Pinkie Pie has not said anything to Tempest Shadow ever since their conversation outside Waffle Palace. The late night meal did not go as she had planned and she certainly did not expect Tempest to react the way she did after the comment of a lack of horn. That said, Pinkie Pie knew she had made a horrible error as soon as she said those words. It had been written all over Tempest's face like a glitter laced permanent marker.

The pain, the anger, the sadness, the hopelessness all rolled into one twisted expression that marked a keg ready to explode into an electric storm of rage fueled chaos.

Thankfully that did not happen, but the damage had been done and now Pinkie's mind races like a guinea pig stuck in a wheel, running and running and running without avail to reach the treat that will keep Tempest in Ponyville.

Pinkie Pie looks at Tempest. The tall unicorn is walking with conviction and an unshakable gaze set on the train station, which is one of the few buildings lit in the sleeping town.

Seeing her walk reminds Pinkie Pie of how Starlight carries herself. Much like Tempest, she is headstrong, disciplined in her talent, and ready to act. This brings the Element to wonder what would happen if she convinced Twilight to let the two unicorns spend some time together beyond awkward dinner conversations. After all, if Starlight can befriend Trixie and Maud, she surely has a chance with Tempest, and if she and Tempest become friends then Tempest will have a reason to stay!

So, in the Book of Plots that plan goes!

After she puts her newest addition into her mental book, Pinkie Pie slows down just a bit to get a better look at Tempest's flanks. She is not like Twilight or Rarity, or most unicorn's for that matter. Her build is actually more of a pegasus, who are genetically leaner and quicker than unicorns and earth ponies, and if there is one thing Pinkie Pie has noticed -besides how tall Tempest is- it is that she is quick and agile. Perhaps convincing Rainbow Dash to give Tempest a chance will lead to something between the two.

Race buddies?

Gym partners?

Wrestle partners?

Rainbow Dash likes the gym and wrestling is a thing she dabbles in every now and then with the other Wonderbolts and Applejack when they get the time. Surely Tempest wouldn't mind sparring with that rainbow ball of fluff.

They can have a great time in the ring, manifesting their paranoia and their hatred for each other in a friendly match that will in absolutely no way, shape or form escalate into an out of control, feral fight with gnashing teeth, flying feathers and ripped out chunks of fur and mane.

…

…

'Okay, maybe not.' thinks Pinkie Pie.

So Pinkie Pie reluctantly pushes out the idea of Tempest and Rainbow clicking and drifts to contemplating on whether or not she should try to convince Applejack to put Tempest to work on the farm. She does have an amazing kick and contrary to Applejack's claims, she and Big Mac cannot work their ever expanding farm by themselves. They will need help sooner or later, so why not a former military commander who took an entire city hostage in just one day? That kind of work ethic is hard to come by and should translate well to farm work.

Pinkie Pie is now behind Tempest and inspects her hind legs. Despite her lean build her hind legs do have a muscular thickness to them that is not as thick as an earth pony's, but they are definitely larger than a pegasus. Those legs should do okay for apple bucking considering that she has seen other ponies weaker than Tempest do it.

With that now pinned to her mind, Pinkie Pie makes an official mental note to ask Applejack if Tempest can work on her farm. That will also give her a reason to stay. Hopefully.

“Unless you want to fight I suggest you stop sizing me up,” says Tempest suddenly, casting Pinkie a condemning look from over her shoulder.

“Sizing you up? Why, I would never!” says Pinkie Pie.

Tempest stops and turns fully to look at Pinkie Pie, brow raised. “You sure about that, Rarity?”

Pinkie Pie giggles nervously. “Well, I might have been just a little bit. But it was only because I think you would do a great job on Applejack's farm!”

“Applejack? You mean the hick that conveniently has to do something every time I'm around?”

“Hey, be nice. She's a workaholic. Getting her to relax is like trying to pull teeth.”

“That's not hard to do. You just need a pair of pliers, a table, belts, nitrous oxide and a few minutes and the tooth is out.”

Pinkie Pie stares at Tempest, eye twitching and face paling, and the unicorn resumes walking to the strain station, leaving the Element frozen in place.

“I should also mention that you would need a lot of cotton balls,” adds Tempest.

“Note to self, Tempest might like Minuette,” mumbles Pinkie Pie. She then realizes how far Tempest has walked, and with perked ears, she gallops after her. “Hey, wait up!”

Pinkie Pie quickly finds herself next to Tempest, but she has to keep her pace at a trot to keep up with the quick strides of her companion.

“So, Tempest, sis-to-sis, how often have you explored Ponyville? Have you met anypony besides the tomato jerks and Twilight's friendship circle?” asks Pinkie Pie.

“Who would I meet? Every time I go out the public retreats and the one time I go without my armor I get a tomato to my face,” says Tempest. “And that was with Twilight next to me. I imagine the ending would have been quite different if she was not there.”

“Yeah, Zecora had a similar problem. Minus the tomato and threats of violence. But now the town loves her because of her alchemy skills, so she is our resident alchemist and Apple Bloom's teacher! You just have to find your place here. Maybe a guard or a smoothie maker?”

“The only problem is that the town does not want me here and the feeling has become mutual. And a guard? Really? I assaulted your leaders and led an army into your capital. Why would anypony trust me to be a guard?”

“You just seem like the guard type.”

Tempest huffs. “Well, I'm not. I'm more qualified to be a pirate or a bounty hunter.”

“Right~ Do you at least like anypony in Twilight's circle? Like me, for example?”

Tempest's eyes flick to Pinkie Pie for a quick moment before she looks down the road again, her expression holding the stone cold appearance.

“I like Rarity,” says Tempest.

“Really?”

“Yeah. It is funny watching her freak out.”

“Oh... Not what I was expecting.”

“I also like her mane.”

“Uh huh.”

“And her smile. And her eyes. She has pretty eyes.”

Pinkie's eyes start to narrow. “Yes, she sure does.”

“I was thinking when I go to Rarity's tomorrow she can make me a red dress with a big black bow, maybe striped socks, too. I'm sure we will figure out the details when we spend some quality time together over tea and crumpets.”

Pinkie Pie's eyes are slits at this point and her head bobs up and down slowly, like a buoy in a sea of melted peanut butter.

“You must really like Rarity,” says Pinkie Pie.

Tempest smirks at Pinkie Pie and then quickens her pace, leaving the Element of Laughter standing alone yet again, her tired eyes wide and lips scrunched. Aside from the confusion of what just happened, the feeling of being watched returns, which she normally would not mind, but this is the kind that leaves sharped legged spiders crawling up and down her spine. And now she cares. But discomfort aside, the realization of what happens burns away the confusion induced darkness in her sleep deprived brain and she springs forward in a gallop.

“Wait, what was that? Did you just troll me!?”

“Did you just troll me!?” echoes Pinkie's voice in the dark, sleeping street.

Twilight keeps her body low to the ground with her wings pinned to her side, and she peeks just enough around a bush with her night vision goggles to see Pinkie circling in front of Tempest. Her close friend -her closest, actually- walks backwards, trying to get Tempest to talk to her; though, from what Twilight can see in the silhouettes of various shades of green it appears that Pinkie is doing more than looking at Tempest. Her head snaps to and fro and she frequently circles Tempest like a yapping dog wanting attention while simultaneously looking for squirrels. However, Tempest keeps walking and not looking at Pinkie Pie, and she is apparently keeping quiet since the only thing Twilight can hear is the faint echoes of Pinkie's voice.

“I knew you had a sense of humor!”

“I mean, I already knew you had a sense of humor because of some of the things you say and do and it is not obvious, but nopony else sees that part of you which is probably why you are having a hard time around here,” continues Pinkie Pie, still circling Tempest while scanning the dim scenery for their stalker. “Maybe if you really loosen up and get a braid like I suggested then you will have more friends.”

“Or maybe you should just accept that I'm not compatible with Equestrian civilization,” says Tempest.

The two are now in front of the town's thatch roof train station, and the bright lights of the pair of towering lamps shine on Pinkie Pie as she stands in front of Tempest, who is partially in the dark.

“But if the whole leaving Equestria thing does not work out won't it be nice to have a place to come back to?” says Pinkie Pie.

Tempest sighs, and with a quick rub of her head she says in an even tone: “All right, I'm going to lay out a couple of things in plain Equestrian. Nod if you understand.”

Pinkie Pie nods.

“Okay. First, I have been out of Equestria since before I had my cutie mark,” says Tempest. “That means Equestria is alien to me. I do not belong here. I have never belonged here. I will never belong here, and today at the market and the sixty six days prior in this town and the thirty four days in Canterlot were proof of it.”

Pinkie Pie tries to speak, but Tempest presses her hoof against her mouth, putting the taste of dirt and steel on her tongue.

“Second,” continues Tempest firmly, “I appreciate what Twilight is doing, and I appreciate what you are doing, despite you being the most obnoxious and bizarre pony I have ever met, but the both of you have failed to realize that I am not like the others. You like your parties, your socializing, your rainbow puke of colors, your bright humor and cute things. I don't like any of those things. I changed enough when I saved Twilight from the Storm King, but I will not undo who I am just to belong where I don't. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a schedule to check.”

Tempest releases Pinkie's mouth and approaches a chalk board locked behind a plane of glass, which is illuminated by a pair of small lights. Pinkie soon joins her side and studies the board, as well. Most of the trains are for Canterlot, Manehatten, Tall Tall and Trottingham, but there are a few that are for minor places, including one for San Palimino, which is at the very bottom and leaves in a week. With the power of reflection, Pinkie sees Tempest looking at this particular train and out of the corner of her eye she sees a weathered advertisement. The picture is of a 16 bit pony poking their head out of a pipe that is surrounded by food, balls, and various Xs, Ys, As, Bs and direction arrows, all holding the same design, and at the bottom, in bold letters is:

COME TO GAMELAND!
24 HOUR ARCADE!
FOOD!
GAMES!
PRIZES!
MEMORIES!
FUN FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY!

(Must have an adult present. Gameland is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged property. Entrance fee of 10b for adults and 5b for foals 10 and under.)

Reading that, a conniving smile grows on Pinkie's muzzle, and she leans against Tempest, pressing her body against the cold armor and gazing up at her, putting on an innocent smile and batting her lashes.

“So, Fizzles~” says Pinkie Pie sweetly.

Tempest frowns. “Why do I even bother?”

“Have you ever been to an arcade?”

“No.”

Pinkie hooks her hoof around Tempest's neck, turns her away from the board and escorts her away from the station, grinning the whole time.

“Well, that is about to change!” she says.

“Really?” says Tempest dryly.

“Yep-yep-yep!” Pinkie releases Tempest and the two walk side by side, with the former glancing at the latter every now and then, who is also doing the same. “I know I goofed badly when I mentioned your lack of horn, and since you don't want an apology cake I figured I can take you to the arcade. It is open twenty four hours a day, six days a week and fifty weeks a year. You'll have fun and you will loosen up. Maybe even smile for more than five seconds!”

“Is there a wrestling ring?”

Pinkie Pie nods. “Oh, yeah. There's an area to wrestle in, to dance, to eat, to go bowling, gaming, prizes, relaxing, more gaming. Actually, scratch that dancing thing. Dancing is closed until five after noon tomorrow, but still! I'm gonna give you a nice dose of happy memories to go with you when you leave to where ever it is you are going.”

“I'm sure you know where I'm going.”

“Nope.”

“I saw you studying my reflection, Pinkie.”

“... The arcade has nachos.”

Tempest rolls her eyes. “Fascinating.”

Several minutes of walking -and inconspicuous scanning for the stalker- later, and Pinkie Pie and Tempest stand across the street from a long, rectangular building with a thatch roof and a double door set with GAMELAND painted on it. Next to it, displaying the name of the location, is a neon sign with a flickering light, and around the entrance are lights of various colors.

The two ponies stare at the door for a bit before Pinkie Pie breaks away to dig behind a bush they are in front of.

She gets down low with her tail end raised and her front hoofs rapidly fling clumps of cold dirt across the grass.

“What are you doing?” asks Tempest.

Pinkie Pie finishes removing the dirt and pretends not to taste the disgusting grain when she uses her mouth to pull out a discolored pink bag.

“I goth ahn emerghenthy arcawde fuhnd stash. Juhst in casth I need to go to thu ahrcahde or cheer ep somepohnee,” says Pinkie Pie, smiling at Tempest with the bag hanging from her mouth.

“Aren't you ever going to grow up?” says Tempest, her lips curled to a small smile.

Pinkie Pie shrugs and trots past Tempest. “Hey, I gohtta keep muh depreshun in check somehow. Besthides, I live to make eherypohnee happy. Ehlument stuff. You wouldn't undershand.”

Tempest nods slowly, following Pinkie Pie. “Oh... Wait, what?”

Pinkie Pie ignores her and approaches a window next to the entrance. It is for a small area being occupied by a brown and gray earth pony with a jumble of string as a cutie mark. He is wearing glasses and a yellow vest, as well as reading a magazine titled: Nihilist Monthly.

Though, to his credit, he does notice Pinkie Pie and Tempest after five seconds, but that is about the extent of his customer service skills.

“Back again, Pinkie?” he says, barely lowering his magazine.

Pinkie Pie spits the bag on the ledge. “You know I like seeing you, Chaos String.”

Chaos String grunts. “Twenty bits.”

Pinkie Pie pours out the money and slides it to him, and after he counts it he gives her two necklaces with 20 and 21 stamped on the cards.

“Thanks!” says Pinkie Pie.

“Whatever,” says Chaos String.

The two mares put on the necklaces, and Pinkie holds the door open for Tempest, shivering just a bit when a rush of cold air slams into them.

“Cheerful colt,” says Tempest as she enters the arcade.

“You should see him on his birthday,” says Pinkie Pie.

From the safety of a tree, Twilight watches Pinkie Pie and Tempest enter the arcade, which leaves an unwelcoming weight in her gut since the building is without windows.

No windows means no distant observations.

No distant observations means close up observations.

Close up observations means chance of discovery.

Chance of discovery means corrupted data.

Corrupted data means a night wasted!

“Why an arcade?” groans Twilight. “Why couldn't they keep walking around out in the open?”

Owlowiscious hoots and Twilight sighs.

“I know, I know, but still...”

Twilight's voice drifts off and she rubs her chin, staring at the bright entrance. The clerk looks bored with his magazine, and the more Twilight stares, the more she realizes what must be done.

“Well, I guess we have to go in. Let's go.”

Twilight approaches the window with speed and Owlowiscious flies close behind. When she reaches the clerk she smiles and taps on the window, getting his attention.

“Hi, there-” Twilight looks at the tag on his yellow vest “-Chaos String. One entrance ticket please.”

“No pets allowed,” says Chaos String.

“What?”

Chaos String points at Owlowiscious. “No pets. Company policy.”

“Oh, he won't be any trouble. He's house trained.”

“No pets.”

“But he's my assistant. Like a guide dog or anti-anxiety cat.”

“Do you have the required paperwork as proof of your claim?”

“Uh... No...”

Owlowiscious rolls his eyes and Twilight shoots him a sharp glare, but quickly turns it into a smile directed at the clerk.

“But he is still my service animal,” adds Twilight quickly.

“You do not have the required paperwork and the owl is not properly marked therefore he is a normal pet by legal standards and company policy says no pets,” says Chaos String.

“But I'm the Princess of Friendship and I have friendship work to do in here! Can't you let it slide just once?”

“No. If I let it slide once then it will slide again and again, and soon rules will not be followed in this place and the chaos will spread to the next establishment and then it will spread into the streets and there will be fires, looting, anarchy and lots of innocent ponies will get hurt. All because I let an owl in. You don't want that, do you?”

Twilight opens her mouth, hoof raised. Then her mouth snaps shut and her hoof drops a second later, and she looks at Owlowiscious apologetically.

“Can you wait for me outside, please?” asks Twilight.

Owlowiscious hoots and flies away, and Twilight puts ten bits on the counter, but before she can leave Chaos String's line of sight the clerk clears his throat.

“Oh, what now?” groans Twilight.

Chaos String points to a price board above him, and Twilight squints her eyes to where his hoof is pointing, and upon seeing what is written in fine print she glares at him.

“Alicorn privilege fee? That's discrimination!” says Twilight.

“No. Its leveling the playing field,” says Chaos String. “Plus its company policy. Pay up or no entrance.”

Twilight cranes her head back, groaning. “Fine! I will be right back!”

She then disappears in a flash of purple and-

Appears in her dark bedroom, her smoking mane and tail shifting to white and orange, and she uses her horn as a light as she rummages through her dresser. She quickly finds her purple and cutie mark stitched bit-bag hiding underneath her socks and other clothes, but much to her dismay the bag is empty. So she moves over to the next section of the dresser and goes through the folded white shirts and socks until she finds an orange bag with Flash's shield cutie mark on it. Using her magic, she tilts the bag and shakes out fifteen bits.

“Aha!” says Twilight, her smoking wings popping out from excitement.

“Whuzzat?” says Flash, his head craned up and mane a mess as his squinted eyes stare at Twilight, sniffing. “Twi, are you smoking again?”

“No!” snaps Twilight. “I just need to borrow some money for a friendship job. I'll pay you back, I promise.”

Flash flops back down on his pillow, his body turned away from Twilight.

“Whatever. Just buy me some pretzels if you're gonna use my money,” mumbles Flash.

“You know I will.”

With that, Twilight quickly pecks him on the forehead and then disappears in a flash of light, putting the room back into its comfortable darkness.

Tempest Shadow has never been to an arcade before. She knows Grubber has been to one. Probably this particular place since he and Spike have had frequent “bro days” and sometimes returned with cheap gifts and candy that look too much like the ones on display to be a coincidence. That includes the stuffed, beady eyed Ursa that Tempest keeps in her room (and has in no way snuggled with from time to time). Though, now that she thinks about it, Grubber has never said anything to her about any trouble from the locals. He actually seems to be enjoying his stay in Ponyville.

Lucky him.

Luck aside, Tempest looks to one side. Past the kiosk of prizes and candy, resting on the dark carpet with the brightly colored game symbols stitched on are bulky consoles with overly dramatic graphics for advertisement. Some are puzzle games, some are racing games, some are sports games, and others are fighting games. One console in particular catches her eye and it is of a pair of overly buff stallions in ripped clothes having a literal electric screaming match as they leap at each other with vein bulging hoofs ready to punch their faces off.

'So they can make arcade games of fighting, but can't actually fight themselves. What a bunch of losers,' thinks Tempest.

Tempest looks to the other side, so far unimpressed, and sees a line of air hockey tables, skidd-ball machines, and few machines with cranks and a large screen connected to pads that have glowing arrows on them. Dance-Mania is above them in glowing neon signs with cartoony pictures of young mares and stallions wearing suit and tie and sailor uniforms.

Shaking her head, Tempest goes past the dance games and continues scanning. She sees more flashing lights and games, and in the corner there is an area labeled with bubbly letters: FOAL ZONE.

It has a playground of bright colored tubes snaking around with slides, stairs, some weird thing that looks like a giant grooved rolling pin and a massive ball pit. There are other things there, too, but Tempest does not care to look further. Rather she elects to see if she can find Pinkie Pie, who had the bright idea to sneak off while Tempest was taking in the scenery.

However, her plans are interrupted when she is intercepted by a pair of young, obese stallions who smell like a horrible mix of dirt, body odor, basement grime and broken dreams.

“Cool costume,” says the first stallion, a light brown unicorn whose yellow hair wild and greasy. He is carrying with him a saddle stuffed with books and pencils. His cutie mark is a chart.

“This is not a costume,” says Tempest.

“Who are you supposed to be?” asks the second stallion, a red pegasus with a trio of dice as a cutie mark, a receding orange hairline and orange fluff all along his neck. He smells just as bad as the unicorn, plus has the stench of old cheese. It takes Tempest a good amount of willpower to hold back her gag.

“I'm being me,” says Tempest.

“A noncomformist? I like that!” says the unicorn.

“But seriously, who are you supposed to be?” says the pegasus. “Your costume looks like the light armor for the Dark Lord's Shadow League. Low level, if I'm not mistaken since I don't see any enchantment runes or gems on it. And your makeup is fantastic! Your scar and broken horn looks real and really makes you look like a tsundere.”

Tempest scrunches her muzzle and leans back, raising a hoof to her chest and resisting the urge to slap the imbecile in front of her. “I get the feeling you two don't get out much.”

“Oh, we get out plenty. We actually just finished a campaign of Ogres and Oubliettes that this place hosted and it took us a week to complete! There is another one coming up next week,” says the unicorn, adding with an odd smile and wink: “Newbies can be allowed, just for you.”

“Uh...” Tempest looks over them and sees Pinkie Pie skipping towards her with a pair of bags draped around her neck via a pair of tied thick strings. “No. I actually have plans that makes it impossible for me to see the two of you ever again.”

“Oh, hey Roll Chart and Loaded Dice, I didn't expect to see you here,” says Pinkie Pie, now coming up next to them.

“What are you talking about? You told us to talk to this beauty,” says the unicorn.

Tempest shoots Pinkie Pie a vicious glare, and the pink mare exhales heavily through her nose and slaps her hoof on the stallion's shoulder. Hard. Causing him to wince and buckle.

“So, Roll Chart, remember those muffins I was gonna give to you for your next game session?” says Pinkie Pie.

“Yeah?” says Roll Chart meekly.

“Consider them burnt.”

“Oh, way to go, dinkus,” sneers the pegasus, Loaded Dice.

“It just came out!” whines Roll Chart.

“Buzz off, you two,” orders Tempest, her horn sparking and bathing the group in its blue glow.

It takes less than a heartbeat for the two to turn tail and run off, and as they run, Tempest puts her hoof around Pinkie's neck and pulls her close so their muzzles squish against each other.

“Next time you send weirdos my way I'm going to deck you, got it?” says Tempest, her glare reflecting back at her from Pinkie's wide blue eyes.

Pinkie Pie nods, and with her ears drooped she says: “I was just trying to loosen you up.”

“And you thought sending two fat, smelly adult sized colts was going to make me feel better?”

“When you put it that way... Yeah.”

Tempest releases Pinkie Pie, scoffing. “Wow. There is something wrong with you.”

“I know...” Pinkie Pie sulks and rubs the carpet with her hoof. “I just know you're sensitive about your injuries, and I ran into those two while I was buying tokens, so I thought that if they talked to you without mentioning your scars you would feel a little bit better. Like, getting a boost to realize that not everypony sees your injuries. Some ponies see a pretty mare who needs a friend.”

“Loaded Dice mentioned my horn and scar.”

“He did?”

Tempest nods, and Pinkie Pie scoffs and looks over her shoulder, but the two stallions are already gone so her disgust is directed at the door instead.

“Well, somepony is getting a burnt birthday cake next week,” says Pinkie Pie. “But anyway!”

Pinkie Pie takes the bags off of her neck, sticks the knot connecting them in her mouth, and ten seconds of humming and contorted facial expressions later she spits out two free slobber covered loops. She then slings one around her neck like a necklace and holds the other up to Tempest, grinning.

“Tokens?” she asks.

Tempest stares at the slobber shining on the plastic string, then at Pinkie Pie, then at the necklace, then at Pinkie Pie again. Her companion for the night is still smiling, though a bead of sweat is trickling down the side of her head and her smile is wavering.

“Fine,” says Tempest.

Pinkie Pie sighs with relief and Tempest lowers her head just enough for Pinkie Pie to slip the necklace on her. With the bag of tokens around her she stands up and jiggles the bag with her hoof, oddly getting a sense of satisfaction from hearing the tokens bounce off of each other.

“Follow me, Tempest! I know you're gonna have fun with this!” says Pinkie Pie, hopping past Tempest.

Tempest grunts skeptically and follows Pinkie Pie, and the pink pony turns around in midair during one of her hops and starts walking backwards again.

“Or, you will have fun if you will let yourself have fun,” says Pinkie Pie.

“Are you going to order me to have fun?” asks Tempest.

“I can't force you to do anything, but-” Pinkie Pie slides next to Tempest and rubs against her shoulder, smiling at her “-it will be nice to see you smile again.”

“I've smiled tonight.”

“Smirks don't really count. They are deformed compliment signals that occur at the expense of the other, which a genuine smile is more all along the lines of everypony is happy. It usually comes with laughter and good vibes.”

“What if everypony is smiling and laughing at the expense of a filly who was just mauled by a bear?”

Pinkie Pie frowns. “That's just bullies being jerks. But you don't have to worry about that here.”

“Right. Just like I didn't have to worry about the Friendliest Town in Equestria wanting me turned to stone.”

Pinkie Pie nibbles her lip. “Okay, you don't have to worry about me finding happiness out of your misery.” She slips a token in a box and pushes her way past a yellow gate that clicks open. “But for the love of your health, relax and have fun.”

Without putting much thought into it, Tempest slips the token into the same box and goes through the same gate, but when it clicks behind her, her eyes work properly in taking in the scenery. Starting with what is in front of her: A giant, brightly painted metal squirrel in a clown suit sitting on his hind legs with his front paw held out.

Mr. Happy says you MUST be this tall to play in the Happy House Playground.

Tempest narrows her eyes and looks past the squirrel, realizing that she just entered the Foal Zone, and she looks at Pinkie Pie, who is grinning with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“Why did we just go into the kiddie play area?” asks Tempest.

“Oh you will see, Fizzles,” says Pinkie Pie. “You. Will. See.”

Across the way, at the closed down food court, Twilight sits behind a table, purposefully not using a chair to limit how much she sticks out, and uses her hoofs to hold her binoculars for the same reason. She has to adjust her binoculars a few times since the particular brand she is using is meant for bird watching, and getting an up close look at Tempest's smudged friendship notes on her hoof is not what she wants to see.

After she successfully adjusts her binoculars, she is able to track Pinkie Pie and Tempest to the Foal Zone. Why they are there is a mystery, but Pinkie Pie is a living enigma and Twilight has learned to deal with it.

Keeping her magic to a minimum for writing notes, Twilight observes that the two are having a conversation at the front of the squirrel statue. Tempest is appearing confused and uncomfortable, and Pinkie Pie has a strange smile that mirrors a mad scientist whose diabolical plot has come into fruition.

“Oh, cool costume,” says a stallion next to her.

Twilight's ears perk and she lowers her binoculars to see a unicorn and pegasus next to her, both smelling worse than the spoiled milk that had been in her basement for a year.

“Excuse me?” Then Twilight remembers that she is wearing a safari outfit for reasons she long forgot. “Oh, right. Thank you.”

“How much did those wings cost? They look real,” says the pegasus.

Twilight's muzzle scrunches and her wings twitch. “Uh, my wings are real.”

“Then how much did your horn cost? It looks real, too,” says the unicorn.

Twilight frowns. “My horn is also real.”

The two stallions gasp.

“Wait a minute. If the horn is real,” says Roll Chart.

“And the wings are real,” says Loaded Dice.

“That means you must be Princess Celestia!” they say in unison.

“What? No! How did you come up with such a wrong conclusion!?” says Twilight.

“Only Princess Celestia has wings and a horn,” says Roll Chart smugly.

“Yeah. You really got to work on your illusion spells if you want to pass off as Twilight Sparkle,” says Loaded Dice. “No offense, your majesty. I'm just a concerned citizen.”

“Oh my gosh.” Twilight drops her binoculars on the table and rubs her watery eyes, too tired for patience. “I'm not Princess Celestia. I am Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship, and I am on a friendship assignment, so can you two please take a bath?”

The two stallions stare at her, jaws to the floor, both quiet and both not moving. Their staring becomes uncomfortable after a few seconds, and Twilight shifts in her spot and motions them to leave with her hoof.

“Can you please go? You're interfering with my research,” says Twilight as politely as her exhausted state will allow.

“When did you become an alicorn?” asks Loaded Dice.

Twilight's brain breaks.

“Ta-Da!” cheers Pinkie Pie, her hoof pointed at the Foal Zone's ball pit.

Tempest scowls at the pool of colorful plastic balls, then turns her annoyance to Pinkie Pie when she dives into the pool.

“What is this?” says Tempest.

“It is a ball pit,” says Pinkie Pie, turning to face Tempest as she scoops up a purple ball.

“I can see that. But I just wasted a token for a ball pit? Really?”

“A ball pit can also serve as a wrestling ring, and you haven't lived until you wrestled in a ball pit!” says Pinkie Pie, tossing the ball between her hoofs.

Tempest rolls her eyes and turns around, walking to the exit.

“This is ridiculous. I'm going back to the palace,” says Tempest.

As soon Tempest finishes her sentence, the purple ball bounces off the back of her head. It does not hurt, but Tempest still snaps around, snorting hot air.

“Don't do that,” says Tempest

Pinkie Pie throws another ball at Tempest's chest.

“Will you-”

And another ball hits Tempest.

“Stop!”

And another ball hits her.

“Pinkie, I'm-”

And another ball hits her.

And another and another and another.

Tempest's horn sparks, and she snarls and coils her body as another bounces off of her.

“Pinkie, I swear-”

And another ball hits her, bouncing off her muzzle.

“That's it!”

Tempest takes a massive leap into the ball pin, ejecting the rainbow of balls everywhere upon impact, and Pinkie Pie squeals with laughter as she hops around in the pool, trying with failed efforts to run. Tempest has trouble keeping herself upright in the pin as the balls roll and bounce around her, but she manages to get another good jump and tackles Pinkie Pie into the sea of plastic orbs, scattering the colors everywhere. However, Pinkie Pie is able to wiggle out from Tempest's grip, slide underneath her, and then swing herself on her back, where she tugs the unicorn down, launching more balls into the air.

But Pinkie Pie does not keep Tempest down for long. The metal boots press against her stomach and in a blink she is flipped over. With Pinkie Pie flat on her back, Tempest quickly and gracefully slides on top and pins her down. Though, despite the hoof pressing against her collar and the weight of Tempest holding her down, Pinkie Pie is still laughing.

“What's so funny?” says Tempest, panting just a little bit.

“Are you having fun, yet? I'm having fun!” says Pinkie Pie.

Tempest stares at Pinkie Pie, and by looking into her opal eyes the Element can see the gears turning in her brain. As the gears turn, Tempest's hardened expression softens to a thin smile and she sits up, but still keeps a hoof pressed on Pinkie's barrel.

“That actually was kind of fun,” says Tempest.

“Cool! Round two?” asks Pinkie.

“You'll lose again.”

Pinkie Pie stands up with no resistance from Tempest, and rolls her shoulders and neck.

“Are you sure about that?” says Pinkie Pie.

“Confident, aren't we?” says Tempest.

“Oh, yeah... Thinkfast!”

Pinkie suddenly lunges forward and-

“Ahem,” says Chaos String.

Pinkie Pie freezes in midair, literally, and Tempest -locked in a defensive stance- stares at her, lips sealed and eyes wide while Pinkie Pie looks at the stallion with an innocent smile.

“Yes?” says Pinkie Pie.

Chaos String points to a sign that reads in big, bold, red letters: NO WRESTLING IN THE BALL PIT

Pinkie Pie cringes and falls into the pool, keeping herself mostly submerged as her face burns with shame. “Ohhhh... My bad.”

“Mhm,” grunts the clerk, and he leaves without another word.

Once he is gone, Pinkie Pie huffs in disappointment and looks at Tempest. “Well, that didn't work.” Then she realizes that Tempest's face is frozen from shock, and she tilts her head slightly. “What?”

“What are you?” asks Tempest hoarsely.

Author's Note

Fun Fact: Tempest Shadow was originally named Cosmos and was Celestia's brother.