
Applecrow: “Lionshy we’re all in this together. We promised each other that we would be there for one another.”
Tin Mare: “That’s right Lionshy. That’s Glory in there, and she’s your friend. If you love her as much as she loves you then you’ve got to go in there!
Narrator: She pointed to the castle.
Tin Mare: “We’re all scared, but we all have to push our fear aside so we can go in there and save our friend, and if you can’t help Glory, then the Witch wins.”
Narrator: It was at that moment that something inside Lionshy suddenly seemed to snap into action.
Lionshy: “That…wicked…dumb…meanie! All right girls, count me in! I’m going in there for Glory. We’ll show that Witch something. What’s the plan?”
Applecrow: “You said the faster we get in the better right Tin Mare?”
Tin Mare: “Yes, why?”
Applcrow: “Because believe it or not I’ve gotta plan. It’s crazy, but it’s crazy enough that it just might work, and it will get us into the castle super fast.”
Narrator: Back in the castle, Pinkamina was just about to finish the cake, which she had eaten in a surprisingly short amount of time. Glory all the while had been getting more and more nervous. She wondered, what Pinkamina had meant when she said consequences? Also, although Pinkamina seemed to have a bottomless stomach, watching her continuously eat was starting to get to her. Pinkamina was just about to eat the final piece when Glory put her hooves over her eyes and said:
Glory: “Stop! Stop! I can’t take it anymore!”
Pinkamina: “So you give up? You ready to give me those slippers?”
Glory: “No! I’m concerned for your health! Too much of anything is bad for you!”
Pinkie to Narrator: “Did you put her up to this?”
Narrator: Nope. I’m staying out of this one.
Pinkamina: “Well that’s just too bad. Here goes the last piece.”
Glory: “No! Don’t!”
Pinkamina: “It’s going…going…
Glory: “Sweet Celestia.”
Pinkamina: “Gone!”
Narrator: And with that Pinkamina swallowed the final piece of cake. Then she scooped up the crumbs and ate them as well. Glory sighed with relief but only for a moment.
Pinkamina: “Well now my pretty. It seems you managed to hold out for a whole cake, but now it’s time for you to pay. A party just isn’t complete without a good laugh.
Narrator: Pinkamina then produced two large feathers.
Glory: “W-What are you going to do with those?”
Pinkamina: “Tickle you. Duh.”
Narrator: Glory backed up until her back was to the wall, but that didn’t stop Pinkamina who was soon upon her and proceeded to ticker her sides.
Pinkamina: “This can stop anytime. All you have to do is give me those sparkly slippers. Tickle tickle tickle.”
Narrator: Glory couldn’t help but laugh, and keep laughing.
Glory: “Stop! Stop! This is just too much! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!”
Pinkamina: “You give up yet?”
Glory: “No! No! I can’t! Ha! Ha! Ha! I…”
Narrator: It was just then that there was a loud boom, and then Tin Mare suddenly flew through the window and right into the room with her wings spread out and Applecrow and Lionshy holding onto her waist. They had borrowed a party cannon, moved it as close as they could to the castle, charged it with extra powder and used Tin Mare as the shoot since she was made of tin. They had aimed for the windows and luckily they flew through the right one. The three of them bumped straight into Pinkamina throwing her clear across the room like an 8-ball, and knocked over a table of glass bottled drinks when they landed. Some of the bottle broke instantly, but other simply rolled across the room.”
Glory: “Applecrow! Tin Mare! Lionshy!”
Applecrow Tin Mare and Lionshy: “Glory!”
Lionshy: “Are you all right? Are you hurt anywhere?”
Glory: “I’m fine now darling, but knowing that my friends came back for me makes me feel so much better already.”
Tin Mare: “Of course we did. That’s what friends are for.”
Glory: “Aww.”
Narrator: Said Glory as she embraced her friends in a hug.
Lionshy: “Say where is that meanie witch anyway?”
Pinkamina: “I’m right here.”
Narrator: Pinkamina said as she got back on her hooves.
Pinkamina: “And that wasn’t a very fun surprise!”
Narrator: It was just then that Applecrow noticed something else.
Applecrow: “Apples and worms! My tail! My tail’s on fire! Help!”
Narrator: She yelled as she ran frantically around the room.
Tin Mare: “Oh no! The cannon! We forgot that it would make sparks!”
Lionshy: “Quick somepony put her out!”
Glory: “Here’s water! Hold still!”
Narrator: Said Glory as she picked up a bucket full of water with her magic and threw the water over Applecrow’s tail extinguishing it. Some of the water also splashed on Pinkamina who was standing not to far behind Applecrow. Pinkamina, however, spat the water out of her mouth and dried her face with her cape.
Pinkamina: “Is that all you got?! A bucket of water?! I don’t think that’s very funny! I’ll show you what funny looks like! I’ll show you all!!!”
Narrator: Pinkamina’s voice became really loud, and her mane and tail seemed to be sparking at the ends in a threatening way. Glory and her friends all took a step back, but Glory tripped over a glass bottle she haddn’t seen and fell back on her flank. She wasn’t hurt, but one of her silver slippers flew off, and before she could reach it Pinkamina had scooped it up and placed it on her own hoof.
Pinkamina: “Ha! Ha! Ha! One down, three to go! I love it when I win.”
Narrator: She said as she celebrated her success. Glory however was not happy at all about this. Once she picked herself back up she said:
Glory: “Give me back my slipper!”
Pinkamina: “I won’t. It’s mine now, and soon I have the other three as well. You can’t beat a pony who always gets what she wants.”
Glory: “Oh…It…Is…On!”
Narrator: Glory said and with that she reached down and picked up the bottle she had tripped over which was full of fizzy apple cider, and threw it at Pinkamina. Pinkamina ducked to avoid the blow, but the bottle smashed into the wall behind her and fizzy apple cider rained down all over Pinkamina.
Pinkamina: “NOOOOO!”
Narrator: She screamed as she began to shrink.
Pinkamina: “Look what you’ve done you frou-frou princess wanna-be! I’m melting! Melting!”
Glory: “My stars! I…I’m so, so sorry.”
Pinkamina: “Didn’t you know that fizzy apple cider would be the end of me?!”
Glory: “Of course not. How could I?”
Narrator: Glory and her friends were all truly shocked to see the witch melting before their very eyes.
Applecrow: “Well, I guess apples had to be in this story somewhere.”
Pinkamina: “Oh what a world! What a World! Who would have thought that Gummy’s favorite drink would be the end of all my fun! Noooo! My party’s overrrrrr!”
Narrator: And with that Pinkamina the Wicked Witch melted down until there was nothing left of her but a pink puddle with a tattered black hat and cape floating in it along with Glory’s silver slipper and the gold, chain necklace of the West. Glory cautiously picked out her slipper and put it back on, then she looked at her friends.
Glory: “I…I didn’t mean for this to happen. Truly, I didn’t. I didn’t know that was her weakness. I wouldn’t have thrown it if I’d known. It’s just that, well, what she did was very cheap.”
Applecrow: “Don’t sweat yourself over it. We all saw what happened.”
Tin Mare: “Yes. None of us knew or could have predicted what we just saw.”
Lionshy: “I’m just glad it’s over.”
Applecrow: “On the bright side, look, we got the rubber chicken just like the Wizard asked!”
Narrator: She said as she picked up the prize that the Witch had left behind and gave it to Glory.
Lionshy: “Yay!”
Tin Mare: “And by coincidence, the Wicked Witch is dead!”
Glory: “Well those are all good things, but first, we must let the Delightkins know that they are free.”
Narrator: Glory said as she picked up the necklace the Witch had also left behind.
Glory: “We must give this to them so that they can appoint a new ruler, and then we’ll return to the wizard with the rubber chicken and tell him the Wicked Witch is dead.”
Lionshy: “Hooray!”
Narrator: Lionshy added with a small roar.
Pinkamina’s party spell over the Delightkins was broken once she had melted, and the Delightkins were all very happy to finally be able to at last stop, sit down, and relax indeed. They were even more delighted to hear that the wicked witch was no more, and to meet the ponies and the lion that had freed them and thanked Glory and her friends over and over again. It was too late to make the trip back to the Emerald City, so Glory Applecrow, Tin Mare, and Lionshy stayed the night with the Delighkins. They all laughed and talked well into the night, and Tin Mare in particular became rather popular among them. So much so that the next morning when they prepared to leave, one of the Delightkins approached Tin Mare with a pillow upon which sat the gold, chain necklace of the West and a golden tiara.
Delightkin: “Miss Tin Mare, we’ve all agreed, we would like you be to our ruler. We want you to be our friend and our princess.”
Tin Mare: “That’s very kind of you, but I don’t know if I’m worthy of such an honor.”
Delightkin: “Please Miss Tin Mare. We want you to have this. You’re kind, friendly, truthful, loyal, funny, and you inspire us to rebuild our land. We have no doubt that you are worthy to lead us.”
Narrator: Tin Mare looked back at her friends who all nodded in approval then said:
Tin Mare: “Then I accept, but on one condition. You must let me first return to the Wizard to receive my heart. If I am to rule as your friend, I must have a heart to be a friend.”
Narrator: The Delightkins agreed, but they still bestowed upon Tin Mare the necklace of the West, the tiara, and proclaimed her to be their princess before she, Glory, Applecrow, and Lionshy departed for the Emerald City. The return trip to the Emerald City went by fast and without incident, and soon Glory and her friends were once again in front of the doors of the Emerald City. Glory pulled the bell rope and they were greeted once again by the same mare who clanged her cymbals over their heads.
Guardian of the Gates: “Welcome to the Emera…Ahh! Good grief! It’s you!”
Narrator: She paused and starred down at Glory and her friends.
Guardian of the Gates: “I don’t believe it! What…What are you doing here so…alive?!”
Glory: “We’ve come back to claim the Wizard’s promise. We’ve brought the rubber chicken of the Witch of the West.”
Narrator: She held up the rubber chicken for the Guardian of the Gates to see.
Guardian of the Gates: “I…I can’t believe it! It’s…it’s unbelievable!”
Glory: “Open the gate please. We would like to see the Wizard…again.”
Narrator: The Guardian of the Gates quickly let the four friends in and escorted them without delay to the palace and (after another cymbal clang) opened the palace doors and allowed them to enter. Glory and her friends strode down the hallway with confidence, happy to know that without a doubt the wizard would grant them their wishes this time. They rounded the corner and entered the throne room, but were surprised to see nothing. There was no giant head, no fires, no booming voice. It was just very, very quiet.
Glory: “Mr. Wizard… your…Majesty?”
Narrator: Finally the giant head slowly appeared in a puff of smoke, causing everypony to jump, but this time not even Lionshy showed fear.
Wizard: “What’s this!? Can I believe my eyes? Why have you come back!?”
Narrator: Glory stepped forward.
Glory: “Great Wizard. We have done what you asked and brought you the rubber chicken of the Witch of the West.”
Narrator: Glory held the rubber chicken with her magic so the wizard could see it, then placed it gently on the floor.
Glory: “We hope that you will honor your promise in like fashion.”
Wizard: “The rubber chicken? I don’t believe it! How in An did you get it?”
Glory: “Well…a long story told short, I accidentally melted the Witch with a bottle of apple cider.”
Narrator: “Cider! ...Cider. Of course.”
Lionshy: “Um… so about your promise…”
Wizard: “I know what I promised! But…uh…this has put me in a rather awkward position. Go away and come back tomorrow so that I can think this all over!”
Glory: “Tomorrow? Come, come now. We must proceed with our agreement immediately. Please bestow upon us your gifts.”
Wizard: “I said come back tomorrow!”
Tin Mare: “No way! You’ve had enough time already!”
Applecrow: “You know… something about this whole thing has been bugging me. Something here just don’t add up. For one thing, I’ve noticed that every time we come to see you, you make some excuse to delay meeting us. It sounds to me like your just stalling for time.”
Wizard: “I’m a very busy wizard.”
Applecrow: “Second, if you’re so great and awesome, why would you want Glory’s slippers or a witch’s flying rubber chicken? What would you possibly gain from them? You don’t even have hooves!”
Wizard: “Jealous?”
Applecrow: “And third, why does a great and awesome wizard need to hide behind closed doors? Shouldn’t someone like you be out flaunting their awesome magic for all to see? When I put all this together, I think you’re hiding something.”
Wizard: “What? I…uh… Oh come on! Enough of this! Come back tomorrow like I told you! OK!”
Lionshy: “Hey! I don’t like you talking to my friends like that! We do all this for you and this is how you repay us. You’re just a great big meanie!”
Narrator: And just to make her point, Lionshy let out a roar to frighten the Wizard, just a little. Perhaps it was because the room had been so silent, but Lionshy’s roar echoed so loudly it felt as if the whole room shook. Glory, Applecrow, and Tin Mare all starred at Lionshy with wide eyes and their mouths open.
Tin Mare: “Wow Lionshy.”
Applecrow: “Impressive.”
Glory: “I didn’t know you had that in you, darling.”
Lionshy: “Oh… I’m sorry.”
Narrator: It was just then that the four friends heard a pony cry out and then there was a crash as a curtain that had been held by poles crashed down on the floor and a pony fell on top of it. Glory and her friends looked down at the pony surprised by her sudden appearance. The pony was a sky blue, pegasus, mare with a rainbow mane and tail, and she looked back up at them with an equally surprised look on her face. She quickly threw the curtain back up and jumped behind it.
Wizard: “Pay no attention to the mare behind the curtain! The Great An has spoken!”
Narrator: Applecrow and Tin Mare however, had already seen enough. They rushed over to the curtain which Applecrow grabbed and yanked back off the poles. The mare looked back at them, her face clearly showing panic. Tin Mare raised her book over the mare’s head in a threatening way. Glory and Lionshy were right behind them.
Tin Mare: “Who are you!”
Rainbolt: “Whoa! Hold on! Please don’t slap me! I am the great and awesome…Wizard…of…An?”
Glory: “You are?! I don’t believe it.”
Rainbolt: “I’m sorry, but it’s the truth. I’m the only wizard you’ll find around here.”
Applecrow: “AH HA! I knew there was something going on here.”
Lionshy: “So…Mr. Wizard isn’t a big head?”
Applecrow: “Nope, and he is actually a she. Not that there’s anything wrong with being a mare, but she did a great job making us think she was a stallion.”
Rainbolt: “And you would be right. I didn’t expect your lion friend to roar so loudly. When she did, I stepped back and tripped over my own curtain. You guys are the first ponies to figure out the truth. I know this whole thing looks bad, but I can explain everything if you’ll listen.”
Glory: “We will. I’d very much like to hear this.”
Applecrow, Tin Mare, Lionshy: “Me too!”
Tin Mare: “First of all, who are you really?”
Narrator: Tin Mare said as she put her book down.
Rainbolt: “My name is Rainbolt. I was born in New Yorkshire.”
Glory: “Oh! That’s where I want to go!”
Rainbolt: “Yep. Same city. But you see, ever since I was a filly I wanted to be the best at everything that had to do with flying. I can do tricks, I’m super fast, and I can even walk on top of the wings of an airplane. I even joined a traveling flight show so I could have an audience.”
Narrator: Rainbolt walked over to a bell rope and pulled it. A bell rang somewhere overhead, and soon after the gray mare appeared.
Rainbolt: “This is my partner and pilot, Muffin Mare. She would fly the airplane while I walked on the wings and did tricks to wow the ponies below.”
Muffin Mare: “Hi ya!”
Glory: “So how did you both get here darling?”
Rainbolt: “One day, several years ago, while we were performing, the weather got bad really fast, and we couldn’t land because of the wind, so I got back in my seat, and we flew away from the storm to find a safe place, but the storm turned into a tornado and it caught us. We were tossed around every which way before the storm spat us out, and when it did we found ourselves over this land. We landed right in the middle of it and then we were surrounded by all these strange ponies who thought I was this “all powerful wizard.””
Applecrow: “Really? Why would they think you were a wizard?”
Rainbolt: “Well first, because we came from the sky, and then, to show off my awesomeness, I did a sonic rainboom for them. You should have seen their faces light up.”
Lionshy: “So you tricked all those poor ponies?”
Rainbolt: “Look friends, I never meant to trick anypony. It’s just that everything happened so fast and before I knew it the ponies here had made me their all powerful wizard ruler. It was pretty awesome at first, being a ruler and all, but then I realized that my reputation had become way bigger then I was, and there was no way I could live up to it. Also, I was afraid of the four witches who did have magic. Everypony thought I was a wizard, but I had no magic, so I stalled for time by showing them cool flight tricks, and then I had them build me this palace and this city to keep them busy. I chose green because it’s the color right in the middle of the rainbow, and so it became the Emerald City. They did a great job, but when that was done, I shut myself in to keep the real me a secret, and let the ponies build up my image without ever actually seeing me. Muffin Mare became my assistant. This whole time she’s been my eyes and ears, letting me know what was going on out there. She was my only real friend this whole time. In my hidden state, I wouldn’t see anypony unless they were somehow important. I know this will sound bad, but the only reason I agreed to see you four was because Muffin Mare told me about Glory’s slippers. I thought that if I could get a hold of them, I might be able to figure out their secret and not be a complete fake anymore.”
Glory: “Well that certainly did not work.”
Rainbolt: “Yes, I know, but then you all asked me to use magic to give you stuff that I couldn’t possibly do in a thousand years. So I tried to get rid of you by making you a deal. Since I couldn’t have your slippers, I sent you all on a fool’s errand to bring me the Witch of the West’s rubber chicken. The thing is I never expected you to actually do it. I thought it would be an impossible task, so I would never have to keep my end of the deal, but I was totally shocked when you returned with the rubber chicken, and now I’m afraid I have to tell you that I can’t grant you your wishes.”
Tin Mare: “Friends, we’ve been duped.”
Applecrow: “You humbug!”
Glory: “You’re a bad pony.”
Rainbolt: “No…No, I’m not a bad pony. I admit I’m a humbug, but I’m a good pony, really I am. I’m just a very bad wizard.”
Applecrow: “Well, I guess that puts us right back where we started.”
Narrator: Glory and her friends were all disappointed. They began to turn to leave when Rainbolt said:
Rainbolt: “Wait, wait! Hold on. Hold on everypony. I don’t want you to leave like that. I know I’m not a wizard, but, please, can we start over? I mean, I want to help. You guys have already been through a lot. It would be wrong if I didn’t give you something. Let me try.”
Glory: “I suppose it can’t hurt us darlings. What would life be without second chances?”
Applecrow: “Can you give me a brain?”
Rainbolt: “You don’t need one. Believe me, where I come from there are ponies that have brains, but they don’t use them. A brain isn’t what makes you think, it’s you, yourself. Every day you learn something new and gain knowledge which you use to reason and make decisions. Tell me, how much have you learned in the last coupla days?”
Applecrow: “Well… now that you mention it, before Glory found me I knew nothing, but, ever since then, I’ve see a lot, everything from shiny cities to wicked witches.”
Rainbolt: “And in that amount of time, you came up with enough knowledge to call me out, which you did before anypony else. You are clearly very smart and clever for a scarecrow.”
Narrator: Rainbolt turned to Muffin Mare.
Rainbolt, “Muffin, bring me my bag please.”
Narrator: A moment later she returned and gave Rainbolt a small black bag before Rainbolt continued.”
Rainbolt: “However, let me give you this…”
Narrator: She reached into the bag and pulled out a gold coin.
Rainbolt: “This is kind-of like a brain. Just like every choice you make, this coin has two possibilities when you flip it, so whenever you are in doubt, figure out what your options are, and flip this, only remember, no matter what the coin says, always do the right thing, and with your brain, I’m sure you will.”
Narrator: She gave Applecrow the gold coin.
Applecrow: “Thank you kindly friend.”
Tin Mare: “Can you give me a heart?”
Rainbolt: “You don’t need one. Where I come from, there are ponies that have hearts, but sadly, they never use them. A heart isn’t what allows you to love or have friends, you feel love and make friends yourself, and by what I can see, in the last several days, you’ve made several really good friends haven’t you?”
Narrator: Tin Mare looked around at all her friends who smiled at her encouragingly.
Tin Mare: “Yes, yes I have, and I would do anything for them.”
Rainbolt: “So I’ve heard. Muffin Mare told me about how you encouraged your friends to stick together when you left to find the Witch, and what you said about friendship. You clearly do have friends, and you love them as much as they love you. You know what that’s called? True friendship. And you have a lot of love to give for a pony with no heart, however let me give you this…”
Narrator: She reached back into her bag and pulled out a magnet in the shape of a gold heart.
Rainbolt: “Please except this token of friendship so that everpony will know that you have a heart of gold.”
Narrator: She said as she stuck the magnet on Tin mare right above her necklace.
Tin Mare: “I thank you with all my heart.”
Lionshy: “Um… If you don’t mind, about my courage?”
Rainbolt: My friend, why would you ever think you have no courage? It took courage to come with your friends to see me, it took courage for you to go with them to defeat a wicked witch, and that roar just a few moments ago also took courage. There is no doubt that you have courage, but you are confusing courage with wisdom. Having courage is not the same as not being scared. We’re all scared sometimes, but showing courage is what you do even when you are scared. You’re clearly much braver than you think.”
Lionshy: “Oh please, you’ll make me blush.”
Narrator: Once again, Rainbolt reached into her bag, and this time pulled out a golden hairpin. The pin itself was shaped into a lightning bolt, with feather wings.
Rainbolt: “Here…”
Narrator: Said Rainbolt as she placed the hairpin in Lionshy’s mane just above her left ear.
Rainbolt: “Take this and let it remind you always that you have courage. The lightning shows that you are strong, while the wings show that you are both brave and kind.”
Lionshy: “Thank you Miss Wizard.”
Pinkie to Narrator: “So…basically she didn’t give them anything but junk.” (Still wearing her witch costume).
Applejack: “What? Pinkie!? How are you here? You melted! I know that don’t make no sense! You promised me that this story would make sense!”
Pinkie: “Uh…Applejack, I promised you that your role would make sense, not the whole story. I’m now out of the story, but I’m still here to make comments and criticize the narrator.”
Narrator: “Ahem! Pinkie! Don’t make me have to use the bad Pinkie corner.”
Pinkie to Narrator: “Whoops. Sorry. Didn’t know you were listening.”
Narrator: “And for the record, Pinkie, the wizard didn’t give them junk, she gave them what they really needed: confidence. You can have everything you possibly need to complete a task, but if you don’t have the confidence to do it, you won’t.”
Pinkie to Narrator: “Ohhhhhhh…”
Narrator: “Now then, Applecrow, Tin Mare, and Lionshy were all happy with the honorary brain, heart, and courage that the wizard Rainbolt had given them, but there was still one other pony whose wish had yet to be granted.”
Applecrow: “What about Glory?”
Tin Mare: “Yeah, what about Glory? We wouldn’t even be standing here if it weren’t for her.”
Rainbolt: “Yes, Glory, now, let me think.”
Lionshy: “You don’t think Miss Wizard is out of magic do you?”
Narrator: Lionshy asked her friends.
Rainbolt: “No it’s not that, it’s just, I’ve got to admit, Glory’s wish is actually the hardest to figure out.”
Narrator: Rainbolt though for some time, before she finally said:
Rainbolt: “All right, best I can figure, the only way to get Glory back home is for me to fly her there myself.”
Glory: “Really darling? But how, and wait, do you mean you want to come too?”
Rainbolt: “Yes, I’m tired of living in shadows. It’s time for me to go home and get back to flying and being awesome. And as to how we’re going to get there, I still have the plane that brought me here. It needs some repair, but I’m sure it’ll fly if we all work together.
Glory: “Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!”
Rainbolt: “The only problem is what we’re going to use for fuel. I’m pretty sure An doesn’t have any gas stations, but I’m sure Applecrow here will figure something out. She’s got the brains for it.”
Narrator: Over the next week, Rainbolt, Glory, and their friends pulled the old air plane out of mothballs and worked hard to repair it. Glory was able to make new canvas for the wings, and Tin Mare assisted by Lionshy fixed the holes in the wooden framework while Rainbolt and Muffin Mare tuned up the engine. Tin Mare even offered some of her oil to fix the rusted joints, and sure enough, Applecrow did figure out a way to fuel the plane after she studied its mechanics.
Applecrow: “It’s so simple really, all you need is a ginger based product to give the engine a kick, and this being the Emerald City, green and all, and we’ve got plenty of Ginger Ale to spare.”
Rainbolt: “Yes that’s true, and the plane can fly on it, but it still won’t be as powerful as gasoline. The plane will get us to New Yorkshire, but not all the way to Plainsville. However, that should be OK though, since Glory wanted to go to New Yorkshire anyway. Isn’t that right?”
Narrator: She asked Glory.
Glory: “Well, yes I did say that.”
Rainbolt: “Good, we shouldn’t have a problem now.”
Narrator: It wasn’t long after that the plane was packed and ready to fly. It was then pushed out onto a flat field outside the Emerald City. All the citizens of the Emerald City came out to see the wizard before she left.
Rainbolt: “My friends, I thank you for all your hard work, and loyalty, but now the time has come for me to return to the skies. I might be back one day, but I want you all to know that you are all awesome, and that you’ve got this everypony!”
Emerald City Citizen: “But who will rule the Emerald City and An now?”
Rainbolt: “I have already chosen a pony who I know is caring, honest, and clever to be my successor, and she’s right here.”
Narrator: Rainbolt pointed to Applecrow.
Applecrow: “Me?”
Rainbolt: “Yes my friend, the city needs a wise and just ruler who is smart enough to keep everything moving forward, and I know that you are up to the task.”
Narrator: She then motioned for Applecrow to come closer and when she did, Rainbolt reached into the black bag again and pulled out a silver tiara which bore five colored jewels representing the five states of An and a silver necklace that bore the word ‘AN’ and said:
Rainbolt: “The ponies of An gave me these when I first came here, and now they belong to you.”
Narrator: Applecrow removed her hat to make room for the tiara which Rainbolt placed on her head, and the necklace around her neck.
Rainbolt: “All hail Princess Applecrow, ruler of the Emerald City and the land of An!”
Narrator: To this all the citizens of the Emerald City cheered and applauded. Rainbolt then climbed into the cockpit of the plane. She turned to Glory and asked:
Rainbolt: “Ready to go?”
Narrator: Glory started to climb on board, but then she stopped.
Glory: “No.”
Rainbolt: “What?”
Glory: “No, I’m not going.”
Narrator: Glory said as she stepped down.
Rainbolt: “What do you mean?”
Glory: “I know I wanted to go to New Yorkshire, but I’ve learned something, home isn’t only where you do what you love, it’s where the ponies you love can be found, and my home is Plainsville. Thank you for everything darling, but I’ll just have to find another way to get home since the plane can’t make it there. I still want you to go since New Yorkshire is your home, and there’s something else.
Narrator: Glory walked over to Muffin Mare who was standing in the crowd.
Glory: “The other seat belongs to you darling. New Yorkshire is your home too.”
Muffin Mare: “Really? You want me to go instead of you?”
Glory: “Yes I do. That is if you want to. Do you want to go home?”
Muffin Mare; “Yes! Yes I do! Wait for me!”
Narrator: She shouted as she run up to the plane dived into the second seat.
Tin Mare: “But Glory, how will you get home now? There isn’t another plane.”
Glory: “Honestly, I don’t know darling, but where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
Muffin Mare: “Oh, Miss Glory!”
Glory: “Yes?”
Muffin Mare: “I think you should go find Majesty, the Good Witch of the South. She might be able to help you. Oh, and thank you!”
Glory: “Thank you for the advice, and you’re welcome!”
Rainbolt: “Ready to fly again friend?”
Muffin Mare: “All set, captain!”
Rainbolt: “Good-bye everypony!”
Narrator: And with that, Rainbolt started the green biplane and it began to role down the grassy run way. It sped faster and faster until it lifted off the ground and took off into the sky with everypony cheering and waving good-bye as the wizard and the guardian flew away.
The citizens of the Emerald City then returned to their business as usual, but first they welcomed Applecrow as their new princess and ruler, to which Applecrow said:
Applecrow: “Thank you everypony. I am very honored to be your princess, and with your help, I hope to prove worthy of my station, and that my brains don’t fail.”
Narrator: Later, Glory and her friends met in the throne room, only this time Applecrow sat on the throne.
Glory: “It seems to me darlings that the only course of action now would be to seek out Majesty the Good Witch, and ask her if she can help me find a way home.”
Applecrow: “Are you sure you really have to go Glory? I mean, we all love you here, and I’m sure you could even start a fashion business.”
Glory: “I love you all too, and An is a beautiful country, but Plainsville is my home, and there’s no place like home. I must get back to my family, so if Majesty is the Good Witch of the South, then to the South I will go.”
Tin Mare: “And I will go with you.”
Lionshy: “So will I.”
Applecrow: “And me as well. As Tin Mare said, we’re all in this together.”
Tin Mare: “You helped us all find ourselves, and now we’ll do everything we can to help you get home.”
Glory: “Thank you my friends. That really means a lot to me.”
Narrator: The next day, Glory and her friends set out from the Emerald City. Before they left, they said good-bye to the ponies of the Emerald City who wished them well, and Applecrow reassured her subjects:
Applecrow: “I must go away for a while, as I have promised to help my friend Glory get home, but I will return. You have my honest word.”
Narrator: And with that, Glory and her friends departed, and they turned toward to the South following a road of red bricks.
The journey to the South went without incident, except that the four friends had to travel through the forest once again, only this time they met the Hyena that had been ruling the forest in place of Lionshy. As they were going through the forest Lionshy suddenly picked up her scent and took a detour with her friends right behind her. They found the Hyena lounging on a large rock in the middle of a small clearing. She was even wearing the golden crown of the forest that Lionshy had mentioned before. The animal ministers of the forest stood in various places among the trees. The Hyena rolled over the face the new comers. She snickered when she saw Lionshy.
Hyena: “Well, well, well, look who it is. If it isn’t the shy lion, come back to the forest. Don’t you have some butterfly’s to chase?”
Narrator: Lionshy just stood silently. She seemed to be petrified in fear.
Hyena: “Well, what’s the matter? Don’t you know when you should bow to your ruler, or what? You think you’re here to reclaim your crown?”
Narrator: She added with a laugh. Lionshy looked at her friends, who were all standing behind her. They smiled, and Glory whispered to her:
Glory: “Remember what the Wizard said, you have courage, and you are braver than you think. And, we are all with you, darling.”
Narrator: Applecrow, and Tin Mare nodded in agreement. Lionshy stepped forward slowly, but stopped halfway.
Hyena: “You got something to say? Speak up then, if not you’re wasting our time. You were always the weak one.”
Narrator: Lionshy thought about turning back, but then she remembered what Glory had said, and she reached up and touched her hairpin.
Lionshy: “No. I am not weak. I am kind, but I am also strong, and that is my crown. Return it at once.”
Hyena: “Whoa-ho-ho look who’s suddenly being brave. Good joke Lionshy, but the fun’s over now.”
Lionshy: “I am not joking. That is my crown, and I want it back.”
Narrator: Lionshy proceeded to walk closer to the rock. The other animals watched in interest.
Hyena: “Seriously? You think you can take me on. In your dreams.”
Lionshy: “Yes. Yes, I can. I am the rightful queen of this forest, and further more I can take back my crown even if I have to make you give it back!
Narrator: She was now standing in front of the Hyena.
Lionshy: “Now give me back my crown!”
Narrator: And to prove her point, Lionshy let out a loud roar. All the animals hid in fear, and even the Hyena, who was so surprised that Lionshy had roared right in her face, fell of the rock and landed on the ground. She looked up to see Lionshy towering over her. Lionshy leaned close to her and gave her a hard stare that would have frightened dragons.
Lionshy: “Step down!”
Hyena: “Ok, Ok, You’ve made your point. Sorry. Here.”
Narrator: She said as she quickly handed Lionshy the crown and ran as fast as she could into the forest. When she was gone, Lionshy turned to her friends who smiled approvingly. Then one of the ministers approached from the woods. He was a stag with great antlers. He stood before Lionshy and bowed.
Stag: “The ministers have all agreed, you have proven yourself courageous, and are indeed worthy to be Queen of the forest.”
Narrator: With that, the stag took the crown out of Lionshy’s paws and placed it on her head. Then he, and all the other animals who had come out of hiding bowed before their new queen.
Stag: “We just hope that you will rule with graciousness as well as courage.”
Narrator: Lionshy smiled and said in a sweet voice.
Lionshy: “Thank you my friends, but you will find that though I am strong, I am also kind, and I will do my best to protect this forest from all danger that may come.”
Narrator: To this the animals cheered. They gathered around to congratulate Lionshy, and wanted to celebrate the arrival of their new queen, but Lionshy had to say:
Lionshy: “I must help my good friend Glory get home first, but I promise to come back once she’s home safe and sound, and then we’ll have that celebaration.”
Narrator: The animals agreed to wait for her, and then Lionshy rejoined her friends and they proceeded down the red brick road.
After walking the rest of that day, resting that night, and walking part of the next day, Glory and her friends finally arrived at last in the land of the Sweetkins who lived in the South and all wore red. The passed through the town, and soon arrived at the castle of Majesty the Good Witch. They were admitted in at once, and were breath taken by the beauty of the castle. It was much like the Emerald City, but instead of Emeralds in the walls, there were rubies. They were soon escorted to the door of the throne room by a guard and let in. The four friends now found themselves standing front of Majesty the Good Witch of the South who was sitting on her throne at the far end of the room. She reminded Glory of Selena in that she was an alicorn and had a flowing mane and tail, but Majesty had a pure white coat, and her mane and tail were colored with hues of pink, blue, and green. She wore a golden tiara on her head, along with gold slippers on her hooves, and a gold, chain necklace with bore the letter ‘S’ for South. She smiled, and looked kindly at her visitors.
Majesty: “Welcome, dear friends. Come closer. I am Majesty, and whom may you be?”
Narrator: Glory and her friends were soon standing in front of Majesty.
Glory: “Hello, my name is Glory, and these are my friends, Applecrow, Tin Mare, and Lionshy.”
Majesty: “It is a pleasure to meet you all.”
Glory: “We’ve come to ask for your help.”
Majesty: “How so?”
Glory: “If I may be so bold as to ask, can you please help me get home to my family in Plainsville?”
Majesty: “I can.”
Glory: “Will you tell me how to get there?”
Majesty: “The truth, my dear Glory, is that you really don’t need my help, but there are a few things that I need to know first and some things that you should know.”
Narrator: Majesty descended from her throne and stood before Glory and her friends. She was even taller than Selena, but Glory felt safe in her presence. She spoke first to Glory.
Majesty: My dear, my sister and I have been keeping an eye on you and all that you’ve been through ever since you first arrived.”
Glory: “I must say… there were times I thought somepony was watching me, but I never though it was something I should mention.”
Majesty: “It is true. We wanted to make sure that you were safe. There were times were almost interfered, but you came through without our help. We also had a test for you, and I am pleased to say that you passed the test.”
Glory: “What test was that?”
Majesty: “To see whether you were truly a good pony or a bad pony, and every day since you arrived in An you shown us as well as everypony you’ve met the goodness in your heart. You’ve even made several close friends I see who love you as much as you love them.”
Glory: “I was just being myself.”
Majesty: “And you were yourself, and my sister and I are so proud of you. There is just one question I must ask you. After influencing An with so may positive ways, will you not remain in An with us?”
Glory: “I would like to, but I can not. I must return to Plainsville. I must see my family again. That is my home, and I’ll do whatever it takes to get there. Will you help me?”
Majesty: “Of course I will.”
Narrator: Majesty then turned to Applecrow.
Majesty: “What will become of you, Applecrow, when Glory has left us?”
Applecrow: “I will go back to the Emerald City. An the Wizard has made me ruler there, and the ponies there are quite fond of me.”
Majesty: “I’m sure you will be a wise ruler. The ponies of An and the Emerald City are both fortunate to have such an intelligent pony to guide them.
Narrator: She then turned to Tin Mare.
Majesty: “What will become of you, Tin Mare, when Glory has left us?”
Tin Mare: “I will return to the land of the Delightkins. They have made me their ruler, and I wish to share good friendship with them.”
Majesty: “I believe you will be a loving ruler. It is good that the ponies of the West will have such a caring friend to support them and help them rebuild their land.”
Narrator: She then turned to Lionshy.
Majesty: “And what will become of you, Lionshy, when Glory has left us?”
Lionshy: “Not very far from here, there is a great forest. The animals there have made me Queen of the Forest, and so I will go back to take care of them.”
Majesty: “I am certain that you will rule with both courage, and compassion. It is well indeed that the creatures of the forest are to have such a kind and strong ruler to protect them.”
Narrator: Majesty then turned once again to Glory, and smiled.
Majesty: “My dear, if you had decided to stay in An, I would have made you a princess, but now I will help you return home by giving you the knowledge you need. You’ve always had the power to return to Plainsville.”
Glory: “I have?”
Majesty: “Your silver slippers have wonderful magic. They would have taken you home the day you arrived if you’d know how to use them.”
Glory: “But why wasn’t I told this before?”
Majesty: “Selena and I still had yet to test you, so Selena simply told you that they may help you some day, and no more. Today is that day. To use the magic of your slippers all you have to do is click them together three times, and command them to take you wherever you wish to go.”
Glory: “Really?!”
Majesty: “Yes, indeed. That is all, and they will carry you home when you are ready. Farewell my dear. ”
Narrator: Majesty hugged Glory gently with one of her wings.
Glory: “Good-bye, and thank you.”
Narrator: Glory then turned to her friends.
Applecrow: “You know this is a strange thought, but I’m actually glad you didn’t know how to use your slippers before. If you had, I would still be on that pole in the cornfield.”
Tin Mare: “And I would still be rusting solid in the woods.”
Lionshy: “And I would have lived my whole life a coward.”
Applecrow: “We all owe everything we are now to you.”
Glory: “You know darlings, I’m glad too, because otherwise I might never have met you. I love you all so much.”
Narrator: She said as she embraced her friends in one last hug.
Lionshy: “And we love you too, Glory.
Tin Mare: “We’re all going to really miss you.”
Narrator: Tin Mare and Lionshy were both had tears in their eyes. Applecrow couldn’t cry, but her face was almost as blue as her clothes.
Applecrow: “Are you sure you can’t stay surgarcube?”
Glory: “I’m sure. I’ll miss you all darlings. You’re the best friends I could have ever had. Thank you for everything. We’ve all shared enough adventures to last a lifetime, and who knows, we may be together again someday. Good-bye my friends.”
Applecrow, Tin Mare, and Lionshy: “Good-bye Glory.”
Narrator: Glory took one last long look at her friends, and loving companions. Each one of them different, unique, and now all with a kingdom to rule. She was so proud of them. She felt tears in her own eyes as she slowly turned around, then she clicked her silver slippers together three times and said:
Glory: “Take me back home to my family!”
Narrator: Instantly she was whizzing through the air faster than any pegasus could fly. The world was just a blur, and then she stopped so suddenly that she rolled on the ground several times. Once she regained her composure, she stood up and looked around to see where she was. She could hardly believe her eyes. She was surrounded by rolling hills of white grain, and there in front of her was the town of Plainsville, and the closest house to her was her family’s very own. Glory began to run toward it when she noticed something. Here hooves were bare, for her silver slippers had fallen off in her flight and were now lost.
Glory: “Oh dear, my beautiful slippers. What a pity. I really liked those shoes, though being a seamstress and all, I could always make a fabulous new set, and now I also have several wonderful new ideas to bring simple, yet bold fashion and color to Plainsville, but I’ll think about that tomorrow.
Narrator: And with that, Glory ran nonstop toward her family’s house. Her sister Melody had just come through the back door to eat a cookie, but she dropped it when she saw Glory running towards her.
Melody: “Mother! Father! It’s Glory! Glory’s Home!”
Narrator: Glory’s mother and father came rushed through the door just in time for Glory to throw her hooves around all three of them, and they did the same.
Glory’s Mother: “Oh my precious daughter! I thought we’d lost you. Where ever did you come from?”
Glory: “From the land of An, and, oh Mother, I’m so glad to be home!”
Narrator: And so Glory and her family and her friends in the land of An lived happily ever after.
Pinkie to Narrator: “And so did I-I.” (Sing-song voice and still wearing her witch costume).
Narrator: “You did?”
Pinkie to narrator: “Yep, especially since I got my rubber chicken back aaaaaaand, I got the sparkly silver slippers!” (Shows her hooves).
Narrator: “Wait, What! But…! How?! Who?! How did you?! That’s impossible!”
Pinkie to Narrator: “You forget. I’m Pinkie Pie I always find a way to get what I’m after. I was already out of the story, so when my rubber chicken was out, I grabbed it, and then when Glory lost her sparkly slippers, they fell into my jurisdiction, and now they’re mine after all. Like they say, “All good things to those who wait.””
Narrator: “Well…I…uh…uh… Oh Horse feathers! That just totally blew up in my face! I did not see that one coming.”
Pinkie to Narrator: “That’s right (sing-song). In the end, I get everything. Thank you, and Checkmate!”
Pinkie Pie: “The End. Oh, they’re asleep. Good night Pound and Pumpkin, and I hope you join me too next time for some more Pinkie Tales!” (Whisper).
