Author's Note
Author's Note: It's quite a shame that we didn't get to see an episode featuring Pinkie Pie and the Cutie Mark Crusaders in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. So this is why I wrote this fan episode for those of you who are big fans of these ponies. I felt that a circus episode was the easiest and best bet for a Pinkie/CMC episode, because to my knowledge, Pinkie is the only member of the Mane Six interested in circuses, as much as the Crusaders do themselves. It even took me some research to put in all these circus acts as possible.
This story takes place during Season 6, serving as an alternative episode for The Cart Before the Ponies (one of the official episodes I didn't like), as I originally wrote this story in 2016 but decided not to publish it until what looked like the last minute.
Prologue + Act One
Prologue
One morning in the Ponyville schoolhouse, a group of fillies and colts were at their desks, excited about their class field trip.
"Have you heard? Miss Cheerilee is taking us on a field trip today!" Apple Bloom told Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.
"To where?" asked Sweetie Belle.
"I don't know, but I'll bet it'll be someplace fun!" Apple Bloom said.
"Oh, I can't wait!" Scootaloo added.
Cheerilee, the teacher, stepped in to the front of the classroom. "Good morning, class! I hope you're all excited about tomorrow, because we're going on a field trip to..."
"Canterlot?" Scootaloo asked.
"Appleloosa?" asked Apple Bloom.
"Manehattan?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Fillydelphia!" exclaimed Cheerilee.
Disappointed groans came from the whole class. Cheerilee then announced,
"Now, now, cheer up, everypony. This is supposed to be an exciting field trip because last week, we've been chosen to perform at a circus in Fillydelphia for all the little fillies and colts. And while we're there, we're bringing an assistant with us."
From out of nowhere, Pinkie Pie appeared inside the classroom. "Hey, everypony!" she squealed.
Scootaloo hoofpalmed herself. "Ugh! Not Pinkie!"
"Yeah, why couldn't it be Applejack?" asked Apple Bloom.
"And I want Rarity!" Sweetie Belle added.
The entire class shouted and yelled out all kinds of protests like a mob. Cheerilee tried to calm the students down.
"Class, class, settle down! I've assigned Pinkie Pie to be our assistant for our field trip tomorrow because our circus acts will be fun with her around. You will all each dress up as clown ponies and do your most talented acts."
"Will there be wild animals?" asked Pipsqueak.
Cheerile told him, "Well, actually, they're bred in captivity animals. But yes, we will see animals like elephants and lions and tigers. Oh, my!"
"And there will be balloons!" added Pinkie.
"Now, is anyone here good at juggling?" Cheerilee asked.
Apple Bloom raised her hoof. "I've juggled once!..." then put it back down. "But I'm not really that good."
"Don't worry, Apple Bloom. You don't have to be perfect; just do your best and have fun," Pinkie Pie told her.
"And who would like to volunteer in a tightrope walking act?" asked Cheerilee.
Scootaloo raised her hoof. "I will! I've always wanted to walk on a tightrope!"
"Are you sure, Scootaloo?" Cheerile asked. "'Cause this tightrope will be really high."
Scootaloo was nervous. "How high?"
"Really, really, REALLY high!" Pinkie exclaimed.
Scootaloo hide under her desk and covered her head in fear. Pinkie Pie briefly reacted to Scootaloo's behavior, then smiled and approached Scootaloo as she emerged from under her desk. "It's okay, Scooty. We all get nervous when we're in the middle of a whole crowd. I'll always be there for you guys."
Scootaloo smiled as well. "Thanks, Pinkie," she said, and they hugged together.
Part 1
Several minutes later, the Friendship Express train was rolling through the countryside on its way to the city of Fillydelphia, taking the whole class and Pinkie Pie with it.
"Who's excited for today's field trip?" asked Cheerilee. Pinkie Pie bounced around the train interior with excitement.
"Me! Me! Me! I'm excited!" She popped up behind foal after foal. "Are you excited? 'Cause I'm excited! I've never been so excited to be in a real circus with a whole group of foals!"
"Yeah..." Sweetie Belle said sarcastically.
Cheerilee turned to Pinkie. "Say, Pinkie, you haven't told us what you're gonna do in the circus show. What are you gonna be?"
"That's easy! I'm gonna be..." Pinkie zipped offscreen for a split second and came back with her party cannon. "The pony cannonball!" She fired her cannon. Bits of confetti burst out and flew everywhere. Cheerilee's class was hardly affected by this.
"What about you, Sweetie Belle?" Cheerilee turned to her. "You haven't told us what you'll do in the circus, either."
"I'm... not so sure if I want to," Sweetie Belle said.
Cheerilee sat down with the little filly. "Look, Sweetie Belle, I understand you're nervous as well, but everypony will be performing at least one act in the middle of a whole crowd. And that includes you."
"But I don't know any circus acts that I'm very good at," said Sweetie Belle.
Pinkie Pie approached the filly. "It's okay, Sweetie. Pinkie here has a bunch of ideas for those who need help when they need it! So tell me, what are you good at?"
"I can sing songs..." She let out a really loud note. "Write songs, crochet, and do magic." Then she shook her head. "But no circus acting."
"I got a great idea! You could train animals," Pinkie suggested.
"But animals are scary! I especially don't like lions. I'm afraid they'll bite me," cried Sweetie Belle nervously.
"Don't worry! With me around, I can help you face your fears of those big lions and tigers, like my Granny Pie always did to me," said Pinkie.
"And Sweetie Belle, these animals are very tame. I promise, they won't bite you," Cheerilee added.
Still half nervous, Sweetie Belle nodded, "Okay." Then pretending to be courageous, she said, "I'll do it!"
"That's the spirit!" Pinkie exclaimed.
The train was now about a few miles away from the city of Fillydelphia. It finally stopped at the station five minutes later. Everypony got out of the train and starting walking towards the city. Everywhere, they could see a bunch of tall buildings, one of them containing a Liberty Bell with a crack on it, symbolizing Equestria's independence. It was a long, long walk to the circus tent.
"Are we there yet, Miss Cheerilee?" Pipsqueak asked.
"We're almost there, Pipsqueak," Cheerilee said. "The circus should be just a couple miles away exactly on this street."
"Since when did you last juggle, Apple Bloom?" asked Scootaloo.
"It was kind of a long time ago," Apple Bloom told her.
"Was it hard?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Yeah, even though I thought I was gonna be good at it," replied Apple Bloom.
"I feel that exact same way myself," said Sweetie Belle. "The way I see it, animal taming isn't as easy as I thought. Those sharp teeth and claws—ooh! They just give me the creeps!"
Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle all suddenly stopped walking for a bit.
"'Ooh! They just give me the creeps!' Scaredy pony! Scaredy pony!" teased Diamond Tiara.
Silver Spoon joined her, now in unison. "Scaredy pony! Scaredy pony! Scaredy pony!"
Scootaloo stepped up to them both. "Hey! Stop teasing her! It's not our faults we're afraid of whatever we're gonna be doin' at the circus!"
"Yeah, right," Diamond scoffed.
"Bump, bump, sugar lump..." But before Diamond and Silver could finish their 'sugar-lump dance'...
"Girls! Stay together as a group, please!" Cheerilee called.
"Oops!" Diamond and Silver Spoon ran back towards the group. The Crusaders followed them.
As everypony finally made it to the circus booth, they could hear circus music playing in the background. There were clown ponies juggling, taming lions and tigers, and riding on unicycles, as well as guests carrying tubs of popcorn, getting ready for the show.
"Here we are, everypony! The Fillydelphia City Circus Show, the one and only circus in the entire city!" announced Cheerilee.
All the students and Pinkie looked around. It was a wonderful sight. All the fillies and colts were smiling and feeling excited. They scrambled everywhere to different locations within the circus booth interior, while Pinkie and Cheerilee just stayed behind.
"Fillies, colts, please, single file!" Cheerilee called. She looked at Pinkie, who just stared back at her. They both shrugged, and walked further inside the circus booth.
All the students in Cheerilee's class were in the gift shop, looking at toy clowns and buying popcorn and cotton candy. Snips and Snails were eating a candy bar and an ice-cream cone, respectively. Diamond and Silver were playing with some of the toys. Sweetie tried on some of the funny glasses and made funny faces through a distorting mirror. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were reading a joke book. They briefly laughed for a moment, when suddenly, Pinkie Pie entered the shop.
"Come on, everypony! Miss Cheerilee wants you all back to the entrance in one minute! Hurry up, let's go!"
"We're coming!" Apple Bloom said, closing the joke book. She and Scootaloo headed towards the door. Sweetie Belle put down the glasses and scurried off, also heading towards the door. All the fillies and colts in the class went after Pinkie.
Back in the entrance, Cheerilee, Pinkie, and the group of students got back in line. Soon, a magician-like pony wearing a top hat approached towards the group.
"Everypony, meet Ringmaster Robin. He's the leader of today's circus show," Cheerilee said.
"Pleasure to meet you all," Robin said, shaking the ponies' hooves, one by one.
"Do you have a special talent, Mr. Ringmaster?" asked Pinkie.
"Why, yes, I do. As the official ringmaster of this circus, my job is to introduce every act in front of a large crowd. Whether if it has to do with clowns, acrobats, big animals, and everything in between, I'm in charge of all the performers here."
"Can you show me how to juggle?" asked Apple Bloom.
"Or me how to walk on a tightrope?" Scootaloo asked.
"I appreciate all your suggestions, but I'm afraid there isn't much time before the next show. I will meet you all later. So until then, farewell!" The ringmaster left.
Cheerilee turned to her students. "Okay, everypony! It's time to get ready for our show!"
"What? But we didn't bring our clown suits!" Sweetie Belle said.
"Yeah, how are we supposed to perform in front of a whole audience if we're not dressed as clown ponies?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Not to worry! They provide clown suits and makeup for everypony over there in the makeup room!" said Pinkie.
"So what are we waiting for? Let's go put on those suits and makeup and have ourselves a circus show!" Cheerilee said, leading everypony into the makeup room.
Inside, they all stood in line, now dressed as clowns, painting their faces for preparation of the circus show. After Cheerilee and Pinkie finished up with their makeups, it was then the students' turn. They formed a straight line in this order: Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Pipsqueak, Shady Daze, Twist, Silver Spoon, Diamond Tiara, Snails, and Snips.
Pinkie started off with those on the left side, while Cheerilee began with those on the right side. They also gave them eye makeup and powdered their faces. Afterwards, everypony
put on their clown suits and wigs, some also wearing hats. Snips looked in a mirror hanging on the wall.
"How do I look, Snails?" Snips asked.
"You look like an ugly monster!" Snails told him.
"Oh yeah? Well, I think you're even uglier than I am!" Snips yelled back.
"Are not!" Snails argued.
"Are too!" Snips argued.
Cheerilee stepped in. "Boys, please!" Then she turned back to the class. "Okay, class, now that we're all ready with our faces painted, who's ready to show their happy smiles to a whole crowd of foals?!"
Pinkie bounced up and down. "Ooh! Me! Me! Me!"
She then suddenly stopped bouncing, and the two of them look forward towards the students, none of them looking quite ready for the show.
Part 3
Sweetie Belle was still not sure about her upcoming circus stunt. Pinkie Pie slowly walked towards her. "Sweetie Belle, I know how you feel. It's always scary at first to see those big claws and sharp teeth of those huge, roaring lions and tigers--"
Sweetie Belle covered her eyes. "Oh, please, Pinkie Pie, don't mention sharp teeth or claws in front of me!"
"Sorry," replied Pinkie. "The thing is, everypony feels scared when they have to do a job that involves big animals. But you should know that it always helps to face your fears and give a smile. That way, you won't feel so scared."
Sweetie Belle released her eyes and made direct eye contact with Pinkie, then smiled. "Okay, Pinkie. But would you please come with me?"
"Sure!" Pinkie smiled back.
"Then let's go tame ourselves some wild animals!" said Sweetie Belle.
Pinkie corrected her, "Uh, Sweetie, they're bred in captivity animals."
"Oh, yeah." Sweetie Belle giggled sheepishly.
Later, as she prepared for her stunt, the ringmaster announced, "Our next act stars a kind, young filly who will face three enormous lions and three ferocious tigers. Presenting... Sweetie Belle, the mistress of animal taming!"
Sweetie Belle and Pinkie Pie appeared on onstage, with only Sweetie jumping into the spotlight. She did a brief dance in the spotlight while holding a whip in her mouth,
then scurried towards the center of the ring. She removed the whip from her mouth and held it in her front right hoof and gave Pinkie a thumbs up. Pinkie gave one of her own
back at her.
"Release the animals!" called the ringmaster.
A circus pony opened a large cage. Out poured three gold-furred lions with brown manes and three orange tigers with black stripes. They ran around Sweetie Belle inside the ring.
She swished her whip this way and that. As she did so, all six animals gradually stopped running and lined up in their respective lines. Sweetie turned to a lion with both of its paws up.
As the lion waved one of its paws at her, she used her whip to calm it down.
"That girl is so brave!" said one of the audience members in the crowd.
"Yeah, even braver than I am!" said another.
Back inside the ring, the tiger walked backwards paws up while Sweetie carried her whip towards it, walking forwards. Then one of two tigers jumped over the other as Sweetie positioned them. Next, in a small obstacle course inside the ring, one tiger leaped from stool to stool and through a ring of fire. Sweetie continued her training with the animals for about two additional minutes. As the stunt ended, Sweetie hugged one of the lions, then one of the tigers. After that, she waved her hoof with whip inside victoriously. The crowd cheered and applauded. Later, she returned backstage with the rest of the class.
"Sweetie Belle, that was amazing! Even I could never do that!" Pipsqueak said.
"Were you scared?" asked Scootaloo.
"A little," Sweetie Belle replied. "But like Pinkie said, facing your fears is always the best thing to do. And that's what I did!"
Words of encouragement came from the students.
"Okay, everypony, are we all ready for the grand finale parade?" asked Cheerilee.
"Do I have to ride on an elephant? I don't really like heights," Sweetie Belle said.
Cheerilee approached towards the unicorn filly. "Sweetie Belle, you were a terrific animal trainer. I'm sure you'll be brave enough to handle riding on an elephant. Tell you what, if you're really that afraid of heights, then I'll ride with you."
"Thanks, Miss Cheerilee!" Sweetie Belle hugged hugs her teacher, and Cheerilee hugged her back.
"I think Sweetie Belle is feeling more confident about things," Scootaloo said to Apple Bloom.
"Tell me about it," Apple Bloom added.
"And now, before your very eyes, I now present to you all... Pinkie Pie, the pony cannonball!" announced the ringmaster. Pinkie Pie stood next to a huge cannon completely resembling her party cannon. She waved at the excited audience members.
"Anything you'd like to say to our audience before we begin, Miss Pie?" asked the ringmaster.
"Yep! Just one thing," Pinkie said, then yelled really loudly, "Does anypony have a huge cake for me to land on?!?"
The ringmaster was confused. "No. Why?"
"It's nothin'. Just in case I get hungry again," Pinkie shrugged.
She then zipped over to the large cannon and strained to get her entire body inside, until only her head can be seen from the outside.
"Okay! I'm ready now!" Pinkie shouted. She disappeared entirely from view to inside the cannon.)
The ringmaster turned back to the crowd. "On the count of three, with the help from you audience members, we will all launch the cannon together! Are you ready?"
The crowd counted down, "One! Two! Three!"
As the cannon exploded, Pinkie sailed high into the sky, along with loads of tiny bits of confetti. While in the air, Pinkie performed a twirl. She landed on the ground safely and raised her two front hooves high up in victory. There was wild cheering and applause everywhere from the crowd, including Cheerilee and her whole class. Pinkie took several bows in front of every member of the audience.
Then for the very last time, the ringmaster went back into the ring. He announced, "And now, the moment you've all been waiting for! Our final act of today's Fillydelphia City Circus Show! Fillies and gentlecolts, presenting... the grand finale parade!"
The spotlight shone an elephant from a distance away. It approached closer and closer on stage with the elephant in the spotlight. Another spotlight showed Sweetie Belle and Miss Cheerilee riding on the elephant. Both of them waved their hooves at the audience. Following the elephant in line, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo walked while training a zebra. All the fillies, colts, and their parents in the audience waved their hooves at them.
"Look, they're really enjoying us!" Apple Bloom pointed towards the crowd again.
"Yeah, even I'm enjoying it myself!" Scootaloo added.
Behind them were Snips and Snails riding on unicycles, Pipsqueak playing the drum, and the rest of Cheerilee's class just clowning and having fun. Last in line was Pinkie Pie and her party cannon. She fired it, unleashing confetti and sending it flying everywhere on stage in front of the whole audience. The crowd was filled with cheers and applause, meaning that they have enjoyed the show performed by the ponies of Ponyville.
Now, Cheerilee, Pinkie, and all the fillies and colts in Cheerilee's class stood outside the booth, still wearing their clown suits. Cheerilee announced to her class, "Well done, everypony! All the fillies and colts of Fillydelphia salute you all for your fantastic clowning. Did any of you learn something important today?"
"We all did. We learned that whenever somepony has to show themselves in front of a whole crowd, even when they're feeling afraid, they're never alone. Somepony else will always be there with them whenever they need help or forget something," Sweetie Belle said.
"Very good, class. You all did indeed learn a very important lesson," said Cheerilee.
"Maybe we should come back next year and throw a circus party!" cheered Pinkie Pie.
Apple Bloom looked around, confused. "Is there really such a thing as a 'circus party'?" she asked.
"Not really. I just made that up," Pinkie told her.
Then everypony started walking back to the Friendship Express train station. As they walked around the city, Pinkie Pie said, "Hey, I just thought of another clown joke! Did you hear about the pony cannonball?"
"No," Scootaloo answered.
"What happened to her?" asked Sweetie Belle.
"She got fired!" exclaimed Pinkie.
Everypony laughed at Pinkie's joke as they continued their journey back home in Ponyville, passing the Fillydelphia Liberty Bell tower.
THE END
P.S.: Suggested Voice Performers
Michelle Creber as Apple Bloom
Claire Corlett as Sweetie Belle
Madeleine Peters as Scootaloo
Nicole Oliver as Cherilee
Andrea Libman as Pinkie Pie
Peter New as Ringmaster Robin
Chantal Strand as Diamond Tiara
Shannon Chan-Kent as Silver Spoon
Graham Verchere as Pipsqueak
Lee Tockar as Snips
Richard Cox as Snails
